A full circle somehow.

I need to stop this and get some work done, but I love indulging my other brain parts for a change.

Isn’t that a brilliant flag?

He’s putting his feet and legs where his mouth is (that sounds odd) but what I mean to say is that he’s running about 1100 miles throughout the UK over six weeks to raise awareness and money. Donate just a bit here. I’ve been waiting until he got to Northern Ireland. I’ll pitch in my few pence now.

Republicans, religion, and the triumph of unreason. (Doesn’t that just say it all? From the [UK] Independent)

As a result, 18,000 US citizens die every year needlessly, because they can’t access the care they require. That’s equivalent to six 9/11s, every year, year on year. Yet the Republicans have accused the Democrats who are trying to stop all this death by extending healthcare of being “killers” – and they have successfully managed to put them on the defensive.

These increasingly frenzied claims have become so detached from reality that they often seem like black comedy. The right-wing magazine US Investors’ Daily claimed that if Stephen Hawking had been British, he would have been allowed to die at birth by its “socialist” healthcare system. Hawking responded with a polite cough that he is British, and “I wouldn’t be here without the NHS”.

Not anxious to start taking any statins anytime soon.

Mark this site: PolitiFact has a great Truth-O-Meter for catching out political lies.

15 cool and crazy ways to tie your shoelaces (spotted via the inimitable Liam)

CSM: The “war on drugs” needs a timeout. (The failure drones on.)

Hence, horrible villain, or I’ll spurn thine eyes like balls before me; I’ll unhair thy head, Thou shalt be whipp’d with wire, and stew’d'in brine, smarting in lingering pickle. (from Antony and Cleopatra)

And (while it lasts; does Craigslist poof items after a bit?) please do read this gloriously hilarious posting from a Seattle bike shop.

Doing good or the like:
There’s no such place as ‘away’ for UK domestic waste — How getting fired improved my family life (Guardian UK) — Reducing by 90% (one person’s plan, inviting others) — Noted: watched a DVD episode of Commanding Heights and was interested in Hernando de Soto Polar’s point of view vis-a-vis the poor and the bureaucracy and reforms

Now, some interesting portals:
Instructables is a geeky how-to paradise — EarthPortal seeks to be the definitive eco-science spot — SourceWatch is watching the journos and others to see what’s true and what’s not

What’s fun? This is fun:
Move refrigerator letters around with Flash (along with others) — Yes, they are cats that look like (Adolf) Hitler — In case you’ve always wanted a custom fabric giant squid, you can have one

In the creative realm:
Brain music treatment may cure stress, insomnia, etc. Interesting. — 1001 Journals (just read) — Love these absinthe bougeois chat noir posters (PS: got one!) — A fascinating discussion of Cabaret. I saw the movie for the first time a year or so ago.

An aside:
The series Carnivale (woe betide those sick souls who cancelled it before its time) revived an old interest in Tarot. There are lots of tarot sites.

And I close with: Pangur Bán, “one of the finest poems ever written”.

“In solitude I used to wander about the garden, alternately collecting birds’ eggs and meditating on the flight of time. If I may judge by my own recollections, the important and formative impressions of childhood rise to consciousness only in fugitive moments in the midst of childish occupations, and are never mentioned to adults. I think periods of browsing during which no occupation is imposed from without are important in youth because they give time for the formation of these apparently fugitive but really vital impressions.”

–Bertrand Russell, Autobiography

Thanks, Gretchen of The Happiness Project

Pogue (over at NYT) hoists the “Take Back the Beep” banner

Lifehacker has some ideas (and some comments that are just weird) on handling annoying cell phone settings

As I/we don’t use one of the four major carriers, more investigation is warranted.

Here’s a great review of Food Inc …

Food Inc. makes two points very well that are worth repeating and then I’ll shut up. One: wherever and whenever, try to know or find out the source of your food. And two: every time you buy food, it’s a vote for more of that food; if it’s excellent, you’re asking for more; if it’s shitty food, you’re asking for more.

I can’t embed, but please take 2 minutes to watch the YouTube movie trailer.