Friday, December 26, 2008

Goodybe Shelfari, Hello Good Reads!

It seems that Shelfari has a bias towards Mormons and against Atheists.
In a discussion between atheists in a book group (a group named
Atheists on Shelfari), some Mormons asserted themselves into the
conversation, then apparently had their feelings hurt because their
arguments couldn't stand up to logic and reason. So they whined to
Shelfari (Amazon.com), which resulted in some members of my group
being banned.



If a person of religious faith enters into a discussion between
non-believers, then obviously that religious person is looking for a
fight. But to then go whine and complain to the host that someone from
that group hurt your feelings, is absolutely pathetic. Shelfari has
completely overreacted, especially in choosing sides in this dispute.
Fairness would dictate that if any member was to be banned, it would be
all of the members in the discussion. But banning members from
exercising their rights to free speech because the feelings of another
group were hurt is morally shameful. Indeed, that a site based on the
open exchange of ideas and readers' opinions about the books they read,
and the subject matter contained within these books would suppress the
free speech of its members is astonishing. The irony is breathtaking.



Time to leave Bezos to twiddle his Kindle. I want nothing to do with any service or organization that engages in censorship.



Hello GoodReads.com


Follow up:

Making the switch was incredibly easy. I just exported my library from Shelfari as a .xsl file, then imported it into my GoodReads.com library. It even captured my ratings and other notes I had written.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Quote of the Day

"The truth is, there is no Islamic army or terrorist group called Al
Qaida. And any informed intelligence officer knows this. But there is a
propaganda campaign to make the public believe in the presence of an
identified entity representing the 'devil' only in order to drive the
TV watcher to accept a unified international leadership for a war
against terrorism. The country behind this propaganda is the US."

Former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook

Just for the record

I think Dan Lungren is fucking dick.

Jerry Brown is a hero!

He's fighting the Good Fight!

(I voted for Jerry Brown against Bill Clinton, and I wonder where this country might be if he had won.)

My next new car

Well, not a car per se, but I better start saving now!

Animal Farm Friday - Super Holiday Bonus: Wet Pussy!

Another one that just couldn't wait. It's way cool, and I couldn't resist the double entendre.


Tuesday, December 23, 2008

We are NOT all Georgians!

Though it would be hard to tell that it was Georgians - and not Americans - who got their asses kicked by the Russians in South Ossetia by all the U.S. military equipment, machines, uniforms, and supplies left behind.

Konashenko pulls a green compass out of his shirt pocket and opens it. It’s a U.S. military model. “This is a little trophy — a gift from one of my soldiers,” he says. “Everything that the Georgians left behind, I mean everything, was American. All the guns, grenades, uniforms, boots, food rations — they just left it all. Our boys stuffed themselves on the food,” he adds slyly. “It was tasty.” The booty, according to Konashenko, also included 65 intact tanks outfitted with the latest NATO and American (as well as Israeli) technology.

What I want for Christmas

If I celebrated Christmas, I would want this.

Another reason why I hate the Third Way

Creepy posts like this one where the acting-CEO of Center for American Progress more or less attacks one of her employees, none other than the awesome Matt Yglesias, and did so on his blog. The impression I get is that some cry-baby Third Way idiots strong-armed her into it, but it's about the least professional thing she could have done. 

Death to Third Way!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Because everything is better with bacon

Animal Farm Friday on Monday - Super Squirrel