Nothing Matters, and What if it Did?

2010-04-24T09:47:00.001-07:00

Click To Play

Twilight

2008-12-20T08:07:00.000-08:00

Video from the red carpet at the premiere. Not my kind of movie, but I'm related to the interviewer. :)

Cover Up on Galveston? And FEMA Fucks Up Again

2008-09-14T13:27:00.001-07:00

I evacuated from Houston before Hurricane Ike hit, and I've been watching my local news online ever since. Just saw a news conference with the Governor and Michael Chertoff and FEMA people, and the reporters and local politicians are raising hell. This is what I got out of it:

No one is allowed to fly over the west side of Galveston. The Governor won't say why but he says it's not his responsibility. The local investigative reporter for the station, who was on Galveston through the storm, said yesterday that he wasn't told officially, but the unofficial info he was given indicated that there's a huge number of deaths - he hinted that it's New Orleans all over again. I got the feeling that there's probably bodies floating everywhere. During the news conference, he was giving them hell about it, but they're not releasing any information yet.

FEMA told us the day before the storm that they had trucks in place outside the city full of ice, water, etc. As of right now, 3:30 Sunday, those trucks have not made any deliveries. They are sitting on the edge of town, burning diesel, but not delivering anything. A local senator or congressman, I didn't catch his name, is throwing fits because our first responders have no food or water. He threatened to "pound on" the head of FEMA.

FEMA has buses available on the outskirts of town to evacuate people whose houses are uninhabitable. Those buses have gone back and forth to San Antonio twice - empty.

Typing this on the fly, so apologies for any typos. To watch local Houston news:
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/livenow?id=6384042

New Music

2008-08-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

After a long dry spell, lately I've been running across some interesting new music:

First, believe it or not, is Glen Campbell. His new album is full of covers, but not what you'd expect. He covers Tom Petty, Foo Fighters, Green Day, and others. My favorite so far is the cover of Green Day's "Good Riddance." Couldn't find a video of that song, but you can hear it on his website. And here's a little behind the scenes video from his website.

Next, the new Everlast song. Another unusual cover - Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues". He's sampled one of his own hits on the song - House of Pain's "Jump Around". As bizarre as that seems, I think it works really well. I'm not crazy about the video, though:

A better version of the song is on Everlast's MySpace page.

Next up, Alejandro Escovedo's new single, "Always a Friend":

As with the others, there's a better version of the song, sans video, on his website.

For those of you still hanging in there with this post, here's the coolest one of all:

DJ Shantel feat. Orkestar Bobana Markovica - Bucovina Club

My understanding is that this is Serbian Gypsy music as interpreted by a German House DJ.

Here's his website. And here's another video by Shantel - "Disko Boy"

Before you jump on the Obama Bandwagon...

2008-03-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

..take a look at this article from the very-liberal Houston Press. All that legislation that Obama's being given credit for passing in Illinois wasn't really his. From the article:

From that article:

"Then, in 2002, dissatisfaction with President Bush and Republicans on the national and local levels led to a Democratic sweep of nearly every lever of Illinois state government. For the first time in 26 years, Illinois Democrats controlled the governor's office as well as both legislative chambers. The white, race-baiting, hard-right Republican Illinois Senate Majority Leader James "Pate" Philip was replaced by Emil Jones Jr., a gravel-voiced, dark-skinned African-American known for chain-smoking cigarettes on the Senate floor.

Jones had served in the Illinois Legislature for three decades. He represented a district on the Chicago South Side not far from Obama's. He became Obama's kingmaker.

Several months before Obama announced his U.S. Senate bid, Jones called his old friend Cliff Kelley, a former Chicago alderman who now hosts the city's most popular black call-in radio program.

I called Kelley last week and he recollected the private conversation as follows:

"He said, 'Cliff, I'm gonna make me a U.S. Senator.'"

"Oh, you are? Who might that be?"

"Barack Obama."

Jones appointed Obama sponsor of virtually every high-profile piece of legislation, angering many rank-and-file state legislators who had more seniority than Obama and had spent years championing the bills."

Smoke on the Yangtze

2008-01-29T16:24:00.000-08:00

Wow! This is the kind of thing that reminds me how much less interesting life was before the internet.

I knew I didn't trust those Dove ads

2007-12-31T08:56:00.000-08:00

..the ones where they try to convince you that they are protesting all the pressures society puts on women to look perfect.

"Part of Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign, this commercial shows a wide-eyed little girl being barraged by ads promising to make a woman "younger, smaller, tighter" and ending with the line, "Talk to your daughter before the beauty industry does." It's a compelling 60 seconds that makes a gal want to lather up in gratitude. Unfortunately, Dove is owned by Unilever, which advertises its Axe body spray to men using a lingerie-and-stiletto-clad girl rock band called the Bom Chicka Wah Wahs. What do we tell our daughters about that??"

Runnin' Down A Dream

2007-12-26T23:20:00.000-08:00

Writer's Strike

2007-11-09T19:37:00.000-08:00

Take a Break

2007-09-27T16:32:00.000-07:00

Chattel

2007-09-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

This is unbelievable. They are selling underage girls as "brides", and it's legal?

Age 14 1/2, $27,995 - "..while she has little direct experience with the opposite sex we have made sure she is aware of everything she needs to know to be a good wife and mother."

Age 16, $49,995 - "She likes parties and has spent more time with boys than we’d have liked her to....She’s a bit fiery but worth it."

Age 16, $5,995 - "Cheyenne has had trouble with unchristian desires... "

Age 15, $29,995 - "She knows God put her on Earth to serve her husband like it says in the Bible and we’ve made sure she knows exactly how to do that."

Age 13, $49,995 - "She got an A in Home Ec. and has read up on what else would be expected of her as a wife and is looking forward to it."

Marry Our Daughter

Update - Whew, it is a joke.

I'm embarrassed by how many I recognized

2007-09-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

Fishy Fetish

2007-09-06T14:50:00.000-07:00

Sounds fishy to me

This headline ought to get me some traffic. Anyway, this article, which may or not be legit, claims that all Japanese fisherman have sex with...manta rays.

Dept. of the Obvious

2007-09-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

Food additives may cause hyperactivity: study | Health | Reuters.com

This is not news to anyone with a brain...

A Star is Born

2007-08-19T16:27:00.002-07:00

This is beautiful. Just stunning.

"Abstinence" performed by Robert Breaud

The way he sings "Human Papillomavirus" will drop you to your knees. And then towards the end, he throws in a little gay-bashing, just to make sure you're paying attention.

Things I miss about New York...

2007-07-17T17:01:00.000-07:00

...even though this is supposedly in Paris. A group known as Naturally7 starts singing and beatboxing on a subway line full of passengers.

Major Feminist Rant

2007-06-12T20:17:00.000-07:00

So there's this article on a UK feminist web site about the evils our patriarchal society thrusts on women. You can read it here. It's the sort of thing that's been surfacing a lot lately - how the media is filled with images of an airbrushed perfection that is impossible for women to obtain in real life, and the horrors of women trying to live up to that standard.

This is all true, but lately, these articles are going completely overboard and simply making the problem worse. They're truly turning it into a Battle of the Sexes.

Personally, I like men. Not boys; not the twits who leer at you as you walk across a parking lot; not the assholes who think that women were put on the earth for the purpose of pleasing males; but actual men who, after all, are simply human beings with different appendages than women.

So I posted a comment that turned into a rant (via StumbleUpon, rather than on the actual site), and after I was finished I decided I should put it here as well, because I said a few things that no none else seems to be saying. Also, because they didn't allow enough room for my full rant. :P

So here it is - let the hate mail begin:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This (article) starts out okay but then veers over the edge. Yes, it's true, society puts completely unrealistic pressures on women to achieve a level of perfection that's simply impossible without artificial help. And it's wrong, and it's making it impossible for men and women to have normal relationships, and it's screwing up a lot of women's lives and destroying their self esteem. And it's making younger women and girls think that the only thing that matters in life is having men find you attractive. And it's indirectly causing a lot of college age women to pull all that Girls Gone Wild crap in an effort to attract men's attention. These things are all true. However:

There's been a lot of similar articles lately decrying the trend of women wanting to be a size zero. Oh, the horrors! Um, hello, people? Size zero of today is what was called a size 8 or so a few years ago. Size zero is not anything close to emaciated, it's just slim and healthy. Size 8 - and I'm going to probably the only person with the balls to say it - the size 8 of today is FAT. Unhealthily fat. I am SO tired of everyone making excuses for not taking responsibility for their own health. You're not curvy, you're fat. Sophia Loren in her heyday was curvy, but you there with your blob of blubber hanging over your low rise jeans - you're not curvy, you're fat. Put the fork down, and go out and get some exercise! The shape your body is in from eating lots of crap and sitting in front of the computer or TV all day is neither healthy NOR attractive. And no matter how much you trash people who DO take care of their health, deep in your heart you know that they look and feel much better than you do. And guess what? If you actually took care of yourself, your self esteem might increase to the point where you didn't feel like you need to take your clothes off for random strangers just to prove to yourself that you're attractive.

And the bit about plastic surgery - oh, please! I am so tired of the myth that women who have plastic surgery should only do it for themselves. WTF? For themselves? Of course it's not for them...what the heck does any women care about breast size or wrinkles? She's not the one who has to look at it. Women (and at the risk of being non-PC, for this rant, I'm speaking only of straight women) don't get boob jobs because they want to stand in front of a mirror and play with their new big boobs, they get them to look more attractive to men. Whether or not that's a bad thing is a whole separate issue, but don't delude yourself into thinking that you're doing it for yourself. You'd be totally at peace with your B cup breasts if it wasn't for knowing that most men like big breasts. You wouldn't care about a few wrinkles if men didn't have a biological preference for young women. Get the surgery if you want, but be honest about why you're doing it. Personally, I've always had more tolerance for someone who said she was getting a boob job "as a birthday present for my husband" than for someone who said it was something she was doing for herself. Those "for my husband" women always seemed to have a lot more self esteem, frankly. I think that being okay with your body the way it is, but understanding that men are visual and wanting to please one particular man that you love, whether its a boob job or face lift or whatever, is a lot healthier than deluding yourself that you're doing it for yourself. And how can it be sexist, when men do a lot of things to improve the way they look to women? True, it's not been pushed to the same extreme, but the basic desire of people to look more attractive to someone they'd like to be with is there in both sexes.

Then the article goes on about how we should all go around with hairy armpits. Um, right. Yeah, that's empowering. The same way men's hairy armpits are empowering. Yep, that's why they make more money than women - it's their hairy armpits. Did you know that there are porn sites specifically devoted to "hippy chicks"? They feature pictures of naked women with hairy armpits. So...do you shave in order to please the majority of men, or not shave in order to turn on the subset of men that find hairy armpits arousing? Personally, I shave because I'm not a big fan of body hair, period. Deal with it.

They also mentioned that the women being interviewed in the article they were referencing had been asked to rate themselves on a scale of 1-10, and that they had rated themselves a four, and isn't that horrible that they don't have better self esteem. Two thing going on here - first of all, of course they're not going to rate themselves very high; these women are apparently a pop group, and they undoubtedly don't want to appear arrogant. Secondly: how can anyone rate themselves? It is still true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and what one person rates a ten, another might only give a two. If you look like someone's ex-husband, I don't care how hot you think you are, she's only gonna give you a 3 at best.

The basic premise of this article is well intentioned, but they take it to extremes, and all that does is create friction between the sexes. I have said this before - it is possible to both be a feminist AND to like men.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So there it is, with some additions that I didn't have room for in the original post, and now I'm off to shower and shave my legs.

We Will Not Be Silenced, Part I

2007-05-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

"To stand in silence when they should be protesting makes ... all » cowards out of men" - Abraham Lincoln

We Will Not Be Silenced, Part II

2007-05-30T22:57:00.000-07:00

"Stunning and Powerful follow up to the acclaimed We Will Not Be Silenced movie. Powerful, emotive speech from Rev Graylan Hagler set to phenomenal psychedelic dance music soundtrack and mind blowing visuals."

Just Say N.O.

2007-05-28T07:40:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine is spending several days visiting a friend of his who is living in New Orleans. He called a few minutes ago and he was telling me about how jacked up it still is there.

He said that all the houses have all these symbols painted on them by the national guard - the symbols tell you that bodies were found there, or dead animals...they also warn about packs of wild dogs. He said he's staying in a really high rent area, but right next door are houses that are just burned out shells. There's one with the door hanging open and stuff half out, and you can see inside and there's no roof. There's a house down the street that people are living in, but the balcony is barely attached to the building, and people are just sitting underneath it hanging out.

He also said it's really hard to find your way around, because they haven't even bothered to put the street signs back up. He was pretty incredulous, and it's not like he hadn't heard that it was a mess down there, so I guess it's even worse than what you would think.

I remember people were saying that the government was trying to keep the poor from returning - that they were trying to make it so that only rich white people moved back. But from the sound of what he said, it seems more like they're trying to make N.O. just a giant slum that they can dump undesirables in.

It's been almost two years since Hurricane Katrina.

How to Tie Your Shoelaces

2007-04-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

...and many more. Who knew?

Old blog, new blog

2007-04-09T07:52:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting here lately, mostly due to a lack of time. Been putting all my efforts into my new website, where I'm going to be selling the jewelry I've been designing for 30 years. So far I only have one item on the site (because I'm having a terrible time getting pictures to do the pieces justice), but in conjunction with that, I've started a new blog.

The new blog is about all forms of art and craft. I'll be posting about all sorts of interesting artists I find on the web and elsewhere. I'm hoping to use it to give them (and ME, of course), some more exposure.

My new blog address is jordanbaileydesigns.blogspot.com, and my new jewelry site is jordanbailey.etsy.com.

My jewelry site is part of a much larger site (200,000 members, last I heard) called Etsy. Etsy.com is an international marketplace of artists and artisans, and even if you're not really into that sort of thing, the website itself has all kinds of neat apps and widgets that are fun to play around with. Explore some of the items in the menu on the left of the site, like "Colors", for instance, to see what I mean. In the "Colors" widget, as you drag your mouse around the page, different colors appear. Click on a color, and it will pull up items that match that color.

ABC News: Al Gore Will Not Only Run, but He Can and Will Win in '08

2007-02-28T08:05:00.000-08:00

"Feb. 27, 2007 — Make no mistake: Former Vice President Al Gore will be our next president. Feb. 27, 2007 — Make no mistake: Former Vice President Al Gore will be our next president."

"Gore is the right man at the right time, for many reasons. And it's clear that the momentum and buzz is shifting his way big time"

"That's right, Al Gore is suddenly cool.

It gets even better. In October, Gore will also likely be the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for being the planet's biggest advocate in the fight against climate change. "

"So wait, he's hip, he's brilliant, he's highly experienced. Is America ready for a real leader after two terms of a guy who makes Jim Carrey's "Dumb and Dumber" character seem downright cerebral? You bet your asinine Bush-isms it is.
I even have the perfect campaign slogan for Gore: "Imagine how it would've been." "

Works for me....

Woman on the wrong bus lost for 25 years

2007-02-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

This is nuts.

"BANGKOK, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- A woman who boarded the wrong bus on an attempted shopping trip from Thailand to Malaysia has returned home after 25 years.

Jaeyana Beuraheng told her eight children she accidentally boarded a bus bound for Bangkok instead of Malaysia, and once there she boarded a second incorrect bus because she could not read or speak Thai or English, The Times of London reported Wednesday.

Beuraheng, who speaks only the Yawi dialect used by Muslims in southern Thailand, said the noise and traffic of the big city confused and disoriented her, leading her to board the second wrong bus to Chiang Mai, near the border with Burma.

The woman said she spent five years begging on the street in the city and was often mistaken for a member of a hill tribe because of her dark skin tone.

She was arrested in 1987 on suspicion of being an illegal immigrant and was sent to a social services hostel when authorities were unable to determine her origins.

However, last month, three students from her home village arrived at the hostel for training, and they were able to communicate with Beuraheng and help her find her way home."

Molly Ivins Dies After Long Battle With Cancer

2007-02-01T07:35:00.000-08:00

"AUSTIN, Texas Feb 1, 2007 (AP)— Witty best-selling author and columnist Molly Ivins, a Texas liberal who died after a long battle with breast cancer, left legions of admirers, even among the politicians she regularly skewered.

President Bush, referred to as "Shrub" in Ivins' writings, said in a statement issued after her death Wednesday evening that Ivins was a Texas original who was loved by her readers and many friends. "

This Time, There Is Every Reason To Believe Michael Brown

2007-01-29T06:56:00.000-08:00

"Like an imprisoned drug dealer on a witness stand, Michael Brown is not exactly in a position to give credible testimony. But his latest so-called bombshell--that the White House decided to take federal control of Louisiana during the Katrina crisis in order to control and embarrass a Democratic governor--hits the target."

National Shoot a Hunter Day?

2007-01-25T11:45:00.001-08:00

I think we need a new holiday. Here's why:

"Duck survives two days in fridge

A duck in the US state of Florida has survived gunshot wounds and a two-day stint in a refrigerator.

A hunter shot the duck, wounding it in the wing and leg. Believing the bird was dead, he left it in his fridge at his home in Tallahassee.

The hunter's wife got a fright when she opened the fridge and the duck lifted its head, a local veterinarian said."

National Shoot a Hunter Day?

2007-01-25T11:45:00.000-08:00

Make Your Own Posters

2007-01-23T10:54:00.000-08:00

Turns your art into a PDF file that you can print in sections on your own printer. It's fast, too.

Link is in the post title, above.

Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.

2007-01-23T10:40:00.000-08:00

Clowns.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls:

Welcome to circusmuseum.nl, the ultimate image bank with posters, photos and prints from the collection of Jaap Best, the Netherlands’ largest collection of circus memorabilia.

For your enjoyment, our online show, now has nearly eight thousand circus posters from 1880 to the present, from the Netherlands to America, from A2 format to several square metres. At the heart of the collection, and dating from 1880-1930, are nearly 3,500 colour lithographs by the Hamburg printer Adolph Friedländer. This year alone we have added 7,000 circus photos and picture postcards.

Our sophisticated search engine has hundreds of headwords – not just for acts and artistes, and for owners and individual circuses, but also for fairs, variety shows and the theatre."

It's National Pie Day!

2007-01-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

Here's some found photos and free pie.

Light Reading

2007-01-23T10:33:00.000-08:00

Link above is to a list of philosophy links about culture, media, and 42.
Also here.

Some good conspiracy theorist stuff here.

Off the Charts

2007-01-23T10:24:00.000-08:00

You write a poem - they make a song out of it. A PBS documentary about song-poems. A whole subculture you never knew existed.

Some more background info.

The King of Song Poems.

Some free mp3's of song poems.

Some you can buy.

Wing It!

2007-01-23T10:21:00.000-08:00

Go visit Wing
Then listen to her sing
(Dancing Queen is especially spectacular)

Le Grand Content

2007-01-23T10:19:00.000-08:00

Oooooh!

2007-01-20T22:19:00.000-08:00

Look what I found! Very rare...actual video of Ian Moore live!
*goes off in search of more Ian videos*

Edit: I found all the Ian videos. They're all hiding on Yahoo:
Ian Moore

Columnist Art Buchwald dead at 81

2007-01-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Art Buchwald, who took humorous jabs at Washington politicians in syndicated columns for decades, has died, a close friend said Thursday. He was 81.

Buchwald died late Wednesday, said CNN anchor Kyra Phillips. Buchwald was her mentor for 18 years, and she became a close friend of the family. The unofficial cause of death, she said, was kidney failure."

New Location

2006-06-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

The little auto-blogger button on this site has not been working properly for me for ages, so I'm trying a new site over on Live Journal.
http://ludmilla--1.livejournal.com/

We'll see how this goes.

Photos Taken of 'Living Fossil' in Laos

2006-06-15T07:06:00.000-07:00

"The first pictures showing a live specimen of a rodent species once thought to have been extinct for 11 million years have been taken by a retired Florida State University professor and a Thai wildlife biologist.

They took video and still photographs of the 'living fossil,' which looks like a small squirrel or tree shrew, in May during an expedition to central Laos near the Thai border. "

123 Fraud Blvd.: Ex-Cop's Experiment in Homeland Security

2006-06-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

"Everywhere he goes, retired New York City cop Bruce DeCell carries a forged copy of a Matricula Consular identification card used by millions of illegal Mexican immigrants.

And everywhere he goes — into airports, train stations, and government office buildings — it seems the card is accepted without question.

Last week, he used it to breach security at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C.

'They must be telling [the guards] to hurry up, keep things moving,' he said. 'It's a boring job. They are like potted plants. I bet if they promised the guards a bonus - $1,000 - I bet they'd catch every one of those fake IDs. Right now, it's just a formality.'"

Algae Returns to Great Lakes

2006-06-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

"Call it the return of the green slime.

Back in the 1960s, foul gobs of algae along Great Lakes shorelines made swimmers and sunbathers miserable before a crackdown on phosphorus pollution repelled the invasion.

Now, the algae are mounting a comeback and controlling it may be tougher this time, according to the Michigan Environmental Council, an umbrella organization for a host of environmental and public interest organizations in the state. "

Bulls get simulated cows at farmers' fair

2006-06-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

"Live 'sex shows' of bulls mounting a simulated cow have become a big attraction at an agricultural exhibition taking place in New Zealand."

Hawking Says Humans Must Go Into Space

2006-06-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

"The survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there's an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy the Earth, world-renowned scientist Stephen Hawking said Tuesday.

The British astrophysicist told a news conference in Hong Kong that humans could have a permanent base on the moon in 20 years and a colony on Mars in the next 40 years."

KFC Sued for Fattening Menu

2006-06-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

"The fast food chain KFC is being sued for the fat content in its fried chicken, which Center for Science in the Public Interest says contains 'staggering amounts' of trans fat. "

This is one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. What ever happened to personal responsibility? If you eat at KFC, you KNOW it's not good for you.

Don't these people have more important things to worry about? Like, say, why all the amphibians are dying? Or maybe what's being rebuilt, or not being rebuilt, in New Orleans?

How Banning Gay Marriage Will Destroy the Family

2006-06-13T07:32:00.000-07:00

"Someone has to say it: A constitutional amendment banning gay marriage will destroy the American family and all the sex-related “values” our brethren on the religious right hold so dear. And it will do so by creating an irresistible demand for a constitutional amendment banning heterosexual marriage.

The logic is clear. Since the Supreme Court ruled, in Lawrence v. Texas, that anti-sodomy laws are unconstitutional, it’s legal for gays to have sex. Add to that a ban on gay marriage and you will create a special class of people – gays and lesbians – who are free to have all the sex they want, as long as it’s outside of marriage."

Great blog from Barbara Ehrenreich, who has written NY Times bestselling books about class differences in America.

Giant Pandas - National Zoo

2006-06-12T07:38:00.000-07:00

Panda-Cam. Scroll down the page.

Hillary for President

2006-06-09T06:33:00.000-07:00

Pretty funny animated video.

Disney gets a taste for fresh fruit

2006-06-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

"Disney has begun licensing fresh fruit in European supermarkets as it tries to jump onto the healthy eating bandwagon and banish the memory of its association with McDonald's."

Aaaaaccckk!

Network to Rerun 'Pee-Wee's Playhouse'

2006-06-07T06:50:00.000-07:00

"After being shuttered for more than 15 years, the doors to 'Pee-wee's Playhouse' are being reopened. The Emmy Award-winning show will get new life on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim lineup, which will air all 45 original episodes beginning July 10, company officials announced Monday. "

YAY!

Singer-Songwriter Billy Preston Dies at 59

2006-06-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

" Billy Preston, the exuberant keyboardist who landed dream gigs with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones and enjoyed his own hit singles including 'Outta Space' and 'Nothing From Nothing,' died Tuesday at 59. "

Scientists to Try to Clone Human Embryos

2006-06-07T06:47:00.000-07:00

"Stepping into a research area marked by controversy and fraud, Harvard University scientists said Tuesday they are trying to clone human embryos to create stem cells they hope can be used one day to help conquer a host of diseases. "

Norway Drops Wal-Mart

2006-06-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

"Norway has excluded the U.S. companies Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc. from its national oil fund investments, the finance minister announced Monday.

Finance Minister Kristin Halvorsen said the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, was dropped because of concerns about its human rights and labor practices. She said Freeport was barred because of environmental concerns. "

Polaroid-o-nizer

2006-06-01T12:01:00.000-07:00

Make any online photo look like a Polaroid.
While it won't rock your world, this is actually more interesting than it sounds.

Time Killer

2006-05-31T08:34:00.000-07:00

"Random Name Generator"

This has some interesting options - you can generate a witch name, a Goth name, a Basque name, a Classical Greek name, a Kreatyve name (my favorite), and many more.

They Followed Me Home

2006-05-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

"Can you see some guy going 120 mph down the interstate with these balloons trailing about 50 feet behind him?"

If you have a sick sense of humor, you'll crack up at this.

Hero returns as lesbian

2006-05-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

"Comic book heroine Batwoman is to make a comeback as a 'lipstick lesbian' who moonlights as a crime fighter, a DC Comics spokesman has confirmed."

Researchers: Antivirus Software Has Flaw

2006-05-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

"WASHINGTON May 25, 2006 (AP)- Symantec Corp.'s leading antivirus software, which protects some of the world's largest corporations and U.S. government agencies, suffers from a flaw that lets hackers seize control of computers to steal sensitive data, delete files or implant malicious programs, researchers said Thursday. "

House OKs Oil Drilling in Alaska Refuge

2006-05-25T13:54:00.000-07:00

"WASHINGTON May 25, 2006 (AP)� Citing the public outcry over $3-a-gallon gasoline and America's heavy reliance on foreign oil, the House on Thursday voted to open an Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling, knowing the prospects for Senate approval were slim. "

ABC News: Father of Girl Killed in Bus Accident Asks for Mercy

2006-05-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

"May 24, 2006 - NEW YORK (AP) - The father of a second-grade girl killed when an empty school bus rolled forward and crushed her is asking for mercy for the eight-year-old boy accused of setting the vehicle in motion."

On This Day

2006-05-24T13:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Brooklyn Bridge!
(May 24, 1883)

Happy Birthday, Bob Dylan!

2006-05-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

Sixty-five today.

BobDylan.com

ACLU Launches Nationwide Action Against NSA Snooping on Americans� Phone Calls

2006-05-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

"NEW YORK -- Responding to reports that phone companies are turning over private details about Americans’ telephone calls to the National Security Agency, the American Civil Liberties Union today launched a nationwide initiative to end illegal government spying.

ACLU affiliates in 20 states today filed complaints with Public Utility Commissions or sent letters to state Attorneys General and other officials demanding investigations into whether local telecommunications companies allowed the NSA to spy on their customers."

Doctors Make Progress With Mysterious Disease

2006-05-24T09:12:00.000-07:00

"OAKLAND -- A horrifying and fascinating disease is affecting thousands of people in the Bay Area, along the Gulf Coast and in Florida. Though some doctors have claimed the malady is psychosomatic, other scientists are making headway unraveling the mystery of Morgellons Disease."

"It started in Oakland four years ago. Koch saved 44 games and was the top reliever in the major leagues. His fastball wowed crowds. And then the strangeness began.

"He freaked out. He wanted to ignore it … I wanted to too. But when it comes to your kids, you gotta stop ignoring it," said Koch's wife Brandi.

She describes their symptoms: "It was the scariest thing I had ever realized in my entire life. There was matter and black specks coming out and off of my skin."

The disease is characterized by slow healing skin lesions that often extrude small, dark filaments, especially after bathing.

"That's when it would really just ooze -- literally ooze out of my skin," explained Brandi Koch.

The couple was at wit's end after numerous doctors not only provided little in the way of relief, but actually were skeptical about their health problems: "There's no reasonable explanation for it. I'm not seeing things. l'm watching it happen. We're pretty sane people…" lamented Billy.

Infectious disease specialist Dr. Neelam Uppal sympathized with the Kochs' plight: "They've seen several doctors, [and] everybody's told them they're crazy. It's in their head. They're delusional."

This is some freaky shit.

French Newspaper Reprints Controversial Cartoons

2006-05-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

"Paris, Feb. 1 2006 (VOA News) -- A French newspaper has published Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed that have stirred outrage in the Muslim world. France-Soir newspaper says it is simply defending freedom of expression.

France-Soir plastered its own cartoon on its front page - spoofing not only the prophet Mohammed, but also Buddha, Jehovah and Jesus. The French newspaper wrote in a large headline, 'Yes, one has the right to make fun of God.' "

Bill Considers Pets in Disaster Plans

2006-05-23T14:59:00.000-07:00

"WASHINGTON May 22, 2006 (AP)— A television shot of a little boy losing his dog during Katrina rescue operations was the catalyst for a House vote Monday on legislation requiring pets to be considered in future emergency preparedness plans.

The House was to vote late Monday on the bill, which requires that state and local preparedness offices take into account pet owners, household pets and service animals when drawing up evacuation plans. Offices that fail to do so would not qualify for grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"When asked to choose between abandoning their pets or their personal safety, many pet owners chose to risk their lives," he said.

The Humane Society of the United States cited a recent Zogby International poll that found that 49 percent of adults say they would refuse to evacuate if they couldn't take their pets with them."

Former Democratic Sen. Lloyd Bentsen Dies

2006-05-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

"HOUSTON May 23, 2006 (AP)- Lloyd Bentsen, a courtly Texan who represented the state in Congress for 28 years and served as President Clinton's first treasury secretary, died Tuesday morning, his family said. He was 85. "

Famous for telling Dan Quayle "You're no Jack Kennedy"

Former Democratic Sen. Lloyd Bentsen Dies

2006-05-23T08:52:00.000-07:00

Today in History

2006-05-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

(According to the NY Times) "On May 23, 1934, bank robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were shot to death in a police ambush as they were driving a stolen Ford Deluxe along a road in Bienville Parish, La. "

Country radio nixes Dixie Chicks

2006-05-23T06:52:00.000-07:00

"NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 22 (UPI) -- It appears the war U.S. country radio stations mounted against the politically outspoken Dixie Chicks has not abated in the least. "

Couple Arrested For Asking For Directions

2006-05-19T09:01:00.000-07:00

"Baltimore City police arrested a Virginia couple over the weekend after they asked an officer for directions."

There is, of course, more than that to the story. But it's not that they did anything wrong, it's that the story gets more and more crazy.

Iran eyes badges for Jews and Christians

2006-05-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

"Human rights groups are raising alarms over a new law passed by the Iranian parliament that would require the country's Jews and Christians to wear coloured badges to identify them and other religious minorities as non-Muslims."

How very Holocaustian of them. (Is that a word? It should be.)

Toddlerpedes - weird puppet art by John Beinart

2006-05-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

Who says you can't have fun with dead babies? (Oh, boy, here come the nasty comments from anti-choicers...)

Venice build entirely out of lego

2006-05-18T12:37:00.000-07:00

Ezprezzo.com - Venice build entirely out of lego

This is just insane. If you don't click on any other link today, click on this one.

Impressive New Tricks of Light, All Within the Laws of Physics

2006-05-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

"Instead, in the latest example of logic-defying tricks that physicists can now perform with light, Dr. Boyd and his colleagues demonstrated an optical fiber - a glass strand that transmits pulses of light - with a couple of odd characteristics:

A pulse of light shot into the fiber departs before it enters.

Within the fiber, the pulse travels backward - and faster than the speed of light."

Mo. Town Denies Unmarried Couple Permit

2006-05-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

"The city council has rejected a measure allowing unmarried couples with multiple children to live together, and the mayor said those who fall into that category could soon face eviction.
Olivia Shelltrack and Fondrey Loving were denied an occupancy permit after moving into a home in this St. Louis suburb because they have three children and are not married."

And yet some married couples that fire shotguns at each other are allowed to live together...

Seat Belt, Bra Save Woman From Gunshot

2006-05-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

"Robin Key, 44, of Riverview, Fla., was shot through the windshield of the car she was riding in Sunday. She said she felt a searing pain in her shoulder.

Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies said a .38-caliber bullet smashed through the windshield then bounced off Key's shoulder thanks to a seat belt and a thick bra strap. "

Wife 'didn't realise husband was a woman' | the Daily Mail

2006-05-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

"Mr J, born with gender dysmorphia, underwent hormone treatment and had breasts removed before, at the age of 30, he met and married Mrs C, then aged 20 and from a wealthy background.

He concealed his true gender from her for 17 years, using a home-made part of the anatomy for sex. At a Court of Appeal hearing in 1996, Mr J failed in a bid for a share of the marriage wealth, including a L400,000 home. "

The news has been so awful lately, between the phone records scandal that no one cares about, and the kid with rabies dying and BP busily polluting away, that I thought this was a good post for today. I really don't want to know about that home-made part of the anatomy, though!

Working Assets opposes NSA database

2006-05-15T06:58:00.000-07:00

"Working Assets is the only telephone company participating in the ACLU's lawsuit against the National Security Agency. We believe that the warrantless monitoring of phone conversations ordered by the Bush administration is illegal and unacceptable. We oppose the sale of domestic calling records to the NSA by AT&T, BellSouth and Verizon."

And they'll give you a free phone.

ABC News: Saudi's Penis Reattached After Maid Cuts It Off

2006-05-10T12:17:00.000-07:00

"May 9, 2006 - Surgeons have reattached the penis of a Saudi man who paid the price for trying to have sex with his Filipina maid and she attacked him with a knife, a hospital source said on Monday.

'This is a sophisticated operation. You are dealing with an organ in a difficult area and you want to try to return to its efficiency,' said a spokesman at Riyadh's Takhassusi Hospital.

Earlier this month newspapers reported that the maid removed her employer's manhood when he tried to molest her in the middle of the night as his wife was sleeping. The maid is now in police custody.

'It's one of the rare cases - but they did it (the operation) last week and it went smoothly,' the spokesman said. 'The hospital has done this kind of operation before, but only after people had car accidents.'"

Chevron Memo Raises Suspicion

2006-05-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A Chevron memo is raising suspicion that oil executives intentionally reduced refining capacity in an effort to boost profits. The 1995 memo, obtained by Consumers Union, reads:

"If the U.S. petroleum industry doesn't reduce it's refining capacity, it will never see any substantial increase in refinery profits."

In the last 20 years, 18 of California's 32 refineries have shut down. The industry is now seeing record prices and profits at the pump.

On Friday, former oil and gas executive Joe Sparano spoke with KCRA 3 and made no apologies for continued rise in gas prices. In fact, he explained that prices are a direct result of driver demand far exceeding gas supply. "

Psychologist to be UK's oldest mother at 63

2006-05-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

"'She came here with her husband, the couple love each other, she is very slim, blonde and in perfect condition, she fits all the criteria for maternity.' "

Um, yeah - those are important criteria - slim and blonde.

Right between the eyes

2006-05-04T06:42:00.000-07:00

"Not in recent memory has a Montana governor had the guts to step up and face a major corporation head on for its irresponsible record of toxic pollution and decades-long evasion of cleanups. But Gov. Brian Schweitzer did just that when he made the decision to end the obfuscation and legal weaseling of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BN) over its hazardous waste sites scattered across the magnificent landscape of Montana. And when they fought back-as corporations always do-Schweitzer let 'em have it right between the eyes. "

Cat to Reunite With Owner After 10 Years

2006-05-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

"SACRAMENTO, Calif. May 3, 2006 (AP)- Sneakers the cat is being reunited with his owner, hundreds of miles away from where the feline disappeared in 1996. "

Goat Batters Way Into Elementary School

2006-05-04T06:35:00.000-07:00

"PLANO, Texas May 3, 2006 (AP)� It was strange enough for a goat to be wandering through a Dallas area school. But the way the goat got in would be more difficult to believe if it weren't for the video.

Building security cameras captured the male goat butting glass doors repeatedly at Hickey Elementary School in Plano on Sunday. Eventually the goat, which was apparently doing battle with its reflection, broke through the glass and got into the building. "

Couple, 33 and 104, Reportedly Marry

2006-05-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

"KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia May 2, 2006 (AP)- A 33-year-old man in northern Malaysia has married a 104-year-old woman, saying mutual respect and friendship had turned to love, a news report said Tuesday.

It was Muhamad Noor Che Musa's first marriage and his wife's 21st, according to The Star newspaper which cited a report in the Malay-language Harian Metro tabloid. "

Pesticides may affect penis size

2006-05-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

"A renowned U.S. scientist who has documented fertility and sex changes -- including decreasing penis size -- due to environmental contamination says he wouldn't apply pesticides on his own lawn. "

Sony playing a Cheap Trick on musicians? | Tech News on ZDNet

2006-05-01T12:44:00.000-07:00

"Two rock bands, the Allman Brothers Band and Cheap Trick, have filed a lawsuit against Sony BMG alleging that they are shortchanged when Sony divvies up royalties from digital downloads. "

To be or not to be Hillary Clinton

2006-04-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

"Who would make a better candidate, Hillary Clinton or Hillary Rodham Clinton?

Most Americans' feelings toward the Democratic senator from New York change depending on which name is used, according to a recent poll conducted by Opinion Research Corp. for CNN."

May 1 immigrant boycott aims to "close" US cities

2006-04-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

"Pro-immigration activists say a national boycott and marches planned for May 1 will flood America's streets with millions of Latinos to demand amnesty for illegal immigrants and shake the ground under Congress as it debates reform."

This ought to be interesting. I also think it's interesting they don't mention Houston. You'd think the huge illegal immigrant population would make us a major target for this. Maybe the immigrants assume (and probably correctly) that in Texas, people are liable to open fire on them?

Smugness

2006-04-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

"Because I drive a Prius I feel slightly pressured to adhere to some generic and murky set of beliefs that others have ascribed to Prius owners. All I know is that my old VW had a 12 gallon tank and I filled it up once a week. My Prius has a 10 gallon tank and I can drive for three, four, sometimes five weeks before I need to stop into a gas station. That feeling outweighs all others."

Lawmakers Scramble to Ease Gas-Price Pain

2006-04-27T12:01:00.000-07:00

"Senate Republicans advocate sending $100 rebate checks to millions of taxpayers, and a Democrat is leading the campaign for a 60-day gasoline tax holiday. "

An article about the different ways politicians are scrambling so as to seem to be doing something in response to rising gas prices. Of course, it wouldn't occur to them to do something long term and practical, like maybe improving public transportation. Here in Houston, a trip to work that takes me 30 minutes by car in horrible rush hour traffic would take me 2 hours by public transportation. And that's not a guess, I've actually done it for weeks at a time. A 4 hour commute isn't a great way to spend your day.

Jim Hightower

2006-04-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

"Jeb, who likes to call himself the 'Education Governor,' wants Florida to require every incoming high schooler to make a career choice and declare a major - as they enter the ninth grade! Every student would then have to have their four-year high school education narrowed, concentrating on subjects within their declared major - whether that's music or auto repair.

The ninth grade! You're only 14 years old! How do you know at this tender (and confusing) age what career is best for you?"

Liz Taylor 'close to death' | the Daily Mail

2006-04-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

"Liz Taylor is facing death after her heart began to fail, it has been reported.

The Oscar-winner, 74, is confined to her bedroom and has apparently planned her funeral.

Insiders say the British-born star would like to be buried next to former husband Richard Burton. "

This is from a British tabloid, so take it with a grain of salt. Haven't seen this info anywhere else.

America's rags-to-riches dream an illusion: study

2006-04-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

"America may still think of itself as the land of opportunity, but the chances of living a rags-to-riches life are a lot lower than elsewhere in the world, according to a new study published on Wednesday"

Calif. Woman Spanked at Work Sues for $1.2M

2006-04-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

"'No reasonable middle-aged woman would want to be put up there before a group of young men, turned around to show her buttocks, get spanked and called abusive names, and told it was to increase sales and motivate employees,' her lawyer, Nicholas 'Butch' Wagner, said in his closing argument. "

Animusic - Pipe Dream

2006-04-25T13:03:00.000-07:00

Animusic - Pipe Dream - Google Video

Very cool little animated music video.

The Plot Thickens

2006-04-25T12:08:00.000-07:00

"President Bush on Tuesday ordered a temporary suspension of environmental rules for gasoline, making it easier for refiners to meet demand and possibly dampen prices at the pump. He also halted for the summer the purchase of crude oil for the government's emergency reserve.

Easing the environment rules will allow refiners greater flexibility in providing oil supplies since they will not have to use certain additives such as ethanol to meet clean air standards."

Police Arrest Nude Man Stuck in Chimney

2006-04-25T07:15:00.000-07:00

"A man who spent five hours naked and stuck in the chimney of his stepmother's home was arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of drugs, police said.

Police say Michael Urbano, 23, locked himself out of the house early Saturday morning and decided to get in on a cable TV wire through the chimney. "

Hannah Named 'Most Beautiful Bulldog'

2006-04-25T07:14:00.000-07:00

"To those who know her best, Hannah is the ultimate girly girl. She enjoys socializing in the neighborhood, wearing fancy outfits and pursuing a shoe fetish that would rival any Hollywood starlet.

But Hannah doesn't wear shoes she eats them. Still, that didn't stop this 2-year old English bulldog from beating out 49 others to claim top prize in the 27th annual 'Beautiful Bulldog' contest Monday. "

Scientists Probe the Use of the Tongue

2006-04-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

"In their quest to create the super warrior of the future, some military researchers aren't focusing on organs like muscles or hearts. They're looking at tongues.

By routing signals from helmet-mounted cameras, sonar and other equipment through the tongue to the brain, they hope to give elite soldiers superhuman senses similar to owls, snakes and fish. "