NaNoWriMo

Here is an organization that puts on a National Novel Writers Month contest each November for beginning novelists. There are no big prizes -- more or less gag prizes actually -- but the point is to have a 30 day deadline to write 50,000 words, no matter what the quality. There is a separate contest for youth writers.

Some day, when I can devote my time to writing 50,000 words...

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/whatisnano

Eat better food

Here are some articles telling about (mostly) commonly available foods that are good for our health.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/Story?id=5334734&page=1

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/the-11-best-foods-you-arent-eating/?em&ex=1215662400&en=653a7b27f673249b&ei=5087%0A

GOP computer guru killed in suspicious plane crash just before testifying

Why isn't this story getting more attention in the mainstream media?
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Killed_GOP_pilot_suspected_plane_had_1222.html

New Mac vs. PC ads!

http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/

The whole world says hunger is an outrage -- everyone except...

Once upon a time, 180 nations of the world voted that hunger is an outrage and a violation of human dignity. One nation voted against all the rest. Guess who was that one.

Here is a hint, an excerpt from the United Nations General Assembly report:

Draft resolution XX on the right to food, approved on 24 November by a recorded vote of 180 in favour to 1 against ( United States), with no abstentions, would have the Assembly reaffirm that hunger constitutes an outrage and a violation of human dignity, requiring the adoption of urgent measures at the national, regional and international level, for its elimination.

And elsewhere in the document, there are these details:

By a vote of 180 in favour to 1 against (United States) and no abstentions, the Committee also approved a resolution on the right to food, by which the Assembly would “consider it intolerable” that more than 6 million children still died every year from hunger-related illness before their fifth birthday, and that the number of undernourished people had grown to about 923 million worldwide, at the same time that the planet could produce enough food to feed 12 billion people, or twice the world’s present population. (See Annex III.)

By the terms of the text, the Assembly would express concern that, in many countries, girls were twice as likely as boys to die from malnutrition and childhood diseases and that twice as many women as men were estimated to suffer from malnutrition. Accordingly, it would have the Assembly encourage all States to take action to address gender inequality and discrimination against women, including through measures to ensure that women had equal access to resources, including income, land and water, so as to enable them to feed themselves and their families. By further terms of the draft, the Assembly would urge Member States to promote and protect the rights of indigenous people, who have expressed in different forums their deep concerns over the obstacles and challenges faced in the full enjoyment of the right to food.

After the vote, the representative of the United States said he was unable to support the text because he believed the attainment of the right to adequate food was a goal that should be realized progressively. In his view, the draft contained inaccurate textual descriptions of underlying rights.

The Committee also approved a draft resolution on the rights of the child by a vote of 180 in favour to one against ( United States), with no abstentions. Among other things, that omnibus text would call upon States to create an environment conducive to the well-being of all children, including by strengthening international cooperation in regard to the eradication of poverty, the right to education, the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, and the right to food.

Now, tell that part again about how people don't like us because they don't like our freedoms. And explain to me how the party that has been in power is a pro-life party. Well, actually, save your breath -- I don't want to hear it. Actions speak louder than words.

Oh, I dreamed last night...

... that we were at a party, and Bill Gates made me an offer...

Greeted as heroes?

Remember when they told you that the Iraqis would greet us as liberators, and throw bouquets of flowers at us? Not quite.

Doubt

I'm talking about the movie, Doubt, although the subject of doubt in general would be a good topic one day too, wouldn't it? Anyway, this new film with Merryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman looks like a riot of fun to me. It's not a comedy and isn't supposed to be funny, but rather a serious, suspenseful drama.

I look at the 2 minute clip here -- http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2008-10-28-doubt_N.htm -- and I say, "Wow! I know people just like that! I've had conversations just like those two minutes! And so many issues got brought up in those two minutes!"

Naturally, there's a lot more to the film than those two minutes, but I'd say those two minutes look promising enough to me.

If only I had the time to travel now...

This is too good a deal to pass up! http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/phx/578467547.html

Deepak Chopra to Sean Hannity: Why?

Deepak Chopra publicly asks Sean Hannity of Fox "News" why he so misrepresented Chopra's statements.

It really doesn't matter to me personally whether you agree with me or not. Leaving our debate aside, your habit of taking statements out of context and playing the blaming game is sad. You have a powerful platform that influences many people. Why do you use your influence to monger fear, militancy, divisiveness, and jingoism?

See the full text of Chopra's letter. After you know Chopra's credentials from the above link, you are faced with the question -- if you are a Sean Hannity fan -- How can you pay any attention to him?

Roger Ebert's best 20 films of the year -- most of which you never heard of

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081205/COMMENTARY/812059997/1023

Makes you feel prouder already, doesn't it?

President elect Obama has announced several plans to really make the U.S. a leader nation in the world again by helping states improve infrastructure and making government buildings more energy efficient, improving schools, and making higher broadband capability widely available. It won't solve all the world's problems, but it will get the U.S. back to work on things that will make life better in the future, and will restore our "can do" attitude. And who can argue with the objectives?

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0545867820081206?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

When it's time to buy new luggage

This looks very cool for business travel -- Zuca. See the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvAsNWiowls

Stay Out of the Dog House!

This is a very well done and entertaining ad someone pointed out to me.

http://creativity-online.com/work/view?seed=5e32d548

The Simpsons goes to the (m)Apple Store!

Evil Mad Scientist has lots of suggestions for next halloween.

http://www.evilmadscientist.com/index.php?page=2

How to make an Apple apple pie

http://www.evilmadscientist.com/article.php/ApplePie

Instructables

The Instructables Web site has instructions and videos about how to make things -- such as marshmallow shooters, fake roses, a bike light from an Altoids can, various food recipes, piano keyboards, a Mr. Peanut costume, eyeball candy, trickle charged lighted bike helmet, various robots, a wallet from old bike innertubes, a pond water garden, seed starters, compost bins, hanging tomato plants, LED chandelier -- and how to do things -- like start a business, do math, have fun at Disney World without waiting in line, get six-pack abs, make friends, crush a can on your head, resurface scratched CDs.
http://www.instructables.com/

Hear more -- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97350140.

Today's funnies

Stock Market predictions

Some months back, I made a prediction to friends that the Dow Jones Industrial Average in the stock market would drop from the 14,000 range down to 7000 within one year, and then it would take 5 years for it to close above 10,000 again. I am not a professional investor. I am not giving advice. I'm just saying that based on what I heard on a variety of programs on NPR over the past 3 years, I knew long before all this started happening that we were in for a very rough ride. And now, based on what I'm hearing from the experts I hear on National Public Radio programs, I'm not expecting the economy to really "hit bottom" for another two years. That is to say, I expect things will get worse before they get better -- much worse. In fact, we are already so close to my projection of 7000 that I am considering revising the projection downward to 6000.

We must not be fooled by momentary surges like the one we had today during the last few hours of the trading day. The gains of nearly 500 on the Dow were evidently due to the exuberance caused by the announcement of President-elect Obama's choice for Treasury Secretary. There will be these momentary surges into positive territory, especially as professional traders look for any sign of hope to drive up prices and give them short term profits. But alas, all that improved today is trader confidence, not any economic fundamentals.

Yes, it is possible that President Obama may do things differently enough and bring in enough very brave and creative people that they will pull off a miracle and we'll see improvement sooner than two years. But a miracle is indeed what I think it would take, so I'm not betting on it. Things are far too messed up to expect they can be fixed in the short term.

What I did last year before things got bad was to pull out of the market almost entirely. What I'm doing now is taking advantage of higher rate savings accounts for now. Pentagon Federal Credit Union, for instance, is offering CDs at 5%; there are others out there if you look for them. I am also researching to plan -- when the time is right to re-enter the market -- which funds or securities would be right for me. But I don't expect the time to be right for at least two more years -- when I believe the market will really bottom out.

And much of my "education" comes from NPR programs I recommend to your listening:

• http://www.onpointradio.org/tag/economy/
• http://wamu.org/programs/dr/08/11/13.php
• http://marketplace.publicradio.org/
  

It is your money, your future, your retirement fund. Be well-informed by objective news reporting.


Disclaimer: I am not a professional. I don't know anything. I don't give advice. Do your own homework. You are responsible for your decisions, not me.

Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal (SMBC)

Strange but funny comics. They are much funnier when I realized I needed to scroll down to see the text below the main frame... ;-)
http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=698#comic

Is Bill Ayers an unrepentent terrorist?

John McCain and Sarah Palin made Bill Ayers famous again for a new generation by making him the bogeyman of Barack Obama's campaign. So we might as well know who he really is, what he did, why he did it, and what he says and does now. Hear this interview with him on NPR's Fresh Air -- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97112600.

Roomba Driver

Hear what the rest of the world thinks of us.

Want to see how the rest of the world sees us and our role in Iraq? See this discussion of a British panel and audience telling off John Bolton and making his defense of our role in Iraq look ridiculous. http://www.truveo.com/John-Bolton-Grilled-On-BBC/id/972207001

Where's the change button?

http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2994

Dilbert: Crazy Talk

G-Speak -- Operating System Run by Gestures

http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/14/oblongs-g-speak-the-minority-report-os-brought-to-life/

Don't Laugh at Me

Song by Mark Willis, as arranged and sung by Peter, Paul and Mary. See their lyrics below the video.


I'm a little boy with glasses
The one they call a geek
A little girl who never smiles
'Cause I have braces on my teeth
And I know how it feels to cry myself to sleep
I'm that kid on every playground
Who's always chosen last
A single teenage mother
Tryin' to overcome my past
You don't have to be my friend
But is it too much to ask

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm the beggar on the corner
You've passed me on the street
And I wouldn't be out here beggin'
If I had enough to eat
And don't think I don't notice
That our eyes never meet

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at me

I'm fat, I'm thin, I'm short, I'm tall
I'm deaf, I'm blind, hey, aren't we all

Don't laugh at me
Don't call me names
Don't get your pleasure from my pain
In God's eyes we're all the same
Someday we'll all have perfect wings
Don't laugh at

Who's behind the smears?

Who wrote all those emails that smear Obama during the election campaign and are still getting pumped out today? Here are their names and bios. See for yourself if they should be trusted.
http://fightthesmears.com/behind_the_smears

Unique bikes made in the U.S.

Here is a company that still makes their bikes in the U.S. They are not lightweight, and they are not cheap, but they have some interesting designs for practical bikes for personal transportation (in lieu of cars) and for industrial use. http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/index.html

And check out their unique tandem cycle -- http://worksmancycles.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/sbst.html

More about Worksman Cycles here on NPR -- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97024808

Olbermann: A question of the human heart

The full text is here -- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27650743/.