If you're not buying it

... you're the product.  This was noted recently when Facebook changed their policy to modify your email address listing to an @facebook address.  They want you to use their email so you'll visit the site more, build more ad revenue, and maintain their position.

However, its not just facebook: it's happening right now as I write this in Gmail and post it to blogger.  Is the convenience is worth the price?

Economic casualties of war

It's ridiculous to assume that one party would hurt the economy just to harm a sitting president, but a Guardian article suggests just that.  So many about-face behaviors on the part of the Republicans over the past few years and a focus on the continued spending cuts during a recession at minimum don't seem beneficial.

GMO foods and the "Just Label It" effort

Great overview article of the topic.  I've been following this for a while, but this filled in some blanks for me as well.

If you like you can sign the petition.

Clover lawns? Not with pesticides

The unpleasant story of how marketing and pesticide went after the excellent auto-fertilizing clover plant and its demise due to marketing by companies whose pesticide killed it.  I don't know how true the story is, but at least one article I found corroborates some of the claims.  Additionally, clover does have a bacteria that behaves as a nitrogen-fix, replacing or decreasing the need for nitrogen-rich fertilizers.  I also know if you contact lawn care companies, they think its a weed.  If the article is believed, this is more about chemicals that kill weeds.

More from about.com.

Self-awareness (and gay marriage)

I realize there are legitimate reasons to oppose gay marriage and I'm fine with that; if you have a belief system that doesn't fit into, there's no reason you should make an exception on social grounds.  If however you use the reasoning that children need a mother and a father while you yourself are a single parent, that might not work.

Guy from Back to the Future has a business card

Seinfeld has talked about how actor Wayne Knight who played Newman on his long-running show CONSTANTLY has to cope with people saying "hello Newman" to him, based on a catchphrase from the show.  Similarly, the actor who played Biff from back to the future has developed a frequently asked questions on his business card.

Characters that have one movie or show or public moment and get pegged as those people may not exactly have it rough, but I do empathize.  The whole fun of being famous seems to be recognition and appreciation by a wide audience.  Not dull repetition.

Incidentally, Wayne Knight was a very enjoyable villain on Toy Story 2.

Unique music video

I really don't know how to explain this video (make sure to switch to HD).  After watching it I had that rare feeling (at least visually) I'd seen something almost totally unique.

Evidently it was created by a group called WeWereMonkeys.

Stop the Yellow Pages

Two years ago after months next to the mail boxes, I finally took stacks of Yellow Pages from my apartment to the recycling place.  That's why this article was interesting as well as hilarious.

Their business model reminds me a bit of when the RIAA demanded all personal audio players include an FM receiver: another dead industry unable to admit they didn't transition effectively and now wasting time, energy, and trees.

Boycott Kashi

Found out they're basically lying to their customers.  Really liked some of their products and don't much like getting charged extra for something that has no business costing more.  More on that.

For me there's no end to this boycott and there's nothing Kashi can do at this point to get my business back.  They join McDonalds and (where possible) anything from Monsanto.

D&B Set

An excellent hip-hop / rap influenced drum and bass set from Pendulum.  I usually don't fall in for this sort of mashup, but this one is so sharp, its something I can't pass up.

Pendulum has gone sort of a different direction since this material (more rock), but this is some of their best work.

Dream shorthand

A few weeks ago, I awoke from a dream and, rather than writing down all the aspects to the dream, I wrote down just a few key points that I was sure would help me remember it later:

Door ajar
Robot trivia
Death
Theater trick
Dame Judy Dench
Spider Man

Needless to say, I have no idea what I was dreaming about or what these things mean.  Still, its entertaining to think of what they might illustrate.

Just Label It effort

Definitely a supporter of this popular push to label genetically modified foods.  The only reason this hasn't been done is because GMO producers think nobody will buy their products.  Whether or not these products are as safe as non-GMO products is something I'd like to be able to decide for myself.

Evidently I have to stop eating things in a can

I am so sick of this -- yet another thing I can't eat anymore because food companies are assholes:

• BPA levels in canned goods
• BPA in your pantry

Newt for President? Get ready to invade Iran

I had heard a few things about this, but finally I saw some real background on the story and was just blown away.  What an incredibly bad idea.