spookypeople

Five Physics Lessons for Obama

This is a must read. Advice to Obama from the author of Physics for Future Presidents in this month's Foreign Policy.

Al-Qaida deputy insults Obama

In a new audio message, in fact, Ayman al-Zawhri, Osama bin Laden's number two, has some harsh things to say about the president-elect. Obama is "the direct opposite of honorable black Americans" like Malcolm X, al-Zawhri says in the tape, according to the Associated Press.
Al-Zawhri also uses an old racial slur to describe Obama, as well as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her predecessor, Colin Powell, calling them "house negroes."

Al-Qaida deputy insults Obama - War Room - Salon.com

Looks like there was one group of people not fooled by the right-wing smear campaign linking Obama to terrorists. Actual terrorists.

It's one thing to say that about President elect Obama. Or Secretary Powell. Or Secretary Rice. But I double-dog-dare al-Zawhri to say that about Oprah. Go ahead Mr Al-Qaida tough guy...say something about Oprah. See what happens. I triple-dog-dare you.

Just Ducky

Change.gov

It took them very little time to get Change.gov up. Looks like they are going to make a lot of the transition public. This is a welcome change from the past eight years of opaque government.

Nader refers to Obama as Uncle Tom

During a radio interview on Election Day, independent candidate Ralph Nader said of Barack Obama, "His choice, basically, is whether he's going to be Uncle Sam for the people of this country or Uncle Tom for the giant corporations."

From Nader refers to Obama as "Uncle Tom" - War Room - Salon.com

Great job Ralph. I guess you aren't going to stop until you've destroyed every aspect of your legacy.

GOPers

Not once during this 24 month campaign did I hear a conservative talk about leaving the country if the other guys won. This wasn't the case in 2000 or 2004 where multiple web sites devoted to helping progressives move to Canada popped up. This is one of the more admirable qualities of my fellow citizens on the right.

Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job

WASHINGTON—African-American man Barack Obama, 47, was given the least-desirable job in the entire country Tuesday when he was elected president of the United States of America. In his new high-stress, low-reward position, Obama will be charged with such tasks as completely overhauling the nation's broken-down economy, repairing the crumbling infrastructure, and generally having to please more than 300 million Americans and cater to their every whim on a daily basis.

From Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

First joke of the Obama age? I'm looking forward to political humor that isn't based on the president being a rube who can barely speak english.

First 3 Predictions

The conservative mainstream pundits will claim that the results are actually a victory for conservatism; that McCain lost because he wasn't a real conservative or conservative enough and this election proved that America is a center-right nation.
The GOPers and assorted right wing nuts will claim that Obama won due to fraud from Acorn. They will claim the election was stolen and advocate for all kinds of draconian voter validation laws.
There will be proof that the outgoing administration used much of its final time in office to destroy evidence and pardon co-conspirators.

Dry-Ice Martini and Electric Cake

But some professional scientists (and a few amateur lab rats) are taking the research in a different direction. Rather than scenting mozzarella cheese with rose petals, they’re sticking metal forks into hot dogs and cooking them by electrocution. They’re using Play-Doh extruders to make pixelated sugar cookies.

Dry-Ice Martini and Electric Cake - NYTimes.com

The pumpkin camera idea is amazing. And cakes with LEDs look interesting. But you can play with your food only so much before it turns into pringles, something edible that might have been food at some point.

I Dream of Jetpacks

Mac Montandon, who recently published a detailed report of his quest to find the jetpack of his dreams. Montandon, a freelance writer from Brooklyn, decided after living thirty-five jetpackless years that enough was enough and pulled out all the stops to travel across America (and to Mexico) in search of a personal booster device that would satisfy him.

From I Dream of Jetpacks: Mac Montandon Bears All

Who doesn't want a jetpack? Its up there with Island Fortress and personal army of Fembots as reasons why you'd want to live like a Bond Villain. Except I'd unceremoniously shoot Bond myself rather than leave him in an elaborate trap.

Palin doesn't understand First Amendment

To put it succinctly: the press can't violate Palin's First Amendment rights. If the government were to criminalize her speech, that would be a violation. But what the press is doing in criticizing Palin is exercising the First Amendment.

Palin doesn't understand First Amendment - War Room - Salon.com

Ouch. That was painful.

Adam Smith:Pinko

Adam Smith was a pinko. So says Tom the Dancing Bug

Cavern of Crystal Giants

Its articles like this that remind me why I wanted to be a National Geographic photographer.

down with ceaser

Political graffiti from radical anti-salad militants.

welcome cryptographers

I guess this is how you advertise brunch to spies. I bet the menu self destructs too.

camo

Another odd downtown security checkpoint. This barrier can not be seen by colorblind terrorists.

checkpoint

Oddest security checkpoint on earth. No one allowed, unless they are getting Starbucks Coffee. The building is clearly on tea-drinker lockdown.

Hitchens Unjumps Shark

It therefore seems to me that the Republican Party has invited not just defeat but discredit this year, and that both its nominees for the highest offices in the land should be decisively repudiated, along with any senators, congressmen, and governors who endorse them.

From Vote Obama - By Christopher Hitchens - Slate Magazine

Hitchens' well written take down of McCain reminds me of why I read him the first place.

Pirate PR

“Can I speak to the pirate spokesman, please?”

Twelve Virtues of Rationality

Twelve Virtues of Rationality. A must read.