in lieu of radio ...

a somewhat random collection of pages and thoughts started sept 16 2001. now that i'm not on the radio 6 hours every day, blogger allows all of us to harangue...

Tuesday, February 25, 2003

Great, just the thing to make others love the Bushies (and the USA) even more...

"You are not going to decide whether there is war in Iraq or not," the diplomat said U.S. officials told him. "That decision is ours, and we have already made it. It is already final. The only question now is whether the council will go along with it or not."

U.S. Officials Say U.N. Future At Stake in Vote (Wash. Post)

Tuesday, February 18, 2003

ROTFLMAO (Large .gif, from Defective Yeti)

Thursday, February 13, 2003

Robert Byrd, on the floor of the Senate:
"To contemplate war is to think about the most horrible of human experiences. On this February day, as this nation stands at the brink of battle, every American on some level must be contemplating the horrors of war.

Yet, this Chamber is, for the most part, silent -- ominously, dreadfully silent. There is no debate, no discussion, no attempt to lay out for the nation the pros and cons of this particular war. There is nothing.

We stand passively mute in the United States Senate, paralyzed by our own uncertainty, seemingly stunned by the sheer turmoil of events. Only on the editorial pages of our newspapers is there much substantive discussion of the prudence or imprudence of engaging in this particular war.

He may be the king of Pork, he may be a stickler for protocol, but he stands up for his institution. Link: We Stand Passively Mute (Truthout)

Tuesday, February 11, 2003

Good overview of Ashcroft's latest outrageous, anti-constitutional wishlist. As always, especially good on the Politics / Tech front.... Perspective: Ashcroft's worrisome spy plans (Declan McCullagh - CNET News.com)

... officials in Arkansas can force a prisoner on Death Row to take antipsychotic medication to make him sane enough to execute. Absurd on the face of it! These days I like to imagine things like this as though they were being reported from inside China or Iraq, or some other murderous regime.... Arkansas can medicate Death Row inmate (NYT via L.A. Daily News)

New Issue Of "Get Your War On"

Monday, February 10, 2003

(Let's go for the most obvious headline here...) Dude, You're Gettin' Probation... (Smoking Gun)

Now is the time to write your representative! Now! At least this time we actually might get some of the law makers to read the fuckin' legislation before they pass it.... L0-Res PDF of the proposed Patriot Act Part II (2003) . The people to whom it was leaked have a good long analysis of the proposals and their relationship to the original Patriot Act. Center For Public Integrity (very slow)

Saturday, February 01, 2003

Could this be the legal pretext for 'regime change" in Iraq? (Volokh Conspiracy Blog)

Message to terrorists, gangsters and drug runners: Do not do a deal with a local federal prosecutor, they have no power to deal. None. :: Ashcroft's Push for Execution Voids Plea Deal (NYT free reg. req.)