Watching commercials on purpose

Paul, Austin, TX — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:43:13 GMT

Google Me the movie reminds me of a similar project Dave Gorman did a while back: http://www.davegorman.com/projects_are_you_dave_gorman.html

Mr Gorman went on to have some Googley fun with his Googlewhack Adventure: http://www.davegorman.com/projects_googlewhack_adventure.html

Both make excellent viewing/reading!

Watching commercials on purpose

Eric the Read, Madison WI — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 03:14:37 GMT

I was more intrigued by the unknown nuclear explosion in the south Indian Ocean in 1979, and the underground test in Mississippi (? Louisiana?)

Watching commercials on purpose

Michael "Some people's kids" [Last Name Deleted] — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:26:29 GMT

"Does this ad go too far?"

No. I happen to think it's a crappy ad, but it doesn't go too far.

Watching commercials on purpose

LAMarlowe — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:43:52 GMT

Good morning, Will.

People and companies keep trying to generate the next big viral internet smash hit, but maybe they should keep the advertising and marketing people out of the mix.

Mark Frauenfelder posted an empty BoingBoing entry labeled Untitled1 that continues to generate comments and interest.

http://www.boingboing.net/2008/04/24/untitled-1.html#comment-173983

Watching commercials on purpose

Vance Flint MI — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:09:29 GMT

I wouldn't really call what happened with the student and Ashcroft a fight.The student calmly asked Ashcroft some legitimate questions regarding torture and Ashcroft threw a hissy fit.Saying the student got into a fight with Ashcroft implies he was attacked instead of merely questioned.

Watching commercials on purpose

A.G. Pym, Richland, WA — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:20:10 GMT

The locations marked for nuclear "tests" in places within the US outside of NV & NM were part of "Project Plowshare", a program to use nuclear explosives for peaceful purposes. Most of the Plowshare blasts were used to fracture rock in oil-bearing formations to enhance oil flow and retrievability. Other earth-moving uses (e.g., mining a second "Panama Canal") were contemplated, but never put into use.

Watching commercials on purpose

AJ, Ohio — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 19:18:00 GMT

I find Type Racer more difficult than other typing "tests" I've taken, if only because I find the fact that the first word of the sentence shifts forward as you're typing. My eyes are having trouble getting used to that!

Watching commercials on purpose

Greg, Athens, AL — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:41:28 GMT

I love the map of nuclear explosions. (I'm a political science professor who specializes in the study of war, arms control, and national security issues; so I'm always thrilled to come across a really informative map like this one.) As for the North Korean test, it was a dud. There was a partial detonation of the plutonium resulting in an explosion of less than 1 kiloton -- only a small fraction of the explosive yield that would be expected from a bomb of this type. It's very tricky to make a plutonium bomb that works properly. The slightest flaw can cause the bomb to blow itself to pieces before the plutonium is able to completely detonate. (It's a lot easier to make a uranium bomb that works; but weapons-grade uranium is much harder to produce than weapons-grade plutonium.)

As for the previous comment about the mysterious 1979 incident in the Indian Ocean: A spy satellite saw bright flashes of light from this remote location, and it was long suspected that this might have been a nuclear test either by South Africa, Israel, or possibly even a joint test between the two. It is still not entirely clear if this was, in fact, a nuclear explosion at all. The only hard evidence were the satellite images; and the flashes could have been caused by a meteor. If it were an actual nuclear test, it is still unclear who conducted it. South Africa and Israel have been identified as the most likely candidates. Over the years, bits of information have leaked out that suggest that this was indeed a joint Israeli-South African nuclear test; but the reliability of this information is unclear.

And, yes, a couple of underground nuclear tests were conducted in southern Mississippi in the mid-1960s.

Watching commercials on purpose

Dave K — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 04:35:31 GMT

If you are bound, restricted, imobilized or otherwise secured, and someone only "pours" water down your mouth or nose, if you do not have the ability to stop it isn't it being FORCED!?

Bush, Cheney, Ashcroft, Rice, they all deserve what they have denied others - a fair TRIAL.

Watching commercials on purpose

KRW — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 15:11:36 GMT

Interesting that the actual video of the question presented to Ashcroft was conspicuously missing from the link on the Huffington Post post. Found the video on YouTube (didn't catch the Olbermann show, pity) and it seems to me that, absent of having full documentation on the WWII case, Ashcroft has a point. As described, the WWII waterboarding is different than the form of waterboarding approved for use today. One can argue if what we use today is acceptable or not, but the two cases seem significantly different, as described. After reading the transcript of the confrontation and watching the actual video, it seems more than just the definition of waterboarding is open to interpretation.

Watching commercials on purpose

cat, Houston,Tx — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:24:21 GMT

is it just me...or is PETA now in the business of exploiting women instead of animals? I'm WAY not a fan anymore.

Watching commercials on purpose

Michael T, Hollywood, CA — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:23:05 GMT

re: the Dell Eco-computer...so, the Professor apparently can build a computer out of bamboo and coconuts, but he still can't fix the hole in the Minnow and get them off the damn island...