http://www.futureme.org/: here’s the story: two fellas started this so that you could write yourself a letter to be delivered at a later date. we’ve all had to do them in high school and college. it’s sorta cool to receive a letter from yourself about where you thought you’d be a year (two years? more?) later. […]
Hello, Self? That was a really stupid thing you just did, probably.
Posted by Ben on April 6, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/hello-self-that-was-a-really-stupid-thing-you-just-did-probably/
Chomsky Blogs
As of some very recent time, Noam Chomsky has a blog. It’s called Turning the Tide. What’s not to like? (via some other blog, possibly diepunyhumans though possibly not; actual laudatory reference will appear here if I can dig it up)
Posted by Ben on April 5, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/chomsky-blogs/
The Future Is Dismal, and It Is Here
First came the chicken bombs, then the chicken guns. I fear chicken landmines and drones will soon rear their ugly heads. Sometimes the things that seem most like jokes are what we need most fear. Or not. But you can never really know for sure. (For an overview of the real-life use of chicken cannon […]
Posted by Ben on April 5, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/the-future-is-dismal-and-it-is-here/
What Makes Us Violent?
The Globe and Mail has a fantastic article on aggression, delving into deep philosophical and psychological issues of what exactly makes violent people violent.
Hint: It’s not TV.
(Or videogames.)
The article focuses mostly on the work of Dr. Richard Tremblay, who the article cites as “one of the world leaders in aggression studies.” It’s interesting stuff.
Posted by Ben on April 4, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/what-makes-us-violent/
Vultures in Peril
“Only a decade ago, millions of Asian vultures lived in Pakistan, India, and Nepal. These enormous raptors provided an effective method of removing dead livestock, preventing the spread of diseases. They played a similar role with human corpses, ritualized in the “sky burials” of the Parsi religion. … “Then huge numbers of these birds began […]
Posted by Ben on April 3, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/vultures-in-peril/
Online Resources for YOU to use, abuse, and confuse
Freedom of Information Act: so you have some idea what the Freedom of Information Act is, maybe, but did you know that you can read some of the things that have been made publicly available online? Oh. You did? Well, for those of you who haven’t, you may want to check out the FOIA’s Electronic […]
Posted by Ben on April 2, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/online-resources-for-you-to-use-abuse-and-confuse/
All About Stan
Stanley Kubrick’s house looks as if the Inland Revenue took it over long ago. Tony takes me into a large room painted blue and filled with books. “This used to be the cinema,” he says. “Is it the library now?” I ask. “Look closer at the books,” says Tony. I do. “Bloody hell,” I say. […]
Posted by Ben on April 1, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/all-about-stan/
Horrorpictureshow
Gasps analyst Bill Dreher, reeling, “Costco continues to be a company that is better at serving the club member and employee than the shareholder.” Oh, the humanity! What dread tactics. (via Alas, a Blog [March 29, 2004])
Posted by Ben on April 1, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/horrorpictureshow/
Spy Game
(2001) Tony Scott – Robert Redford, Brad Pitt, Catherine McCormack, etc. Synopsis: The last day on his job at the CIA, Nathan Muir (Redford) finds out that an old protege of his (Bishop, played by Pitt) has stumbled into a whole world of trouble. And is, in fact, going to be executed in 24 hours. […]
Posted by Ben on April 1, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/spy-game/
A Timeline of Sweet, Sweet Revenge – True Story! (So far)
Sometime in the Past: Mr. X makes $1 million sending spam—hundreds of millions of e-mails for porno and college degrees and what-have-you; all your favorites, doubtless. Sometime more recently: Mr. X buys a Porsche celebrating his newfound vocation (above). Even more recently: Mr. X loses Porsche through his newfound vocation (still above). The Future (?): […]
Posted by Ben on March 31, 2004
https://www.swordbilled.com/a-timeline-of-sweet-sweet-revenge-true-story-so-far/