Political Smoking Considered Necessary
Simon says: America was neither founded nor freed by the well behaved.
By Brian Briggs and Reinhard Gantar at BBspot - Microsoft Announces Ads for BSOD - satire. How to make the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) more palatable? Advertisements, of course. Hehe. [leor]
Tom Gordon, Director of Marketing for Anheuser-Busch, confirmed today that the beverage giant will be among the first advertisers, "We think it's a tremendous opportunity," said Gordon. "Picture this, you're working late at night on a crucial project. Your computer crashes. You've lost all your important work. It's definitely time for a beer, and we'll be there to remind you that the beer should be a beechwood-aged Budweiser."
Bruce Lambert at The New York Times -
Smoking Banned in Nassau Bars and Restaurants 
- Not yet signed by
the County Executive, but he has promised to do so. The health Nazis
score another victory for tyranny and oppression. This disease is
likely to spread to much of downstate New York. In contempt of this
law, I bought a pipe so that I can engage in
political smoking.
Lew Rockwell at LewRockwell.com - Give Dueling a Chance - Iraq's VP made a great proposal. Instead of going to war and killing off lots of civilians on both sides, settle it with a duel between the leaders. Yes! [smith2004]
Choose your weapons, fellas, and leave us out of it.
Bill Douthat and Kathryn Quigley at The Palm Beach Post - Gun used to kill teacher on trial - another unfortunate widow attempts to blame the gun instead of the shooter for her husband's murder. Her loss is tragic, but it ain't the gun distributor's fault. The gun functioned exactly as it was designed to function. When the shooter pulled the trigger, it fired a projectile. As advertised. [firearmnews]
Harry Browne at World Net Daily - Will Massachusetts repeal its income tax? - in support of Carla Howell's Small Government Act, which is currently polling nearly 40 percent in favor of abolishing the Massachusetts income tax.
However, just suppose it garners even 40 percent of the vote. Can you imagine how this might inspire people outside of "Taxachusetts" to take the offensive and propose similar initiatives in their own states?
If 40 percent of the voters in Massachusetts were to choose to repeal the income tax, think how this might inspire activists in states less wedded to big government -- places like Arizona, Iowa, Maine or Idaho. It could trigger a wave of offensive actions against big government throughout America.
Charley Reese - Bush Won't Take Yes For An Answer - GW is going to have his little war, independent of the outcome of Hans Blix'es inspections. [lew]
So, as things stand now, the inspectors can go back, all the housekeeping details have been agreed to, and they can start their work by Oct. 15. The Iraqis, so far as we know, will honor their agreement in regard to unconditional access. If the president had been sincere about his concern for weapons of mass destruction, he'd presumably be happy. Instead, he intends, if he can, to wreck the present agreements and force through an insulting, war-provoking resolution. He wants war, not inspections, and destruction, not disarmament.
Anne McIlroy at Guardian Unlimited - Going out with a bong - Canada's outgoing prime minister, Jean Chrétien, may preside over the decriminalization of cannabis before he leaves office. The U.S. is already threatening to restrict border trade should Canada make this move. [lew]
But momentum is clearly building. Last month a Canadian senate committee made headlines, recommending that anyone over the age of 16 be able to smoke marijuana freely.
If it is ever implemented, the recommendation would mean joints would be legally available to teenagers long before a pint of beer. The report, which filled four volumes, was extensively researched. It also urged amnesty for the 600,000 Canadians convicted of possessing marijuana.
The senate committee argued that the recreational use of pot is no more harmful that smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol, both legal vices that provide healthy annual tax revenues. There is no reason marijuana shouldn't be legal and sold at the local store, the committee said.
Canada is also moving ahead with plans to allow the use of medical marijuana, for people undergoing chemotherapy or suffering from HIV/Aids.
Wayne Hicks at Sierra Times - Call To New America, Part 6: An Introduction To The Art of Survival - It's time to hone your survival skills. That may mean moving to a place where surviving without modern civilisation is easier than where you live now. [sierra]
J.J. Johnson at Sierra Times - The DC Sniper Nest: None Dare Call it Terrorism - eleven shots from a varmint rifle have locked down schools in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. Time to activate the militia, eh? Follow Israel's example and arm teachers and parent volunteers to protect our kids, eh? How come we're not hearing this shouted from the rooftops? [sierra]
Our little sniper is operating in an enemy environment, but he is also operating in a relatively 'safe' environment. You see, the fact that we really are at war is a concept too many people haven't taken seriously yet, especially in east coast, antigun bastions such as suburban DC. Hence, only time will tell when suddenly concealed carry laws are lifted (or simply not enforced), so that the soldiers in this new war (the citizens), may have the means of neuturalizing such threats upon discovery.
Libertarian Party Press Releases - Beware of government propaganda, Libertarians say - How can you tell if a politician is lying? His lips are moving. Remember that every time you listen to any politician speak, including GW. [lp]
The explosive allegation that Iraqi troops had invaded a Kuwaiti hospital in 1990, pulled babies from incubators and left them on the floor to die - a charge made on national TV by Bush's father - later turned out to be patently false government propaganda.
"There's no way for ordinary Americans to determine whether all of Mr. Bush's claims about Iraq are true," said Libertarian Party Communications Director George Getz. "But we do know that past presidents have told the public bald-faced lies in order to whip up war hysteria."
