Inane Ramblings

30 December 2004

Have you been chipped yet?

Today's commentary comes to us via Jim Hightower, a very enlightened and entertaining gentleman from Texas (yes, they do have people like that). If you haven't heard of him, do check out his website: http://www.jimhightower.com/ And be sure to listen to his commentary instead of just reading it, it's much more entertaining that way.

I hope Christmas has found everyone in fine fettle....and all of us here at Northeast Liberals wish everyone a happy and healthy 2005!!



Have you been chipped, yet?

You could be soon, for the Food & Drug Administration has now cleared the way for a Florida corporation, Applied Digital Solutions, to market a tiny electronic device called VeriChip that is surgically implanted under the skin of your arm or hand.Don't worry, says the corporation soothingly, being chipped doesn't hurt you, and it's really for your own good. For example, they say, if you have an accident, your implanted chip could contain vital medical information that could be accessed by an ambulance crew (assuming the crew has bought a hand-held, chip-reading scanner, which Applied Digital also happens to sell).

Besides, coo the corporate hawkers, being chipped is a matter of great personal convenience for you. No longer would you have to carry cumbersome ID cards to get into your workplace––you could have all the required ID stored on your chip, right inside your body. And think of the convenience of not having to fumble with credit cards! Instead, your credit numbers literally are implanted in you, so rather than running your cards through a scanner, a retailer can simply scan you. Talk about consumer progress, VeriChip turns your own body––your very own self––into a bar-coded payment system.

After all, says Applied Digital, our country has been implanting such devices in millions of cattle and pets, and it has worked beautifully, so why not humans? For you fussy libertarians who see Big Brother looming behind every scientific breakthrough like VeriChip, the company says that being implanted is voluntary, so where's the worry?The worry, of course, is that being chipped will not stay voluntary. Corporations and government will soon insist that their employees, frequent travelers, protesters, and others be tagged for security reasons.

To rebel against this effort to turn us into a nation of cattle, call the Electronic Privacy Information Center: 202-483-1140.

14 December 2004

Presidential Medal of Hypocrisy?

The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, recognizes exceptional meritorious service… that is… until now.

Established by President Truman in 1945 and made a peacetime honor by President Kennedy, you might as well melt the medals down and armor a vehicle in Iraq. That’s because President Bush is about to grant the award to the three horsemen of the Iraq war debacle.

Today, in the East Room of the White House, Dubya gives the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Paul Bremer, Tommy Franks and George Tenet.

Just in case you forgot, George “Slam Dunk” Tenet retired in shame after the WMD search in Iraq fell a little short.

Paul Bremer, sometimes called the "Viceroy," said his greatest accomplishment while serving as Ambassador to Iraq was a tax cut for Iraqis. (Funny, no mention of the missing billions in Iraq oil revenues, that he was responsible for).

And the third all-star, retired Army Gen. Tommy R. Franks, said he has no idea how many innocent Iraqis have been killed because quote “We don't do body counts.”

What’s next, nominating the guy who wrote the Torture Memos to be attorney general?

Nominating the woman who ignored the memo titled “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in the US” to be Secretary of State?

Locking in a second term for the Defense Secretary who lies to soldiers about why they don’t have armored vehicles 21 months into the war?

07 December 2004

The Republican Party - Defenders of Moral Values

1) Republican Mayor Philip Giordano will serve a 37 year sentence in federal prison for sexually abusing 8- and 10-year old girls.http://www.nbc30.com/news/2268479/detail.h...d=56414,00.html

(2) Republican Congressman, Donald "Buz" Lukens, was found guilty of having sex with a minor and sentenced to one month in jail.http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/f...01890213-151183

(3) Republican fundraiser, Richard A. Delgaudio, found guilty of child porn charges.http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/2153721/detail.html

(4) Republican activist, Mark A. Grethen, convicted on six counts of sex crimes involving children.http://www.orlandoweekly.com/weird/index.asp?now=3400

(5) Republican activist, Randal David Ankeney, arrested for assaulting a 14-year-old girl he had met in an Internet chat room.http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/1130885/detail.html

(6) Republican Congressman, Dan Crane, had sex with a minor working as a congressional page.http://archive.salon.com/col/cona/1998/10/05cona.html

(7) Republican activist and Christian Coalition leader, Beverly Russell, admitted to an incestuous relationship with his step daughter.http://wlo.org/nw/nww5.html

(8) Republican anti-abortion activist, John Allen Burt, was charged with sexual misconduct involving a 15 year old girl.http://www.brojed.org/wwwboard/messages/14076.html

(9) Arnold Schwarzenegger had sex with a 16 year old when he was 28.http://www.nationalenquirer.com/stories/fe...nstanceid=11259

(10) Republican congressman, Robert Bauman, was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar. United Press International, Oct. 24,1980http://www.glinn.com/news/h122989a.htm

(11) Republican activist, Marty Glickman (a.k.a. "Republican Marty"), was taken into custody by Florida police on four counts of unlawful sexual activity with a juvenile and one count of the delivery of LSD.http://www.democraticunderground.com/top10...10_2001_15.html

(12) Howard L. Brooks, a Republican staffer for a California assemblyman, was charged with molesting a 12-year old boy and possession of child pornography.http://www.sacbee.com/static/live/news/cal...-22-2300-0.html

(13) Republican Senate candidate, John Hathaway, was accused of having sex with his 12-year old baby sitter and withdrew his candidacy after the allegations were reported in the media.http://www.cascobayweekly.com/cbw/news/al01.31.02.stm


What is it with Republicans and children? At least when Democrats have affairs, they do it with legal adults. Maybe they are trying to find their intellectual equals in the their sex partners?

03 December 2004

Things to do before the election...

1. Get that abortion you've always wanted.

2. Drink a nice clean glass of water.

3. Cash your Social Security check.

4. See a doctor of your own choosing.

5. Spend quality time with your draft-age child.

6. Visit Syria, or any foreign country for that matter.

7. Get that gas mask you've been putting off buying.

8. Hoard gasoline.

9. Borrow books from library before they're banned - Constitutional law books, Catcher in the Rye, Harry Potter, Tropic of Cancer, etc.

10. If you have an idea for an art piece involving a crucifix - do it now.

11. Come out - then go back in - HURRY!

12. Jam in all the Alzheimer's stem cell research you can.

13. Stay out late before the curfews start.

14. Go see Bruce Springsteen before he has his "accident".

15. Go see Mount Rushmore before the Reagan addition.

16. Use the phrase - "you can't do that - this is America".

17. If you're white, marry a black person; if you're black, marry a white person.

18. Take a walk in Yosemite, without being hit by a snowmobile or a base-jumper.

19. Enroll your kid in an accelerated art or music class.

20. Start your school day without a prayer.

21. Pass on the secrets of evolution to future generations.

22. Learn French.

23. Attend a commitment ceremony with your gay friends.

24. Take a factory tour anywhere in the US.

25. Try to take photographs of animals on the endangered species list.

26. Visit Florida before the polar ice caps melt.

27. Visit Nevada before it becomes radioactive.

28. Visit Alaska before "The Big Spill".

29. Visit Massachusetts while it is still a state