About five weeks ago My Pet Jawa broke a story about al-Zarquawi's main site getting hacked. It was only down for a while, but Rusty got a screen capture that went into the post: the page was black, with an American Flag across the top and a crossed-out picture of Bin Laden.

A month later a related site was hacked, and this went unfixed for multiple days. Meantime, In the Bullpen was on the case, and he posted the event—with a screen capture of the graphic, a penguin holding a full-auto rifle and the legend, "if you host them, your [sic] next."

Now, the MSM (with MSNBC in the lead) are using screen captures from both postings without giving either gentleman credit for breaking the stories or saving the images for posterity. The attitude appears to be "I found it on the internet fair and square, and I neither need to authenticate it nor give the blogger credit." It's sloppy and amoral, but other than that it's a great approach.

And then there is the current online controversey about whether Americans should be hosting these types of sites in the first place. There have been attempts to shut them down, but at this point various Federal agencies are ordering companies to leave the sites up. So I'm not signing the petitions quite yet (or pressuring the hosting companies), in the hopes that our spooks and special ops guys are mere inches away from bagging Zarquawi.

A girl can hope.

And when we do capture him, I hope it's the Marines who have custody of him first. Because I think they would treat him in a very respectful way at any point wherein there were cameras nearby. That's all I really ask.

Posted by: Attila at 01:25 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The Commissar calls our attention to this bitchin' cool site.If you've got a blog (or any website, I should think), it will map out all the links that have gone to you recently, showing where people were before.

It's a juicy invention.

Check it out now, and then go back to it the next time you drop acid.

Posted by: Attila at 02:43 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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. . . who made about 500 Jessica Cutler jokes, Jeff really can be a . . . well. A bit of a whore.

Not that that's a bad thing, mind you.

And goodness only knows what I'd do for a link from Glenn Reynolds. (Those first five jokes that cross your mind?—don't walk that way, brother.)

(Note to self: Stop biting the various hands that feed you, or you'll go hungry for sure.)

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Has a new map. I really ought to be on it, as an amazon or an analyst. Hope he places me near Baldilocks, or possibly near Kathy of "Third Hand."

'Course, last time on the other map of the other continent I became a small sea, the "Sea of Attila." I did like that.

We'll find out if I get any grace here after linking dutifully away.

Otherwise I erase Commissar from all family photos. Never existed! Da! Work of Trotskyites to convince us there ever was a "Politburo Diktat" blog. All figment of imaginations. Ripe for re-education, all readers of Attila Blog.

Posted by: Attila at 04:26 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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1) I'm having trouble accessing my Yahoo account, and can't do it consistently from here. (Though oddly enough, it works on my husband's old backup computer. Go figure.)

The Attila-Hub and I are in for the L.A. version of the election-night party. Definitely into that.

2) Also—and this isn't limited to the Bear Flag League—The Llama Butchers were joking about putting together a big blogfest/psuedo convention in 2005 sometime, in Las Vegas, and it suddenly turned serious. The idea would be to try to bring together bloggers from every region of the country, in the only town in the west where you can always get a cheap hotel room if it's off-season (that is, during the summer, in the heat). And where you can always get a room, period, no matter how late in the game you make your plans. Not to mention cheap airfare from anywhere in the country.

If we decide to have actual panels, or read papers, that shouldn't be too hard. And if we set up small booths and sell each other our CafePress offerings, that wouldn't have to take up more than half a day.

If we don't want to do that, we can just go play the slots or go swimming. Or maybe take bloggy daytrips to the Hoover Dam.

Spread the word and see if there's any interest. This would be an attempt to merge all the little regional groups we've formed, and have one national (or, preferably, international) meeting.

Let me know.

Posted by: Attila at 04:09 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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My friend Mikal informed me that I had to take this test. Being as suceptible to peer-group pressure as the next girl, I went ahead and can now proudly share with you my "Blogger Code":

B6 d+ t+ k++ s+ u-- f+ i o x- e+ l- c

Of course, that was three minutes ago and I couldn't possibly tell you what all those things stand for, or whether they matter at all (I imagine not).

Doubtless you're curious about your own standing. And who wouldn't be? Enjoy.

Posted by: Attila at 05:05 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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The Mudville Gazette parodies Memogate, and some of the big names in the 'Sphere (particularly on the left) while he's at it.

(Yes, the links to the commenters are real. The comments themselves are not. Use your head.)

Posted by: Attila at 03:19 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I just found out about Blogshares, which grants any registrant an instant $500 in theoretical Monopoly money to invest in upcoming blogs.

Apparently, Little Miss Attila is worth $7,692.48 in not-quite-real money. Of course, I'm a "buy." Someone just sold 4,000 shares of me—a move he'll find himself regretting quite soon.

It's absorbing, because not only do they set a value on me, but they list the future (theoretical) value of anyone who's linked me recently. In fact, this almost appears to be a sort of alternative ecosystem—a way of establishing value in a still-developing, fluid situation.

This has to be the most fascinating computer game/stock market simulation I've ever seen.

Posted by: Attila at 10:48 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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WARNING: Click the link below with caution. Per Susie, it may send you to pop-up heck.

I've got a deadline coming up, so anyone who wants to should feel free to jump in here and dissect this.

The gist is that a lot of Republicans simply take for granted the legislative gains that were (supposedly) won by liberal activists and agitators. Some of it's "fish in a barrel" stuff, but there are a few points here that will require a little digging. E-mail me or leave comments if you have special sources or insight.

One of the obvious spinoff topics for discussion: how should a good libertarian feel about unions specifically and collective bargaining in general?

I'm hoping to send it back to the friend who forwarded it at the end of the week—Friday or Saturday very latest. And, of course, I'll link those who helped, both in my missive and here around the ol' blog.

Posted by: Attila at 08:09 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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since I've taken a stupid web quiz. So here goes:

You are The Cap'n!

Some men are born great, some achieve greatness and some slit the throats of any man that stands between them and the mantle of power. You never met a man you couldn't eviscerate. Not that mindless violence is the only avenue open to you - but why take an avenue when you have complete freeway access? You are the definitive Man of Action. You are James Bond in a blousy shirt and drawstring-fly pants. Your swash was buckled long ago and you have never been so sure of anything in your life as in your ability to bend everyone to your will. You will call anyone out and cut off their head if they show any sign of taking you on or backing down. You cannot be saddled with tedious underlings, but if one of your lieutenants shows an overly developed sense of ambition he may find more suitable accommodations in Davy Jones' locker. That is, of course, IF you notice him. You tend to be self absorbed - a weakness that may keep you from seeing enemies where they are and imagining them where they are not.

Via The Pirate's Blog.

Posted by: Attila at 08:53 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Esmay points out that there are only 13 16 days left until International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Ay, Maties; it's time to brush up on your pirate-talkin' skills, lest ye sound like a lubber and some bilge rat take your grog away. Smartly!

Posted by: Attila at 01:07 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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1 Oh don't go to The Pirates Blog for that info . Don't Forget Buccaneer Days @ Two Harbors, Oct 2nd.

Posted by: The Pirate at September 03, 2004 07:58 AM (0ZKi5)

2 16 days--it's on Sept. 19th. Can't wait! =)

Posted by: Jeff Doolittle at September 03, 2004 09:53 AM (56RPM)

3 Oops. Arithmetic speedbump. I'll fix it. And I'll go to the Pirate's blog from now on; better to keep things in the family, huh?

Posted by: Attila Girl at September 03, 2004 12:27 PM (SuJa4)

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I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but Jeff's home. In Colorado. On the couch in front of the TV with his wife. He's reading. She's knitting. Dinner was beef stroganoff, light on the noodles (Atkins, you know). They're feeding the dog and then going to bed early.

Honestly.

Posted by: Attila at 10:24 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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. . . has a fun little story about an Ikea store that opened in Saudi Arabia. Some of the local denizens hadn't been re-reading their Emily Post, and . . . well . . .

Posted by: Attila at 02:22 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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