Archive for August, 2014

Book note.

Thursday, August 14th, 2014

The NYT has a brief interview with Doug J. Swanson, tied to the release of his new non-fiction book, Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, the Texas Gangster Who Created Vegas Poker.

This is great news, as far as I’m concerned, for two reasons:

  1. The story of Benny Binion and his foes, especially Herbert Noble, is a fascinating one. Lawrence gave me a copy of The Green Felt Jungle (a work I’m surprised Swanson didn’t mention) for Christmas one year, and that covers the Binion/Noble story at some length. But I’m excited about a more up-to-date book length treatment.
  2. I’m also kind of fond of Doug Swanson’s work. I’ve read and enjoyed (to varying degrees) four out of five of the Jack Flippo books, and was wondering why I hadn’t seen a new one in a while.

So, yeah, I’ll be picking this one up soon.

The Washington Post makes me testy again.

Wednesday, August 13th, 2014

Actual WP headline:

Waldman: Libertarians silent on Mo. shooting

(I won’t provide a link because 1) the Posties tell me I’ve used up all my articles for the month even though I’m a subscriber, and II) I don’t link clickbait.)

Yeah! Those pesky Libertarians haven’t been talking at all about Ferguson!

Except for Walter Olsen at Overlawyered.

And the folks over at Reason.

And Popehat on the Twitter.

And Morlock Publishing, but technically I think he’s an anarcocapitalist rather than a Libertarian.

To be fair, Balko hasn’t had much to say specifically about Ferguson, though he has been continuing to write about police militarization and misconduct.

Perhaps the WP issues highly effective hearing protection to their staff. Maybe something like these.

TMQ Watch watch.

Wednesday, August 13th, 2014

Good news: football is back.
News: Tuesday Morning Quarterback is also back.
More news: TMQ Watch will return. We are not sure when, as we are still busy with other things (including wrapping up DEFCON coverage) but we will try to get to this week’s TMQ as soon as we can.

Obit watch: August 13, 2014.

Wednesday, August 13th, 2014

Lauren Bacall. NYT. LAT. A/V Club.

DEFCON 22 updates: August 12, 2014.

Tuesday, August 12th, 2014

Random notes: August 12, 2014.

Tuesday, August 12th, 2014

Garry Kasparov lost his bid to run the World Chess Federation. The incumbent president, Kirsan N. Ilyumzhinov, was re-elected by a wide margin (110 to 61).

Mr. Ilyumzhinov, 52, a native of Kalmykia, a poor Russian republic on the Caspian Sea, has led the chess federation since 1995, but not without controversy. He cultivated friendships with Saddam Hussein, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi and Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, and claims that he was abducted by space aliens one night in 1997. He also claims the game was invented by extraterrestrials.

(Previously.)

Tiger, Tiger, burning bright: or, Lawrence goes to the tank museum. Hilarity ensues.

Actual LAT headline: “Convicted smuggler of prized fish bladders gets 1-year prison term“.

Robin Williams.

Tuesday, August 12th, 2014

Lawrence. Popehat I. Popehat II. NYT. LAT. A/V Club. Incomparable “Bonus Track”.

Edited to add: The Bloggess.

Somehow this seems appropriate:

Edited to add 2: Cracked. Damn.

So when I hear some naive soul say, “Wow, how could a wacky guy like [insert famous dead comedian here] just [insert method of early self-destruction here]? He was always joking around and having a great time!” my only response is a blank stare.
That’s honestly the equivalent of, “How can that cow be dead? She had to be healthy, because these hamburgers we made from her are delicious!”

Depression lies.

Monday, August 11th, 2014

Robin Williams, the Oscar-winning actor and comedian whose performances careened from dazzling pop-culture riffs to intense dramatic roles, died Monday at the age of 63, in an apparent suicide that marked the grim end of his recent battles with severe depression.

I’ll have more to say about this in the morning. In the meantime, the number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.

DEFCON 22 notes: August 11, 2014.

Monday, August 11th, 2014

Yes, I know there was a gap yesterday. I was a little busy hanging out with friends, and I made the executive decision that I’d take a day off in hopes that more of Saturday and Sunday’s presentations would be uploaded.

Two things I want to make note of before jumping into links:

  1. This Ars Technica article summarizing Phil Zimmerman’s DEFCON talk.
  2. FARK had a link to an Orlando Sentinel (!) article about “a surprise appearance” by John McAfee. Here’s a link to the article. I haven’t found any coverage of this elsewhere. And, in my opinion, anything John McAfee says at this time should be taken with an entire lick of salt.

With those out of the way, more links. If I link to a Black Hat version of a talk, it is because I am assuming it is very similar, if not identical, to the DEFCON version of the same talk. It seems like maybe there was a little more duplication this year…

More updates later on tonight, I hope; otherwise, tomorrow.

DEFCON 22 notes: August 9, 2014.

Saturday, August 9th, 2014

Here’s what I’ve been able to find so far:

It was 40 years ago today…

Saturday, August 9th, 2014

…Richard Nixon went away.

Only the finest in geek humor for my readers.

Friday, August 8th, 2014

This made me laugh so hard my cow orkers asked me what was so funny.

And the first response is just the icing on the cake.