April 4, 2002
Well
Petswarehouse.com sues those who criticize its customer service
Petswarehouse.com sues those who criticize its customer service on an aquarium-related e-list, then sues the defendants' legal defense fund and those who contribute to it. The defendants are forced to settle because they can't afford to continue their defense. More here and here.
A Refreshing Change of Pace for everyone with an opinion about Isreal/Palestine.
A Refreshing Change of Pace for everyone with an opinion about Isreal/Palestine. The Middle East Conflict - Has it Been Engineered by Extremist Rightwing Christians and Zionists Hoping to "Force" the "Rapture"? Sounds crazy, looks crazy...but the suggestions are not made on the basis of paranoia alone, unfortunately. The fact that the Americans involved are very religious (and Isreal being the location of a few scheduled divine appearances) is an obviously important but consistantly avoided side of this pile of conflict. So how crazy is this article? Isn't it just a bit naïve to think this is just a big property argument with some jewish/muslim tension thrown in? Hey, as long as we can't decide whether Arafat or Sharon is worse than the other, we may as well discuss something else in the meantime...or discuss something totally unrelated in this thread, for a refreshing change of pace.
(From the reputable, extensive and fascinating news website, unknownnews.net)
As the violence in the Middle East escalates, and Arab anger grows over American support of Israel (especially among the masses), is another oil embargo possible?
Oil may be the Arab world's daily bread, but it's also its only weapon — if, say, Arafat is killed or Israel goes too far in its incursions into Palestinian territories, popular sentiment in the already-shaky local regimes could force Arab governments to put up a show of defiance to calm their constituencies.
Capital Wars!
Capital Wars! The US Defense Department wants all large foreign acquisitions of American companies to be approved by a secretive national security committee, a move designed to restrict access to sensitive US technology. Valid measure to protect national security or a return to mercantilism? (via drudge :)
Free the metric martyrs!
Free the metric martyrs! Hate "compulsory metrication"? Join the crowd. Well, not a crowd, per se; more of a gaggle. Historical metrology goes to a lot of weird places, including the Prussian inch and the Dozenal Societies of Great Britain and America.
Bill Gates fooled by Quebec radio station.
Bill Gates fooled by Quebec radio station. He may be the world's richest man, but that didn't prevent Bill Gates from falling for an April Fool's Day joke by two Quebec radio comics pretending to be Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
The art of Jeremy Phillips.
"He's not gay, and the judge so ruled,"
"He's not gay, and the judge so ruled," says Bert Fields, attorney for Tom Cruise. Yes folks, Tom Cruise is now the world's only legal heterosexual. While this is old news, I've always been fascinated with how much zeal Cruise prosecutes these allegations. This case, though, is unique in that the ruling in favor of Cruise contains a stipulation which states that Cruise is not, nor ever has he ever been, gay. In other words, Tom's heterosexuality is now enforced by the courts. Should we, the moviegoing public, now file a class-action lawsuit to force Cruise to publicly prove his unique legal status as a compulsory heterosexual? Would Tom being a backdoor boy really damage your enjoyment of his movies, as Cruise seems to think? Just how stupid do Hollywood stars and their publicists think we are? Discuss.
Yuri's Night
Yuri's Night is more than 100 parties on the same night around the world, on every continent including Antarctica, April 12, 2002. What's to celebrate? The 41st anniversary of the suborbital flight of Yuri Gagarin, and the 21st anniversary of the first space shuttle flight, a fitting tribute to two great space milestones. Is there a party in your city? Set one up! I only read about last year's (initiated for the 40th/20th), but I'm going to try to go this year. There are, of course, even moe 40th anniversaries of significant space events to come. [tip o' the hat to Rand Simberg, who has even more provocative stuff in his FoxNews.com column -- like relocating Israel to the Moon. And he's serious.]
Where Is The Other Half ?
Where Is The Other Half ? An intriguing analysis of what Prime Minister Sharon said and didnt, in his latest speech, and wether thats all he can say because of his background.
What does "winning" mean? What will happen after we "win"? What kind of plan does he have for the day after? This performance of Arik, King of Israel, was like shouting: Remember the emperor without clothes? That's me!
What does "winning" mean? What will happen after we "win"? What kind of plan does he have for the day after? This performance of Arik, King of Israel, was like shouting: Remember the emperor without clothes? That's me!
"Sober Companions"
"Sober Companions" or "Minders"are basically high-priced babysitters for celebrities with drug or alcohol problems. At $2500 a day, would you be willing to watch over, say, Yasmine Bleeth?
Meet the Athens Olympics mascots.
Meet the Athens Olympics mascots. I'm not sure when Olympics sites started adopting cartoony mascots, but I'm sure of this much: This pair is the worst I've ever seen. They're supposed to represent Greek gods? Please. They look like they were drawn in about five minutes.
Bush plays peacemaker.
Bush plays peacemaker. Having refused to honor several international treaties since taking office, the Bush administration sees itself as a legitimate peace broker. Opinions solicited, is this likely to improve the situation or cause it to deteriorate further?
Harmful to Minors
Harmful to Minors In the introduction to her book she writes that " 'Harmful to Minors' launches from two negatives: Sex is not ipso facto harmful to minors; and America's drive to protect kids from sex is protecting them from nothing. Instead, often it is harming them." Is she right, some think she is just evil.
Not JJG, but an incredible simulation? Could the Josh Joplin Group be a front for MetaFilter's own jjg? Here's a clue: the band has two web sites, and one of them has a haiku section.
Another trip into TV Hell.
Another trip into TV Hell. In the UK we're much kinder to bad television -- shows will go on for weeks without an audience and often get comissioned for second series before someone releases they're awful (yes you 'Let Them Eat Cake' -- if that French and Saunder monstrosity had been on UStv it would have been cancelled after two episodes -- if it had been comissioned at all). 'Off The Telly' considers all the things prospective television producers need to avoid if they're going to create something they're proud of. Does anyone else have any bad examples?
What's grosser than gross? Ask a nurse.
What's grosser than gross? Ask a nurse. On this nursing bulletin board, nurses who have to deal with really disgusting stuff in the course of their day-to-day work reveal what even they have difficulty handling. Sputum and stinky feet are both more popular choices than I would have guessed. If you're brave, read the whole thread, including such gems as extremely overweight folks who hide foot items in the folds of their flesh. [WARNING: not for the faint of stomach, even though it's all text, no pictures.] I won't mention details of the dog story...
Indiana woman sues doctor for cost of raising her daughter.
Indiana woman sues doctor for cost of raising her daughter. She says the doctor botched the operation to sterilize her, so he should pay up. A lower court has already ruled for her, and it is now in front of the Indiana Supreme Court. I did not know this, but California, New Mexico, Oregon and Wisconsin already have given people the right to costs of child rearing in these circumstances. The first this that comes to my mind is: do you think a child put in this situation would feel unwanted?
Gay Food.
Gay Food. Hot Dogs: No; Pigs-In-A-Blanket: Yes. (From Slate.com)
A soundtrack to MTV's The Osbournes
A soundtrack to MTV's The Osbournes is in the making starting with this...Ozzy Osbourne's youngest daughter, Kelly Osbourne, will sing Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach," with Incubus guitarist Mike Einzinger and drummer Jose Pasillas as her backing band.What other songs would you put on there?
Antidote to the Liberal Monotone: Blogging
Antidote to the Liberal Monotone: Blogging After reading MetaFilter for a while, I would assume that blogging ticks off all people, left and right, equally. Does exposure like this on a major Op-Ed page show that blogging is on the verge of becoming something big?
Why Are Ventriloquists' Dummies So Damn Scary?
Why Are Ventriloquists' Dummies So Damn Scary? Their annual Convention is this July. Don't go there! Their web site reads like a nightmare. The kind that makes Night of the Living Dead look like Rebecca From Sunnybrook Farm. But why? I'm curious and can't find an answer anywhere. Why are ventriloquists and their dummies so damn scary? Someone please tell me what's wrong with this monkey! He's...he's only wood...right?[Via Bonny Burton's guest weblog over on Boing Boing]
Understanding what makes America tick
Understanding what makes America tick "The belief that America is exceptional, in the double sense that it is superior and that it is different...The United States had a mission, a manifest destiny, to change the world in its image. This conviction echoes down through American history....Other countries—France, Britain, Russia—have from time to time in their history felt a sense of mission, of carrying their civilisation to other peoples and territories. But in their cases it has been episodic and not deeply rooted—usually limited to when their power was at its zenith and usually clearly recognisable as a rationalisation for what they were doing for other reasons. In the case of the United States, it has been constant and central." [Centre of Independent Studies in Sydney via aldaily] American Exceptionalism. Mix it with sole super power status and massive military might. Should make it quite an intoxicating ride these next few years.
Kalakala.org:
Kalakala.org: World-famous art-deco Seattle ferry (most recently an abandoned Alaskan shrimp factory) rescued from rusty oblivion.
Gutenberg's earlier post about "ghost pictures" on the old ferry Kalakala sent me looking for more info on the vessel, which I now know was once the second most photographed object in the world, next to the Eiffel tower. Volunteers are now slowly restoring it near Gas Works Park. Cool.
E Street Band guitarist and erstwhile Sopranos star Little Steven is launching a syndicated radio show to be centered around garage rock of the '60's plus latter day punk as well according to this story. Steve's own site includes some great live reviews and excellent garage rock links . I, for one, am really looking forward to hearing this show. Good luck, Steve.
End of Everything?
End of Everything? Yes, going for the true trifecta, but in a comprehensive way. There's more here about how it all will/might/could end than you can go through in a lifetime, so maybe it won't all ever end after all! This Week in Failed Apocalyptic Predictions is particularly instructive.
end of porn on the internet? Since 1997 the number of "sex" related internet searches is down by %50.
end of the worlds forests?
end of the worlds forests? are there other very important issues for the world that are slipping by us while the we are caught up with the problems in the middle east the the "war on terror"? should there be US leadership in this area?
The Death of Saturday Morning Cartoons. Old news? Kind of, as the decline of Big Network cartoons has been happening for a while. However, as a Generation X-er, I'm wondering if it's possible to have a comparable shared-common-experience these days as digital cable and the internet widen our options into smaller, hyper-specific choices. Roots, Shooting JR, the last MASH, Live Aid: would these still have the same impact today?
Woman prisoner hangs self, then sues prison
Woman prisoner hangs self, then sues prison Suicide note found near body tells her lawyer to sue the prison for not preventing her suicide.
Japanese Devils
Japanese Devils is a documentary featuring 14 veterans of the Imperial Army testifying to their brutal participation in Japan's 15-year war against China. Director Matsui Minoru presents a powerful historical record of these soldiers' individual crimes, helping to break Japan's long silence about its wartime atrocities in China.
Please also see Iris Chang's "The Rape of Nanking'' and be aware that the Japanese government is still whitewashing their brutal WWII history via school textbooks. We must understand the truth of history so that we are not doomed to repeat it.
Please also see Iris Chang's "The Rape of Nanking'' and be aware that the Japanese government is still whitewashing their brutal WWII history via school textbooks. We must understand the truth of history so that we are not doomed to repeat it.
Lego Serious Play
Lego Serious Play "is the first application of Lego for the serious world of adults at work. The method combines 'play' and Lego bricks for the purpose of enhancing business performance." Cute.
Carmelite nuns in Indy respond to the child sex abuse cases
Carmelite nuns in Indy respond to the child sex abuse cases currently plaguing the Church. (from NPR) Great to see the perspective of the other half of the Holy Orders - these nuns are ballsy and discard the notion of the (Roman Catholic) Church as a superpower. The dedication of nuns always blows my mind - and breaks the mean-ol'-bitch stereotypes that linger in my head... ...meanwhile the Archdiocese of New York gives a D. A. abuse accusation records from the past 30 years (from NYTimes - requires login, etc.)
"Julia Child and a few of her male compatriots got together and literally cooked up a shark repellent"
"Julia Child and a few of her male compatriots got together and literally cooked up a shark repellent" The "Clandestine Women" exhibit at the Women in Military Service to America Memorial (Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, DC) tells how the French Chef, as well as Josephine Baker and many others, used to work for American intelligence.
Ghetto Airlines
Ghetto Airlines - they fly all over this bitch
As a Denver news staple dies, he keeps a blog.
As a Denver news staple dies, he keeps a blog. Oh man, get the kleenex.
They see dead people.
They see dead people. Seattle's own floating monument to a bygone era, the ferryboat Kalakala, is rumored to be haunted. The members of A.G.H.O.S.T. investigated earlier this year and claim they caught spectral images on film. Are those hazy orbs actually visitors from the spirit realm or does someone just need a new camera? Go on, tell us—do you believe in ghosts?
Hmmmmm - Beer....
Hmmmmm - Beer.... Genuine need or Science gone mad?
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