—You may as well stop right there, guys, because it ain’t gonna happen. Though for you trivia buffs, here’s something you might find interesting: it takes a 6 kg adult Dasypus novemcinctus sick on spiced rum and half a pack of clove cigarettes a little under 11 minutes to sink completely to the bottom of a 2-gallon punch bowl filled with 4 bottles of Mr Boston’s Creamy Eggnog. Logistical note:
December 23, 2005
December 23, 2005
My twelfth brief conversation with the ghost of John Merrick
Merrick: “I AM NOT AN ANIMAL!†me: “Perhaps. But if you were an animal, would you stipulate that any executive authorizition for warrantless electronic surveillance on you would meet the requirements for one of the 1978 FISA exemptions? After all, the statute only proffers protections to US persons. Animals, per the statute, need to apply.” Merrick: “I AM A HUMAN BEING!” me: “Feh. That’s the same defense terrorists embedded in
December 23, 2005
About that U Mass Dartmouth student “targeted” by Homeland Security for reading Mao
From the American Libary Association: A senior at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth says he was visited at his parents’ home by two agents of the Department of Homeland Security who were investigating why he had requested a book by former Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong through interlibrary loan. The student, who has asked university officials to shield his identity, told two UMD history professors that the incident took
December 23, 2005
“U.S.: Mosques searched for ‘dirty bomb’”
From YNet News: U.S. News and World Report reveals American government launched a top secret search for terrorists believed to be in possession of ‘dirty bomb’; authorities conducting tests in hundreds of Muslim sites to detect radioactive activity. The U.S. government has launched a top secret search for terrorists believed to be in possession of a ‘dirty bomb’ (radiological weapon which combines radioactive material with conventional explosives), the U.S. News
December 23, 2005
Warrantless intelligence gathering, redux (UPDATED)
Glenn Greenwald has authored another long post arguing that Bush broke the law in authorizing the NSA warrantless surveillance program: (1) There is not a single bit of authority in any [the Hinderaker / DoJ arguments] for the absurd and dangerous proposition that the President has the right to violate a criminal law passed by Congress. Period. The Administration is trotting out lawyers to make legalistic arguments designed to cloud
December 23, 2005
“A very unmerry Christmas” (a protein wisdom sudden fiction)
“What do you mean, you ‘forgot the ham’? How can anybody forget a goddamned Christmas ham — ?” “– Lower your voice. Please,” she dug a thumbnail into his palm. “I’ll figure something out. Meantime, you go tell your Aunt Rose to keep her twisted old fingers out of the freakin’ onion dip.” Then—“And for Chrissakes, be discreet.”