Which Way’s Up?

Pointing out inaccuracies with inaccuracies since 2000

When someone refers to soccer as “metric football,” despite the fact that the standard measure in soccer is the yard, then you have to figure there will be some gaps in said person’s ability to reason.

That’s why it’s no surprise that James Taranto was giddy when he thought he perceived a subtle Obama gaffe.  In actuality the “writer” had simply stopped thinking once the predetermined link had been made:

There weren’t a lot of surprises in President Obama’s Afghanistan speech last night, but here’s one: The president quietly repudiated the myth that Iraq has nothing to do with al Qaeda.

He went on to quote Obama’s speech:

Since 9/11, al Qaeda’s safe havens have been the source of attacks against London and Amman and Bali.

The attack in Amman having later been claimed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the Jordanian-born leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq — Jimmy T saw his gotcha moment and whipped up every last ounce of his rhetorical skill to piece together this argument:

Little wonder Obama also said in his speech that “the wrenching debate over the Iraq war is well-known and need not be repeated here.” That’s easier than admitting that he has changed his mind and now regards Iraq as having been an al Qaeda safe haven and source of international terrorism.

What seems to be a colossal lapse in memory for someone who is paid to follow the news is that Obama never asserted that there was no al Qaeda in Iraq.  In fact, during the Democratic nomination battle he was caught in a war of words with McCain over this very topic, asserting:

Well first of all, I do know that al Qaeda is in Iraq. That’s why I’ve said we should continue to strike al Qaeda targets. But I have some news for John McCain, and that is that there was no such thing as al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq.

The attacks in Amman happened in 2005, as Jimmy T states in his post.  My dear James that’s 2 years after Bush invaded Iraq.  Little wonder that Jimmy T pokes holes in other’s opposition to the Iraq War.  That’s easier than admitting that you were duped by man who chokes on pretzels.

Which Way's Up? Obama, Out of Context, Politics

Fight the Power!

The outspoken critic of Republican foot-dragging and quick-witted Democratic Congressman from Florida’s 8th District that famously boiled down the Republican health care plan to, “don’t get sick, and if you do get sick…die quickly,” is now upping the emotion ante once again with his new website, Names of the Dead:

Every year, more than 44,000 Americans die simply because have no health insurance.

I have created this project in their memory. I hope that honoring them will help us end this senseless loss of American lives. If you have lost a loved one, please share the story of that loved one with us. Help us ensure that their legacy is a more just America, where every life that can be saved will be saved.

More than anything, the left loves this guy, because there is finally someone who can bring together moral outrage with effective, headline-grabbing sound bites creating a me-against-the-world feeling that Americans can get enough of (see Glenn Beck).  Finally, a self-important, morality policeman fighting for good!

Which Way's Up? Politics

The private lives of public figures, whether actors, politicians, or even hot-shot lawyers, used to by off-limits for journalists.  An understanding existed between the media and those whom they reported on that what happened off the job was nobody’s business.  This vow of silence protected both philanderers and homosexuals in the public eye from any fear of exposure.  This vow of silence kept both JFK and Liberace free of talk show confessions and public apologies.

The picture of persistent bachelor.

However, as the public got a thirst for sexual scandal and politicians used a growing wave of “family values” sentiments to lift them into high office, this previously off-limits part of public figures lives became the amusement park of both tabloid journalists and moral pontificators.  Celebrities fell under the microscope as sexual escapades and drug binges became coffee table reading for the general public.  As “alternative lifestyles” became more prevalent in pop culture, social conservatives joined forces with the Republican party in the 1980s as the perceived “poverty of values” became a staple of stump speeches.  These sentiments reached their pinnacle in the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal as social conservatives grandstanded against this moral decline in society until their hand-picked candidate took back the White House.  But even in a climate where heterosexual sexcapades of politicians were back in-bounds for journalistic inquiry, rumored homosexuality stayed off-limits.

As moral outrage became the order of the day, the notion that gay rights was the counterpoint to social conservatism grew in prominence.  In Kirby Dick’s new documentary Outrage this backlash is put against the backdrop of closeted politicians who have  voted consistently against any extension of gay rights.  ”The lady doth protest too much” becomes the thesis of the film as it chronicles the efforts of BlogActive’s Mike Rogers’ crusade to “out” hypocritical politicians.  The most enduring statement the film makes is that anti-gay agendas become the “evidence” that rumored homosexual politicians use to “prove” that they are in fact straight.  In much the same way in which children struggling with their sexual identity become the loudest homophobes in the schoolyard — a topic addressed in a story by David Sedaris from an episode of This American Life entitled “The Cruelty of Children.”  The depth of this self-deception is further extrapolated in this brilliant scene from HBO’s  Angels in America, citied in Outrage, in which Roy Cohn, the unabashed right-hand man of McCarthyism explains why he is not a homosexual:

It can be argued that forcing anyone to confront their sexual orientation before they are mentally prepared to do so does more harm than good.  But, would systematic “outings” of hypocritical politicians do more to advance the gay rights movement than anything done to this point?  Kirby Dick obviously believes it would.

OUTRAGE: Movie Trailer - Click here for more free videos

Which Way's Up? Politics gay rights, Politics, Republicans, TV last night

The Senate Finance Committee’s health care bill was passed today by a 14-9 margin, with Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) voicing the sole “aye” for the Republicans.

With today's vote, we are almost to this stage of the health care sausage

The vote represents clearance of another massive hurdle for health care reform, marking the furtherest such a bill has ever advanced through the legislative process.  All that remains to be done is (deep breath) . . . reconcile the Senate Finance and Health Committee’s bills, debate and vote on the new pieced together Franken-bill in the full Senate, meanwhile the House will debate and vote on its own bill which is still to be reconciled from the House Ways & Means, Energy & Commerce, and Education & Labor Committees — if both reconciled bills pass both houses of Congress then the closed door deliberation of the Conference Committee can begin.  Here influential leaders from the House and Senate will burn both the Senate and House bill to create a brand-spanking-new “Phoenix Bill” that, if all goes to plan, will rise from the ashes of previous health care bills, brainwashing both houses of Congress just long enough to push through sweeping reform (exhale).  And then, with just a stroke of his pen, President Obama can finally bring universal health care to the U.S. (or more likely a health care bill just toothless enough that no centrist elements can object to it, coupled with a process exhausting enough that suicide would be preferable to opposition for the left-wing of the Democratic Party).

A more easily understood (but less thorough) explanation can be found here.

What’s interesting is not that the bill has gone this far (it would have even without any Republican support), nor that Republicans by-and-large oppose it (denying Obama legislative victories is the crux of the opposition’s strategy to take back Congress).  What’s interesting is this from CNN:

To get a bill passed, Reid could implement a legislative option known as reconciliation, which would mean 50 votes would be needed instead of 60. However, Republicans have promised a “minor revolution,” in the words of GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, if Democrats resort to that rarely used tactic.

It does sound quite unfair of the pushy Democrats to evoke an arcane legislative process to bring unwanted, unneeded and unpopular change to the health care system.  I mean the last time this process was used was way back in  . . . 2007.  Hmm, well that must be an anomaly, the time before that was . . . 2005.  I see.

Since the creation of the reconciliation process in 1974, it has been used 23 times.  That’s an average of more than once every other year.  If we go ahead an take out the first six years before Congress broke its reconciliation cherry, that average bumps up to nearly four out of every five years.  Including a stretch of eight straight years from 1980 to 1988.

A smudged photo of the elusive, rarely used Senate Christmas tree.

So perhaps “rarely used” is not as informative as intended.  Can we agree on “regularly invoked” or “about ∏ times every presidential term.”   Either way works for me.

Which Way's Up? Politics CNN, Health care, Politics, reconciliation, the media

“The Great Depression, like most other periods of severe unemployment, was produced by government mismanagement rather than by any inherent instability of the private economy.”

Milton Friedman quote

Which Way's Up? Out of Context, Politics marijuana, Milton Friedman, Republicans

Hungry? Disease ridden? Too much genocide? F@#K You! Don't use condoms!

Pope Benedict has been in a lot of hot water.  First he admits holocaust deniers back into the church, then he instructs a continent suffering from unspeakable horrors (genocide, famine, indiscriminate violence and AIDS) that those condoms the UN and the Red Cross are giving out, will only make AIDS worse.  

The pope is a figure head to most and God’s word on earth to others.  In both roles he has failed miserable.  

The figure head’s role is reserved for ribbon cutting and rubber stamping what has already been decided by experts in the field - in this case the UN and international Red Cross.  A figure head does not directly contradict policy.  That’s the role of an asshole.

In the role of God’s word on earth, he has fallen into the trap than any of us know what God has in store.  I realize that it is the work of the religious-evangelical establishment to staunchly assert what can’t possibly be known.  But in doing so they do more harm than good.  By ascribing black and white religious value statements to topic that are very much grey all over, they mobilize a crowd that could not possibly understand the nuances of any given situation into action.  

Try explaining to an angry mob that when you entered the line you thought that multiple items of the same kind counted only once in the ten items or less line.  Now switch that petty argument for a religious one and not only is the mob angry convinced that God called on them to punish you for having 12 items in the ten item or less line, but it is a sin against God to deny him his justice for your two extra items. 

The pope is a man that who holds more sway over more people that anyone since Gahndi, but instead of talking about peace and love and treating other people as you would like to be treated (some Jesus guy spoke at great length about that stuff), he’s preaching to folks without running water that condoms are bad for them.  Are you fucking insane?  

Jesus never spoke about condoms!  Not once!  In fact holy men of his day would usually traveled with a harem of women.  You think Jesus was abstaining?  Let’s see what the bible says about condoms.

According to this “reliable” source there is absolutely nothing wrong with condoms.  In fact the bible specifies times at which husband and wife can take a break from their Christian duties of baby making including to fast and pray.  

But what’s most dangerous is analyzing historical documents without regard for the historical context in which they were written.  In this case the Old Testament was written at a time that populations dictated power.  You can’t conquer a neighboring nation with insufficient numbers.  You can’t impose beneficial trade agreements without the men to back it up.  And you certainly can’t honor your God appropriately with only a few people.  So yes, the Bible suggest that everyone go out RIGHT NOW and have a bunch of babies.  Oh course it does.

But we live in a time when nearly 18 percent of children in the U.S. live in poverty.  

And that’s the industrialized world!  

So let’s figure out a way that proven ways of preventing disease aren’t against your religion!

Pope meet science.  You two need to sit down and figure shit out.  Because this isn’t helping anyone.

Which Way's Up? Religion and Science Religion, Science, The Pope

Nicholas D. Kristof investigates experts: 

You are all blithering idiots that couldn’t form your own opinion to save your life and the folks you rely on to make opinions for you are  ”the equivalent of a chimpanzee throwing darts at a board.” 

Turns out people firm in their conviction are right less often that those with more pliable world-view.  Oh and loud-mouthed pompous asses score the worst.  Still these are the people we are innately draw to believe.  God really screwed us on that one. 

Have fun idiots! Kristof OUT!

Oh wait, I mean hold us accountable, except for that whole anthrax libel thing.  Oh you don’t remember that I ruined a man’s life by falsely accusing him of being a suspect in the anthrax attacks?  Me neither!  Carry on.

Which Way's Up? Politics Economic Meltdown, Nicholas D. Kristof, Politics, Stupid

They missed Nevada, Wyoming, Delaware . . .

It seems that the banking laws in offshore tax havens are a little too strict for some in the U.S.   Apparently you have to give your name.  But that can all be taken care of with a simply romp to  . . . .Wyoming?  That’s right.  In Wyoming you can start a shell business anonymously and start a bank account for that business, also anonymously.  From the Economist article:

For shady clients, this is a far better proposition: what their bankers do not know, they can never be forced to reveal.

Ah yes.  Well if there’s a market for such things someone should make money off of it right?  The free market at work.

Nowhere is this more prevalent than in America. Take Nevada, for example. Its official website touts its “limited reporting and disclosure requirements” and a speedy one-hour incorporation service. Nevada does not ask for the names of company shareholders, nor does it routinely share the little information it has with the federal government.

There is demand for this ask-no-questions approach. The state, with a population of only 2.6m, incorporates about 80,000 new firms a year and now has more than 400,000, roughly one for every six people. A study by the Internal Revenue Service found that 50-90% of those registering companies were already in breach of federal tax laws elsewhere.

So all this time our shady citizens were taking their money to Switzerland, while the Swiss’ shady citizens were coming back to America.  

A money-laundering threat assessment in 2005 by the federal government found that corporate anonymity offered by Delaware, Nevada and Wyoming rivalled that of familiar offshore financial centres. For foreigners, America is a particularly attractive place to stash cash, because it does not tax the interest income they earn. Thus with both anonymity and no taxation, America offers them all the elements of a tax haven.

It seems the Caymans were just a slight of hand from the rich, and Obama fell for it.

On the campaign trail, Obama several times cited a single building in the Cayman Islands called Ugland House which notionally houses 12,000 corporations. He said: “That’s either the biggest building or the biggest tax scam on record.”

What about the 400,000 corporations in Nevada?  The 1-in-6 ratio?  That’s either the most CEO infested state in the Union or its the biggest tax scam in history.

Which Way's Up? Obama, Politics Corruption, Obama, Politics, risk-free investments, taxes

The Dalai Lama’s message of peace and reconciliation will not be heard this year at a peace conference for Nobel laureates in South Africa.  It seems that “the Lama’s” presence distracts from the whole issue at hand - the 2010 World Cup.  From the BBC article:

The visa had been declined because the Dalai Lama’s presence “would not be in the best interests of South Africa at this time”, he said.

The government spokesman told Reuters news agency that the presence of the Dalai Lama risked distracting attention from the World Cup.

Mr Mandela’s grandson, one of the conference organisers, expressed his disappointment at its cancellation.

It’s funny that everyone is outraged and embarrassed, but still China pulls the strings from behind the scenery.  Was there ever a more polite and secretive super-power?  Never taking full credit for its authority.  China keeps it’s people the hell out of the papers and let’s your people feel ashamed and embarrassed.  

I welcome our new benevolent overlords!

Which Way's Up? Politics 2010 World Cup, China, Dalai Lama, Peace, Politics, Soccer, South Africa

"I depart, but my stain shall always remain"

Rod Blagojevich ranted live on-air for several hours in an attempt to reach the last few people in Illinois to let them know just how innocent he is.

A couple in Orland Park who had been hiding out in a bomb shelter since the end of the Cold War, finally decided it was safe to come above ground.  Hearing Blago on the radio, the Orland Park couple has been quoted as saying, “This Rod Blagnovic guy seems like a stand-up citizen.  He really needs to run for public office.”

Greg Hinz details the self-serving rant, and how much more bearable it it coming from a radio host, that from a governor.  

And Blago still thinks he’s a politician.  It’s sad really.

Which Way's Up? Politics Blago, Corruption, Politics, ridiculous