Google’s 2007 April Fools joke: Introducing Gmail Paper
Make sure to click on “Learn more about Gmail Paper”
Author: Nate
`Illegal drugs can be “harmless” and should no longer be “demonised”‘
British report: Drugs may not be all that bad.
In other news: Pinochet and Franco are still dead.
Illegal drugs can be harmless, report says
Thursday March 8, 2007
Illegal drugs can be “harmless” and should no longer be “demonised”, a wide-ranging two-year study concluded today.The report said Britain’s drug laws were “not fit for purpose” and should be torn up in favour of a system which recognised that drinking and smoking could cause more harm.
(To make my own opinion perfectly clear: I am in favor of decriminalization of most drugs. Go Britain!)
Photo of the day: Ducks.
The ducks were being frisky recently when Marie fed them, and I got a few photos. The one in the middle with the darker color and the white neck we’ve nicknamed “runty” as Marie thought he was skinny. I dunno about that, but he’s one of the few who are individually recognizable.
(PS, I’m not sure why the thumbnails are so small now!)
“A Brand New Car”
The Acura being paid off recent, and the Van getting on my nerves significantly, we’ve ended up getting a new car. We picked it up today; it’s a very nice Subaru Outback.
(click for full size)
“There can be only one!”
Sword Fight Ensues After S.C. Break-In
A man toting a 3-foot sword apparently met his match when he broke into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment: The woman’s roommate grabbed a sword of his own and sliced the intruder, police said.
No further comment.
Second Life: a pet rock for the new millenium, revisited.
Go check out “http://www.getafirstlife.com/“.
Via Russ on the [Geeks] list at work.
See also the original post Second Life: a pet rock for the new millenium.
Old news, but too weird not to share.
Fisher Island millionaire Bruce McMahan loved his daughter so much, he married her.
Published: September 28, 2006A secret sexual relationship with his daughter was not enough.
There had to be a wedding.
It gets worse from there. Much worse, and funny as hell (for us safely uninvolved 3rd parties.)
What is wrong with for-profit healthcare? The basic premise.
A great diary on the US health care problem on DailyKos: For-profit healthcare: The ultimate triumph of insanity
(I’m going to skip to the punchline)
Let me end by explaining what in Wall Street speak an “improved” medical-loss ratio means for you and me.
The medical-loss ratio is improved for them by cutting the amount of premium revenues spent on patient care for us. Every dollar that is spent on our healthcare goes against the bottom line. It is bad for Aetna and bad for Wall Street when money is spent on our healthcare.
To the for-profit insurance industry, are not human beings. We are losses. We are not Americans. We are not patients. We are not sick people. Your life and mine are losses.
This system is beyond redemption and beyond repair.
Go read the whole thing.
“Which SF author are you?”
 |
I am:
This prolific author brings surprising depths to he-man adventure tales, and broke science fiction’s prudery barrier. |
Blogmeme via a post by this title on RASSF.
Maine rocks.
Maine overwhelmingly rejected federal requirements for national identification cards on Thursday, marking the first formal state opposition to controversial legislation scheduled to go in effect for Americans next year.
Both chambers of the Maine legislature approved a resolution saying the state flatly “refuses” to force its citizens to use driver’s licenses that comply with digital ID standards, which were established under the 2005 Real ID Act. It asks the U.S. Congress to repeal the law.
“Real ID” was a very stupid idea and terribly for privacy, with no real gain except in the size of the beaurocracy. Go Maine!
“Watch it. Love it.”
Link and quote above via Eric at work, in response to lunch conversation.
Also see Crab vs. Pipe and the classic Infamous Exploding Whale
Sloth lives up to its name.
Scientists can’t get sloth to move
JENA, Germany – Scientists in the eastern German city of Jena said Wednesday they have finally given up after three years of failed attempts to entice a sloth into budging as part of an experiment in animal movement.
Alrighty-then.