Daily Blend: Sunday, May 30, 2010

Dennis Hopper (1936—2010)

Ever get the feeling you’re being watched? Yeah, that’s just those pesky spy satellites. Just don’t look ’em in the eye or you’ll be acting suspiciously, see.

• On the interesting origins and history of the peace symbol.
  (via @todayspolitics)

• Despite the typical Republican opposition (and their two nearly-successful and sleazy-ass attempts at killing it), the COMPETES scientific research and education funding bill has cleared the House of Representatives, 262-150.
  (via Bad Astronomy)

• On the one hand, I’m principally against any attempts at censoring hate-speech. On the other hand, loathsome conservative radio host Michael Berry of Texas’s KPRC 950 AM actually argued on the air that he hopes the proposed mosque in New York City in the vicinity of Ground Zero would be “blown up”. Relatedly: will everyone stop your mindless bitching about that stupid mosque? Who gives a flying crap where it’s built? It’s a place of worship, not a Taliban training camp. It was proposed there because the lot was convenient, not as a perceived insult. Get over it already.
  (via @todayspolitics)

• Thanks for the advice, but don’t need it.

• Pop quiz, hotshot: who’s the next great actor to meet his demise? Sadly, that’s Dennis Hopper [pictured] from prostate cancer, yesterday the 29^th. Here’s a fitting eulogy from Roger Ebert, and here’s a photo gallery in memoriam from the Washington Post.

• Roger Ebert’s new journal entry on how the Internet is rewiring our brains and society. Personally, I see this as a good thing: increasing interconnectivity and global relations on an entirely unprecedented scale. Unification.
  (via @ebertchicago)

As always, if you have any story suggestions, feel free to send them in.