I’ve gotten used to the Mac OS X dock pretty much now, even with it’s drawbacks. One of them is that even though it will hold an incredible number of items, in practice that’s a bad idea. You see, each item I put into the dock makes every other item smaller. And since there is no scrapbook in OS X (gee, it was a standard Mac thing since 1984, what the heck was so terrible about it that they dumped it?), the dock has to serve to hold every little scrap.
Right now, my dock is so full of webpages I found interesting that I can only see a small gray blur across the bottom of my screen. Thus, my regular feature: Clearing the Dock!
Forgotten NY: this site looks at “antique” New York, featuring pictures of old subways, buildings, signs…
Order of the Phoenix Fun-tastic Innuendo List: A compendium of the fun double-entendres in the latest Harry Potter book, such as “… every part of him screaming for release, Harry felt the creature use him again…” (pg. 720)
Stupid Warning Labels: example: On Nytol sleep aid: Warning: may cause drowsiness.
John Gilmore was removed from a plane for wearing a “suspected terrorist” button.
Cool picture of lightning striking the Sears tower then striking another building.
Careful: The FB-Eye May be Watching tells the story of a man who was interrogated and investigated by the FBI simply because someone reported him for reading an article on journalism post-9/11 in a coffee shop line.
Snopes.com reports on a new scam: the national “do not call” registry has a loophole for telemarketers — they can call when a customer “requests” the calls. So, the weasels are figuring out ways to trick you into “requesting” them:
This week I received a card in the mail that looked alright — It said “vote for your favorite cola — Pepsi or Coke — and receive a complementary 12 pack” It didn’t look suspicious — but for some reason I kept looking at it.
THEN I FOUND IT !! At the bottom of the card there is a VERY small statement. It is SO small it is hard to read—but here is what it says— By completing this form, you agree that sponsors and co-sponsors of this offer may telephone you, even if your number is found on a do not call registry or list”
On JobforJon.com, our host (who was downsized from his software company job) describes his encounter with Bush’s economic team during a swing through Wisconsin and Minnesota. When asked about joblessness, Treasury Secretary Snow says to him:
“Just wait, I’m sure you’ll find a job.”
Boy I’d like to see those words on a PR banner behind Snow at the podium: Jobs and Growth: Just Wait.
Washington Post: Military Warns Soldiers Against Public Criticism: In other words, sit there in the sand and keep your mouth shut.
Molly Ivins comments about the report of the September 11 panel:
…all the stuff that has been blindingly obvious for months is now blamed for the fiasco.
The report was completed late last year, but its publication was delayed by endless wrangles with the administration over what could be declassified. Former Georgia Sen. Max Cleland, who served on the committee, said the report’s release was deliberately delayed by the White House until after the war in Iraq was over because it undercuts the rationale for the war.
The report confirms that there was no connection between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda.
The California Secretary of State website lists all the candidates for the recall election. I want to know how in hell they are going to deal with such a huge, confusing ballot. Shades of Florida, anyone?
Bizarre signs in Thailand, including one billboard for flavored condoms for “teen confidence.”
IM-Stalking: constantly checking away messages for no reason.
Black Hurricane Names Brewing Swirl of Dissent: I vote to name hurricanes Varnisha and Shellaqua.
Caught on Film: A chronology of Bush saying one thing then doing another, from the House Appropriations Committee.
Homosexuality, in the Biblical Sense: a new look at “queer theology”.
Legal Affairs features an article on the “copyright cage” – the arcane provisions of copyright laws that include such odd rules as: Bars can’t have TVs bigger than 55 inches. Teddy bears can’t include tape decks. Girl Scouts who sing “Puff, the Magic Dragon” owe royalties.
Conceptual Guerilla’s Strategy and Tactics: How to defeat the right in three minutes.
Twin Cities Design Celebration 2003: features a typeface that changes according to the weather.
Washington Post: Does the Bush administration distort science to support their policies?
It’s a long-fought rivalry: Helvetica vs. Arial.
Carving Out a Place in History: a stone carver engraves a tribute to Martin Luther King on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
How soon they forget: GOP Senators Fled Texas in 1993 Vote.
Titan Arum at the US Botanic Garden: documents the blooming of the huge (and smelly) flower.
The Spies Who Pushed For War: reports on the shadow rightwing intelligence network set up in Washington to second-guess the CIA and deliver a justification for toppling Saddam Hussein by force.
Impeach Bush! Justification: Offsetting Political Expediency.
How to Understand Statistics: this entry on the BBC’s h2g2 sheds light on such things as Dubya’s claims that his tax cuts will help the middle class. Curiously, it seems to be temporarily removed.
Stamp It Out! Create your own first class stamps.
Origami Underground has instructions for creating, um, adult origami.
Had enough? Whew!
