February 28, 2003
Quote of the Day
"September 11 did not do as much damage to the fabric of American society as we seem determined to do to ourselves. Is the Russia of the late Romanovs really our model, a selfish, superstitious empire thrashing toward self-destruction in the name of a doomed status quo?"
-from Diplomat John Brady Kiesling's resignation letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Complete text of the letter is available on Salon
A Resignation Letter to Secretary Powell
John Brady Kiesling, an American diplomat working in the U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece, submitted his resignation letter to Colin Powell yesterday. He also submitted it to the NY Times.
(reg reqd: user=memphilter, pass=memphilter)
DEA Concerns
Among the top concerns of today's DEA: Modified gas masks
Rate My Mullet
Several of you have probably already seen this site, but I got a kick this morning out of the Rate My Mullet website. Be prepared for several popup and banner ads, but if you can get past those you might find some belly jigglers for your surfing pleasure.
I have a hard time disagreeing with the top-seated spots for:
Top Mullet, Senior
Top Mullet, Junior
Homeland Security For Dummies
I am certainly not the first to note the general crappiness of the graphics on the ready.gov website, but, upon further reflection, these are possibly the most useless, most ridiculous visual guides I have ever seen. These things make airline safety cards seem thorough and effective.
February 27, 2003
Badass of the Day
In 1996, Göran Kropp hopped on his bicycle in Switzerland, rode 3,800 miles to Kathmandu, Nepal, climbed Mt. Everest without supplemental oxygen, then got back on the bike and pedaled home.
Fred Rogers dies at age 74
I imagine most of you have already seen the news on your daily morning news site, but in case not here 'tis:
Mister Rogers is no longer with us.
Man of Faith or Fraud?
When I was in fifth grade, a traveling preacher man named Mike Warnke came and put on his show one evening in the school gym. The man's schtick was that he had been a former satanic priest who had converted to Christianity and he would tell all about the secret details of satanism. I didn't go, but I knew a few folks that did. They seemed impressed. A couple of years ago, I googl...er..um..searched to see whatever happened to Warnke and his unique ministry. It turns out that Warnke's claims of being a satanic priest were a lie. Who outed him? Some lefty atheist zealots, right? Nope. Christian Cornerstone Magazine did the impressive investigative legwork and called it--quite convincingly--like they saw it. Certainly it appears to be the only time they have ever been on the same side as the pagans.
So where is Warnke today? Still traveling and preaching. You see, a Tribunal Board found the expose unfair and "restored" the ministry, despite the fact that for 20 years his ministry was obviously based on a fabrication.
Do you like Googling? I don't know. I've never Googled.
And you better not, unless you want to receive this ridiculous letter. Google's trademark counsel hath spoken.[via boingboing via kottke]
February 26, 2003
Speaking of Scientology...
John Travolta's favorite science fiction-based, kookily dangerous mind control cult is, of course, Scientology. Everybody's heard of them, but what do they believe? Fasten your brain belts for the ur-text of this scam-among-scams, Operating Thetans III by L. Ron Hubbard. Were you a Scientologist, this information would cost $400,000. If you can't afford that but still need your bullshit pseudo-science religion fix, you can be thankful that the Time Cube is still free.
You go, girl!
"Tiffany Evans, the winner of the Junior Vocalist title, says that just six months ago, she was living in a van, sometimes on the street, with her parents and four of her 10 siblings. Now, she's a rising star on "Star Search."" - CBS Early Show
I saw this little girl last night on Leno and was absolutely blown away. Damn, that girl can sing! Check it out...click on the video from 02/06/03
Review of Battlefield Earth. The real battlefield is sitting in front of the screen long enough to watch this droolfest
This is my review of Battlefield Earth
The second worst movie ever made
Desktop Protesting
For those of us who don't like the war, but can't seem to work up the intestinal fortitude to get up off our asses and do something, click here.
"West of Stalin and South of Gandhi"
An interesting survey that attempts to plot your standing on politics between the extremes of authority and liberty, and economic left and right. So where do you fall on the Political Compass?
Jedis rule Britannia?
Blame the Force of the Internet for this Jedi mind trick. Star Wars zealots "a fast one did pull," in Yodaspeak, on the British Office for National Statistics (ONS). They hit the Net urging Britons to write "Jedi" on their 2001 census forms where it asked about their religious affiliations. And now, according to ONS, nearly 400,000 Jedis live in Britain. So it's a safe bet Darth Sidious will keep his distance from the U.K. It's also likely that George Lucas will never have to buy his own pint at the pub. Government officials, in stiff-upper-lip style, said that the Star Warriors thought (mistakenly) that if 10,000 people said they were Jedis, the government would recognize the fictional order as an official religion. It may happen -- when Wookies fly.
February 25, 2003
Something a little more tame
I ran across the RadioLovers website for the first time the other day. Their complete list of shows is pretty neat to browse. Not very many entries for each show, and I'm sure if it grows too much it will become a charge service, but these are at least a different kind of MP3 to fill up your hard drive other than all that 80s rock you've been downloading lately.
Roach-o-rama
A while ago, a friend mailed me a New York Times Magazine that featured an article discussing the impact of transgenic animals on biomedical research. The article included a photo series by Catherine Chalmers of various transgenic mice. Several months later I was watching the PBS show, EGG, and Catherine Chalmers was featured. I was very entertained by her photo series, "Food Chain" which explores predator-prey interactions. Caterpillars consume a tomato, a preying mantis consumes a caterpillar, a frog eats the mantis, and so on. She seems to be a bit obsessed with insects--specifically roaches. The photos I like the most are of roaches being executed in ways that men execute other men: hanging, burning at the stake, drowning, and electrocution. Check out some other roach photos--they're quite interesting.
Forgive the pornography...
... but I wonder how many fetish sites are dedicated to woman-on-woman naked motorcycle stunts? The comment for this pic is slightly humorous as well. RedlineLaura has a real future in front of her...
Click me, click me.
She's All (snow) Woman
When you live in a town where a busty snow woman sparks controversy, you should move. Immediately.
Guns don't kill people...
Bongs kill people. At least that is what the DOJ seems to think. Operation Pipedreams? Did they get Peter Fonda to name that one? I'll agree that the gas mask contraption probably oughtta be outlawed.
February 24, 2003
Get a competitive edge
Lackluster basketball skills? Get a competitive edge that will strike fear in your opponent's heart. Probably NSFW.
February 23, 2003
The club fire you probably never heard about.
Before I moved to the Ohio Valley, I had never heard of the Beverly Hills Supper Club tragedy. For many years entertainers such as Ozzie Nelson toured the club doing dinner-and-a-show numbers. In May of 1977 a fire broke out at the establishment. 165 of the more than 2,000 waiting to see Jon Davidson perform were killed. More than 1,000 people owe their lives to Walter Bailey. Two weeks after graduating high school, Bailey, a busboy at the club, commandeered the stage during the opening act to alert the audience of the blaze.
The Cincinnati Post maintains an excellent website with the details of the tragedy and its aftermath. This well-executed graphic (526kb) is chilling. Although there were some references to the tragedy in the popular media of the day, it seems largely to have been forgotten outside of Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky. Unfortunately, it wasn't the first or the last.
February 21, 2003
Jesus! It's a miracle!
Oh no, wait...it's just Kris Kristofferson...or maybe Grizzly Adams. Close enough...it's still a miracle. See it with thine own eyes and decide for yourself! Personally, I think it's Barry Gibb.
(moving) Image of the Day
Bert's back!
February 20, 2003
Looking for the perfect birthday gift for Shane?
Look no further.
For giappino, on the eve of his 34th Birthday
Eleven cars; one car fire; 127,658 beers; 23 residences on two continents; 96 jobs; 24 vests; 18 pairs of sandals; 2 languages; 312 consumer complaints; hundreds of friends; a million unforgettable moments; and a number of things we cannot discuss here = precisely 34 years. May your dogged stubborness prevail for many more! Hooray for Shane and Happy Birthday!
Ever said to youself...
"I wish someone would create comic strips based on my dreams and the dreams of others." Of course you have.
And now for something completely different
Name that Beard. This really is more fun than you'd think. Probably because it doesn't seem like much fun at all. [sound and flash]
Richard Rorty takes on Truth
The Decline of Redemptive Truth and the Rise of Literary Culture, an essay by Stanford professor Richard Rorty, offers an interesting insight into the difficulty of satisfying what he calls "redemptive truth" with scientific inquiry. In Rorty's view, redemptive truth is "a set of beliefs which would end, once and for all, the process of reflection on what to do with ourselves." In these postmodern times, Rorty believes that literary culture is the proper realm--and the realm we have turned to--to answer such questions. Up next: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and the meaning of life? I offer this just to see how many posts I can make that receive no comments!
February 19, 2003
It's no perianal fistula, but...
This made me smile. My favorite move is the second button from the top. The bottom button is pretty good too.
What's the worst that could happen?
Trust me, this ain't no fun. However, I suppose it could be worse.
February 18, 2003
First LunchWaster entry!
A History of the Search for Planet X
Earth and Moon Viewer
Uses input from you on longitude, latitude, weather satellites, etc, to show "realtime" pictures of the Earth and moon.
The Wizard of Odds
Decent site that explains the rules and odds of many casino games. A few annoying pop-up ads come with the package.
2,800-year-old frozen microbes revived
From Space.com: Within ice that covers a salty, liquid Antarctic lake scientists have found and revived microbes that were at least 2,800 years old.
AOL awarded millions in spam case
A federal court awards America Online nearly $7 million in damages as part of the Internet service providers' legal victory over a junk e-mail operation.
Geologists find world's oldest rocks
Canadian geologists say the rocks date back nearly 4 billion years and could shed new light on Earth's beginnings.
Hubble Hits
A collection of great shots from the Hubble Space Telescope
Space Shuttle Photos
Visible imprints of human activity seen from space. I only wish the photos were higher resolution!
New photos most detailed ever of sun
From Space.com: The most detailed pictures ever taken of the sun reveal the insides of striking snake-like filaments that reach from bright portions of the solar surface into the dark hearts of sunspots.
Flight Stimulator
This website allows you to improve on your paper airplane flying capabilities.
REAL Ultimate Power: Ninja Fan Page
The Testimonial says it all.
Famous Name Changes
A pretty good database of all your favorite stars, and their actual original names.
Popular Science presents worldwide debut of Boeing's top-secret Bird of Prey
Do you stack up?
Perhaps you are unfamiliar with the sport of cup stacking? First let's just say that it can be very beneficial. It also has its own association. Yeah, it's a little goofy, but damn can they stack those cups quickly? Be sure to check out all the videos. By promoting cupstacking are we accidentally creating a world of super-adept future pickpockets?
What is Lumasol?
It's what you get when you combine Picasso's fire-drawing with Tim MacMillan's timeslice technique (most famously duplicated for the Matrix). The results are very cool. Then again, I am fascinated by stroboscopic photography, and the guy who made it famous.
February 17, 2003
Does not work when blind drunk
Very important mode of communication!
Why didn't we decide to publish this great magazine
Hope you all get a laugh
Our growing needs...
According to the church I've already become a heretic for surpassing my quota. But maybe I should have more anyway. Hey, somebody's got to contribute to our future tax base so we can pay for the war. You should all be thanking me.
Space Elevators (Revisited)
"Perth is one of two spots in the world being considered for development of a space elevator, a new concept in space travel which it is claimed would make possible tourism on the Moon."
New concept? No. But it is interesting to see it come up again.
February 16, 2003
Which Founding Father Are You?
Well, none of them, of course. But had you been one of them, which one would you have most likely been? Take the quiz. If you are not interested in knowing which founding father you have the most in common with, you can always find out which wife of Henry the VIII you would have been.
Get Your Monkeys Here
Monkeys for sale. This place is apparently the ebay of the primate trade, where dealers such as Rainbow Primates (warning: very annoying website) hock their wares. If you've got a few grand laying around, and are looking for something a little more adventurous than a Schnauzer in a pet, get a monkey. Here's the old school way to put your mon(k)ey to work for you. There are modern alternatives. Just make sure your monkey hasn't been in anyone's pants.
February 15, 2003
Quote of the Day
"Nothing will stop President Bush. He's like the Blues Brothers, on a mission from God."
-an unnamed "Senior Defense Official", as quoted in today's edition of Ha'aratz, commenting on the possibility of war in Iraq.
February 14, 2003
Clone of the Attack
Coming soon to an oil-rich rogue Middle Eastern nation near you. via my sister-in-law who will soon join this here fray
Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger
Church sign slogans, bumper stickers, and other assorted churchy silliness
February 13, 2003
Good, satisfying fun...
that's just slightly creepy. Say what you will, but "T" is my favorite.
Who needs Hallmark...
when you've got this?
War/Anti-war Poster Contest
Fark's current photoshop contest is pretty good no matter which side you're on. Since there is just something wrong about a post that only has a link to Fark in it, let me also suggest a few places to find war posters of various kinds: WWI and WWII posters; Spanish Civil War posters (in Spanish, but great posters); post-9/11 memorial posters; and post-9/11 peace posters.
February 12, 2003
NOAA Weather
Current conditions:
Solar Wind - speed: 395.3 km/s, density: 8.5 protons/cm3
X-ray Solar Flares - 6hr max: B8, 24-hr: C2
Forecast:
Geomagnetic Storms: Probabilities for significant disturbances in Earth's magnetic field (active level): 0-24 hr - 15%
Not to mention Potentially Hazardous Asteroids, Coronal Holes, the Interplanetary Magnetic Field, and more.
A Simple Trick, Elegantly Executed
See if the Crystal Ball can read your mind. Can you figure out how it's done? Up next: a stupid trick, poorly executed.
February 11, 2003
'Dell Dude' released after marijuana arrest
Not that anyone really cares, but note that even the Dell Dude huffs hooters.
Is it just me, or does he look a heck of a lot like Shamus in that pic?
New eBay Selling Tools
I ran across vp-noise's eBay ads earlier. They have a unique way of posting their auction pictures.
My particular favorites are this one, this one, and this one (that's some nice fruit!)
A search for documentary The Wild and Wacky World of Hasil Adkins is what led me there. Hasil is somehow akin to Jesco White, the Dancing Outlaw. I can't believe IMDB has no pics. Who hasn't heard of him?
Bizzare CNN.com Headline of the Day
Invisible Condom Thwarts Monkey AIDS
Jeebus Is Da Bomb
Visual Overload. Probably Not Safe For Work, but I don't exactly know why. A lot of Flash. A lot of bandwidth. But worth it. Did I say Not Safe For Work?
(also: this site has sound, so for those that didn't heed the NSFW warnings, at least turn it down)
The Black Swallow of Death
Eugene Jaques Bullard, who became the first African-American to earn his pilot's license, was also the only black pilot in WWI. After leaving his hometown of Columbus, Georgia, due to the harassment of the Ku Klux Klan, Bullard managed to hitchhike and ultimately stowaway to France, where he joined the Foreign Legion and later became a fighter pilot. During the war he shot down five enemy planes and was wounded five times, earning the nickname "Black Swallow of Death." After the war, he was honored with France's highest military honor, the Legion d'honneur. He then became a drummer, bandleader, singer, and clubowner in jazz-age Paris. At the onset of WWII, Bullard became a spy for the French until the fall of France to Germany, at which point he was smuggled to Spain and eventually returned to the U.S.
February 10, 2003
The Deal with Wind Chill
What is this wind chill the weatherman keeps talking about? For starters, it is a complex equation that describes the effect of the wind removing the small pocket of heat that emanates from the skin and surrounds a person in still air. Originally devised by Antarctic expeditioners in 1941, the wind chill index was revised in 2000. If you can't handle the math, you can consult the chart, or simply plug in the numbers. Despite the revisions in the formula, some people just are not buying it.
Gulf War 2 - Predicted scenario
Here's a little Flash "game" that predicts an outcome for the Gulf War part 2. I was entertained...you might be.
Toothpaste of the Day
February 08, 2003
See, the buffalo doesn't mind
I needed to understand how the Texan could've lifted a ban on snowmobiles in Yellowstone. In the face of an administration-commissioned report that told of park stations needing oxygen pumped in to keep rangers conscious, providing respirators to staff in high snowmobile traffic areas...This could only be the work of a sinister lobby - enough to make our Commander in Chief cave, even in the face of all reason. Snowmobilers of the world unite!
move over boy bands, it's teenage lesbians
After years of watching gay boys pretending to be hetero for screaming teenage girls, now we have a new phenomenon: teenage hetero girls (they say they have boyfriends) pretending to be lesbians and kicking out some above average pop for screaming boys and girls. Chances are if you've been to a dance club lately, you have heard Tatu playing on the dance floor, and soon they may be coming to a radio station near you, unless they are banned here, as they were in Britain due to their racy "school girls in heat" video.
And you thought "Sister Ray" was long...
"Smoke on the Water"? A mere trifle. "Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida"? Over before you know it. In the never-ending game of musical weirdness, John Cage wins again!
February 07, 2003
Wank For Peace!
A peace protest that I have been secretly supporting since early adolescence. Remember: touch your sack, not Iraq.
Are you ready to rock Highlander style?
This is my review of the movie "Highlander 2: The Quickening"
The absolute worst movie ever made.
February 06, 2003
What Hath God Wrought?
Many of us are familiar with the message sent in Samuel Morse's first telegraph. It's now possible to send a telegram to someone who knows what God has wrought. The good people at Afterlife Telegrams have taken Morse's telepgraph one big step further: to the hereafter. After you send a message to your dead kinfolk, be sure to get your rapture letters ready. If you want a more direct route to the dead, you can also try this kook.
This Museum's Screwed
Corkscrewed, that is. Wait, so are these.
Painter of Blight
Thomas Kinkade wants his art to bring beauty, peace, and hope to his customers and to "engulf every heart in art." But is he a real person? And why are his franchisees experiencing anything but peace and hope? (LA Times registration reqd: user=memphilter pass=memphilter) Susan Orlean wrote a great New Yorker article about the Kinkade business machine in rosier times. When I look at this stuff, I am surprised it ever got past this. But, alas, it appears the fad is waning. Wouldn't it be great, though, if someone like Donald Roller Wilson or Laurie Hogin sold their wares in dedicated mall stores?
*hic*
Good news, everyone! Science has finally figured out why we hiccup. Turns out it's to keep water flowing over our gills.
No, really: New Scientist says so.
Quote of the Day
"If there is a camp in northeast Iraq that's training al-Qaida, that's a Kurdish area. The U.S. has good relations with the Kurds. The U.S. is bombing almost every day in the no-fly zone, so why hasn't that camp been eliminated? I don't know the answer to that. If there is a camp of Islamic radicals, how come for even 24 hours after we knew it existed it was allowed to remain there? There's no reason they couldn't go to that area for a special operation or why wouldn't we get cooperation with the Kurds to eliminate that installation. I think the White House has been determined from the beginning to link what has been circumstantial evidence of contacts between Iraqis and al-Qaida and other groups -- the administration is determined to make it more than what it really is."
-Judith Kipper, Middle East specialist affiliated with the Council on Foreign Relations and the Center for Strategic and International Studies commenting on Colin Powell's U.N. Presentation, as quoted in today's Salon magazine.
Nightcap
Recursive, indeed.
"Mars by 1965, Saturn by 1970"
At a time when the U.S. was struggling to put a single man into orbit aboard a modified military rocket, Theodore Taylor and Freeman Dyson were developing plans for a manned voyage of exploration through much of the solar system. "Our motto was 'Mars by 1965, Saturn by 1970'", recalls Dyson.
Something about this seems like it came from a Bradbury story. Perhaps that's because the design is over forty years old. But some are calling for its return.
February 05, 2003
Get Your War On Again!
It looks like we might be back to page one. All we need is a new name for the Operation.
The Semiotics of Smoking
"..there can be only one reliable way to judge one's fellow man and that is by the semiotics of smoking...
With this brief at-a-glance guide the layman will be able to scratch the surface of a science that is as frighteningly deep as it is majestically long."
February 04, 2003
The Lingering Death of James A. Garfield
Less than six months after his inauguration, President James Garfield was shot by psychotic attorney Charles Guiteau. The assassin's bullets did not kill Garfield instantly; instead he remained in his White House bedroom for over two months as infection slowly took his life. Debates about the health of the President were national news, as were theories about the best way to treat him. His death has alternately been blamed on "publicity seeking" Alexander Graham Bell, incompetent doctors, and Garfield's mattress. Such was the 4th installment of the 20-Year Jinx of the presidency.
Bush's Words vs. Bush's Numbers
"So far, the president has talked a great game but hasn't played anything resembling a great game. It's time to start watching what the scoreboard has to say, rather than relying on the mere word of the cheerleader in chief."
Check the score. Read the full article in the Washington Post.
February 03, 2003
The Mystery of the Widget
I spent an entire evening wondering how in the hades the magic "widgets" in Guinness cans work. Thanks to the cornucopia of knowledge that is the web, I now realize that my conclusion that small elves pulled a tiny switch to release the nitrogen from the widget at the exact moment that you open your beer was false. Although I highly recommend an evening of speculation about the inner workings of the widget, those of you who need instant gratification can find out how it works here. I still think that there might be elves involved.
Quote of the Day
"America is a sodomite nation, incapable of repenting. Her population is almost entirely Hell-bound, as it was in the days of Noah, as it was in the days of Lot, as it was in the days of Jeremiah: "Therefore, pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me; for I will not hear thee." Jeremiah 7:16. From Bush down--preachers, priests, rabbis, politicians, pundits, reporters--all suddenly become theologians preaching lies and spinning fables about the meaning of the space shuttle tragedy. God's Arm hurled Columbia in fragments to the ground, and hurled the 7 fools into the everlasting fires of Hell--in wrath and vengeance, laughing, mocking and deriding this nation of fags.
Any other interpretation of the tragic events of Feb. 1 is rank atheism and fagjunk theology by sodomite propagandists."
-Rev. Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, KS and maintainer of www.godhatesfags.com
February 02, 2003
The Way to Win an Election
Is to control the voting machines, according to CommonDreams.org. The argument about the failure of exit polling occuring at exactly the same time as the rise of corporate, computerized voting machines is maybe a bit conspiratorial, but who's to say how valuable elections are? Why would anyone spend $12 million on a Senate campaign? Once total campaign spending hits these numbers, there can be no question that there have to be some significant financial quid pro quo advantages of having your candidate in power. If this is the case, then why isn't it fair or plausible to make the case that the newfound inaccuracy of exit polls and the corporatization of the polls themsleves is connected? A must read: Jews For Buchanan. (see also: my comment in triko's Vonnegut post)
February 01, 2003
The Antikythera Mechanism
What was once a small wooden box with cranks and handles and a geared mechanism was salvaged from the Greek ship Corbita in 1900. This box, called the Antikythera mechanism for the Greek isle closest to the shipwreck, dates from about the first century B.C. It is suspected that the device was used to show the motion of the sun and moon and, perhaps, five planets throughout the years. A recent reconstruction of the device indicates that it was extrememely accurate. Besides predating Islamic geared calendars by almost 1400 years, it appears to be the first known example of a differential gear, which the engineers among us can probably verify as having previously been thought to emerge sometime in the industrial age (as I cannot verify it). More here.
The 365 Days Project
The 365 Days project will feature an obscure mp3 audio clip daily for the entire year. Otis Fodder is the site's generous creator, and there are already some great gems posted this early in the project. I meant to link this around the first of the year, as I have been a near-daily collector; unfortunately, it slipped through the cracks. Lest you think that means it's the 334 day project for you, there are archives.
The Hall of Douchebags and Other Funny Band Photos
These images have been around the block a bit, but if you've never seen Rock and Roll Confidential's Hall of Douchebags, then welcome to yet another wasted hour of your life. Here's my personal favorite, but there are plenty more where that came from. For a little international dork-rock fare, it's immerocknroll.
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