Our Man In…

What the Hell Am I Doing With My Life?

Daniel — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 03:23:17 +0000

Every morning lately, when I read my comics, I’ve been wondering why Boy on a Stick and Slither hasn’t been updated in quite some time. Well, I just learned that Steven Cloud, the comic’s creator, is in Afghanistan, just wandering around. To say that I’m envious is an understatement.

Via @boasas:

After a change of plans we made it to Kabul via the Salang Pass. We will regroup, find a driver (4×4?) and hit the road again.

And Ted Rall (@TedRall):

Change of plans: we’re in Kabul. Taliban have seized NW Afgh. Still going to Herat, but via Central Route. Remote hard times await.

Bors explains his reasons for the trip in a blog post here. It’s in cartoon form, so I’d rather send traffic to his site than repost it. Rall is heading to Afghanistan to try and find the translator who helped him in 2001. You can also read Rall’s dispatches via the LA Times.

Matt Bors & Ted Rall drawing comics in front of a live audience

Click the Image For More Pictures

Stop debating the Mosque; start helping Pakistan

Daniel — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:24:42 +0000

While much of the news in this country is consumed with needlessly trashing constitutional values in the name of cheap political demagoguery, a humanitarian disaster larger than any other in this century is unfolding in Pakistan. More than 20 million people have been displaced by devastating flooding, effecting the majority of Pakistan. That is more people than were effected by the 2006 Boxing Day Tsunami and this year’s earthquake in Haiti combined. Millions, especially children, are at risk of developing diarrheal diseases, such as cholera.

Thus far, the international response has been woefully inadequate, with less than a quarter of what was pledged to Haiti donated in response to the United Nations’ call for aid.

Go donate: http://www.relief4pakistan.com/

An aerial view from a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter shows a damaged bridge washed out by the floods in Ghazi, Pakistan August 5, 2010 - The Big Picture

Dune

Daniel — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 05:36:08 +0000

Some points on the 1984 film adaptation of Dune.

Critical to enjoying this film is to remember that it is a David Lynch film after all. If you accept that you’re going to be completely lost, you’ll enjoy it a lot more.
Captain Picard running with a pug yelling “Long live the Duke” is perhaps one of the more absurd parts of his career. I couldn’t find a clip of this on youtube, so enjoy another absurd moment in Patrick Stewart’s career:
The scene where Paul unites the Arab tribes to drive out the Turks out of Aqaba wasn’t in the book, but was good none-the-less.
Kyle MacLachlan play’s Paul Atreides and has perfect hair the entire film.
The soundtrack is by Toto. Remember this when the guitars kick in.
Try to visualize Patrick Swayze in the background of every scene (via @tomselleck69)
Did I mention the Pugs?

Annie

Daniel — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 01:15:03 +0000

Annie
50-40-30-20-10
Double-Unders
Sit-ups

Time: 13:26

I cut the double-unders in half, because I’m terrible at them and trying to do all fifty cut the intensity down too much (I know, excuses.) Afterwards, I practiced handstand push-ups.

Pittsburgh

Daniel — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 16:53:24 +0000

What if you keep sinning upon arrival?

Making This Up As We Go

Daniel — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 01:15:21 +0000

Making This Up As We Go
5 rounds for time
5 one-armed push-ups (right)
5 one-armed push-ups (left)
20 sit-ups
30 squats

Time: 10:44

Gotta Jibboo

Daniel — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 06:35:39 +0000

I met my next door neighbors today, and it turns out they crossfit. I’d been planning on doing the baseline workout, but instead I joined them up for something a bit more substantial.

3 Rounds for time:
10 pullups
15 ring push-ups
20 situps
25 double unders
400m run.

Time: 17:04. My conditioning isn’t terrible, but it’s still far worse than it could be.

Jeremy Rifkin and The Empathic Civilization

Daniel — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:00:49 +0000

My previous post on the RSA Animate Series lead me to a lecture by economist and author Jeremy Rifkin on the role of empathy in human civilization. He examines the biological basis for empathy in humankind and presents it as a primary motivator in how we interact with and identify with others. He also presents a narrative of human history based upon this notion, one which fits well within the notion of globalization being an accelerating process of interconnectedness (and all the subsequent ideas about Westphalian sovereignty falling to the wayside.)

It is a fascinating piece and Rifkin’s book of the same title is now on my summer reading list.

RSA Animate – The Empathic Civilisation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7AWnfFRc7g

RSA Animate

Daniel — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 21:20:32 +0000

The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) has, in tandem with Cognitive Media, been producing a series of short lectures complimented by high-speed whiteboard animations. The result is reminiscent of the TED talks, and is very compelling and engaging. (Hat-tip: Boing Boing.)

Dan Pink – Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

Philip Zimbardo – The Secret Powers of Time

David Harvey – Crises of Capitalism

Ushahidi Pakistan: Update I

Daniel — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:24:28 +0000

Original Post
The Violent Non-State Actors in Pakistan Ushahidi install is being updated regularly. However, it may not appear that way at first glance. Due to what appears to be a caching issue related to the map, if you’ve previously visited the page, Ushahidi will not display any reports added since. To fix this, load the page and then click on the “All Catagories” link. The map will update with all of the incident reports. This only applies to the map, the reports tab is updating as it should.

I hope to resolve this soon.

Figure 1: Ushahidi upon loading.

Figure 2: Ushahidi upon refresh.

Update to the Update: It’s a feature, not a bug.
Upon further investigation, it appears there is no issue at all. The map appears to default to showing only reports that have occurred in the last month. Clicking on “All Catagories” shows all reports over the entire timespan covered by the instance.

Update Part the Third: That would be too easy.
I suspect it is a bug and not a feature. It doesn’t appear to be posting some very recent reports. I’ve come back around to the idea that there is some sort of caching issue at play.