[22:14] <steeler_fan> “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt, March 4, 1933
[22:14] <steeler_fan> “Oh, and starvation. We might all starve.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt, March 4, 1933
[22:15] <nosebleed> lol
[22:15] <steeler_fan> “Why no women, blacks, or non-Christians have answered the Founders’ challenge is a mystery, though most indications point to some inherent genetic flaw.”
[22:16] <steeler_fan> “Give me liberty or give me death…but preferably liberty.” — Patrick Henry, 1775
[22:17] <steeler_fan> “Despite working long hours in grueling conditions, most slaves received absolutely no college credits for their unpaid labor.”
[22:18] * jesus_X wonders how steeler_fan managed to channel hao2lian.
[22:18] * hao2lian has joined #bs
[22:18] <steeler_fan> freaky, jesus_X
[22:18] <Chewie[]> …
[22:18] <steeler_fan> how’d you do that?
[22:18] <nilson> whoah
[22:18] <Chewie[]> what the fuck?
[22:19] <hao2lian> Don’t take that tone of voice with me.
[22:19] <hao2lian> What’d I do?
[22:19] <hao2lian> Or what did someone who we shall not mention do?

Anymore, it’s taboo to refer to someone by whatever racial/ethnic/religious/etc. category, as it can be construed as offensive or pejorative, except when it comes to the political term “Liberal”. The Republican party has managed to turn the word “liberal” into a dirty word, a word of slander, and quite frankly, I’m sick of it. Anymore Bush is on the trail bashing Kerry just for being “Liberal”. So what? He’s a social conservative and no one is demonizing that word. Sure, we disagree with the positions, but not the word itself. That’s hollow. And now, at a time when the deficit is bigger than it’s ever been, and the national debt is bigger than it’s ever been, and spending is far outpacing intake (obviously, with that big a deficit), they have the gall to bring back the phrase “tax and spend Liberal”. I’m sick of the ad hominem attacks from the right, fed up with it to my nose. If you want to debate positions then fine, but if you have to resort to name calling, then you obviously feel your positions are so weak as to be indefensible, and should just be quiet.

And additionally, it’s time for Liberals everywhere to take back that word. Do not be ashamed when you are called a Liberal. Do not deny it, or try to defend being one. Respond, “Yes, I am a Liberal. I believe in Liberty, and in granting as much freedom to American citizens as is possible. That’s why America was founded. Are you against freedom and liberty?”

Complete debate transcript, via the Washington Post.

This list will grow as I get more links. These are all linking directly to the results, by the way.
CNN.com
CBS News
MSNBC
Fox News
Yahoo News

Kerry Takes Lead Over Bush in AP Poll

Ok folks, this is a challenge. The prize will be a very hackable Polaroid i-Zone Webster ‘scanner’ doohickey. It’s more like a handheld webcam with built in memory, although it can’t do live streaming with the software provided. You can however hack the interface software (TWAIN compliant), hack the casing so it can take photos of stuff without holding it up against the items, and it’s got a simple serial interface (very simple) so I’m sure an enterprising Linux hacker can figure out how to get the data out of it.

What’s the challenge? In 1988, Michael J. Mefford created a utility for PC Magazine called DIRMAGIC, short for Directory Magic. It’s a kick ass little utility, but it has some short comings. It can’t handle large drives (where large is still significantly short of half a gig). It can’t handle more than (approximately) 1k files in a directory. It’s slow full screen due to BIOS call emulation, and even slower in a window. It can’t handle long file names (obviously). Essentially, computers exceeded the programs built-in future-headroom. But, I have never found anything that can take it’s place. So, I issue this challenge. I’m looking for a Win32 Console mode app to replace DirMagic. So that this isn’t a blind challenge, I’m including “screenshots” and a zip of the program. It’s comprised entirely of an 8 kilobyte .COM file. All that functionality in 8k. Obviously, I don’t expect that in the W32 Console mode version. 🙂 Lastly, it would really kick ass if the winner makes it open source. GPL not required, as I like the MPL‘s approach better anyway. Screenshots and the zip are inside.
» Continue reading “Programming Challenge!”

<Jack> Iraq was an immediate threat. Did Saddam Hussein not try to have a President assassinated?
<Jack> I'd say that's reason enough for going to war.
<blake> Jack: that is NOT the reason we went to war with iraq.
<jesus_X> Iraq wasn't an immeidate threat to ANYONE!
<Jack> blake - not the reason given, no, but it was a reason. 🙂
<jesus_X> Oh, so now we can retcon WARS???

Jesse then gave me an idea. Let the Googlebombing begin. George W. Bush is a retcon expert, especially with wars.

With this cover story I have completed contruction of my Gigantic Earth Propeller! With it, I will reverse the rotation of the earth, and strike fear into the hearts of billions! The sun will move from west to east at a speed I determine according to my evil will!World governments will bow before me as their Eternal Emperor, and the rebels will be blown into space when I fling them into the Gigantic Earth Propeller’s air stream! Muhahahahaha!

Last night was the first of three Presidential debates in this electoral cycle. For my non-US readers, these are rather big deals in politics here, and have in the past changed the flow of the election. I watched it, and I agree heartily with the polls and focus groups that Kerry pretty much dominated the debate. But as I slept, various points ruminated in my mind, and early this morning I think I had an insight as to Bush’s mad campaign against terrorism. This is a transcript of the debate, so you can fact check my quotes if you like. First, I think a Freudian slip showed how obsessed George Bush really was with Saddam Hussein:

Bush: Of course we’re after Saddam Hussein — I mean bin Laden.

But aside from that, this is the exchange that really stuck in my mind. In the middle of an answer to one of Mr. Lehrer’s questions, Bush said:

Bush: And, of course, Iraq is a central part in the war on terror. That’s why Zarqawi and his people are trying to fight us. Their hope is that we grow weary and we leave…
After that answer, Kerry: The president just talked about Iraq as a center of the war on terror. Iraq was not even close to the center of the war on terror before the president invaded it…

My insight was this. Now, maybe I’m giving the Bush administration too much credit, but I think making Iraq the main battleground was a main goal of the invasion. He’s said time and again that we need to confront terrorists on their turf, not ours, to keep America safe. I agree with this, as does every security official, politician, etc. That’s why we invaded Afghanistan, to destroy a valuable free base of operations. We have deprived them of an entire country in which to run wild. But with forcing them out of Afghanistan pushes them into other countries and possibly even back into attacks on the US mainland.

What I feel the Bush administration did was purposely foul up the invasion of Iraq to give the terrorists a place to focus on rather than letting them come to the US mainland. He sacrificed Iraq and it’s 25 million citizens for the safety of the US and it’s citizens. He baited them to Iraq with the overthrow of Saddam (something he wanted from the first day of his administration) and an insufficient force to secure the entire country, with Iran to the east, Syria to the west, and tens of thousands of square miles of open territory and lawless cities. It’s honey to the bear. The terrorist organizations pour funds and manpower into Iraq to bring havoc across the country where they can fight American soldiers in the streets, and with all of those terrorists running amok in Iraq, there’s a significant shortage of insane suicidal maniacs and illegal funding to be sent to America. Pre-9/11 Al Quaida was funneling money to 20 men to go to flight school, live cover-lives, etc. Now they’re spending all those respources in Iraq. Sure, it makes life hell for Iraqis, but hey, Americans are safe and sound. He decided 25 million Iraqi lives were worth less than American lives. When I realized this, I was sickened. And I pray to god I’m just giving them too much credit.