Thursday, August 25, 2005

That explains a lot. Sorry for this "inside" humor, but I know a few rexblog readers who will enjoy learning that the Princeton Review college rankings includes a category called top schools for "Future Rotarians and Daughters Of The American Revolution." (From the 'comes as no surprise department': I graduated from #7). [rexblog: Rex Hammock's Weblog] 8:10:14 AM    comment []

A pivotal moment for 'axis of evil'. US attitudes toward Iran and North Korea may be swapping as Tehran talks tough and Pyongyang softens its line. [Christian Science Monitor | Top Stories] 8:07:09 AM    comment []

Grokking the 'Ster (Donna Wentworth). Via Andrew Raff, Cathy Kirkman's analysis of two recent decisions that cite the MGM v. Grokster ruling -- one in a patent case, one in a copyright case: Grokster Cited in Patent Inducement Case. [Copyfight] 8:06:55 AM    comment []

Pat Robertson: Liar, Too; Finally He Apologizes. UPDATED Now the "religious leader" Pat Robertson, having called for the assassination of another nation's leader, Venezuela President Hugo Chavez, has decided to lie through his teeth about it. Original quote: "If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think we really ought to go ahead and do it." (CNN has a video of it.) Now he says: "I didn't say 'assassination.' I said our special forces should 'take him out.' And 'take him out' can be a number of things, including kidnapping; there are a number of ways to take out a dictator from power besides killing him. I was misinterpreted by the AP [Associated Press], but that happens all the time." The more he talks, the worse he sounds. Still waiting for a comment from several prominent conservative bloggers. UPDATE: The reverend sees the error of his ways and apologizes. [Dan Gillmor's blog] 8:06:35 AM    comment []

Too long to quote, but read Doc's How to Save the Web from Splogonoma. 8:01:29 AM    comment []

Researchers Post Sound of Woodpeckers' Double Rap [Washington Post: Top News] 8:01:25 AM    comment []

METAVERSE BECOMES MONACO. During yet one more discussion about Second Life as an ontological category (is it a "game"? is it a "virtual world"? what is this thing?) today, I began fishing about for a workable analogy, and ended up at the website of the Central Intelligence Agency. Specifically, at the World Factbook notation on the country of Monaco. The results surprised me. Some excerpts from the Monaco listing: Background: principality of France Area: 1.95 sq km Population: 32,409 (July 2005 est.) Economy overview: "[A] popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate... The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service." Geographically, Second Life is now about 25 fully contiguous square miles, and in July 2005, eclipsed Monaco in total population. (Current SL population: 42,263.) A de facto principality of the United States, it also has no income tax and a low business tax (i.e. land use fees.) Tourism, nightclubs, and casino-type games like Tringo dominate the economy. We don't deal in Grace Kelly memorabilia, but we do have our own starlets, and they even engage in impromptu online USO tours for the troops. For now, Linden Lab maintains a monopoly on Instant Messaging, IM-to-e-mail delivery, and inventory object delivery in-world, though a few Residents have developed services that are beginning to compete with those. Next target marker: Luxembourg (population 468,571). [New World Notes] 8:01:20 AM    comment []

Put your kid here, and it'll hurt! [Flickr]. Jill posted a photo: Sign at the supermarket checkout, explaining that the shelf is for bags, not children. Meny, Bergen Storsenter, Norway. [jill/txt] 7:59:31 AM    comment []