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Ships are so cool, except when they collide with bridges and catch on fire. [flash] You can also listen to some snappy dialogue from the USS Enterprise. [Warning: The laws in some countries may not permit you to listen these sound clips]. This, and other goodies (including hi-res downloads) from the Solent.
posted by tellurian at 10:21 PM PST - 14 comments

Fomites, fomites everywhere. We all know that handwashing (or Purelling) is a great way to prevent the spread of nosocomial infections in hospital. But now that we know that stethoscopes, white coats, neckties, medical charts, and computer keyboards can all harbor harmful bacteria, what's a doctor to do? Two words: robot doctors.
posted by scblackman at 9:23 PM PST - 12 comments

Bush administration signals intent to invoke the obscure state secrets privilege in order to stop the EFF lawsuit against AT&T, (previously discussed here) for providing the NSA direct access all 312 terabytes of its customers' telephone and internet traffic since 2001, (including those Good Vibrations charges you racked up). In a nutshell, according to legal experts, invoking the privilege kills the judicial process dead: the courthouse doors are closed, and there's nothing but grownup stuff to see here; move along, kids.
posted by squirrel at 7:47 PM PST - 51 comments

The Katrina Cottage is economical, rather charming, and can serve as a "grow" house. At $35,000 for 308 sq ft, it compares favorably to the $75k FEMA trailer. Not a totally new idea - some of the 1906 earthquake refuge shacks are still in existence in San Francisco. Might tiny houses be the future for disaster relief? (via The Blues and Then Some)
posted by madamjujujive at 6:54 PM PST - 39 comments

Flash for cash If you contribute to her campaign Loretta Nall is going to show you the biggest boobs in Alabama politics.
posted by nyxxxx at 6:27 PM PST - 28 comments

Just 'cause they're made by Diebold doesn't mean you have to kick them! A 61-year-old man was arrested after an alleged "poll rage incident" today, kicking over 2 pricy voting machines. See here for more fun & games from the Ohio primary elections. Thanks to malfunctioning Diebold machines and overall shenanigans, polls are open 'til 9:30 tonight. Congressional rep Stephanie Tubbs-Jones was on the case earlier...
posted by bitter-girl.com at 6:14 PM PST - 20 comments

They are aware that 666 signifies the Mark of the Beast or the Antichrist to some organizations and believe June 6 is a date that could trigger problems.
posted by StrasbourgSecaucus at 5:24 PM PST - 80 comments

Bottled water for dogs. For the malnourished or dehydrated pooch. I might be mistaken, but isn't this in Revelations as one of the portents of the apocalypse?
posted by howfar at 5:05 PM PST - 28 comments

Time stands still while you view NetHack porn... The incubus seems to have enjoyed it more than you. NSFW.
posted by hoverboards don't work on water at 2:43 PM PST - 48 comments

Myspace goes into the cell phone business. For $85/month you can take as many photos as you want with your Myspace-branded camera phone and upload them to your Myspace home page. (Take that, LiveJournal!)
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 2:35 PM PST - 30 comments

Following the Money "Millions of dollars contributed by a handful of donors have allowed a small network of theologically conservative individuals and organizations to mount a global campaign that has destabilized the Episcopal Church and may break up the Anglican Communion." Yesterday, in anticipation of the upcoming General Convention, the Diocese of Washington released a report on the influence people like Howard Ahmanson Jr and other wealthy conservatives have had on the Episcopal Church, especially in regards to the church's positions on gays and lesbians.
posted by Biblio at 2:26 PM PST - 22 comments

The Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act (S. 1955) has passed out of committee and is now slated for a floor vote. The bill is ostensibly designed to save small employers money and extend health insurance options to employees who hadn’t had them. What it is actually likely to do is end basic health insurance coverage for women (and diabetics); birth control, regularly taken prescriptions, cancer screenings, maternity care, and more. Women in every state will lose benefits. S. 1955 would allow insurance plans to ignore important state laws that protect patients, directly affecting more than 90 million Americans. [more inside]
posted by dejah420 at 1:23 PM PST - 42 comments

Some Romans may have lived in ancient China. A few Chinese citizens today in the Gansu province have curly blonde hair and European features. It seems possible now that captured Roman soldiers settled in parts of China. We also know that China and Rome weren't completely isolated from one another. Of course, not everyone agrees.
posted by clockworkjoe at 12:16 PM PST - 44 comments

The Music Animation Machine is a way to visualize complex music - fugues and sonatas and all that. Other tools, such as those mentioned previously here and here, accomplish a similar task in a way, but this is still very, very cool. Watch and download all the videos you can. Bach, Chopin, Scarlatti... if only there were more! Of course, you could buy the DVD.
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 12:12 PM PST - 21 comments

Search early 20th Century news photos. Welcome to the Library of Congress' new George Grantham Bain Collection: the extensive files of one of America's earliest news picture agencies. Some favorites after a morning spent perusing just a small number of the 50kish pics: The Whiteman Submarine Band, a fire truck heading to the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, the flowers at Wilbur Wright's funeral, Ignaz Hildebrandt dead in Union Square, Theatre marquee, a fire in NYC, midday crowd in Union Square, Penn station on a Sunday, suffragettes......and many more.
posted by CunningLinguist at 11:58 AM PST - 38 comments

Somos Americanos Part of the current immigration discussion is a lot of arguing about the proper lyrics to an old English drinking song [mp3] U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) introduced a resolution saying the national anthem should be sung in English. President Bush was for singing the anthem in Spanish; now he's against it. The US Bureau of Education commissioned a Spanish-language version in 1919 and the State Department has otras versiones en español on its web site. "The Star-Spangled Banner" became the US national anthem in 1931.
posted by kirkaracha at 11:39 AM PST - 71 comments

Free Comic Book Day - May 6, 2006 : It's that time again! ZAP! POW! Kaboooooom! Your local comic book store will be offering free samples from your favorite publishers. [FAQ]
posted by blue_beetle at 9:16 AM PST - 20 comments

Long for the lonely whistle and the curving rail? The documentary Catching Out expands on the fascinating world of hobos and freighthoppers as previously pointed out on MeFi. Of course, for those interested, there's the usual wealth of resources. Hell, you can even play the game.
posted by Happy Dave at 9:03 AM PST - 9 comments

Cash in your space game bucks with an ATM card. The online game Entropia now provides players with a real life ATM card, that will convert your galactic booty into actual dollars.
posted by Mean Mr. Bucket at 7:41 AM PST - 31 comments

...Yet set against contemporary values of transparency and accountability, the Nixon-Meir deal of 1969 is now a striking and burdensome anomaly. Not only is Israel's nuclear posture of taboo and total secrecy anachronistic, it is inconsistent with, and costly to, the tenets of modern liberal democracy. At home and abroad Israel needs a better way to handle its nuclear affairs. The deal is also burdensome for the United States, not only because it is inconsistent with U.S. values of openness and accountability, but also because it provokes claims about double standards in its nuclear nonproliferation policy.

Israel crosses the threshold
Shorter version: The Untold Story of Israel's Bomb
posted by y2karl at 7:23 AM PST - 83 comments

Shelley is a Republican.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 6:33 AM PST - 52 comments

Cut and Run? You Bet. A former general explains why he thinks the arguments for staying don't fly. Personally, I think leaving Iraq without disarming militias would be a disaster.
posted by js003 at 5:14 AM PST - 43 comments

Put down that credit card, and step away from the retail counter. In these troubled times, many of our brethren are searching for simplicity, and Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping are here to help. International buy nothing day is only one project they endorse.
posted by paulsc at 1:44 AM PST - 34 comments

Is the Media Failing in America? Dan Rather, in conversation with Orville Schell, Dean of the Graduate School of Journalism.UC Berkeley webcast/podcast conversations via
posted by hortense at 12:31 AM PST - 22 comments