ColdINK

Link Soup for August 2010

ColdINK — 2010-08-31T01:00:06-07:00

This is the Link Soup for August 2010

Link Soup for July 2010

ColdINK — 2010-07-31T01:00:07-07:00

This is the Link Soup for July 2010

Link Soup for June 2010

ColdINK — 2010-06-30T01:00:08-07:00

This is the Link Soup for June 2010

Link Soup for May 2010

ColdINK — 2010-05-31T01:00:06-07:00

This is the Link Soup for May 2010

Web-based outlining app

DranoK — 2010-05-21T11:23:50-07:00

I like thinking in outlines. I dislike mind maps--too messy. Outlines are my preferred form of structuring information.

There's a good web-based app I've been using for a while called thinklinkr. Today they are out of beta. It's worth checking out :)

http://www.thinklinkr.com

And yes, there's a reason for this post ;)

DranoK's short Alice in Wonderland review

DranoK — 2010-05-18T11:07:16-07:00

In short, I didn't like it. Read on for my reasons ;)

Direct Link / Full Size

I don't have any fond childhood memories of Alice in Wonderland--the thing was far too girlish for me as a boy. I've grown to quite like it over time, however. So I'm not just criticizing this movie due to nostalgia broken.

No, this movie had serious flaws I think. I'd be glad to elaborate on any of these. For now, enjoy them in list form.

The CG was horrid. Absolutely horrid. I mean, it felt horrid by 1990s standards. The rendered objects did not mix with the scenery. The characters did not stitch well against the green screen. Overall it felt clumsy and rushed.
In the same vein, the faux 3D effects were beyond annoying. And no, although well-delivered, Alice's "curiouser and curiouser" line did not salvage the first 3D fiasco.
The Cheshire Cat's personality was all wrong. So wrong. So very, very wrong. Not so much at the beginning, but at the end...
Alice in Wonderland is about glorifying absurdity. Philosophical nuggets wrapped in absurdity and delivered via deep conversation. In the book, when the Cheshire Cat floats away as a head, it sparks an argument whether something without a head can indeed be beheaded. In the movie, when the Cheshire cat does the same thing for the Hatter (which goes against his entire character, mind you) the Queen just sits there watching. Yeah.
This is such a big thing to me it deserves two bullet points. Seriously. If you've ever read the book, or seen any valid rendition, you get what I mean. The characters are characters, the atmosphere is atmosphere, the dialog is the entire point and the story is little more than a parsley leaf. In this movie, story trumps everything else. Which is too bad. The story sucked.
I mean, I get the idea of Alice going back as a much older girl and not remembering anything. Encountering Wonderland in a post-disaster state. Problem is, Burton didn't try to do this as a sequel (that still would have been terrible, but not as terrible). No. Using Alice's memory loss as a major plot device, he tries to re-enact the original encounters. Problem is, he gutted them of their entire meaning. The dialog has been eviscerated so badly it destroys the mood.
The characters are mere shadow mockeries of themselves rather than absurd parodies of reality.
The story was way too blatant and overbearing. I'm not sure why Burton wanted to turn Alice in Wonderland into Lord of the Rings, but he tried nonetheless. *sigh*

I could go on but you get the idea. These are my main points, anyway. That said, there were a few good things about the movie:

Alice was played brilliantly for the most part, especially before she fell down the rabbit hole. She kind of went down hill by there. She sucked when clad in armor--but that really wasn't her fault. Armor? Really? Gah.
The mad hatter was, of course, brilliant. But how couldn't he be? Even though his character and dialog were gutted as badly as any other Depp still managed to make the hatter's character shine through. Really the only character done right.
The hatter's crush on Alice was superb. Truly wonderful. Especially given Lewis Carroll's *ahem* affections for young girls.

In any case, Depp was the only real shining point of the film. The rest sucked.

Squirrel attacks with cuteness

DranoK — 2010-05-10T10:51:53-07:00

It's super effective.

Direct Link / Full Size

Tweety learns to skate

DranoK — 2010-05-05T17:43:27-07:00

I hate Tweety Bird.

Direct Link / Full Size

Link Soup for April 2010

ColdINK — 2010-04-30T01:00:07-07:00

This is the Link Soup for April 2010

The Coming Low-Sodium Dystopia

DranoK — 2010-04-28T10:43:04-07:00

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=11721

This is a good read. I don't have much to add, so will just quote a couple paragraphs :P

In September, Obama's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned clove cigarettes (because they taste good, so kids might like them). The agency's now considering banning menthols. Obamacare makes menu-labeling mandatory for chain restaurants.

And, last week the Washington Post reported that the FDA may "gradually over a period of years," lower the level of sodium allowed in American food, "to adjust the American palate to a less salty diet." Surely as a student of the U.S. Constitution, you're familiar with the clause where the Founding Fathers gave the federal government unlimited jurisdiction over "the American palate"?

Waldo and Carmen Sandiego spotted on Chatroulette

LiQUiD_X — 2010-04-26T10:57:09-07:00

Direct Link / Full Size

A new rant about socialism

DranoK — 2010-04-14T13:11:15-07:00

Humans, I'm frequently informed, are social creatures. We thrive as a group. We become stronger than the sum of us as individuals when we help each other.

This is true.

Consider the following example. There are five people at camp A who need to hike to camp B with 200 pounds of equipment. Of the five people, three are strong enough to carry 70 pounds each. The other two are only capable of carrying 25 pounds each. If your goal is to get all five people from camp A to camp B, then you obviously can't just divide the load up equally, as 40 pounds is more than the two weak individuals are capable of carrying. The only way to get all five people to camp B is if the stronger individuals carry more than the weak individuals, because they can.

It makes perfect sense, ne? And the metaphor carries over perfectly to finances. The rich are capable of supporting a much heavier burden than the poor. In order to keep everyone healthy, safe, housed and fed those with wealth must be taxed much heavier than those of moderate means. They're stronger, right?

If your end goal is to maximize the average level of health and comfort of your population then yes, socialism is the obvious answer. Without a doubt a socialist society increases the lot of the poor. It increases the average well-being of the lower rungs of society.

If you're in the camp example above this is obvious. You can't just leave people behind, so the strong must carry the weak or strand them.

Well, sort of. See, this example is a bit misleading. Let's rewind it a bit.

Let's say you're one of the strong people capable of carrying 70 pounds. You're planning a 3-day 30-mile backpacking trip with your friends. Are you really going to invite the people who can't carry their fair share of the load? Of course not. Without them, the overall load will decrease (no food or water for the people who are no longer coming means less weight over all). You're going to go with your friends who can carry their share to reduce your load. Why carry someone else's burden in addition to your own?

You choose your group. And within that group you act as social creatures, protecting and taking care of each other. You don't bring those who are a burden and can't contribute.

But that's not fair! you exclaim. Why not? If your weak friends want to see the wilderness, maybe you can take them on a short hike. Or camping. Or something else within their means. You certainly don't work your ass off to give them a 3-day backpacking adventure when they're not capable of supporting themselves.

Make sense? Let's bring this back to the economy.

Socialism says everyone deserves the three-day backpacking trip, regardless of their ability. Thus, it forces the strong to carry the weak, because they're entitled to it.

It's not fair to force the weak to go down short trails--they deserve awesome back wilderness just like the strong! It's not fair to force the poor to get less than top notch health care--they deserve the absolute best just like the rich!

This is the evil of socialism, imho. A minimum safety net level for healthy adults--one that just barely provides food, shelter, and the absolute minimum of medical care--is acceptable to me. But that's not what socialism says.

Socialism sets the bar too high. It tries to lump those with wealth in the same category as those without wealth. Rather than asking the rich for a small tax to pay for the most basic of human needs, it asks the rich to pay a large tax to provide for quality human needs. It says everyone deserves the best, regardless of their ability to pay.

It forces the strong to carry the weak, whether they want to or not. This leads to resentment. Eventually, the strong will refuse to go backpacking. Or, worse, will simply fall out of shape and become weak like everyone else. Why be strong and be forced to carry others, when you can be weak and be carried?

More hiking stuff

LiQUiD_X — 2010-04-06T12:26:08-07:00

Just a photo for now, though. Click for high res.

More hiking photos here

Link Soup for March 2010

ColdINK — 2010-04-01T13:09:13-07:00

This is the Link Soup for March 2010

Athena

Immubus — 2010-04-01T07:43:30-07:00

Direct Link / Full Size

Anime Munters

LiQUiD_X — 2010-03-30T20:58:51-07:00

YouTube- Anime Munters [ORIGINAL] by go devil dante

V-II

DranoK — 2010-03-30T10:41:03-07:00

Direct Link / Full Size

Not that I'm much of a Star Wars fan, but who doesn't want a Dark Side padawan? ;)

Health Care Bill Passes

Onionpaste — 2010-03-22T22:54:34-07:00

http://newsjunkiepost.com/2010/03/21...h-care-reform/

I'm sad =(

Pokemon 420

Immubus — 2010-03-21T20:00:35-07:00

Direct Link / Full Size

Send cask arsenic exterminate aborigines

DranoK — 2010-03-17T12:16:23-07:00

Direct Link / Full Size

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2010/03...terminate.html

Scary, evil stuff... Anyone know more about this kind of story?

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
POSTMASTER-GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT, WESTERN AUSTRALIA

20 JUL 07

TELEGRAM from Broome Station
Addressed to H. Princep Esq, prot. of aborigines

Send cask arsenic exterminate aborigines letter will follow

Chas Morgan

Stay classy, Mississippi

DranoK — 2010-03-16T15:48:18-07:00

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...0-noprom_N.htm

A Mississippi county school board announced Wednesday it would cancel its upcoming prom after a gay student petitioned to bring a same-sex date to the event.

Yeah, obviously not Uganda-level retardation but sheesh. Didn't we move past this in the '90s?

Because the time is NOW

DranoK — 2010-03-15T17:12:23-07:00

Direct Link / Full Size

http://www.gizmag.com/new-ford-polic...rceptor/14515/

Cities around the nation are struggling with debt and severe budget shortfalls. Many municipalities are on the brink of declaring bankruptcy.

So It makes sooo much sense to advertise new cop cars to them! With all the money they don't have, I'm sure these will sell like underage sex!

Do our elected officials really expect tax revenue is going to explode any minute now? Even if you assume a sustained commercial recovery (which is probably not going to happen..) and significant employment gains over the next two years (which is even less likely) you still have the fact that incurred losses can be applied to future tax liabilities for several years, so even in the best circumstances municipal and state tax revenue (let's not even talk about federal) won't significantly recover for years to come.

Fuck it, who cares? Cop cars are certainly a more useful purchase than most of the junk taxpayers buy. At least these are flashy.

Big Basin Redwoods - Silver Cascade Waterfall Climb

LiQUiD_X — 2010-03-14T10:40:55-07:00

YouTube- Big Basin Redwoods - Silver Cascade Waterfall Climb

Did this hike on 3/13/2010, was amazing. Pictures to come later.

Shounen Shinigami

DranoK — 2010-03-12T14:50:27-08:00

Direct Link / Full Size

I don't post much of my art here since most of it's intended for a different audience. Still, it's been slow, so may as well ;)

The outfit is somewhat inspired by Maka from Soul Eater. I didn't intend his face to look so Death Note-ish, but it seems to suit him. ^.^

Another victim to religion

Onionpaste — 2010-03-09T01:38:19-08:00

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/...oore-gun-range

Newly released notes and audio recordings left behind by a woman who shot her son and then took her own life leave little doubt that she planned the attack.

In rambling messages to family, friends, police and the owners of Shoot Straight, the Casselberry gun range she chose for Sunday's fatal shooting, Marie Moore said the murder-suicide was the only way to save her son Mitchell Moore, her family and the world from violence and eternal damnation.

"I'm so sorry," Marie Moore, 44, wrote in one note. "I had to send my son to heaven and myself to Hell."

This is tragic, not to mention idiotic in the extreme.

Google Street View

LiQUiD_X — 2010-03-08T11:55:14-08:00

It was an accident I'm sure muhahaha

Direct Link / Full Size

Poor Gore.. Still chasing ManBearPig

DranoK — 2010-03-02T11:40:37-08:00

I do feel sorry for the guy. I shouldn't, but I do. Oh well.

http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=11411

Gore says, "The heavy snowfalls this month have been used as fodder for ridicule by those who argue that global warming is a myth, yet scientists have long pointed out that warmer global temperatures have been increasing the rate of evaporation from the oceans, putting significantly more moisture into the atmosphere � thus causing heavier downfalls of both rain and snow in particular regions, including the Northeastern United States."

It's an interesting theory, but where are the facts?

According to "State of the Climate" from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "Global precipitation in 2009 was near the 1961-1990 average." And there was certainly no pattern of increasing rain and snow on America's East Coast during the post-1976 years, when NOAA says the globe began to heat up.

So what was it, exactly, that Gore's nameless scientists "have long pointed out"? A 2008 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, "Climate Change and Water," says climate models "project precipitation increases in high latitudes and part of the tropics." In other areas, the IPCC reports only "substantial uncertainty in precipitation forecasts."

Link Soup for February 2010

ColdINK — 2010-03-01T12:08:24-08:00

This is the Link Soup for February 2010

Think Muslims are the only ones who view women as slave creatures?

DranoK — 2010-02-25T14:42:45-08:00

So do we. At least, some of us.

http://jezebel.com/5479032/the-next-...et-miscarriage

A new Utah law could charge women with homicide if they miscarry, making women's rights advocates concerned that women will be brought up on murder charges for drinking, failing to wear a seatbelt, or falling down the stairs.

Read the article... This has already passed the legislature and could soon become law. It really is as backward and scary as it sounds.

Women are objects, after all. Right?

*sigh*

Wait, wat?

DranoK — 2010-02-24T14:38:23-08:00

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000..._WSJ_US_News_5

The bill's centerpiece is a tax credit for employers who hire new workers�a measure Democrats hope will motivate business owners to hire.

Employers wouldn't have to pay their 6.25% share of federal payroll taxes for the rest of 2010 for any new workers that have been unemployed for at least 60 days. If that employee was still on the books in a year, the business owner would receive an additional $1,000 tax credit.

(Emphasis mine)

Seriously? Seriously?

Interviewer: How long have you been out of work?
Candidate: Oh, I'm not. I'm pretty good at my job. Just looking to progress my career, ya know. I see a great future with your company and think I'd be a valuable asset.
Interviewer: Oh, sorry. We're looking for someone who's been un-hirable for at least 60 days.

Later that day...

Interviewer: So, how long have you been out of work?
Candidate: Beaver Monkey Dishwasher! Purple!
Interviewer: Longer than 60 days?
Candidate: I engineer! ENGINEER! I make things go BING! BADA! PURPLE! MONKEY!
Interviewer: You sound perfect. You can start today!

*sigh*

Or how about the companies who decide to lay off workers for 60 days, re-hire them, then lay off a different set of workers for 60 days?

Is there any logic left in our congress critters? Any at all? Has there ever been any?

For the love of Snarf, stop meddling with the fucking economy you damned dirty apes. It will do just fine without you :/