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?

Cash Payments In Iraq?

If I go to my local bank and try to deposit more than $10,000 cash, all sorts of questions will be asked of my by the bank officers. So how is it even possible that it's okay for the United States government to pay BILLIONS IN CASH to people in Iraq? This story: U.S. was big spender in days before Iraq handover - Yahoo! News boggles my mind.

What's the problem with good old-fashioned checks? Has Uncle Sam been bouncing checks again? Or what about wire transfers? Or is the problem simply that in war-torn countries, banks are rather unreliable, and most people only want cold, hard currency?

If so, that's fine. But are we tracking that cash properly? Because it seems like an awful lot of money was spent in an awfully short period of time. It sort of smells like payola...

More later...
Paul

Best Bush Quote Ever

I don't particularly care about democracy in Iran. I figure it's their country, let them govern themselves the way they see fit. So under normal circumstances, a story like this: Iran's presidential race ends with blast from Bush - Yahoo! Newswouldn't gain my attention. But the headline got me, and the quote from Bush absolutely cracked me up:

"Power is in the hands of an unelected few who have retained power through an electoral process that ignores the basic requirements of democracy," Bush said in a statement.

Isn't that a hoot? Is it possible that the irony is totally lost on this dense, clueless man?

More later...
Paul

The Truth Will Set You Free... If You Can See It

The truth of what happened on 9/11/01 will eventually become clear to America, but apparently it's going to take awhile. There's hope that it will happen in our lifetime, though, when former Bush administration officials step to the plate and contradict the official story. Morgan Reynolds, former chief economist for the Labor Department during Bush's first term, says the official story of the collapse of building 7 is probably bogus, and if it is, there is a case that the official story behind the entire attack may be suspect.

Gee, you think?

Anyway, it's nice to see that somebody is keeping hope alive... the hope that the truth will someday see the light of day in the American media.

More later...
Paul

If It's On TV, It Must Be Fiction?

Apparently a long-running (35 years!) German TV drama has recently aired an episode, seen by over 7 million German citizens that depicts 9/11 as a plot by the Bush Administration.

Gee, wonder where they came up with an idea like THAT?

The funniest part about this article, at least to me, is that all of the people quoted say the concept of the show is "ludicrous" and "pure fiction", yet the article also notes that about 30% of Germans under the age of 30 "think that there is a certain possibility that the U.S. government ordered the attacks of 9/11." Smart kids!

Me? I can't believe I linked to an article in the Washington Times!

More later...
Paul

Our Government Is Out Of Control

Six years ago... SIX!... the government won a landmark anti-racketeering suit against Big Tobacco, and the penalty was set at an astounding $130 Billion. Yes, most people with half a brain reasoned that the fine would never be paid, but who would have guessed what happened today? Check out this story:Tobacco Escapes Huge Penalty.

Even the lawyers for the tobacco companies were surprised by the government's decision to ask for less than 10% of the original award. But that's better than what former Attorney General Ashcroft tried to do... back in 2001, he tried to shelve the entire case, according to the article.

The U.S. Government is apparently completely corrupt. What do we do now?

More later...
Paul

An Apology For Murder? How Quaint!

My eyes actually couldn't believe this headline: Senate to Issue Anti-Lynching Apology - Yahoo! News. Then I read the story and I am STILL in a state of disbelief.

Is this the same Senate that spent days and millions investigating the tragedy (sarcasm intended) of steroid usage in professional baseball? The same group of millionaire lawmakers that propped up Terry Schiavo's lifeless body as an example of ... something? Now, nearly 100 years after the fact, they want to APOLOGIZE for not passing anti-lynching legislation.

Maybe they're worried that the next nooses were being prepared for THEM.

I wonder if tarring and feathering is still legal? Because I know of about 100 men and a couple of women that would make great candidates for such treatment.

More later...
Paul

Somebody Should Go To Prison For This Cover Up

Look at the headline for THIS crazy Washington Post story: FAA Managers Destroyed 9/11 Tape (washingtonpost.com)

You must read it... and then you still might not believe it. In a nutshell, FAA air traffic controllers were interviewed RIGHT AFTER THE 9/11 INCIDENT, on that very day. The interview was recorded... AND THE RECORDING WAS DESTROYED. Must I ask why?

From the article: "the second manager said he destroyed the tape between December 2001 and January 2002 by crushing the tape with his hand, cutting it into small pieces and depositing the pieces into trash cans around the building, the report said. " Now, does that sound like the action of a rational person? Crushing the tape with his hand? Then distributing the evidence in multiple trash cans? You don't even have to be a conspiracy theorist to get the chills over this story.

What were they hiding? Who gave the order to destroy the evidence? Don't hold your breath for the truth.

More later...
Paul

Constitutional Rights... Suspended!

So this is what it has come to: we're so afraid of a 9/11 repeat that we suspect breadknife-carrying old ladies are conspiring to hijack airplanes... with the help of 37 schoolchildren! This wacky story, found on Michael Moore's website, tells of a 57-year-old woman who inadvertently left a 5 1/2 inch sandwich knife in her carry-on cooler.

Yep, they confiscated the "weapon" and put her on the terrorist watch list. Like that makes any sense at all.

She was quoted: "And I said what about my constitutional rights? And they said 'not at this point ... you don't have any'."

More later...
Paul

Satanism Rears It's Ugly Head... Again

It seems that wherever the President goes, someone is bound to throw a satanic gang signal. Check this photo at Wonkette, from the Naval Academy Graduation, of all things. The young lady is throwing the "horns" with her hand, and doing the tongue thing with her mouth.

Oh, you mean it's not a satanic symbol? It must be a culture of life thang, then.

Who Knew The Mark of the Beast Would Be "HP"?

Ladies and gentleman, here it is, the Apocalypse begineth, courtesy a joint venture between Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard: HP Announces New National Identity System Solution Built on Microsoft .NET Platform.

That sound you're hearing? The Bill of Rights going up in flames.

Do you think I'm being alarmist about this? "We already have passports issued by the Federal Government", you argue. Fine, I say. Don't be alarmed. Just check with me in about 20 years... your opinion will definitely be different then.

More later...
Paul

How Did We Lose $8.8 Billion in Iraq?

First off, I'm not totally convinced Ariana Huffington's so-called "Hollywood Blog", The Huffington Post, is such a bad thing. I've checked it out twice now, and both times I've read some pretty good articles. Here's one by Al Franken, and he brings up such a good point, it's kind of frightening: he's trying to figure out why no one on Capital Hill seems to be aware that the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq has "misplaced" $8.8 Billion.

Yes, that's BILLION. Of your taxpayer dollars. Gone, without an apparent trace.

More later...
Paul

Now THIS Guy Really Tells It Like It Is!

I've got to hand it to this guy,The Rude Pundit... he really knows how to tackle an issue and explain it in terms that anyone can understand, as long as one doesn't mind a bit of profanity.

His column yesterday was on torture, and he really brought the issue home by penning a vivid description of what it would be like if the funny guys in the old "Hogan's Heroes" TV sitcom were treated like we treat our prisoners in Gitmo and Abu Ghraib. Chilling.

I will be linking to him often.

More later...
Paul

Talk About Out Of Context

I don't know much about Mexican President Vincente Fox, but after read this brief story, I'm pretty sure he didn't mean his comment to be a slam on African Americans.

According to the article, last week Fox said Mexican immigrants do jobs "that not even blacks want to do there in the United States." Fox made the comment in a speech to visiting Texan business people on Friday, because he was frustrated at stalling by the U.S. Congress on immigration reforms that would help undocumented Mexicans in America.

The U.S. State Department then urged Fox to clarify the "very insensitive and inappropriate remarks."

Could this be the same State Department that is currently "urging" Congress to confirm the nomination of John Bolton, someone who people claim makes a lot of "very insensitive and inappropriate remarks" himself?

Fox may have betrayed his view of African Americans in his comment, but it's very clear to me that further denigrating us was not the intent of his words. It's just hilarious that the State Department's pot dares open it's mouth about Fox's kettle.

More later...
Paul

The War On Drugs... Against Our Own Troops

Here's a heartwarming little tale about U.S. soldiers and law enforcement personnel gettng caught in an FBI sting operation for taking bribes from cocaine traffickers. One INS inspector even allowed a truck carrying 88 POUNDS of cocaine across the border without inspecting it... TWICE.

In case you may have forgotten, 88 pounds of blow can make a LOT of crack. A LOT of crack can undermine an entire community.

Rest in peace, Gary Webb.

More later...
Paul

The Bush Administration Faked Terror Alerts

Okay, that headline is slightly misleading, I'll admit. But it amounts to a hill of beans compared to what the Bush Administration was doing with regard to those color-coded terror "alerts". The USA Today is reporting that former Dept. of Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge is now claiming that the Bush Administration regularly put the country on higher alert status, even when he disagreed with the assessment.

Pretty damning stuff, if you ask me. But ultimately, what will we, as a nation, do about it? Impeach the president?

Hey, a guy can dream, can't I?

More later...
Paul