Build Date: Sun Oct 4 13:37:51 2026 UTC
Why is American beer served cold? So you can distinguish it from urine.
-- David Moulton
DeCSS A-OK in Norway
2003-01-07 08:42:01
"DVD Jon" Johansen was acquitted Tuesday of all charges brought against him for his authorship of the widely-publicized DeCSS code (not here), which enables Linux users to view legally purchased DVD content on their computers.
Hooray! All I need to do now is hop on a plane to Norway in order to watch The Powerpuff Girls Movie on my Debian laptop!
Incidentally, the PPG Movie has the best superhero origin story of any comic or cartoon, ever. They start off as evil Bad Guys! How cool is that?
So, in closing, this decision reminds me of a scene in Heathers, wherein The People are cast in the role of "Ram," the mean jock, and the MPAA as the "The Geek."
EXT - HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT - DAY
THE PEOPLE have the MPAA pinned to the pavement, one arm twisted painfully behind THE MPAA's back.
THE PEOPLE: Say you like to suck big DeCSS!
THE MPAA: Ow!
THE PEOPLE: Say it! Say it!
THE MPAA: Okay, okay... you like to suck big DeCSS!
THE PEOPLE wrench THE MPAA's arm even further.
THE MPAA: OW! Okay.. I like to suck big DeCSS. Mmmm, mmm, can't get enough of them. Are you satisified?
Satisfied, for now.
T O P S T O R I E S
John Dvorak has passed. I’m of mixed emotions. First off I’m more positive about his contribution to the overall technology journalism of the early PC days through the 90s, despite how many things he got wrong. He was a firebrand and commanded attention. (More...)
America's National Recording Registry Inducts Culturally Significant Artist - Weezer!
America's Library of Congress calls them "defining sounds of history and culture" and "audio treasures worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage." Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... Weezer! (More...)
The Crossroads are real and The Blues is a place; The enduring myth of Robert Johnson (More...)
California Glory Hole attracts huge crowds
A glory hole at Napa's Lake Berryessa is drawing huge crowds. According to Chris Lee, the general manager for the Solano County Water Agency, the glory hole hasn't been active since 2019, and only restarted operations on Feb 4. (More...)
Republican State Senator busted after soliciting a teenage girl
Republican State Senator Justin Eichorn of Minnesota was arrested for soliciting a teen girl on Monday just hours after he introduced a bill proposing "Trump derangement syndrome" (TDS) as a form of mental illness. (More...)
Parents claim measles is not that bad after having only one child die
The parents of a Texas girl who died from the measles are defending their decision not to vaccinate their daughter. "She says they would still say 'Don't do the shots,'" an unidentified translator for the parents said. "They think it’s not as bad as the media is making it out to be." (More...)
C L A S S I C P I G D O G
Skunk School -- Learn Why Not To Keep Skunks As Pets
There is an alarming trend in pet purchasing habits this fall. People inspired by the WWII film, "Life is Beautiful" -- the one with that annoying Italian guy -- are buying descented skunks by the millions. (More...)
NASA's Mars missions keep blowing up and crashing, but dammit, when you reach for the stars you have to expect a few minor setbacks. Drink a toast to the men and women of NASA! Toast them with a Lost Probe mixed up with your own two (or three) hands! (More...)
What the hell is going on with Sony?
Is anyone else as confused as I am with what's happening with the Sony Playstation network hack? (More...)
During a magnificent sunny day in a fast receding autumn, the Spock Science Monitor reporters once again blew the playa dust off of their computers and covered the 2002 Burning Man Decompression – held every year just east of Portola Hill in beautiful San Francisco. Both an afternoon and evening issues were released to the unsuspecting crowd of freaks attempting to in some small way experience the euphoria of the playa – if but for a brief afternoon far from the desolation of Northern Nevada. (More...)
Our team of crack journalists went insane, and made the drive from Concord, California to Concord, New Hasmpshire on Interstate 80. Read the insightful observations of our intrepid travelers made on their journey into the heartland. (More...)
My experiment is a failure. Rockstar-and-Robitussin tastes like day-after-Halloween bile. I'm trying to choke down enough to discover the effects, but no matter what those are one thing is certain at the outset: what I have discovered is not a Beverage, but a pale green and angry iced abomination.
You were right: science is not for the weak of will nor stomach. (More...)
