Go To Jail

You are a criminal. Well, you're probably a criminal. Here's why.

Somehow, this strikes me as a less than optimal state of affairs.

Abuse of Power

So, old black guy who teaches at Harvard got arrested. He's kind of upset about it, as I would be. You can read about it all over the place, if you so desire. I just want to point out a comment on the issue from a regular over at Hit & Run:

You know who else plays an important role in our society? Example: The President. But if the President starts breaking laws, even minor laws, and starts abusing his power to punish people who insult him, CRUCIFY THE MOTHERFUCKER.

It is precisely because the police play an important role in society that they must not be allowed to step outside of their proper defined powers for even a moment without the hammer coming down on them like a motherfucking asteroid strike. The guy's not mopping floors somewhere, he's been entrusted to use violence in the name of the public.

This ties in to my deeply held belief that we, as a society, should not give our public officials and people in positions of authority much of a pass for anything. With power comes responsibility, and the first responsibility is to obey the law and behave yourself. If you can't do that, find that job mopping floors.

Book List

So, the keen-eyed and observant follower of little corner of the Web may have noticed an update to our sidebar. Off to the side under Previous Posts is a section called The Library. The link below, cleverly titled "Our books", goes to the Library Thing account.

A while ago I did an import from Readerware into Library Thing and got 1260 books into LT. Most of the books are there, but with some odd quirks. Given that Readerware reports around 1400 books, obviously they didn't all make it from one database to the next. At some point in my copious free time, I'll try to figure out why. I think getting my Readerware database straight takes priority, though.

In the meantime, you can peruse a list of many of the fine volumes we have at YPS Manor. Didn't some body once say something about what you read determines who you are? If so, have a little insight into what makes us tick.

Meet The New Boss

So, for some reason strains of The Who have been floating though my head a lot lately, along with Kafka's classic quote about every revolution leaving behind the slime of a new bureaucracy. I bring this up today because of a lovely little item I read over at the LA Times after being pointed that way from Hit & Run.

So, his n00bness is doing exactly what Cheney was roundly excoriated for doing. I eagerly await the legion of left-wing and progressive commentators who will jump up and proclaim how this is bad.

I'd like to ask anybody who voted for Obama on the theory that he would be different from Bush in his policies: how's that working out for you? As near as I can tell, he's continued every Bush policy and added some new crappy ones of his own. I'm hoping you aren't too disappointed that he's done nothing you elected him to do, unless you were hoping he'd increase the deficit by unimaginable numbers and spend an astronomical sum of money for no appreciable benefit. In which case, you got what you asked for and I hope you choke on it.

Moon

Shortly will be the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing. There's all kinds of things all over the web, including a stream of everything.

Someday we'll go back.

Blew That Foot Clean Off

So, ask yourself a question. As a company engaged in the business of retail sales, who do you depend on for your continued existence: suppliers or customers? If you answered customers, you're absolutely correct.

Amazon just managed to deter, in fell swoop, a huge number of potential customers. I had been eyeing the Kindle simply for convenience. If I can carry around a bunch of books, that'd be pretty cool. I wouldn't have to screw with all the cross platform software issues I do now trying to keep e-books on my netbook. However, if Amazon is going to go into my device after the fact and yank things I've already paid for right off, they're never going to convince me to buy one.

So in an attempt to please a supplier, they've alienated the customer base for one of their flagship products. Way to go! Smart thinking, Amazon.

Slight Mistake

So, apparently Sonia Sotomayor doesn't quite understand the whole Constitutional law thingie we've got going on. Well, that's what Randy Barnett thinks, anyway. Key quote from the good professor:

This is both a grossly incorrect (and empty) understanding of the doctrine governing the protection of fundamental rights and an inaccurate statement of the precedents concerning the incorporation of the right to keep and bear arms into the Due Process Clause of the Constitution.

Hmm. So, refresh my memory. Why is she qualified to be on the Supreme Court? If her understanding is as limited as Professor Barnett thinks, why'd she get nominated?

Of course, I hold to the view, first articulated by others, that she is the least worst nominee we're going to get from the n00b. Any other SCOTUS nominee will be worse by an order of magnitude. As evidence, I point to the plethora of czarlets the new administration has created. None of them are subject to vetting, and the results are interesting. As an example, I give you the Science Czar.

Madness, Redux

So, back when the whole housing crisis started to implode in late 2007, I offered some advice. With the benefit of crystal clear hindsight, we can now see my advice was not followed.

Anyhow, somebody else thinks we shouldn't have done a damn thing and the .gov should probably stop doing the myriad idiot things it's doing to "help". Obviously, this man is a genius and you you should dote on his every word. He agrees with me, and what more proof do you need of his genius? However, he has rather better academic credentials than me on the subject and argues more eloquently and with less use of profanity. You should go read the whole thing.

Tasteful Cards

Okay, maybe not so much tasteful as funny. The fine folks at Bluntcard are full of mirth and good cheer to send your fellow man. Given recent discussions about Independence Day fireworks in our subdivision, I found this one particularly appropriate. Although to the best of my limited knowledge, no houses were destroyed during the festivities.

If you prefer something a little more subtle, because this isn't, perhaps you could try the folks at Someecards. Of course, this isn't all that subtle, either. Hmm.

Does Hallmark do e-cards? Maybe you can find good taste and subtlety there.

Cash Only, Please

Banks won't be taking the IOUs California is giving out. Kinda puts a kink in the works, doesn't it? I can't say I'm sorry to see this happen.

Ding Dong

So, one each Robert S. McNamara passed away. I'm sure his family will miss him.

Me? Not so much. Burn in hell, Bobby.

Back 4 4

Well, we made it back in time for the 4th. Good thing, because I spent a shitload of money on fireworks in South Carolina. Before I go off to turn money into noise and sparkly lights, I leave you with these words from our forefathers.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Thus began the grandest experiment in government in the history of mankind. I figure it's only appropriate to celebrate the anniversary of our announcement of revolt by blowing things up. So, I"m off to do so.