Breaking News: The Internet Makes You Dumber

In the WSJ this weekend, Nicholas Carr makes the point that all bloggers hate to believe: the plethora of links, articles, videos and the internets as a whole in fact makes you dumber. A couple snippets:

"In one experiment conducted at Cornell University, for example, half a class of students was allowed to use Internet-connected laptops during a lecture, while the other had to keep their computers shut. Those who browsed the Web performed much worse on a subsequent test of how well they retained the lecture's content."

"It is revealing, and distressing, to compare the cognitive effects of the Internet with those of an earlier information technology, the printed book. Whereas the Internet scatters our attention, the book focuses it. Unlike the screen, the page promotes contemplativeness."

I hate this, true or not. I also don't think the answer is less internet / more books. Carr probably isn't saying that either, though he doesn't offer any helpful suggestions (I also despise when authors aren't willing to stick their necks out and make a suggestion - digression).

I take particular issue with this part:

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Most Glorious Victory Over Terrorism!

This video has been making the rounds the last 36 hours... I encourage the readership to watch but be aware that it is very disturbing. It is mostly self-explanatory, let me just add a quick comment. Unsettling as the bloodlust of the individual pilots on the video is, this kind of behavior is clearly systemically present in Iraq. As ye sow, so shall ye reap.

Video after the jump

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Word of the Day: Sedition

Let me begin by noting that this person worked as an official in both the Carter and Regan Administrations and is a Pulitzer Prize recipient.

"There is a remote, although gaining, possibility America’s military will intervene as a last resort to resolve the “Obama problem.” Don’t dismiss it as unrealistic.

America isn’t the Third World. If a military coup does occur here it will be civilized. That it has never happened doesn’t mean it wont. Describing what may be afoot is not to advocate it.

[...]

Will the day come when patriotic general and flag officers sit down with the president, or with those who control him, and work out the national equivalent of a “family intervention,” with some form of limited, shared responsibility?

Imagine a bloodless coup to restore and defend the Constitution through an interim administration that would do the serious business of governing and defending the nation. Skilled, military-trained, nation-builders would replace accountability-challenged, radical-left commissars. Having bonded with his twin teleprompters, the president would be detailed for ceremonial speech-making."

It makes me yearn for the days when people got arrested just for showing up at townhalls in mean t-shirts. I'll leave readers to draw their own conclusions as to where this sort of thing leads. For my part, things are really seeming to take on a April 19, 1995 flavor to me. Link below, if you can bear it.

Remarkable

JOTW?

Is it bad I "thumbs up'd" this on my Pandora?

*NSYNC-Do Your Thing - *NSYNC

Class is in session

Its a common misconception (usually made by girls) that guys will put up with a certain amount of crazy in a girl if she's hot. That is false. A guy will put up with ANY amount of crazy in a girl if she's hot. Case in point: Britney Spears. I've loved her since the minute TRL went to commercial break post-Baby One More Time. I have therefore decided to chronicle Britney's life and my direct role in it, documenting whether I would have hit that shit ("HTS") and/or married her.

End of 1998: Britney video for Baby One More Time comes out - HTS, Married
1999: Oops I did it again - Cmon, catsuit? HTS. Questionable marriage material but yes
2000: Justin and Britney were dating I think, Still would hit / marry, despite this
2004: Marries Federline - Would still hit, though word / videos of her being insane pop up; marriage legally impossible
2005: Pops out Baby 1 - would still hit that
2006: Baby 2 - Still HTS
Late 2006: Divorce - HTS / Marry
2007: Ahh 2007... Britney, I love you and I always will, but this is when I will stop hitting that shit. Why? No, it wasnt the ugly custody battle or drug addiction to short rehab stint. To be honest, it was this . Marriage, but only for the money (and the chance to make it on Perez).
2008: Potentially back to HTS if she stays off the meth.

Any questions? Class dismissed.

Update: I just saw the latest South Park, and despite my generally positive tone in this message, I feel pretty bad for adding to the fray

To the left, to the left

To further spiral America's best and brightest downard towards the lowest common denominator, I have attached yet another mindless piece of gossipy blog filth in the left margin. Please enjoy the high quality writing and astounding number of NSFW posts for you to admire from a distance (ie look but dont click).

And I thought I wasnt going to have anything to report today