Outrageous!
Aug. 7th, 2003 12:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elfsThe Village Voice is reporting that non-profit organizations that challenge the Bush Administration's version of reality are coming under sanctions and harrassment. Anti-AIDS organizations that contest the "abstinence-only" message have found their funding cut, as have organizations that have challenged the changes to Head Start. The administration's blatant attacks on anyone who sticks their neck out has become so pervasive that they're met with an almost business-as-usual attitude.
Meanwhile, George Bush continues to reward those who have rewarded him. In this case, he is backing a controversial pipeline through the Amazon for his energy buddies. The US Export Import Bank has protested, calling the mitigation of impact studies "woefully inadequate." Would it surprise you to learn that the construction crew working on the line is Halliburton?
Skinheads attacked the gay pride parade in Stockholm this week. Apparently, a recent "a child can know he's different" campaign by gay and lesbian groups enraged the skinheads, who attacked "to defend the children from predators."
Whatever.
The United States has thus far refused to honor its agreement with Mahdi Obeidi, the Iraqi scientist who turned over a cache of nuclear development related materials that were buried in his back yard. The U.S., in turn, was to grant Obeidi asylum in the U.S. or transport him to the country of his choice.
Apparently, he's not saying what the feds want to hear about ongoing efforts to develop nukes during the sanctions period. Apparently, he's saying that there were no WMD programs, period, during the sanctions period, but the CIA can't let him go because, if they do, they'll have to admit to BushCo. that the best evidence they're getting indicates there was no WMD program.
Forgive my cynicism, but I can only say that the Vatican's recent embracing of GM crops is just another tool in their arsenal to increase their numbers by creating more poor. I'm sure they did a spreadsheet, figured out where GM foods would do the most good, cross-indexed that with where they're having the most success in conversions, and made their decision based strictly on that criteria.
Still, the Vatican telling environmentalists to stick their ideology where the sun don't shine is nice to see.
Ladies and gentlemen, the robot Jesus. It walks on water.
Ebay bans artist who made fun of Bush Co. after receiving complaints from "pro-Bush Americans." Now, I'm all for a private company having the right to choose the company they keep; that's a First Amendment issue, after all. But it cuts a little close when they start making these kinds of decisions. And yes, it does matter that Ebay has a natural monopoly of sorts.
Chuck Colson, who's recently made headlines promoting his faith-based program for inmates, has been found cooking the books on his success rate. He pimped his program on the grounds that within the 75 inmates who completed the program, the recidivism rate was much lower than the general population of released inmates. But he failed to mention to Congress that the definition of "completed the program" was changed to include only those prisoners who found a job after being released. Unemployment after release is strongly correlated with recidivism. If one looks at the original group of 177 inmates, the "intent to treat" group in medical terminology, the recidivism rate was actually slightly worse than average.
Meanwhile, George Bush continues to reward those who have rewarded him. In this case, he is backing a controversial pipeline through the Amazon for his energy buddies. The US Export Import Bank has protested, calling the mitigation of impact studies "woefully inadequate." Would it surprise you to learn that the construction crew working on the line is Halliburton?
Skinheads attacked the gay pride parade in Stockholm this week. Apparently, a recent "a child can know he's different" campaign by gay and lesbian groups enraged the skinheads, who attacked "to defend the children from predators."
Whatever.
The United States has thus far refused to honor its agreement with Mahdi Obeidi, the Iraqi scientist who turned over a cache of nuclear development related materials that were buried in his back yard. The U.S., in turn, was to grant Obeidi asylum in the U.S. or transport him to the country of his choice.
Apparently, he's not saying what the feds want to hear about ongoing efforts to develop nukes during the sanctions period. Apparently, he's saying that there were no WMD programs, period, during the sanctions period, but the CIA can't let him go because, if they do, they'll have to admit to BushCo. that the best evidence they're getting indicates there was no WMD program.
Forgive my cynicism, but I can only say that the Vatican's recent embracing of GM crops is just another tool in their arsenal to increase their numbers by creating more poor. I'm sure they did a spreadsheet, figured out where GM foods would do the most good, cross-indexed that with where they're having the most success in conversions, and made their decision based strictly on that criteria.
Still, the Vatican telling environmentalists to stick their ideology where the sun don't shine is nice to see.
Ladies and gentlemen, the robot Jesus. It walks on water.
Ebay bans artist who made fun of Bush Co. after receiving complaints from "pro-Bush Americans." Now, I'm all for a private company having the right to choose the company they keep; that's a First Amendment issue, after all. But it cuts a little close when they start making these kinds of decisions. And yes, it does matter that Ebay has a natural monopoly of sorts.
Chuck Colson, who's recently made headlines promoting his faith-based program for inmates, has been found cooking the books on his success rate. He pimped his program on the grounds that within the 75 inmates who completed the program, the recidivism rate was much lower than the general population of released inmates. But he failed to mention to Congress that the definition of "completed the program" was changed to include only those prisoners who found a job after being released. Unemployment after release is strongly correlated with recidivism. If one looks at the original group of 177 inmates, the "intent to treat" group in medical terminology, the recidivism rate was actually slightly worse than average.
