Hopeless Geek

From Populist America:

The Protect America Act gives the federal government the authority to monitor American citizens’ phone conversations and e-mails, providing they are corresponding with persons “reasonably believed to be located outside the United States.” This bill, which was drafted mostly by the White House, was created in response to the 2005 scandal where President Bush was ridiculed for authorizing the National Security Agency to conduct a secret wiretapping program targeted at persons within the United States. A federal court ruling found that program to be what most people already believed it to be: unconstitutional.

The Fourth Amendment to the Constitutionstates: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

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Point and counterpoint:

Since the late 1960s, much of the North Atlantic Ocean has become less salty, in part due to increases in fresh water runoff induced by global warming, scientists say.
—Michael Schirber, LiveScience, 29 June 2005

The surface waters of the North Atlantic are getting saltier, suggests a new study of records spanning over 50 years. They found that during this time, the layer of water that makes up the top 400 metres has gradually become saltier. The seawater is probably becoming saltier due to global warming, Boyer says.
—Catherine Brahic, New Scientist, 23 August 2007

Whatever the anomaly, the cause is global warming.

bq.. Sec. 32. (a) Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman. (b) This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.

“79(R) HJR6 Enrolled - Bill Text”:http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/cgiⁱ-bin/tlo/textframe.cmd?LEG=79&SESS=R&CHAMBER=H&BILLTYPE=JR&BILLSUFFIX=00006&VERSION=5&TYPE=B

p. Heterosexual marriage is now illegal in Texas. Previous marriages are not recognized. Gays may marry at-will.

Texas politicians are fucking idiots.

bq.. WASHINGTON - In a striking defeat for President Bush, White House counsel Harriet Miers on Thursday abandoned her bid to become a Supreme Court justice after three weeks of brutal criticism from fellow conservatives. The Senate’s top Republican predicted a replacement candidate within days.

“Bush Stung As Miers Withdraws Nomination - Yahoo! News”:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051028/apongosuco/mierswithdraws;ylt=Aj2vzCI9XmSrSOFY3QfJ3U.yFz4D;_ylu=X3oDMTA5aHJvMDdwBHNlYwN5bmNhdA—

p. Next up, Bush nominates his old kindergarten teacher as the Secretary of Education and his Tao Bo coach as the Secretary of Defense. He’d pick Arnie, but he’s too busy finding new ways to teach Californians that they shouldn’t be so quick to vote the celebrity ticket.

bq. The bigger fear, and some say opportunity, for advertisers is how to keep their brand messages in front of consumers as iPods, other portable media players and increasingly sophisticated mobile phones pick up speed and vie for time once dominated by television and the 30-second ad.
Video iPod terrifies TV advertisers

No one seems to pause and think: “Maybe they don’t want our ‘brand message’? Maybe that’s one of the selling points of the technology?”

Sometimes I think advertisers want us to just lie down and stare at their commercials all fucking day.

Jeremy: OT: what does it say about me that, when i just tripped on my power cable… rather than risk damage to my DC-IN, i intentionally chose to go head first into the TV?

Jeremy: no harm done. just my ego.

Adam: I stepped barefoot in the cat litter box rather than drop my iBook. I win.

Adam: Though it didn’t feel like winning at the time.

Jeremy: eeeeeew

I want some of this crack.

So, we’re building a bookshelf. We got about 60 sq. ft. of plywood and built a very nice bookshelf out of it. Sanded it down, put some frill on it and generally made a very nice bookshelf for about $200 (wood + materials, including some power tools).

This is all good so far. However, the last touch is to stain the wood, and that cannot be done indoors (well, technically neither can sanding, but we’re daredevils). So while I was at work she moved the bookshelf out to the balcony and started at it. This is, of course, after checking the forecast and seeing that there was no rain for the next few days.