TSA confiscates folding car key, calling it a "switchbalde". Mark Frauenfelder: Dan says: "The Transportation Security Administration confiscated this man's folding Audi car key ($300 replacement cost) at Dallas/Ft. Worth. They claimed it was a 'switchblade.' If he hadn't had a spare key, he would have been stuck upon arriving with no car keys." (I have the same type of key for my car, and have brought it on planes dozens of times with no problem. -- Mark)
Link [Boing Boing]

I wonder why this has not happened before? I mean, couldn't someone use this 'switchblade' key to take over a plane? At least I know I won't be buying an Audi anytime soon. I would not want to get on a terrorist watch list because of my car key.  6:52:11 PM    

Civil liberties *were* a great heritage for Americans.

Is the Sixth Amendment relevant today? You bet it is, especially given the Pentagon[base ']s use of military tribunals in another country, Cuba, for people accused of terrorism. Ever since their arrest, people accused of terrorism at Guantanamo Bay have been indefinitely detained and denied the right to counsel, due process of law, habeas corpus, trial by jury, and even the right to know exactly what they are being charged with. Most of the proceedings are as secret as they were in the Star Chamber and in Hitler[base ']s People[base ']s Court. Moreover, the federal government is doing everything it can to deny accused terrorist Zacharias Moussaoui the right to cross-examine adverse witnesses and to summon favorable witnesses in his behalf in his federal court prosecution. [Jacob G. Hornberger]

A brief tour through the U.S. sixth amendment, where it comes from, and why.

[Curiouser and curiouser!]

Some detail about the abridement of the Sixth Amendment by this Administration.  6:44:59 PM    

Chicago PD Slaps Pics Of Prostitute Solicitors On Its Website ....

The Chicago Police Department began posting on its Web site on Tuesday photographs, names and partial addresses of people who were arrested on charges of soliciting prostitutes in a move intended to embarrass offenders and deter people from committing such crimes.

"If we can do anything to get a john to think twice about coming into Chicago communities to solicit a prostitute, we think we're addressing the problem," said Dave Bayless, a Police Department spokesman.

[The Huffington Post | Raw Feed]

Guilty until proven innocent. Why even give them a trial? Simply publicize their names and ruin their reputation. The courts are supposed to determine if a crime has been committed, not the arresting officer or the police department.  6:37:05 PM    

China 'is more popular' than US. A survey of 17,000 people in 16 countries finds that Communist-ruled China is more popular than the US. [BBC News | News Front Page | World Edition]

But then bullies are never popular. And no country, including the US, had a majority of people who believed that the world was safer withour Saddam. 1700 American lives, maybe 10,000 wounded and perhaps 100,000 Iraqis killed and the majority feels that it was not worth is. Hard to see how this can end well.  6:31:04 PM    

Dick Cheney Is French

Hesiod does an admirable jo.... Dick Cheney Is French

Hesiod does an admirable job of addressing the shame, impotence and anger many of us feel every time one of these faux outrage fests on the right result in a Democrat giving a teary eyed apology for something he didn't actually do. This has become a political form of ritual humiliation and it is one of the main reasons why we are having so much trouble politically in this macho era.
. ...[Hullabaloo]

Read the whole thing. Sounds like Algiers all over again. I wonder if watching the movie helped at all?  6:27:35 PM    

Burning non-flags

The thing is, some people are smart, and some are dumb. Some use their smarts to take advantage of dumb people, and some use them to make fun of the ones taking advantage of the dumb.



I guess what I'm trying to say is that this isn't an American flag:









Neither are any of the other burnable designs that John posted in his experiments with Cracking the Flag-Burning Amendment .



Like all sensible people, I think flag burning is petty and childish, and I think John's final point is exactly right, I'll give him the last word.

"Protecting" the flag with a Constitutional Amendment won't solve the not-at- all pressing problem of people burning flags for political protest. They'll still do it. They'll simply do it in ways that will now additionally mock the stupidity of those who love the symbol of American freedoms more than they love actual American freedoms. And no matter how expansively Congress defines "the American Flag" there will always be something that is not the flag, but is close enough in its shape and structure to feel just like the flag. And there will be the people who will use that not-quite-flag-like object to protest.

- Josh Rosenau [Thoughts from Kansas]

The official defintion of the Flag describes 50 white stars on a blue field and 13 alternating red and white stripes. So, if you burn something that someone only THINKS is a real flag, will you be in trouble? How dissimilar must it be? If the flag is destroyed, what evidence exists that a flag was actually burned? Eye witnesses can easily be tricked. So will it only apply if people THINK it was a real flag? Since the proper way to destroy a ripped flag is to burn it, how will anyone know if it was a good flag that was burned or a dirty one? How do you tell intent, if the flag burner wishes to obfuscate it? What about buring a flag on the steps of the Congress but faithfully reciting the Pledge of Allegience over it? What really is desecration? I expect the lawyers will be all over this. How aboyt flag bumper stickers? Underwear? How about bikinis that are just red, white and blue, suggestive of a flag but not a real flag? How about someone who does not bring a flag in from the rain? Will people be arrested for improper care of a flag?

Who cares as long as we abridge political speech embodied in the First Amendment? Then they can go after civil rights by removing them from gays (Is that the Fifth Amendment?) Then remove separation of Church and State? Then how about making it against the law to say anything bad about the President? Let's bring back the Alien and Sedition Acts.

I was just looking over the Bill of Rights. Almost every one is or has been under attack. Check this out:

Article [I.] (Being abridged by the Flag Amendment as well as theocratic approaches of legirlators)

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Article [II.](What a surprise. Not under assault)

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Article [III.] (I'm sure they will get to this one in time}

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Article [IV.] (PATRIOT Act allows the FBI to get around needing warrants to enter someone's house. No one is secure.)

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Article [V.]9Does not say citizens. Says accused. Even after being told by the Supreme Court that Gitmo violates this, they have not really done anything. And the Supreme Court today said that governments can take private property for PRIVATE uses. This amendment is eviserated.]

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Article [VI.](Unless the accused resides on Gitmo, or any of the other shadow prisons or is said to be a terrorist.)

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Article [VII.](INteresting how so many of the amendments have to do with getting a fair trial. Fair trials are the last things they want. Trial by jury does not exist for a whole range of people the Executive branch has made the unilateral decision to imprison.)

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Article [VIII.](I guess you can infict cruel and unusual punishments as long as they are unindicted prisoners on Gitmo. Again, the Consitution does not say these rigths only apply to native born citizens. If the majority really gets to determine who gets these rights or not, then we really are no longer a free country, unless you are part of the majority.)

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Article [IX.](Unless those rights deal with privacy.)

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Article [X.](Unless a futile attempt to keep alive a woman in a persistant vegatative state can get more power for the Feds. Then simply ignore state rights when it is convenient. Talk about moral relativism.)

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

So, almost every part of the Bill of Rights is under attack. If these attacks succeed, I guess the terrorists will really have won. Marching backwards seems to be the theme of this Administration.   6:20:48 PM    

Creationism's Damaged Fruit.

Larry Booher, the Roanoke, Virginia high school biology teacher who has been secretly teaching creationism to his students for 15 years using his own homemade 500-page textbook, thought it was okay to break the law because no one was complaining.

Now his creationism lessons are bearing damaged fruit in the form of ignorant students who all claim that "evolution is a religion too".

[Unscrewing The Inscrutable]

Great. Another example of why we cannot compete. These children are being taught fairy tales as science. There is little they will actually be able to contribute to biology if they believe creationism is its foundation. These fundamentalists are digging our own grave when it comes to global competitiveness. Those that can understand and accept what the natural world tells us will succeed. Some people want to prevent our children from learning this, setting them up for failure. I guess the principles of the Enlightenment, that have held America up for 200 years are being removed. I hope they can find purchase somewhere else. I fear that too many more years of this and we will be well on our way to a second class nation, watching others pass us by.  5:52:49 PM    

Rove-ism Replaces McCarthyism. The Moderate Voice comments:

Let me get this straight: Republicans who were upset over the over-the-top remarks of Senator Richard Durbin and the pungent comments of Senator Harry Reid are now defending Karl Rove accusing liberals and Democrats of not wanting to fight terrorism -- and in effect wanting to see American troops die?

Can there be any doubt that this White House and administration have no desire to work for national unity, even on issue of terrorism? It's MO seems to be division and polarization -- whipping up rage against defined enemies...which now apparently include those who compete with it at the ballot box .. .

. . . Some questions for Mr. Rove:

So our military forces are composed ONLY of Republicans? Only Republicans have died on the battlefield? There were no Democrats, no independents? No one who gave their life for our country was ever a liberal? Do they have to be Rush Limbaugh listeners to go to the front lines?

. . . We did a search and can't find Democrats having suggested a visit to Dr. Laura. When did anyone suggest counseling for terrorists or Sadaam -- or anything remotely suggesting a touchy-feely approach to terrorism? After 911 there was bipartisan unity. Even on the Iraq war, the administration got lots of Democrats to go along with them.

.  . . {T}he White House is backing his comments -- which means this is how they feel: that the Democrats are soft on terrorism and want to see American troops harmed.

20th century McCarthyism seems to have been replaced by 21st century Rove-ism.

The New McCarthyism practiced by Rove. [Daily Kos]

Rove is a hateful bozo but we knew that. The White House backs him totally. But We knew that. Rove is a bald faced practitioner of the Big Lie. But we knew that. Rove is the embodiment of everything wrong with America. I just wish more people knew that. But then, people who appreciate Rove apparently like being bullies and thugs. Why is it every time the Republicans get in charge we get bullies and thugs and scandals? Reagan/ Bush - Iran Contra; Nixon - Watergate; Eisenhower - Communist witch hunts. This party sure has done a lot for the US at the Federal level.   5:45:10 PM    

Arsenic - not the same for everyone. Children with a particular genetic variation metabolize arsenic from drinking water differently than adults with the same variation. The findings have important implications for the safety of drinking water worldwide and the use of arsenic as a cancer drug. [EurekAlert! - Biology]

Interesting. Children metabolize arsenic different than adults, even when they possess the same altered gene. This demonstrates the contiuing complexity of the metabolism. Simply knowing the DNA sequence will not be enough. It has to be put in the proper context.  5:37:22 PM    

A Painful Omission.

Granted, covering annual meetings of big organizations is a big, boring job, and pretty much everything that happens is already in the presskit, just awaiting a few more quotes and a quick rewrite. But, by golly, there was some actual news percolating at the American Medical Association's annual meeting in Chicago, and practically everybody missed it. (Thanks to The News Blog.)

While the AP headlined "AMA to Seek Limits on Tanning, Video Games," The Chicago Tribune did a little better by telling its readers: "The American Medical Association voted Monday to put its weight behind legislative initiatives around the United States that would require pharmacies to fill legally valid prescriptions in the wake of recently publicized refusals by pharmacists opposed to dispensing the morning-after contraceptive."

But the problem actually goes well beyond that, reports MedPage Today in its story "AMA: Physicians Charge Pharmacists With Interference in Medical Care":

"It's not just contraceptives," said Mary Frank, M.D., a family physician from Mill Valley, Calif., during a discussion of the issue. "It's pain medications and psychotropics. And not only are the patients not getting prescriptions filled, but pharmacists are refusing to return the prescriptions and they are lecturing the patients about the drugs."

Excuse me? Pharmacists are denying patients needed pain relief and mental-health medication prescribed by their doctors? And nobody is covering this? Well, NPR did have a brief item, but I've been unable to find any followup coverage on either the veracity or the depth of the problem. Sure, chronic pain is significantly less sexy than contraception -- or tanning beds and video games, for that matter -- but it might actually be a little bit newsworthy. Ya think?

[The Huffington Post | Raw Feed]

Great. Not only contraceptives but pain medications are being withheld by holier than thou pharmacists. We have children being taken away from their parents because the courts decide the parent is not properly providing medical care, yet pharmacists can decide on their own what drugs to prescribe or not, and then prevent the patient from peorly filling them elsewhere. What sort of bizarro world are these people creating?  5:33:48 PM    

RNC Ad Endangers U.S. Troops in Iraq.

Yesterday at a GOP fund-raiser in Manhattan, Karl Rove explained that Dick Durbin's remarks about detainee treatment at Guantanamo Bay are "putting our troops in greater danger" because Al Jazeera "now broadcasts [his] words to the Mideast."

Today, the Republican National Committee released an ad called "Wild Thing." And guess what? It features Dick Durbin's remarks about detainee treatment at Guantanamo Bay. The same words that are putting our troops in greater danger, and yet the RNC is emailing the ad to "15 million grassroots supporters" and posting it at GOP.com, where terrorists, Al Jazeera producers, and the liberal saboteurs who want to undermine this great country of ours and put our troops at risk have access to it! Is it time to put Ken Mehlman on the Noodles Jefferson diet? — GREG BEATO

Rove Criticizes Liberals on 9/11 [NY Times]
RNC Releases New Web Ad [GOP.com]

[Wonkette]

How does the RNC publicizing these remarks all over the place fit in with their philosophy? If these remarks are bad, how does publicizing and politcizing them become good? If they lower troop morale, how does making sure every soldier hears about this a good thing? I guess no more needs to be said about te motives of certain Republicans.  11:10:00 AM    

Evidence and exasperation. In the comments, Doug gets exasperated with some recent posts of mine: [base "]Isn't it amazing how everything seems to provide evidence for evolution? The brain shrinks in some form of pygmy homo erectus. Thats evolution! Ancient genes survive millions of... [The Loom]

You know it would actually be interesting if creationists came up with a new argument. They seem to be recycling the same ones used for 200 years, just adding new jargon to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.   11:05:53 AM    

J. S. Weitz, H. Hartman, and S. A. Levin

Coevolutionary arms races between bacteria and bacteriophage
PNAS published June 23, 2005,

10.1073/pnas.0504062102 ( Ecology )

[Abstract] [PDF]   [PNAS Early Edition]

So computer models of evolution can then be examined at the benchtop. Sounds like real science to me. Might be nice if ID could do any hypothesis driven science like this.  10:35:14 AM    

Michael D. Fox, Abraham Z. Snyder, Justin L. Vincent, Maurizio Corbetta, David C. Van Essen, and Marcus E. Raichle

The human brain is intrinsically organized into dynamic, anticorrelated functional networks
PNAS published June 23, 2005,

10.1073/pnas.0504136102 ( Neuroscience )

[Abstract] [PDF]  OPEN ACCESS ARTICLE   [PNAS Early Edition]

I just love the title. Read the abstract and see if you'd like to find out how the brain may be wired.  10:32:54 AM