Even Better Than the Boobie

The title of the article is worth the click:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7390109.stm

Getting Out the Boobie

I know that I haven't posted much lately, but I do get the Friday Boobie out.

Emotional Politics

I haven't been posting much lately, and part of the reason is my level of frustration with the current political discourse. I know that a lot of political success is based on emotion, and passion can be a good thing, but lately it's been getting vicious. The divide amongst liberal political blogs between Obama and Clinton is striking, and to my mind petty. I can say this objectively, as I'll support either one but am enthusiastic about neither. Both are too conservative for my taste, but either would be better than any republican. For the record, I voted for Obama in the primary because my preferred candidates had already dropped out.

The media love emotional divides. They draw eyeballs, so any "gotcha" issues become a media obsession. In depth policy discussions don't sell advertising. With a close race, the media looks for the soap opera emotional drama. It sells.

Amongst the most divisive emotional appeals in the current race is the "identity" politics. We get to see the breakdown by "black", "female", "white", "college educated", and "working class" voters analyzed and parsed, as if each demographic group is a monolithic block without any other identity (I'm not sure that I really fit the "middle-aged white guy" profile) and will vote a certain way based on that identity. The republicans love to encourage these divisions, and I fear that in some cases it may be working. I've been told by an avid Clinton supporter that I'm a chauvinist, and by an equally avid Obama supporter that I'm a racist, because I'm not enthusiastically for either.

Sadly, this is the state of politics in America today. Appeal to the emotion at the expense of the intellect. But derision and division are a poor substitute for substantive policy.

A Nation Shamed

Here's the latest evidence of the moral degradation brought about by shrub's embrace of torture. I suppose that the fact that Sami al-Hajj has been freed is a positive. But the condition of the al-Jazeera photographer upon his return to Sudan speaks volumes about the cruel inhumanity of Guantanamo:

Sami al-Hajj had been in US custody for more than six years. He was detained in Afghanistan in 2001. He arrived in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on a US military plane in the early hours of Friday morning.

After a 16-month hunger strike, Mr Hajj grimaced as he was carried off the plane by US military personnel.

"I have been so overwhelmed with happiness that I've been in tears," he said shortly after his arrival.

"I have every right to cry after I've survived these seven horrid years of humiliation, repression and injustice for no fault on my part apart from being a Muslim."

Al-Jazeera showed footage of Mr Hajj being carried into the hospital on a stretcher, looking frail but smiling and surrounded by well-wishers.

"We are concerned about the way the Americans dealt with Sami, and we are concerned about the way they could deal with others as well," said Wadah Khanfar, managing director of al-Jazeera's Arabic service.

"His detention for six years, without the most basic due process, is a grave injustice and represents a threat to all journalists working in conflict areas," said Joel Simon, executive director of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.

Mr Hajj was working as a cameraman for al-Jazeera when he was arrested by Pakistani troops near the Afghan border in December 2001 and later handed over to the US military.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7378828.stm

I'm outraged. I'm outraged that my country would treat someone this way in violation of international law. I'm outraged that America would hold a journalist for more than six years without evidence. I'm outraged that an innocent man was tortured and abused.

But as much as all of these, I'm outraged that this story will only be noticed by the rest of the world. The American media will ignore the story of a fellow journalist unjustly incarcerated in favor of the latest celebrity scandal or political horse race sound byte. And they wonder why we're losing respect internationally.

Our current president has brought shame and disgrace upon our nation. For this crime, and countless others, he should stand before an international tribunal and face the consequences determined. I know that will only happen after Satan takes up driving a Zamboni, but it would be the only way to restore America's honor.

May's First Boobie

A nice Red Footed Boobie for Friday.

For the Records

Made me laugh.

What a Long Strange Trip its Been

It's a sad day for all of us aging hippies. Dr. Hofmann has left this plane of existence:

Albert Hofmann, 102, a Swiss chemist and accidental father of LSD who came to view the much-vilified and abused hallucinogen he discovered in 1938 as his "problem child," died April 29 at his home in Burg, a village near Basel, Switzerland, after a heart attack.

...

Lysergic acid diethylamide, thousands of times stronger than mescaline, can give its user an experience often described as psychedelic -- a kaleidoscopic twirling of the mind pulsating with color and movement.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/29/AR2008042902738.html

My own experience with LSD may be beyond explanation (but I'll try anyway). I grew up in San Francisco, and first dosed at an age too young to admit. I learned early on that psychedelics were more than a simple "high" to be taken for fun, but rather an opening into areas of the mind that are usually filtered out. Aldous Huxley wrote the best description that I've read in "The Doors of Perception." During my High School and College (and Deadhead) years, I considered "tripping" every so often as necessary for my mental health. It helped that I knew a certain Berkeley chemist and could trust the purity, as there was a lot of questionable chemical compounds that were labeled LSD back in the day. One should always be careful what you put into your brain.
Back in the day there were many scare stories about the dangers of LSD, and I've encountered a number of people who had negative results. But I doubt that I'd be the person I am without psychedelics, and in the right time and place I'll still trip. And I'm still waiting for those "flashbacks" that I was promised.
Dr. Hofmann's impact on history and the world would be hard to quantify, but it was significant. He called LSD his "problem child", and was uncomfortable with it's widespread use:

Dr. Hofmann remained wary of LSD's recreational uses as well as its portrayal in the media.

"I was not surprised that it became a ritual drug in the youth anti-establishment movement, but I was shocked by irresponsible use that resulted in mental catastrophes," he told Playboy magazine in 2006. "That's what gave the health authorities a pretext for totally prohibiting its production, possession and use."

The genie can never be put back into the bottle, and the world was forever changed by his chemical discovery.

Endorsements

St. Sleazy picks up the coveted Marxist Polygamist Terrorists, Inc. endorsement:

While some small-minded sorts might claim that it’s wrong to try to hold a candidate responsible for the statements of an organization he’s specifically condemned, John McCain knows better. He realizes that candidates are 100% responsible for everyone who purports to support them, no ifs, ands or buts (Rev. John Hagee, anyone?).

That is, after all, the straight-talking way.

And we here at Marxist Polygamist Terrorists, Inc. couldn’t agree more! And it is in that very spirit that we hereby proudly announce our enthusiastic and unconditional endorsement of John McCain for President of the United States!

We want to make it very clear where Marxist polygamist terrorists stand in this election! And where we stand is squarely behind John McCain!

So, as Big John McCain would put it himself . . . If Senator McCain is favored by Marxist polygamist terrorists I think people can make judgments accordingly.

http://www.lastchancedemocracycafe.com/?p=1350

Spead the word!
(h/t Gordon for the link)

It Figures

Life is full of minor aggravations and frustrations. By a certain age, we learn to cope with this.

This time it's shrub's tax rebates.

While I think that the rebate plan is really bad fiscal policy, my personal finances can use the help. I've been scraping by over the past few months, but barely, so the extra cash would be welcome. And while I had some guilty feelings about it when shrub announced that the money would be going out early, I was looking forward to the cash.

There's only one minor catch. The rebates are being processed and distributed in the order of the last two digits of your social security number. The last two digits of mine are in the high 90's, so I'm at the end of the list. If the distribution were in alphabetical order, I'd be at the front. It's not a huge deal, as I'm sure that I'll need the money later as much as I do now, but it's an aggravation when you get your hopes up only to have them frustrated.

Not that it's the worst aggravation that I've suffered at the hands of shrub.

Sunny Friday Boobie

It's a beautiful sunny Friday here, so here's a blue footed boobie.

Solving the Big Problems in Iraq

It's nice to see the Iraqi parliament tackling the important issues facing the Iraqi people:

Iraqi lawmakers are working on a bill to ban imports of toy guns and fireworks

Expect this to lead to a major decrease in violence throughout Iraq. Or not. Who needs toy guns and fireworks when AK-47's are so cheap?

Added: What they really need is an amusement park:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article3802051.ece

You can't make this stuff up.

Hey, Happy Earth Day folks....

....and enjoy this big blue ball while we're on it.

Thought for the Day

I like meeting people, but the feeling isn't always mutual.

The Truth About the Lies

The NY Times is now telling us what has been blitheringly obvious to anyone who has been paying attention: the so called "expert military analysts" are a bunch of paid shills, and their "progress" reports are a pack of lies:

Hidden behind that appearance of objectivity, though, is a Pentagon information apparatus that has used those analysts in a campaign to generate favorable news coverage of the administration’s wartime performance, an examination by The New York Times has found.

The effort, which began with the buildup to the Iraq war and continues to this day, has sought to exploit ideological and military allegiances, and also a powerful financial dynamic: Most of the analysts have ties to military contractors vested in the very war policies they are asked to assess on air.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/washington/20generals.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

I know that this is common knowledge among many of us bloggers who follow the actual news from Iraq, but it's nice to see it in mainstream print. Part of my "blogger frustration" stems from hearing their bullshit repeated throughout the American media, and knowing that most of the public isn't aware that they are being manipulated. Maybe this article will open some eyes.

The occupation of Iraq is unwinnable and untenable in it's very conception, and no amount of spin will change this fact. "Surges" and "awakenings" are purely propaganda. Calling Moqtada al-Sadr "radical" and any resistance groups "insurgents" ignores the simple fact that we will never be able to impose our will upon the people of Iraq. The people of Iraq have a proud, albeit tragic, history, but they know that Iraq didn't attack America and they have no desire to become an American colony. They will resist foreign occupation as they have for millenia, and no amount of military effort will change that basic fact. The only real question is how much blood will be spilled before our occupation ends and we leave.

The "analysts" can take all this bullshit and pack it in flowery wrapping with positive bows, but they still are selling a package of bullshit. Sooner or later the public will stop buying it.

A Fresh Boobie

I've gotten a couple of complaints for having recycled boobies on Friday, so here's a new one. Happy Friday.

We Need More Ruins

(photo taken on the San Juan River by Zymurgian)

For Shaun Mullen, should he stop by.

The Pundit Spin

Because I woke up in someone else's bed, I watched some of the Sunday "bobbleheads" this morning. Left to my own devices I never bother to watch them, but due to a variety of inducements it happened. And it was too early to start drinking.
I saw "meet the press" and "this week" in the company of a die hard Hillary supporter, and there was a lot of room for debate, but I was mostly appalled by the triviality of it all. Apparently Obama's "bitter" comments are the most important statements of the campaign season. St. Sleazy can't tell a Sunni from a Shia, but the pundits love him for his "straight talk." Shrub admits that he endorsed torture, but that was awhile ago so it isn't worth talking about. Nope, the pundits know that Obama's "gaffe" is what really matters. Every word must be properly parsed. After all, we can't have a president who "misspeaks" now, can we? If he sounds "arrogant" or "elitist" that might reflect badly on America.
How the hell did these people end up on TV?

Sunday Funny

Saw this over at badtux the snarky penguin, and thought it should be shared. It's almost sadly funny because it's almost true.

This Weeks Boobie

Leave it to Sweaterman to post something I never even thought of. Happy Friday.

4/11: A Momentous Occasion

"I could never do that," murmured Flounder, wide-eyed.

"Sure you could," Bluto said encouragingly. "Why not?"

"I've never been able to throw up, even when I was sick." Flounder looked very worried.

Bluto threw a comradely arm around his shoulders."Mark my words, Flounder: before you leave the Delta House you'll be booting like a pro."

Well, George W. was supposedly a Delta, although not a member of Delta Tau Chi, the fraternity immortalized in "Animal House". But, since George was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon - and thus a Delta - I'd like to think that the roving band of criminals in the White House and the rest of the Administration would act like the Delta house, who have "booted" all over our country, and would like to belt out a chorus for International "Louie, Louie" Day.

This song, the lyrics of which are quoted below, has an immense history, including a 31-month investigation by the Effa-Bee-Eye, and anyone who has been to college (or who has been even the most slightly hip over the past 20 years, has tried their hand at singing the lyrics - sober or drunk - has heard it). I'm not sure what some folks think about the lyrics, but after all this time, I'm willing to believe it's a song about a lonely sailor trying to get home to see his lady. And the fact that approximately 1500 versions of the song have been recorded kind of skews my mind to the idea that it's not a subversive song out to "destroy the fabric of America."

So, in honor of the day, here's the lyrics, as best they can be compiled (but get a beer or some Purple Jesus punch first):

The Kingsmen (1955)

Louie Louie Lyrics

CHORUS:

Louie Louie, oh no

Me gotta go

Aye-yi-yi-yi, I said

Louie Louie, oh baby

Me gotta go

Fine little girl waits for me

Catch a ship across the sea

Sail that ship about, all alone

Never know if I make it home

CHORUS

Three nights and days I sail the sea

Think of girl, constantly

On that ship, I dream she's there

I smell the rose in her hair.

CHORUS

Okay, let's give it to 'em, right now!

GUITAR SOLO

See Jamaica, the moon above

It won't be long, me see me love

Take her in my arms again

Tell her I'll never leave again

CHORUS

Let's take it on outa here now

Let's go!!