MeFi/MoFi DC Meet Up? A bunch of DCers are thinking of meeting up after work at the 18th Street Lounge this Thursday (or maybe Wednesday) to drink beer and perform other social rituals. Any monkeys want to come so we can pick flees off one another? (Okay, maybe not until we're really drunk.) more inside

I know it's a little early to be thinking about Halloween costumes for the young 'uns, but if you're at a loss for ideas, these folks have come up with Child Pimp and Child Ho ensembles. Stuff like this usually sets off my Punk'd radar, but they take credit cards so I guess it's legit, if legit is the proper word.

The Scientists Agree: Top 10 SCI-fi Movies of all Times... so I ask you monkeys...what are YOUR top 10? or top 5 or top 3 or whatever? (Greetings from the Warrior)

We make our decisions and we stick to them - a social psychologist talks about cognitive dissonance. [first link LAtimes, reg req'd] more inside

It's state fair time! State fairs are a wonderful summertime bit of Americana, celebrating agriculture, livestock and domestic skills. I went to the Maryland State Fair this past weekend, where I rode a Tilt-A-Whirl, saw the top baked goods in the state and petted lots of farm animals. The Illinois State Fair (my home state) has a cool Web site where you can take a virtual tour of the huge fairgrounds. The Wisconsin State Fair is famous for its cream puffs -- they sold 360,000 this year alone! Overseas monkeys, do you guys have state fairs, or something similar?

Lingua Franchise Mat saleh calling it English killer language. Wah. For chiak kantang, salarymen it a bit the different, lah?

No Monkey Sex for You! Why does Feili, a Chinese chimpanzee, smoke and spit at people? Simple: "A male chimpanzee at the zoo has failed to live up to Feili's sexual demands"

OOOOH!! AAAAH! OSTRICHES Mother of Pearl! Behold some large birds wigging out! May bug people who are against riding freakass birds that can kill you. Watch the video clip (Quicktime) Most important! "Continue holding on tightly as the ostrich attempts to dislodge you." No shizzle, nizzle.

Devoter.com -- Kissing babies and giving stump speeches. A new PoliticalFilter by jca. [Via MeFi.]

PG-13 turns 20 from CNN more inside

I'm a cow

HomePage for Opines by FaceMan� of FaceManProductons� more inside

William Buckley Leaving National Review William Buckley is leaving the National Review. He said the main reason is coming grips with his own mortality. He also had this to say about the Iraq war.

"With the benefit of minute hindsight, Saddam Hussein wasn't the kind of extra-territorial menace that was assumed by the administration one year ago," Mr. Buckley said. "If I knew then what I know now about what kind of situation we would be in, I would have opposed the war."

more inside

Aubade. Being brave / Lets no one off the grave. / Death is no different whined at than withstood...

400,000 march for peace in New York City according to the organizers. Meanwhile, NYC wisely recognizes that protestors + special offers = profit! more inside

Furry hopping shark found in Germany.

80's anti piracy adverts

Michael Ledeen described as a "close friend" of Larry Franklin Franklin is the Pentagon "policy wonk" at the center of an FBI investigation that's been in the news the last few days. He "may face charges, accused of divulging to Israel classified information on U.S. government plans regarding Iran". What I find noteworthy about this Newsweek article is that it quotes a close friend, Michael Ledeen of the American Enterprise Institute, sa(ying that) he believes the charges against Franklin are "nonsensical." Ledeen was deeply involved in the Iran-Contra affair and is a very prominent hawk. Some bio from Alternet. more inside

It's still about Flordia, stupid. By doing away with the witness requirement, Hood, Gov. Bush, and the Florida Legislature have removed the only existing brake on absentee-voter fraud. It's now open season in the Sunshine State. I know we've talked about this several times already, but apparently the truth still isn't obvious: Florida's voting system is so blatantly corrupt, it's outrageous. Whatever. Read for yourself, and wonder why this isn't all over the news.

The Snow Leopard.