Friday, January 30, 2004
World66
This is a map of all the states I visited during my brief 6 months as a truck driver. How did I manage to miss South Dakota? Also included (but not on this map) were British Columbia and Alberta, and actually I was only in the southern section of Michigan. Thanks to World66.com.
More hoax-busting from Snopes
I just received an email that sent all the email hoax alarm bells off in my head, and sure enough, here's a page at Snopes that refutes that Mister (Fred) Rogers ever served in the military.
And here's another hoax-busting page aboutLee Marvin and Bob (Captain Kangaroo) Keeshan.
And here's another hoax-busting page aboutLee Marvin and Bob (Captain Kangaroo) Keeshan.
Sunday, January 25, 2004
Never get off the boat, unless you're going all the way.
Here's one of those what something-or-other are you sites. I was not entirely surprised to find that I am Apocalypse Now.
Saturday, January 24, 2004
Up yours, Tripod.
Guidescope is a free service and free software that takes a few minutes to set up but is well worth it, because it will block even banner ads out of websites. I couldn't get it to work with IE but it works great with Mozilla, which I also just recently installed. Mozilla also has it's own built-in pop-up blocker, if you don't want to go all the way with Guidescope but would still like to stick it to Microsoft.
Short, ugly man seen picking nose in Wisconsin meadow.
Interstellar Espionage: While We're Watching Mars, Could Someone be Watching Us?
More fodder for those who tend toward paranoia.
More fodder for those who tend toward paranoia.
Next time I'll have the chicken.
Cow Herds in Three States Quarantined:
"Maybe one reason we haven't found more cases of mad cow disease is because the American public has been eating the evidence," [Rep. Earl, D-Ore.] Blumenauer said.
Well, that's a comforting thought. It occurred to me a few days ago that I may not be eligible to donate blood now, because I ate a hamburger in Nisku, Alberta about a year ago. Good burger, though.
"Maybe one reason we haven't found more cases of mad cow disease is because the American public has been eating the evidence," [Rep. Earl, D-Ore.] Blumenauer said.
Well, that's a comforting thought. It occurred to me a few days ago that I may not be eligible to donate blood now, because I ate a hamburger in Nisku, Alberta about a year ago. Good burger, though.
More thought police.
An article from The Register about why NASA wanted data on 10 million Northwest Airlines passengers:
"This shows that NASA was working on data mining, that this work had relevance to CAPPS follow-ups, and that it envisaged a system using biometrics to check both with a central database and to match the booked passenger with the flying passenger (page 12). So far, so fairly prosaic, but the requirement 'must detect people who may pose a threat but are unknown' is a tricky one. So, what about 'non-invasive neuro-electric sensors'? The NASA presentation says it is working on this interesting technology in collaboration with an unnamed commercial partner. Such a system, if deployed, would likely work in conjunction with data mining and biometric screening in order to kick up people who might be having suspicious thoughts, or seem suspiciously nervous.
That's the kind of notion that makes you suspiciously nervous just thinking about going to the airport - there goes your holiday, friend... "
"This shows that NASA was working on data mining, that this work had relevance to CAPPS follow-ups, and that it envisaged a system using biometrics to check both with a central database and to match the booked passenger with the flying passenger (page 12). So far, so fairly prosaic, but the requirement 'must detect people who may pose a threat but are unknown' is a tricky one. So, what about 'non-invasive neuro-electric sensors'? The NASA presentation says it is working on this interesting technology in collaboration with an unnamed commercial partner. Such a system, if deployed, would likely work in conjunction with data mining and biometric screening in order to kick up people who might be having suspicious thoughts, or seem suspiciously nervous.
That's the kind of notion that makes you suspiciously nervous just thinking about going to the airport - there goes your holiday, friend... "
Friday, January 23, 2004
New Site Feed
Woo hoo! Thanks to Blogger and Atom, I now have a real RSS feed. Just use the link at the XML icon on this page.
Thursday, January 22, 2004
Very Important Things
Very Important Things is a collection of 50's-era illustrations with new captions added, and there's a new one every day. Such as:
via J-Walk
via J-Walk
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Richard Bushnells 'Bowling For Truth' ---- Michael Moore lied to you
Richard Bushnells 'Bowling For Truth' ---- Michael Moore lied to you: "This website is here as a recourse to expose the distortions and dishonesty in fictitious film director Michael Moore's Oscar winning documentary, Bowling For Columbine. The point of this website IS a lot of things, but here are some that it is not: It is not to reveal a 'bias' in Moore's work. It is not to make the case for guns - I've never owned a gun, never shot a gun, and probably never even held a real gun; Guns scare me. It is not, in large part anyway, even to rebut Moore's beliefs. Rather, this site exists because Michael Moore is clever and glib and a very good film maker - but he uses his powers for evil. Michael Moore persuades his viewers by deceiving them, and this site exists for those who wish not to be fooled."
Monday, January 19, 2004
But Jesse Ventura did it in "Predator," so it must be true!
Intuitor Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics:
"First, let us point out that the thirty-round magazine in a Mac 10 will be expended in a mere 1.8 seconds of sustained fire! If our shooter blazes away steadily for a total of only 3 minutes, his or her Mac 10 will spit out around 3000 chunks of lead at roughly 15 grams a piece. This amounts to 45 kilograms or a little less than 100 pounds of lead. And that doesn't account for the weight of the 3000 cartridge cases or 100 empty magazines scattered on the ground.
Second, bullets are, after all, propelled by some very hot gasses which exert high pressures that create high stresses in gun parts. A firearm can withstand the high pressures and stresses only if the blasts of high temperature gasses don't happen too many times before the firearm has time to cool off. Running 3000 of these temperature cycles back-to-back would turn a light weight submachine gun, like a Mac 10, into a red hot piece of scrap metal, that is, if it even lasted for 3000 rounds."
Here is an essential website. Not only do they counter stupid movie mistakes, they use the laws and formulas of physics to do it. Also included is a section on why a shotgun blast will not hurl a human target backwards 30 feet through the nearest plate-glass window.
"First, let us point out that the thirty-round magazine in a Mac 10 will be expended in a mere 1.8 seconds of sustained fire! If our shooter blazes away steadily for a total of only 3 minutes, his or her Mac 10 will spit out around 3000 chunks of lead at roughly 15 grams a piece. This amounts to 45 kilograms or a little less than 100 pounds of lead. And that doesn't account for the weight of the 3000 cartridge cases or 100 empty magazines scattered on the ground.
Second, bullets are, after all, propelled by some very hot gasses which exert high pressures that create high stresses in gun parts. A firearm can withstand the high pressures and stresses only if the blasts of high temperature gasses don't happen too many times before the firearm has time to cool off. Running 3000 of these temperature cycles back-to-back would turn a light weight submachine gun, like a Mac 10, into a red hot piece of scrap metal, that is, if it even lasted for 3000 rounds."
Here is an essential website. Not only do they counter stupid movie mistakes, they use the laws and formulas of physics to do it. Also included is a section on why a shotgun blast will not hurl a human target backwards 30 feet through the nearest plate-glass window.
Yahoo! News - Ancient Cosmic Superstructure Defies Theory
Ancient Cosmic Superstructure Defies Theory:
"A string of ancient galaxies has thrown astronomers for a loop by defying standard predictions for the evolution of the universe. The colossal structure hints at possible misunderstandings of how the universe, or maybe mysterious dark matter, behaved shortly after the universe was born."
I love it when a new discovery completely (or even patially) messes up a previously held theory.
"A string of ancient galaxies has thrown astronomers for a loop by defying standard predictions for the evolution of the universe. The colossal structure hints at possible misunderstandings of how the universe, or maybe mysterious dark matter, behaved shortly after the universe was born."
I love it when a new discovery completely (or even patially) messes up a previously held theory.
Sued for phonetics.
MikeRoweSoft Design is a website designed by 17-year-old Mike Rowe to showcase his website design talents. Also, he's been sued by Microsoft for having a phonetically similar name. Looks like he'll win the suit, though.
Sunday, January 18, 2004
Stardust Surprise
Stardust Surprise | SpaceRef - Your Space Reference: "When NASA's Stardust spacecraft flew by Comet Wild 2, the probe saw something that surprised astronomers."
Here's a cool article about an unusual comet.
Here's a cool article about an unusual comet.
Top Ten Signs You May Not Be Reading Your Bible Enough
TOP TEN SIGNS YOU MAY NOT BE READING YOUR BIBLE ENOUGH:
10) The Preacher announces the sermon is from Galatians ...and you check the table of contents.
9) You think Abraham, Isaac & Jacob may have had a few hit songs during the 60's.
8) You open to the Gospel of Luke and a WWII Savings Bond falls out.
And seven others, of course. Unfortunately, many of these are "gettable" only to people who DO actually read the Bible.
10) The Preacher announces the sermon is from Galatians ...and you check the table of contents.
9) You think Abraham, Isaac & Jacob may have had a few hit songs during the 60's.
8) You open to the Gospel of Luke and a WWII Savings Bond falls out.
And seven others, of course. Unfortunately, many of these are "gettable" only to people who DO actually read the Bible.
Saturday, January 17, 2004
Would you rather be on Mars?
Daytime temperatures on Mars are now warmer than daytime temps in the frigid northeastern U.S. No mention of chill factor, but hey, it's not going to snow on Mars either.
Bury me deep.
An article from Yahoo! News about an eco-friendly cemetery near Lake Livingston, Texas.
"Russell's family wanted to preserve Waterwood, so he and his parents bought 2,500 acres near the lake, about 10 miles from the Sam Houston National Forest. Besides the cemetery, they have used the land to establish sanctuaries for alligators and eagles, a 131-acre longleaf pine preserve and a 110-acre research forest.
'I feel like the only permanent legacy that a person can leave is a piece of America the beautiful," Russell said. "With this concept, even in death, in this cemetery ... that beautiful forest will always be there for everyone to enjoy.'"
Sounds good to me.
(NOTE: This article includes a link to the cemetery's website, but I am unable to bring it up at this moment.)
"Russell's family wanted to preserve Waterwood, so he and his parents bought 2,500 acres near the lake, about 10 miles from the Sam Houston National Forest. Besides the cemetery, they have used the land to establish sanctuaries for alligators and eagles, a 131-acre longleaf pine preserve and a 110-acre research forest.
'I feel like the only permanent legacy that a person can leave is a piece of America the beautiful," Russell said. "With this concept, even in death, in this cemetery ... that beautiful forest will always be there for everyone to enjoy.'"
Sounds good to me.
(NOTE: This article includes a link to the cemetery's website, but I am unable to bring it up at this moment.)
Finally, someone makes some sense.
U.S. lets scofflaw gun dealers continue to arm criminals:
"Multiple offenders make up only about 1% of the nation's 104,000 licensed gun dealers. But federal statistics indicate they are the source of more than half the guns used in crimes. The problem of scofflaw dealers was underscored by a report Tuesday by the Americans for Gun Safety Foundation, which favors tougher enforcement of existing laws." (empasis mine)
In most cases, the immediate "solution" is to pass more laws. This article shows some reasons why current laws are seldom enforced.
"Multiple offenders make up only about 1% of the nation's 104,000 licensed gun dealers. But federal statistics indicate they are the source of more than half the guns used in crimes. The problem of scofflaw dealers was underscored by a report Tuesday by the Americans for Gun Safety Foundation, which favors tougher enforcement of existing laws." (empasis mine)
In most cases, the immediate "solution" is to pass more laws. This article shows some reasons why current laws are seldom enforced.
One for the bad guys.
A Washington D.C. court decides that law-abiding citizens of D.C. have no right to defend themselves from unlawful violent attack.
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