Bruce Momjian: General Blog

Liberia Video

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:45:00 -0500

The same group that produced the North Korea video also produced one about Liberia. The video contrasts the tremendous problems in Liberia with a former rebel leader who has reformed.

Snow Machine

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

After record snowfall, every day I wake up it seems it is snowing. I am starting to think someone installed a snow machine on my roof.

North Korea Video

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

This online broadcast crew visited North Korea and produced an hour-long video about their experience (part 1, 2, 3). They were interviewed on CBS news about the trip (start 2:12), and they have visited many other interesting places.

Great Depression II?

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

One interesting article compares the current male unemployment rate to that of the 1930's Depression, and comes to a startling conclusion:

For men…this is clearly a Depression…no, it's worse. Not only are they unemployed. They're going to stay unemployed for a long time. Because it takes times for a depression to do its work. And when it is over — maybe five or ten years…or 20 years ahead — not only won't they find their old jobs again…they may never work again. And they won't have wives or families either.

Cat Behaviors

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

My family has had a house cat for many years, but certain cat behaviors have always been unexplainable. This two-part article (1, 2) explains many of the behaviors we have always wondered about. There is also an interesting web site that explains cat's tail behavior.

How America Can Rise Again

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

James Fallows, having just returned from a journalistic assignment in China, has written an interesting article about the current predicament the United States is in. The article is actually two parts — the first part accurately recounts that fact that the United States has always been on the brink of crisis, and that this is a defining characteristic of the country.

The second part of the article suggests that fundamental government structures are broken, and suggests radical changes. Perhaps the best quote from that section is from a former deputy mayor of Los Angeles, Michael Keeley, explaining the difficulty of governing:

Wilhelm Scream

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

I was playing Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga today with my daughter and recognized the familiar Wilhelm scream. I did some research and confirmed I was correct (video). If you are not familiar with the Wilhelm scream, here is a sample of its use in movies.

Remember When: A Poem About Technology

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

This poem is about how the meaning of many English words has changed to refer to computer terms.

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The 100 Best Movie Songs

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0500

In 2004, "Over the Rainbow" (video) was voted best movie song ever by the American Film Institute. Though released in 1939, the song has remained popular and has received similar awards in the past. Its popularity is certainly sustained by its timeless appeal to romanticism; an ideal that never fades. I counted 2,300 renditions of the song on Rhapsody.

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Interview With a Scammer

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 12:00:00 -0500

Dove-tailing on my previous blog post about cybercrime, this is an interesting interview with a Nigerian scammer (part 1, part 2). It explains how the criminal organization worked and how they deceived their victims through email.

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