I still haven't figured out what to do with M. Terwilliger. If the laws as written (or suggested) don't address all the problems raised by an issue, should I just dismiss the debate?

There is a MMORPG that doesn't require a scorching graphics card, doesn't ask for a monthly subscription, and doesn't take more than five minutes of your day. It's called Nation States, is based on a novel called Jennifer Government, and allows players to mold small countries into their own political utopiae simply by deciding what laws should be passed in their countries, determining the country's stance on various issues. There's also a virtual United Nations, and plenty of opportunity to learn what might be the consequences of various political decisions in your very own national sandbox.

Anyway, this is all to announce the foundation of the Dominion of Caramida. I'll be taking nominations for our National Anthem, if you like. The first issue was whether voting should be compulsory, with a couple of valid arguments on all sides. I decided to legalize compulsory voting in the Dominion, and I look forward to seeing what comes of it. In Caramida, we don't care what you vote for, only that you vote for something.

I imagine there ought to be a BuggerOff party, for those who refuse to vote for anyone else. They oughtn't have a platform other than "Keep Your Stinking Paws Off". If the voters were to elect them into the Government though, we'd definitely have to let the BuggerOffs repeal the compulsory voting thing, if they wanted to.

name_redacted, I assume you've already heard this one. After Oklahoma City, the Armed Forces really tightened up their requirements for entry, specifically with an eye towards weeding out the white supremacists, and Christian extremists. Recently though, in the wake of increasing recruitment pressures, the Defense Department has apparently relaxed these restrictions. So basically, in order to fight the war against foreign terrorists, we're training our future domestic terrorists. So we're now seeing Aryan Nations graffiti in Baghdad, a predictable (although unintentioned) result of such policies. When these guys come home with weapons and explosives training, what other predictable results might we expect? Just another example of your administration making the world safe for from terrorists.

Well, there goes my good mood. 

Credit where credit is due:  

• With no thanks to Kingdaddy, for the information. I don't know why I read this guy who depresses me so much, except that he's one of the most cogent foreign policy analysts I've read, and an all-around smart guy, too boot.
• The icon comes from Doonesbury, by Gary Trudeau.

 

I've not yet come up with the right hooks for any of my writing of late, so I've not posted anything of note for a while. I should take a moment to mention that school and work are proceding well. I'm keeping busy, but not stressing yet.

kimmaline, a woman I have never met in person, but still I am proud to call a friend, wrote a very cogent post about the disconnect between reality and the tales told by those who would have us believe that the salient immigrant is the typical immigrant.

Another amazing, although somewhat heartbreaking treatment of the issue can be found here, in the journal of the singular vito_excalibur.

Kim and Vito, you are real-life heroes.

Edited to add: Stephen Colbert is a hero, too, but I don't believe he's real. That's what my gut tells me.

On the morning of the 1st, shortly after the beginning of Groundhog day IV, Shuttle Columbia broke up over East Texas during re-entry.

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