Starting in 1996, Alexa Internet has been donating their crawl data to the Internet Archive. Flowing in every day, these data are added to the Wayback Machine after an embargo period.
My wife and I just spent 4 days driving from Phoenix to the DC area. We're now officially living inside the beltway--someone please tell me if my brain turns to mush! I don't have much detail to fill in here since we didn't stop anywhere to sight-see or play tourist. Instead, I have a few quick observations about each state/region, glimpsed from the windows of my speeding car:
Arizona: Phoenix to Payson on the 87N was relatively boring since not many people live out in the desert and the scenery itself is mediocre at best. There's a bit of Native American tribal land with casinos, but that's about it. Then we took the 260E to the 60E out of Payson--absolutely beautiful land up there! We'd never been to this part of Arizona before and the rolling hills, bright green grass, and rocky slopes/fields reminded me of Scotland. Well, pictures of Scotland--I've never been there. But the contrast with the brown, boring desert was extreme. The scattered sun/rain we encountered while driving only made it better. I would love to visit this area again.
The Turks, as everyone knows, are insane and deceitful. I say this affectionately. I live in Turkey. On good days, I love Turkey. But I have long since learned that its people are apt to go berserk on you for no reason whatsoever, and you just can’t trust a word they say. As one Turkish friend put it (a man who has spent many years in America, and thus grasps the depth of the cultural chasm), “It’s not that they’re bad. They don’t even know they’re lying."
Affectionately? Do you have any idea how horribly insulting a Turk would find this? And for good reason, too. It's an ugly, untrue stereotype. This kind of crap just reinforces orientalism and, considering the source, is a set-up for a kind of 'Wogs begin at Calais' trope that delegitimizes anything the Turks might do. It's also just plain wrong. How about this for a little thought experiment:
My friend is right, and his comment suggests a point about American culture that I doubt many Easterners grasp. People here—and, I would guess, throughout the South and the Mountain States, though Texas is the only state I know well—see “truth” as something plastic, connected more to emotions than to facts or logic. If it feels true, it is true. What’s more, feelings here tend to change very quickly—and with them, the truth.
The above paragraph can be used to describe every Fox TV-watching, Sarah Palin-loving person in America. Now go read the original. The whole essay is full of really, really odious stuff that proves a singluar point about human nature: we see what we want to see. Take me for example: when I first discussed hejab in Turkey with three girls who were wearing it, I saw what I wanted to see. Only later would I learn that it was much, much more complicated than my first, oversimplified impression.
Look, the Turks do have unique characteristics. They love practical jokes. Have a very different and wonderful sense of humor. They are supremely hospitable and kind. But this idea that the truth, to Turks, is plastic, malleable and that 'orientals' are deceitful and insane is an old Orientalist trope. It's also complete bullshit.
Human beings lie. Human beings tell you what they think you want to hear. We all do it. Why? Because we don't like hurting people's feelings. It's human nature.
I can't believe it's 2010 and I have to fucking point this out.
A Swedish tabloid says an arrest warrant has been issued for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on suspicion of rape, and officials have issued a statement “confirming media reports.” The prosecutor’s office in Stockholm “confirms media reports that a foreign citizen has been arrested in absentia” but doesn’t name Assange.
we should never dismiss rape, sexual assault or molestation accusations out of hand. Far too often there’s a culture of shaming, blaming, marginalizing and ignoring victims.
This is terrible news, if it is true or not. And it highlights my single largest issue with Wikileaks. A point I have tried to make over and over again: relying on one person in a celebrity-obsessed culture has serious dangers. Accuse a guy of rape and his body of work and the organization he leads is immediately called into question as inherently suspect. You and I may think we know better, but the vast majority of news consumers don't consume nearly as much information as we do. They get the headlines. That's simple reality.
The work that Wikileaks does and the principle it seeks to uphold is far, far too important for any one man or woman to ride a wave of popularity and media-obsession to promote the work he or she does. This is just a terrible development in more ways than one.
Update: According to this tweet, Swedish prosecutors have canceled the arrest warrant for Assange.
This week started on a sour note. Monday morning Victor called to tell me he planned to turn out our stallions in order to clean their stalls. We’ve been so busy with hay of late that the horses have gone neglected. Truth is, Victor probably had a hangover and used this as an excuse not to come out to the ranch. Monday afternoon he called to tell me that Racing Rhinocerous, my solid black fifteen year old Thoroughbred stallion was dead. Then he said something like, “I don’t know what happened….”
Well let me tell you what happened, you (expletives deleted)... It was 102 fucking degrees in the shade and about 120 in the direct sun. You put the horse in a pen with no shade and probably no water. Noss died of a heat stroke. Made me want to stake Victor out in the sun for a day. But…
I've found in life that when I am wrong the best thing to do is just come right out and admit it.
Here goes: I was wrong. Wikileaks, based on the evidence that the DoD has presented, did its level best to work with the DoD to redact any names that might harm innocent Afghans. The Pentagon not only lied about it, but has even refused to cooperate going forward:
The blood, if there is to be any, is on the Pentagon's hands. It's that simple.
And oh yes, my fellow Jews, who are so thrilled to be locked arm in arm with the heirs of Pat Robertson and Father Coughlin against the Islamic threat. Evidently, it’s never crossed your mind that the religious hatred you have helped unleash could turn once again against us. Of course not, we’re insiders in this society now: Our synagogues grace the toniest of suburbs; our rabbis speak flawless English; we Jews are now effortlessly white. Barely anyone even remembers that folks in Lower Manhattan once considered us alien and dangerous, too.
You think "it can't happen here," but did you ever think America would wage aggressive war, or torture people or assassinate its own citizen with out due process?
Yeah, me neither.
What was it Ronnie James Dio said about riding the tiger?
From the Consumerism Run Fucking Amok Department comes this:
Ads in e-books? The very thought of it might make most of us want to cry, while visions of dollar signs dance in the heads of the advertising-inclined. But Dartmouth professor Ron Adner and former book editor William Vincent write in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that it’s inevitable.
The moment one ad shows up in my Kindle or iPad reader I will never again buy another e-book.
The Independent - Torture. Corruption. Civil war. America has certainly left its mark. When you invade someone else's country, there has to be a first soldier – just as there has to be a last. The first man in front of the first unit of the first column of the invading American army to reach Fardous Square in the centre of Baghdad in 2003 was Corporal David Breeze of the 3rd Battalion, Fourth Marine Regiment. For that reason, of course, he pointed out to me that he wasn't a soldier at all. Marines are not soldiers. They are Marines. But he hadn't talked to his mom for two months and so – equally inevitably – I offered him my satellite phone to call his home in Michigan. Every journalist knows you'll get a good story if you lend your phone to a soldier in a war.
I heard this testimony this on CSPAN today as I was driving somewhere.
NOAA’s Bill Lehr says three-quarters of the oil that gushed from the Deepwater Horizon rig is still in sea while scientists identify 22-mile plume in ocean depths.
A NOAA team reported two weeks ago that just over a quarter of oil remained in the Gulf as a light sheen on the surface or degraded tar balls washing ashore.
White House claims that the worst of the was over were undermined yesterday when a senior government scientist said three-quarters of the oil was still in the Gulf and a research study detected a 22-mile plume of oil in the ocean depths. Guardian.uk Aug 19
But what about the 75% cleanup claimed by the administration's Carol Browner:
The White House energy adviser, Carol Browner, said a new assessment had found that about 75% of the oil had been captured, burned off, evaporated or broken down in the Gulf. Guardian.uk Aug 4
The findings suggest that, nearly two years into Mr. Obama’s presidency, the White House is struggling with the perception of “otherness” that Candidate Obama sought so hard to overcome
First and foremost, let's not get all hoity-toity Ms. Stolberg. Let us call it what it is: racism. Otherness is an academic word that in my experience is very different from racism. Otherness is a literary construct created by Herodotus and the ancient Athenian playwrights and pretty much useless in contemporary debates about race. No doubt it was harnessed by the Orientalists in the 19th century as well, but by then 'otherness' was clearly wrapped up in Germanic theories of race and was separated from race by Western academics in the aftermath of WWII and the decolonization of the 60s.
As for the idea that Obama overcame this perception? Again, silly. Misinformed. Plain dumb. That the number is as low as it is (18% ain't horrible in my book, it ain't good either) is a testament to the acceptance of race in America. And yes, yes, yes, I know, there is still work to be done.
But really, by highlighting the 18percenters people like Stolberg are adding more fuel to the GZM controversy.
This sucks. I loved Roger Clemens. Looked up to him. He was a great pitcher. Except that he was a cheater. Not only a cheater, but when caught, he lied about it. And thus, he deserves all the shame and opprobrium that will be heaped upon him when convicted of perjury.
I'm the forgiving type, so long as you show contrition. Alas, Roger doesn't seem to have that in him. This is a shame.
1. Guarantee that a person's beliefs, religious or otherwise, shall not be investigated?
2. Provide for freedom of assembly?
3. Provide as a universal right of all to enjoy social insurance or other forms of security for retirement, unemployment, old-age disability, lack of guardianship, being a wayfarer, accident and the need for health and treatment services and medical care.
We don't even offer #3 here in America.
But let's go a little further. In Iran women can vote. They can drive cars. They can work in just about any profession they choose. In Iran nearly 70% of science and engineering students are women. The Iranian Parliament is composed of almost 6% women. What is it in America? Jews, Zoroastrians, Armenians and Catholics (Assyrian and Chaldean) are guaranteed one seat in Parliament a piece, as well (two for Armenians). The turnout in elections in Iran is 60% too. What is it in America?
Look, I've been to Iran and the country has serious human rights issues. No one is denying that. And no one, least of all me, is making any excuses for the terrible and odious burden placed on women and the ugly enforced modesty they have to deal with. But 12th century? C'mon. If you want to classify Saudi Arabia that way? Or Afghanistan or parts of Pakistan and areas in Sahel Africa and the Horn? Sure, go right ahead. But to suggest that the most modern Islamic nation after Turkey is living in the 12th century is a slap in the face to people like me who have actually ventured to such places and tried to report the truth on the ground.
Let's be clear: Iran is a very modern, damn near pluralistic society with somewhat free nationwide elections--local elections are for the most part free and fair. Moreover, 12th century nations do not guarantee basic human rights and freedoms (no matter how poorly said guarantees are delivered in practice). Iran is a complicated place. Just like every other nation on the planet. Jerome should know better.
As Alyosha notes in the comments, Dean is talking about Islam, not Iran ..and while Islam has many good things to say about it, it has often been the foundation for theocratic states (which is Iran). I think I have a pretty good grasp about modern day Iran, and agree with Sean on the nuance, having blogged previously that: "The US population, for the most part, has such an unbelievable conception of Iranians that it defies even starting a conversation. And unfortunately, that negative perception is enhanced all to often by our politicians." But you know, Twitter doesn't do nuance, but its pretty obvious what Dean's point was, and that was the reference.
As usual, we're pretty much in agreement on the issue. And Jerome is correct: Twitter doesn't lend itself to nuance.
Eight years. The longest war in American history. A war of aggression. 4400+ American soldiers dead. One million Iraqis dead. Who knows how many more displaced and chronically, perhaps fatally, un- or underemployed.
America's first official war of aggression. At least we didn't bother veiling this one behind an attack on a ship. Kofi Annan.
WMDs. NBCs. "They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat." Chemical Ali. Baghdad Bob. Spider trap. Embedding. Qatar.
David Bloom: I miss him still. Peter Arnett.
Colin Powell in front of the UN with a vial of "anthrax". Bush said in a nationally televised White House speech. "Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict commenced at a time of our choosing." "Axis of Evil". Three million Romans protesting war (there's an irony), the largest anti-war protest ever. Mohamed ElBaradei. Hans Blix. Scott Ritter. Connection to September 11 attacks. Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda, allies. Muhammad Atta in Prague with high ranking Hussein official. 48% still believe that Hussein was personally involved in the 9/11 attacks.
Operation Iraqi Freedom began in March, 2003. It was the first "true internet war", with many discovering the Agonist in an attempt to absorb the information flow.
Webcams on hotel roofs, reports from embeds, hints of intelligence failures and personalities like Scott Ritter, Donald Rumsfeld, Jessica Lynch, Hans Blix and places like Abu Ghraib, the burning oil fields, Basra and Tikrit splattered across cathode ray tubes and ever increasing numbers of LCD displays worldwide.
Time marched on, and finally the last USA combat brigade has exited Iraq. It seems fitting to use Aljazeera's report:
DAWN -
The number of people rendered homeless by the devastating floods in Pakistan has risen to over four million, the United Nations said on Thursday.
The UN had earlier said that two million people had lost their homes in the worst floods in Pakistan's history which began nearly three weeks ago.
Social Security is 75 today-an unbreakable promise to Americans. No to GOP privatizing, cutting or raising retirement age!
If that is all true, why did you schedule an up or down vote on the Catfood Commission's recommendations after the mid-term elections and during a lame-duck session of the House?
The right to international travel has only recently become an issue because passports were not required to travel in and out of the United States before 1978. The Secretary of State has historically in times of peace refused passports for one of two reasons, a) citizenship or loyalty, and b) criminal conduct or when the applicant was seeking to "escape the toils of law." Laws and regulations on restricting passports have generally been categorized as personal restrictions or area restrictions and have generally been justified for national security or foreign policy reasons.
International travel can be prevented on the basis of certain conditions, which means, unlike domestic travel, it is not an absolute right.
As a very frequent foreign traveler I am acutely aware that my passport is a privilege. (54 countries and counting.) It is a privilege I guard. I am very careful to behave at our customs and border and passport posts. I'm not saying this is right, nor am I saying it is really wrong, either. The US government cannot prevent me from traveling domestically anywhere I want to go. But they can prevent me from traveling to certain international destinations, if they so choose.
. . . call the company this oh-so-patriotic guy used to run a mercenary company, please? That's how the company acts. So let us please call it what it is.
As a side note, I love how people like Prince are good patriotic Americans until things get tough. Poor baby, 'needs a break from America.'
I don't usually indulge in wild speculation, but an inner voice is tugging at me on this one.
What if the mortgage bubble was burst intentionally?
It is undeniable that it was a long time coming. Mortgage foreclosures ratcheted up in an orderly fashion, and the crisis was wholly foreseeable years before it occured.
The market conditions were perfect for the collapse. Low, low interest rates, extreme liquidity in the cash markets, and the revocation of Glass-Steagall in 1999 allowed the predators into the home mortgage market. NINJA loans abounded (no income, no job or assets), however. And there's the anomaly.
For the last three years I have noticed a very real degradation in broadband speed in America. After traveling overseas last week I noticed, once again, how real the decline in speed was. In Denmark the internet was very zippy. In Istanbul it was about as fast as that here in Austin.
I've written about this and some readers have poo-poohed my suggestions. Well, the proof is in: broadband speed America, as provided by ISPs, sucks.
Robert Fisk: US troops say goodbye to Iraq
re: 
Big oops? White House claims on Gulf cleanup
