Global warm my cold buttocks

IN the famous words of Andre 3000 "You can plan a pretty picnic, but you can't predict the weather."

Two years ago, everyone was pointing to the skies saying, "See, all of these hurricanes are a sign of global warming." Some people even went so far as to say that "Hurricane frequency is a sign of global climate change." Fundamentalists we screaming from the rooftops that the hurricanes were a sign of end-times, and Jesus was back in fashion for a moment.

With Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth winning a Oscar this year and Green Week making its debut on Sunday Night football, it is clear that America has embraced the concept of global warming. Stage One complete.

But what the hell are we doing about it?

Generally, nothing. And Danish economist Bjorn Lomborg argues that as long as we continue to focus on socioeconomic problems in the world - like poverty, starvation and Bob Geldoff concerts - that isn't such a horrible approach. Lomborg released a "Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalists Guide to Global Warming" earlier this year in which he essentially argues that if global warming is happening, there is nothing that can be done at this point to stop it. What needs to be done at this point is to invest money into developing nations now to limit poverty and the harmful effects of developing without concern for the environment. At least this will slow the process of global warming a bit, and it will allow many impoverished people to die with a bit more money, right? (Click here to hear him talk about it.)

Is Lomborg right?

Well, from a hurricane standpoint, he may not be wrong. Perhaps the media is hyping this idea of global warming a bit. I mean, really, do you remember hearing about a hurricane this year?

As of Octobers end, the Atlantic listing with the National Hurricane Center was only up to Kiko, which means it was at 11 for the year, and believe me when I tell you they were mostly weak cyclones - certainly not the category 4 or 5's that Katrina and Rita showed us in 2005.

One. Hurricane Felix back in August, killed 101 people in clay huts in the Dominican Republic. One. Hurricane Dean threatened winds over 160 mph.
One. Hurricane Flossy posed any threat in the Pacific ocean at all.

Yeah, it was hot in October. So what? It's hot in January in California every year. You know what they call it? Earthquake season. The truth is that the weather is unstable, and you certainly can't predict what it is going to be. That's why network news stations pay so-called meteorologists millions of dollars to make their best guesses about it.

I'm not saying that global warming is a lie, merely saying: Stop looking at temperatures as a reflection of greenhouse gases. It don't work that way. I swear.

24 Postponed by writers strike

Californication is sweeping the nation, and apparently even affecting the immortal Jack Bauer. The Associated Press reports that Fox's hit show '24' was not on the network's revised midseason schedule, and its premier will be delayed indefinitely to ensure that there will be a continuous 24-episode run.

Looks like Jack will have to wait to jump the shark one more time.

(Read more.)

New Jersey Gay Marriage TV Ads

Two liberal New Jersey groups are debuting pro-gay-marriage television commercials beginning tonight. Garden State Equality and Blue Jersey are running the spots on News 12 New Jersey for the next two weeks to motivate lawmakers to pass laws that would allow same sex marriages in New Jersey.

The state presently sanctions civil unions, but the groups say that civil unions do not provide enoug protections for gay couples.

The groups say that the ads will run longer if they can raise enough funds to keep them on the air.

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IN RESPONSE TO Think Equal Ad

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We've had marriage equality here in Massachusetts for a few years now. We still have the lowest divorce rate in the US. Straight people are still getting married. Not a single church has been forced to marry a gay couple, nor will any church be forced to marry a gay couple.

So, to all you frothing homophobes out there: If you're so opposed to gay marriage, don't marry a homosexual!

Sarkozy and Bush get all buddy buddy

President Bush and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy met today at historic Mount Vernon, no doubt to tap into George Washington's old whiskey supply at the top of the American Whiskey Trail. In a surprising shift of policy, Sarkozy has agreed to stand "shoulder-to-shoulder" with the US in international efforts, particularly as thery pertain to Iran.

But President Sarkozy says he would like to see aggressive action only as a last result to diplomatic efforts, or what he calls "the outstretched hand of dialogue" because he says Iran deserves better than isolation.

"It is unacceptable that Iran should have at any point a nuclear weapon, but Iran is entitled to the energy of the future which is civilian nuclear energy," said President Sarkozy. "I believe in the effectiveness of sanctions. I believe even in the need to toughen the sanctions."

Bush also emphasized the need for diplomacy. Guess the whiskey loosened his lips for the entire international community. "The idea of Iran having a nuclear weapon is dangerous," said President Bush. "And therefore now is the time for us to work together to diplomatically solve this problem."

Iran says it is not secretly developing nuclear weapons. The government in Tehran says it is enriching uranium solely for the peaceful civilian purpose of generating electricity. While Russia and China are resisting tougher UN sanctions, France is with the United States and Britain in calling for harsher Security Council action against Iran.

(Read more.)

President Sarkozy says Bush needs to come to France and sample the wine selection at Palaise de l' Elysees soon.

Brace yourselves for the pro-France campaign due to start in December across the US. Public relations experts and press advisors for the President are already brainstorming ideas. I wish them luck in finding something more creative than "Freedom Fries."

Photo : Aug. 7, 2007 Bush and Sarkozy took a boat ride to Goat Island in Kennenbunkport, Maine. (BRIAN SNYDER/Reuters)

Pakistan can not be target for invasion

Oh, no! Pakistan has nukes! And apparently the American media is emphasizing the military concern over the stability of the nuclear arsenal following President Musharraf's imposition of military rule according statements made in a Pentagon press conference on Wednesday.

In a traditional ramp-up for "preemptive strikes" American military and government begin the churning of the propaganda machine with talks of nuclear armament. Recall the UN imspections in Iraq (recent reports reveal that these the US military was preparing for them in the Clinton-era) and the present converstation about Iran. But don't let this rhetoric about Pakistan fool you. The US will not be invading Pakistan any time soon.

According to a Reuters report released today, the military is not only aware of the nuclear weapons, but it is monitoring their positions with a high level of priority.

"Any time there is a nation that has nuclear weapons that has experienced a situation such as Pakistan is at present, that is a primary concern," Lt. Gen. Carter Ham told reporters. "However, we'll watch that quite closely and I think that's probably all I can say about that at this point."

Pakistan houses its nuclear devices on the opposite end of the country from its launch devices, so any preparations for a nuclear strike would not go unnoticed by American military intelligence agencies. Additionally, Pakistan is an important ally for the military efforts in the Middle East.

Pakistan receives about $80 million a month from the United States for counter-terrorism efforts, which include manning posts along the Afghan border meant to help stem the flow of Taliban and al Qaeda fighters.

With that aid review ongoing, Ham said the military needs to ensure both the flow of supplies through Pakistan to U.S. troops and Pakistan's continued cooperation along the border.

"From an operational standpoint, those are the two most significant concerns," he said when asked about the U.S. review of aid.

Gorillaz usher in the era of Multimedia music

Remember these guys? This song takes me back to ninth grade gym class when we used to convince Mr. Washburn that we had cramps and could run the mile on Friday's, then we would sit on the bleachers and listen to mellow music that rebelled against the mainstream of the period.

Well, if they we rebelling and forging ahead into new creative territory then, wait until you hear what they are into now.

Nov. 6, Gorillaz released an autobigraphical graphic novel entitled "Gorillaz: Rise of the Ogre," (Riverhead Trade Paperback, $20) which was concieved and compiled by acclaimed comic book writer Jamie Hewlett ("Tank Girl"). The art is in the same style as their classic video "Clint Eastwood," seen above, and the story is a compilation of "half-truths, lies, jokes and time-wasting information" according to bassist Murdoc Niccals.

The story is a a spoof on "Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zepplin Saga," documenting the "virtual band's" rise to fame with demented tails of adventure and debauchery. It spans from demonic possessions, underworld dealings and amnesia to stupidity, stadium tours and high-profile collabroations with artists like Madonna and Ike Turner.

So bust out your Starter jacket, put on your headphones and let yourself jump back into the era when hit music-video station "The Box" played the music "You want to hear" and you could fall into the multimedia cartoon world filled with the disgruntled soft-rock of the Gorillaz.

AIDS vaccine got a cold

Time magazine did a piece on an AIDS vaccine developed by Merck called V520. Their analysis: Merck's drug failed due to a scientific anomoly, the vaccine contained a strain of the common cold, which made people who are "more immune" to the common cold that much more susceptible to contracting AIDS with the vaccine.

My analysis: Anyone who is will ing to put the AIDS virus into their blood stream, dead or alive, is insane. The idea that there can be a vaccine developed against a virus that is constantly adapting is insane as well.

Think of flu vaccines. Every year, people get the flu vaccine, which is essentially an injuection of dead virus cells from the strain of flu that reseachers feel is most likely to spread over the course of the flu season and allowing their bodies to develop an immunity to that strain. And every year, people inevitibly get sick from the flu anyway. Why? Because they catch a different strain of the virus.

The same thing will happen with AIDS.

"There is something magical about the replicating virus, because it has virtually its entire genome," IAVI head Dr. Seth Berkley said in the Time article and that genome adapts, adjusts grows and changes every year and with each new host.

A vaccine is not the answer to AIDS. It's not small pox or even chicken pox which are both stable viruses effecting each host in much the same way. Creative research by Berkeley's group is investigating ways to stimulate so-called neutralizing antibodies, a special class of antibodies that appear to be able to defuse HIV. This is the kind of research that needs to be funded with $25 million grants from the Gates Foundation, not vaccines.

Time: Facebook more popular than porn

Yes. It's true. Facebook is officially more popular than porn among 18- to 24-year olds.

A study done by Bill Tancer, the general manager of global research at Hitwise.com, revealed that social networking sites are accessed more often by this demographic than even traditional email accounts.

A new era in communication has arrived, and Facebook seems to be rapidly taking over.

Visits to porn sites have dropped from 16.9% of all site visits in the U.S. in October 2005 to 11.9% as of last week, a 33% decline. Currently, for web users over the age of 25, Adult Entertainment still ranks high in popularity, coming in second, after search engines. Not so for 18- to 24-year-olds, for whom social networks rank first, followed by search engines, then web-based e-mail — with porn sites lagging behind in fourth. (Read more)

While older groups of web surfers are still caught up on their virtual sexual encounters, living vicariously through a camera lens which sees more action then most of they "whackers" will in a lifetime, the younger generation is happy hunting on social-networking pages.

Now the question waiting to be answered is: can Facebook resist the temptation to commercialize, and capitalize on this massive network by going corporate.

Please, Facebook. Don't sell out. We are begging you.

Congress has no balls

Congressman and presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) sponsored a resolution in the House of Representatives that moved to impeach Dick Cheney on grounds that he misled the American public about the validity of motive for the war in Iraq: the presence of WMDs.

Is this a sign that Congress is prepared to send and international message and hold the present administration accountable? Don't count on it.

The vote started out along party lines, but midway through House Republicans began taking direction from GOP leadership and actually changed votes to bring the issue to the floor for debate. With the turnaround, the total was 251-162 against tabling the proposal. But in the end Democrats faltered, and they moved to refer the resolution to House committee where it will be buried.

Too bad Dems don't have the balls to push a trial in which Cheney has to atone for shooting his buddy in the face, war profiteering with the Hallibutonization of Iraq, or wagging the dog with tales of weapons buried in the desert. Too bad.

But this country has a record of challenging leadership decisions that were distasteful across the board. I thought, in honor of the gross politicking taking place on Capitol Hill, I would take a moment to examine what exactly impeachment is.

What is it?
The US Constitution states in Article II, Section 4 that "The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States shall be impeached and removed from office for conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors," and it commissions the House of Representatives to press charges and empowers the Senate alone to make the final decision on removal.

Ambiguity of it all
"High crimes and misdemeanors" is an ambiguous phrase. Abuse of power and serious misconduct in office fit this category, but one act that is definitely not grounds for impeachment is partisan discord. Several impeachment cases have confused political animosity with genuine crimes (think William Jefferson Clinton, impeached for saying he "Did not have sexual relations with [Monica Lewinsky]" which was probably a lie, but not an impeachable offense. Thus the reason it was important to prove that he had in fact committed perjury with this statement). This is often the most difficult part of the impeachment process for the public to digest and for the government to process because it is left up to Congress, the most bipartisan entity in the American government. Implication: The most political creature of government must put aside politics and put on their lawyer caps, viewing the issue at hand through legislative eyes.

It's a miracle anything ever happens in this country at all.

The History of Impeachment in the United States
There have been sixteen officials impeached in the US since the Constitution was ratified in 1796. Most were judges, and most were let off the hook or quit before they could be removed from office.

Small Fries

• William Blount, Senator, Tenn., plotted to incite Cherokees and Creeks to aid the British in assuming Spanish lands in Florida. He was voted out of office is just five days 1797.
• John Pickering, US District Court judge, New Hamp. An alcoholic with a propensity for disappearing and shunning duties, he was removed from office when he showed up drunk to hear a case in 1804.
• Samuel Chase, US Supreme Court associate justice, was charged on eight fabricated counts primarily surrounding his ruling in a treason case against John Fries. His impeachment was really payback by President Thomas Jefferson for the Marbury v Madison decision. He was acquitted in 1805.
• James Peck, US District Court judge, Tenn. Had a lawyer, Luke Lawless, jailed for contempt and revoked his license to practice for 18 months when Lawless published a letter in the newspaper rebutting Peck's ruling in a Louisiana Purchase land claim case. He was acquitted in 1831.
• West Humphreys, US District Court judge, Mo. In a post-Civil War case, he was charged with publicly calling for secession, aiding an armed rebellion, conspiracy, serving as a Confederate Judge, confiscating theproperty of government officials, and imprisoning a Union sympathiser with "intent to injure him." He failed to appear for his own hearing and was removed from office in 1862.
• William Belknap, secretary of war, was charged with taking bribes for appointing post tradesman. He resigned his office, but was acquitted in 1876.
• Charles Swayne, US District Court judge, Fla. He was charged with 12 counts of corruption and abuse of power, including filing false travel vouchers, improper use of private railroad cars, unlawfully imprisoning two attorneys for contempt, and living outside of his district but wasacquitted in 1905.
• Robert W. Archbald, US Commerce Court associate judge, was charged with 13 counts of corruption and abuse of power. His case revealed he had accepted gifts such as free trips to Europe. He was convicted on five counts and removed from office in 1913.
• George English, US District Court judge, Ill. He was charged with corruption, embezzling, failure to give impartial consideration to cases and for his abusive treatment of lawyers and litigants. He resigned in 1926 before he was tried.
  
• Harold Louderback, US District Court judge, Calif., was charged with corruption for his dealing of several bankruptcy cases and acquitted of all charges in 1933.
• Halsted Ritter, US District Court judge, Fla., was also charged with corruption for his dealing with bankruptcy cases and for charging exorbitant legal fees with the alleged intent to embezzel. He removed from office in 1936.
• Harry Claiborne, US District Court judge, Nev., was charged with tax evasion and removed from office in 1986.
• Alcee Hastings, US District Court judge, Fla. He was charged with taking $150,000 bribe for a lenient sentence, racketeering, corruption and perjury and removed from office in 1988.
• Walter Nixon, US District Court judge, Miss., spoke to a long-time friend and attorney, convincing him to drop a case against the son of Nixon's business partner. When asked by the FBI and before a grand jury about the matter, he denied involvement. He was charged with perjury and removed from office in 1989.
  

Big Fish

• President Andrew Johnson. There were actually two attempts at this. Division in Congress over Reconstruction led to the entrapment of Johnson. He was ultimately charged for breaking a law he had vetoed when he replaced his secretary of war. He was acquitted in 1868.
  
• President William J. Clinton. Remember Kenneth Starr. Remember the infamous blue dress. The charges initially began with a real estate scam commonly referred to as White Water. It turned into a sex scandal and Clinton was charged with perjury for stating that he did not sleep with a White House intern. He was acquitted in 1999.
  

The one that got away

• Richard Nixon. I won't bother going into details. If you don't know the story by now, read this.
  

Open-Source Going Mobile

If you thought your phone was still safe from those pescky hackers, you were wrong.

Google has announced that it is in the development stages on the first mobile open-source platform, Android. The basic principle: no one knows how to meet your needs better than you do, so why not give yourself the ability to choose applications for your phone that meet your needs.

Google released some details about its plans to alter how mobile applications are created and distributed, industry watchers are compiling a long list of follow-up questions about the Android platform and the Open Handset Alliance on Monday. A comprehensive overview is set for release on Nov. 12.

IDG News Service took a chance to talk to Rich Miner, a key member of Android's technical staff and a co-founder of the namesake company Google acquired in 2005, and ask him about the project.

Read More!

2007 Election

2007 Election | 'DP' Endorsements - Opinion

Here's my vote. And even my justifications. I think the only thing I disagreed with here was Michael Nutter's actual ability to deal with the crime rate in Philadelphia. He is the better choice, but it is because he has more overall experience and a better sense of the city's pulse.