Rock! Death! America!
Littering our noise on the Earth
Archive for July, 2003
July 31, 2003 at 7:36 am · Filed under Uncategorized
Can anyone tell me what is wrong with two people of the same sex getting married? I haven’t heard one good argument — heck, the only argument I’ve heard is that it is immoral. Who does it hurt when two people who love each other have a ceremony and then enjoy the benefits of marriage that the rest of us enjoy? President Bush is trying to find a way to outlaw gay marriages because he feels threatened that countries like Canada are allowing it and our own court system is supporting issues that may lead to allowing gay marriages. At the same time, he is proposing to spend $300 million to nudge women on welfare toward the altar. According to Republican supporter Sen. Rick Santorum, “The fact of the matter is, marriage is a very important tool for economic survival, when you have two people in a family it makes it easier.” Grassley said promoting marriage is “just a no-brainer.” Apparently, though, not if those people are of the same sex. So, it’s worth it to spend $300 million dollars to get 16-year old pregnant girls married, but it should be illegal for two 30-year old women in love to marry. That makes sense.
The ever-enlightened Vatican is chiming in now. According to Pope John Paul, “Legal recognition of homosexual unions or placing them on the same level as marriage would mean not only the approval of deviant behavior…but would also obscure basic values which belong to the common inheritance of humanity…Allowing children to be adopted by persons living in such unions would actually mean doing violence to these children.” If the catholic church could only be so strongly agains child molestation…
July 30, 2003 at 11:46 am · Filed under Uncategorized
This is really cool, I’m just sad that I missed it this year. Some people have organized a Blogathon and it’s third annual event took place on July 26 this year. Here’s a quote from their website explaining what it is:
Now, remember when you were in school and you would bowl for charity? And for every pin you knocked down you got, say, ten cents? Or run for a dollar a mile? During the Blogathon, people update their websites every 30 minutes for 24 hours straight. For this, they collect sponsorships. Pledges can be a flat donation, or a certain amount for every hour the blogger manages to stay awake.
People can just blog about whatever, but a lot of people have made it fun by having themes. For example, Pet Rock Stars wrote songs for 24 hours straight. They periodically posted lyrics, MP3s of the work so far, etc. The Search for Love in Manhattan posted 48 funny (one every 1/2 hour) haikus about the perils of gay dating. aesthetically dot org took truth or dares from sponsors — donate $5 to the charity and give a truth or dare. Hello My Name Is Shashi wrote about a different washed-up or overrated celebrity every half hour.
It was started in Portland by Cat Conner in 2001. In 2001, it raised $20,000 for charities. In 2002, it rasied $50,000. This year, it raised a whopping $101,753.80. Amazing!
I’ll have to think of something good to do for next year. Please post suggestions as a comment to this blog entry!!
July 30, 2003 at 8:02 am · Filed under Uncategorized
According to the craigslist portland website, a new kosher vegetarian restaurant will be opening in Southwest Portland soon. On August 10, you can attend a test dinner to sample dishes that they have on planning on the menu. For $14.00, you can have Tomato & Cilantro Brochette, Chinese Cabbage Salad with an Almond dressing, Gourmet Lemon Moroccan pasta with roasted red peppers, NY Style Cheesecake with a pecan & brown sugar crust, and microbrew tasting. Sounds like a deal!
July 30, 2003 at 7:42 am · Filed under Uncategorized
Remember that hilarious sketch comedy show, The State? According to The State’s official website they are working on a DVD collection that will include commentary, interviews, unaired material, etc. In the meantime, watch Michael Ian Black on Ed and Tom Lennon, Ben Garant and Kerri Kenney on the new show Reno 911.
Another interesting note — did you know that Michael Ian Black toured as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?
July 30, 2003 at 7:30 am · Filed under Uncategorized
For you gaming fans, GameSpy.com is offering a complimentary 1-year subscription to GamePro magazine. Just give them your name and address and you’re set.
July 29, 2003 at 12:04 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Guess what? They killed the Policy Analysis Market program! I should have bet on the program being killed before it even started. They quickly took the PAM site offline, so the link I posted previously will not work anymore.
So much for the $600,000 they already paid to launch the program. That’s okay, the government didn’t have anything better to spend your money on, right?
“…and we would have gotten away with it if it weren’t for those pesky Democrats…”
July 29, 2003 at 8:07 am · Filed under Uncategorized
The government is once again allowing the people of the U.S. to profit from the atrocities performed elsewhere in the world. Starting Friday, you can sign up to bet on potential terrorist events! Called the Policy Analysis Market (PAM), you buy a “futures contract” that predicts whether an event will occur. For example, you could spend 25 cents predicting that Yasser Arafat will be assassinated. If he is, you get $1! I’m not exaggerating; this event is an ACTUAL example on the website. Of course, since being exposed by two Senate Democrats (including Oregon’s Ron Wyden), they have taken the examples off of the website.
This wonderful program is brought to us by the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) who started the Terrorism Information Awareness program that allows the government to compile and analyze your financial, travel, credit card, and health history.
Your taxes have already paid $600,000 for people to have fun and make money off of death and destruction. They plan on spending $149,000 more this year and want $3 million for the program next year and $5 million the year after. Money well spent, eh?
For more info, here are a couple of articles about it from the Baltimore Sun and
New York Times.
July 23, 2003 at 2:39 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Ever have one of those days? How about getting run over by a van, then having that same van crash while being driven to the hospital?
Surprisingly, they think that alcohol was a factor. I have a feeling they were drinking Molson Dry. According to Molson’s website, “MOLSON DRY is an exceptionally popular beer that brings out of the ordinary experiences to beer drinkers…”
July 22, 2003 at 11:56 am · Filed under Uncategorized
Sounds like a good thesis, eh? Well, this guy did all the research you need. Using some automation scripts he wrote, he analyzed how Netflix decides who gets what movies. It’s so geeky and cool — he links to the raw data he collected, Excel spreadsheets, etc.
The results? In short, if you don’t rent much (that is, you don’t cost Netflix as much), you have a better chance of getting a popular movie.
July 22, 2003 at 8:02 am · Filed under Uncategorized
Who can resist free ice cream? Especially free ice cream mixed up with chunky goodness on a cold slab of marble? Cold Stone is offering free ice cream this Thursday from 5-8pm!
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