politics { YES! Michael Palin for Prez (or VP)

Found while reading this.

Michael Palin for President (because I guess anyone can rule the free world).

politics { MN Primary Elections are TODAY!

Go vote!

Where to vote depends upon where you live. Find your polling station here.

politics { "small town values", the GOP has I guess like a trademark or something on them

(disclaimer: I grew up in a 'small town', went to school in a 'small town', worked in a 'small town'.)

music { Zoë Keating

This is a post from a story on Boing Boing, but I finally got a chance to listen to the podcast and I've got to say, wicked!

Zoë Keating - Quantum Cellist [MP3]

Update:

Here's a YouTube video of her performing the same first piece as was on the podcast:

personal{ identity

It's time for a change, I think. I learned something really important about myself this year: passion for my work- my science- left me intensely vulnerable. Everyone I trusted knew how best to destroy me. And many of them have neatly taken advantage of this, and continue to do so.

I can't risk this scale of devastation again. Distance has shown me that I do know how to breathe when I'm not holding a pipetter; that things outside a microscope can be huge and beautiful; that I can think without gedakenexperiment, with some practice. Maybe I will eventually know who I am outside the lab. The scientific enterprise will roll on without me; with the scale of corruption I observed this spring, perhaps it's better that I no longer muddy those waters with techniques, work and actual data. No real facts are in danger of discovery in many labs at my former institution.

Scum-sucking pissant motherfucking assholes are pretty much a constant anywhere you go. But I can- I must- make their job more difficult. So here it is: I don't know what I'm going to do now. I just know what I won't.

RNC { freedom and its discontents

I wanted to wait until the end of the RNC in order to address a few things. The scope of this post will be the hosting of the convention here in the Twin Cities and the actions and responses of ordinary residents, political protestors, and the law enforcement groups providing security.

The GOP's convention serves many purposes, beyond just the several day media commercial for their party and its agenda. The delegates have to ratify the choice for Presidential candidate, pass a platform, as well as do any internal party business. This is the same with the Democratic convention in Denver. The import of thousands of delegates and party officials into our cities has been seen as a boon, financial and reputationaly. Planning for this has been long.

I did not protest the convention. Aside from riding up in an elevator with NBC White House journo David Gregory at the Graves 601 Hotel in Minneapolis, I didn't see any media. I did see some delegates, including party goers at the Depot in downtown Minneapolis, and what appeared to be a gay Republican (Log Cabin) couple attending the convention. I also spotted what looked suspiciously like five or so very high rent ah 'ladies of the evening'.

What I did see a lot of was cops. Everywhere. I have never seen so much police presence in the Twin Cities outside of when the 35W bridge collapsed.

I've been following the protests with some interest. I don't see a lot of point in protesting the convention iteself. It may be a convenient location to bring attention to the spectacular failures of the Republican party and its agendas for the last decade, but the convention itself is an important component of democracy. Despite my aversion to a protest show, I understand that the right to assemble peaceably and protest is the very essence of democracy, and probably the most important government protection given by the First Amendment. If you cannot criticize your government and its dealings then all the other rights of free speech don't mean much. The genuis of this country's bill of rights included the right to rip your government a new asshole verbally when it deserves it. The Alien and Sedition Acts were rightfully torn up to a large extent. Criticism of government functioning is the major precept of improvement.

What I have seen over the past week has been repugnant.

The St. Paul Police Department (headed by John Harrington), Ramsey County Sheriff's Office (headed by Bob Fletcher), St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, and FBI and the U.S. Secret Service have apparently conspired to treat protestors and even citizens of Minneapolis and St. Paul out walking around as criminals. The mass arrests, excessive force, use of tasers, pepper spray and chemical mace, tear gas grenades, smoke bombs, rubber bullets, riot clubs, intimidation and threats, as well as the preemptive arrest of protest groups and the 36 hour holds in order to get potential legal and nonviolent protestors off the streets and incapable then of excersizing their rights, the arrest of journalists, lawyers, and innocent bystanders, all in the name of law and order, have represented nothing less than a subversion of democracy.

A subversion of democracy.

I'd like to stop just short of calling this treasonous to the founding principles of this nation. These tactics, well documented from this and past conventions and protests, have lead me to the conclusion that this is an intentional outcome. That law enforcement treats the constitutional rights to protest, speak, march peaceably, criticize, and expect more from our government as inconvenient at best and outright criminal or terroristic at worst. That the right to walk down your own streets unmolested and unarrested is only a luxury you get some of the time. This appeared to be nothing other than a war against liberals, against anyone who took time out of their schedules to speak their mind and expect government to be better, a war against protest itself.

Instead our law enforcement took the route of paramilitarized jack booted thugs and of naked fascism.

I believe that the delegates have a right to meet here, party, enjoy our cities, and be safe. But I believe just as strongly that our citizens have a right to have their constitutional rights to assemble and protest peaceably, and not just in 'free speech zone' (are you kidding!?) cages a mile away from where anyone could see or hear them are equally important. I don't advocated violence or destruction of property, but neither do I advocate mass arrests of hundreds of people, many of whom were not protesting, and were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm especially concerned by the arrest of legal observers, independent journalists, and those documenting the conduct of both the police and the protestors.

I'm also of the opinion that there is a significant chance that at least some of the property damage done (thus providing the 'excuse' under which this complete overreaction of force) was the work of Agent Provocateurs (not exactly unheard of), enlisted moles of the police departments themselves. Certainly there were a very small number of the ten thousand or better protestors who were of little productive agenda and were enganged in behaviour that should not be tollerated. When they engage in property damage or genuine rioting, then law enforcement has every right and duty to stop it. But there is no way you will convince me that the hundreds of people swept up in arrests were doing harm or a danger to public order.

Honestly, preventing a fascist police state is worth a few broken windows. Your cure is worse than the disease.

The riot police, decked in bulletproof vests, gas masks, and riot clubs were aching for a fight. You could just see it. This is not a responsible or ethical way to run public order, and it no way to respect the people in your communities. The sheer magnitude of police presence and their spoling for confrontation all but incited the mess we got.

If there is any justice, it is my hope that the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union will be revving their engines for a legal confrontation with these officials and officers. I desire that some of your officers lose their jobs over this at least (prison for a few of these thug cops would be a nice bonus and hopeful deterrent to this kind of crap in the future). I'm not optimistic about this, though, as lawsuits from the last electoral cycle are still awaiting trial. I think your departments took this into account and decided that prior restraint and
preemption were fine tactics because it would be all over by the time you let people out and then years before anyone with the guts and money would take you on in court.

"When peaceful revolution becomes impossible, violent revolution becomes inevitable." - Oliver Tambo

Police Sweeps At RNC - a Decade Long Pattern

Asking the Right Questions

The UpTake

casual_friday { only stupid people are breeding

Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitta

politics { criminal charges against the Bush Administration?

Had a helluva a time find any mention of this in American media, but it is in the Guardian UK (found via this Mississipifarian post). I first heard about this in the Sept 4 Democracy NOW! broadcast.

"Obama might pursue criminal charges against Bush administration"

highlights:

· Biden says criminal violations will be pursued
· Democrats have issued subpoenas to Bush aides
· 3 staffers have been held in contempt of Congress

"If there has been a basis upon which you can pursue someone for a criminal violation, they will be pursued – not out of vengeance, not out of retribution, out of the need to preserve the notion that no one, no attorney general, no president -- no one is above the law."

However it might be a tease...

"What is true is the United States Congress is trying to preserve records on questions that relate to whether or not the law has been violated by anyone," Biden said, adding: "But, you know, there's been an awful lot of unsavoury stuff that's gone on. And the mere fact … that it occurred in a previous administration doesn't mean [a subsequent] Justice Department, if, in fact, there's evidence, shouldn't pursue them. "But I have no evidence of any of that. No one's talking about pursuing President Bush criminally."

Video of it here.

reminder { 1st Amendment

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

(emphasis mine)
U.S. Constitution, Amendment 1
http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1

A reminder to the police of St. Paul and the RNC.

reviews { round-up, what I've been reading/watching/playing, Sept 08 edition

Summer's over. It went by with a whimper. Summer usually makes me restless and want to do things like read more books, see more movies, and such. So here's a quick run down of what I've watched/read/played this summer and a short review.

TV
We've not had full network or cable TV since 2004. Not much worth watching but thanks to the Internet I've kept up on a few shows:

• South Park - this summer the guys doing South Park put all their seasons and all their episodes online, for free. Its awesome. I caught up the on the last few seasons I've missed. Overall they're still funny, but they are starting to show their age. They've been around only a few years less than the Simpsons, who haven't aged well at all.
  
• Battlestar Galactica - Sci-fi has started putting the BSG full episodes on line to view. Still good. This season (the last one by the way) is better than last season.
  
• Grey's Anatomy - Nerdwife got me hooked. Beautiful people, everyone sleeping with everyone. Predictable plots. Don't go to Seattle Grace Hospital, everyone gets tumors there.
  

Movies - DVD

• 300 - what the fuck was I thinking? Why did I torture myself with this again?
  
• Cloverfield - still like it.
  
• The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie - 1960s French comedy, funny, bizarre, oui.
  
• Red Road - drama about a Scotish police officer and her past. Recommended.
  
• The Terror of Mechagodzilla - what can I say? I'm a sucker for old Godzilla movies. Lay back and enjoy.
  
• Mulholland Drive - David Lynch, nuff said.
  
• There Will Be Blood - Creepy but good.
  
• Starcrash - spectacularly bad. I recommend it to anyone who loves watching cheesy sci-fi from the late 70s.
  
• Alone in the Dark - I can see why people now don't like Uwe Boll.
  

Movies - Theater

• Kung-Fu Panada - liked it, a lot.
  
• Wall-E - beautiful but sad.
  
• Dark Knight - kind of a flat plot. However Heath Ledger is the best Joker, ever. Worth seeing for his performances alone.
  
• Wanted - meh.
  
• Star Wars - Clone Wars - great animation...but the cartoon shorts by Gennedy Tartakovsky were better.
  
• Tropic Thunder - was funny, could have been funnier.
  
• Iron Man - liked it, but not ga-ga over it.
  

Books

• 26 Lies, 1 Truth by Ben Peek - Quick and easy read. Was interesting. Had to keep reminding myself this book is fiction.
  
• Wormwood by Ben Templesmith - graphic novel. I enjoy the characters, the art, the plot, the genre.
  
• Aliens Omnibus by various - collection of Aliens comics.
  
• Predator Omnibus by various - same as Aliens, but starring the Predator.
  
• Star Wars, Rogue Squadron Omnibus by various - majority of the story is done by Michael Stackpole, an author I enjoy from his Battletech works. I like the Omnibus, its like 30 comics in one and gives a complete story arc.
  
• the complete set of Patrick O'Brian - I'm up to the third book, H.M.S. Surprise
  
• Bass Guitar for Dummies - yep, get my learnin on. Its actually a pretty good book. I'm learning the basics and starting to make noise. I'm supplementing this with some how-to videos I found on YouTube.
  

Music

• various, my current playlist has a lot of Feist, Death Cab for Cutie, The Ting Tings, Postal Service, Lily Allen
  

Podcasts

• Outlandish
  
• SModCast
  
• WoWcast
  
• Evil Genius Chronicles
  
• TWiT
  
• Security Now
  
• Off the Hook
  
• This American Life
  

Games

• World of Warcraft - this has become my TV time, our raid group is up to Black Temple
  
• Grand Theft Auto - San Andreas - popping caps/getting paid
  
• Dawn of War: Soulstorm - Sisters of Battle yo!
  
• Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos/The Frozen Throne - its still a great game
  
• Starcraft - getting ready for Starcraft 2
  
• X3: The Reunion - my poor mercantile empire with super awesome HQ and warships was left neglected since 2006, my employees wanted to be paid. Plus I had a few more empty sectors to turn into vital trade hubs.
  

music { elaboration

About a decade and a half ago, a fantastic (not to mention Hugo award winning) episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called The Inner Light aired. It featured a touching story and a lovely folkish melody [OGG Vorbis] played on a pennywhistle.

This week I learned that a full orchestral suite [MP3 or OGG Vorbis] based on this melody was written and recorded for Trek's 30th anniversary. The composer is longtime Trek composer Jay Chattaway

BTW, the prop whistle that Picard 'played' in this and one other episode was eventually auctioned at Christies for $48000

music { now for something a little lighter

Been liking the Feist album 'The Remainder' a lot.



I dig the lyrics.

I feel it all I feel it all
I feel it all I feel it all
The wings are wide the wings are wide
Wild card inside wild card inside

Oh I'll be the one who'll break my heart
I'll be the one to hold the gun

I know more than I knew before
I know more than I knew before
I didn't rest I didn't stop
Did we fight or did we talk

Oh I'll be the one who'll break my heart
I'll be the one to hold the gun

I love you more
I love you more
I don't know what I knew before
But now I know I'm wanna win the war

No one likes to take a test
Sometimes you know more is less
Put your weight against the door
Kick drum on the basement floor
Stranded in a fog of words
Loved him like a winter bird
On my head the water pours
Gulf stream through the open door
Fly away
Fly away to what you want to make

I feel it all, I feel it all
I feel it all I feel it all
The wings are wide, the wings are wide
Wild card inside, wild card inside

Oh
I'll be the one who'll break my heart x3
I'll end it though you started it

The truth lies
The truth lied
And lies divide
Lies divide

politics { in other under-reported news...

Riot police protect MoA from Starbuck's employees and their friends.

from the article:

A mass of Minneapolis police and transit police, present since the beginning, enter the rail station along with the workers and supporters, and proceed to follow them to the train. Inside the train cars, the Wobblies sing the old labor anthem “Solidarity Forever,” hand out union literature, and speak with interested passengers of the union’s struggle.

One stop before the Mall of America, at Bloomington Central, the train is greeted by officers from the Bloomington Police and the Minnesota Department of Criminal Apprehension, armed with guns, tasers, and videocameras. After a liaison explains the nature of the visit—no pickets, no signs, no protest, just a group of workers accompanying a fellow worker to work—the train is allowed to pass.

Fast forward to the Mall of America station:

“Get back on the train! Anyone exiting the train will be arrested for trespassing.”

Yay fascism!

I like now if you're a union member, protester, by-stander, journalist, gawker, organizer, etc. you're automatically assumed to be a terrorist and an anarchist who wants to do nothing more but light things on fire and cause mayhem.

You gotta watch them peace and union types. They could have a sit-in break out at any moment, or a work stoppage...get your own fucking latte!

politics { Palin, poor choice

I think the Republicans want the issue of her daughter's pregnancy to remain. Like Carville stated, it makes the other issues opaque. And truthfully, examine her politics, examine her experience. She's not qualified (much like Dan Quayle wasn't qualified) to be Vice President. The ugly truth is that she was chosen because of her looks and that her political views would appease certain elements of the Republican base (i.e. the evangelicals) that don't like John McCain. I agree with Carville again, if they wanted a strong and experienced candidate (in my opinion woman or not) they should have chosen Olympia Snowe. Palin was a bad choice, all around, and not because she was a woman. The only way they could have picked a worse candidate would have been to choose Michelle Bachman. They chose her because she's a mommy, she's pretty, she will appeal to the NASCAR dads and can be related to by the suburban soccer moms, because she's anti-gay, anti-sex-ed, anti-contraceptive, pro-gun, pro-life, religious, doesn't believe in global warming, and has been a loyal foot-solider in the GOP. She's a GOP drone who will follow orders well. Much like probably any male candidate they would have chosen. They chose her to appear progressive (as in they chose a woman candidate), help shore up the base. The fact a lot of negatives are coming out (not just her daughter's pregancy, but the fact she ran Ted Steven's 527 and is therefore part of that corruption). The GOP, is going to use the baby to distract from the issues of corruption.

wordle { cubezoo posts from August

Guess we know what's been on my mind.

Wordle is pretty cool.

musings { scars

Scars, marks of previous pain and injury. Some can be seen. Some cannot. Some fade with time, while others remain visible indefinitely.

I have many scars.

politics { RNC 2008 Convention in St. Paul

Started off with a little bit of a bang. A lot of protester vs police scuffles. Raids, arrests, and confrontations.

Most noteable Amy Goodman and her staff from Democracy Now.

*UPDATE, 9/3/2008* Another blogger provides another angle to the large arrest/clash between protesters and police.

politics { The bullshit of protest democrats

This has been gnawing at me for a while now. I know posting this I will anger some. Some who are close and dear friends.

Here's my memo to you. In short, eat shit. A big heaping bowl of it you fucking hypocrites.

Ok that's a bit harsh. Accurate, but harsh and ultimately counter-productive because by this point you are angry at me. Good. Feel that anger? That's how you make me feel.

This is directed at you, you 'democrats' and left leaning independents who bashed Nader's supporters in 2000, but are now supporting GOP candidates as a 'protest' because Hillary didn't receive the nomination (in a fair contest) or some other real or imagined slight.

This is not an endorsement of Obama. Its merely an instruction for you to wake up and realize the hypocrisy of your position.

There is a big difference between those of us who supported Nader and the Green Party in 2000 and you who are backing the GOP candidates in protest this year.

Here's why. Regardless of how 'good' your GOP candidate is, they are still members of a party whose ideology is one of division, failed politics, financial pillage, bigotry, evangelism, and societal ruin. Those of 'us' who tried to send a message in 2000 by supporting Nader did so because of the green politics and inclusive ideology of the Green Party.

Support of McCain, Coleman, Davis, etc. in protest isn't a protest against the DNC, DFL, or other Democratic Party alignments, its an endorsement of the GOP ideology. A foothold that will allow them to further push their agenda. Your candidates aren't saints. They're still members of the GOP, which means they toe the party line. The same party that had shown us what ruin they could have in six years of total power, and 2 years of partial power.

Every candidate whether Dem or GOP walks the party line. Don't delude yourself that your candidate is different. The shadow players of the GOP are still in control and are still manipulating things from behind the scenes, they have just publicly 'retired' from sight.

But I would like to hear your reasoning for supporting the GOP ideology. I've been hearing a lot of whining about Clinton not getting the nomination, and other such infantile posturing. But I've heard very little publicly about why you support the ideology of the GOP.

One of the few beauties of this country is that we are (sort of) free to express our own opinions and feelings. More power to you. But you're still a hypocrite.

*UPDATE* KoN has put in the comments a link to a great article I think should be read.

WAR! { Now our undies are in a funky-bunch...

We refuse to use the RickRoll option which would be a violation of the Geneva Convention as modified in 2006 to include inner and outer Blogistan and outlying regions, as we are a blog of peace and morals. However the latest salvo from across the border in Evilbobbyistan of pure Funky Bunchosity cannot go unanswered.

So we fight on. We retaliate with some dance moves of our own...AUF DEUTSCH BITTE!



Our loyal forces shall push farther into Evilbobbyistan and secure his ports and Cock Block his oil pipeline.

The memes must flow!

WAR! { This Shit Just Got Real...

Evilbobby, tyrant dictator of EvilBobbistan has chosen not to just roll over and take it.

Its on!

While his strike was devastating to our Western Front, we the determine people of CubeZoolvania are not beaten.

We fight not for ourselves, but for all the free peoples of the Internets.

We enjoy the retaliation, it touches our tra-la-la...ooooh...our ding-ding-dong...