Links posted in October 2007
October 30, 2007
The Texas Book Festival is this weekend. It more or less consists of a bunch of free panels, Q&As, and discussions with authors about their books and it's entirely free (except the books you won't be able to stop yourself from buying). They also have lots of used books on sale around the capitol square. Here are the lineups for Saturday and Sunday. Things I thought were interesting were...
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October 26, 2007
Dr. Nick vs Dr. Hibbert:
An analysis of the medical care provided to
the family of Homer J. Simpson. Found while researching Halloween costume; PDF text here.
Samuel Adams (the beer brand) takes issue with a guy named Sam Adams running for mayor of Portland, OR.
The Asdrubal Carrera Hall of Fame, open to anyone in unique possession of a particular first name among Major League baseball players. (Inspired by one of Tim McCarver's flights of fancy during the ALCS).
You may be familiar with Honus Wagner, Eppa Rixey, Boog Powell or Yogi Berra. But have you heard the storied diamond exploits of Firpo Mayberry, Zoilo Versalles, Pi Schwert or Bevo LeBourveau? OK, then how about Mysterious Walker, The Only Nolan, or Phenomenal Smith?
For some dinnertime fun over the holidays, discuss the relative merits of Urban Shocker, Twink Twining, Pussy Tebeau, Bris Lord, Boob Fowler, Crazy Schmit, Creepy Crespi, Cuddles Marshall, Vinegar Bend Mizell, Stubby Clapp and Buttercup Dickerson. (Unfortunately, 12 other players keep Rusty Kuntz off this list.) [more inside]
October 25, 2007
Interview with Sopranos' creator David Chase. I personally /loved/ the ending, but it's getting pretty hard for me to hold on to an alternative interpretation of the finalé.
I saw some items in the press that said, ''This was a huge 'f--- you' to the audience.'' That we were s---ting in the audience's face. Why would we want to do that? Why would we entertain people for eight years only to give them the finger? We don't have contempt for the audience. In fact, I think The Sopranos is the only show that actually gave the audience credit for having some intelligence and attention span. We always operated as though people don't need to be spoon-fed every single thing — that their instincts and feelings and humanity will tell them what's going on.
October 24, 2007
How Manga Conquered the US - or, "US the Conquered Manga How" as it were.
Crystals instead of the Brentwood Tavern? [more inside]
Gmail now has IMAP, for those of you interested in using mail applications on your computer instead of using the web interface. Huzzah!
October 23, 2007
A theory on why the crime rate dropped in the early 90s that does not involve abortion. [more inside]
October 22, 2007
Remember how the US was losing the war everywhere but in the Kurdish North, which was a beacon of stability? Well, there is a huge crisis looming there now.
Short version: The PKK, a rebel group which is fighting for the independence of Kurds in Turkey has been staging a series of raids in Southeastern Turkey, and then hiding in Kurdish Iraq. It is debatable how much the Iraqi Kurds are sheltering these PKK fighters. They have gone as far as to capture eight Turkish soldiers.
Turkey, a NATO member, is facing intense domestic pressure to send their military across the Iraqi border and root out the PKK fighters. The Iraqi goverment has repeatedly not consented to such raids, except on a case-by-case basis. If Turkey does this, the Iraq war goes from being an awful mess for Americans and Iraqis to being a regional clusterfuck.
Oh, and once again, this is something that people were worrying about before the war, and which Bush had no plan to prevent.
October 21, 2007
October 19, 2007
The PBS folks at Wired Science take a stab at stopping the clone hate. Long live Blackrose!
One Laptop Per Child computer available for developed nations. For $400, you buy two laptops: one for you, and one for a child in a developing country. Pogue's review is enthusiastically positive.
Who else will put in a share of the $200 donation required to pay for and deliver one XO laptop to a child in a developing nation?
Improv Everywhere at it again - sending 110 shirtless shoppers to Abercrombie & Fitch. [more inside]
So you're in a pretty good place -- up 3-1 in the best-of-seven league championship series. Only problem is, set to take the mound is the pitcher known to some as Commander Kick-ass of the Fuck Yeah Brigade and to others as 1.78-ERA-in-65-innings-pitched postseason monster Josh Beckett.
Why not dig up an ex-girlfriend to sing the national anthem right before he takes the mound? Stay classy, Cleveland! [more inside]
October 18, 2007
Daily Show is starting to offer all Jon Stewart episodes online - Just when I thought there was nothing new to watch on the internets.
Now you have more reason to hate this nobel prize winner. Oh, and if you've read any of his other work you'll see that you are all actually worthless and shouldn't be doing science in the first place. Only the very elite actually make a contribution to science and based on your educational background and lack of nobel prizes you don't qualify.
I'm sure a reasonable number of AE readers can appreciate the imagery in this calendar. Note: be sure not to confuse this with the Nerdcore of such musicians as MC Frontalot. [more inside]
Scary Mary Trailer Mashup Someone put together a site collecting the best trailer mashups -- Glen&Gary&Glen&Ross is also great (if NSFW/language).
Dan Savage, while discussing "what percent of people have the gay" on the Savage Lovecast, claimed there were more homosexuals than Jews... which surprised me. If you think there is not a giant table of numbers after the jump, then we've never met.
Take a second and order/estimate the fraction of the US population that identify as:
- Jewish
- Among Men, self-identify sexuality as homosexual
- Among Women, self-identify sexuality as homosexual
- Any gender, self-Identify sexuality as "Something Else"
- Muslim
- Hindu
- Scientologist
- Atheist
- Native American, Alaskan Native, Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
- Asian, incl. Indian (dot), Southeast Asian, etc.
- Two or more races
I'm especially interested to hear if you over- or under-estimate the groups you identify to. [more inside]
October 17, 2007
Restroom Mirror prank - fantastic. No German required. [more inside]
Speaking of broken rules - Texas lawmakers (including one who is trying to push a photo-ID-required-to-vote law) regularly cast multiple ballots on the same vote.
October 16, 2007
Nations of the World (by Yakko Warner) - who needs cheat sheets? The voice of Yakko doesn't.
Also notable that they misspell Israel in the scroll.
Just a little iPod accessory that some might enjoy. Turn it up!
151 moving violations, and that was just in Manhattan. Wired looks at one (very rich) man's desire to drive fast, taken to a whole new level.
- Doctor Headbands: what's the deal? When you search on the internet you only get halloween costumes. What are/were they for other than identifying "I am supposed to be a doctor"?
- One enterprising movie company has been creating (on a shoestring) and releasing movies on DVD that are simultaneously timed to take advantage of blockbusters. NYTimes covers the so-called "mockbusters" like Transmorphers, Alien vs. Hunter, and The Da Vinci Treasure
Wait, was that all? Help me guys!
October 15, 2007
Suppose Vanna White and Pat Sajak started talking typography after an episode -- hey, it could happen. Which host would betray an obvious ignorance of any single typeface, and which would show a marked sans-serif predilection? Oh wait, it did happen.
October 13, 2007
Awful Announcing - baseball playoffs on FOX must be like tax season at H&R Block for these guys.
Spinning woman illusion Look at this animated gif and post which way you think she's spinning (CW or CCW observed from above) when you first look at it. This may change later, but we're interested in the first direction you see. [more inside]
October 12, 2007
So, want to play Portal but don't want to shell out $50 (or $60 for Xbox 360) for Orange Box? Check out the flash version of Portal here. [more inside]
Top 5 memorable video game songs. I totally knew what the number 1 memorable video game song was going to be. I bet as you read this it's going through your head right now too! [more inside]
October 11, 2007
My brother just got a bike, and I sent him some advice about fit and form. I repost it here for your enjoyment and for Pablo and Javelina to nitpick.
The top mistakes beginning cyclists make:
- Ride a bike that doesn't fit, or one that is not adjusted right (esp: set the seat too low).
- 1a. They get a bike seat that is uncomfortable.
- Pedal using the arch of their feet (pedal axle should be under the balls of your feet).
- Pedal at too slow a cadence
Inside, some advice and links on bike fit. [more inside]
October 10, 2007
White Zombie aint just a band, but the name of a very special racing car......
Hotel Chevalier, the short film by Wes Anderson, is available for free on iTunes. It is considered Part I of his new film, The Darjeeling Limited. All Natalie Portman fans should be quite happy with this latest release.
October 09, 2007
Hard drives=hard cash. And the 2007 Physics Nobel goes to Fert and Grunberg for their discovery of giant magnetoresistance, which allows us to have all these little digital distractions.
October 08, 2007
What is Tex-Mex? From its origins as a derogatory descriptor (as in "not REAL Mexican") to its current status as dominant food phenomenon, a six-part series from the Houston Press traces its history. It all started with street vendors selling pralines and tamales. Mexican restaurants of yesteryear proclaimed their authenticity but knew they needed to cater to Anglo palates. 1973 was a banner year that saw Webster's include "Tex-Mex" and the invention of the fajita (or was it?). Even modern "authentic" establishments are often Tex-Mex joints too ashamed to admit it. Chuy's was the first restaurant to be empowered by the Tex-Mex label but a French restaurant was the first to self-identify as Tex-Mex thanks to a popular film about a loner who eats chile con carne and drinks tequila. Finally, what the future holds for Tex-Mex.
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October 04, 2007
October 02, 2007
Extend our trail petition to reclaim some shorefront land on the hike and bike trail just east of the austin american statesman building.
The Days and Knights of Tom Murphy Chess hustler / erstwhile street person Tom Murphy is the self-appointed Professor Emeritus of the "Chess University of Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C.". Much like the Great Zucchini story, this article gives an engaging picture of a talented person leading a complicated life. (The Great Zucchini article is the best short work I've read in the last few years -- go read that now if you haven't, we'll wait.)
The best quote in the article actually comes from another faculty member, who recounts
The proudest teaching I ever had was I taught a pimp in New York. His name was Comfort, as in 'comfortable'. ... He said, 'Step into my office,' which was a pink, long Cadillac. I got in. It had a bar in the car and everything. I started thinking, 'Now how in the world am I gonna show this pimp how to play the game of chess?' So he asked me, 'What do the queen do?' I said, 'The queen do all the work.' He said, ' Ohhhh, now what do the king do?' I said, 'The king don't do nothing.' His eyes lit up when he heard that. He said, 'Man, I like this game already.'"
October 01, 2007
The eternal debates: could a decent amateur beat Andy Roddick in tennis, if Roddick were forced to play using a frying pan as racket? Could a jumbo-sized Sumo wrestler be the greatest hockey goalie of all time? An upcoming book, Andy Roddick Beat Me with a Frying Pan, answers these questions by actually conducting the experiments. Please take this poll: Men | Women (from the weekly Washington Post chat; questions also after the jump). For entertainment's sake, post your answers below -- and note that there is a "don't know & don't care" option for each q'n. [more inside]