Ken Kesey, RIP
"Hello, and thank you for calling MicroSoft technical support. May I ask what version of Code Red your server is running?"
Karla brought a new dog home Monday night: Sherry. I'll have a page of pictures soon, in sha' allah, but here's the first one. She sure is cute. But Victoria's cuter, in my totally objective opinion.
From DrugSense Weekly:
I've never seen crack or a lot of these new drugs. Don't know anything about them. I don't know what they do for you, or whether they do anything good for you or not. But I do still have a lot of faith in the spiritual purity of LSD and pot. And I think that if grass were legalized, it would help our drug problem enormously. As John Madden said, `There've been a lot more people hurt on astro-turf than grass.' -- Ken Kesey
Richard Pearson at The Washington Post via Cannabis News - Author Ken Kesey, 66, Dies; Led '60s Bus Ride - Mr. Kesey was the author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Sometimes a Great Notion, both of which I remember enjoying, though I don't remember much about the story in the latter. He also wrote Demon Box and Sailor Song, neither of which had I ever heard of before now. And his 1964 bus trip with the Merry Pranksters was celebrated in Tom Wolfe's classic, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, a great read, as I remember. The Merry Pranksters web site is at www.intrepidtrips.com. [cn]
Robert Ariail at United Media - The Midnight Ride of John Ashcroft - cartoon commentary on the recent warnings of imminent terrorist attack. Hehe. [market]
Linda Hamilton - Arrogant Sheriff - the tale of a visit to Russ & Linda's home by Gordon Ainsworth, an employee of the local sheriff's department, and his subsequent appearance in court on an assault charge.
Steve Kubby at DrugSense Weekly - Government Is a Terrible Master - With the "USA PATRIOT" act, state-sponsored terrorism takes on a whole new life in the land of the plea bargain and the home of the slave. [drugsense]
Everyone's talking about terrorism these days, but my family and I have experienced terrorism - up close and personal. We survived our terrorist attack and, in the process, we learned a great deal about how state-sponsored terrorism actually operates in America today.
In our case, our home was invaded early in the morning. We were robbed at gunpoint and then kidnapped. These terrorists even tried, though unsuccessfully, to extort $200,000 (in bail) from us. Worst of all, these terrorists had badges, and were empowered by laws that were originally passed to be used against "drug lords." Despite the fact that we were lawfully exercising rights granted to us by a medical marijuana law we helped to pass, we found ourselves facing 19 criminal counts.
...
From the safety of Canada, we now watch in horror as America's police and military are handed the keys to the country. Because of our experience with "drug lord" laws being used against our family, we understand that, with the passage of the "U.S.A. Act," the Constitution has effectively been suspended and martial law imposed.
L. Neil Smith at Project: Safe Skies - Re: THIRTY-TWO STUPID YEARS - L. Neil responds to the whimperings of "somebody named Dave".
Look, Dave, I detest what happened on September 11 more than you could possibly imagine in your brightest moment. However I favor finding the surviving individuals actually responsible for what was done and putting a .45 caliber HydraShok through their nasal passages into their cerebellums. Apparently our glorious people's police state isn't quite up to that, so as usual, it has to carpet-bomb the already miserable inhabitants of a third world garbage dump, instead.
Are you aware that not one -- not one -- of the 19 hijackers was Afghani? Most of them were Saudis. Why isn't George III bombing the crap out of Saudi Arabia, instead? Do you need me to explain it to you?
Oliver Del Signore at Backwoods Home Magazine - Interesting Questions - Indeed!
9. If, by giving up a little freedom and some of our rights, we can buy a little safety, as so many in government and the media keep telling us, does that mean that if we give up ALL our rights and freedoms, we'll be made completely safe? Or will it just make us slaves?
10. Then again, aren't we really already slaves, but with currently indulgent masters?
Dennis P. Slatton at United America Party - Freedom Brigade 2002 - Mr. Slatton is organizing an armed march to take place in Michigan in the spring of 2002. He anticipates between 10,000 and 100,000 participants, hopefully more. He discourages alcoholic beverages at the march.
The Freedom Brigade is the Uniting of American Patriots, dedicated to the God Given Freedoms and Rights...which each and every Citizen of these United States of America is entitled to. It is a Message to be sent loud and clear to all who oppose the Rights and Freedoms of present and future Generations. It is a America Standing together in defiance to the impending New World Order, and all those who would help to destroy Americas Sovereignty. It is Americas Patriots reaching out to Americas Citizens and their Government, in a display of Strength and Unity for the cause of defending our Nation from all enemies...foreign or domestic.
Jack Duggan at LewRockwell.com - Air Roulette, Anyone? - Mr. Duggan is not flying any time soon. Flight 800 was likely shot down by a stinger missile, but the government covered it up. Anyone care to guess the outcome of the "investigation" into the crash of flight 587? [lew]
My 12 year old commented that it was "..definitely an accident; the part of the aircraft where the wing meets the plane accidentally rubbed against a missile warhead, causing a spark that made the plane's fuel tank explode." Out of the mouths of babes...
Steven M. Cherry at IEEE Spectrum - Security, Fear, and National ID Cards - Mr. Cherry found that a cheap ID bought near the Port Authority bus terminal, containing a false name, address, and social security number, served him well in gaining admittance to his office and his physical therapy appointment, both of which require a photo ID for admittance. A National ID would do no better, and it opens the flood gates for abuse. [faisal]
Jacek Furmankiewicz at javalobby - SWT as a replacement for Swing - The Eclipse Project's Standard Widget Toolkit is apparently much faster than Swing. I haven't tried it.
Dwight Silverman at The Houston Chronicle - When OS means outstanding, stable - Mr. Silverman really likes MacOS 10.1. I ordered a 500MHz iMac so I can play with it. My wife will have a fit. Hehe. But she'll use it with the new printer. [mumble]
