Cool, experimental new VR from the Invisible Train
Needed: a camera-enhanced PDA, some open-source code, and a Thomas the Tank Engine track.
Thursday, September 30, 2004
The Well-Connected Media Tracker from PublicIntegrity.org lets you enter a zip or address, and instantly find out who owns every media outlet in your area.
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
How to Debate Bush by Al Gore (NYTimes)
Someone tell Al that this "debate" is turning out to be a mockery of democratic process. The corporate sponsorship and sham commission that sets the rules are working to make sure that absolutely nothing unscripted, unrehearsed, or vaguely resembling honesty comes out of this dog-and-pony show. Why would Kerry agree to play by these rules? Isn't there a point where corporate interests undermining fairness cross the line of illegality? Fox and NBC only cried foul for selfish reasons, and are limiting their complaints to those regarding available camera angles. Isn't anybody going to call foul on this charade?
Someone tell Al that this "debate" is turning out to be a mockery of democratic process. The corporate sponsorship and sham commission that sets the rules are working to make sure that absolutely nothing unscripted, unrehearsed, or vaguely resembling honesty comes out of this dog-and-pony show. Why would Kerry agree to play by these rules? Isn't there a point where corporate interests undermining fairness cross the line of illegality? Fox and NBC only cried foul for selfish reasons, and are limiting their complaints to those regarding available camera angles. Isn't anybody going to call foul on this charade?
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Monday, September 27, 2004
Citizens for Tax Justice has issued a report (pdf) outlining habits of America's largest and most profitable companies, and points to an epidemic of tax-avoidance under Bush, the result of which will be an increasingly large burden for citizens now and in the future.
Many, many more Daily Reasons to Dispatch Bush from McSweeneys.net. Every one worth reading.
Undermining democracy, one voting machine at a time.
Jimmy Carter on how bias and bad technology are paving the way for another illegitimate election in Florida.
Voting arrangements in Florida do not meet "basic international requirements" and could undermine the US election, former US President Jimmy Carter says.
He said a repeat of the irregularities of the much-disputed 2000 election - which gave President George W Bush the narrowest of wins - "seems likely".
Jimmy Carter on how bias and bad technology are paving the way for another illegitimate election in Florida.
Voting arrangements in Florida do not meet "basic international requirements" and could undermine the US election, former US President Jimmy Carter says.
He said a repeat of the irregularities of the much-disputed 2000 election - which gave President George W Bush the narrowest of wins - "seems likely".
A big 10-pager NYTimes Mag article on the role of blogging in the campaign. After the election, I'm giving up political posting for good. Too much competition, not enough direct access given to those outside of the mainstream news outlets. Maybe there should be an independent online media PAC?
Sunday, September 26, 2004
You've heard about the links between the Bush administration and big oil before. Read this anyway.
"Profit-wise, things could not have been better," says Gheit, "In the last three years, they died and went to heaven .... They are all sitting on the largest piles of cash in their history."
Live in the Oil Industry circa 2004
"Profit-wise, things could not have been better," says Gheit, "In the last three years, they died and went to heaven .... They are all sitting on the largest piles of cash in their history."
Live in the Oil Industry circa 2004
Friday, September 24, 2004
The Bush administration just can't stand the idea of free elections.
Rumsfeld openly proposed a "partial election" for Iraq, with the parts that vote decided by the administration, thus guaranteeing a predefined outcome.
Meanwhile, their friends at Diebold have a production e-voting system that you might be using in November that quite literally got hacked by a monkey
Rumsfeld openly proposed a "partial election" for Iraq, with the parts that vote decided by the administration, thus guaranteeing a predefined outcome.
Meanwhile, their friends at Diebold have a production e-voting system that you might be using in November that quite literally got hacked by a monkey
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Tell The Truth.
President Bush says "our strategy is succeeding" and Iraq "is headed toward democracy." He says "Freedom is on the march."
But the CIA told Bush recently that the scenarios we're really facing there range from "an Iraq whose stability would remain tenuous" -- a quagmire -- to civil war.
Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) is calling on Bush to level with us, by releasing the CIA report, formally called a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE). Senator John McCain (R-AZ) agrees that he should.
Demand that Bush release the NIE for public review.
President Bush says "our strategy is succeeding" and Iraq "is headed toward democracy." He says "Freedom is on the march."
But the CIA told Bush recently that the scenarios we're really facing there range from "an Iraq whose stability would remain tenuous" -- a quagmire -- to civil war.
Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) is calling on Bush to level with us, by releasing the CIA report, formally called a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE). Senator John McCain (R-AZ) agrees that he should.
Demand that Bush release the NIE for public review.
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
StupidSecurity.com: Exposing fake security since 2003
"A weight may soon be lifted off a Maryland woman charged with carrying a concealed weapon in an airport. It wasn't a gun or a knife. It was a weighted bookmark. Kathryn Harrington was flying home from vacation last month when screeners at the Tampa, Fla., airport found her bookmark. It's an 8.5-inch leather strip with small lead weights at each end. Airport police said it resembled a weighted weapon that could be used to knock people unconscious. So the 52-year-old special education teacher was handcuffed, put into a police car, and charged with carrying a concealed weapon. She faced a possible criminal trial and a $10,000 fine."
"A weight may soon be lifted off a Maryland woman charged with carrying a concealed weapon in an airport. It wasn't a gun or a knife. It was a weighted bookmark. Kathryn Harrington was flying home from vacation last month when screeners at the Tampa, Fla., airport found her bookmark. It's an 8.5-inch leather strip with small lead weights at each end. Airport police said it resembled a weighted weapon that could be used to knock people unconscious. So the 52-year-old special education teacher was handcuffed, put into a police car, and charged with carrying a concealed weapon. She faced a possible criminal trial and a $10,000 fine."
See whether your favorite actor or actress was ever killed off in a movie at the CineMorgue.
[Bad Neighbor Day] Rednecks (oldish, but still the standard by which all other bad neighbor lists are judged). Top 10 list. Rated by extreme bad-neighborliness.
Now that the U.S. entertainment industry has subverted Copyright law in the interest of corporate profit, they're moving on to easier targets: open-source software developers.
"We realized that the MPAA must be doing blind keyword matching against Internet content and then sending out automatic take-down notices with no real research or double checks," Smith said.
"This seems to be a huge misuse of resources, an infringement upon various global spam laws, an infringement upon our own Copyright Act under Section 102 and needless stress and cost upon small Australian organizations and companies," Smith said.
"We realized that the MPAA must be doing blind keyword matching against Internet content and then sending out automatic take-down notices with no real research or double checks," Smith said.
"This seems to be a huge misuse of resources, an infringement upon various global spam laws, an infringement upon our own Copyright Act under Section 102 and needless stress and cost upon small Australian organizations and companies," Smith said.
Kerry’s “Top 10 Bush Tax Proposals” (Letterman):
10. No estate tax for families with at least two U.S. presidents.9. W-2 Form is now Dubya-2 Form.8. Under the simplified tax code, your refund check goes directly to Halliburton.7. The reduced earned income tax credit is so unfair, it just makes me want to tear out my lustrous, finely groomed hair.6. Attorney General (John) Ashcroft gets to write off the entire U.S. Constitution.5. Texas Rangers can take a business loss for trading Sammy Sosa.4. Eliminate all income taxes; just ask Teresa (Heinz Kerry) to cover the whole damn thing.3. Cheney can claim Bush as a dependent.2. Hundred-dollar penalty if you pronounce it “nuclear” instead of “nucular.”1. George W. Bush gets a deduction for mortgaging our entire future.
10. No estate tax for families with at least two U.S. presidents.9. W-2 Form is now Dubya-2 Form.8. Under the simplified tax code, your refund check goes directly to Halliburton.7. The reduced earned income tax credit is so unfair, it just makes me want to tear out my lustrous, finely groomed hair.6. Attorney General (John) Ashcroft gets to write off the entire U.S. Constitution.5. Texas Rangers can take a business loss for trading Sammy Sosa.4. Eliminate all income taxes; just ask Teresa (Heinz Kerry) to cover the whole damn thing.3. Cheney can claim Bush as a dependent.2. Hundred-dollar penalty if you pronounce it “nuclear” instead of “nucular.”1. George W. Bush gets a deduction for mortgaging our entire future.
Monday, September 20, 2004
If you're Catholic, it's tough to be a pope, but easy to be an Anti-Pope.
Americans seem to be particularly keen on the papacy, in addition to those already cited we may add Francis Konrad Schuckardt of Spokane, Washington, who declared himself Hadrian VII in 1984 and David Bawden of Kansas who became Pope Michael I in 1990. Finally, among the Americans, there is Reinaldus Michael Benjamins or Gregory XIX who claims to have been crowned by angels in 1983.
Americans seem to be particularly keen on the papacy, in addition to those already cited we may add Francis Konrad Schuckardt of Spokane, Washington, who declared himself Hadrian VII in 1984 and David Bawden of Kansas who became Pope Michael I in 1990. Finally, among the Americans, there is Reinaldus Michael Benjamins or Gregory XIX who claims to have been crowned by angels in 1983.
Post-Modern Irrationalism got you down? PhilosophyWeb is a very nice index for modern western philosophy, with bios of the major players and links to online texts of their works.
More wacky hijinx from the laff-a-minute far-right fundamentalist Christians! Cheek-turning is out; Killing is in. Jimmy Swaggart is so tight with God, he can brag about murdering gays then lying to Him about it!
(Video stream - FF 35 minutes for the very Christian death threat).
"And I'm gonna be blunt and plain: if one ever looks at me like that, I'm gonna kill him and tell God he died."
(from the Church of Critical Thinking)
(Video stream - FF 35 minutes for the very Christian death threat).
"And I'm gonna be blunt and plain: if one ever looks at me like that, I'm gonna kill him and tell God he died."
(from the Church of Critical Thinking)
Thursday, September 16, 2004
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
Get the Pixies (leaked) cover of Warren Zevon's "Aint that pretty at all", from the forthcoming "Enjoy every sandwhich" tribute album before it gets yanked. They havn't lost a thing since the early 90s.
Blogger is at an all time low. Slow and inaccurate. Some day's I get about 50% of the stuff posted that I publish. Can't google lend them a few servers or something?
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
[concise, direct, accurate, and painfully obvious] Powell called Bush Administration Neo-Con's "F%*king Crazies".
GuardianUK's link to same.
GuardianUK's link to same.
"I expect the Bush administration will go down in history as the greatest disaster for public health and the environment in the history of the United States." -- Senator James Jeffers, VT
The Bush administration has accelerated resource development on public lands and has pushed to eliminate regulatory hurdles for military and industrial projects.
The Bush administration has accelerated resource development on public lands and has pushed to eliminate regulatory hurdles for military and industrial projects.
Monday, September 13, 2004
Assault weapons free-for-all starts today. Go Nuts. When kids start playing with AK47s, thank the NRA, whose answer is to start teaching kids how to handle guns safely in schools (warning: NRA link requires registration that may get you on a pro-gun mailing list)
"The 1994 federal assault-weapons ban was a bad job from the beginning, a fraudulent piece of legislation pushed through by hard-line gun-control advocates during the glory days of the Clinton era."
"The 1994 federal assault-weapons ban was a bad job from the beginning, a fraudulent piece of legislation pushed through by hard-line gun-control advocates during the glory days of the Clinton era."
All Republicans think it. Some say it. (NYTimes)
"If we do not suppress the Detroit vote we're going to have a tough time in this election."
-- John Pappageorge, Michigan Republican
"If we do not suppress the Detroit vote we're going to have a tough time in this election."
-- John Pappageorge, Michigan Republican
Sunday, September 12, 2004
There is pending legislation in the House and Senate (twin bills: S89 and HR 163) which call for mandatory drafting for boys and girls(age 18-26) starting June 15 2005.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5146.htm
http://www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html
http://www.hslda.org/legislation/national/2003/s89/default.asp
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article5146.htm
http://www.sss.gov/perfplan_fy2004.html
http://www.hslda.org/legislation/national/2003/s89/default.asp
Friday, September 10, 2004
Send a message to the future: Each and every person, be he short or tall, weak or strong, is invited to graciously participate to the Keo Space Odyssey
Each and every person on Earth is invited to address his or her far away descendants, be it to describe his or her life, to share a thought, to pass on his or her experiences, aspirations and dreams… to introduce him or herself within a few written lines (4 pages maximum, 6000 signs, spaces included). The messages are void of censorship: all received messages shall leave on board KEO.
Type your message here by the end of 2004.
Each and every person on Earth is invited to address his or her far away descendants, be it to describe his or her life, to share a thought, to pass on his or her experiences, aspirations and dreams… to introduce him or herself within a few written lines (4 pages maximum, 6000 signs, spaces included). The messages are void of censorship: all received messages shall leave on board KEO.
Type your message here by the end of 2004.
Thursday, September 09, 2004
[The People (at party headquarters) Have Spoken!] If you needed any more proof that Bush supporters were dim, mindless shills, consider the campaing's fancy new Letter to the Editor Writer. You only need to touch your keyboard to type your name, and the party's opinions will instantly, and publicly become yours in an almost surreally-disturbing Borg-like fashion. I've said it before and I'll say it again: NO SHAME WHATSOEVER.
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Jimmy Carter to Zell Miller on loyalty.
But now, there are many of us loyal Democrats who feel uncomfortable in seeing that you have chosen the rich over the poor, unilateral preemptive war over a strong nation united with others for peace, lies and obfuscation over the truth, and the political technique of personal character assassination as a way to win elections or to garner a few moments of applause. These are not the characteristics of great Democrats whose legacy you and I have inherited.
But now, there are many of us loyal Democrats who feel uncomfortable in seeing that you have chosen the rich over the poor, unilateral preemptive war over a strong nation united with others for peace, lies and obfuscation over the truth, and the political technique of personal character assassination as a way to win elections or to garner a few moments of applause. These are not the characteristics of great Democrats whose legacy you and I have inherited.
"We've got an issue in America. Too many good docs are getting out of business. Too many OB/GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country."
-- G.W. Bush
Your president said this. Out loud. I'm not joking.
-- G.W. Bush
Your president said this. Out loud. I'm not joking.
The Republican Noise Machine (Mother Jones)
David Brock, the reformed conservative noise-maker, on how the Right has sabotaged journalism, democracy, and truth.
David Brock, the reformed conservative noise-maker, on how the Right has sabotaged journalism, democracy, and truth.
Friday, September 03, 2004
"We're not in Lake Wobegon anymore" Garrison Keillor on the Republican Party.
The party of Lincoln and Liberty was transmogrified into the party of hairy-backed swamp developers and corporate shills, faith-based economists, fundamentalist bullies with Bibles, Christians of convenience, freelance racists, misanthropic frat boys, shrieking midgets of AM radio, tax cheats, nihilists in golf pants, brownshirts in pinstripes, sweatshop tycoons, hacks, fakirs, aggressive dorks, Lamborghini libertarians, people who believe Neil Armstrong’s moonwalk was filmed in Roswell, New Mexico, little honkers out to diminish the rest of us, Newt’s evil spawn and their Etch-A-Sketch president, a dull and rigid man suspicious of the free flow of information and of secular institutions, whose philosophy is a jumble of badly sutured body parts trying to walk. Republicans: The No.1 reason the rest of the world thinks we’re deaf, dumb and dangerous.
Tell it like it is, Garrison.
The party of Lincoln and Liberty was transmogrified into the party of hairy-backed swamp developers and corporate shills, faith-based economists, fundamentalist bullies with Bibles, Christians of convenience, freelance racists, misanthropic frat boys, shrieking midgets of AM radio, tax cheats, nihilists in golf pants, brownshirts in pinstripes, sweatshop tycoons, hacks, fakirs, aggressive dorks, Lamborghini libertarians, people who believe Neil Armstrong’s moonwalk was filmed in Roswell, New Mexico, little honkers out to diminish the rest of us, Newt’s evil spawn and their Etch-A-Sketch president, a dull and rigid man suspicious of the free flow of information and of secular institutions, whose philosophy is a jumble of badly sutured body parts trying to walk. Republicans: The No.1 reason the rest of the world thinks we’re deaf, dumb and dangerous.
Tell it like it is, Garrison.
[How come they never remember a past life starving in a leper colony?] Shirley MacLaine says she was a ... yawn ... princess in Egypt