Friday, May 15, 2009
On a new TWIYT, @shiralazar and I discuss Heidi Montag and respond to the Geek Nation #iamageek
via youtube.com
Take that, people who play as bards in D&D! Ha ha!
Danger Mouse And Sparklehorse Team Up With David Lynch
via npr.org
You can hear this album - a collaboration between DJ Danger Mouse, Sparklehorse mastermind Mark Linkous, director David Lynch and gusts including Frank Black, Iggy Pop, the Flaming Lips and Grandaddy's Jason Lytle - streaming on NPR. I'm listening right now...
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104129585
Thursday, May 14, 2009
In fairness, Schumer was legislating using his Jew Claw at the time...
A Republican state lawmaker hoping for his party's nod to run for Senate reportedly referred to Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer as "that Jew" during a recent appearance before a Republican group.
State Sen. Kim Hendren told The Associated Press on Thursday that he was wrong to refer to Schumer's religious affiliation during a Pulaski County Republican Committee meeting last week. Hendren said he doesn't remember the exact wording of his comment, but he was quoted by conservative blogger Jason Tolbert as calling Schumer "that Jew."
"I ought not to have referred to it at all," Hendren told the AP. "When I referred to him as Jewish, it wasn't because I don't like Jewish people."
Diamonds, Daisies, Snowflakes,
That Jew
Chestnuts, Rainbows, Springtime...
Is That Jew
He's tinsel on a tree...
He's everything that every Jew should be!
Sable, Popcorn, White Wine,
That Jew
Gingham, Bluebirds, Broadway...
Is That Jew
He's mine alone, but luckily for you...
If you find a Jew to love,
Only one Jew to love,
Then he'll be That Jew too...
That Jew!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Brent Barry's foot is one degree from Kevin Bacon!
via tmz.com
Not sure why this video of Leo DiCaprio and Kevin Bacon cowering in fear at their near-creaming in the front row of the Laker game the other night is so funny...but it is. Enjoy.
http://www.tmz.com/2009/05/13/rockets-get-crushed-take-it-out-on-dicaprio/
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
He's the Best Around...Nothing's Gonna Ever Keep Him Down...
Meet Masanobu Sato, world masturbating champion. Actually, don't meet him. Cause that will just encourage him.
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2009/05/masturbate-a-thon_champion_spe.php
I am amused by the World Masturbatory Circuit's firmly (ahem) held belief that, if you speak about it formally, in terms typically used to describe track meets or athletic challenges, a masturbate-a-thon does not sound like a whole bunch of dudes whacking off together for an entire day.
I also love that this is what it took to outdo competitive eating. First, guys compete to see who can eat the most. Then, guys compete to see who can jerk off the longest. And we all know what comes next...Competitive pangs of regret and sadness, followed by competitive fitful sleep.
Kanye Wants Less Twitter, More Fishdicks (via @heif by way of @sirgutz)
Yeah, Internet? I'll take way more insane spittle-flecked Kanye West rants, please...with a side of Blingees. 'Preciate it.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Facebook Shouldn't Have to Censor Holocaust Denial
Facebook's failure to ban groups that promote Holocaust Denial has created something of a stir on tech blogs this week. Brian Cuban makes a passionate argument against Facebook's policy here, and Michael Arrington takes up the discussion here.
These guys thoughtfully argue that Facebook has set a dangerous double standard. The company censored a group dedicated to breastfeeding, but refuses to censor a group that actively promotes antisemitism. They are correct. This IS a ludicrous double standard. There is nothing wrong with breastfeeding - it's an entirely natural activity that women should be allowed to openly discuss in any public forum - but there are many things wrong with Holocaust Denial. The main one being, that it's totally wrong, and the Holocaust happened, and it needs to be discussed and remembered.
But I think Arrington, Cuban and others are approaching this argument from the wrong perspective. In essence, this double standard exists because Facebook SHOULD NOT have censored discussion of breastfeeding, not because it SHOULD censor discussion of Holocaust Denial. BOTH discussions should be allowed to take place on the site, to my mind.
In my opinion, Facebook shouldn't censor speech unless it's absolutely vital. The discussion should only even come up in extreme cases...Essentially, anything that could cause direct, immediate harm to another individual or group of individuals. Instructions on how to make a weapon or commit a violent crime, requests or orders for group members to go out and commit crimes, private information such as Social Security numbers that must not be made public...That kind of speech would understandably be removed from Facebook.
But, like it or not, a massively-popular website dedicated to free and open discussions will, eventually, attract some odious and repellent contributions. There are a lot of sick people out there who use the Internet say horrible, untrue, offensive things.
The best antidote to something like Holocaust Denial is not censorship...Quite the opposite. There is no evidence supporting Holocaust Denial. Anyone armed with THE TRUTH should be able to outsmart its proponents. Shine a light on these sorts of pernicious lies rather than trying to hide them. The cover-up only grants them unearned legitimacy. Intelligent people who feel strongly about pushing back against hateful lies like Holocaust Denial should confront their real enemies - Holocaust Deniers - publicly, pointing out their factual, logical and moral errors for all to see. Why cover up something that can be so easily refuted?
Facebook has now painted itself into a corner by censoring the breastfeeding stuff. Now, they have no choice but to go around censoring any material that a considerable majority of the site's users might find objectionable or offensive. This is not an enviable position. Far better to be very very permissive about what can be discussed on Facebook, limiting censorship ONLY to those discussions which present a direct and immediate threat to the safety and well-being of individuals or groups. (Holocaust Denial, while offensive to Jews, does not put us in any kind of immediate danger. People have hated Jews for millennia and we're still here.)
"Whatever Works" Trailer
via rayslucky13.com
This looks amazing. I cannot wait to see it. Larry David plus Woody Allen...How could it not be genius? Already one classic Woody-ism in the trailer:
"I'm dying!...Not now, eventually!"
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