Getting Chipped

Applied Digital Solutions has announced that its new VeriChip is available to the public. The VeriChip—a microchip that would be implanted under the skin—can be programmed to carry identification data, your medical history, financial information, even allow you to be tracked by global positioning satellites, should the need or desire arise.

Bad Dog!

According to the Associated Press, our canine pals could possibly be the next terrorist threat.

To Tell The Truth

Does any one really know what’s true?
Is truth absolute?
Can’t things be sort of true?
True in a deeper sense?
True enough for military action?

True for me, not for you?
True to your word?
True to life?
True to your loved one?

All too true?

Or is all truth just speculation?

Then there’s another aspect of truth called "truth management" – as practiced by those in positions of power – they let the truth out like a fisherman plays his line, delicately, artfully and with finesse.

One example of truth management is the way Clinton answered some questions posed to him a few years ago during the M. Lewinsky debacle.

"It depends on what your definition of 'is' is", he said, "I’m trying to be honest with you and it hurts me"

Wow, cleverly molding and sculpting a variety of words when a simple "hey, I fucked up" would have sufficed.

The truth does hurt sometimes, I suppose.

People love language, words and the many ways in which they can be manipulated. Words (whether true or untrue) have the power to affect our emotions, sweep us off our laurels and take us anywhere we want to go, vicariously. Words can give meaning to the mundane and make our boredom flee away.

Truth, is therefore a matter or perception, in my humble opinion. The spectrum of truth is broad and we all resonate to truth at different levels, or shall we say "different versions".

Many have become very successful, not by telling the truth but rather by telling what they "believed" to be the truth and doing it with passion and conviction. If the individual’s commitment and talent level is high, people may respond positively.

People are generally fascinated and enthralled by truth and its versions. The biggest lesson we can learn from this is that everything has its limitations, but the world will always beat a path to the door of those who can convey their version of truth with class, finesse, passion and conviction.

Here are what some others are saying about truth:

"The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple." - Oscar Wilde

"I'm for truth, no matter who tells it." - Malcolm X

"Truth springs from argument amongst friends." - David hume

"Nothing in here is true." - Tony Pierce

Chief Moose.com

Apparently a bunch of Chief Moose fans have started a weblog in honor of Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose.

The site is very popular according its creators, boasting over 1.5 million hits, 2700+ comments, and over 300 items sold in the Moose shop in less than 2 weeks.

They even received some recognition on a CNN article last week. Quite impressive.

NBA + NY Knicks

The NBA season opens this week and I'm amped and ready for some great basketball. The NY knicks season will begin on Wednesday when they play against Detroit. Citiblog will be keeping a close eye on the Knicks - an organization that is close to losing the faith of its fan base if they don't get their act together.

Although manager Scott Layden acquired power forward Antonio McDyess and got rid of fragile Marcus Camby and aging Mark Jackson, things turned sour when McDyess suffered a season-ending fractured left kneecap in the third preseason game. Combine that with the Latrell Sprewell incidents and we have a situation where the organization has to become proficient in crisis management and in getting the team to win games.

Newsday reports that:

McDyess averaged 20.8 points and 12.1 rebounds the season before he was injured in Denver and had missed only 28 games in his first six seasons. He was the low-post scorer the Knicks needed to score easy baskets and create open space on the perimeter for Sprewell and Allan Houston. Now they look like a dead ringer for last season's 30-52 team.

The Knicks are right now at a critical juncture. They are desperate for a well thought out plan and the decision taken can certainly affect the organization for years to come. Let's hope that Layden and coach Don Chaney and company can step up to the challenge.

Hai-Karate

I went to one of those local discount department stores with my wife the other day. As she browsed in the women's department, I decided to take a stroll around the store.

So, I'm browsing through the store and I happen to come upon the "cheesy" fragrance aisle.

It was like taking a trip back in time....Old Spice, Brut, Aqua Velva, English Leather, Black Belt and more ....all the classics.

They even had a no frills version of Brut. That's right, knock-off Brut, that has to be some kind of sign of the Apocalypse.

While I'm standing there amusing myself and sampling the various products, a young woman that works in the area starts unloading some boxes right next to me. Since I was there for a while, she asked me if I needed any assistance. I hesitated for a moment, then decided "what the hell, she's not doing anything anyway...", and the following conversation ensued....

Ray: do you carry Hai Karate?
saleswoman: excuse me...
Ray: Hai Karate....it's an aftershave.
saleswoman: I don't think so, but I can check
Ray: don't bother, i didn't really think you'd carry it anyway...it's more of a European thing.

Now she's giving me one of those "are you crazy" looks

Now i have to think of something else to say so i can keep the flow going ...

Ray: what do you think makes a better gift, Brut or English Leather?
saleswoman: um......i think they're about the same
Ray: well, you can't go wrong with Brut, right?.....do you giftwrap?
saleswoman: um, no....
Ray: that's okay.....How much is it?
saleswoman: it's $3.99
Ray: $3.99?! i had no idea it would be so expensive.....thanks anyway.....

Was I messing with her? you betcha! ... but hey! the positive side is that both her and I now have a great story to tell our friends.

But seriously ... Hai Karate aftershave lotion was hugely popular during the late 1970's. My dad and uncles loved the stuff.

As a gimmick, hai karate came packaged with 'self-defense' instructions to fight off the women attracted by the cheap lemony-lime scent. Suddenly dads used to getting Old Spice found Hai Karate under the Christmas Tree.

Microsoft apologizes for NY decals

NEW YORK (AP) -- Microsoft Corp. apologized to New York City for blanketing public property with hundreds of butterfly decals used to promote the company's new MSN 8 Internet service.

"We apologize to the City of New York and the people of New York City," Yusuf Mehdi, the corporate vice president for MSN Personal services and business, said in a statement released Friday.

"We made a mistake with the decals, and we take full responsibility for what happened," Mehdi said. "We are working with city officials to clean up the decals immediately."

On Thursday, Microsoft plastered hundreds of butterfly decals, measuring 12 to 20 inches in width, on sidewalks, doorways, traffic signals and stop lights primarily in midtown.

The city immediately demanded an end to the illegal guerrilla advertising campaign.

Via CNN

'Old-Fashioned Human Wickedness'

The Muslim community, it has been reported, is worried because John Allen Williams converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad. They fear a backlash against their religion similar to what followed Sept. 11, 2001. Some African Americans also are said to be cringing because Muhammad and Malvo are black. Both groups should shake it off. Muhammad and Malvo, if guilty, belong to a separate moral universe of evildoers. They would be no more representative of a religion or race than white serial killers are of their own race.

(Via The Washington Post)

To serve, protect and auction

An idea by an ex-police officer to bring police department auctions onto the internet is going over big.

Propertyroom.com was started by Tom Lane, who worked as a police officer in New York.

iBrotha is the story of a young man so passionate about Apple Mac computers he turns into Malcolm X to get the machines the respect they deserve. By any means necessary.

It explores race and human divisions in a semi-humourous manner using the metaphor of competing computer platforms and an arsenal of hats, glasses and cricket bats. [More]