-
-
Obama gets a Pep Talk from President Jed Bartlet
A great fictional dialogue between TV's best President and our future President, Barack Obama.
-
NY Times Editorial: Palin lacks experience, judgment and qualifications
Abridged version of the editorial:
If [John McCain] seriously thought this first-term governor — with less than two years in office — was qualified to be president, if necessary, at such a dangerous time, it raises profound questions about his judgment. If the choice was, as we suspect, a tactical move, then it was shockingly irresponsible.
The strategy for which the Republicans have made Ms. Palin the frontwoman [is] win the White House not on ideas, but by denigrating experience, judgment and qualifications.
The idea that Americans want leaders who have none of those things — who are so blindly certain of what Ms. Palin calls “the mission” that they won’t even pause for reflection — shows a contempt for voters and raises frightening questions about how Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin plan to run this country.
But what troubled us most about her remarks was the sense that thoughtfulness, knowledge and experience are handicaps for a president in a world populated by Al Qaeda terrorists, a rising China, epidemics of AIDS, poverty and fratricidal war in the developing world and deep economic distress at home. [And don't forget climate change...]
This nation has suffered through eight years of an ill-prepared and unblinkingly obstinate president. One who didn’t pause to think before he started a disastrous war of choice in Iraq. One who blithely looked the other way as the Taliban and Al Qaeda regrouped in Afghanistan. One who obstinately cut taxes and undercut all efforts at regulation, unleashing today’s profound economic crisis.
In a dangerous world, Americans need a president who knows that real strength requires serious thought and preparation. Abridged version of the editorial: ... more -
David Byrne, Cultural Omnivore, Raises Cycling Rack to an Art Form
A well written description about the David Byrne bike rack project. Very cool stuff.
David is a rad biking head.
-click above link for full article-
In recent years his interest in bicycles has expanded from riding them to thinking seriously about the role they play in urban life, as he has started making connections with politicians and international design consultants keen to keep cars from taking over the city. So when the Department of Transportation asked him to help judge a design competition for the city’s new bike racks, he eagerly agreed — so eagerly, in fact, that he sent in his own designs as well.
They were simple shapes to define different neighborhoods around the city: a dollar sign for Wall Street; an electric guitar for Williamsburg, Brooklyn; a car — “The Jersey” — for the area near the Lincoln Tunnel. “I said, ‘Well, this disqualifies me as a judge,’ ” he recalled, “but I just doodled them out and sent them in.”
But for the 364 days that the racks will be out on the streets, Mr. Byrne doesn’t want them to be admired as artwork, he said; he wants them to be lashed with heavy chains, banged with Kryptonites and scratched by gears. He wants them to be used.
- - - -
Find the WSJ video from last month here:
http://current.com/items/89170200_biking_with_david_byr... A well written description about the David Byrne bike rack project. Very cool stuff. David is a rad biking head. ... more -
Discovering How Greeks Computed in 100 B.C. - NYTimes.com
Here is a link to a NY Times article about the Antikythera Mechanism (mentioned multiple times previously), and here's an excerpt:
After a closer examination of a surviving marvel of ancient Greek technology known as the Antikythera Mechanism, scientists have found that the device not only predicted solar eclipses but also organized the calendar in the four-year cycles of the Olympiad, forerunner of the modern Olympic Games.
The new findings, reported Wednesday in the journal Nature, also suggested that the mechanism’s concept originated in the colonies of Corinth, possibly Syracuse, on Sicily. The scientists said this implied a likely connection with Archimedes. Here is a link to a NY Times article about the Antikythera Mechanism (mentioned multiple times previously), and here's an excerpt... more -
NY Times Building's Sunscreen Removed, Thanks Climber "Fighting Carbon E...
Way to go Spiderman! The article speaks for itself, and I've gotta say, TreeHugger called this one out the gate.
-
Clinton backs out and endorses OBAMA
The Senator from NY has finally backed the Senator from Illinois.
-
Tyra Banks Has Got Some Interesting Hips
Here is Tyra in The New York Times Magazine, looking slightly unusual and sporting some really odd looking hips. Should we pretend that’s her real shape? Whose hips start that high and that roundly, raise... Here is Tyra in The New York Times Magazine, looking slightly unusual and sporting some really odd looking hips. Should we pretend tha... more
-
36 Hours in Dubai
You name it, Dubai has it. Or if it doesn’t have it, it’s building it. Or if it’s not building it, it’s dredging up an island to put it on. You name it, Dubai has it. Or if it doesn’t have it, it’s building it. Or if it’s not building it, it’s dredging up an island to put i... more
-
Handy NY Times Zippy Pouch
Made from recycled NY Times plastic bags, this is a real handy, and very cool bag.
-
NY Times: Clinton Camp Guilty Of "Bigoted" Lying
NYT Frank Rich points out: ...It was a lie, and a bigoted lie at that, given that it branded Hispanics, a group as heterogeneous as any other, as monolithic racists. As the columnist Gregory Rodriguez pointed out in The Los Angeles Times, all three black members of Congress in that city won in heavily Latino districts.... NYT Frank Rich points out: ...It was a lie, and a bigoted lie at that, given that it branded Hispanics, a group as heterogeneous as an... more
-
Next Up for the Democrats: Civil War
Frank Rich on the Clinton campaign's "bigoted lie."
Last month a Hispanic pollster employed by the Clinton campaign pitted the two groups against each other by telling The New Yorker that Hispanic voters have “not shown a lot of willingness or affinity to support black candidates.” Mrs. Clinton then seconded the motion by telling Tim Russert in a debate that her pollster was “making a historical statement.”
It wasn’t an accurate statement, historical or otherwise. It was a lie, and a bigoted lie at that, given that it branded Hispanics, a group as heterogeneous as any other, as monolithic racists. As the columnist Gregory Rodriguez pointed out in The Los Angeles Times, all three black members of Congress in that city won in heavily Latino districts; black mayors as various as David Dinkins in New York in the 1980s and Ron Kirk in Dallas in the 1990s received more than 70 percent of the Hispanic vote. The real point of the Clinton campaign’s decision to sow misinformation and racial division, Mr. Rodriguez concluded, was to “undermine one of Obama’s central selling points, that he can build bridges and unite Americans of all types.”
If that was the intent, it didn’t work. Frank Rich on the Clinton campaign's "bigoted lie." ... more -
The BETA Male Succeeds via Internet TV
With no budget, the Ragtag Films Crew, Hofstra Alums Brian Amyot, Angel Acevedo and Steven Tsapelas, create a following for the style of the Beta Male. In this NY Times article, the boys explain how the cult status of their characters gave the style to the more down to earth man.
This is great news for the internet savvy guy!
A fan writes: "I saw this little kid with geeky glasses on and I thought he was really cute." With no budget, the Ragtag Films Crew, Hofstra Alums Brian Amyot, Angel Acevedo and Steven Tsapelas, create a following for the style ... more -
FDA Approves Cloned Aminals for Food and Milk
"...Believe me, its safe!" Today the FDA and last week the EU approved cloned animals. Now I'm wondering if fluffy is real or cloned...anyway, I don't see any problem with this, Do you? "...Believe me, its safe!" Today the FDA and last week the EU approved cloned animals. Now I'm wondering if fluffy is... more
-
CIA = LIE Part 3: Criminal Probe (FINALLY) Opened Over CIA Tapes
Finally! Please go read part 2 as well:
http://current.com/items/88803721_cia_lie_part_2_lies_p...
Thank GOD for freedom of speech. Finally! Please go read part 2 as well: http://current.com/items/88803721_cia_lie_part_2_lies_permeate_our_government ... more -
CIA = LIE Part 2: Lies Permeate Our Government
Here's an interesting Op Ed from the NY Times today written by Thomas H. Kean and Lee H. Hamilton who served as chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the 9/11 commission. It's about how the newspaper asked the CIA numerous times for information after the law was put into effect to release all information about these serious attacks on America.
Don't get me wrong, I love my country as I love my wife. But the lies and deceitfulness incorporated into many facets of our Government needs to be stopped dead in its tracks.
Lies from the city, county, state governments to lies on Capital Hill. Lies that put people in prisons, Lies that keep people in prisons, Lies that keep people below poverty level, lies, lies and lies. Lies about our Social Security system AND Numbers. The old SS Cards had a disclaimer on the bottom that said: The SS# Will never be used for Identification purposes.
Now we are merely a number with our government. Furthermore, the SS system is unfortunately broken. Another major lie is that SS helps people after retirement or if they are disabled. Some, but not all that deserve it.
Lies.
This CIA bit really brings out the problem the people of our country need to address when the votes start. We need to lobby for laws making lies by our government officials a major felony without any pardoning (look at the Valery Plame case, what a crock that turned out to be with 'Scooter' getting pardoned!) We need to clean up the governments act and hold people responsible for their lies. On every level of government. Lies from a prosecuting attorney to get someone convicted? Give that attorney the max the law provides for the crime he was prosecuting. A rule/law like this for every level in government would almost stop the lies. Lets call it the SLAM law: Stop Lies in America More
Read the article and comment back on how we can clean our government up. It's all summed up in the last paragraph there.....
"What we do know is that government officials decided not to inform a lawfully constituted body, created by Congress and the president, to investigate one the greatest tragedies to confront this country. We call that obstruction."
I call it a terrible and destructive evil that is tearing our Government apart. Here's an interesting Op Ed from the NY Times today written by Thomas H. Kean and Lee H. Hamilton who served as chairman and vice... more -
Are the CIA Tapes Relevant with Testimony Such as This?
The New York Times has managed to bag interviews with ex members of the CIA over the issue of the missing tapes, waterboarding and torture. The revelations are so strong and concise that it serves as a case in point of how much of a visual society we are. The U.S practice waterboarding, it is torture, there is evidence to support both claims but people still are waiting for the tapes.
The tapes are gone. As the old saying goes, "You can burn our books but you can never burn our words", the same is true of these tapes and the evidence that is on them. Even without them it remains the case that the CIA practice torture techniques which have been authorised by the White House. How much more evidence is needed? The New York Times has managed to bag interviews with ex members of the CIA over the issue of the missing tapes, waterboarding and tor... more -
CIA destroys incriminating interrogation tapes
Given the last seven years, expectations are already low for the administration thats never seen justice it didnt want to obstruct. But intentionally destroying evidence of a possible crime, in the midst of ongoing legal inquiries, suggests the Bush gangs contempt for the rule of law cant get much worse.
The Central Intelligence Agency in 2005 destroyed at least two videotapes documenting the interrogation of two Qaeda operatives in the agencys custody, a step it took in the midst of Congressional and legal scrutiny about its secret detention program, according to current and former government officials.
The videotapes showed agency operatives in 2002 subjecting terrorism suspects including Abu Zubaydah, the first detainee in C.I.A. custody to severe interrogation techniques. The tapes were destroyed in part because officers were concerned that video showing harsh interrogation methods could expose agency officials to legal risks, several officials said. [ ]
The destruction of the tapes raises questions about whether agency officials withheld information from Congress, the courts and the Sept. 11 commission about aspects of the program.
Indeed, it arguably does more than just raise questions; it may point to actual criminal wrongdoing, intended to cover up more criminal wrongdoing. As Sullivan put it, What defines [a banana] republic? How about an executive that ignores the rule of law, commits war-crimes and then destroys the actual evidence? We live in a country where the government can detain indefinitely, torture in secret, and then secretly destroy the tapes of torture sessions to protect its own staff.
Time for the Justice Department to launch a criminal investigation? Marcy Wheeler explains: AG Mukasey has a mighty big headache on his hands, a clear case of obstruction of justice involving Goss and a bunch of other people. I guess we wont have long to wait to see whether hes willing to spike investigations for the Unitary Executive.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/07/washington/07intel.ht...
http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2007/12/06/absence-of... Given the last seven years, expectations are already low for the administration thats never seen justice it didnt want to obstruct. ... more -
Just who is Natalie Portman?
I love this new series of Actor Tell All's that NYTIMES.com is doing! What do you guys think?
-
An Economic History of...Abs?
A video clip tracing the history of male abs. Kinda random. I don't have a six pack, but I do have a keg!
-
Go on- Get chummy with your co-workers!
Study shows that bonds between coworkers are important reducers of stress... not really surprising, but still interesting.
-
related topics
Ny Times
Contributors (55)
Ny Times
