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The biggest oil spills EVER

mark — Wed, 12 May 2010 18:11:32 +0000

Right now, there’s so much press around the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that we forget that this has happened before, in massive quantities, and with massive repercussions. Having said that, as a native of the area, I’m devastated and praying every day for an end to this catastrophe.

Looking at pictures of the 10 biggest oil spills ever makes me sad and oddly happy at the same time.

Is Kagan liberal enough? Strong enough?

mark — Tue, 11 May 2010 17:36:45 +0000

Or will she help block California’s Proposition 8, refuse to expand minority rights, or encourage some other as-yet-unknown conservative proposal? (hello, Arizona!)

They’re putting an awful lot of pressure on her also; asking her to lead a group with all different ideals and values, from all different walks of life. Is anyone else afraid she’ll crack under the weight of these demands?

Let’s hope that Elena Kagan turns out to stick to her guns, whatever they may be.

The Legend of Lena to live on

mark — Mon, 10 May 2010 18:58:22 +0000

Lena Horne, star of stage and screen, died today at the age of 92. Having grown up in a time of intense racial stress, she broke barriers to live her life her own way.

Have you killed music?

mark — Fri, 07 May 2010 18:50:51 +0000

I ask that because we’ve all been a part of the musical revolution that’s gone from live only (before our time), to recordings, to radio, to TV, from records, to 8-tracks, to cassette tapes, to CD’s, to mp3’s. Soon, we’ll be downloading music straight to our brains.

Check out this article on the evolution of musical formats – how has it changed the way we view music? The world around us? Has the mode of musical transport affected the music itself? Is music really dead?

FYI, the article is long, and near the middle gets a bit dry, but the (the image at) the end makes up for it.

Is anyone surprised that Obama’s funnier than Leno?

mark — Thu, 06 May 2010 18:23:09 +0000

And the verdict is in: Obama killed at the recent White House Correspondents’ Dinner, and Jay Leno was just a wet blanket.

Watch the video of Obama and Leno’s speeches – you tell me who you think is funnier.

Teachers with accents to be banned from teaching English in Arizona

mark — Wed, 05 May 2010 20:48:40 +0000

I think this says it all: “Arizona Department of Education has told schools that teachers with “heavy” or “ungrammatical” accents are no longer allowed to teach English classes”

So…what if you have a Southern accent (like me)? Does this mean that if you don’t sound like NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw, that you’re not fit to teach the English language? For shame, Arizona.

“The Jetsons” comes to life!

mark — Wed, 05 May 2010 13:08:52 +0000

Wish you had the know-how to build that new bad-ass sniper rifle the US Army is contracting out, but you’re better at car mechanics than firearms? Well, we’ve got the project for you! Check it out: the Pentagon is looking for flying car designs!

Are we hardened to the idea of terrorist attacks?

mark — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:22:04 +0000

It happens in every war: the innocent people trying to live their lives in the crossfire get hardened and immune to the idea of violence, terror, and death. Has the United States (and especially New York City) hit that point?

Read about the Times Square bomber, his capture, and the responses of New Yorkers.

Will condoms kill porn?

mark — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:07:56 +0000

Right now, in the porn capital of the world, California’s San Fernando Valley, “new adult video is shot every 45 minutes, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year”. That’s a lot of doin’ it. And a lot of bodily fluids to be swapped, and a lot of possibility for disease.

The porn industry has always regulated itself with regards to testing and STDs, but now a bill is being brought before the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board to force the use of condoms in adult films, ostensibly on the basis that “employees” are at risk.

What kind of effect will this have on the industry as a whole? Will this bill run porn companies out of California? Or – considering the tough anti-porn-creation laws in other states – would it kill the porn industry completely?

Bad ass new sniper rifle – contract up for grabs

mark — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:30:28 +0000

Think you can make a sniper rifle better than Remington? If you can make it shoot farther, more quietly, and more accurately, the US Army is taking bids for a new manufacturer for the bad-ass new sniper rifle they’ve designed.

Check out a diagram of the new sniper rifle.