May 31, 2005
Wi-Fi in church
Write email, surf the web, and IM that pretty young thing over across the aisle. While being saved!
Deep Throat revealed
W. Mark Felt, then the number two man at the FBI, was Deep Throat. The story came out in a rather odd way. The Washington Post was going to posthumously name him, but he revealed himself to the press. The Post confirms the story. Oh well, it would have been too poetic for it to have been Al Haig or Pat Buchanan.
May 30, 2005
Disease of the day
Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome. As my friend Keith points out, it's weird that an inability to process certain amino acids makes you want to eat yourself...
Social Security solution to the "problem"
Well, we completely ignore the real healthcare problem and focus on the fake social security problem... Someone with a lot invested in the Social Security system is offering up his solution. Mild tax increases and small benefit reductions. But I fear logic is being used where it does not apply.
May 29, 2005
Asia's missing women
For quite some time, population surveys have shown that there are as many as about 100 million missing women in Asia. By missing, we mean that they do not show up as adults. They may have, in recent years, been selectively aborted, or, as has been going on for centuries, killed at or shortly after birth. However, some new work may offer a less hateful explanation of at least some of the missing women.
May 27, 2005
The continuing Cross Lander story
I had seen articles about these Romanian trucks coming to the US about 3-4 years ago. Course I never saw an actual truck. A little about why this is the case is here. I wish those guys good luck, even without air bags, since my antipathy towards SUVs is directed towards ones that aren't needed. These really do sound like the trucks that people will take off-roads. Anyway...
May 26, 2005
Bud Foote, RIP
One of my favorite professors from when I was an undergraduate, Bud Foote, has passed away. He taught the relatively infamous English Lit class on Science Fiction and is one of the promoters of Science Fiction within the academy. When he retired he also donated his 8000 volume collection of books and magazines to the university library.
- Obituary in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- His book collection, with other donations/expansions.
- A little bit about the donation.
- Bud being interviewed on CNN about 2001 as 2001 began.
- A good interview by Bud Foote of Kim Stanley Robinson.
- Review of his book placing Twain into the history of science fiction writing, and in particular creating the "two-way time travel" motif.
- The book, The Connecticut Yankee in the Twentieth Century, appears to be available online here in full text.
- His other book is a chapbook of poetry.
- Haven't found anything online of the Great Speckled Bird articles or music (though he is credited on Pete Seeer's Clearwater).
"Never argue with a man who is convinced the earth is flat. You have thought about why it is round for maybe five minutes. He spends every waking minute thinking up arguments that it is flat, and he believes if only he could convince everyone, then the problems of the world would be solved" - Bud Foote
Store Wars
If you haven't seen it yet, you have to. Store Wars! Join the organic rebellion...
North America originally populated by 70 persons
...who crossed over the land bridge from asia as measured by DNA tracings of modern Native Americans and modern Asian populations.
Too wild for Zurich
Here in the Twin Cities, we've had various Peanuts characters on display around St. Paul. Snoppy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, and did I miss one?
Anyhow, Zurich was going to do the same with a kinda generic bear (unless the bear is deep symbol for numbered bank accounts) with various paint jobs. But, one of the bears was a bit too much. Best part, the "first class service" label on it.
Did Linus have a year of statues as well? Darn it, my memory is fading.
May 24, 2005
Wal-Mart and Vlasic Pickles
So, I bought a gallon of Vlasic pickles from Wal-Mart. You're right, it's evil to shop there and just generally wrong. I was motivated to get the pickles by an article that originally appeared Fast Company (a generally silly magazine, but I do occasionally look at it, if I'm stuck on an airline flight with few other magazines) detailing the hurdles Vlasic (and other companies) have to pass in order to do business with Wal-Mart.
So, I bought a gallon of those pickles ($2.50), and also some sliced pickles to make up for it (see the article), and will document their existence. Hopefully my twin gals and I will eat them all before they turn fuzzy. Pictures forthcoming!
May 23, 2005
Blame Canada! No, no, no, Newsweek!
Who else could be responsible for all that hatred?
As there is once again sunlight in Minnesota...
Sunshine may (indirectly) reduce some cancer risks.
Major police action in Zimbabwe
It appears as though street vendors are a serious threat now to Mugabe. 10,000 arrests since Wednesday though sounds even more serious. Look near the end of the article also for what Morgan Tsvangirai has to say. Wonder if Wal-Mart is starting to think about wiping out flea markets, garage (and tag) sales, and ebay as well?
May 21, 2005
May 18, 2005
Masoud's killers convicted
Four more of the logistical support people behind Ahmed Shah Masoud's assasination were convicted in Paris. Seems like short sentences for murder.
Masoud would have been the ideal post-Taliban unifier in Afghanistan, and it's hard to not assume that his murder was intimately tied to the 9/11 plot. He would have been the clear US-backed leader to go after Bin Laden and the Taliban after the attacks.
May 17, 2005
Who would have guessed?
Military families suffer from a high rate of child abuse deaths. Violence at work = violence at home? The type of person willing to fight for the empire is also willing to beat their child?
Star Wars and the American experience
An evil dictator, a war built on false principles, the senate cheering for the loss of democracy, "with me or against me," and the scapegoating of minority groups. Is it Star Wars or is it the news?
May 16, 2005
Bush, believe it or not, positively compared himself to FDR
Afer everyone finished laughing, they thought about the old right's fascination with rethinking the Yalta (and Tehran (and Atlantic)) Conference(s) of World War II. I'm not convinced Slate did a strong enough response to this Dubya historical revisionism, but it's a good read. Will the States survive these lunatics? Stay tuned and find out.
"Piano Man" in England (Okay, I admit it, I don't have a TV and 89.3 has gotten me listening to the news a whole lot less, so I haven't been overloaded with coverage of this)
Guy in his 20s or 30s is found on a beach, soaking wet, in a suit and tie. He is an excellent piano player, but doesn't speak. No one has yet identified him. Hugh Grant to star in the film adaptation.
Good NYT graphic on How Class Works in America
It's kinda scary where I live on this plot. No further comments.
Wine and the Supreme Court
Supreme Court strikes down laws banning interstate wine sales. Is there something in the constitution about interstate commerce? It overturns NY State and Michigan laws.
Good discussion on gay gay-bashing politicos
On Plastic.com. James West, mayor of Spokane, WA has been infamous for his anti-gay initiatives. But guess what? Most recent in a long line...
May 15, 2005
The new house pet? 1/2 African Serval and 1/2 domestic cat?
I think my little ones would love to have one! The new trendy pet for the superwealthy. Banned in NYC! Beautiful looking cats I think.
Article on escaping from disasters
Interesting piece on the "freeze" reflex and how it is unsuccessful in critical situations. The big examples are 9/11 WTC evacuations (much slower than predicted, many people sat around for 30 minutes or more before trying to leave) and the Tenerife air disaster (commercial airliners are supposed to be evacuatable in 90 seconds (even with some exits destroyed and debris inside the plane) but only 60-70 out of 370 escaped in one minute in that disaster).
Thinking about this further, it's probably not that much of a surprise, and on my next airline flight I promise to spend some time thinking about what an evacuation would look like. 90 seconds to get everyone off of the plane?
May 14, 2005
May 13, 2005
More on the Pope's days in Nazi Germany
I have mixed feelings about the article from the Chronicle. It seems to raise both serious and minor issues without distinguishing between them, but it does make clear the lack of de-Nazification in this person's case.
MOVE anniversary
Twenty years ago now, the Philly police dropped a bomb on the MOVE group/cult/movement/whatever, killed adults and children, and burned the neighborhood down. Probably a bad idea, but of course no one has been imprisoned for murdering those kids. This article claims that the police fired 10,000 rounds into the building during the standoff, seems high to me, but I'm tired so I'll let someone else google the details.
May 12, 2005
Tastes like chicken? Tastes like human?
Tofu fake human flesh. Fake article, you think?
Aardman, Cleese, Wallace, Gromit, and Cannes
Read all about it in the BBC News. John Cleese will write the next feature film, a tale of the French and the English which explores the origin of the English Channel! But before that, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit!
May 11, 2005
The slavery theme
Millions are still in slavery around the world. And it looks as though the profit in trafficked people still is made in Europe and the States. $31B annually!
Ooops! Flying over the wrong white house
Guess these folks got a bit lost. Seems as though the security folks were on the case. After all, a Cessna can travel, what, like 170 miles per hour? (Hmmm...was just looking at a car review for the 300C SRT which can go over 170mph as well. Though there are crash barriers...) And only one Cessna has ever been crashed into the White House.
Party update/invites
For those who have been reading the blog, but hadn't gotten a party invite (heck, I don't even know you all is reading this)... I hold an annual (well, most years) 4th of July party, some people come in from out of town, other folks in town come over for a meal (or two) and a drink (or twelve). This year we'll be having at least one musical act, but no karaoke, good beer and wine, but no Miller Lite, and everyone is invited. So, mark your calendars, and email me if you'd like the official invitation, but you're invited anyway, more details will follow...
May 10, 2005
Some Abu Ghraib backstory
Of course this is all about the low-level scapegoats, but it provides an interesting picture of dating, army-style.
Where are your papers, citizen?
Join the discussion on the US national ID card at plastic.com.
May 09, 2005
Cargo cults
Just something I was thinking about the other day...
Discussion of the "John Frum" cult.
The new SAT
Well, there's now an essay section to the SAT. However, its grading has been figured out! Long essays with fake facts get the best scores. Quantity. Definitely not quality. You have 25 minutes to write 500-600 words to get yourself the top score. Is this how we want people to write? (Okay, I'm writing a blog, so perhaps I'm not the best critic...)
May 08, 2005
Drinking makes you smarter?
As well as better looking? One study says so. Or at least that alcohol stimulates brain cell production in mice...
May 07, 2005
A good reason to watch the salon.com advertisement (Richard Dawkins)
As salon.com says, "Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins explains why God is a delusion, religion is a virus, and America has slipped back into the Dark Ages." a very good interview. Go ahead and watch the little advert and get free access to salon for a time.
May 06, 2005
Molly's eyes?
Cyberpunk fashion accessory coming soon. Artificial eyes connected into the brain.
Ugly kids get less care
At least in one study. In the supermarket. But without socioeconomic effects removed. Obviously such a study gets a lot of press.
May 05, 2005
Niger anti-slavery activist jailed...
...for fraud since slavery doesn't exist in Niger. Right. The BBC webpage also has links back to the news articles in early March when the freedom ceremony was to be held, and was cancelled due to "lack of slavery."
Electric car to make world record attempt
Though I wish the state of Nevada would close roads for me as well! Built by a couple of Brits using home equity loans! They're aiming for 300mph.
The previous record holder appears to have been powered by AA batteries---do a search and all, but I'm guessing it was a commercial-connection for one of the battery companies. Still, the energy density of batteries that you can get at the store is getting pretty high. Check out how light the lithium primary cells are. I use them in my camera flash and it lightens the whole unit significantly compared to NiCad cells.
May 04, 2005
At least someone else is doing the torturing for us...
In Iraq, the new police are carrying on the human rights abuses. With rolemodels like ours, who is to blame them?
May 03, 2005
666 vs. 616
For the heavy metal fans and Heinlein readership, the number of the beast might not be 666. Of course this is predicated on a whole belief system and so-forth. Okay, I won't go into that...