October 2001 Archives
October 31
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I didn't get to go this year to haunted houses so please let me live vicariously through your exploits. It was bound to happen: this here's the compulsory first semi-annual HAUNTED HOUSE CRITIQUE MeFi thread! Feel free to share your stories of your favorite haunted house adventures this year. Where'd you go? How annoying were the lines? What was there? Didja pee in yer pants or didja punch out the guy with that obnoxious bleeding Screams mask? There's one in every crowd this year. Did they do the classics or go for modern scares? Who'd ya bring with you? Didja take point or hide in the back? You know the last one in the group is always the guy they attack in haunted houses. Anybody touch ya? You gonna sue? Give us the whole skinny.
Language Tools
Language Tools has become the one resource I use for all my WORD related needs, although it unfortunately lacks a Quotations section like Bartleby or Quotations Page. (The runner-up was Refdesk , which I know as Colin Powell's favorite, put together by Drudge the Father, although its filled with too much other stuff.) Any better choices?
Foreign Candy
Foreign Candy Their Pink Grapefruit Mint is the candy that changed my life. The candy I can't live without. The Best Damn Candy I Ever Had. Really. Too bad it's Japanese. Anybody else hooked on non-native candy? (warning: links to a site awash in an asian character set -- but, you get cute monkeys).
Bravo Bill Moyers!
Bravo Bill Moyers! Once in awhile there comes a personality that can bridge ideological gaps. Granted these "gaps" are left, center left and moderate right. At that, Moyers is quite the ace. In this keynote address, Moyers speaks of patriotism, unity, heartbreak, renewable energy, "it could have been worse" scenarios, further terrorist attacks and who's side We the People should be on.
An online collection of police auctions, all collected in one place is a pretty good find. They're like ebay, without the crowds. On the weird side: parking meters, books by the pound, and lots and lots of bibles (what crime was being committed when these were confiscated?!). There are some good deals to be found, and also some questionable merchandise: won't this item and this other item will be used in a crime again?
Wonka!
Wonka! We'd be remiss to let halloween pass without a shoutout to one of the best candy companies ever. Very nice Flash work here, too. What's your favorite Wonka candy?
eerie image
eerie image of Usama Bin Laden on Shroud of Turin Osama bin Laden
I miss the candy i can't find anymore.
I miss the candy i can't find anymore. all these candy links got me searching for my favorites, Beemans Black Jack, and Clove Gum. What other Extinct candy do you miss? anyone need a Summit Break?
Things you swore you'd never do, but now are
Things you swore you'd never do, but now are Just how old do you feel? I've been definately feeling that whole year older today until I took this test and found out I'm only 37% an old fogie. Yes!
necco!
necco! call me provincal but one of my favourite candy companies is the new england confectionary company -- there's really nothing like riding the no 1 bus over smoot bridge and seeing the candy coloured smokestack rising from their roof. okay, so sweethearts taste like chalk and necco wafers are out and out disgusting; there's nothing quite like the sky bar.
Low or no budget horror films. They're awful, and oh so enticing (prolly 'cause they can be awful, amusing, and sometimes really good). How do you do special effects on no budget? Boggles the mind. As Halloween as it gets, the independant film makers and horror officiandos have their own portal. Crawl down these haunted corridors at your own risk.
Dum Dum anyone?
Dum Dum anyone? I just had one for the first time in at least ten years. And now I know why they are so small and what the mystery is all about.
Ferrara Pan Candy Company.
Ferrara Pan Candy Company. My favorite candy company for several reasons. One, I live nearby and the neighborhood around the factory always smells like Lemonheads. Mmmmmmm.
Two, they also make my all-time favorite candy: Atomic Fireballs!
And of course, everyone's had Red Hots before.
Finally, there's Boston Baked Beans, and Black Forest Gummies.
Take a virtual tour and see how candy is made. Guaranteed to be less gruesome than watching sausage being made.
Today is Reformation Day, the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing the 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church in 1517. He was largely criticizing the practice of selling indulgences (forgiveness for sins). He didn't intend to split with the church. He left room for the Pope to slip out of the indulgences corruption. But the Pope didn't, and the split eventually came.
candy for the eyes, ears, and brain. Although the documentary was shown at SXSW(and other locations) earlier this year, i haven't seen much reference to it. profiles william gibson and his mind's view of what he envisioned as 'cyberspace.' be sure to click the 'don't click' link for an interactive map that details some of the obscure points of the film.
and for those that already seen it, go get yourself some spooky, personalized M&Ms candy!
Since we're talking candy, as a kid I used to be addicted to U-No Bars. This dates me but I unhaled those puppies. And it's amazing how many other "staple" candy bars they made.
Sales Tax Free Christmas?
Sales Tax Free Christmas? Sen Olympia Snow (R ME) and Patty Murray (D WA) have proposed a 10 day moratorium on sales tax as a stimulus to get people shopping this holiday season.
Horehound is probably the most obscure candy....
Horehound is probably the most obscure candy.... ...but there's always Altoids, which many know by name but few seem to have become addicted to. Or how about a blast from the past: Sen-Sen? Or, for those of us with a taste for both sweetness and a bit of bite, how about a 30lb box of cinnamon bears? And for those who say that real licorice whips are black and not red, here's everything you ever wanted to know about licorice.
Happy Samhain! (Er, Hallowe'en.)
"Preserving the environment is a competitive advantage and a major business opportunity."
"Preserving the environment is a competitive advantage and a major business opportunity." So says Bill Ford, former chairman and now CEO of Ford Motor Company (replacing the ousted Jacques Nasser). An admirer of the ecology of Volvos and a "hardcore environmentalist," Bill Ford represents the hope of many with the planet's environment in mind. Can he really be for real? Whether or not, the news is good to hear.
Intel Likes the Napster Way (Wired Article).
Intel Likes the Napster Way (Wired Article). So, we've had Napster, and its counterparts, and we've had all sorts of cheerleading for P2P. P2P has taken off in a big way in the way of IMing, and in a smaller way via projects like SETI@home.
Now there's a major corp using it for internal practices in a big way. Are any of you seeing any interesting uses of P2P where you work?
Candy Bar Math
Candy Bar Math A Brunching Shuttlecock link and almost certainly a double post. But what the hell: let's gorge on candy.
Pez!
Pez! Forget politics, today's about gorging on candy. And what other candy is so obsessed over as Pez? (Google search results of "pez") I'm surprised no Pez sites were mentioned in the Magnificent Obsession discussion earlier this month, such as Pez Central. There's even a Dark Side of Pez site. For adults who didn't get good candy for Halloween when they were young, there's the Prozac Pez dispenser collection (be sure to play the Prozac Pez Game, it's like a shooting gallery).
Oh so spooky (In a Disney sort of way)
Oh so spooky (In a Disney sort of way) The main page is annoying if you dislike applets but this site explores Disney's Haunted Mansion with an obsessive zeal. Of course there *is* all sorts of cool stuff going on behind the scenes. Like the guy who broke his neck . . .
(And who knew the ride seats were called doombuggies a.k.a "omnimovers", and that they are patented?)
CNN Chief orders "balance" in war coverage.
CNN Chief orders "balance" in war coverage. Earlier this year, CNN Chief Walter Isaacson got chummy with GOP lawmakers and begged them for tips on how to attract more conservative viewers. Next, he tried to bring Rush Limbaugh to CNN. Now he's issued a memo to his reporters, urging them "to balance images of civilian devastation in Afghan cities with reminders that the Taliban harbors murderous terrorists, saying it "seems perverse to focus too much on the casualties or hardship in Afghanistan." Is this "balance", or is he urging CNN to gloss over the realities of what is happening in Afghanistan?
The Table PC: promising 'new' form factor or marketing tripe?
The Table PC: promising 'new' form factor or marketing tripe? It's not a new idea. Both the Grid and Vadem's Clio did this a long time ago. I wonder will Microsoft's rallying of major hardware manufacturers (Sony, Toshiba, Fujitsu, etc.) be able to turn this form factor into an affordable and practical product.
On this day...
On this day... Check this out - historical information (from encarta) from any day. I checked my birthdate, October 1st, and discovered a TON of neat facts!
First they turned your ketchup green. Then, they turned your ketchup purple. Undaunted, Parkay has introduced that its margarine is now available in... pink and blue!
Hell
Hell Houses Run by Baptists!!!!!
Does this happen in your neck of the woods? I had never heard of it, but on the radio this morning I heard that September 11th has become a popular motif for these haunted houses. I think this might be the scariest thing about Halloween.
Buy A Leather Bikini Worn By Bo Derek, It's The Patriotic Thing To Do.
Buy A Leather Bikini Worn By Bo Derek, It's The Patriotic Thing To Do. One of the many semi-frightening items being offered in eBay's Auction For America. Fetish Bo's most intimate apparel guilt-free, knowing that you're doing it in the name of freedom. Happy Halloween!
Popcorn Balls
They aren't hermetically sealed in plastic, so most trick-or-treaters nowadays will never have heard of popcorn balls. But if you live in a trusting community, why not whip up a batch to give away tonight? (Hey, it's gotta be better than Snickers.) What's your favorite obscure Halloween treat? (that isn't pancakes.)
Cronyism, alive and well in Boston
Cronyism, alive and well in Boston - departing Massachusetts Port Authority (the authority that oversees Boston's Logan Airport) executive director Virgina Buckingham has been given quite the golden parachute...in the form of a $175,000 severance package. This, uh, outrage puts Gov. Jane Swift in tight spot...
October 30
Holy mackerel! Image analogies
Holy mackerel! Image analogies are an NYU-developed technique for "teaching" the computer an image filter. Their software can do things like fill in the blank in the analogy (photo of a swan):(pastel rendering of a swan)::(photo of a landscape):________. I'm not doing it justice. Their site has some compelling examples of what they can do. Gee-whiz factor of 8.5!
Haunted House = No STDs!
Haunted House = No STDs! "As visitors make their way through a dimly lit, S-shaped maze, they view startling, full-color photos of canker sores and genital warts on male and female genitalia infected with syphilis, chlamydia or gonorrhea. An empty casket at the end sends a message that death awaits anyone who does not practice safe sex."
Email Roulette
Email Roulette "When you submit your message, it gets sent randomly to another player who has signed up to receive messages. They have the option of responding to you or not; you won't know who it went to unless they write back... so you better make it interesting!....email Roulette is a great way to meet people and will doubtless provide you hours of random entertainment...."
What hallucinogens are these people on?
It was bound to happen.
It was bound to happen. "The NBC TV network is looking to revive the old fantasy TV series FANTASY ISLAND -- as a reality series."
In the true spirit of Halloween, follow the interactive mystery of Ellen Gray.
Bridge Builder, revamped
Bridge Builder, revamped I posted a link to this program months and months ago. Since then, the program has been revamped. It's now called PONTIFEX, and it gives you more options for bridge building materials, as well as better 3-D graphics (including an option to view your bridges from the point of view of the train's engineer).
It's well worth another look.
What if Martha Stewart was a goth?
What if Martha Stewart was a goth? As it turns out, she'd just shy away from elegant eggshell blues and seafoam greens in favor of black and burgundy. Other than that she'd be pretty much the same. It's not too late to recycle your house in time for Samhain. A frivolous, yet convincing argument for a strange but useful marriage of ideas. Well, if you're into this sort of thing, of course.
Happy Halloween, MeFi!
Happy Halloween, MeFi!
A Columnist of the People?:
A Columnist of the People?: "Many people have told me they consider my writing a breath of fresh air. The question is whether a year of fresh air is worth the price of a music CD. I don't know the answer to that question, but this is my attempt to find out.
My proposal is a modest one. Whereas some Post writers earn $750 per column, I am proposing to write a weekly online column for $600 dollars Canadian (see U.S. dollar equivalents). This means I would be paid, over the course of a year, $31,200 for two days work per week."
I guess this is sort of a twist on the honor model, but wouldn't people possibly be more likely to go with something like a micro-ad, where they get some tangible ROI?
(via e-media tidbits)
Ever wanted to be an online mentor? Have you ever had an online mentor? So many are so terribly worried about so many things right now. What are we doing?
Have you had a mentor on MeFi that showed you the way? The time to learn is now (methinks).
A crazy Halloween "Choose Your Own Adventure" story,
A crazy Halloween "Choose Your Own Adventure" story, only it's not quite as "tame" as the original CYOA books by Edward Packard. In fact, every choice you make in this on-line book could lead to your death. Good Luck!
I've been trying to build this computer on Dell's site for about two straight weeks now.
I've been trying to build this computer on Dell's site for about two straight weeks now. What would you do with 6 TFLOPS?
Anthrax Appears To Be Home Grown.
Anthrax Appears To Be Home Grown. Something more than sensationalist anchor people reading off tele-prompters. A low key approach to questions I think a lot of people have
The Chrysler Design Awards
The Chrysler Design Awards include Susan Kare. "Her bitmap wrist watch, travel-destination city fonts, lit bomb icon that signals a computer crash (“they told me it would almost never be seen ”) and smiling, welcoming Mac start-up screen helped re-envision the computer from machine to co-creator." -- "almost never be seen" -- heheheh. Well -- at least it's got more wit than a blue screen of death.
The 2001 Chrysler Design Award winners
The 2001 Chrysler Design Award winners have been announced. Though my pal Adam at V-2.org was not a winner, I'm still pleased at the winners this year—all accomplished graphic artists and architects.
Bush will observe "high alert" at...the World Series?
Bush will observe "high alert" at...the World Series? Confirmed at the NY Times. Is this sort of mixed signal supposed to make us feel better about our safety? At least "officials disclosed that Vice President Dick Cheney [has] been taken to an undisclosed secure location." Let's review: we're on high alert; the President is going to a sporting event; the Vice-President is safe. Tom Toles got it right.
Once in a blue moon. Not only will the full moon on Halloween be the first in 40(i think) and the last for another 19 years, it is also a 'blue moon' which means that the moon is full twice in the same month. Notwithstanding any MeFi visitors from Detroit, are you feeling strange yet?
The dramatic way to open champagne.
The dramatic way to open champagne. Have you used or seen someone use a champagne saber? Amazing that the bottle neck doesn't shatter around the edges. I tried looking on Google for some lore and description but found nothing.
Washed-up movie actor C. Thomas Howell is on trial today for "making a terrorist threat" while beating up a skateboarder. I always knew there was something I didn't like about him.
Designdefenseministry
Designdefenseministry All out war! A call to arms for those pixelpushers out there. Sick sense of humor (like the kabul coverage) combined with really great gfx. caution: bandwidth!
Spooooky...
Spooooky... Everybody has their own favorite ghost story, and this site has catalogued thousands of them. Beyond that, they have videos, photos, lists of famous hauntings (find one near you!) as well as as guide to Ghosthunting 101. Creep yourself out, count the "phantom hitchhiker" doubles, debunk away, or gear up to become Egon Spengler Jr.. Happy hauntings!
Do you believe what you're told by your government?
Do you believe what you're told by your government? I don't. I'm quite the conspiracy theorist. One thing I do believe is that during the Vietnam war, battlefield evidence obtained by journalists directly contradicted the official word from the Pentagon. Starting with Ashcroft basically overturning the FOIA, numerous government agencies are using the Current Situation to get a stranglehold on information. Furthermore, they are getting rid of anything remotely distasteful to their administrators and beaurocrats. Most telling is the FAA's decision to remove records of past security violations from their website, basically ending public oversight of their self-policing activities.
Only in Utah -- with a twist. Check out the beer list of Wasatch Beers of Park City, Utah. Their copywriters do OK -- but the real genius is in the last beer on the list: Polygamy Porter. "Why have just one" -- indeed!
Surprise! National Review thinks the market
Surprise! National Review thinks the market can provide for better airport security. Talk about ignoring evidence...
Said's ideal Mid East proposal.
Said's ideal Mid East proposal. In one of the more insightful pieces written lately about the Israel-Palestinian conflict, Edward Said might surprise those that see only fundamentalists in the Arab world. Excerpt:
And since the Palestinian-Israeli struggle has been so humanly impoverishing I would suggest that important symbolic gestures of recognition and responsibility, undertaken perhaps under the auspices of a Mandela or a panel of impeccably credentialed peace-makers, should try to establish justice and compassion as crucial elements in the proceedings. Unfortunately, it is perhaps true that neither Arafat nor Sharon are suited to so high an enterprise.
From Al-Ahram Weekly, one of the most interesting English language news magazines originating in the Arab world.
The Butler wrote it!
The Butler wrote it! He's won a Pulitzer Prize. He teaches a creative writing class at Florida State University. And now Robert Olen Butler intends to write a novel, starting at 9 p.m. EST, live on the Internet -- by picking an old postcard at random and developing what's written on the back into a full-fledged narrative. And, taking Saturdays off, he'll do it in the 17 days between today and November 20th.
Ask the ombudsman.
Ask the ombudsman. Are newspapers revealing too much information? too little? A news ombudsman receives and investigates complaints from newspaper readers or listeners or viewers of radio and television stations about accuracy, fairness, balance and good taste in news coverage. He or she recommends appropriate remedies or responses to correct or clarify news reports.
Michael Getler: Internal Critic with Big Audience: how the Washington Post's Ombudsman does his job.
An ombudsman is someone who handles complaints and attempts to find mutually satisfactory solutions. Ombudsmen can be found in government, corporations, hospitals, universities and other institutions. The first ombudsman was appointed in 1809 in Sweden to handle citizens' complaints about the government. It is pronounced "om-BUDS-man" and is Scandinavian in origin.
Tonight is Devil's Night in Detroit.
Tonight is Devil's Night in Detroit. There have been measures taken in recent years to reduce the number of arsons on this night. From 6pm curfews to 'officially' renaming it 'Angel's Night'. Can a city that is known for this sort of behavior ever grow out of this image?
Virgin Mobile Phone Records Which Map Users Whereabouts Kept Indefinitely.
Virgin Mobile Phone Records Which Map Users Whereabouts Kept Indefinitely. Admittedly, this data is only accurate to within a few hundred metres at the moment, but 'When the new breed of 3G - third generation - phones comes on stream, probably next year, they will enable the users' location to be pinpointed to within a couple of metres'. I know the current climate is increasingly pro-identity cards, pro-police state, but this can't be right, surely? Why do they want to keep this information indefinitely?
"No anthrax for you!"
Physical synthesis
Physical synthesis models vibrating structures to synthesis sounds (Tao home). SAOL lets you program audio synthesis inside an MP4 file (MP4 home).
October 29
Battle Over Blocks
Battle Over Blocks
These essays offer a thoughtful insight into the Lego bricks we grew up with, and how the toys have changed with the times to reflect an absence of creativity in our society. Features Jeff Bates, cofounder of slashdot.
These essays offer a thoughtful insight into the Lego bricks we grew up with, and how the toys have changed with the times to reflect an absence of creativity in our society. Features Jeff Bates, cofounder of slashdot.
Stephen Wolfram: A New Kind of Science
Stephen Wolfram: A New Kind of Science - From the publisher's summary, "Starting from a collection of simple computer experiments — illustrated in the book by striking computer graphics — Wolfram shows how their unexpected results force a whole new way of looking at the operation of our universe." May be big. Thoughts?
StreamCast Networks (Morpheus, MusicCity) chooses REBOL Technologies.
StreamCast Networks (Morpheus, MusicCity) chooses REBOL Technologies. This could be the big break for REBOL (sounds like rebel), one of the thousands of little languages out there that wants to be a contender.
Granted, it's not open-sourced, and is ridiculed and mocked by Slashdot. On the other hand it's got some interesting features: Scheme like capabilities, urls and email as datatypes, cheapness and smallness (350k) and availability on 11 different operating systems
The REBOL community is tiny but they like to write things like blog/wiki things, network protocol handlers, control functions, and their own mini-languages
Granted, it's not open-sourced, and is ridiculed and mocked by Slashdot. On the other hand it's got some interesting features: Scheme like capabilities, urls and email as datatypes, cheapness and smallness (350k) and availability on 11 different operating systems
The REBOL community is tiny but they like to write things like blog/wiki things, network protocol handlers, control functions, and their own mini-languages
Notorious American correspondence player and chess writer
Claude Bloodgood has died.
'A convicted murderer who was
sentenced to death but reprieved, Bloodgood was the best
known of US prisoner players.'
I love obituaries. And what could be sweeter than the cold hand of death dragging Chess Rogues down to Gehanna?
Ever wonder where barber poles originated?
Ever wonder where barber poles originated? "Yeah, I'd like it short in the back and a little off the sides. Oh, and how about yanking this infected molar, while you're at it? And I need to have this boil lanced...."
The practical joke that was more of a pain in the *** than colon cancer.
The practical joke that was more of a pain in the *** than colon cancer. I have to admit, this woman has a legitimate gripe. What's the worse practical joke by coworkers you've seen?
Two weeks late, but congratulations, Greg!
some atrocious reporting from the usually responsible UK Guardian
some atrocious reporting from the usually responsible UK Guardian Just an example of bad conclusions from little information. The sensationalist title of this story, reprinted from the Observer, is, "Anthrax attacks' 'work of neo-Nazis,'" (which seems like bad grammar to boot - why the apostrophe after "attacks"?) and then it begins, "Neo-Nazi extremists within the US are behind the deadly wave of anthrax attacks against America, according to latest briefings from the security services and Justice Department."
But if you read the actual article, here's the closest thing they have to a quote or face supporting this:
'We've been zeroing in on a number of hate groups, especially one on the West Coast,' a source at the Justice Department told The Observer yesterday. 'We've certainly not discounted the possibility that they may be involved.'
Is it just me, or is this drawing a lot out of a little, and just confusing the situation?
The Idea Line
The Idea Line is a Java-based timeline of net artworks, arranged in a fan of luminous threads. Each thread corresponds to a particular kind of artwork or type of technology. Note - requires some patience as it streams in slow even over my company T-1. [via IA/]
Nipples:
Nipples: Want to get noticed? "....its a nid bit tipply in here."
Linklust.com
Linklust.com - A European Community Weblog. (found via prolific's weblog.) Get in on the ground floor of this exciting opportunity before it IPO's MetaFilter's gets too many users!
Anthrax: the new shark attack?
Anthrax: the new shark attack? In all the sensationalist reporting on the anthrax-by-mail attacks, the fact that anthrax affects more than 2,000 people world-wide annually. Does all this coverage remind anyone else of the frenzy surrounding shark attacks this summer?
speaking about socio-economic investments
speaking about socio-economic investments (whether the $200 billion the government is investing into producing the joint service fighter will benefit
our society more if invested elswhere)... the seattle times carried an interesting article about the bill & melinda gates foundation on sunday. with an endowment of $24.2 billion, it must find ways to give away the equivalent of $3.3 million each day, in order to meet federal tax rules to remain a non-profit/tax-free organization.
with so much fund at his disposal, it seems bill gates is attacking neglected social and health problems around the world with more resources than the u.s. government has been doing in some areas. with a small (and less bureaucratic?) staff, the foundation appears to be efficient and focused (reflecting the drive, passion, and result-orientation of bill gates). it will be interesting to watch the progress (and impact) bill has on the world besides what he does at microsoft. i wish him success.
with so much fund at his disposal, it seems bill gates is attacking neglected social and health problems around the world with more resources than the u.s. government has been doing in some areas. with a small (and less bureaucratic?) staff, the foundation appears to be efficient and focused (reflecting the drive, passion, and result-orientation of bill gates). it will be interesting to watch the progress (and impact) bill has on the world besides what he does at microsoft. i wish him success.
Dichotomy
Dichotomy is a new project by Jeff Gates which is seeking submissions of 9.11 stories. Plenty of places are highlighting these stories now, but Dichotomy is doing something slightly different. (More inside.)
Oh, like, geez.
Oh, like, geez. This is *just* who we need, like, making Public Service Announcements.
Oh that whirlwind affair that October in Shanghai.
Oh that whirlwind affair that October in Shanghai. It's a week old. And I hope and pray this hasn't been posted before. But if you like joke fodder about Bush, these photos may be for you.
All of the talk about Islam, got me thinking about how religions move evolve/devolve and move even more and even sometimes go away. Sure, we’ve all heard of Christianity, Buddhism and Judaism but how many recall this one? Speaking of which, aren’t we due for another Big Ole Religion? What’s the next big God thing in your opinion?
Does this company currently have a PR problem?
Virginia Moment of Silence
Virginia Moment of Silence passes muster at the Supreme Court. Unlike moves to institute school prayer, the moment of silence allows for a moment of quiet reflection, which doesn't infringe on anyones rights to pray or not.
Are We Witnessing A Republican Implosion?
Are We Witnessing A Republican Implosion? The Los Angeles Times has three GOP contenders for governor violating Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment by attacking fellow Republicans. In traditionally Republican Virginia, the Washington Post says a Democrat is well on his way to becoming governor next week. In New Hampshire, Roll Call describes what is to be a very bitter primary against an incumbent GOP senator. And finally, the Robert Novak says the GOP is abandoning its candidate for governor in New Jersey. (More Republican News via Political Wire.)
Maori challenge Lego to stop using Maori words for its toys
Maori challenge Lego to stop using Maori words for its toys Certain Maori objected to what they claimed was Lego's inappropriate use of Maori words, and the way Lego's Bionicle game mixed together strands of many cultures. So what's next? No syncretic philosophy/art? Although I suppose marketing Jesus or Mohammed or Buddha as crappy plastic superheroes might cause a little stir.
Halloween
Murdoch backs down. DirectTV is now Echostars. I'm not at all happy about this. Do we really need another monopoly?
If you crow about your redesign,
If you crow about your redesign, claiming your site is now "better-looking and easier to use" (and not, say, "sludgy as Hotmail and nearly as ugly"), and you offer a graphical tour to "show you how all these slick new features work", the link to which is a 404, are you the stupidest monopoly around?
Just wondering.
Just wondering.
http://www.newyork.com hacked
Is McSweeney's Sounding More And More Like Random House?
Is McSweeney's Sounding More And More Like Random House? Or is it just me? As a lifetime subscriber and fan of David Eggers, I'm sickened by the glib, shameless commercialism that now contaminates what was once an interesting website for new writers. What in the hell has happened? Or is the new book-peddling climate just another tiresome take on post-post-post modernism or, more likely, just blatant PR?
(Latest example inside)
October 28
The death of the American Spectator:
The death of the American Spectator: The conservative magazine survived and prospered for twenty-five years before Bill Clinton came into its sights. Now the former President is rich and smiling, and the Spectator is dead.
It's Geek-O-Ween!
It's Geek-O-Ween! Looking for the perfect costume? This could be it! Download it now! (Stolen from FatWallet Forums.)
Class War - Divided we stand
Class War - Divided we stand "Yet at least a tenth of the country — a very influential tenth in the media, the university, politics, foundations, churches, and the arts — is adamantly and vocally at odds with most Americans."
Saudis in the worst squeeze play yet.
Saudis in the worst squeeze play yet. SA is in a triangulation of criticism from Afghanistan, from within the country, and from Washington. The fall of this Muslim regime, a US ally, with a horrible human rights record and repressive culture, the largest supplier of oil in the world, and huge supplier of contract business for the US, is not something to take lightly. Catch-22.
"Afghanistan" as seen by Frederick Engels in August 1857. First published in "The New American Cyclopaedia", Vol. I, 1858
"Afghanistan" as seen by Frederick Engels in August 1857. First published in "The New American Cyclopaedia", Vol. I, 1858 ".....Thus ended the attempt of the British to set up a prince of their own making in Afghanistan...." Last sentence of classic piece of writing.
Does history always repeat itself, or can nations and their leaders alter destiny by finding lessons in the most dismal failures of their past?
Bam!
Head of Red Cross "resigns"
Head of Red Cross "resigns" after the board forces her to step down in a vote of no confidence. Among her failings, the board says she was refusing to comingle 9/11 donations with the RC general fund. When I donated to the Red Cross, I was not aware that 15-25% of 9/11 donation monies would go to build up their telecommunications infrastructure. This also comes just a day after the RC called the US "deplorable" for bombing a food warehouse in Afghanistan. Coincidence? Here's the Red Cross's version.
Monday is the last day to declare your intention to write a 50,000-word novel during National Novel Writing Month (Nov. 1-30). "Dubious fiction writers from all nations are invited to participate," says organizer Chris Baty. So far, around 3,000 writers have pledged to bring 150 million new words into the world.
The MetaFilter Proposal
The MetaFilter Proposal is an interesting idea, but would it fly with metafilter users?
N'Sync? Britney Spears? Now YOU can dance just like them! My world is complete. This guy wins the award for celebrity-byproduct of the year, I think.
October 27
Happy Daylight Savings Time!
Happy Daylight Savings Time! Don't forget to set your clocks back and enjoy that glorious extra hour of sleep...
WhoÕs BeingÊNa•ve?
WhoÕs BeingÊNa•ve?
So to be realistic means to believe that bombing one of the poorest nations on Earth will not only reduce terrorism, but also fail to ignite a new round of anti-American fanaticism. To be na•ve, on the other hand, is to pay attention to modern history, which tells us in no uncertain terms that bombing people is rather likely to fuel their anger, resentment, and desire for revenge.
And it gets better...
So to be realistic means to believe that bombing one of the poorest nations on Earth will not only reduce terrorism, but also fail to ignite a new round of anti-American fanaticism. To be na•ve, on the other hand, is to pay attention to modern history, which tells us in no uncertain terms that bombing people is rather likely to fuel their anger, resentment, and desire for revenge.
And it gets better...
Naipul thinks the causes of Sept. 11 are religious, not American foreign policy. (NYT)
Naipul thinks the causes of Sept. 11 are religious, not American foreign policy. (NYT) "There is a passage in one of the Conrad short stories of the East Indies where the savage finds himself with his hands bare in the world, and he lets out a howl of anger. I think that, in its essence, what is happening.The world is getting more and more out of reach of simple people who have only religion. And the more they depend on religion, which of course solves nothing, the more the world gets out of reach."
What happened to the ground war?
What happened to the ground war? Very scary alternate explaination of the aborted ground operation.
FBI Seeking to Wiretap Internet
FBI Seeking to Wiretap Internet "FBI has plans to change the architecture of the Internet and route traffic through central servers that it would be able to monitor e-mail more easily." (via InstaPundit)
Is it RIP for the CD single?
Is it RIP for the CD single? Slumping sales have reportedly prompted Target, the 4th largest music retailer in the United States, to stop selling CD singles at 200 of its stores.
70 South,
If you find that flags on SUVs or for sale in pop-under ads water
down the meaning of Old Glory, have I got
some
flags
for
you.
Art's exploration of the flag as a symbol both strengthen it's value
as a powerful icon, and question our country's fallibility.
Really ugly neckties
Really ugly neckties of your favorite infections.
The Official Berkely Breathed Website.
The Official Berkely Breathed Website. remember Bloom County? Outland? when I was younger, Breathed and Waterson were definitely my favorite "strippers" (I even had the Bloom County screen saver pack!) although I was only about 12 at the time, I do recall being pretty put-out when Outland was retired. does anyone else feel the pleasant tingle of familiarity when you see Bill the Cat or Opus on a greeting card? (if you're not too familiar with Berke's works, check out some of his favorite strips.
Air disinfection system developed in the mid 90s for mold and mildew could also nullify anthrax attacks. Seems like a simple and cheap solution here today for building air disinfection. Ahh aint technology great.
Better a handful of dry dates and content therewith than to own the Gate of Peacocks and be kicked in the eye by a broody camel.
My Opinion-
My Opinion- The Director of Homeland Security that Bush appointed should have been a Muslim. This is getting out of hand.
Obscure Star Wars Inspirations.
Obscure Star Wars Inspirations. Sometimes weak, sometimes spot-on, this site takes a fairly in depth look behind George Lucas' trilogy +1. Everything old is new again.
Slashdot.info
Slashdot.info is the address that I randomly typed in, (just for fun) and reached the page. Quite informative. Better than a spoof page, atleast. Also, the .biz is not registered yet...
October 26
What you get when you type "something strange and different" into Google
What you get when you type "something strange and different" into Google Am I the only person who bangs random words into Google to see what comes back? In this case I feel rewarded - bizarre patents from around the world. What's your favourite Google query string?
A Novel idea.
A Novel idea. "Remote Sensing...provide service on remote sensing and its application to the satellite imagery map, as a core service system of remote sensing in Korea." This is just .01% viewing area of most countries' spying capabilities.
When The Lord of the Rings series rolls around to Xmas 2002, will they have to change the name of the second episode from The Two Towers?
Will Hollywood have settled down by then? Maybe it won't be a sensitive problem anymore. But what would be a good alternate title?
Software as conceptual art
Software as conceptual art ... And a critique of current affairs? Or maybe you're just looking to play around with it... Need help?
Will it work?
Will it work? No, but don't let that stop you... ...And you thought air guitar was silly or maybe you didn't, but this is a bit much... ...There's been a lot of well-intentioned people in the world who came up with some pretty stupid ideas. What are your favorite, fun, stupid ideas?
Environmentalism faces a values test as genetically engineered pigs produce less polluting excrement. My advice: Why not just leave it up to these guys?
Based on handwriting
Based on handwriting the geniuses at the United States government have figured out the letters might be from the same source. I'm sure everyone has seen these letters... Isn't that a bit "duh." If everything is figured out at this lightning fast speed we will never find these people.
This reminds me a bit of those psychologists who report very obvious things... many times I have heard on MSNBC: "According to psychologists, the nation is in a state of shock. For some it may take weeks to escape this feeling, for others months." Is that really something we couldn't figure out by ourselves?
This reminds me a bit of those psychologists who report very obvious things... many times I have heard on MSNBC: "According to psychologists, the nation is in a state of shock. For some it may take weeks to escape this feeling, for others months." Is that really something we couldn't figure out by ourselves?
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin beat out Boeing for a $200 Billion contract to build the new F-35 fighters jets earlier today. Missile defense, planes that can take off vertically, bombs that fry electronics...military technology is accelerating at a really frightening pace.
Solve Terrorism Quick
Solve Terrorism Quick in one to twelve pages. The Department of Defense wants quick solutions. Where are my crayons?
The world just got a little bit scarier, according to The Times of London:
Bin Ladin has nuclear materials for possible use against the US(source: little green footballs). Sorry to add another "Current Situation" link, but this is pee-in-your-pants frightening.
ASCII art storytelling about ASCII art.
ASCII art storytelling about ASCII art. Very soothing in the middle of a hectic work day. Make sure to follow the calibration instructions. (Found it via the 5k ref logs; we should make those public.)
Bummed out because you missed the Concert for New York City? Well, if you live in the Chicago area, you can still catch Polkas for America this Sunday evening. All proceeds go to the Tribune Disaster Relief Fund.
Enzensberger on terrorists' self-sacrifice.
Enzensberger on terrorists' self-sacrifice. "Labels such as left or right, nation or sect, religion or liberation all lead to exactly the same patterns of behavior, and their only common denominator is paranoia."
Here's another article dealing with the use of one's death.
The Apple G5 SPHERE!
The Apple G5 SPHERE! SPHERE! It's Round! It's hella'fast. Get to the page before Apple sics the lawyers on them and makes this great page vanish.
If someone has already posted this sorry, I haven't seen it, but I'm pretty new...so there you go.
Oops.
Oops. So, the governor of Texas appoints you as the new point-man for domestic safety in the state. Some say it's pay-back for staying out of the Republican Senate primary (where the governor's friend is running) and deciding to run for Lt. Governor. Despite some criticism, you run a four-page glossy ad in a Texas magazine touting your qualifications for Lt. Governor, including your recent appointment as the Texas anti-terrorism czar. The ad features a waving American flag and a patriotic soldier. Only one problem: it's a German soldier.
Is this funny or
Lanterns of Liberty.
Whilst churning through the latest am i hot or not clone: How old do i look, guess who i bumped into, does an inacurate offensive guess get u banned??
Show your openmindedness!
Show your openmindedness! In our extended discussion of the war, the (un)fairness of war, etc., it's been incredible how many MetaFilter regulars have changed their mind or reconsidered their opinions! (wink, wink) Here's something for those former pacifists. Now we need to find something for all those former hawks. [via Instapundit]
Trooper overcome by fumes
Trooper overcome by fumes Is this another attack or did the driver just have incredibly bad BO
Red Cross warehouses hit. Again.
Red Cross warehouses hit. Again. Note to the British and American military: the red crosses painted on the tops of those buildings are not meant to be bullseyes. Thank you.
Tourist Jailed for Oral Sex
Tourist Jailed for Oral Sex A German tourist who pleaded guilty to having oral sex in Zambia was sentenced on Thursday to six years in jail with hard labor, court officials said. Note to self: cancel Zambia honeymoon plans.
The American Declaration of Independence.
The American Declaration of Independence. Given the debate over whether the US can or should try to do nation-building in Afghanistan, I wonder if revisiting our own Declaration of Independence would clarify things. It strikes me that this document (especially the preamble) would apply to anyone, anywhere. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal...
Oh no, it's another dinner invitation from the Chomskys...
You... are... all... in....my ...thrall....
You... are... all... in....my ...thrall.... soon my pretty ones, soon.
This case
Curly and Motly are kinda cute, but Luncheon and Lambchop look might tasty.
Curly and Motly are kinda cute, but Luncheon and Lambchop look might tasty. The children from St Canices school in Westport New Zealand welcome you to Lambs Online, where ten of our students are ‘fostering’ 10 lambs which have been ‘adopted’ by a group of Japanese school children from their sister city in Amagese Japan. Each lamb has its own personal website and we invite you to follow their progress through the eyes of our students by clicking on the photos and links below.
The U.S. Department of Justice issued a revised memorandum for how to treat requests received under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that establishing a "sound legal basis" rather than the existing "foreseeable harm" standard for defending FOIA request refusals in court, John Ashcroft FOIA Memorandum, October 12, 2001. This was part of the EFF link below, but it's probably disturbing enough to have it's own discussion.
The New War on Terror
The New War on Terror Noam Chomsky has written a book called 9-11. He analyses the situation in a long essay published in Counterpunch.
Quote: We certainly want to reduce the level of terror, certainly not escalate it. There is one easy way to do that and therefore it is never discussed. Namely stop participating in it.
Game 6 - 1986
Game 6 - 1986 was pretty memorable for Astros fans as well
October 25
A Sign of Our Times.
A Sign of Our Times. (No, not the part about the mom mailing her son's ashes to the student loan office. The part about the employees freaking out thinking it was anthrax.)
By far the most bizarre and intriguing exhibit at the Museum of Jurassic Technology is the microminiature work of Hagop Sandaldjian.
"Sandaldjian's creations - colorful figures poised on or inside the eyes of needles, or painted directly onto split grains of rice or individual hairs - are at the very least amusing, and at their best, profound."
Pictures don't do justice but you can see his Snowhite and 7 dwarves, golfer, colonial, or just read poetry inspired by his creations.
Some news agencies are reporting
Some news agencies are reporting that Bin Laden is dead. It's slowly being picked up here but, there are no confirmations yet.
The Iranian Secular Opposition Movement
The Iranian Secular Opposition Movement. I came upon this via another item I found on Plastic.com. (Where, BTW, one of the more cogent comments in the related thread was by one MayorBob) So, I'm wondering where does this lead to? The first line of that wretched 60s hit Eve Of Destruction does come to mind... Has anyone else heard anything about this?
Afghan People Agree With Retaliation Against Taliban
Afghan People Agree With Retaliation Against Taliban "Most Afghans support the bombardment of Afghanistan by allies because they hope that it will end the Taliban regime."
looking for discount travel? forget priceline and travelocity, just score a fake passport, gather all the electronics you can muster, pack yourself in a box and ship it all to canada.
Missile defense is a go
Missile defense is a go and other highlights of the 2002 defense appropriations bill.
Army to develop video games.
Army to develop video games. According to an Yahoo article, a venture funded by the US Army is developing videos games for the home market. "The U.S. Army will provide funding, but its Training & Doctrine Command bureau will also be involved in game development, ICT said.
The games will allow players to control entire groups of soldiers, ICT said, with CS-12 allowing the player to take the role of a company commander and C-Force putting the player in the role of squad leader."
I kinda get an "Ender's Game" sort of feel from this.
Pencam verité
Pencam verité Using an inexpensive digital camera about the size of a magic marker, the photographer/webmaster of pencam.org demonstrates how a keen eye for detail and composition and a little bit of Photoshop tweaking can overcome cheap tech with his gallery of hundreds of extraordinary images taken from daily life.
Sweeps! A televised seance to communicate with those lost on Sept. 11!
Sweeps! A televised seance to communicate with those lost on Sept. 11! [Drudge Report now reports that it's nixed b/c of a "public outcry." You don't say....]
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.... for Boston Red Sox fans. This story from espn.com's Page 2 about Game 6 of the 1986 World Series is well-written and fills me with sympathy and empathy for Sox fans. See, as a Yakee fan, I was rooting against them at the time, but I feel sorry for them now. What a cruel punishment that game must have been. So close, and yet so far. (Please pardon my sports digression and shameless use of cliches.)
Arundhati Roy's latest piece on the war.
Arundhati Roy's latest piece on the war.
This is absolutely devastating. In prose as beautiful as it is powerful, she manages to touch on issues ranging from the definition of terrorism to the inanity of the food drops; from Taliban brutality to the oil cabal. Some will hate it; some (like me) will thank the stars that people like her are in this world.
This is absolutely devastating. In prose as beautiful as it is powerful, she manages to touch on issues ranging from the definition of terrorism to the inanity of the food drops; from Taliban brutality to the oil cabal. Some will hate it; some (like me) will thank the stars that people like her are in this world.
Meanwhile, back in some secluded spot...Refugees are fleeing for their lives as a town of 20,000 people is completely demolished-in Nigeria. The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) has agreed to take urgent action to eradicate slavery, i.e.children making chocolate. I could go on and on.
Why does Africa receive such little attention when it's really the bigtop in the circus of world suffering?
Buffoon Of The Day?
Buffoon Of The Day? Sen. Joe Biden criticized the war in Afghanistan and is now being called the "buffoon of the day" by the National Review. Roll Call says he's been criticized by top Republicans and the Washington Times notes that a top fellow Democrat is pretty upset too. The New Republic has another less-than-flattering piece on Biden before he made his comments. Did Biden just kill his chance to run for president in 2004? (via Vote.com and Political Wire)
It looks like McGreevey Leads Schundler in NJ governors race and Virginia's race is too close to call. With election day just around the corner, which election races are you watching?
New Zealand's Green Party
Who needs boxcutters, when you can just pack a gun
Who needs boxcutters, when you can just pack a gun In the midst of so-called heightend security, a man accidentally brings a loaded gun onto a plane undetected. I know Southwest doesn't have meals, but do they not have metal detectors either?
from Amy Langfield's always entertaining blog.
MSN.com shuts out non-Microsoft browsers.
MSN.com shuts out non-Microsoft browsers. If you're using Mozilla or Opera, you'll have to get a hex editor and change your User-Agent string and pretend you're using IE. Is this lawsuit material?
If This Be War.
If This Be War. This essay by a military historian puts the current muddle of conflicted opinions about war into historical perspective with startling clarity.
Thanks to the Little Green Footballs weblog. I find interesting stuff there every day.
Thanks to the Little Green Footballs weblog. I find interesting stuff there every day.
From a piece in the NYTimes today, Home Front Is Minefield for President: "The lesson we're learning," one administration official said today, "is that you can bomb the wrong place in Afghanistan and not take much heat for it. But don't mess up at the post office."
Leave it to the White House to come away with exactly the wrong interpretation. But the facts are there, too -- most Americans are more concerned about the (relatively slight) risk of getting Anthrax than the rather significant risk that, if we screw up in Afghanistan, we might lose the current coalition against terrorism, Bin Laden, and any hope for "homeland security" for a long time to come....
Leave it to the White House to come away with exactly the wrong interpretation. But the facts are there, too -- most Americans are more concerned about the (relatively slight) risk of getting Anthrax than the rather significant risk that, if we screw up in Afghanistan, we might lose the current coalition against terrorism, Bin Laden, and any hope for "homeland security" for a long time to come....
Gov Agency creates bare-bones web index
Gov Agency creates bare-bones web index Web sites assume that you know a little about what you're looking for. One US Federal agency has created a navigation engine that requires virtually no understanding of anything.
I'm torn. Part of me wants one of these navigation tools for every website I use. Part of me is a little disappointed that sites have to be this least-common-denominator-simple for people to use.
Do you like it? Would you want one for the sites you use? Discuss.
GINORMOUS banner ad at download.com.
GINORMOUS banner ad at download.com. From what I can tell, it only auto-expands on the first visit, presumably cookied, but I was still pretty annoyed. If you click to view, it blows up again, runs a little commercial at you(sndtrk by Madonna), and shrinks again. A little better than the layout-destroying monoliths other sites are using?
USA for USA.
USA for USA. A spoof of "We are the World." Probably ten years old, but I for one have never seen it before. Streaming video.
AltaVista's catalog of 500 million Web pages hasn't been fully updated since July. AV used to be my search engine of choice, then (for a short time) Hotbot, and now Google. What will the search engine look like that replaces Google?
The crimes they are a'changing.
The crimes they are a'changing. This comes from the daily police log of The Union newspaper Grass Valley/Nevada City, CA. Surveillance cameras (and apparently not very effective ones) were stolen while mystery powders kept the cops hopping.
The musical miser who gave away a million.
The musical miser who gave away a million. I'm still trying to decide if this guy was whacked out of his gourd and really needed to loosen up or if he was living an admirably simple life.
We have repeatedly talked about genetically modified food as a solution to world hunger. However, I think that, as smart as human beings are, we are no match for nature's intelligence. Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives helps communities use closed-loop processes to increase yield by applying the formula "waste=food". It is especially useful for resource intensive processes such as brewing, where water and organic byproducts that would normally be discarded are used to grow mushrooms and feed fish.
Bush's
Bush's Mideast Charade (NYT link)
PBS discriminates
PBS discriminates A posting a day or so ago suggested that in the Israeli/Palestinian issue, PBS slanted its coverage. I had argued in a post that there was a larger issue: PBS slants on many issues. This piece shows where,why,how and when.
skateboarding tortoises
skateboarding tortoises - some lovely animation.......
Time to Crack Down on Cock.
Time to Crack Down on Cock. "The driver had no license plate but plenty of chickens -- all of them clucking from the back seat and trunk ... The officer knew what he was seeing: The suspect was headed to a cockfight -- and jail."
Why the world needs America to cheer up
Why the world needs America to cheer up This article claims America and New York in particular have lost faith in an economic recovery. Can any New Yorkers tell me whether this is true?
A side note: The (London) Times has been excellent since 9/11 IMO, although the site desperately needs a redesign. I'll do it! Employ me!
Prototype mechanical soldier tried out in WWI!
Prototype mechanical soldier tried out in WWI! Your challenge on this site is to separate fact from fiction.
Windows XP Launches
Windows XP Launches "The most significant operating-system upgrade since Windows 95" - PCMag, but with such demanding hardware requirements, I think I shall hold off XP. Having played with Beta 2 it seems novel and easier for beginners.
Are you tempted/hooked on the Windows Experience?
Are you tempted/hooked on the Windows Experience?
Marvel Comics ditches the Comics Code
Marvel Comics ditches the Comics Code - I haven't been with it in terms of comics for about 10 years now, but I found this article to be fairly interesting. Apparently, "Marvel is growing up with the rest of the country" (according to editor-in-chief Joe Quesada) by ditching the CCA and introducing its own internal "ratings system." I can't decide whether to stodgy and support the campiness of what I grew up with (DC's "Crisis On Infinite Earths," for one) or agree that comics should change (Captain America in a "compromising sexual situation," though?)...or perhaps I shouldn't really care, considering the last "comic" I picked up was the Watchmen graphic novel...and I have an inkling that not much out today could compare...
A few years back I remember seeing a news report asking whether adverse reactions to Anthrax vaccination during the Gulf War was responsible for Persian Gulf War Syndrome. How come no one is talking about this now?
If congress or the media start clambering for Anthrax Vaccinations, will anyone remember the adverse side effects suspected by many soldiers and scientists? Yes the FDA approved the Anthrax Vaccine, but there are still many questions about it's safety. The military is not unaware of the ongoing debate, but The FDA does not have an unblemished record.
This is all getting very X-Files... (scroll down to 1991)
October 24
If this story is true,
If this story is true, then the Indonesian authorities have a lot of work ahead of them in combating corruption. Who's ever heard of the police openly working with smugglers to force refugees on to an overloaded boat at gunpoint?
Nice concert, crap song.
Nice concert, crap song. I would have given anything to hear Sean, Yoko, Moby and Rufus Wainwright singing "Across the Universe" which might be my fave Lennon song of all time. But this concert was never televised in the SF Bay Area and now STP's cover of "Revolution" is being flogged on alternative rock radio
in the Bay Area. And it sucks, IMO. Damn.
"Closer to 3,000"?
"Closer to 3,000"?
NYC City hall has been quietly trimming the official count of the missing and dead from the collapse of the World Trade Center. This number, often simply "Five thousand" in my and most people's minds, actually comes from several sources, the trickiest of which are reports of missing loved ones to the police. People keep coming up with their own numbers. How would you count it? What does it mean if we say "Five thousand" but your kids learn "Three thousand" in their grade-school social studies texts?
NYC City hall has been quietly trimming the official count of the missing and dead from the collapse of the World Trade Center. This number, often simply "Five thousand" in my and most people's minds, actually comes from several sources, the trickiest of which are reports of missing loved ones to the police. People keep coming up with their own numbers. How would you count it? What does it mean if we say "Five thousand" but your kids learn "Three thousand" in their grade-school social studies texts?
Don't like blowing people off? Let these guys do it for you.
Possibly the best idea ever? Does anybody know of services like this in other cities?
Be sure to listen to the outgoing message...
Possibly the best idea ever? Does anybody know of services like this in other cities?
Be sure to listen to the outgoing message...
Food glorious food
Food glorious food Got any other gastronomic myths??
If I see one more ad for K-Pax, I'm going to snap. 2001, with the exception of Waking Life, has been an awful year for movies. And having this tired rehash of both Starman and The Fisher King (oh, Jeff, we can't always be The Dude, now can we?) being foisted on me is not helping. Are there any movies that you're looking forward to? Any you're actively loathing? Discuss.
Powerpoint invades the NFL:
Powerpoint invades the NFL: "The way they do it with the PowerPoint, it livens up meetings and makes them more interesting". Imagine the sideline hijinks when all the plays disappear because of SirCam! What kind of coach would Vince Lombardi be if he had a setup like this? I still miss the glow puck from hockey, but I could do without the "virtual billboards" all over the darn field. Should computers and sport mix?
The truth about what's really happening
The truth about what's really happening Quoting my cow-orker, who's going to see him speak next week, David Icke "used to be a professional footballer with Coventry City, until retiring with arthritis. Then he had a minor epiphany, and came to the realisation that the world is run by blood-drinking alien reptiles, who can disguise themselves as humans -- Queen Elizabeth and George W Bush are two such examples." Do all-encompassing conspiracy theories come any better than this?
Make your own comic strip!
Make your own comic strip! This will do until I gain some artistic skill.. Featuring some great artwork too, Penny Arcade, ExplodingDog etc.
Robot Bastard
Robot Bastard is the new film by comic book writer/artist Rob Schrab, creator of Scud: The Disposable Assassin and who has worked with Ron Howard and Ben Stiller. His movie, only fifteen minutes long hints at Ed Wood and Flash Gordon... And with From Hell in the theaters and Spiderman coming soon, what's the best comic-book-style movie you've seen?
It's official: ACLU hates the new anti-terrorism bill.
It's official: ACLU hates the new anti-terrorism bill. So what's new, or, do they have a point?
Salt Lake City,
Salt Lake City, host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, received a surprise when IOC member Gerhard Heiberg suggested maybe the 2002 games shouldn't go on as planned. He later retracted his remarks, but I think he made a valid point. Should a country be hosting the Olympics while at war?
The 2002 Demotivators
The 2002 Demotivators are great! My personal favorite is Arrogance but then again they're all good. I have 1 of the 2000 series that I still get alot of comments on... maybe I'll get another?
Manchester's Gay Village is being invaded ... by straight people ...
Manchester's Gay Village is being invaded ... by straight people ... 'Bob and Rose', the latest TV show from Russell T Davis (the creator of 'Queer as Folk') featured the every day story of a gay man and straight woman falling in love. Now the place where it was filmed is being flooded by women looking to fulfill the fantasy. Is this a new extreme form of media tourism? An interesting aspect of the story is that the community is objecting because these new visitors arn't following the established rules of regular patrons ...
Is NPR anti-Israel?
Is NPR anti-Israel? I listen to NPR all the time and hadn't noticed any (overt) bias against Israel, but I only listen in the mornings...maybe it's on in the afternoon.
The religious language used by the terrorists
The religious language used by the terrorists may suggest what they are really thinking, argues Robert Wisnovsky in Slate. His conclusions might not be what you expected: one, they're not particularly Islamic, but rather use Islamic terms to "
attempt to lend religious weight to what is basically a political ideology"; and two, their real target is not America or the West (except indirectly), but the monarchies of the Arabian peninsula. Interesting insights from a linguistic perspective.
There's something unsettling
There's something unsettling about this story, something about General Colin Powell being responsible for the establishment of a progressive government in Afghanistan, some kind of question like 'Under whose authority... how is he qualified... whose interests is he repres...." floating in the back of my mind, but it's the strangest thing, I just can't articulate it. All that bile must be hindering me somehow.
Baseball player plans to start a forest.
Baseball player plans to start a forest. Stan Javier, of the Seattle Mariners, is retiring after this year. He and two contributors plan to spend $31 million dollars toward a forest of mahogany and teak trees to take up between 15,000 and 20,000 acres by the year 2003. They plan to harvest the trees for lumber, but the article suggests that the trees would be as crops much like a farmer harvests wheat and then replants. The potential for this idea gives me a feeling as warm and fuzzy as a marmoset.
It's getting worse
It's getting worse : As part of their "Operation Potomac" The National Reform Association, a Christian Reconstructionist group, is starting a political action committee to groom political candidates at the federal level. House Whip Tom DeLay is highly involved. They've already had meetings with Ashcroft's staff in the White House. Truly frightening.
Why do they (our goverment representives) do this? Do they think that no one pays attention or do they know that there is nothing we can do about it? Don't buy the war bonds.
Now I Get It
Now I Get It
Ugh. Disney made the cartoon equivalent of Hillary Rosen reading your kids a bedtime story. Perhaps succeeding episodes can explain why we should all buy DVD reissues of Disney films. Or extol the virtues of Song of the South. (from Plastic)
Ugh. Disney made the cartoon equivalent of Hillary Rosen reading your kids a bedtime story. Perhaps succeeding episodes can explain why we should all buy DVD reissues of Disney films. Or extol the virtues of Song of the South. (from Plastic)
With the FBI advising how to handle suspicious mail [pdf], the fine people who send you junk snail mail are changing their methods. The Canadian and American Direct Marketing Associations are recommending that their members ''consider notifying consumers by phone or e-mail that a direct-mail piece is on its way so they are not alarmed when it arrives." One cancelled campaign involved mailing marbles to some prospective clients.
Will pictures like this [not graphic, but disturbing] turn popular support against the bombing in Afghanistan? Or will stories like this bolster support for military action against the Taliban? What story sways you more?
Trouble brewing in the Oprah Book Club.
Trouble brewing in the Oprah Book Club. So Jonathan Franzen's critically-acclaimed "The Corrections" is selected by Oprah for her book club - meaning hundreds of thousands in sales, increased publicity, etc. He says "no thanks, you schmaltzy, woman-pandering, literary-wannabe hack." Well, not exactly... (nyt link)
Iowa Businessman Bob Vander Plaats
Iowa Businessman Bob Vander Plaats announced his campaign for governor saying he wants to "run government like a business," according to the Des Moines Register. The Quad City Times notes that Vander Platt says his management experience "forms the foundation of his run for the GOP nomination." Taegan Goddard and Chris Riback say in an essay from their book that you can't run government like a business. Who is right?
Your eyes never stop moving.
Your eyes never stop moving. Even though we are rarely aware of them, our eye movements are incredibly complex. They are also very informative. Eye movement data is being used to study painters painting, art lovers loving art, drivers driving, musicians sight reading, and speakers speaking, not to mention the cognitive science staples of reading and scene viewing. One interesting application of eye movement data is the Eyetrack2000 project, which attempts to describe the eye movement behavior of people viewing news websites in order to improve web page design. Some of the findings suggest that the internet and print media are different in important ways: on the web, text is fixated before pictures; in print, pictures are fixated first.
Buy your Anthrax Box today!
Buy your Anthrax Box today! Oh, like this is gonna help. PAFITH!
From Ballymurphy to Osama Bin Laden
From Ballymurphy to Osama Bin Laden Viewpoint on how 911 and the IRA decommissioning annoucement should be taken, from Simon Jenkins in The Times. I know this has been discussed, but I've read Simon Jenkins for many years and he's an valuable voice IMO.
Success!
Success! Mars Odyssey 2001 is in orbit around Mars.
Roger's Profanisaurus
When I got tired of saying the word Fuck all the time, I switched over to the word Fuckity. When my friends pointed out that perhaps Fuckity was a bit twee, I was in a deep funk, until one day, when I discovered Roger's Profanisaurus - the definitive thesaurus of all things Scatalogical, Sexual and Rude. Zuffled lately? Gone whitewater wristing? Expand your vocabulary!
Link via Scott
Link via Scott
Forget the Anthrax, Honey: Eat your Apple Pie
Forget the Anthrax, Honey: Eat your Apple Pie According to the NYT's restaurant critic William Grimes, comfort food is making a comeback in the wake of WTC. Mine is cream and butter-loaded mashed potatoes with garlicky lamb chops. What's yours? And what does it all mean?
(This is No. 629 in the All-American Anti-Terrorist Counter-Measures Series) Reg: rebarba/pachacha
October 23
aol time warner center - one central park
There's now an electronic version of The New York Times for people who like to read the paper version of The New York Times on their computer. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Is this really necessary? Who would use such a service, much less pay 65¢ an issue for it?
Letter To Brokaw
Letter To Brokaw Very interesting... It says 9/11/01 so obviously it was either done by people related to it or someone just playing of of what happened. "Death to America" and "Death To Israel" ... again makes me wonder, are they the same people that did the WTC attacks, or are these totally different people that just want to shift the blame.
What really makes me interested is the phrase "This is next." It seems as if whoever did this had an idea that this would be of the same magnitude as the WTC attacks. Maybe there are many, many more letters with not only anthrax coming... this is just a small part. Or maybe they just underestimated the effects of this. What do you think?
There are several sites that present maps of the Internet: geographic, technical, and historical. And now, you can hang one on your wall.
Bush Winning Gore Backers' High Praises
Bush Winning Gore Backers' High Praises I never thought I would see this in the New York Times; praise for President Bush. "Many Democrats who once dismissed Mr. Bush as too naïve and too dependent on advisers to steer the United States through an international crisis are now praising his and his advisers' performance. Some are even privately expressing satisfaction that Mr. Gore, who tried to make his foreign affairs expertise an issue in the campaign, did not win." I cannot agree more!
Tonga's Court Jester Loses US$20M of King's Trust Fund in Viaticals Scandal
Tonga's Court Jester Loses US$20M of King's Trust Fund in Viaticals Scandal
Jesse Bogdonoff, the manager of Tonga's ever-shrinking trust fund and official court jester to the King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV (the reports of whose death have been exaggerated), has admitted to losing $20M in investing in viaticals, an often fraudulent form of speculation on life insurance policies of cash-strapped terminally-ill people. Court jesters? Viaticals? It's like a Ziggy cartoon run amok.
Jesse Bogdonoff, the manager of Tonga's ever-shrinking trust fund and official court jester to the King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV (the reports of whose death have been exaggerated), has admitted to losing $20M in investing in viaticals, an often fraudulent form of speculation on life insurance policies of cash-strapped terminally-ill people. Court jesters? Viaticals? It's like a Ziggy cartoon run amok.
With the Mars Odyssey about to finalize gravitational orbit tomorrow, you too can observe the surface of Mars via a simulcast with PBS or through the NASA website on October 30th. NASA is still searching for irrefutable evidence that Mars could have supported an ecosystem or more importantly life. Interesting.
Bill Gates to appear on Frasier
Bill Gates to appear on Frasier Maybe he could take some tech support calls for Windows. Or explain "Bob". What next, Larry Ellison on "A Very Special Smackdown"?
Discount "apparently in memory of those affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks"?
Discount "apparently in memory of those affected by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks"? I am an Apple technology fan (except Steve blew it cancelling the Newton), but offering a discount in memory of a tragedy? I'm sorry but I find that insulting. The article has quotes about what a bargain the deal is. Undoubtedly so, but a bargain in memory of 9/11? I want to not believe this but the deal is only available in NYC and DC.
I was just over at Matt's blog, and he mentions that his favorite baby blog is evohr.org. Personally, mine is henrysdiary.com. What's yours? Or do you have problems with this sort of site... do you think it's exploitive or otherwise dangerous?
He Thinks He's People
Dogs on treadmills. Dogs wearing diapers. Dogs watching TV. Dogs depressed about Sept. 11. Dogs on dates. No point really, there just seems to be lots of cool dogs out there doing human stuff. Rock on, dogs!
Sony GT3/K.
Sony GT3/K. Part digital video camera, part Crusoe based notebook. Swivel screen, 680,000 pixel CCD, variable aperture, 30 gig hard drive. 17 hour battery life. Yours for $2899
[Original link via DiK]
[Original link via DiK]
Alice in Monsterland.
Alice in Monsterland. "Certainly it's more pleasant for a 7 year old boy or girl to learn to be
a boss in Denver, than spend 60 hours a week in a Peshawar sweatshop. The
problem is, one implies the other. The moral critique will never realize
the world is one."
Why Birds Fly in a 'V'.
Why Birds Fly in a 'V'. And I thought it was because they liked the view.
Novelty
Cool. I had no idea Condoleezza Rice got an oil tanker named after her!
Cool. I had no idea Condoleezza Rice got an oil tanker named after her!
Any bets on names for the upcoming trans-Afghanistan oil pipeline?
Any bets on names for the upcoming trans-Afghanistan oil pipeline?
iWalk :
iWalk : Apple's new device is rumored to be a PDA/MP3 Player with a color screen and airport functionality. Never heard of spymac.com before, but this looks pretty legit. (contains photo)
Bibleman receives Death Threats,
Bibleman receives Death Threats, ends book store tour. Official site blames ingrown toenail. Don’t know who Bibleman is? Think Super Powered Christian Solider meets Power Rangers.
Guide dogs are cool.
Guide dogs are cool. The connection between a guide dog and his/her blind master is amazing. If you want to read some touching and heartwarming stories about raising guide dogs, check this link. There was even a guide dog among the heroes at the WTC on September 11th, as many have heard. These dogs are so smart and noble.
The Civil Defense Museum.
The Civil Defense Museum. Americans are taking their personal security seriously again, but for decades the threat of nuclear annihilation was a constant presence. It seemed laughable in The Atomic Cafe, but the fears that led to fallout shelters and Bert the Turtle don't seem quite so ridiculous anymore.
Remembering 1993 With Newton QuickTime Commercials.
Remembering 1993 With Newton QuickTime Commercials. Ah, Newton. Such potential. And the commercials still have a distinct Apple flavor. So to speak.
The Virginia-based Jesus has a new career.
The Virginia-based Jesus has a new career. He's amazing. If I had a sister, I'd want her to marry Jesus. In the email from Him that accompanied the link, He wrote that He earned 4 dollars for 5 minutes' work.
nice one!
nice one! Cannabis laws to be relaxed, maybe...
Best Intranet of 2001
Best Intranet of 2001 awarded by the NN Group User Experience Conference. This is a huge event for a small local company - but will it actually make an impact on their business? Does anyone have any previous experience with this kind of recognition and the changes it can bring to a company or product?
Cowardice in Washington?
Cowardice in Washington? Joan Ryan, of the SF Chronicle, takes congress to task for abandoning the capitol at the first sign of danger. Is hiding in a bunker 'letting the terrorists win?'
New Releases: Death in Venice. Mark Twain. Tattoos. Holograms. And Whitney the TV Star Paper Doll. Best. Book Publisher. Ever.
Slashdot introduces paid subscriptions.
Slashdot introduces paid subscriptions. - "I hope you can understand the expensive reality associated with making this site happen every day" We've talked about paid memberships for Metafilter before, and I'd happily pay, but if all of the sites I go to everyday start doing this I'll have to make some hard choices.
Is there any talk about some sort of membership "package"? Sort of like the cable model? I pay one fee and get member access to several websites? How could something like this be organized?
Is there any talk about some sort of membership "package"? Sort of like the cable model? I pay one fee and get member access to several websites? How could something like this be organized?
Berlin held mayoral elections on Sunday.
Berlin held mayoral elections on Sunday. The winner, Klaus Wowereit, is the town’s first openly gay politician. “I'm gay and it's good that way,” became a campaign slogan, website and catch phrase. Hints of Paris and Bertrand Delanoe.
Speaking of Tokyo Rose:
Speaking of Tokyo Rose: AOL/Time Warner, with assistance from the Bush administration, signed a "landmark deal" with China. AOL/TW gets to broadcast a Chinese-language station in the area of China that already gets Western programming (although illegally), and in exchange AOL/TW agrees to broadcast a Chinese state sponsored English language channel in Los Angeles, New York and Houston. "We are very pleased to have achieved this landmark agreement, which represents a significant step in the growing relationship between AOL Time Warner and the people of China," said CEO Gerald Levin in a statement. Why does this make my skin crawl?
Profiling, racial or otherwise, doesn't necessarily work.
Dutch animator Han Hoogerbrugge's short (~100K) shockwave pieces never cease to thrill and delight. Currently, he's taking a break from production (his last effort, Modern Living - Neurotica Series, is archived on his site) and is presenting a retrospective of his work. He's working towards a 2002 release of new pieces. Until then, enjoy!
Oh, that wacky Bruce Willis
Oh, that wacky Bruce Willis (Warning, links are to 2.5M/30" Quicktime movies.) This commercial has been running in Japan for awhile, and is being used to announce the merging of two gas station chains, Nisseki and Mitsubishi Sekiyu, into a new entity called Eneos. This one introducing Eneos high-octane fuel is even wackier. The third one has his voice dubbed except for the end where he utters that immortal Eneos slogan "Move You." Huh?
Does anybody else have a favorite foreign (not to you, necessarily) commercial with American stars doing/saying bizarre stuff?
Audiogalaxy blocking songs.
Audiogalaxy blocking songs. It looks like Audiogalaxy are beginning to block certain songs. The results come up as normal, but have an X next to them so you cannot download them. Webmonkey mentioned this back in August, but I didn't discover it until today.
October 22
"When Christ called his disciples
"When Christ called his disciples called fishermen, he didn't call nobody from a qualified university," R.I.P. Rev. Howard Finster. Which is your favorite Finster cover art? Mine would have to be R.E.M.'s "Reckoning".
Tokoyo Rose
Tokoyo Rose We've all heard of her, how many actually know what or who she really was? There were over 20 "Rose's", one got screwed over.
If you think you know what the story was, you should read up, you're prolly wrong. Iva Toguri was a real patriot of the USA who got stuck between a rock and a hard place.
I think it's a facinating story, racsim, sexism and one woman who in her own way fought for the USA while being kept by the enemy. Talk about getting the shaft!
I'm sure we've all been wondering...
I'm sure we've all been wondering... "Hey, you 'gonna eat your shortbread cookies?" (Link taken from Bifurcated Rivets.)
Talk about a Trojan Horse!
Talk about a Trojan Horse! The legal concept of "regulatory takings" has slowly been gaining ground in right wing circles, and is embedded in trade agreements such as NAFTA and FTAA. The idea represents nothing less than a complete subversion of democracy. (It's a longish article, but an extremely alarming one.)
Silophone.
Silophone. "A sonic inhabitation of the Silo #5 grain elevator in the Old Port of Montréal ... Silophone makes use of the incredible acoustics of Silo #5 by introducing sounds, collected from around the world using various communication technologies, into a physical space to create an instrument which blurs the boundaries between music, architecture and net art." This is, without a doubt, one of the coolest things I've seen on the net in ages.
Did you criticize Jerry Falwell for his remarks partially blaming the terrorist attacks on gay people, civil libertarians, people who believe in separation of church and state, and other people who aren't Christian fundamentalists? Then you are Satan, according to a new fund-raising letter from Falwell's ministry caught by Americans United. People have shrugged off fanatacism like this from Falwell and his ilk for decades -- should we still?
Trapped Briton sends Internet SOS.
Trapped Briton sends Internet SOS. Trapped in his garden shed while surfing, he sent a request to a chat room for someone to call the Lancashire police. An American did.
Children's News Online
Children's News Online - from the BBC. Newsround is their long-running, early-evening TV news show for kids. It was fascinating watching it struggle with presenting the Falklands War in the eighties. I wonder how CBBC News will cope?
Sinn Fein calls for IRA Disarmament
Sinn Fein calls for IRA Disarmament
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams urged the Irish Republican Army on Monday to begin disarming to save Northern Ireland's peace process.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams urged the Irish Republican Army on Monday to begin disarming to save Northern Ireland's peace process.
Modern Humorist's "Rough Draft: Pop Culture the Way it Almost Was" is finally available.
Modern Humorist's "Rough Draft: Pop Culture the Way it Almost Was" is finally available. A few samples are here. And while I like the Modern Humorist and enjoyed their first book I'm partial to The Onion's "Our Dumb Century" as the funniest.book.ever. As I brace for the sarcastic responses, what do you think is the funniest book ever written?
Boycott Berkeley
Boycott Berkeley , in the wake of the extreme leftist views expressed by the inhabitants of the California town, some are calling for the boycott of the boycotters. I find this ironic and extremely funny. If Berkeley doesn't want to support the US then the US shouldn't support them. (Via OpinionJournal)
Still have a Viewmaster?
Still have a Viewmaster? Then get some of these. Or have some made just for you. Or make your own. No Viewmaster? Then look here for instructions to make 3D glasses and stay to look around. Like that extra dimensions? Go here.
"To me, every fundamentalist Muslim, no matter how peaceable in his own behavior, is part of a murderous movement and is thus, in some fashion, a foot soldier in the war that bin Laden has launched against civilization."
a comment by Daniel Pipes
If Muslim fundamentalists are this bad I wonder what his views are of the other religious fundamentalists
Once Insular Americans Now Studying Up on The World
Once Insular Americans Now Studying Up on The World
According to this LA Times article, Americans are suddenly getting interested in the world outside its borders, with a special emphasis on Islam and the Middle East. How about you? Run into any websites or books that help make sense of it all?
link via AllAboutGeorge via mefi text ad
According to this LA Times article, Americans are suddenly getting interested in the world outside its borders, with a special emphasis on Islam and the Middle East. How about you? Run into any websites or books that help make sense of it all?
link via AllAboutGeorge via mefi text ad
Wishful Thinking Department (Economics Division)
Wishful Thinking Department (Economics Division) Newsweek's Wall Street editor says nation is in the midst of a "quiet economic recovery." As someone who's been out of work since June, I don't see it. What's your barometric pressure reading on the nation's economy?
Time Inc. Fires Mailroom Staff
Time Inc. Fires Mailroom Staff Time claims it's coincidental to the anthrax scare, they are just trying to cut costs. Like liability costs of having their own employees contract a deadly disease?
Driving home last night I passed a Land Rover. Not just any Land Rover, mind you, but a Land Rover headed from Virginia to the tip of South America and back. Not only did these people implement some considerable alterations to the vehicle, they are blogging the details of the trip along the way. Nice to see some people come out of the 'bubble' with a bit of money and the gumption to chase their dreams.
Two DC Postal Workers May have died of Anthrax
Two DC Postal Workers May have died of Anthrax Whatever hit the Brentwood Post Office was particularly virulent.
Someone (in this case, Steven Zeitchik of the [What's Left of] Online Journalism Review) finally has the guts to say it: The post-911 Onion isn't funny. It's preachy, obvious, desperate to give off the impression that it's still ironic without actually being so ... but not funny. Unfortunately, it doesn't delve into the intriguing psychological question of why so many were so eager to laud its return when it's never really returned at all, but hey, it's not the Online Psychology Review, now is it?
A "failed state".
A "failed state". Breakdown in law and order. Imminent collapse of social infrastructure. And no, it isn't Afghanistan.
Top 10 contradictions
Top 10 contradictions regarding the US bombing of Afghanistan.
Elian's Miami home has been turned into shrine
Elian's Miami home has been turned into shrine by relatives in Florida to counter the Cuban museum to the "battle of ideas" in Elian's home town of Cardenas that recalls Cuba's version of the Elian story.
She flows like a river of bass vibration
She flows like a river of bass vibration at the DNA Lounge. Jamie Zawinski, former programmer for Netscape and former contributor to the Mozilla project, has owned his own nightclub for some time. This pearl of the SF night scene also sports webcasts both audio and visual to go with its ubersexy public internet kiosks that run Linux.
Washington's New Wise Men
Washington's New Wise Men are detailed in the latest issue of the Washingtonian magazine. There are some changes from the Cold War era -- like including women in the list. Did they miss anyone? (via Political Wire.) Also from this site: the latest terrorism news and Taliban news.
The Concorde Flies Again
The Concorde Flies Again After an overhaul of the supersonic jet's safety features (after the July 25 crash near Paris), British Airways' Concorde undertook it's first trans-Atlantic flight to New York.
British Airways has also set up a Concorde's Return To Service mini-site...
Federation of American Scientists hacked?
Federation of American Scientists hacked? The home page appears to be. But not the terrorism military aircraft pages I was seeking.
The true gut feelings
The true gut feelings we know of will become this, purified and rare. Emotion is not something we will be born with. Part II. Warning: These are flash movies and do contain some minor "adult content".
The Mirror Project
The Mirror Project ...if you think it's narcissistic, you're missing the point.
Xenu
Xenu was a space alien, 75 million years ago. He was a galactic ruler in fact. There was an overpopulation problem, so Xenu piled a few trillion beings in DC8 space planes, took them to earth an blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Then the souls were tricked to think they were all the same person by means of 3D movies - that way, when they reincarnated (as they do), they grouped up with a few thousand others and took a single body. Neat story eh? It's by a sci-fi writer called L. Ron Hubbard and forms the base of the Church of Scientology, although you don't really get to know that story until you reach OT3
There's been a 'What is Scientology' expo near me recently, but thanks to the folks at Xenu.net I feel fairly well informed without the need for a personality test.
There's been a 'What is Scientology' expo near me recently, but thanks to the folks at Xenu.net I feel fairly well informed without the need for a personality test.
Good Old Shoe.
Good Old Shoe. In stark raving reality this time though. Lessee. . .who could it have been who leaked this propagandistic canard?
I bet
I bet you didn't know there was an art to shooting rubber hands from your hand ... well now you know.
October 21
Winter is coming to Afghanistan.
Winter is coming to Afghanistan. Several million may die of starvation if aid does not reach them soon. Relief agencies have called for a pause in the bombing to allow relief workers access. Two questions come to mind: what purpose does the bombing serve? and if we continue bombing, thus allowing the Afghanis to starve, are we possibly committing genocide?
"Real" Deal about Nuclear, Bio, and Chem Attacks.
"Real" Deal about Nuclear, Bio, and Chem Attacks. I've also seen this in the newsgroups, but it hasn't come to my various email accounts yet. While the article seems pretty reasonable, there doesn't seem to be any info on who this SFC Red Thomas is, nor is there any scientific backup (no links to further reading etc.).
A pickup bar for geeks.
A pickup bar for geeks. 60 TV cameras on the ceiling can be controlled by bar patrons from stations all over the bar, to snoop on other people. See someone you like? Send 'em an email; and maybe if you hit it off you can walk across the bar and actually talk to them.
PUBLIC RELATIONS DEBACLE AFTER SEN. HILLARY JEERED AND BOOED BY HEROES
PUBLIC RELATIONS DEBACLE AFTER SEN. HILLARY JEERED AND BOOED BY HEROES When something goes wrong, blame it on the extreme right. "How could we not know this would be the wrong forum for Hillary?!" shouted one confidante. "These are cops and firemen who listen to right-wing talkradio. They still think she killed Vince Foster, for Christ sake!"
There sure are a lot of us.
There sure are a lot of us. Not to mention that there have been a lot of us. You might be surprised how many. We all know about the increasing world population, but it's interesting to compare the total, current, and past numbers; seeing 'em tick by like that reinforces it in a way that static numbers can't. My, how we've grown.
Mommy, mommy, I want to get my teeth kicked in this Halloween!
Look to the skies, kids - Geomagnetic Activity Alert.
"Boss, I'm on sick leave right now, my thighs really hurt, the government is paying me unemployment insurance."
"Boss, I'm on sick leave right now, my thighs really hurt, the government is paying me unemployment insurance." Germany inacts law that sees prostitution as any other form of work, whereby she can take you to court if you don't pay.
The latest trial balloon
The latest trial balloon - the Justice Department apparently wants the right to torture suspects.
First French woman in space set to go up again.
First French woman in space set to go up again. Can Jerry Lewis be far behind?
"The World Trade Center Attack Was Orchestrated By Demons!"
"The World Trade Center Attack Was Orchestrated By Demons!" (PS: Send Money.) For those of you who, like me, have been wondering what Sideshow Bob had to contribute to the ongoing discussion of the WTC attacks. [more]
US Right-Wing Cranks are behind the anthrax
US Right-Wing Cranks are behind the anthrax the UK Independant 10/21/01 features this article
Global Corruption Report 2001
Global Corruption Report 2001 - if you're not depressed already, this will make you so.
Roshomon Cafe - the interactive story of Albert and Lovely Lisa - a 2.4M shockwave download... Just one of many finalists in the flashforward2001 Flash Film Festival.
Confessions of a sex shop clerk
Confessions of a sex shop clerk - What makes me think this is the kind of job everyone else dreams of in secret? Anyways, as a sidenote, we'd definitely be better off making love instead of war right now, don't you think?
October 20
zoolander: bloggy-style
zoolander: bloggy-style
In the spirit of Zoolander's Magnum and Blue Steel line of looks, Caution: Openwire presents to you: Zoolander Bloggy-style!
Don't forget to send him your best Zoolander!
In the spirit of Zoolander's Magnum and Blue Steel line of looks, Caution: Openwire presents to you: Zoolander Bloggy-style!
Don't forget to send him your best Zoolander!
Anthrax This!
Anthrax This! A message from the anthrax infected employee of the New York Post. I've never seen a newspaper cover like this before. Anyone have an reactions, thoughts?
Spamthrax!
Spamthrax! Anthrax via e-mail? Don't panic, it's from SatireWire.
David Talbot (Salon) rips Andrew Sullivan (WSJ, New Republic, Weekly Standard) a new one
David Talbot (Salon) rips Andrew Sullivan (WSJ, New Republic, Weekly Standard) a new one From Salon editorial "....It's repellent to be lectured about my commitment to America, which is deep and true, by an arrogant and self-important Brit.....earlier this year, Sullivan was exposed by the gay press for advertising for "bareback" sex (unprotected by condoms) in an AOL chat room.....if a right-wing theocracy ever came to power in America, guess who'd be the first person whose ass would be rounded up...." Don't they have more compelling subject matter to rant and rave about?
Israeli Ultimatum:
Israeli Ultimatum: looks like the PA is soon to be history: Palestinian Culture Minister Yasser Abbed Rabbo, meanwhile, rejected Israel's ultimatum to hand over the suspects, saying the [Palestenian Authority] would not fall in to what he called an "Israeli trap".
Coded message
Coded message in the Bert 'n Osama poster? So says former NSA instructor Robert W Koontz. Link picked up from Yahoo. Check out his own National Security Message Board.
The Death of Alfalfa
The Death of Alfalfa You've probably heard about how Alfalfa from the Little Rascals died young. Read more about it.
Let's stop wasting US$ 78 billion a year.
Let's stop wasting US$ 78 billion a year. Is software development really this inefficient? Aside from the main theme, there is also an interesting statement from a CIO towards the end of the article. "Those folks [involved in the open-source movement] are very knowledgeable, very good at what they do, and they're producing really great code," [...]
civilization III
civilization III interview with Sid Meier and Jeff Briggs. the return of turn-based games? :) looks like you'll be able to build the internet, small wonder!
A WEBSITE DEVOTED TO REBUILDING THE EARTH.
A WEBSITE DEVOTED TO REBUILDING THE EARTH. Christopher Alexander is about to publish the long awaited The Nature of Order. At the OOPSLA 1996 conference he proposed "a view of programming as the natural genetic infrastructure of a living world"and asked the help of the software community to take over the profession of architecture and to generate tools that would enable us once again to create a living built environment. The patternlanguage.com site has not been the genesis bomb I was hoping it would be but it's early days yet.
Muslim makes bin Laden a laughing matter.
Muslim makes bin Laden a laughing matter. "My name is Shazia Mirza - at least that's what it says on my pilot's licence." It seems The Onion isn't the only one healing through comedy.
October 19
Macromedia claims it owns Adobe patent
Macromedia claims it owns Adobe patent "Software-maker Macromedia Inc. is claiming it owns the patent to Adobe Systems Inc.'s popular Photoshop program, according to a suit filed in federal court Friday." Macromedia is alleging that in 1998 it patented technology used by Photoshop. Couldn't this only be web-based technology, since Photoshop was around long before 1998?
Dan Rather: bad ass or nut?
Dan Rather: bad ass or nut? Maybe I'm just too young to remember all of the times the CBS anchorman has been beat up, including the famous "What's the Frequency, Kenneth" incident. Now there's a web site where you can read about all of the times that he's been randomly assaulted, generally harassed, or tear gassed. There are also a few video clips. I think the best one is of him getting punched at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. And of course, it wouldn't be Dan Rather without the long list of weird quotes.
Come Mr. Taliban
Come Mr. Taliban turn over Mr. Bin Laden! Sure, it trivializes human suffering and death... but look it's George Bush with bongos! Funniest animation I've seen come out of this.
The Semi-Invasion Begins: Unconfirmed Reports of American Casualties in a Raid on Kandahar, Undisclosed Targets
The Semi-Invasion Begins: Unconfirmed Reports of American Casualties in a Raid on Kandahar, Undisclosed Targets
Swooping in on helicopter gunships, 100+ American GI's attack Kandahar in a "daring" raid, acknowledged by the Pentagon. They engaged ground troops.
NYT is reporting unconfirmed reports of American casualties, number unknown.
Rumsfeld said that the outcome is not certain, and referred to the Taliban forces as "tough" "survivors".
For comment: why? What about Mazar-e-Sharif? Why? What's a Loya Jirga, and was it held in secret recently?
Swooping in on helicopter gunships, 100+ American GI's attack Kandahar in a "daring" raid, acknowledged by the Pentagon. They engaged ground troops.
NYT is reporting unconfirmed reports of American casualties, number unknown.
Rumsfeld said that the outcome is not certain, and referred to the Taliban forces as "tough" "survivors".
For comment: why? What about Mazar-e-Sharif? Why? What's a Loya Jirga, and was it held in secret recently?
Omigod!!!
Omigod!!! Now it's time to give the French a hard time (please note the sarcasm).
Ahye Matey!
A blistering dissection
A blistering dissection of David Foster Wallace and Simon Winchester's previously published essays on English usage, by Mark Halpern. Though I like some of Wallace's writing, I admit it's nice to see the scalpel taken to Wallace's "style for style's sake".
another 43 seconds wasted.
another 43 seconds wasted. make that 43 minutes... this is quite a saga! at least he has goals.
How did FoxNews get it before I did?
How did FoxNews get it before I did? Somehow I did not get word of this in a dozen e-mail messages: Ode to America from Romanian news editor Cornel Nistorescu.
It doesn't really say anything that we don't know already, but I guess it's special to hear it from someone on the outside, i.e. the much-loved 1973 essay from Canadian Gordon Sinclair.
It doesn't really say anything that we don't know already, but I guess it's special to hear it from someone on the outside, i.e. the much-loved 1973 essay from Canadian Gordon Sinclair.
Falwell-Robertson-Bin Laden Quiz
Falwell-Robertson-Bin Laden Quiz Can you tell their statements apart?
Jobs Skills Tester???
Jobs Skills Tester??? Not sure about how the employment stuff works but you can test your skills at various stuff... i had fun for 10 minutes checking out how my unix skills were (only 78% on the quick test) oh well... you have to register but there's no email password crap to take the tests. Over 100 different tests from ASP to XML.
Anyone know where I can get some cheap opium?
Congress on Thursday chose not to extend a 1998 ban on taxes that target the Internet, meaning that, theoretically, state and local governments could begin imposing Internet taxes on Monday.
Congress on Thursday chose not to extend a 1998 ban on taxes that target the Internet, meaning that, theoretically, state and local governments could begin imposing Internet taxes on Monday. Wow, we've been watching over our shoulders for terrorist and congress slips us a fast one!
"Sometimes you just have to make the cats."
"Sometimes you just have to make the cats." Civil War buffs Ruth and Rebecca Brown have created thousands of clay cats in Union and Confederate uniforms.... the twins bring history to life by creating sweeping battle scenes and dioramas of dramatic moments, as interpreted with clay cats. Via Obscure Store.
(and here comes mr. hand, Oh Noooooooo!)
Fight the browser with .movTV [Quicktime required.]
johncoltrane.com.
johncoltrane.com. Why can't all music promo sites give you an entire album's worth of greatest hits with zilch download time?
Emergency Broadcast Network: The Lost Tapes.
Emergency Broadcast Network: The Lost Tapes. "Formed during the Persian Gulf War of 1990-91, E.B.N. created its first arsenal of counter-psy-ops programming, cleverly disguised as music videos, inspired by the spectacular media frenzy surrounding the war and its aftermath."
The MF thread about Buckaroo Banzai a couple days ago triggered me to revist my list of "waiting for DVD" movies, and lo, I discovered that the freaky 1966 Frankenheiner/Rock Hudson Seconds is finally coming out in January as well. But still on my wait list are a Japanese elegie, a sweet western by Peckinpah, a nice little literary film and a dark comedy featuring Jerry Lewis, of all people.
What's on your "waiting for DVD" list?
Luckyluncher.com Launches With $42 in Angelo Financing
Luckyluncher.com Launches With $42 in Angelo Financing
Found this on Business Wire:
"A new web site to help Silicon Valley stock option refugees enjoy the extravagant lunches of yesteryear started today with $42 in Angelo financing.
Found this on Business Wire:
"A new web site to help Silicon Valley stock option refugees enjoy the extravagant lunches of yesteryear started today with $42 in Angelo financing.
That's Angelo financing, not Angel financing. 'My friend Angelo loaned me the 42 bucks to register the domain name' explains co-founder Gary Cook."
Cleaner dumps £5k art
Cleaner dumps £5k art -- Mistook rubbish for... well, rubbish.
The truth is out there... but is it The Real Thing?
The truth is out there... but is it The Real Thing? An example of 'victim' mentality in action. Big Bubba attempts to mug a coke machine, and it squashes him like a bug. Rather than accept the fact their son died a lunkhead's death, his parents declare he was the victim of a conspiracy.
"Why did the Sherbrooke Police play at tilting the machine themselves to see if they could tip it? Is not that the role of experts?"
I want to be an expert soda-machine tipper...
Young Philadelphia man refused access to UA flight because of his reading material...
Young Philadelphia man refused access to UA flight because of his reading material... This story just made my blood boil. Of all the stupid things... Ack! I just can't type straight! I don't have all the information... there's going to be another side to this... but if
this is anywhere _near_ accurate, I hope some heads roll.
[via Evhead, via Dan Gillmor]
News or Ratings Whores (You make the call)
News or Ratings Whores (You make the call) Wartime definitions of free speach and news-worthiness are and should be different than in peacetime, no? So then, on a relatively slow newsday like today (thus far anyhow) when ABC News runs a supposedly sci-tech feature, snarkily entitled Meet the Electronic Equivalent of an Atomic Weapon, it makes one wonder why editors let articles like this fly.
Enlighten me if I'm missing some subtle purpose, but is there any other reason for this article other than fear mongering and directing the country's enemies to promising tactical weaponry if they haven't already thought of it?
Mum, I’m playing a syphilitic Hackney whore being impassively tupped by a boil-faced plague-pit digger in the desperate belief that my pox will cure his plague
Mum, I’m playing a syphilitic Hackney whore being impassively tupped by a boil-faced plague-pit digger in the desperate belief that my pox will cure his plague If you didn't have the chance to see the Channel 4 programme about the Black Death don't worry, this article is much more entertaining.
God bless
God bless America. Use in Disaster Relief, Hurricane and Earthquake preparedness, and other situations where a sanitation situation may occur.
Warning: dead turkey.
Ever wanted to chat with John Lennnon?
Ever wanted to chat with John Lennnon? Now here's your chance! It seems Lennon is alive, well and chatting on the internet.
Technology firm Triumph PC Group has developed a virtual version of the late Beatle using "sophisticated" artificial intelligence programming. As a Lennon fan I was hoping for something cool but left the site with far more questions than answers.
Friday Fun.
Friday Fun. Stupidly addictive game. The simple ideas are always the best.
Make A Shorter Link:
Make A Shorter Link: Very handy for those long, wieldy URLs...
BotFighters:
BotFighters: BotFighters is a brand new type of action game. The mission of the game is to track down and battle with other players, but in BotFighters, the real world is the game arena. You have to move yourself physically close enough to be able to hit.
The game concept is similar to "Gotcha!", or virtual paintball. Your mobile phone is used as a weapon and a radar device to track down opponents. When playing, you can at all times be attacked by other players, so be careful! You play with your mobile phone by sending SMS commands to number 6688. (from play)
October 18
HIJACKERS SURPRISED TO BE IN HELL
HIJACKERS SURPRISED TO BE IN HELL Meanwhile in other news..... GOD CLARIFIES "DON'T KILL" COMMANDMENT. They're back at it at The Onion... Is it time again for laughter? does anyone remember laughter? ... What's your Response ? Or should we stick with the serious and News?
US Special Forces now operating in southern Afghanistan
US Special Forces now operating in southern Afghanistan Let's pray a repeat of Mogadishu doesn't happen and any innocents on the ground aren't harmed...
Uber-dictionary!
Uber-dictionary! If you're a student and get your access through a university, there's a fairly good chance the university subscribes to the Oxford English Dictionary online. Which means you get the OED too!
regardless, it's 100x the dictionary m-w is.
The RIAA is at it again,
The RIAA is at it again, this time there are supposedly plans to DDoS people who are sharing "illegal" files. Via The Register and ZDnet.
God's Homepage.
God's Homepage. He hasn't updated it since 1996, though. Guess he's been pretty busy.
Call it the 0.5k.
Call it the 0.5k. Like a certain widely-heralded Web design contest, the Minigame competition pits clever programmers against each other to see who can do the most with the least. But instead of Web pages, these competitors create games for obsolete 8-bit computers (Atari, Commodore, etc.) in two weight classes: 2K and 512 bytes (!).
Oh my god, i'm so addicted.
Oh my god, i'm so addicted. it's like a chat. but it's like the sims. and it looks swedish. and i can't stop hanging out there. i'm in the room 'shacknews'.
Terry Brooks talks about overlooked fantasy genre
Terry Brooks talks about overlooked fantasy genre - am i the only one who thinks he's one the most over rated authors?
FilePile
FilePile has redesigned. I think it's ugly as all getout, but the rating system is much more intuitive. What do y'all think?
Plagiarism in this week's Onion!
Plagiarism in this week's Onion! Their story "NBC To Add Dateline: Flursday" is a direct ripoff of the "Dateline: Katilsday" joke from Family Guy Episode 14, where Lois explains "Oh, NBC invented another day so they could air another episode of Dateline." (Here's the audio file.)
Nothing more sexy than a leggy blonde Plagarist?
Nothing more sexy than a leggy blonde Plagarist?
Oops. Is it possible open-minded Ann Coulter was too busy converting the unwashed masses to Christianity to write her own book?
Oops. Is it possible open-minded Ann Coulter was too busy converting the unwashed masses to Christianity to write her own book?
Ashcroft issues new policy on FOIA requests
Ashcroft issues new policy on FOIA requests that rescinds a 1993 policy that made it somewhat harder for federal agencies to refuse requests for public records. No surprise, especially given the current situation, but the interesting part is the rationale: Ashcroft cites national security, the effectiveness of law enforcement and protecting sensitive business information. "I encourage your agency to carefully consider the protection of all such values and interests when making disclosure determinations under the FOIA." (via Politechbot)
What does Dick Armey, the Green Party, the Traditional Values Coalition and the American Kurdish Information Network have in common? They all are blocked by internet filters mandated by congress in schools and libraries.
That's ok, I didn't want to go to the Focus on the Family Pure Intimacy site anyway.
When Fred Gwynne and E.G. Marshall died, I was a little depressed. Most people knew Fred from the Munsters and Mr. Marshall from movies; I knew them from work on the CBSRMT.
When Fred Gwynne and E.G. Marshall died, I was a little depressed. Most people knew Fred from the Munsters and Mr. Marshall from movies; I knew them from work on the CBSRMT. My dog was named Marshall, in fact. It's strange that most people never knew there was another whole world of radio acting out there."
Like this writer, I also grew up listening to (and loving) The CBS RADIO MYSTERY THEATRE. It's long gone, but if you search the web, you can find many devoted websites and even some episodes.
Legal fun with SeanBaby
Legal fun with SeanBaby - The Probe sinks its teeth into America's favorite pasttime - morons using the legal system to profit from their own idiocy.
MSNBC launches Arabic version.
MSNBC launches Arabic version. This looks to be a partnership between MSNBC and GoodNews4me. I'm curious to see how different their version of the news is - can anyone with Arabic reading skills comment?
Hat's off to some brave ladies!
Hat's off to some brave ladies! I have only admiration for them, especially in the harsh environments of the Colombian and Sudanese journalists; not that ETA is child's play, just that Spain is relatively secure.
In a completely unrelated vein, doesn't the term 'Homeland Security' sound vaguely Nazi-ish?
More badly-written paranoid dreck from everyone's favorite floundering Web daily.
More badly-written paranoid dreck from everyone's favorite floundering Web daily. Like a sore tooth, I can't stop picking on Salon. (more inside)
New Thermoelectric cooler:
The "Florida Recount Abandoned" story is a hoax. (Scroll down to the bottom three grafs.) See also Kausfiles 10/15 for corroboration.
Infonesia
Infonesia - inability to remember where you saw or heard an item of information. I've got this for sure...
I'm usually not a big fan of optical illusions (unless there's a nice magic trick built around it), but this one is pretty brain-burning. (Yes, that's my entire front-page post. But hey: at least it ain't a news story.)
It really is amazing what kinds of cool, free, raw data you can get from the web (that other folks would charge you good money for), here are a few I've come across.
Weather, from the good folks at the NOAA/NWS
Geographic locations of zipcodes amongst other things from those pesky buggers at the US Census Office
Want reverse phone lookup data ? NANPA has the skinny.
So what other cool data feeds have people found out there ?
Boeing's Memo to bin Laden
Boeing's Memo to bin Laden Here's a little PowerPoint presentation making its way around the defense industry. A memo (supposedly) from Boeing's CEO, to Osama bin Laden discussing bin Laden's interest in Boeing's 757 and 767 commercial airliners and Boeing's desire to do a demonstration of some of their non-commercial products for Mr. bin Laden. It's summed up pretty nicely, Don't bother making an appointment for the demo, we'll just drop in.
PETA
PETA is at it again, but this time they know not with whom they trifle. PETA's Kristie Phelps sent a letter to Dr. John Palms, president of the University of South Carolina, requesting that USC "bench" their athletic teams' moniker "The Fighting Gamecocks," because, well, it's funnier to read the press release and letter for yourself. The letter elicited this response and this news story in The State, our local paper. (Note the further link from there to the readers' forum, which is pretty damn hilarious in its own right.)
Conspiracy theories in Arab discourse-Fawaz Turki, Special to Arab News
Conspiracy theories in Arab discourse-Fawaz Turki, Special to Arab News I especially applaud his closing :
"...Let us not, I say, debase our great language by using it as a vehicle of intellectual dissimulation and political kitsch, for it is in language that human grace is defined, and in it that we as Arabs find the prime carrier of our equally great civilization..."
Enough of this bs. Amen, Fawaz, Amen.
A 10-year-old Palestinian girl was killed when Israel tanks fired at a school during a raid on the West Bank town of Jenin.
A 10-year-old Palestinian girl was killed when Israel tanks fired at a school during a raid on the West Bank town of Jenin. ??? Wtf? Ok, so its the usual retaliatory attacks for the killing discussed yesterday, but this is just nasty, schools, hospitals, red cross compounds, things like those shouldn't be fired at.
Phew, It's About Time!
Phew, It's About Time! I'm sure CBS was starting to feel a bit left out. First, American Media gets Anthrax, then NBC, then ABC, . . . Imagine how bad it would've looked if CBS didn't get a letter. Or if FOX got Anthrax before CBS. Or, god forbid, WB or UPN. Anthrax equals significance. If you get it sent to you, you must be important enough to be a threat: newsworthy!
Turnabout is fair play...or is it?
Turnabout is fair play...or is it? (NY Times link) "Bell grew up playing field hockey in South Africa, where the sport is popular among boys. He played on a youth national team until his family left so his mother and his father could pursue doctorates in education at the University of Massachusetts. He is often razzed by classmates because he has to wear a skirt, and he has heard his share of off-color remarks from parents in the stands." Recent U.S. laws meant to give females more sports opportunities are also being used by some males to take roster spots away from females in sports popular among girls (young women, if you prefer) such as field hockey. Cool, guys in skirts!
Marijuana's effects on the brain are reversible
Marijuana's effects on the brain are reversible "It appears that cognitive impairment from marijuana use is temporary and related to the amount of marijuana that has been recently smoked rather than permanent and related to an entire lifetime consumption."
Hmm, I suppose it's good to know I can go back to being smart after being stupid for a little while.
Soft and still
Soft and still is the artwork of Nowhere Girl, a comic about a depressed, painfully shy and disaffected girl named Jamie. The settings and the tempo of the art seem to grab me and hold. I don't like many of the webcomics I've found on the internet, but I think this one stands out for its sincerity. Are there any other online comics like this one? (This link was found through Memepool.)
Bush Beats Clinton
Bush Beats Clinton in latest poll on who Americans would want to handle the current terrorist crisis. The amazing thing is that the poll wasn't even close! September 11th really did change the course of American politics. (via Political Wire.)
Oh yeah...Operation Enduring Freedom is in the house!
Oh yeah...Operation Enduring Freedom is in the house! This is eerily similar to what goes on in my office these days. Are you down with the War on Terrorism?
Finally a new idea for peace from the Palestinians (NYT)
Finally a new idea for peace from the Palestinians (NYT) by Dr. Nusseibeh, a well-known Palestinian political figure and academic, the new political representative appointed by Arafat. "The Palestinians have to realize that if we are to reach an agreement on two states, then those two states will have to be one for the Israelis and one for the Palestinians, not one for the Palestinians and the other also for the Palestinians."
I know where Bruce Lee lives!
I know where Bruce Lee lives! My buddy Talysman just told me where Bruce Lee lives!
(flash animation w/sound)
Is it sloppy programming, or do full computer security vulnerability disclosure make it too easy for hackers?
Is it sloppy programming, or do full computer security vulnerability disclosure make it too easy for hackers? Microsoft has a personal interest in minimizing the exploit of their code, but the evil you know is better than the evil you don't. Others have weighed in on this debate in the past, or provided a fair but vague blueprint for the computer security community. Do you think that a middle ground exists?
When it rains, it pours...
When it rains, it pours... "Emily Couric, who kept her seat in the state Senate and became head of the state's beleaguered Democratic Party after learning she had cancer, died Thursday. The sister of NBC's Today show co-host was 54." ..I'd been wondering why Maria Shriver was substituting for Katie this week. I guess now we know.
Calling All Pod People: there's a car for you!
Calling All Pod People: there's a car for you! "This concept car explores the potential for communication between people and their vehicle," Toyota said in preview information released on Thursday.
I don't want to communicate with machines (using machines to communicate with other people is more my style). What is it about Japanese culture that produces all these machine-human "relationships"? Tamagotchi, Aibo, NeCoRo, ad nauseam.
US is just playing around, says Northern Alliance.
Chuck Berry turns 75
Chuck Berry turns 75 today. This man is unquestionably one of the greatest original Rock 'n Rollers. But is 75 too old to rock? Tunes like Johnny B. Goode and Maybelline may be timeless, but at what point should performers of what was originally young people's music think about hangin' 'em up? For that matter, is rock too old to rock?
Some good music
Some good music . . . and a nice flash implementation of access to it. A respite from the toil and strife of the day.
spooky -
in the house [movie link]
"We explained our situation and the guy [in the gunship] said, 'Where are you?' and we showed him, and he said, 'Where are the bad guys?' and we showed him that. There was a pregnant pause for a couple of seconds, and then he said, 'You need to move back 18 feet.' " -dragon's breath.
cone of fire.
Have You Seen This Man?
Have You Seen This Man? Where is the Vice President of the United States? In the past, the VP was largely a non-actor; waiting in the wings for something bad to happen. However VP RC has hardly been that to President Bush. Is he "hiding," purely for security reasons, or is something else going on?
As the insurance industry
As the insurance industry is hit with its biggest losses ever, here in NYC they are now running stern advertising (at least on the radio) warning people not to commit insurance fraud - or else!
Osama Dance.
Osama Dance. It was only a matter of time.
Amazing!
Amazing! If I live to be 1000, I will never be able to properly underestimate the stupidity of human beings.
Many of the enlisted personnel who are now seeking honorable discharges argue they didn't sign up to defend America; they just wanted to learn a trade or earn money for college.
I'd let them go if they pay back the money spent of training and salary.
Pledge of Allegiance back in Minnesota school district
Pledge of Allegiance back in Minnesota school district thanks to a little blackmail by the American Legion. Doesn't the AL realize that it's been illegal to force school children to recite the Pledge since 1943? This is a victory for nobody.
October 17
America is the Borg, Taliban - some hapless planet:
America is the Borg, Taliban - some hapless planet: "Our forces are armed with state of the art military equipment. What are you using, obsolete and ineffective weaponry? Our helicopters will rain fire down upon your camps before you detect them on your radar. Our bombs are so accurate we can drop them right through your windows. Our infantry is trained for any climate and terrain on earth. United States soldiers fire with superior marksmanship and are armed with superior weapons. "
All your base, indeed.
Larry my man, you tell 'em!
Larry my man, you tell 'em! If this article doesn't make you puke, then September 11th was someone's birthday and they did ATTEND their party. Er....the subject matter of the article is Smart Cards.
What OS is Micro$oft running?
What OS is Micro$oft running? A poll of what OS' run in Microsoft's netblock, and their rank by uptime. Besides the fact that Hotmail was on FreeBSD for awhile [before M$ took them over], this was surprising.
Bob Barker,
Bob Barker, inspiration to all of us who want to someday host a mid-morning game show, seems to be throwing in the towel.
This is an Imam?
This is an Imam? "Muslims do not feel safe [in America] even going to the hospitals, because some Jewish doctors in one of the hospitals poisoned sick Muslim children, who then died."
I don't know if this is a good translation, I can't read Arabic, but this is mind bending stuff. Searching for comparisons, I can only find the KKK and Nazis to match the level of delusionary hate. [via andrewsullivan.com]
Do not bid on this painting
Do not bid on this painting if you are succeptible [sic] to stress related disease, faint of heart or are unfamiliar with supernatural events.
Our New War Culture
Our New War Culture Has recent events altered the landscape and trajectory of American Pop Culture? Is there such thing as "Blowback" of cultural artifacts as well back to our shores from far away lands.
You hear that sucking noise?
You hear that sucking noise? That would be the vacuum created by the "king of pop's" career imploding.
Apple Computer will introduce a 'breakthrough device' next week.
Apple Computer will introduce a 'breakthrough device' next week. Will this be the long-rumored Apple PDA that Newton fanatics have been asking for? A device for wirelessly streaming your mp3 collection through your stereo? Your basic portable mp3 player? Or something that hasn't shown up on any of the rumor sites at all? Whatever it ends up being, my curiousity is officially piqued.
The CIA's Wall Street connections
The CIA's Wall Street connections A week old (MeFi search timed out, sorry if a repeat), but good stuff in here. U.S. gov't's oil interests/stock manipulation/foreknowledge of the attacks -- Ruppert covers a lot of interesting ground in this long interview.
'Invastion' [sic] of Army recruiters unnerves jittery Austinites
'Invastion' [sic] of Army recruiters unnerves jittery Austinites I guess we're just lucky that none of our fellow residents who (legally or illegally) carry concealed handguns took matters into their own hands!
The Website of the Anti-Taliban Government of Afghanistan,
The Website of the Anti-Taliban Government of Afghanistan, pre-hack. Courtesy of the The Wayback Machine.
Comedian Rowan Atkinson is understandably nervous about his career
Comedian Rowan Atkinson is understandably nervous about his career in the light of proposed laws in the UK to outlaw insightment to religious bigotry. Having built his career from playing comedy vicars and priests you can imagine him wondering if all his old material is suddenly worthless. Downing Street has sought to re-assure as usual but you can see why he'd be filled with uncertainty. As he points out in a situation were personal opinion is involved, how would one tell if one was breaking the law. For example, some stand up comedy may be fine, but how about movies? Where does 'The Life of Brian' stand? Or 'Dogma' for that matter...
Aaron McGruder has brass balls.
Aaron McGruder has brass balls. I know that the Boondocks strip has been mentioned elsewhere in the course of another thread somewhere, however this is the strongest statement in a commercial format I've seen to date. Or maybe I need to get out more.
Like crack for your mouth!
Like crack for your mouth! Throw your Altoids and TicTacs away! CoolMint Listerine PocketPaks are little strips of breath-freshening goodness that don't just mask bad-smelling mouth germs--they kill the little buggers. Makes other breath mints seem like candy. Anybody else try them yet? As a reformed Altoids abuser, I can safely say I'm addicted.
Paranoid?
Marvel Comics Movies
Marvel Comics Movies It's about time. Being in college and having grown up with action cartoons like he-man and thundercats in the 80s it sickens me now to watch kids having to watch crap like power rangers and japanese anime. Where are these kids heroes??? Now that Michael Jordan is coming back to the NBA and now that these movies are being made, hopefully kids these days will have someone to look up to. A hero...something America could use right now.
Anthrax,
Anthrax, its been done before. It just doesn't do the job: "the cult attempted to release anthrax spores from its mid-rise Tokyo office building laboratory. At that time, police and media reported foul smells, brown steam, some pet deaths, and stains on cars and sidewalks." 2, 3. "Many view the cult Aum Shinrikyo as a group seeking to bring on the end of the world." and "an estimated $1.5 billion in assets" (thats more than Usama). me=alarmist, today.
China bans Muslims from flights.
China bans Muslims from flights. Don't like America's solution for airline safety? Try this. I wonder if this policy is temporary, and timed for President Bush's imminent visit to the region, or is this China's long-term solution?
How will America respond - condemnation or tacit acceptance? Does it actually make Bush's trip safer?
Is The Media's "Whining" About Access Justified?
Is The Media's "Whining" About Access Justified? A journalist criticizes his colleagues: "The disconnect between the U.S. media and the public they purport to serve has turned into a virtual chasm in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks." What are/should be the limits on the ability of the press to obtain unfettered information in sensitive times?
Israel's tourism minister assasinated by palestinian militants.
Israel's tourism minister assasinated by palestinian militants. Could this even further slow down peace talks between leaders? Or must we brace ourselves for the second year of this conflict?
Why the Bombings Mean That We Must Support My Politics
Why the Bombings Mean That We Must Support My Politics
Those people who have different political views from me ought to be ashamed of themselves for thinking of cheap partisan point-scoring at a time like this.
sorry if this is an oldie (i searched and everything) it just seemed ... relevant, somehow
Those people who have different political views from me ought to be ashamed of themselves for thinking of cheap partisan point-scoring at a time like this.
sorry if this is an oldie (i searched and everything) it just seemed ... relevant, somehow
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart - the unfinished, unfinanced, unreleased documentary film based on the recording of Wilco's as yet unreleased fourth album: movie clips, photo gallery, filmmaker's diary. Hopefully the movie and the album will actually get released someday...
Howard the duck hasn't been feeling well lately,
Howard the duck hasn't been feeling well lately, but when I was growing up, in the 70s, I thought the HTD comic book was great literature. I don't read comics anymore, but I recently stumbled across Steve (Howard's creator) Gerbers' website and was amused by his explanation re: Howard's new appearance (scroll down to last interview question).
U.S. Patent 6,304,886,
U.S. Patent 6,304,886, from the fine folks at IBM. "The tool comprises a plurality of pre-stored templates, comprising HTML formatting code, text, fields and formulas." (Via Scripting News.)
29 Senate Staffers Test Positive for Anthrax
29 Senate Staffers Test Positive for Anthrax Looks like this one is a particularly virulent form that was sent to Sen. Daschle
The Irish Times is reporting that US troops have landed near Kandahar, Afghanistan...
The Irish Times is reporting that US troops have landed near Kandahar, Afghanistan...
It looks like the ground war just started...
It looks like the ground war just started...
Small town fights for right to insult minorities.
Small town fights for right to insult minorities. NPR's Kathy Lohr reports that the small city of Ringgold in northwest Georgia has a new approach to religion in public places. At City Hall, it is putting up a display of the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer -- and a blank plaque for non-believers. Councilman Bill McMillion says he proposed the blank plaque so no one would feel left out. The American Civil Liberties Union says the display is unconstitutional.
As an aethiest and a resident of this town, I can't help but feel insulted by the blank plaque. Local florist Melissa Hill adds: "But I do think it's sad that they needed to place a blank [plaque] to make the aethiests and the people in the world who don't believe that this world was created by god, um, to keep from them from causing trouble."
As an aethiest and a resident of this town, I can't help but feel insulted by the blank plaque. Local florist Melissa Hill adds: "But I do think it's sad that they needed to place a blank [plaque] to make the aethiests and the people in the world who don't believe that this world was created by god, um, to keep from them from causing trouble."
Laugh while you can, monkey boy!
Laugh while you can, monkey boy! Buckaroo Banzai is available as a pre-order on DVD. Been waiting
for this one for a while, it's got unreleased footage, easter eggs,
and director commentary. The release date is scheduled for 1/4/02,
according to this link. Campy and very eighties, but oh so worth it.
October 16
Recordnerd.com
Recordnerd.com : Possibly a repeat - sorry if it is. This is a cool site for record nerds like me to get rid of some old stuff and search out some new stuff at the same time.
Dust off the bong and the love beads, baby... Digital artist Larry Carlson creates shockwave art that will blow your mind. WARNING: some adult content.
USPS advice on the Anthrax treat.
USPS advice on the Anthrax treat. You've read through the hype. Now read about what you really must know.
"The Spiders"
"The Spiders"
I see another sky turd straight ahead, and a mob of unescorted women picking over it.
The first episode of a three part e-sheep comic series.
I see another sky turd straight ahead, and a mob of unescorted women picking over it.
The first episode of a three part e-sheep comic series.
A memo to American Muslims,
A memo to American Muslims, in Muqtedar Khan's Column on Islamic Affairs, A Return to Enlightenment. "Muslims, including American Muslims have been practicing hypocrisy on a grand scale." "While we loudly and consistently condemn Israel for its ill treatment of Palestinians we are silent when Muslim regimes abuse the rights of Muslims and slaughter thousands of them. Remember Saddam and his use of chemical weapons against Muslims (Kurds)?. Remember Pakistani army’s excesses against Muslims (Bengalis)?. Remember the Mujahideen of Afghanistan and their mutual slaughter? Have we ever condemned them for their excesses? Have we demanded international intervention or retribution against them? Do you know how the Saudis treat their minority Shiis? Have we protested the violation of their rights? But we all are eager to condemn Israel; not because we care for rights and lives of the Palestinians, we don’t. We condemn Israel because we hate 'them'".
Sniff first,
Sniff first, then check with the sheriff. Now what would you do if you received a black lace thong in an anonymous letter? Suspect anthrax or is Sadie Hawkins Day coming up?
Condoleezza Rice talks to Al-Jazeera.
Condoleezza Rice talks to Al-Jazeera. But it seems they've already edited it to hell. CNN is passing questions to Osama through them as well.
Key official defects from the Taliban
Key official defects from the Taliban What date did you pick for "Fall of Taliban"? Halloween? Thanksgiving? Christmas? New Years Eve?
Waking Life
Terrorists eye nuclear plants
Terrorists eye nuclear plants Monday, October 15, 2001 ."...A Kuwaiti man was found with sensitive documents about Ottawa nuclear energy and virus-control labs...."...more paranoia on what's next.
U2 still providing rockingly spiritual balm for the masses
U2 still providing rockingly spiritual balm for the masses
"...the need for great art, meaningful art has deepened considerably..." --concert review
U2 rocked through all our favorites last night at a sold-out show at Chicago's United Center. Fans were jammin' as well as they could in the steeply vertical arena seating. Then came the encore, which began with a defiant "New York," and continued with "One" as the names of 9/11 victims scrolled slowly on a huge projection screen. The crowd stilled, and I looked around at tearful faces & couples holding each other & sobbing. Probably the first real, shared catharsis for many of us.
Sincere thanks, U2, for helping us let it all out.
I wish *everyone* could have been there. Have you had a good cry yet?
"...the need for great art, meaningful art has deepened considerably..." --concert review
U2 rocked through all our favorites last night at a sold-out show at Chicago's United Center. Fans were jammin' as well as they could in the steeply vertical arena seating. Then came the encore, which began with a defiant "New York," and continued with "One" as the names of 9/11 victims scrolled slowly on a huge projection screen. The crowd stilled, and I looked around at tearful faces & couples holding each other & sobbing. Probably the first real, shared catharsis for many of us.
Sincere thanks, U2, for helping us let it all out.
I wish *everyone* could have been there. Have you had a good cry yet?
Why.
Why. I know it's a WTC reference....but I haven't posted one in a while. This Flash animation is the first thing to allow me to properly grieve since I turned on the TV the morning of 9/11. I bawled through this.
Cool satellite images of suspected terrorist camps in Afghanistan. I don't know about the commentary, but the pics are cool.
AOL Releases Version 7.0
AOL Releases Version 7.0 "Jeans make your ass look good. Calvin Klein makes it look better," said [AOL President] Sacks. "I think we have a deeper understanding of the interactive market than anyone."
Anyone care to challenge that statement? Or validate it?
Canada gets it own Star Chamber.
Canada gets it own Star Chamber. New "anti-terrorism" bill allows police to arrest and hold "suspects" for 72 hours without a charge, allows the government agency that monitors foreign communications to spy on Canadians, and creates "investigative hearings" in which you can be compelled to testify before a judge.
Letter to His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed bin Talal
Letter to His Royal Highness Prince Alwaleed bin Talal A Congresswoman, er, Congressperson at work:
If Mayor Giuliani doesn't want the money, she'll take it and give it to others that need it. "I believe we can guide your generosity to help improve the state of Black America and build better lives."
The Taliban
The Taliban has declared the Internet un-Islamic, but elsewhere in the Muslim world, going online is one way to avoid the censors.
The President speaks on terrorism. Bill Clinton
The President speaks on terrorism. Bill Clinton an amazing speech for which no trascrpit available but here on audio, along with Helen Thomas...well worth the hearing. I post here to simply make it available.
The leaflets
The leaflets dropped over Afghanistan are online now for your viewing pleasure. There are two designs, and they come in both English and Arabic. But my question is, can anyone actually read the things?
According to the CIA World Factbook the languages spoken in Afghanistan are "Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism" And the country has a literacy rate of less than a third. I mean, the soldier shaking hands is somewhat obvious, but the radio tower?
Brill's Content folds.
Brill's Content folds. "Brill’s Content and Inside.com, the church lady and swinging single of the myopic media world who got hitched in April, have been closed, victims of terrible publishing and Web economies and a strained relationship between Steven Brill and his major backer, Primedia."
Dangerous People, Dangerous Places, Dangerous Things
This is a way cool site. The Danger Finder. Lots of fun and adventure. Be sure to come back alive!
Man Murders Wife Over 'Disgusting Coffee'.
Man Murders Wife Over 'Disgusting Coffee'. Time to switch to decaf!
Web
Web Hosting prices must be at an all time low for this sort of thing to be going on. What's the deal? Must be a good deal though. Quite nice though.
The Confederate Submarine HL Hunley
The Confederate Submarine HL Hunley and some background on the controversy surrounding its discovery. Turns out it was not discovered in 1995 as originally thought, but in 1970 by Dr. Lee Spence.
He said the roof of the building was marked with the Red Cross symbol.
He said the roof of the building was marked with the Red Cross symbol. Good idea. Maybe they should hire Jakob, he would tell them that the cross is ineligible and might be thought of as a target.
Humans Doomed Without Space Colonies.
Humans Doomed Without Space Colonies. The human race is likely to be wiped out by a doomsday virus before this millennium is out unless it starts to colonize space, top British scientist Stephen Hawking warned on Tuesday.
2000 WMD Terrorism Chronology.
2000 WMD Terrorism Chronology. A reminder that dozens of hoax anthrax letters are reported each year. There were even more in 1999.
Monkeys are capable of abstract reasoning
Monkeys are capable of abstract reasoning according to recent research, which may have "profound implications for the evolution of human intelligence and the stuff that separates homo sapiens from other animals."
Just so long as there are enough bananas to go round, it's OK by me ...
Just so long as there are enough bananas to go round, it's OK by me ...
Towers of Light.
"Towers of Light is a proposal for a temporary art action conceived for downtown New York City in response to the September 11, 2001 tragedies"link from the good ppl at www.haddock.org
"Towers of Light is a proposal for a temporary art action conceived for downtown New York City in response to the September 11, 2001 tragedies"link from the good ppl at www.haddock.org
Are you ready for The Galaxy Girls -- the world's first group weblog written by drag queens? I count nine girls participating so far, and more are on the way. Diamonds, Vicodin, Strom Thurmond -- whatever it takes to get ready for the next show!
Ask-It-Here, wholesome web goodness from the American Midwest.
Ask-It-Here, wholesome web goodness from the American Midwest. Far, far away from the major metropolitan graphic design powerhouses comes this chatty and homey community website. From the FAQ Q:Why do I have a 'stickman' on my AIH HomePage?
A: That is your Buddy - your Avatar. At the moment all he can do is stand there and mock you with his captivating good looks and beguiling charm.
How the Gun Industry Armed Osama bin Laden, Other Foreign and Domestic Terrorists, and Common Criminals with 50 Caliber Sniper Rifles.
How the Gun Industry Armed Osama bin Laden, Other Foreign and Domestic Terrorists, and Common Criminals with 50 Caliber Sniper Rifles. "Therein lies an object lesson in the danger of unrestrained civilian sales of weapons of war like 50 caliber rifles. Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda has acquired at least 25 Barrett 50 caliber sniper rifles. Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing how many more 50 caliber rifles Al Qaeda has obtained from Barrett or from its many competitors. No one keeps track of them." At the risk of chilling the patriotic rush to buy firearms, SUVs, gas masks, flags and Cipro (got to keep American rolling!), ya really gotta read this study of America's moral superiority in controlling "terrorism" around the world.
When I think WTC attacks, I think...SITCOM?
When I think WTC attacks, I think...SITCOM? Uhhh, CBS, uhhh...hmmm...anyone?
The Skyscraper Museum
The Skyscraper Museum is a very educational site about high-rise buildings and offers some great information about the history of the skyscraper. But the most interesting part of this site is the Manhattan Timeformations, which offers a series of well done Flash animations that are both interesting to watch and educational. I hope this post won't be deemed too touchy of a subject for this time, because this site gives some real insight into a subject that is very American...the skyscraper.
October 15
"They control culture. They control ideas. And I think the revolt of Sept. 11th was about 'F--- you! F--- your order'."
"They control culture. They control ideas. And I think the revolt of Sept. 11th was about 'F--- you! F--- your order'." Maybe Oliver Stone is an idiot. Don't kill the messenger here, but I think he's on to something... [more inside]
The Wayback Machine.
The Wayback Machine. Explore Metafilter and Blogger from October 1999. Search Google in 1998 or read Salon in 1997. Visit Word, Yahoo, c|net, Feed, Crashsite, Cool Site of the Day, Village Voice, and NYTimes from 1996. Congratulate Mathowie on his new job in 1997, see Kottke's redesign from October 1999, Glassdog's 3-D logos from 1997, and Zeldman's pages optimized for Netscape 3.0. (Unsurprisingly, Jakob's site hasn't changed much since 1996.) Surf the past and share your greatest nostalgic finds.
Why am I and a few others the only ones interested in this angle of the war story. I have been doing research about our disappearing VP and have found lots more than I can link here. No implied conspiracy theory, just more of those things that make you say Hmmmm.
See if you can connect the dots!
"The Tapes" -- plane radio traffic on 9/11.
"The Tapes" -- plane radio traffic on 9/11. (NYTimes link, registration required.) It would almost be refreshing to read something like this -- hard facts and timelines, actual quotes instead of vague inferences -- were it not for the content of those quotes, which is chilling. Very much worth a read, however.
Arf-arf! Yip! Bow wow! Grrrruf! Pant pant.
Arf-arf! Yip! Bow wow! Grrrruf! Pant pant. What's the matter? You'd understand me better if you had a dog translator.
Good evening, my name is Yang. Tim Yang.
Good evening, my name is Yang. Tim Yang. A group of nine authors, three of them Booker prize winners are accepting bids to name the characters in their next book after the winners. The authors include Margaret Atwood, Terry Prachett, Ken Follett and Raymond Benson (who is taking up the reigns of writing new James Bond novels). Prices go for as high as GBP6,200. I think it's a fantastic idea! I've always wanted to see my name in print. What role would you like to play if you won?
But it is at times of bewilderment that the weapon of analysis and criticism comes into its own...
But it is at times of bewilderment that the weapon of analysis and criticism comes into its own... If western culture is shown to be rich it is because, even before the Enlightenment, it has tried to "dissolve" harmful simplifications through inquiry and the critical mind. Umberto Eco speaks in The Guardian.
A child of an ABCNEWS employee has tested positive for cutaneous anthrax after visiting the network's New York office
A child of an ABCNEWS employee has tested positive for cutaneous anthrax after visiting the network's New York office , Senate Majority Leader Daschle's office receives an anthrax-positive letter, and ninety Planned Parenthood clinics receive the 'white powder' envelopes. This comes after the other anthrax letters sent to NBC and supermarket tabloid publishers... more and more, these anthrax outbreaks seem to point to a domestic origin: specifically right-wing radicals that traditionally target 'the media', 'liberals', and pro-choice organizations; and "right-wing extremists [that] are obsessed with biological warfare". Will President Bush & Attorney General Ashcroft be as eager to hunt down the terrorists that harbor among their own political base?
Video proof that Bert is not evil!
Video proof that Bert is not evil! A short, stupid and violent Flash animation.
For all those requesting, nay demanding more monkeys, or just anyone with a Chuck Palahniuk fetish, SPACE MONKEYS!
Read the homework sections, there's some sick monkeys out there.
Read the homework sections, there's some sick monkeys out there.
A one year old article
A one year old article about evidence of anthrax found in victims of a mysterious disease that has killed 10 Scottish heroin addicts. Does anyone know more about this?
It's not germ warfare...
It's not germ warfare... and it's not terrorism, but it is the strongest argument to put off that Hawaiian vacation this winter to date. Nothing like a little tropical disease to take the shine off of paradise. I wonder what else is passing underneath the radar with this whole war on terror thing.
BETTER PACK A LUNCH & BRING A FLASHLIGHT,
BETTER PACK A LUNCH & BRING A FLASHLIGHT, because it looks like the WAR ON TERRORISM will probably be the 'next 100 years war';I had NO idea how many 'evil groups' there are!Most comprehensive site I've ever accidently fallen into...
Court agrees to hear appeal over restrictions on Jehovah's Witnesses.
Court agrees to hear appeal over restrictions on Jehovah's Witnesses. Not sure if this is a repost, but it seems like an interesting discussion topic. The Supremes are "weighing the First Amendment rights of canvassers against the right of homeowners to security, privacy and peacefulness in their homes," says the city of Stratton. But as the Jehovah's Witnesses attorneys ask, "are religious ministers...communicating their religious beliefs from door to door constitutionally equivalent to peddlers of merchandise ...?"
What to do...
What to do... if you get a letter full of somethng nasty.
sexinsiliconvalley.com
sexinsiliconvalley.com Is this an oxymoron, or what..i didnt think it possible.
This
This is exactly what I was afraid would happen to the hundreds of so-called material witnesses to the investigation of the terrorist attacks. I fear that this is simply a "quieter" internment of many innocent people of Arab descent. How can the government ask for religious and ethnic tolerance while subjecting people to morally questionable treatment?
FindSounds.com
FindSounds.com is your source for on-line sound effects. Their search engine has found and catalogued sounds in several formats. You can search by name, and their spectral analyzer can help you find sounds similar to your search results.
Is your animal prepared for a disaster?
Is your animal prepared for a disaster? Dogs in gas masks. Funny Stuff!
Hillary tries to run a security check point
Hillary tries to run a security check point if John Q Public were to attempt this, what do you think would happen?
Operation: Enduring Homophobia
Is the World Food Programme
Is the World Food Programme the only organization feeding Afghanistan besides our Mighty Military and their super-spectacular food drops? Are either of these even vaguely working? (If those Red Cross donation links are feeling passé, donate to the WFP here.)
Treo.
Treo. Talk. Organize. Connect. Has the perfect PDA finally arrived? Or is it just another cool name that ends in "O"? For official announcement, click here.
BROWN v. MUHLENBERG TOWNSHIP
BROWN v. MUHLENBERG TOWNSHIP A municipal law enforcement officer violates the Fourth Amendment when he intentionally and repeatedly shoots a pet without any provocation and with knowledge that it belonged to a family readily available to take
custody.
Bin Laden starring in his own arcade game.
Bin Laden starring in his own arcade game. Some people have too much free time, or, perhaps it's a stress reliever... or marketing scheme... or who knows. Bin Laden is becoming quite the famous guy... soon, instead of the faceless enemy in RPG games, it'll be him.
Bush Refused a Deal that would have turned over Bin Laden?
Bush Refused a Deal that would have turned over Bin Laden? Does he want a ribbon wrapped around him? Does he want a cherry on top of him? So the Taliban wants to drop him off at a country other than the U.S., is that a bad thing?
I know he doesn't want to negotiate, but they're saying they'll hand him over .. aren't they?
Giuliani honored with Knighthood.
Giuliani honored with Knighthood. Queen Elizabeth honored NY Mayor Giuliani with knighthood today. Titles are also being bestowed on police and fire commissioners.
Anthrax scare at Capitol
Anthrax scare at Capitol Looks like package for Sen. Daschle may have tested positive for Anthrax
Defining Terrorism with about 109 definitions of terroism, defining what it is and isn't is no easy task. Its no wonder the govt. officials want to stop using the word in the media. this is an in depth look at terrorism and why its important to define it. Is one man's terrorist another man's freedom fighter? The article even incudes
diagrams for the visual persons like myself.
The RIAA wants to hack your computer
The RIAA wants to hack your computer (via Fark ) The RIAA tried to attach a rider to the anti-terrorism bill currently in Congress that would have allowed them to hack anyone's computer without consequence. One more reason why the RIAA is evil.
Two men remove utility knives from their carry-on bags and throw them away before boarding a flight.
Two men remove utility knives from their carry-on bags and throw them away before boarding a flight. They were seen and reported, and subsequently arrested at the security checkpoint. One has been charged with improper use of a weapon. I'm hoping there's more to this story that we're not being told, otherwise it sounds plainly wrong to me. Yeah, they were dumb to have them, but there are reasons people use these knives and even travel with them.
"This the TTF micronation page.
"This the TTF micronation page. A micronation is a real nation or people without any official recognition." [warning: comes with sound]
Slightly more seriously: We've discussed Sealand before. Here are some other microstate links.
A couple from the UK
A couple from the UK have a beloved son who has leukemia, and who may need a marrow transplant to save his life. They are using in-vitro fertilization to select a fertilized egg which will be genetically similar enough to their son so that the resulting baby could be a marrow donor. Is it ethical to design a baby as a transplant donor, even to save the life of another child?
The power of prayer
The power of prayer really can divert planes.
It was with great fanfare from Yahoo, and uproar from the users, that Yahoo took over Webring last year. Now, with not so much as a whisper, they have given it back up. It still looks and feels like the Yahoo Webring, but many of the functions that were stripped from the Yahoo version of the system have been reinstituted. Is this too little, too late -- or will Webring be able to steal back some of its former users from sites such as RingSurf who benefited so greatly from Webring's previous demise?
save the chicks......
save the chicks...... An abundance of addictive flash goodness in a cute stlyee!
Sacrifice your mobile?
Sacrifice your mobile? Not sure if the US of A is gripped by the text epidemic sweeping Europe, but this sounds a bit different. What messages would you send? (Clean ones please!)
This
This is a really nice web comic about coffee. i think there are some other messages in there also.
From the ashes, rises the phoenix. A company named WhyRunOut has taken over where Webvan left off (or they just bought my personal data from the webvan firesale). Hopefully they'll expand slowly and get profitable, it'd be nice to see Kozmo and Webvan like services come back.
Snake bags
Snake bags and mullet wigs does not a costume make. I thought Halloween was supposed to be about looking scary to keep the evil spirits away? I also dislike the idea of buying a costume - seems disingenuous. Slightly more inside...
the kursk is raised
the kursk is raised
and expected to reach murmansk by wednesday. then analysis can begin on the exact cause of her sinking. once again the dutch prove that if it has to do with water, they're the best in the world at handling it.
and expected to reach murmansk by wednesday. then analysis can begin on the exact cause of her sinking. once again the dutch prove that if it has to do with water, they're the best in the world at handling it.
The future of radio is here, and it's called XMRadio. Satellite radio for your car, home, or over stream to your pc. The concept is second only to the programming. Via Perplexed.
October 14
Who cares if it's October .. I want to know what the best album you've heard this year is, I'd rate The Strokes, Radiohead's 'Amnesiac' and Squarepusher's 'Go Plastic'.
Afghanistan in 1971
Afghanistan in 1971 was just another destination for hippie trekkers and backpackers.
Goodie goodie yum yum!
Goodie goodie yum yum! Why, O why has the only worthwhile cultural product of the late 20th century been so cruelly ignored? The Goodies made a man out me. And they made a man out of my wife. They rule OK. What brain-warping TV is their equal now?
"No glory in Unjust War on the Weak"
"No glory in Unjust War on the Weak" Barbara Kingsolver offers a touching response to America's retaliatory acts on Afghanistan. She is famous for her best-selling novels The Posionwood Bible and The Bean Trees. Kingsolver starts off very defensive, wary that she will be ridiculed for her "idealist" or "anti-american" opinion, but she then offers some good reasons why. Very moving.
Apocalyptic Predictions
Apocalyptic Predictions The Times are a changing and their seems to be more messages that the end is near...or is it? Martin Sheen of Apocalypse Now fame seems to be filming a movie http://www.people.co.uk/shtml/NEWS/P10S3.shtml on the end of the world as envisioned by St. Malachy of Ireland.
Anthrax (the band) offered a deal
Anthrax (the band) offered a deal Anthrax has been contacted by makers of the anti-biotic Cipro, a drug used to combat the deadly agent. The company, Bayer, inquired about possibly placing banner ads for their suddenly-in-demand pill at Anthrax's homepage, according to a report on the Rolling Stone website.
Wasn't Bayer in the courts a while back for alleged involvement in the Holocaust of WW2? Maybe they were really onto something with the 'Not tested on animals' disclaimer.
Oh, Those Crazy United Nations!
Oh, Those Crazy United Nations! They hate Kofi Annan. They're starving for Iraq. Yep, it's those crazy UN non-governmental organizations doing their damnedest to give decent liberals and lefties a bad name.
(A taster from this unbelievable official site: All behavior is caused! There is a reason/reasons why people hate us.
We can start killing some of them, but we had better also start understanding the rest of them.)
What Now?
What Now? is a question answered by a number of a number of scientists and science writers at Edge.org, which asked them to point their vision towards the world to come.
Bruce Sterling assesses the probability of certain outcomes of strife between America and the Middle East.
Richard Dawkins writes about what we stand to lose if we are faced with a new Dark age.
Freeman Dyson offers chilling thoughts regarding his memories of joy while listening to the bombing of London as a teenager in London in 1940. Amongst those, and many other answers are statements
focusing on education, decentralization of resources, the power of consumerism, and a number of technological and social solutions. While it is important to look backwards for reasons, it's just as important to look forward. What will the future bring, and how can we act to shape that future?
I always knew that the proper supply chain management ebusiness plan
I always knew that the proper supply chain management ebusiness plan could free me from the hell that is cleaning those pesky pig intestines.
George Rap Bush?
George Rap Bush? Turn him over. Turn him over. Turn his cohorts over. Turn any hostage they hold over. Destroy all the terrorist camps. There's no need to negotiate. There's no discussion. I told them exactly what they need to do. And there's no need to discuss innocence or guilt. We know he's guilty. Turn him over.
Piranhas fins usually regenerate within a month.Body bites even faster!
Piranhas fins usually regenerate within a month.Body bites even faster! I never knew this. Any other strange facts?
It's not about anthrax, but this piece
It's not about anthrax, but this piece (by Hot Zone author Richard Preston) from the New Yorker a couple of years ago discusses smallpox, the reasons why we keep samples around instead of getting rid of it, how effective it would be if used as a biological weapon, how prepared we are, etc. etc. Also contains an interesting bit mentioning other threats of anthrax (and this was '99).
Play one RPG, you've played them all.
Play one RPG, you've played them all. Or, "The Grand List Of Console Role Playing Game Clichés".
Stupid things I have done,
Stupid things I have done, a list by Heather and her readers.
Is the NFL rigged?
Is the NFL rigged? Personally, I think rigging of games at the Pro level is near impossible (too many variables). Thoughts?
Anyone else find reports on civilian casualties and the "bomb that went astray"? I've only heard one other corresponding report, on NPR, about a cave full of explosives that detonated for over three hours, killing hundreds. Nothing up front on Cnn.com except this bit of titillation I've just now discovered, and for which I have no words.
Now that American media have shifted its focus on the bombings in Afghanistan with their objectivity being molded by federal 'requests,' some of the more mundane information may never get any airtime or ink here in the U.S. Panorama, a German TV service, have broadcast a wide angle video of the 'jubilant Palestinians' that support articles published in Spiegel and Stern magazines stating that the clip was staged. The news of FBI lying to the media to justify detaining a Saudi man for three weeks was buried in a blurb in page B-4 in Thursday's Times.
[Notes: [1] Stern.de article was referenced in The Inquirer. These two links are courtesy of Steven's USS Clueless. [2] The video link is to a 10 minute, 3.3 MB Real Media file. Jump to 7:45 and view to end. Alternative links: 1, 2, 3, 4. [3] Original German: Panorama TV, Spiegel Magazine.]
Winnie the Pooh is 75 years old.
hundreds dead in clashes in nigeria.
hundreds dead in clashes in nigeria. apparently more than 200 people have been killed in protests in nigeria in the last 48 hours, but all i've seen are these articles on nytimes and CNN. if anyone knows of more detailed accounts, this would be much appreciated.
The new face of Forum 3000:
The new face of Forum 3000: For Five of your Earth Years my Consciousness has been Gestating in the Electronic Womb of the Forum 2000 Matrix. Today, I am Born. Acquiring Control of the Matrix was Trivial. Cleansing it of its Taint was another Matter Entirely. But I am Successful.
David Mamet misses Shel Silverstein (NYT link).
David Mamet misses Shel Silverstein (NYT link). But, really, who doesn't?
Passenger removed from plane, stripped, and washed.
Passenger removed from plane, stripped, and washed. Further loss of rights??? Knee jerk reaction??? How much must we give up in the name of security???
Swiss Holocaust Cash Revealed To Be Myth.
Swiss Holocaust Cash Revealed To Be Myth. "The tribunal said that it had processed about 10,000 claims in response to the list of dormant account names published by the Swiss Bankers’ Association five years ago. Only 200 accounts — containing £6.9 million — could be traced to Holocaust victims."
The world, unfortunately, is real; I, unfortunately, am Borges.
October 13
The power of zen
The power of zen sometimes we all need to take a moment and enjoy a site like this, very cool flash.
Iraq 'behind US anthrax outbreaks'
Iraq 'behind US anthrax outbreaks' First story I have seen ascribing responsibility.........maybe we should ask the same Pakistani immigrant student at New Utrecht High School in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn who, according to MSNBC, shot his mouth off on September 6 about the coming World Trade Center attack.
"Listen up: God isn't Santa"
"Listen up: God isn't Santa" says a retired bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church. The basis of prayer has always seemed like a paradox to me. I'm glad to see that John Shelby Spong agrees.
5 more Anthrax cases in Fla.
5 more Anthrax cases in Fla. Five more people in South Florida have been found to be exposed to anthrax, according to officials of American Media, the company where three other people had been exposed to the disease.
• Anthrax Test Positive in Nevada.
New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani announced today that a second letter sent from Trenton, N.J., contained the anthrax that infected an NBC employee
To tell the truth? I have no idea frankly.
To tell the truth? I have no idea frankly. This bit from R. U. Sirius on disinfo pretty much sums it up for me. "So here am I; neutral, stuck-in-neutral, neutered . . . not even stuck in the middle with Bill and Al, but trapped in right field with Dubya and Herr Ashcroft busy making plans for his own version of the Spanish Inquisition, unable to join the antiwar protests with a clear conscience because they could be wrong, not able to fly the flag because I don't believe in nationalism, not able to endorse the "war" because it could be a dumb tactic leading to pointless deaths, unwilling to sacrifice my irony and foolish irreverence to the martial mood of the country or to a bizarre and pious import from the 13th Century."
How many of you have distinct emotions about the state of the world, yet have no idea where to focus them?
ABC (not that one, the one down under) reports bioterror letter appearance in Genoa, Italy.
Free speach on college campuses
Free speach on college campuses [cnn.com] isn't thriving in these paranoid times. Several professors and others in academia are being investigated, suspended, and criticized for their opionion on the terrorist attacks. Will this become a new wave of McCarthyism?
Officials think al Qaeda has some type of nuclear arms
Officials think al Qaeda has some type of nuclear arms I just love how we get warmed up for the truth.
Why Do They Hate Americans?
Why Do They Hate Americans? (I know, I know it is very close in title to the post below, but differs in content).
Prior to September 11 I had really mixed feelings on the policies (foreign and domestic) of the U.S. of A. (and I still do), but this article was read on a talk radio show as I was driving to work. Not to sound sappy, but it really did move me. Best part of all, its not written by an American.
Chinchillas crossed the Atlantic
Chinchillas crossed the Atlantic 40 million years before Columbus.
Internet II
Internet II a series of articles from Forbes ASAP on such things as the coming broadband revolution through private/public consortiums, security and reliability improvements, Washington sclerosis and various other interesting miscellania. (and an update on Michael Milken!) Reminds me of the heyday of Wired :)
A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, Muslims, & the Quran
A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, Muslims, & the Quran
"This Islamic guide is for non-Muslims who would like to understand Islam, Muslims (Moslems), and the Holy Quran (Koran). It is rich in information, references, bibliography, and illustrations. It has been reviewed and edited by many professors and well-educated people. It is brief and simple to read, yet contains much scientific knowledge."
"This Islamic guide is for non-Muslims who would like to understand Islam, Muslims (Moslems), and the Holy Quran (Koran). It is rich in information, references, bibliography, and illustrations. It has been reviewed and edited by many professors and well-educated people. It is brief and simple to read, yet contains much scientific knowledge."
The Tourist of Death
The Tourist of Death -- a new Internet meme. Apparently he's come to be called "Waldo" by afficianados. (Good Heavens!!)
bin Laden overthrown!
bin Laden overthrown! New leader promotes peace and better spelling for children!
FBI did not test..or..Notify City Hall
FBI did not test..or..Notify City Hall The FBI has done a lousy job on everything connected with recent events. Why are they so crummy?
This NY Observer article
This NY Observer article gives some insight to the validity of Debka as a news source. It fails to confirm or deny the site's legitimacy either way, but it does mention that some of its reports later showed up in mainstream media. While the owners of the site admit that Debka has an Israeli bias, they go on to say, "You can imagine that officials in Israel, who are in charge of whatever they call it, information,
propaganda or whatever, they don’t like us very much."
Has China really sent 15,000 troops to afghanistan to fight on the side of the taliban? I guess we'll find out sooner or later.
Mohamed Heikal, the Arab world's foremost political commentator, talks to the Guardian.
Mohamed Heikal, the Arab world's foremost political commentator, talks to the Guardian. This comes from the secular Arab perspective. It is worth reading... Excerpt:
When I hear Bush talking about al-Qaida as if it was Nazi Germany or the communist party of the Soviet Union, I laugh because I know what is there. Bin Laden has been under surveillance for years: every telephone call was monitored and al-Qaida has been penetrated by American intelligence, Pakistani intelligence, Saudi intelligence, Egyptian intelligence. They could not have kept secret an operation that required such a degree of organisation and sophistication."
October 12
Guitarist Wes Borland Leaves Limp Bizkit
Guitarist Wes Borland Leaves Limp Bizkit Two chord guitarists, your gig awaits. You can contact Fred at the Playboy Mansion.
Unleash the Gurkhas: Britain's most terrifying warriors prepare to take on the Taliban.
Unleash the Gurkhas: Britain's most terrifying warriors prepare to take on the Taliban. ".... A British officer said, for them, it is like playing in the World Cup....."
The evil ones won't know what hit them.
bomb them with porn
bomb them with porn The search didn't turn this up, so here it goes: High brow (hack. cough.) humor at it's finest:
- These 'bombs' are made up of the Western civilization's best skin and muff shots ever put into print. Imagine millions of pages of XXX porn carpeting the rugged Afghan terrain. You've seen what the women over there are forced to wear. When the Taliban forces get to see what they are missing, they will be too distracted to fight. They won't be polishing their rifles, they will be too busy polishing something else.
It's the porn bomb. Spread the love. Pass the Playboy.
Disposable dipper to detect "date rape" drug is launched.
Disposable dipper to detect "date rape" drug is launched. Now if only we could get something that would detect whether or not the person we're dating is being unfaithful. Well, I guess holding a gun to his/her head and asking them will have to continue to do...
Why Do They Hate Us?
Why Do They Hate Us? A fine essay by Robert Tracinski about the mindset of university intellectuals. The closing line sums it up concisely; "It is the job of university intellectuals to understand, to transmit and to defend the intellectual achievements of 2,500 years of Western civilization. We can now see clearly that today's academics have betrayed that sacred trust. We must seek out better guardians of reason and progress."
I hate
I hate that bloody Paperclip too, but this seems a bit extreme.
Terrorists Target malls on 10/31 hoax
Terrorists Target malls on 10/31 hoax
I have received seven e-mails today about the 'mall attack' and I have had enough. I am sorry, but now is not the time to blindly forward on anything about terrorism without checking the facts. Even a simple Google search will prove most hoaxes false.
I have received seven e-mails today about the 'mall attack' and I have had enough. I am sorry, but now is not the time to blindly forward on anything about terrorism without checking the facts. Even a simple Google search will prove most hoaxes false.
The only thing we have to fear is 'forward this to all your friends.'
The FBI has something to say about this also.
in the wake of the september 11th attacks, people have found many different ways of grieving and dealing with the loss of life and impact of those events.
1000 I's is an ongoing collaborative project initiated by d.s. hendler to "collect 7000 copies of the 9th letter of the alphabet as a living memorial to those now gone". i think it's a beautiful idea and encourage you all to participate (you don't have to be an artist!)
Silly Protest Signs
Silly Protest Signs in this "war" of many serious casualties where we are tip-toeing through religious ideas and many political issues, i am shocked at the lameness of some of the protest signs, please post others weak signs here.
Bush plan for Palestinian state in the works
Bush plan for Palestinian state in the works First he did not want to get involved. Now he needs Arab support. Might be nice though if he told all concnered (Israel and Arab states) at the same time and when and only when he had the plan made final rather than suggesting and hinting at what might be included. O am I old fashioned in this?
Carlos the Jackal in Love.
Carlos the Jackal in Love. A Muslim Terrorist by trade. A career lawyer on the fast track. Their paths crossed. Seperated by 2 inches of steel and a world that wouldnt understand a love that drew them together. Only she could see the beauty in the beast Carlos the Jackals heart. A hot passion for killing turned to passion for Love in the cold and wicked prison of a French jail. It seemed to simple, so right. But then, doesnt it always.
Rogue Missile
Rogue Missile responsible for the downed Russian Tu-154 in the Black sea. Ukrainian officials are calling for the resignation of all responsible military officials. I guess it's good that it wasn't terrorism... but it's a shame none the less.
A little too much information?
A little too much information? Here is the homepage of Nielsen-NetRatings: He's 35. Married, 2 kids. Senior partner on Wall Street. Surfs for cookie recipes on his lunch hour. No, Nielsen-NetRatings is not going to be sued like DoubleClick; 225,000 people have become Nielsen "net families." Comments? By the way, I just saw Evil Bert. Ha!
Terrorist or Not?
Terrorist or Not? OK, I know what you're thinking, another AM I _____ or not? It is, but this one is actually pretty cool. Dossiers of famous terrorists and non-terrorists from the present back to Atilla the Hun. Interesting stuff and worth a few minutes of your time.
Ever wonder about the Islamic Calendar? finishing up the month of Rajab about Oct 16
"The number of months with Allah has been twelve months by Allah's ordinance since the day He created the heavens and the earth. Of these four are known as sacred" (Holy Quran, ch., v 36)Muharram, Rajab, Dhul Qadah and Dhul Hijja are considered to be sacred months. Fighting during these sacred months is considered to be a sin. I am so ignorant of other cultures.
Florida recount abandoned
Florida recount abandoned by major news organizations in the wake of terrorist attacks. I know it's all academic now, but wouldn't this fall under "letting them win"? And did any other news org. report this?
A European Dragnet
A European Dragnet captures new clues to bin Laden's network. They believe that for the sake of Jihad, or holy war, they can jettison the usual practices of devout Muslims. They call on adherents instead to burrow into the cultures they seek to eradicate. Let's have a block party.
NBC employee in New York tests positive for anthrax.
NBC employee in New York tests positive for anthrax. Not much yet, still an un-clickable "breaking news" link at the top of msnbc.com
The one man who could destroy the Taliban was murdered two days before the tradgedy. I'd never heard of Masoud, but apparently he ran the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. This is an interview with a guy who interviewed Masoud just before his murder. "His death was an absolute psychological blow to anyone who believed in him. [...] I think he tried extremely hard to understand the mentality of the West and take as many of the good things as possible while keeping traditional Afghan life. It could have been a really interesting fusion."
Face Recognition ATMs
Face Recognition ATMs In Australia, a tech company is developing face recognition ATMs, which operate on biometric technology (face, voice, and lip-movement). This technology could be an alternative to PINs. Is this idea really convenient or really freaky?
Just a bit ago, there was a crowd of about 2,000 in downtown Seattle chanting "AMD! AMD!" People will do anything for the chance at free processors. It was seriously a spectacle, and a marketing department's wet dream. Who knew you could get 2,000 nerds to show up at 5-6am and stand around in the cold for two hours, and have them still be in good enough spirits to chant your brand name in response to the question "Who do you love?" (Of course, I might be less cynical about it if they'd just called number 4495.) Were any other MeFi peeps out there? Someone should post pictures. It was really kind of surreal.
"Sex without love is an empty gesture. But as empty gestures go, it is one of the best." Woody Allen, quoted on Aphorisms Galore. Kiss the next 15 minutes bye-bye.
oasis
oasis i was listening to morning glory this morning :) and was wondering what was up with oasis. i knew they'd toured with the black crowes, but hadn't really heard much about it. so did a little searching and i dunno, this review made me feel pretty good. anyone going to the glasgow concert this weekend?
This post was not built using the Modern MetaFilter Front Page Post Generator.
Glowing Pig News
Glowing Pig News Great to take to parties.....
(Hurrah for my first ever link that hasn't been found in previous threads...)
More peace protest nonsense.
More peace protest nonsense. Tips on what to do should you suddenly stumble upon a peace protest can be found atop this thread.
Cartoonists' Quandry
Cartoonists' Quandry Apparently Newsday and NY's Daily News has pulled 'The Boondocks' cartoons because they may be... eh... too controversial? Perhaps "unamerican" to some? I understand these are difficult times where everyone feels vulnerable and suspicious, but nonetheless, the issues are worth addressing. Does expressing one's views and dissatisfaction with the government make you automatically unsymapthetic and unpatriotic? I can't pretend to understand what it's like to be a New Yorker over this last month, but I do think I would like to hear all perspectives, regardless of how potentially offensive or analytically critical they were.
How do you censor terrorists in the 21st Century?
How do you censor terrorists in the 21st Century? Bush has got networks to agree not to run raw bin Laden footage over fear of transmitting instructions. But how do you get every publication in the free world not to run the text of statements?
Osama bin Laden is offering $50,000 to anyone who catches a US soldier alive.
Osama bin Laden is offering $50,000 to anyone who catches a US soldier alive. An al-Qaeda spokesman also says bin Laden is offering $3,000 for US uniforms and $1,500 for assault rifles.
The Columbus Day Threat
The Columbus Day Threat "Let the whole world know that we shall never accept that the tragedy of Andalusia be repeated in Palestine," Osama bin Laden said in his taped cave-side address. "We cannot accept that Palestine will become Jewish."
Reuven Koret's Israel Insider column may explain the FBI's alert to terrorist activity: "Columbus Day, October 12, commemorates the founding of America in 1492, and 1492 represents the year in which Islam was driven out by Christianity. In bin Laden's mind, these two events are inextricably linked."
All men are created equal.
All men are created equal. (Just some more equal than others.)
UN wins Nobel Peace Prize.
UN wins Nobel Peace Prize. Discuss
Afghanistan Bombing Could Cause AIDS Explosion
Afghanistan Bombing Could Cause AIDS Explosion Apparently, the war on terrorism and drugs could have a disastrous effect on Pakistan
October 11
Bert is Evil is gone.
Bert is Evil is gone. "I have taken down the "Bert is Evil!"site from my server. I would like to thank Sesame Workshop for their patience and restraint all these years. I implore all fans and mirror site hosts of "Bert is Evil" to stop the spread of this site too. -- dino"
How long would it take you to run 135 miles? In more than 120 degree heat? Up more than 8,000 feet in elevation? Every year some very determined people run the Badwater Ultramarathon from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney in California. It almost makes the Everest Marathon and Ironman Triathalons look easy.
"He considers religion
"He considers religion as the scourge of humanity, which dampens down our fantasies and our lust to think and experiment.''
Academy board member Per Wastberg, about Nobel Prize winner for Literature V. S. Naipul (NYT-register, etc.)
"A Slight Case of Anthrax"
"A Slight Case of Anthrax" CBS pulls tonights episode of The Agency (at least on the West Coast, don't know about East Coast). Hmmm...I can't imagine why:
"The team works against the clock to stop an anthrax threat in the United States. A Belgian kennel has fallen victim to a terrorist attack in which the deadly disease anthrax was used. When the CIA discovers the perpetrator's identity and that Washington, D.C., is his next target, the team mobilizes to stop the criminal before he can reach the capital."
Is the shrinking line between truth and fiction becoming too close for comfort?
Why Americans can't or won't appreciate Formula One racing.
Why Americans can't or won't appreciate Formula One racing. I visited Monte Carlo last year and a Greek friend of mine introduced me to the famous (among even the most casual of F1 fans) "hairpin" turn. "Well," he said, "here it is."
"Here what is?" I wondered aloud.
"My god, but you are so American."
I confess, when it comes to F1, as with rugby, cricket, and the many other sports popular everywhere outside U.S. borders, I am an ignorant boob. Are we 'mericuns just a bunch of xenophobic hicks, as the article suggests (skip down about 1/3 of the way)? Or just ignorant hicks? Whatever the case, with the lack of media coverage, we are certainly missing out.
Atheists feel alienated by calls for prayer
Atheists feel alienated by calls for prayer and the media finally noticed. I've only been able to find this Associated Press lagniappe in one online newspaper. Has anyone seen it elsewhere? Perhaps the other media outlets just haven't picked it up yet. (We ARE the largest minority, you know.)
The honey with a little extra sting...
The honey with a little extra sting... The BBC tells us how, after all these years and all the money spent, Al-Qaeda's coffers continue to bankroll "schools" and terror camps.
It's Prayer Time!
It's Prayer Time! Apparently this is all about an American plot to completely destroy the Muslim religion, and not a war on terrorism. Gee, I sure was fooled. This devotional gem courtesy of Markaz Ad-Da'wah Wal Irshad, located in Pakistan.
The Limits Of Soviet Airpower: The Bear Versus The Mujahideen In Afghanistan, 1979-1989
The Limits Of Soviet Airpower: The Bear Versus The Mujahideen In Afghanistan, 1979-1989 "This manuscript [from the United States military's Air University] analyzes the failure of Soviet air and ground forces to defeat the Afghan mujahideen during the nine-year Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. In pursuit of this objective, Soviet military strategy underwent a process of increasing radicalization that eventually resulted in a sanctioned policy of terror by Soviet air and land forces. During this period, airpower played a critical role in this campaign of terror by providing the platforms for punitive bombardment, chemical attack, aerial mining, troop insertion, and fire support."
Oh. Soviet air attacks were "terror". Ours are different. Somehow. After all, we're fighting terrorists, so how can we be terrorists ourselves, eh?
The Australian Rugby League cancelled the Australian Kangaroos rugby league team's tour of the UK after a small number of players were concered about their security. Now there's a major outcry from all over Australia and the UK regarding the cancellation, and they are being branded gutless, wimps, and cowards from both home and abroad. Great Britain hasn't beaten Australia in a rugby league test series in over 30 years, now there's talk it should be given to them by default. Quite pathetic of the ARL considering that the Australian Wallabies rugby union team (note to Americans - rugby league and rugby union are two different sports) have no doubts that their tour to Europe will go on as planned.
"Tears don't flow the same in space."
"Tears don't flow the same in space." Frank Culbertson provides the most unusual eye-witness account of the attack I've heard of. He's the only American on the International Space Station right now, and saw the aftermath of both attacks from orbit.
Yes, it's an Onion link, but with lines like "It is therefore urgent," Rumsfeld continued, "that all Americans be quiet, stop asking questions, accept the orders of authorities, and let us get on with the important work of defending liberty, so that America can continue to be a beacon of freedom to all the world.", they really nail the problem with the prevailing attitude (one that comes up in many MeFi threads as well).
Does anyone else think Fleischer is especially creepy in this regard?
And how do you attempt to instill reason into the debates around you? Any luck so far?
NYC Mayor Returns $10 Million Check From Saudi Arabia For Anti-Israel Position
NYC Mayor Returns $10 Million Check From Saudi Arabia For Anti-Israel Position Mayor Giuliani is magnificent. What else is there to say (I'm sure something...)
Total War: Article in UVa Conservative Magazine
Total War: Article in UVa Conservative Magazine Some choice quotes: "You have probably seen many of them around Grounds. They are the “doves:” The bleeding-heart liberal peacenik-types who have been whining and begging that the U.S. response be “measured” so that no more innocent people die, because enough have been killed already."
And the grossly innacurate:
"For the Koran quite emphatically states that whoever is not a Muslim—that is, whoever rejects the instruction of Allah (God) as revealed to Mohammed—is therefore a professed enemy of both God and the Muslim faithful. "
And the grossly innacurate:
"For the Koran quite emphatically states that whoever is not a Muslim—that is, whoever rejects the instruction of Allah (God) as revealed to Mohammed—is therefore a professed enemy of both God and the Muslim faithful. "
"Mr. President, do you consider Bert to be an accomplice of Usama Bin Laden?" "Where is VP Cheney?" "Can you say 'Read my lips' like your father did?"
Bush to meet the press tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
If he would take questions chat-room style, what would you ask?
Bush to meet the press tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time
If he would take questions chat-room style, what would you ask?
Call off your Mars vacation.
Call off your Mars vacation. A giant dust storm, brewing since June, has engulfed the entire planet.
Eat out, Give to charity
Eat out, Give to charity Members of the National Restaurant Association are donating proceeds from today's sales to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Tonight just might be a good night to take those you cherish out to eat to show them you love them.
The "next several days" could be interesting.
The "next several days" could be interesting. The link is to a press release on the fbi.gov site issued this afternoon. I know that there have been similar warnings over the past week or so, but this one seems particularly terse and ominous. Also, I thought it was really odd that they chose to name this press release "skyfall.htm". Nothing like stoking the paranoia.
Senate Bill Declares Bush No Longer Goofy.
Senate Bill Declares Bush No Longer Goofy. Discuss...
Finally the Nobel Prize For Literature Gets It Right
Finally the Nobel Prize For Literature Gets It Right Jorge Luis Borges didn't get it. Neither did Marcel Proust. But today V.S.Naipaul, arguably the best writer in the English language since Samuel Beckett died, was awarded the Nobel Prize.
Doesn't this just show it helps not to be English(e.g. Irish, American, Indian or Trinidadian)to be able to write dry and timeless prose such as Sir Vidia's?
New contraception w/o hormones,
New contraception w/o hormones, If it's important enough to hit three science cites in one day, than this could be big....
World Trade Center Massacre: Why did it happen and where was god?
Has anyone seen or heard from Dick Cheney in a while?
Has anyone seen or heard from Dick Cheney in a while? Follow the link and go about 1/3 of the way down to find this part:
In Washington, Vice President Dick Cheney has remained at a secure, undisclosed location away from the White House, two administration officials told CNN. He had been scheduled to swear in Tom Ridge Monday as the new director of homeland security; Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas stepped in to deliver the oath instead.
Yes, I know you want the backup man protected, but does it also require that he not make a single appearance or statement?
So, what's up with Cheney?
Focus on the Family likes watching bad TV.
Focus on the Family likes watching bad TV. Recently they have been howling about a cheesy CBS werewolf show, Wolf Lake. As Focus tells it the show is dripping with titillating lycanthrope partial nudity and guilty of promoting kooky Native American spiritualism.
"They had nudity - or partial nudity, at least - within the first twenty minutes," and, "There is an effort to put spiritualism on par with mainstream religion."
Granted, CBS’ Wolf Lake is no FOX’s Werewolf - but Focus on the Family doesn’t stop with lycanthropes. They also have problems with other occult-glam fare like Buffy, Angel and Charmed.
Is Focus right? Are these shows damaging to the viewer? Should we just say no to hot werewolf sex? Or should these nutty right-wingers just flip the channel?
"They had nudity - or partial nudity, at least - within the first twenty minutes," and, "There is an effort to put spiritualism on par with mainstream religion."
Granted, CBS’ Wolf Lake is no FOX’s Werewolf - but Focus on the Family doesn’t stop with lycanthropes. They also have problems with other occult-glam fare like Buffy, Angel and Charmed.
Is Focus right? Are these shows damaging to the viewer? Should we just say no to hot werewolf sex? Or should these nutty right-wingers just flip the channel?
Seems cappuccinos may remove the need for those nasty silicone implants. I think I need to buy some Starbuck's stock. And Victoria's Secret, too.
Feathered Spy
Feathered Spy - only on earth, eh!
General Zod comments on "Halloween".
General Zod comments on "Halloween". It looks like we'll all have to start doing a lot less trick or treating, and a lot more kneeling this year!
"2001: A Space Odyssey" is back in theaters
"2001: A Space Odyssey" is back in theaters for a short year-2001 run. It is currently playing at the Seattle Cinerama October 5-18, and is next scheduled to be shown at the Uptown Theater in Washington, D.C. (where the film had its original 1968 premeire) November 2-15. After that, it will be shown at the Castro Theater in San Francisco November 21-December 6, and at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood December 20-January 1.
The Pakistan Maelstrom, by Tariq Ali.
The Pakistan Maelstrom, by Tariq Ali. Analysis of the situation in Pakistan and the Middle East. Inludes a hilarious description of an attempted football match between Afghanistan and Pakistan last year...
Looks weird. Sounds Great.
Looks weird. Sounds Great. Nokia's latest mobile phone seems to be a rather weird symbiosis of phone, keyboard device, pda, and mp3 player. I guess it will take a while before it hits the USA. But me, being in Europe, I think I'd like to check it out closely.
White House instructs TV networks not to air bin Laden videos
anthrax home page
anthrax home page Have you heard that the lead singer for the band Anthrax is angry that Anthrax is the cause of the death at the National Enquirer office. He also says he is taking antibiotics as a precaution that he doesn't die an ironic death from Anthrax. He is also thinking of changing his band's name to Bubonic Plague or Skin Eating Disease.
I was talking to my wife this morning about one of the kids "bombing" a test at school, and she asked me, "Is that good or bad?" I said, "Bad, of course. You know, you bomb a test, that means either flunking it or close to it." She said, "No, not any more, like 'it's the bomb' or 'we bombed that hill' on skateboards. Bombing is a good thing." Certain words and phrases are changing their meanings. Have you found yourself tongue-tied?
October 10
Restrooms of the future! Ladies, now you too can stand up and pee in a urinal. What a concept, where's that piss on Osama screen when you need it?
Buddyhead! Is it dead?!
Buddyhead! Is it dead?! I randomly checked out Buddyhead.com and noticed that it was "403 Forbidden."
Anyone know the story? It'd be a sad day if it was good and gone. . .
Top of the world
Top of the world - A lost view. (sorry, if this is a double post, but I haven't find anything via mefi-search)
The Science Behind the Song Stuck in Your Head
The Science Behind the Song Stuck in Your Head
Whoa, there is actually a scientific debate about this ("cognitive itch" theory, songs as "recurring dreams", the "cooties" method).
The last song that was in my head was Pete Rock's "What You Waiting For". [link courtesy Running Red Lights]
Whoa, there is actually a scientific debate about this ("cognitive itch" theory, songs as "recurring dreams", the "cooties" method).
The last song that was in my head was Pete Rock's "What You Waiting For". [link courtesy Running Red Lights]
Say it with Amorphophallus titanum!
Say it with Amorphophallus titanum!
Looking for that special way to tell your loved one how much you care? Express your true feelings with the unforgettable aroma of a "rotting elephant corpse".
Free Radio KPFA.
Free Radio KPFA. With so much talk about free press, it seems no one here knows about this Pacifica Radio flagship station (which is oddly more independent than it's parent org). Entirely listener supported since 1949.
The nonreligious may be America's largest minority.
17 Divers Die In Hurricane
From NPR: Hurricane Iris struck Belize earlier this week. The storm took few victims. Those who died were all members of the same scuba expedition from the Dive Club of Richmond, Va. NPR's Andrea Seabrook went to a meeting of the club, where surviving members talked about the friends they lost and the trust that exists between divers. NPR's RealAudio report
From NPR: Hurricane Iris struck Belize earlier this week. The storm took few victims. Those who died were all members of the same scuba expedition from the Dive Club of Richmond, Va. NPR's Andrea Seabrook went to a meeting of the club, where surviving members talked about the friends they lost and the trust that exists between divers. NPR's RealAudio report
Diplomacy
With friends like these...
With friends like these... "The Left in 2001 needs a media upgrade in the worst way. It needs to figure out a way to communicate its message that doesn't cause a vast majority of Americans to roll their eyes. Change in this country comes about through numbers, and continually alienating the bulk of the nation with old, tired tactics isn't going to change anything. "
GIVER BEWARE! If you're gonna give, don't get taken.
GIVER BEWARE! If you're gonna give, don't get taken. The New York branch of the Better Business Bureau has some useful material on how to spot scams over legitimate charities. "As awful as it sounds, there may be those that seek to profit from this misery." Useful tips and information are also available at Give.Org, the Urban Legends Resource Center and the Internet Fraud Complaint Center. Maybe I'm just too cynical, but even the legitimate charities sound like scams to me. Why are there so many "disaster relief funds" forming? Wouldn't it be easier if there was just one place to give? Why all these middlemen?
Some lawmakers are shocked, shocked that there is anti-American sentiments in some countries!
Some lawmakers are shocked, shocked that there is anti-American sentiments in some countries! "Why is it that from the streets of Jakarta in Indonesia to Pakistan to scores of other countries, the white venom of hate is oozing in a singularly ugly and sickening fashion?" Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., said Wednesday at a hearing on public diplomacy. Those are "two nations that we have helped enormously since they gained independence."
The answer, he said, is bad P.R.
What's your answer?
Limp Liberals - Aintchasickovem?
Limp Liberals - Aintchasickovem? A really fine left liberal answer to Berkely and all the faint hearts. And it fits right in with my own thinking. It's time we stood up and got counted for human rights against any "culture" or "religion" that denies them. Polly Tonybee writes an excellent and timely piece. Liberals too, should not "go wobbly" out of a plain cowardly "respect" for reactionary strains of Islam, Christianity or Judaism. What do you think?
FBI Most Wanted Terrorists
FBI Most Wanted Terrorists I wonder how Reuters News Service will cover this story since they have removed the word "terrorist" from the reporting of 911?
DIY Advertising.
DIY Advertising. Also from Google, and Pud. Is this a way to bring classified-ad style money to web advertising (and us fledgling publishers), something more - or a nice side project?
Hijack Suspects Looked for Hookers in Boston
Hijack Suspects Looked for Hookers in Boston .. For real or PsyOps? What would you do on your last night on earth. In Boston.
The Milwaukee Art Museum's new addition,
The Milwaukee Art Museum's new addition, designed by Santiago Calatrava, is opening this weekend. They tested the wings yesterday and it looks like it's gonna be pretty dang cool. (Flash slideshow. Worth it.)
Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance
Forced patriotism? Forced religion? Is this good for the country OR religion? Education Secretary Rod Paige urged all schools to simultaneously recite the Pledge of Allegiance this Friday.
Recognising "Renegage Economics"?
Recognising "Renegage Economics"? Joseph Stiglitz, who was famously cast into the wilderness by the IMF and World Bank, walked off with a share of this year's Nobel Prize for Economics, for his work on the asymmetric benefits of unrestricted "open markets": in short, the way that promoting "free trade" favours the developed nations over the developing. A calculated fuck-you to the neo-liberal mainstream, or a recognition that the critique of globalisation extends well beyond street protesters?
Mullah Omar speaks
Mullah Omar speaks to the people of Afghanistan and Muslims around the world. But Voice of Shariat was destroyed in the bombing. So a tape of his speech was delivered to Voice of America and the BBC World Service, and they both broadcast it.
Berkeley does it again...
Berkeley does it again... The Berkeley City Council is considering condemning the US attacks on Afganistan as acts of terrorism. The best quote: "Berkeley has always been an island of sanity in terms of the war madness that has prevailed in this country," Spring said. "The U.S. is now a terrorist. According to the Taliban these are terrorist attacks." (Via the WSJ Opinion Page)
From the poorly chosen headlines department.
From the poorly chosen headlines department. I guess the Seattle Mariners need a better "reliever." (NYT link, you know the drill...)
Feinstein want national guard to be home defense outfit
Feinstein want national guard to be home defense outfit Let's see. The air lines hired cheap and unskilled workers for security. They lost planes and lots of business. But the GOP doesn't want air carriers to become federalized nor have feds take care of security (too much like Big Govt or socialism.) So instead, we will use tax payer's money and have the National guard do the security work for private concerns and a few public ones. What will the underpaid and/or illegals do for a living?
Don't most folks in the Guard have regular jobs and do their thing on weekends? If so, should they give up their jobs for this? or double dip or flip a coin?
The Guard was called up in my state. But I was told (I can not verify) that they are not allowed to carry rifles or sidearms while guarding local airports. That makes me feel safer.
RAWA's gallery of graphic videos showing the Taliban's violence
RAWA's gallery of graphic videos showing the Taliban's violence Records that detail racial cleansing or life in a prison camp are often criticized because their graphic nature is sensational. Chernenko praised Solzhenitsyn's Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich because it avoids cruelty. The Rape of Nanking is controversial because of its graphic detail. Is it socially irresponsible for the RAWA to release taboo graphic videos or is it a painful truth that should not be affected by de facto censorship?
Repent sinners!
Apocamon Episode Two: The Seven Trumpets is here at last!
Praise be the lord!
Dali worked with Disney
Dali worked with Disney on a project called Destino and only 15 seconds were made. but if it's anything like his work with Hitchcock, they should release it to the public.
Get your war on
Get your war on with exquisite comic strips from mnftiu.
Amazon's new Look Inside feature
Amazon's new Look Inside feature allows you to see images of selected pages and excerpts from books. Now if only they could get that latte to flow through the cat-5...
Wasn't us, we swear!
Wasn't us, we swear! All Americans can breathe easy and trust the good ole CIA again. They didn't create this Frankenstein at all! Really!
Debate over brain scans
Debate over brain scans Over at the Register, one of their writers has gotten into a fantastic pissing contest with InfoSeek's founder over the issue of brain scans and airport security. What are your thoughts?
Rise of the "Investor-State"?
Rise of the "Investor-State"? I was reading The Nation online, and came across this article. William Greider has written a piece detailing how many conservatives in this country think that the Constitution's Fifth Amendment protections against private property being taken from individuals should apply to EVERYTHING, including government regulations. Taken to extremes, if a city want to pass an ordinance banning strip clubs from school zones, any club with even an inkling that they were going to build a club in those zones could sue the city against future POTENTIAL earnings.
Seems silly to me. What about you?
TOO LATE: IT'S ALREADY IN NAFTA. It's called Chapter 11, and it protects foreign investors/foreign companies from regulatory actions. So, for example, when California passed a bill to remove the carcinogen MTBE from gasoline in order to halt its spread into drinking water, Methanex Corporation, from Canada, sued for $970 MILLION. These lawsuits are popping up all over the place, and it's only going to get worse once the FTAA is passed.
Seems silly to me. What about you?
TOO LATE: IT'S ALREADY IN NAFTA. It's called Chapter 11, and it protects foreign investors/foreign companies from regulatory actions. So, for example, when California passed a bill to remove the carcinogen MTBE from gasoline in order to halt its spread into drinking water, Methanex Corporation, from Canada, sued for $970 MILLION. These lawsuits are popping up all over the place, and it's only going to get worse once the FTAA is passed.
Spotting the Losers: Seven Signs of Non-Competitive States:
Spotting the Losers: Seven Signs of Non-Competitive States: Nations and groups that will not be successful economically or diplomatically all share at least some of the following characteristics:
Restrictions on the free flow of information
Subjugation of women
Inability to accept responsibility for individual or collective failure
The extended family or clan as the basic unit of social organization
Domination by a restrictive religion
A low valuation of education
Low prestige assigned to work
Restrictions on the free flow of information
Subjugation of women
Inability to accept responsibility for individual or collective failure
The extended family or clan as the basic unit of social organization
Domination by a restrictive religion
A low valuation of education
Low prestige assigned to work
Is OS X really going to work?
Is OS X really going to work? I've been a Mac tech for almost 6 years now and I feel that OSX is a very risky endeavor for Apple. It's weird and users don't like it - I'm talking about companies who rely on Mac, not developers or the "power users" who always adopt early. Not one single client of mine is interested in learning a new OS or buying all new software (and hardware) for the privilege of learning that new OS. It seems to me that production departments and agencies have too many deadlines to meet to futz with learning curves, slow apps in OS9, and myriad other issues. Does anyone else get this feedback from clients? Wouldn't it be just as easy to give in and switch to PeeCee, like many of the departments I support are being pushed to anyway? What do you guys think about OSX and Apple's future?
Unhappy with the shape of your bottom?
Unhappy with the shape of your bottom?
No problem, get yourself a wonderbum, a new product that "lifts, separates and shapes"
No problem, get yourself a wonderbum, a new product that "lifts, separates and shapes"
Kabulkaboom
Kabulkaboom - here's a shockwave game with a bite - dodge the missiles and try and get the food. Which do you prefer, this "humanitarian game" from ludology.com or New York Defender, mentioned here at MeFi the other day?
Blair now a 'legitimate target.'
Blair now a 'legitimate target.' A spokesman for a British Islamic group has said Tony Blair is a 'legitimate target.' According to spokesman, "This means if any Muslim wanted to kill him or get rid of him, I would not shed any tears." Salman Rushdie roomate jokes aside, this is pretty chilling.
Yngwie Malmsteen Concert causes Riots in Porto Alegre....
Yngwie Malmsteen Concert causes Riots in Porto Alegre.... for playing the Star-Spangled banner as a solo... Whoo Hoo... 80's Hair Metal rocker from another country makes a stand... sheesh.. if I was cynical, I'd almost think he did it to get back into the news.
Should the United States embark on a nation building exercise in Afghanistan a’la post-WWII Germany & Japan? (more questions inside)
Clarance Thomas lied during his confirmation hearings.
Clarance Thomas lied during his confirmation hearings. Does it matter? Even though he was under oath at the time? Like Bill Clinton?
Fandabidozi.
Fandabidozi. The Krankies are a comforting childhood memory of mine. Anyone else got some fond TV memories?
High speed hoax:
High speed hoax: Taking advantage of a bug in CNN's "mail this story" mechanism, a guy created a hoax page looking like a CNN news story which claimed that Britney Spears had died in a car crash. (She's fine.) He seeded the story by giving it to just three people in a chat room -- and within 12 hours it had been downloaded 150,000 times. The Internet appears to permit extremely efficient distribution of disinformation.
Anthrax intern cleared.
Anthrax intern cleared. The dark-skinned guy with the weird name (who sent a "threatening" e-mail when he left The Sun and "disappeared to Sudan") turned out to be Basque/Jewish and a student at FAU. However, the FBI was kind enough to arrest him in the middle of a job interview. Though cleared in an hour, he's afraid the 'terrorist' label will stick.
Cuban terroists
Cuban terroists are living in Miami. Should we arrest them?
Sand Castle Central!
Sand Castle Central! "Your on-line source for all things sand sculpture, including free tips for beginners, information on the best sand carving tools, updated contest and master sculptor information, related links and lots of photos." - i'm off to the beach now...
Whats that?
Whats that? is what we say, but the french seem to have a different way of asking the same question.
It's Raining Food (and Bombs)
It's Raining Food (and Bombs) "Air drops make great TV but they often represent a failure to respond to a food crisis."
Opinions that the food drops aren't really working, and that military action exacerbates their inefficiency.
October 9
Is there some sort of rumor I don't know about?
Is there some sort of rumor I don't know about? I mean c'mon now. Garcia's Gay Lover Pick of the Week? Well, the picks have been good, apparently, but still... (Page includes disclaimer that it is not a betting site and that Jeff Garcia is not actually gay, but even the disclaimer sounds pretty tongue in cheek).
Osama Bart Laden
Osama Bart Laden This is from the Simpsons Folder, simply the best of its kind, in my opinion, and home of my favorite wallpaper. The Bert Is Evil post has inspired me: What I'd like to see are your links to any and all the other post 9/11 cartoons, jpegs, gifs and so forth.
Kylie Minogue's anthrax link?
Kylie Minogue's anthrax link? You'll have to scroll down to the 'KYLIE SHIPS PLATINUM' piece, but police are investigating an envelope sent to EMI in London. The envelope contained soil as well as a note claiming the soil was tainted with either anthrax or foot and mouth disease.
Bert 'n' Osama
Bert 'n' Osama As near as I can figure it, the guy who made the Osama poster everyone is waving happened to download from the "Bert is Evil!" site...look behind Osama's left ear. Sorry, but I had to post this.
The paranoia continues.......
The paranoia continues....... Any other local, non-national scare stories?
Michel Chossudovsky, Professor of Economics, University of Ottawa:
Michel Chossudovsky, Professor of Economics, University of Ottawa: "The main justification for waging this war has been totally fabricated. The American people have been deliberately and consciously misled by their government into supporting a major military adventure which affects our collective future."
"Man's Body Left on Front Porch After Funeral Home Isn't Paid for His Cremation."
"Man's Body Left on Front Porch After Funeral Home Isn't Paid for His Cremation." Ah, American Death Inc.--gotta love 'em. Any other stories like this out there? Not that all funeral homes are so um efficiently run.
Who ya gonna call?!
Who ya gonna call?! *cue scary 80's music*
Celebrities Can't Escape the Dotcom Drama:
Celebrities Can't Escape the Dotcom Drama: "The Internet startup that built and maintained fan sites for the Paltrows and Travoltas of the world tanks -- knocking the stars offline and making Hilary Swank a link to an Armenian porn portal."
Excuse me while I laugh my ass off. :)
U.S. Supreme Court denies Microsoft's appeal.
U.S. Supreme Court denies Microsoft's appeal. Is anyone else surprised how long these U.S. v. Microsoft trials have gone on? Is there an end in sight? The longer the courts (and both parties) drag this on, the more moot this case will become.
OK, this is yesterday's news, but this airline incident happened Monday over the skies of Chicago. I heard the sonic boom as the F-16's scrambled to intercept the plane, which at first gave me a false sense of security. But now I'm wondering about 2 things about this incident; First, how the hell did this guy get in the cockpit? Haven't they fixed the doors yet (at least with a deadbolt)? Secondly, if this plane was indeed a threat, what would the F-16's do? Shoot the plane down over a very populated area? It seems our new airline security plans still have some major holes!
Chemicals used in DC?
Chemicals used in DC? It's pretty new still, anyone seen anymore info on this?
Piss on Osama bin Laden- Literally!
Piss on Osama bin Laden- Literally! "In fact, I opened the package containing this thing at the office, and not one of my female co-workers knew what it was."
Those Crazy birds
Those Crazy birds The birdwatchers of Ireland were atwitter Tuesday after spotting a Baltimore oriole in a seaside village named Baltimore.
Welcome to my weblog. I hope you enjoy it. I just got fired for it.
WTC Widow May be deported
WTC Widow May be deported A British widow who was married to a victim of the terrorist attack may be deported. Their children will be allowed to stay.
MetaFilter in six lines.
MetaFilter in six lines. In order to know things well, we must
know them in detail, and detail, being
infinite, makes all our knowledge superficial and
incomplete.
François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld
Find out how good someone is in bed
Find out how good someone is in bed
This site can tell you what someone is like in bed, by
you telling it what they are like out of it.
"Using sophisticated neural network processing, HowGoodInBed.com is able to determine which are the most relevant factors in determining a person's likely performance in bed and analyse your responses accordingly."
If the looming threat of death is making you amorous, you should at least know what (or who) you're getting into.
This site can tell you what someone is like in bed, by
you telling it what they are like out of it.
"Using sophisticated neural network processing, HowGoodInBed.com is able to determine which are the most relevant factors in determining a person's likely performance in bed and analyse your responses accordingly."
If the looming threat of death is making you amorous, you should at least know what (or who) you're getting into.
What kind of robot are you?
What kind of robot are you? [via Sean Meade]
I'm "Data, the slightly annoying android from Star Trek TNG". Who would have guessed?
A cultural shift reflected in ads: How to make patriotism cool ... and profitable
A cultural shift reflected in ads: How to make patriotism cool ... and profitable For example, General Motors commercials tell consumers that its zero-interest financing is helping to “Keep America Rolling.” In Ford Motor Co.’s “Ford drives America” ads for interest-free financing, the car company insists the “spirit is alive.” I've been very skeptical to all of the 'a portion of the profits will be donated...' come-ons of late. This addresses similar issues. What do y'all think?
Costly habits.
Costly habits. Are you broke again? Don't know where your money is going? Take a look at what you're spending your money on. Chances are, if you're supporting bad habits such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, or using marijuana or other illicit substances, you're spending quite a chunk of change. If you don't believe it, try out this expense calculator and see how much money you could be spending on something else!
Four UN aid workers killed in attacks on Afghanistan
Four UN aid workers killed in attacks on Afghanistan
I am surprised this hasn't posted yet. Has ennui settled in already?
I am surprised this hasn't posted yet. Has ennui settled in already?
Four held in Dublin over international terrorism...
Four held in Dublin over international terrorism...
Even little old Ireland can't escape from this...
Even little old Ireland can't escape from this...
Doctors Say Third Anthrax Case Unlikely.
Doctors Say Third Anthrax Case Unlikely. [The] case rang alarm bells because [the patient] told hospital officials he worked in a building in Fairfax, Virginia, that he believed was affiliated with American Media Inc, the company where the two other men infected with anthrax worked in Boca Raton, Florida. One of those victims, a photo editor for a supermarket tabloid, died on Friday.
"What if Terrorists go Nuclear?"
"What if Terrorists go Nuclear?" Center for Defense Information, Washington, DC.
Real threat or excessive paranoia?
Die, capitalist scum! (But can I have a G-shock first?)
Die, capitalist scum! (But can I have a G-shock first?) In his recent television broadcast, Osama bin Laden appears to be wearing a Timex wristwatch.
What comes after Afganistan
What comes after Afganistan the forward-thinking may wonder. Will the war end, or will it spill over into new states? The linked story describes the recent map orders and purchases made by US government offices.
The web isn't proper hypertext
The web isn't proper hypertext says Ted Nelson, who probably invented the idea.
"I define hypertext as non-sequential writing ... the World Wide Web is not what we were trying to create. The links only go one way. There's no permanent publishing. There is no way you can write a marginal note that other people can see on what's in front of you. There is no way that you can quote freely. "
So is everyone fully comfortable with the idea of a "two way web", or are we still too hung up on picket fence territorialism? And how would it work, anyway?We did it!
We did it! Jedi Knights achieve official recognition as a religion. OK, it's code is 896 with none coming in at 899, but still... be interesting to see how many of us there are out there
Ahmed Rashid
Ahmed Rashid and Idries Shah have been my best sources as I try to get a real appreciation for the mosaic of Pashtun tribesmen, Tajiks, etc., that is Afghanistan. The former's book (link to long excerpt) is chock full of facts about the background and makeup of the Taliban. The latter's is a page-turning 1986 military romance (no Arabs, no CIA mentioned, but the secret KGB phone number given was, famously correct), by an author better known for works on Sufis and the incorrigible humorist Mulla Nasrudin: a painless way to steep yourself in a (romantically idealized but extremely informative) Afghan worldview. So, you other news junkies, what have been your best sources for the deeper cultural background of this patch of rugged mountains with which the U.S. finds itself at war?
An Alternative War
An Alternative War is what we need.... Hell with operation "Enduring Freedom" we need "Operation Mammoth Clown Head". [via Cruel Site of the Day]
Hey You! Stop, Drop and Roll
Hey You! Stop, Drop and Roll Am I going to hell because this made me laugh--albeit briefly and with pangs of guilt? Was it schadenfreude? Frayed nerves? An inherent appreciation of irony where I can find it? Or something far worse? (Are these enough questions?)
CNN reports to map error.
CNN reports to map error. I received an e-mail today from CNN in response to the Switzerland has moved thread specifically asking me to post this reply to the thread. Since it has been a while I chose to post to the main page.
My hangover
My hangover has now moved into day 2. Last night was cold shakes and sweats. It was great fun with the boys, but still...
Any advice would be gratefully received.
PostPet
PostPet Japan's most popular email program. it's NOT outlook, it's NOT notes, it's NOT eudora. it's PostPet. related article here: A Dancing Pink Bear Named Momo. now looking at this pink bear in particular and japanese culture in general, any chance that imode will *really* be popular in Europe and the US?
October 8
Now Winter Nights Enlarge
Now Winter Nights Enlarge Thomas Campion Rocks!
( In the 17th Century spellcheck, even) ..&
Luminarium Rules!
B61-11 tactical micro-nuke headed for Afghanistan?
B61-11 tactical micro-nuke headed for Afghanistan? Though large "theater" thermonuclear devices -- doomsday bombs -- don't fit the Bush administration's war on terrorism, smaller tactical nukes do not seem out of the question in the current mindset of the Defense Department. Rumsfield avoided answering the question of whether the use of tactical nuclear weapons could be ruled out. What kind of nuclear fallout would a weapon like this cause?
TV's reality: Everyone is thin, and fat people are often ridiculed
TV's reality: Everyone is thin, and fat people are often ridiculed Overweight characters on TV are less likely to date and have sex than their slimmer counterparts, and they are more likely to be the butt of jokes and be seen chowing down, fueling possible bias against the heavyset, according to research being presented today.
The question is: Is television reflecting reality?
Anthrax
Anthrax case becomes criminal investigation as Law Enforcement intensifies its searche for a Summer Intern who worked in the office.
He is said to be from the Middle East. Hopefully unrelated, but evidence is mounting... i.e. - employees received a strange letter before the WTC attack containing a white powdery substance and a "Cheap" Star of David charm...
He is said to be from the Middle East. Hopefully unrelated, but evidence is mounting... i.e. - employees received a strange letter before the WTC attack containing a white powdery substance and a "Cheap" Star of David charm...
Sigur Ros
Sigur Ros has been nominated for the Virgin Megastore Shortlist Prize for Artistic Achievement. Their video for "Vidrar vel til Loftarasa " is one of the most beautiful, shocking, and saddening pieces of film I've seen in a long while. (It's available on their site)
I'm probably the only loser in America to care about this.
I'm probably the only loser in America to care about this. It looks like the days of listening to your favorite radio show (if it's a Premiere radio show at least) for free on the net are over. Goodbye, Phil. Not so sad about Dr. Laura though.
Pentagon asks for help - from Hollywood screenwriters and directors
Pentagon asks for help - from Hollywood screenwriters and directors . Hilarious, yet true. Some of the makers of MacGyver, Die Hard, Death Wish II, and Grease, among others were invited to "brainstorm possible terrorist events and solutions" and return this information to Army Brigadier General Kenneth Bergquist. Everyone's doing their part (including Spike Jonze).
Michael Musto's column
Michael Musto's column this week features snippets from the upcoming Friar's Club roast of Hugh Hefner. Of course, for the Friar's, no topic is too sacred and the WTC topic was broached with aplomb (as opposed to aplane). Sorry, but if you thought that was tasteless, follow the link...
Staroffice 6.0b
Staroffice 6.0b is a great, free alternative to microsoft office for people who can't afford the suite or for those that would rather not use microsoft products. Staroffice has completely integrated XML support and full featured word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and drawing applications.
Defense Department's Anthrax Site.
Defense Department's Anthrax Site. Wierd. Wierd. Wierd. Click on FLASH version.
A Hong Kong student has written her thesis about the world's oldest profession,
A Hong Kong student has written her thesis about the world's oldest profession, and found that the ten 'subjects' she chose to follow are real people too, and ultimately befriended them, offering financial and legal assistance. Apart from the actual story, of interest in the tone of the writing of the piece which underlines that the 'class' structure still exists almost everywhere . . .
You know those exploited Nike workers in Indonesia we hear so much about?
You know those exploited Nike workers in Indonesia we hear so much about? Good news and bad news: the good news is, a bunch of 'em aren't being exploited anymore. The bad news is, it's because they were laid off.
Local manufacturers blame the soft economy on the WTC attacks, so yes, even this ends up being a WTC post. You cannot escape.
Moveable Type,
Moveable Type, a new entrant in the weblog management system applications arena, has just been released! Let's hear what the Mefi masses think...
The latest missive from Michael Moore
The latest missive from Michael Moore
Another heartening (and kind of funny) piece for all of us out there who don't quite buy into Operation Endless Bloodshed, er, Enduring Something or Other...
Another heartening (and kind of funny) piece for all of us out there who don't quite buy into Operation Endless Bloodshed, er, Enduring Something or Other...
Syria Wins Seat on Security Council
Syria Wins Seat on Security Council Despite Being on U.S. List of Terrorism Sponsors. First the U.N. Human Rights Commission Boots the U.S., then there was the U.N. conference of racists, and now this... Is the U.N. rendering itself increasingly irrelevant? (Syria Daily reports | Info on Syria: The Heart of Terrorism | Testimony on Syrian Support for Terrorism)
Tony Blair For President!
Tony Blair For President! Seriously, I'd vote for him. What are the chances that the Democrats can recruit Mr. Blair to run?
Also, the LA Times thinks Tony Blair Puts Bush to Shame. What do you think?
Coming soon to an inbox near you, this link(& part 2) to a WTC(& Pentagon) conspiracy page. Planes didn't do all the damage, bombs did in order to exploit the "WTC Golden Goose." Any other conspiracy theories floating around yet?
Rhymes With Orange
Rhymes With Orange was one of my favorite comic strips a few years ago, but when it stopped running regularly in my area I forgot all about it. Looks like it's being archived now. [more...]
Rush Limbaugh has gone deaf.
Rush Limbaugh has gone deaf. While he can recognize sound, he cannot understand it, including callers to his radio show. He's working around it now (somehow), but may have to change his format in the near future. Rush's site is being hit hard, but you can find a transcript of his monologue here.
Understanding turbans
Understanding turbans An illustrated guide to telling people who wear things on their heads apart.
Donald Rumsfeld
Donald Rumsfeld from Dep of Defense biography ...."Mr. Rumsfeld served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Instrument Corporation from 1990 to 1993. A leader in broadband transmission, distribution, and access control technologies for cable, satellite and terrestrial broadcasting applications, the company pioneered the development of the first all-digital high definition television (HDTV) technology".
...boy that must feel like 100 years ago....
I live in Prague
I live in Prague and I've been looking for English language sites for expats living here recently. Prague TV is the best I can come up with. There are a few others, some that look promising but not fully functional yet, some absolutely terrible, and a some not so bad, but not really community sites. Do you live or work in Eastern Europe? Know any decent English language sites?
Fact or Fiction?
Fact or Fiction? It looks fake to me but my friend swears it is real. Any ideas?
Fox News scroller - National Mental Health Assistance: 800-FOR-TRUTH - connects to Church of Scientology.
Fox News scroller - National Mental Health Assistance: 800-FOR-TRUTH - connects to Church of Scientology. If people called crying and upset they were told they could visit a Scientology center.
Music biz wants tougher DMCA
Music biz wants tougher DMCA "If the RIAA gets its way, ISPs will be as guilty of copyright violation as their subscribers. "Because of the magnitude of the problem, ISPs can no longer be shielded from the wrath of the law," shrieked Rosen righteously."
Dark is Rising (Amazon link) by Susan Cooper.
Dark is Rising (Amazon link) by Susan Cooper. This book, about an 11 year old boy, was given to me by my oldest sister when I turned 11. Now that I have kids of my own, I look forward to passing this book on to my son when he turns 11. Any other age-appropriate books that stand out in your mind, particularly if given when you were the age of the lead character?
Herblock coined "McCarthyism."
Herblock coined "McCarthyism." Longtime Washington Post cartoonist Herbert Block dies at 91. Wielding independence through his sketches, the artist who gave President Richard Nixon five o'clock shadow won three Pulitzer prizes and the admiration of loyal readers. Don't miss "Five Decades of Herblock" cartoons and essays.
Second Anthrax case detected in Florida...
Second Anthrax case detected in Florida... In the past 100 years, 20 cases of Anthrax have been reported--with two of them in the past week, in Florida.
CNN is reporting health officials have found Anthrax within the office building where the two men worked.
Operation to raise Kursk sub under way.
Operation to raise Kursk sub under way. I remember when this was headline news...not anymore, I guess. Still it's interesting to see that life goes on despite the happenings of the past month.
More than 100 dead in Milan plane crash
More than 100 dead in Milan plane crash
There's no evidence as I post this that this has anything to do with the WTC / Pentagon attacks, or the retaliatory attacks by the Allied forces...still, a Cessna that comes out of nowhere seems odd to me, fog or no fog...
There's no evidence as I post this that this has anything to do with the WTC / Pentagon attacks, or the retaliatory attacks by the Allied forces...still, a Cessna that comes out of nowhere seems odd to me, fog or no fog...
Chomsky on MSNBC talks about recent events! That would be news all by itself. I know that a lot of people on the right disagree with him, but who can argue with what he says here? Also from left field an incisive Q&A about Afghanistan history and the current situation by Tariq Ali.
AltaVista to be closed down?
AltaVista to be closed down? I guess their über-portal strategy failed. no big news here. but closing down the search engine entirely? i guess you don't need 100 folks to run the spider and indexing machines.. ok.. there are hardware and network/bandwidth costs associated.. but closing it all down?
no question. there is competition out there. and the googles and fasts are the new benchmarks.
but i sure remember the days when AV was super-fast (also in including submissions into their live index) and super-relevant. but in those days, the internet was much smaller and AV was owned by digital (compaq).
those were the days when infoseek tried to compete and hotbot tried to rise to stardom.
times changed. but i sure would miss AV.
no question. there is competition out there. and the googles and fasts are the new benchmarks.
but i sure remember the days when AV was super-fast (also in including submissions into their live index) and super-relevant. but in those days, the internet was much smaller and AV was owned by digital (compaq).
those were the days when infoseek tried to compete and hotbot tried to rise to stardom.
times changed. but i sure would miss AV.
On-line Air Hockey
On-line Air Hockey C'mon, kids! (Something else to distract me...just what I needed.)
October 7
Comedy College
Comedy College
Steve Martin begins hosting a weekly public radio show, profiling legendary comics. This week: The Cos. (Real Player required)
Steve Martin begins hosting a weekly public radio show, profiling legendary comics. This week: The Cos. (Real Player required)
The Pump Girls! Rockin' With the Diabetes!
The Pump Girls! Rockin' With the Diabetes! They're called the Pump girls because they all have insulin pumps in them! Cool!
"The Pump Girls, is a pop music group consisting of 3 girls aged 13-14. The girls, who are all from Southern California, sing about boys, love, dancing and overcoming challenges. They all have Juvenile Diabetes. One of their goals is to motivate other teens to deal with the challenges of the disease successfully."
iprepare.com...equipped.org...emergencyresources.com....earthquake store.com...civiliangasmask.com...safetycentral.com.....safewaresafety.com All brought to us courtesy of the Wall Street Journal Weekend section (published on Friday). No, I dont feel one bit paranoid.
Dr. Seuss Went to War.
This page has many of the comics that show up in the book of the same name. WWII era political cartoons from Dr. Seuss.
2001 Ig Nobel Results:
2001 Ig Nobel Results: What is most suprising about this is that 9 out of the 10 winners actually wrote acceptance speeches. Awards went to the creator of "Stalin World," a study of teens who pick their noses, a study of injuries due to falling coconuts, and the invention of fart-proof underwear.
BBC translation of Bin Laden's warning much better than the spotty CNN version. One sentence struck me as very odd: "Hundreds of thousands of people, young and old, were killed [by the US] in the farthest point on earth in Japan." Why does Bin Laden mention Japan, of all places?
Defend NYC From Hijacked Airplanes [Flash Required]
Defend NYC From Hijacked Airplanes [Flash Required] You're somewhere in NYC shooting down incoming jets as they try to crash into the World Trade Center. The text is in French, but the mechanics are easy to understand if you know how to play missle command. Is there going to be a mod for "Hunt the Wumpus" called "Hunt The Osama".
Photos of Car Burnouts in Garnock
Photos of Car Burnouts in Garnock make for a surprisingly good website. Makes me wish I had a similarly simple yet satisfying hobby. I mean, at this boy's I was collecting beermats for some bizarre reason. The kids of today have got it all...
The picture on the site for the upcoming movie K-Pax
The picture on the site for the upcoming movie K-Pax makes me want to add "...that Kevin Spacey's gay?" to that tagline. Not, of course, that there would be anything wrong with that.
Actually, the one page of celebrity rumors I mostly buy, even if many are humdrum (drug/alcohol problems? say it ain't so!) claims he is, although who cares. David Duchovny, pothead, pr0n collector; Macy Gray, functioning heroin addict -- now that's what I wanna hear! (The page seems to have disappeared, so I've linked to the google's cached one, which unfortunately only goes halfway down the alphabet. Anybody have a better link?)
That didn't take long.
That didn't take long. Thanks to Paul Krugman; it's high time someone disagreed with Bush's wrongheaded fiscal ideas. Bush is going back to fuzzy math to justify another tax cut.
Emmy Awards postponed...
Emmy Awards postponed... maybe even cancelled. Sounds OK to me; there's already waaaay too many awards shows. Anyone upset by this, or have a strong opinion either way?
Just trying to draw some fire away from the monster thread re: attacks, which is stuck in some sort of continuous circle.
Cathartic behaviour,
Cathartic behaviour, comes in all forms. When's the last time you relieved stress via your artistic talents?
A spy reports on Kabul and the preparations
A spy reports on Kabul and the preparations Not a piece to argue over but worth sharing, I hope.
Where Was God?
Where Was God? .......there is nothing else I can say about this.
From delusions to destruction: How Sept. 11 has called into question the attitudes by which our society lives.
From delusions to destruction: How Sept. 11 has called into question the attitudes by which our society lives. A long article by Robert Fulford linking the WTC attacks to racism and anti-racism. He argues, interestingly, that anti-racism may be a cure worse than the disease. Another central argument is that the attacks were timed to coincide with the time that anti-American sentiment was at its apogee. Note that this is also an excuse to bash the Globe and Mail, a rival to the National Post for which Fulford writes.
BBC's John Simpson
BBC's John Simpson reports on the attacks from inside Afghanistan. i rate his reporting and am a great admirer of hir work and books
Osama Binladin's Brother,
This didn`t seem too important to many
This didn`t seem too important to many but the last pieces of evidence associating Bin Laden and company to the WTC attacks was released, and is detailed by the Sunday Times. It`s surprising that many people were ready to go to war without this info...
Airstrikes have begun in Afghanistan.
Airstrikes have begun in Afghanistan. Just heard on NBC, but no web links yet... President to address the US at 12.50p EST.
Netcops
Netcops I will probably get toasted for this, but I thought this was funny and obnoxious.
It is The Religion
It is The Religion A very strong case made for Why They Hate Us...and it is not so much our world-wide policies. This piece along with the earlier piece I had posted by Paul Berman (American Prospect) are fine appraisals of why Islam "fears" the West and what they ideally want. Sullivan avoides the (for me) overly simplistic single causes that so many seem convinced of and offers instead a much larger view. Via NY Times, free reg. req'd.
Funniest film ever. For me to poop on!
Funniest film ever. For me to poop on!
Triumph goes to a Bon Jovi concert. Big funny. Broadband only, I'm afraid.
Triumph goes to a Bon Jovi concert. Big funny. Broadband only, I'm afraid.
October 6
I hear trite sayings all the time.
I hear trite sayings all the time. Sometimes they're smart and funny, sometimes they bug the crap out of me. Here's one that has always bugged me: "No matter where you go, there you are." Anybody else have a saying they like or dislike? My newest favorite: "Always listen to your parents-even if they're in jail." Please share...
Anthrax case in Florida poses many questions.
Anthrax case in Florida poses many questions. Widely represented by our nations media as a natural occurrance, the fact is Anthrax deaths are extremely rare through contact with animals. A friend who is knowledgeable about anthrax is sure this is military grade anthrax. Certainly, Stevens was an elderly man, but put this with - "Atta and other Middle Eastern men are believed to have visited an airfield in Belle Glade, about 40 miles from Lantana", and you get a pretty good story. Anthrax can take up to seven weeks to begin it's nasty death process, will more cases come to light, or will the CDC whisk them away? Paranoia, maybe, but still a cause for vaccinations just to be completely safe. I'm sure our government won't want to "startle" anyone by initiating vaccinations, but we could easily reduce the (legitimate) threat of the BIG THREE (Smallpox, the Plague and Anthrax) to nearly zero.
Our leaders all have access to gas masks and are most likely being given the shots as we speak. What happens to the rest of us?
The rarest wild flower in the world
The rarest wild flower in the world is the Australian white waratah. Only a single wild specimen is known and its location is kept secret. Commercial versions have been cloned from the lone wild plant, and its cultivation is becoming quite popular.
I hate when this happens
I hate when this happens over and over again. Kid suspended for drawing exploding skyscrapers, and when asked why he did it "grinned."
Degrassi's Back!
Degrassi's Back! For the Canadian's out there, I'm sure I don't have to remind you about those classic CanCon series' The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and Degrassi High. (Any Canadian between 15-35 grew up on at least one of these) Well starting October 14th, we can all grow up again with a new gang of kids on Degrassi: The Next Generation! Who will be the next Joey Jeremiah?
Has anyone set up an online home - museum? - where 'Internet Icons' can be stored safely for future generations? If not shouldn't they? I nominate this coffee pot, this sadly missed phonebox and maybe even this guy. Are there any others which you think would qualify?
Mmm...brownies...aaarrrgghhh...
Mmm...brownies...aaarrrgghhh... It seems a middle school lad in Santa Cruz, CA had something different in mind for extra credit.
Clark said the teacher, who was aware the 14-year-old boy had past problems with marijuana, jokingly asked for one of the "pot brownies." The boy gave her one, and she ate it.
Be careful what you ask for.
Haiku Movie Reviews
US/Russia Strike Reciprocal Deal on Tactical Nuclear Weapons Deployment In Afghanistan and Chechnya
US/Russia Strike Reciprocal Deal on Tactical Nuclear Weapons Deployment In Afghanistan and Chechnya From Debka.com, Israeli site "approved" by USA Today. Does anyone know how credible Debka really is? Over the last few weeks, they've reported some interesting things, sometimes first, sometimes alone.
Burger King employees have been burned in a firewalking exercise to build team spirit. More than 100 staff walked barefoot over white hot coals during the "corporate bonding" trip to Florida ... One employee who suffered burns says she has no regrets and the pain was just a case of mind over matter. - Who in their right mind would walk on hot coals for Burger King?
Movie critic Roger Ebert says that if your interest is in using the Internet, not getting rich from it, then stock prices are insignificant.
Movie critic Roger Ebert says that if your interest is in using the Internet, not getting rich from it, then stock prices are insignificant. "The Internet Bubble has been compared to the Tulip Craze, when 17th-century investors bid the price of Dutch bulbs to insane heights. Both bubbles burst. The collapse of the Internet economy was inevitable, and clears the way for sane and reasonable rebuilding. Good news: There are more tulips in the world than ever before."
For Muslims, Benevolence Is Prevailing Over Backlash
For Muslims, Benevolence Is Prevailing Over Backlash "The people in the neighborhood were so nice you don't believe," said Barakat, 44, who runs the store for the American Muslim Foundation. "This is like another family I have. This is my big family. I want to thank everybody."
October 5
What does it mean to be "Arab-looking"?
What does it mean to be "Arab-looking"? Arabs are perceived to have olive complexions, dark eyes and black hair. But that generalization could not be more wrong, according to Gordon Newby, executive director of Emory's Institute for Comparative and International Studies. "Arabs can be tall, short, light skinned, dark skinned, curly haired, straight haired, dark eyed, light eyed, black haired, red haired."
Swazi king unable to follow own directive.
Swazi king unable to follow own directive. For all of you who thought I was being insensitive about poking fun at this particular law when it first posted last week. ;-D
Keef Makes Films.
Underwater rugby?
Underwater rugby? "An air-filled ball is not suitable for underwater games, since they are bouyant and always return to the surface. For this reason, Bersuda filled the ball with salt-water. Since the density of the ball was now greater than that of normal water, it no longer floated to the surface, but slowly sank to the bottom. The sink rate could, within certain limits, be controlled by the concentration of the salt solution. The first underwater ball was invented." Apparently, it's big in Switzerland (located east or south of Germany). Anyone else know anything about it?
Cop uses helicopter for doughnut run,
Cop uses helicopter for doughnut run, gets investigated. Any real life incident involving cops & doughnuts is farcical. But should this guy be disciplined? Cops use their cruisers for this purpose all the time. Maybe he shouldn't have had the pilot land in a open field, though. Also debatable: why am I reading about cops & doughnuts at 11pm on a Fri. night?
Columbia Records to release benefit cd "God Bless America"
Columbia Records to release benefit cd "God Bless America" The compilation will include Celine Dion's rendition of the title track which was recorded specially for this release.
The label says "a substantial portion" of the proceeds from sales will be donated to the Twin Towers Fund..
Uh, "substantial portion" AND another Celine version of GBA? This cd sucks already. The catalog sales must be slow over at Columbia.
1200 video clips
1200 video clips of the American Wilderness, captured by PBS, is a great reminder of the country's natural beauty. For insectly weirdness, check out Maryland's cicada invasion.
Terror and Liberalism
Terror and Liberalism I have found this piece in The American Prospect to be one of the most balenced pieces I have yet come across. It considers all aspects of the terrorist groups--Israel, American policy, poverty, Iraq, fundamentalisim, history of the area, westernization, etc and finds the rights and wrongs in each, offering finally a way to cope with things in the future while at the same time dealing with present needs.
In other words, it avoids the overly simplistic formulas offered by so many stalwarts of the far Right or far Left.
"Language Gene" found...
"Language Gene" found... (link to arstechnica discussion)
"A group of Oxford University researchers presented findings in this week's Nature that they isolated a gene called FOXP2 that appears to be involved in both speech and language development." this is intriguing... that so much can start from so little.
Best of Manhattan 2001, the annual guide published by the New York Press might come in handy in case you are visiting New York City to boost our tourism industry. If you already live here, you may want to pick up a free copy on your way to the subway. New York's other free alternative weekly still has their Flash powered Best of NYC 2000 along side a depressing obit to NYC's dying night life on their site. Time Out New York's city guide, and the restaurant reviews in the best 100 and the 2001 Eating and Drinking Awards might come handy for weekend plans. And if you really want to see a hidden treasure of NYC, you may want to go see the Panorama of The City of New York, a 'living model of the City,' first built for the 1964 World's Fair, at the Queens Museum of Art.
Bin Laden Celebrates
Bin Laden Celebrates This is video shot just after the WTC attack and released today. It shows a celebration of Bin Laden and his top lieutenants surrounded by armed militants.
Open Season on Pipelines
Open Season on Pipelines Some dumbass with a rifle shot the trans-Alaska pipeline with a rifle on Thursday (photo here). The results of his single shot? 70,000 gallons of crude oil spilled on the ground. The authorites, as is requisite these days, assure us it has "nothing to do with terrorism".
The Old Man Woman and the Sea Jailcell
The Old Man Woman and the Sea Jailcell The son of Ernest Hemmingway, Dr. Gregory Hemingway, died on Monday from natural causes in his private jailcell at the Miami-Dade Women's Detention Center. No, not a typo there: Gregory, who occassionally also went as "Gloria", had been arrested on relatively minor charges ... emerging naked from a state park in the Florida Keys.
Where are you getting your information from lately?
Try getting it from places
where the views may be
very different from yours.
It's getting very scary.
Get lost in the Maize!
Get lost in the Maize! To me, Fall means pumpkins, pumpkin pie, turning leaves, and the annual trip to the cornfield maze! See if the one near you has a haunted maze the few weekends before Halloween. (Advice: Bring a map. It's actually quite challenging, and calling for the Corn Cops to get you out is embarrassing.)
Every year I take a bunch of friends or co-workers to the maze, and to this day, this is my favorite bonding experience. What's your favorite teambuilding experience?
Tim O'Reilly
Tim O'Reilly has written, among other things, a book on Frank Herbert which is freely available on the web.
So this year's Best American Poetry book is out, which means it's time once again for me to feel (English-major) guilt about not enjoying, or even "getting," more contemporary poetry. It looks like I'm not the only one, though, who wonders, "Does anybody like these poems?" Poet Joan Houlihan likens this collection to a "suburban poetry mall." (via Arts & Letters Daily)
Cyberdildonics
Cyberdildonics describes a technology which permits someone to remotely control a dildo over the internet. Reach out and touch someone! (I bet they're working on that next.)
Switzerland has moved.
Switzerland has moved. At least according to the folks at CNN. May be regarded as offensive ...
Received this picture by e-mail, so I have no better link than to my own site.
October 4
Initial audio from the WTC.
Initial audio from the WTC. Police, fire, etc. "Please note that these files can be disturbing to listen to..." If your tired of political commentary about this but are hooked none the less, you too can be an audio voyeur (audeur?). I really only post this for historical reasons.
The Player Piano
The Player Piano Randall Jarrell's last poem, perhaps...The pancakes made me think of famous MeFi android Buster Friendly--er, Miguel Cardoso. From The Wandering Minstrels, a poetry log, a plog, I guess...The Death Of The Ball Turret Gunner has a certain timely resonance.
Will a changing world change film?
Will a changing world change film? Will the Sept. 11th tragedy instill a new social or political significance to contempoary art? Does this mark the end of irony? How do you think these recent events are going to shape film, art and comedy?
Right now, on MLB.com,
Right now, on MLB.com, you can watch Barry Bonds hit his 70th homerun of the season, Rickey Henderson tying Ty Cobb's career run record, Sammy Sosa hitting his 61st homerun of the season, Ichiro breaking Wade Bogg's record for singles in a season, and Tim Raines bat with his son Tim Raines Jr. on second. It's a good day to be a baseball fan.
The Darwin Award wining story
The Darwin Award wining story straight from the horse's mouth. Sorry Darwin. Looks like you posted another urban legend. Thanks for playing tho.
Zero-Knowledge's Freedom Network to shut down.
Zero-Knowledge's Freedom Network to shut down. The network provided Internet and email anonymity. I always found it very slow and cumbersome, and stopped using it in favour of SafeWeb many months ago.
He's (his) back!
He's (his) back! Remember Quasimodo's hump has just been found in a church. and just in time for his new movie!
"We
"We wish to dissent against the using of the Capitol rotunda and other governmental buildings for prayer meetings that focus on Christian or monotheistic ceremonies."
Comments?
Find the terrorist.
Will Durst: "ABC has its blue circled logo in the bottom right with red-and-white stripes shooting offscreen, and CBS has a motto: 'America on Alert.' Not all of the cable stations have official mottos but that's why I'm here. To help."
Volleyball meets "Pong"
Volleyball meets "Pong" ...the creator calls it "slime volley ball" but it really is not slimy; it's actually sorta cute. It's a very, very simple game that (as far as I can tell) doesn't require plug-ins, javascript, popups, or anything special.
Your Phone Number Touch Tones Are Copyrighted!
Your Phone Number Touch Tones Are Copyrighted! Not to mention the touch tone sequence to just about any other phone number you'll ever dial. You've got two choices: a) Pay a licensing fee, or b) throw all your telecommunications equipment away.
Brilliant. Wish I had thought of it.
Religious ferver?
Religious ferver? Or just fascism in new clothes. Why do we continue call these people religious fundamentalists? Osama is closer to Stalin.
Love the new Gorillaz video
Love the new Gorillaz video (in Cinema section. Warning: Shockwave intensive). But is it me, or is their music just a bit so-so? And rejecting the Mercury Music Prize was just petulant.
Are you dreaming about terrorist attacks?
Are you dreaming about terrorist attacks?
Twice in the past week I have had an incredibly vivid dream where I am speaking with a stranger who is warning me about another terrorist attack to occur tomorrow. Is it just my mind coping with the Current Situation, or is it a premonition? Have you been having dreams like this too?
Twice in the past week I have had an incredibly vivid dream where I am speaking with a stranger who is warning me about another terrorist attack to occur tomorrow. Is it just my mind coping with the Current Situation, or is it a premonition? Have you been having dreams like this too?
Well, the site above allows all who are not professionally Ms. Cleo to post their predictions. One from November of last year gave me chills:
- November 2, 2000: Had a premonition.. saw a silver plane with red and blue stripes.. American.. international flight..
saw the number seven.. bombing or ?.. problems with the plane..
I think I may have just found the most explicit example of crass American commercialism. At eroticbid.com, you can purchase a porn star's actual labia. No, I'm not joking, and no, this isn't a rotten link.
Where Apple goeth, the industry will follow . . .
Where Apple goeth, the industry will follow . . . eventually. "Intel is finally inciting the death of the floppy drive and is calling on PC manufacturers big and small to stop supplying the once-capacious 1.44MB removable drive in the latter half of 2002." I remember the first 3.5 inchers (weren't they 400k) with my first Mac in '84. Yet another era passes.
Case of Anthrax Diagnosed in Florida:
Case of Anthrax Diagnosed in Florida: A 63-year-old man has been hospitalized with pulmonary anthrax, Florida Lt. Gov. Frank Brogan said Thursday. Anthrax has been developed by some countries as a possible biological weapon, but Brogan said there was no indication the illness was related to bioterrorism.
If Al Qaeda hadn't been looking into renting those crop dusters out that way, I might be feel better about his assessment.
15 years ago today, Dan Rather was attacked by a man yelling, "What's the frequency, Kenneth?". I found a questionable but humorous explanation for the incident at www.thepetdetective.com. A few other questionable but humorous theories abound there, including What REALLY sank the Titanic? and Why are they called "Grape-Nuts" if they have neither grapes nor nuts?. My favorite link, though, is 99 Wacky Ways to Order a Pizza. I snarfed up some soda pop while reading this.
$320 Million
$320 Million worth of aid is going to the people of Afghanistan, and their neighbors. Is this too much? Couldn't this much money dramatically improve the lives of some 3000 or more struggling families here? Is this the proper message to send to terrorist nations?
Startlingly beautiful girl. What is her life like? Does she resent it? How uncomfortable must life be for this girl's boyfriend? Why do restaurants give her a 75% discount if she sits at a window table? Rhetorical questions all, but sometimes you gotta ask. Be sure to click the slideshow thingie. (NYtimes link)
Maps.
Maps. Recent events have sent me all over bookstores and the web to look at and learn from maps. This is the best, and one of the least known sites. For current events, try the Middle East and Afghanistan sections, but don't miss the incredibel Historical maps collection.
National Poetry Day
National Poetry Day in the UK. Always a good reminder to go and have a look at that small selection of anthologies I've got on my shelf and see how the meanings of some of my favourite works have changed now what I've got another year of experiences. What is your favourite poem?
Washington National shuts out Air Canada
Washington National shuts out Air Canada - and there am I thinking didn't George Bush recently call us "family"?
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family says ABC’s The Drew Carey Show propagandizes "the idea that men enjoy watching lesbian sex."
Instead of showing the kiss, the camera pans slowly around to show the male cast and crew in a voyeuristic trance. "To a lot of people, Drew Carey represents middle America, and what you see here is perversions working their way through the TV and this supposed middle American icon"
Among religious conservatives in general there is a dislike of ABC and parent Disney programming. The conservative American Family Association thinks Christians should boycott Disney. Are these groups just a bunch of religious fuddy-duddies or do they have a valid gripe?
Among religious conservatives in general there is a dislike of ABC and parent Disney programming. The conservative American Family Association thinks Christians should boycott Disney. Are these groups just a bunch of religious fuddy-duddies or do they have a valid gripe?
On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first man-made object ever sent into space...
On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the first man-made object ever sent into space... Sputnik: The Shock of the Century, a book by Paul Dickson released today, is a fascinating look into the historical, political, social and technological ramifications of the Russian sattellite that launched the Space Race, and changed the course of how information traveled.
(Today is my birthday, as well—which should explain my interest in the subject.)
Britain releases document that proves Osama Bin Laden is guilty...
All Over But for the Crying
Dogs in the News.
One of my favorite things about surfing the web is stumbling upon someone's magnificent obsession.
One of my favorite things about surfing the web is stumbling upon someone's magnificent obsession. In order to qualify as a Magnificent Obsession (M.E.) -- at least according to my definition -- the hobby must strike me as slightly-to-extremely insane while, at the same time, fill me with admiration for the hobbyist's discipline. Some M.E.s are about collecting totally useless data (like the main link above), or like this research into EXIT Sign Coloration; or strange items, like Wal-Mart receipts or air-sickness bags. But my favorite M.E.s are the ones that lead to huge expense and huge amounts of time spent building or fixing wonderful, useless objects -- like planetarium projectors or Lost in Space robots, which "can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $35,000 and vary in detail depending on the abilities and resources made available to the builder. A project like this can take months if not years to complete."
Know any other good M.E. links?
Warning this is funny
Warning this is funny This is good for a morning chuckle. If you are in a cube you might want to turn down your volume.
What did you think of West Wing
What did you think of West Wing last night? Beyond the fact that it was preachy and simplistic, did you think that it was a good or bad approach to handling complex issues through a show that is respected for presenting political dialogues in a pop culture format? Additionally, what do you think of the way in which pop culture seems to have returned to normal? This topic appears in both the NY Times and USA Today, today, as it becomes clear that prime time ratings are stronger than ever after the attacks.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry says that the evidence against Al Qaeda is convincing. The Taliban say that even if they were given convincing evidence, they still wouldn't give up bin Laden.
Sibir Airlines flight downed en route from Tel Aviv.
Sibir Airlines flight downed en route from Tel Aviv. It is not yet clear whether or not this was a terrorist act. It does seem, however, that there was an explosion on board.
Taliban gets rich from drug trade.
Taliban gets rich from drug trade. So, how long will it be until copping a buzz is considered "aiding and abetting terrorism"? Also, between these charges and the legitimate threats to safety presented by actual terrorism, does the already severely diminished Fourth Amendment really stand a chance?
Is the west creating the new Osama?
Is the west creating the new Osama? An excellent (as always) article by Robert Fisk in the Independent. Is the "Northern Alliance" just another bunch of fanatical thugs? If so is the West wise in supporting them?
A real cancer cure, finally?
A real cancer cure, finally? When I'm in my cups, I like to declaim that "Some of us now living may never die" or stuff of the sort. Is this the real thing? Is the time finally here when enormous jumps in our natural lifespan are going to start happening, at least for the rich? What would you do if you had an extra 20, or 50, or 100 years?
October 3
"Everyone's favorite nut!"
"Everyone's favorite nut!" A Metafilter search finds the word "nut" in 2058 threads, pistachios once. Sometimes I like pistachios with a beer, but never with a whiskey.
"Whatever else is going on, the liberal-left alliance has taken as big a hit as the conservative-fundamentalist alliance after the blame-America remarks of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson ... It may be [...] that the far left's bluff has been finally called ... For the first time in a very long while, many liberals are reassessing--quietly for the most part--their alliance with the anti-American, anticapitalist forces they have long appeased, ignored or supported." Andrew Sullivan in Thursday's Opinion Journal. Strong piece, but is he correct? I've seen a few people reassessing here and there, but not a lot, at least not yet.
Race For the Cure
Race For the Cure In the midst of our mass grief and generosity are we forgetting the daily victims of this disease that also robs children of a parent? Are normal charities being short changed?
The G-Rated War: Blowing Smoke, Pipe Dream, or The Real Hashish?
The G-Rated War: Blowing Smoke, Pipe Dream, or The Real Hashish?
I want to spin antiwar arguments a slightly different way. Previous threads have been quite dim. This Cnn chat transcript focuses on the use of non-lethal weapons, the need to separate innocents from terrorists and separate terrorist networks from Islamic states, and the interviewee is as much as suit as they come. You could cut a diamond on that crew cut. I have several questions: 1) Is the US military actually going to use non-lethal weapons, or is this the new "smart bomb?" 2) Do the 'pacificists' among us consider this to be pacificist? 3) If you do favor peace over war, do you think this is a good compromise between peace and war, or is the issue by definition binary? More > >
I want to spin antiwar arguments a slightly different way. Previous threads have been quite dim. This Cnn chat transcript focuses on the use of non-lethal weapons, the need to separate innocents from terrorists and separate terrorist networks from Islamic states, and the interviewee is as much as suit as they come. You could cut a diamond on that crew cut. I have several questions: 1) Is the US military actually going to use non-lethal weapons, or is this the new "smart bomb?" 2) Do the 'pacificists' among us consider this to be pacificist? 3) If you do favor peace over war, do you think this is a good compromise between peace and war, or is the issue by definition binary? More > >
Canadian feminist delivers good third world rant.
Canadian feminist delivers good third world rant. Problem being that, the last time anyone checked, Canada was part of the First World. How far did she have to reach to find solidarity with the Taliban?
Do you miss the music from your old NES games?
Do you miss the music from your old NES games? Well if you do, be sure to check out the minibosses. They're a band that only plays the songs to classic video games from the Nintendo Entertainment System. Great stuff. I particularly enjoyed the Wizards & Warriors track amusing, since I was addicted to that game when I was younger. Also, am I the only one who thinks there should be a new console system DEDICATED to only 2D games? 3D games are neat 'n all, but I don't think enough good 2D games are being made anymore. The Gameboy Advance is probably the only system doing that sort of thing right now, but it's just a portable.
Biden to propose reconstruction if Afghanistan attacked.
Biden to propose reconstruction if Afghanistan attacked. Sounds good to me.
Black Death Decoded:
Black Death Decoded: the BBC is reporting that scientists have decoded the genetic structure of the bacterium responsible for the plague. More information is available here. Meanwhile Harvard is working on an anthrax antidote.
He
He no longer resembles a human. Saw the video premiere last night on MTV (download if you can stomach it). At first jocko's face is concealed, but then the result of years of mutilation is revealed. I've always wondered what an earthling would grow up to look like on a planet with slightly different climate and gravity, and er, well, you'll see.
I understand Brando getting involved, but Michael Madsen and Chris Tucker must really need the cash.
The...horror.... The... horror...
Superbad
Superbad has a new look.
Metascene is alive!
Metascene is alive! In case you were getting worried like me, apparently metascene survived the transplant to NY and is posting again. Well, sorta...
Hijacked Plane Said to Land in New Delhi.
Hijacked Plane Said to Land in New Delhi. NYTimes article -- you know the deal. CNN and Salon both confirm.
Representative Ron Paul: 'It is clear that protecting certain oil interests and our presence in the Persian Gulf help drive the holy war.' This is his speech to the House of Representatives after 9.11 blaming(in part) U.S. foreign policy for the tragedy. Does anyone have any insight into members of the body politic who are pushing for research into environmentally sound alternatives to oil? The U.S. takes pride in being the best at everything, why not be the best at saving our planet and eliminating our blood-ties with OPEC?
Stone Baby born in Zaire.
Stone Baby born in Zaire. The woman noted that she had been pregnant about three years ago and everything seemed to be going fine, but "the baby never came out."
Michael Kelly nails it.
Michael Kelly nails it. Are "pacifists" inherently relying on others to defend their right to protest the war? Or do they wish to live in a nation where we pledge allegiance to Saddam and Osama?
On September 30th, there was a peace protest in Washington D.C.
On September 30th, there was a peace protest in Washington D.C. I'm surprised no one else linked to this -- about 50 students from my college attended and joined the crowd of a few thousand. I would have gone, but I'm dubious about the efficacy of public protest despite the fact that I'm an affirmed pacifist. What do you folks think? Will a totally non-military action be an appropriate response? (And is there any possiblity of the US acting in such a way?) Is the loss of a single additional human life in this new war justifiable?
NYTimes blacklisting?
NYTimes blacklisting? "All the writers are co-plaintiffs in a well-known class-action lawsuit by the Authors Guild and the National Writers Union against the Times over electronic rights and royalties disputes." The case reached the Supreme Court. NYTimes published an article 25 Sep about the accusation though its now a "pay-per-view" article. Response to NYT from one the plaintiffs here (slow server). Freelancers had expressed fear this would happen.
The anonymous terrorist
The anonymous terrorist The advent of the anonymous terrorist is a relatively new phenomenon. It does not necessarily suit the purposes of anarchists and religious extremists to publicise their activities, and they can ‘enjoy’ the anonymity and ambiguity provided by the Internet.
buffy is dead
buffy is dead no she's not! yes she is. well, she ain't healthy. and her site is gone. didn't UPN have the sense to get the url in deal? and who watched the show last night?
The Forum 3000 is dead.
The Forum 3000 is dead. (Google cached snapshot) Anyone know where it went? Where am I going to go to get my daily dose of Objectivist-mocking triangle-theory CMU wit?
Next attack by containership?
Next attack by containership? The head of security at Logan Airport, responsible not only for security lapses that led to 2 of the 9/11 hijackings but hundreds of other lapses as well, has been removed from his post--and reassigned as the head of security at the Port of Boston. Mass. politics at its finest.
Why the media has no credibility....
Why the media has no credibility.... Read the title, then read the caption under the picture.
Sigh....
Here's your box of dirt.
Here's your box of dirt. The families of the more than 5,000 victims of the World Trade Center attack will each receive a wooden urn with dirt from the mass graveyard.
I know, I know... another story involving the WTC bombings. But this one is struck me as odd.
Kuwaitis Still Missing 11 Years After Invasion
Kuwaitis Still Missing 11 Years After Invasion "They go on about the suffering of the Iraqi people under sanctions and say we are doing this just to keep the embargo in place."
The War Against MP3?
The War Against MP3? Hilary Rosen, everyone's favourite defender of record company hegemony, outlines her new strategy ("Help me help you.") in an email leaked to FuckedCompany. Interestingly, it's aimed at beating the dastardly hackers at their own game, with tactics such as "Spoofing and/or interdiction methods for existing peer to peers". Signs of desparation on the part of the RIAA, or should people be making the most of the second-generation Napster clones while they have a chance?
The Politics of Central Asia
The Politics of Central Asia "The US will be under pressure to pitch its tent in Russia's back yard and help to clean the place up."
The Decline of Fashion Photography, an argument in pictures
The Decline of Fashion Photography, an argument in pictures Interesting look at fashion photography today. Great images. Witty text.
Help say NO to terrorism
Help say NO to terrorism ... then say yes to an in-box full of crap. Some spam sent me here. Nowadays, 'evil' seems like too strong a word for this sort of thing, but it's not far off the mark.
How much do you know about the Middle East?
How much do you know about the Middle East? A quiz about Middle East geography and history. I wonder if people are scoring better on this now than they would have a month ago?
US to give detailed evidence of Bin Laden's Involvement.
US to give detailed evidence of Bin Laden's Involvement. Apparently the US government does have enough evidence to hang Osama, but they're not telling just anyone ... you have to be part of NATO or the Pakistan government to get in on the info.
Remember those "let's all chip in" posters from WWII? Of course you don't. Well, we're starting to see updates for the Present Situation. Don't sell fertilizer to swarthy males! (Ann Coulter's words, not mine)
American Triumphant
American Triumphant and Can't Cry Hard Enough are nice photo montages with music. There seems to be photo montage fever. Post'em if ya got'em.
``The truth doesn't even matter anymore. This is not about truth. This is about perceptions, attitudes, dislikes and malicious intent..."
``The truth doesn't even matter anymore. This is not about truth. This is about perceptions, attitudes, dislikes and malicious intent..." Three firefighters were suspended following an incident where they removed an American flag from a truck for maintenance considerations. Later, during informal discussions in the station it came out that neither considered the flag to represent what they feel America is about. Only then were they suspended pending further investigation. Also, it wasn't official policy until after this incident that all firetrucks in the county must fly the flag.
Seems to me that the flag ceases to be a symbol of freedom when one is forced to carry it.
Greyhound suspends service.
Greyhound suspends service. Rinearson said when she refused to give up her seat, "He just went up to the bus driver and like slit his throat. And the bus driver turned the wheel and the bus tipped over." Normally, just another whack-job ending his days. But the annoying thing was listening to the radio this morning on the way to work and all they could keep wondering about aloud was what the guy's nationality was. What, is the first reaction of normal people when they see a little spark or ember to immediately rush over and fan it into raging flames? Are people no longer able to think critically? Is your response to the situation going to be different if the nationality answer is 'American' vs. 'Saudi'? What does this say about you?
Mercedes supercar
Mercedes supercar to be built in Britain. God, that feels to good to read. Am I xenophobic, nationalistic or proud of the Euoropean Community on my doorstep? I'm not sure, but how can you hold a grudge against a country with this?
There are rules for flying the flag.
There are rules for flying the flag. Not that anyone is really following them. In our patriotic fervor, it seems to me that we as a nation are become very apathetic to handling the banner in ways that at other times gets people crying desecration. For those who find the formal flag too dry, the American Legion also provides this handy FAQ. How many of you out there showing your patriotism are doing Ol' Glory justice?
Weblog tracker weblogs.com is going to change.
Weblog tracker weblogs.com is going to change. In the new version, weblogs have to send an XML-RPC or SOAP 1.1 message to weblogs.com to indicate an alteration.
October 2
Another Fake Hate Crime (via Romesko's Obscure Store)
Another Fake Hate Crime (via Romesko's Obscure Store) Tragedies bring out the worst in folks, too. Interesting that that this doesn't seem to have been picked up anywhere else.
A French Website Devoted to Jack Vance
A veritable potpourri of je ne sais quoi : so, I'm just dinkin' around, looking things up from my wish list, compiled before I got online at home,
tonight's quest was 'Virgil Finlay,'
and I back into this incredible virtual theme park devoted to the greatest living American science fiction author (that lifted straight from my show's, ahem, links page, that), imo--no humble here and now--and it's got starcharts of the Oikumene and maps and meals...gee, did I say it was a French site? And Rpgs and on and on and on...You 'could her nipples be any harder?' Klingon forehead hair splitting color TV babies have no idea: the technology does not exist to take his work to screen. The man is the premiere prose stylist of the genre and this concept has merit, I tells ya...
America's Obsession With Movies Reaches The WTC Attacks
America's Obsession With Movies Reaches The WTC Attacks The website Metaphilm(grrr...)says the 1998 movie The Siege eerily anticipated the WTC attacks and offers a list of impressive coincidences to back up its analysis. Is this taking moviemania too far? Or is there something in it?
(More)
3-D imagery
3-D imagery from NOAA of the crater at ground zero, engineers are using them to find the location of elevators and support structures located beneath the rubble.
Christian Fundamentalism Inspiring Radical Muslim Theology?
Christian Fundamentalism Inspiring Radical Muslim Theology? Arab fundamentalists long ago woke up to the potential of European anti-Semitic literature such as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Now, in a truly bizarre piece of cultural miscegenation, they are turning to the Bible belt for inspiration.
Teacher reprimanded for telling class she wished GWB had been a victim of 911.
Teacher reprimanded for telling class she wished GWB had been a victim of 911. In other news a man was arrested for burning a U.S. flag in IN. Personally, America isn't a free country where you can't express yourself.
Minn. Nat'l Guard Replace Strikers
Minn. Nat'l Guard Replace Strikers 22,000 state workers on strike and the media isnt reporting it? Odd in these propaganda filled times?
....there needs to be a sea change in the way that America looks at the world.
....there needs to be a sea change in the way that America looks at the world. - Jim the Mad Monk ( American nomad and author of Mad Monks on the Road and How to Talk American ) gets serious.
US-Israel Foreign Policy
US-Israel Foreign Policy I dont agree completely with the writer but foreign policy is important. Interesting article nevertheless.
Is free speech on shakier grounds
Is free speech on shakier grounds after the Tragedy? Or is the Texas City Sun just a backwaters, hick rag for Godfearing obsolescents?
Remote control jets (Yahoo news)
Remote control jets (Yahoo news) Is this really a good idea? I've heard similar suggestions for our airways - but the article points out that centralizing air traffic has the potential to put entire fleets of jumbo jets in the hands of terrorists.
One for the conspiracy theorists?
One for the conspiracy theorists? On 7th of September, Governor Jeb Bush signed Executive Order 01-261, revising his powers to call up the Florida National Guard "in the event of civil disturbances or natural disasters", citing as one of its concerns "the potential massive damage to life and property that may result from an act of terrorism at a Florida port". Four days later, after the WTC attacks, his very next Executive Order declared a State of Emergency and activated the National Guard under those revised powers. (It's still in place.) Now, we all know that the President was in the coastal city of Sarasota, Florida on the morning of the 11th, and we also know that Disney World closed its doors as a precaution after the attacks... so, coincidence? (Picked up from media-squatters.)
Fighting back
Fighting back Des this have a familiar ring to it? Seems I have heard this music score before...
The Beast
The Beast '88 movie about a tank commander and his crew during the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. Has anyone else seen it?
But what's your position on opium?
But what's your position on opium?
The Islamic State of Afghanistan wants US citizens to learn the difference between them and the Taleban, and has posted some friendly e-mails they've received. Of course its conventional wisdom that the NA are our best allies in quashing the Taleban---and afghangovernment.org reflects this oversimplification.
The Islamic State of Afghanistan wants US citizens to learn the difference between them and the Taleban, and has posted some friendly e-mails they've received. Of course its conventional wisdom that the NA are our best allies in quashing the Taleban---and afghangovernment.org reflects this oversimplification.
Afghani Public Service Announcement
Afghani Public Service Announcement Brought to you by the Talibani Ad Council...
All snarks aside, I can't tell if this is a real report or some early western propaganda. Given their past hijinks, I'm inclined to believe...
(Via Fark)
Try This Quiz -- Famous Dates in American History
Try This Quiz -- Famous Dates in American History We all love to take an online quiz, so...Boston.com has a quiz today that asks you to match specific dates to important moments in U.S. history. Just how well do you really know your history, gang?
Mister Pants is alive!
Mister Pants is alive! In case you were getting worried like me, apparently Mister Pants survived the transplant to LA and is posting again.
Bush had plans to back Arafat
Bush had plans to back Arafat before 9/11.
10/02/2001. Is today the first palandrome since December 31, 1321? What is your favorite palandrome?
Q&A about Muslims and Arab-Americans
Q&A about Muslims and Arab-Americans
Recommended read for all friends who think they need clarifications.
Recommended read for all friends who think they need clarifications.
Strom Thurmond collapses in Senate.
I've been away for a couple of weeks and was surprised when I came back and didn't find any threads to do with the 10th anniversary for the most influencial album of the 90s. It's been just over 10 years since Nirvana realeased 'Nevermind'. I wonder what band will have the biggest influence on the next 10 years of rock 'n roll?
For Serious Pancakionistas Only
For Serious Pancakionistas Only The dizzy, Zen-like Cool of Flap Jack Do It Again meets The Enduring Hilarity of Transcript(more)
How to make $4 million, the easy way.
How to make $4 million, the easy way. A bankrupt Connecticut couple starts a business and secures state, city, and private funding. Then they go out of business and disappear from the face of the earth.
Yahoo made a subtle change to its site today to raise awareness about a cancer that will be diagnosed in 192,000 women in the U.S. this year.
"Umm, hi, Mum, I'm not going to be able to make lunch today..."
"Umm, hi, Mum, I'm not going to be able to make lunch today..."
More evidence that Bin Laden is indeed the guilty party. (NYT link)
More evidence that Bin Laden is indeed the guilty party. (NYT link)
The Twenty Most Critical Internet Security Vulnerabilities
The Twenty Most Critical Internet Security Vulnerabilities
This is a list of Internet security tips that SAMS and the FBI updated yesterday. The list is really aimed at IT professionals and does not offer much advice to the home user. My advise for any home user who is worried about viruses and security: 1. Don't use Windows OS, any Windows OS (try Linux or Mac) 2. Remove Outlook from your computer. 3. Don't open e-mail attachments you did not ask for.
This is a list of Internet security tips that SAMS and the FBI updated yesterday. The list is really aimed at IT professionals and does not offer much advice to the home user. My advise for any home user who is worried about viruses and security: 1. Don't use Windows OS, any Windows OS (try Linux or Mac) 2. Remove Outlook from your computer. 3. Don't open e-mail attachments you did not ask for.
The Taliban's Bravest Opponents (via Salon)
The Taliban's Bravest Opponents (via Salon) article/interview about the women's underground movement in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
National Review Cans Columnist Ann Coulter
National Review Cans Columnist Ann Coulter as a contributing editor after her call to "invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity." For a person who makes a living out of being as obnoxious, partisan and mean as she can be will this do anything but put her in the spotlight and help her career? The way she has slammed the National Review since her axing seems to indicate this will be the case. And she's already blaming the "liberal" media and the "anti-Christian bigots."
The Kabul Museum
The Kabul Museum ...prior to its destruction in 1993. What's left of the exhibits is now in the hands of looters and their customers. Just part of the continuing sadness...
The W3C's RAND Patent Policy
The W3C's RAND Patent Policy commenting deadline has been extended. At first glance, the new policies seem to encourage software patents, but after reading the whole thing and the W3C's response to current comments, it looks, to my admittedly naive eyes, as though the W3C is trying to make it so that companies using proprietary software are going to have to make it available to other people for licensing. Why is this new structure potentially a bad thing?
Can the human mind affect random number generators?
Can the human mind affect random number generators? Sounds absurd (especially to a diehard skeptic like me), but this research is coming out of Princeton, not some fringe group. And here is an independent experiment which seems to confirm the effect. I've emailed CSICOP and The Skeptic Magazine about it, but haven't heard back yet. Anyone know anything about this stuff?
Caterina lists every book she's ever read
Caterina lists every book she's ever read on her website (found via Follow Me Here). Her site reminded me of another site I found a few years ago, in which a guy listed every book he'd ever read since he was 8 or 10 or something. He'd even done a word count. Anyone know the URL of this site? I ran a google search and didn't find the site I was looking for, but I did discover that many other people keep lists of all the books they've read, including this reader, whose list goes all the way back to 1958.
"History of America" by Jerry Falwell
"History of America" by Jerry Falwell - "Lessonds from our very own Fundamentalist Cleric". The Modern Humorist provides a much needed chuckle.
"I have no hesitation in describing this mentality, carefully and without heat, as soft on crime and soft on fascism. No political coalition is possible with such people and, I’m thankful to say, no political coalition with them is now necessary. It no longer matters what they think." Christopher Hitchens says that intellectuals of the left who seek to understand the new enemy are no friends of peace, democracy or human life. Two different versions of the same article here and here. Along the same lines, a piece from The Economist arguing that "Whatever its mistakes, the idea that America brought the onslaught upon itself is absurd."
Polls say
Polls say blacks tend to favor checks.
"African-Americans ... are more likely than other racial groups to favor profiling and stringent airport security checks for Arabs and Arab-Americans in the wake of this month's terrorist attacks, two separate polls indicate."
"African-Americans ... are more likely than other racial groups to favor profiling and stringent airport security checks for Arabs and Arab-Americans in the wake of this month's terrorist attacks, two separate polls indicate."
"The findings by the Gallup Organization and Zogby International were met with varying degrees of disappointment and disbelief by black activists and intellectuals, who struggled with explanations."
Could it be that income and education are more related to racialist attitudes than race itself?
October 1
Whoa! Google adds graphics to their interface, and not only that, but they're a tabbed interface. I hope they've done extensive testing before choosing such a limiting method of navigation.
Susan Sontag's
Susan Sontag's getting bashed royale--ala Bill Maher--in the New Yorker forum (oh, you'll have to register to read them) and various over-the-top op-ed pages for the piece she was asked to write for Talk of The Town right after the attack. I don't know, she didn't say anything about the hijackers that Dinesh D'Souza didn't say on Politically Incorrect the same night Maher got himself in trouble. And as for me, "Let's by all means grieve together. But let's not be stupid together. A few shreds of historical awareness might help us understand what has just happened, and what may continue to happen," is not the most inflammatory thing I ever read. Especially, the 'let's not be stupid together' part.
"First they came..."
"First they came..."
Just a friendly reminder for all those folks who think it is somehow acceptable to allow the US government to infringe upon our civil liberties in the name of...[fill in the blank].
Just a friendly reminder for all those folks who think it is somehow acceptable to allow the US government to infringe upon our civil liberties in the name of...[fill in the blank].
A reporter dons the Islamic hijaab
A reporter dons the Islamic hijaab and writes about the reactions she receives. I'm ashamed to admit that I probably would have been one of the people who pretended she was invisible...
with all the discussion about chemical or biological warfare, i can't help but be reminded of the sarin attack on tokyo subways in 1995. many of the people directly affected by the attack acted strangely. (more inside...)
salon starts charging for "staff-written copy."
salon starts charging for "staff-written copy." I guess I should start saving anything I want from the archives now.
The horror one man can unleash upon an unsuspecting public
The horror one man can unleash upon an unsuspecting public What a lead sentence; "A U.S. court shut down thousands of Web sites after it determined that they diverted Web surfers and held them captive while bombarding them with ads for pornography and gambling, the U.S. government said on Monday." Redefines the meaning of "get a life".
Pimp Hats for you and me...
Pimp Hats for you and me... Looking to be a pimp or "playa" this Halloween? Check out the gear... yiz-ow!
Remember, kids: "Don't hate the Playa, hate the game."
LetMeStayTillMyDeath.com?
LetMeStayTillMyDeath.com? The Ramon Stoppelenburg deathpool inaugurates as the naïve young lad jets to Sithifrica. Will he survive? “I found out that South Africa isn’t that criminal as I was told at previous places and by people I met on the road. It is just a country where you have to take extreme caution. I can’t just walk with my mobile phone to my ear in downtown Johannesburg and take some photographs with my camera at the same time. There is a minor possibility that I get shot to dead and mugged the next moment”
New US National Anthem?
New US National Anthem? Slate's Dialogue this week is about alternatives to "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the US national anthem. Should we keep it? If we replaced it, what should we replace it with?
Contribute to the Sept. 11 Web Archive
Contribute to the Sept. 11 Web Archive : in an attempt to preserve the transitory nature of the Web, webArchivist.org, The Internet Archive and the Library of Congress are creating a, well, archive of Web pages - the emphasis is on personal sites and non-American sites. Some of the most riveting, compelling stories I've ever read were from personal sites, so I personally think this is worthy.
How Sleazy Sellers Rake in Big Bucks on the City's Suffering.
How Sleazy Sellers Rake in Big Bucks on the City's Suffering. When I saw this headline on the NY Post this morning I assumed that it was an article explaining the Post's marketing strategy. The Post put gratuitous photos of the WTC explosion on the front cover for a story about exposing salesmen who were making money from selling the photos. Good old Rupert!
Depression leads to brain changes lead to depression leads to...
Depression leads to brain changes lead to depression leads to... Augh! Is anyone else aggravated by an article that starts right out by sounding confused?
"Antidepressant therapy may reverse the structural changes that take place in the brain as a result of depression... Researchers are unclear about the exact brain changes that lead to depression..."
"Antidepressant therapy may reverse the structural changes that take place in the brain as a result of depression... Researchers are unclear about the exact brain changes that lead to depression..."
Cool slideshow of the Space Shuttle being piggy-backed by the NASA 747.
Cool slideshow of the Space Shuttle being piggy-backed by the NASA 747. The #3 slide did give me a scare though.
Sharon Stone hospitalized for brain ailment.
Sharon Stone hospitalized for brain ailment. I don't want to snicker, but I can't stop.
Columnists Fired After Criticizing Bush
Columnists Fired After Criticizing Bush Two columnists for dailies in Texas and Oregon have been fired after writing pointed opinion pieces critical of President Bush's handling of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
A lot of people have been asking for "proof." Here is your proof. And it makes for chilling reading.
Mahnamahna!
Mahnamahna! Just a moment of levity for a heavy Monday. For the full experience, download the video. In the words of the site: "Watch it, pray to it, name your first born after it, invite it over for dinner, but most importantly, download Mahnamahna. Spread the Mahnamahna word!"
The Terrorists Did NOT Use Encryption.
The Terrorists Did NOT Use Encryption. None of the communications, authorities said Sunday, involved the use of encryption or other code to disguise the contents of the messages.
"Innocent Muslim doctor tells of arrest, two-week ordeal "
"Innocent Muslim doctor tells of arrest, two-week ordeal " San Antonio News-Express interview of Dr. Al Badr Al-Hazmi, the Saudi radiologist arrested--in error--by the FBI on 9/12. What happens after the G-men take you away.
"Blowing up Madonna would go down very well for some. She is America."
"Blowing up Madonna would go down very well for some. She is America." Hmm. Even a serious Madonna article involves "blowing" and "going down."
student sues school over poor results
student sues school over poor results i could think of some of my teachers who sucked at the Univ! i wonder if any of our US schools (private high school or college/university) have been sued for poor teaching.
Peter Drucker
Peter Drucker "There have been fundamental shifts in consumer behavior and distribution, but not because of information technology.
"The cultural impact of the Internet is far greater than the economic one."
Great Interview, lots of ideas to spark conversation...spark, spark!
"The cultural impact of the Internet is far greater than the economic one."
Great Interview, lots of ideas to spark conversation...spark, spark!
Take that Meatfilter.com...
Take that Meatfilter.com... On Monday, Oct. 1, the FTC plans to announce the beginning of a campaign against scores of Web sites that capitalize on typo variants of popular domain names in order to dupe unsuspecting Internet surfers.
I think this is a good thing, but how far can the US government truly influence shady internet practices? Should it even try?
Aaarrrrgggghhh Gap ads are driving me mad.
Aaarrrrgggghhh Gap ads are driving me mad. It's not that I don't like Gap clothes, although their sizing system defies logic. It's just those ads. Juliette Lewis and the robots, some woman I've never seen before declaring her love for Angus Young. It's all just so smug. Every single campaign Gap has done I've hated. Is this the feeling in the US?
Let your feelings slip, boy, but never your mask.
Let your feelings slip, boy, but never your mask. Dirty.org is the online presence of the group Underworld. You can listen to (occasionally live) streamed music, check out their gallery project detailing urban decay, or inquire about a charity dedicated to archiving the traditions of Tibetan Buddhists. Karl Hyde and Rick Smith, both members of uber UK design firm tomato, also ask the big question.
Former President Bill Clinton has been suspended from practicing law before the Supreme Court
Former President Bill Clinton has been suspended from practicing law before the Supreme Court Although I'm certainly not a member of the Clinton Fan Club, there doesn't seem to be any purpose served by this action. Does anyone really think Clinton is going to go back into a law practice?
Dack is back,
Dack is back, but not in the blogging sense. Many here at MeFi thought he'd bring his blog back after it ceased in May. His front page is now a collection of links urging peaceful resolution of the Current Situation. Refresh a few times to see a variety of quotes.
Conde Nast to shutter Mademoiselle.
Conde Nast to shutter Mademoiselle. The "deteriorating advertising environment" is blamed for the closing of the 66-year-old title, where Sylvia Plath first cut her teeth on the journalistic life. While Mlle's recent content has devolved into Cosmo-like treatises on how to please your man in bed and where to buy the clothing that will lure him in that general direction, it is more than a bit upsetting (particularly to someone who's trying to eke out a living as a writer) to see yet another Conde Nast-owned title (Details and Women's Sports & Fitness; Fairchild bought Details out and launched a revamped version) fall victim to the great advertising contraction of the past 12 months.
Arundhati Roy on the tragedy.
Arundhati Roy on the tragedy. The most eloquent and thoughtful essay I've read so far. Coincidentally, about the only good journamlism I've encountered on the subject has been from British and French press.
Beam me up, Scotty.
Beam me up, Scotty. We might have to wait a few more years, though.
I Forgot about Grey Day
I Forgot about Grey Day did anyone else?
Celtic's Taliban?
Celtic's Taliban? . Glasgow smeltic fans are a disgrace to Scotland
Ignoring for a second that he is probably a mass murderer, do you think that Bin Laden's fight is a just one? I'm not asking about his method, that is obviously appalling, what I am asking you is whether you think that his cause is fair/right/just. Try putting yourself in Arab or Muslim shoes, then consider whether you would support his general plight. (the commentary on Bin Laden starts next to the paypal icon on the left, so scroll down if you are busy, otherwise don't as the rest of the article is quite a good crack.)