Ye Olde Phart

2004-09-20T13:50:00.000-07:00

I've retired from the blogging business. It's been fun but I'm damned if i can see what difference it has made to have indulged in so much blather. Ignore earlier links. They're dead and gone. May they rest in peace.

2002-05-23T22:05:00.000-07:00

Jaks View from Vancouver -- a wonderful blog from a neighbour. Many useful links in the column at the left.

2002-05-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

Doug's Dynamic Drivel -- an engaging blog chock full of interesting stuff.

2002-05-23T20:57:00.000-07:00

Salon: Can we sue our own fat asses off?

2002-05-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

Kashmir on the web. The weblog: We select the best analysis on the Kashmir dispute, the prospects for peace - and the nuclear capabilities of India and Pakistan. [Guardian Unlimited]

2002-05-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

What to read in May. For the year's merriest month, books that celebrate the absurd delights of romantic and family love in the best of May fiction.

2002-05-23T14:29:00.000-07:00

The Pattern of Life's History -- A recent article by Stephen Jay Gould in Edge.

2002-05-22T23:16:00.000-07:00

New Scientist--Supernova poised to go off near earth. "Don't Panic" say scientists. Oh, sure. Where did we hear that before?

2002-05-22T22:56:00.000-07:00

New Scientist--Can we travel to distant galaxies through quantum wormholes?

2002-05-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

Bambino's Curse: Diary of a Red Sox Fan is, I think, one of the best baseball blogs on the Net. Let me know if you've found one you really like, too. For me, the measure of "really like" is that I check it out every day, or nearly so.

2002-05-22T22:11:00.000-07:00

Pope Forgives Molested Children. Another great Onion article.

2002-05-22T22:09:00.001-07:00

O'Reilly blog book is online. "Essential Blogging," the O'Reilly blog-book is online as a series of PDFs for public review -- g'head and download a copy and let me know how badly I screwed up. Seriously, I think this is going to be a swell book. Link Discuss (Thanks, Nat!)

2002-05-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

Paul Boutin makes The Onion!. I wanna know how Paul Boutin got himself mentioned in this Onion article. Talkaboutcher dreams-come-true!
The Information Age was dealt a stunning blow Monday, when a factual error was discovered on the Internet. The error was found on TedsUltimateBradyBunch.com, a Brady Bunch fan site that incorrectly listed the show's debut year as 1968, not 1969...
"Will we ever fully trust the Web again?" Boutin asked. "We may well be witnessing the dawn of a new era of skepticism in which we no longer accept everything we read online at face value. But regardless of what the future holds, one thing is clear: The Internet's status as the world's definitive repository of incontrovertible fact has been jeopardized." No wonder he cancelled lunch today. The "flu," indeed -- Mr. The Onion's just too big to show up for a meal with the little people! Link Discuss [bOing bOing]

2002-05-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

LeGuin's Eldred brief. This is a PDF of the National Writer's Union (et al)'s amicus brief on the Eldred v. Ashcroft case, to roll back the Sonny Bono Copyright Act of 1998. It's brilliant -- and Ursula K. LeGuin is a co-signatory! Link Discuss (via Vitanuova)

2002-05-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

Stephen Jay Gould. An archive of his articles in the The New York Review of Books.

2002-05-22T19:06:00.000-07:00

South Asia on the Brink of Nuclear War. The Indian subcontinent may be at the nuclear 11th hour. Indian and Pakistani generals are talking about a limited nuclear exchange. One million troops stand eyeball-to-eyeball at their disputed border. Pakistan is believed to have 20 or 30 nuclear warheads and actually made them operational in a previous conflict; India is believed to have 100 nuclear warheads. Can they fight a conventional war without resorting to a nuclear exchange? What can the world do to prevent nuclear war? BBC latest. Invasion drills are being practiced. [kuro5hin.org]

2002-05-22T15:11:00.000-07:00

Russia really, fantastically, amazingly corrupt. Bribery accounts for 12 percent of the Russian GDP.
Russians pay out a staggering $36 billion a year in bribes and unofficial charges, an amount that adds up to more than half of 2002 government spending, or 12 percent of gross domestic product, according to a study released Tuesday.
Cash or expensive presents are given for everything from better treatment at a hospital to a business license or a favorable court ruling.
"The figures could be even higher. We were using the minimum levels," said Georgy Satarov, president of the Indem think tank. Link Discuss [bOing bOing]

2002-05-22T15:07:00.000-07:00

Tragedy of the Anticommons. The Tragedy of the Anticommons: a 117 page PDF. I confess to having only skimmed this, but it looks pretty mind-bending.
Cyberspace was once thought to be the modern equivalent of the Western Frontier, a place, where land was free for the taking, where explorers could roam, and communities could form with their own rules. It was an endless expanse of space: open, free, replete with possibility. This is true no longer. This Article argues that we are enclosing cyberspace, and imposing private property conceptions upon it. As a result, we are creating a digital anti-commons where sub-optimal uses of Internet resources is going to be the norm. Link Discuss (Thanks, Howard!) [bOing bOing]

2002-05-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

England's sofas are major economic power. British sofa-cushions and piggy-banks contain one billion Sterling in aggregate. Capitalism wrings aggregated hands in distress. Link Discuss [bOing bOing]

2002-05-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

Rebirth of the Afghan Buddhas. Thanks to photogrammetric images taken in 1970 and 3-D modeling techniques of today, statues the Taliban destroyed will return in virtual form. A physical reconstruction is under debate. By Dermot McGrath. [Wired News]

2002-05-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

Scientific American: Dark-Matter Dwarf Galaxies May Girdle the Milky Way: May 22, 2002

2002-05-21T00:11:00.000-07:00

DOPE--"After a teenager in Covington, Washington, turned his father in for growing marijuana, local TV news reporters and daily newspapers fell all over themselves calling him a hero. Was I the only pot-smoking parent who was horrified? "

2002-05-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

Stephen Jay Gould, biologist and theorist on evolution, dies at 60...[NY Times obit.]...He rewrote Darwin...His books and essays...Michael Shermer's interview...Gould on cancer, damned lies and statistics.

2002-05-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

"What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap
in the harvest of action."

~ Meister Eckhart

2002-05-19T23:11:00.000-07:00

Dentistry, photos,air abrasion,digital xrays,intraoral cameras,latest dental technology,bondodontics, Humor, music, Doc Hemp, David Hemp DDS--This site seems to be serious, but it still is pretty awful.

2002-05-19T13:25:00.000-07:00

Macintosh gets easy things done more quickly -- The Washington Times

2002-05-19T12:17:00.000-07:00

Phil Plait's Bad Astronomy -- A highly-acclaimed site debunking pseudo-scientific astronomical claims. A must on every skeptic's bookmark list.

2002-05-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

"The Unlikeliest Cult in History" is Michael Shermer's take on Ayn Rand and Objectivism. Highly recommended as a thought stimulator and brain exerciser.

2002-05-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

The Brick Testament -- The Bible in Lego -- Well worth a look-see. It's a good idea to click on the "FAQ" link at the top of the first page.

2002-05-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

From Wizards to Healers

2002-05-18T19:06:00.000-07:00

The Man Who Cracked The Code to Everything --Wolfram is a guy you either love or hate. But, dammitall, he just might be on to something. Guess I'll have to read the book.

2002-05-17T17:42:00.000-07:00

Ranchero: MacNewsWire 1.0b6 -- Check out this cool OS X desktop aplication. I tried it and it works perfectly.

2002-05-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

Carter Calls for Change in Cuba Policy

2002-05-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

E-mail: When E stands for embarrassing

2002-05-16T21:50:00.000-07:00

(Post)modern literary theory - a farce? In 1963 Frederick Crews wrote The Pooh Perplex, in which he parodied then-current literary theories by applying them to the Winnie-the-Pooh books. In Postmodern Pooh he has written a bitingly funny sequel which takes on the literary theory of the last forty years.

2002-05-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

Making the World Safe for Nuclear Weapons

2002-05-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

Why Woody Allen hates Hollywood, loves France

2002-05-15T22:03:00.000-07:00

Extra!: The Magazine of FAIR offers hard-hitting, well-documented, media criticism.

2002-05-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

U.S. Protests Mexi-Canadian Overpass

2002-05-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

Jesus Christ in Brazil's presidential election controversy

2002-05-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

CBC News: Jimmy Carter criticizes Cuba in uncensored speech

2002-05-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

Ananova - Erection essay boy 'sent for counselling'

2002-05-14T16:54:00.000-07:00

Armed and Dangerous--Eric Raymond's brand new blog. Bookmark it, d'ya hear?

2002-05-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

BBC News: Clone attack on mobile phones

2002-05-13T22:28:00.000-07:00

BBC News: Wired family goes on display

2002-05-13T22:23:00.000-07:00

The Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy

2002-05-13T22:20:00.000-07:00

This Modern World by Tom Tomorrow - A fantastic blog. Bookmark this one for sure.

2002-05-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

sheppeyscum -- brilliant satire as only the Brits can do it.

2002-05-13T19:41:00.000-07:00

Death rattle? Sept. 11 may have been the last gasp of militant Islam -- but while it's dying, it could strike again and again.

2002-05-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

The Joy of Tech!--Death of OS9 - Part 2

2002-05-13T19:06:00.000-07:00

The Joy of Tech!--Death of OS9 - Part 1

2002-05-13T19:01:00.000-07:00

The Prince of Darkness Explains Iraq

2002-05-13T18:53:00.000-07:00

Levis: Made in China--Globalization strikes again.

2002-05-11T23:39:00.000-07:00

What your mechanic is really doing

2002-05-11T23:15:00.000-07:00

EPN World Reporter: Top Journalist Weblogs-- A page from "The Professionals Who Make the News". Great links.

2002-05-10T15:59:00.000-07:00

Can you imagine working for a company that has a little more than 300
employees and has the following statistics:
30 have been accused of spousal abuse
9 have been arrested for fraud
14 have been accused of writing bad checks
95 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
4 have done time for assault
55 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit
12 have been arrested on drug related charges
4 have been arrested for shoplifting
16 are currently defendants in lawsuits
62 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year

Can you guess which organization this is?

It is the 301 MP's in the Canadian Parliament. The same group that crank
out hundreds of new laws designed to keep the rest of us in line.

2002-05-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

This poem is composed entirely of actual quotes from George W. Bush. The
quotes have been arranged for aesthetic purposes by Washington Post
writer Richard Thompson.

MAKE THE PIE HIGHER
By George W. Bush

I think we all agree, the past is over.
This is still a dangerous world.
It's a world of madmen and uncertainty
and potential mental losses.
Rarely is the question asked
Is our children learning?
Will the highways of the Internet become more few?
How many hands have I shaked?
They misunderestimate me.
I am a pitbull on the pantleg of opportunity.
I know that the human being and the fish can coexist.
Families is where our nation finds hope, where
our wings take dream.
Put food on your family!
Knock down the tollbooth!
Vulcanize Society!
Make the pie higher! Make the pie higher!

2002-05-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

Coming Out of the Cannabis Closet

2002-05-09T17:33:00.000-07:00

Refugees Of Blood And Sand

2002-05-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

Robert Fisk: There Is A Solution To This War

2002-05-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

New Scientist -- Ponds, not oceans, the cradle of life?

2002-05-06T22:04:00.000-07:00

Bush "Unsigns" War Crimes Treaty

2002-05-06T22:02:00.000-07:00

Colombian Tribe Topples Mighty Oil Giant

2002-05-05T12:54:00.000-07:00

Marijuana lobbyists light up on Parliament Hill

2002-05-05T00:39:00.000-07:00

Stargazers watch via the web--Maybe not right now, but maybe soon.

2002-05-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

Subterranean Homepage News by Sheila Lennon is a fine example of first class blogging by a professional journalist. Enjoy your visit and let Sheila know what you think of her web site.

2002-05-02T17:38:00.000-07:00

The New York Review of Books: Garry Wills on the scandal of the Catholic Church.

2002-05-02T11:40:00.000-07:00

Robot "voices" -- Right out of Asimov!

2002-05-02T11:37:00.000-07:00

New Scientist Insect swarming inspires jazz software.

2002-05-01T21:38:00.000-07:00

ESP Experiment This is truly scary. Try the test several times. Bet it works every time. Drop me an email if you've figured out how the trick is done. And check out the rest of Cliff Pickover's great web site while you're there. Then buy and read his books. (I've got almost all of them and can't recommend them too highly.)

2002-05-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

Study Shows Fertility Decline Begins in Late 20s

2002-04-30T19:29:00.000-07:00

Hubble's stunning new vision -- Check out these incredible pics.

2002-04-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

The Joy of Tech! -- Side Effects of Spam.

2002-04-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

ZNet--Recent Featured Links and Articles

2002-04-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

Observer: Jason Burke: Return to Islamabad -- Catching up on the situation in Pakistan.

2002-04-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

Sharon must go -- a thoughtful piece by Dave Winer.

2002-04-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

CBC News: Shouting hockey parents promote violence on ice, researchers say -- Another academic grant to researchers "proving" the obvious.

2002-04-25T22:58:00.000-07:00

Manufacturing Truth About the Middle East -- Noam Chomsky discusses the current conflict in the Middle East, the history of U.S.-Israeli relations, and the fate of Palestine.

2002-04-25T22:57:00.000-07:00

Crimes of Big Tobacco. From The Nation. This stuff was news to me. A fascinating read.

2002-04-25T22:48:00.000-07:00

Bush's Master Oil Plan

2002-04-25T21:49:00.000-07:00

Saddam: Sentimental, terrifying and ruthless

2002-04-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

A stunning fossil reveals one of our earliest mammal relatives

2002-04-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

Are Old Oilfields Refilling?

2002-04-24T11:45:00.000-07:00

Bong hits with Bill Gates

2002-04-24T11:32:00.000-07:00

Landover Baptist: Where The Worthwhile Worship. Unsaved Unwelcome. -- More great satire

2002-04-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

Betty Bowers is a Better Christian Than You -- Delightful satire

2002-04-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

Creation Education: Evolutionism Propaganda This is wonderful nonsense from some jerk who has to be the looniest of Christians -- either that or a brilliant satirist. Scroll down about 1/3 page to read all about the 'Communist/Godless Darwinist' skullduggery of Apple Computer: "Consider the name of the company and its logo: an apple with a bite taken out of it. This is clearly a reference to the Fall, when Adam and Eve were tempted with an apple by the serpent. It is now Apple Computers offering us temptation, thereby aligning themselves with the forces of darkness." Oi veh!

2002-04-22T11:39:00.000-07:00

AlterNet-- Headlines

2002-04-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

The Joy of Tech-- another use for blogging.

2002-04-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

World's Richest Man--needs haircut, better tailor and weight-loss program.

2002-04-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

New Scientist -- Cosmic Ray Mystery Solved

2002-04-19T11:14:00.000-07:00

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Windows in the Year 2002
--------------------------------------------------------------------

The New York Times' Circuits section runs a weekly Q&A with PC
users. I was interested to see the expert responses to some
fretful Windows users last week:

Q. I do all of the regular maintenance suggested, like defragging
and disk cleanup, to keep my Windows system tuned up, but I find
it still gets slower over time. Why is this?

A. Regular maintenance can help keep a computer working quickly
for longer stretches of time, but most systems begin to slow down
noticeably after several months of steady use... Reinstalling the
Windows operating system and your programs is one way to cure a
system that has become sluggish over time. Some experts even
recommend reinstalling your operating system at least once a year
to keep things running as smoothly as possible.

This is nuts, given how we'd feel about any other consumer
technology requiring such handholding. How often do you have to
reinstall the cable box to keep the TV from crashing? How often do
you have to re-calibrate the microwave's zapper to keep it working
right?

I mainly love the matter-of-fact answer - the Times doesn't even
pretend that Windows PCs are easy or maintenance-free.

Then this was even more striking:

Q. When I first began using Microsoft Word for Windows, there
were two toolbars on the screen that I could use to align and
format text. Perhaps through some accidental keystroke, the
toolbars disappeared. How can I get them back?

A. There are a number of things that could cause the toolbars to
disappear, like a damaged Word Data key, in the Windows Registry,
which begins running as soon as Word starts up. Or there could be
a damaged Normal.dot template, or the toolbars could simply have
been turned off accidentally...

We're in the year 2002, and this is the best we can do? Computers
that get slower and slower, toolbars that disappear for no reason,
and users that are asked very nicely to do expert maintenance.

"No problem, Grandma, just debug your Normal.dot file and you'll be
all set."

2002-04-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

Mikhail Gorbachev -- For a Different Globalization

2002-04-19T10:47:00.000-07:00

Supercomputer smashes world speed record

2002-04-18T22:03:00.000-07:00

Mike's Message -- A brilliant piece by the irrepressible Michael Moore -- an open letter to George W. Bush.

2002-04-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

The New York Review of Books: The Road to Nowhere-- First class analysis of Middle East. A must read.

2002-04-17T21:38:00.000-07:00

Ending the Death Dance -- a fine piece from The Nation

2002-04-16T11:07:00.000-07:00

"The moment anyone says he knows, he does not know. Truth is not to be
known. What is known is a thing of the past; it is already dead. Truth is
living, not static; therefore you cannot know truth. Truth is in constant
movement, it has no abode, and a mind that is tethered to a belief, to
knowledge, to a particular conditioning, is incapable of understanding what
truth is."
~ J. Krishnamurti, 1957

2002-04-15T22:07:00.000-07:00

Tricky Dick's guide to drinking and toking

2002-04-15T17:01:00.000-07:00

Mideast Watch. Please read these articles, then make up your own mind about what's going on in the Israel/Palestinian conflict. And note that the authors are respected journalists. Not crazy "leftists", or whatever.