Prompted by recent laments for the collaborative filtering that was Napster’s coolest feature, I’ve decided to start publishing my own musical playlist again. I’d love to see this become a trend. Not only is it a way to find out about new-to-you music, it plays into that whole “we are the stuff we like” theory. I’m surprised more people who have blogs don’t do it already.

Sigh. Appeals court upholds Microsoft antitrust case findings, but overturns remedies due to “judicial misconduct” on the part of Judge Jackson. Um, yeah. One has to wonder how this ruling would have differed if these seven actually had to come up with an alternate remedy themselves, instead of passing it on to another court. Maybe, maybe some judicial genius will come up with another remedy that will actually work, that won’t amount to a slap on the wrist and a stern talking-to, but I really doubt it. The only viable solution appears to be the one that was thrown out today.

Okay. Now that I’ve recovered from the shock, and also given up trying to put this in terms that don’t sound odd, I’m just going to admit it. Steven Champeon, web personality, author, editor, CTO, weblogger, and list mom, a man whose online persona evokes the gray-bearded and slightly ill-tempered village elder… is actually kind of hot (second item). Take that as a rumination on the intrinsic differences between online and analog life, or as a demonstration of the deep and abiding shallowness of your host, he cares not.

Transgenic Pets Inc wants to make and sell allergen-free cats. As they wouldn’t be food animals, where under the regulatory umbrella would these fall? The CPSC? Can you imagine a pet recall? “No, Molly dear, Mr Wiggles has to go home now.” Ugh.

Peachy. I get to pay Earthlink $2 more a month from now on, in exchange for added benefits that… won’t benefit me much at all. Broadband, take me away.

Overuse of analgesics contributes to chronic headaches in children. Oh, lovely. Apparently, this is not exactly news: “Although the researchers documented more than a decade ago that overuse of pain medications triggers headaches in adults […], the similar effect on children was only first reported in 1998.” Yeah, thanks for telling me, the guy who goes through ibuprofen like candy during sinus season. Has this information been actively suppressed, or have I just not been paying attention?

I just spent two paychecks in two days. It was lovely.

Even as I type this, I am genuflecting profusely. It’s kind of hard to touch-type from the floor.

The results of the nine truths thing will be posted tomorrow, before I leave for the weekend (sun, surf, seafood, scrumptious twinks [married, not dead, yadda yadda]). That is, assuming anyone has actually entered a guess, correct or otherwise. I’m running this in the typical way: whoever wins will receive recognition or praise of some sort, and whoever enters first will get it if no one guesses right. So you’ve nothing to lose, folks. Ahem, cough cough, cough.

The commander of Canada’s entire Pacific naval fleet has been relieved of his post, after admitting to surfing porn in his off hours, rather than sit in judgment over a subordinate charged with the same “offense”. No, it wasn’t not child porn, or even kitty porn, but regular old boring soft porn. Okay, so, cross that one off the list of countries to expatriate to. (via ObscureStore)

Merriam-Webster adds audio pronunciation to its online dictionary. Considering the formidable list of obscenities that they don’t shy away from defining, potential abuses abound. Example:Computer: #$^@$%&*$%#%!
Spousal Unit: What did you say?
Me: I didn’t say a thing. [bats eyelashes]Side note: for some reason, who or whatever pronounced everyone’s favorite m-f word sounds like he/it really meant it, compared to the dryness of other pronunciations. Of course, if it’s software, then it’s all in my head and I look silly.

Side note #2: they apparently weren’t out to tackle this pronunciation.

Yes, I did it again, and it still makes me feel dirty and used. (I’m talking about voting in the Webbys, you sick bastard.) At least all of my votes were write-ins, thereby ensuring that only one site I voted for will actually win. Yay futility. Or not. Maybe you can help me help these sites to get a few votes:

• Games - The Sims Resource
• Music - AudioGalaxy
• News - MediaNews
• TV - TeeVee
• Weird - The Uncle’s Monkey (Well, it is, when you stop and think about it.)(Okay, fine, I just want to hear Joey, through the power of ventriloquism, say his >=5 words. Probably something along the lines of “Ale and whores.”)

Whaddaya say?

Ah, sweet gratification. The alignment quiz I posted about earlier this month got posted to MeFi today, and the resulting discussion led me to this much better version. Much better, because Chaotic Neutral is just cooler than True Neutral.

Song of the moment: Alicia Keys - Fallin’, from the album Songs In A Minor. First single, debut album, utterly [insert profanity for emphasis] brilliant. (Read Rolling Stone’s review of the album, if you like.)