It's been a long time since I posted any links, hasn't it? It's not that I haven't been finding things of interest on the web; I have. It's just that when I got out of the habit of updating my weblog, the links were the first to go. So, since I can't get to sleep (damn that caffeine!), here are a few sites that I've enjoyed recently:

• Half Price Computer Books... drool...
• Here's a secret: I didn't hate Wesley Crusher. I hated Data. Data was the one that always saved the ship, not Wesley. I thought Wesley was pretty cool and had lots of potential as a character in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Alas, I am alone in the world. Fortunately, Wil Wheaton, the actor that played Wesley, has a cool web site, and proves to be a geek like me!
• Alllooksame: I did poorly on this quiz.
• Civilization III will be consuming vast quantities of my time starting at the end of this month.
• Star Wars in rap: I'm not sure of this thing's source, but it's mildly amusing.
• I find Sperel the Goose more than mildly amusing -- I find him hilarious.

Things I don't find amusing: all of the little anti-Taliban and anti-Osama gags that have been making the e-mail circuit. These trivialize a very serious issue. Yes, some humor needs to be found in the situation, or we'll all go mad. (Try The Onion's post-attack issue for an example of what I find dead-on and appropriate humor.)

But, the e-mail "funnies" (note the quotes) that I've seen are all of the most blatantly puerile ilk, trivializing the situation and demonstrating a profound lack of understanding regarding the events and issues around us. It's not a clear-cut case of black-and-white, no matter what the government says, no matter what the news media say, no matter what the society wants to believe.

This whole mess is so complex, and rooted in such ancient hatreds, that it cannot be given the respect (yes, respect) it deserves through stupid-ass "Come Mr. Taliban" cartoons or sappy "Interview with God" animations.

Am I ranting?

Good.

Instead of forwarding these pieces of junk, I wish people would take some time to research Islam, to explore the effects of U.S. foreign policy, to learn what exactly the Taliban has done that is deserving of scorn (and I agree that it is a very dangerous organization), to understand why Osama bin Laden hates the West, to determine whether attacks on Afghanistan will actually have the desired effect.

---

A few more new links from browsing today:

• The most complete font site that I've ever seen.
• Retrogaming: I think this site tracks projects that recreate classic video games rather than pirating them. Cool.

My left shoulder has been in pain all day. Where do these pains come from? Is it just part of getting old? You age and unexplainable pains beset you from all sides? Ugh.

On this day at foldedspace.org

2004 — Vote!   I took some time this morning to complete my mail-in ballot. Here's how I voted.

2003 — Unprepared   In which I do not take a photograph. In which Mac *does*. In which I lose some weight.

Name


Email Address
(required, not shown)


URL


Comments




Remember info?