Slashdot Mirror
Slashback: Electioneering, Blimps, Shuffling
Let's get the politics out of the way.
The Washington state Republican Party has been working to prove that the election of November 2, between Democrat Christine Gregoire and Republican Dino Rossi, was too fraudulent to be trusted, given the small margin of victory by Gregoire (129 votes), and they want a new election. Hundreds of alleged fraudulent votes (mostly felons, but also out-of-state, duplicate, and deceased voters), uncounted ballots, unaccounted-for absentee ballots, and illegally counted provisional ballots comprise the bulk of the GOP's case. The trial begins May 23, and the judge expects it to last two weeks. The hearing to decide the burden of proof standard will be May 2.
Unctuous politicians relive their student-council glory days:
Jackson West writes "As it stands, two versions of the Electronic Engineering bill (discussed earlier on Slashdot) presented to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors have passed their 'first reading.' This means both the first, unamended piece of legislation, and an amended version that will "specifically exclude web logs, forums, opt-in email lists and postings on general web pages." The Rules Committee will consider the amended bill on Monday, with a final vote on both bills on Tuesday."
How to get attention, part IIVVIVIVM.SanLouBlues writes "On March 30th, Slashdot reported on the FBI request for the logs of several radical-leaning sites. The Washington Post has an article about the man who was responsible for the posts which resulted in the FBI request. He claimed to have killed a cop in several forum posts."
Now on to the fun stuff!Matt Omori writes to say that GimpShop, the recently mentioned version of The GIMP hacked to feel more familiar to users of Photoshop, isn't just for Linux and Mac OS X. "Yes, it's finally been coded for Windows XP. After lots of hard work, some people devoted to a website, plasticbugs.com, have coded GimpShop for Windows."
To use it, you'll need Windows XP, GTK+, and a reboot. However, I'd also like to point out a BigSven's comment about the themeability of The GIMP; it would be great to see GIMPersonalities of all sorts -- and it sounds like this can be accomplished with some XML editing.
Still looks actionable to me.MrToast writes "The iPodLounge is reporting that LuxPro's Super Shuffle is back, but this time with slight alterations. The Super Tangent, as it is being called, has a slightly different button area and also has new headphones. Otherwise it appears to be identical to the iPod shuffle."
(The SuperShuffle disappeared from the Web site, and was reported as a hoax, shortly after it was mentioned in mid-March.)
Let's close on some uplifting news. Vaeske writes with more on my favorite futuristic means of broadband delivery, region-covering airships. "GlobeTel Communications Corp announced that they will be showing their prototype of the Sanswire One on April 12th. This "Stratalite" as they call it, will float in the stratosphere at 65,000 feet and provide line of sight communications to approximately 300,000 square miles, providing two-way high-sped communication. This project has attracted many high-profile NASA engineers to leave their posts for a position with GlobeTel. The military has also shown interest and was present at the GlobeTel Summit."
That's exactly what they were trying to do in Florida 2000. Recount, recount, and recount again until they get the result they want, and then declare victory. Oh, and act self-righteous if anyone questions what they did.
Frankly, I hope it stays the way it is.... and that the Governor-select up there drives the whole state into the ground. It'd serve 'em right.
_The Daily Show_ is a comedy show. Bush is a joke. The joke about "biased facts" is funny, because it's so right on: Republicans routinely demand "balance" against truths about their bad actions in the form of lies or propaganda. This current trend for "balance" is a travesty. Journalism isn't like the "ls" command on a commandline: it requires the journalist to figure out what is actually going on, based on evidence, then to tell the story that lets everyone relate to it. The objectivity comes in the reporter's outlook - finding the actual story, based on facts, not just the story they'd like to tell. It's hard, slippery, and never really worked. But it was much closer than the current system, where two opposing, vested interest viewpoints are set in conflict and presented to the consumer, with the reporter disclaiming any judgement on the accuracy, veracity, bias, or even sanity of the viewpoints. At the very least, the stories are poorly served by including only two, brand-name representatives, rather than the actual diversity of opinions of any of the naturally complex stories we get, especially in politics. Because otherwise it would be obvious as opinion, or advocacy, or just propaganda - or the reporter might have to make a decision, which might make them accountable. Which is a liability that corporate news avoids at all costs. We live in a complex world, where important decisions are made in the fake world of the media. Without any of the safeguards that got us here. So consumers of news have a responsibility to ourselves to view every story critically before accepting it, especially before repeating it.
--
make install -not war
As I pointed out in my post, we're talking about Pudge coming up with a story on his own, rather than selecting from submissions posted by noneditors. Do you have an example of Timothy or Michael creating their own story for publication? Do you have a reason to create an argument with me over whether Slashdot editors pick stories of interest to them, naturally reflecting their bias - when I haven't even referred to that practice?
And what makes you say that Bush partisan hackery being unwelcome, that some hypothetical partisan hackery, that you're making up, from "the other side" (whatever that is, exactly) is therefore "welcome"? I never said that, and only selfserving logic would make anyone say that. Actual logic would not.
Finally, what is it about outrage and disgust about Republicans cracking Democrats email on the Senate Judiciary Committee, to spy on them, that is "partisan"? Show me Democrats cracking and spying on Republicans' email in the Senate, and I'll be outraged. Waiting...
Really, I don't know what you mean by "idependent", if you say that I am not. I'm a member of no political party. Republicans are currently engaged in an aggressive assault on American government in obvious ways. As scary in their success as in their incompetence. Does your sense of integrity kick in only when the people with whom you disagree are screwing up? It sure seems so, from your examples and rhetoric.
--
make install -not war
No, it is *you* who is listening *too hard* - to the Republican voices in your head. I read a post which favored any Republicans: "But the local government here needs change, and a Republican term or two would do us some good.". No specifics, just explicit preference for one party over another, because one party had power too long. BTW, that post also includes a ridiculous rant about needing "better" business and corporate law in WA, though Microsoft seems to like it there. In short, just another cryptoRepublican begging for more abuse from their favorite Daddy party.
Unlike you, they at least have the dignity not to come out and barf actual lies from the Republican talking points machine. I'm not going to debate the Ohio election with someone as lost a cause as you obviously are. Except to correct your miserable assertion about "some flimsy Internet rumors", which ignores the hundreds of thousands of Ohioans scammed out of their right to vote, as reported in detail, with hundreds of witnesses, by Rep. Conyers' Congressional committee. The Republicans on that committee ignored the report, so why should a mere mouthpiece like you pay any attention? Why do you hate America?
--
make install -not war