news-share

Greenhouse Hypocrisy

2005-06-29T19:10:00.000-07:00

Not that anyone is reading this anymore, but I will keep this up as a news journal:

"First, we should tackle some energy problems. We need to reduce our use of oil, which comes increasingly from unstable regions. This is mainly a security issue, though it would modestly limit greenhouse gases.

Second, we should acknowledge that global warming is an iffy proposition. Yes, it's happening; but no, we don't know the consequences. Third, we should recognise that improved technology is the only practical way of curbing greenhouse gases.

What we have now is a respectable charade. Politicians and advocates make speeches and formulate plans. The media participate in the deception by treating their gestures seriously.

One danger is that these measures will harm the economy without producing significant environmental benefits.

Why should anyone applaud?"

A New Yorker Kind of Guy

2005-06-09T17:26:00.000-07:00

Ben Stein details an article of glowing praise written about a Communist Spy for the North Vietnamese who is responsible for the deaths of many Americans:

"He even helped the Communists win large battles by directing Vietcong and North Vietnamese troops against American and South Vietnamese forces. He helped plan the Tet Offensive of 1968, including helping the man who planned the attack on the U.S. Embassy. This was the offensive where thousands of innocent civilians were massacred by the Communists."

"In those days, Americans actually trusted the Mainstream Media. The New Yorker piece by Prof. Bass makes it clear how wrong we were. He's a fine writer but a man whose piece lacks any moral compass at all. And what of the fellow journalists in Saigon cheering him on? Now we know a bit more about why the war turned out as it did."

Amnesty Over the Edge

2005-06-09T17:15:00.000-07:00

From powerline, also at instapundit and others. Nice transition from what I previously posted. Amnesty International is calling for the arrest of what they call "high level torture architects" from, you guessed it, the USA.

"Amnesty International’s list of those who may be considered high-level torture architects includes Donald Rumsfeld, ...William Haynes, the Defense Department General Counsel..., and Douglas Feith, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy....Our list includes Major General Geoffrey Miller, Commander of the Joint Task Force Guantanamo... former CIA Director George Tenet..."

As usual, PL sums it up wonderfully:

"In a breathtakingly short time, Amnesty International has declined from being a respectable human rights organization to its current status as a joke and a disgrace."

I agree. AI used to be cool, actually pointing out legitimate stuff. But these are the times in which we live...

The War Against the Torture Masters

2005-06-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

Can you believe this happened and it was NOT in America? I am sure the Arab street will rise up to protest the horrible treatment of their Muslim brothers in Iran....right?

"The cheerless creatures who rule the Islamic republic of Iran have developed a particularly wicked use of torture. Not only do they use the full panoply of physical and psychological horrors on their captives, but they then send the victims back into their homes and neighborhoods for brief periods of “parole” or “medical leave,” so that their friends and families can see with their own eyes the brutal effects of the torture. The clear intent of this practice is to intimidate the population at large, to break the will of would-be dissenters and opponents, and to maximize the effects of the victims themselves, for the brief respite from the pain of the prisons is mercilessly accompanied by the certainty that the agony will soon resume."

Military Tops Public Confidence List in New Gallup Poll

2005-06-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

"Seventy-four percent of those surveyed in Gallup's 2005 confidence poll said they have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in the military - more than in a full range of other government, religious, economic, medical, business and news organizations."

"The Gallup organization noted that public trust in television news and newspapers reached an all-time low this year, with 28 percent of responders expressing high confidence in them."

Looks like FoxNews has successfully brainwashed the lot of them!

All these horror stories by the media about how awful the military is by kicking the Koran of a terrorist and other such unspeakable evils, and the American public *gasp* overwhelmingly says they don't trust...the media?

God bless America, I love this country!

10 reasons not to kill George W. Bush

2005-05-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

Hi-larious!

4) Any criticisms of the administration will be regarded as more unpatriotic than ever. In the next election, you could expect to see Democratic primary candidates proclaiming that their Republican counterparts aren't "fit to follow in President Bush's footsteps."

And in all seriousness:

"....I don't hate President Bush. I dislike a lot of his administration's choices, but I think he's a good man doing a difficult job. As a leader, you're always going to be hated. I am too often shocked by the vitriolic repulsion many people feel for our leader and America in general, especially because the loathing is often poorly informed. I've met people on this campus who see America as the worst human rights abuser in the world (unlike the angelic paradise of Cambodia) and people who sway liberal not because they actually know anything about issues but because it's popular.

Liberalism has to be more than a college fad or a collection of loudmouths whose idiotic comments stir headlines. The rabid dislike some people feel for a man they've never even met makes me ashamed to be a Democrat."

The military you don't see

2005-05-29T07:40:00.000-07:00

Sums it all up for me:

"Maybe reporters and editorial writers think that reporting too often on the many selfless acts our troops undertake will reflect well on an undeserving president who likes to grandstand with our troops in photo ops. But is the truth about the character of our military being accurately, or should I say proportionately, reported? Does the public, which has woefully little personal contact with our military, know that most men and women in our services are not torturers but people like them trying to do the best they can with compassion and honor? Does the public know that acts of kindness are routine and acts of abuse are rare?"

I think the military is about the most honorable group of people out there. The media portrays it otherwise...

What is torture? A primer on American interrogation.

2005-05-28T06:14:00.000-07:00

"Every few months a new story of torture by American troops or agents emerges in the media. Usually it is misunderstood, spun for propaganda, or ignored altogether. Yet understanding U.S. interrogation practices is vitally important, now more than ever, because these events (and their coverage) have a decided impact on our national security. Whether through an account of a savage prisoner-killing in Afghanistan or a Quran being desecrated in Guantanamo Bay, the world sees and judges us based on these stories."

c/o Slate

Uday’s Oil-for-News program

2005-05-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

Sounds like Al-Jazeera was on the Saddam payroll, just like the UN! Not too surprising.

"Their conversation makes clear that this was not their first meeting, but that they had met on prior occasions—and that Al Jazeera had put into effect the directives that Uday had proffered in those previous meetings."

Leaving the Left

2005-05-22T10:41:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that some of you will be aroused over this...

"True, it took a while to see what was right before my eyes. A certain misplaced loyalty kept me from grasping that a view of individuals as morally capable of and responsible for making the principle decisions that shape their lives is decisively at odds with the contemporary left's entrance-level view of people as passive and helpless victims of powerful external forces, hence political wards who require the continuous shepherding of caretaker elites."

Blame Newsweek!

2005-05-18T07:45:00.000-07:00

Washington – The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff says a report from Afghanistan suggests that rioting in Jalalabad on May 11 was not necessarily connected to press reports that the Quran might have been desecrated in the presence of Muslim prisoners held in U.S. custody at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

And from a Washington Post story...

Newsweek magazine's now-retracted story that a military guard at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, flushed a copy of the Koran down a toilet has sparked angry denunciations by the White House and the Pentagon, which have linked the article to Muslim riots and deaths abroad.

But American and international media have widely reported similar allegations from detainees and others of desecration of the Muslim holy book for more than two years.

(use bugmetnot.com to get story access)

Uzbekistan rebellion death toll put at 700

2005-05-17T19:49:00.000-07:00

In case you missed it with all of the coverage of Newsweek choking on its liberal bias, here is some real, important news.

I have seen other sources say 1000-1500 dead. Pales in comparison to Sudan, but still worth mentioning and being informed on.

"The hardline Government of Islam Karimov, a key ally of Britain and the United States in the "war on terror", has dispatched an armoured force into the restive east of the country after mass arrests of alleged radical Islamists sparked what appeared to be a popular uprising.

Saidjahon Zaynabitdinov, head of the local Appeal human rights group, said troops had killed about 200 demonstrators on Sunday at Pakhtabad, near the city of Andizhan, where witnesses saw security forces kill up to 500 the night before.

United Nations officials, human rights groups and Kyrgyz border police said thousands of refugees fleeing the violence had made for the nearby border, leading to more unrest. Security forces loyal to the Karimov regime had last night sealed off the town of Korasuv on the border with Kyrgyzstan. "

The Christians are at the gates, but they don't want in

2005-05-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

"All right, enough already. The Christians aren't coming to get you.

I can take the somber, frightened "special reports" on National Public Radio, where you can literally hear the correspondents wringing their hands over the possibility that the "Darwin fish" affixed to their Volvos will be banned. I can even handle the dog-whistle shrieks of Paul Krugman and Maureen Dowd types about the looming Inquisition led by an alliance of the new German (wink, wink) pope and the Kansas Board of Education.

But the most recent episode of NBC's doddering "Law & Order" series is where I draw the line..."

It's about flippin' time...

2005-05-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

LINCOLN, Neb. - A federal judge Thursday struck down Nebraska's ban on gay marriage, saying the measure interferes not only with the rights of gay couples but also with those of foster parents, adopted children and people in a host of other living arrangements.

Not that this will change anything... Ernie Chambers can't even get legislators to agree that job discrimination based on orientation is bad. Discrimination based on religion? Hey, can't have that! Discrimination based on consensual sex acts in the privacy of one's own home? Heaven forbid! One of those is clearly a choice, but protected, and maybe the other's debatable.

The Christian Complex

2005-05-08T20:31:00.000-07:00

"The state of America's political discourse is such that the president has felt it necessary to declare that unbelievers can be good Americans. In last week's prime-time news conference, he said: "If you choose not to worship, you're equally as patriotic as somebody who does worship.""

I read a column by George Will, openly admitted to it, then shared it with others. Clearly I've gone off the deep end.

Sex, lies, secret tape at center of trial

2005-05-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

Dish!

"A partial transcript of the Sept. 4, 2002, tape obtained by The Times-Picayune captures a conversation rife with gossip about the seamy side of political life, including the sex, drugs and prostitutes enjoyed by big-name Democratic stalwarts."

"The salaciousness reaches its pinnacle with Rosen's rambling anecdote about a fat cat Clinton donor who said after a night of partying that he sent prostitutes to the hotel rooms of two top Clinton loyalists.

"So the next day, (one of the loyalists) calls (the donor) from the golf course with Clinton," Rosen told Reggie. "Clinton gets on the phone, he goes, I just wanna tell you something. . . . The day I'm outta office, I'm going out with you.""

Ronald Reagan Caused 9/11

2005-05-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

The loony logic of the left on display for everyone:

"What happened then was the single most critical moment in American political history in more than fifty years. It didn't happen at a meeting with a foreign leader. It didn't happen on the eve of a war. It happened right in Washington D.C. and it happened before the confetti of the inaugural balls had been swept from the roads. In his very first official act as president, Reagan ordered the solar panels removed from the White House."

The article finishes with:

"Of course, it's not really right to blame Reagan for making 9/11 happen, any more than it's right to blame the parents of a child turned serial killer for the actions of their offspring."

Really? You just wrote a whole article for what then? Gosh I would love to hear thoughtful analysis from a progressive point of view. Are you out there????

LESSON IN POLITICS: Reid calls president 'loser'

2005-05-06T16:47:00.000-07:00

He did apologize, at least. But as the Republican they talked to said of the comments:

"a sad development but not surprising from the leader of a party devoid of optimism, ideas or solutions to the issues people care about most."

Satellite shows Italian lying about car speed

2005-04-29T16:55:00.000-07:00

Or so they SAY!

"A US satellite reportedly recorded a checkpoint shooting in Iraq last month, enabling investigators to reconstruct how fast a car carrying a top Italian intelligence official and a freed hostage was traveling when US troops opened fire.

The report, which aired Thursday on CBS News, said US investigators concluded from the recording that the car was traveling at a speed of more than 60 miles (96 km) per hour."

Iran plans to knock out U.S. with 1 nuclear bomb

2005-04-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

This may seem a little far-fetched, but as the article says:

"Kyl concluded in his report: "The Sept. 11 commission report stated that our biggest failure was one of 'imagination.' No one imagined that terrorists would do what they did on Sept. 11. Today few Americans can conceive of the possibility that terrorists could bring our society to its knees by destroying everything we rely on that runs on electricity. But this time we've been warned, and we'd better be prepared to respond.""

Iraqi comedy duo? That's not the punch line

2005-04-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

"Now Mehdi and Dadoush set out to criticize the government. But instead of getting into trouble, the men occasionally get calls from government officials thanking them for pointing out problems.

Recently Mehdi portrayed a man sitting in a bathtub while trying to row down a certain street that was flooded by sewage. In the sequence, Mehdi’s character calls his friend on a cell phone to apologize for being late because the sewage was particularly thick that day.

“One week later the district manager called me up and assured me not only was the sewage system fixed, but the road was repaved,” Mehdi exclaimed."

Tory fury as BBC sends hecklers to bait Howard

2005-04-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

What liberal media bias? BBC sends hecklers to attend British conservative rally.

"Last night, the BBC claimed that the exercise was part of a "completely legitimate programme about the history and art of political heckling" and said that other parties' meetings were being "observed". However, The Telegraph has established that none of Tony Blair's meetings was infiltrated or disrupted in similar fashion."

Justice Sunday! (op-ed, NYT)

2005-04-24T06:26:00.000-07:00

"Tonight is the much-awaited "Justice Sunday," the judge-bashing rally being disseminated nationwide by cable, satellite and Internet from a megachurch in Louisville. It may not boast a plume of smoke emerging from above the Sistine Chapel, but it will feature its share of smoke and mirrors as well as traditions that, while not dating back a couple of millenniums, do at least recall the 1920's immortalized in "Elmer Gantry.""

Relatively Speaking, Oil Prices Aren't So Bad

2005-04-23T14:56:00.000-07:00

"Adjusting for Inflation, Gas Prices Actually Dropped from 1980 to 2004

Even with the rising costs, economists say, energy still makes up a small percentage of a family's budget, about 4 percent. That's half what it was in the early 1980s.

In fact, lots of goods and services have gone down in price during that time, including clothes, electronics, and food. But don't dismiss your grandparents that quickly. Certain things like new cars, new homes, healthcare, and a college education are considerably more expensive today."

Asking few questions makes a difference.

2005-04-23T06:26:00.000-07:00

A little lengthy, but absolutely worth the read. An Iraqi take on the Iraqi mindset through their recent history.

"An iron evil fist was gone but it was not replaced by an "iron good fist" as many Iraqis wished, and things collapsed in a place that has been ruled with extreme force for decades when people were given freedom.

This is one of the main reasons why many Iraqis were and still are disappointed with America. No, these Iraqis do not hate America as most like to think, they're just disappointed with her for not fitting the image they had in their minds; the just tyrant that should've taken full responsibility for some time until they could find their own just tyrant who would make their life much better without forcing them to share a burden and a responsibility they never thought it was among their duties as citizens."

...............

"Thus, Iraqis are brought back again to the same point where they have to ask questions and keep an eye on events. And with time and through these changes, it has become obvious to an increasing number of Iraqis that they can never go back to that idle state were they left everything to whoever in charge and instead they're gradually seeing how important their role in making their lives better, and I have no doubt that soon most Iraqis will find that not only they have a role they should play but that this role is in fact the main one."

Great apes to learn human behaviors

2005-04-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

"The bonobos will be able to cook in their own kitchen, tap vending machines for snacks, go for walks in the woods and communicate with researchers through computer touchscreens. The decor in their 18-room home includes an indoor waterfall and climbing areas 30 feet high.

The longevity of the project is unlike any other.

The animals, which have a life span of up to about 50 years, will be allowed to mate and have families -- and develop cultures that will be studied for generations to come, Savage-Rumbaugh said."

CDC (Way) overestimated deaths due to obesity

2005-04-19T20:03:00.000-07:00

They had previously said 400,000. Now it is 25,000.

It is safe to say they are just pulling numbers out of a hat here? I say this is cause for questioning the methods behind a lot more of these so called "statistics"

Cruel and Unusual?

2005-04-14T16:11:00.000-07:00

"Prisoner executions by lethal injection in the United States may not be painless or humane, and may not even meet veterinary standards for putting down animals."

Culture of life!

Bushi, Cheneyi and Rumsfeldi

2005-04-14T08:57:00.000-07:00

US President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld can now also be called bushi, cheneyi and rumsfeldi, or simply slime-mold beetles! ha ha!

Wisconsin Cats Fight Back

2005-04-12T16:34:00.000-07:00

If you missed the original story, Wisconsin was considering allowing cat hunting to thin out the strays.

Freedom of Religion = Freedom to Mutilate?

2005-04-12T14:46:00.000-07:00

Hadn't heard of this issue until CNN's FindLaw.com link posted it.
Maybe it's not carried on the MSM networks because reading it alone probably makes people cringe.

This article has keywords (scientific terms) that may not be entirely suitable for "work" should you have some kind of Big Brotheresque snooping routine that might cry about them.

Woman walking with fiance murdered

2005-04-11T19:34:00.000-07:00

"Although "honor killings" are not a new phenomenon in Palestinian society, the perpetrators were almost always relatives of the victims. But this is the first time that one of the Palestinian groups has openly acted against a woman suspected of "immoral behavior."

Hamas's "morality" patrolmen first spotted the young couple strolling along the beach in Gaza City, together with Azzami's younger sister. After enjoying the spectacular sunset over the sea, they got into the future husband's car and started driving towards Azzami's home.

According to eyewitness accounts, five masked gunmen who were in another car gave chase, opening fire at Azzami, who was sitting in the front seat next to her fiance. She died instantly."

I assume both left and right can agree this is horribly wrong. Israel gives an inch, and these Hamas clowns try to instill Taliban style values.

What's on the President's...wtf??

2005-04-11T19:33:00.000-07:00

I have heard about, or read, this story from several sources today. It's on Drudge, it's on the Apple news sites, it's on the radio, it's on the San Francisco Gate (which is where this link points to).

My question is, why is this news at all? I never heard anything about what was in Clinton's CD Player, or on Bush Senior's walkman, or on Reagan's hi-fi system. So the president likes to listen to music. Who doesn't?

All in all I'm just very confused at why Bush's iPod is making the headlines. I only post the link here to generate a discussion about why this event is newsworthy, not because the event itself is newsworthy.

Dandruff is as bad for the Earth as it is for your image

2005-04-11T17:58:00.000-07:00

New threat to humanity--dandruff. They haven't quite cobbled anything together about how dandruff will melt the icecaps and cause hurricanes--yet.

George F. Will: Smarter spending for schools

2005-04-10T06:28:00.000-07:00

Brilliant!

"The idea, which will face its first referendum in Arizona, is to require that 65 percent of every school district's education operational budget be spent on classroom instruction. On, that is, teachers and pupils, not bureaucracy.

Nationally, 61.5 percent of education operational budgets reach the classrooms. Why make a fuss about 3.5 percent? Because it amounts to $13 billion. Only four states (Utah, Tennessee, New York, Maine) spend at least 65 percent of their budgets in classrooms. Fifteen states spend less than 60 percent. The worst jurisdiction — Washington, D.C., of course — spends less than 50 percent."

The Eid of Liberty

2005-04-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

One Iraqi celebrates the 2nd anniversary of the fall of Baghdad:

"The 9th of April has proven that the free world now has the guts and the required determination to make the change and throw the legacy of the past century behind its back; dictators shall be endorsed no more and the struggle will continue until humanity is freed from its dark nightmare that lasted way longer than it should have."

'Tutoring' Rich Kids Cost Me My Dreams

2005-04-09T17:19:00.000-07:00

"It took me a while to figure out what my boss already knew: I had been hired to do their work."

Guess this isn't all that surprising, but these rich kids won't be able to do this in their jobs...will they???

Splendido!

2005-04-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

This is so definitely not news by any stretch of the imagination, but it's kind of funny. Remembered it after visiting CBS.com's site regarding the story below and seeing that there's a TPiR hundred kajillion dollar "spectacular" tonight. If you ever watch the show after hearing the mp3 and seeing the "lyrics", no "Splendido!" showcase will ever be quite the same again.

Maybe they'll play Punch-a-Bunch and some lucky contestant will turn down the $10,000 prize slip and instead pull out some forged copies of Bush's military records!

Iraqi cameraman for CBS detained

2005-04-09T07:29:00.000-07:00

Overzealous for the scoop?

Bush keeps low profile at Pope's funeral

2005-04-08T22:04:00.000-07:00

I thought this was incredibly classy of the president. Instead of a PR trip or a photoshoot, he simply went to pay his respects and kept the media out of it.

Judicial Assault on Religion?

2005-04-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

“I believe the judicial branch of our government has overstepped its authority on countless occasions, overturning and, in some cases, ignoring the legitimate will of the people,” said DeLay...

"American University historian Allan Lichtman said there was nothing new about politicians attacking the judiciary but the attacks now were more intense than at any time since the desegregation era of the 1950s."

“There are many right-thinking judges but there are many who are not right thinking and that’s where Congress has to step in,” -- Texas Republican Rep. Lamar Smith

I'll give the benefit of the doubt that he meant 'right' to mean 'correct'.
Interesting way to phrase things though.

Scratch that, just this one last thing...

2005-04-07T17:28:00.000-07:00

Some aren't buying the "blame the staffer" game, apparently.

Schiavo memo finale

2005-04-07T05:40:00.000-07:00

Enough with the "liberal media conspiracy" stuff.

"Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) said last night that his office was the source of the anonymous political talking-points memo on the Terri Schiavo situation and that he unwittingly passed the memo to Sen. Tom Harkin, Iowa Democrat."
"He said an internal office investigation determined that "a senior member of my staff was unilaterally responsible for this document.""

Not faked. Not a vast 'liberal media' conspiracy.
They blamed it on a staffer who 'resigned'.

Is the Taliban Fading Away?

2005-04-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

"Remember the terrifying Taliban? A year ago, fighters loyal to the former Afghan regime were so active that half the country was off limits to foreign aid workers. But the Afghanistan that First Lady Laura Bush visited for the first time last week is a much different place. U.S., Afghan and even some former Taliban officials say the insurgency increasingly looks like a spent force."

Will this be Iraq in August (six months after their election)? Hopefully!

Was the Schiavo memo a fake?

2005-04-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

I am beating this to death, but if someone planed this, which seems likely at this point, the news media (ABC/Wash Post) have some splainin' to do.

Will they?

Zogby Poll: Americans Not in Favor of Starving Terri Schiavo

2005-04-03T19:39:00.000-07:00

I guess it all depends on how you frame the question?

'"If a disabled person is not terminally ill, not in a coma, and not being kept alive on life support, and they have no written directive, should or should they not be denied food and water," the poll asked.

A whopping 79 percent said the patient should not have food and water taken away while just 9 percent said yes.'

Reid, Clinton Detail Prevention First Amendment

2005-04-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

"We can find not only common ground, but common sense in the Prevention First amendment we are offering today" said Reid. "Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice, our amendment advances goals we should all share: reducing the number of unintended pregnancies, reducing the number of abortions and improving access to women's health care."

Indicator: Life expectancy, Male - 2002

2005-03-31T20:37:00.000-08:00

I only looked at the bar chart of 139 nations, the life expectancy of males, and the percentage of people reaching grade 5. I was watching "The Daily Show" and they said "life expectancy of 36 in Somalia"...and did a little Googling Anyway, there are dozens of categories to rank...a very fast education on countries of the world. Very, very neat!

The Tax Plan to Kill K Street

2005-03-31T17:50:00.000-08:00

Get rid of the income tax!!!

"He would erase the federal income tax system -- personal and corporate income taxes, the regressive payroll tax and self-employment tax, capital gains, gift and estate taxes, the alternative minimum tax, and the earned-income tax credit -- and replace all that with a 23 percent national sales tax on personal consumption."

Senator Clinton Joins Right-Wingers in Slamming Video Game Violence

2005-03-29T19:11:00.000-08:00

As a schoolteacher, I'm glad someone other than your stereotypical crazy right-winger is taking a stand on this issue. I don't care if it is politically motivated to garner more middle-ground votes in 2008. I don't care that plenty of video games are more violent than GTA (though its most recent incarnation, GTA San Andreas is about as gutter-quality as they come). I do care that publishers put out this garbage, package it as entertainment, market it to kids, and then absolve themselves of responsibility.

What's even worse is that parents allow their kids to play this stuff, and absolve themselves of responsibility because it's "only a game." Spend some time in any middle-school detention room and you will see that these games transcend simple entertainment (what the video game industry likes to call it) and in fact help breed these very behaviors in the kids who play them.

Whose life are we supporting?

2005-03-28T16:19:00.000-08:00

Cuts through some of the political banter to speak an unspoken truth about this Schiavo thing:

It is complicated

"I don't wish to be kept artificially alive beyond reasonable hope of medical help, and I've indicated as much in my living will. I think my view should be honored. But what of the guy who doesn't wish to go on living without the girlfriend who left him? Does he have a right to die? To call on others to help him die? Even if he has recorded his morbid desire and had it notarized?

The quality-of-life standard, I am saying, is not as reliable as some of us would like to believe. The question of ending life -- of which life is not worth prolonging -- is never easy, nor should it ever become easy."

Killing Us Softly in a "Culture of Life"

2005-03-28T13:31:00.000-08:00

I post this link at the risk of tooting my own horn, since I run Walking Taco. But I did not write this article, so I think it's OK. This article an incredibly thoughtful (if rather left-leaning) piece on Terri Shiavo, why her death is long overdue, and how it all comes back to the medical industry at large.

Conservatives Invoke Case in Fund-Raising Campaigns

2005-03-25T05:57:00.000-08:00

"Help Save Terri Schiavo's Life!" says the Web site of the Traditional Values Coalition, a Christian conservative group best known for its campaigns against gay rights. Next to a link to the Web site of her parents' foundation is a pitch to "become an active supporter of the Traditional Values Coalition by pledging a monthly gift."

Article is from one of those ridiculous mainstream sites so probably has no credibility I suppose, but thought it was funny nonetheless. Hopefully the TVC was kind enough to ask Terri Schiavo what her opinion on "gay rights" was before they decided it'd be acceptable to use her case as an ATM.

Also, from pollingreport.com , "Do you think Congress passed this bill because they really care about what happens in this case, or do you think they passed the bill to advance a political agenda?" 74% say "political agenda".

Jeb's Legal Authority

2005-03-25T05:42:00.000-08:00

"In an effort to save Florida citizen, Terri Schindler-Schiavo from a court ordered death by starvation, the Society for Truth and Justice requested and delivered the following legal memorandums to Governor Jeb Bush in October of 2003..."

So, with efforts all of the way to Congress and the SCOTUS, why stop there? If they passed laws and such in FL regarding this case, why hasn't the governor just overruled the legislature/courts and acted on his own? Hopefully not because someone polled on the issue.

So who DID make the memo?

2005-03-24T19:25:00.000-08:00

If the Republicans didn't generate the Schiavo talking points memo, who did? This smells of the Dan Rather stuff, it just doesn't add up.

"The document, which was posted online by ABC News, as well as several Democratic-leaning websites, was unsigned, bore no Senate office letterhead, and was rife with errors, including the incorrect Senate bill number and the misspelling of Schiavo's name. For days, Republicans denied any knowledge of the document, and a number of Republican Senators claimed they had never seen it."

Immoral Picnic

2005-03-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

Who knew picnics were so immoral?

“We beat them because we are authorised by Allah to do so and that is our duty,” Sheik Ahmed al-Basri said after the attack. “It is we who should deal with such disobedience and not the police.”

After escaping with two students, Ali reached a police station and asked for help. “What do you expect me to do about it?” a uniformed officer asked.

Red Lake Killer's Online Discussions

2005-03-23T07:01:00.000-08:00

These are discussions with the Red Lake High School killer taken from Nazi website before Monday when he killed his grandfather, grandfather's girlfriend, and nine at his school in Minnesota...

More Schiavo Stuff

2005-03-20T16:04:00.000-08:00

This link is an accessible part of the abstractappeal.com link clickable below.
Definitely interesting, worth a read, and probably the most objective thing I've seen thus far.

Grand Old Pandering?

2005-03-20T14:57:00.000-08:00

An unsigned one-page memo, distributed to Republican senators, said the debate over Schiavo would appeal to the party's base, or core, supporters. The memo singled out Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who is up for reelection next year and is potentially vulnerable in a state President Bush won last year.

"This is an important moral issue and the pro-life base will be excited that the Senate is debating this important issue," said the memo, which was reported by ABC News and later given to The Washington Post. "This is a great political issue, because Senator Nelson of Florida has already refused to become a cosponsor and this is a tough issue for Democrats."

I'll happily roll my eyes at a D memo found to be similar.

That jab aside, here's a more interesting link featuring a timeline of the judicial process regarding the case, complete with some documentation.

From Jesus to Christ

2005-03-20T07:24:00.000-08:00

This is long, but it is a pretty good summation of the historical context of early Christianity attempted from as unbiased a point of view as possible. Not really newsworthy (it IS in Newsweek!), but I think it gives good context for Holy Week and for understanding some of the roles of religion in the world today.

GM's EV-1 Electric Car Junked for Good

2005-03-19T16:22:00.000-08:00

GM has officially killed off their line of prototype electric cars, called the EV-1. I saw one of these in person in 1997, and at the time it seemed like a great idea. It still does, in fact, but it was poorly executed (ha!). These cars were impractical, but showed that electric automobiles were possible. I think the more viable technology for now is the hybrid, like what Toyota has in their Prius and Honda has in their Civic and Accord Hybrids.

Bwuh?

2005-03-19T08:15:00.000-08:00

"There is no one biological parameter that clearly defines sex," added Dr. Eric Vilain of the University of California, Los Angeles. The issue is "intersex," the name for numerous conditions that result in roughly one in 4,000 babies born with both male and female traits.

Schiavo Round-Up

2005-03-19T07:55:00.000-08:00

Slate's "Explainer" section provides a round up on some of the non-moral related questions regarding the case such as 'who's paying?' and 'what can Congress do?'

All in all, somewhat trivial Q&A set given the magnitude of the decision at hand. A question and answer that I'm curious about is ... well, who's paying for Michael Schiavo's court fees? Is this just a big battle of pro bonos?

100,000 Dead—or 8,000

2005-03-19T05:33:00.000-08:00

When SO MANY have repeated the 100,000 civilians dead in Iraq figure as absolute fact, it makes you wonder if their agenda masks their desire for the truth.

Risky Business

2005-03-18T16:05:00.000-08:00

"If adolescents only had sex in monogamous, married relationships, by definition there would be no STDs," Brueckner said, echoing President Bush's remarks in last year's State of the Union address. (emphasis mine, c/o CNN)

Marriage licenses must have some kind of immune system booster.
Must be another top secret marriage ability that needs "defending".

John Gibson -- More Sperm than Brains

2005-03-17T22:20:00.000-08:00

"Why is it just men and women? Because since history has been recorded, chipped in stone, inked onto papyrus, scribed into great books or printed on your ink jet, the basic idea behind marriage has been to set up a system for the raising of kids."

"Gays can't have kids — other than going to the abandoned kids store and getting one or two, or borrowing sperm from someone with more sperm than brains — so by definition they're out of the marriage game."

Poor ol' abandoned kids!
Guess someone else with more brains than sperm will have to adopt them.

Freeze! I Just Had My Nails Done!

2005-03-17T20:00:00.000-08:00

Couldn't resist...

"The New York Times said the problem was not enough government spending on courthouse security ("Budgets Can Affect Safety Inside Many Courthouses"). Yes, it was tax-cuts-for-the-rich that somehow enabled a 200-pound former linebacker to take a gun from a 5-foot-tall grandmother."

"I think I have an idea that would save money and lives: Have large men escort violent criminals. Admittedly, this approach would risk another wave of nausea and vomiting by female professors at Harvard. But there are also advantages to not pretending women are as strong as men, such as fewer dead people. Even a female math professor at Harvard should be able to run the numbers on this one."

First hand accounts from Iraq

2005-03-17T17:09:00.000-08:00

Via Instapundit. Most interesting is that the "tipping point" came when Bin Laden named Zarqawi his main squeeze in Iraq. Guess a Saudi telling a Jordanian to kill Iraqis made the locals finally realize who the real bad guys were.

Doctors authorize abortion because of a cleft lip and palate

2005-03-16T18:39:00.000-08:00

The slippery slope rears its ugly head yet again.

SS Messages Varying by Race?

2005-03-16T13:40:00.000-08:00

c/o Slate

"So, here's the situation. In an op-ed written in Spanish and not made available in English on any federal Web site, the administration argues that Latinos, who live longer than whites do, should support Bush's reform plan because upon retirement they rely disproportionately on Social Security. Meanwhile, in forums and private meetings aimed at blacks, the administration argues that blacks, who upon retirement rely disproportionately on Social Security, should support Bush's reform plan because they don't live as long as whites do. Only once has Bush slipped up and alluded to one group in the course of making his pitch to the other. And on that occasion, at best, he seems to have conveyed—and failed to correct after its publication—an impression that helped him politically but was contrary to the truth."

Children of "illegals" to get in-state tuition?

2005-03-16T11:00:00.000-08:00

"The growing immigrant population contributes to Nebraska's economy, pays taxes and is an important component of the state's labor force, Schimek said.

Many of those who entered the country illegally have stayed, worked, raised their children and established their lives here, the Lincoln senator said. Her bill, LB239, would clear the way for their children to go to college at resident tuition rates if they have lived in the state at least three years, graduated from a Nebraska high school and will seek permanent residency status."

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents has endorsed Schimek's bill.

Reid threatens partial Senate shutdown

2005-03-15T19:13:00.000-08:00

This may be the top political story of the next few weeks. Republicans appear to have enough votes to end the "filibuster", the rule that 60 votes are needed to do something in the Senate IF a minority decides to make it happen by never voting to end debate (which takes 60 votes--on most issues this does not happen). Since a rule is decided by a simple majority vote, all it takes is 51 votes to change the '60' rule and end filibusters.

10 of 51 of GWB's Appeals Court (right below the Supreme Court) nominees were filibustered by Senate Democrats before the last election. Many think Tom Daschle lost his Senate seat because of this. Well, GWB nominated the same judges again, and it is heading toward a showdown. Should be fun to watch.

Personally, I think that if these nominees were as extreme as some claim they are, the Democrats could find 6 Republicans to join them and vote the person down. As far as I have heard, all the nominees were found to be fit by the American Bar Association; what more do the Democrats want?

The Day After Tomorrow...

2005-03-14T16:48:00.000-08:00

Rapid climate change and extreme weather have produced...record crop yields? Someone call Dennis Quaid and save us from our over-abundance!

Seriously, last summer was so not blistering hot, I hope it is that nice again this year!

Panel has witness it deserves: Jose Canseco

2005-03-14T16:21:00.000-08:00

Is the government overstepping its authority on the baseball steroids issue? I tend to think they are, don't we have courts for this?

Musician Can Taste Pitch Intervals

2005-03-14T11:52:00.000-08:00

This is so strange and so cool! I wish I could do this! I wonder what she tastes if she goes to a symphony concert!

Ex-Marine: Reports of Hussein Capture Exaggerated

2005-03-14T10:59:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if this means a whole lot, but I remember all the "spider hole" talk that was going on when we captured him. It would just be a little strange if that whole story turns out to be fabricated, as this man claims.

Lady preaches gospel to kidnapper

2005-03-14T09:39:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I would have the guts to act like this if I got kidnapped...

Man loses fingers for Internet love :-)

2005-03-13T08:16:00.000-08:00

This guy is scary! I wonder if he is really this stupid or if he was on drugs......

The hubris of Giuliana Sgrena

2005-03-13T07:23:00.000-08:00

Nice summary of that commie nutjob lady from Italy who was shot at a checkpoint by US troops. Nothing she said checks out.

"But there is no doubt about the credibility of Giuliana Sgrena. She entitled her story "My Truth," perhaps to distinguish it from the bourgeois concept of truth that depends on adherence to fact.

Many on the left in America embraced Sgrena's "truth," while refusing to give their countrymen the benefit of the doubt. But hey, liberals support our troops. They say so all the time."

Beware the long arm of the P.C. police

2005-03-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

School founded for Native Americans asked by NCAA to change offensive nickname "Braves"

No comment :-)

Band Driver Pleads Guilty To Dumping Waste

2005-03-10T15:32:00.000-08:00

"The bus driver for the Dave Matthews Band pleaded guilty Wednesday to dumping 800 pounds of human waste from the vehicle's septic tank onto a sightseeing boat on the Chicago River last summer."

DUI limit

2005-03-09T14:03:00.000-08:00

I really believe there should be a law limiting the number of DUI's for a particular person for a certain period of time. Maybe a "three strikes and your out" rule, but don't give the defendent a life sentence in jail, maybe give him/her a 1 year sentence in jail. Some people NEVER learn, like the one in this article.

USA Next to be Sued

2005-03-09T11:32:00.000-08:00

$25M requested, some to be donated if awarded.
Next time they'd be better off staging a kissy-kissy picture, I guess.

Triumph of Socialized Medicine?

2005-03-09T07:34:00.000-08:00

c/o Slate

"The superiority of VA hospitals is so obvious that by now it ought to be common knowledge. But it isn't, because an insane political consensus that firmly opposes turning health care over to the government--because the government is presumed incapable of doing anything well--doesn't want to hear that government hospitals are outperforming private hospitals."

Photos of that Italian lady's car

2005-03-08T16:07:00.000-08:00

Maybe.

UPDATE: Car going 100 MPH? Maybe that isn't speeding in Italy?

Christian lawyers say bill, Bible don't mesh

2005-03-08T06:10:00.000-08:00

Finally, the Bible being used in an argument that doesn't involve marriage. I'll have to trust the Biblical interpretation of a group of lawyers.

"...Grassley said Congress could not be bound by biblical mandates because "the Constitution does not provide for a theocracy."

"I can't listen to Christian lawyers because I would be imposing the Bible on a diverse population," Grassley said. "I'll bet those lawyers wouldn't want us to impose the principles of forgiving debt every seven years. If that were the law, nobody would loan them money."

I'll bet MBNA is looking to get some return on its investment!

High school for harassed kids

2005-03-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

This is a compassionate idea, but when these kids get into the real world they will discover that sometimes you have to dress nice, sometimes you have to overcome your shyness, there will always be pressure to "conform" and that lots of people are jerks who will harass you.

High school is a good place to be exposed to, and learn how to deal with, the real world, and these kids are going to have that valuable lesson taken away. Maybe if classes get too tough they can just make those easier too.

UN Abortion Amendment

2005-03-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

Since we have been given encouragement to become more political...
Why such hostility to desires to limit abortion? Comments such as:"we do not recognise abortion as a method of family planning" or "We emphasise the value of the ABC — abstinence, be faithful, and correct and consistent condom use where appropriate — approach in comprehensive strategies to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS and the promotion of abstinence as the healthiest and most responsible choice for adolescents," do not seem irrational to me.
Apparently the international community would have rather heard "We ask folks to use abortion to plan their families. This way they can sleep around, get AIDS, and kill their children, if they desire, and feel comforted that they are making healthy and responsible choices...." What?!?!?!

Other related articles:
"We have accomplished what we set out to do," said Sauerbrey, stating that Washington's anti-abortion stance was supported by several delegations. "So the amendment, we recognize, is really redundant and we will be withdrawing it." Why do they now consider it redundant? It seems to me that the international community didn't think it was redundant... http://us-politics.news.designerz.com/us-withdraws-controversial-abortion-amendment-at-un-womens-conference.html?d20050304

An aide to the minister explained that women's reproductive rights, as formulated in the Beijing Platform allow countries to legalise abortion but do not force them to do so. Meanwhile, the US amendment will open the door to abortion bans, the aide pointed out. Does this mean that the current Beijing Platform does not allow countries to ban abortion?
http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=58&story_id=17508&name=France+slams+US+abortion+amendment+at+UN+meeting

For Hillary Clinton's take on the failed amendment:
Under the so-called global gag rule, which President Bush re-instituted when he took office, overseas non-governmental organisations that perform abortions or advocate the legalisation of abortion are ineligible for United States government money.
Why were we giving oversea organizations money to kill people anyway? I think we could find better use for that money.
I don't even know where to start with Hillary's comments, so I will let you all think on your own.

Sorry this is a long post.....

Tsunami Lawsuits

2005-03-07T08:42:00.000-08:00

You knew they were coming, but why? Everyone obviously knows now that there is a problem. Why sue the hotel or forcasters though? There's not much they could do if warning systems were not set up to receive the info and broadcast it to the public...and even then....

Confession TV

2005-03-06T18:12:00.000-08:00

I guess over in Iraq, there are televising confessions from the insurgents. Think they will line up Springer for this job soon?

Moral Tsunami?

2005-03-06T09:56:00.000-08:00

"If a person cannot be discriminated against based on religion, and these other factors, there shouldn't be discrimination on employment based on sexual orientation," said Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers, who introduced the bill.

"Eric Bents, pastor at Trinity Church in Omaha, said he represented the vast majority of Christian clergy members who oppose same-sex marriage. He said granting the rights proposed under the bill would unleash a "moral tsunami" that would erode other cultural institutions."

Wow, what's with all of the tsunami references among the 'phobes?

Washington Wary as New Predator Creeps Closer (It's coyotes)

2005-03-05T17:01:00.000-08:00

"Don't leave out pet food. And...don't leave out your pets!"

Who Should Apologize to Whom?

2005-03-05T07:24:00.000-08:00

Say what? Was he trying to score with an Iranian woman or something?

'And here is what (Bill) Clinton had to say in a recent television interview with Charlie Rose:

“Iran is the only country in the world that has now had six elections since the first election of President Khatami (in 1997). (It is) the only one with elections, including the United States, including Israel, including you name it, where the liberals, or the progressives, have won two-thirds to 70 percent of the vote in six elections: Two for president; two for the Parliament, the Majlis; two for the mayoralties. In every single election, the guys I identify with got two-thirds to 70 percent of the vote. There is no other country in the world I can say that about, certainly not my own.”'

Some Dems say Greenspan too political

2005-03-05T06:27:00.000-08:00

This is a great example of when Democrats say they want something "non-partisan" they mean they want something that "agrees with Democrats." Greenspan has fallen on both sides politically over the years and most would agree that the US is much stonger economically since the beginning of his tenure. But side with the Bush administration, and you are automatically partisan. Tough to beat that standard.

Why Al-Jazeera is good for the Arab world

2005-03-04T16:02:00.000-08:00

Argues that biased independent media is better than biased government controlled media. I tend to agree.

Social Security overhaul

2005-03-04T12:20:00.000-08:00

This is a great factual acticle on whether the stock market will profit substantially from Bush's proposed Social Security overhaul. I was even surprised by this!

Now this is OLD.

2005-03-04T11:23:00.000-08:00

This is pretty old. She looks like mummified skin over bones. At least it sounds like she still can function pretty well (or that is what they tell us). So, maybe she has another 10 years in her.

An addition

2005-03-04T05:56:00.000-08:00

"Also rebuffed, 58-39, were two proposals focused on people whose significant medical expenses for illness force them to file for bankruptcy." -- CNN, below.

"Half of all U.S. bankruptcies are caused by soaring medical bills and most people sent into debt by illness are middle-class workers with health insurance, researchers said on Wednesday." -- this article, Reuters.

Bonus link: Bankruptcy Background!

You were financially responsible and then became ill? Well, too bad for you, I guess!

So, what's wrong with this idea?

2005-03-04T05:41:00.000-08:00

Specifically, this shot-down amendment:
"By another 59-40 tally, the Senate defeated a Democratic proposal to require that credit card statements show how long it would take the consumer to pay off his or her debt by making only the minimum monthly payment, and what the total interest charges would be."

Average CC debt per American: $2K-$8K depending on source. $1.7T total consumer debt. Average interest rate 15%+. Yeah, it'd be just terrible if CC companies had to tack a line of "reality check" to everyone's statements.

Nebraska consitutional ammendment to protect fishing.

2005-03-03T20:57:00.000-08:00

I get to comment on my first posting to News-Share...wierd! Anyway, the subject was "tabled"...i.e., the fillibuster was going to go on forever, so the head of the thing, the chief, whatever he is, put the issue out of it's misery.