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Fri, 20 Nov 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| A leopard seal attempts to teach a cameraman how to catch (and eat) penguins ... I wonder if dude realized the seal probably saw its reflection in the ginormous lens cover? |
| posted at: 10:20 | permanent link to this entry |
AJC has a story in today's print and web, regarding the politically active District 6 (my current residence and walking ground). The story's ok, but if you catch the print version, you'll see a table which lists vote totals for all the precincts in the district -- for the top three candidates. There is no mention of Brownlowe, Keyser, or Spikes. For that omission, I borrow a neighbor's cane to shake at AJC's editors. |
| posted at: 10:19 | permanent link to this entry |
Tue, 17 Nov 2009
 |
| posted at: 04:17 | permanent link to this entry |
Today's topic for discussion is:
| I often joke about "being Shrinky-Dinked" on summer days. However, a scientist has used the genuine article as a hack for manufacturing microfluidic dies (of a sort) for lab use. |
| posted at: 03:45 | permanent link to this entry |
Sun, 15 Nov 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| Ever wonder what all those Stepford-looking people in stock photos are saying? Francetucky has an answer. Several answers, actually. |
| posted at: 13:39 | permanent link to this entry |
Sat, 14 Nov 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| A lost Charlie Chaplin short has been discovered, and is in process of being transferred. |
| posted at: 03:38 | permanent link to this entry |
Tue, 10 Nov 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| Quando. |
| posted at: 04:45 | permanent link to this entry |
Mon, 09 Nov 2009
Further Adventures in the Land of Make-Believe
Earlier this year, authorities in Roswell, GA ran into difficulties while forcing a resident to give up his chickens. Specifically, the relevant ordinance excludes 'poultry' from the livestock one is not able to keep within the city limits. A local judge, in a shocking display of judicial activism, chose to interpret 'poultry' as inclusive of chickens. The upstanding Americans of the city council -- who earlier this year rid their fine city of the social decay of clotheslines -- have taken upon themselves the responsibility which the judiciary has negligently declined. Seriously, the target of the original case is organizing a meetup at tonight's council meeting (7PM). Between this, and the nonsense occurring up in Milton, watching suburbian influence creep through the land is more than a little like listening to the 'victory' voiceovers from Dungeon Keeper. |
| posted at: 16:52 | permanent link to this entry |
Make Time to Read This Article.
Read it twice, then read the comments. I am a witness to what we currently call Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It's a disease, make no mistake about that. Offhand, there are several factors which could prompt CDC to adopt an official position of ignorance about this disease. Speculation about most of these factors may be found the comments of the linked article, and should be taken with the appropriate grains of salt. Here's a link to an article regarding the discovery of a possible viral link to the disease. Perhaps this article should be read first. In either case, it is worth an evening of reflection. |
| posted at: 10:23 | permanent link to this entry |
Did I say 47% turnout as an over-under? I really meant 27%. *facepalm*. In either event, we're in runoff season, and it's already silly. |
| posted at: 06:44 | permanent link to this entry |
Today's topic for discussion is:
| Edelman PR has received a Silver Anvil award from the Public Relations Society of America, for work on behalf of Imperial Sugar in the wake of last year's plant explosion. |
| posted at: 06:42 | permanent link to this entry |
| Georgia Tech, UGA, Hawks, Falcons, and Thrashers all won their games this weekend. Good times. |
| posted at: 06:18 | permanent link to this entry |
Tue, 03 Nov 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| My turnout over/under for Atlanta Municipal Elections: 47% |
| posted at: 16:08 | permanent link to this entry |
So, it's Election Day. Now what?
The Great Trainwreck of 2009 comes to a head today, as multiple, multi-candidate races are partially decided today. I'm wandering down to the polling station, but beforehand, a few extra notes:
Out of all this noise, is no word about (or from) Jesse Spikes, who I intend on voting for, as I haven't found anything particularly bad about his candidacy. |
| posted at: 16:07 | permanent link to this entry |
Forbes ranks the cities in the U.S. by toxicity, and Atlanta - Sandy Springs - Marietta MSA turns up the worst, by a long shot. 58 Superfund sites in the Metro? Estimated 41 Million pounds of toxic chemicals released (that have been admitted to, during a single year of the Bush administration)? That's some business, right there. |
| posted at: 15:46 | permanent link to this entry |
Tue, 27 Oct 2009
Blah, Blah, Demographics, Blah
And now, for some cubism... For the past month, I've been incubating a lengthy rant about how this year's mayoral election has adopted the usual demographic traits...this lengthy ramble is not it, BTW. Overall, I think that in this age of communication, demographics takes on a reduced -- or even inverse -- factor in electoral politics. So, I extend a middle finger to the New York Times, for this garbage article which reeks of that special brand of Yankee bigotry. Sunday's DebateDemographic politics may be deprecated, but still has some supporters, and the traditions festered just under the surface during Sunday's debate. Kasim Reed jumped on the bandwagon, and may have jumped the shark, by claiming Mary Norwood is a Republican. Around these parts, "Republican" is synonymous with "Klan", so that argument is basically a repackaged race card, which plays to fears of any rational person. Surprisingly (or not), Norwood invited such a criticism, by repackaging the same illegitimate "services" argument of the Plantation movement. This should have set off alarm bells all over the electorate, and could end up costing her a runoff. This, of course, would require an actual discussion of the subject, instead of the allegation-flinging of current days. Desperate Times, Desperate MeasuresI feel the establishment desperation, exhibited in the "race memo" earlier this year, carried over into Atlanta PD's recent raid on Atlanta Eagle, timed shortly after Kyle Keyser's entry into the race. To review: the bust arrested several dancers for dancing in their underwear without a stripping permit, but involved no drug arrests. In a club. In Atlanta. This raid was so blatantly political, it's comical. It was an attempt (of which impacts remain to be seen) to create a new minority block of intown gay people and gentrifiers, as carved from Norwood's likely supporters. Reaping What one Has SownAs I see it, this election is as much about removing the poison of demographic politics from our government. Amid the talk of 'critical junctures', 'crossroads', and other platitudes, there is the unstated fact that the "patronage system", and perceptions of same, allowed the Plantation movement to happen in the first place. Those responsible for this result must be identified and held accountable, if we are to rebuild this city as anything more than a bookend. |
| posted at: 08:52 | permanent link to this entry |
Today's topic for discussion is:
| Frank Warren (Postsecret) is in town today, and will be speaking at GSU from 3-5. |
| posted at: 07:43 | permanent link to this entry |
Mon, 26 Oct 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| I know it's hockey season now, but freezing weather in mid-October is a bit ridiculous. |
| posted at: 04:09 | permanent link to this entry |
I'll take "Proof in the Pudding" for $100, Alex.
| Tom Crawford asks the obvious question of Gov. Perdue: How can you finish what you haven't even started? |
| posted at: 04:09 | permanent link to this entry |
Sat, 17 Oct 2009
Election Runup Discussion #1 - Beyond the Unspoken Din
Thursday afternoon, I heard that candidates would be gathering at Manuel's Tavern that evening. So, I gathered my pad and camera, and ventured down the road to catch a glimpse of actual campaigning. Sadly, it was a 'meet-and-greet', instead of the spit-turning debate such a venue's denizens are capable of. Still, it was a good opportunity to see a good number of candidates in person, and made for an jump-in-and-swim introduction to this election cycle. This brings me to my first (and largest) revelation, having spent most of the past year in a virtual cave: There is surprisingly (or not) low interest in the mayor's race. From at least one official, I heard that in at least several gatherings and debates, candidate entourages have outnumbered general public. This gathering seemed to match that description; a few times, one could tell who was speaking from the direction (or lack) of flashbulbs. My second revelation should be old news to anyone who isn't me: most of Atlanta's recreation facilities are closed. This has to be the lowest-hanging election fruit I've heard of in a long, long time. Kasim Reed is waving this flag all over the place, and should build some support from doing so.
I also note that of all the candidates in attendance, Mr. Reed demonstrated the kind of charisma which draws people in. While I also think charisma's advantage is diminished in this present age, the capability will make him an effective candidate at any level. My third revelation of the evening: In this day and age, the mere presence of an SLR camera makes one look like some form of media rep. I had an idea of showing up early, finding a quiet spot, and watcing/noting the proceedings...FAIL. If I had a dollar for every sideways glance from suspicious politicians and campaigners , I'd have easily made 1-3 months' rent. It was mostly hilarious. Away from the tavern...props to ATLMalcontent for correctly calling out the panhandler issue's depiction as a tourism problem, and the implications of such an attitude on life in the city, and for Andisheh's shrewd Twitter updates (some of which are also gathered here by ATLMalcontent). I watched those updates live, and they were drippingly sharp satire. |
| posted at: 18:29 | permanent link to this entry |
Thirty Senators voted against the following Defense funding amendment last week: Sec. 8104. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for any existing or new Federal contract if the contractor or a subcontractor at any tier requires that an employee or independent contractor, as a condition of employment, sign a contract that mandates that the employee or independent contractor performing work under the contract or subcontract resolve through arbitration any claim under title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or any tort related to or arising out of sexual assault or harassment, including assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, or negligent hiring, supervision, or retention.Take a wild guess which party they belong to? |
| posted at: 18:20 | permanent link to this entry |
Today's topic for discussion is:
| Chaetopterus pugaporcinus, the pigbutt worm. |
| posted at: 07:46 | permanent link to this entry |
Wed, 14 Oct 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| A natural-color tapestry made from spider silk. |
| posted at: 04:34 | permanent link to this entry |
Mon, 12 Oct 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| The interim government in Honduras wavers between isolation and negotiation. |
| posted at: 19:27 | permanent link to this entry |
Fri, 09 Oct 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| Busted: Pollmeister Nate Silver questions the authenticity of polling outfit Strategic Vision; follows up with further analysis. |
| posted at: 05:09 | permanent link to this entry |
Thu, 08 Oct 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| A former Dodge County sheriff and friends have been indicted for vote-buying. |
| posted at: 02:34 | permanent link to this entry |
Thu, 01 Oct 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| Another excellent article from Joel Spolsky: The Duct Tape Programmer. ""Shipping is a feature. A really important feature. Your product must have it." |
| posted at: 06:02 | permanent link to this entry |
Mon, 28 Sep 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| A post at fivethirtyeight.com, outlining the different parties and coalition combinations in play for last week's elections in Germany. |
| posted at: 04:08 | permanent link to this entry |
Fri, 25 Sep 2009
From the 'Duh' department: US Department of Justice's report on deferred warrant requests for 2008 is out, and can you believe the PATRIOT Act was used to advance the (domestic) Culture wars, instead of combat the Islamist threat? Pardon me while I feign shock; just make sure to clear a spot on the ground, in case I actually fall over while attempting to feel faint. HuffPo ran a story about 1200-1300 warrants being granted under this PATRIOT Act provision, with 5 of them being terrorism related. Fortunately, HuffPo was generous enough to host (and link to) the actual report, so it's possible to see past the writer's bias. 763 warrants were requested in 2008. The remainder were extensions for existing warrants (including these), so the 1200 number is bullshit. That being said...
The above three categories were the most frequent reasons given for a warrant request, with the remaining 26% pertaining to a scattering of federal crimes.
No mention of interrelation was given in the report; e.g. "how many non-drug warrants were tied to drug cases, and vice-versa." I suspect that when they're lumped together, the rate of misuse is much higher. |
| posted at: 15:27 | permanent link to this entry |
Today's topic for discussion is:
| Five shall be the number of the counting; the number of the counting shall be five. |
| posted at: 15:23 | permanent link to this entry |
Tue, 22 Sep 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| The relative merits of playing a Halo soundtrack during historic rains. |
| posted at: 04:31 | permanent link to this entry |
My netbook ate my Dragon*Con '09 summary, so that's in progress of being re-written. I'm in the middle of several other posts, including Atlanta mayor's race. And oh, by the way, Atlanta metro got [3d6 + 1] inches of rain over the weekend. All sorts of happenings are going on, and I can't coherently describe any of them. I can, however, report that a question which has nagged me for 20 years has finally been answered. From an old Fark/bannination profile:
The answer: Dark Adventure (Konami, 1987), an American second release (and revision) of Devil World. A large thanks to VGMuseum.com for including this game (as the original Devil World) in their inventory. I hit on this while aimlessly clicking around, and instantly recognized the screencaps. |
| posted at: 04:00 | permanent link to this entry |
Mon, 21 Sep 2009
From the Aether: California's Water Crisis
We are most certainly not the only region with water problems. Apparently, California is going dry (-er than normal). I found the following useful bit from bannination recently. This references Newsweek article, as journalistic contrast to some blathering on the subject.
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| posted at: 04:50 | permanent link to this entry |
Today's topic for discussion is:
| Five-alarm beefaroni. |
| posted at: 04:45 | permanent link to this entry |
Mon, 31 Aug 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| Monday morning, rainy-day blues. |
| posted at: 05:54 | permanent link to this entry |
It's a relevant question, actually. This summer disappeared before it really started, it seems. Bizarre, but Labor Day is nearly upon us, and with it, concludes summer's holiday calendar. After the better part of a year of dining out under the pretense of supporting the local/neighborhood establishments, I finally started cooking again. Goodness will follow in the coming months. |
| posted at: 05:53 | permanent link to this entry |
Mon, 10 Aug 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| Hydrangeas must die. That is all. |
| posted at: 22:52 | permanent link to this entry |
This year's Dragon*Con is shaping up to be awesome. Case in point: A human Periodic Table will be marching in the parade. |
| posted at: 22:51 | permanent link to this entry |
Sun, 09 Aug 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| The peanut butter, bacon, and jelly sandwich. |
| posted at: 18:10 | permanent link to this entry |
Sat, 08 Aug 2009
Today's topic for discussion is:
| This is the funniest thing I've seen all year: a live-action Pac-Man video, from comedian Remi Gaillard. |
| posted at: 22:08 | permanent link to this entry |
