MCDSPOT

Monday, June 18, 2007

3d

Spacetime is a very cool new browsing experience. Odd, but interesting.

Fascinating article on the "Beast of Omaha," a German soldier who was in a machine gun nest on Omaha Beach, Normandy on D-Day in 1944. He fired over 12,000 rounds and probably killed around 3,000 G.I.s.

be there now

This is Rome.

crime does pay

In honor of the upcoming (and hopefully good) film Ocean's 13, the purveyors of this blog (who never carry more than $100 in cash) present 13 actual famous heists from around the world.

fyi

More information about Inuit kayaks than you ever wanted to know.

shocked, but not surprised

A recent Gallup poll has confirmed that the GOP has been effectively appropriated by the religious right. The poll found that the majority of Republicans in the United States do not believe the theory of evolution is true and do not believe that humans evolved over millions of years from less advanced forms of life.

sigh.

assisting English majors nationwide

It doesn't often happen that the author of a famous book actually says what the book is really about. We should listen when they tell us. Of course many don't, but in a way that's what remains compelling about some books--even the authors themselves cannot enforce a particular meaning on the reader. At any rate, Ray Bradbury, who recently won a Pulitzer, has refreshingly told the world that Farenheit 451 is not what you thought it is about.

my hero

Joshua Abraham Norton, otherwise known as His Imperial Majesty Emperor Norton I, was a celebrated citizen of San Francisco, California who proclaimed himself "Emperor of these United States" and "Protector of Mexico." One of our most illustrious citizens, without doubt.

It finally happened

Dutch students have developed a powdered alcohol--just add water.

How to be persuasive

The new method.

Use of big words is persuasive several times over. They make you look all smart and other people look all stupid; hence, your argument becomes the more compelling. Furthermore, use of big words means you'll talk longer, and usually whoever talks the most is the most convincing. "Wow, look at all he has to say about this," people will say to themselves as they observe you making a protracted argument. "He must know a lot about this subject."
By way of example, compare the persuasiveness of the following two statements:

"Hockey is better than football."

"You are the manifest profusion of delusional ideology incarnate if you do not fulminate against the institution of football with great superciliousness and promulgate the preeminence of hockey."

this is great

The landlord.

thanks Richard

wow. I mean wow.

from the Creationist Museum.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Jesus vs Darwin

Jesus! vs Darwin!
Originally uploaded by The Searcher.

PAC man

The is the best political action committee ever. It's purpose?

To filter funds from controversial or unpopular groups to other PACs and candidates for the purpose of hiding the actual source of a candidate’s campaign campaign money from voters.