February 2012
3 posts
4 tags
Harvard Law Sells Bathroom Naming Rights →
This might be the greatest naming evar.
5 tags
Santorum: 'abortion causes breast cancer' →
Being this far out of touch with the realities of modern health science should be an instant disqualifier for any public office.
MythBusters: They won't let us expose RFID... →
RFID is one of the more fun, hackable technologies, and it’s sometimes frightening how much we’re beginning to trust it with critical data. That Visa, et al, are trusting it so thoroughly despite this, and that they can silence the voices of the MythBusters, is also frightening.
January 2012
21 posts
Voting Machines Are Hackable →
truthout.org:
It was accomplished without breaking any of the “tamper-evident” seals that voting machine companies and election officials claim are used to ensure nobody can physically hack into them without being discovered.
OK State Senator: Ban Fetuses In Food →
From the AP Wire:
[He] introduced a bill Tuesday that would ban the use of aborted human fetuses in food, despite conceding that he’s unaware of any company using such a practice.
He decided this was an important political issue after an internet search.
CNN Truth Squad: Steve Jobs' jobs vs. Obama's jobs →
The verdict: False.
In their rebuttal to Obama’s SOTU address, the GOP claimed that Steve Jobs created more jobs than the stimulus. You see the truth reflected above.
Cupprimo on 'Cupcake Wars' →
This is my ‘home’ coffee shop; it’s about 200 feet from my front door. I might have to hit their viewing party for the episode next week.
Astros lower ticket prices →
I haven’t been to an Astros game in several years, in no small part due to the ticket costs. By contrast, I traveled the 2-plus hours to the Space City for Aeros minor-league hockey games on a number of occasions.
This will change in 2012.
Why China is Beating US in Manufacturing →
From the NYT:
“They could hire 3,000 people overnight,” said Jennifer Rigoni, who was Apple’s worldwide supply demand manager until 2010, but declined to discuss specifics of her work. “What U.S. plant can find 3,000 people overnight and convince them to live in dorms?”
Something tells me that this is a lot closer to the truth than a lot of people would like to admit.
PhysOrg: The Moon 'still has no name' →
This is a great article about Titan, but I’m always perplexed when people wonder why “the moon” doesn’t have a name. To see a a writer at a scientific rag, especially one that is heavy on astronomy, not know this? Gebus…
It has a name. It’s Luna. Don’t ask me why we don’t use it, though.
Being in the Right Place, The Hobbit Edition →
It merely stated that in order to hold his option for The Lord of the Rings, Snyder had to “produce a full-color motion picture version” of The Hobbit by June 30th, 1966. Please note: It did not say it had to be an animated movie, and it not say how long the film had to be!
He managed to eventually sell the rights for $100k, after producing a 12-minute animated cartoon in 30...
Getting into the Hall the Hard Way
In a column today on MLB.com, Houston beat writer Richard Justice mentions that Jeff Bagwell’s eventual election to the Hall of Fame is likely, as most players who’ve received 50% of the vote at any point manage to make it into the Hall at some point.
I decided to look into this further and see just how true it is.
Going back to 1960, before which the BBWA’s Hall of Fame...
'Why Yes, You Can Mirror Polish a DeLorean' →
o_O
“Many of the Christian faith have said, well, that’s okay, contraception is okay....”
– Rick Santorum, via Salon.com
ABJ: Hickory Street to Return →
Landlord and developer David Khan has plans for a high rise hotel at the spot but since that project is still a couple of years out he offered Puthoff and his partners a flexible lease to re-open the restaurant.
Most excellent.
Upcoming TV Revivals
In case you missed it, TV executives across the country are poised to revive some ancient franchises:
The Rifleman
A Muppet show (not to be confused with The Muppet Show.
Frankenstein
Bewitched
Romancing the Stone (no. really.)
Valley of the Dolls
The Munsters
The Flintstones
Daring Fireball: You Do Not Need to Manually... →
If anyone tells you otherwise, They’re Wrong™.
Mountain Dew 'Can Dissolve A Mouse' →
Consumerist.com:
Pepsi submitted testimony from a scientist who gave that grotesque description in an effort to seek summary judgment.
Pepsico promptly “asked for a change of attorneys” when they realized just how terrible that defense was.
Regretsy: Paypal has user destroy historic violin →
Rather than have the violin returned to me, PayPal made the buyer DESTROY the violin in order to get his money back.
Wat?
CT Town Won't Hire Cops Who Are 'Too Smart' →
ABC News:
A man whose bid to become a police officer was rejected after he scored too high on an intelligence test has lost an appeal in his federal lawsuit against the city.
Medical Helicopter Damaged in Wreck →
KTRE.com, in November:
While authorities were on the scene [of a fatality accident], another car struck the life-flight helicopter. The helicopter suffered some damage, but no injuries were reported.
Basically, one DWI driver caused a fatality accident. While at the scene, another DWI driver drove through the roadblock and hit the life-flight helicopter that was on the scene.
Only in...
December 2011
44 posts
Perry: Canadian Oil Not 'Foreign' →
Every barrel of oil that comes out of those sands in Canada is a barrel of oil that we don’t have to buy from a foreign source.
Uhh…
BoingBoing: SOPA Bans Tor
How have we arrived at a day and age where our Congress would even consider passing a law that bans taxpayer-funded software built specifically to promote freedom of speech?
Perry Named 2012 Bum Steer of the Year →
Jake Silverstein, Texas Monthly:
Because this is not an award we relished bestowing, we are moved to offer an account of our decision to do so.
I’m not sure anyone really needed an explanation.
Alyson's Footnotes, Holiday Edition →
Alyson Footer:
That said, I’m ecstatic that I never watched [Casey Candaele] take batting practice in the back cages on Sundays, because apparently, he did so without wearing any clothes.
o_O
Guy Wins Lamborghini, Wrecks It →
InSantaquin.com:
A Lamborghini Murcielago crashed Saturday evening, six hours after its Santaquin owner won it in a contest.
Scott Walker's "Small Biz Owner" Actually a... →
This ad shows a “small business” owner talking about how Scott Walker is a friend to the small businessman. But as popular Wisconsin blog UppityWis notes, “Chris” is Chris Rebholz, owner of TriStar Products, a company specializing in outsourcing jobs to China.
In highlighting his pro-business record, Walker chose to go to a guy who’s hands down the very definition of the problem.
BOR: New President of UT College Republicans Just... →
More disgraceful actions from people who make me embarrassed to be a Texan. And we wonder why people across the country have such low opinions of us – these are the people our students elect to represent the politically.
Newser.com: Perry Campaign Botches Kim Jong Il's... →
An email from the Perry campaign yesterday about the death of Kim Jong Il repeatedly referred to the late North Korean leader as ‘Kim Jong the Second.’
An everlasting embarrassment for the State of Texas.
Solar Powered Arduino →
The details of the finished project are lacking, but it gave me an idea for my own project. I’m in the process of building a doghouse for my great pyrenees, which is quite a bit more involved than your typical doghouse - Jake is a giant among dogs.
I’m planning to install a similar flexible solar cell on the roof to drive an Arduino with two sensors - a thermister that will tell me...
Hockey Fight Leads to Poop Incident →
Not the kind of stories I need to be reading before I hit the ice to work back-to-back games tonight.
Perry collects retirement while on state payroll →
From the Statesman:
Perry is drawing $7,698 a month - or $92,376 a year - as a retired state employee. He also is paid about $150,000 a year for being governor.
You have got to be kidding me…
Ubuntu Axing SunJDK With Great Prejudice →
[We will be] pushing empty packages to the archive, so that the Sun JDK will be removed from all users machines when they do a software update.
The impetus for this change is that Oracle discontinued the operating system distribution license that allowed companies like Canonical to distribute their code. Severe security issues have been discovered, and exploited, in the version that...
'Fair and Balanced' →
My ass.
'But will it have two ship its before tomorrow?' →
I’ve worked places like this…
sickill/stderred - GitHub →
Very Slick.
Think Progress: Businesses Pull Out Of Alabama... →
This is what happens when you screw with people and their livelihoods.
Uniwatch: New Threads for Miami →
Also from Uniwatch today, news that the newly-rebranded Miami Marlins will feature an embroidered logo on their batting helmets.
Puck Daddy: Celebrating hockey goals with... →
I don’t know who started this tradition, but the Texas Stars picked it up last year and did it again last month. Short version: I’m a fan.
Doctor Who Tops 2011 US iTunes Downloads →
The BBC:
Never underestimate the power of Whovians
Derek Boogard's Major Junior Sweater →
Uniwatch:
Boogaard’s jersey had to have extra bands of cloth sewn to the bottom and at the end of the sleeves
He was a big guy - 6’7” by 17. You can see the stitchwork here.
“In 2010, Apple Store revenue was $481,000 per employee”
– How Much Money Do Apple Store Employees Make for Apple?