tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41190522011-04-21T12:47:30.161-05:00it could be better . . . but worse is more likely<i>WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT ICBB:</i> <b><i>''O! How I have search'd for thee, and wander'd hither so! Methinks my resolve hath been fruitful. 'It Could Be Better', thou art bitchin'''</i></b> - William Shakespeare <b><i>"This Matt guy has totally missed the point..."</i></b> - G Joe Walberg <b><i>"ICBB is the greatest site on the whole interweb!"</i></b> - BradMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comBlogger6141100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1113185884756562662005-04-10T21:16:00.000-05:002005-04-10T21:18:22.690-05:00Thank you very much. Do I remember how to do this?Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1080847450985723372004-04-01T13:24:00.000-06:002004-04-01T13:28:16.216-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WE SUCK AGAIN For some reason, our campus radio station has been promoting the Web site of The Speakeasy, our not-yet-existent alternative bi-monthly for Hattiesburg. This must stop. The site itself exists, with minimal info about the non-existent paper and a basic shell for a decent site to one day emerge when we actually have content to put on it, but it's not Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1078418143878034282004-03-04T10:35:00.000-06:002004-03-04T10:50:13.293-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THIS IS ONLY A TEST Thank you. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1078372257461501172004-03-03T21:50:00.000-06:002004-03-03T21:53:52.716-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT, THEN, DOESN'T SOUND PLAUSIBLE? From Jim Holt's "Egghead" column in Slate, on the expansion of the universe and the ventual end of civilization: "The most plausible answer," Dyson said, "is that conscious life will take the form of interstellar dust clouds." - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1077310505611705322004-02-20T14:55:00.000-06:002004-03-03T21:48:56.593-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MAN OF TROY Today I blog, for the first time in months, from lovely Troy, Alabama, home of Troy State University, the 2004 Southeastern Journalism Conference and a few other, um, handy entities. Currently, I'm waiting for the rest of my group from USM to finish their on-site competitions - contests in news, feature, entertainment and PR writing, plus tests on media Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1074877080699764222004-01-23T10:45:00.000-06:002004-01-23T13:01:18.890-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - JUST SAY NO TO DOPING I don't know that Jacob Sullum is a sports fan, but as one myself, I don't find his argument that players should be allowed to use artificial enhancements very effective. Sullum has some points: dropping the restrictions gives everyone equal access to the drugs' benefits and to medical professionals who can help reduce the risks associated withMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1074822284576975012004-01-22T19:44:00.000-06:002004-01-22T19:46:45.496-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WATERGATE II? Julian Sanchez at the Hit&Run points to a Boston Globe story that reports Republican staffers monitored Democratic strategy on the web: WASHINGTON -- Republican staff members of the US Senate Judiciary Commitee infiltrated opposition computer files for a year, monitoring secret strategy memos and periodically passing on copies to the media, Senate Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1074208352872649702004-01-15T17:12:00.000-06:002004-01-15T17:14:24.856-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - YOU WON'T TELL, WILL YOU? Looks like it's anonymity for me on The Hattiesburg Canadian, which no longer goes by that name. It's now (tentatively) (The) SpeakEasy. I wanted, and thought we had settled on, The Pulp, but that shows how together we are as the search for advertising begins tomorrow. The staff advisor at The Student Printz (my boss, basically) discovered Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1074099208677334822004-01-14T10:53:00.000-06:002004-01-14T17:25:03.233-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SABINE HEROLD INTERVIEW I'm not sold on TheAtlasphere just yet (I'll post some thoughts on Ayn Rand when I finally finish reading Atlas Shrugged in a week or so), but there's a pretty decent interview up with Sabine Herold, the French student who's become a libertarian darling by being a) young, devoted, energetic and idealistic, b) knowledgable of politics and Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1074098975439454932004-01-14T10:49:00.000-06:002004-01-15T18:50:00.076-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BLOGROLLIN' Via reciprocation for the link it for some reason gave me, welcome to the list INTL News, an alterna-news site with no discernably outrageous biases as far as I can tell from its stories. Of course, there's an AdBusters link on the blogroll page, so proceed with caution. UPDATE: Never mind...the url and link now send you to the World News Network, Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1073973327848909722004-01-12T23:55:00.000-06:002004-01-14T10:47:31.343-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DEFENDING CANNIBALISM If everything is permissable between consenting adults, asks Theodore Dalrymple, why not?: The case raises interesting questions of principle, even for those who take the thoroughly conventional view that eating people is wrong. According to the evidence, Meiwes and Brandes were consenting adults: by what right, therefore, has the state Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1073936540764473122004-01-12T13:42:00.000-06:002004-01-12T13:45:34.856-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - A CONFESSION As a hardcore football fan, a self-obsessed rabid enthusiast, connosieur and amateur expert of the game, it pains me deeply to admit it, but, with the score tied 14-14 early in the fourth quarter of yesterday's great Eagles-Packers NFC divisional playoff game, I actually, um, fell asleep. Playoff game, fourth quarter, tie score, and I konk out like a Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1073935071535162512004-01-12T13:17:00.000-06:002004-01-12T13:19:58.280-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - STOP THE SACAGAWEA CHALLENGE Chris Lawrence points to a Boviosity! post challenging bloggers to circulate more one dollar Sacagawea coins: In order to heighten the coolness factor, I'm going to mark all my Sacagaweas with a Sharpie marker. This will rub off very quickly, but I also encourage other bloggers to do the same. If you spend a Sacagawea, mark it with a Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1073926450011973832004-01-12T10:54:00.000-06:002004-01-12T10:55:57.170-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MORE ON THE NEW CAR BLUES Quick update on the Lexus situation - it's now my mom's. I finally mentioned to my parents that the car was too nice - in an off-hand, joking kind of way - and she asked if I was uncomfortable driving it. Too which I had to say, yes, I was. They'd taken this into account when they bought it, and actually had given me the choice between the Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1073084948176909892004-01-02T17:09:00.000-06:002004-01-02T17:10:43.076-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - COMING UP... Here's the big experiment my friend Jackie and I are cooking up for next semester: an alternative weekly-type arts and culture magazine for Hattiesburg (every other week in our case). Thank God it doesn't have to be very big to fit the art and culture of Hattesburg in. So far we have: - A name: The Hattiesburg Canadian (a spoof on the local paper) - Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1072714932959259012003-12-29T10:22:00.000-06:002004-01-12T10:51:21.640-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GOT THE REALLY NICE NEW CAR BLUES Here's some of the big news for me this Christmas: a new car. A really nice one (mine is actually a '98; the site only links back to '99 for some reason). My parents had talked about getting me a new car for a while, but I never was very interested. I had the perfect car - the Mattmobile (a white 1990 Toyota Camry, a picture and Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1072707213111798112003-12-29T08:13:00.000-06:002003-12-29T10:24:19.140-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ¡LAS RESOLUCIÓNES! I have never been one for New Year's resolutions, but here's one for this year: revive this blog. Not that it was ever Instapundit, but at least when I started last January I was able to get on here everyday and make a go of it and actually get a few hits and links, which still amazes me. I'm a lot busier now (not at the moment, I'm on Christmas Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1072049504358836582003-12-21T17:31:00.000-06:002003-12-29T07:58:14.076-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THE HORROR The New Orleans Saints have found lots of soul-crushing ways to lose in my short lifetime, but none like Sunday's miracle cum disaster. Down 20-13 with nine seconds and 75 yards to go, playoff hopes on the line, Aaron Brooks throws to Donte Stallworth, who breaks two tackles, makes a move upfield, laterals to Michael Lewis, who runs a few yards before Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1071474194686862242003-12-15T01:43:00.000-06:002003-12-15T01:44:24.543-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THEY GOT HIM We're all thrilled, of course, but one serious issue is still unanswered: what will become of Saddam's blog? - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1071177278132458882003-12-11T15:14:00.000-06:002003-12-11T15:24:12.046-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ESCAPING YOUR OWN TRAP Michael Kinsley at Slate on the conundrum of the Democratic candidates who voted for the war in Iraq last winter but now criticize its progress: If they say yes, supporting the war was a mistake, they are declaring that in a test case of the most important decision a president must make—when to go to war—they got it wrong. And if they try to Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1071173758656865432003-12-11T14:15:00.000-06:002003-12-11T14:26:17.170-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DO YOUR OWN THING UNTO OTHERS Peter Bagge at reason wonders what would happen if the Golden Rules merged while celebrating 35 years of Baby Boomer tyranny. Also at reason, Julian Sanchez on the loopholes of the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the McCain-Feingold Bill: Of course, the ultimate loophole is the First Amendment itself. As long as "special interests"—Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1071088086450571372003-12-10T14:28:00.000-06:002003-12-10T14:29:10.640-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - EEP! I have no problem with the NRA, you know, because they're for responsible gun use, but an NRA channel that "would be free to say whatever it wanted about candidates at any time and spend unlimited amounts doing so"? Not that Kerry can stop them, of course, although I don't know that a lobbying group should be granted a "media" exemption. I wonder what the rulesMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1071085062676617962003-12-10T13:37:00.000-06:002003-12-10T13:38:46.700-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT STATE SHOULD YOU LIVE IN? I'm not posting the big picture link to this quiz up here, but my original answer was California. Fine. That's probably true of most people who take the quiz. That's why more people live there. But when I went back and tried repeatedly to tailor my answers to Mississippi, what state did it keep giving me back? Maine. Yes, many Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1071084041042351092003-12-10T13:20:00.000-06:002003-12-10T13:21:45.810-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Keep your koofi. Pass the turkey. Read the Bible. Tony Pierce, "probably the only blog you'll read today written by an African-American," has a few thoughts on Kwanza. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1071028744261540572003-12-09T21:59:00.000-06:002003-12-09T22:01:44.670-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BLOGROLLIN' The campus newpaper site campus press notes has added this underachieving site to its list under "media blogs." Okay. I reciprocate. This is a good site, by the way, although it focuses almost exclusively, it seems, on Northeastern papers. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1070948482535973062003-12-08T23:41:00.000-06:002003-12-10T12:51:58.296-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH Not that it matters, but here's my final regular season Top 25 and All-America teams for the year (I know, I know, Oklahoma Number One?! But they're still the best team. Don't argue with me. They've been too dominant against the best competition all year; they get a mulligan - although, admittedly, it's a pretty big mulligan at a pretty Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1069722575403665772003-11-24T19:09:00.000-06:002003-11-24T19:10:59.716-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - VICTORY! And self-promotion, too. My column for last week. No big whoop. But Thursday night was. Very glad I wasn't in the press box, after all; nothing like tearing the goal posts down after winning the conference championship. A tremendous, tremendous amount of fun, all night. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1069121117540823682003-11-17T20:05:00.000-06:002003-11-19T20:19:41.966-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOT MUCH RESPECT...YET All the talk, understandebly (I guess), is about TCU and the BCS. Of course, USM can win the conference championship too, and put TCU in the GMAC Bowl, but nobody seems to believe that could possibly happen. ESPN and tons o' national media will be on hand to gush about TCU and TCU's chances of crashing the BCS and what a bunch of Cinderella Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1068584159777210252003-11-11T14:55:00.000-06:002003-11-11T14:57:15.186-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LIVING IN A SLUM FOR A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION That's me! According to R. Emmett Tyrell, Jr., anyway: Anyone familiar with how far university alumni publications depart from the reality of campus life when they depict it to potential financial supporters knows that for many years universities have been boldly deceiving outsiders. Most universities are, at least when Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1068583702311987182003-11-11T14:48:00.000-06:002003-11-11T14:48:47.326-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ELSEWHERE... Last Thursday's column ("Loyalty will pay off...") has probably been up for a few days now, although I'm just now getting around to linking to it. Check it out. The date at the top of the Opinions page online is wrong, by the way; it should be "Thursday, November 6," as it is everywhere else, not Tuesday. Also, if you read the "Our View," my name Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1068062515525097002003-11-05T14:01:00.000-06:002003-11-05T14:07:02.326-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AMERICANS DEMAND INCREASED PROTECTION FROM THEMSELVES What's this? Has The Onion gone libertarian? I wonder if this passes as an original idea among its more "progressive" readers. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1067883370820367272003-11-03T12:16:00.000-06:002003-11-03T12:16:25.530-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SELF-PROMOTION Because the usual second column covered some too-familiar ground and had to be cut, I wound up writing all three pieces for last Thursday's Opinions page. Only my column ("Get out and vote, sucker...") had my name on it, but I also wrote the 'Our View' ("Vote yes on SCR 522") and, at the last minute, the "Printz Lickety Split Guide to Third Party Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1067880484715534572003-11-03T11:28:00.000-06:002003-11-03T11:28:24.826-06:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - JUST A WING OF THE ADMINISTRATION? Lawyer and former judge Andrew P. Napolitano, in Reason: If there is strong evidence to believe that Airman al-Halibi is a spy, then the government should prosecute him no matter where he was when he spied. But in its prosecution of the war on terror, it seems that government lawyers from the Attorney General on down have Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1066966044154459272003-10-23T22:27:00.000-05:002003-10-23T22:39:46.930-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHAT'S UP I don't know. What's up with you? Two whole weeks without a post - this thing has really turned into a Terry Schiavo situation, hasn't it? My blog is awaiting executive order to be hooked up to a feeding tube. Il benvenuto to Italians searching for the other Terry Schiavo (warning: adult-related link). After a week away for Fall Break, my column ("'UnderMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1065654298486551832003-10-08T18:04:00.000-05:002003-10-08T18:06:06.810-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - HOLY SHIT. HOLY HOLY HOLY SHIT. Via America's Worst (or best) employed writer, it's the Breakfast from Hell. Check out the nutrition facts. WOW. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1065410060623844142003-10-05T22:14:00.000-05:002003-10-05T22:33:54.610-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - HITTING THE LINKS I'd never played golf before, save screwing around on a few holes with my cousin last Thanksgiving, but that didn't stop me from entering the prestigious Greek Scholarship Tournament at the lovely Canebrake course in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Of course, had I known beforehand that this was a competitive tournament that would pair me with people who Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1065205213108196382003-10-03T13:20:00.000-05:002003-10-03T13:28:36.750-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GOOD NIGHT, NOT SO GOOD MORNING Made it to my noon meeting at the paper, but I'm still feeling the effects of last night's Radiohead show in New Orleans. Or, more appropriately, the effects of our post-show festivities. Great show, great crowd, et cetera et cetera (never got any better than when they opened with 2+2=5 and There There, though), but I had a hard time Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1065029412927751842003-10-01T12:30:00.000-05:002003-10-01T12:30:36.520-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - HEY, BUDDY, YOU KNOW WHERE IT'S AT - WHERE'D YOU GET THAT MESHBACK TRUCKER CAP? DID YOU ORDER IT FROM THE ONION OR THE GAP? Via Steve Silver, via the NYT, a wonderful blog I wish I had discovered long ago: the New York City Anti-Hipster forum. It's core as hell. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1064603156532116102003-09-26T14:05:00.000-05:002003-09-26T14:05:56.630-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SELF-PROMOTION My column for this week is up ("Experiment reflects commitment"). I'm not particularly thrilled with it, not least because I'm not nearly as supportive of the movement as I appear to be, but it could be worse. So, after that ringing endorsement, go check it out. Also this week: my Nebraska-USM Preview (with the link to the postgame story right above Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1064597911900505262003-09-26T12:34:00.000-05:002003-09-26T12:38:31.493-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MORFORD WATCH: FOLLOWING AMERICA'S WORST (OR BEST) EMPLOYED WRITER Today Mark's pissed, but not about BushCo, conservative Christians or Lynn Cheney. Seems his girlfriend's been stealing his socks. Right. This warrants a column? A paragraph, of sorts: I know this happens. I have caught her, now and then, as she undresses, removing a pair of my own socks from her Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1064597585834266212003-09-26T12:06:00.000-05:002003-09-26T12:33:41.746-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THE HUMANITY! Okay, I didn't get a press pass, and the game didn't go exactly as we would have liked. But I still had a good time. I was disappointed that we immediately did everything within our power to take ourselves out of the game halfway through the first quarter, and that we weren't more competitive on national TV. But it was a good atmosphere, everyone was Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1064460271214719732003-09-24T22:24:00.000-05:002003-09-24T22:25:44.666-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THEN I POPPED A CAP IN A NIGGAZ ASS, YA HEARD ME? As I was walking between the library and the commons tonight on my way from more than five hours' work at the paper to more work for my classes, an SUV pulled up to the end of the narrow street (which is barricaded, because it ends) and the African American gentlemen inside said they were from Nebraska and asked me Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1064253288832452992003-09-22T12:08:00.000-05:002003-09-22T12:54:48.193-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THE DAY, THE DOG THAT SINGLE-HANDEDLY TURNED ME INTO A CAT PERSON I wrote about my new roommates Phil, Nick and Ben the other day, and Phil's rottweiler, Thibodeaux. I said then that I felt sorry for Thibodeaux, because he's very affectionate but also very stupid and hyper and not very aware of the physical presence of other objects or even his own body, so he's Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063993131962210542003-09-19T12:38:00.000-05:002003-09-19T12:39:37.860-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MORFORD WATCH: FOLLOWING AMERICA'S WORST (OR BEST) EMPLOYED WRITER It's back. Today, Mark is all over Revolve, the new teen magazine combining the New Testament with advice on makeup, sex and dressing like "a child of God." I think the idea of this magazine is ridiculous and insulting to Christianity, but not, of course, as insulting as Morford: "Revolve" is Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063991430954340972003-09-19T12:10:00.000-05:002003-09-19T12:13:53.596-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AVAST, ME HEARTIES! It be Talk Like a Pirate Day. Scurvy seadog BrykMantra be especially excited. Maybe too excited. Yar. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063944566950423592003-09-18T23:09:00.000-05:002003-09-18T23:09:26.986-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - UNIVERSAL WRITER'S BLOCK Well, maybe not universal, but as I quickly look around the lab I'm in right now at five people in my immediate vicinity with Microsoft Word open, all of them are just staring at the screen. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063943886578352522003-09-18T22:58:00.000-05:002003-09-18T22:58:32.150-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MORE RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT SPENDING God knows that money won't promote itself: NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The new pink $20 bill is about to enter into circulation, like it or not. But the government wants you to like it. The Department of the Treasury will spend $53 million over the next five years on a public relations campaign to market new money (in addition to Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063942320216947152003-09-18T22:32:00.000-05:002003-09-18T23:02:26.756-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SELF-PROMOTION My latest piece is up for The Printz, wherein I pretend to know something about the collapse of the World Trade Organization talks and the economic plight of the third world. Letters from the Amnesty International wing of campus should put me in my place. For a much more respectable overview of the WTO talks, check out Ronald Bailey's Reason series. Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063839625483286862003-09-17T18:00:00.000-05:002003-09-17T18:00:25.670-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CAPLE ON MISSISSIPPI I was catching up on some of the web reading I got behind on the last three or four days, and came across (amongst a wealth of good Page 2 stuff) two articles about my home state as Jim Caple heads down the Mississippi River. The first is about those racists up at Ole Miss and their controversial Colonel Reb mascot. I actually kind of like it, Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063686653440312562003-09-15T23:30:00.000-05:002003-09-15T23:42:17.820-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THIS IS THE TALE OF FOUR STRANGERS, PICKED TO LIVE IN A HOUSE... So here's my living situation: At the last minute, like a week before school starts, I move into a four-bed, two bath house that also has two living rooms. I don't know the square footage, but it's excellent size, especially for four guys who, so far, seem very inclined to stay out of each other's way.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063512314336420012003-09-13T23:05:00.000-05:002003-09-13T23:05:14.296-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DE-LINKING I discover with dismay that Rachel Lucas, the first person ever to bestow upon me a permanent link (or "permalink"), has rescinded the honor in the midst of reorganizing her blogroll. And with the shape this site was in over the summer, I don't blame her. I'll just have to earn it back, I guess. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063512041358333962003-09-13T23:00:00.000-05:002003-09-13T23:11:13.943-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SOUTH-ERN MIS-SIS-SIP-PI TO THE TOP... Six Memphis turnovers lead to a Golden Eagle win tonight in USM's home opener. The offense was abysmal again, but the defense was opportunistic (for the second time in three weeks, opponents netted just 3 points on two visits inside the Southern Miss one-yard line) and a huge special teams score put us over the top. Oh, for Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063430789505831312003-09-13T00:26:00.000-05:002003-09-13T00:42:53.240-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DEAR ME... What do you want to say to your future self? Check out FutureMe to send yourself a digital time capsule. Mine included staunch admonition for any possible failure this semester (of which the potential right now is astronomical, although it will be better if I can get past this week) and querries about the Saints' and Golden Eagles' seasons. Check the Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063398324917852002003-09-12T15:20:00.000-05:002003-09-12T15:26:42.360-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - COURT SAYS NO TO "INVISIBLE OFFICER IN YOUR BACKSEAT" The Washington (state) Supreme Court has ruled police must have a warrant before they're allowed to use a GPS-tracker system to tail suspects. The decision came in the case of William Bradley Jackson, who was seeking to overturn his murder conviction because of the GPS tracker police used to follow him to his 9-Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063393301960633622003-09-12T13:57:00.000-05:002003-09-12T14:01:41.950-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THE KIND OF LETTER YOU DELIVER BY HAND That damn postage law foils a perfect alibi: PITTSBURGH -- A man who thought he had hatched a perfect alibi to charges that he murdered a man in a barroom shooting two years ago had his scheme foiled when a letter asking a friend to lie for him was returned and was read by jail guards. Demetrius Murrell, 24, of Pittsburgh, Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063378687835320032003-09-12T09:53:00.000-05:002003-09-12T09:58:14.090-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ANOTHER DEATH: JOHN RITTER Just below the Cash obit (see below), the Times reports the sudden death of John Ritter. He collapsed on the set of his show 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter due to "a previously undetected arterial problem." He was only 54 years old. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063378363774143922003-09-12T09:40:00.000-05:002003-09-12T15:00:45.036-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - JOHNNY CASH, 1932-2003 I don't know much about Johnny Cash or his music, but still I respect him as much as any of my favorites. He never let himself be pinned to country stereotypes, and he's the only musician I know of who could still claim to be wildly popular and relevant into his 70s. The New York Times has a lengthy remembrance. UPDATE: For someone who Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063341219189260032003-09-11T23:33:00.000-05:002003-09-12T00:10:40.903-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SELF-PROMOTION My ridiculous, blasphemous 9-11 column is up today, although it doesn't actually mention 9-11. I expected some reaction to this, but there hasn't been any so far. I guess either nobody got the joke, or they thought the Saved by the Bell thing was a viable point. It's kind of sad either way. (for some unfortunate reason, the online version of my column Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063312417370332772003-09-11T15:19:00.000-05:002003-09-11T23:36:39.416-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LET'S GET INTROSPECTIVE Yes, let's. I was thinking just now, as I have a little free time during the day for a change, about the blog and how little it now means to me. In four months, I've lost every bit of motivation I ever had to do this. Last spring, for the several months after I began this thing (in January), I felt awful if I didn't have half a dozen posts Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1063310188018096902003-09-11T14:54:00.000-05:002003-09-11T14:56:28.510-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOSE TEMPORARILY AMPUTATED FROM GRINDSTONE How long has it been since I've been around here? Oh my God. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1062467365968666452003-09-01T20:49:00.000-05:002003-09-01T20:49:25.820-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GOOD THING THE SHOW WAS FREE Portland police take down a Shakespearean actor for wielding a sword: Sept. 1, 2003 | PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- When, five minutes before curtain call, one of the leading actors in Portland's Northwest Classical Theatre Company's production of "King Henry VI, Part 1" was arrested, his colleagues ensured that the show went on. Thaddeus "Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1062011256588783532003-08-27T14:07:00.000-05:002003-08-27T14:07:36.640-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS? IN A BUREACRACY? Ronald Bailey on privatizing the space program: The CAIB has identified technical safety problems, and they will be fixed. But the report also recommends that NASA create "an independent Technical Engineering Authority" that would be in charge of shuttle safety. Adding a new managerial layer of scared, risk-averse Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061953970646613642003-08-26T22:12:00.000-05:002003-08-26T22:13:40.886-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SELF-PROMOTION Two sports articles up in the Printz today (although the Davis feature, a collaboration, doesn't give me a byline): click here to check them out (top two stories in the right-hand column). I also filed my opinion piece for Thursday today, on police surveillance cameras, but upon further review it needs some reworking. Hopefully I'll be able to make Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061767781014276622003-08-24T18:29:00.000-05:002003-08-24T18:37:57.476-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MISSISSIPPI v. ROE v. WADE? In an interesting case, supreme court justices in my home state have declared a fetus to be a living person: JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi Supreme Court, in a decision criticized by one of its members as an assault on Roe v. Wade, held Thursday that a fetus is a "person" under state law and wrongful death claims can be filed on its Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061765611423054192003-08-24T17:53:00.000-05:002003-08-24T17:53:31.270-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SELLING THE PATRIOT ACT More from the always interesting Jacob Sullum, this time on John Ashcroft's USA PATRIOT Act Tour (the "Just Trust Us" Tour): Section 215 [of the act] covers a lot of territory. The ACLU, which has challenged the provision in federal court, notes that the FBI could use it to demand, among other things, "personal belongings, such as books, Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061751084067061592003-08-24T13:51:00.000-05:002003-08-24T13:51:23.930-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SELF-PROMOTION My first editorial, on Nissan's Electric MOYO ad campaign, is up. It's been up for a couple days, actually, but internet access has been spotty, so I haven't been able to post until now. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061487877892421822003-08-21T12:44:00.000-05:002003-08-21T12:48:25.156-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - RAVES UNDER MORE FIRE Jacob Sullum continues his crusade against the War on Drugs (or, more specifically, the War on Raves) at Reason, citing two new bills in the works on the heels of April's infamous Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act (the RAVE Act descendant): While critics of the war on drugs are worried that the DEA won't keep its word [to "shield innocent Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061410508712543482003-08-20T15:15:00.000-05:002003-08-20T15:15:08.713-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THEY'RE LISTENING, A LITTLE TOO CLOSELY As John Ashcroft looks to drum up support for the PATRIOT Act, Orren Hatch's office is circulating the Vital Interdiction of Criminal Terrorist Organizations Act of 2003, or VICTORY Act, designed to increase the feds' subpeona and wire tap powers in the Wars on Drugs and Terror. Some provisions of the bill: - Raise the Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061409572596309602003-08-20T14:59:00.000-05:002003-08-20T14:59:32.406-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - APARTHEID...IN CALIFORNIA? Aside from its financial and political problems, experts are now warning illegal immigration could turn California into an "apartheid state": (CNSNews.com) - California may evolve into an "apartheid state" unless major changes are made in immigration policy, a panel of immigration experts warned Tuesday. The problems are fueled primarily Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061408910953188022003-08-20T14:48:00.000-05:002003-08-20T14:48:30.806-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I GUESS THE STREETS ARE SAFE AFTER ALL City of Tampa is doing away with its face-scanning surveillance cameras on city streets after the cameras failed to identify a single wanted individual in two years: The system was intended to recognize the facial characteristics of felons, sexual predators and runaway children by matching passers-by in Ybor City with a Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061401486821084152003-08-20T12:44:00.000-05:002003-08-20T12:47:48.353-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO GOES AROUND HAVING FUN This may be a little too close to me. Also, don't miss "Bob Hope Happy to See So Many Troops in Heaven" and a review of Kings of Leon, a highly recommended album I picked up in London. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061401043028410402003-08-20T12:37:00.000-05:002003-08-20T12:37:25.540-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MAKING THEM PAY FOR OUR DRUG PROBLEM After a two year hiatus, anti-drug air raids over Colombia will resume within days; from the Washington Post story: Bush, in a memo to Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, said he had determined that the surveillance flights were necessary and could be done without undue risk to civilian air traffic in Colombia. "Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061400017203412022003-08-20T12:20:00.000-05:002003-08-20T12:20:17.203-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SPIN MACHINES With Howard Dean still making web waves, the Official Re-election Site for the Bush/ Cheney ticket launched today. Check out the administration's official plans for the economy ("The President’s tax relief will allow the American people to keep more of their own money to spend, save and invest; encourage individuals and businesses to make new Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061334826858994802003-08-19T18:13:00.000-05:002003-08-19T18:13:46.863-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - DEMAND FOR DATA BY FEDS ON THE RISE The Atlanta Journal-Consitution on the government's increased snooping: Washington --- Private businesses such as phone companies, banks and retail stores are facing more requests from law enforcement agencies for information about their customers, forcing many to deploy staff and upgrade equipment to meet the demand. The Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061334485645150662003-08-19T18:08:00.000-05:002003-08-19T18:08:05.673-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WHO WILL SAVE THE CHILDREN?, PART 4,678 Via Arts & Letters Daily, more on Diane Ravitch's new book and the expanding omission of certain innocuous words from textbooks: The Language Police is a fascinating and often infuriating account of the utter incoherence that the principle of fairness creates in American education. Ravitch's book is also a penetrating study ofMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061314783807502142003-08-19T12:39:00.000-05:002003-08-19T12:48:47.226-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MOCKING MISSISSIPPI For the second (or third, actually, counting the original column) consecutive August, Slate is running David Plotz's get rid of August column, which has to open with a pot shot at my home state (which, apparently, despite its contributions to music - like rock 'n roll, folks? Where do you think it started? - and literature, the United States wouldMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061242180817595342003-08-18T16:29:00.000-05:002003-08-18T16:49:56.000-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FREEDOM NEWS BOUNTY Quite a bit of interesting news at freemarket.net today: A Colorado court has ruled fake drug checkpoints, designed to catch violators who turn around or toss drugs or paraphenalia out of the window, are okay: DENVER, Colorado (AP) -- Colorado police can set up fake checkpoints in hopes of sniffing out illegal drugs, an appeals court ruled in a Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1061228946760728532003-08-18T12:49:00.000-05:002003-08-18T16:50:30.426-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - COMPUTERS TO COPY THE WORLD'S BEST MACHINE Via Arts & Letters Daily, a Seattle Times piece on the fascinating concept of DNA-fueled computers: SAN FRANCISCO — It sounds too fantastic to be true, but a growing amount of research supports the idea that DNA, the basic building block of life, could also be the basis of a staggeringly powerful new generation of computersMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1060977947100409152003-08-15T15:05:00.000-05:002003-08-15T15:16:02.276-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BLOGGERS SELECT AMERICA'S WORST From Right Wing News, the Left and Right lists of the 20 Worst Figures in American History (note that both lists relegate serial killers almost exclusively to the 'Honorable Mention' category): The Left List (# of votes, out of 36 blogs participating, in parentheses) 1) Joseph McCarthy (26) 2) Richard Nixon (25) 3) J. Edgar Hoover (16Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1060975701295157552003-08-15T14:28:00.000-05:002003-08-15T15:27:51.370-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WAS THIS SCHOOL JERRY FALWELL'S IDEA? New York's Harvey Milk School, "the nation's first accredited public high school designed to meet the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth (LGBTQ)," is facing a lawsuit from New York Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr., and a parent representing four students who attend "poor, failing and underfunded high Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1060884286259735822003-08-14T13:04:00.000-05:002003-08-14T13:09:19.576-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - HEY JEALOUSY Okay, this isn't really necessary, is it? Is it a joke, maybe? I mean, really. Blog wars. Blog wars. If the blogosphere is truly the new media, the future of political commentary, a "true democracy of news and media," then why do people spend so much time pulling their hair out over links and page views and influence? Because it's about ego, of course,Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1060882686521139792003-08-14T12:38:00.000-05:002003-08-14T12:42:40.030-05:00BACK IN THE U.S.A. Okay, so technically I've been back from London for a week and a half. I'm sorry I didn't make many posts while I was there; time was scarce and internet access expensive. And once I fell behind in my web reading, all my internet time was spent making it up. But did I love London? Yes. Am I glad to be back home? Yes. A month of go-go-go (it's the time of your life, don't wasteMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1058980929593879052003-07-23T12:22:00.000-05:002003-08-14T12:47:41.403-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BLOGROLLIN' A quick thanks to Rachael of Mookie Riffic for the link. I'm flattered to appeal to high school girls barely older than my sister, even if she does only read me as often as she cleans her room. Which is about how often I've updated this summer, unless she's some kind of Danny Tanner wannabe (yeah, that's right, I referenced Full House. Got a problem with Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1058890319534032592003-07-22T11:11:00.000-05:002003-08-03T22:48:15.960-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - NOT DEAD - YET A quick check-in from London, where I returned yesterday for the next couple weeks after spending eight of the last nine days in Normandy (with my World War II class), Amsterdam and Berlin. The WW II sites in Normandy - particularly Omaha Beach, the most heavily defended of the five beaches, where every aspect of the invasion plan went wrong and the Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1057582647407745242003-07-07T07:57:00.000-05:002003-07-07T07:57:27.193-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THEY MIXED UP THE PENALTIES A year and a fine for wife beating, life for spitting: OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) -- An Oklahoma man arrested on suspicion of beating his wife faced year in prison and a fine. But when he spit in an arresting officer's face, he got a life sentence instead, officials said Wednesday. John Carl Marquez, 36, was convicted of "placing bodily Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1057581220740091482003-07-07T07:33:00.000-05:002003-07-07T07:52:17.210-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LONDON IS FUN! And time-consuming. I have no idea what's been happening anywhere in the world since Wednesday, but my days here have been pretty full, and that's all I ask for. Good people, good times. Blogging will probably be sporadic over the next month while I take classes, see the sights, and hit the pubs. Plus I have to pay for internet access, so you'll just Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1057182832088253372003-07-02T16:53:00.000-05:002003-07-02T16:53:51.900-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BACK UP SOON It's off to London for a month tomorrow, and I have no idea what the internet situation will be when I get there. Blogging could be rich and fruitful, or sporadic. Check back in a couple of days, when I'll have a betetr idea what's what and how often I'll be able to post. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1057172450037304892003-07-02T14:00:00.000-05:002003-07-02T14:00:49.856-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AMERICA'S BEST ONLINE COLUMNIST? Our old friend Mark Morford, dubbed "America's Worst Employed Writer" by myself and others, has been awarded the "Best Online Columnist" award for 2003 from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Yikes. The competition was open only to online writers whose work has not appeared in print versions of their publications, but Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1056980691335224892003-06-30T08:44:00.000-05:002003-06-30T08:51:47.750-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LOOK OUT, BILL Let the liberal floodgates open on Bill Frist: WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate majority leader said Sunday he supported a proposed constitutional amendment to ban homosexual marriage in the United States. Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said the Supreme Court's decision last week on gay sex threatens to make the American home a place where criminality is Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1056747921868985402003-06-27T16:05:00.000-05:002003-06-27T16:05:21.826-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - STOP TELEMARKETING BEFORE IT STARTS Tired of those annoying phone calls during dinner? I know I am! Hit the "Do Not Call" registry to add your name to the list of the not-so-interested. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1056746673759971282003-06-27T15:44:00.000-05:002003-06-27T15:57:12.270-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GO TO HELL BLOGGER! I just lost a huge, time-consuming post on Arthur Silber's discussion of Ayn Rand's "New Facism," and the way the government's - especially the military - continued intertwining with private corporations - especially certain companies, in certain countries, surrounding certain wars - is creating a cabal of politically influential private Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1056739247318364392003-06-27T13:40:00.000-05:002003-06-27T13:42:02.716-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SENATOR THURMOND DEAD AT 100 Not to be disrespectful, but this is such a strange thing to read, because the guy always looked like a corpse anyway, and people seemed to refer to him as a kind of zombie. Like he was immune to death. But, alas, it awaits us all. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1056662552742512962003-06-26T16:22:00.000-05:002003-06-26T16:22:49.713-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AND YOU THOUGHT DETENTION WAS BAD... Look out, kid, teacher's packin' heat: The Jordan School Board gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a policy outlining the conditions under which district employees may carry a concealed weapon on school property with a valid permit. Employees must keep the weapon concealed and employees who legally use a concealed weapon on Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1056662195466668812003-06-26T16:16:00.000-05:002003-06-26T16:16:35.453-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SPICE UP FINANCIAL NEWS: ADD PLAYBOY If you're conducting studies for a living, you might as well have fun with it: According to researchers, a comparison of the faces and figures of Playmates of the Year from 1960 to 2000 suggests men may prefer stronger-looking women in hard times, and softer, more vulnerable types when bull markets resume. "In short, we want Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-1056657568980078102003-06-26T14:59:00.000-05:002003-06-26T16:24:11.990-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - OOH, THE PRETTY COLORS I'm liking the new Blogger edit page. The same basic buttons and setup, but it's easier to navigate and open different options, much easier to preview changes, it notifies you of errors in html links, and it's a little more attractive, too. Nice work, guys. In blogroll news, at the suggestion of Steve Silver, I made the long overdue addition Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-959882542003-06-24T13:02:00.000-05:002003-06-24T13:05:06.000-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MORE INSIDIOUS DRUG ABUSE! A few kids are hunting a new hallucinogenic herb, and the DEA doesn't like it: WASHINGTON — Federal drug agents are so concerned about the growing use of a little-known and accessible herb with hallucinogenic qualities that they are taking steps to treat it like cocaine, heroin and LSD, and make it illegal. The herb is salvia divinorum, aMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-959877242003-06-24T12:44:00.000-05:002003-06-24T13:11:18.000-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! JUST NOT ANYTIME SOON Gregg Easterbrook, in Wired, on the probability, or lack thereof, of humanity meeting the horrible demised predicted by so many: Not long ago, such cosmic thrills, chills, and spills were confined to comic books, sci-fi movies, and the Book of Revelation. Lately, though, they've seeped into a broader arena, filling not onlyMatthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-958693602003-06-20T12:33:00.000-05:002003-06-20T12:33:39.203-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GOOGLE WHILE YOU WORK My morning at work: two and a half hours peeling, taping, and sticking banners, two and a half hours goofing off on the internet. My afternoon: internet until quittin' time. Jealous? Don't be. Getting paid for reading McSweeney's archives isn't the most gratifying feeling in the world. I'll be feeling the pangs when I deposit my check. - - - - -Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-958077892003-06-18T18:15:00.000-05:002003-06-18T18:15:58.123-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SAME PLANET, DIFFERENT WORLDS As the EU discusses lifting bans on GM food, these totally divergent pieces from today's mosh pit: First, there's this propaganda the Common Dreams Progressive Newswire ("Breaking News for the Progressive Community"), where - predictably - GM food is not regarded so kindly: The Independent Science Panel (ISP) yesterday released a Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4119052.post-958058152003-06-18T16:59:00.000-05:002003-06-18T16:59:01.790-05:00- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CONTROLLING THE MEDIA Arthur Silber at Light of Reason has some concerns over the government's control of communications in the name of homeland security in respone to this "throaway line" from a William Safire op-ed in The New York Times: There may be some serious homeland-security angles to communications legislation that would be of interest to House Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15978185132981008535noreply@blogger.com