Well now. Someone just sent me an interesting link. Apparently an apparrel company, SHAÏ, has decided to use pornography to sell clothing. Their catalog is a flash movie of people having sex but as they disrobe you can roll over the movie with your mouse to get details of the clothing article and add it to your shopping cart. The concept is extremely sharp in that you have models displaying the clothing in, um, interesting ways and that when you see what you like you can purchase the clothing. This could have been done without the sex and I bet we will see this style of catalog in different formats such as an interactive walkway with models displaying the goods. The catalog is NOT WORK SAFE and for adults only. I can’t tell you much about the clothes but I can say that the catalog is explicit enough that some people will blush while others might get a few new ideas.
Category: Touchy Subjects
The things that should never be discussed much less published by non-professionals.
The New FU Government
Anyone remember GW’s finger flipping video?
BOSTON, March 27 (UPI) — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia startled reporters in Boston just minutes after attending a mass, by flipping a middle finger to his critics. …making the obscene gesture and explaining “That’s Sicilian.”
Sicilian for what? "I have no sense of propriety"?! [Source]
And I’m reminded that Cheney told a senator to "F*&k yourself."
Our current administration gives me the feeling that our forefathers worked hard to establish this country and now its just the polticians playground…not very different than a man working hard to build wealth for his family only to have his children squander and not appreciate the wealth.
How the mind works.
Check out this very interesting post. Although adults may initially be shocked by the picture, apparently it is absolutely safe to view with your children.
Use it or loose it. And a question of etiquette
Languages I’ve tasted:
- Spanish (4 years in High School, a couple of years at college, lived in the Spanish dorm a year)
- Hungarian (Magyar – felt comfortable enough with the basics that I wanted to travel to Budapest on my own)
- American Sign Language (some classes in college, hung out at TN school for the Deaf)
- and I can say "Hello" in Arabic. (I said Arabic online! Alert Homeland Security!)
Sidebar
In college, I used to joke that if I could say "Hello" and "I love you" in every language that I’d never sleep alone. I made a good go of it too. Even that part about learning "hello" and "I love you".
My sign language is weird because I was trying to learn ASL but because I was hearing, the kids at TSD wanted to use signed English with me. Despite my pidgon sign, I was comfortable enough to take orders from the deaf and hard of hearing at a Shoney’s restaurant where I worked right out of college. Now I can’t even talk to my wife (but what does that have to do with sign language?). Through the University and working at The Foreign Language Division of The Learning Company, I also gained exposure to French, Japanese, Russian, German and Italian but not enough to claim any knowledge.
So, My question of etiquette: When I bump into someone Hispanic, I always address them in English. Sometimes I get that blank look that I would give if I were being addressed by someone not speaking English; you know, that agast, expressionless face as your mind reels thorough the relatively small number of words you may have in hopes that something rings a bell. My Spanish is not good enough to strike up a conversation but I can still make some appropriate greetings. What is appropriate? Assume they speak Spanish and say, "¡Buenos días!"? Ask if they speak Spanish, "¿Habla español?" Or just stick to the uncomfortable smile, head nod and hesitant wave?
I don’t hesitate to talk to anyone. My inclination is to speak in Spanish. Perhaps my vocabulary will return!
ICANN settles with Verisign
Those not in the business might not know that Verisign owns Networking Solutions (until 1999 the only company allowed to sell domain names). Network Solutions was sold to Verisign from SAIC. SAIC is a fantastic company but due to the nature of their work can create good bureaucracy. Verisign still has ties to SAIC.
ICANN oversees the assignment of domain names and ip addresses.
The board of the Internet Corp. for Assigned Names and Numbers said Wednesday it has approved a set of agreements settling a dispute between ICANN and VeriSign Inc. (VRSN) (VRSN).
ICANN said the settlement includes a new registry agreement relating to the operation of the “.com” registry.
I bet this settlement implies an increase in the cost of the .com tld.
DIY Abortion – Janes Clinics
This is not a topic I usually comment on but Continue reading DIY Abortion – Janes Clinics
Today’s Useful Information for Women and Men
For the ladies, information about a better sports bra. For the guys, simply a cheap thrill. Not safe for work. Guys may find their afternoon bouncing away.
And since we are on the subject of time wasters in the name of a good smile, here’s a safe for work (with sound) video of a European award winning commercial you might not see in the United States.
Help Stop Interstate 3!
Interstate 3 is a horrible conception and unless the public steps up to the plate and contacts their representatives billions of dollars will be wasted and the ecology of the Southeast forever changed! I was composing a lengthy opposition to I-3 when Blogger deleted my account so my research was lost. Fortunately, the Stop I-3 Coalition has stepped up to the plate to bring public awareness to this disaster that has been forming since 2004. Contacting your representative is EASY! Explaining to your grandchildren why the Great Smoky Mountain National Park died and why the Southeast no longer has a wilderness is HARD.
Billions of dollars are being allocated to build a road that reduces current routes by only 15 miles. This money should be spent to build electric rails along existing interstate corridors instead of irrevocability changing the landscape and environment of the Southeast. Modern trains can be equiped to transport cars like ferries so arguments that a rail system would be useless are invalid.
It is my personal believe that this is a military inspired route to expedite transportation of weapons from Oak Ridge to the coast (an unfounded and unproveable statement — but it is a straight line!).
Please click MORE to read the full email from Stop I-3. Please, if you contact your representative about nothing else, just contact them about this. Put a stop to Interstate 3!
Happy President’s Day!
Bah. I was going to upload a patriotic image and after getting it all prep’d I realized that whatever $5/hour artist made it put the flag up backwards.
For all you government workers, enjoy your day off.
Benefits of a job?
In today’s economics, businesses continue to cut job perks:
SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. – The sheriff said Friday he will no longer allow detectives to receive sexual services while investigating suspected prostitution after they spent $1,200 at massage parlors last month.
…county detectives allowed women at Moon Spa to perform sex acts on them — once leaving a $350 tip
I can see the candidates at their interview. "See, we don’t pay great, but…"
Of Grasshoppers
Student: Do guns hurt people?
Master: Guns don’t hurt people. Dick Cheney hurts people. [Source]
see also: Commentary on the Cheney shooting
Saving the Internet
Alright! Let’s hear it for Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.)! A politician that understands with the telcos are doing. Earlier I posted "Large Telcos Want To Kill The Internet". Rep. Rick Boucher explains:
Essentially, what these executives are proposing is the creation of a two-lane Internet where larger, more established websites with financial resources could squeeze out smaller, emerging websites. …
Internet2, a nonprofit partnership of universities, companies and affiliate organizations, including federal agencies and laboratories, has been studying this matter and has demonstrated that a multitrack Internet model is unnecessary to assure quality of service. Internet2 has for the past seven years deployed an advanced broadband network to more than 5 million users and has learned that in a network with enough bandwidth there is no congestion and no bits need preferential treatment because all of them arrive quickly enough to assure excellent quality, even if intermingled.
I find it somewhat sad that our speed over the last mile, that is from the switch to the house, is so slow.
In countries such as Japan and Korea, network speeds over the last mile of 100 megabits per second (mbps) are common. In the United States, our typical speed is less than 1 mbps.
Special thanks to Tom Maszerowski of My Likes and Dislikes for pointing out Rep. Rick Boucher!
Who are you? Fabled.
I like the traveler but I fear I see more and more rancher’s everyday.
Commentary on the Cheeny shooting
I can’t hold back any longer! I was in tears when I heard this on NPR yesterday. My thoughts on Cheney’s hunting accident:
- US VP Can’t Shoot Dick
- Cheney takes lawyer joke too far
There. I’m done.
Large Telcos (Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, etc) Want to Kill The Internet
If you aren’t following, haven’t heard, or don’t understand the news about the large telecommunications companies wanting a “tiered Internet,”
“We don’t want to replicate the cable model on broadband Internet,” Gigi Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge, a Washington-based advocacy group focused on digital rightssaid. “We don’t want the Internet to turn into cable whereby the pipe owners decide on content and services.”
then this hypothetical conversation from 2019 should help.
Consumers should, and do, want Internet Freedom.
Net Neutrality is also supported by FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, considering it (Net neutrality) one of the most pressing technological issues:
“Our open and vibrant and free-wheeling Internet is the last place where we should allow toll bridges to be erected. Every American has a stake in how this turns out.”
Ben Scott, policy director of the media reform group Free Press:
“These pricing schemes are simply poorly disguised discrimination. Requiring Internet companies to pay for high-speed access to the Internet when they’re already charging consumers for the same service means consumers will ultimately pay twice.”
“The scheme will stifle innovation and competition by effectively denying access to start-ups that can’t afford to pay for access to high speeds.”
Get ready to contact your representative!
