blivet 2.0

Jedis Stand for the Census Count. It is interesting that officials feel it is only a prank. I suspect that some of the respondents are very serious. Just because there is no corporate structure for a religion doesn’t mean that people don’t believe it. In my not so humble opinion Jedi has as much validity as some religions created by science-fiction authors. I think Jedi will be formally recognized in some way in the next ten years, but I don’t think I’ll be in their ranks. (more IMNSHO)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — To the frustration of the census managers in New Zealand, England, Wales and Australia, an e-mail saturating inboxes for the past couple of months just refuses to go away. The e-mail, which appears to have originally surfaced in the first week of March in New Zealand, urged locals who didn’t identify with conventional religions to tell census statisticians they were adherents of the Jedi religion, whose knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the Star Wars movies. The e-mail suggested that just 8,000 of these responses would mean that New Zealand would have to declare Jedi an official religion after its March 6 census. <…>

Several things at UniSci:

Mountain Glaciers Around The World Receding, AGU Told
Mountain glaciers around the world are receding, geophysicists said Wednesday at the annual spring meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in Boston, MA.

Vegetation Is One Key to Accurate Climate Modeling
Linking vegetation models to climate models when approximating the Earth’s past and future climates may make climate predictions more accurate and could provide a better picture of the effects of global warming on the Earth, according to Penn State researchers.

Earth-Orbiting Monitor Checks Global Air Pollution
A new Earth-orbiting monitor is providing the most complete view assembled to date of the world’s air pollution as it churns through the atmosphere, crossing continents and oceans.

Wow. The end of May already. Yseesh!

mumble, mumble, … Good morning!
—–

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Give Me a Hug: When Multinationals Want to Be Our Friend
by Naomi Klein at the Globe & Mail. via wood s lot. this brought me up short and captured my attention - I’ve used the same quote in the (vain) hope of achieving the same effect:

…it’s one of the ironies of our branded age that, as corporations become more remote by cutting lasting ties with us as their employees, they are increasingly sidling up to us as consumers, whispering sweet nothings in our ear about friendship and community. It’s not just Shoppers: Wal-Mart ads tell stories about clerks who, in a pinch, lend customers their own wedding gowns, and Saturn ads are populated by car dealers who offer counselling [sic --ed.] when customers lose their jobs. You see, according to the new marketing book, Values Added, modern marketers have to “make your brand a cause and your cause a brand.”(…)

Ever since large corporations such as Nike, Shell and Monsanto began facing increased scrutiny from civil society — mostly for putting short-term profits far ahead of environmental responsibility and job security — an industry has ballooned to help these companies respond. It seems clear, however, that many in the corporate world remain utterly convinced that all they have is a “messaging problem,” one that can be neatly solved by settling on the right, socially minded brand identity.(…)

Nothing will change until corporations realize that they don’t have a communications problem. They have a reality problem.

While you’re at it, don’t miss Toxic Culture Syndrome- by Kalle Lasn, also at the Globe & Mail.

garret news: “for those who have a lack of ‘danger’ in their lives, maybe this will suffice until things get straightened out.” His discussion group and image galleries are accessible, but no archives at the present time. By all means check out herodotus.

Thanks for the linkage Dori!

Friday marks a major career and personal milestone for a friend, Dave Rogers. I’ve been reading your writing for some time Dave, I wish you the best. Hey! My copy of Photoshop doesn’t have the George Clooney or liposuction filters either! What’s going on here?

Good Morning. I think it’s morning anyway. I’m running late - updates will follow uh…, later.

Too funny! That’s Al by the way…

Fare well NetDyslexia!

Word from garret via Craig that he (and zope) are down hard.

Congratulations to Graduate Nick Jensen!

We heard the baby’s heartbeat for the first time today. It was an amazing, wondrous experience hearing that small fluttering sound coming from Audrey’s abdomen. It becomes more real…

OK, it’s time to view the past through the lens of the present. Have a great Day.

Working in Space, an office with a great view. via Astronomy Picture of the Day.

Jake has updated the ManilaSiteConverter Tool for Radio.

NASA’s Earth Observatory: No CO² “Super-Sponge” in Trees and Soil.
Trees and soil may not sop up much of the extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over the long term under real-world conditions. An experiment where forest plots were grown under levels of carbon dioxide expected by the mid 21st century showed an initial growth spurt in pine trees that was not maintained in later years. (Duke University release)

—–

The last Monday of May is Memorial Day in the United States.

It has been a quiet, productive day around here. I unearthed the crate of journal articles and began the double-checking of references and ideas in my thesis. I resisted taking any one of several books off the shelf that are unrelated to what I need to do and immersing myself in them. They whisper to me with promises of escape and pleasant diversion.

I note with pleasure the swirlings of a possible gathering of ‘bloggers on the left coast later in the summer. I would offer Las Vegas as a potential nexus, but who would want to come here? I understand Susan coming to see her family, especially her new niece, but why else? I would think the ‘bloger demographic is perhaps the antithesis of the target group for the LV Chamber of Commerce. Especially this time of year. This is your brain. This is your brain in Las Vegas in the summer. Besides, it would be more fun go to someplace nice. There are far more folks on the west side of the Sierras anyway. As the token Nevadan, I would prefer going someplace else anyway. Las Vegas can be interesting, but I don’t know if you could call it nice. The people we would be going to see are nice however. …

Spam. I can’t believe how much spam comes in through that skinny piece of coax.

Today was completely free of reading, listening to, or watching news - political or otherwise. Ignorance is bliss once in a while.

OK, thats a wrap. See you all tomorrow.

—–

I’m trying Radio again, after some time away from it. I can’t remember my old password for upstreaming, apparently I departed the usual crypto I use to generate passwords for sites. Perusal of the Radio DG indicates I may be hosed for that userid. Oh well, if you don’t record things like that they’ll slip through your fingers. Radio seems somewhat better behaved than the last version I used. Brent, Jake, Dave, and the rest of the crew have done a great job.

SirDeath took us to see The Dish as a birthday present for Audrey. We really enjoyed it. I really like Sam Neill. I think he will probably be the primary reason I’ll go see Jurassic Park III.

I got an email from Matt Rossi. He’s been doing a bit of writing on Vortex Theory at the relocated Once I Noticed I was on Fire, I Decided to Relax and Enjoy the Fall. Hi Matt!

It looks like the servers were down for a bit, but now we’re back.

—–

garret has been taking dangerousmeta! bushwacking with more decidedly analog activities planned for the rest of the weekend. have fun my friend

New Age Nazis Nate Hendley - Rabble. My god, I thought they were just trying to infiltrate the American Buddhist community. via wood s lot

[Salon.com Politics] The Jim Whisperer. Yep, the senior senator from the land of blivet. We’ve got four more years until he retires by not seeking reelection. Sadly, from my point of view, there’s no viable replacement in sight from the end of the political spectrum I favor.

There are many reasons for Vermont Sen. James Jeffords’ Thursday transmogrification from Republican to Democrat-supporting independent: his liberal views on abortion and gay rights, education and the environment; the alienating tactics of President Bush and his political operatives. And then there was the low-key assistant Democratic leader from Nevada whom one Democratic leadership aide referred to as “the Jim Whisperer.” Sen. Harry Reid, after all, was the man who lobbied Jeffords for weeks, reassuring the Republican senator through the most dramatic party jump in recent memory.

via Ed: Textism ˆ An Annotated Manifesto for Growth. I’m not a designer or an artist, or even very imaginative or talented ˆ but this made me laugh out loud it’s so bloody true.

also from Ed, this observation without comment: People who work in marketing should not read Chomsky.

A very, very warm Happy Birthday to a Texas Semi-Centenarian. A warm human being, husband, father, friend, and chief author of Booknotes, Craig Jensen. Happy Birthday Craig!
—–

Nasa: No face - honest. “The latest images sent back from the orbiting Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), show, once again, that what is claimed by some to be a giant face is nothing more than a ruined mountain. But space agency scientists know their work is in vain. Just as with previous pictures of the “face”, there are some who will dismiss this latest image as propaganda.”

I had an interesting discussion a while back with someone who maintained that the Apollo moon landings were faked on a southern California sound stage. It was the first time I had dealt with someone face to face who held that position. I enjoy a good conspiracy, but more from a pop-culture sociology point of view. His cup was already full, nothing else could be poured in.

A tribute to Douglas Adams ˆ Towel Day. thanks to Andrea for a second URL

—–

Happy Birthday to Michael Coyle, who does the Macintosh Resource Editing site ResExcellence.

garret has a really nice sunset picture tonight at dangerousmeta!

1:20PM (-0700 GMT) It just hit 108°F. It’s at an ‘unofficial’ weather station (West Charleston Community College) so we haven’t set a new record. Yet. A good afternoon to be indoors. Once Inferno (the fifth season) is oficially here I’ll only mention this stuff occasionally. It’s just the ramping up into the season of unrelenting heat that evokes wonder and loathing.

I’ve been wondering if you all were real for a long time (in ‘blog years). Susan got it!

[Manila Newbies] Mixing Radio and Browser Editing. Very cool. Thanks Userland! Now I can start using Radio again. Using Radio at home and then trying to deal with OPML text from work was a showstopper for me. I first saw news of this at Susan’s last night.

Dave is wondering aloud if he’s getting cynical about the whole Jefford’s thing, and I think I am getting cynical too. I find myself thinking someting else is afoot as well. So Dave, are we becoming cynical if you’re (IMNSHO) right? Regardless of what the underlying intrigue might or might not be, I feel a bit better about potential Supreme Court nominees.

Today is the first day we might get to hear the baby’s heartbeat during the regular visit to the baby doctor. We’re pretty excited. Update: Oops! Obstetrician’s appointment is now set for Tuesday.

(6:45am) We just waved good-bye to Ellen and Tom, Audrey’s parents. They’re on their way back home to Denver, Colorado.

This is kinda fun: Write Like a Babylonian. Below are my initals, HBR. via wood s lot.

[UniSci] “On Tuesday, a team of biologists from the University of California, Berkeley, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Albany, Calif., released in a patch of saltcedar trees in California’s Owens Valley a small black-and-yellow striped beetle that loves to munch saltcedar for breakfast, lunch and dinner.” Hopefully the beetle won’t become a problem.

A ‘blog-getogether for Susan and Al. Neat! I had earlier proof that Susan existed and I’ll take her word about Al.

Whew! I got back in a bit ago (~3 PM -0700GMT), it’s 104°F, but the max/min sez we were at 107°F earlier. Sorry to sound obsessive, but I was not prepared - no Pedia-lyte, just water and the commercial electrolyte replacement they provide here. There will be a shopping expedition tonight.

I’m doing construction monitoring most of the day. Have fun out there.
—–

Two fingers Prescott. Flicking the ” V ” retains the power to upset many Britons. Captured English archers had index and middle fingers amputated to prevent them ever taking up their bows. On the battlefield, English archers responded to this custom by offering the French a jeering two-finger salute before employing their bow fingers to more deadly effect. The V-sign was and is deliberate, coarse and impertinent as well as defiant.

of interest, to me at least, after garret’s pointer to the geeknews pointer to the origin of ‘the finger’ article. I have dim memories of The Rape of the A*P*E* by, i think, Alan Sherman (yes, as in ‘Hello Mudda’). (A*P*E* stood for ‘American Puritan Ethic’ as I recall.) The book had an extensive discussion not only the gesture, but the Anglo-Saxon epithet it is generally associated with. Since I was often referred to as a ‘Saxon dog’ back the SCA days, the merry band of knaves I fought with used it frequently when in proximinity with the Norman-flavored SCA-dians.

Myth of the Martyred Mapmaker: Fired Contractor Turned Into Hero.
this would be that caribou migration map… via wired news

The real reason Thomas lost his job, according to internal USGS e-mails from March and interviews last week, is that he posted an inaccurate map related to a hypersensitive issue that was far outside his Maryland office’s turf and even farther outside the scope of his contract.

<…>

In fact, USGS officials say the oil industry would have loved the Thomas map, which actually understated the caribou calving grounds by relying on obsolete data.
[italics are mine --ed.]

—–