Category Archives: Interests

Darpa: U.S. Geek Shortage Is National Security Risk | Danger Room | Wired.com

I mean, I already knew this nation was filled with people proud of their ignorance. Besides the random Oakland Raiders fans and folks who actually enjoyCeline Dion, you’ve got the risk of Tea Party Traitors who genuflect in orgasmic glee and supported – and voted for – a complete nitwit for Vice President.

What I did NOT know was that our lack of educated citizens – and geeky folks in particular – was a national security risk. So sayeth DARPA. Read about it here.

Yep, your birther/Talibangelical co-workers, neighbors, and family members are in league with the enemies of America. THEY are the problem.

As for you: go read and play with gadgets!

Conan O’Brien Says He Won’t Host ‘Tonight Show’ Following Leno – Media Decoder Blog – NYTimes.com

I mean, Conan O’Brien is funny, but who knew he was such a class act?

From his statement concerning his worries about the legacy of The Tonight Show and in not screwing over Jimmy Fallon, who took over his old show:


For 60 years, the “Tonight Show” has aired immediately following the late local news. I sincerely believe that delaying the “Tonight Show” into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting. The “Tonight Show” at 12:05 simply isn’t the “Tonight Show.” Also, if I accept this move I will be knocking the “Late Night” show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot. That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.

So it has come to this: I cannot express in words how much I enjoy hosting this program and what an enormous personal disappointment it is for me to consider losing it. My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard, and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of “The Tonight Show.” But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction. Some people will make the argument that with DVRs and the Internet, a time slot doesn’t matter. But with the “Tonight Show,” I believe nothing could matter more.

Why is it him that is the only guy worried about the legacy of one of NBC’s biggest shows? Shouldn’t the execs worry?

I mean, hell, I get Leno. He doesn’t give a shit for anyone but himself. If successful, he’ll have managed to screw over NBC, the show, David Letterman, Conan, and even Howard Stern for all the bits he stole from him. What a piece of crap.

Here’s Conan’s monologue whole episode from last night.

And Letterman’s two cents from the whole debacle:

Also, a good article from NPR on the subject.

Resurrecting the Extinct

Here’s an ethical dilemma for you: we almost have the science to resurrect extinct animals. Where to begin? The dodo bird? Passenger pigeons? Woolly mammoths?

More importantly, where to end? Do we go so far as to bring back Neanderthals? I’m pretty sure it won’t go like Encino Man.

China’s 863 Program, a crash program for clean energy : The New Yorker

One of the worst crimes of the Bush years – indeed of any Luddite conservative policy – is that we basically turned off the spigot of new scientific learning through an active policy of fear and loathing of science. The genetic throwbacks ruining our education system are going to destroy a generation of young minds with their creationism and bullshit watered-down science as well.

The Chinese communist system may be lacking in a lot of things, but their ability to turn on their nation’s creative juices for researching green energy solutions is one of the reasons that their economy may eclipse our’s in the coming years.

And we’ll have the conservative’s fearful interference and our own spineless response to their anti-American stupidity to blame when it happens.