The Maddest Lib

Play along at home, America!

Concurring Opinions: Template for News Stories on Government Data Gathering

We begin to suspect that it is a part of the broad Bush PR plan to exhaust our capacity for shock and outrage, rather like a sinister lawyer will, when compelled to discover a particular incriminating document, place it among thousands or hundreds of thousands of other innocuous papers.

Standing Eight has more or less assumed since about 9-12-01 that it operates in an absolutely Orwellian environment, and has acted accordingly. We've said before that the funniest thing is the surprise on Arlen Specter and John Kerry's faces when they bloviate about this stuff.

(NB: bloviate = promise, delay and then table a thorough investigation.
NB2: We proudly note that we spelled 'innocuous' right without spellcheck.)

Big Ben Bruised

We're awfully sorry that this happened: See It Now.

Sorry for Ben and his family most especially, but it is freaking ridiculous that his contract doesn't specifically forbid motorcycling, and ditto skiing and snowboarding. If I were Rooney (or whoever makes the contracts for the Steelers,) I would be furious. This kid is a tens of millions of dollars investment. He shouldn't be allowed to put himself in a situation like that.

And if it is forbidden by the contract, than it's his own stupid fault. Well, let's not say stupid, let's be charitable and say immature.

The Secret War

Remember the taliban? Well they're not exactly as passe as say, Oingo Boingo:

Afghan Violence Kills More Than 500

Calling all congresspersons

How did your congressperson vote on net neutrality?

See It Now.

It's more important than it seems. Take this hypothetical about the coming non-neutral net from Joshie Marshall:

See It Now

Of real interest is that J.J. Sensenbrenner, whom we have long marked as one of the stupidest men in Washington, let alone on the Hill, is on the right side of this one. One of the very few republicans voting aye.

Bush v. Science

Have you heard that the Bush administration is hostile to science? McCain has, and he did a little something about it.

Inconsistent Information Policies Jeopardize Research, Panel Says - New York Times

It's okay George, we all fear what we don't understand. (Although some of us make the attempt to understand, and in so doing lose the fear. But your way's good too.)

We say let's settle it this way: tie GWB up and throw him in a lake, and if he sinks, he's a great president, and if he floats, he's a bad president.

My what a big headline you have!

We doubt that this news deserves the "Man on Moon" or "JFK DEAD" headline fontsize it seems to be getting all over the internets, but it does seem pretty important:

BBC NEWS | Middle East | Iraqi PM confirms Zarqawi death

Yet to be seen: Will it a) stop the insurgency? (350 to 1 against) b) Slow the stalactite trickle of American deaths and injuries? (280 to 1 against) c) improve GWB's ratings? (maybe in the very short term, until "a" and "b" catch up to him. You can take it to the bank, though, that he will be strutting around like he earned the kill himself tomorrow on your newscast of choice.)

Standing Eight doesn't cover foreign affairs much, but we do know that whenever the Cardassians killed a figurehead in the Bajoran "insurgency," a newer angrier deadlier figurehead rose to take his or her place (Bajorans were, of necessity, terrorists, but they are not sexists.) You may laugh, in fact we kind of want you to, but check back in at the end of the summer and see if our actual situation on the ground in Iraq is at all improved. And of course we must remember that it took 50 years and any number of dead zarqawis, but eventually Bajor won.

Westboro Baptist Update

Like a busload of lawyers at the bottom of the sea, let's call this lawsuit "a good start:"

See It Now

We're Number One (repeat.)

In greenhouse gas emissions. Yea!

See It Now

Carbon Dioxide, some call it pollution...we call it life.

Forget it, Jake. It's Ohio.

Just a little unimportant story about Bush taking illegal donations, buried on A10 in the Post, (but there, at least.) If it happened to Clinton it would've eaten up weeks of the news cycle, but that's pre-9-11 thinking.

Fundraiser Admits Illegal Bush Donations

Let's see: Ohio, Bush, GOP Electioneering, and we're not clear on all the details, but we think that even that 'Reagan Dime' is involved in all this somehow. All we know is we're scared, and we're experiencing deja vu. And we're scared.