Double blog in a day? wtf?!
Just read this and wanted to repost it with no additional comments from me. First, an exerpt from Neuromancer by William Gibson:
"There is always a point at which the terrorist ceases to manipulate the media gestalt. A point at which the violence may well escalate, but beyond which the terrorist has become symptomatic of the media gestalt itself. Terrorism as we ordinarily understand it is innately media-related."
Followed by a post that uses that as a jumping-off point.
"It seems to me that now that Osama and Al Qaeda have demonstrated their ability to manipulate the media gestalt, they've succeeded in exposing the corroded scaffolding which forms the foundation of superpower mythos. The September 11th attack wasn't just a direct hit on the twin towers and the Pentagon, the footage burned into the collective psyche of everyone alive to see it. It was the antithesis of Neil Armstrong stepping onto the surface of the moon. "
"Superpowers have a tendency to decline, and when their decline becomes self-evident, attempts to defeat their adversaries are predictable, obsolete and allows new weaknesses to be exposed. When The Boston Herald was criticized for printing the photo of a slain Red Sox fan I inferred that Americans are still largely detached from the horrors of war and the reality of the situation in places like Iraq. Even as more young men and women return to these shores disfigured or in coffins. Rumsfeld told us that Iraq was nothing like Vietnam, because there's no jungle for the enemy to use for cover."
"I think back to the 2000 campaign when a reporter asked Bush to name the President of Pakistan. He didn't know. But to some, the question was a cheap shot, because how important was that guy anyway? Bush didn't need to know that as governor of Texas while on the campaign trail. Yet, I think President Musharraf's comment about an "iron curtain" falling between the west and Islam should be heeded by both candidates. Because, by now, Al Qaeda is undoubtedly planning its next attack on the U.S. and making sure it skirts the Department of Homeland Security, but is no less effective in demonstrating how a patient, determined, well-organized group of outlaws can outwit Goliath, seemingly at will. Osama Bin Laden and Egyptian exile Ayman Al-Zawahiri, solidified their relationship in Sudan, where Arab militias have expelled hundreds of thousands in what Secretary Powell finally referred to as a genocide. But winning the war on terror, a struggling economy and fears of election fraud or incompetence burns in the media. I'd say Al-Qaeda has us right where it wants us."
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In other news, I see this is back at the forefront again:
Canada Renews Bill to Decriminalize Pot Possession
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's Liberal government reintroduced legislation on Monday to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, drawing criticism that this could prompt a clampdown at the U.S. border.
The bill would replace criminal sanctions with fines for small amounts, 15 grams or about half an ounce, with youths getting smaller fines than adults.
Opposition Conservative Member of Parliament Vic Toews voiced fears that the legislation could end up jeopardizing the world's richest trading relationship, valued at more than $1 billion a day.
"We know that the Americans are very opposed to this bill," he told reporters in the lobby outside the House of Commons. "How does this government guarantee us that there won't be retaliatory action by the Americans?"
U.S. drug enforcement officials have warned that the relaxed laws could mean a surge in smuggling of potent Canadian marijuana -- a business already worth about C$5 billion ($4 billion) in the Pacific province of British Columbia.
Opponents in both countries have also warned this could lead to longer lineups at the border if the United States tightens security further.
Justice Minister Irwin Cotler said he did not want young users to have criminal records, which could hurt their job prospects and block entry into the United States.
Similar legislation got scuttled by the June federal election, which automatically killed all outstanding bills.
Canadian police had also warned that reliable tests needed to be developed for marijuana-impaired driving before decriminalizing the drug.
To that end, Cotler reintroduced a separate bill on Monday on drug-impaired driving, granting police the authority to force suspects to submit to tests.
Government officials said there was no reliable machine that police can use at the roadside to determine drug impairment, but they can look for involuntary jerking of the eyes and make drivers try to stand on one leg.
If they suspect drug use, they can take the driver to a police station to conduct further physical tests, and possibly to give blood, saliva or urine samples.
Officials also said police did not have enough training yet to be able to administer these tests across the country but Cotler pledged C$6.5 million for new training.
($1=$1.22 Canadian)
Here's hoping it goes through. I don't partake myself, but enough is enough. The stuff appears to be much easier on you than alcohol is, and it's only a lingering reputation that makes it seem "bad". Now if they'd just pass legislation to make it illegal to throw all of those nasty chemicals into cigarettes, and just return them to a leaf wrapped around some tobacco, we might actually be in good shape.
"There is always a point at which the terrorist ceases to manipulate the media gestalt. A point at which the violence may well escalate, but beyond which the terrorist has become symptomatic of the media gestalt itself. Terrorism as we ordinarily understand it is innately media-related."
Followed by a post that uses that as a jumping-off point.
"It seems to me that now that Osama and Al Qaeda have demonstrated their ability to manipulate the media gestalt, they've succeeded in exposing the corroded scaffolding which forms the foundation of superpower mythos. The September 11th attack wasn't just a direct hit on the twin towers and the Pentagon, the footage burned into the collective psyche of everyone alive to see it. It was the antithesis of Neil Armstrong stepping onto the surface of the moon. "
"Superpowers have a tendency to decline, and when their decline becomes self-evident, attempts to defeat their adversaries are predictable, obsolete and allows new weaknesses to be exposed. When The Boston Herald was criticized for printing the photo of a slain Red Sox fan I inferred that Americans are still largely detached from the horrors of war and the reality of the situation in places like Iraq. Even as more young men and women return to these shores disfigured or in coffins. Rumsfeld told us that Iraq was nothing like Vietnam, because there's no jungle for the enemy to use for cover."
"I think back to the 2000 campaign when a reporter asked Bush to name the President of Pakistan. He didn't know. But to some, the question was a cheap shot, because how important was that guy anyway? Bush didn't need to know that as governor of Texas while on the campaign trail. Yet, I think President Musharraf's comment about an "iron curtain" falling between the west and Islam should be heeded by both candidates. Because, by now, Al Qaeda is undoubtedly planning its next attack on the U.S. and making sure it skirts the Department of Homeland Security, but is no less effective in demonstrating how a patient, determined, well-organized group of outlaws can outwit Goliath, seemingly at will. Osama Bin Laden and Egyptian exile Ayman Al-Zawahiri, solidified their relationship in Sudan, where Arab militias have expelled hundreds of thousands in what Secretary Powell finally referred to as a genocide. But winning the war on terror, a struggling economy and fears of election fraud or incompetence burns in the media. I'd say Al-Qaeda has us right where it wants us."
---------------------------------------------------------------------
In other news, I see this is back at the forefront again:
Canada Renews Bill to Decriminalize Pot Possession
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's Liberal government reintroduced legislation on Monday to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, drawing criticism that this could prompt a clampdown at the U.S. border.
The bill would replace criminal sanctions with fines for small amounts, 15 grams or about half an ounce, with youths getting smaller fines than adults.
Opposition Conservative Member of Parliament Vic Toews voiced fears that the legislation could end up jeopardizing the world's richest trading relationship, valued at more than $1 billion a day.
"We know that the Americans are very opposed to this bill," he told reporters in the lobby outside the House of Commons. "How does this government guarantee us that there won't be retaliatory action by the Americans?"
U.S. drug enforcement officials have warned that the relaxed laws could mean a surge in smuggling of potent Canadian marijuana -- a business already worth about C$5 billion ($4 billion) in the Pacific province of British Columbia.
Opponents in both countries have also warned this could lead to longer lineups at the border if the United States tightens security further.
Justice Minister Irwin Cotler said he did not want young users to have criminal records, which could hurt their job prospects and block entry into the United States.
Similar legislation got scuttled by the June federal election, which automatically killed all outstanding bills.
Canadian police had also warned that reliable tests needed to be developed for marijuana-impaired driving before decriminalizing the drug.
To that end, Cotler reintroduced a separate bill on Monday on drug-impaired driving, granting police the authority to force suspects to submit to tests.
Government officials said there was no reliable machine that police can use at the roadside to determine drug impairment, but they can look for involuntary jerking of the eyes and make drivers try to stand on one leg.
If they suspect drug use, they can take the driver to a police station to conduct further physical tests, and possibly to give blood, saliva or urine samples.
Officials also said police did not have enough training yet to be able to administer these tests across the country but Cotler pledged C$6.5 million for new training.
($1=$1.22 Canadian)
Here's hoping it goes through. I don't partake myself, but enough is enough. The stuff appears to be much easier on you than alcohol is, and it's only a lingering reputation that makes it seem "bad". Now if they'd just pass legislation to make it illegal to throw all of those nasty chemicals into cigarettes, and just return them to a leaf wrapped around some tobacco, we might actually be in good shape.
posted by Rimmy at 20:42
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