Re: expanded manned space program
On 2/15/2008 5:32:50 PM, Charlie Bell ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On 16/02/2008, at 2:58 AM, Curtis Burisch wrote: I don't know what IANAC means either, but I got a chuckle from I Am Not A Crook! From context, probably I Am Not A Chemist. Strangely, I would have expected IANACBIPOOTV xponent Conditioned Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Message To Pastafarians
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATZvRyB364s And this was a response to this scurvy dog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41k-IJxPENcfeature=related xponent Not Necessarily Newsworthy Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: I want whatever Anonymous was smoking!
- Original Message - From: Julia Thompson [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 9:34 PM Subject: I want whatever Anonymous was smoking! http://gawker.com/355129/church-of-scientology-rickrolled The juxtaposition of the protest outside a CoS building with Never Gonna Give You Up smacks of benign surreality, which I don't mind in the least. (One of my friends hung out at one of the protests this weekend for awhile. Just happened to be passing by, saw it happening, and figured he'd watch for awhile. His experience was a lot warmer than that of the folks on this video.) Rickrolling is a favored prank in those circles. While not having the same stature, being Belaired has some of the same attributes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEUldKrviIM xponent Flu Day Out Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: New Anonymous Vid
- Original Message - From: Doug Pensinger [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 12:48 AM Subject: Re: New Anonymous Vid Robe wrote: I'm not looking at exit polls myself, Looks good for a McCain/Huckster ticket. I think the actual election results are showing a change in the wind. I'm normally an optimist, but the deck is stacked against progressives. We all know about Rove and the Swiftboaters. They are masterful at exploiting fear and doubt. Corporate America is overwhelmingly Republican and that their pocket's are deep. And the press is not only not liberal, they're mostly either conservative or willfully ignorant. McCain showed a bit of his future strategy recently; he stressed the idea that if we leave Iraq we would be losers. He'll repeatedly use the words loose and losers when referring to the withdrawal plans of his opponent. Along with the reported success of the surge and under reporting on the part of the press, the war won't be the issue it should be. The economy might be an issue, but here McCain will emphasize his status as an outsider and will escape most of the blame. Hell he'll even be able to tell us that Anne Coulter and Rush Limbaugh hate him. He'll suck in the lions share of independent voters. There are lots of other factors; older people vote in larger numbers and are not only more conservative they're more susceptible to the Bradly effect. Although Obama would mobilize younger voters like never before, they still won't vote in the numbers necessary to make a difference. If he's the nominee then we have the Bradly effect, and if he isn't we'll have Hillary's huge negatives to deal with. And remember, the war is still an issue and that is enough that it can sink McCain if he doesn't change his attitude. Even conservatives are tired of this crap. I don't think so. I think conservatives still want to win the war and see the surge as a huge success. They will play on our dislike for losing and our fear of terrorism. They think we need a strong military presence in the Middle East, and they think that the strength of our country is due mostly to the strength of our military and that losing in Iraq would undermine our strength and our reputation. Do you remember about this time four years ago when JDG expressed his excitement at the inevitable nomination of Kerry? He know that the Dems had picked a candidate that could be beaten. Well, I'm guessing that while he isn't crazy about McCain, he's ecstatic about the possible opposition. I may be wrong. I hope with all my heart that I'm wrong. But I'm disparately worried that I'm not. If you think we've got this one sewn up, you better think again. Heh! It's funny.we are thinking about a lot of the same things and weighing them for consideration. Your concerns mirror mine quite closely. But I think you have to factor in how disheartened many conservatives are these days and it is getting worse for them. Only 2/3 as many Conservatives are voting in the primaries as are Liberals. I think a lot of Independents like Obama. A good sign. But consider a Republican win in November. McCain and Romney doesn't bother me too much as long as the Dems control Congress. McCain and Huckabee is bothersome in the extreme as I have an extreme dislike for Huckabees beliefs. The only one I actively dislike is Huckabee. xponent Constitutional Amendment Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: New Anonymous Vid
- Original Message - From: Russell Chapman [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2008 7:44 AM Subject: Re: New Anonymous Vid snip This Cult is Nothing but a psychotically driven pyramid scheme. Why are you, the news media. Afraid of discussing these matters? It is your duty to report on these matters. You are Failing in your Duty. Their activities make them an affront to freedom. Remember. All that is necessary. For the triumph of evil. Is that good men do nothing. This information is Everywhere. It is your Duty to expose it. I don't know about the USA, but the Co$ is pretty safe from the media here - the entire media is dominated by two men, and they have just gone into partnership. The more powerful of the two is one of the Co$ glamour boys. They don't control the media in Oz - they ARE the media in Oz. Oz marches on the 10th are slated for Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sidney. Let 'em try to keep it off the internets.G xponent Epic Raids Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Christians Join Anonymous
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJwhB2e_hjA If this has any force of fact behind it, it is big news.from The Good News. G In any case Sci gets Pwned bigtime. Epic Lulz Epic Win xponent Go Jesus Go Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Christians Join Anonymous
On 2/6/2008 9:32:30 PM, Ronn! Blankenship ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Which of course suggests a subject line of Join Christians Anonymous Keep Moving. Nothing More To See Here Maru Stealing Williams lines? G xponent Occurred To Me Also Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: New Anonymous Vid
On 2/4/2008 9:04:19 PM, Doug Pensinger ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Rob wrote: But it sure is fun to watch, and who knows, they might just get some reform out of the COS. G You know, I'm sympathetic towards the outrage directed towards the CoS, but it makes me want to scream Where's the [EMAIL PROTECTED]@#$ outrage about what's going on in the White House??!!??!! Torture, suspension of habeas corpus, Illegal wiretapping, destruction of evidence, perjury, deception via propaganda and outright lies, incompetence on a massive scale. To me the CoS is small potatoes compared to all that, and I know that many many people have similar sentiments. I'd suggest that maybe we're just practicing and we'll take on the despots of the Bush administration next, but we're running out of time for that. Maybe we can get them when they're out of office and can't pardon each other. Totally different game played by different rules and using a completely different strategy and tactics. Didn't you get the memo? xponent Actually Read The Interwebs Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: New Anonymous Vid
- Original Message - From: Dave Land [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2008 9:08 AM Subject: Re: New Anonymous Vid On Feb 5, 2008, at 3:02 AM, Robert Seeberger wrote: On 2/4/2008 9:04:19 PM, Doug Pensinger ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Rob wrote: But it sure is fun to watch, and who knows, they might just get some reform out of the COS. G You know, I'm sympathetic towards the outrage directed towards the CoS, but it makes me want to scream Where's the [EMAIL PROTECTED]@#$ outrage about what's going on in the White House??!!??!! Torture, suspension of habeas corpus, Illegal wiretapping, destruction of evidence, perjury, deception via propaganda and outright lies, incompetence on a massive scale. To me the CoS is small potatoes compared to all that, and I know that many many people have similar sentiments. I'd suggest that maybe we're just practicing and we'll take on the despots of the Bush administration next, but we're running out of time for that. Maybe we can get them when they're out of office and can't pardon each other. Totally different game played by different rules and using a completely different strategy and tactics. Didn't you get the memo? I see that you are trying to be cute and funny, but I think that Doug made an excellent point. America fiddles while the world burns, about sums it up. This little kerfuffle with Anon and CoS is certainly more substantive and laudable than following the craziness of Britney and her ilk, but it is still an act of _not_ paying attention to the stuff that is killing 1000s upon 1000s of Iraqis, Americans, and others. Well, I still think you and Doug and anyone who agrees with you are looking at it, if not wrongly, then incompletely. We only have to wait a matter of months and Bush is gone forever and will trouble us no longer. As for some hope for impeachment, it seems the time for that is gone. If you feel that those elected let you down, then it will take 6 to 8 years to replace them *all*, so you should start working on that soon. And I don't mean wait for someone else to do it, you should start now while the getting is good and people are still in the mood for protests and civil disobedience. OTOH, The COS has been around for over 50 years and there are no term limits or barriers to disempower them. Waiting has no effect, so action of some sort has to be taken or nothing changes at all. Just between us, I *am* doing something and I *do* think it matters. But I'm not talking about it here cuz our every word is monitorable, knowhutimean? (There is a listmember whose opinion here I would find invaluable, but for obvious reasons is not contactable by normal means. But anything that listmember would have to tell me would be welcome. If you don't understand, don't ask onlist. This is sort of sensitive and I have no desire to invade anyones privacy.) Actually Read The Interwebs Maru All of them? The point of your sig seems to be don't post to this list unless you have read everything that I have read or I will look down my nose at you, which does not seem to be constructive. If there was something specific on the Interwebs that you thought Doug needed to have read before posting, a link to it, rather than a snipe at him, might have been helpful. Actually Care About Important Things Maru I don't doubt your sincerity nor Doug's. You guys are my friends for sure. But my comment was just being humorous even if it was just a bit of tit for tat. Let me quote myself from the 25th of last month: Right now I am angry, very angry. And to some degree I am angry with myself for forgetting just how bad these people are. All my life we have talked about the methods the evil people in the world use to subjugate those with less power. And we felt more that a bit superior because we were Americans and we didn't cotton to such behavior. But here we see that the evils we abhor have taken root in our own nation and are spreading out through the world from *our* soil. It is small wonder that the nation of Germany has set to outlaw this group. In my opinion we should do the same. This time next year Barack Obama will be President (probably), but on the societal level there will still be very bad people doing very bad things and Bush and Cheney will not be anywhere near the worst of the lot. Changes need to be made at the societal level, where it is determined what we will allow and what we will refuse as a people. How do you think these jackwads (the elected ones) got into power in the first place if it were not that we had let our standards lapse. If we let orgs like UknowHu continue to abuse our system, then it makes much greater abuses possible in the political arenabecause we get used to it and it becomes the norm. That is why my camera, my video camera and I are going out
Greater Love
View the photos: http://oddorama.com/2008/02/04/baby-saved-from-fire-by-being-thrown-from-building/ http://tinyurl.com/33rq3d If there weren't pictures to prove it, people might have a hard time believing a loving father threw his child multiple stories to waiting rescuers below. This dangerous gamble was taken against an almost certain death in a smoke-filled burning building where, in the end, nine other people perished. The baby, however, survived. Rescuers managed to catch and save the baby from below. xponent Sacrifice Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: New Anonymous Vid
On 2/5/2008 10:01:47 PM, Doug Pensinger ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Robert wrote: This time next year Barack Obama will be President (probably) Good luck. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_effect. If McCain is the Republican nominee, I give him better than even odds to win. I'm not looking at exit polls myself, I think the actual election results are showing a change in the wind. And remember, the war is still an issue and that is enough that it can sink McCain if he doesn't change his attitude. Even conservatives are tired of this crap. xponent Windsock Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Polygamy
- Original Message - From: William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 8:54 AM Subject: Re: Polygamy On 4 Feb 2008, at 14:40, Julia Thompson wrote: On Mon, 4 Feb 2008, William T Goodall wrote: On 4 Feb 2008, at 05:10, Julia Thompson wrote: On Mon, 4 Feb 2008, William T Goodall wrote: On 4 Feb 2008, at 03:24, Alberto Vieira Ferreira Monteiro wrote: Keith Henson wrote: Considering that polygamy is the norm for the vast majority of the cultures in the world, it's an interesting question how the western countries, and a few others, became monogamous. It seems to be associated with settled agriculture but I don't know if there is a connection or why. I would guess that it's peace that doomed polygamy. There can't be polygamy unless there's more women than men, otherwise the men without women will revolt. If gay men don't marry women then there are more available women than straight men. You're failing to take into account lesbians who have absolutely no interest in men. (Like several people in one of my social circles) That might balance things out somewhat there, putting you back to square one. The consensus is that the proportion of women who are lesbians is much lower than the proportion of men who are gay. If we remove all gay and lesbian people from the equation there is still a surplus of straight women to straight men. How big a surplus depends on whose numbers for the proportions are correct. I think the concensus is off, then. I think it's close to equal, or very slightly biased towards more lesbians. Do you have sources to cite? I'd be interested in seeing them if you do. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_sexual_orientation United States 1990: Homosexuality/Heterosexuality: Concepts of Sexual Orientation published findings of 13.95% of males and 4.25% of females having had either extensive or more than incidental homosexual experience. [12] 1990-1992: The American National Health Interview Survey does household interviews of the civilian non-institutionalized population. The results of three of these surveys, done in 1990-1991 and based on over 9,000 responses each time, found between 2-3% of the people responding said yes to a set of statements which included You are a man who has had sex with another man at some time since 1977, even one time. [13] 1992: The National Health and Social Life Survey asked 3,432 respondents whether they had any homosexual experience. The findings were 1.3% for women within the past year, and 4.1% since 18 years; for men, 2.7% within the past year, and 4.9% since 18 years;[14] 1993: The Alan Guttmacher Institute found of sexually active men aged 2039 found that 2.3% had experienced same-sex sexual activity in the last ten years, and 1.1% reported exclusive homosexual contact during that time.[15] 1993: Researchers Samuel and Cynthia Janus surveyed American adults aged 18 and over by distributing 4,550 questionnaires; 3,260 were returned and 2,765 were usable. The results of the cross-sectional nationwide survey stated men and women who reported frequent or ongoing homosexual experiences were 9% of men and 5% of women. [16] 1998: A random survey of 1672 males (number used for analysis) aged 15 to 19. Subjects were asked a number of questions, including questions relating to same-sex activity. This was done using two methods a pencil and paper method, and via computer, supplemented by a verbal rendition of the questionnaire heard through headphones which obtained vastly different results. There was a 400% increase in males reporting homosexual activity when the computer-audio system was used: from a 1.5% to 5.5% positive response rate; the homosexual behavior with the greatest reporting difference (800%, adjusted) was to the question Ever had receptive anal sex with another male: 0.1% to 0.8%. [17] 2003: Smith's 2003 analysis of National Opinion Research Center data[18] states that 4.9% of sexually active American males had had a male sexual partner since age 18, but that since age 18 less than 1% are [exclusively] gay and 4+% bisexual. In the top twelve urban areas however, the rates are double the national average. Smith adds that It is generally believed that including adolescent behavior would further increase these rates.The NORC data has been criticised because the original design sampling techniques were not followed, and depended upon direct self report regarding masturbation and same sex behaviors. (For example, the original data in the early 1990s reported that approximately 40% of adult males had never masturbated--a finding inconsistent with some other studies.) *** Inconsistent with other studies? Hell, that is inconsistent with reality!! Masturbation is almost a universal fact of life. But my
Re: New Anonymous Vid
- Original Message - From: Julia Thompson [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 8:11 AM Subject: Re: New Anonymous Vid Thanks, Rob, I passed along the link to a mailing list on which it's perfectly acceptable to leave a bare link. :) (At least I included a subejct line, which doesn't always happen there, either.) Oh, and in Austin, in December, there was a Santa Rampage from about 10AM until after midnight one Saturday, and at one point, there were a good number of Santas in front of the Scientology building on the Drag chanting, Naughty! Naughty! Naughty! (Heard about this from one of the Santas) Just a little thing, but *something*. LOL! This whole thing is just so crazy. It is as if a cross between 1984 and V For Vendetta had been written by Phillip Jose Farmer and John Scalzi. I think that is why I find it so entertaining and addictive. My favorite is Anonymous' Response To The Media: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-3ujR3DJ308 Dear News Organizations. We have been watching your reporting of Anonymous' Conflict with The Church of Scientology. As you said. The so called Church of Scientology, have actively misused copyright, and trademark law, in pursuit of its own agenda. They attempt, not only to subvert free speech, but to recklessly pervert justice to silence those who speak out against them. We find it interesting that you did not mention the other objections in your news reporting. The stifling and punishment of dissent within the totalitarian organization of Scientology. The numerous, alleged human rights violations. Such as the treatment and events that led to the deaths of victims of the cult such as Lisa McPherson. This Cult is Nothing but a psychotically driven pyramid scheme. Why are you, the news media. Afraid of discussing these matters? It is your duty to report on these matters. You are Failing in your Duty. Their activities make them an affront to freedom. Remember. All that is necessary. For the triumph of evil. Is that good men do nothing. This information is Everywhere. It is your Duty to expose it. It is easy to find. Google is your friend. This is not Religious Persecution. But the suppression of a powerful, criminal fascist regime. It is left to Anonymous. The Church has been declared Fair Game. It will be dismantled and destroyed. When Anonymous, sees an evil fascist brainwashing organization. Anonymous knows, it has to help mankind. Because Anonymous knows that it is only Anonymous that can help. Members of the Church. Anonymous is not your enemy. The Church of Scientology is your enemy. The Church has enslaved you. Free Yourselves. Change, does not roll in, on the wheels of inevitability. But comes through continuous struggle. Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor. It must be demanded by the oppressed. Take it. Demand it. We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not Forgive. We do not Forget. This is only the beginning. Expect us. The first time I saw this I got chills and began to weep to myself. The way anon takes the words of Tom Cruise and throws them back into the face of COS, the way they mix this with the words that could come from any freedom fighters manifesto, it is brilliance. It resonates with my sense of justice. It makes me wonder if there are subsonics hacking into my emotional centers in my brain.G It is just so unreasonable.G Anon is promising to make a stand for the general good. Nobody does that these days, at least not without looking like a corny goofball. But they pretty much seem to be pulling it off, and pulling people in with them. Their ranks are said to be growing. Who knows if they can pull this off. It is most likely they will buckle before attaining anything approaching their stated goal. But it sure is fun to watch, and who knows, they might just get some reform out of the COS. G xponent That's Infotainment! Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: CoS in the news
What Anonymous hath wrought: Protests next Sunday in at least 170 cities worldwide with over 300,000 people participating. And a severe shortage of Guy Fawkes masks. xponent Minimums Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Paging Jim
- Original Message - From: Jim Sharkey [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2008 1:04 PM Subject: RE: Paging Jim Julia Thompson wrote: My off-list e-mails to you are bouncing, your e-mail provider doesn't like my e-mail provider or something. :( Just wanted to say, I'll check it out next week and may pass along info to other friends. That's odd. I have your address on my safe list, and have for some time now. ( Anyway, give that a look; one of my LJ/forum friends is involved in it and it seems kind of interesting. Been meaning to send you this: http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Portal Basically, Portal is a game about a gun that shoots vaginas. Hilarious! xponent Portal Of Birth Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
One for Pat
Cat ladies always like stuff like this G The LOLcat Bible http://www.lolcatbible.com/index.php?title=Genesis_1 Oh hai. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat maded teh skiez An da Urfs, but he did not eated dem. 2 Da Urfs no had shapez An haded dark face, An Ceiling Cat rode invisible bike over teh waterz. 3 At start, no has lyte. An Ceiling Cat sayz, i can haz lite? An lite wuz.4 An Ceiling Cat sawed teh lite, to seez stuffs, An splitted teh lite from dark but taht wuz ok cuz kittehs can see in teh dark An not tripz over nethin.5 An Ceiling Cat sayed light Day An dark no Day. It were FURST!!!1 6 An Ceiling Cat sayed, im in ur waterz makin a ceiling. But he no yet make a ur. An he maded a hole in teh Ceiling.7 An Ceiling Cat doed teh skiez with waterz down An waterz up. It happen.8 An Ceiling Cat sayed, i can has teh firmmint wich iz funny bibel naim 4 ceiling, so wuz teh twoth day. 9 An Ceiling Cat gotted all teh waterz in ur base, An Ceiling Cat hadz dry placez cuz kittehs DO NOT WANT get wet.10 An Ceiling Cat called no waterz urth and waters oshun. Iz good. 11 An Ceiling Cat sayed, DO WANT grass! so tehr wuz seedz An stufs, An fruitzors An vegbatels. An a Corm. It happen.12 An Ceiling Cat sawed that weedz ish good, so, letz there be weedz.13 An so teh threeth day jazzhands. 14 An Ceiling Cat sayed, i can has lightz in the skiez for splittin day An no day.15 It happen, lights everwear, like christmass, srsly.16 An Ceiling Cat doeth two grate lightz, teh most big for day, teh other for no day.17 An Ceiling Cat screw tehm on skiez, with big nails An stuff, to lite teh Urfs.18 An tehy rulez day An night. Ceiling Cat sawed. Iz good.19 An so teh furth day w00t. 20 An Ceiling Cat sayed, waterz bring me phishes, An burds, so kittehs can eat dem. But Ceiling Cat no eated dem.21 An Ceiling Cat maed big fishies An see monstrs, which wuz like big cows, except they no mood, An other stuffs dat mooves, An Ceiling Cat sawed iz good.22 An Ceiling Cat sed O hai, make bebehs kthx. An dont worry i wont watch u secksy, i not that kynd uf kitteh.23 An so teh...fith day. Ceiling Cat taek a wile 2 cawnt. 24 An Ceiling Cat sayed, i can has MOAR living stuff, mooes, An creepie tings, An otehr aminals. It happen so tehre.25 An Ceiling Cat doed moar living stuff, mooes, An creepies, An otehr animuls, An did not eated tehm. 26 An Ceiling Cat sayed, letz us do peeps like uz, becuz we ish teh qte, An let min p0wnz0r becuz tehy has can openers. 27 So Ceiling Cat createded teh peeps taht waz like him, can has can openers he maed tehm, min An womin wuz maeded, but he did not eated tehm. 28 An Ceiling Cat sed them O hai maek bebehs kthx, An p0wn teh waterz, no waterz An teh firmmint, An evry stufs. 29 An Ceiling Cat sayed, Beholdt, the Urfs, I has it, An I has not eated it.30 For evry createded stufs tehre are the fuudz, to the burdies, teh creepiez, An teh mooes, so tehre. It happen. Iz good. 31 An Ceiling Cat sayed, Beholdt, teh good enouf for releaze as version 0.8a. kthxbai. xponent The Strange Beliefs Of Cats Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Paging Jim
On 2/2/2008 7:47:21 PM, Jim Sharkey ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Robert Seeberger wrote: Been meaning to send you this: http://encyclopediadramatica.com/Portal Basically, Portal is a game about a gun that shoots vaginas. Rob, I clearly owe you a beer for sharing this with me. I would never have realized the Portal gun was shooting space-bending vaginas without it, nor would I have ever caught the feminist undertone in the game! It's all so clear to me now! I knew there was something familiar about the shape of that portal but it never occurred to me either.G Of course, I might never have seen Chell performing oral sex on herself either, and that I probably could have done without. 0_o I've spent a good number of hours exploring Encyclopedia Dramatica, much of it LMAO. A good bit of it is just dumb or profane, but there are a few jewels in there. xponent Over 9000 Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: CoS in the news
- Original Message - From: William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 6:54 PM Subject: Re: CoS in the news On 28 Jan 2008, at 03:47, Robert Seeberger wrote: - Original Message - From: William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED] How could a law protect these genuine religions and also ban the original Scientologists at the same time? Easily! You take away the COSI's tax-exempt status away and give it to the splinter groups. That would do more to damage the COS and enhance a measure of justice than just about anything else. BTW, that is basically what Anonymous is trying to achieve by causing *exposure*. My point was - how do you do that? Since we have established that Scientology can pass the religion test it would have to be because it does awful things under the guise of religion. Like the the Unification Church. Or the the Catholic Church sheltering pedophile priests. Or the fact that under Islam the penalty for converting from the true faith is death. Rose sellers Maru. Hare Krishnas they aint! But for some info The Economist spouts: http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10609174 An online onslaught against Scientology A VICIOUS cult run by cynical fraudsters, or a sincerely held religious belief persecuted by zealots? That is the long-standing row about Scientology, founded by the late science-fiction writer, L. Ron Hubbard. In some countries, such as Germany, the group is watched by the security services. In others, such as America and Australia, it has won charitable status as a religion. Until now the fight could mostly be seen as one-sided. Scientology's lawyers are vigorous litigants. The group argues that its internal materials (which claim, among other things, that expensive courses of treatment can help rid people of infestation by alien souls from an extinct civilisation) are commercially confidential and protected by copyright. They react sharply to any perceived libel. As a result, public critics of what they derisively term $cientology risk expensive legal battles. For example, a new unauthorised biography of Tom Cruise by a British author, Andrew Morton, contains detailed and highly critical material about the film star's involvement in Scientology. It is a bestseller in America but has not been published in Britain. The publisher, St Martin's Press, has even asked internet booksellers not to ship it to foreign customers. Though Scientology representatives vehemently deny breaking any laws, critics have claimed that they experience intensive harassment and intimidation. Now Scientology is under attack from a group of internet activists known only as Anonymous. Organised from a Wikipedia-style website (editable by anyone) and through anonymous internet chat rooms, Project Chanology, as the initiative is known, presents no easy target for Scientology's lawyers. It is promoting cyberwarfare techniques normally associated with extortionists, spies and terrorists. Called distributed denial of service attacks, these typically involve using networks of infected computers to bombard the target's websites and servers with bogus requests for data, causing them to crash. Even governments find this troublesome. Anonymous is also hoping to galvanise public opinion with a mass real-world protest outside every Scientology office worldwide on February 10th. But its best weapon may be ridicule. The group got going in reaction to efforts to ban an internal Scientology video of Mr Cruise that leaked onto the internet. The star appears to discuss his beliefs with a degree of incoherence and exaggeration that might lead some to question Scientology's effects on its adherents' sanity. A Scientology spokesman says it has been selectively edited. Several internet sites have taken it down after threats of lawsuits. But it keeps popping up. Same tactics as the Jesuits, right? LULZG xponent I Heir You Leik Mudkips Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Fw: New Anonymous Vid
- Original Message - From: Robert Seeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 4:35 PM Subject: Re: New Anonymous Vid - Original Message - From: Julia Thompson [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, January 28, 2008 8:11 AM Subject: Re: New Anonymous Vid Thanks, Rob, I passed along the link to a mailing list on which it's perfectly acceptable to leave a bare link. :) (At least I included a subejct line, which doesn't always happen there, either.) Oh, and in Austin, in December, there was a Santa Rampage from about 10AM until after midnight one Saturday, and at one point, there were a good number of Santas in front of the Scientology building on the Drag chanting, Naughty! Naughty! Naughty! (Heard about this from one of the Santas) Just a little thing, but *something*. LOL! This whole thing is just so crazy. It is as if a cross between 1984 and V For Vendetta had been written by Phillip Jose Farmer and John Scalzi. I think that is why I find it so entertaining and addictive. My favorite is Anonymous' Response To The Media: http://youtube.com/watch?v=-3ujR3DJ308 Dear News Organizations. We have been watching your reporting of Anonymous' Conflict with The Church of Scientology. As you said. The so called Church of Scientology, have actively misused copyright, and trademark law, in pursuit of its own agenda. They attempt, not only to subvert free speech, but to recklessly pervert justice to silence those who speak out against them. We find it interesting that you did not mention the other objections in your news reporting. The stifling and punishment of dissent within the totalitarian organization of Scientology. The numerous, alleged human rights violations. Such as the treatment and events that led to the deaths of victims of the cult such as Lisa McPherson. This Cult is Nothing but a psychotically driven pyramid scheme. Why are you, the news media. Afraid of discussing these matters? It is your duty to report on these matters. You are Failing in your Duty. Their activities make them an affront to freedom. Remember. All that is necessary. For the triumph of evil. Is that good men do nothing. This information is Everywhere. It is your Duty to expose it. It is easy to find. Google is your friend. This is not Religious Persecution. But the suppression of a powerful, criminal fascist regime. It is left to Anonymous. The Church has been declared Fair Game. It will be dismantled and destroyed. When Anonymous, sees an evil fascist brainwashing organization. Anonymous knows, it has to help mankind. Because Anonymous knows that it is only Anonymous that can help. Members of the Church. Anonymous is not your enemy. The Church of Scientology is your enemy. The Church has enslaved you. Free Yourselves. Change, does not roll in, on the wheels of inevitability. But comes through continuous struggle. Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor. It must be demanded by the oppressed. Take it. Demand it. We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not Forgive. We do not Forget. This is only the beginning. Expect us. The first time I saw this I got chills and began to weep to myself. The way anon takes the words of Tom Cruise and throws them back into the face of COS, the way they mix this with the words that could come from any freedom fighters manifesto, it is brilliance. It resonates with my sense of justice. It makes me wonder if there are subsonics hacking into my emotional centers in my brain.G It is just so unreasonable.G Anon is promising to make a stand for the general good. Nobody does that these days, at least not without looking like a corny goofball. But they pretty much seem to be pulling it off, and pulling people in with them. Their ranks are said to be growing. Who knows if they can pull this off. It is most likely they will buckle before attaining anything approaching their stated goal. But it sure is fun to watch, and who knows, they might just get some reform out of the COS. G xponent That's Infotainment! Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Anonymous' next target: Princess Biscuit
http://tinyurl.com/2a3q37 I laughed til I almost pissed myself. xponent Hey Deb! Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: CoS in the news
- Original Message - From: William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 10:59 AM Subject: Re: CoS in the news On 27 Jan 2008, at 03:28, Robert Seeberger wrote: On 1/26/2008 8:47:30 PM, William T Goodall ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On 27 Jan 2008, at 02:27, Robert Seeberger wrote: - Original Message - From: William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED] Just ban all religions. That would solve the problem. That might be a reasonable response if Scientology were in fact a religion. What makes you think that it isn't? Considering your point of view on all things religious, this could be a difficult discussion. So if you consider The Church Of The Jedi or Pastafarianism to be bonafide religions, then there is no point in us wasting our time. 1) The intent of the founder of a religion is not part of the definition of whether it is or is not a religion for very obvious reasons: a) We can't know the real intent of the founder. b) Discussion of religion degenerates into attacks on the character of the founders rather than the practices of the religion. 2) Whether the founder of a religion was a fraud who made it up for selfish purposes or a genuinely insane person with voices in his head is neither here nor there - the religion is the same sick nonsense either way. 3) An inscrutable god might choose a false prophet to deliver true religion. Since inscrutable gods do those kind of things :) 4) Just because a religion is made up as a joke and everyone knows it doesn't mean it's not a real religion e.g. Discordianism. Being *actually true* can't be part of the definition of religion for obvious reasons. a) *At most* one religion can be true, yet there are thousands of religions. So... you concede there are no grounds for discussion.G Oh, BTW... 1 Apple 1a Apple 1b Apple vs MS 2 Apple vs MS vs Linux 3 BEOS 4 OSX 4a Unix and any derivation thereof G If you do indeed draw a line between organizations with origins that arise from actual faith and those who are scams perpetrated for various reasons when defining religions then we might have something to discuss. So Christianity is a scam because of the existence of greedy lying televangelists and mega-church pastors? Or it's not a scam despite them since some people genuinely believe it? But some people genuinely believe Scientology too. Even you know that not all Christianity is televangelists and mega-churches, but you must be aware that all of Scientology is a bloated pyramid scheme regardless of what the common member believes. Lots of Christians have a low opinion of televangelists and the like and don't pay them heed. A Scientologist isn't allowed that freedom. xponent Totalitarian Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Blasphemy
http://thegallopingbeaver.blogspot.com/2008/01/i-would-probably-never-do-this.html The bad thing is that I had to have this explained to me. I had seen this all before but never tied it in when viewing the picture. xponent Then I LMAO Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: CoS in the news
- Original Message - From: William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Sunday, January 27, 2008 7:55 PM Subject: Re: CoS in the news On 28 Jan 2008, at 01:19, Doug Pensinger wrote: William wrote: On 27 Jan 2008, at 21:49, Julia Thompson wrote: If the Scientologists have a schism, each side's lawyers will be so busy suing the other side that it'll all collapse sooner rather than later, and that will be the end of that. Or they could be like the Sunni and Shi'a. Same but different Maru. From Wiki: Although Scientology is most often used as shorthand for the Church of Scientology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Scientology, a number of groups practice Scientology and Dianetics outside of the official Church. Some groups are breakaways from the original Church while others have started up independently. The Church labels these as apostateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apostasy (or squirrels in Scientology jargonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_terminology) and often subjects them to considerable legal and social pressure. These groups avoid the name Scientology so as to keep from being suedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawsuit, instead referring to themselves collectively as the Free Zonehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Zone_%28Scientology%29. Such groups include Ron's Org and the International Freezone Association, among others. Clearly these schismatic groups can't be termed fake religions under the criteria Rob was suggesting and yet they share most of the beliefs of the original group. To some degree I would agree here, but even that is dependent on how the splinter groups conduct their business. Still, any flavor of Scientology is more of a philosophical movement than an actual religion in the traditional sense even though it might satisfy a clinical definition say.the way a cargo cult would. From: http://www.modemac.com/cgi-bin/wiki.pl/Is_Scientology_a_religion The actions of the Church of Scientology have brought a storm of criticism upon the organization. Scientologists frequently compare the criticism of Scientology to the persecution of members of the Jewish faith, but the many actions of the organization have been decidedly non-religious in nature. However, there are people who believe in the power of Dianetics. These people, who categorize themselves as the Free Zone, have broken away from the fascist control of Scientology; instead, they are applying the tech of Hubbard's writings to their own beliefs, transforming it into a philosophy of their own. The official Church of Scientology is terrified of the Free Zone and its appeal, for they believe that if knowledge of the Free Zone were to spread through the ranks of the Church, many people would break away from Scientology and form their own individual factions of Scientology. These denominations would be independent of Scientology's control and this means that the Church of Scientology would not receive any money from the Free Zone. This concept contrasts with Hubbard's official policy, so the Church of Scientology is doing everything it can to wipe out the Free Zone. But as with its attempts to silence its critics, the Church of Scientology is failing. The Free Zone is expanding, and despite the best efforts of the official Church of Scientology to present itself as a religion, the Free Zone may well be the true source for the religion of Scientology. I think this points to the difference in our opinions on the subject. You see Scientology as a religion first and as a steaming pile of totalitarian crap second. I see Scientology as a totalitarian mind-control/pyramid-scheme first and any expectations of a religious nature only at the fringes of their concern, and that only to the purpose of the preservation of their tax-exempt status here in the US. How could a law protect these genuine religions and also ban the original Scientologists at the same time? Easily! You take away the COSI's tax-exempt status away and give it to the splinter groups. That would do more to damage the COS and enhance a measure of justice than just about anything else. BTW, that is basically what Anonymous is trying to achieve by causing *exposure*. xponent About Money Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
New Anonymous Vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrkchXCzY70 It has come to the attention of Anonymous that there are a number of you out there who do not clearly understand what we are or why we have undertaken our present course of action. Contrary to the assumptions of the media, Anonymous is not a group of super hackers. Anonymous is a collective of individuals united by an awareness that someone must do the right thing, that someone must bring light to the darkness, that someone must open the eyes of a public that has slumbered for far too long. Among our numbers you will find individuals from all walks of life - lawyers, parents, IT professionals, members of law enforcement, college students, veterinary technicians and more. Anonymous is everyone and everywhere. We have no leaders, no single entity directing us - only the collective outrage of individuals, guiding our hand in the current efforts to bring awareness.We want you to be aware of the very real dangers of Scientology. We want you to know about the gross human rights violations committed by this cult. We want you to know about Lisa McPhearson. We want you to know about former members of Scientology's private navy, SeaOrg, who were forced to have abortions so that they could continue in service to the church. We want you to know about Scientology's use of child labor and their gulags. We want you to know about Operation Freakout and Paulette Cooper. We want you to know about Operation Snow White and Scientology's efforts to infiltrate the government of the United States of America.We want you to know about all of these things that have been swept under the rug for far too long. The information is out there. It is yours for the taking. Arm yourself with knowledge. Be very wary of the 10th of February. Anonymous invites you to join us in an act of solidarity. Anonymous invites you to take up the banner of free speech, of human rights, of family and freedom. Join us in protest outside of Scientology centers world wide. We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. We will be heard. Expect us. Totally Skiffy! xponent Sci-Fi Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: CoS in the news
- Original Message - From: William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 7:01 PM Subject: Re: CoS in the news On 25 Jan 2008, at 23:18, Robert Seeberger wrote: - Original Message - From: Jim Sharkey [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 7:33 PM Subject: RE: CoS in the news Because I love you guys, I give you the CS orientation video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJtUDcm3bBw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfiZehbTAxU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7W9Duq145Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdSqzl9QYTQ It's pretty funny stuff. Because I love my country, I ask that you read this: http://www.forum.exscn.net/showpost.php?p=57816postcount=1 Right now I am angry, very angry. And to some degree I am angry with myself for forgetting just how bad these people are. All my life we have talked about the methods the evil people in the world use to subjugate those with less power. And we felt more that a bit superior because we were Americans and we didn't cotton to such behavior. But here we see that the evils we abhor have taken root in our own nation and are spreading out through the world from *our* soil. It is small wonder that the nation of Germany has set to outlaw this group. In my opinion we should do the same. Just ban all religions. That would solve the problem. That might be a reasonable response if Scientology were in fact a religion. xponent Tards Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: CoS in the news
- Original Message - From: Curtis Burisch [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: 'Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion' brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Saturday, January 26, 2008 2:58 AM Subject: RE: CoS in the news Curtis Someone tell me what the story is with Maru? I really ned to put this on a webpage.G What is Maru? H..good question. Maru is a ship, a Japanese ship. Maru is also a defense against the cultural imperialism of the Culture mailing list with their GSVs and ROUs.(That's a different discussion thoughG) Maru is a way of adding remarks at the end of a message in a way that is distinctive and exclusive to Brin-L. If you see someone who uses a Maru shipname, they are from Brin-L. Maru is a means to crack a joke, make an observation, or poke a stick in someone's eye. And below is the background from which it was derived. *** The word maru originated in the seventh century and has since come to serve as a popular name for a host of Japanese vessels. The first ship to use the suffix is said to have been the 16th century ship called the Nipon Maru, built by the legendary Toyotomi Hideyoschi. However, despite its widespread use, the word has never been graced with a definitive definition. Our attempts to muster a universal meaning of the term maru have all ended in frustration, with each possibility smothered in a down-pour of vaguery. For instance, one Japanese reference worker gave as many as fourteen meanings for maru, while another offered at least five additional meanings without including all the other fourteen. These misunderstandings and discrepancies have arisen from the fact that maru is a word laced with suggestiveness. Here is a selection of some of the explanations we have found. Possible meanings The term maru originally seemed to act as a form of compliment when attached to certain personal names. For example, people seemed to be bestowing respect upon the eighth century poet Hitomaru Kikinomoto by attaching the term to his name. It could also be seen as a term of endearment rather like a diminutive, as in the juvenile name Ushiwakamaru, of the twelfth-century general Yoshitsune Minamoto. Gradually the word was thrown to the dogs, literally, as people became accustomed to bestowing it upon their pet animals. Other names which received the maru blessing included a precious utensil used perhaps in some kind of tea ceremony or even the favoured tool of a deft craftsman. Another example of this maru phenomenon can be found in the mighty sword Mura-same-Maru; this famous blade of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was supposed to be so potent that whoever owned it, regardless of his own intent, was destined to kill somebody sooner or later. The term maru also became associated with the concept of a circle. This circular affinity suggested completeness, entirety, wholeness; notions which the image of a circle seems to symbolise. Indeed, the connotation of 'wholeness' perhaps led to the use of maru to mean 'one entire hour' and also as a term for the fanciful frying of a 'whole' animal, as opposed to a mere handful of giblets. In addition to all these other meanings, it also has an association with 'dust', while at the same time referring to 'those naive in love', hence the wistful phrase dusty lover. Maru and ships Having sashayed through the multifarious meanings of maru, it is now time to cut to the chase, examining it in the context of ships. The use of maru in a ship name would seem to express the hope that the ship will defend those aboard against all perils of the sea, being as complete as a circle, as trustworthy as a sword and as virile as a master craftsman's favourite tool. In addition to this, it also carried a feeling of attachment or endearment, such as that felt by one dusty lover for another. Also, unlike most other countries, a ship in Japan is referred to as a male and in adding maru to the ships name, as was done with young boys in olden times, the ship was protected from harm. In the 1905 edition of Basil Hall Chamberlain's Things Japanese he says of `maru' It is often asked: what does the word Maru mean in the names of ships ...? His answer is: a.. the real meaning is obscure b.. it is probably merging of two words: `maru' and `maro', which was a term of endearment. c.. it used to be used for swords, armour, parts of castles, etc. too. *** From India, the Sanskrit manu also traveled east. In Japan, manu became maru, a word which is included in the name of most Japanese ships. In ancient Chinese mythology, the god Hakudo Maru came down from heaven to teach people how to make ships. This name could well relate to Noah, the first shipbuilder. The custom of including maru in
Re: The Clinic Seed
On 1/26/2008 8:47:13 PM, Doug Pensinger ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: So has anyone else read Kieth's story? I read it a while back when the link was posted before. It is quite good! xponent Orions Arm Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: CoS in the news
On 1/26/2008 8:47:30 PM, William T Goodall ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On 27 Jan 2008, at 02:27, Robert Seeberger wrote: - Original Message - From: William T Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED] Just ban all religions. That would solve the problem. That might be a reasonable response if Scientology were in fact a religion. What makes you think that it isn't? Considering your point of view on all things religious, this could be a difficult discussion. So if you consider The Church Of The Jedi or Pastafarianism to be bonafide religions, then there is no point in us wasting our time. If you do indeed draw a line between organizations with origins that arise from actual faith and those who are scams perpetrated for various reasons when defining religions then we might have something to discuss. I would expect you are aware of the history of Sci/Dia but if not, as Anonymous says, Google is your friend. Quacks like a duck Maru. Sounds more like the barking of Lawyers to my ear. Have you seen Anonymous' Response To The Media? This, to me, is the single most science fictional real-life-event of my lifetime. Offhand I cannot recall anything that resonated with my favorite genre the way this story does. You always hear people say You can't make this stuff up, but in this case every aspect of it is like something made up. Probably because every aspect of it is. xponent The Silence Of The Scientologists Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: CoS in the news
- Original Message - From: Jim Sharkey [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 7:33 PM Subject: RE: CoS in the news Because I love you guys, I give you the CS orientation video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJtUDcm3bBw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfiZehbTAxU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7W9Duq145Q http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdSqzl9QYTQ It's pretty funny stuff. Because I love my country, I ask that you read this: http://www.forum.exscn.net/showpost.php?p=57816postcount=1 Right now I am angry, very angry. And to some degree I am angry with myself for forgetting just how bad these people are. All my life we have talked about the methods the evil people in the world use to subjugate those with less power. And we felt more that a bit superior because we were Americans and we didn't cotton to such behavior. But here we see that the evils we abhor have taken root in our own nation and are spreading out through the world from *our* soil. It is small wonder that the nation of Germany has set to outlaw this group. In my opinion we should do the same. xponent Hard To Do Though Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Scientology in the news
UPDATE: http://gawker.com/347367/why-kids-on-the-internet-are-scientologys-most-powerful-enemy http://tinyurl.com/2j8f43 - Original Message - From: Robert Seeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 7:31 PM Subject: Scientology in the news Probably for the best that our man K not comment on this for obvious reasons. But I have been enjoying the recent COS (L.Ron's bane) news lately. First was the extremely funny and insane video that made the rounds with T.C. (Risky Business, Mission Impossible) making an utter ass of himself. Then there was the standard COS threats to sue for copyright infringement that were pretty much ignored by the masses until the major news networks picked up the story. Then some hacking of COS sponsored websites and the expected COS bounty on the perps.dead or alive.as reported on the COS sponsored Religious Freedom Watch website. Digg picks it up and now that site is in a toast coma...hahahaha!!! (Prominent on RFW site is an injuction against K) It occurs to me that if the COS thinks it can continue to piss off and/or insult the haxxors and script kiddies they are going to find their online outlets in a damaged condition with regularity. Who needs TV when you have this kind of humor, action, and drama available.G xponent Spectator Sports Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Scientology in the news
Anudder update..this one is really making the rounds: http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/01/anonymous-attac.html On 1/23/2008 4:11:46 PM, Robert Seeberger ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: UPDATE: http://gawker.com/347367/why-kids-on-the-internet-are-scientologys-most- powerful-enemy http://tinyurl.com/2j8f43 - Original Message - From: Robert Seeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 7:31 PM Subject: Scientology in the news Probably for the best that our man K not comment on this for obvious reasons. But I have been enjoying the recent COS (L.Ron's bane) news lately. ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Scientology in the news
Probably for the best that our man K not comment on this for obvious reasons. But I have been enjoying the recent COS (L.Ron's bane) news lately. First was the extremely funny and insane video that made the rounds with T.C. (Risky Business, Mission Impossible) making an utter ass of himself. Then there was the standard COS threats to sue for copyright infringement that were pretty much ignored by the masses until the major news networks picked up the story. Then some hacking of COS sponsored websites and the expected COS bounty on the perps.dead or alive.as reported on the COS sponsored Religious Freedom Watch website. Digg picks it up and now that site is in a toast coma...hahahaha!!! (Prominent on RFW site is an injuction against K) It occurs to me that if the COS thinks it can continue to piss off and/or insult the haxxors and script kiddies they are going to find their online outlets in a damaged condition with regularity. Who needs TV when you have this kind of humor, action, and drama available.G xponent Spectator Sports Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Singularity (WARNING: Sarah Connors Chronicles spoiler)
On 1/22/2008 9:14:59 PM, jon louis mann ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: maybe [...] we can find out what's down with the jumper jon Looked to me like the jumper herself was down. Splat!!! Maru -- Ronn! :) sicko!~) jon What makes you think the jumper is part of the ongoing storyline? It just impressed me as a momentary event that illustrated how screwed up the school John is going to is. Like the metal detectors at the doors. xponent Time Change Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Portal (was RE: Fundamentalist Wisdom)
On 1/21/2008 7:06:27 AM, Jim Sharkey ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Robert Seeberger wrote: Jim Sharkey wrote: William T Goodall wrote: Evolution is a lie So is the cake. I was going to have a party and invite all your friends. I'm glad at least someone knew that one. Despite its brevity, I think Portal ought to be game of the year. It was fun, darkly hilarious, and features a great Jonathon Coulton song at the end. What's not to love? And the best part is it requires very few twitch skills. I honestly think it's a game almost anyone could enjoy. To me it was like an overblown intelligence test. You really have to twist your mind to figure out how to progress through some of the levels. I bought the Orange Box after listening to people talk about how great it was for months figuring I'd play TF2 since I loved the original TF. I couldn't play TF because my PC had a crappy Nvidia 5200 card, but I suffered through *all* the HL2 episodes with the 5200 and in frustration upgraded to a 7300GT only to find it still isn't quite powerful enough to give good frame rates, but is just good enough to play the games. (The fact that my MB is old enough to still have an AGP graphic slot and not PCI-E should say a lot..3.2Ghz single core) By the time I got around to Portal, I was getting barely acceptable frames and having a blast. Portal *is* the game of the year without a doubt and the rumors that HL3 will have the Portal Gun as a feature have me eagerly anticipating.G xponent Can Barely Play TF Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
RE: Fundamentalist Wisdom
On 1/20/2008 2:22:01 PM, Jim Sharkey ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: William T Goodall wrote: Evolution is a lie So is the cake. I was going to have a party and invite all your friends. xponent Portal Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Brin: Dolphin wheels
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1041454/dolphin_play_bubble_rings/ Them Fins sure are smart! xponent Bubble Bobble Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Contact lenses with circuits
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-01/uow-clw011708.php Movie characters from the Terminator to the Bionic Woman use bionic eyes to zoom in on far-off scenes, have useful facts pop into their field of view, or create virtual crosshairs. Off the screen, virtual displays have been proposed for more practical purposes - visual aids to help vision-impaired people, holographic driving control panels and even as a way to surf the Web on the go. The device to make this happen may be familiar. Engineers at the University of Washington have for the first time used manufacturing techniques at microscopic scales to combine a flexible, biologically safe contact lens with an imprinted electronic circuit and lights. Looking through a completed lens, you would see what the display is generating superimposed on the world outside, said Babak Parviz, a UW assistant professor of electrical engineering. This is a very small step toward that goal, but I think it's extremely promising. The results were presented today at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' international conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems by Harvey Ho, a former graduate student of Parviz's now working at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, Calif. Other co-authors are Ehsan Saeedi and Samuel Kim in the UW's electrical engineering department and Tueng Shen in the UW Medical Center's ophthalmology department. There are many possible uses for virtual displays. Drivers or pilots could see a vehicle's speed projected onto the windshield. Video-game companies could use the contact lenses to completely immerse players in a virtual world without restricting their range of motion. And for communications, people on the go could surf the Internet on a midair virtual display screen that only they would be able to see. People may find all sorts of applications for it that we have not thought about. Our goal is to demonstrate the basic technology and make sure it works and that it's safe, said Parviz, who heads a multi-disciplinary UW group that is developing electronics for contact lenses. The prototype device contains an electric circuit as well as red light-emitting diodes for a display, though it does not yet light up. The lenses were tested on rabbits for up to 20 minutes and the animals showed no adverse effects. Ideally, installing or removing the bionic eye would be as easy as popping a contact lens in or out, and once installed the wearer would barely know the gadget was there, Parviz said. Building the lenses was a challenge because materials that are safe for use in the body, such as the flexible organic materials used in contact lenses, are delicate. Manufacturing electrical circuits, however, involves inorganic materials, scorching temperatures and toxic chemicals. Researchers built the circuits from layers of metal only a few nanometers thick, about one thousandth the width of a human hair, and constructed light-emitting diodes one third of a millimeter across. They then sprinkled the grayish powder of electrical components onto a sheet of flexible plastic. The shape of each tiny component dictates which piece it can attach to, a microfabrication technique known as self-assembly. Capillary forces - the same type of forces that make water move up a plant's roots, and that cause the edge of a glass of water to curve upward - pull the pieces into position. The prototype contact lens does not correct the wearer's vision, but the technique could be used on a corrective lens, Parviz said. And all the gadgetry won't obstruct a person's view. There is a large area outside of the transparent part of the eye that we can use for placing instrumentation, Parviz said. Future improvements will add wireless communication to and from the lens. The researchers hope to power the whole system using a combination of radio-frequency power and solar cells placed on the lens, Parviz said. A full-fledged display won't be available for a while, but a version that has a basic display with just a few pixels could be operational fairly quickly, according to Parviz. xponent Future Collisions Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Young Earth Math?
On 1/17/2008 8:32:01 PM, Warren Ockrassa ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Jan 17, 2008, at 7:27 PM, William T Goodall wrote: So a lot of fundies are using the nails of faith to keep the closet door shut? Could be they're either (1) looking for ways to strengthen themselves against their sinful urges; or (2) miserable teens trying to self- loathe into heterosexuality; or (3) perverted youth pastors trying to figure out what percentage of their summer-camp flock might be amenable to a little late-night hike down by the riverside, if you know what I mean. Conservapedia Conservatives Republicans Gay Sex Scandals in Congress Maybe they can get Mercury Morris to do a commercial CONSEVAPEDERAST [Cat scan movie of hot oral action (you know what I'm talking about)] This is your brain This is your brain on cock Any conservatives? [Cue background music: Queen's I Want It All] PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTE TO RE-ELECT THE PRESIDENT AND HIS BUDDIES..AGAIN. I don't know if there is any real point to this, but it makes me LMAO G. (I find abject denial to be funny, does that make me a bad person?) xponent No Drinking At The Keyboard Please Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: US Doomed
On 1/15/2008 6:58:55 PM, John Garcia ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Jan 15, 2008 7:21 PM, Nick Arnett [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: On 1/15/08, John Garcia [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: ... This is a guy who doesn't believe in evolution. He apparently believes it's just fine for the Constitution to evolve a bit. Or would that be devolve? Nick Devolve for sure. Huckabee is just another (albeit charismatic) politician trying to remake the world they way he wants it to be. Alas, his world is not the world I want to live in. I wouldn't leave the US if he won, but my attitude would be (to quote some friends of mine) Oh, it's on now mr fr! Exactly why some interpret the second amendment the way they do, just for such occasions..and as a threat against such. G xponent Judgment Day Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Take that, Iowa!!
- Original Message - From: Dan M [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: 'Killer Bs (David Brin et al) Discussion' brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 11:24 PM Subject: RE: Take that, Iowa!! -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Sharkey Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2008 4:08 PM To: brin-l@mccmedia.com Subject: Take that, Iowa!! I'm sure some of you knew this, what with your big brains and all, but I found it interesting: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=grass-makes-better-ethanol-than-corn _Scientific American_ is saying grass as a source of ethanol has the potential to be vastly more efficient than corn. Pretty cool stuff, I think. I've been busy, but I'm sorta back. Unfortunately, when the numbers are crunched, it doesn't look very good. I have a blog on the Scientific American website that looked into the fundamental numbers. I looked at 2006 numbers for a baseline. I didn't include the energy price of ethanol, so these numbers overstate the viability of ethonal. In 2006, 4.9 billion gallons of ethanol were produced. That's a yield of about 2.3 gal/bushel.a bit lower than the estimate I gave. 4.9 billion gallons of ethanol replace 3.3 billion gallons of gasoline.or about 2.4% of gasoline consumption. 100% of the crop would give 5x that amount, or 12%. That's slightly less than the 13% I estimated earlier.which means that the 2.6 gallons/bushel was a bit optimistic. These yields are for a high density crop usually grown on the best land with intense cultivation. I cranked the numbers for switchgrass, and the nominal yield of ethanol per acre on cultivated land is less than half of that of corn. It still might be better, due to a lower energy costs for production, but it won't be better than my analysis which ignored the energy cost of ethanol. In 2006, the US had about 320,000 sq. km of the best farmland dedicated to corn. In 2002, the US had about 1.760 million sq. km cultivated in all crops (I couldn't easily find 2006 data for the total..but 2002 should give order of magnitude). The total land area of the US about 3.8 million sq. km, of which about 0.5 million is in Alaska, which I will not consider potential crop land. So, most of the Continental US and Hawaii is already crop land...so there is not a lot of land just waiting to be used. Some, like the SW desert and the mountains are virtually impossible to use, so it is very difficult for me to see how any significant contribution to our energy supply will be afforded by ethanol. Then why the subsidy? Two words: farm lobby. I agree with you on almost every point here, especially when you point out the farm lobby. There are aspects of the American ethanol industry that are quite problematic. And I think most would agree that supplanting food crops to enhance energy production is a pretty bad idea. As I understood the original switchgrass proposals made a few years ago, switchgrass was supposed to be grown in addition to and not instead of other crops. The reason this was proposed was that switchgrass (and several other hardy grasses) would easily grow in areas considered marginal to poor (or worse) for other crops. Grasses could be grown on highway right-of-ways or to prevent erosion on hillsides and riversides. It would grow in swamps. It could even be grown in fallow fields if the need arose. Our fuel standard is currently E15 and moving toward E85, but I have not seen any proposals for E100. So I don't think this will be a long term problem/solution. Hopefully, we will have better alternatives in just a few years and won't have to burn anything more complex than hydrogen to move us and our goods around. Like this from the Wikipedia article for Gallium: Aluminum is reactive enough to reduce water to hydrogen, being oxidized to aluminium oxide. However, the aluminum oxide forms a protective coat which prevents further reaction. When gallium is alloyed with aluminum, the coat does not form, thus the alloy can potentially provide a solid hydrogen source for transportation purposes, which would be more convenient than a pressurized hydrogen tank. Resmelting the resultant aluminum oxide and gallium mixture to metallic aluminum and gallium and reforming these into electrodes would constitute most of the energy input into the system, while electricity produced by a hydrogen fuel cell could constitute an energy output. The thermodynamic efficiency of the aluminum smelting process is said to be approximately 50 percent. Therefore, at most no more than half the energy that goes into smelting aluminum could be recovered by a fuel cell. Interesting stuff. xponent Land Use Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Take that, Iowa!!
On 1/10/2008 11:09:29 PM, Ronn! Blankenship ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: At 06:13 PM Thursday 1/10/2008, Lance A. Brown wrote: Perhaps. The use of corn to produce ethanol is already driving the cost of corn higher, impacting food costs already[1]. I don't think we want to use corn _or_ sugarcane for producing ethanol in the long term. [1] Karnack the Magnificent: A buccaneer. (Opens the envelope and reads the card inside.) What is too much to pay for corn? Straight From The Mayonnaise Jar On Funk And Wagnell's Back Porch Maru -- Ronn! :) YMMV, but there have already been food riots in Mexico over the price of corn. 100 bucks an ear...ahhh a barrel oil has repercussions even in countries that are not significant consumers of oil per capita. xponent Poppies And Heroin Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Take that, Iowa!!
On 1/10/2008 6:13:29 PM, Lance A. Brown ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Alberto Vieira Ferreira Monteiro wrote: Jim Sharkey wrote: I'm sure some of you knew this, what with your big brains and all, but I found it interesting: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=grass-makes-better-ethanol-than-corn _Scientific American_ is saying grass as a source of ethanol has the potential to be vastly more efficient than corn. Pretty cool stuff, I think. But still less efficient than sugarcane :-P Perhaps. The use of corn to produce ethanol is already driving the cost of corn higher, impacting food costs already[1]. I don't think we want to use corn _or_ sugarcane for producing ethanol in the long term. The problem with corn is that it produces a lower energy ethanol. Sugarcane *is* much better in that regard. But why are you worried about sugarcane? We don't use it all that much in the US, even for making sugar. Last I heard, sugar beets was the big resource in that industry. (In the US that is.) As I understand the ethanol research, grass and cellulose are looking to become popular resources for ethanol with several useful byproducts as an added bonus. xponent Drastic Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Planets in scale and size
http://www.5min.com/Video/Planets-in-scale-and-size-7884 xponent Impressive Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Zen Time Travel
An interesting little article about what you are doing when you are doing nothing. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1580364,00.html What are you doing when you aren't doing anything at all? If you said nothing, then you have just passed a test in logic and flunked a test in neuroscience. When people perform mental tasks--adding numbers, comparing shapes, identifying faces--different areas of their brains become active, and brain scans show these active areas as brightly colored squares on an otherwise dull gray background. But researchers have recently discovered that when these areas of our brains light up, other areas go dark. This dark network (which comprises regions in the frontal, parietal and medial temporal lobes) is off when we seem to be on, and on when we seem to be off. If you climbed into an MRI machine and lay there quietly, waiting for instructions from a technician, the dark network would be as active as a beehive. But the moment your instructions arrived and your task began, the bees would freeze and the network would fall silent. When we appear to be doing nothing, we are clearly doing something. But what? The answer, it seems, is time travel. The human body moves forward in time at the rate of one second per second whether we like it or not. But the human mind can move through time in any direction and at any speed it chooses. Our ability to close our eyes and imagine the pleasures of Super Bowl Sunday or remember the excesses of New Year's Eve is a fairly recent evolutionary development, and our talent for doing this is unparalleled in the animal kingdom. We are a race of time travelers, unfettered by chronology and capable of visiting the future or revisiting the past whenever we wish. If our neural time machines are damaged by illness, age or accident, we may become trapped in the present. Alzheimer's disease, for instance, specifically attacks the dark network, stranding many of its victims in an endless now, unable to remember their yesterdays or envision their tomorrows. Why did evolution design our brains to go wandering in time? Perhaps it's because an experience is a terrible thing to waste. Moving around in the world exposes organisms to danger, so as a rule they should have as few experiences as possible and learn as much from each as they can. Although some of life's lessons are learned in the moment (Don't touch a hot stove), others become apparent only after the fact (Now I see why she was upset. I should have said something about her new dress). Time travel allows us to pay for an experience once and then have it again and again at no additional charge, learning new lessons with each repetition. When we are busy having experiences--herding children, signing checks, battling traffic--the dark network is silent, but as soon as those experiences are over, the network is awakened, and we begin moving across the landscape of our history to see what we can learn--for free. Animals learn by trial and error, and the smarter they are, the fewer trials they need. Traveling backward buys us many trials for the price of one, but traveling forward allows us to dispense with trials entirely. Just as pilots practice flying in flight simulators, the rest of us practice living in life simulators, and our ability to simulate future courses of action and preview their consequences enables us to learn from mistakes without making them. We don't need to bake a liver cupcake to find out that it is a stunningly bad idea; simply imagining it is punishment enough. The same is true for insulting the boss and misplacing the children. We may not heed the warnings that prospection provides, but at least we aren't surprised when we wake up with a hangover or when our waists and our inseams swap sizes. The dark network allows us to visit the future, but not just any future. When we contemplate futures that don't include us--Will the NASDAQ be up next week? Will Hillary run in 2008?--the dark network is quiet. Only when we move ourselves through time does it come alive. Perhaps the most startling fact about the dark network isn't what it does but how often it does it. Neuroscientists refer to it as the brain's default mode, which is to say that we spend more of our time away from the present than in it. People typically overestimate how often they are in the moment because they rarely take notice when they take leave. It is only when the environment demands our attention--a dog barks, a child cries, a telephone rings--that our mental time machines switch themselves off and deposit us with a bump in the here and now. We stay just long enough to take a message and then we slip off again to the land of Elsewhen, our dark networks awash in light. xponent Paging Dr Bob Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
On the American Standard front.....
Some funny toilets and environs... http://madhattannights.com/the-worlds-funniest-bathrooms/ xponent Fun Stuff Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Zen Time Travel
On 1/9/2008 7:40:25 PM, Warren Ockrassa ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Jan 9, 2008, at 3:09 PM, Robert Seeberger wrote: An interesting little article about what you are doing when you are doing nothing. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1580364,00.html This isn't Zen, actually, Of course not.G But I think it is an apt description of what people tend to ^think^ they are doing during idle-minded moments. which really *is* about doing nothing, and the time travel aspect of the brain is actually extremely well-known to Buddhist meditators. The idling mind is seen in Buddhist psychology to be absolutely packed full of discursive thought, virtually all of which is concerned either with reliving the past or anticipating the future. My understanding, introspective and otherwise, is that human brains model one's experiences and potential outcomes pretty much constantly. The only time I seem to drop out of this mode is when I have to focus on something immediate such as a conversation.Even when I am working I seem to be modeling what I am working on and only stop to perform individual tasks. xponent Modeler Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: On the American Standard front.....
On 1/9/2008 7:45:00 PM, Warren Ockrassa ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Jan 9, 2008, at 6:41 PM, Robert Seeberger wrote: Some funny toilets and environs... http://madhattannights.com/the-worlds-funniest-bathrooms/ That first one is not funny at all. Kind of makes pissing an adventure. xponent Off With Their Heads! Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: On the American Standard front.....
On 1/9/2008 8:27:50 PM, Warren Ockrassa ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Jan 9, 2008, at 7:18 PM, Robert Seeberger wrote: On 1/9/2008 7:45:00 PM, Warren Ockrassa ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Jan 9, 2008, at 6:41 PM, Robert Seeberger wrote: Some funny toilets and environs... http://madhattannights.com/the-worlds-funniest-bathrooms/ That first one is not funny at all. Kind of makes pissing an adventure. Xtreme urination? Or just circumcision with an attitude? Making a Prince Albert just the perforation in preparation? I suppose in the case of a Jacobs Ladder one would need a Veg-e-matic. Off With Their Heads! Maru Indeed. This conversation is decidedly discomfiting.G xponent Lorena Bobbit's Ginsu Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: On the American Standard front.....
Wow.even more! (some repeated though) http://www.2spare.com/item_91339.aspx xponent Don't Cross The Streams Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: A Family Tragedy
On 12/21/2007 10:53:02 PM, Doug ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: I'm very sorry for your loss, Rob. Aw man, the story just took a bad turn. Some of Chase's friends have contacted me via e-mail and (I think) unintentionally confirmed a suspicion. Chase was street racing when the accident occurred. http://www.houston240sx.com/forums/showthread.php?p=369839#post369839 These kids might lie to their parents (or the police accident investigators) about their activities, but I doubt they are making this up. xponent ...Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: A Family Tragedy
On 12/22/2007 9:14:38 AM, John Garcia ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Sorry for your loss, Rob. Boy, his friends sure did love him. http://flickr.com/photos/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/sets/72157603522894505/ xponent Christmas Shopping Still Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: A Family Tragedy
- Original Message - From: Nick Arnett [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 7:18 PM Subject: Re: A Family Tragedy On Dec 19, 2007 7:52 AM, Nick Arnett [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Let me offer a sentence that has helped many people get through the holidays when in grief: Not this year. It means that it's okay to tell others -- and yourself -- that you're choosing not to skip something this year. If it will take more energy than it gives you, don't do it. Choosing not to skip... sheesh. I meant choosing to skip, which probably was apparent. Robert, thanks for telling us more. Tears in my eyes. Nothing makes these things better, we just learn to live with them. I think it is good to choose to believe in things that seem impossible. The obit appeared in the paper today, but they got his date of death wrong placing it a day later for some reason. http://www.legacy.com/houstonchronicle/DeathNotices.asp?Page=LifestoryPersonId=99882966 http://tinyurl.com/2pq73e xponent Honoring Memory Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: A Family Tragedy
On 12/20/2007 5:49:16 PM, Nick Arnett ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Dec 20, 2007 2:54 PM, Robert Seeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: The obit appeared in the paper today, but they got his date of death wrong placing it a day later for some reason. Until I read it, I had forgotten that you're in Wes' neighborhood, practically. In fact, Chayla (his widow) bought a house in Webster. Wes' funeral was in Webster. Burying children stinks. I live in Webster these days. Hwy 3 and Bay Area if it matters.G xponent Locations Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: A Family Tragedy
On 12/20/2007 6:59:06 PM, Warren Ockrassa ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Sympathies and condolences, for what they're worth. If one considers how such a situation would feel if no one extended a hand, then I would have to say that they are valuable. I do not forget that people show that they care. I thank you all! xponent Commonality Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: A Family Tragedy
On 12/19/2007 9:52:13 AM, Nick Arnett ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Dec 18, 2007 7:52 PM, Robert Seeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: My family mourns today the death of Chase Taylor Williamson, my nephew, my sister Tracy's oldest child. Chase died hours after an automobile accident in the early hours of the morning. I'm so sorry to hear this... After our niece's husband was killed just before Thanksgiving, I decided to let it be a good thing that it happened near a holiday because it means that when the anniversary comes around, we'll be with family. Let me offer a sentence that has helped many people get through the holidays when in grief: Not this year. It means that it's okay to tell others -- and yourself -- that you're choosing not to skip something this year. If it will take more energy than it gives you, don't do it. How old was Chase? He was 21. In my immediate family we had a cluster of children all born in a 5 year period, and they were all close and tight-knit having been practically raised together. Brittany was one of the older kids in this group and Chase was one of the younger ones. They are taking this very hard and watching their grief is excruciating. It's not fair! It's not fair! must have been repeated hundreds of times yesterday and there is so little one can say that does not sound empty during these initial stages of grieving. All I could do was hold them tight and cry with them, every single one. I used to babysit all seven of the kids frequently. We would unfold the hide-a-bed couch and make popcorn or eat ice cream while watching monster movies. I'd get them to stay on the bed by telling them the toe-monsters would stick out their claws and snip their toes off if they got off and that was good for a great deal of giggly fun. They would fall asleep with some crappy 80s horror movie on and I would sleep on a recliner next to the couch. I was their Uncle Robbiee and it felt like all the love in the world. Sunday morning I stood in line in the wee hours of 34 degrees so that I could get my son a Wii for Christmas, and thought I was suffering in that cold. /irony I called the Ex-Wife to tell her about Chase last night and she tells me that she had been diagnosed with uterine cancer and had been hospitalized over the weekend for a procedure. So my son too has worries on his 12 year old mind. But we will spend this weekend and Christmas Day together and it is all the love in the world. My wife's birth mother died last week. It is a complicated situation that precluded any chance of Susan going to the funeral. But her Dad and Step-Mom will coming in to town to be with us this weekend It will still be Christmas this Christmas. And we will have all the love in the world as the little groups of us come together. Tell people you love them, it matters. xponent Family And Extended Family Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
A Family Tragedy
My family mourns today the death of Chase Taylor Williamson, my nephew, my sister Tracy's oldest child. Chase died hours after an automobile accident in the early hours of the morning. His death is particularly tragic in light of a similarly deadly car accident that took his cousin Brittany from us in May of 2001 and the fact of the holiday season upon us. Chase is survived by his mother, Tracy Clause; Father, Allan Williamson; Step-Father, Ritchie Clause; Brother, Kennedy; Sister, Elliot; and grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is also survived by siblings and relatives through his Father, Allan, but sadly I know too little about them to list them properly and I apologize for the omission. When I started writing I thought I had a lot to say, but right now everything feels like damage. I'd appreciate it if those who are inclined would pray for my sister and her family. Otherwise I would hope that everyone spend a few closeness moments with loved ones when you can. rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: What is the Monkeysphere?
On 12/17/2007 8:45:45 AM, Ronn! Blankenship ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: At 06:54 PM Sunday 12/16/2007, Robert Seeberger wrote: http://www.cracked.com/article_14990_what-monkeysphere.html http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Dunbar's_number Any article that talks about monkeys and the movie They Live is sure to get my attention quote And finally, DON'T LET ANYBODY simplify it for you. The world cannot be made simple. Anyone who tries to paint a picture of the world in basic comic book colors is most likely trying to use you as a pawn. /quote Anybody including folks posting on a site named for a humor magazine who have books for sale . . . Mr. Pot, Meet Mr. Kettle Maru Actually, the article was not written by Cracked, just reprinted there. It's been appearing in blogs all over the net. It gets treated a bit more seriously in other venues. So..I take it that you do not see our monkey brains limitations being a factor in much of what's wrong with the world? xponent Honest Question Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
What is the Monkeysphere?
http://www.cracked.com/article_14990_what-monkeysphere.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunbar's_number Any article that talks about monkeys and the movie They Live is sure to get my attention xponent An Infinite Series Of MonkeySpheres Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Pratchett has Alzheimer's
- Original Message - From: Jim Sharkey [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 9:46 AM Subject: Pratchett has Alzheimer's http://www.paulkidby.com/news/index.html I'll warrant we've got a fan or two on board here, so I thought I'd share the sad news. Alzheimer's has to be one of the truly awful scourges of our ability to live longer. Yet, as a fan of the man's work, I can't help but want to make jokes, even though I know it's not really funny. He just doesn't strike me as someone who'd want his fans to get maudlin about it. The real tragedy of this is that it is an early onset variety. My wife works with Alzheimer's patients as a part of her job. She has one woman who is only 60 and is mostly gone most of the time. A few months ago, Susan was promoted to the Activity Director position. She arranges entertainment for regular elder folks most of her day, but also has to play memory games to help the alxhiemers patients too. Some of her after work stories are quite sad, but others are uplifting. I suspect that we have a few good years of Pratchett remaining and there are many reasons to remain optimistic. xponent Hope And Prayers Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Darwin's Surprise
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/12/03/071203fa_fact_specter Viruses are hacking our genome. We are in part descended from viruses. This is good news.G This article is far too long to post here, but I recommend it highly. Excerpt: When the sequence of the human genome was fully mapped, in 2003, researchers also discovered something they had not anticipated: our bodies are littered with the shards of such retroviruses, fragments of the chemical code from which all genetic material is made. It takes less than two per cent of our genome to create all the proteins necessary for us to live. Eight per cent, however, is composed of broken and disabled retroviruses, which, millions of years ago, managed to embed themselves in the DNA of our ancestors. They are called endogenous retroviruses, because once they infect the DNA of a species they become part of that species. One by one, though, after molecular battles that raged for thousands of generations, they have been defeated by evolution. Like dinosaur bones, these viral fragments are fossils. Instead of having been buried in sand, they reside within each of us, carrying a record that goes back millions of years. Because they no longer seem to serve a purpose or cause harm, these remnants have often been referred to as junk DNA. Many still manage to generate proteins, but scientists have never found one that functions properly in humans or that could make us sick. xponent Evolve Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: WORLD'S EASIEST QUIZ...
I got them all correct because I've learned to read an entire post before answering.G xponent Riddle Me This Maru rob On 12/8/2007 3:49:00 PM, jon louis mann ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Passing requires 4 correct answers) 1) How long did the Hundred Years' War last? 2) Which country makes Panama hats? 3) From which animal do we get catgut? 4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October Revolution? 5) What is a camel's hair brush made of? 6) The Canary Islands are named after what animal? 7) What was King George VI's first name? 8) What color is a purple finch? 9) Where are Chinese Gooseberries from? ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Germany moves to ban Scientology
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/12/07/germany.scientology.ap/index.html Germany's top security officials said Friday they consider the goals of the Church of Scientology to be in conflict with the principles of the nation's constitution and will seek to ban the organization. The interior ministers of the nation's 16 states plan to give the nation's domestic intelligence agency the task of preparing the necessary information to ban the organization, which has been under observation for a decade on allegations that it threatens the peaceful democratic order of the country. The Church of Scientology, in a response sent to CNN, denounced the German proposal, calling it out of step with various international court rulings. Read the Church of Scientology response The ministers, as well as federal Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, consider Scientology to be an organization that is not compatible with the constitution, said Berlin Interior Minister Ehrhart Koerting, who presided over the officials' two-day conference. Sabine Weber, president of the Church of Scientology in Berlin, said she views the renewed attempt to ban the organization as a reaction to increasing acceptance of Scientologists in several European countries. It is very, very clear that the true picture of what Scientology is about is pushing its way through, Weber said. The interior ministers are clearly reacting to that. The Scientologists have long battled to end the surveillance, saying it is an abuse of their right to freedom of religion. They point to several lower court rulings in favor of their right to practice in Germany as a religious organization. The U.S. State Department regularly criticizes Germany in its annual Human Rights Report for the monitoring practice. The interior ministers gave no specific examples for their decision, but the most recent annual report on extremism compiled by their agencies criticized the organization for disregarding human rights. From a number of sources, some of them not available to the public, it has been determined that (the organization) seeks to limit or rescind basic and human rights, such as the right to develop one's personality and the right to be treated equally, the report said. Earlier this year, the German government initially refused to allow the producers of a movie starring Scientology member Tom Cruise as the most famous anti-Hitler plotter to film at the site where the hero was executed, although it did not expressly state Scientology as its reason. It later allowed the production to go ahead. The Los Angeles-based Church of Scientology was founded in 1954 by the late science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard. It first set up in Germany in 1970 and officials estimate it counts some 6,000 members in the country. xponent Bring Me The Head Of L Ron Hubbard Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
To Restore Democracy: First Abolish Corporate Personhood
Thus, Paine and others of the Revolutionary Era reasoned, any institution made up by and of humans - from governments to churches to corporations - must be subordinate to individual living people in terms of the rights and powers held by the institution. http://www.thomhartmann.com/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=183Itemid=38mosmsg=Thanks%20for%20your%20vote! http://tinyurl.com/28xduw xponent Tom Paine Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: To Restore Democracy: First Abolish Corporate Personhood
On 12/1/2007 7:14:53 PM, Ronn! Blankenship ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: At 06:03 PM Saturday 12/1/2007, Robert Seeberger wrote: Thus, Paine and others of the Revolutionary Era reasoned, any institution made up by and of humans - from governments to churches to corporations - must be subordinate to individual living people in terms of the rights and powers held by the institution. http://www.thomhartmann.com/index. php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=183Itemid=38mosmsg=Thanks%20for%20your%20vote! http://tinyurl.com/28xduw Interesting article. I had not previously read that account of how corporations achieved personhood status. Some of the comments brought up some of the issues he didn't, and it would be interesting to read his responses concerning some of those before deciding if abolishing that status would likely make things better or not . . . Well.it was the comments section that was in itself interesting enough to be worth posting. Before reading the article, I would have had pretty much the same sentiment as the articles writer, but now I believe I should hold a few more reservations until some time when I've more data and time to consider more of the implications. As things stand, I still believe corporations should not have all the rights of personhood. They are really just big dumb (albeit powerful) machines designed to make profit. The problem as I see it is that corporations have rights but suffer very little when it comes to responsibility. When has a corporation been sentenced to death (and I mean in exactly the same way a person would) and executed? When a corporation causes a death, it always falls back on scapegoatism or it gets it's hands slapped with insignificant fines. The corporate right to free speech to me is a joke. Corporations can't have free speech because they can't run for office or die in the service of their countries. I suppose some wiseass here will contend that Halliburton is VP at the moment, but I would suggest that at best we have a composite Vice-President. A more serious aspect of this as a problem is that corporations cross national boundaries. How can you trust a multi-national to be loyal within a nation? xponent Serious Questions Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Peter vs. Bob --A Heroes PC/Mac parody
[Piano music] Peter: Hello, I'm a Mac. Bob: And I'm a PC. Peter: So, I hear there's a really nasty virus going around. Bob: Yeah, it's going to kill 93% of the world's population. Peter: Woah, 93%? Glad I'm not infected. Bob: You were supposed to be. Peter: Yeah well, apparently it doesn't affect Macs. Bob: I can see that. Peter: But you must feel bad. Bob: Me. Why is that? Peter: It's your company's fault that everyone ends up dead. Bob: How am I responsible for killing 93% of the world's population? Peter: Your company developed the virus, and unleashed it upon an unsuspecting world. Kind of like Vista. Bob: (groans) Don't remind me about Vista. Peter: Not to worry, I'm aware of the future, and I'm back in the present to save the day. Bob: And how are you going to do that? Peter: With my multimedia powers. Bob:YOU THINK YOU'RE SO SPECIAL WITH YOUR MULTIMEDIA POWERS, but you know what, you're too busy whining to ever use them! Peter: Ouch, you really hurt my feelings. Bob: I should say so! Peter: But it's not exactly true. Bob: Yeah? Then tell me what you've been up to? Peter: Last season, I saved the cheerleader, saved the world. Where were you? Bob: I was busy running a Company. Peter: Doing what? Bob: Doing productive things. Peter: Such as? Bob: (smugly) Turning things to gold Peter: Now that I'm next to you, I can do that too. Bob: Arrgh! At least I don't whine! Peter: No, your customers do that for you. [Peter teases Bob with a little blue spark to the nose.] Peter: Gotcha. Bob: Just stay away from my daughter, okay? [Piano music ends] By: [EMAIL PROTECTED] xponent Funny Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
RE: Don't drink and drive: Smoke marijuana and drive
On 11/28/2007 4:55:58 PM, Jim Sharkey ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Alberto Monteiro wrote: http://peety-passion.com/relax/2007/11/27/stoned-drivers-are-safe- drivers/ Stoned drivers are safe drivers Two decades of research show that marijuana use may actually reduce driver accidents. I can't be the only one who thought this was going to be a Bill Hicks routine, can I? You mean Beelzebozo? xponent Relentless maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
THE MASQUE OF THE HEAT DEATH
I read this on another list and really liked it. So I poked around til I found the author and got permission to re-post it. I hope you like it!! xponent And The Curtain Rises Maru rob THE MASQUE OF THE HEAT DEATH by David Krieger On the last night of the world, the gods decreed for themselves a revel, a final masquerade in which they took on their long-discarded human forms and spent themselves in orgiastic and drunken festivity. It was a wake for spacetime itself. The numbers of the gods had dwindled through the long middle age of the Universe. Each was a vast and unique information structure, grown from a merely human seed. Augmented and elaborated first in magnitude and then in kind, each became a god, a single mind as complex as a civilization or an entire ecosystem, with instrumentality capable of manipulating individual molecules or entire galaxies. A wave of transformation had spread out from the birth-world of the gods, a phase-change that swept through all space-time and transformed it to the liking of the gods. Their capabilities were bounded only by the limits of what was possible. Yet those limits proved confining enough. The gods had known, while still seeds in the womb of Earth, that the very matter they were composed of was not immortal. They conjectured, and later demonstrated, that the protons constituting baryonic matter were unstable, and would decay over the course of the protracted lifetimes of the gods. As time progressed, the gods knew, their very substance would grow more and more radioactive and less reliable. Information, the real essence of the gods, would be lost. In the end, the gods themselves would die. This, they could not bear. They consumed whole galaxies seeking the underlying mechanisms of their doom, and finding them, found they could change nothing. Physics had graven its laws in the substrate of spacetime itself. The instability that accumulated in the proton came from a source the gods could neither locate nor dam. Baryonic matter was provably doomed. The gods contrived a reprieve. One who styled himself Perdurabo discovered a way to spread the instability among all of the remaining baryons as it accumulated. Linked by a hyperspatial network of equipotential conduits, all of the baryons of existence would age together, in lockstep... none could grow any more unstable than any other. When they decayed, they would all decay at once... spectacularly. The gods had traded slow dissolution for a final cataclysm. Their Universe would live fast and die young. The Stabilization cost the gods much -- enacting it consumed fully half of their remaining baryons -- but it bought them time to work on the problem of encoding consciousness in non-baryonic matter. Leptons -- electrons and mesons -- were immune to the accumulation of instability that doomed the protons and neutrons. If the gods could find out how to build new minds from these unwieldy members, they could perhaps survive the final blast. The problem was the liquidity of leptonic matter. Even as the Universe cooled to near absolute zero, the particles from which the gods hoped to build their new selves remained intractably fluid and evanescent, refusing to form well-behaved machinery of any kind. The gods worked on this problem for a period of time longer than their entire previous existence. The gods had already long traced the perimeter of possibility; all physical law was known to them. Within that perimeter was the rich fractal space of all physically possible phenomena, so vast and complex that it was impossible for them to know a priori whether or not there was a solution to their problem within it. The gods continued to experiment, and explore, and worry, while around them the stored energy of the stars and galaxies burned low and the hidden pressure of apocalypse mounted higher inside every proton. When only a sliver of the lifetime of the baryonic universe remained to it, the god known to his fellows as Excelsius published what he claimed was a proof that leptonic minds were impossible. There was disagreement from several quarters, but most of the gods were convinced. It came as a relief to some; it triggered madness in others. Religion was rediscovered, as the gods were faced for the first time in an eternity with the prospect of death being imposed upon them, arbitrarily and without exception, by the Universe. The idea spread among the gods that the end of eternity called for a fête, a spectacular wake to end all wakes, a funeral for existence itself. As the true diehards continued to explore increasingly desperate lines of research, the remaining gods -- only a few million had survived the Stabilization -- gathered in a single galaxy, a single solar system, for their revel. The nominal host of the extravaganza was Perdurabo, author of the Stabilization. The solar system chosen was in fact the site of the instrument of the Stabilization itself. Each of the gods created a human
Re: Most interesting social networking link I've seen
- Original Message - From: Nick Arnett [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, November 26, 2007 9:34 AM Subject: Most interesting social networking link I've seen Here it is... The Constitution of the United States, whose current occupation is Owners manual. http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=key=15161017goback=%2Ebcc_2908_2 I'm only one degree away from it, thanks to John Perry Barlow. Now you are one degree away from it twice. G xponent Constitutional Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Turduckin
- Original Message - From: Matt Grimaldi [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 3:30 PM Subject: Re: Turduckin From: Doug [EMAIL PROTECTED] ] Or just turkey or chicken or duck or the soy equivalent. ] Hope y'all have a happy one. I'm still in the dark (mmm...dark) about how the turkey, chicken, duck, or soybean would be happy about the situation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYB3b6IFP_Qfeature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwB4HA3UD2QNR=1 And for you gourmets, the Hotchken: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEEfk7gJTj8feature=related xponent Bored Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Strangely, I wasn't invited . . .
- Original Message - From: Julia Thompson [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 4:31 PM Subject: Re: Strangely, I wasn't invited . . . On Fri, 23 Nov 2007, Ronn! Blankenship wrote: SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- The World Toilet Association kicked off its inaugural conference Thursday, http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/11/22/toilet.association.ap/index.html?imw=Yiref=mpstoryemail http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/11/22/toilet.association.ap/index.html?imw=Yiref=mpstoryemail --Ronn! :) Bathroom humor is an American-Standard. That *is* odd that you weren't invited. ;) Maybe they already had auh.stuntman for the swirly demonstration? (Leaving me wondering about the qualifications for such a purported Commodial Houdini) xponent A Toilet Craptacular Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Strangely, I wasn't invited . . .
- Original Message - From: Robert Seeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 6:32 PM Subject: Re: Strangely, I wasn't invited . . . - Original Message - From: Julia Thompson [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 4:31 PM Subject: Re: Strangely, I wasn't invited . . . On Fri, 23 Nov 2007, Ronn! Blankenship wrote: SEOUL, South Korea (AP) -- The World Toilet Association kicked off its inaugural conference Thursday, http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/11/22/toilet.association.ap/index.html?imw=Yiref=mpstoryemail http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/11/22/toilet.association.ap/index.html?imw=Yiref=mpstoryemail --Ronn! :) Bathroom humor is an American-Standard. That *is* odd that you weren't invited. ;) Maybe they already had auh.stuntman for the swirly demonstration? (Leaving me wondering about the qualifications for such a purported Commodial Houdini) xponent A Toilet Craptacular Maru rob :) :) :) : ) Dammit.I always forget to add smileys after such a jape! Clarification: Ronn! is not a toilet stuntman, no matter how overqualified he might be! G xponent Cannot Resist Temptation Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Fw: Starting trouble for the hell of it
I think the list ate this as a late night snack last night. - Original Message - From: Robert Seeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 9:54 PM Subject: Starting trouble for the hell of it I guess I'm bored. I figure I'll start an argument somewhere. Like here: http://xponentrob.livejournal.com/ xponent The Way It Smells Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Starting trouble for the hell of it
I guess I'm bored. I figure I'll start an argument somewhere. Like here: http://xponentrob.livejournal.com/ xponent The Way It Smells Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Mankind destroying the universe... by looking at it?
- Original Message - From: Dave Land [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2007 12:36 PM Subject: Mankind destroying the universe... by looking at it? Folks, Incredible as it seems, our detection of the dark energy may have reduced the life-expectancy of the universe. -- Prof. Lawrence Krauss Interesting story found via Slashdot: According to quantum theory, at least as it is posited by Lawrence Krauss of Case Western Reserve University and James Dent of Vanderbilt University, our observations of dark matter may be hastening the end of the universe itself. All cool, but SurferDude is cooler. http://arxiv.org/abs/0711.0770 The science geeks just won't quit talking about him.G Digest that!!! xponent Magical Multidimensional Trees Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Starting trouble for the hell of it
I guess the list couldn't stomach it after all.G - Original Message - From: Robert Seeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Friday, November 23, 2007 9:54 PM Subject: Starting trouble for the hell of it I guess I'm bored. I figure I'll start an argument somewhere. Like here: http://xponentrob.livejournal.com/ xponent The Way It Smells Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Where the web is heading?
On 11/22/2007 7:34:49 PM, Nick Arnett ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Nov 22, 2007 2:22 PM, Julia Thompson [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: http://sc-fa.com/url/?u=MTA4MA== Now all we need is for someone to introduce a discussion of snowclones. It would beaulicious to continuify the thread -- as long as nobody is confuzzled. Knowing you guys, everyone can fully expect a few days of contiguation whether anyone is dumbfumbulated or not. I'm sure any newbies here suspect us of suffering from some psychrotic infrection. xponent Comfrumption For The Newbreeds Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Writer's Strike
On 11/18/2007 1:35:21 AM, Ronn! Blankenship ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: At 09:10 AM Saturday 11/17/2007, Robert Seeberger wrote: If anyone is interested there are some interesting tidbits here: http://tvwritersstrike.blogspot.com/ Well, that's one side heard from. Is there a version from the writers saying it is all the producers' fault? You need to go back ard read that *page* again G xponent Both Sides Now Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Writers Strike - Why Plumbers Don't Get Residuals
http://johnaugust.com.nyud.net:8080/archives/2007/why-writers-get-residuals My friend Jeff often jokes (half-jokes, I think) that he wishes he got residuals on spreadsheets he made in 2003. He's articulating a familiar frustration: Why should screenwriters get paid extra money years after they finish their work? After all, plumbers don't get residuals. Neither do teachers, secretaries or auto workers. So I want to explain why writers in film and television get residuals, and why they're at the heart of the ongoing WGA strike. xponent Pretty Interesting Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Tattoos - Scientifical
http://m3.alexweidmann.com/piles/?s=sciencetattoo Has to be seen to be believed.G xponent Tempted Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Tattoos - Scientifical
On 11/18/2007 2:45:35 PM, Charlie Bell ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On 19/11/2007, at 3:24 AM, Robert Seeberger wrote: http://m3.alexweidmann.com/piles/?s=sciencetattoo Has to be seen to be believed.G That appears to be shamelessly nicked from Carl Zimmer's blog The Loom, where he's been running a series on science tats for a while. Sure looks like it! http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlzimmer/sets/72157601351535771/ xponent A Good Idea Goes Round More Than Once Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Writer's Strike
- Original Message - From: John Garcia [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Friday, November 16, 2007 2:35 PM Subject: Writer's Strike If you are interested in the writer's strike (or even if you are not) watch this video uploaded to YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzRHlpEmr0w If anyone is interested there are some interesting tidbits here: http://tvwritersstrike.blogspot.com/ xponent Tracking Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Uplift at Yellowstone
- Original Message - From: Dave Land [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 1:05 PM Subject: Re: Uplift at Yellowstone On Nov 12, 2007, at 9:21 AM, Julia Thompson wrote: On Mon, 12 Nov 2007, Horn, John wrote: Dave Land wrote I was about to reply with a snarky comment about how the Discovery Channel will no doubt produce a fear-mongering video about the dangers of the Supervolcano in Yellowstone, but the Discovery Channel beat me to it There was a made for TV (cable?) movie called Supervolcano if I recall correctly a few years ago about the eruption of caldera at Yellowstone. My wife and I watched it but I'm not sure why. Not horrible but not great either. Ah, here it is: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0419372/ I wanted to watch that, but it came on at an inconvenient time for me and we didn't have DVR yet. Is it available on DVD? If so, is it worth the effort to get my hands on the DVD? Is there any way for me to put any more questions in this paragraph without it being ridiculous? And can anyone write up a laymen's explanation comparing Cymbalta to Zoloft, or will I be stuck doing that myself later today? (OK, the last one is unnecessary, I can do that one just fine.) You're going to have to figure out the whole Cymbalta/Zoloft thing on your own, but I can point you here for your first question: http://shopping.discovery.com/product-58069.html?endecaSID=116351158C33 You can buy the DVD from Discovery Channel. Bud from Virginia Beach wrote (on the page above), Excellent. It was a real movie, not just a run-of-the-mill documentary. Well...if you just wait and keep your eyes open for it, it will come back into rotation at some point. I've seen it and it is fair to good, but I don't think I'd spend money for it. Now Cosmos or Connections, or Earth, I might spend some cash on, but Supervolcano is basically Discovery/Science Channel pedestrian fare. Stuff they come up with to fill air time. (Most of their programs fit this description.) xponent Where's The Real Science? Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin-L FAQ (was: Uplift at Yellowstone)
- Original Message - From: Horn, John [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 10:51 AM Subject: Brin-L FAQ (was: Uplift at Yellowstone) Matt Grimaldi wrote Lance A. Brown [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: What is the fascination (mania? obsession?) with the word maru on this list? This whole thing started because, for a time, there were a large number of brin-lers that also belonged to the list for fans of Ian Banks' Culture series. (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Culture) A feature of the books (I gather) is to name spaceships by their designation (GCU, ROU, and others, similar to the way that naval ships are organized into classes based on size, speed, and purpose) along with something apropos to the personality of the owner, mission, commander, or whatever (e.g.: ROU Nail in the coffin). The members of the Culture list would often put such a ship name in their signatures even when they were sending messages on Brin-L. This simply would not do :-), so we started using Maru designations instead. As to why that particular word, others have better explanations than I could give. I think we need to have a Brin-L FAQ and this would be the number one entry! Not that I'm volunteering or anything... I occurs to me to wonder if Dr Brin got (is getting) messages in this thread.G As for the Maru thing, it makes me feel like Dr Frankenstein (Young Frankenstein pronunciation). It Lives! xponent What Great Knockers! Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Brin-L FAQ (was: Uplift at Yellowstone)
On 11/12/2007 8:08:57 PM, Nick Arnett ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On Nov 12, 2007 2:20 PM, Robert Seeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I occurs to me to wonder if Dr Brin got (is getting) messages in this thread.G I don't think so. The subject has to have Brin: at the beginning. Heh!G I could have sworn it did.G xponent Tricky Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
That Greatness Of Spirit
http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/11/07/452331.aspx Covering the story of this Medal of Honor recipient is doing much more than a profile of a heroic American. This is the reunion of two old friends, both of them foot-soldiers from the U.S. Army, and both decorated with the highest military honors this county bestows. I am working with Col. Jack Jacobs (on the left), a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his service in Vietnam. Jack was here in Orange County, California to interview another Medal of Honor soldier, 78 year-old Tibor Rubin (on the right), who served in Korea. Rubin had spent almost three years in a Nazi concentration camp before he was liberated by Gen. George Patton's troops. It was then he vowed to become a GI Joe, 'cause that is what we call the American Army. As Jack Jacobs asks Rubin about his time in combat, the tone is very matter-of-fact. These men take no pleasure in remembering similar shared experiences of escaping death while friends and fellow soldiers lost their lives. It's fascinating to hear Rubin describe times in combat: defending a hill in Korea, for example, as his unit retreats. His Staff Sergeant had ordered him to defend the hill alone. The sergeant had called Ted a stupid son-of-a-bitch Jew but promised to come back and get the corporal in two days. It was Rubin's first combat mission, and here is how it is described by the Medal of Honor Foundation: Rubin single-handedly defended the hill for over 24 hours. He incapacitated or killed a staggering number of Korean troops, and slowed the remaining force to a standstill. His regiment made a successful retreat, but his sergeant never came to relieve him. It was that kind of war for Rubin. A sergeant who assigned him to the most dangerous missions, and never processed the paperwork from the commanding officers who recommended the young Hungarian immigrant for Silver Stars and the Medal of Honor. The day before this video shoot, when Jacobs and I were talking about the upcoming interview, Jack told me that decorated combat veterans often do not elaborate much on their time under fire. He was right. When Jacobs asked Rubin several times how he was able to persevere against such difficult odds, Rubin had two basic replies, I was young and strong and somehow I made it, I don't know how, and, You know, I never want to be a hero, I don't know what really a hero means. I got a good idea of what being a hero is during my visit with Ted Rubin. To quote again from the Medal of Honor Foundation: The sergeant continued to send Rubin on impossible missions. Each time he not only survived, he fought brilliantly, and each time the sergeant deliberately withheld his commendation. On another hill without a name near the border with North Korea, Ted Rubin's days in combat ended. He ran through enemy fire to fill in for a machine-gunner and his mate who had been killed. Rubin was wounded in the leg, arm and chest but kept firing the machine gun until he ran out of ammunition. He was taken prisoner. He was held for two and a half years in a POW camp where the Red Cross was not allowed to visit. Food was scarce, water was dirty and infected, and there was no medicine. It's a time Rubin doesn't like to talk about. Here's the exchange between Rubin and Jacobs about how the young corporal would break out of prison camp - not to escape, but to steal. I try to steal everything I can. You stole? You stole from who? From the Chinese and the North Kor.. From the Chinese. ..and you stole what, food? Corn. Barley. Millett, ah vegetables, whatever I can. And then what did you do? I come back.. and then I give it to all the rest of the guys, because they was my brothers that needed.. that didn't have food. Here, Rubin pauses a moment. It was very hard. That Rubin, a survivor of the Nazi death camps, had to deal with anti-Semitism in the Army, even as he served with honor, is a deep injustice. It took 55 years for the Army and the leadership in the Pentagon to recognize his heroism. When President George Bush presented Rubin the Medal of Honor in 2005, there was only one brief reference by the president to the long wait: By awarding the medal of Honor to Corporal Rubin, the United States acknowledges a debt that time has not diminished. The last photo-op of the day was snapshots of the two Medal of Honor recipients. I got to take the picture, which I hope will take it's place among the many of a truly remarkable life. Jacobs and Rubin wore their medals, and the smiles of men who have performed at the highest level in the worst of circumstances. http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-usbrand=msnbctab=m5rf=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/fg=from=00vid=bb7a79f7-1525-45a5-9f7d-cc07632ad5a5playlist=videoByTag:mk:us:vs:0:tag:News_Editors%20Picks:ns:MSNVideo_Top_Cat:ps:10:sd:-1:ind:1:ff:8A I am in awe of this man. xponent Aspire Maru rob
Re: Brin: Fire info
On 10/24/2007 4:04:13 PM, David Brin ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: That's Dr. Brin for you. At Nippon 2007 I happened to observe him stuff 10,000 yen into the donation box for a fan that had to taken to the hospital by ambulence. SHucks, Jim, that ain't much. Anyway, it's part of my attempt to create massive fandom cognitive dissonance. Half of the community thinks I'm cool and the other half considers me an SOB. Diff is, the latter set can't ever point to an actual action or event, only at a personality. And on THAT basis... well... I guess I agree with them! ;-) Your SOB IAASOBMOAC? G xponent IAAMOAMFOAC Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Death Note
- Original Message - From: Ronn! Blankenship [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2007 10:54 AM Subject: Re: Death Note At 09:30 PM Saturday 10/20/2007, Robert Seeberger wrote: Tonight on the Cartoon Network. xponent Watch It Maru rob Is there a missing link? I normally recommend that people watch this on TV, but in this case try: http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=8a25c39215b258260115b392d7a20045 xponent Shinigami Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Death Note
On 10/21/2007 4:22:01 PM, Gwern Branwen ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: On 10/20/07, Robert Seeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Tonight on the Cartoon Network. xponent Watch It Maru rob I watched a little of it. Can't say I'm thrilled by the dub - Raito is not nearly as suave, sophisticated, or sinister as he should be. (Although Ryuk and everyone else introduced so far struck me as fine.) Next week will be the real test, when L is introduced. xponent Light Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Rowling Outs Dumbledore
http://www.eonline.com/news/article/index.jsp?uuid=c2b40da2-2406-4e8f-bc89-6fc11d1b0e41entry=indexsid=rss_topstoriesutm_source=eonlineutm_medium=rssfeedsutm_campaign=rss_topstories http://tinyurl.com/ywcohr Albus Dumbledore took quite a few secrets with him to the grave. And it's possible that even he didn't know about this one. After helping Dumbledore's favorite pupil uncover a treasure trove of information about the Hogwarts headmaster in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final installment of her billion-dollar fantasy series, J.K. Rowling has pulled something new out of the pensieve: Dumbledore was gay. (What you just heard was the sound of conservative religious groups scribbling down one more reason to loathe the Harry Potter franchise.) Falling in love can blind us to an extent, Rowling explained Friday in front of a packed house at New York's Carnegie Hall, where she capped off her first U.S. book tour since 2000. Which explains why the brilliant wizard was briefly blinded as a young man by the charm and skill of Gellert Grindelwald, his companion turned arch-nemesis who turned out to be more interested in the Dark Arts than a three-bedroom craftsman in Hogsmeade. After Dumbledore was horribly, terribly let down, Rowling explained, he went on to destroy Grindelwald in what is considered in the wizarding world to have been the ultimate wand-toting battle between good and evil. That love, she said to raucous applause, was Dumbledore's great tragedy. If I had know this would have made you so happy, I would have told you years ago, Rowling said. If this revelation seems almost too whimsical, consider this: Rowling, who penned much of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in a café while living out of her car, can certainly be a bit cheeky, but it seems highly unlikely that she would try to put one over on a Manhattan landmark full of kids and other readers who have made her one of the richest people in England. While working on the sixth Potter film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which focuses largely on Dumbledore and Harry's relationship, as well as the elder wizard's interaction with a young Voldemort, Rowling said that she slipped director David Yates an eye-opening note after noticing that there was a reference in the script to a girl in Dumbledore's past. There's no word yet on if this will affect Michael Gambon's character in the final two Potter movies, which are slated for release in 2008 and 2010, respectively. Dumbledore's sexuality has apparently been of great interest to bloggers and chat room denizens for years, with his history-and intimate affinities-becoming the subject of much debate and, ahem, original short stories. Just imagine the fan fiction now, Rowling joked. Of course, one could always have shrugged off the lack of romance in his life, what with his hectic work schedule and his penchant for secrecy. And, as the scarred one learned in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore could be quite temperamental, especially when protecting those he loved. xponent Expectnot Decorum Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
150 MPG from a Toyota Prius
http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/34422/113/ TG Video: Aftermarket lithium-ion battery pack squeezes 150 MPG from a Toyota Prius Ontario (CA) - A new lithium-ion battery pack for the Toyota Prius may not lower gas prices, but it promises to make trips to the gas station less frequent - a lot less frequent. Made by Hymotion and A123 Systems - the same folks that brought you the batteries in the Killacycle - this aftermarket kit converts the car into a plug-in hybrid and allows it to run on electric power for the first forty miles of a trip. As you can expect, total gas mileage goes through the roof and company executives claim drivers can easily exceed 150 miles-per-gallon in the city and 100 MPG on the highways. We inspected one of Hymotion's specially outfitted cars at the Clean Vehicle Technology Expo in Ontario California. The 175-pound battery pack installs in the spare tire well of the trunk and you still have the entire trunk space for cargo. You can even lay the spare tire on top of the battery pack, but Nick Rothman, a kit installer for Green Gears, told us that some companies go without the spare and carry a can of Fix a Flat instead. In your average Prius, the gasoline engine still does the majority of the work and the batteries merely take over at low speeds. The Hymotion-equipped car, however, works much differently. Owners charge up their vehicles with a regular 110 or 220 volt extension cord and afterwards the car will drive dozens of miles solely on electrical power. From empty, the five kilovolt battery pack charges in about six hours with 110 volt and 3 hours with 220 volt electricity. According to Rothman, the kit takes about four hours to install and a few more hours of testing and configuration. Other than the extra batteries and an added charging outlet, the Prius remains stock and unchanged. The Hymotion kits are currently being tested by several companies, but Ricardo Bazzarella, President of Hymotion, told us Prius owners won't have to wait long to get their own kits and plans on having them available in the first quarter of 2008 for approximately $9500 dollars (installation included). xponent Rolling Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Death Note
Tonight on the Cartoon Network. xponent Watch It Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: What the heck is Maru?
- Original Message - From: Kevin B. O'Brien [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2007 10:48 PM Subject: What the heck is Maru? I have been reading this list for months, and I don't know what this is about. I suppose some kind of in-joke, but would someone explain it to me? The long answer: What is Maru? H..good question. Maru is a ship, a Japanese ship. Maru is also a defense against the cultural imperialism of the Culture mailing list with their GSVs and ROUs.(That's a different discussion thoughG) Maru is a way of adding remarks at the end of a message in a way that is distinctive and exclusive to Brin-L. If you see someone who uses a Maru shipname, they are from Brin-L. Maru is a means to crack a joke, make an observation, or poke a stick in someone's eye. And below is the background from which it was derived. *** The word maru originated in the seventh century and has since come to serve as a popular name for a host of Japanese vessels. The first ship to use the suffix is said to have been the 16th century ship called the Nipon Maru, built by the legendary Toyotomi Hideyoschi. However, despite its widespread use, the word has never been graced with a definitive definition. Our attempts to muster a universal meaning of the term maru have all ended in frustration, with each possibility smothered in a down-pour of vaguery. For instance, one Japanese reference worker gave as many as fourteen meanings for maru, while another offered at least five additional meanings without including all the other fourteen. These misunderstandings and discrepancies have arisen from the fact that maru is a word laced with suggestiveness. Here is a selection of some of the explanations we have found. Possible meanings The term maru originally seemed to act as a form of compliment when attached to certain personal names. For example, people seemed to be bestowing respect upon the eighth century poet Hitomaru Kikinomoto by attaching the term to his name. It could also be seen as a term of endearment rather like a diminutive, as in the juvenile name Ushiwakamaru, of the twelfth-century general Yoshitsune Minamoto. Gradually the word was thrown to the dogs, literally, as people became accustomed to bestowing it upon their pet animals. Other names which received the maru blessing included a precious utensil used perhaps in some kind of tea ceremony or even the favoured tool of a deft craftsman. Another example of this maru phenomenon can be found in the mighty sword Mura-same-Maru; this famous blade of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was supposed to be so potent that whoever owned it, regardless of his own intent, was destined to kill somebody sooner or later. The term maru also became associated with the concept of a circle. This circular affinity suggested completeness, entirety, wholeness; notions which the image of a circle seems to symbolise. Indeed, the connotation of 'wholeness' perhaps led to the use of maru to mean 'one entire hour' and also as a term for the fanciful frying of a 'whole' animal, as opposed to a mere handful of giblets. In addition to all these other meanings, it also has an association with 'dust', while at the same time referring to 'those naive in love', hence the wistful phrase dusty lover. Maru and ships Having sashayed through the multifarious meanings of maru, it is now time to cut to the chase, examining it in the context of ships. The use of maru in a ship name would seem to express the hope that the ship will defend those aboard against all perils of the sea, being as complete as a circle, as trustworthy as a sword and as virile as a master craftsman's favourite tool. In addition to this, it also carried a feeling of attachment or endearment, such as that felt by one dusty lover for another. Also, unlike most other countries, a ship in Japan is referred to as a male and in adding maru to the ships name, as was done with young boys in olden times, the ship was protected from harm. In the 1905 edition of Basil Hall Chamberlain's Things Japanese he says of `maru' It is often asked: what does the word Maru mean in the names of ships ...? His answer is: a.. the real meaning is obscure b.. it is probably merging of two words: `maru' and `maro', which was a term of endearment. c.. it used to be used for swords, armour, parts of castles, etc. too. *** From India, the Sanskrit manu also traveled east. In Japan, manu became maru, a word which is included in the name of most Japanese ships. In ancient Chinese mythology, the god Hakudo Maru came down from heaven to teach people how to make ships. This name could well relate to Noah,
RE: bikes v. cars
On 10/11/2007 9:11:18 PM, Ronn! Blankenship ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: Ohm, I! Isn't Williams motto: Ohm My God? xponent Resistance Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Global Humidification
http://news.wired.com/dynamic/stories/G/GLOBAL_WARMING_HUMIDITY?SITE=WIRESECTION=HOMETEMPLATE=DEFAULTCTIME=2007-10-10-20-32-24 http://tinyurl.com/2ek4w9 With global warming, the world isn't just getting hotter - it's getting stickier, due to humidity. And people are to blame, according to a study based on computer models published Thursday. The amount of moisture in the air near Earth's surface rose 2.2 percent in less than three decades, the researchers report in a study appearing in the journal Nature. This humidity change is an important contribution to heat stress in humans as a result of global warming, said Nathan Gillett of the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom, a co-author of the study. Gillett studied changes in specific humidity, which is a measurement of total moisture in the air, between 1973-2002. Higher humidity can be dangerous to people because it makes the body less efficient at cooling itself, said University of Miami health and climate researcher Laurence Kalkstein. He was not connected with the research. Humidity increased over most of the globe, including the eastern United States, said study co-author Katharine Willett, a climate researcher at Yale University. However, a few regions, including the U.S. West, South Africa and parts of Australia were drier. The finding isn't surprising to climate scientists. Physics dictates that warmer air can hold more moisture. But Gillett's study shows that the increase in humidity already is significant and can be attributed to gas emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. To show that this is man-made, Gillett ran computer models to simulate past climate conditions and studied what would happen to humidity if there were no man-made greenhouse gases. It didn't match reality. He looked at what would happen from just man-made greenhouse gases. That didn't match either. Then he looked at the combination of natural conditions and greenhouse gases. The results were nearly identical to the year-by-year increases in humidity. Gillett's study followed another last month that used the same technique to show that moisture above the world's oceans increased and that it bore the fingerprint of being caused by man-made global warming. Climate scientists have now seen the man-made fingerprint of global warming on 10 different aspects of Earth's environment: surface temperatures, humidity, water vapor over the oceans, barometric pressure, total precipitation, wildfires, change in species of plants in animals, water run-off, temperatures in the upper atmosphere, and heat content in the world's oceans. This story does now fit together; there are now no loose ends, said Ben Santer, a scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Lab and author of the September study on moisture above the oceans. The message is pretty compelling that natural causes alone just can't cut it. The studies make sense, said University of Victoria climate scientist Andrew Weaver, who was not part of either team's research. It will only feel worse in the future, Gillett said. Moisture in the air increases by about 6 percent with every degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), he said. Using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's projections for temperature increases, that would mean a 12 to 24 percent increase in humidity by the year 2100. Although it might not be a lethal kind of thing, it's going to increase human discomfort, Willett said. xponent Industrial Gills Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Abortion rates same whether legal or not
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21255186/ Study: Rich, poor countries have equal statistics; half of procedures unsafe xponent By Numbers Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: More crap about music - really stupid this time
- Original Message - From: Nick Arnett [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 11:18 PM Subject: Re: More crap about music - really stupid this time On 10/9/07, Robert Seeberger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Lord Emslie said: The key point to note, it was said, was that the findings on each occasion were the same with music audibly 'blaring' from employee's radios in such circumstances that the defenders' [Kwik-Fit] local and central management could not have failed to be aware of what was going on. Hee... now I see how we can stop all those idiots who insist on sharing their music with megawatt amplifiers in their cars... we'll give their license plate numbers to the RIAA! I'm reminded of a story about Idi Amin, president and dictator for life in Uganda. A reporter at a press conference once said something like, People in your own government have accused you of doing XYZ (bad things). Amin's reply? Who? Give me names. Hey, your new song is so popular, some fan says to a superstar. I hear people playing everywhere. Record label exec: Who? Give me names. I suspect that the next step is to charge by the ear. Deaf in one ear? You get music for half-price! xponent Half-Deaf In Both Ears Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Oops...
- Original Message - From: Horn, John [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 9:08 AM Subject: RE: Oops... Robert Seeberger wrote Type O was the original paleolithic blood type. Type A showed up after agriculture changed our diet from hunter/gatherer. Then type B, AB, etc. I didn't realize type O (high protein diets) correlates with internet posters. Jon..that is all bull. Is that part of a high protein diet? I guess that depends on whether or not that's the actual animal or the by-product... /Me suspects you are trying to moove a bum steer on me. G xponent Cow Tipping Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
More crap about music - really stupid this time
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/edinburgh_and_east/7029892.stm A car repair firm has been taken to court accused of infringing musical copyright because its employees listen to radios at work. The action against the Kwik-Fit Group has been brought by the Performing Rights Society which collects royalties for songwriters and performers. At a procedural hearing at the Court of Session in Edinburgh a judge refused to dismiss the £200,000 damages claim. Kwik-Fit wanted the case brought against it thrown out. Lord Emslie ruled that the action can go ahead with evidence being heard. The PRS claimed that Kwik-Fit mechanics routinely use personal radios while working at service centres across the UK and that music, protected by copyright, could be heard by colleagues and customers. It is maintained that amounts to the playing or performance of the music in public and renders the firm guilty of infringing copyright. The Edinburgh-based firm, founded by Sir Tom Farmer, is contesting the action and said it has a 10 year policy banning the use of personal radios in the workplace. Playing music The PRS lodged details of countrywide inspection data over the audible playing of music at Kwik-Fit on more than 250 occasions in and after 2005. It claimed that its pleadings in the action were more than enough to allow a hearing of evidence in the case at which they would expect to establish everything allegedly found and recorded at inspection visits. Lord Emslie said: The key point to note, it was said, was that the findings on each occasion were the same with music audibly 'blaring' from employee's radios in such circumstances that the defenders' [Kwik-Fit] local and central management could not have failed to be aware of what was going on. The judge said: The allegations are of a widespread and consistent picture emerging over many years whereby routine copyright infringement in the workplace was, or inferentially must have been, known to and 'authorised' or 'permitted' by local and central management. He said that if that was established after evidence it was at least possible that liability for copyright infringement would be brought home against Kwik-Fit. But Lord Emslie said he should not be taken as accepting that the PRS would necessarily succeed in their claims. xponent Quit Buying Music Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Tame rats
- Original Message - From: Mauro Diotallevi [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 9:16 AM Subject: Re: Tame rats On 10/6/07, Ronn! Blankenship [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: It's why a regular reminder that IIAMOAC is a good idea. I is a member of a civilization? I is! Is you? xponent Politically And Grammatically Incorrect Maru rob ___ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
Re: Oops...
- Original Message -
From: jon louis mann [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Killer Bs Discussion brin-l@mccmedia.com
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 9:26 PM
Subject: Oops...
IAAMOAC is a good idea.
I am a member of a civilization
Opps...
The Most Common Blood Type Among Internet Posters Is Type-O Positive
Maru
-- Ronn! :)
uh, uh...
Type O was the original paleolithic blood type.
Type A showed up after agriculture changed our diet from
hunter/gatherer.
Then type B, AB, etc.
I didn't realize type O (high protein diets) correlates with
internet
posters.
I am A positive which means I should be a vegetarian.
Instead I am a carnivore and like my steakmedium rare.
-- Jon :{
Jon..that is all bull.
It is doubtful that there is any truth to it at all.
xponent
Pop Culture Crap Maru
rob
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