This Is Actually Good News

According to this story, our government is giving up the phrase "war on terror" for something that actually says something: Washington recasts terror war as 'struggle' - Americas - International Herald Tribune.

In the article it says General Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the National Press Club on Monday that he had "objected to the use of the term 'war on terrorism' before, because if you call it a war, then you think of people in uniform as being the solution." How about that? They're actually listening to the Joint Chiefs of Staff!

Maybe there's hope for this criminal, treasonous administration after all?

Does This Time Fit This Crime?

In what appears to be a case of retributive sentencing, a jury unloaded on a pathological criminal in Texas yesterday: Felon Gets 99 Years for Stealing Phone - Yahoo! News.

Here's a guy who talks a lot of trash, and is clearly a robber and a thug. But does it make sense to spend so much money incarcerating him for 99 years, or would it make better sense to contain him in a mental facility and try to get to the bottom of his attitude problem? It's not like he's some criminal mastermind or psycho killer.

Of course, it was a Texas court, though.

More later...
Paul

Is This Really Necessary?

In response to this morning's London bombing, here we go: U.S. Raises Alert to Orange for Transit - Yahoo! News.

Let's see now... are we going to "code Orange" because of specific threats received, or just because it happened elsewhere?

And isn't it interesting that now, with the President's approval rating at an all-time low, and with his key advisor Karl Rove under fire for possible treason, that the news media now has a man-made disaster to shift its attention to.

I almost can't wait to see what happens next... I just hope it doesn't involve the deaths of more innocent people.

More later...
Paul

Shocked But Not Surprised?

This horrific bombing in London, Attacks kill 33 in London, Blair breaks off summit - Yahoo! News, now being labeled a "terrorist act", has caused the G8 Summit in SCOTLAND to be brought to a premature close.

The quotes from the authorities bother me:

Brian Paddick, deputy assistant commissioner of London police: "We are clearly shocked but we are not surprised by what has happened" - what the heck does this mean?

President Bush: "the war on terror goes on" - very comforting, W. Thanks.

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge, from Singapore: "I'm deeply saddened that this should happen at the heart of an Olympic city. Unfortunately there is no safe haven. No one can say their city is safe." - very bright outlook, Jacques.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone, also in Singapore: "I wish to speak to you directly -- to those who came to London today to take lives. I know that you personally do not fear to give your own life in exchange for taking others, which is why you are so dangerous." - sounds like he almost admires them.

And finally, the blame was placed:

Alex Standish, editor of Jane's Intelligence Digest: "We would put al Qaeda at the top of the list of any suspects. They have the motives, the means and the opportunity. Here you have a massive headline event which involves the three world leaders that al Qaeda detests -- Bush, Blair and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin."

And there you have it. The event has been completely explained. As you were, nothing to see here.

But what if it WASN'T perpetrated by al Quaeda? And what if it DIDN'T have anything to do with the G8 Summit? We'll never know now that everyone has made their minds up about it.

More later...
Paul

Something About the Fourth

I was going to post an essay about the Fourth of July this year (and I may still put one up, although it will obviously be late), but I read this post by Trey Ellis over at the Huffington Post, and I wanted to share it with you.

Hope your Holiday was Happy.

More later...
Paul

Not Necessarily Good News

So, the U.S. has decided to put a scare in all other countries on this globe by indirectly threatening to become the dictator of electronic information: U.S. to Retain Oversight of Web Traffic - Yahoo! News.

The concept must frighten many. Sure, the control is here already, but with world events the way they are, and with the "you're with us or you're agin us" stance of the current Administration, we may be looking at a revolutionary change in what we now know as "the information superhighway".

Could an alternate route be in our future?