28th November, 2005
How to Start a War
We’ve worked in ninety-one countries. Going all the way back to Panama, we’ve been involved in every war, with the exception of Somalia. – John Rendon of the Rendon Group
Rolling Stone has a very interesting article that profiles John Rendon, the head of the Rendon Group which has played a large role in the US’ involvement in Iraq. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?
Posted at 6:21 am | Comment (0)
17th November, 2005
Rootkit
Most people don’t even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?
- Thomas Hesse, global digital business president at Sony BMG
Yeah, I know that quote has been everywhere on the web recently, but hey, I’m a quote whore. There’s a good article at Wired today that summarizes the debacle surrounding Sony BMG’s latest “anti-piracy solution”. You know, the one that installed rootkits on an estimated half-a-million PCs and opened gaping security holes that virus writers have happily exploited. Yeah, that one. The main gist of the article, however, isn’t about Sony BMG’s major screw-up and its atrocious lack of concern and accountability for its actions – that topic has been beaten to death already – instead it raises the very valid question of where have the anti-virus/security companies been during all this? Remarkably silent, it seems. Apparently they are afraid of stepping on the toes of a large corporation and as such, have done essentially nothing to address this major security issue. If the anti-virus companies are afraid or unwilling to protect our computers from malicious code simply because it was created by a corporation and not some “hacker”, then why exactly are we giving them our money?
Posted at 6:17 am | Comment (0)
16th November, 2005
Science & Buddhism
This means that, in the Buddhist investigation of reality, at least in principle, empirical evidence should triumph over scriptural authority, no matter how deeply venerated a scripture may be.
From a rather interesting article by the Dalai Lama regarding the current and future relationship between science and Buddhism.
Posted at 6:08 pm | Comment (0)
11th November, 2005
Foiled Again
We theorize that the government may in fact have started the helmet craze for this reason.
Some clever researchers at MIT have determined that not only are aluminum foil hats not so great at blocking out mind-controlling rays, but that such hats may actually enhance the mind altering capabilities of The Man’s rays. Scary stuff indeed. [via Slashdot]
Posted at 6:52 am | Comment (0)
10th November, 2005
Kansas
This is a sad day. We’re becoming a laughingstock of not only the nation, but of the world, and I hate that. – Kansas Board of Education board member, Janet Waugh
And it’s true. Even as I shake my head in disbelief and dismay at the recent actions of the Kansas Board of Education to include “intelligent design” in public school education standards, my heart also goes out to all the kids who are being robbed of an education through no fault of their own. In addition, the Board even re-wrote the definition of science, to say that science is ” no longer limited to the search for natural explanations of phenomena”. What a wonderful world.
Posted at 6:26 am | Comment (0)
8th November, 2005
Meaty
Oh, those crazy Japanese. Check out this Google Video clip of the girls from Morning Musume wearing meat hats and then sticking their heads into a cage holding a carnivorous lizard. If there were shows like this on TV in the US, maybe I’d actually get cable. [via BoingBoing]
Posted at 6:13 am | Comment (0)
7th November, 2005
Riots
It was a good excuse, but it’s fun to set cars on fire.
So said a 15-year old boy in Clichy-sous-Bois, France, referring to the accidental deaths of two boys that occurred last week in the same town.
Sadly, it is now looking as though youths in France are torching vehicles (over 3,300 so far) and buildings for no real reason. Yes, there are concerns of unemployment and discrimination among minorities, but it appears that no one is standing up and saying why they continue to riot and burn. I’m all for public demonstrations, but destroying the property of others isn’t going to win any sympathy votes for your cause. To the youths in France who are participating in this violence: if there really is a valid reason behind your actions, you have the government’s attention. It’s time to put down the torches and start talking, otherwise you will deserve what you will get from the authorities.
Posted at 6:06 am | Comment (0)
