Saturday, October 11
Jews Against Zionism
"From the inception of the Zionist State and particularly in recent times, the impression has been created in the World that there is some connection between the State, which falsely calls itself Israel, and the Jewish people as a whole. Therefore, we who continue to uphold the never-changing tradition of the Jewish people find it proper to again clarify the following points:
The Holy Land was given to the Jewish people on the condition that they observe the Torah and its commandments. When they failed to do this, their sovereignty over the land was taken from them, and they went into exile. From that time, we are prohibited by the Torah with a very grave prohibition to establish a Jewish independent sovereignty in the Holy Land or anywhere throughout the world. Rather, we are obligated to be loyal to the nations under whose protection we dwell."
That first line~who gave the jews the "holy land" under those conditions? I always thought Israel was provided as a state by the UN, whom I don't think would demand those particular conditions.
This is why I don't claim to be the "sharpest knife in the drawer.
According to The World Factbook:
"Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted."
So did the UN partition the area to be called Israel on the provision that it's citizens observe the Torah and its commandments, and, failing that, would no longer be allowed a state?
The Holy Land was given to the Jewish people on the condition that they observe the Torah and its commandments. When they failed to do this, their sovereignty over the land was taken from them, and they went into exile. From that time, we are prohibited by the Torah with a very grave prohibition to establish a Jewish independent sovereignty in the Holy Land or anywhere throughout the world. Rather, we are obligated to be loyal to the nations under whose protection we dwell."
That first line~who gave the jews the "holy land" under those conditions? I always thought Israel was provided as a state by the UN, whom I don't think would demand those particular conditions.
This is why I don't claim to be the "sharpest knife in the drawer.
According to The World Factbook:
"Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted."
So did the UN partition the area to be called Israel on the provision that it's citizens observe the Torah and its commandments, and, failing that, would no longer be allowed a state?
Questions to j
I find your spurious logic intriguing.
1) Are you not being a hypocrite by posting a complaint on Personal Attacks? Especially after calling me a retard and a neo-con?
2) How is it that you can conclude that I’m a neo-con? Especially since I’ve defended Al Franken in two different posts and repeatedly cut down Bush for his Statist policies or for that matter defended Linda Daschle?
3) Please explain how it is that you are being logical when your arguments consist of “That isn’t true”, “That is ridiculous”, and “You’re a neo-con”?
4) Why do you harp on logic when you started to hide behind "the children" instead of addressing the issues?
5) Aren’t you being a hypocrite by using the emotional argument of “for the children”?
Hey B. my Holoscan problem seems to be a cookie problem and I’m dreading what I’m going to have to do to fix it. Anyway send me an email when you make your decision. I hope the rules you come up with apply to everyone. Having to put up frivolous accusations of illogic without any substantiating arguments or evidence and ad hominem attacks is abusive in its own way.
1) Are you not being a hypocrite by posting a complaint on Personal Attacks? Especially after calling me a retard and a neo-con?
2) How is it that you can conclude that I’m a neo-con? Especially since I’ve defended Al Franken in two different posts and repeatedly cut down Bush for his Statist policies or for that matter defended Linda Daschle?
3) Please explain how it is that you are being logical when your arguments consist of “That isn’t true”, “That is ridiculous”, and “You’re a neo-con”?
4) Why do you harp on logic when you started to hide behind "the children" instead of addressing the issues?
5) Aren’t you being a hypocrite by using the emotional argument of “for the children”?
Hey B. my Holoscan problem seems to be a cookie problem and I’m dreading what I’m going to have to do to fix it. Anyway send me an email when you make your decision. I hope the rules you come up with apply to everyone. Having to put up frivolous accusations of illogic without any substantiating arguments or evidence and ad hominem attacks is abusive in its own way.
Sweatshops Are Cool
I don't have a great love for protesters these days as it just seems to me they don't really know what they are protesting, Many times it's just kids who want to make changes in the world or at least appear as such.
Case in point~when it was discovered that Kathy Lee Gifford's clothing line was facilitated by sweatshops, everyone was outraged but me.
I thought hey, at least these kids are making an honest living, learning a trade early so they can move up as they grow older and gain experience. Might even lead to an education, but at the very least, they won't be prostituting themselves in order to eat.
I might have been onto something~
Are Protesters Wrong About Sweatshops?
"The students object to what they call sweatshops. They say companies are exploiting poor people, by setting up factories in developing countries and paying workers a fraction of American workers' wages."
First mistake. These protesters think people in developing countries should be paid as much as American workers. Forcing this issue would most likely close down the shop that can't afford to pay such wages, resulting in the loss of jobs in a devoling country, effectively sending the kids into their only other option-prostitution.
"In poor countries, the Nike factories that rich American students call sweatshops routinely pay twice what local factories pay, and more than triple what people earn doing much harder and more dangerous work in the fields.
Most economists agree that 'sweatshops' are what allowed people in now-thriving places like South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore to work their way out of poverty."
"People get jobs in these places, their generation lives better than their parents lived. Most of them work for these companies for a while, go off and start their own businesses, it's a win-win situation for everyone."
"After the protests against Kathie Lee's clothing line, Wal-Mart withdrew its contract from one of the 'sweatshops.' American complaints about child labor persuaded factories in Bangladesh to stop hiring adolescents. The result, according to UNICEF, is many of the young girls turned to prostitution."
And that is why the students who protest sweatshops are ignorant and clueless
Case in point~when it was discovered that Kathy Lee Gifford's clothing line was facilitated by sweatshops, everyone was outraged but me.
I thought hey, at least these kids are making an honest living, learning a trade early so they can move up as they grow older and gain experience. Might even lead to an education, but at the very least, they won't be prostituting themselves in order to eat.
I might have been onto something~
Are Protesters Wrong About Sweatshops?
"The students object to what they call sweatshops. They say companies are exploiting poor people, by setting up factories in developing countries and paying workers a fraction of American workers' wages."
First mistake. These protesters think people in developing countries should be paid as much as American workers. Forcing this issue would most likely close down the shop that can't afford to pay such wages, resulting in the loss of jobs in a devoling country, effectively sending the kids into their only other option-prostitution.
"In poor countries, the Nike factories that rich American students call sweatshops routinely pay twice what local factories pay, and more than triple what people earn doing much harder and more dangerous work in the fields.
Most economists agree that 'sweatshops' are what allowed people in now-thriving places like South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore to work their way out of poverty."
"People get jobs in these places, their generation lives better than their parents lived. Most of them work for these companies for a while, go off and start their own businesses, it's a win-win situation for everyone."
"After the protests against Kathie Lee's clothing line, Wal-Mart withdrew its contract from one of the 'sweatshops.' American complaints about child labor persuaded factories in Bangladesh to stop hiring adolescents. The result, according to UNICEF, is many of the young girls turned to prostitution."
And that is why the students who protest sweatshops are ignorant and clueless
Logical Fallacy: Personal Attacks
Also Known as: Ad Hominem Abusive.
Description of Personal Attack
A personal attack is committed when a person substitutes abusive remarks for evidence when attacking another person's claim or claims. This line of "reasoning" is fallacious because the attack is directed at the person making the claim and not the claim itself. The truth value of a claim is independent of the person making the claim. After all, no matter how repugnant an individual might be, he or she can still make true claims.
Not all ad Hominems are fallacious. In some cases, an individual's characteristics can have a bearing on the question of the veracity of her claims. For example, if someone is shown to be a pathological liar, then what he says can be considered to be unreliable. However, such attacks are weak, since even pathological liars might speak the truth on occasion.
In general, it is best to focus one's attention on the content of the claim and not on who made the claim. It is the content that determines the truth of the claim and not the characteristics of the person making the claim.
Examples of Personal Attack
"English is not a language he understands"
"[He] is blinded by hate"
"You don’t know shit about promoting (sic)"
"...you are just a Statist sack of shit"
"I’m so tired of you gutless cunts"
"...your PC Thought Police bullshit"
"It just proves he can’t read."
Description of Personal Attack
A personal attack is committed when a person substitutes abusive remarks for evidence when attacking another person's claim or claims. This line of "reasoning" is fallacious because the attack is directed at the person making the claim and not the claim itself. The truth value of a claim is independent of the person making the claim. After all, no matter how repugnant an individual might be, he or she can still make true claims.
Not all ad Hominems are fallacious. In some cases, an individual's characteristics can have a bearing on the question of the veracity of her claims. For example, if someone is shown to be a pathological liar, then what he says can be considered to be unreliable. However, such attacks are weak, since even pathological liars might speak the truth on occasion.
In general, it is best to focus one's attention on the content of the claim and not on who made the claim. It is the content that determines the truth of the claim and not the characteristics of the person making the claim.
Examples of Personal Attack
"English is not a language he understands"
"[He] is blinded by hate"
"You don’t know shit about promoting (sic)"
"...you are just a Statist sack of shit"
"I’m so tired of you gutless cunts"
"...your PC Thought Police bullshit"
"It just proves he can’t read."
I don’t mean to get off on a rant
but Bsti did call for opinion posts on the front page. It also appears that I’ve pissed off some one at HaloScan because I can’t post comments at any site using it. Anyway in the comments on my post about justis, he proved that he is a moron, is illiterate, that English is not a language he understands, is blinded by hate, or some combination thereof. So I shale Fisk justis’s comments.
Mel Brookes gave speaking parts to mimes. Anywhere else in the business world you don’t break typecasts without a lot of advanced fanfare. Anyone buying a ticket for that event to see Dennis Miller would have been expecting his normal routine. The event was at the MGM Grande in Las Vegas. They were trying to wring money out of people for a charity. They were not putting on a benefit for Bleeding Hart unemployed assholes. Spare me the “logical” bullshit. You don’t know shit about promoting.
Your emphasizing the word ‘children’ proves that you are just a Statist sack of shit. I’m so tired of you gutless cunts hiding behind THE CHILDREN. Left or Right you are all cowards. We must ban lap dancing for the children, nude women are bad for the children, we must drink beer and scream White Power for the children, we must ban GM food and let Africans starve for the children, we must raise taxes for the children, we must ban all references to God for the children, we must put the Ten Commandments in every public building for the children, homosexuals must be put in jail for the children, we must ban guns for the children, we must have sensitivity training for the children, we must call Brittany Spears a Pop Tart for the children, we must call Madonna a slut for the children, we must put Dennis Miller down for the children. Fuck the children. Fuck you justis and that is heartfelt and sincere.
I will add this about Moore. I support a Constitutional Amendment declaring him to be a whale. Once passed, he should be released in the wild in Tennessee where state law specifically allows the hunting of whales from moving motor vehicles with a valid small game license.
in your update you say I am ignoring the "fact" (a misnomer to be sure) that Miller was invited to the function to be a pundit. Your assertion is completely unfounded. It is not at all clear, or even logical, that he was invited to speak at a children's charity [Emphasis is his] event in order to be inflammatory.From the press release announcing the event “The evening includes a star-studded cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, live and silent auction, and intimate performances by Sheryl Crow, Faith Hill, Billy Joel, Sir Elton John, and Dennis Miller.”
Mel Brookes gave speaking parts to mimes. Anywhere else in the business world you don’t break typecasts without a lot of advanced fanfare. Anyone buying a ticket for that event to see Dennis Miller would have been expecting his normal routine. The event was at the MGM Grande in Las Vegas. They were trying to wring money out of people for a charity. They were not putting on a benefit for Bleeding Hart unemployed assholes. Spare me the “logical” bullshit. You don’t know shit about promoting.
Your emphasizing the word ‘children’ proves that you are just a Statist sack of shit. I’m so tired of you gutless cunts hiding behind THE CHILDREN. Left or Right you are all cowards. We must ban lap dancing for the children, nude women are bad for the children, we must drink beer and scream White Power for the children, we must ban GM food and let Africans starve for the children, we must raise taxes for the children, we must ban all references to God for the children, we must put the Ten Commandments in every public building for the children, homosexuals must be put in jail for the children, we must ban guns for the children, we must have sensitivity training for the children, we must call Brittany Spears a Pop Tart for the children, we must call Madonna a slut for the children, we must put Dennis Miller down for the children. Fuck the children. Fuck you justis and that is heartfelt and sincere.
And you're right - I have no problem with what Elton John said. He was not making a political statement, but rather pointing out the inappropriateness of Miller's "rant", and the fact that if the crowd accepted that kind of self-indulgent bullshit at a charity event, that they all needed to reevaluate.I absolutely despise your PC Thought Police bullshit. You should turn yourself in to a Reconstruction Center immediately. You need to have your sensitivity adjusted because Elton John’s Hate Speech that you so lovingly approve of, is offensive to mentally ill people around the world. I don’t see how Elton John abusing people that had forked out money to the charity was appropriate. He should have kept his political Eurowennie bullshit to his self. That kind of hatefulness may play well in Paris but not here.
I suspect that you support Miller so vociferously only because his politics gel with your own. What if Moore or Franken had done likewise..?Let me copy and paste a quote from me: “I would put Al Franken in the same category as Ann Coulter although he started in the same category as Dennis Miller. Anything I’ve said defending either Ann or Dennis also applies to Al.” NOTE: Whoever is reading this to justis shouldn’t skip over any more parts. It just proves he can’t read.
I will add this about Moore. I support a Constitutional Amendment declaring him to be a whale. Once passed, he should be released in the wild in Tennessee where state law specifically allows the hunting of whales from moving motor vehicles with a valid small game license.
Funny too that you've chosen to call me out on this one, when Bsti is the one who wrote the thread to begin with - calling your hero a "First Class Ass"...Dennis Miller is an asshole. That is what he does. That is how he makes his money. That is why people pay to see him. Should I go off on Cait for calling cats “cats”? Hello!!! Is there anybody home!
Friday, October 10
Take pictures while you can
In another stunning move of 'compassionate conservative' brilliance , the Bush Co. proposes opening up the field for hunters, circuses, and zoos to obtain access to foreign-based endangered animals.
The Bush administration is proposing far-reaching changes to conservation policies that would allow hunters, circuses and the pet industry to kill, capture and import animals on the brink of extinction in other countries.
Giving Americans access to endangered animals, officials said, would feed the gigantic U.S. demand for live animals, skins, parts and trophies, and generate profits that would allow poor nations to pay for conservation of the remaining animals and their habitat.
This and other proposals that pursue conservation through trade would, for example, open the door for American trophy hunters to kill the endangered straight-horned markhor in Pakistan; license the pet industry to import the blue fronted Amazon parrot from Argentina; permit the capture of endangered Asian elephants for U.S. circuses and zoos; and partially resume the trade in African ivory. No U.S. endangered species would be affected.
This is a cross-post ( if you go to the link, scroll down to #3), but essentially the idea of allowing these animals to be killed or their reproductive practices to basically grind to a halt in the name of saving them from extinction is just plain asinine.
The Bush administration is proposing far-reaching changes to conservation policies that would allow hunters, circuses and the pet industry to kill, capture and import animals on the brink of extinction in other countries.
Giving Americans access to endangered animals, officials said, would feed the gigantic U.S. demand for live animals, skins, parts and trophies, and generate profits that would allow poor nations to pay for conservation of the remaining animals and their habitat.
This and other proposals that pursue conservation through trade would, for example, open the door for American trophy hunters to kill the endangered straight-horned markhor in Pakistan; license the pet industry to import the blue fronted Amazon parrot from Argentina; permit the capture of endangered Asian elephants for U.S. circuses and zoos; and partially resume the trade in African ivory. No U.S. endangered species would be affected.
This is a cross-post ( if you go to the link, scroll down to #3), but essentially the idea of allowing these animals to be killed or their reproductive practices to basically grind to a halt in the name of saving them from extinction is just plain asinine.
Vinny- I wont shave your back…
Linda Daschle is a good argument for term limits but I’ll save that for another time. Nonetheless, the notion that the wife of a lunatic Democrat has some kind of… I don’t know… Super power??? That is what you are insinuating when you blame her for the Boeing deal. Let’s see… Republican controlled House… and Republican controlled Senate… ummmm a Republican controlled executive branch… I suppose that if we ignore who is dominant in Washington right now and forget about Boeing having severe problems for the last 12 years and forget some of the statist things Bush has been doing to undermine the Democrats base (like the steel tariffs)… Well I guess we could blame the Democrats.
JunkYardBlog: October 05, 2003 - October 11, 2003 Archives
JunkYardBlog gently criticizes BushCo for what I think is the first time in JYB history. Good points, too.
I was surprised, until I discovered that it wasn't Bryan Preston that posted it.
This is precisely the kind of thing I'd always hoped to see at JYB, funny how it took a guest-blogger to make it happen.
I was surprised, until I discovered that it wasn't Bryan Preston that posted it.
This is precisely the kind of thing I'd always hoped to see at JYB, funny how it took a guest-blogger to make it happen.
Vinny, justis, Dennis Miller, and Michael Moore
I’ve been busy with a few projects and I’m currently working on a site featuring a Barley Legal Brunette with Tiny Tits < / keyword spam > demonstrating advanced sexual techniques with pumpkins (hey B. I rushed together a gallery of that redhead and linked to it from my porn blog). I was going to stick my head in for a moment and poke fun at Vinny for behaving like a Leftwing Moonbat for having brought up Linda Daschle and making it seem like she is solely responsible for the stealth bailout of Boeing. However it is justis’s Michael Moore like behavior in the Dennis Miller thread that is annoying. That fund-raising benefit invited performers to perform. Dennis Miller performed his normal routine. The way I saw it was, if Dennis Miller was inappropriate for that function, then why was he even invited? Dennis Miller is a political satirist and doesn’t pretend to be anything else. Whoever invited him had to know what they were getting. It makes me think they knew what they were doing and knew what kind of audience they were attracting. There was nothing gorilla about it. That article said Elton John went off on the audience for applauding, "You're all mental if you like that." Elton John then did a Michael Moore-esque guerilla punditry by attacking Dennis Miller’s performance. Dennis Miller performed as expected. Elton John didn’t. Michael Moore is a lying sack of shit (no disrespect to bags filled with shit intended), Dennis Miller is an asshole (but honest), so there is no comparison between them.
UPDATE: For some reason the comments script is blocking me, so I’m putting it here,
Moore Watch is a site dedicated to debunking Moore. I would put Al Franken in the same category as Ann Coulter although he started in the same category as Dennis Miller. Anything I’ve said defending either Ann or Dennis also applies to Al.
I disagree with John by comparing the tactics of Rush and Moore. Rush (and other idiots such as Michael Savage) are telling there niche audiences exactly what they want to hear. A good example is justis’s comment above where he completely ignores the fact that Dennis Miller (a pundit) was invited to be a pundit and then gives Elton John a free pass for attacking the audience and being a pundit when he was invited to sing. Elton John was saying what justis wanted to hear. Moore is in a different league from justis or Rush. Moore is insidious. Moore would have taken a comment that Miller made in 1982 or something to make his point.
I don’t completely disagree with John’s comparison. Rush and Moore do use Ritual Defamation. I don’t like that explanation as much as others I’ve seen but it is the only one I’ve seen on the net.
UPDATE: For some reason the comments script is blocking me, so I’m putting it here,
Moore Watch is a site dedicated to debunking Moore. I would put Al Franken in the same category as Ann Coulter although he started in the same category as Dennis Miller. Anything I’ve said defending either Ann or Dennis also applies to Al.
I disagree with John by comparing the tactics of Rush and Moore. Rush (and other idiots such as Michael Savage) are telling there niche audiences exactly what they want to hear. A good example is justis’s comment above where he completely ignores the fact that Dennis Miller (a pundit) was invited to be a pundit and then gives Elton John a free pass for attacking the audience and being a pundit when he was invited to sing. Elton John was saying what justis wanted to hear. Moore is in a different league from justis or Rush. Moore is insidious. Moore would have taken a comment that Miller made in 1982 or something to make his point.
I don’t completely disagree with John’s comparison. Rush and Moore do use Ritual Defamation. I don’t like that explanation as much as others I’ve seen but it is the only one I’ve seen on the net.
Rush Limbaugh Statement on Prescription Pain Medication Stories
"You know I have always tried to be honest with you and open about my life. So I need to tell you today that part of what you have heard and read is correct. I am addicted to prescription pain medication."
Do you think he would have been open and honest about this if his maid hadn't squealed?
Some on the right are calling for compassion for this man's troubles.
Not because he's a rightwinger, but because he's a human being.
Well, I don't consider Rush to be much of a humanitarian himself, so I have little compassion for the man.
Perhaps if he had said this before:
"You know, over the years athletes and celebrities have emerged from treatment centers to great fanfare and praise for conquering great demons. They are said to be great role models and examples for others. Well, I am no role model. I refuse to let anyone think I am doing something great here, when there are people you never hear about, who face long odds and never resort to such escapes. They are the role models."
Has he ever shown compassion for these people before it was revealed he is among their ranks?
"If(Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders) wants to legalize drugs, send the people who want to do drugs to London and Zurich, and let's be rid of them.
-- Rush Limbaugh show, Dec 9, 1993
"There's nothing good about drug use. We know it. It destroys individuals. It destroys families. Drug use destroys societies. Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. And the laws are good because we know what happens to people in societies and neighborhoods which become consumed by them. And so if people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up.
The answer to this disparity is not to start letting people out of jail because we're not putting others in jail who are breaking the law. The answer is to go out and find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them and send them up the river, too."
-- Rush Limbaugh show, Oct. 5, 1995
"Interdiction doesn't work and the effort to convince people not to do it really doesn't work."
Do you think he would have been open and honest about this if his maid hadn't squealed?
Some on the right are calling for compassion for this man's troubles.
Not because he's a rightwinger, but because he's a human being.
Well, I don't consider Rush to be much of a humanitarian himself, so I have little compassion for the man.
Perhaps if he had said this before:
"You know, over the years athletes and celebrities have emerged from treatment centers to great fanfare and praise for conquering great demons. They are said to be great role models and examples for others. Well, I am no role model. I refuse to let anyone think I am doing something great here, when there are people you never hear about, who face long odds and never resort to such escapes. They are the role models."
Has he ever shown compassion for these people before it was revealed he is among their ranks?
"If(Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders) wants to legalize drugs, send the people who want to do drugs to London and Zurich, and let's be rid of them.
-- Rush Limbaugh show, Dec 9, 1993
"There's nothing good about drug use. We know it. It destroys individuals. It destroys families. Drug use destroys societies. Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. And the laws are good because we know what happens to people in societies and neighborhoods which become consumed by them. And so if people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up.
The answer to this disparity is not to start letting people out of jail because we're not putting others in jail who are breaking the law. The answer is to go out and find the ones who are getting away with it, convict them and send them up the river, too."
-- Rush Limbaugh show, Oct. 5, 1995
"Interdiction doesn't work and the effort to convince people not to do it really doesn't work."
SUICIDE IS NOT OKAY UNLESS YOU TAKE A BUNCH OF JOOS OR AMERICANS OUT WITH YOU
When I read paragraph of the story below (from Yahoo), my first thought was "Hellooooo. We are talking people who have a history of 'suicide bombings'." Is it any surprise that they are attempting suicide in prison? We should release them so they can commit suicide and blow up a bunch of us in the process? Sorry, my heart just does not bleed for these people. If they're at Gitmo, we can be pretty sure they're not going to kill any of us any time soon. I'm just selfish enough to think that's a good thing. And, frankly, for some of the prisoners, this is probably the first time they've had a steady "three hots and a cot".
Read the rest of the story here.
When I read paragraph of the story below (from Yahoo), my first thought was "Hellooooo. We are talking people who have a history of 'suicide bombings'." Is it any surprise that they are attempting suicide in prison? We should release them so they can commit suicide and blow up a bunch of us in the process? Sorry, my heart just does not bleed for these people. If they're at Gitmo, we can be pretty sure they're not going to kill any of us any time soon. I'm just selfish enough to think that's a good thing. And, frankly, for some of the prisoners, this is probably the first time they've had a steady "three hots and a cot".
Agency Decries Cuba Detainees' Detention
1 hour, 30 minutes ago
By ALEXANDER G. HIGGINS, Associated Press Writer
GENEVA - The International Red Cross condemned the prolonged detention of U.S. military prisoners without legal rights at Guantanamo Bay, saying Friday that mental instability and attempted suicides among detainees indicated severe problems with the U.S. operation.
Read the rest of the story here.
Play the Democratic Debate drinking game
Get drunk on political discourse!
By June Thomas
Posted Wednesday, October 8, 2003, at 10:08 AM PT
This Thursday evening, the nine remaining candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination will meet in Phoenix for the fourth debate of the year. If these events have started to blend together, why not grab a bottle or two of your favorite tipple and bring on the blurriness by playing Slate's debate drinking game.
Take one drink if:
A candidate mentions an ordinary American by name
A candidate mentions Bill Clinton
A candidate mentions John Ashcroft
A candidate mentions John McCain
A candidate mentions Enron
A candidate mentions Halliburton
A candidate mentions a member of his or her family
A candidate gives out his or her campaign Web site URL
A candidate flourishes a printout of a strategy paper or a bill he or she co-sponsored
A candidate looks into the wrong camera during introductions
A candidate speaks Spanish
A candidate refuses to answer a hypothetical question
A candidate evades the question of whether they'd vote for Bush's $87 billion
A candidate uses the phrase "when I'm president"
A candidate promises to "support our troops"
Take two drinks if:
A candidate says a rival is "wrong"
A candidate says he or she is "surprised" by something a rival says
The camera catches an audience member in mid-yawn
Drain your glass if:
You laugh out loud at a candidate's joke
Finish the bottle if:
The candidates get into a fistfight
Kamikaze version: Take a drink every time a candidate mentions President Bush by name. (Note: This is not recommended if you have to work Friday.)
Even without Bob Graham in the mix, there are a lot of pols on the stage to keep track of, especially after a few belts, so you may want to focus on just one or two candidates.
Carol Moseley Braun
Take a drink if she:
Points out that she's a woman
Cites the Mayflower
Uses the term "single-payer"
Refers to the "sticky ceiling"
Wesley Clark
Take a drink if he:
Says he's "pro-" something
Answers a policy question by referring to his experience in the Army
Uses the phrase "be all you can be"
Howard Dean
Take a drink if he:
Mentions "Washington" disparagingly
Mentions Ken Lay
Is caught on camera in one of his weird grimace-smiles
John Edwards
Take a drink if he:
Says something is "the right thing to do"
Mentions "Robbins, N.C."
Uses the term "millworker"
Mentions that he went to public school
Richard Gephardt
Take a drink if he:
Refers to a Bush policy as a "failure"
Points at himself
Says he "led the fight" for something
Says "dad" and "Teamster" in the same sentence
Mentions Howard Dean and Newt Gingrich in the same sentence
John Kerry
Take a drink if he:
Uses the word "sacrifice"
Mentions Vietnam
Uses the phrase "so to speak"
Dennis Kucinich
Take a drink if he:
Reads from his notes
Mentions "NAFTA" and "WTO" in the same sentence
Quotes poetry (even if it's the verse on the Statue of Liberty)
Joe Lieberman
Take a drink if he:
Refers to a rival as "Brother [Name]"
Uses the word "faith"
Mentions Al Gore
Gets booed
Al Sharpton
Take a drink if he:
Accuses a rival of being a closet Republican
Comes to the aid of a rival who's under attack from other candidates or members of the audience
Smiles (don't worry, you'll go home sober)
Slate's
By June Thomas
Posted Wednesday, October 8, 2003, at 10:08 AM PT
This Thursday evening, the nine remaining candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination will meet in Phoenix for the fourth debate of the year. If these events have started to blend together, why not grab a bottle or two of your favorite tipple and bring on the blurriness by playing Slate's debate drinking game.
Take one drink if:
A candidate mentions an ordinary American by name
A candidate mentions Bill Clinton
A candidate mentions John Ashcroft
A candidate mentions John McCain
A candidate mentions Enron
A candidate mentions Halliburton
A candidate mentions a member of his or her family
A candidate gives out his or her campaign Web site URL
A candidate flourishes a printout of a strategy paper or a bill he or she co-sponsored
A candidate looks into the wrong camera during introductions
A candidate speaks Spanish
A candidate refuses to answer a hypothetical question
A candidate evades the question of whether they'd vote for Bush's $87 billion
A candidate uses the phrase "when I'm president"
A candidate promises to "support our troops"
Take two drinks if:
A candidate says a rival is "wrong"
A candidate says he or she is "surprised" by something a rival says
The camera catches an audience member in mid-yawn
Drain your glass if:
You laugh out loud at a candidate's joke
Finish the bottle if:
The candidates get into a fistfight
Kamikaze version: Take a drink every time a candidate mentions President Bush by name. (Note: This is not recommended if you have to work Friday.)
Even without Bob Graham in the mix, there are a lot of pols on the stage to keep track of, especially after a few belts, so you may want to focus on just one or two candidates.
Carol Moseley Braun
Take a drink if she:
Points out that she's a woman
Cites the Mayflower
Uses the term "single-payer"
Refers to the "sticky ceiling"
Wesley Clark
Take a drink if he:
Says he's "pro-" something
Answers a policy question by referring to his experience in the Army
Uses the phrase "be all you can be"
Howard Dean
Take a drink if he:
Mentions "Washington" disparagingly
Mentions Ken Lay
Is caught on camera in one of his weird grimace-smiles
John Edwards
Take a drink if he:
Says something is "the right thing to do"
Mentions "Robbins, N.C."
Uses the term "millworker"
Mentions that he went to public school
Richard Gephardt
Take a drink if he:
Refers to a Bush policy as a "failure"
Points at himself
Says he "led the fight" for something
Says "dad" and "Teamster" in the same sentence
Mentions Howard Dean and Newt Gingrich in the same sentence
John Kerry
Take a drink if he:
Uses the word "sacrifice"
Mentions Vietnam
Uses the phrase "so to speak"
Dennis Kucinich
Take a drink if he:
Reads from his notes
Mentions "NAFTA" and "WTO" in the same sentence
Quotes poetry (even if it's the verse on the Statue of Liberty)
Joe Lieberman
Take a drink if he:
Refers to a rival as "Brother [Name]"
Uses the word "faith"
Mentions Al Gore
Gets booed
Al Sharpton
Take a drink if he:
Accuses a rival of being a closet Republican
Comes to the aid of a rival who's under attack from other candidates or members of the audience
Smiles (don't worry, you'll go home sober)
Slate's
Thursday, October 9
And I used to kind of like the guy
Entertainer Elton John slammed comedian Dennis Miller for a political tirade during Andre Agassi's Grand Slam for Children, and then chastised those who applauded Miller by saying, "You're all mental if you like that."
Miller ranted at the Democratic presidential candidates, those who didn't support the war in Iraq and the French.
This is how utterly ridiculous the Left/Right Bloodlust has become. This was a celebration for children, yet Miller rants about politics and most likely made obscure references that would fly over the heads of most adults, yet
An angry female attendee e-mailed to say she and others walked out after hearing John's comments. She added that she hopes Agassi "rethinks his relationship with Elton John. I know that I will not support a foundation anymore knowing that such an anti-American is on the board of directors. Too bad that Toby Keith wasn't there!"
and all Elton John was saying was that it was not the place or time for a political rant.
Dennis Miller is a First Class Ass.
Miller ranted at the Democratic presidential candidates, those who didn't support the war in Iraq and the French.
This is how utterly ridiculous the Left/Right Bloodlust has become. This was a celebration for children, yet Miller rants about politics and most likely made obscure references that would fly over the heads of most adults, yet
An angry female attendee e-mailed to say she and others walked out after hearing John's comments. She added that she hopes Agassi "rethinks his relationship with Elton John. I know that I will not support a foundation anymore knowing that such an anti-American is on the board of directors. Too bad that Toby Keith wasn't there!"
and all Elton John was saying was that it was not the place or time for a political rant.
Dennis Miller is a First Class Ass.
California Shows us the Way
OK, whether or not Arnie was a good choice for Governor of California, and whether or not the recall election was started in the spirit of filthy political shenanigans, there is something to be learned from the whole event.
The recall succeeded because people in California were pissed off at a basic level. They were pissed off because they were tired of getting pooched and betrayed at the hands of career politicians on both sides of the aisle. Therein lies the lesson. While I have doubts as to the wisdom of their choice, it is way too soon to say if they did the best thing or not. Regardless, they did something. This is miles beyond the majority of people who sit around moaning that the people have lost their power, votes don't count, etc.
If all you ever do is what you've done, all you'll ever get is what you've got.
In that spirit, I was very interested in this essay: California Has Turned On the Light. America Should Follow It.
The recall succeeded because people in California were pissed off at a basic level. They were pissed off because they were tired of getting pooched and betrayed at the hands of career politicians on both sides of the aisle. Therein lies the lesson. While I have doubts as to the wisdom of their choice, it is way too soon to say if they did the best thing or not. Regardless, they did something. This is miles beyond the majority of people who sit around moaning that the people have lost their power, votes don't count, etc.
If all you ever do is what you've done, all you'll ever get is what you've got.
In that spirit, I was very interested in this essay: California Has Turned On the Light. America Should Follow It.
Inside the Boeing deal scandal
Shame is unknown to the Boeing Co. team intent on sticking U.S. taxpayers with a $16 billion sweetheart deal for leasing 100 KC-767 planes as Air Force tankers. Although a massive document drop revealed the tawdry details of the Chicago-based company's incestuous relationship with the Air Force, Boeing last week covertly tried to stick the deal in the $87 billion appropriations bill for Iraq. Only Sen. John McCain's intervention stopped it.
Wednesday, October 8
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Recall
In general discussion regarding the California recall election, there are those who do not understand how it ever got this far. There seems to be a general feeling of unease with this process, which seems to fly in the face of our well-oiled democratic machine. It is for this reason that I share the reason why I voted in favor of the recall, despite my own initial discomfort with the movement.
The recall, at its conception, was a politically-motivated power grab by a gubernatorial wannabe, namely Darrell Issa. It is for this reason that I did not sign the recall petitions, because the whole thing stunk of sour grapes. Issa's "of the people, for the people" facade was transparent and slimy. However, with the help of large sums of money, the petition was successful without me and the recall was staged. So the argument then became: If the Governor was fairly re-elected only months before, how can the people, in good conscience, stage a recall already?
This is a valid point, and warrants introspection on the part of every Californian. If we hate the guy so much, why did we vote for him again? Feeding on the growing disapproval of the Governor Davis's administration, Republicans took for granted the 2002 election. They assumed that Davis would never garner the support from disenfranchised voters necessary to succeed to a second term. In their giddiness, they then proceeded to nominate the most conservative guy they could find - Bill Simon. Simon is against gun control, he does not support environmental issues if they so much as create an inconvenience for anyone, he does not support market regulation, the list goes on and on... Californians, as a whole, do not want this kind of government. Even President Bush was reluctant to take a picture with the guy for fear that a little bit of Simon might tarnish his own image. And yet we were almost willing to elect even this total right-winger we didn't trust over Davis. The final results: Davis 48%, Simon 42%. This result can be explained with the old saying, "it is better to work with the devil you know, than with the devil you don't know." The fact is any moderate could have beaten Gray Davis. But Republicans took a chance and lost fair and square. Then, almost immediately, the bombs started dropping.
Shortly after the election, Governor Davis informed the state that we were over $35 billion in the red. The books had been cooked to slide him through the election. Davis waited until after the 2002 election to push through massive spending increases at the cost of taxpayers. Additionally, Davis never informed us of his plans to raise taxes in his second term. Then Davis flip-flopped on issues he had previously vetoed. One is the tripling of the automobile registration fee (which is already among the highest in the nation). Another is the issue of driver's licenses being granted to illegal, undocumented immigrants. Davis lied about the condition of our state's economy, and he misrepresented himself to the people of California. In short, he is no longer the man we elected. He lied to us, and we called him on it.
So California now has the nation's attention, and with that has come criticism and outright ridicule from people all over the country. Californians are now the confused sheep who cannot make up our minds, and are lead by whoever can spend the most money. Or are we the radicals who break the rules and misinterpret our own Constitution arbitrarily to avoid paying more to register our cars? Or are we the star-struck knuckleheads who jumped on the Arnold bandwagon for front row tickets to the show?
It's not just about the car registration fee hike. It's not just about driver's licenses for illegal immigrants. It's not just about the mass emigration of businesses from our state. It is about honesty and accountability. As contributors to the fifth largest economy in the world, there is no excuse for the pathetic state of our schools, the business environment, our roads, and our infrastructure. Business as usual is pissing us off. We deserve better, and we're willing to do what it takes to get it. And as usual, we don't particularly care what anyone else has to say about that.
The recall, at its conception, was a politically-motivated power grab by a gubernatorial wannabe, namely Darrell Issa. It is for this reason that I did not sign the recall petitions, because the whole thing stunk of sour grapes. Issa's "of the people, for the people" facade was transparent and slimy. However, with the help of large sums of money, the petition was successful without me and the recall was staged. So the argument then became: If the Governor was fairly re-elected only months before, how can the people, in good conscience, stage a recall already?
This is a valid point, and warrants introspection on the part of every Californian. If we hate the guy so much, why did we vote for him again? Feeding on the growing disapproval of the Governor Davis's administration, Republicans took for granted the 2002 election. They assumed that Davis would never garner the support from disenfranchised voters necessary to succeed to a second term. In their giddiness, they then proceeded to nominate the most conservative guy they could find - Bill Simon. Simon is against gun control, he does not support environmental issues if they so much as create an inconvenience for anyone, he does not support market regulation, the list goes on and on... Californians, as a whole, do not want this kind of government. Even President Bush was reluctant to take a picture with the guy for fear that a little bit of Simon might tarnish his own image. And yet we were almost willing to elect even this total right-winger we didn't trust over Davis. The final results: Davis 48%, Simon 42%. This result can be explained with the old saying, "it is better to work with the devil you know, than with the devil you don't know." The fact is any moderate could have beaten Gray Davis. But Republicans took a chance and lost fair and square. Then, almost immediately, the bombs started dropping.
Shortly after the election, Governor Davis informed the state that we were over $35 billion in the red. The books had been cooked to slide him through the election. Davis waited until after the 2002 election to push through massive spending increases at the cost of taxpayers. Additionally, Davis never informed us of his plans to raise taxes in his second term. Then Davis flip-flopped on issues he had previously vetoed. One is the tripling of the automobile registration fee (which is already among the highest in the nation). Another is the issue of driver's licenses being granted to illegal, undocumented immigrants. Davis lied about the condition of our state's economy, and he misrepresented himself to the people of California. In short, he is no longer the man we elected. He lied to us, and we called him on it.
So California now has the nation's attention, and with that has come criticism and outright ridicule from people all over the country. Californians are now the confused sheep who cannot make up our minds, and are lead by whoever can spend the most money. Or are we the radicals who break the rules and misinterpret our own Constitution arbitrarily to avoid paying more to register our cars? Or are we the star-struck knuckleheads who jumped on the Arnold bandwagon for front row tickets to the show?
It's not just about the car registration fee hike. It's not just about driver's licenses for illegal immigrants. It's not just about the mass emigration of businesses from our state. It is about honesty and accountability. As contributors to the fifth largest economy in the world, there is no excuse for the pathetic state of our schools, the business environment, our roads, and our infrastructure. Business as usual is pissing us off. We deserve better, and we're willing to do what it takes to get it. And as usual, we don't particularly care what anyone else has to say about that.
Chapel Furnace
Furnace News~
Still four members pending.
I don't want this to be just about news, I want personal opinion posts as well. I see you all posting regularly on your sites; you can cross-post those here so we can all talk about them.
We've got some really good minds in Furnace now, I'm happy to say.
Still four members pending.
I don't want this to be just about news, I want personal opinion posts as well. I see you all posting regularly on your sites; you can cross-post those here so we can all talk about them.
We've got some really good minds in Furnace now, I'm happy to say.
Tuesday, October 7
Who Is John Doe No. 2?
INS Deported al Qaeda-Linked Suspect Just Days After Oklahoma Bombing
"Just days after the Oklahoma City bombing, the INS deported Osama bin Laden's brother-in-law Mohammed Jamal Khalifa, even though the FBI had evidence that linked the Saudi businessman to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the 1995 Bojinka plot and Oklahoma City. Not only was Khalifa deported to Jordan, where he was subsequently freed, but the U.S. government let him leave with potentially incriminating evidence and cleared his record of terrorism charges."
"Just days after the Oklahoma City bombing, the INS deported Osama bin Laden's brother-in-law Mohammed Jamal Khalifa, even though the FBI had evidence that linked the Saudi businessman to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the 1995 Bojinka plot and Oklahoma City. Not only was Khalifa deported to Jordan, where he was subsequently freed, but the U.S. government let him leave with potentially incriminating evidence and cleared his record of terrorism charges."
Results are in
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Austrian-born policeman’s son-turned-actor who began his quest to be governor of California on a TV talk show, won the office late Tuesday, as projected by NBC News based on exit polling.
Voters apparently rejected the embattled Gov. Gray Davis in a closely watched, at-times bizarre campaign, calling for change in the direction of the nation’s most populous state and its battered economy, the world’s fifth-largest.
So the real question is- who's the puppetmaster in this show?
Voters apparently rejected the embattled Gov. Gray Davis in a closely watched, at-times bizarre campaign, calling for change in the direction of the nation’s most populous state and its battered economy, the world’s fifth-largest.
So the real question is- who's the puppetmaster in this show?
I Feel Dirty
So I voted this morning in the "Historic Recall Election" (as the media is quite fond of calling it), and I feel dirty. As much as I hate Gov. Davis's performance, I fear that we have opened an epic can of worms that will have reverberations throughout the country. This recall proves one thing: money always wins.
Always.
But anyway, the turnout has been enormous. Normally when I vote, even in a presidential election, I walk in, punch the card, and walk out. This time I stood in line for over 20 minutes! People are excited about this vote. And if the buzz on the streets is any indication, Schwarzenegger has it in the bag.
Pass the popcorn.
Always.
But anyway, the turnout has been enormous. Normally when I vote, even in a presidential election, I walk in, punch the card, and walk out. This time I stood in line for over 20 minutes! People are excited about this vote. And if the buzz on the streets is any indication, Schwarzenegger has it in the bag.
Pass the popcorn.
Pentagon's 'lax' lab gear sales
"The US Defence Department could inadvertently be providing terrorists with the equipment to make chemical or biological weapons, say congressional investigators.
They found the Pentagon was not properly monitoring internet sales of its equipment and so was unable to determine who was buying it and how it was being used."
And that is why "military intelligence" is sometimes considered an oxymoron.
They found the Pentagon was not properly monitoring internet sales of its equipment and so was unable to determine who was buying it and how it was being used."
And that is why "military intelligence" is sometimes considered an oxymoron.
Monday, October 6
Busy, Busy, Busy
Name-calling.
George W. Bush, Monday, March 17, 2003:
Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict commenced at a time of our choosing.
George W. Bush, Wednesday, March 19, 2003:
On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war. These are opening stages of what will be a broad and concerted campaign.
Rep. Porter Goss (R-Fla.), recently:
We didn't make the decision about going to war. The terrorists made the decision about going to war.
"Well, ok, but are Republicans allowed to say that about the man they call the President?"
Not sure, since the war with Iraq was planned before 9/11/01.
George W. Bush, Monday, March 17, 2003:
Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict commenced at a time of our choosing.
George W. Bush, Wednesday, March 19, 2003:
On my orders, coalition forces have begun striking selected targets of military importance to undermine Saddam Hussein's ability to wage war. These are opening stages of what will be a broad and concerted campaign.
Rep. Porter Goss (R-Fla.), recently:
We didn't make the decision about going to war. The terrorists made the decision about going to war.
"Well, ok, but are Republicans allowed to say that about the man they call the President?"
Not sure, since the war with Iraq was planned before 9/11/01.
The Ville
The Falseness of Anti-Americanism
Another meme that annoys me intensely is that the United States should care about and kowtow to world opinion.
Foreign Policy:Pollsters report rising anti-Americanism worldwide. The United States, they imply, squandered global sympathy after the September 11 terrorist attacks through its arrogant unilateralism. In truth, there was never any sympathy to squander. Anti-Americanism was already entrenched in the world's psyche—a backlash against a nation that comes bearing modernism to those who want it but who also fear and despise it.World opinion is that the US should go to hell. Link via Názory
Sunday, October 5
Misuse of Pain Drug Linked to Hearing Loss
Misuse of Pain Drug Linked to Hearing Loss"Doctors in L.A. and elsewhere have identified at least 48 cases of deafness tied to prolonged misuse of Vicodin and other comparable prescription medicines."
This connection to Rush's hearing loss and alleged drug abuse has been starting to make its way around the blogosphere. While purely circumstantial at the moment, it does cause one to think.
This connection to Rush's hearing loss and alleged drug abuse has been starting to make its way around the blogosphere. While purely circumstantial at the moment, it does cause one to think.
Let the Bloody Truth Be Told: A Chronology of U.S. Imperialism
War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.
That sounds awfully lefty, doesn't it.
That sounds awfully lefty, doesn't it.
Questions are Raised on Awarding of Contracts in Iraq
"Last month the Iraqi Governing Council questioned why the American occupation authority had issued a $20 million contract to buy new revolvers and Kalashnikov rifles for the Iraqi police when the United States military was confiscating tens of thousands of weapons every month from Saddam Hussein's abandoned arsenals."
That is a good question.
"On Wednesday the Iraqi council, in a testy exchange with the occupation administrator, L. Paul Bremer III, challenged an American decision to spend $1.2 billion to train 35,000 Iraqi police officers in Jordan when such training could be done in Iraq for a fraction of the cost. Germany and France have offered to provide such training free."
Another good question, and an obvious answer. We don't want France or Germany's help, even if it's free.
"Iraqi officials and businessmen charge that millions of dollars in contracts are being awarded without competitive bidding, some of them to former cronies of Mr. Hussein's government."
Come on. Even I saw that coming.
"A lot of American money is being wasted, I think. We are victims and the American taxpayers are victims."
We've been dealing with it from the beginning and there's not a damn thing we can do about it.
"The lack of transparency and competition, Governing Council members said in interviews, may be encouraging corruption. They said they believed that many contracts had been inflated beyond the reasonable cost for the work, creating opportunities for kickbacks between prime contractors and subcontractors."
Welcome to Democracy and her sister Capitalism. Beauties, aren't they?
"The largest and most prominent Iraqi subcontractor that has emerged belongs to the Bunnia family, which grew immensely wealthy under the former government and was known for lavishing gifts, especially luxury cars, on members of the Hussein family."
Business as usual.
That is a good question.
"On Wednesday the Iraqi council, in a testy exchange with the occupation administrator, L. Paul Bremer III, challenged an American decision to spend $1.2 billion to train 35,000 Iraqi police officers in Jordan when such training could be done in Iraq for a fraction of the cost. Germany and France have offered to provide such training free."
Another good question, and an obvious answer. We don't want France or Germany's help, even if it's free.
"Iraqi officials and businessmen charge that millions of dollars in contracts are being awarded without competitive bidding, some of them to former cronies of Mr. Hussein's government."
Come on. Even I saw that coming.
"A lot of American money is being wasted, I think. We are victims and the American taxpayers are victims."
We've been dealing with it from the beginning and there's not a damn thing we can do about it.
"The lack of transparency and competition, Governing Council members said in interviews, may be encouraging corruption. They said they believed that many contracts had been inflated beyond the reasonable cost for the work, creating opportunities for kickbacks between prime contractors and subcontractors."
Welcome to Democracy and her sister Capitalism. Beauties, aren't they?
"The largest and most prominent Iraqi subcontractor that has emerged belongs to the Bunnia family, which grew immensely wealthy under the former government and was known for lavishing gifts, especially luxury cars, on members of the Hussein family."
Business as usual.
