Topics include, but are not limited to: synthetic and systems biology, urban planning and economics, politics, craft beer, and bicycles. Caveat lector.
Catching Elephant is a theme by Andy Taylor
Glenn Greenwald on what the rule of law in America means
* If you torture people or eavesdrop on Americans without the warrants required by the criminal law, you receive Look-Forward Imperial Immunity.
* If you shoot and kill unarmed rescuers of the wounded while occupying their country and severely wound their unarmed children sitting in a van — or if you authorize that conduct — your actions are commended.
* If you help wreck the world economy with fraud and cause hundreds of millions of people untold suffering, you collect tens of millions of dollars in bonsues.
* If you disclose to the world evidence of war crimes, government lawbreaking, or serious corruption, or otherwise embarrass the U.S., you will be swiftly prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and face decades in prison.
This is in response to the US charging Bradley Manning today for leaking that “Collateral Murder” video to wiki-leaks. How much time does he face, you ask? It must be a few years to make an example of him, and to warn others away from his crime right? I mean realistically there’s no way he could pose a significant or even paltry continuing danger to AmeriHAHAHA I’m just kidding guys he’s facing 52 years in prison.
Fifty-two.
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend - “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance”
I didn’t like the business
But that was at first glance
Your pillow feels so soft now
But still you must advance
The pin-striped men of morning
The partners in the dance
The paper’s shot to pieces
The kids don’t stand a chance
the pin-striped men of morning
are coming for to dance
(…forgot how much I love this.)
WELCOME TO THE FUTURE
Today is the day Marty Mcfly arrived at in the future after hitting 88 mph in his Delorean from 1985!
(h/t Max Keily)
A Safari 5 extension for when you need more than just an ad blocker.
Obnoxious Yelp reviewers getting you down? Sick of that guy who wants to be the Hunter S. Thompson of food reviews? Had an epiphany about the incommensurability of taste?
Sounds like you need Yelp Without Pity, a Safari 5 extension for Yelp that lets you hide anybody you don’t want to see — forever!
I’m glad I’m not the only person who finds most Yelpers to be annoying but the service overall to be helpful.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
AT-AT DAY AFTERNOON
Cool Kids - Parking Lot
Dan le Sac and Scroobius Pip - Sick Tonight
It’s Raining Men
President Medvedev and President Obama, tired of the normal quagmire of normal diplomacy, settle their differences in a burger eating contest.
This isn’t Ray’s Hell Burger is it?
Best place ever for a burger eating contest.
UPDATE: It is!
President Obama treated Russian president Dmitry Medvedev to a traditional American lunch at the Arlington eatery Thursday before returning to the White House for a joint news conference.
Obama ate a traditional cheeseburger, while Medvedev added jalepenos, mushrooms and onions to his. The pair shared an order of fries, according to the White House. No word on which superpower paid for the meal. (Update, 1:47 p.m.: It was Obama’s treat.)
Yes, but were they regular fries or the sweet potato ones?
Diplomacy is delicious.
Sleigh Bells - A/B Machines
Like Eric Mortensen said:
Sleigh Bells sounds a bit like Atari Teenage Riot having sex with The Blow under the high school bleachers.
In a really good way.
RATATAT - Party With Children
Utah firing squad death announced on Twitter
Sometimes I can’t help but be fascinated by just how effed this country is.
Just so we’re clear, everyone’s problem with this is that he twittered it, right? Not so much that, you know, Utah allows capital punishment? And the fact that that’s why folks are so upset is actually why we’re effed rather than the comparatively meaningless act of twittering itself… right?
The applause as the players leave the tunnel. The cheers as the big names are read from the team sheets, and the boos when the pantomime villains are mentioned too. The chanting as the fans contest just who has the loudest support. The awkward silence as everyone waits to see… if he’s okay. The venomous outrage at a bad decision by the officials. The spontaneous song that is sung by hundreds in an effort to spur the boys on. The wall of noise and excitement created by thousands as the ball makes its way into the opponents’ box. And that unbeatable delirium as the ball crosses the line. All of this replaced by the unwavering, inescapable drone of the Vuvuzela.
Redditor “Twotest” (via bstriddy)
