Dec. 31st
End of the Year Sunday Atheist Sermon Around the Internets
I guess this is what the South Park kids would call being a "dick about it". But it does lay out the premise quite well. And if that wasn't enough:: the ever so powerful words of Saint Richard who really lays into the God of the Old Testament. Tell us what you really think Richard...
Dec. 25th
And it's a happy Dawkins Christmas...! Richard will tell you that you are delusional to your face. On the other hand, I think I'm getting a new sweater...!
Dec. 24
I got a letter from Rob at Unspace! I think he's responding to this hoped for diabetes cure. Like the Grinch he dampens my slim hopes for applicable quick treatments and cures. Here's what he wrote:
If that "cure" (it actually looks like a fairly long-term treatment) works in humans and if there isn't a deadline beyond which it doesn't work, it still only works for Type Is.
I'm type II. Crapola. Still, there's stuff coming down the pike. Hang in there...
And by the way, if you are type II, go to a periodontist. There's some research showing a startling link between Type II and periodontal disease. If periodontal disease is present, cleaning it out and clearing it up will do wonders for blood glucose levels. Even if you're Type I, infections make your BGs worse.
Happy holidays, btw.
Well, if I understand this and its a little technical, the breakthrough isn't just the process but the point of view. They attacked diabetes as if it was a disease of the nervous system. I guess, logically, then, if you could improve your nervous system you could eliminate your diabetes, type one or type two. Well, I couldn't do it but a former paramedic might. By the way, there is a man who's managed to cure his own diabetes and his name is Ray Kurzweil. His father died of the disease and Ray used a radical approach to the disease. It seems complicated. He's eliminated sugar from his diet and takes about 250 pills a day. Sounds hard. He says he's stopped his cellular aging though, despite his silver hair...
Festivus Christmas Eve Kwanza Imaginary Diety Holiday Around the Internets.
A Car That Runs on Coal? Not sure if that's a good idea or as the lead says...
Powering cars with coal might seem like a recipe for ecological disaster. But if fuel experts are right, a liquefied form of the notoriously dirty mineral will be providing much of the world with its transport fuel within the next two decades.
And here's footage from the man who looks like a Jet Man. Or as I call him: Jet Maaaaan!
A while back Steve Gilliard claimed that people who claimed that election theft was possible were wrong and bad and awful and such. Steve needs proof, not deductive logical proof but a Republican dumb enough to say "We cheat and here's how we did it." By that same standard the Iraq war is glowing success because Bush says it is. He would do well to take a good look at what's happening in Florida's 13th district. Some Highlights from Bradblog:
Christine Jennings and her lawyer, Kendall Coffey, appeared Wednesday on Lou Dobbs Tonight with guest host Kitty Pilgrim to discuss the latest news concerning Florida's 13th Congressional District. As BRAD BLOG has reported often (most recently here, here and here), Vern Buchanan was declared the winner in Florida's 13th after the disappearance of 18,000 votes left the Republican with a paltry 369 vote lead over his opponent Jennings. Subsequently, a handful of experts including one provided by e-voting manufacturer ES&S, concluded that the inclusion of the missing votes would have propelled Jennings to an easy victory based on an analysis of the Sarasota votes which did not spontaneously combust.
Unfortunately, the will of the people is a foreign concept among those controlling the Florida election apparatus which declared Buchanan the winner after recounting nothing a couple of times. With no paper trail (much less a paper BALLOT, and there is a big difference!), a "recount" merely refers to state election staffers testing whether a few selected machines are working properly and is entirely unrelated to the vote count. By certifying Buchanan the winner, the state forced Jennings to seek relief in the Florida courts.
This did not sit well with Sean Hannity who, with Buchanan on as a guest a few weeks ago, found the entire affair "unbelievable" and further evidence that Democrats are sore losers. Juxtaposing the Hannity clip as well as Tom Feeney's reaction to the election controversy, recounted by Brad here, to Jennings appearance on CNN (clip above right), makes for quite an interesting experiment. While hardly evidence that could be used in a court of law like the damning statistical evidence, the contrast is, nevertheless, telling.
Here's a complete rundown at the Daily Kos.
Dec. 20
So the black guy won the slots deal? And he wants to invest 350 million into the lower Hill District? Sounds good to me.
Dec. 17
The Lost Room is probably the best show I've ever seen that's centered in Pittsburgh even though it only looks like exterior shots and soundstage and/or Canadian proxy shooting. Its one of the best fantasy shows ever made, better than Heroes. They're repeating the whole six hour series tonight from 5 to 11 on the sci fi channel. There's probably a torrent somewhere. Try not to look into Kevin Pollack's glass eye. I haven't seen anything this good that was made for television since the 70s version of "The Lathe of Heaven". Really good. I hope they make this a series. It was also written on the CMU campus.
Dec. 16
World Record Weekend Around the Internets
Peanuts Meets Marvel. Or the two things that most taught me to read...
"There is no sin in making a living changing the world. There is no sin in being able to eat, and pay your rent, and go to sleep at night without worrying if the power is going to be shut off tomorrow. Activists who eat, who get sleep, who have a place to live, and know that they can put gas in their car (for however long we have it) tend to do much better work than activists who are starving, hungry and poor. It's the Rockefellers who have sold activists on the notion that you have to be poor, and that's for the precise purpose of making you ineffective."
But trust is a privilege, and PIRG/Fund has forfeited it; GCI has forfeited it. They have failed in their responsibilities to their employees and their citizen base, and until they take responsibility for those failures, the failures will continue and compound.
This is the kind of advice that the ACORNS, the PIRGs, and the Grassroots Campaign would be well advised to actually take. If you're looking for more info on this, then here's Greg Bloom's complete series of articles about the failed attempt to organize both canvassers and callers in Los Angeles. Note to DAM phone callers: The Fund simply shut down the offices in LA. The DAM phone center used to be local but it's now owned by a national calling chain that could probably use the nuclear option as well. I really think the solution is to rebuild both the field and phone canvasses from scratch, with worker protections and standards already in place. More info on the Internets about this: Here's Greg Bloom's complete series of articles about the Fund's unionbusting activities in LA. (Pittsburgh's Working America, run by the AFL-CIO, and which used to canvass, also has a union but I'm not sure what its status is. That would be a legitimate story by the way: Union shop engages in union busting tactics. I'm not sure what the answer is there.) Here's the official website for that group that organized the union efforts in LA. Earlier I mentioned that there was a recent book published that talked about the history of the canvass but I couldn't recall its name, until now. That book is called "Activism, Inc.: How the Outsourcing of Grassroots Campaigns Is Strangling Progressive Politics in America." Here's a short excerpt that the America Prospect published.
Here's a thought that I just concluded: The Jews are right that Jesus Christ, if he ever existed, wasn't the son of God and probably that virgin birth thing too. However, the message of Christ is superior to the one in the Old Testament. Still, I have to agree with Bertrand Russell that if you're going with fantasy gods Buddha seems to be the best of the lot. I also prefer the afterlife in "What Dreams May Come". And a flying Pony. Or a flying dinosaur raptor I could ride. Or a working Moller aircar. It's all good in fantasy land...
I find this reworking of the Star Trek franchise frightening, although it is more Battlestar Gallacticaish. Vulcan no longer a member of the Federation? Heresy I sez.
Philias writes "A new web-based Star Trek Animated Series may be in the works. CBS is considering a pitch by veteran Trek producer Dave Rossi for a 'Clone Wars' style animated series for StarTrek.com. Like Clone Wars the episodes would be just a few minutes long. Unlike the old animated Trek show from the 70s, this one would be with a whole new crew set in a new time period. The setting is to be a war-torn post-9/11-like Trek universe 150 years after the time of Picard." From the post: "The Zero Room team felt that the time was right for a new approach to Trek. The setting is the year 2528 and the Federation is a different place after suffering through a devastating war with the Romulans 60 years earlier. The war was sparked off after a surprise attack of dozens of 'Omega particle' detonations throughout the Federation creating vast areas which become impassible to warp travel and essentially cut off almost half the Federation from the rest. During the war the Klingon homeworld was occupied by the Romulans, all of Andoria was destroyed and the Vulcans, who were negotiating reunification with the Romulans, pulled out of the Federation. The setting may seem bleak and not very Trek-like, but that is where the show's hero Captain Alexander Chase comes in."
Long complicated article about nanobiotech that I need to read.
Trade union blog/website that I ran across.
The Global Guerilla guy on Mexico.
Innovative new wind turbine design.
Possible cure fo diabetes? This disease killed both my father and my uncle and is due to kill me within about 15 years. So this would be nice if it was true....
Dec 12
A Pedestrian by the book Tuesday Morning Around the Internets
I missed Laura Staniland and the Wool Gathering blogger at Scott McCloud's thing last Thursday afternoon. That was a great slide show presentation. If you love comics, then those images just have a lot of meaning for you. He even had his daughter give a brief presentation. I guess he's trying to turn his kids into show people. Might as well have named 'em Dweezil and Moon Unit. They're blogging about their book tour here and the Pittsburgh gig specificially. (One reason I missed the Wool Gatherer is that I don't know what she looks like and I don't link to her. (Not political enough.(She must have a career she wants to keep..)). I did check out her site though. She writes children books and does the audio work for them. I honestly thought she gave great voice. She sounds like a professional actress...NPR Quality.)
Dec 11
End of Monday Night Around the Internets
The IWW strikes another Starbucks. I learned that from this professionally written Indy Media report. It features my old pal Lisa Stolarski who has just a fantastic athletic body and whom I lust after despite her bouts of Ker- Razy...Please don't sue me. I've always admired for her progressive politics. Lisa is also a very good writer and I wonder if she wrote this press account, which, has the Mark of a Professional. Even features poetry. Take it away Lisa:
"IWW member Lisa Stolarski stated that workers will keep its focus on why the Union is protesting Starbucks—to stop anti-union behavior and reinstate the six pro-union Starbucks workers fired for exercising their legal right to organize. "The corporate world is watching Starbucks right now,” said Stolarski. “If Starbucks gets away with illegally firing workers for organizing activity, then this behavior sets a precedent for chain corporations worldwide. It is essential that every worker and every unionist stand up for the Starbucks Six, because in defending the baristas' right to organize we defend the foundation of unionism."
Coincidentally enough I met Lisa at DAM (where we both used to make calls on behalf of the Sierra Club, NARAL, the DNC etc.) a call center hothouse that has since moved to the South Side. I understand the workers there are thinking about unionizing. They could probably use a hand from the IWW...does the IWW pay its organizers anything? Just curious...
Dec. 6
Late Wednesday night early Thursday morning Around the Internets.
Scott McCloud is speaking at 4:30 pm at CMU which means I don't have to choose between his presentation and the Stillers. Praise Science.
I'll be getting one of these perfectly safe portable helicopters.
Interesting Slashdot thread on health insurance for the self-employed.
Speaking of comics, there is a graphic novel about how they stole Ohio in 2004. Its called "Cheated".The above is Bob Fitrakis or Conan.
Blog I should be linking to.
IInteresting point of view of the Republicans during the days before the election. Sort of the Nazi view of WWII.
Star Trek Map. In case you wanted to know where Deep Space Nine and the badlands are.
Prettiest Boing Boing contributor Zeni Jardin is in Guatemala and she's blogging about it.
Dec. 3
The people behind the great yet very depressing documentary "The Corporation" have released a shareware version of their film with tipjar in hand. If you're one of the readers out there with a few cents to share this holiday season (based on delusion of course) then consider giving. This is part one.
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