John Dean on danger from the Republicans

FindLaw's Writ - Dean: The Evidence Establishes, without Question, that Republican Rule Is Dangerous: Why It Is High Time to Fix This Situation, For the Good of the Nation:

Frankly, the fact that the pre-election polls are close - after eight years of authoritarian leadership from Bush and Cheney, and given its disastrous results - shows that many Americans either do not realize where a McCain/Palin presidency might take us, or they are happy to go there. Frankly, it scares the hell out of me, for there is only one way to deal with these conservative zealots: Keep them out of power.

That from Richard Nixon's White House Counsel. He ought to know.

The leading authority on right-wing authoritarianism, a man who devoted his career to developing hard empirical data about these people and their beliefs, is Robert Altemeyer. Altemeyer, a social scientist based in Canada, flushed out these typical character traits in decades of testing.

Altemeyer believes about 25 percent of the adult population in the United States is solidly authoritarian (with that group mostly composed of followers, and a small percentage of potential leaders). It is in these ranks of some 70 million that we find the core of the McCain/Palin supporters. They are people who are, in Altemeyer's words, are "so self-righteous, so ill-informed, and so dogmatic that nothing you can say or do will change their minds."

Altemeyer made his book, The Authoritarians, (which came to my attention a couple of years ago thanks to Pete Guither) freely available via the Internet. He's added a postscript on the 2008 election, which concludes

Almost nothing would give me greater pleasure than seeing the research on authoritarian personalities become totally irrelevant, now that we have seemingly put the nightmare behind us and begun anew. I’d much rather people get interested in my next book instead, which is about a far more pleasant subject: my studies of the sexual behavior of university students. But I’m afraid www.theauthoritarians.com will remain worth people’s visiting for the next little while at least.

Palin says a woman on 2012 ticket would be good for GOP - USATODAY.com

Palin says a woman on 2012 ticket would be good for GOP - USATODAY.com

Not necessarily. It depends on the candidate.

In any event, the Republicans will pick a few more bible-type conservatives, loose more elections, and eventually come back a changed party. David Brooks sounds about right to me.

Africa Palin

A Fake Expert Named Martin Eisenstadt and a Phony Think Tank Fool Bloggers and the Mainstream News Media - NYTimes.com:

It was among the juicier post-election recriminations: Fox News Channel quoted an unnamed McCain campaign figure as saying that Sarah Palin did not know that Africa was a continent.

That one was so outrageous that anyone should have seen through it. Hell, I did, and I almost wanted it to be true.

Maybe it will turn out that these guys performed a public service with their hoax. Even assholes serve a purpose, I guess.

But the truth was out for all to see long before the big-name take-downs. For months sourcewatch.org has identified Martin Eisenstadt as a hoax. When Mr. Stein was the victim, he blogged that “there was enough info on the Web that I should have sussed this thing out.”

And then there is William K. Wolfrum, a blogger who has played Javert to Eisenstadt’s Valjean, tracking the hoaxster across cyberspace and repeatedly debunking his claims. Mr. Gorlin and Mr. Mirvish praised his tenacity, adding that the news media could learn something from him.

“As if there isn’t enough misinformation on this election, it was shocking to see so much time wasted on things that didn’t exist,” Mr. Wolfrum said in an interview.

And how can we know that Mr. Wolfrum is real and not part of the hoax?

Long pause. “Yeah, that’s a tough one.”

I wonder how much of what I think it true, isn't? Now that I think about it, though, I've thought in terms of probabilities for a long time now. Things aren't true, just "probably true" or "almost certainly true", or false, and so on. Sometimes I actually place a number on something, and error bars.

Probabilities and error bars...

"Sad episode"

BBC NEWS | Europe | Hitmen 'killed matadors' horses':

[owners of killed horses] hoped justice would at last be done

Justice.

The justice that comes to my mind is that imposed by the Overlords, in one of my all-time favorite books, Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End.

I'm not European, and my own country commits its fair share of stupidities, but the fact that the EU subsidizes bullfighting is just bizarre.

Just as boxing, ultimate fighting championships, prostitution, drug use, and most other human activities objectionable to some should not be banned, bullfighting should not be banned.

Were I European, though, I'd be very angry about hefty subsidies to the bullfighting industry, especially in the guise of agricultural subsidies.

Here's an interesting video from the archives of the European Parliament's EP Live.

Write Or Die : Dr Wicked's Writing Lab

Hat tip to Lifehacker

Start test:

Well, this ought to be interesting.

The idea is to keep writing. Keep writing, and to do so, make use of automated prods. Keeping writing is one of the suggestions I received early on, but which can be tough to sustain. Write, write, write, and then go back later to cull, edit, sieve, harvest, and retrieve anything good that may have come out of the exercise.

This web app will prod you if you stop writing. There are several modes, such as gentle
\
ok I just hit the first prod. The screen went pink when I stopped wiring for something on the order of ten or 15 seconds. I think that the settings I went with will result in words beginning to disappear from the end if I stop for longer than that.

So far I've been writing to 6 and a half minutes, and I've written 143 words. I don't think I was very realistic in setting my target of 500 words in 10 minutes, but let's see what happens. [No, I was mistaken. The timer counts down, so I had 6 and a half minutes to go.]

I'm thinking I need to simply stop my tendency to backspace and correct things when I'm in this fast mode that I chose to try. Just go go go go go go go go, Het that's a way of chating the word count. I still can't resist the urget o hit the backspace key (did it twice, three times there) but now I'm at four minutes left and 232 words down.

This promises to be a useful device. I wonder if you can get it on a usb key, portable, to use at work, holy shit I waste a lot of time trying to compose stuff at work. maybe allocating five minutes to an email response would be useful. I think eventually you could retrain yourself to be much more productive a the keyboard

See, I'm gettig better already, as shown by the increas in errors. But who cares about errors when the object is to simply write down words for later polishing?

Logjam! Oh, shit, now what? Write! asshole! OK. Oh, man. take a break. See what the second prompt is. Stop now. Well, OK, the screen changed color starting at about 8 secnds, and went to red in one-second increments over about ten seconds. I didn't wait any longer to see what would happen [Apparently it starts making noise, but I don't have sound on this computer.] if I waited more. One minute to go, 389 words down.

Well, this has certainly been an interesting introduction to this web app. I think , no I know, I will be back to make further use of it, but I will be more realistic in my goal setting. 500 words in 10 minutes is pretty fucking intesne. Intense. 321

OK, the exercise is over. I got about 440 words down in ten minutes. Are they any good? Who cares. It was just a test. Could I go back and retrieve anything of value rom this forced stream of consciousness or whatever? maybe.

Congratulations Dr. Wicked! Very interesting. I'll be back.

	491
15
lab.drwicked.com

PS: There's a "Done" button in the web app that I did not click at the end of the ten minutes, which accounts for the 15 minutes stated in the banner above, and I did not stop typing at the end of ten minutes, which accounts for the higher number of words. Next time I'll get it wright (get it?).

Bali bombers buried in emotional ceremonies

Bali bombers buried in emotional ceremonies
| Reuters:

Emotions ran high as thousands of people poured onto the streets for the funerals after the bodies were flown by helicopter to their home towns -- brothers Mukhlas and Amrozi to Tenggulun in East Java, and Samudra to Serang in West Java.

How stupid is it to facilitate this sort of thing? Flown by helicopter. Terrific. Brilliant!

Better that the announcement of impending execution be the last thing ever heard about crazy people like these. From firing squad to incinerator.

Change.gov

Change.gov
Office of the President-Elect

Sounds good. "Change" looks good next to ".gov".

Blog

Suggestion form

Agenda

President-Elect Obama and Vice President-Elect Biden have developed innovative approaches to challenge the status quo in Washington and to bring about the kind of change America needs.

The Obama Administration has a comprehensive and detailed agenda to carry out its policies. The principal priorities of the Obama Administration include: a plan to revive the economy, to fix our health care, education, and social security systems, to define a clear path to energy independence, to end the war in Iraq responsibly and finish our mission in Afghanistan, and to work with our allies to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, among many other domestic and foreign policy objectives.

OK, that's fine, but I'm disappointed to see "Science" seemingly tacked on as an afterthought. One of the big changes I want to see out of this Obama administration is a decent attitude towards science. It's probably reading too much into this to react badly to seeing "Science" alongside "Arts" and "Sportsmen" in the final, "Additional Issues" section, but it does not look good.

I didn't expect to see some of the particulars I'd have included, such as "Critical Thinking" in the "Education" section. Seeing Plug-In Hybrids referred to as "cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon" in the "Energy and Environment" section is annoying. But, hey, it's a start.

I don't like the idea, in the "Energy & Environment" section, of using the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to cut prices, and I don't like the complete omission of nuclear energy. There's no way the country will even come close to reducing CO2 emissions by 80 percent by 2050 without including this atmospherically benign energy to the portfolio. Not while maintaining something approaching reasonable living standards, anyway.

Seeing two different drug-related issues in the "Civil Rights" section is somewhat encouraging. Eliminating sentencing disparities and expanding the use of drug courts are OK, as far as they go, but they are entirely insufficient. Among the items I did not expect to see was some mention of the fact that the ONDCP's mandate includes acting to prevent changes in the law (something that ought to be considered unconstitutional). Such a mandate hinders development of a more rational approach to the drugs problem than wasting untold billions of dollars per year to accomplish little except to serve the interests of the prison-cop complex, threaten liberty and corrupt us. I heard Candidate Obama state categorically that he'll end government programs that don't work. The War on Some Drugs clearly fits that category. We'll see.

Good luck, Mr. Obama, in your new job. So far I'm happy to have supported you. Keep it that way.

Moderates to blame for GOP losses, conservative leader says - CNN.com

Moderates to blame for GOP losses, conservative leader says - CNN.com

Oh, please.

There are conservatives and there are conservatives.

I can live with libertarian conservatives if they don't get too impractical, but fundie conservatives, the ones that overuse the word "family" and have a god on their side, are just annoying.

If their god is omnipotent, who are they to limit its ability to say different things to different people?

PAIN: Personal, Abrupt, Immoral and Now

Daniel Gilbert, Harvard psychologist, gave a talk at Pop!Tech on why the threat of global warming fails to get our attention while the threat of terrorism consumes us.

In a nutshell, there are four characteristics of a threat that human brains have evolved sensitivity towards. Terrorism presents all four of these characteristics, global warming none.

Human agency (Personal):
Terrorism has a human face, global warming doesn't.

Rapidity (Abrupt):
Humans are good at spotting fast not slow, relative not absolute, changes.

Moral sensitivity (Immoral):
Emotions are raised around, say, food (nausea) and sex (disgrace), but we're oblivious to atmospheric chemistry.

Immediacy (Now):
Terrorism can kill you right now, global warming can't. The brain responds to present, not future, threats.

Sounds plausible to me.

The talk is available at the following links:
The Psychology of Global Warming I (YouTube)
The Psychology of Global Warming II (YouTube)
The Psychology of Global Warming (view or download from Pop!Tech)

Irresolution

Op-Ed Contributor - From Beirut to 9/11 - NYTimes.com
This piece by Robert McFarlane, former Middle East representative and national security advisor, concludes with

First, however, we must win in Afghanistan — truly the decisive battleground in this global struggle. Never has there been a greater need for experience and judgment in the White House. Unless our next president understands the complexity of the challenge as well as what it will take to succeed, and can lead his cabinet and our country in resolute execution of that strategy, we will lose this war.

Mr. McFarlane's piece appears to be a between-the-lines endorsement of the McCain-Palin ticket. But if it was, why didn't he just come out with it? Is he being luke-warm towards the Republican ticket? Given the focus on Afghanistan, could it be a tentative endorsement of Obama-Biden?

Nah... He's got to be a McCain-Palin backer, possibly holding his nose.

As for his piece, a couple of paragraphs from the end he writes, in the context of cabinet policy debates and leadership, that

What is intolerable, however, is irresolution.

In the context of this editorial, that passage is a bit ironic.

I'm sympathetic to McFarlane's point, though. He may wish the Reagan administration had taken a more resolute approach to the kidnapping of US officials in Lebanon. Who knows what the details were, but on the first occasion that Soviet officials were kidnapped in Lebanon, the Soviets responded resolutely (with a certain savagery), got their people back and did not have that problem again. I wonder if McFarlane urged that sort of resoluteness on the Reagan administration.

It seems to me that an Obama-Biden administration has more potential than a McCain-Palin administration to understand

the complexity of the challenge as well as what it will take to succeed, and [be able to lead the] cabinet and our country in resolute execution of that strategy.

Time will tell, but we're in for a wild ride irrespective of how the election turns out.

Well, it's about &$(*@*! time!

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide:

Colin Powell, a former Army general who served in three Republican administrations, declared his support for Barack Obama in an endorsement that may enhance the Democratic presidential nominee's standing to be commander in chief.

Now, where are are Shinseki and Sanchez? I don't recall hearing anything from Shinseki after he retired, but Sanchez pretty thoroughly blasted the administration. Where is he now?

Nasty Appeal to Ignorant Bigotry

I took the red-bordered snapshot below of an email I received today. I'd love to know the identity of the lowlife who composed this trash. I'll simply refer to him or her as Mr. Lowlife.



Mr. Lowlife had to know that the book Mr. Obama is carrying is a serious, scholarly work authored by a well-regarded secular individual. The book is a best seller, it is not anti-American and it is not "a Muslim's view."

I Googled the phrase, "The Post-American World' -- it's a Muslim's view", and wound up looking at this page from the Modesto Bee's forums, which shows, by the date on which it was posted, that Mr. Lowlife's slime has been floating around for some time.

The message on the Modesto Bee's forum contains a link to the picture, not the picture itself. The link is to The New Republic, but not to The New Republic's post in which the picture was used. Lowlife's link was directly to the picture, with no mention of the context provided by the accompanying post. 

Mr. Lowlife is a scumbag and a liar. He represents the worst aspects of America.

Mr. McCain could make some points, could display some leadership, by placing a Gallery of Shame prominently on his website under the banner, "DON'T DO THIS!" With this "Muslim's view" vomitus near the top of his Gallery of Shame, McCain could show that he was seriously trying to distance himself and his party from this sort of filthy tactic. He might actually swing some voters his way. But no.

Disgusting. I have such contempt...

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/postamerican.asp

Response to a forwarded e-mail

You may have received, or seen elsewhere, a letter from Joe Porter, of Champaign, Illinois, about Mr. McCain's qualifications, and Mr. Obama's lack of qualification, for the Presidency. The entire letter, as I received it, is reproduced below along with my comments.

(Forwards and email addresses deleted.)

THIS LETTER MAKES MORE SENSE THAN ANYTHING I HAVE SEEN, HEARD, OR READ, CONCERNING THE UPCOMING ELECTION...

I disagree.

IT'S A LETTER FROM= A U.S. CITIZEN... WHO LIVES IN ILLINOIS... AND OBVIOUSLY IS A 'SELF-THINKER'... NOT JUST A 'FOLLOWER'!!!

A proper self thinker would not have included a reference to Obama's "Muslim background".

IF YOU ONLY READ ONE THING, REGARDING THIS ELECTION... LET THIS BE THE ONE THING!! AFTER READING IT, YOU WILL PROBABLY WANT TO FORWARD IT TO OTHER AMERICANS WHO ARE 'SELF THINKERS'!!

There are plenty of "self thinkers" who favor Obama over McCain.

An impassioned letter from a 'nobody'. But he gives his telephone number at the end.

No, he doesn't.

• The phone number at the bottom belongs to Ronald Hess, of Carlsbad California (who may want a new number by now).
• The first line of the letter says, "My name is Joe Porter. I live in Champaign, Illinois."
• See a reverse phone lookup: http://dexknows.whitepages.com/search/ReversePhone?phone=760.434.1395
• Google "760 area code". It's not Illinois.

Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 3:19 PM
Subject: FW: A letter from Ilinois

Dear Friends:

My name is Joe Porter. I live in Champaign, Illinois. I'm 46 years old, a born-again Christian, a husband, a father, a small business owner, a veteran, and a homeowner. I don't consider myself to be either conservative or liberal, and I vote for the person, not Republican or Democrat. I don't believe there are 'two Americas ' but that every person in this country can be whomever and whatever they want to be if they'll just work to get there and nowhere else on earth can they find such opportunities. I believe our government should help those who are legitimately downtrodden, and should always put the interests of America first.

Joe Porter sounds like a nice guy. We seem to have a lot in common. Husband, father, homeowner, veteran, neither conservative or liberal. Neither Republican or Democrat. Good stuff. Me too. But Mr. Porter doesn't believe there are 'two Americas'. He's mistaken. Look around you, self-thinkers!

The purpose of this message is that I'm concerned about the future of this great nation. I'm worried that the silent majority of honest, hard-working, tax-paying people in this country have been passive for too long. Most folks I know choose not to involve themselves in politics. They go about their daily lives, paying their bills, raising their kids, and doing what they can to maintain the good life. They vote and consider doing so to be a sacred trust. They shake their heads at the political pundits and so-called 'news', thinking that what they hear is always spun by whomever is reporting it. They can't understand how elected officials can regularly violate the public trust with pork barrel spending. They don't want government handouts. They want the government to protect them, not raise their taxes for more government programs.

I can go along with that.

We are in the unique position in this country of electing our leaders. It's a privilege to do so. I've never found a candidate in any election with whom I agreed on everything. I'll wager that most of us don't even agree with our families or spouses 100% of the time. So when I step into that voting booth, I always try to look at the big picture and cast my vote for the man or woman who is best qualified for the job. I've hired a lot of people in my lifetime, and essentially that's what an election is - a hiring process. Who has the credentials? Whom do I want working for me? Whom can I trust to do the job right?

I can go along with that, too, except that this year I'm looking more at the party than the individuals running for office.

I'm concerned that a growing number of voters in this country simply don't get it. They are caught up in a fervor they can't explain, and calling it 'change'.
'Change what?', I ask.
'Well, we're going to change America', they say.
'In what way?', I query.
'We want someone new and fresh in= the White House', they exclaim.
'So, someone who's not a politician?', I say.
'Uh, well, no, we just want a lot of stuff changed, so we're voting for Obama', they state.
'So the current system, the system of freedom and democracy that has enabled a man to grow up in this great country, get a fine education, raise incredible amounts of money and dominate the news, and win his party's nomination for the White House, that system's all wrong?'
'No, no, that part of the system's okay we just need a lot of change.'

And so it goes. 'Change we can believe in.'

If Mr. Porter says the dialog above characterizes his experiences, then I guess it does. What it does not do, though, is reduce the certainty that a lot of change is required on fronts as diverse as health care, foreign policy, energy policy, education, regulation, law enforcement, trade agreements, civil rights and on and on.

Quite frankly, I don't believe that vague proclamations of change hold any promise for me. In recent months, I've been asking virtually everyone I encounter how they're voting. I live in Illinois, so most folks tell me they're voting for Barack Obama. But no one can really tell me why only that he's going to change a lot of stuff 'Change, change, change.' I have yet to find one single person who can tell me distinctly and convincingly why this man is qualified to be President and Commander-in-Chief of the most powerful nation on earth other than the fact that he claims he's going to implement a lot of change.

I share Mr. Porter's apparent disdain for the phrase, "Change we can believe in," but pointing out that people in your circle can't verbalize specifics doesn't discredit the candidate.

We've all seen the emails about Obama's genealogy, his upbringing, his Muslim background, and his church affiliations. Let's ignore this for a moment. Put it all aside. Then ask yourself, 'What qualifies this man to be my president? That he's a brilliant orator and talks about change?'

Obama's genealogy is irrelevant unless you're a racist. That he turned out OK as a result of his particular upbrining is evident. Obama is a Christian, not a Muslim, and any reference to "his Muslim background" discredits the author. Obama's church affiliations are pretty tame and less objectionable than Mr. McCain's courting of the sort of "agents of intolerance" he rightly criticized in times past.

CHANGE WHAT?

Friends, I'll be forthright with you I believe the American voters who are supporting Barack Obama don't have a clue what they're doing, as evidenced by the fact that not one of them - NOT ONE of them I've spoken to can spell out his qualifications. Not even the most liberal media can explain why he should be elected. Political experience? Negligible. Foreign relations? Non-existent. Achievements? Name one. Someone who wants to unite the country? If you haven't read his wife's thesis from Princeton, look it up on the web. This is who's lining up to be our next First Lady? The only thing I can glean from Obama's constant harping about change is that we're in for a lot of new taxes.

Not one can spell out Obama's qualifications? Come on now. Even if that assertion is true in Mr. Porter's experience, that the people Mr. Porter talks to can't satisfy him says nothing about the candidate.

Michelle Obama is an impressive woman, and she's going to make a fine First Lady.

For me, the choice is clear. I've looked carefully at the two leading applicants for the job, and I've made my choice.

So have I.

Here's a question - 'Where were you five and a half years ago? Around Christmas, 2002. You've had five or six birthdays in that time. My son has grown from a sixth grade child to a high school graduate. Five and a half years is a good chunk of time. About 2,000 days. 2,000 nights of sleep. 6,000 meals, give or take.'

John McCain spent that amount of time, from 1967 to 1973, in a North Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp.

When offered early release, he refused it. He considered this offer to be a public relations stunt by his captors, and insisted that those held longer than he should be released first. Did you get that part? He was offered his freedom, and he turned it down. A regimen of beatings and torture began.

Do you possess such strength of character? Locked in a filthy cell in a foreign country, would you turn down your own freedom in favor of your fellow man? I submit that's a quality of character that is rarely found, and for me, this singular act defines John McCain.

Senator McCain's military record, though admirable, does not constitute qualification for the Presidency. It's just one factor among many.

Unlike several presidential candidates in recent years whose military service is questionable or non-existent, you will not find anyone to denigrate the integrity and moral courage of this man. A graduate of Annapolis, during his Naval service he received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross. His own son is now serving in the Marine Corps in Iraq . Barack Obama is fond of saying 'We honor John McCain's service...BUT...', which to me is condescending and offensive - because what I hear is, 'Let's forget this man's sacrifice for his country, and his proven leadership abilities, and talk some more about change.'

No, it is not condescending, not offensive, to acknowledge Mr. McCain's military service then move on to any number of other issues that require attention. Hero worship is not a good way to pick a President.

I don't agree with John McCain on everything - but I am utterly convinced that he is qualified to be our next President, and I trust him to do what's right. I know in my heart that he has the best interests of our country in mind. He doesn't simply want to be President - he wants to lead America, and there's a huge difference. Factually, there is simply no comparison between the two candidates. A man of questionable background and motives who prattles on about change, can't hold a candle to a man who has devoted his life in public service to this nation, retiring from the Navy in 1981 and elected to the Senate in 1982.

Questionable background and motives? Like Obama's being a Muslim, right? Insinuation discredits the author.

Perhaps Obama's supporters are taking a stance between old and new. Maybe they don't care about McCain's service or his strength of character, or his unblemished qualifications to be President. Maybe 'likeability' is a higher priority for them than 'trust'. Being a prisoner of war is not what qualifies John McCain to be President of the United States of America - but his demonstrated leadership certainly DOES.

I appreciated Senator McCain's leadership in the Gang of 12 effort to break a deadlock over judicial nominees. I appreciated his initial stand on torture, but not so much the wafle that followed. I did not care at all for his involvement in the Keating business. I most certainly do not approve of his choice of running mate, and I don't like his social conservatism.

I don't trust a McCain administration to respect my civil rights. I expect a McCain administration to further the tendency to authoritarianism. I don't trust him to honor his debate pledge to end federal programs that don't work; rather, I'm confident that a McCain administration will, for example, stay the course in the War on Some Drugs in deference to the prison cop complex.

I don't trust him to make good judicial nominations. During the debate last night McCain said he would have no litmus test for federal judges, but then went on to say that a judge who thinks Roe was correctly decided wouldn't make the grade because he wouldn't be a strict constructionist.

I don't trust McCain when he protests that he is not George Bush; instead, I expect a McCain administration to be a continuation of the Bush administration.

Mr. McCain does not have my trust, nor that of the majority that will probably elect Mr. Obama in three weeks.

Dear friends, it is time for us to stand. It is time for thinking Americans to say, 'Enough.' It is time for people of all parties to stop following the party line. It is time for anyone who wants to keep America first, who wants the right man leading their nation, to start a dialogue with all their friends and neighbors and ask who they're voting for, and why.

Speaking of party line, I don't trust a McCain administration to do anything other than toe the Republican party line.

There's a lot of evil in this world. That should be readily apparent to all of us by now. And when faced with that evil as we are now, I want a man who knows the cost of war on his troops and on his citizens. I want a man who puts my family's interests before any foreign country.

I agreed with Mr. McCain at times during the last debate, particularly when part of his answer to the question, "What don't you know and how will you learn it?", was the simple truth that "Nobody knows what will happen."

Nobody knows what will happen, but I'm confident that an Obama administration will bring better qualifications to the office than a McCain administration.

I want a President who's qualified to lead.

Yes, that would be good.

I want my country back, and I'm voting for John McCain.
Phone: 760.434.1395
E-mail: ronald.hess@alumni.purdue.edu

I want the Republicans out, and I'm voting for Senator Obama.

Republicans Ashamed of Their Republicanism?

I thought it was funny when, yesterday morning, two guys that looked vaguely familiar came to my door, introduced themselves as running for state office and gave me a campaign flier.

The thing that immediately jumped out at me was the lack of any indication of party affiliation. Nothing. Just their names and a couple of paragraphs ending with the URLs of their respective web sites. Between the few words one could discern Republicanism, but the total lack of any overt party declaration was interesting.

So I went to the computer to check out their respective web sites.

The first one was just an Apache HTTP server test page which is still there this morning.

The second guy's web site also didn't declare any affiliation to the Republican party. It wasn't until I looked at the endorsement from the local newspaper that Republican party affiliation became clear.

It so happens that Tivo had recorded a joint campaign commercial for these two gentlemen. I just watched it again carefully. Twice. Not a peep about the Republican party.

So I looked at the state ballot. It lists them both as Republicans.

So, the Republican party is such an embarrassment that their own candidates don't advertise their membership? I don't know how widespread this is, but it sure stuck out to me.

I'd have to give some credit to one of these guys. That he was effectively removed from office by the fundies must speak well of him in some respect. From what I've seen, I could even vote for him, except that I will vote a straight Democratic ticket this time around because the Republican party deserves to die.

Once again, I'm voting against, not for.

Sarah Palin: The view from Alaska | Salon

Sarah Palin: The view from Alaska | Salon:

What’s with the smug posturing, recently adopted fake Minnesota accent, and that gosh-darn-it hockey mom pitch? Maybe it plays well in Peoria (and presumably Duluth), but it’s all an act. “She’s definitely put on a new persona since she’s been a vice-presidential candidate,” says Kertulla, who has worked closely with Palin for the past 18 months. “I don’t even recognize her.”

Hat tip: The Misanthrope.

Palin has always struck me as a faker. No more genuine than those plants at the McCain rally that were so "I'm mad! I'm really mad!" and "I beg you!" Bullshit artists. Bad actors.

Understanding Sarah Palin: Or, God Is In The Wattles

Interesting piece.

These findings aren't carved in stone. A lot of the studies are correlational, the models are in their infancy, yadda yadda yadda. But the data are coming in thick and fast, and they point to a pretty plausible model:

• Fear and stress result in loss of perceived control;
• Loss of perceived control results in increased perception of nonexistent patterns (N&S again: "The tendency to detect agency in nature likely supplied the cognitive template that supports the pervasive belief in supernatural agents");
• Those with right-wing political beliefs tend to scare more easily;
• Authoritarian religious systems based on a snooping, surveillant God, with high membership costs and antipathy towards outsiders, are more cohesive, less invasible by cheaters, and longer-lived. They also tend to flourish in high-stress environments.

And there you have it. The Popular Power of Palin, explained. So the next question is

Now that we can explain the insanity, what are we going to do about it?

I don't know. My approach seems to be to try to embrace uncertainty.

Debate

So I just watched the second debate between the Presidential contenders. I'm very happy that it didn't devolve into sniping about character, with references to "palling around" with terrorists and retorts about Keating. I suppose they must have agreed not to go there. Good.

Some of the questions were annoying, particularly one from the moderator, Mr. "Raucous Cacophony" Brokaw. I don't remember what it was right now, but, come on Tom.

Obama could have scored some unneeded points from me had he answered the "zen-like" question, What don't you know and how will you learn it? by starting out with a paraphrase of Mr. Rumsfeld's knowns, unknowns and unknown unknowns statement, the one that earned him so much unjust ridicule. Rumsfeld may have been a bit of an asshole, particularly towards the end, but it always annoyed me greatly to see scorn heaped on him for what was a perfectly logical statement. I wonder if Obama could have swayed some white, male fence sitters with that question by somehow working in a little defense of Rumsfeld's phrase, a bit about reaching across the aisle or something. Whatever...

Obama kind of irritated me with his insistence upon placing Osama bin Laden at the center of the terrorist question, as though killing him will be like decapitating a snake, which then dies.

McCain could have scored some needed points from me by including the useless War on Some Drugs among the things he'll be looking at in terms of cutting expenses. ONDCP apparently has a sunset clause he could decide to let go. Anti-drug resources would certainly go a long way if re-deployed for more constructive purposes.

I was glad when it was over. I felt I'd performed a civic duty in sitting through it. My vote did not change, largely because I'm furious with the Republicans, and certainly because of McCain's choice of running mate. Hockey Mom. Right. Winky dinky may I call you Joe pit bull shit artist. George Bush is an embarrassment, but I'd be mortified to have a President Palin (and it seems to be at least a 25% likelihood during the first term should the Republicans somehow win the election).

McCain's initial answer to the what don't you know question appealed to me. Nobody knows what will happen. Simple truth.

And that was that.

-----
Raucous cacophony. I think I watched Tom Brokaw's first network piece, or one of his first, when he used that phrase in some report. He was a natural. Sounded perfect. The phrase was memorable and deliberate, and Brokaw delivered it as smoothly as can be. After the report, I think it was John Chancellor, Brokaw's senior on the broadcast, who immediately repeated the phrase with a smile of acknowledgment. He might as well have saluted Brokaw. Great television moment.

Damn, that's a long time ago!

Subprime Explained - Google Docs

Subprime Explained - Google Docs

Someone sent me this amusing but incomplete explanation of the subprime meltdown that's making the rounds.

I think it's incomplete because it lets politicians off the hook. In particular, it lets conservative Republican politicians off the hook. They are the ones with so much faith in the free market that they effectively gutted regulation and undid lessons learned as a result of the Great Depression it took World War II to get us out of.

I was going to add one more "fuck you" to the presentation, but what's the point?

Palin: Obama Is ‘Palling Around With Terrorists’ - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com

Palin: Obama Is ‘Palling Around With Terrorists’ - The Caucus Blog - NYTimes.com:

"... Our opponent though, is someone who sees America it seems as being so imperfect that he’s palling around with terrorists who would target their own country?”

Obama is palling around with terrorists, eh?

Bitch.

SPIEGEL ONLINE - Druckversion - The End of Arrogance: America Loses Its Dominant Economic Role - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International

SPIEGEL ONLINE - Druckversion - The End of Arrogance: America Loses Its Dominant Economic Role - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International:

$596 trillion

Wow! Dat's a big nummer!

The triumphalism of the Bush years could easily be followed by the "I'll-sit-this-one-out" years of an Obama administration committed to a strict policy of belt-tightening. If that happens, both old and new Europe will have to demonstrate whether the European Union can rightfully claim to be on an equal footing with the United States.

In the past, the US government's solo efforts provided the Europeans with an all-too-comfortable excuse for simply doing nothing. But that excuse is no longer valid.

Maybe that'll be a good thing.

Op-Ed Contributor - The children of presidents and vice presidents shouldn’t be in combat. - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Contributor - The children of presidents and vice presidents shouldn’t be in combat. - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com:

My inescapable conclusion, therefore, is that the assignment to Iraq or Afghanistan of a service member who is the son or daughter of a president or vice president does not make sense. No matter what the young person’s desires or career needs are, they are of little importance compared with ensuring that our leaders are able to stay focused on the important business of the nation — and not worrying about the fate of a child a world away. Personally, I would like to see someone of stature like Secretary of Defense Robert Gates arbitrarily reassign them. Too much is at stake.

I always thought it was stupid to allow such high-profile people to be placed in harm's way.

WORLD EXCLUSIVE: SARAH PALIN'S SECRET LOVER REVEALED! - Celebrity News | Gossip - National Enquirer

WORLD EXCLUSIVE: SARAH PALIN'S SECRET LOVER REVEALED! - Celebrity News | Gossip - National Enquirer:

Hey, if it's in the National Enquirer it must be true. After all, they got John Edwards, didn't they?

I don't know what else to write!

The Seven Hundred Billion Dollars

The Dark Wraith Forums / Cadre:

"... Okay, where is Congress going to get that $700 billion?"

Dark Wraith Forums has become a regular stop on my rounds. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but this post reflects part of the reason in the quality of the author's writing.

When I first stumbled upon Dark Wraith Forums, I was distracted by little things like "Dark Wraith has spoken" and a couple of thematically related elements of the presentation. Very quickly, though, I came to interpret those simply as playful edges on a serious man's presentation. Gilding on a sword, engraving on a pistol.

The author, whoever he is, Dark Wraith, seems likely to be exactly what he claims to be, a long time, award winning teacher. His writing reflects talent and care. It's a pleasure to read.

Maybe the reason I like Dark Wraith Forums has to do with confirmation bias. There are plenty of other, well-known economists out there to whom I might have continued paying attention but did not. I still read Krugman, and when I see an article by Fred Banks I read it, but I generally regard economists as just another priesthood.

I wonder if Dark Wraith was one of the 500 economists polled for Scott Adams?

Naaa... Probably not.

LEAP - Press Releases › Another successful battle in the War on Drugs?

LEAP - Press Releases › Another successful battle in the War on Drugs?

The police, judges, prosecutors, and prison wardens of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition understand that ending alcohol prohibition in 1933 put Al Capone and all his smuggling buddies out of business overnight. They were no longer on our streets killing each other to control that lucrative market, no longer killing police charged with fighting that useless war, no longer killing our children caught in crossfire and drive-by shootings.

What they said.

S. T. U. P. I. D.

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - Prominent Clinton backer and DNC member to endorse McCain � - Blogs from CNN.com

I thought this was satire, what with the Lady de Rothschild calling Mr. Obama an elitist.

To my way of thinking, any woman (any person) who would switch from Obama-Biden to McCain-Palin on the basis that Mrs. Clinton isn't on the Democratic ticket is acting very stupidly.

Editorial - A Message From John McCain - Editorial - NYTimes.com

Editorial - A Message From John McCain - Editorial - NYTimes.com:

The most disheartening aspect of a scurrilous Republican ad falsely accusing Barack Obama of promoting sex education for kindergarten children is its closing line: “I’m John McCain, and I approved this message.”

Win at any cost, eh?

I wonder if there's a way to impose refereeing on the electoral process in this country?

Naaa...

Who would be the referees? What could be the penalty for using lies to win elections? How could the process of refereeing be made timely enough to make a difference? How much of the Constitution would have to be amended in order to establish that lies are not free speech, that organizations are not persons? How subtle a lie could be dealt with effectively?

I'm afraid McCain/Palin may pull this off somehow. What I'm more afraid of is a repeat of 2000 and an appointed Presidency. People in the streets?

Bridge to Nowhere?

As much as I dislike McCain and Palin and Stevens and earmarks, I'm somewhat put out by the epithet, "Bridge to Nowhere".

It's not a bridge to nowhere. It's a bridge to the airport.

It bothers me that it apparently took application of an underhanded epithet to kill an earmark that should never have been. On the other hand, could it have been otherwise?

Jolly Good Shew, Metal Masters!

The program at Crickett was Testament, Motorhead, Heaven and Hell, and finally, Judas Priest. We arrived too late for Testament, but the end of their set sounded OK from outside.

Here's the New Times' review of the event. I agree with the review, except that I was able to make out the words in Lemmy Kilmister's singing, and I didn't notice any mullets. The storm was cool, even if it did put 80 or so distribution circuits in the dark, making the drive home a bit interesting (what with pieces of trees blown up on the overpasses and into the tunnel, and what with my cable drop support having been ripped out of the side of my house, along with a bit of siding). Thanks for driving Chris!

Judas Priest's latest album, Nostradamus, is a big disappointment to me. My review is that Nostradamus is uninspired, overwrought and a purely commercial endeavor with way too much long, boring filler (sorry Priest, but come on). It's a good thing I didn't hear Nostradamus until after the tickets were on order, or I might have skipped the show. It would have been a real shame to miss this one. I think Halford is relying on electronics a bit, but what the hell, he sounded great. I can't quarrel with the New Times' reviewer's characterization of Halford's voice as "impeccable", matching the rest of the band.

The event hardly sucked at all! Motorhead was a fine surprise, what with my only recently having bought their two most recent albums (Kiss of Death and Motorizer) in order to familiarize myself with them. They clearly met the standards of Heaven and Hell and Priest, and I regret not having paid attention to them a long time ago. Motorhead is a welcome addition to my headphones.

Heaven and Hell were also well up to speed, as was to be expected. What else can I say?

We sat right behind the sound board, where it was entertaining to watch the guys playing the lights (until they had to cover up with plastic sheeting against rain from the storm whipping through the covered arena, that is). I think playing the lights would be a lot of fun.

I think the reason the New Times' reviewer couldn't make out Lemmy Kilmister's words, while I could, might have been because I'm trying to take care of what remains of my hearing. I experimented with a couple of different types of ear plugs, both alone and in conjunction with my hearing aids. Volume was deafening while I changed configurations, but aside from physical discomfort from the damned things, one of the types of ear plugs did a nice job for me.

I guess I'll just have to do this again some day.

mccain palin - Google Search

mccain palin - Google Search

I don't quite know what to make of McCain's choice for VP. Does it mean that:

• McCain wants to lose the election? Dark Wraith would have McCain win for the same reason McCain might want to loose.
  
• Rove has no influence with McCain? That would be a small plus.
• McCain knows he's going to lose, and simply wants to score points with religious authoritarians?
  
• McCain feels immortal?
• McCain thinks he can win with the votes of religious authoritarians with some disaffected Hillary supporters?

This makes no sense to me, and further reduces the odds that I'd vote for a Republican ticket (which is not saying much).

Bill Moyers' Bacevich Interview

This was an intensely interesting interview: Part 1, Part 2. That's a one-hour interview broken into two segments online. The transcript is here.

The book that forms the basis of the interview is The Limits of Power, by Andrew Bacevich, which has not yet arrived from Amazon.

Obama Biden

- Google News

Obama - Biden.

Who am I to pick Senator Obama's running mate, but I don't see Joe Biden as much of an agent of change.

Stayin' Alive: Why can't we talk about this?

Stayin' Alive: Why can't we talk about this?

What he said.

In the first place, why do you think that it's somehow a Christian belief that "human life begins at the moment of conception?" You certainly don't get that from Christ -- there is not one word about abortion anywhere in the Bible, New Testament or Old, no definition of human life, and no reference to the sanctity of fetuses or even, for that matter, the sanctity of human life in any form.

And it's not because they didn't know about abortion and contraception in those days.

Christians didn't start to argue that abortion was even sinful, let alone tantamount to murder, until the late 19th Century. So how did they make this discovery? Do you believe that it suddenly occurred to God that he'd forgotten to mention it while he happened to be incarnated almost two millennia earlier, so he quickly provided the Pope and some Evangelical preachers with a new revelation? Or, if it's merely a conclusion you come to based on your overall understanding of ethics, then why aren't other people free to come to different conclusions?

Kerry Candaele: Rick Warren Interviews Thomas Jefferson

Kerry Candaele: Rick Warren Interviews Thomas Jefferson

I never had gotten around to checking out the Huffington Post (aside from seeing the occasional piece here and there), so when the full feed was suggested by the Google Reader, I signed up. My first impressions were not all that good, what with an astrologer's column coming into view early on, along with some other junk I didn't care about. I hit the "mark all as read" button and moved on.

When I came home today there were some 160 new posts. I started to unsubscribe but thought I'd give it another shot. Scanning the post titles, I finally landed on this one: Rick Warren Interviews Thomas Jefferson.

Turns out I liked it a lot.

I don't know if Huffington Post links are permanent or not, so I'll cache the piece in comments.

RIP ONDCP September 30, 2010

One of the things that has bothered me the most about our War on Some Drugs has been the way the law requires the Office of National Drug Control Policy's Director (the Drug Czar) to take an active role in the prevention of certain changes to the law.

U.S. Code
Title 21 - Food and Drugs,
Chapter 22 - National Drug Control Policy,
Section 1703 - Appointment and duties of Director and Deputy Directors
..
(b) Responsibilities
The Director—
...
(12) shall ensure that no Federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall be expended for any study or contract relating to the legalization (for a medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in schedule I of section 812 of this title and take such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use of a substance (in any form) that—
(A) is listed in schedule I of section 812 of this title; and
(B) has not been approved for use for medical purposes by the Food and Drug Administration;
...

Once again, in plain English:

The Drug Czar will take such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use of a substance (in any form).

This is just plain wrong. It's anti-democratic, oppressive and evil. It's an affront to liberty. It serves only to further buttress preservation of special interests, and is contrary to the common good.

Good thing there is also:

Section 1712 - Termination of Office of National Drug Control Policy
(a) In general
Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, effective on September 30, 2010, this chapter and the amendments made to this chapter are repealed.
(b) Exception
Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to section 713 or the amendments made by that section.

But wait, what's that exception in pararaph (b)? There is no section 713 in Title 21, Chapter 22 of the U. S. Code. Is this a typo? There's section 1713, which says it's OK to develop and spray herbicides, but that doesn't make much sense here. What's going on?

Google eventually pointed me to the Wyoming State Law Library, which says that

Section 713, referred to in subsec. (b), is section 713 of Pub. L. 105-277, div. C, title VII, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681-693, which amended sections 5312 to 5314 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, section 1105 of Title 31, Money and Finance, and section 402 of Title 50, War and National Defense.

The whole of section 713 seems to be

SEC. 713. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

(a) Title 5, United States Code.--Chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in section 5312, by adding at the end the following: ``Director of National Drug Control Policy.'';
(2) in section 5313, by adding at the end the following: ``Deputy Director of National Drug Control Policy.''; and
(3) in section 5314, by adding at the end the following: ``Deputy Director for Demand Reduction, Office of National Drug Control Policy.
``Deputy Director for Supply Reduction, Office of National Drug Control Policy.
``Deputy Director for State and Local Affairs, Office of National Drug Control Policy.''.
(b) National Security Act of 1947.--Section 101 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 402) is amended by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g) and inserting after subsection (e) the following:
``(f) The Director of National Drug Control Policy may, in the role of the Director as principal adviser to the National Security Council on national drug control policy, and subject to the direction of the President, attend and participate in meetings of the National Security Council.''.
(c) Submission of National Drug Control Program Budget With Annual Budget Request of President.--Section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting after paragraph (25) the following:
``(26) a separate statement of the amount of appropriations requested for the Office of National Drug Control Policy and each program of the National Drug Control Program.''.

No wonder people hate lawyers and scoff at the law.

So, unless there's some provision hidden is (b) that makes (a) an empty nothing, it looks like there's a sunset clause on the Drug Czar's office.

Could it be that... Nah... Probably too much to hope for.

BBC NEWS | Europe | Citroen 2CV: France's iconic car

BBC NEWS | Europe | Citroen 2CV: France's iconic car:

comically soft suspension that made it springy enough to bump along off road

No no no no no... Comical? Bump? I don't think the writer ever rode in a 2CV. As I recall, the suspension was wonderful, the same as in the DS. In the 2CV's I drove or rode in, the ride was amazingly smooth, and extremely well damped - not springy at all.

This was a great little car. I'd love to have one today.

Ex-drugs policy director calls for legalisation | Politics | The Guardian

Ex-drugs policy director calls for legalisation | Politics | The Guardian:

He said that his views were widely held in the government but rarely expressed in public. 'I think what was truly depressing about my time in UKADCU was that the overwhelming majority of professionals I met, including those from the police, the health service, the government and voluntary sectors held the same view: the illegality of drugs causes far more problems for society and the individual than it solves. Yet publicly, all those intelligent, knowledgeable people were forced to repeat the nonsensical mantra that the government would be 'tough on drugs', even though they all knew the government's policy was actually causing harm.'

So, why is it, how is it, that all these people remain silent if they know better? Job security?

BBC NEWS | Europe | Fear, anger, confusion in Tbilisi

BBC NEWS | Europe | Fear, anger, confusion in Tbilisi:

'People like his [Asshole In Charge Saakashvili's] strong statements and most are on his side now, even opposition supporters,' said Ana, a child psychologist.

'This is hell, it's a disaster, but we have to fight to the end because Russia must be taught a lesson that it cannot act like this in the 21st Century - even if we all have to die.'

Remind me not to send my child to this child psychologist. She's INSANE!

"Many people can't understand why the West failed to protect us," said Sandro, a student in Tbilisi.

Protect you? They should shoot you for being stupid, as in expecting such an outcome.

The Human Overpopulation Crisis

The Human Overpopulation Crisis

Here is the web site that Prof. Eric Pianka put together for his freshman seminar on the human overpopulation crisis. Lots of good stuff here.

The only thing I would have liked to see in addition to what he's got there is a section on mental health - avoiding or dealing with despair and so on. I would think some in his audience of young people might be susceptible to an emotional crash of some sort when encouraged to think about how fucked we are.

I think my own experience over the years has been a grief process. I'm long past denial, still get angry at times, never did much bargaining, substituted a sort of nihilism for depression, and I've been deep into acceptance for quite a while.

This has been going on for many years in my case. It was a relatively gentle process compared to what I imagine some young people would experience when taken from youthful bliss to full-blown "we're fucked" over the course of a semester. My experience has been quite gentle compared to some of the accounts at Peak Oil Blues, a resource for people who've been shocked by the realization that peak oil is for real. (Prof. Pianka stops short of "we're fucked", but he's encouraging his students to think and some of them may come to the same conclusion I have.)

How to ease the pain? Dunno. Some people will manage OK on their own, but some might suffer mental health episodes. I'm no shrink, and I would not presume to instruct Prof. Pianka on anything, but there must be some way to help susceptible members of his young audience to be aware, and to deal with mental health issues should they arise. Introspection doesn't necessarily come naturally or progress usefully.

My two cents anyway.

One other thing... Maybe it's there in one form or another and I have missed it so far, but every student (every person) should assimilate the content of Prof. Albert Bartlett's lecture, "Arithmetic, Population and Energy".
[Never mind, the Google Video link to Prof. Bartlett's lecture is there. Good on Prof. Pianka.]

AFP: Georgia declares 'state of war' as Russian bombs fall

AFP: Georgia declares 'state of war' as Russian bombs fall:

"Obviously, the resources are not equal."

You're kidding!

If this isn't the stupidest goddamn thing...

calvo tomsic - Google News

calvo tomsic - Google News

A drug dog in Arizona tagged a package addressed to someone on the on the other side of the country. Cops delivered the package to the address, leaving it on the porch on instruction of the addressee's mother. Later, the addressee's husband arrived home, picked up the package and took it inside. Cops headed for the door, broke it down, shot two dogs, recovered the unopened package, mistreated the residents and so on.

Turns out that the victims' address had been used in a scheme where the drug traffickers used innocent addresses where corrupt delivery people could intercept packages. This time, though, the package had been delivered by the cops instead of being intercepted by the traffickers.

Now the FBI is investigating, prompted by the residents, who turned out to be the Mayor of Berwyn Heights, Maryland, and his wife, the addressee, a finance officer for the state. Also prompting the investigation is the NAACP, who pointed out that the victims had experienced police action familiar to many young black men in the county.

I imagine the cops had been salivating at the prospect of keeping money from the sale of the house they would confiscate under civil forfeiture. Civil forfeiture is one of the worst evils in this War on Some Drugs.

This case is made doubly infuriating when coupled with exposure to the viewpoint represented in this piece, in which an apparent right-wing authoritarian dismisses Barney Frank's proposed legislation to decriminalize marijuana use on the Federal level.

Oh, well...

Overpopulation: the real crisis - Opinion

Overpopulation: the real crisis - Opinion
Here's a guest column in the UT Austin Daily Texan by Eric Pianka, the biology prof who caught so much shit from religious conservatives a couple of years ago.

These same sorts rise up against him in the comments.

Denial...

Obama urges opening oil reserves

BBC NEWS | Americas | Obama urges opening oil reserves

Obama deserves credit for his attitude regarding the so-called gas tax holiday, but opening the strategic reserve undoes that. I guess he's got to adopt this new stance, elections and all, but it is annoying.

This isn't enough to change my vote or anything. In fact, there is only one circumstance under which I could see myself voting for McCain over Obama. But it'll never happen.

Pope Assails Moral Relativism - NYTimes.com

Pope Assails Moral Relativism - NYTimes.com:

“The concerns for nonviolence, sustainable development, justice, and peace, and care for our environment are of vital importance for humanity,” the pope said. “They cannot, however, be understood apart from a profound reflection upon the innate dignity of every human life from conception to death,” he said in an address to more than 140,000 people at his first appearance at World Youth Day here.

There is nothing innate about human dignity.

Ascribing "dignity" (whatever that is) to every human life from conception to death is to preempt a whole range of actions that make good sense. If one buys into the nonsensical idea of "inherent human dignity", then one can't accept the logic of protection of the commons, which implies only that problems are worse later.

Inherent human "dignity" is a vague and stupid concept. Morality is relative. The pope is wrong.

Here: The Stupidity of Dignity (or cached in the first comment below)

Help to save the world, Pope tells Australia - National - smh.com.au

Help to save the world, Pope tells Australia - National - smh.com.au:

[The Pope's] message, unexpected and delivered in Italian, called for a spiritual response to the environmental crisis and asked Catholics - especially young people - to find 'a way of living, a style of life that eases the problems caused to the environment'.

Clearly, it was too much to expect even a peep about the root cause of all these "problems caused to the environment": TOO DAMNED MANY PEOPLE eating the fish, fouling the air, chopping the forest, poaching the animals, confining the rivers, draining the swamps, consuming the oil, acidifying the oceans, destroying the reefs and so forth.

A spiritual response. Right.

This is the U.S. on drugs - Los Angeles Times

The United States has been spending $69 billion a year worldwide for the last 40 years, for a total of $2.5 trillion, on drug prohibition -- with little to show for it. Is anyone actually benefiting from this war? Six groups come to mind.

By the the way, the authors of the piece are not just silly legalizers like me.

David W. Fleming, a lawyer, is the chairman of the Los Angeles County Business Federation and immediate past chairman of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. James P. Gray is a judge of the Orange County Superior Court.

So there.

The six groups the authors thought to mention that benefit from the War on Some Drugs were:

• Drugs lords everywhere making billions of tax-free dollars
• Street gangs involved in peddling the stuff
• Government drug warriors preserving and growing their turf
• Politicians manipulating voters
• The Prison/Cop Complex (PCC)
  The authors referred to this bunch as "people who make money from increased crime". They point out that the prison guards union in California is one of the strongest, and growing, lobbying groups in California today. The authors didn't make specific mention of the "cop" part of the PCC, but they should have.
• Terrorists funding their operations with dope.

Some people might say I'm being redundant, but Iran/Contra comes to mind so I'd add:

• Governments funding their illegal operations with dope.

Another group I'd add to this list is

• Purveyors of currently legal mind-altering drugs.

There are others whose financial and power interests are served by continuing the War on Some Drugs, of course. To hell with them all.

One of my favorite movie lines goes something like, "A person is smart. People are stupid."

Once again:

The United States has been spending $69 billion a year worldwide for the last 40 years, for a total of $2.5 trillion, on drug prohibition -- with little to show for it.

We are so fucking stupid...

No Babies? - Declining Population in Europe - NYTimes.com

No Babies? - Declining Population in Europe - NYTimes.com

As I read this interesting piece (cached in comments in case the link above dies), which starts out concentrating on the natalist reaction to declining birthrates and the causes of the declines, it seemed that a particular contributor to the decline in birthrates had been ignored, that being the likely state of the world in which children born today will live, as perceived by prospective parents.

I wonder how many prospective parents think about the sort of world their children will live in? Maybe it's very small, and maybe that's what renders the question unimportant from the perspective of the piece's author.

Of those prospective parents who do think about the world their children will inherit, some will develop a dark outlook and tend not to breed, possibly out of projected love for the child that might have been. Others will agree that the globe's human population of 6 or 7 billion, trending towards 9 or 13 billion, is unsustainable and needs to drop drastically.

I am squarely with the much-maligned Paul Ehrlich.

Paul Ehrlich, the Stanford scientist who warned us about the “population bomb” in the 1960s, is more certain than ever that the human race is catastrophically straining the planet. “It’s insane to consider low birthrate as a crisis,” he told me. “Basically every person I know in my section of the National Academy of Sciences thinks it’s wonderful that rich countries are starting to shrink their populations to sustainable levels. We have to do that because we’re wrecking our life-support systems.”

Buried Tank

I would happily shoot the son of a bitch who buried this thing in my back yard.



I have no idea what it may have been for, but it seems to have a capacity of two or three hundred gallons. It's buried along with all sorts of caliche, concrete and mortar rubble, many pieces of which have to be dug out individually, even if they're small enough for a shovel, because the shovel can't penetrate.

This is what it looks like on the inside.



Kind of pretty, don't you think?

Oh, well... Good thing I don't have to do this kind of work for a living, or I might be the one burying stuff like this.

Rove, critics try to pin 'arrogant' label on Obama - CNN.com

Rove, critics try to pin 'arrogant' label on Obama - CNN.com:

'I will say yes, I do think Barack Obama is arrogant,' Rove said Tuesday night on Fox News, where he's a contributor.

Rove's line of attack started a day earlier when ABC News quoted him telling Republicans that Obama is 'coolly arrogant.'

'Even if you never met him, you know this guy,' he said at a Capitol Hill breakfast, according to ABC. 'He's the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone.'

When asked about the comments Tuesday, Rove told Fox that he was 'not going to get into what I said in an off-the-record event.'

I will say yes, I do think Karl Rove is beneath contempt, as is Fox News, where he's a contributor.

Rove's lines of attack started to anger me when I first heard about them, when various sources repeatedly confirmed that my opinion of him as a "disgusting partisan asshole" was well justified.

"Even if you never met him, you know this guy," I said to someone, anyone and everyone. "He's the amoral operator behind the scenes, with the pack of minions liplocked to his ass, that hides behind any cover he can find and does whatever it takes to manipulate political outcomes for the President who's led us to the sorry state we're in."

When asked why he would utter the phrase "off-the-record," Rove might as well have told Fox News, "It was just to create the false impression that I give a shit about such niceties."

Karl Rove: I can't think of anyone for whom I have less respect.

Drug WarRant

Drug WarRant:

Finally, what he has to say about us is that we don't spend enough time talking about 'the very real harm associated with marijuana among some people in some circumstances.' [emphasis added] With all those qualifiers, it's hard to blame reformers for wondering if it's really worth their time focusing on those problem people who will be there whether or not prohibition exists, when prohibition adversely affects EVERYONE. And I admit, quite frankly, that I don't give a f*ck about some psychologically messed up stoner who is dependent on marijuana, especially compared to people getting shot to death in their homes and spending decades in prison because nobody has the balls to face up to the fact that prohibition is wrong.

What he said!

George Carlin is dead.

The Associated Press: George Carlin mourned as a counterculture hero

The label, "counterculture hero," may be fitting, but the world would be a better place if it didn't. The world needs more people like George Carlin.

The original seven words were, shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits.
...
I found three more words that had to be put on the list of words you could never say on television, and they were fart, turd and twat, those three.

Turd?

Times change. Thanks, George Carlin. More power to you.

How Handy!

I smell bullshit.

A Highway Patrol officer pulls someone over for not signaling a lane change in a state where everyone ignores the speed limit, including the cops.

The driver declines consent to a search of the car, so the cop brings along a dog that handily "alerts" on the trunk. And this is probable cause to search?

Wait a minute! What's a Highway Patrolman doing with a drug sniffing dog, anyway? Isn't the Highway Patrol supposed to be tending to the highways, giving tickets to speeders and assisting stranded motorists?

This is bullshit. I think the cops used the dog's supposed "alert" as a pretext to circumvent the man's right not to be unreasonably searched.

No drugs were found, so the dog must have alerted to drug residue on the money sealed up in insulated bags? Oh, please.

So, the Highway Patrolman calls the drug warriors to seize the money, and lets the driver go.

This sort of thing stinks. It makes me less Proud to Be An American.

It doesn't matter whether the money was clean (it could have been) or dirty (it might have been). The point is that the cops are almost certainly guilty of using pretext, and that is for the birds.

Bush's Drill Bit - WSJ.com

Bush's Drill Bit - WSJ.com:

Even some of Washington's fiercest opponents of oil drilling are thinking anew, and the politics of domestic energy production seem to be shifting. This isn't surprising with gas prices as a top-tier campaign issue. More confounding was President Bush's timidity yesterday as he tried to prod Congress into movement.

Could it be that Mr. Bush's "timidity" results from his knowing that, for reasons larger than understanding the oil business, the gasoline price issue is bogus?

Areas presently excluded from oil exploration and production should remain excluded for at least these reasons:

1) Rushing in to previously excluded or protected areas will do nothing to lower fuel prices.

2) Lowering fuel prices is not what you encourage if you are interested in development and penetration of alternatives to oil energy.

3) Humans have to stop burning stuff. Humans have to stop adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere - have to stop making the problem worse.

Mr. McCain is correct about the need to build nuclear power plants, but his stances on a gas tax holiday and relaxing oil drilling restrictions are wrong-headed.

On the Second Amendment, Don't Believe Obama!

The heading of the email I got from the NRA today (I'm a member) is: On the Second Amendment, Don't Believe Obama! The message is

The presidential primary season is finally over, and it is now time for gun owners to take a careful look at just where apparent nominee Barack Obama stands on issues related to the Second Amendment. During the primaries, Obama tried to hide behind vague statements of support for "sportsmen" or unfounded claims of general support for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

But his real record, based on votes taken, political associations, and long standing positions, shows that Barack Obama is a serious threat to Second Amendment liberties. Don't listen to his campaign rhetoric! Look instead to what he has said and done during his entire political career.

But... but, I've been sending the Obama campaign a bit of of my paycheck. I wear an Obama t-shirt and I have an Obama sign posted outside my house. Oh my God, I'm so confused!

I think Obama probably has but a tiny sliver of the NRA vote. Maybe I'm the only one - who knows?

Obama and the Democrats are my choice this time around, but more as the evil of two lessers than because I'm in their camp. I'm an independent who wants the Republicans severely punished, possibly executed, because of how badly the Republicans have fucked things up over the past decade and more. (Actually, it took two to tango, and ultimately it's We the People who are to blame. But that leaves nobody at whom to lash out. The Republicans have been the worst part of the mess, so I'm most furious with them at the moment.)

I want to see the Republican party hiding in a deep cave with a heavy load of rock salt deeply embedded in their asses. I don't want them coming out again until it's time to do the same damned thing to the Democrats.

Obama is not going to champion gun rights, he's not going to advance drug reform, he's not going to push nuclear energy, he's not going to modernize the nuclear arsenal, he's not going to champion population control. He probably will take us into stupid treaties banning land mines and cluster bombs. On the other hand, we'll probably wind up with better approaches to energy efficiency and health care, and we'll be more likely to see a diminution in the influence of "Washington lobbyists" under an Obama administration.

In my fantasies, Obama emerges as a real patriot and a great leader who places party interests in a distant second or third place behind national interests. I hope he turns out to be the sort of leader who will put the news you don't want to hear squarely in your face, and who earns the admiration of the citizenry for having done so.

Though he seems to be a man of deep religious faith, I think he's far less likely to indulge moralizing authoritarians than any Republican. Sure, he had a controversial pastor, but the controversy was manufactured. There wasn't anything wrong with Obama's pastor, especially compared to the clowns McCain has had to distance himself from lately.

I'd like to be an enthusiastic supporter, but really, I just want to punch someone. Screw the Republicans.

Department of Peace - McCain’s McClellan Nightmare - Readers' Comments - The New York Times

McCain’s McClellan Nightmare - Readers' Comments - The New York Times:

4) Now that we have lost 4000 americans, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, trillions of dollars, and all respect in the world, can we please discuss the creation of a Department of Peace, whose role it will be to not fight every point, but to seek out any and all diplomatic responses to issues, even if we don't follow them. It would seem, given the clear consequences of not having anyone to challenge our leaders, that setting up a department designed to seek alternative methods might be necessary.

I think it was from Kurt Vonnegut that I first heard the idea for a Department of Peace. I think it's a good idea.

I'd establish a cabinet-level Department of Peace, and then demote the Defense and State Departments to that reporting structure.

Second, I'd establish a doctrine under which, if there's no way out of fighting a war, it is fought decisively. No fucking around.

In my dreams...

By the way, the column that prompted the comment which, in turn, prompted this post, is an example of why Frank Rich is one of my favorite columnists.

How Short Can You Go? 50 to 100 Word Stories

How Short Can You Go? 50 to 100 Word Stories

For some reason this post caught my eye. Let's see if I can come up with something.

Holding aim as steadily as tiring arms and aching back allowed, he waited patiently for the perfect moment. Steadying the sight image by yet another tug of the butt into his shoulder, he despaired, realizing the cub might never get out of the way - that the shot might soon be but a memorable possibility.

Suddenly... Cub gone! Sight picture perfect! Mama's head turning... Trigger gently squeezed. Click! Another National Geographic moment? Big smile!

I think that's 73 words. Worth a damn?

'PreTeena' Comic Will Be Ending Next Month

'PreTeena' Comic Will Be Ending Next Month

I was wondering why I wasn't seeing any new PreTeena strips. It was discontinued last week.

I will miss PreTeena, one of my favorites.

More power to Allison Barrows.

Brownback Internet Radio Equality amendment

Webcasting, which has become virtually the only way I gain exposure to new and different music, is in danger of going away because the music industry wants double the royalties they negotiated with satellite radio. [SaveNetRadio.org]

I mostly listen to Pandora, so, for what it's worth, I sent this message to my Senator, Jon Kyle, who sits on the Judiciary Committee.

Dear Senator Kyle,

As a somewhat hearing-impaired person, I find that virtually the only time I am able to enjoy music is if I am in a quiet location and wearing headphones. I am able to enjoy music best if I am sitting at my computer.

I have come to appreciate music webcasting as a good source of exposure to new and different music and, contrary to over-the-air radio, a means of identifying and sometimes handily purchasing music new to me.

I understand that music webcasting's existence is threatened by unequal treatment at the hands of the recording industry vis-a-vis other music transmission services such as satellite radio, and that Senator Brownback's amendment is intended to rectify this situation.

Please lend your support to the Brownback Internet Radio Equality amendment. Thank you.

Sincerely,

To the music industry: I am FAR more likely to purchase new music if I'm exposed to it than if not. It is in the interests of musicians and the music industry for me to continue to listen to Pandora. Deal in good faith.

Murdered boy 'turned down fight'

BBC NEWS | UK | England | London | Murdered boy 'turned down fight':

She said she had no anger for his killer.

I suppose that's admirable. The poor lady sounds like a good person and a good parent. The loss of her son this way was... What can I say?

She said: "I feel for the parents of this boy."

I suppose that's admirable, too, but a bit hasty. Some parents may be completely innocent of the misdeeds of their offspring, but some of them are guilty of irresponsible, uncaring, negligent child rearing. Some worse than that. Some parents are guilty as sin.

Leaving aside the details of this particular case, the thing that frustrates me is the inability of societies to rid themselves of members whose characteristics, by being tolerated, lead to this sort of thing. If we were smarter, we'd be able to act decisively on proven facts about people, such as that they are violent predators by their nature, as conclusively demonstrated by their repeated acts.

But no.

Bio Hunger?

It's not the ethanol that should be coupled with world hunger, Glenn.

Corn ethanol is a bad idea, sure, but world hunger has much more to do with TOO MANY PEOPLE!!!


Humanity has not devised a means of dealing with overpopulation because we are apparently incapable of doing so (or even of recognizing the problem). This means, unfortunately, that our population is just like that of any other species: subject to control by external forces.

If it is true that electronic and biophysical sciences and technology are accelerating and melding to evolve greatly enhanced human intelligence soon, I can't escape the thought of the first batch of suddenly-smarter ones arranging to reduce our numbers to whatever is sustainable. Maybe they'll be smart enough to figure out how to do this more gracefully than by simply killing off the excess.

If human numbers aren't somehow reduced along these lines, I also can't escape the image of some thin, global layer in future geological strata marking the boundary between pre- and post-human eras, but absent any possible explanation such as the Chicxulub impact crater.

In the meantime, Obama for President!

Obama Says Clinton, McCain Are Wrong on Gas-Tax Plan - WSJ.com

Obama Says Clinton, McCain Are Wrong on Gas-Tax Plan - WSJ.com:

Mrs. Clinton says

'Some people say we don't need to get a gas tax holiday at all, it's a gimmick .. I want the Congress to stand up and vote. Are they for the oil companies, or are they for you?'

OK, that does it. Unless something unexpected happens between now and election day, my vote will go to Barak Obama even if I have to write it in.

Are they for the oil companies, or are they for you? Give me a break. This woman is pissing me off more and more each day. I used to admire her quite a lot, but now, little things like dropping the g's in "*ing" and taking shots with the boys, and big things like this bullshit pandering with the gas tax, things have changed. To hell with Hillary Clinton the Fake.

And hey, Wall Street Journal / Associated Press, you say

The proposed federal gas tax holiday is a rarity in the marathon battle for the Democratic presidential nomination -- a clear-cut policy difference between Sens. Obama and Clinton.

Surely you can do better than credit Clinton's pandering with the label of "policy". The summertime gas tax holiday is not a policy. It is unprincipled pandering, nothing more.