Hugh Farnham gives another look at why firearms confiscation is impossible. Yep. One more bit of evidence about exactly why conventional TV is doomed even as we enjoy a golden age of “television-like” entertainment. OTOH, it’s sad that Al Jazeera America is shutting down. It really did some of the best news coverage around. Real coverage, not newstainment. A kippah and Europe’s future. Okay, that’s it. The whole business of selling “naming rights” and trademarking “public” property has gone way too far. Here’s the latest thing for privacy mavens to be aware of. You’re okay if you can avoid the…
Category: Miscellaneous
Will people now have to start watching their “threat scores” the way they have to watch their credit scores? Given the notoriously bad and biased information that goes into marking us as “threats,” that could be a real challenge. Mental Floss tells the story of German teens who rebelled against Hitler. Another fascinating, little-known bit of history. To call it the gun issue even the NRA won’t touch might be an exaggeration. But the problem of non-violent ex-felons being denied gun rights does hit blacks harder than the rest of us. (Thank you, War on Drugs.) Funny timing. Last evening…
Oh no. Professor Snape is gone. Alan Rickman was a great actor and a very private person. As with David Bowie, few even knew he was suffering from cancer. Bowie’s death made me feel old. Ziggy Stardust dead? How can it be? Rickman’s death feels only as if the world’s supply of great acting talent is that much lower, so suddenly. UPDATE: His best roles according to People. I’ve been trying to get my hands on Truly, Madly, Deeply with no luck. And I’ve never seen Die Hard though I will now that I know he was in it. Galaxy…
I was debating whether to write more about Obama’s recent (though ancient in Internet Time) fiats against gun “dealers” and gun owners. Can’t bring myself to. Our Glorious Leader is all about “gun control theater,” signifying very darned little. Bans and confiscations clearly dance through Obama’s dreams, but he hasn’t got the guts to face strong people. He strikes at the weak and vulnerable. Then this morning I was reminded of the bottom line truth: (Source) —– Well, I finished watching The Man in the High Castle. Yep, as you who got there before me said, that was certainly a…
Guess what the most popular work at the UN library is. A thesis on how to avoid being charged with war crimes. Not how to avoid committing war crimes. Just how to avoid punishment. (H/T jb) Several major car makers are partnering up with Linux. While this is a lot better than the recent features about those partnering with Microsoft, I generally wish they’d all stay the heck out of any automobile I ever own, except for entirely optional, turn-offable devices. (H/T MJR) Another inspiring story about the life-changing power of going debt free. Who says a porno-graphic can’t be…
No. This is just plain wrong. And the “only ones” are going to commit even more bloody mayhem than they already do with this in their hands. This, on the other hand, is bizaarrish. And their rationale for it (in the video) is laughable. But the innovation is intriguing. According to Wikipedia, it’s been around since 1999 in Russia, but looks as if there might be a serious push for it in the U.S. this year. (H/T MJR) This morning, Obama’s fedgov took its the first step toward its long-dreaded executive action on guns. “Laughable fizzle” is my first response…
Uh oh. Those infamous “armed anti-government activists” are at it again. Tsk tsk, says the New York Times. ADDED: For those who have trouble with NYT links, here’s CNN’s take on the protest. In the spirit of the holidays, part I: “love” the homeless whether they want your imprisoning love or not. (H/T jc2k in comments) In the spirit of the holidays, par II: bleed you, Bill of Rights be damned. Microsoft, I do not believe you for one little teeny minute. (H/T 4 2 MJR) Nine of the most isolated towns on earth. And sometimes don’t you wish you…
Heh. Carl-Bear Bussjaeger has an idea for those who are likely to be reclassified as “gun dealers” by Obama fiat: comply, comply, comply, comply … and comply some more. Very good one from Mas Ayoob: Five myths of gun fighting. Until recently, the common assumption was that carefree, laid-back people lived longer, healthier lives and that anxiety and worry were bad for you. Lots of research these days points away from that belief. Here’s one more datapoint. Anxious people process threats in a part of the brain devoted to action. The Bill Clinton effect or why liberals may be more…
Well, since Tom Knapp wants to know and even David Codrea has announced his intention to get on the fried Cheerios bandwagon, this seems a good time to print the recipe. Actually reprint, since I posted it years and years ago. But despite my Cheerio cheerleading, people continue to find the notion of fried breakfast cereal strange. Really, though, it’s better than popcorn on a movie night. And probably better for you (well, if you count the fiber and discount the mass application of butter). My mom started making this when I was about six. We always called it “toasted…
It should be no surprise to anyone hereabouts, but even as Microsoft pretends to have been converted to the privacy gospel, it steals your disk-encryption keys. If you have v*ted in the last 15 years, you are screwed. (H/T MJR) You may think this absurd, insecure database of v*ters is no big deal, but the implications are pretty catastrophic. And nobody knows who compiled or owns this giant mess? Fedgov, anyone? The war on Asian-American academic success. Repeat violators of HIPAA privacy provisions pay little consequence. Which is totally unsurprising because HIPAA was always more of a privacy-violation enabler than…