This ain't your grandma's fusion reactor

Scientists plan on creating a miniature artificial star which will generate temperatures in excess of 100 million degrees Celsius.

The procedure is officially known as Inertial Confinement Fusion and, if it is successful, could
result in a new, nearly limitless power source. I think I am going to order one for the Jeep.

The neighborhood bully strikes again

Gideon Levy, writing in Israel's oldest daily newspaper, opines about Operation Cast Lead, Israel's ongoing assault on Palestine.

"Once again, Israel's violent responses, even if there is justification for them, exceed all proportion and cross every red line of humaneness, morality, international law and wisdom."

Try to imagine any US politician or media-figure uttering these words. Any who did would be immediately castigated and labeled an anti-Semite. In Israel, apparently, it is permissible to question the wisdom of that government's actions. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the US. Cue the boilerplate proclamations from our officials about Israel needing to take whatever steps it feels are necessary for its security.

Update: This link and the sentiment that comes with it appeared in Glenn Greenwald's blog.

America's First Gay President Concludes Historic Second Term

WASHINGTON—President George W. Bush was unusually reflective in the final weeks of his administration, taking time during speeches and press conferences to look back on key decisions, expound on his legacy, and tout his role in paving the way for the nation's first African-American president by serving eight years as its first openly gay president.

Katrina's Hidden Race War

A.C. Thompson, writing for The Nation, investigates the Algiers Point shootings.

via Metafilter.

Update: Added Video, Links



Rep. John Conyers responds, and the California-based Color of Change call on Gov. Jindal and the US DoJ to investigate.

Dubstep

Wikipedia-
Dubstep is a genre of electronic music that has its roots in London's early 2000s UK garage scene. The name of the genre was coined by Ammunition Promotions. Musically, dubstep is distinguished by its dark mood, sparse rhythms, and emphasis on bass.

I'm really diggin this stuff, let me know what yall think


short but awesome:




This one is fucking badass, especially the intro:

Shoe Attack Lesson #1: Bush Has Mortal Kombat Reflexes

Banjo and Brain Surgery

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjX6ErmKY14

First Post

Look closely....
Hope everyone hasn't seen this.

Warm and Fuzzy Time

OK so I had to show ya'll pictures one more time. I wanted ya'll to see Rylie without all the wires and tubes and stuff. After sleeping at the hospital for a week straight, we brought her home this past Monday and she's doing well now.

Kop Busters

"KopBusters rented a house in Odessa, Texas and began growing two small Christmas trees under a grow light similar to those used for growing marijuana. When faced with a suspected marijuana grow, the police usually use illegal FLIR cameras and/or lie on the search warrant affidavit claiming they have probable cause to raid the house. Instead of conducting a proper investigation which usually leads to no probable cause, the Kops lie on the affidavit claiming a confidential informant saw the plants and/or the police could smell marijuana coming from the suspected house.

The trap was set and less than 24 hours later, the Odessa narcotics unit raided the house only to find KopBuster's attorney waiting under a system of complex gadgetry and spy cameras that streamed online to the KopBuster's secret mobile office nearby...

It is not illegal to grow plants under a light in your home but it is illegal to lie on an affidavit and plant drugs on a citizen. This operation was the first of its kind in the history of America. Police sometimes have other police investigating their crimes but the American court system has never dealt with a group of citizens stinging the police. Will the police file charges on the team who took down the corrupt cops? We will keep you posted."

John Lennon (October 9th, 1940 – December 8th, 1980)

Working Class Hero


Imagine


I am the walrus

Been a long time, shouldn't have left you, without a dope beat to step to

Galactic Mall

Galactic Mail from Asterokid on Vimeo.

via Metafilter .

The Auto Industry as a Play

From John Cole's Balloon Juice:

THE TRAGEDY OF THE AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY:A Play in Three Acts


Dramatis Personae

BIG THREE, a manufacturer of automobiles
UAW, Big Three’s employee
MITT ROMNEY, an idiot

ACT ONE

BIG THREE: I have plans to build automobiles, but I need labor to do so!

UAW: I will labor for you if you will pay me $40 per hour.

BIG THREE: I will not pay you $40 per hour.

UAW: But I need to save for my inevitible retirement, and any health concerns that may arise.

BIG THREE: I will pay you $30 per hour, plus a generous pension of guaranteed payments and health care upon your retirement.

UAW: Then I agree to work for you!


ACT TWO


UAW: I am building cars for you, as I have promised to do!

BIG THREE: I am designing terrible cars that few people want to buy! Also, rather than save for UAW’s inevitible retirement when I will have to pay him the generous pension of guaranteed payments and health care that I promised, I am spending that money under the dubious assumption that my future revenues will be sufficient to meet those obligations.


ACT THREE


UAW: I have fulfilled my end of the deal by building the automobiles that you have asked me to build.

BIG THREE: Oh no! I am undone! My automobiles are no longer competitive due to my years of poor planning and poor judgment!

MITT ROMNEY: This is all UAW’s fault!

The Problem with the Mainstream Media

David Ehrenstein presents a compelling case against the use of anonymous sources. Definitely worth the read.

Proposition 8: The Musical!

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Cheney's Toy

Sorry to bump the baby thread. I saw James McMurtry last night and wanted to drop some of his more recent stuff here.

Rylie Addison Michael

Weighing in at 10 pounds and 8 ounces. 21 inches long.

Fellas,

She had a rough start (long story) and is in the special care unit but is handling everything that planet earth has thrown at her. She's doing much better but is not out of the woods quite yet. I'm sorry if I can't answer the phone much right now but its been really busy.

Don't worry about all the wires. Thats the ehart monitor and breathing monitor which are looking real good. Just routine stuff. She does have an IV hooked up in her hands for antibiotics and glucose and thats what you see in the pictures. Its really fairly routine stuff. I'll get more info out soon.

When The Smashing Pumpkins ruled the world...

where boys fear to tread...




X.Y.U. ...



*Note: at 5 min in on X.Y.U., the Pumpkins remind you that they were once capable of purely evil rock and fucking roll.

Fandom Reinstated

I am officially retracting my previous post because TREVOR IS A BABY DADDY!!!!!! Coming in at just over 10 freaking pounds, Riley Addison "Stella Eugena" Michael!!!

I quit

After that piss poor performance on Saturday, I hereby resign my fandom of the University of South Carolina football team. This will be effective immediately and will continue either until the bowl game or until Trevor is a baby daddy, whichever comes first. Thank you.

Contact juggling

Watched Labyrinth the other night - ya know - the one with Bowie - and it sucked dog balls. Not nearly as bad-ass as I remember it. The contact juggling was cool though.

Dr McNinja

A little late, but here's the moving and inspirational story of Katanakka. Enjoy.

Air-Force Intelligence Officer Who Helped Locate Zarqawi Discusses American Interrogation Practices

I refused to participate in such practices, and a month later, I extended that prohibition to the team of interrogators I was assigned to lead. I taught the members of my unit a new methodology -- one based on building rapport with suspects, showing cultural understanding and using good old-fashioned brainpower to tease out information. I personally conducted more than 300 interrogations, and I supervised more than 1,000. The methods my team used are not classified (they're listed in the unclassified Field Manual), but the way we used them was, I like to think, unique. We got to know our enemies, we learned to negotiate with them, and we adapted criminal investigative techniques to our work (something that the Field Manual permits, under the concept of "ruses and trickery"). It worked. Our efforts started a chain of successes that ultimately led to Zarqawi.