Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Jeff Unedited
Update: This page has moved to http://jeffmilner.com/2004_03_01_archive.htm. Please update your bookmarks.
Anna points out that this picture is edited because it's cropped. It's true. So maybe it would be better to call this, Jeff Cropped. But it's up to you. Oh, I almost forgot to mention, I just got my haircut. What do you think?
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/31/2004 06:46:00 PM
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Canada's RIAA Can't Prove Infringement by P2P Uploaders, Says Court
Canada's Federal Court has ruled that the Canadian Recording Industry Association was not able to prove copyright infringement by the uploaders it sued. The judge also said that under our country's copyright law, downloading is not illegal.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/31/2004 12:56:14 PM
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Stairway to Heaven Information
A couple of days ago I received the following email. Those interested in my backmasking page might find this interesting.Your site really got me interested in looking up information about this and I took a lot of what I already knew and compared it to the things I learned to get a pretty good idea about these backward messages.
Here's someone else's lyrics for the whole song...
http://web.stargate.net/zeppelin/
features/sth-reversed/index.html
Interesting how if you read the part where it says
"And all the evil, it was there, they made our souls must have Satan" and you listen to it, I still sounds like this is correct, but if you read your version it does too, I heard 'sad satan' before I read your lyrics
I listened to your part of the clip before reading the lyrics and I could hear some key things in it (666,sad satan,oh satan )but the other parts were very tough to interpret. Once someone reads the lyrics and sees them as one thing, it is hard for your mind to view as anything else until you see it a different way.
Link from http://www.popex.com/ -- if you go here it explains that it really doesn't have to be satanic, and probably isn't. The forward version says "yes there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run there's still time to change the road you're on." It basically says that this guy believes that he's saying the path to satin will make you said, he also proposes the idea that satan may be a metaphor for all sadness and suffering.
If you go to http://www.reversespeech.com/
Simple_Examples.htm it will give you many examples of things people said that say something else backwards. The guy on this site studies it.
I read partially from this site but mostly from some other site that the subconscious mind can interpret things backwards, and understands it as fact. However conscious decision making skills can override your subconscious mind. I learned before this that your instinct is based on facts you have gather. According to some, the more times you have heard those messages played backward, the more you get in your head to do these thing till it becomes a point where your instinct tells you to do something.
You should also check out Queen's "another one bites the dust" backwards if you haven't heard about it already. I won't tell you what it says backwards, because I think your view may change on what it says but it was pretty clear to me, even before I heard what the lyrics were. However I read from some biased article (with no actual proof) that 80% of people who hear "another one bites the dust" backwards didn't know what it was until given the lyrics where 100% said they thought that was correct.
Another freaky thing is the pokemon rap where it says "gotta catch em all" backwards says "oh satan, oh satan" sounds freaky, it can be found here, with many other clips of songs that appear to say something backward.
http://www.undergroundnoize.com/
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/31/2004 08:31:00 AM
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Monday, March 29, 2004
Crunch Time
I have really let my homework add up. I don't want this to come off whiney because, number 1 there isn't really THAT much that I have to do, and number 2 it's my own fault for not doing these assignments sooner, but for the record this is what I have to do in the next couple days/week. I have 5 abstracts (short one page papers) for New Media Seminar to do, a 10 page Art History paper with a ton of specifications (like 5 sources and a million citations), 2 three page long concert reviews to write, and 2 concerts to attend (so that I have something to review). I wonder if my Music History Prof. would count the BareNaked Ladies concert? After all, the songs from "Gordon" are getting old enough to be classics.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/29/2004 05:10:19 PM
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Two New Elements
Time to replace your old Periodic Table. ...a joint American-Russian team has found two new elements—numbers 113 and 115 on the periodic table—hinting at an impending breakthrough in creating novel forms of matter that will test our understanding of atomic behavior.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/29/2004 12:26:27 PM
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Sunday, March 28, 2004
Bohemian Rhapsody for the Deaf
Penny Arcade forums presents Bohemian Rhapsody for the Deaf. But in the event that you are not deaf, I recommend playing it in the background while you translate it.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/28/2004 09:15:04 PM
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The Dead Zone - Kidd of Speed
A little while ago I blogged about the ghost town of Pripyat. There is an interesting article about a woman that drives her motorcycle through the dead zone that I wanted to link to, but her site was down. It's now back up, updated with pictures from spring of 2004, and it is a tremendously facinating look at the Chernobyl area 18 years later.In Ukrainian language Chernobyl is a name for a grass, wormwood (absinth) This word scares holly bejesus out of people here. If I tell someone that I am heading in a "dead zone"... you know, what I hear.. In best case- "are you nuts?" My dad used to say that people afraid of a thing which they can not see, can not feel, can not smell and that kills. Dad is nuclear physicist and he also says that of all dangerous things in my life, he can only think about one, which is riding my bike on fifth or sixth gear. In any way, dad and their team work in "dead zone" for last 18 years. They doing researches from the day when nuclear disaster happened. The rest of guys in a team are microbiologists, doctors, botanists.. etc. I was 7 years old back in 1986 and in a few hours after accident happened dad sent us with sister off with the train to Grandmother. Granny lives 800 kms from here and dad wasn't sure if it was far enough for us to stay away of troubles. Communists kept silence about this accident. In Kiev, they forced people to take part in their stupid labor day parade and then people start learning about accident from foreign radio, from relatives of those who died and real panic began in 7-10 days after accident. Dad says, that in those first 10 days exposure to radiation was the most powerful and can not even be compared with what we have now.
Update (April 30, 2004): The Author is no longer hosting the site. She made this statement: ""Ghost Town" site that was linked to this page ended existance. My purpose to show people Chernobyl is achieved. Site was viewed more then 3 million times within 2 month. I am no longer able to pay for this traffic and I had no other choice as to close this site.
For some it became weapon, for others the subject for speculations. I am out of this.., I just wanted to show people Chernobyl. I did this for free, for no fame and I did this with love for my country. If someone do not like my story, then write a better one and do not try to damp others..
Site was mirrored and copied by many people and it must be somewhere on the internet. Time will show if this is one day popularity or if it has value in itself..
I am no longer able to control or update those sites. A big thanks to people who maintain it after I quit. Also, thanks to Richard Wilson and Leonid Pankratov the authors of some photos. I got permission for using their photos on my site.
I am not involved in any commerce. Anyone who would attempt to profit from this tragedy, and those people who tried to this using my name and my site as tool to make money should be ashamed of themselves. "
Although it should be noted that I found someone has copied her site and is hosting it at: http://www.kiddofspeed.com/. I think it is safe to assume she is not the recipient of any pay pal donations to this site.
Update (May 22, 2004):Apparently the solo motocycle part was a hoax, but everything else was true.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/28/2004 10:45:52 AM
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Saturday, March 27, 2004
Aerogel Photos
Aerogel will be used on the STARDUST spacecraft to capture comet particles from Comet Wild 2. The pics are amazing. They look fake, but they come from the NASA web site.To collect particles without damaging them, Stardust uses an extraordinary substance called aerogel. This is a silicon-based solid with a porous, sponge-like structure in which 99.8 percent of the volume is empty space. By comparison, aerogel is 1,000 times less dense than glass, which is another silicon-based solid. When a particle hits the aerogel, it buries itself in the material, creating a carrot-shaped track up to 200 times its own length. This slows it down and brings the sample to a relatively gradual stop. Since aerogel is mostly transparent - with a distinctive smoky blue cast - scientists will use these tracks to find the tiny particles.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/27/2004 07:34:56 AM
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Turn Your Blog Into a Book
I can't say I'm ready to publish my blog, but when I am I will think of Blogbinder.com. "Blogbinders.com helps you turn your blog into a bound book - great as a gift, an archive, or even to sell to your readers!"posted by Jeff Milner at 3/27/2004 07:22:20 AM
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Friday, March 26, 2004
The War in Iraq Rationale: Version 10.0
War Rationale: Version 10.0 - In the year since the invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration has repeatedly shifted its justification for going to war and constantly changed its story on the 'imminent threat' of Saddam Hussein, weapons of mass destruction, intelligence, Iraqi connections with al Qaeda, the United Nations, political transition, democracy in Iraq, and the cost to the American taxpayer. We all know (almost) everything about it by now, but if you can hold back the tears long enough to laugh, you might find this account hilarious.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/26/2004 10:09:23 AM
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Star Trek Fans Want Kirk Back
I think the best thing the people in charge of Star Trek could do is Bring Back Kirk.Fans of Star Trek have put together a nine minute trailer of a fictional movie that reunites all the characters from all the Star Trek series. It's easily the best fan produced video I've ever seen.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/26/2004 09:47:34 AM
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Thursday, March 25, 2004
Collaboration at its Best
My new favorite site at which I like to hang. Click on expand chat to see the artwork.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/25/2004 02:24:55 AM
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Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Cheese Racing
Here is a great summer activity, probably the biggest thing to hit the UK since Marmite. "Q: What do you think happens when you throw a slice of processed cheese (without removing the plastic wrapping) onto a lit barbeque?" The answer? Cheese Racing!
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/24/2004 03:15:21 PM
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SawStop: Making Table Saws Safer
Check out the incredible videos of a table saw that can tell the difference between wood and skin. It's something you have to see to believe; I recommend both the regular and super high speed videos.The SawStop system works by recognizing the difference in the electrical properties of wood and a user. The system induces a high-frequency electrical signal on the blade of a table saw and monitors this signal for changes caused by contact between the blade and a user's body. The signal remains unchanged when the blade cuts wood because of the relatively small inherent electrical capacitance and conductivity of wood. However, when a user contacts the blade while the saw is operating, the electrical signal changes because of the relatively large inherent capacitance of the user's body.
In the videos, the saw blade is rotating at 4000 rpm. The blade is stopped in less than 5 milliseconds. It can make the difference between needing a Band-Aid or a hand surgeon.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/24/2004 03:05:44 PM
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Social Theory Trading Card - Old Sailor
Old Sailor sent me a plastic message in response to the unofficial trading card I made about him.Thanks, friend.
Your card reminds me of when I was a lad, trading driftwood paintings of our favorite nautical heroes.
So happy sails to you, and take it from this old sailor, a fair greeting is as rare as a Berlin pearl fish, and half again as long.
Yours,
Old Sailor
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/24/2004 02:45:36 PM
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Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Jeff Milner Movie Review - Lost in Translation
Anna and I watched Lost in Translation (IMDB link) last night. I thought this movie gave a beautiful look at what it's like trying to live in a culture that is unfamiliar and often times incomprehensible. I liked this movie particularly because it reminded of my brief experience when I visited Japan, although I think I had a much better time than either Bill Murray or Scarlett Johansson's characters, then again I was only there for 10 days.Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is an American movie star, whom, nearing the end of his career, has come to Japan to shoot Whiskey ads. Charlotte is the young wife of a hot new photographer who finds herself stuck in her Japanese hotel room as her husband works. Both of them struggle with the different culture and language barrier, however as they slowly get to know one another they find an unexpected friendship blossoms.
Marketed as a hilarious comedy, this movie is actually the bittersweet tale of two foreigners trying to find friendship in a land they can't seem to meld with. Both characters go on a journey - it's hard to explain exactly as this movie is better experienced than described.
It wasn't just the fact that they were in Japan, I think they would have been upset wherever they were, they might not have recognized it however. Nothing around them is familiar. As a defense mechanism they revert inwards in an attempt to find peace and security but in doing so, they find is self-doubt and insecurity. Despite being at different points in their lives they find within each other a kind of soul-mate.
Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson both did a tremendous job and it seemed more like watching two people live their lives than actors reciting a script. I enjoyed "Lost in Translation".
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/23/2004 03:47:03 PM
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Jeff Milner Movie Review - American Splendor
Anna and I rented American Splendor (IMDB link) DVD over the weekend. I can't really say whether I give this movie a positive or negative rating overall. I'm glad I saw it, but I felt that at times it was slow and never, throughout the film, had a point. It just sort of told the story of Harvey Pekar and his comic books and then ended. It did pick up midway through the film with scenes of Harvey's actual appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman, and I found his nerd friend pretty funny with his love of all things nerdy - especially "Revenge of the Nerds".Overall I think you have to be a person that either loves underground comics, independent films, or just loves to watch movies to really enjoy this film. My recommendation: get it if you think you will like it, if you're not sure, then you probably won't. I know that seems odd, but based on my own reaction and the reaction of others that I know who have seen it, I think that's a pretty fair way to put it.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/23/2004 03:06:50 PM
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Sunday, March 21, 2004
Washer & Dryer
I finally sold my old washer and dryer. I am very happy to have them out of the house. I'd like to say I am going to do something particularly special with the money, but in truth it will be going to my monthly bills. I am very happy though, to have the washer and dryer gone.More importantly than my Washer and Dryer (boring) is the fact that Anna-Maria has made a triumphant return to Lethbridge and has no plans to leave again anytime soon. Anna-Maria was on tour for the last two months doing theatre performances in the French immersion and francophone schools all over Alberta. I'm so happy she's back - I was wasting away and already I'm feeling (and looking) much better.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/21/2004 08:51:57 PM
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Saturday, March 20, 2004
Impossible Japanese pencil carvings
Since wood carving is my dad's favorite pastime, I figured I should point out this interesting pencil carving site I found (via BoingBoing) about carvings made out of number 2 pencils.
"To take carving in the wood of a pencil", is certainly what pencil carving is all about. But we are required to be skilled enough for delicate woodwork in carving out a pattern like some kind of a tracery without making any miscut on the naked lead inside.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/20/2004 03:04:26 PM
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Friday, March 19, 2004
Host File
Here is a copy of the host file that I use. Saving it over you old host file will cancel certain IP's from sending you data when you visit pages with their content. It also prevents them from tracking which sites you use. Follow the link to find out more about host files.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/19/2004 11:13:49 PM
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My Day at School
It was another incredible day at Production Management. Weird things happen in that class, its like entering the Twilight Zone. Anyway despite the tension and insanity, I think I at least learned a couple of important lessons. #1 There is a time and a place for criticism directed at an instructor. This time and place is not in class even though in this case he specifically asked each student for their opinion. I don't know why I didn't just button up. #2 Since I couldn't keep my mouth shut, I wish I would have at least made a comment about something that mattered. #3 Since I did feel the dire need to speak up, and since I picked something that didn't mean anything anyway, I could have at least bowed out a little more gracefully when he started to yell. I did my best and realize my mistake. Well after everything is said and done I can at least say I learned something in Production Management today.Update: It looks like my prof took the concerns I shared to heart. He updated his web page outline, and in doing so rectified my concerns. That seems so weird given his hostile reaction in class.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/19/2004 09:46:58 PM
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Thursday, March 18, 2004
Top 100 April Fools Day Hoaxes
The Museum of Hoaxes has the Top 100 April Fools Day Hoaxes of all time. The picture here is ranked number 1 and it comes from the BBC news show Panorama. As part of the April 1st, 1957 broadcast they announced that because of very mild winters and the virtual elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper crop. I remember my dad telling me that he saw this during a news clip when he was a kid going to see a movie. I guess in those days you got news at the theatres instead of worthless ads before the show.With April 1st coming right up, I'm thinking of some possible pranks to pull, but alas I've come to the conclusion I'm not much of a prankster. Plus I'm going to Calgary with Anna-Maria to see the BareNaked Ladies or BNL, if you prefer. I saw their show the last time they were in Calgary and I must say - they put on a great performance. I'll have reviews of this upcoming show posted here in the first week of April.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/18/2004 08:33:24 PM
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Wednesday, March 17, 2004
See what appears to be a comedy show where ping pong meets the matrix.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/17/2004 04:23:22 PM
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Old Sailor Social Theory Trading Card
Social Theory Trading Cards are making a comeback in the blogosphere lately. Here is an unofficial card that I produced. If you don't know Old Sailor, then I recommend reading some of his posts. I wonder what the folks over at Plastic will think of this. I would make more of them, but I'm not good at writing up people's social theory.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/17/2004 12:21:58 PM
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Swiss Army Knife with USB
Victorinox has created a version of the classic Swiss Army Knife that has a USB key as one of it's tools. This, for those that don't know about USB devices - like my parents, would allow you to connect your knife to your computer and transfer data to and from your knife. So if you're thinking about burning your favorite MP3's to CD to take to a friends house, with this invention all you would need to do is download the files onto your knife and then plug it in to your pals computer. I already carry my knife with me everywhere anyway; this would be way more useful than say a corkscrew or nail file.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/17/2004 11:09:14 AM
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Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Beware Dihydrogen Monoxide Can Be Fatal If Inhaled
I'm glad somebody is finally (almost) doing something about the dihydrogen monoxide threat. Think about that the next time you buy Styrofoam cups and think you're not putting yourself at risk.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/16/2004 02:47:22 PM
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Monday, March 15, 2004
Easy Ipod or a Clever Guerilla Marketing Campaign?
"I'll buy you an IPOD if you be my GF for one and 1/2 weeks - $300" reads the headline of an apparently desperate 24 year old single white male from New York City. His parents are coming to visit and he "needs" someone to play the part of the love of his life that he has told his parents so much about. Is it a real plea for help or a new marketing technique trying to increase the perceived value of an Ipod. You be the judge.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/15/2004 09:29:29 PM
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How Things Are Going in the Whitehouse
"Who's on First" for the next generation.George: Condi! Nice to see you. What's happening?
Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the new leader of China.
George: Great. Lay it on me.
Condi: Hu is the new leader of China.
George: That's what I want to know.
Condi: That's what I'm telling you.
George: That's what I'm asking you. Who is the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes.
George: I mean the fellow's name.
Condi: Hu.
George: The guy in China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The new leader of China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The Chinaman!
Condi: Hu is leading China.
George: Now whaddya' asking me for?
Condi: I'm telling you Hu is leading China.
(more...)
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/15/2004 08:36:15 PM
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More Changes
I have been making some subtle changes today. The Google Search is now customized with a graphical interface (as opposed to the default form) and I added a couple of links to webpages that I have created. I created them a couple of years ago before I signed up for New Media. Anyway I haven't checked the page in any other browsers yet so if you notice anomalies with the Google Search on the left side of the page, please let me know via the comments. Thanks.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/15/2004 07:37:41 PM
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Trackbacks and Their Value
I think more blogs should have trackbacks. What is a trackback you ask? Well the Wikipedia defines it as a system "that alerts and allows bloggers to see who has blogged about his or her posts on his or her blog. The system works by sending a 'ping' between the blogs, and there[by] providing the alert."In other words it's a nice way to keep up with what other bloggers are saying about your posts. So far, I haven't had any trackbacks (except for the ones I pinged myself), maybe that should tell me something. Anyway there's a possibility that it's just because not enough people know how to use trackbacks. I want you to know, though, it's easy to ping a trackback - and you don't even need to have trackbacks on your site.
The process goes something like this (assuming the trackback is from Haloscan): You read something on someone's site that you would also like to write about. You then write a post on the same topic on your own site. Now you want to add a trackback, so you just copy the trackback link from the other persons site to the clipboard and ping it at Haloscan. To do that, first you must login to Haloscan and secondly Click on "Manage Trackback" in the navigation bar. There you can click on "Send a Trackback Ping". Fill out the pertinent data like the URL to ping (the one on your clipboard) and your permanent link URL and then your trackback will be on its way. It sounds a lot more complicated than it is. Really.
Haloscan has a graphical tutorial, but in the meantime here is a list of other sites that also support trackback pings:
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/15/2004 12:55:02 PM
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My Birthday (last Friday)
I had a pretty good birthday if a bit low-key. That's ok though my parents came down from Medicine Hat and we ate at East Side Mario's. Although the standing up in the booth where we were seated while they sing some Happy Birthday jingle was a little embarrassing, I was pretty stoked because I won a free meal from their spin the wheel on your birthday game and win a prize. Hey it's better than a pie in the face.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/15/2004 12:12:28 AM
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Sunday, March 14, 2004
The Internet is full of Idiots
Paul Tyma is a frequent (and opinionated) computer industry speaker and writer. Paul has two articles which I think you should read.The first is called "The Internet is full of Idiots". It's about Amazon.com book reviews. Paul is writing a book and guarantees that the reviews he will get on Amazon will be good ones, at least the first couple. How can he be so sure? Well he's going to write them himself. (Read More)
Paul's next article is titled, "I've invented the greatest compression algorithm ever", and as Paul explains - he's keeping it a secret.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/14/2004 09:35:39 PM
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Do You Google?
I still heart Google. So does this NYTimes writer.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/14/2004 08:36:36 PM
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Spanish Election Results Affected by Terrorist Actions
The popular party in Spain has lost the election. It is speculated that if the recent bombings had actually been perpetrated by the ETA it would have helped the preceding government win the election. Interesting coverage via The Toronto Star.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/14/2004 03:57:50 PM
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NASA to Announce Large New Space Object Exists in Our Solar System
Over 3 billion kilometers further away from the Sun than Pluto and 40 years away from Earth in a space shuttle exists Sedna. The article didn't specify the exact time the discovery was made but NASA is expected to announce details during their news conference Monday. Named after the Inuit goddess of the sea, Sedna has a diameter almost 2000 km, which is the biggest find in the solar system since Pluto was discovered 74 years ago. It is believed to be made of ice and rock, and is slightly smaller than Pluto.Since there is some conjecture whether Pluto is even big enough to be considered a planet, it seems that these large planet-like objects that orbit the sun should at least have some sort of official name rather than "Space Objects". At this time I have no suggestions, but I'm just saying!
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/14/2004 03:51:14 PM
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Wikipedia: The World's Free Encyclopedia
While writing a paper for my New Media Seminar class, I submitted a couple of paragraphs from it to a previously empty link on Wikipedia's Free Encyclopedia page. The submission is a background on the philosophy of the Creative Commons movement.I think the Wikipedia is a great way to spread information, but I wonder - isn't the potential to spread disinformation pretty high too? I understand that they have editors that check over user submitted work, which is great, so long as the editors know the difference between fact and fiction absolutely, all the time, and on every topic imaginable.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/14/2004 02:57:27 PM
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Flashmobs with a purpose
Xeni Jardin posts via BoingBoing about the impromptu protests in Spain yesterday, where thousands gathered in the streets demanding answers from their government about this week's deadly terrorist attacks in Madrid. Bloggers in Spain tell BoingBoing the gatherings were decentralized flash mobs, organized primarily by short text messages sent via weblog forums, online in chatrooms and through Internet-capable mobile devices."Around 6PM local time in Madrid, an estimated 3,000-5,000 protesters gathered spontaneously in front of the headquarters of Spain's ruling Popular Party (Partido Popular, or PP), located on calle Genova. Participants shouted slogans against media manipulation, and carried signs asking, "Who did it?". Flashmobs spread by SMS throughout the country, with parallel gatherings quickly emerging in other cities.
The protests occurred one day before general elections take place in Spain. Government representatives denounced today's gatherings, describing them as illegal assemblies -- but because they were organized in a decentralized manner using mobile technology, there was no single responsible party against whom punitive action could be taken."
Also of interest, from the same site, is the fact that "the events of 9/11 and 3/11 share a number of unsettling connections: the Madrid attacks took place exactly two and a half years after those in NYC, and there were precisely 911 days between the two." Strange coincidence? Maybe, but growing evidence suggests not.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/14/2004 10:23:48 AM
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Saturday, March 13, 2004
Command Mine Use Does Not Equal Land Mine Use
In 1995 the RCMP and a group of Natives had a confrontation at Gustafson Lake in British Columbia. A friend of mine told me that the RCMP and Canadian Military used, (among other excessively forceful means), land mines against the Natives. I told him that because of International Law I didn't believe that the Canadian Military would do such a thing. I explained that it sounded like nothing more than a conspiracy theory. However, he got my curiosity up and after a little bit of research on this topic I came up with the following:First off the report from a First Nations Website:
"GUSTAFSEN LAKE in British Columbia represents just one more symbol that federal and provincial officials are denying the legitimate claims of Indigenous peoples whose title to the land was never extnguished by treaty. [...] The armed conflict reportedly started when a group of cowboys threatened a Shuswap spiritual leader, calling him a "red nigger." The federal RCMP has now escalated it to include use of the Army's Bison Armored Personnel Carriers and land mines. This is an unacceptable militarization of a dispute over religious access to sacred land." (Emphasis mine)
When I read this, I found it very hard to believe. Was it possible that land mines were used in Canada, in 1995? I found another site that reiterated this idea:
Although the Canadian government is enjoying wide acclaim for what appears to be a principled and vigorous opposition to the use of mines, Canada itself employed the weapon against Indigenous traditionalists defending sacred burial and Sundance grounds at Gustafsen Lake in 1995.
Then I realized that both of these pages were hosted on sites that appear to be connected with the Natives and that I would need to widen the scope of my research to find out what really happened. Then I came across this:
There has been no evidence of the use of AP mines in Canada (other than for officially sanctioned purposes of military training and research and development). However, concerns were expressed when on 11 September 1995, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) used a remote-detonated munition concealed below the surface of a gravel road to disable a moving vehicle. These actions by the RCMP occurred during the Gustafsen Lake standoff, a tense 31-day dispute over the occupation of land near Gustafsen Lake, British Columbia, by the First Nations' indigenous people, the Shuswap. Critics of the RCMP's tactic described the remote-detonated munition as an "improvised landmine."
So it turns out that what the RCMP did was place explosive under the ground on the road and then detonate the explosive by remote control as the suspect truck drove over it. Because this mine was set off remotely it didn't violate the International Law and wasn't really a land mine, but a command mine.
From the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (pdf):
Claymore mines used in command detonated mode are permitted by the Mine Ban Treaty. However, use of Claymore mines in tripwire mode is prohibited. Though not legally obligated, States Parties should report on stockpiled Claymore mines and steps taken to ensure their use in command detonated mode only. This will contribute to effective and uniform state practice regarding use of Claymore mines.
A Claymore mine is a generic term for a round or rectangular directional fragmentation munition that can function either in a command-detonated or victim-activated mode. They are mostly mounted above ground level and are designed to have antipersonnel effects. However, some of the larger variants of this type can be used to damage light vehicles. When operated in the command-detonated mode, Claymore mines do not meet the definition of an antipersonnel mine in the Mine Ban Treaty. However, it is prohibited to use Claymore mines equipped with a tripwire in conjunction with a pull or tension release mechanical fuze as an initiating device.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/13/2004 11:51:17 PM
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In Case You Think Itunes is Fair to Artists.
It's not.People are paying for songs on the iTunes Music Store because they think it's a good way to support musicians. But iTunes misses a huge opportunity. Instead of creating a system that gets virtually all of fans' money directly to artists-- finally possible with the internet-- iTunes takes a big step backwards. Apple calls iTunes "revolutionary" but record companies are using the service to force the same exploitive and unfair business model onto a new medium.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/13/2004 08:02:35 PM
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Friday, March 12, 2004
Sorry This Isn't Chris Rock's Cell Number Anymore
What would it be like to have a cell phone number of someone famous? Someone famous like, Chris Rock. Which famous people would be making wrong numbers to get ahold of Chris? This is exactly what happened to Laura, as she explains on her site, "Laura's NYC Tales".LAURA: [Curious, and ready to tackle the unknown] Hello?
CALLER: Is Chris there?
LAURA: [Inquires politely] Who's calling?
CALLER: It's Spike.
LAURA: [Mischievously inquisitive] From...?
CALLER: [Blurts out, in an annoyed tone] It's Spike Lee.
LAURA: [Speechless, stunned, mouth frozen open. Guess wasn't quite ready enough to "tackle the unknown." Takes longer than usual to respond, and when does, does so very slowly] Uh... well... actually... you have the, uh... wrong number.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/12/2004 01:14:44 PM
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Happy Birthday to Me
I'm now 25.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/12/2004 10:23:22 AM
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Elizabeth Smart - A Year Later
As you probably recall, Elizabeth Ann Smart, was the 14-year-old Salt Lake City resident, whom was abducted by an armed intruder in the early morning hours of Wednesday, 5 June 2002. The intruder forced his way through the window of her bedroom (according to her 9-year-old sister, who shared the bedroom with her and was the only witness to the event).Over nine months later, on 12 March 2003, police announced Elizabeth Smart had been found in Sandy, Utah.
A year after her safe recovery, Elizabeth's parents call her a normal, independent 16-year-old -- complete with boyfriends, a curfew, a messy room and an overused cell phone.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/12/2004 12:01:14 AM
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Thursday, March 11, 2004
Bloopers and Unusable Footage From The Passion
I don't know if this is true, but I do remember hearing about somebody getting struck by lightning during filming. Anyway here is a transcript of gags, accidents, and bloopers from Mel Gibsons new film. Probably the most interesting:Take 14
Jesus: My God! Why have you –
[Caviezel is struck by lightning.]
Off Camera: Cut!
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/11/2004 03:05:26 PM
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Steve Martin's Script Notes From The Passion
In this month's issue of The New Yorker, Steve Martin has launched a biting satirical attack on Mel Gibson, mocking The Passion of the Christ as money-making showbusiness and suggesting it should have been called Lethal Passion.Here are some of the comments his movie-producer character, Stan, makes in the article:
- Love the Jesus character. So likeable. He can't seem to catch a break! We identify with him because of it. One thing: I think we need to clearly state "the rules." Why doesn't he use his superpowers to save himself?
- Does it matter which garden? Gethsemane is hard to say, and Eden is a much more recognizable garden. Just thinking outloud.
- Our creative people suggest a clock visual fading in and out in certain scenes, like the Last Supper bit: "Thursday, 7:43 P.M.," or "Good Friday, 5:14 P.M."
- Also, could he change water into wine in Last Supper scene? Would be a great moment, and it's legit. History compression is a movie tradition and could really brighten up the scene. Great trailer moment, too.
- Is there someplace where Jesus could be using an iBook? You know, now that I say it, it sounds ridiculous. Strike that. But think about it. Maybe we start a shot in Heaven with Jesus thoughtfully closing the top?
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/11/2004 01:54:07 PM
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BLEEX
A US defense project has followed through with a plan to create "The Berkeley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton", or Bleex, to be used mainly by infantry soldiers and firemen. From BBC News:"The device consists of a pair of mechanical metal leg braces including a power unit and a backpack-like frame.
More than 40 sensors and hydraulic mechanisms calculate how to distribute weight just like the nervous system.
These helps minimise the load for the wearer.
A large rucksack carried on the back contains an engine, control system and space for a payload."
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/11/2004 12:25:29 PM
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Terror Attack in Madrid Kills Over 180
Ten terrorist bombs tore through trains and stations along a commuter line at the height of Madrid's morning rush hour Thursday, killing more than 180 people and wounding at least 600 before this weekend's general elections. Officials blamed Basque separatists for the worst terror attack in ETA's history. According to one Spanish Blogger, "As it was in New York, in Spain everything will now be spoken of in terms of 'before March 11,' and after."Update: The number of causualties has reached over 190. Thousands are inured and according to this MSNBC article a van with detonators and an Arabic-language tape containing Quranic verses was found 15 miles east of Madrid.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/11/2004 09:24:05 AM
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IE Won't Let Me View Source or Save *.JPG Files
I blogged about this problem back in December. IE 6.0 won't let me view the source code on webpages I visit. The problem came back and instead of just erasing the cache like I did last time, I discovered that I could just lower the amount of disk space the cache was set to store. I've now reduced it to 100MB which, when I think about it, should be plenty anyway. Reducing the cache size also fixed the problem I was having with not being able to save .jpg files as anything other than .bmp's. Only time will tell if this fixes the problem permanently.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/11/2004 07:31:00 AM
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The Great Escape
You need a premium account to view articles at Salon.Com, but if you don't have one you can take a few seconds to view an advertisement and get a free day pass. It's well worth it to read an exerpt from journalist Craig Unger's new book "House of Bush, House of Saud". If half the things he writes are true, it's enough to make you sick. A lot of the things I read in this article were also pointed out in Michael Moore's new book "Dude Where's My Country?"Immediately after 9/11, dozens of Saudi royals and members of the bin Laden family fled the U.S. in a secret airlift authorized by the Bush White House. One passenger was an alleged al-Qaida go-between, who may have known about the terror attacks in advance.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/11/2004 07:06:42 AM
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Wednesday, March 10, 2004
The Complete Guide to Googlemania!
I've been meaning to blog Wired Magazine's Googlemania report for a couple weeks now because I thought it looked great, but I figured I should be quixotic and read the whole thing first to make sure. But then I forgot. Now that I've read it, it turns out I was right: it's GREAT.I heart Google. I'll probably write more about this Wired article later, adding specific comments about each sub-story as I find time.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/10/2004 10:15:50 PM
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Bug Me Not
Don't you hate those compulsory web registration user name and passwords like at the New York Times and The Washington Post? Well BugMeNot.Com has a listing of humanly monitored user names and passwords for a variety of sites. Just type in the name of the site you are looking to access and a username and password will be provided.posted by Jeff Milner at 3/10/2004 08:28:58 PM
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Simon Cowell Meet Your Match
A company called Polyphonic HMI has created software they call "Hit Song Science" which is supposed to contain algorithms that determine if a song is likely to be a hit. The company is touting their first attempt at using HSS in the marketplace as a success. For a fee, you can already test your song."HSS takes a song that sounds like it might be a hit and makes sure it can be one. With finely tuned adjustments in the mix we can ensure it has the optimal mathematical patterns for maximum market performance," said Wake who has been using the new HSS technology in his studio for several months. "With that base covered, the odds of success are tremendous."
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/10/2004 06:12:32 PM
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Entertaining Short Movie
"Farm Sluts is a hilarious dark comedy of a man's journey upon opening that one unfortunate e-mail leading to a neverending cascade of pop-up windows and scantily clad women.Farm Sluts contains partial nudity, language and untimely random acts of perversion. All Searchlab Shorts are unrated."
Not as perverted as it might sound, but in some ways much worse. Either way, I found it quite funny.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/10/2004 05:01:26 PM
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Word from the Wise - If it Seems Like a Bad Idea...
Then don't do it. Weird religious ceremonies don't turn out great at the best of times...The Masons have had a rough go of it lately. First there was the accidental shooting of a new inductee. The unsanctioned ceremony was only meant to scare the new member, but the shooter was carrying two guns, one with blanks and one with live ammo, and grabbed the wrong one during the ritual.
On Tuesday suicide bombers, which are believed to be Islamic Fundamentalists, blew themselves up at the entrance of a Masonic lodge after opening fire on some 40 people in the private dining hall. Two people were killed and six others were hurt.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/10/2004 04:52:09 PM
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DVD and Label Burner - Two in One
This new technology, created by HP, lets users burn DVDs, CDs, and their respective labels. The drives cost about $10 more than current ones, and the special disks needed are about 10 cents more than the ones we use today. Despite the slight increase, here's something that I think will actually catch on. Look for these at your local computer store within the next 6 months.A technology dubbed LightScribe enables drives to burn a silk screen-like, high-contrast label on the upper side of CD or DVD media bearing a special coating. After completing a data burn, users will be prompted to flip the disc over to burn a label onto the other side.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/10/2004 04:24:55 PM
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Robot that "Prints" Houses
Trials for a robot that builds houses are soon to be underway by the "construction industry". The robot, referred to as a "contour crafter", takes instructions directly from an architect's computerised drawings and then squirts successive layers of concrete on top of one other to build up vertical walls and domed roofs. The robot then fills the hollow walls with more cement.It's my opinion that they'll never get this thing efficient enough for widespread use, but as Greg Lynn, a leading architect from Venice, California, said. "I believe that aesthetically there's a great potential to make things that have never been seen before." Maybe they will make some neat artwork.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/10/2004 04:08:44 PM
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My Opinions on the Candidates for The University of Lethbridge's 2004/2005 Students' Union Elections
Today and tomorrow are the Student Union Elections. I had no idea who to vote for, so I've been reading up on the candidates trying to make an informed decision. Tyler Tanner, Jon Morrison ,Running for President:
Tyler Tanner - From Taber, Alberta. One of the infamous Tanner crew, specifically of the "Mother Tanner's Sweet Taber Corn" line. Personally I would have left that detail out. He says some good things about the University and then toots his horn about what a great guy he is, but says little about why he would make a good president.
Jon Morrison - Management student. His reason for running is a personal interest in student issues. He fails to cite which issues he's interested in. He has little or no experience in politics. Also he didn't proof read his profile before submitting it, "I have developed a interest in student issues..." Do I really want someone so grammatically inept as my SU president?
Paul Daniels - The incumbent. His platform was based on what he has done and what he is going to do. So far so good, but his main points were that he has started to make the Zoo (the campus pub) a more welcoming environment, reviving Thursday night action there as well making the place non-smoking. He also added that ratified clubs need better funding and benefits. So if he's elected I suppose I should assume that more of my SU fees will be going to University Clubs. Maybe I would care if I was in one.
Loralee Edwards - A senior student, and given the choices probably the best choice, but I still haven't decided for sure.
Running for Vice President Academic:
Matthew Sletto - No bio submitted. I guess I know who I won't be voting for.
Jason Rumer - Jason has a lot of experience in the SU and other political organizations. His bio focused on past experience rather than plans for the future but his list of past experience was impressive.
Gorm Hansen - Gorm also has had a lot of previous experience. His bio was unfortunately quite short. He does, however, have something going for him (at least as far as my vote goes) in that someone I recently met from the SU, whom is graduating, said that if he were to pick, either Jason or Gorm would be good choices but that personally he would vote for Gorm.
Running for Vice President Administration:
Kelly Andres - Long bio and considering the opposition, she's my pick.
Greg Imeson - Why the hell would you run in a student union election and not submit a bio to the University's student newspaper? I guess we could ask Greg that question.
Running for Vice President Internal Affairs:
Clay Campbell - Currently Clay is the Vice President of University Hall, for the Organization of Residence Students. He is also the founder and two-year president of GALSO (more commonly known as GALIA). He goes on to say that University Clubs are very important [yadda yadda] and that if elected he will divert more funds to clubs. Seeing as he's the president of one of the clubs I'd have to say his bias on this topic shows through pretty clearly.
Michael Smith - I don't want to seem judgmental here, but when he listed one of his hobbies as pilates, I had to wonder exactly what type of guy mentions his hobby of a specific kind of exercise when campaigning in Student Union elections. I guess we could ask Mike that. Anyway he's currently the Vice President of GALIA and a treasurer of the board of directors at CKUL (the University's radio station). His platform revolves around his desire to encourage diversity. Hmmm.
Patricia Butt - Ok, my last hope Patricia Butt. I was actually put off of the idea of voting for Patricia due to the overusage of bad puns in her political advertisements around the school. Puns aside, reading her bio seemed like what I imagine the cover letter of an application to be a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader would be like. Don't get me wrong it was actually a pretty well written piece, but it didn't seem to fit with someone concerned about Internal Affairs. I couldn't help but think that if she were handwriting this, she would have dotted her lower case "i's" and "j's" with little smiley faces. She sounds pretty sporty and had a nice picture to boot, but her platform revolved around what a fun person she is and her love of all things sporty and cute. In the end though, I'll probably end up voting for her.
The other positions didn't have enough interest so all running for those positions will be awarded victory by acclamation.
posted by Jeff Milner at 3/10/2004 02:14:00 PM
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Bush Flips Flops
The Bush campaign is running ads attacking Kerry for being a flip-flopper. Here's a few Bush flip-flops from dailykos.com.- Bush is against campaign finance reform; then he's for it.
- Bush is against a Homeland Security Department; then he's for it.
- Bush is against a 9/11 commission; then he's for it.
- Bush is against an Iraq WMD investigation; then he's for it.
- Bush is against nation building; then he's for it.
- Bush is against deficits; then he's for them.
- Bush is for free trade; then he's for tariffs on steel; then he's against them again.
- Bush is against the U.S. taking a role in the Israeli Palestinian conflict; then he pushes for a "road map" and a Palestinian State.
- Bush is for states right to decide on same sex marriage, then he is for changing the constitution.
- Bush first says he'll provide money f