March 31, 2004
Eleanor
Which Famous Homosexual are you?
Brought to you by Rum and Monkey
I am not sure what to make of this result. The FDR connection is a complement but this would also mean I had a bit too much to do with the founding of the United Nations (via Discount Blogger, who is the rather more impressive Alexander the Great).
Bowling ball
At least it was not a Palantir.
Night of the Zombie Kitties
The Flea's ongoing commitment to zombie-media studies lead me to this game and a nuke-dropping variant of the Zombie Infection Simulator. Both are great preparation for downloading the entire Night of the Living Dead off the internet.
Khan!
Just the thing for your Wednesday morning blahs.
World's flags
Some flags of the world are attractive (and easy to draw) and others are not. Getting the maple leaf right was the bane of many a Canadian childhood flag-drawing project. Thanks to "the internet" we can now judge the problem in international perspective with letter-graded national flags. The "graven image" and "corporate logo" problems are particularly well spotted though I was disappointed to see Flea-fav Albania only managed a B-. The failing grades are instructive (via Paul).
Airport Identifier Codes
The Journal of the Air Line Pilots Association explains those three-letter airport codes from ABE to ZRH. Neat! And we even find a clue to Toronto's peculiar YYZ designation (via ***Dave).
Mech Cooper
A car and robot enthusiast details his "vehicle to autonomous biped robot conversion for the Mini Cooper r50."
And then... By contrast with British engineering we have the cool Japanese version in the form of a rescue robot. Sophia Sideshow wants a different driver.
March 30, 2004
Hero
Superman/Batman #8 "The New Girl in Town" is a must have issue. Great storyline. Stunning artwork. But I raise the subject to assuage the Chaos Overlord of any doubt about Superman. I quote the Batman for an expert opinion. In this scene, Superman is feeling slightly sulky for reasons to do with the plot...
Superman: I'm not on this comm-link so I can't possibly hear you.
Batman: There is a job for you. G.P.S. my position in Gotham City and locate the automated dirigible before --
Superman: On it!
Batman (to self): And in a single moment, he shows us again why he sets the standard for so many. There are those who think of him as outdated, the "boy scout" whipped by his selflessness. They do not, cannot, see him for what he is...
... a hero.
And then... Check out the Daily Planet interactive screensaver.
UFO Procedures
Canada's new Prime Minister is reported to have had a close encounter with an unidentified flying object (hat tip to Fred via Gravity Lens).
And then... Gravity Lens links to another article of interest. Census data reveals "Jedi" is now the fourth largest religion claimed by people in Scotland.
Doom
Some Flea-readers may be familiar with the home version of Doom.
And then... Mmm. Link rot... I will see if I can find this one elsewhere.
InuYasha Demon Tournament
This is my current favourite on-line game.
Underwood No. 5
Truly the case mod for the Flea.
Extreme Ironing
This may be the extreme sport for the Flea. And this guy is a champion.
Alistair Cooke
I am sorry to report Alistair Cooke has died. "Letter from America" was a Flea-favourite when I was growing up and I would like to second the words of Tony Blair (and remind Flea-readers of his excellent work in Masterpiece Theater).
"He was really one of the greatest broadcasters of all time, and we shall feel his loss very, very keenly indeed. "He was a remarkable man who was broadcasting the Letter from America right up to a few weeks ago. He will be deeply, deeply missed," said Mr Blair.
And then... Mark Steyn posts a tribute (via Tim Blair).
March 29, 2004
AK-MP3
The AK-MP3 attachment affords a user 600 rounds a minute and storage space for 9000 songs. An ammunition clip that plays MP3s strikes me as having a fairly specialized market.
And then... And then there is the "world's most intelligent firearm" (via Warren Ellis).
Hans Island
Update: July 26, 2005 Canada's defence minister has a walkabout on Hans Island having arrived by kayak or some such conveyance while Viking rovers ply the seas in Thetis-class frigates (follow this link for the update).
***
Viking incursions into Canada's northern wastes are to be confronted with a northern walkabout by the Canadian military. Colby Cosh suggests this may be a step forward from our Liberal government's comprehensive danegeld foreign policy.
And then... Dr. Rob Heubert comments at Maritime Affairs.
Kursk
A photo-diary of the raising of the Kursk.
Training
An helicopter training exercise discovers some not exactly safe for work goings on. I wonder how recordings like this make their way onto the internet?
Discworld
Samizdata reports on libertarian content in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series.
Ancient Mars
I have no doubt Mars will look like this again soon. And I have no doubt the moonbats will find something about the miracle to excuse the sour expressions on their faces.
Duck type
My duck-type arrives courtesy of the inventive Sketches of Strain.
Mutilation
Horrifying. The BBC reports a rise in female genital mutilation as parents send their daughters overseas for what would be illegal in the United Kingdom (via Black Triangle).
March 27, 2004
Tea
 Cor blimey, I taste like Tea.I am a subtle flavour, quiet and polite, gentle, almost ambient. My presence in crowds will often go unnoticed. Best not to spill me on your clothes though, I can leave a nasty stain. What Flavour Are You? |
The Flea's flavour is revealed thanks to pine-fresh Ith.
Sheena Gothskull
I lack the skills necessary to get into Club Nightclub. I got the baking soda. I got the marker. I got the gum. I got nothing.
Batmobile
Ain't It Cool News has a look at the new Batmobile. I like this one better.
Modified Librarian
Thanks to the miracle of "the internet", librarians can at long last share their experiences of body modification. Take Librarian X, for example.
You are here
A view of the Earth from the surface of Mars.
March 26, 2004
Posh nosh
No, not that Posh. The Scotsman reports on the latest in posh cuisine, a deep-fried chocolate sandwich.
Mortal Kombat
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
The Bird and the Sea
An attractive game that netted me an unimpressive 140 points worth of fish on the first go.
Coupling
This is not Coupling. This is Coupling.
And while I am on the subject, this is not Queer as folk. This is Queer as folk.
Razor strops
At least I come by it honestly. 18th-century razor strop king, George Packwood knew a thing or two about branding.
Are the best that e'er mortal invented,
We have nothing to do but to lather our chops,
The razor soon makes us contented.
Surely magic herself has been lending her aid,
To assist in the brilliant invention:
And the fam'd Composition you also have made
Should assuredly gain you a pension.
Never again
I think of 9/11 and, amongst other things, I think of the responsibility of free peoples to liberate those held in bondage by the ideology of the murderers. It is all too apparent that for others that day tipped them over the edge into the old psychoses. I can only imagine what it must be like to be Jewish and to be exposed once again to medieval hatred (via Daimnation!).
Quite right. Yassin was no Christ. This comparison is an abomination.
March 25, 2004
Mr. Pointy
Jonah Goldberg relays a Buffy-incident called to mind by an NRO-reader. Buffy's observation makes a useful allegory for considering many of the current troubles.
Buffy: Wow, that was really funny-looking! Could you do it again?
Vampire: I'll kill you for that.
Buffy: For that? What were you trying to kill me for before?
Chong Hwa High School
Chong Hwa Lifestyle is an Ecosystem microbe that deserves a link. High school life in Malaysia takes computer science (success), basketball (less success) and dating (hypothetical?) as its subjects. "Light-out during tuition" is a post suggesting a link between air-conditioner break-down and hallucinatory poetry.
The electricity broke down during my English tuition session today. Mr. Murugan take us out to the open area outside the classroom. "I'm so sorry but it's not my fault," he said. Well, nobody blame you. He is a great English teacher. Feel guilty to said that I enjoy study at the forth floor open area than air-conditioned room. Natural wind makes me feel energized. I should have persuade Murugan to sue Kasturi (He was a lawyer) for abandon our study. But at least we make full use of the time. He teach us how to elaborate the scene at that area. I added them in this post. Do you know which lines?
Metablogging
The Commissar blogs about blogging.
Le blog de Polyscopique
I do not know how I missed this blog before. Laurent's writing is a must read for Canadian policy and current events. C'est smart comme un écureuil de la patte.
Procrastinate
Cup of Chica explains the problem of procrastinating procrastination (and blogging).
Roll up the rim
That indispensable Canadian institution Tim Horton's has one of its promotions on the go. Buy a cup of coffee and roll up the rim to see if you have won something. Trouble is, how to roll up that pesky rim? Picking away at it until the cup is half destroyed risks damaging the critical spot where it says "Please play again" and the hooking-teeth-under-the-lip method is lacking in elegance. It was in one of these latter Flea-moments a star student revealed to me the secret to doing this properly.
Step one: drink coffee.
Step two: fold the cup in half so that a crease is formed over the spot where the "Please play again" message is hidden.
Step three: unfold the cup and apply a rolling action with the thumbs upwards at the spot where the crease has formed...
Step four: ... et voila! The message "Please play again/Réessayez S.V.P." is revealed.
Actually, I have won two cups of coffee so far. And a sign at one of the three campus Tim Horton's claims a bicycle was given away. Keep hope alive!
March 24, 2004
Mrs. Martinez
Dannii reports her sister is to marry Olivier Martinez. The Flea extends heartfelt congratulations to the happy couple.
"Kylie has told her friends in the US and our family at home but that's it. This is the happiest I've seen her - they really suit each other."
And then... That's Kermit, and not Olivier, in the above photo, btw. I will point to pics of the newly betrothed as they become available.
Find your ideal partner
The personality results for the Flea were creepy in their accuracy.
Monster Mart
It is so easy to relate to this short film.
Interstellar
NASA presents a first tottering step toward a map of the Federation.
Teotihuacan
As many as one million celebrants made there way up the Temple of the Sun and the Moon at Teotichuacan to mark the spring equinox. Not much is known about the original Teotichuacanos, even the city's name is derived from the Aztec's reverance for the place centuries after it was abandoned.
With vibes like these who needs, like, archaeology?
Biblical marriage
At last, a movement taking seriously the dos and don'ts of Biblical marriage. Take the books of Samuel, I Kings and II Chronicles, for example (via ***Dave).
March 23, 2004
Ladies of Star Trek
The Groovy Sixties Women webring presents a gallery of chic looks of the 24th century (please correct me if that is the wrong century). But wait... there's more!
The One Ring...
I have a feeling this is going to be going through my head all day.
Palace skateboarding
This is more like it. And remember: Charlie don't surf!
AntiStudy
Another resource for young minds. I am still waiting for AntiTeach.
Some students wonder why I insist on essay submission through Turnitin. AntiEssay is one answer. Now... if only there were an AntiDissertation service.
Guts
Dr. Seuss identifies an amazing remedy to our current troubles (via the Chaos Overlord).
March 22, 2004
Beckingham Palace
Beckingham Palace in scenic Sawbridgeworth is to feature a purpose-built ruin for Posh and Becks.
I like the look of the place already.
And then... More on the life and style of the happy couple - including Beckingham Palace - can be found here.
Limecat
Limecat is not pleased. A Flea-reader wonders if there might have been gin involved.
Invade Canada
Good idea.
And then... Michael points to a grim alternative.
Corinthian Arch
A sword-blade has been found under the floorboards in the Corinthian Arch, a monumental architectural feature of Stowe Landscape Gardens. The Arch is so big it has two four-story houses built into each flank. And no funny remarks about a glowing red dot tracking its way toward the archaeologist.
It is believed all of the items were placed in the loft of the arch at the same time, but it is difficult to know why. One possibility is the items were put there when the arch was being built to ensure good luck for the building and all its residents.
Launch keys
It's a funny old world. Something hardly conceivable is now collectible kitsch.
City life
P. J. O'Rourke discusses the merits of city life by way of revealing his favourite city.
And Adam Gopnik discusses the history of Longacre Square.
March 21, 2004
Polibloggers
The Flea's sojourn to the hip and happening world of the Drake Hotel transformed the virtual world of "the internet" into the face-time world of beer. Poliblogger Bash II afforded me the honour of meeting Relapsed Catholic, Being American in T.O., Canadian Headhunter, Spin Killer, Accordion Guy, Wickens.ca, Angua's First Blog, Ranting and Roaring and one-third of Tonecluster. Rick McGinnis was ensconced at the other end of the table so I had to settle for a wave. Meantime, I was sat next to guest of honour Damian Penny, a man whose blog should earn him the key to Corner Brook.
The enigmatic Angua retains her mystery in person! "Born to be wild" sounds great on a rocking accordion! And Debbye: "Ramming speed!"
March 20, 2004
New Who
The new Dr. Who is Christopher Eccleston (via die puny humans). A fine choice but let us get to the important business. Who is to be the next Who companion? The good news is we may be getting Daleks after all.
Beer bubbles
Mmm. Beer.
This and other alcholic beverages are to be featured at tonight's Poliblogger Bash II. Special guest: Damian Penny!
British Kung Fu
A glimpse into the deadly martial arts of the people of the Flea.
One quarter. One play.
Ok, this is Asteroids. Wow. This is more Asteroids than original Asteroids.
Number One Son
I am appalled by the Dune prequels being cranked out by the Herbert family. The writing is horrendous, plot-lines nonsensical and the attempted Frank Herbert-style epigrams frankly laughable. If only the Christopher Tolkien route had been chosen (and when can we hope to see the Dune Encyclopedia back in print?).
That said, Brian Herbert's desire to track down a particular first edition is a worthy cause. I shall keep an eye out for this book (and politely decline any title if I find it).
If anyone has seen this family memento, I would appreciate your assistance in returning it to me. If this can be accomplished, I would be forever grateful, and would thereafter bestow upon you the official title of "Number One Dune Fan," along with other honors, and perhaps even a reasonable reward.
The Ghost's Leavetaking
You are Sylvia Plath! She committed suicide by
shoving her head in a gas oven.
Congratulations! She was mentally troubled
throughout her life, and toyed with the idea of
suicide many times. She wrote brilliant and
insightful poetry, although it was all
autobiographical; poor sylvia had a hard time
getting outside herself, and her connections
with members of the opposite sex were troubled
at best. She has been picked up since her
death in the early sixties as a champion of the
feminist cause.
Which famous poet are you? (pictures and many outcomes)
brought to you by Quizilla
My fetching headband arrives courtesy of the philosopher of Classical Values (who is Homer).
Five o'clock in the morning, the no-color void
Where the waking head rubbishes out the draggled lot
Of sulfurous dreamscapes and obscure lunar conundrums
Which seemed, when dreamed, to mean so profoundly much,
Gets ready to face the ready-made creation
Of chairs and bureaus and sleep-twisted sheets.
This is the kingdom of the fading apparition,
The oracular ghost who dwindles on pin-legs
To a knot of laundry, with a classic bunch of sheets
March 19, 2004
Spooky Kylie
Kylie reports communication by Michael Hutchence... from beyond the grave! Other supernatural observations include the following.
"The soul is the endlessness of our beings. The soul is infinite and we're just passing through."
Star Castle
A bit of my childhood returns thanks to "the internet." One of the best moments on a long ago trip to Disney World was a discovery some Star Castle expert had left dozens of free games on a console at a hotel lobby in Florida. Thanks, whoever you were!
Hammered
It is 4:45 p.m. on Friday. How many nails can you hammer for your bonus? I managed just over £31.
Seven Mile Boots
The latest attempt to merge the real world with the hapless world of the flesh.
|337
The Flea has yet to master leet-speak. Thanks to "the internet" we now have an English to leet translator.
Dick
Archaeologists have located "Dick", one of three attempted escape tunnels from Stalag-Luft 3. I am certain most Flea-readers know the names of the other two.
Now the only remaining tunnel of the three they dug, codenamed Dick, has been found and excavated by archaeologists after lying undisturbed for six decades.
Will Shakespeare's will
The UK National Archives have made a million documents available on-line including Shakespeare's will.
Gimli for President
There is still one Dwarf who draws breath in Moria!
Ith has kicked off Aragorn's presidential campaign. Hmm... Aragorn, perhaps. Unfortunately, Viggo Mortenson's idiotarianism would have condemned Middle Earth to the Shadow. I am voting for Gimli!
And then... Oops! I have attributed to Ith that which was Ninjababe's! So... can we send some Gimli campaign literature over to Absinthe and Cookies?
March 18, 2004
Action Comics, No. 1
This one is for the Chaos Overlord.
Meantime, the Batman appears to be having difficulties.
Delta Lloyd Insurance
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
And then... Hmm. I wonder if we killed their bandwidth? Here are two more Delta Lloyd Insurance ads to be getting on with.
And then... And another link to the Booming Car ad. Dance! Dance! Dance!
Insane Orb
Best pong ever. Just the thing for the Thursday blahs.
Dawn of the Dead
As on-line games go, this one is very simple and very creepy.
Space Imaging
The top ten Ikonos satellite photos of 2003 are worth a look. Bourtange, Netherlands is particularly attractive from space.
9/25
If students submit computer generated essays can we respond with computer generated grades?
March 17, 2004
Severus Snape
Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.
This insight into Flea's personality comes courtesy of Ith (who is also Severus Snape).
Holding Your Own Boobs Magazine
Finally, a magazine entirely devoted to boobs being held by hands. Sarah Michelle Gellar explains.
Channel 4
Ahh... the famous English sense of humour manifests as a variety of UK celebs share their favourite swears. Probably not work safe for many. Fine around my office but for the lack of a sound card and all my pesky Unitarian work-mates (via AdRants).
Front page
Today's Front Pages lists 263 front pages from 36 countries presented alphabetically. What a good idea!
Typographic illustration
Fonts and tunes together at last. What do Led Zeppelin and Times New Roman have in common? No idea. But it works.
Kimland
Scott Fisher's trip to the People's Republic of Orwellian Place Names, North Korea.
Finally the bus pulled into a small compound and we were able to step out onto the North's side of the DMZ. To the right was a small building with a meeting room and gift shop (the South has a duty free shop on their side, of all things), to the left a row of trees and restrooms while to the front was a narrow road that led first into the actual DMZ, and then into the South.
I quickly headed for the restrooms to hide out and give my phone another try. Memo to SK Telecom: Your service is WEAK! My friend using another carrier was able to get a signal and put a call through to his girlfriend. I was left holding a hunk of useless plastic.
Anonymous
The expectation of a degree of anonymity while surfing "the internet" may change with the outcome of a file-sharing case (via Fred). I am not sure what to make of this claim. Do we not lose our expectation of privacy whenever we traffic in stolen goods?
"(The) effect of the order would be to strip away anonymity," said Cameron. "Those documents were shared on the assumption the sharing was done anonymously . . . (if order is granted) people will perceive that online activities are no longer anonymous."
March 16, 2004
Guns'n'Babes
I have failed to come up with an excuse for this link (nsfw). Feel free to make up your own!
Ides of March
Yesterday's events included one of my colleagues running around in a toga levelling threats of red food colouring against students. I hope that Classics class appreciated the effort that went into the performance...
I knew I sensed a disturbance in the Force but could not put my finger on the cause until I learned it was Sketches of Strain's first blogiversary. Congratulations!
Tie
The Flea's unending quest for the finest of men's haberdashery lead me to this Special Ops Tie.
Trump Toronto
Up to the suite or down to the street?
One of my money making ventures could make this the new Flea Towers.
First Canadian Place was until recently the tallest building in the Commonwealth. There is something satisfying to the idea of a Trump project taking that title as well but Malaysia's Petronas towers will still be substantially taller. According to this list, however, it will easily become the world's tallest residential tower.
And then... I notice this entry is the number Google hit for the search terms "Trump Toronto"... welcome! I have been trying to articulate what it is about Donald Trump that inspires such admiration in me. There are a number of reasons. Here is number one: this is a man who, after 9/11, is still building towers. Thank you, Mr. Trump. You are welcome here in T.O.
Chipping Campden
British Landscapes is a journey through the British countryside and heritage through the photography of David J. Osborn. Take Chipping Campden, for instance, a town near the country seat of the Flea's second-cousin once-removed.
March 15, 2004
Crushed
The Flea's unflagging commitment to Kylie-media obligates me to bring her corset-look to the attention of Flea-readers everywhere. The image may provide a valuable lead to Hollywood law enforcement officials trying to puzzle out how a Kylie poster is related to four recent car crashes.
In unrelated Kylie-news, it turns out Ms. Minogue auditioned for the part of Galadriel in Peter Jackson's screen adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. She was thought to be "too short" for the role. Tough luck for hobbits.
The Lord of the Rings
The musical.
Halen Môn
A trip to Whole Foods and (undisclosed large amount of money) later and I have now replenished my heretofore dwindling sea salt supply. I settled on Halen Môn produced from the Menai Strait, off the coast of Wales. I was reluctant to spend (ludicrous amount of cash) on salt but the stunning oak flavour has borne out the expense.
Eat an animal
March 15 is the second annual International Eat an Animal for PETA Day. I think cajun catfish is on the menu (and thanks to Wizbang for the reminder!).
By the way, my cholesterol, and health, is excellent, thanks for asking.
And then... I settled on shrimp. Yum!
Grand Challenge
Autonomous ground vehicles duke it out in DARPA's Grand Challenge route from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. The prize? One million dollars...
And then... One problem with my not publishing on Sundays is that ***Dave has pipped me to the post! But this way I can post the unpromising results.
Ethics
The University of Manchester has hired the Safeway poisoner, a man convicted of attempted murder for trying to kill his wife and spiking drinks at a supermarket chain as a diversion. What is he to teach? Ethics, of course. Another expert in ethics defends the decision and in so doing demonstrates the meaning of the expression "too clever by half."
"Normally people who get into moral philosophy do so because they care about making the world a better place or putting things right," said Benn, of Imperial College London. "But I can't see any logical contradiction between being able to think about ethical questions and being able to do rather criminal acts."
March 13, 2004
Postcard
Tim Blair posts a sad postcard from Spain. These images are more than I can bear.
Tim Blair's post comes via Paul Jané who has been doing yeoman work on events. I want to second Jay Solo's thoughts and offer a prayer of my own for Alina.
And then... Good news at last (thank heavens).
Demon Balls
This would drive me mad if I had to do it again.
Run Leia Run
This is high concept and demonstrates the lengths some people will go to for the sake of satire (I confess I did not make it to the end).
Edinburgh Vaults
A forgotten city lies beneath Edinburgh forming an historic and literal underworld. The place sounds like Camden stables market catacombs. There is plenty more underground goodness to be found at Subterranea Britannica (note to self: return to London for shopping purposes).
The vaults are formed by the 19 arches of the South Bridge, built between 1785 and 1788 across the Cowgate ravine as the cramped ancient city began to expand. Bricked in and built around, the vaults became a warren of nooks, crannies and tunnels forming the historic city's underworld.
March 12, 2004
Nic's nicotine
This Flea-post tagline comes to you courtesy of an Herald Sun article and I run with the story for the same reason they do (see above). Smoking in film, you see, makes smoking look glamorous. Ok, and here is the hard part, then... or rather, then people will smoke because they think it is sexy. Frankly, I am appalled yet bored to learn this sort of intellectual flatulence qualifies as research in some corner of the University of California. Oh, and Dartmouth too but the BBC has no Kidman pics to back up the claim.
New normal
Yesterday's Flea was preempted by events. Anthropology and pop culture are fun for me and I hope the games and dancing are a plus for people in offices everywhere. It is with some unease I return to internet bubble wrap and such when we know that for so many people yesterday's horror is only now beginning to sink in.
And then... Debbye has parallel concerns writing on the day after. There has not been a day since 9/11 that I have seen the towers of downtown Toronto and not imagined an atrocity. And every time I am at Toronto's main railway or bus terminals I have an eye out for stray packages. That last reflex is one I cultivated living in London and Manchester in the days when nail-bombs were left for bands playing in parks. Before 9/11, it was a reflex I never used when I was in Canada. Such is the new normal.
I am struck particularly by this sentiment.
Bubble wrap
I have never experienced the visceral joy many do when they get to pop bubble wrap. Basically, I can take it or leave it. This web version comes via blogger and a gentleman, Dean Esmay. He can't stop popping!
Surf goth
Kembra Pfahler, best known for her band "The Voluptuous Horror Of Karen Black", has moved into fashion. Pfahler describes her look after a fashion (nsfw) sure to get the Flea's attention.
Hey, just like the Flea is Batman meets P.G. Wodehouse! I am reasonably certain the Mythos has yet to appear in Barbie's wardrobe yet I am intrigued by the words "surf" and "goth" in the same sentence. I now need to work on my plan to be a "total high fashion" model like Kembra.
Elmo
Your Elmo! You have your own segment in the show,
you refer to yourself in the third person and
your annoyingly cute
What Sesame Street Character Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
I would have said the Flea was Oscar or possibly the Count whatever my tendency toward the third person. I like Elmo though and I would not kill anybody on the show no matter how annoying (with the possible exception of Super Grover).
And then... I learn the Raging Kraut has an affinity for Super Grover. The horror! The horror!
Giant rocks
Nettavien describes an attack on a house by giant rocks. "Menaced" by giant rocks would be more accurate. My sense is the rocks would have won in a fair fight.
Beacons
Yahoo! keeps track of its users with "web beacons". It is a neat idea and convenient and so forth vis a vis a personalized Yahoo! experience. For Yahoo!-using Flea-readers wishing to remain anonymous the company offers an opt-out link half way down this privacy page. Take care not to hit the prominent cancel opt-out button on the page that follows. Finally, this is a feature that is browser specific so you will need to opt-out on three machines if you lead a peripatetic existence such as mine.
March 11, 2004
Madrid
Provisional IRA and neo-Nazi varieties of fascists left bombs outside two of my drinking establishments when I lived in London. The IRA regularly receives the sympathy of people calling themselves progressive but their actions were no different than that of the white supremicist maniac with murder on his mind. It makes my blood-boil when I hear casual support for people who were intent on murdering me and my friends (the Nazi murdered three people, the IRA phoned in a threat and the device was defused... a small mercy). Today's attacks in Madrid bring on the same emotions. Spaniards called for public comment are right to take on news organizations for referring to ETA as "separatists" because this trivializes the massacre and is a grotesque insult to other Basque political groups. I note Reuters was calling the bombers "guerillas" as of 4:08 a.m. ET but by 5:03 a.m. ET the same murderous psychopaths had morphed into "armed Basque separatists" (the Reuters "key facts" list describes ETA as Western Europe's "most active guerrilla force"). Is there a fascist political movement Reuters will not lend rhetorical cover? It is worth repeating the following sentiments.
"Those responsible for this tragedy will be arrested and they will pay very dearly for it," Acebes said at Atocha.
The government convened anti–ETA rallies nationwide for Friday evening.
"What a horror," said the Basque regional president, Juan Jose Ibarretxe, who insisted ETA does not represent the Basque people. "When ETA attacks, the Basque heart breaks into a thousand pieces," he said in the Basque capital Vitoria.
"This is one of those days that you don't want to live through," said opposition Socialist party spokesman Jesus Caldera. "ETA must be defeated," referring to the group as "those terrorists, those animals."
And then... Though not a distortion to the views of all Basque separatists. At least one denies responsibility for the massacre, crediting instead his friends in the "Arab resistance."
And then... Daimnation! links to Iberian Notes' coverage of events.
And then... I have been waiting to read Paul's thoughts. He posted about the bombings about an hour before I post this link.
I am also forwarding Paul's link to Debbye. We do not yet know who was responsible for today's atrocity, only the kind of mind that produced it. Shortly after 9/11 I was asked by a pacifist friend, "Can't we just give them what they want?" I said, "They want Spain." Or rather, Andalusia. She had no idea what I was talking about. An odd thing about racism is that one of its primary effects is to fail to take seriously the worldviews of people that differ from our own. The irony is all too often that racism is expressed by people who think a rhetorical transformation of murderers into ewoks is enough to save the day. Provided, that is, we all agree that real evil takes the form of branded goods and "over-consumption" (and decide to sell Israel down the river, of course). It isn't.
And then... The Dissident Frogman says it (via Debbye). There is another thing to remember about that day in September. There were those who said, "We are all Americans now" and meant it for as long as it allowed them to parasitize the suffering. Now there are those who say, "Today, we are all Spanish." Time will tell. I think the Spanish already know who they can rely on.
March 10, 2004
Le Parkour
Flea-readers are advised not to try parkour at home. Is street climbing crazy? Yes. Is it setting a bad example for impressionable youth? Yes. Is Spiderman an "adventurer of a new type"? Yes. Could the Flea be a success as a "traceur"? Probably not. That said, the Dame du lac is a compelling structure to fling oneself from.
The moment in time reference is really aimed at the sheer scale of this work of art. If any of you are serious about your Parkour and get a chance to travel to where it all started, the Dame is a must see thing. A word of warning though.....The structure is closed to the public due to two people falling to their deaths. Surrounding the structure is a measly 6ft fence which is easily vaulted but if you do so, you do it at your own risk.
Soluble Song
Now is the time at the Flea when we dance.
Bonfire 36
This week's bonfire is crackling away at Pragmatic Conservatism. It is time to repent!
Mind Erasers
Now that's a mixed drink. I quote Sketches of Strain because Dispatches from Tanganyika does not have direct links to entries. The following is Poppy's recipe for, and sorry excuse for avoiding, Mind Erasers.
1 shot of Kahlua
Pour over ice. Fill cup with soda. Put straw in cup. Drink in one long gulp. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Lie down on the sidewalk in front of your French Quarter apartment. Cackle wildly while your long-suffering husband tries to make you go inside. Shriek so loudly that a biker dude riding a Harley up the street does a U-turn and comes back to see who is being killed. When biker dude says, "Little lady, yew wanna go for a ride on my Harley?", say "YEAH!!!" Get mad at your husband when he prevents you from doing this. Finally let him get you inside. At the top of the stairs, puke copiously and brownly all over the landing and your new pale pink dress. Suffer a 3-day hangover. Ten full years later, still come close to puking any time somebody says the word "Kahlua" within your hearing.
Rodenator Pro
This device hardly seems sporting.
Giant Tarpon
There is a lot of good eating on a tarpon. The sharks think so too. Just be careful with that camera... it would not do to fall in the water.
Amish in the City
Al-Ra'is is not the only reality show to be cancelled in the face of religious protest.
March 09, 2004
Cult
I figured if my academic career did not work I could start a Viking metal band, "Hand of Vecna" (or possibly, "Eye of Vecna") or turn to underwear modelling. This Cult Construction Kit means I now have something else to fall back on.
Look
Look, that is, but don't touch, "player". Flash technology encourages bad behaviour.
Devil Duckie Drive
This is now on my shopping list.
Chargoggagoggmanchauggauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg
I am curious if any Flea-readers have visited Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. Britannica reports the lake is commonly known by another name which, while perhaps more practical, is less evocative of human nature.
Located in southern Worcester county, near the town of Webster, the lake's Indian name is reportedly Nipmuc (Algonquian) for “You fish on your side; I fish on my side; nobody fishes in the middle.” Not surprisingly, the lake is commonly called Lake Webster.
The Bruce
A bit of the Bruce has come to light at the Hunterian museum at the University of Glasgow. Quite what it is doing separated from the rest of the Bruce is a story in itself.
Reaching forward, he snapped off a toe from the remains of Robert the Bruce and held aloft the trophy before wrapping it in a fragment of the king’s golden shroud. In satisfying his urge to steal the Royal digit, Paton was risking his reputation by defiling the Bruce’s skeleton, which had been uncovered by workmen in 1818 where it lay inside Dunfermline Abbey.
March 08, 2004
Maesteg
The Raging Kraut and the Flea were talking at cross-purposes in comments to a recent Kraut post. Was or was not Jeff Murdock, a character from Coupling, a Welshman? It turns out Richard Coyle, the actor, is not though Jeff's accent is decidedly Cymric. And now I learn none other than Kylie Minogue herself is of Welsh extraction! Not that I am terribly surprised by the news.
She said, "I was born in Melbourne but my roots are in Maesteg. ... I think I would probably have been a very good postmistress."
In related happiness, I discover Coupling season one and two are available on dvd. If only some North American broadcaster would take pity on me and air Strange. Must consider my budget for the rest of the month...
And then... It was a horrendous oversight on my part to miss this Abraca-Pocus! farewell post to Jeff (sorry Rue!).
The Exorcist in 30 seconds
With bunnies! The title music at the end is particularly chilling (via Attu).
And then... And the same bunnies in Apocalypse Now.
SounderCover
Not that the Flea would ever resort to such subterfuge.
Spy Academy
This is too complicated for my addled brain just now. Brain. Brain.
Get shorty
MI5, the British Security Service, has made it clear it will be discriminatory in its hiring practices.
The rules, set out in a new application form sent to would-be officers, mean that all five actors who played James Bond, including Pierce Brosnan, the film's present star, would be rejected. A similar height limit will apply to women, who must be 5ft 8in or less. MI5's chief, Eliza Manningham-Buller, is 5ft 8in.
Turing test
A BBC article suggests a source of artificial intelligence that regularly passes the Turing test.
Take, for instance, spam.
