Yes, holiday family nonsense is keeping me from my blogging duties yet again, so since I don't have the time to read and comment on articles, I'm opening things up to you fine folks.

OPEN MIC!!!!!

That's right, I've posted the articles I wanted to read, but since I don't have time to read them, let alone, write the jokes, y'all get to. Get to clicking! Don't let those comments lie fallow!

For those of you too pooped or lazy to participate, y'all can watch the live sports feed on the right.

4:51:33 PM     leave/read comments []

Web Zen: Holiday Leftover Zen. holiday medley
nativity
winter scene
dancing santa

web zen home, web zen store, (Thanks, Frank).
[Boing Boing Blog]

4:50:42 PM    

Brazil and Argentina Expect Rising Beef Sales. Cattle in both countries graze on grass; they are not fed ground-up animal parts, a practice believed to transmit mad cow disease. By Larry Rohter. [New York Times: Business]

4:42:49 PM    

The Science of Naming Drugs (Sorry, 'Z' Is Already Taken). It has often been noted that drug makers have favorite letters, and that they run the gamut from X to Z. But why are these letters so popular? By Donald G. Mcneil Jr.. [New York Times: Health]

4:42:20 PM    

China seals gas well after leak. Engineers plug a burst gas well in China that had spewed toxic fumes killing at least 198 people. [BBC News | News Front Page | UK Edition]

4:41:47 PM    

More on oligopolies and innovation

Does oligopoly crush innovation? That's the opinion of venture capitalist and experienced innovator Lawrence Wilkinson, who is the co-founder of Global Business Network (GBN), and Chairman of Heminge &Condell (H&C), an investment and strategic advisory firm, as well as the producer of a number of films and TV ventures.

He sees the post bubble world as a time when real innovation is lying low. As quoted in a Fast Company article by Harriet Rubin ("Power", December 2002), this slowdown in innovation is related to the remarkable growth in oligopolies.

[Oligopoly Watch]

4:41:11 PM    

Tinian-Casino Initiative (Saipan Tribune).

Dead alleged to have voted in election on Tinian to modify casino initiative.

 

[Nippon Goro Goro]

4:40:02 PM    

Britain Has Learned Many Harsh Lessons in a Long Effort to Combat Mad Cow Disease. In November 1986, researchers at an agricultural lab in Weybridge, England, identified the first case of mad cow disease, which has hit Britain harder than any other country. By Heather Timmons. [New York Times: Business]

What was that sound, you ask?

That was the entire state of Nebraska collectively soiling their drawers.

12:29:15 PM     leave/read comments []

Merry Christmas everyone!

Lots of good swag and good times, but we didn't bother to take photos. (Lucky you, eh?)

Now, I gotta go back to watching my new DVD of The Kids Are Alright.

Catch y'all tomorrow!

11:02:15 PM     leave/read comments []

A couple of updates on some items that have run here:

A study of Hampton Court CCTV images is an in-depth look at the Hampton Court Ghost TV footage. There's bunking and de-bunking and re-bunking galore. The last time I saw these many bunks, I was at camp.

Also, for those of you that missed Broadway Joe Namath's drunken interview, I've found an online source for watching the debacle unfold. (Windows streaming media)

I wanna kish yew! YEAH!!!!!

11:19:19 AM     leave/read comments []

What with all the holiday swirl of activity, the ol' blog is kind of taking a hit, content-wise. So, I've arranged for this live sports feed to keep y'all entertained while I'm running around town like a madwoman.

Merry Christmas!

Oh, let me know who wins, OK?

10:34:41 AM     leave/read comments []

I believe "too little, too late" would be an understatement of singsingular proportions.

Bruce was charged after a performance in 1964 during which he was said to have used more than 100 obscene words.

He was convicted after a six-month trial. But he died of a drugs overdose in 1966 before serving any time.

State governor George Pataki said the pardon represented New York's commitment to freedom of speech.

See also: Paint attack comedian jailed

1:06:06 AM     leave/read comments []

Dom's still not so sure about the big guy in red.

As always, click the photo to make it BiG.

12:33:40 PM     leave/read comments []

Michael, my best friend in all the world, arrived from San Francisco today, so things around here will be, shall we say, a little on the thin side for the next week or so.

Be sure to check out the fine links and blogs listed on the right of the page- lots of fine reading and community there to be sure.

12:44:20 AM     leave/read comments []

With the imminent arrival of our pal Mikey, it was decided that the schnauzer needed to be cleaned up.

So, he got the "What The "Hell Am I Doing Here?" treatment!

He was none too happy about things- he quaked and quivered and generally looked as pathetic as possible, but by golly, we got him fluffy and shiny and smelling like something other than half-decayed mulch.

We showed Bob the photos and he was greatly pleased.

More gory photos can be found here.

5:06:27 PM     leave/read comments []

Sculptor Invents Catapult Toy. Arthur M. Ganson, an inventor, has received a patent for a catapult toy, which launches foam cats into the air. By Teresa Riordan. [New York Times: Technology]

The website that carries them has been slashdotted into unresponsiveness, however.

1:31:27 PM     leave/read comments []

An Interview of Namath Comes Under Scrutiny. The Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath displayed bizarre behavior during a sideline interview with ESPN at the Jets-New England Patriots game Saturday night. By Judy Battista. [New York Times: Business]

I saw the interview and it was obvious that Joe was well into his cups.

Or as they say in England, he was tired and emotional.

When Kolber asked Namath about watching this season's Jets struggle, he launched into a rambling reply.

"I want to kiss you," he said. "I couldn't care less about the team struggling. What we know is we can improve. Chad Pennington, our quarterback, missed the first part of the season and we struggled. We're looking to next season. We're looking to make noise now and I want to kiss you."

Then, Namath finished off his answer by yelping, "Yeah!"

What I don't get is why the article goes to such lengths to avoid stating that Namath looked, sounded and acted drunk as a skunk.

Now c'mere.......I wanna kissh yew.

11:01:00 AM     leave/read comments []

If Howard continues to stand up to the bigoted old blue-hairs in his party, he'll be a hero.

Silly blue-haired Lords.

4:10:43 PM     leave/read comments []

Steph shows us the way to Nirvana, sort of.

So - do you know what's trippy? Attempting to do Zen meditation the morning after a stout nightime dose of codeine based cough medicine. Man - I think I floated off my zafu more than once. [The Slat Rat Chronicles]

Still, had to be better than robotrippin'.

3:59:56 PM     leave/read comments []

H&M Is Hip, but It's Still Looking for a U.S. Profit. H&M has created the image of being one of the "it" places to shop for the Gen X, Y and Z set. But whether the company can make money in the U.S. is still unclear. By Amy Wu. [New York Times: Business]

For a hip retailer, H&M Online is awfully behind the times. MSIE only? How 1999!

Oh, and what's wrong with this sentence:

Top-40 music from artists like Liz Phair, Radiohead and Jay-Z blasts in the stores, and advertising campaigns have featured celebrities and models like Chloë Sevigny and Naomi Campbell.

Top 40? Yeah. And c'mon, Chloë Sevigny and Naomi Campbell? Yeah, I think I heard Donal Logue talking about them on a VH-1 special.

"YEAH! And like Chloë was all vintage slutty and we'd look at her Vogue spread and be all WHOOOOO AAAHHHHHH SLURRRP THAT EYELINER!"

My trucker hat and I are going to go over in the corner and sneer at all of you now.

2:00:31 PM     leave/read comments []

Lost? Hiding? Your Cellphone Is Keeping Tabs. Families and employers are adopting surveillance technology once used mostly to track soldiers and prisoners. By Amy Harmon. [New York Times: Business]

Welcome to the brave new world of House Arrest For Everyone! Imagine the micromanagement possibilities!

"Ted, I need to see you."

"What is it, boss?"

"I see from your Cell-Loc log that you've been walking past the vending machines on your way to the conference room, even though walking past Stacy's desk is 1.34 meters shorter."

"Yeah?"

"Did you know that over the course of a year, at your salary, you're wasting, let me pull these up so you can see for yourself Ted, here it is, you're wasting $437.27 of the company's money. Every. Single. Year. Ted."

1:24:11 PM     leave/read comments []