I'm a day late on this one, but here goes.  Great news: Obama is going to reverse the global gag rule.  I've posted about this before, but it's worth repeating: the  "Global Gag-Rule," prevents U.S. funded health-care providers abroad from even mentioning the word 'abortion.' Not only has it not stopped abortion, it's actually causing more ( Read more... )

Via Bob Harris: Using tracking data from Flightaware.com and Google Maps, this Flickr user has already plotted the exact course of the USAir flight that landed in the Hudson today. (Click on the map for full size.)


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My friend barilosopher is a huge fan and devotee of light opera.  I'll be honest, it's not a musical genre I know much about, but when I see him put together material like this, it makes me want to know more.  Not only are the production values great, his harmonizing is spot on.

Click to view

10) The Watson Twins--Fire Songs -- If you liked their b-list debut on Jenny Lewis' Rabbit Fur Coat you really owe it to your self to check out this beautifully harmonious piece of alt-country goodness.  Their "Only You" might be the sweetest love song of the year.

9) Ray LaMontange--Gossip in the Grain -- I somehow missed LaMontange until this most ( Read more... )

Click to view

Didn't anyone tell the Secret Service not to give 'Random Task' a press-pass?

At the book store the other day I stumbled on Cory Doctrow's recent book "Content." It's a collection of his essays regarding intellectual
property.  I went to his website (the back of the book said Doctrow practiced what he preached and put his writings online) and found that
in addition to a pdf version of the book, he also posted an audio copy ( Read more... )

Year that "Dazed and Confused" was released: 1993.
Year that "Dazed and Confused" was set: 1976.
Difference between them: 17 years.
Difference between 1993 and today: 15 years.

That's right; two years from now we will be that old.  That is to say, in two years if someone were to make a movie was for the 90's what "Dazed and Confused" was for the 70's, ( Read more... )

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Me: We've been in Chicago for an hour and a half now, and I still don't feel the hope
My Wife: We're in the airport.  Airports are all devoid of hope.
Me: "Abandon all hope, ye who enter O'Hare."

--Actual, unscripted conversation between me and my wife.