Chamber Pot

 

Moved on

I didn't realize that my final post on this blog somehow was lost in cyberspace. Anyway, I've moved on to a self-hosted WordPress blog at:
Joan's Jewels
C'mon over, the water's fine!

Back to the bad old days

Nightmare Mortgages Reminiscient of the FHA 245 Plan III that we, the mortgage bankers (not brokers) of the 1980s also called the "neutron loans." Unfortunately, the predictions came true, and the carnage was unbelievable.

A frightening prospect

FDA/CBER - FDA Public Health Notification: Donor Referral Services How did this happen? What recourse do these patients have? Why is the press release so vague? Rhetorical questions, all!

I always knew I hated that purple dinosauar

Assimilated Press: Bush Cites Barney As Proof That Man & Dinosaurs Coexisted And now I know why. Damn.

They say confession is good for the soul...

Intimate Confessions Pour Out on Church Web Site - New York Times I wonder if these poor souls know that their ip address is being logged at these sites, and that tracking them down via the isp is a relatively simple matter. There is NO such thing as anonymous.

Maybe a few more conversations like this will finally get through to him...

War Widow To Bush: "You're Here To Serve The People. And The People Are Not Being Served With This War." Not that it's like to make any difference in policy, mind you. It merely serves as one more illustration of who really calls the shots in Washington.

Which part of NO are you having difficulty understanding?

Urgent Fundraiser? Bush Wanted Carpool Lanes Closed Good for you, VA Dept of Transportation!

Excuses, excuses

Organ donor flap continues I have only one question: Since when was an autopsy not performed during an organ donation? Surely this procedure would answer any questions an investigation may have, or does this police department have another way of determining cause of death that the rest of the world doesn't know about? I'd be interested in hearing more about their criminal investigative techinques, but then again, maybe not. In any event, it seems this particular law enforcement agency has some serious explaining to do, and for good reason.

The shoe is on the other foot...

News Hounds: Fox News Decides it Needs to Negotiate with Terrorists I, too, pray for the safe release of the hostages. However, I can't help wondering how the "we won't negotiate with terrorists" footware rubs on the achilles heel of the die-hard, stay-the-course, we're-just-following-orders crowd at fox news. Just wondering.

Software solves all

::: NaDa ::: Gratitude and humility are so inadequate in the face of such incredible genius.

Accountability

Oroville Mercury Register - Kaiser fined $2 million for botched kidney program Seldom seen in the world of big insurance, and a wake-up call to the complacency of their peers. Thank God.

Dateline: Vatican City

Pope Announces "Rocket Hat" with Spectacular Spearing Holy Moses!

Cartography overload

Army Map Service - Perry-Casta?eda Map Collection - UT Library Online Still one more collection @ the PCL that I had no idea existed. Definitely worth a look!

BP, Oil Prices, and Plots

Oil Falls After U.K. Police Foil Plan to Blow Up Planes to U.S. I'll let you draw your own conclusions. It does seem rather odd, though, doesn't it?

But, wait...there's more!

Riehl World View

Update: Reuters pulling all photos by Adnan Hajj. Over 900 of them.

Is that a speck of dust on that photo?

Reuters AlertNet - Reuters drops freelance Lebanese photographer over image Yeah, right. Just tidying up a bit, were you? Sure, fella.

New and Improved!

Buzzword Bingo A new twist on the Bullshit Bingo game, but the idea's still the same...poking fun at the buzzwords, and more importantly, those people who feel compelled to use them with such abandon.

It seems quite a few people are annoyed...

FARK.com: (2197062) Photoshop theme: What if everything were advertised in the style of "HeadOn: Apply directly to the forehead"? And with good reason. The photos ARE funny, though, check 'em out.

9/11 Live: The NORAD Tapes

VANITY FAIR : FEATURES : GENERAL Disturbing, enlightening, and very much a commentary on the secrecy and lies of the current administration. And now for today's rhetorical question: did they really think they could keep us in the dark forever?

Atmospheric Optics

Atmospheric Optics Excellent photo gallery!

Is this the end for black holes?

New Scientist SPACE - Breaking News - Mysterious quasar casts doubt on black holes Or just the beginning of another complex, difficult-to-understand, debate that will rage on for years in the scientific community? My money is on the latter...

News, blogs, videos

Crisis in the Middle East: Mapping the Conflict The so-called mainstream media may want to sit up and take note...

Too funny to be true, but creative and clever as it gets...

The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs, Aged 51 1/2 Excellent job, "Steve"!

A peek into the future

Starting up in 2012 Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.

Hilarious. Frightening. No wait, I can't decide!

Vintage Ads: Drugs Kind of makes me wonder what the world will be saying about the ads we're seeing these days...and whether they'll be laughing and or crying. Or both.

Speed of light is relative?

SPACE.com -- Scientists Question Nature's Fundamental Laws Interesting read--brings up a lot of interesting questions that remain unanswered...if the speed of light was slower/faster in the past, will the rate of change be the same, or will it vary as well?

So long, farewell, etcetera...

Users find .Mac underwhelming, overpriced After eight or so years with the same dot mac address, watching it go from "free lifetime email" to subscription, and waiting for something, ANYTHING to justify a hundred bucks a year, I'm quitting. No more, thank you very much. I'm done with the crappy email service (ie, spam from all directions), the ultra-slow idisk, and the general lack of return on the what I've spent (actually, wasted). If you, too, are fed up--one caution: figuring out how to cancel your account is the worst runaround of all. The dot mac website, the apple support website, the emails from apple...NONE offer any clues as to how to get their hands out of your credit card account each year with their oh-so-convenient automatic renewal. Solution? Remove the automatic renewal on your account page at dotmac (keep digging, you'll find it eventually), save the change, and cross your fingers. It's not like they have a tech support number that you can call and make sure the change was recorded...heck no, that would be too much like customer service, and we can't have that, now can we, apple? PFFT...

You'd think google, with its incredible firepower, could do something about this...

The Real Blogger Status: Stolen Computers But, then again, why would they?

Well, bless my socks!

Transvestite gang pesters Magazine Street What an amazing array of mind-pictures this story brings up...

RSS - plain and simple

MediaShift . Digging Deeper::Your Guide to RSS | PBS An excellent primer on rss, with some great resource links. A must read for anyone trying to figure out what the all buzz about rss means.

Excellent news indeed!

Statins stop hepatitis C virus replication Why hasn't this been more widely broadcasted? This affects millions of people all over the world, and could have even greater implications if pursued.

And furthermore...

The Epoch Times | Report to Affirm Organ Harvesting Claims in China A follow-up to my previous post.

95 percent, 90 percent...or even 5 percent

The Epoch Times | Organ Transplants in China—the Numbers Tell the Truth Organs harvested from unwilling so-called donors is wrong. Talk about your basic bad karma...seriously bad karma.

Rights? What exactly do you mean by rights?

House of Representatives adopts resolution supporting Bush administration against the press The outright audacity of the government to ignore the US Constitution has gone beyond laughable, and is more frightening every day. Will they be asking Google's "assistance" in blocking potentially negative websites next?

Huge Kettle Affords Tea Room Customers Hot Stimulant

Modern Mechanix ? Huge Kettle Affords Tea Room Customers Hot Stimulant Hoax alert! Hoax alert! Still worth a look, though.

OhGizmo!

OhGizmo! Their byline, "Deliciously Geeky" pretty much says it all. All things strange, new, and so new they haven't even been invented yet. Very cool.

The Wicked Wench Paper Model (Disney Experience)

The Disney Experience Let's get out those scissors and glue, kiddos!

PlanetThoughtful.org - Lost in thought since 2003

PlanetThoughtful.org - Lost in thought since 2003 Definitely worth a second look.

Google says bill could spark anti-trust complaints

Google says bill could spark anti-trust complaints?|?Reuters.com Talk about waking a sleeping giant...this could turn out to be quite a fight! Google and its army of geeks vs. the overfed (on our tax dollars!), inept legislators and even chubbier telco suits. Yee-haw!

Blogs Study may Provide Credible Information - U.S. Department of Defense Transformation News Story

Blogs Study may Provide Credible Information - U.S. Department of Defense Transformation News Story Yet another data mining opportunity for the feds to exploit...yee-haw!

Text-Image.com

TEXT-IMAGE.com Very cool toy...

An Epic Week of Cutting and Running

AlterNet: An Epic Week of Cutting and Running Molly Ivins...what a treasure! You go, girl!

Study: Hands-free phone not safer on road

Study: Hands-free phone not safer on road What I find most interesting is the number of accidents--three?! And you say they were all chatting on the phone? And the drunks weren't involved in any accidents? This is even scarier than I had imagined...

Today's Inspiration: Illustrating Water

Today's Inspiration: Illustrating Water Excellent blog!

A Treasury of Macrame Owls

A Treasury of Macrame Owls Don't ask. It's there, it's seven pages of excruciatingly awful macrame, and I felt compelled to warn you. Be afraid. Be very, VERY afraid.

Cell phones may make people lightning rods

Cell phones may make people lightning rods As if even the thought of being zapped would cause some folks to hang up and drive, or walk, or otherwise engage in life...not a chance, I'm sorry to say.

Top ten reasons I’m glad I am a Mac “switcher”

Top ten reasons I'm glad I am a Mac "switcher" All valid reasons...but let's not paint too rosy a picture either. The three-fingered salute has gotten me out of a few scrapes, with no loss of data, no severe damage to life or limb (or hard drive), and no re-install of the operating system. Drastic measure? Yes, but it's better that staring at a spinning beachball of death when I'm trying to catch up on my newsfeeds, download my email and check the weather forecast with only five minutes to go before I run out the door to work.

There now, that's better

I spent a little time updating the template, installing a new blogroll (furl was no longer playing nice with Camino), and generally tidying up. A fresh coat of paint, and the place looks brand new!

AT&T rewrites rules: Your data isn't yours

AT&T rewrites rules: Your data isn't yours Coming soon to every company's privacy policy disclosure...a model for how to screw the customer.

First Alert smoke detectors cause Duracell batteries to explode

First Alert smoke detectors cause Duracell batteries to explode Holy crap. This is terrible...why hasn't this been more widely reported?

Tutorials - Pixel2life.com Tutorial Search Engine

Tutorials - Pixel2life.com Tutorial Search Engine Looks fairly comprehensive...nice site!

iCryptex.com - Welcome to the Cult of Apple

iCryptex.com - Welcome to the Cult of Apple Nice job...I just wonder how long it'll take Apple to shoot this one down.

Requests for Corporate Data Multiply

WSJ.com - Requests for Corporate Data Multiply Wasn't it Dubya that said a FISHING trip was the highlight of his presidency? Perhaps he meant a different kind of sport...the pastime of invading the privacy of American citizens.

Stolen Body Parts Blamed for Illnesses

HoustonChronicle.com - Stolen Body Parts Blamed for Illnesses And I thought the previous story I posted was chilling...this is terrifying.

American vampire

American vampire A chilling story, with some even more chilling questions...and few of my own...why do some people feel that they have the right to push everyone out of the way in their quest for a transplant? What part does compassion play in this trampling over the bodies of others? And what manner of karma will this type of behavior hold?

A cure for Hep C? Really?!

Hangover remedy is left hanging I can't imagine how this has escaped the attention of so many doctors, patients, family members...unless, the claims are completely false, of course. My skeptical hat is firmly in place, and for good reason.

It's only got a little spam in it...

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Another voice crying in the wilderness

Defense hawk Dicks says he now sees war as a mistake How many voices will it take before George and his cronies will be forced to take their fingers out of their ears, and stop with the "la-la-la-la-la-la, I can't hear you" nonsense?

The Phony War Against the Critics

The Phony War Against the Critics It's unfortunate that the folks in BushCo will dismiss them all as treason. When will the American public finally wake up and see the current administration for its true colors?

Curly to straight, straight to curly?

ABC News: New Pill Could Change Hair Never mind all that, what's this about turning gray hair back to its original color?!

Ah, yes, Mark Morford, does have a way with words

Let Us Blow Up Bill O'Reilly / Of course the PR-sucking Fox News blowhard is off his nut. Again. Question is, Should you care? My hearty congratulations on a job well done, a column well written, and a voice that deserves to be heard. Thank you.

Meditation is good for you!

New Scientist Breaking News - Meditation builds up the brain A link to the study would have been helpful, but this is good news anyway.

FDA limits tomato cancer claims

FDA limits tomato cancer claims - The Boston Globe What exactly is tomato cancer?! Jeez, who wrote this headline, for crying out loud? Of course, the use of the word "wrote" is purely conjecture...but I do feel sorry for the poor vegetables. Maybe there's a rubber wrist band opportunity in all this, though, and a fund for the tomatoes could be set up. Then again, maybe not. Never mind.

Mr. Bill is an idiot...and he can prove it!

SAN FRANCISCO / Local leaders unleash vitriol at O'Reilly No amount of "editing" of the transcripts will keep the hysterical hyperbole from seeping out and allowing the whole world to see what a complete moron you really are.

BYU professor thinks bombs, not planes, toppled WTC

deseretnews.com | Y. professor thinks bombs, not planes, toppled WTC Interesting story, and the published paper (see link in article) doesn't have the hysterical tone of the usual conspiracy theorists. Reading the professor's draft report gave me an eerie feeling that he may be on to something. If so, we can be sure his draft will not see the light of day.

Not good. Not good at all.

KXAN.com - Lawmaker sets meeting to discuss lottery allegations Will the answers be forthcoming, or will it be "buried" along with the rest of the inconsistences in the state agencies? Rhetorical question, obviously.

Ever hear of looking before you sit down in a public restroom?

Man Sues After Using Glue-Covered Toilet on Yahoo! News As for the allegation that "They just let me rot," all I can say is that fifteen minutes is not what most reasonable people would consider sufficient time for the human body to decompose. Bleh.

A ray of hope in the midst of all the chaos

How To Endure Disaster Fatigue / Too much death and catastrophe and war? Spirit overloaded? There is one thing you can try Thanks again, Mark, for your incredible, uncanny ability to shout out what needs to be heard by so many.

Those darned kids...

Jeb Bush's son arrested for public intoxication, resisting arrest Honor students, no doubt, never been in trouble...blah, blah, blah. It would appear the Bush kids (cousins included) are about as clueless as their parents. Don't think about it too much, though, or it'll scare the daylights out of you.

For cryin' out loud!

DomeBlog: DeLay to evacuees: 'Is this kind of fun?' Are the politicos THAT out of touch?! Sorry, rhetorical question.

I'm finding it very difficult to understand why Brownie feels so persecuted...

FEMA director says media made him a scapegoat His intentions may be good, but his abilities are not, and that's why he's been fired.

Molly Ivins tells it like she sees it...

AlterNet: George Bush Investigates! And I, for one, am truly grateful!

This makes about as much sense as what the FEMA crowd has in place right now...

The Color of Chaos Actually, it makes MORE sense, but that's not saying much.

Hope, a glimmer of hope...

Boing Boing: Katrina: Jasmina Tesanovic's account, Austin Convention center Thank God for people who care.

Brace yourself. This is quite possibly the most damning account I've read thus far.

Hurricane Katrina - Our Experiences God help us all.

Another, more up to date, timeline

KATRINA: RESPONSE TIMELINE: Politics served up with a smile… And a stilletto. Even more chilling...

A progression of the events that unfolded...

KATRINA TIMELINE Truly mind-boggling.

The insanity continues...

Frustrated: Fire crews to hand out fliers for FEMA And the frustration continues to mount...the impending crisis is beginning to feel a lot like waiting for a category 5 hurricane to come ashore.

Stark satellite photos of the effects of Katrina from the NOAA website

Katrina Photo Index Coverage Areas Mind-boggling isn't strong enough to express the enormity of the destruction.

OpEd from the Sunday New York Times

A Can't Do Government The Bursting Point United States of Shame And, finally, the one that speaks volumes to anyone who's ever visited New Orleans... Do You Know What It Means to Lose New Orleans?

Mayor Nagin's radio interview (full transcript)

Nagin's Nightmare: Full Transcript - Wonkette One man's anguish, frustration and anger...and with good cause.

Is this a serious question?

CNN.com - The disaster response: 'Magnificent' or 'embarrassment'? - Sep 2, 2005 Just as "disasater" and "devastation" cannot begin to describe the horror that has become New Orleans, it is a disgrace to even consider the idea that the federal government has done anything even remotely constructive to help the citizens of its own country. Our elected ("purchased" and "hand-picked" are probably a bit more accurate) officials are busy patting each other on the ass, congratulating themselves while thousands of people along the Gulf coast haven't had anything to eat or drink in days, not to mention that their lives and homes have been washed completely away. My heart hurts with the pain of knowing how deeply wounded our country is right now, and how things will never be the same.

Why does the local Red Cross not know about these agencies?

AlterNet: Where to Donate Earlier this week, I called the Red Cross and volunteered to help on the phones. If their office is any indication of the level of incompetence at the national level, I pity the people left homeless and desperate by Hurricane Katrina. There are ways to help, many ways to help, other than the Red Cross, thank God, and I sincerely hope that the American people think twice about where and how their generosity is spent.

October 2004, National Geographic Magazine article

Louisiana's Wetlands @ National Geographic Magazine The nightmare has become a reality for New Orleans, and the Gulf coast from Louisana to Mississippi to Alabama and even as far away as Florida, is reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The most difficult part about reading this article is trying to remember that it was written almost a year ago, and that it could have been alleviated, if not avoided, had someone had the courage to do what was right and decent. May God bless us all.

Woo-hoo! How 'bout another cuppa joe?

DNC: Health News - Study Finds Coffee the Richest Source of Antioxidants For medicinal purposes, of course!

Mark Morford's assessment of the direction of spirituality in a nutshell...

What's On Your iGod? / Your answer to the religious homogeny now clogging the nation like cosmic oatmeal? DIY divinity And one that answers the cosmic question, "Why not?" in simple, eloquent words.

A prime candidate for a 12 step call, if you ask me...

Capitol Hill Blue: Bush's Obscene Tirades Rattle White House Aides Of course, he'd have to ask for help first, and that's not likely to happen anytime soon from the looks of it. Pity.

Sounds like a great idea on the surface...

Web access may be as close as an electrical outlet | csmonitor.com The outcry from the cable and phone companies would be deafening, however, not to mention the smear ads that would show up on every tv screen in the nation. Shudder. Scary thoughts.

I know it must be tempting...

And the customer service award does NOT go to ... But is it really worth losing your job? On the other hand, it's not all that difficult to understand how a csr could go over the edge. The provocations are countless, and this is only the tip of the iceberg, I'm sure.

Is it just me...

Free Wi-Fi? Get Ready for GoogleNet. Or does this sound a bit ominous?

Could this be true? I mean, really, honestly true?

Erotic images can turn you blind Or is it just some evil plot by those wooden ruler toting nuns from every Catholic kid's nightmares?

Thievery is alive and well...

I came to work this morning, only to find that someone had stolen my extension cord. Sounds trivial (does the "red stapler" saga come to mind?), but this is a chronic problem in the building where I work. I've had a number of items stolen from my desk--mostly small stuff, like pens and post-it notes, but I've also had a book stolen and now my extension cord. This wouldn't be such a big deal, except that I have a plate in my leg and crawling around on the floor to find a free outlet is not an option right now. If I want to use my laptop, or charge my cell phone, or just listen to a cd, an extension cord is a necessity. Maybe the same person who stole my book has taken the extension cord as well...and will plug in a light and read "Real Stories from the Old Testament," which just happens to be the book that came up missing. Perhaps a little bit of spirituality will help this person see the difference between right and wrong. Or not. Hope springs eternal, Alice Springs, Australia, and all that. Oh well.

I only have one question...

WindowsDevCenter.com: Stop Mac Envy Forever Why not just dump the windoze box and get a Mac? Seems to me it would be a WHOLE lot easier in the long run.

Another pathetic plea that really screams "ME FIRST! ME FIRST!

Help Shari Kurzrok And for the rest of us, who patiently wait and know that all is well in God's world, I can only say, "Wait your turn in line with the rest of us."

Renew that subscription now...or else!

Wired subscriber gets a jolt And I thought the medical collections folks were sleazy. The folks at Wired magazine have taken questionable business practices to a new level of harassment.

It's not often that I'm moved to tears by the words of a politician...

Mayor of London - Mayor's Statement 7 July 2005 But this is one exception I am honored to post...the last paragraph is the most incredible statment of courage I have heard in a long, long time.

My sentiments exactly!

We’re not Afraid!

This guy is a hoot...

Epiphomatic Machinations: Home Repair Tip #, oh, 27. And gives a very accurate account of a common household project as well. Good stuff!

Is that all you can say? You're sorry?!

Special Offers How do you suppose the Brits feel about this? Probably a bit stronger than "sorry," I would imagine. Indeed.

Bet you shouldn't eat just one...

Los Angeles Times: Group Wants Warning Labels on Potato Chips Sorry, but I couldn't resist. On a more serious note, what hasn't this story from the 17th been more widely reported? Are the potato chip magnates as powerful as all that? Note to self: lay off the late-night potato chip snacks...as a matter of fact, why not pass on all nocturnal nibbles? Couldn't hurt, might actually help, especially if I start thinking about those yummy, crunchy, salty, greasy,...DEADLY potato chips.

Oh my gawd...

Clark Sorensen, San Francisco Artist, best known for his fantastic Art Urinals How could I have known, when I woke up this morning, that I would finally have seen it all? It's true. This gentleman's wares are the last word in potty art...go, look, feel your jaw drop in amazement.

Quite possibly one of the funniest sites I've stumbled across in a long time...

Threadbared: Sweaters Of The Damned. Excellent job, ladies!

Incredible news...

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Test tube' hope for hep C drug Any progress at all would be welcome--and this sounds like quite a breakthrough.

The sky is falling! The sky is falling!

Crazy Apple Rumors Site: Macintosh Community Freaks Out. Ok, maybe it's not actually falling, but it drop a few inches all of a sudden. Really.

Oh dear, what a pity...

Man accidentally becomes common law mac user And one of the reasons I make it a point to read SlashNot on a fairly regular basis!

Count your blessings!

BBC NEWS | Technology | Caught in the Windows to Mac rift Thank God...my current list of life's little annoyances doesn't include this particular annoyance!

Insightful, thoughtful and depressing as hell

Bush, The Spoiled Man-Child / What causes the fall of empires? Why, stubborn leaders who speak like toddlers and never admit mistakes Once again, Mark Morford, with his articulate and impassioned words, states what so many of us already know and fear about the insanity of King George II. The only question is, what do we do about it? Or better yet, is there anything we can do about it?

A shining example of our Texas legislature...

AlterNet: The View From the 'Owner's Box' Who would have expected anything less?

My sentiments exactly!

The 'I' word - The Boston Globe - Boston.com - Op-ed - News Ralph Nader and Kevin Zeese have put into words what more and more people are beginning to ask...why isn't the administration being called to testify before a congressional committee? Specifically, why isn't the ever-increasing stack of documentation being treated as a conspiracy against the American people? How long will it take for them to realize that these are not trivial charges, and that impeachment proceedings may be the only way out of this quagmire of lies and half-lies?

I could have used this a couple of years ago...

Vaccine Curbs Shingles Cases and Severity - New York Times I had a fairly "mild" case of shingles, and the pain was sudden, intense and debilitating. After several weeks (or was it months?) the numbness in my right arm finally dissipated, but I'll never forget shock of finding out first-hand that the chicken pox virus can cause so much discomfort.

Once upon a time...

Security Awareness for Ma, Pa and the Corporate Clueless: Mad As Hell: Metaphor 1.42 Perhaps this will help those who don't understand why living in a Mac world is so completely different than constantly battling the dragons of the bug-ridden windoze world.

Is anyone really surprised?

Los Angeles Times: How Bush Makes Sure They Agree After all, King George II should not be expected to give public audiences on any other basis. To do otherwise would be to admit that he might actually be wrong, and that just wouldn't do.

Was there ever any doubt?

AlterNet: Bush: Worst President Ever? Quite possibly the most damning summary of George the Second I've seen...and the most accurate.

Linking of Databases under the Real ID Program

: "SEC. 203. LINKING OF DATABASES. (a) In General- To be eligible to receive any grant or other type of financial assistance made available under this title, a State shall participate in the interstate compact regarding sharing of driver license data, known as the `Driver License Agreement', in order to provide electronic access by a State to information contained in the motor vehicle databases of all other States. (b) Requirements for Information- A State motor vehicle database shall contain, at a minimum, the following information: (1) All data fields printed on drivers' licenses and identification cards issued by the State. (2) Motor vehicle drivers' histories, including motor vehicle violations, suspensions, and points on licenses."

1984 may have come and gone, but BigBrother hasn't given up the chase...

[print version] FAQ: How Real ID will affect you | CNET News.com Buried deep in this legislation is Section 203. Linking of Databases. Text and link to follow...

You may have a point...

The internet is shit Or not. What you do have is the internet to state your point in the first place. Why not take out an ad in the paper instead of buying the web domain, creating the pages, and publishing yet another website?

Wouldn't surprise me a bit...

Crazy Apple Rumors Site: Microsoft Plans Distractions To Follow Tiger's Release. As a matter of fact, I think they've already tried a couple of these stunts already.

Excellent job, whoever you are...

We do stuff. Someone had fun putting this one together!

God bless him on his journey...

Man who advertised on billboards for liver dies The real tragedy is, in my opinion, that his selfishness and willingness to trample on the rights of others gained him only a few short months. Was it worth the pain and distress he caused so many others waiting on the transplant list? Perhaps this is the question his family needs to consider rather than dodging reporters and issuing statements touting his "service" to the transplant community.

The SF Chronicle's Mark Morford at his most eloquent...

Where Are The Good Christians? / The fanatics and nutjobs now running the show sure give honest believers a bad name Amen, brother.

Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen!

Who will be the next pope? And if this isn't enough action for you, there's a side bet on the next pope's papal name. Have these people no shame?

But, officer, I've only had two beers...

Newswise | Researcher Finds the Right Question for Alcohol Abuse Screening The very idea that a "right question" will elicit any degree of honesty is hilarious, not to mention seriously misguided.

Google Gulp

Google Gulp Excellent job, GoogleFolks!

Does this mean there won't be any more Purple Pill Pushers?

Pharmaceutical Companies Expected To Alter Advertising Campaigns Not that they had even an ounce of credibility in the first place...

Didn't Bill W. et al discuss this about 75 years ago?

Genes for alcohol consumption identified It would be interesting to have access to the full article, but $30 for a reprint is a little steep.

Tangled web?

Donor fails lie detector test on organ transplant Why am I not at all surprised to read that this person was unable to pass a lie-detector test? The only surprise was that he was willing to take one in the first place...a first-class nominee for the Darwin Lifetime Achievement Award.

One headline that truly makes the Mac community cringe...

Is Apple the New Microsoft? Unfortunately, Forbes.com may be right to ask just this...why is Jobs so afraid of the blogging community?

Quite possibly the most damning article on Bush's push for Social Security "reform"...

washingtonpost.com: So Now Bush Cares? Thank you, Mr. Robinson, for saying what has needed to be said all along.

Hear that, Rayban? A possible partnership with Apple?

Crazy Apple Rumors Site: Power Mac G6 "Really, Really Shiny." Could mean some serious bucks, if ya know what I mean...

You go, girl!

AlterNet: The Return of the Swift Boat Veterans Molly Ivins at her very best...and I, too, had to laugh to keep from crying.

When did "Support our troops" bumper stickers become a weapon?

AlterNet: 'The Bonus Army' Lesson And what exactly do those who put them on the back of their SUVs think it actually means? Rhetorical questions, obviously.

An excellent idea!

AlterNet: Steal It Back A well-written article that makes a number of valid points.

An uphill battle?

washingtonpost.com: Social Security's Capitol Divide I certainly hope so...considering what's at stake in Dubya's little scheme to "save" Social Security.

A sad commentary on the state of US politics

AlterNet: MediaCulture: Right Wing, Left Wing, Chicken Wing Sad, but not at all surprising.

From credit cards to social security reform...

AlterNet: Debtor Nation And all without blinking an eye. Or blushing. Not that we have a right to expect either, mind you.

One more reason to hang around and wait...

U.S. Lawmakers Seek Changes to Bankruptcy Bill, Prompted by Medical Debts The American people are going to put up with only so much...

The perfect gift for that Mac enthusiast...better grab it fast before the Apple attorneys get wind of it (sorry, couldn't resist).

Here's that teddy bear....

Some people wake up in the morning just looking to be offended...

HoustonChronicle.com - Teddy bear maker caves; removes 'crazy' toy For crying out loud, people, it's a joke! It's not meant as a slur or an insult or anything negative at all..unless, of course, that chip on your shoulder prevents you from recognizing the fact that damn near everyone who's ever been infatuated/in love/in lust with another person has said, "I'm crazy about you!" Lighten up, will ya?!

Hep C made the list (finally)...

American Govt List of Cancer-Causing Agents Grows Not that is particularly good news, but I have to wonder why it hasn't been more widely disseminated. Also, I have to disagree with the statement that the incidences of both Hep B and Hep C have declined. I would be interested in hearing what evidence these conclusions are based upon, and whether this information is publicly accessible. I have not been able to find anything to support this statement, and can only wonder why it has been included in the discussion at all.

This is quite possibly the most disgusting example of duplicity on record...

White House turns tables on former American POWs And to think, all those yellow ribbon "Support Our Troops" decals are advocating this as supporting our veterans as well. For shame.

We regret any inconvenience...

washingtonpost.com: ID Data Conned From Firm The theft of a person's identity, not to mention the contents of the their bank account, would certainly qualify as an "inconvenience." The last two lines of the article, however tell the entire story..."we're stupid, and that's okay, cuz we're not the bad guys." Pathetic.

A well-written and balanced article...

Beware the blogs, for truth isn't a fact - The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, USA It is something to keep in mind...and maybe some of the more strident posters may want to give it a try.

Starbucks fans, rejoice!

Coffee Consumption May Reduce Risk of Liver Cancer A better reason to indulge in that double latte or triple espresso hasn't come along in quite some time...

Feeling a bit touchy, Steve?

Jobs Fires Guy Just Visiting Apple Campus. Take a deep breath, and try not to OVERREACT quite so much next time, ok? Sheesh...

Something smells funny...

ABC News: Silicon Insider: R.I.P. Microsoft? A well-written account of one reporter's ability to sniff out the losers...

Finally, an alternative to Mapquest!

Google Maps Although, come to think of it, MapQuest was good for a few laughs...

Notice how deftly Mr. Gates sidestepped the issue of OS X...

SPIEGEL Interview with Bill Gates: "The Bad Boys are also Terribly Clever" Those evil, bad, nasty open source bad people!

A finer series of rhetorical questions may never have been uttered...

Why Does Windows Still Suck? / Why do PC users put up with so many viruses and worms? Why isn't everyone on a Mac? Nor quite so eloquently answered!

Some good, some not-so-good, and some just plain wrong

And For Steve Jobs's Next Trick... Although this review at BusinessWeek is mostly favorable, the author may wish to check his facts a little more thoroughly before going public.

Nothing new on this horizon...

The New York Times > Opinion >Little Black Lies Bigotry, soft or otherwise, is still bigotry.

Coming soon to a cereal box near you...

Modern Physics Warning Labels Something to look forward to, I'm sure.

Happy Birthday, Apple!

Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology. Where each worker may bloom secure from the pests of contradictory and confusing truths. Our Unification of Thoughts is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people, with one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves to death and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prevail! Apple's 1984 Commercial

Stop what you're doing and read this article...

God Does Not Cause Tsunamis / How do you process such an epic tragedy? Where do you lay blame? Can you even try? I can promise you that you'll be changed, horrified, uplifted and humbled...all in the space of the few minutes it takes to read Mark Morford's latest column.

Toilet brush that warns, "Do Not Use for Personal Hygiene" wins top prize!

M-LAW's Wacky Warning Labels I can't help but wonder just exactly what led to this particular warning...no, NO! On second thought, I don't want to know. Yikes.

You Rock, Mark Morford...

Do SUVs Make You Stupid? / Pointless, dangerous and vain as ever, land tanks still sell millions. Only one explanation possible Kudos for having the courage to state the truth is such simple terms.

A few questions, if I may...

bookofjoe: BehindTheMedspeak: American Society of Transplant Surgeons Blinks 1. Why no link to the story? Awfully nice of you to cut and paste it for your readers, but why not let us read it for ourselves? Of course, there is the small matter of editorial license, which is alive and well, as one can see clearly when browsing your blog. 2. Why the delay in posting? This article was posted over a month ago, and has been widely read and commented upon by a number of people. 3. Are you, or is any member of your direct family, now on the transplant waiting list? Just curious. Not that it would make any difference in your "spin," of course. To be sure.

Perhaps this year's top nominee for stupidity...

Doctor hears from patients who say university broke law as well as the easiest income opportunity in a long time for the attorneys in the state of Missouri. Geez.

All we ever wanted was a level playing field...

OPTN/UNOS Board Opposes Solicitation for Deceased Organ Donation Maybe those individuals with the money to pay for advertising to save their own lives, with complete disregard for the needs of other people, will find something better to do with their cash. Perhaps a fund raiser or two for those people who cannot afford the medication or the cost of surgery or any of a number of other critical needs might be more appropriate. After all, fair is fair, isn't it?

Better than SETI at home? Well, not exactly...

World Community Grid - Software Features - System Requirements Only if you're running a windoze box...and I would think they have had enough fun with SP2 to be thoroughly shell shocked. What I don't understand is why they would completely ignore those folks with the dual-processor G5s, the same computers used to build the supercomputer cluster at certain university in the US. Ah well, the lemming effect is alive and well at IBM et al.

X-Rated Fruit Wrappers

Ananova - Fruity sweet wrappers spark complaint It would seem the young people at the local Catholic school may have a little too much time on their hands, I mean, minds. Well, you know what I mean. (double entendre purely intentional)

Scuse me, ossifer...I mean, officer. Do you know who I am?!

Tampa Prosecutor Charged With DUI Girl, that booze has done made you null and void.

Come on now, Eric, tell us what you really think.

CBSNews.com: Blogging As Typing, Not Journalism In English this time, and with a few of your so-called facts supported by reason and evidence, maybe? What's that you say? Scribbling with a number two pencil on your frayed Big Chief tablet is somehow more accurate? Right.

Brought down the established order?

bookofjoe: BehindTheMedspeak: Robert Hickey, world's first internet-kidney recipient, writes bookofjoe Is that so? Do you really suppose one person's selfish attempt to place his own needs, along with the aid of several thousand dollars I might add, is that heroic? As a medical doctor (which he is), Mr. Hickey may want to address the ethics (or lack thereof) involved in his arrangement with both the website and the donor. Then again, I doubt that he would see it that way. After all, he's gotten what he wants, so the rest of the 184,000 plus recipients can just wait...unless, of course, Mr. Hickey would be willing to fork over some of that cold hard cash for a website listing for a someone who's been financially bankrupted by our medical establishment. How 'bout spreading some of that "love" around, if he's such a philanthropist? Then again, he may be too busy. Forget I mentioned it.

Guess I'll put those suitcases away after all

Hello, Uranus? Got Any Room? / Must. Move. Away. Cannot endure more Bush. Soul about to implode. Right? Not so fast Thanks, Mark, for reminding me of what's really important.

Electing to Leave

A Reader's Guide to Expatriating on November 3 (Harpers Magazine) An excellent article on the choices/obstacles facing the disgruntled US voters who may be thinking about renoucning their citizenship. It outlines, in excruciating detail, why this might be such a good idea, after all...all this, and funny as hell, too.

100 Facts and 1 Opinion

"The Non-Arguable Case Against the Bush Administration" Quite possibly one of the most frightening lists of misdeeds/crimes I have ever seen. If ever you needed a "reason" to vote, this should do the trick. Go, read, and then, VOTE!

Gearing up for this weekend...

Advice on Novel Writing Lots of good stuff here...

Holy Crap! GMail isn't safe from those nasty hacker-types?

NetLife Exclusive: Security hole found in Gmail This is not good news. Damn.

Deadbeat Dad or Misunderstood Hero?

Los Angeles Times: Internet Organ Donor Jailed for Child Support It would appear the legal system has made that decision for Mr. Smitty despite his protests of persecution by the media. Perhaps his "friend" the ex-doctor will offer him a "gift" to get out of jail. Strictly a token of his gratitude, mind you, and not as payment for services rendered. Or should that be product delivered? Indeed.

Hey, you out there in America! Listen UP!!!

Get Out And Vote And Scream / Now that we're all completely fried and bitter and media punch-drunk, it's time to act Now get up off your behind and VOTE!! Thank you.

I guess Google News just hasn't picked up the story yet...

Salon.com News | NASA photo analyst: Bush wore a device during debate Nor have any of the other news sites, as a matter of fact. Interesting.

Missed a court date last August?

Organ donor to turn self in Here's an opportunity to explain it to the judge...

Cops and pimps and hos...oh my!

What Price Fashion? Care for a little social commentary with your child's Halloween outfit?

This may explain a little about the difference between the two candidates...

Relationship Between Fear of Death and Political Preferences And the political parties as well.

Organ Donor Takes Lie Detector Test

Organ Donor Takes Lie Detector Test Despite the misleading headline (no lie detector test has been taken...yet), the quotes by Smitty provide an even more sordid picture than I had imagined possible.

Gearing up for Nanowrimo...

AlterNet: Ready, Set, Write Woo-hoo!

Pandora's Box?

Brokering Organ Transplants on the Internet Raises Ethical Issues A voice of reason in this ongoing debacle, thank you very much!

Activists or advocates, which is it?

Activists defend private deals to match organ donor, recipient And on what basis in FACT are they basing their "opinions"? This is sickening.

Redemption? Again, Mr. Smitty needs to check his dictionary...

Kidney donor sought redemption Or perhaps he has, and is picking his words very, very carefully.

On Bush and Lighting

Aces Full of Links: On Bush and Lighting How many Bush administration officials does it take to change a light bulb? None. There’s nothing wrong with that light bulb. There is no need to change anything. We made the right decision and nothing has happened to change our minds. People who criticize this light bulb now, just because it doesn’t work anymore, supported us when we first screwed it in, and when these flip-floppers insist on saying that it is burned out, they are merely giving aid and encouragement to the Forces of Darkness.

Here's the link to the article I mentioned in my previous post

Ah what a tangled web we weave...

In case there was any doubt about the notoriety of the internet kidney deal...

There are now 234 stories on Google News, and the number continues to rise. The most intimate details of everyone involved. I found particularly interesting the eBay vintage car deal....it just gets better and better, doesn't it?

This article brings up a number of excellent points...

Organ Donation via Internet: An Expert Interview With Arthur L. Caplan, PhD It would be interesting to hear the answers to these questions in relation to the recent brokering that went on between the retired medical excutive and the truck driver with a heart of gold. (Sarcasm is quite intentional, by the way.)

Media martyr? Let's review...

Internet Kidney Donor Glad He Donated With a potential movie/book deal in the offing, this individual has assumed the self-proclaimed title of "media martyr." The last time I checked a dicitonary, the word martyr was reserved for a person who was killed as a result of their religious/spiritual beliefs. Dicitonary.com definition of "martyr" martyr: \Mar"tyr\, n. [AS., from L. martyr, Gr. ma`rtyr, ma`rtys, prop., a witness; cf. Skr. sm[.r] to remember, E. memory.] 1. One who, by his death, bears witness to the truth of the gospel; one who is put to death for his religion; 2. Hence, one who sacrifices his life, his station, or what is of great value to him, for the sake of principle, or to sustain a cause. Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. Would he have us believe that his motives were that exalted? Perhaps my cynicism is showing, but who is he kidding? Does he honestly believe that he's being persecuted for his selfless motives? Was the $5000 in so-called expense money given, even in part, to offset his daughter's medical expenses? Come now, Mr. Smitty, you don't really expect us to be that gullible, now do you? Or perhaps you do...pity.

Stay tuned for the answer to the most important question of all...

Intoxicated Honey Bees May Clue Scientists into Drunken Human Behavior How many fist fights resulted in public intoxication charges and a free ride to the cop shop?

More on last week's kidney for money transplant...Makes for some very interesting reading.

Authorities seeking Internet organ donor Internet organ donor faces extradition, may owe ex-wife $8,100 Web pact for kidney draws fire This story gets more convoluted by the minute. A convicted drug felon, only recently off probation, who donates a major organ out of the good ness of his heart? Why does that so-called goodness not extend to the care and medical bills of his ten year old daughter? And the recipient is a retired medical company executive? Had he not heard of the ethics committee either? Were the hospitals and doctors he had business relationships with also the same doctors that allowed this brokered deal to be consummated? Of course, there is the matter of an ongoing financial relationship, voluntary or not, between donor and recipient. After all, there are those pesky attorney bills, court costs, etc. that will no doubt arise from the extradition process.

This is incredible!

NEWS.com.au | A WORLD-first therapy has been developed by Victorian scientists to stop organ transplant rejection (October 24, 2004) I'm interested in finding out more...and following the research as it develops.

Mother knows best

My personal favorite....

Poster barrage...

Poster barrage...

Poster barrage...

Poster barrage...

Poster barrage...

Isn't this just grand?

Man Offers Own Kidney to Save Business All we need now is for the lunatic fringe to get into the organ transplant business. Great.

A very well-written story on Hep C

AlterNet: The Other Virus Public awareness will increase, in my opinion, only when more people in the higher income brackets find themselves searching for relief. As long as the majority of those affected are in the so-called lower/fringe classes, it will continue to be ignored.

Yet another example of Google's ad campaign

BostonHerald.com - Local/ Regional News: Online organ transplant hits sour note: Denver doc balks at kidney surgery The ad on the bottom right is for TopTransplant.com. Here's what whois.com has to say about their registration: Domain Name: TOPTRANSPLANT.COM Registrant: Agate Web Solutions L.T.D Creation Date: 18-Apr-2004 Expiration Date: 18-Apr-2006 Domain servers in listed order: ns1.agate.co.il ns2.agate.co.il Administrative Contact: none Yuster Iris (domain@toptransplanet.com) Alexander Pen 27 Tel Aviv ,69641 IL Tel. +972.36100000 Technical Contact: Agate Web Solutions L.T.D Dudi Yalov (domain@agate.co.il) P.O.Box 1076 Hod Hasharon null,45110 IL Tel. +972.56534581 Billing Contact: Agate Web Solutions L.T.D Dudi Yalov (domain@agate.co.il) P.O.Box 1076 Hod Hasharon null,45110 IL Tel. +972.56534581 Status:ACTIVE none Yuster Iris (domain@toptransplanet.com) Alexander Pen 27 Tel Aviv ,69641 IL Tel. +972.36100000 Registration Service Provided By: AGATE WEB SOLUTIONS L.T.D Contact: domain@agate.co.il Website: http://www.agate.co.il/domain Why the contact address in Hoboken, NJ? Are these folks for real???

Google Ad Gone Bad

NIAID Forms Clinical Consortium to Improve Success of Organ Transplants, USA : Onlypunjab.com Team- Entertainment News, Health News, Movie News, Music News - Onlypunjab.com Apparently these folks in India have a different spin on organ transplants. According to the link on the right side, you can download free organs. 700,000+ of them, in fact.

2004 MatchingDonors Advertising Rates

2004 MatchingDonors Again, cut & paste... Each Showcase Banner Advertisement you purchase includes: * Free - 12 Patient Monthly Memberships, that you can give to the MatchingDonors.com Patient Member of your choice - a $2,950 value. * Free - A similar banner advertisement on CollegeJobBoard.com - a $2,900 value. * Free - A similar banner advertisement on MyJobBoard.com - a $1,950 value. Online Showcase Banner Advertisement This is a very effective way to "develop your brand", and show your support among potential donors and patients, and the Organ Donation community. Showcase Banner Ads will show on MatchingDonors.com's main pages. You will also receive your own page on MatchingDonors.com where you can put your own content and direct people to, or you can direct them to your homepage. Showcase ads are available in various banner sizes on MatchingDonors.com's main pages. Cost of Showcase Banners: $2,950/Month Shared Spot Rotated throughout CollegeJobBoard.com's main pages and shared with other advertisers. Banners can be a maximum size of 125 x 125 pixels Featured Doctors and Hospitals Showcase Banner Advertisement This is a very effective way to "develop your brand" among potential donors and patients, and the Organ Donation community. You will receive a free Showcase Banner Ad that will show on MatchingDonors.com's main pages. You will also receive your own page on MatchingDonors.com where you can put your own content and direct people to, or you can direct them to your homepage. Showcase ads are available in various banner sizes on MatchingDonors.com's main pages. Cost of Featured Doctors and Hospitals Showcase: $2,950/Month Shared Spot or the first state, an Online Showcase Banner ad is included at no charge, $995 for each additional state listing. Terms and Conditions * Prices are effective January 1, 2004 and are subject to change without notice. * Banners may be booked a maximum of one year in advance. * Advertisers will be billed on the date the reservation is received. * Payment is due upon receipt of the invoice unless prior arrangements have been made. * Banners are sold on a flat monthly/weekly basis with no guarantees as to impressions or click-through rates. * Advertisers may change or add to their creative any time during the course of their contract. * All cancellations require two weeks advanced notice. * MatchingDonors.com reserves the right to reject advertisements considered unacceptable as to wording, appearance, or for any other reason. * Banners are commissionable to agencies at 15%. * Advertising is a source of funding for MatchingDonors.com. * The word "ADVERTISEMENT" should appear directly below any banner ads. * Pricing is subject to change without notice. Contact: ContactUs@MatchingDonors.com MatchingDonors.com Incorporated Tel. 781-821-2204 Fax. 708-575-4825 766 Turnpike Street, Canton, Massachusetts 02021

MasterCard could have a field day with this one...priceless!

At MatchingDonors.com"Membership Rates" Copied & pasted from their website: Please select the following membership option. Membership Plan: 30 Day Membership Membership Plan ID: 30 Day Membership Membership Length: 30 Day(s) Single Patient Profile: 1 Price Per Posting: $295.00 Membership Description: Patient monthly membership. Includes posting of your profile on MatchingDonors.com, and all included membership benefits. Membership Plan: 7 Day Trial Membership Membership Plan ID: 7 Day Trial Membership Membership Length: 7 Day(s) Single Patient Profile: 1 Price Per Posting: $19.00 Membership Description: 7 Day Trial Membership Package. After your 7 day trial, if you do not call us to cancel, we will automatically convert you membership, and charge your credit card, to a monthly membership at the rate of $295 per month. [my emphasis] Patient monthly membership. Includes posting of your profile on MatchingDonors.com, and all included membership benefits. Become A Member: 3 Month Membership Membership Plan ID: 3 Month Membership Membership Length: 90 Day(s) Price: $441.00 Single Patient Profile: 3 Membership Description: This package comes out to be only $147 per month. 3 month Patient membership. Includes posting of your profile on MatchingDonors.com, and all included membership benefits. Membership Plan: 6 Month Membership Membership Plan ID: 6 Month Membership Membership Length: 180 Day(s) Price: $582.00 Single Patient Profile: 6 Membership Description: This package comes out to be only $97 per month. 6 month Patient membership. Includes posting of your profile on MatchingDonors.com, and all included membership benefits.

50K in 30 days? No problem!

Here's where to sign up... Nanowrimo

Kind of tells the whole story...

Originally uploaded by b0.

A sad story, a pathetic story...and one that should be required reading for all Americans.

First liar doesn't stand a chance...

Wired News: CherryOS Not BS, Author Says Not that I really care one way or the other...

Google's response to my request for a Mac OS X version of Google's new Desktop Search

From: desktop-feedback@google.com Date: Sat, 16 Oct 2004 11:30:22 -0700 Subject: Re: [#15482836] [Desktop-feedback] (no subject) To: xxxxxx@gmail.com Thank you for your note. As you mentioned, Google Desktop Search isn't currently available for Mac OS. We appreciate your taking the time to share your feedback with us, and we understand that many users would like us to offer a Mac version. We'll consider adding one in the future. Regards, The Google Team

A Day in the Life of Joe Republican

Forwarded to me in an email...thanks, Peg!




A Day in the Life of Joe Republican

Joe gets up at 6 a.m. and fills his coffeepot with water to prepare his morning coffee. The water is clean and safe because some tree-hugging liberal fought for maximum water-quality standards.

With his first swallow of coffee, he takes his daily medication. His medications are safe to take because some stupid commie liberal fought to insure their safety and that they work as advertised.

All but $10 of his medications are paid for by his employer's medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance - and now Joe gets it, too.

He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some girlie-man liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat-packing industry.

In the morning shower, Joe reaches for his shampoo. His bottle is properly labeled with each ingredient and its amount in the total contents because some crybaby liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body.

Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air is clean because some environmentalist wacko liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our atmosphere.

He walks to the subway station for his government-subsidized ride to work. It saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees because some fancy-pants liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor.

Joe begins his work day. He has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation because some lazy liberal union members fought and died for these working standards.

Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed, he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some ridiculous liberal didn't think he should lose his home because of his temporary misfortune.

It's noontime and Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposit is federally insured by the FSLIC because some godless liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Great Depression.

Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae-underwritten mortgage and his below-market federal student loan because some elitist liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his lifetime.

Joe is home from work. He plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive. His car is among the safest in the world because some America-hating liberal fought for car safety standards.

He arrives at his boyhood home. His was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers' Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electricity until some big-government liberal (FDR) stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification.

He is happy to see his father, who is now retired. His father lives on Social Security and a union pension because some wine-drinking,
quiche-eating liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to.

Joe gets back in his car for the ride home, and turns on a radio talk show. The radio host keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. He doesn't mention that the beloved conservative Republicans fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day.

Joe agrees: "We don't need those big-government liberals ruining our lives! After all, I'm a self-made man! All Americans should take care of themselves, just as I have."

Bring Back Complete Sentences

Smart People Are Scary

Security Requires Cooperation

Bush Doesn't Deserve Your Vote

Mark Morford at his most articulate...

As Oprah Slaps Bush / With 30 states poised to smack down women's rights again, the one true savior emerges Listen up, guys amd gals...this is not fun and games any more. King George II is playing for keeps, and he's counting on the apathy of the American voters to guarantee him another chance at rolling back the clock even further. Short answer: don't let him.

This just in from ABC News/Australia...

Nobel peace laureate claims HIV deliberately created I wonder why this obviously well-educated and articulate woman would make such an accusation--and not supply any supporting evidence. Pretty dangerous road to walk down, especially in the political climate of today's world, if you ask me.

Freedom of Speech Pumpkin

It's good to know some things never change...

CNN.com - Oklahoma recalls tourist brochures featuring cow manure tossing - Oct 6, 2004 We are talking about Oklahoma, after all...

Mark Morford's take on the American way of life

Why Don't Americans Care? / Do you know who Halliburton is? Dick Cheney? How about Karl Rove? Alas, most Americans don't What's even more disturbing is that he's summed up in only a few paragraphs what most of us have know/felt for quite some time. The real question remains...what can be done to turn this around? Assuming, of course, that something CAN be done.

This is just about clear as mud...

Half of U.S. Flu Vaccine Withheld (washingtonpost.com) With my husband in a high risk group, and me acting as primary caretaker, it would seem we're both on the "priority list," but then again, it's impossible to say after reading this article. I think a call to the doctor, and a little less panic, might be the recommended course of action in any case.

I'm not sure what to make of this...

Banning Gurley Men And even less sure that it's even possible to make an attempt.

Science Mag slide show...go check it out!

Science Mag slide show...go check it out!
Originally uploaded by jvassar.

See my previous entry.

Who said science was boring?

Slide Show: Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge 2004 Be sure and check out the slide show...extremely cool stuff.

This pretty much says it all...

The Fishbowl: The Mac is a Harsh Mistress How many baubles have I bought for my Macs over the years? Don't ask...

Simple solution to a simple problem...

How to Protect Yourself From Vandals, Viruses If You Use Windows Does the time spent on dealing with Windows problems really outweigh the cost of migrating to Mac? (rhetorical question, obviously)

Found at freewayblogger.com

The jpeg of death?

Microsoft warns of poisoned picture peril | The Register Isn't that just a bit melodramatic? Then again, I don't have a windoze box and can't really relate to what havoc this latest bug might wreak...thank God.

What will they think of next?

BBspot - Wal-Mart Introduces Giant Shopping Carts On second thought, I withdraw the question.

And now for something completely different...

BBspot - New iMac G5 Doubles as Breakfast Tray Where do these people find the time to think this stuff up?!

Listen up, people!

Apocalypse Bush! / Why care for the planet when the End Times are almost here? Vote Bush and hop on the salvation train! You may want to pay attention to what Mr. Morford has to say. it could answer many of the questions you've been asking yourselves...or been too afraid to ask, for that matter.

Port Aransas, TX

A compilation of the results might be interesting...

: [ FUALI.COM -- Online Tests ] : On second thought, I'm not sure I'd want that much information...OVERSHARE warning...the site byline pretty much tells the whole story anyway.

You go, girl!

Michelle Malkin: AMBUSH JOURNALISM...OR MY EVENING WITH CAVEMAN CHRIS MATTHEWS Articulate and intelligent...a powerful combination, especially when dealing with the likes of Mr. Matthews, who wouldn't know a balanced approach if it jumped up and bit him on the ass.

How very juvenile.

Build a better Bush Hahahahaha..Um, I mean, go check it out.

Will this set a precedent? What other forms of advertising can we expect to see?

HoustonChronicle.com - Ad campaign gets man a new liver What about those people on the list who are much more ill, but can't afford to launch a media blitz? I have a number of questions regarding the ethics of the surgeon who performed the transplant, not to mention the rest of the people involved in this ad campaign to put one person's life ahead of the interests of everyone else in a similar situation. And, yes, I do have a vested interest in the answers...my husband, Phil, happens to be one of those 1,284 in Texas waiting for a liver.

When will they ever learn?

Capitol Hill Blue: Suspect in New Terror Alerts Fed U.S. False Info in 2002 The level of cynicism in this country is becoming almost as alarming as the level of ignorance in the administration. Pity.

My point exactly.

peterme.com: SHIT IS TOO HARD TO USE Why does complicated HAVE to mean better?

An excellent idea, but...

Call centre sufferers get their own back - silicon.com It's only good for the lucky folks in the UK (right now, anyway).

My nomination for this year's "Best last line" award

HoustonChronicle.com - Police mistake landscaper's hibiscus for pot The fact that this is all the more believable because it happened in Houston is another matter, however, and I won't go into that right now. Stating the obvious and all, if you know what I mean.

Holy crap. Could it be true?!

Home Depot union vote set - 07/27/04 Is that REALLY a light at the end of the tunnel for HD workers, and not just an oncoming train?

Mr. Pot, I'd like to introduce you to Mr. Kettle. You have a lot in common...

Dear Apple, Hacker are your pals... Then again, maybe the title should have some reference to glass houses and stones. Either would get the point across, though, so I'll let it stand as it is now.

I am SO envious...

Duke to give Apple iPods to First-year Students for Educational Use Of course, one must wonder just how many students will actually use them for classwok. A no-brainer, actually.

Give this a try...you might get a nasty surprise, though.

Secunia - Multiple Browsers Frame Injection Vulnerability Test It doesn' seem to work on Camino, thank God.

No, this is not a joke.

Airport Rangers Only in Texas would something this ludicrous be even remotely possible.

What an interesting idea...

BBspot - Computer Hackers Launch Enhancement of Service Attack Too bad no one's actually tried it...yet.

My sentiments precisely.

Enough With Reagan Already / The Gipper's true legacy? Making the GOP as it is today: nasty, brutish and shortsighted And what's up with the flags flying at half mast? He's not exactly what I'd call a national hero. Not by a long shot.

United States Patent: 6,727,830

Microsoft patents the double click This is so absurd that I can't even make an attempt to comment on it.

Change isn't always a good thing.

From the Desk of David Pogue: A Lamentation for TechTV And this is just one example of a change that should never have happened.

Danger! Danger!

Welcome to my Website! Something VERY fishy is going on with this hosting site. They collect a bunch of info, and then log-ins and pasword resets all FAIL. They're definitely on my GMail Spam list, and should be on yours, too. Grrrr.

Warning: Reading this article is downright exhausting!

Why Windows is a security nightmare - ITNews - theage.com.au How do they stand it? Are things so bad that they don't even notice it any more? Scary, very scary indeed.

Excuse me, but your ads are showing...

California votes for Google mail safeguards | The Register If The Register is so dead-set against Google's GMail (see links at bottom of story), then why are they still using Google's AdSense advertisements? Talk about walking on both sides of the street. Pfft.

Well, well. It's about time...

Apple - Support - .Mac It would seem the folks at Apple have finally decided to provide the long-awaited .Mac support page. It remains to be seen, however, if this is a real support portal, or a set of bot-driven static pages. Not that I'm cynical, of course. No, not at all.

Yup, another eBay auction.

eBay item 4146756343 (Ends Apr-28-04 15:37:01 PDT) - SIZE 12 WEDDING DRESS/GOWN NO RESERVE This is one of the best I've seen so far...and I've seen some doozies in the past couple of months.

An online role-playing game with a sense of humor

The Kingdom of Loathing Now this is what gaming is all about!

OH MY GOSH!!

MacDailyNews - News - Nugatory Trojan A little late for April Fool's Day, but still funny. The comments are a riot, too.

Testing the new Blogger email feature

Thought I’d give it a quick spin, and see what happens...

Cannot find server

Cannot find server Once again, the website is down...patience, patience. After eight months, you'd think I'd be used to this insanity. Not.

A novel approach to presenting the inconsistencies and contradictions of the Bush Jr. administration.

NotBush.com - informed talking points from mainstream media All this, and maintained by a group of people right here in Texas.

Gmail testing

Slashdot | Google's Gmail Goes Into Beta for Blogger Users Just signed up for Google's Gmail service...not compatible with Safari, but works well with Mozilla. Still kickin' the tires, so I'll hold my opinion until I've had a chance to give it a try.

Another example of the question "Why not sell it on eBay?"

eBay item - air guitar $9.25 isn't bad for something so valuable as an air guitar, for cryin' out loud! Jeez.

Abbott and Costello in the 21st Century

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you? COSTELLO: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den, and I'm thinking about buying a computer. ABBOTT: Mac? COSTELLO: No, the names Lou. ABBOTT: Your computer? COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one. ABBOTT: Mac? COSTELLO: I told you, my names Lou. ABBOTT: What about Windows? COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here? ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows? COSTELLO: I don't know. What will I see when I look in the windows? ABBOTT: Wallpaper. COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software. ABBOTT: Software for Windows? COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What have you got? ABBOTT: Office. COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything? ABBOTT: I just did! COSTELLO: You just did what? ABBOTT: Recommend something. COSTELLO: You recommended something? ABBOTT: Yes. COSTELLO: For my office? ABBOTT: Yes COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office? ABBOTT: Office. COSTELLO:.Yes, for my office! ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows. COSTELLO: I already have an office and it has windows! OK, lets just say, I'm sitting at my and computer I want to type a proposal. What do I need? ABBOTT: Word. COSTELLO: What word? ABBOTT: Word in Office. COSTELLO: The only word in office is office. ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows. COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows? ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue W. COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue w if you don't start with some straight answers. OK, forget that. Can I watch movies on the Internet? ABBOTT: Yes, you want RealOne. COSTELLO: Maybe a real one, maybe a cartoon. What I watch is none of your business. Just tell me what I need! ABBOTT: RealOne. COSTELLO: If its a long movie I also want to see reel 2, 3 & 4. Can I watch them? ABBOTT: Of course. COSTELLO: Great, with what? ABBOTT: RealOne. COSTELLO; OK, I'm at my computer and I want to watch a movie. What do I do? ABBOTT: You click the blue 1. COSTELLO: I click the blue one what? ABBOTT: The blue 1. COSTELLO: Is that different from the blue W? ABBOTT: The blue 1 is RealOne and the blue W is Word. COSTELLO: What word? ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows. COSTELLO: But there's three words in office for windows! ABBOTT: No, just one. But its the most popular Word in the world. COSTELLO: It is? ABBOTT: Yes, but to be fair, there aren't many other Words left. It pretty much wiped out all the other Words out there. COSTELLO: And that word is the real one? ABBOTT: RealOne has nothing to do with Word. RealOne isn't even part of Office. COSTELLO: Stop! Don't start that again. What about financial bookkeeping, do you have anything I can track my money with? ABBOTT: Money. COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have? ABBOTT: Money. COSTELLO: I need money to track my money? ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer. COSTELLO: What's bundled to my computer? ABBOTT: Money. COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer? ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge. COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much? ABBOTT: One copy. COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money? ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money. COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money? ABBOTT: Why not, they own it.

This ought to be just about enough for a Happy Meal...

Home Depot rewards Nardelli with bonus increase Not that I have much of an appetite after reading this brief, but very telling, article. The glaringly obvious omission of any reference to the EMPLOYEES is the most obscene thing of all. Shame on you, Bob.

Now this is more like it...

Introvertster Bah, humbug!

Will cooler heads prevail?

Boing Boing: First malware for OS X? So, is it malicious or isn't it? Does it affect OS X only, or OS 9 as well? Sifting the truth from the bs is always an interesting task...

Intego Announces Protection against the First Mac OS X Trojan Horse: MP3Concept

press room Well, damn.

So what's up with that?!

Google's Baffling Resistance to RSS: Contentious Weblog Kinda makes me wonder if the conspiracy theorists may be on to something. Well, not really, but it is weird.

Will Leo and Patrick be looking for jobs?

Comcast to buy TechTV Stay tuned, as they (who?) say...

A handy checklist

40 Things Every Drunkard Should Do Before (S)He Dies Gulp.

Mind your manners!

Globetechnology Living in a glass house has its risks, in case you hadn't heard.

Orville? Are you listening, Orville?

BBC NEWS | Americas | Popcorn victim wins $20m damages Popcorn as a toxic agent? Additives as murder weapons? This is really scary stuff.

How 'bout another cuppa joe, mister?

Betterhumans > Coffee Slashes Diabetes Risk Up to 80% Drink up now--a conflicting/retracting report is due out any day, you can count on it!

Ethics? We don' need no stinkin' ethics.

Army to Gates: Halt the free software | CNET News.com Ho-hum. MicroSloth up to its usual tricks.

Got change for a million?

Shopper's funny money had way too many zeros The only predictable aspect of this story is that Ms. Pike was shopping at Wal-Mart. I rest my case.

Spam Litigation

FindLaw Legal News: Featured Legal Documents - Cases in the News, Featured Document, and More Looks like some of the ISPs have had all they can take...it's about time!

They needed a university study to figure this out?

Brain can switch to "automatic pilot" during learning Any fifth grader could have come up with these conclusions. Sheesh.

In Defense of Biblical Marriage

The Presidential Prayer Team is currently urging us to: "Pray for the President as he seeks wisdom on how to legally codify the definition of marriage. Pray that it will be according to Biblical principles. With any forces insisting on variant definitions of marriage, pray that God's Word and His standards will be honored by our government." This is true. Any good religious person believes prayer should be balanced by action. So here, in support of the Prayer Team's admirable goals, is a proposed Constitutional Amendment codifying marriage entirely on biblical principles: A. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen 29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5) B. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines in addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam 5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21) C. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. (Deut 22:13-21) D. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden. (Gen 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh 10:30) E. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9) F. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen. 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10) G. In lieu of marriage, if there are no acceptable men in your town, it is required that you get your dad drunk and have sex with him (even if he had previously offered you up as a sex toy to men young and old), tag-teaming with any sisters you may have. Of course, this rule applies only if you are female. (Gen 19:31-36)

Sitting on the edge of my chair...

Where Is My Gay Apocalypse? / Over 3,500 gay marriages and, what, no hellfire? I was promised hellfire. And riots. What gives? I, too, am wondering what's taking so long. Not.

David and Goliath Syndrome

The Morning Sun: Home Depot accuses business of stealing name 03/07/04 This guy should think carefully about the fights he chooses.

Make up your mind, fer cryin' out loud!

City: Home Depot not doing enough on drugs I had always been under the impression that doing less was often point of doing drugs in the first place.

The taxman is knocking at the door

Twenty states try to recapture retail taxes on Internet sales I wonder how long it'll be before George & Company find a way to implement a national sales tax. Not if, but when.

Gosh, I wonder what it is they're talking about.

eEye finds critical flaw in Apple's QuickTime - Breaking - smh.com.au It it affects only IBM computers, doesn't that mean it's yet another windoze security flaw?

Alex Jones is up to his usual zany tricks

RFID Tags in US banknotes? Look in any dictionary under "crank" and you'll find his picture. Jeez.

Pardon my boasting...

eurekster search : JOAN'S JEWELS WOO-HOO!!!

Clay feet! Google has clay feet!

Google Grumbles Is nothing sacred?

And the debate continues...

Low-Carb Diets Likely to Lead to High Calories Whatever happened to the old-fashioned "Don't Eat So Damned Much" diet?

President George Bush and the Gilded Age

GLOCOM Platform - Opinions Chilling.

Mr. Safire states his opinion

Op-Ed Columnist: Not Peace, but a Sword My sentiments exactly.

And just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

Piercing can cause ears to dissolve. Unfortunate? Indeed.

This is the worst kind of obscenity I can imagine

Grasso Refuses to Return Any of $139.5 Million Pay Millions of people are dying every day, and this man thinks what he is doing is right.

Hot new item on eBay!

eBay item 2990404253 (Ends Mar-03-04 11:08:51 PST) - absolutely NOTHING for sale A social commentary that needs no comment. Absolutely none.

Sarcasm as a learning tool

12 Reasons Gay Marriage will Ruin Society Maybe this will raise a few eyebrows...and a few minds, too.

Leonardo Stuff

Circadian Shift: Leonardo linkage Looks interesting, and probably seeing a bit more traffic with "The DaVinci Code" still on the NY Times bestseller list.

Didn't Google and Yahoo get a d-i-v-o-r-c-e just last week?

Yahoo! Directory Search Results for google Guess they've decided to kiss and make up. Or not.

Nice. Very Nice.

Humbug: Periodic Table of Blogs Don't see Joan's Jewels, though. I'm certain it's an oversight and no doubt will be corrected right away. No doubt.

A less-than-original use for Photoshop...

Airbrushing out the Apple logo on this PowerBook must have taken some real talent. Note: http://www.microsoft.com/seminar/events/security.mspx Leave it to Microsloth to make sure linking via a weblog is impossible. Please cut and paste if you're interested in seeing the offending page.

RIAA sued under gang laws | CNET News.com

RIAA sued under gang laws | CNET News.com The RIAA folks make Al Capone and company look like a Cub Scout troop, and it's about time someone stood up to their tactics.