Louisiana is proud of the new state Quarter

It pays tribute the the strong influence of Mardi Gras.... [Ernie the Attorney]

A Con Artist's Criminal Charm. This season, there seems to be a notable number of books, fiction and nonfiction, about con artists and their cons. By Martin Arnold. [New York Times: Arts]

The fake persuaders. Last year, a couple of researchers at the University of Berkeley released a report claiming that pollen from Monsanto's genetically-modified corn has ruined native maize from Mexico. Monsanto hired a PR firm specializing in viral marketing to create fake people who posted pro-Monsanto propaganda on various mailing lists. Story in the Guardian [Boing Boing Blog]

Higher learning for a lower purpose. The Learning Annex has cancelled its course on picking up Asian women. Jeez.( via Metafilter ) [Boing Boing Blog]

Cracked Magazine is back. Cracked Magazine is publishing again, under the ownership of the Weekly World News's senior editor! Did that little low-budg Alfred E. Neuman clone with the janitor's cap and broom have a name?

He was delighted last week to see Mad raising its cover price from the $2.99 that Cracked charges, suggesting that Alfred E. Neuman's catch phrase change to "What, me greedy?"

"Just when they thought we were gone, they raised their price," he said. "That's why you need competition. We're in business to make kids laugh, not cry. I think it's working.

"This is so classic. Mad hates us. Boy, do they hate us. It's strange. I don't understand it. If your market is healthy, you sell, too. It takes two to play the game.

"I can't worry about them," he added with a laugh. "We are not number two anymore as far as I'm concerned. What - me worry?

Story in Cleveland Plain Dealer

(via Metafilter) [Boing Boing Blog]

Dead Men Tell No Passwords. The man in charge of some of Norway's most precious electronic documents died without divulging the way to access them. A plea to hackers to help crack the system is out. By Michelle Delio. [Wired News] [The All Electric Media Weblog]

The Word of the Day for June 6 is:

feckless • FEK-luss • (adjective)
1 : weak, ineffective
*2 : worthless, irresponsible

Example sentence:
"Jill's fiancé is charming but rather feckless, I'm afraid," said Nicole with a disapproving shake of her head.

Did you know?
Here is a fascinating word fact for you: someone "feckless" is lacking in "feck." Now then, you may ask, what the heck is "feck"? In fact, "feck" means "value" ("No feck would come from it") or "quantity" ("A whole feck of them came"). This alteration of the Middle English "effect" originated (and most often occurs) in Scots, and its original meaning was essentially "a majority." So something without "feck" is without value or effect—that is, "useless," or, alternatively, "irresponsible." In the past, "feckful" (meaning "efficient," "sturdy," or "powerful") made an occasional appearance. But in this case, the weak has outlived the strong: "feckless" is a commonly used English word, but "feckful" has fallen out of use.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

[Mirriam-Webster Word of the Day] [Ian's Messy Desk]