Send a memo to Hollywood

Attention Bill Maher, Babs Streisand, et al, quit yer bitchin'; the resent spate of powerful hurricanes is not the result of "global warming." No, I'm not kidding or suffering through the later stages of syphillis. If you don't believe me, check out this CNN article quoting a bunch of scientists saying things like:

"The increased activity since 1995 is due to natural fluctuations (and) cycles of hurricane activity driven by the Atlantic Ocean itself along with the atmosphere above it and not enhanced substantially by global warming."

"[the impact of global warming is] minimal for the forseeable future."

"Our position is the recent increase in hurricane activity is not caused by global warming."

Of course, the article also quotes some lady from the awesomely named Union of Concerned Scientist National Climate Education Program. Anyone care to take a guess about what she thinks?

Don't rebuild New Orleans

Jack Schafer makes the case against rebuilding New Orleans. Frankly, I think this is a no-brainer. No matter how well they patch up those levees, another storm could devastate the city at any time. Nothing that the engineers can do will change the fact that the city is located in a depression surrounded by water. Why spend tens of billions of dollars to rebuild a city that could be destroyed next week, next month or next year? I hope that the state and federal government official put aside their nostalgia for the city and use a little common-sense.

And people wonder why I don't trust the government to handle things...

1,000+ firefighters from around the country who volunteered their services to aid the victims of Katrina are being turned into "community relations officers" by the unbelievably inept folks at FEMA. Instead of helping to evacuate those still trapped in flooded areas, the firefighters are being directed to hand out fliers and direct people to 1-800-621-FEMA. Even more unbelievably, 50 of the volunteers have been assigned to make appearances with the ranch-hand in chief as he visits devastated communities on the gulf-coast.

the mayor of New Orleans loses it

And who can blame him? Click here to listen.

Today's IM of the day: insensitivity or deal hunting?

Me: I just boguht my ticket to Egypt
Me: I smell blog content gold
Me: bought*
Pseudonym: lol
Pseudonym: watch out for bombers
Pseudonym: though it is tough, because everyone over there looks like a bomber
Me: I'm sure I'll hear that one a few times
Me: all 75 million?
Pseudonym: every man jack
Pseudonym: boy howdy
Me: lol
Me: the great thing about terrorists attacks, they knock down the price on 5 star hotels
Pseudonym: lol
Me: no one ever discusses this upside
Pseudonym: you should call in some bomb threats before you leave
Pseudonym: and then demand a further discount
Me: good thinking
Me: the same is true about tsunamis
Me: I bet you can get a sweet deal in that region

Battle for Mosul: first hand accounts

Regardless of how you feel about the war in Iraq, you absolutely must read this reporter's account of one combat situation - one that the reporter actually found himself participating in. The gravity and heroism involved are stunning, and yet these are daily events. Truly mindboggling stuff, with absolutely stunning pictures as well.

Whole thing here.

Courtesy of Reason's Hit & Run.

Internet Justice

Ne’er-do-wells of the world beware, camera-phone vigilantes lurk around every corner. First, a South Korean woman who refused to pick up her dog’s poo became a pariah when her fellow subway passengers (yes, her dog dropped a deuce in a train and she refused to pick it up) took her picture and posted the story on the Internet. Now, NY authorities are on the trail of a pervert who was photographed in flagrante delicto.

So if you are thinking about doing something socially unacceptable, such as, and this is just a for instance, desecrating the stupid "Support Our Troops" sign that your neighbor put up today, because, as we all know, putting up a stupid sign like that doesn't have any effect save to a puff up one's sense of self importance, be careful to do it while no camera phones are present.

Today's IM conversation of the day: good help

Me: (Pasting from friend's email) " Ohhhhhh--I'M SHOCKED, SHOCKED that you broke up with that chick. When will you just accept that you are gay? Get it over with; the greater D.C. area female population will thank you."
Me: I'm so glad I have supportive friends
JP: LOL
JP: FWHOMO
ME: lol
JP: Well I'm vacuuming right now. That's pretty gay
ME: extremely
ME: real men have El Salvadorean illegals vaccuum for them
ME: like I did today
JP: lol, in little french maid outfits?
ME: working on that- so far me leaving them out on the bed with a digital camera hasn't registered
JP: lol
JP: how much do they charge? I may have to bite the bullet. Housework blows
ME: they charge me $50
ME: every two weeks
ME: not bad
ME: they might charge you $75
ME: for a bigger house
ME: you can negotiate with the guy
JP: I'd pay 75. Once a month. I'm used to living in filth
ME: 2nd nature to us

Editorializing Egypt

A pair of insightful editorials ( here and here ) in the Washington Post explore the upcoming elections in Egypt, where various limitations have been placed on candidates challenging Egyptian autocrat-in-chief, Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for 24 years. Candidates face limitations on their access to public fora such as state TV and press, intimidation from government thugs, and an abbreviated campaign schedule. Mubarak's primary opposition, reformist Parliamentarian Ayman Nour, has also been saddled with a trumped up charge stemming from his signature campaign while securing his candidacy.

This topic is near and dear to my heart (my family is from Egypt), and I can say that many in our community are heartened that change is in the air in Egypt. While one of the editorials laments the lack of immediate pressure and change by the U.S. in Egypt's case, the important matter here is that by cracking the door just a bit, Mubarak has opened up the deluge of opposition voices that have been waiting to pour out. Government cronies can delay, hinder, and undermine the opposition for only so long. That Nour and his ilk have been able to criticise the regime openly is in itself a breathtaking change from the past two and a half decades. I suspect that the Bush administration was very wary of pushing too hard in Egypt's case considering the changes going on in the region. Another large populace in the Arab world in turmoil would do the U.S. no good for the time being, not when the largest opposition movement in Egypt remains the quixotic Muslim Brotherhood.

When it comes to the Arab world, media focus in the west has focused on Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Gaza, or Lebanon. However, Egypt and its population of 75 million (approximately 25% of the Arab world)represent a crucial part of the transition to a democratic and stable middle east. The situation surrounding the upcoming elections bears watching closely.