I am addicted to Anime Music Videos, where you take clips from Anime with Music
and I looooooooooove You Tube
so here is something to share
Sunday, April 30, 2006
John McCain -thank you-
For Reminding me why I never wish to vote for you...ever (H/T Tapscott)
Thanks John
I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected, that has become corrupt. If I had my choice, I’d rather have the clean government."
Thanks John
Tastes Like....Chicken
Cap'n Ed came up with an idea to take the anti-war left's worst Pejorative against them.
So I for one had to sign up ;-)
Many on the left disagree, however, and often they provide challenging arguments and valuable perspectives on policy and the manner in which it gets implemented. However, many more do little but make ad hominem attacks on those with whom they disagree. They spend a great deal of effort labeling people rather than providing rational arguments on policy, and even the labels they select don't provide much more than amusement.
That's why Frank J of IMAO, Derek Brigham of Freedom Dogs, and I have decided to create -- for real -- the 101st Fighting Keyboardists and adopt the chicken hawk as our mascot. First of all, the term "fighting keyboardist" describes our efforts pretty well, and we think the pseudo-military terminology is pretty danged amusing. Derek himself designed the logo.
hawk01.jpgAnd why the chicken hawk? When we looked into it, it turns out that the chicken hawk is a pretty impressive predator. It's the largest of its family. This species vigorously defends its territory, getting even more aggressive when the conditions get harshest. It adapts to all climates. Most impressively, it feeds on chickens, mice, and rats.
So I for one had to sign up ;-)
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
I really want to not do this
But the urge to do it is to good
"Get your stinking paws off me you D@mned Dirty Ape"
I feel dirty now I really do
"Get your stinking paws off me you D@mned Dirty Ape"
The socialist PSOE party is apparently intent on introducing a bill aimed at giving apes the same rights as man, "and the immediate inclusion of these animals as people." As a result, the bill adds that apes "should have the same moral and legal protection that humans currently enjoy."
Fernando Sebastian, the bishop of Tudela has termed the measure as "making oneself looking ridiculous in the name of progress, and then what about the rights of the fighting bulls?" Meanwhile, other political commentators have stated that as a result of these measures, it will not be long before apes names will start appearing on the electoral rolls.
I feel dirty now I really do
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
A question to other poli-bloggers and mostly poli-bloggers out there
Am I the only one whose gotten tired of the current US political scene?
Potty Time
The following blog post will be discussing me in the bathroom
you have been warned
So after class (my second) Yesterday I got into the post clash rush to the bathroom and I had to pee pretty bad. Their were 3 urinals but only two of them were being used. None of us guys seemed willing to cross the invisible "barrier" Urinal....
I just found that antecdote silly and funny
you have been warned
So after class (my second) Yesterday I got into the post clash rush to the bathroom and I had to pee pretty bad. Their were 3 urinals but only two of them were being used. None of us guys seemed willing to cross the invisible "barrier" Urinal....
I just found that antecdote silly and funny
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Dear Mr. President
Dear Mr. President, I have woken up today to what appears to be your lack of desire for the republican party to maintain a majority in 2006.
With all due respect Mr. President yes their was. As you know oil issues are largely seasonal issues. You could have as the oil purchases were coming in for what would be the late spring early summer drive time opened up the strategic oil reserve some. You could have explained to the gas companies that for doing this they have to work on keeping their prices at the pump down.
Doing that would have pushed down pressure on the oil supply then lowering the prices then thus making any later raises smaller.
You then also could "threaten" to do the same again and offer US assistance to mediate the dispute in Nigeria and bam lower oil prices
You could have fixed it Mr. President, and I think either you had an utter lack of vision or you simply don't care.
I'm not going to even engage your idiotic blame of China and India because thats not the point. We are getting our oil resources in different Markets from India and China, so that isn't the problem.
The problem is how the enviromental regulations have hamstrung the United States. Had you come out and said we are going to create a single national fuel grade, and had you fought for it back in 04 and 05 it would probably be a reality now and prices would be lower ( while you could say your out there improving the enviroment)
You could have fought to get your energy bill through, which had the first major scale for more refinery building included. Why because we simply do not have the refining capacity in this country to meet the demand. That Mr. President is why we have a problem, not India and China. Our supply chain is rickety and old and you -should- have done something about it.
If we lose control of the house and senate in 06, I'm going to write the political tombstone for the Bush Administration with what I think will be histories judgement of George W Bush
to quote your father its all about a "Vision thing"
"We're going to have a tough summer because people are beginning to drive now during tight supply," Bush said as he toured a California facility developing hydrogen-powered vehicles.
"The American people have got to understand what happens elsewhere in the world affects the price of gasoline you pay here."
With all due respect Mr. President yes their was. As you know oil issues are largely seasonal issues. You could have as the oil purchases were coming in for what would be the late spring early summer drive time opened up the strategic oil reserve some. You could have explained to the gas companies that for doing this they have to work on keeping their prices at the pump down.
Doing that would have pushed down pressure on the oil supply then lowering the prices then thus making any later raises smaller.
You then also could "threaten" to do the same again and offer US assistance to mediate the dispute in Nigeria and bam lower oil prices
You could have fixed it Mr. President, and I think either you had an utter lack of vision or you simply don't care.
Bush also blamed the higher prices on a shortage of refinery capacity in the United States, and also on an ongoing shift in fuel additives and mixes that has caused supply hiccups in certain areas.
I'm not going to even engage your idiotic blame of China and India because thats not the point. We are getting our oil resources in different Markets from India and China, so that isn't the problem.
The problem is how the enviromental regulations have hamstrung the United States. Had you come out and said we are going to create a single national fuel grade, and had you fought for it back in 04 and 05 it would probably be a reality now and prices would be lower ( while you could say your out there improving the enviroment)
You could have fought to get your energy bill through, which had the first major scale for more refinery building included. Why because we simply do not have the refining capacity in this country to meet the demand. That Mr. President is why we have a problem, not India and China. Our supply chain is rickety and old and you -should- have done something about it.
If we lose control of the house and senate in 06, I'm going to write the political tombstone for the Bush Administration with what I think will be histories judgement of George W Bush
to quote your father its all about a "Vision thing"
Friday, April 21, 2006
More Sanity in the middle east
Borat has a defender
people like this are part of why I tell people in 20-30 years the region is going to be all right....because people there do get it
Dariga, one of the three daughters of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, said Kazakhstan's furious reaction to Cohen's alter-ego Borat character hurt the nation's image a lot more than the jokes themselves.
"This Web site (www.borat.kz) damaged our image much less than its closure which was covered by all global news agencies," Dariga said in an interview published Friday in Kazakh newspaper Karavan.
"We should not be afraid of humor and we shouldn't try to control everything, I think," added Dariga, an influential politician who once headed the country's main TV channel Khabar.
people like this are part of why I tell people in 20-30 years the region is going to be all right....because people there do get it
From the "Things that are not news file"
We have another case of research proving things everyone already knew
I need to be a research scientist
An almond-shaped cluster of neurons that processes experiences such as fear and aggression hooks up to contrasting brain functions in men and women at rest, the new research shows.
For men, the cluster "talks with" brain regions that help them respond to sensors for what's going on outside the body, such as the visual cortex and an area that coordinates motor actions.
For women, the cluster communicates with brain regions that help them respond to sensors inside the body, such as the insular cortex and hypothalamus. These areas tune in to and regulate women's hormones, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and respiration.
I need to be a research scientist
When Campaign Finance goes wrong.....
From my old Stomping Grounds in Sarasota my prefered canidate for the District 13 seat has some problems.
And when some one has problems the federal government finds a way to make them worse.....
It shouldn't be a complicated question. But we have reforms which -frankly- don't have any sense about them
And when some one has problems the federal government finds a way to make them worse.....
Randy Maddox, who was Detert's campaign treasurer, took $97,000 from the congressional campaign early this month and flew to South America.
He was in Argentina for nine days before his parents talked him into returning to the United States, according to Detert.
When he returned, Maddox, 42, said he lost $27,000 while in Buenos Aires, so he couldn't restore the full amount he had taken.
His parents agreed to pay the rest of it back, according to Detert and an attorney representing Maddox.
But FEC officials say returning the $27,000 to the candidate could violate campaign donation limits that prevent individuals from giving more than $4,200 to a candidate per election cycle.
FEC spokesman George Smaragdis said that since the parents are paying the money back, it's a complicated legal question.
It shouldn't be a complicated question. But we have reforms which -frankly- don't have any sense about them
20 years ago today.....
Geraldo Opened up the vault
wow I feel old now
Al Capone's Vault - 1986 was the year Geraldo Rivera lured the American public into watching his April 21, 1986 special "The Mystery of Al Capone's Vault" with the potential promise of finding some historic artifacts, cache of treasure or maybe the bones of some gangsters inside the walls of the Lexington Hotel, the former headquarters and residence of notorious Chicago mobster, Al Capone. In the end, the whole show was a bust. After watching for an hour, the American public was given Bupkiss, Zilch, Nada, Nothing but some dirt and debris found behind the excavated stone walls in the hotel's basement.
wow I feel old now
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Mumbly McMushmouth is history
With the Current events of today I nominate Mr. Stick Figure for Press Secretary
OK, let's just stipulate that any question beginning with the phrase "As you know" is a waste of my freaking time, because if I already know, I don't need you to remind me. Sound like a plan?
Howard Dean tops himself
In stupidity.... (and thats saying something)
Walter Shapiro: Governor, from where you sit, is the fact that there will be two caucuses between the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary a done deal, or is this still open for negotiation, as to whether there will be caucuses and/or whether New Hampshire will have its traditional unmolested Iowa/New Hampshire role in American history?
Howard Dean: We don’t molest anybody. We leave that to the deputy press secretary of the Homeland Security agency.
An Important moment for History nerds
especially WWII and War history nerds (H/T Powerline)
Our understanding of one of the worst parts of the 20th century is going to improve by a lot.
Germany announced Tuesday it has agreed to open the Nazi archive of 50 million records that have been stored since the end of World War II.
The Bad Arolsen archive covers 17 million people who were executed or sent to concentration camps or prisons. German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries announced the government's change of heart in a news conference at the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington, The New York Times reported.
Our understanding of one of the worst parts of the 20th century is going to improve by a lot.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
An email I got from my dad
NBA OR NFL?
36
have been accused of spousal abuse
7
have been arrested for fraud
19
have been accused of writing bad checks
117
have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
3
have done time for assault
71,
repeat
71 cannot
get a credit card due to bad credit
14
have been arrested on drug-related charges
8
have been arrested for shoplifting
21
currently
are defendants in lawsuits, and
84
have been arrested for drunk driving
in
the last year
Can
you guess which organization this is?
Give
up yet? . . . Scroll down,
Neither,
it's the 535 members of the United
States Congress.
The
same group of Idiots that crank out hundreds of new laws each year
designed to keep the rest of us in line.
You
gotta pass this one on!
36
have been accused of spousal abuse
7
have been arrested for fraud
19
have been accused of writing bad checks
117
have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
3
have done time for assault
71,
repeat
71 cannot
get a credit card due to bad credit
14
have been arrested on drug-related charges
8
have been arrested for shoplifting
21
currently
are defendants in lawsuits, and
84
have been arrested for drunk driving
in
the last year
Can
you guess which organization this is?
Give
up yet? . . . Scroll down,
Neither,
it's the 535 members of the United
States Congress.
The
same group of Idiots that crank out hundreds of new laws each year
designed to keep the rest of us in line.
You
gotta pass this one on!
Images from a University campus
I found these pictures as part of a display on campus. I added a little title to show you my thoughts on the thing.
This appears (though on the board its hard to tell) to be from a gay group. So lets demonize all white boys... good times
Monday, April 17, 2006
This is who came to speak to my Class today
The US Ambassador to Portugal
I could tell he in some respects wasn't very dug into the day to day politics of europe and portugal yet *(he's been a US ambassador for slightly less then 6 months)* But he definately has a gift to work crowds.
The students didn't pester him with a lot of politics and asked some serious questions. He also told the class what may be the best defense of Ambassadors appointed just based on political credentials
Alfred Hoffman, Jr. was sworn in as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Portugal on November 4, 2005. He presented his credentials to President Jorge Sampaio on November 30, 2005.
Prior to his nomination, Ambassador Hoffman was founder and Chairman of the Board of WCI Communities, Inc., a Florida-based company serving primary, retirement, and second-home buyers in Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Under his guidance, WCI became a leading community developer, homebuilder, and real estate services company with revenue exceeding $2.2 billion. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Ambassador Hoffman served as a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force during his military career and later earned an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Ambassador Hoffman was National Co-Chair and the Florida State Finance Chairman for the George W. Bush for President Campaign. He also served as Co-Chairman of Finance for the Presidential Inaugural Committee and National Finance Chairman of the Republican National Committee for 2001 and 2003-2004. At the state level, Ambassador Hoffman successfully chaired Florida Victory 2002 and served as Finance Chairman of Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s campaign in 1998 and 2002. He also served as Chairman of the 2003 Florida Inaugural Committee.
I could tell he in some respects wasn't very dug into the day to day politics of europe and portugal yet *(he's been a US ambassador for slightly less then 6 months)* But he definately has a gift to work crowds.
The students didn't pester him with a lot of politics and asked some serious questions. He also told the class what may be the best defense of Ambassadors appointed just based on political credentials
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Happy Easter all
Between School and holiday fun Blogging is light this weekend
but have a good time of it
but have a good time of it
Friday, April 14, 2006
The 9th Circus rides again
L.A began to go about arresting various homeless people for all manner of vagrancy related crimes. Giving these people a place to stay, medical care, food, and shelter. Providing taxpayer food, shelter and care for the homeless however is a wrong that the 9th circus rode in to "correct"
So let us take a look at the 8th Amendment
While the legal argument is semi-reasonable....the philisophical argument is truely bizare
We'll see how this one turns out
"Because there is substantial and undisputed evidence that the number of homeless persons in Los Angeles far exceeds the number of available shelter beds at all times, including on the night" the plaintiffs were arrested or cited, "Los Angeles has encroached upon" the plaintiffs' 8th Amendment protections "by criminalizing the unavoidable act of sitting, lying or sleeping at night while being involuntarily homeless," Wardlaw wrote.
...
However, in this instance, Judge Wardlaw analogized to earlier rulings, which said the mere act of being a drug addict or an alcoholic is not a crime.
In 1962, the Supreme Court, in Robinson v. California, reversed the conviction of a California man who had been convicted of violating a state law which made it a criminal offense to "be addicted to the use of narcotics."
At the time, the high court, said, "it is unlikely that any state at this moment in history would attempt to make it a criminal offense for a person to be mentally ill, or a leper, or to be afflicted with a venereal disease…In the light of contemporary human knowledge, a law which made a criminal offense of such a disease would doubtless be universally thought to be an affliction of cruel and unusual punishment."
So let us take a look at the 8th Amendment
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
While the legal argument is semi-reasonable....the philisophical argument is truely bizare
We'll see how this one turns out
OMG Republikkkans are the bigots
Thats how this article from the Washington post leads off.
now the 25% is similar for independents (which is a bogus term) so your thinking OMG the bigoted evil white men.....
Not so fast, Richard Morin closes the article with what should lead the article....
Yep Democrats are less likely to vote for a black canidate then republicans
the real story
people do stupid things, for stupid reasons
Bad news for Michael S. Steele, the leading Maryland Republican candidate for Senate in November: The scuttling noise he hears on Election Day could be the sound of tens of thousands of white Republicans crossing over to vote for the Democrat.
In fact, white Republicans nationally are 25 percentage points more likely on average to vote for the Democratic senatorial candidate when the GOP hopeful is black, says economist Ebonya Washington of Yale University in a forthcoming article in the Quarterly Journal of Economics.
now the 25% is similar for independents (which is a bogus term) so your thinking OMG the bigoted evil white men.....
Not so fast, Richard Morin closes the article with what should lead the article....
But racially motivated crossover voting is not just a Republican phenomenon. Democrats also desert their party when its candidate is black, Washington found. In House races, white Democrats are 38 percentage points less likely to vote Democratic if their candidate is black.
Yep Democrats are less likely to vote for a black canidate then republicans
the real story
people do stupid things, for stupid reasons
The Cartoon Jihad is still on like Donkey Kong
I ignored some of the stories about it but it is clear now what happened. Michelle Malkin is trumpeting that case to.
but with this I see it as worthy to weigh in on
Here's the problem... Thankfully Matt and Trey identified this as an issue of fear. Because the end of the episode and some other content out of Viacom has shown their is no real concern about religous geelings.
I think they did give us more honesty in the debate (which is good) But I think both comedy central and even matt and trey should have gone and done this better. I think South Park should have had censor bars over everything progressively increasing it until a series of black screens showed up.
but if anything Matt and Trey and their team won't let it lay down with this.
but with this I see it as worthy to weigh in on
In an interview Thursday evening, South Park Executive Producer Anne Garefino revealed to me that the show was faced with two options: deliver the episode as written and animated with Mohammed shown and then allow Comedy Central to censor it, or edit out the disputed scene and write their own language explaining why Mohammed was not being shown and whose decision it was. “We wanted everyone to understand how strongly we felt about this,” said Garefino. Although the decision to omit Mohammed was not theirs, they wanted the language of the censorship disclosure to be their own.
Here's the problem... Thankfully Matt and Trey identified this as an issue of fear. Because the end of the episode and some other content out of Viacom has shown their is no real concern about religous geelings.
The ad promotes MTV's plan to broadcast a cartoon lampooning the pope and Vatican hierarchy. The series, Popetown, was considered too controversial to be aired in Britain, and it caused an uproar in the one country where it has appeared, New Zealand.
I think they did give us more honesty in the debate (which is good) But I think both comedy central and even matt and trey should have gone and done this better. I think South Park should have had censor bars over everything progressively increasing it until a series of black screens showed up.
but if anything Matt and Trey and their team won't let it lay down with this.
First lets laugh at the EURO
The Brussel's Journey continues their very low workload job of kicking the EU while it's down.
So whenever you hear moonbats talking about Iran or other states selling their oil in Euro's...
just snicker a lot
oaquin Almunia, the EU’s monetary affairs commissioner, who “told a group of City bankers and fund managers that the markets were ‘not properly pricing the risk’ of Italian sovereign debt. He also raised concerns about Greek debt. […] The spread between German and Italian 10-year bonds has already jumped from 20 to 31 basis points in recent days as rising global interest rates make investors more sensitive to risk. […] Mr Almunia said the spreads may widen further to reflect the default risk in Italy, which has the world’s third biggest stock of public debt after Japan and the United States.”
So whenever you hear moonbats talking about Iran or other states selling their oil in Euro's...
just snicker a lot
Dear Peta
Clearly you did not listen to the old lesson that you can catch more flies with honey then a punch in the face
On Good Friday, in the Square of a big cathedral in Vienna
I really wonder if PETA is more about p!$$!ng people off so we always eat meat.
The militant pro-animal group PETA said the activists would be suspended from crosses with crowns of thorns on their heads.
The slogan of the protest action would be "We suffer and die for your sins of nourishment."
On Good Friday, in the Square of a big cathedral in Vienna
I really wonder if PETA is more about p!$$!ng people off so we always eat meat.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Woah... first announcement for the 08 race
WHAT: Press Conference where former United States Senator Mike Gravel (D-Alaska, 1969-1980) will announce his Candidacy for the Democratic Nomination for President of the United States.
WHEN: Monday, April 17, 10 a.m.
Some of what he stands on....
The former senator said he decided to run for president about a year ago because of his anger over Iraq and after friends urged him to use the chance to push his two main policy goals: direct democracy and a revamped federal tax code.
Gravel advocates a constitutional amendment and federal statue establishing legislative procedures for citizens to make laws through ballot initiatives on most national and local issues.
“The American people are frustrated with the level of dysfunction of government,” Gravel said. “And if you ask the American people, they want to be empowered. But people are giving their power away on Election Day to politicians.”
He supports the Fair Tax, which would eliminate the IRS and all corporate and individual income taxes, replacing them with a 23% national sales tax on new goods and services.
“What we need to do to safeguard our economy is to turn Americans into savers rather than consumers,” Gravel said. “The United States, the biggest economy in the world, would become the biggest tax haven of the world,” he said, creating jobs and investment.
The Fair Tax Act of 2005, backed by 55 Republican Congressmen, has stalled in both houses. Critics say it is based on unreasonable assumptions about how easily it can finance government.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Outside of Florida endorsements
These are my first of my outside of Florida Endorsements
Judy Baar Topinka for governor of Illinois...because frankly Blago is a huge embarassment to my former state of residence and state of my birth
Georgia District 4 I am going with Hank Johnson not the blogger running (sadly) due to the fact Hank seems to be able to win and he is not Crazy McKinney
For Governor of New York I am endorsing Bill Weld. Because he seems to be the only canidate with a shot of fixing the mess Pataki has left the state GOP in. I expect Spitzer to win though.
I am endorsing John Spencer in his quest to go after the Windmill of Hillary's senate campaign
Judy Baar Topinka for governor of Illinois...because frankly Blago is a huge embarassment to my former state of residence and state of my birth
Georgia District 4 I am going with Hank Johnson not the blogger running (sadly) due to the fact Hank seems to be able to win and he is not Crazy McKinney
For Governor of New York I am endorsing Bill Weld. Because he seems to be the only canidate with a shot of fixing the mess Pataki has left the state GOP in. I expect Spitzer to win though.
I am endorsing John Spencer in his quest to go after the Windmill of Hillary's senate campaign
My first Endorsements of the Primary/general election
I hearby Endorse Nancy Detert for District 13 Republican Nomination. Ms. Detert has been a very good State Rep and was a good school board member. If she chooses to leave the race at any point in the future My endorsement will go to Vern Buchanan
**PENDING a better candidate** I endorse Dr. Belinda Noah for the US senate Race and republican nomination for the same. In the event the Race comes down to Harris/Nelson my endorsement and vote will be going to Bill Nelson.
In the General election my vote and endorsement are going to John Wayne Smith (the Libertarian canidate for governor) under the general rubric of larry voting for folks he knows online
However for the Republican nomination for governor I endorse none of the candidates currently avalible.... as they are all abysmally Horrible.
For Attorney General I endorse Everett Rice in the primary
for CFO I endorse Tom Lee (for the moment)
for agriculture commission I endorse CHarles Bronson because of well...his name
For US house District 11 I endorse Mike Massaro for the primary and the nomination
**PENDING a better candidate** I endorse Dr. Belinda Noah for the US senate Race and republican nomination for the same. In the event the Race comes down to Harris/Nelson my endorsement and vote will be going to Bill Nelson.
In the General election my vote and endorsement are going to John Wayne Smith (the Libertarian canidate for governor) under the general rubric of larry voting for folks he knows online
However for the Republican nomination for governor I endorse none of the candidates currently avalible.... as they are all abysmally Horrible.
For Attorney General I endorse Everett Rice in the primary
for CFO I endorse Tom Lee (for the moment)
for agriculture commission I endorse CHarles Bronson because of well...his name
For US house District 11 I endorse Mike Massaro for the primary and the nomination
More okcupidity
| Liberal You scored 35 Equality, 78 Liberty, and 35 Stability! |
| You think liberty is important both for yourself and for all of humanity. You respect others and think it is important that everyone be given the opportunity to make decisions for themselves rather than have authority figures tell them what is best. The autonomy of every individual is important to you but you think there are times in which personal action needs to be restricted. As such you recognise that there is a role for government as long as it depends on the consent of the governed � this makes parliamentary democracy important to you. You prefer the role of government in economics and society to be small. In practice you will tolerate public sector activity as long as it is efficient and allows you to get on with your life. You are likely to advocate for both a predominantly free-market economy and a cosmopolitan and permissive culture. For information on liberal political parties worldwide see: http://www.liberal-international.org/ |
My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
|
| Link: The Political Objectives Test written by Originaluddite on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test |
So....Confused
At first I thought this was just Worldnetdaily running off at the mouth but I am confused as to which group of people are more stupid
Ok I gotta say.... why do we have to market the hobbitts as gay?
can't we just leave the hobbitts alone?
And WND... ignore the tv channels like I do.... it tends to be much more fufilling
"Are Sam and Frodo a little more than friends? Not that there's anything wrong with that," states the TBS webpage leading to several video promotions of the "Rings" features.
The clip has the two hobbits casting pleasant glances at one another in various scenes, including one in which Frodo declares to Sam, "I'm glad you're with me."
An Internet banner ad for the video urges: "See the video everyone will talk about!"
Ok I gotta say.... why do we have to market the hobbitts as gay?
can't we just leave the hobbitts alone?
And WND... ignore the tv channels like I do.... it tends to be much more fufilling
Strike on May 5th
A group out there in the world of the Interweb is calling for a citizen's general strike on May 5th
(H/T Pat Hynes)
lets see how this turns out
(H/T Pat Hynes)
May 5 and June 30 have been selected as the days for 1 day "strikes", where American Citizens will transact no commerce:
Remain home from work, using vacation, leave, sick time or whatever is available to you.
Take no public transportation. Transact no business.
Make no purchases. Consider turning off your TV, radio and computers.
For one day, make no contribution to the economy of the nation.
For one day focus on the home, family, books etc.
lets see how this turns out
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Matt Groeing is awesome
He in an interview in denmark gets to the core of what I think about europeans
When it comes to differences across the Atlantic, Groening said most of them were imagined.
'I've been in Denmark a number of times. Believe me, you're no better than us. I know that Europeans love to see themselves as having far more common sense and being more down to Earth than Americans. But we're all the same. We're all nuts!'
Things I am glad I don't have to claim on my taxes
My blog is worth $66,615.72.
How much is your blog worth?
Monday, April 10, 2006
Lucy Liu Bot
Lucy Liu sexy and Smart
Hollywood actress LUCY LIU has slammed high-profile actors who become overly involved in party politics, claiming it undermines their causes. The CHARLIE'S ANGELS star, who helped raise $400,000 (GBP229,000) on THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW for earthquake victims in Pakistan, believes that crusading Hollywood stars lose focus on their real charity goals by taking on too many campaigns. Liu says, "When you are in the public eye you do have the ability to make a difference. "I have my own opinion about party politics, but my main focus is for children. It's hard not to rattle off my opinions, but if you focus on too much you can't get anything done. "If you step out, you should step out and talk about one thing, and in my case it's children."
West Wing
hate to say this but if Drudge is right the "winner" of the election came because the West Wing writers chickened out
or they had no intention of letting a republican win ;-)
John Spencer was a kick ass actor. He was one of the charecters who made the show
BUT... we like the show for its Drama guys. I would much rather watch Matt Santos and the rest of the Bartlett team watch the other guys take over, and feel the sense of loss and move on
something they seem to have not done int he last 6 years or so
or they had no intention of letting a republican win ;-)
The reversal of fortune for Matt Santos -- the Democratic nominee, played by Jimmy Smits, who was the victor -- had nothing to do with any shift in opinion among voters or a liberal ideology of the show's writers and producers.
No...
Instead, Lawrence O'Donnell, an executive producer of the show, said he and his fellow writers had declared Santos the winner only after the death, in mid-December, of John Spencer, who portrayed Santos' running mate.
John Spencer was a kick ass actor. He was one of the charecters who made the show
BUT... we like the show for its Drama guys. I would much rather watch Matt Santos and the rest of the Bartlett team watch the other guys take over, and feel the sense of loss and move on
something they seem to have not done int he last 6 years or so
No... Not Hamas
In the all that is old is new again Hamas starts out on their daily string of inflamitory rhetoric
How long till a new Hot intifada
anyone with bets?
How long till the re-occupation of Gaza
any bets?
GAZA (Reuters) - Israel suspended formal security ties to the Palestinian government on Monday in what Hamas said amounted to "a declaration of war".....
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement in Gaza that Israel's decision to sever contacts with the Palestinian Authority constituted "a declaration of war and a failed attempt to cause internal divisions among Palestinians".
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, Abbas said Israel's position "completely violates the agreements we have signed with them and violates international law".
How long till a new Hot intifada
anyone with bets?
How long till the re-occupation of Gaza
any bets?
Dear Morons in Montgomery county
I want to start of with the idiotic position of the member of the school board before I go off on the full scale Rant
Pardon me but B.S... This is why I was always against manditory community service because well I was a kid in high school and before I became a libertarian I was a member (but never attended) the high school YD organization... but that didn't stop me one day from jumping ship along with many students at the HS from joining the YR organization
why, because the YR were getting to leave after lunch at school. We would go to a Rally for then Canidate Jeb Bush stay for a fraction of the time we were supposed to and then ditch for the mall and what not.
I know as a high school kid I would do anything within the bounds of the rules to ditch school. Joining a protest rally to get community service credits without working on them is the same sense of grifting that the public schools bred into me.
Working on a political campaign is not serving your community.
You give the kids a reason to work that much less to graduate and they'll take it.
if they didn't get the free credit hours half those kids (possibly more) wouldn't show up
How dare you Montgomery County Maryland
The last time I checked, the First Amendment is not a right to question what the speech is," he said. "I'm sure if students were participating in a tax cap rally, these same people would not be objecting to that."
Pardon me but B.S... This is why I was always against manditory community service because well I was a kid in high school and before I became a libertarian I was a member (but never attended) the high school YD organization... but that didn't stop me one day from jumping ship along with many students at the HS from joining the YR organization
why, because the YR were getting to leave after lunch at school. We would go to a Rally for then Canidate Jeb Bush stay for a fraction of the time we were supposed to and then ditch for the mall and what not.
I know as a high school kid I would do anything within the bounds of the rules to ditch school. Joining a protest rally to get community service credits without working on them is the same sense of grifting that the public schools bred into me.
Maryland students are required to put in 60 hours of community service to graduate from high school. They can undertake a number of activities -- including working for political campaigns -- as long as the work is done for a secular, nonprofit community organization that is tax-exempt and that school officials have approved.
Working on a political campaign is not serving your community.
You give the kids a reason to work that much less to graduate and they'll take it.
if they didn't get the free credit hours half those kids (possibly more) wouldn't show up
How dare you Montgomery County Maryland
Global Warming: More funny with Science
The Science... the opinion of all the worlds science is that global warming is a problem.....
Or is it?
Lets see the Enviromentalists get a good answer to this
Or is it?
For many years now, human-caused climate change has been viewed as a large and urgent problem. In truth, however, the biggest part of the problem is neither environmental nor scientific, but a self-created political fiasco. Consider the simple fact, drawn from the official temperature records of the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia, that for the years 1998-2005 global average temperature did not increase (there was actually a slight decrease, though not at a rate that differs significantly from zero).
There IS a problem with global warming... it stopped in 1998
By Bob Carter
(Filed: 09/04/2006)
For many years now, human-caused climate change has been viewed as a large and urgent problem. In truth, however, the biggest part of the problem is neither environmental nor scientific, but a self-created political fiasco. Consider the simple fact, drawn from the official temperature records of the Climate Research Unit at the University of East Anglia, that for the years 1998-2005 global average temperature did not increase (there was actually a slight decrease, though not at a rate that differs significantly from zero).Yes, you did read that right. And also, yes, this eight-year period of temperature stasis did coincide with society's continued power station and SUV-inspired pumping of yet more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
In response to these facts, a global warming devotee will chuckle and say "how silly to judge climate change over such a short period". Yet in the next breath, the same person will assure you that the 28-year-long period of warming which occurred between 1970 and 1998 constitutes a dangerous (and man-made) warming. Tosh. Our devotee will also pass by the curious additional facts that a period of similar warming occurred between 1918 and 1940, well prior to the greatest phase of world industrialisation, and that cooling occurred between 1940 and 1965, at precisely the time that human emissions were increasing at their greatest rate.
Lets see the Enviromentalists get a good answer to this
Question to any lefty bloggers out there
Went to a lefty blog and saw the Yello elephant m'lary again
so any lefties Who happen to read my blog
Why are some people so intrested in why folks who support the war don't go volunteer....
don't I have the free speech to say anything I want?
and second question... a follow up really. Not many people relative to the toal US population are in the armed forces... Since most of you are against massive millitary spending...if everyone who supported the military, and war itself, joined up would you pay the extra money out of the tax pool for it?
so any lefties Who happen to read my blog
Why are some people so intrested in why folks who support the war don't go volunteer....
don't I have the free speech to say anything I want?
and second question... a follow up really. Not many people relative to the toal US population are in the armed forces... Since most of you are against massive millitary spending...if everyone who supported the military, and war itself, joined up would you pay the extra money out of the tax pool for it?
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Some OKcupidity
| Mainstream American 86% Liberal, 75% Capitalist, 63% Radical |
| You scored in the upper half of the Liberal Category. You prefer individualism over community rights although I'm not sure how much due to scoring category restraints. At the very minimum, you could be mainstream American and at the very maximum you could lean libertarian-esque or even towards Anarchism. You scored above 50 percent in the Capitalism rating. I have no way of knowing how high you scored, but at the very minimum you believe in fairly free movement of capital, and if you get very high you may believe in trickle down economics is the savior of any and all economics. You scored in the Republican area of the radical line. You probably hate racism but don't necessarily believe in Affirmative Action. Equality, but not at all costs may be applicable. You're a Mainstream Democrat. You believe in civil rights, legal equality and are a Capitalist. Not much to say. |
My test tracked 3 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:
|
| Link: The Three Variable Political Test written by akotuesday on Ok Cupid, home of the 32-Type Dating Test |
Saturday, April 08, 2006
A more Serious Time Traveler
I talked about John Titor but Dan Simmons has a much more serious time travel yarn to tell
go read it all
The Time Traveler shook his head. “You’ve understood nothing I’ve said. Nothing. Athens failed in Syracuse – and doomed their democracy – not because they fought in the wrong place and at the wrong time, but because they weren’t ruthless enough. They had grown soft since their slaughter of every combat-age man and boy on the island of Melos, the enslavement of every woman and girl there. The democratic Athenians, in regards to Syracuse, thought that once engaged they could win without absolute commitment to winning, claim victory without being as ruthless and merciless as their Spartan and Syracusan enemies. The Athenians, once defeat loomed, turned against their own generals and political leaders – and their official soothsayers. If General Nicias or Demosthenes had survived their captivity and returned home, the people who sent them off with parades and strewn flower petals in their path would have ripped them limb from limb. They blamed their own leaders like a sun-maddened dog ripping and chewing at its own belly.”
I thought about this. I had no idea what the hell he was saying or how it related to the future.
“You came back in time to lecture me about Thucydides?” I said. “Athens? Syracuse? Sun-Tzu? No offense, Mr. Time Traveler, but who gives a damn?”
The Time Traveler rose so quickly that I flinched back in my chair, but he only refilled his Scotch. This time he refilled my glass as well. “You probably should give a damn” he said softly. “ In 2006, you’ll be ripping and tearing at yourselves so fiercely that your nation – the only one on Earth actually fighting against resurgent caliphate Islam in this long struggle over the very future of civilization – will become so preoccupied with criticizing yourselves and trying to gain short-term political advantage, that you’ll all forget that there’s actually a war for your survival going on. Twenty-five years from now, every man or woman in America who wishes to vote will be required to read Thucydides on this matter. And others as well. And there are tests. If you don’t know some history, you don’t vote . . . much less run for office. America’s vacation from knowing history ends very soon now . . . for you, I mean. And for those few others left alive in the world who are allowed to vote.”
“You’re shitting me,” I said.
“I am shitting you not,” said the Time Traveler.
“Those few others left alive who are allowed to vote?” I said, the words just now striking me like hardthrown stones. “What the hell are you talking about? Has our government taken away all our civil liberties in this awful future of yours?”
go read it all
The I.R.S
I haven't done my buisness yet with them for this year *sighs* but Dean Esmay points me to some good logic about them from -of all places- the NYT's
Their solution retool the process. Have the IRS send you a form with all the information they have right on it. If we are going to keep the IRS around I think thats a good idea
You see, many people do not have a complex tax situation. They don't itemize. They get income only from simple places — like wages from their job and interest from their bank. And here's the kicker: this information is already sent directly to the Internal Revenue Service by taxpayers' employers and banks.
Indeed, for many Americans, literally every line they fill out on their tax return is information the I.R.S. already has. (If you don't believe it, try not filling out the "wages" line on your tax return next year and see what happens. You'll receive a notice that states your wages — and assesses a penalty for not reporting them.)
And yet these same people are forced to spend hundreds of millions of hours and several billion dollars each year preparing and filing their taxes.
Their solution retool the process. Have the IRS send you a form with all the information they have right on it. If we are going to keep the IRS around I think thats a good idea
John McCain "Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory tour 2008 continues
Senator McCain, not just content with ruining his chances for the Presidency with support for Amnesty and benifits for Illegal aliens has gone forward to make himself look like a total space cadet. But before I laught at John McCain I want to take a moment to laugh at the foolishness that is the Al-Press reporters
but on to McCain being a fool.
Lets say the season is 3 months long
lets say 10 hours a day, 6 days a week.
50 bucks and hour... sign me up.
Now pickers aren't paid by the hour -which- is part of the problem, and part of the folly of John McCain.
Until people like McCain embrace their lack of transperency in how farm workers are paid, they will make comments like 50 dollars an hour which is simply foolish.
His making a comment like that and bombing should have shown McCain that the "you wouldn't do it" crack would bomb
but McCain has a tin ear.
He was misleading the audience about how they get paid, and he was insulting the audience
Misleading and Insulting which is why we won't see a President McCain unless he has a son who gets it
WASHINGTON - Has the "Straight Talk Express" veered to the right?
but on to McCain being a fool.
Murmurs from the crowd turned to booing. "Pay a decent wage!" one audience member shouted. McCain curtly threatened to cut the speech short, which quieted the crowd.....
McCain got another laugh when he finished the speech and asked whether anybody had "questions, comments or insults." One audience member obliged with a pointed question on his immigration plan.
McCain responded by saying immigrants were taking jobs nobody else wanted. He offered anybody in the crowd $50 an hour to pick lettuce in Arizona.
Shouts of protest rose from the crowd, with some accepting McCain's job offer.
"I'll take it!" one man shouted.
McCain insisted none of them would do such menial labor for a complete season. "You can't do it, my friends."
Some in the crowd said they didn't appreciate McCain questioning their work ethic.
"I was impressed with his comedy routine and ability to tap dance without music. But I was impressed with nothing else about him," said John Wasniewski of Milwaukee.
Lets say the season is 3 months long
lets say 10 hours a day, 6 days a week.
50 bucks and hour... sign me up.
Now pickers aren't paid by the hour -which- is part of the problem, and part of the folly of John McCain.
Until people like McCain embrace their lack of transperency in how farm workers are paid, they will make comments like 50 dollars an hour which is simply foolish.
His making a comment like that and bombing should have shown McCain that the "you wouldn't do it" crack would bomb
but McCain has a tin ear.
He was misleading the audience about how they get paid, and he was insulting the audience
Misleading and Insulting which is why we won't see a President McCain unless he has a son who gets it
End of XY, Birth of XYZ
I’ve not written an original bit in a while so I am going to start off with the first Larry random essay (of doom~!).
Also this random essay (of doom~!~!) may contain spoilers if you have not seen the most recent episode of south park. Normally I’d include spoiler space warnings but this post is long enough I don’t think that will be an issue.
In the beginning politics was one dimension, and you fit on either the political left of the political right. But that never worked and to those people who think it still does are a dying breed. When you see Ralph Nader and a Pat Buchanan embracing on political issue that shows there are not just two sides to an issue. So political scientists, and libertarians have put forward an alternative model that brings forward the proposition there are two axis we will call X and Y.
X we will call the social Axis. At the far ends of X are absolutes that could never work in society. Total control of a person’s social-political sphere as it reaches absolute zero is the same as an absolute social anarchy. We will call Y the fiscal axis. The fiscal axis relates to a persons ability to freely work, use capital, and make a profit without government interference. Again at the absolute ends we see a merger. Absolute fiscal libertarianism leads to warlordism and violence. Absolute control of the fiscal sphere leads to violence and corruption….so essentially it is the same thing.
At the two ends of the axis closer to the absolute you’ll have problems. Without some state control people have no sense that their capital will be protected, to much and they have no reason to make capital at all. Without the freedom to practice their religion people will be less happy, but without some sense of order and morality and state role in culture people don’t feel their belief matters and they end up not being happy and participatory.
So political systems exist in a range along their axis with extreme outliers but the vast majority along the parts of their respective grid points that meet some where in the middle.
But in the 21st century, such as it is today for us to view, I propose there is a Z axis that will soon be viewed (or should be) as importantly as X and Y. My proposal is the Z political axis is “Information”. Now I am not coming from the “Information wants to be free” perspective popularized in hacking culture. I believe that the politics of information, like the politics of the social self, and the politics of the financial self impact our ability to function in this society, and impacts the way we should view political choice that effect our lives.
Ok what do I mean by “Information”? By Information I mean the ability for information to go in a clear relatively unmolested format from one person or organization to the multitude of humanity. I say relatively unmolested because much like the X and Y axis the Z axis at the respective infinite ends does start to break down. People have rights to privacy (which impact into the X and Y equations). Information that is libelous or slanderous actually impedes and restricts the flow of information. If releasing information will directly lead to the death of some one (I.E revealing the name of a spy in a hostile territory, revealing troop movements, etc) it destroys the most fundamental right of all the right to live.
Now some people may feel my information libertarianism (which will be different the information Anarchism) will negate some of my points. Or that I go too far. Well I am on a fairly libertarian bent anyway on the traditional X/Y Grid so my positions won’t be all that surprising in the end.
I want to start off with some of the events which motivated my thinking or came to me and supported my thinking. I want to start off with South Park first because well…. It is South Park ;-). South Park went both guns a blazing into the Mohammed Cartoons controversy. Cartman reveals that once you open up the flood gates to ban something for one reason, then the gate opens wider and wider and then the source of the information (the show) is removed. That much like restrictions on the social and personal axis, often grow and expand with the quickness of the slippery slope, so to he has a larger point. Kyle who was concerned at the start these cartoons would lead to the loss of lives, soon realized that like in the Kenny is Terri Schiavo episode he was wrong for the right reasons. South Park has seen their show banned in Australia and The United Kingdom, and saw a show pulled out of rotation here in the US (and who knows maybe banned till Tom Cruise stops being famous). Their show has been taking hits from critics for being crass, rude, and gross (I’m talking to you Mr. Hankey) for years, but in so doing they weren’t saying as much. However when Matt and Trey built up the channels to direct their information (their fan base) they started to expand their “South Park philosophy” The same people who challenged them before now play religious and cultural cards of offense, to the show they were against when it was slightly hovering above the level of toilet humor. While the attacks of the Catholic Church and the alleged actions of Tom Cruise are not barbarism we see politically they are in the same section of the Z axis as those people who destroyed buildings and rioted. They are about using force to restrict freedom. The only difference is in more developed information driven societies is the options to use less violent modes of force, and the effectiveness of violence as a whole.
Now we cross from the world of South Park to the state of Minnesota. Students are fighting for the right to get important information (Information they pray a premium value for, and Information which impacts their lives) clearly and unambiguously. I am not going to get into arguments pro or con for their cause, but instead focusing on how the information politics angle formed on Fark.Com
A university professor's job technically is in research. It is different at small liberal arts colleges. I am just as upset as you to find this out, since I came to a top-tier graduate school with high hopes of becoming a wonderful teacher, but have been shot down because those goals are interfering with my research. As I've been told frankly, "There is no teaching track to a Ph.D."The guy in the first quote was generally correct, despite his misspellings. A professor who is a wonderful teacher but mediocre researcher will likely lose his job. A professor who is a wonderful/productive researcher but a crappy teacher will still keep his job. It's just the way of the business.
While you say “But Larry isn’t research information” it is indeed. But in saying the professor’s job is research we see here a restriction of information on two fronts. We see a restriction of the student’s right through their fiscal choices (and attending university is a vital fiscal choice) to receive information clearly and in a useable format, and then we see the professors providing research information that is often slanted and rarely accessible to those outside the discipline. At an organizational level the business model of the university is designed (and makes money) on restricting information and rationing it out when they are forced to. (some examples of this from Dean’s world) Is it any wonder then that we see Universities producing “political correctness” while preaching the dogma of diversity?
Over at Townhall.Com we see the Nail Yale campaign taking just such a tack and we see how information restriction breeds the same kind of bed fellows restrictions on the X and Y axis do. For those of you who don’t know Yale admitted the Taliban ambassador “at large” into a non-degree seeking program at Yale, while at the same time not admitting people his regime tortured to have a similar opportunity. Yale said they admitted him to increase the diversity at Yale, yet the institution went to court to remove the ROTC from Yale’s law school campus. Over the fact that they have a policy against homosexuality that Yale doesn’t support. So which is it Yale? Do you want more diversity or less diversity in the Yale community? What it is about is Yale’s desire to control the information of its community. Yale in their defenses stresses (among other things) that he is not in a degree seeking program at Yale. Yet Yale discounted the costs of his program so a scholarship fund could support him. Yale is controlling and manipulating the information which is leading to a lot of political ill will among the external community. When there is ill will there are several solutions. The one Yale is currently using could be called –combative-
Junior Roger Low, writing in the YDN: "By and large, the conservative pundit class does not care about what is really happening on our campus or on Ivy League campuses in general. They are interested only in bashing us..."
Yale Graduate student Zachariah Victor rants to Inside Higher Ed: “The outsiders are largely right-wing commentators...They have little expertise, so they deprecate expert opinion and appeal to populist sentiment. They cannot comprehend the breadth of our constitution, so they try to subject the rights of the few to the superstitions of the many ”
Junior Justin Trevino complains about John Fund in the Daily: "The moment outside influences seek to colonize even universities with the theology of gut-thinking should be a wake-up call to us all: students, teachers, administrators and the general public."
Yale Corporation member Charley Ellis likewise mentions in a phone call to an alum, “I think what we’re going to find is it was a mistake in interpretation primarily by outsiders rather than a mistake in execution...”.
But let’s talk about another possible approach. Suppose Yale when presented with this person who would clearly be controversial, and clearly professed belief’s that were violently and radically different then the values Yale claims to support choose Open information political solutions. They presented a transparent view of their process. They said he would need to as part of the Yale community address why what he did was wrong, and how he is learning to change his ways and become a better human being. Some people would (rightly so) be upset still, but the numbers would be far fewer. However Yale didn’t take that approach for a reason they stated in a letter to alumni groups "It isn't Yale's job to judge the moral character of their candidates." And I can feel for Yale’s position. Setting arbitrary rules of morality would be problematic at best. However Yale would not admit a former Death Squad leader from a South American regime that was allied to the United States… the concept is so laughable. The reason they could admit the Yale Taliban with impunity is due to the anti-war movement at Yale. Yale complained to losing similar prestige students so it is clear that Yale views him as something of value, and that value trumps their values. Instead of being open and honest to that end Yale hides, controls, and manipulates information in a way many of them in private would accuse those evil republicans of doing to their cause’s celeb.
I am also struck at people like Oliver Stone in his attempt to say reporters shouldn’t scoff at the views of celebrities. Is he trying to respect the natural flow of information? No, clearly he isn’t. Much like the Muhammad cartoons he is trying to restrict the flow of clear information. Alec Baldwin has no real credibility on political issues since his “threat” to move to Germany. But people can forget, and by saying that you must take the opinions of clearly unserious people seriously you are restricting that information and its flow. The Canadian government in restricting the Gomery commission information in Canada guaranteed it would be released covertly in the US and spelled their doom. Many people are not allowed to see the Muhammad Cartoons by organizations claiming to respect religious values of others that regularly shows information offensive to other religions. If they said the truth, we’d know them as information authoritarians. Eason Jordan should have told us all that when he revealed CNN punted stories on Iraq.
But this politics, like the X and Y axis isn’t purely limited to the politics of governance. Take a look at Macintosh. As a matter of Business Macintosh had for years restricted the Information (OS) people could use on its machines. But when the addition of Intel chips came a long, Apple had a choice to make and here is what happened. "Apple has no desire or plan to sell or support Windows, but many customers have expressed their interest to run Windows on Apple's superior hardware now that we use Intel processors," Philip Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said in a statement.
In doing so Apple allows people to have one OS at home and at work, and thus by expanding their base of potential customers apple will do better business. They also in turn expand the potential customers for Microsoft thus they make money on the deal to. But more importantly customers have a choice about the kind of information they want in their lives.
Lets also take a look at the Professor of Death Story I talked about
Something curious occurred a minute before Pianka began speaking. An official of the Academy approached a video camera operator at the front of the auditorium and engaged him in animated conversation. The camera operator did not look pleased as he pointed the lens of the big camera to the ceiling and slowly walked away
In a sense of the word this comes down to control of information. Assuming the professor’s side is right, he created the whole controversy by trying to restrict information. Under values and mores people have which are forming that seemed illicit. However if his detractors who were there are dead on right then clearly using information politics he was trying to restrict the information to hide just how completely authoritarian he was.
Why is the Birth of the Z access important? Because restrictions of information are coming and coming very soon. With the right knowledge you can fabricate a lethal pathogen for about a quarter of a million dollars, and it’s only going to get cheaper to do. Making chemical weapons is easy; the only thing that isn’t easy is access to that information. So we are going to have to make political choices. How do we restrict clearly dangerous information without stifling the flow of information and removing the creative genius from people. In a society where camera’s are going to be everywhere and are almost everywhere now, how will we protect public information from misuse and abuse? When private companies can solicit your life’s information trail from private sources how can you protect yourself from that, and how can you aid that flow of information to your advantage.
This is the Information age people, Information age politics is coming.
Also this random essay (of doom~!~!) may contain spoilers if you have not seen the most recent episode of south park. Normally I’d include spoiler space warnings but this post is long enough I don’t think that will be an issue.
In the beginning politics was one dimension, and you fit on either the political left of the political right. But that never worked and to those people who think it still does are a dying breed. When you see Ralph Nader and a Pat Buchanan embracing on political issue that shows there are not just two sides to an issue. So political scientists, and libertarians have put forward an alternative model that brings forward the proposition there are two axis we will call X and Y.
X we will call the social Axis. At the far ends of X are absolutes that could never work in society. Total control of a person’s social-political sphere as it reaches absolute zero is the same as an absolute social anarchy. We will call Y the fiscal axis. The fiscal axis relates to a persons ability to freely work, use capital, and make a profit without government interference. Again at the absolute ends we see a merger. Absolute fiscal libertarianism leads to warlordism and violence. Absolute control of the fiscal sphere leads to violence and corruption….so essentially it is the same thing.
At the two ends of the axis closer to the absolute you’ll have problems. Without some state control people have no sense that their capital will be protected, to much and they have no reason to make capital at all. Without the freedom to practice their religion people will be less happy, but without some sense of order and morality and state role in culture people don’t feel their belief matters and they end up not being happy and participatory.
So political systems exist in a range along their axis with extreme outliers but the vast majority along the parts of their respective grid points that meet some where in the middle.
But in the 21st century, such as it is today for us to view, I propose there is a Z axis that will soon be viewed (or should be) as importantly as X and Y. My proposal is the Z political axis is “Information”. Now I am not coming from the “Information wants to be free” perspective popularized in hacking culture. I believe that the politics of information, like the politics of the social self, and the politics of the financial self impact our ability to function in this society, and impacts the way we should view political choice that effect our lives.
Ok what do I mean by “Information”? By Information I mean the ability for information to go in a clear relatively unmolested format from one person or organization to the multitude of humanity. I say relatively unmolested because much like the X and Y axis the Z axis at the respective infinite ends does start to break down. People have rights to privacy (which impact into the X and Y equations). Information that is libelous or slanderous actually impedes and restricts the flow of information. If releasing information will directly lead to the death of some one (I.E revealing the name of a spy in a hostile territory, revealing troop movements, etc) it destroys the most fundamental right of all the right to live.
Now some people may feel my information libertarianism (which will be different the information Anarchism) will negate some of my points. Or that I go too far. Well I am on a fairly libertarian bent anyway on the traditional X/Y Grid so my positions won’t be all that surprising in the end.
I want to start off with some of the events which motivated my thinking or came to me and supported my thinking. I want to start off with South Park first because well…. It is South Park ;-). South Park went both guns a blazing into the Mohammed Cartoons controversy. Cartman reveals that once you open up the flood gates to ban something for one reason, then the gate opens wider and wider and then the source of the information (the show) is removed. That much like restrictions on the social and personal axis, often grow and expand with the quickness of the slippery slope, so to he has a larger point. Kyle who was concerned at the start these cartoons would lead to the loss of lives, soon realized that like in the Kenny is Terri Schiavo episode he was wrong for the right reasons. South Park has seen their show banned in Australia and The United Kingdom, and saw a show pulled out of rotation here in the US (and who knows maybe banned till Tom Cruise stops being famous). Their show has been taking hits from critics for being crass, rude, and gross (I’m talking to you Mr. Hankey) for years, but in so doing they weren’t saying as much. However when Matt and Trey built up the channels to direct their information (their fan base) they started to expand their “South Park philosophy” The same people who challenged them before now play religious and cultural cards of offense, to the show they were against when it was slightly hovering above the level of toilet humor. While the attacks of the Catholic Church and the alleged actions of Tom Cruise are not barbarism we see politically they are in the same section of the Z axis as those people who destroyed buildings and rioted. They are about using force to restrict freedom. The only difference is in more developed information driven societies is the options to use less violent modes of force, and the effectiveness of violence as a whole.
Now we cross from the world of South Park to the state of Minnesota. Students are fighting for the right to get important information (Information they pray a premium value for, and Information which impacts their lives) clearly and unambiguously. I am not going to get into arguments pro or con for their cause, but instead focusing on how the information politics angle formed on Fark.Com
A university professor's job technically is in research. It is different at small liberal arts colleges. I am just as upset as you to find this out, since I came to a top-tier graduate school with high hopes of becoming a wonderful teacher, but have been shot down because those goals are interfering with my research. As I've been told frankly, "There is no teaching track to a Ph.D."The guy in the first quote was generally correct, despite his misspellings. A professor who is a wonderful teacher but mediocre researcher will likely lose his job. A professor who is a wonderful/productive researcher but a crappy teacher will still keep his job. It's just the way of the business.
While you say “But Larry isn’t research information” it is indeed. But in saying the professor’s job is research we see here a restriction of information on two fronts. We see a restriction of the student’s right through their fiscal choices (and attending university is a vital fiscal choice) to receive information clearly and in a useable format, and then we see the professors providing research information that is often slanted and rarely accessible to those outside the discipline. At an organizational level the business model of the university is designed (and makes money) on restricting information and rationing it out when they are forced to. (some examples of this from Dean’s world) Is it any wonder then that we see Universities producing “political correctness” while preaching the dogma of diversity?
Over at Townhall.Com we see the Nail Yale campaign taking just such a tack and we see how information restriction breeds the same kind of bed fellows restrictions on the X and Y axis do. For those of you who don’t know Yale admitted the Taliban ambassador “at large” into a non-degree seeking program at Yale, while at the same time not admitting people his regime tortured to have a similar opportunity. Yale said they admitted him to increase the diversity at Yale, yet the institution went to court to remove the ROTC from Yale’s law school campus. Over the fact that they have a policy against homosexuality that Yale doesn’t support. So which is it Yale? Do you want more diversity or less diversity in the Yale community? What it is about is Yale’s desire to control the information of its community. Yale in their defenses stresses (among other things) that he is not in a degree seeking program at Yale. Yet Yale discounted the costs of his program so a scholarship fund could support him. Yale is controlling and manipulating the information which is leading to a lot of political ill will among the external community. When there is ill will there are several solutions. The one Yale is currently using could be called –combative-
Junior Roger Low, writing in the YDN: "By and large, the conservative pundit class does not care about what is really happening on our campus or on Ivy League campuses in general. They are interested only in bashing us..."
Yale Graduate student Zachariah Victor rants to Inside Higher Ed: “The outsiders are largely right-wing commentators...They have little expertise, so they deprecate expert opinion and appeal to populist sentiment. They cannot comprehend the breadth of our constitution, so they try to subject the rights of the few to the superstitions of the many ”
Junior Justin Trevino complains about John Fund in the Daily: "The moment outside influences seek to colonize even universities with the theology of gut-thinking should be a wake-up call to us all: students, teachers, administrators and the general public."
Yale Corporation member Charley Ellis likewise mentions in a phone call to an alum, “I think what we’re going to find is it was a mistake in interpretation primarily by outsiders rather than a mistake in execution...”.
But let’s talk about another possible approach. Suppose Yale when presented with this person who would clearly be controversial, and clearly professed belief’s that were violently and radically different then the values Yale claims to support choose Open information political solutions. They presented a transparent view of their process. They said he would need to as part of the Yale community address why what he did was wrong, and how he is learning to change his ways and become a better human being. Some people would (rightly so) be upset still, but the numbers would be far fewer. However Yale didn’t take that approach for a reason they stated in a letter to alumni groups "It isn't Yale's job to judge the moral character of their candidates." And I can feel for Yale’s position. Setting arbitrary rules of morality would be problematic at best. However Yale would not admit a former Death Squad leader from a South American regime that was allied to the United States… the concept is so laughable. The reason they could admit the Yale Taliban with impunity is due to the anti-war movement at Yale. Yale complained to losing similar prestige students so it is clear that Yale views him as something of value, and that value trumps their values. Instead of being open and honest to that end Yale hides, controls, and manipulates information in a way many of them in private would accuse those evil republicans of doing to their cause’s celeb.
I am also struck at people like Oliver Stone in his attempt to say reporters shouldn’t scoff at the views of celebrities. Is he trying to respect the natural flow of information? No, clearly he isn’t. Much like the Muhammad cartoons he is trying to restrict the flow of clear information. Alec Baldwin has no real credibility on political issues since his “threat” to move to Germany. But people can forget, and by saying that you must take the opinions of clearly unserious people seriously you are restricting that information and its flow. The Canadian government in restricting the Gomery commission information in Canada guaranteed it would be released covertly in the US and spelled their doom. Many people are not allowed to see the Muhammad Cartoons by organizations claiming to respect religious values of others that regularly shows information offensive to other religions. If they said the truth, we’d know them as information authoritarians. Eason Jordan should have told us all that when he revealed CNN punted stories on Iraq.
But this politics, like the X and Y axis isn’t purely limited to the politics of governance. Take a look at Macintosh. As a matter of Business Macintosh had for years restricted the Information (OS) people could use on its machines. But when the addition of Intel chips came a long, Apple had a choice to make and here is what happened. "Apple has no desire or plan to sell or support Windows, but many customers have expressed their interest to run Windows on Apple's superior hardware now that we use Intel processors," Philip Schiller, senior vice president of worldwide product marketing, said in a statement.
In doing so Apple allows people to have one OS at home and at work, and thus by expanding their base of potential customers apple will do better business. They also in turn expand the potential customers for Microsoft thus they make money on the deal to. But more importantly customers have a choice about the kind of information they want in their lives.
Lets also take a look at the Professor of Death Story I talked about
Something curious occurred a minute before Pianka began speaking. An official of the Academy approached a video camera operator at the front of the auditorium and engaged him in animated conversation. The camera operator did not look pleased as he pointed the lens of the big camera to the ceiling and slowly walked away
In a sense of the word this comes down to control of information. Assuming the professor’s side is right, he created the whole controversy by trying to restrict information. Under values and mores people have which are forming that seemed illicit. However if his detractors who were there are dead on right then clearly using information politics he was trying to restrict the information to hide just how completely authoritarian he was.
Why is the Birth of the Z access important? Because restrictions of information are coming and coming very soon. With the right knowledge you can fabricate a lethal pathogen for about a quarter of a million dollars, and it’s only going to get cheaper to do. Making chemical weapons is easy; the only thing that isn’t easy is access to that information. So we are going to have to make political choices. How do we restrict clearly dangerous information without stifling the flow of information and removing the creative genius from people. In a society where camera’s are going to be everywhere and are almost everywhere now, how will we protect public information from misuse and abuse? When private companies can solicit your life’s information trail from private sources how can you protect yourself from that, and how can you aid that flow of information to your advantage.
This is the Information age people, Information age politics is coming.
Blogging was light yesterday
I got my grubby little paws on a copy of Civ IV and I forgot how much that can suck you in
Does anyone else....
Really hate those new kinds of adds that don't pop up but play a stupid animation like a "folding flap" on the main screen of your page and obscure or make difficult to find the close X
is their a work around to block those yet?
is their a work around to block those yet?
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Sorry Grandpa
Bill Buckley the ideological Grandfather of American Conservatism has fallen under HILDABEAST MANIA
Hillary's background
Aide to the watergate committee...ok
Went to practice in Arkansas because she couldn't pass the Bar elsewhere ( and she followed Bill along)
Her law firm career rose as Bill's political career rose.
She became a hose manager and enabler of Bill's to get him over the formative loss he had running for his first re-election as governor.
She was given many appointments by Bill as governor and president of which she did little of the work but was given all the credit
coasted to a senate seat on her husbands fame
What about this remotely qualifies as Extraordinary background?
As for her not being threatening... Bill do you forget the vast right wing conspiracy, how she convinenetly had for some reason FBI files on republicans.... I could go on she's a highly combative and suspicous person
But her being of consequence. She has gotten fame and wealth, and may get the nomination for the presidency not on her own merit but on the coin of her Husband. How does that make her a person of consequence?
Sorry Grandpa you are losing your ability to make a good vision of the future
Clinton, of New York, is ``a very consequential woman with an extraordinary background,'' he said. ``Her thought is kind of woozy left, not in my judgment threatening.''
Hillary's background
Aide to the watergate committee...ok
Went to practice in Arkansas because she couldn't pass the Bar elsewhere ( and she followed Bill along)
Her law firm career rose as Bill's political career rose.
She became a hose manager and enabler of Bill's to get him over the formative loss he had running for his first re-election as governor.
She was given many appointments by Bill as governor and president of which she did little of the work but was given all the credit
coasted to a senate seat on her husbands fame
What about this remotely qualifies as Extraordinary background?
As for her not being threatening... Bill do you forget the vast right wing conspiracy, how she convinenetly had for some reason FBI files on republicans.... I could go on she's a highly combative and suspicous person
But her being of consequence. She has gotten fame and wealth, and may get the nomination for the presidency not on her own merit but on the coin of her Husband. How does that make her a person of consequence?
Sorry Grandpa you are losing your ability to make a good vision of the future
O Rly
Who said The following
Who said this
If you guessed Harry Reid you were either paying attention in 1993 or you read the links first
I wonder what changed?
blocked numerous attempts by Republicans to hold votes Tuesday on selected amendments. "We do not need a compromise. It's in our bill," he said and later set the stage for a test vote on Thursday.
Who said this
"Our borders have overflowed with illegal immigrants placing tremendous burdens on our criminal justice system, schools and social programs," Reid said. "The Immigration and Naturalization Service needs the ability to step up enforcement.
"Our federal wallet is stretched to the limit by illegal aliens getting welfare, food stamps, medical care and other benefits often without paying any taxes.
"Safeguards like welfare and free medical care are in place to boost Americans in need of short-term assistance. These programs were not meant to entice freeloaders and scam artists from around the world. "Even worse, Americans have seen heinous crimes committed by individuals who are here illegally,"
If you guessed Harry Reid you were either paying attention in 1993 or you read the links first
I wonder what changed?
Oh Boy......
Its time for.....CRAzY IRaNiaN Government POst (H/T Spirit of Man)
Hooray~!
Soon to be in existances: Non Alligned Movement II Aka the Legion of DOOM
An Iranian hardliner party which controls both the Islamic parliament and the government, named Abadgaran, has suggested that Iran should conduct a military exercise with Cuba, Venezuela and other anti-America countries in that region of the world to send a message to the United States of America.
Hooray~!
Soon to be in existances: Non Alligned Movement II Aka the Legion of DOOM
Singularity weirdness
So I went to Wikipedia and looked for challenges to Singularity theory (Or Nerdgasim) and found none of it on Wikipedia
what gives?
what gives?
Want your own TV channel? You want TV on "your time"
Well if the head man over at AOL is right having a TV channel may be as easy as just sitting around in your Pajamas
freaky deaky
While he covers principly On-Demand content in his talk whats also clear is that once a large scale shift to On-Line and On-Demand Tv happens the economy of scale to have your own TV station will be much easier to meet. So Some day Inside Larry's Head could be a network.... Or even just a show which sells itself on Demand to the audience
The Idea of "My Time" Tv and ala carte tv will really I think transform society in a lot of ways.
People will be able to vote with their feet on what shows they can and will watch. And more importantly when they watch them.
With a "My time" world their will be no more complaints about TV not being appropriate for your children... why because you will opt into it when and if you want
I say this is great for TV, and great for the internet
freaky deaky
"The industry is in the middle of a truly massive change," Miller emphasised, pointing out that video consumption is exploding around the world.
"We will see video-on-demand" (VOD) becoming dominant in the next few years," he said, adding on-demand programming is clearly what viewers want. ....
The amount of different forms of media being consumed will all increase. "Prime (TV) time will morph into My Time" and everything will go portable, were Miller's predictions.
While he covers principly On-Demand content in his talk whats also clear is that once a large scale shift to On-Line and On-Demand Tv happens the economy of scale to have your own TV station will be much easier to meet. So Some day Inside Larry's Head could be a network.... Or even just a show which sells itself on Demand to the audience
The Idea of "My Time" Tv and ala carte tv will really I think transform society in a lot of ways.
People will be able to vote with their feet on what shows they can and will watch. And more importantly when they watch them.
With a "My time" world their will be no more complaints about TV not being appropriate for your children... why because you will opt into it when and if you want
I say this is great for TV, and great for the internet
Technorati has rolled out something a little different
They had a top 100 Blogs... now they have a 100 most popular blogs.
When I get home i plan to see how the lists stack up togther
First thing:
Breaking into the top 100 (right now) on popularity requires just 24 people to restier you on their favorites.
so lets see how we can move the sticks on some blogs... I think it could be an intresting way if your a smaller blogger to get some new readership levels
When I get home i plan to see how the lists stack up togther
First thing:
Breaking into the top 100 (right now) on popularity requires just 24 people to restier you on their favorites.
so lets see how we can move the sticks on some blogs... I think it could be an intresting way if your a smaller blogger to get some new readership levels
Science Amuses me
Jeb Bush gets into supporting illegal immigrants
Jeb man your a good governor and all.... but -clearly- man you are pandering to the wrong kind of people in the party and in the nation.
Ok Jeb when you tie Legal to Illegal immigrants you try to create a "third rail" or a "when did you stop beating your wife" argument
The thing is I've not heard among immigrants from any country -but- mexico or those who are married into the families of illegals this defense.
Let people in...sure fine go ahead. But their is a legal process. It is very clear that illegal immigration is on the whole very bad and very damaging to our society. So one very logical step to do so is making the benifit of that illegal action much lower and the cost much higher.
again note making all immigration the same. Thus making it beyond critique
And the Pete Wilson charge falls apart when you look at the realities of who voted in california for Pete Wilson and 187
Hispanics who voted republican in california also -shockingly- voted for 187
Hispanics who vote republican voted for Arnold even though he voted for 187, and attacked drivers liscenses for illegal immigrants
Punishing Illegals does not harm immigration and the parties hold on the hispanic vote. What does is the insane claim that illegal aliens are undocumented immigrants
Bush, the younger brother of President Bush, reserved some of his sharpest criticism for conservatives in his own Republican Party, calling it "just plain wrong" to charge illegal immigrants with a felony, as a provision passed by the Republican-led House would do. He also opposed "penalizing the children of illegal immigrants" by denying them U.S. citizenship, an idea backed by some conservatives but not included in the legislation.
"My wife came here legally, but it hurts her just as it hurts me when people give the perception that all immigrants are bad," the Florida governor wrote in an e-mail exchange with The Times.
Ok Jeb when you tie Legal to Illegal immigrants you try to create a "third rail" or a "when did you stop beating your wife" argument
The thing is I've not heard among immigrants from any country -but- mexico or those who are married into the families of illegals this defense.
Let people in...sure fine go ahead. But their is a legal process. It is very clear that illegal immigration is on the whole very bad and very damaging to our society. So one very logical step to do so is making the benifit of that illegal action much lower and the cost much higher.
"The cumulative effect of some politicians pounding their chests about immigration is hurtful to both of us," he wrote, referring to himself and his brother. "I fear they do so for current political gain at the expense of thoughtful policy over the long term."
Jeb Bush pointed to the political damage wrought 12 years ago by California's Proposition 187, in which the state's voters backed a plan to strip illegal immigrants of public benefits. The initiative was pushed by then-Gov. Pete Wilson, a Republican. Some analysts have since blamed that campaign for a backlash among Latino voters that has made California reliably Democratic in national elections.
again note making all immigration the same. Thus making it beyond critique
And the Pete Wilson charge falls apart when you look at the realities of who voted in california for Pete Wilson and 187
Hispanics who voted republican in california also -shockingly- voted for 187
Hispanics who vote republican voted for Arnold even though he voted for 187, and attacked drivers liscenses for illegal immigrants
Punishing Illegals does not harm immigration and the parties hold on the hispanic vote. What does is the insane claim that illegal aliens are undocumented immigrants
From the Sharon Stone is Crazy file
When your movie barely makes the top ten on its opening weekend the thought of a sequal is usually far from the minds of most stars
Most being people who are not Sharon Stone.
Reality is not close to Sharon stone
Most being people who are not Sharon Stone.
The blonde star is keen to continue the franchise - following her return as CATHERINE TRAMELL in the recently released sequel - but wants to step behind the camera next time around. Stone, 48, says, "There's a script for the next part of the story - but I would like to direct it rather than star in it. "It will be filmed in the UK again as the setting is more intense and gritty."
Reality is not close to Sharon stone
Dear Foriegners
I love it when I hear from people (self loathing left wing types) that my theory of US envy is wrong.... and more studies come out to verify it.
So here is the thing foriegn folks
Individualism is key to the human prosperity we have in the U.S.A. Now, you want to try to get the same level of prosperity you go ahead -to date- no one has achieved it yet.
The materialism has part to do with individualism, and part to do with the fact we work darn hard instead of cultivating those human ties y'all like so much ....people need to have something to fill the void.
I agree to much of a things centered approach is a bad way to go but its how we developed the level of comfort and prosperity you envy.
So if you can find a way to do what we did without doing it the way we did good luck to you...
If you realize maybe thats to hard and to likely to make you poor for a long period... Welcome to the world of America
But researchers such as Ann Marie Leshkowich, assistant professor of anthropology at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., also say these families understand that not everything about modern U.S. families is ideal.
"There's a vision of independence and material prosperity, but the downside is that other kinds of social connections are being lost," she says. "American families may have money but don't have time and bonds together."
Leshkowich and other panelists at Emory University talked about visions of the modern family as viewed from other countries. Since the late 1990s, she has spent months at a time in Vietnam, where she says American families are criticized for being too materialistic and too focused on the individual rather than on extended family relationships.
"There is a sense that maybe the family is a residential center and people are going off during the day into his or her world," Leshkowich says. "They see family life as emotionally empty."
Similar views were noted by other researchers, who have spent time in Barbados, Egypt and Mexico. Others are working with colleagues studying families in Argentina and Nepal.
"There's a very clear criticism of American life, at least in Mexico, as being overly individualistic, as being selfish," says Jennifer Hirsch, associate professor of sociomedical sciences at Columbia University. "My experience of life in rural Mexico is that it's a society that takes much more pleasure from human connection."
But she says there also are aspects of America that Mexicans seek to emulate. "People want to shop like Americans," she says. "There is a great global envy for American patterns of consumption."
So here is the thing foriegn folks
Individualism is key to the human prosperity we have in the U.S.A. Now, you want to try to get the same level of prosperity you go ahead -to date- no one has achieved it yet.
The materialism has part to do with individualism, and part to do with the fact we work darn hard instead of cultivating those human ties y'all like so much ....people need to have something to fill the void.
I agree to much of a things centered approach is a bad way to go but its how we developed the level of comfort and prosperity you envy.
So if you can find a way to do what we did without doing it the way we did good luck to you...
If you realize maybe thats to hard and to likely to make you poor for a long period... Welcome to the world of America
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Matt and Trey: Freaking Prophets man
In their episode on San Fran surely they could have written a line like this (H/t California COnservative)
WOW
Supervisor Tom Ammiano said it just comes with the territory of being San Francisco. “It's kind of a national pastime to make fun of San Francisco. I think it's jealousy to a large part,” said Ammiano. He then quickly added, “Oh, does that sound smug?”
WOW
Over on Able Danger Blog
They show the solid commitment of Democrats to national security.
Yes a felon, a man who destroyed original documents but got a slap on the wrist was a host of a fundraiser for a democratic canidate for the US house. And he takes the money.
Weldon's staff puts it into perspective
and the perspective gets bigger if you belief in the unified Hillary clinton presidential conspiracy theory....
the Democrat of course decides he is going to sell himself as just a career Military officer
but the reality... is a tad different
Hmmm obfuscating to get some one who is just a simple soldier who in reality was a politically connected admiral. lies, and hiding campaign events that stink real bad
yes they sure are picking canidates to "have the back" of our soldiers in Iraq
Clinton national security adviser Sandy Berger helped host a Washington fund-raising event last week for Sestak.
Yes a felon, a man who destroyed original documents but got a slap on the wrist was a host of a fundraiser for a democratic canidate for the US house. And he takes the money.
Weldon's staff puts it into perspective
"I don’t know why this fund-raiser is so secretive–other than the fact that it is a fund-raiser hosted by a convicted felon, a man convicted of destroying information dealing with pre-9/11 intelligence," said Russ Caso, Weldon’s chief of staff.
and the perspective gets bigger if you belief in the unified Hillary clinton presidential conspiracy theory....
Last night’s soiree, held at the Connecticut Avenue law office of Harold Ickes and Janice Enright, asked for individual contributions ranging from $250 to $2,100. Ickes, a labor attorney and former top aide to President Clinton, was a strategist for Hillary Clinton’s 2000 Senate campaign. Enright, a lobbyist, who works with Ickes, is the treasurer of Sen. Clinton’s 2006 re-election committee.
the Democrat of course decides he is going to sell himself as just a career Military officer
Sestak, until recently a Navy vice admiral, said: "We've got a race. The fact that a career military officer can raise in 60 days just about what a career politician did is amazing."
but the reality... is a tad different
Candidate Sestak himself is a former deputy chief of Naval operations, who served as director for defense policy on Clinton’s National Security Council.
Hmmm obfuscating to get some one who is just a simple soldier who in reality was a politically connected admiral. lies, and hiding campaign events that stink real bad
yes they sure are picking canidates to "have the back" of our soldiers in Iraq
We should trust state owned entites from Singapore
Yeah...right
this country should be rewarded with US taxpayer dollars and contracts
So, it probably comes as no surprise that the country's leaders have chosen to remind its citizens that there shall be no regular online discussions about politics among the general citizenry. Specifically, "politically themed" blogs and podcasts will be asked to suspend operations. People will be allowed to occasionally mention the election -- but do it too often and they'll be required to register and then abide by laws that ban any kind of political advertising by the media.
this country should be rewarded with US taxpayer dollars and contracts
I'm just a friendly reminder....
While I don't agree with him on their being Jobs american's won't do at certain wages ( the statistics simply don't support a total void of Americans in many fields). Selwyn evokes the memory of Caeser Chavez and how he is being inappropriately used in today's immigration debate...
You see if Unions did more stuff like that today, I'd be Pro-Union
Lastly, there’s another irony here. Cesar Chavez, the head of the United Farm Workers Union during its heyday, is a hero of Americans of Mexican descent. So much so, in fact, that his name is often associated with the dual cause of promoting immigration and the re-conquest of California and the American southwest, known as La Reconquista. Conveniently forgotten, though, is a very inconvenient fact: when Chavez enjoyed the peak of his power, he was a fervid – bordering on venomous – opponent of illegal immigration. And he not only railed against it but often actually reported Mexican illegals to the INS so they could be deported. He also protested illegal immigration on the border in 1969 and had civilian border guards who were sufficiently heavy-handed to make today’s Minutemen seem milquetoasty.
What motivated him? Quite simply, he was charged with the responsibility of keeping his union members’ wages as high as possible. And he understood the law of supply and demand.
You see if Unions did more stuff like that today, I'd be Pro-Union
Words that hurt my head
Ok I was reading the NYT from a random tossed at me from Gmail story and it was about everyone's favorite cuddly and snuggly south american autocrat Hugo Chavez. But the words from a conservative thinker to the paper made my head hurt...
Hmmm Castro was on the Dole of Russia when he lead the Non-Alligned block
maybe that is.....*GASP* a scam.
And maybe with Chavez's support of all the cuddly people Castro supports he should be really called leading the Anti-US movement?
Words that hurt my head continue
If the majority supports him why did the majority NOT vote....
sounds like they don't support him and polling in Venezuela is difficult
NYT making my head hurt with its silly reporting
"He's managed to do what Fidel Castro never could," said Stephen Johnson, a scholar at the conservative Heritage Foundation. "Castro never had an independent source of income the way Chávez does. Chávez is filling a void that Castro left for him, leading nonaligned nations."
Hmmm Castro was on the Dole of Russia when he lead the Non-Alligned block
maybe that is.....*GASP* a scam.
And maybe with Chavez's support of all the cuddly people Castro supports he should be really called leading the Anti-US movement?
Words that hurt my head continue
While the president enjoys the support of a majority of Venezuelans, polls by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, a Washington polling company that has worked for Venezuela's opposition movement, show that fewer than 30 percent of Venezuelans believe the country should spend its oil revenue abroad.
If the majority supports him why did the majority NOT vote....
sounds like they don't support him and polling in Venezuela is difficult
NYT making my head hurt with its silly reporting
A shoe dropped
Over on CQ I now have a presentation of why Able Danger has been dropped like a hot potatoe by the government....
Able Danger II: This time, it's personal
so since they are using the Able Danger architecture they may have felt keeping Able Danger out of the news at any cost was best for National Security
Able Danger II: This time, it's personal
CQ has learned that such an effort has already been launched at the Pentagon. Titled "Able Providence", the effort seeks to use the Able Danger "engine" to generate hot leads for counterterrorism and law enforcement agents to pursue. Located in the Office of National Intelligence, AP will serve all agencies, as this unclassified graphic shows:
so since they are using the Able Danger architecture they may have felt keeping Able Danger out of the news at any cost was best for National Security
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