... I was giving them away

Tuesday April 29, 2008 at 10:17

bg5000:

squashed:

For the rationally self-interested romantic in you….
Like the social network for pets, this will help keep these people away from us regular folk.

Just like that dating site for people with herpes! Objectivism is philosophical herpes.

I feel like there could be a dating site for people that despise Ayn Rand. I’m sure it would be filled with witty intelligent people, without an overly inflated sense of selfworth. We could call it Heaven.

This post was reblogged from "Man About The Internet".

Monday April 28, 2008 at 11:06

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“But [America] goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy.”

—

She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all.

She is the champion and vindicator only of her own.

She will commend the general cause by the countenance of her voice, and the benignant sympathy of her example.

She well knows that by once enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom.

The fundamental maxims of her policy would insensibly change from liberty to force….

She might become the dictatress of the world. She would be no longer the ruler of her own spirit….

[America’s] glory is not dominion, but liberty. Her march is the march of the mind. She has a spear and a shield: but the motto upon her shield is, Freedom, Independence, Peace. This has been her Declaration: this has been, as far as her necessary intercourse with the rest of mankind would permit, her practice.

— John Quincy Adams, 1821

It’s distressing to me that this description no longer applies.

Read the full speech here.

Monday April 28, 2008 at 11:02

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preoccupations:

Stuff of Life

What you have just witnessed is called waterboarding. The US authorities call it an ‘enhanced interrogation technique’. They say it is a necessary and acceptable ‘tool’ in the war on terror. They say it is ‘safe and lawful’. They say that by using it, they are not doing anything inhumane.

Well you’ve just seen it for yourself. What do you think?

At Amnesty International we’re in no doubt that waterboarding is torture. As such it is illegal. And it must stop.

If you agree, join us.

I couldn’t say it better myself.

This post was reblogged from Preoccupations-on-Tumblr.

Saturday April 26, 2008 at 19:57

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“It ain’t me. It ain’t me. I ain’t no millionaire’s son, no.
It ain’t me. It ain’t me. I ain’t no fortunate one, no.”

—

I just realized while eating lunch with Billy Dalto that John Fogerty, a wealthy and famous rock star by the time this song was written, sounds partially absurd singing this lyric. I’ve heard the song thousands of times and had never paused to consider that he is probably one of the most fortunate people on the planet. (via mills)

This is one of my favorite CCR songs, and truly a song that seems to have really captured the feelings of those that had to serve while “millionaire’s sons” (I’m looking at you Dubya) did not have to serve. And to play the semantics argument, I don’t believe anyone from CCR was a millionaire’s son.

And really I guess I just feel like money or no money John Fogerty was a man of the people. Or at least that’s how I want to feel.

This post was reblogged from mills.

Wednesday April 23, 2008 at 10:51

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Fuck

mills:

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

Before you unfollow me, please note (1) I wrote this on my iPhone, which has no copy and paste, requiring real drive, and (2) the typo I made most was ‘fuxk.’ That is all.

It would appear that one of my favorite tumblr authors is having a bad day. For what it’s worth, his commentary and opinions are some of the most thought provoking on Tumblr. I think Tumblr can easily devolve into an orgy of great design, but the community features and reblogging can really create the ideal environment for discussion and in short, you should follow him.

Thank you, and goodnight.

This post was reblogged from mills.

Tuesday April 22, 2008 at 14:10

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Umh… yes?

The 1936 Summer Olympics… nice try though.

alexbalk:

This post was reblogged from Alex Balk.

Thursday April 17, 2008 at 17:12

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The Solution To Barack Obama's "Patriotism Problem"

alexbalk:

This is probably way too strident, but whatever, fuck this day.

I love Alex Balk (in a purely Platonic way). His self-loathing while at Gawker charmed me and reflected my own feelings about how I enjoyed Gawker but felt dirty about said enjoyment, and when he started out at Radar I was quick to sign up for my subscription.

Enjoy. (and go pick up your own subscription to Radar, it’s only $10)

This post was reblogged from Alex Balk.

Thursday April 17, 2008 at 17:02

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I’m a little bit obsessed with this song. It usually starts off mini dance parties with my S.O. in our tiny little kitchen.

Thao, Bag of Hammers

Tuesday April 15, 2008 at 19:55

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Birds do it, and Bees do it, and good lord so do slugs

simko:

In the past week, I’ve conned over a dozen people (including my mother) into watching this BBC video of (incredible) slug sex by claiming that Cirque du Soleil was opening an animal division. I’d feel slightly guilty were it not for the truly phenomenal ending… Enjoy.

This post was reblogged from Welcome..

Friday April 11, 2008 at 17:22

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This image has haunted me since I first saw it a high school history text book. I couldn’t believe that I was actually seeing what I saw, I was sure there was some other explanation. What type of American could ever use the Flag as a weapon? (Unless of course it was used against a Godless Communist). Unfortunately the textbook had no background information, but thankfully Slate has a great piece giving background on the pulitzer winning photograph.