Sign of the times...

Sign on the wall of a men's room in China:
“Use of [Communist] Party Newspapers and Magazines as Toilet Paper Is Strictly Forbidden”

Heh. Today's Chinese Communist party would repel Karl Marx. They are a state-capitalist parasitical class who exploit their own people as rapaciously and ruthlessly as any foreign capitalists could. Marx, Engels, and the rest of the founders of the communist ideology would be the first use their publications for ass-wipes.

weblog

Why California wines aren't selling - Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Unhappy Hipsters - Features images of modern architecture and interior design along with angst-y commentary.
The world's oldest known "Swiss Army Knife-type" pocket tool. - Gizmodo
1800+ years ago it was probably carried by a Roman Legionnaire in southern France.
Philip K. Dick, an uneasy spy inside 1970s suburbia - LA Times
A serialized bio of Dick's life and times.
In re the MacMillan vs. Amazon dust-up and why I don't buy proprietary e-books. - WSJ
It's bad enough trying to keep up with the technology just to be able to access the media I've already purchased over the years, but the idea of having big chunks of my data and media made unavailable because of corporate pissing matches about DRM, licensing, and such, that I have decided that I am gonna stick with dead-tree editions, CDs, DVDs other hard copy stuff, as inconvenient as that is, until this stuff gets settled. If it ever does.
Japanese company makes machine to recycle office paper into toilet paper. - Popular Science
That stuff is mostly ass-wipe material to begin with anyhow. Heh.
The myth of "rogue states" - Newsweek
"Porn is simply victims of abuse making the best of a terrible situation." - Taki's Magazine
The Secessionist Campaign for the Republic of Vermont - Time
"It's an abusive relationship we have with the central government," says Peter Garritano, a square-jawed 54-year-old Subaru sales manager who is running for lieutenant governor. 'We know it's scary to leave the abusive nest. It's a comfort zone in its own way. But we think we'll do better leaving.' "
Is Bill Gate's new website running on Linux? - TechCrunch
No, but...
Is Illegal Garbage Dumping Making the Mediterranean Toxic?-Scientific American
Bank bailouts created more risk in system - SF Chronicle
Kicking ass for Jesus - SF Weekly
A movie review of the Hughes brother's film The Book of Eli

Heritage Manufacturing, Inc.'s "Rough Rider" .22 caliber SA revolver - $250 NIB + shipping