For the Do-It-Yourself'er

     Know all the HTML you'll ever need to know, run a linux box, and are slightly linux knowledgeable?  Read how to install your own secure, up-to-the-minute, mod_perl and mod_ssl enabled apache webserver.  The best webserver, the best programming language, and the most secure you can get, all for free here.

A Guardian Failure

     The Guardian, London's leftist newspaper, can go over the top.  To an American familiar with Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity, the Guardian usually seems very mild.  However, they can, in fact, be part of the problem, at least, author Timothy Garton Ash can be...

Had the Democrats fielded a better candidate more folksy, more appealing in the south they might have won. Putting up a millionaire Boston brahmin was rather like the Tories proposing an Old Etonian stockbroker for prime minister. As Graydon Carter of Vanity Fair has observed, one lesson is simply that Democrats should start the hunt for a man with a drawl and a farm, who looks like a regular guy and plays ball in the yard.

     For comparison, let's look at how the military junta ruled over Japan in the 13th century...

They appeared to prefer their princes young, pink and simple: most late-Kamakura[Junta] Tenno[Emperors] were between four and puberty when enthroned. This state of affairs served the Kanto[the Capital] authorities admirably, assuring there was always: a) a political incompetent on the throne; b) an endless torrent of invidious intelligence on the in-crowd's activities from the idling out's; and c) a plethora of retired Tenno around (sometimes as many as five) intriguing against, tripping over and generally exhausting each other.

     I believe that, between the CIA and Defense, there is jostling for real control of the country.  I know that Eisenhower wrote, in his diaries, that he was afraid that Kennedy wouldn't be able to say "No" to the CIA and their harebrained schemes (Bay of Pigs started about 6 months after Kennedy became President).  I doubt any but the most assured person could say no to both the CIA and DoD, when they were wrong.

     JUST SAY NO TO RUBES!

Seems Almost Definite, Now

     After reading this this, a claim by Central Command leader General Abizaid (tool), that war in Iran is not likely, but a definite plan.  I was watching much more closely before the Iraq War, but I knew that was coming, many people did.

     The President is a mass-murderer, Hastert for President now.  Don't be good little Nazis anymore, folks.

Economics

     What's the long term economic impact of lying to people for political purposes?  We can't stop Bu$hCo from lying to us today, just as we couldn't stop McCarthy, Kennedy and Reagan from lying to us about "evil" Russkies or the Communist menace, but did it cost us money?

     Now, nothing would depress me more than the idea that the government would want to stop lying to us only because of the results of a long-term cost-benefit analysis, but recent research has come to my attention that makes me believe that something along these lines is the case.  First, let me recommend the economics research at Northern Trust.  I've read private bank economics research before, but I haven't read that much online, so I could be swayed to change this recommendation... perhaps there is far better out there.

     Now, in relation to the article of October 22, 2004, entitled "Wealth Illusion"(pdf), I found something striking.  When writing about the 1990s stock market boom, the author notes that, unlike other household income booms, increases in capitol stock were lagging.  The blue line represents household wealth as a percentage of disposable income, the red line represents the total capital stock of the country.  It's clear that, at least from the 1968 onward, these lines are in phase (a rise in the one comes with a rise in the other), at least for the majority of time.  This makes sense as when people get wealthier they have money to invest and spend, and capital stocks (the red line) in this case reflect more than heavy machinery, but also personal capital, like cars.  Now, back to my point about lying and the economic costs thereof.

     Let's just say, as neo-cons would say, that if the people are scared into acting responsibly ("or face the dread [insert fear here] menace!"), they will be more amenable to self-sacrifice in the name of the national good.  Now, since the Soviet Union was not a joke, it was important that people didn't forget there was an issue.  However, and this is important, I believe, for the future of any government, there is a difference between making people aware of the bugbears they want to forget and lying to them.  People will want to forget the international troubles of the day, ignore the signs of danger from afar, rest easy on their sofas, or in their parks, or engage in some hobby or sport.  Drawing the attention of the people away from these generally satisfying pursuits to pay attention to serious matters at hand is important, and few people will argue that politicians ought to be those people.  When politicians fail at this, of course, no one would want citizens to be prevented from engaging in this social good.

     Could there be negative impacts from lying us into over-sacrifice, though?  I believe the following graph shows that there are.  That, in fact, by making the Soviet threat out to be more than it was, people did more than necessary to "defeat" the Soviets.  More importantly to our current discussion, though, is the reaction the people had once the victor was complete.  The 1990s, rather than taking a sensible, parental role with the newly aligned Russia, was a party, a long "the nightmare's permanently over, we've won, we've won, we've won" self-indulgence.  When the front-man and sexual miscreant Reagan called the Soviets "The Evil Empire," he misled Americans.  The end of the Soviet Union didn't end evil, and neither will the destruction of al-Qaeda, today.  McCarthy, Kennedy and Reagan all engaged in this sort of behavior to a disheartening degree.  When the government has the respect of its citizens, its word will be sufficient.  When the government excessively scares the people into submission, after the enemy is defeated, irresponsibility will reign.

Are you a programmer?

     As part of my ongoing efforts to fix the world with some well-timed software releases, I've also got a small need.  Kinda mathy, kinda imagey.  Let's talk over PGP/GPG.  Finger me for my key.

Do you know any Bush supporters?

     The musings, belated, of Brent Scowcroft aren't impressing them?  Well, if they happen to be amenable to reading, let them get a gander of this former beacon to R Limbaugh and GG Liddy, Paul Craig Roberts.  For example, Mr. Roberts had a column at Townhall.com almost every week, until Oct. 1st, 2003, since which time he's had only four columns there.  In the first article which Iraqwar opponents will love, Roberts says:

American liberals called the Brownshirts "conservative," because the Brownshirts were obviously not liberal. They were ignorant, violent, delusional, and they worshipped a man of no known distinction. Brownshirts' delusions were protected by an emotional force field. Adulation of power and force prevented Brownshirts from recognizing the implications for their country of their reckless doctrines.

     He then goes on to compare the Brownshirts with modern Conservatives, in case you hadn't gotten the hint.  The best part, of course, is that you might get a conservative to read the host of this Roberts post, CounterPunch.

---

     UPDATE: I found the same Roberts article crossposted at Antiwar.com.

Tidbits

• What's happening in Fallujah?  Don't ask why this is happening?

  The raids were part of "Operation Plymouth Rock," launched Tuesday against insurgents operating between the capital and Shiite shrine cities of Karbala and Najaf. Multinational commanders hope to close off escape routes for insurgents trying to escape from Fallujah.

• Another two top CIA officers leave.

The Return of Tinkerbell, A True Fantasy

     What was the name of the supernatural beings that Ronald Reagan, loony, nutcase bad-actor, decided to consult with?  We many never know the truth, but the New, Improved Fake Administration ("I believe, I believe, I believe!") has restarted the First Earth Battalion.

     Learn about the nutcake, fruit-loop people who believe in PSYCHIC POWERS (oooh!) in the Pentagon with Jon Ronson's The Men Who Stare At Goats.

     Many thanks to the fucking Invisible Sky Fairy and the Corporate Media for putting the "adults" in fucking charge.

Bored?

     Was blogging around and found a link to coverage of what was going on in Ukraine and found hours and hours of research available at the detailed blogroll at Euro-centric Fistful of Euros.

Do you know Uribe

     I linked to this yesterday, but I am sure I didn't emphasize it enough.  Its not just that Uribe was Mayor of Medillin, or that his Chief of Staff is the biggest imported of cocaine-precursor Potassium Permanganate, or that his VP is a major media CEO, or that he was the only South American leader to support the war in Iraq, well, maybe it is just that, or, perhaps, simply a legitimate reason to hate the people who Bush is friends with, because they are drug-dealers and murderers, sorta like himself. 

Bu$h is Lying, and the Corporate Media is helping, again

     Ever wondered what a Medillin Margarita (shockwave animation) is?

     Thanks to Mahablog for the link to this Knight Ridder article about El President Arbu$to in Colombia.

"The drug traffickers who practice violence and intimidation in this country send their addictive and deadly products to the United States. Defeating them is vital to the safety of our peoples and to the stability of this hemisphere," Bush said during a joint appearance with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

     Ever wonder about Uribe?  Ever think that it is odd that he was Mayor of Medillin?  Or howabout, supposedly against the wishes of Uribe, one of Colombia's top criminals was released from jail since Uribe took over?

My mind

     Will be elsewhere for a while.  I'm going to go get a job, and I need to do some work to do that.  When I'm not working on getting the job, if I'm a good person, I'll be working on my project to help fix/save the world.  It's a computer program, and the instructions for getting started might will go right under the Solution to Terrorism on the left.  Do you have Java Web Start installed already?  I bet you do.

Since there was interest

     From Arms Control Today, September, 2004:

As for the enriched uranium particles that the IAEA reported earlier this year, the agency’s investigation has apparently made progress. Iran claims that the particles originated from imported centrifuge components, but previous IAEA reports have questioned that explanation. This uncertainty suggested that Iran had either obtained or produced enriched uranium that it did not report. However, the Vienna diplomatic source stated that, despite these earlier reports, the imported components can probably account for all of the particles in question, but cautioned that this will not be confirmed for some time.

     Now, because reality works the way it does, and it is safer to err on the side of safety, Arms Control experts will never be able to conclusively say that Country Y isn't working on technology X.

     I've found this very readable explanation of enrichment in general.  It shows a picture of a French enrichment facility.  The facility is powered by four nuclear reactors producing 3000 Megawatts.  However, it doesn't mention the extra stuff one would find.  I'll keep looking for the Russia "admits" link.

Post of Humor

     If one were to make the disgusting noise which one can make when one separates the lips and the tongue from the roof of the mouth simultaneously, a sort of wet, smacking noise[Smack], and one has pets, one can try this joke, easy to do.

     Repeat the following, replacing "Name" with the name of a dog or cat, present in the room, "Bsh Bsh Bsh Psh Psh Psh Psh Name Name Name Psh Psh Psh Smack Smack Smack."

     Repeat.  I can't stop cracking up.

Old Reliable

     For as surely as the sun doth shine, the Israeli Defense Force will contain people who lie about their Arab neighbors.  Now, not every General in Israel is insane, but the National Symbol, the Invisible Sky Fairy, has an even stranger effect on Israeli policy than it does here.  More on Falwell in a moment, but first, shredding this little peice of scaremongering from the WSJ/FOX-alike Jerusalem Post.  it starts with this yellow journalism style lead-in

The IDF believes that Iran is running a secret nuclear weapons program in parallel to the one it had agreed this week to temporarily suspend.

     The article actually goes on to quote only unnameds sources, at least one of whom is in the IDF, but that's just the beginning, and it leads one to believe the IDF believes this.  Next...

"Without a more determined stance by the West against Iran, they will reach a point of no return within six months," said a senior officer. From then it would take another 18 to 24 months to produce a nuclear bomb, they added.

     In the reality where I exist, any country can stop or start a nuclear progam quite easily, but not in the mind of this unnamed IDF Officer.  To this person, even though it will be two years before Iran might be done, they will be too far in six months.  What's the official "point of no return" in nuclear arms production?  I guess it's the point after which rumor mongering articles like this become State policy, but I could be mistaken.  Next we have...

"The Iranians have a 'declared' secret program which they have agreed to temporarily suspend," said one senior Israeli officer. "But they also have a 'secret' secret program. The agreement with the Europeans is not touching this program. Furthermore, it is our understanding that the suspension is only temporary and partial."

     Do the Iranians have a "declared" nuclear weapons program of any sort?  No, they have an enrichment program for civilian reactors, according to their word.  Should we take them at their word?  Well, they do allow inspectors in, and the inspectors have found ZERO traces of U-236 or U-238, both which would be produced if they were enriching uranium for bombs.  There was one swab of U-235 found, and Russia explained that away.  Is Russia going to lie to cover Iran's ass?  Doubtful.  Let's see where this lying war-job gets us next...

The military sources declined to give details about their knowledge of Iran's parallel program.

     That speaks for itself, now doesn't it?

     Oh, and concerning Jerry Falwell, he's decided the Moral Majority wasn't enough, so he is going to start the Faith & Values Coalition.  Number four on their list of priorities, according to reports, is backing Israel.  That's after "pro-life," "pro-family," and "fiscal conservatism."  WAR!  WAR!  WAR!