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.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
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)
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