Hopeless Geek

This is from my mother-in-law about her experience visiting the Obama rally in Corpus Christi, TX.

As my husband, friend, and I were approaching the Obama rally at the American Bank Plaza, I first saw a large group of my female teacher friends leaving. I asked them why they were leaving and they told me that as soon as they got out of their cars they were approached by some women and men who told them that they wouldn’t be allowed in if they didn’t have photo IDs. They were very upset about this. I asked my husband to get my substitute teacher photo ID out of the glove compartment as my friend and I made it through the crowd. We passed many women (we spoke to about 100) who were leaving for the same reason. A typical response was, “We were told not to bring our purses, but no one said anything about an photo ID and that’s where our IDs are.” They were all very upset about the situation.

From Populist America:

The Protect America Act gives the federal government the authority to monitor American citizens’ phone conversations and e-mails, providing they are corresponding with persons “reasonably believed to be located outside the United States.” This bill, which was drafted mostly by the White House, was created in response to the 2005 scandal where President Bush was ridiculed for authorizing the National Security Agency to conduct a secret wiretapping program targeted at persons within the United States. A federal court ruling found that program to be what most people already believed it to be: unconstitutional.

The Fourth Amendment to the Constitutionstates: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

Fireworks at a Round Rock Express Game, originally uploaded by ahknight.

Mmmm, longish exposures.

bq.. Saddam Hussein tells his Baghdad trial he has been beaten "on every part of my body", which the US denies.

"Americans tortured me - Saddam":http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/middle_east/4550314.stm

p. Boo hoo. Even if true -- and it's highly reasonable -- who the hell cares? Man deserves worse fates.

bq.. An opinion poll suggests high voter turnout in Iraq has boosted US President George W Bush's approval ratings.

"'Sharp rise' in Bush popularity":http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/americas/4544444.stm

p. Um, surprise? They wanted freedom and democracy? This was in doubt? The dude's still an ass hat and should be kicked out.

Fucking hell.

I turned on the radio today when I got in the car to listen to one of the two good stations in Austin, Channel 102.3, only to discover that my freaking awesome classic rock station got itself turned into a "positive music" station: "The River":http://channel1023.com.

River, my ass. They can drown themselves in it.

And you'll take my KLBJ from my cold, dead hands you fuckers.

Fuckers.