Clipmarks | ericskiff's clips

Our Soldiers

Sat, 30 Jun 2007 15:22:41 GMT

clipped by: ClipClipHooray
clipper's remarks: Our flag does still wave because of young people who are committed to serving our nation. Thank you!

Clip Source: letters-from-the-desert.blogspot.com

Jim Higgins

A mobilized Army Reserve Chaplain from Atlanta, currently stationed in Balad, Iraq at LSA Anaconda

Clip Source: letters-from-the-desert.blogspot.com

I recently attended a showing of "Spiderman 3" here at LSA Anaconda.

As is the custom back in the States, we stood and snapped to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going as planned until about three-quarters of the way through the National Anthem the music stopped.

Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and call for a movie. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place.

Here, you could have heard a pin drop. Every Soldier stood at attention. Suddenly there was a lone voice, then a dozen, and quickly the room was filled with the voices of a thousand Soldiers

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,

o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Tags: iraq, coalition forces, national anthem, respect

Sleeping naked is better for you!

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 18:12:08 GMT

clipped by: countryboylife

Clip Source: sleepnaked.org

Comfort and health

Not only is sleeping naked more comfortable, but it's good for your health too. Increasing your level of comfort makes it easier for you to relax and sleep, so you get a better night's kip. The resulting deeper, longer sleep makes it easier for your body to regenerate and repair itself, and build up your energy for the day ahead.

Sexual benefits

If you sleep with a partner, being naked heightens the level of intimacy between you, and you are likely to have sex more often. You may also feel closer to your partner as a result of sleeping naked with them

Work and lifestyle benefits

If you find yourself tired in the morning or during the day even though you've had at-least eight hours sleep, you may only be sleeping lightly for that period of time. As mentioned earlier, sleeping naked allows your body to relax more immediately, and you are more likely to fall into a deeper sleep more quickly and wake up refreshed.

Tags: sleep, health, relationships

Colorado "purges" voter registrations

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:39:53 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: Regardless of your political leanings, one thing is clear. Unless everyone has the same opportunity to vote, our democracy doesn't work.

Clip Source: www.gregpalast.com

In swing-state Colorado, the Republican Secretary of State conducted the biggest purge of voters in history, dumping a fifth of all registrations. Guess their color.

In swing-state Florida, the state is refusing to accept about 85,000 new registrations from voter drives – overwhelming Black voters.

It’s time SOMEBODY raised the alarm about these missing voters; not to save Obama’s candidacy – journalists should stay the heck away from partisan endorsements - but raise the alarm to save our sick democracy.

Palast on the Thom Hartmann Show 7-29-08 [10:20m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: vote, voting, politics, colorado, swing state

The Real Reason for SSN--per Colin Powell

Tue, 03 Jul 2007 21:23:28 GMT

clipped by: thedoorway
clipper's remarks: According to an obvious "slip" made by Colin Powell on Fox News Sunday, 06/17/01, the real reason (or benefit) of our SSN is that it allows the government "to MONITOR, TRACK DOWN and CAPTURE an American citizen." Doesn't it give you a warm feeling to know that your U.S. Secretary of State felt that way about U.S. citizens?

Clip Source: www.theforbiddenknowledge.com

Colin Powell leaks real reason for SSN

Mr. Powell during the entire interview was very confident, and spoke without hesitation throughout the entire interview excluding for a one second period, after one specific statement made by him as he was talking about the Russian peoples. When he realized the consequences of making this disclosure indirectly to the American public, he froze for a second, his eyes rolled back as he realized what he had said, and then he continued without further pause for the rest of the interview.

The quote from Mr. Powell, per the Russian Scientists that every American "NEEDS" to hear immediately is as follows:

[Colin Powell] - "Finding the Russian scientists may be a problem being that Russia does not have a Social Security System, as here in America, that allows us to MONITOR, TRACK DOWN and CAPTURE an American citizen."

Tags: ssn, social security number, american citizens, tracking

Hank's Bailout as Nigerian Spam

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:47:15 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: I get a bunch of these every day in my spam... Funny to hear the bailout plan put plainly in this same language.

Clip Source: www.boingboing.net

Hal sends us this "brilliant satiric email phrasing Hank Paulson's giant Wall Street bailout as Nigerian spam."

I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

Tags: bailout, economy, finance, spam

Jonathan Coulton plays the Brooklyn Ikea opening

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:19:19 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: If you don't already know Jonathan Coulton, go take a listen at http://jonathancoulton.com

His song "Ikea" is a fantastic parody / send up / love letter to the swedish flat-pack furniture giant, and apparently they had him play it at the opening of the store in Red Hook! Awesome.

Clip Source: twitter.com

Playing the Brooklyn ikea opening. 6:30 am this morning. Dream come true. Not really.

Jonathan Coulton

Tags: jonathan coulton, ikea, awesome, music, funny

Line your walls with books to save heat

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:43:26 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: Kill trees to make books to line your walls to save the planet

Clip Source: www.boingboing.net

The editorial staff of the UK's Bookseller magazine want you to know that lining your exterior walls with books is practically a moral imperative, since it reduces your energy costs and saves the world. You don't have to tell me -- I've been lining my walls with books for decades.

"Books are the original insulator. A shelf of books along an outside wall works well to prevent heat escaping,"

Link (Thanks, wiseGEEK!)

T-shirt: Hey Hank... Where's my bailout?

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 04:13:45 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: A friend of mine just put this one up on his site - definitely fits the mood for the moment.

If all these banks get to back the money truck up to the treasury, why not everyone.

It's going to be an interesting week.

Clip Source: www.printfection.com

Tags: treasury, fed, bailout, banking, credit crisis

Oil jumps $25!

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:44:59 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: I don't think this has hit the market yet, some of my tickers are still reporting the old price. Once today's market gets wind of a major jump in oil on worries about the dollar because of this bailout, we're in for some trouble.

How can we bail out banks to the tune of $700b+ from federal money without devaluing the dollar?

Clip Source: www.breitbart.com

Oil prices spiked more than $25 a barrel Monday—the biggest one-day price jump ever—as anxiety over the government's $700 billion bailout plan

Crude has gained about $40 in a dramatic four-day rally that has at least temporarily halted oil's steep two-month slide below $100. At this rate, crude is within striking distance of its all-time record of $147.27, reached in July.

Tags: money, oil, economics, economy, bailout, dollar

Washy Ad Jeffy - Presidential mnemonic song

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:59:22 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: Jonathan Coulton just put up another great song - aside from being a great mnemonic device, it's also a catchy little tune. I've never learned the Presidents, I'm going to use this to finally memorize them

Clip Source: www.jonathancoulton.com

When I was a wee lad my father taught me the greatest mnemonic device in the history of mnemonic devices. It’s called “Washy Ad Jeffy” and it’s a little jingle/rhyme thingie that helps you remember the order of all the US presidents and how many terms (or partial terms) they served - the number of syllables in the nickname is the number of terms. My father learned it from Mrs. Govan, his 8th grade history teacher at Memorial Junior High School in Ohio. He believes she made it up, but he’s not entirely sure. At the time he learned it, and of course when he taught it to me, it only went up to Eisenhower. I have added to it over the years, so really it’s a collaboration between Mrs. Govan (maybe?) and me.

[Video]

I’ve made an mp3 as well:

You can get it for free or else pay for it, your choice.

Clip Source: www.jonathancoulton.com

Len sent in this Washy Ad Jeffy poster - Coolidge kind of looks like Hodgman, don’t you think? And check out the X’s in Harrison’s eyes…

Tags: joco, jonathan coulton, mnemonic, learning, president, presidents, song

Facebook Adds "App reviews"

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 19:00:43 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: Interesting - I'm glad that there will be another metric to guide the App Directory other than "most installs".

Clip Source: mashable.com

Facebook has added a “reviews” feature to all Facebook applications, where you can rate an application on a scale of 1-5 stars and also write something about the app. Additionally, similar to the Pages set up by brands (such as this one for Mashable), you can now become a “fan” of an application.

Nick O’Neill of AllFacebook thinks that these changes will eventually lead to an improved directory for applications. He writes:

“I have a funny feeling that Facebook may eventually use these reviews as a method for displaying “highest rated applications.” This will make the application directory even more efficient for browsing.”

Fun with a laser cutter: Tinysaur is Tiny

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:48:55 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: This was cut using our new epilog laser at NYCResistor. Look at how little and awesome he is! I wonder how the heck Kelly put it together.

Clip Source: www.nycresistor.com

Martin sent us a dino pattern to celebrate our laser. I made a regular size dinosaur, but Kelly made a tiny tinysaur!

Where do you hide all the best object files on the internet? We want to play with them!

The tinysaur has been spotted again! - Link

Tags: dinosaur, tiny, laser, nycresistor

Favre reinstatement letter

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:10:55 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: Finally a good move by Favre

Clip Source: sports.espn.go.com

Brett Favre followed through on his statements that he wanted to come out of retirement by faxing his reinstatement letter to the NFL on Tuesday.

Favre sent the letter to the league office late Tuesday afternoon and also spoke by phone with commissioner Roger Goodell, who indicated he will not act on Tuesday in hopes the Packers and Favre can reach a resolution during the next 24 hours, the sources said.

"It's obviously the first step in Brett coming back, but we'll deal with that when Brett is reinstated and have a plan for that when he comes back," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said, adding that the team is still committed to Aaron Rodgers as its starting quarterback.

Tags: favre, nfl

Home prices drop 15.3% year over year

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:41:09 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: I began watching this whole mess play out in about 2004, and was aghast as prices continued to fly out of control. By the end of 2005, the housing fever was breaking and the "housing boom" was being seen for the bubble it was.

Now, to look at the chart of prices even for the so-far relatively insulated New York, there's no mistaking which direction prices are headed. Not only that, it's heading ever faster in that direction.

This "record" of 15.3% year over year drop won't stand very long. I'd be very surprised if we don't break it next month.

Clip Source: money.cnn.com

Prices in 20 cities fall for 21st month in a row. One sign of hope: Pace of decline eased in many areas.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- U.S. home prices posted record declines in April, extending a painful losing streak for U.S. home prices.

"In the bubble markets, we continue to see very rapid rates of price declines," said Baker. "If anything, it may be accelerating."

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

Tags: economy, home prices, housing, bubble, chart, money

NYTimes Skewers "The Love Guru"

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 05:30:38 GMT

clipped by: ericskiff
clipper's remarks: Wow - this is one of the most damning reviews of a popular movie I've ever read.

Everything I've seen of "The Love Guru" looks like complete dreck, and I'm a pretty big Mike Meyers fan, dating back to the "So I Married and Ax Murderer" days.

The Times really gives it to him here - I'm surprised to see them go so far in panning it, it must be even worse than I expected.

Clip Source: movies.nytimes.com

Movie Review

The Love Guru (2008)

To say that the movie is not funny is merely to affirm the obvious. The word “unfunny” surely applies to Mr. Myers’s obnoxious attempts to find mirth in physical and cultural differences but does not quite capture the strenuous unpleasantness of his performance. No, “The Love Guru” is downright antifunny, an experience that makes you wonder if you will ever laugh again.

Tags: the love guru, movies, movie review