Saturday - February 18, 2006

Robot On The Run

In a special press interview, Dr. Susan Calvin, chief scientist at US Robots & Mechanical Men, Inc. said, ”there is no need to panic as the escaped robot is constrained by the Three Laws Of Robotics* and cannot harm anyone. USR&MM has already taken measures to apprehend the robot in question by hiring New York detectives R. Daneel Olivaw and Elijah Bailey to apprehend the errant android. The only danger to anyone is if you attempt to communicate with the robot, as he has been imprinted with the personality of one of Science Fiction’s weirdest and most acclaimed writers. We urge caution in all cases. if seen, do not attempt to apprehend or engage in conversation. If you see this robot call our special Electric Sheep hotline immediately at 1-800-GET-DICK (438-3425)”.

<sub>* The Three Laws Of Robotics:
1. A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.</sub>

Extra Credit: 10 points if you can name the five robot novels by Isaac Asimov. 100 points if you can name the movie that was made from one of those novels. 10,000 points if you can name the real present-day company whose futuristic headquarters was used in the film as the offices of US Robots & Mechanical Men, Inc. and One Bajillion points if you can answer all three questions above without using Google, ImDB or Wikipedia!

Missing Robot Takes A Leaf Out Of Sci-Fi
February 13, 2006 - 12:00AM

(THE AGE - AUSTRALIA)

Philip K. Dick is missing.

Not the American science fiction writer whose novels spawned hit films such as Blade Runner and Total Recall - he died more than 20 years ago - but a state-of-the-art robot named after the author. The quirky android, which made a major splash at Wired Magazine’s NextFest in Chicago in June, was lost in early January while en route to California by commercial airliner.

“We can’t find Phil,” said Steve Prilliman of Dallas-based Hanson Robotics, which created the futuristic robot with the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis, the Automation and Robotics Research Institute at the University of Texas at Arlington and Dick’s friend Paul Williams. “We’re very worried because it’s been a few weeks now,” said Prilliman. “We’re pressing hard to find Phil.”

Robotics wizard and lead designer David Hanson built the robot as a memorial to Dick, whose 1968 book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? inspired the 1982 classic Blade Runner starring Harrison Ford. Short stories by Dick, who died in 1982, served as inspiration for other hit films including the 1990 Total Recall, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the 2002 Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise.

In Blade Runner, set in a Los Angeles of 2019, Harrison Ford plays Rick Deckhard, a Blade Runner or policeman whose job is to track down and terminate escaped human clones known as “replicants.” The irony of the situation - a missing replica of the very author who championed “replicant” freedom - is not lost on Phil’s creators. But they still want him back.

“We really need to find him soon because the Smithsonian wants to put him in a travelling collection in the autumn,” said Prilliman referring to Washington’s Smithsonian Institute, an organisation of museums and art galleries. Along with an eerie likeness to the author, the robot features award-winning artificial intelligence that mimics the writer’s mannerisms and lifelike skin material to affect realistic expressions.

Top-of-the-line voice software loaded with data from Dick’s vast body of writing allows the robot to carry on natural-sounding conversations, although it does come off as a bit doddering at times. Biometric-identification software and advanced machine vision allows the robot to recognise people - even in a crowd - read their expressions and body language and talk to them sounding a lot like a normal, albeit slightly senile, author who likes to quote his own books when he gets confused.

Prilliman and others close to Phil baulked at giving too many details about his disappearance including the name of the airline that was transporting the robot when he went missing. Hanson officials said news of Phil’s disappearance could hamper the ongoing investigation and search for the robot. The company officials said they feared ransom demands might be made or Phil could turn up listed for sale on an internet auction house such as eBay. A spokeswoman, Elaine Hanson, said the company is considering building a new android if the original Phil does not turn up.

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/18/2006 at 02:50 PM   
Filed Under: • Science-Technology •  
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A-Hunting We Will Go

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/18/2006 at 01:26 PM   
Filed Under: • Hildabeast • Humor •  
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Black Sheep

Quote Of The Day: “she didn’t believe a member of the Marine Corps was an example of the sort of person UW wanted to produce.”

Winner of the Congressional Medal Of Honor and the Navy Cross not a good example? Unbelievable. Do these spoiled brats have even a remote clue what their lives would be like if not for men like “Pappy” Boyington? For one thing they’d be eating sushi and driving Japanese cars. (!) Scratch that. You know what I mean.

What, in the name of all that’s rational, gives these pampered, pusillanimous pricks the utter gall to spew out words like this: “many monuments at UW already commemorate rich white men”? For the record, Boyington was not rich and was part Sioux. These dipshits can’t even get their stories straight.

I am outraged that these spoiled brats who live in an academic ivory tower, sponging off their parents and working on a degree in some liberal arts bullshit are even allowed to speak in public, much less be a “senator” in a student body.

I call shame on the entire University of Washington. It is indeed appropriate that the school mascot is a “husky” because the student body has damned sure gone to the dogs ....

Students Reject Honor To ‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ Hero

(WORLDNET DAILY)

The University of Washington’s student senate rejected a memorial for alumnus Gregory “Pappy” Boyington of “Black Sheep Squadron” fame amid concerns a military hero who shot down enemy planes was not the right kind of person to represent the school.

Student senator Jill Edwards, according to minutes of the student government’s meeting last week, said she “didn’t believe a member of the Marine Corps was an example of the sort of person UW wanted to produce.” Ashley Miller, another senator, argued “many monuments at UW already commemorate rich white men.”

Senate member Karl Smith amended the resolution to eliminate a clause that said Boyington “was credited with destroying 26 enemy aircraft, tying the record for most aircraft destroyed by a pilot in American Uniform,” for which he was awarded the Navy Cross.

Smith, according to the minutes, said “the resolution should commend Colonel Boyington’s service, not his killing of others.” The senate’s decision was reported first by Seattle radio talk-host Kirby Wilbur of KVI, whose listeners were “absolutely incensed,” according to producer Matt Haver. Brent Ludeman, president of the university’s College Republicans, told WND in an e-mail the decision “reflects poorly on the university.”

“Pappy Boyington went beyond the call of duty to serve and protect this country – he simply deserves better,” Ludeman said. “Just last year, the university erected a memorial to diversity. Why can’t we do the same for Pappy Boyington and others who have defended our country?”

The resolution points out Boyington, a student at the UW from 1930-34, served as a combat pilot in the 1st Squadron, American Volunteer Group – the “Flying Tigers of China” – and later as a Marine Corps combat pilot in charge of Marine Fighting Squadron 214, “The Black Sheep Squadron.” Along with the Navy Cross, Boyington was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his heroism. He was shot down and spent 20 months in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp.

The resolution says, “Be it resolved … [t]hat we consider Col. Gregory Boyington, United States Marine Corps, to be a prime example of the excellence that this university represents and strives to impart upon its students, and, That we desire for a memorial for Col. Boyington be commenced by the University of Washington by 11 January 2008, the twentieth anniversary of his death, which will be publicly displayed, so that all who come here in future years will know that the University of Washington produced one of this country’s bravest men, and that we as a community hold this fact in the highest esteem.”

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/18/2006 at 08:14 AM   
Filed Under: • Colleges-Professors • War-Stories •  
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Blazing Saddles

Pardon me but I just cannot stop laughing over this story. It has been said that art imitates life. In this case, life imitates art. Nearly thirty years ago, Mel Brooks broke new ground in comedy with one of the funniest movies ever made. Now we have here a brilliant black policeman who obviously read the script and pulled off one of the best sting operations I’ve heard of in decades. I vote we give this guy the Sheriff Bart Award™.

The Waco Kid: You’ve got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know… morons.

Black Sergeant Was ‘Loyal Klansman’

(Deseret Morning News)

About 25 years ago, Ron Stallworth was asked to lead the Ku Klux Klan chapter in Colorado Springs. Ron Stallworth carries his KKK membership card as a memento.

Problem was, the outgoing Klan leader didn’t know that Stallworth is black. “He asked me to take over the lead because I was a good, loyal Klansman,” said Stallworth, who had been in constant phone contact with the Klan leader while leading a yearlong Colorado Springs police investigation into the Klan.

Stallworth later moved to Utah, where he recently retired after nearly 20 years as an investigator for the Utah Department of Public Safety. He says he’s amazed that no one ever caught on to the investigation he led starting in 1979. After he was offered Klan leadership, he quietly disappeared.

As a memento Stallworth still carries his Klan membership card — signed by David Duke. “It was one of the most fun” investigations, he said. “Everybody said it couldn’t be done.”

Stallworth communicated with Klan leaders using the telephone. A white officer posing as Stallworth went to the meetings. “The challenge for me was to maintain the conversation flow,” Stallworth said. At the same time, Stallworth also led an undercover investigation into the Progressive Labor Party, a communist group that protested at Klan rallies.

Stallworth, of Layton, worked 30 years in law enforcement in four states. Stallworth’s undercover experience and research led him to become a nationally known expert on gang culture. He calls the Klan investigation “one of the most significant investigations I was ever involved in because of the scope and the magnitude of how it unfolded.”

The investigation revealed that Klan members were in the military, including two at NORAD who controlled the triggers for nuclear weapons. “I was told they were being reassigned to somewhere like the North Pole or Greenland,” Stallworth said.

The Klan investigation isn’t the only time Stallworth has been mistaken for a white guy. He’s been contacted by academics about his “scholarly research” on gangs. One such academic “said he was so impressed that a white Mormon in Utah could write such an impressive work on black gang culture.”

Stallworth said he laughed and explained that not only is he not white or Mormon, he started his college career in 1971 and remains about 2 1/2 years shy of his bachelor’s degree.

- There’s more to this hilarious story here ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/18/2006 at 05:08 AM   
Filed Under: • Crime • Fun-Stuff •  
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Crystal Blue Persuasion

I see ... I see ... I see a great and exciting experience coming soon for you. You will become very famous. You will be loved and adored by millions. I see money, luxury cars and homes that will fufill your wildest dreams.

Wait a second. It’s fading ....

I’m losing the vision of how this happens. Quick, look in the right sidebar and click the PayPal button and donate your life savings to BMEWS before I lose the sight. Hurry ....

“Psychic" Admits Bilking Elderly Clients
Fri Feb 17, 10:04 AM ET

MIAMI (REUTERS)

A self-proclaimed psychic and fortuneteller pleaded guilty Thursday to bilking elderly clients in south Florida out of more than $2 million over an eight-year period, federal officials said.

Linda Marks, 57, of Delray Beach, was accused of preying on the elderly and people suffering from incurable diseases, telling them she could cure them by praying over their money.

Marks pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to fraud and corruption charges and admitted cheating her elderly victims out of more than $2 million between 1994 and 2002, U.S. Attorney Alexander Acosta said in a statement.

A Delray Police detective, Jack Makler, 64, pleaded guilty to corruption charges for using his position on the police force to help keep Marks out of jail and avoid violating probation, Acosta said.

Makler admitted taking money and other property from Marks at a time when he was investigating her and acknowledged lying to local and federal authorities about his handling of her cases, Acosta said. Marks faces up to 15 years in prison while Makler faces up to five years. Sentencing is scheduled for May 10.

“The illegal conduct in this case was particularly egregious because the defendant’s actions resulted in the continued victimization of elderly and vulnerable people, many of whom lost their life savings through fraud,” Acosta said in the statement.

“We will not tolerate the conduct of those law enforcement officers who, through their illegal actions, bring disrespect to their colleagues, sell their position and betray the public trust,” he added.

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/18/2006 at 04:52 AM   
Filed Under: • Crime •  
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Stirring The Gene Pool

Your mission today is to find the dumbass in this story. Be extremely diligent in your research. There may be more than one idiot hiding in this epic story of human stupidity ...

Waffle House Poisoning Suspect Indicted
6:40 pm EST February 16, 2006

ATLANTA (WSB-TV)

A 19-year-old former Waffle House cook was indicted today after daring a man to drink a concoction that included industrial strength dishwashing liquid two months ago.

Rex Leo, 50, took that dare, and was rushed to the hospital as a result. A Henry County grand jury decided today to indict Quinton Wilson on a misdemeanor reckless conduct charge.

Rex Leo says Wilson offered him $5 to drink the liquid and when he did, “I started foaming at the mouth almost immediately.” He continued saying, “...it was extremely painful.” Rex Leo has a badly damaged throat and internal organs as a result. He also has no health insurance.

Leo’s brother Bob Leo says, “I can’t even imagine treating someone that way.”

During an interview with Channel 2 in December, shortly after the incident, Quinton Wilson said, “I’m so sorry about what happened to Rex Leo. We were only kidding around. I did not mean for that to happen.”

The Leo family says they will pursue a civil lawsuit against Waffle House. Wilson faces a maximum 12 months in jail.

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/18/2006 at 04:32 AM   
Filed Under: • Stoopid-People •  
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Humor In Uniform

A crusty old Marine Sergeant Major found himself at a gala event hosted by a local liberal arts college. There was no shortage of extremely young, idealistic ladies in attendance, one of whom approached the Sergeant Major for conversation.

“Excuse me, Sergeant Major, but you seem to be a very serious man. Is something bothering you?”

“Negative, ma’am. Just serious by nature.”

“The young lady looked at his awards and decorations and said, “It looks like you have seen a lot of action.”

“Yes, ma’am, a lot of action.”

The young lady, tiring of trying to start up a conversation, said, “You know, you should lighten up a little. Relax and enjoy yourself.”

The Sergeant Major just stared at her in his serious manner.

Finally the young lady said, “You know, I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but when is the last time you had sex?”

“1955, ma’am.”

“Well, there you are. You really need to chill out and quit taking everything so seriously! I mean, no sex since 1955! She took his hand and led him to a private room where she proceeded to “relax” him several times.

Afterwards, panting for breath, she leaned against his bare chest and said, “Wow, you sure didn’t forget much since 1955!”

The Sergeant Major, glancing at his watch, said in his matter-of-fact voice, “I hope not, it’s only 2130 now.”

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/18/2006 at 04:14 AM   
Filed Under: • Humor • Military •  
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Good Advice

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/18/2006 at 04:04 AM   
Filed Under: • Humor •  
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   Friday - February 17, 2006

Howler Movement

Blogosphere Bulletin: Ranting Rightwing Howler has escaped from the evil clutches of BlogSpot and leapt out into his own hosted domain and a totally refurbished site running on WordPress. With a truly excellent redesign and layout.

Update your blogrolls, bookmarks and give Vilmar a visit. Now! Just do it! You’ve never met a meaner, nastier, leftist-smashing good old boy in your life. Ignore the occasional foaming at the mouth. That only happens when he listens to NPR. Which is why I never listen to NPR.

Click on Howler’s new logo below and go take a Magical Mystery Tour. All aboard ........

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/17/2006 at 03:04 PM   
Filed Under: • Personal •  
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NBC Flogs Dick

Flog it! Flog it good!

Cheney was an alcoholic drunk out in the woods waving his gun phallic symbol around drunkenly, shooting every person in sight in order to send a message to Scooter Libby to keep his mouth shut and then because of a bad hangover he didn’t tell any of our nation’s honest, fair and unbiased news reporters about it until next day and if Harry Whittington dies, Dick will be charged with M-U-R-D-E-R! Impeach Dick! Now!

Sigh. When will it ever end? For the record, accoring to witnesses, the Vice President had one beer several hours before the hunt. In a totally unrelated story, Harry Whittington was just released from the hospital and made a statement to the press that “accidents will happen”. Sporting a few bruises on his face from the “near-death experience” (according to the media), Mr. Whittington expressed his deep regret and sympathy for the Vice President and all he has had to endure this week.

Memo to Cheney: Invite the press along on your next hunt and use a 12-gauge pump, tight choke. Use better aim on the reporters. We’ll cover for you. OK?

ABC & CBS Move On; NBC Leads with
Cheney and Raises Alcohol Use
February 17, 2006
(MEDIA RESEARCH CENTER)

ABC and CBS largely moved on from the Dick Cheney hunting mishap story Thursday night as, for the first time this week, they led with other subjects.

Both held their Cheney coverage to short items on President Bush expressing satisfaction with Cheney’s Wednesday explanation to FNC’s Brit Hume. But for the fifth straight day, the NBC Nightly News led with the topic with reporter Kelly O’Donnell stressing Cheney’s alcohol consumption.

Anchor Brian Williams set up her piece by asserting “the questions that continue tonight have to do mostly with the damage this bizarre accident has caused.” O’Donnell zeroed in on how the local sheriff’s department report relayed how victim Harry Whittington “called it an accident and told investigators, ‘foremost there was no alcohol during the hunt.’”

O’Donnell, however, raised doubts about such a conclusion: “The report makes no other reference to any drinking or that any blood alcohol tests were ever done. The Vice President did say in his Fox TV interview that he had a beer at lunch, noting that was hours before the shooting.”

She then moved on to how “observers say the whole ordeal has weakened Mr. Cheney’s influence.” Her “observers”? One soundbite from David Gergen. O’Donnell concluded with how “senior advisors make the claim that because the White House has now answered some questions, the American people should be satisfied, too.”

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/17/2006 at 02:04 PM   
Filed Under: • Media-Bias •  
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Commie Torture

Question: What could be more agonizingly painful than being forced to sit in a bar and listen to some stupid goober try to sing along with his favorite song?

Answer: Being forced to sit in the aforementioned bar and listen to some stupid goober sing along to his favorite song WHILE SOBER!

This is the last straw. Someone alert Amnesty International. We need to call the Commies’ hand on this insidious torture. My God! This makes Abu Ghraib look like Gitmo! The hideous fiends in charge of the Worker’s Paradise Of Vietnam have gone completely mad.

The “negative activites” referred to by the official in the story below are the bloody, mangled, gawdawful attempts at singing! Not the booze!  Ban the singing torture and keep the alcohol! Please! I beg the Vietnamese government in the name of humanity ....

Vietnam Bans Alcohol in Karaoke Bars
February 17, 2006, 7:58 AM EST
HANOI, Vietnam (AP)

Karaoke bars in Vietnam will no longer be allowed to sell or have alcohol on their premises as part of the country’s continued campaign against so-called ‘social evils,’ a government official said Friday.

Under a decree that took effect Thursday, karaoke bars, along with discotheques, will also be required to close down at midnight, said Le Anh Tuyen, director of the Legal Department at the Ministry of Culture and Information.

“The decree will definitely help reduce negative activities in karaoke bars and discotheques,” he said. Karaoke establishments and discos frequently facilitate prostitution and drug usage.

Friday’s Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper quoted Phan An Sa, chief inspector at the Ministry of Culture and Information as saying authorities have discovered 600 people using the drug ecstasy and 60 women offering striptease dances to customers at karaoke bars and discos over the past nine months.

Karaoke was introduced into Vietnam in the late 1980s and mushroomed in the late 1990s, with more than 10,000 establishments licensed to operate in the country, Tuyen said.

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/17/2006 at 01:35 PM   
Filed Under: • Odd-Strange •  
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Who Goes There?

Ladies and Gentlemen! We regret to inform you that two readers here, Oink and OldCatMan spent way too much time on the photos of the nuclear explosion in the post below. As a result they were exposed to radiation levels previously unknown to anyone except for a few unlucky souls at Chernobyl.

This radiation has caused serious damage to their DNA, resulting in their becoming physical mutants (pictured below). As you can see they have the ability to change shapes now. Fortunately for us, they’re not too smart about it. Add this to their previously existing mental mutations and I’m afraid we have monsters on our hands. Stay alert! Shoot first and ask questions later!

(Trivial Pursuit: the title of this post refers to a famous science fiction short story - you get 10 points if you can name who wrote it - 20 points if you can name the movie that was made from the story (actually there were two) - and 100 points if you can name the actor who played the creature in the first movie made from the story in the 1950’s)

  

^{- These and more photoshopped creatures can be found at HumanDescent.com ....}

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/17/2006 at 12:59 PM   
Filed Under: • Fun-Stuff •  
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Brits Crack Down

You know things have gone too far when the ever stoic Brits decide enough is bloody damned enough. Especially with a Liberal Democrat government in power. Let’s just hope they can make it stick this time. The only problem they may have is the bleeding hearts like Cherie Blair, wife of Tony Blair will scream bloody murder over this. Not to mention the barking moonbats like George Galloway.

What will probably happen is the asshat, radical Muslims will be expelled across the channel where the Fwench will coddle them for a few months before secretly sending them back to Britain on a EU passport which allows them to go anywhere in Europe. Now, if I were King Of Europe, I’d load them all on a plane and drop them out over the middle of the Sahara Desert. Some with parachutes, some without ....

Extremist Muslim Groups To Be Banned
February 16, 2006
LONDON (GUARDIAN-UK)

Extremist Muslim groups who “glorify” terrorism are likely to be banned in Britain as early as this summer after Tony Blair yesterday overcame his second backbench rebellion this week to impose new laws designed to clamp down on the celebration of terrorism in speech, placards or on the internet.

MPs voted by 327 to 279, a majority of 38, to reinstate the laws banning the glorification of terrorism, a phrase untried in the legal battle against terrorism in Europe or the US. Only 17 Labour backbenchers rebelled yesterday, 10 fewer than the last time MPs debated the issue in November.

Two of the prominent groups likely to be banned are Hizb ut-Tahrir and Omar Bakri’s al-Muhajiroun, groups already named by Tony Blair. Ministers by convention usually wait two months to implement new legislation but the home secretary, Charles Clarke, is to accelerate this timetable to ensure police and security services can use the new powers as soon as possible.

Mr Blair, relieved at navigating three perilous votes on identity cards, smoking and terror, described yesterday’s victory as “comprehensive” and “a signal of strength”. He said the passage of the law yesterday means that any repeat showing of the kind of offensive placards celebrating the July 7 bombings exhibited at the demonstration a fortnight ago in London will lead to prosecutions. Critics claim existing incitement laws already make such prosecutions possible.

Officials are expected to start work on drawing up proscription orders, to be approved by parliament, banning extremist groups who “glorify” terrorism. The legislation also allows successor groups to be banned to overcome the problem of organisations that simply go underground by changing their names. This will extend proscription for the first time in Britain beyond those organisations which are directly involved in terrorist activity.

A triumphant Mr Blair claimed the government had won the argument. He said: “The new law will mean that if people are going to start celebrating acts of terrorism or condoning people who engage in terrorism, they will be prosecuted, and if they do not come from this country, they should not be in this country. We have free speech in this country, but you cannot abuse it.”

He said yesterday’s vote represented a vital signal of strength “in circumstances where the threat is not just from the individual acts of terrorism, but the people who try to entice other people or recruit other people into doing it”.

- More on Britain’s stand here ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/17/2006 at 09:11 AM   
Filed Under: • EUro-peons • RoPMA •  
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The Wisdom Of Actors

I don’t accuse Dreyfuss of treason. I don’t even accuse him of being part of a Leftist conspiracy. I do however, accuse him of being a colossal jerk with an oversized ego and an undersized sense of propriety. What does a call for impeachment gain any of us? It just adds to the constant noise and negativity coming from the Democrats, the media and Hollywood, i.e., those who think Bill Clinton should have been proclaimed Emperor for life.

Dreyfuss has contributed nothing to the exercise of free speech in this country with this diatribe. The man is a loon, much like a few others of his social circle in Hollywood. If these people weren’t overpaid, over-exposed prima-donnas, no one would pay any attention to them. I think Dreyfuss has done some great acting in his career. He has also had severe problems with alcohol and cocaine addiction at times in his life. He seems to me to be a talented but very troubled man. It’s too bad we can’t impeach actors ....

Impeaching Bush Is ‘Cause Worth Fighting for,’ Actor Says
February 17, 2006
(CNSNews.com)

Richard Dreyfuss, the actor who starred in movies ranging from “Jaws” to “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” told an audience in Washington, D.C., on Thursday that “there are causes worth fighting for,” and one of those is the impeachment of President George W. Bush.

“There are causes worth fighting for even if you know that you will lose,” Dreyfuss said during a speech at the National Press Club. “Unless you are willing to accept torture as part of a normal American political lexicon, unless you are willing to accept that leaving the Geneva Convention is fine and dandy, if you accept the expansion of wiretapping as business as usual, the only way to express this now is to embrace the difficult and perhaps embarrassing process of impeachment.”

Noting that the process was established by the country’s “founders, who we revere to check executive abuse with congressional balance,” Dreyfuss stated that impeachment “is a statement that we refuse to endorse bad behavior.” “If we refuse to debate the appropriateness of the process of impeachment, we endorse that behavior, and we approve the enlargement of executive power,” regardless of whoever may occupy the White House in the future, he said.

“And don’t kid yourselves: No one ever gives up power, ever,” Dreyfuss added. “Now, it is not your job as the press to impeach George Bush,” the actor stated. However, people in the media should “maintain the integrity of that debate” by not dismissing the topic out of hand as partisan or unpatriotic.
During his address on the subject of Hollywood’s view of contemporary news media, Dreyfuss said he is not a cynic or a liberal, but is instead a ‘libo-conservo-middle-of-the-roado,’ and I have been for many years.”

“Watch me lose my sense of humor if people accuse me of treason,” Dreyfuss said before mocking two of the Fox News Channel’s most popular hosts. “‘That’s not very O’Reilly of you, Mister Smarty-Pants,’ or ‘What would Sean Hannity have to say about that, Mister Too-Complex-for-Your-Own-Good?’”

- More mental mumblings from Dreyfuss here ...

Posted by The Skipper     on 02/17/2006 at 07:55 AM   
Filed Under: • Hollywood •  
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Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

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It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

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