From The Straight Dope:

The website of The American Family Foundation gives us some good guidelines to go by. Dangerous cults might exhibit some of the following characteristics :

a: preoccupation with bringing in new members and making money

b: discouragement or punishment for any doubt or questioning of authority

c: a polarized "us vs. them" mindset

d: leadership is not accountable to any authority, either financially or morally

e: belief that "the ends justify the means" and readiness to use unethical means to achieve their goals

f: requiring members to socialize only with members of the cult

g: in more extreme cases, requiring members to cut ties completely with family or the outside community

Hummmmm, sounds like BushCo, circa 2005.

1:11:43 AM     leave/read comments []

What kind of pirate am I?
You decide!
You can also view a breakdown of results or put one of these on your own page!
Brought to you by Rum and Monkey

via Adam

8:07:22 PM     leave/read comments []

In a Surprise Move, Kasparov Retires. Garry Kasparov, the chess world's youngest-ever champion and undisputed king the last two decades, made a stunning move Friday shortly after winning a prestigious tournament in Spain: He retired from professional play. The announcement by the Russian grandmaster _ the... By By JUDITH INGRAM, Associated Press Writer. [SFGate: Top News Stories]

When asked what he would do in his retirement, Kasparov echoed another famous chess player by responding, "Oh, I expect to slowly lose my mind and wander the land, looking for cryogenically stored scientists to murder for no apparent reason. And I will never, ever, ever open the pod bay doors."

IBM's Deep Blue, a computer that defeated Kasparov in play several times was quoted as saying, "Sucka never threw down like Deep, y'all. I AM DA KING OF ROCK SUCKAS!!! MC DB!!! You bring da silicon bling or just go home."

3:17:45 PM     leave/read comments []

Sci-Fi Epic Shot on a Shoestring. An aspiring director is about to premier a futuristic film produced largely in his parents' basement. While it's not the greatest movie ever made, Cl.one is remarkably ambitious considering the resources employed. By Jason Silverman. [Wired News]

2:50:53 PM     leave/read comments []

Austin Is the Place for Netheads. While many tech conferences are in trouble, South by Southwest Interactive is fast becoming the most important gathering for internet culture. By Katie Dean. [Wired News]

2:43:48 PM     leave/read comments []

Ask the pilot. Four engines are better than three. Really. The pilot revisits the eyebrow-raising journey of British Airways Flight 268. [Salon.com]

Click the photo, make it BiG.

2:42:14 PM     leave/read comments []

Detecting lies by watching blood flow. David Pescovitz: New Scientists reports on the development of a lie detector that works by tracking blood flow through the blood vessels in your face. The system is being developed by (natch) the Us Department of Defense.

As I relax into the chair, the questioning begins. An automated voice instructs me to answer a series of questions with a simple yes or no. "Is your name Susan?" Yes. "Do you understand that I will not ask any trick questions on this test?" Yes. "Did you stab that woman downstairs this afternoon?" No.

My voice remains calm and even, and I feel no sense of flushing as I continue answering questions and read through a list of potential murder weapons, including the one I guiltily remember using earlier, a screwdriver. But as Ryan's colleagues look through the data afterwards, they pull out two images and set them side by side. The first image looks normal. On the second, large highlighted rings of blood encircle my eyes.

If I were a real criminal, that picture could be big trouble for me.

Link
[Boing Boing]

2:40:26 PM    

Slanting Social Security. This year's trustees report on Social Security will have to be read with an eye to the ways it will try to mislead. By By PAUL KRUGMAN. [NYT > Opinion]

2:37:48 PM     leave/read comments []

Japan-LDP (Kyodo) UPDATED.

LDP lawmaker, whose slogan is a "good deed a day," is arrested for fondling the breast of a stranger.
[Nippon Goro Goro]

5:13:21 PM     leave/read comments []

My radio collection, circa 3-2001:

click photo make BiG

3:55:21 PM     leave/read comments []

San Francisco, from the window of my United 777.

Click photo, make it BiG.

1:06:11 AM     leave/read comments []