Your life will almost certainly be better if you don't hit the "Continue Reading" button below.

I won't say who's sending this kind of crap around the internet, but I'll say this blog has a guy claiming that non-Jews pay a special tax that the Jews know how to avoid (those K for Kosher symbols? really mean "No tax on Jew Food"), which I know is true, because he says it on the Internet.

And coincidentally, Beth has begun a petition campaign for vows not to donate a dime to any Republican Senator who attempts to evade his responsibility by using a "non-binding resolution" to oppose the surge, without actually opposing it, rather than either supporting, truly opposing, or simply remaining silent.

Anyway. That's entirely unrelated to the horrors hidden beneath, which you should avoid just like you should avoid the creepy, noisy preternaturally cold basement in a musty old mansion, but I know you're all going to click on anyway just the same as every douchebag in a horror movie says "Hey, let's see if there are any classic LPs in storage down in the murder-cellar!"
more...

Posted by: Ace at 07:44 PM | Comments (80)
Post contains 191 words, total size 1 kb.

Look, I don't care if you're gay, you're Christian, you're both or you're neither, this right here is straight-up funny shit.

From the Tantallus of Blog Hades.

Is This Real Or A Goof?: I don't know. Does everything have to be analyzed to death?

Seems to be a goof, though. If Andrew Sullivan has gotten "behind him," as Donnie Davies says, it's got to be radioactively gay.

Still -- sometimes it's funny in the Hot Zone.

Posted by: Ace at 05:26 PM | Comments (48)
Post contains 88 words, total size 1 kb.

I posted this hours ago. But it got eaten. I kept looking at the blog wondering, "Didn't I actually post another news story sometime during the day?"

I did, but it got lost in the ether.

Anyway, here's current buzz about this high-voltage case. I think he conducted himself poorly; he's obviously not a well-grounded individual. Should have offered less resistance and just gone with the flow.

Watt's the worst that would have happened?

The UCLA student tasered in the Powell Library when he refused to show his identification to campus police today filed a federal lawsuit alleging that his civil rights were violated and that police acted in a brutal fashion.

In a 16-page lawsuit, Mostafa Tabatabainejad, 23, sued the university, campus police and a half-dozen officers for unspecified monetary damages, claiming they used excessive force and violated the Americans With Disabilities Act in the Nov. 14, 2006 incident.

Part of the confrontation was captured on video by a student using a cellphone and broadcast around the world, sparking widespread debate and protest.

Tabatabainejad was repeatedly stunned with a Taser after he refused to show his student ID card to a security guard. Authorities said the student wouldn't leave Powell Library, went limp and asked others to join his resistance.

Paul Hoffman, an attorney for the UCLA senior, said the ultimate goal of the lawsuit is to force fundamental changes in campus police culture.

"What everyone saw on videotape demonstrates that the UCLA police department lacks the professionalism that parents of UCLA students expect from a public institution," Hoffman said. "The larger goal of the suit is to change the way UCLA police behave and treat people on campus, their discipline and their training."

The suit noted that Tabatabainejad suffered from bipolar disorder but the officers' lack of training meant they treated him with "brutality instead of sensitivity," Hoffman said.

Really? That caterwauling conniption-junkie is bipolar? AC/DC? Should have figured he had some bad wiring that might scramble his circuits and blow a fuse.

If I were on the jury, I'd find in his favor -- the cops did use unncessary force in a situation that simply wasn't dangerous nor spiralling towards dangerous.

And what would I award him? Why, One Big Tall Glass of Water, because I'm sure he's pretty dehydrated after all that crying.

Thanks to Jack Straw.

Mourning Becomes Electric: The old clip (language, tasering warning).

Just to be clear, I think the cops did wrong here.

But if this was wrong, it's my kind of wrong.

The kid was bipolar. Maybe the cops were trying to help him with some novel, improvised epidermal shock therapy?

Just saying.

Posted by: Ace at 04:12 PM | Comments (51)
Post contains 458 words, total size 3 kb.

There's only one guy cool enough to exterminate the Crimson Cockroach.

(Language, violence warning.)

Thanks to See-Dub. That was better than sex.

Posted by: Ace at 04:01 PM | Comments (29)
Post contains 38 words, total size 1 kb.

Mr. Dark Knight Returns weighs in near the end of this clip, which, of course, could not possibly have been recorded without Ana Marie Cox showing up to offer her funny, hip, irreverent take on it all. (Can we just get this chick on Best Week Ever already?)

I haven't listened yet, but apparently he says Americans are whiny and unserious, and about where Rome was right before the fall.

Update: Frank Miller comes on at 30:45. He's pretty good. Says that he worries more about the homefront than the war itself, also knocks education for teaching kids to believe "all cultures are equal," which is plainly bullshit. Then says "Let's talk about the enemy," and tears into them.

I'll add in all the links of other people's takes as I have the time. Apparently the speech was better than I had expected. Not sure that matters much. I think Rich Lowry pegs it here:

Hate to say it, it doesn't matter whether the speech was so-so or fantastic at this point. No one will listen to Bush again until there are signs of progress in Iraq. That means that there is only one man who can make the case for Iraq, and thus by extension the Bush presidency, and his name is Dave Petraeus.

More Miller: On 9/11:

After never fully believing in patriotism and the U.S. flag, Miller discusses how the events of 9/11 shaped his newfound belief in patriotism and the flag. In discussing 9/11, Miller says, “I draw and write comic books. One thing my job involves is making up bad guys. Imagining human villainy in all its forms. Now the real thing had showed up. The real thing murdered my neighbors. In my city. In my country.” Miller adds, “Patriotism, I now believe, isn’t some sentimental, old, conceit. It’s self-preservation. I believe patriotism is central to a nation’s survival.”

That's a point that isn't made enough -- patriotism isn't just flag-waving or love of country. It's essentially a self-defense social compact -- you look out for me, I'll look out for you, together we'll look out for each other. Some people reject that social compact, believing it's more moral for them to evaluate situations on a case-by-case basis before committing themselves to a spirit of joint defense -- they'll make certain they believe in the morality of a specific instance of self-defense before upholding their end of the compact.

Which means it's not a compact at all.

I just wish that people who thought like that would sign a legal document with the state specifically repudiating that compact -- so that Coast Guardsmen and mountain rescue teams could check to see if their names are on the list of the Not Quite Willing To Commit To The Defense Of Their Fellow Americans before bothering to put their lives in danger to save them.

You really shouldn't be allowed to be free-riders on the social compact that binds most of us if you're actually still dickering over terms.

And of course Miller is doing "Holy Terror, Batman," a graphic novel where Batman goes after Al Qaeda. May sound a little dorky or off-toned, but Superman and Batman fought the Nazis in WWII, right? A different time, and maybe one we should get back to.

During his WonderCon panel, Frank Miller discussed his next graphic novel. Once again, Miller returns to the world of the Batman, this time with Holy Terror, Batman!. Though the title plays with Robin's classic catchphrase, the book deals with a serious subject. Gotham has been attacked by Al Qaeda and Batman sets out to defend the city he loves. The book, which Miller has inked through 120 pages, is expected to run roughly 200 pages total.

Miller proudly announced the title of his next Batman book, which he will write, draw and ink. Holy Terror, Batman! is no joke. And Miller doesn't hold back on the true purpose of the book, calling it "a piece of propoganda," where 'Batman kicks al Qaeda's ass."

The reason for this work, Miller said, was "an explosion from my gut reaction of what's happening now." He can't stand entertainers who lack the moxie of their '40s counterparts who stood up to Hitler. Holy Terror is "a reminder to people who seem to have forgotten who we're up against."

It's been a long time since heroes were used in comics as pure propaganda. As Miller reminded, "Superman punched out Hitler. So did Captain America. That's one of the things they're there for."

"These are our folk heroes," Miller said. "It just seems silly to chase around the Riddler when you've got Al Qaeda out there."

It's nice to find out that someone you're a fan of is not a complete and utter dickbag. It doesn't happen often, but when it does -- nice.

Posted by: Ace at 03:48 PM | Comments (20)
Post contains 822 words, total size 5 kb.

The set-up: Horatio Caine finds out there's a bomb, yet again, in one of CSI's eight million SUVs. Of course "H" can't just do the normal, non-retardedly heroic thing, like just getting the hell out of the way of the car and clearing the area, or just driving it to a nearby empty area like a parking lot.

And of course the bomb squad can't be called in -- it's just too dangerous and there's just not enough time -- so El Caruso insists on driving the ticking-timebomb car over highways all the way outside the city to get it to the beach.

Did I mention there's a bomb ticking away in the car? I don't even think he knew exactly when it would go off.

No police escort, either -- he can't subject other cops to the risks he's got to take himself.

Sure, if he had just cleared the area, no one would have died, except for maybe a few birds. But this is Miama, feller, and not even a sparrow dies on Horatio Caine's watch.

Pay particular attention to how he dramatically takes off his sunglasses before the bomb goes off, just so he can dramitcally put them back on after it does.

And of course the exit-line. Priceless.

Longer Clip: With the set-up, after the jump. Contains one bonus Caruso-cocksucker moment. more...

Posted by: Ace at 02:17 PM | Comments (70)
Post contains 372 words, total size 3 kb.

...and some minor special effects.

Posted by: Ace at 01:01 PM | Comments (20)
Post contains 15 words, total size 1 kb.

The background/take on the ad here.

The actual ad. Orville Reddenbacher: Re-Animator.

Creepy. Just what you want the public associating your product with -- pants-soiling terror and the cold embrace of the funeral mound.

Thanks to Pablo Honey, and Ken Wheaton, who'll be on CNBC's On The Money tonight (7-8 pm Eastern) to discuss putting a bullet through the head of this abomination and burning its body so that it can never rise from the grave again.

Posted by: Ace at 12:48 PM | Comments (59)
Post contains 101 words, total size 1 kb.

Also pro-Israel. And also quite definitely anti-terror, and anti-Jimmy Carter. (NPR audio link; long hour-plus running time.

Who would have guessed that I would have ended up being a fan of this guy?

There's a funny story about Derschowitz, recounted in some screenwriting book by the scripter of Reversal of Fortune. Basically, the original script attempted to convey Alan Derschowitz's actual flaws. Vanity, self-righteousness, smugness.

Oh, he was obviously still the good and righteous hero, but heroes have flaws, and the script included somewhat-softened versions of Derschowitz's.

Derschowitz was very displeased about these flaws being attributed to him. That's not me at all!, he objected.

So the screenwriter thought, "Oh, okay, I can understand why the guy is defensive. After all, this is a movie about him. This is how the world, pretty much, will know him." So he made up flaws that Derschowitz did not have.

And now Derschowitz was greatly exercised. Why now you're just flat-out making stuff up about me! What is your problem?!

So the screenwriter had a problem: He couldn't give Derschowitz the flaws he had, he couldn't give him flaws he didn't have. So, Derschowitz's "flaws" in the movie are, basically, caring too much about a couple of black criminals he was defending in high profile case.

I think Ron Silver, who played him, "got it," though, and conveyed Derschowitz' s vanity and self-righteousness even if it wasn't actually on the pages of the script.

And who would have thought I would have ended up liking Ron Silver, too?

Anyway, worth listening to. Blasts Carter for basically congratulating Palestinians on their rejectivist, no-compromises, terrorism-engendering stance.

Out and Proud Bush-Hater Johnathan Chait Calls Wesley Clark An Anti-Semite: Well, close enough. Democratic loyalties trump all others, of course. So it's a softened charge. But still there:

When we asked him what made him so sure the Bush administration was headed in this direction, he replied: "You just have to read what's in the Israeli press. The Jewish community is divided but there is so much pressure being channeled from the New York money people to the office seekers."

Again, the context here may be muddled, but it seems that Clark is saying he's sure the United States is going to bomb Iran because rich Jews are pushing for it. I don't think it's anti-Semitic to say that the pro-Israel lobby has considerable influence in American politics, and could flex its muscle on issues like foreign aid to Israel, just as the pharmaceutical lobby can heavily influence health care legislation or the gun lobby can squelch gun control. But to suggest that a tiny clique of Jewish financiers can by themselves force the American government to go to war goes well beyond any hard-headed analysis of Jewish political power. It assumes that small numbers of wealthy Jews essentially control the government.

....Arguing that you can be sure the administration is going to start a war solely because rich Jews are pushing for it strays well beyond recognizing the influence of the pro-Israel lobby and into the realm of conspiratorial anti-Semitism.

Look, the Democratic Party is, like certain political movements before it, simultaneously elitist, populist, and demagogic. And blaming the Jews has always been a hearty seasoning in that stew of disagreeing ingredients; it makes the whole meal come together.

Posted by: Ace at 12:07 PM | Comments (36)
Post contains 572 words, total size 4 kb.

One guy recognized the smell of cordite, id'd the likely culprit, and "gave chase" as the Brits say.

There is some hope.

Posted by: Ace at 10:44 AM | Comments (8)
Post contains 30 words, total size 1 kb.