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This is an aside titled 'Biopiracy' dated 5/25/08

Wired’s feature on Marc van Roosmalen, facing prison time for biopiracy, is one of the most fascinating articles I’ve read in a while (unfortunately, it’s overshadowed by the controversial cover story.) When I first heard about biopiracy, I believed it might be one of the few areas where intellectual property is actually fair, so long as it’s granted to the country of origin. But reading how it is enforced in the Brazil gave me second thoughts. Richard Stallman (of course) has some things to say about the need to free all plant life from patents.

Posted by Joanne on May. 25, 2008

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Asides
- From Mashable: "a 19-year-old user of the online live-streaming video service Justin.TV has apparently commit suicide in front of an audience of fellow forum dwellers egging him on during the process." Tragic. Most disturbing are the screen captures of a cop entering his room that morning while the chat forum participants are still incapable of taking the situation seriously ("Zomg!" "Lol!") If anyone can be a celebrity, everyone has an opportunity to be Christine Chubbuck.
- Jerry Brito, who designed this site, was just on CNN talking about midnight regulations.
- L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz was commentary on agriculture and the debate between gold, silver, and the dollar standard. "The Scarecrow portrays the American farmer, while the Tin Man represents the workers, and the Cowardly Lion depicts William Jennings Bryan...in the original story Dorothy’s slippers were made of silver, not ruby, implying that silver was the Populists’ solution to the nation’s economic woes. Meanwhile, the Yellow Brick Road was the gold standard, and Toto (Dorothy’s faithful dog) represented the Prohibitionists, who were an important part of the silverite coalition. The Wicked Witch of the West symbolizes President William McKinley; and the Wizard is Mark Hanna, who was the chairman of the Republican Party and made promises that he could not keep." - Jeffrey Saut (via.)
- Typealyzer says the author of this blog is a strong INTP. (via.)
- Britney Spears contemplates.
- School of Seven Bells opened for M83 last night. They are wonderful! (Music: Half Asleep, Connjur, I am under no disguise)
- Photographer Ben Westwood (Vivienne Westwood's son) on how his craft "becomes the background, like wallpaper" (via.)
- Street with a view: "May 3rd 2008, artists Robin Hewlett and Ben Kinsley invited the Google Inc. Street View team and residents of Pittsburgh’s Northside to collaborate on a series of tableaux along Sampsonia Way. Neighbors, and other participants from around the city, staged scenes ranging from a parade and a marathon, to a garage band practice, a seventeenth century sword fight, a heroic rescue and much more." (via.)
- "Anyone who has played D&D has spent a lot of time talking about race – 'Racial Attributes,' 'Racial Restrictions,' 'Racial Bonuses.' Everyone knows that different races don’t get along – thanks to Tolkien, Dwarves and Elves tend to distrust each other, and even non-gamers know that Orcs and Goblins are, by their very nature, evil creatures. Race is one of the most important aspects of any fantasy role-playing game, and the belief that there are certain inherent genetic and social distinctions between different races is built into every level of most (if not all) Fantasy Role-Playing Game" - Race in Dungeons and Dragons. (via.)
- Porter Square's Spark Craft Studios is handing over their small business to the winner of an essay contest. Says the crafting boutique/instruction studio: "The winner will receive the contents of the store at the time of the transfer, including store fixtures and furnishings, exterior signage, the point-of-sale system, a modest inventory, and the website. Please note: We believe the store requires an infusion of capital for additional inventory to be successful."
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