Saddam Hussein’s Execution

 

You can watch the complete video of Saddam’s execution here.  And by complete I do mean that you can watch the actual  hanging.

I’m posting this because I believe that if a society allows it to happen, they should be able to watch it.

National Christian Park Service

According to BoingBoing, the national park service sells a book at the grand canyon bookstore that claims that it is the result of the old testament flood.  That’s right.  Noah and the whole deal.

Some might think that it is ridiculous, but harmless.  I say it is far from harmless – and it is our tax dollars keeping it there.

Here’s a link to the book in question:  Grand Canyon: A Different View 

Free TV on ‘The Internets’

So, you want to watch a tv show online for free?  Then head on over to Free TV Links.

Quote of the Day – George Bernard Shaw

No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means.

-George Bernard Shaw

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays. To apologize for the infrequent posts this holiday season, here are some statistics for you to ponder over the holidays:

In 2004, the life expectancy for someone born in the United States was 75 years. In Swaziland it was 36 years.
In 2003, for every 100,000 people, 14,000 people died of HIV/AIDS in the United States. In South Africa, that number jumps to 370,000 – I’m not even sure how that’s possible.

these statistics can be viewed at the World Health Organization’s website – http://www.who.int

Virgil Goode – Unapologetically Bigoted

From this story:

 Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA) is under fire for a virulently anti-Muslim letter sent to constituents earlier this month. In the letter, Goode says, “I fear that in the next century we will have many more Muslims in the United States” if we do not adopt “strict immigration policies.” He references the election of Muslim Rep.-elect Keith Ellison (D-MN), and warns “American citizens” to “wake up” or “there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office.”

Evidently, he refuses to apologize for said remark.  I don’t really know if an apology would mean anything anyway – if it is not sincere.  I also don’t think that Muslims in the united states is what we need to worry about; what scares me is the number of close minded bigots.

Fox News – Not Really ‘News’

Fox News – ever the source of outlandish political commentary – has falsly claimed that Obama has never introduced a bill.

On the December 18 edition of Fox News’ The Big Story with John Gibson, Fox News political analyst Dick Morris falsely claimed that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) has “never introduced a bill” in Congress. In fact, according to the Library of Congress’ THOMASlegislative database, Obama was the primary sponsor of 152 bills and resolutions introduced in the last Congress, including a bill (S.2125) that passed Congress on December 8, 2006, “to promote relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” which he introduced on December 16, 2005. The bill is awaiting action by the president. In addition, three nonbinding resolutionssponsored by Obama have passed the Senate, and 14 bills that he has co-sponsored have become law.

It may have been an honest mistake.  But this isn’t a mistake like forgetting the name of a general in world war I, this is one that has a significant impact on present day politics.  I wish Fox would at least try to be unbiased – or else stop calling themselves a News station.  When it comes right down to it, the truth isn’t necessarily good for republicans.

Quote of the Day – Anton Chekhov

Man has been endowed with reason, with the power to create, so that he can add to what he’s been given. But up to now, he hasn’t been a creator, only a destroyer. Forests keep disappearing, rivers dry up, wild life’s become extinct, the climate’s ruined, and the land grows poorer and uglier.

-Anton Chekhov

Richard Dawkins’ Documentary

Here’s an interesting documentary hosted by Richard Dawkins.

Craigsnumber

Craigsnumberis a great free service.  It gives you a temporary phone number that will forward calls to your actual phone number – allowing you to receive calls for an hour, day, or week without posting your home phone number all over the internet.

Use it for craigslist postings, ebay listings, or adultfriendfinder posts – whatever!

Quote of the Day – Antonin Artaud

We do not die because we have to die; we die because one day, and not so long ago, our consciousness was forced to deem it necessary.

- Antonin Artaud

America sets Human Rights Example

The New York Times has a story about Mr. Vance, who was an American citizen being held at the high security detention facility in Baghdad. 

The fluorescent lights in his cell were never turned off, he said. At most hours, heavy metal or country music blared in the corridor. He said he was rousted at random times without explanation and made to stand in his cell. Even lying down, he said, he was kept from covering his face to block out the light, noise and cold. And when he was released after 97 days he was exhausted, depressed and scared.

Provided Mr. Vance’s allegations are true, this goes to show that things have not improved since the Abu Ghraib scandal. 

 Mr. Vance plans to sue Mr. Rumsfeld for violation of his civil liberties. 

At Abu Ghraib I was willing to say that it might very well be just a few bad apples – now I’m not so sure that the entire crop isn’t rotten.

Marijuana – The New Green

From the L.A. Times: 

A report released today by a marijuana public policy analyst contends that the market value of pot produced in the U.S. exceeds $35 billion — far more than the crop value of such heartland staples as corn, soybeans and hay, which are the top three legal cash crops.

Will this new report help in the efforts to legalize pot?  Probably not.  Will it give stoners everywhere an excuse to take another bong hit and contemplate the economic implications of large scale marijuana production in the United States?  Probably. 

 

Idomeneo is Go

An opera house in Germany has decided to go ahead and open their production of Mozart’s Idomeneo today after it had previously been canceled due to fear that it would upset the Muslim community.  Previous story here.

The opera, which features the severed head of Mohamed, was canceled after the company saw what happened after the Danish cartoons depicting Mohamed were seen by the public.  Fearing violence, they canceled their planned production.  A large debate then happened about self-censorship.  Today the opera will open, with heightened security.

Police said they were trying to keep the security as unobtrusive as possible, though it was hard to miss the metal detectors and the X-ray bag check.

From this story.  Ah yes – metal detectors at the opera.  What has this world come to?  Still . . . better metal detectors than no opera.

Quote of the Day – Anton Chekhov

You must trust and believe in people or life becomes impossible.

-Anton Chekhov