Terminus. Anyone who's ever been hassled by concrete creatures should appreciate this.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Subhuman filth at the RIAA apparently experience quantum law, whereby customer actions are both justified and legal and totally illegal at the same time. Nice!
"If you choose to take your own CDs and make copies for yourself on your computer or portable music player, that's great. It's your music and we want you to enjoy it at home, at work, in the car and on the jogging trail."
-- Quote recently removed from the RIAA Website
Now they're saying....
Sony BMG's chief of litigation, Jennifer Pariser, testified that "when an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song." Copying a song you bought is "a nice way of saying 'steals just one copy,'" she said.
"If you choose to take your own CDs and make copies for yourself on your computer or portable music player, that's great. It's your music and we want you to enjoy it at home, at work, in the car and on the jogging trail."
-- Quote recently removed from the RIAA Website
Now they're saying....
Sony BMG's chief of litigation, Jennifer Pariser, testified that "when an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song." Copying a song you bought is "a nice way of saying 'steals just one copy,'" she said.
The Airport Security Follies (NYTimes) by pilot Patrick Smith
In the end, I’m not sure which is more troubling, the inanity of the existing regulations, or the average American’s acceptance of them and willingness to be humiliated. These wasteful and tedious protocols have solidified into what appears to be indefinite policy, with little or no opposition. There ought to be a tide of protest rising up against this mania. Where is it? At its loudest, the voice of the traveling public is one of grumbled resignation. The op-ed pages are silent, the pundits have nothing meaningful to say.
In the end, I’m not sure which is more troubling, the inanity of the existing regulations, or the average American’s acceptance of them and willingness to be humiliated. These wasteful and tedious protocols have solidified into what appears to be indefinite policy, with little or no opposition. There ought to be a tide of protest rising up against this mania. Where is it? At its loudest, the voice of the traveling public is one of grumbled resignation. The op-ed pages are silent, the pundits have nothing meaningful to say.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Road Trip is a short film composed of 12,397 pictures taken automatically from the back seat of a car while driving accross America from Portland, Oregon to New Hampshire.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
The Most Hated Holiday Song in the World (designobserver)
The most hated holiday song in the world is 21 minutes, 59 seconds long. It features the accordion and bagpipe, an operatic soprano rapping and singing atonal music, and the exhortation of a grating children's chorus: "Christmas time! Christmas time! / Jesus, Mary and the manger / Christmas time, family time / Do all your shopping at Wal-Mart!" Its creators calculate that it will be disliked by all but a few hundred of the world's population.
Hear it here (mp3)
The most hated holiday song in the world is 21 minutes, 59 seconds long. It features the accordion and bagpipe, an operatic soprano rapping and singing atonal music, and the exhortation of a grating children's chorus: "Christmas time! Christmas time! / Jesus, Mary and the manger / Christmas time, family time / Do all your shopping at Wal-Mart!" Its creators calculate that it will be disliked by all but a few hundred of the world's population.
Hear it here (mp3)
Chris Hedges, author of "American Fascism" interviewed on CBC's The Hour
Extremist Dominionist ideology and influence in American politics. Well worth watching.
(via metafilter)
Extremist Dominionist ideology and influence in American politics. Well worth watching.
(via metafilter)
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
SATs are about to get more competitive: LA Times article on Brain Doping
"If there were drugs that actually made you smarter, good Lord, I have no doubt that their use would become epidemic," Yesalis said. "Just think what it would do to anybody's career in about any area. There are not too many occupations where it's really good to be dumb."
"If there were drugs that actually made you smarter, good Lord, I have no doubt that their use would become epidemic," Yesalis said. "Just think what it would do to anybody's career in about any area. There are not too many occupations where it's really good to be dumb."
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Worst Films of 2007 (Avclub)
Worst Gadgets of 2007 (Pop Mech)
Worst Games of 2007 (gemega)
Worst Album Covers of 2007 (pitchfork)
Worst Albums of 2007 (someblog)
Worst Dictators of 2007 (Parade)
Worst Fashion Trends of 2007 (People)
Worst Gadgets of 2007 (Pop Mech)
Worst Games of 2007 (gemega)
Worst Album Covers of 2007 (pitchfork)
Worst Albums of 2007 (someblog)
Worst Dictators of 2007 (Parade)
Worst Fashion Trends of 2007 (People)
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Our Decrepit Food Factories - on food, microbes, and sustainability.
(NYTimes)
Public-health experts have been warning us for years that this situation is a public-health disaster waiting to happen. Sooner or later, the profligate use of these antibiotics — in many cases the very same ones we depend on when we’re sick — would lead to the evolution of bacteria that could shake them off like a spring shower. It appears that “sooner or later” may be now. Recent studies in Europe and Canada found that confinement pig operations have become reservoirs of MRSA. A European study found that 60 percent of pig farms that routinely used antibiotics had MRSA-positive pigs (compared with 5 percent of farms that did not feed pigs antibiotics).
(NYTimes)
Public-health experts have been warning us for years that this situation is a public-health disaster waiting to happen. Sooner or later, the profligate use of these antibiotics — in many cases the very same ones we depend on when we’re sick — would lead to the evolution of bacteria that could shake them off like a spring shower. It appears that “sooner or later” may be now. Recent studies in Europe and Canada found that confinement pig operations have become reservoirs of MRSA. A European study found that 60 percent of pig farms that routinely used antibiotics had MRSA-positive pigs (compared with 5 percent of farms that did not feed pigs antibiotics).
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
I bet you know someone with tattoos and breast implants. Meet a guy who got his tattoo some breast implants.
Take action at stopthespying and prevent Bush's ridiculous plan to let giant telecoms off the hook for illegally spying on their customers.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Blues for Otis (popmatters)
But the reason Redding stands out as an immortal soul icon is rooted in much more than his broad musical palette. Intensely emotional on record and on stage, Redding unhesitatingly bore witness to pain, exposed his own vulnerabilities, and expressed emotions at odds with conventional and emergent notions of black masculinity. Tearjerkers like his “Pain in My Heart”, “Try a Little Tenderness”, “My Lover’s Prayer”, and the criminally underrated “You’re Still My Baby” spoke honestly and profoundly on the power of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
But the reason Redding stands out as an immortal soul icon is rooted in much more than his broad musical palette. Intensely emotional on record and on stage, Redding unhesitatingly bore witness to pain, exposed his own vulnerabilities, and expressed emotions at odds with conventional and emergent notions of black masculinity. Tearjerkers like his “Pain in My Heart”, “Try a Little Tenderness”, “My Lover’s Prayer”, and the criminally underrated “You’re Still My Baby” spoke honestly and profoundly on the power of love, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Kidnapping! It's not just for extraordinary rendition anymore!
(Sunday Times, UK)
(Sunday Times, UK)
AMERICA has told Britain that it can “kidnap” British citizens if they are wanted for crimes in the United States. A senior lawyer for the American government has told the Court of Appeal in London that kidnapping foreign citizens is permissible under American law because the US Supreme Court has sanctioned it.