It occurred to me today that every crappy, beaten up, rusted out old hunk of scrap metal car was once someone's brand new, just-off-the-showroom-floor car of choice. The only difference between then and now is time. I like to try to figure out what the car looked like brand new, with its sticker in the window. Sometimes it's really easy, other times not so much. Then I think about my car and try to picture out what it will look like in ten or fifteen years, and I wish I could see it then. People should get to visit old cars after they sell them, or when they get sent to the scrap yard. I would like to see all the people who have owned the same car over its long life get together at the end. Sort of like an old car funeral.

This web site is either “intersting” or I am just “tired”:

The Gallery Of “Misused” Quotation Marks

At the mall today I saw a Mannequin in a wheelchair. I am somehow not surprised that we as a nation have produced the handicapped mannequin, before the overweight mannequin.

How more Snidely Whiplash could someone be? In what must be a real conversation stopper over at the white house, a top secret memo has come to light that 'records a threat by Bush to unleash 'military action' against the TV station [al-Jazeera], which America accuses of being a mouthpiece for anti-US sentiments.'

WOW. I have seen some really outlandish moves from this particular brain trust, but this has to be some kind of amoral record. Aljazeera, as some of you may recall, lost a reporter when its Baghdad office was struck during a US bombing campaign. Also, in 2001, Aljazeera's office in Kabul, Afghanistan, was destroyed by a US missile. All accidents I'm sure.

Some have tried to blow this off, claim that the president was merely joking. Right. Still, if its true, the fact that he was willing to entertain the concept of slaughtering the media of other countries just because they disagree with his politics, seems questionable. I mean honestly, how evil does one man need to show himself to be, before the idea starts to stick. Not much more, judging by his poll numbers.

Think you know your Jesus? What about your filthy bums? This game from Liquid Generation puts those skills to the test in a game that shows you partial pictures of either Jesus or the Homeless and asks you to tell the difference. This is what America is all about.

The game is here:

http://www.liquidgeneration.com/content/a55hat.aspx?cid=1583

That's right, we at BPO will be once again holding our annual Favorite Christmas Shopper Awards. If you, during this holiday season, see anyone doing anything hilarious, you may submit their names here: http://www.brainpanonline.com/mail/

This year's grand prize is a lifetime subscription to Silly Little Trouser Monkees, so get your submissions in early. Remeber, just about anything will fly. As an example, take a look at last year's entries HERE

There is this really good article about evolution vs. the creationist flavor of the month, intelligent design. I like this part:

Let's be clear. Intelligent design may be interesting as theology, but as science it is a fraud. It is a self-enclosed, tautological “theory” whose only holding is that when there are gaps in some area of scientific knowledge -- in this case, evolution -- they are to be filled by God. It is a “theory” that admits that evolution and natural selection explain such things as the development of drug resistance in bacteria and other such evolutionary changes within species but also says that every once in a while God steps into this world of constant and accumulating change and says, “I think I'll make me a lemur today.”

The whole thing can be found here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/17/AR2005111701304.html

A new SLTM Round Table Review which I was fortunate enough to take part in is now up here: http://www.sltmonkees.com/roundtable.htm

SLTM Round Table Reviews are where a group of people sit around and listen to a record, then each person gives his or her opinion of it. I think it's a great way to review new music. Go see for yourself.

As you know, BPO has been following this 'Sony As Virus Peddler thing' for a while mainly because we think it is funny. Todays development is equally hilarious. According to a report released by Princeton University Computer Science professor Edward Felten, the software Sony has released to remove the offending software from your computer is itself dangerous and malicious. According to the report, the removal tool installs this Active X control that does not get deleted from the user's PC after it has finished its job. Due to the tool's faulty configuration, it allows any web page that the user visits to download and install any malicious software it wants. It's a little like being raped by your bodyguard.

If need help fixing Sony's fix, go to this semi-helpful Microsoft support page:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q154850&FR=1

James Doohan will apparently get no release from the relentless hounding of Star Trek fans, even in death:

Doohan's ashes to be launched next year with fan notes