A cheap, highly addictive drug known as "cheese heroin" has killed 21 teenagers in the Dallas area over the past two years, and authorities say they are hoping they can stop the fad before it spreads across the nation.
They won't be able to stop it now that this story has gone worldwide.
The things people will do for fucking money.
Here's the story.
June 12, 2007
Are Google's moves creeping you out?
Google's recently unveiled Street View stunned many with its photos of the unsuspecting, from a man climbing a front gate to another walking out of a strip club, but it's hardly the first time the company has compiled a massive database of material that some would want to remain private. Indeed, Google has for years been storing every Web search and analyzing the topics of Gmail so it can serve customers with related advertisements.
But now that Google is serving up images from the sky with Google Earth, creating street-level images with Street View and tracking customer behavior in cyberspace, some are starting to ask: how much is enough?
Then, with the soon to be ubiquitous RFD chips, you can be tracked every where you go every minute of the day. Isn't that nice?
Read the rest.
But now that Google is serving up images from the sky with Google Earth, creating street-level images with Street View and tracking customer behavior in cyberspace, some are starting to ask: how much is enough?
Then, with the soon to be ubiquitous RFD chips, you can be tracked every where you go every minute of the day. Isn't that nice?
Read the rest.
Google ranked 'worst' on privacy
Google has the worst privacy policy of popular net firms, says a report.
Are you really surprised?
Read the rest.
Are you really surprised?
Read the rest.
Aborted Attempt to Murder the Browns
What is so damned important that they need to end people's lives over? Is it really the money? I don't think so. The Federal Government can print all the money it desires. I believe it's about control. The feds can't have people telling them, "No." It threatens their whole power base, their control over the voluntary servitude of the masses. The feds are forced to take action when people question their authority. Because if we all realize that they only can do these things to us because of our acquiesce, their power will disappear. They can't have that, so the mainstream press must vilify the Browns, calling their home a fortified compound, calling them criminals for wanting to keep what they've earned. The government will continue trying to kill the Browns to maintain their control over us, their voluntary slaves.
Link.
Link.
George Bush insists that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
So why, six years ago, did the CIA give the Iranians blueprints to build a bomb?
There's a good question.
And it gets more interesting:
Operation Merlin has been one of the most closely guarded secrets in the Clinton and Bush administrations. It's not clear who originally came up with the idea, but the plan was first approved by Clinton. After the Russian scientist's fateful trip to Vienna, however, the Merlin operation was endorsed by the Bush administration, possibly with an eye toward repeating it against North Korea or other dangerous states.
Learn more here.
There's a good question.
And it gets more interesting:
Operation Merlin has been one of the most closely guarded secrets in the Clinton and Bush administrations. It's not clear who originally came up with the idea, but the plan was first approved by Clinton. After the Russian scientist's fateful trip to Vienna, however, the Merlin operation was endorsed by the Bush administration, possibly with an eye toward repeating it against North Korea or other dangerous states.
Learn more here.
Repeal Second Amendment, Analyst Advises
Wittes, who said he has "no particular enthusiasm for the idea of a gun culture," said that rather than try to limit gun ownership through regulation that potentially violates the Second Amendment, opponents of gun ownership should set their sights on repealing the amendment altogether.
Isn't that lovely. Then
Wittes said the Second Amendment guarantee of the right to bear arms meant more when it was crafted more than 200 years ago than it does today. Modern society is "much more ambivalent than they [the founders] were about whether gun ownership really is fundamental to liberty," he said.
The wrath of 2007: America's great drought
America is facing its worst summer drought since the Dust Bowl years of the Great Depression. Or perhaps worse still.
Read the story here.
Read the story here.
Last minute appeal in teen sex case sparks outrage
I saw this coming but it still pisses me off.
Jubilation turned to anger Monday after Georgia's top prosecutor vowed he would fight a judge's order that would have set free Genarlow Wilson, a Georgia man serving a 10-year prison sentence for a consensual sexual encounter he had as a teenager.
Bottom line:
"We don't understand the reasoning or rationale of the attorney general on this issue," Lowery said.
This man poses no threat to society; never has. And they call the US judicial system fair and just?
Get pissed off here.
Jubilation turned to anger Monday after Georgia's top prosecutor vowed he would fight a judge's order that would have set free Genarlow Wilson, a Georgia man serving a 10-year prison sentence for a consensual sexual encounter he had as a teenager.
Bottom line:
"We don't understand the reasoning or rationale of the attorney general on this issue," Lowery said.
This man poses no threat to society; never has. And they call the US judicial system fair and just?
Get pissed off here.
June 11, 2007
We of little faith
But religious faith is inconsistent with reason (and much more that we value as well).
I'm not referring to the ordinary kind of faith by which we have faith in another person's honesty, or that taking an aspirin will reduce our headache. I am talking about religious faith, as Tony Blair was too. In this context faith means believing without reason. Indeed, this is precisely how it is defined, for example as "Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence" or in Merriam Webster as "firm belief in something for which there is no proof". Does this make faith inconsistent with reason? I would say yes. Reason demands that you look for evidence and believe accordingly - which is exactly what we do when we trust a friend because they've been reliable in the past, or doubt a rumour until we've checked on the facts.
Faith is corrosive to the human mind. If someone genuinely believes that it is right to believe things without reason or evidence then they are open to every kind of dogma, whim, coercion, or dangerous infectious idea that's around. If someone is convinced that it is acceptable to base their beliefs on what is written in an ancient book, or what some teacher tells them they must believe, then they will have no true freedom of thought; they will be trapped by their faith into inconsistency and untruths because they are unable to throw out false ideas when evidence against them comes along.
Read the rest.
I'm not referring to the ordinary kind of faith by which we have faith in another person's honesty, or that taking an aspirin will reduce our headache. I am talking about religious faith, as Tony Blair was too. In this context faith means believing without reason. Indeed, this is precisely how it is defined, for example as "Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence" or in Merriam Webster as "firm belief in something for which there is no proof". Does this make faith inconsistent with reason? I would say yes. Reason demands that you look for evidence and believe accordingly - which is exactly what we do when we trust a friend because they've been reliable in the past, or doubt a rumour until we've checked on the facts.
Faith is corrosive to the human mind. If someone genuinely believes that it is right to believe things without reason or evidence then they are open to every kind of dogma, whim, coercion, or dangerous infectious idea that's around. If someone is convinced that it is acceptable to base their beliefs on what is written in an ancient book, or what some teacher tells them they must believe, then they will have no true freedom of thought; they will be trapped by their faith into inconsistency and untruths because they are unable to throw out false ideas when evidence against them comes along.
Read the rest.
God bless the atheists
After all, we have freedom from religion in America - the Constitution makes it clear that no power in this country has the right to impose religion on anyone.
So the atheists have clear sailing, and I say: Thank God.
That’s because people of faith should be challenged and think about their beliefs. Critical thinking in all areas makes the mind sharper and your philosophy stronger.
Here's the rest.
So the atheists have clear sailing, and I say: Thank God.
That’s because people of faith should be challenged and think about their beliefs. Critical thinking in all areas makes the mind sharper and your philosophy stronger.
Here's the rest.
Roger Waters: Something can be done about extreme poverty
One dollar. It's the cost of a New York Times, less than half a cup of coffee at Starbucks. These days it's a paltry sum. Even less when you consider that right now, a billion people are struggling to survive on less than one dollar a day. This is what defines "extreme poverty."
What is life like on a dollar a day? Miserable, for the most part. It's living so close to the edge that any bad break -- an illness, a drought, a drink of dirty water -- can be fatal. Each day, 20,000 people in this condition die simply because they're too poor to live.
Read the rest.
What is life like on a dollar a day? Miserable, for the most part. It's living so close to the edge that any bad break -- an illness, a drought, a drink of dirty water -- can be fatal. Each day, 20,000 people in this condition die simply because they're too poor to live.
Read the rest.
Ten-year sentence thrown out in teen sex case
Finally, some good news:
A judge on Monday voided a 10-year sentence for a man accused of having consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girl when he was 17. He instead gave Genarlow Wilson a 12-month misdemeanor sentence with credit for time already served.
But of course:
The state is likely to appeal the ruling.
Because obviously this guy is such a threat to society.
Wilson, now 21, has already served more than 27 months. He could remain behind bars while the appeal proceeds.
He should be released immediately.
Read the rest.
A judge on Monday voided a 10-year sentence for a man accused of having consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girl when he was 17. He instead gave Genarlow Wilson a 12-month misdemeanor sentence with credit for time already served.
But of course:
The state is likely to appeal the ruling.
Because obviously this guy is such a threat to society.
Wilson, now 21, has already served more than 27 months. He could remain behind bars while the appeal proceeds.
He should be released immediately.
Read the rest.
OpenOffice worm Badbunny hops across operating systems
Once opened, the OpenOffice file, called badbunny.odg, launches a macro that behaves in several different ways, depending on the user's operating system.
Learn more.
Learn more.
Controversial DePaul Professor Denied Tenure
In a statement Friday, DePaul confirmed that while the political science department and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences had recommended tenure for Finkelstein, the college's dean and the University Board on Promotion and Tenure had recommended against it.
...
In an interview Friday, Finkelstein said he was "disappointed," but that the decision would not muzzle his views. "I met the standards of tenure required at DePaul, but it wasn't enough to overcome the political opposition to my speaking out on the Israel-Palestine conflict," he said.
The point of tenure is to protect opposing viewpoints so faculty are not forced to "tote the party line."
What happened here leads to a dangerous road to travel. Will non-tenured faculty now suppress their opinions for fear of upsetting "someone" and be denied tenure?
Read the rest.
...
In an interview Friday, Finkelstein said he was "disappointed," but that the decision would not muzzle his views. "I met the standards of tenure required at DePaul, but it wasn't enough to overcome the political opposition to my speaking out on the Israel-Palestine conflict," he said.
The point of tenure is to protect opposing viewpoints so faculty are not forced to "tote the party line."
What happened here leads to a dangerous road to travel. Will non-tenured faculty now suppress their opinions for fear of upsetting "someone" and be denied tenure?
Read the rest.
Pentagon Confirms It Sought To Build A 'Gay Bomb'
A Berkeley watchdog organization that tracks military spending said it uncovered a strange U.S. military proposal to create a hormone bomb that could purportedly turn enemy soldiers into homosexuals and make them more interested in sex than fighting.
Lovely.
Read the rest.
Lovely.
Read the rest.
Former Catholic Sister Says Even Mother Teresa Is a Fraud
For nine years Susan Shields worked as a devoted Catholic Sister, working for Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. When finally becoming fed-up in 1989, she left Mother Teresa in disgust over the misuse of millions in charitable donations that never got to their destination -- the poor and afflicted.
Shields story was recently sent to the Arctic Beacon, as printed in the Free Inquiry Magazine, revealing how Mother Teresa really turned a blind eye to the poor while millions of dollars in donations are still sitting in Vatican bank accounts.
Read more here.
Shields story was recently sent to the Arctic Beacon, as printed in the Free Inquiry Magazine, revealing how Mother Teresa really turned a blind eye to the poor while millions of dollars in donations are still sitting in Vatican bank accounts.
Read more here.
Gene tests 'to mean higher insurance premiums'
Dr Richard Ashcroft, professor of biomedical ethics at the University of London, said there was a risk that people would be discriminated against on the basis of a poor understanding of genetics.
Read more here.
Read more here.
First-Ever 'Peacefulness' Ranking Launched; U.S. Scores Low
The first study to rank countries around the world according to their peacefulness and identify the drivers that create and sustain peace was released here last week.
Norway took the crown for most peaceful nation among the 121 surveyed by the Global Peace Index, followed closely by New Zealand, Denmark, Ireland, and Japan.
The United States and Iran received nearly equal -- and low -- scores, placing 96 and 97 on the list.
Iraq placed dead last, just below Sudan and Israel.
FYI.
Norway took the crown for most peaceful nation among the 121 surveyed by the Global Peace Index, followed closely by New Zealand, Denmark, Ireland, and Japan.
The United States and Iran received nearly equal -- and low -- scores, placing 96 and 97 on the list.
Iraq placed dead last, just below Sudan and Israel.
FYI.
The Lost Angeles Tinderbox Primed for Large Riots
Now that the dust is starting to settle from the mayhem in MacArthur Park on May Day 2007, an understanding of basic and mob psychology tells us that Lost Angeles is again primed for major riots and destruction on a large scale. While we hope these riots never manifest, the recent actions of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and LAPD Chief William Bratton have primed the city for major upheavals. Their actions have provided LAPD officers an incentive not to do their jobs and given pro-illegal alien protesters a political incentive to create larger and more destructive mobs.
More here.
More here.
Marijuana "Worth Its Weight In Gold," US Government Says
For example, authors note that street prices for cocaine and heroin fell during the 1980s while the price of marijuana rose steadily, peaking in 1991.
Authors report that the average price for pot fell in the 1990s, but began rising once again after 2000.
I'm sure it's a coincendence but I find it interesting that the price of marijuana increased during both Bush administrations yet decreased during Clinton's. Just an observation.
Read the rest.
Authors report that the average price for pot fell in the 1990s, but began rising once again after 2000.
I'm sure it's a coincendence but I find it interesting that the price of marijuana increased during both Bush administrations yet decreased during Clinton's. Just an observation.
Read the rest.
The picture that proves 'torture flights' are STILL landing in the UK
Records show the plane is owned by Blackwater USA, a CIA contractor described as "the most secretive and powerful mercenary army on the planet".
And so it continues.
Here's more.
And so it continues.
Here's more.
The gentlemen's club for the rich and famous that worships a 1980s Page 3 girl
The Bohemian Grove Club holds an annual summer camp at which members, who include Henry Kissinger, former President George Bush Senior, Clint Eastwood and Bob Weir, founder member of Sixties rock band the Grateful Dead, debate world politics, perform weird mock Druid ceremonies – and, it turns out, ogle a poster of a blonde in a thong.
...
The Bohemian Grove Club has been called the world's most exclusive old boys' club.
If you are unaware of Bohemian Grove, I encourage you to do a Google search to learn more.
Read the rest.
...
The Bohemian Grove Club has been called the world's most exclusive old boys' club.
If you are unaware of Bohemian Grove, I encourage you to do a Google search to learn more.
Read the rest.
The picture that proves 'torture flights' are STILL landing in the UK
Records show the plane is owned by Blackwater USA, a CIA contractor described as "the most secretive and powerful mercenary army on the planet".
And so it continues.
Here's more.
And so it continues.
Here's more.
The giant machine in search of the universe's smallest particle
Then the machine will be switched on, and the world will hold its breath: the search for the so-called "God particle" will start.
Some of nature's deepest secrets will be investigated: What is dark matter? Why is the universe expanding? What are its building blocks?
Learn more.
Some of nature's deepest secrets will be investigated: What is dark matter? Why is the universe expanding? What are its building blocks?
Learn more.
Scientists develop pill to delay the menopause
They could lead to a fertility revolution, allowing women to wait longer to have a child.
The dramatic news came from fertility expert Professor Robert Winston. He told a conference that researchers had found a protein which they believe could be developed into a pill or an injection to extend the life of women’s eggs.
This would give new hope for the thousands of women who find themselves left childless in later life.
Read the rest.
The dramatic news came from fertility expert Professor Robert Winston. He told a conference that researchers had found a protein which they believe could be developed into a pill or an injection to extend the life of women’s eggs.
This would give new hope for the thousands of women who find themselves left childless in later life.
Read the rest.
June 8, 2007
Marine says he erased photos of Haditha victims
A staff sergeant testified Thursday that he was ordered to destroy grisly pictures of women and children killed by Marines so that the images would not be part of a statement being prepared for an investigative officer and a magazine reporter.
The testimony by Staff Sgt. Justin Laughner, taken under a grant of immunity, is the first evidence suggesting that any Marine officer may have engaged in a coverup in the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in 2005.
And some of you wonder why they hate us.
Read the rest.
The testimony by Staff Sgt. Justin Laughner, taken under a grant of immunity, is the first evidence suggesting that any Marine officer may have engaged in a coverup in the deaths of 24 Iraqi civilians in 2005.
And some of you wonder why they hate us.
Read the rest.
GOP Ron Paul - Five Million Dollar Man?
Congressman Ron Paul’s donations have moved up - not by hundreds of thousands - but by millions as a result of his debate performances and groundswell of support on the Internet and in New Hampshire, observers close to the campaign say.
The move is especially impressive since as of March 31, 2007, he had perhaps $500,000 on hand (see candidate estimates below).
...
At this rate, say observers, Ron Paul could have something like $10 million in his coffers inside of several months, and the total could keep growing – so long as he continues to hit on themes that Americans support – how to return the country to a true, small government, constitutional republic and how to end the war in Iraq.
Read the rest.
The move is especially impressive since as of March 31, 2007, he had perhaps $500,000 on hand (see candidate estimates below).
...
At this rate, say observers, Ron Paul could have something like $10 million in his coffers inside of several months, and the total could keep growing – so long as he continues to hit on themes that Americans support – how to return the country to a true, small government, constitutional republic and how to end the war in Iraq.
Read the rest.
Latest message from Ed and Elaine Brown's website re police siege
At issue is whether the income tax is legal and whether the 16th Amendment was in fact actually ratified.
...
All the Browns did was ask to see the law that obligated them to pay an income tax. The government refused to show the law, as it has for decades, and as was the case at Ruby Ridge and Waco, their only answer is steel and boots.
Here's the link.
...
All the Browns did was ask to see the law that obligated them to pay an income tax. The government refused to show the law, as it has for decades, and as was the case at Ruby Ridge and Waco, their only answer is steel and boots.
Here's the link.
Free, independent Vermont?
Disillusioned by what they call an empire about to fall, a small cadre of writers and academics hopes to put the question before citizens in March. Eventually, they want to persuade state lawmakers to declare independence, returning Vermont to the status it held from 1777 to 1791.
Neither the state nor the U.S. Constitution explicitly forbids secession, but few people think it is politically viable.
More here.
Neither the state nor the U.S. Constitution explicitly forbids secession, but few people think it is politically viable.
More here.
Racecar owner wants tracking-chips implanted into sex offenders
A Charlotte County race-car owner is championing a campaign to have tracking-chips implanted into the bodies of convicted sex offenders.
...
The argument has been made that a microchip implanted is too invasive maybe even a violation of civil liberties. Martinez says there should be no tolerance. "I don't think it's an invasion of their privacy because they invaded the privacy of a little girl or boy already."
Here's the rest.
...
The argument has been made that a microchip implanted is too invasive maybe even a violation of civil liberties. Martinez says there should be no tolerance. "I don't think it's an invasion of their privacy because they invaded the privacy of a little girl or boy already."
Here's the rest.
Britain launches nuclear sub that can hear a ship from across the Atlantic
However, its key asset is its stealth. Even with a nuclear reactor and four powerful turbines propelling it through the water, less than one watt of power is radiated, making it incredibly quiet.
Its nuclear reactor means that it will never need to be refuelled in its 25-year lifetime.
It can also generate its own air and water so it is able to circumnavigate the globe without surfacing.
Read the rest.
Its nuclear reactor means that it will never need to be refuelled in its 25-year lifetime.
It can also generate its own air and water so it is able to circumnavigate the globe without surfacing.
Read the rest.
Deputies investigate dognapping as possible terrorism
You knew that eventually every crime would be labeled an act of terrorism.
Sheriff's deputies are investigating the theft of a golden retriever in the Santa Cruz Mountains as a possible terrorist incident after finding animal rights group propaganda where the dog was last seen.
Read more.
Sheriff's deputies are investigating the theft of a golden retriever in the Santa Cruz Mountains as a possible terrorist incident after finding animal rights group propaganda where the dog was last seen.
Read more.
Scientists produce wireless electricity
Plugs and cables could become obsolete after scientists devised a way of recharging electrical devices ranging from laptop computers to lights from a distance.
Learn more here.
Learn more here.
Scientists produce wireless electricity
Plugs and cables could become obsolete after scientists devised a way of recharging electrical devices ranging from laptop computers to lights from a distance.
Learn more here.
Learn more here.
Man-made microbe 'to create endless biofuel'
A scientist is poised to create the world's first man-made species, a synthetic microbe that could lead to an endless supply of biofuel.
Read about the future here.
Read about the future here.
10 Reasons Free Porn Does Not Threaten the Adult Industry
On the surface, I can see how one might conclude that too much of a free thing is bad for business. But one might also note that no industry has a god-given right to exist, whether porn or music or journalism or television, all of which feel threatened by consumers taking content into our own hands and setting it free online.
Yet I can still give you 10 better reasons than "free porn" for why adult DVD revenue is dropping faster than internet revenue is rising. Whether that's a bad thing for "the adult industry" is open to debate.
Check out her list here.
Yet I can still give you 10 better reasons than "free porn" for why adult DVD revenue is dropping faster than internet revenue is rising. Whether that's a bad thing for "the adult industry" is open to debate.
Check out her list here.
Scientists Apply for First Patent on Synthetic Life Form
There's a new wrinkle in the argument over patenting life: can you patent synthetic life?
Read the rest.
Read the rest.
Kiss Boring Interfaces Goodbye With Apple's New Animated OS
Shipley predicts that Core Animation will kick-start a new era of interface experimentation, and may lead to an entirely new visual language for designing desktop interfaces. The traditional desktop may become a multilayered three-dimensional environment where windows flip around or zoom in and out. Double-clicks and keystrokes could give way to mouse gestures and other forms of complex user input.
Read the rest.
Read the rest.
Not so good God
This fashionable article of faith, embraced by many Bible-centric Christians, is one of the more astonishing beliefs in modern religion. The Bible, overflowing with heinous examples of intolerance, savagery and vengefulness, doesn't portray God as especially loving - he's often a monster.
Thomas Paine wrote, "Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the word of God."
The God of the Old Testament was extraordinarily spiteful, insecure and pathetically needy of worship. He even called himself a "jealous God," and threatened to punish generations of children whose fathers dared worship another deity (Exodus 20:5). God also, less than lovingly, commanded those who worship other gods be stoned until they die (Deuteronomy 17:2-5).
When not creating inane rules and demanding sacrificially charred animals, this deity seemed to delight in smiting, brutalizing and plaguing mankind.
...
What kind of an "all-loving" father would permit, much less advocate, the absurdly disproportional punishment of eternal torture for limited earthly transgressions?
Perhaps it was the morally obscene fires of perdition, and overall depravity of the "good book," that compelled Mark Twain to conclude, "It ain't the parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand."
Modern Christians are free to believe any absurdity they like. Their own sacred scriptures, however, containing bountiful instances of manifest cruelty and malevolence, refute any contention that their deity represents a flawlessly benevolent and all-loving being.
Here's the rest.
Thomas Paine wrote, "Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the word of God."
The God of the Old Testament was extraordinarily spiteful, insecure and pathetically needy of worship. He even called himself a "jealous God," and threatened to punish generations of children whose fathers dared worship another deity (Exodus 20:5). God also, less than lovingly, commanded those who worship other gods be stoned until they die (Deuteronomy 17:2-5).
When not creating inane rules and demanding sacrificially charred animals, this deity seemed to delight in smiting, brutalizing and plaguing mankind.
...
What kind of an "all-loving" father would permit, much less advocate, the absurdly disproportional punishment of eternal torture for limited earthly transgressions?
Perhaps it was the morally obscene fires of perdition, and overall depravity of the "good book," that compelled Mark Twain to conclude, "It ain't the parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand."
Modern Christians are free to believe any absurdity they like. Their own sacred scriptures, however, containing bountiful instances of manifest cruelty and malevolence, refute any contention that their deity represents a flawlessly benevolent and all-loving being.
Here's the rest.
Debaptism 2.0: Fleeing the Flock Via the Net
Disgruntled Italian Catholics are increasingly turning to the internet to leave the Church by getting "debaptized" -- but typically, the Pope isn't making the process web friendly.
Cyberspace is one of the few places lapsed Catholics can get a copy of the formal letter called "actus defectionis" that is required by Church officials to leave the faith.
...
There are no statistics on how many Italians have defected. Proponents claim thousands, the Church maintains a handful -- and according to at least one Vaticanista, Salvatore Mazza of the Catholic daily newspaper Avvenire, debaptists can, at best, "hope to become a niche phenomena."
Still, there's enough buzz around debaptism to prompt the Vatican to publish a legislative text reminding the former faithful that they are committing an act of "apostasy, heresy or schism."
Sounds like every other cult. Once you're in, it is almost impossible to get out? And before you get out, "religious terrorism" is used to scare you into staying?
I know my comments may seem harsh, but that is what it looks like.
Why can't people just believe what they choose to believe? And what's wrong with changing your beliefs?
Read more.
Cyberspace is one of the few places lapsed Catholics can get a copy of the formal letter called "actus defectionis" that is required by Church officials to leave the faith.
...
There are no statistics on how many Italians have defected. Proponents claim thousands, the Church maintains a handful -- and according to at least one Vaticanista, Salvatore Mazza of the Catholic daily newspaper Avvenire, debaptists can, at best, "hope to become a niche phenomena."
Still, there's enough buzz around debaptism to prompt the Vatican to publish a legislative text reminding the former faithful that they are committing an act of "apostasy, heresy or schism."
Sounds like every other cult. Once you're in, it is almost impossible to get out? And before you get out, "religious terrorism" is used to scare you into staying?
I know my comments may seem harsh, but that is what it looks like.
Why can't people just believe what they choose to believe? And what's wrong with changing your beliefs?
Read more.
Poll shows belief in evolution, creationism
Two-thirds in the poll said creationism, the idea that God created humans in their present form within the past 10,000 years, is definitely or probably true. More than half, 53%, said evolution, the idea that humans evolved from less advanced life forms over millions of years, is definitely or probably true. All told, 25% say that both creationism and evolution are definitely or probably true.
Geoffrey Layman, a politics and religion expert at the University of Maryland, says people are trying to reconcile science and religion. "They might believe the science, or they might see the science as hard to dismiss, and they don't necessarily take Genesis to be literal," he says. "But they do think that God played some role in directing this evolutionary process."
Because for some it is too frightening to think otherwise?
Read more.
Geoffrey Layman, a politics and religion expert at the University of Maryland, says people are trying to reconcile science and religion. "They might believe the science, or they might see the science as hard to dismiss, and they don't necessarily take Genesis to be literal," he says. "But they do think that God played some role in directing this evolutionary process."
Because for some it is too frightening to think otherwise?
Read more.
Police assemble by Browns' home
The Browns insist federal income tax laws are invalid and have holed up in their hilltop home on 110 acres in Plainfield, which has a watchtower, concrete walls and the ability to run on wind and solar power. Brown said he has stockpiled food and supplies.
Here's more.
Here's more.
Ed Brown: Police, SWAT Team Incident Was "Test" To See What Response Would Be
A new Waco was narrowly averted as law enforcement, APC's and SWAT team personnel descended on the home of Ed Brown, the tax protester who has threatened to use force to defend himself against authorities.
...
Authorities have been telling reporters that they would not violently engage the Brown family for the past few months but this now appears to have been a drill for a potential future scenario in that mold.
We'll keep an eye on this story.
...
Authorities have been telling reporters that they would not violently engage the Brown family for the past few months but this now appears to have been a drill for a potential future scenario in that mold.
We'll keep an eye on this story.
Researchers find brain tumor switch
Italian scientists say they have identified a stem-cell switch that can block the growth of malignant stem cells in certain brain tumors.
Learn more.
Learn more.
June 7, 2007
No way out for the coalition troops
The US is considering introducing a limited military draft if it is to keep its present force levels in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pentagon advisers have warned British colleagues.
Will you allow them to do it?
Read more.
Will you allow them to do it?
Read more.
If You Think Bush Is Evil Now, Wait Until He Nukes Iran
Neocons have convinced themselves that nuking Iran will show the Muslim world that Muslims have no alternative to submitting to the will of the US government. Insurgency and terrorism cannot prevail against nuclear weapons.
Many US military officers are horrified at what they think would be the worst ever orchestrated war crime. There are reports of threatened resignations. But Dick Cheney is resolute. He tells Bush that the plan will save him from the ignominy of losing the war and restore his popularity as the president who saved Americans from Iranian nuclear weapons. With the captive American media providing propaganda cover, the neoconservatives believe that their plan can pull their chestnuts out of the fire and rescue them from the failure that their delusion has wrought.
Get more disgusted here.
Many US military officers are horrified at what they think would be the worst ever orchestrated war crime. There are reports of threatened resignations. But Dick Cheney is resolute. He tells Bush that the plan will save him from the ignominy of losing the war and restore his popularity as the president who saved Americans from Iranian nuclear weapons. With the captive American media providing propaganda cover, the neoconservatives believe that their plan can pull their chestnuts out of the fire and rescue them from the failure that their delusion has wrought.
Get more disgusted here.
Ron Paul Attacks Giuliani's Support Of National ID Card
During an appearance on MSNBC last night, presidential candidate Ron Paul attacked Rudy Giuliani's support of a national ID card, pointing out that its true agenda was not to keep track of illegal aliens, but to force American citizens to carry their papers and have their privacy invaded by the government.
Read more.
Read more.
Pope lacks common touch, observers say
His remarks caused little stir among the 160 bishops in the audience, but in the world outside the shrine he was accused of skirting the history of slavery, murder and exploitation in the conquest that made Catholicism the dominant church in Latin America.
Here's more.
Here's more.
Giuliani: Worse Than Bush
He's cashing in on 9/11, working with Karl Rove's henchmen and in cahoots with a Swift Boat-style attack on Hillary. Will Rudy Giuliani be Bush III?
Read the story here.
Read the story here.
Scientists Use Skin To Create Stem Cells
Three teams of scientists said yesterday they had coaxed ordinary mouse skin cells to become what are effectively embryonic stem cells without creating or destroying embryos in the process -- an advance that, if it works with human cells, could revolutionize stem cell research and quench one of the hottest bioethical controversies of the decade.
More.
More.
Suddenly, the Paranoids Don't Seem So Paranoid Anymore
Have you noticed? We've become a people that no longer respects, or apparently desires, privacy. Our own or anybody else's.
...
Let's call a spade a spade here, lay all our cards on the table and use all the clichés necessary to make one thing perfectly clear: Google is invading your privacy for the same reason (and only reason) it does anything. It smells a chance to make money and it's going to make money, and to hell with you and your privacy. Do no evil? Balls.
Greed, unfortunately, is another American characteristic. One that will eventually destroy us.
Here's the rest.
...
Let's call a spade a spade here, lay all our cards on the table and use all the clichés necessary to make one thing perfectly clear: Google is invading your privacy for the same reason (and only reason) it does anything. It smells a chance to make money and it's going to make money, and to hell with you and your privacy. Do no evil? Balls.
Greed, unfortunately, is another American characteristic. One that will eventually destroy us.
Here's the rest.
Atheism is pretentious and cowardly
Atheism is pretentious in the sense of claiming to know more than it does. It claims to know what belief in God entails, and what religion, in all its infinite variety, essentially is. And atheism is muddled because it cannot decide on what grounds it ultimately objects to religion. Does it oppose it on the grounds of its alleged falsity? Or does it oppose it on the grounds of its alleged harmfulness? Both, the atheists will doubtless reply: religion is false and therefore it is harmful. But this is to make an assumption about the relationship between rationality and moral progress that does not stand up. Atheism is the belief that the demise of religion, and the rise of "rationality", will make the world a better place. Atheism therefore entails an account of history - a story of liberation from a harmful error called "religion". This narrative is jaw-droppingly naive.
At this point I didin't think this guy even knew the definition of atheism. According to Webster.com, atheism is a disbelief in a deity. That's a pretty simple definition and I don't know how any one can misunderstand it.
But he goes on...
Some will quibble with the above definition. Atheism is just the rejection of God, of any supernatural power, they will say, it entails no necessary belief in historical progress. This is disingenuous. The militant atheists have a moral mission: to improve the world by working towards the eradication of religion.
And militant Bible-thumpers have a moral mission: to improve the world by spreading religion.
Which is better? Well, that depends on what you believe.
Regardless, it's the militant members of both camps that are getting most of the press these days and they represent a small fraction of each camp. And as most of us know, these extremists, in both camps, have agendas that may or may not be available for mass consumption.
All religions have their extremists. Atheism is no different. And this guy is doing what extremists love to do: belittle opposing viewpoints.
The bottom line is believe what you want and don't tell other people what to believe.
Read the rest here.
At this point I didin't think this guy even knew the definition of atheism. According to Webster.com, atheism is a disbelief in a deity. That's a pretty simple definition and I don't know how any one can misunderstand it.
But he goes on...
Some will quibble with the above definition. Atheism is just the rejection of God, of any supernatural power, they will say, it entails no necessary belief in historical progress. This is disingenuous. The militant atheists have a moral mission: to improve the world by working towards the eradication of religion.
And militant Bible-thumpers have a moral mission: to improve the world by spreading religion.
Which is better? Well, that depends on what you believe.
Regardless, it's the militant members of both camps that are getting most of the press these days and they represent a small fraction of each camp. And as most of us know, these extremists, in both camps, have agendas that may or may not be available for mass consumption.
All religions have their extremists. Atheism is no different. And this guy is doing what extremists love to do: belittle opposing viewpoints.
The bottom line is believe what you want and don't tell other people what to believe.
Read the rest here.
Crisis at Pentagon after terror trials collapse
The decision has once again thrown into turmoil Washington’s efforts to put terror suspects on trial in military courts. In five years there has been only one conviction — that of an Australian whose plea bargain allowed him to serve a much-reduced sentence in his own country.
The War on Terror has fooled many suckers.
Here's the rest.
The War on Terror has fooled many suckers.
Here's the rest.
Giuliani Caught In Bizarre Building 7 Lie
Rudy Giuliani has been caught in a bizarre lie about WTC 7, in which he claims the building collapsed in stages over a sustained period of time, when in reality the structure fell in under seven seconds.
And he is still a front runner for the GOP ticket?
Read more.
And he is still a front runner for the GOP ticket?
Read more.
Air passengers face more delay as US plans fingerprinting
Passengers travelling from the US will have to present their fingers as well as their passports at check-in from the end of next year, according to a senior security official. Virgin Atlantic, whose customers may be forced to endure longer waits in terminals, has vowed to oppose the move.
This is way out of control and we continue to let them get away with it.
Read more.
This is way out of control and we continue to let them get away with it.
Read more.
Analysis Shows Debate Was Rigged
Benton had one of his assistants calculate the figures, concluding that Ron Paul was asked eight questions and spoke for a total of 6-and-a-half minutes.
In comparison, Rudy Giuliani got 14 questions and spoke for 17 minutes - almost double the amount of questions and triple the amount of time - how can anyone claim that this is not a rigged debate when the establishment candidates are brazenly favored and lavished with attention?
Learn more.
In comparison, Rudy Giuliani got 14 questions and spoke for 17 minutes - almost double the amount of questions and triple the amount of time - how can anyone claim that this is not a rigged debate when the establishment candidates are brazenly favored and lavished with attention?
Learn more.
Genes behind serious illnesses discovered
A dramatic genetic breakthrough has paved the way for potential new treatments of seven common diseases that could help more than 20 million people.
The largest ever study of its kind has found 10 new genes linked to seven of the most common ailments: heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, bipolar disorder and Crohn’s disease.
Read the rest.
The largest ever study of its kind has found 10 new genes linked to seven of the most common ailments: heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, bipolar disorder and Crohn’s disease.
Read the rest.
June 6, 2007
More of the Same
The United States, in case you haven't matured enough to figure it out, is not a special country. It is one of the most warlike on the face of the Earth. Our ancestors were greedy and ruthless enough to grab the best slice of the North American continent. Protected by two oceans, we ruthlessly exploited the land and its resources. We didn't become prosperous because we were free. We became prosperous because the land contained so much wealth – vast forests, fertile soil, amenable climate, oil, iron ore and coal. Canada got stuck with mostly tundra; Mexico got mostly desert.
...
Don't look for peace and prosperity in the future. It will be just more of the same – war, taxes, debt and human misery. But don't worry. You'll be kept fully informed about Lindsay Lohan and other celebrities.
Read the rest. He makes a good point about the Sudan and the Congo.
...
Don't look for peace and prosperity in the future. It will be just more of the same – war, taxes, debt and human misery. But don't worry. You'll be kept fully informed about Lindsay Lohan and other celebrities.
Read the rest. He makes a good point about the Sudan and the Congo.
A Blog Is a Little First Amendment Machine
With blogging, an awkward term, we designate a fairly beautiful thing: the extension to many more people of a free press franchise and the right to publish your thoughts to the world.
So everyone, blog away.
Link.
So everyone, blog away.
Link.
Christian Commercialism at its best.
Jesus.
A perfume priding itself as “The World’s First Spiritual Perfume," apparently takes the scents from the Bible and puts them in a bottle of the oh-so-holy “Virtue.” Because spending the $80 per bottle will make you a true Christian woman!
Read more.
A perfume priding itself as “The World’s First Spiritual Perfume," apparently takes the scents from the Bible and puts them in a bottle of the oh-so-holy “Virtue.” Because spending the $80 per bottle will make you a true Christian woman!
Read more.
Report: Sex doesn't harm older teens
Visitors to the FOH will not be shocked by this study.
The latest research, just published in the American Journal of Sociology, suggests having sex doesn't harm the mental health of teens, except for those ages 15 or younger.
...
"Among those who had sex, only about 14 percent experienced increases in depression or decreases in self-esteem," she says. "In terms of depression, these are relatively modest increases. For 86 percent, it had no big effect."
Um, duh. Humans are supposed to have sex, and they are supposed to begin having sex in their teenage years.
Here's what the abstinence-only crowd doesn't like to hear.
The latest research, just published in the American Journal of Sociology, suggests having sex doesn't harm the mental health of teens, except for those ages 15 or younger.
...
"Among those who had sex, only about 14 percent experienced increases in depression or decreases in self-esteem," she says. "In terms of depression, these are relatively modest increases. For 86 percent, it had no big effect."
Um, duh. Humans are supposed to have sex, and they are supposed to begin having sex in their teenage years.
Here's what the abstinence-only crowd doesn't like to hear.
Court hears appeal in teen oral sex case
In January 2007, the FOH linked to this ESPN story about Genarlow Wilson. He was sentenced to prison for, at 17-years old, having consenual oral sex with a 15-year old girl who initiated the act.
Now we have an update:
Wilson has served more than 27 months in prison. His case has become something of a cause celebre, largely because of the legal loophole that ensnared him.
...
Wilson's case shows how a law designed to go after child sex predators can have unintended consequences and criminalize consensual sexual activity between teens, said Karen Worthington, director of the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic at Emory Law School.
You think? This is why 'mandatory sentences' can not just be thrown around without much thought given to them. An honor student and promising athlete has now had his life ruined by such near-sighted agendas.
Read the rest.
Now we have an update:
Wilson has served more than 27 months in prison. His case has become something of a cause celebre, largely because of the legal loophole that ensnared him.
...
Wilson's case shows how a law designed to go after child sex predators can have unintended consequences and criminalize consensual sexual activity between teens, said Karen Worthington, director of the Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic at Emory Law School.
You think? This is why 'mandatory sentences' can not just be thrown around without much thought given to them. An honor student and promising athlete has now had his life ruined by such near-sighted agendas.
Read the rest.
45-minute operation to restore sight to millions
A revolutionary technique being developed by British scientists could cure blindness in millions of people around the world.
...
The pioneering stem cell surgery tackles age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in the elderly.
Read the rest.
...
The pioneering stem cell surgery tackles age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in the elderly.
Read the rest.
Nielsens: Record Lows for the Networks
Another week, another set of negative ratings records for broadcast television.
NBC's average prime-time audience of 4.8 million people last week was the smallest since at least 1991, the earliest Nielsen Media Research records could immediately be traced. It's likely you'd have to go back to the days of black-and-white sets to find a smaller number.
There's not much worth watching on television.
Here's the rest.
NBC's average prime-time audience of 4.8 million people last week was the smallest since at least 1991, the earliest Nielsen Media Research records could immediately be traced. It's likely you'd have to go back to the days of black-and-white sets to find a smaller number.
There's not much worth watching on television.
Here's the rest.
Wayne Gretzky-Style 'Field Sense' May Be Teachable
A researcher with the US Olympic Committee, he collects moments like this. Vint is a connoisseur of what coaches call field sense or "vision," and he makes a habit of deconstructing psychic plays: analyzing the steals of Larry Bird and parsing Joe Montana's uncanny ability to calculate the movements of every person on the field. "In any sport, you come across these players," Vint says. "They're not always the most physically talented, but they're by far the best. The way they see things that nobody else sees — it can seem almost supernatural. But I'm a scientist, so I want to know how the magic works."
...
Such talent has long been assumed to be innate. "Coaches tend to think you either have it or you don't," Vint says. Unlike a jump shot or a penalty kick, field sense — which mixes anticipation, timing, and an acute sense of spatial relations — is considered essentially untrainable, a gift.
...
But Vint rejects the notion that Gretzky-style magic is unteachable.
Read the rest.
...
Such talent has long been assumed to be innate. "Coaches tend to think you either have it or you don't," Vint says. Unlike a jump shot or a penalty kick, field sense — which mixes anticipation, timing, and an acute sense of spatial relations — is considered essentially untrainable, a gift.
...
But Vint rejects the notion that Gretzky-style magic is unteachable.
Read the rest.
Physicist argues vs. existence of God
If the kind of God that most people in the West believe in existed, it would have effects that would violate the laws of physics and that would be empirically measurable. Otherwise, a universe with God would look exactly like a universe without God, and there would be no rational reason for assuming God’s existence.
More here.
More here.
Experts cast doubt on credibility of JFK terror plot
An alleged plot to blow up fuel tanks and pipelines at New York's JFK airport had little chance of success, according to safety experts, who have questioned whether the plot ever posed a real threat.
Haven't we all read Orwell's '1984'? If not, then what the hell are you waiting for? It's the Bush administration's operation manual, for Pete's sake.
Read the rest.
Haven't we all read Orwell's '1984'? If not, then what the hell are you waiting for? It's the Bush administration's operation manual, for Pete's sake.
Read the rest.
THE OLYMPIC LOGO SPELLS ZION
If you look carefully, it actually spells "ZION". Forget the top right fragment, as I think this represents "London" and start top left "Z", below "I", then a little "o" followed by an "N" on its side..."ZION".
Check out the pic, then decide for yourself.
Check out the pic, then decide for yourself.
Water As A Weapon
In August of 2004, quietly and without fanfare, an article was published on the Los Angeles Independent Media website revealing a plan by the U.S. government to depopulate the country via the water system. The article alleged that the water system had been reconfigured country-wide so as to function as a finely honed targeting system, which, when deployed, would selectively target individual homes with undrinkable, or “death” water. The article alleged that this had been accomplished by the construction of a complex system of double lines and mixing capabilities on the main lines. In this manner, certain, pre-selected homes would receive the ordinary water while the targeted homes would receive the mixture. It is the contention of this reporter that the mixture will kill those imbibing the water.
And now...
A careful reading of Section 817 of the Patriot Act, “The Expansion of the Biological Weapons Statute,” reveals this to be the umbrella statute which is authorizing this project. While the wording of this statute is somewhat opaque, a diligent scrutiny of the language reveals its true intent.
Read the rest.
And now...
A careful reading of Section 817 of the Patriot Act, “The Expansion of the Biological Weapons Statute,” reveals this to be the umbrella statute which is authorizing this project. While the wording of this statute is somewhat opaque, a diligent scrutiny of the language reveals its true intent.
Read the rest.
Censorship 'changes face of net'
Amnesty International has warned that the internet "could change beyond all recognition" unless action is taken against the erosion of online freedoms.
...
The "virus of internet repression" has spread from a handful of countries to dozens of governments, said the group.
Amnesty accused companies such as Google, Microsoft and Yahoo of being complicit in the problem.
Get censored here.
...
The "virus of internet repression" has spread from a handful of countries to dozens of governments, said the group.
Amnesty accused companies such as Google, Microsoft and Yahoo of being complicit in the problem.
Get censored here.
June 5, 2007
Is Ritalin a divorce drug for children?
A Canadian researcher on Monday called for an investigation into why children from broken marriages are twice as likely to be prescribed attention-deficit drugs as children whose parents remain together.
Read the rest.
Read the rest.
June 4, 2007
Fed up with Google? Try Scroogle
As more Internet users grow cautious about Google's seemingly unquenchable desire for the private, personal data of its users, one entrepreneur is using the search engine giant's own algorithms to offer consumers a choice.
It's called Scroogle – located at Scroogle.org – and offers searchers all the power of Google but none of the privacy concerns.
Learn more here.
It's called Scroogle – located at Scroogle.org – and offers searchers all the power of Google but none of the privacy concerns.
Learn more here.
Why Is DRM-Free Music Tagged With Name and E-Mail? Apple Keeps Mum
Apple has declined to explain why its new DRM-free music files are watermarked with users' names and e-mail addresses.
Here's the rest.
Here's the rest.
Why the uptick in atheism?
The claim that only 2% of us say that we do not believe in God is absurd. It all depends on just how the question is asked, who asks it, and who is around to hear it. But mainly it depends on just how you define God. Many people say they believe in God while simply thinking of some force of nature that allowed life to start. Call it Mother Nature, if you will, but they certainly were not thinking of the vicious God of the Bible, as particularly noted in Deuteronomy. So if asked if they believe in the specific God of the Bible or the Koran or all the other religious books, the total percentage of believers would go way down. All those various Gods have different rules that are frequently incompatible, so deciding which particular God the government could support would be a real problem.
More here.
More here.
New zealotry or last bastion of reason?
THE surprising thing about atheism, considering its supposedly rational basis, is the sheer zealotry of its supporters. As often as not, atheists are not that easy to distinguish from the Christian, Jewish or Muslim fundamentalists they so thoroughly detest: we find in both the same immovable conviction, the same dreary ardour.
Some have turned atheism into another religion.
Read more.
Some have turned atheism into another religion.
Read more.
House keeps pet projects from scrutiny
After promising unprecedented openness regarding Congress' pork barrel practices, House Democrats are moving in the opposite direction as they draw up spending bills for the upcoming budget year.
...
Rather than including specific pet projects, grants and contracts in legislation as it is being written, Democrats are following an order by the House Appropriations Committee chairman to keep the bills free of such earmarks until it is too late for critics to effectively challenge them.
And we let them get away with this shit.
Here's more.
...
Rather than including specific pet projects, grants and contracts in legislation as it is being written, Democrats are following an order by the House Appropriations Committee chairman to keep the bills free of such earmarks until it is too late for critics to effectively challenge them.
And we let them get away with this shit.
Here's more.
What's the problem with 'no-knock' searches? They tend to get people killed
We are in a sad, sad state of affaris.
On Nov. 21 of last year, Atlanta police planted marijuana on Fabian Sheats, a "suspected street dealer." They told Sheats they would let him go if he "gave them something." Sheats obligingly lied that he had spotted a kilogram of cocaine nearby, giving them the address of the elderly spinster Miss Kathryn Johnston, who neither used nor dealt drugs, but who did live in fear of break-ins in her crime-infested neighborhood.
Police then lied to a judge, claiming they had actually purchased drugs at the Johnston house. They acquired one of those once-rare "no-knock" warrants, and violently battered down the reinforced metal door of a private home where there were no drugs.
Miss Johnston fired a warning shot at the unknown people busting down her door. That bullet lodged in the roof of her porch, injuring no one. Police replied by firing 39 rounds at her, hitting her five times, and wounding each other with another five rounds -- though they lied and said they'd been shot by Miss Johnston.
They then handcuffed the old woman as she bled to death on the floor and searched her house. Finding no drugs, they planted three bags of marijuana.
The next day, the cops picked up one Alex White, an informant, advising him that they needed him to lie, saying that he had purchased cocaine at Johnston's house. White refused, managed to escape and went to the media with the story.
Last month, two of those officers pleaded guilty to manslaughter -- deals that helped them escape murder charges -- and now face more than 10 years in prison, after authorities demonstrated the officers lied to get their warrant.
Get disgusted here.
On Nov. 21 of last year, Atlanta police planted marijuana on Fabian Sheats, a "suspected street dealer." They told Sheats they would let him go if he "gave them something." Sheats obligingly lied that he had spotted a kilogram of cocaine nearby, giving them the address of the elderly spinster Miss Kathryn Johnston, who neither used nor dealt drugs, but who did live in fear of break-ins in her crime-infested neighborhood.
Police then lied to a judge, claiming they had actually purchased drugs at the Johnston house. They acquired one of those once-rare "no-knock" warrants, and violently battered down the reinforced metal door of a private home where there were no drugs.
Miss Johnston fired a warning shot at the unknown people busting down her door. That bullet lodged in the roof of her porch, injuring no one. Police replied by firing 39 rounds at her, hitting her five times, and wounding each other with another five rounds -- though they lied and said they'd been shot by Miss Johnston.
They then handcuffed the old woman as she bled to death on the floor and searched her house. Finding no drugs, they planted three bags of marijuana.
The next day, the cops picked up one Alex White, an informant, advising him that they needed him to lie, saying that he had purchased cocaine at Johnston's house. White refused, managed to escape and went to the media with the story.
Last month, two of those officers pleaded guilty to manslaughter -- deals that helped them escape murder charges -- and now face more than 10 years in prison, after authorities demonstrated the officers lied to get their warrant.
Get disgusted here.
Arkansas GOP head: We need more 'attacks on American soil' so people appreciate Bush
The idiot brigade is in full force:
"At the end of the day, I believe fully the president is doing the right thing, and I think all we need is some attacks on American soil like we had on [Sept. 11, 2001]," Milligan said to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, "and the naysayers will come around very quickly to appreciate not only the commitment for President Bush, but the sacrifice that has been made by men and women to protect this country."
More here.
"At the end of the day, I believe fully the president is doing the right thing, and I think all we need is some attacks on American soil like we had on [Sept. 11, 2001]," Milligan said to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, "and the naysayers will come around very quickly to appreciate not only the commitment for President Bush, but the sacrifice that has been made by men and women to protect this country."
More here.
We are ruled by fear
"The politics of fear" is being used, not only by terror groups, militias and dictatorships but, increasingly, by democratic governments, says Amnesty.
In a profoundly depressing catalogue of human rights abuses around the world, a new and disturbing element is the erosion of freedoms in democratic countries, following widespread introduction of anti-terrorism legislation. Governments throughout western Europe have also exploited public concerns about uncontrolled migration to justify tough measures against asylum-seekers and refugees, claims the report.
See how bad it is here.
In a profoundly depressing catalogue of human rights abuses around the world, a new and disturbing element is the erosion of freedoms in democratic countries, following widespread introduction of anti-terrorism legislation. Governments throughout western Europe have also exploited public concerns about uncontrolled migration to justify tough measures against asylum-seekers and refugees, claims the report.
See how bad it is here.
YOU, ROBOT, COMING SOON
The tiny device, which doctors sewed onto your gut, watches what you eat. Whenever you overindulge, a faint shock makes you too ill for more.
Science fiction? No. The gastric pacemaker exists, and it's just one of many medical prototypes that run on microchips from Texas Instruments Inc.
Here's our future.
Science fiction? No. The gastric pacemaker exists, and it's just one of many medical prototypes that run on microchips from Texas Instruments Inc.
Here's our future.
Official, rock music is too loud
Bosses are artificially enhancing sound levels as they believe the noisier a record is, the more copies it will sell.
But music lovers say some tracks are now so distorted they can make listeners feel nauseous.
Here's the rest.
But music lovers say some tracks are now so distorted they can make listeners feel nauseous.
Here's the rest.
Smokers told to quit or surgery will be refused
Smokers are to be denied operations on the Health Service unless they give up cigarettes for at least four weeks beforehand.
Doctors will police the rule by ordering patients to take a blood test to prove they have not been smoking.
News flash people: smoking is bad for you and the people around you.
Read the rest.
Doctors will police the rule by ordering patients to take a blood test to prove they have not been smoking.
News flash people: smoking is bad for you and the people around you.
Read the rest.
June 2, 2007
Straight Talk: Paul Has a Point
Let's be blunt. Giuliani was either lying, or he hasn't cracked a book in six years.
...
What it does say is that actions have consequences. When the Arab and Muslim world continually sees U.S. troops marching through Arab and Muslim backyards, U.S. trade sanctions causing Arab and Muslim suffering and U.S. bombs landing on Arab and Muslim homes, it isn't difficult to see how Arabs could begin to develop a deep contempt for the U.S.
Read more.
...
What it does say is that actions have consequences. When the Arab and Muslim world continually sees U.S. troops marching through Arab and Muslim backyards, U.S. trade sanctions causing Arab and Muslim suffering and U.S. bombs landing on Arab and Muslim homes, it isn't difficult to see how Arabs could begin to develop a deep contempt for the U.S.
Read more.
White House nears completion of new torture guidelines
The White House is close to completing a new set of guidelines on the use of "enhanced interrogative techniques" by US agents, even as critics say such techniques are "immoral," "amateurish," and "indistinguishable" from Nazi war crimes.
And we let them continue to stay in office.
Here's the rest.
And we let them continue to stay in office.
Here's the rest.
June 1, 2007
US may collapse as a superpower: analyst
A senior Japanese diplomat said to me, last year, he said "You know the United States is a twelve year old with a shotgun". And what he meant was that as the United States begins to suspect that it's past the apogee of its trajectory, its on the way down, as a great power no longer on the way up or at the top securely, that it is becoming extremely erratic, that is lashing out in all sorts of ways to try and slow or stop what it perceives as insipient decline.
So there is concern that we're getting into rather deep water here, that we may be going into an era where the Americans become highly unpredictable and quite dangerous.
More.
So there is concern that we're getting into rather deep water here, that we may be going into an era where the Americans become highly unpredictable and quite dangerous.
More.
Don't We Have a Constitution, Not a King?
Bush has issued a directive that would place all governmental powers in his hands in the case of a catastrophic emergency. If a terrorist attack happens before the 2008 election, could Bush and Cheney use this to avoid relinquishing power to a successor administration?
Um, yeah.
Read the rest.
Um, yeah.
Read the rest.
Study shows children good at approximate maths
Children who had never been taught addition or subtraction were able to solve approximate maths problems involving large numbers, researchers said on Wednesday in a finding that reveals a new understanding of children's innate math ability.
They said children's early struggles with maths may be linked to the need to produce a precise number. Their finding could lead to better ways to teach math to young children.
Add it up here.
They said children's early struggles with maths may be linked to the need to produce a precise number. Their finding could lead to better ways to teach math to young children.
Add it up here.
Children without sex is what the future holds, claims inventor of the Pill
One might think this Huxleyesque vision of a Brave New World just a few years from now sounds a little fantastical. Yet it is the prediction of one of the world’s most eminent scientists, Carl Djerassi.
...
The Pill gave us sex without children. Now Djerassi has turned that concept on its head. He believes the developed world is heading towards its next cultural revolution — children without sex.
Here's more.
...
The Pill gave us sex without children. Now Djerassi has turned that concept on its head. He believes the developed world is heading towards its next cultural revolution — children without sex.
Here's more.
GOP tries to make English official
The fight is over whether the bill should call English the "common" language -- as it reads now -- or deem it the "national," or official language, which the Republican senators say would cut the amount of government services provided in other languages and would overturn President Clinton's 2000 executive order that encouraged federal services to be delivered in different languages.
Read the rest.
Read the rest.
Christopher Hitchens on the Essential Stupidity of Religion
Many people, at least ostensibly, have been motivated to do grand, good things by faith, but why is that necessary? You don’t need the supernatural to be in favor of abolishing the condition of slavery, for instance, whereas you do need the Bible to keep slavery going so long.
Read more.
Read more.
White House: Visitor logs exempt from laws
Why aren't more people pissed off about this?
A newly disclosed effort to keep Vice President Dick Cheney's visitor records secret is the latest White House push to make sure the public doesn't learn who has been meeting with top officials in the Bush administration.
That should bother every one.
Here's the rest.
A newly disclosed effort to keep Vice President Dick Cheney's visitor records secret is the latest White House push to make sure the public doesn't learn who has been meeting with top officials in the Bush administration.
That should bother every one.
Here's the rest.
Religion and politics hand-in-hand in 2008 race
"I think the majority of Americans, the people who largely decide elections, what they are looking for -- particularly in these times -- is a really good and decent human being to be president," Edwards said in an interview with The Associated Press. "If you are a person, a man or woman, of faith, that has an impact on how they view you as a human being, whatever your faith is."
And thus, most of you are merely using religion to manipulate the masses in order to further your own personal agendas.
Quite frankly, a person's religiosity has nothing to do with that person being a decent human being or not.
Read more.
And thus, most of you are merely using religion to manipulate the masses in order to further your own personal agendas.
Quite frankly, a person's religiosity has nothing to do with that person being a decent human being or not.
Read more.
The United States is among the least peaceful nations in the world
The United States is among the least peaceful nations in the world, ranking 96th between Yemen and Iran, according to an index of 121 countries.
According to the Global Peace Index, created by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Norway is the most peaceful nation and Iraq is the least, just after Russia, Israel and Sudan.
Link.
According to the Global Peace Index, created by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Norway is the most peaceful nation and Iraq is the least, just after Russia, Israel and Sudan.
Link.
Gun-toting teens alarm residents
After turning 18 last month, the Post Falls teenager began strapping a loaded 9 mm Glock 19 handgun to his belt every day. He totes it in full view to Bible studies, the public library, city parks and neighborhood stores and on walks around town.
His 15-year-old brother, Stephen, has joined him, carrying a loaded Ruger .22-caliber rifle slung over his shoulder.
The brothers, who are home-schooled, say they're flexing their Second Amendment right, which allows citizens to bear arms. They say they're protecting themselves and others, deterring crime and making a statement about constitutional freedoms.
Here's the story.
His 15-year-old brother, Stephen, has joined him, carrying a loaded Ruger .22-caliber rifle slung over his shoulder.
The brothers, who are home-schooled, say they're flexing their Second Amendment right, which allows citizens to bear arms. They say they're protecting themselves and others, deterring crime and making a statement about constitutional freedoms.
Here's the story.
Downright Scary
The article begins with a discussion of what's going on in the Middle East, but then I read:
But by all reports, President Bush is more convinced than ever of his righteousness.
Friends of his from Texas were shocked recently to find him nearly wild-eyed, thumping himself on the chest three times while he repeated "I am the president!" He also made it clear he was setting Iraq up so his successor could not get out of "our country's destiny."
A cornered animal becomes desperate and dangerous. A nation may soon fall because of it.
Here's the article.
But by all reports, President Bush is more convinced than ever of his righteousness.
Friends of his from Texas were shocked recently to find him nearly wild-eyed, thumping himself on the chest three times while he repeated "I am the president!" He also made it clear he was setting Iraq up so his successor could not get out of "our country's destiny."
A cornered animal becomes desperate and dangerous. A nation may soon fall because of it.
Here's the article.
Bush envisions U.S. presence in Iraq like S.Korea
President George W. Bush would like to see a lengthy U.S. troop presence in Iraq like the one in South Korea to provide stability but not in a frontline combat role, the White House said on Wednesday.
The United States has had thousands of U.S. troops in South Korea to guard against a North Korean invasion for 50 years.
Which really means this has nothing to do with the security of the US but rather some other agenda.
Read more.
The United States has had thousands of U.S. troops in South Korea to guard against a North Korean invasion for 50 years.
Which really means this has nothing to do with the security of the US but rather some other agenda.
Read more.
Why I am Ashamed to be an American
As I began to emerge into manhood there was an ever, ongoing flow of hints, subtle suggestions that things were not as I had been told. However, it wasn’t until our country vented its awful wrath upon a post 9-11 world that I began to realize that I had been misled. At that point I had no choice but to take a long, hard look at the history of our country, a thorough examination of what turned out to be a past drenched in the blood of our foes, foreign lands raped of their natural resources, democratically elected governments overthrown, an outrageous succession of egregious arrangements with tyrants and dictators from around the world, along with the fact that our nation is the only developed country in the world that utilizes the death penalty to kill its own people, and that we imprison more of our own people than any other nation in the world…… all of such having enabled me to gain a better understanding of why there are so many folks around the world who have become upset by our nation’s apparent willingness to abuse and exploit our fellow man. As a result of what I found, I have come to the conclusion that the vast majority of the American public is out of touch with reality, that such folks have unwittingly allowed themselves to have become mercilessly entangled in a world of fabrication and make-believe, a nation dominated by sheepish yes-men unwilling to face the fact that we, as a nation, are, and for some time have been, caught in a downward spiral of moral decline.
...
I never cease to be amazed at how terribly ethnocentric the typical American tends to be. It is almost as if having been born in the United States confers upon one the right to think of himself as a privileged person, a contrived sense of status that no doubt lies at the very heart of everything that I will discuss in this paper. For example, consider religion…… the fact that the majority of Americans look upon Christianity as the one and only road that leads to salvation, every other faith a blind alley leading to the unending fires of Hell. Next is that of capitalism, a system having apparently received the blessing of God as the universally correct way of doing business. And then democracy, a political system that apparently no one in their right mind has a right to question. Of course there can be no doubt that democracy is certainly a stellar way of running a country, but must everyone in the world agree? Besides if the religious right (just as Moslems in Iraq) were to seize control, don’t you think that they (as fundamentalists) might be tempted to set up Christianity as the official religion in our country rather than that of running a democracy based upon the separation of church and state? Think about it……. fundamentalists are no doubt fundamentalists regardless of the color of “their stripes!” On the other hand, one must ask what right we (as citizens of a nation that is a mere 231 years from its own inception) have to tell folks living in countries not more than a hop, skip, and a jump from the “Garden of Eden” how they ought to live their lives. Ethnocentrism yes, but perhaps even worse than this is that which such narrow-mindedness almost always brings to pass; an unreasoning sense of arrogance generally referred to as that of the arrogance of ignorance!
More here.
...
I never cease to be amazed at how terribly ethnocentric the typical American tends to be. It is almost as if having been born in the United States confers upon one the right to think of himself as a privileged person, a contrived sense of status that no doubt lies at the very heart of everything that I will discuss in this paper. For example, consider religion…… the fact that the majority of Americans look upon Christianity as the one and only road that leads to salvation, every other faith a blind alley leading to the unending fires of Hell. Next is that of capitalism, a system having apparently received the blessing of God as the universally correct way of doing business. And then democracy, a political system that apparently no one in their right mind has a right to question. Of course there can be no doubt that democracy is certainly a stellar way of running a country, but must everyone in the world agree? Besides if the religious right (just as Moslems in Iraq) were to seize control, don’t you think that they (as fundamentalists) might be tempted to set up Christianity as the official religion in our country rather than that of running a democracy based upon the separation of church and state? Think about it……. fundamentalists are no doubt fundamentalists regardless of the color of “their stripes!” On the other hand, one must ask what right we (as citizens of a nation that is a mere 231 years from its own inception) have to tell folks living in countries not more than a hop, skip, and a jump from the “Garden of Eden” how they ought to live their lives. Ethnocentrism yes, but perhaps even worse than this is that which such narrow-mindedness almost always brings to pass; an unreasoning sense of arrogance generally referred to as that of the arrogance of ignorance!
More here.
War is coming to Tucson
And here’s the part you don’t want to hear. Violence has spread across the border and has resulted in several deaths of Americans residents and visitors. Most such crimes are reported as isolated incidents. But the violence in northern Mexico is not stopping at the border. It’s headed this way and a lot of Tucsonans know it.
Hmmm.
Read the rest.
Hmmm.
Read the rest.
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