Nokia Linux Tablet

Posted on 5/25/2005 by Ben

Nokia released their Linux-based mini-tablet device. The interface is based on GNOME technologies. If only this thing had a hard drive it would be cooler than the LifeDrive.

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Advocates for Rasiej

Posted on 5/25/2005 by Ben

Andrew Rasiej is running a tech-savvy campaign for Public Advocate of New York City. This is the guy who started the effort to get Bruce Springsteen to perform at an anti-Bush, anti-war concert at Giants Stadium and lead to the Vote for Change tour. He’s limiting campaign donations to $100, plans to work to provide low-cost, high-speed Internet access to every New Yorker, and now he has a video blog.

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Ones to Watch (May 2005)

Posted on 5/24/2005 by Ben

Ones to Watch (May 2005): In this recurring feature, we present you with 10 tracks by some of our favorite rising acts. 1. Bigtime – The Soundtrack Of Our Lives 2. Sleepwalking – The Raveonettes 3. Mushaboom – Feist 4. Ships – The Weight 5. Play The Hits – Hal 6. Walking Dead – Z-trip 7. The Point Of No Return – Immortal Technique 8. Never Ever – Shout Out Louds 9. I Predict A Riot – Kaiser Chiefs 10. Lovercall – Danko Jones

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Juices saves

Posted on 5/23/2005 by Ben

The Village Voice has a funny essay about the author’s tour through different levels of vegetarianism.

My own private Idaho potato went like this: When I was a teenager a renowned South African acupuncturist moved in next door to my parents. He and his wife (who pronounces lime like lamb, thus leading to the infamous pie recipe debacle) are still the hippest couple my parents know and single-handedly responsible for introducing them to Whole Foods and the Fugees. One day I told the acupuncturist I wanted to be a vegetarian. I wish I could remember why I wanted to stop eating meat, but this was high school and I also wish I could remember my motivation for drinking Zima and wearing flannel in public.

Posted in Humor, Vegetarian | Leave a comment

Save the Filibuster

Posted on 5/23/2005 by Ben

A vote on the “nuclear option” is impending, make sure you sign MoveOn PAC’s petition.

Update: A last-minute compromise has averted any vote for now. The down side of this is that three of Bush’s most onerous nominees will likely be confirmed.

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McDonald’s beef fries settlement disbursed

Posted on 5/23/2005 by Ben

McDonald’s will pay $10 million to 24 Hindu and vegetarian groups after falsely describing its french fries, which contained a beef additive, as vegetarian. I last posted about this two years ago, I guess they’ve been wrangling over the money ever since.

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Steve Garfield likes Jamaica Pond

Posted on 5/22/2005 by Ben

Steve Garfield has a neat videblog tour of one of my favorite local places, Jamaica Pond. I also love the adjoining Olmsted Park. Both parks were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed Central Park in New York.

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Stop the Broadcast Flag… Again

Posted on 5/22/2005 by Ben

As noted earlier, the broadcast flag was struck down in the courts. Now the MPAA has re-introduced it as a bill in Congress. Be sure to contact your representative and express your opposition.

Posted in Copyfight, Politics | Leave a comment

In Orbison’s Orbit

Posted on 5/20/2005 by Ben

In Orbison’s Orbit: Rhapsody welcomes a plethora of records by the Texas-born singer-songwriter and his Orby Records. 1. Oh Pretty Woman – Roy Orbison 2. You Got It – Roy Orbison 3. Only The Lonely – Roy Orbison 4. Go,Go,Go (Down The Line) – Roy Orbison 5. Running Scared – Roy Orbison 6. Ooby Dooby – Roy Orbison 7. Ride Away – Roy Orbison 8. Girl Like Mine – Roy Orbison 9. In Dreams – Roy Orbison 10. Sweet Dreams – Roy Orbison 11. Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) – Roy Orbison 12. Penny Arcade – Roy Orbison 13. Blue Rain (Coming Down) – Roy Orbison 14. Blue Bayou – Roy Orbison 15. It’s Over – Roy Orbison

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Rude Food

Posted on 5/19/2005 by Ben

The Vegetarian Society produced a highly suggestive video called Rude Food. From an article in the Scotsman:

The film is set in a steamy kitchen and begins with a ripe melon being groped by a man’s hand. It then shows a women’s fingers fondling a banana, and goes on to feature a number of provocative poses with vegetables, before climaxing with white rice droplets shooting into the air. It closes with a phallic wilting asparagus, juice dripping from its head.

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Albums to Listen to While Reading Overwrought Pitchfork Reviews

Posted on 5/19/2005 by Ben

David Cross of Arrested Development does ten fake Pitchfork reviews.

Daring to delve into his worn out bag of used tricks, Dr. Snagglepuss turns to his old SugarSnaps partner, TreacherousFace ZombieHead, and spits out beats that sound like two dying frogs farting in your face. If that’s your idea of an aural good time then you’re probably the kind of person that likes early Faust meets pre-post-op Neutron Bitch also meets Blunder (with a nod to Iceland’s Achilles Healed) but then a fight breaks out and DNA Groove comes over and separates everybody and quickly escorts Neutron Bitch out through the service entrance where they make love on a pile of day old lettuce (like in the movies). Either way, T.A.D.G. do themselves a disservice by trying to milk some more milk from an aids infested cow called “their old music”. All in all it’s a big disappointment, but then again if you like aids milk then I guess this is for you.

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The Regex Coach

Posted on 5/19/2005 by Ben

The Regex Coach teaches you regular expressions by letting you step through them and explaining them to you in plain English. [via Flutterby]

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Wireframe Teapot

Posted on 5/19/2005 by Ben

These guys made a wireframe teapot, painted it with UV-active paint, and mounted it inside a Commodore CBM 3032 with blacklights in it, creating a physical object that looks like a computer simulation. You must watch the video. [via jwz]

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BK Veggie

Posted on 5/18/2005 by Ben

Burger King has a new version of the BK Veggie veggie burger with a pattie from Morningstar Farms. This is being covered as if it’s an entirely new product but the BK Veggie has been around since 2002. I love this CattleNetwork.com writeup, which is dripping with sarcasm.

Posted in Animal Rights, Food, Health, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggie | Leave a comment

PalmOne LifeDrive

Posted on 5/18/2005 by Ben

PalmOne’s new LifeDrive looks pretty cool but I wish it had a 20 gig hard drive. It plays music off Rhapsody and I’m curious how that works. I assume it only works over wifi but do you have to have Rhapsody running on a PC like with the various hardware players?

Posted in Computers and Internet, Rhapsody | Leave a comment