Honesty About Torture

In the comments of a recent post, I said:

Andrew Sullivan has been pushing on his blog for someone to ask Bush if what happened to McCain was torture. I would love to see the President try to dance around with that one.

to which commenter Kyle replied:

his reply would be painfully easy and would yield far to many head-nods.
"9-11 changed everything"
i would actually fear someone posing that question to the president as im sure it would only solidify the need for me to swear off (after swearing at) politics and take up stamp collecting.

I would welcome that answer however repugnant I may find it. If the Bush Administration and its supporters truly believe that 9/11 changed everything, then they should be up front about it. Tell the American people, "We believe that in order to protect you and keep you safe, we must resort to such things as torture." At least then we could have an honest debate about that instead of dancing around the issue. Of course I also understand that Bush and his cronies believe that 9/11 has also given the Executive Branch carte blanche to do whatever it feels like without having to tell anyone and that they have no interest in debating anything. The point is, though, that most of the supporters of Bush policies have not been intellectually honest enough to truly state where they stand. Instead we hear about things like enhanced interrogation techniques.

I'm tired of cowards who try to take a stand on an issue while trying not to look like that's where they really stand. Call a spade a spade. If you support torture, then, damn it, come out and say it.

Metallica is Back

Their new CD, Death Magnetic, comes out on Friday. Three tracks are already available on iTunes which I have downloaded. They are definitely closer in tone to their pre-Black Album material which just...rocks. Here's a brief story from CNN about it.



Raise the horns, baby.

Wikipedia Writers

Ever since Wikipedia's debut, I have been fascinated with it. I think it's a great starting point for information on an incredible number of subjects with over 2.5 million articles. So, who's doing all of that writing, you ask? Well, here's an article that asks just that question.

Incidentally, I do have a Wikipedia account. I've made a dozen or so edits, mostly fixing grammar and spelling, but occasionally fixing some graffiti. Hey, if I'm going to use it, I may as well contribute.

Weekly Music Video

This one's for my daughters who have been stuck on this song lately.

Murray Head - "One Night in Bangkok"

Weekly Secret

PostSecret

The US Attorney Scandal

While the story has all but disappeared from most media outlets, the investigation into the potentially politically motivated firing of nine U.S. Attorneys continues.

Before the court of public opinion, White House spokespeople have long maintained President Bush had no involvement in the firing of nine U.S. Attorneys, the central decision that mushroomed into one of the biggest scandals in eight years of the Bush administration.

"[T]here is no indication that the President knew about any of the ongoing discussions [about firing U.S. attorneys] over the two years, nor did he see a list or a plan before it was carried out," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters in March 2007.

In federal court, however, the administration's lawyers have been more ambiguous.

"The record does reflect at this stage that the president was not involved in decisions about who would be asked to resign from the department," Justice Department lawyer Carl Nichols carefully argued before a federal judge in June. But "the record does not reflect that the President had no future involvement" in the scandal, he noted.

Just how much of a role the president played in the firings and its aftermath remains unclear. But in trying to prevent top White House officials from testifying or turning over documents to Congress, the Bush administration "is very consciously trying to walk a very fine tightrope," explained Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at American University in Washington, D.C.

On the one hand, experts say, the White House finds it politically necessary to make clear statements insulating Bush from the scandal. But in court, "If they said [Bush] wasn't involved at all they would undermine their case for executive privilege," Vladeck said.

The resulting argument, he said, is "a lawyer who's trying to be very obtuse."

Still, the administration lawyers' fancy footwork hints that the president's involvement could be broader than widely known. "They are not expressly saying it but it is an implicaton because you can't mislead the court," said Charles Tiefer, former House general counsel now a law professor at the University of Baltimore.

The sad thing is that by the time anyone figures out what happened, the people who need to be punished will all be out of office, sitting around at home, drinking beer, and laughing at what they got away with. I wish the Democrats were pursuing things like this a little more seriously instead of being more concerned with winning their next election (not the Presidential contest, but their own individual reelection). That's politics, though, I suppose.

John McCain's Hollow Call for Bipartisianship

McCain's acceptance speech, other than leaving me rolling my eyes at the repeating of the POW story (who knew?), actually shocked me a little with his call for bipartisanship and reaching across the aisle. Really? After the previous night's speeches? The abrasive, condescending rhetoric from Guiliani, Romney, and Palin was disgusting. There was no policy proposals, no discussion of the Republican brand (other than "cut taxes" and "attack terrorists"), instead it was a lot of bashing of the Democrats and Obama. I mean, come on. Mocking him for being a community organizer. Really? Thrice-married, friend-of-gays Guiliani making the crack about Sarah Palin's town, Wasila, not being "cosmopolitan" enough for Obama. Of course, perhaps the most ridiculous comment if one can be chosen amongst the many was Guiliani saying Obama's story could only happen in America, but saying it as if that was a bad thing.

After all that, it defied comprehension for McCain to take the stage and say he wanted to work with Independents and Democrats. Yeah, sure you do, buddy. Most of us are seeing through your very transparent, say and do anything for power routine. Of course most politicians want power; that's why they are in the business they are. They at least try to put on modest airs, though. McCain is not as his very pick of Sarah Palin shows.

Isn't Racism Grand?

Need one more reason to loath the PUMA crowd? How about them putting together a mocking the Obamas which includes people in black face. I wonder if they honestly think that garbage like this will help their cause.

"Hey, Bob, didja catch that new PUMA vid?"
"Naw, not yet. Any good?"
"Hell, yeah! I was actually considerin' ta vote for that uppity Obama. Those actors in blackface learned me just how ridiculous the whole notion of a black President is, you know what I'm sayin'?"
"I hear ya man. I'm gonna have ta check it out."
"Do it. It's eye-openin'."

Sadly, it probably will have that affect on some people.

Enought About Being a POW!

I can't be the only one sick of hearing about the fact that John McCain was a POW. By making it a political tool, McCain has cheapened his experience instead of treating it with the quiet dignity a true hero would.

Obama Wants to Help the Terrorists

Palin may be a Washington outsider, but she's sure picked up quickly on the culture of fear. She tells us that Obama wants to talk to foreign leaders pursuing nuclear weapons and give terrorists rights. Somehow this is going to make us less safe, so we better vote for McCain. He'll get us into lots of fights to keep us safe.

Personally, I am sick of politicians trying to scare me into voting for them.

That Bridge to Nowhere

How many times is Sarah Palin going to tell us that she was against the Bridge to Nowhere before someone calls her on the fact that she used to be for it?

Irony

Listening to Guiliani's speech, I'm really struck by the irony of Republicans trying to attack the Democrats for wanting to increase the size of government. Because Bush has been, you know, so fiscally responsible.

Ouch

Jack Cafferty has some harsh words for the Republicans.

This week the Republicans gather for their convention. For four days, they will labor under the illusion their party is still relevant. It's not.

Indeed.

Vote For Him Because He's a Vet

I should be doing homework, but I found myself tuning into the Republican Convention in time to watch Mike Huckabee's speech. Very underwhelming. It boiled down to "McCain is a veteran so he deserves your vote." I'm not sure of the logic behind that, but what the hell do I know?

A Third Party

Commenter Kyle said:

my prediction is that we'll see a split something like this:
48% dems
42% rep
10% 3rd party
i know that is unusual, but thats where i'm putting my money.
the republicans lost a heck of a lot of votes that wont go over to the dems, while the dems havent lost much of their base. part of my prediction is wishful thinking in that i would love to see the 3rd party draw 10% or more and have that be the start of a massive shift in the the way the american public and the media handle future elections. wishful thinking.

I agree that a viable third party would be of enormous benefit to American politics. As it stands now, it is too easy to say, "We're the good guys. They're the bad guys." A third party, especially one that was somewhat in the middle of the Democrats and Republicans not in a wishy-washy way, but in a way that took some of the ideologies of both parties, would be able to blunt some of that. It would also allow interesting coalitions to develop on issues instead of the usual, "That legislation came from the Bad Party so I oppose it on principle no matter what it might say."

I don't see it happening, though. The Democrats and the GOP are just so big and so entrenched that it would nearly take an act of God to bring one of them down. Just look at how many people still support the Republicans after the last eight years.

Is She the Mother?

Tabloid stuff maybe, but the question of whether or not Sarah Palin is the mother or grandmother of her most recent child has come up. Of course, she could easily clear this up by releasing her medical records.

But Alaska is Close to Russia

According to Cindy McCain, Sarah Palin has foreign policy experience because Alaska is close to Russia.



Seriously.

Sullivan and Yglesias both comment. You'd think that this line of reasoning would lead to acknowledging Obama's foreign policy experience since he lived in Indonesia for four years when he was a child, but of course it has not. Perhaps you can't live in foreign countries to get experience, you can only live near foreign countries to garner such valuable insight. If only Obama had known, he could have gone to Alaska after law school instead of Chicago.

Weekly Music Video

I am a huge fan of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Their album, Beethoven's Last Night, is one of my favorites. Here they are playing a piece from that album.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra - "Requiem the Fifth"

Weekly Secret

PostSecret

He Picked Who?

Of course anyone near a media outlet of any kind now knows that John McCain has chosen his running mate, Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska. No doubt like nearly everyone else, you also went, "Who?"

My very fist thought on hearing McCain's choice was that he was courting the female vote, especially disaffected Hillary voters (the ridiculous PUMAs.) After the Hillary ads he ran, this was blatantly obvious. It also seems ludicrous to believe that this would work. The Hillary voters who have shown reluctance to support Obama are not doing so merely because Obama is not a woman; it is because Obama is not their woman. They wanted Hillary in the White House, not any random female running for office. Polls are also bearing this out, showing that women are more skeptical of men in Palin.

As I read more about Palin, the second reason for McCain's choice shined through. She is supposed to shore up his support amongst evangelicals. Palin believes intelligent design should be taught in schools and is staunchly pro-life.

The reaction to Palin has been interesting and often amusing to read, running the full gamut of thought. Andrew Sullivan wrote, "McCain has just told us how seriously he takes the war we are in. Not seriously at all." Rod Dreher was giddy over the fact that she home schools her kids. I didn't realize that was a sign of a good VP, but I guess when you're playing the identity politics game it must be. *shrug*

I think this is going to be a disaster for McCain in the end. His blatant pandering is going to turn off a lot of voters and seal his defeat.

History is Made

My daughters and I watched a historic moment last night. Here is a video of Obama's speech.



This was not the speech I expected, but I thought it was fantastic. He came out swinging hard against McCain and the Republicans while weaving some of his airier hope themes throughout and even laying out quite a few policy objectives. Anyone doubting that he is ready to be C-in-C after this speech should be assuaged.

Of course, many on the right were not so enamored. But that is not surprising at all; Obama is very liberal in policy if not in temperament. He talks about compromise and bipartisanship, but that doesn't mean he's a middle of the road guy. He is a liberal.

But after the last eight disastrous years, I don't see how the Republicans can expect the American people to give them another chance. And I don't see how McCain and the Republicans can top the oratory in the Democratic convention. I don't expect a blowout in November, but after Obama's speech, I don't know how he can win.

Quote of the Night

Bill Clinton went a long way toward redeeming his image with tonight's speech. He buried his narcissism for a moment and surprisingly talked more about Obama than how great his record was. It started off a little slow, but by the end, he had nailed it. My favorite bit was:

People around the world have always been more impressed by the power of our example than the example of our power.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Unfortunately, most Republicans and especially the neocons seem to have no grasp of that. They would rather smash any potential opposition with our military.

I'll also echo the chorus in praising John Kerry's speech. He was excellent, much better than anything he did four years ago.

Against Air Conditioning

It's two-years old, but this Will Saletan piece criticizing our overuse of AC is still quite good.

All over the country, power consumption is breaking records, and air conditioning is a huge reason why. We use about one-sixth of our electricity to cool ourselves. That's more than the total electricity consumption of India, a country whose population exceeds 1 billion. To get the electricity, we burn oil and coal. We also run air conditioners in our cars, which reduces urban fuel efficiency by up to four miles per gallon, at an annual cost of 7 billion gallons of gasoline.

More burning of oil and coal means more greenhouse gases. Based on government data, Stan Cox, a scientist at the Land Institute, calculates that air-conditioning the average U.S. home requires 3,400 pounds of carbon-dioxide production per year. The effects of this are particularly bad at night. Over the last five summers, very high minimum daily temperatures—those that score in the top 10 percent historically—have been far more widespread in this country than during any other five-year period. This is what's killing people. Outdoor air used to cool at night, allowing us to recover from the day's heat. Now it doesn't. To fuel our own air conditioning, we're destroying nature's.

I think this only one piece of our growing hubris as a species. We constantly try to avoid anything difficult like taking a pill to lose weight without worrying about long-term consequences. We live in the moment. If it feels good right now, then do it. Unfortunately, this typically does not have good consequences (see: the current credit crisis). We as a society need to do some serious self-examination and ask ourselves, "What do we truly value?"

What is a Good Blog?

A blogger makes a list of what he thinks good blog. Not a bad list. I agree with some of it, disagree with others. I'll just say that I've learned in my time blogging (just over a year) that it requires a lot of work. Being relevant requires a lot of reading, a lot of thought processing, a lot of half-starts and rewriting. It would certainly be easier if I didn't have a full-time job. Getting paid to blog full-time would be nice. I do enjoy it, however, and it has been rewarding for me in that it helps me process my own thoughts.

California Sends a Message

The California State Legislature passed a resolution allowing health professionals to be prosecuted if they participate in interrogations that violate "international standards."

Senate Joint Resolution 19 instructs the state’s licensing boards to inform California doctors, psychologists and other health professionals of their obligations under national and international law relating to torture. The boards will warn the licensees that they may one day be subject to prosecution if they participate in interrogations that do not conform to international standards of treatment of prisoners.

“The resolution calls attention to the intolerable dilemma that torture presents when those who are supposed to be the healers in our society are involved in the abuse of prisoners,” said Eisha Mason, associate regional director for the American Friends Service Committee, one of the organizations that sponsored the resolution.

State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) introduced the resolution in response to evidence that – despite the medical oath to “first, do no harm” – some physicians, psychologists and other health personnel have been complicit in abusive interrogations of detainees by the military and the Central Intelligence Agency.

This part was rather alarming.

A survey of medical students conducted by the Harvard Medical School, published in the October, 2007 issue of the International Journal of Health Services, found that one-third of the respondents did not know that under the Geneva Conventions, they should refrain from participating in coercive interrogations.

Thank you, California. Now, who else is going to get on the bandwagon? It's going to take more than one state to stop these practices. Don't just sit there. Write your representatives. Talk to your neighbors, co-workers, family, and friends. If we want this to stop, we need to stand up and make our voices heard.

Who Doesn't Love Jon Stewart?

He is one of the most trusted (fake) journalists in America.

Though this spot is the program’s mocking sendup of itself and the news media’s mania for self-promotion, it inadvertently gets at one very real truth: the emergence of “The Daily Show” as a genuine cultural and political force. When Americans were asked in a 2007 poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press to name the journalist they most admired, Mr. Stewart, the fake news anchor, came in at No. 4, tied with the real news anchors Brian Williams and Tom Brokaw of NBC, Dan Rather of CBS and Anderson Cooper of CNN. And a study this year from the center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism concluded that “ ‘The Daily Show’ is clearly impacting American dialogue” and “getting people to think critically about the public square.”

I am a huge fan of The Daily Show. Not being tied down to a 24-hour news cycle, asking tough questions on serious issues, and the obviousness of Jon's heart behind his biting humor serves to make The Daily Show one of the best programs on TV. You can probably learn more about what's going on in the world than by watching any other program.

Here's a great clip from a recent show where Jon takes a look at the John Edwards affair, the Russia/Georgia conflict, and Bush's gold medal in "lack of self-awareness."

"You've Got a Helluva Lot to Learn About Rock and Roll!"

Apparently "Guitar Hero" is responsible for "saving" rock and roll.

A few years ago, rock music was struggling on the charts. With hip-hop and teen pop ruling, rock was finding it hard to break through with new music -- or sell more of the old.

But "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" have prompted kids born in the '90s to discover artists from the '70s and '80s such as Aerosmith, Twisted Sister and Pat Benatar. The games' amazing popularity -- last year, the two brought in more than $935 million in revenue, according to the NPD Group market research company -- has helped create success in other markets, according to observers.

Parents, what is wrong with you?! You shouldn't need video games to teach your kids about the awesomeness that is rock 'n' roll. Sure, my daughters listen to Hannah Montana, but they also listen to Queen, Meat Loaf, Evanescence, Guns 'n Roses, and Nightwish. Damn it, they're gonna know what good music is and I don't need no stinkin' video game to do it for me. Stop abdicating your duties, parents, and instill in your children a love of the finer things in life.

Like Led freakin' Zeppelin!

A Republican Bows Out

Susan Eisenhower quits the Republican Party and has some harsh words for them.

My decision came at the end of last week when it was demonstrated to the nation that McCain and this Bush White House have learned little in the last five years. They mishandled what became a crisis in the Caucusus, and this has undermined U.S. national security. At the same time, the McCain camp appears to be comfortable with running an unworthy Karl Rove–style political campaign. Will the McCain operation, and its sponsors, do anything to win?
...
As an independent I want to be free of the constraints and burdens that have come with trying to make my own views explainable in the context of today’s party. Hijacked by a relatively small few, the GOP of today bears no resemblance to Lincoln, Roosevelt or Eisenhower’s party, or many of the other Republican administrations that came after. In my grandparents’ time, the thrust of the party was rooted in: a respect for the constitution; the defense of civil liberties; a commitment to fiscal responsibility; the pursuit and stewardship of America’s interests abroad; the use of multilateral international engagement and “soft power”; the advancement of civil rights; investment in infrastructure; environmental stewardship; the promotion of science and its discoveries; and a philosophical approach focused squarely on the future.

Ouch. I think true conservatives should probably be hoping for a Democratic victory in the Presidential race and big gains in Congress. The Republican party has shifted wildly off course and needs to be smacked down - hard - so they can come to their senses and become the party they once were.

H/T: Andrew Sullivan

Sick 'Em, Biden!

As everyone knows, Obama has selected Joe Biden as his running mate. I think this is a good pick for Obama. Not because Biden has solid foreign policy cred and can possibly connect to working class voters, but because he is a fierce debater who speaks his mind. Granted, his mouth has landed him in trouble before, but I think he's the perfect guy to go to the mat against the Republican/Karl Rove slime machine. Biden is not one to take any hits sitting down; he'll get right back up and hit back hard. Obama has talked a lot about moving beyond this kind of politics, but unfortunately that's hard to do when you're the only one wanting to do that. With Biden on the ticket, though, Obama can focus on his strengths - big speeches and staying cool - while letting Biden get his hands dirty.

I think it's a big win for Obama and the Dems. McCain is going to have to become a lot craftier now with his negative ads. Biden will tear him up if he doesn't.

McCain Keeps Going Lower

The McCain campaign has released a new ad that wonders why Hillary Clinton is not Obama's VP pick. I like McCain less and less as this campaign goes on. Between bringing up his time as a POW no matter what the question is, his black and white view of foreign policy, and now his low-blow campaigning, I'm getting really fed up with him.

Weekly Music Video

I'm not a huge Sublime fan, but this song is incredible.

Sublime - "Santeria"

Weekly Secret

PostSecret

Birthday Treaty

You know, I could see Bush falling for something like this.

Obama's Veep?

Could it be Joe Biden or is Obama going to surprise us?

Kevin Smith Likes Watchmen

Kevin Smith has given the forthcoming Watchmen movie based on the graphic novel high praise. He said, in fact, that

It's fucking astounding.

This is good to hear, but I'm still skeptical, especially since Snyder is still working on cutting down the runtime to satisfy the studio. After seeing the trailer and reading this, I'm more optimistic than I used to be, but I'm still not holding my breath. The graphic novel is just too good and dense to be easily translated to the screen. We'll see, though.

The Future of Books

The Electronic Frontier Foundation asks, What happens if the Kindle succeeds?"

Skeptics should remember that it wasn't long ago that many predicted that CDs would never replace vinyl, and later that MP3s would never replace CDs. You can still find great record stores that specialize in vinyl, but the trend towards digital music has been steady and unstoppable. And the music industry has paid a huge price for their failure to embrace the new technology. After first ignoring new technologies, they then proceeded to try to sue innovators, restrict users with DRM copy protection and then punish fans with indiscriminate lawsuits, none of which did a thing to stop online sharing of music. Sales are down, illegal filesharing is up, and no one has found a way to unite the industry around monetizing the sharing of digital music (though EFF has suggested a Better Way Forward).

Will the same thing happen to the publishing industry as books become digital? If the trend continues, with better devices promising longer battery life and better screen resolution, digital books will become a force to be reckoned with. Are we doomed to watch the publishing industry run through the same gamut of bad decisions that have plagued the recording industry for the last few years?

As much of a tech junkie as I am and as much reading as I do on my computer, I still prefer the feel of a book in my hands. Oh, to be sure, I have no problem reading on a computer screen and I would even think about getting an e-reader if I found one I liked (definitely not the Kindle in its current incarnation), but nothing beats the feel, the smell, the experience of leaning back in a comfortable chair with a good book in your hands and being transported away.

I own several hundred books and I intend to keep purchasing hard-copy books until the day I die. I may end up having digital copies of all of them, but they will never replace my dead tree copies.

Me No Spel Gud

The push to simplify our spelling seems to come up every few years and sure enough, it has reared its ugly head once more.

Most teachers expect to correct their students' spelling mistakes once in a while. But Ken Smith has had enough. The senior lecturer in criminology at Bucks New University in Buckinghamshire, England, sees so many misspellings in papers submitted by first-year students that he says we'd be better off letting the perpetrators off the hook and doing away with certain spelling rules altogether.

Good spellers, Smith says, should be able to go on writing as usual; those who find the current rules of English too hard to learn should have their spelling labeled variant, not wrong. Smith zeroes in on 10 candidates for variant spellings, culled from his students' most commonly misspelled (or mispelled, as Smith suggests) words. Among them are Febuary instead of February, twelth instead of twelfth and truely instead of truly — all words, he says, that involve confusion over silent letters. When students would ask why there's no e in truly, Smith didn't really have an answer. "I'd say, 'Well, I don't know. ... You've just got to drop it because people do,' " he says. Smith adds that when teachers correct spelling, they waste valuable time they could be spending on bigger ideas.

This notion always strikes me as ludicrous. Maybe it's because I'm an intellectual snob or maybe it's because I've never had trouble with spelling. Whatever it is, I can't see why we should reshape our language because some people have trouble spelling. What's next? Simplifying algebra because it has too many equations? Fewer countries on maps so there's not so many to learn?

If you are someone who has difficulty spelling, I'm sorry, but you should just have to deal with it. Get a dictionary. Practice. I'm sure you have talents that someone else who can spell really well does not. But the idea of changing large parts of our language for the people who struggle with it is ridiculous. Or just, plain dum.

Weekly Music Video

It can be hard to find actual videos of some European bands, so as with the video I posted awhile back of "Theater of Salvation" this is a video put together by a fan. The song is just accompanied by pictures of the band. Still, it's a great song by a great symphonic metal band.

Edenbridge - "Shine"

Weekly Secret

PostSecret

Define Insanity

A brilliant man in Denver tests Einstein's definition of insanity.

The Aspen Daily News reported a store clerk said he saw the man load a case of beer into his backpack and walk out of the store Wednesday night.

Police found a man matching the clerk's description at a nearby bus stop and found the backpack stuffed into a newspaper box.

The man was arrested for petty theft and released, police said.

The next night, a different 7-Eleven clerk called police reporting that a man had just walked out of the store with two 12-packs.

A Pitkin County sheriff's deputy found the same alleged beer thief waiting at a bus stop.

He arrested the man for theft, the newspaper reported, and released him again.

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein

Colleges and Political Correctness

A new study says that college faculty are more liberal than the public at large, but not as liberal as they used to be. They also claim that conservative professors do not face near as much bias as if often claimed and are typically quite successful.

But for those who say that these tenured radicals have all the power in academe, the study finds that politically correct professors’ views on the role of politics in hiring decisions aren’t very different from the views of other professors. Further, the study finds that a critical mass of politically incorrect professors is doing quite well in securing jobs at the most prestigious universities in the United States, despite claims that such scholars are an endangered species there.
...
After having shown that, while there are politically correct professors, there are many who are not, Simmons turns to data to examine what happens to those who are politically incorrect. Here he looks for “stars,” those who publish much more than others or who in other ways demonstrate levels of excellence beyond the norm. Here he finds considerable success by the politically incorrect. Of those at top 50 institutions, 73.3 percent are stars.

Of course, not everyone agrees with the authors of the study. In a big surprise, they are conservatives.

It seems that the people who raise a hue and cry over pressing issues like liberal bias in the media or on college campuses should spend more time doing something about it instead of complaining about it. Although, if it is not as big a problem as they make it out to be, well, then it's going to be a little harder to fix then, isn't it? Not to mention when they try, we end up with something like Liberty University and that's not going to solve any problems.

The Conservative Press

A new book out, The Obama Nation, has shot up to number one on the charts and is causing quite a stir, not least because of its factual inaccuracies. Of course, this is not the first time its author Jerome Corsi has been in the spotlight. He...

...rose to prominence as the co-author of a book attacking 2004 Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, penned another tome asserting oil is a nearly infinite resource that continues to generate naturally, and posted a series of online comments through 2004, including suggestions that Hillary Rodham Clinton is a lesbian and Muslims worship Satan.

Not surprisingly the publisher is not concerned about pesky things like "facts."

Ordinarily, when an author or an editor discovers errors in a book's text, he or she arranges to correct them in the next printing. I've done this myself. But neither Corsi nor Matalin responded to e-mails from me asking whether they intended to correct any errors in The Obama Nation—it would be a miracle if there were none. In the Times, Corsi brushed aside the Media Matters critique because of its politics.

And why do these books get printed? Take a guess.

Quite the contrary. Simon & Schuster and the other big publishing houses have started conservative imprints, at arms' length and with noses held, because they recognize them to be a gold mine. The Obama Nation, the Times reports, will debut on its best-seller list this Sunday at No. 1. But part of the deal, clearly, is that conservative imprints aren't required to adhere to the same standards of truth as the grown-up divisions.

This is one of my major beefs with the modern conservative movement. Too many conservatives are wedded to the Republican party at the expense of their principles. Look at all the people who still support George Bush. A principled person - conservative or liberal - would care more about their political beliefs than the political party. Sadly, most people seem to treat it like sports. No matter how bad your team is, you still root for them.

If only people would remember that politics is not a game, but an activity that has far-reaching impacts on everyone. I know that's asking a lot, though. It's much easier to close your eyes and loudly cheer for your team.

The Shock Doctrine

Another book has been added to my Need to Read list. Naomi Klein has written a book called The Shock Doctrine: The Rise Of Disaster Capitalism in which she claims that governments and corporations have begun to use disasters to further their own agendas. She talked with the AVClub about it recently.

The book is an alternative history of the triumph of a set of ideas. That this set of ideas has triumphed is actually an incredibly uncontroversial thing to say. We call this globalization, or the age of globalization. And it's been documented many times, but differently. We do know that over the past 35 years there has been an incredible sea change in the way the world economy functions. This has been advanced through bureaucratic institutions like GATT and the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and that's why it sort of goes, usually, by the friendlier name "globalization" or "free trade." But, beneath those phrases are a set of policies that call on countries to lower their trade barriers, to privatize industries that had been in the public domain, and that require cuts to social spending. The fact that this change has happened is not controversial. We know that there has been a dramatic change. It has minted billionaires in every country where it has triumphed. As soon as you privatize the entire economy in Argentina, Mexico, Russia—it creates an oligarchic class. What we're all struggling with right now is the legacy of these policies and the fact that it has opened up this dramatic income gap between the winners of this economic model and the losers, the people who have been excluded from it. That has been the disconnect of the Bush years, of the Bush administration saying the economy has been doing well where people are going, "Well, it really doesn't feel like it's doing well." The answer is that it really was doing well for the Bush administration and their friends.

I'm really not advancing a "great man" theory of history, or some idea of a back-door conspiracy, I just think this is the way history works. After the market crash in 1929, the tide really did turn in favor of the middle class and workers. We saw a period over 30 to 40 years where the middle class rose to unprecedented levels in the United States, but not just in the United States, in any country that adopted these types of policies. And it really did work, in terms of creating class mobility. But it really did eat into profits and this stage that we've been living in since Reagan is really about the people in the highest income brackets saying, "We want our New Deal. We don't want to share so much." The basic demands of this counterrevolution, or this revolt of the elites, have all been about taking back those gains—breaking unions, being able to pay lower wages, having the freedom to scour the world for the lowest wages—and it's really been a liberation movement—the liberation of capital from all constraints.

So, is that a conspiracy? I don't see that as a conspiracy, I actually just think this is the way the tides of history work. It swings in one direction; it swings in the other direction. I don't think it's any more of a conspiracy than the New Deal was a conspiracy. Interests do organize and launch movements and campaigns and have tactics and win victories. It's worth looking at how they do it.

Read the whole thing. It is very fascinating. I would also recommend The Corporation, a great documentary about the history of corporations from their beginning 150 years ago as small, limited operations to the global megaliths they are today. The creators paint a devastating picture of something we all need to be more aware of.

The Car is Back

I got my Toyota back today after my recent difficulties. Thankfully, it was no charge to me. They told me that it hadn't been properly rewired the first time. If that shop hadn't come highly recommended by someone who knows cars, I probably wouldn't go back to them, but as it is I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. God knows, I'll no doubt need to take it back for something sooner rather than later. Of course, I still need to get the transmission taken care of as well. *sigh*

Blog Additions

I've added a label cloud on the right-hand side. You can find it between the search bar and the archive list. It has the most frequent labels I use around here and clicking one will bring up all of the relevant posts. Something to make surfing around here a little easier.

McCain Says Nations Don't Invade Other Nations Anymore

Do you think McCain realized the irony in his statement? I really doubt it. McCain, more than anything else, has positioned himself as a war junkie. Witness his statements in recent days on the Russia/Georgia conflict. Do we really want someone in the White House who is forgetful, has a temper, and gets excited about war? I know I don't.

H/T: Ta-Nehisi Coates

Dads Get the Short End of the Stick

A blogger on Slate laments the fact that feminism has often had an inverse impact on dads.

When you think seriously about it, the way custody laws are set up is inescapably unfair. As it stands, there's a hypocrisy at the heart of the second-wave feminist movement: It demands that men be equal partners in child-raising, but when push comes to shove and a marriage dissolves it also implicitly claims that women are the true parents and men are not. While the letter of the law gives men certain rights, divorce lawyers are often shameless about using the threat of claiming there was child abuse to get fathers to back off from fighting for more custody rights. Over the past few months, by total chance, I've talked to a couple of newly divorced fathers, including old college friends, who have suddenly seen their children swept away from them. They were dedicated fathers; they now pay child support, and yet their right to see their children is severely circumscribed. I know there's no perfect solution; but couldn't we come up with one that's better than this? If women really want equality in child-rearing, don't we have to acknowledge that this extends even to divorce?

As a divorced father who does not get to see his kids near enough, I certainly have a first-hand account of this. Deadbeat dads get most of the press, but there are a lot of damn good fathers out there who want to do more for the children, but are not given the chance. In the long run, it is only going to hurt the kids.

Your Kids: Cheaters or Sticklers for Rules

An interesting article at Slate on when you should tell your kids its okay to break the rules and when they should stick to them.

No one likes a cheater, for sure. But no one likes a stickler, either. What if your kid is the one who tends to wave the rule book while yelling "no fair"? Teaching kids about playing games is a subtle enterprise, when you stop to think about it. On the one hand, the point of a game is to win it. For some kids, the competition is itself a stumbling block—whether it's Monopoly or kickball or soccer, they back away from contests that end with winners and losers. These kids don't focus much on the rules; they're not invested enough. But then there are the kids for whom competition is an almighty thrill. They're not interested in just hitting a tennis ball around. They want to keep score. And once you're doing that, whatever the setting, the rules do matter. To break or bend them is to take advantage. And so it can be perfectly called for to object to cheating.

The problem is that the point of playing games isn't only to win, most of the time. It's also to hang out with friends, have a good time, while away a sunny or rainy afternoon. Viewed through that lens, it's important to tolerate a little rule bending. Did the dice fly off the board? OK, roll them again. Game playing takes a lot of that kind of compromise and improvisation. We want kids to care, sure, but not so much that they send the board flying when there's a question about whether doubles means roll again. It's a lot to expect for kids to master all the nuances, to know when to let a stolen base go during a social kickball game, and when to insist on recording the out.

I teach my daughters to twist the rules to their own advantage if possible, or if not to break them and just don't get caught.

Okay, I kid.

Guantanamo Meeting

I had a meeting with someone from Jon Tester's office today about closing down Guantanamo Bay. This one actually occurred unlike the meeting we were supposed to have with Max Baucus. Kyle, Lacey, and I talked to Vicky Stephens, one of Tester's "Field Representatives." She was very pleasant and sympathetic to our request. She promised to pass along our information to the Senator and said we could call her to follow up.

I really enjoyed this opportunity. We still are going to try to meet with someone in Baucus's office and we also briefly talked about putting together a community forum or something similar to spread the word to people. Being a part of something bigger than yourself is exciting.

Don't Coddle Your Kids

Another study out showing the risks in being too soft with your children. As a proud parent of two beautiful daughters, I certainly understand the impulse to shield and protect your children from all potential harm. If any harm were to befall them while they were with me, I don't know how I could handle it.

Unfortunately, however, we don't live in a perfect world and the fact of the matter is that kids need to learn risk management. If that means bumps and bruises, scrapes and tears, and even the occasional broken bone, then so be it. Eventually the kids have to grow up and enter the real world and learn that it isn't all roses. If they can learn some of those lessons while they are young, they will be better prepared for adult life and it won't come as such a shock when mommy and daddy aren't right there holding their hand every step of the way.

Violence is Worth It...For Money

Jackie Chan has some words of wisdom for us all.

Never, ever take a fist to another person unless you're profiting handsomely from it.
...
I recall one bully who used to taunt me when I was growing up in Hong Kong. He would call me horrible names and try to egg me on, but I always stuck to my principles. "My friend, I have no quarrel with you," I would say. "I will not fight you unless I'm given $5 million up-front, 3 percent on the back end, and first rights to star in any sequels."

I Don't Like Cars

It was just a couple of weeks ago that I got my car back from the shop. They rewired both cables coming off of the battery and told me I had to take it to another shop that did transmissions to take care of the oil leak. I planned on taking it in this week since I am taking a few days off work and then I wouldn't have to worry about transportation to and from there.

Well, that was the plan. This morning when I pulled out of the driveway, I saw sparks coming out from under the hood near the battery. I pulled over, but didn't think much of it because there was no smoke and I didn't smell anything. Maybe I was seeing things, but oh, no. Driving home from work today, when I pulled into my driveway, the power blipped (radio flipped off and came back on) and a bunch of smoke started coming out from under the hood. Sighing, I popped it to take a look. The (new) wires are starting to melt and the metal piece that goes over the battery to secure it was sinking into the battery which was starting to melt. I could only think, "You've got to be shitting me."

Now I don't know what the hell I'm going to do. I do know I'd much rather deal with autoimmune diseases than cars.

The Religious Right Gets a Little Dramatic

Isn't hyperbole great?

The primary focus of the call was Proposition 8 in California, described by Colson as “the Armageddon of the culture war.” Many speakers invoked the language of warfare, raising up an army of believers, putting soldiers in the streets, being on the front lines of a battle. Lou Engle actually described a massive rally planned in Qualcomm stadium on November 1 as a “blitzkrieg moment.”

While speaker after speaker spoke of the dire threats same-sex married couples pose to “traditional” marriage, religious freedom, and civilization itself, the overall tone of the call was confidence that victory would be won with God’s help, 40 days of prayer and fasting before the election, teams of intercessors and prayer warriors around the country, and a massive highly organized deployment of volunteers in a systematic voter identification and turnout campaign.

"Armageddon of the culture war," huh? Wow. You'd think that they might reserve such harsh language for things like the American President authorizing torture or the billions going hungry every day. But, no. The Religious Right is more concerned about two people in love who happen to be the same gender. How they can twist this into the fall of Western civilization is beyond me.

Weekly Music Video

Is there any situation not improved with the addition of some Billy Idol?

Billy Idol - "Dancing With Myself"

Weekly Secret

PostSecret

The Line Between Church and State

This is an interesting case I have been reading about. A woman is suing a church for emotional distress caused by an exorcism done on her when she was 17 and led to her attempting suicide.

Mrs Schubert Pearson, 29, claims she was left bruised and traumatised after members of her church group allegedly kept her captive for two days so they could perform an exorcism in which was pinned to the ground and "pummelled".

The incident happened after fellow members of the church group became convinced she was possessed by demons. She was 17 at the time.

After the alleged ordeal, she dropped out of school and tried to slit her wrists.

A Texas court originally ruled in her favor, but a higher court overturned it and it may head to the Supreme Court. The church and those supporting it claim that the lower court overstepped its bounds and that the church's actions were protected by the First Amendment.

Mrs Schubert Pearson's claims were largely emotional and "so interwoven with religious practices" there was no way for a court to get involved, he added.

"The government can't get involved in overseeing religious practices. The best way to say it is it's not American.

"If she did prevail that would erase about 150 years of law in this country from the Supreme Court saying the government does not get involved in the internal affairs and operations of the church. It would effectively be the end of church independence and religious freedom in our country."

Here are some more articles: Left of Center, Religion News Blog, and RightJurist.com

This is certainly a tricky matter. I think the separation of church and state is vital for our country and important for both entities. They would each be diminished by an intermingling. That said, in this case I am inclined to come down on the woman's side. She was only 17 when this happened, still a minor, and her parents were not around, nor aware of this incident until afterward. I think it would set a dangerous precedent to sanction the church's actions under the guise of the First Amendment. Where would the line be drawn for similar cases?

It would be different if the woman had been an adult or if the parents had been a part of this. Neither is true, however, and so I think the lower court made the right decision in siding with the girl. She is vowing to take her case to the Supreme Court which would be very interesting indeed. Which side would the conservative leaning court take? Either way, this is one to watch.

Obama vs McCain: The Movie

An article from the LA Times looks at the two presidential candidates and what each of them represents.

Obama is a star in this sense too. As he reiterates endlessly, Obama brings idealism at a time when many Americans are despairing of making any headway against the problems the nation faces. Drawing on his own personal story of disadvantage that led to Columbia University, Harvard Law School and now to the Democratic nomination, Obama in his every gesture and utterance suggests that "Yes We Can." This idealism isn't inspiring adulation because Obama is already a star. Obama is a star precisely because he is inspiring. He is the anti-Bush, and what he's selling is hope.

It is axiomatic that the more powerful the theme a star embodies, the more powerful his or her stardom. Obama's theme is a potent one. Whether one buys into it or not, he promises to cross divides -- political, ideological, racial, geographic -- and to transcend the old politics of fear and hate that has commandeered recent elections. He believes that America can -- and should -- be the moral beacon for the world by returning to its core values. In analyzing his own appeal, Obama says he has become a symbol -- which, again, is exactly what all stars are. He is providing a really good, uplifting movie.
...
Of course McCain is a hero in his own right, but his narrative is familiar -- it's a war movie after all -- and his feat is that of having survived, which in a Hollywood film is not the same thing as having led the rescue. He hardly embodies the new-style heroism that Mailer saw in John Kennedy, which allowed the late president to extend the bounds of politics not only into stardom but into imagination as stars do. With Kennedy, anything seemed possible.

I think this is precisely the reason that Obama will win the White House in November. He is tapping into the current American zeitgeist in a powerful way, in a way that raises people's spirits. And those that try to label him as empty rhetoric are ignoring his record, his rising through Chicago politics, and the detailed policy proposals he has put forth. McCain is standing in the path of destiny and he is going to get bowled over.

Fight Fire With Fire

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to be camping right near the start of the Cascade Fire which broke out near Red Lodge. I had gone camping with my daughters as well as my friend, Jeromy, and his wife and two kids. We camped across from Timberline the previous night and that morning drove up to the start of the Quinnebaugh Meadows trail. We ended up cutting our hike a little short because the kids were tired. When we got back to our vehicles, we decided to refill our water bottles from the river. While we were doing that I noticed this...









That was our cue to leave. Now. Racing down the road, the fire was within fifty yards of the road. Once we were clear, though, I had to stop and take a few more pictures.





It was an incredible experience. Jeromy said he heard we were one of the last to get out on our own. Everyone else hiking the trail had to be evacuated by helicopter. Isn't it amazing how quickly things like this can happen? I'm grateful that we all got out okay, but also excited to have been so close. It was beautiful even as it was terrifying.

John Yoo Smacked Down

John Yoo, architect of much of the Bush policy on torture and executive power, has tried to use Thomas Jefferson to justify his thoughts and Bush's power grab. Unfortunately for him, some people out there seem to have a better grasp of Jefferson's thoughts than he does.

Jefferson did not claim plenary, exclusive, independent, or inherent presidential authority. He never argued, as did the Bush administration after 9/11, that presidential powers under Article II enabled him to violate any statute or treaty that stood in his way. I think it is false for Yoo to write: "Contrary to popular belief,Jefferson believed in an independent Presidency with inherent powers." Jefferson believed in the Lockean prerogative, subject to the conditions described above.

In reading this article, I wondered if John Yoo decided to look to earlier Presidents to determine whether their concept of the office might justify what President George W. Bush did after 9/11. Perhaps my suspicions are groundless, but the quote above did not help, nor the following: "Madison's low performance is attributable in part to his narrow view of his constitutional powers as President." Nothing in Jefferson's presidency lends support to the view widely circulated in the Bush administration that the President is endowed with inherent powers in national security that trump statutes, treaties, judicial decisions, and the Constitution.

There has been a definite strain of intellectual dishonesty on the right, especially in those slavishly devoted to Bush and his policies. You'd think that these people might remember that there are smart people out there who disagree with them and can easily pick apart the flimsy arguments they make. Of course, they were able to convince America to put Bush back in office, so maybe their tactics work.

Like a Zombie That...Just...Won't...Die

Clinton supporters are preparing to make a big splash at the Democratic Convention in Denver in order to...well, uh...uhm...who knows? I don't know what the hell they are trying to prove, but this is getting ridiculous. Of course, Hillary is not doing much to quash this and Bill is still whining about how he was treated during the primaries.

Can someone please figure out a way to make the Clintons just go away. Anyone out there with some alien contacts? Perhaps an abduction could be arranged? Something. Please.

Communal Yards

An idea that seems to be gaining some traction here in America is that of sharing back yards. (Articles here and here. I think it is a fantastic idea. Obviously it will not be for everyone, and it is quite a break from the traditional American lifestyle, but if it can be more eco-friendly and bring people closer together, then I think it is worth pursuing.

Star Wars Humor

Here is one of the best clips from Robot Chicken Star Wars.


via videosift.com

Love Vader as the whiny cry-baby. Of course, it's exactly what it felt like in the stupid prequels, so...

UPDATE: It appears the video was yanked from YouTube, so I found it somewhere else. Muahaha! I can't be stopped!

Baucus Update

So, I was unable to meet with Senator Baucus yesterday. Kyle (an occasional commenter here) and I went to the Senator's local office, and instead of getting a meeting, we got lots of confusion.

"Who are you?"
"Who were you meeting with?"
"Who set this up?"

Needless to say, we did not get to meet with anyone. The staff who was there informed us that August was a very busy month, but if we wanted to leave our contact information, they might be able to set up something in September. "Don't call us; we'll call you," was how it came across. That's okay. We'll keep bugging 'em until we get a meeting. I suppose it is only appropriate that my first attempt at getting into the political game (more than just writing here or to my representatives) ended this way. I'm just a nobody. For now.

Kyle called me a short time later to say he was supposed to meet with someone from Denny Rehberg's office later in the day. I couldn't make it to that and I haven't heard how it went. We're also supposed to meet with someone from Jon Tester's office next week.

Contraception Is Not Abortion

But, sadly, the White House is trying to paint it as such.

In a spectacular act of complicity with the religious right, the Department of Health and Human Services Monday released a proposal that allows any federal grant recipient to obstruct a woman's access to contraception. In order to do this, the Department is attempting to redefine many forms of contraception, the birth control 40 percent of Americans use, as abortion. Doing so protects extremists under the Weldon and Church amendments. Those laws prohibit federal grant recipients from requiring employees to help provide or refer for abortion services.

Sometimes I wonder if the religious right is serious about ending abortions. Because if they were, they would strongly support contraceptives. People are going to have sex whether or not they can get birth control of some sort. It's human freakin' nature! More people using protection or contraceptives or whatever means fewer pregnancies means fewer chances for abortion. Only someone who has abandoned logic (such as many of the religious right) could not see the good in this.

The Earth is Flat

Let's have a big round of applause for human intelligence. Truly, it knows no boundaries.

"People are definitely prejudiced against flat-earthers," says John Davis, a flat earth theorist based in Tennessee, reacting to the new Microsoft commercial.

"Many use the term 'flat-earther' as a term of abuse, and with connotations that imply blind faith, ignorance or even anti-intellectualism."

Mr Davis, a 25-year-old computer scientist originally from Canada, first became interested in flat earth theory after "coming across some literature from the Flat Earth Society a few years ago".

"I came to realise how much we take at face value," he says. "We humans seem to be pleased with just accepting what we are told, no matter how much it goes against our senses."

Mr Davis now believes "the Earth is flat and horizontally infinite - it stretches horizontally forever".

"And it is at least 9,000 kilometres deep", he adds.

Oh, it gets better.

What about all the photos from space that show, beyond a shadow of doubt, that the Earth is round? "The space agencies of the world are involved in an international conspiracy to dupe the public for vast profit," says Mr McIntyre.

John Davis also says "these photos are fake".

And what about the fact that no one has ever fallen off the edge of our supposedly disc-shaped world?

Mr McIntyre laughs. "This is perhaps one of the most commonly asked questions," he says. "A cursory examination of a flat earth map fairly well explains the reason - the North Pole is central, and Antarctica comprises the entire circumference of the Earth. Circumnavigation is a case of travelling in a very broad circle across the surface of the Earth."

If ever there was evidence that Darwin may not have been correct, it would be found in people like these clowns.

McCain at a Loss for Words

I guess questions that aren't about war are tough to answer.



This was in no way a "gotcha" question and McCain should be better prepared for these sorts of questions. Presidential is not quite the adjective I would use for McCain after viewing something like this.

Senator Baucus, Tear Down That Base

I am meeting with Senator Baucus tomorrow as part of Amnesty International effort to close the base at Guantanamo Bay. I'm very excited about this and nervous, too. I've never done anything like this before so it should prove to be very interesting. And, with any luck, some good will come out of it and Gitmo will be shut down.

McCain Honorable?

Yeah, right. The hoopla the McCain camp raised against Obama for not visiting wounded troops? That was only one possible position he would have taken based on Obama's actions.

What the McCain campaign doesn’t want people to know, according to one GOP strategist I spoke with over the weekend, is that they had an ad script ready to go if Obama had visited the wounded troops saying that Obama was...wait for it...using wounded troops as campaign props. So, no matter which way Obama turned, McCain had an Obama bashing ad ready to launch. I guess that’s political hardball. But another word for it is the one word that most politicians are loathe to use about their opponents—a lie.

McCain pledged to run a civil campaign way back when. I guess he's decided that Rovian politics are the better path for him. Well, he has no hope of winning in the fall. Like him or not, Obama is riding a crest of American sentiment at the moment that will carry him right into the White House.

Hat tip to Andrew Sullivan.

Church of Jediism

Having trouble finding a church for you? You could try joining the Church of Jediism. They take their inspiration from the Jedi of the Star Wars films and the UK has just officially recognized them. You can take lessons in lightsaber use and Jedi mind-control (seriously). I might have to sign-up if only for these lessons which would no doubt be of critical value in the world.

Me (waving hand): I'm the best employee you have. I need a large raise while working fewer hours.
Boss: You are the best employee I have. You need a large raise while working fewer hours.

That would really come in handy.

Weekly Music Video

A classic 80's hit.

Taco - "Puttin' on the Ritz"



This is a cover of a very old song that was first released in 1929 and made famous by Fred Astaire in 1946 who performed it for the movie Blue Skies. I can't hear this song anymore without thinking about a time about ten years ago when I was working at Target. I was in the backroom, putting merchandise away. The radio was blasting, of course, and this song came on. Another employee was also in the back and she asked me, "Who's Gary Cooper?"

What? You don't know who Gary Cooper is? Are you not American? So, I gave her a brief overview and mentioned some of the movies he had been in. She was about my age, but I'm pretty sure anything before the 70s was ancient and she had no interest in any of it. Dang kids these days. No respect! Now, get off my lawn!

"Liberal Bias" in the Media

Liberal bias is a hot topic amongst conservatives (and a fact, of course), but a new study calls that assumption into question.

Haters of the mainstream media reheated a bit of conventional wisdom last week.

Barack Obama, they said, was getting a free ride from those insufferable liberals.

Such pronouncements, sorry to say, tend to be wrong since they describe a monolithic media that no longer exists. Information today cascades from countless outlets and channels, from the Huffington Post to Politico.com to CBS News and beyond.

But now there's additional evidence that casts doubt on the bias claims aimed -- with particular venom -- at three broadcast networks.

The Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University, where researchers have tracked network news content for two decades, found that ABC, NBC and CBS were tougher on Obama than on Republican John McCain during the first six weeks of the general-election campaign.

You read it right: tougher on the Democrat.

The whole thing is very interesting, even if there are some flaws with the methodology. Crying about liberal bias, real or not, is not conducive to problem solving anyway. People need to learn to be more discerning of information no matter its source. The fact is that a truly non-biased perspective is impossible. We are human beings, not robots. We are always going to have baggage from the mere fact that we exist, we think, we have emotions. Media outlets should work to minimize overt bias, but it will always be there.

Of course, those that cry about liberal bias in the mainstream news media never seem to complain that talk radio is overwhelmingly conservative. I wonder why that is?

Weekly Secret

PostSecret

"Surfer Dude" Rewrites Physics?

There is nothing significant about a man who spends his time adventuring, surfing, snowboarding, and hopping from job to job. Of course if that man has a PhD in theoretical physics and has just published a paper which may be the biggest breakthrough in physics since Einstein, well then you have a story.

A few weeks ago, Lisi posted an academic paper called "An Exceptionally Simple Theory of Everything" to arxiv.org, a site for scientists that's maintained by Cornell University. The paper outlined his attempt at a theory that would lay out the physics of the universe in one tidy package. For half a century, researchers have sought to reconcile gravity with the three forces that operate inside atoms, where gravity seems to hold no sway. No one—not even Einstein, who spent the later years of his life trying—has been able to explain how these four forces can coexist.

To understand fully Lisi's own stab at the problem requires a grasp of mathematics far beyond all but a handful of people, but the basic premise is that all physical forces and particles can be explained by mapping them onto an incredibly complex geometrical structure known as E8. If Lisi is right, his theory would give an elegant shape to the physics of the cosmos, and E8 would become as significant as E=MC2. This would be a remarkable feat coming from any of the most accomplished physicists alive. Coming from a surf bum, it would be beyond extraordinary.

Lisi began presenting his theory at conferences last year, and many well-regarded physicists found it interesting, even plausible. So he posted the paper, hoping for feedback. And with that, he set off a rogue wave of hype and backlash that he's having a hard time riding. SURFER DUDE STUNS PHYSICISTS WITH THEORY OF EVERYTHING, thundered London's Telegraph. Discover magazine asked, COULD THE NEXT EINSTEIN BE A SURFER DUDE?

Of course this is brand new and it will take awhile to be fully vetted, but this is still very exciting. Even if the whole theory does not pan out, breaking it down and debunking it could lead to a better understanding of our current physics models. I think it is great that this is coming from an outsider, too. Often it takes someone outside of the establishment, whatever it may be, to see something with a different perspective and shake things up.

If you are curious to learn more about physics, then I highly recommend Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time. It really is geared for the lay reader and Hawking does a fantastic job of explaining complicated theories in very understandable ways. It's also a beautiful eye-opener to many hidden wonders in our incredible universe.

Cars are the Instruments of Satan

I finally got my vehicle towed to the shop Monday Tuesday morning after my most recent mishap. They told me they would take a look at it later that day and give me a call with a prognosis. It is Thursday morning and I have yet to hear from them. This can't be a good sign.

UPDATE: Tuesday, not Monday. *sigh* It's been a long week.

I also got a call a couple of hours after I posted this. The shop got my vehicle running. They had to rewire the positive and ground cables off the battery. That's not so bad. What's worse is that I asked them to check out the oil leak and they said it's the transmission which is beyond their purview, though they recommended a place. If it's not one thing, it's another.

Just Say No

That's what the Disabled American Veterans told Dick Cheney who was supposed to speak at a convention for them in Vegas. They changed their minds after finding out about his "draconian and unreasonable" security demands, things like the vets having to be in the room two hours before Cheney came and not being able to leave until after he had (and there are no bathrooms in the room). Cheney's people said they were willing to work with the group, but they still said 'no.' Darth Cheney indeed. And the picture accompanying the article is great.

Getting a Degree in Comics

Geeks of the world unite! Colleges are now analyzing comics in the classroom and even instituting programs for the study of them.

But only graduate student Kate McClancy came armed with an analysis of how an asylum in the Caped Crusader's world reflects the American debate over treatment of the mentally ill.

It's an obscure topic, to be sure. But Ms. McClancy's treatise was right at home at Comic-Con International, which was held here this past weekend.

Dozens of other scholars were tackling arcane subjects from "the geek as melodramatic hero" to "the problem of vigilante justice" in the famed graphic novel "Watchmen."

Just 15 years ago, many professors would have scoffed at the in-depth study of comics.

Now, comics are coming into their own in classrooms of all kinds, gaining an unprecedented level of respect and spawning serious debate over their greater meaning.

"Comics have changed. They're not the comics that we grew up with," says Peter Coogan, an organizer of the academic-oriented panels at Comic-Con.

"They can stand up to literary and critical analysis," he says.

Across the country, hundreds of professors and college students spend their days analyzing comics, and the University of Florida even allows postgraduate English students to specialize in comics studies.

I think this is great. Anyone who scoffs should read Watchmen, Sandman, Maus, and The Dark Knight Returns and then decide whether or not comics can convey just as serious a story as any other medium. Of course there will always be elitists, but most people eventually (hopefully) realize that the medium itself is not what's important, but what the author/artist does with it. I would hold Watchmen up as one of the best stories I have ever read and I've read a lot.

America is Doomed!

A new blog is going to chronicle the "mountain of sin" that is destroying our great nation.

This blog is going to be committed to chronicling the ever increasing mountain of sin that threatens to destroy America.

America was once the greatest country in the world. We were wealthy, we were civilized, we were cultured, we were generous and kind-hearted, we loved others, and we tried to follow God.

But now we have seen decades of moral decline. Men of God have gone across this nation warning that the huge mountain of sin that America is building will bring the judgment of God.

But has America listened? Has America repented? No! Instead America has treated God's patience with contempt and has indulged in ever increasing sin year after year. Now America is absolutely loaded with evil and wickedness.....

Thank God we have this guy around to point out all of the things we're doing wrong. I'm pretty sure no one has ever said anything about America being full of sinners before *coughJeremiahWrightJerryFalwellBennyHinnFredPhelpsPatRobertson
JamesDobsoncough* No doubt this blog will serve as a catalyst to right the course of our sinking ship and sail us to Heaven. *sniff* I'm gettin' all choked up just thinking about it.

Anyway...I might have to check this blog out from time to time, especially when I'm not in a good mood 'cause it will serve as the perfect reminder that things could be worse. I could be as stupid as this guy.

Death by Taser

A man died in police custody down in Louisiana after being tasered nine times while handcuffed. A grand jury is being convened to determine if criminal charges will be filed.

I have been certified to carry a Taser at my job and I know what it's like to get hit by one. One of the things that was stressed in our training was that the Taser is not a pain compliance tool. It is to be used when lethal force is justified in order to protect the officer or someone else from serious bodily harm. You can't convince me that this was the case here. The man was handcuffed. Throw him on the ground and sit on him or get other officers to wrestle the man into a cell. There are control options available other than the Taser.

Unfortunately, because it is so easy and effective, not to mention it doesn't leave blood or bruises, it has become common for law enforcement officers to use it anytime a suspect gets mouthy or doesn't cooperate right away. Part of their training is learning how to cope with those situations, but for many all of that gets thrown out the window as soon as they have a Taser on their belt which leads to some tragic circumstances. It also amounts to torture, although I guess in this country that's probably a-okay to most.

Police departments need to start more strictly regulating Taser use before a hue and cry is raised that gets them taken away which would be unfortunate because they are an effective tool when used properly.

Doffing Your Clothes

New York has a new group, the "Optional Clothing Diners" club. The optional part seems to be a bit of a misnomer as clothes are not permitted when they rent out a restaurant for the evening. While I certainly feel our society is often too concerned with clothing, I wonder about the logistics of something like this, for example...

-Where do you keep your wallet?

-Wouldn't ordering something like soup become rather dangerous?

-If somebody spills something on their nether regions and misses a spot when wiping it up, is it kosher to point it out?

-What happens if someone needs the Heimlich maneuver?

-Is eying an attractive member of the opposite sex more or less acceptable?

-What about "Family Night"?

-Are the chairs washed afterwords?

No doubt there are other logistical issues to address, but, hey, if the members of this elite club are enjoying themselves, more power to them.

Weekly Music Video

Reaching way back for a great feel-good song (and a strange video that seems to be tapping into the 60's drug culture)...

The Turtles - "Happy Together"

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Executive Branch Criminals

Slate has a helpful (if depressing) Venn diagram of "alleged" criminals surrounding Bush up to and including the Decider himself. Now, if only there was some sort of, oh, I don't know..."justice" system in this country whereby those accused of crimes could be brought forth and tried. Well, at least none of them got a blowjob in the White House. Now that's a serious issue that should be dealt with if ever it were to come up.

Gays in the Military

Hilzoy makes one of the best arguments for gays being allowed to openly serve in the military.

I imagine that it often happens that soldiers who are part of the same unit do not like one another. Sometimes, a soldier might even despise another member of his or her unit, or think that other soldier immoral or contemptible. And yet, when these feelings do not have to do with sexual orientation, we routinely expect soldiers to put their personal feelings aside and do their jobs. And when they don't, we assume that they, not the people they endanger, should be disciplined.

If, for instance, a soldier is racist, and cannot find a way to work with African-American soldiers, we do not discipline or expel the African-Americans. If a soldier dislikes another and cannot put her feelings aside and do her job, we do not punish the soldier she dislikes; we punish her. In all other cases, we assume that given a choice between two soldiers, one of whom is trying to complete his mission to the best of his ability, and one of whom is unable or unwilling to put his animosity aside and do his job, we choose the first. We expect this of our men and women in uniform, and we also expect that they will be given the training and the leadership they need to act like professionals.

I have never understood why it's different when gay men and lesbians enter the picture.

With any luck this appalling law will soon be repealed and gay people will be allowed to openly serve our country.

Ah, Government

Flint, Michigan is now regulating how people dress. And, no, it's not saying that people must be clothed in public. They have passed a law outlawing baggy pants.



I'm glad that Flint has solved all of its other problems and just had this little thing to make their town peachy keen. The city must be a haven of bliss especially with those damn kids and their saggy pants off the streets. I bet every citizen of the town is now holding hands and singing Kum-Bah-Ya while angels sound their harps.

Or maybe, the idiots running Flint should get their heads out of their asses and worry about things that really matter, say the shitty economy.

Would She Rather He Had Stuck Around?

A woman has successfully sued her ex-fiance for $150,000 because he broke off the engagement.

Shell argued her fiance's promise of marital bliss amounted to a binding contract. She said she left a high-paying job in Florida to be with Gibbs and she said she has suffered financial losses since their break-up. She also said she has suffered emotionally.
...
"People shouldn't be allowed to do that and hopefully he'll think twice before he does it to someone else," said Shell.

Wow. Isn't it better to break up before the marriage rather than get married and realize they weren't right for each other? I guess not according to this woman. This seems to be a clear case of inflated self-importance. "I'm special and I should always get what I want." Maybe the guy broke up with her in a rather distasteful manner; still, it shouldn't give her the ability to make him pay her $150,000. Guess what, lady? Life's a bitch. Grow up and deal with it.

Doubt

A great quote about doubt via the Dish.

Despite the common delusion to the contrary the philosophy of doubt is far more comforting than that of hope. The doubter escapes the worst penalty of the man of faith and hope; he is never disappointed, and hence never indignant. The inexplicable and irremediable may interest him, but they do not enrage him, or, I, may add, fool him. This immunity is worth all the dubious assurances ever foisted upon man. It is pragmatically impregnable. Moreover, it makes for tolerance and sympathy. The doubter does not hate his opponents; he sympathizes with them. In the end he may even come to sympathize with God. The old idea of fatherhood submerges in a new idea of brotherhood. God, too, is beset by limitations, difficulties, broken hopes. Is it disconcerting to think of Him thus? Well, is it any less disconcerting to think of Him as able to ease and answer, and yet failing?"- H.L. Mencken. From "Damn, a Book of Calumny" (now out of print, but available in "A Mencken Chrestomathy"; p.96)

Weekly Music Video

Who doesn't love church bells? They have such a big, rich sound that makes them a perfect fit for hard rock/heavy metal, so how about a two-fer this week?

Metallica - "For Whom the Bell Tolls"



AC/DC - "Hells Bells"



If those don't get your blood pumping, check your pulse.

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I can relate to the sentiment behind this at times.

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