1984 vs. George W. Bush
Fascinating comparison of circumstances from George Orwell’s book 1984 to today’s Bush administration and the “War on Terror.” Well, fascinating and also scary as hell.
liberal european cultures and fundamentalist Muslims
This is a really fascinating article on the difficulties liberal european cultures face when fundamentalist Muslims emigrate to their countries. Muslims, who believe that homosexuals and women who are raped should be put to death, are trying to maintain their beliefs and even change the laws of the countries they live in to reflect their beliefs.
To me, there’s a simple solution to this problem:
1. Erect wind turbines throughout the U.S. Doing this in just three key states would produce enough energy to power the entire nation.
2. Legislate the use of hydro-electric fuel cells in all cars. Within 5 years, all cars could be using more energy efficient fuel systems, which would improve the environment and reduce global warming.
3. Get a whole bunch of nuclear bombs, and drop them on every Muslim country. Now that we’re no longer dependent on middle east oil, we have no reason to be allies with the sick fucks who live in Saudi Arabia, and we have no reason to try to negotiate or otherwise deal with Iraq, Iran, or any other backwards ignorant assholes.
Yeah, yeah, I’m not serious. Well, I kind of am. I know I’ve ranted and raved against Bush going to war against Iraq, and I don’t think I’m being inconsistent here. I don’t want Bush to create a war out of thin air to justify his own re-election in 2004, which is the one and only reason he’s even trying to wag that dog with Iraq. He doesn’t have any good reason to go to war. However, I don’t have a problem dropping a bunch of nuclear weapons on the heads of guys who think it’s okay to rape women and to then punish them for being raped by killing them. I’m really pretty much in favor of blowing them to kingdom come.
The Meaning of Courage
“for the same basic choice of courage or compliance continually faces us all, whether we fear the anger of constituents, friends, a board of directors or our union, whenever we stand against the flow of opinion on strongly contested issues…. A man does what he must-in spite of personal consequence, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures-and that is the basis of all human morality.” — From The Meaning of Courage, John F. Kennedy
the “Possibilities” commercial
Have you seen the “Possibilities” commercial for Colorado Tourism? They play it alot on BBC America, and it’s annoying. It’s scary to discover that the online version is extended and even more doofy than the one they play on TV.
The dialogue is really silly and on top of that, the actors are really bad. The kid/cowboy is a mumbler, and once they get to the woman claiming “I was a mud-encrusted, cucumber-eyed goddess in Colorado” you find yourself never wanting to see the commercial ever again, let alone go to the stupid state.
The spokesperson that takes the cake, though is the incredibly funny-looking guy who says “I was incognito in Colorado.” And he enunciates every syllable of the word incognito so that he sounds ridiculous. Seriously, watch it and you’ll see what I mean. And why on earth would you need to be incognito in Colorado? Are they trying to encourage fugitives to come to Colorado and hide from the law?
This online version has even more stupidity, though: “I was Tundar, overlord of great high pointy mountains in Colorado!” What?
A little girl saying “I was visiting my weird Uncle Ted in Colorado” — um, you want to advertise Colorado as the residence of people’s weird uncles? I thought that some things were better not talked about. The Print ad with this same text is even scarier.
“I was unafraid to wear a plaid hat with earflaps in Colorado.” — Someone send the guy a memo letting him know that plaid hats with earflaps have been cool for several years now.
You can tell they didn’t spend a lot of $ on this commercial. At least not enough to hire real actors. The also didn’t spend much on their website, either, because their home page takes 5 minutes to load on a T1 connection.
Funny Links
–Great. Its’ not enough that we have citizens informing on their neighbors. Now we’re starting up new Hitler Youth groups right here in America.
— Then again, maybe we don’t have to worry about the government going off the deep end, since we seem to have a giant asteroid bearing down on us.
–A site where adult people who like action figures and dolls send in pictures of their favorite toys. Not those kind of toys, goofball. They also make up fictional stories of their toys. Hmm. I should send them a link to my Barbies.
The caipirinha
Look, the recipe for the ultimate summer drink, the caipirinha. Made by mixing the sugar cane liqueur Cacha�a with lime juice. Cate made this drink for me when she came to visit.
CEOs and business
a great quote from this Salon article on CEOs and business:
McNealy’s attitude is the culmination of the last decade’s ascendant ethos for U.S. business: near worship and lavish compensation for people who “make things happen” coupled with near contempt and minimal rewards for people who “make things work.”
It goes on to discuss how CEOs are often disconnected from understanding how the products they sell or products they purchase for their employees to use work, and how that failure of understanding causes major financial problems.
Mini-Putt-Putt
Another addictive online video game: Mini-Putt-Putt. Have fun.
Weekend Update 2002-07-22
This weekend I finished painting the foyer and entryway, which now looks great. I also bought a round table for the foyer ($20) and a hat rack ($12) both of which I need to refinish. I got started on both yesterday afternoon. The table isn’t perfect, but it’s the right size. I’m thinking of painting a giant yin/yang symbol on top.
It is hot as hell here in Indiana. Thanks for the global warming, Bush. Wanker.
Here’s what I’ve been watching on TV:
Ground Force (BBC America)
Changing Rooms (BBC America)
Trading Spaces (TLC)
Big Brother 3 (CBS)
Oh, yeah, and the new season of Sex and the City. Of course, this might have something to do with the fact that there’s nothing on the freakin’ TV. Summer is boring, damn it. And no, don’t e-mail me and tell me to read a book. I already do plenty of that.
1000 Blank White Cards
1000 Blank White Cards, a game that’s making the rounds of weblogs lately. Basically, you use blank index cards and draw the rules of the game as you go along, awarding points for certain things.
Here’sanother explanation of the games rules (or lack thereof).
Also, a slide-deck from the creator of the game on Philosophy of Creativity: Finite and Infinite Games.
Remember Calvinball, from Calvin and Hobbes, where the game could never be played the same way twice? That’s the idea here… creative, fun anarchy.
(2014 update: I never managed to get a game together. I still would like to. Also: the Wikipedia page on the game.)