A year ago, I wrote about memories of September 11, 2009, and the stench of zealotry. I cannot really add much to what I wrote, except to say that the memories brought to the surface by the smells I experienced while driving to work that morning are still with me, as strong as before. The images from my time in New York 8 years ago are bearable. The smells are tougher. Read the rest of this entry ?
Archive for the ‘9/11’ Category
Hi, Ya’ll
27 August, 2009Sorry for the hiatus. Things have been busy at work, but that really was not the problem. Read the rest of this entry ?
Does Torture Work? Depends On Your Goal.
18 May, 2009One of the earliest long posts I ever did was an anti-torture post (Three Cases to Consider). I offered, for your consideration, three historical cases in which torture was used in order to force false confessions from medieval Jews accused of creating and spreading the Black Death, from accused witch Johannes Junius, and from a Syrian Jew named al-Hallaq who had been implicated in the disappearance of a Capuchin Monk. In all three cases, they were forced to confess to impossibilities: spreading the plague through poisoned wells, consorting with devils, and using Christian blood for Passover bread. Read the rest of this entry ?
Faith in Torture is Misplaced
28 April, 2009The radical right likes torture. They have a great deal of faith that, despite clear illegality and ineffectiveness, torture works. I find it very difficult to stomach the idea that we, as a nation, are actually debating what torture is and whether it works. I really cannot add a whole lot to the various discussions going on all around the blogosphere, but I can point out a couple of things. Read the rest of this entry ?
Training Our Children
22 January, 2009I fly frequently. Well, not all that frequently, but more than I would want. Almost always, that flight is either to, or from, a fire. Sometimes I can drive (which is heaven), but I usually fly. And it is usually through Detroit, Cincinnati, or La Guardia.
When I go to a fire (or hurricane (Katrina) or national emergency (the WTC incident (which, admittedly, I drove to (in a 1984 Ford sedan)))), the process goes like this: Read the rest of this entry ?
Vote Science
3 November, 2008One of the more disturbing trends in American politics is Know-Nothing-ism. The actual Know Nothingists were an 1850s party (even before Ric’s time) who were trying to save America for the Americans and keep out all those whiskey-besotted Catholic Irishmen. Though the Know-Nothing Party had a short life, the continuation of the attitude has a long and healthy history, mostly among reactionary and conservative voters.
Modern conservatism is a know-nothing party on multiple levels. One level is the intense secrecy. The Republican Party is secretive to the point of psychosis. Even routine memos and public statements are labeled secret. No part of our government is too insignificant or harmless to be hidden from the eyes of the citizens. Part of this does, to be honest, make sense. I think that many citizens would be horrified if they found out who was helping the political appointees make the rules. Read the rest of this entry ?
Vote Competence
2 November, 2008One of my friends is a Republican. Dyed in the wool, lifelong Republican. He also rationalizes to an unbelievable extent. Why is he voting for McCain and Palin? A couple of reasons. Abortion (he seems to think that Republicans would actually shoot that cash cow). Taxes (he seems to think that Obama will raise his taxes and McCain will cut them). Competence (he seems to think that during the last seven years and nine months the nation has been run with competence).
Competence? Competence? I asked him to name one thing that the Bush administration has done right. Read the rest of this entry ?
Climate Change and Snow
29 October, 2008Yesterday, we were hit by a late-October snow storm. Areas of Northeastern Pennsylvania got 6, 10, 17, even 20 or more inches of heavy, wet, slushy shit snow. Down here in the valley there was no accumulation. And, because of the storm, I had the same conversation twice.
Tuesday morning I went for a physical. Well, actually a blood test and a lung-function test (the test is part of the on-going health screening for World Trade Center responders). The receptionist told me that the doctors and nurses were running late because of the snow.
Then she said it. “Global warming my butt.” Read the rest of this entry ?
I Am Un-American
25 October, 2008According to Bachmann of Minnesota, I am Anti-American. According to the Republican Vice-Presidential candidate, because of where I live, I am not a real American. I support a candidate for President who is not, according to the McCain campaign, a Patriot. According to such fascist organizations as Focus on the Family, I, as an atheist, am not a real American. In the 1950s, I suspect that I would be under investigation by HUAC. Actually, no. I’m small potatoes.
So I am un-American. I have been told that I am un-American to my face.
T-Shirts from Hell!
12 October, 2008I enjoy people watching. Not in any perverted sexual sense, I just enjoy observing my fellow homo sapiens in their natural environment. Sometimes, however, people watching becomes disturbing. Very disturbing.
I saw a family today who were, quite obviously, McCain/Palin supporters. It was quite obvious from the five inch wide pasty blue (who picked that shade of blue for the McCain campaign?) button with the idiotic ‘America First’ slogan that Mom was wearing. And the pasty blue McCain hat that covered Dad’s bad toupee (if you are going to get a toupee, fine, but make sure your hair colour and the toupee match!). What made the view disturbing was the T-shirts.
(((Billy))) The Atheist 