Month: March 2005

Morning Whip, 3/15/05

Marines 1, UAW 0[*1] .

Free Lebanon 1,000,000, Hezbollah 0[*2] (after disqualification of Syrian rent-a-mob).

University of Kansas 1, John Randle -3[*3] .

Rescheduled: Browser War II: Firefox vs. IE[*4] .

Morning Whip, 3/14/05

China threatens force against Taiwan–Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says[*1] :
“The law is not aimed to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait,” he said. “It’s for the peace and stability in the area.”

Somehow I’m not relieved by Wen’s concerns for “peace and stability.”

The fields are set:
NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament[*2]
NCAA Women’s Basketball tournament[*3]
National Invitation Tournament[*4]
Women’s National Invitation Tournament[*5]

NASA gets a new administrator[*6] : Michael D. Griffin, a Johns Hopkins physicist.

Tax on toilet paper[*7] ? Florida legislator Al Lawson thinks it’s a good idea.

What made an Airbus rudder snap in mid-air?[*8] The money paragraph:
Despite these and earlier assurances, some pilots remain sceptical. The Observer has learnt that after the 587 disaster, more than 20 American Airlines A300 pilots asked to be transferred to Boeings, although this meant months of retraining and loss of earnings. Some of those who contributed to pilots’ bulletin boards last week expressed anger at the European manufacturer in vehement terms. One wrote that having attended an Airbus briefing about 587, he had refused to let any of his family take an A300 or A310 and had paid extra to take a circuitous route on holiday purely to avoid them: “That is how convinced I am that there are significant problems associated with these aircraft.”

Big Dance (W), Selection Sunday Edition

In (30):
Eastern Kentucky (23-7), Ohio Valley
Western Carolina (18-13), Southern
Canisus (21-9), MAAC
Santa Clara (17-13), West Coast
TCU (23-9), Conference USA
Tennessee (26-4), SEC
Temple (27-3), Atlantic 10
Michigan State (28-3), Big 10
North Carolina (27-3), ACC
Wisconsin-Green Bay (27-3), Horizon
Stanford (29-2), Pac 10
Middle Tennessee State (23-8), Sun Belt
Oral Roberts (22-8), Mid-Con
Connecticut (23-7), Big East
Holy Cross (20-10), Patriot
Liberty (24-6), Big South
Old Dominion (22-7), Colonial
Bowling Green (23-7), MAC
St. Francis (PA) (21-9), Northeast
Texas-Arlington (21-9), Southland
Rice (24-8), WAC
Coppin State (22-7), MEAC
Hartford (22-8), America East
Stetson (17-13), Atlantic Sun
UC Santa Barbara (21-8), Big West
Dartmouth (17-10), Ivy
Alcorn State (21-8), SWAC
New Mexico (26-4), Mountain West
Montana (22-7), Big Sky
Baylor (27-3), Big XII

Big Dance (M), Selection Sunday Edition

In (25 teams):
Pennsylvania (18-8), Ivy League
Eastern Kentucky (22-8), Ohio Valley
UCF (24-8), Atlantic Sun
Winthrop (27-5), Big South
Chattanooga (20-10), Southern
Gonzaga (25-5), West Coast
Old Dominion (28-5), Colonial
Creighton (23-10), Missouri Valley
Niagara (20-9), MAAC
Oakland (12-18), Mid-Con
Louisiana-Lafayette (20-10), Sun Belt
Wisconsin-Milwaukee (24-5), Horizon
Fairleigh Dickenson (20-12), Northeast
Montana (18-12), Big Sky
Bucknell (22-9), Patriot
Vermont (24-6), America East
Louisville (29-4), Conference USA
Delaware State (19-13), MEAC
George Washington (22-7), Atlantic 10
Washington (27-5), Pac-10
Ohio (21-10), MAC
Syracuse (27-6), Big East
Texas-El Paso (27-7), WAC
New Mexico (26-6), Mountain West
Utah State (24-7), Big West

To be awarded today (6):
SWAC autobid, Alabama St. (15-14) vs. Alabama A&M (17-13)
ACC autobid, Georgia Tech (19-10) vs. Duke (24-5)
SEC autobid, Florida (22-7) vs. Kentucky (25-4)
Southland autobid, SE Louisiana (23-8) vs. Northwestern St. (21-11)
Big XII autobid, Texas Tech (20-9) vs. Oklahoma St. (23-6)
Big 10 autobid, Wisconsin (22-7) vs. Illinois (31-1)

At large bids to be awarded today: 34.

Morning Whip Saturday Edition 3/12/05

Some of Filbert’s favorite things:

All-time favorite TV show: Mystery Science Theater 3000[*1] . Second place: Babylon 5[*2] .

All-time favorite RFC: RFC 1149 – A Standard for the Transmission of IP Datagrams on Avian Carriers[*3] .

All-time favorite band/music artist: A tough one, which goes in cycles. The Replacements[*4] , when I’m feeling the need to get a bit out of control. REM[*5] , when I can ignore the purile politics and focus on the gorgeous music (which is fairly often, actually). Sheryl Crow[*6] , occasionally. Warren Zevon[*7] , RIP. Many others, which someday I’ll document on the Entertainment page.

Favorite day: Saturday.

Favorite dog: Whippet[*8] .

Favorite dessert: Carrot cake[*9] .

Favorite author: Terry Pratchett[*10] .

“End of Late Fees” my left little finger!

My oldest and dearest friend commonly says he’d “give his left little finger” for some vaguely favorable outcome. Over the years, saying “so and so–my left little finger!” has come to mean something similar to “like hell,” a skeptical commentary on whatever “so and so” was about.

So, with that utterly extraneous intro, I present for your reading pleasure the CNN.com article[*1] discussing thirty states which are investigating Blockbuster over their “End of The Late Fee” marketing gimmick. The hell you say!

We Support The Marines As Long As They’re Democrats

Well, now we know where the UAW stands regarding “supporting our troops[*1] .” In short, a UAW local has allowed Marine reservists to park in their lot during weekend drills, but now, if a Marine has a George W. Bush sticker on the car, the UAW won’t let them park there any more. Now, this isn’t really surprising. Sad, but not surprising. From americandigest[*2] via One Hand Clapping[*3] .

Free Speech Online

If you care about free speech, go sign this petition[*1] about the Federal Election Commission and our trustworthy (snicker) politicians’ trial balloon about regulating internet web logs.