nicaragua

i read this book about nicaragua called the country under my skin, and it prompted me to look up this interview w the author (in some ways, better than the book):
http://www.arlindo-correia.com/020303.html

and this historical figure, mentioned only in passing in the book. she led other female troops to take control of the first city liberated from the somoza regime in nicaragua in 1979:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dora_Maria_Tellez

obey

from kb. more israeli animation. this one is critical of the occupation:
http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2009/03/saturday_morning_gaza_strip_is.php

putin lectures waste

putin is ridiculous, in addition to being evil and loving Abba cover bands. located by catherine:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7875372.stm


learn something you would pay $40K for, but do it for free:
http://www.academicearth.org/


an artist documents the waste of contemporary american consumer culture. located by kss:
http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php?id=7

the politics of eloquence?

if you are as intrigued as am i, discuss:

http://www.delsquacho.com/articles/ten-youtube-translations.php

(somebody took youtube comments and translated them into more 'articulate' statements. reminds me of that link a while back where those two guys were translating a rap battle.)

2 really good websites on life in iraq

the first is a video blog. the filmmakers follow the lives of three young iraqi men as they try to live normally:
http://chattheplanet.com/index.php?page=videos


the second is a blog by an insightful iraqi man. it's really good:
http://last-of-iraqis.blogspot.com/

four links

1) what the world looks like through the eyes of animals:
http://webecoist.com/2009/01/14/animal-vision-color-detection-and-color-blindness/

2) why I am more productive outside of the city:
http://www.spring.org.uk/2009/01/memory-improved-20-by-nature-walk.php

3)real love and anti-love potions. really honest to goodness:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/13/science/13tier.html?_r=1&em

4)this article is scary, but it provides a balanced look at why the bombing in gaza isn't helping anyone:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/14/opinion/14goldberg-1.html?em

nicaragua

emailed to me from kbs:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/11/nicaragua-world-ortega

Excerpts:
"The Sandinistas are closer to Don Corleone's Mafia than a political party"

"Do we think the Ortega government is perfect? No," wrote Chuck Kaufman, national co-ordinator of the US-based Nicaragua Network. "We have criticised violent excesses of Sandinista supporters during the recent electoral process. And we have cautioned that monitoring foreign funding of NGOs not be used as an excuse to persecute women's rights groups." Unlike many solidarity groups, however, Kaufman will not turn his back on the flawed Second Coming of the Sandinistas. "Do we think [it] is better than another rightwing, neoliberal government beholden to US masters? Absolutely."

Israel-Palestine

I've been very preoccupied by what's happening in Gaza, as well as the discourse surrounding it. Here's a blog from someone else who is upset:
http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/12/the_problem_with_israelpalesti.php

presidential approval ratings and the most awesome commercials ever

these two links have nothing to do w each other

1st- presidential approval ratings through the years, matched to the events that accompanied dips and peaks:
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-presapp0605-31.html


2nd- really great, extremely violent coffee commercials from the 50s, made by pre-muppet jim henson.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ky7g1lgTwc&eurl

michael palin for prez

my bro and i used to joke about mccain having picked the wrong palin (bc michael palin, frankly, is probably the best palin to have graced this planet), but it looks like someone else thought of it and found a funnier way to propose it.

just go to this link and watch the video:

www.michaelpalinforpresident.com

bill ayers speaks up

and i like it:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/opinion/06ayers.html?_r=1&em

a strange concept...

...but worth a post:

LOL presidents

six links, in descending order of awesomeness

turns out kevin spacey does *amazing* impressions:
http://www.filmroster.com/video/kevin_spacey_impersonates_jimmy_stewart_al_pacino_christopher_walken_and_many_more

maps that show how united statesians really vote:
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/2008/

really neat photos of people jumping, etc.:
http://weburbanist.com/2008/11/08/awesome-freeze-frame-time-photography/

pretty natgeo photographs turned into online jigsaw puzzles=great time-waster:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/your-shot/jigsaw-puzzles

fifty facts about our new president that make him seem even more hip than i thought:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/3401168/Barack-Obama-The-50-facts-you-might-not-know.html

insulting words. the second one made me laugh out loud:
http://www.neatorama.com/2008/05/03/10-insulting-words-you-should-know/

an article that makes kristin need to curse hard

Just read it:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iRxZox4GFoIweckPDP1oRhKBlHOwD94CDDM80

i love their cute, furry faces

Presidential Dogs, through Time:

http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1830236_1746240,00.html

This only helps if you trust smart people and believe in science:

Here's the letter from the Nobel Prize winners who endorse Obama:

http://sefora.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/nobel_letter_v6.pdf

Assorted

Link #15: Good going Daily Show. In response to McCain's ridiculous accusation of Obama's "pro-abortion" stance, Sam Bee explains how much women looooove abortions... and "air quotes"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-6A1sH9p_Y

Link #16: This video illuminates just how dynamic our presidential candidates are. It's pretty amazing to see how little actual "debate" occurred this year. (Did you like my air quotes?) --via boingboing

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/10/28/synchronized-preside.html


Link #17: A nod to my old town, Austin, TX. 800 people assembled to do the Thriller zombie dance. Uh-mazing:

http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=34992


Link #18: And now a turn to the grotesque: Does the head remain conscious after it has been severed from the body? (Answer: probably.) Feel free to impose any metaphors you would like:

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1172/does-the-head-remain-briefly-conscious-after-decapitation

Calling Chicago Voters

I'm writing this from the voting center, having just voted. If you've only thought as far as the presidential race, these folks have some good suggestions about how to fill out the rest of your ballot.

Biden lays it down

Link #12: Just watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQXcImQfubM

Iraq

"A Week in the Death of Iraq" is an article by an Iraqi dentist who calls himself Dr. Mohammed. I also read his blog, but recommend reading the article first.

(Links 10 and 11)