My new toy!

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So today was the big day — new computers for both Prarie and me! Prairie got a new iMac (which came with all sorts of other goodies), and I got my G5. Once we got home and unloaded the car, we had to memorialize the occasion…

All of our new goodies...

I opened mine up first — I’d been waiting for this for a while, and there was only room on the bed for one of us to unpack at a time, so Prairie was kind enough to let me dive in first. After a minor incident with the knife I used to slit the tape on the box (it’s okay, I didn’t really need that part of my fingertip anyway), I got to see in person what I’d been drooling over online for the past few months.

Two! Count them! Two! Ah ha ha ha ha!

And, just a few minutes later, everything was plugged in and I was up and running. I haven’t installed any really processor intensive applications yet, but even with just poking around at the basic stuff that comes pre-installed, this is so much nicer than my old machine. I’m definitely looking forward to taxing it a bit more in the future — right now, the biggest speed test I’ve had has been with opening iPhoto. On my old G3, with an iPhoto library pushing 2000 photos, it was a good minute or two for the application to open and be ready to use. On the G5? Roughly three seconds.

Oh, and I was highly amused by this. Never having unpacked an iMac before, I wasn’t expecting to see this, but from what we could see when we opened up Prairie’s box — it’s a boy!

It's a boy!

Dean/Clark?

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Yesterday Dad asked for thoughts on possibilities of a Dean/Clark (or Clark/Dean) ticket. I deferred answering right away so that I could bounce it around in the back of my head for a bit.

Well, after letting it bounce around for the past day, I have to say that my only thought right now is that I haven’t got a clue. At this point, I really don’t know all that much about Wesley Clark. I know that he’s well respected by many people, which seems to cross party bounds, after having a strong military career. He apparently had strong ties to the Republican party in the past, and has recently crossed party lines to toss his hat in with the Democrats. It appears that his entrance into the Democratic nomination ring was predicated not so much by wishes of his own (at least at first), but by a grass-roots campaign from his supporters (and apparently he’s now looking to disband those grassroots weblogs, which may be a mistake, if he ticks off the very people that started giving momentum to his campaign before it ever even existed). Apparently during yesterday’s Democratic debate, he said nothing, but said it with style.

He delayed his entrance into the Democratic field until the last possible moment, playing a big “will he or won’t he?” game. That doesn’t seem like a good idea strategically — while there were some people on the ‘net tracking his every step, the major media didn’t bother with him until just a day or two before his official announcement, which gave a lot of press time to the other nine contenders. Delaying his entrance also limited the amount of time he could use to raise money.

Essentially, as I look at it all together, Clark worries me. At least to me, he’s coming off as wishy-washy. He couldn’t decide whether he was Republican or Democrat. He couldn’t decide to run or not. He doesn’t seem to care about the organizations that started his roll towards the nomination race. Most worrying to me is that while he may have had a good military career, he’s not been a player in political fields at all. He strikes me as someone who’d make a very good cabinet member or advisor to the President on military matters, but not someone I’d be terribly thrilled to be voting into office — and that may go for a vice-presidential position as well as a presidential position.

Dean may not be perfect — his campaign’s current “5 million in 10 days” fundraising drive struck me as fairly ludicrous when I saw it (even with the fundraising skills they’ve demonstrated, that’s a lot of money in very little time, and if they don’t make their goal, then no matter how much money they do raise, it will be perceived as a “failure” because for the first time, Dean couldn’t meet or break a fundraising goal…they seem to be setting themselves up for bad press) — but I still believe that he’s by far the best choice, and the only candidate that really gets me excited. As I’ve said before, should he fail to get the nomination, I’ll support whichever Democratic candidate does land it — we need to get Bush out of office, and that’s the bottom line — but none of the others have really struck me as someone I could support as strongly.

Actually, I should amend that. I have liked a lot of what I’ve seen and heard from Carol Mosely-Braun. Unfortunately, I have to concede that I don’t think there’s any way she’d get elected were she to land the nomination — America’s still not about to elect a black woman president, unfortunately. The reports of how chummy she and Dean have been at various points did toss a fun (if completely unfeasible) scenario into my head, though.

Suppose that there’s more to Clark than I’m seeing right now. Bush’s numbers continue to drop, and after Dean picks up the Democratic nomination, he does choose Clark as his VP. America, sick of Bush’s presidency, sees the combination of Dean’s platform and Clark’s military skills and elects them to the White House. Once they’re in, Dean appoints Mosely-Braun to a fairly high-ranking and visible position in his cabinet. Over the next four years, America visibly starts to crawl out of the hole that the Bush administration has dug for us — jobs come back, international relations start improving, etc. As 2008 approaches, it’s clear that we are in a far stronger position that we were in 2003, thanks to the Dean/Clark administration, and it becomes nigh-impossible for any Republican contender to have a realistic chance at getting back into the White House. Suddenly, Clark decides that politics isn’t for him after all, steps down from his VP position — and Dean announces Mosley-Braun as his VP for the 2008 election. He might take a bit of a hit in votes from the ~~more inbred~~ less forward-thinking voters, but if his first term had been strong enough, it might be enough for us to suddenly have a black female Vice President in 2008.

Okay, it’s a pipe dream. But I have to admit, it’s a pipe dream I like.

White House edits to EPA Report on the Environment

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The White House really doesn’t want to admit that there’s such a thing as global warming. Need proof that they’re doing everything they can to prevent little things like scientific findings from getting in the way of their agenda? A leaked internal memo from the EPA dated April 29th 2003 discussing changes that the White House made to the EPA’s Report on the Environment, and what options they have while dealing with the White House.

  1. Most important, the ROE no longer accurately represents scientific consensus on climate change. A few examples are:
    1. Conclusions of the NRC (2001) are discarded, that multiple studies indicate recent warming is unusual. The 1000 year temperature record is deleted…. Emphasis is given to a recent, limited analysis [that] supports the Administration’s favored message….

    2. Natural variability is used to mask scientific consensus that most of the recent temperature increase is likely due to human activities….

    3. Uncertainty is inserted (with “potentially” or “may”) where there is essentially none. For example, the introductory paragraph on climate change…says that changes in the radiative balance of the atmosphere “may” affect weather and climate. EPA had provided numerous scientific citations, and even Congressional testimony by Patrick J. Michaels, to show that this relationship is not disputed….

    4. Repeated references may leave an impression that cooling is as much of an issue as warming….

(via Boing Boinga>)

Wanna get the FBI's attention?

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There’s been a rumor going around the ‘net for a while (so far, officially unsubstantiated) that there are certain words which the FBI/CIA/NSA/government scans for using their “Echelon” technology in an effort to sniff out potential terrorists, evidoers, stupidheads, and people who hoard overdue library books. Well, maybe not the stupidheads, but we’re pretty sure about the rest.

The following is (theoretically) a list of (most of) the (suspected) keywords (according to William Knowles). So if I suddenly stop posting here…this post is probably why. ;)

(via MeFi)

Waihopai, INFOSEC, Information Security, Information Warfare, IW, IS, Priavacy, Information Terrorism, Terrorism Defensive Information, Defense Information Warfare, Offensive Information, Offensive Information Warfare, National Information Infrastructure, InfoSec, Reno, Compsec, Computer Terrorism, Firewalls, Secure Internet Connections, ISS, Passwords, DefCon V, Hackers, Encryption, Espionage, USDOJ, NSA, CIA, S/Key, SSL, FBI, Secert Service, USSS, Defcon, Military, White House, Undercover, NCCS, Mayfly, PGP, PEM, RSA, Perl-RSA, MSNBC, bet, AOL, AOL TOS, CIS, CBOT, AIMSX, STARLAN, 3B2, BITNET, COSMOS, DATTA, E911, FCIC, HTCIA, IACIS, UT/RUS, JANET, JICC, ReMOB, LEETAC, UTU, VNET, BRLO, BZ, CANSLO, CBNRC, CIDA, JAVA, Active X, Compsec 97, LLC, DERA, Mavricks, Meta-hackers, \^?, Steve Case, Tools, Telex, Military Intelligence, Scully, Flame, Infowar, Bubba, Freeh, Archives, Sundevil, jack, Investigation, ISACA, NCSA, spook words, Verisign, Secure, ASIO, Lebed, ICE, NRO, Lexis-Nexis, NSCT, SCIF, FLiR, Lacrosse, Flashbangs, HRT, DIA, USCOI, CID, BOP, FINCEN, FLETC, NIJ, ACC, AFSPC, BMDO, NAVWAN, NRL, RL, NAVWCWPNS, NSWC, USAFA, AHPCRC, ARPA, LABLINK, USACIL, USCG, NRC, \~, CDC, DOE, FMS, HPCC, NTIS, SEL, USCODE, CISE, SIRC, CIM, ISN, DJC, SGC, UNCPCJ, CFC, DREO, CDA, DRA, SHAPE, SACLANT, BECCA, DCJFTF, HALO, HAHO, FKS, 868, GCHQ, DITSA, SORT, AMEMB, NSG, HIC, EDI, SAS, SBS, UDT, GOE, DOE, GEO, Masuda, Forte, AT, GIGN, Exon Shell, CQB, CONUS, CTU, RCMP, GRU, SASR, GSG-9, 22nd SAS, GEOS, EADA, BBE, STEP, Echelon, Dictionary, MD2, MD4, MDA, MYK, 747,777, 767, MI5, 737, MI6, 757, Kh-11, Shayet-13, SADMS, Spetznaz, Recce, 707, CIO, NOCS, Halcon, Duress, RAID, Psyops, grom, D-11, SERT, VIP, ARC, S.E.T. Team, MP5k, DREC, DEVGRP, DF, DSD, FDM, GRU, LRTS, SIGDEV, NACSI, PSAC, PTT, RFI, SIGDASYS, TDM. SUKLO, SUSLO, TELINT, TEXTA. ELF, LF, MF, VHF, UHF, SHF, SASP, WANK, Colonel, domestic disruption, smuggle, 15kg, nitrate, Pretoria, M-14, enigma, Bletchley Park, Clandestine, nkvd, argus, afsatcom, CQB, NVD, Counter Terrorism Security, Rapid Reaction, Corporate Security, Police, sniper, PPS, ASIS, ASLET, TSCM, Security Consulting, High Security, Security Evaluation, Electronic Surveillance, MI-17, Counterterrorism, spies, eavesdropping, debugging, interception, COCOT, rhost, rhosts, SETA, Amherst, Broadside, Capricorn, Gamma, Gorizont, Guppy, Ionosphere, Mole, Keyhole, Kilderkin, Artichoke, Badger, Cornflower, Daisy, Egret, Iris, Hollyhock, Jasmine, Juile, Vinnell, B.D.M.,Sphinx, Stephanie, Reflection, Spoke, Talent, Trump, FX, FXR, IMF, POCSAG, Covert Video, Intiso, r00t, lock picking, Beyond Hope, csystems, passwd, 2600 Magazine, Competitor, EO, Chan, Alouette,executive, Event Security, Mace, Cap-Stun, stakeout, ninja, ASIS, ISA, EOD, Oscor, Merlin, NTT, SL-1, Rolm, TIE, Tie-fighter, PBX, SLI, NTT, MSCJ, MIT, 69, RIT, Time, MSEE, Cable & Wireless, CSE, Embassy, ETA, Porno, Fax, finks, Fax encryption, white noise, pink noise, CRA, M.P.R.I., top secret, Mossberg, 50BMG, Macintosh Security, Macintosh Internet Security, Macintosh Firewalls, Unix Security, VIP Protection, SIG, sweep, Medco, TRD, TDR, sweeping, TELINT, Audiotel, Harvard, 1080H, SWS, Asset, Satellite imagery, force, Cypherpunks, Coderpunks, TRW, remailers, replay, redheads, RX-7, explicit, FLAME, Pornstars, AVN, Playboy, Anonymous, Sex, chaining, codes, Nuclear, 20, subversives, SLIP, toad, fish, data havens, unix, c, a, b, d, the, Elvis, quiche, DES, 1*, NATIA, NATOA, sneakers, counterintelligence, industrial espionage, PI, TSCI, industrial intelligence, H.N.P., Juiliett Class Submarine, Locks, loch, Ingram Mac-10, sigvoice, ssa, E.O.D., SEMTEX, penrep, racal, OTP, OSS, Blowpipe, CCS, GSA, Kilo Class, squib, primacord, RSP, Becker, Nerd, fangs, Austin, Comirex, GPMG, Speakeasy, humint, GEODSS, SORO, M5, ANC, zone, SBI, DSS, S.A.I.C., Minox, Keyhole, SAR, Rand Corporation, Wackenhutt, EO, Wackendude, mol, Hillal, GGL, CTU, botux, Virii, CCC, Blacklisted 411, Internet Underground, XS4ALL, Retinal Fetish, Fetish, Yobie, CTP, CATO, Phon-e, Chicago Posse, l0ck, spook keywords, PLA, TDYC, W3, CUD, CdC, Weekly World News, Zen, World Domination, Dead, GRU, M72750, Salsa, 7, Blowfish, Gorelick, Glock, Ft. Meade, press-release, Indigo, wire transfer, e-cash, Bubba the Love Sponge, Digicash, zip, SWAT, Ortega, PPP, crypto-anarchy, AT&T, SGI, SUN, MCI, Blacknet, Middleman, KLM, Blackbird, plutonium, Texas, jihad, SDI, Uzi, Fort Meade, supercomputer, bullion, 3, Blackmednet, Propaganda, ABC, Satellite phones, Planet-1, cryptanalysis, nuclear, FBI, Panama, fissionable, Sears Tower, NORAD, Delta Force, SEAL, virtual, Dolch, secure shell, screws, Black-Ops, Area51, SABC, basement, data-haven, black-bag, TEMPSET, Goodwin, rebels, ID, MD5, IDEA, garbage, market, beef, Stego, unclassified, utopia, orthodox, Alica, SHA, Global, gorilla, Bob, Pseudonyms, MITM, Gray Data, VLSI, mega, Leitrim, Yakima, Sugar Grove, Cowboy, Gist, 8182, Gatt, Platform, 1911, Geraldton, UKUSA, veggie, 3848, Morwenstow, Consul, Oratory, Pine Gap, Menwith, Mantis, DSD, BVD, 1984, Flintlock, cybercash, government, hate, speedbump, illuminati, president, freedom, cocaine, \$, Roswell, ESN, COS, E.T., credit card, b9, fraud, assasinate, virus, anarchy, rogue, mailbomb, 888, Chelsea, 1997, Whitewater, MOD, York, plutonium, William Gates, clone, BATF, SGDN, Nike, Atlas, Delta, TWA, Kiwi, PGP 2.6.2., PGP 5.0i, PGP 5.1, siliconpimp, Lynch, 414, Face, Pixar, IRIDF, eternity server, Skytel, Yukon, Templeton, LUK, Cohiba, Soros, Standford, niche, 51, H&K, USP, \^, sardine, bank, EUB, USP, PCS, NRO, Red Cell, Glock 26, snuffle, Patel, package, ISI, INR, INS, IRS, GRU, RUOP, GSS, NSP, SRI, Ronco, Armani, BOSS, Chobetsu, FBIS, BND, SISDE, FSB, BfV, IB, froglegs, JITEM, SADF, advise, TUSA, HoHoCon, SISMI, FIS, MSW, Spyderco, UOP, SSCI, NIMA, MOIS, SVR, SIN, advisors, SAP, OAU, PFS, Aladdin, chameleon man, Hutsul, CESID, Bess, rail gun, Peering, 17, 312, NB, CBM, CTP, Sardine, SBIRS, SGDN, ADIU, DEADBEEF, IDP, IDF, Halibut, SONANGOL, Flu, &, Loin, PGP 5.53, EG&G, AIEWS, AMW, WORM, MP5K-SD, 1071, WINGS, cdi, DynCorp, UXO, Ti, THAAD, package, chosen, PRIME, SURVIAC, [Hello to all my friends and fans in domestic surveillance]

Easy MovableType to TypePad redirecting

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Since this weblog used to be managed using MovableType on my personal server, and I’m working on moving all of my old posts over to this weblog (only one year’s worth of posts left to go!), I’ve ended up with most of my posts duplicated in two spots on the ‘net. I’m also still getting a lot of hits to my old site (and the occasional comment) thanks to all the search engines that still point there.

I’d been planning on diving into the arcana of the Apache mod_rewrite module — it’s a very powerful way to tell your server “if someone asks for this page, send them to that page instead” — to redirect all the hits to this new address, but then tonight I discovered a much, much easier solution.

Needless to say, as soon as I get those last years’ worth of posts transferred over, I’ll be setting this method up.

Here come the ads

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My “Bookshelf” (books) and “Noises” (CDs) lists are back on the site, now that TypePad has given us the necessary tags to work them into our templates. Since I didn’t want to go back to having sidebars on the page, but still wanted to incorporate them into the front page somehow, I’m currently experimenting with an “ad banner” style layout.

Between the 2nd and 3rd posts on At the very bottom of the main page, there’s now the “ad banner” box, displaying the most recent addition to my book and music lists. For books, this is whatever I’m currently reading, and for music, I’m more or less randomly choosing a CD every so often to pop in there. The far right side is simply a link to Amazon. As always, any purchases from these links funnel a few pennies my way. It may not be much, but every little bit helps!

Bare your bum at Bush!

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Bare Your Bum at Bush!The President of the United States has accepted an invitation from The Queen to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom from Wednesday 19th November to Friday 21st November 2003.

George Bush is unlikely to walk around the streets kissing babies because of the large number of people that wish to blow him up. However, a ‘Brits love Bush’ photo-op of happy crowds greeting the man may be in the offing and it’s vitally important that we rob him of such a lucrative propaganda device. By attending such gatherings (by accident or design) and ensuring that you bare your buttocks as he passes by, you either render any photos taken at that moment unusable or make a very clear indication of what Britain thinks of this bigoted warmonger.

Hey, I’d do it! Maybe it’s time we rethink our protest strategies here in the U.S., too.

(via Atrios)

Love, Natalie

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A definite must-read: a letter from Natalie of the Dixie Chicks:

Dear Reader:

I am taking the time out of my very busy rock and roll life to write you this letter. As I am sure you can understand, being me is a full time job. I can’t just drop everything every three days because someone needs a quote or statement about a quote or statement we may or may not have said. It’s just draining me of time and effort I need to put toward other things. For one, I as a taxpayer have to get busy earning money to help pay off the latest \$87 billion dollar addition to the national debt! Also, I have a huge list of phone calls to return.

I’ll list a few just so you get the idea.

Message 1: Saddam Hussein called and wants to know where his weapons of mass destruction are. Listen Saddam, I already told you, I don’t know. You’re going to have to call the White House on that one.

Message 2: Country radio called and wants to know if it’s true that you’re leaving country music? This one must be a prank call. I mean, how can you leave a party now when the hosts had shown you to the door six months ago.

(via Atrios)