July 2001 Archives

July 31

How many recent metafilter threads can you spot in this story?

How many recent metafilter threads can you spot in this story? It seems no matter you become famous (or infamous) you need a spokesperson. Just in case you are ever sans spokesperson and standing naked before the ravenous third estate this article gives you a few canned sound bites. Look in a mirror and say these six lines with a straight face: "The best thing for everyone involved is to achieve closure and move on..."
posted by rdr at 10:36 PM PST - 2 comments

john cusack for president

john cusack for president
Why Shouldn't John Cusack be President?

He made the tough decisions in Grosse Pointe Blank.
He couldn't be bought in Eight Men Out.
He's cooler than John Malkovich
And we like his politics so far.


interesting. what actor do you think should be president? and why?
posted by bwg at 10:26 PM PST - 57 comments

PacBell seeks to secure a monopoly

PacBell seeks to secure a monopoly Californians urged to contact the PUC to put the brakes on PacBell's plan to kill the independent ISP. Should they be allowed to take their toys and go home or be forced to share? And, what effect will this have on the future of tech companies if PacBell is able to lock out DSL competition?
posted by sillygit at 9:06 PM PST - 6 comments

The Olive Garden just says no to H2O!

The Olive Garden just says no to H2O! Water: it's necessary to sustain life, but it contributes to a dull dining experience.
posted by sassone at 7:35 PM PST - 100 comments

B&O goes virtual

B&O goes virtual : Beoplayer 1.0 is a Windows application that sits on your desktop and, like everything Bang, works in a sleek, elegant, unintuitive manner (until you learn what the icons and doodads do, then you can show it off for all your friends). Guaranteed you've never seen a music player like this one.
posted by honkzilla at 7:32 PM PST - 14 comments

Cheat! Win a new car!

Cheat! Win a new car! Ford's website tie-in to the NASCAR race series looks fairly normal on first glance. It's a contest that offers prizes (Grand Prize a new Taurus) based on picking the top Ford finishers in each week's race. However, the website is riddled with issues. Enough issues that no one should win a prize when all is said and done. More inside:
posted by machaus at 5:44 PM PST - 4 comments

Pity The Poor TV Broadcaster

Pity The Poor TV Broadcaster It was obvious that Personal Video Recorders (like Tivo) were going to make it way easy to skip advertising. What I also realized, though, when talking to Lane about how Buffy is moving from the WB to UPN, is that folks who watch Buffy via a PVR could care less what channel it is on--they just tell the machine to "get me Buffy" and it does the rest. This study seems to affirm that, for a significant portion of the audience, this is true.
posted by peterme at 4:48 PM PST - 24 comments

Stories like this one

Stories like this one always seems to bring a smile to my face. For the record, this is the second time in the last few years that some stupid (or very desperate) criminal has tried to rob a doughnut shop in the Chicago land area. You'd think that the concept alone would stop a would-be assailant, but I guess truth is stranger than fiction.
posted by Bag Man at 4:26 PM PST - 14 comments

Netninja Photo Contest

Netninja Photo Contest There's a little more than a week or so left in the contest, and I doubt it's going to be the next All Your Base, but it looks like fun. Hell, I'm entering.
posted by dincognito at 3:56 PM PST - 2 comments

Scient and iXL Merge

Scient and iXL Merge ...and I'm wondering who thinks this is a really good idea. A big part of the problem these "iBusiness" consultancies have is that they're too big. Remember all those layoffs? It's in large part because of big overhead, which is a big problem in a tight market. So what problem is being solved by making these two companies into one bigger company?
posted by peterme at 3:48 PM PST - 14 comments

Buy me for $2,595,030.00

Buy me for $2,595,030.00 So I guess I fit on the "bargain" category... or what? Looks like "money changes everything" isn't just a Cyndi Lauper song title anymore.
posted by betobeto at 1:29 PM PST - 48 comments

The War on Drug Wars.

The War on Drug Wars. "Ashkan Sahihi is a photographer who is infuriated by the hypocrisy of the war on drugs. It is this hypocrisy that inspired Sahihi to take eleven people out of their daily environments, get them high, and photograph them." Does this project warrant attention as a political statement, as an art project, as all of the above, or as none of the above? Please explain your answer. Partial credit will be given.
posted by conquistador at 12:07 PM PST - 23 comments

The Bush Dyslexicon

The Bush Dyslexicon Ever since the presidential campaign, George W. Bush's adventures in the English language have alternately amused and horrified the nation. But according to media scholar Mark Crispin Miller's scathing new book, The Bush Dyslexicon, to conclude merely that Bush is dimwitted would be a grave mistake. The President's linguistic fumbles, argues Miller, mask a deep and shrewd political vindictiveness; at the same time, the shallowness revealed in Bush's unscripted remarks has been largely ignored or coddled by a national media more interested in soundbites than in political substance.

I don't know what is more frightening: that this guy is right, and we have much more to fear about Bush, Jr. than we thought...or that he is wrong, and we do indeed live in a land whose president is an imbecile.
posted by mapalm at 11:23 AM PST - 54 comments

MSN blocks its subscribers

MSN blocks its subscribers from sending mail with non-Outlook mail clients, as of last week. Like AOL, MSN hasn't allowed its subscribers to check their MSN mail with non-MS mail clients since the beginning. Last April, they banned access to non-MSN SMTP servers (to block spam relaying), but you could still send mail to other ISPs through MSN's SMTP server using your mail client of choice with a simple fix. Now, you can only do so if you switch to Outlook or Outlook Express (quietly announced on their site and via e-mail). All others (Eudora, Pegasus, Agent, Yahoo Mail, Netscape Messenger) are left cold. (more inside...)
posted by waxpancake at 11:09 AM PST - 30 comments

Special Delivery

Special Delivery Like a plot out of a movie (or TV show): "You know, my daddy's name was Johnny Johnson," Simmons said, figuring that it was little more than a coincidence. The man paused for a moment and then asked Simmons what his name was. When Simmons told him, he saw tears well up in the man's eyes. "David, is that really you?" the man asked, his voice quivering. Link courtesy Obscure Store.
posted by internal at 10:56 AM PST - 13 comments

I'm not sure I want my ketchup "funky".

I'm not sure I want my ketchup "funky". Heinz announces "funky purple" ketchup, because their green ketchup was so successful.
posted by binkin at 10:46 AM PST - 36 comments

F*ckedEconomy?

F*ckedEconomy? Cuts in interest rates don't seem to be helping. Layoffs persist (and not just tech/dotcoms). The market bounces, but can it sustain itself? Some say the market will rebound in the 2nd quarter of next year, but these are the same people who saw an uptick coming this fall. Are we headed towards a recession, again? Lucent even had to sell their golf course.
posted by owillis at 10:30 AM PST - 12 comments

Looking for a catchy ICQ number?

Looking for a catchy ICQ number? How about a short one? I can understand domain name reselling, but this is ridiculous. What's next, a market for easy to remember IP addresses?
posted by ry at 10:22 AM PST - 46 comments

He sees dead people.

He sees dead people. (NYT link) John Edward, host of Sci Fi channel's "Crossing Over", can "read" his audience and pass messages from the deceased. Or is it just like a game of 20 questions? After a few questions he can make guesses and be close enough to right that people believe it. Have you ever seen the show, and do you believe him? Have you ever been read by a psychic? Do you have psychic powers yourself?
posted by msacheson at 9:59 AM PST - 59 comments

Taliban seeks "friendship" with the U.S.

Taliban seeks "friendship" with the U.S. Despite their myriad human rights violations and long-standing involvement in a brutal and bloody civil war, the Afghani Taliban government wants to open diplomatic relations with the U.S. Is there really anything to gain by having friendly relations with a nation under UN sanction which treats their own with brutality and has threatened and defied us at every turn?
posted by Dreama at 9:23 AM PST - 15 comments

New web site helps Venezuelans emigrate. The website www.mequieroir.com, which means "I want to leave" in Spanish, offers advice on foreign visa regulations, work permits and even culture and climate for citizens of whatever age who are considering emigrating. Its pages cite recent opinion polls that show that more than 30 percent of Venezuela's 24 million inhabitants would emigrate if they had the opportunity.
posted by 120degrees at 9:21 AM PST - 5 comments

"Sony Corporation of America and Yahoo! Announce Multi-Faceted Relationship.

"Sony Corporation of America and Yahoo! Announce Multi-Faceted Relationship. Agreement Includes Co-Branded Web Site, E-Commerce, Enterprise Advisory Services, and Content Integration and Promotion".
posted by valerie at 9:19 AM PST - 5 comments

Clippings

Clippings is the GPL-ed code behind IHT's news-clip feature, which has been discussed on MetaFilter before. This is very cool code and I think any site with many front page links could benefit from it. Serendipitously found at smokinggun, which is not the smoking gun.
posted by icathing at 8:57 AM PST - 19 comments

Mr. Blue is ill.

Mr. Blue is ill. Garrison Keillor, the host of A Prarie Home Companion and writer of numerous books, will be undergoing open heart surgery sometime in the near future.
posted by isildur at 8:52 AM PST - 9 comments

just say no to sex

just say no to sex it gets worse...
posted by christina at 7:02 AM PST - 56 comments

MRI machines -- I always knew they were dangerous, though I never imagined how.
posted by dfowler at 6:31 AM PST - 12 comments

July 30

MyPhysicsLab – Physics Simulations

MyPhysicsLab – Physics Simulations could have saved my bacon in high school. I'm hypnotized by colliding blocks.
posted by heather at 10:17 PM PST - 11 comments

The Agony and the Ecstasy

The Agony and the Ecstasy It's a thin line between torture and titillation... these exhibits always get tremendous audience turn out. How many people have a little de sade within, I wonder?
posted by christina at 9:05 PM PST - 11 comments

Jordanian king pulls a Princess Jasmine.

Jordanian king pulls a Princess Jasmine. According to the report, King Abdullah II occasionally dons a disguise and slips out of his palace to mingle with the plebes and check up on the efficiency of government offices. What a cool idea. I picture George W. disguising himself as a migrant farm worker and applying for welfare. Nah...the Bally loafers would probably give him away...
posted by Bixby23 at 8:33 PM PST - 4 comments

Code Red.

Code Red. Microsoft NT, 2000, and ISS users beware, and resurgance of the code red virus may rear it head again tomorrow. Be sure to get all patched up
posted by Hackworth at 7:04 PM PST - 11 comments

Should Election Day be a holiday?

Should Election Day be a holiday? Vote, then do some barbecue and watch fireworks... Will this be the development that could increase voter turnout, or will people just waste the day away? How else could voter turnout be improved?
posted by owillis at 5:14 PM PST - 63 comments

Vegas Hotel Testing Video in E-Mail Campaign

Vegas Hotel Testing Video in E-Mail Campaign that will be sent to 60,000 existing customers of The Venetian. How much spam can you digest?
posted by NJguy at 3:35 PM PST - 1 comment

Microsoft vs. AOL

Microsoft vs. AOL Gee, who do you root for in this one? Personally, I'd love to see a Pay-Per-View kickboxing match between Steve Case and Bill Gates.
posted by Rastafari at 3:22 PM PST - 3 comments

20 percent would give up great sex or personal wealth if some genie would grant them eternally perfect hair. Women think about their hair almost as much as they think about sex. A new poll says that a woman spends 43 minutes a day thinking about her hair vs. 48 minutes a day thinking about sex.
posted by 120degrees at 2:34 PM PST - 46 comments

The Princess Bride...

The Princess Bride... "In the 1980s, a timeless story was brought to life... after over a decade, it has returned... the most anticipated remake in a generation... in a way it has never been seen before." And that's an understatement.
posted by silusGROK at 2:14 PM PST - 29 comments

In some places on this planet, even 'Tolkienists' are being arrested

In some places on this planet, even 'Tolkienists' are being arrested Tolerance for alternative lifestyles is apparently non-existent in Almaty, Kazakstan. "Almaty's police are resorting to torture in their war against Kazakstan's burgeoning bohemian counter-culture. Their targets are a growing army of street musicians, alternative artists, a cult devoted to Tolkien, anarchists and gays, whose unconventional lifestyles infuriate them." Go here for more on the Tolkienists.
posted by Lynsey at 2:06 PM PST - 10 comments

The FBI is pure evil.

The FBI is pure evil. It's going to take more than a new leader dedicated to "PR and image repair" to flush out this sewer of authoritarian egos and corrupted ideals.
posted by rushmc at 1:32 PM PST - 8 comments

A major advance in genetically modified foods.

A major advance in genetically modified foods. Developed with government funding, and intended eventually to be given away to farmers, there has been a major success in the use of salt water to irrigate crops. They've developed a tomato which grows fine in salt water or on salty soil. Thousands of lives will be saved in parts of the world where fresh water for irrigation is scarce, including up to one third of the arable land in India where salt has been accumulating. Interestingly, these tomatoes are so good at what they do that they remove salt from the soil, improving it. The genetic modification which was done to these tomatoes should be possible with many other crops, including especially rice (on which major effort in Egypt is underway now).
posted by Steven Den Beste at 1:28 PM PST - 39 comments

Kids today...

Kids today...
why when I was a kid, all I had was seven feet of Hotwheels track and a naked G.I. Joe.
posted by hotdoughnutsnow at 12:48 PM PST - 23 comments

Marijuana use legal for terminally ill

Marijuana use legal for terminally ill "Canada became the first country in the world on Monday to allow terminally ill patients to grow and smoke their own marijuana, overriding protests from doctors who said the decision could put them in an awkward situation."
posted by sylloge at 12:46 PM PST - 6 comments

Geocaching is a way to put your useless GPS device, and your lazy internet to work for your important fun needs. People hide Stuff on earth, and mark the spot. Publish the coordinates, and you go find the stuff. Sometimes toys and cameras are involved. Link via my good friend J.Bu, who probably did not realize he was giving away a perfectly good Old School style MeFi post.
posted by thirteen at 11:14 AM PST - 26 comments

THE CAVALIERS DEFEAT THE BLUE DEVILS!!!

THE CAVALIERS DEFEAT THE BLUE DEVILS!!! So much for BD's undefeated season.

Wow, that was an amazing show. I haven't been so entranced by a drum corps program since Star 1993. It's so beautiful, if they don't win in Buffalo there will probably be a riot.
posted by Pinwiz at 10:12 AM PST - 10 comments

Slate's Mickey Kaus and the Washington Post ask the question: For all the claims of illegal monopolies and unfair advantage, is the tech industry counting on Microsoft and Windows XP's Oct. 25 release to save its bacon?
posted by rcade at 8:30 AM PST - 18 comments

A white Siberian tiger escapes from a private wildlife refuge, bites girl, gets put to death.

A white Siberian tiger escapes from a private wildlife refuge, bites girl, gets put to death. State law requires an animal that has bitten a human and hasn't been vaccinated for rabies to be put to death so they can examine the brain for rabies. Or, the human that is bitten can be vaccinated for rabies. The girl's family doesn't want her vaccinated because she's had negative reactions to shots in the past, so the tiger dies. Tests for rabies are negative.
posted by jnthnjng at 7:32 AM PST - 62 comments

Another blog-tracking tool...

Another blog-tracking tool... Although I am braced for mefi attack for posting this one ("non-story - there are other web log trackers" etc, etc), I'm interested to hear what me-fier's think about the ultimate viability of such a product. Is a comprehensive weblog crawler a viable product? Would google-like algorithms work? What would this mean for said "memes" and their proliferation on the net? Further, is there a potential for a "commodification of the meme?" Would the corporates, in the style of viral marketing gimmicks ("I Kiss you!"), use such a "meme tracker" to identify and exploit net culture "hot spots?"
posted by preguicoso at 7:31 AM PST - 23 comments

First Evidence of life coming from space.

First Evidence of life coming from space. One third a ton a day raining down, according to these researchers.
posted by stbalbach at 7:30 AM PST - 18 comments

This NYT article

This NYT article on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), written by Prof. Lawrence Lessig (author of an excellent book on copyright law and policy in the digital age), raises concerns that were academic prior to the recent arrest of a Russian software programmer at a Las Vegas computer security convention for violation of the act's Sec. 1201(a)(1)(A)'s anticircumvention provision. Is Lessig right that Sec. 1201 essentially makes coders (and their employers) into de facto lawmakers and, if so, is this a bad thing? If Sec. 1201 is bad policy, are there any more reasonable alternatives for effectively protecting access to software and/or providing negative incentives for the unauthorized use of software? (NYT article, registration required)
posted by estopped at 7:19 AM PST - 16 comments

Yahoo! Explorer ads the wave of the future? (via RRE) Taking over your browsing in the name of advertising.
posted by bison at 6:22 AM PST - 12 comments

I guess we'll walk.

I guess we'll walk. Much of eastern Canada is currently in the grip of one of the worst summers for smog on record, and a recent poll showed that 58 per cent of Canadians support the idea of limiting car use on smoggy days. However, just 37 per cent said they were willing to pay more taxes in order to improve public transportation.
posted by tranquileye at 5:02 AM PST - 14 comments

britannica ends free access.

britannica ends free access. You have to pay $5/month for complete entries, etc., now (or $50/year). Knew it would happen, still too bad.
posted by aflakete at 2:29 AM PST - 15 comments

Did the Viking landers find life on Mars 25 years ago?

Did the Viking landers find life on Mars 25 years ago? Some scientists think so. I have too much faith in planetary scientists and the newly minted field of exobiology, to believe this is a just a ploy to rekindle waning public interest in space exploration. I think this is genuine 20/20 hindsight coupled with better scientific understandings of life existing in the extreme hinterlands of possibility. . .
posted by crasspastor at 12:00 AM PST - 29 comments

July 29

how to syndicate greymatter with javascript.

how to syndicate greymatter with javascript.
useful and simple tutorial for those using this weblog publishing software and want to put their weblog contents in other sites in a very easy way.
posted by neo at 8:33 PM PST - 12 comments

So bad its good?

So bad its good? Or just a crime against humanity? Its the Star Wars Holiday Special, starring Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill and Beatrice Arthur(!!). Also starring Chewbacca's father Itchy and his son Lumpy.
posted by BoatMeme at 8:02 PM PST - 12 comments

Murder on Swan's Island

Murder on Swan's Island Not a Stephen King story or a Murder She Wrote episode, but a real tragedy in a real small town in Maine (not far from my home town) where the deaths of two people change the lives of an entire community forever. It set me thinking ... how would this story be different if set in Boston, or LA, or London? Would the pain and loss for those who knew Jamie and Stacy be the same? Or is it magnified by the close-knit family that makes up a rural island township?
posted by anastasiav at 6:45 PM PST - 4 comments

There's cars, and then there's Ferrari. There's wine, and then there's Château Margaux. There's home computers, and then there's the Athlon Deathstar (picture). It's the computer for the best of us.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 12:56 PM PST - 51 comments

'If I didn't save this music no one else would'

'If I didn't save this music no one else would' Fascinating story of one man's fight to preserve to music of an entire continent. Imagine if the American or British music of the 1940s and 1950s, so beloved by movie producers and commercial makers hadn't been available since then. 'Blue Velvet' stuck in a basement somewhere covered in dust. The only copy of 'Sixteen Candles' in a junk shop somewhere slowly warping in the sun. It really doesn't bare thinking about...
posted by feelinglistless at 6:39 AM PST - 6 comments

July 28

Toy Yoda...

Toy Yoda... Expecting a Landcruiser, but getting the land speeder instead, a Hooter's waitress uses the Force to fight against her employer's dark side in court.
posted by fooljay at 7:44 PM PST - 21 comments

The DMCA, a flawed law responsible for such things as the lawsuit against 2600 and adobe's attempt to prosecute Dmitry Sklyarov is spreading! Canada is starting hearings into its own version of the US's DMCA! Where will all this end? Via /.
posted by bytecode at 11:54 AM PST - 5 comments

The Economist

The Economist calls for the legalization of drugs in this editorial. Plus these articles [per A&LD]. We are always led to believe that only fringe (read criminal and self-interested) elements favor this course...does anyone know any other "mainstream" groups/people with the nerve to publicly state their support? Or better yet, an online list of same.
posted by rushmc at 11:39 AM PST - 20 comments

U.S. Gov't: IF communists attack THEN GOTO communism:

U.S. Gov't: IF communists attack THEN GOTO communism: The plans that the federal government had developed for salvaging the state in the event of a nuclear attack on the United States by the Soviet Union would have added mass starvation and social extinction to the mass devastation of nuclear war by imposing martial law and a federal dictatorship running the country from the top down.
posted by dagny at 11:09 AM PST - 13 comments

Boy hangs self and explains it all on the Internet

Boy hangs self and explains it all on the Internet Couyld have had some commerical tie-in and banner ads his carefully researched plans to take his life.
posted by Postroad at 9:13 AM PST - 49 comments

Best. Quote. Ever.

Best. Quote. Ever. "Only a man can be a woman the way a man wants a woman to be." I was looking at FilePile, and it seems to be not working right now, so I went to Google's image surfer for an image of a bone, because FilePile is "boned", right? And that found, among other things, "big-boned", which led to a transvestite supply site (because some transvestites are a little big-boned, I guess), which led to that choice quote. Man, the internet is all, like, connected and stuff.
posted by RylandDotNet at 8:23 AM PST - 7 comments

They've got it all:

They've got it all: "Pro-White America First" candidates! The VP candidate in her underwear! The man Pat Buchanan denounced as ''crude, obscene, vile and bigoted in the extreme''! Yes, kids, the Reform Party is alive and kicking, and holding their convention in my hometown. Hold onto your hats.
posted by ChrisTN at 7:41 AM PST - 7 comments

July 27

Alzheimer’s vaccine looks promising?

Alzheimer’s vaccine looks promising? Yes, this is another news item. I could say I posted this to discuss the ethics of research on animals, or humans for that matter. Or whether pharmaceuticals should be leading the way when it comes to developing vaccines and cures. But honestly, I just wanted an excuse to ask if you think Dale Schenk, the head researcher for the Alzheimer's vaccine, looks more like John Denver or Tim Allen.
posted by EatenByAGrue at 11:42 PM PST - 11 comments

Pentagon fraud

Pentagon fraud $9,000,000,000. I hope this is a misprint. More inside.
posted by rdr at 9:35 PM PST - 35 comments

Oh my god, the internet has porn on it!

Oh my god, the internet has porn on it! (Again.) The U.S. Congress makes their annual re-discovery that not everything on the internet is child-friendly. This time they noticed the Gnutella network. (Yes, I got the link from Slashdot - but I like discussing things here rather than there.)
posted by RylandDotNet at 8:09 PM PST - 31 comments

It's like a paycheck advance, not a rebate.

It's like a paycheck advance, not a rebate. You thought the great tax relief of 2001 was a rebate on those huge surpluses the US gov't didn't know what to do with right? Nope, it's merely an advance on the refund of taxes you'll file next year, and here's the kicker: you may or may not be getting any refund at all next year. Tax relief? Tax rebate? Simply owing the $300 back next April? Who came up with this stupid idea? (truth courtesy of Megnut)
posted by mathowie at 6:50 PM PST - 44 comments

Mighty Ducks train with the Sopranos

Mighty Ducks train with the Sopranos in an effort to sell more tickets to their games. You would think that Anaheim Sports Inc. would spend more time recruiting better players than scaring bakers....
posted by poorhouse at 6:30 PM PST - 2 comments

Stolen shamelessly from Tom: a charming clock, reminding us once again that "time" is an intellectual concept meaningless without human participation... (Don't miss the webserver, either.) Considering the depth and breadth - and apparent copious free time - of the MeFi community one would hope we'd be able to help fill in some of the still unphotographed minutes.
posted by m.polo at 6:29 PM PST - 3 comments

As a followup to the earlier Brasseye (Chris Morris) thread you can now download the show in two 45meg chunks.
posted by holloway at 6:21 PM PST - 1 comment

For fans of the pixelicious design scheme featured on the lomo photography website they now offer downloads of their pixel font/graphics system for free. Anyone have similar web treasures to share?
posted by ooklah at 3:38 PM PST - 13 comments

Bush Eager to Go on Vacation, Commune with Cows

Bush Eager to Go on Vacation, Commune with Cows
I'm sorry, I just couldn't resist this headline.
"I love to go walking out there, seeing the cows. Occasionally they talk to me, being the good listener that I am," Bush said.
posted by mapalm at 3:31 PM PST - 25 comments

400ml Graffiti

400ml Graffiti - great graffiti art from some of the best taggers the world has ever known. how on earth did they do that with spraypaint? absolutely incredible.
posted by mcsweetie at 3:13 PM PST - 6 comments

San Diego Opensource Convention Ends With "Positive Feelings"

San Diego Opensource Convention Ends With "Positive Feelings"
The conference included a debate (documented in real time!) between Microsoft open source---what's the opposite of evangelist?---Craig Mundie and the CTO of RedHat Michael Tiemann entitled "shared source versus open source." Tiemann was feisty and "baited" Mundie, who remained cool as a cucumber. I thought we could all benefit from some postgame analysis here... (1, 2, 3)
posted by rschram at 3:01 PM PST - 4 comments

Reassembled.

Reassembled. Assembler is back -- at least, in its latest, frozen form. Score one for indie content makers. (thanks to Zeldman; his exit page notes the new URL.)
posted by moz at 1:27 PM PST - 4 comments

She escaped by slashing him with a fork she happened to be carrying for protection.

She escaped by slashing him with a fork she happened to be carrying for protection. 14-year old girl is caught in her own lies. I wonder what tipped them off? I'm sure any kid could fend off an attacker with a piece of silverware...
posted by starduck at 1:23 PM PST - 5 comments

Dueling Covers in Seattle

Dueling Covers in Seattle The Dan Savage-edited Stranger strikes again, with a well exected parody or The Seattle Weekly's "Best of Seattle" issue.
posted by ph00dz at 1:13 PM PST - 3 comments

Tim Burton is going ape! (their headline, not mine)

Tim Burton is going ape! (their headline, not mine) He blasts the entire internet for giving away the ending to his movie. (don't worry, no spoilers). My favorite quote? "This is why the earth is doomed." said Tim. Should we all be chastised because Matt Drudge spilled the beans?
posted by ColdChef at 12:28 PM PST - 40 comments

"Paul Morgan is a man who desperately wants to lead a normal life again. When the accident first happened, the technology was not available for that to happen. While the technology is now available for Paul to lead a better life, the financial burden would be much more than he could afford. That is why Paul has come up with the idea to chop off his feet live on the internet". This is the first time reading a web page has actually made me nauseous.
posted by Hjorth at 12:25 PM PST - 7 comments

higher IQ = longer life span

higher IQ = longer life span
A study in the British Medical Journal shows a link between IQ and longevity. 2200 children were tracked from childhood to the age of 76. A 15-point disadvantage in IQ meant the child was only 79% as likely to be alive at 76. A 30-point disadvantage reduced the odds to 63%. *link found at darwin awards
posted by bwg at 12:18 PM PST - 12 comments

rest in peace, tove jansson...creator of the moomins. thanks for making childhood a fantastic place to be.
posted by patricking at 12:01 PM PST - 9 comments

13-year-old girl admits to killing some 50 people.

13-year-old girl admits to killing some 50 people. Probably video games or MTV or rap music
posted by Postroad at 11:22 AM PST - 12 comments

Colin Powell in cabaret performance in Viet Nam.

Colin Powell in cabaret performance in Viet Nam. "As Powell acted out his death throes at the end of the song, [Japanese Foreign Minister Makiko] Tanaka - in traditional Vietnamese dress - flung her arms around his prostrate body and kissed him on the cheek." Apparently these kinds of performances are regular occurences at these things.
posted by donkeymon at 11:20 AM PST - 15 comments

As much as I enjoyed the Blair Witch Project, one had to wonder why those silly kids didn't have a single mobile phone among them. A number of standard plot devices are becoming obsolete as a result of current technologies, while filmmakers are finding new ways to incorporate technology into their stories.
posted by tranquileye at 10:47 AM PST - 19 comments

Staten Island postal people prevent posting of posterior postcards.

Staten Island postal people prevent posting of posterior postcards. Um, I mean, they wouldn't allow postcards of guys' butts to be sent. The cards were advertising short films to be shown at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. (NYT. Login: imaguest; password: imaguest)
posted by mudbug at 10:33 AM PST - 3 comments

Finally, a Republican sex scandal for a change.

Finally, a Republican sex scandal for a change. This guy was Joe Liberman's Republican opponent for the CT Senate seat when Liberman was running for both the Senate and the VP. On the bright side, no one's missing...
posted by Rastafari at 10:26 AM PST - 13 comments

Conclusive evidence that cell phones distract drivers

Conclusive evidence that cell phones distract drivers What did this say? I was busy chatting on my cell and missed some of this. Could it be? What should we do? Ah, I am aa good driver; it is the other person who can't drive and talk.
posted by Postroad at 10:24 AM PST - 26 comments

Who did it?

Who did it? Probably the only reality show with a bit of a brain, Murder in Small Town X has a group of "investigators" who must find a murderer by way of searching for clues and interviewing the townspeople. The first episode comes on again Sunday.
posted by owillis at 10:23 AM PST - 8 comments

What? The sky isn't falling! It's just an acorn!

What? The sky isn't falling! It's just an acorn! John Kelso, Austin's foremost professional Texan, writes today about the Austin-California grudge match. (In Austin, it's de rigeur to blame the Cal-dot-commers-cum-Texans for the city's growing pains. It's also a tad accurate.) He also gripes about a silly SF gate Flash site where you can turn the lights out on Austin. The guy's a crank -- and he can't write a column without mentioning Bubbas, chili, or vegetarians -- but this is a perfect example of Texas' head-in-the-sand attitude towards a possible energy crisis. And the rest of the country's, maybe.
posted by mudbug at 9:53 AM PST - 23 comments

Another stupid parent story,

Another stupid parent story, without which your day just wouldn't be complete. Mother and Stepfather, who lobbied for a stricter definition of 'rape' in Ohio, are charged with raping their daughter (via artificial insemination). I hate people.
posted by mudbug at 9:40 AM PST - 22 comments

Pro-Anorexic websites

Pro-Anorexic websites are flourishing on the Internet. These horrific sites teach girls how to avoid eating, "purge" their food, and become terribly sick. A startling and horrific companion to MeFi's recent discussions about weight.
posted by Marquis at 8:33 AM PST - 51 comments

paris is a mess this year

paris is a mess this year and anyhow, everyone goes there, and all you meet are more americans. I recently discovered the Allier region, and it's got wine, castles, beautiful scenery and hardly any tourists. What is your favorite "hidden" travel spot?
posted by christina at 8:16 AM PST - 15 comments

"A Matter of Choice? Gay Life in America,"

"A Matter of Choice? Gay Life in America," was announced to show on Nightline, and dozens of gays have contacted the program to complain about the title.
posted by christina at 8:02 AM PST - 23 comments

The Day My Car Ratted Me Out.

The Day My Car Ratted Me Out.
Dear Winston Smith,
Your 1984 Corvette has informed us that over the past month, you have failed to obey the speed limit 36 times, at times reaching speeds exceeding 130 MPH. As A result, we feel that we can no longer provide you with coverage. We have also supplied this information to the proper authorities, their jackbooted thugs should be in your driveway momentarily. Thank you.
INGSOC Insurance

First it was the rental car companies, now it is GM and the Insurance companies. This is the top of a very slippery slope of privacy issues and technology, specifically GPS.

WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, and, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.
posted by hotdoughnutsnow at 7:45 AM PST - 44 comments


Turn your webwasher off for this link.

I hate banner ads, which is why I use webwasher, they're annoyingly large, wasteful, and don't work. The reason they are dying and taking the rest of the dot-com industry along with them.

I don't know much about Hondas or cars all entirely, but prius seems like a good idea, better fuel efficiency saves on money and doesn't pollute as much. The reason I like the ad though, is it's not intrusive, it doesn't have a 200k gif of a windows alert box telling you 'your connected is too slow. CLICK HERE to make it faster OK', it doesn't blink or use flash. It is tailored to a specific audience, people that look up directions and drive their cars, the product that the company sells.

I hope this is the future of advertising on the web, but then again, how exactly are you suppose to fish out people to buy your 'ultra small hidden bathroom cameras'?
posted by tiaka at 7:08 AM PST - 21 comments

What's that you're wearing, Fidel? Nike's?

What's that you're wearing, Fidel? Nike's?
posted by dagny at 6:10 AM PST - 22 comments

Earth springs a leak.
Mount Etna's cloud of ash from space. This pic really adds a perspective of size and power.
posted by monkeyJuice at 2:23 AM PST - 15 comments

M.I.T. Physicist Says Pentagon Is Trying To Silence Him.

M.I.T. Physicist Says Pentagon Is Trying To Silence Him. (NYTimes, registration required) So, it appears that the Pentagon commissions a panel to "review" ("refute"?) a contrary assessment of antimissile technology, but when an unintended byproduct of that review is more criticism of said technology, they pull this little snow job? I guess we've heard this song before, but it's still laughable. Interesting comment from the Brass: "just because it is made public doesn't mean it's declassified." I guess he must mean "authorized", because for my money, that's exactly what it means.
posted by topolino at 1:06 AM PST - 13 comments

July 26

Tom Lehrer

Tom Lehrer Retires – Tom Lehrer has finally hung it up as a math lecturer at my alma mater, UC Santa Cruz. I couldn't find a web link specifically about that, but thought it was OK to use a link about the man himself. My Banana Slug Bulletin said he retired so it must be true.
posted by Kafkaesque at 10:09 PM PST - 10 comments

Kiss your Porn-E-Okie goodbye!

Kiss your Porn-E-Okie goodbye!
Chicken John, one of San Francisco's leading promoters of cool underground happenings, recently purchased the Odeon Bar. His idea? To provide a space for artistic, creative performances that don't fit in with the mainstream. One of his successes has been Porn-E-Okie, outlandishly cheesy karaoke performances accompanied by custom-edited porn videos. It's an experience that is part comedy, part performance art. It certainly puts songs like "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" in an entirely new light...

Well, thanks to the efforts of the SFPD, Porn-E-Okie is now a felony crime in San Francisco. To obtain his liquor license, Chicken John had to sign a paper promising to never do Porn-E-Okie again as it constitutes "willful and wanton disregard of public welfare and morals". In San Francisco? Are you kidding me?! The police must *love* the Castro...

I might as well add Mayor Willie Brown and President of the Board of Supervisors Tom Ammiano to my address book, because this kind of SFPD stupidity still seems entirely too common.
posted by insomnia_lj at 8:34 PM PST - 9 comments


"Evil is afoot, and hoofing it with dark gusto!" Finally, the Fox show The Tick is slated to run in November and the official site is now open with clips, pics, and screensavers.
posted by Sal Amander at 8:31 PM PST - 15 comments

It is said that on a hot day, you can still smell traces of molasses in the city.
I had never heard about this until I met someone from Boston. As they say, wicked....
posted by machaus at 7:13 PM PST - 7 comments

Windsor McKay (of "Little Nemo in Slumberland" fame) and George Herriman (of "Krazy Kat" and "Archie & Mehitabel") weren't just innovative, influential cartoonists; they were also pioneering animators. The Library of Congress' Origins of American Animation project has downloadable short films by McKay (including his celebrated Gertie the Dinosaur) and Herriman as well as others from the early, early days of animated film.
posted by snarkout at 3:57 PM PST - 7 comments

"Lesbianism" on the rise in Fiji

"Lesbianism" on the rise in Fiji
    Women are said to find this a more attractive option over domestic violence. Be prepared for a rise in the divorce rate, as many "businesswomen" are also becoming lesbians.
    (On the way back, I discovered a new portal for Fiji, hellofiji.com, which offers paid subscriptions to Fijilive.com articles, especially news coverage of the May 19 coup. Also this picture gallery of eligible singles! A full-blown Fijian web renaissance.)
posted by rschram at 3:34 PM PST - 9 comments

THE toy for Christmas 2001

THE toy for Christmas 2001
Hunter Dan, with buck killin' tree stand action!
Yeeehaw!!!
posted by lheiskell at 3:28 PM PST - 8 comments

You go, Tom!

You go, Tom!
"The roll call was a feather in [Tom] Daschle's cap as he managed to prevail in his first effort as majority leader to stop a Republican filibuster."

Senator Tom Daschle (from South Dakota, no less), one of the only Democrats who still has guts. (Where are ye, Harkin? Where hast thou gone, Wellstone?)
posted by mapalm at 2:56 PM PST - 10 comments

What's it like to be born a sellout?

What's it like to be born a sellout? Two parents not only expecting a new child, but expecting a corporate donor to give them half a million dollars for the naming rights to their son. Their ebay listing claims it's for the child's education, though the article says they're looking to buy a new home. And if you actually think naming your offspring "Aaa-Oh-El" is a good idea and would like to copy it, too late, the imitators have already sprung up. (via NextDraft)
posted by mathowie at 2:54 PM PST - 20 comments

Ever been caught smoking in a violent manner?

Ever been caught smoking in a violent manner? This is the best slow-day-at-work reading around.
posted by mudbug at 2:28 PM PST - 15 comments

German satanic couple held after ritual murder

German satanic couple held after ritual murder Nothing better to create hits than this.
It has: devil-worshipping, satanic killing, with 66 machete and hammer wounds, "The victim was no longer recognisable", DNA analysis to discover his identity, black oak coffin, upturned crosses, Nazi SS rune stones, Count Dracula's castle, walls were covered in black cloths, "When Satan Lives", July 6, a date supposedly chosen for the satanic symbolism of number six, The shaven-headed, body-pierced Daniel and his pink-haired, leather-clad bride Manuela, occult chat-line....

I'll stop now, but there's more....
posted by nonharmful at 2:20 PM PST - 11 comments

Imminant death of net predicted. Good, the fad-followers can go on to whatever's next and the real geeks can take their Jolt back to their cubicles and go back to arguing about the One True Indentation Style.
posted by jfuller at 2:10 PM PST - 9 comments

What we do here on Metafilter is unimportant and should be prioritized so more important, corporate network traffic can get through.

What we do here on Metafilter is unimportant and should be prioritized so more important, corporate network traffic can get through. "The problem is that it was devised by a bunch of hippie anarchists who didn't have a strong profit motive. But this is a business, not a government-sponsored network." (LA Times link)
posted by crasspastor at 2:06 PM PST - 28 comments

Navajo Code Talkers honored

Navajo Code Talkers honored As indigenous languages die out all over the world, it's especially nice to see some recognition for the Navajo code talkers. There's also a dictionary here.
posted by judith at 1:54 PM PST - 6 comments

"I think the potential of the small-plane technology revolution is to make small planes seem more reasonable to people below the millionaire class," says James Fallows, author of Free Flight, a book in which Fallows advocates the use of safe next-generation compact airplanes to act as air-taxis, thus offering the masses an alternative to the hub-and-spoke system of air travel.
posted by Avogadro at 12:32 PM PST - 7 comments

How often are legal threats used to silence Internet activity? Help us to find out and counter baseless threats with the "chilling effects clearinghouse."

How often are legal threats used to silence Internet activity? Help us to find out and counter baseless threats with the "chilling effects clearinghouse." Harvard Cyber Law and the EFF combine forces to get a handle on over-zealous cease-and-desist orders issued over websites. Mattel has been so active in this area that they became the butt of jokes about it. Hopefully stupid stuff like this will start decreasing, or at least, there will be a group you can contact when you need support against these types of actions.
posted by mathowie at 12:09 PM PST - 5 comments

Pregnant mother has her 6-year-old arrested

Pregnant mother has her 6-year-old arrested for kicking her in the tummy. It started when she tried to "smack the child in the mouth," and then, with the help of her own mother, pin him down on the couch. She had him arrested to teach him a lesson.
posted by mudbug at 11:39 AM PST - 23 comments

Sick of ringing cell phones?

Sick of ringing cell phones? Then cheaply and effectively jam the signals with a device like the Wave-Shield pocket jammer. They're illegal in the U.S., but that's not stopping some people.
posted by waxpancake at 11:34 AM PST - 35 comments

The Hindu nationalist group Bajrang Dal name a puppy George Bush.

The Hindu nationalist group Bajrang Dal name a puppy George Bush. This isn't meant to be a complimentary act... it's in reaction to their discovery that the Bushes' cat's name is India (short for India Ink). They've taken this as an insult to the nation, and have retaliated with the puppy. I'm kind of curious about what this tells about Indian naming practices and significances, as compared to those in the US. Could someone more familiar with Hindu/Indian culture please enlighten me as to why they'd feel so insulted?
posted by jason at 10:22 AM PST - 36 comments

How about some feel-good stories? Anybody heard about the lovesick guy in Australia who flew to England to surprise his girlfriend, only she flew to Australia to surprise him at the same time? And from Cincinnati, a healthy baby girl was born to a mother who's been in a coma since a car crash 8 months ago.
posted by msacheson at 10:22 AM PST - 9 comments

What Is Your Earliest Memory?

What Is Your Earliest Memory? The San Francisco Exploratorium asked this question and got these responses on their website. The project is over now, so you can't add to their list, but that's not to say you couldn't mention it here.
posted by briank at 10:19 AM PST - 29 comments

Where were these girls when I was in college

Where were these girls when I was in college I just graduated a year ago and I don't recall women just wanting to "hook up."
posted by aj100 at 9:57 AM PST - 30 comments

We live in a sad, sad world.

We live in a sad, sad world. Teacher now get homicide insureance. This speaks for itself.
posted by aj100 at 8:03 AM PST - 16 comments

"[Gigantic Media Company]'s actions are unprecedented and completely anti-consumer,"

"[Gigantic Media Company]'s actions are unprecedented and completely anti-consumer," said [Other Gigantic Media Company] spokesman Vivek Varma. "[Gigantic Media Company] is paying computer makers to eliminate consumer choice, forcing people to select the most expensive service in the industry." Uh, pot, kettle left a message for you: you're black.
posted by lawtalkinguy at 7:27 AM PST - 12 comments

Net Detective 2001

Net Detective 2001 can help you find "EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about your friends, family, neighbors, employees, and even your boss! You can even check out yourself. It is all completely legal, and you can do it all in the privacy of your own home without anyone ever knowing. It's even better than hiring a private investigator."

A friend of mine who is still unsure of the security of the Internet was curious about a spam he received and forwarded me. I wrote it off immediately as typical rubbish spam but decided to investigate it. I searched for it in Google only to find the same web page on many different sites.

I haven't tried installing it, just seems a bit too dodgy and I don't want to risk my computer's security, but has anyone heard about this program? I assumed it was some sort of scam but couldn't find anything about it in that sense.
posted by Jase_B at 6:21 AM PST - 13 comments


T new that "Niggaz" stuff would lead to no good....

T new that "Niggaz" stuff would lead to no good.... "And now, flush with grant money from a fellowship supported by Jewish big shots like Steven Spielberg, Charles Bronfman and others, Ms. Bleyer and her post-collegiate buddies are busily working on bringing this new cool-Jew magazine to life. The first issue is due in January. They have assigned some articles and taken some photos, and they also have a title: Heeb, as in the old ethnic slur, short for "Hebrew." "
posted by BGM at 12:23 AM PST - 27 comments

These two teachers

These two teachers had the nerve to expose more kids to AP English classes, their reward? Removal from the program by a principal. How can teachers persevere when the parents and/or administration are both set against them?
posted by owillis at 12:17 AM PST - 19 comments

July 25

Meat from genetically modified pigs was stolen from a lab, turned into sausages and eaten by atleast nine people. It may be the first time people in the US have eaten GM meat.

Apparently they "tasted real good".
posted by lagado at 8:29 PM PST - 8 comments

The Digital Millenium Rape Act.

The Digital Millenium Rape Act.
posted by Kikkoman at 7:54 PM PST - 16 comments

D.A.R.E Essays: 20 Years In the Future.

D.A.R.E Essays: 20 Years In the Future. "After getting addicted to marijuana, I tried angle dust, heroin, and other dangerous drugs that could kill me. A couple of days after my 17th birthday I joined a gang. Well anyway, the way I got killed was in a gang fight. P.S. If you ever read this I hope that you never go down the same path I did. You should stay in school and don't do drugs." Right.
posted by Mark at 7:17 PM PST - 26 comments

Music as heard in commercials

Music as heard in commercials

Debate over whether the artists are selling out or not aside, there are some fairly great and obscure artists featured in TV commercials these days. As has been pointed out before, it's a sad thing when I'm consistantly hearing better music on MTV during the commercials.
posted by GriffX at 6:47 PM PST - 60 comments

AMTRAK still off-track

AMTRAK still off-track (NY Times link) Even before living in France I loved trains. So it pains to read that AMTRAK is stillheading towards its last run. Do you progressive, SUV-hating Mefi people have any thoughts on how AMTRAK might get its act together (or whether it's all SUV-futile)?
posted by ParisParamus at 5:58 PM PST - 32 comments

A model commits suicide the other night

A model commits suicide the other night but what's really tragic about this is this is what is considered "plus sized" these days. Aren't the days of 80lb, heroin-chic models over?
posted by mathowie at 5:28 PM PST - 81 comments

Iceman

Iceman the Bronze Age hunter whose 5,300-year-old frozen body was discovered in the Alps.. cause of death found.. ``Maybe there was a combat, maybe he was in a battle. There is a whole series of new implications. The story needs to be rewritten.''
posted by stbalbach at 4:07 PM PST - 5 comments

Senator wants two-drink limit on planes

Senator wants two-drink limit on planes Air lines and flight attendants opposed even if it might slow down air rage. I guess that, like sporting events and the movies, this is a great was to pull in big bucks. If thiws bill passes in congress, Iwill never fly again!
posted by Postroad at 2:50 PM PST - 22 comments

NY Senator wants XP's release delayed

NY Senator wants XP's release delayed and The Register writes a somewhat humourous article about it (as usual). Excerpt: "It appears that Microsoft intends to maximize its monopolistic power, using XP as a platform to enter new lines of business while encumbering competitors," Schumer said, rooting deep into the 'I just sussed out Redmond's business strategy; let's arrange a press conference' archive.
posted by DyRE at 12:48 PM PST - 1 comment

Jerri from Survivor poses for Playboy - with her burning man pendant hanging around her neck...

Jerri from Survivor poses for Playboy - with her burning man pendant hanging around her neck... ...and not much else.
posted by cadence at 11:52 AM PST - 55 comments

Condoms don't really work?

Condoms don't really work? According to this study conducted by a panel of 10, 000 physicians, while condoms are 85 percent effective in helping prevent the spread of HIV, they offer less protection against sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and genital herpes. The worst part? They claim the CDC has known this for years.
posted by summer1971 at 11:37 AM PST - 42 comments

No longer getting Knocked up!

No longer getting Knocked up! Teens are not getting knocked up... as much. Why do you think that is?
posted by aj100 at 11:22 AM PST - 21 comments

YAY!

YAY! I'm so sick of this bloodsucking cow....
posted by BGM at 10:59 AM PST - 22 comments

U.S. Rejects Anti-Germ Warfare Accord

U.S. Rejects Anti-Germ Warfare Accord and is the only country to do so, effectively killing 6 years of negotiations. As an American, all I can say is: I'm sorry we suck.
posted by gwint at 10:58 AM PST - 38 comments

Uh. Uh. It's hard to talk when your jaw hits the floor.

Uh. Uh. It's hard to talk when your jaw hits the floor. So, gay rights are 'special' rights that no one really has to pay any attention to because you'll get your Federal money, anyway. Just claim your priviledge is more important than some one else's priviledge. (Found via CubicleGirl )
posted by rich at 9:57 AM PST - 66 comments

Snapshots of san francisco:

Snapshots of san francisco: one man's view of the san francisco dot-com fiz-out. (more people should have websites, i can't get enough.) -- flash needed
posted by tomato at 8:41 AM PST - 8 comments

Gosh,

Gosh, it seems as though we have run out of words! Jesus Christ, when will it ever end? Sigh.
posted by tweebiscuit at 8:18 AM PST - 37 comments

The We-Did-It-Our-Way Tax Relief Anti-Massacre Page

The We-Did-It-Our-Way Tax Relief Anti-Massacre Page one guy describes how he spent the tax rebate check, and invites you to tell him how you did. (the title's a bit of a nod to Alice's Restaurant, fyi)
posted by jhiggy at 7:01 AM PST - 8 comments

The truth about Fight Club.

The truth about Fight Club. Popular film actually an updating of popular comic strip? (Major spoilers for the movie, if you haven't seen it.)
posted by matt8313 at 5:14 AM PST - 27 comments

"Bandit Queen" Phoolan Devi shot dead in New Delhi

"Bandit Queen" Phoolan Devi shot dead in New Delhi The plot summary of the movie about her life said she wanted to enter politics. An untimely passing.
posted by allaboutgeorge at 3:00 AM PST - 7 comments

Help Nora Batty rule the web!

Help Nora Batty rule the web! BBC Radio Five Live is championing Last of the Summer Wine's Nora Batty for title of the 'web's most downloaded woman'.
posted by viama at 2:25 AM PST - 11 comments

The Incarceration Atlas.

The Incarceration Atlas. Everyone's probably familiar with the usual stat that America has the world's highest rate of incarceration, but there are some other pretty interesting numbers here too, touching on some Metafilter favorites - race, education and drugs. (more inside...)
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:53 AM PST - 12 comments

July 24

Man goes to jail

Man goes to jail for writing pornographic thoughts about children in his journal. Read carefully and you'll notice he was on probation. Even so -- doesn't this go too far? Yes, says Philip Jenkins over at nerve.com. (Found on A & L Daily.)
posted by argybarg at 11:10 PM PST - 33 comments

Father forgot boy for two hours in mid-80s heat, San Jose police say.

Father forgot boy for two hours in mid-80s heat, San Jose police say.
posted by christina at 11:00 PM PST - 43 comments

Gauguin the one who cut off Van Gogh's ear?

Gauguin the one who cut off Van Gogh's ear? Favorite line: "When Gauguin, then aged 40 - and still the only other colony member - announced one evening his intention to leave, Van Gogh, 35, was livid. They appear to have had a blazing row, fuelled by absinthe and other alcohol." Sounds like an episode of "Cops," only in 1888.
posted by sassone at 9:54 PM PST - 33 comments

My house's windows just rattled from a sonic boom, so that means the space shuttle's home again. I kind of forget about these things until a little visceral something like that brings you back in touch. Int'l Space Station that much closer to completion. Living in the future is cooooool.
posted by logovisual at 9:43 PM PST - 8 comments

AOL can (potentially) buy out Amazon.

AOL can (potentially) buy out Amazon. Now the question is, what would the new company be called? I vote for "AOL Times Amazon."
posted by precipice at 7:41 PM PST - 17 comments

"Hello. I'm Christopher Walken. If my video, Weapon of Choice, featuring the Fat Boy Slims, does not take at least seven of the nine moon men, I will personally journey to each of the voters' homes and I will ask them to explain themselves. Then I will slice off extremities until they suffer as I will suffer if my dance moves are thus summarily dismissed." Pause. "I could really go for a hot dog."
posted by solistrato at 5:37 PM PST - 21 comments

Quid pro quo

Quid pro quo anyone? Secretary of State Katherine Harris, who was at the center of Florida's disputed presidential election last year, will run for Congress in 2002, a top Republican official said Tuesday.
posted by dchase at 5:03 PM PST - 16 comments

It's not up to the standards of the beating that Rodney King took, but it seems less called for than the punch John Prescott threw. A policeman in Wakefield (UK) is videoed applying some, uh, instant justice.
posted by Cuppatea at 3:28 PM PST - 2 comments

Female athlete to pose nude. Suddenly popular.

Female athlete to pose nude. Suddenly popular. Lisa Harrison is unknown outside of basketball until she wins "Sexiest Babe in the WNBA" contest at Playboy.com. What is the worst aspect of this story? (1) That Playboy.com actually has a "sexiest babe" contest; (2) That the WNBA has a "morals policy" in every player contract that prevents them from upsetting the "family values" image of the league; or (3) That Ms. Harrison is considering posing for the magazine because the money she will make is likely to quadruple her annual salary. Or, is all of this just "adults being adults" and nobody should care?
posted by conquistador at 2:51 PM PST - 18 comments

'NSYNC Party With Hugh Hefner, Olsen Twins and Britney Spears At Celebrity Soiree

'NSYNC Party With Hugh Hefner, Olsen Twins and Britney Spears At Celebrity Soiree
WTF?
posted by lheiskell at 2:38 PM PST - 43 comments

teoma

teoma is an interesting new search engine (via boingboing). However, if this is any indication of its searches, count me out (check out the first result).
posted by bison at 2:35 PM PST - 8 comments

The Harvard Crimson

The Harvard Crimson contracts Cambodian sweatshop labor to make its online archives and saves $450,000. Is that the living wage they editorialized for?
posted by benjamin at 2:22 PM PST - 21 comments

Do not pet the great white sharks while they're feeding.

Do not pet the great white sharks while they're feeding. Do not climb onto a whale carcass with your child while the great whites are ripping it to shreds. This is very similar to a thread I posted here but the idea of tourist shark interaction fascinates me.
posted by rdr at 12:34 PM PST - 19 comments

LA is the number-one relocation city for fleeing San Franciscans.

LA is the number-one relocation city for fleeing San Franciscans. Has the world turned upside down? The L.A. Examiner has the summary. And the complete story can be found, for now, on the LA Business Journal front page.
posted by josholalia at 12:13 PM PST - 34 comments

University of Colombia, registrar of the ".co" ccTLD, wants to sell the new dot com

University of Colombia, registrar of the ".co" ccTLD, wants to sell the new dot com
The University of Columbia is in charge of assigning names to Columbian domains, and it wants to get in on the same act as Tuvalu, Togo, and the US. Dissenters say its a public trust. Of course, much like newly minted TLDs like .biz etc., yahoo.com will of course want yahoo.co, and so on. Is there no solution?
posted by rschram at 10:31 AM PST - 13 comments

Re-Versed Christian Lyrics

Re-Versed Christian Lyrics supplies alternative Christian lyrics to the rock songs you know and love. Be sure to check out "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Hell's Bells" while you're there. As a Christian, sites like this usually just make me cringe. I got a pretty good laugh out of this one, though, so I thought I'd share. [Link borrowed from Memepool.]
posted by Reggie452 at 10:21 AM PST - 63 comments

More stick fighter action!

More stick fighter action! This is one of the more interesting uses of Flash. Mmm tasty! (be warned, 2 meg download but well worth the wait)
posted by PWA_BadBoy at 9:59 AM PST - 7 comments

AOL gives pre-ICU infusion to Amazon.

AOL gives pre-ICU infusion to Amazon. Jeff, baby. It's over. Your place as an e-commerce pioneer is secure, but face it, selling mass-market atoms on the Web was never going to work.
posted by ParisParamus at 9:41 AM PST - 16 comments

(In)famous anti-gay site hacked

(In)famous anti-gay site hacked (copy) - The defacement says, in part, "nothin against 'First Amendment hosting' we support u just not some of ur sites". So if I understand correctly, they support the first amendment as long as they agree with what is being said? Doesn't this seem a poor form of protest?
posted by revbrian at 9:23 AM PST - 24 comments

Cables, Cables, Cables

Cables, Cables, Cables
I got to thinking last night about all those cables lying along the ocean floor. This is a fascinating article on the history of telephonic cables; while this one adds a bit more color, and several interesting paintings.

"As history shows, the demand for undersea network capacities will only increase. There's no such thing as too much cable."
posted by mapalm at 8:45 AM PST - 18 comments

Alberta will face a disastrous competitive and economic disadvantage

Alberta will face a disastrous competitive and economic disadvantage if Canada signs the Kyoto accord. Meanwhile, this year has been one of the worst for smog in Toronto. Some municipalities in Ontario are voluntarily looking towards alternate energy sources because they feel, in the long run the costs will be lower (lower health costs, avoiding higher fossil fuel costs, etc. - sorry, no link) What do you think? Is it possible to have economically viable alternative energy, and is the US setting a bad example for countries that feel they need to compete?
posted by nprigoda at 8:22 AM PST - 12 comments

Final Fantasy Radio

Final Fantasy Radio - I know what i'll be listening to from now on =)

The comic is pretty funny too
posted by sikander at 7:17 AM PST - 10 comments

The Googlematic AIMBOT

The Googlematic AIMBOT will only work for those of you with Instant Messager installed, of course. A profoundly useful little widget knocked together by Matt Webb allows you to do very quick and easy Google 'I feel lucky' searches from the comfort of your own Buddy list. Launched yesterday, I think it's a hell of a lot more useful than either SmarterChild or GooglyMinotaur as well as rather better conversation than any of the AIM chatbots I've found to date...
posted by barbelith at 5:29 AM PST - 52 comments

East Coast go Boom.

East Coast go Boom.
posted by nathan_teske at 12:53 AM PST - 23 comments

July 23

Lycos Legal - Terms and Conditions

Lycos Legal - Terms and Conditions This is by far the longest legal agreement I have ever seen for a web site. 15,144 words that would occupy over 31 printed pages. 38 distinct types of prohibited conduct.
posted by jeffbarr at 11:30 PM PST - 13 comments

UnderEZ by UnderTec

UnderEZ by UnderTec
Under-Tec Corp presents a new product to eliminate the foul odor caused by flatulence. Under-Ease are a patented protective underwear with a specially designed pocket with replacable multi-layered filter.

certainly seems to be a marketable product. i'm thinking that beyond the geriatric set this appears to be aimed at, it might be useful for those sunday afternoon football games, when all the guys are huddled around the t.v., drinking beer and eating doritos...
posted by bwg at 11:04 PM PST - 7 comments

Adobe backs down, Dmitry left on the hook.

Adobe backs down, Dmitry left on the hook. They dropped all charges against Dmitry, but the Justice Department may not.
posted by Kikkoman at 10:49 PM PST - 1 comment

Megawati is in,

Megawati is in, but Abdurrahman Wahid is not out...yet. News from the world's fourth most populous nation.

With two bombs planted in churches in Jakarta this week injuring 60 people and Wahid likening his struggle with parliament to a "jihad"...I have to confess that my, er, decison to take the family to Bali next month is looking a tad iffy at the moment.
posted by lagado at 7:31 PM PST - 11 comments

Scientists are making DNA that uses letters other than AGCT

Scientists are making DNA that uses letters other than AGCT
Underlying the chemicals is a code. DNA is composed of pairs of four types of proteins. This project at Scripps Research Institute is attempting to design a DNA which uses different proteins to convey genetic information. The ultimate goal would be to have a functioning organism with a genetic code that uses a different "alphabet" to "communicate" the same "message" You know what this means? If they can get it to work, language wins! The world will truly be proven to be a "discursive" formation. (The language metaphor comes courtesy of the NYT, but I believe it is more than apt.)
posted by rschram at 6:21 PM PST - 16 comments

Then again,

Then again, maybe George Harrison isn't ready to die.
posted by solistrato at 5:00 PM PST - 8 comments

Congress Will Hold Hearing: Is Income Tax Legitimate?

Congress Will Hold Hearing: Is Income Tax Legitimate? Robert Schulz’s We The People Foundation announced that the Justice Department and the U.S. Congress had committed in writing to appear in a recorded public meeting with IRS representatives. There they will officially answer charges challenging the legal jurisdiction of the IRS and the illegal enforcement of U.S. income tax laws against U.S. citizens.
posted by dagny at 4:56 PM PST - 31 comments

Features your computer ought to have...

Features your computer ought to have... probably most of us have seen at least one of these before, but here is a damned funny collection of non-existent computer features that should exist. I especially like the "Fuck It" button :)
posted by starvingartist at 1:04 PM PST - 18 comments

Ok, who's the wise guy

Ok, who's the wise guy who decided to crush-link me? And do you prefer i set you on fire before or push you off of a cliff?
i figured i'd try to find out who it was... i entered about 20 e-mail addresses (support@microsoft.com, asdf@asdf.com, webmaster@goatse.cx... et al), and i had to sign up for 'netflip' and 'start earning cash on the net', and what did i get? two hints. my crush's first name has 6 letters, and their last name has 5. ugh. anyone know how many e-mails you have to feed this thing?!?
posted by jcterminal at 12:15 PM PST - 21 comments

R.A.G.E: Rangers Against Gadget Erotica

R.A.G.E: Rangers Against Gadget Erotica Could there be a more worthy cause? "This is a mouse who takes cares not to show too much of herself, even while her companions go pantless."
posted by gleemax at 11:59 AM PST - 6 comments

The woman my e-mail client is named after ...

The woman my e-mail client is named after ... has passed away. R.I.P. Eudora Welty.
posted by allaboutgeorge at 11:30 AM PST - 13 comments

a drive to impeach five U.S. Supreme Court justices

a drive to impeach five U.S. Supreme Court justices "egregiously bad behavior, high crimes and misdemeanors.'' (Reuters --> Yahoo --> Plastic --> here)
posted by drunkkeith at 11:21 AM PST - 45 comments

Kind of like shooting fish in a barrel

Kind of like shooting fish in a barrel but far less cruel. I can't help but love these sorts of compilations. (from McSweeney's)
posted by jasonsmall at 11:13 AM PST - 6 comments

Dan Rather vs. The World

Dan Rather vs. The World (NY Times link) -- While the conspiracy theorists and much of the mainstream media were jumping down Gary Condit's throat, Rather and company held firm and kept the "news" off the Evening News. Despite airing a few reports, they intend to keep a comparatively low level of coverage in the future. Is this how we'd like to see the media behave, or is this just a more notable example of The Media's Liberal Bias™ showing through?
posted by mrbula at 10:22 AM PST - 31 comments

What do Windows XP and lingerie have in common?

What do Windows XP and lingerie have in common? Quite a lot, according to Microsoft. The Register reports that MS is taking full advantage of the fact that sex sells with their latest Swiss ad. There's only one problem - the commercial doesn't make any sense.
posted by sanitycheck at 10:21 AM PST - 29 comments

Bill Clinton responsible for the Genoa protestor's death?

Bill Clinton responsible for the Genoa protestor's death? Yes, according to the editorial page of the Wall Street Journal. This makes me think that if Bill Clinton didn't exist, the right would have to invent him. (Think of all those fundraising letters...)
posted by Rastafari at 9:51 AM PST - 21 comments

Edison electrocutes an elephant at Coney Island.

Edison electrocutes an elephant at Coney Island. I never knew this horrifying bit of history until I read about it via rscharm's MeFi post.
posted by grumblebee at 9:48 AM PST - 17 comments

x10.com 4th Most Popular Site

x10.com 4th Most Popular Site on the Internet according to Jupiter Media Metrix. Why? Because of those stupid pop-unders, which they are counting every pop as a visit to the x10 site. (nytimes:reg req) (no reg alt link)
posted by benjh at 9:46 AM PST - 19 comments

What happened to stileproject? (warning: not for the sensitive types)

What happened to stileproject? (warning: not for the sensitive types) One of the weirdest sites I've seen (aside from the raunchy porn, that is; he was how I found the kung-fu stick men) now seems to be gone. What gives?
posted by mapalm at 9:37 AM PST - 24 comments

Seventh seal opened, nytimes.com has a web log

Seventh seal opened, nytimes.com has a web log
Or is it...? This list of links in a section entitled "According to the Times" is a "Web-only feature highlighting facts and figures culled from the week's news. It appears every Wednesday." It seems to be a scanner of news stories by the NYT, not offsite. I used to think they were cool, but this dogged resistence to trends is making them seem aloof, no? (well, more so than usual...) I miss CC...
posted by rschram at 8:59 AM PST - 5 comments

The world has agreed on a watered-down version of Kyoto. One populous country has declined to have anything to do with it, though. Can you guess which it is?
posted by Mocata at 8:56 AM PST - 18 comments

It's all about the sound.

It's all about the sound. While most bands hate to be pigeonholed, one of the styles of music which I've lately gotten into is called "post rock." I can't get enough of bands like Stereolab, Yo La Tengo, and the Aluminum Group. I hope I'm not the only one who likes this stuff... any other post rockers out there?
posted by moz at 8:09 AM PST - 64 comments

A Funky little art link.

A Funky little art link. An interesting little page about art by an artist. Read everything on this page and you will slowly walk into the mind of an Artist. Creative, funny, and odd.
posted by aj100 at 7:41 AM PST - 2 comments

Goose-killers suddenly notice absence of golden eggs?

Goose-killers suddenly notice absence of golden eggs? With Napster neutralised, the distributed alternatives thriving, and their commercial schemes mired in technological and political difficulties, many record industry execs are quietly wishing they'd done things differently. Should we regret the lost opportunity, or celebrate it as a self-inflicted step towards breaking the stranglehold of the major labels?
posted by holgate at 7:17 AM PST - 19 comments

NTIA to sell admin rights to .us domain

NTIA to sell admin rights to .us domain Flying mostly under the radar of the mass media, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration is getting ready to sell off admin rights to the .us domain, which has largely been the province of state and local governments and their various departments. Libraries, schools, etc. argue that the namespace is a "public trust" and should not be turned over to the highest bidder for commercial interests.
posted by briank at 6:06 AM PST - 8 comments

July 22

Playing computer games makes kids smarter?

Playing computer games makes kids smarter? Although it reads like a headline from The Onion, a British study funded by the ESRC has come to that conclusion. "They seemed able to focus on what they were doing much better than other people and also had better general co-ordination. Overall there was a huge similarity with top-level athletes."

Gotta go and show this to my boss...
posted by jedrek at 11:41 PM PST - 10 comments

Avi Ben-Abraham, man of a thousand and one faces:

Avi Ben-Abraham, man of a thousand and one faces: 43-year-old Ben-Abraham . . . has spent the past two decades surfacing, disappearing and resurfacing in the company of presidents, prime ministers, Hong Kong billionaires, European royalty, Hollywood moguls and members of the Kennedy family.
posted by aladfar at 9:37 PM PST - 16 comments

These aren't your father's Objectivists

These aren't your father's Objectivists -- they're WACKY! They like wacky rock music! They care for wacky birds! Being Objectivists, they believe themselves to be pundits -- but WACKY ones! I mean, look at these costumes -- these are Objectivists who knows how to have fun!
posted by tweebiscuit at 2:37 PM PST - 40 comments

As a soon to be minted threehundreddollar-inaire,

As a soon to be minted threehundreddollar-inaire, I'm one of more than 90 million Americans who has received notice of my tax rebate on the way. But some 32 million Americans are due no tax rebate, and are now receiving notices in the mail to this effect- a letdown that Democrats are trying to capitalize on. Is the tax break going to backfire on Bush and the Republicans... ? << more inside >>
posted by hincandenza at 12:43 PM PST - 78 comments

This proves my theory that in reality Fargo is much stranger than the Coen Brothers movie. This is the new way to get people to come to North Dakota: Drive from Florida to knock-over a Super8 motel using, as your threat, an imaginary bomb in a Winnie the Pooh backpack---do all of this to fufill your request to spend the remainder of your life in the country's safest jail.
posted by nathan_teske at 12:10 PM PST - 13 comments

[George] Harrison 'knows he will die soon.'

[George] Harrison 'knows he will die soon.'
posted by o2b at 10:35 AM PST - 35 comments

The Tourist Who Won't Go Home

The Tourist Who Won't Go Home
The recent ugly american thread has brought out ethnocentricity and xenophobia in us over crimes like socks with shorts--we forget happen at home just as often. meanwhile violence errupts when tourists forget they are guests in someone's home. But is the real crime the errosion of the cultures we visit? Do movements like Slow Food have a chance protecting native cultures, or the Americanization of the world inevitable?
posted by christina at 10:11 AM PST - 16 comments

AMC to add commercials?

AMC to add commercials? American Movie Classics, a cable TV channel which has for sixteen years been showing classic films without commercial interruptions, is considering adding commercial breaks to movies as early as this year. (The channel already shows commercials before and after movies and in its documentaries, but until now has kept the movies themselves intact.) If you're a movie buff and are distressed by this possibility, let AMC know about it. (Personally, I think this is a bad idea, if only because it will likely cost them lots and lots of viewers.)
posted by kindall at 9:59 AM PST - 18 comments

Bush, Putin agree on missile talks

Bush, Putin agree on missile talks "GENOA, Italy -- U.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to tie U.S. plans for building a missile defence shield to talks on reducing nuclear stockpiles. " Arms race averted?
posted by nicolotesla at 9:32 AM PST - 13 comments

Reckless or right?

Reckless or right? The family that gave birth to septuplets lives in a two bedroom apartment, and the father works as a high school teacher. Was this an irresponsible act on their part? I don't believe only the rich should have children, but shouldn't society expect you (and only you) to have the means to support children you give birth to (within reason)?
posted by owillis at 9:20 AM PST - 44 comments

Italian Police raids Italian Indymedia.org and Genoa Social Forum

Italian Police raids Italian Indymedia.org and Genoa Social Forum More information and/or pictures can be found at these links: MSNBC CNN Il Nuovo Corriere della Sera

According to protesters radio, the Genoa Social Forum is going to release a video that shows police infiltration in rioters and more police abuse pics.

I believe there that must be no space for violence, unless one is subject to violence against his will. That's why I believe that policeman had the right to attack protesters to defend themselves and to defend peaceful protesters. But I think that's it's very difficult to understand what really happened in this situation.

Apparently one indymedia reporter from UK is now in coma after being beaten from police, and more then 50 protesters were seriously harmed. The police were looking for unsual weapons like maces and usual weapons like knifes. Police also accused Genoa Social Forum of being a "cover" for the violent protesters.

What do you think about fitting a mini-recorder in every policeman armor ? I think police activity needs to be recorded because they're the only ones authorized to use violence when necessary but they can also abuse this power easily when no camera is around.

Remember the police chases scenes you can see on tv ? They're usually made from TV helicopters. I've seen more then one chase ending with police professionally stopping the chased offender, without doing them any harm, even if pointing a gun at them. While sometimes I've seen police beating people senseless without any good reason ; and giving a punch to a policeman, while completely wrong, isn't an action that deservers over-reaction when 3-4 cops kick the hell out of the offender.

Waiting for your ideas and comments...
posted by elpapacito at 9:20 AM PST - 24 comments


The ultimate online community:

The ultimate online community: a massively-multiplayer online sex game. Be a dominatrix! Experiment with whips and chains! Sleep around in a place where everyone is beautiful and willing and there is no disease! Pick your own body: you can be the stud or babe of your dreams! Ah, the virtual life for me. (Why are all the samples heterosexual?) (Via Lum the Mad)
posted by Steven Den Beste at 9:09 AM PST - 19 comments

July 21

GreaterGood shuts down.

GreaterGood shuts down. I wondered why hunger site, the rainforest site and all the rest had been undergoing 'routine maintenance' all week.
posted by rebeccablood at 8:51 PM PST - 16 comments

Apple ][ font

Apple ][ font : The ultimate in retro bitmap. It even includes the mouse text characters so you can "draw" Apple ][-style windows. Neat.
posted by nathan_teske at 4:10 PM PST - 8 comments

"We are a nation of business people, and we find art and artists threatening.

"We are a nation of business people, and we find art and artists threatening. Copyright exists, according to the Constitution, 'to promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.'

...the point of copyright is to serve the public good, to make our country a better, more interesting place by giving artists and scientists a financial incentive to keep doing what they're doing. When you get down to the Constitution, artists aren't scary freaks, they're all-American. We just have to keep reminding the courts and Congress of that."

-Nancy Updike, in LA Weekly.
posted by thebigpoop at 2:23 PM PST - 16 comments

I send you this file in order to have your advice.

I send you this file in order to have your advice. The Sircam worm is spreading at an unbelievable rate, with two interesting bonuses. First, it mass-mails itself to e-mail addresses located in browser cache files (so webloggers with e-mail addresses on their sites are vulnerable). Second, it infects and attaches a random document to the e-mail. If you're careful, this makes it the most entertaining worm yet. (More inside...)
posted by waxpancake at 8:46 AM PST - 50 comments

The week in pictures

The week in pictures - an outlet for the best photojournalism

Sometimes they do have really nice pictures.
posted by sikander at 5:27 AM PST - 4 comments

Blogdex at media.mit.edu

Blogdex at media.mit.edu (The link may not work, I've gotten through twice now, both times between noon and 4pm PST, but every other time I've tried I've gotten server not available errors.)Does anyone know what this is? The times I got through it looked like an interesting cross tabulation of what is being covered in the web log world, like a handy index for people looking for entries on a certain topic. It was not complete looking when I got in last, the site mostly consisted of the front, and an "about" section, but the front page did have a list of the top ten links being talked about on currently indexed blogs. I found the link in my referer log.
posted by Nothing at 12:22 AM PST - 15 comments

July 20

What's

What's your favorite museum and why?
posted by christina at 11:34 PM PST - 40 comments

Are we too tough on crime?

Are we too tough on crime? "Nationwide, crime rates today are comparable to those of the 1970s, but the incarceration rate is four times higher than it was then. It's not crime that has increased; it's punishment." Yes, of course, people who do bad things should be punished. But is the current system worth the social and economic cost? Is there any better way to go about this? (Note: Lots of interesting internal links within the article.)
posted by edlark at 8:02 PM PST - 27 comments

The EFF gets a meeting with Adobe,

The EFF gets a meeting with Adobe, but does it come quickly enough? I, for one, am not ready to easily forgive and forget the company's actions, regardless how strong Adobe's case against him. Keep your eye on the ball and maybe we'll see a bad law overturned and an injustice corrected.
posted by Kikkoman at 7:17 PM PST - 20 comments

Another flash movie

Another flash movie attempts to be both 'witty' and 'clever'. Remember kids, friends don't let friends make crappy flash movies in hopes of becoming the next AYBABTU.
posted by jcterminal at 3:28 PM PST - 22 comments

You, too, can be a male porn star!

You, too, can be a male porn star! All you need is some Viagra to give you the stamina for a five-scene workday on the set.
posted by msacheson at 12:47 PM PST - 28 comments

Hundreds flush with excitement during test of arena's plumbing

Hundreds flush with excitement during test of arena's plumbing "We just drank a lot of tea at El Fenix, and we're ready to do what we can for our Stars," Diana Parker said before marching off to her assigned station. You have to use a email and password...so use mine. It's worth it. email - 404@404.com password - password.
posted by bradth27 at 12:14 PM PST - 7 comments

Nurses have to be virgins.

Nurses have to be virgins. Turkey's health minister says high school girls studying to be nurses must be virgins and the virginity tests he is authorizing will protect the nation's youth from prostitution and underage sex.
posted by nonharmful at 12:02 PM PST - 9 comments

author on book on George W. Bush a suicide

author on book on George W. Bush a suicide ...and will be buried next to Vince Foster?
posted by Postroad at 11:09 AM PST - 27 comments

Berlin Teen Fails to Stop Flying Cow Spectacle.

Berlin Teen Fails to Stop Flying Cow Spectacle. I tried and tried to come up with an appropriate smart aleck comment for this one... but to no avail. I did learn that it is legal to have a food fight in Berlin however.
posted by fluxcreative at 10:40 AM PST - 27 comments

If somehow you could pack up your sorrows....

If somehow you could pack up your sorrows.... Mimi Farina dies at 56. I read Richard Farina's book a while back, but it wasn't until this year that I heard Richard & Mimi singing. In my alternate reality, Richard doesn't die, and writes a dozen more books including one with his pal Tom Pynchon; Mimi isn't eclipsed by her older sister, and the two keep singing for another 30 years.
posted by idiolect at 10:09 AM PST - 3 comments

Protester dies in G8 summit clash

Protester dies in G8 summit clash A demonstrator has been killed amid clashes in the Italian city of Genoa where the leaders of the world's major industrialised countries are meeting for an annual summit.
posted by jbelshaw at 9:51 AM PST - 153 comments

Powell won't serenade his peers at Asian meeting

Powell won't serenade his peers at Asian meeting The U.S. Secretary of State has finally found something that's above and beyond the call of duty. And it's a shame, really. I mean, what would his singing voice sound like? I must know! Would it put Vietnam Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien's folk song to shame? Would he have a dusky, husky Barry White purr or a silky Harry Belafonte rasp?
posted by allaboutgeorge at 9:50 AM PST - 7 comments

"There might be consumer expectations here, but there is no legal right."

"There might be consumer expectations here, but there is no legal right." For the last several months, music consumers around the world have unwittingly been buying CDs that include technology designed to discourage them from making copies on their PCs. The technology inserts audible clicks and pops into music files that are copied from a CD onto a PC. According to Macrovision, the company that has provided the technology to several major music labels. (I want to say "Fuck the music industry," but that would be rude.)
posted by tranquileye at 9:08 AM PST - 48 comments

From The Smoking Gun

From The Smoking Gun comes a couple of fabulously funny court orders courtesy of the Honorable Samuel B. Kent of Texas. First, we have a order denying a motion to transfer (the good stuff starts on page 2, second paragraph). My favorite line: Defendant will again be pleased to know that regular limousine service is available from Hobby Airport, even to the steps of the humble courthouse, which has got lights, indoor plummin', 'lectric doors, and all sorts of new stuff, almost like them big courthouses back East. The second one is an equally funny Order or Transfer for the Republic of Bolivia vs. Phillip Morris.
posted by internal at 9:00 AM PST - 17 comments

Lizzie Grubman

Lizzie Grubman is beginning to lose her clients finally. As posted earlier this is an interesting story.
posted by da5id at 7:43 AM PST - 20 comments

Germans to build Dracula theme park

Germans to build Dracula theme park "German investors and the Romanian
government are planning to develop Dracula Land, a "terror" theme park in Transylvania that officials hope will boost the country's ailing tourism industry"
posted by christina at 7:42 AM PST - 7 comments

Citizen wins 3-year battle on bogus jaywalking ticket,

Citizen wins 3-year battle on bogus jaywalking ticket, but his lawyer pockets most of the $27,500 settlement. Ahh, well, at least he fought the good fight and won.
posted by fleener at 6:37 AM PST - 10 comments

Slumping Sales.

Slumping Sales. The RIAA appears to be losing money so far this year because people aren't buying as many cd's and aren't going to as many concerts. It's hard to tell if there's some correlation between the demise of napster and the falling sales or if the numbers are down because the new album's coming out aren't really that good. Personally, I'd say a little bit of both. I haven't purchased many cd's this year, although there are one or two that I plan to pick up in the coming months (only because I've already downloaded the songs and know that it's worth the money).
posted by dave at 6:05 AM PST - 34 comments

Cat that lived in bookstore dies at age 20.

Cat that lived in bookstore dies at age 20. What seems like a fairly cut and dried local interest story cranked out by hacks at our crappy hometown rag is ohhhh so much more. Click through to the comments to get the inside scoop.
posted by machaus at 5:17 AM PST - 56 comments

Want to Live Rent Free? Get sick.

Want to Live Rent Free? Get sick. What is a landlord to do when they have the legal right to evict a tenant, follow all of the legal procedures to evict a tenant, and then the judge forces them to allow the tenant to stay, rent free, for an unspecified length of time? How is it that this man's landlord suddenly has to pick up the slack/cost left by government sponsored social services, at a steep personal cost?

At what point do you become responsible for other people's survival?
posted by kristin at 2:01 AM PST - 37 comments

July 19

Seeing weird things in your website logs today? This will explain it... Running IIS and haven't patched it in over a month? Go here. 13,000 servers have already been affected.
posted by machaus at 3:57 PM PST - 36 comments

The Ugly American

The Ugly American is becoming harder to distinguish among its European counterparts. What does an American look like, anyway? If you were in a foreign county, could you recognize an American, and if so, how?
posted by Oriole Adams at 3:37 PM PST - 149 comments

Demo Design is neat.

Demo Design is neat. Lots of flash to entertain you. Try the sound section; I feel like I'm Ross from Friends wigging out on my ancient synthesizer, but with modern drum loops. And dig the clock if you click on the middle or right symbols that appear if you click on video.
posted by moz at 3:28 PM PST - 4 comments

I wish I had thought of this!

I wish I had thought of this! (NYT link) In a follow-up to a thread from last September, Chris and Luke have successfully found a sponsor (First USA) for their college tuitions. Of course, I would have sought a Trojans sponsorship; imagine the tie-ins! To move away from the "is college necessary/too expensive" debate of last September's thread, does anybody have good self-sponsorship anecdotes or ideas?
posted by msacheson at 12:28 PM PST - 35 comments

The New Sins (Los Pescados Nuevos).

The New Sins (Los Pescados Nuevos). A new book/art project/philosophical exploration/satire from David Byrne, in collaboration with McSweeney's. I can't wait to check it out. See how the whole thing came about. Fawn over Byrne's endless creativity. Rave at more brilliance from the good folks at McSweeney's.
posted by conquistador at 12:23 PM PST - 5 comments

Low Brow

Low Brow is really fun. Sit there and hit the reload button to hear people's tales of woe, misery and wild times. Some pretty funny tales there.
posted by milnak at 12:12 PM PST - 7 comments

SUBTLEY DARK children's art

SUBTLEY DARK children's art or just overbearingly cutesy?
posted by black8 at 9:31 AM PST - 25 comments

Husband's internet date turns out to be his wife

Husband's internet date turns out to be his wife
now i ask you, what are the odds? sooner or later something like this had to happen...
posted by bwg at 9:11 AM PST - 36 comments

Run away! Run away!

Run away! Run away!
this is so monty python-esque. once again life imitates art.
posted by bwg at 9:07 AM PST - 10 comments

Taliban Bans Neckties, Lipstick, Chess

Taliban Bans Neckties, Lipstick, Chess
The radio quoted the leader's order as telling border guards and security agencies to seize the banned items and hand them over to the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which acts as the Taliban's religious police.

oh yeah, it has long been known that chess is an evil, evil game...
posted by bwg at 8:56 AM PST - 23 comments

Say, are you looking for some Wacky Zany Goodness? Then try the Fulifier, which will instantly make any web page look like it was designed by a 4 year old or almost anyone in 1996. [twist of fait]
posted by hijinx at 8:52 AM PST - 4 comments

Almost the weekend.

Almost the weekend. A handy little site that will help you feel a little tippsy.
posted by aj100 at 8:34 AM PST - 3 comments

G8 Backs Middle-East International Observers

G8 Backs Middle-East International Observers With the US onboard for the first time, it seems an international monitoring force will be sent to the Palestinian territories to observe the "ceasefire." Positive step towards calm or just another feeble diplomatic attempt from the international community to stem the tide?
posted by chaz at 7:55 AM PST - 8 comments

Archer sentenced to 4 years...

Archer sentenced to 4 years... This may not mean much to those from outside the UK but there will be celebrations in much of England tonight as the 'Teflon Tory' finally takes fall. Sometimes justice is done, even to politicians with immense arrogance, money and no apparent morals. The scale of the web of deceit is fascinating and the ending quite poetic.
posted by Mr Ed at 6:57 AM PST - 19 comments

Graffiti or art

Graffiti or art Where is the line, and if it was in your street would you mind? - watch out this is flash intensive but well worth it.
posted by kramer_101 at 5:03 AM PST - 56 comments

Good grief, It seems I may be a feeling a bit tipsy.

Good grief, It seems I may be a feeling a bit tipsy.
posted by davehat at 4:49 AM PST - 18 comments

Contrary to what you may have heard, the new Brass Eye is indeed about paedophiles. And it's got Phil Collins wearing a "Nonce Sense" t-shirt.
posted by Mocata at 4:34 AM PST - 20 comments

This is truly awesome.

This is truly awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. Awesome.

Just the best use of flash, collaborative model/data building and use of interactive interface to explain a complex issue... i.e. the interconnections of money, influence and power in boardrooms of the global economy.

Conceived designed and built by Josh ON and the FutureFarmers I think it's going to move to a more permanent and snappier URL once it's fully ready for prime-time... I hope Josh and the gang don't mind me posting it here... but it's just too good not too... It genuinely deserves a lot of praise and attention, IMHO.
posted by blackbeltjones at 2:43 AM PST - 24 comments


Hello??? McFly???!!???

Hello??? McFly???!!??? Tiny, but remarkable Pro-Bush/global-warming-as-myth protest in Bonn as reported by The Times. 40 deluded rich american kids against the world. Literally. And, no it's not a new reality TV series... although... I can see it now.... "Protester"(tm)
posted by blackbeltjones at 12:55 AM PST - 44 comments

July 18

And the webby winners are...

And the webby winners are... not the ones I thought would win (no Blogger? no Fray?). Personally, I'll be spending time hoping for a Best Of The Web award instead. Why someday you may even get into the WWW Hall of Fame!
posted by mathowie at 10:42 PM PST - 99 comments

Your Hotmail account now boasts a new look,

Your Hotmail account now boasts a new look, and I must say it's extremely simple and nice looking. It puts the old drab color scheme to shame.
posted by Mark at 10:33 PM PST - 45 comments

You dropped a bomb on me...

You dropped a bomb on me... The movie "Above & Beyond" was on TCM last night. It is about Col Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the Enola Gay, which dropped the first atomic bomb. Surprise: Col Tibbets is still alive, making appearances & speeches. What do you think goes through his mind when he recalls that fateful day? Would YOU have been able to drop the bomb that ended World War II?
posted by davidmsc at 3:12 PM PST - 92 comments

Vinegar prank backfires on fish and chip shop owner

Vinegar prank backfires on fish and chip shop owner Listen up! Vinegar is harmful! "Eight-year-old Craig Hunt was splashed in the eye after Sam Kieu told him to sniff the vinegar then squirted it in his face." Have you ever pulled a 'small prank' which then went completely out of hand?
posted by wackybrit at 2:58 PM PST - 23 comments

Maybe this idea is just too postmodern.

Maybe this idea is just too postmodern. But then a usenet group about a discussion group would never work would it? Best keep using Metatalk then . . .
posted by feelinglistless at 2:55 PM PST - 16 comments

Prison riot imminent. Film at 11.

Prison riot imminent. Film at 11. "Many inmates are heavily invested emotionally in the routine availability of certain types of food," wrote Jovero, a member of the state Food Task Force for prisons. "Prominent among these foods is peanut butter and jelly for religious and vegetarian inmates."
posted by swell at 2:31 PM PST - 14 comments

GAO to Cheney: "Show us what you got!"

GAO to Cheney: "Show us what you got!" Ok, well it wasn't that dramatic, but this "demand letter" is one step away from giving the Veep a subpeona. Even right wing attack dog Judicial Watch is getting in with some hot lawsuit action.
posted by owillis at 1:13 PM PST - 4 comments

DEA nominee leaves the door open for medical marijuana

DEA nominee leaves the door open for medical marijuana
He's probably just getting my hopes up.
posted by snakey at 12:56 PM PST - 2 comments

Amelia Earhart found?

Amelia Earhart found? TIGHAR (The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery) has put together an interesting package of evidence, including recent satellite photos, to bolster their claim that Amelia Earhart didn't crash into the sea as previously believed. Do you think that history's mysteries can be solved with circumstantial evidence decades, or centuries after the fact?
posted by headspace at 12:00 PM PST - 7 comments

Jurassic Park III comes out today

Jurassic Park III comes out today and is getting surprisingly good reviews (I'm going to see it in a couple of hours)! Most seem to have the tone of "Not great cinema, but a fun popcorn-chomper summer movie". Thank god, because this has been a mostly sucky year at the movies so far...
posted by hincandenza at 11:56 AM PST - 38 comments

Blogger Template Design Winners

Blogger Template Design Winners are up. Finally.
posted by JParker at 11:11 AM PST - 17 comments

Warning labels, the volume knobs on small infants, Death By Vending Machine.

Warning labels, the volume knobs on small infants, Death By Vending Machine. It's an ever-shifting line in the sand of human stupidity, a vague cultural boundary defining how much we expect our products and corporations to protect us from ourselves and how much we're willing to be answerable for our actions, a line dividing how logic-impaired we're willing to admit we sometimes are and how responsible a given corporation should be for dumping shoddy and/or dangerous products on the market without warning. Is excessive labeling a release from liability? Is it killing off common sense or the need to have common sense?
posted by th3ph17 at 10:57 AM PST - 51 comments

"He hit me for HOW MUCH?????"

"He hit me for HOW MUCH?????" Famous last words of RPGers. Geeks of all kind will revel in it's nostalgic value. (via zannah.)
posted by lotsofno at 10:26 AM PST - 10 comments

An run-of-the-mill

An run-of-the-mill story about the Webbies asks the question of how to find the best sites, and how good sites are interlinked on the Internet. So why is this notable? It's not, but everyone's favourite website is mentioned. Gratz, Matt.
posted by Marquis at 10:26 AM PST - 3 comments

Compassionate Conservatism?

Compassionate Conservatism? George W Bush has called on the World Bank to offer more grants (as opposed to loans) to developing countries. "The needs are many and undeniable, and they're a challenge to our conscience and to complacency. A world where some live in comfort and plenty while half of the human race lives on less than $2 a day is neither just nor stable." Copied from the always-excellent NextDraft. NYT registration required.
posted by gd779 at 9:46 AM PST - 11 comments

What if Dubya ran football?

What if Dubya ran football? Yup, it's another piece of Dubya-bashing. This however, makes no pretence to be anything other than silly. How would Dubya run your favourite sport? For the intellectual snobs - move along, nothing to see here!
posted by salmacis at 8:59 AM PST - 3 comments

Batman is 80 miles from the Iraqi border!

Batman is 80 miles from the Iraqi border! A new secret weapon in the US arsenal? Has the Hall of Justice relocated to Pennsylvania Ave? Or just another journalistic non-sequitur from the press pool? They should have made this the headline.
posted by tigger26 at 8:44 AM PST - 10 comments

Need free Internet Access?

Need free Internet Access? Head to your local library or community center. This page allows you to type in a zipcode and find out where you can access (or learn about) the internet, usually for free. If you know someone in your neighborhood who isn't connected and might like this info, why not print out the page and give it to them?
link spotted at follow me here
posted by chaz at 8:40 AM PST - 6 comments

There was not a cloud in the sky.

There was not a cloud in the sky. Scary things afoot near Hartsville, TN. Electric bulbs light in your hand. Birds fried by electric surges midflight. Mysterious police dressed in black. Blown out transformers. And -- a Bigfoot.
posted by jfwlucy at 8:24 AM PST - 15 comments

That's it.

That's it. No earth-shattering news, no new enclosures, nothing to phone your friends about (unless an unreleased iDVD2, boring-looking [but spiffy] new G4s and an OSX update 2 months away floats your boat). Apple CEO Steve Jobs' Macworld Expo keynote leaves everyone just a bit disappointed.
posted by Marquis at 8:18 AM PST - 31 comments

Take that, web-standards maniacs! "After Windows XP is launched in October, users will be directed to download a plug-in from Microsoft's Web site (www.microsoft.com) to make Java-based programs work. Without this step, 'any Web page that contains Java applications will not run -- it will be a dead page'" Put that in your "this page viewable in v5.0 browsers or later" crackpipe and smoke it. (Shamelessly swiped from that Other Site...)
posted by jfuller at 8:11 AM PST - 21 comments

You know you have truly made your mark on rock history when VH1 makes a TV movie about your band's catastrophic life. If this prompts me to re-buy Hysteria, I'll just cry.
posted by solistrato at 7:44 AM PST - 16 comments

Classic Microsoft user disdain. I want to submit to Microsoft. They just don't let me.
posted by luser at 7:40 AM PST - 18 comments

Sounds like...

Sounds like... With apparantly no sense of the irony.
posted by Grangousier at 7:34 AM PST - 5 comments

"50 truisms, half-truths, blatant lies and childish wishes,

"50 truisms, half-truths, blatant lies and childish wishes, fundamental to the way we think about art, and none of them very useful." My fav's include #45 Anyone can make art (because we all have a little "genius" in us). and the corrolary #46 My kid could do that (because art is a fraud). Of course, #27 and #28 are completely true.
posted by J. R. Hughto at 6:46 AM PST - 11 comments

"New Media, New Arse."

"New Media, New Arse." BBC News Online is running a week-long series highlighting days and events that signalled the UK's dot-com downturn. (Slightly ironic, as compared to the US, the boom didn't even get started here.) But do you have your own particular moment that sums up the point where boom turned to bust?
posted by holgate at 6:34 AM PST - 13 comments

Macworld NY Keynote webcast

Macworld NY Keynote webcast is starting. Will there be a new iMac? If you are having trouble connecting to the video stream, try this text feed.
posted by ry at 6:03 AM PST - 23 comments

Driving Over Jakob Nielsen:

Driving Over Jakob Nielsen: use left arrow to move left, right arrow to move right (which is quite useable really!)
posted by justgary at 5:04 AM PST - 6 comments

Loosening the noose...

Loosening the noose... but still leaving the rope around the neck. "Far from hastening its own demise by allowing the Internet to penetrate its borders, an authoritarian state can actually utilize the Internet to its own benefit and increase its stability by engaging with the technology." An interesting - if not entirely expected - report on Internet access in Cuba and the People's Republic of China.
posted by m.polo at 4:59 AM PST - 2 comments

A Russian security expert has been arrested for showing how easy it is to crack an e-book.

A Russian security expert has been arrested for showing how easy it is to crack an e-book. All hail the DMCA! Some information is just Too Dangerous to be Revealed! (See also wildly detailed coverage, including the affidavit, from Planet eBook.)
posted by davidchess at 4:50 AM PST - 6 comments

Just a reminder - The Webbys are announced today

Just a reminder - The Webbys are announced today - But how come the BBC seem to think they've already won one, before they're even announced?
posted by metaxa at 2:06 AM PST - 12 comments

"Project Echoes Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island" the headline goes. Looks more to me like it echoes "Planet of the Apes." Nice idea, but can we get a different design, please?
posted by Bixby23 at 12:55 AM PST - 10 comments

Pre-sliced peanut butter:

Pre-sliced peanut butter: "It's all about convenience." Is this the ultimate in excessive packaging? Or is it a hoax (peanut butter culture not so ingrained in the UK, so I might have missed the clues)?
posted by jonathanbell at 12:31 AM PST - 38 comments

July 17

Remembering Bukowski

Remembering Bukowski I've read some nice Bukowski tributes before, but this one seems particularly a propos given the kind of summer LA's been having. Viva La Reverend Tony!
posted by josholalia at 7:04 PM PST - 27 comments

How the hell did the FBI LOSE 265 firearms?

How the hell did the FBI LOSE 265 firearms? Love the line "lost OR stolen". A total of 449 pistols, handguns, rifles, shotguns and sub-machine guns are missing, a "small number" of which may have been used in local crimes, such as robberies. Glad to know CSIS isn't the only intelligence agency that screws up regularly. God bless america.
posted by drgonzo at 6:11 PM PST - 18 comments

Dress 'em up Dubya

Dress 'em up Dubya - I like the guy and was still awfully amused at this. The MeFi anti-bush jihad should enjoy this.
posted by revbrian at 5:22 PM PST - 84 comments

Behind the Lizzie Grubman story

Behind the Lizzie Grubman story Publicist with clients including Britney Spears runs SUV into crowd of 15 outside a club. Her dad is a major recording industry attorney, representing Michael Jackson, Sting, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen. But it's not a good enough story to take national? "Missing interns, shark-bitten 8-year-olds and murdered wives of has-been stars are OK, though."
posted by raysmj at 5:21 PM PST - 9 comments

The Onion returns!

The Onion returns! Now, if only they'll print more Smoove B...
posted by solistrato at 5:17 PM PST - 20 comments

Margaret Mead, the icon, lives on!

Margaret Mead, the icon, lives on!
"Grandmother of the world" is centennialized in this website. I must confess that I didn't know one could win an "Mead2001" award. (Highlights: The site features the most repeated quotation of all time, and tucks a little confession in the Mead FAQ. This bit is very hard to believe. I found this web page of Mead's letters to her mentor Franz Boas particularly interesting too.) Anyone have any remembrances to share?
posted by rschram at 4:35 PM PST - 1 comment

Third Voice may be gone but that ability will rise again,

Third Voice may be gone but that ability will rise again, and this time it's going to be open source. How soon before I can subscribe to the Winerlog RDF stream annotating Scripting News?
posted by Steven Den Beste at 3:01 PM PST - 3 comments

Depressing as it is, I still love the Harper's Index.
posted by TiggleTaggleTiger at 2:54 PM PST - 14 comments

What's your problem?

What's your problem? Find out just how screwed up you are with this handy test of common personality disorders. (thanks to evhead.)
posted by moz at 2:11 PM PST - 56 comments

More Bush Bashing

More Bush Bashing Do we really want tweens turning to the internet for their sex ed answers. Seems to me after the recent MeFi post on UK kid's misconceptions, the dollars could have been spent on reality, rather than Bush's archaic ideals.
posted by remlapm at 1:00 PM PST - 4 comments

Why does it take so long to release people who are wrongly accused, and convicted in our justice system? I know the U.S.'s enforcement of justice isn't perfect, but... Sometimes it just makes me sick.
posted by Qambient at 12:30 PM PST - 4 comments

It's that time of year again!

It's that time of year again! Yes kids, it's time once again for the annual introduction of the Flag-Protection Amendment, currently being debated in the House of Reps. Last year the bill passed the House 305-124 and was defeated in the Senate by only six votes. It's again expected to pass the House and again expected to get shot down in the Senate, but considering the zany sitcom that 21st century American politics has become, who knows what that wacky Legislative branch will do?
posted by Shadowkeeper at 12:29 PM PST - 26 comments

Why take vitamins, when you can wear them? A Japanese company says people will soon be able to get their daily dose of Vitamin C simply by wearing a T-shirt. A T-shirt made out of fibre - called V-up - would have the equivalent vitamin content of two lemons and remain effective after 30 washes.
posted by 120degrees at 11:36 AM PST - 21 comments

China warns against US hegemony.

China warns against US hegemony. "Jiang Zemin has called for a new world order to counter the dominance of the United States." Geopolitics route around nations that don't play nice.
posted by Vetinari at 11:34 AM PST - 10 comments

Katharine Graham , Washington Post publisher dead at 84

Katharine Graham , Washington Post publisher dead at 84
posted by GriffX at 11:02 AM PST - 2 comments

Le Tour

Le Tour So, is there any chance the Tour De France will become more popular with US viewers? Or even that our own Tour will reach the interest levels displayed in Europe? I was absolutely on the edge of my seat during Armstrong's rush today, and I'm nothing of a biker.
posted by Kikkoman at 9:38 AM PST - 36 comments

You're Never Too Old to Get HIV!!

You're Never Too Old to Get HIV!! People over 50 account for 13.4% of 1999 newly diagnosed AIDS cases. But because seniors, who don't think they're at risk to begin with, don't get tested -- the problem may be much bigger than number suggest.

Misconceptions about STDs, multiple partners, and the belief that condoms aren't necessary since pregnancy isn't possible, (and perhaps Viagra?) are contributing to the escalating rate.
posted by jennak at 8:51 AM PST - 3 comments


SynchIt

SynchIt is a bookmark manager that allows you to access your favorites list from multiple machines. However, their server does not seem to be responding.

Since I was out of town (and away from my machine) for all of last week, can anyone tell me what the deal is?
posted by Irontom at 8:50 AM PST - 12 comments

Gay Games VI Under the Gun

Gay Games VI Under the Gun “What has sparked the concern is a three-page E-mail from the executive committee of the Federation of Gay Games two weeks ago that raised the possibility of the 2002 Games being moved or forfeited. The executive committee of the Federation will visit Sydney from July 21–28 for a status report that will be critical. [...] Also, he said a comparison of Sydney's budget to Amsterdam and New York is flawed, because using the exchange rate doesn't matter. ‘We're not buying any of our goods and service in the US.... $11 million Australian is still $11 million Australian.’ ”
posted by joeclark at 8:00 AM PST - 0 comments - Post a Comment

President Lincoln narrowly avoids insanity.

President Lincoln narrowly avoids insanity. Had he not changed his medication early in his presidency, Lincoln might have conducted the war very differently.
posted by ljromanoff at 7:55 AM PST - 6 comments

Teenage myths about contraception

Teenage myths about contraception "Coke douches work and you can use crisp bags as condoms" and "Putting a watch around your penis before sex means the radioactivity of the dial kills off sperm."
Many more....
posted by nonharmful at 7:04 AM PST - 31 comments

Smoking creates "indirect positive effects."

Smoking creates "indirect positive effects." A report from tobacco giant Philip Morris concluded that the Czech government saved money because of the "indirect positive effects" of the early deaths of cigarette-smokers. PM makes about 80 percent of the cigarettes smoked in the Czech Republic. Said a Philip Morris spokesman: "Tobacco is a controversial industry, but we are still an industry and sometimes we need some economic data on our industry."
posted by tranquileye at 6:58 AM PST - 39 comments

Stick a fork in Napster, it's done.

Stick a fork in Napster, it's done. If court orders and kowtowing to industry mouthpieces weren't enough, a planned switch to a proprietary new music format looks to be the death blow.
posted by harmful at 6:57 AM PST - 10 comments

Surviving your ISP’s Darkest Hour

Surviving your ISP’s Darkest Hour Geoff Duncan: “I’m a somewhat extreme example of this group, since I not only do everything myself (all the way down to DNS), I create and sell custom online services to clients. So when my connection died, everything I do went with it.”
posted by joeclark at 6:50 AM PST - 0 comments - Post a Comment

The erection collection -

The erection collection - I can't believe nobody has posted this yet... or maybe everyone else just has better taste than me. Oh well. A collection of stuffed animals that are, shall we say, packaged rather nicely? Very funny. via The Parking Lot Is Full
posted by starvingartist at 6:24 AM PST - 3 comments

He's GOT to be kidding

He's GOT to be kidding -- Citing "the fluctuating and unpredictable nature of utility costs," Cheney lobbies for the Navy to foot his power bills. This from the same guy who's been, shall we say, less than sympathetic to those of us who've been dealing with the exact same problem.
posted by shauna at 5:30 AM PST - 25 comments

A neat use for webcams, digital astronomy.
via APOD
posted by lagado at 5:28 AM PST - 1 comment

Harris' Partisan Fixers

Harris' Partisan Fixers How Bush got the help needed to "win" in Florida. No. Not the NY Times piece on absentee votes but how Harris rigged things.
posted by Postroad at 4:24 AM PST - 52 comments

Animated GIF's are good for something.

Animated GIF's are good for something. PhotoDude's answer to the image and bandwidth theft double whammy. Got a smile out of me.
posted by southisup at 2:25 AM PST - 24 comments

Remember the Kursk?

Remember the Kursk? It was discussed in length here last year. Now the Russians are going to haul it up, because they don't want US salvage divers to see what their best technology looks like. But the people involved in the rescue attempt last year charge that the haste is risky, and could lead to serious consequences if those reactors were to rupture.
posted by Ezrael at 2:20 AM PST - 15 comments

July 16

Underground marketing shills "put it in your life".

Underground marketing shills "put it in your life". Big Fat co. sends 18-34yr olds into the world to act out ad dramas promoting products. "I feel so great, so real." (I'm not sure what the writer means by "facially attractive, in that asymmetrical sort of way," though.)[via null device, NYT reg. req.]

Ten-day Ubik deodorant spray or Ubik roll-on ends worry of offending, brings you back where the happening is.
posted by aflakete at 10:46 PM PST - 12 comments

Tanzania 9th most corrupt country

Tanzania 9th most corrupt country , of course the word here is that they bribed transparency international to place them above kenya....... according to the director "HIV AIDS is killing millions of Africans, and in many of the countries where AIDS is at its deadliest the problem is compounded by the fact that corruption levels are seen to be very high. While it is imperative that richer countries provide the fruits of medical research at an affordable price to address this human tragedy, it is also essential that corrupt governments do not steal from their own people. This is now an urgent priority if lives are to be saved." local traditions don't help either. what this story does not say is that 4,000 girls will be circumsised at this ceremony and the govt/police won't interfere.
posted by quarsan at 10:34 PM PST - 5 comments

Countless people have had problems with their Apple Airport wireless base stations failing shortly after the one year warranty ran out. Adventurous folks figured out that there was a faulty capacitor in the power supply, got out their soldering irons, and drilled some ventilation holes. Apple is aware of the issue, and is quietly replacing ABSs that fall within a specific serial number range, but only if they have failed. So other folks have to wait until the damn thing dies before it can be replaced. This corporate behavior isn't just limited to Apple. What other vendors are guilty of lack of disclosure for faulty products, and only change their tune after public outcry?
posted by machaus at 7:09 PM PST - 18 comments

Smart Tags Redux

Smart Tags Redux a company called ezula is taking the idea of smart tags and running with a product variously called TopText or HotText.
posted by mutagen at 6:50 PM PST - 7 comments

Companies Encouraged to Mine Your Email Messages for Marketing Information.

Companies Encouraged to Mine Your Email Messages for Marketing Information. DoubleClick redux only now with e-mail? "Companies should be adding code" to your HTML-based e-mail messages, recommends an analyst from Jupiter, in order to track what products you're recommending to your friends and lovers. You may have missed this one due to CNET's marketing-happy headline. P.S. Here's the original press release from Jupiter.
posted by leo at 6:34 PM PST - 9 comments

'Like, what? Some 12-year-old kid is going to give me legal advice?"

'Like, what? Some 12-year-old kid is going to give me legal advice?" On the internet, no one knows that you're a 15-year old legal whiz without a license to practice law. Long story, but well worth it. Any MeFi lawyers care to comment on the UPL aspect?
posted by davidmsc at 4:16 PM PST - 11 comments

MTV's Real World Gets a Taste of Chicago's REAL World.

MTV's Real World Gets a Taste of Chicago's REAL World. "The crowd chanted derisive comments about MTV and demanded The Real World pack their bags and head home. The crowd quickly overtook the streets and an ad hoc street party ensued."
posted by ry at 1:38 PM PST - 47 comments

Happy birthday, Holden.

Happy birthday, Holden. Catcher in the Rye turns 50 years old today.
posted by honkzilla at 1:32 PM PST - 31 comments

The Destination Matters More Than The Journey

The Destination Matters More Than The Journey is a well-written tutorial on typesetting and other matters typographical having to do with the web authored by Dean Allen. It's a good read, especially coming from someone who has absolutely no design background but who pretends to be one nonetheless. How much attention do you pay to letter spacing, line height, and the like on your websites?
posted by moz at 12:55 PM PST - 6 comments

The 5th Annual Webby Awards take place in two days. Any predictions for the winners?
posted by kchristidis at 12:51 PM PST - 28 comments

"I'm here today with something of an apology,''

"I'm here today with something of an apology,'' said Silicon Valley VC guru John Doerr. In his speech ... Doerr offered a revised version of his Internet quote. He projected a slide on a screen that described the Internet as "the largest legal creation (and evaporation) of wealth in the history of the planet."
posted by msacheson at 11:06 AM PST - 9 comments

Lido STF is a freeware serif font of sufficient quality to be used instead of Times. Are there any other worthy freeware alternatives to the main system fonts? (via Lines and Splines)
posted by ecvgi at 11:03 AM PST - 19 comments

No more liver spots. No more birthmarks. No more RACISM?

No more liver spots. No more birthmarks. No more RACISM? How about a new cosmoceutical that allows you to change skin color at will? Just rub on a cream, and you're no longer black, but asian. Another one changes you from a pasty-legged geek into a bronze adonis! Now how much would you pay?
posted by dwivian at 10:58 AM PST - 22 comments

What's the easiest way to fool your neighbors into giving you money and sympathy? Paint racist slurs on your garage door and set your car on fire.
posted by darukaru at 10:49 AM PST - 6 comments

Something

Something about "fighting your own battles" prevented my Dad from doing stuff like this for me when I was a kid.
posted by TiggleTaggleTiger at 10:23 AM PST - 30 comments

The Florida publisher of ChildSuperModels.Com, Jessi the Kid, Tiffany Teen Model and other creepy child-model sites also publishes Home From School and other explicit porn sites with older models. "Please treat my daughter with respect," Jessi's mom asks on her about page. Are parents knowingly consenting to this?
posted by rcade at 9:35 AM PST - 78 comments

Liberals Now Target Media

Liberals Now Target Media Terry Anzur is not happy with reporting on the internet. She is unhappy that anybody with a website can be a reporter or a pundit.
posted by headlemur at 8:59 AM PST - 13 comments

A picture of the internet.

A picture of the internet.

"A bot is out on the internet every half hour and looks for images which it puts together to a giantic picture - the picture of internet. This is samples from all over the internet. The bot surfs pretty strange and takes strange ways to spread out its ways as much as possible. Sometimes it follow links that it doesn't should visit... but that doesn't happen too often."
posted by o2b at 8:29 AM PST - 14 comments

highest-paid voice

highest-paid voice "The deal represents a stunning triumph over the establishment by an outsider who connected with and captured the spirit of the nation’s heartland." -- Drudge
posted by drunkkeith at 8:17 AM PST - 59 comments

Buckley (Heart) Elvis?

Buckley (Heart) Elvis? No, it's not a liberal v. conservative thing. Writing an Elvis book just does not fit the William F. Buckley image. Ontime spy novelist. Erudite PBS show host. Shows up in places like House Beautiful, waxing witty about homes and home decor, with references to the Metropolitan Opera and such. I too love the Big E, but this is baffling and hilarious. He apparently discusses his E fixation in the upcoming (and usually outstanding) Southern Music Issue of the Oxford American. Thoughts? Is the new American literary dream to retire and write an Elvis book, as opposed to the Great American Novel?
posted by raysmj at 7:50 AM PST - 22 comments

July 15

No more squatting! Save money on toilet paper!

No more squatting! Save money on toilet paper! Now ladies, you too can pee standing up. Device assisted and unassisted methods. Discuss.
posted by calistasm at 9:33 PM PST - 2 comments

Contemporary art, in general, seems to be rather risky. After seeing an example of modern architecture in the incubatory stages, I wonder why our buildings and spaces are so aesthetically traditional. [more inside]
posted by hijinx at 8:59 PM PST - 29 comments

Your worst nightmare come true.

Your worst nightmare come true. "Bound hand and foot and gagged, a 27-year-old English woman tourist cowered for seven hours in the vast loneliness of the Northern Territory night, stalked by a gunman who is feared to have killed her companion."
posted by Neale at 7:39 PM PST - 22 comments

Aspiring DJ's - Leave your records at home

Aspiring DJ's - Leave your records at home , and pack your laptop, mp3s, and this program to your next jam. Tactile12000 is a free opensource interactive simulation of two turntables and a mixer. I picked up some loops, breaks, and acapellas- and i was on my way. Its mighty funky stuff.
posted by ewwgene at 5:06 PM PST - 15 comments

Police release composite photos of "showing what Chandra Levy may look like now if she has changed her appearance."

Police release composite photos of "showing what Chandra Levy may look like now if she has changed her appearance." OK gang, let's get to work.
posted by sylloge at 1:14 PM PST - 38 comments

Bull's Eye!

Bull's Eye! $100 million well spent or the first steps on the road to hell? (via matt drudge)
posted by kliuless at 12:29 PM PST - 31 comments

"Her using that word shows you that she doesn't care about black people..."

"Her using that word shows you that she doesn't care about black people..." In a remix of "I'm Real," J.Lo sings lyrics written for her by Ja Rule that include the N-word. Boycotts and petitions are being organized, and some former fans are calling her racist. Says the WP: "The tempest over Lopez is clearly an illustration of how public reaction to the word continues to depend very much on who utters it." (more inside)
posted by jennak at 11:27 AM PST - 114 comments

City Living Linked to Risk of Psychotic Symptoms

City Living Linked to Risk of Psychotic Symptoms Growing up in the suburbs never looked so good...
posted by shoepal at 10:19 AM PST - 8 comments

What does every kid want? What does every kid need? Kidz Bop!

What does every kid want? What does every kid need? Kidz Bop! But what does everyone need to do? Watch the infomercial.
posted by Mark at 9:28 AM PST - 23 comments

July 14

NYTimes: "How Bush Took Florida: Mining the Overseas Absentee Vote"

NYTimes: "How Bush Took Florida: Mining the Overseas Absentee Vote" "Their goal was simple: to count the maximum number of overseas ballots in counties won by Mr. Bush, particularly those with a high concentration of military voters, while seeking to disqualify overseas ballots in counties won by Vice President Al Gore.

A six-month investigation by The New York Times of this chapter in the closest presidential election in American history shows that the Republican effort had a decided impact. Under intense pressure from the Republicans, Florida officials accepted hundreds of overseas absentee ballots that failed to comply with state election laws. "
posted by owillis at 9:44 PM PST - 71 comments

I've been looking for a new charity.

I've been looking for a new charity. Of course I support the Internet's greatest resource (Thanks Matt) And, I click here from time to time, but I want to do more. Are there any charities that you support/don't support? Why or why not? I'm leaning towards Literacy Volunteers of America by the way.
posted by willnot at 6:50 PM PST - 32 comments

The end of an era,

The end of an era, and now I can't trust *any* of my neighbours.
"After 33 years, PBS' longest-running series, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, is signing off. Fred Rogers, one of TV's most familiar faces, says it's time to say goodbye. "
Thank god he's going into syndication. The world will always need a beacon of positive thought.
posted by jcterminal at 5:17 PM PST - 17 comments

So maybe rolling blackouts are a good thing.

So maybe rolling blackouts are a good thing. "Light pollution" means we don't see the universe today that we saw it when we were kids. What's the balance between being able to see that hazy something we know as the milky way (aka "us") and safe streets, aesthetics and convenience?
posted by dchase at 5:13 PM PST - 9 comments

Bush people considering making all Mexican illegals citizens.

Bush people considering making all Mexican illegals citizens. Three million Mexican illegals to be made citizens under this possible move. Guess who they will vote for?
posted by Postroad at 4:09 PM PST - 58 comments

Compulsory HIV testing: Hadn't considered that

Compulsory HIV testing: Hadn't considered that
See also: This, or this ... What's up?
posted by rschram at 3:13 PM PST - 7 comments

These guys

These guys are still around, but it seems they're the exception to the rule. Suck, etc seem to be with the vast majority. Does anyone know of any commercial independent web content ventures that are still kicking?
posted by owillis at 1:07 PM PST - 16 comments

But What Will Come of the Singing Senators?

But What Will Come of the Singing Senators? The most shocking part of Senator Jefford's switch is not that the senate turned Democrat, but that there will be no deep-thoated Repblican heavyweights to raise gobs of money singing 'Gonna Take a Lot River' to adoring Republican donors BSSN speculates that Bono may have had a role in the Singing Senator's demise.
posted by brucec at 12:25 PM PST - 1 comment

What do you want?

What do you want?
We keep hearing about this "who owes what to whom" now that Assembler has closed, and Kaliber and Dreamless are closing.

But what of it? What does it mean? Are we so closed minded to think our Web world is the only one and that somehow the rest of the universe revolves around those of us privileged enough to be able to embark on it as a daily journey?

All of us feel one way or another towards this debate. Either we hate it, or love it, and what of that too? What *do* each of us want from this virtual world? Is there something here worth redeeming and at least arriving at a point to agree to disagree? Discuss?
posted by sixandone at 11:46 AM PST - 10 comments

I for one am getting fed up with ICANN's bureaucratic muddle and the slow pace at which they do everything, not to mention their fundamentally anti-user attitude towards things. Now they've declared that they're in charge. Horseshit! It is the users who are in charge of the Internet. You don't have to limit yourself to the top level domains that ICANN is dribbling out; you can go to new.net and install their plugin (Mac version available), and enable such domains as .travel, .mp3, .sport, .club, .tech and (hoo-hah!) .xxx. Strike a blow for freedom, and tweak ICANN's nose! They need to learn that they'll have to move fast or become irrelevant.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 8:21 AM PST - 11 comments

This sad chronicle

This sad chronicle was just emailed to be by a friend. I found it interesting reading the day-by-day account of the horrible ordeal this kid is going through. Cancer is a terrible thing :(
posted by Maxor at 8:17 AM PST - 5 comments

Gary Condit's Gov't Website

Gary Condit's Gov't Website
Ok, there are some bizarre things on Gary Condit's site like this creepy page titled *intern opportunites* (including handy form) -- and then throughout most of his site, he's got a logo linked to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children down in the left corner... which is, needless to say, ironic, if not down right repulsive. Anyway, maybe it's just me, but he's got some kinda Freddy Krueger thing goin' on. Oh yeah, go here to email the freak! [state:CA / zip:95354]
posted by blackholebrain at 1:40 AM PST - 47 comments

July 13

Have James Hattori and CNN found the next "Gorgeous Guy"? I didn't see the story, but I'm guessing this nationally-televised appearance by our favorite celebrity earlier today was a precursor to a piece on tomorrow's edition of CNNdotCOM which will be presented as a sort of conditional mea culpa — because, hey, even the savviest among us can fall victim to "internet hoaxes". Better tune in.
posted by barkingmoose at 8:40 PM PST - 12 comments

Is your kitty an exhibitionist?

Is your kitty an exhibitionist? Show your cat off at Cat-scan.com.

Um... Wait. Does this remind anyone of another post?

It even reminds me of another post...

Why, it must be Metafilter's birthday again!! (And possibly Cat-scan's, but I don't know about that...)

Hope I didn't step on any surprises, but it was too good not to post.
posted by o2b at 8:15 PM PST - 26 comments

Hands where I can see them, and turn off that tape recorder!

Hands where I can see them, and turn off that tape recorder! Today the Massachusetts Supreme Court upheld the conviction of a man for violating the commonwealth's electronic surveillance law when he secretly recorded police who pulled him over in a traffic stop. While it's generally bad to tape people without telling them, should there be an exception w/r/t to recording public officials acting in their official capacities? Or is wrong just wrong?
posted by dchase at 5:17 PM PST - 21 comments

Emoticons creep closer to being officially considered writing

Emoticons creep closer to being officially considered writing
You have to scroll down a ways ... I don't mean to sound elitist. I believe language is a living thing, and can grow and change and grow up to be a ballerina, if it wants to, even if that seems like an innocent child's dream right now, and is not to be taken seriously really. Seriously though, don't you have a kind of sick feeling that a version of the OED is giving recognition to the idea that punctuation and numerals are making entry into language?
posted by rschram at 5:05 PM PST - 15 comments

The players tried to take the field, but the marching band refused to yield.

The players tried to take the field, but the marching band refused to yield. Sounds kinda like the plot of "Revenge of the Nerds", with the jocks led by Ogre and Ted McGinley's character taking on Booger, Poindexter and the rest of the Tri-Lambs. Can't the band and the jocks just get along?
posted by msacheson at 3:17 PM PST - 6 comments

Bush to Waive Helms-Burton Law

Bush to Waive Helms-Burton Law Under pressure from key European allies, President Bush is poised to reverse a campaign position, and in the process, screw over the Cubans in Florida.
posted by Rastafari at 2:56 PM PST - 8 comments

Pro-abortion?

Pro-abortion?
"I'm getting fat because I'm eating a lot," said the 12-year-old with a mental age of 8, who conceived four months ago after being raped by her father.
Anyone against abortion?
posted by nonharmful at 2:47 PM PST - 74 comments

July 17th - The Day That Counts.

July 17th - The Day That Counts. These people have a plan to make their feelings known on the issue of public money being diverted to religious organizations. I had no idea that the atheists were so organized! Is this sort of thing a tremendous waste of time, or do you think it can, or will affect policy discussions?
posted by kristin at 2:35 PM PST - 10 comments

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!! It's so cute!!!
posted by Pinwiz at 2:10 PM PST - 36 comments

An oldie but a goodie: The Visual Table of the Elements.
posted by solistrato at 1:51 PM PST - 5 comments

Shit, leave NYC for the summer and watch what happens. I'm not sure how I missed the closure of Twilo. Now The Village Voice reports on Giuliani's war against the "superclubs." "Cabaret laws," "crackhouse statutes," all the greatest hits are here! MeFi has bitched about this sort of thing in the past, but boy, it's really irking me now. (via Ghost In The Machine)
posted by logovisual at 1:42 PM PST - 1 comment

The Spiderman Teaser Trailer

The Spiderman Teaser Trailer has just been released, and does it look cool! Too bad that we have to wait until May '02 to see it.
posted by Sal Amander at 12:56 PM PST - 38 comments

Road rage man gets sentenced to 3 years.

Road rage man gets sentenced to 3 years. The man who threw the fluffy white dog into oncoming traffic is sentenced to 3 years in jail -- the maximum jail time allowed. Is this appropriate? Extreme? If there wasn't such media attention to this case, or if the dog wasn't so cute, would the man have still gotten maximum jail time?
posted by jennak at 12:47 PM PST - 37 comments

First Webvan, Now Homeruns...

First Webvan, Now Homeruns... Bugger! Das ist kaputt, ja?
posted by jennak at 12:37 PM PST - 16 comments

The cold war is over so we can just relax.

The cold war is over so we can just relax. The russians don't lose track of nuclear material because they still use archaic manual methods rather than buggy software the United States gave them. [via comp.risks]
posted by rdr at 12:28 PM PST - 4 comments

Carl, why do you remind us of these things? Don't you know they hurt?

Carl, why do you remind us of these things? Don't you know they hurt? (Mistah Kottka reminded me to post this.)
posted by solistrato at 12:16 PM PST - 7 comments

Your next Nobel Prize winner.

Your next Nobel Prize winner. (Shower sciences)
posted by geronimo_rex at 12:05 PM PST - 5 comments

"It's about attitude. It's not about girls in swimsuits."

"It's about attitude. It's not about girls in swimsuits."
posted by geronimo_rex at 10:41 AM PST - 46 comments

What's your story?

What's your story? That's the question that the site EatTheseWords asks. In nature, it's quite similar to {fray}, only not as focused. Which format do you prefer--that of {fray}'s, or the more general purpose approach seen at ETW? Find any particularly interesting stories there?
posted by moz at 9:31 AM PST - 10 comments

Publish someone else's copyrighted book, DON'T go to jail.

Publish someone else's copyrighted book, DON'T go to jail. (I can't believe no one else has posted this yet: at least, I couldn't find anything that looked relevant). "A U.S. federal judge has rejected Random House's request for a preliminary injunction to stop an online publisher from selling electronic versions of Cat's Cradle, Sophie's Choice and six other books. U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein ruled on Wednesday that the right to print, publish and sell the works in book form in the contracts at issue does not include the right to publish the works in the electronic format."
posted by maudlin at 9:29 AM PST - 7 comments

Homestar Runner

Homestar Runner is a funny ass web cartoon. Strong Bad Sings is just a taste of the weirdness within.
posted by owillis at 9:02 AM PST - 7 comments

French can sue their birth doctors for not killing them in the womb...

French can sue their birth doctors for not killing them in the womb... I thought the link I posted about a woman suing her boss when she crashed her car after driving home drunk from a staff party was the height of lawsuit insanity, but this takes the cake: in France, if you are seriously disabled, you have the right to sue a doctor who failed to recommend an abortion to your mother.... .... Homosaywhat?
posted by tweek! at 8:49 AM PST - 123 comments

And the winner of the 2000 metre evasion of a tank is....

And the winner of the 2000 metre evasion of a tank is.... Well, you'll have to wait until 2008, when Beijing hosts the games. Maybe in seven years their human rights stance may have shifted a bit.
posted by dwivian at 8:01 AM PST - 47 comments

Glow in the dark toilet seats

Glow in the dark toilet seats - My life is finally complete.
posted by plinth at 7:43 AM PST - 11 comments

The end is neigh. This wonderful little company is just about to unleash an ISP filter system that will allow content providers to decide which users get access, namely, those who have paid them a fee. Your ISP will soon have to pay individual fees to offer you anything. Your rate will go way up, your choices will go way down. Web surfing as we know it, is dying. Check the Slashdot freak-out.
posted by dong_resin at 7:28 AM PST - 23 comments

The 2001 Emmy nominations

The 2001 Emmy nominations were announced yesterday. The Sopranos and West Wing came in with 22 and 18 nominations each. Are these really the best that teevee has to offer?
posted by ahughey at 6:56 AM PST - 37 comments

Lesbian gives birth to brother's baby

Lesbian gives birth to brother's baby
Wait, wait, it gets better.
51-year-old lesbian has given birth to her brother's baby after IVF treatment.
posted by nonharmful at 6:17 AM PST - 21 comments

At its heart, the battle is a border dispute.

At its heart, the battle is a border dispute. Virgina poses a threat to Marylands border integrity. It is "..the first skirmish in a much larger battle."
posted by stbalbach at 6:06 AM PST - 16 comments

Did the Hell's Angels do it?

Did the Hell's Angels do it? It could have been the landlord. Or is it just hoax? We could take the advice of a professional astrologer or a psychic or maybe the answer lies encoded in the Bible? Or is it just a Republican plot to discredit a Democrat and bolster Bush's "dismal approval rating" (which is currently only 12 points higher than Clinton's was at the same point in his presidency.) No! The Democrats framed him because of his conservative views! What about the Mossad? Maybe you can locate her body in this aerial photograph.

There are just HOURS of fun to be had over at ChandraLevy.com - a very unofficial clearinghouse for information on the ongoing investigation into her disappearance which bears little resemblance to the staid demeanor of findchandra.org.

My favorite? Where is Ted Kennedy's car right now anyway? Just in case. You check the Potomac, I'll look in the tidal basin...
posted by RevGreg at 5:36 AM PST - 70 comments


July 12

Amazon

Amazon is essentially going against the will of the MPAA by offering (followed the link from the Thirteen Days dvd) information regarding a work around to RCE (which prevents Region 1 dvd's from being played on region free dvd players). It's funny how the MPAA has taken 2600 to court because they posted links to DeCSS but they haven't made any moves against Amazon. CSS isn't protection against copying, it's really just used to prevent people from importing dvd's.
posted by dave at 9:47 PM PST - 6 comments

Lunatic

Lunatic : A hotel and resort destination on the Moon. Check out the Interior Design. You will be able to skydive inside the tower!!

Do you think civilian flights to space will start by 2010 ? I sure hope so. I can't wait to see this planet from the outside with my own eyes.
posted by sikander at 9:28 PM PST - 6 comments

Design site K10K

Design site K10K and and design discussion site Dreamless to take a summer vacation. "KALIBER10000 is closing its doors for the summer on Monday, July 15th (which, incidentally, is the same date that community discussion board Dreamless.org also shuts down)." As Zeldman said, "Lately we feel like Smokey the Bear—and the forest fires are winning." Has the F----d Weblog virus struck the design portals?
posted by timothompson at 6:14 PM PST - 23 comments

Combining two freakish legends in one story ...

Combining two freakish legends in one story ... Farm accident and self-surgery with uncoventional tools! All it needed was a little sex and it'd be CNN material fer sure. The highlight:

"He said he thinks he'll be able to continue farming, 'but not like I really want to.'"
posted by foist at 3:30 PM PST - 6 comments

Ousted teacher still defends student's art

Ousted teacher still defends student's art Teacher's students put up mural and in it was depiction of two men kissing (among many other items). Teacher fired.
posted by Postroad at 3:07 PM PST - 20 comments

The Economics of Aesthetics

The Economics of Aesthetics Warning, free registration is required
This article points out an interesting problem with calculating how much a product is worth... How much is aesthetics worth to the consumer? How do you even calculate that? (via Signal vs. Noise.)
posted by chason at 2:30 PM PST - 1 comment

Acme Car Rental in New Haven has implimented the GPS driven AirIQ System, tracking your every move..

Acme Car Rental in New Haven has implimented the GPS driven AirIQ System, tracking your every move.. Apparently able to map everywhere you drive and at what speed. If you exeed the speed limit, your credit card is automatically billed. The rental car can also be remotely disabled, all from a central server running the AirIQ software. Now where did I leave that Trojan......
posted by metasak at 1:41 PM PST - 14 comments

No soup sex for you!. President Daniel arap Moi has urged Kenyans to abstain from sex for at least two years to try to curb the spread of HIV. The government announced plans on Wednesday to import 300 million condoms to fight AIDS.
posted by 120degrees at 12:36 PM PST - 16 comments

Periodic Table

Periodic Table The essential elements of a man's universe. Click and learn more.
posted by webcowboy at 11:59 AM PST - 38 comments

Question concerning the notion of the social construction of reality. If enough people cease to believe in the Holocaust, or if enough of them have just never heard of it, as detailed in another MeFi thread, does that mean it didn't happen?

If it only means "well, as far as those people are concerned it never happened" then that's a truism and hardly worth any hoo-hah. But does social constructivism, if I can call it that, go on to make the much stronger claim that if the millions cease to believe in it, or forget about it, then it reallyo-trulyo never happened?
posted by jfuller at 11:49 AM PST - 9 comments


News You Can Use! IsDickCheneyDeadYet.com has more than three dedicated staffers who surreptitiously check the Veep’s vitals every five minutes, round the clock, 24 hours a day. Just so you can rest a little easier. Check back often and "Be the first to know, when Cheney goes..."
posted by dogmatic at 11:43 AM PST - 6 comments

Campaign Finace Reform May be Stalled for up to a year.

Campaign Finace Reform May be Stalled for up to a year. Way to go team! USA USA USA.... wait a second. You guys suck. Does it amaze anyone how much our "leaders" suck?
posted by aj100 at 11:27 AM PST - 52 comments

Gharlane of Eddore is dead.

Gharlane of Eddore is dead. I wish this were only a rumor, but it doesn't look like it. One of USENET's legends, a man known only by a nom de plume borrowed (with permission) from an E.E. "Doc" Smith character, is gone. Read the USENET discussion following the announcement.
posted by webmutant at 11:05 AM PST - 5 comments

Camgirl Stacy allegedly attempts suicide on her webcam. This link is disturbing on so many levels. (Blatanly ripped off from fark.com.)
posted by Reggie452 at 10:52 AM PST - 60 comments

Keystone Kops

Keystone Kops ...if they were around today anyway. Via Cruelition...
posted by DiplomaticImmunity at 10:52 AM PST - 10 comments

"I think that first world environmental groups

"I think that first world environmental groups (who oppose development of genetically modified crops) should put on the hat and shoes of farmers in Mali who are faced by repeated crop failure." -- Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, lead author of the U.N. Development Programme's annual Human Development Report. (Here's another report on the same issue which includes a great deal of background information about the problems which still need to be solved, and why genetic modification of food crops is an essential part of the solution.)
posted by Steven Den Beste at 10:50 AM PST - 33 comments

What dinosaur lived in your neighborhood?

What dinosaur lived in your neighborhood?
posted by racer271 at 10:26 AM PST - 12 comments

George W. Bush's Handwriting.

George W. Bush's Handwriting. handwriting analysis reveals: If you want something from George W. Bush, tell him how much you like what he's done so far. Tell him quickly. And don't try to push him around. You hear that Cheney?
posted by brucec at 10:24 AM PST - 35 comments

Taiwan's ruling party receives some very controversial assistance. 'The commercial opens with a 10-second clip from a Nazi propaganda film, showing Hitler raising his arms and putting his hands on his chest.'

"Hitler was chosen as one of the four leaders because he dared to speak his own mind,'' Juan said. Among former Taiwanese president, Castro & JFK are featured in the commercial. AP notes that Taiwanese lack a deep understanding of the Holocaust and at the same time are suprised to that Mao Tse-Tung is used as a pop symbol in the West... Is this a case that warrants cultural relativism ?
posted by noom at 10:05 AM PST - 12 comments


Computer Review

Computer Review While Final Fantasy is the first movie to have only computer generated actors, it's gotten few good reviews. All Things Considered, found a reviewer who wholeheartedly liked it: their Mac G3. Listen with RealAudio: 14.4 or 28.8 (via Macintouch)
posted by andrewraff at 9:44 AM PST - 24 comments

Interesting plan towards a hostile takeover of 13-cents-a-share Salon, but why would this guy's syndication plan work when something like this is barely hanging on?
posted by lowblow at 9:36 AM PST - 7 comments

As a sort-of follow up to yesterday's discussion of "whatever-happened-to-the-Big Brother (UK) Housemates", here's a funny little story about what Rudy Boesch is up to these days. We all (may) remember Rudy as the politically incorrect ex-Navy Seal from the first edition of Survivor (US), won by Richard Hatch. Nice to see fame hasn't changed him.
posted by msacheson at 9:15 AM PST - 0 comments - Post a Comment

Librarians targeted in latest copyright battles.

Librarians targeted in latest copyright battles. What, did you think the copyright monopolists were going to forget about librarians defending fair use?
posted by NortonDC at 9:12 AM PST - 11 comments

The FLNJ (the Front de liberation des nains de jardin) liberate 105 garden gnomes. Are flamingos next?
posted by heather at 9:01 AM PST - 6 comments

Latest NetSol Innovation Back Ordering Domains

Latest NetSol Innovation Back Ordering Domains Matt, were you planning on renewing metafilter.com in 2003? If not, I can always just back order it now so that when you let it lapse, it will all be mine... (evil laugh). Or how about we backorder microsoft.com, aol.com, etc. Makes you wonder how NetSol's policy on lapsed domains will be changed. Will they give you the several weeks/months of leeway they used to (just because they were lazy) or will they re-sell on the day it's expired? Related note: did you notice how dotster.com (which I believe metafilter is registered under) takes control of your URL during that leeway period letting the world know you haven't paid yet.
posted by matte at 7:41 AM PST - 19 comments

Flash Forward 2001

Any fellow mefi'ers at FlashForward2001 in NYC right now?
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 5:50 AM PST - 7 comments

If they are sorcerors, why don't they turn their assassins into frogs?

If they are sorcerors, why don't they turn their assassins into frogs? Gotta love flimsy pretext.
posted by Ezrael at 3:59 AM PST - 14 comments

New Cautions Over a Plant With a Buzz

New Cautions Over a Plant With a Buzz - NYT article about Salvia Divinorum, an apparently legal, unscheduled hallucinogenic plant which is getting increased attention from both drug users and DEA agents. Has anyone actually used this stuff- is it all hype or does it really work? And how long before the DEA works to make it illegal?
posted by hincandenza at 2:11 AM PST - 27 comments

July 11

Most of the interesting and memorable people I've encountered have been vice-ridden maniacs.

Most of the interesting and memorable people I've encountered have been vice-ridden maniacs. Through a slightly inebriated misposting I made recently, I wandered into succa's profile, and from there to his blog, where I found this post today. I offer it as a sort of coda to this MeFi discussion, and wonder if people agree with the thought. I sure as hell do, even if it gets harder to do so with the advancing years. (I note too that there are tons of other great sites by MeFi'ers out there too, but today this one did it for me.)
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 9:37 PM PST - 48 comments

This breaking story brings a new aspect to a complex debate. Reasearchers in a private clinic in the US have created human embryos specifically for the purpose of extracting stem cells. This seems a good platform on which to discuss the wider issue of the interaction between public/private research funding, technology and life. Here's hoping it won't just end up a pro-life/pro-choice bloodbath.
posted by davehat at 8:54 PM PST - 7 comments

WhatIs

WhatIs - Definitions for thousands of the most current IT-related words. Not everyone knows about this site. It is pretty helpful for a quick lookup for anything computer related.
posted by sikander at 8:54 PM PST - 3 comments

I wasn't going to watch Big Brother, But...

I wasn't going to watch Big Brother, But... If they're going to be pulling knives on each other, then that may be some entertainment I can get behind.
posted by willnot at 5:38 PM PST - 18 comments

I can't believe that no one has posted this oldie but goodie!

I can't believe that no one has posted this oldie but goodie! Very fun... My favorite musical sausage is Wu Tang Clannad.
posted by machaus at 4:28 PM PST - 11 comments

AOL is muscling its way into online journalism. Be afraid.

AOL is muscling its way into online journalism. Be afraid. "If AOL's version of news delivery is indicative of the future of online journalism, then the future looks mighty grim. No other legitimate news organization relies so heavily on celebrity-oriented drivel and trifling service pieces." [via ken layne]
posted by owillis at 2:24 PM PST - 10 comments

Hot diggity dog!

Hot diggity dog! good clean fun or are the japanese humiliating us in international competitions for a reason?
posted by ggggarret at 1:52 PM PST - 5 comments

Microsoft generously allows people to alter their computer environments.

Microsoft generously allows people to alter their computer environments. This act of corporate benevolence will allow manufacturers to - gasp! - put new links on the Start menu and desktop. Also, they will allow Internet Explorer to be uninstalled, so that a person can use the bug-ridden, crippled browser of their choice. How gracious of them.
posted by solistrato at 1:21 PM PST - 15 comments

Inmates Claim Ownership of Dogs

Inmates Claim Ownership of Dogs in the San Francisco dog mauling case (that was previously discussed here). Apparently they (the inmates) are in jail for life, and the theory is that they have nothing to lose by taking the blame for the killing.
posted by bshort at 11:35 AM PST - 3 comments

A Comprehensive Flow Chart of Life's Causes and Effects.

A Comprehensive Flow Chart of Life's Causes and Effects. Public school, halitosis, cirrhosis, logo worship, and the inexplicable desire to evaluate self-worth in financial terms. From the LA Weekly's drug-related art gallery.

My favorite is Bovine Milk--> BGH--> GHB--> Raping Drunk Cows.
posted by thebigpoop at 11:31 AM PST - 3 comments


Modern computing born... film at 11.

Modern computing born... film at 11.
"On December 9, 1968, Douglas C. Engelbart and the group of 17 researchers working with him in the Augmentation Research Center at Stanford Research Institute in Menlo Park, CA, presented a 90-minute live public demonstration of the online system, NLS, they had been working on since 1962. The public presentation was a session in the of the Fall Joint Computer Conference held at the Convention Center in San Francisco, and it was attended by about 1,000 computer professionals. This was the public debut of the computer mouse. But the mouse was only one of many innovations demonstrated that day, including hypertext, object addressing and dynamic file linking, as well as shared-screen collaboration involving two persons at different sites communicating over a network with audio and video interface."
posted by pascal at 11:17 AM PST - 5 comments

What internet uses want

What internet uses want (at least according to the Markle Foundation.) The best part? The study asks for people that internet users would like to see on a board of net governors. Among the nominees were Bill Gates, Oprah, and the Pope.
posted by goto11 at 10:59 AM PST - 4 comments

Gnucleus - The New Napster

Gnucleus - The New Napster First I've heard of this, although apparently it's been around for almost a year at least. Is this just a bunch of hype? How is it an improvement over BearShare, Limewire and other Gnutella clients? Any user feedback?
posted by ideola at 10:45 AM PST - 28 comments

There's thirsty, and then there's THIRSTY

There's thirsty, and then there's THIRSTY 7-11 announces a 52-ounce Xtreme Gulp. Gaw-DAMN that's a lotta pop!
posted by briank at 10:31 AM PST - 45 comments

"Gorgeous Guy" was really a Kaycee.

"Gorgeous Guy" was really a Kaycee. The oft-discussed Craig's List celebrity appeared in print and on television late-night talk shows discussing his unwanted thrust into fame, but really made the whole thing up himself.
posted by ewagoner at 9:59 AM PST - 20 comments

A.I.'s chatbot

A.I.'s chatbot from the movie's website is pretty nifty, even if it doesn't know David or recognize any other obvious questions about the movie.
posted by Zebulun at 9:39 AM PST - 41 comments

Washington Post Survey: Misperceptions Cloud Whites' View of Blacks.

Washington Post Survey: Misperceptions Cloud Whites' View of Blacks. "I think it's pretty even, but you'd never get blacks to admit it," said Thomas Ripley, 71, a retiree who lives in Belleville, Ill. "It keeps the pressure on government for more programs."
posted by feckless at 9:13 AM PST - 16 comments

Yet another case of zero intelligence.

Yet another case of zero intelligence. Two days after Tiffani Ann Alvera notified her public housing resident manager that she had obtained a restraining order against her husband for domestic violence, she received a notice to vacate the apartment within 24 hours. The notice said, "You, someone in your control, or your pet, has seriously threatened immediately to inflict personal injury, or has inflicted substantial personal injury upon the landlord or other tenants," and specified her husband's assault.
posted by jameschandler at 9:03 AM PST - 4 comments

The most annoying email I've ever gotten

The most annoying email I've ever gotten Apparently, someone has a crush on me. That's what the email said. Give crushlink valid (they check) email addresses and you get lame hints as to who sent the email to you. I've never seen a better email harvesting system than this. Pure evil!
posted by fnirt at 7:58 AM PST - 20 comments

Don't mess with the do.

Don't mess with the do. OK, so you have a hair product and you get NFL quarterback Brian Griese to promote it. That's like hiring a lawyer named Freida Convict.
posted by lheiskell at 7:50 AM PST - 18 comments

Media Deception and Iraq

Media Deception and Iraq
An interesting quick story-- one journalist smells a rat in an AP report about Iraq using money to buy weapons, investigates the genesis of the story, and finds more deception. Meanwhile statistics on children dying from sanctions go unpublished.
posted by chaz at 7:33 AM PST - 8 comments

I am really, really, really tired of the popups for the Tiny Wireless Video Camera - the ad that always has a picture of a hot chick and trumpets "FITS ANYWHERE" (in the girls' bathroom, wink nudge.)

If there are any browser coders listening, here's a feature I long for: an anti-bookmark list. Stumble on a page that pops up garbage like the above, add it to your anti-bookmarks list and it's locked out instantly and forever, no forgiveness, no rehabilitation, capital punishment for bad web pages. Yes, yes, I know about junkbuster and webwasherand hosts files. But at this late date crap lockout should be part of the browser the way kill files were (and are) part of newsreaders. Sic 'em, Fang.
posted by jfuller at 6:57 AM PST - 29 comments


Keeping with the thinking that it is "National Homophobic Week" here is an Amnestry International Report detailing the attrocities against homosexuals all over the world.
posted by benjh at 5:01 AM PST - 4 comments

Metafilter seems to slant liberal and other favoritisms:

Metafilter seems to slant liberal and other favoritisms: BushII's been in office for six months. Occurences of "Dubya" come up 538 times in a Google sitesearch of Metafilter. The word, Clinton: 823--despite his several more years in office since Mefi's inception. "Bush"=1580. "Bush" and "idiot" come up about 1/3 that of simple search for "Clinton". 91 times does "Clinton + idiot" come up, some of which seeming to berate Gore. Mr. Nader, ahem. . .about 618 hits! What other lexigraphic mixtures of keywords can you get the skinny on?
posted by crasspastor at 4:38 AM PST - 125 comments

What happens to the stars of Big Brother afterwards?

What happens to the stars of Big Brother afterwards? Big Brother 2 is in full swing in the UK, and just starting in the USA. Here, Jon Ronson investigates what happened to the original contestents on BB1 in the UK. It's surprisingly poignant. (From The Guardian)
posted by salmacis at 1:08 AM PST - 13 comments

July 10

So I was checking out Andre's FilePile, and I noticed the new page title: "ROR Alucard". A search at Google turned up over a hundred results...few of which really explained anything. This ASCII file was the most promising explanation. So what is it, who started it, and where did it come from?
posted by canoeguide at 11:46 PM PST - 18 comments

Fucking

Fucking with StoryFuck.
posted by fraying at 6:59 PM PST - 33 comments

I wish I lived in Europe, if only for the month-long summer vacations people get on the continent. But I'm here at work in the U.S., surfing the net, only to find two of my favorite sites, The Onion and Satire Wire, are taking siestas at the same time. I wish I could get July off.
posted by msacheson at 2:49 PM PST - 21 comments

"Let's challenge the homosexual movement to play fair on the playing field of democracy."

"Let's challenge the homosexual movement to play fair on the playing field of democracy." This bit of Newspeak is courtesy of the coalition of religious leaders and so-called "family" groups calling for a Constitutional amendment saying that marriage can only be between a man and a woman. (Of course, this leads one to wonder what laws will be enacted in order to legally separate the men from the, uh, women.)
posted by maura at 2:13 PM PST - 55 comments

Canadian wins this year's Bulwer-Lytton Fiction contest

Canadian wins this year's Bulwer-Lytton Fiction contest with an atrocious entry about the running of the Pomeranians. Personally, I prefer the second place winner's wonderfully tortured description of a butterfly in a cemetery. Sadly, the contest's official website seems to be down for the time being. [via mobylives]
posted by turaho at 1:46 PM PST - 6 comments

The Jim Morrison Simulatron

The Jim Morrison Simulatron

Sometimes, Modernhumorist can still make me laugh.*

"THIRTY YEARS AGO last week, Doors frontman Jim Morrison mixed drugs, alcohol and asthma to ascend to the big Whisky A Go-Go in the sky. Here in the virtual world, though, Modern Humorist has reanimated him in the form of lines and lines of programming code."

*Warning: Stupid Flash game
posted by GriffX at 1:40 PM PST - 8 comments

More painful than a Ricki Lake Show marathon? I'll take an afternoon with King Phalari, thank you very much.
posted by donkeysuck at 1:35 PM PST - 1 comment

Americans want self-regulated Internet - or do they?

Americans want self-regulated Internet - or do they? A Markle Foundation survey out today seems to contain contradictory responses: 60 percent say rules for governing the Net should be developed by non-governmental organizations. But 64 percent also say that government "should develop rules to protect people when they are on the Internet, even if it requires some regulation of the Internet." Um, so which is it?
posted by thescoop at 12:39 PM PST - 3 comments

Princeton president pines for peculiar persons.

Princeton president pines for peculiar persons. "Princeton University's new president, Shirley Tilghman, says her campus has a problem: not enough weirdos. 'I would like to think we could begin to attract students with green hair. We will take pink and blue and orange hair, too.'" The rest of the article is pretty bland, but that quote is hilarious.
posted by jeb at 12:37 PM PST - 9 comments

JAVE

JAVE is an tool that helps ease the pain of creating ASCII art. In the days before GIFs, ASCII art roamed the plains of the Internet; people created hundreds of text-based pictures. Some spectacular examples are out there, but the rise of the graphical web has put a crimp in this art form. Perhaps tools like JAVE and FIGlet can help stave off the end.
posted by snarkout at 12:17 PM PST - 13 comments

Who benefits

Who benefits from this one?
It seems to me like Bush is doing crap like this just to see what he can get away with.
Is there something I'm missing about this decision that makes it a good thing? I hope so.
posted by TiggleTaggleTiger at 11:32 AM PST - 47 comments

Bush

Bush is at it again.
Is the fact that he is able to get away with things like this an indication of a backlash against the more open years of Democrats in the White House?
Is this secretly what the American public wants?
posted by TiggleTaggleTiger at 10:38 AM PST - 45 comments

We want 'em shorter.

We want 'em shorter. Frustrated with links that are too long to 'cut 'n' paste 'n' click'? Makeashorterlink.com makes 'em shorter. Nifty! [ via, and because of the Gorjuss mailing list ]
posted by prolific at 10:29 AM PST - 34 comments

Puppetmaster is as addictive as it sounds.

Puppetmaster is as addictive as it sounds. Another of Ernie's webgames in the vein of SurvivorBlog, PM involves twelve people, one of whom is a fictional creation of the "Puppetmaster," who's another player in the game. It's based on Kaycee and Debbie, in case you haven't already figured it out. I'm already hooked. (My current pick: Meghan. Look how fake the pic is!)
posted by tweebiscuit at 8:21 AM PST - 17 comments

It's all over, boys, we're obsolete

It's all over, boys, we're obsolete A team of Australian scientists has announced that they've found a way to fertilize human ova with somatic cells instead of sperm. No actual living babies have been produced yet, but they expect results within the year.
posted by briank at 6:46 AM PST - 42 comments

What do Elvis, Jackie Robinson, and Lucille Ball have in common? They were the first 3 'famous persons' to have their FBI files put online. And this is about as close you'll ever get to the real X-Files
posted by bison at 6:41 AM PST - 6 comments

Do Republicans dream of electric sheep?

Do Republicans dream of electric sheep? A new study concludes that Republicans have scarier and more frequent nightmares than Democrats. As usual, the explanation for this is split among party lines:

"What do you expect after eight years of William Jefferson Clinton?" -- Kevin Sheridan, Republican National Committee deputy press secretary.

"If George W. Bush were the leader of my party, I'd have trouble sleeping at night, too," -- Terry McAuliffe, Democratic National Committee chairman.

Wow... deja vu all over again.
posted by Dirjy at 6:03 AM PST - 11 comments

Are all the journalists on summer vacation? The "big stories" on the CNN homepage: Second attempt launched to save injured whale, Backstreet Boys postpone summer concerts, and, the big news in the year's political sex scandal, D.C. police want to search congressman's apartment. Please wake me up when the real reporters return to CNN.
posted by tranquileye at 5:49 AM PST - 12 comments

Rioting in Jamaica.

Rioting in Jamaica. This one hits very close to home, as it's where my family is from and where I partially grew up. While the immediate effect of people dying is terrible, the long term effects of this news on tourism (Jamaica's top industry) will probably be devastating to an already poor country.
posted by owillis at 12:45 AM PST - 7 comments

July 9

Jumping on the infamous Interschool Ho voting booth story Salon is currently running a 4 page article charting/attacking the rise of 'cyber-bullying', a phenomena defined by students (mostly?) slandered their peers online. In the opening page of the piece the author, all orifices throthing, offers several graphic examples of the trend and gives not only details of the full name and school of a female sophomore victim, an extensive barrage of quotes of what ugly, retarded, hurtful stuff was written about her by some severely mentally unstable individual, but also a relatively prominent, in-your-face link to the smalltime message board in question causing them to replace it with the whimpering redirect message 'Unfortunately, due to an article posted on salon.com, the LHStudents.com website traffic has exceeded maximum capacity and we have no other option but to create a new LHBoard on a different server'..
posted by Kino at 11:28 PM PST - 16 comments

Someone reverse engineered

Someone reverse engineered the Win-XP activation mechanism. It's not as bad as many people thought. It's certainly no cause for paranoia.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 11:06 PM PST - 21 comments

Tammy Faye at gay pride festival.

Tammy Faye at gay pride festival. Not much to add here except sometimes people behave better than you expect them to.
posted by rdr at 9:56 PM PST - 3 comments

A fun little hate site

A fun little hate site posted by your friendly east-Asian police state. The header's a bit melodramatic for my taste, but...
posted by Bixby23 at 7:14 PM PST - 14 comments

Buddyhead

Buddyhead has its famous gossip site, replete with Fred Durst's phone number. But what happens when someone fakes a submission? This does, apparently, and the tale comes complete with celebrity interview. You gotta admit, though; she has nice eyes.
posted by Marquis at 7:11 PM PST - 4 comments

And I thought Florida only had this problem.

And I thought Florida only had this problem. The Chicago Tribune reports that nearly 8% of votes in Illinois' 1st Congressional District went uncounted in the 2000 presidential election. It also adds: voters in low-income, high-minority districts nationwide were more likely to have undercounted ballots than were those in affluent, predominantly white districts, the study showed. Is there a nation-wide epidemic of undercounting? Or is it a problem limited to few localized areas? Or is it an underhanded way to deny the underprivileged of their vote? From the looks of it, at least additional investigation needs to be done.
posted by Bag Man at 7:03 PM PST - 15 comments

Sorry, but where do you live?

Sorry, but where do you live? The RIAA/CRIA, seem to be a little overzealous in stopping the spread of "napster like services" by quoting laws/court desicions in C&D letters to ISP's in other countries. I'm not saying that thet're wrong to protect their copyright, but surely IRMA could have directed member countries to contact the ISP's?
posted by X-00 at 5:47 PM PST - 0 comments - Post a Comment

Real Doll --The world's finest love mate

Real Doll --The world's finest love mate Realistic, life-size and beautiful. Elastic flesh, an articulated skeleton and sexy features like no other love doll in the world. Most love dolls are made of cheap, inflatable vinyl. They look pathetic and laughable -- not loveable. Check these out, and for a paltry $7000 you've got the ideal mate.
posted by semmi at 5:42 PM PST - 20 comments

"When I first saw it, I knew it would be as important as Gutenberg."

"When I first saw it, I knew it would be as important as Gutenberg." Hyperbole aside, PerfectBook -- a machine that spits out a complete book from a digital file within minutes -- sounds intriguing. What's more, "a distracted teenager could run it."
posted by mw at 5:37 PM PST - 17 comments

Job opportunity: must be willing to...?

Job opportunity: must be willing to...? In light of recent events, would it be appropriate for Rep. Gary Condit to remove this page from his official website? Even if he has nothing to hide, do you think it would be the sensitive thing to do? And what of his future - or does he have one in politics (at any level)?
posted by davidmsc at 5:09 PM PST - 13 comments

Everybody needs some bodies

Everybody needs some bodies sometimes. I know these have legitimate medical purposes, but don't you know someone who would love having this guy around the house, with his Multi-Sounds? And think of the fun to be had with Mr. Hurt Head or his friend Patient Peevy. Also fun at parties and not too expensive: A pound of fat, and, uh, this (washable).
posted by argybarg at 4:47 PM PST - 3 comments

Unstable genes make normal clones unlikely.

Unstable genes make normal clones unlikely. Dolly the sheep celebrated her fifth birthday yesterday. Most cloned animals aren't so lucky: they rarely reach adulthood, or even birth. Another reason why cloning humans might not be a good idea, "one can't expect to have normal clones - even if they appear healthy, they may have abnormal gene expression."
posted by lagado at 4:39 PM PST - 6 comments

Glowsticks are drug paraphenalia?

Glowsticks are drug paraphenalia?
posted by faisal at 4:00 PM PST - 16 comments

14 year old boy dies at "tough love" boot camp

14 year old boy dies at "tough love" boot camp for troubled teens, after becoming so delirious that he believed indians were chasing him. he passed out from dehydration in above 40 heat and died of suspected heart failure. earlier, when he screamed that he wanted to go home "they put some mud in his mouth and kicked him". are these increasingly popular boot camps justified?
posted by will at 3:33 PM PST - 18 comments

I like to eat.

I like to eat. Chowhound has regional restaurant message boards with varying degrees of detail. The New York Boards are particularly active with dozens of people offering their favorite soup dumpling purveyor/ramen shack/barbecue hut. What other regional or cuisine-specific food sites / online communities have you found?
posted by sfz at 2:44 PM PST - 11 comments

Zero Tolerlance

Zero Tolerlance The ACLU calls it "Zero Intelligence": The Las Vegas Weekly reports on the story of a 14-year-old middle school student being jailed for ten days and then expelled from school for making the wrong offhand remark and fitting the wrong profile (i.e. well-groomed, well-liked, and gets good grades). Unfortunately this is not an April Fools' joke.
posted by Postroad at 2:10 PM PST - 38 comments

eYada ceases live operations

eYada ceases live operations Thoughts on the viablity of streamed talk on the Web?
posted by ParisParamus at 1:45 PM PST - 7 comments

The U.S. and the U.N. and small weapons.

The U.S. and the U.N. and small weapons. We seem once again at odds with the world as we defend the right to bear arms.
posted by Postroad at 1:17 PM PST - 20 comments

No clicky no more

No clicky no more On Monday the finance Web site will stop providing "click through" rates to its advertising clients and will urge them to consider other ways of measuring the effectiveness of their online ads. In shifting the focus away from click-throughs, MarketWatch is trying to convince companies that their online ads work by building general brand awareness even when the consumer does not actually click the ad to get more information.
posted by keith at 11:31 AM PST - 14 comments

All Hail

All Hail Christopher Walken. He has given us some of the most out-there/bocephus movie performances, he has become patron saint of the cowbell, and he has done freaky dances in our favorite music videos. I propose we raise a toast to the man, the myth, the legend, the Walken.
posted by timothompson at 11:31 AM PST - 26 comments

Straight from the "Life Imitates Art" file, you're never too old to have a good time.
posted by donkeysuck at 11:21 AM PST - 4 comments

Is "me-zine" the new 'blog?

Is "me-zine" the new 'blog? Or is it just when traditional journalists do it? And is this whole thing now "legit"? [via medianews]
posted by owillis at 11:08 AM PST - 22 comments

CBS changes their mind!!!

CBS changes their mind!!!

I was one of the few people who was considering paying the $20 to watch the Big Brother feeds all summer long. I figured that I spend at least that much money on beer during a night out that three month's on entertainment for $20 seemed like a bargain.

However, CBS apparently listened to all the complaints and now instead of a "Free Trial", they are giving the internet feeds away for free.

Good CBS. Now expose Will, Justin, and Mike as the jerks they are on Tuesday's episode and you'll have a happy camper. Okay, and give me Hardy's phone number as well.
posted by Pinwiz at 11:04 AM PST - 19 comments

Don't suck!

Don't suck! Statistical analysis for this heretical popular music marketing idea.
posted by geronimo_rex at 10:57 AM PST - 13 comments

Laugh at the expense of others....

Laugh at the expense of others.... A short little video, probably the funniest thing I've seen in a while....
posted by Espoo2 at 10:32 AM PST - 11 comments

African Union to be born at summit this week.

African Union to be born at summit this week. Modelled on the European Union, the new organization's charter will include plans for an African central bank, a court of justice, a single currency and a parliament. Is this what Africa really needs?
posted by tranquileye at 10:31 AM PST - 18 comments

Get your Atari 2600 fix on the go!

Get your Atari 2600 fix on the go! With six models, it beats the Game Boy Advance by a mile! Unfortunately, they're handmade and the backlog is fifty units long, so more impatient retro-gamers might want to stick with a Sega Nomad.
posted by tweebiscuit at 10:29 AM PST - 6 comments

Amazon Stops Free Shipping.

Amazon Stops Free Shipping. After only 2 weeks, Amazon.com stops free shipping for orders with two or more items. (At least they rememberd to lower the prices they raised in order to be financially able to offer this promotion.)

Amazon stopped their free shipping promotion right as Barnes and Noble's website offered a similar offer. Is Amazon going to be able to compete with B&N? Is the end near for Amazon? Or is Amazon sufficiently love-marked enough to withstand shipping costs?
posted by jennak at 10:20 AM PST - 10 comments


With Britain getting whipped on most sporting fronts, the BBC suggests we take a leaf out of the Americans' book. [More inside]
posted by Mocata at 10:07 AM PST - 15 comments

Douglas Rushkoff

Douglas Rushkoff is writing an open source novel that readers are encouraged to leave footnotes on. These footnotes can contain comments, suggestions or discussion about other footnotes. Is this the future of publishing or a cheap gimmick?
posted by mathowie at 8:40 AM PST - 23 comments

Anyone agree that the Wimbledon Men's final that just finished was just about the best sporting event ever on TV? If you're waiting to watch this later, don't click here.
posted by davehat at 8:18 AM PST - 33 comments

Those darn airmen in their flying contraptions...

Those darn airmen in their flying contraptions... Interested in hearing other's opinions on this. If I have an airplane should I be able to fly wherever I want to, or should property owners be able to erect an invisible fence 40,000 feet high around their property to keep airplane owners away? Also, if I can keep people with noisy airplanes from flying close to my house, can I also outlaw people with noisy motorcyles from riding on country roads near my home?
posted by fluxcreative at 7:32 AM PST - 28 comments

US may resume nuclear weapons tests

US may resume nuclear weapons tests (while keeping the supply of small arms unhindered). Knowing next to nothing about nuclear weapons, can anyone tell me if there are there any sound scientific reasons for re-starting testing? Or is this just more left-wing media bias?
posted by jonathanbell at 6:23 AM PST - 13 comments

Bye bye Webvan.

Bye bye Webvan. "Although Webvan would be just one of hundreds of dot-com companies to go out of business, its story is somewhat unique. Webvan was one of the most well funded of all the dot-com companies, having raised, and burned through, around $1 billion in financing."
posted by maura at 4:12 AM PST - 56 comments

July 8

I love looking around when I'm in public places and trying to pick out the people that I think smoke pot. Its fun because statistically there have to be a few people in every crowd that smoke, even if they don't look like they do. I've noticed quite a few drug related threads on Metafilter lately and I've been dying to ask this question: How many Metafilter users smoke marijuana or use or have used other illicit substances regularly. I do realize that I'm supposed to post a link, but I just had to know.
posted by bytecode at 11:10 PM PST - 95 comments

Shark bites off boy's arm

Shark bites off boy's arm and it's reattached! I know it's a Yahoo! link, but this seems incredible. The boy's uncle wrestled the shark to the beach where it was shot and the limb was retrieved from the shark's mouth. Is there anything science and strong uncles can't do?
posted by megnut at 9:16 PM PST - 18 comments

Yet another reason to avoid the Battlefield Earth DVD:

Yet another reason to avoid the Battlefield Earth DVD: A brand new "feature" called Regional Coding Enhancement, or RCE. Having the word "enhancement" in the title might make us think that we, the consumer, might actually benefit for this technology, but that isn't the case. The only people to benefit are the movie studios who, not content to gouge us on DVD prices (DVD's are cheaper to press than video tapes) have made it impossible to backup a DVD, or play a foreign DVD on a North American DVD player. Now, thanks to RCE, if you own a region-free DVD player, guess what? You can't play Battlefield Earth on it!
posted by johnnydark at 7:58 PM PST - 30 comments

For Gosh's Sake, Stop Rockin'!

For Gosh's Sake, Stop Rockin'! Featered here are excerpts of Rock Til You Drop, an intentionally provocative slam of the notion of rockin' into old age. I'm not sure if author John Strausbaugh has an age limit (he suggests, but doesn't outright state, one's early 30s). But it's clear that he thinks any fake version of an old band should call it quits (Steppenwolf), as should any playing casinos (Yes) or rockers who have had, say, hip replacement surgery (Eddie Van Halen). And he apparently thinks the Stones should've called it quits in, say, 1972. A cruel hack job, or on-the-mark? Somewhere in between? And what rockers should retire?
posted by raysmj at 6:34 PM PST - 35 comments

ASFRecorder

ASFRecorder Pull those streams right off of the Internet in Windows Media Format. Songs that are streamed form band websites where there are no singles or the new album yet, just grab it down.
posted by benjh at 5:38 PM PST - 19 comments

Never be stuck without numbers

Never be stuck without numbers ane twa thrie fower fyve sax seiven aicht nyne ten < Count to ten in scottish and over 4000 other languages.
posted by stevridie at 4:06 PM PST - 8 comments

Exec-worker gap in pay gets wider

Exec-worker gap in pay gets wider Executives make 442% more than they did in 1990. Blue collar workers 2.7%. 1/3 of all Americans spent most of the 1990's working for $8 an hour or less.
posted by crasspastor at 11:41 AM PST - 88 comments

Jerry, Jerry, Jerry...

Jerry, Jerry, Jerry... The coolest/funniest BlogSpot blog I've ever come across — for those of us who don't watch a lot of TV, we can still get our Springer fix.
posted by o2b at 11:03 AM PST - 3 comments

From 1972 to 1998,

From 1972 to 1998, the number of American voters claiming to attend church regularly has stayed stable at 37%. The number who say they never attend church at all has risen from 14% to 33%. What affect will this have on American politics?
posted by Steven Den Beste at 9:08 AM PST - 30 comments

Fish or Folk?

Fish or Folk? Farmers along the Klamath took matters into their own hands last week, opening an irrigation floodgate that had been closed to protect local fish. It isn't just about fish, but also fishermen. A complex issue of humans v. the environment, broken promises, and a big ole' sense of entitlement.
posted by frykitty at 8:11 AM PST - 5 comments

UK Race Riots Continue: The Bradford Riots, In Pictures

UK Race Riots Continue: The Bradford Riots, In Pictures Great pics! Bradford's riots last night left it looking like a scene from a World War 2 bombing. 120 police officers injured. I even saw a few set on fire on the live reports on TV through the night. Cars torched everywhere. Stabbings, petrol bombs aflying, all sorts of violence.
 
I'm just grateful I don't live up North!
posted by wackybrit at 7:22 AM PST - 21 comments

Describing a New Entropy

Describing a New Entropy A reformulation of Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy by one Constantino Tsallis is causing quite a buzz/stir in the theoretical physics community. It was originally published in 1988, but it sounds like it's only recently hit its stride. There's going to be a conference on "Tsallis entropy" in October co-chaired by Murray Gell-Mann!
posted by kliuless at 6:19 AM PST - 2 comments

SUVs Drive Area to Pollution Violations.

SUVs Drive Area to Pollution Violations. Use only under close adult supervision. For outdoor use only. Do not hold in hand after lighting. Place on ground, light fuse and get away.
posted by NortonDC at 6:16 AM PST - 18 comments

Has there ever been a classical music review this damning?

Has there ever been a classical music review this damning? "It's difficult to tell how good they are. If they played a wrong note or lost the rhythm, no one but the composer would notice. Music is dead, and here is the corpse, embalmed on two slices of plastic hell. "
posted by feelinglistless at 3:14 AM PST - 38 comments

Americans less supportive of 1st amendment.

Americans less supportive of 1st amendment. Roughly four in 10 people (41%) said the media have too much freedom. Four in 10 respondents (39%) believed the First Amendment goes too far in guaranteeing rights. 71% said it was "very" or "somewhat" important for the government to hold the media in check.
posted by frednorman at 2:20 AM PST - 15 comments

July 7

B.C.'s top commodity: marijuana

B.C.'s top commodity: marijuana New police statistics suggest marijuana has become one of B.C.'s largest industries -- even bigger than logging -- with annual production valued at $6 billion.

...Imagine 6 billion in lost tax revenues...
posted by cburton at 10:58 PM PST - 27 comments


BMW Mini

BMW announces the long awaited BMW Mini UK only with US availability in 2002. Cool. Retro. Riot!
posted by stbalbach at 7:19 PM PST - 17 comments

Demented baby bent on world domination

Demented baby bent on world domination returns to television this week (wednesday at 9:30). I know i am happy about this.
posted by benjh at 3:07 PM PST - 24 comments

Peter Jennings confirms the media's liberal bias?

Peter Jennings confirms the media's liberal bias? Jennings states that "conservative voices in the US have not been as present as they might have been and should have been in the media.''
posted by gyc at 2:49 PM PST - 31 comments

When animals do what comes naturally

When animals do what comes naturally ...Buffalo. Bull. Shark. Wow. Busy couple of days for out-of-the-ordinary "man - vs - animal" incidents. Anyone have interesting animal tales to tell, whether they resulted in injury or not? My rule of thumb: if an animal has teeth that are bigger than mine, get outta there!
...but please no "my cat hates you" threads in here!
posted by davidmsc at 1:14 PM PST - 18 comments

Reason redux.

Reason redux. This does not sound like the "media ideologue" or one-trick publicity hound that some of you tried to portray him. Or is it all just clever posturing?
posted by rushmc at 9:01 AM PST - 25 comments

Health Care For Youngest Americans...or Sneak Attack On Pro-Choice Lobby?

Health Care For Youngest Americans...or Sneak Attack On Pro-Choice Lobby? Interesting proposal from HHS...guaranteed to fan the flames of what has been called the "most divisive issue in modern America." Should a fetus be classified as a "beneficiary" of health care benefits under the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)? If this proposal is approved, will it forever change the debate?
posted by davidmsc at 7:31 AM PST - 10 comments

Hometown band makes good.

Hometown band makes good. Albuquerque band The Shins release an album on Sub Pop. (I absolutely recommend their song New Slang, a sweet poppy ballad.) Maybe this is so exciting because it's not every day a bunch of kids you've seen a trillion times get to be ON THE CHARTS. What bands have come from your hometown and made it big? (more inside)
posted by sugarfish at 1:33 AM PST - 60 comments

July 6

Talking the talk: An interview with John McWhorter

Talking the talk: An interview with John McWhorter Speaking of linguistics and whatnot, I've been thumbing through the new-look East Bay Express. I read this, and I feel like McWhorter's never gotten over some black people wrongly labeling him as an Oreo cookie (never had someone assure him, in response to epithets like those, that there are 35 million ways of being African-American -- and that many of them involve fluency in "totally ass-kicking SWE," to reference David Foster Wallace's essay on Bryan Garner's new usage book in Harper's a couple of months ago).

I appreciate his iconoclasm (hell, like myself, he voted for Nader) and I'm willing to concede points of his basic argument and that I agree with him on some (the whole "niggardly" thing; the Ebonics controversy) points.

But after reading this, I wound up feeling irritated with him -- and especially put off by allowing himself to be misrespresented marketed as a conservative and, despite his vaunted speaking ability and academic credentials, his inability to get his points across in the media.
posted by allaboutgeorge at 10:43 PM PST - 13 comments

Intellectualism's Hottest Ticket?

Intellectualism's Hottest Ticket? (New York Times link; my apologies) According to the cultural arbiters at the NYT, this book is picking up heat as one of the most important philosophical works of the new century. As near as I can tell, it's about the cultural and sociological impact of globalization, creating the new political state they call "Empire." Anybody heard of this, or read it yet? Wank or insight?
posted by logovisual at 10:31 PM PST - 18 comments

Webzines.

Webzines. Independent magazines published on the web in the same vein as "old school" printed ones. Sort of the step between a blog and a full blown Salon (as in MetaFocus?). I'm thinking about doing one, any you can recommend?
posted by owillis at 10:29 PM PST - 16 comments

Scientists Offer Cash, Possible Immortality

Scientists Offer Cash, Possible Immortality The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists is conducting a contest for the best "Plutonium Memorial" design. Are you ready to think out of the box? Make sure to incorporate classic design elements, as the contents will have a half-life of 24,000 years. It would be a shame to have our distant descendants mock our architecture. P.S. I encourage residents of the Denver metropolitan area to enter the contest.
posted by JDC8 at 7:06 PM PST - 4 comments

China has sent a bill

China has sent a bill to the US for $1 million to pay for the time that our spy plane spent sitting on the tarmac in China, waiting for the Chinese to grant permission to get it out of there.
posted by Steven Den Beste at 5:15 PM PST - 28 comments

Astrologer Defends PhD Thesis in Sociology at the Sorbonne

Astrologer Defends PhD Thesis in Sociology at the Sorbonne
Elizabeth Teissier, astrology columnist and PhD candidate, successfully defended her dissertation in sociology, entitled "The Epistemological Situation of Astrology in Relation to the Ambivalent Fascination/Rejection of Postmodern Societies."
Over the last few weeks, fueled by fresh revelations — like Ms. Teissier's having referred to Max Weber, one of sociology's founders, as a "pragmatic Taurus" — the debate has only gathered steam, pitting sociologists who insist that the case concerns a thesis that fails to meet minimum academic standards against those who argue that the real target isn't Ms. Teissier but a maverick strain of sociology that has failed to win establishment approval. I don't know which is funnier, that there were fresh revelations, or that there's a pro-astrology strain of maverick sociology. This is also hilarious.
posted by rschram at 4:55 PM PST - 28 comments

In Their Own Words:

In Their Own Words: Why Americans Approve or Disapprove of Bush. Sample quote from one who approves: "Because he's from Texas & so am I." Sample from one who disapproves: "Because Bush is a weenie."
posted by acridrabbit at 4:46 PM PST - 31 comments

Dirty Capitalists Exposed by Greg Palast Now Suing The London Observer.

Dirty Capitalists Exposed by Greg Palast Now Suing The London Observer. Apparently millionaires can't hang with the idea that when they do something very bad, watchdog groups and government agencies publicize, investigate, castigate and punish their very bad deeds. So what do they do? They enlist judiciary branches of government to see to it that profits remain intact. We could call this Round II in a sense.
posted by crasspastor at 4:35 PM PST - 3 comments

Disassembled.

Disassembled. Assembler.org ("making art with machine code") is no more. Quoth the Zeldman: "Lately we feel like Smokey the Bear - and the forest fires are winning."
posted by fraying at 3:16 PM PST - 74 comments

The giant list of classic computer programmers

The giant list of classic computer programmers takes you back to a time when one person could realistically author a computer game and have it published. Of course most of the people on this list will have worked on small teams to produce games, but the diversity of the games on these people's resumes is awesome. In particular, I notice Michael Cranford (responsible for The Bard's Tale I and II, the Centauri Alliance, and ports of Donkey Kong and Super Zaxxon) and Robert Woodhead (Wizardry 1-5). As an interesting sidenote, Robert Woodhead went on to Animeigo, a japanese animation publishing company in the US. What memories of these old sk00l games do you have?
posted by moz at 2:11 PM PST - 34 comments

Come back, love!

Come back, love! 200+ signatures can't be wrong. My girlfriend just broke up with me, but I have yet to resort to petitions or grammatically poor high-school doggerel in an effort to repair our relationship.
posted by BoatMeme at 12:22 PM PST - 22 comments

Just because we can we should?

Just because we can we should? Is this another case of rabid technology or will it really be useful? Can't the $225 per playstation-console be used to oh, say... clean up their water... or.. send a real life human being to their country to properly educate them?
posted by tsidel at 11:02 AM PST - 18 comments

Last night's Brass Eye special was mysteriously pulled from the schedules, seemingly because it concerned "an army of paedophiles". Apparantly, this is not the case
posted by Grangousier at 9:46 AM PST - 15 comments

Okay, so the tabloids take the eroticization

Okay, so the tabloids take the eroticization of female tennis players to the extreme, including The Mirror, which has paid Barbara "Babsi" Schett 50,000 pounds to promote her as the next Anna Kournikova. Last fall we talked about women sports players being on beauty, not talent; while the beauty judging goes on, they forget to even mention player records. There's Babsi, Anna, Jelena Dokic, and the supposedly beautiful Krasnoroutskaya who says of Kournikova what everyone keeps saying about good-looking female players in general: "She makes the beauty of tennis. She started it. Now tennis is very popular. People come to watch her. That helps everybody."
posted by Mo Nickels at 9:37 AM PST - 48 comments

People Cards featuring everyday people. Reality TV hits trading cards?
posted by 120degrees at 9:09 AM PST - 14 comments

Google Zeitgeist

Google Zeitgeist charts the popularity of certain search queries on Google (via Slashdot). Of course, it'd be more interesting to track your own keywords, and you can. I stumbled across this partially hidden Google feature last night. (More inside...)
posted by waxpancake at 8:29 AM PST - 23 comments

Whoops!

Whoops! Is it just me, or is anyone else having trouble looking at SAAB's US homepage in IE 5.0?
posted by bgluckman at 8:29 AM PST - 16 comments

tanstasfl.

tanstasfl. youremail@usa.net goes pay.
posted by lescour at 8:26 AM PST - 8 comments

Absolute Director

Absolute Director Move over Steve, iMovie just got some competition. The creative distiller creates the killer Shockwave app. that lets you edit and create your own movies using old Japanese monster films.
posted by Brilliantcrank at 8:20 AM PST - 8 comments

The movie censored in France opens in the US this week.

The movie censored in France opens in the US this week. Base-Moi is being translated by the newspapers as "Rape Me" but a better translation would be "Fuck Me," which better indicates that sexual power that the main female characters have. They use sex as a weapon, as the gateway firearm to murders and massacre. Violent, bloody, aggressively sexual, even pornographic, filled with "chic amoralism," as the New York Times says, and perhaps difficult to redeem. Gratuitous everything.
posted by Mo Nickels at 7:34 AM PST - 18 comments

My Cat Hates You Dot Com

My Cat Hates You Dot Com
posted by grumblebee at 7:03 AM PST - 22 comments

China is on an 'execution frenzy' executing more people 1750+ over the past 3 months then the rest of the world combined over the past 3 years.. according to Amnesty International. The parades and stadiums add a nice Roman-era twist.
posted by stbalbach at 5:51 AM PST - 34 comments

Medical marijuana

Medical marijuana not as effective as previously thought. Should this study affect the legalization talks?
posted by bytecode at 5:38 AM PST - 7 comments

The Conservatives

The Conservatives (Well, a couple anyway) are calling for the legalisation of cannabis
posted by twistedonion at 1:31 AM PST - 19 comments

July 5

Not just the fratboys anymore...

Not just the fratboys anymore... "It was once thought that humans were the only animals to engage in ritualized hazing. As it turns out, squirrels have been engaging in the practice since the birth of their species." That's right, squirrel hazing is more widespread than one would think....
posted by Espoo2 at 10:28 PM PST - 7 comments

Active Buddy is final Active

Active Buddy is final Active This link was posted before, but ActiveBuddy finally has a beta version of their AOL IM interactive agent. Simply add 'smarterchild' to your buddy list and send the message 'hello'. This service gives you news, weather, and movie times through Instant Messager.
posted by wsfinkel at 9:11 PM PST - 15 comments

Even Harvard students get bored.

Even Harvard students get bored. [via TheMaxx]
posted by margaretlam at 8:08 PM PST - 4 comments

Bernhard Goetz, the 1980s vigilante who shot four black teenagers, is running for Mayor of New York.

Bernhard Goetz, the 1980s vigilante who shot four black teenagers, is running for Mayor of New York. And he likes squirrels. Really, really likes squirrels. As a resident of New York City, can I just say YIKES! (Thanks to Ross)
posted by logovisual at 8:07 PM PST - 5 comments

As if you weren't depressed enough, now the world knows you're taking Prozac
posted by fooljay at 7:20 PM PST - 6 comments

Survey on Learning Standard American English in Black American Communities.

Survey on Learning Standard American English in Black American Communities. This academic survey is designed to gather attitudes among Black Americans regarding Ebonics, better known to linguists at African American Vernacular English.
posted by Mo Nickels at 7:11 PM PST - 42 comments

What happens when the info-age Web runs afoul of attitudes and societal restrictions that haven't been allowed to change or be questioned in 1,500 years. For my part, I was unaware that merely writing in the style of Qur'an, even with the most honorable of attentions, was proscribed. (At least AOL didn't let us down - their reaction was as craven and cowardly as we come to expect from that bastion of mediocre blandness.) (via scissorfish by way of plasticbag.org)
posted by m.polo at 7:00 PM PST - 4 comments

Optimism:

Optimism: Was the bust really a Bust (See below)? Douglas Rushkoff doesn't think so. But then, he's a pretty optimistic guy, if you ask me. (Warning, his article links to MetaFilter... Does that count as a self-link?)
posted by LAM at 5:21 PM PST - 6 comments

This site

This site will burn anything you can point them to on the web onto a CD. Won't that violate a TON of shareware/freeware licenses? Will they do warez sites?
Link via FilePile.
posted by Spanktacular at 5:03 PM PST - 4 comments

Silicon Graphics announces the end of reality.

Silicon Graphics announces the end of reality. (Via Segfault) Where will we all live now?
posted by Steven Den Beste at 4:08 PM PST - 8 comments

Please don't pee in the pool.

Please don't pee in the pool. Turns out fish are sick of us humans. I feel pretty much the same way... but you won't find me having the same kind of reaction.
posted by Neale at 4:07 PM PST - 12 comments

No link here. Today I saw for the first time March 2000 referred to as the Bust. With a capital B. And then I started thinking that the web in the last few months feels a little less exciting; fewer things going on, less stuff to talk about. Is it just me? Has anybody seen/read something promising and exciting on the Web or about the Web in the last 6 months or so? Do we really need the promise of riches to take risks and/or to innovate?
posted by costas at 3:14 PM PST - 44 comments

Stop the world, I want to get off:

Stop the world, I want to get off: A group of scientists thinks that a "wobble" in the orbits of Earth and Mercury may have attracted an asteroid, and not a stray comet, to hit the Earth and wipe out the dinosaurs.
posted by logovisual at 12:52 PM PST - 2 comments

Are fireworks more fun when you have been "drinking heavily"? I think so.
posted by donkeysuck at 12:44 PM PST - 25 comments

Drug Terms

Drug Terms the President may not already know. Maybe the Pres is just trying to stay current on the lingo in case he falls off the wagon. via supersquish
posted by rev- at 12:02 PM PST - 17 comments

A.J. Arrested -- for real!

A.J. Arrested -- for real! The actor that plays Anthony Jr. on the Sopranos was arrested for boosting another kid's bag of weed on a street corner. It's one thing when you start to believe your own hype, but when your doper buddies do -- watch out!!
posted by victors at 9:39 AM PST - 15 comments

Is the downturn over?

Is the downturn over? Looks like the dotcom downturn is levelling. Have most of the bad ideas seem to have shaken out of the market?
posted by TNLNYC at 8:18 AM PST - 23 comments

Radiohead to appear on South Park!

Radiohead to appear on South Park! Insert unfunny South Park quote here. Suggestions: "Looks like Thom Yorke got sand in his vagina." "Why hello, children. Allow me to sing you a chilling apolcalyptic ballad about the future when we'll all be robots." However, anyone who mentions "Oh my god, they killed Thom Yorke!" will be kicked in the balls. I'm serious. None of that.
posted by tweebiscuit at 8:18 AM PST - 69 comments

Why the New York Post is a crappy newspaper:

Why the New York Post is a crappy newspaper: A 672-word story about a 15-year-old television actor getting busted for a $40 theft merits this byline: "By LARRY CELONA, MARIA MALAVE, ED ROBINSON, CLEMENTE LISI, HALLIE LEVINE, ADAM MILLER, LEONARD GREENE, IKIMULISA SOCKWELL-MASON, LINDA STASI, ALISA CONABOY, BILL HOFFMANN and CATHY BURKE." The Post's priorities are clear.
posted by Mo Nickels at 7:54 AM PST - 28 comments

Knowledge is often created by people with too much time on their hands.

Knowledge is often created by people with too much time on their hands. This week's best example of this [old but obscure] is the Linux Kernel Fuck Count, an elegant graphing of the trends towards this particular obscenity showing up in kernel code [charted against the appearances of the word "love" just for kicks] over successive releases -- .01 to 2.2.16. Oh yeah, there's some other statistical info collected as well.
posted by jessamyn at 7:37 AM PST - 8 comments

Russian Concordski

Russian Concordski (Concord) for sale on the Internet
posted by stbalbach at 7:00 AM PST - 6 comments

Nazis planned Palestine subversion.

Nazis planned Palestine subversion. British secret intelligence files have been released in London about a German wartime plan for subversion in Palestine. Nazi Gold, secret parachute drops and the Grand Mufti.
posted by stbalbach at 6:46 AM PST - 4 comments

Windows XP won't work unless you tell Microsoft what it wants to know.

Windows XP won't work unless you tell Microsoft what it wants to know. In Microsoft's valid attempt to prevent people from installing single copies of XP on multiple machines, they've created a scheme where XP will shut down in 30 days if you don't tell MS the configuration of the system on which it is installed. If you don't allow Microsoft to collect this information, your copy of Windows XP will simply stop working in 30 days. And even if you comply, your copy of Windows XP might still stop working at some point if you make a lot of changes to your PC's hardware... The company says its database of PC configurations won't contain any personal information, and will be encrypted so that nobody can misuse it. But Microsoft's bully-boy behavior in the marketplace hardly inspires confidence that it won't somehow exploit this information. Walt Mossberg must be becoming one of Microsoft's greatest nightmares - a non-geek respected by non-geeks in power lobbing serious digs from a highly visible and respected platform.
posted by dchase at 6:39 AM PST - 66 comments

Those French have been at it for a very long time.

Those French have been at it for a very long time.
posted by lagado at 4:22 AM PST - 9 comments

Weird Programming Languages

Weird Programming Languages All the info you wanted to know about obscure programming languages
posted by stevridie at 4:14 AM PST - 12 comments

"What's going on Doc?" "You're having an origin son." I dig this. Shame it's no longer being updated. Though the premise is short-sighted, in some ways it had the potential better realized with Argon Zark. Do you want to be a super-hero? Well, you gotta lotta things to consider. What is your super power? Who is your hero? Which is better: Flight or Invisibility? Do you have to wear spandex? and Who said anything about being a superhero?
posted by ZachsMind at 1:44 AM PST - 5 comments

Terrified xenophobes still need to whack off!
posted by textist at 1:05 AM PST - 10 comments

July 4

Buying muzak is cool with busy boomers.

Buying muzak is cool with busy boomers. "Oh I listen to Victoria's Secret brand muzik." This is creepy if you generally self-identify with music, but in another sense perhaps just marks another way music is increasingly just a design choice for many people. After all, I see a lot of brand logos on t-shirts, so? Somehow this ties in with digital music and the equalizing of the artist/audience relationship, too. (Music is rarely foreground for me, but I'll mix my own sets, thank you very much.)
posted by aflakete at 5:18 PM PST - 11 comments

Divine Word Not A Real University, Says Maniac

Divine Word Not A Real University, Says Maniac
"He's mentally ill," they say. No way! Everyone else is insane. How long will they deny pregnant nuns, corrupt trustees, a priest (who's not a priest) having kids on the side at DWU?
posted by rschram at 4:42 PM PST - 1 comment

Obscene Interiors From Porn Pics

Obscene Interiors From Porn Pics (and more) "Amateur porn photography is one of the rare instances where everyday people expose their naked bodies to the public. Seeing your neighbors nude my be shocking, I, however, am more frequently disturbed by the gross display of amateur interior design found in these photos." (There's no naughty pics, so don't worry)
posted by wackybrit at 2:00 PM PST - 8 comments

How Do The Japanese Celebrate The Fourth of July?

How Do The Japanese Celebrate The Fourth of July? They fly to New York, Eat Many, Many Hot Dogs Very Fast, and Put the Locals to Shame. Historic Shame. This is truly amazing. Or truly disgusting. A breaking story and very funny article by one of my favorite writers.
posted by ParisParamus at 1:52 PM PST - 18 comments

The Libera Manifesto

The Libera Manifesto is something to mull today. How many of us build sites (like Metafilter) for the pure enjoyment and fun of it. Thanks Mattowie for some great work and thanks to all those of you out there who are building free sites just because you think that giving back is important.
posted by TNLNYC at 12:48 PM PST - 10 comments

While Americans celebrate history by eating (I have two cookouts to attend tonight), take a look at history you can eat. The Garden State Heirloom Seed Society is trying to make sure we don't lose the thousands of varieties of vegetables and fruit developed over the years.
posted by ewagoner at 12:34 PM PST - 1 comment

Big Brother 2 goes pay.

Big Brother 2 goes pay. They're tripping on themselves before they even get out of the starting gate. At the Official Site they've recently reported they will charge for live Internet feed access after the first few days. The obsessed and addicted are none too pleased. What do you think? Shrewd business move or greedy reaction by clueless network executives?
posted by ZachsMind at 10:34 AM PST - 20 comments

Can your own private written journal be considered obscene? A guy in Ohio is given 10 years in prison for writing fictitious tales in a 14-page journal.
posted by gluechunk at 10:30 AM PST - 50 comments

Spy Plane Parts Back on U.S. Soil

Spy Plane Parts Back on U.S. Soil three months after landing on the Chinese island of Hainan, bringing to a close an incident that strained US-Chinese relations.
posted by NJguy at 9:04 AM PST - 8 comments

In Japan, a grope-free ride. Female commuters get a break from men's feelings.

In Japan, a grope-free ride. Female commuters get a break from men's feelings. With the massive Japan Railways system now taking its first tentative step toward women-only cars, many anticipate segregation of the sexes could become widespread.
posted by matteo at 3:54 AM PST - 19 comments

America @ 225.

America @ 225. We're still working out all the kinks, but the "Gang of 50" keeps on chugging along. The Fourth of July for me is the day where we can extol the virtues of nationalism unabashedly...
posted by owillis at 1:07 AM PST - 53 comments

July 3

Review of Nissan Car Loans Finds That Blacks Pay More

Review of Nissan Car Loans Finds That Blacks Pay More A statistical study of more than 300,000 car loans arranged through Nissan dealers from March 1993 to last September — believed by experts to be the largest pool of car loan data ever analyzed for racial patterns — shows that black customers in 33 states consistently paid more than white customers, regardless of their credit histories. (Need free sign up access to NYTimes.com)
posted by Rastafari at 10:10 PM PST - 21 comments

West Wing Web War!

West Wing Web War! Mickey Kaus shows you how to personally bother Aaron Sorkin and get him to reply to you. This particular pissing match is about writers' credits and compensation, but I'm posting it because it highlights one of the truly unique things about the net/web: It provides a way for celebrities to come out and interact with their fans (or foes) without giving up any of their privacy. Have you ever found yourself keyboard to keyboard with a Big Name? Or know where any of them hang out?
posted by aaron at 9:36 PM PST - 18 comments

Desperate times

Desperate times call for desperate measures.
posted by mathowie at 8:30 PM PST - 13 comments

Yes sir, that's my cloned alien baby!

Yes sir, that's my cloned alien baby! I was concerned about this article from cnn about Clonaid going ahead with cloning a human. And then I found out Clonaid was stared by a religious group that believes ETs used genetic engineering to create life on earth. Legitimate news item or bad X-files script? (posted by Miss-Lapin)
posted by miss-lapin at 8:26 PM PST - 2 comments

Metal Sludge:

Metal Sludge: News for bogans. Warrant matters.
posted by Foaf at 8:02 PM PST - 2 comments

H-h-hi, I'm J-jim Mc-C-c-clure.

H-h-hi, I'm J-jim Mc-C-c-clure. You may reme-me-member me from such c-c-conventions as....
uh...sorry, that was incredibly insensitive.

posted by skwm at 5:18 PM PST - 43 comments

Hooray for cybernetics!

Hooray for cybernetics! Surgeons from the University of Louisville have implanted the world's first battery-opertated mechnical heart in a paitent who was terminally ill. How cool is that?
posted by Hackworth at 4:28 PM PST - 10 comments

Left-handed smoke shifter

Left-handed smoke shifter and other objects to send a novice out to find. Notably missing is the spaghetti straightener. My grandfather told a story when he worked in the label printing division of the Continental Can Company. He sent a guy to the stock room for a bucket of halftone dots. The sucker^H^H^H^H^H^Hemployee got bounced from department to department trying to find who got the last bucket...
posted by plinth at 3:01 PM PST - 16 comments

"Biggest flame war of all time:

"Biggest flame war of all time: Danny Boy - sentimental Irish favorite, or stupid song decried by true Celts everywhere?" A link to a discussion in another forum about how one prevents the banal from driving out the profound in online public-participation forums. (Their conclusion: ruthless and efficient moderation.)
posted by Steven Den Beste at 2:40 PM PST - 4 comments

"This is very dangerous -- look how large those rubber penises are."

"This is very dangerous -- look how large those rubber penises are."
Probably my favorite wire story quote in months. Gads.
posted by foist at 1:32 PM PST - 24 comments

It's about time.

It's about time. "Canada and the 33 other governments negotiating the proposed hemispheric free-trade pact finally released a draft version of the deal on Tuesday, almost three months after they made a promise to do so... At a trade ministers' meeting in Buenos Aires the first week of April, Canada pushed for the release of the document, which contains many bracketed sections, or areas on which there is no agreement."
posted by tranquileye at 1:12 PM PST - 1 comment

I guess this cube wasn't sufficiently assimilated.

I guess this cube wasn't sufficiently assimilated. . . . and I was just about to break down and buy one to replace my old 300/G3.
posted by fpatrick at 12:51 PM PST - 30 comments

Beethavean Scottland died last night of head injuries sustained in a boxing last week. Will boxing ever be safe?
posted by dfowler at 12:28 PM PST - 14 comments

Trouble for New Jersey GOP candidate...

Trouble for New Jersey GOP candidate... A candidate's nightmare: a person jumps into the race whose name sounds like theirs? A week after the conservative mayor of Jersey City, Bret Shundler, surprised the experts by winning the GOP primary for governor, it's now clear that a state senator named Schluter will also run as an independent, draining votes from Republicans and, IMHO, delivering the New Jersey statehouse to the Democrats. Schluter is a quirky gadfly at best -- but this is a state where 10-20,000 votes can decide an election.
posted by brucec at 12:01 PM PST - 4 comments

11-year-old files $1M suit against McDonald's for maggot-infested cheeseburger.

11-year-old files $1M suit against McDonald's for maggot-infested cheeseburger. This is in the same league as the woman who got a fried chicken head in her McNuggets a while ago.
posted by dayvin at 11:54 AM PST - 14 comments

Detainees take their lives in China

Detainees take their lives in China Ouyr trading partners---no, not those arrested and being held. Wonder how many body parts can be harvested for the transplant market.
posted by Postroad at 9:55 AM PST - 5 comments

Mordecai Richler dead at 70.

Mordecai Richler dead at 70. Noted Canadian man of letters, political commentator, frequent imbiber and author of "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz," "Solomon Gursky Was Here," "Oh, Canada! Oh, Quebec!," and "Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang." He was undergoing cancer treatment.
posted by galachef55 at 9:31 AM PST - 5 comments

Not embedded in your hand, just your credit card.

Not embedded in your hand, just your credit card. Your Providian VISA with Smart Chip Technology comes with a smart chip that's embedded on the front of the credit card. Soon, a smart chip will let you store information and applications that make shopping easier and more secure. Anyone here a little leary of this kind of "smart"ness? Thoughts?
posted by thunder at 9:30 AM PST - 21 comments

The government is tracking your movements by using metal detectors and store security devices to scan anti-counterfeit threads woven into your money. Fiction or Fact
posted by willnot at 9:19 AM PST - 7 comments

Take your million and shove it!

Take your million and shove it! I saw a VP from HR Block on GMA this morning PLEADING the guy to respond so they could give him a million bucks.
posted by victors at 8:46 AM PST - 13 comments

I just want to know when I will get my hoverboard.

I just want to know when I will get my hoverboard. On July 6, 2001 Transdimensional Technologies, LLC will unveil the next evolutionary step in propulsion. A small prototype "lifter" will rise to the height of four feet without an engine, moving parts, conventional thrust, or propellant. Application of this technology is possible within one year, and a vehicle that is lifted and propelled by this force is possible in three years. Video clip here.
posted by fluxcreative at 8:25 AM PST - 23 comments

"Survivor" meets "Star Trek".

"Survivor" meets "Star Trek". The next tourist in space may be a game-show winner. (Gad.)
posted by Steven Den Beste at 7:57 AM PST - 4 comments

Jennifer Capriati Beats Serena Williams to Keep Her Grand Slam Dreams Alive

Jennifer Capriati Beats Serena Williams to Keep Her Grand Slam Dreams Alive If ever there was a game that see-sawed back and forth, it was this one! Williams took the first set and Capriati looked weak. After being down 5 games to 3 (at love - 30!), Capriati miraculously leapt back and took the second set. The third set was even more tense, as Williams took a bathroom break mid-game! Want to see how it went? Here's the log of the match.
posted by wackybrit at 7:49 AM PST - 35 comments

News from the Field on The Archeology Channel

News from the Field on The Archeology Channel
The Archaeology Channel is a collection of individually submitted reports and presentations of new research in archaeology, in various media formats. This high-tech self-publishing is really popular with archaeologists; it reminds me of Harappa.com. Yet, I don't know of any sites like this.
posted by rschram at 7:27 AM PST - 1 comment

Car rental GPS speeding fines illegal.

Car rental GPS speeding fines illegal. As discussed earlier on MeFi. The state of Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection has determined that "There is no legal ability for them to charge a penalty when there has been no damage." Win one for the little people.
posted by da5id at 5:10 AM PST - 36 comments

the arrogance of wealth

the arrogance of wealth from of all places the notoriously faux-american national post.

"Be nice to business and rich people. They pay the bills."

excuse me, but i don't see any millionaires paying my bills.
posted by will at 3:56 AM PST - 110 comments

July 2

"The great thing about life is every goddamned thing is funny. . . I'm having a nihilistic baby eating festival, I'm having a nihilistic baby eating festival..."

"The great thing about life is every goddamned thing is funny. . . I'm having a nihilistic baby eating festival, I'm having a nihilistic baby eating festival..." Not old enough to by alcohol? Don't know any dealers? Just go to the store and by some cough medicine, start tripping, record yourself and post the clips on the web.... Here's an msnbc story about dextromethorphan abuse.
posted by Espoo2 at 11:20 PM PST - 16 comments

As the expression goes: what one person finds sexy is vulgar to another.

As the expression goes: what one person finds sexy is vulgar to another. This piece form the NY Times (you'll need $#%$#% password!) explores films that contain explicit sex, but have merit beyond their sex appeal. I think it’s refreshing that these directors are not afraid to unapologetically use sex as part of artistic filmmaking and interesting story telling.
posted by Bag Man at 10:22 PM PST - 6 comments

Excuse me Officer, do you have a light?

Excuse me Officer, do you have a light? The topic of Lambeth (a London Borough) taking a softer stance on cannabis use was discussed on MeFi a few weeks ago, but now someone has actually tested it out. The respondants seemed pretty typical of the people in the area (Brixton), but it seems that the Police just completely ignored the reporter as she became increasingly bold in her attempts to get a rise out of them.
posted by davehat at 10:16 PM PST - 10 comments

Ho Hum,

Ho Hum, just the remains of another four thousand year old city discovered on the ocean floor. This one is Harrapan of the Indus Valley which was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India and China. The ruins extend for 9 kilometers and located around 40 metres below the water surface. "Due to geological processes and tectonic events, the entire [Gulf of] Cambay was faulted — taking down with it the then existing part of the river sections and the metropolis"
posted by lagado at 9:50 PM PST - 3 comments

I didn't know you needed a wind tunnel to test those things....

I didn't know you needed a wind tunnel to test those things.... So that's where my tax money is going. I feel much better about NASA now.
posted by christina at 8:34 PM PST - 23 comments

Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking

Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking has rescued 12,801 people worldwide. It's one of those deep (governmental) web sites that are brief, interesting and ad-free. A sample: "On March 31, 2001, the Cospas-Sarsat system detected a 212.5/243.0 MHz distress signal south of Punta Gorda, CA. A single engine Cessna 150 aircraft had crashed. CGD11 launched a helicopter and located the aircraft, nose down in 5-10 feet of water."
posted by Mo Nickels at 6:43 PM PST - 1 comment

Get smart, stay single....

Get smart, stay single....
Single people stay mentally sharper at the end of their lives than those who are married.
I guess it's time to sell your boy/girl friend.
posted by nonharmful at 3:53 PM PST - 20 comments

Microsoft bans use of Open Source

Microsoft bans use of Open Source with its wireless internet tools. Will this be a huge PR blunder, or will people accept MS' hardline stance against this so-called "potentially viral" software?
posted by moz at 1:49 PM PST - 25 comments

Has The Entire American Media Been Bought and Gone To Sleep?

Has The Entire American Media Been Bought and Gone To Sleep? United has decided to call off merging with US Air for fears of Antitrust (competition) objections (from the USDOJ; perhaps the EU as well?). This sort of obvious realization came after months and months of, presumedly, attempting to work around the problem. What I want to know is, when the proposed deal was first announced, where were the objections from commentators and consumer advocates? It's sort of pathetic that United is the first one to speak up on the issue, no?
posted by ParisParamus at 12:36 PM PST - 12 comments

I've found it. The most horrible page on the internet.

I've found it. The most horrible page on the internet. And you thought the Goatse.cx link was bad. Go on, click. I dare ya. (link via BoingBoing)
posted by bondcliff at 11:34 AM PST - 24 comments

When arrogant web-masters attack.

When arrogant web-masters attack. First it was specifying browsers, then came specifying screen dimensions, and now...
Ok if you are having trouble reading my text on my site, i do appologize. But i cannot customize for the entire world!... I dont have a problem reading my text and neither do most people. Like i said before usually adjusting your contrast helps tons. Unless you are one of the few "important" people out there who have your contrast already set to some "wysiwhatchamacallitwig" or whatever :). And for those people there is yet a solution for you 2! ... read the view source. :).
posted by jcterminal at 11:31 AM PST - 24 comments

Terrorists on MeFi!

Terrorists on MeFi!
posted by geronimo_rex at 11:10 AM PST - 22 comments

Australian Man Patents The Wheel

Australian Man Patents The Wheel This story reads as if it was meant to be in The Onion instead. Freelance patent lawyer John Keogh was issued with an Innovation Patent for a "circular transportation facilitation device" ... in May. But he has no immediate plans to patent fire, crop rotation or other fundamental advances in civilisation.
posted by wackybrit at 10:06 AM PST - 9 comments

You Stupid #@$!

You Stupid #@$! In England, children are learning how to swear. What the #@%&? Aren't they learning enough of this #@&! on the street? I believe that the standards for streets smarts have really slipped over the years. Children should be learning their four letter words at the same place they learn about sex, on the street!
posted by aj100 at 10:05 AM PST - 9 comments

Google

Google offers a new service. New for them anyway.
How does everyone think it compares to Yahoo! and other, similar services?
posted by TiggleTaggleTiger at 9:53 AM PST - 12 comments

Judge not; lest ye be judged.

Judge not; lest ye be judged.
posted by geronimo_rex at 9:49 AM PST - 2 comments

9 out of 10 Brit Kids Have Cell Phones...

9 out of 10 Brit Kids Have Cell Phones... and 8 out of 10 have tumors the size of oranges above their right ear. Beer with school lunches and now cell phones for kids?

What happened to tying up the phone line for hours and hours til mom turns red?
posted by jennak at 9:30 AM PST - 7 comments


Ireland is headed downhill David Trimble resigns. Macedonia slides ever closer to Civil War and the Israeli-Palestinian truce is close to collapse. Time to pray.
posted by stbalbach at 8:56 AM PST - 5 comments

Sexy robots.

Sexy robots. Pathetic teenagers. Bitchy news anchors and talking donkeys. What are your favorite web comics? (links refer to Diesel Sweeties, Hound's Home, and When I Grow Up, respectively.)
posted by tweebiscuit at 8:37 AM PST - 39 comments

Here's a flip on the gun debate.

Here's a flip on the gun debate. An Oregon sheriff wants to require every homeowner in his community to keep a gun. Amazingly, similar ordinances are already in effect in other counties, with mixed results.
posted by frykitty at 8:24 AM PST - 29 comments

Stripper, Reinstated.

Stripper, Reinstated. -- The stripper who posed for Playboy and went on national TV after she was kicked off the Cal State Fullerton cross-country team has been offered the chance to wear a Titan uniform once again.
posted by fooljay at 4:49 AM PST - 10 comments

You might not ever get rich

You might not ever get rich ...but let me tell you - it's better than digging a ditch.
Larry Downes in The Standard on the saga of the Suez canal and the 'long-now' view of the Internet.
posted by blackbeltjones at 3:48 AM PST - 8 comments

July 1

Jack Parr is, but Tito Puente isn't.

Jack Parr is, but Tito Puente isn't. Ever wonder if that famous person is dead or alive? Here is the place to look it up. Sorted by name or general occupation, it makes it easy searching for people from the Watergate scandal or the remaining Little Rascals.
posted by Grum at 11:38 PM PST - 4 comments

"Several months ago I wrote a letter to WisDOT requesting your agency consider recalling the vanity license plate IH8GOP that I noticed on a vehicle in the Columbus area. My reason for requesting the recall of this plate is that the message is obscene to those of us who are members of the Republican Party (GOP) and who subscribe to the conservative principles of the party. I never received a response to my letter..."

Political correctness, Hate Speech, Free Speech and the problem of vanity plates at Wisconsin's Department of Transportation.
posted by lagado at 10:07 PM PST - 36 comments

World's Greatest CEO?

World's Greatest CEO? Comparison shopping site MySimon.com had its namesake character animated by Blur studios, and placed into a live-action commercial where he goes to a party and tells everyone how much cheaper they could have gotten various items in attendance. Apparently Frank DiMauro of Chapel Hill, NC didn't like the commercials and told the CEO of the animation studio who really could've cared less what Frank thought. I wish all CEO's had the nutz to reply to jerks like this guy. (Thanx to the Digital Pimps at BadAssMofo for this story and link).
posted by suprfli at 9:17 PM PST - 30 comments

Death sells, but who's buying?

Death sells, but who's buying? An enterprising fellow was so moved by the recent Texas tragedy of a depressed mother killing her five children that he bought the domain name "AndreaYates.com" and put it up for auction on Ebay. Ebay, that bastion of good taste , eventually pulled the auction.
posted by Oriole Adams at 8:48 PM PST - 0 comments - Post a Comment

Fox News - neither fair nor balanced

Fox News - neither fair nor balanced My problem with them is not that there's a "conservative" news network (the more the merrier), its that they pass themselves off as "fair and balanced" when they aren't.
posted by owillis at 7:12 PM PST - 49 comments

Cultural popcorn

Cultural popcorn

Everybody's got their indulgences-- maybe it's an impressively bad tv show, a blatently comercial film you've watched dozens of times or the upteeth sequel of a good book by a lazy author. What's your cultural big mac? What can't you admit you love?
posted by christina at 6:36 PM PST - 101 comments


Happy Canada Day. Canuck nation 134 years old today.
posted by brantstrand at 5:46 PM PST - 15 comments

Death in threes?

Death in threes? Jonno pointed it out about six weeks ago, and I thought to myself that he was right. But man, the deaths are coming thick and fast now. The score, for those of us playing along at home, is: Musicians' deaths, 3 (John Lee Hooker, Chet Atkins and Joe Henderson), actors' deaths: 2 (Carroll O'Connor, Jack Lemmon) and Net folks' deaths, 2 (Jim Ellis and Michael Hauben. (Boozoo Chavis' passing, noted by fooljay, could be totted up in the musicians' column as well. Anthony Quinn and Joan Sims could go in the actors' column, if (like harrycaul and wackybrit, you were so inclined.)
posted by allaboutgeorge at 5:32 PM PST - 5 comments

Mortimer Adler Dies

Mortimer Adler Dies at the age of 98. He founded the Great Books programs that many colleges adopted and believed that ones education never stops.
posted by vanderwal at 5:20 PM PST - 8 comments

Monster.com parent buys HotJobs.

Monster.com parent buys HotJobs. TMP, the parent company of Monster.com, has acquired HotJobs for $460 million in stock. Although they plan to maintain HotJobs as a "stand-alone brand" the jobs and resume databases will be merged. I'm really skeptical -- virtually everyone I know searched both Monster and HotJobs, and posted resumes on both places, so what are they really getting but duplication? (HotJobs used to have a very distinctive approach -- no headhunters, in short -- but it had backed off of that recently.)
posted by MattD at 3:51 PM PST - 5 comments

Make love not war.

Make love not war. Amoung humans closest relatives, these monkeys solve conflict by makeing love. A lot. Female dominate society they have no homicide and tensions in the group are non existent.
posted by stbalbach at 11:47 AM PST - 17 comments

$145 million

$145 million in a search for evidence of Big Bangs! So far the popular vote indicates most are in favor of the spending--whatever the cnn data is worth. Am I the only one who'd prefer it spent on my undergrad work, or even biosciences research?
posted by greyscale at 10:21 AM PST - 20 comments

Evolutionary psychology anyone?

Evolutionary psychology anyone? It seems that more males are born during (and just after) wars and more females are born during peacetime. Adaptive group evolution or just speculative extrapolation? Jim Holt of Linguafranca explains.
posted by kliuless at 9:36 AM PST - 11 comments

Grammy winning saxophonist Joe Henderson Dies

Grammy winning saxophonist Joe Henderson Dies Truely a one of a kind player, Joe Henderson died Saturday at the age of 64. Having had the honor to play with Joe Henderson a couple times while in college, he was truely gifted. He could say something profound in two notes, and you'd go "yeah, that's it". You'll be missed Joe.
posted by ericdano at 6:19 AM PST - 2 comments

Guitarist, musical icon Chet Atkins dies at 77

Guitarist, musical icon Chet Atkins dies at 77 Chet Atkins, whose guitar style influenced a generation of rock musicians even as he helped develop an easygoing country style to compete with it, died Saturday. He was 77. "And another bites the dust."
posted by bjgeiger at 5:04 AM PST - 1 comment

FEMA for kids! Let Herman the spokescrab guide you through the catalog of potentially civilization ending disasters.

FEMA for kids! Let Herman the spokescrab guide you through the catalog of potentially civilization ending disasters. Education is great. Entertaining your kids on cabin fevered summer days is better. I have friends that when they bring their young buck over send him to my computer to play the kiddie offerings at nick.com (sorry dead link this time o' night it seems). But I can just hear the sunburned Minnesota five year old who's been overly femafied asking mommy after her bedtime story, "August is hurricane season. Is it windy now because we're going to have a hurricane?" Mom strokes child's hair, "No, here we're only prone to devastating thunderstorms, tornadoes, floods, kidcicle causing cold and blizzards. Now you have sweet dreams and quit worrying about ridiculous things like that. 'Night." Like of course, a kid that age would really find the FEMA website riveting to begin with. . .
posted by crasspastor at 4:11 AM PST - 9 comments