What better way to spend a cold winter evening than to curl up by a warm fire with a bottle of wine, a close friend, a movie, and a big bowl of popcorn…

Fireworks Popcorn Company

Yonder Popcorn 

Just kidding…

I'm sorry for the rant, but I'd like to get this off my chest and maybe get someone to offer debate on the issue. 

I've been listening to the conspiracy theorists for about a month now (mostly disgruntled democrats). If I believed them I would be firmly set with the position that George Bush, and the republican party, fixed gas prices for the upcoming election (the republicans only wish they had that much power, for now they will have to settle for shredding some of my favorite sections of the constitution). I admit that I am one of the ignorant masses and cannot even grasp the immense complexity of world markets, but these people seem to have a complete lack of understanding of commodities markets. Less forgivable might be the steadfast refusal (by most I have have met with this position) to look for any understanding of "supply and demand" in the markets. The result of their laziness is the conspiracy which is supported by no math or even a cursory look at reasonableness of the claim.

Suspected motivation does not equal causality.

Oh and by the way… "I'm just sayin'", "Oh come on. You have to see it.", and "everybody knows it" are not a part of dialectic discourse. Please bring some product of critical thinking to the table when you try to convince me that the president's family gets all the money from Iraqi oil, and that he forced oil prices drop across world markets, so the republicans would not loose mid-term elections.

Rant mode disengage… 

Oh yea… There is a link. ;-)

Hedge fund speculation and sales explain drop gas prices.

This one is excellent… Top 29 Things To Do When Your ISP Is Down

JunkScience.com. Looks to be an interesting web site. I stumbled upon it while doing research on the political motivation behind the "Global Warming" media show… 

CalorieKing is one of the most comprehensive online calorie/fat/etc food references that I've seen out there.  So I put it out as a handy dandy link…

One of my friends brought by their $8 CalorieKing book and I must admit that I'm thinking of getting one for the car… 

This is hilarious… Lust For Laughs

The list of impressive functionality presented by google has finally been covered in a cheat sheet. 

In the latest study conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, over 700 technology experts were asked to evaluate an assortment of scenarios in an attempt to determine potential trends for the year 2020. Experts believe the future will be like Sci-Fi movies.

Funny… 

I'm not really sure who Jack Thompson is, but this is funny… 

"Reuters is reporting that the state of California is suing automakers over global warming. California is claiming that automakers have 'harmed the resources, infrastructure and environmental health,' of the state. The targeted automakers are Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., Toyota Motor Corp., Chrysler Motors Corp., Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co." 

Wow… I have a number of thoughts on this issue…

1. The state of California has always had the ability to make their own emissions regulations. Hence the special California versions of vehicles. So should they sue themselves?

2. The government represents the people. The people make a free market choice of automobile they wish to buy. Manufacturers build the specific types of automobiles the consumers buy. How is it that the people can buy cars then sue (via their government) the automakers for the choices they made? Will they argue that the soul-less evil corporations are forcing them to buy cars that impact the environment more negatively? Thus transferring the blame from something they cannot get their minds around (when there is competition, supply and demand will dictate what products will be available) The masses have voted the automotive selection with their wallets and now they have buyer's remorse. But in America there is always someone else who is responsible (someone who of course is not you) and those bastards must pay for what they have done. I think people find it easier to decide that the "evil corporations are to blame" rather than to deal with the nature of man, market, and society.

3. The main premise of this suit is based on a hypothesis. C02 emissions are current science's best guess as to why the earth is warming. Science has not been able to isolate and test the earth's atmosphere to prove causality. Of course that didn't stop the sharks from killing Dow Chemical over silicone breast implants (which could have easily been disproven if actual science had been applied and used by the court system instead of emotion and leveraged ignorance). 

But the crowds need a witch to burn… Anyone know where I can find a duck and a scale?  ;-)

Time to bring out the Dead horse for another beating…

I wonder what would have happened if Nixon said the Watergate debacle was done in the interest of national security?

Anyway, I'm starting to see some upwelling of personal privacy support from the Democrats… Maybe it's time for me to start looking at them for the next election…

What Mormon Theology Is Really All About Cartoon

and the South Park Version 

Out of one million ways to die terrorism is just so very low on the list… 

So why is it that the most of our elected representatives and news media are obsessed with the subject? 

I really like Penn and Teller's show. Often times I agree with their point of view, some times I don't. Either way I usually find something new to think about…

Penn and Teller: Bullshit! is a link to every single episode… 

Andy Borowitz: Rocket Scientists Not as Smart as Originally Thought

Posted on Sep 15, 2006

By Andy Borowitz

Rocket scientists, long considered the gold standard in intelligence among all professionals, are not nearly as smart as originally thought, according to a controversial new study published today by the American Association of Brain Surgeons.

The study, which appears in the organization's monthly publication, Popular Brain Surgery, is titled "The Intelligence of Rocket Scientists: Myth Versus Reality," and suggests that rocket scientists' reputation for smartness is largely undeserved.

"It does require a superior intellect to function as a rocket scientist," the article concedes. "Having said that, though, rocket science is not brain surgery."

The article drew an immediate rebuke from a spokesperson for the American Society of Rocket Scientists, who blasted the study as "state-of-the-art pro-brain surgeon propaganda."

"As rocket scientists, we take offense at this naked attempt by a devious cabal of opportunistic brain surgeons to supplant us as the smartest people on the planet," the spokesperson said. "If rocket science is so easy, we'd like to see these so-called brain surgeons give it a try one of these days."

Professor Davis Logsdon, a University of Minnesota expert who studies the turf wars between rocket scientists and brain surgeons, said that he believes the latest controversy between the two groups has been overplayed.

"The fact of the matter is, the smartest people in the world have always been, and will always be, University of Minnesota experts," he said.

Elsewhere, after a backup punter at the University of Northern Colorado was accused of stabbing the starter in the leg, he said in his defense, "It was either that or start taking steroids."

How to talk like a pirate…

Remember Tuesday is talk like a pirate day… 

A nice comparison of personal radio sites. 

Last.FM is interesting too… 

When ShadoeVision came out I thought it was one of the funniest things I had ever seen… Cult comedy at it's mid 80's best…

It is funny that I was just thinking this very morning that Pandora was much like having a radio "broadcasting at my own personal level".

Gallatin mayor let 'Thong Girl 3' be filmed in his office

I found this hilarious.  It is from The Tennessean Newspaper of Nashville, TN. 

Strange statues around the world

Some of these are very amusing. It may take a while to load.  Start it and go do something else for a while.