US GOVT: We've decided to "protect" you by giving you a little dealy that broadcasts your personal and sensitive information. What do you think? Great, huh?
US PEOPLE: Nooooo! That's really stupid.
US GOVT: OK, maybe we won't. Ask your opinion, that is.
US PEOPLE: Nooooo!
ORWELL: Oh, fer crissakes.
Updates from my previous post, in case you're still keeping score:
Looks like they are posting our driver's licenses online for anyone to see! Go here to remove it!
Stolen from the GVSU livejournal site - find out your true name! Instructions in the extended entry. BTW, Chris and Karen have the exact same name.... And Glen gets to be Crusty Hubblebutt. Which amuses me to no end (pun intended).
1. Use the third letter of your first name to determine your new first
name:
a = snickle
b = doombah
c = goober
d = cheesey
e = crusty
f = greasy
g = dumbo
h = farcus
i = dorky
j = doofus
k = funky
l = boobie
m = sleezy
n = sloppy
o = fluffy
p = stinky
q = slimy
r = dorfus
s = snooty
t = tootsie
u = dipsy
v = sneezy
w = liver
x = skippy
y = dinky
z = zippy
2. Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half
of your new last name:
a = dippin
b = feather
c = batty
d = burger
e = chicken
f = barffy
g = lizard
h = waffle
i = farkle
j = monkey
k = flippin
l = fricken
m = bubble
n = rhino
o = potty
p = hamster
q = buckle
r = gizzard
s = lickin
t = snickle
u = chuckle
v = pickle
w = hubble
x = dingle
y = gorilla
z = girdle
3. Use the third letter of your last name to determine the second half
of your new last name:
a = butt
b = boob
c = face
d = nose
e = hump
f = breath
g = pants
h = shorts
i = lips
j = honker
k = head
l = tush
m = chunks
n = dunkin
o = brains
p = biscuits
q = toes
r = doodle
s = fanny
t = sniffer
u = sprinkles
v = frack
w = squirt
x = humperdinck
y = hiney
z = juice
I like this, but it seems to be taking something currently prized for its low-tech simplicity, spinning, and automating it. Are there cycles of technology? People reject machined versions of things and do them by hand...only to create machines to help? Hmmmm.....
Thanks to a mention on Boing Boing, I discovered an extraordinary podcast called Escape Pod today. It's a collection of short sci-fi stories read by podcasting veterans, and the result is awesome. There's some fresh, funny, and thought-provoking stuff in there, and it's open to everyone.
My favorite so far is The Burning Bush, a sacrelicious must-listen for any feminist. This means you, K and Deb and Deana. Fire up whatever MP3 player you have and start listening now.
Oh, and they're accepting new submissions, with a $10-20 reward (and an audience of 2,000) for getting published.
Is it just me, or is this Washington Post article on the intelligent design trial completely lacking in journalistic rigor? It sounds more like a press release for Michael J. Behe, the pseudoscientist who testified yesterday. It's not so much bias as an apathy toward really determining how the scientific community views intelligent design.
I have no response to this. A high-school kid makes a protest poster as a civics project (to illustrate our right to dissent), and he gets visited by the Secret Service after being turned in by... Wal-Mart. Made up? Laughable? Something out of 1984 or Brazil? Nope, it's the truth.
According to recent observations by the Chandra Observatory, the black hole at the center of our galaxy has been shown to provide a safe and even nurturing environment for the formation of stars. This may indicate that black holes play more than just a destructive role in the evolution of the universe.
I know Karen will like this: Make, the blog/zine about making keen stuff, has just started up a craft sub-blog to focus on craft projects with a geeky edge.
It looks like the pendulum of automotive excess is starting to swing back toward smaller, more efficient cars. The Washington Post notes that SUV sales have dropped by up to half this year over last, while small car sales have gone up, probably due to higher gas prices. Predictably, Detroit got caught with its pants down because it doesn't have any efficient cars (read: hybrids) to offer. Too bad they didn't pay attention back when it was made plain that fuel efficiency was going to get really important Real Soon Now.
My take on this is that the gas-price tipping point has finally been reached, so it's a great time for cities to propose transit alternatives (read: trolleys) and actually get them funded. If I ran a city, I'd make all existing transit free for the next 6 months to get ridership numbers up, then use that period to convince people that transit is worthwhile (or at least figure out why they think it isn't) while drumming up new funds to make it even better. Of course I don't run a city, but I hope that folks who do start to see that transit is going to get really important Real Soon Now.