Terrorists Aided by New Media

Listening to CNN today as they ranted and conjectured about the failed incendiary bomb attempt, I realized that they are complicit in the plot. The 24 hour news cycle delights in these kinds of events. This one, in particular must have been disappointing to them, but they are making the best of it.

Disappointing in these respects. First it was a failure. They guy tried to light something chemically and it fizzled or just burned and ended up setting his leg on fire. Secondly, there was little panic in the air or on the ground. Passengers and the crew, from all reports and the crew acted quickly to put the fire out and restrain the guy. The passengers in the rear of the plane didn't really know what happened and from first interviews were not very upset. A few thought it was firecrackers and in fact some news reports called it fireworks.

CNN was not content with this and kept on pushing in heir interviews asking eyewitnesses over and over if they were terrified. They weren't. They asked if the plane was in a state of panic, it wasn't, but that didn't stop them from trying to put words in the passengers mouths.

Finally they found one susceptible woman who used the word terrified and that is the quote that is used over and over in the press today.

The news media aids and abets terrorists when they try to milk these events for ratings and sensationalism and it's time someone said so. Terrorists mission is to what? Terrorize! Without CNN and Fox and others marching a parade of alleged experts past their cameras giving conjecture about what if and maybe...well they create the very fear the terrorists want.

This was a failed attempt and a pretty bad one at that. There will be more of these and undoubtedly some may be successful, but if the news media continues to blow everything even remotely resembling terrorism into a major story we will continue to be a country paralyzed by fear.

The truth is terrorists will continue to attack us. The genie is out of the bottle and they know how easy it is for a determined individual or small group to wreak havoc, and with the help of the voracious appetite of the new media they will undoubtedly succeed beyond anything they could have expected.

Bill James - Mecklenburg County Bigot, and Proud of it!

When commissioner Vilma Leake had finished her impassioned story about her son who dies of AIDS during a debate on including same-sex partner benefits to county workers in Mecklenburg County, South Carolina, her colleague leaned over and asked, "Your son was a homo, really?"

The bigot who said this was Bill James, a county commissioner. It is amazing how insensitive and cruel people can be, particularly bigots like Bill James. People's capacity to be heartless amazes me.

Just so any of my readers from Mecklenburg County might wonder, this picture is what a bigot looks like.

Two Brave Gay Men Marry - in Uganda!

Somehow I am reminded of the Jews who amidst the cruelty of Nazi Germany managed to survive when I read about this story. Two men in Uganda, with the blessing of their parents were married in a traditional tribal ceremony. It sounds beautiful and more than that it is amazingly brave.

With the Anti-homosexuality laws there, which carry penalties including death for just being gay, these two and their families take a grave risk. Still the description in a blog I discovered bears reading.

Mexico City Recognizes Same-Sex Marriages

OK, USA, you are falling behind. Mexico City just announced it is recognizing same-sex marriages. DC, Mexico City...hey why not Dallas, TX?

Dubai Gay Scene? Not So Much.

Speaking of places not likely to show up in the Dameron guide, Dubai makes the list. This really great story of a visit to the Emirates "gay scene" takes a lot of the luster off this oil rich, but financially strapped oasis of excess.

Franken Does the Unthinkable - Acts Like a Democrat!

Wow! Al Franken acting like an actual Democrat and like a real Senator! If only he could get his colleagues to do the same!

His amendment prohibiting defense contractors from barring their employees from pursuing legal remedies for workplace crimes passed and was signed into law by President Obama. It's about time!

The GOP blocked this bill which allows an employee who is abused or threatened on the job to use the courts to seek remedies, just like any American can. The GOP doesn't like this because their Master, Halliburton/KBR will now be liable for a gang rape of a contractor by other employees.

Constituents got mad about this and let the GOP know in no uncertain terms they had better not block this bill and now it has become law! Way to go Senator Franken! Now get your fellow Democrats to grow a pair and actually act like the majority party not a bunch of sempering wimps!

Questions About Prostitution? Call David Vitter!

Christian Terrorists In UK

A group calling itself Christian Voice in the United Kingdon is advocating the same kinds of genocidal laws as Uganda for the UK. The movements spokesperson, Stephen Green, quotes a few carefully picked lines of scripture to justify the Uganda law and he advocates the same kind of penalty in England.

So what about terrorists? Well, someone who advocates killing people because of a few dusty and often mistranslated verses in a Holy Book, are exactly the kind of people we have been calling terrorists, at least as long as they have Arab names. Well, it's time we called a spade a space, this radical group is no better than the radical Islamic groups who would kill innocent people as part of their holy war. The only difference is that they are using the King James Bible and not the Holy Koran.

Green has been arrested before for distributing homophobic pamphlets at the Cardiff Mardi Gras celebration back in 2006. He sees the law in Uganda as just and the worlds condemnation of it as wrong.

"I hope and pray... that the Western homosexuals and abortionists who are trying to corrupt their youth will be sent a firm message to stop their wickedness."

Wickedness indeed!

Climate Change Treaty? What Climate Change Treaty?

Like the bandits in Treasure of the Sierra Madre, the political leaders have been sitting around the big smoky campfire of the worlds fossil fuel economy saying, "Climate change treaties? We don't got no climate change treaty. We don't need no stinkin' climate change treaty!" (that was paraphrased for all you Bogart purists)

The problem is it's not a joke. The industrialized countries of the world came together and after days of childish bickering failed to get a binding treaty hammered out. Essentially the whole thing was an exercise in finger pointing. "No you pollute more than us!"

Developing countries want cash to curb their emissions, the biggest polluters can't agree on how much to cut the emissions and the entire world looses!

Much of the rancor is about transparency. China, no surprise, want's non of it when it comes to monitoring actual carbon emission levels. Seeing China's track record this is no surprise. Try to find real data on defective products manufactured in China...you won't.

At best this will be a political agreement that might set the stage for a future treaty. Very disappointing and sad for all of us mere humans.

Now, guess I better look into that beach front property in Waco.

O'Reilly Calls Laura Ingrahman "Blind Ideologue"

Well even Bill O'Reilly can see through this crap. Media Matters caught this nifty interchange as she scolds Bill for actually liking Michelle Obama.

Fox News - Subversive & Anti-American

I have just about had it with Fox News. It's time to call it like I see it with them. First of all, they are owned and controled by a foreign national. They are propogandistic arm of a political movement that seeks to destroy the American government. Let me ellaborate.

Though the followers of Fox are most likely American citizens who would be outraged if they saw a foreign country taking over say, our ports and shipping as Dubai World corp tri3ed to do a few years ago, they seem perfectly content to have a foreigner, Rupert Murdock, controlling the press in this country. Funny that double standard, or do they even know it?

Beyond that Fox is effectively and perhaps actually a propaganda arm of the far right wing. These people will tell you that they do not like government and feel almost every government program and office should be dismantled. That sounds pretty much like someone seeking to destroy the infrastructure of our government.

Lastly, Fox has been caught using fake photos and downright lying on poll numbers in recent months.

It all adds up to an organization that if looked at objectively could be considered anti-American and subversive.

Why am I bringing this up? Because Fox and it's parent company News Corporation are about to hold up the cable companies for ransom. They seek to drastically raise their rates for programming. So, I ask you, how much are you willing to pay to support this anti-American group? I would write or call your cable company and ask them to cancel the contracts with Fox or make it an optional pay-per-view service. And while you are at it tell them why!

Pepsi Says "No Thanks" To Super Bowl Ads.

Pepsi joins FedEx on the sidelines at this year's Super Bowl. Siting costs both companies have decided the exposure is not worth the exorbitant outlay of cash necessary for those golden Super Bowl seconds. Last year spots (30 seconds) went for an astounding $3 million a pop.

Pepsi has decided to spend its money doing something good for the country. They are offering $20 million in funds to "refresh" communities. What a concept! A big corporation actually giving back to the community?

I have to wonder if the Super Bowl hasn't gotten too expensive for the return in exposure. After all, Tivo has turned expensive ads into blurs as people pause the action and head for the John during commercial breaks.

Digital Magazine Concept Has Potential

The idea of replacing books with a Kindle has absolutely no appeal to me, however this conceptual piece for a possible future of magazines resonates with me a lot. I like magazines, but tossing them into the recycling bin seems wasteful and they do take up way too much room on my coffee table.

The work by Bonnier working with design agency BERG makes me want one NOW!

Mag+ (video prototype footage only) from Bonnier on Vimeo.

Microsoft Steals Code And Admits It!

For years folks in the geeky set have suspected that Microsoft appropriates code from other developers and finally someone has proven it. Juku, Microsoft's new micro-blogging software turns out to be an exact copy of Plurk. To be fair it turns out a Chinese vendor hired by Microsoft copied the Plurk code to build Juku.

On the good side, Microsoft has fessed up to the theft and has shut down Juku indefinitely. I suspect they will just buy Plurk instead, that's the Microsoft business model from what I can tell.
Now if they can just find a way to replace Vista on my computer with a good operating system I would be content.

This once again shows that the term "R&D" in China means "receive and duplicate".

Oral Roberts Dead at 91

Oral Roberts, for all his hell fire and brimstone, faith healing and mumbo jumbo did start a really nice hospital in Tulsa. Though the university that bears his name is suspect in my book, at least he tried to give back to the community....the straight community. Deep in his bible thumping heart, Oral was a homophobe tried and true. He also had some pretty strange views about sex, as he entones below in this priceless clip from YouTube posted by Queerty. May he rest in peace.