busy, busy, busy

2006-11-14T02:24:00.000-06:00

Chemical Brothers "Believe"

I know I've posted this one before, but it has since disappeared. I decided to put it up again because, 1) it's a freaking rad video and, 2) it pretty well sums up how I feel about my day-to-day life.

Ditto for this one.

Massive Attack "Angel"

2006-11-11T23:27:00.000-06:00

Best band... ever?

I think a two-and-a-half month long "blogging" hiatus is long enough. I have chosen to break my silence to ask a simple question: Is (was) Man or... Astro-man? the greatest band ever? I have my suspicions. Let us see...

9 Volt

Theme from Eeviac

Don´t Think What Jack

Lo Batt

The Miracle Of Genuine Pyrex

Tesla coil (not a song, an actual Tesla coil, on stage, which I think seals the deal)

Between the tesla coil and the flaming TV set headpiece, as well as the fucking ass-kicking and truly righteous nature of the rock, I think it is safe to say: Man or... Astro-man? is (was) the greatest band ever.

Thank you.

2006-08-21T19:32:00.000-05:00

Imagine a universe in which our Dear Leader conjures up an imaginary world to support his own crumbling pseudo-reality.

The mind reels...

2006-08-20T13:03:00.000-05:00

Films you need to see

Velvet Goldmine [NSFW]

Pi

I (Heart) Huckabees

Equilibrium

2006-08-14T18:59:00.000-05:00

Natacha Atlas - Leysh Nat'arak

2006-08-13T18:43:00.000-05:00

"Tough day. Great opportunity."

Fucking brilliant.

2006-08-10T06:33:00.000-05:00

Best headline ever.

Truck spills penguins, octopus onto highway

"Marshall, Texas — A truck transporting zoo animals overturned Tuesday, spilling 24 penguins, an octopus and tropical fish along a highway near Marshall, authorities said.

'We had a penguin wreck,' said Department of Public Safety Trooper Richard Buchanan. 'They were thrown out into a ditch and in the roadway.'

Three penguins that landed in the highway were killed by oncoming traffic and one died in the crash, authorities said. Another penguin suffered a broken wing.

The driver, Kelly Hodge, 34, and passenger Tammy Root both sustained minor scratches and bruises, police said. Root was taken to a local hospital for treatment and released, authorities said.

Most of the fish lived and the octopus appeared unharmed, officials said. The octopus and fish were traveling in plastic bags, and some fish died when the bags burst, Buchanan said."

2006-08-09T12:05:00.000-05:00

Oh my...

While I think a film about Philip K. Dick would be a wonderful thing, I find myself really hoping this is some sort of prank. I mean, I could see the president from "Independence Day" maybe pulling off a somewhat reasonable performance as PKD, but please consider the director's last great achievement was this (he's the guy singing, by the way):

I do not have high hopes. To say the very least.

What next?

"Love All the People, a biopic about the life of comedian and social philosopher Bill Hicks, starring Cary Elwes (Ella Enchanted) and directed by El DeBarge, best known for his 1984 hit song 'Rhythm Of The Night'".

2006-08-09T12:01:00.000-05:00

For when the metal ones decide to come for you.

And the robots will come for us.

2006-08-01T22:06:00.000-05:00

2006-08-01T18:47:00.000-05:00

Let's go for a stroll...

via Jason, one of the funniest damn things I have ever experienced...

2006-07-31T07:30:00.000-05:00

Monday morning videos

A couple great songs with goofy videos to get your week started.

Wolf Parade "Shine A Light"

Les Savy Fav "We'll Make A Lover of You"

2006-07-31T07:11:00.000-05:00

Another damn book meme

1. One book that changed your life?
A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn.

2. One book you have read more than once?
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller

3. One book you would want on a desert island?
The Lord of the Rings.

4. One book that made you laugh?
Love All the People by Bill Hicks.

5. One book that made you cry?
Once again, The Lord of the Rings. Every damn time. Also, again, Love All the People by Bill Hicks.

6. One book you wish had been written?
Anything by Philip K. Dick after 1982.

7. One book you wish had never had been written?
Anything by Ann Coulter. Or maybe the Bible...

8. One book you are currently reading?
Newton's Wake by Ken MacLeod (You'd better get with it Mac, it's pretty darn good!)

9. One book you have been meaning to read?
Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon

10. Now tag five people.
Maggie, Jason...

2006-07-23T20:31:00.000-05:00

Because I feel bad about subjecting y'all to that Full House musical monstrosity (no apologies for the Brady Bunch clip, I'm sure somebody out there deserved that one), here are a few pieces that I hope will take the pain away.

Portishead "Roads" Chills down the spine...

Sigur Ros "Untitled #1 (Vaka)"

TV on the Radio "Staring at the Sun"

2006-07-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

Lady in the Water

To hell with the critics, just see it. If you enjoy Shyamalan's other films, you will enjoy this one. He may not be the next Kubrick, but he tells great stories.

There also was a preview for Darren Aronofsky's The Fountain, which looks to be truly glorious.

If you're really into Radiohead, the new Thom Yorke record is pretty interesting. I don't see myself listening to it all the time, but it's definitely good listening-to-while-doing-stuff-around-the-house music.

Enough blabbling! On with the bad music videos!

The Asssault of the Sit-com Musical Numbers:

Sorry, one more Brady Bunch atrocity...

2006-07-19T20:03:00.000-05:00

The Chemical Brothers "Believe"

Aphex Twin "Come to Daddy"

2006-07-17T21:40:00.000-05:00

Taking the pain away

Caribou "Pelican Narrows"

The Decemberists "Sixteen Military Wives"

Cibo Matto "Sugar Water"

Cornelius "Fly"

The Silver Jews "Punks in the Beerlight"

Prefuse 73 "The End of Biters"

2006-07-16T18:55:00.000-05:00

It's time to bring the pain in

It's like "We Didn't Start the Fire" with truthiness and far worse music.

Transhumanism has come a long way.

Wholesome entertainment.

This is why I'm glad to be going to Hell.

I'm almost sorry for this one.

What did the people on Venus do to deserve this?

2006-07-14T17:38:00.000-05:00

Gnarls Barkley "Crazy"

2006-07-01T10:06:00.000-05:00

4th of July Tag Party (via TfK):

Instructions:
1. Go to Wikipedia.
2. In the search box, type your birth month and day (but not year).
3. List three important events that happened on your birthday.
4. List two interesting birthdays and one interesting death.
5. List one holiday or observance (if none, make one up).

Events:
1794 - Whiskey Rebellion begins: Farmers in the Monongahela Valley of Pennsylvania rebel against the federal tax on liquor and distilled drinks.
1945 - President Harry Truman announces the successful bombing of Hiroshima with an atomic bomb while returning from the Potsdam Conference aboard the heavy cruiser USS Augusta (CA-31) in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
1976 - Viking program: Viking 2 enters into orbit around Mars.

Birthdays:
1779 - Carl Ritter, German geographer (d. 1859)
1942 - Garrison Keillor, American writer and radio host
(bonus birthday)1960 - David Duchovny, American actor
(super bonus birthday)1975 - Charlize Theron, South African actress (same year, too!)

Death:
1106 - Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor (b. 1050)

Observance:
Roman Catholicism - the feasts of at least 15 saints.

2006-06-26T06:32:00.000-05:00

Monday Morning Videos

Bjork "Triumph of a Heart"
Quite possibly the best video ever.

Man or... Astro-man? "The Miracle of Genuine Pyrex"
Quite possibly the greatest band ever.

2006-05-28T07:56:00.000-05:00

Holy Ghost Enemas and Buttkissers

2006-05-25T08:57:00.000-05:00

Finally...

...some good news: Mac is back!

2006-05-25T03:39:00.000-05:00

Wide awake

Work this week has been, shall we say, quite challenging. Today, in fact, was a fucking nightmare; so much so that I can't sleep. I can't talk about it, unfortunately, but I'm sure you'll be reading all about it in the local media in the not-too-distant future. Even the one pleasant engagement I had today was marred by a flat fucking tire.

Is it Friday yet?

So, I'm awake and watching music videos. Because I want to feel like I'm doing something constructive, I present to you five videos I've stumbled upon so far.

Wolf Parade "Modern World"

The Black Angels "The First Vietnam War"

The Shins "So Says I"

Pinback "Fortress"

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros "Redemption Song"

Good night.

2006-05-21T10:32:00.000-05:00

Behold the atheist's nightmare

...brain liposuction? Huh?

Someone should fill in Mikey Seaver's little buddy on the history of agriculture, specifically that the banana he is ~~fellating~~ holding is the product of centuries of cultivation and selection by humans. While someone is at it, they may also want to let him know that his "atheist's nightmare" comes in many different varieties, many of which would fail one or more of his "proofs" that the banana is a Divine Creation Made Just for Man to Eat.

But maybe, just maybe, we shouldn't utterly destroy the man's pride and withhold the fact that he's basing his entire proof of God's Glorious Creation by peeling the banana the wrong way.

The whole of creation testifies to the genius of God? Since we're talking food, what about pineapples? Coconuts? And jumping out of the realm of food, what about the "genius" of covering over seventy-percent of this planet's surface with a substance in which we cannot breathe (and the vast majority of which we cannot even drink)? Good one, God!

Oh yeah: the "Big Bang" didn't happen in space. It formed space.

And this is the single-most homoerotic piece of Christian propaganda I think I've ever seen.

2006-05-20T23:27:00.000-05:00

I you haven't seen the film Punishment Park, I urge you to do so. While I'm sure it may have seemed relevant when it was released in 1971, it is even more so now.

I'm serious. Watch this fucking film.

2006-05-19T23:21:00.000-05:00

I'm putting together my summer reading list. Here's what I have so far:

Sex, Drugs, Einstein, & Elves Clifford Pickover
Great Mambo Chicken and the Transhuman Condition Ed Regis
The Age of Spiritual Machines Ray Kurzweil
The Unconquerable World Jonathan Schell
Neal Stephenson's "Baroque Cycle" (Quicksilver, The Confusion, The System of the World)
Gravity's Rainbow Thomas Pynchon

Most of those have been collecting dust on my "to read" list for quite a while, but I've promised myself not to neglect them any longer. I'm also open to any suggestions, should anyone care enough to offer any.

I'm currently working on:
Perdido Street Station China Mieville (This gets better every time I read it!)
Hyperspace Michio Kaku
The Golden Ratio Mario Livio

2006-05-18T12:17:00.000-05:00

The Arcade Fire - "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)"

If you've been wondering what all the fuss is about, hopefully this will help.

2006-05-17T23:49:00.000-05:00

Seamless pictures

2006-05-16T19:20:00.000-05:00

Statelessness: The Case For A Buddhist Anarchism

Various elements of Buddhism correspond dramatically with Western anarchist theories, both ontological and epistemological. The avoidance of systems involving private property or hierarchical leadership evident in the Pali Canon (the oldest known Buddhist scriptures) of Buddhism bears a close resemblance to many of the themes present in anarchist writings. In addition epistemological anarchist theory is reflected in the fundamental Buddhist doctrine of "sabbe dhammaa anattaa," "All things are without self-existence." All of these Buddhist elements are linked together in a cohesive system that proves quite accommodating to the anarchist paradigm.

In a process that is similar to other world religions, the followers of the Buddha up until the present time sometimes deviate from the way of life he advocated. But it is this earliest incarnation of historical Buddhist life that offers intriguing solutions to the complex issues of property and ownership. If property itself is the axle upon which turns the false dichotomy of the ruler and the ruled, according to early anarchist philosophers like Proudhon, then the lifestyle of the early Buddhist monk snaps the axle, thus revealing its own form of anarchism.

2006-05-14T08:34:00.000-05:00

Are you ready?

2006-05-01T11:32:00.000-05:00

Thank you Stephen Colbert.

2006-04-30T15:00:00.000-05:00

"God Almighty--you know, the ruler of Heaven and Earth and every goddamned thing in-between."

Wow.

I mean, wow...

That guy is really stoned.

2006-04-29T09:24:00.000-05:00

The Me A-Z Meme

Accent: While I'm not aware of having an accent, I'm sure it's something along the lines of an average suburban western Missouri speech pattern. Please note, however, that I can easily (and sometimes unconsciously) shift into accents typical of rural central and northwest Missouri (see Waiting for Guffman).
Booze: I'm a Guinness man, but a purist who refuses to consume it from can or bottle. I'm also highly partial to wheat beers (the local Boulevard and Free State varieties expecially). I avoid all hard alcohol except for good margaritas (and, honestly, after a few of those I'll drink anything).
Chore I Hate: Shoveling snow.
Dog or Cat: I have no pets, but I'm a dog person.
Essential Electronics: At home, the PS2, computer, and DVD player; at work, the cell phone and laptop; in-between, my car's CD player.
Favorite Cologne: I don't use any. I never really understood its purpose.
Gold or Silver: Green.
Hometown: I was born in Kansas City, Missouri, raised in Lee's Summit, Missouri, and currently reside in Lawrence, Kansas.
Insomnia: Most of the time.
Job Title: Home Coach (if you really want to know, just ask).
Kids: Don't have any, but generally enjoy being around them.
Living arrangements: Apartment. Alone.
Most admirable traits: I'll look into that and get back to you later.
Not going to cop to: I didn't vote for him.
Overnight hospital stays: Appendicitis.
Phobias: Swimming pools.
Quote: "If you need me, I'll be working from home this afernoon."
Religion: An interesting spectator sport.
Siblings: One brother.
Time I wake up: About an hour after I fall asleep.
Unusual talent or skill: I have amazing sedative effects on human beings.
Vegetable I love: Cauliflower.
Worst habit: Smoking.
X-rays: Teeth, right ring finger, chest, abdomen.
Yummy foods I make: Mashed potatoes.
Zodiac sign: Leo.

(via Thoughts From Kansas)

2006-04-17T00:10:00.000-05:00

Top 5 ways to kill a raging undead son of God

"3. Overindulgence

Convince him that he is the king of rock and roll as well as the king of kings. Send him to Vegas and buy him a mansion. Introduce him to cheeseburgers and a variety of narcotic substances. Et voila! He'll be dead on a toilet in no time.
Advantage: it's a non-violent method so therefore would be suitable for Buddhists and squeamish people.
Disadvantage: have you ever heard "Blue Suede Shoes" in Aramaic? Not pretty, not pretty at all."

2006-04-16T10:09:00.000-05:00

I'm fine, but somebody must help the chickens!

KFC asked to stop chicken 'abuse'

"On a rainy Saturday better suited for ducks, a giant fake chicken sat in a wheelchair on the Western Avenue sidewalk, with a sign stating 'Broken Wings and Legs' sitting in its fuzzy white lap. The 'chicken' roosted for an hour Saturday in front of al KFC restaurant with three other protesters from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to raise awareness of what they said is the company's abusive treatment of chickens, and to ask passers-by to join them in boycotting KFC.

'We're asking KFC to stop the worst abuse of the chickens they raise and kill for the restaurant,' said Lindsay Rajt, of Norfolk, Va., the organization's campaign coordinator. 'They're scalding birds alive, while they're still conscious; and drugging the birds to grow so big, so quickly, their weak legs can't support the weight of their massive upper bodies. They live their entire lives crippled, in chronic pain.'

PETA protesters said they weren't asking the restaurant to stop serving chicken, just to ensure that the chickens it uses are treated more humanely."

Meanwhile...

King of Nepal crushes white-collar street protests
Concern voiced over refugees in Chad
Iraq unrest forces 65,000 to flee

Bottom line: Until all human beings are able to enjoy and exercise all human rights guaranteed to them by international law without fear of torture, brutalization, imprisonment, and murder, we should not even be worrying about animal's rights. How can PETA expect us, as a species, to treat animals with decency and respect when we can't even do the same right now for the majority of the world's population?

Don't get me wrong; I think what KFC does, as well as almost all of the animals-for-consumption industry, is pretty despicable. But my problem is not (so much) the inhumane treatment of animals, it's the inhumane treament of the humans who work in that industry. My guess is that if PETA and other similar groups focus instead on improving the conditions under which those humans work, then better conditions for the animals will follow in an almost natural manner.

But, unfortunately, as my past experience in the animal rights movement has shown me, PETA and other animal rights activists simply do not care about human beings; indeed, I don't think they even really give a damn about animals. They are simply attention whores, narcissists who love street-theater* and sell their movement by plastering images of has-been celebrities, no-talent hacks, and Playboy Playmates who support "the cause", and afterwards wonder why no one takes them seriously. Until they start standing up for people as seriously as they claim to do for animals, they are merely entertainment.

*If PETA really wants to effect any serious change, in addition to shifting to the human angle of the issue, they should pay careful attention to the recent protests regarding immigration legislation. No street-theater, no giant puppets, none of the attention-grabbing bullshit that many other "activists" throw out during anti-KFC, anti-war, anti-whatever protests. Much like the civil rights demonstrators of the 1950s and 60s, they were organized, polite, and incredibly focused and determined with their message. And they were very successful.

2006-04-16T00:43:00.000-05:00

Ferociously battling it out for the coveted "now playing" status at home and in the car:

Morrissey Ringleader of the Tormentors (The old man has still got it.)
The Black Angels Passover (The best stoner-rock you'll ever hear.)
Neko Case Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Wilderness Vessel States
Destroyer Destroyer's Rubies
Test Icicles For Screening Purposes Only (Winner of "The Worst Band Name in the History of the Universe.")
Built to Spill You in Reverse

Neko.

2006-04-02T17:16:00.000-05:00

For the indoor-kids

It's been a beautiful day here in Kansas, but it's far too windy to go fishing and I don't have a kite. Because I couldn't think of anything else to do, I sat in front of the computer all day.

I spent about two hours playing with Falling Sand, and then another not-inconsequential amount of time simulating zombie attacks.

I also watched one video of a giant centipede consuming a mouse and another of Caveh Zahedi having a particularly intense psilocybin mushroom experience.

I think I'm going to invest in a kite.

2006-04-02T13:46:00.000-05:00

Jason --

[noun]:

A real life terminator

'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Slightly confused--Am I a "real-life terminator" or a "real life-terminator"?

2006-02-06T22:54:00.000-06:00

Quote of the Day:

United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales:

"President Washington, President Lincoln, President Wilson, President Roosevelt have all authorized electronic surveillance on a far broader scale."

I'm going to play that video clip all day long tomorrow at work. Hell, I want to make it the ringtone on my phone.

And just to clarify, because my memory fails me at the moment: During what war, exactly, would President Washington have authorized, um, electronic surveillance?

2006-02-06T22:32:00.000-06:00

Where's Detachment 2702 when we need it?

"But if they're not reminded about it all the time in the newspapers and in stories, they sometimes forget."

2006-01-27T23:58:00.000-06:00

Confessions of a Crap Artist

"Was it Phil's fault God talked to him or was it God's?"

(via Mind Hacks and Boing Boing)

2006-01-27T23:43:00.000-06:00

Democrats and Republicans Both Adept at Ignoring Facts, Study Finds

"The study points to a total lack of reason in political decision-making.

'None of the circuits involved in conscious reasoning were particularly engaged,' Westen said. 'Essentially, it appears as if partisans twirl the cognitive kaleidoscope until they get the conclusions they want, and then they get massively reinforced for it, with the elimination of negative emotional states and activation of positive ones.'

Notably absent were any increases in activation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain most associated with reasoning.

The tests involved pairs of statements by the candidates, President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry, that clearly contradicted each other. The test subjects were asked to consider and rate the discrepancy. Then they were presented with another statement that might explain away the contradiction. The scenario was repeated several times for each candidate.

The brain imaging revealed a consistent pattern. Both Republicans and Democrats consistently denied obvious contradictions for their own candidate but detected contradictions in the opposing candidate.

'The result is that partisan beliefs are calcified, and the person can learn very little from new data,' Westen said."

Yet another reason why the act of voting is ultimately and utterly pointless.

(via Mind Hacks)

2006-01-27T23:15:00.000-06:00

The Venus Project

"Experience tells us that human behavior can be modified, either toward constructive or destructive activity. This is what The Venus Project is all about - directing our technology and resources toward the positive, for the maximum benefit of people and planet and seeking out new ways of thinking and living that emphasize and celebrate the vast potential of the human spirit. We have the tools at hand to design - and build - a future that is worthy of the human potential. The Venus Project presents a bold, new direction for humanity that entails nothing less than the total redesign of our culture. What follows is not an attempt to predict what will be done - only what could be done. The responsibility for our future is in our hands, and depends on the decisions that we make today. The greatest resource that is available today is our own ingenuity."

2006-01-27T21:45:00.000-06:00

2006-01-24T22:45:00.000-06:00

The Degree Confluence Project

"The goal of the project is to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections in the world, and to take pictures at each location. The pictures, along with a narrative describing the adventures it took to get there are then posted on this web site. This creates an organized sampling of the world.

Another goal is to document the changes at these locations over time. Although we initially want to visit as many different locations as possible, don't hesitate to revisit a confluence if you're in the area.

We've excluded confluences in the oceans and dropped some near the poles, but there are still 11,824 to be found. You're invited to help. There is a confluence within 49 miles (79 km) of you if you are on the surface of Earth."

2006-01-24T22:33:00.000-06:00

Alphamega Series

"These photographs capture the zenith moment in a physical process utilizing primordial destructive elements (fire, heat, light) and technology. This process mirrors the intention of the work: an exploration of the themes of birth and death, beginning and ending, transcendence, and the transference of energy."

2006-01-23T23:05:00.000-06:00

Fractal Recursions

The Buddhabrot Technique

Google Sightseeing

2006-01-22T09:34:00.000-06:00

Expect my posting to resume to its regular irregularity. Probably not daily, but also probably not as seldom as once every six weeks.

I start my new job tomorrow (although I "officially" started today). While I really did love my previous position, working 12-16 hours every day does get a little old after two-and-a-half years and I'm looking forward to a 40 hour work week (in theory, of course).

My main problem right now is reconciling my anarcho-syndicalist leanings with the fact that I'm in management now and will likely have to fire somebody at some point. I'm such a sell-out.

And now for your random Bjork image:

2006-01-21T13:01:00.000-06:00

2005: A good year for music

My top ten in no particular order:
Spoon Gimme Fiction
Stephen Malkmus Face The Truth
The Decemberists Picaresque
Sigur Ros Takk...
Beck Guero
Wolf Parade Apologies to the Queen Mary
The New Pornographers Twin Cinema
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Broken Social Scene Broken Social Scene
The Silver Jews Tanglewood Numbers

Some quite honorable mentions:
The Go! Team Thunder, Lightning, Strike
Out Hud Let Us Never Speak of it Again

Still taking some time for me to like:
Death Cab for Cutie Plans

2006-01-13T23:46:00.000-06:00

Monday, humiliation
Tuesday, suffocation
Wednesday, condescension
Thursday is pathetic
by Friday life has killed me

2005-12-01T17:08:00.000-06:00

AN OPEN LETTER TO LARRY THE CABLE GUY

We may no longer have Bill Hicks, but at least we have David Cross. I'm going to go watch some Mr. Show now...

(via Cap'n Marrrrk)

2005-12-01T16:49:00.000-06:00

KU withdraws intelligent design course

What a bunch of pussies.

2005-11-29T08:28:00.000-06:00

We Have Decided Not To Die

2005-11-27T11:07:00.000-06:00

I have no idea what this is, but it's somewhat interesting.

2005-11-27T07:53:00.000-06:00

2nd KU class denies status of science to design theory

Intelligent design — already the planned subject of a controversial Kansas University seminar this spring — will make its way into a second KU classroom in the fall, this time labeled as a “pseudoscience.”

In addition to intelligent design, the class Archaeological Myths and Realities will cover such topics as UFOs, crop circles, extrasensory perception and the ancient pyramids.

John Hoopes, associate professor of anthropology, said the course focused on critical thinking and taught how to differentiate science and “pseudoscience.” Intelligent design belongs in the second category, he said, because it cannot be tested and proven false.

“I think this is very important for students to be articulate about — they need to be able to define and recognize pseudoscience,” Hoopes said.

I would love to be able to take the other class that tackles ID, but something tells me this newest offering might as well be titled "Why People Believe Weird Things." It's probably one of the required readings at the very least.

Any more, today's "skeptics" are as rigidly close-minded and unaccepting of any new ideas as the IDolators are of the fact of biological evolution. They both seem to start with the view that everything that is currently unexplainable will always remain so--that we now know everything there is to know. The ID movement uses that as a starting point for their nonsense ("How did the human eye evolve?" *shrug shoulders* "GOD!!") while professional skeptics like Michael Shermer use it to label as nonsense anything that hasn't been blessed by "mainstream" science with its very own course number. Never mind that much of what is today regarded as pseudoscience will likely be testable and falsifiable as our knowledge and tools become more advanced.

Shermer and his band of merry skeptics and the IDolators are much more alike than they're not; though their motives are different (and I can certainly appreciate Shermer's motivation), both simply want to prevent the spread of certain forms of knowledge and schools of thought they find to be personally threatening. Creationists see the real world rapidly diverging from what they consider to be their revealed truth, and that scares the shit out of them; Shermer sees people reading (for example) The Holographic Universe and finding that it makes a great deal of sense, and that frightens him. The two groups may oppose each other, but they're playing for the same team.

Truth be told, the webpage for the course in the article does make it seem pretty interesting and worthwhile, but then again it was last taught six years ago. Things have changed.

2005-11-26T10:36:00.000-06:00

Institute for the Study of the Neurologically Typical

"What Is NT?

Neurotypical syndrome is a neurobiological disorder characterized by preoccupation with social concerns, delusions of superiority, and obsession with conformity.

Neurotypical individuals often assume that their experience of the world is either the only one, or the only correct one. NTs find it difficult to be alone. NTs are often intolerant of seemingly minor differences in others. When in groups NTs are socially and behaviorally rigid, and frequently insist upon the performance of dysfunctional, destructive, and even impossible rituals as a way of maintaining group identity. NTs find it difficult to communicate directly, and have a much higher incidence of lying as compared to persons on the autistic spectrum.

NT is believed to be genetic in origin. Autopsies have shown the brain of the neurotypical is typically smaller than that of an autistic individual and may have overdeveloped areas related to social behavior."

(via Mind Hacks)

2005-11-25T22:47:00.000-06:00

Britney's Guide to Semiconductor Physics

"It is a little known fact, that Ms Spears is an expert in semiconductor physics. Not content with just singing and acting, in the following pages, she will guide you in the fundamentals of the vital laser components that have made it possible to hear her super music in a digital format."

(via Elementropy)

2005-11-25T21:47:00.000-06:00

2005-11-25T08:16:00.000-06:00

The area around my apartment building is teeming with wildlife; there's even a little fox that occassionally drops by, but I always scare it away when I bolt through the door for my camera. This morning I was greeted right outside my door by a pair of woodpeckers, a type of bird I've not seen since my days residing at the Missouri State Arboretum.

2005-11-24T21:01:00.000-06:00

The Real Story of Thanksgiving

"In 1637 near present day Groton, Connecticut, over 700 men, women and children of the Pequot Tribe had gathered for their annual Green Corn Festival which is our Thanksgiving celebration. In the predawn hours the sleeping Indians were surrounded by English and Dutch mercenaries who ordered them to come outside. Those who came out were shot or clubbed to death while the terrified women and children who huddled inside the longhouse were burned alive. The next day the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony declared 'A Day Of Thanksgiving' because 700 unarmed men, women and children had been murdered."

2005-11-24T19:57:00.000-06:00

I really really want my own Solar Death Ray.

See also: How to Destroy the Earth

"Destroying the Earth is harder than you may have been led to believe.

You've seen the action movies where the bad guy threatens to destroy the Earth. You've heard people on the news claiming that the next nuclear war or cutting down rainforests or persisting in releasing hideous quantities of pollution into the atmosphere threatens to end the world.

Fools.

The Earth was built to last. It is a 4,550,000,000-year-old, 5,973,600,000,000,000,000,000-tonne ball of iron. It has taken more devastating asteroid hits in its lifetime than you've had hot dinners, and lo, it still orbits merrily. So my first piece of advice to you, dear would-be Earth-destroyer, is: do NOT think this will be easy."

2005-11-22T21:43:00.000-06:00

Just because.

2005-11-22T19:22:00.000-06:00

Enjoy the HyperSpace Polytope Slicer

"The applet provides a way of visualizing and manipulating the 6 regular convex polytopes and several non-regular convex polytopes that exist in 4-dimensional space. You can use it to create some strikingly beautiful continuously-morphing 3-dimensional kaleidoscopic effects."

2005-11-15T00:13:00.000-06:00

I snapped some nice pictures of the sky this evening:

2005-11-14T11:34:00.000-06:00

The latest list offering from Pitchfork Media is probably their best ever. Behold, The Worst Record Covers of All Time.

2005-11-13T09:26:00.000-06:00

On the Effectiveness of Aluminium Foil Helmets: An Empirical Study

"Among a fringe community of paranoids, aluminum helmets serve as the protective measure of choice against invasive radio signals. We investigate the efficacy of three aluminum helmet designs on a sample group of four individuals. Using a $250,000 network analyser, we find that although on average all helmets attenuate invasive radio frequencies in either directions (either emanating from an outside source, or emanating from the cranium of the subject), certain frequencies are in fact greatly amplified. These amplified frequencies coincide with radio bands reserved for government use according to the Federal Communication Commission (FCC). Statistical evidence suggests the use of helmets may in fact enhance the government's invasive abilities. We speculate that the government may in fact have started the helmet craze for this reason."

via Mind Hacks

2005-11-05T12:06:00.000-06:00

Web’s never-to-be-repeated revolution

Why might we not create the web today? The web became hugely popular too quickly to control. The lawyers and policymakers and copyright holders were not there at the time of its conception. What would they have said, had they been? What would a web designed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation or the Disney Corporation have looked like? It would have looked more like pay-television, or Minitel, the French computer network. Beforehand, the logic of control always makes sense. “Allow anyone to connect to the network? Anyone to decide what content to put up? That is a recipe for piracy and pornography.”

And of course it is. But it is also much, much more. The lawyers have learnt their lesson now. The regulation of technological development proceeds apace. When the next disruptive communications technology – the next worldwide web – is thought up, the lawyers and the logic of control will be much more evident. That is not a happy thought.

2005-10-25T23:55:00.000-05:00

2005-10-25T08:24:00.000-05:00

Dork with bad hair loves him some America, enjoys the out-of-doors, has flag fetish.

America We Stand As One

And while I'm on the subject of flag idolatry, I submit for your morning gagging pleasure...

USA-Patriotism Dot Com! Pictures! Songs! Red! White! Blue! Not a single mention of the utter waste and uselessness and insanity of war! Also, poetic musings on "If America had never been!":

I wonder what today would be like,
if America had never been.

There would not be… "We The People",
protection under the Bill of Rights,
the precious freedoms from religion to dissent,
the symbolic Statue of Liberty from a friendly France,
the wondrous historical monuments like Mount Rushmore,
celebrating independence won on the fourth of July,
the red, white, and blue waving proudly high,
the singing of America the Beautiful and the Star Spangled Banner,
and pledging our allegiance with hand over heart or in salute.

And think of the great ones that would never be...
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall,
Abraham Lincoln, Booker T. Washington, Teddy Roosevelt
Susan B. Anthony, Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy,
Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan, and so many more.

Then remember the other noble ones that would be lost…
Benjamin Franklin flying that one kite,
Alexander Bell pursuing voice communication when apart,
Thomas Edison capturing light in glass,
George Bancroft writing the first history books about the USA,
Orville and Wilbur Wright attaining flight at Kitty Hawk,
Dr. Jonas Salk developing the polio vaccine,
George Washington Carver impacting agriculture production,
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs fostering the personal computer age,
Stephanie Kwolek inventing bullet-resistant Kevlar,
Neil Armstrong stepping on the moon for mankind,
and even the Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Grammy winning stars
along with the brave war and gifted sport heroes…
as they and all Americans came to be with ancestors’ roots
from countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and elsewhere.

Nor would there be the cost of treasure, noble effort, and blood when…
our brave troops came to aid in World War I and II,
providing food and more during the Berlin airlift,
being resolute in winning the cold war,
reaching out to others when natural and health disasters strike,
doing whatever it takes after the terrorists’ attacks on 9/11/2001.

I wonder if America had never been,
how many more would not be free,
living under anarchy and tyranny
while wishing what could be…
that America now offers for all to see.

Bill Gates? Sports stars? Grammy winners? Kevlar? In answer to the question, somebody would have figured it all out. And "living under anarchy" would actually be living a state of pure freedom, so I guess that's where America has fucked up. I fucking hate poetry.

2005-10-25T08:20:00.000-05:00

No Child Left Behind

Well, maybe just one...

(Lame, I know, but too easy to pass up.)

2005-10-22T20:17:00.000-05:00

Headmap

"What is headmap?

An informal guerilla (distributed) think tank

Headmap examines the social implications and applications of location aware devices, augmented social networks, wearable computers, thinking tools and semantic network interfaces.

'Headmap' is an informal collaboration of like minds; it is also a label for a collection of work focused on location, spatial interfaces, thinking tools, social networks, network interfaces, and people. It is also semantic web application for mapping human space. It has code (open CVS) and a lot of text and thinking."

2005-10-22T20:03:00.000-05:00

New mathematics-based sculpture unveils fourth dimension

2005-10-22T17:02:00.000-05:00

Young Singers Spread Racist Hate

Thirteen-year-old twins Lamb and Lynx Gaede have one album out, another on the way, a music video, and lots of fans.

They may remind you another famous pair of singers, the Olsen Twins, and the girls say they like that. But unlike the Olsens, who built a media empire on their fun-loving, squeaky-clean image, Lamb and Lynx are cultivating a much darker personna. They are white nationalists and use their talents to preach a message of hate.

Known as "Prussian Blue" — a nod to their German heritage and bright blue eyes — the girls from Bakersfield, Calif., have been performing songs about white nationalism before all-white crowds since they were nine.

"We're proud of being white, we want to keep being white," said Lynx. "We want our people to stay white … we don't want to just be, you know, a big muddle. We just want to preserve our race."

Too cute, really. And so disgustingly untalented that if they weren't vile pieces of Nazi shit I might feel embarrassed for them. (Google it, I'm not posting a link to them).

I'd argue that the name Prussian Blue is less "a nod to their German heritage and bright blue eyes" than it is an exuberant high-five to those "great men" who brought us the Holocaust. Prussian blue, by the way, is a residue by-product that builds on surfaces exposed to Zyklon-B.

(article via Posthuman Blues)

2005-10-22T12:03:00.000-05:00

SF Cover Explorer - A few thousand science fiction covers

"The 3,448 covers you see are arranged horizontally by time, with earlier covers to the left, and more recent covers to the right.

The covers are arranged vertically by hue."

2005-10-22T11:51:00.000-05:00

CRYSTALPUNK: Programming Mind & Matter

"On-screen and off-screen, in physical matter and in neural matter: crystals operate as synaptic agents of self-organised control, remixing pre-existing fragments of the world; if you can see them, they are successful. False memories can be replaced by genuine ones, separate realms of reality can be flattened and brought to uniform size and blended into one whole presupposed by its parts. The mind can emulate the screen can emulate the laws of nature and feed them back to you. Crystalpunks are those wildstyle geniuses learning how to program crystalline molecules, pixels and neurons simultaneously. Listen to this carefully! Mind and matter can be synthesised in one noisy stroke and the crystalpunk movement is here to prove it, we have crystal-pistols and we are not afraid to use them."

2005-10-20T20:47:00.000-05:00

"Meet Jack Torrance..."

Stanley Kubrick's The Shining like you've never seen it before...

2005-10-17T13:23:00.000-05:00

Obviously, I haven't been posting much lately. Here's what I have been doing (besides working, which I have calculated as taking up 73% of my waking hours. Praise!):

Listening to...
Wolf Parade Apologies to the Queen Mary
Björk, Björk, Björk
Broken Social Scene Broken Social Scene
The Go! Team Thunder, Lighting, Strike
Sigur Rós Takk...
Pavement/S. Malkmus

Reading...
Neal Stephenson Cryptonomicon
Joseph Heller Catch-22
Rudy Rucker Infinity and the Mind (Been working on that one for a while!)
Robert McChesney Rich Media, Poor Democracy

Watching...
Arrested Development, season two
Mr. Show with Bob and David
I (heart) Huckabees
Pi

Playing...
Star Wars Battlefront
We (heart) Katamari

2005-10-17T11:25:00.000-05:00

As if I'm going to vote next time...

But if I did, and if it were for real, I'd vote for Christopher Walken. Why the fuck not? Actually, I'll tell you why not:

Because General Zod would be even better. For a would-be brutal dictator, he sure has some mighty progressive social policies. I'd be completely sold if he could only explain how he got out of that icy crevasse in the Fortess of Solitude with fully-restored super-powers. And Non would have to be the Defense Secretary.

(via Eschaton)

2005-10-10T14:13:00.000-05:00

Which Discworld Character are you like

I'm Captain Carrot Ironfounderson! I can live with that, though I was hoping to be The Librarian.

(via Cap'n Marrrrk)

2005-09-22T22:17:00.000-05:00

I have the facts, and I'm voting no.

I imagine I'm going to catch some hell for what I'm about to say, but...

...the new Death Cab for Cutie album (Plans) is--with the exception of maybe three songs--pretty much a shit sandwich. Dull. Boring. Blah. If you've heard the album's single, "Soul Meets Body", don't bother buying the whole thing because none of the other songs come even close to being as good. Fortunately, some other bands have recently put some very good records; The New Pornographers' Twin Cinema, Sigur Rós' Takk..., and Wolf Parade's EP are all completely righteous. And not boring. Get one of them instead.

2005-09-20T18:42:00.000-05:00

I am so cool.

I saw Built to Spill last night. They were great, needless to say. I'm going to see The Decemberists tonight. I'm hoping against hope that one them will be dressed up as a tree.

12:30AMThat was the most fun I think I've ever had, at least since the two times I saw "Weird Al" Yankovic last year. Sadly, no one dressed up as a tree, but there was a pretty nice set of paper-and-wire whale jaws that were used to pretty nice effect during the closer.

Since you couldn't be there (I'm assuming) here's a nice video.

2005-09-18T22:47:00.000-05:00

I've been working way too much the past few weeks.

Rice tells UN it must embrace challenges

The UN must make itself more relevant to tackle 21st-century problems and should condemn as terrorists those who target civilians whatever their cause, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said yesterday.

Apparently, genocide is a twentieth-century problem and doesn't rate as terrorism:

President Bush doesn't often find common cause with Cuba, Zimbabwe, Iran, Syria and Venezuela. But this month the Bush administration joined with those countries and others to eviscerate a forthright U.N. statement that nations have an obligation to respond to genocide...

Mr. Bush's position in the U.N. negotiations got little attention. But in effect the United States successfully blocked language in the declaration saying that countries have an "obligation" to respond to genocide. In the end the declaration was diluted to say that "We are prepared to take collective action ... on a case by case basis" to prevent genocide.

2005-08-29T01:07:00.000-05:00

Despite the cultural/social situation, I'm really fucking glad I live in Kansas right now...

2005-08-29T00:49:00.000-05:00

Disfarmer

"Disfarmer's reclusive personality and his belief in his own unique superiority as a photographer and as a human being made him somewhat of an oddity to others."

2005-08-28T23:20:00.000-05:00

Work Well With Others

A step-by-step, illustrated guide to a new hobby that involves a match, some houseflies, and cryogenics. I wish I had known about this yesterday when I was trying to find something to do.

2005-08-26T19:58:00.000-05:00

Pat Boone shreds Cindy 'peaceniks'

Music legend Pat Boone is blasting the peace message of Cindy Sheehan and other anti-war activists, claiming their rhetoric is making the U.S. more vulnerable to future terrorist attacks.

"This lady and the groups that have been demonstrating in front of the president's ranch in Crawford and following him around are the very same people that were the dropout, turn-on, anti-war peace activists back [in the Vietnam War era]," Boone said. "They still have this crazy notion that by just being peaceful and maybe toking up or something like that – it's like an ostrich with its head in the sand – maybe the danger and the bad guys will go away and leave you alone, which is not gonna happen."

He does have a really good point--if all those peace-loving tokers had kept to themselves during the Vietnam War we wouldn't be a bunch Vietnamese-speaking Communists right now.

And he's hardly a music legend, unless re-recording great r&b songs to make them palatable to white people makes him a legend.

But you know what? That's hardly the best part of the article:

During the program, Boone, a well-known Christian, took a strong stand against evolution, mocking the notion the U.S. would become some kind of repressive society if the theory of evolution were not taught in schools, and he supported the teaching of "intelligent design."

"The idea that all of this could have happened mindlessly with no blueprint is sheer stupidity and very unscientific."

He cited America's founding documents, quoting the Declaration of Independence as he stressed, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator ... ."

"That's how opposed to God Thomas Jefferson, who wrote that, was. Yet he is credited with trying to keep all mention of God out of public life. I wish Jefferson could be back here today just for 30 minutes to set things straight." [italics in original]

*sigh*

With 38 Top-40 hits on the music charts and selling over 45 million units, Boone is ranked the No. 10 rock artist in history, higher than Madonna and Billy Joel, and is looking to mark his 50th year in the entertainment industry in a special way.

"My main goal is to hit the charts with five albums in one year, and that's something nobody's ever even thought about, much less done."

To that end, he's releasing "American Glory," a collection of patriotic songs, with one titled "Under God," a response to California atheist Michael Newdow who has tried to remove the phrase from the Pledge of Allegiance.

The other four include a NASCAR-themed rock album, a gospel collection, love songs and Rhythm & Blues classics where Boone is joined by stars such as Smokey Robinson and James Brown.

Despite his recording success, Boone has not been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, though there is an online effort pushing for his inclusion.

My mind is so confused with possible comments about this that I can't even come up with a coherent response. One thing, though: I think just a single album consisting of patriotic NASCAR-themed gospel songs would be pretty kick-ass.

2005-08-25T19:09:00.000-05:00

For my latest installment of Awful Song Lyrics, here are two lousy songs from the worst band of all time. (Sorry, Maggie.)

"Rio" by Duran Duran

Moving on the floor now babe you're a bird of paradise
Cherry ice cream smile I suppose it's very nice
With a step to your left and a flick to the right you catch that mirror way out west
You know you're something special and you look like you're the best

Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand
Just like that river twisting through a dusty land
And when she shines she really shows you all she can
Oh Rio, Rio dance across the Rio Grande

I've seen you on the beach and I've seen you on TV
Two of a billion stars it means so much to me
Like a birthday or a pretty view
But then I'm sure that you know it's just for you

Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand
Just like that river twisting through a dusty land
And when she shines she really shows you all she can
Oh Rio, Rio dance across the Rio Grande

Hey now woo look at that did she nearly run you down
At the end of the drive the lawmen arrive
You make me feel alive, alive alive
I'll take my chance cause luck is on my side or something
I know what you're thinking I tell you something I know what you're thinking

Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand
Just like that river twists across a dusty land
And when she shines she really shows you all she can
Oh Rio, Rio dance across the Rio Grand
Her name is Rio she don't need to understand
And I might find her if I'm looking like I can
Oh Rio, Rio hear them shout across the land
From mountains in the north down to the Rio Grande
Do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do

"The Reflex" by Duran Duran

"You've gone too far this time"
But I'm dancing on the valentine
I tell you somebody's fooling around
With my chances on the dangerline
I'll cross that bridge when I find it
Another day to make my stand
High time is no time for deciding
If I should find a helping hand

[CHORUS]
So why don't you use it?
Try not to bruise it
Buy time don't lose it
The reflex is an only child he's waiting in the park
The reflex is in charge of finding treasure in the dark
And watching over lucky clover isn't that bizarre
Every little thing the reflex does
Leaves you answered with a question mark

I'm on a ride and I want to get off
But they won't slow down the roundabout
I sold the Renoir and the TV set
Don't want to be around when this gets out

[CHORUS]

Oh the reflex what a game he's hiding all the cards
The reflex is in charge of finding treasure in the dark
And watching over lucky clover isn't that bizarre
Evey little thing the reflex does
Leaves you answered with a question mark

2005-08-25T00:05:00.000-05:00

Modern Living

2005-08-24T13:50:00.000-05:00

Troops' Gravestones Have Pentagon Slogans

Families of fallen soldiers and Marines are being told they have the option to have the government-furnished headstones engraved with "Operation Enduring Freedom" or "Operation Iraqi Freedom" at no extra charge, whether they are buried in Arlington or elsewhere. A mock-up shown to many families includes the operation names.

The vast majority of military gravestones from other eras are inscribed with just the basic, required information: name, rank, military branch, date of death and, if applicable, the war and foreign country in which the person served...

"It just seems a little brazen that that's put on stones," said Jeff Martell, owner of Granite Industries of Vermont. "It seems like it might be connected to politics."

Something tells me Mr. Martell doesn't spend much time thinking about such things.

2005-08-23T08:46:00.000-05:00

Dead Air Space

Radiohead has their own blog. It's about what one would expect, being Radiohead and all.

2005-08-23T01:16:00.000-05:00

Doh!

I just realized that for the past week or few days I've been hitting the "save as draft" button instead of the one clearly marked "publish post". Hmmm.

I also just realized that it's 1:15 AM and I'm not asleep, nor am I anywhere close to being asleep. Dammit.

Currently reading:
The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot

2005-08-22T23:14:00.000-05:00

Who would Jesus assassinate?

According to Pat Robertson: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, of course.

Why? "He has destroyed the Venezuelan economy, and he's going to make that a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism all over the continent."

If you ask me, if the guy apparently can get communist infiltrators and Muslim extremists to work together, forget about assassinating him--let's elect him to public office in the United States. That sure seems like a fellow who can get shit done!

(via Media Matters)

2005-08-21T19:26:00.000-05:00

School Spirit

Quantrill's legacy differs on each side of border

I am merely embarrassed to admit I live in Kansas. This makes me ashamed to acknowledge I am from Missouri.

Quantrill was responsible for killing 200 people and burning an entire town. He led the killing of those 200 people because they opposed the enslavement of human beings. To invoke the memory of a brutal massacre carried out by pro-slavery terrorists by using it as a fucking taunt at sporting events is appalling.

And anyway, fuck MU.

2005-08-20T13:11:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to Mac!

I turned 30 a couple of weeks ago and was somewhat troubled about reaching that milestone, but then when I considered that the passage of time is only an illusion I decided it didn't make a damn bit of difference at all.

2005-08-20T09:48:00.000-05:00

Beardless

After eleven long, glorious years, my little beard has shuffled loose this mortal coil, and swirled down the drain of my bathroom sink. I wish I had kept it, because I think my chin looks ridiculous.

Here is a rough approximation of what I currently look like without my little beard.

2005-08-17T12:33:00.000-05:00

I didn't know I was supposed to be gay

Is My Child Becoming Homosexual?, or, More Wingnut Fuckwittery From Focus on the Family

Evidences of gender confusion or doubt in boys ages 5 to 11 may include:

1. A strong feeling that they are “different” from other boys.
2. A tendency to cry easily, be less athletic, and dislike the roughhousing that other boys enjoy.
3. A persistent preference to play female roles in make-believe play.
4. A strong preference to spend time in the company of girls and participate in their games and other pastimes.
5. A susceptibility to be bullied by other boys, who may tease them unmercifully and call them “queer,” “fag” and “gay.”
6. A tendency to walk, talk, dress and even “think” effeminately.
7. A repeatedly stated desire to be — or insistence that he is — a girl.

With the exception of #7, none of these are "evidences" of gender confusion; they are merely archaic social constructs, and none of them have anything to do with homosexuality. For proof, I offer myself. "Evidences" 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 (minus the dressing part) perfectly describe me as a 5-11 year-old, they perfectly describe me as a thirty year-old, and I am quite heterosexual. I feel "different", am non-athletic and always avoided "roughhousing", enjoy a good cry, definitely prefer to spend my time in the company of women, and although I'm no longer teased and called names I'm pretty sure most people with whom I work really think I am gay.

So, seeing that I'm obviously not a Real Man, when does my deprogramming begin?

2005-08-16T15:34:00.000-05:00

Crosses vandalized at antiwar mom's Texas camp site

Anti-war protester Cindy Sheehan tried to calm tensions on Tuesday with area residents upset by her vigil but expressed outrage after a pickup truck driver ran over crosses at her campsite near U.S. President George W. Bush's ranch.

Some 800 white wooden crosses, bearing the names of soldiers killed in Iraq like her son, have lined the road near the area where Sheehan has pitched a tent. Witnesses said they saw a truck dragging a pipe and chains drive over some of the crosses on Monday night.

Chances are that the truck probably had at least one magnetic ribbon prominently on display.

2005-08-16T08:41:00.000-05:00

Awful Song of the Day

The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins by Leonard Nimoy
Peep the video here, if you think you can withstand the horror...

In the middle of the earth in the land of the Shire
lives a brave little hobbit whom we all admire.
With his long wooden pipe,
fuzzy, wolly toes,
he lives in a hobbit-hole and everybody knows him.

Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
He's only three feet tall
Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
The bravest little hobbit of them all

Now hobbits are a peace-lovin' folks you know
They don't like to hurry and they take things slow
They don't like to travel away from home
They just want to eat and be left alone
But one day Bilbo was asked to go
on a big adventure to the caves below,
to help some dwarves get back their gold
that was stolen by a dragon in the days of old.

Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
He's only three feet tall
Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
The bravest little hobbit of them all

Well he fought with the goblins!
He battled a troll!!
He riddled with Gollum!!!
A magic ring he stole!!!!
He was chased by wolves!!!!!
Lost in the forest!!!!!!
Escaped in a barrel from the elf-king's halls!!!!!!!

Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
The bravest little hobbit of them all

Now he's back in his hole in the land of the Shire,
that brave little hobbit whom we all admire,
just a-sittin' on a treasure of silver and gold
a-puffin' on his pipe in his hobbit-hole.

Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
He's only three feet tall
Bilbo! Bilbo! Bilbo Baggins
The bravest little hobbit of them all

2005-08-14T20:43:00.000-05:00

His Noodly Appendage extends...

The Flying Spaghetti Monster meme has popped up in my local rag, thanks to none other than Paul "Population Bomb" Ehrlich.