An Art Lesson in Usability

I like Kimberly Kopp Krause's article
Your Web Site Is A Wonderland What Picasso's Art Taught Me About Persuasive Design, and recommend it to all who would like to understand good organization of a web site. Short quote:

Persuasiveness and desirability in web site design are in the details. They're in the point of view and in the delivery, and more than anything else, in the experience of interaction. They are that inner cosmic connection between the web site and site visitor.

Would you be willing to die to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq?

The libertarian Harry Browne asks: How Much Is Hussein's Departure Worth?

Eurovision soap opera Few days ago, On.net published a slanderous reaction to my text "Life is a bitch and then you die" by an alegged Emilija. Considering the fact that the message contained untruths and libels, I decided to join the exchange. On.net published edited version of my response, while you can read the full version here.

Евровизиска сапуница Пред некој ден, Он.нет објави една оцрнителна реакција на мојот текст „Лајф из а бич енд ден ју дај“ од некоја си Емилија. Со оглед на тоа што пораката содржеше невистини и клевети, решив да се вклучам во полемикатата. На Он.нет се појави скратена верзија од мојот одговор, а него во целост може да го прочитате тука.

Life is...

Reality Macedonia published my article "Life is a Bitch and Then You Die", about the Macedonian participation in the Eurovision Song Festival. It's a review from the aspect of strategic thinking, and so far, its reviews are quite favorable. :-)

Slashdot | Flash Mob Gang Warfare

Step Back for Greek Nationalism, Step Forward for Greek Democracy

2004 Rainbow - Vinozhito Congress in Thessaloniki / Solun

Useful Definitions

Hits, Visits, Uniques, Users and User Sessions...

Riverbend

Baghdad Burning is a "Girl Blog from Iraq" inviting people to "talk war, politics and occupation." She deservingly gets major coverage. Check it out!

Converted Insight

Former Iraq war supporter repents:

But it doesn't matter why we supported the war - because we truly believed the lies our Prime Minister told us about weapons of mass destruction, because we thought that Saddam deserved to be buried by history, or because we have a sentimental attachment to the armed forces of this country and could not contemplate criticising our soldiers when they were fighting and dying - we were wrong.

Whatever the reason, we were dead wrong.

Arameic vs. Hebrew

I saw Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ and liked its property of using the languages particular to the time and space.

I wonder why Gibson used Aramaic instead of Ancient Hebrew as a language spoken by the Jews of the time (including Jesus, or Jeshua ben Joseph of Nazareth). Considering the role of language in defining identity, paired with political allegations, one might suspect that this is a device to de-Jewify Christ, in spite of the fact that Christianity continued to survive as a Jewish sect for some time, until St. Paul managed to persuade the elders to let gentiles become Christians (without being circumsized).

Both languages belong to the Semitic family (which also includes Arabic). According to NPR article, a French scholar claims that "Jesus would have spoken the local dialect, referred to by scholars as Palestinian Jewish Aramaic."

Who spoke Hebrew, then?

New Macedonian Blog

Some guy Bukaro started publishing a blog. I learned about it from the responses to an article in Vreme daily. More power to him! :-)

Kill Bill

eXile - Issue #179 - Kino Korner provides a review of Kill Bill by Mark Ames. Highlite:

Kill Bill is so bad that I have to wonder if Tarantino was a moron all along who just happened to get lucky with Pulp Fiction, a truly brilliant movie that has aged well, and Jackie Brown, a spotty movie whose great parts are every time Samuel Jackson appears.

Samuel Jackson. That's what's missing. That poor bastard made Tarantino, he made him look like a genius. And never got the Oscar he deserved, proving that a black man...Hollywood...it ain't legal.

It made me think that an ad should be run before viewing Kill Bill: "This is Quentin Tarantino." [Show movie theater, people thrilled, laughing] "This is Quentin Tarantino without Samuel Jackson." [Show movie theater nearly empty, few people remaining either angry, asleep or vomiting.] "Any questions?"

I hear that Jackson appears in Kill Bill II.