A Proportional Response

    Damn you, Senator Hatch. I went to your website…and the files in my browser cache caused my computer to blow up!
    So what’s next? Chopping the hands off people who shoplift?
    Okay, that was Tuesday. Now, Wednesday, Hatch is backpedaling and trying to qualify what he blurted out in his cranky Luddite temper tantrum.
    That’s not good enough.
    Trent Lott had to appear on BET to apologize for speaking without thinking. Hatch should have to appear on TechTV for the same reason.
    (And make sure you read about the JavaScript scandal at the bottom of the CNET article.)

Posted in Links, News, Tech | 1 Comment

The Sorting Hat

    I have to admit I am really looking forward to getting the new Harry Potter book this weekend. I’ve started perusing some of the fan sites this week (which is something I haven’t done much before) and have found a lot of interesting reading. I’ve been avoiding any spoilers (unlike my voracious reading about the Return of the King movie) but have at least come across some nice articles about author J.K. Rowling.
    First, there’s a three-part biographical look at the author, from the Scotsman (Part One / Part Two / Part Three). Also, here’s a touching TIME article concerning Ms Rowling’s correspondence with a 6-year-old cancer victim.
    By the way, the above links, and much of this week’s reading material, come from The Leaky Cauldron.

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20 Oz of Pennies

    Prepare yourself for the bounteous riches of the new tax cut with this Flash animation at MSN. Compare your take with that of the rarefied 1% by using the Automatic Bush Tax Cut.
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Dads

    There are few moments as precious as watching a father teach his son how to ride a bike. This can be a defining moment in the development of a child. In a short time the child must overcome his frustrations, fight back any tears of pain, and eventually take pride in his accomplishment.
    There may be a setback along the way. The boy might almost look like he wants to run away and quit.
    But Dad is there, with a steady hand, a patient demeanor, a word of encouragement, and, if need be, a good example.
    Thus, the man and boy bond, and the father/son relationship is strengthened. Happy Father’s Day!
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Angry Dad

    This comes from the Something Awful forums. It’s an MP3 of a phone call to a computer help desk.
    I’m not sure what’s scarier: the fact I, working in tech support, might get a call this effed up, or the fact this caller has been allowed to marry and breed.
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E-Mail of the Day

    Today’s e-mail of interest comes from cids@xxx4freemail.com (by way of epochnetworks.net): ADV: All the Stars from Law & Order NAKED! – Must Be 18 Years or Older!
    First, kudos to them for including the new “ADV” prefix; and, second — at last! — naked pictures of Sam Waterston, Jerry Orbach, and Fred Dalton Thompson! Prayers I never thought to pray have been answered. Hooray…I guess?
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U2003

    The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is hosting a U2 exhibit this weekend, “In The Name Of Love: Two Decades of U2”; and in celebration, Cleveland college radio station WBWC is holding a day-long U2 marathon today. It’s starting right now, at 7:00 AM; and out-of-state fans, like myself, can join in on the festivities live and online.
Posted in Links, U2 | 1 Comment

We Are Not Who We Are

    I guess the scientists at Cardiff University in Wales are X-Files fans. In this story from the National Geographic website, they claim the SARS virus “may have originated in outer space then fallen down to Earth and landed in China, where the outbreak began.”
    The article points out such an idea is not quite so farfetched since “One hundred tons (90 metric tons) of space debris fall on Earth every day; some scientists believe as much as one ton (0.9 metric ton) of bacteria from space is part of that daily deposit.”
    EBE expert Fox Mulder, formerly the Federal Bureau of Investigation, is also quoted as saying that this discovery could be “the key to everything”.
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Live Organ Transplants

    I was just about to write how a person’s soul does not exist ab inito, as orthodox Christianity teaches; rather it must be brought into existence by a process of guided self-observation, although such observations are rarely achieved owing to our unique ability to be distracted from spiritual matters by everyday trivia. But screw that. This item over at The Digital Bits is much more important:
Universal is set to announce the DVD release of Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life: Special Edition on September 2nd! […] Look for both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 audio, a new introduction by Eric Idle, audio commentary, deleted scenes, The Meaning of Making the Meaning of Life documentary and a slew of featurettes (including The Songs, Snipped Bits, Un Film de John Cleese, Songs Unsung, Education Tips, Fish, Re-mastering a Masterpiece, Song and Dance, Virtual Reunion and Selling the Meaning of Life). How bleedin’ cool is that!?
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Ray Harryhausen

    Congratulations to Ray Harryhausen, creator of many memorable and mythic stop-motion animated characters, who now, today, has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. According to this article, the honor was achieved through the strong backing of Peter Jackson, Tom Hanks, James Cameron, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg — along with determined efforts by long-time fan Arnold Kunert, who was also instrumental in campaigning for Harryhausen’s honorary Oscar in 1992. Mr Harryhausen, 83, resides in London.
   
Talos                                                                         Skeleton Battle

    And try this link too.

Posted in Links, Movies, News | 3 Comments