Ron Paul supporters see Obama potential
Wednesday, January 30, 2008


The Internet phenomena that is Ron Paul's base considers it's next best option...Barack Obama. Cheers to that. I am biased of course, but given Obama's open government and technology platforms(64k pdf) as endorsed by Lawrence Lessig, I'd say Obama stands alone as the next best choice for Paul supporters concerned about matters of privacy, government transparency, and issues such as net neutrality.

Via DMIESSLER.COM: "Question: When Do We, As Paul Supporters, Switch to Obama?

Ron Paul just took 3% in Florida, and most states have been going similarly. I'm thinking what everyone else is thinking, but now I'm thinking it out loud.

When do we call gg and switch our energies to keeping Romney or McCain out of office? In other words, when do we give up and start supporting Obama?

Perhaps there are those among you that don't like Obama, but here's something to consider: you should vote for him for the same reason you'll vote for Paul even though he doesn't believe in evolution. He's an honest man with common sense."

Will we see a Ron Paul bump in Obama's February 5th poll numbers?

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Chavez: Pull Reserves From US
Sunday, January 27, 2008

How does a centralized pan-South American/Caribbean bank with ties to Iran effect US influence in our hemisphere? This event coincides with the New York Times publishing Waving Goodbye to Hegemony, a long but worthy read which pieces together a world view absent US global dominance.

Given the our nation's current financial crisis, the long standing history of the Monroe Doctrine, and a US president who seems happiest when indulging fantasies of channeling Teddy Roosevelt, will Chavez's move here be viewed as tantamount to an act of war, or are these billions of dollars just drops in the bucket?

From Yahoo! Finance: "Chavez welcomed the Caribbean island of Dominica into the ALBA -- an acronym that means "dawn" in Spanish -- joining Nicaragua, Bolivia and Cuba. Attending as observers were the prime ministers of Antigua and Barbuda and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, along with officials from Ecuador, Honduras, Haiti and St. Kitts and Nevis.

Chavez said a new fund created by Venezuela and Iran to support projects in third countries would have links to the ALBA Bank."

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Precrime: Preemption at Home
Tuesday, January 22, 2008

The long saga of the Brooklyn-born "Dirty Bomber," Jose Padilla is over. After 3 and a half years in military custody, Padilla's constitutional rights were finally upheld and he was granted a civilian trial.

The three month trial showcased the post-9/11 standard for justice in America.

From the New York Times: "Following the defendants' convictions last Aug. 16, some legal experts said the success of the Justice Department's strategy cemented a new prosecutorial model in terrorism cases by relying on a little-used conspiracy law that required very little in the way of concrete evidence showing Mr. Padilla's intent or ability to carry out the crimes."

The key words here: "very little," "evidence," of "intent or ability." Despite this Padilla was sentenced to 17 years and four months on charges that he conspired to help Islamic terrorists around the world.

He conspired. He thought, talked, dreamed, and schemed about helping terrorists. But he didn't DO anything. Seventeen years.

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YouTube - Treetop Flyer
Saturday, January 19, 2008

I'm the best starfighter pilot in the galaxy...but even I'm envious. One of my all time favorite tunes too. =)

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Bush calls for broad-based tax relief to spur economy
Friday, January 18, 2008

This is the standard story going out on the wire.
"To be useful, a fiscal stimulus package should be implemented quickly and structured so that its effects on aggregate spending are felt as much as possible within the next 12 months or so," Bernanke said. But he said any package should be "explicitly temporary" to avoid running up the government's long-term debt.

He said extending the Bush tax cuts -- which are set to expire in 2010 -- could have a positive impact on the stock market today. But Bernanke stopped short of suggesting that the Bush tax cuts should be made permanent, telling lawmakers he supports "the law of arithmetic."

"What comes in at least has to equal what goes out at some point," he said.
That's all you need to understand America, now move along. What's that? You want to know the facts? Bah! You don't need facts! If you did, CNN would have given them to you.



Here are statistics from the Federal Reserve through 2006. You can clearly see the progression of consumer debt. It's far worse than the White House let's on.

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Against the Trend, U.S. Births Way Up
Wednesday, January 16, 2008



And this is a good thing?

From the page: "An Associated Press review of birth numbers dating to 1909 found the total number of U.S. births was the highest since 1961, near the end of the baby boom. An examination of global data also shows that the United States has a higher fertility rate than every country in continental Europe, as well as Australia, Canada and Japan. Fertility levels in those countries have been lower than the U.S. rate for several years, although some are on the rise, most notably in France.

Experts believe there is a mix of reasons: a decline in contraceptive use, a drop in access to abortion, poor education and poverty."

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Microsoft seeks patent for office spy software - Times Online
Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Yeah sure...sign me up for this! Are they insane?

From the page: "Microsoft submitted a patent application in the US for a "unique monitoring system" that could link workers to their computers. Wireless sensors could read "heart rate, galvanic skin response, EMG, brain signals, respiration rate, body temperature, movement facial movements, facial expressions and blood pressure", the application states.

The system could also "automatically detect frustration or stress in the user†and "offer and provide assistance accordingly". Physical changes to an employee would be matched to an individual psychological profile based on a worker's weight, age and health. If the system picked up an increase in heart rate or facial expressions suggestive of stress or frustration, it would tell management that he needed help."

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Bleach and a wire brush
Monday, January 14, 2008

Life is hard. We all have our daily struggles to deal with, and we do. We get up, we put on our ass-kicking boots, and we live. But every once in a while the universe squares up and really kicks you in the nuts. And when it does, it's not some glancing, clip-the-sack blow either. I'm talking about one of those full-frontal, stars in the eyes, vomit inducing kicks in the nuts. The kind of kick that makes you wish you were dead just so the pain would stop. The kind of kick that, if you survive, will make you appreciate every pain-free breath for the rest of your life.

That's the tricky part right there: surviving. We've all got our ways and means, but every one of us needs time, and my time is up. I still hurt, but my ass-kicking boots are calling.

In the mania of my recovery I've cleaned, organized, and simplified anything and everything I could get my hands on. This blog was the last little bit of clutter left in my life that needed a good bleaching, so I've taken a wire brush to the code and this is the result. Nothing special, it just is.

I'm not sure yet what direction “rapid dissent” will take from here on out. Ranting about politics and indulging in the odd conspiracy theory is great fun, don't get me wrong, but I'm not sure I've got the energy to continue screaming into the ether.

For the time being, my only dissent will be against urge to say nothing at all.

Happy New Year.

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"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it."

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