Today's Peabrained Happenings

Here's a little sampling of the crap that's been going through my head today:

• Why did the United States feel the need to incarcerate children at Abu Ghraib? Did these pre-pubescent detainees ever pose a credible threat?
• Why did the Labor Department feel the need to hide a potentially CAFTA-damning report then later claim that it was a flawed study? Wouldn't it have been more credible for the Labor Department to ~not~ conceal the study if it were in fact so obviously flawed, as claimed, in order to prove their point?
• Why did Robert Novak never get charged with a Federal crime for in fact revealing the identity of an active, undercover C.I.A. employee? Did he not exceed his First Amendment protections when he knowingly outed a critical WMD fact-gathering operative?
• Will the Bucks get back into the NBA playoffs this year, after having drafted Andrew Bogut with the overall 1st pick? Did they blow a great chance to have traded down and collected potential upgrades at multiple positions in a draft filled with solid talent but clearly lacking the obvious, Tim Duncan-like great player?

Important stuff it is, all of it. And I present it for your perusal.

Is John Bolton Worthless?

Yup.

Okay, maybe not ~intrinsically~... but as an ambassador? Total bat squeeze [props to Malloy for that phrase].

I'm on a petition-posting roll, baby.

Please sign this one that urges senators to vote against John Bolton's UN Ambassadorship nomination.

Here's the case against him (from the StopJohnBolton.com site):

1. Bolton doesn't think he has to follow American intelligence reports; his Administration superior disagreed.

http://feingold.senate.gov/~feingold/statements/05/05/2005526836.html

2. Bolton misled the Senate about punishing a dissenter while under oath.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=8536541

3. The Bush administration refuses to release information on Bolton's background.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4648850

4. Bolton does not believe in diplomacy.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7577473/site/newsweek/page/2/

5. Good neighbors make good fences.

In 1998 he even spoke against the payment of any further U.S. dues to the world body.

http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=413729

6. Effective Diplomat? Bolton chased and threw objects at a colleague that disagreed with him.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4648850

7. John Bolton does not believe that your vote counts.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0715-01.htm

I signed it.

Tax Dollars, Accountability, Iraq... and the Fairness Doctrine

New York state Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter is asking you to sign a petition that demands that Congress determine where the hell 9 billion dollars ran off to*. I signed it - you should, too. It's your frickin' donation to the common wealth of this country; aren't you curious as to why the equivalent of ninety million $100 bills seems to be.. *poof*... missing in action?

Congresswoman Slaughter's site also hosts another petition that you should be keenly aware of: Reinstatement of the Fairness Doctrine. For almost 2 decades this one has been flying under the national radar. President Reagan vetoed legislation that, in essence, killed the FCC's long-standing doctrine. As Rep. Slaughter's webpage notes:

For years, television and radio stations were required to give equal time to opposing sides of political issues. It was a requirement made by the FCC that came to be known as the Fairness Doctrine. In 1987 President Reagan vetoed legislation that would have protected it ensuring its unfortunate death. Since then, media consolidation has forced local news off the air, partisan politics has crowded balance out of newscasts and now we learn that journalists have been paid, without disclosure, by the Bush Administration to support and advocate White House policies!

Enough is enough. In January 2005, Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY) introduced legislation calling on broadcasters to provide local news, balance and diversity in their broadcasts. H.R. 501, or the Fairness and Accountability in Broadcasting Act (the FAB Act).

This one, while - probably - not as sexy as the other petition calling for investigation into potential war profiteering, is definitely worth your attention and your signature. Please, please sign the the FAB Act petition!

That is all.



*FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT NOTED THAT I ENDED THAT SENTENCE WITH A PREPOSITION, A JOKE:

A Wisconsinite and a snooty-looking debutante were seated side by side on a plane.
The Wisconsinite, being friendly and all, said, "So, where ya from?"
The debutante said, "From a place where they know better than to use a preposition at the end of a sentence."
The Wisconsinite sat quietly for a moment and then replied, "So, where ya from, bitch?"

I Feel Like Posting A Naomi Watts Pic

Okay! =)

Sometimes you just have to post a Naomi Watts photo to get the ol' bloodstream rolling along.

I dunno about y'all, but as far as I'm concerned she's the most lovely thing this planet has ever produced.

:pitter-patter:

Now that she's not with that Heath Ledger dude anymore... I think that... I have a legitimate shot... at continuing to long for Naomi Watts from afar. =|

*sigh*

Like pi and e, some things never change.

So. Does anyone think that the Iraq war is coming along nicely? No? Fantastic.

Let's get our kids outta there, work on restoring citizen authority over corporations, work on educating *all* persons such that everyone in fact gets equal opportunity to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness... and get back to reclaiming our country.

If Ya Cry For War, Ya Oughta Be Willing To Die For War, Right?

Jesus' General is gonna help make sure that the College Republicans realize that they *can* in fact sign up for military duty. Those rascally GOP kids always seem to forget that it's a viable option... strange, huh?

Operation Yellow Elephant will take place outside of (er, I'm guessing they won't let JG inside) the 56th College Republican Biennial Convention over the weekend of June 24th-25th.

College can always wait a year or two, kidlets! Sign up! The Army's having a tough time finding ground warriors these days - don't let this fantastic opportunity pass you by.

Ah, The Web Is Still Fun

This is interesting...

So a guy emailed a black man named Oliver Willis and called him a n*gger... but Oliver decided to take the opportunity to post the dude's name and email address to Oliver's own blog.

Hee hee.

Hilarity is probably ensuing, as we speak.

In fact... you should join in the festivities! Here's the offender's name and email address:

Terry Josiah
Chaufist@aol.com

Today's Peabrained Happenings

Lately, all I can think of is:

• I could use a dose of Carl Sagan right about now
• Information is predicated on valid data
• I like Dr. Pepper slightly more than Wild Cherry Pepsi
• My job isn't so bad, but it certainly isn't what I should be doing with my life
• Writing in paragraph form is what turned me off from law school (that just came to me)

That's about all I got.

Stay fresh.

What to start with?... hmmm...

I spent a little while this afternoon trying to think of a good topic to tackle, or issue to raise.

Unfortunately my brain-to-fingers connection decided to go AWOL and all that's left is random thoughts. So many things to say... *sigh* I think I'll hold off for a few days and try to better collect my thoughts. Produce something cogent, ya know?

Or, perhaps, I could just start barfing them out. Maybe that's how this little experiment will eventually shape up (I should've thought about that earlier).

Stay fresh.

Oh whee, I'm officially a "blogger"

I gotta tell you that the word "blog" makes me cringe. Sounds dumb.

Blog. Blog blog blog blog.

Nevertheless, I've been doing a whole lot of thinking lately and I've got some stuff to get off my chest; thus I must ... "blog." [shame]

Stay tuned for whatever it is that I'll barf out. Probably stuff that pisses me off - in the context of an atheist/rationalist/economist that is baffled by astounding short-sightedness and blithering ignorance (in the literal sense) - be it 'current' or be it 'old news.'

In any case: Welcome to my little corner of the world.

Stay fresh.