The Large Hadron Collider is the biggest and most powerful super collider in the world and humanity hopes to discover new fundamental truths about reality through its use. It was built in France and Belgum but there was once the possibility that an even bigger, more powerful collider would have been built in the U.S. except congress lost the nerve to fund the project after already dumping millions into partial construction. This was not just a loss to the local community and the University system of Texas but to U.S. education. Now the best and brightest minds in physics will be compelled to go to France instead of being drawn to America. New discoverys will be made that will lead to marketable technologies that could have been discovered within U.S. jurisdiction. The loss of talent and potential discovery and the immesurable loss to the U.S. economy is particularly irksome in the current economic crisis. This shortsitedness reflects a general U.S. failure to focus on quality of science education in order to maintain our technological and intellictual superiority in the world.
We have really hit the shit now people. Labor is dusting off tactics that they haven't used since the bad old days of company towns and anarchists. Laid off workers have occupied a factory in Chicago. They were given short notice of the closing of the plant and are attempting to get the severance and vacation pay due to them. This is actually connected to the $700,000,000,000.00 bailout because one of the banks that got assistance from the Treasury is the bank that finances this company that employees these workers and said bank refuses to loan the company the money it needs to keep up with its payroll, forcing it to close its factory doors. Which is exactly why there needed to be better controls put on this massive act of corporate welfare so that Paulson wasn't left with the sole option of begging the banks to not horde the cash but deploy it. Because if they won't spend the money then the bailout can't serve the purpose it was authorized for.
It looks like Paulson's greatest career attribute is the ability to beg. Perhaps that is how he got installed as the ineffectual treasury secretary. He got down on one knee to beg Nancy Pelosi to support the $700,000,000,000.00 BBBBBBBBBBillion Bailout, and on Monday he begged the banks not to horde the cash he is handing them. He is doing this while expressly stating that there are no strings attached. Paulson said,
At a time when events naturally make even the most daring investors more risk-averse, the needs of our economy require that our financial institutions not take this new capital to hoard it, but to deploy it.
The free market has been dead since FDR, but the Bush administration has found a way to revive the same trickle down economics that got us into this recession, distract everyone by saying you are resorting to socialism. The awful truth behind that scary buzz word is that they are socializing the financial industry's losses in order to insulate their profits from market forces.
First, by way of introduction, here is a moving testimonial from a cop who doesn't understand the pharmacology of tetrahydracannabinol. (How many style points does that judge have?)
We've already talked extensively about police corruption and brutality. I would agree that there are law enforcement officers who are more than thugs with badges. Unfortunately for those who would like to have a rosy view of the state of law enforcement in America, there is an abundance of evidence that police officers aren't always the most upstanding citizens. But, also, there is a sense of helplessness in the face of power, demonstrated by the examples of police who are charged with brutality or some other criminal charge, yet are given the equivalent of a vacation with pay.
In this case,(with video) a police officer is caught on the camera of his squad car planting marijuana on a suspect. As the suspect already had a warrant out for his arrest, the additional brutality and charges seem rather spiteful.
In this case,(with video) a family from Hobart, Indiana catches their beating on their front yard surveillance camera. I can't help but wonder what that woman said to the police officer to receive that kind of treatment.
In the trial of the two officers charged with manslaughter in the 50+ bullet shootout that resulted in the death of Sean Bell, there has been some pretty startling testimony. I'm sure that the defense will try to destroy the credibility of the witness on cross examination, but the question remains whether or not officers identified themselves as such before they started shooting.
Of course, there is the question or racial discrimination in the enforcement of laws. In some cases, as is allegedly the case in Seattle, there are allegations that police officers arrest minorities on subjective charges, which will invariably tear communities apart through distrust. In other cases, law enforcement officials cover-up the actions of violent racist extremists, as allegedly is the case in North Carolina, which would appear to be a horrible example of officially legitimated violence against those protesting racism and injustice. As the records in question were allegedly destroyed in 2004 or 5, one has to wonder who is being protected by this?
While it may seem a foregone conclusion that our society must have police officers, it is not necessary that there be police officers who flagrantly violate the law. After all, if those entrusted with enforcing the law have no interest in following the law, why should the rest of us? (+ or -?)
With all due respect for our appointed public officials, whatever else you may say about them, their job is undoubtedly stressful. Sure. But, how much of an excuse is this in the face of almost naked hostility displayed by Condoleeza Rice in responding to questions from Rep. Robert Wexler (FL-19)? (Impeachment petition)
Thanks to Russian TV, here is a Mike Gravel sighting.
For those of you watching at home, there is a second recall in progress, of sorts, in New Hampshire. Despite strange bureaucratic maneuverings on the part of the Secretary of State, votes are being recounted and some strange discrepencies in the voting process and chain of custody are being addressed. Black Box Voting has more. Then, Bill Maher's round table about election fraud with Tony Snow, amongst others. Finally, a ghost of the 2004 election comes back to rattle chains and remind us all why voting in general is, ultimately, fairly useless.
