This one is priceless! A toy that really teaches kids how life is in our modern times. Amazingly this ties right into the last article about the Gangstaz Rappers taking aim at the TSA, but…

…let me introduce you to the toy first, which you can find on Amazon…

The customer reviews on this item are really wild - amazingly ALL of them are really having fun with it, and isn’t that what we learn from Harry Potter’s training on how to overcome our own fear of fear - see it as ridiculous and call it that.

Here is the first sample of a customer review (and check it out on Amazon - I am not making this up)…

I purchased the Playmobil Security Check Point for my two year old nephew. (He acts three when he chokes.) I wrapped this gift for his birthday and packed it in my carry-on bag, whereupon I proceeded to check into my Delta flight to attend his birthday. I put the carry-on bag on the conveyor belt, and the bag disappeared into the x-ray machine.

The TSA official staring at the x-ray monitor became agitated and beckoned for another TSA official to look. The conveyor belt moved back and forth several times with my bag still in its bowels, presumably because the TSA officials wanted a better look. By this point I was standing at the far end of the x-ray machine, waiting for my bag and my nephew’s birthday gift to emerge. However, the second TSA official asked me to follow her. I did, and she took me to a room a few steps away from the conveyor belt. A man wearing a black leather jacket was waiting in the room, and the female TSA official left and closed the door behind her. “I am Heinrich,” he said. “Your papers, please,” he ordered. I handed Heinrich my driver’s license and my Amazon credit card.

After turning on some bright lights that shined directly into my face, Heinrich then asked me a serious of questions: whether I was married, whether I had any girlfriends or boyfriends, have I ever been to Botswana or Finland, the name of the Vice President of the United States, and how many times I had checked in for an airline flight in the past 30 days, among other questions. Each question grew louder and louder, and Heinrich got closer and closer. By the tenth question I was awash in Heinrich’s spittle, and I found it difficult to breathe.

Then I remembered that I had a Delta Gold Medallion card in my wallet. “But I’m Gold on Delta,” I stammered. “It’s in my wallet, right behind my Blockbuster card.” Heinrich fished around in my trouser pocket until he found my wallet. Then, sure enough, he found my Delta Gold Medallion card which still had two months left before expiration.

“Have a pleasant flight,” Heinrich said. He opened the door. Then he handed me my wallet, Gold card, and carry-on bag. With a gentle push he shoved me out of the room, into the now blinding light of the airport terminal. Dazed and confused I stumbled a bit, but I found an airport monitor with my flight listed as “Final Call,” ran to gate C7, and, amazingly, I made my flight. Delta even upgraded me to First Class, although there was no lunch on the 3 1/2 hour flight. - Timothy Sipples

And one more…

This is great learning too for young brownshirts.
I am waiting for a few accessories though, kids size jackboots and a toy Taser. Think how much fun that will be for your young Martin Bormann types. I envision a low voltage say 5KV instead of 50kv to give a realistic but non-hazardous jolt.
Next we can have a nice Nerf Nightstick and little Heinrich can have great start getting ready for his future job with the TSA, local police force or the new STASI ( Secure Transportation And Safety Inititive)
Be the first on your block.
I also look forward to the upcoming Halliburton Play detention center real simulated barbed wire.  -  Alexander E. Paulsen

Posted by Merlin Silk - February 28th, 2008

There is an interesting new video on YouTube, shooting at the TSA, that seems to become a hot item. Yesterday when I watched it it had some few hundred views and today when I looked again it had some 35 thousand views.

So, I thought to blog about it and encourage more bloggers to blog about, and certainly add own experiences and stories to it.

Currently the TSA might not care to much about it. The effect of their actions are too far removed from them. If they would feel the loss of revenue from people who decide not to fly anymore, the situation would be different. It appears there is no incentive for them to change - pretty much everybody hates them anyways, so what’s the harm in one more gangstaz rap?

The reason form me to spread the word is my believe that it is not too late to reach critical mass, and these guys are thrown out, even though they have the monopoly in violence. The voices of objection are getting louder and louder and fortunately the tyrants don’t take action. If they had studied their tyrant manual properly they would know that only a loved tyrant is a successful tyrant in the long run, so, please don’t tell them about this essential  training manual, OK?

Hitler became a bad tyrant and had to suppress opposition with force, and what did that bring him? A rather short reign! So, let’s spread the word about this abuse of power and critical mass will be reached so much faster, and then we can get back to normal where public servants know that they are servants and behave accordingly…

Posted by Merlin Silk - February 27th, 2008

I read about an interesting study that was conducted to find out why Americans are so fat - uh - I think I have to say obese in order to be politically correct, ja? - while French are more predominantly slim and trim. (Is that true, Flemming?)

The result was surprising but simple. The two people react to different clues when to stop eating:

• French stop eating when they are full
• Americans stop eating when the plate is empty

It’s that simple!

Oh, yes, and here is another reason…

Posted by Merlin Silk - February 24th, 2008

I reported on the little video

They are Made out of Meat

before and once in a while I go there and enjoy it again. Today I ran into the text of that story and can’t help but to leave it here on this site as well.

Terry Bisson
They’re Made out of Meat

“They’re made out of meat.”

“Meat?”

“Meat. They’re made out of meat.”

“Meat?”

“There’s no doubt about it. We picked up several from different parts of the planet, took them aboard our recon vessels, and probed them all the way through. They’re completely meat.”

“That’s impossible. What about the radio signals? The messages to the stars?”

“They use the radio waves to talk, but the signals don’t come from them. The signals come from machines.”

“So who made the machines? That’s who we want to contact.”

“They made the machines. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. Meat made the machines.”

“That’s ridiculous. How can meat make a machine? You’re asking me to believe in sentient meat.”

“I’m not asking you, I’m telling you. These creatures are the only sentient race in that sector and they’re made out of meat.”

“Maybe they’re like the orfolei. You know, a carbon-based intelligence that goes through a meat stage.”

“Nope. They’re born meat and they die meat. We studied them for several of their life spans, which didn’t take long. Do you have any idea what’s the life span of meat?”

“Spare me. Okay, maybe they’re only part meat. You know, like the weddilei. A meat head with an electron plasma brain inside.”

“Nope. We thought of that, since they do have meat heads, like the weddilei. But I told you, we probed them. They’re meat all the way through.”

“No brain?”

“Oh, there’s a brain all right. It’s just that the brain is made out of meat! That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

“So … what does the thinking?”

“You’re not understanding, are you? You’re refusing to deal with what I’m telling you. The brain does the thinking. The meat.”

“Thinking meat! You’re asking me to believe in thinking meat!”

“Yes, thinking meat! Conscious meat! Loving meat. Dreaming meat. The meat is the whole deal! Are you beginning to get the picture or do I have to start all over?”

“Omigod. You’re serious then. They’re made out of meat.”

“Thank you. Finally. Yes. They are indeed made out of meat. And they’ve been trying to get in touch with us for almost a hundred of their years.”

“Omigod. So what does this meat have in mind?”

“First it wants to talk to us. Then I imagine it wants to explore the Universe, contact other sentiences, swap ideas and information. The usual.”

“We’re supposed to talk to meat.”

“That’s the idea. That’s the message they’re sending out by radio. ‘Hello. Anyone out there. Anybody home.’ That sort of thing.”

“They actually do talk, then. They use words, ideas, concepts?”

“Oh, yes. Except they do it with meat.”

“I thought you just told me they used radio.”

“They do, but what do you think is on the radio? Meat sounds. You know how when you slap or flap meat, it makes a noise? They talk by flapping their meat at each other. They can even sing by squirting air through their meat.”

“Omigod. Singing meat. This is altogether too much. So what do you advise?”

“Officially or unofficially?”

“Both.”

“Officially, we are required to contact, welcome and log in any and all sentient races or multibeings in this quadrant of the Universe, without prejudice, fear or favor. Unofficially, I advise that we erase the records and forget the whole thing.”

“I was hoping you would say that.”

“It seems harsh, but there is a limit. Do we really want to make contact with meat?”

“I agree one hundred percent. What’s there to say? ‘Hello, meat. How’s it going?’ But will this work? How many planets are we dealing with here?”

“Just one. They can travel to other planets in special meat containers, but they can’t live on them. And being meat, they can only travel through C space. Which limits them to the speed of light and makes the possibility of their ever making contact pretty slim. Infinitesimal, in fact.”

“So we just pretend there’s no one home in the Universe.”

“That’s it.”

“Cruel. But you said it yourself, who wants to meet meat? And the ones who have been aboard our vessels, the ones you probed? You’re sure they won’t remember?”

“They’ll be considered crackpots if they do. We went into their heads and smoothed out their meat so that we’re just a dream to them.”

“A dream to meat! How strangely appropriate, that we should be meat’s dream.”

“And we marked the entire sector unoccupied.”

“Good. Agreed, officially and unofficially. Case closed. Any others? Anyone interesting on that side of the galaxy?”

“Yes, a rather shy but sweet hydrogen core cluster intelligence in a class nine star in G445 zone. Was in contact two galactic rotations ago, wants to be friendly again.”

“They always come around.”

“And why not? Imagine how unbearably, how unutterably cold the Universe would be if one were all alone …”

the end

This story originally appeared in Omni April 1991 and was nominated for the Nebula Award. It is taken from the collection ‘Bears Discover Fire’, available at Amazon. You can find out more about Terry Bisson on his website.

Posted by Merlin Silk - February 21st, 2008

This came across my desk today and in light of the current campaigning and the election coming up not too far in the future I thought that I share this as a reminder…

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

“Welcome to heaven,” says St. Peter. “Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we’re not sure what to do with you.”

“No problem, just let me in,” says the man.

“Well, I’d like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we’ll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.”

“Really, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,” says the senator.

“I’m sorry, but we have our rules.”

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises.

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.

“Now it’s time to visit heaven.”

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time. and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

“Well, then, you’ve spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity.”

The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: “Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.”

So, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and the smell gags him; the land is barren with crap, waste and garbage.

He sees all his friends, with open sores boils, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and garbage and putting it in black bags as more trash falls on them from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder.

“I don’t understand,” stammers the senator. “Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there’s just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?”

The devil looks at him, smiles and says, “Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted.”

So, please always keep this story, which is, incidentally, totally true, in mind when you hear a politician paint a bright future under his rule before you go to the polls.

Posted by Merlin Silk - February 17th, 2008

Strange for me to write about the subject of immigration into the US because I am part of the problem, as I have immigrated, so has my significant other and our off-spring is part of the scary curve Roy Beck shows in this video…

I have noticed in the past that not only the sheer numbers of people can destroy the way of life that is usually equated with the US of A. What I consider even more dangerous is the spirit that enters with immigrants from suppressive countries or countries that have a ruling class.

Why is that? As I see it, the problem is the immenseness of the difference. Take a person who grew up in a country where the king is a type of  ‘holy’ person. A person you can not criticize. Naturally a person will search for a substitute for such a person when he or she becomes a citizen. And what is the natural choice - our king, speak, president.

I suppose this is the real reason that politicians like immigrants from those countries so much. They have it very easy to pretend to be the benevolent king or noble.

At least in this regard I, myself, have not added to the problem - just the opposite  - a US born American once told me that he considered me to be a better American in the old spirit than he himself was. That was during a discussion about caving in a writing a check without asking when the IRS asks for money.

Comforting is the fact that this video is a very popular on YouTube with  over two million views and over 9000 comments.

Posted by Merlin Silk - February 12th, 2008

After the super Friday, in which Ron Paul did not get the results all of us supporters had hoped, there were rumors that now it would be a good time for him to drop out.

It had been quiet for a while, probably everybody had to take a deep breath, but today there was a message from Ron Paul, that clearly states that the race is not over.

Her what Ron Paul has to say…

Posted by Merlin Silk - February 12th, 2008

While working on the new Joomla site NoFearIRS.com, testing some new media plugin for the new Joomla 1.5, I found this fascinating little video of Tommy Emmanuel playing the Guitar Boogie…

…and as I don’t want to just leave you with this feeling of inadequacy, here some lesson that will get you on the way to play just as well - in a few years or decades…

This is Edgar Cruz showing you how to play Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

Posted by Merlin Silk - February 10th, 2008

I subscribe to some NASA’s podcasts in iTunes and today I watched a video called “A Postcard from Opportunity.” For all of you who are not quite up-to-date - Opportunity and Spirit are the two rovers that NASA has landed on Mars a while ago with the idea that these two vehicles could roam the Martian surface for some 90 days, giving us some photography and other scientific data.

Against all odds and expectations these rovers have now lasted a multitude of their life expectancy. If you are interested in the details, you can find them at the NASA JPL web site.

I am a space buff and science fiction fan for pretty much all of my life, but only today when I watched this postcard from one of the rovers, it suddenly  really sank in that these are pictures from a different planet. It might not sound very impressive, but for me it made a shift - and I really wanna go now!

Posted by Merlin Silk - February 9th, 2008

One of these optical illusions came across my desk again…

which claims that the fields marked A and B have the same gray level. Just looking at the image it is obvious that this could not possibly be. So, normally, the untrained non-scientific mind would push it aside, maybe say, wow, really?! and wander on.

But this is where I came in - a trained scientist! And this scientist now really had enough of this and went on the quest to look for himself.

I started up trusty photoshop, zoomed into an area that contained both the fields A and B, cut a bit out of field A and dragged it next to field B …

And what do you know? When the cut out little square from A is right next to field B, it is very clear that they are the same shade of gray - quod erat demimonstrum!

And we still trust our eyes? A little shadow so that the eye ‘thinks’ that the field must be brighter, makes it brighter for the eye. Could not help contemplating how many things there are that I don’t see and how many things I see that are not there.

Posted by Merlin Silk - February 8th, 2008

keep looking »

Search

Recently Written

• Don’t Steel - the Government Hates Competition
• Coldplay’s Violet Hill - the Brutal Version
• How Congress Micro-Manages your Life
• How the Martians see us
• What Would Politicians Do Without News?
• We actually have anarchy already
• The Big Bang in your Backyard
• What is Liberty and Taking your Money Back
• Paris, Texas versus Paris, France
• If I were any better, I would be twins

Categories

• Activities
• Art
• Audio
• Browsing
• Computer
• Creativity
• Diary
• Educational
• Emotional
• Fun Stuff
• History
• Ideas
• Inspiration
• Internet
• Larken Rose
• Marketing
• Music
• Philosophical
• Politics
• Reminiscence
• Science
• Snippets
• Stories
• Thoughts
• Video
• Wellness

Archives

• June 2008
• May 2008
• April 2008
• March 2008
• February 2008
• January 2008
• December 2007
• November 2007
• October 2007
• September 2007
• August 2007
• July 2007
• June 2007
• May 2007
• April 2007
• March 2007
• February 2007

Blogroll

• Charles Stross
• Don to Earth
• Engadget
• Instructables
• Ming the Mechanic
• Onion News Network
• Rick Mercer
• TED
• The Sandorian Grove
• Tom’s Hardware
• Ysabella Brave

Admin

• Log in
• RSS
• Comments RSS
• Wordpress
• XHTML

Subscribe to