Category: Uncategorized

Jeb Bush seems to be leading the cause if you can’t.

Come on Florida, you already have your own tag on Fark, what else do you need? You own Darwin-style award?

…if you think American soldiers are like Nazis, you’re a fucking idiot.

Sorry, you needed a reality check.

First clue. It isn’t on TV.

It’s Systm. Kevin Rose and Dan Huard, two refugees from the long lamented TechTV, have started Systm. They are also thebroken. System is a videoblog on steroids, television without commercials. It’s tech for tech heads and newbies alike. In short, it’s what TechTV used to be; ground breaking but informative and accessible by many, many people.

Systm is two episides old, but both Kevin and Dan have a decent amount of air time between them, so the polish is almost there. The information, however, is top notch. The first episode has both of them running around Silicon Valley looking for open video nodes. The second episode demonstrates how to build and configure a MythTV box.

Check it out.

This is the best way, short of a kettle full of oil, to make popcorn.

You will need:

• 1 sandwich-size paper bag
• 3 Tbl Popcorn
• 1 Tbl Olive Oil
• 1 Staple

Put the popcorn and oil into the paper bag. Add salt if you want. Fold the bag over once, staple shut. Microwave for 1:30-2 minutes or until about 3 seconds between pops. Remove and put in bowl.

In my microwave, it takes 1:40 to make a bowl of popcorn. Thanks J– for a great idea.

My musical tastes are kind of odd. I’ve been working through about 6 gigs of SXSW music off and on for a while, but I’m firmly rooted in a lot of corporate rock. Having spent a lot of time with ex-pat Brits/Scots in college, I became completely addicted to Oasis. Now that your revulsion has passed, remember that Oasis was pretty damn popular way back when, then hit the States, then became over-rated, all in the span of about a week. “Cigarettes & Alcohol” still hits the occasional jukebox, even if this stuck-up town.

That said, one of my guilty pleasures is listening to Oasis. They’re one of the few bands I have the vocal range to hit and, sometimes, they get it right. My current favorite on their latest album is “Keep The Dream Alive”. Lyrics like this still get me for some reason.

I’m at the crossroads waiting for a sign
My life is standing still but I’m still alive
Every night I think I know
in the morning where did it go
The answers disappear when I open my eyes

I’m no stranger to this place
Where real life and dreams collide
and even though I fall from grace
I will keep the dream alive
I will keep the dream alive

All those years and an English Lit degree wasted on one band. Oh well, what’s an Anglophile to do?

Props to Darren Barefoot and Shelley Powers at Burningbird for finding the real problem with the criticisms of Microsoft with regard to their policy of censoring certain words on the Chinese verion of MSN Spaces.

Ethan, we condemn Microsoft for making a monetary decision, but we’re not willing to examine our own buying habits, and what these help promote.

Yet Microsoft’s actions cause less harm than buying an iPod from Apple, when one doesn’t know exactly what are the circumstances under which it is built.

We have a lot of ties to the existing state of affairs with China. Wal-Mart wouldn’t exist without the state of affairs in China. If we feel right to condemn one such tie, while still maintaining the others, doesn’t this make our self-rightousness a little suspect?

I sincerely wish that there was no censorship of these words in China. Or that our manufacturers wouldn’t need to be sending censoring software and hardware to that country.

I also wish that women weren’t treated as property in Saudi Arabia, but I still buy gas…

Indeed

Link to Darren’s post

Link to Shelley’s comment (also the post’s thread)

Jason Calacanis was detailing his new regimine for weight loss and mentioned Chana Dal. He linked to Bob’s Red Mill (which makes the best Wheat Bran) where you can order this stuff. Anyone ever had this?

I’ll probably try this anyway, but I’m curious since I’m guessing Kroger or Meijer’s doesn’t carry this particular Bob’s product.

Because this country can’t be distracted enough, the Terri Schiavo autopsy is big news today. Apparently, baffling dozens of experts and hundreds of pundits, Shiavo’s brain was found to be half the size as normal for a woman her age. She was also blind. There was also no morphine in her system, which her parents contend she was administered in an attempt to hasten her death. In fact, every, single conclusion backs up the husbands story. How could they possibly have to come to such a conclusion?

The autopsy included 274 external and internal body images and an exhaustive review of Terri Schiavo’s medical records, police reports and social services agency records.

Uhm, ok. I guess they did their homework. But what of those who are convinced she could have been saved?

In Washington, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the autopsy did nothing to change President Bush’s position that Schiavo’s feeding tube should not have been disconnected

At least we can get rid of that pesky science and stick to our guns. I can’t wait until this topic comes up at the next family get together. (Checks calendar.) Oh good, looks like Saturday will be fun.

Link

Hat tip to Stupid Evil Bastard for this one. Seems Rep Steny H Hoyer (D-MD) introduced this bill, calling for Congress to repeal the 22nd Amendment (that would be the 2-term limits for Presidents). The comments when he introduced the bill are even better

[Quoting Alexander Hamilton] We do not have to rely on rigid constitutional standards to hold our Presidents accountable. Sufficient power resides in the Congress and the Judiciary to protect our country from tyranny.

Wow, Democrats really think they have a good shot when Bush is done. Visions of FDR floating through someone’s head? Not to mention the complete reversal on a few years of rhetoric; does the President have to live within “rigid constitutional standards”, or is it ok if he twists some facts to enable a war? Hmm?

Too bad this bill seems to languishing in Subcommittee. It could be an interesting debate if it gets some legs.

Bill H.J.RES.24, if you’re interested.

This more a link for myself, but Boing Boing posted this today and some of these are pretty cool. Need to get some heavier paper and then try it out. Always need something cool for the ole desk.

Link