John 3:16

I think the president has watched to many football games, along with most of the rest of our government. You always see the same signs...one being John 3:16, and the other is the acronym signs for the network Broadcasting it. The House recently passed the RESTORE act (Responsible Surveillance That is Overseen, Reviewed and Effective), no thats not a joke it really stands for that. Did they hire a marketing department to come up with these names or think of them on their own?

USA PATRIOT act (Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism)
USA! USA!
SAFE act (Security and Accountability For Every Port)
PROTECT act (Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to end the Exploitation of Children Today)
CAN-SPAM act (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing)

Besides the acronyms there's also the Protect America Act, Healthy Forests Act, Clean Skies act, No Child Left Behind act, Aw Shucks Act, I'm sure the list could go on a long time. Everyone probably remembers a few.

But what about all my internet friends?

Today is unofficially 'International Delete Your MySpace Account Day'. I encourage all of you to join in the fun and delete your account there, if you have one. If not, you may want to make one so that you can delete it immediately after. Take a minute and think if you want News Corp, owner of Fox News, privy to all the stuff that you might put on your MySpace page.

Stealing from the penny tray

Maybe you are familiar with the primary contest that went on this year, where Michigan and Florida moved up their primaries to be earlier on in the process. The national democrat party didn't like it though and decided not to count their delegates. All the candidates agreed not to campaigni in either one. In Michigan, all of them but Clinton and Kucinich took their names off the ballots, and not that surprisingly she won that one (although not by as much as you'd think) In Florida Hillary showed up for some "fundraisers", technically not campaigning, and she's won that primary too.

Now she is trying to reverse the decision and get their delegates to count.

Who is being emboldened now?

Why, its "the purveyors of false optimism in our hemisphere", according to Bush in his state of the union.

that's why we should pass a free trade agreement with columbia since they are fighting drug traffickers. If we don't, they will be emboldened.

Seymour Butts

$1.4 Million is the size of the FCC's fine for showing "an adult woman's buttocks" on NYPD Blue. It's good to see that the FCC is being ever vigilant in protecting the sanctity of our airwaves from such offensive filth. It looks encouraging then that they will probably relax the rules on consolidation, since the less companies there are the easier it will be to prevent these gratuitous obscenities from ever being shown.

There is one thing about it thought that I haven't been able to make sense of. How is it that showing her butt on the recent show merits a fine while showing Dennis Franz's early on in the show didn't?

Propaganda IT style

Someone has created an online searchable database of the many things said about Iraq before the war started.

NBC wins, debate gets a bit more boring

NBC had a debate last night for the Democratic candidates for president. At first, it had invited Dennis Kucinich, only to un-invite him shortly thereafter. Kucinich then went to court to force NBC to include him in the debate, and the judge agreed. NBC then appealed that to the supreme court of Nevada, and won. The debate had 3 people in the end: Clinton Obama and Edwards. Why did NBC invested so much effort to keep him out of the debate? The opening remarks by one of the moderators said something like 'the field is narrowed down to 3 candidates and this debate, for the first time, has only those 3'

Despite what was said, Kucinich is still in the race. He hasn't dropped out like Biden Dodd and Richardson. He has said he will stay in the race the whole way through. Whether or not he has strong support, I think anyone who is officially in the race should be allowed in the debates.

Was it really worth that much effort, of going to court to fight it, rather than just let him in?

A fun fact for you: Tim Russert was one of the moderators at the debate, he was also the person who asked Kucinich the UFO question at a previous debate (on the same network).

Update 1: WIth the wonders of video technology, you can now watch what the debate would have been if Kucinich was in it.

Update 2: Some people interrupt Jay Leno yelling about Kucinich

Nevada

It looks like Dennis Kucinich may be in the upcoming Nevada debate after all.

Provocative

I know what your probably thinking, and no, this isn't about the new Mugatu spring fashions.

It is what Bush called a couple of ski boats driving to close to one of our armadas. It might also be what you call Dick Cheney's dispatches from aboard an aircraft carrier 150 miles off the Iranian coast.

Iran was definitely on Bush's brain while he was in the Middle East this weekend. He told all who would listen that Iran is a threat to world peace. The next day, Bush demonstrated the depth of his commitment to peace in the region, by sending a note to Congress to let them know he is selling $120 million in arms to Saudi Arabia, part of a larger package that could hit $20 billion.

There's rumors that there will be a televised debate next week between Bush, Cheney, and these guys.

fun with the tube series

Kucinich gets invited to an NBC debate this week then uninvited, and also starts a recount in NH.

Gitmo celebrates its 6th anniversary.

Even this guy thinks there should be more investigation.

Every so often the NYT writes an extra long editorial.

However shitty you think it might be to get tear gassed, it's actually shittier.

The King of Wishful Thinking

The Israeli's love Bush like the Germans love David Hasselhof, giving him a robe with his name embroidered in gold at his hotel room, and turning off the lights so he can get a good view of the sunrise. Palestinians aren't quite so enamored, especially after Bush made another trademark remark making light of suffering in a joke about checkpoints.

He declared that he believes there will be a peace treaty signed while he is still president, and I sincerely wish him the best in that, but more likely it is just wishful thinking hoping for something to give him a legacy other than Iraq and Katrina.

There were a few encouraging things to come out of his visit to the region. He has called for a compensation fund for the Palestinian refugees that were displaced when Israel was created. He also has made the politically dangerous argument that Israel should stop building settlements in Palestinian land, which he should get some credit for even though he didn't mention East Jerusalem. While it is good that he pushes for a Palestinian state, it is puzzling that he insisted it should be contiguous, unless he has some idea of how he will join Gaza and the West Bank.

I know where you drank last summer

You may not be very concerned about getting your license scanned when you go into a bar or buy some beer. I don't actually think there are many places that do it around here in WI, I can't remember ever having it done. I am now glad for that fact after reading this article about those scanners (from /.). It seems some of them don't just read the data on the magnetic strip or barcode, but actually then verify that data against a central database somewhere. Which means that when you get scanned by one of them when going in to a bar or buying alcohol at the store, that place with the database then has a record or you having done that, to go along with all your license info that is in their database (Name, DOB, height, weight, address, etc etc)

If this scanning were to become commonplace, then the company who has this databse (or maybe it could be the state, I'm not sure) would have a complete record of when and where you drink, and when and where you buy alcohol. When I was a bit more naive, it sounded great to get a free pack of smokes just to get your license scanned, until the Marlboro ads started coming for the next 4-5 years. I think I have to side with the author of that article and not let my license be scanned, ever.

Pity the Poor Paladin

An American Prophet

Bill Kristol wrote his first column for the New York Times today, and as my loyal reader(s) might know, I am not a big fan. So from now until I tire of it or he gets shit canned again, I think I'm going to dedicate a post here for every column he writes. I will try to just cover the major points though so as not to write a novel each time.

His first one is mostly an ode to Huckabee. He first thanks Obama for beating Hillary and protecting us from another Clinton presidency, not to bad so far. Then he frets about the possibility of Obama actually being president. A liberal democrat, in the White House! Everybody's worst nightmare! The return of the welfare queens! He will foil our plans to overturn roe v wade via Supreme Court appointments! He will leave Iraq just as we are starting to win!

He then finds solace in the prediction that Huckabee will beat Obama by using wedge issues of gay marriage, abortion, and gun control. I think he forgot to mention flag burning.

Then he devotes a few paragraphs to his astute insight that Americans, even Republicans!, want a regular guy as president, you know, one you would like to have a beer with.

His next groundbreaking insight? People who vote like to make up their own mind, especially this year.

He also managed to find one of the rarest of endangered species: a "secular...Republican", and quote them as saying about Huckabee “Gee, he’s not some kind of crazy Christian. He’s an ordinary American.” after watching him play bass with 'Mama Kicks'. It's the kind of dialog I'm sure you hear all the time at a college music shindig. Radical!

Even if Humperdink doesn't have what it takes to beat Obama on his own, Kristol is sure that NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg will run in the event of a Huckabee-Obama contest. The reasons he will should be self-evident. If you don't know what they are then I'm not going to tell you.

DK Update

Aragorn goes to NH to help Dennis Kucinich's campaign.

A longer but worth reading interview with Kucinich.

Sharing is caring and the surge

A cult of personality has been built around General Patraus where both the both pundits and politicians can't help but fall over themselves to show they can suck his dick better than the rest and speak of him as a one-man phenom who will singlehandedly bring those 'raqi's into line. The standards seem to be so revised now that instead of leaving a country that is stable, with a democratic government, and an ally in the war on terror as Bush once said, a moderate drop in the level of violence is considered an oustanding success story.

The moderator at the debate yesterday, Charlie Gibson, argumentatively challenged (at about 5:00 below) the democrats at the debate to admit the surge is working and they should have supported it. He even talked of the de-baathification as if it were the best thing in the world instead of what mainly created the insurgency. They managed to keep their composure and bring the focus back to the big picture for the most part, or blame everything on the Iraqis like Hillary did.
ut while talking about that question the oil sharing law, which you may remember as one of the benchmarks congress made a few years ago for Bush to report on regarding progress in Iraq, was brought up a few times. Almost from the start of the war, this one particular benchmark was emphasized often as one of the most important. Though not much was ever said about the details in the mainstream media, which is surprising given the prominence of it in the debate here. It shouldn't be that hard, quite a few countries around the world use revenue from oil or other natural resources either to fund public projects or give it directly to their people as cash (The US is not one of them). The Iraqi oil law has yet to get passed. The US has had a heavy hand in shaping what that law might be, mainly PSA's, which most Iraqi's probably don't want since foreign companies would get most of the money.

McGovern wants impeachment

George McGovern, who ran against Nixon back in the 70's, wrote in the Washington Post about why he thinks the case for impeaching Bush & Cheney is stronger than it was for Nixon.

Saturday in New Hampshire

ABC had back-to back presidential debates yesterday, where they had close to all the Republican candidates, but then only 4 Democratic ones. It's understandable that they didn't have Chris Dodd or Joe Biden since they dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses, but Dennis Kucinich hasn't dropped out and they didn't invite him anyway. Whether he is a viable candidate or not, since he is an official candidate he should have been in that debate, especially since Bill Richardson was invited to it and Kucinich is at least as viable a candidate as him if not more.
Maybe it's a bit conspiracy theory-ish but the fact that Kucinich is an independent voice that doesn't play along with the corporate politics as usual seems to be a factor in it. He is outspoken about a single-payer not for profit health care system, which is different from universal health care that still includes for-profit insurance companies, even mandating coverage through them possibly enforced by fines.
It's certain that ABC and it's parent company Disney doesn't like his ideas for media reform with more public control of the broadcast spectrum. His bringing attention to the corporate owned nature of public resources and his related specific ideas and proposals, as opposed to non-specific lip service, doesn't sit well with the multinational corporations that have control of what we see and hear on the broadcast airwaves and publications.

On a positive note, John Edwards again talked about the world-wide elimination of nuclear weapons, including ours, something no other 'major' candidate has mentioned. Non-proliferation is well and good, but just not quite the same.

Elsewhere in New Hampshire yesterday, Bill O'Reilly is making news for getting in a scuffle with one of Obama's staff. Along with Guliani and McCain, he is making the hilarious trifecta of Republican self-caricatures.


Watch Kucinich on Bill Moyers

Doyle endorses Obama

Gov Doyle endorsed Obama for President today.

Killing Machines

Bears have been receiving a lot of negative press lately. In their defense, here's a few reasons I like bears:

-Bears help lessen the impact of our trash by scavenging our garbage dumps and landfills.
-Without bears, you couldn't say 'Does a bear shit in the woods?'
-Bears help keep the real killers, bees, at bay by eating their honey and destroying their hives.
-Bear pelts provide excellent parkas and rugs.
-Since they prey on humans indiscriminately, they help the natural selection process along.
-Without bears, 'The Great Outdoors' would not have been possible.
-Bears are godless killing machines, just like me.

Take your medicine

About half the doctor's in a Chicago survey admitted prescribing placebos. Most didn't tell the patients. Aside from the informed consent issue, I wonder how much those sugar pills cost? -Back pain? Ok here's your pills that'll be $90 please.

Guess the redaction

It's the first installment of your new favorite game, guess the redaction

Below is a letter written by Rep Jane Harman to the CIA, after she and the House intelligence committee were briefed on interrogation techniques.

Dear Mr. Muller:

Last week’s briefing brought home to me the difficult challenges faced by the Central Intelligence Agency in the current threat environment. I realize we are at a time when the balance between security and liberty must be constantly evaluated and recalibrated in order to protect our nation and its people from catastrophic terrorist attack and I thus appreciate the obvious effort that you and your Office have made to address the tough questions. At the briefing you assured us that the [redacted] approved by the Attorney General have been subject to an extensive review by lawyers at the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Justice and the National Security Council and found to be within the law.

It is also the case, however, that what was described raises profound policy questions and I am concerned about whether these have been as rigorously examined as the legal questions. I would like to know what kind of policy review took place and what questions were examined. In particular, I would like to know whether the most senior levels of the White House have determined that these practices are consistent with the principles and policies of the United States. Have enhanced techniques been authorized and approved by the President?

You discussed the fact that there is videotape of Abu Zubaydah following his capture that will be destroyed after the Inspector General finishes his inquiry. I would urge the Agency to reconsider that plan. Even if the videotape does not constitute an official record that must be preserved under the law, the videotape would be the best proof that the written record is accurate, if such record is called into question in the future. The fact of destruction would reflect badly on the Agency.

I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

JANE HARMAN

A letter for Ed

Edgrimly has been waiting with baited breath, and finally received the letter from Michael Moore he always wanted. He regales ed with tales of his dislike of Hillary Clinton, and laments the current field of W replacements.

32

Jared Diamond has a skill for taking huge and complicated subjects and distilling them down into easy to understand ideas. He has 2 good books out that try to determine what makes societies prosper or die out. He wrote a good article in the NYT today that is one of the best introductions to sustainability I have read.

Year end updates

Worst advertisement trend of 2007-voices in your head.

A NYE in rainbows performance

The state of free fps's from /.

A good article by Scott Ritter, the former weapons inspector in Iraq, about Iraq, the surge, and Hillary Clinton too.

NYT writes some background on the CIA tapes

Rehab for ed.