omglog

Presidential Records Act: no private (online) correspondence allowed for US presidents

“For years, like legions of other professionals, Mr. Obama has been all but addicted to his BlackBerry [...] But before he arrives at the White House, he will probably be forced to sign off. In addition to concerns about e-mail security, he faces the Presidential Records Act, which puts his correspondence in the official record and ultimately up for public review, and the threat of subpoenas. A decision has not been made on whether he could become the first e-mailing president, but aides said that seemed doubtful.”

Imagine: no private conversations for four or eight years.

[via:This Week in Tech]

Idolatrous Socialism from Space: Jesus people prayed for “God’s economy” at statue of bull on Wall Street

October 29 2008 was apparently “The Day of Prayer for the World’s Economies”. WTF:

“We are going to intercede at the site of the statue of the bull on Wall Street to ask God to begin a shift from the bull and bear markets to what we feel will be the ‘Lion’s Market,’ or God’s control over the economic systems.”

See also: more photos from the prayer, a video, The Charging Bull statue

[via:Pharyngula]

[higher resolution version]

Let’s hope we won’t see palinaspresident.com

“Updated daily until November 4th!”

[via:Reddit]

The National Debt Clock near Times Square has run out of digits

“The National Debt Clock near Times Square has just run out of spaces to add more zeroes to its running count of our national debt, thanks to the one-two punch of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout and the $100 billion used to prop up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac before that.”

Palin’s 17-Year-Old Daughter Is Pregnant

Ha Ha.

Fake news in US newspapers

“As more newspapers and other media outlets cut staff, public relations and advertising make gains. The Minnesota-based firm ARAnet provides “free print and Web content. [...] More than 65 of the nation’s top 100 newspapers, including the Star Tribune, use” ARAnet content, which “carries client messages.” ARAnet president Scott Severson says his firm provides “high-quality consumer content” that “just happen[s] to be underwritten by our clients.”"

Summary from PR-Watch.

[via:rms]

One of Clayton Cubitt's Katrina photos: Mack truck rests on its side in New Orleans

The rest of the photo’s are available on Cubitt’s site.

[via:BoingBoing]

Pandora can’t make money, may pull the plug

“Despite being one of the most popular Internet radio services, the company still isn’t making money, and its founder, Tim Westergren, says it can’t last beyond its first payment of the higher royalties. SoundExchange offered a potential reprieve from the royalty hikes, but that turned out to be a red herring to sneak DRM onto web radio. In the end, SoundExchange was able to initiate a massive (and retroactive) royalty hike on Internet radio stations, imposing per-user fees for each song.”

The Early George Carlin

Includes links to Youtube clips

[via:Metafilter]

Crime-ridden Arkansas town expands 24-hour curfew

“As far as I’m concerned, at 3 o’clock in the morning, nobody has any business being on the street, except the law,” Councilman Eugene “Red” Johnson said. “Anyone out at 3 o’clock shouldn’t be out on the street, unless you’re going to the hospital.”

[via:mummila]

GITMO simulation at Coney Island amusement park

“If you climb up a few cinderblock steps to the small window, you can look through the bars at a scene meant to invoke a Guantánamo Bay interrogation. A lifesize figure in a dark sweatshirt, the hood drawn low over his face, leans over another figure in an orange jumpsuit, his face covered by a towel and his body strapped down on a tilted surface.”

[via:Metafilter]

Multi hundred billion dollar deficits

Recent US presidents and their multi hundred billion dollar deficits (except Clinton’s 200+ billion surplus). Editorial cartoon by Steve Greenberg, published in Ventura County Star on 2008-08-03.

Salt water crop produces seeds rich in high-quality protein and oil

“[Salicornia] is nourished by seawater flowing from a man-made canal. And if you believe the American who is farming it, this incongruous swath of green has the potential to feed the world, fuel our vehicles and slow global warming.”

[via:Metafilter]

Letter from a librarian to religious assclown who wanted a children’s book depicting gay marriage removed

The cover of the supposedly offensive book, 'Uncle Bobby's Wedding' by Sarah S. Brannen.

[via:Kottke]