http://www.opencongress.org/
Oh, it's glorious. Go check it out.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Net Trends '08: How candidates are using the net
http://thinkprogress.org/nettrends08
I couldn't help but notice this as soon as I first clicked on this link:
So, are the conservatives trying to alienate the youth vote? How long does it take for Rudy's or McCain's staff to set up a goddamned MySpace profile?
Oh, hey, found Mitt Romney's Facebook page -- the lone GOP candidate using some technology other than static HTML.
On a related note, peace out to Tom Vilsack's presidential aspirations. You had a funny name, pal, but that's about all we knew about you. Good luck in all your future funny-name-havin' endeavors.
Link via [Crooks & Liars]
I couldn't help but notice this as soon as I first clicked on this link:
So, are the conservatives trying to alienate the youth vote? How long does it take for Rudy's or McCain's staff to set up a goddamned MySpace profile?
Oh, hey, found Mitt Romney's Facebook page -- the lone GOP candidate using some technology other than static HTML.
On a related note, peace out to Tom Vilsack's presidential aspirations. You had a funny name, pal, but that's about all we knew about you. Good luck in all your future funny-name-havin' endeavors.
Link via [Crooks & Liars]
Monday, February 19, 2007
A Poor Idea: XM & Sirius Merge
I wrote about this one about a month ago, and apparently the deal itself has been in the works since November.
From Yahoo:
The companies are bragging "Greater Programming and Content Choices", "Accelerated Technological Innovation", and "Enhanced Financial Performance". They're only serious about one of those, and you can guess which one that is. Besides the only obvious programming benefit of having all the major sports licenses with one company now (and the Howard Stern / Opie & Anthony shock jocks, if that's how you roll), there will be no better, more diverse programming. Duplicate format stations will get the axe across the board, and without the competition, you can bet there won't be any innovating sounds ready to replace them. This new XM/Sirius monster won't be having the sort of internal competition that makes stations really great, like you would have in a relatively free market like the FM airwaves. The same tenets apply to the technology -- without the other company around to up the ante, satellite radio now has zero initiative to improve it's current product.
Like I said before, this is only a hiccup on the way to the next generation of radio technologies, in much the same way DirecTV was for television. We'll be looking back on this merger as the "beginning of the end" of satellite radio, years from now, when Internet radio and hovering skateboards rule the landscape.
Link via [Yahoo!]
From Yahoo:
WASHINGTON and NEW YORK, Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- XM Satellite Radio and SIRIUS Satellite Radio today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement, under which the companies will be combined in a tax-free, all-stock merger of equals with a combined enterprise value of approximately $13 billion, which includes net debt of approximately $1.6 billion.
The companies are bragging "Greater Programming and Content Choices", "Accelerated Technological Innovation", and "Enhanced Financial Performance". They're only serious about one of those, and you can guess which one that is. Besides the only obvious programming benefit of having all the major sports licenses with one company now (and the Howard Stern / Opie & Anthony shock jocks, if that's how you roll), there will be no better, more diverse programming. Duplicate format stations will get the axe across the board, and without the competition, you can bet there won't be any innovating sounds ready to replace them. This new XM/Sirius monster won't be having the sort of internal competition that makes stations really great, like you would have in a relatively free market like the FM airwaves. The same tenets apply to the technology -- without the other company around to up the ante, satellite radio now has zero initiative to improve it's current product.
Like I said before, this is only a hiccup on the way to the next generation of radio technologies, in much the same way DirecTV was for television. We'll be looking back on this merger as the "beginning of the end" of satellite radio, years from now, when Internet radio and hovering skateboards rule the landscape.
Link via [Yahoo!]
Friday, February 16, 2007
Excellent news
Thursday, February 15, 2007
So long, Peter Forsberg
Traded to Nashville this evening. Hopefully, with him goes the most unexciting stretch of Flyers hockey in the past 10 years.
Ice Ice Baby
I just got back from picking up Matt at the Philadelphia International Airport, and I have to say that I am pretty disgraced with the way the roads in West Chester are. On most streets, including Gay and High street, it's like they haven't plowed at all, and there's a layer of ice and sludge at least 3 inches thick in those places.
It's not like this in other parts of the area. In fact, once you leave the borough, the streets are clear and dry all the way onto I-95. Seriously, even Erie probably has better roads than this. So fuck you, West Chester. No other place I've been in my life makes me wish I didn't have to drive anywhere, ever.
It's not like this in other parts of the area. In fact, once you leave the borough, the streets are clear and dry all the way onto I-95. Seriously, even Erie probably has better roads than this. So fuck you, West Chester. No other place I've been in my life makes me wish I didn't have to drive anywhere, ever.
Olbermann re-ups with MSNBC
From MSNBC:
While Keith isn't exactly a model of objectivity in journalism today (see his World's Worst feature), he's certainly a refreshing breath of cool air in the face of windbags like Sean Hannity & Brit Hume, folks who disseminate conservative propaganda under the thinly-veiled guise of "news anchor". Keith, who knows a thing or two about putting on an engaging show, has sprinkled in the occasional Edward R. Murrow-inspired Special Comment, passionately lambasting the same news figures that the rest of the media coddles.
While it's ultimately the duty of a news anchor to concentrate only on the news rather than making news themselves, Keith is to be commended for stepping outside the bounds of that role to return fire at hacks like Bill O'Reilly, criticize the rest of the news media, and serve as the megaphone for the marginalized American public. His skyrocketing ratings are proving to the major outlets that people want true balance and integrity in their news.
Link via [Crooks & Liars]
Keith Olbermann will continue to be a thorn in Bill O'Reilly's side for at least four more years.
NBC News announced Thursday it had agreed to a "second term" with the MSNBC "Countdown" host, whose contract was due to expire next month. The extension will take him into 2011.
Besides feuding with Fox News Channel's O'Reilly, Olbermann has become a liberal hero. He has seen his ratings increase since launching a series of anti-President Bush commentaries late last summer.
His prime-time program averaged 715,000 viewers in January, according to Nielsen Media Research. While his audience is often less than a third of O'Reilly's in the same time slot, Olbermann's viewership is up 85 percent over January 2006.
While Keith isn't exactly a model of objectivity in journalism today (see his World's Worst feature), he's certainly a refreshing breath of cool air in the face of windbags like Sean Hannity & Brit Hume, folks who disseminate conservative propaganda under the thinly-veiled guise of "news anchor". Keith, who knows a thing or two about putting on an engaging show, has sprinkled in the occasional Edward R. Murrow-inspired Special Comment, passionately lambasting the same news figures that the rest of the media coddles.
While it's ultimately the duty of a news anchor to concentrate only on the news rather than making news themselves, Keith is to be commended for stepping outside the bounds of that role to return fire at hacks like Bill O'Reilly, criticize the rest of the news media, and serve as the megaphone for the marginalized American public. His skyrocketing ratings are proving to the major outlets that people want true balance and integrity in their news.
Link via [Crooks & Liars]
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
"Gnarliest Dudes You'll Ever Meet" base jump off the Comcast Tower
I felt compelled to post this after seeing it on Philly Will Do. I've been watching this building go up, a little at a time, for the past six months. On Sunday, these guys parachuted out of the unfinished tower from 20 floors up.
That's badass.
That's badass.
Monday, February 12, 2007
The "Hoohaa" Monologues?
Really?
"We decided we would just use child slang for it. That's how we decided on Hoohah Monologues," Pfanenstiel said.
Seriously, though, what child old enough to read signs and form coherent English sentences about them doesn't know what a vagina is? What about the word "vagina" is offensive to the person forced to talk about them?
I don't know, maybe if the production was called "Stories About My Cunt" -- then maybe this lady would have a point.
"We decided we would just use child slang for it. That's how we decided on Hoohah Monologues," Pfanenstiel said.There's this phrase, see, that adult use when children ask them uncomfortable-to-answer questions. It's called "ask your mother," and it conveniently removes any obligation from having to answer said questions, or to get offended about it. Certainly public censorship should be the absolute last course of action for a person that can't even be bothered to string together a decent explanation about vaginas to their ignorant little offspring...right?
They did this after a driver who saw it complained to the theater, saying she was upset that her niece saw it.
"I'm on the phone and asked 'What did you tell her?' She's like, 'I'm offended I had to answer the question,'" Pfanenstiel said.
Seriously, though, what child old enough to read signs and form coherent English sentences about them doesn't know what a vagina is? What about the word "vagina" is offensive to the person forced to talk about them?
I don't know, maybe if the production was called "Stories About My Cunt" -- then maybe this lady would have a point.
Sixers going back to the red unis
No word on when they're going back to not sucking.
Honestly, why the blue triangle on the shorts? What's with the white piping? Can't you just have a blue stripe down the side of the jersey and the shorts so it looks like something normal:
Link via [Uni Watch]
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Guess who was drunk before the Super Bowl!
First clue: not me.
Second clue:
What was he thinking? Maybe that it worked for the Red Sox, so it might work for him.
Oh, and Rush Limbaugh says quit dumping on the poor boy just because he's white.
Links via [Kissing Suzy Kolber], [ESPN], and [Media Matters for America]
Second clue:
Which starting QB and carnal weapon of mass destruction was seen partying into the wee hours the night BEFORE the Super Bowl? An intrepid reader sends in this tip!This is just one of the reasons I'll never bet on a Super Bowl again. (I lost a whole night's worth of tips in 2002 on the fucking Raiders.) It's not a normal game, and it gets less normal every year. There's just too many variables factoring in to make an informed and educated decision on it.
“I'm a regular reader of KSK and figured I'd pass this along. A (friend of a friend of mine) works security and was hired to work at the clubs this weekend. He said that (the horny bazooka) was out til 4 a.m. the night before the Super Bowl at a club called Rolex. He took some pictures but was forced to delete them. I was hoping to get the pictures but just found out this morning. I guess without the pictures it’s not much of a story, but thought you'd enjoy anyways. The guy said, right after that night, they made all the employees delete the pictures and if any pictures got out they'd all be fired.
After seeing how f'd up (the grenade launcher of love) was, he called to make sure we didn't bet on the Bears. Said he had been out Friday and Saturday night.”
What was he thinking? Maybe that it worked for the Red Sox, so it might work for him.
Oh, and Rush Limbaugh says quit dumping on the poor boy just because he's white.
Links via [Kissing Suzy Kolber], [ESPN], and [Media Matters for America]
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Monday, February 5, 2007
Oh NO
An all-CGI Ghostbusters III movie, confirmed by Dan Akroyd. He's been saying for years he wanted to do another Ghostbusters movie (and we thought he got it out of his system with Evolution) but now he's got a script and he's got Bill Murray on board and the CG thing gets around the inconvenience of having 60-year-olds in grey jumpsuits. It seems like this thing will take off.
That sound you just heard was the entire internet groaning.
That Super Bowl sucked
It was terrible from beginning to end, with the exception of this:
Yeah, Prince pretty much kicked ass during the halftime show. This was CBS's first Super Bowl since the Janet Jackson ridiculousness, and since they split with Viacom, this halftime show was also NOT produced by MTV. What a difference it made. I'm not a frothing-at-the-mouth Prince fan like some I know, but I've got to give the man props for what I saw last night. With that stage, the lighting, and the weather, that rendition of Purple Rain gave me chills. It was certainly the best Super Bowl halftime show I can ever remember seeing (but, unfortunately, that's not saying much).
Other than that, the Cirque du Soleil opening was worse than any fruity Olympic torch-lighting, Billy Joel can't sing, the commercials weren't funny, and CBS apparently didn't prepare the squeegees for inclement weather even after those tornadoes near Orlando over the weekend. I really feel for any schmuck who decided to make the jump to HD for this game, since most of the playing field appeared on screen as a giant green-grey blur. For a couple minutes, I thought someone had changed the channel and we were watching the Incredible Hulk.
The game itself wasn't that good, either. I don't care for either the Bears or the Colts, but the Bears were underdogs and I cannot stand Peyton Manning or his "legacy", so I was sort of hoping that Chicago would find a way to upset. Unfortunately, Rex Grossman threw two untimely (and nearly identical) interceptions to ice it for the Colts. Hey, they don't call him the Cumslinger for no reason...
Yeah, Prince pretty much kicked ass during the halftime show. This was CBS's first Super Bowl since the Janet Jackson ridiculousness, and since they split with Viacom, this halftime show was also NOT produced by MTV. What a difference it made. I'm not a frothing-at-the-mouth Prince fan like some I know, but I've got to give the man props for what I saw last night. With that stage, the lighting, and the weather, that rendition of Purple Rain gave me chills. It was certainly the best Super Bowl halftime show I can ever remember seeing (but, unfortunately, that's not saying much).
Other than that, the Cirque du Soleil opening was worse than any fruity Olympic torch-lighting, Billy Joel can't sing, the commercials weren't funny, and CBS apparently didn't prepare the squeegees for inclement weather even after those tornadoes near Orlando over the weekend. I really feel for any schmuck who decided to make the jump to HD for this game, since most of the playing field appeared on screen as a giant green-grey blur. For a couple minutes, I thought someone had changed the channel and we were watching the Incredible Hulk.
The game itself wasn't that good, either. I don't care for either the Bears or the Colts, but the Bears were underdogs and I cannot stand Peyton Manning or his "legacy", so I was sort of hoping that Chicago would find a way to upset. Unfortunately, Rex Grossman threw two untimely (and nearly identical) interceptions to ice it for the Colts. Hey, they don't call him the Cumslinger for no reason...
Friday, February 2, 2007
Thursday, February 1, 2007
We are very serious about this
The accused perpetrators of the Totally Bitchin' Boston Bomb Scare of 2007 hold a press conference:
Q: "Are you afraid that if you go to prison that you will get your hair cut?"
A: "That is a very good question."
Great to see these guys have a sense of humor about them in a town that has itself worked up into a tizzy over D batteries and LED lights. It is especially refreshing to see them make fools of the "journalists" covering this incident, who in this clip mostly chide the two about "not taking this seriously."
Dude. Seriously.
Q: "Are you afraid that if you go to prison that you will get your hair cut?"
A: "That is a very good question."
Great to see these guys have a sense of humor about them in a town that has itself worked up into a tizzy over D batteries and LED lights. It is especially refreshing to see them make fools of the "journalists" covering this incident, who in this clip mostly chide the two about "not taking this seriously."
Dude. Seriously.
I am doing this as hard as I can
So by now, you've probably heard or read about the Great Boston Bomb Scare of 2007 -- the guerilla marketing of Adult Swim's Aqua Teen Hunger Force mistaken for explosive devices. They're being ordered to take them all down, but that could be a little time-consuming and difficult, since the two guys who put them up are being arraigned this morning.
Apparently, there were approximately 56 of these devices put up in the City of Philadelphia recently. Now, here's the rub: with all the hype, people are putting them up on eBay and netting in excess of $500 per bomb-like device.
So, in the name of public service, I am currently soliciting information on the whereabouts of the remaining devices so that I may remove them and calm the hysterics (aka sell them on the internet at a 1000% profit).
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