Friday, March 26, 2004

News

Wow. That's not extreme or anything...

News

"PORTLAND, Oregon, March 23 (Reuters) - In a new twist in the battle over same-sex marriage roiling the United States, a county in Oregon has banned all marriages -- gay and heterosexual -- until the state decides who can and who cannot wed."

Thursday, March 25, 2004

In The Realm of the Unreal

I saw the documentary about Henry Darger last night...what a trip. If it comes to your area, or if it ever comes to video you really should check it out.

Realm of the Unreal

"Realm of the Unreal: A Page About Henry Darger"

Edit: This site has some better links to his art than the one above, some bigger pictures that allow you to see them better.

Friday, March 19, 2004

Donald Seeks To Trump "You're Fired"

Donald Seeks To Trump "You're Fired"

"MARCH 18--Donald Trump, reality TV star and rapacious New York developer, has filed to trademark the phrase sweeping an underemployed nation. That's right, if The Donald gets the nod from The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, he'll be able to exclusively slap the words 'You're Fired' on clothing and 'games and playthings,' and use it in connection with 'casino services.' Along with peddling overpriced apartments, Trump runs some spectacularly underperforming Atlantic City gambling joints. Trump's two trademark applications, which you'll find below, were made after the January 8 debut of 'The Apprentice,' the NBC hit that has thrust Trump (and the alleged billionaire's swirling hairdo) back onto the front pages. We're waiting to see if Trump tries to patent the signature hand motion he uses to dispatch 'Apprentice' contestants. On a related note, a check of trademark records shows that the firm 'You're Outsourced' is still available for the taking."

Real World Transformer? You Make the Call...

http://www.r50rd.co.uk/research/internal/v2i/engin/

"Vehicle to autonomous biped robot conversion for the Mini Cooper r50.

"I first had the vision to build a robot while working as an engineer on the old Mini Coopers in the late 1960s. There were no real robots at the time of course, so it was purely science-fiction. But I always believed a robot would be the most natural complement to the automobile - a full biped, intelligent version having great strength, dexterity and a library of mechanical knowledge. I imagined a robot with the ability to repair vehicles, direct traffic and watch over high-accident crossroads to preempt accidents."

[Thanks to Jason Hyde for the link]

Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Man killed during initiation

Or, at least that's what they want us to think...I guess the Widow's Son is pissed.

Man killed during initiation

"Man killed during initiation at Masonic Lodge; Masons say gun not sanctioned part of rite "

Monday, March 15, 2004

All Things Nigerian

Why do they think that people will fall for this? Have people fallen for this?


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of the financial controller.
Federal Ministry of Agriculture,
Building 6/7 Falomo Lagos Nigeria.
Attn:president/ceo
PLEASE STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL REQUEST FOR URGENT BUSINESS
TRANSACTION.
I am MR.JOHN IBRAHHIM,The financial controller of Federal
Ministry Agriculture (FMA) Headquarters lagos.
I am writing on behalf of my colleagues in the Ministry and
have been assigned to seek for the assistance of a reliable
foreign company through which we can transfer the sum of
THIRTY MILLION U.S DOLLARS ONLY (US$30,000,000). This money
is deposited in the FMA Treasury account with the Central
Bank of Nigeria.
ORIGIN OF THE FUND: This sum arose from the deliberated
over-invoicing of contract awarded by my ministry to
foreign firm in the twilight days of the last military
regime. This contract has been completely executed and
commissioned and the contractor that handled this contract
has collected his full and final payment thus leaving
behind the above stated amount which represent the over
invoiced sum.
We have been safeguarding this money for conducive time for
it?s transfer out of the country for our personal use.
However, the code of employment does not allow us (civil
servants) to own and operate foreign
account and because the contract was handled by aforeign
firm and the payment made in dollars, we now need a foreign
partner that will present himself as the sub-contractor so
that the fund will be transfer into your company?s or
personal account.Your address was made available to us by a
very good friend who work with the Nigeria export promotion
council and he assured usof your company?s viability and
capability in business transaction.
This assurance gave us the courage to link you up in this
particular transaction and I hope it will be of mutual
benefit to all of us.
Note that the nature of your business is not particularly
relevant to the success of the transaction. All we require
is your willingness to present yourself as the
subcontractor by providing your bank information so that
the fund will be transferred into your account.
SHARING RATIO:For your assistance in this business , your
share will be 30% of the total fund. I and my colleagues
will take 60% while we set aside 10% for any expenses that
may incurred in the course of this transaction. If you are
willing to assist us in this business.Forward the
particulars of your bank account and also your private
phone and fax numbers.
This information will enable us put an application for
payment approval to the concerned Ministries and final to
the Central Bank of Nigeria (C.B.N) and it is going to last
for 6-7 working days starting from the day we receive the
above information.
All modalities for the take ?off of this transaction have
been worked out and further action will commence mmediately
we hear from you. I am waiting for your reply via my
private email address (mrjohnibrahhim@yahoo.com) for security

reasons.

Thanks, yours faithfully.

MR.JOHN IBRAHHIM

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John McGeoch

THE BRAIN - REA

"John McGeoch, inventive and influential guitarist for post-punk luminaries Magazine, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Public Image Limited, passed away in his sleep on March 5th aged 48. Having met Howard Devoto in 1977 as he was departing the Buzzcocks, McGeoch became a founding member of Magazine and many memorable riffs are featured on their first three albums Real Life, Secondhand Daylight and The Correct Use of Soap. By 1980 he was moonlighting with Visage and Siouxsie and the Banshees and went on to largely affect three of the latter's most lauded albums, Kaleidoscope, Juju and Kiss In The Dream House. In late 1982 McGeoch suffered a breakdown and was subsequently hospitalized and replaced in the Banshees by The Cure's Robert Smith. In the mid-80s he formed The Armoury Show with ex-members of The Skids, appeared on two solo debuts (Peter Murphy's Should The World Fail To Fall Apart and Matthew Sweet's Inside) and, finally, joined Public Image Limited. He became their longest serving member barring John Lydon and helped to re-invent Pil into a 'rock' band with Happy?, 9 and That What Is Not. By 1993 Pil dissipated and McGeoch returned to England from Los Angeles where he continued making music in various low key or unfinished projects. In 1995 he became a qualified nurse but chose not to follow the profession and lately had been writing music for television. John McGeoch is survived by partner Sophie and daughter Emily."

Thursday, March 11, 2004

Alan David Doane Interviews Alan Moore

The Weblog of Alan David Doane

"When the man I consider the best writer ever to work in comics took over eight minutes to thoughtfully answer my first question (and, apparently psychic, the subsequent three or four questions as well), I knew this was going to be longer than the average 5Q interview, and almost certainly involve more than five questions. So be it, format be damned -- Alan Moore recreated comics in the 1980s, quite by accident, as you'll learn here, and has ever since been known for comics much more intelligently and passionately created than the vast majority of their contemporaries on the stands."

Friday, March 05, 2004

The Smoking Gun: Archive

The Smoking Gun: Archive

"MARCH 4--As college final exams go, the test Jim Harrick Jr. once gave in his University of Georgia physical education class was a piece of cake. Until his resignation last year amidst allegations of impropriety in UGA's basketball program, Harrick was an assistant coach under his father, Jim Harrick. In addition to helping pop run the lay-up line, the younger Harrick taught 'Coaching Principles and Strategies in Basketball' during 2001's fall semester. The 39-student class was popular with several of Harrick's players, since the coach wasn't a stickler when it came to attendance, studying, or showing up for the College of Education course's only test."

Steve Jackson Games 2004 Report to Stakeholders

Steve Jackson Games 2004 Report to Stakeholders

"Steve Jackson Games Incorporated has a single stockholder . . . me. But we have a great many STAKEholders - that is, people who have a stake in the success of the business. These include our employees, our distributors, the retailers who carry our line, and, of course, the people who PLAY our games! Less obvious stakeholders, but very real, are the creative talents who produce our games, the printers who create the finished product, and the convention organizers who depend on us for game programming, prizes, and so on."

Thursday, March 04, 2004

Grey Lodge Occult Review :: #10

William S. Burroughs. Philip K. Dick. Joseph Campbell. Bill Moyers. Colin Wilson. Aldous Huxley. Michel Foucault. Be sure to wrap the duct tape tightly around your head before clicking the link....contains thoughts which will cause the brain to explode.

Grey Lodge Occult Review :: #10

Teletubbies Conspiracy!!

Teletubbies Conspiracy

"The nuclear apocalypse is nearly apon us and many world
goverments are starting to take actions to prepare people to survive. The 'teletubbies' are part of a special propogander program developed by the United Nations to prepare people to survive in such harsh conditions...

"Firstly the T.V. screens implanted in their chests and the
arials on their heads may seem perfectly innocent but they have a
hidden meaning. To survive the nuclear fall out many people will have to be modifed to cyborge status in order to survive in the dog-eat-dog apocalyptic world and while T.V. screens in their chests are unlikely radio com implants in the brain and modifed repatory and vital organs could be essential."

Conspiracy Net

Conspiracy Net: The Most Definitive Conspiracy Theory Portal On The Web

Wednesday, March 03, 2004

Crippling The MP3

Crippling The MP3

"A new version of MP3 - the digital music format that kicked off the online music sharing revolution - is being developed that will include technology to stop unauthorised copying and sharing.

"The two companies that own the patents covering MP3, Thomson and Fraunhofer, are working on a new version that will incorporate so-called digital right management (DRM) technology.

"DRM can be used in conjunction with software and hardware players to limit the number of copies of a music file a user can make, or to prevent forwarding. As yet, however, it is unclear how the new protection system will work."

Tuesday, March 02, 2004

Mad Mad House

*sigh* All right, this "reality show" thing has now officially gotten out of hand. However, I do have to admit that I am glad that I don't have cable....because I know that I'm dumb enough to fall for a show like this. Hell, I can't stop watching "The Apprentice." Next on "Whoring and Pimping Your Lifestyle"...

Mad Mad House

"WELCOME TO OUR HOUSE!

"People who live in different worlds have to live in the same house.

"Did you know that there are practicing vampires in the United States? Or that the Wiccan religion is sometimes called "witchcraft"? And why, exactly, do nudists like being naked?

"SCI FI invites you to experience life around the edges, in the colliding worlds of its newest alternative-reality series, Mad Mad House.

"Five practitioners of "alternative lifestyles" — a Wiccan, a Naturist, a Modern Primitive, a Voodoo Priestess and a real-life Vampire (known collectively as the Alts) — rule the roost. Meanwhile, 10 ordinary folks move into the House as the Alts' Guests — and compete against one another for the $100,000 jackpot.

"Our Guests will live out a Survivor meets The Real World meets The Osbournes lifestyle — and try to get along living under one roof together. The eclectic and unpredictable Alts will challenge them, judge them and eliminate them one by one — ultimately deciding which Guest is most fit for life in the Mad Mad House."

Monday, March 01, 2004

Barcode Yourself

Come friend and apply for your own barcode. Completely personalized and no danger involved whatsoever. No secret plot...honest...

Barcode Yourself

Janet Jackson Complaint Letters to FCC

The Smoking Gun

"MARCH 1--With today marking the one-month anniversary of Janet Jackson's Super Bowl, um, appearance, TSG is presenting a sampling of letters sent to the Federal Communications Commission following the controversial halftime show. While the FCC received more than 200,000 e-mails and letters about the incident, we were only willing to fork over $249.90 for 1570 representative letters."

CNN.com - Passion tickets bear 'mark of the beast' - Mar. 1, 2004

Passion tickets bear 'mark of the beast' - Mar. 1, 2004

"The number 666, which many Christians recognize as the 'mark of the beast,' is appearing on movie tickets for Gibson's film at a Georgia theater, drawing complaints from some moviegoers. "

The Non-Expert

The Morning News - The Non-Expert: Lift

"Why, when you're waiting for an elevator (having already pressed the 'call lift' button), does someone always arrive after you and insist on re-pressing the button?"

Free Your Books

I just registered and am set to release my first BookCrossings.com book. If you're in Cleveland, you might find it.

T.A.Z. the Temporary Autonomous Zone