The Secret History of the Order of Skull and Bones

October 15, 2000 – 12:00 am

[ via suggestion ] Interesting thing, the Skull and Bones — the ’secret society’ at Yale which both George Sr. and George W. were members of — does have a lot of OSS and CIA people in its alumni. One site says it’s a conspiracy. I think it just points out that going to Yale [...]

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Rent The Parallax View as well

January 16, 2000 – 12:00 am

Several people on IMDB commented that “Arlington Road” reminded them of Alan Pakula’s 1974 thriller “The Paralax View.” So you should rent it as well and compare.

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Rent Arlington Road

January 16, 2000 – 12:00 am

We rented “Arlington Road” Saturday night. This is a movie to rent if you like thrillers that chill you, and try not to paint everything in black and white. Jeff Bridges is a history professor. His new neighbours (Joan Cusack and Tim Robbins) seem a little creepy. Is Bridge’s imagination running overtime?

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Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie

November 15, 1999 – 12:00 am

Everyone will probably link to this, but I don’t care. It’s funny. Here’s how to keep those voices out of your head.

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Douglas R. Hofstadter on the Culture of Credulity

December 2, 1998 – 12:00 am

There is a dismissive attitude toward science as an explanatory framework for the world, and the welcoming of so-called “mysteries” such as after-death experiences, alien
abductions, crystal channeling, crop circles, telekinesis,
clairvoyance, extrasensory perception, or remote viewing.
Not to mention White House murder conspiracies, the “New World Order”, and whatever those jokers on Loveline say.
Link

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The Crank Menagerie

November 24, 1998 – 12:00 am

I get exasperated with The Learning Channel. One minute they’re running an interesting show on complexity theory or the role of the Golden Mean in art and nature. Then they’re featuring a bunch of fortean bunk like the claim of a crashed saucer at Area 51 (but, asks my friend Mike, what about Area 52?)
That [...]

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Phil Agre uses the Rhetoric of the Conservatives

November 15, 1998 – 12:00 am

A delightful piece by Prof. Agre, where:
Just once, I would like to see someone rant about conservatives in the same tones of hysterical exaggeration that now pour forth from every medium, 24 hours a day, in excoriation of the real and imagined perfidy of liberals. What would this sound like? Let me offer an [...]

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ZD Net Story on the “Halloween Document.”

November 2, 1998 – 12:00 am

Emphasis on how Microsoft is acknowleging Linux’s mindshare.
Link

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The (alleged) Microsoft Plan to Deal With the Linux/Open Source Threat [ Scripting News ]

November 2, 1998 – 12:00 am

An annotated version of what is purported to be a Microsoft internal document on what to do about Linux. The annotations are by Eric S. Raymond, the author of The Cathedral and the Bazaar. Is this legit? I dunno.
Link

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Clinton, Conspiracism, and Civil Society [ via Red Rock Eater ]

November 1, 1998 – 12:00 am

Conspiracy theory is noise.
“Conspiracism makes it more difficult to have a serious constructive political debate in the US. Conspiracism demonizes political opponents, making dialogue and compromise far more difficult.”
Link

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