Month: January 2005

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froghatstudios_superman.mov (video/quicktime Object)

From BAGnewsNotes, in a post called Our Gang:

Yesterday, I saw an image from Iraq that really struck me.

It was a stencil — almost like a gang insignia — on the wall of a petrol station that had just been raided by U.S. soldiers. The symbol was a skull with the the number “24” inscribed in it.

Us.Yimg.Com P Ap 20050125 Capt.Mac10301251028.Iraq Mosul Mac103

Having looked at a good number of newswire photographs, I’ve started to recognize the work of particular photographers and even some outfits in which they’ve been embedded. In this case, I won’t mention the infantry unit that conducted this raid, but the caption identified it as having a “24” in it.

Here’s the photo, AP Photo/Jim MacMillan:

Here’s the problem: That skull is the icon of a certain Marvel character, the Punisher.

We have an infantry unit in Iraq that has taken the icon of someone who doesn’t hand out justice, but punishment. Not, say, Captain America or Superman. Although, to be fair, Cap’s shield probably looks too much like a target to these guys.

American Prospect Online – Liberal Agenda

What does liberalism stand for?

Anybody who’s ever had to raise money knows the meaning of the phrase “elevator pitch”: You’re in an elevator with a potential moneybags, and you have, say, seven floors to tell him why he should write you a check.

Well, we all know the basic outline of conservatism’s elevator pitch: “We believe in freedom and liberty, and we’re for low taxes, less government, traditional values, and a strong national defense.” But what is liberalism’s? We at the Prospect have, among us, attended or sat on about eleventy hundred panels since the election at which someone invariably says something like the following: “We know what conservatives stand for. But what do we stand for?”

No one in Washington seems to know. So we turn to you. Give us liberalism’s elevator pitch.

We want you to submit a single sentence of no more than 30 words.

Here’s mine:

Society’s point is to be less cutthroat than nature. Not just for rich or poor, men or women, young or old, white or black, majority or minority… but for all.

Certainly better than the screeches put up here…

Meet the IT Gigolo!

34-year-old systems engineer “Ray Digerati” enjoys fixing computers. And having sex. So he combined the two.

How long have you been a tech-support manwhore?

A few months. This really attractive friend was having trouble connecting to the Internet, and the idea popped into my head: “Wow, it would be nice if I could get sex for this.” I placed an ad on Craigslist that read, “WILL FIX COMPUTERS FOR SEXUAL FAVORS.” The response has been overwhelming.

This scam actually works?

Yeah. Most of the calls I get are for spyware removal and viruses. One girl didn’t even wait for me to finish the virus scan– she just grabbed me and gave me a b.j.

This one seems right up his alley.

Rigorous Intuition

Been a while, huh?

Moreover, would anyone want to join us?

One of those things that always surprises me is meeting famous people, and realizing that I tower over almost all of them. (Remind me to tell you about my meeting Mark Hamill someday.)

With that in mind, I present to you Tall Or Not? Go see how you measure up.

Got this note in the US Mail from the New York State Dept. of Taxation and Finance:

Dear taxpayer:

To help us reduce printing and mailing costs, we are sending you this notice instead of a return packet [of tax forms]…

…which is all fine and good, except I got the letter three times. Sigh.

Small innocent little things. Until they gang up on you.

I’ll be inside for most of the next few hours, having already dealt with frozen pipes this morning. I’m just going to wait until the spring thaw now– I’ve got lots of programs in the DVR, and Brandy’s complaining that I have too many West Wing episodes piling up.

Oh, and there’s some other stuff I’m working on. You’ll see links here shortly.