Bye Bye EU
Now Playing: Missa Papae Marcelli: Benedictus



Good to watch the European Union fall apart. Here It's a case of everyone wanting their bit of the pie and so they argue about it as the ship they are on sinks. Typical European behavior. Typical politician behavior - taking the rule which says that all members need to ratify the treaty in order for their bureaucratically created constitution to go into effect and trying to change the rules after two countries have voted it down. Now they've given it more time and presumably will try to shove it down the throats of the French and Dutch voters at a later date. But it's all brave talk now, the thing is dead and the politicians who tried to make the European Union into a thing to challenge the United States are also done as politicians. We get to see the bitter old men who wanted to recreate a godless Holy Roman Empire as they blame each other and pretend their New Empire isn't dead. Denial is a beautiful and bickering thing.

Don't Worry - They Were Probably Guilty of Something
The Story Link HERE
Chinese woman allegedly "murdered" reappears after killer executed

A Chinese woman believed to be killed in the 1980s reappears 16 years after the alleged killer was executed, urging judicial authorities to rectify the case.

Shi Xiaorong, declared by police a "murder victim" in a April 1987 case in Mayang county in central Hunan Province, said she was actually swindled and sold to east Shandong Province as somebody's wife in March that year, one month before a dismembered body was found in a Mayang river and claimed by local police the body of " disappeared Shi".

Butcher Teng Xingshan was convicted of the murder as the police said the dismemberment technique was "very professional" and executed in 1989 despite pleas of innocence.

According to police investigation material, Teng was believed to have sexual relations with Shi and killed Shi he suspected of stealing his money.

But Shi, who is now in a Guizhou jail for drug trafficking, said she and Teng did not know each other, urging the Human judiciary to declare the trial a miscarriage of trial.

She returned to her hometown in Hunan's neighboring Guizhou Province in 1993 and Teng's relatives was told she was still alive one year later. But it took them years to verify the information and they did not have the funds and the courage to sue the judiciary until last month Teng's daughter and son lodge a lawsuit before the Hunan Higher People's court.

The 1989 verdict of the court reads that "Teng confessed his crime on his initiative and his confession conforms with scientific inspection and identification". Whether torture was used to force conviction is still unknown.

The case comes just two months after a man who served 11 years in prison for murdering his wife was declared innocent, two weeks after the victim reappeared in their hometown in central Hubei Province.

Former security guard She Xianglin claimed he was deprived of sleep during 10 days of interrogation until he signed documents pleading guilty to murder. He is now suing the government for compensation over his mistrial and torture during interrogation.

Source: Xinhua

Don't know if it's a static link or will be gone shortly so here is the article. It goes to show that the Death Penalty does whack innocent people. As sure as the sun comes up there will be mistakes made. It's just a fact of human nature that errors will occur and no matter how noble and justice minded any group of people who are in positions of authority there will be abuses of that authority. The article is from China's People's Daily Online and the story they lift is from Xinhua.

House Finds its Backbone
Not a done deal yet and only the House has voted on it but the bright shining light of hope has opened up and perhaps just perhaps the Library Gestapo won't be lurking over your shoulder when you try to check out that small stack of books. The story here shows the House doing the right thing by a vote of 238-187 and that with the threat of a veto over their heads. Not that a threat of a veto carries much weight as the President is a lame duck now and the power he wielded is lessening by the day. Yet another sign that the politicians smell blood in the water. Witness the increasing chorus about the Gulag in Cuba. Politicians, notable for their lack of moral compasses in the first place are nevertheless making noise about how Guantanamo is bringing shame and discredit to the United States. It's the same Guantanamo when they opened it up and nobody made a peep. But, better late than never to those American ideals of justice.

I Hate Nancy Grace - Really
You know how some people grate you the wrong way? Nancy Grace is one of those people for me. I don't have much time for arrogant, know it all people especially when I hear them cut people off, pass instant judgments on people and generally make ass monkeys out of themselves. Self proclaimed pundits like Nancy Grace just send me for the intellectual barf bag. As such, you know I don't watch said person but it's good to know my assessment hasn't been changed by any humanity transplant to the nasty one. NG melts down Didn't watch it of course but my incessant surfing of the news turned up her the story of her antics after the Jackson jury came back with the decision NG didn't agree with. The Yahoo story says that she melted down and was near tears. Of course that didn't keep her from brow beating the foreman of the jury who mistakenly agreed to be interviewed by her. Cutting him off and being the nasty rude bitch that she is she succeeded in embarrassing herself and her network. Of course, the whole celebrity trial circus thing brings out the barkers, conmen, freaks and Nancy Grace's. It's too much to hope for that they will spend some time to actually do some news now. Yeah right.

So Much Excitement
Okay, I held my breath a bit when the verdict was being read. Really now, I don't particularly like Michael Jackson, I don't particularly dislike him. I have no records of his and I don't hum his songs. Still, it was high human drama. Would the world famous person be taken away in handcuffs to spend a good deal of his life in a tiny cell. You don't wish that on anyone unless they've done something to deserve it and with most of these trials that take up time in the public space there is the fact that I don't know if the person is guilty or not and I don't feel particularly qualified to pass judgement on people based on the highly sensationalized version of the 'truth' that you get from the media. And it is hard to understand people who can make those judgements based on that information. Looking at a bit of the jury news conference I see those people who were there took seven days to go over the testimony and the instructions before coming out with their verdict. I didn't see any of them being as self assured as were the television bigmouths. Heck, there was the one lady on FNC who right before the verdict predicted a clean sweep for the prosecution. When the verdict came down that woman, who the news directors were smart to not let on the air otherwise, was heard ranting about Jackson being the 'Teflon Defendant' or some such actionable nonsense. Just your usual circus. I love those arrogant, self assured and full of judgements lawyer talking heads who proclaim this person guilty or that person a monster based on nothing. It makes FNC mostly unwatchable. Still and all, a good circus. I wonder if any of the news on television will actually do any news reporting for a while now. At least until the next celebrity trial.

Containing China
Now Playing: Sports 980 - Tony Kornheiser Show
Topic: Politics
Peking Duck here speaks about China being encircled by the United States. Really now. I enjoy reading The Peking Duck because he gives me another viewpoint that isn't always expressed elsewhere. But here he's a bit off. He says,
I wanted to think the "China threat" mentality was a thing of the past. Clinton was a huge proponent of warmer relations with China, and Bush has seemed to be continuing in his footsteps, though he's had to pay lip service to his foaming-at-the-mouth far-right colleagues who still call the PRC "Red China." Have we really gone so far in the opposite direction? Are actively attempting to contain and limit China?

I responded vicerally here.
You can't be serious. That little article you quoted from Conn Hallinan of the Foreign Policy In Focus is really nothing much more than a long dig at the evolution of Japanese Foreign Policy. A changing foreign policy brought about by changes in the regional situation. China is a land based power that is busily building up it's Naval Power in an effort to enter an area of influence occupied by the United States. The fact that the United States and Japan are reacting should come as no surprise at all. Japan happily kept it's Peace Constitution since the end of World War II and is only now making noise about changing it. Why is that? Simply because of China. The fact that some people recognize the efforts of China and are sounding the warning claxons about it does not make us 'foaming at the mouth far right" types. (I voted for Kerry) And it is "Red China" - remember Tianamen Square? Cultural Revolution? Korean War? What has happened to all the reformers again? Totalitarianism, Communist, - those labels still apply you know. So heck yes, we are actively attempting to contain and limit China. To do otherwise would be amazingly irresponsible and itself a guaranteed threat to peace.

And if you live in China and you read this article you are scared out of your wits. You are scared to say anything that disagrees with the government. You are scared to try to have that second child. You are scared if you own a website now. See the article about China ordering all web sites to register here http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050607/ap_on_hi_te/china_policing_the_net_2 But scared about the US Navy that's been there in the East China Sea since 1943? I don't think so.

And it's all in referece to a article in the Asia Times Online by Conn Hallinan of the Foreign Policy In Focus organization (read left leaning)

China - Clamping Down Harder on Speech
Not that there is any free speech in China, that would be ridiculous to consider in a totalitarianistic Communist country. But in case you were somehow under the delusion that China promoted free speech you might want to read this article here on Yahoo. Basically the Chinese government is working to put the genie back in the bottle by having all bloggers and website owners registered and under control. You know, to make it easier to have those visits in the middle of the night by the authorities. Kind of like how things are getting in America too.

Australian Immigration Contacted China
These Australian government people are tools. According to this article here the government officials did the only thing you might have expected them to do in a case when a Chinese diplomat from Communist China tries to defect, they called the Chinese government to let them know about it. It kind of reminds you of when police and government people were corrupt and took their orders from the mob. If there was somebody that the mob wanted then the police helped the gangsters out. Sort of like in this story. The only thing different is that the mafia isn't paying off the police, it's the Chinese government paying off the Australian government. Like good stooges who know where their payments come from the Australian government knew immediately what to do. The bright light of the press, even in Australia, has turned it's spotlight on this story. The Immigration people who ran to tell their Chinese masters said upon being called up on it that they were only 'confirming' his identity. Of course, that this might put the man in mortal jeopardy didn't seem to occur to the officials. Or perhaps it did and they didn't care. But not to worry, the Chinese government said the man can come home now, all is forgiven. Nothing will happen to him. That's hard to believe when you consider the fact that their labor camps are full up with people who expressed even mild disagreement with the Chinese Communist Party and their government. The jails are still holding people from the Tianamen Square Massacre. The jails are not holding the people who committed the massacre of course, just the people who asked for democracy.
Good job Australia.

What Trumps Freedom and Virtue?
Topic: Politics
Why money of course. It's always about the money. Why if you happen to be a diplomat from China who want asylum in oh say, Australia, the chances of you getting it even though we know China holds prisons full of political prisoners who have done nothing more than perhaps say they don't like the government in China, well your chances are similar to the snowball in hell. Story Here Why would Australia happen to quickly say no the asylum seeking Chinese diplomat? Oh, perhaps it's economic, perhaps it's the free trade deal that Australia is negotiating with China. And it's only a few days removed from the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre which is politely forgotten about in the news which does revel in anniversaries about things that interest them. Once again, it's the money that talks.

Advertising and Other Lies
Now Playing: European Techno Trance Radio -Shoutcast
Topic: Law
I often times cast a cynical eye on the things around me and occasionally, occasionally I am rewarded for my eternal vigilance with independent confirmation of my observations. You can see outright lies on the TV and in advertising every single day of your life and it's so pervasive and ubiquitous that most of us just accept it, believe it or tune it out to some degree. Folks believe mistakenly that their government will protect them from false advertising but even when they do take a diet pill or electric weight belt
off the market it's only after the crooks have run millions of dollars in ads and taken many millions in from idiots who believe their fake product must be real since the government let them on TV. Look at every fat pill cure with their steaming piles of lies designed to play on the fears and hopes of overweight people. "Placebo is 'TOO' powerful for the person
with five to ten pounds Vanity pounds to consider using" "Use this ab scruncheroo for only ten minutes a day and you too will have the abs of this twenty year old athlete you see using the scruncheroo. I mean heck, it must be true since you can see six pack ab people using those products.

Same with those creams and lotions that make you younger -used by 17 year old models. You see smoother younger looking skin cause you're looking at smoother, younger looking skin belonging to young people to begin with. Duh. Hello. Anybody home there? It's a big steaming pile of lies. And of course it's dead on true that drinking this beer or that wine
will make supermodels fall all over you. Same for new cars, clothes, perfume and the right steak sauce. Drive the right car, wear the right clothes and you'll be fighting off beautiful women or men. No really, it's true. I saw it on TV so it must be true.

With all of that in mind just the other day I remember looking at the hideously overpriced selection of shaving razors in the grocery stores.
Two, three, four blades, lotion strips, vibrating blades and heroic fast names all at premium prices. The ads claim you'll get the best closest shave ever, that regardless of which way your hairs run the magic blades will cut them all smoothly and so close they even actually pull those hairs out and shave them below the hair line. Blah blah blah. Bulldookie so deep and wide you can't possibly escape the ad copy. With all of that in mind you can rest assured that your right to not be lied to is being taken care of
my concerned citizens. Why just the other day hereGillette was taken to court for its unsubstantiated and inaccurate claims for its 'M3Power Razor' -
those claims stated that the magical razor did raise hairs up and away from your skin to provide the closest possible razoring experience. Magical stuff worthy of Merlin himself. Let's see, the Judge, Janet C. Hall didn't see it that way and granted the preliminary injunction prohibiting Gillette from using that bit of hyperbole/pack of lies in their advertising. The good citizen that called Gillette on their false advertising? Why that would be Schick-Wilkinson Sword who happen to make the other major razor

Ah, the irony of it all.

This Cracks Me Up
Now Playing: Tony Kornheiser - Sportstalk 980
An excerpt from the book The Washingtonienne by Jessica Cutler book "These things that I had written in such humility for my closest friends were suddenly being read by all sorts of strangers and I couldn't stop them. The spanking, the anal sex, the questionable exchange of money. My mind raced."
The chick does what countless people do - you know kiss and tell, the ass sex, getting paid for it. (It's all a matter of degree after all) And then she writes about it and puts it up on the web. And then the funny part, she's shocked that strangers have read her words and when it's found out she was the one doing the writing she is shocked to find that she isn't welcomed anymore. To me, it's kind of like those bits where some sex pictures, nude pictures or videos of famous people are spread out over the web. Usually nobody seems more surprised than the ones seen in the pictures or videos humping away. It should be a understood rule of life that if you ever took pictures or videos of yourself naked, or if anybody ever took pictures of you naked, nude or otherwise embarrassing, then you can rest assured that those pictures will be spread out over the length and breadth of the country at the least opportune moment in your life. So spend some time right now writing the press release explaining how you were young and the other person was evil or whatever variation of that spin you prefer. If your pictures are out there then they are going to be plastered everywhere eventually. And it should go without saying that you should not be shocked in any way, manner or shape if your kiss and tell blog becomes common knowledge to your family, coworkers, friends and enemies. If you feign shock well then, you are only cracking folks like me up.

Penguins Take Over the World!
Robo Penguins Invade the World! here Okay, well maybe that would be a bit of hyperbole. But it's still an interesting article in Der Spiegel about how the increasingly tiny electronics are allowing scientists to put all manner of transmitters and cameras on penguins, whales, seals, dolphins and anything else they have a mind to. With this ability they forsee the day when they can manage and understand all wildlife.

Bower Birds on Nova
Now Playing: NOVA
I love Bower Birds. I especially love Bower Birds when they are presented by David Attenbourough as my wondering eyes do see right now on this episode of NOVA - "Flying Casanovas", Episode #2818. A tribute to the determination and will of tiny little guys in their herculean efforts to attract that lady they desire.

Romeo and Juliet Psychosis
You know, I really do read the New York Times but I missed this article and caught it while reading The Volokh Conspiracy here and it's about the very real psychosis of love. An excellent article dealing with the brain chemistry of love. It's nothing that we don't already know about but it's always nice to get that scientific confirmation of the reality we are aware of. Watching New Love As It Sears the Brain
"New love can look for all the world like mental illness, a blend of mania, dementia and obsession that cuts people off from friends and family and prompts out-of-character behavior - compulsive phone calling, serenades, yelling from rooftops - that could almost be mistaken for psychosis."

The French Vote No -
Topic: Politics
I was holding my breath on this one. The polls have said for weeks that the No side was winning in the vote for the European Union Constitution. Basically the french voters told President Jacques Chirac to take his European Union Constitution and shove it where the foie gras don't shine. The French people voted this way for a number of reasons not least of which was the fear of foreigners and having those foreigners take what few jobs Frenchmen still had. High unemployment, the threat of erosion to their social service system, the inability of the government to actually do anything about it all contributed to the vote going the way it went. The result is good for the United States because it keeps the French and Germans from bringing their antiamerican foreign policy desires to the whole of Europe. I've said it before and I'll say it again, a united Europe is a rival to the United States when the United States doesn't need the extra grief. The Germans and the French were only to happy to try to sell the Chinese advanced military equipment that will eventually be used against the United States and only the fact that our 'allies' weren't standing behind a single Europe entity was the United States able to pressure those sales off the table. Countries will follow their own interests and ideas and for France and Germany, those interests do not see a threat from China. This is the thinking that allows them to happily sell all manner of military equipment to the Chinese. As countries that survived and thrived under the security umbrella paid for and manned by the United States they now believe they know better than the United States. The fact that the French people and shortly the people of the Netherlands have and will reject this European Constitution is good news for peace in the world.