There's a phrase that some people in the film industry use: "multiple bites of the same apple." I'll bet the first time you had all three Lord of the Rings DVD's you felt pretty good. Then they released a "special collection" that had extra footage on it. After ponying up more… Read full post »

There's been a pretty long and predictable comment thread on another blog I write for that stemmed from the tea party movement derailing Scozzafava's candidacy in the NY23 election. In a related email conversation, a friend of mine pointed me over here to some shots of a rather gruesome banner (reads… Read full post »

Mid last month, I told you all that I'd be taking a much needed extended vacation. I spent a fantastic week in LA with my girlfriend and her family. Aside from a few news morsels here and there and some social networking status updates, I hardly looked at a computer.

For… Read full post »

I haven't been keeping up here as much as I'd like to. Lately, my posts have been limited to a mere handful a month and my track record of commenting on other posts has been dreadful. I humbly apologize. I've never made apologies for random disappearances, but I have… Read full post »

Once again, the government is finding a way to use Twitter and other social networking platforms as tools to curtail civil liberties. Elliot Madison and Michael Wallschlaeger of Queens, New York were arrested on charges of hindering apprehension, criminal use of communication facility and possessing… Read full post »

Chicago used to be the city that works. Like much of America these days, much of Chicago isn't working. We've hit the international news scene for terrifying violent crimes as much as our failed Olympic bid. Our mayor is a caricature of himself, a cartoon lampooning patronage that's part diamond Joe… Read full post »

It doesn’t take a linguist to know that words like socialism and fascism become increasingly meaningless each time someone shouts them on television. These words are now little more than blanket terms meant to give people the chills and stir up generalized anger at anyone who might want to chan… Read full post »

In a Pittsburgh Post Gazette interview, president Obama said that he would be open to looking at the Newspaper Revitalization Act, a bill proposed to help bail out fledgling papers by restructuring them into non-profit organizations. Search anywhere on the internet and you can find any number of supp/… Read full post »

The G20 will meet this Thursday in Pittsburgh, presumably to continue their periodic use of the game Risk to decide the world’s fate.

^{_{Courtesy Toplessrobot.com (creative commons license)}}

_{No one's taking Australia from us this time around}

Because the G20 meeting will focus on the… Read full post »

The ultra conservative right wing kicked off the Values Voter Summit today in DC promising to “take the country back” from – well, anyone who's not an ultra right wing conservative. If the world didn't seem filled with so many hot headed gun toting neocons today, I might look at thi/… Read full post »

If John F Kennedy were still alive today, he’d be one of the worst leftist commie nazi’s residing in America.

_{JFK's real assignment during WWII}

As we march further towards the Glorious Future of Freedom, right wing all stars like Glenn Beck and Michelle Malkin lead… Read full post »

I’m many types of nerd, but I’m not exactly a comic book nerd. Like millions of other Americans though, I grew up reveling in the adventures of the amazing Spider Man and the thrilling tales of the Avengers. It didn’t matter if they were comic books or cartoons or even campy… Read full post »

I'm not a “hater,” let me make that clear. But I am very tired of seeing the Whites have it all their way, getting unfair advantaged treatment in our society across the board by playing that Race Card to the hilt. Obviously, that's how every president before Barack Obama, all rich,… Read full post »

Like any train wreck, car accident, or episode of “America’s Got Talent,” there are some things that humans just can't seem to avert their eyes from, even when it's appropriate or preferable. Lately I haven’t been able to avert my eyes properly from the tragedies that are inte… Read full post »

America’s health care shouting match is igniting a new debate on toting weapons at protests. When I think of weapons at a rally, I’m often reminded of some news coverage the night demonstrators (full disclosure – myself included) took Lake Shore Drive in 2003 during the protests aga… Read full post »

I'm still only about 60% complete from my move, which is why I really haven't been bouncing around here as much as I'd like to. But, I still have got time to tell you folks about a good time. So, if any of you Chicago OSers (or… Read full post »

Newt Gingrich might have unknowingly pointed out the biggest American problem: cognative dissonance. On the topic of the absurd “death panels,” Newt said “"You are asking us to trust the government…You are asking us to decide to believe the government should be trusted." Teab… Read full post »

If you drop by here regularly or semi-regularly you might be wondering where your usual doses of sass, sarcasam, and subtle dick jokes placed carefully inside articles about DARPA's latest ray gun are. Fear not, I'm not a flouncer - every now and again I usually just disappear because something ends… Read full post »

 The Pentagon has a new toy in its quest to further dehumanize warfare and bring humanity one step closer to robotic extinction: The EATR.

^{Thomas the Tank Engine's true self revealed}

The concept is pretty simple. The Energetically Autonomous Tactcial Robot will “perform long r/… Read full post »

A brief but interesting report written by a 15 year old Morgan Stanley intern is making waves on the internet. Morgan Stanley Research Europe asked summer intern Matthew Robson to describe how he and his friends use and consume digital media. Robson's report is quickly becoming an overnight sensation/… Read full post »

On this week's show, questions and surprises. Should information be free, or should we have to pay for every idea that someone else gives us? Are zines a dying art form? Surprise surprise, the warrentless wiretap program didn't do anything aside from helping America limp towards fascism. Plus, a trun… Read full post »

You know, those Canadians might just be onto something here.

Also, fear not - my harrowing jury duty tale isn't over. Plus, I've got even more irons in the fire. Stay tuned.  Read full post »

Here in America, we all have two civic duties. We pay our uncle Sam once a year for the privilege of his protection and once and awhile he asks us to judge our peers by sitting on a jury. According to uncle Sam's employees, jury duty is an exciting window to… Read full post »

If a Chicago judge has his way, this blog post will be illegal.

We all know that newspapers and other traditional media are in serious trouble. The ship's been sinking slowly and the captains rest the blame almost solely on the iceberg called the internet. Much like the… Read full post »

We shouldn't be all that surprised with this Ad-Sense business. It was only a matter of time before OS rolled out some kind of ad feature. Ad-Sense is less damaging than other types of advertising (I walk when hawt ringtones are offered), I think – but it should raise an eyebrow… Read full post »