Dvorak News Blog

Terrorist Water Pistol Fight Foiled!

By Uncle Dave Tuesday August 16, 2011

How dare people wanting to have fun! This is all bound up in the new tactic — a favorite of Middle East dictators — to shut down social networks to prevent whatever they don’t like. The SF Bay Area’s BART system is currently using it against those protesting the killing of a passenger by BART cops. And although not social media crackdown related, there’s this.

A man will appear before magistrates next month for allegedly trying to organise a mass water fight via his mobile phone. The prime minister said last week that the government would investigate whether social networking platforms should be shut down if they helped to “plot” crime in the wake of the riots. The 20-year-old from Colchester was arrested on Friday after Essex police discovered the alleged plans circulating on the BlackBerry Messenger service and Facebook. The unnamed man has been charged with “encouraging or assisting in the commission of an offence” under the 2007 Serious Crime Act, police said.
[…]
Speaking during last Thursday’s parliamentary debate on the riots, David Cameron said he would investigate whether social-networking sites should be shut down if they helped to “plot” crime. The prime minister said he would “look at whether it would be right to stop people communicating via these websites and services when we know they are plotting violence, disorder and criminality”.

Bugnadoe!

By Uncle Dave Tuesday August 16, 2011

9 Comments

No, it’s not the latest crappy creature feature from the Syfy channel (who else hates that name and their transformation from science fiction to being the wrestling/ghost/paranormal channel?), it’s what’s happening in Missouri. At least it’s not as disastrous as the gustnado or as annoying as the new penchant for combining something with ‘nado’. So, who is going to investigate Nado-gate!

Someone had to do it: Rick Hitler

By John C Dvorak Monday August 15, 2011

57 Comments

Are We Headed Toward An American Theocracy?

By Uncle Dave Monday August 15, 2011

70 Comments

Clearly, it’s time for a third party.

With Tim Pawlenty out of the presidential race, it is now fairly clear that the GOP candidate will either be Mitt Romney or someone who makes George W. Bush look like Tom Paine. Of the three most plausible candidates for the Republican nomination, two are deeply associated with a theocratic strain of Christian fundamentalism known as Dominionism. If you want to understand Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry, understanding Dominionism isn’t optional.

Put simply, Dominionism means that Christians have a God-given right to rule all earthly institutions. Originating among some of America’s most radical theocrats, it’s long had an influence on religious-right education and political organizing. But because it seems so outré, getting ordinary people to take it seriously can be difficult.
[…]
And a recent Texas Observer cover story on Rick Perry examined his relationship with the New Apostolic Reformation, a Dominionist variant of Pentecostalism that coalesced about a decade ago. “[W]hat makes the New Apostolic Reformation movement so potent is its growing fascination with infiltrating politics and government,” wrote Forrest Wilder. Its members “believe Christians—certain Christians—are destined to not just take ‘dominion’ over government, but stealthily climb to the commanding heights of what they term the ‘Seven Mountains’ of society, including the media and the arts and entertainment world.”
[…]
Dominionism derives from a small fringe sect called Christian Reconstructionism, founded by a Calvinist theologian named R. J. Rushdoony in the 1960s. Christian Reconstructionism openly advocates replacing American law with the strictures of the Old Testament, replete with the death penalty for homosexuality, abortion, and even apostasy. The appeal of Christian Reconstructionism is, obviously, limited, and mainstream Christian right figures like Ralph Reed have denounced it.

DHS Wasting Taxpayers Money, Again.

By John C Dvorak Sunday August 14, 2011

56 Comments

Behan said he will ask Bates how many agents staff the Port Angeles station and may ask for arrest data but said information may not be made public — if he even gets answers.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Border Patrol’s parent agency, has refused a Freedom of Information Act request for current agent staffing numbers and arrest data from the Peninsula Daily News, citing national security concerns.

The agent staff grew from four in 2006 to 24 by April 29, 2009. Two weeks ago, Border Patrol Agent Christian Sanchez of Port Angeles said there are more than 40 agents stationed in Port Angeles.

The town of Port Angles Washington is crawling with Border Patrol Agents when there were none a few years back. This stems from Department of Homeland Security beefing up the borders from would be attackers from Canada. The locals have to deal with 40 of these guys who drive around immune from local law enforcement. They zoom up and down the area, speeding, and essentially doing nothing.

They are doing nothing because Port Angeles and the entire Olympic Peninsula is buffered from Canada by 20 miles of ocean! Yes, there is no actual border to patrol. The Coast Guard folks patrol the border 10 miles out to sea. The only way in is via a 2 hour boat ride that arrives at one dock which is already policed by the Customs and Immigration folks.

This sort of resource squandering is rampant while Congress debates higher debt ceiling so more money can be borrowed to waste on programs like this. It’s ridiculous.

No Agenda World Podcast
“You Can Take that to the iBank!”

By John C Dvorak Sunday August 14, 2011

5 Comments

Executive Producers: Mike Zelinda, Chad Marbut, Anonymous, Michael Henry, Sebastian Nilsson
Associate Executive Producers: Kyle Miller, Steven Pelsmaekers, Matt Frank, Radio Ray
333 Club Members: Chad Marbut, Anonymous, Michael Henry
Art By: Nick the Rat

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Bats on a Plane!!!

By McCullough Saturday August 13, 2011

18 Comments

Excuse me sir, would you like the chicken or the bat…..

Flying!

By John C Dvorak Saturday August 13, 2011

13 Comments

Girl Launched to Sky on Blob brought to you by Funny Pictures

DU Poll: Which Republican Would You Vote For In Today’s Ames Straw Poll?

By Uncle Dave Saturday August 13, 2011

111 Comments

A Michelle Bachmann fan hopes she can take it all the way
(click pic to embiggen)

Despite what’s happening in Iowa is pretty much meaningless in the grand scheme of things, if you lived in Iowa, were a Republican and could stomach one of the listed candidates or one of the write-ins, which one of da playas would you vote for?

There have been five times in America’s history when Iowa Republicans descended upon the grounds of their flagship university to gorge themselves on sticks of fried food, snap photos with some of America’s most famous politicians and, oh yeah, vote for who they want to be the next president of the United States.

GOP hopefuls, or more accurately Iowa hopefuls, have been dolling out campaign swag, snacks, sweets and speeches to Iowa voters in the hopes of persuading them to cast a ballot in their favor in Saturday’s Ames Straw Poll. But this vote, in every legal sense of the word, is meaningless.

It does not count toward the Iowa caucus nor does it play in the general election. In fact, historically it has had little correlation with who will be a successful candidate.

Of the five straw poll winners in history, three have gone on to win the Iowa caucus, two managed to secure the Republican nomination and only one has ever made it to the White House. Statistically speaking, a highly coveted win in Ames gives a candidate about a 20 percent chance of even getting on the ballot in the general election.

Photo found by Ima Fish

Manchester Coppers Tweet Info on Rioters

By Eideard Friday August 12, 2011

56 Comments

The Greater Manchester Police are naming and shaming rioters on their Twitter feed. “We promised we’d name all those convicted for their roles in the disorder — here we go …” the police announced, as they began listing the names, dates of birth and partial addresses of individuals tried in connection with the disorder, which flared across Britain.

“Eoin Flanagan (born 01/01/1983), of Carson Road, Burnage, jailed for eight months for stealing clothes,” read one post.

“Jason Ullett (born 15/10/72) of Woodward Court, Ancoats, sentenced to 10 weeks in prison for swearing at police officers,” read another.

And another: “Stefan Hoyle (born 27/01/1992) of St. Stephen Street, Salford, jailed for four months for theft after found with a stolen violin…”

The police department’s efforts received both praise and criticism, along with a few questions. The department explained that it released dates of birth so as to avoid confusion with individuals with the same name.

Both the Manchester and London police have also posted photo streams on the photo-sharing site Flickr and asked the public to help identify riot suspects…

The Manchester police seem to be keenly aware that they are treading on new territory. “Lot of debate about publishing details – courts very clear, justice should be done publicly,” read one of its recent posts on Twitter.

Legit or not? Deserved or not?

Republicans Compete to Be the Most Christian

By Eideard Friday August 12, 2011

116 Comments

“I will rise into the air and you will see God embrace me…”

When Rick Perry officially launches his presidential campaign this weekend, he will not be the only Republican candidate to carry the banner of Christian piety…Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty discovered his inner Honest Abe at the Faith and Freedom Conference in June. Heedless of the risks to his campaign, Honest Tim read from the Bible and thundered to the mostly evangelical audience, “We need to be a nation that turns toward God, not away from God!”

Another presidential candidate, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, refers to God so frequently in the context of her political ambitions that you would think He was her running mate. At the Faith and Freedom Conference, she treated the audience to a prayer of her own design: “Lord, we know there are things we have done in our nation that have not been pleasing in your sight,” she sorrowfully intoned, “Lord, we ask your forgiveness for that…”

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich may not be able to boast about Christian values in his personal life, but he has vowed to defend his grandchildren from the imminent threat of “a secular atheist country” or, somewhat inconsistently, political domination by radical Islamists. Gingrich has also promised to resist the fearsome “homosexual agenda” on the grounds that he supports “pro-classical Christianity,” a hitherto-undiscovered Christian sect that may be imaginary.

No Agenda Podcast
Two Batteries One Cup

By John C Dvorak Thursday August 11, 2011

7 Comments

Executive Producers: Benjamin Caudill , David Lee,
Sir Dwayne Melancon, Sir Sean Conneley
Associate Executive Producer: Sir P. Sneekes
333 Club Members: Sir David Lee, Sir Sean Conneley
Art By: Pay

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What Every Swimming Pool Needs

By Uncle Dave Thursday August 11, 2011

28 Comments

UPDATE: The video had been taken down, but we found another copy. You can also see more if them here. [Thanks Hop!]

This is in Hungary. For some odd reason, I have the feeling something about this is illegal in this country. Or will be soon as politicians and insurance companies and do-gooders see it.

Feds bust priest on child pr0n charges

By Eideard Thursday August 11, 2011

46 Comments

Father Shawn
Daylife/AP Photo used by permission

A Roman Catholic priest in Missouri has been indicted on federal child pornography charges.

The indictment…charges the Rev. Shawn Francis Ratigan still took sexually suggestive photographs months after church officials removed him from a parish position and ordered him to stay away from children, The Kansas City Star reported. At the time, Easter Sunday this year, officials had not yet reported Ratigan to police.

“When a person who has been placed in a position of trust exploits and victimizes children, he victimizes the entire community,” U.S. Attorney Beth Phillips said. “The indictment today sends a strong message that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.”

Ratigan was ordained in 2004. The indictment charges that a year later he took lewd photographs of a 6-year-old girl at St. Joseph Church in Easton, Mo.

Late last year, Ratigan was removed from parish work and transferred to the Vincentian Mission House in Independence, Mo. but his alleged activities were not reported to police until May. The official in the Kansas City diocese in charge of dealing with allegations of clerical abuse was removed in June largely because of his [non] handling of the case.

Time and again the Catholic Church figures they know better than the law of the land – they need not answer to secular civil law.

A Start On Funding The Deficit — Purple Heart Sent To Vet C.O.D.

By Uncle Dave Wednesday August 10, 2011

21 Comments

Any day now will be a story about a wounded soldier who’s sent a bill for having a bullet removed from his chest. We taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill. It was his fault he didn’t duck, after all.

Freedom isn’t free and apparently neither are Purple Hearts. As retired Sergeant Major in the Army Rob Dickerson found out, they too can come with a price.

“C.O.D. Is how I received my Purple Heart,” retired Army Sergeant Major Rob Dickerson said.

Dickerson, who was seriously wounded in a rocket blast while serving in Iraq in 2007, finally got his Purple Heart in the mail, four years late, and on top of it all was billed over $21.00 for postage. He couldn’t believe it.
[…]
Dickerson did get an apology and a money order for his out of pocket costs, but he says he couldn’t cash it, because it was made out to Roy Dirksen, not Rob Dickerson.