Richard Tallent on boobs and television.#

I was not offended so much by the "nudity" (hey, we all have 'em) as by the "presentation," which was forced, purposeless, and tasteless. Working theory: Janet is so desparate to take attention to her album (and her branch of the family tree) that she's willing to go through such antics, and Timberlake is just trying to get some attention after ex-gf Spears had her own faux-sexual moment (surprisingly more appropriate by comparison) during a mass-audience event. But, unlike NYPD Blue and the VS fashion shows of yesteryear, this wasn't avant garde, it was just wanton.

Tony Pierce warns us of the future... it's a scary place.#

the clouds are beautiful today. the sun in shining. the air is crisp. the girls are wearing cute little scarves and ugg boots. their flowers are wilting in their button holes their dreams havent been crushed yet like mine have, their boyfriends havent been found out yet and their daddys still pay for their miatas.

but one day they will look in the mirror and see what i just saw (pictured): the cold hard truth.

Tracy Adams posts pictures of the armed guards of Guatemala. Interesting stuff.#

The biggest concern about the people here in Guatemala is the security. According to the Guatemalans I talked with, the regular police force is unreliable. You call, but they do not necessarily come in an emergency. As a result, people then take security in their own hands. The tourist department runs their own security department to keep the tourist attractions safe. On the way hiking up the volcano, we passed 3 stations with 2 security guards each. Private businesses hire their own security guards. Some carry huge rifles - it is not uncommon to see a security guard standing with a huge rifle in a grocery store or even McDonald's.

Nova Spivack links to Daniel Klem's work that reveals over 1 billion birds are killed yearly by glass buildings.#

"Glass is ubiquitous and it's indiscriminate, killing the fit and the unfit," said Klem, a Muhlenberg College ornithologist who estimates that collisions with glass kill up to 1 billion birds a year in the United States alone.

"Buildings that we have created to be aesthetically pleasing are slaughtering birds."

Although cell phone towers, oil spills and power lines raise the ire of conservation groups, those hazards pale in comparison to glass, Klem said. He estimates that only habitat destruction kills more birds.

Michael Williams writes about bastard vegetarians and anti-tv-ites.#

The only people more holier-than-thou than vegetarians are people who don't watch TV. I don't watch a lot of TV myself, but isn't it irritating to try talking with someone who is constantly reminding you that they "don't waste time with that stuff" and "don't even own a TV"?

The reason vegetarians and anti-TV-ites are so annoying is because they take pleasure in rubbing our faces in their rejection of the very fabric of our shared society.

What's the number one social activity? Eating. And it's difficult for omnivores to enjoy a meal with a proud vegetarian because their food requirements severely limit everyone else's choices.

This is why I feel like an asshole.

• No meat. (Vegetarian.)
• No animal products. (Vegan.)
• No TV. (Crazy.)
• No Drugs, Alcohol, or Smoking. (Straight-edge.)

Result: 100% Asshole.

Metafilter reminds me that I live in a dream world.#

Police dog suspended for potential racism. It seems that for some time now, Dolpho, a police dog in Pennsylvania, has been singling out black children, which, in the eyes of officials is clearly a sign of racism, and they are calling for an end to his active duty -- not to mention an end to his life.

Richard links to a great comic blurb.#

Believe it or not, some women can tell the difference between "Y'know, I'm kinda bored, kinda lonely and kinda drunk but wouldn't mind fucking you" and "Wow, I think you're an amazing person and would love to get to know you better" (even if the former is often disguised as the latter).

The Black Saint writes about stupid fashion. Ugh.#

This kid "stars" in the sure-to-be-cancelled Tracy Morgan Show. Let's look at this boy and take him in. What stands out? Ah, yes, the two-different-shoes fashion statement. This is something kids do because they think it looks cool, and it's only ten years later that they look at photos and realize why their parents were imploring them not to go to out of the house dressed like that. Every child does it. When I was eleven or twelve, my big thing was the mismatched earrings, a stud in one ear and a large, garish, dangly one in the other.