…and it is not ‘sine wave’.

Click the pick to learn more.

I found that by reading reading this: Earthquake Lake

Excellent thoughts on the developing lawsuit in Kansas over digital cable boxes and the rent-only option:

http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2008/08/the-time-warner.html

Sometimes they’re funny.

Going to let the ‘money quote’ intro the article.

The real answer to online piracy problems will be a market answer; if content creators want to succeed online, they need to focus even more on “seducing” consumers than on pistol-whipping them.

Article: Functionally voluntary” music may lead to blanket licenses [Ars Technica]

If you have been paying attention, you may have noticed that the United States government has reached a level of [choose your favorite] stupidity, ludicrousness, lack of institutional memory, brazen disregard for anything resembling reality, inferred hallucinogenic drug use, soul crushing asshattery, and intelligence insulting rhetoric that has surpassed any and all measure. I lament for our descendants and am redefining the upper bound of contemptuousness for the Federalist system.

Case in point, as beautifully and satisfyingly portrayed on Mr. Stewart’s lovely show:

I hope there will be a return to accountability and common sense within my lifetime. I also hope to live forever. I think the chances for both are just about equal.

BONUS: Pictures from the conflict zone taken by a local. [EnglishRussia.com]

It’s a plug for his new movie, but some of the props and effects hit a little close to home. Jubi Show watchers will know what I mean.

Part 1

Part 2

From the YouTube sidebar:

In 1969, a 14-year-old Beatle fanatic named Jerry Levitan, armed with a reel-to-reel tape deck, snuck into John Lennon’s hotel room in Toronto and convinced John to do an interview about peace. 38 years later, Jerry has produced a film about it. Using the original interview recording as the soundtrack, director Josh Raskin has woven a visual narrative which tenderly romances Lennon’s every word in a cascading flood of multipronged animation. Raskin marries the terrifyingly genius pen work of James Braithwaite with masterful digital illustration by Alex Kurina, resulting in a spell-binding vessel for Lennon’s boundless wit, and timeless message.

From Johnson County Supervisor Rod Sullivan’s weekly email blast comes this factoid:

Taxpayers in Johnson County, Iowa will pay $191.3 million for total Iraq war spending approved to date.
For the same amount of money, the following could have been provided:

• 57,241 People with Health Care for One Year OR
• 215,208 Homes with Renewable Electricity for One Year OR
• 4,572 Public Safety Officers for One year OR
• 31,176 Scholarships for University Students for One Year or
• 2,380 Affordable Housing Units OR
• 4,282 Elementary School Teachers for One Year.

That is correct – those figures are the cost for Johnson County alone!
(Source: Costofwar.com)

I’m sure there’s play either way in those numbers, but as a tool of perspective I think it says volumes.

Been a bit since I brought this series to the light of day, but here she is in all her self-interested glory. NEWSISH for 8/1/2008. Might end up being a once a week thing, maybe more. Enjoy while you can!

• Should you skimp…or splurge? [MSN Money via Consumerist]
  

  “Credit cards let us instantly satisfy our retail desires,” Yochim says. “Our grandparents had to delay that gratification. They figured that if they had to save for it, they’d better get the best they could. Now retailers want to catch that fleeting desire.”

• College funding bill passed with anti-P2P provisions intact [Ars Technica]
• What if you could own your internet connection? [Google Public Policy Blog]
  This looks to me like a very very interesting way for consumers to finally push back against Ma Bell and Big Cable.
• Moving with no place to go [Press-Citizen]
  For those not in the IC area, this has been an issue for quite some time and there doesn’t seem to be a good answer to it…except maybe not to move. 😛
• Travelers’ Laptops May Be Detained At Border [Washington Post]
  And this is with no suspicion of wrongdoing. Just if they feel like it. For months.

Check back for more [maybe].

Totally ripping this from Mr. Blogomatt.