February 2012
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Paul Krugman: Money & Morals →
Lately inequality has re-entered the national conversation. Occupy Wall Street gave the issue visibility, while the Congressional Budget Office supplied hard data on the widening income gap. And the myth of a classless society has been exposed: Among rich countries, America stands out as the place where economic and social status is most likely to be inherited. So you knew what was going to...
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The Just-Declassified Lingo of the NSA →
Following is a selection of definitions you can find in the full document, which was cheekily compiled by David Hatch, chief of the Operational History Division of the Center for Cryptologic History. Though, to be honest, we already whiffled the list to find you the good stuff. […] Cryppie: shortened form of “cryptanalyst”; used (and taken) by some as affectionate, by others...
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“I feel that it’s necessary for me to request that my nomination for best male artist be withdrawn and furthermore any awards or nominations for such awards that may arise in later years be presented to those who feel more comfortable with the competitive nature of these award ceremonies. I myself, do not. I have always been of the opinion that my music is unique and individual and...
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“There have been 6,519 men, 190 women and 465 children killed in violence in...”
– Reuters
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“Barack Obama has succeeded in preserving and even enhancing U.S. influence in...”
– Fareed Zakaria: It’s a new world, Mitt
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Neuroscience could mean soldiers controlling... →
Soldiers could have their minds plugged directly into weapons systems, undergo brain scans during recruitment and take courses of neural stimulation to boost their learning, if the armed forces embrace the latest developments in neuroscience to hone the performance of their troops.
These scenarios are described in a report into the military and law enforcement uses of neuroscience, published on...
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“It’s hard to imagine more sustainable local game — squirrels are abundant, far from endangered, and don’t even require refrigeration the way that big game does. The standard rule of thumb is that one squirrel = enough meat for one dinner for one person. The squirrel is road food — the kind of prey that fed cross-country hikers, in the days before MRE’s and freeze-dried lentils. Squirrel is...
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“Whatever inspiration is, it’s born from a continuous ‘I don’t...”
– Wislawa Szymborska, from her Nobel Prize acceptance speech
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“My husband can not fucking throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. I...”
– Gisele Bundchen, speaking truth. (via markcoatney)
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Watchinothernews:
…and here’s Kirsten Wiig kicking ass (as per usual) as Lana Del Rey from last night’sWeekend Update.
“In this age of dangerous school-bullying, you have sent an important message: If you think someone is weird, you should criticize them as much as possible.”
Nailed it.
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“The weirder strain of criticism concerns authenticity. People seem to feel that Del Rey is trying to trick us, though it’s impossible to figure out exactly what that trick would be, as we are dealing with an entertainer and her audience, not a naturally fractious relationship. Detractors cite a variety of presumed conspiracies, some involving the influence of her father, Rob Grant, who is a...
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“Any further blood that flows will be on their hands.”
– US Amb. Susan Rice to Russia and China (via thepoliticalnotebook)
Their hands have been soaked in the blood of generations for eons. They couldn’t care less.