It is probably more my fault than anything that I was surprised at the depth of thinking in this selection from actor Wallace Shawn’s Essays.
Look like I’ll be adding that to my reading list soon.
Daily Archives: February 7, 2011
Eight Hand Tools You Should Own
Sometimes, simplest is best when it comes to tools.
Besides, my basement doesn’t have room for all the really cool toys.
BBC News – Free diabetes and blood pressure drugs for Brazilians
Perspective and values.
The United States gives billions to oil companies in tax abatements and just reaffirmed our selling out status to billionaires by giving them more tax breaks.
Brazil just gave it’s citizens free diabetes and blood pressure meds, hoping to reduce the 34% of deaths in their nation from these illnesses.
“Land of the free”, huh?
BBC News – BBC offers apology for Top Gear comments on Mexico
The BBC offers an apology for it’s Top Gear talent being racist pricks.
It offers an apology but a good reading of the press release shows that it doesn’t actually deliver an apology.
When did our society turn into one where mumbling words that sound like you recognize someone was offended by something you did, but don’t care to find yourself at fault pass as an actual apology?
I plan to raise my kid better than that. I hope the rest of you do too.
Background checks are latest gun rights battleground | Minnesota Public Radio News
To date, the Republican takeover of the legislature here in Minnesota has resulted in two trends.
One, they want to enforce ID checks before people can cast a ballot. This, of course, ties in with a long-standing conservative tradition of making it harder for students, the poor, elderly, and minorities – especially recent immigrants – to vote. In short, it is anti-democratic. Which is fine, because Republicans do not believe America is a democracy. Seriously, just ask them.
The other trend since the election has been to take away any regulations that might save lives. The latest move is to do away with background checks prior to purchasing a firearm.
Voting? ID checks similar to an East German border crossing are the model for the GOP.
Buying a shopping cart full of guns? No ID required.
Priorities. Pay attention to what the politicians are telling you.
10 Tools Every Homeowner Should Have
Essential tools you must have.
Pretty basic stuff but it’s a solid list.
Koch brothers: Charles and David Koch in Washington’s Republican spotlight – latimes.com
The more I hear about the Koch Brothers, the more they come off like evil, dirty pricks. I hate that one of them is funding so much on PBS. Read more about these jerks here.
Life Below The City Of Light: Paris Underground : NPR
On the heels of the underground New York story I linked last month, here is a look at underground Paris.
BBC News – Amazon drought ‘severe’ in 2010, raising warming fears
Once again, our news system in the US fails us.
We’re the biggest polluter on the planet, yet I’ve got to hear about the Amazon dying from the BBC.
We truly are petulant children in this country.
Science on the SPOT: Open Source Creativity – Hackerspaces – KQED QUEST Video
Check out this story on hackerspaces, plus some key links.