3.31.2007

Name That Tune/Drug

An interesting quiz from Idolator.

RADIOHEAD SONG, OR DRUG FOUND IN ANNA NICOLE SMITH'S
AUTOPSY REPORT?

A) Myxomatosis

B) Diazepam

C) Diphenhydramine

D) Polyethylene

E) Melatonin

F) Atropine





Answers:



A, D, E: Radiohead songs

B, C, F: Drugs found in Anna Nicole Smith's autopsy report

Circuit City Can Suck It

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know how unions protect lazy workers and you know this one
guy who blah blah blah, but this is the alternative.
Circuit City Stores Inc. has a
message for some of its best-paid employees: Work for less or work somewhere
else.


The electronics retailer on Wednesday laid off
3,400 people who earned "well above" the local market rate for the sort of jobs
they held at its stores.


In 11 weeks they'll be able to apply for their
old positions — which will come with lower hourly wages.

What a bunch of dicks.

While I'm discussing electronics stores, I should mention the two biggest scams
are extended warranties and Monster cables. Never buy either.

All Problems Have Been Solved!!!

Florida Republican Ric Keller introduced the Curb Illegal Downloading on College Campuses Act of 2007, so apparently the problems of terrorism, global warming, Anna Nicole's baby daddy, and Sanjaya have all been solved. Yay.
"Illegal downloading of music and movies on college campuses is harming their computer networks by consuming a huge amount of education-related bandwidth and exposing them to viruses. It's just plain wrong to steal billions of dollars in intellectual property from hardworking people whose jobs hang in the balance," said Keller.
"My legislation encourages colleges to be part of the solution by allowing them to apply for federal grants to help purchase innovative technologies that will stem piracy on their computer networks," Keller added.
Onward to the war on Delta House!

Crash Course on Bushthink

Diplomacy 101:
Talking Is For Pussies/Other People's Point Of View Is Worth Shit:

I know that Assad probably really wants people to come and have a photo opportunity and have tea with him, and have discussions about where they’re coming from, but we do think that’s a really bad idea.
Let me tidy that up for clarity:
Assad probably really wants people to come and have...discussions about where they’re coming from, but we do think that’s a really bad idea.
Bush foreign policy in once sentence.

3.19.2007

More questions

Christopher Hitchen's latest Slate piece is a pile of crap in which he basically throws himself softballs in order to conclude that going to war in Iraq was the only rational choice. He ends this pile of crap with this:
So, you seriously mean to say that we would not be living in a better or safer world if the coalition forces had turned around and sailed or flown home in the spring of 2003?

That's exactly what I mean to say.
Well, thanks for your opinion, Chris. But what about some obvious questions that line of thinking brings up:
  1. Are we living in a better, safer world now that we have had four years of the Iraq War?
  2. Do you think the situation in Afghanistan would be any different if the effort poured into Iraq were focused there instead?
  3. If we had "turned around" instead of attacking, would the 3,213 soldiers who have died in the Iraq still be dead?
  4. Do you seriously even care about question #3?

3.17.2007

Straight Talk

I'm completely embarrassed to admit that in the not-so-distant past, I fell under the spell of Straight Talk McCain.

Fortunately, I have seen the light.
Q: “What about grants for sex education in the United States? Should they include instructions about using contraceptives? Or should it be Bush’s policy, which is just abstinence?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “Ahhh. I think I support the president’s policy.”

Q: “So no contraception, no counseling on contraception. Just abstinence. Do you think contraceptives help stop the spread of HIV?”

Mr. McCain: (Long pause) “You’ve stumped me.”

Q: “I mean, I think you’d probably agree it probably does help stop it?”

Mr. McCain: (Laughs) “Are we on the Straight Talk express? I’m not informed enough on it. Let me find out. You know, I’m sure I’ve taken a position on it on the past. I have to find out what my position was. Brian, would you find out what my position is on contraception – I’m sure I’m opposed to government spending on it, I’m sure I support the president’s policies on it.”

Q: “But you would agree that condoms do stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Would you say: ‘No, we’re not going to distribute them,’ knowing that?”

Mr. McCain: (Twelve-second pause) “Get me Coburn’s thing, ask Weaver to get me Coburn’s paper that he just gave me in the last couple of days. I’ve never gotten into these issues before.”
He can't simply answer whether or not condoms help stop the spread of std's? And he wants to be president? Are you kidding me?

Wait. My bad. For a second there I thought the United States was smart enough to dismiss these kooks. Then I remembered who's been in the White House for nearly eight years.

Kill me now.

3.16.2007

The Host

I just saw The Host.

I liked it, but am I missing something? Before I watched it, I saw nothing but rave reviews. Reviewers who were comparing how many times they saw it, Falling all over themselves about how different this movie is from other "monster" movies. I mean, yeah, it was good, but it wasn't that good. Now, I've recently become a fan of Asian cinema, so I know that a lot of it really is different and really is excellent (Oldboy, The Audition, Infernal Affairs, etc). The Host simply isn't in that league; it isn't even playing the same sport.

I saw it, I enjoyed it, yet I have no plans to see it again or recommend it to everyone I see. I'm wondering if The Host isn't getting extra points in reviewer's minds simply because it is an Asian movie.