DYSPEPSIA GENERATION

We have seen the future, and it sucks.

Archive for September, 2007

Sad news

30th September 2007

Read it. Cox & Forkum are calling it quits. They will be missed.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Sad news

New Nuclear Reactors Coming In America

30th September 2007

Read it. This is huge.

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on New Nuclear Reactors Coming In America

Chinese Sat Kill Shows Threat to Space

30th September 2007

Read it. News Flash: The Chinese are our enemies, not our friends.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Chinese Sat Kill Shows Threat to Space

Who Knew? Susan Collins Sure Didn’t

30th September 2007

Read it. Nothing steams a politician more than missing an opportunity to demonstrate lack of principle in a politically profitable way. “They never let poor Susan / Join in all their RINO games….”

Posted in Your tax dollars at work - and play. | Comments Off on Who Knew? Susan Collins Sure Didn’t

O.T. Isn’t as Simple as Telling Time

30th September 2007

Read it. And, of course, the government is involved, which makes things both more complicated and more stupid than they need to be.

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on O.T. Isn’t as Simple as Telling Time

Handwritten Lawsuit Accuses Google Having A Name Similar To Accuser’s Social Security Number

30th September 2007

Read it. Well, this is America — suing people is a legitimate leisure time activity when there’s nothing on TV and you’ve seen all the movies at the mall.

Posted in Is this a great country, or what? | Comments Off on Handwritten Lawsuit Accuses Google Having A Name Similar To Accuser’s Social Security Number

What Does Jihad Mean?

30th September 2007

Read it. Just in case there was any doubt in your mind. Islam is the enemy, and they want to enslave you.

Posted in Living with Islam. | Comments Off on What Does Jihad Mean?

Is Great Happiness Too Much of a Good Thing?

30th September 2007

Read it. A very thought-provoking article. I’m surprised to find something of this quality in the Washington Post.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on Is Great Happiness Too Much of a Good Thing?

What happened to our troops in Oakland

30th September 2007

Read it. Is there some other country that we could sell the San Francisco Bay area to? They certainly don’t seem very happy being part of America, and I for one would love to see them go elsewhere.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on What happened to our troops in Oakland

Why Private Military Contractors Are A Good Thing

30th September 2007

Read it — if you dare.

The kind of conflicts we’re seeing and are likely to see are far more like crime, pervasive and opportunistic, than like conventional interstate warfare. The patriotic sentiments that motivated volunteer armies in the past are harder to apply to campaigns designed to strengthen vulnerable foreign states, or to limit the extent of bunkering and other criminal activities that have no obvious ideological valence. And so we will need to rely on skilled professionals to help police the world.

Indeed. What our culture faces today is the sort of thing that civilizations faced in times past — barbarians who do not share our values and are relics of an earlier and more primitive time, people who think it cooler to be pirates and slavers than to earn a living, people who don’t think twice about raping, torturing, pillaging, and murdering those to whom they’ve taken a dislike, etc. What we face is a pest control problem rather than a military problem. If you’ve got fire ants in your yard, you don’t declare war on them and call the Army; you call the appropriate professionals and get it taken care of.

Do read the comments and reflect on the fact that people that intellectually vacant have a vote that counts as much as yours.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on Why Private Military Contractors Are A Good Thing

Groups Plan New Branch to Represent Anglicanism

30th September 2007

Read it. It’s like watching a snowman melt in the sun.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Groups Plan New Branch to Represent Anglicanism

Legacy of School Segregation Endures, Separate but Legal

30th September 2007

Read it. And ask yourself: Does this represent an improvement, long-term? Is this anything even close to a united community?

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Legacy of School Segregation Endures, Separate but Legal

Inequality and unhappiness

30th September 2007

Read it. Turns out that most of what people “know” ain’t so.

Posted in Whose turn is it to be the victim? | Comments Off on Inequality and unhappiness

Religious “items” in a locker

30th September 2007

Read it. Many years, kid, many years.

Posted in Is this a great country, or what? | Comments Off on Religious “items” in a locker

1st U.S. suburb marks 60 years

30th September 2007

Read it. Let’s hear it for sprawl.

Have you noticed how progs always make up derogatory names for people doing what they want to rather than what the progs want?

Posted in Is this a great country, or what? | Comments Off on 1st U.S. suburb marks 60 years

Car-Free in the Exurbs

29th September 2007

Read it. An eternal truth: People drive because it’s easier than walking.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on Car-Free in the Exurbs

How Liberals Lie; One Example

29th September 2007

Read it. More on the attempt to libel Rush Limbaugh.

One wonders sometimes how liberalism can survive, when its most cherished myths can be exposed as frauds in a matter of minutes.

Easy — they think that they’re smart and everybody else is stupid. This notion is proof against any counterexample, as Dan Rather illustrates very elegantly.

Posted in Axis of Drivel -- Adventures in Narrative Media | Comments Off on How Liberals Lie; One Example

Couldn’t be more

29th September 2007

Read it. Wally is my hero.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on Couldn’t be more

Illinois Schools Canceling Christmas and Halloween to Avoid Offending Muslims

29th September 2007

Read it. I have an idea: Let’s cancel Illinois to avoid offending Americans.

Posted in Your tax dollars at work - and play. | Comments Off on Illinois Schools Canceling Christmas and Halloween to Avoid Offending Muslims

Prosecutors Lay Out Case Against Jefferson

29th September 2007

Read it. I have a question: Why is this guy still in Congress? Why do Democrats cling to the status of The Crooked Party?

Posted in Your tax dollars at work - and play. | Comments Off on Prosecutors Lay Out Case Against Jefferson

Missile Test Is Lauded as a Success

29th September 2007

Read it. You’d better — you won’t hear it on the evening news.

Posted in Axis of Drivel -- Adventures in Narrative Media | Comments Off on Missile Test Is Lauded as a Success

Taiwan Plans Missiles Able to Hit China

29th September 2007

Read it. Hah!

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on Taiwan Plans Missiles Able to Hit China

The New York Times and RSS

29th September 2007

Apparently the New York Times has mucked with some of its RSS feeds so that the feed gives you the article title and a little blurb but there is no link to the actual article.

I suppose that this is designed to act as a teaser so that you’ll be moved to go to the paper’s site to find and read the actual article (and be exposed to more of their advertising).

I’m wondering how long it will take for someone to point out to them that the purpose of an RSS feed is precisely to avoid this sort of hunt-and-peck information-gathering (which is so last-century).

Expect to see a lot less mention of the New York Times here — and elsewhere, I expect.

Posted in Axis of Drivel -- Adventures in Narrative Media | Comments Off on The New York Times and RSS

Discontented iPhone owner sues AT&T, Apple and Steve Jobs

29th September 2007

Read it. When distressed, sue somebody — it’s the American way.

Somebody with the name “Dongmei Li” probably wasn’t born here, but is certainly successfully assimilated.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Discontented iPhone owner sues AT&T, Apple and Steve Jobs

The Barry White effect

29th September 2007

Read it. Sometimes biology does matter. The supposition here is that lower voice timbre in males is a marker for testosterone levels, the implication being that females select for the one in hopes of getting the other.

So far as I’m aware, nobody has bothered to ask some actual females about this — but, after all, are they really qualified to have an opinion on the subject, not being trained biologists or statisticians? Let’s get real….

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on The Barry White effect

I knew sooner or later someone would write this paper

29th September 2007

Read it. Apparently the efforts to reduce consumption of fossil fuels are instead encouraging their use. What a surprise.

Posted in Axis of Drivel -- Adventures in Narrative Media | Comments Off on I knew sooner or later someone would write this paper

Anti-literal literalism

29th September 2007

Read it. In most states there is a crime called “unauthorized practice of law”, which comes of someone who doesn’t have the requisite legal training, and who hasn’t passed the bar exam and been licensed, acting like an attorney — advising people for pay and  sometimes even attempting to represent them in legal proceedings. The basis for this crime is that people who aren’t trained as lawyers, and who haven’t demonstrated that they’re competent to act as attorneys, will do more harm than good, just like someone who hasn’t gone to medical school or been licensed as a physician trying to act like a doctor.

There ought to be an equivalent concept of “unauthorized practice of religion”, for people who have read a book or two and think that they’re now completely conversant with what a religion teaches and ought to practice. (Hm, wait a minute — that describes most Protestants….)

Posted in Axis of Drivel -- Adventures in Narrative Media | Comments Off on Anti-literal literalism

Episcopalians plan to leave denomination

29th September 2007

Read it. It’s like watching a snowman melt in the sun.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Episcopalians plan to leave denomination

In the Hands of Banks, ‘Orphan’ Trusts Change

28th September 2007

Read it.

 With no family members to encourage gifts to the original donor’s favorite causes, the banks and lawyers have wide latitude to remake the way the trusts operate and to decide which charities will receive grants. Banks can reduce gifts and grow the foundation’s assets, thus increasing their fees. At the same time, banks and lawyers stand to gain personal influence and prestige by selecting new charities.

Rather like gifts to universities. Or government in the hands of Democrats.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on In the Hands of Banks, ‘Orphan’ Trusts Change

Microsoft extends sales of Windows XP till June 2008

28th September 2007

Read it. I guess the fact that Vista is a steaming pile of crap is finally getting through to the boys in Redmond. I smell a “New Coke/Coke Classic” moment here.

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on Microsoft extends sales of Windows XP till June 2008

Putting Money on the Table

28th September 2007

Read it. This deserves separate mention. It’s going to be a problem until people figure out how to handle it.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on Putting Money on the Table

A comment from Israel

28th September 2007

Read it. Lest we forget what this is all about.

There will be no peace in the Middle East until Muslims love their children more than they hate Jews.

Posted in Living with Islam. | Comments Off on A comment from Israel

Sprint Realizes That People Hate Forced Contracts, Early Termination Fees

28th September 2007

Read it. Progress is being made.

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on Sprint Realizes That People Hate Forced Contracts, Early Termination Fees

Air-driven robotic legs hop, skip and jump

28th September 2007

Read it. Starship troopers, here we come.

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on Air-driven robotic legs hop, skip and jump

How to build a toilet-flushing Lego robot

28th September 2007

Read it. In case you were wondering. I know I was.

Posted in Is this a great country, or what? | Comments Off on How to build a toilet-flushing Lego robot

New Technology Detects Human Genetic Structural Variations Faster

28th September 2007

Read it. Now you can know faster than ever that you’re abnormal. Enjoy.

Posted in Is this a great country, or what? | Comments Off on New Technology Detects Human Genetic Structural Variations Faster

How Dawkins got pwned

28th September 2007

Read it. And take your time — there’s a lot here.

The problem with our old pal Mencius here — and his unwitting launchpad, Dawkins — is that they are like Euclidean geometers working in a non-Euclidean world. Since the Existence doesn’t match their assumptions, Existence is therefore wrong. The flaw in this ought to be obvious.

But it’s fun watching them sweat. I could do it all day.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on How Dawkins got pwned

The Forbes 400 as a Lesson in Economics

28th September 2007

Read it. Unfortunately, a knowledge of basic economics is not a requirement for any job that I know of — including economics, as Paul Krugman demonstrates pretty clearly.

Posted in Axis of Drivel -- Adventures in Narrative Media | Comments Off on The Forbes 400 as a Lesson in Economics

Ron Paul Country

28th September 2007

Read it. Were I running for President, I’d be embarrassed to have such people as supporters.

Posted in Axis of Drivel -- Adventures in Narrative Media | Comments Off on Ron Paul Country

TSA screeners found to cheat; probe expands

28th September 2007

Read it. My, what a surprise. Aren’t you surprised? I’m sure surprised.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on TSA screeners found to cheat; probe expands

Bigger Is Better, Except When It’s Not

27th September 2007

Read it. Surprised to see something like this in the New York Times.

It turns out that there are rules governed by physics to explain why the best distance runners look so different from the best swimmers or rowers and why being big is beneficial for some sports and not others.

Imagine that. Whoda thunkit?

Of course, I wouldn’t want to be in this guy’s shoes when the feminists get through with him. He’ll be facing three to five as Hillary’s towel-boy.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on Bigger Is Better, Except When It’s Not

Treason in Georgia?

27th September 2007

Read it. No, no, it’s not what you think — Jimmy Carter doesn’t come up.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Treason in Georgia?

Heroes are not Replicable

27th September 2007

Read it. We have the technology to fix our education crisis — but we have to clear away the obfuscators first.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Heroes are not Replicable

Still Too Thin, and Getting Younger

27th September 2007

Read it. A bizarre subspecies examined.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Still Too Thin, and Getting Younger

Behind a Mysterious Balm, a Self-Made Pharaoh

27th September 2007

Read it. Insight into the souls of those who read the New York Times.

Posted in Is this a great country, or what? | Comments Off on Behind a Mysterious Balm, a Self-Made Pharaoh

How to Rip People Off Like Disney World

27th September 2007

Read it. Never been to Disney World. Don’t plan to go there. Heard good things about it, mostly from people whose tastes differ from mine.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on How to Rip People Off Like Disney World

The Innovative Space Spinoffs, Both Real and Mythical

27th September 2007

Read it. All my illusions, shattered.

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on The Innovative Space Spinoffs, Both Real and Mythical

A Daughter on Her Father’s Bloodlines and Color Lines

27th September 2007

Read it. The progs’ OCD with respect to “race” never ceases to amaze me. 19th-century European aristocrats weren’t this bad.

Posted in Axis of Drivel -- Adventures in Narrative Media | Comments Off on A Daughter on Her Father’s Bloodlines and Color Lines

The “happiness gap” and the rhetoric of statistics

27th September 2007

Read it. Of course, if journalists could understand statistics, they could get a real job.

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on The “happiness gap” and the rhetoric of statistics

What’s so funny about endangered languages?

27th September 2007

Read it. Well, most of them sound like you’re gargling with your mouth full.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on What’s so funny about endangered languages?