Maddow v Stewart

An interesting interview of Jon Stewart by Rachel Maddow.

More Beautiful Information

From a while back: Every single Dr Who journey ever. Crowdsourced ultra-geek dataset.

This person in comments seems to have actually taken a stab at making a data set out of it..

Meanwhile, it seems that Canada in general (and Toronto in particular) is a hive of open data activity.

Some neo-feudalism

Via Naked Capitalism, some depressing thoughts on why social democracy is dying.

From the same people, a post on the many flaws of neoclassical economics.

At least some people think the asshole conservatives will do themselves in.

I'm less optimistic, given that missed credit card payments can get you thrown in jail in the US. (Have those laws started in Canada yet?) Of course, as Digby points out, these kinds of rules don't apply to the plutocracy, even after they run over you with their car.

But District Attorney Mark Hurlbert says it wouldn't be wise to prosecute Erzinger -- doing so might hurt his source of income.

"Felony convictions have some pretty serious job implications for someone in Mr. Erzinger's profession, and that entered into it," Hurlbert said. "When you're talking about restitution, you don't want to take away his ability to pay."

Well, most of the stories I read and tell involve a feudal society, so I guess it makes things easier.

Some nice things

The last post was depressing, so I send you nice things.

The 40th anniversary of The Goodies.

As part of my pro-Roman position, An 1,800-Year-Old Roman Multitool. (More pics at the Fitzwilliam Museum site.)

It's a shame Kendra and I don't talk anymore, as this is the kind of thing we'd geek out over.
(This Disney Princesses as Lords of the Siththing as well, although I think Snow White is the only really successful one.)


The world's best underwater photographs 2010.

I am sure some people I know are already all over this: the Carl Brandon Society is holding a prize drawing to support the Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship Fund. You can win an eReader pre-loaded with short stories, poems, and books by writers of color.

The awesome defense by a mom of her son's right to dress as Daphne for Halloween.

My two favourite parts:

But here’s the point, it is none of your damn business.

If you think that me allowing my son to be a female character for Halloween is somehow going to ‘make’ him gay then you are an idiot. Firstly, what a ridiculous concept. Secondly, if my son is gay, OK. I will love him no less. Thirdly, I am not worried that your son will grow up to be an actual ninja so back off.

And all I hope for my kids, and yours, and those of Moms ABC, are that they are happy. If a set of purple sparkly tights and a velvety dress is what makes my baby happy one night, then so be it. If he wants to carry a purse, or marry a man, or paint fingernails with his best girlfriend, then ok. My job as his mother is not to stifle that man that he will be, but to help him along his way. Mine is not to dictate what is ‘normal’ and what is not, but to help him become a good person.

I hope I am doing that.

And my little man worked that costume like no other. He rocked that wig, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

For those wanting to work politically, The Opportunity Agenda.

The end of a war and Random rapping pandas

From Balloon Juice, a story of WWI and one of the last men to die in it, a Canadian named George Price.

There was one incident that captured the essence of war on the western front, the distillation of its arbitrary violence. At two minutes to eleven in the vicinity of Mons a Canadian private named George Price was hit by a sniper’s bullet. He died instantly. The man who killed him remains unknown. That man made a choice. He was a marksman, a skilled soldier. He had just moments remaining in which it was legal for him to kill. There was no need to fire, no purpose, and some risk at least to himself and any comrades near him. If he waited until eleven, and then put his gun down, the only consequence would be that a young stranger would go home. Instead, the shot rang out. Two minutes ticked past. The war ended. George Price lay dead.

From the tragic to the tragic in another sense:

A video of a China-USA rap battle about economic issues in honour of the G20 in South Korea.
I can't decide if I think it's so terrible it's good.

That 5 Love Languages thing

The Five Love Languages

My primary love languages are probably
Quality Time and Words of Affirmation.

Complete set of results

Quality Time:		9
Words of Affirmation:		9
Acts of Service:		5
Receiving Gifts:		5
Physical Touch:		2

Information

Unhappiness in relationships, according to Dr. Gary Chapman, is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don't understand our partner's requirements, or even our own. We all have a "love tank" that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others.

Take the quiz

I'm dubious about this. The spread seems too far, although I can see my top two working out like that. Maybe I'm just more demanding of something that was lacking and so that's pushing the spread up.

Or, you know, internet quizzes suck. :)