Little Green Footballs

Tech Note: Code Frenzy Continued

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:21:49 PST

As I mentioned yesterday, I recently discovered that the LGF server was running PHP 5, not PHP 4 as I thought, and I’ve been like a geek in a gadget store ever since.

For years, the RSS news and blog feeds in our left sidebar were driven by a PHP 4 class called Magpie RSS, but now I’ve rewritten the LGF code to use PHP 5’s native SimpleXML functions.

The RSS format was pretty straightforward, but ATOM feeds required a little more geekage, because to do it right you have to properly handle an XML feature called “namespacing” while parsing the feed. The PHP SimpleXML documentation is rather … ahem … sparse on exactly how to do this, but this article at IBM’s developerWorks was very helpful: SimpleXML processing with PHP. And this comment at the PHP website showed me how to auto-detect whether an XML file is RSS or ATOM.

And now, we return to our regularly scheduled open thread.

And Now, the History of the Internet

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:11:13 PST

[Video]

The Fall of One Wall

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:12:31 PST

On the anniversary of the collapse of the East German police state, Commentary has a great piece by Peter Wehner on the meaning of The Fall of One Wall.

It turns out that in the contest between freedom and totalitarianism, freedom does pretty well.

Westboro Baptist Cult Pickets Obama Girls' School

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:51:41 PST

The Westboro Baptist Church cult is notorious for their ultra-fundamentalist anti-gay stunts, but this one crosses another line for them — as they picket a school attended by the Obama children.

Westboro Baptist Church, the fringe-of-the-fringe anti-gay group famous for protesting at military funerals and claiming that God is punishing the country for its tolerance of homosexuality, was spotted this morning protesting outside Sidwell Friends, the school attended by Sasha and Malia Obama.

One of the cultists posted a photo on Twitter.

Fort Hood Shooter Connected to Radicals, Tried to Contact Al Qaeda

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:38:02 PST

As information comes out that Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the accused Fort Hood shooter, was possibly trying to make contact with Al Qaeda, the real question becomes: how did the military miss all the warning signs Hasan was emitting? Fort Hood Shooter Tried to Contact al Qaeda Terrorists, Officials Say.

U.S. intelligence agencies were aware months ago that Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan was attempting to make contact with people associated with al Qaeda, two American officials briefed on classified material in the case told ABC News.

Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan tried to make contact with people linked to al Qaeda.
It is not known whether the intelligence agencies informed the Army that one of its officers was seeking to connect with suspected al Qaeda figures, the officials said.

And there’s more:

Investigators want to know if Hasan maintained contact with a radical mosque leader from Virginia, Anwar al Awlaki, who now lives in Yemen and runs a web site that promotes jihad around the world against the U.S.

In a blog posting early Monday titled “Nidal Hassan Did the Right Thing,” Awlaki calls Hasan a “hero” and a “man of conscience who could not bear living the contradiction of being a Muslim and serving in an army that is fighting against his own people.”

According to his site, Awlaki served as an imam in Denver, San Diego and Falls Church, Virginia.

The Associated Press reported Sunday that Major Hasan attended the Falls Church mosque when Awlaki was there. The Telegraph of London reported that Awlaki had made contact with two of the 9/11 hijackers when he was in San Diego.

The website of Anwar al Awlaki is offline, probably because of heavy traffic from all the blogs and MSM sites linking to it, but here’s the Google cache of his evil post: Nidal Hassan Did the Right Thing : Anwar al Awlaki On-Line.

Nidal Hassan is a hero. He is a man of conscience who could not bear living the contradiction of being a Muslim and serving in an army that is fighting against his own people. This is a contradiction that many Muslims brush aside and just pretend that it doesn’t exist. Any decent Muslim cannot live, understanding properly his duties towards his Creator and his fellow Muslims, and yet serve as a US soldier. The US is leading the war against terrorism which in reality is a war against Islam. Its army is directly invading two Muslim countries and indirectly occupying the rest through its stooges.

Nidal opened fire on soldiers who were on their way to be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. How can there be any dispute about the virtue of what he has done? In fact the only way a Muslim could Islamically justify serving as a soldier in the US army is if his intention is to follow the footsteps of men like Nidal.

At least this violence-promoting religious leader is no longer spewing his filth in America.

Video: The Intelligence Squared Debate

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:53:42 PST

Here’s the kind of brain food you don’t usually get from US media; the BBC’s The Intelligence Squared Debate, in a five-part YouTube playlist.

The motion: “Is the Catholic church a force for good in the world?”

Speaking for the motion, Archbishop John Onaiyekan and Anne Widdencombe MP.

Speaking against the motion, Christopher Hitchens and Stephen Fry.

[Video]

And Now, Tulipa 'Ayaan'

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:23:42 PST

If you were wondering what Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s been up to lately, the Dutch flower bulb sector just named a tulip after her: Tulip named after activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

NEW YORK, November 6, 2009: In a ceremony on November 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art the Dutch flower bulb sector named a tulip after Ayaan Hirsi Ali‘Ayaan’in recognition of Ms. Hirsi Ali’s defense of freedom and human rights for Muslim women.

Ms. Hirsi Ali, a feminist, author, activist and former member of the Dutch parliament completed the traditional naming ceremony by drizzling champagne over the bulbs and declaring, “From now on this Tulip has the name ‘Ayaan’.” Mr. Thijs Leenders, president of the North American Flower Bulb Wholesalers Association represented the Dutch bulb sector in the event. Also in attendance was Mr. Wim Pijbes, director of Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. …

Tulipa ‘Ayaan’ is a dark maroon/brown/purple Triumph tulip hybridized by Ms. Lydia Boots, of Lybo Hybridizing, Hem, NL. Ms Boots is one of few women working in the male dominated world of tulip hybridizing. The hybrid is a crossing of Tulipa ‘Gavota’ x a sport of Tulipa ‘Gander’s Rhapsody’.

The new deep purple tulip joins a group of tulips known in Holland as “black” tulips. The legendary quest of Dutch hybridizers to create a truly black tulip goes back centuries. Many experts consider Tulipa ‘Ayaan’ one of the finest and most successful results of this quest. The selection of the flower to be named in her honor was made by Ms. Hirsi Ali herself.

Upon receipt of the signed christening certificate, the tulip will be entered into the Classified List and International Register of Tulip Names, maintained by the Royal Dutch Bulb Growers Association (KAVB) in Hillegom, the Netherlands.

Tech Note: Code Frenzy

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 13:06:07 PST

Here’s a tech note, also known as an open thread, as I delve into the wealth of new goodies in PHP 5. At some point after installing our new server last year, our gracious, kind, and all-powerful web hosting company upgraded our version of PHP from version 4 to version 5 — but somehow I missed the memo. Imagine my shock to check out a phpinfo() command recently and discover that LGF is running the latest and greatest, with all those nice new functions for JSON and XML parsing, better object orientation, etc., instead of lumbering along with PHP 4 as I had thought.

So I’m refactoring all our code that reads and parses JSON or XML to use the built-in (and much faster) PHP 5 functions instead of using outdated external classes and libraries written for PHP 4.

So like I was sayin’, here’s yer open thread for a Sunday afternoon as I geek out into the void.

Sunday Morning Suction Feeding

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:41:29 PST

An interesting little high-speed video of a red bay snook, having a snack.

[Video]

Breaking: House Passes Health Care Bill

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:10:19 PST

Yes, the health care bill has passed the House. The Senate is the final hurdle.

Friedersdorf's Letter to Goldberg

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:44:33 PST

A very interesting open letter from Conor Friedersdorf to Jonah Goldberg.

I’m writing this letter as a fan – I’ve tremendous respect for the pioneering work you did at National Review Online, your attempts to inject humor into political writing, and the enjoyable debates you’ve done with Peter Beinart. But I’m also a friendly critic, here to challenge your take on the current state of the GOP, the conservative movement, and the country. Perhaps I can persuade you that certain of your positions are wrongly held, though I’d be as satisfied were I moved by counterarguments.

It is actually surprising that the gulf separating our attitudes is so deep. As a native of Orange County, California, the people I most respect in this world – my parents and two sets of grandparents – are all self-described conservative Republicans. My involvement in politics began in response to what I regarded as grave flaws in leftist campus politics at Pomona College, and the dubious actions of Democrats during the Gray Davis era in California, when I witnessed giveaways to public employee unions that were arguably the most fiscally irresponsible measures in state history. The political writers I’ve read whose work most resonates are Burke, Hayek, and Milton Friedman. The bulk of President Obama’s domestic agenda strikes me as ill conceived at best—I worry about the unabated growth of the federal government, America’s perilous fiscal situation, and an approach to governance that relies on the enduring wisdom of elected and appointed officials.

But try as I might, I cannot muster any enthusiasm for the Republican Party, I am profoundly disillusioned by the state of the conservative movement, and though my background and political beliefs ought to make me a lock for GOP presidential candidates – were they running, I’d certainly prefer Ford, Reagan, George Bush Sr. or Bob Dole to a second Obama term – I am a solidly undecided voter as 2012 approaches.

Read the whole thing…

Slideshow: Weapons Bound for Hezbollah

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:46:22 PST

The IDF has uploaded a video presentation showing the huge shipment of weaponry from Iran, intended for Hezbollah, that was intercepted this week by an Israel Navy commando force aboard the civilian ship Francop.

[Video]

Saturday Night Video: 'I Say Fever'

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:40:08 PST

Here’s an open thread, with music video accompaniment by Ramona Falls, directed by Stefan Nadelman.

[Video]

Saturday Afternoon Music: Porcupine Tree, 'Time Flies'

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:55:44 PST

An excellent video for “Time Flies,” from Porcupine Tree’s highly recommended new album, The Incident. (Here it is at the iTunes Store.)

[Video]

Video: Republicans Gone Wild

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:41:46 PST

I watched this earlier and was going to export from EyeTV and upload it to YouTube, but Think Progress beat me to it so I’ll use their video.

It’s not one of the GOP’s finest moments (to put it mildly), as House Republicans shout, scream, and make repetitive objections over the members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus. But this is probably going to be a big hit with the TPers.

Again we’re seeing the influence of the social conservative wing on the GOP, because the big issue today is the Stupak abortion amendment, and the Democratic Women’s Caucus is pro-choice. So we get treated to the lovely spectacle of Republicans openly opposed to letting women have a voice in an important debate, and acting like boorish sexist pigs.

[Video]

Elie Wiesel on Tea Partier Signs: 'Indecent and Disgusting'

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:47:24 PST

Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel condemned signs containing Holocaust imagery and antisemitic conspiracy theories, at Michele Bachmann’s “tea party” event last Thursday.

One sign at the rally contained images of dead Holocaust victims at the Dachau concentration camp under the banner “National Socialist Health Care.” Another sign said that President Barack Obama “takes his orders” from the Rothschilds, a family of Jewish bankers.

Wiesel commented through his eponymous foundation’s Twitter account:

Elie Wiesel on the GOP Tea Party’s anti-Semitism and Holocaust comparisons: “This kind of political hatred is indecent and disgusting.”

The National Jewish Democratic Council also issued a statement:

“The time has come for [John] Boehner, [Eric] Cantor, [Mike] Pence and other GOP leaders — especially those who were present today — to condemn these disgusting comparisons and anti-Semitism,” said NJDC President David Harris in a statement. “They must tell their base once and for all to cut out this despicable pattern of Holocaust imagery and rhetoric.”

This is the sign, which was reportedly directly in front of the podium and visible to every politician or pundit who spoke at Michele Bachmann’s event.

Jon Stewart is Glenn Beck

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:01:09 PST

Jon Stewart totally devours the scenery in a dead-on parody of the Glenn Beck Comedy Hour.

[Video]

Onion: Ford Unveils New Car for 2010

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:47:32 PST

[Video]

NPR: Maj. Hasan 'Freaked Out' Other Doctors at Walter Reed

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:28:02 PST

This NPR segment from Morning Edition reveals that alleged Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan gave a lecture to other doctors at Walter Reed Medical Center that “really freaked them out:” Officials Begin Putting Shooting Pieces Together. The guy was apparently giving off all kinds of warning signs.

[Video]

Fort Hood Updates

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:48:36 PST

There are unconfirmed reports that Major Malik Nadal Hasan was shouting “Allah Akbar” during his alleged shooting rampage at Fort Hood Army base.

CBS Video

President Obama made a statement today, urging people not to jump to conclusions.

We don’t know all the answers yet. And I would caution against jumping to conclusions until we have all the facts. What we do know is that there are families, friends and an entire nation grieving right now for the valiant men and women who came under attack yesterday.

The hero of this incident is Sgt. Kimberly Munley, who brought the gunman’s rampage to an end by shooting him four times.

Sgt. Munley, 34 years old, was credited by Army officials with firing the bullets that brought down Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the Army psychiatrist who allegedly opened fire in the base’s Soldier Readiness Processing Center on Thursday afternoon.

Survivors described the scene as chaotic: the lone gunman spraying bullets in all directions, unarmed soldiers falling, screaming, scrambling to respond. Many soldiers ripped off their uniforms to use as tourniquets; others ignored their own injuries to help those more gravely wounded.

Lt. Gen. Bob Cone, the top commander at Fort Hood, said Friday that Sgt. Munley and her partner responded within three minutes of reported gunfire. Gen. Cone said Sgt. Munley shot the gunman four times despite being shot herself. “It was an amazing and an aggressive performance by this police officer,” he said.

Sgt. Munley is in stable condition.

Mass Shooting in Florida

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:50:28 PST

At least 8 people have been shot in the Gateway Center office building in Orlando, Florida. Not many details available yet…

Hubble: Birthplace of Stars

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:54:27 PST

A spectacular image from the Hubble Space Telescope’s newly-installed Wide Field Camera 3, showing a birthplace of stars in the nearby galaxy M83: Hubble Image Showcases Star Birth in M83, the Southern Pinwheel.

(Hat tip: Phil Plait, who has interesting commentary on how this image was generated, and what you’re seeing.)

Tech Review: Apple's Magic Mouse

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:23:37 PST

The curvaceous top of the mouse is a multi-touch surface.Apple’s new Magic Mouse is a very nice mousie indeed. No obvious buttons, no scroll wheel, just a sleek multi-touch surface and some groovy new software that lets you scroll with momentum — similar to the way scrolling works on an iPhone.

I own a Wireless Mighty Mouse — the previous generation of Apple Bluetooth mouse — and was never happy with the tracking feel. It had a kind of sloppy quality and tended to lag behind hand movements. Some people don’t even notice it, but it was very annoying to me; so much that I always use a wired Mighty Mouse on my desktop machine.

But the connectivity and response of the Magic Mouse is a vast improvement. It feels exactly like a wired mouse, no perceptible lag at all. And the fact that there’s no scroll wheel that needs cleaning when it gets clogged up with gross finger oil makes this a really maintenance-free mechanism.

You can also use two-finger “swiping” gestures to move forward and back through web pages, photos, or other programs with a paged display. It’s a bit clumsy to hold the sides of the mouse while swiping with the second and third fingers, but maybe I’ll get used to it.

I also notice an improvement in the way the Magic Mouse handles its “one big button” to allow both right and left clicks. The Mighty Mouse would sometimes treat a right click like a left click, often enough to be annoying, but with the Magic Mouse right-clicking works flawlessly.

The Magic Mouse requires two AA batteries, for which I use two Eneloop rechargeables.

This probably won’t be the ultimate mouse for everyone — it has no side buttons or middle button. But the multi-touch surface and momentum scrolling are great features, and I highly recommend this rodent.

(Note: If you’re not buying a new Mac system that includes a Magic Mouse, you’ll also need to download and install Apple’s Wireless Mouse Software Update 1.0, available for both Leopard and Snow Leopard.)

Fort Hood Shooter Identified As a Major

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:36:49 PST

ABC News reports an identity for the Fort Hood shooter.

The suspected gunman was identified by ABC News as Major Malik Nadal Hasan.

[Video]

UPDATE at 11/5/09 3:08:42 pm:

More information from CBS News:

CBS News investigative producer Len Tepper reports that Hasan, 39, is a licensed psychiatrist from Silver Spring, Md.

A Fort Hood press release confirmed that “more than one shooter fired shots into the Soldiers Readiness Processing Center and Howze Theater on Fort Hood.”

According to Cone, the shooting began at 1:30 p.m. in the Soldier Readiness Center, a facility where soldiers receive medical treatment and fill out paperwork in preparation for deployment.

Breaking: Shooting at Fort Hood Army Post

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:35:46 PST

There’s been a shooting incident at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas, with up to 7 people dead and at least 12 wounded (this CBS 4 article says 20 wounded): Reports: Multiple Soldiers Shot At Ft. Hood In Texas.

FORT HOOD, Texas (CBS) ― Multiple soldiers were shot at Fort Hood in central Texas Thursday afternoon, CBS station KTVT-TV reports.

Army officials have confirmed a “violent incident” at the post, but have not released any other details.

CNN reported that at least seven soldiers had been shot dead, and 20 more were wounded.

UPDATE at 11/5/09 2:09:07 pm:

Latest word is that there were three suspects, all soldiers — the shooter was killed, but the other two are in custody.

UPDATE at 11/5/09 2:14:21 pm:

Latest news: 12 dead including the shooter, and 31 wounded, some of them seriously. The suspects were confirmed by Fort Hood media relations to be soldiers.

Video: Pastor Broden's Benediction

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:36:00 PST

Pastor Stephen Broden from Dallas Texas gives the benediction at Michele Bachmann’s
“house call” protest against the health care reform bill, and immediately launches a political diatribe about “death panels!” and “death care!” and tyranny and socialism and anti-Christ abortion and violation of all the laws of God and nature. Really. It’s one hell of a benediction.

[Video]