Hyperion the Sponge

I'm amazed and at the same time sort of freaked out (in a sci-fi kind of way) when I see picture like this one of Saturn's moon Hyperion. This sucker's a long ways away, and yet we have a picture taken from a scant 384 miles away.

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 2902 Diggs, is a story about a lady who wore an (inappropriate?) shirt on July 4th. I think it's the lady wearing the Union Jack.

Back to Digg silliness, I guess, but it is a bit early in the day.

The West to Blame for Darfur?

Interesting: place blame for the genocide in Darfur on global warming, which of course is blamed on developing nations, thus directly make the West guilty of crimes against humanity. That's what this story seems to be implying, anyways (although I may be connecting some of my own dots here).

With one stroke, the blame is shifted from African tribalism and radical Islam to the West. I'm telling you, someone out there has some real political chops.

Ahmadinejad Buys Gas from Chavez

This New York Times headline is surreal: "Iran, Low on Gasoline, to Be Supplied by Venezuela." I knew that Imajihadi (or whatever his name is) and Chavez are buddies and influential members of the anti-America crowd, but I didn't know that Iran's refinery capacity was so low that it needs to import gasoline.

Bizarre.

Putin Continues to Play Bush

Putin continues to play Bush like a fiddle. This time, he's trying to virtually take over the missille defense shield, essentially (as far as I can tell) suggesting that the entire radar infrastructure be based in Russia. So far, Bush has said "Nyet" to that proposal, but stranger things have certainly happened.

We lack real leadership throughout government, which puts us at a distinct disadvantage. I dream of a Jefferson or Madison or Washington to come out of nowhere, but dreaming doesn't really help.

Update: Putin puts some teeth into his "offer."

China Covers Up 750,000 Pollution-Related Deaths

An environmental coverup! And no, it's not by Bush. I'm sure the environmentalist movement will be all over this story.

Bill Gates No Longer #1

It's odd that a third-world tycoon would take over the #1 spot as richest man on the planet. Not that it matters, since such astronomical wealth is based on the vagaries of the stock market, but still, something strikes me as, not wrong exactly, but not exactly right about it, either.

Boing Boing Wants One-Sided Debate Starring MIchael Moore

Boing Boing wants to see the healthcare debate an entirely one-sided affair, with the one side being... Michael Moore. They're publicizing a MoveOn effort that calls on presidential candidates to refuse money from the healthcare industry, and they're doing so by handing out flyers at screenings of "Sicko."

I fear for the future healthcare of my children. Michael Moore is known by everyone to make exploitative, sensationalist movies (which I refuse to call documentaries) that twist and evade facts to make his point. That anyone would consider this to be the definitive statement on healthcare, and to want to disallow the healthcare industry from trying to influence in some way the laws that will destroy their ability to provide quality care, is beyond my ability to comprehend.

The Left has moved into a world into which I, and I hope most Americans, can't and won't follow.

The Declaration of Independence

An important 4th of July read. One needn't wait until today, of course, but it's certainly a good enough occasion for a review.

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 4229 Diggs, is a link to an editorial that's as inappropriate for the 4th of July as could be imagined. I didn't read the entire thing, but I don't need to; it's a topic about which I'm a bit ambivalent. And I'm not faulting the editorial's author--he wrote it yesterday. But the Diggsters voted it, so far, as the number one story on this day, and that tells me a lot about Digg.

I'm not linking to it. If you want to read it, you'll have to find it yourself.

Presidential Power the Greatest Since, Well, the Last Major War

What I find most interesting about this story is the line about Bush being "the most powerful American leader since at least WWII." I got to this story via Digg, which of course implied that the story is about Bush being so powerful, when in fact it's about growing Presidential power in general beginning in the 20th Century. But then, that's just Digg's typical anti-Bush slant.

What struck me most about that particular line, though, is that we're at war today, making the correlation between now and WWII painfully obvious to anyone willing to see it. And, the stakes are just as high, and far more complex (or, at least, we're making it that way, by waging war against an ideology instead of against those States that sponsor it).

That subtlety would be lost, of course, on the Diggsters, but unfortunately on many other Americans, as well.

Politics and the 4th of July

Of course, Cox and Forkum have a relevant cartoon for the 4th. It says something different about the nature of American politics that we should all try to remember--even though I myself don't often do so.

Happy 4th of July!

And, of course, a happy 4th to all Americans.

Let this day serve as a reminder that a handful of heroes can accomplish something remarkable and still unmatched in human history: to create, from nothing, a nation based on a fundamental moral and political principle, that every human being has a right to his or her own existence. Although the Founders' legacy is under attack, it is a testament to their genius that so much of their vision remains intact after centuries of anti-man philosophies that have sought to destroy it.

To the men and women serving overseas, my thanks. You make this day possible, year after year. I hope that each and every one of you sees your service not as a sacrifice for me or any other American, but as your own defense of liberties that you, yourself, hold dear. Let the politicians argue over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin--for yourselves, know that by killing our enemies, you are protecting your values and preserving for yourselves and those you love the freedom afforded by this great nation.

But, most of all, everyone: enjoy, celebrate, eat, drink, and be merry. Today is a day to engage in that which should be the goal of every human being: to be happy, and to bring happiness to those family and friends whom we value the most. The Founders' recognized this in the Declaration of Independence, when they included "the pursuit of happiness" as one of the rights that our government was created to defend. You do no disservice to any American hero by enjoying yourself today, but rather the opposite. You honor them.

And so, off with you now. And again, a Happy 4th of July!

Stop the Presses: Google Celebrates American Holiday!

Yes, it's true. Google has recognized the 4th of July in their logo. I don't know if they've done this in the past, but I'm still steamed over the Memorial Day snubbing. So, recognition where it's due.

Today's the ol' 4th Anniversary, and so probably light blogging. Maybe none, in fact, or I might find some time later tonight.

In any event, no promises.

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 6263 Diggs, is about a Digg tool for attracting more Diggs.

Must not be that effective. 6263 isn't all that impressive, really.

Blogs and Politics

Is it true that blogs are having this much of an impact on politics? If so, I'm not sure if this is a good or a bad thing.

American Pharmaceuticals Thrive, Europe's are Dying

The next time you want to fall for the idea of universal healthcare a la Europe's socialistic schemes, read this essay by Andrew Sullivan. It points out that innovation thrives in a free market and dies under socialism. The American pharmaceutical industry is making remarkable--some might say miraculous--advances in treatments for all sorts of deadly and debilitating diseases.

If you want to kill those advancements, vote for universal healthcare. If not, fight like hell to retain our current, even mixed economy approach, and then fight even harder for a true free market healthcare system.

I remember looking into a CT lung scan, having been a smoker for a number of years. I don't know what the insured price for a scan would be, but I know that I can get a high-quality scan performed outside of insurance for about $300. That seems entirely reasonable to me, since it could locate any problems while they're still treatable (which a normal x-ray may or may not identify). I imagine that if such scans were covered under insurance, and thus not subject to normal market pressures, they'd be far more expensive (although I personally might pay a little less after deductibles have been met). Imagine the impact on healthcare spending in general if the market were allowed to set prices.

I've read accounts that we're on the cusp of curing various forms of cancer, and already, certain forms have been turned from terminal diagnoses to manageable diseases. And that's due entirely to the efforts of the American pharmaceutical industry. Rather than attacking these companies, we should be honoring them.

More Evidence for Iran in Iraq

More on Iran's proxy war against the US in Iraq. I suppose that when (if?) we go to war with Iran over this (and the nuclear issue) such news items will be quickly forgotten and the "no evidence" mantra will emerge once again.

Media Tells Terrorists We're Onto Them

Once again, the mainstream press reveals our knowledge of a possible terrorist attack. Why this is "news," and not a blatant breach of national security, is beyond me.

Healthcare Independence

An essay on "universal healthcare" at Capitalism Magazine... It's an important read if you're at all concerned about healthcare and would like to have something to counter the upcoming movie on the topic (which shall remain nameless).

Town Surprised that Public-Private Partnership Goes Sour

And the line is blurred between public and private in such instances because government spends tax money (directly or through "incentives) developing private property. It's an inherent contradiction that must result in this or other kinds of conflict.

Breaking News - Babies Cry to Get Attention

And it took scientific research to discover this?

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at a light 2848, points to a picture that, quite frankly, I don't get. And, I have no time to try to decipher it.

So, good luck.

Iranian Cells Destroyed - in Iraq

Going after the Iranian-backed cells in Iraq is all find and dandy, but it would be a bit like killing German spies in America in the 1940's but refusing to take the fight to Germany itself. One can only imagine the outcome, and I'm afraid we're going to see a fine example of it sometime soon.

Unless, of course, we act against Iran. But that's likely a pipe dream.

Mainstream Media Again Assists Radical Islam

There are two important aspects to this story. First, the mainstream media is very quick to report the worst about Iraq; too quick, in my opinion. Almost eager.

Second, as has been said before on this blog, the "insurgency" is not about Iraq, it's about driving America from Iraq and creating a victory for radical Islam against the Great Satan. Fomenting sectarian violence, as was to be the result from this false reporting, is just one of the tactics being used to push American politics against finishing what we started in Iraq.

A World with Saddam Hussein?

Some interesting thoughts on what the world would be like if we hadn't gone to war to remove Saddam Hussein from power. I agree with a lot of this, but I still think we've prosecuted the war itself, and its aftermath, in horrible fashion.

Al Qaeda - Losing?

Al Qaeda has apparently been affected. That's a very, very good thing. Imagine how much more less effective they'd be if we removed their state sponsors?

Dell to Help Russia Against the West

So, Dell's building Russia a supercomputer to help Russia develop its oil resources--which Putin has made clear Russia will use as leverage against the West.

Thanks, Dell.

Oliver Stone - Ahmadinejad Movie?

Celebrity Report: I'm not sure if this is real or a hoax, but reportedly Oliver Stone is thinking of making a movie on Iran's Imajihadi (or whatever his name is). Knowing Stone, this could be for real, but usually he does movies after the facts are too cold or impossible to ascertain to be laid open to the light of day. And, the story's not yet actually played out on the Iranian warmonger, and so it's strange to make a movie at this point.

I call hoax, but we'll see.

Iran's Response to Appeasement Offer

And here's how Iran responds when they're appeased. As expected.

Jimmy Carter - Israel/Palestine Is Apartheid. Really!

In spite of being ridiculed and debunked by most reasonable people, Jimmy Carter holds to his theory that the Israeli/Palestinian situation is the same sort of apartheid as occured for decades in South Africa.

The man just needs to step on out of politics, I think, and go grow some peanuts.

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 5309 Diggs, is a story about a woman who tries to buy a bunch of iPhones and fails.

Big doin's over at Digg today.

Cheney Lied, and Fish Died

It's getting ever more amazing how politicized the news--and the process of governing--is becoming. Clinton gives China highly sensitive missille technology and gets a pass, Cheney is accused of killing some salmon and he's being probed by Congress.

Immigration vs. Collectivism

An interesting take on the immigration issue. What Nicholas Provenzo describes here is just another form of collectivism, which he identifies specifically as xenophobia. I agree, for the most part.

It's somewhat incidental to Provenzo's essay, but living in Southern California, I can say that many immigrants (legal or otherwise) would benefit greatly from learning the English language. I think many don't because they have no intention to stay for very long. Others don't because they isolate themselves in Latino enclaves where they don't have any reason to learn English, which is of course perfectly within their rights but it necessarily limits their opportunities.

And that little bit is irrelevant, practically speaking, because even that propensity doesn't last long. By about the 2nd or 3rd generation, the assimilation has already pretty much concluded.

Do Stem Cells Have Souls? Do Celery Stalks?

It's truly remarkable that such clashes between science and religion still occur in the 21st Century. This sounds like a debate between Galileo and the Pope.

Islamic Children Brutalized as Farfour Beaten to Death

This is so brutally evil that it's hard to put it into words. Apparently, the Islamic "Mickey Mouse" character, "Farfour," was depicted as beaten to death by an Israeli official to close out the show. The children's show, I might add.

And yet, people still place Israel on the same moral plane as the Islamists bent to destroy her.

Iran is Appeased, Again

"(The UN has) a readiness to accept Tehran's current program, at least initially, in hopes of reducing tensions and creating an atmosphere for negotiations." Isn't that pretty much the definition of appeasement?

Digg Report: No Digg report today, because at this moment (which is, of course, the pseudo-random moment that I've selected, which can't be changed) Digg isn't responding. Probably got burned by the iPhone--a phenomenon that I don't really understand, but that demonstrates Apple's incredible marketing savvy.

2nd UK Car Bomb Discovered

Another car bomb found in the UK. The scariest part: these were most likely set to go off at a specific time, probably coordinated. How many others are there? It's impossible to know, and incredibly lucky that this second one was found.

Update: Via Little Green Footballs, apparently UK officials have a picture of the man who drove one of the car bombs into place. He's Muslim, and he might have been released after being held for a previous plot. Wonderful.

Sci-Fi Author Blog List

For sci-fi fans, here's a list of authors' blogs. Bookmark it, and pick out some feeds that look interesting. I know I will.

John Mackey and Whole Foods Hearts Ayn Rand

Apparently John Mackey of Whole Foods is a good guy. That's good to know.

"Indirect Tactics"?

I might be wrong, but I'm not sure that this story defines what "indirect tactics" would mean for American special forces. Maybe someone can read the article and enlighten me.

Iraqi Surge Causes More Casualties - MSM Clueless

Once again, the mainstream media has demonstrated its ignorance of the simple fact that when one goes on the offensive in war, one tends to suffer more casualties. Again, that's just War 101.

Iraqi Surge Causes More

Once again, the mainstream press seems to misunderstand that the more one goes on the offensive in war, the more casualties one suffers.

UK Terrorist Attack Averted

I don't think anyone knows much more about this yet, but it's good news nonetheless. It also demonstrates that the threat remains real.

Rolling Stone Mag is Smoking Something

I think it's the height of naivete to believe that music piracy would have ended if only the music labels had struck a deal with the original Napster. I'm not sure why it's so difficult for some people (cough, Boing Boing, cough) to believe that millions of people want music for free--because they're cheap, because they're dishonest, because they simply don't believe that they should have to pay for music.

Had such a deal been struck, it would be no different than it is today with numerous paid music sites. Other pirate services would have sprouted up, and the situation would have been no different. Did the labels lose some money by not getting paid for downloads earlier? Maybe. But they've lost billions through piracy, and that wouldn't have changed.

Putin: Russia Owns North Pole

I'm sure Santa's going to be a bit upset, although he always did seem to have some Communist tendencies. I'm not sure how Putin thinks Russia would secure such a claim, which tends to lend some weight to the "Putin as a buffoon" theory.

It's interesting to note, though, that there's twice as much oil up there than is in Saudi Arabia. That could become a real point of contention sometime in the near future.

Germany to Fund Wikipedia Propaganda

This is truly bizarre: Germany is going to pay people to post "accurate" articles on Wikipedia. I guess they just can't get propaganda out of their system.

Bruce Willis on O'Reilly

Celebrity Report: I can't stand O'Reilly, but every now and then Bruce Willis says some decent stuff. I think he's a generally patriotic guy, and should be supported for it. I'll go see the new Die Hard flick.

Putin: Genius or Buffoon?

Putin continues to outflank American and European leadership on important issues. This one's energy.

Again, the question looms: is Putin a genius or a buffoon?

Blogging Success a Daunting Reality

I can only dream of this sort of blogging success. It's inspirational. I don't think it will last, but that's another story entirely.

Cox and Forkum on Poor Leadership

As usual, Cox and Forkum captures the essence of the inherent weakness of our leadership when it comes to the war against radical Islam.

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 6111 Diggs, is a story about an airline complaint. It's humorous, yes, but, as with so much in Digg, I wonder at the veracity. Even if true, I wonder at the collective mindset* of Digg that pushes such an ultra-important question to the front page.

*Sardonic humor.

Politics, Columbian-Style

And I complain about American politics...

Best of Times, Worst of Times

It's either a really good time to be starting a freelance writing career, or a really bad time. I suppose it depends: companies tend to ramp up spending on sales (if not marketing), which often requires sales copy writing, and so that could be good. Or, they'll just tighten their budgets and all work will dry up.

So, any suggestions of what a struggling writer with IT, business, sales, and marketing skills can do to supplement an income without giving up and taking another in a line of lame full-time positions?

FTC Says No To Net Neutrality

This is good news. We need competition, not the government, deciding how the Internet plays out. Yegads, but it's barely a decade old. Things like this take care longer to mature.

Senate Wants NSA Wiretapping Info

And, of course, I believe that this has nothing to do with politics. If important national security information is revealed, then that will do nothing but further demonstrate the tragedy of contemporary politics.

RFID <> Privacy

Here's one privacy issue I agree with: implanted RFID tags. Encryption has not reached the point where it's unbreakable, and such tags could contain very important, truly private information.

Printer Companies vs. Toner Pirates

This is one of those issues that seem questionable on the surface, but upon reflection make a little more sense. After all, who are printer manufacturers to limit how their customers buy ink and toner for their legally purchased printers?

Keep in mind, though, that there are numerous scam artists out there who provide shoddy product that provides very little actual ink and that causes real damage to equipment. It’s not unreasonable for printer manufacturers to want to protect against this sort of true “piracy” (which is a term used in the copier world for a very real and very damaging problem).

It’s unfortunate that the casual user and honest purveyor are caught up in the net, but sometimes that can’t be helped. And remember: printers are cheap because the printer companies make their money on toner and ink. You don’t even want to THINK about how expensive the equipment would become if the manufacturers lose their revenue stream from ink and toner.

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 8444 Diggs, is about an MSNBC anchor's decision not to report on Paris Hilton. Of all the stories to show a backbone about...

The Diggsters are loving it. They think the anchor's sticking it to the Man, or something. Now, about that jihadi-sponsored story about how America is evil...

Judge Denies Google's Anti-Trust Complaint

It looks like Google will have to go back to competing on its own merits.

Bruce Willis + Windmill = Must Post

Celebrity Report: Not much of a report, really, but one simply must mention a David Letterman visit by windmill-sporting Bruce Willis.

Celebrating Independence

Some required reading for July 4th.

Cox and Forkum on Muslim Protestations

It seems like there's never enough things to protest about in the Muslim street. Cox and Forkum capture that notion perfectly.

Looking to Buy a Corvette?

If you're in the market for a 2005 Corvette convertible, go here. It was owned by a great guy who recently passed away, and some of the proceeds of the sale will go to the Ayn Rand Institute, well worth the investment.

Here's the eBay link.

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at a modest 3691 Diggs, is about the baby on Nirvana's Nevermind album turning 17.

Move along folks. Nothing to see here.

China's Pipe Dream

I find little of value in this. China will either abandon its Communist principles or follow the Soviet Union into the dustbin of history. Already there are signs of resentment of the oppressive conformity of Chinese society, and it'll get nothing but worse.

China is utterly reliant on the US for its economic health. Were we to pull any significant amount of our business from the mainland, China's economy would collapse. And I think the US economy would hardly skip a beat; we'd just reduce our consumption a bit as the cost of some goods increased. People seem to forget that the Chinese GDP is about $2 trillion, while ours is about $13 trillion. That's orders of magnitude stronger and, I image, more resilient.

Also, it's inconceivable that increasing economic freedom in China won't translate to increasing pressure for political freedom. It's already happening, only it's so heavily censored that it takes one back to the Soviet Union, where the people were always happy and the economy was always on track--right up to the collapse.

I still consider China a threat, but mainly because I fear what will happen once the transition really starts.

Ahmadinejad's Butcher

And no, I'm not talking about a member of his intelligence agency. I'm talking about his actual butcher, the guy he buys meat from and from whom he gleans information about the state of the Iranian economy.

Really, I'd consider this guy nothing but a buffoon, if it weren't for the nuclear weapons.

Russian-Chinese War Games?

This surprises me, given what I've always assumed about Russian and Chinese animosities. For exactly which enemy will they be practicing against? The story says "counter-terrorism," but I wonder if this is on the right scale.

Resurrecting Stalin

There become fewer and fewer reasons to believe that Putin's goal is anything but a rivival of the Soviet Union.

Update: More here.

Russian Population Decline - Yikes!

This is pretty dramatic. Check out the chart lower on the page. Such things are speculative, but something even half as bad would be highly significant.

Russia Still a Threat

Proof that Russia remains a formidable military enemy, in spite of Bush's apparent skepticism on the topic.

Carter and Hamas - Hand in Hand

Jimmy Carter supports Hamas. I'm shocked! Shocked, I tell you!

Ahmadinejad a Human Shield?

One can only dream.

Reducing Technology Transfers to China

I'd say this makes some sense, although it seems a little late in the game. China probably already has a lot of what it needs.

Bruce Willis on Drug Abuse?

Celebrity Report: Bruce Willis doesn't really make a great deal of sense here on the issue of drug abuse. I'm not sure, really, what he's advocating here, if it's not some sort of (necessarily massive) government mental health program. Nothing new there.

Of course, I would say to him: why does government have anything to do with drug abuse in any case? I know any number of people who abuse all sorts of substances that do just as much harm, including cigarettes (obviously), fatty foods, refined sugar, etc., etc. And, government doesn't have...

Oops, sorry. Government has plenty going on there, as well.

Cultural Reflections on War

A very good essay on the war and on our culture's reflection of it (among other things). I won't try to characterize it beyond that, because I'll just butcher it. So, go here and read it, by Edward Cline, whose stuff is always good.

Sharks Self-Reproduce?

I sometimes think (well, just now, actually) that if sharks were land animals, we'd be screwed. Those are some well-bred bastards.*

*I do recognize the subtle evolutionary irony in this post, thank you very much.

"Land Warrior" Program will Save American Lives

We must continue to invest in these sorts of technologies. Basic training remains paramount, of course; these sorts of gadgets do fail in the field. But the better our battleground awareness, the more lethal (and safe) our soldiers. If I were to take on any political cause, it would be the fight to maintain and increase funding for the "Land Warrior" program.

China + Western Trade = End of Communism

As I've mentioned before, what happens to Communism in China as its people are a exposed more and more to (the remnants of) capitalism? I'd say, first, China will reduce as an "economic powerhouse" (which I don't really believe it is, since all it does is assemble goods made elsewhere, tedious work that people will eventually reject), and then it will slowly ascend as a (semi-)free society.

If that happens, then all predictions (mine included) of China as a future enemy go out the window.*

*This post has way too many parentheticals. Sorry.

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at 7170 Diggs, is a play on the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" theme song. Or something.

7170 Diggs. Amazing.

Cameron Diaz Rubs Salt in Wounds

Celebrity Report: I don't think ignorance of history (particularly such brutal butchery) is a very good excuse. Cameron Diaz should be both ashamed and educated.

Immigration: Trust, but Verify

I think people have all sorts of problems with immigration, legal or otherwise. There are those who mistakenly believe that immigrants take away their jobs, there are those who are merely nationalistic, and there are those (like me) who have nothing against immigrants themselves, but a great deal against the social programs that confiscate wealth for their benefit.

Then again, I don't like such social programs for bona fide American citizens, either. So, I guess that means I have no real issue with immigrants. As long as they're law abiding, and registered somewhere to ensure they're not terrorists, they're more than welcome.

Human Rights Movement for Everything but Humans

This doesn't represent a "shadow on the human rights movement," this represents the "human rights movement" today. Whether it's anti-semitism, pro-Islamism, anti-capitalist, or anti-globalization, the real goal of the human rights movement is to destroy Israel, establish a caliphate (among the Islamists, of course, who play a large role in "organized" human rights efforts such as at the UN), eliminate capitalism, and do something to globalization (which will never be identified, because what, exactly, is to be done?).

The human rights movement has no more to do with "human rights" than environmentalism has to do with saving the planet.

Thou Shalt Not Pimp One's Ride

So the Pope has written the "1o Commandments of Driving," or somesuch? I would think this is a joke, but something tells me it's not.

In any case, screw it. I'm going to enjoy driving my very quick sports sedan, and revelling in the fact that it's much faster than many other cars on the road.

Besides, I'm not a Catholic, so none of this applies to me anyways.

Chinese Collectivism in Concrete Form

This reminds me of some science fiction movie whose title I can't remember. I wonder about the underlying collectivism that such rigid working conditions represent. I can't remember seeing an American factory that was quite so confining, even the most cubiclized office space.

What happens to the Chinese machine when this beehive-like efficiency gives way to any kind of individualism? I think the Japanese are in the process of discovering this themselves.

CIA Releases Tons of Redactions

Zzzzzzzzzzzz. I've seen stuff like this, and there's more redaction than content.

"Privacy" vs. Intellectual Property

This all seems very complex to me, and I can see why the courts are having problems with such issues. Should a company be required to track every bit of information that passes through its servers and workstations? My kneejerk reaction is, no, it shouldn't. First, it would be virtually impossible to manage from a sheer storage perspective. Second, does the government have an inherent authority to require the maintenance of such information? Can it, in fact, force private organizations to do its own investigative work?

Note that I'm not a fan of "privacy" as a catch-all to mask all sorts of otherwise illegal activities. Consider that this particular case concerns Torrentspy, a site that makes it easier to locate and download pirated intellectual property. Furthermore, I don't believe that "privacy" is any sort of Constitutional right, nor can it really be found anywhere in the Constitution.

Rather, I believe we have privacy with regard to our own property, such as our homes, cars, bodies, computers, etc. Once we put information out on the Internet, all bets are off. But the linked story does raise some interesting questions.

Class Warfare: FaceBook vs. MySpace

I could be wrong, but couldn't the entire difference here be due to the fact that Facebook began as a college social network service, while MySpace has always been a free-for-all?

Dunno, but it sure seems to make more sense than the class divisions theme asserted here.

Today's Shocker: Diplomat Abuses Parking System!

Boing Boing sometimes posts the silliest little stories. The same sort of thing could be said about every diplomat everywhere in the world. Let's see Boing Bong do some research on British diplomats in the US, and see how many unpaid parking tickets they have.

One day we'll defeat the alien technology that defocuses and distorts all known human means for recording visual evidence. I mean, come on: it's been decades, and we still don't have a single clear, in-focus, recognizable photo or video of our extraterrestrial overlords.

Someday.

I can't say that I agree with this list of the top 100 sci-fi movies at Rotten Tomatoes, but it's decent enough as such lists go. I've definitely already noticed a few I haven't seen and probably should, and a few I should see again.

I was disappointed to find Serenity at number 48, though. There are plenty of clearly inferior flicks in front of it. I would have had it in the top 15, at least.

Update: In fairness, this is based on overall reviews (not sure if just on Rotten Tomatoes or elsewhere), and so it's not per se someone's judgement about where any given film should appear.

This doesn't happen every day.

War is a terrible thing, I don't think any rational person denies this. Civilized people have serious problems with it, on an abstract level at the very least. Make it concrete to them, by inundating them with pictures and video of the utter human devastation of war, and it could cause them to lose their will to support war even when necessary.

Refraining from showing the slaughter is therefore the responsible thing to do, because the only point to showing it to people who are perfectly aware of the evil of war would be to help bring about its end regardless of victory or loss. In short, there's a reason why the American media doesn't show an American soldier being blown to pieces by a roadside bomb, while a terrorist organization posts it on the Internet.

Digg Report: Today's #1 Digg, at a whopping 7394 Diggs, is, I'm sure, some sort of urban legend about misleading the police to get an emergency response to what is likely not an emergency situation.

Typical.

Beautiful.

I can't think of a story that has taken more statistics out of context and used them to draw a more sensationalist and ludicrous conclusion. I'm not sure what kind of site this is (some homeopathic bullshit, mabe), but man, does it suck.

And, it's not even worth a rebuttal. I can't stomach spending any more time on it.

There seems to be alot of this lately, or at least it's making the news more often. Maybe people are becoming less and less wary of nature, which ultimately couldn't give a rat's ass about us Homo Sapiens. And without our technology, we're really pretty helpless in the wild (and, there's a much bigger message there, as well, if you care to think about it).

And a note to those who haven't picked up the clue phone: bears aren't really our friends.

I wouldn't hang him, I'd lock him in a room full of sarin gas. Cruel and unusual? Cruel, certainly. But not unusual for him.

We should put some real meaning behind the nickname "Chemical Ali."