what will they think of next?

not quite as cool as bottled oxygen, but i must say, the tv activated batmobile is a close second.

new look!

same great taste! i've never understood how that would be a selling point for food, but oh well. apparently it works. anyways, if you haven't noticed, i finally figured out how to update the links on the sidebar. i think they're all worth visiting, especially my booklist, which i've plugged a few times before.

what's the big deal?

a lot of people seem upset about the NSA caller database (or at least the media wants us to think that). here are my thoughts on that:

*i really like rob's term "on the envelope information." from what i understand, the NSA is looking at where the call came from, where it went to, and probably the length of the call. when you mail a letter, the post office can see: where you're mailing it from, where you're sending it to, when it was sent, and (on one end, at least) when it was recieved. so can the mail man/letter carrier who delivers it.

*if you go into a bank to open an account, the bank will collect more information than that about you: physical address, social security number, driver's license or state ID number, and at least in the case of my bank, your mother's maiden name, among other things. so, if you stop and think about it, the NSA is less invasive than your bank.

*if you order something online, you generally need to give your physical and/or mailing address, phone number, credit or debit card number, etc. so the NSA is also less invasive than ebay.

*and, a good standard one. USA today claims the NSA is "amassing information about the calls of ordinary Americans"; i say, if they actually are ordinary Americans, they have nothing to worry about.

not cool man

US Border Control Gives Minutemen Locations to Mexican Governtment

h/t wizbang

more here, here, and some other places

quote (sort of) of the week

Uzbekistan has banned fur-lined underwear. Sales had been climbing during the cold winter months, but the government says teh undies lead to “unbridled fantasies."*

this is why i don't like analyzing things

mainly, because i can't understand half of what's being said. although i do agree with jeff's intentionalist views; which, as far as i can make out, means that any writing/argument/etc. has only the meaning that author intended for it to have, and not any other potential meanings that people might be able to wrangle out of it (see his post here on curious george). for example, when i say that i don't like illegal immigrants, it doesn't mean that i'm racist or xenophobic, it means that i don't like illegal immigrants; nothing more, and nothing less.

and remember: you can't spell "analyze" without "anal."

what's the big deal? and other thoughts

so, what's the big deal with the fifth of may? many people seem to think it's mexico's independence day... those people are wrong (actually september 16). the fifth of may is a celebration of a mexican victory over the french; which, lets face it, isn't really much of an accomplishment.

also, carhart makes really nice jeans, and treadmills are pretty dang heavy.

fun with numbers

it's only one poll of course, but it looks like there may be hope for this country after all.

welcome to the blogosphere

my friend kate-lynne started herself a blog the other day. it's entertaining, in a very random sort of way.

random thought

i think we need to change the title of the secretary of defense back to the secretary of war. because let's face it, what he does isn't always defensive. the mission in iraq could be argued to be in self defense, but when you get right down to it, it was a very offensive (and, depending on your point of view, offensive in the other way) operation. "war" is much more accurate than "defense."

who says racial stereotypes aren't funny?

mind of mencia presents: racial profiling in the military

more on immigration

neighbors

once more, with(out) hypocrisy

a note to mexico: take a look at your own immigration laws before you start bitching about ours.

an open letter to the president

inspired by this post over at say anything

Dear George:

Hey, how have things been? I haven't seen you in a few years, and thought maybe we should catch up. I know I left kind of abruptly, but you weren't really using me at all, so I figured you woudn't miss me too much. Unlike my counterpart, who's been hard at work standing up to the loony left and fighting the good fight against terrorism, I was just kind of hanging around. I should have been put to use sticking it to Vicente Fox, illegal immigrants and their supporters--because let's face it, breaking the law is a bad thing--but apparently you decided buying a few votes was more important than doing what's good for the country.
I'm sure you'll need me again at some point, but I've decided to hold myself hostage, as it were; if you ever want to see me again, you need to do something constructive (like a wall) about America's southern border. Support the Minutemen; not financially, but at least vocally. Maybe take some advice from Mr. Gingrich. Yeah, I know he has a funny name, but that doesn't stop him from having good ideas.
Anyways, just wanted to let you know I'm still alive, and that I hope we can get together again sometime soon.

Sincerely,
Your Left Testicle

PS: I'll have moved on after sending this letter, so don't bother trying to track me back to the return address.

yarrrgh!

yet another reason for california to fall off into the ocean: california senate endorses monday's (illegal) immigrant boycott

h/t wizbang

good idea, bad idea

hopefully most of you will recognize that from the animaniacs, possibly one of the greatest cartoons ever. i'm going to do a spinoff, based on the game oblivion.

the following contains spoilers of the main storyline; you have been warned.

here's the scenario. you have just been proclaimed emperor, the last of your bloodline after your father and brothers were assassinated; as such, you are the only one who can use the amulet of kings to permanently close the rift between oblivion (hell, basically) and tamriel (earth, for the sake of simplicity). you're not wearing any armor--just ceremonial robes--and for a weapon you have at best a silver longsword... good against the undead, but not much else. the elder council has just accepted your claim to the throne, when news arrives that oblivion portals are opening up all over the city, and daedra (demons) are attacking.

good idea: getting to the temple of the one and relighting the dragonfires, which will at least keep any new oblivion gates from opening, if not close the ones that are already active.

bad idea: holing up in the palace and hoping to withstand the siege

actual course: going to temple of the one. 1 for 1 so far.

good idea: letting your elite bodyguard protect you while you haul ass to the temple.

bad idea: trying to attack any daedra you come across, even if you have no body guards around to help you

actual course: you've got a melee weapon and don't use magic, so if you can attack them, they can attack you. since your life is really the only one that matters, exposing it to danger is definitely a bad idea. 1 for 2 now... but hey, that's still a passing grade in core 250, or at least it was when i took it.

by this point, you're a little beat up from all that fighting.

good idea: wait to heal up, and let your guard get reorganized.

bad idea: charge on ahead to the next section of the city

actual course: it's not quite the same without a horse, but who cares? chaaaarge! 1 for 3 now... still a good batting average in baseball, but you're failing school.

after charging around killing daedra and getting beat up for awhile, you notice something different about the cityscape... holy shit, it's mehrunes dagon (the uber demon)! with the exception of the imperial palace, he's bigger than any building in your city; although since the imperial palace is visible from about half the map away under decent weather conditions, that's not really a fair comparison. shutting the oblivion gates won't do any good now that he's here, but you have an idea for how to use the amulet of kings as a weapon, if you can get to the temple. you tell the main character (myself, the player) to take you there immediately.

good idea: following said main character--who, while not untouchable is definiteily unkillable by this point, as long as he's paying attention to his health--to the temple as fast as your legs will carry you.

bad idea: letting the main character run to the temple, all the while thinking that you're following him; but instead of following him, you run off to fight more daedra. because it's fun, or something.

actual course: you get yourself killed, dumbass, and the game is over for the main character. mehrunes dagon wins the day, and demons roam freely over the world. normally this would make you 1 for 4, but getting killed pretty much cancels out any smart ideas you had earlier. congratulations, you finished at 0 for (insert any number here). you have failed at life. at this point--since this has already happened three times--the main character gets pissed (again) and quits the game to write an angry blog post that maybe 3 or 4 people will read. which, i guess, puts it right on par with a UN proclamation, so maybe i'm not doing so bad after all.

excellent

all those pro-illegal alien protests over the last few weeks are actually making the minutemen project more popular. which is just fine and dandy with me. they should get together with the folks from send a brick.

senator cantwell, eat your heart out

please? i think both the state and the country would be better off if you did. and while you're busy trying to make "price gouging" by the oil industry "illegal," read this.

sweet fancy moses!

no, it's not fruit fucker prime. tongues: not just for tasting with.

sometimes he thinks he's the only cab on the road

so, the obvious thing to do would be to hitch a ride on the back of a butterfly to the boulevard of broken dreams, where he and greenday can play their crappy attempts at music and not be so alone.