[About BTJ]
Name: BLT - E-mail me
Age: 28
Why BTJ:"I do not pretend to understand the moral universe; the arc is a long one, my eye reaches but little ways; I cannot calculate the curve and complete the figure by the experience of sight; I can divine it by conscience. And from what I see I am sure it bends towards justice. Things refuse to be mismanaged long."
-- Theodore Parker
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
-- Martin Luther King Jr.
"No people is wholly civilized where a distinction is drawn between stealing an office and stealing a purse."
-- Theodore Roosevelt
"No longer do we take the sword against any nation, nor do we learn war any more, since we have become sons of peace."
--Origen
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Conscientious Objection
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- Blogger
Bush: Sky is blue
In other news, the war on terra is unwinnable.
"I don't think you can win it. But I think you can create conditions so that the — those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world."
The bad news, George, is that what you're doing is the exact opposite of that.
Meanwhile, in New York, Rudy Giuliani spouts every right-wing talking point available to him. Wouldn't spit on him if he were on fire*.
* I probably would, though. He's still a human being. A spineless human being, but a human being nonetheless.
"I don't think you can win it. But I think you can create conditions so that the — those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world."
The bad news, George, is that what you're doing is the exact opposite of that.
Meanwhile, in New York, Rudy Giuliani spouts every right-wing talking point available to him. Wouldn't spit on him if he were on fire*.
* I probably would, though. He's still a human being. A spineless human being, but a human being nonetheless.
Go see!
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Vaulting towards justice?
At last we have a non-political analogy for the way the media works in this country. Paul Hamm is still being pressured to return his gold medal. "After all," the meme goes, "it's only fair."
Now here's where it starts to sound familiar. After all, it does seem like good sportsmanship to return a medal unfairly won. In the face of the evidence - that the South Korean gymnast was given an incorrect start value - how could anyone but a cheater at heart keep the spoils of a mistake?
Sports columns and letters pages - at least in this city - are being flooded with such sentiments, decrying Paul Hamm as everything from "un-American" to "a typical American." At least 75% of weighers-in opine that "given what we know now, Paul Hamm should step down."
There's only one problem with all of this. It's all wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong and, in case I haven't made myself clear, WRONG. Completely debunked. False. Flying in the face of all available evidence. Ignoring the facts. Based on false premises. Bulls-
Sorry. Got carried away. Here's the problems with the "anti-Hamm" argument - and I'll make it quick, because they're not even the point: 1) The South Koreans had a chance to protest the start value, and they didn't. The rules state their time for complaining is over. But that doesn't matter, because 2) The South Korean gymnast did an illegal routine which was also missed by the judges. A completely accurate score would have been one-tenth lower than it was.
Sorry to bore you with all the gymnastics stuff. Here's the point: Despite clear evidence to the contrary, this story still has legs. Many of the opinion stories don't even mention the "illegal routine" aspect - because if they did, they'd have no argument left. So they just ignore it. Likewise, the letter writers don't even mention the debunking, either - probably because they haven't heard it. And so the myth is perpetuated: Hamm doesn't deserve his medal.
Sound familiar?
Now here's where it starts to sound familiar. After all, it does seem like good sportsmanship to return a medal unfairly won. In the face of the evidence - that the South Korean gymnast was given an incorrect start value - how could anyone but a cheater at heart keep the spoils of a mistake?
Sports columns and letters pages - at least in this city - are being flooded with such sentiments, decrying Paul Hamm as everything from "un-American" to "a typical American." At least 75% of weighers-in opine that "given what we know now, Paul Hamm should step down."
There's only one problem with all of this. It's all wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong and, in case I haven't made myself clear, WRONG. Completely debunked. False. Flying in the face of all available evidence. Ignoring the facts. Based on false premises. Bulls-
Sorry. Got carried away. Here's the problems with the "anti-Hamm" argument - and I'll make it quick, because they're not even the point: 1) The South Koreans had a chance to protest the start value, and they didn't. The rules state their time for complaining is over. But that doesn't matter, because 2) The South Korean gymnast did an illegal routine which was also missed by the judges. A completely accurate score would have been one-tenth lower than it was.
Sorry to bore you with all the gymnastics stuff. Here's the point: Despite clear evidence to the contrary, this story still has legs. Many of the opinion stories don't even mention the "illegal routine" aspect - because if they did, they'd have no argument left. So they just ignore it. Likewise, the letter writers don't even mention the debunking, either - probably because they haven't heard it. And so the myth is perpetuated: Hamm doesn't deserve his medal.
Sound familiar?
Friday, August 27, 2004
National Guard Records, Schmational Schuard Schmecords
Via pandagon, this is quite the reply to the Swift Boat ads - and, to repeat a joke from pandagon's comments, has the advantage of being true (.mov clip):
Ben Barnes on rich kids
AWOL or not, some people - in the know - think the service Bush did was less than honorable - and this is someone who stands to lose respect by coming forward.
Always trust the guy who has something to lose over the guy who has something to gain.
Ben Barnes on rich kids
AWOL or not, some people - in the know - think the service Bush did was less than honorable - and this is someone who stands to lose respect by coming forward.
Always trust the guy who has something to lose over the guy who has something to gain.
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
King George refuses Max Cleland an audience
At least take the letter, George. Make it look like the American people still have some access to their president. Heck, not just "people" - Senators.
And in his return letter - a letter directly to Kerry - Bush's people reiterate proven lies and halftruths. The cojones!
That's why so many veterans are troubled by your vote AGAINST funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, after you voted FOR sending them into battle.
and
You accused your fellow veterans of terrible atrocities...
Not only do Bush's supporters expect the American people to swallow this demonstrably false rhetoric about Kerry, they expect Kerry himself to believe it.
And here's the best part. Think this is a spontaneous outpouring of support for George W. Bush in response by willing veterans who have no ulterior motive but to counteract the Senators' claims? Well, you'd be forgiven, but note the signature lines:
Texas State Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson
Rep. Duke Cunningham
Rep. Duncan Hunter
Rep. Sam Johnson
Lt. General David Palmer
Robert O'Malley, Medal of Honor Recipient
James Fleming, Medal of Honor Recipient
Lieutenant Colonel Richard Castle (Ret)
Paid for by Bush-Cheney '04, Inc.
Ah yes. The heartwarming loyalty of the bought-and-paid-for.
And in his return letter - a letter directly to Kerry - Bush's people reiterate proven lies and halftruths. The cojones!
That's why so many veterans are troubled by your vote AGAINST funding for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, after you voted FOR sending them into battle.
and
You accused your fellow veterans of terrible atrocities...
Not only do Bush's supporters expect the American people to swallow this demonstrably false rhetoric about Kerry, they expect Kerry himself to believe it.
And here's the best part. Think this is a spontaneous outpouring of support for George W. Bush in response by willing veterans who have no ulterior motive but to counteract the Senators' claims? Well, you'd be forgiven, but note the signature lines:
Texas State Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson
Rep. Duke Cunningham
Rep. Duncan Hunter
Rep. Sam Johnson
Lt. General David Palmer
Robert O'Malley, Medal of Honor Recipient
James Fleming, Medal of Honor Recipient
Lieutenant Colonel Richard Castle (Ret)
Paid for by Bush-Cheney '04, Inc.
Ah yes. The heartwarming loyalty of the bought-and-paid-for.
Monday, August 23, 2004
This just in
Someone in the mainstream press is finally paying attention.
Failures involving touchscreens during voting this year in Georgia, Maryland and California and other states have prompted questions about the machines' susceptibility to tampering and software bugs.
I'd be more impressed with CNN's overdue discovery of this story if it didn't come under the heading "Business Tech." Wouldn't want it to take away headline space from Scott Peterson's lawyer's sense of humor, would we?
Failures involving touchscreens during voting this year in Georgia, Maryland and California and other states have prompted questions about the machines' susceptibility to tampering and software bugs.
I'd be more impressed with CNN's overdue discovery of this story if it didn't come under the heading "Business Tech." Wouldn't want it to take away headline space from Scott Peterson's lawyer's sense of humor, would we?
Saturday, August 21, 2004
Whoops, two in one month
Daunte, a diarist at DailyKos, has a hilarious take on the Swift Boat nimrods:
Group Questions Circumstances of Phelps' Olympic Medals
(Athens) A group of veteran Olympic swimmers stirred controversy today by questioning the circumstances under which fellow Olympian Michael Phelps won his seven medals and attacked his qualifications to be named captain of the US Olympic Swimming Team.
"When the chips were down, you could not count on Michael Phelps," said Larry Thurlow, referring to Phelps' actions as a teammate in the 4 X 200 Freestyle relay. Phelps was awarded a Gold Medal for his performance, but Thurlow claims did not feel he [could] rely on Phelps when they competed together.
Group Questions Circumstances of Phelps' Olympic Medals
(Athens) A group of veteran Olympic swimmers stirred controversy today by questioning the circumstances under which fellow Olympian Michael Phelps won his seven medals and attacked his qualifications to be named captain of the US Olympic Swimming Team.
"When the chips were down, you could not count on Michael Phelps," said Larry Thurlow, referring to Phelps' actions as a teammate in the 4 X 200 Freestyle relay. Phelps was awarded a Gold Medal for his performance, but Thurlow claims did not feel he [could] rely on Phelps when they competed together.
Friday, August 20, 2004
Posts are monthly now, apparently
Outside of McCarthyite paranoia, the main knock against Communism was that it impeded progress.
With communism, no such interaction between citizen and bureaucrat was necessary. If the yields were low, only the citizens starved. The bureaucrats never did. In Russia , there was no motivation to work at all. As one peasant said, "They pretend to pay us and we pretend to work."
This is not an unfair criticism. There is no real problem with the thesis that American industry was built on the idea of cause and effect: If I work hard and well, I will advance and achieve security and success; the harder and better I work, the more security and success I will achieve. If you were to take away this cause and effect, you would certainly expect an undermining of motivation.
So what are we to think of the situation as it stands? Outsourcing is rampant: Where is the security? Millions will lose the opportunity for overtime: Where is the success? CEOs make 400 times their average employee's salary, and receive huge bonuses despite fraud and failure: The bureacrats never starve.
I can't shake the feeling that Bush's capitalism looks a lot like communism with no social insurance. Add a touch of the opiate of the masses and a dash of bourgeois nationalism and voila: Compassionate Conservatism.
With communism, no such interaction between citizen and bureaucrat was necessary. If the yields were low, only the citizens starved. The bureaucrats never did. In Russia , there was no motivation to work at all. As one peasant said, "They pretend to pay us and we pretend to work."
This is not an unfair criticism. There is no real problem with the thesis that American industry was built on the idea of cause and effect: If I work hard and well, I will advance and achieve security and success; the harder and better I work, the more security and success I will achieve. If you were to take away this cause and effect, you would certainly expect an undermining of motivation.
So what are we to think of the situation as it stands? Outsourcing is rampant: Where is the security? Millions will lose the opportunity for overtime: Where is the success? CEOs make 400 times their average employee's salary, and receive huge bonuses despite fraud and failure: The bureacrats never starve.
I can't shake the feeling that Bush's capitalism looks a lot like communism with no social insurance. Add a touch of the opiate of the masses and a dash of bourgeois nationalism and voila: Compassionate Conservatism.
