Saturday, September 02, 2006
Friday, August 25, 2006
Giving the Terrorists What They Want
I'd like everyone to take a deep breath and listen for a minute. The point of terrorism is to cause terror, sometimes to further a political goal and sometimes out of sheer hatred. The people terrorists kill are not the targets; they are collateral damage. And blowing up planes, trains, markets or buses is not the goal; those are just tactics. The real targets of terrorism are the rest of us: the billions of us who are not killed but are terrorized because of the killing. The real point of terrorism is not the act itself, but our reaction to the act. And we're doing exactly what the terrorists want.
I made a similar argument here when discussing the London attacks and proposed racial profiling programs as a response.
Why do we need terrorists to destroy the cornerstones of democracy with bombs when governments are willing to do it themselves out of fear? Isn't that a sign that the terrorists have w"
Friday, August 18, 2006
Social Conservatives' Obsession with Crime
Social Conservatives' Obsession with Crime: "
A couple of days ago I reported a liberal's assertion that conservatives seem 'unwilling or unable to engage in issues that are fundamental to the future of mankind'. In the last few days we've seen evidence of what social conservatives, at least (economic conservatives have different preoccupations), are engaged in, to the point of obsession: Crime, criminals, and punishment. The social conservative media are full of news and hand-wringing about the following issues, all of them crime-related:
The War on Terror (actually a War on the Desperate) -- currently focused, of course, on the heroic foiling of the British criminal airline bombing plot, the heroic Israeli war with criminal suicide bombers and the criminal Hizbollah (who are armed by the criminal Iranians), and why the botched wars against tyrants in Iraq and Afghanistan are not now civil wars and are still 'winnable'. In the minds of social conservatives, Al Qaeda is the master criminal behind all of these activities.
The War on Drugs -- to social conservatives, everyone in this is a war"
technorati tags: politics, crime, howtosavetheworld, htstw, garrysblog
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Copenhagen Consensus
That's the question answered by the Copenhagen Consensus.
Here are the results for 2006 with communicable diseases, sanitation and water, education and malnutrition at the top of the list. Financial instability, conflict prevention and climate change are at the bottom of the list.
technorati tags: copenhagenconsensus, world, health, hunger, improve, garrysblog
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
About the Dulcimer
technorati tags: dulcimer, oddmusic, garrysblog
Saturday, August 12, 2006
BULLSH*T!
BULLSH*T!: "BULLSHIT! Penn & Teller present their rational, libertarian bent views on diverse subjects, now available for free download on Google Video ::: profanity; creationism; alien abductions; conspiracy theories; recycling; gun control; endangered species; religion; the bible; family values; the apocalypse; signs from heaven; the occult; 12-step recovery programs; exercise v. genetics; environmentalism; hypnosis; ghosts; the war on drugs; feng shui / bottled water; college; PETA; and abstinence."
Reaction vs. Response
Reaction vs. Response: "See if you can pick out which statement below represents reaction to yeterday’s news of the foiled terror plot, and which statements represent response to the strategy of terrorism.
“This country is safer than it was prior to 9/11.” — President George W. Bush, 8/11/06, quoted in the Washington Post Express.
“We cannot afford no security, but we cannot afford total security, because . . . absolute security could come only at the expense of grounding all the planes and really undermining our way of life. And that would, of course, be a defeat for America.” — Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, 8/11/06, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
“Everything that can be done to protect [travelers] is being done.” — Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, 8/11/06, quoted in the Washington Post Express
As Ohio State University national security expert John Mueller points out in his brilliant Regulation article, A False Sense of Insecurity, ”The costs"
Friday, August 11, 2006
The "Threat" and our Liberties
Thursday, August 10, 2006
App offers solution for those with disabilities
App offers solution for those with disabilities: " Video: App offers solution for those with disabilities. Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs demonstrates Universal Access, an application that will be bundled with the company's new operating system Leopard. The program has features such as voiceover enhancements, braille support and closed captioning."
technorati tags: apple, disabilities, handicapped, software
Monday, August 07, 2006
North Carolina Becomes First State With an Innocence Commission
North Carolina Becomes First State With an Innocence Commission: "History was made this morning when North Carolina Governor Mike Easely, a former prosecutor, signed into law a bill establishing an Innocence Commission.
Gov. Mike Easley signed a measure Thursday, creating the country's first innocence inquiry commission -- a state panel that will examine possible wrongful convictions.
'As a state prosecutor for more 15 years, I know that law enforcement's greatest nightmare is to have an innocent person in jail or on death row,' Easley said. 'As a state that exacts the ultimate punishment, we should continue to ensure that we have the ultimate fairness in the review of our cases.
'Its creation gives our criminal justice system yet another safeguard by helping ensure that the people in our prisons in fact, belong there. This is something all North Carolinians can be proud of,' Easley said."
technorati tags: politics, reform, prisons, innocence, garrysblog
Sunday, August 06, 2006
M&M's as in memos? Candy seeks corporate business (Reuters)
M&M's as in memos? Candy seeks corporate business (Reuters): "Reuters - The candy that 'melts in your mouth, not in your hand' has a new message: this space for rent."
technorati tags: m&m, marketing, garrysblog, candy
Steal this plant: Brazil fights big pharma name-nappers
Steal this plant: Brazil fights big pharma name-nappers: "Xeni Jardin: BoingBoing reader Chris Spurgeon says,
Brazil is sick and tired of companies stealing their plant names, and they're not going to take it any more! Brazil has a wonderful rep for not just rolling over and accepting the increasingly draconian intellectual property treaties being foisted on developing nations by the first world. Their latest move comes in response to a growing trend. It goes like this:
1) Brazilians spend millennia eating some great tasting Brazilian plant that's also great for your health.
2) Foreign company learns about the plant.
3) Foreign company trademarks the plant name and creates a company to sell the plant (turned into a health drink, or shampoo, or anti-aging cream, or brain-tonic pills, or God knows what else).
4) Some poor guy in Brazil opens up a local business cooking up the plant for the locals. (He uses the plant name in his company's name). He starts a little export business selling his product.
5) He gets the pants sued off of him because some company 5"
Saturday, August 05, 2006
The Iran-Israel War
The Iran-Israel War: "It's already started, and looks like it will escalate. Only by annihilating the Jews can the Shiite Islamists in Iran realize their dream. And so the war begins. It will end only in either the destruction of Israel and Iran's..."
How Did You Like the Cybercrime Treaty Debate?
The treaty is the product of years of diligent work among governments’ law enforcement departments to increase their collaboration. It lacks a dual criminality requirement, so Americans may be investigated in the United States for things that are not crimes here. And it applies not just to “cyber” crimes but to digital evidence of any crime, so foreign governments now may begin using U.S. law enforcement to help them gather evidence in all kinds of cases.
But you already knew that if you were following the debate. You were following the debate, weren’t you? "
Friday, August 04, 2006
Digital art that responds to emotional state
From a press release:
For example, when the viewer is angry the colours are dark and appear to have been applied to the canvas with more violent brush strokes.
If their expression changes to happy, the artwork adapts so that the colours are vibrant and more subtly applied...
“The programme analyses the image for eight facial expressions, such as the position and shape of the mouth, the openness of the eyes, and the angle of the brows, to work out the emotional state of the viewer,” said Dr John Collomosse from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Bath.
“This kind of empathic painting only needs a"
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
The Federal Government is Remarkably Efficient (at Throwing People in Prison)
About 95 percent of federal criminal defendants plead guilty. Of the remaining few who fight in court, nearly nine of 10 are convicted, according to national statistics.
[…]
“The odds are pretty stacked against defendants once an indictment is issued; that pretty much seals their fate,” said Mark Allenbaugh, a Huntington Beach, Calif., lawyer and nationally recognized expert on the federal court system. “Once the indictment is issued, conviction is almost guaranteed.”
Between 2000 and 2005, 99 percent of the 435,000 federal criminal defendants prosecuted nationwide were convicted.
I suppose it’s possible that just about everyone ever indicted at the federal level is guilty, but I doubt it. U.S. Attorneys’ offices tend to be better staffed and better funded than local prosecutors’ offices, and certainly have ...."
Sunday, July 30, 2006
A White and Red Lily

I love photography.
Occasionally, one of my photos on Flickr gets voted for as a favorite. Here's a recent one, my photo of a white and red lily.
It made my day.
technorati tags: photos, photography, flickr, lily, flower, garrysblog
Quote by Alexis de Tocqueville
He was a French historian and political scientist. 1805-1859
"The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults."
technorati tags: tocqueville, french, historian, quote, quotation, saying, america, greatness
Friday, July 28, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
Liberal Blogs and Israel
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Mapping Paramilitary Police Raids in America
Included in the report is a revealing U.S. map, Botched Paramilitary Police Raids: An Interactive Map.
The Map Key includes:
- Death of an innocent
- Raid on an innocent suspect
- Death or injury of a police officer
- Other examples of paramilitary police excess
- Death of a nonviolent offender
- Unnecessary raids on doctors and sick people
Monday, July 17, 2006
My News Bin Review (My Keepers)
First, I was amazed at how many have come from How to Save the World. It's author, David Pollard deserves special recognition for his continuing efforts and fine work.
Dave Pollard's environmental philosophy, creative works, business papers and essays.
In search of a better way to live and make a living, and a better understanding of how the world really works.
technorati tags: newsbin, topposts, keepers, howtosavetheworld, htstw, davidpollard, garrysblog
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
What is Our Youth's Favorite Site?
I'm a ex-high-tech researcher, and I've been reading their articles for many years.
eMarketer's article, What is the Youth Market's Fave Site? has important statistics about the Youth Market on the Internet.
Congratulations go to Google who has won our youth - well done!
It also seems Facebook has the girls' interests and ESPN (and Yahoo) has the guys'.
technorati tags: google, facebook, espn, youth, internet, yahoo, favoritesite
Monday, July 03, 2006
Name a Business or Product
Sunday, July 02, 2006
So You Wanna . . .

So You Wanna is a facinating site that teaches things you didn't learn in school. I practice yoga and so I tested their So You Wanna Learn the Basics of Yoga page. It had an excellent overview along with graphics for a yoga routine. So You Wanna is very informative and covers many subjects.
technorati tags: soyouwanna, howto, learning, garrysblog
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Take the Superhero Self-quiz
You are Superman
| You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others. ![]() |
Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test
technorati tags: superhero, quiz, selfquiz, superman, garrysblog
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Remembering Our Troops on Memorial Day

I'm a retired U.S. Government employee. As I think about our troops and veterans on this Memorial Day 2006, I try to imagine the difficulties and horrors experienced - past and present. One current thought presently haunting me is how terrible the shoes must have been in the World War I trenches.
America Supports You.
technorati tags: supportourtroops, troops, garrysblog, memorialday
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
In Memoriam - Col. Oleg V. Penkovsky
Most often called the spy who saved the world, Oleg V. Penkovsky, was executed on May 16, 1963. A hero of the Cold War, he was one of the bravest and heroic men in the long history of spying. The USA should long remember and honor him.An excerpt from his defection letter:
"I ask you to consider me as your soldier. Henceforth the ranks of your Armed Forces are increased by one man."
technorati tags: spy, intelligence, espionage, cia, politics


