Friday, November 20, 2009

Toxic Waters

The Times has been running an investigative series called Toxic Waters "about the worsening pollution in American waters and regulators' response." There appear to be promising developments on the horizon from the EPA (and its new head, Lisa Jackson), but any progress will be slow for sure. The Times has accrued a more comprehensive database on water pollution events than any other source (including the US government), so it's worth a read, especially if you're in the mood for a good scare.

I blogged about a NYC water issue recently, but the risks of hydrofracking are just the tip of the iceberg. There's supposed to be another report in the Times' series coming out in the next week, and more in the near future, so stay tuned.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Strong Museum and Garbage Plates

w00t
www.thedailyshow.com

making fun of hipsters

...is the new shooting fish in a barrel

Friday, November 13, 2009

November cosmos

Thursday, November 12, 2009

letter on ethics

I think this letter deserves a full reposting. Written to the Harvard professor who's hosting Elliot Spitzer to speak tomorrow night at the school's Center for Ethics, from the Manhattan Madam:

November 11, 2009
Professor Lawrence Lessig
The Edmond J, Safra Foundation Center for Ethics
Harvard University
79 John F. Kennedy Street, Taubman,
Cambridge, MA 02138
Via email: lessig_from_web@pobox.com

Dear Professor Lessig:

I have been informed that you are having former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer speak on ethics this Thursday November 12, 2009. This sounds fascinating and I would love to attend but the restrictions of my probation won't allow me to travel out side New York City.

For nearly 5 years, I supplied Mr. Spitzer with high priced escorts while he was both Attorney General and Governor. For this crime, I served four months on Rikers Island, had all of my assets confiscated and am now considered a sex offender on 5 years probation. Mr. Spitzer broke both state and federal laws and walked away free.

I am greatly intrigued as to what Mr. Spitzer could contribute to an ethical discussion when as Chief Executive Law Enforcement Officer of NY he broke numerous laws for which he has yet to be punished. As Attorney General he went around arresting and making examples out of the same escort agencies he was frequenting.

I believe strongly in the legalization of prostitution and have no issue with his choice to use call girls. However, I deplore hypocrisy and abhor public officials who use their power to commit and cover up their own crimes and to lie and deceive the same public they have promised to protect.

In any event, since I wont be able to make this lecture, I thought it imperative to ask the former Governor and Attorney General his stance on corruption committed by public officials through some direct questions:

1. Is it ethical to take a total of $9M in illegal loans from your father for your two campaigns for Attorney General and lie about it to the NY Times, NY Post and NY Daily News?

2. Is it ethical to wire money to an Escort Service in the form of two five thousand payments to evade federal cash transfer regulations and detection?

3. Is it ethical for you to tip off your favorite escort service days before a bust so that they may disappear?

4. Is it ethical to try to book an assignation with a escort under a fake name after you were banned by my agency for being abusive to women?

5. Is it ethical to blackmail Marsh McClennan Insurance into hiring your best friend as their CEO before you will to agree to a settlement of charges against them and require them to buy your friend’s business for $1B when it is worth $250,000?

6. Is it ethical to use the New York state police to spy on your political opponents, fabricate documents and lie about it repeatedly until e-mails released after you left office show you personally approved the dirty tricks against the Senate Leadership?

7. Is it ethical to "traffic" a woman across state or country lines for the sole purposes of engaging in prostitution? Please let me know what Mr. Spitzer, a man without ethics, says.

Sincerely
Kristin Davis
Kristin@manhattanmadam.com

Monday, November 9, 2009

music video: nerd edition!



Carrie Brownstein, via Monitor Mix Blog:
One of my favorite parts of the "We Are All Connected" video is how Bill Nye's enthusiastic gesticulating -- coupled with the camera angle -- perfectly emulates certain hip-hop stylings.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

another music video

don't know much about Little Joy



but I like their sound
(and love those bridge chords)