A New Voice

M. Morrel, a dear friend who has often provided assistance of utmost significance, has graciously accepted an invitation to blog at the Chateau. Morrel's perspective, which tends to diverge from mine, will undoubtedly spawn some very interesting discussion. This is going to be great fun. Have at it!

Irony for $1000, Alex

You gotta love this:

Palestinian policemen angry over the killing of a fellow officer stormed the Gaza-Egypt border crossing Friday, firing shots in the air and forcing European monitors to close the border and flee, Palestinian and European officials said.

About 100 policemen entered the Rafah compound and took up positions alongside border patrol officers at the customs section of the crossing, Palestinian security officials and witnesses said.

The European observers — responsible for monitoring the crossing and ensuring the terms of an Israeli-Palestinian agreement are upheld — fled the area, officials said.

* * *

"Our monitors are now in the Kerem Shalom military base. When the situation is clear, and these people leave, we will go back to our work," De La Guardia said. Kerem Shalom is an Israeli military base on the Israeli side of the border with Gaza.

So the EU-niks fled to an Israeli military base, huh? It sure looks as though they are far more craven than they are stupid.

Warrants

Reading the news, I see we're engaging in the warrantless interception of data flowing from the United States in connection with known terrorists. I also see that we are monitoring mosques and other Muslim sites in major cities for increased radioactivity associated with nuclear weapons. Well, d'uh.

On the Muslim Nuke concern: Is anyone honestly surprised to learn that N.E.S.T. is monitoring, oh, say, D.C. for suspicious radiation spikes. It would only surprise -- and terrify -- me to learn that the teams were wasting time parked in front of a Synagogue or Methodist Church.

C'mon folks, can we please drop the faux indignation? And up yours, CAIR.

PM Wins Again

As it has done for nearly 50 years, Philip Morris today won a key litigation victory. The Illinois Supreme Court has reversed the abominable $10.1 billion Price judgment. No tears for the gangster-esque Stephen Tillery. Today's loss costs him $1.7 billion plus whatever he invested into the prosecution of a suit he knew to be utterly meritless from the start. Howard has mucho linkage.

Western Heritage

In the wake of the Tookie take down, the AP gives us an article trumpeting the sanctimony of Europeans. I found this passage to be especially disturbing:

Rome's Colosseum, once the arena for deadly gladiator combat and executions, has become a symbol of Italy's anti-death penalty stance. Since 1999, the monument has been bathed in golden light every time a death sentence is commuted somewhere in the world or a country abolishes capital punishment.

Why disturbing? What better way to cheapen the majesty of Imperial Rome than by conscripting its great relics into the service of Euro-woosies? Abominable. Delenda est Woosies.

The Trash

It has been taken out. The vermin, and their supporters, lose again.

Mirecki Beaten . . . Maybe

Last week, University of Kansas anti-Intelligent Design professor Paul Mirecki wrote of his course Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and other Religious Mythologies that:

The fundies want it all taught in a science class, but this will be a nice slap in their big fat face by teaching it as a religious studies class under the category "mythology."

Well, today Mirecki claims to have been beaten by men who were driving a pickup truck:

Mirecki reported he was attacked around 6:40 a.m. in rural Douglas County south of Lawrence.

Mirecki told the Lawrence Journal-World that he was driving to breakfast when he noticed the men tailgating him in a pickup truck.

"I just pulled over hoping they would pass, and then they pulled up real close behind," he said. "They got out, and I made the mistake of getting out."

He said the men beat him on the head, shoulders and back with their fists, and possibly a metal object.

Wempe said Mirecki drove himself to the hospital after the attack.

Mirecki told the student newspaper, the University Daily Kansan, that he spent between three and four hours at the hospital. He said his injuries included a broken tooth.

"I'm mostly shaken up, and I got some bruises and sore spots," he told the Lawrence Journal-World.

Wempe said Mirecki described the suspects as two white men between 30 and 40 years of age. One of the men was described as wearing a red, visorlike ball cap and wool gloves. Mirecki said the men left in a large pickup.

Wempe said the department would investigate "every aspect," but couldn't discuss specifics.

Color me skeptical that, if this happened at all, it had anything to do with his views on ID. More than likely, if he was beaten, he did something to get into the wrong person's face. Lastly, one cannot forget, it wouldn't be the first time someone in Mirecki's position made it all up.

p.s. If I were Mirecki, I'd steer clear of the "fat face" insult . . . glass houses being what they are, and all that.

Hand to Mouth

Upon further reflection, perhaps Murtha makes a good point. Indeed, it might help if a few of our fighting men and women demonstrated for him what the terms "broken" and "hand to mouth" mean to the United States Armed Forces. My suspicion is that those words do not mean what Murtha thinks they mean . . .

Let There Be Songs . . .

After apparently receiving some clarification from McNally and GDP, the Internet Archive will again permit Grateful Dead downloads. Things won't go back to the way they were, though. The Boards aren't coming back. This neither surprises nor saddens me. The Boards are, after all, in direct competition with the Dead's sole remaining source of revenue (I say "sole" because at least one dunderhead can't seem to get far enough past his ego to actually make new music with the band). However, the audience stuff that the TaperHeads produced -- including the superior FOB stuff (e.g., Oade, Connor, etc.) -- will again be available for download (as opposed to mere streaming) at Archive.org.

More: Hmm. Things may be even better. It looks like the Boards have been returned, though only in streaming format. So, we can either download the audience tapes or stream the boards. If this is the result, it is the perfect solution. Concerning the Dead's worry that the availability of Boards for download was cutting into iTunes downloads of its digital releases, I don't think there can be any doubt about that. I know I passed them up for the Archive boards. Today, however, to show my gratitude for the boys' decision, I'll pick up a Download Series show. I recommend March 27, 1988 at the Hampton Coliseum. This one smokes from front to end and features a delightful SoWhat>SugarMag>Scarlet>Fire to open the second set (Yes, that Miles Davis's So What -- they gave it a little bit of a whirl).

Another One

During the whole 403-3 cut-and-run debate, I said I wouldn't ding Murtha for views he appeared to come by honestly. Well, the qeustion of Murtha's honesty is now resolved against him. Murtha believes our military is "broken and worn out" and deems this belief fit to broadcast. He broadcasts it not only to those who serve, but to those trying to kill those who serve. The latter would be unforgiveable if the belief were true. As matters stand, it is decidedly not.

Congressman Murtha: You're an asshole whose words linger like a noisome fart. Fortunately, they are of no more significance.