Monday, July 31, 2006

Invisibility


This has all kinds of implications. SUPER-stealth military planes, invisible CIA assassins, undetectable encrypted transmissions, access to the girls' locker room...

Jump

Fooling the Voters

It was predicted that the House would bundle the minimum wage increase with something controversial to pass what they wanted and still make the opposition look cruel if they dare to vote against the bill. This is an opinion piece but I don't mind posting it since I agree with the writer on almost every point. It was predicted and they delivered.

Jump

Friday, July 28, 2006

Can they bend your ear?



A handy addition for those who want just a little more out of their laptop speakers. If you're serious about sound you'll hook up to a set of powered speakers or high quality headphones. But for $40 you can pack this solution in your bag without getting tangled wires or much extra weight. Jump

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Democracy is spreading like napalm

I can't tell you how glad I am that we went into Iraq to spread around some good ole' fashion democracy. Can't you just feel the Unity Government taking hold and spreading like an infectious disease to stabilize the rest of the region?

You can't? The Iraqi police forces are unable to control the insurgents?
An average of 100 Iraqi civilians are dying per day?
Iran's developing a nuclear program against everyone's wishes and diverting attention by backing Hezbolah as it fires rockets into Israel?
Israel has killed over 300 Lebanese civilians and continues to fight with Hamas in Gaza?
Syria requested to talk to the U.S. but we said 'no' even though they are also backers of Hezbollah and exercising diplomacy with this nation might help the situation? We're still trying to let India have nuclear technology without bringing them into the NPT?

I say keep up the good work. Obviously the plan is working and everything is getting a little bit better now that we've replaced Sadam with a new government in Iraq.

Thank you Mr. Bush for providing moral clarity to all us heathens

Well it has been a busy few weeks. Bush has been leading the country ever forward with his decisive leadership. Like with his decision to veto the bill lifting restrictions on federally funded embryonic stem cell research.

What may I ask is this administration smoking? My personal feelings aside on this issue...It makes no sense that in one press release they can brag about how this is the only president to have supported this research (They grandfathered in the existing stem cell lines). Then in the next release you've got Tony Snow calling embryonic stem cell research murder (if you're going to define it this way then you're setting a very clear moral absolute).

Why would you say that you've done a good thing by funding the research on existing lines? You've defined it as murder/taking the life of an innocent. So you're proud that you're helping to fund research that is only possible because innocent lives were taken. Yes, that makes perfect sense.

The fact is that this bill would have only allowed embryos already slotted for destruction to be used. Embryos are destroyed daily. I think it's admirable and wonderful that some of them get adopted by families. But the vast majority are simply discarded as medical waste.

So Mr. President...please get your facts straight before you proceed to lecture the country (the majority of which opposes you on this issue) about the morality of stem cell research. And remember to 'stay on message'. That seems to be the only thing you have done well even if your messages were bullshit.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Why Microsoft should fear Intel Macs

I'm not sure I buy this writer's assertions: Jump

Don't get me wrong. I love the idea of being able to run multiple platforms on a single machine and I'm already a Mac user so I don't need any extra encouragement. However I think there are a few problems with his theory:

1. Cost - As a Mac user I know the counter argument regarding price. So I'll bypass them here. The bottom line is that many users who are not tech savvy see no justification in buying a computer for which they would need to purchase both the computer (the Mac) and a version of Windows XP (which last I checked was around $299). Why not just buy a cheap Dell?

2. This leads to the next point. Familiarity - There are users out there who are not afraid of a challenge. And even if you can convince them that it isn't much of a challenge...some people are just prefer to stay in their comfort zone around computers...even if that comfort zone is a buggy bloated Windows OS. They don't know any more or want to know anymore. So even if you gloat that Mac OSX is easier to use they'll still see it as a NEW operating system to learn.

Personally I love the options this will afford me as a Mac user. I plan to take advantage of it. But to the average user they will see the extra cost of another operating system and they'll realize they would need to learn a new OS and that's just too daunting of a task for many.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Second hand smoke DOES kill

Can we finally agree now on how dangerous smoking is? Can we also agree that smoking is NOT a right. It's a priviledge and it does not extend to polluting the air I have to breathe. The Surgeon General gives a damning report on second-hand smoke - Jump

Plagiarism software calls Coulter out on her new book

I'm not even going to try to be impartial here. I can't stand this woman. It's not because she's republican or a smug bitch. It really has to do with the way she feeds hate in this country. Her and her kind (republicans & democrats) do nothing but further polarize this country. They encourage stereotypes and anger against people with different political ideologies. Sort of like NeoNazis or the KKK except what these douchebags do is somehow considered legitimate. I consider them the worst kind of pundit. This was obviously from a left leaning program that has NO love of Ann Coulter but I thought is spoke volumes for her character...or lack thereof. - Jump

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Talking Right

'Talking Right': Why the Left Is Losing, Linguistically. - Jump

A Voluble Visit with Two Talking Apes

Very interesting story about the nature of communication. Maybe we're not so unique. - Jump