Plum Crazy

Happy New Year!

I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! I'm off to get ready to go out with my sometimes-boyfriend for the holiday, so blogging will be light. I leave you all with my New Year's snowflake. Mouse over the one with the large arrow saying "Your Friend's" to stop it and read my highly unoriginal message. And if you're so inclined, make your own and e-mail it to me at lesleyAThouseofplumDOTcom. You know the drill.

May all of you have a very happy and healthy 2003!

Most Intriguing Blogger of 2002

Michele is hosting a poll for the Most Intriguing Blogger of 2002. Right now it's a close race between Laurence Simon, who insists he is not intriguing and we're all insane, and Acidman, who is whoring stumping for your vote. So go vote!

UPDATE: Well, it appears to be pretty much a dead cert that Charles Johnson will win. He's something like 600 votes ahead of the next closest blogger, Acidman. It was pretty much over, IMO, from the moment he posted a link to the poll on LGF. My personal choice, the disturbing and disturbed Laurence Simon looks like he's only in for a fourth place finish. Oh the inhumanity.

More Divination Services

The Guardian has a collection of predictions for 2003 from around the Web. A few samples:

One astrology site predicts "'war-like things and policies' will allow many to make money." Wow, how did they come up with that?

A psychic predicts that Bruce Springsteen will lead a political revolt against GWB and win political office, should he agree to run. Well, I guess his nickname would be really fitting then.

Another psychic has a real shocker: J Lo will marry Ben Affleck! Man, these people really go out on a limb. It's not like they're engaged or anything. She also predicts that Pamela Anderson Lee will die in a car crash. If this happens, Jane Finch will clean up big in the Amish Tech Support Dead Pool. I note that the psychic who predicted this was Canadian too. Hmmm...

Bureaucracy - The Irreducible Minimum

The US State Department is considering how to deal with the possibility of an American citizen seeking a passport for a new-born clone. Among issues of concern is how to deal with a case where the child and the woman who gave birth to it are not genetically related.

From the same article, the FDA states that it would be illegal to plant a cloned embryo in a woman without its approval. There's a level of comfort and absurdity in knowing that no matter how bizarre or great the circumstance, some bureaucrat somewhere will be trying to figure out how to deal with it.

Let Them Eat British

Prince Charles is under fire yet again, this time for urging local government, armed forces, schools, and universities to buy British food after he had signed a deal to replace several British Vauxhalls with German-manufactured Audis. The beleaguered royal has been accused of hypocrisy. So far no one has accused him of trying to make people ill.

Cookie Monster

Me want cookie!

An Ann Arbor woman was arrested for attacking a cookie-stand clerk after being told the stand was out of the cookie she wanted. No reports whether or not the woman was dressed in a large blue shag coat.

I Predict You Will Give Me Lots of Money

Uncertainty about the Thai economy has led to increased demand for "divination services" or fortunetelling. It is estimated that Thais spent $37 million in 2002 on fortunetellers. I have a better idea (no, it's not sending the money to me, although..., no, never mind) - take the money you were going to spend on the fortuneteller and stuff it in your mattress. That way if the economy stays soft, you'll actually have that money.

Will They Or Won't They

Yesterday's news: Saudi Arabia to Let US Use Bases - Officials

Today's news: Saudis Deny Letting US Use Bases

Something is rotten in the state of Saudi Arabia. I would guess that one of two things happened. Either the US released that report to pressure the Saudis into agreeing to let us use their bases, or the Saudis actually did make such an agreement but didn't want it to be common knowledge.

I lean towards it being the latter. The Saudis are very sensitive right now to a deterioration in relations with the United States. However, at the same time they are anxious not to appear too pro-American for fear of angering the other Arab nations. I think they may well have made such an agreement in private, but wanted to keep a more neutral public face until the last minute.

Our motivation in releasing the news? To let Saddam know that Arab nations won't back him up in the event we attack.

Happy Blogiversary!

Jay Caruso and Jane Finch of The Daily Rant are celebrating their one-year blogiversary. Go wish them the best!

Happy Blogiversary!
Happy Blogiversary!
Happy Blogiversary!
Happy Blogiversary!

Write an entry and then post it!
Happy Blogiversary!
Be careful, you might get roasted!
Happy Blogiversary!

Ooooooh Happy Blogiversary!
Happy Blogiversary!
Happy Blogiversary!
Happy Blogiversary!

Ce N'est Pas Moi

For the first time in 24 years, Daniel arap Moi will not be president of Kenya. In fairness, he wasn't running, so no matter who won, he wouldn't have been president. The candidate from Moi's KANU party was Uhuru Kenyatta, son of Kenya's first president, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. But in a sweeping victory, the National Rainbow Coalition (Narc) candidate, Mwai Kibaki, won with 63% of the vote. Kibaki promises to reform government corruption. That's a tall order, and Kenyans, tired of the widespread corruption, will certainly be looking to him to deliver.

It's really rather fitting, that the Narc candidate is promising to end corruption.

Peter Pan

The Washington Post has an interesting column today, written by a clinical psychologist, on the damage of not letting kids grow up. I think it's a column well worth reading. I have one thing to add that the column doesn't specifically address. I have a few single female friends who regularly receive financial assistance from their parents so they can enjoy the lifestyles they grew up with. Larger apartments than they could otherwise afford, vacations abroad a couple of times a year, thousands of dollars of designer clothes. There have been times when I got envious, wishing I could go to Saks and buy a few Tahari suits. Don't get me wrong, I make a good living and am generally quite happy. I'm not poor by any means. I still can't afford several Tahari suits at the drop of a credit card.

In talking to them, the envy quickly passed. I have heard all of them at one or more points worried about the fact that they are not yet married. I hear them. I wish I were married too. But the primary reason they worry about not being married is that they don't know who will take care of them when their parents are gone. I don't envy them that. What a horrible feeling that must be, to not think you are capable of taking care of yourself. Yet I think that must be one of the effects of having parents who continue to subsidize you even into your 30s and 40s.

This Speeding Ticket Brought to You by Eau de Joi

Yes, Eau de Joi, the perfume so lovely it's arresting.

The police departments of four small towns in Georgia - Nashville, Lakeland, Alapaha, and Ivey - are considering the offer of free police cruisers for 3 years in exchange for letting the hoods, trunks, and sides be used for advertising. I can see the ads now:

"Got arrested? In a jam? Get your bail bond from Sal & Sam."

"Have you been injured in a traffic accident? Want to get paid for your suffering? Call personal injury attorneys Ratt & Schlock at 1-800-I-IS-HURT. We're here to help you help yourself."

Hatfields and McCoys Feuding Again

Gather up yer shotguns, Paw, we'se a-feudin' agin. Them Hatfields won't let folks inta the cemetery to see our young kin what they killed.

Yes, the Hatfields and McCoys are fighting again, although this time in court. The lawsuit is over cemetery access rights. The McCoys want to open up to tourists a cemetery where three young boys killed by the Hatfields are buried. The Hatfield descendants, whose property the cemetery is on, want it left private. It remains to be seen if this feud will continue for years or be settled quickly. Given the speed of our court system, it's anyone's guess.

Ann So Funny, She Make Me Laugh

< sarcasm >Ann Coulter, call your office. Apparently some parts of Christian history can be sanitized and forgotten. Earlier this week, President George Bush issued a formal White House message celebrating Christmas.

Sounding like an Ann Coulter send-up, Bush praised the true spirit of Christmas as reflecting "a dedication to helping those in need, to giving hope to those in despair, and to spreading peace and understanding throughout the Earth."

It is a fact that Pope Julius I, in the fourth century, arbitrarily chose December 25 as the birthdate for Jesus, despite New Testament evidence that Jesus was born in the spring. It is commonly believed he did so to coincide with the Roman pagan festival of Saturnalia. The Catholic church coopted further pagan rituals such as the Christmas tree (from the German Tannenbaum) and the Yule log (from Scandinavia). The reason they did so was to make it easier to gain converts to their religion and to ensure adoption of the new holiday.

The celebration of Christmas was highly controversial throughout much of history. Oliver Cromwell, when he came to power in England, outlawed the holiday as part of a campaign to rid England of decadence. The Puritans who settled the northern colonies agreed with Cromwell, and the celebration of Christmas was banned in Boston from 1659 to 1681 (apparently banning things in Boston enjoys a long history). After the American Revolution, English customs, like Christmas celebrations, were in disfavor and Christmas was mostly ignored. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789. It was not until 1870 that Christmas became a federal holiday.

Now the holiday concocted as a dupe and to gain converts and ignored by the founding fathers is honored in a presidential message.< /sarcasm >

The above was brought to you in mockery of Ann Coulter's latest column deriding Kwanzaa. Honestly, who cares now how the holiday came into being? The point is that if enough people now believe that the holiday promotes mutual understanding, it will do so, the same way Christmas generates good will and feelings. Given enough time, the origins of nearly anything can be shrouded if good things emanate from it.

Don't Ride the Public Transportation

India's new subway system has been such a success since its opening on Wednesday that officials are begging the public to stay away. On second thought, I don't think having to beg people to stay away constitutes much of a success.

Update on North Korea

The North Koreans have decided to expel the remaining UN weapons inspectors. Mohammed ElBaradei, the Director General of the IAEA believes that this is nuclear brinksmanship with the goal of getting the US to the bargaining table.

"I think, unfortunately, this is a situation of nuclear brinkmanship," he said. "I think they are using their nuclear technical capability to achieve a political end which is highly unacceptable."

Okay, yes, it is unacceptable. So what is the UN going to do about that? I don't disagree with Dietz that this situation has a diplomatic solution. The UN has to actually do something, though, to bring that about. It is becoming clear that Russia and China do not have the power over North Korea that we thought they did. I think it requires a multilateral diplomatic solution, that the UN should oversee.

I also think that the US will have to play a part in this, especially since it is increasingly likely that the North Koreans are acting in a way to force our hands. I am not saying we should kowtow to them, but we will have to be involved.

Whither North Korea

In what could be the understatement of the year, the IAEA describes North Korea's shipment of 1,000 nuclear fuel rods to its Yongbyon nuclear plant and its plan to reopen the plant within 2 months "very worrying." Where is the UN Security Council resolution on this? Why is the United States government taking this much more lightly than it has the situation with Iraq?

Four days ago, the North Koreans dismantled UN monitoring devices.

The Australians have put a hold on plans to open an embassy there as a result.

The Russians are calling on North Korea to cooperate with UN inspectors.

South Korean President Kim Dae-jung has told his National Security Council that they must work with the US and Japan to resolve this situation.

If ever there was a time for multilateral action this is it. Two Senators have called for it. What is the Bush Administration doing? Yes, Rumsfeld assured us that we could fight a war on two fronts if necessary. That's very nice, but what are we actually doing? Less than two weeks ago, the North Koreans had this to say:

"The DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] remains unfazed as it has made full preparations to cope with the confrontation and clash with the Yankees," a commentary in the ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun said.

"The army and people of the DPRK with burning hatred for the Yankees are in full readiness to fight a death-defying battle," the commentary said, carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

What are we waiting for? We have the evidence. We have the threat. We have the international backing. We were out there selling the UN on a resolution against Iraq with a lot less. How are we dealing with this? We're calling on the North Koreans to "immediately allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to replace or restore the seals and cameras that the North has damaged," and urging the Russians and Chinese to exert diplomatic pressure. Why? Did I miss the part where the North Koreans said they have "burning hatred" for the Russians and Chinese?

I hate to say it, but its making all those folks saying that our position against Iraq is based on something other than WMDs look right.

Blogapalooza 2003

Laurence Simon of Amish Tech Support is looking for victims volunteers for his Blogical Mystery Tour.

Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour. Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour. Roll up AND THAT'S AN INVITATION, roll up for the mystery tour. Roll up TO MAKE A RESERVATION, roll up for the mystery tour.

Go, sign up. Could it hurt? Okay, never mind that question.

Chinese Expand Food Supply

No longer content to dine merely on smaller, domestic variety cats, the Chinese are hoping to benefit if UN animal protection policies change by dining on tiger. Well, they are a growing country, after all.

Let it not be said that they would waste the inedible parts of the tiger, however - "Many Chinese believe tiger's penis is an aphrodisiac." They may have to expand their food supply further.

The Sweetest City in the World

Gingerbread Replica of the German City of Rostock

But Officer, It Tasted Like Chicken

Three Kenyan schoolboys were arrested for eating a cat they thought had stolen their chickens. Unfortunately they probably don't have Chinese restaurants in their village. Would have saved them all that trouble.

Yule Log

Yes, that fine New York holiday tradition, watching the Yule Log burn on television is back. If television stations can show pictures of fireplaces with burning logs as filler, why can't we? So sit back, enjoy, and look at the picture of the Yule Log below. You can also click through to see the WPIX presentation of the Yule Log and hear Muzak versions of Christmas carols. Ah, what would the holiday season be without traditions?

The Yule Log

Happy Christmas to all...

and to all a good night. I just finished watching Peter, Paul, And Mary's Holiday Concert on PBS, and it brought me back to a galaxy far, far away.

One where it seemed the term 'peace on earth' had some hope of occurring. It was nice. I miss it.

Merry Christmas to All Who Celebrate It

Blogging will be light the next couple of days. I've been out all day and will be going out again shortly. In addition to being Christmas, tomorrow is National Jews Go To The Movies Day, so I will be celebrating that. Am going to finally see Harry Potter. Saw Star Trek: Nemesis last night. It was all right as an episode, but not as a movie. If you haven't already gone to see it, my advice is wait for it to come to video or cable or, even, broadcast TV. Or just miss it altogether.

"The Two Towers" Protest

I was reading John Hawkins' Right Wing News, when I caught sight of his Dumb Website of the Day: The Two Towers Protest Site. They are protesting the second installment of the LOTR trilogy being named "The Two Towers."

The Two Towers Protest Organization ( www.twotowersprotest.org ) is made up of a group of like minded individuals who were greatly affected by the events that transpired on Sept 11th 2001. The owner of this website considers himself to be a facilitator for the sentiments which have already been expressed by people such as Kevin Klerck who set up the two towers petition on petitiononline.com.

I don't typically get into this, because I don't believe that the very direct impact the 9/11 attack had on me gives me any more standing to comment on it than anyone else. We were all affected by it. However, as this group has used it presumably as giving them greater authority to speak on the issue of sensitivity, I believe it is fair of me to use it in critique.

I worked on the 96th floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center until the day terrorists crashed a plane into the very floors I and my colleagues worked on. I was not in my office when the plane hit. Had I been, I would be dead. No one who was on any of our floors in Tower One when the attack occurred survived. Fortunately all our colleagues from our sister companies who worked in Tower Two did survive. Not one of them listened to the admonition to go back to their desks. All in all, my company lost over 300 people that day. I knew about 100 of them, some quite well. I think it's fair to say that I was "greatly affected by the events that transpired on Sept 11th 2001." I grieve along with the members of this group. I am inexpressibly sorry for their losses. It was a tragic, horrible, senseless thing to live through.

Nevertheless, I cannot agree with them that "The Two Towers" should have been renamed. I cannot agree with them when they say "We believe that Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema's actions are in fact hate speech. The movie is intentionally being named The Two Towers in order to capitalize on the tragedy of September 11. Clearly, you cannot deny the fact that this falls under hate speech. We believe that if they will not willingly change the name, the government should step in to stop the movie's production or to force a name change." In fact, that accusation is demonstrably false. The movie was completed before the attacks ever occurred. All three films in the trilogy were completed at the same time. Principal filming was finished in January, 2001, 9 months before the attacks. The names simply coincide with the names of the books, as was intended from the beginning of the project. When filming began in 1999, it was already known what the three movies would be called.

But even if that were not the case, the film was still named after a book which was written over 50 years ago. We cannot be forever sheltered from reminders of those events. Even if the name of the movie were changed, and Jackson did consider it last year (he decided against it because he understood that Tolkien enthusiasts would be upset if he did), the book is still in mass publication. Every time we walk into a bookstore, we run the risk of seeing it. Especially around the release time of any of the movies. The world goes on. Life goes on. People will talk about the attack. Books have been and will continue to be written about it. Eventually a movie will be made about it. There will always be reminders. We should not seek to prevent these things. Sensitivity is fine, but life must go on. We must let it. If we do not, we will doom ourselves for the sake of sensitivity.

Blogs in Newsland

Wired News has an article about how bloggers helped break several news stories in 2002. Although blog biggies Glenn Reynolds and Joshua Micah Marshall are both discussed, Meryl Yourish is also given a nod for having led the charge to bring the attack of a group of Hillel students at San Francisco State University by pro-Palestian protestors to national attention. Yay Meryl!

The article is a positive one. There is one naysayer, who will probably now rue the day she ever uttered these words to Noah Schachtman, as I've already seen them posted on several blogs:

"Bloggers are navel-gazers," said Elizabeth Osder, a visiting professor at The University of Southern California's School of Journalism. "And they're about as interesting as friends who make you look at their scrap books."

She added, "There's an overfascination here with self-expression, with opinion. This is opinion without expertise, without resources, without reporting."

You know the difference between bloggers and friends who make you look at their scrap books? The difference is that no one makes anyone else look at a blog. You can choose to click and read one or bypass it completely. Harder to do that with your friends who invite you over to show you pictures of their fun-filled trip to DisneyWorld.

I was, however, previously unaware that there was a problem with us plain folk having opinions and expressing them. I thought we all did that every day in talking to our families, friends, and colleagues. What a horrible thing, to express them in a medium open to millions. You never know, you might actually learn something the media doesn't cover. Perhaps that's the real sin.

Weird Web Searches

WTF?

Shhh, Be Vewwy, Vewwy Quiet. We'ah Hunting Twent Wotts.

In another indication that he lives in some world unconnected to that of the rest of us, Trent Lott had this to say on the recent uproar caused by remarks he made at Strom Thurmond's birthday party:

"A lot of people in Washington have been trying to nail me for a long time. When you're from Mississippi and you're a conservative and you're a Christian, there are a lot of people that don't like that. I fell into their trap and so I have only myself to blame."

Yo, Trent. Heads up. Much of the criticism directed against you was coming from conservative Christians. Well, at least you're right in that you only have yourself to blame.

Barbie's Ho House

Now we know why Mattel was so upset about the S&M Barbie. It wasn't because it was demeaning to their trademark. It's competition for their new line - Lingerie Barbie.

But this Barbie doll isn't for all little girls. Only those 14 and up. Yeah, I bet my Mom, the hippie, would have bought me a Lingerie Barbie when I was 14. Excuse me while I laugh hysterically.

Tip via The Daily Rant.

Referrer Logs

For those people searching for information on Bill Frist, click Here for the post you're interested in.

For those interested in Amazon.com and Israel, an update is to be found at the Israeliguy's website. Click Here to view it. Long story short, the e-mail was written by some idiotic Amazon employee and was incorrect. Hey, Iraq, Israel, you know, they both begin with the letter "I." Amazon.com has not changed its policy in shipping to Israel.

Bobby Fuller Four Wrong

According to a Google Fight, "I" fought "The Law," and "The Law" didn't win.

We Don't Want No Stinking Competition

Consumers in California's Bay Area who want to use SBC for DSL service and another provider for local phone service can't. In fact, this is true across the country. The Baby Bells, who were whining for the government to let them compete in the long distance arena, are now trying to protect their local monopolies at the expense of the consumer. Shocking, I know. When criticized for their actions by the competing DSL providers, SBC had this to say:

But SBC blamed AT&T and MCI, saying they could either provide DSL service themselves or hire an independent Internet service provider to provide it.

"If AT&T (or MCI) wanted to provide their new dial-tone customer with DSL, they could do so," said spokesman John Britton. "In fact, one would think they would be eager to generate more revenue from the access line they just won over."

Could the bitterness over the opening up of the local markets to competition be more apparent in that last line? Not surprisingly, though, SBC misses the point completely. Of course AT&T and MCI could offer DSL service to their local service customers also. This isn't about AT&T, MCI, SBC, or any other provider for that matter. It's about the consumer and the right to have choices. Competition isn't only right when it works in a company's favor. Although I realize most of them think otherwise.

If a consumer wants to buy local service from SBC, long distance service from Sprint, high speed access from AT&T, and wireless service from T-Mobile, that should be the right of that consumer. If those providers want to sell packages of services to consumers, they should do so through fair competition on service, convenience, and price, not through force.

Message to telecom providers - Make your case to the consumer that you are the best provider for all those services. The fact that you're resistant to doing so only makes it seem like you know you can't. It's not up to us to subsidize your inefficiencies.

People Talking Face to Face?

What is this odd concept?

In all seriousness, I think it's a great idea. I'm actually going to take the article to a couple of the local coffee houses and see if I can get them interested in it. A really odd thing about living in New York City is that you can live in a building with hundreds of other people and not know any of them. One of the things I like about the building I live in is that I actually do know most of the people in my building. A fair number by name even. But that is fairly unusual.

Bah, Humbug

The British Red Cross has banned Christmas decorations from its charity shops in order to not offend Muslims.

Confirming the ban at the charity's 430 shops, a spokesman for the British Red Cross told the paper: "The Red Cross is a neutral organisation and we don't want to be aligned with any political party or particular philosophy".

"We don't want to be seen as a Christian or Islamic or Jewish organisation because that might compromise our ability to work in conflict situations around the world."

The spokesman added: "In shops people can put up decorations like tinsel or snow which is seasonal. But the guidance is that things representative of Christmas cannot be shown".

I hate to break it to them, but their symbol is a - red cross. To any non-Christian, the cross is a symbol of, well, Christianity. Why do they think that Muslims started the Red Crescent instead of being part of the Red Cross? Non-Christians do not consider the Red Cross to be a non-Christian organization. We recognize that the Red Cross is willing to aid people who are not Christian and do so without proselytizing. We are grateful and appreciative of that. But an organization with a cross as its symbol is, realistically, going to be viewed as Christian by those who aren't.

Oh and tinsel? Yeah, again, to any non-Christian that is a Christmas decoration, not a seasonal decoration. Jews don't go stringing up tinsel around their menorahs. Muslims don't hang it during Ramadan. This reminds me of Christians I know who tell me that red ribbons and poinsettias are seasonal decorations. Get over it. They aren't. They're Christmas decorations.

Perhaps most importantly, though, there is nothing wrong with them being Christmas decorations. News flash - Christians are allowed to celebrate Christmas. So just do it. Not everything should be or can be inclusive, and that's okay. Have your Christmas tree. Decorate it with tinsel and red ribbons. Put out the poinsettia. Play the carols (only maybe not for weeks on end, because, let's face it, even Christians get tired of hearing them non-stop for that long). Those of us who are not Christian living in predominantly Christian countries need to deal with all of that. I know there are non-Christians who complain about it. It's their right to complain, but it's also your right to ignore them and have your holiday.

It's the Year of the Blog

Yesterday's Washington Post's Filter column was called Blogging Goes Mainstream which has links to other traditional media outlets' articles on the blogging phenomenon.

Osama Claus

I know that I've often looked at images of Santa and remarked to myself, "Wow, he's got a beard; hey, he's like Osama Bin Laden." Okay, you caught me. I've never actually thought that. However, a British playwright has. In his new play, he sets Bin Laden as a mall Santa in Florida, and lets him ponder on all the reasons he hates America.

"Bin Laden" explains it like this in the play: "The military industrial complex demands that economic spending is an imperative. After the war on communism as the pre text, we now have the war on terrorism ..."

The playwright insists he's not trying to glorify Bin Laden, just understand how someone could hate that much. Whatever floats your boat, guy, but Santa?

Wisconsin Baby Jesus Returned

To the best of my knowledge, the Baby Jesus stolen in New Jersey is still being held captive. However, another Baby Jesus, this one stolen from a church nativity scene in Wisconsin, has been safely returned. I'd thank G_d, but some of my readers might find that redundant.

Amazon.com Not Shipping to Israel

Bill Quick, The Daily Pundit, brings this to my attention from the Israeli Guy:

In today’s Yediot Ahronot there’s a story about an Israeli who ordered something from Amazon.com and got a reply that they are prohibited from sending goods to Israel.

Here is Amazon's reply (by e-mail) to Lavy from Hadera:

”Dear Lavy

Thanks for writing to Amazon.com.

We’re sorry, but current federal regulations do not permit us to ship merchandise to Israel. If you would like to specify an alternate address outside this country, we would be happy to accept and ship your order.

Thanks for your interest in Amazon.com.”

This sounded unbelievable to me, so I decided to go to the Amazon.com website and see what I could learn. In fact, it's true.

Amazon.com is currently able to ship books, CDs, DVDs, VHS videos, music cassettes, vinyl records, and select software to international addresses. Items from Amazon Marketplace can be shipped to several international regions, but cannot be shipped to Africa, Island Nations, Israel, Latin America, or the Middle East.

I'm off now to do some research on what federal restriction this is. I've never heard of such a federal restriction. Anyone who has any further information, please post a comment with it too. We'll get to the bottom of this.

Incidentally, I should add that it's not all goods. Books, CDs, DVDs, VHS videos, music cassettes, and vinyl records they can ship to Israel. It's only items from the Marketplace (the non-Amazon-owned shops) that they are saying they cannot ship.

Poor Hans Doesn't Have Enough of His Own?

Inspectors Say U.S., UK Must Share Intelligence

Buh-bye Trent, Hello Bill!

Lott Steps Down as Senate Republican Leader. It's about time.

In a brief statement issued by his office, Lott said he was taking the action "in the interest of pursuing the best possible agenda for the future of our country."

Translation: Bill Frist challenged me. I knew he could win, so I decided to step down to save being humiliated.

Senate Majority Leader Frist does have a nice ring to it.

Nice Jewish Girl Knows Her Christmas Carols

I took the How Well Do You Know Your Christmas Carols quiz over at the Guardian, and here's my result:

You scored 10 out of a possible 12 Mary mother of God You were there weren't you? That or you've cheated. You get to sing the descant part in O Come All Ye Faithful for your pains.

Well, I didn't cheat. And I wasn't there. So, the explanation must be that I've heard them so damn many times growing up in this country. Nay, not just this country, New York! Over and over and over, from right after Thanksgiving. Aaaack!

When Art Projects Go Bad

Has this kid been paying attention to anything that's been going on in New York for the last 15 months? Did the number of times subway stations were closed due to suspicious-looking paper bags not impinge itself on his consciousness? Am I giving him too much credit for assuming he has a consciousness that could be impinged on? You decide.

A student at the School of Visual Arts placed 37 boxes with the word FEAR painted on them in the busy Union Square subway station, leading the police to close down the station for 6 hours while the bomb squad checked them out. When asked why he did that, he told police it was part of an art project for a class. He reportedly received an "A" for the semester in the class. His teacher said that he didn't mean to scare anybody, so she doesn't hold it against him. Don't they flunk people for stupidity any more?

Frist Gets a Smear

Looks like the games regarding the Senate Majority Leader position have already begun. Joseph Farah of WorldNetDaily wrote an article that was published yesterday entitled "Meet Bill Frist".

Everyone knows Sen. Bill Frist, R-Tenn., is the upper house's only physician. But who is this man who appears likely to become the next Senate majority leader?

Opponents of abortion on demand are likely to be deeply disappointed. While Trent Lott, R-Miss., had promised to bring to the floor for a quick, early vote a bill restricting partial-birth abortion, Frist championed the nomination by President Clinton of former Surgeon General David Satcher, a fervent supporter of unrestricted abortion and someone who actually performed abortions.

Satcher continued to serve in the Bush administration until earlier this year.

While Satcher's nomination was widely presumed to have originated with Vice President Al Gore, like Satcher, a Tennessean, his confirmation was actually championed by Frist.

Sounds pretty bad if you're an opponent of abortion rights, no? Here's a Republican who favors abortion rights. But is that the truth? Farah's implications are false, as a look at Frist's voting record shows (and thanks to BT over at 3DHS for already doing the research for me):

Bill Frist on Abortion

Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions.
Vote on a motion to table [kill] an amendment that would repeal the ban on privately funded abortions at overseas military facilities.
Bill S 2549 ; vote number 2000-134 on Jun 20, 2000

Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions.
This legislation, if enacted, would ban the abortion procedure in which the physician partially delivers the fetus before completing the abortion. [A NO vote supports abortion rights].
Status: Bill Passed Y)63; N)34; NV)3
Reference: Partial Birth Abortion Ban; Bill S. 1692 ; vote number 1999-340 on Oct 21, 1999

Voted YES on disallowing overseas military abortions.
The Murray amdt would have repealed current laws prohibiting overseas U.S. military hospitals and medical facilities from performing privately funded abortions for U.S. service members and their dependents.
Status: Motion to Table Agreed to Y)51; N)49
Reference: Motion to table Murray Amdt #397; Bill S. 1059 ; vote number 1999-148 on May 26, 1999

That tells a very different story, doesn't it? I don't think opponents of abortion rights would be at all disappointed. Nor should they have been just by what Farah wrote either. Here's why - The fact that Frist championed this man in no way indicates he supports his stance on abortion. Did he champion him because of his stance or despite it? A quick look at his voting record indicates that it was almost certainly despite it. Perhaps Frist, as a physician, believed that (a) Satcher was qualified for the job, and (b) his stance on abortion was irrelevant, since the Surgeon General has no say in whether or not abortion-on-demand is legal.

Most opponents of abortion rights (at least the ones I know) make the argument that a nominee's stance on abortion should not be relevant to the decision-making process on his/her qualifications to serve. Frist was just being consistent with that belief. No bad thing in a Senate Majority Leader. In fact, knowing that makes me even more comfortable with the idea of him serving in that position. And I say that as someone who is a proponent of abortion rights.

The Knicks Can't Even Suck Successfully

We all know they can't win enough games to matter. But apparently they also can't lose enough games to matter. They are now the 8th worst team in basketball, up from being the 6th worst team a few days ago. They'll never get a decent draft pick. Bastards.

A Frist-full of Supporters

Several Senate Republicans have successfully urged Bill Frist to challenge Trent Lott for Senate Majority Leader. Here's to Frist.

Don't They Have Anything Better to Do?

British and Australian scientists proves that there is no Curse of the Mummy. What will Hollywood do now? Oh I know, ignore it, because almost nobody ever believed there was one to begin with. They don't call it willing suspension of disbelief for nothing.

Violent Crimes Against Lawn Ornaments on the Rise

First somebody in Trenton kidnapped the Baby Jesus and asked for an $800 ransom. Now someone in Canada has kidnapped Santa! This was not the first time these criminals have struck. The ransom note asks for the owner to collect canned goods for a local food bank. The owner, hoping for the safe return of plastic Santa, is going to comply with the request. Tsk, tsk, tsk, law enforcement officials always say it's better to go to the police then to deal with the kidnappers yourself.

Arrested for Trying to Comply with the Law

Hundreds of immigrants from Middle Eastern countries were arrested in Southern California this week when they showed up to register in compliance with new anti-terrorism regulations. The majority of the men were arrested by INS officials for having overstayed their visas. On the one hand, I concede that if we are going to have an immigration policy, we ought to enforce it. On the other hand, there is this:

Immigration officials acknowledged Wednesday that many of those taken into custody this week have status-adjustment applications pending that have not yet been acted on.

In other words, many of the men who were arrested are taking the legal routes to stay in this country. We all know how inefficient the INS is. In at least one case, the person in question reportedly was told two years ago that his application had been approved, but processing delays held up the green card. The government is penalizing people for its own inefficiency. That may be the letter of the law, but I doubt it is the spirit. It certainly shouldn't be the spirit.

If the government can't process applications more efficiently, it ought to at least provide legal outs for those whose reviews are held up because of that. There is nothing stopping it from doing so. Either the regulation was poorly written or this was done purposefully. I certainly hope it is the former and that those people will be quickly released by a judge who understands the unfairness of this.

Another Reason Why Lott Should Resign

Because he is really a Democrat. Ann Coulter makes me laugh.

Adel Says

We recently noticed that a couple of other people have arrived here at Plum Crazy by searching for an Adel al-Jubeir fan page. That makes four. Those steeped in the wisdom of Arlo Guthrie will understand that if four people…four people…arrive at a site via web searches for Adel al-Jubeir fan pages, that is a movement. And that’s what this is – the Adel al-Jubeir Fan Page Movement. We’d sing it in four-part harmony, but our voices aren’t that good and you couldn’t hear us anyway. So in the tradition of fine mediocre satire, we present the first installment of a new regular¹ feature – Adel Says.

¹Regular is defined as whenever the mood strikes us or we can’t think of anything else to blog about and need some shameless filler.

Disclaimer: This is a spoof. It’s fiction. It in no way depicts the real Adel al-Jubeir or his opinions. We’re sure he’s a really swell guy; one we’d be happy to invite over to play with our cats. Our only request would be that he comes dressed as a veterinarian, a quite reasonable and minor request, really. We only ask because he’d get a much more enthusiastic response from our cats that way. See, we’re only looking out for his best interests, because that’s just the kind of people we are.

Adel Says

Ima Phreaque writes:

Dear Adel,

First I want to tell you that you’re really dreamy. You can drill my oil well any day.

My question for you is this: I’m invited to a terrorist fundraiser charity function and don’t know what to wear. What kind of attire would most attract a hottie like you?

Dear Ima,

Thank you for your letter. I love hearing from my fans. It’s people like you that make my life as a Saudi shill official so enjoyable. Well, people like you and the bribes expediting payments.

To answer your question – Of course, you will have to wear an abaya, because if you don’t the mutaween will get all jihad on your asp. A shame, really, because you go to a party, think you’ve met a real honey, but once you get her back to the palace, it turns out she is shaped like your Uncle Abdul’s favorite camel. But I digress. One thing that has always driven me wild is a woman who knows how to accessorize her abaya. You may wish to consider one of the hottest new accessories – the loose faux bomb belt. A pretty face and a faux bomb belt on an abaya is sure to get you lots of attention from the attendees.

Best Wishes,

Adel

If you’d like us to make up responses to your questions, send us an e-mail.

Big Brother Is Watching Smelling

Not content with having access to all your electronic transactions, DARPA now wants technology that would allow the government to identify and track you by your unique, genetic odor. The technology in question would allow for on-the-fly DNA identification, meaning that you could be identifiable anywhere the government decides you should be, and you could be identifiable regardless of whether the government suspects you of anything or not.

Granted the government would have to have your DNA on file for that to happen, but isn't that really the next logical step? Your DNA would be available from private sector sources if you ever go to the doctor and get any kind of tests done. The Homeland Security Act enables the government to collect data from private sector sources that it determines is necessary to fight terrorism. If the technology is workable, all the other pieces are in place. Maybe you trust the Bush Administration (I personally don't trust any administration when it comes to things like this), but what about the next administration or the one after that? When is enough enough?

Carnival Cruises...

...into its third port on its extended tour. Carnival of the Vanities #13 was hosted by Alex Knapp at Heretical Ideas and features an excellent television-related theme. Check it out!

Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Racist

David Duke pleads guilty to mail fraud and tax evasion. I wonder how soon before some con makes Duke a "race traitor."

Other Ways to Violate Noise Regulations

Most clubs get shut down for playing music too loud. Not this one.

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Wow.

Daschle Urged Not to Run

Friends and advisors to Senator: "Look, Tom, don't you know that even the Democrats don't like you? Yeah, seriously, dude, they think you're Senator Nancy-Boy. Trent Lite. It's okay, though, we'll spin it like we're telling you not to run because it's 'good for the Senate,' not because we think your chance of winning is as high as the chance Saddam told the truth."

I'd Have Done It Just Because He's Annoying

An advertisement featuring Brad Pitt has been banned from appearing in Malaysia because its "humiliating" to Malaysians. Seems Brad just doesn't look Malaysian enough (duh), and the government feels that seeing too many non-Asians in advertisements will cause Malaysians to feel inferior. Whereas I'd have thought that seeing so many Hollywood stars on billboards would make one feel superior. "Look, there's that idiot Sean Penn. Can you imagine that he went to Iraq thinking Hussein was actually going to show him the weapons stash? Or that he said that a century without mankind is not the kind of future he wants for his kids and grandkids? Bwahahaha."

Seriously, of course I am against that kind of government intervention in the private sector.

Caraoke

First was the car radio. Then the eight-track tape machine (shut up, I'm not dating myself). Then the cassette deck. Then the CD player. And now? It's car karaoke!

Pizza!

Perhaps James Lileks would like this.

It Isn't Easy Being Green

Somebody, quick, call PETA. Isn't a bad dye job abusive?

A Whole Lott-a Shakin' Goin' On

Sources report that Senator Rick Santorum (R, Pennsylvania) will call a meeting of the 51 Republican Senators on January 6th to discuss the future of Trent Lott as Majority Leader. With the White House refusing to back him up now, the scuttlebutt is that he's gone. It's just a matter of when.

Apparently the GOP woke up and figured out he was a real liability. He was always a liability, being an ineffectual Majority Leader at best. However being ineffectual is apparently not reason enough to oust somebody from a position of power. Well, why should the government be any different from the private sector.

Neato-Kean

CNN's Breaking News is that former New Jersey Governor Tom Kean will be appointed to replace Henry Kissinger as the head of the 9/11 panel. Currently Kean has been serving as President of Drew University and Project Cochair of The Century Foundation Project on Homeland Security. The Project recently issued a report questioning the effectiveness and relevance of the new powers granted the government in the fight against terrorism.

Honestly, I can't remember much about Kean as Governor of New Jersey, except that he was that. I'll have to dig more into his past record when I have a little time before coming to any real conclusions about this appointment.

That's Okay, I Prefer Roasted Chess Pieces Anyway

Beijing tourism officials will be cracking down on mangled English on menus and signs. So no more "fried pawn" or "bean turd" for you connossieurs.

How Rude!

The New York City Transit Worker's Union (TWU) has stopped the clock on the strike, as negotiations continue with the MTA. This only means that the strike decision has been delayed for some unspecified period of time. I only just found that out, because I had fallen asleep on my couch 8 minutes before the announcement regarding strike or not was supposed to be made. Anyway, I have to say this is highly inconsiderate of them. If they go out on strike, I am starting my vacation two days early. Now I have to get up regular work time (6 am) to find out if I'm going to work tomorrow or not.

What's that? You think I should be looking at this from the POV of the 6,999,999 other commuters this could affect? Hmph.

UPDATE: Well the clock is still stopped, so it's into work with me this morning. Hopefully they will not decide to strike before I can get home tonight.

Contest!

It's the Find a Nickname for Mayor Bloomberg Contest! Yes, Mayor Bloomberg has been making such an ass of himself, that I think we need a good nickname for him. Details of Bloomberg's idiocy:

1. Suggesting that people pick up strangers in order to meet the 4 person per vehicle minimum in case of a transit strike. When asked whether this might be dangerous, Mad Mike basically said that it wouldn't be so bad, because traffic would be slow-moving. Yeah, Mike, whatever you say.

2. No more turning onto or off of major avenues except for designated Thru streets weekdays from 10 am to 6 pm. Well, Mikey thinks that it's not his job to be popular, but to do the right thing. Okay, Mikey, prove it. Ban deliveries during rush hours instead. That would do some good. This policy hasn't helped a damn thing.

3. Boycotting the Columbus Day Parade because they wouldn't let stars from the Sopranos march at the head of it with him. Yeah, sticking up for the glory marching rights of a few actors is more important than officiating at a major parade for the city that elected you. Must be more of that not being popular thing.

Those are just a few examples. So help me come up with a nickname for Mike Bloomberg that fits.

The Bangings Family

A conversation with my friend has restored my good humor. He called me up and said "Tall." To which I promptly replied "Dark," showing where my stream of consciousness leads (next would have been "And handsome" for those who don't pick up on it).

Then he told me he was watching the extended version of LOTR on DVD, and was thinking "Tall" because it had just gotten to the scene where Gandalf walks in with (his words) "Bimbo." That set me off on a gale of laughter, which he promptly joined. As we were laughing hysterically, he tried to correct the mistake, and said "Bilbo Bangings." When I repeated it back, he thought I said "Dildo" instead of "Bilbo," so we were off on a tangent of the Bangings family - Bilbo, wife Bimbo, and son Dildo.

BTW, I watched the extended version of LOTR earlier - Loved it. Most of the additional footage set up the story for the next two movies. Speaking of which, I have tickets to the first show on Wednesday a.m. Barring a transit strike, I will be on vacation from Wednesday until January 2nd. If there is a transit strike, well, I will start my vacation two days early. Even taking off from Wednesday through the end of the year, I have 5 days I'm carrying forward.

However, this entire cult fascination with Figwit eludes me. Yeah, he's cute. But give me Elrond or Legolas or Boromir any day. Actually, all three.

And I Was in Such a Good Mood

Ex-FSIN chief praises Hitler in speech. His speech is pretty noxious. But what really got to me was what the current FSIN chief said:

When asked if he feels comfortable having Ahenakew represent the FSIN at public functions, Bellegarde said, "you're the guy writing this. Don't quote him."

So that's it? Let's pretend he didn't say it? Let's sweep it under the rug? That's a solution?

UPDATE: Forgot to include this earlier. Bad blogiquette. Via Spleenville.

If Xmas Were a Jewish Holiday...

This is why I love the blogosphere so much. Blog-hopping can turn up the funniest damn things. I was reading the comments over at Alas, a Blog, which lead me to Pen-Elayne on the Web, which lead me to Hilchos Xmas. Hilchos Xmas informs of us what the halakha for Xmas would be, had it been a Jewish holiday instead. A sample:

2. THE TREE SHOULD BE CHOPPED DOWN SPECIFICALLY FOR USE AS A XMAS TREE; IF IT HAD BEEN CUT FOR LUMBER IT IS INVALID. IF THE TREE WAS CUT FOR GENERAL DECORATIVE PURPOSES, BUT NOT SPECIFICALLY AS A XMAS TREE, SOME AUTHORITIES ALLOW IT WHILE OTHERS ARE STRICT. A STOLEN TREE IS NOT VALID FOR THE MITZVAH.⁹ FORTUNATE IS ONE WHO IS ABLE TO CHOP HIS OWN TREE HIMSELF.¹⁰

⁹ One who cuts his own tree must make sure that he has permission from the landowner to do so. Ideally, cut only from one's own backyard. A tree taken from a reshus harabim, such as the county park (which is actually a carmelis, not a reshus harabim,) is considered as stolen and invalid.
¹⁰ One who is unable to cut his own tree should make sure to purchase it from a reputable dealer, or one who is certified by a national kashrus organization

Go read the rest.

'Tis the Season for a Hot Dolly

Baby Jesus kidnapped! Ransom note asks for $800 for $69 plastic lawn ornament.

In related news, the kidnapped menorah was returned by the drunk frat boys who took it. I'm waiting to hear the fraternity was suspended for its lack of sensitivity.

Torture or Terrorism?

Alasdair Palmer writes a thought-provoking editorial in today's Telegraph.

One senior FBI officer told me: "If I knew that the man in front of me had the critical information that would enable the US to prevent a catastrophic attack from taking place on its soil, I would torture him, and take the consequences. Wouldn't you?"

It is thought-provoking not so much because it answers the questions it poses (in fact it does not), but because it presents those questions. It forces us to consider how we would answer them. I wish Mr. Pasdar had given insight into his own thoughts on the matter. The closest he comes is this:

It seems incredible that anyone should be considering whether or not the US Constitution is compatible with torture - yet this is the situation in which America finds itself. Al-Qaeda, having destroyed the World Trade Center, now seems poised to destroy the legal safeguards which used to be thought of as essential to America.

We in Britain cannot wrap ourselves in moral superiority and smugly observe the Americans' dilemma: we face the same choice and our authorities are coming to the same conclusion. The difference is that our Government officials and security agencies won't talk about it openly. If we torture people, we will do it without legal authorisation.

He kind of dances around the question and implies that he's opposed to it without specifically stating so. I imagine that is because he can't find an answer that solves the conundrum yet is in keeping with a belief that torture should not be used by a civilized society. I know I cannot. When considering the question asked by the FBI official, I have to conclude that I would too. Yes, if I knew that torturing a few people would save thousands, I would agree that we should use torture, as horrible as that is. The real question has to be is there another option that would provide the same results. The answer? I don't know. I would only hope that our government would seek them all out before resorting to torture.

I've Heard of Climbing the Corporate Ladder...

...but the corporate pole? A performance artist in San Francisco performed an hour-long pole dance dressed in corporate attire.

The hourlong performance was intended as street theater, a gently surreal critique of Western consumer culture. It had to do with the commodification of stocks and bonds, art and the female body, explained the artist when she was finished.

However, in a display of the blase attitudes most city-dwellers affect about things like this, one of the loudest receptions of passers-by during the lunch rush was not for her performance, but for a guy who stuck a purple hand puppet out a window and waved. Where'd I put my purple socks again?

U.N. Condemns Terrorist Attacks in Kenya

The United Nations Security Council voted 14-1 to condemn the recent terrorist attacks against Israeli targets in Kenya. The only nay vote? Syria.

Syria's U.N. Ambassador Mikhail Wehbe said his government condemned the attacks but could not accept Israel being linked to efforts to combat terrorism while "ignoring the terrorism the Israelis are committing daily and particularly against the Palestinian people."

Apparently the multitude of resolutions passed by the U.N. regarding Israel are insufficient for the Syrians. One wonders what would be sufficient. Or perhaps not.

Giving Credit Where It's Due

Laurence Simon of Amish Tech Support is a genius. He developed a method for segregating blogrolls into categories. I have used it to categorize my News blogroll by region. I had been wanting to do that, but didn't want to have to maintain separate blogrolls for each country/region. His method works perfectly.

Unsucsexful

I'm glad I don't live in Germany. Although the survey could explain this.

UPDATE: Michele brings this to my attention. No wonder they find sex stressful.

Show Me Your Dancer's License

File this in the things I never knew about my city drawer - Nightclubs in New York City need licenses for patrons to dance. Well, except for "incidental dancing," whatever the hell that is. What a ridiculous law. Not that there's any real chance that Bloomberg would have the sense to seek its repeal.

Giving a Whole New Meaning to Initial Public Offering

Australian brothel accelerates IPO.

Stop The Knicks Now!

I received a special request in my e-mail that the VCWC follow in the footsteps of X-Files-like conspiracies and involve itself in the world of sports. Here ya go, Jon, your rant:

Stop the Knicks. Now! They just won their second straight game. Sure, winning is usually the goal for a sports team, but you know and I know that the Knicks, how shall I put it gracefully, suck and aren’t going anywhere this year when the prize in the NBA draft lottery is LeBron James, the stud of all studs. This high school prodigy is so good they’re putting him on national TV, and he’s delivering. They’re blowing their chance as they now stand 3 games “behind” the Miami Heat in the race for the Atlantic Division basement and light years behind the Cleveland Cadavers for the worst record in the league. Gadzooks, the Knicks are merely the sixth worst team. Stop them before it gets worse, or is that better?

UPDATE: I only have to add that if they were going to win, at least it was against the hated Pat Riley.

VCWC Web Ring

The Vast Center Wing Conspiracy, in its ongoing attempt to infiltrate all parts of your lives, has now got a web ring. You must join. Or else. Click on More to obey orders.

Occupied Lott

Well, the press conference is over and Lott didn't resign. I urge all of you who live in states with Republican senators to write and urge them to oust Lott as Majority Leader.

See a sample letter by clicking More.

Dear Senator __________:

I am writing to urge you not to reappoint Trent Lott as Majority Leader. The events of the past week have made it clear that Senator Lott is the wrong choice to lead any mainstream political party in the United States Senate. His words do not represent the views of most Americans or most Republicans. As such, he should not be rewarded with such a prestigious position. The GOP must select someone else to represent them.

Thank you.

Kissinger Off

Next stop wasn't Trent Lott, but Henry Kissinger, who has resigned as chairman of the 9/11 panel. I really wonder who was on that client list. Maybe he's consulting with Adel al-Jubeir on setting up a fan club.

Remind Me Not to Sit Near Any Kids...

...when I go see "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."

Just for Jane

Sports Jesus!

Via Hit and Run.

Mugabe Threatens Whites

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has threatened to take actions against whites if foreign governments don't stop pressuring him. Blaming his country's economic problems on countries like Britain, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand, rather than his own disastrous policies, Mugabe says "The more they (Western countries) work against us... the more negative we shall become to their kith and kin here." This bodes poorly not just for white Zimbabweans but all Zimbabweans. Mugabe is touting his programs as highly successful, while most Zimbabweans disagree. Food shortages have reached severe levels, inflation is at 150%, and unemployment is high.

Making a List

The blogosphere is busy making lists of children's books in response to a gift list Jim Miller found in the Seattle Times. Far be it from me not to jump on the bandwagon. Here's a few I haven't seen on any of the lists yet:

The Earthsea Series by Ursula K. LeGuin
A Wizard of Earthsea
The Tombs of Atuan
The Farthest Shore
Tehanu
The Other Wind

The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander
The Book of Three
The Black Cauldron
The Castle of Llyr
Taran Wanderer
The High King

The Time Quartet by Madeleine L'Engle
A Wrinkle in Time
A Wind in the Door
A Swiftly Tilting Planet
Many Waters

Other lists: A Small Victory, The World Wide Rant, Meryl Yourish, and the War Liberal.

UPDATE: Kesher Talk has also made a list!

Tino!

A quick look at the Yankees' schedule shows me that the Yanks are playing the Cardinals at the Stadium in June! I get to go ogle Tino without having to see the Mets also. I used to think that interleague play was a terrible thing, but I may have to reconsider now.

BTW, for the woman who arrived at my site by searching for "Tino Martinez dream girl," you're welcome here any time!

Here Come the Judge

A Texas school district will start ticketing parents for the misdemeanor charge of having a child who habitually doesn't do his/her homework. See, this is what happens when a critical mass of people don't do what they ultimately know is right - the government steps in and makes you do it.

There's no need for something like this. Parents are perfectly capable of making sure their children do their homework. Problem is that enough of them aren't doing that. Instead, they expect the school system to step in and fill the gap, something it's not capable of doing.

I've got news for you. This is only the tip of the iceberg. CNN files this story under "Offbeat News." I don't think it's offbeat at all. I think it was inevitable, given the way things were going, and it will happen more frequently and severely. Just wait to see what happens if there's another rash of school shootings.

Law-less

Cardinal Law's resignation accepted.

Next stop, Trent Lott.

Frivolous Lawsuits²

Apparently frivolous lawsuits expand geometrically. Two former Jefferson County jurors have filed a $6 billion lawsuit against "60 Minutes" and the owner of Emmerich Newspapers Inc. for making "defamatory" comments about the size of jury awards in Jefferson County. $597 million is for actual damages and $5.9 billion is for punitive damages. $6 billion in damages? What is that about truth being an absolute defense against slander?

Thanks to Justin for sending me this story.

Must We TV?

I suppose that we're in no position to scoff, having series like MTV's "Jackass." But this new series from Britian's Channel 4 just raises the question - Why? "The People's Book of Records" will show contestants competing for the world's records in things like "How many times a dog can lick a person's butt" and "How many times can someone bang a sausage on a table during the time it takes a man to get his penis pierced."

Saudi Groupies

Apparently there's an underground swell of fans for Adel al-Jubeir. Someone else arrived here today through a search for an Adel al-Jubeir fan page. What do they want? Autographed pictures? Answers to such earth-shaking questions like what his favorite color is, what 10 CDs he'd want if he were stranded on a deserted island, or his idea of the perfect first date? WTF?

Maybe I could make some money off this thing. Start a little fan club, charge a fee, and post disinformation. "Adel says his favorite color is purple. He's especially fond of Tinky Winky the Teletubbie. But don't tell the mutaween!"

Speaking of Voyeurism

My cat, Jane, has this ritual. Every time I take a shower, she plants herself between the shower curtain and the plastic liner and watches me. Emma, like any sensible cat, stays much further away from the evil water and waits out on the bath mat until I'm done. But Jane? Noooo, she has to be right there, even if her tail gets wet. Weird damn cat.

No Expectation of Privacy for Private Parts

The Seattle legislature passed a law banning people from taking pictures or videos up a woman's skirt without her knowledge and consent. Sure, you would have thought that was already illegal. But not so, according to the Washington State Supreme Court. In an amazing feat of judicial "reasoning," the state Supreme Court had ruled that voyeurism laws did not apply if the pictures were taken in public places where there was no "reasonable expectation of privacy." Pardon the hell out of me, but as far as I'm concerned, I always have a reasonable expectation of privacy over my private parts. There's a reason we refer to them colloquially as "private parts," after all.

Will They Be Sucking Lollipops Too?

We've all heard of the Kodiak bear, but the Kojak bear? Who loves ya, baby!

Rudolph the Purple-DNAed Reindeer

Still searching for that perfect Christmas gift? Just don't know what to get for the person who has everything? Why not give them Finnish reindeer DNA in a lovely vial capped with silver antlers?

Carnival!

Carnival of the Vanities #12 is up at Amish Tech Support, and I'm making my debut! I feel like I should be blogging in a white dress and pearls.

BTW, you should be reading Amish Tech Support regularly. It's damned funny. And it's hosting a 2003 Death Pool.

The Problem with the Problem with Libertarians

CalPundit has an entry today regarding the naivete that libertarians supposedly express towards drugs. However, he misses a few points about the libertarian position.

I confess to some libertarian instincts myself when it comes to victimless crimes like drug use. But I also confess to living on planet Earth, and here in my segment of the cosmos hard drugs harm not just their users, but also harm me, my neighbors, and my society:

I think most of us live on planet Earth too and have never denied that drug use has an effect on others. What we would argue is not that it has no effect on others but that there are ways to deal with those effects other than prohibition.

Drugs like cocaine and heroin are violently addictive, and the purveyors of these drugs — whether they are legal or not — are highly motivated to persuade children to become their customers for life.

You mean kind of like nicotine, which is more addictive than either cocaine or heroin and which tobacco companies market to kids?

Drug addicts have a regrettable tendency to turn to crime to support their habit.

Of course, because their habit is illegal. Alcoholics and smokers can cheaply and legally support their habits. Drug addicts cannot.

Drug addicts pose a public health hazard via needle-borne viruses, and this goes well beyond just their own little circle of fellow addicts.

Second-hand smoke poses a public health hazard too. Alcohol is a statistically significant predictor of domestic violence. Yet their drugs of choice are not illegal.

I could go on, but why bother? We live in a highly complex, interconnected society, not a rural village in the Middle Ages. Practically any activity has some effect on others, and libertarians do themselves and their cause no good by pretending otherwise.

No one actually is pretending otherwise. The question is why are cigarettes and alcohol legal, which pose many of the same problems mentioned above as drugs, but drugs are not? We find other ways to deal with the problems caused by cigarettes and alcohol. Why shouldn't we be doing the same thing with drugs?

For example, few libertarians would actually suggest that people be legally allowed to shoot up in the local park or throw used needles on the ground. No one is suggesting that people be allowed to drive or perform surgery while high. In fact, I know quite a few libertarians who would support a use tax on drugs to fund the costs of dealing with the problems of drug abuse. We're funding them today anyway. Why not shift more of the burden onto those using the drugs instead of onto those of us who don't?

Rants 'R Him

Solly Ezekiel, the Gedankenpundit, has written an automated Islamist extremist rant generator.

Media Portrayals of Feminism

Yes, I consider myself a feminist. No, I can't bring myself to much care about the fact that wealthy women golfers aren't allowed into Augusta. As for the concept of wearing burqas in protest, well that defies any sense of proportion (although that was simply one of several suggestions that was sent into the NCWO, not a thing that is necessarily likely to occur).

But I find myself wondering how much of the media hoopla over the reaction of feminist organizations to Augusta is an accurate portrayal of feminism. I have to conclude not much. I was reading an editorial piece in the Washington Post today suggesting that the NCWO might more profitably spend its time working for women's issues such as the treatment of women in Afghanistan and expanded funding and higher standards for daycare. The author, Anne Applebaum, suggested that ignoring those issues in favor of things like Augusta was the reason most American women don't self-identify as feminists although they support things like equal pay for equal work.

If that were true, I'd have to agree with Ms. Applebaum. But a quick trip to the NCWO website shows that is demonstrably false. Right there on the News page are entries about the NCWO working to convince Congress to expand the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program, which covers daycare, and being actively engaged with the federal government to restore the rights of Afghan women. A look at the NOW website shows not even a mention of Augusta on their home page, but instead links to initiatives regarding the Family Leave Act, Affirmative Action, and numerous ones about abortion.

So what gives? The feminist organizations are dedicating time and resources to the vastly more important issues, but even a columnist for and member of the editorial board of the Washington Post doesn't know that. Why not? Because the media isn't making a big deal of it, that's why not. Although Ms. Applebaum has no excuse for not knowing it. As a journalist, she should have done the research that would have turned this up. It took me moments to do it, and I'm not paid to.

We can speculate all night as to why the media doesn't make a big deal of it. I'm sure that the NCWO working with the Bush Administration to aid Afghan women isn't the big story that Augusta with its Tiger Woods celebrity tie-in is. Journalists shouldn't go writing editorials, however, without presenting the actual story. The actual story here isn't about the things the feminist organizations are ignoring, but about the things the media is ignoring.

When Is a Code Not a Code?

When it's a West Virginia state government dress code.

"The dress code is not a code. It is a statement that we expect our employees to be properly attired at work," Smith said. "There are things we don't think are appropriate."

Perhaps they should rename it a dress statement then.

It Has A Name

Jane forwarded me this article from the National Post about the New York phenomenon of the "sometimes-boyfriend." Figures I have to read a Canadian paper to learn that something I do is "normal" for New York women. Yes, I can attest to the veracity of the article. I have a "sometimes-boyfriend." Mine happens to actually live in New York City, so we see each other more frequently than a few times a year. But it's not a committed relationship, in large part because he does not want one. As the article says, when you're having trouble finding the right man "something is better than nothing." So I have the choice of going out on dates in hopes of finding my future husband or, when I don't have a date lined up, seeing him. At least I'm not alone all the time. I used to think that it was better to be alone until you found the right man. I've changed a lot since the attack, though. I'm not as good at being alone as I used to be.

Iranian Protests Grow

Reformist demonstrations in Iran continue to swell, as 10,000 more people join the students protesting the death sentence of Hashem Aghajari and calling for a national referendum on democracy. Here's hoping they're successful.

Via On The Third Hand.

Global Liability

Australia's high court issued a ruling that basically boils down to this - if you are going to write about someone on a website, you better understand the libel and defamation laws in the country the person resides. The ruling stated that Dow Jones could be sued in Australia for an article it published on its website about Australian businessman, Joseph Gutnick. Dow Jones contested the location, saying that since the content was published in New Jersey, the case should be subject to U.S. law, not Australian law. The high court disagreed.

Mr. Gutnick claims that "It will certainly be re-established that the net is no different than a regular newspaper, that you have to be careful what you write and if you offend somebody or write malicious statements about people... then you can be subject to being prosecuted." What he misses is that it was never unestablished that was the case. However, if you wish to sue a newspaper for libel, you do so under the laws of the country in which the paper was published. This ruling sets a much broader and more dangerous precedent, one that will have a negative impact on publishers and information dissemination via the internet.

UPDATE: Glenn Reynolds has an opinion piece about this in The Australian.

A Real Snow Job

A Gambian man visiting Germany called the local police to report that his car had been vandalized. Seems the man, who was not used to winter, mistook snow for white paint.

Cold Turkey

The EU is balking at giving Turkey a date when it might be invited to join, claiming that Turkey needs real changes in human rights first. Now Turkey did pass some significant legal reforms recently, and Latvia has been given a firm date. So the Turks aren't quite buying the EU's rationale. Feeling in Turkey is that the real reason behind the delay is that Turkey is predominantly Muslim. Given everything that is going on now, does it make sense for the EU to take an action (or inaction) that could push Turkey away from Europe and towards the Arab countries? No, which is why it undoubtedly will do so.

It's a Snow Job

Actually, John Snow appears to be well-qualified for the position of Secretary of the Treasury. Hopefully he will be a bit more active than his predecessor. My only question is this - Bush says that he hopes that Snow will gain Wall Street's confidence. Good idea, but if that is a major concern, wouldn't Stephen Friedman have been the better choice for Treasury and Snow for economic advisor? Friedman already has the confidence of Wall Street, having been co-partner of Goldman Sachs with Robert Rubin. Rubin was an excellent pick for Treasury, so why not take a flier on Friedman for the same position?

More on Drugs and Crime

After the Marijuana Policy Project announced that it would file an official complaint against Drug Czar John Walters for violations of the Hatch Act, his office released full-page newspaper ads defending their anti-drug advertising initiative raising the question "If you don't want something to be true, does that make it propaganda?"

Of course not. What makes it propaganda is presenting distorted information and only one side of the story. For example, the initiative under fire posits that drug users are accessories to "intimidation, bribery, torture and murder." and if there were no drug dealers, there would be "no drug violence, corruption and misery." This is the same kind of faulty comparison discussed yesterday. This is basically saying that we have to keep something illegal to fight the fact that its being illegal has created a black market with all the attendant problems. I suppose proponents of Prohibition made the same arguments against its repeal.

Absolute Proof Nicotine is Highly Addictive

Most European smokers would find it easier to give up sex for a month than cigarettes.

Case closed.

I Don't Think Pat Would Approve...

In one of those bizarre technological quirks that just restore my faith in the grand absurdity of life, the automated promotion technology at Amazon.com recommended a sex manual to someone who had purchased Pat Robertson's "Six Steps to Spiritual Revival." The link appeared under the "Customers who shopped for this item also shopped for these items" heading. I just wonder what the person who purchased both was thinking. Then again, maybe I really don't want to know.

Via The World Wide Rant.

"Shopping is Divine"

Jane dared me to find fault with the economic analysis found in this article. I couldn't. In the space of this piece, the author makes the case that:

1. Excessive taxation and regulation cause economic stagnation;

2. Repealing all tariffs would help Third World countries (she only leaves out that it would help all countries);

3. Private-sector solutions exist to solve nearly any problem; and

4. Shopping is good!!!!!

How could I argue with any of that?

She's Blogging Now!

Yes, Jane Finch is now blogging. She has been given co-author status at The Daily Rant. If you weren't already reading The Daily Rant regularly for Jay's commentary, I order you to go there and read it now. If you don't, the VCWC will come after you. Look out for the muddy gray helicopters...

Giants 27, Redskins 21

Not to rub this into Oliver Willis' face, but the Giants beat the Redskins! Again.

Of Drugs and Crime

The contrariness of drug law is spelled out by Transform - the group that thinks only total decriminalisation of all drugs can stop the harm done by them. They pose a simple question: if you have a very dangerous substance, what is the best way of controlling it? Sell it over the counter (aspirins and tobacco), sell it in off-licences (alcohol), give it out in pharmacies on prescription (valium or temazepam) or give it to criminal gangs to dispense (heroin and crack)?

That's an excerpt from an editorial in the Guardian on decriminalization of drugs and a quiet plan in Britain to give addicts free prescriptions to heroin.

I think the British government is almost on to something with that plan. Their "war on drugs" has proven no more successful than our own. More and more drugs are seized every year, but the price keeps falling, indicative of a growing supply despite the higher number of seizures. Prison populations are growing due to stricter sentencing for drug use. Sounding familiar?

It is bound to be cheaper for the British government to hand out free prescriptions to addicts than to continue an expensive, failing war. This is why I think they are almost on to something. I think the plan falls down on making the drugs legally available only to addicts. Certainly that will have the effect of lowering crime, as the addicts are responsible for most of the drug-related crimes committed, in large part to feed their habit. But this still leaves too much power in the hands of the drug dealers. Addicts aren't the only market for drugs. If you're going to make drugs legally available to them, why not go all the way and simply make them legally available period? Doing so should significantly lower the costs of drugs to addicts and casual users alike, also resulting in a drop in crime. If that doesn't pan out, the government can always decide later to hand out free drugs to the addicts.

I realize many people are afraid that legalizing drugs will significantly increase the level of addiction. I believe those fears are unwarranted. How many people really don't try drugs because they are illegal as opposed to simply knowing that they are bad for them? Cigarettes are legal, yet most people don't smoke. Alcohol is legal, yet most people are not alcoholics. Experts have said that cigarettes are more addictive than hard drugs. The general argument against that is that smokers who run out of cigarettes don't lie, cheat, or steal to get another one, whereas drug addicts do. Of course, smokers don't have to lie, cheat, or steal to get another cigarette - they can simply go to a store and buy them legally or openly ask other people to give them one. Drug addicts do not have those options. It is, therefore, a faulty comparison.

Even beyond this, though, is the philosophical question of whether the government should be restricting adults from behaviors that do not infringe on the rights of others. What is the proper role of government in our lives? To my thinking, it is the role of the government to (a) provide those services that individuals cannot provide as efficiently (e.g., conduct foreign policy, provide a criminal justice system), (b) provide public goods (e.g., a military), and (c) restrict behaviors which do infringe on the rights of others (e.g., murder or theft). Under the heading of restricting behaviors which infringe on the rights of others, we should accept things like bans on public intoxication and intoxication when performing activities such as surgery or driving. Using drugs, smoking cigarettes, and drinking alcohol in private environs amongst others who consensually wish to do the same do not infringe the rights of others. Therefore it is not the business of the government to restrict them.

I commiserate with a friend of mine, though, who wishes "the libertarians would pick a more popular issue to push, as it is we seem like all we want is to be left alone to smoke pot." He can't stand the stuff. Actually, neither can I. I don't smoke, I rarely drink, and I tried drugs a couple of times when younger and hated them. Thinking something should be legal doesn't equate to wanting to do it yourself or thinking that other people should do it. I think people shouldn't smoke. I just don't think it's the business of the government to prevent them from doing it if they choose. Same with drugs.

Today in the Referrer Logs

Imagine my shock on learning that I come in as the #2 entry in a Google search for "Adel Al-jubeir fan page." Actually, first imagine my shock that anyone would actually do a search for an "Adel Al-jubeir fan page." Do Saudi spokespeople generally have fan clubs? But let me make this perfectly clear - I am not a fan of Adel Al-Jubeir. In fact, I am quite far from being a fan of his. So anyone searching for his fan page is more than welcome to jump off a bridgemove right along.

My only consolation? That I'm not the #1 entry in such a search. That honor goes to Robin Roberts' Final Protective Fire. Go figure. I'm quite sure that Robin isn't a fan of his either.

Tooting My Own Horn

The budget presentation is finally over! At noon yesterday, the CIO suggested that I lead the presentation (the presentation was at 1:30 pm yesterday). I was a bit taken aback, as I had not been preparing to do that, but agreed to it nevertheless. Much to my surprise, the CIO started off the presentation announcing that it was my official debut as the new chief finance person for Technology. It was a surprise because no one had actually informed me that I was being promoted into the position. But it was a good surprise.

Overall, the meeting went well. I thought I did poorly, but I was the only one who thought so. The Head of North American operations, who didn't know me from a hole in the wall before, came up to me afterwards and said "Great presentation, Lesley. Very clear." Everyone else complimented me as well. So I'm psyched. Exhausted, but psyched. I got home last night and crashed completely. Woke up around 1 pm today. A week of working until after midnight will do that to you. Now I'm off to dinner. Have a great night, everyone!

Marbleheads

The discovery would have been the stuff archaeological careers were made on - The Elgin Marbles were not Greek, but were actually the work of a British sculptor named Phil Davies. Davies, son of a donkey breeder from Devon, had changed his name to Pheidias to get in good with the Athenian elite. The proof of this discovery? The archaeologist had uncovered a terracotta cup with the inscription "My name was Phil Davies, but I changed it to Pheidias." The British, upon learning the truth, had stamped the words "Made in England" in large red letters on the Parthenon frieze housed in the British Museum. They were also calling for the Greeks to turn over the rest of the Parthenon, and had plans to convert it into a shopping and theater complex. Oh, yes, it would have made the career of the archaeologist who discovered it. Except that there was no such archaeologist and the entire story was a spoof written by the founder of art satire site artnose.

But the story gets much better. As a spoof, it is mildly amusing. However, truth is stranger than fiction. Respected Belgian newspaper, De Morgen, published an actual article announcing the shocking discovery.

Ozzy Osbourne Bigger than Jesus

Well, at least his bobble head doll is more popular than Jesus' according to the current best seller list at Bobble Head World. For those of you still shopping for Christmas gifts, you'll be glad to know that there are still Bobble Head Jesus dolls available. Unfortunately, though, the giant, life-sized Bobble Head Jesus is still not finished and Football Jesus is sold out. What would Jesus do? Start his Christmas shopping a little earlier next year! Slackers.

At Last

Finally we have a sensible analysis of UN weapons inspectors who practice S&M, contrasted to the poster boy for the same thing. Pleasure, Pain, and Saddam Hussein: A meditation on recreational violence.

Actually, it's food for thought, but I won't specify what kind.

More on TIA

Personal profiling and TIA - a pretty scary combination. Oh no! My TiVo thinks I'm gay

More Budget Haiku¹

Finish your budget
The meeting is on Friday
Why is headcount up

¹In case anyone ever wondered what effect working long hours on budgets has on the mind, now you know. It isn't pretty.

Sheep Better Poets Than Cows

Random cow poetry has some competition - random sheep poetry. A writer in England was given a grant of €2,000 to paint words on the sides of sheep and let them wander around forming random poetry. One example of the sheep's work:

Warm drift, graze gentle, White below the sky, Soft sheep, mirrors, Snow clouds.

Definitely an improvement over the bovine poets' work.

Budget Woes

Continuing today's focus on budget items (as budgets have consumed my life), a CBO report requested by Senator George Voinovich (R-Ohio) predicts a $900 billion budget deficit by 2012 if government spending continues at its recent rate of growth and tax cuts are made permanent. In fact, this may be understated. If we do go to war with Iraq, government spending will likely increase at a faster rate of growth than the last several years. In addition the uncertainty caused by such a war will deepen economic woes, leading to a higher probability of additional future tax cuts.

However, we do need demand-side tax cuts to spark economic growth. We are in danger of a deflationary spiral, and monetary policy alone will not suffice. In fact, with the discount rate at 0.75% and the Fed Funds rate at 1.25%, the ability to use monetary policy through interest rate cuts is near an end.

There is the possibilityof the Fed focusing on exchange rates instead, by purchasing foreign currencies (such as the Euro) to promote a weakening in the dollar. This would have the result of making American exports more attractive. But it is questionable as to how effective that would be. We haven't really relied on manufacturing exports as a source of economic growth in some time, as even with a weaker dollar they are still not price competitive with foreign goods. Such a strategy is better suited, perhaps, to solving Japan's problems. We would be better served if the Fed were to increase holdings of government securities to finance an expansionary fiscal policy.

Budget Haiku

Expenses increase
What's my allocation
I want more for less

The Five Days of Budget Week¹

On the first day of budget week, the CFO made me do a FYCOMP plus a Current Year Est.

On the second day of budget week, the CFO made me do two variance schedules and a FYCOMP plus a Current Year Est.

On the third day of budget week, the CFO made me do three restatements, two variance schedules, and a FYCOMP plus a Current Year Est.

On the fourth day of budget week, the CFO made me do four salary worksheets, three restatements, two variance schedules, and a FYCOMP plus a Current Year Est.

On the fifth day of budget week, the CFO made me do a $10 million cut, four salary worksheets, three restatements, two variance schedules, and a FYCOMP plus a Current Year Est.

Yes, Budget's Inferno - Abandon all hope ye who enter here.

¹It's a business week.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Presumably that is the idea behind this report on how much Presidential hopeful John Kerry pays for a haircut.

Democrat all-star John Kerry of Massachusetts is positioning himself as a populist politician while he takes the first step for a White House run...

But the self-described "Man of The People" pays $150 to get his hair styled and shampooed -- the cost of feeding a family of three for two weeks!

Excuse me, but who cares? He's paying for it himself. If he wishes to use his own money to pay for styling his hair, that's his business. He's not charging this to the taxpayers by submitting it for reimbursement. He pays taxes like the rest of us and should be willing to pay additional to fund the programs he advocates. How he spends his discretionary income is not anyone else's concern, as long as it's legal. Surely there are other issues to press on. This is ludicrous.

Via Counterspin Central.

Bovine Poetry

Ever wonder what type of poetry cows would write if they could? Neither have I. But student Nathan Banks painted words on the sides of cows and let them wander around to create poetry. A sampling of the cows' efforts:

"eccentric art"

"performance as cow environment"

"organic conceptual art as poetry"

I think the cows should stick to giving milk. Although perhaps they have a career writing judicial opinions.

DJ Jazzy Judge Eakin Is In Da Court!

"A groom must expect matrimonial pandemonium when his spouse finds he's given her a cubic zirconium instead of a diamond in her engagement band, the one he said was worth twenty-one grand."

So reads part of an opinion written by Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice J. Michael Eakin. Two of his fellow justices, though, felt his style reflected poorly on the court. Personally, I think they're right. Clearly a State Supreme Court opinion should be written in iambic pentameter.

UPDATE: Mayhap the justice should have written his opinion so:

When takes a man a maid to be his wife; And yet a ring does give her that is faux; Can he expecteth anything but strife? Dare he think that he shall not face woe? For women it is known do value jewels; Consider them as proof of men's true love; If given paste, will feel as though they're fools; And vengeance call to rain from up above. For wedded bliss to come, do never lie; But give thy love a ring of proper size; Trusting then that she shall not sit and sigh; Or leave you to your wherefores and your whys. So if you do not wish to face divorce; Give not just ring, but also proof of source.

Isms, the U.S., and TIA

I find that much political discussion in this country shows a poor understanding of actual political and economic movements. Take for example the frequency with which people refer to liberals as socialists and/or communists. This is demonstrably false. There have been no widespread calls by mainstream liberals or Democrats to collectivize our industries. What most people are referring to when they cry socialism or communism are welfare programs or progressive tax schemes. A welfare system is not, in and of itself, socialism or communism. It can be one component of those two systems, but by itself does not constitute either. A progressive tax system is also not socialism or communism. It is redistribution, but redistribution is only one component of those systems, and not even the most important one. The primary component of socialism and communism, what differentiates them from other economic models, is collective ownership of the means of production. In a communist model, it is the government that acts as the collective. In a socialist model, the collectives can be made up of private citizens. Thus a kibbutz is socialist, not communist.

Neither is corporate favoritism, a frequent accusation made, not unfairly, against Republicans, fascism. In a fascist country, both corporations and individuals are subordinate to the State, and the State is greater than the sum of its parts. Of course, neither is corporate favoritism truly a free market system, which Republicans like to fancy themselves the guardians of.

Incidentally, even comparing socialism or communism to fascism is faulty. Socialism and communism are economic systems. Fascism is a political system. You could theoretically have a fascist socialist state. In fact, Nazi Germany was originally conceived as such a state, although that did not occur in reality. You could also have a fascist capitalist state (the reality of Nazi Germany) or a democratic socialist one.

TIA, however, does fit the fascist bill. It subordinates the rights of citizens to the State. According to the doctrine of fascism, it is the State that organizes the nation; the State that provides individuals with their liberties. It limits so-called "useless" or "harmful" liberties. The determination of what those types of liberties are is the sole province of the State. Individuals have no say in that. Our private information, which was previously safeguarded from the government, is now to be stored and analyzed by it as it sees fit. This contradicts the Fourth Amendment, and it occurred without any further amendment to the Constitution. The State determined that our right to our information was harmful to us without any national debate on the subject. We can only hope that the courts will overturn this.

This country was founded on the precise opposite principle of fascism - the State is subordinate to the rights of the people, and the rights of the people exist independent of the State. The Declaration of Independence outright states as much, and the Constitution was designed to protect that. There is always the balancing act of society against the rights of the individual. But ostensibly the government is supposed to prove that the overall benefit is worth the loss of individual rights. Where has this case been made with respect to TIA? In what way does it act as a net enhancement to the lives of individuals as part of society? Does it make us safer? I don't see how it does. The government certainly did not make its case that it does.

What disturbs me most, though, is that the American public seems only too willing to allow the State to make the determination of which rights are harmful to us. All too frequently I have been discussing TIA with a friend and been asked "What is your plan to protect us?" My response is always "What makes you think that TIA will protect us?" The mere fact that the government has said that it will without any real explanation is sufficient for many Americans. Yet when I challenge them to explain to me precisely how the government storing data on what you bought at the grocery store will protect us, they are at a loss to do so. The government having the raw data itself does not protect us. The government first must determine which patterns to search for and data mine for those patterns. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not particularly sanguine that the government knows what patterns to search for.

Assuming, for the moment though, that TIA really does put the goverment in the position to protect us better, there is still the unanswered question of whether it is more harmful to cede that power to the government than to live with an increased risk of attack. There is no doubt that a totalitarian regime would afford greater protection against terrorism. Who among us really believes that trade-off would be worth it? Now, TIA does not put us in a totalitarian regime. It does, however, put us one step closer. How many steps do we allow for the sake of being "secure?" And even if you trust the current administration with that power, who is to say that we can trust the next one? Or the one after that? Unfortunately, it is much harder to take back a right that you have given up than not to give it up in the first place. I fear that is a lesson we will learn to our great chagrin.

What Is in a Name?

Enron's attorneys evinced a strong negative reaction to the company's trading practices and particularly the nicknames of the trading schemes during an October 2000 strategy session. Would they have felt better if the schemes had been nicknamed things like Operation We Love California and Fuzzy Little Kitten, instead of Death Star and Black Widow?

The government investigation into Enron's practices in the California market has, so far, turned up no evidence that Skilling or Lay knew about the practices in question. If that is true, however, it points to a failing in corporate governance procedures, for which the men should still be liable. If concern about allegations that Enron was gaming the power markets had grown to the point where a strategy session was called with the company's attorneys, the top executives should have been aware. They certainly knew about the mounting allegations. The attorneys at the strategy session realized the company could be in trouble and drafted up an eight-page memo listing the charges Enron could face. Yet these practices continued well into 2001.

At worst, the top executives knew the practices were questionable and allowed them to continue. At best, they did not know, but should have. It is unimaginable that the senior executives of any company should not have known for months that their attorneys were drafting up a legal defense against allegations of wrongdoing on this scale. It was their business to find out what steps were being taken to address the allegations. Senior executives at other companies have been held liable for failures in their corporate governance procedures. There is no reason the Enron executives should not be.