Shadowland

Alright, I suppose I turned a lot of you off with my recent foray into dimensional analysis (or something like that), so I thought I'd post something that took me back to days when my imagination was allowed to roam free. I like.

More Dimensions!

So....I'm intent on understanding and making all of you understand the dimensions we live in. I just think it's a fascinating topic and really is one of the funnest crazy things to think about when you're really bored. I like how boingboing.net described it:

Thinking about dimensions other than the three we're used to can rattle one's mind. That's why it's usually left to stoned conversationalists and theoretical physicists.

NewScientist is this week's source for our dimensional enjoyment. It talks about a good number of dimensions, and even the bizarre ones like 0, 1.5, and 10, and it's a great resource, so check it out!

100 Years of Magic

So, I think I'll borrow Justin's recent declaration: I'm obligated to like this.
And I do.



Absolutely fantastique.

IG Torture Report

The Inspector General's Torture Report has been released (of course with its myriad of redactions), and I agree with Salon.com's Glenn Greenwald: every American should know what was done in our name.
It's sad, but an important looking glass into the tactics used in Iraq.
Good read, and he's even summarized the report for lazy American viewing/reading.
What every American should be made to learn about the IG Torture Report

Personas

A very interesting web app from MIT called Personas has captured my intrigue today. Using public data, it creates a graphical representation of who "you" are (obviously if you have a common name, the information it provides could still be an interesting representation of something else). Click the image to see mine.
Check it out here: Personas.

He may have a problem.

Brett relates:

Ok, I had a half self-commitment to not post any more about Glenn Beck for awhile, but this Daily Show clip was too good. I'm sorry.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Glenn Beck's Operation
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Spinal Tap Performance

[via Brett's Brain]

TENth Dimension!!!

So, a while back I emailed to some close friends and family what I found to be an extremely good description of the fourth dimension. I don't think people understand it, and some of you have no desire to, but I find it very spiritual.
Needless to say, one of my favorite blogs enlightened me yet again with a look into all the known dimensions, 1-10. So, if you thought that time was an odd dimension (Donnie Darko anyone?), wait until he starts talking about five, six, seven, eight and nine. Ten, well, ten's just everything...a bunch of infinites, you may say...so it's just one of those things you're not supposed to comprehend.
Anyway, good listen, although a bit winded even if I say so myself.




[tenthdimension.com via BoingBoing]

Stairs

Must...go...to...India...
[via kottke.org & Smoont]

CARS

So, I got an email today. It was a forward, which of course, usually goes straight to my trash, however, whenever I think the forward is full of misinformation, I usually read it over quick and if I find that I was right, I usually try to kindly correct the misinformation. Often, I probably don't come off as kind, but I hope everyone would realize that my intentions are.
So, I got this one today:

Subject: Fwd: Please take the time to look at this story about Cars.com (Stay away)
Be sure and watch this. Very frightening.
Subject: Cars.gov (Stay away)
Please watch this. You will not believe what can happen to you.
This is a must see... some really amazing things the government has pulled of
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqfuZ7hiap0
And Pres. Bush got criticized for the FISA wiretaps???

The video is from the Glenn Beck program. If you have ever looked at that program with a level head, you'll admit that he vies for his audience on pure sensationalism. Given his recent embarrassment, I'm surprised even FOX keeps him around.
Focusing on the email again, I want to address a few things. First of all--just to get it out of the way--FISA wiretaps were done illegally and without consent. Period. There is no comparison.
Now, Glenn takes us on a Willy Wonka tour of CARS.gov. For those unaware, CARS.gov is the interweb's portal for information about the so-called "Cash for Clunkers" deal that you may have heard of. However, Glenn starts misleading right from the start. First of all, he doesn't even show you the consumer side of the website: the side that you will reach by going to www.CARS.gov, but rather, he takes you to the dealer website. Second of all, the link he claims to click (isn't it interesting that they don't give a clean shot of the site so you can read it?) doesn't exist. Heck, Glenn can't even get the rumored warning to come up on screen!
Huh? The entire argument that the government forces you (the consumer) to agree to anything is moot if the consumer (you) never sees the alleged agreement. Seriously, Glenn? I do have to give him props though: he did cover his back by saying "the dealer has to go to the website," then went on to twist that into making people believe that the consumers must go.
So, this leads to two possible conclusions: either the website he was on is dealer specific and has to do with a system of receiving rebates directly from the government (which would technically make it a federal computer, bound to the same rules and regulation that all other federal computers are bound to, namely controlled surveillance), or Glenn Beck elaborately created a look alike website and completely lied to his audience--an easy task that was old in High School.
Which is it?
In the end, CARS is a great program for getting our gas guzzlers off the road and helping the auto industry get back on their feet with the added benefit of diverting the money to consumers/citizens instead of corporations. If you can, use it!