March 2003 Archives
March 31
timemaker
Pay no attention to the shooting.
As a brief distraction from all the death and destruction, let's head over to the museum of hoaxes, where we'll find the top 100 April Fool's day pranks of all time.
Good luck with your own respective hoaxing.
sexblogs
Tired of WarBlogs? (NSFW) Most blogs are people whining about their life, computers or the war. Not sexblogs. I'm not involved with this site, but I noticed them when they linked to me.
Soundtrack of the city
Dave Bidini, of the Rheostatics, lists fifty songs that remind him of Toronto. In the spirit of this thread, if your city had a soundtrack, what would it be? [via Boing Boing]
Lookism Gone Awry
Perhaps This Public Image/Persona Thing Has Gone Just A Little Too Far: Luís Campos Lopes, the manager of the Portuguese football team Vitoria de Setúbal has just been sacked for "projecting a negative image of the club". [Link in Portuguese, but please read on.] The reason? Just watch the photo-sequence in the main link. Luís Lopes had trouble putting on his Setúbal vest during a crucial game with Benfica! I.e. the powerful sports media in Portugal and Brazil have had a riot with the photographs and the poor widdle proprietors were embarrassed. So? He may not be a brilliant manager - but isn't this blatant lookism? Isn't "image" becoming much too big for its boots, as it were, in professional sports? [Here is the only English language reference I could find. Please scroll down to "Luís Campos".]
Farewell Mr. Noodle
Mr. Noodle's Brother Mr. Noodle a.k.a. Michael Jeter passed away over the weekend. Those of us with young children glued to Elmo's World will know him on sight. With everything going on in Iraq, we don't need any more bad news, but the loss of this actor has really effected me.
Silly Noodle...you'll be missed.
They're real! They're really real!
Save the Pacific Tree Octopus! There have been many debates about loss of habitat for localized species, but a little known fight is underway to help save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus. "An intelligent and inquisitive being...the tree octopus explores its arboreal world by both touch and sight." Won't you help?!
if you can find time to pull the metafilter stick out of your collective behinds ...
Remember everyone tomorrow, April 1st, is Make Fun of Dick and Lynne Cheney day, (because Neal Pollack said so). If you run any kind of website or publication and have the power to mock, belittle or poke fun at the second family, it's your patriotic duty to do so.
Bad cows! Bad, bad cows!
Milk is bad for you? Is nothing sacred? When I was growing up, milk was about the purest, cleanest and healthiest thing you could drink (except maybe for the warm carton that we were give at school every day). Now, it seems, we have been killing ourselves slowly by drinking the wrong kind of milk. The authorities and some vested interests are not convinced, but there certainly seems to be quite a bit of evidence to support the theories.
Nuclear War Survival Skills
Nuclear War Survival Skills: Journey back sixteen years to a simpler time, when the impending apocalypse was a much less complicated affair. [more inside]
Coldly beautiful, like Bea Arthur
Beautiful gallery of ice sculptures. Well, not "scupltures" in the traditional sense of blocks of ice carved into horses and such, but rather abstract shapes, with fixed lighting. Really attractive. via BoingBoing
Four Lights
...implants a device in his body that delivers agonizing pain at the push of a button, and over the course of many days attempts to wear him down through a disturbingly simple process of psychological warfare. He is seated in a chair with four bright lights shining in his face, and the captor attempts through painful coercion to make him say that there are, in fact, five lights. Every time he refuses to say there are five lights, he is drilled with pain. In essence, he is expected to deny the reality described by his own eyes, and surrender the will of his mind to the definition of reality offered by his captor. Four Lights, a thesis [2]
Iraq civilians shot at checkpoint
Human Filter. "U.S. troops killed seven Iraqi women and children at a checkpoint Monday when the Iraqis' van would not stop as ordered, a military official said."
King Kong
Foreigners are plotting to revisit an ancient menace upon New York, and indeed the whole country! I would have thought this sort of terror was something that could have been left in the past.
sweet land of ...
Secret Police strike again. What country is this, again?
Malevich
Happy birthday, Kasimir Malevich! The Guggenheim has curated an exhibition (currently in Berlin and coming to New York in May) to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the birth of this Russian avant-garde painter who, among other things, was a major influence on El Lissitzky and worked alongside Liubov Popova. The story of how the show itself came to be -- featuring many works never before seen in the West -- makes for rather dramatic reading, to boot. (NYTimes link; reg. req.) [more inside]
First World War Stories
World War 1 Memoirs and Diaries , by soldiers, nurses and chaplains. 'With the advent of the world wide web, an opportunity arose for the descendants of many survivors to publish fragments of diary entries for the education and interest of others. '
The diary of Edwin Jones, who fought in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
Via the firstworldwar.com website, which also features poetry and prose (including an overview of British World War 1 satire and how it reflected the class system at the time); propaganda posters; and miscellaneous features on everything from the Christmas truce to the disputed sexuality of T.E. Lawrence.
Related :- an interview with one of the last British WW1 survivors, aged 107 ('I survived the trenches - and would never go back'), and the BBC's 80th anniversary site, which includes five poignant, sometimes tragic, letters from soldiers to family and friends.
The diary of Edwin Jones, who fought in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
Via the firstworldwar.com website, which also features poetry and prose (including an overview of British World War 1 satire and how it reflected the class system at the time); propaganda posters; and miscellaneous features on everything from the Christmas truce to the disputed sexuality of T.E. Lawrence.
Related :- an interview with one of the last British WW1 survivors, aged 107 ('I survived the trenches - and would never go back'), and the BBC's 80th anniversary site, which includes five poignant, sometimes tragic, letters from soldiers to family and friends.
I hear diseased urine is delivered directly into the Great Lakes!
With an increase in the number of cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome at the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children, Canada now poses more of a direct threat to the American way of life than all of the weapons in Iraq combined. As the relationship between these two North American real estate holders continues to deteriorate, are we Canadians to expect border closings and escalated hostility due to this?
The future we were promised.
An exhibit of the art of Radebaugh and what the future looked like from the 50's.
"The post-World War II optimism that pervaded the nation extended to the not-too-distant future, with its promise of spaceship-traveled skyways whirring in a utopia of streamlined cityscapes.
Now, the works of A.C. Radebaugh -- a top illustrator of the day whose works helped define that future-vision -- are being shown in a retrospective at a quirky art gallery obsessed with Americana of the mid-20th century."
Bamboo Dick
Making cool things with paper.
Need a diversion from you-know-what? Make something out of paper. When you get tired of origami, paper airplanes, and paper balloons, try paper craft. Yamaha has a great site with downloadable papercraft templates, including not only their great motorcycles, but many animals as well. Canon also has a great selection, including a spectacular architecture selection. Not geeky enough? Try these Star Wars templates. Not difficult enough? Try this Mistubishi FTO. Not cute enough? Try these. For those of you that need some connection to the war, here you go. Last but not least, this index contains links to all kinds of great paper projects.
Celebrity TV journalist Geraldo Rivera kicked out of Iraq: Pentagon
Celebrity TV journalist Geraldo Rivera kicked out of Iraq: Pentagon I had seen Geraldo drawing the map referred to. Geraldo was not "embedded" and therefore acting as a real reporter. Did he give away key info? My suspicion is No. I had earlier seen retired officers (they all retire and then go on TV) make similar marking to show where our forces were on the way toward Baghdad. I knew in advance where Geraldo would conclude his map in the sand because I had seen it on the "embedded" reports on various cable stations.
Operation: Cover George's butt?
Operation: Cover George's butt? As the backpeddling and fingerpointing over "cakewalk" predictions continues, Talking Points Memo notes a recent article in the Charlotte Observer that quotes "senior administration officials" in saying that "dissenting views [about the war plan]' were not fully or energetically communicated to the president.'" Sounds like someones taking out an insurance policy, don't it?
Lets not forget the good things
Cesar Chavez Day With our focus on the war lets not forget what DOES make this country great, its people! I have to confess ignorance of this mans accomplishments until I turned my calendar today. Read,enjoy, learn something about a man who fought injustice with the most powerful weapon...his mind!
Media bias
Should news be independent The BBC stands accused (from some quarters) of being biased in its coverage of the Gulf war. Of course news reporting will always have a bias - but whose bias should it be?
Why I Quit 'The Sun'
A journalist with principles When Katy Weitz, an anti-war feature writer for UK paper 'The Sun' picked up Thursday's edition and saw the headline, it was a step too far. She went in the following day and without another job to go to, handed in her resignation. It was no longer possible for her to write for a paper whose views she didn't agree with. I once gave up a marketing job because it ran against my principles as well. How far can we stretch ourselves before we have to shrug our shoulders and say ... it's only a job?
So loud sound the drums of hate...
A Pyrrhic victory in a catastrophic "March of Folly"? - historian Barbara Tuchman asked: why do leaders persist in pursuing catastrophic policies? Regardless of Baath regime executions of Iraqis, the Islamic world will witness mainly "American Atrocities" - and be outraged by gruesome images, on Al Jazeera and elsewhere, of every single child killed by American bombs. Iraqi tactics - of suicide bombing, ambushes, and faked surrenders - will erase the civilian/combatant distinction, leading to more and more incidents like this (to be televised to an appalled Islamic world): and all this merely a
foreshadow of what may be urban
warfare on a scale seldom seen in the 20th century. Grozny comes to mind. Mainstream US media asserts that the solution for the whole "miscalculation" is just more US troops
But the war is tailor made to provoke tribalistic, Pan-Islamic fury (and corresponding, furiously tribalistic US patriotic support for war). Escalation is in the air: statements by Rumsfeld, Powell, and the US State Dept. indicate an awareness that the current war could spread, drawing in Syria and Iran. Consequences also could include the destabilization or the takeover, of nuclear armed Pakistan, by Islamic militants, and a Nuclear miltarization across a wide region, from Iraq to Japan.
If only this were "South Park: The Movie", where the onset of Armaggeddon can be stopped by an heroic act of sacrifice by Kenny.
But the war is tailor made to provoke tribalistic, Pan-Islamic fury (and corresponding, furiously tribalistic US patriotic support for war). Escalation is in the air: statements by Rumsfeld, Powell, and the US State Dept. indicate an awareness that the current war could spread, drawing in Syria and Iran. Consequences also could include the destabilization or the takeover, of nuclear armed Pakistan, by Islamic militants, and a Nuclear miltarization across a wide region, from Iraq to Japan.
If only this were "South Park: The Movie", where the onset of Armaggeddon can be stopped by an heroic act of sacrifice by Kenny.
hammurabi
The Code of Hammurabi is generally recognized as the first laws ever written. Hammurabi was the ruler who chiefly established the greatness of Babylon (present day Iraq), the world's first metropolis.
Play picture detective!
How on Earth was this image made? Here is an opportunity for you to play image detective. How on Earth was this image made? Is it a painting, or a map? Is it a photograph? If so, was it taken from a high-flying aircraft, or from outer space? Is it a satellite image, or possibly even something else? Click to read the feature article when you’re ready to check your answer. (cheers, lagado)
Science in the kitchen.
Science in the kitchen. It's more star trek then home-ec, the cooking of Blumenthal and the legendary Ferran Adria from El Bulli, brings the chemistry set into the kitchen. Egg and bacon ice cream anyone?
Monday Fashion Fun
Ignorance Is Truth.
"Now America is reappraising the battlefield, delaying the war, maybe a week and rewriting the war plan. The first plan has failed because of Iraqi resistance. Now they are trying to write another plan." Seems patently obvious, no? But tell Iraqi state television that and suddenly you're speaking from "a position of complete ignorance," according to the White House.
Peter Arnett, highly respected, Pulitzer Prize winner and the first journalist to interview Osama Bin Laden on film, wouldn't back down the last time a network caved into craven submission at hands of the American military, and he's been sacked by NBC/MSNBC for again refusing to do so. There's no First Amendment case, obviously, and no real surprise that the military would be exerting pressure to maintain control over information, but does the firing of high-profile Arnett for the repeating the obvious increase anybody's confidence that we're hearing anything resembling the truth?
Peter Arnett, highly respected, Pulitzer Prize winner and the first journalist to interview Osama Bin Laden on film, wouldn't back down the last time a network caved into craven submission at hands of the American military, and he's been sacked by NBC/MSNBC for again refusing to do so. There's no First Amendment case, obviously, and no real surprise that the military would be exerting pressure to maintain control over information, but does the firing of high-profile Arnett for the repeating the obvious increase anybody's confidence that we're hearing anything resembling the truth?
Blogging the War
Washington Post gives a warblog round up. The timing of the blogging going mainstream vs. Iraq war couldn't be more ironic and oddly appropriate. Washington Post provides an interesting war blog roundup that includes the usual suspects: Vodka Pundit, Instapundit, Kuro5hin and others. Are there some notable blogs they overlooked?
Fahrenheit 911
Michael Moore is making a deal with Mel Gibson's Icon Prods. to finance "Fahrenheit 911," a documentary that will trace why the U.S. has become a target for hatred and terrorism. It will also depict alleged dealings between two generations of the Bush and bin Laden clans that led to George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden becoming mortal enemies.
Children's Books Online: The Rosetta Project
Children's Books Online: The Rosetta Project is an incredible online resource for 19th century children's books. From the site: "The Rosetta Project's collections currently contain about 2,000 antique children's books which were published in the 19th and early 20th century. We shall be putting these combined collections on line as funding permits. Our current goal of putting 2,000 volumes on line will create an online library of aproximately 65,000 html pages. However, as we are still collecting books from around the world, we expect the Rosetta Project online library to eventually reach millions of html pages." (via coudal.)
another timewaster
Tired of losing the puzzle pieces under the couch? War? What war?
It's opening day!
It's opening day! (Forget that silly game last night.) Whether you follow the evil empire or the best barnstorming team, today is the start of another season. Old-timers, fantasy players, card collectors, men, women, young, old: all love America's pastime.
What IS the deal with Frodo and Sam, anyway?
Just how well do you know The Lord of the Rings? Test your knowledge here, courtesy of the Tolkien Sarcasm Page. Also of interest: the LOTR board game, and a brief synopsis of LOTR for you students who have to write a quick book report but just don't have the time to read the actual books.
Blue on Blue Blues
"A cowboy who had gone out on a jolly" British soldiers talk about surviving friendly fire, and call for the US pilot who attacked them to be prosecuted for manslaughter.
That bird will peck out your eye.
Forget all this new reality claptrap. How about the good old eighties-style claptrap? Why do I remember Manimal so fondly?
[more inside]
[more inside]
Sophisticated terrorism?
March 30
U.S loses faith in Canada
U.S. loses faith in Canada "We would be there for Canada, part of our family. And that is why so many in the United States are disappointed and upset that Canada is not fully supporting us now," says Paul Cellucci, U.S. ambassador to Canada. As pro-US sentiments from prominent Canadian figures are harshly criticized while blatant (and rather tasteless) anti-US remarks go more or less ignored by the government, has the relationship with our longtime friends up north been irreversibly soured?
A sig that spread like wildfire
People who do stupid things with hazardous materials often die. If you've been hanging around the net for a while, chances are you've seen this in someone's sig. In fact, it's so frequently quoted that it makes finding Jim Davidson's original post in alt.folklore.urban just a bit difficult to find -- but it's worth looking for! It sits in the middle of an interesting debate about how poisonous plutonium is, spurred on by the rumor(?) that it's one of the "most toxic poison[s] known to man."
Deadly poison, Los Alamos Scientists, levitating hemispheres of metal... all it really needs to round it out is true love.
Language Bullies
Language Bullies! An interesting somewhat compelling article asking us to forgive Bush's "nuccular." But will you forgive these needless exclamation marks?!!!!!
Naom Chomsky
MIT Liguist Naom Chomsky The New Yorker has a good collection of links to his articles and speeches online
pray for our president
"Pray that the President and his advisers will seek God and his wisdom daily and not rely on their own understanding" i think these people might be on to something.
Yo bro, spare an ashtray?
Last Call to fire up a smoke in NYC has now chimed. As of today, it is now illegal to smoke in any public indoor space, including bars. The New York City Indoor Smoke-Free Air Act of 2002 gives further detail as to what defines a public indoor space. That, not including your residential lease that may prohibit as well. As Andrew Jacobs writes, Walk a Mile for a Camel? Not Far Enough Anymore.
Hey Jude, what does that song mean?
Hey Jude, what does that song mean? The Beatles Discography lets you look up almost any Beatles song, and find out about its history and meaning. According to this, one of my favorite Beatles songs, "Paperback Writer," was written after Paul's aunt challenged him to write a song that wasn't about love. And "She's Leaving Home," another favorite, was based on a newspaper article about a runaway 17-year-old girl. and supposedly was attacked in the U.S. as being somehow pro-abortion. I always wondered if there was a real "Polyethene Pam," but I had no idea her name was really Pat, and that she ate plastic. Fascinating stuff.
Praise Allah!
Before 9/11, Before War on .... there was serious concern that Halliburton would be forced into bankruptcy / The company -- and Cheney's million-dollar paychecks -- were saved. Praise Allah! Never in American history has a group of government leaders profited so directly from war -- never. Like their brothers-in-arms, Saddam's Baathists, the Bushists treat their own country like a sacked town, looting the treasury for their family retainers and turning public policy to private gain. Like Saddam, they feed on fear and glorify aggression. Like Saddam, they have dishonored their nation and betrayed its people.
But the money sure is good, eh, Dick?
Oh ... Oh Sheela!
Sheela Na Gigs are stone grotesques found decorating old churches in Europe. They are characterized by "[a] huge head, staring eyes and hands reaching down between [her] wide open legs to spread [her] swollen and oversized womanhood." While the posture implies prostitution, the Sheelas are said to be representations of the Great Mother, and they are said to keep evil away. There are even some male Sheelas, like this one at Lower Swell.
Women Writers
A Celebration of Women Writers. 'Women have written almost every imaginable type of work: novels, poems, letters, biographies, travel books, religious commentaries, histories, economic and scientific works... '
'All too often, works by women, and resources about women writers, are hard to find. We attempt to provide easy access to available on-line information. ' Categorised by country, century and ethnicity; with links to some interesting specialty collections :- 19th century African-American writers (including slave narratives); school stories (covers and links); children's book illustrators; travel writers; early Japanese poets and poet-painters; sci fi, and more.
'All too often, works by women, and resources about women writers, are hard to find. We attempt to provide easy access to available on-line information. ' Categorised by country, century and ethnicity; with links to some interesting specialty collections :- 19th century African-American writers (including slave narratives); school stories (covers and links); children's book illustrators; travel writers; early Japanese poets and poet-painters; sci fi, and more.
No meat=murder?
The vegan diet can be a killer, at least that's what the State of New York thinks. Was a "strict vegan diet" the cause of a 15-month-old's demise or did New York health officials have a hand in the death?
We don't care. We don't have to.
Bell System Memorial. State approved, centrally planned and controlled: no, not this, the old Bell System. Don't miss the photos (including the first car phone!) and ads (sometimes ironic). Offsite: the affiliated Telephone Tribute, a few old Bell ads from the Prelinger archives, and an entertaining US telephony history from Bruce Sterling's famous Hacker Crackdown.
Who are these neo-conservatives? Pat Buchanan tells all
Who are these neo-conservatives? Pat Buchanan tells all.
Optimus Prime Blogs For You
You may remember the Ohio National Guardsman changed his name to a Optimus Prime. He is a firefighter deployed to the gulf. Well now he has a weblog. You can also check out some photos of him on his website.
the missionaries
Plans Under Way for Christianizing the Enemy. "Two leading evangelical Christian missionary organizations said Tuesday that they have teams of workers poised to enter Iraq to address the physical and spiritual needs of a large Muslim population."
(from Buzzflash)
God please save me from your followers!
Cosmopolitanism
The Cosmopolitan Illusion, by Lee Harris, is a challenging response to Martha Nussbaum's inspiring essay, Patriotism and Cosmopolitanism. Nussbaum's essay was the subject of a previous thread. [Via Ye Olde Phart.]
The Information War
The Information War: "Every few minutes, another burst of satellite imagery and Internet information impacts among an interactive global audience. Ambushed by info, U.S. military commanders confident in their overwhelming firepower are increasingly expressing concern that the 'velocity of information' is spinning out of their control." [more inside]
Eschatological News
War in Babylon has evangelicals seeing Earth's final days, reports the SF Chron. End-Time Interpreters See Apocalyptic Meaning in Iraq War, reports Belief Net. End-times radio from End-Times.com. Israel's End-Time Gamble, from World Net Daily. Jimmy Carter notes that a stance against war is
an almost universal conviction of religious leaders, with the most notable exception of a few spokesmen of the Southern Baptist Convention who are greatly influenced by their commitment to Israel based on eschatological, or final days, theology.Factoid:
The Southern Baptist Convention has more churches (over 37,000) in the United States than any other religious body — even more than the Catholic Church.
Take Stock in Weblogs
Take Stock in Weblogs - Blogshares is a web-based simulation of stock market where the commodity is weblog linkage. Currently, Metafilter is worth $27774.44. What's your weblog worth?
Iraq says 4000 Arabs in Iraq for 'Martyrdom'
Iraq says 4,000 Arabs in Iraq for 'Martyrdom' check the math: each martyr promised 72 virgins in Paradise times 4,000= 288 thousand virgins. Howq many virgins in your Heaven?
The Art & Science of Tampons
The Tampon Thread - ok, boyz, think you know enough about tampons? Bet you didn't know about this utterly humiliating application! There's both an art and a science involved in tampons. You really can't say you know tampons until you've gotten hands on with them, perhaps even worn a few out in public. Come on guys, take the plunge and you too can experience that fresh feeling!
(Oh wait, and these tampons - you say they vibrate?)
Red-Haired Barbarians
Red-Haired Barbarians: The Dutch and Othe Foreigners in Nagasaki and Yokohama 1800-1865
March 29
wasting time...
The museum of unworkable devices... Gravity -- it's not just a good idea, it's the law. Perpetual motion, and other wonderful things.
Why I Oughta Iraqfilter Girlzone You!
An American Myth Rides Into the Sunset
One cannot imagine F.D.R., before declaring war on Japan, or even Ronald Reagan before Grenada, pumping a fist and saying of himself, "Feel good" — as President Bush did before he announced the beginning of the Iraq war. Indeed, the doctrine of pre-emptive warfare flies in the face of the humble, reluctant cowboy myth Mr. Bush holds so dear.
One cannot imagine F.D.R., before declaring war on Japan, or even Ronald Reagan before Grenada, pumping a fist and saying of himself, "Feel good" — as President Bush did before he announced the beginning of the Iraq war. Indeed, the doctrine of pre-emptive warfare flies in the face of the humble, reluctant cowboy myth Mr. Bush holds so dear.
The Virtual MetaBanquet
The Virtual MetaBanquet: Eat, Drink And Be Merry! Any class which includes A.M.Bowie's stimulating "Thinking With Drinking" paper in the bibliography, has to be worth taking but John Porter's The Ancient Symposium/Convivium course description is full of wonderful links to all that is classical wining, dining, conviviality, friendship and other forms of philosophical and physical cheer. Brush up on your Plato and Xenophon!
...Which, together with the Cooks' Thesaurus linked yesterday by plep led me to imagine a glorious Sunday MetaFilter Banquet...[More inside.]
...Which, together with the Cooks' Thesaurus linked yesterday by plep led me to imagine a glorious Sunday MetaFilter Banquet...[More inside.]
Much of the supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles has been expended, aircraft carriers were going to run out of precision guided bombs and there were serious maintenance problems with tanks, armored vehi
The war is now a stalemate. From Reuters: Much of the supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles has been expended, aircraft carriers are going to run out of precision guided bombs, and there are serious maintenance problems with tanks, armored vehicles and other equipment. "The only hope is that they can hold out until reinforcements arrive," a former US intelligence official said. "This is the mess [Rumsfeld] put himself in because he didn't want a heavy footprint on the ground."
Classic Games Convention.
Classic Games Convention. For those of you into vintage games, tomorrow is the last day to check out PhillyClassic 4, a vintage game fest at which developers will release new vintage games. Some industry personalities will be present, including Sid Meier of Civilization fame, and Cindy Morgan from everyone's classic game movie, Tron, soon to have a sequel (the game, not the movie). Play a vintage game on a current system, or relive the good old days of Vectrex. Leave your quarters at home (the games are on free-play), but bring your joysticks to donate to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Zoom View
ZoomView is a satellite image of Baghdad from March 27th that allows zooming to the level of cars and individual trees and panning around the city. Data loads realtime called "sharpening". Other cool ZoomViews of Basra, Tikrit, North Korea nuclear reactor site, Qualcomm Stadium San Diego.
AWOL!
“Takoma, the Atlantic bottle-nosed dolphin, had been in Iraq for 48 hours when he went missing on his first operation to snoop out mines… Takoma has now been missing for 48 hours and the solitary figure of Petty Officer Whitaker could be seen yesterday patting the water, calling his name and offering his favourite fish, but there was no response.”
Gotta love a
Iraq T-Shirts - Nuff said.
Saddam was once given key to Detroit.
For his kindness, Saddam was once given a key to the city of Detroit.
Apparently Saddam Hussein once donated money to Chaldean churches all over the world, including Chaldean Sacred Heart, in the motor city.
"He was very kind person, very generous, very cooperative with the West. Lately, what's happened, I don't know," (Rev. Jacob) Yasso, 70, said Wednesday. "Money and power changed the person."
Yasso was later invited to Iraq, where he presented Saddam Hussein with a key to the city, courtesy of then-Detroit mayor, Coleman Young.
Apparently Saddam Hussein once donated money to Chaldean churches all over the world, including Chaldean Sacred Heart, in the motor city.
"He was very kind person, very generous, very cooperative with the West. Lately, what's happened, I don't know," (Rev. Jacob) Yasso, 70, said Wednesday. "Money and power changed the person."
Yasso was later invited to Iraq, where he presented Saddam Hussein with a key to the city, courtesy of then-Detroit mayor, Coleman Young.
US soldiers beat, inhumanely detain, expel independent journalists.
US soldiers beat, inhumanely detain, expel independent journalists. One of the dirty secrets of this war is Kuwaiti anti-semitism against journalists. Boaz Bizmuth and Dan Scemama are two such Israelis who faced that discrimination. When the war started, they took off in a jeep with Luis Castro and Victor Silva, two Portuguese journalists, following US troops. Somewhere around An Najaf, they were told that at least one of the Israeli journalists had problems with their papers and needed to be accredited by the Kuwaitis. They slept for the night, only to be woken at gunpoint by US military police. They were accused of being spies and detained for 12 hours without food. When one of the Portuguese journalists asked to use the phone, both were beaten, and one was knocked to the ground and kicked, breaking several ribs. They were detained without contact for another 36 hours, before being flown back to Kuwait.
CNN Germany is covering this story ... so why isn't CNN?
CNN Germany is covering this story ... so why isn't CNN?
Ontological anarchy
"Build frame-lattice lancework set-pieces on the roofs of insurance buildings or schools--a kundalini-snake or Chaos- dragon coiled barium-green against a background of sodium- oxalate yellow--Don't Tread On Me--or copulating monsters shooting wads of jizm-fire at a Baptists old folks home. "
I really have no idea, but it's awesome anyways.
I really have no idea, but it's awesome anyways.
Operation Teenage Angst Fest
Operation Teenage Angst Fest. Is all the war talk getting you down? Make like your younger self and wallow in some self-obsessed teen angst. You might even want to dig our your old journals and submit. Keep in mind the cardinal rule, though: it has to suck.
The cuilte.
The cuilte. They're a segment of society often ridiculed. They are artists with their own slang and special tools. They have a rich history full of stories, myths and mysteries. Though many think they originated in America, they can trace their roots to numerous locations on the globe. They are peaceful activists. As it happened so often the English borrowed their name from the French. That's how the cuilte became the quilters.
Tibetan Art
The Himalayan Art Project. An online collection of Himalayan visual arts and heritage, '...containing over 8,000
records, 10,000 images and 700 thematic sets'. The
exhibits page is good:
here's a collection of photographs of Tibet as it was in the 1950's, and
here's
an essay on the history of 'visual Dharma'.
Some related links :- Mongolian stories and anecdotes about politics, religion, sport and horses (Mongolians belong to the same religion as Tibetans); a privileged witness to a sky burial (via the Tibetan Studies Virtual Library); the Tibetan game of rebirth.
Some related links :- Mongolian stories and anecdotes about politics, religion, sport and horses (Mongolians belong to the same religion as Tibetans); a privileged witness to a sky burial (via the Tibetan Studies Virtual Library); the Tibetan game of rebirth.
Pronouncing words
Qatar Home of Central Command and Al Jazzera television, it's a small oil-rich country we've all heard of, and that's the problem: I hear Qatar called Cutter, Gutter, Katar, and Kwatar. How do the Qataris' pronounce it; is it possible to accurately pronounce foreign words in English? Who decides? More inside...
Hooking Up During War
The Bartender gives tips for those of you who are worried that the war will hinder your ability to "hook up with foreign hotties."
Scrapbook of the Revolution
Scrapbook of the Revolution: Interpreting the Mao Era
Improv Comedy Resources
The Improv Page, not to be confused with The New Improv Page. You may also find important improv comedy information at The Improv Encyclopedia, The Learn Improv Page, Chicago's Improv Resource Center or perhaps even The Spolin Center. There is much more happening in the world of improv comedy than the increasingly unsatisfying Whose Line is it Anyway?
March 28
Quonsar, it's been nice knowing you
Use a misleading domain name, go to prison. A new bit of pending legislation (warning: PDF) called the "Child Abduction Prevention Act" (and really, who WOULDN'T vote for that?) has made the use of misleading domain names for sites of "purient interest" punishable by a sentence of up to two years in prison. Seriously. This is going to be very troubling to the White House. No, this White House.
Hope and the Hopis
Be a one heart- It is a time to celebrate and not allow yourself to get sucked into fear. "A lot is up in the world today the War in Iraq changes everywhere on the planet. Now we have the 911 attack and the male ego is out in full force. Kill the evil-doers is the chant and the march to war is upon us. No doubt there is much happening in all parts of the world in this transition period, but in the end what is important is how we as individuals and as a collective conscience react or proact to these changes. As individuals, as nations, as humanity we will set the tone for what kind of a world we will begin the next epoch with. What humanity does now will flavor the world in which we live for a very long time. My life will be spent proacting the ways of peace and stability, what will you spend your life doing? "
"Message from the Hopi - People of Peace
August 2002
You have been telling people that this is the Eleventh Hour,
now you must go back and tell them that this is the Hour.
And there are things to be considered:
Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.
This could be a good time!
There is a river flowing now very fast.
It is so great and so swift that there are those who will be afraid.
They will try to hold onto the shore.
They will feel they are being torn apart, and they will suffer greatly.
Know the river has its destination.
The Elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open and our heads above water.
See who is in there with you and celebrate.
At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally,
least of all, ourselves.
For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey,
comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves!
Banish the word 'struggle' from your attitude and your vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.
The Elders
Oraibi, Arizona
Hopi Nation "
TOP
Dull Blogging
Bring your blog to new heights of uninspired mediocrity with Brunching's Apathetic Online Journal Entry Generator, so that you too can enjoy the wonders of a dull blog.
Reporters vs. Bush administration vs. Saddam's regime
"Journalists" vs. The White House - MSNBC's Tom Curry reports on the Bush administration's frustration with the war coverage. Rumsfeld: “Fortunately... the American people have a very good center of gravity and can absorb and balance what they see and hear.”
Ready? ... Fight!
Songfight is a site where users compose songs based weekly titles. Then the public votes and a winner is decided. While necessarily indie, there is a wide variety of styles present and many great songs (mp3 links) have come out of this site. (Check the archives).
halliburton
Halliburton out of the running for the $600 billion contract to rebuild Iraqs infrastructure. Andrew Natsios, director of the USAID, which is handing out most of the postwar contracts, is keen to counter any allegations of favoritism or political influence. "If I got a phone call from anybody putting any political pressure on me, I would report it immediately". Halliburton is the company formerly run by Dick Cheney, VP of the United States.
Why the war has become a clusterf**k
Why the war has become a clusterf**k On my way back from lunch I was listening to Fresh Air and an interview with Christopher Dickey. The things he was saying about the motives of work-a-day Iraqis came as a big surprise to me. In particular: It sounds like they'll keep fighting us long after Saddam and his army are gone. [more inside]
surreality: the art of Naoto Hattori
Reality is beginning to seem more and more like Naoto Hattori's surreality; check the gallery and see if you agree. ("Money, Blunts, 40's And Bitches" just amuses me hugely - I think it's the "bitches".) I particularly like the "Extras" section, in which he reveals a bit of the process behind the paintings. (Plus, snowboards!)
X-Ray
What is Google.ac?
Google.ac is some kind of fake Google site that seems to return nothing but sponsored results. Is it supposed to fool somebody?
2MASS
The Two Micron All Sky Survey at IPAC has been completed after 4 years and 5 million images. Detailed infrared images have been mapped into beautiful false color images. Be sure to check out the 2MASS home page at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. So, what's your favorite astronomy related site or image? (via CNN)
Reporting Run by Profits?
Will the web be the only place left to cover "unpopular" stories? Exhibit A: This WP article reporting that media consultants are recommending TV and radio not to cover protests. (It's unpopular, therefore decreases ratings and therefore bad for business). Exhibit B: Clear Channel tells their stations to ban the Dixie Chicks (Clear Channel wants to get in good with Bush). Exhibit C: Courts rules the media have no obligation to tell the truth. Will a distributed or topic-specific IndyMedia be the best or main source for deviant news? Something like the The Internet Topic Exchange or pb's recent peacetrack? Another reason to work on the Metafilter Online Journalism Project? [more inside]
Battlefield Confusion
This whole damn battlefield is entirely screwed up. Journalists are informants are medics are soldiers are noncombatants are enemies are friends are puppets are war criminals are spies are civilians are terrorists are injured are paramilitary are POWs are freedom fighters are MIA are bloggers are bystanders are children are involved. Will there ever again be an American war where it's clear who's who? And who's on which side?
Any questions? Hm? Stop looking at me like that!
Rumsfeld Tried To Embed Bechtel And Himself With Saddam As Iraq Gassed Iranians
Embedding? Rumsfeld et al Tried to Embed Bechtel and Themselves with Saddam as Iraq Gassed Iranians. "Our examination [issued by the Sustainable Energy and Economy Network and the Institute for Policy Studies with recently released supporting documents] shines a new spotlight on the revolving door between Bechtel and the Reagan Administration that drove U.S.-Iraq interactions between 1983 and 1985. The men who courted Saddam while he gassed Iranians are now waging war against him, ostensibly because he holds weapons of mass destruction. To a man, they now deny that oil has anything to do with the conflict. Yet during the Reagan Administration, and in the years leading up to the present conflict, these men shaped and implemented a strategy that has everything to do with securing Iraqi oil exports....[This paper] notes that the break in US-Iraq relations occurred not after Iraq used chemical weapons on the Iranians, nor after Iraq gassed its own Kurdish people, nor even after Iraq invaded Kuwait, but rather, followed Saddam's rejection of the Aqaba pipeline deal. Finally, this paper shows that the main actors in the 1980s drama are now back on center stage, this time justifying military action against Iraq in terms of national security....The Bush/Cheney administration now eyes Bechtel as a primary contractor for the rebuilding of Iraq's infrastructure." (via Progressive Review.)
Hackers to the rescue
Hackers to the rescue! This is where the real war is being fought folks....
"Hacked by Patriot, Freedom Cyber Force Militia"
Space-time continuum abused for financial gain
Space-time continuum abused for financial gain Federal investigators have arrested a Wall Street whizz who made $350 million from an initial investment of just $800 in two weeks. The man has confessed to insider dealing, explaining that he travelled back from the year 2256 in his 'time craft' specifically to make a killing on recorded past stock plunges. The kicker? There's no record of the man's existence prior to December 2002.
ORCH HITS IN DA HAUS
ORCH HITS HIT YOU HARD. it's the big business.
The Best Voice for the anti war movement
Amy Goodman AMERICAN HERO but not on WAMC? Democracy now an informitive and hard hitting program produced by Pacifica Radio was asked for many,many times during WAMC's recent fund drive prompting WAMC's dictator in charge alan chartock to state "its on a lot of stations but not WAMC" Why is that? Afraid of rousing the ire of AG ashcroft?I think we should see if old alan is up to giving a good reason why!
Protest Records
Free songs from a free record label, Protest-Records.com. Punk, folk, rock, rap. Thurston Moore and NY designer Chris Habib curate. State smashin' stencils for download too.
Richard Perle resigns the Defense Policy Board chairmanship.
Richard Perle resigns the Defense Policy Board chairmanship. Richard Perle, after being accused of profiteering and conflict of interest, has resigned as chairman of the Defense Policy Board. Was this the real reason he resigned, or is the administration distancing itself from Perle due to his claims the Iraqis would be "dancing in the streets" after a US invasion, his links to an advocate for invading Saudi Arabia, or perhaps his call in the British press to get rid of the UN?
Don't start missing him yet, however. Perle will still remain on the Defense Policy board at Donald Rumsfeld's request.
Don't start missing him yet, however. Perle will still remain on the Defense Policy board at Donald Rumsfeld's request.
Windows RG
Windows RG (Really Good) - a new build for the demanding windows user, and an early christmas present for all mac users.
Chuckie Egg
Chuckie Egg It’s not quite a Friday Flash Game, and it’s not quite a discussion of the great 8-bit games we played when we were young, but it seems to fall neatly between the two camps, so I thought I’d post it. For those of you on the other side of the pond, Chuckie Egg was one of the biggest selling games here in the U.K. For those of you who hanker for the old days of your BBC Micro, here’s a little bit of ‘80s magic. PC only, but it’s less than 200K of download, and as an extra bonus, it allows you to create your own levels.
Stone Circles
The Stone Pages. 'Over the last 14 years we have personally visited and photographed all 529 archæological sites you will find in these pages (117 in the six national sections and 412 in our Tours section), creating the first Web guide to European megaliths and other prehistoric sites, online since February 1996.'
Related :- Ancient Stones, a personal photographic guide to the stone circles of Britain; Megalithic Walks, diaries of days out visiting some of these places; the Prehistoric Monuments of Wales; the interactive Megalith Map. These sites also have great links pages to more megalithic resources.
Related :- Ancient Stones, a personal photographic guide to the stone circles of Britain; Megalithic Walks, diaries of days out visiting some of these places; the Prehistoric Monuments of Wales; the interactive Megalith Map. These sites also have great links pages to more megalithic resources.
Gary Hart launched a weblog.
Gary Hart launched a weblog. "From time to time, I'll post my thoughts on current policy matters, as well as share some stories about where I'm traveling and the people I'm meeting. I'll also ask some of my friends to share their thoughts as well. I cannot promise to be as skillful at this as many of those who have made the blogger universe such an important part of the internet. However, I'm committed to using the Internet as a vital tool to engage people on critical policy matters and the future of our country."
Hart joins Howard Dean as the only other 2004 presidential hopeful with a weblog.
War Covergage Gets Crankified
Some Friday fun. Mr. Cranky, hollywood's surliest film critic, takes a stab at the war news coverage. I thought I was the only one disturbed by the perma-smile on Lester Holt's face. Tongue in cheek, but as Homer J. Simpson would say, It's funny because it's true.
the fiction timeline collection
The Historian of Things That Never Were: Edgar Governo collects timelines, chronologies, and histories of events that never happened, to people and things that never existed. Like who? Like Dr. Who, and Final Fantasy VII, Gargoyles, Buckaroo Bonzai, Gulliver's Travels, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, and many more.
You don't care how big my ass is
Friday mini-DVCAM, low-budget music video fun: the Ukes of Hazzard would like you to meet their Gay Boyfriend.
Disco inferno
Brighton West Pier is on fire. Could this be the 'final end' for this historic UK landmark?
What's your tag?
VandalSquad Always fancied yourself as a "Writer" but don't want to get covered in paint or arrested? This download allows you to deface a train wagon to your hearts content and then upload it to a gallery. Not the real thing but as close as most of us will ever get...
The Chant of the Weed
The Chant of the Weed. "Think of the received image of the jazz musician, the young man with a horn or the tortured singer with the gardenia in her hair. And think what baggage they carry, along with the reeds and the valve oil and the spare mouthpieces. Somewhere in the flight case or purse, tucked away out of sight but still seemingly essential to the image, a little something for after the gig, maybe weed, maybe white powder, maybe a discrete bottle of pills. Like it or not, drugs are very much part of the history and still more of the mythology or jazz." And you gotta hear the clip of Cocaine Habit Blues.
Image Conscious
Image Conscious The fall of CNN, and what it means for the war.
The Writer's Almanac
It's Always Some Poor Writer's Birthday: So thank you, I guess, good old Uncle Garrison, for remembering them on good old Minnesota Public Radio. A rather good bunch was born today, too: Nelson Algren [Party in Chicago on Saturday!], Gorky, Vargas Llosa, Russell Banks and Frederic "A Fan's Notes" Exley. [Literary types will inevitably want to play the good old "What do this motley crew have in common?" game. Cheating and false analogies actively encouraged, of course.] In fact, it's been a good week altogether. Be sure to go back to 2001 and 2002 for extra snippets. The notes, written by Keillor, are unassuming, interesting and admirably synthetic. There's also an excellent daily reading of a poem [Real Audio req.] and a running celebration of the calendar's most significant dates. I defy those who are put off by Keillor's sock-knitting, eggnog-sipping, home-on-the-range style not to grudgingly feel, amid the grrrr, an unwelcome twinge of gratitude.
Ghosts of BBCi
"These Enemies of Humanity would like to claim the world for themselves." No, this is not about either side in the Iraq War, it's part of the opening of Act I of "Ghosts of Albion", a serialized Friday Flash thingy from BBC-interactive, animated by the people who brought us "Dangermouse", and co-written by the actress behind a dead "Buffy" character (I admit it: I got the link from BuffyFilter). The site's got everything from a profile of Lord Byron's Ghost, to (dare I say it?) a Weblog.
But is the "dramatisation" dramatic or scary or funny or worth going back to every week? IMGUO*, it doesn't get off to as good a start as Ep.1 of "Tales of the Blode", but consider the pedigree... Then again, the BBC did bring us both "Monty Python" AND "What Not to Wear"...
* IMGUO: In My Generally Unpopular Opinion
But is the "dramatisation" dramatic or scary or funny or worth going back to every week? IMGUO*, it doesn't get off to as good a start as Ep.1 of "Tales of the Blode", but consider the pedigree... Then again, the BBC did bring us both "Monty Python" AND "What Not to Wear"...
* IMGUO: In My Generally Unpopular Opinion
March 27
A patriotic potpourri
A patriotic potpourri. Say what you want about the war. It certainly has helped some people find their special purpose.
Terrorists beware! You have gone to far this time & WE will DESTROY YOU. Also Current World News, War Infofmation, Kill Osama Pics, Games, Laughs & More..... (warning: crammed full of multimedia files, including (but not limited to) Bon Jovi cover songs interspersed with screeching eagles.)
Scanner Splosh
Things going squish on my scanner - time lapse scanner fun with surprisingly cool results brought to you by Kamikazee Killmouse. I'm partial to the kiwi. His page of short animated choppings is also an amusing place to while away some time in a b3ta kind of way. (via j-walk)
Integration of Church & State
House Resolution 153 recognizes the need for the American public to pray and fast in order to secure the blessings of "Providence" (read: Jesus) for our Armed Forces. Seriously. "Resolved that the President should issue a proclamation designating a day for prayer & fasting for all people of the United States". I take back the thing I said earlier about the Freedom Fries being the stupidest Congressional legislation I'd ever seen.
Planet Kite
Planet Kite is an ambitious website dedicated to world kites with notable appearances by Cambodia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand, Japan, and the sublime Southeast Asian Leaf Kite, among many others.
The Fog of War at Home
Ground Laid for Historic Presidential Powers Push But as recently as March 4, Attorney General John Ashcroft was being coy about it, refusing to discuss any of the 86-page draft at a Senate hearing. Among the more extreme powers Patriot Act II would grant the executive branch: The ability to strip citizenship from an American who supports a group the feds label as terrorist. Secret arrests—the government could avoid revealing the location of, charges against, and evidence on someone it was holding. Far looser checks on search-and-seizure activities of law enforcement. And a DNA database for people deemed to be terrorist suspects. But with this "really cool war to watch on TV", who will even notice before it's too late?
The things you miss without the internet
Unless you take long breaks from your busy internet-trolling schedule to read print media, you did not see this chilling litany of stupidity from Elsa Walsh's 3/24 New Yorker profile of Bandar bin Sul "The meeting was scheduled to last twenty minutes, but Bush and Abdullah talked for two hours. At one point, the Crown Prince handed Bush the photographs of the dead Palestinian children. Do you think it's right? he asked. Bush appeared surprised by the photographs and his eyes seemed to well up. One person familiar with the conversation summarized Bush's comments: "I want peace. I don't want to see any people killed on both sides. I think God loves me. I think God loves the Palestinians. I think God loves the Israelis. We cannot allow this to continue." At one point, Bush told Abdullah that he believed Muslims and Israelis were all God's children and that God didn't want to see children from either side die." (Link via Atrios)
Lessons from Urban Operations Journal
Risks and realities of urban warfare Urban Operations Journal collects "open-source information on urban military operations," including military doctrine, an image library, war game reports, a quotes collection and much more. Lessons from Grozny, Hue City and Beirut shed light on what might be coming in Baghdad. The training section links to a number of documents noting the "scarcity of training resources" the U.S. devotes to urban warfare, including this PBS story in which an urban warfare specialist makes the claim U.S. forces are "not proficient" on the urban battleground, where the casualty rate is "about 30 percent."
Al-Qaeda fighting with Iraqis, British claim
Al-Qaeda fighting with Iraqis, British claim So say interrogated Iraqi POWs. But wait. Al Qaeda the group that killed 3 thousand Americans and now they are inside Iraq helping Saddam? Were they there when Blix lads inspecting? Do the French know about this? If so, do they think we should give Al Qaeda a chance to reform?
Kim Jong Il (the illmatic)'s LiveJournal
Kim Jong Il (the illmatic)'s LiveJournal
3:39 am Dear diary. Bush still doesn’t ‘get it.’ I tried making my feelings clear but he’s too busy ignoring me, he is such a jerk. Everything in his life is just Saddam, Saddam, Saddam and I am sick of it.
On the plus side, I think my hair looked pretty good today. Also I went frolicking at Paektu Mountain and the rainbow came out again. After dinner some of my subjects sang me a song because I invented Outer Space.
3:39 am Dear diary. Bush still doesn’t ‘get it.’ I tried making my feelings clear but he’s too busy ignoring me, he is such a jerk. Everything in his life is just Saddam, Saddam, Saddam and I am sick of it.
On the plus side, I think my hair looked pretty good today. Also I went frolicking at Paektu Mountain and the rainbow came out again. After dinner some of my subjects sang me a song because I invented Outer Space.
Mideast chaos is part of the plan
"Chaos in the Middle East is not the Bush hawks' nightmare scenario--it's their plan." This is a fascinating and disturbing article by Josh Marshall for next month's Washington Monthly, released early due to recent events. Of course, whether or not the war will destabalize the Mideast is open to debate.
suspended gardens
Blair a war criminal
Blair, the war criminal Tom Dalyell, a Labour MP with over 41 years of service in the House of Commons has voted with his Labour Party constitutency to call for Blair to reconsider his postion as party leader. He further states that he believes "[Blair] should be branded as a war criminal and sent to the Hague".
It's deep.
Meteor Crashes in Chicago Suburb
A meteor hit the Chicago south suburbs last night, and the flash was seen as far away as Ohio. This flash was also caught on video. I missed the flash, which lit up the night sky like a nuke attack. Did anyone else see it?
perspectives on
The Myth of the "Civilian"? Rationalizing the status quo or hard-headed realism for "interesting times"? Baghdad coming shortly...
Laura Rothenberg
Last August, Metafilter readers learned of the story of Laura Rothenberg, a student at Brown University who chronicled her battle with cystic fibrosis on NPR's Radio Diaries. Sadly, Laura died last week at age 22. NPR remembers her here and a moving tribute aired earlier this week on All Things Considered.
The Iraqi smoking gun?
The Iraq-September 11th smoking gun? Finally, near proof that Iraq was involved in the September 11th attacks on America: a mural in the Iraqi military headquarters in Nasiriya depicts a plane crashing into a building complex similar to New York's twin towers! (Okay, seriously, are some folks so desperate to make the connection that this might become an actual story?)
Playing Politics with Video Games?
Electronic Arts released it's latest in the popular "Command & Conquer" series, "Command & Conquer: Generals" C&C are strategy and warfare games, that have bloodless and non-explicit violence. But this month the German government listed the game on their index of media that can not be advertised or displayed on shelves in Germany, although they may be kept under store counters and sold to adults. Most video games on this list show "especially brutal acts of violence," unlike C&C [more inside]
The state wants to watch you have sex...
The Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments about the constitutionality of homosexual sex. While this may not be news, just listening to some of the comments by the conservatives on the court can be a chilling experience, whether you are straight or gay.
Is it possible that there can be supreme court justices, supposedly the best of the best, who are really this ignorant?
gig posters
gigposters -- a collection of posters created by artists and musicians to advertise their shows and events.
A scorecard for the war
How Will we know America is winning? Thomas Friedman poses six questions against which to judge US success...
African Art
The G.I. Jones Photographic Archive of Southeastern Nigerian Art and Culture. 'This is an archive of digitized photographs depicting the arts and cultures of southeastern Nigeria. The collection includes examples from Ibibio, Igbo, Ijo and Ogoni speaking peoples. All of the photographs were taken in the 1930s by the late G.I. Jones, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Cambridge. The majority of the images are from the Igbo speaking regions where Jones conducted most of his research. The materials included here represent only a sample of the complete Jones collection. The photographs are unique for the creative brilliance of the art represented, the quality of the photography itself, and the cultural and historical significance of photographic records from this time period in Nigeria.'
Some related links :-
American Museum Congo Expedition 1909-1915. A truly interesting site, which includes field notes, photographs, watercolours, historical maps, anthropoligical objects, and so forth.
A Clickable Map of the Art of the African Continent, via Africa: The Art of a Continent.
The Woods Collection of African Art, with another clickable map.
Nigerian Stories.
Some related links :-
American Museum Congo Expedition 1909-1915. A truly interesting site, which includes field notes, photographs, watercolours, historical maps, anthropoligical objects, and so forth.
A Clickable Map of the Art of the African Continent, via Africa: The Art of a Continent.
The Woods Collection of African Art, with another clickable map.
Nigerian Stories.
Medical Marijuana in MD
Maryland voted to reduce penalities on folks who smoke marijuana for medical purposes. It's passed the house and is on it's way to becoming law!
Have a Fling,,,or have a cow
Have a fling...or have a cow. Or fling a cow.
Fried-day Flash Fun.
(Gratuities are welcome, but please, no "tipping.")
nifty ancient eyecandy
Robert Fisk in the Independent
Robert Fisk in the Independent Today's front page of the UK broadsheet comprises solely of a text-only report of yesterday's bombing of a Baghdad marketplace, beginning: "It was an outrage, an obscenity. The severed hand on the metal door, the swamp of blood and mud across the road, the human brains inside a garage, the incinerated, skeletal remains of an Iraqi mother and her three small children in their still-smouldering car..."
This is how war reporting should be.
March 26
Adobe's Mac Support Wavering?
A study posted at Adobe's website describes how traditionally Mac-centric tasks (rendering using After Effects, Illustrator & Photoshop) are all faster on a PC. These kinds of studies are a dime a dozen; what's interesting isn't which platform is faster, but that Adobe would host a page proclaiming the PC is the "preferred" platform for such tasks. Given the notoriously fickle folks at Quark, I would have pegged Adobe as the biggest Mac boosters in the third party software market. Are times changing?
The Subway Page
The Subway Page: Links to World Subway
and Other Transportation Information Resources.
WTO and Bush
The World Trade Organization ruled today that the steel tariffs imposed by President Bush last year were illegal. Today's ruling, which was not a surprise, was the second major loss for the United States at the W.T.O. in the last year. The trade panel awarded Europe the right to impose $4 billion worth of trade sanctions against the United States for giving tax breaks to American exporters through foreign sales corporations. Well, at least we are winnig the war...
Softsoaping Armageddon
"Armageddon" is not a global conflagration gone totally out of control. It is, instead, the gathering of the armies of Satan in a place called Armageddon at the north end of Israel. Huh? Anyway, it's not like these guys are influencing American foreign policy. Heads up for April 8 when Tim La Haye, co-founder of the ultraconservative Council for National Policy, will release Armageddon, the latest installment in the Left Behind series of millennialist apocalyptic thrillers.
Where is Raed on NPR
Dear Raed was the subject of a short piece (Windows Media file) on public radio's The World this evening.
Babies against war
In anti-war protests in Australia yesterday, children as young as 12 were shown on TV coverage participating not only in protests, but in the violence that followed when the protesters attacked police. There has, in the past, been condemnation of those who bring their children along to protests, but this is the first time I have seen large numbers of children protesting on their own behalf - most of whom would have been truant from school and, judging by the way many hid from cameras, without the permission of their parents. Should we take them seriously, or are they too young to really understand what it is they are protesting against? [more inside]
well at least the real estate industry is doing well
Well at least the real estate industry is doing ok, I guess this is the pitch, you kill your wife and you need money for the trial, so how do you sell the house exactly?
Where did those chemical and biological weapons come from?
Where did those chemical and biological weapons come from?
”According to the December declaration, treated with much derision from the Bush administration, U.S. and Western companies played a key role in building Hussein's war machine. The 1,200-page document contains a list of Western corporations and countries -- as well as individuals -- that exported chemical and biological materials to Iraq in the past two decades.”
I’ve always been surprised that this type of report doesn’t get more attention. During the UN hearings I half expected the Administration to level with the world and simply say: ”We know they have the stuff because we sold it to them.”
”According to the December declaration, treated with much derision from the Bush administration, U.S. and Western companies played a key role in building Hussein's war machine. The 1,200-page document contains a list of Western corporations and countries -- as well as individuals -- that exported chemical and biological materials to Iraq in the past two decades.”
I’ve always been surprised that this type of report doesn’t get more attention. During the UN hearings I half expected the Administration to level with the world and simply say: ”We know they have the stuff because we sold it to them.”
It's official YOU are a SMACKTARD!
Battlefield 1942 Propaganda Posters are very handy for the times when you need to call someone a smacktard.
The Fetish Roadmap
The Fetish Roadmap - a navigable guide to fetishes and their interrelations.
Also avaiable in poster size! (~200K .gif)
[ NSFW ]
Also avaiable in poster size! (~200K .gif)
[ NSFW ]
U.S.-German Rift Reaches Schoolyard Level
U.S.-German Rift Reaches Schoolyard Level "A Tennessee high school has called off an exchange with German students...The cancelation was another indication that the disagreement over Schroeder's anti-war stand is beginning to strain German-American friendship at its heart." [more inside]
Adam Osborne, 1939-2003
Adam Osborne could arguably be called one of the fathers of the laptop, having introduced the first commercially successful portable computer, the Osborne 1. Sadly, he passed away late yesterday. It's interesting to consider that those of us who use laptops day-to-day in our jobs owe a gratitude to one of the less-well-known pioneers of the tech industry.
Radio Games
War as Crime is a radio drama by Jugen Hesse, from Virtually American [via AudioTheater.com].
Avatar is the nom de guerre of an intellectual in a breakaway republic of the former Yugoslavia. His best friend, Radek, is a career soldier. Both belong to opposing ethnic groups, formerly living in peace, now at war, civil war. Radek is involved in ethnic cleansing operations against Avatar's ethnic group. ...
Gods or Devils - Albinism in Popular Culture
Albinism in popular culture - the rarity of this inherited condition has fascinated people throughout the ages. People with albinism have been deified, vilified and treated as sideshow curiosities. The social burden of "being different" can be even greater for people of color than for caucasians. Online resources today afford better information and networking, and the opportunity for positive exposure.
Get stiffed
Friday fun earlier than usual, but a nice distraction. Another avatar based virtual environment, but with flavor, if you like root beer.
The Inescapable US Drive to Own Stuff
The US Consitution really isn't that concerned with Freedom, nor Democracy (doesn't even use the word) - it's all about Property. Owning stuff, owning more stuff, and making sure everybody else leaves your stuff alone. Implications for foreign policy? Anybody? You at the back?
Life's a Game
If life's a game, how do you win? We've been mapping our paths through life for centuries, but it took an American Civil War-era publisher to turn it into a boardgame (after Lincoln's new beard killed demand for his line of clean-shaven presidential portraits). In the age of the PC we can find the answer to life in games, live parallel lives in games, simulate the evolution of life in games, and search for everlasting life in games - but can they beat the dusty old box and dice? And what life lessons are all these games teaching us?
Music and Freedom
Shostakovichiana. Documents and articles about one of the twentieth century's greatest composers, some of them focusing on the problems he encountered working under a totalitarian system. Some highlights :- 'Do not judge me too harshly': anti-Communism in Shostakovich's letters; 'You must remember!': Shostakovich's alleged 1937 interrogation; About Shostakovich's 1948 downfall. More related material can be found at the Music under Soviet Rule page.
There are a number of interesting sites dealing with music expression and censorship generally. The US Holocaust Memorial Museum has a site on the music of the concentration camps - 'While popular songs dating from before the war remained attractive as escapist fare, the ghetto, camp, and partisan settings also gave rise to a repertoire of new works. ' Here's a Guardian article on the Blue Notes, who 'fought apartheid in South Africa with searing jazz'. Here's a page about the Drapchi 14, Tibetan nuns who 'recorded independence songs and messages to their families on a tape recorder' (and were subsequently punished). Finally, a page on records which were banned from BBC radio during the 1991 Gulf War (example :- 'Walk Like an Egyptian').
There are a number of interesting sites dealing with music expression and censorship generally. The US Holocaust Memorial Museum has a site on the music of the concentration camps - 'While popular songs dating from before the war remained attractive as escapist fare, the ghetto, camp, and partisan settings also gave rise to a repertoire of new works. ' Here's a Guardian article on the Blue Notes, who 'fought apartheid in South Africa with searing jazz'. Here's a page about the Drapchi 14, Tibetan nuns who 'recorded independence songs and messages to their families on a tape recorder' (and were subsequently punished). Finally, a page on records which were banned from BBC radio during the 1991 Gulf War (example :- 'Walk Like an Egyptian').
fear WWIII Iraq
The Triumph of Fear- " just as every moment that we choose despair we deepen the likelihood of a world of war, so every moment where we choose to affirm love and generosity and our mutual interconnectedness we increase the likelihood of a world of peace and justice." ....
March 25
Halliburton Contract
Halliburton Handed No-Bid Iraqi Oil Firefighting Contract You still believe this war is about nothing more then WMD's? I wonder how many other of Bush and Cheney's friends are benefiting from this war? The US government didn't even bother to give other companies a chance to bid for this contract. While on the topic of WMD's you might want to check out this, about the lack of skepticism when it comes to the media making claims for weapons in Iraq. Remember Fox and their claim of a "HUGE" chemical weapons stash? How are we to get accurate news on this war if the journalist's we rely on are nothing more then puppets for this administration?
8-bit gaming forever!
8-bit gaming forever! I've been thinking about the old days lately; back to when I was a young lad sitting in front of our families huge 19 inch TV and spending a good 10 hours or more with my trusty Atari 2600 playing Pong, Combat, Pac Man, and whatnot. I'd say I had a good 50 or more games for my 2600, and I played that thing until it just fried to death, begging for mercy as I whipped the joystick to and fro trying to find the chalice in Adventure.
So imagine my surprise when I head over to ThinkGeek and see a swanky little controller with 10 Atari games harcoded into it. Just, um, "Plug and Play". Heh heh... anyhow, they also have an Activision version as well. I love the idea of one of these. I think it'd be great if it could be upgraded to handle more games as well. I wouldn't mind playing some "E.T., the Extraterrestrial" right about now.
So imagine my surprise when I head over to ThinkGeek and see a swanky little controller with 10 Atari games harcoded into it. Just, um, "Plug and Play". Heh heh... anyhow, they also have an Activision version as well. I love the idea of one of these. I think it'd be great if it could be upgraded to handle more games as well. I wouldn't mind playing some "E.T., the Extraterrestrial" right about now.
hrm...
Meet the new masters. A facinating look at the people behind the Project for a New American Century, many of whom hold high positions in the Bush administration. Regime Change in Iran anyone?
Chemical plants
"If terrorists strike a chemical plant just nine miles from Times Square, millions could die. But the chemical industry and its friends in Washington are blocking tough safeguards." In fact, according to Senator Jon Corzine and the EPA, there are 123 chemical facilities in the US where a release of chemicals could threaten more than one million people. But a year after Carl Prine found he could just stroll into 30 chemical plants in three cities, many plants remain vulnerable, and I fear that the U.S. may yet experience its own Bhopal.
Chris Brown & Kate Fenner
Chris Brown and Kate Fenner, formerly of the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir have a new song/website/campaign for the you-know-what in you-know-where. But for those sick of the war, you can always help them protest globalization. And if nothing else, Kate Fenner is real cutie.
The Immortal Count
Who was Count Saint-Germain? I was reading Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum (discussed a bit here) and encountered the Count Saint-Germain, who I had vague recollections of from an episode of ...In Search Of. Turns out he is a pretty fascinating character, and has been labelled a genius, a charlatan, and even a vampire.
Where have all the Muslims gone?
A teacher in Detroit notes the strange disappearance of an Iraqi student. "Even we are starting to notice that a few of our Middle Eastern students and parents and neighbors are disappearing. Another teacher said that my story made her realize she hasn't seen a certain Palestinian student for three weeks." Mass exodus? Detention? Deportation? Where are these students going?
Tales of the Blode
Tuesday Evening Flash Fun: Joel Veitch's Tales of the Blode.
Episode 1
Episode 2: A Trip to the Seaside
Episode 3: Marmot Mayhem
Episode 4: Food Feed Fury
Episode 5: Toad Turmoil
Episode 6: Attack of the Uber-Pea
And, of course, Blode and the Giant Bee.
It's all fairly self-explanatory.
Episode 1
Episode 2: A Trip to the Seaside
Episode 3: Marmot Mayhem
Episode 4: Food Feed Fury
Episode 5: Toad Turmoil
Episode 6: Attack of the Uber-Pea
And, of course, Blode and the Giant Bee.
It's all fairly self-explanatory.
Poets Tilt
Clear Channel Behind Pro-War Demos
Most of the recent pro-war demonstrations around the United States have been organized by stations owned by Clear Channel Communications, the nation's largest owner of radio stations. The company's top management has a history with George W. Bush, and Secretary of State Colin Powell's son, Michael Powell, is the head of the FCC.
The 50 Most Loathsome New Yorkers
New York Press' 50 Most Loathsome New Yorkers The plucky paper that refuses to die, New York Press has been infuriating New Yorkers for fifteen years. Now it has started this nasty annual feature. Among the winners are Naomi Campbell, Jonathan Franzen, Jeff Koons, Sam Waksal, etc. Read 'em and weep. Ouch!
Odden's Bookmarks
Odden's Bookmarks: The Fascinating World of Maps and Mapping.
Tesscar Aluminium Craft
Graffiti stencils as art
This Is Gulf War 2
This Is Gulf War 2 The realities of war, in photos. Not fun viewing, for sure.
March 24
The signs of the times
How to make a protest sign
This past weekend thousands of Americans took to the street to protest or support the war - many with protest posters. Making a protest poster isn't that difficult but the web makes it even easier with sites on the web that offer protest posters for every angle on the issue. Another Poster for Peace has a collection of posters from some of the top names in graphic design available royality free. Insta-protest offers a collection of 80 posters printable on your laser or inkjet printer from their Flash interface. Mike Flugennock has cartoon posters critical of the war and a number of other topics. The Propaganda Remix Project has been mentioned here before for their WWII remixed posters. Finally Anti-War offers a gallery of posters in color and black and white.
For those of us who are supporting the President in this war you might want to print out one of these. There's got to be others in support of the war - but where are they?
Designing protest posters can also be part of your high school history class with this Art as Political Protest lesson plan. So, what sign are you?
This past weekend thousands of Americans took to the street to protest or support the war - many with protest posters. Making a protest poster isn't that difficult but the web makes it even easier with sites on the web that offer protest posters for every angle on the issue. Another Poster for Peace has a collection of posters from some of the top names in graphic design available royality free. Insta-protest offers a collection of 80 posters printable on your laser or inkjet printer from their Flash interface. Mike Flugennock has cartoon posters critical of the war and a number of other topics. The Propaganda Remix Project has been mentioned here before for their WWII remixed posters. Finally Anti-War offers a gallery of posters in color and black and white.
For those of us who are supporting the President in this war you might want to print out one of these. There's got to be others in support of the war - but where are they?
Designing protest posters can also be part of your high school history class with this Art as Political Protest lesson plan. So, what sign are you?
Click, Pop and Whistle
Khoisan languages of southern Africa [NY Times link]
Do some of today's languages still hold a whisper of an ancient ancestral tongue spoken by the first modern humans? [more inside]
Do some of today's languages still hold a whisper of an ancient ancestral tongue spoken by the first modern humans? [more inside]
70's Psuedo Psychic
"Uri Geller [warning: pop ups] became well known for a few scientifically unexplained phenomena. They are Telepathy... Dowsing... Bending, breaking and softening metal and other solids with the power of the mind, e.g. spoons, keys etc, more rarely plastic and glass; Fixing broken watches and appliances, and using collective power, influencing the Big Ben to stop; Moving compasses with the power of thought; Erasing computer tapes and disks; and Sprouting, causing tiny seeds (mainly red radish) to grow a few centimeters in seconds." Why not thrill to a biography of this favorite pseudo psychic of the 70s? To be frank, until just now, I wasn't even aware that he was back!
Big Bomber: the reality TV hit of the summer
Big Bomber: the reality TV hit of the summer! Who will be the first to be evicted from the Big Bomber house?
SonicBlue goes bust
SonicBlue, the folks who bought out ReplayTV (previously discussed here) announced that they are going bankrupt. What does this mean for the DVR "revolution?" What happens with your $250 box and your $250 lifetime subscription fee when you can't get their content any more? SonicBlue tries to allay fears by saying that they are innovating and will continue to work on the project, but I don't see how that can be guaranteed with a buyout or bankruptcy.
Does this mean that TiVo is it? Would you still purchase a ReplayTV today? (Apologies for the popup on the last link.)
Ethical and religious perspectives on war and peace
Ethical and religious perspectives on war and peace. While most
of the discussions have focused political perspectives of the
current conflict, there are quite a few ethical and religious
perspectives. A BBC website provides excellent
overview of the positions including the various types of pacifism
and just
war.
For more detail there is a nice index site on Anabaptist-
Mennonite nonresistance, Leon Trotsky's Marxist
critique of pacifism, a secular argument for pacifism,
a Christian Primer on Just
War, an atheist ethical
perspective, and a buddhist
perspective.
Tony Fitzpatrick's Complex Color Etchings
The Secret Birds - "Tony Fitzpatrick is always referred to as larger than life. He is a very large man with tattoos and an unusual history, which includes some time in prison for car theft. He is also an actor...a poet...a radio talk-show host and a remarkable artist." View a sampling of his complex series of color etchings - The Infinite Wager, Bum Town and other rich works from this self-taught artist whose prints are prized by many collectors.
March 23
First Casualties?
First Casualties? NATO, the U.N. A 3 day old article, but it gave me a much better understanding of the workings of the U.N. and NATO and what the strengths and weaknesses are of each.
"What is surprising, however, is the trouble the U.N. has had acting effectively even after the U.S.-Soviet rivalry ended. Again and again during the 1990s, the U.N. appeared helpless to meet “unsanctioned” aggressions in places like Rwanda, Liberia, the Horn of Africa and, especially, in the Balkans. "
"What is surprising, however, is the trouble the U.N. has had acting effectively even after the U.S.-Soviet rivalry ended. Again and again during the 1990s, the U.N. appeared helpless to meet “unsanctioned” aggressions in places like Rwanda, Liberia, the Horn of Africa and, especially, in the Balkans. "
God bless those courageous stars
On a night like tonight, when the brightest stars have the courage to come out and shine, it's great to know I finally have a way to say "thank you" to celebrities for their tireless work behind the scenes to make our lives better.
bioBlocs
Yes, but what's the point?......
GW Bush's exploding frogs, a 50" plasma TV, and a "Bend Me Over Baby" DVD - Shoving firecrackers into the mouths of frogs, then tossing them into the air to watch them explode and, later, mocking Death-Row inmates. ...OK, little boys and frogs; nothing unusual here. I used to burn ants with a magnifying glass. And I've tossed off some off color jokes. But then there's this this: according to Amazon.UK.com, shoppers who liked the "Panasonic TH-50PHW3B 50" Plasma Display" also purchased "The Leadership Genius of George W. Bush: 10 Common Sense Lessons from the Commander-in-chief"
", Bend Me Over Baby" ( DVD ), and "Spread Them Wide" (DVD). What does it mean? [via meehawl.com]
Arab web portal
English-friendly Arab web portal: For those who want to better understand what Arab news agencies are printing/broadcasting or if you want to be able to read any web site published in Arabic, the Ajeeb portal has a free translation service. It translated Arabic to English more clearly than how I've seen babblefish handle other languages. However, one should approach any translation with circumspection, especially in light of current events.
'Huge' Chemical Weapons Plant Found in Iraq
'Huge' Chemical Weapons Plant Found in Iraq - and Hans Blix is somewhere redfaced...
Iraq debate
The Iraq debate - from Red Pepper.
"...The writers of these articles are some of the many people who have struggled against Saddam Hussein, who have been driven into exile by his brutal regime, who keep their links with dissidents in Iraq, who do not believe that the US military can liberate them, and who are arguing for diplomatic and humanitarian support..."
"...The writers of these articles are some of the many people who have struggled against Saddam Hussein, who have been driven into exile by his brutal regime, who keep their links with dissidents in Iraq, who do not believe that the US military can liberate them, and who are arguing for diplomatic and humanitarian support..."
The Geneva Conventions in full
Since what is and is not a violation of the Geneva Conventions is a subject of some discussion as a result of today's news, this collection of the complete texts of the Geneva Conventions (as well as other treaties) should be a useful reference. Of particular relevance is the Third Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Sayyid Qutb
The New York Times Magazine (yes, I know the link disappears in a week or two, sorry) published a fascinating article about , "The Philosopher of Islamic Terror." An Egyptian born in 1906, he veered toward radical Islamic fundamentalism by the 1950's, but had much company in Egypt in this endeavor. He joined the Muslim Brotherhood, a precursor to Al Qaeda, and became the editor of their journal. Nasser imprisoned him and eventually executed him. In prison he wrote powerful works which described in his view a diversion in society between human nature and human reason, with human reason having so overwhelmed human nature as to lead to mankind's potential downfall.
The answer was a return to human nature through a ritualistic adherence to the teachings of God, as described by Muhammad. Rather than separate science and reason from religion, he sought to combine them as taught in the Koran, thus providing real freedom for mankind. For a liberal Episcopalian (me) these are difficult ideas, but they are nevertheless compelling not only to the poor and uneducated Muslims but more importantly to the intelligentsia. They explain the pain of modern existence, especially to those raised on the Koran. The author describes Qutb as the Islamist's Marx. Scary - religion and philosophy carry much greater power than Marx's mere economics and philosophy. Western media portray Islam as mostly a fringe group drawing power from economic poverty and the power imbalance between the West and most Muslim countries. This article shows that, at least at its heart, the movement draws upon a powerful philosophy which for many answers their agony of modern existence, regardless of their economic status.
Saddam does JLo
My country, right or wrong.
"My country, right or wrong. If right, to be kept right, if wrong, to be put right."
-- Carl Schurz
Those of us opposed to this war have made our positions known, and when the dust of bombs and combat has settled, we can be mildly cheered in knowing that although we could not stop the march to war, our vigilance has not gone entirely unheeded and has perhaps averted more harm than would otherwise have come. Now that the war is upon us, all of us, especially we who have identified ourselves as anti-war, run the risk of truly failing in our efforts if we cannot harness our energies to make certain that those embroiled in this conflict do not suffer in vain. However unjust the means of this invasion have been, it is now our responsibility to attempt to ensure that the ends uphold the ideals we have been trying to safeguard.
It's time to check our fears about what has been done and look ahead to what must be done.
Those of us opposed to this war have made our positions known, and when the dust of bombs and combat has settled, we can be mildly cheered in knowing that although we could not stop the march to war, our vigilance has not gone entirely unheeded and has perhaps averted more harm than would otherwise have come. Now that the war is upon us, all of us, especially we who have identified ourselves as anti-war, run the risk of truly failing in our efforts if we cannot harness our energies to make certain that those embroiled in this conflict do not suffer in vain. However unjust the means of this invasion have been, it is now our responsibility to attempt to ensure that the ends uphold the ideals we have been trying to safeguard.
It's time to check our fears about what has been done and look ahead to what must be done.
Graphic Design for Blog Journalism?
Sean-Paul Kelley and Nick Denton have some amateur infographics of the Iraq conflict online. [more inside]
What's going to happen when this is all over?
Iraq breaks the Geneva Convention by showing POWs on TV. To me, this is the first concrete evidence that Iraq is (potentially) breaking the Geneva Convention. I say potentially because, if we're an interloper, then I don't believe the Geneva Convention applies...we're basically just murderers and invaders, though I might be wrong. If this IS a "legal war", then the Convention should apply and there should be questions afterwards; one of the scariest I've been asking myself is "If the ICC or the UN decline to prosecute any Iraqis for Geneva Convention violations, will the US just kidnap whomever they want to prosecute?"
90 Days in Cambodia
90 Days in Cambodia as a travel writer and election observer.
Related :- Cambodia in Modern History: Beauty and Darkness focuses on the Khmer Rouge period, and also has a nice section on Cambodian art.
Related :- Cambodia in Modern History: Beauty and Darkness focuses on the Khmer Rouge period, and also has a nice section on Cambodian art.
additional income
Let's open our eyes. The brands are our friends, our references. They fill our imagination, bring self-fulfilment and relief, promise well-being, efficiency, success and happiness. Beyond the myth, what is the reality?
Get your calc on
Webcalc solves over 100 different equations online.
Photographic Portraits of American Women
Women of Our Time: Great photographs; great photographers; a great collection. The commentary and the presentation do them proud. From the National Portrait Gallery. [Via Portage.]
The Root of all blogs!
Root Blog appears to a blog aggregator that appears to do auto-extraction of blog posts in one coloumn, and lists recently updated blogs in the other. [via random($foo)]
Batteries Not Included
Get your free cup holder here. While stocks last.
Fun with real audio
Johan Söderberg and the fine folks from Atmo, whose Bush/Blair lip-synching Endless Love clip was linked here twice before,1,2 have been producing similar politics inspired video clip-art for a segment titled Read My Lips (Real Media/Quicktime) broadcast on Kobra, a Swedish TV show. [via: N!kkes] For those who fancy such fun with real audio, DIYmedia has a collection of MP3 files of "translations of popular politicians as made by audio collage artists from around the planet."
Gertrude of Iraq
Have I ever told you what the river is like on a hot summer night? At dusk the mist hangs in long white bands over the water; the twilight fades and the lights of the town shine out on either bank, with the river, dark and smooth and full of mysterious reflections, like a road of triumph through the midst. - Gertrude Bell writing of the Euphrates near Baghdad.
Gertrude Bell - daughter of the desert, Uncrowned Queen of Iraq, Advisor to kings and Ally of Lawrence of Arabia. Gertrude Bell was a traveller and mountaineer, recruited by British Intelligence to work in the Middle East during the First World War and, who later worked for the British Government in Baghdad. Bell's influence on Middle Eastern politics made her the most powerful woman in the British Empire in the years after World War I. She was a archeologist, writer, translated the poetry of Hafiz and a photographer as well. 1909: Letters from Gertrude Bell, dated May 14 and May 20. She died early in the morning of July 12th, 1926, 58 years old, from an overdose of sleeping pills--whether accidental or not is not known. She is buried in Baghdad, where her grave is still visited and her memory revered. Cherchez La Femme
Gertrude Bell - daughter of the desert, Uncrowned Queen of Iraq, Advisor to kings and Ally of Lawrence of Arabia. Gertrude Bell was a traveller and mountaineer, recruited by British Intelligence to work in the Middle East during the First World War and, who later worked for the British Government in Baghdad. Bell's influence on Middle Eastern politics made her the most powerful woman in the British Empire in the years after World War I. She was a archeologist, writer, translated the poetry of Hafiz and a photographer as well. 1909: Letters from Gertrude Bell, dated May 14 and May 20. She died early in the morning of July 12th, 1926, 58 years old, from an overdose of sleeping pills--whether accidental or not is not known. She is buried in Baghdad, where her grave is still visited and her memory revered. Cherchez La Femme
WhoTheBoss
E-mail reveals real leaders. Analysis of email headers can reveal a companies true internal structure and point to informal leaders.
Friendly Fire On
US Patriot hits British plane. I guess someone left friendly fire on. In an exchange between tables at a Baghdad restaurant, the Director General of the Information Ministry, Uday Altaiee, said: "We have them in Baghdad. They thought it would be a picnic - cream cakes and crates of Pepsi. But you will see that they will be slaughtered." How is this war really going?
Glamour
I had a really cool site on Wednesday to post, but stopped myself due the (prime time) start of the War, out of respect for MeFi users that have loved ones on either side of the line. It wasn't apprpriate. One of the things I have noticed on this site since last Wednesday is a very strong bifurcation of posts - those who are staunchly anti IraqFilter - who post as if nothing is going on, and those who can't seem to focus on anything else.
This seems to be a struggle going on in other circles as well, as seen in this column by Roger Ebert, who discusses the appropriateness of tonights Oscars.
The show must go on, right?
March 22
other people's stories
other people's stories It's a collection of other people's stories.
Not All Iraqis Dancing in the Streets.
Not All Iraqis Dancing in the Streets. To watch the neutered embedded reporters, you would think that every Iraqi is overjoyed to see America in his or her country. But the reality seems to be quite different: "Why are you here in this country? Are you trying to take over? Are you going to take our country forever? Are the Israelis coming next? Are you here to steal our oil? When are you going to get out?"
I was a naive fool to be a human shield for Saddam
Violet Books
Violet Books: Antiquarian Supernatural, Fantasy & Mysterious Literatures, including the Gallery of Rare Dustwrappers, the Golden Age of Illustration Index, or the Westerns Dustwrapper Galleries, and more.
You may not read Arabic, but the pictures speak for themselves.
You may not read Arabic, but do the pictures speak for themselves? [warning: graphic images] One big difference between Desert Storm and the current operation is the emergence of Gulf satellite news stations such as Al-Jazeera and Abu Dhabi TV, beaming live into homes across the Arab world. Questions of access aside, it's a given that these news sources will be broadcasting materials that inflame opinion, and would never get past the 'taste and decency' rules of British or American stations. Trouble is, most westerners don't read Arabic: so, should we be bookmarking such sources for another perspective?
A critique of Operation Pretentious Platitude
Operation Pretentious Platitude One of the awful aspects of "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is having to listen to this name used without irony.
"It all comes down to branding" ...
"Don't waste a public relations opportunity -- remember that the operation name is the first bullet in the war of images."
"Churchill ... warned specifically against using words that imply an "overconfident sentiment." He knew as well as anyone how history delights in throwing unforeseen ironies our way."
Here's a list of mostly recent real names.
But how about "Operation Rouge-wearing Caliph"?
"Operation Evangelical Fatwa"?
"Operation Expect No Mercy From Our Privet Bush"?
"Operation Overpriced Cannon"? "Operation Irate Economy"?
"Operation International-law-ignoring Manticore"?.
Try for yourself.
(Here's how it's done).
X-Men 1.5
So how do you make an X-Men DVD without mentioning the comics? Fascinatingly candid interview with the producers of the new X-Men 1.5 DVD describing the bizarre issues involved with putting together special features on this and other DVDs, including the afformentioned anomally, a side effect of the current legal situation between FOX and Marvel Comics.
Back Hurts, Brain Shrinks
Back pain causes brain shrinkage. I think a lot of people have back pain, then.
Orbiter
Orbiter - A Free Space Flight Simulator Starving for a high realism space simulator ever since Microsoft's Space Simulator was discontinued? Look no further than Orbiter, a free realistic space simulator written and maintained by Dr. Martin Schweiger. How realistic? You might want to start off by consulting NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Basics Of Space Flight to get you grounded so to speak. This is a free, non-commercial simulator that uses accurate math and orbital physics (more or less) to try to model space flight. However hard it may appear, after orbiting Earth with the high-res (8192x4096) mod-pack installed, or sitting on the launch pad with the seamless OrbiterSound 2.1b sound environment installed, you will be well rewarded for reading the manual and participating in the dance of the heavens. (Even if all you want to do is fly around the solar system!)
Are Embedded Journalists In Iraq Being Short-sheeted?
Embedded? Or In Bed With The Military Spin Doctors? Quite apart from the significant sexual and conspiratorial overtones of the word and concept themselves (when applied to people), there's something more than a little disquieting about the participant observation aspect of the large-scale practice of embedded reporting in the current invasion of Iraq - as opposed to the journalistic tradition of direct observation. Altogether too gung-ho - and inevitably so - I'd say. Me no like. And don't really trust myself to be able to epistemologically introduce, in my understanding of what I see, the (already minimal) distance that I'd previously taken for granted in standard reportage. What can be done to offset this bias? [Here is a very recent, detailed Department of Defense guide to what a media embed consists of [pdf format] and the release journalists must sign in order to be embedded.]
Baghdad WebCam
A WebCam in Baghdad The BBC are streaming live pictures from an unmanned camera in the centre of Baghdad, complete with sound. (RealPlayer required.)
Google refuses anti-war ad
Google refuses "Who Would Jesus Bomb" AdWord from anti-war site Unknown News The search engine's evolving rationale in the case, posted along the left-hand side of the page, is interesting. [more inside]
Poets Against the War
Poets Against The War
Sons and Daughters of Baghdad:
The hour of your liberation draws near
We extend towards you our white hand
Once embraced by many in vain:
Indian, African, Vietnamese,
And washed clean of their colored red stain.
Sons and Daughters of Baghdad:
The hour of your liberation draws near
We extend towards you our white hand
Once embraced by many in vain:
Indian, African, Vietnamese,
And washed clean of their colored red stain.
Something nice.
Something nice. In a refreshingly simple and visually appealing presentation, "Places" explores the synergy between artists and the locations that inspire them. From a virtual landscape created from the surface of an agate, to a 1787 map of Mecca included in the Dala'il al-Khayrat ("Guides to Good Things"), to an 1885 photograph of a single moment captured in the reflection of a gazing ball, these eight fascinating examples seem to suggest that places are nothing so much as what our own observation reveals of them at any given time.
The Ngadjonji
The Ngadjonji. The history and culture of a Queensland rainforest tribe.
"Theirs was a culture with no chiefs or kings. If the senior men and women of each clan had implied status, it was because of their wisdom and the highest attributes a (Ngadjonji) could possess was a keen memory and great skill in hunting, gathering and bushcraft ... "
Of related interest :- the Aboriginal Memorial, in Canberra, created by 43 artists of the Ramingining community in Arnhem Land.
"Theirs was a culture with no chiefs or kings. If the senior men and women of each clan had implied status, it was because of their wisdom and the highest attributes a (Ngadjonji) could possess was a keen memory and great skill in hunting, gathering and bushcraft ... "
Of related interest :- the Aboriginal Memorial, in Canberra, created by 43 artists of the Ramingining community in Arnhem Land.
Nature Portfolios from Hungarian Photographers
NaturArt - fed up with man's ugliness to man? Escape to this Budapest gallery's oasis of nature photography. Don't be off-put by the Hungarian text, hit start and wait for the main menu, then go to portfolios to access the works of about 30 photographers, Tagok for mini galleries, or diaporama for a lovely film. Flash & sound alert, but very well worth it if you have the time to explore.
It couldn't happen here, you say?...
As one, the students shouted, "Strength through discipline!" - "The Third Wave", A Dangerous Experiment. More disturbing even than the "Milgram Experiment": "When Ron Jones started teaching at Cubberley High School in the fall of 1968, it was considered the most innovative of Palo Alto's high schools. ....His methods were experimental and his goal was to bring social studies to life.....Jones turned his class into an efficient youth organization, which he called the Third Wave. Some students were informers, and some were told they couldn't go certain places on campus. He insisted on rigid posture and that questions be answered formally and quickly....."It was strange how quickly the students took to a uniform code of behavior. I began to wonder just how far they cold be pushed," Jones wrote....But soon the experiment began spinning out of control.... five days into the experiment, Jones announced, "We can bring (the nation) a new sense of order, community, pride, and action. Everything rests on you and your willingness to take a stand." As one, the students shouted, "Strength through discipline!" ". Ron Jones wrote about it in No substitute for Madness, which is out of print in English but required reading in German public schools. As Umberto Eco notes in "Eternal Fascism", this is a timeless tale of human nature.
Wakey wakey Mr Blair
Wakey wakey Mr Blair There's been a lot of media comment recently concerning Tony Blair's visible signs of exhaustion. This piece illustrates just how quickly he needs to wake up to what's going on if he's ever to sleep soundly again.
Clare Short should show him the way and save her credibility at the same time
Great Iraq Conflict Coverage Gallery
Great Iraq Conflict Coverage Gallery A link-filled listing of war blogs (dealing with Iraq war), maps, embedded jopurnalists' reports...nice one-stop source.
March 21
Civil Disobedience-Thoreau
Civil Disobedience-Henry David Thoreau Nothing in here about blocking traffic but a very important historical document for our time.
"The government itself, which is only the mode which the people have chosen to execute their will, is equally liable to be abused and perverted before the people can act through it. Witness the present Mexican war, the work of comparatively a few individuals using the standing government as their tool; for in the outset, the people would not have consented to this measure."..................
............
"A democracy, is a progress toward a true respect for the individual. Even the Chinese philosopher was wise enough to regard the individual as the basis of the empire. Is a democracy, such as we know it, the last improvement possible in government? Is it not possible to take a step further towards recognizing and organizing the rights of man? There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly. "
The High Cost of Living
And then the fallen. "I want President Bush to get a good look at this, really good look here," his father, Michael, said, holding up a picture of the dead marine. "This is the only son I had, only son." More.
Manipulating Minds: The Psychological War on Iraq
Manipulating Minds: The Psychological War on Iraq. Battles are won on different fronts, but influencing an opposition is a critical part of any campaign. By manipulating an enemy's fears and desires, victory can be achieved. The "weapons of mass persuasion" are the tools of a different kind of warfare: psychological operations. (Full screen presentation in Flash) From CBC Radio One.
Peace, the lowkey way
Light of reason is an effort to peacefully demonstrate your dissent with the current war on Iraq. I fully expect the more conservative elements to say that peace is anti-patriotic but let's face, we can support the troops and still hate the war.
The The the War (to the tune of Good Morning Beautiful)
British band The The is alive, well, and pissed off. The March 21st "issue" of their website This is The The Day is a brash, one-stop-shopping WarLinkapalooza to (among other things) Micah Wright and his war poster satires, Tom Tomorrow, Get Your War On, Robert Fisk's Baghdad dispatches and . . . Alan Watts? (Oh, yeah--Pt 6 of the Johnny Marr/Matt Johnson interview is there too.)
Are other bands taking a stand against (or for) the war? Googling this results in only a certain spyplane, while Bono has no comment (for a change).
Please do not turn this into a pro/anti-war flamefest. We're flamefested out by now : ) Peace.
Irwin Norling, the Unknown Photographer
Irwin Norling of Bloomington, Minnesota was a more modest version of Man Ray – with his family in tow, he documented crime and accident scenes for the local police. (The photo gallery is probably NSFW and not safe for delicate stomachs.) He also prolifically documented everyday Bloomington life from the 1940s through the 1980s. City Pages writer Brad Zellar (weblog) stumbled across Norling's photographic archives while visiting the historical society, tracked down the man himself, and wrote this terrific article ... unfortunately Norling passed away a month before its publication.
The power of presentation.
Decoding Visual Language Elements in News Content is an MFA thesis examining how layout, cropping, image selection et al. influence the way the content is perceived. The interactive demo is especially interesting; you can take some TV and magazine layouts and switch out pictures and other elements. It's fascinating to see how different cropping and tints affect your impressions of the content. Media literacy -- especially right now -- is a good thing. (Link via Stan Chin.)
CNN censors reporter Kevin Sites' weblog from Iraq.
CNN censors reporter Kevin Sites' weblog from Iraq. He has been ordered by CNN to cease weblogging until further notice, and has also added a disclaimer to his website.
"Note: Kevin Sites is a CNN correspondent, but this is a personal website not affiliated with, endorsed by, or funded by CNN. "
"Note: Kevin Sites is a CNN correspondent, but this is a personal website not affiliated with, endorsed by, or funded by CNN. "
Hey-ho, hey-ho, hey-ho hey-ho has got to go.
I'd like to thank the Academy. And the French. Film critic Michael Sragow, late of Salon and currently of The Baltimore Sun, ruminates on the upcoming Oscar telecast and wonders why such a "lib-rad industry" would sit-out the night and pass on the opportunity to bang us all over the head with soporific political messages. In actual movie talk, he sez of LOTR: "I don't think there has been a fantasy film IN MOVIE HISTORY as faultlessly acted, as magnificent in its scope and invention, and as enthralling in its narrative drive as I'm sure the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy will turn out to be. "
We Begin Combing in Five Minutes!
We Begin Combing in Five Minutes! The White House is vowing a strong retaliatory response after the BBC aired live video of President Bush getting his hair coiffed in the Oval Office as he squirmed in his chair and practiced on the teleprompter minutes before Wednesday night's speech announcing the launch of military operations against Saddam Hussein.
It's America's Funniest Outtakes (squirm). But where can we view it?!
It's America's Funniest Outtakes (squirm). But where can we view it?!
Books For Soldiers
Books For Soldiers If you don't know what to do with your old Clan of the Cave Bear paperbacks or want to take the boredom out of post-war deployment for those in uniform, send the soldiers a book! Soldiers can request a book or you can post the military address of a loved one and people send them their requests. I wonder if my selection would be well received?
Hayao Miyazaki, the master of animation
Among Hayao Miyazaki's masterpieces are Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind, Princess Mononoke, and, most recently, Spirited Away. With the April 15 US release of Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service, and Laputa: Castle in the Sky, an Academy nomination for Spirited Away, and Disney's commitment to release re-dubbed, re-mastered versions of Miyazaki's films in the US and worldwide, the American public is getting more acquainted with this legend of animation. Miyazaki's films are not your regular anime [more inside...]
Soul of the Web
Soul of the Web is a new site looking to build a database of the best sites on the web (background). There's also a magazine, with site reviews, interviews (Noah Gray is interviewed this issue), and guest columns. (Warning: page design features a pee-pee, but it's art. NSFW? You make the call.) [via stonefishspine]
Sweet Old Song
Sweet Old Song. '91-year-old Howard 'Louie Bluie' Armstrong has two
great loves: his music and artist Barbara Ward. Their artistic and musical collaboration brings to life nearly a century of African-American experience.'
View a gallery of Howard and Barbara Ward Armstrong's art, and read a bit about their personal histories here. Take a look at the illustrated children's book they have collaborated on here.
View a gallery of Howard and Barbara Ward Armstrong's art, and read a bit about their personal histories here. Take a look at the illustrated children's book they have collaborated on here.
bearing bad tidings
The terrible business of bearing bad tidings: “You never know how someone will react ... Some people will start screaming when they see you coming. They just know something is seriously wrong when a uniformed soldier comes to their door.” The military, law enforcement, and even MADD have written protocols for contacting the next of kin when someone dies. But doctors are pretty vague about how to handle the conversation, which is odd, considering that 70% of American deaths occur in hospitals.
Poor Taste or Free Speech?
An Editorial Cartoon published in the University of Maryland 's Student run independent newspaper, The Diamondback, incites controversy. The cartoon, depicting the death of American pro-Palestinian activist Rachel Corrie, is being called offensive; protestors and university officials are calling for a retraction and an apology from the paper. The newspaper on the other hand is crying free speech and first amendment protection; as well they see the backlash by the campus community as hypocritical.
Wanna bet?
Wanna bet we'll win the war? No, seriously: you can. Check it out yourself: Go here and click on "World Events" to see the odds for "The US Embassy in Pakistan Being Blown Up By A Nuclear Weapon" or "Date Line In Which Osama Bin Laden Will Be Consigned (Dead or Alive) To US Authorities." Ah, America.
Dammit! Janet! We're at war!
Political views aren't inherited. An interesting article about Lenora Tomalin, who's as rabid a pro-war conservative as her daughter is an anti-war radical. Her daughter? Susan Sarandon.
Dvorak: I'm smoking crack
Apple to switch to Intel processors, at least according to John Dvorak in a brief article over at PC Magazine. No mention in the article of the massive amount of effort required to re-write every piece of mac-compatible software for x86 architecture, or the unlikeliness of developers to be willing to do so having just optimized for OSX, but then, this piece seems to be mostly just bold, unsupported predictions.
Operation S
Enough womd!
Let's talk about childhood toys. A wander down memory lane, past care-bears and etch-a-sketches and barrel-o-monkeys. Warning: this site resulted in the bidding up of auctions for Weebles "Tree House" action sets. I'd forgotten how marvelously upright they remained until I whipped their little egg-like bodies out of a second-story window onto concrete. What was your favorite childhood toy? Do you still have it, or do you have the sudden need to re-acquire it?
The Bacteria Whisperer
The Bacteria Whisperer
“Bonnie Bassler discovered a secret about microbes that the science world has missed for centuries. The bugs are talking to each other. And plotting against us.”
“Bonnie Bassler discovered a secret about microbes that the science world has missed for centuries. The bugs are talking to each other. And plotting against us.”
Dr. Tom Buckley's reports on the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong
The other war. Dispatches from the trenches, in the middle of the Hong Kong SARS outbreak. [may be annoying popups] [more inside]
Bush to remake Middle East
WSJ says war in Iraq really first step in grand scheme to remake the Middle East. Rumsfeld and Fleischer can still be seen on TV news implying "we just want them to disarm". More on What Makes W. Tick from The Atlantic.
US and Gassing Iraqis
Military use of Gas
Top US military planners are preparing for the US to use incapacitating biochemical weapons in an invasion of Iraq. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed the plans in February 5th testimony before the US House Armed Services Committee. This is the first official US acknowledgement that it may use (bio)chemical weapons in its crusade to rid other countries of such weapons.
Would someone explain to me again why we're attacking Iraq? Was it something about use and/or possession of chemical weapons?
Top US military planners are preparing for the US to use incapacitating biochemical weapons in an invasion of Iraq. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Richard Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed the plans in February 5th testimony before the US House Armed Services Committee. This is the first official US acknowledgement that it may use (bio)chemical weapons in its crusade to rid other countries of such weapons.
Would someone explain to me again why we're attacking Iraq? Was it something about use and/or possession of chemical weapons?
FFF - 3D Chess
'Our problem is that “Gee” is an abbreviation for Jesus.'
‘We can say “God”, “God” is fine, but we have to be very careful about anything that involves the name of the Lord and Saviour.’ Tory MP and Spectator editor Boris Johnson reflects on the process of getting a breezy op-ed past the editorial process of the Gray Lady. Jokes at the expense of the President of Guinea just aren't done.
Museum Victoria
Museum Victoria, Australia's largest public museums organisation. [more]
Prince Charles adding to the gaiety of nations
As everyone knows, the Bush and Windsor families are linked by (reptilian) blood. Could it be that George Bush fils has engineered this war to distract the world’s media from the shitstorm which could be about to engulf his distant cousin, Prince Charles? A man, we’re told, who requires the services of a valet even when providing a urine sample…
The Truth is Funny Ha-Ha
Russia Makes It Funny: Communist Party organ Pravda ["Truth"] updates its play for the weird news niche with a skewed take on the blogging aesthetic, with links to Romanesko New World Disorder.
A lot of people like going to saunas. A sauna used to be associated with cold beer and a company of friends. Now the situation has changed a bit: going to a sauna implies some sort of sexual activities and even perversion sometimes. Steam, beer and friends have been pushed into the background. Since people love mixing business with pleasure, let us try to find out, to which extent the sauna entertainment is good, and to which extent it is bad.
Iraqi Art
Strokes of Genius is a site featuring Iraqi art throughout the ages. Also, check out Iraqi Art highlighting contemporary sculptors and artists. Another gallery here. (thanks to amberglow's cool new blog!)
cough cough
The evil weed. Here's a cheery little test for you old folks.
Richard Perle in Guardian Shock!
Richard Perle in Guardian Shock! Op-ed piece brought to us from the ever-balanced Guardian, bound to whip up a whirlwind of protest in the paper’s letters page tomorrow.
Perhaps you might care to pre-empt Saturday morning’s correspondence.
My Lawnmower is Better than Yours!
A man riding his lawnmower across the country started off by going in the wrong direction. Brad Hauter has his own lawnmower buisness, and in order to demonstrate how great his mower is, he's riding it from coast to coast.
The problem is, he started on the west coast and headed west. Oops.
(Link via Relevant Magazine.)
Cosima Rohilla Shalizi - Polymath & Ultimate Pantologist
Truly that is a miracle of wonder surpassing the tongues of the eloquent, and far beyond the most cunning speech to describe: the mind reels before it, and the intellect stands abashed
Ibn Hazm
The Dove's Necklace
Cosma Rohilla Shalizi, who contains universes: Notebooks, Pieces for the SFI Bulletin, The Bactra Review, Books and Other Texts I've Put on the Web, Poetry and not the worst links page I've ever seen. This is the worst home page ever, according to yankthechain. I'm very proud. He likes, among many others, Avram Davidson, Sappho, Jack Vance, Edna St. Vincent Millay and Georg Christoph Lichtenberg. Courage, garrulousness and the mob are on our side. What more do we want? Now, is that a tagline or what?
Ibn Hazm
The Dove's Necklace
Cosma Rohilla Shalizi, who contains universes: Notebooks, Pieces for the SFI Bulletin, The Bactra Review, Books and Other Texts I've Put on the Web, Poetry and not the worst links page I've ever seen. This is the worst home page ever, according to yankthechain. I'm very proud. He likes, among many others, Avram Davidson, Sappho, Jack Vance, Edna St. Vincent Millay and Georg Christoph Lichtenberg. Courage, garrulousness and the mob are on our side. What more do we want? Now, is that a tagline or what?
March 20
Suffering knows no boundaries, no ideology.
Adopt-a-Pagan-Soldier - No pagans in foxholes? Think again! Meanwhile, the Adopt-a-Soldier movement gains momentum. Heed this well, opponents of the ongoing invasion (or liberation) of Iraq: US troops did not engineer the plan for a "Pax Americana" which underlies the US action in Iraq. No, they were pulled away from their families and their jobs, and lack basic necessities: such as SPF-30 sunscreen, and chapstick. Send them a care package. And while you are at it, why not donate to the UN Refugee Fund set up to cope with an expected 1 millon or so refugees, and a possible humanitarian disaster, in Iraq?
The Los Angeles Times goes multimedia
The Los Angeles Times goes multimedia. For the past few weeks, the LA Times has begun a significant push into offering video, audio, and interactive Flash on their website. One of the most interesting aspects is that the paper has moved one step beyond simply replaying AP Television clips as many sites have done; the LA Times writers are stand before the cameras and microphones themselves and report stories in a stuttering, non-hairsprayed, introverted demeanor that I find very refreshing, though so far I have gleaned very little additional information from it. When does (or can) this mode of journalism on the web rise above gimmickry or 'just because we can' and add value to a written article? Can video/tv news rise above mere spectacle?
ElfTrance
ElfTrance. High Bandwidth Elf Goodness.
John Le Carré on Iraq-War
- "But will people be killed, Daddy?"
- "Nobody you know, darling. Just foreign people."
This hypothetical dialogue created by british writer John Le Carré in an article for the Times Online makes me wonder if there are people who really think of this world with that distance of the reality. By the way, the whole Carré's article has interesting insights about the ongoing war (although it was written two months before its beginning).
- "Nobody you know, darling. Just foreign people."
This hypothetical dialogue created by british writer John Le Carré in an article for the Times Online makes me wonder if there are people who really think of this world with that distance of the reality. By the way, the whole Carré's article has interesting insights about the ongoing war (although it was written two months before its beginning).
Make drugs not war
Kuwait City - Kuwait Towers
Wonder about those towers behind Wolf Blitzer? I have, as I'm sure you have, seen a lot of the three sculptural towers behind the various newscasters transmitting from Kuwait City. They're quite beautiful -- award winning -- water towers (holding 4500 cubic meters). Built in 1979 by swedes, they are the largest and most visible part of a 100,000 cubic meter water storage system, which also includes the mushrooms along the beaches.
Season of mists
The Moon mating of the coral has begun. So it's time for a little Autumn magic. The fagus is turning, our devils are beginning their mating marathons and our fat little fairies have all the jumpers they need.
The Scribbly Gum website celebrates some of nature's seasonal events in Australia.
Bye Bye Saddam. Bye Bye Old Europe.
It is no accident that the core countries of "Old Europe," France and Germany, oppose us. "It is no accident that the core countries of Old Europe, France and Germany, oppose us. Between them, they have been responsible for every major European conflict since the Napoleonic era. Those who now accuse us of aggression bear the weight of hundreds of millions of corpses."
What a superb piece of writing.
Ludvig Borga v. Tarja Halonen in a steel cage
You're a pro wrestler (seen here in action figure form) who was just elected to the parliment of Finland with one of the highest vote totals in the country. Although calling your President a lesbian isn't really the first thing you want to do after your election.
GI Easter Bunny Baskets
GI Easter Bunny Baskets "The biggest oxymoron going on now is war toys," folksinger Utah Philipps said. "What is war? War is sticking a bayonet into people, we've been through all of this. It's the most awful thing that can happen. And what is a toy? A toy is to have fun with, to amuse yourself. Why are we telling our children that you can have fun with war?. . ."
What is Victoria's Secret?
The Real American Hero
He's no Stormin' Norman, but his Battalion of Greeters will takedown Saddam and Rollback Prices! Check out the extensive G.I. Joe filecard gallery at Yo Joe.com to harken back when times were a little bit more simple, and our guns fired Laser Beams. Also if you have a chance see the commercial archive for the comic books (with songs for each one!). I hope you'll learn something from all of this, and knowing is half the battle.
Rail Bands and Super Motels
A history of Malian pop music. Confused by the interlocking names and associations of the stars of West African music? This lively account by Lisa Denenmark should help (and a follow-up is promised). Via the indispensible Afropop Worldwide.
Nature Diaries
Wild West Yorkshire Nature Diary. 'My diary describes a year in the life of woodland, field, marsh, river, canal . . . and a fairly wild back garden . . . in the Calder valley in coal measures country near Wakefield.'
Richard Bell's nature diary has been online since 1998.
The site's links page leads to more nature diaries and related resources :
Ackworth School's natural history diary, Roseberry Topping, an environmentally friendly slug trap, Yorkshire dialect verse, wildscapes from Texas, Notes from Pure Land Mountain (a journal from countryside Japan), and more.
Although it's not linked, An English Country Garden, chronicling a garden in a small village in Dorset, would not be out of place here; neither would Blackberry Creek Journal, 'a country newsletter about the seasons, animals, gardens and people of a small Michigan farm'. There is a huge collection of gardening journals and homepages here. [more inside]
Richard Bell's nature diary has been online since 1998.
The site's links page leads to more nature diaries and related resources :
Ackworth School's natural history diary, Roseberry Topping, an environmentally friendly slug trap, Yorkshire dialect verse, wildscapes from Texas, Notes from Pure Land Mountain (a journal from countryside Japan), and more.
Although it's not linked, An English Country Garden, chronicling a garden in a small village in Dorset, would not be out of place here; neither would Blackberry Creek Journal, 'a country newsletter about the seasons, animals, gardens and people of a small Michigan farm'. There is a huge collection of gardening journals and homepages here. [more inside]
Movie Locations
Hey! This Is Where They Filmed That Scene Where... It's childish, I know, but I always get a buzz when I come across a place I've seen in a movie. Just as it never feels right when the city I live in turns up in one. Famous Locations is an unpretentious, modestly designed little website which is full of such thrills. For example, I've often stayed at the Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan - who would have thought it was where Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger hammed it up shamelessly in 9 1/2 Weeks? [More inside.Via LinkFilter.]
Blog-like war reporting
The idea of weblogs has defenitely inspired BBC Online news for making the following pages:
Seussian politics
Bush and Chirac debate Iraq
"I will bomb him in his car; I will bomb him from afar.
I will bomb him in his house; I do not like him, he’s a louse.
I’m going to bomb him here and there.
I’m going to bomb him everywhere."
"I will bomb him in his car; I will bomb him from afar.
I will bomb him in his house; I do not like him, he’s a louse.
I’m going to bomb him here and there.
I’m going to bomb him everywhere."
bookfilter. no, really.
A New Friend in the Neighborhood: In these day of high blood pressure and massive alcohol consumption, perhaps what we all need is to sit down and read a good book, instead of endless op-eds and political commentary. And then maybe we could sit down and talk about it afterwards. Yes, friends, the rumors are true: BookFilter is open for business.
The Agonist
The Agonist If you are caught up in minute by minute reports on what is taking place in the Iraq war, this is the site to visit.
A Summary of Pythagorean Theology
The Call to Peace.
The Call to Peace. An astrological analysis of the September 11th attacks and their aftermath. Saddam Hussein, a Muslim despot who 51% of Americans think was personally involved in the September 11th terrorist attacks, is charted.
Massive explosion rocks NASA
Massive explosion rocks NASA And Pasadena, and a few other places, too. It's not every day you get to watch a black hole form. Includes cool animation (.mov file). Seems the gamma ray burst detector picks up two or three significant events every month or so.
art and archaeology
"Welcome to Old Stones, a website about selected topics in ancient art and archaeology."
Better than Shakespeare ?
We will not fly our flags in their country The finest speech so far in the whole war thing. Good luck boys!
Robots In Disguise
The Autobots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of...the Iraqis. There's not a lot of meat to the link, but I thought it might bring a smile to somebody's face.
Orwell on political language
Objective considerations of contemporary phenomena compel the conclusion that success or failure in competitive activities exhibits no tendency to be commensurate with innate capacity, but that a considerable element of the unpredictable must invariably be taken into account.
Words are to be likely casualties of the next few hours/days/weeks/months - time to double-check George Orwell's informative field medicine manual for the English Language...
Words are to be likely casualties of the next few hours/days/weeks/months - time to double-check George Orwell's informative field medicine manual for the English Language...
The blonde in the bleachers
White supremacists reach out to other assholes: Simon Doonan, in this week's New York Observer, reports on the soft underside of Manhattan.
March 19
Conservatives are from Mars, Liberals... aw screw it, just read the post
Conservatives and Liberals obviously think differently. Here's how. George Lakoff, a highly respected linguist and author of Moral Politics: What Conservatives Know and Liberals Don't is tipping. Why? Part of it is that while Lakoff is obviously a Liberal, he's one of the few around to have taken the time to understand that Conservatives, too, have a coherent worldview. He's then added to that, er, insight his neuroscientific understanding of the power of metaphor in human communication. He's getting mad buzz right now, I just heard him lecture, and folks, Conservative or Liberal, this guy's ideas are worth exploring.
Yaddo
Yaddo: The Artist's Retreat. "Collectively, artists who have worked at Yaddo have won 55 Pulitzer Prizes, 55 National Book Awards, a Nobel Prize, and countless other honors. Visitors from [John] Cheever's day include Milton Avery, James Baldwin, Leonard Bernstein, Truman Capote, Aaron Copland, Philip Guston, Patricia Highsmith, Langston Hughes, Ted Hughes, Alfred Kazin, Ulysses Kay, Jacob Lawrence, Sylvia Plath, Katherine Anne Porter, Mario Puzo, Clyfford Still, and Virgil Thomson." A place to go to get your mind off war.
Can the US can apply decisive force to change this outcome?
A new Pew Research poll confirms the obvious. In 2002 world opinion of the US was slipping but still fairly high (as discussed in this thread). Pew now reports that favorable opinion of the US abroad has taken a nose dive. Of course, correllation does not indicate causation, but certainly this is driven by current events. It remains to be seen if this is indicative of a long-term trend.
Protester dies senseless death.
Protester dies senseless death. In a demonstration of the inefficacy of the recent protests, a protester falls to his death while apparently trying to hang an anti-war banner from the Golden Gate Bridge, barely a few hours before hostilities begin in Iraq.
Abandoned Railway Stations
Serviceton is a small railway town on the border of South Australia and Victoria, and was once a means for traders to escape taxes when travelling between the colonies, due to errors made when surveying the state borders. No train has stopped here since 1986, and now only a handful of people remain in the town, a sad downfall that Tom Waits has immortalized in song. But abandoned railway stations, closed as populations decline or trade routes change, exist the world over, in the city and in the country, and yes, even in France. They look like great places to explore.
'day after' protests
On the day after war begins, global protests will shock and awe. I'm often reminded that it took years for Vietnam protests to reach the levels we've already seen -- of course, after 3-4 hours, it may hardly matter. *cries*
The war has begun.
The 1893 World's Fair Mystery
The 1893 World's Fair has been recreated in loving detail by Peter Nepstad of The Illuminated Lantern, in his game 1893: A World's Fair Mystery. The reviews are in, and they're mostly positive, no small surprise considering it's a text adventure.
Lady Liberty no longer wanted?
Lady Liberty no longer wanted? Thanks to a backlash against the French for their refusal to back the US, one group wants to return the Statue of Liberty to France. Is it real or is it a joke?
phantastic platypus puzzle
While we're all waiting for the inevitable to start... Here's a nice little game of flash that challenges your brains. What more can one ask for? Oh yeah, the hero is a platypus, and the quest is for beer. I think. *burps*
FBI Discovers Bill of Rights
FBI Discovers Bill of Rights after 138 years. No word on whether they will sell it or use it.
Apple and Al
Oh, but to imagine what could have been. "I have been particularly impressed with the new Mac OS X operating system and the company's commitment to the open source movement."
If the USA loses
So you're tired of hearing about the war, eh? Me too, but you have to have some concern over what would happen if the USA loses. I bet you Saddam's first move as president would be to ban photoshop.
A Horribly Misguided Protester
Sometimes, a Protest Doesn't Work Out Quite Right. Once again, in less than a week, Olympia, WA, the fair city I call home, has made the news because of the actions of a war protester (which Olympia has no shortage of). Though not deadly like the Rachel Corrie incident, it shows the importance of making sure you do your research before you head out to make a statement.
Not the onion, but may cause tears
The Onion keeps getting funnier In this week's edition, Antonin Scalia bans the media from covering his acceptance of a free-speech award, and also tells Americans "Most of the rights that you enjoy go way beyond what the Constitution requires." Haw-haw! Get it? Oh, wait a second...
"Me, me, me – it's all about me!"
"Antiwar movement should shut up about 'shutting it down' – before the state shuts us down." As some in the antiwar movement "prepare to escalate,"
Justin Raimondo at Antiwar.com accusses them of narcissism and soberly warns that "it is clear, at any rate, that such a strategy would be largely ineffective. That is, it would not accomplish its ostensible goal: to stop or even slow down the U.S. assault on Iraq. On the other hand, it would succeed in giving John Ashcroft and the War Party a perfect means by which to test the more draconian clauses of the 'Patriot' Act – and a rationale for proposing even harsher legislation in the near future." [First link via cursor.]
war reporting
The War is about to Start and for those of us without a TV we are part of a grand experiment to see if we can be as well informed. According to this Reuters article, Radio had World War II, Television had Vietnam, Cable TV had the Gulf War and now, the Internet may have the U.S. war with Iraq...reporters and producers with wireless laptops and handheld digital cameras will file reports from battlefields and military installations. Cameras are at key locations for live feeds 24 hours a day. Interactive, 3-D maps will update troop movements, casualties and weapons used. ''You're combining the speed of television with the depth of print,'' says Mitch Gelman, executive producer of CNN.com. ''This could define how future wars are covered.'' (more inside)
The Fatal Salient: letters and paintings of Harold Sandys Williamson
The Fatal Salient. The First World War remembered; the letters and paintings of one of the participants, Harold Sandys Williamson.
This and more via The Imperial War Museum's online exhibitions. [more inside]
Banned commercial
TV Censorship? This advert has just been banned from British TV after a record number of complaints were made about it.
What do you think of it?
What do you think of it?
War Nazi Iraq failure of democracy
Red Alert
Dogs in funny hats
Just Nuisance, Able Seaman. The only canine enlisted in the Royal Navy, Just Nuisance served from 1939 to 1944 in Simon's Town, South Africa (on his papers his occupation was listed as 'Bone Crusher' and his religion 'Canine Divinity League [Anti-Vivisection]'). Providing a great source of morale to sailors stationed there he would escort them on train trips and make sure they made it back to base after a night on the town. Of course being a sailor himself he was privy to a few brushes with the law as well by traveling on the railways without a pass (punishment: Confined to the banks of Froggy Pond, Lily Pool, with all lamp posts removed) or sleeping on an Officer's bed (punishment: Deprived of bones for seven days.). Married, and survived by five children, on his death he was afforded a funeral with full military colours. You can read his biography (which spawned a television series), or merely pay respects at his statue next time you're in Simon's Town.
Smart Bombed
How much coverage of Elizabeth Smart's kidnapping is too much? I don't know if any of you have been as bothered as I have by this blanket coverage -- not that it's anything new by our media. But it's disturbing nonetheless. From Slate Magazine.
Aids
Cellular politics. It seems that merely "reacting" is always a step behind of a fast evolving hostile force, and some pre-emptive strategy is a must.
IMF Policies Admitted Wrong
Oops! IMF Admits Failed Policies
International financial integration should also help countries to reduce economic volatility, the study said, but in reality this has not happened.
"Indeed, the process of capital account liberalization appears to have been accompanied in some cases by increased vulnerability to crises," the report said.
"Globalization has heightened these risks since cross-country financial linkages amplify the effects of various shocks and transmit them more quickly across national borders."
In the last 10 years, developing countries from Thailand and Russia to Argentina, have seen their economies collapse, even though many of them were trying to follow IMF-prescribed open market policies.
So does this mean corporate facism harms the world's poor?
International financial integration should also help countries to reduce economic volatility, the study said, but in reality this has not happened.
"Indeed, the process of capital account liberalization appears to have been accompanied in some cases by increased vulnerability to crises," the report said.
"Globalization has heightened these risks since cross-country financial linkages amplify the effects of various shocks and transmit them more quickly across national borders."
In the last 10 years, developing countries from Thailand and Russia to Argentina, have seen their economies collapse, even though many of them were trying to follow IMF-prescribed open market policies.
So does this mean corporate facism harms the world's poor?
Get me a ticket for an aeroplane...
Graphic Design from the 1920s and 1930s in Travel Ephemera . Amazing collection of posters, road maps, steamship and airline timetables, (more timetables here), post cards, luggage labels (more labels here and here), brochures and more. Seeing this stuff makes me wish I had been born seventy-five years earlier (and with an obscene amount of money.)
(Warning: the site is seriously painful to look at, but the content's good. Link via Coudal.)
Jade Cicadas
Amazon UK taken down by demand in cheap PDAs
Amazon UK was taken down for over an hour today after a rush of orders caused by apparently mis-pricing Compaq HP iPAQ H5450 Pocket PCs and HP iPAQ H1910 Pocket PCs at £23 GBP and £7 GBP respectively (normally priced at over £200 GBP each)!! I know a few people who have ordered one or two ;) - Amazon is back up and running now but we're all a bit in the dark as to whether we'll get our cut-price goods or not. Logic and fair-play (and the Trades Description Act) dicatates that we should get our goods - but I wonder....
(see also here at The Register)
New York Times Headlines: March 19, 1920
Senate Defeats Treaty, Vote 49 to 35; Orders it Returned to the President (NY Times reg. req.) "America Isolated Without Treaty: Its Defeat, Washington Feels, Will Add to Our Unpopularity Abroad" (83 years ago today)
Bug Bug Buggy
Bug Bug Buggy - Electronic bugging devices have been found at offices used by French and German delegations at European Union headquarters in Brussels.
I think I can guess where fingers will get pointed....
Linkalicious Weblogs Of The World
Oh Just Read The Whole Thing, Will You? I give up. There are just too many great links, intelligently woven together and presented on new things: a weblog, to plunder one by one. It deserves a place up there with plep, woods lot, Bifurcated Rivets, Coudal Partners, Portage and similarly venerable company: lots of fresh links assiduously updated, and loads of personality. And a few recent and classic MetaFilter hits provide a welcoming familiarity...[Dibs on the unusual playing cards!]
How to Deal With North Korea & Q&A: Should U.S. Launch Direct Talks with N. Korea?
Here are two thoughtful pieces on the North Korean Crisis.
From Foreign Affairs comes How to Deal With North Korea.
From the New York Times comes
Q&A: Should U.S. Launch Direct Talks with North Korea?
Here, by the way, is the fourth footnote from How to Deal With North Korea :
Had the Agreed Framework not been signed in 1994, the North's plutonium-based program would by today have produced enough plutonium for up to 30 nuclear weapons. Critics of the accord should not ignore this fact.
From Foreign Affairs comes How to Deal With North Korea.
From the New York Times comes
Q&A: Should U.S. Launch Direct Talks with North Korea?
Here, by the way, is the fourth footnote from How to Deal With North Korea :
Had the Agreed Framework not been signed in 1994, the North's plutonium-based program would by today have produced enough plutonium for up to 30 nuclear weapons. Critics of the accord should not ignore this fact.
March 18
Cynthia Says
Cynthia Says™ is a web content accessibility validation solution, it is designed to identify errors in design related to Section 508 standards and the WCAG guidelines. The main purpose of this portal is to educate web site developers in the development Web Based content that is accessible to all. Cynthia runs more tests than Bobby and is free. I think the site itself fails the accessiblity test, 'cause it doesn't have "WCAG" in an <abbr> tag, nonetheless it's a good tool. [via zeldman].
Evil for dummies.
Just in case you're not sure how to be evil... You can get help. 8 easy steps to help you become evil.
Star-Spangled Ice Cream
I-Hate-the-French Vanilla -- at last, Star-Spangled Ice Cream offers a conservative alternative to Ben & Jerry's. Other flavors are Smaller Governmint, Iraqi Road and Nutty Environmentalist. And 10% of the profits go to charities that support the U.S. Armed Forces! (via)
Saddam: A look back
"Saddam the paranoid tyrant can be traced back to Saddam the persecuted village boy" He went from an illegitimate birth, to living with a harsh step-father, to leader of a nation about to be on the other side of war with the United States for a second time. Take a look back at Saddam Hussein.
Count The Dead In Iraq
Iraq Body Count is a web "button" that can be cut and pasted to a website showing an updated tally of civilian casualties in the upcoming Iraqi war. Their methodology is to survey a broad swath of news sites and come up with a "high" and "low" number. They're probably more credible than Saddam's government or the Pentagon. (via TalkLeft)
The Best of Craigslist
Everyone knows about Craigslist, but does everyone know about these continually-updated best-of pages for the NY and SF lists? Posts range from amusing to disturbing to meta to debauched to curious to amusing to desperate to brilliant to literary to ...
Then there were two
Seattle PI have picked up the news that there's now competition in the race to build a space elevator. Liftport are the new kids on the block, with a website that only went online about 24 hours ago. I'm watching them build the message board as I type. Nothing like a bit of uplifting science news (pun unavoidable).
101 Dumbest Moments in Business, 2002
The 101 dumbest moments in business for 2002 are in, and there are some real doozies. I really enjoyed numbers 48 through 51, regarding Microsoft's .NET: "One question might be, and I'll be as direct as I can be about this, what is .Net? Unlike Windows, where you could say it's a product, it sits in one place, it's got a nice little box. In some senses, it's a very good question." --Steve Ballmer
whee!
kaleidoscope fun! As if any of us needed another time waster...but this is cool.
Treesitters arrested
Yesterday, forest activists Remedy and Wren (among others) were arrested and
hauled away in handcuffs. Remedy had spent nearly a year in a redwood tree named
"Jerry". She was just four days from her one-year anniversary in that
tree. Today, the activists have replaced the
tree-sitters with others. Also, Julia Butterfly Hill has written a letter
in support of Remedy and her effort.
Tractor in the Mall
Man drives tractor into a ditch on the Mall. And the tractor stand off continues...
I find it amusing how most DCers are concerned more about the ensuing traffic havoc rather than the startling fact that there's a man with (possibly) explosives camped out on the Mall.
I find it amusing how most DCers are concerned more about the ensuing traffic havoc rather than the startling fact that there's a man with (possibly) explosives camped out on the Mall.
la reina es muerta
Guillermo, it was really nada. Back in my day, Morrissey's fans were closeted gay boys, the girls who loved them, and oddly, Mormons.
Now, he's the idol of Latinos, especially in LA. Is it a cultural connection with melodramatic poetry or artistic narcissism? Is it identification with Morrissey's lyrics of disenfranchisement, or a rebellion against traditional Latin machismo?
Is it the hair?
Taking Care of Business (in Sequins & Rhinestones)
Ladies & Gentlemen, the Elvis Presley Jumpsuit Index. I was little more than five years old when he died, but to my little kid comprehension he looked in real-life the way my Saturday morning heroes looked on television.
Moscow Life
Moscow Life. 49 stories with images of life in and around Moscow, posted between 1995 and 2002. There's an introduction here.
bookwormariffic batman
What I Have Read well not me personally, but some guy has a bunch of stats/info on every book he has read since 1974, all 2031 of em..
Peaceblogs
SETI @ Home
Nearly 4 years ago, Seti@Home project started.Today, thanks to millions of CPU and loyal users, after picking 200 interesting signals out of a few billions, they have started rescanning the most interesting ones at Araceibo. One step closer to ET.
War May Postpone NCAA Tourney
War May Postpone NCAA Tourney. Yes, it's true. College basketball's most anticipated event may be delayed, due to the impending war. Maybe that's a good thing. I would be absolutely screaming at the television if with 30 seconds left in regulation, a "breaking news" story overtook the screen.
Kids' Goals Hold Clues for Depression Risk
2003 Oscar Schwag
exploring the abandoned
Explore the abandoned - all things we build must pass into an inevitable and steady deterioration. Thanks to those who chronicle civilization's entropy and put it on the web, because it's mad fun to watch.
Sailing close to the flame
At what point does a government have to stop and wonder if it's judged the mood correctly?
The UK government manages to bribe a rebel with a cushy job, but not one, not two, but three other MPs walk away from the government in one day. Are things going wrong in the UK?
The UK government manages to bribe a rebel with a cushy job, but not one, not two, but three other MPs walk away from the government in one day. Are things going wrong in the UK?
Firecracker Packs
Crackerpacks is a library of over 400 (excellently named) firecracker labels available
for you to enjoy.
Violence And The Sacred - René Girard & Scapegoat Theory
Human beings, according to French thinker René Girard, are fundamentally imitative creatures. We copy each other's desires, and are in perpetual conflict with one another over the objects of our desire. In early human communities, this conflict created a permanent threat of violence, and forced our ancestors to find a way to unify themselves. They chose a victim, a scapegoat, an evil one against whom the community could unite.
Scapegoat Theory 101 ?
Scapegoat Theory 101 ?
The Yahoo Meme Chart
Is anyone else addicted to yahoo's most e-mailed photos? I find it a fascinating insight into what people think others want to see. Of course there's the usual T&A, and the bevy of cute animals, but other patterns can be observed...(more inside)
March 17
Birobidzhan
Stalin's Forgotten Zion. In 1934, the Soviet Union established the Jewish Autonomous Region in remote Birobidzhan as a permanent agricultural colony for all Soviet Jews. Substantial incentives from the Soviet government drew many new settlers. Today, only a few thousand Jews remain. A few more links: pictures from the BBC, a travel diary, a recent economic overview.
The Idiot Prince will have his war
Stan Goff puts it best in his anti-war article entitled "The Idiot Prince will have his war", outlining many of the logistical issues involved with waging war in Iraq, pointing a finger at a problem facing the United States that runs far deeper than the need for oil or the opposition of the United Nations.
A fascinating and very chilling read.
Is Mr. Bush prepared to put his sacrafice his post as president to prevent war - or will he instead forfeit the lives of thousands of people?
Bush sets in motion 48-hour timeline for Saddam and sons to flee the country. Then, Saddam Defies Bush Deadline
and suggests that Bush himself resign. Wait a minute, I think I see a diplomatic solution here that is in the best interests of BOTH nations. Seriously - I think that, when Mr. Bush makes such an ultimatum, he himself should also be prepared to resign his post, especially when lives of - at best - thousands of people are at stake. Assuming that Saddam Hussein were willing to resign if Bush also agreed to do so (and I'm not saying that he necessarily is), would Americans (Iraqis) be willing to make the "sacrifice"?
Are you a Boinger?
The good news? My Comics Page is hosting the great "Bloom County" strips in order, six daily strips one day and a Sunday strip the next (that's a week in two days, kids).
The bad news? You have to pay $10.00 to see them.
Michael Moore directs System of a Down
Boom! No, that's not the sound of the bottom falling out of the economy...Michael Moore has directed System of Down's lasted video (as he has done for R.E.M. once and Rage Against the Machine twice) using footage of recent focus groups protests against the "jumping [of] Iraq." Moore also wrote a letter to the president and will be talking about Anti-Americanism on Tuesday's Oprah. Moore Watch has yet to respond.
Exactitudes
Exactitudes: a contraction of exact and attitude. In my best translation from artspeak: How we try so hard to be different individually, but end up looking the same. via Milk & Cookies
disgusting things traditional Irish flute players do
10 disgusting things traditional Irish flute players do - along with a guide to the Irish flute, a few flute clips and a bleedin' deadly guide to Irish slang.
Prayers for peace
Prayers for peace. I'm agnostic and my feelings on the current Iraq crisis are confused. However, one thing is almost certain: many innocent people will die in the following weeks (months, years), most of them relegated to statistics. The future is uncertain.
Speaking of gassing one's own people
Speaking of gassing one's own people: US Government admits it tested nerve gas (sarin and VX) on its own sailors (Project SHAD). This is in addition to the testing of LSD on civilians (MK Ultra), syphilis on 399 black Alabama men (Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment), radioactivity on American GI's (Operation Crossroads), and the secret testing of germ warfare tactics on American cities. It's really no surprise the US government rejected an international ban on biological weapons, and yet we personalize this imminent war with Iraq and claim the justification as the forced disarming of dangerous 'Weapons of Mass Destruction'? I love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning.
soul food for the coalition of the willing
mustard with your pork sir? as we head to war, here's some alarming data on america's own stash of undestroyed chemical weapons as well as the phenomenal return on investment for deep-pocket GOP campaign contributors.
Pain In The English
Picky, picky, picky. What a great place to quibble over the fine points of English usage, such as where commas go, or the proper way to use the phrase "a lot of". Focus all that pre-war nervous energy into refining your speech and writing, maybe?
Cook sods off
The resignation speech [Real, edited text] of Robin Cook, the ex-Foreign Secretary who led British troops into Kosovo, received a standing ovation in the House of Commons, something that hasn't happened in recent memory. The now leaderless House votes on the war tomorrow.
Another Bad Day in Silicon Valley
Applied Materials to Slash 14% of Its Work Force How many of you work in the Silicon Valley semiconductor business? How do you feel about an industry giant like AMAT having yet another layoff? Or, if you work for one of AMAT's competitors, what does this do to your own sense of job security?
St Patrick - The Game
St Patrick - The Game ... Try to drive the snakes out of Ireland using a 357 Magnum instead of a staff.
And have a great St Patrick's Day. Who knows, it may be our last ...
And have a great St Patrick's Day. Who knows, it may be our last ...
Greg Egan's Website
Greg Egan's website, including 17 full stories (my favorite) and explanations (by the author) of some of the science (including quantum soccer) in his books. Not the prettiest site I've seen, but a treat for fans of Egan's brand of "hard" SF.
Braccelli's book
"This vellum-bound curiosity is one of the rarest and most mysterious etching suites of the late Renaissance." Braccelli's fantastic drawings are excellent examples of early (early, early) surrealism. For higher quality images, try this link instead.
Practice Safe Snacks!
Don't like Bush? Send him a pretzel! A French website is urging people unhappy with the Bush Administration to buy a pretzel ("bretzel" in French), which will then be sent to the White House. Part of the pretzel's cost also goes to charity.
King of the Road.
The Trucker's Page is a site dedicated to the eighteen wheeled sub-culture driving alongside you everyday. Featuring essays, fiction, and even poetry dedicated to entertaining the mustached and mulleted kings of the road.
To think locally
Terrorism from Middle America. A sudden green terror hits Washington D.C.
Matthew Barney's Cremaster Cycle
Matthew Barney's Cremaster Cycle Multimedia artist Matthew Barney, 36, is almost universally fawned over by critics and is hailed as the most important artist to come along in years. In a stunning installation at NYC's Guggenheim Museum, he's made the museum into a bit player in his massive gesamtkunstwerk. And now this gorgeous website ups the ante on Flash-based sites. In addition to all this, the soundtracks from his Cremaster series by Jonathan Bepler are breaking new ground in modern composition. Oh, yeah, Matthew Barney is the dad of Bjork's child. Where does it end?
Germany's Fanta website
Germany's Fanta website let's you subtitle (what I think are Bollywood) movie clips! It's a good waste of time if you got to waste your time.
Military History Online ("... the best and most interesting of the web ...")
The War Times Journal is an on-line magazine which covers all periods of military history and military science. Within you'll find content ranging from illustrated articles to dispatch and memoir reprints to interactive maps and timelines, all well presented and totally free.
A Love of Monsters: Gargoyles & Architectural Details in NYC
A Love of Monsters: Gargoyles & Architectural Details in NYC. 'They crouch in the corners and lurk under windows. They curl around drainpipes and blend into doorways. They're so clever at hiding most folks won't see them at all. '
'But I know where the monsters live. I see them all the time. If your heart is understanding and your eyes remember wonder, then take a quiet stroll with me and see what you can find.'
Self-guided walks, too.
'But I know where the monsters live. I see them all the time. If your heart is understanding and your eyes remember wonder, then take a quiet stroll with me and see what you can find.'
Self-guided walks, too.
Civil Disobedience Training
Civil Disobedience Training (html version), The Handbook for Nonviolent Action and Civil Disobedience Training, Nonviolent Action Handbook, and Non-violence Discipline. And then there's that crackpot who wrote in the Dhammapada that "hate is not overcome by hate; by Love (Metta) alone is hate appeased. This is an eternal law." One imagines other texts on the timely topics of peace, nonviolence, and war resistance may exist -- Martin Luther King pointedly noted, "there is nothing new about this kind of civil disobedience. It was seen sublimely in the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar because a higher moral law was involved. It was practiced superbly by the early Christians who were willing to face hungry lions and the excruciating pain of chopping blocks, before submitting to certain unjust laws of the Roman empire."
Attention Deficit Disorder
Choking Man. This weirdo has been running around South Florida for a few months, feigning choking in front of women in parking lots. Why do people feel the need to act out Chuck Palahniuk's stories?
Gone to hit the highway
Highway Ulysses is a new play premiering at Boston's American Repertory Theatre. Playwright/composer Rinde Eckert and ART artistic director/Sam Shepherd's regular director Robert Woodruff have collaborated on an envigorating new play with music about a Vietnam vet on a road trip to find his son that parallels Homer's Odyssey. The ART's website is similarly informative and engaging as it points out the frightening timeliness of The Odyssey in the current world. (more inside)
From the world's most popular novelist, Paulo Coelho, an open letter of praise for President Bush.
Thank you, Great Leader George W.Bush Paulo Coelho writes an interesting letter of praise to Prez Bush
Harold Pinter's War Poem
Democracy
There's no escape.
The big pricks are out.
They'll fuck everything in sight.
Watch your back.
Harold Pinter
[More inside]
There's no escape.
The big pricks are out.
They'll fuck everything in sight.
Watch your back.
Harold Pinter
[More inside]
What would you do? Think again.
Becoming Evil: How Ordinary People Commit Genocide and Mass Killing : "To offer a psychological explanation for the atrocities committed by perpetrators is not to forgive, justify or condone their behavior. Instead, the explanation simply allows us to understand the conditions under which many of us could be transformed into killing machines." (James Waller) In a Salon interview about his widely acclaimed, pathbreaking book Waller states, "Most people don't understand how easy it is to develop us-them [mindsets]......In our climate of fear in response to terrorism, I think we could pretty easily turn on people who have been our neighbors."
Four-Letter Branding
French Connection UK : what is the rag seller's corporate identity a "dyslexic" acronym for? The sober Boston Globe gets it, and takes the opportunity to consult ethicists on whether we should allow words in print just because people use them in real life.
Some readers objected to the ad's center spread, which featured FCUK in large letters, with the 'C' formed by an ocean wave. At least as many, maybe more, objected to a full-page photo of a young model in very short shorts, her legs apart, and ''Welcome to Fcukiki Beach'' written across her left thigh.The real point is, who can afford to be choosy these days, with advertising still slumping? E&P's take from last summer still seems relevant.
Iranian film critics arrested
Collecting "art films" as a film critic might throw you in jail in Iran. Famous Iranian film critic, Kambiz Kahe, is arrested along with a few colleagues. Hard-liner Iranian police says they were "importing and distributing pornographic material", which according to them, could vary from French art films to something like American Beauty. Chicago-based film critic, Jonathan Rosenbaum, along with FIPRESCI (the international federation of film critics) has protested to these arrests in separate letters. Kahe and friends needs more international support to be able to sit next to their families on Persian new year’s day which is only days away (March 21st).
Sane discussion of world affairs.
Over the last few years, Tony Judt has been writing some brilliant commentary on the world political situation in the NYRB. His latest is one of the best pieces I’ve read for ages. Sanity, reason, non-shrillness, etc – and it’s only the first of three articles.
New OED Words
Dungeons and Dragons, bigorexia, arse-licker, bass-ackward... The online OED (Oxford English Dictionary) quarterly adds a host of new words to the canon of what has become the standard dictionary of the english language(s). Some of the new and spicey words are: arsehole, arseholed, arse-lick,arse-licker, ass-backward,
ass-backwards, bass-ackward, bass-ackwards, dragon lady,
Dungeons and Dragons, telenovela, and transgenderist!!
Thank the gods of language for these new words! So what is you favorite new word and why?
Coup in the CAR
Meanwhile, over in Africa. While the Central African Republic President was gone, a General came in and seized power. What will happen to the millions wanted for food in the CAR is unknown, but more people may leave the CAR.
Water War Iraq
Is the looming war with Iraq the first Water War? Should the signs really be saying No Blood for Water?
From -Water Wars: a lecture by (Adel Darwish)
"Oil has always been thought of as the traditional cause of conflict in the Middle East past and present. Since the first Gulf oil well gushed in Bahrain in 1932, countries have squabbled over borders in the hope that ownership of a patch of desert or a sand bank might give them access to new riches. No longer. Now, most borders have been set, oil fields mapped and reserves accurately estimated - unlike the water resources, which are still often unknown. WATER is taking over from oil as the likeliest cause of conflict in the Middle East."
March 16
Let the Madness Begin
Who's this years favorite? Anyone want to guess who will win it all? Got that someone in the office that does better than the sports "know it all"? Let the bracket analysis, predictions, and of course trash talk commence for MADNESS!
Israeli army bulldozes, kills American protester.
Israeli army bulldozes, kills American protester. Rachel Corrie, 23, of Olympia, Washington was killed in the Gaza Strip on Sunday when an Israeli Army bulldozer ran her over while trying to destroy a house in the Palestinian settlement of Rafah. Rachel was one of eight Palestinian Solidarity volunteers from the US and Great Britain at the scene, who were gathered in front of the house of Dr. Samir Masri, which was slated for demolition. Rachel Corrie was a leading organizer of the Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace, and was a senior at Evergreen State College, majoring in International Studies. She was also a talented writer, documenting her experiences in Palestine and Gaza.
Waging Peace
Waging Peace: Dr. Robert Muller, former assistant secretary general of the United Nations, and one of the people who witnessed the founding of the U.N., says the global body is fulfilling its ultimate purpose: "Never before in the history of the world has there been a global, visible, public, viable, open dialogue and conversation about the very legitimacy of war".
Tension busters and assorted flash innanity
Tense times all around, globally and here on MeFi! Many of us may be feeling a bit anxious and even a bit desperate. Perhaps a few little flash diversions would help to lighten the mood lest anyone be tempted to kick the cat or tease the dog. We could definitely all use a good laugh or two. After all, you only live twice.
Papa Smurf can I lick your Ass?
Smurfs Gone Wild Not Safe For Work, and it's just another dumb flash cartoon, but there haven't been any unprecendented attacks on Smurf village as far as I know. I think it's all a part of the vast Smurf Conspiracy. Let's all forget about that Iraq thing and discuss the dubious moral character of Smurfette.
he's dead, jim.
37 years ago, william shatner launched an unprecedented television sci-fi attack on the american public. (warning: disturbing images). i think this speaks for itself.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
58 years ago Harry Truman launched an unprecedented nuclear weapons attack on 2 Japanese cities. (warning: disturbing images). I think this speaks for itself.
Remembering Halabja
15 years ago today Saddam Hussein launched an unprecedented chemical weapons attack on 20 Kurdish villages. (warning: disturbing images). I think this speaks for itself.
Geeks without Borders?
Chasing the Wish was one of those websites that people suspected of being everything from another 8march2003 to another Push Nevada or Cloud Makers. What it turned out to be however was a announcement for a free ARG or Alternate Reality Game as hosted by such groups as the ARGN, Unfiction, Collective Detective, to name a few.
Mentioned in this BBC article and this NYT article, as potential ways to study collective problem solving dynamics, it would seem that this type of crossover treasure hunting could yield some very real world knowledge.
I bet the folks at Princeton will have an eye on this one. It's already spawned a funny parody site too.
Liberté!
Fascinating Freedom-minded Frenchmen in US History No. 1 - Eduoard de Laboulaye: something historical to take your mind off it all for the next twenty-four hours. [...more inside.]
Fish heads, fish heads, Hebrew-talking fish heads...
"According to two fish-cutters at the New Square Fish Market, the carp was about to be slaughtered and made into gefilte fish for Sabbath dinner when it suddenly began shouting apocalyptic warnings in Hebrew."
Heir Splitting?
Possible constitutional changes rock Liechtenstein. Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein has vowed to leave the country if he doesn't win a referendum today on legitimizing his rule. Opponents say it's a power grab (NYT link)...and the prince's critics have had mangled cat and pig remains left on their doorsteps.
Periodic Table of Haiku
The Kunisada Project
The Kunisada Project , dedicated to one of the greatest ukiyo-e artists.
Poison Awareness Month
Did you know that March is Poison Awareness month? More than 90% of poisonings occur in the home, more than half involving children under the age of six. Each year, more than five million poisonings are reported in the U.S. alone. How poison aware are you? Are you familiar with the (U.S.) toll-free phone number you can call if you suspect someone has been poisoned? How about the various symbols used to identify poisons in the home: the Mr. Yuk or the more widely identifiable skull and crossbones? Are you following best practices to prevent household poisonings? (Oh, and did you know that Poison Control Centers nationwide are on the front lines of national preparedness and response in the event of a biological or chemical terrorist attack? Now you do!)
Mapping the captive globe
Sorry, eh?
Canada apologizes to the USA (Real Video). What Colin Mockery does when he's not making stuff up on the fly.
Readin', 'Ritin' and Redneckery
Sticking to the gay stuff: The ACLU is threatening legal action against a middle school in Arkansas whose administrators have gone to extraordinary lengths to punish a student for being gay, including outing him to his parents, forcing him to read passages of the Bible, calling him "abnormal" and "unnatural," and disciplining him for mentioning between classes to a female friend that he thought another boy was cute. (via CalPundit) [more inside]
Chinese Contemporary Art
Chinese-art.com is a web-based portal site designed to provide.. [more]
Oh, THOSE wmd's?, well.............
"Weapons of Mass Destruction", you say? Question: If Iraq is the vicious rat and North Korea the
furious pygmy of WMD threats, where is the 800 pound gorilla? Answer -
"...law enforcement officials worldwide have seized 40 kilograms of Russian-origin uranium
and plutonium since 1991. Stanford researchers have also estimated that only 30 to 40 percent of
the nuclear material stolen from facilities in Russia and other territories in the former Soviet
Union are ever recovered by authorities." the collapse of the Soviet Union left vast stores
of Nuclear weapons and weapons grade plutonium and uranium, and stocks of chemical and
biological warfare agents lying about at dangerously underfunded facillities scattered through
the vast expanse of the ex-Soviet realm. "Russian stockpiles of weapons and materials are
the most likely source for terrorists attempting to acquire weapons of mass destruction",
said US Senator Richard Lugar, Republican chairman of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee. An international effort to destroy these stores of ex-Soviet WMD's is currently funded at a tiny fraction of the estimated cost of a possible US invasion and occupation of Iraq. (more inside)
Choke, Gag, Wheeeeef!
Heimlich falsely claims he invented surgical procedure. Have you ever been choking in a lovely restaurant and suddenly felt the hands of God around you, releasing forth the offending object? Henry Heimlich has long taken all of the credit for this procedure, though it had apparently been performed by Romanian doctor Dan Gavriliu at least four years before Heimlich started to make his claims.
"There is making of silver sex".
Taking bodypainting/messy obsessions to the very edge, Manon Production from Japan sells a wide selection of fetish videos (sample mpeg 1.69MB).
All feature illustrative pictures and detailed, eerie Engrish descriptions ("we feel admirable and poor at her black smile"; "Midori's body is changing colourfull"; "a little golden powder enters into her eyes"). Results can also evoke a sculpture, the theater or abstract art. Considering the evident misogyny of the whole effort, is it all the more unsettling because the images are sometimes beautiful (1, 2)? Is it an attempt to somehow bring Sorayama's creatures to life? Could the models be actually enjoying it?
NOT SAFE FOR WORK.
March 15
That Place Where Bush And Blair Are Meeting Today?
Welcome To Lajes Field, located on the island of Terceira in the stunningly beautiful and unspoilt Azores, home to the U.S. Air Force's 65th Air Base wing and U.S. Forces Azores. A curious little website, with its own particular micro-culture and quite a few interesting historical tidbits. [Not to mention two lousy jobs going.] Or, as they themselves put it: "multimedia products to help you better understand and appreciate the noble mission of the military men and women assigned to this outpost in the Atlantic." [In case you were wondering, it's here, later today, that Bush, Blair and Aznar, hosted by Durão Barroso, will hold their little war summit.]
Athena struggles to hold her grotesquely large head up as she prepares to bonk her menacing enemies with her blue ladel wooden driver thing.
The 20 worst NES games of all time. Rube: It is very much revengeful towards Jack, and it pursues him endlessly.
Barbie Blogs
Barbie and her friends now have blogs. Seeing this seriously made me consider hanging my hat and going home. They even have webcams, to do lists, and little photo galleries. The corporate giants are working hard to pull girls in to technology - which is a really good thing. Too bad the latest posts are about buying mini-skirts and things like that.
Medical Alert
CDC posts medical alert for atypical pneumonia. There is travel alert for those traveling from Asian countries around and in China. It seems that this type of pnenumonia has been found in North America. Symptoms include fever and hard-of-breathing. More articles about the disease here.
A Trippy Memory Lane
Wanna buy a piece of your childhood? Sid & Marty Krofft were the creative minds behind a rash of trippy children's television programs in the 1970s (who can forget H.R. Pufnstuf, The Bugaloos,Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, Land of the Lost and many, many others?). Now they're auctioning off puppets, props and drawings from over three decades of their television shows. Who wouldn't want to own their own Sleestak?
all you got to do is find a parking lot
Area residents speak of hearing their cries late in the night, a hellish screeching and squealing. Some even have seen them personally, appearing from nowhere in the dark hours... then scattering...
Police came through, but now they're gone /
In other words, the sideshow's on. A peek into the infamous Oakland sideshow.
(Quicktime videos 1,2,3)
Northern Magic
Diane Stuemer , an Ottawa area entrepreneur, and her husband reevaluated their priorities in the early 90's after Diane was diagnosed with malignant melanoma and her husband had a work related accident. After her cancer went into remission, and fearful that her 3 children would grow up without remembering her, the family took the bold decision to pack up everything and circumnavigate the world. Despite having less than 4 days of sailing experience, the family took to the seas with great enthusiasm.
The Northern Magic became the Steumer's home for 4 years as they travelled around the world. During that time Diane wrote a series of weekly dispatches to the readers of her hometown's newspaper. It became a tradition in many Ottawa households to read Diane's column in the saturday paper while dreaming of the exotic locals she was writing about (a sharp contrast from Ottawa's winters).
In those 4 years, readers got to experience Herbert (the husband) become a master mechanic, Diane adapt to life afloat, and the 3 sons grow up. When the Stuemers finally arrived home in Ottawa in August of 2001 they where greeted by thousands of well-wishers.
Sadly, Ottawa residents learned early in February that Diane had been readmitted to hospital where she was fighting a very aggressive melanoma battle. Today, Diane succumbed to her illness and passed away.
During their voyage, the entire family took on several projects in the countries they visited which are still active today. What amazes me about Diane is the experiences she lived through with her children, the memories they will cherish and the lasting effect their travels will have on the people they met.
The Northern Magic became the Steumer's home for 4 years as they travelled around the world. During that time Diane wrote a series of weekly dispatches to the readers of her hometown's newspaper. It became a tradition in many Ottawa households to read Diane's column in the saturday paper while dreaming of the exotic locals she was writing about (a sharp contrast from Ottawa's winters).
In those 4 years, readers got to experience Herbert (the husband) become a master mechanic, Diane adapt to life afloat, and the 3 sons grow up. When the Stuemers finally arrived home in Ottawa in August of 2001 they where greeted by thousands of well-wishers.
Sadly, Ottawa residents learned early in February that Diane had been readmitted to hospital where she was fighting a very aggressive melanoma battle. Today, Diane succumbed to her illness and passed away.
During their voyage, the entire family took on several projects in the countries they visited which are still active today. What amazes me about Diane is the experiences she lived through with her children, the memories they will cherish and the lasting effect their travels will have on the people they met.
Finnish Parliamentary Elections
Finnish Parliamentary Elections are held this sunday. Deutsche Welle and NY Times sum things up pretty well, but I've added some links you might find interesting. [more inside]
POW/MIA's - Another Viet Nam War Fantasy
MIA Facts Site
Prisoners of Hope: Exploiting the POW-MIA Myth in America.
Let's Sell The Bones : The Marketing of America's Missing In Action (More Inside)
Prisoners of Hope: Exploiting the POW-MIA Myth in America.
Let's Sell The Bones : The Marketing of America's Missing In Action (More Inside)
Poetry Dedicated to Leonardo DiCaprio
The Leonardo DiCaprio Poetry Site This is a poetry site totally dedicated to the talented actor Leonardo DiCaprio / Without whom / Our lives would be empty of all inspiration. There would be no work of art for us to gaze at / No timeless melody to listen to.
Some of it's quite sincere: Must. Not. Heh. Snicker. . .
Some of it's quite sincere: Must. Not. Heh. Snicker. . .
ides of march
Today is the Ides of March. What is the Ides of March? It is March 15th in the ancient Roman calender, the first day of the Roman New Year and the first day of spring. The Roman calender refered to days by names not numbers, thus each month has an Ide day, although not always on the 15th. The Ides of March is best known as the day Julius Caesar was assasinated in the Senate (44 BC) and made famous by the Shakespeare line "Beware the Ides of March". It modern times it has come to symbolize foreboding and bad luck. Iggy Pop sang about it prophetically with todays current events, and in Rome where it all started it's a good day to Toga Party.
Uncle Sam Through Saudi Eyes
Colin Powell and the Marketing of Uncle Sam is an idiosyncratic rant by Afnan Fatani, professor of stylistics at King Abdul Aziz University, in the English-language Saudi journal Arab News, arguing the sinister implications of Colin Powell's employment of advertising experts to put the American message to the world. Starting with Nelson Mandela's recent comments, among them that the U.S. is disregarding the U.N. because its leader, Kofi Annan, is black, Prof. Fatani achieves some rhetorical fireworks from the observation that "Uncle Ben is not Uncle Sam."
During the days of slavery in America, white men discovered the powerful singing voices of their black slaves. Today, judging from the sleek performance of Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, American leaders have apparently discovered and successfully utilized the articulate skills of their black citizens. Too bad the message these black politicians are promoting is Zionist war and destruction, and not Christian peace and goodwill. Too bad that Powell and the Bush administration have between them tainted the white wholesome goodness of Uncle Ben’s Rice.According to a December 2002 story in Salon, Powell had said, upon hiring ad mogul Charlotte Beers at State, "Hey, she got me to buy Uncle Ben's rice." Interestingly, Richard Lyons posted an op-ed based on a very similar conceit in February 2002 — though without the bizarre racial overtones. Didn't German soldiers taunt black GIs with the fact of their second-class citizenship during WWII? Stylistic it is, a mishmash of apocalyptic scriptural interpretation and Internet antiwar rhetoric. Fellow Netizens, I give you our Saudi allies on this, 12 Muharram 1424, the eve of war.
bread hours
http://www.Breadhours.org A group of over 300 residents and merchants in California’s Bay Area has established a local currency called BREAD (a rough acronym for Bay Area Regional Exchange and Development), based on hours of work valued at $12 an hour. Through the BREAD network, which now has over $20,000 worth of currency in circulation, members can pay for dinner, carpentry, childcare, tutoring, clerical assistance or organic produce. Tired of traditional activism, founder Miyoko Sakashita wanted to create a positive local economy and “stop our resources from supporting global corporations that are not accountable to people and the environment.” Check it out at Breadhours.org
Fears of Your Life
“Fear is a warning thing,” Loggins says, “a warning system. It lets you know you’re going to be in danger, like something jeopardizes your life. I guess everybody has fears in common. In fact, I’m quite sure they do. Things like bees, monsters, and probably pit bulls.”
Chinese sold Iraq 'dual-use' chemical
Chinese sold Iraq 'dual-use' chemical And France helped broker the deal. Now do we boycott not only French bread and wine but all Chinese food too?
Sports Mascots Agonistes
The dark side of being a sports mascot. Assault and battery by opposing coaches and fans. Having to do acrobatics in foul-smelling costumes in 80-degree heat. Lawsuits. Injuries. "I've got really good accidental death and dismemberment insurance," [NBA mascot Kirk] Johnson said with a laugh. "You never know what's going to happen." Behind that frolicsome giant stuffed animal lies a bleak world of terror and pain. [no more inside, wasn't that enough?]
Survival Suits, cyborgs and art for our dangerous times
Survival System Train & Other Sculpture - "atomic-powered cyborgs, quasi-animate freight trains, and other absurd and fabulous contraptions populate the universe of Kenji Yanobe. Welcome to the world of the future-past, the unkempt aftermath of Better Living Through Science."
Dildo
The Dildo song. [ASF 2:26]
Inducing stuttering
Stuttering In 1937, Professor Wendell Johnson, a stutterer, designed an experiment to induce stuttering in a group of normal youngsters. Things didn't quite work out as planned. An interesting longish read from the NY Times magazine.
Thank you so much for the apple crumbly
It's just not cricket. The second in my series of defiled English sporting occasions. [Flash]
March 14
An easier way to shave
An easier way to shave (2.3 meg Quicktime movie, about 30 seconds, funny)
Stewart For America!
The Stewart For America Petition. "We, the undersigned, hereby request that French Stewart immediately change his name to 'Freedom' Stewart." Long live America.
Rubber Chicken
Dixie Chicks Pulled from Air After Bashing Bush Dude, these Texas people didn't find criticism of the president unpatriotic when Bill Clinton was president. They thought it was a sacred duty...Apparently country stations in Texas and elsewhere are pulling Dixie Chicks albums because their lead singer, while on an overseas tour, criticized Bush, saying she was ashamed to be from the state as him.
People who want to criticize the critics of the critical comments are supporting the Chicks by buying their albums and requesting their songs.
I never thought I'd buy a Dixie Chicks album, but that's what I'm going to do tonight, and I'm paying full price!
CTHEORY, the international journal of theory, technology, and culture
CTHEORY the international journal of theory, technology, and culture.
Recent articles:
The Ambiguous Panopticon: Foucault and the Codes of Cyberspace
Posterchild for the Future: Living with Michael Jackson
The Post-Cyborg Path to Deconism
Recent articles:
The Ambiguous Panopticon: Foucault and the Codes of Cyberspace
Posterchild for the Future: Living with Michael Jackson
The Post-Cyborg Path to Deconism
R00l da sk00l!
"Sissy" fights on the playground, at least when I was a kid, were always the bloodiest. Now you can apply the smackdown without hurting anyone. Much. Friday Flash Shockwave Fun
This Cracks Me Up
Man accused of spiking child's juice This cracks me up. Apparently a child wouldn't stop crying on an international flight. So a flight attendant took it upon himself to drug the child to get it to be quite. I can certainly sympathize with him. Yes I know it's serious, but it still cracks me up.
Press Your Luck Winner
No Whammies! In 1984, Michael Larson turned an ample memory and an abundance of free time into $100,000. How? By appearing on "Press Your Luck." And while the producers refused to rerun his episode, you can watch parts of it here in anticipation of the coming documentary and possible Bill Murray movie.
English Sans French. Quelle horreur!
English Sans without French. Imagine Think of a world of English without any French influence impact, including linguistic. Some beautiful folks at the Christian Science Studies Monitor have done just that.
Christopher Andrew Phillips, hacker?
Christopher Andrew Phillips , the University of Texas at Austin student accused of "hacking" the school's computer system, has turned himself in. But reading about his method makes me wonder if this really is hacking and/or illegal...
The United States Is In Deep Doo doo!
The United States Is In Deep Doo doo! In the end, there is no such thing as a free lunch. You cannot make money grow in value by shaking it back and forth from one bank to another. You cannot prosper a nation by doing each other's laundry, or filling out their government mandated and greatly obfuscated paperwork, or flinging stock certificates around which may have as little real worth as Federal Reserve Notes. To make money, to show a profit, you must make products that somebody else wants to buy, and sadly, that is a capability the United States has allowed to slip away in great measure.
Furry Litters and Fish-eye Lenses
Furry Litters and Fish-Eye Lenses (puppies and kittens...right in your face) . Via B3ta.
Hail Friday!
Blak
This is Blak. A 31-year-old novelist and former drug dealer, Yanier Moore told his story to NPR and award winning radio producer David Isay, who created "Ghetto Life 101" ten years ago. The first story to pull my attention from impending war in weeks...and inspiring too.
anwr
crunch time for ANWR [nytimes link] the administration wants to push through drilling despite what the residents think, a couple of senators in minnesota, oregon, and arkansas will cast the deciding votes... is the issue worth a call to you senator?
Just how crazy is Kim Jong-Il?
Just how crazy is Kim Jong-Il? The North Korean dictator is also an uncompromising movie producer whose casting tactics make Bowfinger look tame. In
In 1978, the North Korean dictator kidnapped his favorite director from South Korea, and forced him to make a terrible, Communist-themed monster movie called "Pulgasari." Keep in mind, the Bush administration considers this guy saner and more level-headed than Saddam Hussein.(registration req'd)
Happy Pi Day!
Happy Pi Day! At 1:59 PST, the San Francisco Exploratorium kicks off its Pi Day festivities. If you can't make it, here are more activities or you can just sing a song to ?.
If they don't wanna cooperate, there's just nothin' we can do
"U.S. consumers would not benefit from knowing which grocery stores, restaurants and butchers stocked meat products potentially contaminated with deadly bacteria" sez the USDA. What am I missing here? Yes, I know, protein, but is it really just me? [more inside]
Bowling to Vegas
Bowling to Vegas! Four drunk bowling fanatics from Chicago are bowling their way across country....apparently for lack of anything better to do(looks like a couple of them are unemployed). Also, they're trying to restore dignity to the good old-fashioned Road Trip(and, of course, bowling). Why bowl to Vegas instead of fly? As Mike says: "It's not about the destination, it's about the journey. Nobody has respect for the road trip anymore. Haven't you people seen Fandango?" Follow their progress across country, and buy 'em a round.
Leggo my Logo
The Puma "French Pleasure" Campaign: Hoax From felixsalmon.com. via the AdCritic daily newsletter [Gawker AdRants got there first, however, on a tip from MemeFirst], comes a meme-hacking story straight from the Anarchist's Cookbook chapter on propaganda of the semiotic deed: the infamous Puma viral-marketing scam. It was Tim who got the official statement from the marketing geeks:
It has been brought to our attention that several unauthorized, sexually suggestive advertisements portraying the PUMA brand have been released over the Internet. We are appalled that images like these would be created and distributed under the PUMA name. As a brand, we seek to take a unique perspective toward our advertising in an effort to challenge the boundaries of our industry; however we would never consider using these tactics. We are in the process of researching the circumstances and reserve any legal steps available.
Cabot Tower. Anyone can see it’s a badly disguised rocket on top of hill
Furniture Of Mass Construction. “We found the warehouse in question contained no weapons of mass destruction, just a load of cheap flat-pack pine furniture from Sweden. Who would have thought that the instructions to build a coffee table would be that complicated.”
e=mc^2
It's about self-destruction
The most powerful narcotic invented by humankind is war . Former NYT war correspondent Chris Hedges talks about WAR. Frightening and timeless interview.
The Ticketmeisters From Hell
You'd better come home, Speedy Gonzalez! Just make sure you never drive through New Rome, the fascist little village Car and Driver said was too far-fetched even for Hollywood. [Via Linkfilter.]
the UN
UN resolution 377, This makes for fascinating reading as this arcane resolution provides for collective action by the general assembly 'if the security council, because of lack of unanimity of the permanent members, fails to exercise its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security'. Hardly applicable.
Advice for Conscientious Objectors in the Armed Forces
Advice for Conscientious Objectors in the Armed Forces (html version). "A comprehensive, step-by-step guide to applying for conscientious objector status. This edition....builds upon a tradition which began in 1970 with the First Edition. Advice has since reached over 40,000 military men and women who had decided that they could no longer in good conscience remain in the military. The 1970 Advice spoke to a generation troubled by the war in Vietnam. This generation of conscientious objectors, too, has seen war--most recently in the Persian Gulf, and before that in Panama. It has experienced the end of the Cold War and the flowering of hopes for peace; and it has watched as those hopes turned to disappointment in the chaotic, dangerous post-Cold War world." The G.I. Rights Hotline has recently reported they "fielded a record number of calls, mostly from military personnel and families seeking advice on conscientious-objector and other discharges."
It's just not cricket
It's just not cricket - it would appear that the Cricket commentator at The Guardian is having a bad day.
Mmmm ... Belgian Fries.
PayPal: Big Brother's Little Helper
Has PayPal's acceptable use policy become much broader recently? I just received notice of changes to PayPal's acceptable use policy. I was surprised at the number of things that they have restrictions on. One in particular seemed like the kiss of death: No porn for you unless it's from eBay's Mature section. Won't somebody think of the cam girls? With many banks now offering some sort of internet check-writing facility is PayPal really even a valid business model anymore outside of eBay?
Spartacus sucks you in - Happy Historical Hyperlinkation
Wow. Spartacus Educational is a masterwork of hyperlinked history with a rather eclectic list of focus topics that can suck you in and never let go. Start anywhere, and then just click, and click, and click...
In light of recent events, you might begin, if you wish, with a brush-up on the 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, and from there go on to find out more about the Black Hand secret society responsible for the killing. You may attempt to sidestep politics by going to cartoonists, or U.S. novelists and poets, but you will find that the site is organized against a backdrop of world politics (viewed chiefly from a British perspective), a point of view that weaves its own endlessly looping and mesmerizing mesh.
In light of recent events, you might begin, if you wish, with a brush-up on the 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, and from there go on to find out more about the Black Hand secret society responsible for the killing. You may attempt to sidestep politics by going to cartoonists, or U.S. novelists and poets, but you will find that the site is organized against a backdrop of world politics (viewed chiefly from a British perspective), a point of view that weaves its own endlessly looping and mesmerizing mesh.
Meaty Reads
It was winter -- that is, about the second week in November --and great gusts were rattling at the windows... So begins Sheridan LeFanu's Uncle Silas, one of the good, meaty reads proposed by your friendly Litrix editor. Ah books... [More inside]
March 13
The Next Time You Hear that Beep, remember you can be on Supermarket Sweep!
The Next Time You Hear that Beep, you can be on Supermarket Privacy Sweep! I'm sure most of us own Supermarket Discount Cards, I mean who can resist the savings? If you don't like being monitored, help out the always popular Rob at Cockeyed.com become the Ultimate Shopper by using his card (NYT Article here). I'm always a bit wary when I use mine, I'm afraid they may find out how boring I really am. I'm tempted to sexy up my database profile: "I'd like to buy come chocolate chip cookies... and ah.. some vaseline and hamster food. Oh, and straws!" Then Safeway will give me a discount on new underwear, fo shizzle my nizzle!
Hercubush
Hercubush! Be warned: this is very silly.
Vice or price?
'Vice or Price'? Don Johnson as Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice drove a fancy car while fighting the drug world.
Now Don is suspected of trying laundering $8 billion in bonds, stocks and credit notes in Germany.
He said he was there to buy a car. Some car!
It's not Playdough!
The funniest Thing I have seen on the net in a long time. Is it real? Does anyone here have the sense of humor, and adventure, to actually order one? I know I am going to stock up for April 1st.
Ahem.
Inexcusable NSFW Derek and Clive MP3 post. That is all.
Occult Chemistry
Occult Chemistry. Direct observation of atoms through clairvoyance.
Weight Watchers Recipe Cards
Weight Watchers Recipe Cards, circa 1974. For fans of The Gallery of Regrettable Food, another selection of hideous food choices. I laughed so hard my throat cramped. I recommend the complete slide show.
Paypal yanks whatreallyhappened.com account
Yes to sex, no to dissent? The Register reports that PayPal has suddenly closed the account of the stridently skeptical (some say overly conspiratorial, but let's leave that tired debate aside) WhatReallyHappened.com. Here's WRH's response, along with reader comments and anti-PayPal links. Here's a translated Quebec story. "Can one conclude from it that PayPal has leaning for the sex?"
on the heels of freedomgate
"A lot of people may not want to repatriate their fallen loved ones, separating them from their comrades, to make a statement about the French government."
Try telling Congress that. Tax dollars are flying and common sense is dwindling.
Try telling Congress that. Tax dollars are flying and common sense is dwindling.
Are you happy now?
A 100-ton mech is the ultimate fishing machine. With upcoming titles like Steelhead Battalion and Cthulhu Karts, it's possible that Schadenfreude Interactive might be the next game industry juggernaut. Or they may be an April Fool's prank spotted in the pages of the April issue of Computer Games.
Sources of under-reported breaking news
UPI Hears , Overseas Security Council News , News Insider seem to do a good job providing tasty bits of breaking news absent from mainstream media. Where else do you feed the appetite for under-reported, breaking news scoops these days?
The Guardian's Money IQ test
Are you paid what you're worth? This little IQ test, asks your salary (in pounds) and calculates whether you are overpaid or underpaid with respect to your intelligence. It's obviously not scientific (the test is not timed), and you can argue about how the ability to do IQ tests correlates with your ability to do a job. I predict that the vast majority here will have a coefficient well over 0. [From the Guardian]
Roly-poly children seem to be everywhere
American cultural hegemony strikes again. (NYT reg. req.) Asian children exposed to an American-made high-sugar, high-fat, pre-processed, fast-food diet now seem to be coming up with American diseases: obesity, diabetes, things like that. My fascination with the article is caused not so much by its content as it is by its tone, though:
Known in Chinese as "xiao pangzi," or "little fatties," these roly-poly children seem to be everywhere, the pampered victims of cultures that prize them as emblems of affluence and well-being.
Do I sense a certain smugness in this article? Is the author sarcastically reading this as a triumph of American values?
This just in! Search Engines help find people, too!
This just in! Search Engines help find people, too! Reuters has apparently just figured out that you can google up old acquaintances. As for myself, I find that google has become less useful than these guys for people-searches. So, what is the most obscure thing/person you have searched for, and how did you find it?
Fly, my pretties, fly!
Monkeys on the loose! Twenty-four Rhesus monkeys from the Tulane University National Primate Research Center escaped on Tuesday, causing chaos and mayhem in Covington, Louisiana. And as amusing as escaped monkeys can be, it's funnier because this isn't the first time. Twenty four other Rhesus monkeys escaped in October 1998 just by poking at the latch for a bit. Call me irrational, but wouldn't you change the gates back then?
(I didn't do it, I wasn't there, you can't prove anything!)
This why the Federal Government has more than one branch
The Senate bans "partial birth" abortions, but a similar law was struck down in Stenberg v. Carhart . Memo to Mr. Bush: there are other branches of the U.S. Federal Government.
Crispin Glover does "Ben"
Bad pug! Stick on 17!!
They're dogs... and they're playing POKER!! They've been hailed as some of the most important works of American art ever painted, they've been featured on television from The Simpsons to ESPN commercials to Cheers, but how much do we really know about the works of Cassius Marcellus Coolidge? For everyone that ever looked at the dogs playing poker and wanted to know more, here is the ultimate resource, including, of course, a gallery. Please excuse the cornea damagingly horrific site design.
Iraq's side of the story
While I haven't checked out the videos (which is sans translation anyway), it's interesting to hear that the Iraqi government has put up their version of the Saddam-Rather interview from a few weeks back, on their almost blog-like gov't site. I wish there was an english translation, to see how the other side lobs their spin of propaganda in this new media war.
New Federal Budget Proposal
“Class warfare turns out to be alive,” Center director Robert Greenstein commented. “It is a centerpiece of the Nussle budget, with deep budget cuts that could harshly affect the poor, the vulnerable, and many middle-class Americans, alongside lavish tax cuts for the nation’s richest individuals. With this budget, we would be marching down the path toward a new Gilded Age.”
“The Nussle budget serves one very useful purpose.” Greenstein added. “It shows that these large tax cuts aren’t free, and that at bottom, the issue is one of national priorities. This ought to trigger a national debate. Are tax cuts averaging $90,000 a year for millionaires so high a priority that we should cut health care programs, increase the ranks of the uninsured, reduce the cost or limit the availability of student loans, and increase hardship among the disabled, poor children, and others to free up room for massive tax cuts?”
Possible Other Titles
Why is this rain yellow? or Hey, GWBush, self-appointed one of God, WWJD?
“The Nussle budget serves one very useful purpose.” Greenstein added. “It shows that these large tax cuts aren’t free, and that at bottom, the issue is one of national priorities. This ought to trigger a national debate. Are tax cuts averaging $90,000 a year for millionaires so high a priority that we should cut health care programs, increase the ranks of the uninsured, reduce the cost or limit the availability of student loans, and increase hardship among the disabled, poor children, and others to free up room for massive tax cuts?”
Possible Other Titles
Why is this rain yellow? or Hey, GWBush, self-appointed one of God, WWJD?
Turncoats in Bermuda shorts.
Turncoats in Bermuda shorts. Arianna Huffington continues to skewer offshore tax shelters in her latest Salon opinion piece. Despite her patriot-speak denouncing these corporations for avoiding taxes while our young men are getting ready to die for their country, she does shine the light on a growing problem – “basic fairness and economic justice” – or, the lack of it. How can the average American not be outraged at this, when so many of us are expected to be able to account for even the smallest charitable donation we would dare to use as a tax write-off?
Booty Bumping and Disco Dumping
Booty Bumping and Disco Dumping It's not the newest dance craze, but I'd buy stock in the plastic straw and underwear industries if this fad takes off. (4th paragraph - scroll down for reference)
war and popcorn
The return of the Movietone? "We fell on this idea of recreating films that looked like and were the length of the old Movietone forms of the 1940s," said Marine Lt. Col. Jim Kuhn, military producer for the undertaking called the Movietone Newsreel Project. Kuhn says the objective is to put together a short film that combines the commentary of real-life soldiers with the kind of footage civilian journalists would be unable to get. (more inside)
We blog gadgets!
A nifty little site featuring the latest in techno-lust. In the world of fine found linkage, I'm much more of a consumer than a producer... but occasionally I come across some tasty little morsel.
Let the coveting begin.
[via A Beat Experience]
Sign up, sign, sign up
Those pinko scum cheese-munching surrender monkeys over at the ever-excellent adbusters.org have started a 'Boycott Brand America' pledge. Against global arrogance? Against 'marketing'? Against war? Want to see public protest? Want to see action against oil, fast food, sweatshop labour, the media and more? Sign it. Tell your friends. One question, though: how do Americans themselves boycott America?
Farscape ends its run - or has it?
Determined viewers try to save another TV show (Salon). In this case, its Farscape, which shows its last episode on Friday in the States, and has already aired here in the UK. (no spoliers). Farscape fans are trying just about everything - from picking up 6 families in the Nielsens to fundraising to produce a last episode. Interested? Read on...
spacerunner
Spacerunner. Friday? We don't need to wait for no stinking Friday!
Lafcadio Hearn
In Ghostly Japan, by Lafcadio Hearn, an "American author who lived in Japan, becoming a naturalized citizen, from 1891. His 1904 volume Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things is perhaps the work for which he is best known today; it continues to serve as an introduction of non-Western supernaturalism to a Western audience".[more]
Blowback: The Cost And Consequences of American Empire plus War And Conflict In The Post-Cold War, Post-9/11 Era
Chalmers Johnson is an provocative proponent of the American Empire theory, indeed. Here are excerpts from his Blow Back: The Cost And Consequences of American Empire
I heard Johnson interviewed on Episode II, War And Conflict In The Post-Cold War, Post-9/11 Era of The Whole Wide World
The Cold War and its central conflict - the physical and ideological battles between the United States, the Soviet Union and their proxy states - imposed a certain logic and consistency on the world. Take that away and add the bloody wars in the Balkans, Africa and the Middle East in the ‘90s as well as the terror attacks and warnings of more recent times and you get a very confused picture of a world at war. Is this breaking storm in Iraq about oil, democracy, freedom, empire, culture, water, diamonds, modernizing Islam or nation building in the Middle East? Some, one or all of these things?
It was an excellent program and well worth your listen, either by RA now or mp3 later. (From listening to the radio)
I heard Johnson interviewed on Episode II, War And Conflict In The Post-Cold War, Post-9/11 Era of The Whole Wide World
The Cold War and its central conflict - the physical and ideological battles between the United States, the Soviet Union and their proxy states - imposed a certain logic and consistency on the world. Take that away and add the bloody wars in the Balkans, Africa and the Middle East in the ‘90s as well as the terror attacks and warnings of more recent times and you get a very confused picture of a world at war. Is this breaking storm in Iraq about oil, democracy, freedom, empire, culture, water, diamonds, modernizing Islam or nation building in the Middle East? Some, one or all of these things?
It was an excellent program and well worth your listen, either by RA now or mp3 later. (From listening to the radio)
How much RAM would you like with your brain, sir?
World's first brain prosthesis revealed.
Well, first hippocampus replacement at least. If this is not a dead end for science (which I doubt), I am gonna get my soul fully digitalized in 2020, then spreading it on the whole net with some new version of a code-red virus. :-)
Police appreciation!
misterpolice.com is an appreciation site for those hardworking officers in Thailand's police force (in Thai, but the photos are priceless). I love those tight brown uniforms, don't you? I found the site through two news stories, Thai police swamped by sex offers (news.com.au) and Stop - in the name of love (The Nation).
The Smoking Gun
Remember that whole drone "cover-up"? Here's the plane. The prototype of Iraq's smoking gun WMD threat. Constructed of balsa wood and duct tape, it says Allahu Akbar (God is great) on the side. And, well, they were probably half right. While it's not really a gun, it probably does smoke -- it uses lawn-mower-style two-stroke engines. Washington Post story here.
March 12
The Seven Capital Sins - Revised!
Hey, It's Not Enough We Die Of Obesity without having to go to Hell too? Some enlightened Frenchmen are bending the Pope's ear, trying to spring Gluttony from the Deadly Sins blacklist. Well, even clever old Thomas Aquinas did his damnedest to narrow the seven buggers down. So: which sins would you excuse today's poor sufferers from and which ones would you insist on keeping, if any? [Something tells me MetaFilter is ideally suited to put in a good word for Sloth. I wonder why? Speaking of which, NYT reg. is required but you can read about it here instead. Via Arts and Letters Daily.]
The Dancing Plant
The Dancing Plant
-- Darwin was obsessed by it, although even he never trained his weedy Asian shrub to twitch its leaves to the sound of music. But in a small town in northern Thailand ...
[Some people may experience a time-delay ad]
College Tradition Pulls at Heart Strings
Picking Up Butch at Middlebury (Vt.) College - Rick Reilly pulls on the heart strings with a story about a dedicated sports fan.
Cool Amateur FX4U!!
While the site most regrettably hasn't been updated for quite some time, Space Battles is still the only site I've found where you can download some very good (and some very bad) fan-made movies of ... space battles! Hey, where else are you gonna see the Dominion and the Shadows taking on the Federation and the Rebel Alliance on the same screen? Fanboys set phasers and blasters to fun!
Pentagon threatens to target journalists in Iraq.
Pentagon threatens to target journalists in Iraq. (RealAudio, 49 minutes into the broadcast.)
In an interview with Radio One Ireland, Kate Adie, former chief news correspondent for the BBC, drops a bombshell.
If satellite uplinks from the press are detected in Baghdad, they would be "targeted down", said a senior US military official. "They know this. They've been warned."
Ms. Adie also revealed that the US military are openly asking journalists what their feelings are on the war, and are using this information to block reporters from access to reporting on the conflict.
These actions are "shameless" and "entirely hostile to the free spread of information," says Ms. Adie. "What actually appalls me is the difference between twelve years ago and now. I've seen a complete erosion of any kind of acknowledgment that reporters should be able to report as they witness."
In an interview with Radio One Ireland, Kate Adie, former chief news correspondent for the BBC, drops a bombshell.
If satellite uplinks from the press are detected in Baghdad, they would be "targeted down", said a senior US military official. "They know this. They've been warned."
Ms. Adie also revealed that the US military are openly asking journalists what their feelings are on the war, and are using this information to block reporters from access to reporting on the conflict.
These actions are "shameless" and "entirely hostile to the free spread of information," says Ms. Adie. "What actually appalls me is the difference between twelve years ago and now. I've seen a complete erosion of any kind of acknowledgment that reporters should be able to report as they witness."
Soros American Supremacy Iraq
The bubble of American supremacy by George Soros "I see parallels between the Bush administration's pursuit of American supremacy and a boom-bust process or bubble in the stock market. Bubbles do not arise out of thin air. They have a solid basis in reality, but misconception distorts reality. Here, the dominant position of the United States is the reality, the pursuit of American supremacy the misconception." (From Drudge)
Elizabeth Smart found alive
Elizabeth Smart has been found - alive - in a restaraunt in Sandy, Utah, MSNBC reports.
And you thought you only had to worry about pervy dentists
Gynecological exams are changing as new students begin to question old practices. Medical students often perform pelvic exams when the patient is under anesthesia, not only without consent, but without informing them.
"You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!"
"You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" Readers of the London Daily Telegraph have voiced their opinion and have decided that Michael Caine's exasperated exclamation from The Italian Job is the greatest one-liner in the history of film. But that can't be entirely right, can it? Surely the MeFi collective can come up with better.
FTC's National
The Federal Trade Commission's National "Do Not Call" Registry, intended to stop unwanted telemarketing calls, became law yesterday. Do telemarketers have a First Amendment right to call you? The Direct Marketing Association, and industry lobby, thinks so.
polyphonic HSS
Based on a software analysis of 250,000 CDs for mathematical patterns, and further analysis of the last 5 years of Billboards' Top 30, Polyphonic HMI thinks they know what it takes to rock your world (i.e., cause a song to shoot up the charts). Of course, major labels are interested (NYT link, scroll halfway down). Will this cause mainstream radio to be overrun with inane, soul-crushingly similar music, and crowd out anything different or interesting? Because I wouldn't like that!
Hi honey, I'm home! Guess what!...
Face Transplants : "...the harvesting or ''degloving'' of a face would take approximately two hours, depending on the depth of the excision. It is possible to remove not just skin and subcutaneous fat and muscle but....part of the donor's bone and cartilage as well. Still, the deeper the cut, the more complex becomes the reattachment."
Iraq, Plan C
In the dispute over Iraq there is always Plan C Wishful thinking? Perhaps. But of such dreams Plan C is made. For New Zealand, a country with a record of peacekeeping and independent thought in international affairs, perhaps the compromise is the solution to what otherwise could be a nightmare in the making.
this site is aces.
The Bob Lancaster Gallery of Unusual Playing Cards is a collection and celebration of the beauty of playing cards. The site is over 7 years old and is still updated when Bob comes across a new find. Personal favorites are Le Florentin and the very intriguing Transformation Decks. After viewing the decks, you may wonder why the ace on the ace of spades is larger than the others.
History repeating...
Serbian premier assasinated
He was shot in front of government offices at around 1300 local time, (1200 GMT). I know some people are going to cry Newsfilter, but I believe this is worth posting.
He was shot in front of government offices at around 1300 local time, (1200 GMT). I know some people are going to cry Newsfilter, but I believe this is worth posting.
Or for Tupperware?
Art for God? Artist Stephen Sawyer sees Jesus in boxing rings and blue jeans. Evidently, Jesus also sells coffee filters in Versailles, Kentucky, USA. Field reps are needed. warning: NSFH
Saigon Poster Art
Saigon Poster Art. "A Growing Collection of Pictures"
August Darnell, Kid Creole and Dr. Buzzard's Savannah Band
They'll tell you a lie with a Colgate smile
Hey baby
Love you one second and hate you the next
Oh ain't it crazy, yeah
All I can say
--of one thing I am certain
They're all the same
All the sluts and the saints
For misery, my friend,
Cherchez la femme
In praise of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, and therefore, by extension, August Darnell, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Cory Daye and the great Coatimundi: now go meet the ghost of Cab Calloway at Zoot Suit City.
Hey baby
Love you one second and hate you the next
Oh ain't it crazy, yeah
All I can say
--of one thing I am certain
They're all the same
All the sluts and the saints
For misery, my friend,
Cherchez la femme
In praise of Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, and therefore, by extension, August Darnell, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Cory Daye and the great Coatimundi: now go meet the ghost of Cab Calloway at Zoot Suit City.
March 11
This shit be wack!
WWTBBD? Ah, the Beastie Boys; their eloquence re: war is boundless, as evidenced in the lyrics to this funky fresh jam they just unleashed (for free download in MP3 – that’s how important it is to them to get the message across!) on an undeserving public. Seriously, if you feel strongly anti war, and you’re a hip hop artist, those two things can (and should) remain separate. I mean, when Ben and Jerry protested the war, they just published an article protesting it, they didn’t make interpretive dairy based dessert products about it.
From BoingBoing
From BoingBoing
How To Get Into a Sold-Out Concert
Big Show. No Tickets. No Problem. In case you happen to find yourself about to miss out on the concert of a life-time, because you were 2 spots behind the last person to get tickets before it sold out, have no fear. This article at Relevant shows you how to get into any concert for no more than the actual face-value of a ticket. (In other words, the legal way.) Useful information.
readers
THE END OF CLASSICAL SOVEREIGNTY?
Is hypocrisy essential to the New World Order?
Whilst I appreciate the seductive insights and plausible analysis offered by Lee Harris in this lengthy and generally intelligent essay, I worry that the linking of themes in the intellectual form here merely provides, if not more ammo to the hawks in GWB's Cabinet, the justification for his unending 'war on terror'. There's thinly veiled xenophobia, I'm sure; but also some self-limiting principles compatible with a new kind of 'liberal hegemony' - called 'neo-sovereignty', viz., "It (neo-sovereignty) will only be viable if the U.S. scrupulously refuses to intervene in the self-determination of any state except for the purposes of maintaining the double standards in respect of nuclear weapons... At the heart of the dialectically emergent concept of neo-sovereignty is precisely the double standard that Mr. (Richard, the Chief Arms Inspector of the United Nations) Butler denounced - a double standard imposed by the U.S. on the rest of the world, whereby the U.S. can unilaterally decide to act, if need be, to override and even to cancel the existence of any state regime that proposes to develop WMD, especially in those cases where the state regime in question has demonstrated its dangerous lack of a sense of the realistic." [More inside]
Whilst I appreciate the seductive insights and plausible analysis offered by Lee Harris in this lengthy and generally intelligent essay, I worry that the linking of themes in the intellectual form here merely provides, if not more ammo to the hawks in GWB's Cabinet, the justification for his unending 'war on terror'. There's thinly veiled xenophobia, I'm sure; but also some self-limiting principles compatible with a new kind of 'liberal hegemony' - called 'neo-sovereignty', viz., "It (neo-sovereignty) will only be viable if the U.S. scrupulously refuses to intervene in the self-determination of any state except for the purposes of maintaining the double standards in respect of nuclear weapons... At the heart of the dialectically emergent concept of neo-sovereignty is precisely the double standard that Mr. (Richard, the Chief Arms Inspector of the United Nations) Butler denounced - a double standard imposed by the U.S. on the rest of the world, whereby the U.S. can unilaterally decide to act, if need be, to override and even to cancel the existence of any state regime that proposes to develop WMD, especially in those cases where the state regime in question has demonstrated its dangerous lack of a sense of the realistic." [More inside]
moab bomb
MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast), privately known in military circles as "the mother of all bombs," carries 18,000 pounds of tritonal explosives. It replaces the Vietnam-era "Daisy Cutter" a 12,600-pound bomb. It was tested in public for the first time today in Eglin Air Force base, Florida as PR to send Iraq a message (plus video). It is the largest conventional bomb in existence.
Despite American efforts, world criminal court is born
Despite American efforts, world criminal court is born With China, Russia, and the United States refusing to go along with this international court, just how effective can it become? And will the refusal of these major nations to join in add the what now appears the disintegration of global attempts at moderating international affairs?
Not so Flashy
Users don't like a lot of Flash - Looks like Macromedia's new Web site redesign that utilizes all Flash for its navigation isn't winning any awards with users, especially those running Opera and Apple's Safari browsers. It's nice looking, but I prefer a simpler design like here MetaFilter.
Old And In The Way
Old And In The Way. Their economy has lost any resemblance of dynamism, their military might has shrunk to the point of irrelevance, and their society is regressing towards a centrally planned socialist political system. Now with their standard of living dipping below even the poorest sub-group of Americans, is Europe a dying continent, with all its glory days already way behind it? [more inside]
How Do You Say ASSALAMU ALAIKUM in Gaelic?
How Do You Say ASSALAMU ALAIKUM in Gaelic? Plans have been announced in the Irish Republic to translate the Koran, Islam's most sacred text, into Irish. The ambitious project aims to bring Ireland's Gaelic-speakers and Muslim communities closer together, Leslie Carter of the Islamic Cultural Centre in Dublin said.
Local News Sucks More
The Clear Channel of TV local news? It's like Fox News, only "live, local and late-breaking".
Not all Aussies agree with war against Iraq
There's a revolt in the ranks. Office of National Assessment senior analyst Andrew Wilkie resigned in protest against the stance on Iraq. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has questioned Mr Wilkie's seniority and suggested he did not have access to all available information on Iraq but Opposition leader Mr Crean disputes that. "Not senior? This is a person who has had involvement on terrorism briefings - we know that from the reports," Mr Crean said. "He's also a person that according to the same reports was going to be put on the Iraq taskforce if Australia went to war. Now don't tell me that's not senior, don't tell me that's not connected."
A new weapon in the war on terrorism
Is the Pentagon using the Bible Code to hunt for Osama bin Laden? According to the book's author, Michael Drosnin, both America and Israel are doing just that. According to columnist Bill Keller's Pentagon source, however, Drosnin was interviewed for only an hour and dismissed. But the question remains - how did a nut like Drosnin manage to bend the ears of top DoD brass? MoJo-ers, care to take a whack at this one? [links via Tom Tomorrow; more inside]
Freedom of speech at Citrus College
Freedom of speech at Citrus College was threatened, but the college president responded sanely on March 7th, three days after the issue was raised by a watchdog foundation. A speech class professor, Rosalyn Kahn, told the students they could get extra credit for writing an anti-war letter to President Bush. The letter had to protest the war to receive credit. (I would find this just as worthy of mention if she had required students to write pro-war letter.) What struck me was the unmitigated gall of the Ms. Kahn and the fact that she was so completely busted. UPI, The LA Times, and The Chronicle for Higher Education all covered this. There's also mention on some other blogs.
RFID
Is RFID inherently Evil? Not a chip in your body, like EvilCorp Applied Digital Solutions proposes, but in your household products, your clothes, and your car. And it's here now. With almost no law anywhere to restrict its use.
But then again, how often do you use products made or sold by Benetton, Prada, British retailer Tesco, Proctor & Gamble, and Wal-Mart?
Phillips Semiconductor alone has already sold half a Billion of these chips.
naked as a jaybird
Naked as a Jaybird is a new book from Taschen chronicling the 8-year lifespan of Jaybird magazine, which rode the hippy wave into a new "groovy nudism." Published under various titles, from Campus Jaybird to Amateur Jaybird and even Women's Home Jaybird, the magazine found a gray area between naturism and porn, all the while embodying the same distinctively playful design aesthetic that typified the counterculture (think album cover art and Laugh-In). Here's an interview with Dian Hanson, editor of the Taschen retrospective and an interesting person in her own right.
(Obviously, many of these links are not safe for work.)
(Obviously, many of these links are not safe for work.)
flake-o'-the-day
Prepare for the Pole Shift! Forget March 8. These guys have a lot to say about the coming pole shift, triggered by the passing of Planet X through our solar system.
At Ford, Why Wasn't Safety
At Ford, Why Wasn't Safety Job One? "Like other car companies, Ford has consistently fought mandatory increases in fuel economy....by invoking fears that higher mileage requirements would result in smaller, more dangerous vehicles. Safety has been used to beat back fuel efficiency regulations. But Ford's own internal documents and a series of recent court cases reveal a company that is shockingly indifferent to safety risks in the very class of gas-guzzling vehicles it most wants to shield from increases in fuel economy standards...All of this leads us to wonder, if Ford is willing to produce a product it knows will injure and perhaps kill a certain percentage of customers simply to maintain profit margins, does the company really have driver safety at heart when its lobbyists aggressively fight easily-achievable standards for higher corporate average fuel economy?" A new review of internal car manufacturer documents, and more questions about corporate ethics.
Would you like freedom fries with that?
Would you like freedom fries with that? The cafeteria menus in the three House office buildings will change the name of "french fries" to "freedom fries," a culinary rebuke of France, stemming from anger over the country's refusal to support the U.S. position on Iraq.
Ditto for "french toast," which will be known as "freedom toast."
Pop culture meets the masters
Highbrow meets lowbrow - Isabel Samaras uses classic paintings as a springboard to portray the secret lives of pop culture icons like the Addams Family, the cast of Gilligan's Island, Batman & Robin and Tattoo. Fun but NSFW stuff. Check out her portfolio of illustrations too.
A possible Google hack?
Use Google to search the term "french military victories", then press the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button. This certain result happens every single time. Is this a hack, a joke, a tragic diplomatic slip up for a international companny or just bad programming?
Little nugget 'O hope for yr. platter...
Laptops transform learning for 7th graders in rural Maine : It "was more controversial than abortion, gay rights or even clear cutting," said former Gov. Angus King. But "Just six months after Maine began a controversial [and first in the nation] program to provide laptop computers to every seventh grader in the state, educators are impressed by how quickly students and teachers have adapted to laptop technology."(NYT)
Talk about recycling
Got Dog Food Cans? Get Broadband. David Taylor, an IT manager in Britain, has built a 802.11 receiver out of dog food cans, in order to have his access reachable at a Travelodge hotel across town. A fascinating arrangement, and quite the entreprenuerial showing.
War and the Economy
War and the Economy Peace and prosperity, and their enemy, the state. Another side of this Iraq thing.
My flesh and blood
I've known a number of women who have miscarried. It is something that happens frequently, but not something that seems to be discussed very much. In this article at Salon, Heather Swain describes her experience.
beverages for economical drunkards
The Top Five Wino Wines "Don't drink too much of any of these or you might find yourself at the local middle school sniffing bicycle seats." Ranked by Worst Taste, Getting Wasted, and Warmth. (via coudalpartners)
the plot sickens
"Mr. Banks, a man with no prior criminal record, is most likely innocent of the charge that put him on death row. Fearing a tragic miscarriage of justice, three former federal judges (including William Sessions, a former director of the F.B.I.) have urged the U.S. Supreme Court to block Wednesday's execution.
"So far, no one seems to be listening." [via atrios]
"So far, no one seems to be listening." [via atrios]
McWiFi Meal
McDonald's restaurants in three U.S. cities will offer one hour of free high-speed access to anyone who buys a combination meal. Bookstores, Hotels and Airports are also planning to offer Wireless access to customers.
All Set For Euro 2004 Football
All Set For Euro 2004: Wheeee! You just about have enough time to figure out how it's going to work. Here in Portugal it might as well be tomorrow, for all the excitement and nerves!
Super Performance!
Ragdoll cats and their origins
Ragdoll cats have interesting personalities, a devoted following, and a very, very strange creation myth.
maybe this thread will make it in there
"Listening Post," on now at the Whitney Museum, gathers conversational snippets from thousands of chat rooms and bulletin boards, structures them according to word counts, common phrases and other criteria and then displays them on a grid of more than 200 small rectangular electronic screens. Last week's New Yorker admired the resulting "found poems": "Duct tape and plastic for the White House duct tape, and water in the bathtub, eheh hmmm...."
Freedom vs. Security cost benefit analysis
Civil liberties and privacy may be priceless, but they may soon have a price tag. In this NYT article, describes efforts by the White House Office of Management and Budget to quantify the cost of enhanced security and lessened liberties. "As long as they're going to deal with monetary evaluations, I told them they should start asking about the cost of destroying democracy," said Mr. Nader.
Open disinfo Forum
Meet Disinfopedia -- From the folks that brought us PRWatch. Started as a place to foster "public understanding of war propaganda," -- for folks to share open content and to find resources about the folks who move and shake behind the scenes: think tanks, PR firms, experts for hire, etc.
It seems to me that a resource like this deserves to outlive the current info battles (I promised I wouldn't use the word Iraq -- oh, #$#@!).
The International Criminal Court
That other great bone of transatlantic contention, the International Criminal Court, was finally born today.
Dead at birth, or a source of hope for victims??
ABC's
ABC's blog "The Note" suspends operations, citing lack of resources needed for war coverage, the blog's humorous style not being "the right national tonic," and this shocker: "We suspect that the amount of strictly political news — the kind of stuff that is the meat and starch of The Note — is likely to dramatically decrease in the coming days." GUH? Aren't blogs now more important than ever? Aren't politics now more important than ever? What message is being sent by the mainstream media here? (Via the indispensable Lloyd Grove of the Washington Post.)
Howard Dean
Howard Dean is anti-war, pro-health care, and one of his biggest support sites is a blogspot-hosted web log. We know that bloggers helped dethrone Trent Lott. Can we elect a president? Discussed before but still important.
China Page
Main Room - China the Beautiful [much more]
Nokia phone video ad
There's more than one way to skin swing a cat: Add the new Puma ads and upstanding PETA feminists have their work cut out for them. [vid.avi download thing; via Boing Boing.].
Puppies, Puppies, Puppies
The Puppy Channel. "No silly humans or unnecessary talk on this net, which seeks to serve up cute and cuddly mini-doggies for 24 hours of pure enjoyment and relaxation. " Hear [realaudio req'd.] the story of the man behind the puppies. [from This American Life.]
March 10
Doughnutty Universe
MMmmm, doughnut. (NYT link, reg. req'd) Lots of great philosophical answers to the old universe question, like our galaxy is in some giant's fingernail, and others. How about this one? Our universe is the shape of a doughnut! (more inside)
wild stag bags drag lads
Fifty years ago this month, then-19-year-old George Mansour was arrested for having sex with a sailor at a private party -- his name was published in the paper and his acceptance to Boston University was revoked. This fascinating slice of recent history (don't miss the hilarious interview) coincides interestingly with current privacy-related news at home and abroad. [via uffish]
Surreal voyeur
Camposites are what Portland, Oregon artist Ed Stastny calls these surreal composite images (NSFW, I guess) built from web cam captures. Some are pretty creepy. But at least he's made a card game out of them.
Newsfilter, I just couldn't help it.
The first President Bush has told his son that hopes of peace in the Middle East would be ruined if a war with Iraq were not backed by international unity. via fox news Times Online.
who is this richard perle guy anyway?
who is this richard perle guy anyway?
is anyone else a little concerned with some of his views and associations being one of the top advisors to our current administration?
is anyone else a little concerned with some of his views and associations being one of the top advisors to our current administration?
Pigs Fly: Animal Farm Performed in China
Pigs Fly. Orwell is in the house in downtown Beijing: a theatrical production of one of his most famous works opened last November. It escaped the censors -- actually getting the approval stamp in three days -- though it was altered somewhat by director Shang Chengjun. [more inside]
Move...along
Nothing to see move along, move along. Curious to what the picture actually showed? You're not alone.
Aaricia to Zora
Do you know your comic book heroes? Well, the proprietor of this humble site doesn't know everything, but the attempt (with the old school frames and the pixellated scans) is certainly admirable. And you might as well brush up on your Hulk knowledge before the movie comes out, right?
Coming to America!
Coming to America! Rejected by several countries, this relatively small tribe that has been living in slavery and in violent refugee camps is coming to the US. NY Times reg. req.
The Problem With Music
The Problem With Music In a band? Thinking of signing to a major? Stop and read this. Recording engineer Steve Albini has a message for you. Get the independent music religion. Sure, you might not make money, but you would not have anyway. An interesting message to come from a guy whose vitae includes
many
major
label
projects, but in interviews, he defends his indie credibility ably by disclosing his practice of charging the client (majors and independents) what they can afford. All that being said, this guy is more technician than indie messiah, and though the guy can be a little outspoken, he is certainly one of my heroes. This essay is old, but not out-dated.
A more humanitarian war
An interview with Kenneth Roth, the executive director of Human Rights Watch. Roth describes how his organization is trying to pressure the U.S. to wage as humanitarian a war as possible. To this end, HRW has not taken a position for or against a war, but rather on how a possible war should be waged. But this raises the question of to what extent the U.S. is still concerned with international humanitarian law. As Michael Byers of Duke University warns, "some U.S. politicians have begun to think of war, not as the high-risk recourse of last resort, but as an attractive foreign policy option in times of domestic scandal or economic decline... When war is seen as an ordinary tool of foreign policy - 'politics by other means' - political and financial considerations impinge on the balance between military necessity and humanitarian concerns."
Thomas Friedman Lecture
The lecture Thomas Friedman gave at SAIS a few days ago. A longer form, very interesting and informative explanation of what he's learned post-Sept. 11th about the Middle East. Windows Media video and Real video and audio all available.
Apollo Lunar Surface Journal
The Apollo Lunar Surface Journal. Journals, records and some images from the Apollo lunar missions.
Guess who's not going to make the Oscars
The Pianist by Roman Polanski has been nominated for several Acadamy awards including best picture and best direction. The issue is that it's director Roman Polanski fled the US in 1977 when he was accused of sexually assaulting a 13 year old girl. (and after his wife Sharon Tate was killed by the Manson family). He fled because while he had worked out a deal with the prosecuter and the girls family, the judge in the case had set aside the plea bargain and Polanski faced up to a 50 year jail term. Now even the victim in the case Thinks Polanski should be allowed back into the states for the acadamy awards
I bent my wookie!
I bent my wookie! (Possibly not safe for work) A new, modern treatment for an ancient problem. Remember, it's not supposed to bend that way.
Susan Sontag Interview
Susan Sontag gave an interview that was broadcast on BookTV via CSPAN2 back on Sunday, March 2nd. It was an impressive and in depth 3 hour program. It is now available online here for Realplayer. This is not the sort of thing your ever going to see on commercial television.
eBay
Big Brother does all his shopping on eBay.
MBA without the teeth?
Want an MBA - without spending half your life doing it? It seems as if Rutgers, the state university of New Jersey has put together a 12 week "no frills" program with "just the essentials" to get what they term a "mini MBA". Now I'm not sure what this "mini" certificate will mean when you go to apply for a job and show it to your prospective employer, but apparently some folks are filling out the classes for $2495 each term. You can read more about it in this pdf, check out page 3.
Old computers don't die, they just get TCP/IP stacks
Contiki is a multi-tasking, GUI operating system for the Commodore 64. It has TCP/IP support, which means you can access the internet , and even comes with a built-in web browser. The OS and all its programs come to a staggeringly small 42K.
Via /.
Via /.
File a claim, lose your coverage
Isn't this what insurance is for? DC/Baltimore got pounded with snow a few weeks ago and it's caused some issues throughout the region. It seems that folks are reluctant to file claims because their home owners insurance carriers are liable to drop them.
I know that life isn't fair, but isn't this why you pay for insurance?
Afghan domain
There's a lot of news coverage this morning about Afghanistan going live with their official country domain ".af" - the first two advertised sites are here (?) and here (via the BBC). There's a less publicized, and much better site here via google. I guess you know you've made it as a civilization these days when the glass is lit. I remember how excited I was when the ADSL synchronized and my pop up adventure began. . .
I hope this isn't our farewell present to this country, though.
National Stereotypes, Violence, Language and Gaming
But I Thought The Danes Were Good Guys... so what are they doing offering this Godwin's-Law-begging, nasty, violent Flash game? I mean, if it had been a ****** [nationality protected by political correctness] game, I don't think I'd have been half as shocked. National stereotypes - don't you hate them? But just how strong are they, when they're splattered, as it were, even over online gaming? [Via good old b3ta.com, who were just as aghast as me at the provenance. Hey, even the URL is scary!]
Badly built British books
British books, built badly. British publishers' habit of putting out hardcovers with glued (rather than sewn) bindings and non-acid-free paper makes many rather expensive books start to fall apart after only a few years, Slate's Christopher Caldwell reports.
The art of Ray Troll
Sony's Custom Mix CD
Custom Mix CD - Sony Music is burning to sell 12 track Bob Dylan and Train mixes to continental US customers. [via AO]
Blame Canada! Blame Canada!
"Toronto flings garbage at Michigan" no no!... - US Courts Canadian Crud! ...Eh?, well, OK: Toronto trucks it's tons 'o trash across the border to dump in Michigan landfills, and some Yanks are eager to buy, although others..."It's so disgusting we don't even talk about it...Why can't they keep their garbage over there?" .....[''We need to put an end to this desecration of our beautiful state,'' fumed Representative Candice S. Miller, Republican of Michigan who also warned that terrorists or weapons of mass destruction could be concealed
amidst the rotting food and used diapers.]
......"Relations between the United States and Canada have been souring for two years....Canada's wishy-washy stance on the Iraq crisis...has irked Washington" chides the Boston Globe, clearly piqued that Boston is not in a position to catapult cannisters of it's garbage and toxic waste northward at Canada, towards the "Great Concavity" of David Foster Wallace's "Infinite
Jest". [other shades of "....Jest" loom as "...a reputed haven for terror groups." whispers the Globe...just like in Wallace's book!]
.....Toronto can't find any Canadian communities willing to furnish an immense garbage pit, while "Michigan's underused landfills are famous for courting crud from outside the state's borders.": They approached Toronto with the deal. ["Ontario, meanwhile, accepts imports of toxic industrial sludge, low-level radioactive waste, and other dangerous refuse from Michigan and other US states."] Garbage is a protected "free trade" commodity under NAFTA and Michigan may need the 'trash jobs': NAFTA has spurred automakers to
shift production away from the US and build new factories in Canada and Mexico. Canada's auto
factories are 7%
more productive than US ones and have lower health care costs. ["The growth of imports to the
U.S. from these factories has contributed substantially to the growing U.S. trade deficit and
the related job losses."]. So: Canada sends garbage and shiny new autos south: the US sends radioactive sludge, spittle, jobs and curses north.
Meanwhile, walk across the border and the murder rate per 100,000 (per year) drops from 42.6 (Detroit, USA) to 2.2 (Windsor, Canada): "Are Canadians somehow flinging all their fear and murderous rage into the US along with the garbage?" (asks the Daily Tabloid)
Meanwhile, walk across the border and the murder rate per 100,000 (per year) drops from 42.6 (Detroit, USA) to 2.2 (Windsor, Canada): "Are Canadians somehow flinging all their fear and murderous rage into the US along with the garbage?" (asks the Daily Tabloid)
Each according to his ability... not his guilt...
The lawyers for the victims of the Rhode Island nightclub disaster are planning to sue a radio station that broadcast commercials for the concert. Wistow said that while he still needs to nail down the precise nature of Clear Channel's responsibility, he's all but certain to name the company [in the suit].
Barry Sheene dies
Barry Sheene dies at 52 Britain's most popular motorcycle racer has died of cancer. His exuberance and lust for life were truly inspirational. He'll be missed.
March 9
Avast ye scurvy dogs!
Heavy Seas is an all too brief gallery of terrifying photos of huge waves crashing down around large boats & drilling rigs. I wish it were a little longer, but I did think the photos were impressive, as one who has never been at sea in very rough weather.
Wake America from Its Bloodless Trance
Wake America from Its Bloodless Trance "Unfortunately, most of you will never see my anti-war commercial. Why? Because the major network news outlets refused to accept it, claiming that the imagery was too graphic... linking death to war seems to be taboo at a time when the connection should be on the top of our minds. Few in the major media are talking about casualties in the Iraq war, and it seems our nation does not want to confront the reality that the war will result in casualties, anywhere from a few thousand dead and wounded (itself a horrific number) to tens of thousands, according to international experts. Let's be clear – that's thousands of dead or wounded people, at a minimum. "
Six anti-war commercials , featuring, among others, Mos Def, Russell Simmons, Susan Sarandon and Ben and Jerry.
Six anti-war commercials , featuring, among others, Mos Def, Russell Simmons, Susan Sarandon and Ben and Jerry.
The decline of Jazz?
What's up with Wynton Marsalis? And what's up with jazz? 20 years ago he was the genre's Boy Wonder, driving force behind a new Classical Jazz movement; today he's label-less and has gone years since his last new CD. Then, Jazz clubs across NYC and across the US still played bebop, now their numbers are dwindling. Is jazz doomed, permanently embalmed by those who tried to save it? (Has it been doomed since 1945?) Will it rise from its ashes nu jazz? Will it be subsumed into world music and lose its identity? How are any musicians and listeners out there finding the current scene?
Stan Brakhage, 1933-2003
Influential experimental filmmaker Stan Brakhage died in hospital today after an operation for a long illness. If he is known at all, he is known as the director of short films like "Dog Star Man" and the controversial "Window Water Baby Moving", whose graphic portrayal of his first son's birth incited feminist ire and inspired the spoof "Misconception". Those who have no exposure to his work should mourn the loss of a filmmaker whose collagist, primarily non-camera work was colorful and revelatory. (more inside)
Got Sprawl?
Got Sprawl?
This story from Maine’s Portland Press Herald about a rich widow “from away” (as we say) who wants to build a high-end subdivision on her land in scenic Falmouth against objections from the Town Council -- which is citing her property as the most valuable undeveloped tract in the town -- illustrates on a very human level (complete with affluent in-family spats) what rural towns in New England and the rest of the country feel is at stake in their fight against unplanned development. (more inside)
Tennis fans Slammed
If you are a prominent sports organization suffering under budget cuts and dwindling crowds, not to mention if some of your main players are threatening to form a breakaway group, what could possibly be your next move? How about alienating your fans? That's exactly what the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the governing body of men's professional tennis, did. More inside . . .
Reindeer herding over the internet
Providing connectivity to the Saami nomadic community (pdf). The Saami Network Connectivity Project wants to provide wireless internet access for the nomadic Saami reindeer herders of Lapland (Sapmi.) The goal is to provide those Saami who live as herders with email, cached web access, remote schooling for children, and reindeer herd tracking telemetry.
NASCAR, Nee-Ha!
Are you ready for some... NASCAR? "Consider, 4 out of 5 NBA players are African American, 67 percent of NFL players are minorities, and last season, 23 percent of major league baseball players were born in Spanish-speaking countries (an increase of 40 percent from 1989). All of those sports, except football, are experiencing a dip in popularity. Meanwhile, the conspicuously white NASCAR is on an unprecedented run up the profit chart."
Historical?
Google has crashed? Is this an historic moment? I'm stunned.
There is a time
Surrender so soon. "The stunned Paras from 16 Air Assault Brigade were forced to tell the Iraqis they were not firing at them, and ordered them back to their home country telling them it was too early to surrender."
AMIBiosOrNot
amibiosornot.com Read it again. Then click.
I AM NOT AMERICAN™
Get your I AM NOT AMERICAN™ shirt here. From shirt creator Trevor Wilson: "This is not an anti-American web site, nor am I anti-American... These shirts are merely designed for folks from around the world - especially Canadians - to point out that they are not, from the United States. Though there's nothing wrong with coming from the good ol' U.S. of A, in the current political climate this shirt may come in extra handy."
Cuban Embargo Blues
An American Tragedy: No habanos; no Havana Club; not even a dram of that lovely new rummy Glenfiddich malt whisky! Although the embargo is still popular with the Jesse Helms crowd and certain Cuban immigrés, resistence is higher than ever. Why does it go on? From the outside, it just looks like obstinate stupidity. What is it with the Democrats, especially? Are they still covering up for JFK's mistakes? He, at least, had a good stock of Cuban cigars [well, Petit Uppmanns...] with which to sit the crisis out... What gives? What could possibly justify Americans missing out on such a massive scale? If for the pleasure of a decent smoke or even proper mojito or daiquiri alone?
March 8
Smart Mobbing the War
Smart Mobbing the War. [nytimes, reg yadda] I love it when the old-school press picks up a bloggish meme - it's like when Sinatra covers a Beatles song. I'm not sure the author gets the premise of the Reingold book quite right -- it's more about the decentralized nature of Internet anti-war organization, than about the specifics of wireless populi. In fact, he doesn't even credit Reingold, or mention the book. But it's a good read anyway. [By the way, they're protesting a coming war in Iraq, in case you haven't been following the news.]
Like a
"Take your date here and you will be "closing" later that night" If you're tired of the "helpful quotes" and "genial commentary" that make up a typical Zagat's review, this list of "unfit for print" comments that failed to make the guide may be the only remaining reason to go to their site, now that they charge a membership fee to read the reveiews. From the fantastic Buffoonery.org
The Eels' Shootenanny CD
"All In A Day's Work" is the first track on the new Eels CD Shootenanny (released June 3rd on Dreamworks). The band is previewing new tracks from the album every Tuesday, flogging a new live CD from the Electro-Shock Blues era, completely sold out of its previous web only release Oh What A Beautiful Morning, did soundtrack work for Ed Solomon's Levity (starring Billy Bob Thorton) and are hyping the mysterious MC Honky's CD I Am The Messiah, which features producer Mickey Petralia, drummer Joey Waronker, Butch, Koool G Murder and Li'l 'Fer (video for "Sonnet #3 (Like a Duck)").
Recycled Latex and Rubber Fashion Chic!
Look who's wearing your old tires! If you thought recycled fashion was all about clunky rubber sandals, think again - recycled fashion has turned chic. It can be elegant, fun and funky or just plain kinky. Oh, and don't worry guys - there are some fashions designed for you, too! (some links may not be sfw)
Hans Blix's Objectivity
Is Hans Blix attempting to cover up the discovery of an undeclared Iraqi drone, recently discovered by U.N. inspectors? A 173 page declassified report released, after Blix's report to the Security Council on Friday, tells of a remotely piloted drone with a wingspan of 7.45m, that Iraq did not declare, and that Blix failed to mention in his oral presentation. Why would he leave this out of this presentation?
The Corporate Siege of America
The Corporate Siege on the people of New York City. The corporate siege on the people of the United States of America.
ferrocement
Ferrocement made from sand and cement applied by hand to chicken wire is a cheap and simple yet long-lasting building material that an unskilled practioner can use to build Anything you imagine for example Ships Dinosaurs Bomb Shelters Computer Desk Sailboats Hobbit Houses Furniture and Lawn Gnomes.
3 strikes your out
What About Three-Strikes-and-You're-Out for Corporate Criminals? California State Senator Gloria Romero recently introduced a bill that would hold California's law-breaking corporations to the same standard to which the state holds its law-breaking citizens. Three strikes and you're out. (original link from Robotwisdom)
Chasing the Double Eagle
From a theft at the U.S. Mint to a scam artist in Philly, from a playboy Egyptian king to a Secret Service sting at the Waldorf-Astoria, ending up at a record-breaking $7.59 million auction: the fascinating history of a coin. (via BoingBoing)
Some Iraq PROOF - fake!
The Washington Post reports, findings that some of the "evidence" proving Iraq's search for nuclear technologies are faked.
"ElBaradei also rejected a key Bush administration claim -- made twice by the president in major speeches and repeated by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell yesterday -- that Iraq had tried to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes to use in centrifuges for uranium enrichment. Also, ElBaradei reported finding no evidence of banned weapons or nuclear material in an extensive sweep of Iraq using advanced radiation detectors."
"ElBaradei also rejected a key Bush administration claim -- made twice by the president in major speeches and repeated by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell yesterday -- that Iraq had tried to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes to use in centrifuges for uranium enrichment. Also, ElBaradei reported finding no evidence of banned weapons or nuclear material in an extensive sweep of Iraq using advanced radiation detectors."
Hmmm. 'Nuclear documents'.....
US Lets N. Korea Get Nuclear Data (Boston Globe) "Transfer Pact Stays in Effect: WASHINGTON - The Bush administration has not suspended or revoked the authority of Westinghouse Co. to transfer documents related to nuclear technology to North Korea, despite the fact that the Asian nation has admitted that it violated terms of a nonproliferation agreement it signed with Washington in 1994, US Department of Energy documents show."
Interesting Lead
Interesting Lead..Were George Harrison and Fred Rogers terminally sedated?The hospice movement started in this country because people were dying badly, often in pain. I have personal experience that the family is given a bottle of morphine with a eye dropper and a hint.(MetaonlineJournalism - A subsection of MetaFilter (like MetaTalk) where stories or rumors that need further investigation, research, or verification are actively worked on by webloggers, ideally working together to determine the truth of the matter.)
Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields
Security Council members with pivotal Iraq votes receive billions in aid from U.S.
Security Council members with pivotal Iraq votes receive billions in aid from U.S. Is this a good or a bad thing? After all, giving help to those who support you and withdrawing help for those opposed to you seems natural. And those opposed to you may in fact have agendas no better or worse than yours, making it wise and human to play the cards you have. Opinions?
March 7
Dr Strangeblix
Dr Strangeblix (Friday Flash Fun - as a UN weapons inspector)
Public Education in Oregon?. . .. nope
Another embarrasment for Oregon. As if the government of my home state had not reached bottom, as far as actually acting in the interests of it's citizens, comes the news that the head of the State Senate Education Committee, State Senator Charles Starr, has written a letter urging his constituents to "run, don't walk" away from public schools. This from the "leader" in the state legislature for public education. This ranks with Tonya Harding and the anti-gay Oregon Citizen's alliance as another in the growing list of lowlights for Oregonians.
One Man Wonder
One Man Wonder
Man-made midi music aside, we still have practicing "old-school traditional" one man bands like Eric Royer, the Bluegrass Contraption Guy; and Charles Kelly (who also teaches ESL at Aichi Institute of Technology in Japan.)
There are even Jamaican one "mon" bands.
However, Mike Silverman AKA "That 1 Guy," seems to me to have a refreshing new approach to the discipline of mono-musicianship.
Bass Player Magazine says, “Like a one-man band plucked from the pages of Dr. Seuss, That 1 Guy delivers earthshaking future funk from ”the magic pipe” to accompany his madcap lyrics about turbo snails, meat storms, and weasel pot pies."
Check out his video and listen to his new "single" entitled "One." It's "singularly" infectious. (You may wish to turn up the volume above "one.")
Man-made midi music aside, we still have practicing "old-school traditional" one man bands like Eric Royer, the Bluegrass Contraption Guy; and Charles Kelly (who also teaches ESL at Aichi Institute of Technology in Japan.)
There are even Jamaican one "mon" bands.
However, Mike Silverman AKA "That 1 Guy," seems to me to have a refreshing new approach to the discipline of mono-musicianship.
Bass Player Magazine says, “Like a one-man band plucked from the pages of Dr. Seuss, That 1 Guy delivers earthshaking future funk from ”the magic pipe” to accompany his madcap lyrics about turbo snails, meat storms, and weasel pot pies."
Check out his video and listen to his new "single" entitled "One." It's "singularly" infectious. (You may wish to turn up the volume above "one.")
How the Grinch Stole History?
How the Grinch Stole Wisconsin's History? So, here in Wisconsin, the state government managed to screw up the economy so bad that its making historic budget cuts. Rather than take it lying down, anonymous members of the Historical Society have struck back via the Internet. Thus far, the rewriting of "the Grinch" into "How the Grinch Stole Who-story" is classic. Perfect for Friday.
Appellate Court Rules Media Can Legally Lie
Appellate Court Rules Media Can Legally Lie. "The attorneys for Fox . . . argued the First Amendment gives broadcasters the right to lie or deliberately distort news reports on the public airwaves." And they won. Learn about the alleged deception (regarding BGH in milk). Read the appellate court's opinion which essentially says that there's no law against lying.
Eco-Sphere
Self-contained ecosystems on your desk. Eco-spheres strike a perfect balance between members in an environment. Based on NASA studies, they can last past 10 years. Is it feasible to have more complex self-contained systems in the near future? Imagine, a sealed tank with a 'pet' you never have to worry about feeding, watering, or cleaning. That doesn't use batteries. Plus, they look pretty cool.
Art & Life in Africa.
Art & Life in Africa. A resource on African art and culture. Key Moments in Life is an interesting page which deals with different phases of life. The Peoples Index gives overviews of the different cultures. The snapshots of daily life in Mali and Burkina Faso are also worth a look.
Tracking language evolution through Internet
Pupcam
Pupcam! A remote-controlled car, a pup and a video camera. A little Friday diversion. The pup seems to be enjoying himself.
www.constitutionalsluts.com?
I believe this is a blow for the First Amendment. Today, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the Child Online Protection Act. Also, read COPA's report online. In related news, the Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments regarding a law which requires "filters" to be placed on public library computers. Can any of these laws be written to satisfy constitutional requirements? Julie Hilden of Findlaw.con has already contemplated this issue. Will the U.S. follow Canada's lead by enacting similar anti-porn laws? Despite support in the U.S. for such laws, the Indianapolis model pornography law was struck down as unconstitutional nearly ten years ago. It seems even Canada is rejecting the Dworkin/MacKinnon point of view. Is there any middle ground in this showdown of liberty and equality? Which value should prevail? Are these values really at odds with each other?
Take a deep breathe. This won't hurt a bit.....
DIVE! DIVE!
DIVE!
- Markets in free fall. Remember the heady DotCom bubble days, and innocuous scandals - Clinton
& Monica,the cigar?! Then, WHAM: 9-11, Enron, Worldcom et. al, the push for invasion of
Iraq, ballooning deficits, while a new US neocolonial American ideology of preemption suggests more invasions to come - with a worldwide surge in anti-American attitudes. "Irrational Exuberance"
turned to terror, fear, worry, anger, rage. What possible train of events and U.S. government
policies could more efficiently send world economic markets into free fall? Hold on: it was a
two decade long ride up - the ride down has merely begun. Those among us with a few spare billion lying around will wait until the bottom, and buy
on the cheap. For everyone else, it's bankruptcy, frugality, middle class decline, cans 'o beans and darned socks. But cheer up: play, joy, creativity, generosity, indeed love itself - and also the classic "recreation of the poor" are all free.
Please insert disk 2
worldofends.com
It's not the end of the world, it's the World of Ends. Doc Searls and David Weinberger, from the Cluetrain Manifesto, come up trying to elucidate "what the Internet is and how to stop mistaking it for something else" in 10 points. In a way it captures back what we could call the "nature of the web" (if it has one - a hint: YES! it has), but it's not a statement, it's more like an inviting - to join, to understand. The question is... "can you hear us Recording Industry?".
Semi-concrete proof that America resorts to torture?
Does America Torture? "The men's death certificates, made public earlier this week, showed that one captive...died from 'blunt force injuries to lower extremities complicating coronary artery disease' while another ...from [a] blood clot in the lung that was exacerbated by a 'blunt force injury'." What steps are we taking in our "war on terror"? What if other countries decide to treat our civilians as "enemy combatants"? Is the Pax Americana so important that we must resort to torture, or, as is most often the case, giving up prisoners to countries that are known torturers?
Astounding Discovery
Astounding Discovery. Anybody else been waiting with breathless anticipation for March 8th, 2003? It's too late to debate whether or not this is a hoax (although that particular horse was pretty well beaten here). Our mystery man is on the run again, but the photos are going up tomorrow. Stay tight. The government is closing in. Even with everything else going on in the world, if they can't prevent this information from going public, all I can say is "biblical proportions."
The Pyongyang Metro
The Pyongyang Metro.[more]
Greek Whinin' - Part II
Greek Whinin' - Part II ...Eminem, eat your heart out G. (.wmv)
March 6
Women on Brown Paper Bags
The eccentric art of Lewis Smith - a man who lived alone in the woods with no amenities, at age 60, he began drawing all day, every day. His themes included muscular and wrestling women drawn on brown paper bags, and diner scenes drawn on cracker boxes. He drew or painted on every surface including the walls of his home and his barn. If he were alive today, he would probably be amazed to learn that many of pencil and crayon drawings sell for upwards of $1000.
Big Brother Is Watching You...Idiotically
Nominate the world's stupidest security procedure. UK-based watchdog group, Privacy International, is accepting nominations until March 15th from the general public about the most annoying and invasive security measures with the lowest effectiveness in protecting individual safety. What would you nominate?
Papersky
ready.gov satire
ready.gov satire thread on a message board that i frequent which takes images from the government website and re-captions them. there are some real gems.
Hussein Translator on CBS Used Fake Accent?
Hussein Translator on CBS Used Fake Accent? I thought this was an amusing tidbit in the also popular "news vs. entertainment" debate.
Ford to sell hybrid Escape SUV at a loss.
Ford will sell hybrid Escape at a loss. In order to get technology out to the public, and get feedback from customers, Ford is going to release it's hybrid version of the Escape SUV, and take a loss with it.
With today's economy, who knows what that will mean in the end for an already struggling Ford.
With today's economy, who knows what that will mean in the end for an already struggling Ford.
Colour me blind
A set of 24 colour blindness tests I picked up this link from the comments in another forum, somebody mentioned they were colour blind and provided a link to these tests. Interestingly the colour blind can also see stuff that normally sighted people can't.
[more inside]
Stalin killed to prevent nuclear war?
Was Stalin assassinated to prevent him from launching a nuclear attack on the United States? "'The circumstantial evidence is overwhelmingly in favour of non-fortuitous death,' said Jonathan Brent, a professor of Russian history at Yale University. 'And to support this further, we now have solid evidence, non-circumstantial evidence, of a cover-up at the highest level.'"
The first of many wars?
The Pentagon's New Map is probably the frankest asssessment yet of why neo-cons want to go marching into Iraq - and, maybe, keep on marching. An instructor at the U.S. Naval Military College tells us why "military engagement with Saddam Hussein’s regime in Baghdad is not only necessary and inevitable, but good."
bad bunnies
"Rabbit Test" chocolate bunnies ranked- and I do mean rank.Now you'll know what NOT to bite the ears off of...
Pancake Physics - Delicious Science
The most important scientific discovery of our generation.
Okay, maybe not. But it is nice to know that a math degree can still have fun applications.
Okay, maybe not. But it is nice to know that a math degree can still have fun applications.
Coleen Rowley warns of more attacks
After her experience in the weeks before Sept. 11, she said, "I promised myself that in the future I always would try." Time magazine person of the year - Coleen Rowley warns of more attacks. Is she doing the right thing or out of line by going public with warning?
Intellectual Dishonesty
Intellectual Dishonesty
Intellectual dishonesty is pure poison to the enterprise of the law. Yet countless examples show intellectual dishonesty has now become a routine, expected part of American discourse. The most obvious half-truths and hypocrisies are greeted with shrugged shoulders and a grunt of "what did you expect?"
Is the ultimate goal more important than truth, honesty, integrity and "playing by the rules?" Or, put another way, does the end satisfy the means? "Restoring honor and integrity" would indicate not.
Intellectual dishonesty is pure poison to the enterprise of the law. Yet countless examples show intellectual dishonesty has now become a routine, expected part of American discourse. The most obvious half-truths and hypocrisies are greeted with shrugged shoulders and a grunt of "what did you expect?"
Is the ultimate goal more important than truth, honesty, integrity and "playing by the rules?" Or, put another way, does the end satisfy the means? "Restoring honor and integrity" would indicate not.
GEEK!
Geek: Proud Label or Slanderous Epithet? On becoming comfortable in your own skin. via InstaPundit
Lynne Cheney parody draws White House ire
Lynne Cheney parody draws White House ire An Internet lampoon of Vice President Dick Cheney's wife is no laughing matter at the White House, which has asked a satirist to remove pictures of her - complete with red clown noses - from his Web site.
But the New York Civil Liberties Union struck back Wednesday on behalf of John A. Wooden, 31, threatening a lawsuit to protect his First Amendment rights to parody the White House and Bush officials on his site, whitehouse.org.
Navy sea lions
Unleash the sea lions of War! The use of animals in war is an old story. Some of them, such as the WWI carrier pigeon Cher Ami, have become famous. The charismatic critter in the impending war in Iraq is Zachary, a 19-year-old California Sea Lion who has been trained to locate enemy frogmen. Other animal conscripts in the Gulf include chickens; the Iraqis are rumored to have kamikaze camels.
Clinton/Dole Debates
Clinton and Dole on "60 Minutes" While the 1996 Presidential Debates weren't seen as the pinnacle of political discourse at the time, they were congenial by today's talk-show standards. Will these 'elder statesmen' have time in a short TV segment to start genuine discussion of critical issues? Is there any other media outlet that already accomplishes this?
X10 at the movies
Kodak, in an effort to alienate move goers everywhere, will introduce technology that could replace pre-movie, slide based still advertisements with full motion video and other digital media ads (and "other entertainment").
Oetzi the Ice Man
"Over 5000 years ago, a man climbed up to the icy heights of the Schnalstal glacier and died. He was found by accident in 1991, with his clothes and equipment, mummified and frozen: an archaeological sensation and a unique snapshot of a Copper Age man.
For several years highly specialised research teams examined the mummy and the articles found with it. They have been on exhibit since March 1998 at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology."
Apparently he suffered of arthritis and heart disease.
via baloney.com
via baloney.com
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Trial
*cough* Googol *cough* Transcript of the never broadcast edition of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in which an army major allegedly cheats his way to a million. Is this another quiz show scandal or simply a tickly cough?
Arts degrees 'reduce earnings'
Arts degrees 'reduce earnings' A degree in an arts subject reduces average earnings to below those of someone who leaves school with just A-levels. Graduates in these subjects - including history and English - could expect to make between 2% and 10% less than those who quit education at 18
"Feeling warm about literature doesn't pay the rent."
"Feeling warm about literature doesn't pay the rent."
Ah, good times.
Yesterland. Discontinued Disneyland attractions. And make your restaurant reservations early for Casa de Fritos.
Forget MoJo, Let's Get It On at the HoJo like FloJo.
Species on the brink of Extinction: The Forgotten HoJo. Once numbering in the thousands during the 1970s, the recent death of the Times Square HoJo nyt leaves the world with only 10 of these endangered habitats. Check out this extensive gallery of the tragic empty carcasses that was once as abundant on the American landscape as the noble buffalo. Here is a good retrospective of the history from the earliest to its glory years. If you fancy a pilgrimage, eschew your crappy SXSWs and festivals this summer and embark on HOJOPALOOZA. I'll see you there with a single tear running down my cheek.
March 5
Saying goodbye to a mentor
Dr. Anita Borg is the Founder of the Institute for Women and Technology (www.iwt.org). Her work to change the world for women has received international recognition. Throughout her career, Dr. Borg has worked to encourage women to pursue careers in computing. Also, she's a heck of a nice lady. She was diagnosed with brain cancer in April 2000, and recently her condition has worsened. {more inside}
Ainu at the Arctic Studies Center
The Arctic Studies Center at the Smithsonian has several wonderful online exhibitions. I was especially fascinated by Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People. The Ainu are the indigenous people of Hokkaido, Japan, and may be closely related to the first Americans as well (previously discussed here.) There's also a collection of Ainu artifacts and photographs at the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest. [ASC links via plep (again.)]
A beating heart
A Burning Question
Fire Disaster, What Have We Learned? The recent Great White nightclub tragedy has made it imperative to study previous deadly fires in public buidlings, such as the Iroquois Theater, the Cocoanut Grove, the Beverly Hills Supper Club, the Natchez Rhythm Club, the Happy Land Social Club, and the 1944 Hartford circus fire. The sad thing is that many of these deaths could have been preventable.
Disease Cube
Disease Cube A rather extraordinary applet. Find out about the reportable communicable diseases in the US. Many hidden features.
The 50 Most Significant Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of the Past 50 Years
50 Most Significant Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books. Not sure what their criteria was, but this is a nice list. Lots of obvious, gotta-be-on-such-a-list choices, but also some surprises that should have people buying some books they might not have thought of before. (The URL is rather cumbersome, but that's the only one I could find).
Carnival is over!
So, carnival is over in Rio, but festivities continue until Sunday in Salvador and other northeastern cities in Brazil. In Rio's samba parade, Beija-Flor was the winner, but Mangueira, last year's winner, came in as a very close second. But what am I saying - gotta go get some sleep. See you all here in 2004!
I think he wants to believe
The intrinsic mystery of the crop circle is explored in this voice mail to a documentary production company. NSFW [MP3]
Give peace a chance!
Get your Anti-War on! The definitive strategy guide for achieving everlasting peace. Amazingly, similar stuff is actually happening. Will Bush finally hear?
No One Hollerin' Goat
Legendary cane fife player Otha Turner dead at 94 [nyt-rr]. Considered one of (if not THE) last surviving cane fife player, Turner has been nominated for a WC Handy Award, played on records by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and The North Mississippi All Stars, and released albums with his own bands The Afrossippi All Stars and the Rising Star Fife & Drum Band. Some sound recordings here.
you drunkards!
Hangover? Not for long! Okay, probably not - heard some commercials for this product on my local sports radio station, and during don imus' radio show... It seems this company is promoting their "dawn808" product which you can take after or during drinking, and it reacts to the chemicals that your liver forms while trying to clean up your blood. fascinating. wonder what happens if you take this, the 48 hour hollywood diet, and some ephedra.
at least they're not trying to sell samplers from the 80's.
The Name Remains The Same
Get Your Own Name, Buster! It's doesn't get any sillier than finding out how many people in the U.K. are at this very moment walking about pretending to be you; the limey bastards. But it's humbling, to say the least - and a bit of fun too. [Via Linkmachinego and Plep.]
The Quiet American
The Quiet American provides glimpses of other cultures via phonographs: snapshots of sound. (The field recordings in Vietnam are beautiful and evocative.) Vagabonding also conveys the wonders of travel. What other sites allow non-travelers to experience other parts of the world?
Full Metal Bonnet
Full Metal Bonnet Retailers Put All Their Grenades in One Basket: National retailers like Kmart and Walgreens have stocked their shelves with baskets in which the traditional chocolate rabbit centerpiece has been displaced by plastic military action figures and their make-believe lethal paraphernalia. Great quote: Packets of jellybeans are tossed in as if an afterthought, nestled in the cellophane underbrush like anti-personnel mines.
Three little pollitically correct animals...
The BBC reports that a school in West Yorkshire has banned stories like the Three Little Pigs and Babe because "for Muslims talk of pigs is offensive." Strange that the Muslims don't agree.
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Best. Festival. Ever? The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, CA is back this April 26th and 27th with a ridiculous array of talent...but the return of Manchester, TN's Bonnaroo Festival on June 13th, 14th and 15th could give Coachella a run for its money. [links via Pitchfork]
Little Rick: Pugilist
The heartbreaking story of the rise and fall of Little Rick, pugilist.
Leaflets
Leaflet bombing. The coalition is sending messages to Iraq. Do not, I repeat, do not repair fiber optic cables. Big brother is watching you (but apparently not sharing with UN inspectors). P.S. We love you.
Pictoplasma.
Pictoplasma. A collection of over 4750 contemporary character designs from a whole wide load of artists, designers and companies world wide. It's making my day. There's a book too.
Ushabti, the Answerer
Ushabtis
are small mummiform dolls that the ancient Egyptians buried with the dead. 'Ushabti' means 'Answerer'. [more inside]
‘Al-Qaeda informant to get RM102m’
‘Al-Qaeda informant to get RM102m’ Rags to riches for former Taliban informant. And a new identify to boot. Whol says you need to buy lottery tickets for sudden welath?
peace t-shirt leads to arrest
Man arrested in a mall for wearing a peace T-shirt. For some reason I think loads of people will show up at this mall wearing peace T-shirts over the next few days.
I can feel a disturbance in my pants...
Remember how the Emperor strokes the lightsaber and says to Luke "you want this"? Things George Lucas doesn't want you to know - the filthy but oh so sexy truth about what goes on in the Jedi Academy! Not that there's anything wrong with that. Unless it involves Yoda, because... damn.
March 4
http://www.michaelchabon.com/
Author Michael Chabon makes a fair amount of his work available on the web. In addition to presenting pieces originally published elsewhere, he offers up a treatment for the original X-Men movie FOX asked him to write, a couple of television projects that never made the airwaves, as well as the usual I have a website and this is what I like . Something to read since so few Metafites own televisions...
Professional opinion aggregation
Like Slate’s International Papers, the US Department of State collects foreign media reaction to a policy or event. Instead of blatant propagandizing (like some other State Department pages) there is simply a lot of useful translation and short descriptions of the newspapers.
venetian carnival masks
Maslenitsa
Say goodbye to winter and welcome spring with a Russian-style Mardis Gras celebration of Maslenitsa-Pancake Day. Maslenitsa is an ancient pagan weeklong Slavic holiday held before the beginning of the Christian season of Lent. Pancakes, the traditional food eaten during this time, are round and hot, representing the sun. "Fat is the key word for Maslenitsa," said Valentina Bakhtina. It is a sort of Mardi Gras without the costumes and with a lot of butter. The central thing is to drink, be merry, and eat - pancakes and more pancakes.
Nader takes on the SEC, will a campaign be next?
Nader takes on the SEC, will a campaign be next? Bit by bit, Ralph Nader does what he does best, annoying those who abuse power. This last year, he has kept with advocacy that is in parallel with smart campaign strategy and the creation of the SEC watchdog group is an example of that. The Greens are still debating him in the forums, wondering if he is still their guy. Maybe they should be asking if he's OUR guy?
Shoot first?
I think I know why he's not talking. According to this story in the Asia Times, recently capture al-Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was killed...over a year ago? [via the memory hole, more inside]
Unintended consequences & environmental engineering
The Chicago River was essentially the city of Chicago's cesspool until the construction of the Chicago Ship & Sanitary Canal, which connected the Chicago River to the Mississippi Basin in 1900. Now there's serious talk of intentionally returning a section of the river to a cesspool-like state, by dumping untreated sewage and (possibly) toxic chemicals into the river. The purpose: to prevent invasive species such as the Asian Carp and the Round Goby from using this connection to cross between the Great Lakes and Mississippi basins. Is it ever possible to avoid unintended consequences in environmental engineering? And is it necessary to "go nuclear", so to speak, to try to correct them?
[Second link RealAudio; transcript here.]
[Second link RealAudio; transcript here.]
Pink Bunny: Hip or myth?
Pink Bunny’s LiveJournal Pink Bunny is a character in a film beginning principal photography this month, Crypto-Candida. If she isn’t real, how can her LiveJournal be?
zoetropes, praxinoscopes, kinetescopes & other pre-cinema diversions
Pre-cinema devices & diversions - before film, multimedia amusements ranged from zoetropes and magic lantern shows to praxinoscopes and kinetescopes. Whether you're a film buff or a photographer or simply just prone to nostalgia for a day when the world seemed less jaded, you will love this site - take the time to take the tour.
WWHRD?
It's an mp3 player! It's an FM radio broadcast trasmitter! It's a dessert topping. It's a floor wax you cows! Whatever it is, the Neuros handheld "digital audio computer" puts the power of broacasting your mp3 collection (and soon your OggVorbis files) to any FM radio near you. What will Hilary Rosen do?
Tax Reform H. Christ
Jesus, fix our taxes! A professor is criticizing Alabama's tax system with Bible verses in tow. Some are saying it just might work, and others are calling it baptised Marxism. Fat Tuesday indeed!
Get Primitive!
So you've already made fire without matches. How about making fire with a block of ice? Once you've got your fire roaring, it might be time to tan a fox or build your Asiatic Composite Bow. It's all about getting primitive.
Do Americans want more God in government?
Governing by The Book? While reading this column from Nicholas Kristof (NY Times, reg. required), I was struck by the following quote: "President Bush has said that he doesn't believe in evolution (he thinks the jury is still out). President Ronald Reagan felt the same way, and such views are typically American." Lots more info here, including stats that 46% of Americans consider themselves "Evangelical" or "Born Again" Christians, and that more than twice as many Americans believe in a red guy with a pitchfork than natural selection. I have no doubt that me-fites will have much to gripe about here, but my question is this: Do a majority of Americans want a Christian government? How far away are they from getting it?
The 5 Line Self Portrait
margaret muller
Margaret Muller was stabbed to death early last month, while jogging in London's Victoria Park. An American studying at the Slade School of Fine Art, her murder launched the largest crime scene reconstruction in the Metropolitan Police's history.
Secret Cities
Hints of a secret city beneath Tokyo Japanese foreign correspondent Shun Akiba says that after examining various maps of Tokyo, and finding large inconsistences, he has found evidence of a huge network of tunnels beneath the city of Tokyo. A large underground city beneath an aboveground one is not unheard of, as Beijing has this one, but the odd part is, (assuming this story is true,) is that Shun says there has been a coverup and a "...conspiracy to silence [me]," with officials being "...defensive and noncooperative..."
Visiting the DMZ
An American Visits the DMZ. With the rising tensions on the Korean border, it seems like a good time to get a first hand account on the situation. Insightful observations like, so I went into North Korea. It was a lot like South Korea, maybe colder. And there were more fat Canadians than I expected, especially just after a famine. While you're at his site, don't miss Tim Hoo is a Genius and Ask not for whom The Bell™ tolls.
environmental spin memo
Spinning the Environment
One section of the memorandum, "Winning the Global Warming Debate," asserts that many voters believe there is a lack of consensus about global warming among scientists. "Should the public come to believe that the scientific issues are settled, their views about global warming will change accordingly," it says. "Therefore you need to continue to make the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue." Among the ways to "challenge the science," the memorandum says, is to "be even more active in recruiting experts who are sympathetic to your view and much more active in making them part of your message" because "people are more willing to trust scientists than politicians."
So much for science based decisions regarding the fouling of our nest. Sounds Green = Is Green in the bizarro world of spin.
One section of the memorandum, "Winning the Global Warming Debate," asserts that many voters believe there is a lack of consensus about global warming among scientists. "Should the public come to believe that the scientific issues are settled, their views about global warming will change accordingly," it says. "Therefore you need to continue to make the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue." Among the ways to "challenge the science," the memorandum says, is to "be even more active in recruiting experts who are sympathetic to your view and much more active in making them part of your message" because "people are more willing to trust scientists than politicians."
So much for science based decisions regarding the fouling of our nest. Sounds Green = Is Green in the bizarro world of spin.
Autism is fun!
The Rainman game. It's Friday somewhere, right?
MetaFilter in the Ruins
MetaFilter in the Ruins: gentle ribbing, vicious attack, cautionary tale, or dead-on satire? And just how quickly can we get this thread to devolve into a parody of itself?
Will an Apple 'iMusic' Service fly?
An "insanely great" solution to MP3 piracy that users AND the recording industry will accept? While still only a rumor, Apple Computer may be developing a service in conjunction with all major recording studios to permit easy, inexpensive downloading of music through Apple's famed 'iTunes' music cataloging/burning software. Knowing Apple's penchant for ease-of-use and clean, solid design (combined with some hard-knuckle Steve Jobs negotiations with the recording industry), could a $.99 per song (or similar) service take off and bring legitimacy to downloaded music and acceptance from both the industry and users? If true, it's also good to see the consumer electronics industry taking some initiative and responsibility to provide solutions - not blame and accusations.
The Pentagon Memorial to 09/11 Unveiled Today
184 Cantilevered Aluminum Benches and 70 Maple Trees make up the memorial at the Pentagon for September 11. I like its solitude, its stillness. What do you think?
Dr Pepper in blog astroturf campaign
Dr Pepper astroturf blog shows that the marketers are coming to blogland. What to do? AnilDash suggest that we create a new format.. TNL follows with a first pass at a fulll disclosure that still leaves too much open. What should we do to fight the marketers when they invade our turf?
Posters of Toei Yakuza Movies
Cool And Strange Music
So Farewell Then, Cool And Strange Music... Thanks for the weirdness on the way out. I guess. What's the most unsettling, pseudo-cheery music you've ever heard? What is it about music, that it can be so sinister and funny at the same time? [ Via Portage.]
Mardi Gras Worldwide
It's finally here. You're certainly familiar with the festivals in New Orleans and Rio, but what about Haiti, Germany, and Watertown, Tennesee? Also called Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras has ancient origins with links back to Lupercalia and other pre-Christian celebrations. Carnival translates as "farewell to the flesh," which speaks to the surrender of beloved things during the season of Lent.
So, what will you do for beads, babe?
So, what will you do for beads, babe?
March 3
Origins of science
Timeline of early science. A good read, albeit it ignores Atlantis, and it's source of unlimited power. [via Robot Wisdom]
Flash Flash Revolution!
Copyright Infringement Like Nothing Else!
The Future of Copyright? Spoof GUI alerts from new media artist Perry Hoberman. Wry, yet creatively chilling satire . Also be sure out the rest of the "ACCEPT" exhibit, especially the OK/Cancel dialog boxes and My Life in Spam. Hey, has anyone here seen this exhibit in person?
ScientologyWatch.org
ScientologyWatch.org - a blog that's sure to bug Norwegian fishermen, Brazilian soccer players, Japanese businessmen, Greek artists and Italian educators. [Link via Politech]
Vout-aroonee with a Floy-Floy
Vout-aroonee with a Floy-Floy. Slim Gaillard was immortalized by Jack Kerouac, wrote great songs, was a jive pioneer and even appeared in Charlie's Angels.
Alexandra Nechita, petite Picasso
Faces of Happiness. Geometric Look. Irreplaceable. Meet "this rarest of child prodigies," Romanian-born artist Alexandra Nechita. An abstract cubist who took the art world by storm at age 8, she now has over 300 striking paintings to her credit.
Fajita Pancakes!!
Fajita Pancakes "Add 1 tablespoon of Fajita Marinade & Seasoning to 1 quart of pancake batter, 2 cups of corn niblets, and 1 cup of diced green peppers. Prepare the pancakes to serve with soups, stews, or chili." Thanks to the McCormick spice company we can have the best of both worlds!
OOPS!!
"Uh, that does happen sometimes, that can't be good" I don't know how old this is, but it's off of TechTV. The guest is showing off an old phonograph cylinder when ....
I guess he was a bit nervous.
I guess he was a bit nervous.
Mardi Gras Indians
two way pocky way: Looking at boobies and getting drunk are certainly worthwhile endeavors, but for my money the Mardi Gras Indians are the most intriguing aspect of Mardi Gras. With their arcane system of rank, complex costumes, and great music, the Mardi Gras Indians represent the finest in Carnival tradition.
With Friends Like This....
With Friends Like This.... Hate tv like I do? Do you rail at the idea of "must see tv"?
OK....NYTimes link. But it is not NewsFilter! - more inside
Visual Relationships at Amazon.com
Visual Relationships at Amazon.com - Here's an interesting visual implementation of the Amazon API. It's almost like flipping through books on the shelf. What's next? A 3D bookstore rendered on the Quake engine?
No room at the Inn
David Duke, you reap what you sew... And in the words of Nelson Muntz, Hah-Ha!
Official Hired to Improve U.S. Image Resigns
Official Hired to Improve U.S. Image Resigns I don't know about you guys but I find this hilarious. I can't say I blame him. This current administration has the worst bed side manner that I've ever seen in a government.
Pouring Salt into the Wound
Pearl Harbor II? Al Qaeda terrorists recently considered hijacking jetliners from Honolulu International Airport and crashing them into military targets — including several warships, and nuclear submarines — in Pearl Harbor, the Washington Times reports. The story notes these reports were part of the reason why the nation's threat level was bumped up to orange... although that same day, Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle decided to hold the islands at blue (two steps lower) because of local intelligence as well as concerns over costs. More...
A cry for help from Kurdistan
From the faculty at Salahaddin University in Kurdistan: "We as academic staff for the region's biggest Universities attended by different nations including Kurds, Turkman, Assyrians, Chaldeans and Arabs condemn this terrible threat towards our achievements and legitimate rights and express our complete refusal to any Turkish military intervention into the region's territory and affairs."
Do anti-war films glorify conflict?
It is well that war is so terrible, or we should grow too fond of it. Platoon. Full Metal Jacket. The opening sequence of Saving Private Ryan. It's surprising that anyone volunteers for the armed forces after a steady diet of Hollywood depictions of the horrors of war. In "Jarhead" Gulf War sniper Anthony Swafford contends that these"...Vietnam War films are all pro-war, regardless of what... Kubrick or Coppola or Stone intended. Filmic images of death and carnage are pornography for the military man." Does the terrible beauty of Apocalypse Now actually help military recruitment?
Savage reaction
"You rats! You stinking rats who hide in the sewers! You think you can go after my income? You think you can kill my advertisers? You think I'm Dr. Laura? You think I'm gonna roll over like a pussy?..."
Thus did MSNBC's newest hire, Michael Savage, react to the information that GLAAD is meeting with the head of programming to protest his hiring. What's more, he feels the Bush administration owes him an investigation of GLAAD and any other group that protests his hiring, because "I have millions of people who vote. Mr. Bush wants to get re-elected, and just consider me a politician at that point. I'm going to ask for a trade in favor. If they keep it up, my favor is going to be I want these groups investigated."
Some of Michael Savage's comments regarding America, homosexuals, and the state of the country can be read or listened to here or at his Paul Revere Society site linked above.
Thus did MSNBC's newest hire, Michael Savage, react to the information that GLAAD is meeting with the head of programming to protest his hiring. What's more, he feels the Bush administration owes him an investigation of GLAAD and any other group that protests his hiring, because "I have millions of people who vote. Mr. Bush wants to get re-elected, and just consider me a politician at that point. I'm going to ask for a trade in favor. If they keep it up, my favor is going to be I want these groups investigated."
Some of Michael Savage's comments regarding America, homosexuals, and the state of the country can be read or listened to here or at his Paul Revere Society site linked above.
Twins Reunite After 20 Years
Twins Reunite After 20 Years You need free registration to get this story but it is well worth the slight effort. Twins, adopted, born in Mexico, one becomes Catholic and the other Jewish. Both register at same college and meet up. A story that will warm your heart and, at the same time, perhaps tell us a bit about Nature and Nurture.
Olive and Eric.
Olive and Eric. A young couple exchange letters during wartime.
Ali G.
Da Ali G. Show I hadn't heard anything about this show before I came across it by accident, but I think it would floor most of you. It's truly hilarious. If you're not sure, check out the clip "Three Faces of Ali" here.
I have a feeling this show is really going to catch on... sorry if it's not post-appropriate, but I thought the humor is pretty sophisticated and right up Metafilter's alley.
I have a feeling this show is really going to catch on... sorry if it's not post-appropriate, but I thought the humor is pretty sophisticated and right up Metafilter's alley.
Tremble Before the Spearer and the Smasher
Fear the Stomatopod! Assuming the meral spread position is one way in which the mighty mantis shrimp avoids having to use its formidable weaponry. They come in two flavors -- the "spearers," who strike their prey with a superfast, barbed claw, and the "smashers," who wield a club said to pack the force of a .22 caliber bullet. Today these little-known gladiators got some unusually high-profile press for turning up at record size in an unlovely environment.
I can see my house from here
to reflect so poorly
Plagiarism is an ugly word. Ung Lee, a Princeton Graduate, has one numerous awards for his writing, under the tutelage of Joyce Carl Oates. It's just that so many of those words were not his own.
What, no Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs?
Topher's Breakfast Cereal Character Guide Snap, Crackle, Pop, Boo Berry, Count Chocula, Tony the Tiger (and mysteriously, also a Mrs. Tony), Spock, Powdered Toast Man, Cracklin' Oat Flakes (with Xtasy!), Dr. Dre's Weedies... Send in your Proof of Purchase Kids for a FREE jagged metal Krusty-O in every box and excruciating embedded sound on every page. via the excellent Speckled Paint
When Washington writes Blair's autocue
When Washington writes Blair's autocue. For those of you outside the U.K. a very funny clip from Rory Bremner, about the only satirist left on U.K. television. (Real Video Stream - 'Blair & Campbell Autocue').
Radio payola, it just never went away
Silly listeners. Payola in radio isn't "back", it's just back in the news.
Read how more than ever radio airplay is not determined by you, creativity, inspiration, nor musical genius, but by the big green. More reasons to try xm?
Homeland Security Logo Contest
The Department of Homeland Security logo contest finalists have been announced. Each finalist now has 10 days to alter their designs, based on feedback given by you! [via K10k]
3
Waxing Gibbous
Names of the Full Moons We are now 4 days past the Snow Moon, and this year it's easy to see (at least here in northern Virginia) why it was so named. It was also called the Hunger Moon... [more inside]
Bring on the fatted calves and dancing girls!
Your passport to ecstacy, Luxuria Music is back after a long hiatus. Fire up those cocktail shakers, get out yr smoking jacket & dust off the fez. It's time to getcher swerve on!
March 2
Thoughts on the origins of violence
Body Pleasure and the Origins of Violence. If this 1975 article from the The Bulletin of The Atomic Sciences were written today, the "Body Pleasure" bit would have probably been left out. But that doesn't mean this article isn't worth the time to read. Also see this cite of James W. Prescott's work in Carl Sagan's bestselling book and PBS series in chapter 13: Who Speaks for Earth?
The Amazon.com Of The World Of Spirits
The Amazon.com Of Spirits is getting closer and closer, with California's BevMo now giving Internet Wines and Sam's a good run for their money. If you cunningly use Wine Enthusiast and the Chicago Institute for your tasting notes (I don't much like the gushing, amateurish drivel on Epinions, but some reviews are surprisingly good) you're away and ready to say: "Wake up Mr. Bezos - your time may be almost up. What are you waiting for, kind sir?" [I linked to vodka selections for comparison purposes, but here are the main links to BevMo , Internet Wines and Sam's. Unfortunately, I failed to find a good price comparison guide to complete the package. As for European online spirits retailers, I found none with the kind of range a discerning drinker will countenance.]
Bo Diddley Disses Rap.
Bo Diddley is no fan of rap music. Apparently the well known blues player isn't particularly fond of the musical style. He commented on rap lyrics when talking to a group of high school students.
"The lyrics are very disgusting because you are a person, and a person deserves respect. I have daughters, my mother was a woman, and I don't like what I'm hearing."
He did offer a "clean" version of rap.
"Some folks say old Bo Diddley can't rap. I'm Bo Diddley and I ain't taking no nap."
"The lyrics are very disgusting because you are a person, and a person deserves respect. I have daughters, my mother was a woman, and I don't like what I'm hearing."
He did offer a "clean" version of rap.
"Some folks say old Bo Diddley can't rap. I'm Bo Diddley and I ain't taking no nap."
Chanthaburi Fruit Fair
Chanthaburi Fruit Fair "These vibrantly colorful parade floats are perishable wonders of the world, awesome scenes and statues and designs all decorated almost entirely with thousands of tropical fruits and many vegetables too." Slideshow here. The photographer, Shunyam Nirav, also operates the excellent Durian Palace website with additional Chanthaburi info and great Durian galleries, even Durian poetry. Thailand is also known for their exquisite fruit carving.
Human shield Britons quit Baghdad
Human shield Britons quit Baghdad Yeah, I wanna be a human shield, really I do! Er, uh, Saddam, you want me to station myself at a likely target? Well, that sounds too dangerous for me. I'm heading home.
Hey, there's my knife!
State of California sells confiscated items on eBay. Actually, it's not just items confiscated at airports -- it's any kind of surplus the state wants to get rid of. See the complete list here. (Apparently they unload some at Goodwill, too.) (SFGate link via ObscureStore)
OldVersion.com
OldVersion.com bears the motto "newer is not always better." This virtual graveyard/archive of older windows programs lets you stick to versions of programs before they had advertising, before they had Digital Restrictions Management, and even those that no longer exist *sniff*. I can tell sites like this will be coming in handy as we enter a Matrix-like world of advertising, spy-ware, and DRM baked into everything, while a holdout of luddites stick with 0.9 betas of their favorite programs.
He maketh me to lie down in green pasture
George W. Bush is Jesus Christ. Bush delivers, he sets free. He liberates. He is the 21st century incarnation of Psalm 23. As the HAZMAT suit becomes the American burka, Bush is praying, and we will do the same.
WMD inspections in the US
"Why can't we have independent inspections of the US military's chemical, biological and nuclear weapons stocks? ...[W]hy must Americans, and the rest of the world, take the government's word without question?" Why indeed. The group Rooting Out Evil (who need a new name, IMO) recently sent an international delegation of "citizen weapons inspectors" to inspect an Army facility near Baltimore (they were unsurprisingly unsuccessful.) You are invited to become an honorary weapons inspector.
A Great Day in Harlem.
A Great Day in Harlem. Jazz history through one photograph.
Whoa! Human-Equine Transformation
If Wishes Were Horses - "the site dedicated to human-equine transformation." If you ever had a secret desire to be a horse, this site explains the reasons for becoming a horse and offers helpful advice on topics like building your own hooves. Oh, and don't miss the artwork. Not interested in equine transformation? Well which animal would you like to be?
Resistant-bacteria reports cause alarm
Resistant-bacteria reports cause alarm Another good reason to avoid Fenway Park and the Redsox
Hey Hey Ho Ho This Library Can't Go
Put Your "arms around the Gray Building" to save the Florida State Library. Jeb Bush has a "poorly conceived plan" to move the library's circulating collection to Nova Southeastern University. So, if you're tired of protesting against his brother, and you're in Florida, come on over, about 10 a.m., on Tuesday. Send an email to SaveFLStateLib@bellsouth.net with "Save the Florida State Library" in the subject line.
"Bring signs, pins, stickers, whatever you have to show your displeasure, but please no profanity."
More info Here on the closing. Meanwhile, Washington is trying hard to be The First state without a state library.
New Bookworm Game
We can thank Crunchland for introducing us to the addictive online game Bookworm. The downloadable version is finally here. The bad news: It's $25.
Maglev Trains
The superconducting Magnetically-levitated Linear Motor Car is a most promising high speed transportation system in the 21st century. Mechanics and future benefits of Maglev trains.(video) [more]
You don't drink milk!
You don't drink milk! Your parents go crazy over you. You get scolded for this. Not anymore, you have reasons not to drink it. If those weren't enough there are even more reasons to avoid it. Richard Cohen went on a 205 day hunger strike.
If you are the one who cannot imagine life without milk, then you should read "why milk?"
If you are the one who cannot imagine life without milk, then you should read "why milk?"
...is now Switzerland's Cup!
The America's Cup which became New Zealand's Cup in 1995 today became Switzerland's Cup. The land-locked Swiss have yet to decide where or when the next cup will be held, but it will be in Europe for the first time in the cup's history.
Polk this!
James K. Polk has been made famous by They Might Be Giants, but what do we really know about the Napoleon of the Stump? You can check out a fact sheet or test your Polk IQ. If that's not enough you can always visit a museum devoted to Young Hickory. Or you can visit his memorial in Mecklenburg County, N.C. How about the man in his own words? Sure, we all know (pdf file) all the stuff he achieved from the recent song, but did you know that The Might Be Giants was not the first to put the 11th President in verse? Least you forget President Polk, link to Hall of Forgotten Presidents or remind your friends and loved ones with an e-card. It seems that there are those who will never forget him and will always give the first dark house president his props.
March 1
Tom Lehrer: Is He Still Alive?
"I don't want to satirise George Bush and his puppeteers, I want to vaporise them." The unsubtle words of legendary musical satirist Tom Lehrer in a new interview for an Australian newspaper. (The interviewer notes: "he quickly adds: 'And that's not funny.'"...several paragraphs later.) The man who gave us "The Vatican Rag" and "The Masochism Tango", not to mention the recently MeFi-ed "The Elements", before being mostly quiet for 30-some years (His last interview I found on the web was with The Onion in '00) sounds off on the sorry state of satire, plus a look at his 'controversial' Australian tour in 1960, and some words about America's space program that a lot of y'all ain't gonna like...
Naked Dave - A Woman's Obsession
The story of love is sometimes one of pain. Who amongst us doesn't have some failed obsession from their past. You know the one, that person who didn't love you back or didn't love you in the way you needed to be loved. So, what do you about these unresolved feelings? Well, you create a web site and paint a lot of pictures of the guy naked of course. The result is Naked Dave -- A Woman's Obsession.
Che Sells
Stop. Selling. Che. Doctor, Revolutionary, Murderer? Whoever he was, it don't mostly matter when he's this generation and the last's favourite rebelposterboy. Does it even matter, any more, the history behind such powerful brand semantics? It is, apparently, enough to be a symbol nowadays, even if in the end you're one of only ignorance. Is this the ultimate in simulacra? And will They ever stop marketing our martyrs? So who was Che Guevara? And what does he want with our children?
Só danço o Samba; só danço o Samba...la la la la la!
There Is Only One Carnival... but a lot of sambas to go with it. Get Rio de Janeiro's 2003 songs here and, at least spiritually, join the escola (school) of your choice. It's the real stuff, guaranteed to put a spring in your step. If you get the French Fashion TV channel, you can watch the desfiles (parades) live! Oba! Oba![Some Real, WM or something required - forgive the indefinition, I'm just back from the first Carnival party and a bit drubk. Last year's songs were featured in this post.]
US dirty tricks to win vote on Iraq war
US dirty tricks to win vote on Iraq war well. this is nice.... and what do you suppose they would do with their "intel" ?
gun nuts exempt from total information awareness
Federal authorities believe the list of convicted felons, drug dealers, suspected terrorists, spouse beaters, illegal immigrants and others should only be used to help gun dealers determine if someone is allowed to buy a gun, not police investigating other gun-control violations.
Say what?
Say what?
mother lode
The Falcon and the Fallout
Freebird. Christopher Boyce (the Falcon from Falcon and the Snowman) on spying, prison, breaking out of prison, and the cruelty of denying parole to federal inmates. (LA Times reg.)
Make That Difference.
Make That Difference. A portal to many 'free clicks for charity' sites covering various causes, and easy and convenient to browse too.
Radio interview with Mr. Rogers
Radio chat with Mr. Rogers on This American Life. I found it a really touching and revealing piece on personality that I grew up watching on TV. (via memepool)
Eminem's brand-namedropping
Jury Duty is something many of us face.
We all must do our civic duty. But how many of us can fill in President of the United States on the questionnaire when it asks for former jobs held? A bit of mirth for today. NY Times req. required.
Ho-Am Museum, National Museum of Korea
"The Ho-Am Art Museum began with the donation of over 1,200 Korean works of art collected over a period of more than 30 years by Mr. Lee Byung-Chul, the late chairman of the Samsung group. [more]"
Futuristic Automotive Art, Lost Highways & We Liked Dick
The Future We Were Promised is an exhibit of illustrations, ads and comics by a visionary artist named Radenbaugh whose career spanned the '30s thru the '50s. If you live near Philly, an exhibit opens March 7 at Lost Highways, a museum that bills itself as a crossroads where architectural & automotive history and 20th century design and culture collide. Past exhibits look fun too - The Family Car on Mars, about station wagon design 1956-1962, and We Liked Dick, a feature about Nixon & the press during his V.P. years. The store has some cool artwork too. (via uren.dagen.nachten)