This is a pretty awesome piece of technology from Microsoft Research.
Giving credit where credit is due, Microsoft said the WorldWide Telescope builds on work that started with computer scientist Jim Gray's work on SkyServer and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The new program has been dedicated to Gray's memory. Here's a short article by Gray and Alexander Szalay that lays out the philosophy behind the project. Curtis Wong of Microsoft Research's Next Media group plays a lead role in the WorldWide Telescope project and conducted today's demonstration at TED.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
With Friends Like These...
I have thought now and again that I could vote for McCain. While I don't agree with him on a lot of things, I didn't think he was batshit crazy or someone else's puppet.
Things like this though, really drive me away:
Mr. McCain, who has been on a steady search for support among conservative and evangelical leaders who have long distrusted him, said he was “very honored'’ by Mr. Hagee’s endorsement. Asked about Mr. Hagee’s extensive writings on Armageddon and about what one questioner said was Mr. Hagee’s belief that the anti-Christ will be the head of the European Union, Mr. McCain responded that “all I can tell you is that I am very proud to have Pastor John Hagee’s support.'’
I simply wont vote for someone who thinks *this* generation is the protagonist in a 2000 year old end-of-the-world prophecy and is seeking to fulfill it by declairing non-stop war, I dont care how he tries to triangulate it.
Things like this though, really drive me away:
Mr. McCain, who has been on a steady search for support among conservative and evangelical leaders who have long distrusted him, said he was “very honored'’ by Mr. Hagee’s endorsement. Asked about Mr. Hagee’s extensive writings on Armageddon and about what one questioner said was Mr. Hagee’s belief that the anti-Christ will be the head of the European Union, Mr. McCain responded that “all I can tell you is that I am very proud to have Pastor John Hagee’s support.'’
I simply wont vote for someone who thinks *this* generation is the protagonist in a 2000 year old end-of-the-world prophecy and is seeking to fulfill it by declairing non-stop war, I dont care how he tries to triangulate it.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
At Last!!
They said I could never get a date, but now I can Show Them!! I can SHOW THEM ALL!!!!!!!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
WARNING: New Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Contain Radioactive Ebola Virus
From the Boston Globe:
The [study issued by the state of Maine and the Vermont-based Mercury Policy Project], which shattered 65 [compact fluorescent] bulbs to test air quality and clean-up methods made these recommendations: If a bulb breaks, get children and pets out of the room. Ventilate the room. Never use a vacuum -- even on a rug -- to clean up a compact fluorescent light. Instead, while wearing rubber gloves, use stiff paper such as index cards and tape to pick up pieces, then wipe the area with a wet wipe or damp paper towel. If there are young children or pregnant woman in the house, consider cutting out the piece of carpet where the bulb broke. Use a glass jar with a screw top to contain the shards and clean-up debris.
But, hey, at least the unbroken ones are green, right?
(via)
The [study issued by the state of Maine and the Vermont-based Mercury Policy Project], which shattered 65 [compact fluorescent] bulbs to test air quality and clean-up methods made these recommendations: If a bulb breaks, get children and pets out of the room. Ventilate the room. Never use a vacuum -- even on a rug -- to clean up a compact fluorescent light. Instead, while wearing rubber gloves, use stiff paper such as index cards and tape to pick up pieces, then wipe the area with a wet wipe or damp paper towel. If there are young children or pregnant woman in the house, consider cutting out the piece of carpet where the bulb broke. Use a glass jar with a screw top to contain the shards and clean-up debris.
But, hey, at least the unbroken ones are green, right?
(via)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
19%
Wow. Bush is now offically more radioactive than Bill Clinton at the height of the impeachment scandal.
Overall, 19% of Americans say that they approve of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president, 77% disapprove, and 4% are undecided.
Among Republicans (29% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 45% approve of the way Bush is handling his job and 50% disapprove. Among Democrats (43% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 1% approve and 99% disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job. Among independents (28% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 17% approve and 75% disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job as president.
Full report with monthly poll numbers here. I'm actually quite shocked to see Bush below 50% among Republicans.
How long do you think it will be before the White House (subtly) implies the fault is John McCain's?
Overall, 19% of Americans say that they approve of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president, 77% disapprove, and 4% are undecided.
Among Republicans (29% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 45% approve of the way Bush is handling his job and 50% disapprove. Among Democrats (43% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 1% approve and 99% disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job. Among independents (28% of adults registered to vote in the survey), 17% approve and 75% disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job as president.
Full report with monthly poll numbers here. I'm actually quite shocked to see Bush below 50% among Republicans.
How long do you think it will be before the White House (subtly) implies the fault is John McCain's?
New Girl
Long, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, my life used to look a lot like this.
Really. This kind of thing is vastly more common than you realize.
(via)
Really. This kind of thing is vastly more common than you realize.
(via)
Monday, February 25, 2008
Enough
The (now former) producer of CNN's American Morning on why he was fired for blogging, andwhat he's doing about it. Well worth your time to read.
(via)
(via)
Time to Create Lifetime Mental Scars: Less than 3 months
I was telling ym son about the SuperTrain today!
Supertrain was a television drama/adventure series that ran on NBC from February 7, 1979, to May 5, 1979.
It took place on the Supertrain, a nuclear-powered bullet train that was equipped with amenities more appropriate to a cruise ship than a train, such as swimming pools and shopping centers. It was so big it had to run on very broad gauge track (not two sets of tracks as depicted in some advertising). The train took 36 hours to go from New York City to Los Angeles. Much like its contemporary The Love Boat, the plots concerned the passengers' social lives, usually with multiple intertwining storylines, and most of the cast was composed of guest stars. The production was elaborate, with huge sets and a high-tech model train for outside shots.
At the time, Supertrain was the most expensive series ever aired in the United States. The production was beset by problems, including a model train that crashed, and while it was heavily advertised during the 1978-1979 season, it suffered from bad reviews and low viewership; despite attempts to salvage the show by reworking the cast, it never took off and left the air after only three months. NBC was never able to make up the production losses (it produced the show itself, at first with help from Dark Shadows producer Dan Curtis), and combined with the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics the next season (which cost NBC millions in ad revenue), it nearly bankrupted the network. For these reasons, Supertrain is usually cited as the worst television flop ever.
See also, the Big Bus
Supertrain was a television drama/adventure series that ran on NBC from February 7, 1979, to May 5, 1979.
It took place on the Supertrain, a nuclear-powered bullet train that was equipped with amenities more appropriate to a cruise ship than a train, such as swimming pools and shopping centers. It was so big it had to run on very broad gauge track (not two sets of tracks as depicted in some advertising). The train took 36 hours to go from New York City to Los Angeles. Much like its contemporary The Love Boat, the plots concerned the passengers' social lives, usually with multiple intertwining storylines, and most of the cast was composed of guest stars. The production was elaborate, with huge sets and a high-tech model train for outside shots.
At the time, Supertrain was the most expensive series ever aired in the United States. The production was beset by problems, including a model train that crashed, and while it was heavily advertised during the 1978-1979 season, it suffered from bad reviews and low viewership; despite attempts to salvage the show by reworking the cast, it never took off and left the air after only three months. NBC was never able to make up the production losses (it produced the show itself, at first with help from Dark Shadows producer Dan Curtis), and combined with the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics the next season (which cost NBC millions in ad revenue), it nearly bankrupted the network. For these reasons, Supertrain is usually cited as the worst television flop ever.
See also, the Big Bus
Something About Pepper Which I Was Not Aware of This Morning
Peugeot got it's start in, and still makes, peppermills.
Earth's Biggest Lawsuit
Interesting, certainly.
Have you ever purchased a religious product or service? Ever paid a "tithe", sowed a "faith seed", or given a "love gift"? Ever donated money to a church, ministry, religious leader, or televangelist? Missed out on an inheritance, because a parent or relative gave money or willed their estate to a church, religion, or religious leader?
Has a religion, church, or televangelist made any false, misleading, or deceptive claims or representations? Statements that may have influenced your decision to purchase a product or service ... or to give your money?
It's time to get your money back.
Do you believe that organized religioneers should be held accountable to truth-in-advertising laws, like any other person or business who sells products and services? Should they be required to prove all claims when selling products, asking for "tithes" or "love gifts", or fundraising?
Do you believe that religious groups should lose their tax exemptions as "charitable", unless they can prove that +80% of their income is spent on real charity? Should they be required to make full, independently audited financial disclosure to the public?
Do you believe that "church tax" violates the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
Add your voice to the petition for your country.
Join the global movement demanding government action against false, misleading, and deceptive conduct in religious commerce and fundraising.
While it's a novel idea, it smells a little like a scam to me. I have to file this under More Research.
It's questions like that that will make you burn in Hell.
Have you ever purchased a religious product or service? Ever paid a "tithe", sowed a "faith seed", or given a "love gift"? Ever donated money to a church, ministry, religious leader, or televangelist? Missed out on an inheritance, because a parent or relative gave money or willed their estate to a church, religion, or religious leader?
Has a religion, church, or televangelist made any false, misleading, or deceptive claims or representations? Statements that may have influenced your decision to purchase a product or service ... or to give your money?
It's time to get your money back.
Do you believe that organized religioneers should be held accountable to truth-in-advertising laws, like any other person or business who sells products and services? Should they be required to prove all claims when selling products, asking for "tithes" or "love gifts", or fundraising?
Do you believe that religious groups should lose their tax exemptions as "charitable", unless they can prove that +80% of their income is spent on real charity? Should they be required to make full, independently audited financial disclosure to the public?
Do you believe that "church tax" violates the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights?
Add your voice to the petition for your country.
Join the global movement demanding government action against false, misleading, and deceptive conduct in religious commerce and fundraising.
While it's a novel idea, it smells a little like a scam to me. I have to file this under More Research.
It's questions like that that will make you burn in Hell.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
2007 Worst Jobs in Science
Number 6: Microsoft Security Grunt
Like wearing a big sign that reads "Hack Me"
Do you flinch when your inbox dings? The people manning secure@microsoft.com receive approximately 100,000 dings a year, each one a message that something in the Microsoft empire may have gone terribly wrong. Teams of Microsoft Security Response Center employees toil 365 days a year to fix the kinks in Windows, Internet Explorer, Office and all the behemoth´s other products. It´s tedious work. Each product can have multiple versions in multiple languages, and each needs its own repairs (by one estimate, Explorer alone has 300 different configurations). Plus, to most hackers, crippling Microsoft is the geek equivalent of taking down the Death Star, so the assault is relentless. According to the SANS Institute, a security research group, Microsoft products are among the top five targets of online attack. Meanwhile, faith in Microsoft security is ever-shakier-according to one estimate, 30 percent of corporate chief information officers have moved away from some Windows platforms in recent years. "Microsoft is between a rock and a hard place," says Marcus Sachs, the director of the SANS Internet Storm Center. "They have to patch so much software on a case-by-case basis. And all in a world that just doesn´t have time to wait."
The rest are here. At least I am not a Whale Feces researcher...
Like wearing a big sign that reads "Hack Me"
Do you flinch when your inbox dings? The people manning secure@microsoft.com receive approximately 100,000 dings a year, each one a message that something in the Microsoft empire may have gone terribly wrong. Teams of Microsoft Security Response Center employees toil 365 days a year to fix the kinks in Windows, Internet Explorer, Office and all the behemoth´s other products. It´s tedious work. Each product can have multiple versions in multiple languages, and each needs its own repairs (by one estimate, Explorer alone has 300 different configurations). Plus, to most hackers, crippling Microsoft is the geek equivalent of taking down the Death Star, so the assault is relentless. According to the SANS Institute, a security research group, Microsoft products are among the top five targets of online attack. Meanwhile, faith in Microsoft security is ever-shakier-according to one estimate, 30 percent of corporate chief information officers have moved away from some Windows platforms in recent years. "Microsoft is between a rock and a hard place," says Marcus Sachs, the director of the SANS Internet Storm Center. "They have to patch so much software on a case-by-case basis. And all in a world that just doesn´t have time to wait."
The rest are here. At least I am not a Whale Feces researcher...
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Believers
I have often thought there are 3 kinds of religious believers:
A: Those who actually, truely and completely believe.
B: Those who .. kind of believe, mostly because everyone else does or they buy Pascal's Wager.
C: Those who are too smart to believe but who have no skills or are too lazy to make a living any other way.
With this in mind, I present Mike Huckabee, Class C Believer (and a homecoming queen).
A: Those who actually, truely and completely believe.
B: Those who .. kind of believe, mostly because everyone else does or they buy Pascal's Wager.
C: Those who are too smart to believe but who have no skills or are too lazy to make a living any other way.
With this in mind, I present Mike Huckabee, Class C Believer (and a homecoming queen).
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
What's the Word?
Thunderbird!
The history of Thunderbird is as interesting as the drunken effects the one experiences from the wine. When Prohibition ended, Ernest Gallo and his brothers Julio and Joe wanted to corner the young wine market. Earnest wanted the company to become "the Campbell Soup company of the wine industry" so he started selling Thunderbird in the ghettos around the country. Their radio adds featured a song that sang, "What's the word? / Thunderbird / How's it sold? / Good and cold / What's the jive? / Bird's alive / What's the price? / Thirty twice." It is said that Ernest once drove through a tough, inner city neighborhood and pulled over when he saw a bum. When Gallo rolled down his window and called out, "What's the word?" the immediate answer from the bum was, "Thunderbird."
The history of Thunderbird is as interesting as the drunken effects the one experiences from the wine. When Prohibition ended, Ernest Gallo and his brothers Julio and Joe wanted to corner the young wine market. Earnest wanted the company to become "the Campbell Soup company of the wine industry" so he started selling Thunderbird in the ghettos around the country. Their radio adds featured a song that sang, "What's the word? / Thunderbird / How's it sold? / Good and cold / What's the jive? / Bird's alive / What's the price? / Thirty twice." It is said that Ernest once drove through a tough, inner city neighborhood and pulled over when he saw a bum. When Gallo rolled down his window and called out, "What's the word?" the immediate answer from the bum was, "Thunderbird."
Monday, February 18, 2008
Obituary Corrections
Brian [2:11 PM]:
i wish i knew how to crack web sites
then i could change this obit: EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, to take her to be with her Lord Jesus on Saturday, February 9, 2008.
to: EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, and KILLED HER on Saturday, February 9, 2008.
I think it should be more like:
EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, to take her to be with her Lord Jesus on Saturday, February 9, 2008. Unfortunately, Jesus knew all about her secret gambling addiction, internet white slave trafficing and that roll of butterscotch life savers she stole from Mr. Bitter's Corner Emporium when she was 4. He passed judgement damning her immortal soul for longer than the universe has existed. Even with the possibility of last-moment redemption so close, she condemmed herself to the Lake of Eternal Fire by noting that Jesus perpetually seeping wounds made him look kind of "hunky" and wondered if that was the "rough trade" she'd heard tell about. Her soul will bake for 10 billion years in the lake before being transfered to the Beach of Flaying and Scraping in what is know in the 4th circle as "standard punishment 7". A Memorial will be held at Saint Albert the Great on Sunday, 2-4pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the United Way and the Knights of Columbus. Glory!
i wish i knew how to crack web sites
then i could change this obit: EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, to take her to be with her Lord Jesus on Saturday, February 9, 2008.
to: EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, and KILLED HER on Saturday, February 9, 2008.
I think it should be more like:
EMMA BEALE The angels came to the home of Emma Beale, 61, of Alkol, Lincoln County, to take her to be with her Lord Jesus on Saturday, February 9, 2008. Unfortunately, Jesus knew all about her secret gambling addiction, internet white slave trafficing and that roll of butterscotch life savers she stole from Mr. Bitter's Corner Emporium when she was 4. He passed judgement damning her immortal soul for longer than the universe has existed. Even with the possibility of last-moment redemption so close, she condemmed herself to the Lake of Eternal Fire by noting that Jesus perpetually seeping wounds made him look kind of "hunky" and wondered if that was the "rough trade" she'd heard tell about. Her soul will bake for 10 billion years in the lake before being transfered to the Beach of Flaying and Scraping in what is know in the 4th circle as "standard punishment 7". A Memorial will be held at Saint Albert the Great on Sunday, 2-4pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the United Way and the Knights of Columbus. Glory!
Playing Jesus to the Lepers in Your Head Just Got Much Easier
With new microwave/acoustic technology, those voices just *might* be real....
Because the frequency of the sound heard is dependent on the pulse characteristics of the RF energy, it seems possible that this technology could be developed to the point where words could be transmitted to be heard like the spoken word, except hat it could only be heard within a person's head. In one experiment, communication of the words from one to ten using "speech modulated" microwave energy was successfully demonstrated. Microphones next to the person experiencing the voice could not pick up the sound. Additional development of this would open up a wide range of possibilities.
I'm getting one of these for the next State of the Union Speech....
Because the frequency of the sound heard is dependent on the pulse characteristics of the RF energy, it seems possible that this technology could be developed to the point where words could be transmitted to be heard like the spoken word, except hat it could only be heard within a person's head. In one experiment, communication of the words from one to ten using "speech modulated" microwave energy was successfully demonstrated. Microphones next to the person experiencing the voice could not pick up the sound. Additional development of this would open up a wide range of possibilities.
I'm getting one of these for the next State of the Union Speech....
Friday, February 15, 2008
Last Day
Yesterday was my last day in Capital Markets, so I sent an appropriately sappy note to my friends (note: it should be explained here that "appropriately sappy" in my context involves the words "bail" and "fire chief" ).
This is an example of the typical response:
I would love to stay in touch with you at least until 21 Dec 2012. Then all bets are off. America's decision to elect Jeb Bush for President in Nov 2012 should rightfully lead to the end of the world the following month.
I'll miss these jokers.
This is an example of the typical response:
I would love to stay in touch with you at least until 21 Dec 2012. Then all bets are off. America's decision to elect Jeb Bush for President in Nov 2012 should rightfully lead to the end of the world the following month.
I'll miss these jokers.
Finally, an MMO We CAa All Enjoy!
Looks like I'll be cancelling my City of Heroes account and heading here soon.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Cosmology
Ever since news of the discovery made national headlines, local hoteliers have been overwhelmed by an influx of atheists from all over the country who have flocked to Huddlesfield to catch a glimpse of the scientific relic.
Discovery here
Discovery here
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Your search - isoclysmic - did not match any documents.
From the forums over at Ben Stein's movie, Expelled
Obviously, this primed free energy function as defined by Dr. Josiah Willard Gibbs of Yale and later slightly modified by Dr. Andrew Gibbs while he remained living into the last century (only Josiah Gibbs is usually given the credit) leads to a clear and fairly devastating disproof of evolution through the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
For those of you who are not well acquainted with the niceties of ID or with the hard realities of thermodynamics, this primed Gibbs Free Energy of an isoclysmic system (as given by K. Ludwig, L. Mayer, X. Austerlitz, and P. Olsen in 1885 in the Zeitschrift fuer Phys. der re. Naturfor., Vol. 10, No. 7, pgs. 23-24) that is quasi-statically bound to an adiabat such as a cell or a human body is while it is still alive is the entropy plus the enthalpy divided by a temperature-dependent scaling factor - often shortened to Enthrapy - please watch your spelling graphicsully. (It was a pleasant surprise, though, to see that someone here knows of this thermodynamic function!) It has its origin in a perfect differential and remains invariant under an arbitrary Legendre transformation. Case closed! Not only is the viability of evolution disproved, but the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics is necessarily vitiated. (see Turner, L.A., Am. Jour. Phys., Vol. 29, pgs. 71-76 for the standard reference.)
Utter, utter nonsense.
Obviously, this primed free energy function as defined by Dr. Josiah Willard Gibbs of Yale and later slightly modified by Dr. Andrew Gibbs while he remained living into the last century (only Josiah Gibbs is usually given the credit) leads to a clear and fairly devastating disproof of evolution through the Second Law of Thermodynamics.
For those of you who are not well acquainted with the niceties of ID or with the hard realities of thermodynamics, this primed Gibbs Free Energy of an isoclysmic system (as given by K. Ludwig, L. Mayer, X. Austerlitz, and P. Olsen in 1885 in the Zeitschrift fuer Phys. der re. Naturfor., Vol. 10, No. 7, pgs. 23-24) that is quasi-statically bound to an adiabat such as a cell or a human body is while it is still alive is the entropy plus the enthalpy divided by a temperature-dependent scaling factor - often shortened to Enthrapy - please watch your spelling graphicsully. (It was a pleasant surprise, though, to see that someone here knows of this thermodynamic function!) It has its origin in a perfect differential and remains invariant under an arbitrary Legendre transformation. Case closed! Not only is the viability of evolution disproved, but the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics is necessarily vitiated. (see Turner, L.A., Am. Jour. Phys., Vol. 29, pgs. 71-76 for the standard reference.)
Utter, utter nonsense.
Everywhere, All The Time
Direct quote from a flyer advertising .. software.. I think...
"Windows(tm) is perhaps the most universal software in the world..."
not just universal, but the most universal ... in the whole world!!
idiots.
"Windows(tm) is perhaps the most universal software in the world..."
not just universal, but the most universal ... in the whole world!!
idiots.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Lie Big, Lie Little
The GOP has a real problem with counting votes. I mean really, if they can't even count their own votes straight, how can they be expected to count nationally?
As you know, here at TPM we've been really curious what happened in the Republican caucus in Washington state. For probably the first time in all the primaries and elections I've ever watched, the folks running the election decided to stop counting the votes with 13% of the votes uncounted. And this wasn't a 70-30 blow out, but a tight race where the two top vote getters were separated by less than 2% of the vote. Then this morning, state party chair Luke Esser decided to declare McCain the winner.
...
In terms of consequence, Bush v. Gore it ain't. This is a relatively small contest in a nomination campaign that appears to be over. But this is something you'd expect either from Soviet history or a farcical passage in a Faulkner novel. And let's not forget the context. Huckabee starts the day with a blowout win in Kansas. That evening he gets the largest number of votes in Louisiana. Then in the third contest he's neck and neck with John McCain and looks like he may win all three contests of the day -- a shut-out for the all-but-declared nominee. Then as it's going down to the wire, the head of the state party decides he's seen enough and calls it for McCain.
I'm no fan of Huck, and I'm becoming a little warmer to McCain but Jesus! How entitled do you have to feel to think you can pull something like this off?
Pretty damn entitled.
As you know, here at TPM we've been really curious what happened in the Republican caucus in Washington state. For probably the first time in all the primaries and elections I've ever watched, the folks running the election decided to stop counting the votes with 13% of the votes uncounted. And this wasn't a 70-30 blow out, but a tight race where the two top vote getters were separated by less than 2% of the vote. Then this morning, state party chair Luke Esser decided to declare McCain the winner.
...
In terms of consequence, Bush v. Gore it ain't. This is a relatively small contest in a nomination campaign that appears to be over. But this is something you'd expect either from Soviet history or a farcical passage in a Faulkner novel. And let's not forget the context. Huckabee starts the day with a blowout win in Kansas. That evening he gets the largest number of votes in Louisiana. Then in the third contest he's neck and neck with John McCain and looks like he may win all three contests of the day -- a shut-out for the all-but-declared nominee. Then as it's going down to the wire, the head of the state party decides he's seen enough and calls it for McCain.
I'm no fan of Huck, and I'm becoming a little warmer to McCain but Jesus! How entitled do you have to feel to think you can pull something like this off?
Pretty damn entitled.
More on Hate Speech
In which the Archbishop of Canterbury cites approvingly of the advances of Islam:
But now the archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has cited the Beth Din as one of his reasons for believing that sharia, or Islamic law, can and should become a part of what he called "plural jurisdiction" in Britain. His reasoning, if one may call it that, is clear: Other faiths already have their own legal authorities, so why not the Muslims, too? What could be more tolerant and diverse? This same argument has been used already, and will be used again, to demand that laws governing "blasphemy," originally written to protect only Christians from being upset, should now, in a nondiscriminatory way, be amended to cover Muslims as well. The alternative—don't have any blasphemy laws and let religious people's feelings be hurt, just as the feelings of the secular are regularly offended by religion—doesn't occur to the archbishop and people who think like him.
Like it or not, the road to civilization is paved with opinions your delicate ears might not like. I wonder if Joe Ratzinger is also quietly clapping.
But now the archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has cited the Beth Din as one of his reasons for believing that sharia, or Islamic law, can and should become a part of what he called "plural jurisdiction" in Britain. His reasoning, if one may call it that, is clear: Other faiths already have their own legal authorities, so why not the Muslims, too? What could be more tolerant and diverse? This same argument has been used already, and will be used again, to demand that laws governing "blasphemy," originally written to protect only Christians from being upset, should now, in a nondiscriminatory way, be amended to cover Muslims as well. The alternative—don't have any blasphemy laws and let religious people's feelings be hurt, just as the feelings of the secular are regularly offended by religion—doesn't occur to the archbishop and people who think like him.
Like it or not, the road to civilization is paved with opinions your delicate ears might not like. I wonder if Joe Ratzinger is also quietly clapping.
Another Day Older
and deeper in debt. Although in this case, that may be a very good thing. Some speculation on the MSFT/Yahoo deal around the idea of MSFT offering some high quality bonds into a bear market.
Edit: I received a note from corporate asking that I remove my speculation from the post to better comply with SEC regulations. There is substitute text which I could offer, but will decline to do so.
Edit: I received a note from corporate asking that I remove my speculation from the post to better comply with SEC regulations. There is substitute text which I could offer, but will decline to do so.
The Mormon's Miscalculation
I think this is about right:
Blame Christians. By significant margins, in poll after poll, in vote after vote a solid block of evangelical Christians said they would never vote for a Mormon. Since evangelicals made up nearly half of the Republican primary vote in some states, Romney was up against a deep well of distrust of a religion that many evangelicals still label a cult.
It showed again Tuesday, in exit polls in the bellwether state of Missouri. Among the small group of Republican voters who say they never go to church, Romney got his highest vote total – 39 percent. Among people who attend services more than once a week, he received his lowest, 21 percent.
Put another way, those dreaded secularists – whom Romney himself criticized in his off-tune and hugely miscalculated speech on religion in December – were far more likely to vote for him than were the most devout Christians.
It’s tempting to call these voters anti-Mormon bigots. Polls show evangelicals are three times as likely to vote for a black candidate as a Mormon. In the late 1960s, the percentage of Americans who said they would not vote for a Jew was in the teens. By 2000, that number was down to the low single digits. A similar tolerance opened up for Catholics.
After years of stoking the Christianist, End Times fires, the GOP is finally reaping what it has sown; it's thrown away it's best possible presidential candidate in favor of nominating someone who will lose, so a significant part of the base can "show them" how important this Christianists are.
I also largely suspect the leaders of the GOP really want to elect Hillary Clinton. They were never so powerful, or felt as needed, as when they were battling the Clintons, and a rematch probably seems very tempting. A number of articles I read over the weekend suggests the evangelicals want to elect a democrat for 4 years in a repeat of the Carter administration. The idea is that 4 years after that, they'll get a Reagan-like figure.
Of course, history doesn't work that way, but who am I to deny the destiny, power and plan of sky-father?
Blame Christians. By significant margins, in poll after poll, in vote after vote a solid block of evangelical Christians said they would never vote for a Mormon. Since evangelicals made up nearly half of the Republican primary vote in some states, Romney was up against a deep well of distrust of a religion that many evangelicals still label a cult.
It showed again Tuesday, in exit polls in the bellwether state of Missouri. Among the small group of Republican voters who say they never go to church, Romney got his highest vote total – 39 percent. Among people who attend services more than once a week, he received his lowest, 21 percent.
Put another way, those dreaded secularists – whom Romney himself criticized in his off-tune and hugely miscalculated speech on religion in December – were far more likely to vote for him than were the most devout Christians.
It’s tempting to call these voters anti-Mormon bigots. Polls show evangelicals are three times as likely to vote for a black candidate as a Mormon. In the late 1960s, the percentage of Americans who said they would not vote for a Jew was in the teens. By 2000, that number was down to the low single digits. A similar tolerance opened up for Catholics.
After years of stoking the Christianist, End Times fires, the GOP is finally reaping what it has sown; it's thrown away it's best possible presidential candidate in favor of nominating someone who will lose, so a significant part of the base can "show them" how important this Christianists are.
I also largely suspect the leaders of the GOP really want to elect Hillary Clinton. They were never so powerful, or felt as needed, as when they were battling the Clintons, and a rematch probably seems very tempting. A number of articles I read over the weekend suggests the evangelicals want to elect a democrat for 4 years in a repeat of the Carter administration. The idea is that 4 years after that, they'll get a Reagan-like figure.
Of course, history doesn't work that way, but who am I to deny the destiny, power and plan of sky-father?
Friday, February 08, 2008
Least Best
Me: ... and that's probably the least-best option.
Geoff: Dad!
Me: what? it is!
Geoff: No Dad, your grammar is terrible.
Me: What do you mean?
Geoff: You use all these non-grammatical, nonsense phrases like "least-best" and "woman-president..."
Geoff: Dad!
Me: what? it is!
Geoff: No Dad, your grammar is terrible.
Me: What do you mean?
Geoff: You use all these non-grammatical, nonsense phrases like "least-best" and "woman-president..."
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Or It Could Have a More Prosaic, Less Flattering Explaination
Of course, it could be sheer coincidence that Hillary Clinton showed a rare glimpse of emotion on the day before the New Hampshire primary and again on the day before Super Tuesday.
Ugh. The transparent opportunism is too much even for me. The only way it could be worse is if, afterwards, she turned to the camera and gave a plug for "Crocodile Brand Tears!(tm) Crocodile, when you care enough to pay for the best!"
Ugh. The transparent opportunism is too much even for me. The only way it could be worse is if, afterwards, she turned to the camera and gave a plug for "Crocodile Brand Tears!(tm) Crocodile, when you care enough to pay for the best!"
Join?????? When was he Fired???
I'm in Sydney, where it's always tomorrow, and yet somehow I missed a key piece of news.
Karl Rove, the strategist behind President George W. Bush's ascendancy to the White House, will join Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Channel as a contributor starting with Super Tuesday, the network said.
I am shocked, just shocked by this compromise of the fourth estate!
Karl Rove, the strategist behind President George W. Bush's ascendancy to the White House, will join Rupert Murdoch's Fox News Channel as a contributor starting with Super Tuesday, the network said.
I am shocked, just shocked by this compromise of the fourth estate!
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Say Anything
Ann Coulter is trying to find relavence in a post-GOP world. I'm going to do her the favor and offer a link, so old time's sake.
It's like finding the kid who won the 100 meter at the Special Olympics and letting him beat you in a race to the kitchen for cookies. You know, just to make him happy.
It's like finding the kid who won the 100 meter at the Special Olympics and letting him beat you in a race to the kitchen for cookies. You know, just to make him happy.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Your God Delusion Index
Mine is 0, although given the way one of the questions is worded, I could conceivably get as high as 5.
It gets funnier as it goes on, stay in for the punchline.
It gets funnier as it goes on, stay in for the punchline.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
A Failure of Terrorism
This is the most amazing sentiment I've ever seen from the GOP:
Perhaps Giuliani should blame Bush for his campaign’s demise. If Bush had not been so successful in preventing another domestic terrorist attack, Giuliani’s relevance to voters would be painfully obvious, and his deviations from party orthodoxy less compelling. Instead, he and Bush, the two public figures most associated with September 11, will watch from the sidelines as America turns the page.
more here
via
If only we had more terror so that everyone can see the danger of terror!! Too bad it's too unethical (and time consuming) for the GOP to actually cause some, in the public interest of course.
For me, the question I have never heard answered has always been, what did Rudy actually do during 9/11? He was mayor, yes. But it has always seemed to me that the fire and disaster recovery responded as they should to any major emergency, without a lot of prompting from Rudy. Other than being there, I dont know that he actually *did* anything more than anyone else would have done in the same situation.
I'm more than willing to change my mind on this, if someone has some pointers.
Perhaps Giuliani should blame Bush for his campaign’s demise. If Bush had not been so successful in preventing another domestic terrorist attack, Giuliani’s relevance to voters would be painfully obvious, and his deviations from party orthodoxy less compelling. Instead, he and Bush, the two public figures most associated with September 11, will watch from the sidelines as America turns the page.
more here
via
If only we had more terror so that everyone can see the danger of terror!! Too bad it's too unethical (and time consuming) for the GOP to actually cause some, in the public interest of course.
For me, the question I have never heard answered has always been, what did Rudy actually do during 9/11? He was mayor, yes. But it has always seemed to me that the fire and disaster recovery responded as they should to any major emergency, without a lot of prompting from Rudy. Other than being there, I dont know that he actually *did* anything more than anyone else would have done in the same situation.
I'm more than willing to change my mind on this, if someone has some pointers.
Alternative Universe
Korea yesterday and today. After a long day of presentations to an audience that is really only getting every other word we say, the Korea team offered to take us all out for dinner last night. Going out to dinner is a big part of the Korean business culture, so it was not an offer to be refused without it becoming a huge insult, so of course we went.
The team had been talking all day about the restaurant they had chosen, a “western” place since they thought some of our crew didn’t like Korean food. It turns out this is not true, but were not all exactly sure what they would have fed us, so we let them chose something non-Korean. Our (half-serious) joke all day was that it was going to be a “Country and Western” place.
It was not.
After a brief walk from the hotel (at 27F and I only brought clothes for KL and Sydney, like a dolt), we arrive at an Italian place in the building where our offices are located. The front is decorated in taffeta and bottles of red Italian wine, some of it quite good. The night was looking up.
We were seated at a long table, while the twitchy staff buzzed around us like flies on Seabiscuit. Our tables were set with chopsticks and beer steins but, what I had assumed to be bottles of red wine at first, turned out to be 750ml bottles of blended scotch. Odd.
We sat, still anticipating Italian, when generous pitchers of cheap beer arrived and everyone was poured. Okay. Then the shot glasses arrive. “Hmmmm”, I think to myself, “this is going decidedly pear-shaped”. Our “meal” soon come out, a hot steaming plate of what I first feared was tripe, but soon realized was a large plate of brats, sausages and hot dogs. This was followed very shortly by a football sized ball of aluminum foil which was found to contain bits of very spicy Szechwan beef and veggies. The westerns all looked at each other nervously, but there was nothing for it, so we shrugged and began to eat.
I turned to Brian, one of the guys I’m traveling with and said, “We’re sitting in an Italian restaurant, eating German brats, with Japanese beer and chopsticks, what the hell is going on?”
“Maybe they are trying to show us what the world would have looked like if the Allies had lost WWII”
and we havent even started on the scotch yet...
The team had been talking all day about the restaurant they had chosen, a “western” place since they thought some of our crew didn’t like Korean food. It turns out this is not true, but were not all exactly sure what they would have fed us, so we let them chose something non-Korean. Our (half-serious) joke all day was that it was going to be a “Country and Western” place.
It was not.
After a brief walk from the hotel (at 27F and I only brought clothes for KL and Sydney, like a dolt), we arrive at an Italian place in the building where our offices are located. The front is decorated in taffeta and bottles of red Italian wine, some of it quite good. The night was looking up.
We were seated at a long table, while the twitchy staff buzzed around us like flies on Seabiscuit. Our tables were set with chopsticks and beer steins but, what I had assumed to be bottles of red wine at first, turned out to be 750ml bottles of blended scotch. Odd.
We sat, still anticipating Italian, when generous pitchers of cheap beer arrived and everyone was poured. Okay. Then the shot glasses arrive. “Hmmmm”, I think to myself, “this is going decidedly pear-shaped”. Our “meal” soon come out, a hot steaming plate of what I first feared was tripe, but soon realized was a large plate of brats, sausages and hot dogs. This was followed very shortly by a football sized ball of aluminum foil which was found to contain bits of very spicy Szechwan beef and veggies. The westerns all looked at each other nervously, but there was nothing for it, so we shrugged and began to eat.
I turned to Brian, one of the guys I’m traveling with and said, “We’re sitting in an Italian restaurant, eating German brats, with Japanese beer and chopsticks, what the hell is going on?”
“Maybe they are trying to show us what the world would have looked like if the Allies had lost WWII”
and we havent even started on the scotch yet...
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Science is a Hot Knife Cutting Through the Very Sexy Butter of Religion
If you swap the points of view, I would agree with the Pope.
Also, I thought this was a level of deniability and delusion other politicians can only look at with envy:
Students and teachers at Rome's La Sapienza university – which was founded by a pope more than 700 years ago – cited such views when they protested so loudly during a papal speech scheduled for Jan. 17 that it had to be cancelled.
In particular, they criticized his views on science, saying a speech he gave in 1990 showed he would have favoured the church's 17th-century heresy trial against Galileo.
The Vatican said the protesters misunderstood that speech, made about 17 years ago when he was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
Don't quote me, I was someone else! Also, if I wasn't, you misunderstood me.
Also, I thought this was a level of deniability and delusion other politicians can only look at with envy:
Students and teachers at Rome's La Sapienza university – which was founded by a pope more than 700 years ago – cited such views when they protested so loudly during a papal speech scheduled for Jan. 17 that it had to be cancelled.
In particular, they criticized his views on science, saying a speech he gave in 1990 showed he would have favoured the church's 17th-century heresy trial against Galileo.
The Vatican said the protesters misunderstood that speech, made about 17 years ago when he was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
Don't quote me, I was someone else! Also, if I wasn't, you misunderstood me.
2333 Days
since 9/11 and OBL is still at large. It's nice to know that in the 6 years since then, we've made a lot of progress on finding the most wanted man in the world.
"If we could find the cave he is in, I promise you - he would be brought to justice or wherever he's hiding."
"If we could find the cave he is in, I promise you - he would be brought to justice or wherever he's hiding."
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Affin Bank
Affin Bank is a customer in Malaysia we've worked with quite extensively. A lot of their infrastructure is running on our product and sometime back they agreed to do a customer video for us. They are a great and successful partner, and a point of pride for the account team, the region and the company. During the conference yesterday, the account team decided to show us the result of their installation and it had a terrific impact, especially on the English speakers. I almost had to be removed from the room.
Part of the video shows a small, shy woman in Islamic dress, talking nervously to the camera about how great our products are, and about how much they have been to Affin Bank. She's clearly a little afraid of the camera and is probably using cue cards because there are some odd pauses in her dialog. For example:
"SQL Server has really helped us raise the customer satisfaction .... at the Affin Bank."
"Microsoft ... makes a good partner... for the Affin Bank"
"The Affin Bank has the largest ... community of users in Malaysia"
"I'm proud to part of the ... Microsoft community for the Affin bank"
I laughed so hard at this, I nearly peed. The other English speakers seated next to me were no help at all because they were hardly keeping it together. Several people had to leave the room, clearly on the verge of busting a gut.
Just about the time a few of us got control, just a hair shy of embarrassing ourselves in front of the account team, our partners and the other team members in the room, after a few deep breaths, I turned to the guy next to me and said,
"I need some cab fare, do you know where the Affin ATM is?"
And that threw us over the edge!
Why is this funny? What's so hilarious about a small Islamic woman repeating the name of her bank every 30 seconds?
The name is pronounced "F-in"
Part of the video shows a small, shy woman in Islamic dress, talking nervously to the camera about how great our products are, and about how much they have been to Affin Bank. She's clearly a little afraid of the camera and is probably using cue cards because there are some odd pauses in her dialog. For example:
"SQL Server has really helped us raise the customer satisfaction .... at the Affin Bank."
"Microsoft ... makes a good partner... for the Affin Bank"
"The Affin Bank has the largest ... community of users in Malaysia"
"I'm proud to part of the ... Microsoft community for the Affin bank"
I laughed so hard at this, I nearly peed. The other English speakers seated next to me were no help at all because they were hardly keeping it together. Several people had to leave the room, clearly on the verge of busting a gut.
Just about the time a few of us got control, just a hair shy of embarrassing ourselves in front of the account team, our partners and the other team members in the room, after a few deep breaths, I turned to the guy next to me and said,
"I need some cab fare, do you know where the Affin ATM is?"
And that threw us over the edge!
Why is this funny? What's so hilarious about a small Islamic woman repeating the name of her bank every 30 seconds?
The name is pronounced "F-in"
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sweet (Potato) Jesus
The Sixth Seal has broken, and Jesus has come.
I'll pause in this inspiring story so you can go to MyFoxColorado to see these remarkable likenesses of Jesus on the Cross in the rotten potato for yourselves, here and here. Please do. I'd put them up here but Fox copyrighted the pics. Apparently Jesus on the Cross is a Fox property.
I'll pause in this inspiring story so you can go to MyFoxColorado to see these remarkable likenesses of Jesus on the Cross in the rotten potato for yourselves, here and here. Please do. I'd put them up here but Fox copyrighted the pics. Apparently Jesus on the Cross is a Fox property.
Image Fault
I was reading about Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Obama, much to the annoyance of the Clinton campaign, and was wondering if this was a turning point in the nomination. Teddy's a big voice for the Old Democrats, which have been a huge support to the Clintons, so this endorsement may move part of her base.
I was thinking about other singular campaign turning point, the most obvious being Dukakis in a tank.
In theory this should be fine, a presidential candidate appearing to support the military. The reality however, was that this image sunk his whole run for the presidency. I wonder if this is that moment for Hillary.
BTW, I'm in a lecture hall in Kuala Lumpur, listening to a partner talk about "critical impacts to business". I searched for the above image and while it was prominently displayed on my screen, the guy next to me leaned over and whispered,
"Stop looking at pornography!"
I was thinking about other singular campaign turning point, the most obvious being Dukakis in a tank.
In theory this should be fine, a presidential candidate appearing to support the military. The reality however, was that this image sunk his whole run for the presidency. I wonder if this is that moment for Hillary.
BTW, I'm in a lecture hall in Kuala Lumpur, listening to a partner talk about "critical impacts to business". I searched for the above image and while it was prominently displayed on my screen, the guy next to me leaned over and whispered,
"Stop looking at pornography!"
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Taipei
Here today on (hopefully) my last Capital Markets world customer trip.
So far, it's beautiful. I wish I could see more, but it's off to KL for tomorrows meeting :(
So far, it's beautiful. I wish I could see more, but it's off to KL for tomorrows meeting :(
Friday, January 25, 2008
Children's Movies
Geoff: Why do you think every movie involves nudity?
Me: They do!
Geoff: No, not all of them.
Me: Sure they do, remember Mary Poppins?
Geoff: What??? NO! Mary Poppins did not have nudity!
Me: Sure it did! Remember the scene with the snake?
Geoff: there was no .... wait... is "Poppins" spelled with a hyphen?
Me: yes
Geoff: Oh god.
Me: They do!
Geoff: No, not all of them.
Me: Sure they do, remember Mary Poppins?
Geoff: What??? NO! Mary Poppins did not have nudity!
Me: Sure it did! Remember the scene with the snake?
Geoff: there was no .... wait... is "Poppins" spelled with a hyphen?
Me: yes
Geoff: Oh god.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Convictions
Wife for Life
Wow
Convictions: Malicious mischief, vandalism, then a guy I dated turned up dead plus his wife.
Convictions: Vehicular assault, vehicular homicide, reckless driving and I had a ton of weed in the trunk
Convictions: Drug trafficking and murder plus some small stuff.
Convictions: Arson but it turned out his kids were in there so they said two counts murder one.
Convictions: I beat up this bitch cop with my bare knuckles and she died so I'm done for life. Lets chat!
Wow
Convictions: Malicious mischief, vandalism, then a guy I dated turned up dead plus his wife.
Convictions: Vehicular assault, vehicular homicide, reckless driving and I had a ton of weed in the trunk
Convictions: Drug trafficking and murder plus some small stuff.
Convictions: Arson but it turned out his kids were in there so they said two counts murder one.
Convictions: I beat up this bitch cop with my bare knuckles and she died so I'm done for life. Lets chat!
Today in Library News!
Everything Art Garfunkel has ever read!!!
Isn't that neat?!!
The thought of all that raw, surging literature makes me wonder why the hell I should care....
Isn't that neat?!!
The thought of all that raw, surging literature makes me wonder why the hell I should care....
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Goons!
Some call it terrorism, others call it a delightful set of pranks. You decide:
And better still, here was a game that had somehow become the Internet's top destination for a specimen of online weirdo the Goons had long ago adopted as their favorite target: the Furries, with their dedication to role-playing the lives — and sex lives — of cuddly anthropomorphic woodland creatures.
Thus began the Second Life Goon tradition of jaw-droppingly offensive theme lands. This has included the re-creation of the burning Twin Towers (tiny falling bodies included) and a truly icky murdered-hooker crime scene (in which a hermaphrodite Furry prostitute lay naked, violated, and disemboweled on a four-poster bed, while an assortment of coded-in options gave the visitor chances for further violation). But the first and perhaps most expertly engineered of these provocations was Tacowood — a parody of the Furry region known as Luskwood. In Tacowood, rainbow-dappled woodlands have been overrun by the bulldozers and chain saws of a genocidal "defurrestation" campaign and populated with the corpses of formerly adorable cartoon animal folk now variously beheaded, mutilated, and nailed to crosses.
The debate my son and I are having is whether or not the constitution applies here and this is "free speech: or not.
And better still, here was a game that had somehow become the Internet's top destination for a specimen of online weirdo the Goons had long ago adopted as their favorite target: the Furries, with their dedication to role-playing the lives — and sex lives — of cuddly anthropomorphic woodland creatures.
Thus began the Second Life Goon tradition of jaw-droppingly offensive theme lands. This has included the re-creation of the burning Twin Towers (tiny falling bodies included) and a truly icky murdered-hooker crime scene (in which a hermaphrodite Furry prostitute lay naked, violated, and disemboweled on a four-poster bed, while an assortment of coded-in options gave the visitor chances for further violation). But the first and perhaps most expertly engineered of these provocations was Tacowood — a parody of the Furry region known as Luskwood. In Tacowood, rainbow-dappled woodlands have been overrun by the bulldozers and chain saws of a genocidal "defurrestation" campaign and populated with the corpses of formerly adorable cartoon animal folk now variously beheaded, mutilated, and nailed to crosses.
The debate my son and I are having is whether or not the constitution applies here and this is "free speech: or not.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Issues Voting
NPR has a quiz that compares your opinions on topics to those of the candidates. I took this and was pretty shocked by the results. I matched Clinton in the majority of choices, and was furthest from Romney and Thompson.
Well, mildly shocked. I'm still not a big fan of Hillary and doubt I would vote for her.
Well, mildly shocked. I'm still not a big fan of Hillary and doubt I would vote for her.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Prank 3:16
Take someone's most cherished religious beliefs, for example about the Rapture, then stage a gag where all your freinds dissappear leaving you "behind". You'd have to be an insensitive jerk to mess with someone like that, so I'm glad these guys thought of it first...
Snake Oil in the Comments
This morning, I received the following as part of the comments thread on an old post:
Seo Link Master has left a new comment on your post "Alternative Fuel: Salt Water?":
Fuel is the adrenaline of any car, truck or engine. Thus, it is every vehicle owner's wish to enhance the fuel of their car and save more of it as well. With this in mind, the most innovative fuel-saving tool in the automotive industry was conceptualized and created: the Tornado Fuel Saver. An automotive air channeling tool that creates a swirling air motion, the Tornado Fuel Saver allows the air to move in a faster and more efficient way by whirling air around corners and bends. Hence, more fuel is saved. Search engine optimization, Try to Be happy
Posted by Seo Link Master to Not Quite a Reputable Journal of Opinion at 4:46 AM
Seems like spam, which is pretty unusual in my comments section (actually, comments are pretty unusual in my comments section). I clicked through the link, curious as to what "swirling air motion" had to do with anything in a fuel injected engine, and discovered a small gem of snake oil.
The Bio Fuel Saver stick is treated to produce a bio-energetic field; this field enables interaction with the fuel changing the molecular structure of the carbon hydrogen. This leads to a better burning process and less exhaust gases.
Basically, they want you to buy a magnet you drop into your fuel tank. Clever. "bio-energetic field"
How does it work? Why that's even more creative!
Space between molecular structures posses hidden energy. Every Material has it's own unique information structure. N-G has over 20 years of research into space energy manipulation, enabling an ability to program molecular structures to give a known performance value to a desired application.
You may ask, what is a molecular structure?A molecular structure is made up of atoms, every atom is defined by the number of electrons, protons and neutrons in it. These three elements are arranged together to form a specific atom, just like the components of DNA are formed to make a specific DNA code.
The atom is encoded with information about how the electrons, protons and neutrons are to arrange themselves in a material formation. N-G is able to use this information within structures to change material characteristics thus bringing out the desired effect.
Forming the above information structure within a material allows N-G to create a bio-energetic field that will influence the structure of the fuel, allowing a cleaner more efficient burning process.
What this has to do with swirling air, I have yet to figure out. I still have a soft spot for a creative con and this one is pretty funny.
Seo Link Master has left a new comment on your post "Alternative Fuel: Salt Water?":
Fuel is the adrenaline of any car, truck or engine. Thus, it is every vehicle owner's wish to enhance the fuel of their car and save more of it as well. With this in mind, the most innovative fuel-saving tool in the automotive industry was conceptualized and created: the Tornado Fuel Saver. An automotive air channeling tool that creates a swirling air motion, the Tornado Fuel Saver allows the air to move in a faster and more efficient way by whirling air around corners and bends. Hence, more fuel is saved. Search engine optimization, Try to Be happy
Posted by Seo Link Master to Not Quite a Reputable Journal of Opinion at 4:46 AM
Seems like spam, which is pretty unusual in my comments section (actually, comments are pretty unusual in my comments section). I clicked through the link, curious as to what "swirling air motion" had to do with anything in a fuel injected engine, and discovered a small gem of snake oil.
The Bio Fuel Saver stick is treated to produce a bio-energetic field; this field enables interaction with the fuel changing the molecular structure of the carbon hydrogen. This leads to a better burning process and less exhaust gases.
Basically, they want you to buy a magnet you drop into your fuel tank. Clever. "bio-energetic field"
How does it work? Why that's even more creative!
Space between molecular structures posses hidden energy. Every Material has it's own unique information structure. N-G has over 20 years of research into space energy manipulation, enabling an ability to program molecular structures to give a known performance value to a desired application.
You may ask, what is a molecular structure?A molecular structure is made up of atoms, every atom is defined by the number of electrons, protons and neutrons in it. These three elements are arranged together to form a specific atom, just like the components of DNA are formed to make a specific DNA code.
The atom is encoded with information about how the electrons, protons and neutrons are to arrange themselves in a material formation. N-G is able to use this information within structures to change material characteristics thus bringing out the desired effect.
Forming the above information structure within a material allows N-G to create a bio-energetic field that will influence the structure of the fuel, allowing a cleaner more efficient burning process.
What this has to do with swirling air, I have yet to figure out. I still have a soft spot for a creative con and this one is pretty funny.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
We Will, We Will, Scar you!
These are just the reactions to the video( which I will not link to). It is sometimes a trial to have a kid in the Army.
Most Likely
I have been reading the previously mentioned website while I rebuild a computer at work. I thought this one was very funny:
The rapture on the other hand most likely won't hurt and will probably be the most awsome sensation we have ever known. Also, I can take my children with me and only a select few in the whole history of the earth will experiance it. I want to be a part of that.
The rapture on the other hand most likely won't hurt and will probably be the most awsome sensation we have ever known. Also, I can take my children with me and only a select few in the whole history of the earth will experiance it. I want to be a part of that.
I Think He Means Vampyres, Not Clones
All elements in the universe (periodic table) get their properties based on their combinations of 3 specific sub-atomic components. Protons, Neutrons, & Electrons. No element has the same combination. (ie...Gold has 79 protons, 118 neutrons, 79 electrons)Carbon (man) has 6 protons, 6 neutrons, 6 electrons. [666]. This will be the number in which the Anti-Christ will be identified by. And because a clone does not have working sexual organs, this explains why a "cloned" Anti-Christ will not have need for a woman.
How do you think this was written in God's word about the anti-Christ being a man that his number will be 666? When the knowledge of protons, neutrons, and electrons was not even known? It is because the word was written just like God said. It was inspired by God, to where man could write it without flaw. And the knowledge was God knowledge, not the knowledge of man.
Wiggy! Much, much more here, if you feel like a guilty pleasure.
How do you think this was written in God's word about the anti-Christ being a man that his number will be 666? When the knowledge of protons, neutrons, and electrons was not even known? It is because the word was written just like God said. It was inspired by God, to where man could write it without flaw. And the knowledge was God knowledge, not the knowledge of man.
Wiggy! Much, much more here, if you feel like a guilty pleasure.
Presidential Truth Table
So far for November, my voting choices look like this:
McCain-Clinton: McCain
McCain-Obama: Obama
McCain-Edwards:McCain
Romney-Clinton: Romney -although I think they are largely fungible
Romney-Obama: Obama
Romney-Edwards: Edwards
Huckabee-Clinton: Clinton
Huckabee-Obama: Obama
Huckabee-Paul: Write in for Jesus -hey, if you're going to go with magical thinking, go with the winning team.
I'm not a Clinton fan, but it's the re-tred of the '90s I would object to in another Clinton presidency. The 90s were very divisive politically and, with the war and all, we need a lot less of that right now. Obama may have no real ability as a manager, but he doesn't seem certifiably crazy and he'd bring some fresh air in with him. People see him as a change agent and set their actions and expectations accordingly, so while I think he's just as unqualified as anyone else, I do think he can act as a catalyst to bring out better behavior in others.
McCain-Clinton: McCain
McCain-Obama: Obama
McCain-Edwards:McCain
Romney-Clinton: Romney -although I think they are largely fungible
Romney-Obama: Obama
Romney-Edwards: Edwards
Huckabee-Clinton: Clinton
Huckabee-Obama: Obama
Huckabee-Paul: Write in for Jesus -hey, if you're going to go with magical thinking, go with the winning team.
I'm not a Clinton fan, but it's the re-tred of the '90s I would object to in another Clinton presidency. The 90s were very divisive politically and, with the war and all, we need a lot less of that right now. Obama may have no real ability as a manager, but he doesn't seem certifiably crazy and he'd bring some fresh air in with him. People see him as a change agent and set their actions and expectations accordingly, so while I think he's just as unqualified as anyone else, I do think he can act as a catalyst to bring out better behavior in others.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
7 Great Men in History
and why you should hate them.
(via)
"I didn't realize that Cracked magazine was considered a historically accurate publication. "
(via)
"I didn't realize that Cracked magazine was considered a historically accurate publication. "
Worst Science Writing of 2008
To this NYT Science page for this atrocity.
The basic problem is that across the eons of time, the standard theories suggest, the universe can recur over and over again in an endless cycle of big bangs, but it’s hard for nature to make a whole universe. It’s much easier to make fragments of one, like planets, yourself maybe in a spacesuit or even — in the most absurd and troubling example — a naked brain floating in space. Nature tends to do what is easiest, from the standpoint of energy and probability. And so these fragments — in particular the brains — would appear far more frequently than real full-fledged universes, or than us. Or they might be us.
The Boltzman problem is real and the debate in cosmology is, actually, fairly complicated and hard to follow if you're not following it closely. I can understand the difficulties in trying to present it to an interested lay audience, however this is a piece of crap. It doesn't explain it at all, instead making it sound like cosmologists believe in a crazy floating brain invasion. It becomes just silly.
FTR, Don Page, who is mentioned here, was my astrophysics advisor when I was an undergrad. He's one of the brightest humans I have ever met and did a lot to introduce me to some of the most interesting puzzles in cosmology. I always please when I see he's still around.
The basic problem is that across the eons of time, the standard theories suggest, the universe can recur over and over again in an endless cycle of big bangs, but it’s hard for nature to make a whole universe. It’s much easier to make fragments of one, like planets, yourself maybe in a spacesuit or even — in the most absurd and troubling example — a naked brain floating in space. Nature tends to do what is easiest, from the standpoint of energy and probability. And so these fragments — in particular the brains — would appear far more frequently than real full-fledged universes, or than us. Or they might be us.
The Boltzman problem is real and the debate in cosmology is, actually, fairly complicated and hard to follow if you're not following it closely. I can understand the difficulties in trying to present it to an interested lay audience, however this is a piece of crap. It doesn't explain it at all, instead making it sound like cosmologists believe in a crazy floating brain invasion. It becomes just silly.
FTR, Don Page, who is mentioned here, was my astrophysics advisor when I was an undergrad. He's one of the brightest humans I have ever met and did a lot to introduce me to some of the most interesting puzzles in cosmology. I always please when I see he's still around.
NSA Backdoor in MSFT RND()?
According to Bruce, yes!
Microsoft has added the random-number generator Dual_EC-DRBG to Windows Vista, as part of SP1. Yes, this is the same RNG that could have an NSA backdoor. It's not enabled by default, and it's not clear that a user could enable it. It's available as a program call. My advice is to never use it, ever. http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/...http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa375534.aspx Backdoor:http://www.schneier.com/essay-198.html
Microsoft has added the random-number generator Dual_EC-DRBG to Windows Vista, as part of SP1. Yes, this is the same RNG that could have an NSA backdoor. It's not enabled by default, and it's not clear that a user could enable it. It's available as a program call. My advice is to never use it, ever. http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/...http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa375534.aspx Backdoor:http://www.schneier.com/essay-198.html
Monday, January 14, 2008
Maybe McCain Wouldn't Be So Bad...
Kind of makes a good argument to vote for him. Maybe he wouldn't be as crazy as I have feared:
McCain supports amnesty for illegal aliens, was behind the Gang of 14, is a gun grabber, opposed the Bush tax cuts, ran roughshod over the Constitution with McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform, opposes a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage, was rumored to be considering switching parties multiple times, talked with John Kerry about being his Vice-President, lines up with the global warming alarmists, wants to close Gitmo, wants to coddle captured terrorists -- you can go on and on with this...
McCain supports amnesty for illegal aliens, was behind the Gang of 14, is a gun grabber, opposed the Bush tax cuts, ran roughshod over the Constitution with McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform, opposes a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage, was rumored to be considering switching parties multiple times, talked with John Kerry about being his Vice-President, lines up with the global warming alarmists, wants to close Gitmo, wants to coddle captured terrorists -- you can go on and on with this...
Windows Server for Kids!
"when a Mommy and Daddy love each other very much, the Daddy wants to give Mommy a special gift"
Here
Here
"Prayer. The last refuge of a scoundrel."
-Lisa Simpson
Rudy today (ABC news):
Saying that "faith can transform lives," Giuliani told parishioners that running for president of the United States "is a marathon, not a sprint. And in may ways it’s a test of strength and a test of faith. The Bible reminds us, Joshua 10:25, 'Fear not, be strong, and of good courage.' That is the way to face the future.”
...
“So I am not coming here to ask for your vote," Giuliani said. "This is not the right place. I am coming here to ask you of something, very special, very important: I am asking for your prayers.”
Most religious folks I know, thats thats a lot, prefer an honest atheist (or agnostic) to a hypocritical panderer.
Rudy today (ABC news):
Saying that "faith can transform lives," Giuliani told parishioners that running for president of the United States "is a marathon, not a sprint. And in may ways it’s a test of strength and a test of faith. The Bible reminds us, Joshua 10:25, 'Fear not, be strong, and of good courage.' That is the way to face the future.”
...
“So I am not coming here to ask for your vote," Giuliani said. "This is not the right place. I am coming here to ask you of something, very special, very important: I am asking for your prayers.”
Most religious folks I know, thats thats a lot, prefer an honest atheist (or agnostic) to a hypocritical panderer.
"Here are the noxious fruits of hate speech laws"
FTR, I used to support "hate speech" laws because I thoguht they had a positive impact on discourse. Then I read the ACLU Nazi cases in Skokei Illinois and realized that it's far, far better to have people free to spew their obnoxious opinions and allow others to make a judgement than to try to hide this behind a cloak of law. I was about 16 or so, and I was workign out that societial pressure can sometimes be a good thing.
Glenn Greenwald has an excellent column up today on how the Canadians are getting this wrong, and how we might as well.
Yes, some people have some pretty obnoxious ideas, but they only fester in the dark, bursting open like a deep bedsore once they have done their damage. Expose these ideas to the light and have some faith in the marketplace of ideas. It's one of the things that makes America worth defending.
All sorts of valid criticisms are frequently voiced, including by me, about the erosion of basic protections and individual liberties in the U.S. But that doesn't mitigate or detract in any way from how oppressive these sorts of Canadian and European laws are. One of the core political values is and should always remain that which Justice Robert Jackson defined in West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette (1943):
If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.
Glenn Greenwald has an excellent column up today on how the Canadians are getting this wrong, and how we might as well.
Yes, some people have some pretty obnoxious ideas, but they only fester in the dark, bursting open like a deep bedsore once they have done their damage. Expose these ideas to the light and have some faith in the marketplace of ideas. It's one of the things that makes America worth defending.
All sorts of valid criticisms are frequently voiced, including by me, about the erosion of basic protections and individual liberties in the U.S. But that doesn't mitigate or detract in any way from how oppressive these sorts of Canadian and European laws are. One of the core political values is and should always remain that which Justice Robert Jackson defined in West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette (1943):
If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.
Finding Your Way Out of the Woods
A pretty good story about moving from Christianity to atheism. It's very similar to the stories of a lot of folks I know, and certainly mine.
At some point, the collective weight of the religious nonsense outweights the utility value of faith and some of us tip over into free thought. I thought her story was pretty good.
(via)
At some point, the collective weight of the religious nonsense outweights the utility value of faith and some of us tip over into free thought. I thought her story was pretty good.
(via)
Friday, January 11, 2008
Freedom Isn't Free
"What we don’t see is that freedom is not a concept in which people can do anything they want, be anything they can be. Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do. "
-Mayor Giuliani
I was in New York during the Giuliani administration I didn't think he was particularly good for the city, especially in the latter parts of his tenure. One of his proposals was to impound the cars of anyone accused of frunk driving and quickly sell them at auction without benefit of trial. His justification? Basically it was that some folsk get aquitted and he *knew* they were guilty so he should sell their cars anyway.
Glenn Greenwald puts it best:
Whenever he found a crusade that triggered his sense of righteousness, legal and even constitutional constraints were of little concern to the mayor. He ended up on the losing end of one court battle after the next, arising from his efforts to stifle private expression that he disliked, including endless campaigns against an art exhibit he deemed blasphemous, bus and subway advertisements he considered offensive, and political protests he found annoying. According to Rachel Morris‘s recent article in The Washington Monthly, Giuliani “lost thirty-five First Amendment cases in court.”
-Mayor Giuliani
I was in New York during the Giuliani administration I didn't think he was particularly good for the city, especially in the latter parts of his tenure. One of his proposals was to impound the cars of anyone accused of frunk driving and quickly sell them at auction without benefit of trial. His justification? Basically it was that some folsk get aquitted and he *knew* they were guilty so he should sell their cars anyway.
Glenn Greenwald puts it best:
Whenever he found a crusade that triggered his sense of righteousness, legal and even constitutional constraints were of little concern to the mayor. He ended up on the losing end of one court battle after the next, arising from his efforts to stifle private expression that he disliked, including endless campaigns against an art exhibit he deemed blasphemous, bus and subway advertisements he considered offensive, and political protests he found annoying. According to Rachel Morris‘s recent article in The Washington Monthly, Giuliani “lost thirty-five First Amendment cases in court.”
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Things Not to Google, #17*
Lemon Party
Avoid especially Google Images. I promise you, you will know the meaning of "rue".
*brought to you in part by a grant from Geoff Inc. Geoff Inc., building distrust between generations since 1985.
Avoid especially Google Images. I promise you, you will know the meaning of "rue".
*brought to you in part by a grant from Geoff Inc. Geoff Inc., building distrust between generations since 1985.
Iron My Shirt
I saw the picture and laughed. I guess I am just a bad person or something, but I thought it was a joke, not a serious commentary.
Don't Try This At Home
Some people might say it's not a very smart idea to throw 6 lighters into a blender. Those people would be right.
Me: I am going to get one of these.
Geoff: Get two.
Me: Why?
Geoff: because otherwise they are going to find you dead in your apartment and the coroner is going to wonder why you choked to death on a smoothie spiked with Brillo pads.
Me: I am going to get one of these.
Geoff: Get two.
Me: Why?
Geoff: because otherwise they are going to find you dead in your apartment and the coroner is going to wonder why you choked to death on a smoothie spiked with Brillo pads.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
FSM Hate Mail
Now and them, I dip into the Hate Mail bin over the FSM site just to see what's what. It's often a very illuminating glimpse into the minds of certain kinds of people. Generally the mail comes in one of two flavors, people who have lost even basic credulity and can't recognize an obvious joke:
How can you idiots belive this stupid religion? You idiot taoist won’t believe Christianity because of eternal judgement, but you’ll believe a bunch of crackheads that think a stupid ball of spaghetti with meatballs created the universe? If that’s your logic on this subject, you belong with these moronic crackheads.
I can't figure if they are religious because they just have a low credulity threshold, or if they are credulous because they are religious. Kind of amusing in the way it's amusing to watch global warming denialists wrestle with facts.
The other big grouping centers around people who, for whatever reason, take personal offense. They then, almost always, threaten to use magical powers to invoke sky-father to do various kinds of smiting:
You have caught my attention Bobby Henderson. You know what you’re doing. You don’t believe any of this, but since you’ve decided to make a war against Jesus, then, let it begin. My campaign against you begins now. You aren’t going to remain unopposed any longer.
It would be slightly more honest, although much more revealing, if this poster capitalized the M in "my".
I suppose this is a self-selected group, motivated to write by their limited worldview, leaving the vast majority of folks to chuckle and move on. Still, I find it pretty surprising that so many folks don't get the joke on such a fundamental level.
Ramen.
How can you idiots belive this stupid religion? You idiot taoist won’t believe Christianity because of eternal judgement, but you’ll believe a bunch of crackheads that think a stupid ball of spaghetti with meatballs created the universe? If that’s your logic on this subject, you belong with these moronic crackheads.
I can't figure if they are religious because they just have a low credulity threshold, or if they are credulous because they are religious. Kind of amusing in the way it's amusing to watch global warming denialists wrestle with facts.
The other big grouping centers around people who, for whatever reason, take personal offense. They then, almost always, threaten to use magical powers to invoke sky-father to do various kinds of smiting:
You have caught my attention Bobby Henderson. You know what you’re doing. You don’t believe any of this, but since you’ve decided to make a war against Jesus, then, let it begin. My campaign against you begins now. You aren’t going to remain unopposed any longer.
It would be slightly more honest, although much more revealing, if this poster capitalized the M in "my".
I suppose this is a self-selected group, motivated to write by their limited worldview, leaving the vast majority of folks to chuckle and move on. Still, I find it pretty surprising that so many folks don't get the joke on such a fundamental level.
Ramen.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
I Can See Clearly Now
At 800x600 it's a far cry from the 2400x1600 resolution I am enjoying with my Dell/nvidia 8800 combo, but it's oh so tempting...
Head Mounted Display
Head Mounted Display
Ice, Ice Baby
A decent article on the melting of the Greenland ice sheet.
The changes seen in Greenland may turn out to be self-limiting in the short run; surging glaciers can flatten out and slow, for instance. Or they may be a sign that the island’s ice — holding about the same volume of water as the Gulf of Mexico — is poised for a rapid discharge. Scientists are divided on that question, and on whether there is a near-term risk from a Texas-size portion of West Antarctica’s ice sheet that is also showing signs of instability. This split divides those foreseeing a rise in the sea level of a couple of feet this century from water added by Greenland, West Antarctica and mountain glaciers, and a few experts who speak of a couple of yards in that time.
...
“It’s basically a big lump of ice sitting on this bedrock,” Dr. Alley said in describing Greenland’s behavior in warm conditions. “What it tries to do is snow more in the middle and melt more on the edges. If it pulls its edges back, then there’s less area to melt, and that helps it survive. That’s why you can have a stable ice sheet in a warmer climate.”
There has been a flack lately about the Arctic surface ice, with one side suggesting that record amount has melted and it's a sign of global warming and another side pointing out that there was also a record refreeze so it doesn't' matter. This neatly sidesteps the actual science, but gives folks something to fight about. In reality the amount of surface area that melts is largely irrelevant, its the *volume* of ice that's significant, a measure neither side has any good data on.
It seems pretty clear that the climate is changing, although it's far from clear exactly why or what can be done about it. Historically, it seems to be changing fairly swiftly as these things are measured (usually in thousands of years), but we have no real written records of a major planetary climate change, so although humanity has lived through this before, civilization has not. It's tempting to blame CO2 emissions and, doubtless they have a part, but CO2 isn't a huge contributor to warming, at least compared to other gasses like CH4, so its a good bet there are other processes going on.
In the end, there may not be a lot we can do about this.
The current state of climatology is similar to the state of early 20th century medicine. It's science but on a complicated organism we don't understand and until recently we just shrugged and prayed to sky-father about it. It's my hopes that advances in atmospheric physics and computer modeling will give us a much better idea of how this whole thing is linked up and what, if anything, we could do to make it better. At this point, almost anything we do is effectively random and may or may not have an effect and certainly it wouldn't have the effect we think it will.
Give science some more time with this.
The changes seen in Greenland may turn out to be self-limiting in the short run; surging glaciers can flatten out and slow, for instance. Or they may be a sign that the island’s ice — holding about the same volume of water as the Gulf of Mexico — is poised for a rapid discharge. Scientists are divided on that question, and on whether there is a near-term risk from a Texas-size portion of West Antarctica’s ice sheet that is also showing signs of instability. This split divides those foreseeing a rise in the sea level of a couple of feet this century from water added by Greenland, West Antarctica and mountain glaciers, and a few experts who speak of a couple of yards in that time.
...
“It’s basically a big lump of ice sitting on this bedrock,” Dr. Alley said in describing Greenland’s behavior in warm conditions. “What it tries to do is snow more in the middle and melt more on the edges. If it pulls its edges back, then there’s less area to melt, and that helps it survive. That’s why you can have a stable ice sheet in a warmer climate.”
There has been a flack lately about the Arctic surface ice, with one side suggesting that record amount has melted and it's a sign of global warming and another side pointing out that there was also a record refreeze so it doesn't' matter. This neatly sidesteps the actual science, but gives folks something to fight about. In reality the amount of surface area that melts is largely irrelevant, its the *volume* of ice that's significant, a measure neither side has any good data on.
It seems pretty clear that the climate is changing, although it's far from clear exactly why or what can be done about it. Historically, it seems to be changing fairly swiftly as these things are measured (usually in thousands of years), but we have no real written records of a major planetary climate change, so although humanity has lived through this before, civilization has not. It's tempting to blame CO2 emissions and, doubtless they have a part, but CO2 isn't a huge contributor to warming, at least compared to other gasses like CH4, so its a good bet there are other processes going on.
In the end, there may not be a lot we can do about this.
The current state of climatology is similar to the state of early 20th century medicine. It's science but on a complicated organism we don't understand and until recently we just shrugged and prayed to sky-father about it. It's my hopes that advances in atmospheric physics and computer modeling will give us a much better idea of how this whole thing is linked up and what, if anything, we could do to make it better. At this point, almost anything we do is effectively random and may or may not have an effect and certainly it wouldn't have the effect we think it will.
Give science some more time with this.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Not Immediately Dismissable
Jose Padilla is suing John Yoo for giving the president legal advice which amounted to advice to do something illegal. I thought this would go nowhere due to sovereign immunity, but it seems I was wrong. There is a pretty good rundown in the comments section over at Volokh. This seems to have some legs after all.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Riva Tuner
Awesome tool for monitoring everything about your system. I started using it to monitor the temperature of the nvidia 8800 card I bought, but you can also download a handful of plug-ins that make it even more useful.
If your idea of fun is opening the window to see if you can drop the temperature of your coreDuo by 1 or 2 degrees, or blowing compressed air into your graphics card to watch the fan speed self-adjust, this is the tool for you.
If you like opening and closing various graphics programs to see what they do to the ambient box temperature, switching OpenGL and DirectX packages in and out, or simply enjoy an afternoon coding programs from Graphics Gems III to exercise your PhysX board, you're in for a good time.
FTR, 61 unloaded on the 8800, 51 ambient.
If your idea of fun is opening the window to see if you can drop the temperature of your coreDuo by 1 or 2 degrees, or blowing compressed air into your graphics card to watch the fan speed self-adjust, this is the tool for you.
If you like opening and closing various graphics programs to see what they do to the ambient box temperature, switching OpenGL and DirectX packages in and out, or simply enjoy an afternoon coding programs from Graphics Gems III to exercise your PhysX board, you're in for a good time.
FTR, 61 unloaded on the 8800, 51 ambient.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Also, in Father v. Son
Me: No!
Geoff: Please! I dont have access to Phosphorus Granades and thats the next best thing.
Me: No!
Geoff: How else can I destroy these hard drives?
Me: No Thermite!
Geoff: Please! I dont have access to Phosphorus Granades and thats the next best thing.
Me: No!
Geoff: How else can I destroy these hard drives?
Me: No Thermite!
Musical Interludes
An actual conversation with my son:
Me: No! Stop saying that!
Geoff: Why not, it's true!
Me: No. It isn't.
Geoff: Paul McCartney is the Justin Timberlake of the Beatles! You know I am right!
Me: There is so much wrong with that sentence, I don't know where to begin.
Geoff: Like what?
Me: THE BEATLES WERE NOT A BOY BAND! I'M NOT TELLING YOU THIS AGAIN!
... later
Geoff: you're just angry that Justin Timberlake is a better songwriter than Paul McCartney.
Me: You have a point. I'll tell you what, I'll concede your point when Sir Paul McCartney writes a song about his Dick in a Box. Deal?
Geoff: He won an Emmy for that!
Me: No! Stop saying that!
Geoff: Why not, it's true!
Me: No. It isn't.
Geoff: Paul McCartney is the Justin Timberlake of the Beatles! You know I am right!
Me: There is so much wrong with that sentence, I don't know where to begin.
Geoff: Like what?
Me: THE BEATLES WERE NOT A BOY BAND! I'M NOT TELLING YOU THIS AGAIN!
... later
Geoff: you're just angry that Justin Timberlake is a better songwriter than Paul McCartney.
Me: You have a point. I'll tell you what, I'll concede your point when Sir Paul McCartney writes a song about his Dick in a Box. Deal?
Geoff: He won an Emmy for that!
Friday, January 04, 2008
A Bad Night For the Apparachniks
Last night was a very unusual night in american politics, the mainline parties reversed decades of trends to produce a surprise. It remains to be seen if this is a trend for the election or merely a fluke, but it's a promising sign.
The Dems: For most of my lifetime, the democrats have always nominated the most politically connected, establishment candidate they could. Very by-the-numbers, almost no charisma, very few ideas. Mondale anyone? Kerry? They were like Bob Dole with the quirkiness. If they do actually nominate Obama, it will be the first time in ages a candidate has come from outside the establishment to win the nomination. Which is to say, I am extremely skeptical they will do that. While third place has to sting, Hillary is clearly the establishment candidate and she is no where near out of it. Personally, I am tired of decades of the Clinton/Bush power share and would like to see some outside blood. My expecations are low, but no longer zero.
The GOP: The fruition of the Permenant Republican Majority strategy has yielded up a front candidate who not only beleives the Earth is 6000 years old, but says this with pride. Again, this is a little out of the box, with Romney being their version of Hillary with more god and fewer balls. Huckaee is not popular with the chattering rightwing blogosphere, nor with the party heads, yet is the logical conclusion of their faith-based approach to government (have faith in god and have faith that we know what we're doing because we're not liberals). Huckabee could be a huge problem for them going forward, but again, Romney is nowhere near out of it.
All in all, a good night.
Update: also there is this:
Beyond who won on each side, there's a very big partisan message out of tonight. Just under 220,000 Democrats caucused tonight. About 115,000 Republicans did. That is a very big vote in itself.
I'm not quite sure what this means. I don't, for example, beleive the tradiational percentages have gone away. I expect it means that the GOP field is weak and unexciting, so people aren't bothering to turn out. Also, I expect a lot of independents broke blue in Iowa.
Update II: NPR just reported that Romney spent $80,000,000 in Iowa! Really????!!!??? Holy Shit! $80M and he got second??? Is this true?
I might be wrong, he may really be toast if he can spend that much money and still come in behind Huck.
The Dems: For most of my lifetime, the democrats have always nominated the most politically connected, establishment candidate they could. Very by-the-numbers, almost no charisma, very few ideas. Mondale anyone? Kerry? They were like Bob Dole with the quirkiness. If they do actually nominate Obama, it will be the first time in ages a candidate has come from outside the establishment to win the nomination. Which is to say, I am extremely skeptical they will do that. While third place has to sting, Hillary is clearly the establishment candidate and she is no where near out of it. Personally, I am tired of decades of the Clinton/Bush power share and would like to see some outside blood. My expecations are low, but no longer zero.
The GOP: The fruition of the Permenant Republican Majority strategy has yielded up a front candidate who not only beleives the Earth is 6000 years old, but says this with pride. Again, this is a little out of the box, with Romney being their version of Hillary with more god and fewer balls. Huckaee is not popular with the chattering rightwing blogosphere, nor with the party heads, yet is the logical conclusion of their faith-based approach to government (have faith in god and have faith that we know what we're doing because we're not liberals). Huckabee could be a huge problem for them going forward, but again, Romney is nowhere near out of it.
All in all, a good night.
Update: also there is this:
Beyond who won on each side, there's a very big partisan message out of tonight. Just under 220,000 Democrats caucused tonight. About 115,000 Republicans did. That is a very big vote in itself.
I'm not quite sure what this means. I don't, for example, beleive the tradiational percentages have gone away. I expect it means that the GOP field is weak and unexciting, so people aren't bothering to turn out. Also, I expect a lot of independents broke blue in Iowa.
Update II: NPR just reported that Romney spent $80,000,000 in Iowa! Really????!!!??? Holy Shit! $80M and he got second??? Is this true?
I might be wrong, he may really be toast if he can spend that much money and still come in behind Huck.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
The Devil!
No, not me! Harry Potter!
Joe Ratzinger has a chief exorcist who, while not busy helping folks avoid responsibility for their actions (or in some cases treatment for the schizophrenia) by blaming human failing on an imaginary demi-god, has time to do a Dan Quayle act on Harry Potter:
Pope Benedict XVI's chief exorcist, Rev. Gabriele Amorth, has called fictional wizard-in-training Harry Potter the "king of darkness, the devil."
...
"Magic is always a turn to the devil," said the Roman Catholic priest, according to Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.
"Magic is always a turn to the devil". Hmmmm... it seems to me his church is full of magic:
Transubstantiation? Magic
Healing Lepers? Magic
A guy raised from the dead? Magic!
A god who watches everything yuo do and deals eternal punishment for making fun of Joe Ratzinger? Magic!
By George, he's right! Magic is the work of the devil!
Most adults know though there is no such thing as magic, and in that light, the "devil" responsible becomes pretty obvious.
(I note approvingly the Canadians have properly categorized this in "Arts and Entertainment").
Joe Ratzinger has a chief exorcist who, while not busy helping folks avoid responsibility for their actions (or in some cases treatment for the schizophrenia) by blaming human failing on an imaginary demi-god, has time to do a Dan Quayle act on Harry Potter:
Pope Benedict XVI's chief exorcist, Rev. Gabriele Amorth, has called fictional wizard-in-training Harry Potter the "king of darkness, the devil."
...
"Magic is always a turn to the devil," said the Roman Catholic priest, according to Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.
"Magic is always a turn to the devil". Hmmmm... it seems to me his church is full of magic:
Transubstantiation? Magic
Healing Lepers? Magic
A guy raised from the dead? Magic!
A god who watches everything yuo do and deals eternal punishment for making fun of Joe Ratzinger? Magic!
By George, he's right! Magic is the work of the devil!
Most adults know though there is no such thing as magic, and in that light, the "devil" responsible becomes pretty obvious.
(I note approvingly the Canadians have properly categorized this in "Arts and Entertainment").
The Lowest Threshold Ever Set By Man
as expressed by Presidential Candidate Ron Paul:
It just happens, Tim, that I get more support from black people today than any other Republican candidate, according to some statistics.
LOL!
It just happens, Tim, that I get more support from black people today than any other Republican candidate, according to some statistics.
LOL!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
On My Way Home
I'll be coming back from Christmas in Maine tomorrow and looking forward to my present to myself... a 30" Dell Monitor. Thus deftly replacing my current dual 19" set up.
It's going to be the awesomesauce.
It's going to be the awesomesauce.
Also in FSM News...
We Save another group of school children from religious studies class...
The satirical religious Web site asserts that an omnipotent, airborne clump of spaghetti intelligently designed all life with the deft touch of its “noodly appendage.” Adherents call themselves Pastafarians. They deluged Polk school board members with e-mail demanding equal time for Flying Spaghetti Monsterism’s version of intelligent design.
“They’ve made us the laughingstock of the world,” said Margaret Lofton, a school board member who supports intelligent design.
The satirical religious Web site asserts that an omnipotent, airborne clump of spaghetti intelligently designed all life with the deft touch of its “noodly appendage.” Adherents call themselves Pastafarians. They deluged Polk school board members with e-mail demanding equal time for Flying Spaghetti Monsterism’s version of intelligent design.
“They’ve made us the laughingstock of the world,” said Margaret Lofton, a school board member who supports intelligent design.
Pastafarian Christmas
Who says we have no Christmas spirit? or ghost, or whatever?
(It's the father, son and christmas ghosts right? Polytheistic religions are very confusing...)
(It's the father, son and christmas ghosts right? Polytheistic religions are very confusing...)
Worst People of 2007
37. Mitt Romney
Charges: America's first clip-art presidential candidate, Romney is a strange mixture of game show host looks and android charm. A true flip-flopper, Romney's ability to turn on an ideological dime is unparalleled, but his excuses are so inauthentic that even Republicans have trouble suspending their disbelief.
Exhibit A: "You can't have freedom without religion, and you can't have religion without freedom."
Sentence: Strapped to the roof of his family car, which his dog attempts to drive across the country, but crashes horribly (because dogs can't drive, of course). Romney's flesh burns off in the ensuing fire, revealing him to be a standard protocol droid set to world domination mode. Narrowly edged out of primary race by Huckabee.
Some of these are pretty funny. I thought the Romney one is spot on or, as I think of him, Romney is like a Clinton with fewer testicles.
Charges: America's first clip-art presidential candidate, Romney is a strange mixture of game show host looks and android charm. A true flip-flopper, Romney's ability to turn on an ideological dime is unparalleled, but his excuses are so inauthentic that even Republicans have trouble suspending their disbelief.
Exhibit A: "You can't have freedom without religion, and you can't have religion without freedom."
Sentence: Strapped to the roof of his family car, which his dog attempts to drive across the country, but crashes horribly (because dogs can't drive, of course). Romney's flesh burns off in the ensuing fire, revealing him to be a standard protocol droid set to world domination mode. Narrowly edged out of primary race by Huckabee.
Some of these are pretty funny. I thought the Romney one is spot on or, as I think of him, Romney is like a Clinton with fewer testicles.
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