Category Archives: theocons

hope that the president is in a good mood….

…..because if you are arrested for anything that could be seen as a crime against the United States, you can kiss your rights goodbye. Thanks to today’s signing of new detainee rights legislation, the president now has sweeping powers over prosecution of persons detained during anti-terrorist or so-called “wartime” activities. Habeas corpus be damned – …

17/10/2006 – 20:24 | By randomduck | Posted in dems, government, insecurity, politics, theocons | Comments (1)

bush has no spine, balls or brain

Of course, I’ve felt this way about the “president” for years – since he was elected annointed in 2000. He came in clueless – like a frat boy who was having the ultimate keg party. Then 9/11 happened, and at the one point where he had both political parties, as well as a majority of …

15/10/2006 – 19:40 | By randomduck | Posted in dems, government, insecurity, politics, theocons | Comments (1)

a warning from garrison keillor

The brains behind the brilliant A Prairie Home Companion penned a wonderfully haunting editorial about the passage of the recent Military Commissions Act of 2006. Keillor opens with a pointed warning: I would not send my college kid off for a semester abroad if I were you. Last week, we suspended human rights in America, …

05/10/2006 – 15:51 | By randomduck | Posted in dems, government, insecurity, politics, theocons, travel | Comments Off

review: roger waters @ nissan pavillion, 23 september 2006

Last weekend I revisited more of the music of my teenage and college years when I went to see Roger Waters at Nissan Pavillion in Bristow, Virginia. Waters treated the audience to a generous selection of songs from Pink Floyd, a few solo nuggets, and a complete run-through of The Dark Side Of The Moon. …

26/09/2006 – 12:47 | By randomduck | Posted in government, mass media, music, outdoors, politics, random, theocons | Comments (1)

obama does his homework

Had the chance to see Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) speak today on the subject of renewable energy and energy independence. It was a great speech, focusing primarily on the auto industry. He cited examples of Japanese and European automakers getting the point: that hybrid and alternative fuel technologies are for today, and that the demand …

20/09/2006 – 18:27 | By randomduck | Posted in dems, government, insecurity, politics, theocons, washington, dc | Comments Off

unwarranted credit

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) just claimed on Face The Nation that U.S. voters should vote for Republicans because BushCo “has prevented more attacks on us since 2001.” What a claim, given that virtually all of the action in stopping terror has happened due to the efforts of police efforts from Great Britain, Pakistan, Germany and …

03/09/2006 – 10:55 | By randomduck | Posted in dems, government, insecurity, politics, theocons | Comments Off

why u.s. airport security is nothing more than theatre

If you’ve flown in the U.S. in the past few years, you know the drill: Whip out ID and boarding pass Answer five-or-so questions about your luggage Have a TSA agent dust your bags for explosive residue Get in a long line for mag & bag Present your ID and boarding pass again Remove your …

11/08/2006 – 16:13 | By randomduck | Posted in government, insecurity, politics, theocons, travel | Comments Off

two approaches to anti-terrorist intelligence

DailyKos author “Hunter” gets a tip ‘o the hat for this insightful, brief analysis of how the UK is much more effective at countering terrorism without relying on extreme changes in law enforcement: Although we do not yet know the scope or details of today’s announced counterterrorism bust, it’s generally worth noting that the British …

10/08/2006 – 17:32 | By randomduck | Posted in government, insecurity, politics, theocons | Comments Off

more on code red

Y’know, if BushCo had actually followed through in Afghanistan, rather than launch military action against a country that was no threat to us (or to its own region), perhaps we wouldn’t be asked to fly without beverages, books, iPods, etc. As Cory Doctorow points out, what’s happening now with so-called aviation security could easily be …

10/08/2006 – 10:04 | By randomduck | Posted in government, insecurity, politics, theocons, travel | Comments Off

no, george, that’s not the way to go

Apparently the Bush administration wants to try and make itself and other U.S. officials immune from war crimes charges, further distancing itself from both the Geneva Conventions and any accountability for its flawed military actions: The Bush administration has drafted amendments to a war crimes law that would eliminate the risk of prosecution for political …

09/08/2006 – 23:43 | By randomduck | Posted in government, insecurity, politics, theocons | Comments (1)