What the ?????

The Iraqi Constitution--Are you freaking kidding me?

From Antiwar.com:

Another key tenet of national socialism – government control of the media – is institutionalized in Article 6. Buried amid a plethora of "democratic"-sounding buzz-words – "freedom of culture," "freedom of opinion," and "freedom of publishing" – is the money quote:

"There is no censorship on newspapers, printing, publishing, advertising, or media except by law."

Translation: They're already putting the nameplates on the doors to the Office of the Chief Censor.

To read this document is to wander through a mental landscape of such utter strangeness, a sensibility so alien that the Western mind can hardly conceive its meaning, let alone imagine life under its strictures. This is a "constitution" straight out of Bizarro World, where every familiar principle of individual rights and legal protections is stood on its head.

The right to travel, both within and out of the country, supposedly granted in Article 9, is circumscribed by the same sort of exculpatory phrase that paves the way for censorship: it is "guaranteed … except in cases defined by law." All citizens are entitled to "the right of protection against intellectual, political, sectarian, religious, and national coercion," according to Article 10, but only "so long as [this protection] is by law." In other words: only up until we feel like cracking down, whereupon we shall do so ruthlessly. Article 11 guarantees "the right of political asylum … to all oppressed." We are sternly informed that "it is forbidden to surrender a political refugee" – unless, of course, it is "someone accused of international crimes." You needn't be guilty – an accusation is sufficient. Off to Guantanamo with you!

Not even slavery is out of bounds. Article 12 states:

"Compulsory service (the corvee), slavery, the slave trade, forced labor, or any work that is imposed on the Iraq citizen not in accordance with the provisions of the constitution or the law are forbidden."

(Found on Claire Wolfe's blog.)

I had a feeling that the Iraqi constitution wasn't going to have much in common with ours, but this is insanity. They're building a country exactly like the one they had before.

Morons.

Oh, this is good

Blind kid kicks donkey

From Yahoo! News:

How Mellen became so good is a mystery to his father.

"He just sat there and he tried and tried until he got it right," Larry Mellen said. "He didn't ever complain to me or anyone about how hard it was."

Mellen hangs out any chance he gets at the DogTags Gaming Center in Lincoln, which opened last month. Every now and then someone will come in and think he can easily beat the blind kid.

That attitude doesn't faze Mellen.

"I'll challenge them, maybe. If I feel like a challenge," he said, displaying an infectious confidence. "I freak people out by playing facing backwards."

(Found via Bane.)
Flipping amazing.

Quote of the Month

Life in a Nutshell

Found at Bill St. Clair's:

"Society exists only as a mental concept; in the real world there are only individuals." -- Oscar Wilde

That's right on the money, brother.

To Protect and Serve

Shine your badge, officer!

This lovely little story is about one naughty little man disobeying the gods in blue. We, the humble citizens, are lucky to have such brave policemen to protect us from those who would (gasp) rescue someone else from drowning.

SAN MARCOS - A San Marcos man was arrested after rescuing a swimmer from the swirling waters near a restaurant on the San Marcos River over the weekend.

Police say Dave Newman, 48, disobeyed repeated orders by emergency personnel to leave the water. The police report does not mention Newman's rescue of 35-year-old Abed Duamni of Houston on Sunday afternoon.

"I was amazed," Newman said after getting out of Hays County Law Enforcement Center on $2,000 bail Monday morning. "I had a very uncomfortable night after saving that guy's life. He thanked me for it in front of the police, and then they took me to jail."

After being handcuffed and put in a Texas State University police squad car, Newman was taken to jail and charged with interfering with public duties.

Thank you so much for being there, Mr. Policeman.

I love you!

(Found via Bill St. Clair.)

Losing it...

Old age will do that


Paul Harvey has finally lost it. I was wondering when that would happen.

Danged Republican war-monger. Just because they aren't American doesn't mean they aren't human.

Go read this article.

This is a little spooky

From the UK's Sunday Times Online, someone has fitted cars with devices that allow a satellite to slow your car down if it is exceeding the posted speed limit:

Forget cameras - spy device will cut drivers’ speed by satellite

Dipesh Gadher, Transport Correspondent

It is the ultimate back seat driver. Motorists face having their cars fitted with a “spy” device that stops speeding.

The satellite-based system will monitor the speed limit and apply the brakes or cut out the accelerator if the driver tries to exceed it. A government-funded trial has concluded that the scheme promotes safer driving.

Drivers in London could be among the first to have the “speed spy” devices fitted. They would be offered a discount on the congestion charge if they use the system.

The move follows a six-month trial in Leeds using 20 modified Skoda Fabias, which found that volunteer drivers paid more attention as well keeping to the speed limit. More than 1,000 lives a year could be saved if the system was fitted to all Britain’s cars, say academics at Leeds University, who ran the trial on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT).

(Found via DrudgeReport.com
Yeah, I can't wait until that gets here...

Cops: What are they good for?

Not much.

From The Pan Galactic Blogger Blaster (aka "Nate's"):

Cops do NOT solve crimes. Cases are either incredibly obvious, or they get stuck in the "We Hope Someone Tells Us Who Did This" file. CSI is a TV show. It's not real. That's not how it works at all.

(Go read the whole thing--it's short.)
Well said, Nate. I commented thusly:

Bravo!

(Standing and applauding...)

I get pissed pretty much every time I see a policeman/woman--they always have that "I'm in charge here/You talkin' to ME?/Shouldn't you be kneeling?" look on their face.

Who was it that showed definitively that cops were among the least intelligent of all the professions? Was it Fred? I'll have to check on that...

The TV programs, I believe, have a great bit to do with the loss of our freedom, as most sheeple watch them and subconsciously buy into the premises that: 1) Cops are always right. 2) You have a right to remain silent, and to an attorney, but if you try to use those rights, you're obviously a criminal. 3) Cops don't have to be polite--the populace are all either stupid or criminal or both. 4) Warrants are such a bother, and not really necessary (see #1).

Maybe the cops watch too many cop shows, too.