Beast or Genius??

Hollywood debates Gibson tirade against Jews - Reuters.ca
You know, Mel Gibson is a showman. An over-the-top showman. It occurred to me that his recent despicable anti-Semitic rant may be the most cynical marketing ploy in the history of television/cable. If that's truly the case, I'm, well, awestruck.

Confirmed: Bloomberg is a Cowardly, Lying Shit

Perfecting 'Managed Democracy' Today:
In Court Papers, a Political Note on ’04 Protests - New York Times

Mr. Bloomberg wrote that he did “not have unique, personal knowledge regarding the basis of the decision,” and that he had “no knowledge at all regarding the denial of a Parks Department permit to plaintiff,” the National Council of Arab Americans, “beyond a general understanding that other groups sought and were denied Parks Department permits to demonstrate on the Great Lawn during the RNC.”

But an e-mail message from Adrian Benepe, the parks commissioner, to Mr. Bloomberg in June 2004 indicates otherwise.

“Following your call, I spoke to Ray about 10 minutes ago,” Mr. Benepe wrote, referring to Raymond W. Kelly, the police commissioner. “Coincidentally, our lawyer and Chief McManus and the Law Department are meeting at this very minute to agree on the language and strategy of the letter rejecting the Arab-American rally on the Great Lawn,” Mr. Benepe continued, referring to Assistant Chief John B. McManus, who oversaw Police Department strategy for the convention.

New Yorkers' civil rights were worth shit during the Convention, and it set the authoritarian tone that the NYPD will use from now on. The police see New Yorkers as the enemy, and deploy all sorts of high-tech weaponry and tactics as if they were fighting Iraqi insurgents or cocaine kingpins. And they're proud of themselves for being an adversary of the American public when all we're trying to do is exercise our civil rights. They use rumors of shadowy 'anarchist elements' who rarely, if ever, show themselves to justify any degree of repression. Never mind that the vast majority of public protests in America are perfectly peaceful. This is just another example of New York's Rednecks-in-Blue (and their ilk across America) looking to reshape the public according to their pedestrian, dim-witted preconceptions and prejudices.

What was America's Worst Enemy, Again?

TheDenverChannel.com - News - Marshals: Innocent People Placed On 'Watch List' To Meet Quota

This kind of brain-dead bureaucratic bullshit gets me livid. Our security is in the hands of plodding, uncreative, back-biting, self-serving, ass-covering middle managers who shouldn't be responsible for cleaning toilets in a homeless shelter. If 'Homeland Security' is such a critical endeavor, where are our best and brightest? Why has it been relegated to the status of the commonplace, just another Federal agency? You just know that DHS officials are more concerned with their office decor and employee softball teams than they are with keeping nuke-toting terrorists off our container ships. Is the Bush 'administration' hell-bent on justifying the libertarian belief (self-fulfilling prophesy) that Big Government can do nothing well? Now the lack of managerial talent and direction has turned the enormous, implacable, grinding gears of anti-terror law enforcement against the very people it was intended to protect, and for no better reason than laziness, selfishness and myopia. Some grandmothers are on a list that's designed to protect us from terrorists, and will suffer without a hope of ever clearing their names, or even knowing what hidden government imperative holds them in chains. Any serious anti-terror organization would do their absolute best to keep the noise out of a terrorist watch database. This managerial clusterfuck by clueless and pernicious officials has ruined that database; rendered it useless or worse than useless: just a tool for harassing innocent citizens and misdirecting anti-terror resources. When will these asswipes be fired and replaced with competent people who understand what is at stake and how to protect it?

Dysfunctional Democrats

TPMmuckraker - Maryland Senate Candidate Arrested on Rape, Assault Charges:

"According to Corporal Mike Hill, Dickerson, who's 43, met his wife in Latvia when she was 16 and took her back to the States to marry her when she was 18. She shortly thereafter got pregnant. She has told police that Dickerson starved her, denied her the ability to call her mother, and repeatedly beat and raped her. She eventually left for Latvia, she told police, but returned when Dickerson threatened her and her family, saying that he 'could have anybody bring her back.'

Dickerson, who was running on a family values oriented campaign, has denied the charges through his lawyer, saying that his wife is mentally unstable. After she called 911 after an alleged attack July 16, Dickerson told medics when they arrived that his wife was 'crazy in the head.' His lawyer told a Baltimore station that the charges were false and that Dickerson's wife has a history of mental breakdowns, and said the wife has disappeared. Corporal Hill told me that she was being kept in an undisclosed location."

Surprise!!

Chron.com | Rice makes surprise visit in Beirut
Everybody who's getting sick of these 'surprise visit' publicity stunts, raise your hands!

It's the only trick in their diplomatic repertoire, and it really only addresses domestic politics, not diplomacy. Who really thinks that the Israelis, Hezbollah, Hamas or the Iraqis give two shits about those 'extra effort' visits by the Bush admin? It is compatible with the need for super-high security that this administration's actions and policies have brought about, though.

What will we tell the children?

Rep. J.C. Watts (R-Okla.) on the rule of law:

[T]here is no joy sometimes in upholding the law. It is so unpleasant sometimes that we hire other people to do it for us. Ask the police or judges -- it is tiring and thankless, but we know it must be done. Because if we do not point at lawlessness, our children cannot see it.

If we do not label lawlessness, our children cannot recognize it. And if we do not punish lawlessness, our children will not believe it. So if someone were to ask me, "J.C., why do you vote for, why did you vote for the articles of impeachment?" I would say, "I did it for our children."

How can we tell our children that honesty is the best policy if we do not demand policy, demand honesty as a policy?

How can we expect a Boy Scout to honor his oath if elected officials don't honor theirs? How can we expect a business executive to honor a promise when the chief executive abandons his or hers? Whether it's a promise or a truth or a vow or an oath, a person's word is the firm footing our society stands upon, and the average kid understands that.

They don't need a grand jury to enforce it. They say "cross your heart, hope to die," "pinkie promise," "king's X," "blood brothers." These are the childhood instincts that seek to draw a line between the honest and the dishonest; between the principled and the unprincipled. Ask your children. The kid who lies doesn't last.

And they do not bicker over what is and what is not a lie. They know. So do I. So do the American people. Time and again we wanted the essence of truth and we got the edges of the truth. You hear "let's get on with the business of our country." What business is more important than teaching our children right from wrong?

You say it's all about politics and party lines. If that were true, I would have given in to popular opinion. But what's popular isn't always what's right. You say polls are against this. Polls measure changing feelings, not steadfast principle. Polls would have rejected the Ten Commandments. Polls would have embraced slavery and ridiculed women's rights.

You say we must draw this to a close. I say we must draw a line between right and wrong, not with a tiny fine line of an executive fountain pen, but with the big fat lead of a number two pencil. And we must do it so every kid in America can see it.

The point is not whether the president can prevail, but whether truth can prevail. We need to cease the cannibalizing the members of Congress. We need to cease the attacks on the president and his family, because friends, this is not about the president of the United States. He is not the injured party."

Brings a tear to my eye.

UPDATE: Ooops, he was talking about Bill Clinton! Huh, well, it sounds way more appropriate now! ;)

EFF Spying Suit Can Continue

Judge Declines to Dismiss Privacy Suit Against AT&T - New York Times:

"SAN FRANCISCO, July 20 — A federal judge on Thursday rejected a motion by the Bush administration to dismiss a lawsuit against AT&T over its cooperation with a government surveillance program, ruling that state secrets would not be at risk if the suit proceeded."

You just know the Bush crew is spying on its political opponents. Remember, with Bushco, it's always way worse than it sounds at first.
Let's shine a big light and watch the cockroaches scatter!

An Electric Car With Balls

Wired News: Battery-Fueled Car Will Smoke You
0-60-0 in 9 seconds.
Powered by 6,831 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries! AA's, maybe?

Insulin from Safflower Oil

globeandmail.com : Calgary firm turns safflower into insulin
Cool!

Georgie's First Veto

In First Veto, Bush Blocks Stem Cell Bill - New York Times

"President Bush vetoed a bill for the first time today, using his constitutional power to reject legislation passed by Congress that would expand federal research on embryonic stem cells, a step he said would be crossing a "moral line."

Just think of all the 'moral lines' that have been crossed in the past six years, and Bush chooses to take a stand that condemns the sick, statistically speaking, to wait longer for a cure. What a dick.

And you thought carrots were good for your vision

Man Accused of Blinding Wife With Carrot

July 18,2006 | MONROE, Conn. -- A 46-year-old man is accused of assaulting his wife with a carrot, causing her to lose sight in one eye. Roderick Vecsey is charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.

Pamela Vecsey, 46, underwent six hours of surgery after being hit in the left eye with the vegetable Saturday night, but doctors were not able to restore her vision, prosecutor Stephanie Damiani said.

Florida Actually Sent This Woman To Congress

TPMmuckraker: Harris Now Target of Federal Investigation?

She jumped right into the corruption head first!
So, Republicans, tell me again how this skank bitch didn't fuck with the Florida 2000 election results.

Sleater-Kinney Retires

The riot quiets | Salon Life
(Salon Mag - Day Pass - Reg, yadda, yadda)

The Return of Random 10

Oh Daddy	Adrian Belew
Eat It	"Weird Al" Yankovic
Pussycat Meow	Deee-Lite
Groundhog (Live)	Doc Watson
Up In Heaven (Not Only Here)	The Clash
Long Black Wall	The Dorkestra
Swamp Rat	The Radiators
Long Way Down	The Radiators
Where Were You Last Night	Traveling Wilburys
One Piece At A Time	Johnny Cash

A Ploy Named Sue!

If Ann Coulter were a woman, and not evil, she might look something like Valerie Plame.

Ex-C.I.A. Officer Sues Cheney and Others Over Leak

Corruption Kills

Wide Flaws Found in Boston Tunnel After Death - New York Times

Mainstream Josh

TIME.com: Toying With Terror Alerts?
Check it out; give 'im the hit!

IOKIYARB(logger)

Unclaimed Territory - by Glenn Greenwald: Prominent right-wing blogger today calls for the murder of Supreme Court Justices - the Right fails to condemn it

I just thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and increase the 'Google Bomb' factor of this story.

Short version: Commenter on right-wing blog makes a threat to the blogger's family (some of these threats may be bullsit-based, because it's quite likely that this Goldstein guy alters comments on his blog after the fact). The entire right-wing blogosphere throws a hissy-fit, insisting that this unknown commenter represents 'The Left' somehow, and 'The Left' must roundly criticise her or be seen as giving tacit approval to her threats. Then, after the recent Hamadan Supreme Court decision, a prominent righty blogger makes the eliminationist joke about hanging the five SC Justices that didn't vote according to his ideology. Right-wing blogosphere: crickets chirping, gentle breezes blowing, nothing. So: it's OK for a right-wing blogger to make lynching jokes about SC Justices, but some unknown woman who makes nasty comments on a blog needs to be condemned because, somehow, she represents all liberals.

Nothing surprising, really, but it's good to get this stuff out. The left-wing blogosphere is actually under a concerted attack on its credibility and political legitimacy, not just by right-wingers, but by left-leaning establishment opinion-makers who feel that their synecures are threatened. We should make sure that as many people as possible realize that this is deliberate and continuing.

Hat tip to the entire liberal blogosphere.

Syd iz Ded

Syd Barrett, Founder of Pink Floyd, Dies - New York Times

Rest in peace, guy.

The Dead on Rhino

A Resurrection, of Sorts, for the Grateful Dead - New York Times

Generally, I like Rhino and I think this'll work out well for everybody. They need to maintain the free concert downloads, though. It's The Grateful Dead, people. You have to have an anti-establishment element to the Dead's business somehow, even if it's only symbolic.

When they outlaw mice, only criminals will surf

States Ban Hunting of Live Animals over the Internet - Yahoo! News:

"The idea was this: Hunters sign up on the web site and pay some $1,500 or more. They schedule a session, then log on at their appointed time to watch a feeding station on the computer screen. The animal that was ordered—from wild hogs to antelope—is in the area, and when it approaches the food, the hunter moves on-screen crosshairs into place. A click of the mouse fires a rifle to kill the animal."

These virtual 'hunters' remind me of Larry Niven's wireheads, addicts to electronic stimulation of the brain's pleasure centers. Like the lab rats wired up so, they just keep pressing the button to generate orgasmic pleasure hits until their bodies atrophy. These guys are like that, but much sicker, because they have to have their virtual pleasure connected to real-world pain in meatspace. They just click, kill, and ejaculate. It doesn't get much more perverted than that, folks.

(this post was originally a comment I left on The News Blog)

The 38th Skeptics' Circle is Here!

Skeptic Rant: Thirsty for Truth? Try Skeptic Cola

With a little entry by yours truly.

Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex

Since there's a new Superman movie out, I thought I'd mention Larry Niven's essay, 'Man of Steel, Woman of Kleenex'. It elaborates on some of the more 'romantic' aspects of Superman's life.

Thwarted Justice Week Continues!

Philadelphia Daily News | 07/06/2006 | Howard Gensler | 'No laws broken,' no hard time for Rush

Bastard Lay Weasels Out of Punishment

(no disrespect to weasels intended)
Enron Founder Dies Before Sentencing - New York Times

If I were the authorities, I would DNA test the body fast. He probably had a look-alike created and killed while he runs off to Brazil. Just like Ernst Stavro Blofeld, man.

Meanwhile, a vomit-inducing pre-mortem quote from Kenny-Boy:

"We believe that God in fact is in control, and indeed he does work all things for good for those who love the Lord," he said outside the courthouse in Houston after the verdict.

Gee, Kenny, maybe you were right after all.

The Ark of the Convenient

ABC News: Has Noah's Ark Been Found?

No.

"I can't imagine what it could be if it is not the Ark," said Arch Bonnema of the Bible Archaeology Search and Exploration (B.A.S.E) Institute, a Christian archeology organization dedicated to looking for biblical artifacts.

If you have to start off with the Argument from Incredulity, you're on treacherous ground.

The Bible also describes the Ark's dimensions as being 300 cubits by 50 cubits -- about the size of a small aircraft carrier. The B.A.S.E. Institute's discovery is similar in size and scale.

300 cubits is generally accepted to be about 450 ft. This would be a very small aircraft carrier indeed:
HMS Illustrious: 745 ft.
HMS Victorious (original): 673 ft.
HMS Invincible (light carrier): 636 ft.
US Nimitz class carriers: 1092 ft.
USS Intrepid (museum in NYC): 872 ft.
Sloppy, sloppy!

The B.A.S.E. Institute's samples are being examined at labs in Texas and Florida. B.A.S.E officials concede that there would be no way to conclusively prove that their finding is actually Noah's Ark.

The money quote!

"We have people working on it."
"What people?!"
"Top...people."

It Came From New Jersey!

Flourescent minerals under ultraviolet light.

New Jersey is known for more than expressways and being a dumping ground for unfortunate mafiosi. These minerals are on display at the Franklin Mineral Museum in Franklin, NJ, at the site of an old zinc mine. Under normal light, they look like regular rocks. The flourescence is caused by impurities such as manganese in the local minerals such as zincite, willemite and franklinite, which were mined for their zinc content. The site is famous (geologically speaking) as the 'Flourescent Mineral Capital of the World' and many of the minerals are unique to the area. The nearby Sterling Hill Mining Museum is also worth a visit.