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Saturday, June 28, 2003
The Jesus Action Figure:
From Archie McPhee. I bet he could beat up those four horsemen any day. By himself. Jewish? No problem!! For you, we have the Moses Action Figure.
A Storm Is Bruin:
BusinessWeek: "In many parts now -- including at my house -- bears come out of the woods to hang out, bold as brass and a lot more dangerous. All this has gotten me thinking about a something you don't hear discussed much by state wildlife and game authorities: Do bears ever break into houses? And, if so, do they ever do it when people are inside?"
Just What More Needs to be Said, I Ask You?:
Freeing Zimbabwe From a Tyrant's Grip:
Colin Powell: "But our efforts are unlikely to succeed quickly enough without greater engagement by Zimbabwe's neighbors. South Africa and other African countries are increasingly concerned and active on Zimbabwe, but they can and should play a stronger and more sustained role that fully reflects the urgency of Zimbabwe's crisis. If leaders on the continent do not do more to convince President Mugabe to respect the rule of law and enter into a dialogue with the political opposition, he and his cronies will drag Zimbabwe down until there is nothing left to ruin — and Zimbabwe's implosion will continue to threaten the stability and prosperity of the region."
Online Games with a Hummel-Like Theme:
Orisinal. Or Non-Hummel, if you prefer.
Friday, June 27, 2003
I Was a Guinea Pig in a Mayo Clinic Medical Experiment:
Like Rachel Lucas, a long time ago I lived in Rochester, Minnesota, home of the Mayo Clinic. Or as they say there, "The World-Famous Mayo Clinic". From time to time they would run clinical studies and need subjects on which to perform the study, so being young and newly married and in need of money, I signed up for one. $75, E-Z money for 6 hours. All I really had to do was to swallow a couple of tubes down my throat so they could snake it down to the duodenum, inflate a little balloon to block the emptying of stomach juices into the small intestine, get an IV of some type of hormone or something or other, let them vacuum out my stomach juices, and from time to time get under the fluroscope to see the whole thing in progress. Piece o' cake, eh? The thing I remember most was having to lay in bed watching Mel's Matinee Movie, Women in Chains. And every time I tell this story, my friends ask me to come to them first if I need money that badly again . So, like, I guess I should have set up a Paypal icon before posting this story.
Wireless Home Networking Explained in Clear English:
The Book of Wi-Fi got a good review. But you can download the first chapter and "see if it's right for you", as they say on all those consumer-oriented pharmaceutical ads on TV these days.
If You Were Applying for a Post as a Math Professor Specializing in Imaginary Numbers
. . . would real-world experience help you land the job?
Joe McCarthy was Right:
Chuck Morse: "McCarthy substantially contributed in a cultural shift toward an understanding of the nature of freedom and liberty and how fragile these things are. This, more than any other reason, was why a left-wing establishment loathed him and rightfully perceived him as a major threat to their diabolical agenda. They have been hell-bent, ever since, on insuring that Joe McCarthy would be considered to be the most hated man in modern American history."
Now Ann Coulter: "The myth of "McCarthyism" is the greatest Orwellian fraud of our times. Liberals are fanatical liars, then as now. The portrayal of Sen. Joe McCarthy as a wild-eyed demagogue destroying innocent lives is sheer liberal hobgoblinism."
Not everyone agrees, of course. Solonor's Ink Well, for example, does a nice job of articulating the hobgoblin point of view. (He's got an interesting blog on a wide variety of topics, and is the latest addition to my blogroll.) But when discussing McCarthy, liberals always overreach to the point of discrediting themselves. Like, what's with the demonization of McCarthy by the Jews charge? It was always held against Roy Cohn that he was McCarthy's chief assistant. Cohn, of course, was Jewish. And there they go again . . .
Now Ann Coulter: "The myth of "McCarthyism" is the greatest Orwellian fraud of our times. Liberals are fanatical liars, then as now. The portrayal of Sen. Joe McCarthy as a wild-eyed demagogue destroying innocent lives is sheer liberal hobgoblinism."
Not everyone agrees, of course. Solonor's Ink Well, for example, does a nice job of articulating the hobgoblin point of view. (He's got an interesting blog on a wide variety of topics, and is the latest addition to my blogroll.) But when discussing McCarthy, liberals always overreach to the point of discrediting themselves. Like, what's with the demonization of McCarthy by the Jews charge? It was always held against Roy Cohn that he was McCarthy's chief assistant. Cohn, of course, was Jewish. And there they go again . . .
Ads from the Comic Books:
From Steve Conley. They're all here: The AMAZING Live Sea Monkeys, X-Ray Specs, the Trick Soap, the works. If you see my brother Tim, ask him about the 100 piece Toy Soldier set. He's still kinda bitter about that one.
Thursday, June 26, 2003
Manhole Covers in Hungary:
Art is sometimes where you least expect it. (via memepool)
Short Educational Movies on the Internet:
At BrainPop. Just in time for summer vacation.
More on Those Wacky Supremes:
Jonah Goldberg: "In 25 years, we hope that Jim Crow won't be necessary. In 25 years, we suspect that denying habeas corpus will no longer be required. In 25 years, we expect that the First Amendment will apply to everyone. Next month, we feel that anti-trust laws can be fully enforced. On Wednesdays, the Constitution does not bar cruel and unusual punishment. Every third Friday during the summer months, it will be OK to yell fire in a crowded movie theater.
These statements are no less absurd than Sandra Day O'Connor's declaration that "we expect that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary." From what I can tell, the upshot of O'Connor's ruling is that special treatment for blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans is constitutional but giving special treatment to Italian-Americans, Jews or Asians (to randomly pick three non-preferred groups) will remain legally unconstitutional and socially racist. But, in 25 years, presumably, the Constitution will revert to something more reminiscent of the actual text."
These statements are no less absurd than Sandra Day O'Connor's declaration that "we expect that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary." From what I can tell, the upshot of O'Connor's ruling is that special treatment for blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans is constitutional but giving special treatment to Italian-Americans, Jews or Asians (to randomly pick three non-preferred groups) will remain legally unconstitutional and socially racist. But, in 25 years, presumably, the Constitution will revert to something more reminiscent of the actual text."
Art o Mat
Art*o*Mat machines are retired cigarette vending machines that
have been converted to vend art. Currently, there are 49 active machines in museums and various locations throughout the country. The experience of pulling the knob alone is quite a thrill, but you also walk away with an original work of art. Ker-plunk! (via Robyn)
have been converted to vend art. Currently, there are 49 active machines in museums and various locations throughout the country. The experience of pulling the knob alone is quite a thrill, but you also walk away with an original work of art. Ker-plunk! (via Robyn)
Go West, Young Man! And Keep Going, and Going, and Going . . .
The Vladivostok News is looking to hire an English-speaking reporter.
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
The Atlas of the Body:
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Action Figures:
Yes, all four: Death, Famine, Pestilence, and War. If your kid takes these to Show and Tell as their favorite toys, do you automatically get a visit from Social Services? (via the terrific Gravity Lens )
The Future We Were Promised:
The works of artist A.C. Radebaugh. You know, all the flying cars and other neat stuff we were all supposed to have by 1975. That guy.
A World Clock for Windows:
Qlock, a freeware/adware (depending on your definition) skinnable customizable clock. I use it. Add as many cities as you like: Paris, Tokyo, Madras, wherever. But why is Newfoundland 2 1/2 hours ahead of us? My biorhythm would never be in sync if I lived there. (via Linda Edmondson)
Try Wealth-Based Affirmative Action:
BusinessWeek: Poverty, more than race itself, holds kids back. So schools should give more preference to students from impoverished backgrounds.
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
The International Children's Digital Library:
Over 260 books to read for free. Pretty fascinating, those older books for kids.
The Bonsai Tree Magnetic Sculpture Kit:
The leaves of the bonsai tree can be arranged and rearranged on the magnetized branches, together with three "rocks" that can be placed around the 3.5 inch wide oval base.
All This, and Help With Your Kids Too!:
Nigel Hammersley reports on the oddness of coming across another person with his name. In that vein, here's a CNN interview with another Tom McMahon.
The Sliding Block Puzzle Page:
Fasincinating. All kinds of sliding block puzzles.
Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy:
From Mondegreen Central: Mondegreens can be found in every area of the spoken word, from the record-buyer who asks for a copy the Queen single "Bohemian Rap City" to the schoolchild who is convinced that the Pledge of Allegiance begins "I led the pigeons to the flag." They tend to be about primal concerns: food, sex, animals. Any misheard lyric is an impromptu audio Rorshach test. My friend Alma liked Billy Idol's "Eyes Without a Face" because she thought the title was "I supply the fish." To my mind, this is a good thing, and not just because it lets me put out these collections of mondegreens. Pop songs aren't Ph.D. dissertations, or instruction manuals: they're supposed to be heard a million different ways, in a million different contexts. Customization is the only rational response to omnipresence. (via Jerry LaBonte, on his own time)
Monday, June 23, 2003
Calling All Girls! Calling All Girls!:
From Enchanted Learning: A simple-to-make origami fortune teller (also called a cootie catcher).
Democrats Go Off the Cliff:
From the Weekly Standard: In short, when many liberals look at national affairs, they see a world in which their leaders are nice, pure-souled, but defenseless, and they see Republicans who are organized, devious, and relentless. Something seems to be happening domestically between Republicans and Democrats. It's not just that members of the two parties disagree. It's that the disagreements have recently grown so deep that liberals and conservatives don't seem to perceive the same reality.
Hey! Maybe We Could Use This Idea to Sell More Pepsi in the Movie Theater:
Subliminal Words: Different words flash inside a Speed Panel. Some of them are emotionally stimulating. Which of them are you able to perceive?
Wisconsin: Not Just For Cheese Anymore!
Weird Wisconsin: "Wisconsin has more ghosts per mile than any state in the nation." And the W-Files documents paranormal activity that's been reported in the state of Wisconsin.
The World's Largest Selection of Vintage and Retro Clothing:
Sunday, June 22, 2003
A New Art Form or Just a Waste of Time for a Misspent Youth?:
FlyGuy. It's probably both!
All Hillary, All the Time:
There's this Hillary vs Harry angle, confirmed by my trip to Sam's Club yesterday, where the Harry Potter book was flying off the shelves while Hillary's book was just sitting there like an unopened subpoena. Maybe that was just because she wasn't there in person, as described in Hillary Goes to Wal-Mart. Rush Limbaugh says that Hillary's publisher is wildly inflating (i.e. lying about) her sales numbers. Tony Blankley thinks her book should have been titled The Memoirs of an Amnesiac. Don't miss Dick Morris' Open Letter to Hillary Clinton. Then there's Paul Greenberg: "The big problem with reviewing an embarrassing book is that it embarrasses the reviewer, too. When an author invades her own privacy, and her family's, she obliges the reader to invade it, too." Plus, from the Opinion Journal, Hillary 2008, Is It Good for the Democrats? as well as Hillary and Us, about Hillary omitting a few important facts about the Vince Foster case. Finally, Jonah Goldberg implores Enough with the Hillary Hoopla! Judging by this picture, maybe she's kinda tired of it too.
Ten Second Films:
Exactly what it says. My favorite: The 7th Distraction.
An Absolutely Chilling Attack on Free Speech by the Council Of Europe:
From the always insightful ParaPundit: "Declan McCullagh reports that the quasi-official Council of Europe is proposing a law for European countries to enact that would require anyone who criticises someone on a web site to offer that person who was criticised a way to respond to the criticism." Even for webblogs such as this. But the European critics of John Ashcroft have been noticeably silent on this one. Which is why it's hard to take them seriously.
The Shape of Song:
The Shape of Song: "What does music look like? The Shape of Song is an attempt to answer this seemingly paradoxical question. The custom software in this work draws musical patterns in the form of translucent arches, allowing viewers to see--literally--the shape of any composition available on the Web. The resulting images reflect the full range of musical forms, from the deep structure of Bach to the crystalline beauty of Philip Glass. "
