1. General Statements
To understand how the world is changing is to change the world
1. It is now clear that humans are no longer the most important things in the universe. This is something the humanists have yet to accept.
2. All technological progress of human society is geared towards the transformation of the human species as we currently know it.
3. In the posthuman era many beliefs become redundant — not least the belief in human beings.
4. Human beings, like gods, only exist inasmuch as we believe them to exist.
5. The future never arrives.

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 8:24 AM  |

The campaign press in the summer of 2000 was entranced with John. It tumbled all over itself to describe John as the perfect match for what it saw as the somewhat wooden, robot-like Gore. One newspaper described John as a man with "an easy manner and good looks," a politician whose "charisma [might] rub off on [Gore]," a person who could "bring some charm to the ticket." John's selection, it opined, would signal that Gore "thinks the election will be decided on personality." A television reporter also regarded this John as "charismatic." Another newspaper saw him as "younger and more telegenic than Dick Cheney." Yet a third newspaper called him "handsome," with "a record tailor-made to undermine the standard Republican attack on liberal Democrats."
...
What a difference 1,460 days make.

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 5:36 PM  |

Moore stipples his film with damning (and in some cases doubtful) statistics—for example, that Mr. Bush spent 42 percent of the first eight months of his presidency on vacation—and vituperation. But, Shenon concludes, while "Mr. Bush's slow, hesitant reaction to the disastrous news has never been a secret,…seeing the actual footage, with the minutes ticking by, may prove more damaging to the White House than all the statistics in the world."

That moment exposes Bush's character. It reveals what his press conferences proclaim: his incapacity. If he were George W. Smith, what job would he be qualified for? Bush's presidency can be seen as one long cover-up of the most obvious thing about him. A life of upward failure, of being his father's son, left him without "sand," my nineteenth century-born father's word for the residue of strength acquired by "standing on your own two feet" and "taking your medicine." Bush never stood on his own feet, never took his medicine—and he has never been his own man.

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 9:42 AM  |

I checked out this hot chick's eyes in the parking lot. I looked deep up in them. She was wasted, so I grabbed her face with both my hands, made like I was going to put a heavy smooching all over her. I propped her eyes open with my thumb. I saw the moon. It was a thin sliver, the last quarter, waning away, just like our love, and my bank account, all because it was November, 5, 1985, where I was stuck. It was just like like how my tongue felt when it was stuck down her throat as we lip-wrestled; Sure it felt great now, but I knew, very soon, I would have to get back.

# posted by Anonymous @ 3:28 PM  |

Tomorrow night's winner of the annual New Zealand Air Guitar Championships at the Poenamo Hotel gets to represent the country at the ninth Air Guitar World Championships in Finland in August.

The qualifying finalists include Auckland rep "Young Davo" Dave Warbrick. He's such a committed air guitarist that during the 2002 national final he fractured his ankle during a rehearsal but, against his doctor's orders, took to the stage to compete in the final.

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 1:26 PM  |

[ 1 ] A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
[ 2 ] A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders conflict with the First Law.
[ 3 ] A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 7:52 AM  |

Dear Bruce:

We the undersigned need you.

Our country's leadership is in desperate need of change.

On September 1, the Republicans will hold their convention in New York City and will nominate George Bush for President. Many people will see this event as it will be broadcast on all the major television networks. However, an opportunity exists at that time to make it clear to Americans that they can choose an alternative to George Bush.

I have put Giants Stadium on hold on September 1 in the hope that you will lead the music industry in coming together and perform in a concert for change. Once it is known that you are involved, many other artists will want to perform with you. Together your collective voices and music will send a clear message to all Americans that our country needs their vote to create change. The event is called VoteAid: "Concert for Change" and we think that it has the potential to become the largest concert in history. We would like the money that this concert generates to go to support voter registration and participation throughout the country, but more importantly your decision to play at exactly the same time George Bush is being nominated will focus all Americans on the importance in this election for their future as well as the future of the world.

I have asked the undersigned to join me in signing this letter.

We need you.

Andrew Rasiej

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 6:25 PM  |

Just as in the early days of the tobacco battle, "personal responsibility" is the junk-food industry's mantra. Of course we are all ultimately responsible for our own behaviors. But food choices don't take place in a vacuum. It's unfair for an industry that spends $33 billion a year on marketing its unhealthy products to blame individuals for succumbing to relentless messages to eat more unhealthy foods.

Whether or not it makes sense for someone who eats too many Big Macs to sue McDonald's, what scares the food companies more than costly jury verdicts is the prospect of the litigation process unearthing damning information about dishonest industry practices, which opens the door to a plethora of new government regulations.

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 8:20 AM  |

A new exhibit, "AKA Houdini", opened on Wednesday at the Outagamie Museum, revealing how the Hungarian magician, handcuffed inside a sack and locked in a trunk, somehow managed to switch places with an assistant on the outside.

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 11:33 PM  |

Most crucially, the full KB places proper emphasis on the controversial Superman speech at the end of Volume Two. As well as being a wry joke at his own expense (The Bride is forced to listen to Bill’s rambling theory while waiting for his truth serum to hit), it perfectly crystallises the key theme of the movie. Here, Tarantino pulls the rug, revealing that the woman we feel so much empathy for is nothing but a stone-cold killer, passing for human in the same way Superman poses as Clark Kent. The Bride is Bill’s equal and much more, which is why only one can survive, because the other can’t be trusted.

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 11:14 AM  |

...eliminates the need for dark matter and dark energy, makes inflation unnecessary, offers an explanation for the Big Bang, offers an answer to whether our universe is a onetime fluke or one of many, and grows directly out of a physical theory that appears to reconcile all of the currently existing competing theories of high-energy physics.

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 9:28 PM  |

"Hey Dad," I say cheerily. "What's up?"
"Hamlet," says the old man after a sigh, "you remember how I was found mysteriously dead in the orchard a couple of weeks back? Well... it's like this. Your uncle Claudius poisoned me so he could become king and marry your mother. I'd be awfully grateful if you could kill him for me."
"All right," I say, "I'll do it!"
My life suddenly seems to have purpose.

# posted by Gerry Canavan @ 1:03 AM  |