RelentlesslyOptimistic

Cool program - pay group to plant trees to offset your car's pollution

Our Program;usergroups=

Greenfleet is a not for profit organisation. Our program provides a simple way to reduce your car's impact on the environment. For an annual fee of $40 (tax deductible), Greenfleet will plant and maintain 17 native trees each year on your behalf. As they grow, these trees will absorb the greenhouse gases that the average car produces in one year (based on 4.3 tonnes of CO2).

Via

Amazing photos

Fluid Chains and Fishbones

From the Fluid Dynamics photo gallery at MIT.

Via

Let's apply these RNC arguments to Fox, Rush, Sinclair and PAX!

The Blue Lemur - Progressive Politics and Media News � GOP goes after radio show seeking to oust Republican Rep. in California
The Blue Lemur - Progressive Politics and Media News

The General Counsel to the National Republican Congressional Committee has filed a complaint against a California radio show for advocating the defeat of Republican Rep. David Dreier, saying the show’s advocacy is illegal and goes beyond their first amendment rights.

Via

Pentagon Extends Tours of Duty for About 6,500 U.S. Soldiers

The fact that this is being announced before the election, I think, indicates that some in the Pentagon oppose Bush's war policies and practices.
The New York Times

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 - The Pentagon has ordered about 6,500 soldiers in Iraq to extend their tours, the first step the military has taken to increase its combat power there in preparation for the January elections, senior Defense Department officials said Friday.

For my Wish List

Bionic Dolphin Watercraft
I thought this was silly at first, but after seeing the photos, I really want one!
Picture Gallery

A New Perspective

What does 'Ram Tough' really mean, then?
Dodge's Vagina Emblem

After years of health education in the renowned Cohasset Elementary / Middle / High School System, I know a thing or two about the female reproductive system. I can tell you all about your "ovaries," your "labia," your "uterus," the corpus luteum, estrogen, and progesterone- the works... This excellent background led me, as if guided by God Himself, to notice something truly amazing:

Celebrities' Effectiveness Questionable

Kansas City Star

“The Boss” was out stumping for Kerry last week.

But a national survey shows that celebrities such as Bruce Springsteen may be better off staying home. The poll by The Pere Partnership showed that 65 percent of Americans said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who refused to showcase celebrity backers.

“Political campaigns look at celebrities as weapons — the bigger the better. But it doesn't work that way,” said Glenn Pere, the partnership's president. “No celebrity can sell everything.”

Steve Kraske, KC Starr

Just in time

A new "Get Your War On"

www.mnftiu.cc | get your war on | page 42

Ashcroft Seeking Control of Voting Rights Suits

t r u t h o u t via Metafilter

Administration lawyers argue that only the Justice Department, not the voters, may sue to enforce provisions in the Help America Vote Act.

Of COURSE there will be voting lawsuits!

From various reports, both parties have between thousands and tens of thousands of lawyers on the ground, ready to respond to voting problems. Can it happen that all those lawyers are out there, ready to act, ready to earn acclaim and noteriety and visibility and votes for their side, and lawsuits NOT get filed? If the victory is lopsided, then the lawsuits could lead to better voting procedures. If the election is close, it'll just build and build and build.

DRM as Business Diagnostic

Due Diligence: DRM as Business Diagnostic

DRM almost always means there is trouble afoot for aggregators ('infomediaries'). If it's an aggregator inserting the DRM, their value added is in question. If it's information originators mandating DRM, then they feel they can damage the aggregator's value with impunity, and will likely try to drive end users' attention to themselves.

This certainly applies to the record companies.

No Draft If Bush Reelected Say Al-Queda Officials

Jihad To Remain All Volunteer

Seeking to assuage fears amongst young Islamic extremists, top Al Qaeda officials vowed that the draft will not be reinstated if George W. Bush remains president of the United States. "We don't see the need, frankly, given the debacle in Iraq, the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, and the rising tide of anti-Americanism around the globe," said Al Qaeda spokesman Sulaiman Khayr at a press conference today. "A second Bush term should ensure ample recruits for our cause, and allow us to continue to fighting the War For Terror using an all-volunteer jihad." Khayr also cited the wide variety of terrorist organizations that have now joined forces in opposition to US policies, and expressed confidence that, if given four more years, Bush would continue to serve as a uniter, not a divider.

via defective yeti

Election prediction

Hope and Loathing in America

I've been afraid of this feeling, the tingling sense of an undercurrent that many many more people are over Bush than anyone suspects. It's always far too easy to forget how far I am from the mainstream, and far too easy to let faith in people's goodness and optimism color my perceptions. I get most of my news and information from the internet, which is also outside the mainstream. But.....at the same time there does seem to be this widespread disgust about not just the competence of Bush, but about the willingness of the Administration to go beyond pandering for votes to actively undercutting democratic institutions to get reelected.

So it could be that the race will be as tight as everyone seems to believe, and the rational part of me, the cautious part of me (as small as THAT is), says that's what we'll see. I'm certainly going to keep acting, and keep urging others to act, as if the election will be close and every effort is critical.

But it seems that the possibility exists that this surge of new voters, uncounted voters, disgusted voters, will show up on Tuesday and overwhelmingly repudiate what Bush and his crew stand for. The early voting surge shows just how much distrust there is in the voting process. The youth vote could surprise everyone, and seem obvious in hindsight.

So there you go: a non-rational prediction from a vehement member of the "reality based community."

2004 Global Color Report

2004_Global_Color_Report1a.pdf (application/pdf Object)

From page 12:

When you talk with people about color and you want to be really clear, use the color yellow. Eighty-nine percent of our respondents see yellow as the same shade. On the other hand, when you say blue your likelihood of having people thinking of the same shade is about 50-50.

Based on people’s context, their lives, their culture and physiology, people experience colors differently in words than they do when they see the specific color... We all see things differently in our mind’s eye than others may....Yellow may be bright yellow to almost everybody around the world but blue may be royal, navy or sky blues for starters.

How Happy?

Overheard in New York

Hobo: Damn, that nigga be happier than a faggot in a bag of dick.

--125th and Lexington