Daily Archives: May 24, 2006

13 things that do not make sense

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Mr Burns is weirdThat's a scientist for ya. He thinks there are only 13 things in this world that do not make sense. He obviously doesn't read as widely as I do.

The New Scientist, on 13 things that do not make sense. Bonus points if you've actually heard of all these things; you're pre-confused, and thus ahead of the rest of us.

“Something on Mars is ingesting nutrients, metabolising them and then belching out radioactive methane”

  1. the placebo effect
  2. the horizon problem
  3. ultra-energetic cosmic rays
  4. Belfast homeopathy results
  5. dark matter
  6. Viking's methane
  7. tetraneutrons
  8. the Pioneer anomaly
  9. dark energy
  10. the Kuiper cliff
  11. the Wow signal
  12. not so constant constants
  13. cold fusion

Weird Science

CIA Areas of Interest

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From Cryptome.

Spooks, Squid, and the Shat: we certainly have taken a detour through the Twilight Zone recently, haven't we?

Hayden...doesn't he look like Tweetybird? I think it's a chickenhawk commentEvery time I publish something like this and read something like Sec. 158.13 (i) I wonder how long it'll be before some nicely-suited yet jackbooted team in Mormon haircuts beats down my door…but then I realize I live on the Downtown EastSide and if the security here can keep the home-grown junkies out, it can certainly keep the CIA at bay for a few days at least, long enough for the email to get through. Unless they, like the burglar of two years ago, climb into the parking garage and up the chimney of the incinerator to the roof, from whence they lower themselves on ropes. Yeah, they could get in that way. If they were fireproof. Patrick hooked the incinerator back up, just for protective purposes. We shall see how well it works.

20 May 2006

Source: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html

———————————————————————–
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 32, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 32CFR158.13]

[Page 629-631]
 
                       TITLE 32–NATIONAL DEFENSE
 
              CHAPTER I–OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
 
PART 158–GUIDELINES FOR SYSTEMATIC DECLASSIFICATION REVIEW OF CLASSIFIED
INFORMATION IN PERMANENTLY VALUABLE DoD RECORDS–Table of Contents
 
Sec. 158.13  Central Intelligence Agency areas of interest.

    (a) Cryptologic, cryptographic, or SIGINT. (Information in this
category shall continue to be forwarded to the NSA/CSS in accordance
with Sec. 158.11(d). The NSA/CSS shall arrange for necessary
coordination.)
    (b) Counterintelligence.
    (c) Special access programs
    (d) Information that identifies clandestine organizations, agents, sources, or methods.
    (e) Information on personnel under official or nonofficial cover or revelation of a cover arrangement.
    (f) Covertly obtained intelligence reports and the derivative information that would divulge intelligence sources or methods.
    (g) Methods or procedures used to acquire, produce, or support intelligence activities.
    (h) CIA structure, size, installations, security, objectives, and budget.
    (i) Information that would divulge intelligence interests, value, or extent of knowledge on a subject. (you mean like this?)
    (j) Training provided to or by the CIA that would indicate its capability or identify personnel.
    (k) Personnel recruiting, hiring, training, assignment, and evaluation policies.(then you need to take your help wanted ads offline)
    (l) Information that could lead to foreign political, economic, or military action against the United States or its allies.
    (m) Events leading to international tension that would affect U.S. foreign policy.(this could be all of the news, every damn day)
    (n) Diplomatic or economic activities affecting national security or international security negotiations.
    (o) Information affecting U.S. plans to meet diplomatic contingencies affecting national security.
    (p) Nonattributable activities conducted abroad in support of U.S. foreign policy.
    (q) U.S. surreptitious collection in a foreign nation that would affect relations with the country.
    (r) Covert relationships with international organizations or foreign governments.
    (s) Information related to political or economic instabilities in a foreign country threatening American lives and installations therein.
    (t) Information divulging U.S. intelligence collection and assessment capabilities.
    (u) U.S. and allies' defense plans and capabilities that enable a foreign entity to develop countermeasures.
    (v) Information disclosing U.S. systems and weapons capabilities or deployment.
    (w) Information on research, development, and engineering that enables the United States to maintain an advantage of value to national security.
    (x) Information on technical systems for collection and production of intelligence, and their use.
    (y) U.S. nuclear programs and facilities.
    (z) Foreign nuclear programs, facilities, and intentions.
    (aa) Contractual relationships that reveal the specific interest and expertise of the CIA.
    (bb) Information that could result in action placing an individual in jeopardy.
    (cc) Information on secret writing when it relates to specific chemicals, reagents, developers, and microdots.
    (dd) Reports of the Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) (– Branch, –Division) between July 31, 1946, and December 31, 1950, marked CONFIDENTIAL or above.
    (ee) Reports of the Foreign Documents Division between 1946 and 1950 marked RESTRICTED or above.
    (ff) Q information reports.
    (gg) FDD translations.
    (hh) U reports.

Keep on Bloggin'!

Operation Global Media Domination: Life and Times

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TIAThank god for the Internet, I say. Not only does it ensure that we need never go Shatnerless, but it also guarantees that, no matter how pathetic, meaningless and ultimately debased our own situations, we can always rely on a fresh supply of inbreds to whom to condescend. I speak as one who adored working retail for a decade because working with the public gave me so many people to whom to feel superior.

Now, having broken the top 170,000 of 40 million on Technorati, I am practically impossible to talk to, even though I've stayed in my pjs, blowing my nose, blogging, snarfing reheated pizza and reading Fark all damn day; call my agent, baby!

Particularly if you are responsible for the following.

Behold a ten-thousand word Wikipedia entry on the seven forms of jedi lightsaber fighting, the eight OTHER forms of jedi lightsaber fighting, and the horrible realization that the author hasn't exchanged physical affection with anyone other than his cats since The Empire Strikes Back.

Just kidding about that last part.

Die Muppet! Geek Rage

Each Jedi chooses the style of lightsaber combat that best suits him or her. For example, Master Yoda uses the Ataru form to compensate for his lack of reach and height, as well as to take advantage of his nearly limitless amount of Force power; Mace Windu uses Vaapad to tap into his anger and employ it constructively (without giving himself over to the dark side); Count Dooku's practice of the Makashi form fits his intention to frequently engage in lightsaber-to-lightsaber combat as well as his emphasis on class, elegance and precision. The Jedi Exile from Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II was an expert in many of these forms but never relied on just one. In the game, the Masters remark that he masters their forms very quickly, as if he had studied them for years. While not always, Lightsaber styles are generally taught to the students by the Jedi Battlemasters.

And, lest we forget, the Shat has, as always, some words of wisdom for us. (Sorry Metro, it's just a Shatner kinda day, and damn the loading time!) a side note: has The Shat replaced The Giant Squid as the muse of raincoaster? Better than Blair!

Linkie o’ the Day: Draft Gore 2008

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Along with our coverage of the presidential campaigns of cinematic icon Christopher Walker, supervillainotic icon General Zod, and, of course, the Squidtastic campaigns of Admiral Akbar and the mighty Cthulhu (Ia, Ia, Cthulhu ftagn, baby!), we at the raincoaster blog are pleased to offer equal time to Draft Gore 2008. The only real difference raincoaster can see among them is that the Draft Gore people appear to be serious. raincoaster shall therefore, out of respect and an infinitely refined sense of tact, refrain from posting the Celebrity Death Match she found on YouTube between Al Gore and Weird Al Yankovic.

DraftGore2008 is a community-based effort to organize grassroots and grasstops support to draft former Vice-President Al Gore, Jr. as the 2008 Democratic Presidential nominee. Al Gore has not publicly expressed an interest in in this candidacy. On the contrary, he has said in the past that he will not run. However, many of us believe Al Gore is the best hope America has for the future and, until he says the words “If drafted, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve,” many people will be working to make "what should have been” a reality.

Gore obliterates a political opponent

The overall project is based-upon still-developing "distributed campaign" models. For more information on distributed campaigns, see this article by Ryan W. Ozimek. The underlying mission is to achieve a delegate count at the National Democratic Convention in 2008 to nominate Al Gore as the candidate in the November election. A strategic plan detailing the organization is currently in development, and will be available in early June at this location.

The DraftGore2008.org project was originally conceived in early 2005 by Eric Brunner-Williams and Dwight Meredith, of the blog, Wampum. In October, 2005, they drafted Wampum co-editor and Democratic political operative MB Williams to manage the overall campaign. Eric currently serves as system administrator, and Dwight as legal advisor.

DraftGore2008.org is registered with the FEC as a Non-Connected Committee PAC. Contributions are not tax deductible.

Gore Invents the internet

The Shat: Seven

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So much better with William Shatner playing all the parts. Hey, Mister Tambourine Man!!!!!