Category Archives: Uncategorized

At least we don’t have to do it for them.

It’s interesting that I keep reading about how the Saudis are not our friends and Bush is doing a horrible job with them. And then I read this article. Very interesting.

Britian’s a little behind, but they figured out the Atkins diet is just that, a diet. This is an excellent bit from June in National Review.

Free enterprise and faster computers. Everyone wins.

via WorldNetDaily

UPDATE: See what /.ers have to say about it.

Penthouse publisher declares bankruptcy.

Of interest only because it has my last name in it. Well, and I enjoy lattes. But I always get whole milk, from a cow, given a choice.

A new café in Valdres has an unusual if not unique offering on its menu. Project chief Karianne Groev has dubbed the drink a “hoppe (mare) latte”. The drink features espresso with side of cold horse milk from Stryn.

via Fark

But only for a minute or two. Then it’s straight to hell for the terrorist.

Warning! Danger! Everyone must be licensed!

What do they do about all those videos out there? Now available for 3 low monthly payments of 19.99!

This rambling but hilarious post on book recommendations and globalization from the zany kids at Samizdata.

Apparently there is nothing else happening in the world. I wonder how much the people in California care about the recall. I’m convinced if it weren’t for Shwartzenegger, no one would care at all. People in D.C. are probably more worked up about it than the Californians. Of course, everyone is more worked up about everything than Californians, with the possible exception of the Deep South. They’re pretty laid-back.

Honoring pinball machines! Well, to each his own.

via Fark

We told you how a law is made in the theoretical sense in this post. The Lemon, who really deserves a permanant link, shows how it’s really done. With pictures!

A few days late, but always good.

For oppressed people everywhere. That’s two murderous dictators in one year. I’m thinking the USA is doing okay here.

Remember those terrible prisons at Guatanamo. Yeah, so horrible that prisoners families are begging that the prisoners not be sent home, where prisons are really bad.

“I think that there is not even a health resort in Russia on the level of this place,” the letter said.

May not be true, but it gives you a feel for how it’s going there and here.

This is why people complain about giant computer databases chocked full of information on them.

Things are going well for Christians in Canada. Yeah, now I see how enlightening inclusivism is. Look how open-minded they are.

This article got me thinking regarding this whole Episcopal gay thing. Remember the atheists that want to be called “bright”? Well, we need a term for former Christians that refuse to follow the basic tenets of the bible. Clearly they aren’t “Christian” any more. And by clearly, I mean, if you aren’t going to follow the rules of the group why say you are part of the group. That’s just dumb. You know, the Episcopalians, the Catholics, the United Methodists, fill in your favorite apostate denomination. We need something that exemplifies their inability or unwillingness to stand for what they say they believe (the bible—which is very clear on many points they chose to disobey) in the face of Public Opinion (say it with an echo-o-o). They would probably prefer something Inclusive, but I’m going to suggest a somewhat more accurate terms: Spineless, Weak-Minded, Useless.

Comments are open.

And so scientific too!

It’s only fattening if you think about the calories! You see, the calories don’t actually appear in the food you’re eating unless you are trying to diet. You see, in reality, calories exist as both a fattening particle, and as a nonfattening wave. When you pick up the food and you are thinking to yourself “Gee, I really shouldn’t eat this or it’ll go straight to my waist!” then you cause the calorie-probability wave to collapse and the evil calorie particles appear in what you’re eating. Sort of like a Schrodinger’s Cat, only involving chocolate and cheesecake and ice cream instead.

By TwoDragons from the comment section of The Emperor’s site.

So this guy defends himself on his own property and it takes the SEVEN weeks to decide not to prosecute him? Why did it take more than 10 minutes?

You’re aging rapidly. Or you look just like that guy over there.

This is dead wrong. I had to turn it off after 30 minutes because I couldn’t stand her any more. Plus VDH in a dress? Ick.

Check out the name of his VP. Moses Blah. That’s so cool. And pronouncable.

If they know Saddam’s moving this much, why can’t they just nab him. I know, I know, it’s more complicated than that. But it looks like they’re toying with him.

via WorldNetDaily

Bill would know how to avoid the trouble from being a lousy leader.

Come to think of it, I’ve never been to the Home Depot in town. Lowe’s is closer.

Lousy landline connections again. Stupid lightning. So to summarize my position on the Drudge headlines. California: who cares? Productivity soars;joblessness drops: What are the Democrats going to do? Can’t attack Bush on foreign policy, can’t attack him on the economy. Bummer. Espresso tax in Seattle: that’s what you get for living in such a liberal state. Taxes. Europe Temperatures: Quit whining you big babies.

So, actual links and stuff when I can acheive speeds of more than 28k.

This kind of thing makes me nervous.

Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea. Looks like Kim Jong Il handily won the elections.

An Ebola vaccine looks promising in monkeys.

via Drudge Report.

On the Drudge Report there’s the temperature in London, because this is big news. Right? Yeah, it’s 95 there. What’s up with that? That’s hot, but not horribly so. Bunch of whiners.

UPDATE: From the BBC:

The heat caused several train tracks to buckle – one prompting a train driver to stop his train as it approached Gatwick Airport. Overhead power cables were also damaged.

What do they make this stuff out of? Silly Putty?

FURTHER UPDATE: From Best of the Web:

It’s hot in England, too, and the Sun tabloid quotes a spokesman for the Met Office, the office British meteorological agency, as attributing the heat to “very hot air” that’s blown in from France. Figures.

John Derbyshire.

It was Julie. If you have watched Rocketman, the funniest movie of the 90’s, you got that joke.

This story of a guy getting thrown in jail for LINKING to a bomb-making site has everyone (here, here, here) in uproar. But they’re using bad tactics. Never say, “but so-and-so is doing it….” I learned that when I was eight. That just gets so-and-so in trouble, mad at you and you no better off. Surely there are some constitutional grounds for linking to whoever you darn well feel like. That would be the smart way to fight this.

From IMAO.

As in Die Hard and Passenger 57, the best way to avoid the initial terrorist attack is to be in the bathroom. If someone complains about you being in there so long, tell him you’re fighting terrorism.

Over at Slashdot. Disney going open source, FCC going wifi. The /.ers are all freaked out.

Great article on why letting the UN run Iraq is a bad idea.

Whores should not be employed to teach morality. And the United Nations should not be employed to rebuild Iraq.

You can’t argue with that.

via The Corner

New stuff over at welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com

Don’t worry, we’ve started a counter-invasion. Be afraid, be very afraid.

They’ve moved their planet closer to ours so they save a little fuel as they implement their evil plan to take over the earth. Or they moved it closer so that the Destruct-O-Ray can reach.

via Drudge Report.

That the more tyrannical a country, the more liberal sounding their name is? Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union), People’s Republic of China. But it’s United States of America and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Commonwealth of Australia or Republic of Korea (South Korea). It just annoys me. Carry on.

This might interest you.

And since we’re talking about Episcopalians…there’s an apocryphal tale of Walter Martin, the real Bible Answer Man, that he regularly said wherever you find four Episcopalians you find a fifth.

Think about it.

This reminds me of high school. You know, everybody drop your books at exactly 9:59. Hee-hee.

How come my life doesn’t go like this? Sure we have tons of places to go hike around that are beautiful, but I can’t buy a new car just like that. And yeah, we just got a Borders, but it doesn’t have wifi.

Give me a day off and I have to be retrained. Very busy weekend, HOPE crusade and all. So, much bloggy goodness to come. Hopefully.

But I repeat myself. Here.

via Inoperable Terran

A small piece of advice: dump Internet Explorer. Go get Mozilla or Opera. It does take a little more work than clicking the big blue button, but I’m convinced you are all smart enough to do it. They both block popups, have tabbed browsing (try it, you’ll like it) and mouse gestures. I prefer Opera, but that’s just me. If you get Mozilla, make sure you go here and get some of the add-ons. I recommend mouse gestures and banner blind.

As long as everyone agrees with them. Otherwise they’re not so nice.

Interesting. I’d like to see more tests.

Not only did MIT say that the RIAA was improperly filing supoenas, now PacBell is challengingthem. The arrogance of the RIAA answer doesn’t help their case:

We are disappointed that Pac Bell has chosen to fight this, unlike every other ISP which has complied with their obligations under the law. We had previously reached out to SBC to discuss this matter but had beenrebuked,” an RIAA statement said.

Our wireless is down. Painful landline connections are all I have. Thus, the lack of posting.

This book is a rather lengthy look at the Soviet labor camps. And in passing, I hope I never have to live through anything like that. And I truly think that as used to freedom as we Americans are, it’ll be a while before we could behave like the Soviets. Not that we are better people than they were, but we have a whole different attitude and society. The czars, or tsars as I prefer because it looks cooler, weren’t much better than the commies, so Russians were already used to the idea of going to jail for saying or thinking wrongly. I can’t fathom why they didn’t beat these guys up and kick them out. That’s why America has a ways to go still. But there’s no accounting for human behavior. We could probably turn on a dime and then I’d be sorry.

But on with our story. It was stuffed to the gills with facts and figures, without ever quite giving up the human side of the suffering. It came darn close though. IMHO, most of the problem was she used the metric system, no doubt because that is what the original information was in. But to me, 500 grams of bread means nothing. Is that a loaf? Is it a bun? What? Later on in the book, like two-thirds of the way through, some of this was clarified, but it was far too late by then.

This book is, I think, very even-handed in its consideration of the matter. She presents the facts, a great deal taken from recently declassified Soviet material, clearly and logically. It was easy to follow the chronology. The book is divided into three parts; the beginning of the system and its early years; a look at life from the inside; and the later years. It felt to me to concentrate on the Stalin years, but with enough prior to Stalin to see how the system came into being, and after Stalin it was just in mop-up mode. Quotes and descriptions from survivors memoirs are used quite well throughout to humanize the facts and figures and clarify the vast amounts of suffering taking place.

I would definitely recommend it to those who are interested in and know nothing about the Gulag. In the end, I’m glad I read it, but I won’t be rereading it. I would rather reread Gulag Archipelago.

P.S. As soon as I find a new book to read, I’ll change the sidebar. I know you were worried.

For Sale. Beedeebeedeebeedee

Not necessarily a bad thing. Interesting poll.

via The Corner

El Presidente for Life Castro’s feelings are hurt, so he’s going to take it out on his country.

From the cool kids at Samizdata.

Volokh Conspiracy lays out the whole “terrorist market” thing very clearly.

My opinion: Could be fun.

I know, very serious, not a matter for levity. Neener-neener.

Best of the Web Today was great, I mean, it’s always great, it’s just greater today.

Puerto Rico gets just what they asked for.

Bad dolphin.

Provocative article on the animal rights activists one-sidedness.

via Instapundit.

This might not be a parody.

Our internet was working well, so naturally we put a stop to that. Posting will be sporadic until something good happens.

The lady that starred in all those telephone recordings died. My favorite was, “The number you are trying to reach has changed. The new number is —please make a note of it.” Cracks me up every time.

via Inoperable Terran

In a never-ending effort to educate mankind, Not So Fast brings you How Our Laws Are Made of the House of Representatives. And then there’s the Senate and the Enactment of A Law. It’s a wonder anything gets done at all.

The Lemon is back.

No, not just really lame. Gay. Apparently, it’s okay to be biased against straight students.

“Is there a different way to teach homosexuals? Is there gay math? This is wrong. This makes absolutely no sense,” Long said. “There’s no reason these children should be treated separately.”

Long said there are city and state discrimination laws on the books and that authorities should enforce them to stop gay-bashing.

“What next? Maybe we should have schools for chubby kids who get picked on. Maybe all kids who wear glasses should have special schools. It’s ridiculous,” he said.

UPDATE: Scrappleface.

Died at 100. Go rent Road To Morocco.

Pot farming in the National Forests!

via Drudge Report

Scrappleface is on a freaking roll. GO!

Matt Jefferies, the man who designed the original NCC-1701 died. Obviously, Jefferies tubes were named after him.

Or your money back. General Franks predicts Saddam’s capture in the next couple of months.

And this is just a rad quote:

“When I was growing up in Midland, Texas, I was free to do whatever I wanted. And I’ll be damned if we’re going to sit back and let something from across our shores change that for our grandchildren.”

via WorldNetDaily

Arabs Shocked by TV Images of Saddam’s Sons. Strange, they weren’t shocked by TV Images of Americans.

via Drudge Report

UPDATE: LGF seems to have an opinion on this also.

This is beside the point of this post in The Corner, but would you take a look at this:

Despite a general bias in our field toward thinking that self-esteem is important, meta-analysis has suggested that self-esteem is not so important (there’s a small correlation between happiness and self-esteem, and little else).

Science catches up to the Bible again. Didn’t Jesus say something like, “Deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow me”?

Over at Right Wing News. Yeah, I finally got around to reading it after everyone said how great it was. And it is really good.

School like it used to be.

My prediction: The kids will hate it until it’s over. Then they’ll wish normal school was more like it.

Remember the farmer that got jailed for killing a burglar in his house. He’s got bigger troubles.

Victor Davis Hanson:

These are still perilous times. But if anyone on September 12, 2001, had predicted that 22 months later there would still be no repeat of 9/11; that bin Laden would be either quiet, dead, or in hiding; that al Qaeda would be dispersed, the Taliban gone, and the likes of a Mr. Karzai in Kabul; that Saddam Hussein would be out of power, his sons dead, and an Iraqi national council emerging in his place; that troops would be leaving Saudi Arabia, Arafat ostracized, and Sharon seeking negotiations; that new Middle East agreements under discussion — and all at a cost of fewer than 300 American lives — then he would surely have been written off as a madman.

In addition, Knox said anyone going into the woods will be required to carry a bucket and shovel.

from the CdA Stress.

Go to this site (amazon) and read the very last review….

Drudge Report says Kemp is looking into California residency requirements so he can run for Governor. Tacky, tacky, tacky. “Let me come in from back East and run your state for you…”

This here is very interesting. Cloning is not creating life, it’s just copying it. I’ve heard a lot of Christians who can’t tell the difference.

This article (evil registration required) is worth it just for the title.

Making these people cranky.

Here‘s a shocker!

Common sense rears its head in the lawsuits against gun manufacturers.

Scrappleface also here, and here, IMAO, WaPo also here, The Corner also here. That’s probably enough.

Isn’t missionary work fun? I have no idea who this guy is, but he’s on a mission trip with my brother. And enjoying every minute I’m sure.

Here.

via Volokh Conspiracy. They’re the smart ones.

My ignorance of meteorology is profound, but why let that stop me. It seems from what little I’ve read that weather operates in macro patterns. So all this concern of the temperature over the last 100 years or so seems a little, oh, silly. So I found this interesting.

This is making the rounds.

Here, here, here.

Freaking hilarious.

Gotta love those Dimocrats.

Thus MIT and Boston College:

‘We’re not trying to protect our students from the consequences of copyright infringement,” he said. ”Once the subpoenas are properly filed, we will comply with the subpoenas.”

Thus RIAA:

‘We believe we don’t need to refile,” he said.

Oh, no. Whatever will happen? Will the entire world be forced to dance to the RIAA tune in everything?

I guess the president made a speech this morning, but he did it so freaking early I don’t paticularly care. Maybe people that were awake at the time have more to say on the matter.

Instapundit points out that some on the Left see through the hype. And he’s much more clever about it.

via Fark

Biometric passports.

As a neocon warmongering Bush suck-up, I yield to no one in my contempt for the French, but, that said, cheese-wise I kinda sorta feel they have the edge.

Very important stuff from a brilliant writer.

via Inoperable Terran

morally, ethic’lly, spiritually, physically, positively, absolutely, undeniably and reliably Dead!!

UPDATE: Saddam to deliver eulogy.

Kansas really is flatter than a pancake, researchers find.

via The Corner

From buy.com. Except for the freaking WMA (we are Borg) format. What’s with that? Like we want to pay each time we put it on a different device, if it happens to support WMA (resistance is futile). Los estupidos. (Man, that two years of Spanish I was forced to take is coming in handy now.)

Much as I hate large birds, this is pretty funny.

via Inoperable Terran.

While their methods leave something to be desired, Morocco is cracking down on the Religion of Peace.

Naked paintball a hoax, sort of.

From the Washington Times Inside Politics:

Both Democrats and Republicans have their “crazies,” says liberal author Todd Gitlin, but the difference is that Republican extremists “are tremendously disciplined, and they turn out to vote.”

As Republicans become more and more “big government” party (look at Bush’s domestic policies), Libertarians look better and better. Which is not to say Libertarians are going anywhere, but Republicans don’t need the split. Which is sorta the point of the blurb.

Another interesting article at NRO.

Andrew Stuttaford, whose gratutious Dr. Pepper crack did not go unnoticed, has this interesting article on Berlusconi.

NRO has this article.

This is an involved discussion (okay, not really, but you do have to follow a couple links), but I whole-heartedly agree with A Nickel’s Worth. Muscle cars are white-trash cars. Unless cleaned up and in show condition, even then, they’re just interesting, not particularly cool.

Besides being a great name for a band or a cartoon, Scott Ott explains “Q-Force”.

Even Michael Jackson thinks the RIAA has gone too far. And he’s not normal.

This page would be full of fun and informative news and commentary except I decided to upgrade my Zaurus ROM. Here’s a lesson kids, don’t ever upgrade a ROM when everything is going fine. Just don’t try and fix what ain’t broke. Don’t say I never warned you.

I think the Register has an opinion on the RIAA and their latest tactics, but I’m not quite sure. If only they would state their position clearly.

Great Frank Answers yesterday. Which I think is more a tribute to the good question askers, but hey.

This review of Switchfoot brings up something I’ve been saying for a while. And it’s not like it’s my idea. But, in this post-modern, wishy-washy, grey world no one can have anything to say. The “let’s just accept everyone’s beliefs as equal” line precludes any sort of judgment. And the paucity of that worldview is starting to become clear as Christians are starting to stand out, first in prog-rock and now even in mainstream rock. Because we have something to say. We have real questions and real answers.

From Iraq.

What do we need an Islamic army for?” said Riad Abu Al-Awady, one 23-year-old Najaf resident. “Many members of my family fought in Saddam’s wars and they are all dead. What Iraqis need is water, electricity, security and we want to work.

“And we want to work,” give people a chance to make a living and suddenly, constant turmoil is an annoyance. Capitalism rocks.

via Instapundit

Spanning the globe from Bly, Oregon to London, England via the internet.

This from AP via Yahoo!, via Drudge Report. You saw it here earlier.

Washington Times has this article on RFIDs, pointed out here and here earlier.

Here’s the best part:

“We didn’t cancel anything. We just didn’t follow through with this particular idea,” said Mr. Williams.

Could someone get Orwell in here to translate please?

Now available in Mexico.

Too much water can kill. There’s another article in Runner’s World.

Some sport is being played somewhere. I don’t know.

Volokh Conspiracy has this. And you better enjoy it.