Filed Under: Journal

I copy the work of others. There are intellectuals without whom I would simply not be capable of elucidating a single thought. So barren and empty would be my understanding that I can scarcely believe I would be even a ghost of the man that I am today. Language is a tool to the masses through which we can express ourselves, and in so doing find some kind of connection with one another. To form a node, however delicate or indelicate, as the case may be, in this thing we call a civilization. You or I wield words with the incoherent but intense intent of a baboon mastering a newly found revolver. We elate or injure each other through sheer will. The image I intend to impress upon you is that of intellectual Neanderthals pounding at our chests for attention, or to express that we're hungry.

Yet, among the noise produced in the bleating tumult there are voices which ring true enough to cut through the cacophony. Signal piercing the noise. The world has just lost one of those rare signals in the static. I have never met Christopher Hitchens, and yet I feel comfortable in saying he has informed my adult understanding of the world around me nearly as much as any single figure could have. It would be a disservice to the man to suggest that I learned so little from him as to adopt his espoused positions, simply indoctrinated, and instead I feel I've come to know more about the process of thought itself. Hitchens had a ravenous hunger for truth regardless of whether that truth was philosophical, or literal, or spiritual truth. He had a immeasurable capacity for expression which tragically, and paradoxically is no longer present to formulate its own description.

There may be no spiritual ether into which the sum of the parts of Christopher Hitchens will pass to reside and educate and entertain its denizens, but as one of many I am certain he soothed my own bleating tangibly and in so doing with us all added materially to the civilization of the world. It is with a heavy heart I fear that no matter how many of my fellow mammals he has touched, the net civilization will still not approximate the loss of his signal in the noise.

It's impossible to crystallize a career of brilliance into a 2 minute clip, but my tiny mind wants to satisfy my urge to try, and so here it is:

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Filed Under: Journal

Democracy Now hosted Kamran Loghman yesterday to add some context to the UC Davis incident as one of the men who helped the FBI weaponize pepper spray in the 80's.

I can't help but include the specific refutation to Megan's lulz, but the whole interview is informative and interesting.

AMY GOODMAN: Fox’s Megan Kelly and Bill O’Reilly. Kamran Loghman, your response.

KAMRAN LOGHMAN: Well, first of all, in regards to pepper spray being a food ingredient. Aspirin also comes from bark of a tree so does wild yam is a natural herbal thing, but then again, what you derive from that becomes birth control pill. That doesn’t mean the end product is still something that you can eat. It is true that it is being derived from capsicum and chili pepper, but by the time it is weaponized and becomes a weapon grade product, you can’t eat it. I mean, it is impossible to eat the end product. So that’s that.

The whole thing is worth it if only for the vague disbelief in Amy Goodman's voice acknowledging the musical credit to Miley Cyrus for the previous break: "The singer and actress Miley Cyrus, yes, Hannah Montana, a new remix of her song, 'Liberty Walk.'".

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Filed Under: Journal

I shudder to think of the coverage when they discover the weapons cache more than five times larger than #OWS' in my kitchen.

my FOX NY

They should have stuck to stockpiling something safer, like pepper spray.

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Filed Under: Journal

What's your problem?


Yeah, you know what? I don't care.

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Filed Under: Journal

Yep. Wasted time doing this. I can't describe, honestly, I can't describe how much work I need to be doing. But here it is. A spreadsheet with MW3's SMGs, Assault Rifles, LMGs and Shotguns. The data is pulled from several different places.

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Filed Under: Journal

Title says it all. No real news yet. There are no doubt many live feeds up, and this is one of them.

After the fact...

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Filed Under: Journal

Laden with messages. Lightens the heart. Shocks the conscience. Fires the loins.

You can... um... go ahead and attach each sentence fragment a pane. At your own risk.

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Filed Under: Journal

Product of the intentionally stealthy preparations for the blockade run of the Tahrir and Saoirse very few people have heard about their departure from Turkey, or more importantly their run in with Israeli authorities. I'm not going to bother trying to summarize using my no doubt flawed understanding and will leave that to Democracy Now's reporting from Nov 3, Nov 4 and this blurb from the Democracy Now site:

Democracy Now! has just learned Israel has detained our correspondent Jihan Hafiz while on assignment. She was on board the Canadian ship, the Tahrir, covering the "Freedom Waves to Gaza" flotilla. Hafiz has been filing daily video reports this week from aboard the Tahrir. The reports have aired on Democracy Now! and distributed internationally by the Reuters news agency.

We lost contact with Jihan Hafiz earlier today shortly before the Israeli Navy intercepted the Tahrir and the Irish ship Saoirse. Both ships had left Turkey on Wednesday bound for Gaza.

Hafiz is a U.S. citizen born in California. Her family lives in Arlington, Virginia.

We urge Democracy Now! viewers and listeners to call your Senators and Representatives to encourage them to help secure the immediate release of journalist Jihan Hafiz along with her equipment and footage.

Numbers for U.S. Senators can be found here

Numbers for U.S. Representatives can be found here

I'd point out there are lots of other people without the blessed status of US citizenship as well. The Canadian Boat to Gaza site has a very short post: "I write to you from cell 9 of the Apartheid State of Israel" that at least on the surface suggests that the entire group has been detained.

Screencap from: therealnews.com: Jihan Hafiz on Reporting From Libya

After the fact...

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Filed Under: Journal

Child's Play is a great charity with a low, low (approx 5%) administrative fee that gives video games to sick children. You need to read more you stingy jerk? Fine. You sick, selfish bastards can read more below, and the rest of us will: donate online, Text 'GAMERS' to 50555, friend on facebook and follow on twitter.

From the Child's Play about page:

Since 2003, we’ve set up and organized Child’s Play, a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 70 hospitals worldwide. Over the years, you as a community have answered the call and come together to raise millions of dollars.

Child’s Play works in two ways. With the help of hospital staff, we set up gift wish lists full of video games, toys, books, and other fun stuff for kids. By clicking on a hospital location on our map, you can view that hospital’s wish list and send a gift.

Child’s Play also receives cash donations throughout the year. With those cash donations, we purchase new consoles, peripherals, games, and more for hospitals and therapy facilities. These donations allow for children to enjoy age-appropriate entertainment, interact with their peers, friends, and family, and can provide vital distraction from an otherwise generally unpleasant experience.

Now stop reading and give them money because either you have too much or you're not a sick kid in a hospital. If you're a sick kid in a hospital please disregard this message.

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