...let the motherfucker burn.

The electoral college needs to go. It's served its originally intended purpose of the enhancing the stature of the smaller states, while not neutering the big ones. Along with it, or to start, state party autonomy for primaries is outmoded and has the effect of disenfranchising various groups of the population (see Florida and Michigan Democratic primaries). Federal standards, rules and regulations of all types make demands in other national elections--put some good ones into practice at the federal electoral level as well. For example, all voting must take place either on a weekend day or a national holiday must be enforced so that all people, including the majority of working people will have not only the opportunity but the ease of means to encourage and facilitate the highest possible turn out.

Do I really need to explain this one?

Nah.

What's the difference between the police and the militia in Basra?

Not much, if anything, according to the Times. If you'd like a probable picture of what Iraq, or parts of it anyway, would look like if the pull-outs continue, look to the oil-rich, non-sectarian, and relatively stable southern port-city of Basra. After giving up control about six months ago, the British now sit, waiting on the outskirts of a major player, second only to Baghdad, in Iraq's chances for a future without the hand-holding of outsiders, while murders and kidnappings continue to ratchet up.



My personal fave: "One especially disturbing trend is the slaying of at least 100 women in the last year, according to the police. The Iraqi authorities have blamed Shiite militiamen for many of those killing, saying the militants had probably deemed the women to be impious." Oh, and don't forget the "doctors, teachers, and other professionals," that are simply just too Western for these "holy" men. Hmm, visions of the Taliban or the Cultural Revolution dancing in anyones head?

Unfortunately, the lack of sectarian division in the predominantly Shiite population does not a cradle of civilization make.

Can I get an Amen?

"We get excited for the lord."

Indeed. The above was the explanation by a pastor for the rocking out of his Sunday morning service. And when I say rocking out I mean full on drums, keys, and singing. Did I mention the pastor is also the super of my building? Or that his church is beneath my apartment? Specifically, the drums are just below my bedroom. Sweet.

For those that know my views on such ecclesiastical matters, the irony is just too delicious.

Thank god Sunday only comes once a week.

From Russia with love.

Leave it to Russia to come in after the worst of the Iraq debacle, make nice with the current administration, and thus become inexorably tied to the infrastructure in the eventually stable, by current standards anyway, country.

Forgiving billions of Saddam's past military expenditures (why the "new" Iraq would be held accountable is beyond me), Russia now stands poised, via their state controlled petroleum giant, Lukoil, to cash in on the "liberation" of Iraq's vast oil reserves.

But wait, wasn't that part of the, albeit unsaid, deal for the U.S.? Weren't we--oops, I mean American oil companies--supposed to reap the benefits of the new "open" market in Iraq? (At least that's what a good deal of the oh so artistic signs at every anti-war rally have suggested; i.e., "No Blood for Oil" and "Lick my Bush"...OK, maybe not the latter.) We footed the bill and now comrade Putin, after being against America's involvement in Iraq every step of the way, comes in to lock up yet another country in the regions oil game.

Well played, Putin, well played.

Diamonds are for suckers.

Are you a sucker?

One of the first good examples of the unique and innovative power of adversing on early consumerism, specifically the ability of media to influence valuation of intrinsically unvalued items, the diamond industry created a niche within an already established market of pretty stones by creating, maintaining, and selling a myth. A segment of commerce itself a brand. Sale by selling. Winning hearts&minds.

Does the Patriot's loss mean the end of American hegemony?

As for the football, I do enjoy watching, But to me it does seem a bit odd for some to be so emotionally dependent upon the outcome sports event. The extreme joy or sadness seem a bit silly. Then I remind myself: well, what else would people care about so vehemently if not sports, or tv, or celebrity of some sort? Would people start caring/thinking about more "important" (to us intellectuals) things? Would that make things better? Probably not.

Interestingly, I've known many "crazy" sports folks who otherwise are quite smart and informed people. Yet, if their team looses, it can ruin there whole week. A question a few of my friends and I have had over the years in response to such things (I'm sure we're not the only ones to think it): How many women get physically, or at least mentally, abused due to a loosing sports event?

I would say part of the whole thing has to do with the gambling aspect, which seems pretty endemic within sports. I find people, myself included, like to feel like an authority on something, anything in their lives. Just listen to sporting conversation. Besides creating a context for dialogue for various types of folks (a positive effect, especially here in NYC), mostly sports talk revolves around projecting future outcomes or rehashing previous events, hence the phrases "Monday morning quarterbacking." Gambling is a way to prove the validity of one's forecast, as well as accentuate the thrill (or misery) of the outcome. Of course, this ties into the most commonly noted and felt aspect of "fandom" (fan, short for fanatic), which is the enmeshing of ones life with something outside ourselves. Past ( as nostalgia), present (as victors or vanquished), and future (as retaining glory or struggling for it); for many, as with human relationships with dogs (I'll leave this for another time), the we-feeling of the group, family, etc. is not only necessary to function but has a centripetal affect on potential sociopathic behavior. Yes, despite the negative in the abuse of a spouse, I believe better one in the home than many in the mall...or at the Super Bowl.

It's 10 o'clock, do you know where your children are? (or: Out with the old and in with the new.)

Top three stories of the local Fox news broadcast:

A man in a small town Missouri council meeting went on a shooting rampage killing 6 people, including two police officers. The "blood bath" included the wounding of the mayor and several others.

According to the FBI, a lone white male is in custody for apparently getting within in visual range of the Super Bowl Sunday with the intent of going on a killing spree. He was found with a gun and about 200 rounds of ammunition.

Prosecutors for New York's southern district announced the roundup and indictment of several dozen members of the Gambino crime family. Captured were the top three of the organization: the boss, his consiglieri and top capo. As well, members in Italy were also rounded up in connection with cross Atlantic drug trafficking.

Now, you tell me: they're called "organized crime" for a reason, no? Which do you prefer?

Best name of a witness to a mall stabbing, ever. (or: "Happiness Is a Wam Gun.")

Irina Slutsky. Sorry Rus/Ukraine-philes, but it's good one.

Apparently, she was doing her part for the economy a few years back at the more up-scale indoor mall, near to where I grew up, when a knife wielding black woman started stabbing rich (presumed) white women. Can anyone say relative deprivation? I suggest we deal with the increasing wealth asymmetry before no white woman is safe to stroll the climate-controlled halls of capitalism.

Don't remember how I found this, but the story was posted on a pro-gun discussion board. Like with any violent attack that makes headlines, NRA folks feel the need remind us that if only helpless Ms. Slutsky had been packing, at least some of the carnage would've been avoided. Poor Irina, she'll never be able to lie awake at night with the warm, cozy feeling that she killed (or maybe just wounded) a, most likely, mentally disturbed individual. Damn you MD liberals!

George of the Jungle

Don't ask why. According to Smithsonian's Human Origins Program, and after checking a few other places, the consensus seems to be that the first woman, the mother of us all lived a little less than 200,000 years ago, in Africa. First, I didn't know the Smithsonian had such a program. After that sank in, and remembering that the Smithsonian is a federally funded institution, I thought it a bit incongruous that not far from the National Mall downtown is another federal building where the President of the United States lives. Despite the venerable, old buildings dedicated to "science" and "reason," our dear, simple Bush believes that all that evolution stuff is just a bunch of bull-puckey (i.e., hooey). Although, perhaps he's not "touched" (i.e., retarded) as much as uninformed. Not stupid but unintelligent. In which case, I recommend Jr. makes a visit to the National Museum of Natural History. I went there throughout my childhood and found it very informative. The big displays and models really drive home things like carbon dating that books and TV leave flat and unstimulating. Well, George, get stimulated.

Hooked

An interesting step on the path to understanding the physiology of addiction, here in The Economist, which can hopefully influence drug policy reform as well as future treatment alternatives. Only once addiction and drug abuse/use are understood as functions of both environmental and biological factors can we begin to alleviate the damage done communities and individuals--in part because of an uninformed bias among different substances, and the arbitrary moral distinctions that follow.

Jumping through hoops.

Now they've really gone and done it. The Clinton's have proved via the presidential medium that men and women are different, sexual stereotypes are true, and that people like it that way. Swollen-eyed and of shaky voice, poor Hillary finally caved under the pressure. After years of subverting the gender role, she got girly. Things weren't going her way, so she pouted. On TV. In front of the world. She's running for president. Of the United States. Of America. Can you imagine Ron Paul doing that? Not that I would mind. (I'm just trying to piss off his "enthusiastic" supporters.)

But here's the awesome part: it totally won her New Hampshire primary. Big time. Apparently women who were against, undecided, or weren't even gong to vote came out in droves for their girl. When have you ever heard Hillary referred to as a girl? (OK, my father doesn't count.) All weekend long, most coverage was about the first black president. I was getting kinda misty, myself. Left over were two underdogs, real man of the people populist--supposedly real this time--and the beginnings of a Clinton pity-party. Misty again, over here.

Just as Clinton the first filled the, cough, big shoes of the philandering, smoking, musician stereotype and only became more popular, Jr. has just surged in popularity in not the most establishment friendly of states. For not even crying, almost crying. What would've happen if she had cried? I think the whole state would've voted for her. Hell, I'd have voted for her.

It sure was effective. I were a scenic, I'd say this perhaps not so authentic display was her trump card she's been holding onto since her run at senator that she didn't have to play in New York. Until now, "The Heartbreak in Iowa." Even so, maybe she didn't really want to use it. Maybe she'd hoped she wouldn't have to, ever. Maybe a piece of me hoped that too. But hey, maybe that's not why she won, right?

I hear Obama plays a good game of hoops.