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14 November, 2002

John M. Poindexter: A Brief Biography

You might want to learn a little more about this guy. His goal, after all, is to know just about everything about you.

There's an excellent chance that John Poindexter will play a major role in making some sweeping changes in the U.S. -- changes that will affect every citizen.

  • 1936: John M. Poindexter is born
  • 1958: Graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy
  • 1964: Earned a Ph.D. in nuclear physics
  • 12/85 - 11/86: Served as President Reagan's National Security Advisor
  • 1989: Accused of being involved in cocaine trafficking by the Costa Rican government. (Never went to trial)
  • 1990: Felony conviction for defrauding the U.S. government, conspiracy, and obstructing justice (Iran-Contra scandal). The conviction was later overturned.
  • 2/02: Appointed head of the U.S. Information Awareness Office by George W. Bush.
  • 4/02: Named Lifetime Menace, 2002 US Big Brother Awards.
  • 2003: Responsible for bringing privacy to a screeching halt?

Additional reading:

Posted on 14 November, 2002

This Joke is Just Too Easy

Bill Gates, as you probably know, is in India, giving away money to fight AIDS. This Reuters story describes his welcome in Hyderabad.

An eight-foot tall condom greeted Microsoft chairman Bill Gates on Thursday during a visit to an Indian city, a tribute to mark his generosity in fighting AIDS. The world's richest man smiled when he saw the giant air-filled condom in India's rising technology hub of Hyderabad, where his company has opened its first software development centre outside the United States.

Or, maybe it's a symbol of what Microsoft has been doing to its customers lately?

Posted on 14 November, 2002

Trustworthy Computing = Broken Apps

From a story at wired.com:

"We're going to tell people that even if (it) means we're going to break some of your apps, we're going to make these things more secure. You're just going to have to go back and fix it," said Mundie in a public presentation at the company's Silicon Valley campus in Mountain View, California.

Craig Mundie is Microsoft's head honcho for Trustworthy Computing. And more:

"I think the stage we're at now is a little bit remediation, where we're trying to fix some of the sins of the past," he said.

And, of course, fixing Microsoft's past sins can only be accomplished by selling more Windows upgrades.

Posted on 14 November, 2002

This Just In: New Michael Jackson Photo

A few weeks ago I pointed out how Michael Jackson has changed over the years.

Here's a link to a story that shows a current photo, taken in court. Yikes! And here's another one, larger.

Jackson arrived at the courthouse in a van, wearing a white surgical mask and carrying a black umbrella. He initially appeared nervous and asked the clerk of courts to repeat the oath to tell the truth, saying he didn't hear her the first time. The singer removed his mask to testify and remained on the stand for three hours, giving short answers in a soft voice.

Posted on 14 November, 2002

Song Facts

This site has lots of interesting information about hundreds of songs. For example...

  • When Carly Simon recorded "Your So Vain," the original backup singer was Harry Nilsson. But Mick Jagger dropped by the studio and she asked him to give it a whirl. Nilsson agreed that Jagger sounded better, so he dropped out.
  • Paul Simon's "Kodachrome" was rarely played on U.K. radio stations because its title is a trademark of a U.S. company.
  • Several Robert Palmer music videos featured a "band" of similar looking women, wearing identical clothing, and pretending to play instuments. One of these band members is actually a man in drag.
  • On "L.A. Woman," by the Doors, the song refers to "Mr. Mojo Risin.'" This phrase is an anagram of "Jim Morrison."
  • On "Lady Madonna," Lennon, McCartney and Harrison faked a brass solo by singing through their cupped hands.

Posted on 14 November, 2002

I'll Miss You Joni

According to this Reuters article, Joni Mitchell is calling it quits. She says she won't be recording any more music.

"I'm quitting after this because the business has made itself so repugnant to me," Mitchell, 59, was quoted as telling the December edition of W magazine in an interview...In the W magazine interview, she blasted the recording industry as "the most corrupt one of all. They try not to pay you whenever possible."

Her final CD, Travelogue (her first on the Nonesuch label), will be released on the 19th of this month. The two-disc collection will feature songs that span her entire career, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra. In addition, the album will feature Herbie Hancock, Billie Preston, and Wayne Shorter. Previews are available at jonimitchell.com.

Last month, Joni appeared in a Rolling Stone magazine interview. When asked if the music industry was going down the crapper, she replied:

I hope it all goes down the crapper. It's top-heavy, it's wasteful. It's an insane business. Now, this is all calculated music. It's calculated for sales, it's sonically calculated, it's rudely calculated. I'm ashamed to be a part of the music business. You know, I just think it's a cesspool.

I've been a fan of Joni Mitchell for more than 30 years. It's sad to think that there will be no more new music from her, but I think her decision is an excellent one.

Posted on 14 November, 2002

Book Recommendation

I just finished re-reading The Brothers K, by David James Duncan. What an incredible novel. It's the story of the Chance family, and it extends through three decades. Key themes in the book are baseball, religion, and war.

Duncan is currently a visiting professor at the University of Montana, my alma mater. The Brothers K, originally published in 1993, is his most recent novel.

  • Listing at amazon.com (includes user reviews and excerpts)

Posted on 14 November, 2002