Mancow Waterboarded
May 22, 2009
Mancow is a conservative radio host who has been critical of waterboarding. This guy is a bit too much of a publicity hound for me to consider him to have any serious convictions, but this is huge in a symbolic way. Nobody makes windbags like conservative hosts, from Limpbaugh toCoulter, to Hannity (who actually volunteered to be waterboarded when challenged by Olbermann, and then chickened out, even after an offer of two thousand dollars a second donated to a charity for the troops(video below)). I’ve been waiting for one of them to finally have the balls to do it. Mancow made it six seconds. The bar has been set. This video should circulate until the big names either try it or change their tune. It is one thing to think of torture as ok. As much as I disagree with the position, it is valid. To claim we are just splashing some water on their faces, and that it isn’t torture, while being so obviously terrified of it is hypocrisy of the worst kind.
Update: Olberman came through! He donated ten grand because Mancow manned up were Hannity couldn’t.
Tinfoil Hat Tuneup
May 21, 2009
The above video is a Ted Talk by Dan Ariely. He walks us through some deeply ingrained psychological flaws in the human mind, and how easily they are manipulated. What he shows here have some deep implications for the manipulation of the electorate. The next time you are headed to the voting booth, think about this video; think about what choices you are being given, and whether they are really choices at all, or merely the illusion of avoiding a more negative option placed there as bait.
Or, you could hunt down the phone book, call up your local bookstore, and see if they have Dan Ariely’s book.
Or you could get it on amazon: Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely
Jesse Ventura Cage Match With 4 Harpies
May 18, 2009
If you had told me twenty years ago that Jesse Ventura would be one of my favorite political commentators, I would have worried for my future sanity, but he is; make of it what you will.
In the above video Jesse discusses the merits of waterboarding and torture with the cast of The View; not a favorite show of mine, but I do give them credit for at least showcasing several viewpoints. It’s like the McGlaughlin Group for housewives who care enough to argue over politics, but not enough to do any research. Jesse shows his mental wrestling skills to be superior to his physical ones.
He was our only hope. No, There is another.
May 16, 2009
One of my greatest frustrations with the future state of politics is that Ron Paul gained his following so late in life. The man is in his mid seventies. If he runs again in 2012, his age will certainly be an issue. I’ve been keeping an eye out for his potential running mates who could be able to project his honesty and understanding of how to fix the flaws in the system, be strong enough to convincingly step in as president if need be, and still be young enough to negate the age issue. In the video above, we may have our answer.
Update: Carl has a post up about the possible Senate run of Rand Paul.
Tax Comedy
May 10, 2009
This is only tax comedy in the sense that it is presented as such. I found the below video via Left Coast Rebel, and thought I’d pass it on.
Taxation has become pervasive. When you earn a dollar, it is taxed, when you spend it, it is taxed again. At the same time as you are being taxed for spending it, someone else is being taxed for earning it. These taxes are increasing, and not just by total value, but by percentage, which is unaffected by inflation and thus unjustifiable in a digital age which should be lowering the cost of governing.
When you think of the nature of income and sales taxes, it becomes clear that the government makes a lot of money, not on the saving and responsible use of money, but on its momentum. The next time you hear someone in power speaking of the need to get consumers consuming again, think of what their true motive might be.