tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85209886185500355752024-02-07T01:24:12.051-05:00The Really Sarcastic WeaselBecause self-absorption, narcissism, and charm are an unstoppable combination.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-70273169697122832522010-04-14T08:53:00.000-04:002010-04-14T08:55:00.549-04:00Stanley Cup Playoff Annual HumiliationClearly, blogging has been a big priority.<br /><br />But it is that time again and I have to embarrass myself.<br /><br />I'm going to trot out another simple-minded, stat-based decision scheme that appears right now to be my worst one yet:<br /><br />W1<br />SJ<br />Chi<br />Van<br />Det<br /><br />E1<br />Mtl<br />Phi<br />Buf<br />Pit<br /><br />W2<br />SJ<br />Chi<br /><br />E2<br />Mtl<br />Phi<br /><br />W3<br />SJ<br /><br />E3<br />Phi<br /><br />Epic Win<br />SJ<br /><br />Take that, rationalism!The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-63558497123429734312009-11-06T09:10:00.006-05:002009-11-06T09:20:10.225-05:00I Love Fail BlogFor anyone who has not clicked on the <a href="http://failblog.org/">Fail Blog</a> link on my page, you probably should. It is part of the ever growing I-can-has-cheezeburger online empire, has about 3-4 new posts per day so you can keep up with it for a minimal time investment, and produces great perspective building videos like the one below.<br /><br />Sometimes I have bad days at work. These days are defined by constant interruptions, unplanned meetings, or exploration of researchy things that don't work. These days I get no actual work done (actual work = concrete progress toward something publishable). Then I see a really bad day at work like this one and feel better:<br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="375" height="286" id="viddler"><param name="movie" value="http://www.viddler.com/player/d79859e7/" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed src="http://www.viddler.com/player/d79859e7/" width="437" height="333" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" name="viddler" ></embed></object>The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-30417539753864701402009-11-05T09:22:00.003-05:002009-11-05T09:25:25.333-05:00It's About Time Someone Said Something<embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:southparkstudios.com:254811" width="360" height="300" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="window" flashVars="autoPlay=false&dist=www.southparkstudios.com&orig=" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" allownetworking="all" bgcolor="#000000"></embed><br /><a href="http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/251889">New episode of South Park</a> redefines the f-word... again (no, not that f-word, the other f-word). It's something I've been thinking for years.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-82902769890027172062009-10-21T16:33:00.001-04:002009-10-21T16:36:50.944-04:00b-r-1-d-g-3 w-h-1-s-p-3-r-3-r updateThe Pop. Sci. article is now online:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2009-10/ten-young-geniuses-shaking-science-today?page=9">See it here.</a><br /><br />My advisor is number 10. The picture is... stunning is the word I'm going to use. Stunning.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-20725233468381472412009-10-15T12:00:00.005-04:002009-10-16T09:09:21.483-04:00They're All Going to Laugh at YouAccording to a <a href="http://www.ur.umich.edu/update/archives/091015/thinkers">recent press release</a> from my university, Popular Science has named my advisor as one of a group of ten scientists they feature as "brilliant" and who are producing relevant and important work.<br /><br />While this is pretty cool and all, it also appears that they have dubbed him "t-h-3 b-r-1-d-g-3 w-h-1-s-p-3-r-3-r" (dashes inserted to protect against teh Google), which means I may never be able to look at him again with a straight face.<br /><br />I can see him now at the abutment of the Tacoma Narrows bridge. The deck starts to vibrate out of control. He stands confidently, points his finger, and goes, "Shhst!"... and all is calm.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-35191812576409793042009-10-14T18:22:00.003-04:002009-10-14T18:28:49.258-04:00Another Journal Article Another TIF DebacleI quite simple cannot fathom the logic behind journal submittal rules that demand you upload figures in .tif format at 600 dpi, then put strict, tight file size limits on the submittal package!<br /><br />You've already specified that my figures will be enormous; don't tell me I have to be under 30 MB. Go to hell, assholes.<br /><br />And the submittal is 100% web based with a Java app checking compliance at every step. "Sorry, it's not us refusing your submittal for trivial shit; it's the system!"The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-74635766443623144352009-09-29T12:28:00.001-04:002009-09-29T12:32:17.108-04:00Post-Like SubstancesThe Sarcastic Weasel is currently writing his thesis and has absolutely zero time or energy for blog posts. I hate seeing a blog go completely inactive, so I have devised some polls to fill space and entertain the masses until such time as I can breath again. <br /><br />Today's poll is a list of things that The Sarcastic Weasel thinks are horrifically overrated. Vote for the ones you agree with. Complain in the comments section too! <br /><br />It's interactive!The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-16166949923361394452009-09-25T09:11:00.002-04:002009-09-25T09:14:11.514-04:00Stanley at G20It's really hard for me to praise Penguins fans, but this is really great:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPvoGTHxXUakTDOJGmVx6w7MAPueE7dzw-Xy3X9JqUi_67gle9JUf2r-k-UT7JbZITGnyLKdtBlMj6WqhTrV8Qt9b0rYR8Q169jKTqIvKwVGezrLHvOd0FNnwwQ14KtLm9gY7ZRQsUSM7/s1600-h/ept_sports_nhl_experts-833627642-1253829684.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 296px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnPvoGTHxXUakTDOJGmVx6w7MAPueE7dzw-Xy3X9JqUi_67gle9JUf2r-k-UT7JbZITGnyLKdtBlMj6WqhTrV8Qt9b0rYR8Q169jKTqIvKwVGezrLHvOd0FNnwwQ14KtLm9gY7ZRQsUSM7/s400/ept_sports_nhl_experts-833627642-1253829684.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385392370373205122" border="0" /></a>The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-88887216165066522582009-09-02T17:28:00.002-04:002009-09-02T17:47:55.546-04:00Peter Schiff Calls Out Cash-for-ClunkersPeter Schiff has an article full of second-rate sarcasm, but good economic analysis regarding the recently concluded government boondoggle commonly known as the cash-for-clunkers program.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.europac.net/externalframeset.asp?from=home&id=17052&type=schiff">http://www.europac.net/externalframeset.asp?from=home&id=17052&type=schiff</a><br /><br />In it, he mentions the major flaws inherent in the program:<br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Capital</span>: many of the cars destroyed under the program still functioned and their destruction represented an unnecessary loss of net capital.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Resources</span>: replacement cars did have better fuel economy, but if the idea was a net reduction in resource consumption, it is <span style="font-style: italic;">incredibly</span> difficult to overcome the consumption cost of building a new car (before it is necessary... OK, "necessary") through gains in fuel economy. Building a car requires an enormous investment of resources.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Financial</span>: the program encourages Americans to assume more consumer debt. Americans, as a whole, do not need any additional consumer debt.</li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Moral hazard</span>: People who have already made the government approved decision to buy vehicles that consume less fuel are now subsidizing those who previously haven't. If fuel efficiency is indeed a virtue, it is unjust to demand that those who choose to behave virtuously pay to incentivize those who would apparently, left to their own devices, never do so.<br /></li></ul>While I prefer my sarcasm to be less of the earnest, smarty-pants high school senior variety that he employs at the beginning of the article, I cannot fault his analysis. Build unnecessary stuff and save the environment! More debt for all! Punish the early adopters! This is, according to many analysts that I hear on the news, the result of a massively successful government program. Makes you afraid to analyze the unsuccessful ones.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-38601779717387397002009-09-02T09:47:00.007-04:002009-09-02T10:15:20.913-04:00Effin' HillariousThe Sarcastic weasel is taking a teaching engineering class this coming semester. It is his final course he is required to take, which is good, because he is (in theory) graduating at the end of the semester too.<br /><br />The textbook for the course is out of print, but <a href="https://engineering.purdue.edu/ChE/AboutUs/Publications/TeachingEng/index.html">available online</a>.<br /><br />One excerpt from the homework for final chapter that covers professional concerns (mainly promotion and tenure) that made me laugh:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">3</span> Assume that you have just been appointed department chair. At your university the department chairs set raises within very broad guidelines. However, the total dollar pool for raises is a fixed sum which averages to 5 percent of the total faculty salaries. Determine a scenario for how you will reward faculty. Consider the following faculty members:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">a</span> R does research. He is nationally known and has a standing offer for a position from another university. His teaching ratings are absymal.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">b</span> T is a wonderful teacher, but he has not done research for ten years. He routinely alternates winning the best teacher award with professor S.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">c</span> E is a good teacher, does modest research, and serves the department whenever asked to do so.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">d</span> A is the best known professor in your department and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He is getting ready to retire in a year or two and is no longer doing research.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">e</span> S is the chairman of the undergraduate curriculum committee, does all the departmental advising of undergraduates, is adviser to the student professional society, and is a good teacher. The students talk to him all the time, and he single-handedly prevented a revolt of the seniors in Prof. R’s class. He is not doing research.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">f</span> D has been an associate professor for the last twenty years. He is the outstanding racquetball player on the faculty, but you cannot think of anything else outstanding about him. He is a member of the organizing committee for a proposed faculty union.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">g</span> N is a new assistant professor who has been with the department for one year. She seems to be off to a fast start in her career and already has one research grant.</blockquote><br />Why, oh, why do I suspect that Professors {R,T,E,A,S,D,N} represent an unvarnished view of a department that one of the authors used to work in. Also, was "D" originally "O" with the first two professors listed in reverse order (until some killjoy editor made the authors change it)?<br /><br />Reference:<br />Wankat, P. C. and Oreovicz, F. S. (1993). <span style="font-style: italic;">Teaching Engineering</span>. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, USA.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-5405112755346098332009-08-25T08:42:00.004-04:002009-08-25T09:27:36.046-04:00Fingertips<ul><li>The Red Wings are bringing back Todd Bertuzzi. Awesome. I get to feel ashamed for rooting for a sports team again.</li><li>The Weasel Meme is cutting herself some teeth. Top canines should be in for Halloween. Vampire baby!</li><li>"Aren't you the guy who hit me in the eye? Aren't you the guy who hit me in the eye?"</li><li>The Red Wings are also bringing back Jason Williams. Please, please, please don't play him on the point in the power play this time. Frickin'-A.</li><li>I understand that there are some people out there that buy their hair care products somewhere other than the grocery store. I fail to see why. My grocery store has a little bitty space for junk aimed at men that doesn't smell like a fruity dessert or a moose in heat. When they change what they carry there, I change what I buy. As a result, I am currently using a product from Axe to hold my cowlicks in place that refers to itself as a "Pomade". Every damn morning now when I reach for it I involuntarily think, "I don't want Axe, God dammit! <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0190590/quotes">I'm a Daper Dan man</a>!"</li><li>On a related note, in my experience anyway, the "Axe effect" is somewhat exaggerated.<br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/I9tWZB7OUSU&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/I9tWZB7OUSU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="275" width="340"></embed></object><br />I wonder what those girls are going to do when they reach that unassuming young man. I bet they're all CPAs who will do his taxes.</li><li>"I hear the wind blow. I hear the wind blow. It seems to say, 'Hello, hello, I'm the one who loves you so.'"</li><li>If the quality of the writing, the acting and the depth of story wasn't enough to convince you that Deep Space Nine was the greatest of all six Trek series, what if <a href="http://www.denofgeek.com/television/300681/design_appreciation_the_costumes_of_star_trek_deep_space_nine.html">I threw in costumes too</a>?</li><li>Will the Detroit Cowardly <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20090823/SPORTS01/908230710/1354/">Lions go 0-32</a>? The Sarcastic Weasel is confidently predicting yes.</li><li><a href="http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/08/inefficient-journal-submission-policies.html">A link from Ish about Journal submission policies</a>. Apparently, I'm a massive sucker for bothering to meet their formatting requirements. They do just retype and reformat the whole thing anyway.</li><li><a href="http://lovelylisting.com/">New website</a> for house hunters.<br /></li></ul>The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-88889499007663725102009-08-19T09:30:00.001-04:002009-08-19T09:32:15.365-04:00TMQ = BackFootball content of <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/090818&sportCat=nfl">first article</a> for the season? 2%... maybe 3%.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-1972674639952846422009-08-19T07:47:00.002-04:002009-08-19T07:49:29.141-04:00Only One Vote for Prince?What if you see this?<br /><table style='font:11px arial; color:#333; background-color:#f5f5f5' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='360' height='353'><tbody><tr style='background-color:#e5e5e5' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/chappelles_show/index.jhtml'>Chappelle's Show</a></td><td style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; text-align:right; font-weight:bold;'></td></tr><tr style='height:14px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:2px 1px 0px 5px;' colspan='2'><a target='_blank' style='color:#333; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=11927&title=true-hollywood-stories-prince'>True Hollywood Stories - Prince</a></td></tr><tr style='height:14px; background-color:#353535' valign='middle'><td colspan='2' style='padding:2px 5px 0px 5px; width:360px; overflow:hidden; text-align:right'><a target='_blank' style='color:#96deff; text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold;' href='http://www.comedycentral.com/'>www.comedycentral.com</a></td></tr><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><embed style='display:block' src='http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:11927' width='360' height='301' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' wmode='window' allowFullscreen='true' flashvars='autoPlay=false' allowscriptaccess='always' allownetworking='all' bgcolor='#000000'></embed></td></tr><tr style='height:18px;' valign='middle'><td style='padding:0px;' colspan='2'><table style='margin:0px; text-align:center' cellpadding='0' cellspacing='0' width='100%' height='100%'><tr valign='middle'><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://shop.comedycentral.com/?v=comedy-central_shows_chappelles-show&SESSID=870783e1901f9dd5c2769413fc45aa24'>Buy Chappelle's Show DVDs</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/chappelles_show/videos/index.jhtml'>Black Comedy</a></td><td style='padding:3px; width:33%;'><a target='_blank' style='font:10px arial; color:#333; text-decoration:none;' href='http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=11909&title=hes-rick-james'>True Hollywood Story</a></td></tr></table></td></tr></tbody></table>The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-25316070979450832992009-07-26T10:48:00.005-04:002009-07-26T14:37:55.931-04:00Manga Review: Ai-RenSeries name: Ai-Ren (translation: "lovers")<br />Author: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yutaka_Tanaka"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Tanaka Yutaka</i></span></a><br />Number of volumes: 5 (<span style="font-style: italic;">series is completed</span>)<br />English language distributor: <span style="font-style: italic;">none</span><br />Fan translation link: <a href="http://www.mangavolume.com/serie-archive/mangas-airen/">on Manga Volume</a><br /><br /><br />I didn't think I was going to review this one. Ai-Ren is a sci-fi Manga set on a grim future version of Earth. The human race has lost its vigor and appears destined to die out. Most people do not have children, those that do have them by artificial means; people have forgotten what sex is. People no longer build, nuclear weapons detonate in some part of the world on a nearly daily basis, coastal cities are inundated. World events are not really presented in a complete or coherent way, either as a result of deliberate narrative choice or sketchy amateur translation. But world events are generally not important.<br /><br />What is important are the main characters. Ikuru is very ill. Due to some mysterious past catastrophic accident, extraordinary experimental measures have been taken to save his life, grafting parts of another person's body to his. These measures are inadequate however, and he is slowly dying, frequently in pain, and usually unable to eat. Because he is dying, society has given him a gift: an ARG-RMS which is a companion for the dying, an artificially created, genetically enhanced girl left over from some unknown project (experimental super human?, assassin?, sex-slave?). She has been genetically tailored to love him (an only him) absolutely. When he first takes her to his home, an isolated crumbling house on the "coast", she has no memory or sense of self. These companions for the dying are themselves doomed to a very short lifespan, frequently dying before their beneficiaries. Typical to this genre, her name comes from the first word she can say, Ai ("love").<br /><br />Despite the monstrous morality (my judgement) of Ai's creation, purpose, and the massive way in which her innate volition has been violated, what transpires between them is one of the most beautiful, innocent, disturbing, and heart-rending short love stories I've ever seen. All of the things you think could be creepy about this situation are in fact, creepier than you think they are. This creepiness is enhanced by the fact that Ikuru is stalked in his dreams by a shadowy feminine figure of death and Ai seems to fell that she is destined to kill him, the person she loves most in the world. Besides the near continual presence of death, the fact that Ikuru and Ai (ages unknown) are drawn to look so young (manga, go figure) there's a very creepy, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080453/synopsis">Blue Lagoon</a> vibe to the whole thing. As an aside, the artwork is (almost) top notch for manga.<br /><br />This is not one of those sci-fi stories where the mysteries about the state of the world are resolved with some big reveal, or we learn more over time. Humanity's crisis is not resolved. The story shifts back and forth between Ikuru and Ai, and other world level plots involving a dragon... or an alien, or ghosts in space. It's unclear just what it is, but in essence, there's a starman waiting in the sky. He'd like to come and meet us but he thinks he'd blow our minds. Just who or what he is, like so much else, is never reveled. And it doesn't matter, because there's Ikuru and Ai, whose story blows my mind effectively enough without the starman... dragon, ghost... whatever he is.<br /><br />Do I recommend it? No... Yes... No... don't read it. Well, you should,... but you really shouldn't. I've been holding off a review until I can say just what I think of it, but I am still unable to really characterize it. Is it a great piece of art? Maybe. Is it an exploitative, amature, trashy work? Maybe. Is it good, bad, moral, immoral? I don't have a mental compartment where it fits... which is an artistic triumph in a way. If you can get past the cover art on it's page at Manga Volume and the end of the second chapter without completely freaking out, congratulations, you've made it through some of the most disturbing parts; you might as well finish the series. It's very short.<br /><br />Americans, I think, will view this series from across a very long cultural divide (I did), probably why it has not found an English language distributor yet.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-44535946805719603652009-07-24T21:08:00.003-04:002009-07-24T21:43:08.291-04:00Kindle Now Actually Freaks Me OutAmazon <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal_tech/drm/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=218600600">recently debased itself apologizing</a> for their <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/18/amazon_removes_1984_from_kindle/">terrible solution</a> to a copyright infringement error they created on the e-version of George Orwell's 1984 for their <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Amazons-Original-Wireless-generation/dp/B000FI73MA">Kindle device</a>.<br /><br />I had heard enough <a href="http://www.hatrack.com/osc/reviews/everything/2009-07-05.shtml">good reviews</a> about the thing that I was beginning to think about learning about them and (someday) acquiring one. No time soon. I don't do pleasure reading at present, and Amazon is not selling Adaptive Control e-books. But I was interested.<br /><br />I'll include some words that Jeff Bezos used in the apology letter to set the tone for just how badly they screwed up:<br /><blockquote><br />This is an apology for the way we previously handled illegally sold copies of 1984 and other novels on Kindle. Our "solution" to the problem was stupid, thoughtless, and painfully out of line with our principles. It is wholly self-inflicted, and we deserve the criticism we've received. We will use the scar tissue from this painful mistake to help make better decisions going forward, ones that match our mission.<br /><br />With deep apology to our customers,<br /><br />Jeff Bezos<br />Founder & CEO<br />Amazon.com </blockquote>He really doesn't go far enough in apologizing. He also doesn't mention just what it is he's done.<br /><br />In short, they bought an e-book version of 1984 and Animal Farm from people not legally empowered to sell those properties. The correct thing to do would be to fess up, and pay the real copyright holder some moneyto compensate for the fact that a whole bunch of people interesting in owning those e-books now own pirated copies. Instead, Amazon tried to limit their damage done, and take back the pirated books. <br /><br />It turns out that the Kindle does not simply download your new purchases when you link it up with the mothership (Amazon's server). Instead, it performs more of a hot-synch, uploading status, downloading new crap, deleting old stuff when told to... including pirated books... maybe stuff that says bad things about Amazon or the government, you know... just whatever.<br /><br />Or maybe it lets you keep your copy of 1984, but subtly changes it over time, into something unrecognizable. Maybe the totalitarian govenment is benevolent, efficient, keeps people safe, provides economic justice, and oly hurts bad people from that group we hate.<br /><br />When I buy a freaking book, I own the book. It stays the same. The ideas are only corrupted my my preconceptions, my failure to understand them, or mildew. But my Kindle e-book? Who has access to that? What is it doing as when it syncs? <br /><br />Suddenly, every heavy-handed, dystopian polemic I've read, Brave New World, Farenheit 451, Anthem, If This Goes On-,... um, Animal Farm and 1984, jump, sharply focused, into my mind and I question the wisdom of e-books, web mail, netbooks, and digital resources in general. <br /><br />Thanks to Bezos, I'm not afraid of Amazon.com, I'm afraid of the internet. I want a backup of my digital data with no physical connection to the rest of the cyber-world... possibly paper.<br /><br />I understand the need for paranoia, but it's time consuming and hard work. Bezos has reminded me that it's worth it. <br /><br />Apologize again. I'll see how I feel after putting a lock on my paper library.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-39504424705419818602009-07-09T16:27:00.002-04:002009-07-09T16:43:40.187-04:00Stupid .TIFI really don't know how it happened that the .tif (tagged image format) became the go-to, most demanded, image format for journal submittals. It's really horribly inefficient. Some plots that consist of really fine, orthogonal lines look slightly better as .tifs rather then .jpgs. Slightly. <br /><br />I just finished rescuing a file that actually exceeded the size limit of MS Word 2007. It had 27 images and was over 700 Mb in size. Word will not open files greater than 512 Mb in size. <br /><br />I can understand a maker of word processing software having an upper size limit on the files that it will deal with, but if you're going to insert a check that refuses to open a file greater than that max size, insert another $%&*ing check that prevents me from saving my files if they're going to be that big. (And before any of you smug m____f___ers tells me "That's what you get for using that Microsquash stuff..." at least have the decency to verify that this problem does not exist in your favorite MS Word alternative and be prepared to provide some kind of evidence.)<br /><br />Anyway, a neat trick you can do with a .doc file, is change the extention to .zip and open it with your favorite compressed-file utility. The document will be there, broken down and laid out in its naked .xml glory for you to pick at, rescue text, or remove gargantuan figure files.<br /><br />I replaced the .tif files with .jpg files that look (to me) every bit as good as the horribly oversized .tif files (same resolution, different compression). The new file is 9 Mb in size. <br /><br />Journal editors who demand .tif files are going on my list.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-41017959899016910632009-07-07T11:15:00.005-04:002009-07-07T17:17:13.186-04:00Avoiding Eternal Damnation Has Its CostsIt's soon time for the Weasel Meme to be baptized.<br /><br />Baptism cannot be done in just ordinary baby clothes (the kind that are worn 6-12 times before they're outgrown), but in a special expensive gown that they wear once.<br /><br /><a href="http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?catnum=RP340-3109FD&action=Edit&ItemSeq=1&EditRefPage=http%3a%2f%2fwww5.jcpenney.com%2fjcp%2fbag.aspx&cmBagLookup=True&ts=128914394232875774&CmCatId=EXTERNAL%7Cbag">Here's</a> the one (I think) we're ordering. It's pretty.<br /><br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptism#Meaning_and_effects_of_baptism">Baptism</a> is largely thought of in Christian circles (depending on denomination) as the means by which people gain entry into a church body and how new infants are "saved" from their inherent "fallen" state. The logic behind the second part is built on the concept of (the strong form of) "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_sin">original sin</a>", possibly the most offensive concept that I have ever encountered. It manages to bundle aspects of self-hatred, collective/hereditary guilt, creationism (in its anti-science form), and devaluation of life, knowledge, and personal responsibility into just two words. Some may argue that the concept provides a tempering effect on human hubris, a warning or a trick to encourage prudent behavior. I don't buy it. Other metaphysical arguments regarding admission to paradise are both unprovable and irrefutable (<span style="font-style: italic;">i.e.</span> uninteresting).<br /><br />My own thoughts is that baptism a nice way to stand up before your community and affirm your membership and support, and remind them that, at times, their support for your little one will be necessary. Overloading a community building ritual with broader dogmatic and theological issues (as I just did) tends to ruin things for the participants. Also, shelling out the cash for traditional vestments is a little off-putting but I'll probably forget about it as soon as I see how cute (I'm confident) she'll look in the thing.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-89449766757865557072009-07-01T16:52:00.008-04:002009-07-10T08:59:13.604-04:00I Called It... What!?!With respect to the off-season Red Wings' roster shake-up, <a href="http://sarcasticweasel.blogspot.com/2009/06/time-to-reload.html">my recommendations</a> have, so far, come to pass:<br /><br /><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=ap-blackhawks-hossa&prov=ap&type=lgns">Hossa is now a Blackhawk</a><br /><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=ap-blackhawks-hossa&prov=ap&type=lgns">Kopecky is now a Blackhawk</a><br /><a href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?id=11850">Conklin is now a member of the team known as the Blues</a><br /><a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20090630/SPORTS05/90630080/Wings+GM++not+optimistic++on+keeping+Marian+Hossa">McCarty and Downey will not be back</a><br /><br />Something strange is at work in the universe. If the Wings sign Beauchemin, I will officially freak out. Regular followers to this blog know that, when it comes to hockey, I am always wrong.<br /><br />Update: Also (as helpfully pointed out by Ish), Chelios will not be back.<br />Update: <a href="http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=283610">Samuelsson is now a Canuck</a>.<br />Update: Leino resigned.<br />Update: Hudler files for arbitration.<br />Update: Hudler leaves the NHL for Russia to play for the Moscow Dynamo.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-81810284404743091802009-06-26T08:53:00.004-04:002009-06-27T10:22:39.052-04:00Essential Sci-FiRecently, I was talking to another student who was a big fantasy fan, but had no actual experience reading science fiction. It just so happens that this has happened to me before, and I happen to have a list of essential science fiction lying around (who doesn't?) which, naturally, I was more than willing to share... cause my opinions are more valid than everyone else's. Then I thought, why not share the wonder of my judgment with my adoring throngs of blog readers (do 6 people constitute a throng?). The list is intended to serve as a starter set of novels that provides an orientation to the genre, introduce some of the legendary authors and works, show how varied the genre is, and includes additional related works (including fantasy works by the same author).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Criteria for inclusion: </span><br />1.) Novels only (or short story collections from a single author). No individual short stories, novellas, movies, manga, or plays (sorry, Flowers for Algernon).<br />2.) I need to have read it. Why are there no Neal Stephenson, Larry Niven, Lester Del Ray, or Phillip K. Dick? I haven't gotten to them yet (and won't until after graduation and tenure review... or later). Others may be intentional slights of may fall into this category.<br />3.) Quality (duh).<br />4.) Novelty helps.<br />5.) Winning an award helps.<br />6.) Character development is a big plus (sorry, Victor Vinge) but being a landmark/seminal will work just as well, usually (hurray, original Foundation trilogy).<br />7.) Should be science fiction, not humor with sci-fi trappings (sorry, Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett)<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The List:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Robert Heinlein</span><br />Essential: Stranger in a Strange Land, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Starship Troopers<br />If you like these, also read: The Past Through Tomorrow, Time Enough for Love, Farnham's Freehold, Double Star, The Unpleasant Profession of Johanthon Hoag (a.k.a. 6xH), The Door into Summer, Podkyne of Mars, Tunnel in the Sky, The Star Beast, Job: A Comedy of Justice (fantasy), Glory Road (fantasy)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Issac Asimov</span><br />Essential: Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation (The Foundation Trilogy - actually a series of 8 novellas organized into 3 volumes), The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun, Nightfall (novel version with Robert Silverberg)<br />If you like these, also read: Foundation's Edge, Foundation and Earth, Prelude to Foundation, Forward the Foundation, The Robots of Dawn, Robots and Empire, Nemesis, The Gods Themselves<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Arthur C. Clarke</span><br />Essential: Rendezvous with Rama, Childhood's End, The Fountains of Paradise, 2001: A Space Odyssey, 2010: Odyssey Two<br />If you like these, also read: Against the Fall of Night, 2061: Odyssey Three, 3001: The Final Odyssey, Rama II (with Gentry Lee), The Garden of Rama (with Gentry Lee), Rama Revealed (with Gentry Lee)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ray Bradbury</span><br />Essential: Farenheit 451<br />If you like these, also read: The Martian Chronicles, Dandelion Wine<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Orson Scott Card</span><br />Essential: Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Maps in a Mirror (the collected short fiction of Orson Scott Card)<br />If you like these, also read: Xenocide, Children of the Mind, The Homecoming Sage (5 sci-fi novels retelling the Book of Mormon, so I'm told), The Tales of the Alvin Maker (7 fantasy novels set in an alternate mid-1800s America, in progress)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Joe Haldeman</span><br />Essential: The Forever War<br />If you like these, also read: The Forever Peace (not a sequal, actually)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kim Stanley Robinson</span><br />Essential: Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars<br />If you like these, also read: The Martians, The Years of Rice and Salt<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Frank Herbert</span><br />Essential: Dune, Destination Void<br />If you like these, also read: The Jesus Incident (with Bill Ransom), The Lazerus Effect (with Bill Ransom), The Ascention Factor (with Bill Ransom)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Walter M. Miller, Jr.</span><br />Essential: A Canticle for Leibowitz<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Connie Willis</span><br />Essential: To Say nothing of the Dog, The Doomsday Book<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stephen R. Donaldson</span><br />Essential: The Real Story, Forbidden Knowledge, A Dark and Hungry God Arises, Chaos and Order, This Day All Gods Die (The Gap Saga)<br />If you like these, also read: Lord Foul's Bane, The Illearth War, The Power that Preserves (fantasy: The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenent), The Wounded Land, The One Tree, White Gold Wielder (fantasy: The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenent), The Runes of the Earth, Fatal Revenent (fantasy: The Final Chronicles of Thomas Covenent, in progress), The Mirror of Her Dreams, A Man Rides Through (fantasy: Mordent's Need "Series")<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">David Brin</span><br />Essential: Sundiver, Startide Rising, The Uplift War (Uplift Novels)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dan Simmons</span><br />Essential: Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, The Rise of Endymion<br />If you like these, also read: Illium, Olympos<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ted Chaing</span><br />Essential: The Stories of Your Life and Others<br /><br /><br /><br />You additions, insults, and quibbling should go in the comments.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">UPDATE 1:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Ish has suggested the inclusion of some cyberpunk works. This is not my particular favorite sub-genre, but it is an important component of the overall genre and I wholeheartedly agree that it should be included. His suggestions are below (not all of which are cyberpunk, none of which I have read yet): </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">William Gibson</span><br />Essential: Neuromancer (book 1 of the The Sprawl Trilogy), The Difference Engine (with Bruce Sterling)<br />If you like these also read: Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive (books 2 and 3 of the The Sprawl Trilogy)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Neal Stephenson</span><br />Essential: Snow Crash, Cryptonomicon (not Cyberpunk)<br />If you like these also read: Quicksilver, The Confusion, The System of the World (The Baroque Cycle, not Cyberpunk)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">He also suggests Phillip K. Dick, but with no specific suggestions, I won't add him. I could guess based on which ones have been made into movies or won awards, but having had someone actually read them would be far preferable. Now if I can only get some steampunk on the list. Is there any example of steampunk in novel form that is not just the novelization of some other work?</span>The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-38669493791519050532009-06-24T10:34:00.004-04:002009-06-24T10:48:15.970-04:00Coffee from People Who Hate YouAs a grad student, I have a minor coffee habit. There are about 8 area coffee stands I frequent, I have customer loyalty cards (buy 10, get one free) from 4 of them. One thing they all share is the paper cup/plastic lid coffee disbursement system that features the built in dribble effect. You probably know what I mean. The system works fin unless you align the hole in the lid that you drink from with the seam of the paper cup (or it is within +/- pi/4 rad. of the hole). If you have it so unfortunately aligned, coffee invariably dribbles down your shirt/pants/naked chest (don't ask) as you sip. Often, the cups are handed to you with the lids already in place leading careless people (me) to begin drinking before checking their alignment.<br /><br />I have developed a theory about why cups are handed to you in dribble mode. It's a simple theory that, I think, accounts for at least 98% of unfortunately aligned drinking apparatti. <br />1.) The person handing you your coffee has just started and doesn't know about the evils of hole on seam alignment.<br />2.) The person handing you your coffee hates you, deeply and personally.<br /><br />My theory is supported by loads on undocumented anecdotal evidence. That may not sound impressive, but several people I've heard of used the same standard to decide not to have their children vaccinated because they'll catch the autism.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-53800529682077221482009-06-20T09:42:00.000-04:002009-06-20T09:43:06.848-04:00The Crackdown Begins<blockquote>“I will participate in the demonstrations tomorrow. Maybe they will turn violent. Maybe I will be one of the people who is going to get killed. I’m listening to all my favorite music. I even want to dance to a few songs. I always wanted to have very narrow eyebrows. Yes, maybe I will go to the salon before I go tomorrow! There are a few great movie scenes that I also have to see. I should drop by the library, too. It’s worth to read the poems of Forough and Shamloo again. All family pictures have to be reviewed, too. I have to call my friends as well to say goodbye. All I have are two bookshelves which I told my family who should receive them. I’m two units away from getting my bachelors degree but who cares about that. My mind is very chaotic. I wrote these random sentences for the next generation so they know we were not just emotional and under peer pressure. So they know that we did everything we could to create a better future for them. So they know that our ancestors surrendered to Arabs and Mongols but did not surrender to despotism. This note is dedicated to tomorrow’s children…” - an Iranian blogger, with more courage than most of us will ever know.</blockquote><br />Posted on The Daily Dish (obviously).The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-9175758303080389192009-06-18T10:49:00.007-04:002009-06-19T10:33:46.845-04:00Time to ReloadThere are a lot of problems with the NHL and the direction it is heading (toward NBA-style terribleness), too many to list and explain without devoting a good 2-3 of hours that I don't have to writing, editing, and research. As Ish said though, it is still the most exciting and entertaining spectator sport entertainment option available today. <br /><br />Instead of fixing the NHL, let's take a look at what the Wings have to do (roster wise) to get ready for next year and prepare for the incredibly difficult task of making a third appearance in the Finals round in a row.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Resignings: </span><br />No discussion of their needs should take place without taking the cap into account. Fortunately for Wings fans there is some online help with that (fanatical Red Wings fans with some time on their hands and some Java experience are pretty helpful):<br /><br /><a href="http://letsgowings.com/salarychart/">http://letsgowings.com/salarychart/</a><br /><br />A quick look at the chart shows that the Wings have the following players with contracts that are expiring (RFA indicates players who will only be restricted free agents when their contracts expire preventing them from actively negotiating with other teams and necessitating that any team that tries to sign them owes the Wings some draft picks if they succeed):<br /><br />Hossa<br />Samuelsson<br />Hudler (RFA)<br />Kopecky<br />Chelios<br />Conklin<br />Leino (RFA)<br />Downey<br />McCarty<br /><br />Any signings they do make need to fit into the roughly $9.4 M they will have available under the projected salary cap for next year. Looking at this list, I would resign Leino and cut the rest free. Hossa was great during the regular season and an underwhelming distraction during the post-season. I think they can get better value for the roughly $7M he may command on the market. Samuelsson is just too streaky for his price tag. Hudler is a good player, I like him, but he spent the entire playoffs being pushed off the puck. Kopecky made some bad decisions about who and when to fight and could be upgraded by playing Helm more regularly. Chelios should probably retire now. Conklin is OK, but if Howard is ever going to be the goalie of the future, it might be time to let him have the backup job. Downey is fine for his role, but an enforcer type that can be trusted to play playoff games would be a much better choice. McCarty: ditto, retirement looms.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Adding by Subtracting:</span><br />Stuart has three years left on his contract. He is a physical "defenseman", likes to jump into the play, and makes incredibly costly defensive mistakes at the worst possible moments. Given how much money/attention other "defensemen" of this type have received lately (Campbell, Phaneuf, and Green come to mind) I have to believe that someone will be willing to trade a last round draft pick (Red Wings gold) and the obligatory bag of pucks to get him (clearing his $3.8M cap hit from the Wings' books and freeing Detroit from the turnover machine). If not, demote him to GR.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Promote from Within:</span><br />Howard (replaces Conklin)<br />Ericsson (replaces Stuart)<br />Helm (replaces Kopecky) <br />Leino (replaces Hudler)<br />Abdelkador (replaces Samuelsson)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Additions:</span><br />The Wings' needs are pretty slim, really. This is what I think they need; I have no idea what of this is available.<br />1.) More depth at defense. They lost Quincy to waivers last year, which hurt. A tough, <span style="font-style:italic;">defensively sound</span> guy or two would really help. A legit top four defenseman would be even better. They should have the cap space to get one.<br />2.) A legit enforcer. One who scares people but can also play in important games. Pay a lot to get one, if necessary (probably necessary, they are rare and coveted).<br />3.) A veteran guy near retirement trying to win his first cup seems to be a necessity.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Questions Going Forward:</span><br />1.) Will the famous Red Wings loyalty to former players hurt them this year encouraging them to bring back Hudler, Samuelsson, or Chelios for another year when it is really time to go?<br />2.) Is Holmstrom still capable of being effective?<br />3.) Will Lilja's brain ever stop bleeding?<br />4.) Are the remaining goal tending prospects ready for 3rd string duty?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Coaching:</span><br />Brad McCrimmon's first year as the defensive specialty assistant coach was not particularly special. Was it so bad as to deny him a second try? Maybe. See penalty kill, goals-against, team defense, Stanley Cup Finals round play.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Disclaimer:</span><br />Ken Holland, of course, will do something entirely different than I think he should do. Largely, he will be right and I will be wrong. That's why his job is to evaluate talent and manage the roster while my job is to do research, teach classes, and write papers not relating to hockey.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Update (06/19/2009):</span><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Marketing:</span><br />The Playoffs beard-themed marketing slogans:<br />"The beard is back"<br />"Shave the best for last"<br />Totally lame. Do better next year. I'm not sure anything will top the brilliant marketing move of unilaterally declaring Detroit to be "Hockeytown" leaving fans in other cities sputtering for years that they deserve to be called that as though it were some award or title that can be won.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-88329934671857839112009-06-17T16:59:00.003-04:002009-06-17T17:05:09.647-04:00NRO wants US to Openly Support Iranian OppositionSpecifically, <a href="http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTViOGQ3OWUyNzkyZjNjOGUxY2M4Nzg4ZDczZTg0Nzc=">Peter Wehner thinks so</a>.<br /><br /><blockquote>This is an important, and potentially a decisive, moment in Iran; it is hard to know what will eventually emerge from the popular uprising we are witnessing. The situation is quite fluid, and may be for some time to come. How President Obama deals with this matter — whether he takes actions that show tangible support for the forces of liberation or whether he sits passively by as events unfold, nervous to offend cruel regimes — will tell us a lot about him and his core commitments.</blockquote><br /><br />Is he retarded?<br /><br />The best way to help crush an opposition movement in Iran is to give credence to the inevitable charges that the reformers are agents of Teh Great Satan.<br /><br />Anything we do should be done quietly, very freaking quietly.The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-73343847099659656012009-06-15T17:38:00.003-04:002009-06-15T17:49:16.717-04:00Hitchens on IranHitchens gets <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2220520/">straight to the point</a> in a typical (to him) piece that's brilliant, difficult to read, and likely to turn off anyone who doesn't already agree with him.<br /><br />He does manage to get in the best quote, thus far, though not directly attributable to him:<br /><br /><blockquote>For a flavor of the political atmosphere in Tehran, Iran, last week, I quote from a young Iranian comrade who furnishes me with regular updates:<br /><br /> I went to the last major Ahmadinejad rally and got the whiff of what I imagine fascism to have been all about. Lots of splotchy boys who can't get a date are given guns and told they're special.</blockquote><br /><br />This appears to be be the sum total of original Slate content on the revolution (or smackdown of potential revolutionaries) that is currently happening in Iran. It comes up in their summaries of other publications, but no analysis. I suppose that American Health Care and Japanese "Grass Eating Men" are more important anyway.<br /><br />I'm sure they can fit it into the Kinsley template (delayed effects man!):<br /><blockquote>Human civilization is threatened by [insert headline issue here]. This is a problem exclusively caused by the Bush administration because they are stupid and evil. Using that as an assumption, I will now prove to you that the Bush administration is stupid, evil, and to blame for [insert headline issue here].</blockquote>The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8520988618550035575.post-30331427623386790432009-06-15T15:23:00.005-04:002009-06-15T17:36:53.186-04:00What Fascism Looks LikeMost Americans are pretty sheltered (S.W. incl.). They don't particularly know what fascism looks like so they say, "Republicans are fascists," "Democrats are fascists."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/06/irans_disputed_election.html">Images escaping Iran</a> show what fascism looks like. Please don't make that mistake again. The regime has shut down cellular phones, opposition newspapers, facebook, and a myriad of other possible communication sources so, out of necessity, this revolution is happening in 140 character chunks via Twitter. I may not make fun of it (Twitter) again.<br /><br />Sorry for this, but <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10264398-2.html">CNN and the like can't be bothered</a>:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwpQ-uxMqTWdFq0kL2hvIMGmMguR8Xkw1ENfinLgxAPS1CimFBL-Zos5RZcKQaScU7oX5Kpe6GHjfXxZ9bIGVDhgnUrcgcsYl4n_Yr0XUBr2DP0PiOfQhhQHEo3miEokgh9aqokekczCn/s1600-h/i19_19370025.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwpQ-uxMqTWdFq0kL2hvIMGmMguR8Xkw1ENfinLgxAPS1CimFBL-Zos5RZcKQaScU7oX5Kpe6GHjfXxZ9bIGVDhgnUrcgcsYl4n_Yr0XUBr2DP0PiOfQhhQHEo3miEokgh9aqokekczCn/s400/i19_19370025.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347639806223429426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-Sn0tipL-UxWKgOBlXwPNUtrjrCC_tGua9WQLUg__u6lHF9QdBWoNs8Y0uo6fhWa31PU6naNAD6N_YAfMZAVxCCrMyYYKW5QDAnr7Dk8yt8P9ShNE0VJJnDtlDFjqaAitdY32gHb8Bjt/s1600-h/i17_19370165.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY-Sn0tipL-UxWKgOBlXwPNUtrjrCC_tGua9WQLUg__u6lHF9QdBWoNs8Y0uo6fhWa31PU6naNAD6N_YAfMZAVxCCrMyYYKW5QDAnr7Dk8yt8P9ShNE0VJJnDtlDFjqaAitdY32gHb8Bjt/s400/i17_19370165.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347639806790112178" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWtl2yX8xZfDvdf5qkAf9VfyiaY7DAm1a46y19JxXAWaGNCnt7xd-Pt-hLWLwZ0-9QmYYE_KHyhFuIikOauDukRLI1TvKVIoAObLfrl167E5-QVUBCG9IW6C3E4wp3QfvxJbHtHp1DHW0/s1600-h/i12_19370059.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 284px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWWtl2yX8xZfDvdf5qkAf9VfyiaY7DAm1a46y19JxXAWaGNCnt7xd-Pt-hLWLwZ0-9QmYYE_KHyhFuIikOauDukRLI1TvKVIoAObLfrl167E5-QVUBCG9IW6C3E4wp3QfvxJbHtHp1DHW0/s400/i12_19370059.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347639801974108034" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiW6ojC0ZKbFdbJtSH3tIvPEQoSEVw033v3RkXNXP1WOZYAJmN4lz1PVN9ARQMjf_p3GDYRX_39hQveSfigeuOxITZljTlI0THaA2t-1u9vd-m65YAKqJDY7um8uh86QUbUdcyWr7jeV-m/s1600-h/i05_19370133.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 273px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiW6ojC0ZKbFdbJtSH3tIvPEQoSEVw033v3RkXNXP1WOZYAJmN4lz1PVN9ARQMjf_p3GDYRX_39hQveSfigeuOxITZljTlI0THaA2t-1u9vd-m65YAKqJDY7um8uh86QUbUdcyWr7jeV-m/s400/i05_19370133.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347639797745905650" /></a>The Really Sarcastic Weaselhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08087081611974367590noreply@blogger.com2