DHHS gloats about imposition of the smoking ban

It's official, I now hate most Nebraskans. At least if the journal star's headline "Most Nebraskans support smoking ban," is true. Thankfully DHHS put out a biased-assed survey to support their claims, so it's almost like the civil liberties of smokers weren't infringed upon at all.

Tornadoes in Oklahoma

Well, it's not like this is a surprise, but here's some video footage

Any publicity is good publicity?

Good news libertarians! It's a crazy guy! That's right Ron Paul, your new most famous disciple is the now deceased 36-year-old John Patrick Bell, the wack job who shot those guys at the Pentagon. The scary thing is that a lot of the things that this guy says, while controversial, have some merit. He had his physics degree from Cal and ran his own technology firm with the revolutionary goal of creating a USB drive that performs personal DNA sequencing. He was eccentric, but a real smart guy. You can read his libertarian blog here! This story kind of creeps me out, but I'll print it anyway because I love radical libertarians so very much.

I got what you need!

Anyone who reads this blog can post in the comment section and tell me what they want to know about. My main area of interest is international news, but I would like nothing better than to personalize this blog to anyone who reads it. If there is something YOU want to know about, you let me know!!

Fucking fine then

Though I care very little about women's basketball I think I would be remiss not to give madness of props to the NU women's basketball team that is currently 29-0. While nuclear fusion may seem more likely than Connie Yori's Huskers avoiding a monumental backslide next year, it's still refreshing to see a Nebraska team come out and compete at such a high level. It looks like the No. 3 ranked Huskers are a definite title contender this year. So good luck ladies, even if the UNK men's basketball team could dominate you, I still wish you success.

Journalists under attack again in China

It takes some one who is either brave or crazy to challenge the authority of the Chinese government like this editor did. He got fired of course, and he's probably going to get messed with by the secret police for the rest of his life. That's the thing with China though, even though it is gradually easing away from an authoritarian regime, it's still an authoritarian regime. China's policy of suppressing civil society is intact as ever, and continuing to scare trade America's way, which is good, but it still looks a lot like an evil empire to me.


All those editors did was highlight problems China needs to continue to address. China's Houshold registration system, the Hukou system, is unjust and detrimental to the country and China has been working to reform the system. But since political opinions are banned, even one that advocates a similar policy to that of the government's is still illegal. That's China for you. But Americans who don't want to be overshadowed by the rising eastern dragon should take heart from these events. This latest show of China's backwardness proves that they are still light years behind America in terms of functioning civil government.

The Chinese are hurting themselves by silencing reformers, not America. I almost feel as though I shouldn't even be concerned that there's injustice being done there. Suppressing political free speech and monopolizing government is a major handycap in the free market after all. Why help a competitor fix his problems? The Communist party is weeding out its best and its brightest, and I say, America should be recruiting them hard right now. I would give my left nut to work for this editor, Zhang Hong, if he ever gets done being anally probed by the super corrupt communist government.

Hong had this to say to his government, ''To put it bluntly, I've lived for 36 years, but never known which representatives were chosen by me, who are able to seek justice on my behalf,'' Zhang wrote. ''We hope that the voices of the masses can make themselves heard among the representatives who 'represent public opinion." .

That about says it all.

Pakistani legislators balk at terrorism precautions.

Pakistani legislators took personal offense at being asked to submit to full body scans in a Washington airport earlier today. I'm thinking this was premeditated and intended to be a barb aimed the United States because it added Pakistan to its terrorist no fly list. I thought The New York Times seemed to imply this here

These men made sure to let America know that they dissaproved of being placed under extra security. Read the New York Times article, it broke it down there better than I ever could. Essentially, Pakistan is a country where there are a lot of "terrorists." It sucks that it's true but Pakistan needs to continue to butch up and kill Al Queda. They're a nuclear armed country with a large minority that wishes to do harm to America, so to me, it seems entirely justified that they be subjected to extra scrutiny when traveling.

Naomi Campbell to transition from super model to cage fighter?

I saw this come across Reuters and had a chuckle. It's not like Campbell doesn't already have a reputation for being feisty, but it never gets old watching a spoiled diva make an ass of herself. It's enough to make Wayne Brady wanna choke a bitch.

Will rapid growth in oil output stabilise Iraq?

Iraq has started making deals with the big oil companies. This is good news for a country that is struggling to find money for schools and transportation infrastructure. If Iraq can ever get its shit together it now possesses some enormous advantages over other regional powers. Of course, it has the worlds third largest oil reserves, but it also now has an alliance with the United States and a liberalized western style economy, weak and frail though it may be. If Iraq lets the big oil multinationals do their thing, the country could be in for an economic windfall like nothing ever seen before.


The reason for this potential windfall has every thing to do with the US led invasion of the country. The oil industry has been loosed from the chains of state control. This is a competitive advantage that cannot be under estimated. Most oil development in the troubled middle east is controlled by state owned conglomerates who are corrupt and inefficient. By allowing oil super powers like Exon, BP and Royal Dutch Shell to develop the country's oil resources Iraq could steer clear of these endemic pitfalls that have so hampered the growth of an Arab middle class.


Now, I know hundreds of thousands of civilians have been butchered as a result of the US occupation of Iraq, and it would be naive for American's to think that Iraqis will be immediately grateful for the huge amount of money our country spent in taking vengeance on the Islamic world for 9/11, but, imagine if you will a wealthy and democratic Iraq aligned with the US. What a game changer that would be in Middle east, and indeed, world politics. As the Iraqis out competed their neighbors the would inadvertently pressure despotic nations like Iran and Saudi Arabia into governmental reforms through soft economic power.

Now, obviously, the middle east is a long way from deliverance. But, if Iraq can show the foresight to allow foreign oil companies to operate without government interference, and the whererwithall to root out and destroy corruption, it could rise like a phoenix from the ashes to become the dominant regional power in the middle east, and drag the rest of the middle east kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

Snakes vs. Dinosaurs!!!!

Articulate Aggression has been idle for a while, but we're back baby! I thought I'd start off light hearted with this BBC article about a snake fossilized in the act of killing a dinosaur and eating dinosaur eggs. Seriously, that might be cooler than this picture of a bear with a machine gun riding a shark.