Politics

Politically, I’m very liberal — about as far left as one can go without sliding into Libertarianism.

White Foragers Report Threat Of Black Looters

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From The Onion:

NEW ORLEANS—Throughout the Gulf Coast, Caucasian suburbanites attempting to gather food and drink in the shattered wreckage of shopping districts have reported seeing African Americans “looting snacks and beer from damaged businesses.” “I was in the abandoned Wal-Mart gathering an air mattress so I could float out the potato chips, beef jerky, and Budweiser I’d managed to find,” said white survivor Lars Wrightson, who had carefully selected foodstuffs whose salt and alcohol content provide protection against contamination. “Then I look up, and I see a whole family of [African-Americans] going straight for the booze. Hell, you could see they had already looted a fortune in diapers.” Radio stations still in operation are advising store owners and white people in the affected areas to locate firearms in sporting-goods stores in order to protect themselves against marauding blacks looting gun shops.

They’re somewhat on-again/off-again, but when the Onion is on, they’re dead on.

Dissonance in Liability

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Ganked this one straight from Daily Kos, via Boing Boing:

WARNING: Severe Cognitive Dissonance Ahead!

Hollywood wins Internet piracy battle
The U.S. Supreme Court rules against file-sharing service Grokster in a closely watched piracy case.

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled [last month] that software companies can be held liable for copyright infringement when individuals use their technology to download songs and movies illegally.

[Hollywood’s] victory [last month]…dealt a big blow to technology companies, which claim that holding them accountable for the illegal downloading of songs, movies, video games and other proprietary products would stifle their ability to develop new products.

“We hold that one who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright, as shown by clear expression or other affirmative steps taken to foster infringement, is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties,” Justice Souter wrote.

Wait for it… wait for it…

Senate Moves to Shield Gun Industry

WASHINGTON – Senate Republicans on Tuesday moved the National Rifle Association’s top priority ahead of a $491 billion defense bill, setting up a vote on legislation to shield firearms manufacturers and dealers from lawsuits over gun crimes.

“The president believes that the manufacturer of a legal product should not be held liable for the criminal misuse of that product by others,” said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. “We look at it from a standpoint of stopping lawsuit abuse.”

The bill would prohibit lawsuits against the firearms industry for damages resulting form the unlawful use of a firearm or ammunition.

[Senator Larry] Craig said such lawsuits are “predatory and aimed at bankrupting the firearms industry,” unfairly blaming dealers and manufacturers for the crimes of gun users.

Got that? If a company makes a product that is inappropriately used to illegally copy a movie, that company is liable. If a company makes a product that is inappropriately used to illegally kill a human, that company is not liable. What’s the common logic holding these disparate concepts together? Massive corporate special interest money. Welcome to your government of the corporations, by the corporations, and for the corporations, where a pirated copy of “Hollywood Homicide” is bigger threat than an actual Hollywood homicide.

This is such a crock. How soon until I can afford to bail from this bass-ackwards country?

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iTunes “No One is Fax Exempt” by Rollins, Henry from the album Think Tank (1998, 19:28).

The IRS is more thorough than I thought…

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Amusing bits from IRS Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income, Other Income:

Bribes. If you receive a bribe, include it in your income.

Found property. If you find and keep property that does not belong to you that has been lost or abandoned (treasure-trove), it is taxable to you at its fair market value in the first year it is your undisputed possession.

Illegal income. Illegal income, such as money from dealing illegal drugs, must be included in your income on Form 1040, line 21, or on Schedule C or Schedule C-EZ (Form 1040) if from your self-employment activity.

Kickbacks. You must include kickbacks, side commissions, push money, or similar payments you receive in your income on Form 1040, line 21, or on Schedule C or Schedule C-EZ (Form 1040) if from your self-employment activity.

Stolen property. If you steal property, you must report its fair market value in your income in the year you steal it unless in the same year, you return it to its rightful owner.

For all those honest criminals out there. ;)

(via Jacqueline)

Love Battle

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Ideologies and slogans are going to be battling it out in the Seattle area next month.

In the (far) right corner: Love Won Out, a “national campaign to treat homosexuality as preventable.”

In the left corner: Love Welcomes All, a counter-conference organized by PFLAG.

A national campaign to treat homosexuality as preventable is coming to the Seattle area for the first time next month — and local activists are ready to respond.

The evangelical Northshore Baptist Church near Bothell has agreed to host the “Love Won Out” conference, presented by author James Dobson’s Focus on the Family group, on June 25.

“The goal is to provide healing for those that want healing in this area of same-sex attraction,” said Glenn Reph, the church’s executive pastor, adding, “It’s not negative. It’s not gay bashing.”

But while claiming not to condemn anyone, Reph said that letting children “choose” homosexuality “would be like letting them choose murder or adultery” because it is “not God’s way of life.”

Do these people even listen to themselves? In one breath they claim that their agenda isn’t negative, and in the next they’re likening homosexuality to adultery and murder.

It’s that kind of message that prompted local chapters of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, or PFLAG, to organize their own conference, “Love Welcomes All,” as a response to “Love Won Out.”

They want to counter the argument that gay people, along with their parents, are to blame for their sexual orientation as if it is a freely made and negative choice.

“There is no evidence to suggest that people can successfully change their homosexual orientation,” said Doug Haldeman, a University of Washington professor and national president of the Association of Practicing Psychiatrists, who will speak at the PFLAG conference July 9.

“There is, however, considerable evidence to suggest that many people are harmed psychologically in the attempt to change their sexual orientation. They feel guilty and shame-ridden.”

As far as I’m concerned, real love doesn’t discriminate, and certainly not on matters of whether you and your partner have indoor or outdoor plumbing.

iTunes “Die In Winter (Haujobb Edit 2)” by :Wumpscut: from the album Born Again (1998, 4:06).

Microsoft reconsiders, supports anti-discrimination laws

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Via Scoble, Ballmer’s e-mail announcing Microsoft’s re-committing to support anti-discrimination legislation covering sexual orientation.

After looking at the question from all sides, I’ve concluded that diversity in the workplace is such an important issue for our business that it should be included in our legislative agenda. Since our beginning nearly 30 years ago, Microsoft has had a strong business interest in recruiting and retaining the best and brightest and most diverse workforce possible. I’m proud of Microsoft’s commitment to non-discrimination in our internal policies and benefits, but our policies can’t cover the range of housing, education, financial and similar services that our people and their partners and families need. Therefore, it’s appropriate for the company to support legislation that will promote and protect diversity in the workplace.

Accordingly, Microsoft will continue to join other leading companies in supporting federal legislation that would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation – adding sexual orientation to the existing law that already covers race, sex, national origin, religion, age and disability. Given the importance of diversity to our business, it is appropriate for the company to endorse legislation that prohibits employment discrimination on all of these grounds. Obviously, the Washington State legislative session has concluded for this year, but if legislation similar to HB 1515 is introduced in future sessions, we will support it.

Good to see.

Update: Here’s the Seattle Times’ story.

Random bits

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Just some of the stuff that’s been catching my eye lately as I try desperately to get caught up in my reading before the weekend hits.

One step forward…

Connecticut on Wednesday became the second state to offer civil unions to gay couples — and the first to do so without being forced by the courts.

About an hour after the state Senate sent her the legislation, Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed into law a bill that will afford same-sex couples in Connecticut many of the rights and privileges of married couples.

“The vote we cast today will reverberate around the country and it will send a wave of hope to many people, to thousands of people across the country,” said Sen. Andrew McDonald, who is gay.

…two steps back.

Step one:

Texas could become the only state to bar gays from becoming foster parents under legislation passed Wednesday by the House.

“It is our responsibility to make sure that we protect our most vulnerable children, and I don’t think we are doing that if we allow a foster parent that is homosexual or bisexual,” said Republican Rep. Robert Talton, who introduced the amendment.

Under the Texas bill, anyone who applies to be a foster parent or a foster parent whose performance is being evaluated must say whether he or she is homosexual or bisexual. Anyone who answers yes would be barred from serving as a foster parent. If the person is already a foster parent, the child would be removed from the home.

Step two:

Republican Alabama lawmaker Gerald Allen says homosexuality is an unacceptable lifestyle. As CBS News Correspondent Mark Strassmann reports, under his bill, public school libraries could no longer buy new copies of plays or books by gay authors, or about gay characters.

“I don’t look at it as censorship,” says State Representative Gerald Allen. “I look at it as protecting the hearts and souls and minds of our children.”

Books by any gay author would have to go: Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote and Gore Vidal. Alice Walker’s novel “The Color Purple” has lesbian characters.

Allen originally wanted to ban even some Shakespeare. After criticism, he narrowed his bill to exempt the classics, although he still can’t define what a classic is.

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MS backing down on gay rights?

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From this week’s The Stranger:

In a move that angered many of the company’s gay employees, the Microsoft Corporation, publicly perceived as the vanguard institution of the new economy, has taken a major political stand in favor of age-old discrimination.

The Stranger has learned that last month the $37-billion Redmond-based software behemoth quietly withdrew its support for House bill 1515, the anti-gay-discrimination bill currently under consideration by the Washington State legislature, after being pressured by the Evangelical Christian pastor of a suburban megachurch. The pastor, Ken Hutcherson of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, met with a senior Microsoft executive in February and threatened to organize a national boycott of the company’s products if it did not change its stance on the legislation, according to gay rights activists and a Microsoft employee who attended a subsequent April 4 meeting where Bradford L. Smith, Microsoft’s senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary, told a group of gay staffers about Hutcherson’s threat.

AMERICAblog comments:

Microsoft Corporation pulled its support for a gay rights bill in Washington state last month after complaints from a single radical right anti-gay leader, according to an article just published in the Seattle paper, The Stranger (the article is on the news stands already, online Thursday).

My sources in Washington state tell me that the vote on the bill, expected in two days (Friday), is SO CLOSE that Microsoft’s actions may be pivotal in KILLING THE PRO-GAY LEGISLATION.

The radical right activist reportedly told Microsoft it had better pull its support for the gays or anti-gay bigots would launch a nationwide boycott of Microsoft, and guess what – Microsoft caved. A single anti-gay jerk, and Microsoft chose to reverse over ten years of policy and bash gays.

This is outrageous. It’s also incredibly dangerous. For over a decade Microsoft, along with hundreds of other corporate leaders, has endorsed gay rights legislation in the states and nationally. And now, suddenly, because ONE ANTI-GAY ACTIVIST COMPLAINED, they’ve suddenly changed their minds ON A CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE. A rather big “oops” after ten years of being in favor of civil rights, don’t you think?

Robert Scoble comments:

I don’t know anything about it, or anything about how Microsoft decides to support political issues, but human rights is very important to me personally and I’m gonna take this up with the leadership of the company and support this cause.

Update: The anti-discrimination bill, which had been passed 61-37 by the House in February, was defeated this afternoon by one vote (via Salon)