Tibet, understand it more

Tibet: dream and reality

It seems the Chinese Communists finally learned the lesson: what is the oppressive power of secret police, camps and Red Guards destroying ancient monuments, compared to the power of unbridled capitalism to undermine all traditional social relations? The Chinese are doing what the West has always done, as Brazil did in the Amazon or Russia in Siberia, and the US on its own western frontiers.

Creepy much

A display of mummies because of a law down in Mexico.

The museum contains a few local legends as well. For example, one body was said to belong to a woman who had been buried alive. When the Mummy Road Show hosts researched the mummy, they concluded that two factors suggested this legend was correct: the woman's arms were raised over her face and her forehead had scratch marks.

Guanajuato Mummies

Junk Mail

For those of you who are not content to just put your name on no mailing lists. Or just use things like Green Dimes. Here is an idea that will exact revenge on your bulk mailing nemesi(or is it nemisises?) But basically its easy, just take that envelope with the postage already paid. Tape it to a box with a brick, all your junk mail, or the head of a horse and drop it into a mail box.
http://officeofstrategicinfluence.com/bulkmailer/

(via The Morning News)

Breakfast

The Perfect Scrambled Egg

Technology versus

I'm more and more impressed by the use of technology these days by protesters in the issue of the Olympic Torch. A few weeks ago when the torch was passing through San Francisco I was able to follow along with what the protesters were doing through a Twitter feed.

The feed gave you a feeling for what was going on in the actual crowds, a step above reporters being on scene. That paired with the live feeds that people can broadcast through some Nokia phones on qwik, it was a much different experience.

I wouldn't go so far as calling it gritty, but definitely more authentic. More so than what feels like the scrubbed down news you would receive from normal media outlets. Not that those outlets are not aiming at reporting the truth. Unfortunately there is such an ingrained process for them, that its harder to get up to the minute information like what was accessed through twitter and qwik.

This is coming up again in the Everest climb where there is a media blackout. However, the climbers that are being blocked from continuing their climbs are keeping everyone updated through blogs and posts. Which is almost dangerous, because any of them found to be violating any of the orders in place will be immediately deported.

One young American climber, William Brant Holland, was found carrying a sign that read "Free Tibet, Fuck China" last Friday, and deported back to the United States. Despite the presence of soldiers, Holland said that he was not scared. (via Wired)

This makes it easier for people to find out about whats going on and I hope this trend continues through out the situation in China. It will set a precedence for other situations in the world that people may not be aware of because of blackouts of information enforced by the governments. This takes the power away from the people that want the power and abuse it.

My New Kitchen

A minimalist approach to a kitchen. Hansen Living has some interesting ideas for using the space in your kitchen. Apartment Therapy did a piece on it. I love the idea of such simple intelligent use in a kitchen.

All Streets

Excellent map with every road in the U.S. displayed on it. Nothing else has been added. However, you can make out different aspects that aren't roads, like the Rockies, and different areas.

All Streets