The American Flag at Half Mast
When I was a kid, the Stars And Stripes at half mast meant something. Whenever I saw that, sometimes I'd wonder what happened. My mind would race, "Am I forgetting the anniversary of something important?" I'd wonder if something tragic just happened that I hadn't seen on the news yet. But more often I knew why. And I'd take a moment to stop and reflect.

Now days, it seems like half-mast is where the flag is supposed to be. That's the place for the American flag. I don't remember the last time I cared why a flag was at half mast. Probably shortly after 9/11. But since then, we've become a nation of mourning. It seems like these days the exception is to see the colors at the top of the mast, flapping proudly in the breeze. That's a sight you don't get to see much any more. (At least I don't.)

I understand why Dubbya is always telling us to be afraid, it makes people more compliant. Scared people will more readily give up liberties and governmental checks and balances in return for a story about security. But I worry about the long term effects on this country. We've made our flag give up its place at the top of the flagpole. I'm concerned things won't stop with that.
- posted by His Daveness @ 6:59 PM   (1) comments

 
Nature on Sleep
From BoingBoing, "The scientific journal Nature is offering a free online supplement called "Insight: Sleep" packed with deep articles about research into snoozing--from why we do it to where our dreams come from. This Insight is definitely fascinating even if you're not a neuroscientist (or any kind of scientist), but may not be well-suited for reading in bed unless you want to learn about sleep from experience."
- posted by His Daveness @ 6:57 PM   (0) comments

 
A $500 Gaming Rig
From /., "Tom's Hardware has a very interesting article on how to build a $500 gaming rig. 'Instead of the newest killer rig from Alienware, Falcon Northwest, Voodoo, etc... how about a system for the rest of us with a realistic budget starting from scratch? We set out to build a reasonable gaming system that will get you through today's game titles without breaking the bank for around $500."
- posted by His Daveness @ 6:37 PM   (0) comments

 
Ding!
32!
- posted by His Daveness @ 5:58 PM   (1) comments

 
Communicating with charts: FEMA shows what not to do.
This site give a good critique of a chart that FEMA put together. It sure looks to me like the chart is trying to say that FEMA activity ends in disaster. I coulda told you that. Here's what gets me. The Daily Show made fun of this horrible thing in October. It's still on the FEMA site!!! Those guys really don't pay attention to the world around them, do they?
- posted by His Daveness @ 6:37 PM   (0) comments

 
You Star Wars Link of the Day
Plenty of time to make your own before Halloween!
- posted by His Daveness @ 6:34 PM   (0) comments

 
Poker chip tricks
Again, don't play poker with someone who does this stuff. And don't show any of those tricks to the people you play poker with.
- posted by His Daveness @ 6:31 PM   (0) comments

 
Photoshoped Architecture
Worth1000.com has another great Photoshop contest. This one with architecture. Man, I want to live in that first one.
- posted by His Daveness @ 6:24 PM   (0) comments