27 December 2005

Fear destroys what bin Laden could not

AFTER 9/11

ROBERT STEINBACK
rsteinback@MiamiHerald.com

One wonders if Osama bin Laden didn't win after all. He ruined the America that existed on 9/11. But he had help.

If, back in 2001, anyone had told me that four years after bin Laden's attack our president would admit that he broke U.S. law against domestic spying and ignored the Constitution -- and then expect the American people to congratulate him for it -- I would have presumed the girders of our very Republic had crumbled.

Had anyone said our president would invade a country and kill 30,000 of its people claiming a threat that never, in fact, existed, then admit he would have invaded even if he had known there was no threat -- and expect America to be pleased by this -- I would have thought our nation's sensibilities and honor had been eviscerated.

If I had been informed that our nation's leaders would embrace torture as a legitimate tool of warfare, hold prisoners for years without charges and operate secret prisons overseas -- and call such procedures necessary for the nation's security -- I would have laughed at the folly of protecting human rights by destroying them.

If someone had predicted the president's staff would out a CIA agent as revenge against a critic, defy a law against domestic propaganda by bankrolling supposedly independent journalists and commentators, and ridicule a 37-year Marie Corps veteran for questioning U.S. military policy -- and that the populace would be more interested in whether Angelina is about to make Brad a daddy -- I would have called the prediction an absurd fantasy.

That's no America I know, I would have argued. We're too strong, and we've been through too much, to be led down such a twisted path.

What is there to say now?

All of these things have happened. And yet a large portion of this country appears more concerned that saying ''Happy Holidays'' could be a disguised attack on Christianity.

I evidently have a lot poorer insight regarding America's character than I once believed, because I would have expected such actions to provoke -- speaking metaphorically now -- mobs with pitchforks and torches at the White House gate. I would have expected proud defiance of anyone who would suggest that a mere terrorist threat could send this country into spasms of despair and fright so profound that we'd follow a leader who considers the law a nuisance and perfidy a privilege.

Never would I have expected this nation -- which emerged stronger from a civil war and a civil rights movement, won two world wars, endured the Depression, recovered from a disastrous campaign in Southeast Asia and still managed to lead the world in the principles of liberty -- would cower behind anyone just for promising to ``protect us.''

President Bush recently confirmed that he has authorized wiretaps against U.S. citizens on at least 30 occasions and said he'll continue doing it. His justification? He, as president -- or is that king? -- has a right to disregard any law, constitutional tenet or congressional mandate to protect the American people.

Is that America's highest goal -- preventing another terrorist attack? Are there no principles of law and liberty more important than this? Who would have remembered Patrick Henry had he written, ``What's wrong with giving up a little liberty if it protects me from death?''

Bush would have us excuse his administration's excesses in deference to the ''war on terror'' -- a war, it should be pointed out, that can never end. Terrorism is a tactic, an eventuality, not an opposition army or rogue nation. If we caught every person guilty of a terrorist act, we still wouldn't know where tomorrow's first-time terrorist will strike. Fighting terrorism is a bit like fighting infection -- even when it's beaten, you must continue the fight or it will strike again.

Are we agreeing, then, to give the king unfettered privilege to defy the law forever? It's time for every member of Congress to weigh in: Do they believe the president is above the law, or bound by it?

Bush stokes our fears, implying that the only alternative to doing things his extralegal way is to sit by fitfully waiting for terrorists to harm us. We are neither weak nor helpless. A proud, confident republic can hunt down its enemies without trampling legitimate human and constitutional rights.

Ultimately, our best defense against attack -- any attack, of any sort -- is holding fast and fearlessly to the ideals upon which this nation was built. Bush clearly doesn't understand or respect that. Do we?
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Well said Mr. Steinback.

20 December 2005

Study: There’s more than H2O in tap water - Austin?

A survey by the Environmental Working Group released on Tuesday found 141 unregulated chemicals and an additional 119 for which the Environmental Protection Agency has set health-based limits. Most common among the chemicals found were disinfection byproducts, nitrates, chloroform, barium, arsenic and copper.

The top 10 states, listed in order of the most contaminants in their drinking water, were: California, Wisconsin, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Illinois, according to EWG, which listed the biggest sources as agriculture, industry and urban and sprawl developments.
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Anyone know where to find out information on Austin?

17 December 2005

Buenos Aires Cafe in Austin!

Hey, My wife is the manager of a newly opened cafe in Austin focused on the cuisine of Argentina and the atmosphere of Buenos Aires, it's largest city.

I encourage you all to take a breakfast, lunch or dinner here, it's a great experience. From fresh-baked pastries to Argentine-style empanadas and other specialties, the cafe is a small taste of Buenos Aires... I spent 3 months there this year, and it's a great little reflection of that amazing city. Yes, I am a little biased, but when you taste a fresh dulce de leche crossiant, or a spicy empanada, you'll know I was right... 8-)

It's owned and managed by some wonderful Argentine women, so it's authentic and not some McDonald's-owned chain restraunt... you'll get personal service and get to explore Argentine newspapers and pictures of the famous tango bars in Buenos Aires...
Ask for a Mate Cocido, and relax in a small slice of an amazing European-flavored South American City!

I'll see you there!

The Buenos Aires Cafe
info@BuenosAiresCafe.com -- 512-441-9000
2414 South 1st Street at Oltorf, Austin, TX
Open Monday to Saturday from 8:00 am to 9:30 pm.

16 December 2005

WOW!!!

Guaranteed to make you feel lazy.
An amazing "urban gymnastics" video... you know the guys running on rooftops, bouncing off walls... literally! There are a few boring moments as the video starts, but stay thru them, as it's worth it. It's like those moves Jackie Chan does in his movies, but just down the street... amazing stuff.

Those russians take the capoeira gymnastics like those I taped in Buenos Aires to the next level.
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Election Results "Cartogram" Maps
Now this is facinating, 1. from a political perspective, 2. from an information design perspective... (my field).

The common US red vs blue election map gives the superficial impression that the "red states" dominate the country, since they cover far more area than the blue ones. However, as pointed out by many others, this is misleading because it fails to take into account the fact that most of the red states have small populations, whereas most of the blue states have large ones. The blue may be small in area, but they are large in terms of numbers of people, which is what matters in an election.

We can correct for this by making use of a cartogram, a map in which the sizes of states have been rescaled according to their population.

15 December 2005

A few links...

An amusing look at the smiley icons 8-) that Japanese use...

And an amusing article from Scott Adams...from the Dilbert Blog:

Intelligence is Overrated

With all the debate about Intelligent Design, I started to wonder if intelligence is overrated. In particular, are intelligent people happier than unintelligent people?

If you were to rank the following two hypothetical individuals by happiness, what order would you put them in?

1. Bob the dentist

2. Snowflake the dog

Dentists are generally pretty smart and they have the highest suicide rate of any profession. In stark contrast, dogs are goofy and they always look happy. You almost never hear about a dog trying to shoot himself.

I know you want me to make a joke along the lines of “Dentists would be happy too if they could lick themselves.” But this is a serious discussion and I won’t have it. Plus that’s why dentists have office assistants.
(*^_^*) heheh!