Crux

Take a boat. Carbon River Road

Clearwire? Else Zipcon / Quest

CP, Gotta disagree that the most essential aspect of science is that its findings are *verifiable*. On the contrary, what makes science stand out is that its findings are falsifiable. Find one fossilized bone that's been buried for millennia in a stratum where it does not belong according to Evolution, and you have proven Evolution is false. No such procedure can be applied to Creationism; thus it is not falsifiable and therefore is not science. Garret Hardin told a good story along this line. If I remember correctly, it goes like this: An astrologer told Augustine (circa 400 AD) that astrology is a science; with astrology an astrologist can determine accurately and precisely a person's future. So Augustine set out to prove the astrologer wrong. Augustine conducted an experiment by observing the birth of two boys, one born to royalty and the other born to peasants, but both born at the same time. According to the "science" of astrology, both boys would grow to live the same future as determined by the time of their birth beneath the stars. As it turned out, the boy born to a royal family lived to be a wealthy businessman and the boy born to peasants lived a life of poverty. When Augustine presented the findings of his somewhat time-consuming experiment, the astrologer immediately dismissed the experimental outcome as inconclusive because the boys surely were not born at exactly the same time. Augustine then pointed out that meant that astrology could never be proven false because two persons are never born at precisely, exactly the same time. Augustine had demonstrated that astrology was immune to falsification, but this was of no more concern to the astrologer than it is to the modern day creationist. The astrologer remained unimpressed by the singularly defining characteristic of scientific fact and theory: All that is scientific is necessarily falsifiable. Ironic it may be that Augustine, long since considered a saint by Catholics, might be morally challenged today by the modern findings of science -- especially Evolution. At the same time, it might have been by the persuasion of minds like his that the Church survived its own periods of reformation. To come full circle within the scope of this thread, the reformation of Christianity may have been its saving grace as its humanity rose from the dark ages and thenceforth. In contrast, Islam was apparently spared a reformation of its own and, as a consequence, too often now blunders forward with the medieval intolerance that Rushdie implores the world to now recognize.

Again, especially considering his remarkable background and considerable intellectual achievements, Rushdie seems to be astonishingly deluded in regard to his perceptions of fascism and the political left. Again, I suggest such a skewed point of view (one which is essentially identical to the debunked views of such great thinkers as our current POTUS) can reasonably be explained as an unfortunate consequence of the enormous strain that Rushdie has heroically endured for so many years. One might hope the supermodel provides some consolation, that Rushdie live a very long life and continue to prosper, and that his genius not be discounted in the greater picture simply because he blew an intellectual gasket along the way to retirement.

Rushdie would have a hard time finding his mythical Leftie. His death threat collection certainly colors his thinking and sours his view of Islamic fundamentalism, appropriately so, but his broadbrush denouncement of the Failed Left constitutes an unfocused, and therefore failed idea. Given the assumption that the article and the interview are authentic, it appears obvious that the relentless pressure suffered by Rushdie through all the death-threat years has indeed colored his thinking -- to an extent where the toll taken upon him now includes his once celebrated capacity to comprehensively evaluate and rationally describe the world around him. I submit as exhibit-A his absurdly oxymoronic equivocation of Islam and fascism, and as exhibit-B his myopic perception of the "left" as being both signifcant and monolithic today when it is neither.

Rumor two days ago on AAR was that Rumsfeld resigned in the face of notification that he would be facing war crimes charges in Europe starting next week. Understandably, to continue as Secretary when subject to arrest, prosecution, and punishment for capital crimes abroad would be inexpedient at best.

Since its inception, the American government has been different. More than a little bit.

1) It's a travesty that we have allowed the privatization of voting operations in the United States. To turn control of elections over to a corporation, much less one with vested political interests like Diebold, is to turn over the power to destroy. 2) Control of elections and votes should be exclusively retained in the commons, as part of public operations, just as it has been for the better part of over two centuries of American democracy. 3) Electronic voting machines should immediately be banned nationally; they have consistently proven to be insecure, unreliable, and prone to undetectable tampering unless backed up -- by paper ballots or records of the votes cast. 4) All votes should be cast on paper ballots -- hard copy media is necessary for security of the voting system and it's a technology proven to be simple yet highly efficient when properly deployed. 5) Recent rulings by federal and state courts that have found state voters have no right to select their elected representatives at the national level should be rulings that are permanently overturned -- by amendment to the United States Constitution if necessary. mC

Why better to concede than call for recount(s)?

Mom didn't let us lie down in the street in front of motorcades when I was in fourth grade. Does not compute.

I understand that historically the reconciliation committe has always been comprised of representatives from both sides of the aisle -- that is, until the current regime of self-described Republicans took over. Call them what you want, but in the past even when one party held the presidency and both chambers in Congress, decision making and oversight was respected and conducted in Congress as a shared responsibility. To underscore the depravity of the current state while giving credit to the higher integrity historically present in the institution, one might point out that the current Republican-dominated Congress is vastly unprecedented in both the extent of its criminal activities and in its near-total exclusion of the minority party. After decades and centuries, for this to have occurred, something changed, both within the Republican party and within Congress. As the country is now in the wake of this election, Congress may find itself restored. The Republican party, on the other hand -- is obviously still infested.

Fwiw, about eight months ago I received a response by mail from one of my elected representatives in regard to the attitude I'd expressed about impeachment at the time. Essentially the letter stated the following: 'It ain’t about impeachment, ya fukin twit -- it's about restoring the oversight role and responsiblity of Congress. "Only through effective oversight can the House and the Senate determine whether the Administration’s actions have been appropriate." Thank you very much for your well-intentioned but politically half-witted support -- Patty Murray, United States Senator.'

Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi

Top ten states for election problems reported to 866-OUR-VOTE hotline by noon today, sorted by number of incidents: PA 841 NY 399 MI 313 NC 239 CA 228 OH 225 AZ 164 MA 142 GA 131 IL 129 Total 2,811 http://www.bradblog.com

Snaffle drive deleted

today, food on the table tomorrow.

Read article ("Exit Stage Right" by W. James Antel III, Oct 23, 2006) yesterday in The American Conservative that stated conservatives are increasingly hoping the Democratic party will gain power in the upcoming elections because, as Republican Jeffrey Hart put it, "Bushism has poisoned the very word [conservatism]." Antel opened his story with the following account: "Under ordinary circumstances, a Washington Monthly symposium calling for an end to the Republican congressional majority might be interesting to read but not terribly surprising. The noted liberal magazine would be expected to welcome the idea of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. What attracted attention was the fact that the October cover package was entirely written by prominent conservatives, fed up with their party after 16 years of nearly uninterrupted rule on Capitol Hill."

Even Google appears biased now. A search today upon the single keyword "failure" returns as #1 the following URL: http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/

I did not use more methamphetamine when I never had sex with that male prostitute!

There be those New York values again.

Yeah, and AAR is losing money now in its first years like FoxNews did. But there is no safety in these numbers. AAR keeps getting backing from Clear Channel and who knows what other ruthless capitalist enterprises. Worse, AAR keeps improving the content and marketing of its disgusting product to the end that its incessant smear campaign against all that is good about America will continue in perpetuity. Consequently, JayB is in great peril: Good ole' might-makes-right conservative yesterday, commie conspirator tomorrow. I don't want to talk shit about anybody here, but you right-wingers out there might do well to think twice before taking the sharp end with this guy watching your back. (Just a word to the wise, that's all.)

NPR today. Air America tomorrow. It's a slippery slope.

From a few blocked sites to all left-wing? Kind of a big jump, ain't it? I'm for freedom of info and anti-censorship, but you must remember, people become government property literally when they sign-up. Freedom On the March Actually, the report proceded from the general case and went to a few specific examples that present compelling evidence. The Marine Corporal, writing from Iraq, stated the following: "I am currently stationed in Al Taqaddam, Iraq with the Marines…you’ve done a short piece about this before, but this is getting ridiculous. It seems that every non-conservative politics website has been blocked by our firewall guys…including your site. The reason it is blocked is because it is a “personal page.” Which means they don’t have a reason to block it … but they want to block it, so they do. This was done recently, just in time for mid-term elections. As I said, it was not only your website, I have gone through lists of liberal sites and most of them are blocked. I’ve also taken the time to go to some conservative sites….none of which are blocked. I don’t have the words to describe how I feel. They have sent me to this desert three times…each time saying that we are defending freedom…which is BS and everyone knows it. And on top of that they have taken away many of the freedoms that we are supposedly fighting for…. I don’t think there is much anyone can do about this, but I just wanted you to know that this was still going on."

Tha fukin' bish riminds me off yer sister and yer lil' dog too. Gawdam shitzz. Ya'll got testerown sprayin' rite outta my keyboard like gouts off snaffle giz durin' fly time! Bartender! (Keywords: joke + snaffle + family + testosterone)