[This is an archived version of eclectica, a weblog. Click here to get the current version.]

Friday, May 31, 2002 --> comments?
US media cowed by patriotic fever, says CBS star:

"Dan Rather, the star news anchor for the US television network CBS, said last night (May 16) that "patriotism run amok" was in danger of trampling the freedom of American journalists to ask tough questions. And he admitted that he had shrunk from taking on the Bush administration over the war on terrorism." ...

"He said his view of the patriotism differed from that of the administration. 'It's unpatriotic not to stand up, look them in the eye, and ask the questions they don't want to hear - they being those who have the responsibility, the ultimate responsibility - of sending our sons and daughters, our husbands, wives, our blood, to face death.'"

Two newely discovered webzines: Freezerbox and ScratchBomb.

I agree with this article: Palestine By George Lucas. It's easy to get inhuman and inhumane mixed up, but it's something we really shouldn't do.

Gagged by Google: Body Shop founder censored by search engine. Anita Roddick's ad was pulled from Google because she called John Malkovich a "vomitous worm."

And now for less political stuff:
Aww, poor doggy: And they say cats have 9 lives...

A font set based on the lettering styles artwork of M.C. Escher. It's cool, but $23.95 for one font is too much!
[via mybluehouse]

Interesting little project: I am...

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 --> comments?
I'm not into astrology, but I thought this was neat, since it's unusual: Tree Horoscopes. I'm a walnut tree.

If I were a time era, I'd be The 90s. Not surprising, since teenage years were spent in them: I turned 13 in November 1993.
[via pcjm]

Harmful Enron practices widespread:

"Titans of the Enron Economy: The 10 Habits of Highly Defective Corporations," a new report by financial analyst Scott Klinger, reveals that key maneuvers leading to Enron’s meltdown are legal and widely practiced.

Good choice, young man, good choice! ;) Heh.

Extinction is Forever - Or is It? I'd like to say that's a great idea, but there's something kind of unsettling about it.

Fire ants adapted to cold-weather march through north Georgia. I hate hate hate hate fire ants! (Can you sense my loathing?)

Tuesday, May 28, 2002 --> comments?
I've been kind of lazy with updates lately. Just taking a mini-break, I guess, but I'm back now :)

G.W. calls Vladimir Putin "Pootie-Poot"? That's just disturbing! (Ok, well, actually it's not that disturbing. What would really be disturbing: another Cold War.)

Interesting, very interesting: Who Called Enron First?

"...a recent academic study suggests that the message boards could have provided investors with early warning about Enron's (ENE) tricky accounting and unhealthy corporate culture -- long before similar questions were ever raised in the press."

This looks like an intriguing book: Everything You Know is Wrong. I'm going to have to read it, I think.

Spidey Beats Clones:

"Of course, none of this matters if you just watch the movies for entertainment and don't care how much money they make. Ah, lost innocence."

;)

More Star Wars stuff: A Boba Fett rap song. Heh heh.

Half Bakery: Have a weird idea? Submit it and see what others think of it!

Haha! Gaijin a Go-Go Cafe. Those celebrities would be laughed out of the business if these commericals were shown in the U.S.

The Army is giving a game away for free. It's called America's Army. They think it will help them recruit more people. Hmm, we'll see.

Saturday, May 25, 2002 --> comments?
You in 1905: Get a snapshot of your life as it might have been had you been living 100 years ago in 1905. Here's where I would have been. Thank god I wasn't born 120 years ago! ;)

Triumph the Insult Dog is hilarious! (You really need a broadband connection to view this.)
[via freakgirl]

Uh oh!

Weirdo Leonardo: "This web site is about the stranger artworks and writings of Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) and includes ideas and images that may disturb."

I don't remember how I came across Camp4, a mountain climbing webzine, but they have some nice pictures and they even have a "fiction/poetry" section. I got a laugh out of this: "Climbing can be dangerous. We recommend you don't do it. But if you do...have fun and be safe."

Need a pick-me-up, but don't want to drink coffee or pop? How about caffeinated mints?

What is this?! Making a profit off tragedy is awful!

Ounce Of Prevention, Pound Of Fat:

Americans are doing more binge drinking, smoking and overeating than they were a decade ago, but they are also more willing to buckle their seat belts and get tests and shots to prevent disease, government research suggests.

Ironic, isn't it?

The Web as a Way of Life:

Internet users have come to rely on the vast amount of research and information content available, and often consult the Web before making dramatic life changing decisions. The survey showed that notable numbers of Americans turn to the Internet as a basic reference tool to gather information, and, in some cares, to compare alternative courses of action.

I definitely use the 'net for information gathering purposes, from the important to the unimportant (such as looking up song lyrics).

Remynelle just put up a link to eclectica today. Go visit her! :) If you've linked me lately, sign my guestbook and let me know; I'd love to visit your site!

Thursday, May 23, 2002 --> comments?
This CNN parody cracks me up: New terrorist attack really, really, really certain in like 5 more minutes. What does the government expect us to do with the warnings they are giving us? There's a great entry about this over at Breaching the Web: Non-specific rant.

Dallas workers accuse Coke of reselling soda to minorities:

DALLAS- Several North Texas employees of Coca-Cola Co. have accused the soft drink maker of repackaging nearly out-of-date soda cans and bottles and then reselling them at stores in minority neighborhoods.

Women's clothing proves to be a tight fit. I've known for years that you can't trust the sizing on clothing. In some stores they call a size 8 a size 12, in others a 12 is a 10 and on and on. It's crazy!
[via pcjm]

This cartoon strip reminds me of The Far Side: Past Expiry.

Wednesday, May 22, 2002 --> comments?
Everything a Chick Needs to Know She Can Learn From Star Wars. Heh heh.

What Monopoly Piece Are You? I'm the Top Hat.

Random word of the day: imprimatur.

Ancient writing system gets Internet update:

With recent funding boosts and increased scientific appreciation for the World Wide Web, the 5,200-year-old cuneiform writing system is going online in dictionary, photographic and 3-D forms.

The things people think of: Bizarre patents. Some will make you wonder, "Why didn't I think of that?" Others will just make you scratch your head and go, "Huh?"

Cats attract humans by learning how to sound pleasant. I don't doubt it. Devious kitties! ;)

Use the blog, Luke:

The collective future of blogs lies not in dethroning the New York Times -- but in becoming a force that can make sense of the Web's infinity of links.

How sweet. I really like the picture: Adopted US marine finds mum during Thai operations

I can hardly imagine what this must be like: Newlywed can't remember wife he married one week ago. Amnesia is such a scary phenomena.

Female trout faking orgasms. My first reaction: Fish have orgasms?! Heh.

If you haven't gone to see Star Wars: Attack of the Clones yet, here is a good reason to go! ;)

Tuesday, May 21, 2002 --> comments?
All of the Dilbert Google logos will be here by the end of the week.

I just realized I haven't updated my aortal link in quite some time. So, here's a new one: Absolute Write. The site describes itself as the place where serious writers unite and says that it's " the one-stop web home for professional writers." I think any sort of writer can benefit from the information there, whether they are professional or not.

I think I've linked 100 Words before; but I'll go ahead and link it again, since it's such a neat idea.

Random word of the day: picayune.

Finally, an article about weblogs that's not overly simplistic: News by the People, for the People.

Online communities mentioned in the above article: Kuro5kin and GAZM. They didn't mention Metafilter, but that's probably since it's already received a lot of coverage.

Sony's latest CD copy protection comes unstuck:

The latest copy-protected CDs from Sony DADC are meant to be immune to this practice, as the company modified its Key2audio technology six months ago by removing the visible gap. However, a test conducted by New Scientist shows the circumvention technique can still work with recently released discs.

:::Flashback to childhood::: Remember LEGOs? Of course you do! Now, you can play with them on your computer with them (ok, so they're not really LEGOs) this nifty little game.

Monday, May 20, 2002 --> comments?
Courtney on Unheard Cobain Songs:
"I have a buttload of material," says Courtney Love of the archive of unreleased material by Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. "I have the holy grail of rock & roll. That's the story."

Don't sound so smug Courtney, just let us hear the music! [More about that here]

Teenage Cassandra:

I've been told numerous times by my grandpa that a 15-year-old cannot possibly know more than an old man who has lived through every war from World War II to the Gulf War. But I'm old enough to know that freedom of speech is essential to democracy, and it's been branded into my skull through years of history classes that we do live in a democracy. I exercise my right as an American and as a citizen to express these views, and no one -- no student, no teacher, no adult -- can dissuade me. The world's a mess, and according to Mark Twain, if we don't say something about it, then we are indeed traitors to mankind.

Want to be able to talk like a Brit? Well, then, check out this dictionary of English slang. It also might come in handy when reading books by British authors.

Critics say 'Clones' has racial stereotypes It's just a movie, people, just a movie! Sheesh.

Just discovered this weblog. Transterrestrial Musings: Biting Commentary About Infinity...And Beyond!

The X-Files show finale last night was pretty good. I think they wrapped things up rather neatly. Of course, it's the X-Files, so they had to leave us hanging on some issues. Even though I'm glad the show is over (it jumped the shark about two years ago), I'm definitely going to miss my Sunday night routine of watching the X-Files with no lights on. ;)

Some last X-Files articles: `X-FILES' Bids Goodbye , 'The X-Files' bows out after nine years, X-Files: Case Closed and X-Files: Science Fact or Fiction?.

Have you seen Google's new temporary logo? Heh.

Saturday, May 18, 2002 --> comments?
We've been having the oddest weather in South Texas lately. Yesterday we got about an inch of rain; the first signifigant rain in more than 6 months. Then, this morning, a cool front blew through. It's only 79 degress right now. That may seem on the warm side to some of you, but considering that it was in the mid-90s just a few days ago, it seems wonderful to me! I'm dreading the coming summer. I can tell it's going to be a scorcher!

As you might know, I work as an online content producer for my local newspaper. One of my jobs is to update the site twice daily, at 12 PM and 5 PM, with the latest news. I have to have to watch and/or listen to CNN all day long, since the TV is mounted right above my computer. It can get really annoying. They run the same stories over and over again, most of them inane. But, hey, at least I get to watch Bill Hemmer, right? ;)

The new U.S. $20 dollar bill contains hidden pictures of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. Who comes up with this stuff?!

It's been a while since I took a personality test: According to this test, I'm a passionate soul.

About The X-Files: The truth is, um, where, exactly? If they don't clear up some questions in the show finale tomorrow night, I'm going to be mad. Hmm, but if the last two seasons are any indication, I really shouldn't expect much.
[via quiddity]

Well, that wasn't much of an update; but it's the weekend and I'm going to enjoy this wonderful weather! :)

Wednesday, May 15, 2002 --> comments?
(Looking for Apolo Ohno information? Go here: The Apolo Anton Ohno Portal)

Megg is back from her 'blogging break and she's started a book log.

IrfanView is a great graphic/photo viewing program and it's free! I really like the slideshow feature.

Blogicon: A weblog glossary.

Oh, this is so cool: Turn a billboard into a chalkboard.

Weird news: Cat goes on rampage in Nova Scotia, evicts owners and Cops Stymied by "Jar Baby."

A history of secret human experimentation: It's even more sinister than it sounds! For example:

1945 - Project Paperclip is initiated. The U.S. State Department, Army intelligence, and the CIA recruit Nazi scientists and offer them immunity and secret identities in exchange for work on top secret government projects in the United States.

That is disgusting and so wrong. I can't believe (well, yes, I can) that that actually happened! The whole list is disturbing!

Vocabulary of Alliteration:

This Vocabulary of Alliteration is a new aid in writing poems and songs, and in the study of phonetic or phonemic syllable divisions. Alliteration is one of several aural devices in literature making use of the repetition of single sounds or groups of sounds.

Awful Actress and Celebrity Photos. Yeah, they are human, after all.

Salvation Legislation Bill. Thank goodness that isn't real! I know there are people out there who would actually support such legislation -- and that's a scary thought!

Monday, May 13, 2002 --> comments?
(If you're looking for Apolo Ohno information go here: The Apolo Anton Ohno Portal.)

The X-Files episode last night was disappointing. It would have been a good ep. if the show wasn't ending next week! Why oh why did they have to write that for the second to last episode?! Do they really think we really want to know about some creepy telekinetic man obsessed with The Brady Bunch? There are so many questions that they could have answered if they'd used that episode to explain some things! The X-Files sucks without Mulder.

Yet another article about weblogs: A blog's bark has bite. These articles are always so boring, especially if you've been blogging for more than 6 months.

An excellent article: God's Dream.

OxymoronList.com. Good ones: Peace Force and xenophobic foreign secretary.

Music trivia: SongFacts.com. Some of their news is hilarious, such as:

A development company plans to build a resort in Mississippi on the place where Elvis first consummated his love (had sex with) his teenage bride, Priscilla Presley. Activities at The Elvis Presley Ranch will include shopping, golf, theaters, and for the really ambitious, a wedding chapel. For a little extra, you can even stay in the actual cabin where The King got busy.

Eew, that's just gross!

You can 'blog about anything!

Feel like doing some DIY? Unique Projects is a good place to start. The site gives estimated cost and time to complete each project.

Online karaoke? Hahaha.

Well, duh. True or Not, Flattery Works.

If you're going to adopt a cat any time soon, you might want to check out The Cat Guide.

Sunday, May 12, 2002 --> comments?

Kids' dream come true: Crustless bread. The funny thing about it? It costs 75 more cents than crusted bread! The official site for the bread says, "The wasteful and inconvenient days of tearing off the edges of white bread are over." They might as well just have said "The inconvenient days of tearing off the edges of white bread are over," because paying 75 more cents for the crustless bread sure sounds wasteful to me!

Federal Consumer Information Center PSAs from the 70s, 80s, and 90s and 00s. Ah, blast from the past!

State-sponsored censorship online is a serious problem (More about that here); but I think corporate-sponsored censorship is just as dangerous, yet it is not as discussed and written about.

First Humans to Receive ID Chips:

"Eight people will be injected with silicon chips Friday, making them scannable just like a jar of peanut butter in the supermarket checkout line."

It might sound like a good idea for someone with Alzheimer's, but think about it: Doesn't the thought of being tracked everywhere made you shudder (The second generation chips will have GPS tracking)? From the same article:

"Who gets to decide who gets chipped?" asked Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. "Parents will decide that their kids should be implanted, or maybe their own aging parents. It's an easier way to manage someone, like putting a leash on a pet."

I totally agree! Of course, you could argue that we use leashes on our pets to keep them safe...but does that make it right?

Kate Winslet sings? Hmm, she's actually not that bad. The song is a bit too "poppy" for me, though.

Songs about actresses: Natalie Portman (another and another) and Christina Ricci. Those are just as bad as Bree Sharp's David Duchovny. Heh ;)

Local Music Directory: Indie Music at Its Best!

I love sites like this: Make Stuff! It gives instructions on making your own health and beauty products and much more. It even tells you how to make glue, although I'm not sure why you'd want to do that!

The Four Word Film Review. I got a kick of the 4 word reviews of The Fellowship of the Ring.

I've never watched The Osbournes, so I don't know what to think of the results of this quiz. It said about me: "You're Melinda the Nanny! You have great responsibilities, but you handle them with ease and never lose your composure. At times you can be too ruled by the rules you lay down for those you depend on you. Loosen up a bit, will ya, mate?"

I don't know why things like this amuse me so much: This Day in Music.

Royal Journal. So much to look at. I especially like the found art.

Saturday, May 11, 2002 --> comments?
I just had a cable modem installed in my computer yesterday afternoon. I'm like a kid in a candy store: videos, Flash, extremely fast downloads. Oh, my! Seriously, it's very nice. I would have gotten broadband 'net access a long time ago, but they didn't offer it in my area. It's not like I live out in the middle of nowhere, so I don't know what took them so long. Since they're just getting this area set up, access is still a bit wonky. I'm not complaining, though: It's much better than a 56k dialup connection!

Officer crashes his Segway. That was bound to happen, I guess. It's not really funny, but it made me laugh for some reason.
[via blogatelle]

Ok, so that's not much of an update, but I think I'm going to go out. It's such a nice day, I don't want to waste it in front of the computer! :) I'll probably do a better update tonight or tomorrow.

Thursday, May 9, 2002 --> comments?
I'm helping out with a Google bomb here: Verisign. Google bombing probably sounds sinister, but it's not, really. Don't know what a Google bomb is? Go here and here.

The Dialogue Project:

The Dialogue Project intends to collect and archive written dialogues for the purpose of shaving off small cross-sections of history from our cultures. It's intended to make you laugh, and think, and understand the beauty and tragedy of daily conversation, whether you're threatening to divorce your spouse or ordering a milkshake.

In Artist's Freeway Prank, Form Followed Function. Wow, that sounds more like public service than art to me!

The Official Rock Paper Scissors Strategy Guide. Oh, the things you can find on the internet! ;)

Strange, Wonderful 'X-Files' Ends. As much as I've enjoyed the X-Files, I do think that its ending is appropriate. It's been dragged on too long as a TV series. I am looking forward to watching the movie(s), though! (One more X-Files-related article: Anderson Bids Goodbye to 'X-Files'.)

Pun of The Day. Some of those are really bad. Heh.

Most of the freebies at The Free Site are fluff, but if you dig around you can find some good stuff.

If you use AOL or CompuServe (I don't), you might find this useful: AOLHistory.com. It lets you view your browser's history, which for some reason, AOL's browers don't have.

From the Guardian: World News Guide. Stay informed!

Tuesday, May 7, 2002 --> comments?
I feel like I must be one of the only people in the United States who hasn't seen Spider-man: 'Spider-Man' Makes $114M in Debut. But I'm not about to rush out and see it, just because everyone else is. It's probably an ok movie, but I'm just not that interested.

This reads like a medical thriller: Scientists' deaths are under the microscope. It's chilling, actually.
[via Random Abstract]

Sexism Illustrated:

Its time to value the ability and dignity of all athletes--men and women, boys and girls. I hope that you will stop and think about the values of sex being used to sell--and what your support of this misguided use of sex says about you, your opinion of women, and your view of " respect as the center of the circle of community.

Some cool scientific and health news: Tea may help patients live longer.

New pyramid found in Egypt:

ARCHAEOLOGISTS have stumbled on the 110th pyramid to be discovered in Egypt - the 4500-year-old tomb of a queen whose identity remains a mystery.

Sunday, May 5, 2002 --> comments?
The Peer-to-Peer Review Project library was finally put online today. Out of the original 700 people who signed up, only 230 'blogs got reviewed. Mine was not among the reviewed. I did my review, so who slacked off and didn't review eclectica? Hmph.

If you want to keep up with the development of The Sims Online, Maxis has set up a website for the game here. It's updated monthly.

Baby with tail 'reincarnation of Hindu god'. Rather disturbing, that.

It is 2002, not 1962. What took them so long?! Georgia high school holds first integrated prom.

So amazing and beautiful: Hubble's Advanced Camera Unveils a Panoramic New View of the Universe.

Saturday, May 4, 2002 --> comments?
Some people get too uptight about weblogs, I think. Look at this, for instance: The Life Cycle of Your Weblog. It's so cynical. Personally, I keep a weblog because it's fun, I like to share the links I find; plus, if there's something I really want to discuss, I can. Since weblogs are so personal, I think you should be able to write about or link (or not link) to whatever you want.

Mark Twain's Rules For Writing. Very good advice, indeed!

As if I don't have enough to read online already, I recently discovered AuthorsDen.com: "Where authors and readers come together!"

More reading/writing resources: WendyJensen.com.

Friday, May 3, 2002 --> comments?
Bob Sassone has moved his Pop Culture Guy column. Go visit it at its new home!

Oh, those Brits! I busted out laughing when I saw that picture ;)
[via reenhead]

I still haven't downloaded IE 6.0, and this is one of the reasons why: Using the backbutton in IE is dangerous.
[via hello mate...]

I just heard Eminem's new song last night, Without Me. What an egomaniac!

Heh heh: Kirsten Dunst enjoys glitzy parties and awards ceremonies - but nothing thrills her more than cleaning her home with WINDEX."

I don't really get this quiz: How worshipable are you? Turns out, I'm 82% worshipable (is that even a word?), but what does that mean? It doesn't explain why I'm worshipable. Hmph ;)
[via walk my way]

Geez, that's sure nice of them: What's she see in him?

Sometimes, silence does speak louder than words: The power of silent witness.

Estrogen Given to Pre-Teen Girls to Inhibit Growth. That's awful!

Wednesday, May 1, 2002 --> comments?
One of the Lettuce Ladies came to Corpus Christi on Monday. (Lettuce Ladies website). As much as I hate stereotypes, I have to admit that some people acted like dumb Texans, "such as the man in the straw cowboy hat and western shirt who sprinted across the street shouting, 'eat more beef.'" But I shouldn't expect anything different. This is beef country, after all.

If you're interested in becoming a vegetarian, GoVeg.com will send you a free vegetarian starter kit.

A list of companies that do test on animals and companies that don't: Caring Consumer.

Gael, of Pop Culture Junk Mail, writes for MSNBC. Here's an article she wrote recently: Axes are out, eyelash curlers are in.

Grist Magazine: Gloom and Doom with a Sense of Humor. Wow, I can't believe I haven't discovered this mag before! Check out their Ask Umbra section, too.

Thinking beyond the bottom line:

If all of the costs to society -- including the health-care expenses and environmental cleanup costs -- were reflected in the price of the products we purchase, then reducing pollution would boost the bottom line. If businesses were paid for stewarding our shared natural resources, then restoring a wetland could reap profits. In an economy that included all costs and values, people wouldn't have to struggle to resolve the conflict between short-term goals and long-term responsibilities. The most profitable, valuable businesses would be the best community citizens.

Time to get crafty! Dealing with Denim: Dyeing, embellishing and more!

Hee: I Miss Elisabeth!
[From KillerFlamingo]

This is a great resource: Din Timelines.

Random word o' the day: zaftig. Pleasingly plump. It's been a long time since I've heard that phrase!

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eclectica, a weblog copyright (©) 1999 - 2002 by Joanna Blackwell. Don't take what's not yours.