That's a good article. It reminds me of the accusations made during the "Reign of Terror" period of the French Revolution, when the death penalty was prescribed for "les accapareurs" (hoarders). Hoarding is a precursor to speculation in the absence of a liquid market. If I can't buy futures contracts on ham and cooking oil, I can at least put it in my cellar and wait for the prices to rise.
in Let's Tell the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Where to Go

Great article. Him 'n Ron Paul. I guess it depends which social network you tap into...
in It's The Networks, Stupid

The crash investigation will belong to the NTSB, not the FAA. I've never known of an accident report that included an autopsy (I read NTSB accident reports for fun and to keep myself well acquainted with mortality). The examination usually starts with an analysis of the debris pattern, of the physical damage done to each part of the craft, and of the instruments. It's surprising how much information survives -- for example, they'll examine the vanes in the vacuum pump to see whether it might have failed before the crash (which would indicate a failure of the attitude indicator leading to pilot confusion about the true direction of "up." There's not enough information in the story to form an opinion.
in Plane crashes into Mont. building, kills pilot

Just when I thought you couldn't sink any lower.
in Waiting For Somebody To Get Shot Is Not A Campaign Strategy

I want the Mac version of this...
in XYZ Computer Desk Is the Computer Itself (Verdict: I Want One) [Desktop Computing, Literally]

Wow! I worked in Korea for a few weeks once, about a decade ago. I understood nothing but ate rather well. Favorite shopping: Dongdemun Shizang (I'm sure that bears no relation to the correct transliteration).
in 김인호돼지박사 한국형우주관 응^응=응 우주화시대 응원해주세요

Note to self: Never fly Compass Airlines.
in Flight attendant accused of setting fire on airplane

He couldn't hear a HELICOPTER crashing into him?
in Death spurs headphone debate

If I could just get this Obama death ray machine working...
in Jay's Caption of the Week Contest

Perhaps now the truth may finally be known...
in Britain Opens Archives on UFO Sightings

Cool project!
in Gramophone archive going online

Unreal -- can anyone confirm that this isn't a gag?
in Huckabee reenters the race?!?!

No, I didn't say that.
in Arnold Arboretum - Lilac Sunday

Do you still get the check if you're hiding out in a cabin in Montana protesting the right of the Federal Government to levy illegal taxation on an unwitting population? If I'm left out, I'm going to be very pissed.
in Find Out The Date You'll Get Your Stimulus Refund

What's next...LOLweasels? LOLlemmings?
in ICanHasHotDog

I love the irony of the link Bdog is giving me with this: "Spoon with Built-In Scales, Perfect for Dieters and Dealers." More crack for the hyped up masses...
in Here Comes Another Bubble v1.1 - The Richter Scales

The part of the story that matters to me most is the bit about "single profitable astrology website can be worth as much as £50 million." I'm going to start one this afternoon.
in Astrology Fails To Predict That It Is Crap

Somewhere in Anglesea there's a guy with one crutch stumbling from pub to pub ranting out a story of how Darth Vader stole his other stick...
in Drunk Darth Vader's Jedi assault

Maybe Bilary should nominate Rove as VP
in Andrew Sullivan: Karl Rove Wins the Pennsylvania Primary

Pretty funny...(Todd especially will appreciate)
in Sartre: The Existential Programming Language

I think there's a substantial unmet need here both for 'angel' type investors, VCs, entrepreneurs, and the bankers who would run the exchange.
in Startups and acquisition

Wow. There's a whole seamy ugly world of intimidation out there that I knew nothing about...
in neurodiversity: write a blog, earn a subpoena

Shame tonight's game against the Evil Empire (or is that us now?) will probably get rained out...
in Red Sox throttle clawless Tigers 12-6 (AP)

Imagine if he'd had a whole porcupine to fling...
in no! please! don't hit me with that... hedgehog?

OK, so who's going to order one and find out if it's real or not...
in Super Pii Pii Brothers

I followed up on WSJ. It's real. But new federal contracts are only 1% of IBM's annual revenue, and this looks temporary...
in Homeland Security bans IBM indefinitely from US Federal Contracts

As an April Fool's dessert, this 'takes the cake'...
in Cat litter cake is both clumpy *and* delicious

Well, not home, just to a hotel (where we waited two more days for a rebooking out).
in so, glad i'm not flying through Heathrow anytime soon...

Holy St. Bernard, Batman. I felt a twinge when he kicked it, too. And I couldn't help imagining a hepped up few dozen of these doggies swarming down a street in Karbala following remotely sensed small arms fire, explosives scents, or some poor dude who you just want to scare into jelly.
in New Video of BigDog Quadruped Robot Is So Stunning It's SpookyNew Video of BigDog Quadruped Robot Is So Stunning It's Spooky

My daughter now has two legal names, depending on the provenance of the birth certificate or certificate of birth abroad.
in SMS language sparks off unusually spelt baby names trend!

Suffering succotash! I'm only a bobbing bobcat! 0.2624 seconds. Maybe if I practice this all night I'll get better.
in Shoot sheep with darts--for science

A preoccupied vegan named Hugh
picked up the wrong sandwich to chew.
He took a big bite
before spitting, in fright,
"OMG, WTF, BBQ!"
in Kosher Cheeseburger: Sacrilicious or Sacrilegious?

http://biz.yahoo.com/wallstreet/080304/sb120467556472711757_id.html?.v=1
in Brainstorming with Rubber Bands

I might have enough frequent flier miles saved up to buy the whole bank myself...
in Gulf investors may not save Citigroup, Dubai executive says

Or "Color: How to Choose Pint Colors for your House." Is painting so bad?
in Torture has never been so fun!

Oboy! Thanks for the trailer. This is one I probably would have put off until DVD time. Looks too good to miss on the big screen.
in The Full Iron Man Trailer!

The quote from Paul Krugman cheered me up. He's a ninny. If he's certain of looming disaster, it's time to buy...
in The Federal Reserve's rescue has failed - Telegraph

I'll just have bacon.
in Bacon makes everything better

I got a free sample of kiwi-scented cellphone mouthpiece cleaning tissues in this morning's Boston Herald.
in Free cell phones from Google?

Very good...
in garfield minus garfield

And what he says makes no sense whatever, because both Obama and McCain will tack back to the center once the primaries are over.
in Does Nader '08 Mean Bloomberg '08, Too?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNFNFZq2BFY
in Fun with a 777

It's great -- I got a copy emailed to me last week.
in How Subprime (doesn't) Work - A Google Docs Presentation

It turned out to be an epileptic seizure. Poor guy came to, was pretty embarrassed, and we all disembarked normally.
in Woman, 44, Dies on Plane With 2 Empty Oxygen Tanks

Thank you, Shimon.
in Pakistan Breaks the InterTubes

Funny how the dog throws up links.
in "I was Tortured by the Pygmy Love Queen" (and other books you need to add to your reading list)

I wouldn't say so in a public forum where anyone else could read me, but yes...
in Russia overtakes China as the world's highest producer of malware and viruses

This is so cool. Imagine a shootemup/duel game with a split screen -- one player sees his perspective only. Or networked.
in Turning any monitor in to a 3D VR display

Ruder. Not suitable for a public forum, but something like "get lost a******."
in Sarkozy Reads from Cheney School of Etiquette

Oh boy. Marion Cotillard. She just won Best Actress. Saw La Vie en Rose while we were in Quebec last May.
in No Country or There Will Be Blood

Rules: Employees involved with the company that builds Babbledog may enter, but may not win. I get to pick the winner, and no one can complain.
in Jay's Caption Contest

Note to Babbledog developers: can we get a sticker of this please?
in I saw this on a car today and loved it. So i had to share.

Compare to Logan's six runways -- download available from http://www.naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/0801/00058AD.PDF
in 3rd Runway to Appear in Sheremetyevo Airport

Fantastic
in Build your next house out of Heineken bottles! - No really!

Im with Jim. I vote for change.
in Concord Monitor - Only 1 in 4 proficient in math

Did Shakespeare ever use the word "prepend"?
in One in a Million

St. Francis de Sales (patron saint of writers) founded the Académie in 1618, four years before his death. Anticipating the ascendancy of English in centuries to come, this prescient cleric still names members to the august body through divine intervention. If you hear the call, you're a member. I'm a member. You're not.
in "Prepend"

Very nice.
in Eclipse snapshot

http://www.theonion.com/content/whitehousewar
in xkcd - Taking Care of Business

Ditto. Fill the Schill slot.
in Decision 2008: Jacoby Ellsbury vs. Coco Crisp

Guess that dates me.
in Just a Little Closer

If you haven't read Lynn Truss' book, go out and get it. It's a little treasure.
in Celebrating the Semicolon in a Most Unlikely Location

And the reelect Al Gore bumper stickers...
in In Nicaragua, Pats Superbowl Win Celebrated

If the superdelegates back Clinton after Barak finishes the primary season ahead in popular vote, the party will self-destruct. It could provide a realistic opening for a third party bid.
in Democrats' fate in the hands of the super delegates

My very fortunate daughter is on her way to Firenze and Sardinia in a couple of weeks to visit my other very fortunate daughter who lives in Firenze.
in Calabria, Med Sea

compulsory private insurance is going to be a workable solution.
in The Wages of HillaryCare

Anyone know where the candidates stand on net neutrality?
in Best Super Tuesday Candidate for Technology?

Just think of the bolt-on accessories...
in The Hawaii Chair: Hilarious Alternative to the Treadmill Desk [video]

This is a great video collage from the Museum of the Moving Image -- from Ike to Obama. They're all keyed on the C word.
in It's (Always) Time for a Change

hrmph wrong username brb
in M$ buying YHOO

Ahhh, that explains everything.
in Mediterranean Cable Break

Anyone who posts a Pats link prefaced by the query "What are your thoughts?" sounds more like a college professor than a football fan...
in Super Bowl XLII Patriots Vs. Giants Phoenix, AZ 2/3/2008