15 March 2008
doubleplusundead's Links Around The Moronosphere
He's made this a regular feature and it's worth checking out. Good stuff for a bunch of morons! (still wish I'd thought of this) Enjoy!
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Give Chavez What He Wants
South American thug Hugo Chavez wants to be put on the United States' list of "State Sponsors of Terrorism" so they "can shove it".
Interesting. I've written before about this dictator here, and here, and here. Notably (perhaps only to me, heh), in the comments of that last post I stated:
"Please don't throw me in that briar patch! put me on that State Sponsor of Terrorism List!" Br'er Rabbit Chavez doesn't want on that list because then we don't buy his oil. The thing to do is, give him what he says he wants and let him reap that harvest.
"They threatened to put us on the list of terrorists that
they've got there. Great, let them make their list and shove it
in their ... pocket," Chavez said with a pause for comic
effect.
Interesting. I've written before about this dictator here, and here, and here. Notably (perhaps only to me, heh), in the comments of that last post I stated:
By putting them on the list, we stop buying their oil. Stop buying
their oil, their economy takes the hit. The economy takes the hit, the
people take a more active role in removing the problem, which is Chavez.
If they're already disaffected with his policies because it screws up their lives, they're going to become more disaffected if continuing his policies screw up their lives even further. Nationalism isn't going to save him because he's beaten that horse to death already. Besides, they are a state sponsor of terrorism, let's call it as we see it and let the chips fall where they may. That's the morally courageous path.
If they're already disaffected with his policies because it screws up their lives, they're going to become more disaffected if continuing his policies screw up their lives even further. Nationalism isn't going to save him because he's beaten that horse to death already. Besides, they are a state sponsor of terrorism, let's call it as we see it and let the chips fall where they may. That's the morally courageous path.
"Please don't throw me in that briar patch! put me on that State Sponsor of Terrorism List!" Br'er Rabbit Chavez doesn't want on that list because then we don't buy his oil. The thing to do is, give him what he says he wants and let him reap that harvest.
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But Wait... Haven't We Been in a Recession? Part 4
DRJ has a post over at Patterico's linking this post by Beldar who echoes much of what I've been saying about the MSM's coverage of our economy and how that coverage influences it.
Specifically, here, and here, and finally here. This is obviously one of my pet peeves so I'm glad to see two of the more popular sites take up the point on their own. Go read their posts, especially the comments... then come on back and read Parts 1, 2, and 3 when you get a chance.
While you're at it, look around for a while and see if there's anything else that catches your interest. I'll be around.
Specifically, here, and here, and finally here. This is obviously one of my pet peeves so I'm glad to see two of the more popular sites take up the point on their own. Go read their posts, especially the comments... then come on back and read Parts 1, 2, and 3 when you get a chance.
While you're at it, look around for a while and see if there's anything else that catches your interest. I'll be around.
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14 March 2008
Web Surfing
It's funny what we come across on the Internet and how we got there. Likening it to "surfing" is pretty accurate as far as it goes, but when you surf you can't "restart" the very same wave and ride in a different manner or direction. I can have a single starting point branch out into several different "rides", all worthwhile for humor, intelligence, insight, or a host of other reasons. Some will "peter out" as the wave collapses and some will keep going... morphing as I travel from site to site.
I told you that so I could tell you this... I just had one of the wilder rides in my recent memory. I strongly encourage you visit the following links to get the full effect, but if you want to "skip to the end", going here is the entire point of this post.
I started, as I often do, at Patterico's. I follow several threads there at a time because he's always got good stuff and the comments are generally reasoned and thought-provoking. Anyway, this thread about jury nullification has been interesting because I started following this thread about Radley Balko saying that making jurors take an oath before serving is a "perjury trap" (it's not, but that's Balko).
Near the end of the jury nullification thread, I noticed that some very good comments about addiction were made by EW1(SG) and that he has a website. As I often do, I clicked over to see what kind so that putting his comments into context would be easier. This is actually similar to how I found S. Weasel the other day and decided to add that site to the blogroll. In looking through some of the older posts I saw one which talked about "The Prisoner's Dilemma", In that, I saw a link to this site (Eject!Eject!Eject!, which I've seen referenced but never visited before), and then this article, which prompted this entire post. It's not often that I feel humbled by something that isn't smarmy... but it blew me away.
So, that was one of the rides I took today and I'm exhausted. I'm done because I've got too much to think about to post effectively. If you took the whole ride, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. If you bailed out and went to the end, that's ok too.
I told you that so I could tell you this... I just had one of the wilder rides in my recent memory. I strongly encourage you visit the following links to get the full effect, but if you want to "skip to the end", going here is the entire point of this post.
I started, as I often do, at Patterico's. I follow several threads there at a time because he's always got good stuff and the comments are generally reasoned and thought-provoking. Anyway, this thread about jury nullification has been interesting because I started following this thread about Radley Balko saying that making jurors take an oath before serving is a "perjury trap" (it's not, but that's Balko).
Near the end of the jury nullification thread, I noticed that some very good comments about addiction were made by EW1(SG) and that he has a website. As I often do, I clicked over to see what kind so that putting his comments into context would be easier. This is actually similar to how I found S. Weasel the other day and decided to add that site to the blogroll. In looking through some of the older posts I saw one which talked about "The Prisoner's Dilemma", In that, I saw a link to this site (Eject!Eject!Eject!, which I've seen referenced but never visited before), and then this article, which prompted this entire post. It's not often that I feel humbled by something that isn't smarmy... but it blew me away.
So, that was one of the rides I took today and I'm exhausted. I'm done because I've got too much to think about to post effectively. If you took the whole ride, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. If you bailed out and went to the end, that's ok too.
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Undermining Democracy Part 3
When you see a farce like this, it's not hard to understand why other complaints about elections seem more credible than they actually are. That it's an intentional strategy to make Democracy seem unworkable seems pretty clear to me.
If you read the article you might notice that the Iranian government pulling all the shenanigans is being called "conservative"... which is technically correct. Of course every single recent article reporting on this Iranian election has done the same thing, many times, over and over within the article... you might say gratuitously. I wonder why that is? Why would the MSM keep labeling them "conservative" instead of "religious extremists", "theocrats", or most accurately "radical muslims"? The MSM doesn't have an agenda... does it?
Iran's reformist movement, which seeks democratic changes at home and
better ties with the West, was largely sidelined in the race after most
of its candidates were barred from running by Iran's clerical
leadership.
If you read the article you might notice that the Iranian government pulling all the shenanigans is being called "conservative"... which is technically correct. Of course every single recent article reporting on this Iranian election has done the same thing, many times, over and over within the article... you might say gratuitously. I wonder why that is? Why would the MSM keep labeling them "conservative" instead of "religious extremists", "theocrats", or most accurately "radical muslims"? The MSM doesn't have an agenda... does it?
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Iranian Teen May Get Asylum
In an earlier post, I mentioned the Iranian teen who applied for asylum in the UK because he feared being put to death if deported back to Iran. The Iranian government found out he was gay after interrogating his boyfriend (before they hung him). After his initial application for asylum was denied, the teen fled to the Netherlands to avoid deportation. The Netherlands denied his application for asylum on a technicality... because the UK also belongs to the EU and the teen had already applied for asylum with them.
Now, it looks as if the UK may grant the asylum application after all.
Of course, the "new circumstances" are not the details of the teen's story so much... they're that the story is now getting attention. The original application for asylum already had the facts and denied the application anyway. If this hadn't gotten the attention it did, this kid could already be on his way to Tehran looking forward to his "day in court".
Now, it looks as if the UK may grant the asylum application after all.
"Following representations made on behalf of
Mehdi Kazemi, and in the light of new circumstances since the original
decision was made, I have decided that Mr. Kazemi's case should be
reconsidered on his return to the U.K. from the Netherlands."
Of course, the "new circumstances" are not the details of the teen's story so much... they're that the story is now getting attention. The original application for asylum already had the facts and denied the application anyway. If this hadn't gotten the attention it did, this kid could already be on his way to Tehran looking forward to his "day in court".
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Not Just A Number *UPDATED*
I'm not sure how long it wil be there, or if it constitutes Fair Use, so I'm just going to link to this and say "Bravo! Well-played!!"
*UPDATE* To heck with it. Maybe Gabriel Malor will stop by and let me know if commenting that the focus seems blurry to me and the font is a bit small, that constitutes Fair Use. Probably not since this is an update and the intent to critique the image is now suspect. If a copyright holder wants it down, email me and I'll take it down (I'll leave the link, you can deal with Engadget on your own)
*UPDATE* To heck with it. Maybe Gabriel Malor will stop by and let me know if commenting that the focus seems blurry to me and the font is a bit small, that constitutes Fair Use. Probably not since this is an update and the intent to critique the image is now suspect. If a copyright holder wants it down, email me and I'll take it down (I'll leave the link, you can deal with Engadget on your own)
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13 March 2008
The War Crimes Trial Of Charles Taylor
A chilling story over at doubleplusundead. I would have linked directly to the story and just given the hat-tip, but dpu has a humorous story just below this one that will get your mind off warcrimes. Check out both and enjoy.
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This Would Be Awesome For Our Military
New technologies are often developed specifically for the battlefield, then adapted for commercial use. I don't see any mention of a military application in this article, but it would be a nice tool for Special Forces and other trigger-pullers.
Or maybe just before an assault? Granted, once the bullets start flying... noise discipline is very low priority. But for the setup and coordination phase? Definitely something to look at.
Users have to specifically think about voicing words for them to be
picked up by the band, but it saves them from saying potentially
sensitive things while on a cellphone in public.
Or maybe just before an assault? Granted, once the bullets start flying... noise discipline is very low priority. But for the setup and coordination phase? Definitely something to look at.
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You Might Be A Taliban If:
Check this out over at Ace's. It's hilarious and some of the the comments are inspired. Add your own if you're feeling creative.
My favorite so far:
Enjoy!
My favorite so far:
You consider television dangerous, but routinely carry explosives in your clothing.
Enjoy!
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