While the rest of the world is enjoying a boom in tourism, and our own tourist industry is begging the government for a let-up on such draconian policies, the abysmal way we are treating air passengers – even those who have nothing to do with visiting America as tourists – is costing the country millions of dollars a day, our reputation as debased as our currency.

We are not becoming a police state.

We are one.

Crooks and Liars » Nonny Mouse Goes Down Under

By denying DeFazio's reasonable request to view these documents, the White House has done much to encourage and nothing to quell such speculation. The administration would be wise to reverse its decision and allow DeFazio, or any other member of Congress with the required clearance, full and immediate access.

If the White House doesn't do so, the American public is left with this unsettling thought from Congressman DeFazio: "Maybe the people who think there's a conspiracy out there are right."

Congressman DeFazio asked to see the plans relating to how the government would respond to different disasters, either natural or man-made, and was told by the White House no. He has the requisite security clearances, is part of the homeland security committee that should know such things, but was rejected.

This has gone beyond ridiculous. But gee, he's a Democrat, and that makes him the enemy. The enemy of the White House isn't terrorists, it isn't foreign powers that have no interest in the well being of the US, no, for the White House, the enemy is the other party and anyone who agrees with them. Enough.

[ Agreed. It's completely insane to deny this information to people that need to know it. And I do think congress needs to know. -k]

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Oregon, USA

When American humanitarian Marla Ruzicka was killed in Baghdad last year I wrote about her, as did many others, and she was known. When an American or European journalist is killed, the system works and they are known as well. Similarly, when a Soldier or Marine is killed, they merit ink and public eulogy once their names are released. But in this war the news comes in every day, displaying a sameness which confuses. It is “59 Iraqis killed by bomb” today, and on another day, “fourteen bodies discovered in Baghdad.” See here or here for example. Sadly, unless they are high government officials, at most all that is known of these victims is their town and, sometimes, their profession. They are anonymous, and with their anonymity, easier to deal with. Few accounts let you know an average Iraqi.

I cannot change this. I have no magic wand to wave and change the rules of the game of journalism and the market so that the corporations which constitute the news industry forgo some of their (generally double-digit) profit in favor of tripling their coverage in bad places around the world. I cannot remove Adam Smith’s damned-near-visible hand from this process. But I can tell you about one Iraqi, just one, and leave it to you to extrapolate.

Mother and Motherf***er -- What Happens to America's Iraqi Friends when we leave

Kerry bought some flip flops for $2.44 at Wal Mart. After wearing them for a while, she noticed a tingling sensation on her feet. She immediately stopped wearing the flip flops. Soon after, her skin turned red and blistery.

When she took the matter up with Wal Mart, they told her to take it up with the Chinese manufacturer.

Apparently, Wal Mart is still selling the flip flops.

ARRGFGHGHGHHGHGHGH!

I'm glad the Kerry in this story is not this Kerry. This Kerry doesn't roll with Wal Mart.

Boing Boing: Wal Mart flip flops cause nasty chemical burn

Shows how much time each candidate, as well as the moderator, got to talk in tonight's debate (and a few past ones too).

Anderson Cooper spent more time talking than anyone other than Clinton and Obama.

Chris Dodd's Talk Clock

Here's a bit of modern-day heresy: President Bush actually has some rather sound instincts about the Muslim world. He has visited mosques more often than any of his predecessors, and he frequently talks of winning Muslim hearts and minds. So why are those hearts and minds so estranged today? What went wrong?

The problem is that Bush has relied on ill-informed advisers and out-of-touch experts. By substituting their false expertise for his own sensible intuitions, he has failed to understand the Muslim world -- which means he has failed to understand the arena in which the first post-9/11 presidency will be judged. Instead of seriously explaining Muslim societies that are profoundly split in complex ways, Bush's aides have offered a fatally flawed stereotype of Islam as monolithic and violent.
...
In fact, we discovered three broad categories of Muslim responses to the modern world: the mystics, the modernists and the literalists.

this is a good, if depressing article. we've made so many mistakes.

Bush Still Doesn't Get It - washingtonpost.com

I understand the companies wanting to ensure they have as much control over the process as possible and a preference to not dilute the brand, but my burger-jonesing self needs a Goddamn Whataburger and In-N-Out Burger in New York City.

I don't require an In-N-Out Burger or Whataburger on every single block like McDonald's. I'd even settle for one or two in the whole city. Could you imagine if either one of these delicious restaurants came to Manhattan?

This Is What We Do Now

There are two big schools of thought about what the U.S. should do next in Iraq, and both schools are almost certainly wrong.

I guess I have, traditionally, thought of Time as a fluff mag, but this is actually a pretty good article.

How to Leave Iraq - TIME

On August 10, 2005, President George W. Bush signed the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). SAFETEA-LU authorizes the Federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety, and transit for the 5-year period 2005-2009

Not surprisingly, passenger trains are mentioned nowhere. Fuck US Transportation policy.

For further information, see the Transportation Research, Development and Technology Strategic Plan for 2006 - 2010. I'll highlight the following from the framework :

To support DOT goals and RD&T strategies, the RD&T Planning Council has also identified six emerging research priority areas to guide the Department ’s RD&T investments. These priorities represent areas where the Department would make greater investments over the next five years and beyond should it have greater flexibility in RD&T program funding. In addition, these six research areas meet the following criteria: (1) they support identified Departmental goals and priorities; (2) they offer the greatest potential return on investment; and (3) they are areas where Federal RD&T is most appropriate and not likely to be duplicated by other efforts. The Department ’s emerging research priorities are:

* Human–Automation Interaction. Conduct and support research leading to an increased understanding of human-machine interactions related to safety performance.
* Application of Enhanced Transportation Safety Data and Knowledge. Conduct and support efforts to convert the large quantities of data produced by applications of digital technology into useful knowledge that can improve transportation safety.
* Congestion Reduction Policy Research and Technologies. Strengthen policy research and analysis on congestion reduction, congestion pricing, and innovative financing, and conduct RD&T to evaluate the effectiveness and market acceptance of traveler and traffic information technologies, products, and services.
* System Resilience and Global Logistics. Conduct and support RD&T to identify freight bottlenecks and changing transportation patterns and to develop and implement technologies to enhance the efficiency of cargo flows.
* Next Generation Air Transportation System. Provide the knowledge base to achieve greater aviation throughput and capacity; reduce user and service costs, including congestion; increase service productivity; and ensure a safe, secure, and environmentally compatible aviation system.
* Energy Efficiency and Alternative Fuels. Conduct and support research to understand the impact of fuel prices and fuel efficiency on mobility, opportunities to improve fuel efficiency, transportation requirements associated with alternative fue... [ Read More (0.1k in body) ]

US Transportation Policy can Straight Suck It

putting accusations aside, there are real consequences in basing war policy on mistaken premises.

First, you simply can’t -- in a democracy -- have a meaningful debate or make an informed decision if you’re using the wrong facts. Same deal with our policymakers. It’s a sad day when we must hope Bush and McCain are lying because otherwise they are implementing war plans on the basis of gross factual errors (or fantasies).

Second, the transformation of the war into “us vs. al Qaeda” leads to the idea that either victory or defeat is possible in Iraq. Neither is possible. That’s because it’s not a Blue/Grey war in the sense that McCain is implying.

Obsidian Wings: The Frankenstein Next Time