Electronic Darwinism: Week In Review

Yes, to try to establish a blogging schedule and to practice for a weekly series, here is my Electronic Darwinism Week in Review.

Stories that, while they may not be major or earth-shaking or even make much sense, somehow managed to capture my attention enough for me to inflict them upon you, Gentle Reader.

Yes, crossposted on the Daily Kos.

By the way, this is my record for a series and schedule - two in a row. W00t!

Okay, first - go sign up for Second Life, dammit, and go see my friend csk's WTC Memorial. I'll wait.

Oh, you can find it by clicking the Map button and searching for Celestial Requiem NYC. Yes, I'll wait.

So, I heard some guy resigned from the Attorney General's office. Wake me when the war crimes trials start.

So, it's Magical September. Oh, and still no pony. And the Magic Everything-Gets-Better Fairy is dead.

Speaking of dead...

Melanie Sloan weighs in on the resignation of Larry Craig (R-Self-Hating Hypocrite).

On a lighter note, Ubuntu 7.10 finally gets rid of manual graphics card configuration. If you don't understand what that means, then savour your good fortune.

Stop me if you've heard this one before. God, maybe it is the Sixties all over again.

There's a new TV program starting on BBC America next Saturday. Spun off from Doctor Who - kind of a CSI/X-Files sort of thing - it's called Torchwood. Was watching the Doctor Who marathon on BBC America yesterday (I liked the original series, and Little Loner is a biiig fan of the new Doctor) and they had a "sneak preview" Every God-damned Break. How can I anticipate you if you won't go away?

Oh, and speaking of next Saturday...

All right, that's it for me - but feel free to add any strange, peculiar, or interesting links in comments. Yeah, I need a clever sign-off line, so I'll rotate through 'till I find a good one.

Hakka paale!

OK So Maybe I Won't Quit

I was going to GBCW - but by popular demand I'll keep doing this - at least Week in Reviews Sunday mornings.

Today I'll also post the Minuteman Snuff Video Saga from Daily Kos, to gve y'all some content.

God, a month and a half!

Second Life is a vampire!

So, let's see what the Obstructionist-in-Chief is doing...

Lying about our troop strength in Iraq, and setting us up for another Friedman Unit in Magic September? Check.

Lying about why we're there in the first place? Check.

Scaremongering with the failed UK terror attacks? Oh, so check.

Promising to keep American soldiers in harm's way until they find the pony or he can get his war-criminal ass to Paraguay? Check.

Demonstrating utter contempt for due process and the rule of law? Check and check.

That's the most depressing part about doing this - it's like I never went on hiatus.

New Look

I'm still working on it, but let me know what you think of the new look.

Personally, I think it looks too iPod, and I liked the fonts from the old version better. Still need to work on colors, too. But I got so many complaints about the old version, and I figured, what the hell.

I got the template from www.finalsense.com.

Missed the cable bill again

Going on hiatus until April 15th, or until I can scrape up the dough to pay them.

Yeah, this happens sometimes. No worries.

Not Exactly Three Amigos

Opened the bidding for that thumbnail space there near the top right-hand column, and here are the three bidders that responded:

Our first bidder is Bacon Tastes Good. Normally I don't give a crap about entertainment blogs, but anybody who likes Heroes that much can't be all bad.

Next, we have an old friend and sparring partner, Peter Porcupine. Yes, one of the last of a dying breed - an actual, honest conservative. Seriously, if more Republicans were like Peter, there would be a lot more about Linux and science fiction on this blog.

Finally, we wind up with Pressing the Flesh. This gets my enthusiastic recommendation, solely for the "Satan Thwarted Once Again In Reclaiming Cheney story.

Looks like Peter Porcupine won the impartial black d6 roll, but I'd like you all to stop by all of this week's bidders and gve them a Moody Loner howdy - and please, I link to these people so clean up after yourselves.

Quick Shout Out

Stop by Blue Panther there at the thumbnail on the right. Normally I give up if I only get one bidder, but Blue's perseverance should be rewarded.

This Space For Rent: Pardon Me Whilst I Indulge in Meta

Something that a few of my readers have asked is why I bother with the whole "This Space for Rent" deal.

Look, even I get tired of writing about how the Chimp is screwing us over. I've got to give y'all a break now and then, and every week or so I get a not-really-random sample of blogs from BlogExplosion for us to go visit. Sometimes the hardest part is for me to find something to say about each one.

That said, here's this week's bidders:

Step Into the Nexus - Miss Nexus talks about whatever occurs to her.

As Seen in the Rear View - Here's some advice, vixen - dice.

The Blue Panther - My buddy from India. Go blue!

L'Undone - A tale of high-weirdness, big love, cyber-crime and the mutual insane obsession of two people that never even met. And I quote.

The impartial black d4 selects As Seen in the Rear View - but please stop by all the bidders and give them a Moody Loner Howdy. Assuming, of course, that this does not violate state and/or local statutes.

This Space for Rent: Healing Music and B.S.

Looks like the two bidders for that thumbnail space to your right are as follows:

Daniel Kobialka, Principal 2nd Violinist with the San Francisco Symphony, has put his blog up for your perusal. Go improve yourselves.

Ryan Shattuck has submitted his blog, bullshattuck, for your approval.

In his words:

the bullshattuck blog generally covers a wide variety of topics, from politics and religion, to pop culture and wondering why Muslims aren’t allowed to charge interest. Being that Ryan Shattuck is also mildly self-centered, most of his essays center on himself.

Right. Well, the impartial black d6/3 selects bullshattuck for our renter, but please feel free to stop by both bidders, and tell them Moody sent you.

This Space for Rent: New York and Karaoke

Now that the holidays are over, it's time once again to rent out that thumbnail space there to your right.

Today we have an old favorite of mine, New York Nitty-Gritty, otilus' photoblog of New York City scenes and one I've never seen before called YouTube Karaoke which provides the valuable public service of enabling you to karaoke in the privacy of your own home, with the windows and doors shut.

Decisions, decisions.

The impartial black d6/3 gives the spot to New York Nitty-Gritty, but again, I urgeyou to visit both sites, Gentle Reader. Tell them Moody sent you - and keep the singing down or I'll call the cops. And stay off my lawn.

Hiatus again

Got the next week off work, so either I'll be posting all the God-damned time or you won't see hide nor hair of me.

In case it's the second option, Happy Holidays.

Yes, in the spirit of the season, that's just to piss off the terrorist sympathizer.

Hiatus

Had some computer issues, and lost a few mornings to the vampire that is Fate.

Yeah, thanks for asking how I was doing. Appreciate it. No, didn't get my all-expense-paid shipping container to whatever Eastern European hellhole we've replaced Gitmo with. Yet.

The six medics accused of deliberately infecting people with AIDS in Libya have been found guilty in a Libyan court and sentenced to death. Apparently they have the right to appeal. Don't know what good it will do them, though.

Looks like we're getting another little lesson in the panacea of elections in Palestine as they teeter on the edge of civil war. You can't just slap an election on like a band-aid and think democracy's going to spring up, you have to establish democratic institutions and the rule of law. Otherwise you get a hellhole like Iraq, an oligarchy like China, or a plutocracy like the United States.

Speaking of Iraq, the Pentagon reports attacks are at the highest level there since June of 2004. So, what is it, Bushites? Are they trying to influence the elections? Are we turning another corner? Are they standing up as we stand down? Still looking for a new way forward? Think things will be better in six months?

Just how stupid are you?

And, taking a page from Atrios, we have Simple Answers to Complex Questions. Today's Complex Question comes to us from the Asia Times Online. Sudha Ramachandran writes:

Even as US President George W Bush signed into law a bill that Congress passed last week allowing Washington to conduct nuclear trade with India, sections in India are wondering whether this country can trust Bush to deliver on his promises.

They point out that the US law enabling nuclear trade with India deviates significantly from commitments that were made by the Bush administration to the Indian leadership over the past year.

So, you're asking if India can trust Bush to uphold his promises?

No.

That was Simple Answers to Complex Questions. Thank you for playing.

This Space For Rent: The Number of the Day is...Four

Once again, we have four bidders for that thumbnail space you see near the top of the right-hand column. Let's all give an Electronic Darwinism Howdy to the following blogs, and see who the Impartial Black d4 selects.

First, we have Kamal's Computerized World. SQL tips, jokes, and cricket. What's not to like?

Second, we have IrnBru001's blog. Progressive news and opinion currently leading off with a slam at Glenn Beck. Sir, you have proved that you're not working with our enemies.

Next, we have Observing Hermann. An American expat gives us a view of German culture and opinion.

We wrap it up with Quartz Mountain Weblog. The weblog for a web and print design company, they offer advertising and marketing tips - if you're into that sort of thing.

Our impartial black d selects Kamal's Computerized World, but please stop by all the bidders - and tell them Moody Loner sent you.

Okay, back

And thanks to Mrs. Moody and Alton Brown or showing her the path, I've had what was possibly the best Thanksgiving turkey ever. I'd post the recipe, but that's not what y'all are here to read, and I'd probably be executed for divulging classified Thanksgiving secrets.

And, amid the bitter aftertaste of the worsening chaos and civil war in Iraq, I give thanks that I've done my duty as an American citizen to stand against tyranny and aggressive, preemptive war and stand up for the Constitution and the rule of law. I accept that much more needs to be done and rededicate myself to standing up for the freedoms that good Americans have laid down their lives for.

Yeah, cue American flag backdrop and patriotic music.

And, for my non-American readers, I will work for the day that you forgive us and respect us once again.

Thanksgiving Weekend.

Either I won't be able to post at all for the next four days or I'll be on all the time.

Let's find out.

This Space for Rent: The Gang of d4 Once More

Looks like we have some new faces and some old friends dropping y to try and rent the thumbnail space to your right. Introductions are in order. Gentle Readers, meet:

JCM's RPG art: Character portraits and NPCs for paper-and-pencil roleplaying games. Focuses on Storyteller. Bust out some more D&D NPCs there, d00d!

Tom Jackson Online: News, current events, and entertainment news from the UK. Go for the Michael Jackson mockery.

Pictures From My World: Bozette's photoblog currently featuring sculptures from Waupun, WI. Art, photography, and sculpture fans rejoice.

Advertising for Success: Advice on advertising, monetizing, and other ways to use your blog as a revenue stream - at least, more in-depth than my brief flirtation with Google Adsense. Yes, a yer and a half is a brief flirtation. I'm old-fashioned.

The winner of the impartial black d4 roll is Tom Jackson Online, but please visit all of this week's bidders, and tell them Moody sent you.

Two Years

Yes, Electronic Darwinism started two years ago today.

Anyone insisting on celebrating the occasion can make use of the PayPal button in the right-hand column. Perhaps I'll update my wishlist as well, on the off chance the Vast Left-Wing Conspiracy(TM) ever gets around to ponying up.

We will return you to your regularly irregularly scheduled righteous wrath tomorrow.

This Space for Rent: Pre-Election Edition

Yes, it's that time again. The weeks just rip on by, don't they?

Looks like we have three bidders this time: Aeowolf Online from the UK with stories about the death of eDonkey and the comforting idiocy of schoolchildren in the UK, Dragons Omen with Clinton bashing and jokes (the thought of having to choose between Hillary and McCain in 2008 is enough to make me contemplate opening a vein), and Soapbox Jury, with random reviews of blogs, sites, and movies.

The impartial d6/2 selects Soapbox Jury, but I'd like you to visit all three shout-outs. And, if you're in the US, go vote tomorrow, dammit. And remember - paper ballots!

All Hail Discordia!

Yes, it's that time again. Merry Samhain, Happy Halloween, and All Hail Discordia!

Dammit, should have taken today as a religious oliday. Ah well, not like we're going to be doing much actual work anyway - and I'd miss out on the activities at my place of employment.

We'll return you to your regular righteous wrath tomorrow - November 7th election guide coming up!

This Space for Rent: Daylight Savings Edition

That must be why I'm up at 6 am.

Shout-outs to this week's bidders, Discuss It with fine analysis and discussion of the Military Commissions Act, and The Search for Health in Decadence for the discussion regarding the perils of utopianism.

The Impartial Coin Flip selected Discuss It, but I urge my readers to visit both blogs. Tell them Moody sent you, and be polite - I'd like to be invited back.