LIFE

Not exactly sure why, but this really moved me. Maybe I ought to lay off the chambord.

FOR THE INACTIVE MIND

Not sure how I stumbled upon this timewaster, but it's a pretty mindlessly entertaining site. Spent an hour on his Flash map mashup comparing satellite imagery from Google Earth, Yahoo Maps, and Microsoft Virtual Earth. Zoomed in and out of the atomic test sites at Trinity, New Mexico to survey the damage where they detonated the first atomic bombs. Cool shit. Then played some of his addictive Flash games. Enjoy!

CIRCLE CIRCLE DOT DOT

LEGO RAP

This Funny or Die website has some pretty entertaining videos - if the content ends up as novel as this clip, I bet it will stick around.

GOOD WILL FERRELLING

Will Ferrell fans will enjoy this homemade video called "The Landlord."

Quite simple and very amusing.

IN THE CASE OF GOOD VS. EVIL

Satan's defense attorney submits Exhibit A for the record.

OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD

Sometimes I wonder why the media and government insist on referring to our military operation in Iraq as a "war." Technically, it's not a war at all. The war came to an abrupt halt when Baghdad fell and the Iraqi army surrendered. We weren't still calling it the "War in Deutschland" when we occupied post-WWII Germany. Post-war resistance is not the same as "war." But those who insist on labeling it such have their reasons.

This fine post makes some excellent points regarding the continued use of the term "war" in describing what would more correctly be termed a "military occupation."

In a nutshell, war is sexier. It's easier to find sympathy and win support for war. It's easier to exploit patriotism and divert resources for war than for a military occupation. And it's easier to keep the masses scared out of their wits when you're at "war" because the very word implies a threatening state of impending danger. The irony here, of course, is that there wasn't a threat in Iraq to begin with. Further, the threat that exists now only grows the longer we remain mired in occupation there.

I wish the government and folks in media would call it what it is instead of misleading us with rhetoric. There's a lot of fighting still - that is for certain. But the only "war" going on in Iraq right now is a civil one - and our over-extended military folks are stuck in the middle of it.

Just today, spin maestro Dickie Cheney suggested that some in government would like to see us "retreat" from this war. More sharp rhetoric intended to paint us into this "war" setting. Clever use of the word "retreat" - no one wants to be pinned a sissy or a coward. Dick - it's not a war, buddy. And a phased pull-out is not a "retreat."

These are some shrewd folks. Their words are carefully selected to advance their political agendas. And everything is spoken so matter-of-factly, as though it isn't to be questioned. Over and over again it plays. They are the same sound-byte wizards who turned a single, harmless Kerry quote into the "flip-flop" phenomenon of 2004. Listen to the buzz and the chatter. Stop focusing on the details and just take it all in at once. There's a single message coming down from the top and it filters into your life in countless ways. Magazines, newspapers, internet articles, television, radio, barber shop conversation. It's hypnotic in a way. And after a while you just start to accept what they say as truth. But the truth is not in words, it is in action. Nevermind what we're being told - look at what we are doing.

The "war" has been over for years. Saddam Hussein is dead. There are no weapons of mass of destruction in Iraq. Why are we still there?

Brings a whole new meaning to the term "military occupation," doesn't it?

ALCOHOL BY VOLUME

Holy shit.

I just read an article on all of the dangers of heavy drinking and it scared the crap out of me. So I made a decision. I've decided to quit. After today - no more reading.

HITCHHIKER WISDOM

"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."

- Douglas Adams

MSNBC U LATER, HATER

Unfortunately, he didn't have the hidden immunity idol.

Don - the sponsors have spoken. It's time to go.



At least this 10-gallon pimp has a future in rap.

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMMMMM.....

Classified?

Zoom out to get a better idea of where you are. What ARE the folks at Google so senstive about hiding here?

GREAT MELTDOWNS IN MODERN HISTORY

Here's an old classic that's making the rounds again. If you haven't seen the Winnebago man completely lose his mind, you need to check this out. I recommend playing this feature at work with the volume jacked up really high.

PUT A LID ON IT!

Here's a little something that's been on my mind. I've been watching the folks at Starbucks closely and I may have stumbled onto something.

Imagine you're a barista. You're back there all day mixing drinks for people in the name of rapid caffeination, and you love your job because you're getting top-shelf health insurance. And also because they're always playing hip, new tunes. You finish off each complex beverage with a flourish because you imagine yourself as Tom Cruise in Cocktail, slinging flavored syrup bottles around and juggling plastic cups like a circus clown. It's big fun, all shift long.

And after you make each steaming, frothing batch of sweetened morning goodness, you grab a plastic lid and snap that bad boy on the top of the cup. And that's when you notice something. In order to snap that lid on evenly and efficiently, you actually have to cup your entire palm over the top of it and push down. The meat of your hand and your sticky, sugary fingers press firmly all around the top to ensure it is firmly applied. Yes, you are, in essence, a germ factory - dispensing mild illness with every beverage you so carefully prepare for your unsuspecting victims.

I've been watching the folks at Starbucks, and you definitely get a handful of extra love with every cup you order. So before you raise that tiny little drink slot to your lips, you may want to consider giving the lid a good wipe-down. Or risk inviting a fresh brew of bacteria in for open swim.

KEEPING YOUR COOL

I love it when professors of meteorology are given the rare opportunity to debunk global warming in mainstream mags. You just don't see it very often. Everything is doom and gloom everywhere you look. And then someone manages to break through and make a little sense for a change. You can read what I'm talking about here.

My favorite part is where the author wonders why so many of the same people who propose to know what the climate is going to be like in 40 years can't accurately predict what the weather will be like next week. It seems the thing a lot of these panic specialists are ignoring is the fact that climate change is normal. There's no such thing as a "perfect" temperature at which the earth is supposed to be at all times. Environmental catastrophe is fast becoming the new Communism...something trumped up by an overzealous media to keep the underinformed masses living in fear. Fear sells magazines and gets ratings. And it gives well-intended people a cause to champion. There was a time I bought it - but then a very modest amount of research revealed an alarming lack of scientific consensus. Turns out this whole warming thing isn't quite as inevitable as some would have us believe. Ten minutes of surfing and you can see for yourself.

ELECTRIC BUGALOO

If you've never seen a 2-year-old break dance, you have to click here.One of the funniest things I've ever seen.