Tazers, I Just Wont Let it Rest

Amnesty International, citing its own study on the harmfull effects of tazers.
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=17564
The Canadians are so upset about Tazers they are paying attention to the announced study from the Department of Justice on tazers
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5il1RBXiJauS80Jpyivr-KhVR7uxA
Diane Ream had a show about it yesterday
http://wamu.org/programs/dr/07/12/05.php#18231

Buried Stories

With the speeches from Bush and Romney, the shit from Iran, and more interisting things going on, news of the shooting in Nebraska is being buried at the bottom of the ticker.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-12-06-mall_N.htm
The only people who care are the Gun Control community.
It should be noted that the weapon USA Today reports the shooter using was already illegal.

If tazers save lives like the law enforcement community argues, where were the tazers here? Why didn't a tazer save anyone?

Military Industrial Complex

Despite there being no threat of a nuke from Iran, Bush wishes to rush ahead with the European Missile Shield. Not to mention, it pisses Russia off. Through all this the old media never mentions the miliary industrial complex.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_industrial_complex

Bush Sending Mixed Messages on Economy

Its as if Bush believes the economy will do what he says as long as he refuses to admit there are problems. So we get speeches like he delivered today that send mixed messages about the economy.
Compare, http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/04/news/economy/bush/ with, http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/MORTGAGE_CRISIS?SITE=DEWIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

10 U.S. Flags not enough to make Romney a Christian

Its really easy to make the argument about tolerance Romney is making when you are in a minority religion, or are being discriminated against like Romney is. I wonder if he, or the conservative evangaliticals he is courting with this speech, would apply the same tolerance to Islam or Rastafarianism, or Wicca. Their behavior in the past does not fill me with confidence.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071206/ap_on_el_pr/romney_religion_21;_ylt=AvNPAFj7ljheBLdNDxDl0MIE1vAI

An Awkwardly Large Sidenote

As part of Condoleeza Rice's new push for world peace, or just not being seen as a neo-conservative lapdog who didn't do anything but exercise and get lectured by her peers, Condi got all of the leaders from Africa's various troubled places together in Addis Ababa to get a lecture in American diplomacy. Or is American diplomacy more about lecturing? I can never keep that straight. But, anyways, in the course of a day, Condi told all the leaders that would shop up (Joseph Kabila, President of the DRC chose not to make an appearance) that they had better play nice and look good and keep the windows closed... There was no "or" or "else." Thanks for clearing all that up, Condi in your whirlwind one day of talks.

Evidence is itself, circumstantial

As if anyone was actually thought that Iran was building the bomb, in rides the American Intelligence community to put all such mistaken notions to bed. However, just like five years ago, the evidence doesn't matter and won't effect policy in any significant fashion. David Kay and the UN inspectors were systematically combing Iraq, looking for any hint that Saddam was reconstituting his chemical and biological weapons programs. So, after we invade Iraq, surprise, surprise, America wakes up to find that it was lied to and flattered into doing something repugnant. However, the guilt that we should all feel can't be washed away with a tear-filled shower. So, now five years later, and we still collectively resemble a drunk sorority girl who has self-esteem issues.

"Yes, honey, I'm doing this to protect you, because you're so important to me. Why don't you just drink a little bit more and shut the fuck up so we can move on to the main event? Oh, can you get the cab fare back to your house? I have some wicked credit card bills. And I won't pull out or wear a condom because I'm a misogynist Christian."

There is still a chance that we won't invade or otherwise attack Iran. Please call your elected representative and flex your democratic power. We need to stop this blood for oil cycle and the imperial presidency made possible by the Bush Doctrine.

W as Little Dutchboy

In the course of the next year or so, the US government has some serious financial difficulties it needs to work out. Primarily, the ballooning national debt is about cross the $10 trillion dollar threshold. Instead of having the debt paid off within a decade, we're not mortgaging our future for more than a decade. On a deeply interrelated note, is the current financial crisis that is roiling the markets. Not surprisingly, the CEO of Countrywide is eager for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to have temporary increases in the volume of loans they can take on. Will W risk his political capital and any notion of being called a fiscal conservative? Or will he appeal to his base and help the artificially rich people continue to enjoy the lap of luxury that fewer and fewer people are able to share.

Iran abandoned its nuke program 3 years ago

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSWBT00801220071204

Here we are again with a warmongering administration raising the specter of a threat from the middle east and it seems like noone can stop the inevitable war. A war for no reason, with no goals, and no prospect for any kind of success.

Oh but here is an article that contradicts the Bush administration's exaggerations. Lets hope the old media isnt as spineless this time around and actually sticks with this set of facts rather then the jingoism and fear we are so familar with.

The Wisconsin Crazy

The last name of the accused is Whitelightning. Appropriate for someone who might lead police on a carchase. He alledgedly walked into the OP, swiped some sausages, jumped into the Krispy Kreme delivery truck and sped off. He is also accused of being drunk at the time. I just would love to have seen a doughnut truck whiz past followed by police cars, sireins blaring. Its the kind of thing that makes life worth living.

http://www.channel3000.com/news/14742655/detail.html

This pretty much sums up the western perspective of the incident

The Friday Bacon

The makings of bacon burgers.

Benjamin Franklin Report: 30 Nov 07

An inevitable feature of the give and take in our economic system is the fact that we have to pay back whatever it is that we use. In simplistic terms, when you spend money, it has to come from somewhere, be it in the form of a trade item or currency. Or, if you really need money, you can spend your future earnings, which has gotten us into a bit of a bind recently, as I previously reported. In summary, the market is looking like it's rebounding nicely. Freddie Mac (NYSE:FRE) and Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM) managed to issue some short-term debt items to raise enough capital to keep their operations afloat at least for another 90 days. (Wait, what is an S&L again? Why were they so controversial again?) The really big news item of the day, though, is this article. Countrywide Financial is dealing with the private ramifications of the ongoing credit crisis, although there is a whiff of hope in the air that is pushing Countrywide's stock (NYSE:CFC) up by more than 14% at press time. Citigroup (NYSE:C) is also benefiting from what some jackass business correspondent might call headwind generated in the markets by potential government intervention. I guess if Hope is not readily apparent, corporations are not forced to create their own by saddling their duly paid representative to take on their misguided liabilities.

Something of a Splash

Over at Youtube today, Mike Gravel's campaign has caused another minor internet sensation. Perhaps the grass roots can cause trouble for the established media system yet.

The First Amendment

As has been the case more times than necessary to enumerate here, the Bill of Rights in general, and the Freedom of Speech enshrined in the first Amendment specifically has come under attack in the years of the Bush administration. In a more local example, a blogger known as daTruthSquad has come under attack for revealing details of an underhanded land deal. The Township of Manalapan in New Jersey has gone so far as to file for an injunction to force Google to reveal the identity of the blogger in a tax-payer sponsored fishing expedition. Check it out, and here.

We are Imbued With Certain Natural Rights From Our Creator

http://www.reason.com/news/show/123496.html
Its nice to see a judge that has respect for Ron Paul, even though he uses terms that make me uncomfortable. I get the feeling that if Ron Paul started comparing himself to Barry Goldwater, about half of his support would vanish. Its also nice to see a judge with an honest opinion of the President refer to average Americans as sheeple.

Here, the government is asking firemen to spy on you. What could possibly go wrong? For one, lots more lawsuits.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gek2oSZ_67sh2ukVvXaCGCXzpypwD8T3IFL81

Something that is rarely pointed out, the case that established the state secrets defence was actually an example of government lies. Years later when the requested documents were made public it was revealed that infact, there was no secret mission, and there was no spy equipment. It was just some guys on a normal plane on a normal training run. The government just wanted to avoid liability for a wrongfull death.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071126/ap_on_go_co/state_secrets_4;_ylt=AjLTg3ieO32EurPT9pvqFOoE1vAI

Big suprise!

The U.N. added tazers to its list of torture devices.
http://wcbstv.com/national/taser.torture.united.2.595058.html
The language in the article is pretty stark. I feel like we have been doing shoddy work if we only have re-reported 2 of the 6 recent deaths from tazers. Does this recent move by the U.N. mean local police departments will have to stop using tazers or just reign in their yahoo sadistic officers.

I am not saying the peace officers in any of these incidents are sadists or were acting in a sadistic manner. I am just saying it would behoove local law enforcement bodies to take more time training the officers in their midst that could be percieved as "sadistic."

The Friday Bacon

Wisconsin Crazy: At Least He Didn't Shoot the Kid

In a case that tests our typical definition of the Wisconsin Crazy, a poor hunter who couldn't get a beer got a little heated and used his personal firearm to shoot his farm animal on his own property. As of publication, it is unclear whether or not the goat made a good stew. This article also serves as further evidence as to why Fark needs a Wisconsin tag.

(Red Herring: Fuck tha Police!, that's what she said.)

Wisconsin finally getting some God damn respect

I hate how the old media always ignores that UW-Madison led the way in stem sell research like it has in biotechnology for over a hundred years. They prefer to mention California for some inexplicable reason. So California gave a grant to its researchers? I think its more noteworthy when a state that doesnt have an economy to rival Germany it means they care more to spend the few dollars they have.

The real issue that raises my ire is hidden on page 5 of the article. These rat bastards have been using foreskin. Skummy doctors are harvesting foreskin for research and mutilating poor defenceless childrens sex organs. They tack on an extra surgery to a healthy pregnancy to raise their profit margins like Best Buy tacks on the extended warrenty. What the hell is with the double standard in this country? We get outraged when some villagers in Egypt or Afganistan perform a cliterodectimy but expect a man in this country to have his sexual organs mutilated in an unnessary operation. No outrage, we fucking expect it as the norm. It makes me sick.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/71441/page/1