The Rick in 'Rick Santorum'

A few years back, Presidential wanna-be US Senator Rick Santorum likened homosexuality to pedophilia and bestiality. Column writer Dan Savage took offence to this, and so took action into his own (and the global gay community's) hands. He redefined the definition of 'Santorum'.

A quick Google search will now reveal the definition:

The frothy mix of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the byproduct of anal sex.

But apparently that wasn't enough to make Senator Dick see the error of his ways - he's still heading for the White House, and he still believes teh gays are evil. So Dan is back, and this time, he's threatening to redefine the only other thing that the good Senator has left - his first name.

Love it.

My latest on Totally Looks Like

What can you get away with in an Apple Store?

Nice. Comedian Mark Malkoff decided to test just how new-age and laid-back the employees at an Apple Store really are. So he ordered a pizza to the store, dressed as Darth Vader and brought in his pet goat. Response? Zilch.

via Gothamist

HumanTV

AmnestyUK's new Internet TV channel is up and running! The first episode is available here.

Dune without dialogue

We all know the story of David Lynch's Dune. Pissed off with how the studio were treating his movie, he eventually cut all ties to the project and as a result we were left with the abomination that was the final movie - pointless voice-over, bad editing and cheesy special effects. Overall, a terrible treatment of a classic text.

Lynch's rumoured own version is said to be over four hours long. But Rob Beschizza of Boing Boing decided to see what the film could look like if you just cut out all the V/O and music. The result is awesome. I want to see this film.

Your Paintings

There are thousands of publicly owned paintings all over the UK, but many are held in Universities, public buildings, or, more likely, being held in storage or undergoing restoration. In fact, those last two categories account for a staggering 80% of all public art in the UK. So, how do people get to enjoy this art that, quite frankly, their taxes paid for?

Enter that wonderful institution the BBC, who, in partnership with the Public Catalogue Foundation have created Your Paintings - an online viewable database of art.

It's a slow process (they've currently only got 63,000 of the expected 200,000 paintings online so far) but nonetheless it's a fantastic idea.

I remember, upon befriending the curator of La Trobe University when I studied there, he took me on a private tour of all of the University's art. No - it wasn't in the University gallery, or in any student-accessible corridor. It was all in the Dean's building, behind two sets of locked and guarded doors. Was so sad to see such beautiful art permanently locked away from anyone enjoying it. Would love to see a similar project started here in Australia to open up some of our hidden collections.

If Rupert had never been born

This is rather relevant at the moment. A sketch from A Bit of Fry and Laurie that places Rupert Murdoch as the main character in It's a Wonderful Life.

via Neatorama

Wow. Just... wow

OK, that's it. Everyone give up - Jake Gyllenhaal has won the Internet.

via barry

Freeing a humpback whale

It's Friday, and I think we're all in need of a little pick-me-up.

So here's a video from Michael Fishbach from the Great Whale Conservancy, who, while sailing in Sea of Cortez off the coast of Mexico, encountered a humpback whale trapped and slowly drowning in a stray nylon fishing net. He and his friends spent nearly an hour struggling with the net before they finally managed to free the whale.

They set off home, only to be accompanied for the next hour by the whale, who leaped into the air, breaching, tail-slapping and otherwise having a great time. It could have been exhilaration at being freed, or a way of saying thank you. Either way, very cool.

Skip to 6 minutes in to see the release and consequent display of happy happy whale dance.

And now we go live to the wrong person...

This is pure gold.

Michael Wolff, media writer for Vanity Fair, was brought on to BBC as a special guest. Only problem? The BBC thought he was someone else. Specifically, AP Baseball expert Ben Walker.

Not to worry - Wolff soon put them straight, in what has to be the best handling of a guest stuff-up I've seen so far.

via @rod3000

Dyslexia font

Christian Boer, a Dutch graphic designer, has developed a typeface especially designed for people with dyslexia. A study undertaken by the University of Twente shows that use of the new font Dyslexie decreases reading errors.

via kottke

Keating gold

This is fantastic.

Rather than congratulate Labor MP John Robertson following his being sworn in as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council in 2008, former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, incredibly unhappy with Robertson's conduct, chose instead to send him this wonderfully scathing letter.

Indeed, Keating's worst fears were realised in March of this year as Robertson was elected Leader of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales. Presumably Keating didn't congratulate him for that either.

Dear John

I am writing on the occasion of your swearing in as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.

But this is not a letter of congratulations.

You have replaced a man, who despite his idiosyncracies, had much to offer the people of New South Wales and the Labor Party. And indeed, someone who in troubled times, had an economic position and a framework to work in. Like his colleague, the former Premier, Morris Iemma, he sought to deal with the great and unfinished problem of New South Wales electricity and the provision of capital for new base load power.

Your manipulation of the union base in New South Wales with the connivance and support of the Party President, Bernie Riordan, succeeded in destroying the political life of both men, and with them, probably the life of the Labor Government in New South Wales itself.

When I came to see you about the Iemma Government's electricity privatisation proposals in April 2008, you will remember me telling you that reckless indifference by you and Bernie Riordan to the Government's fortunes, may see the Government destroyed and for which, you and Riordan would be held accountable.

This letter is about that accountability.

Notwithstanding the fact that a new and I believe good leader, has been elected to the Premiership, I think he will have an uphill battle in prosecuting the next election against a Liberal Party made resurgent, in the main, by yours and Riordan's behaviour. And, if the Government goes down, the lethal tally of men and women who will have lost their lost seats will be to your account and that of the Party officers who were complicit in the melee; namely Riordan, Bitar and Foley.

But Riordan, Bitar and Foley have not accommodated themselves with a Parliamentary seat at the public expense; you have. And a seat previously occupied by the person you had disparaged and targeted.

When I met you and went through the history of the establishment of the east coast electricity market by the Government I led in the 1990s, and why the privatisation of the New South Wales power stations was consistent with the benefits of that market, you never offered one serious point in rebuttal. Not one cogent economic argument to thwart the logic. You batted the argument to one side, implying it would somehow be sorted out before the rupture arose.

But instead, like a banshee on a rampage, you tore at the Government's entrails until its viability was effectively compromised.

Now I understand, you are thinking about a transition to the Legislative Assembly from the comfort stop you are currently occupying. And that that transition, in the medium term, is about the Party leadership and the Premiership.

Let me tell you, if the Labor Party's stocks ever get so low as to require your services in its Parliamentary leadership, it will itself, have no future. Not a skerrick of principle or restraint have you shown. You have behaved with reckless indifference to the longevity of the current Government and to the reasonable prospects of its re-election.

It may be a novel concept for you, let me say that conscientious business of governance can never be founded in a soul so blackened by opportunism.

The people of New South Wales may have their problems, but they would be way better rattling through than turning to someone like you in some hope of redemption.

I am ashamed to share membership of the same party with you.

Sincerely

PJ Keating

via Letters of Note

Fair Use School: A Reply to YouTube’s Copyright School

Copied verbatim from Laughing Squid coz they say it good:

Last April, YouTube came up with a new way to help its users understand copyright law. Alleged infringers would be required to watch Copyright School — a short, humorous clip in which everyone’s favorite cartoon characters, the Happy Tree Friends, explain the finer points of copyright law. That’s all good as far as it goes. But the advocacy group Public Knowledge pointed out that the video tended to gloss over an important question for many YouTube users, and that is fair use. Public Knowledge challenged their members to come up with a response video that explains fair use, and how, in some cases, making use of copyrighted material without permission is perfectly legal. Here’s the winning entry, from Patrick McKay:



To learn more about your rights if one of your videos is removed from YouTube, check out EFF’s guide to YouTube removals.

Drive-through fun

I do love a good drive-through gag.

24 hours of reality

What can change in a day? Everything. On September 14, the world will focus its attention on the truth about the climate crisis. For 24 hours, we will all live in reality.

24 Hours of Reality is a worldwide event to broadcast the reality of the climate crisis. It will consist of a new multimedia presentation created by Al Gore and delivered once per hour for 24 hours, in every time zone around the globe.

Each hour people living with the reality of climate change will connect the dots between recent extreme weather events — including floods, droughts and storms — and the manmade pollution that is changing our climate. We will offer a round-the- clock, round-the-globe snapshot of the climate crisis in real time. The deniers may have millions of dollars to spend, but we have a powerful advantage. We have reality.

“24 Hours of Reality will focus the world’s attention on the full truth, scope, scale and impact of the climate crisis. To remove the doubt. Reveal the deniers. And catalyze urgency around an issue that affects every one of us.” - Al Gore

What you can do:

• Watch the video
• Spread the word
• RSVP for an event near you

First published on Oxfam Blogs

Nixon Now

Well, I'm convinced. The Film Archive have more of this solid gold for your viewing pleasure.

via Neatorama

Jon Stewart on NOTW

The Daily Show - Have No Fear, England's Here

Love it.

THIS

via mischa

The Back to the Future stage show spectacular

These people deserve a Tony.

Photo guide

This photography quick guide by Miguel Yatco is a bit awesome.

Australia’s responsibility on cluster bombs

In 2008, Australia signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions. This important international treaty bans cluster bombs, an indiscriminate class of weapon known to cause significant and long-lasting civilian harm, particularly to children.

In order to ratify the treaty, Australia must pass legislation to implement the treaty’s obligations in our domestic law. However, the proposed legislation, scheduled to be debated in the Senate this week, contains serious flaws which undermine the whole purpose of the treaty and must be amended. Even the International Red Cross has said in a submission to Government that this Bill "would have the unfortunate consequences of effectively permitting activities that could undermine the objectives of the Convention and contribute to the continued use of cluster munitions."

Oxfam joins with the Cluster Munition Coalition in calling for amendments to this Bill to remove the unacceptable loopholes which allow foreign forces to stockpile their cluster bombs on our soil and transit them through our ports and airspace, as well as allow Australian troops to actively and directly assist in the use of cluster bombs by non-state party allies like the USA.

The Cluster Munitions treaty contains a clause which allows state parties to continue cooperating in military alliance with countries not party to the treaty. This clause protects troops of state parties if they are inadvertently involved in cluster bomb use during these joint operations. This is necessary and sensible, particularly for Australia, given that our major ally the USA has no intention of joining the ban on cluster bombs.

The problem with the government’s proposed legislation is that it goes much further than is necessary to maintain our military alliances. The legislation allows Australian troops to directly and actively assist in the use of cluster bombs. It also explicitly allows non-state parties to stockpile cluster bombs on Australian soil and permits them to transit cluster bombs through Australian ports and airspace. No other ratifying country has provided such a blanket exemption.

These exemptions are unnecessary at best and add little or nothing to our national security. At worst, they run directly counter to the treaty’s intent by setting a precedent which explicitly facilitates the ongoing use of cluster bombs.

The goal of the Convention on Cluster Munitions is clear. It aims to eradicate cluster bombs and put an end to the suffering they cause for all time. It is therefore imperative that Parliament amends the draft legislation to reflect and fulfil that aim.

Oxfam has joined with many other organisations and individuals to sign this open letter to the Government.

First published on Oxfam Blogs

NAIDOC Week 2011

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself.

For 2011, NAIDOC Week is celebrating the concept of 'Change: the next step is ours', and this years' poster design by Matthew Humphries certainly reflects this. A First Australian family link hands as they step out on the road to change – proud of who they are, encouraged by what has already been achieved and united in their goal to be changemakers for a bright new future.

Here are some ideas on how to celebrate NAIDOC:

• Hold a flag raising ceremony
• Display Indigenous posters around your class room.
• Invite local Indigenous elders to speak at your school or workplace.
• Listen to Indigenous music.
• Study a famous Indigenous Australian.
• Research the traditional Indigenous owners of your area.
• Study Aboriginal arts and crafts.
• Read a Dreamtime story.
• Start your own Indigenous hall of fame featuring any local role models and achievers.
• Create your own Aboriginal art.
• Visit Indigenous websites on the Internet.
• Make your own Indigenous trivia quiz.
• Visit local Indigenous sites of significance or interest.
• Learn the meanings of local or national Aboriginal place names.

Local community celebrations during NAIDOC Week are encouraged and often organised by communities, government agencies, local councils, schools and workplaces.

What you can do:

• Find a NAIDOC Week event in your city
• Tune into ABC Radio for their NAIDOC specials
• Find out more about Oxfam's work in the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Get involved in the national conversation about recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in the Australian Constitution
• Read more about NAIDOC Week

First published on Oxfam Blogs