This is not a tag line!
politics
Yes, we can!
Feb 7th
Not being a citizen, I cannot vote here in the US. As a consequence, I admit to not having looked too deeply into the different candidates’ opinions and platforms. However, I have been pretty impressed with Barack Obama ever since I saw his keynote address at the DNC in 2004. His post-primary South Carolina speech was equally inspiring. I just came across a pretty good music video based on the “Yes We Can” speech he gave after the New Hampshire primary:
Pretty good stuff, regardless of where you stand on the political spectrum… And if you can vote, please do.
More >The attack on science in the US
Jun 12th
In an essay commissioned by Edge, evolutionary biologist Jerry Coyne writes about creationist presidential candidates, the fallacies they promote, and public servants’ responsibility to be scientifically literate.
When the moderator asked nine (Republican presidential) candidates to raise their hands if they “didn’t believe in evolution,” three hands went into the air—those of Senator Sam Brownback, Governor Mike Huckabee, and Representative Tom Tancredo. Although I am a biologist who has found himself battling creationism frequently throughout his professional life, I was still mortified. Because there is just as much evidence for the fact of evolution as there is for the existence of atoms, More >
I’d laugh if it wasn’t so ridiculous…
May 7th
The mystery of the Canadian spy coins is now explained:
Back in January, Passport posted on a scary Defense Department report that warned of Canadian coins that had been transformed into tracking devices. It turns out the whole things was a big misunderstanding [...]
Yes, U.S. defense officials were spooked by Canadian lucre bearing an unusual floral design. Moreover, their fears were transmitted pretty much uncritically to the rest of the defense establishment. And the whole thing could have been cleared up by turning to the nearest friend from north of the border and simply asking, "What’s this coin thingy, eh?"
Yep, I’d laugh More >
“What If Bush Wins” by a panel of 16 writers
Nov 7th
Let’s see which (if any) of these predictions turn true.
Part 1 from the album Live from the Phoenix Festival by Orbital
Ohio isn’t over yet.
Nov 6th
From Ohio isn’t over yet (Bill Bumgarner):
Now, I doubt if there will be a reversal of the called decision. There is little chance that Kerry could pull out a surprise victory.
There is something far, far more important at stake.
There have been a disturbingly large number of reports of serious problems during the Ohio voting process. The same goes for the rest of the nation, but Ohio is obviously a focal point.
These problems range from potentially illegal actions on the part of “challengers” to lost ballots to mishandling of ballots to reports of voting machines reporting thousands of extra votes for one More >
Shock and awe
Nov 3rd
I just cannot believe it! The result of the US presidential elections, though not definitive yet, is just incomprehensible, like a mini-singularity to me. I cannot fathom what it means for the USA or for the rest of the world…
Before the elections, the rest of the world still had faith in the American people. Its government might have been rotten but people had faith that Americans would realize the mistake they made four years ago (though arguably, they did elect the right president, it just turned out that the current one is not who they elected). It’s been four years More >
THE GREAT JOHN CLEESE
Oct 18th
How many Bush administration officials does it take to change a light bulb?
None. There’s nothing wrong with that light bulb. There is no need to change anything. We made the right decision and nothing has happened to change our minds. People who criticize this light bulb now, just because it doesn’t work anymore, supported us when we first screwed it in, and when these flip-floppers insist on saying that it is burned out, they are merely giving aid and encouragement to the Forces of Darkness.
– John Cleese
No comments…
The Good Old Days from the album Up The Braket by The Libertines
More >Flip Flopping in style
Oct 8th
… there is one candidate who’s got more flip-flops than palm beach on a hot summer day. and guess what? it’s not john kerry.
Colours In Waves from the album With The Tides by South
US elections and the rest of the world
Oct 6th
Currently residing in Paris, France, Nicole-Anne Boyer from WorldChanging says, in a recent essay:
… being Canadian, like the rest of the planet, we were disenfranchised from the current election on the future global order. Better luck in a different world.
Now, I can hear the rebuttals already. “What do you mean global election? There is no such thing because there is no global government.” Of course this is true. I’m being cheeky and hyperbolic. But it’s also true that our current institutions are a poor match for the world we currently live in. The fact remains that this election will have a material More >
Republican “Rhetoric”
Oct 4th
Not necessarily new but still impressive (in a creepy kind of way): How do you run a convention on a record of failure?
The River from the album Wir sind hier by März
