dre in the morning

Scientists say dolphins should be treated as ‘non-human persons’
The researchers argue that their work shows it is morally unacceptable to keep such intelligent animals in amusement parks or to kill them for food or by accident when fishing. Some 300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises die in this way each year. (timesonline)

Yes, It Was Torture, and Illegal
Bush administration officials came up with all kinds of ridiculously offensive rationalizations for torturing prisoners. It’s not torture if you don’t mean it to be. It’s not torture if you don’t nearly kill the victim. It’s not torture if the president says it’s not torture. (nytimes)

The war on terror has been about scaring people, not protecting them
The ease with which the plane bomber could operate exposes the vacuity and recklessness at the heart of the US response to 9/11. (guardian)

Time Warner, Fox Reach Deal, Scripps Talks Ongoing
The deal covers Fox television stations, Fox Broadcasting (Fox), Fox Cable Networks, and Fox’s regional sports programming. It also includes Bright House Networks and its 2 million cable subscribers. Exact terms were not disclosed. (pcmag)

Bruce Sterling: State of the World 2010
the polarity of the world is changing, literally and figuratively; the climate’s wonky, the economy’s tumbling like a house of cards in a demented wind, political will is weak and the body politic is disfigured in ways that are gross and fascinating. It’s a circus, and the tent’s on fire. (the well)

Female Scientist Confirms Men Are Better At Parking Than Women
According to a new study, women take longer to park their vehicles, but for all their extra time sizing up their parking spots, it doesn’t result in better parking accuracy. (aol)

A first name beginning with D ‘could wipe 10 years off your life’
I’m not happy about this. (dailymail)

The Naked and the Conflicted
For a literary culture that fears it is on the brink of total annihilation, we are awfully cavalier about the Great Male Novelists of the last century. It has become popular to denounce those authors, and more particularly to deride the sex scenes in their novels. Even the young male writers who, in the scope of their ambition, would appear to be the heirs apparent have repudiated the aggressive virility of their predecessors. (nytimes)

Top 10 Mind Hacks for Making Your Resolutions Stick
Nothing but the strength of your convictions can keep a self-improvement promise going for at least 365 days. You can, however, boost your chance at success and outwit your worst habits with some motivational devices and clever thinking. (lifehacker)

Nic Cage as Everyone
Bettering the world, one image at a time. (niccageaseveryone)