Reason Magazine
- reason.com
- reason.tv
- reason.org
- Donate
- Site Search:
Reason on Facebook
Reason on Twitter
Reason on YouTube
Reason RSSGet Reason E-mail Updates!
Manage your Reason e-mail list subscriptionsadvertisements
Reason Morning Links: Pirates, Bankers, UFOs, and Zombies
• Rebellion in Thailand, in Georgia, and in Moldova.
• The "largest bank failure in the nation so far this year."
• The Navy frees Capt. Richard Phillips from Somali buccaneers. Looking at the larger problem, Lester Hunt makes the case for private defense against pirates, and Nathan Hodges talks with a fellow in the private defense business. Johann Hari argues that some of the people dubbed pirates are engaged in a sort of private defense themselves. On the Big Picture beat: Is piracy an overstated threat?
• Goldman Sachs tries to silence a blogger.
• State and local governments raise funds via fees.
• Bad regulation drives out good.
• "Ten Things I Hate About NPR"
• Area 51 insiders spill the beans.
Pre-emptive Lamar|4.13.09 @ 8:13AM|#
Is piracy an overstated threat?
Yes! IP is not property! It's bits of data! I repeat!
ed|4.13.09 @ 8:17AM|#
"Ten Things I Hate About NPR"
You know what I hate? White text on a black
background.
If it were a good idea, books would be published that way.
|4.13.09 @ 8:21AM|#
"Ten Things I Hate About NPR"
What is this? Amateur hour? Are you guys just pulling crazy shit
off the internet at random or something?
BakedPenguin|4.13.09 @ 8:26AM|#
I've wondered why someone with a 50 ft boat hasn't gotten a 20mm Vulcan installed, and charged the shipping companies $50 - 80,000 a pop to escort cargo ships around the horn of Africa. Even if you needed to pay a crew of 10-12, it still seems like you could make out with some serious cash.
|4.13.09 @ 8:36AM|#
What is this? Amateur hour?
It's morning links. Chill.
Oh, and drink? Don't mind if I do.
Furthermore|4.13.09 @ 8:36AM|#
it still seems like you could make out with some serious
cash
And pop some African saggers! Everybody wins!
BakedPenguin|4.13.09 @ 8:39AM|#
If it were a good idea, books would be published that way.
Ed, bits are free. Ink is not.
MNG|4.13.09 @ 8:41AM|#
Baked
I can kind of see why the boats don't go armed...Think of banks. I
don't think armed guards at banks would deter an armed robber. The
guard is not on his ready all the time, and the robber picks his
time to play his hand. Having an armed guard there probably just
ups the robbers chances of actually shooting someone. Maybe ditto
for the armed boats, and so insurance for that is way higher...
BakedPenguin|4.13.09 @ 8:44AM|#
Furthermore, I can't really get worked up over the deaths of
armed thugs threatening the lives of innocent sailors to steal
millions. Sorry 'bout that, big guy. Their ethnicity / point of
origin is irrelevant.
MNG - I'm not saying the cargo ships go armed, I'm saying "if I had
a 50 ft. power boat, I could stick a 20mm chain gun and a couple of
.50 cal machine guns on it, and provide escort services at a very
high price."
BakedPenguin|4.13.09 @ 8:45AM|#
MNG - to further the point, the cargo ship's crew can think about the cargo ship. It's the escort vessel that's looking out for pirates. Division of labor, and all that.
Jozef|4.13.09 @ 8:45AM|#
Ten Things I Hate About NPR
I *only* listen to NPR when I don't listen to an audio book in my
car, due to the fact that every other radio station in Atlanta
sucks balls. That said, I'd like to comment on two
points the author made:
Hip-hop: Thanks to NPR, I now know that there is a
difference between hip-hop and rap. I still don't know what
difference, so I use the two terms at random, hoping to sound more
sophisticated.
Fund drives: Obviously, I'm no fan of them,
because they tend to interrupt stories, classical music and even
The Prairie Home Companion. What ticks me off the most,
though, that contributing to NPR got my name on all kinds of
distribution lists, and now my mailbox is always full of requests
for money. I've been contributing to about half-dozen select
non-profits, but even all those combined didn't get me signed up
for all the additional crap that NPR did.
Furthermore|4.13.09 @ 8:47AM|#
I concur. Popping pirates is a feature. And if they're sagging, it's gravy.
High Every Body|4.13.09 @ 8:47AM|#
Area 51 insiders spill the beans.
They are not real insiders. No mention of the underground DHMO
distribution system.
ed,
You know what I hate? White text on a black background.
If it were a good idea, books would be published that
way.
If books were published on a light bulb shining in your face I
would agree with you.
|4.13.09 @ 8:51AM|#
I'm guessing that 80k would be a bit steep for protection compared to a vessels chances of being robbed. That is a very heavily trafficked shipping lane. If the average ransom is 2mm bucks, 80k worth of protection means piracy would have to be more likely than 1 in 25 trips to be economically viable as a solution. That, added to the fact that crewing a mercenary ship with 10 people ready to get into a shooting conflict would probably cost more than 80k.
ed|4.13.09 @ 8:54AM|#
If books were published on a light bulb shining in your face
I would agree with you
I don't even know what that means. And yes, I'm aware that ink is
not free.
Is today Literalist Monday? I didn't get the memo.
Almost time for my Sopranos rerun. Pussy gets it, I
hear.
Ciao, bella!
|4.13.09 @ 8:56AM|#
Reason Morning Links: Pirates, Bankers, UFOs, and
Zombies
Red meat for the commentariat, I see. You guy really swung for the
fences this time around.
They had a digital recreation of the snipers on The Today Show.
Three shots through a window at a bobbing target. Bravo, boys.
SIV|4.13.09 @ 8:58AM|#
The ships are unarmed and lack private security because of arms/gun control. They can't go from port to port with just sidearms and scatter guns (enough to repel most boarders), much less .50s and 20mm cannon.
|4.13.09 @ 9:00AM|#
Imagine being the captain. one second, you are standing captive, in a room, with three bad guys, and an AK poking you in the ribs. A split second later, the room explodes into shards of glass, and you are alone with three headless corpses, and a Navy Seal team fastroping onto the roof.
High Every Body|4.13.09 @ 9:02AM|#
ed,
I don't even know what that means.
A computer monitor is a light bulb and it is shining in
your face, older CRTs were worse that LCDs, but still it is a
lightbulb shining in your face.
There is a difference between printing on something, like paper,
that is just reflecting light and something that is generating
light. The latter is harsher on many people's eyes.
High Every Body|4.13.09 @ 9:03AM|#
[sarcastica]
Imagine being the captain. one second, you are standing
captive, in a room, with three bad guys, and an AK poking you in
the ribs. A split second later, the room explodes into shards of
glass, and you are alone with three headless corpses, and a Navy
Seal team fastroping onto the roof.
Was any sea life harmed in this sea cowboy operation?
[/sarcastica]
|4.13.09 @ 9:04AM|#
SIV, I also understand that part of the problem is crewing is not really sufficient to repel boarders. These guys roll up in inflatable boats - cant see them on radar, and invisible at night. It would be a joke to put holes in them 200 yards offshore with a minigun, but once they get on the hull, you are basically screwed - so if you can't see them coming, and the crew is asleep, which they have to be at some point...
BakedPenguin|4.13.09 @ 9:05AM|#
domo, you may be right about the 50-80k. I don't think you'd
need to pay people too much, though, since you can armor the ship
and provide body armor, which, along with guns that heavily
outclass anything the pirates have, would greatly lessen the
risks.
The price for escort that I listed may be somewhat high, but IIRC
from my time in insurance, cargo insurance on one ship is around
20-50k per trip. Adding, say, another 30-50k to that isn't entirely
unreasonable. And the fact that it's a heavily used sea lane means
you could cover ships coming and going from the Arabian Sea /
Indian Ocean. A weeks worth of sailing - even at 20k a pop could
get you $80,000 to $100,000.
Remember, too, it's not just the ransoms. It's millions of dollars
in cargo that's not where it should be when it should be there.
Insurance companies often have to pay a portion of costs related to
non-delivery.
|4.13.09 @ 9:06AM|#
Was any sea life harmed in this sea cowboy
operation?
No, but the sea horses were ridden hard and put away wet.
High Every Body|4.13.09 @ 9:06AM|#
so if you can't see them coming, and the crew is asleep,
which they have to be at some point...
Of course, the answer is a federal jobs program for more sailors so
some can always be awake.
BakedPenguin|4.13.09 @ 9:09AM|#
domo - Infrared / 3rd gen night vision would clearly show people
against the sea.
And if I had the money to invest, I would already be there...
High Every Body|4.13.09 @ 9:09AM|#
domo,
Thank you!
So, BP, And the fact that it's a heavily used sea lane means
you could cover ships coming and going from the Arabian Sea /
Indian Ocean. Do they need Arabian sea horses over there? We
may need to institute price controls to prevent obscene profits of
the seaquestrians.
Geotech|4.13.09 @ 9:10AM|#
As the son and grandson of former merchant mariners, I can't deny that it made my day this morning when I heard about the captain being rescued and the pirates getting taken out. And I'll admit to smiling when the pirates initially got served a big NOT SO FAST! by a crew of unarmed seamen. [BraggingAboutGrandpa Charlie]My grandfather was a boatswain and was on 2 Victory ships in the Caribbean that were torpedoed on the same day by U-boats back in the 40's. He launched lifeboats by himself and saved about 8 or 9 guys from drowning. He received a Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal and I believe was credited with saving the lives of 15 Navy sailors and merchant seamen over the course of WWII.[/BraggingAboutGrandpaCharlie]
|4.13.09 @ 9:18AM|#
Thing is, you only have a couple of minutes. It would probably only take them that long to traverse the effective range of your weapon - less if they use the ships own momentum against it. Subtract from that detection time, communication, and clearance. You would need one gunner fore and aft at a minimum, plus a spotter, probably 8 hour shifts, so a security detail is 9 people minimum. figure 3 days in the danger area...
Geotech|4.13.09 @ 9:18AM|#
Asleep? You people do realize that crews work in 8-hour shifts 24 hours a day, right? Do you think they cut the engines and drift at sunset?
BakedPenguin|4.13.09 @ 9:20AM|#
domo - but if you have the money and need a contact person for
the insurance companies / navigator, let me know...
HEB, it's the jumping events that are real troublesome...
|4.13.09 @ 9:20AM|#
You would need one gunner fore and aft at a minimum, plus a
spotter
Or just Bill Brasky with a KFC spork.
|4.13.09 @ 9:24AM|#
You people do realize that crews work in 8-hour shifts 24
hours a day, right?
not according to my friend who graduated merchant marine. cargo
ships often sail with crews of 5, and sail on auto pilot.
Geotech|4.13.09 @ 9:29AM|#
Are you guys forgetting that a crew of unarmed guys didn't do too bad a job of running these pirates off? And a Greek crew successfully ran pirates off a few weeks before with a fire hose. These ships aren't floating office buildings and these seamen aren't pencil-pushers. Some firearms training, hell, just make it legal for them to have small arms aboard the ship and you'll see a lot less of these incidents.
BakedPenguin|4.13.09 @ 9:32AM|#
I'd agree with the minimum crew req's you were saying, and
possibly adding a couple. But I think it would take more than a
couple minutes between sighting and them getting onto a ship. If
they're using the momentum of your ship, then they're coming at
you, which probably means you have more eyes looking in that
direction. Also, a smaller ship will be much more maneuverable than
the huge cargo vessels.
I think it wouldn't take long before the pirates realized that
large cargo ship + small escort ship = bad news. Namely, they have
a choice of going after the cargo ship, and trying to get the
ransom while the escort ship shoots at them, or going after the
escort ship that heavily outguns them, (and potentially dying a
quick death) to free up the cargo ship. They'd soon seek out
unescorted cargo ships. That's when you expand your business.
Art-P.O.G.|4.13.09 @ 9:38AM|#
And a Greek crew successfully ran pirates off a few weeks before with a fire hose
Clearly a group of Greek sailors with a "fire hose" was too much homoeroticism for those poor pirates.
High Every Body|4.13.09 @ 9:41AM|#
What happened to the whole world loving us under Obama? Now he
has made enemies of every pirate in the world. We are as hated as
the French!
This is Iraq at sea.
|4.13.09 @ 9:42AM|#
BakedPenguin,
At least you'll have the perfect graduate degree for high-seas
mayhem.
MNG|4.13.09 @ 9:42AM|#
I actually dig SIV's point. If allowed, surely the crews would
carry arms, and if they all had arms, rag-tag pirates would run
into more trouble.
Don't get me wrong, more people would be killed, especially at
first, on both sides. But just taking it seems really bad...
Art-P.O.G.|4.13.09 @ 9:42AM|#
No, but the sea horses were ridden hard and put away wet.
:::walks up to domoarrigato, shakes his hand, bows a little
High Every Body|4.13.09 @ 9:43AM|#
Art,
Now you did it. With all of those seamen comments, now had to
sweeten the pot with homoeroticism.
Everybody stand back as SugarFree soils the thread.
MNG|4.13.09 @ 9:43AM|#
"Clearly a group of Greek sailors with a "fire hose" was too
much homoeroticism for those poor pirates."
OK, it's only 9:42, but I can safely say that will be the funniest
thing I hear all day...Well done Art One
|4.13.09 @ 9:43AM|#
Couldn't all of this be avoided by giving the poor folks of Somalia a phat bailout? If the U.S. just gave em a billion dollars, they wouldn't need to steal.
MNG|4.13.09 @ 9:44AM|#
I heard this joke the other day in some movie, I cannot remember
which:
"Did you hear about the Greek soldier who did not want to leave his
buddy's behind?"
High Every Body|4.13.09 @ 9:44AM|#
MNG,
I actually dig SIV's point. If allowed, surely the crews would
carry arms, and if they all had arms, rag-tag pirates would run
into more trouble.
Glad you finally got an open view of this sort of thing. Now for
concealed carry in establishments that sell alcohol . . .
|4.13.09 @ 9:46AM|#
or let the pirates keep a shipload of malt liquor. We wouldn't
hear from them for quite some time.
(i miss having joe around to condemn my very soul for such a racist
comment)
|4.13.09 @ 10:00AM|#
On the good ship SS Olde English 800.
In 1990, the gas station within walking distance to my friend
Alex's house put OE800 on sale for 60 cents. I bought 12 40s.
Getting 30 pounds of beer in glass back to his house was an
adventure.
|4.13.09 @ 10:03AM|#
My apologies Art.
Dude, I'm not really offended. That's my tongue-in-cheek fist-shake whenever somebody makes a black joke. That was funny. Only way I'd've been offended was if it hadn't been.
|4.13.09 @ 10:05AM|#
Fair's fair, anyway. For all the gay jokes I make, I'm not really trying to offend any of the gay people that frequent this site.
anarch|4.13.09 @ 10:06AM|#
From the Area 51 story, which either interests almost no one
here, or this post will shortly be vaporized with the rest of
them.
"Late Sunday, three CIA agents brought me home. One drove my car; the other two carried me inside and laid me down on the couch. I was loopy from the drugs. They handed Jane the car keys and left without saying a word." The only conclusion she could draw was that her husband had gone out and gotten drunk. "Boy, was she mad," says Collins with a chuckle.
Today they'd shoot the family dog. Wusses.
|4.13.09 @ 10:06AM|#
Art, I know. I just wanted to appear to understand my mistake in case any of the many black friends I have see these comments.
MNG|4.13.09 @ 10:07AM|#
My thinking about concealed carry laws is complicated. On the
one hand, I own guns. I've felt the need to carry them concealed at
times. I'm no threat to society.
On the other hand, I'm sure that letting everyone do that will lead
to some more shootings (hey, I've been to 7-11 late at night
recently and seen a part of humanity that I would like to see
prevented from carrying firearms period).
|4.13.09 @ 10:07AM|#
many black friends I have
Total overkill - you only need to have one black friend to
be certifiably non-racist.
MNG|4.13.09 @ 10:08AM|#
"For all the gay jokes I make, I'm not really trying to offend
any of the gay people that frequent this site."
Dude, SIV is not so easily offended. ;)
|4.13.09 @ 10:09AM|#
you only need to have one black friend to be certifiably
non-racist.
Woo-hoo!
Mine wears a kilt all the time... do I get extra points?
MNG|4.13.09 @ 10:09AM|#
Epi, wherever you are, this one's for you:
"I do like black people. It just took a white one to prove it to
me." -- from "Let Freedom Ring"
|4.13.09 @ 10:13AM|#
Off-topic:
For those of you who missed Dollhouse Friday.
(Mildly NSFW... depending on where you work, of course.)
MNG|4.13.09 @ 10:14AM|#
Dollhouse would be sooo much better if it were on HBO and nudity
were allowed.
Just sayin'
|4.13.09 @ 10:19AM|#
By the way, on the same semi-topic: HBO passed on Mad Men. Fuck you, HBO. No, Really. Fuck you.
|4.13.09 @ 10:25AM|#
brotherban,
But it might distract from the picture essay
of the women who run it they have put up for their 5th
Anniversary.
MNG|4.13.09 @ 10:26AM|#
Hmm, after considering the evidence I agree Sugarfree. Damn you to hell HBO!
Kyle Jordan|4.13.09 @ 10:28AM|#
"Off-topic:
For those of you who missed Dollhouse Friday.
(Mildly NSFW... depending on where you work, of course.)"
Yes...YES...HOLY FUCK YES!!!!
Beyond this wonderful occurence, is the show any good?
|4.13.09 @ 10:29AM|#
Dollhouse would be sooo much better if it were on HBO and
nudity were allowed.
That's exactly what I thought about According to
Jim.
Of course I'm kidding. I can't allow the notion to cross the
intertubes at any point that someone, somewhere wanted to see a
naked Belushi.
BakedPenguin|4.13.09 @ 10:30AM|#
At least you'll have the perfect graduate degree for high-seas mayhem.
SugarFree - I'd certainly be able to find all sources of public
information about the pirates. I could pay off my student loans
quick, too...
Also, when I was an undergrad (with an alcohol problem) oh so many
years ago, ABC Liquor once had a sale on Texas Light beer - $5 a
case. I bought 2 cases and was struggling to tote them the two
blocks home when a cop car pulled up toward me (I was 19 at the
time) . I had a second to think something like "oh,shit", and the
cop leaned out the window.
"Hey you need any help with those?" followed by laughter, and they
drove away. Good times.
BakedPenguin|4.13.09 @ 10:31AM|#
Of course not, FrBunny. We all know you're interested in the blond, fat guy they put on there to make Belushi look good...
|4.13.09 @ 10:32AM|#
If the naked Belushi was in a scene with a naked Thorne-Smith and a naked mrs. Paisly, it would be well worth it.
|4.13.09 @ 10:32AM|#
Kyle,
It's getting better as what Whedon wanted to do becomes more clear,
but it is doomed. Fox is being coy until the 12 episode run
finishes, but it will be canceled.
Another
cute outfit
|4.13.09 @ 10:35AM|#
On the subject of Mad Men...
How great would it be for a Golden-Age Superman movie starring
Jon
Hamm to get made? He could fight the Ultra-Humanite!
|4.13.09 @ 10:37AM|#
From the NPR link:
3) Ordinary person commentaries. Unfogged's Timothy Burke put it best:
"I hate the goddamn local commentaries from various hopelessly banal radio "essayists" around the country that they sandwich in between the reportage in a desperate attempt to produce something of a local flavor. "All Things Considered" will be humming along just fine, perfectly interesting, and suddenly they'll serve up a steaming pile of sub-Andy Rooneyish crap from some person--a "philosopher" who has noticed that modernist buildings look all the same, as in one recent one, or some middle-aged person in Shilo who tries to do a faux-folksy thing on her local supermarket, or whatever."
Regular people! Talking to me about their lives as if I give a
shit! The nerve of these fucking bucolic retards, dirtying my NPR
with their prosaic drivel!
...Timothy Burke is a fucking douche.
Kyle Jordan|4.13.09 @ 10:38AM|#
Jon Hamm is actually in the running to play Superman in the
reboot of the franchise if they decide to ditch Brandon Routh. Read
it on Newsarama.
From what I've seen of him I think he's too old but makeup and film
magic could possibly change that.
And the second pic of Eliza is wonderful. Thanks.
|4.13.09 @ 10:44AM|#
Jon Hamm is actually in the running to play Superman in the
reboot of the franchise if they decide to ditch Brandon
Routh.
Oh, no! You mean they might not keep The Adventures of Gay
Superman franchise going?
"What did you find out among the stars, Clark?"
A bathhouse, appearently.
|4.13.09 @ 10:44AM|#
He could fight the Ultra-Humanite!
Yes! DC needs to get Ultra-Humanite on film.
And the Doom Patrol, if you ask me.
|4.13.09 @ 10:44AM|#
MNG | April 13, 2009, 10:42am | #
"He could fight the Ultra-Humanite!"
Monkey version?
RACISM RACISM!!!
Ravac|4.13.09 @ 10:46AM|#
Mounting guns on cargo and cruise ships and training crew in the
use of sidearms would be cost prohibitive from the insurance and
import/export paperwork alone. Same with armor-plating the ships;
heavier ships = more fuel used = higher shipping costs.
BP's idea of freelance, armed escorts is more plausible.
Even cheaper: stepped up Navy patrols.
|4.13.09 @ 10:50AM|#
Doom Patrol! They could use
Monsieur Mallah & The Brain
Grant Morrison Doom Patrol only, though. Got to keep it real.
Kyle Jordan|4.13.09 @ 10:52AM|#
Yes, Morrison's Doom Patrol would fucking rule. And apparently,
one of the serious contenders for the next Superman movie is a
script that Morrison and Geoff Johns wrote together.
That make me giddy just thinking about it.
|4.13.09 @ 10:55AM|#
An overview of the Mallah/Brain team, including their glorious
end.
"You don't know how long I've waited to hear those words."
MNG|4.13.09 @ 11:10AM|#
Gorilla Grog, Mallah, the Monkey version of the Humanite. As the man said, everyone loves monkeys until they bite your face off.
hmm|4.13.09 @ 11:26AM|#
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aYhvgOfyTmYA&refer=home
It appears the Big O is going to pull another Bush move. The
difference? It's Bush 1.0 that we are going to follow this time.
Didn't we learn the first time? Nation building in Africa has been
such a boom success for everyone why not jump right back into the
fire.
Spoonman|4.13.09 @ 11:31AM|#
Clearly a group of Greek sailors with a "fire hose" was too much homoeroticism for those poor pirates.
I might as well go to bed now.
|4.13.09 @ 12:32PM|#
Mounting guns on cargo and cruise ships and training crew in
the use of sidearms would be cost prohibitive from the insurance
and import/export paperwork alone.
Not sure why. If the guns never leave the ship, they aren't subject
to import/export duties in any event. You would think that they
would actually save on insurance as a prophylactic measure, much
like fire alarms in your house.
There is no need, at this point, to armor the ships. The pirates
aren't mounting any artillery, after all.
And, of course, we should step up naval patrols, and revive the
original law of the sea, that anyone caught in the act of piracy
was subject to summary execution. Further, any land-based pirate
facilities were subject to punitive raids, as they were either (a)
engaged in acts of war or (b) not subject to any sovereign.
With a modicum of common sense and some cojones, this whole Somali
pirate farce could be ended within a year.
Art-P.O.G.|4.13.09 @ 12:38PM|#
Did you like the Byrne run?
I missed the Byrne run. If it was true to the spirit of the Morrison comics (or, written by Morrison), I'm sure it was awesome because John Byrne's one of my favorite artists. I've got to hunt these trade paperbacks down now.
|4.13.09 @ 12:42PM|#
There is no need, at this point, to armor the
ships.
And in any event, the pirates aren't usually trying to poke holes
in the hull... I agree, a few summary executions would go a long
way. According to maritime law, there is absolutely nothing
preventing a ship captain in int'l waters who captured pirates from
doing exactly that.
Art-P.O.G.|4.13.09 @ 12:55PM|#
Hey, Sugarfree, thanks for the Feminsting link. I now have 'batin' material for weeks. Those pictures of Dushku are hot.
Paul|4.13.09 @ 1:28PM|#
8) Politically Correct Pronunciation. I'm still trying to get a handle on the rules here. Latin and Spanish words have to be pronounced with a Spanish accent. This is not necessary, however, for French or other European languages.
Holy shit he nailed this one. I hate the over-dramatic and
bone-jarring pronunciations of spanish words by NPR's white people
who sound whiter than I do.
As someone who grew up in a household with foreigners for family
members, this isn't fucking necessary, NPR, so stop it right
now.
These dumbasses think they're being all "correct" when they
pronounce the name of some South American City all 100% correct and
shit (yeah, I grew up learning spanish, speak a fair amount and
lived in a predominantly hispanic area but I don't pronounce Manila
"Maneela") but yet they mysteriously don't pronounce Prague,
Moscow, or Paris the way the natives of said cities do.
God I want to strangle puppies everytime NPR's commentators do
this.
Paul|4.13.09 @ 1:32PM|#
With a modicum of common sense and some cojones, this whole
Somali pirate farce could be ended within a year.
I argue this "Pirate menace" would be over in three months.
Jeebus... "Look! Four guys carrying pop guns and an antiquated RPG
prone to going ballistic on 33% of every shot fired are bobbing
around 100 yards from our 17,000 tonne ship... LOCK YOURSELVES IN
THE SAFE ROOM AND CALL THE NAVY*!!!"
* 350 nautical miles away.
|4.13.09 @ 1:42PM|#
I added this comment to the WFMU blog:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;... - U.S. Constitution
The broadcast media, when defending its 1st Amendment rights, likes to stile itself "the electronic press." If that's what they are - and, mind you, I agree with that - then what is the friggin' government doing involved with it?! Like WFMU, not all "public" radio or TV outlets are government-owned, but many of the licensees are state universities, state broadcasting boards, municipalities and even government school districts. The Corporation For Public Broadcasting is the gubmint, and both PBS and NPR are arguably so entangled with CPB that they are, essentially, state actors, too.
The Founders wouldn't have put up with as many government-owned newspapers as we have government-owned broadcasting outlets, I'm thinking.
If you're an ACLU-type 1st Amendment absolutist, whadya think about Garrison Keillor singing hymns over state-owned and/or state-subsidized frequencies?
Kevin
As for the DP, there's nothing wrong with an Arnold Drake/Bruno
Premiani take on their characters.
Kevin
Paul|4.13.09 @ 2:14PM|#
Hip-hop: Thanks to NPR, I now know that there is a
difference between hip-hop and rap. I still don't know what
difference, so I use the two terms at random, hoping to sound more
sophisticated.
Don't worry about it. Use rap when you're not sure and you'll be
safe.
Discussing the difference between rap and hip-hop is like getting
into those painful jr. high discussions about who and what is
really punk.
Another safe bet: The kids 'rapping' in ciphers on the streets in
Brooklyn are hip-hip. The white kid rapping over a heavy-metal
track is not hip hop, he's just rapping.
In the end, it's not that important-- except for the die-hards
which want to keep hip-hop pure. And we all know the value of
cultural purity.
|4.13.09 @ 3:12PM|#
I argue this "Pirate menace" would be over in three
months.
Wow, that's a bold prediction. They've been out of it by the All
Star Game every year since 1992.
Geotech|4.13.09 @ 5:01PM|#
Okay domo, that's a hell of an anecdote. Find me an unlimited tonnage merchant vessel where there isn't at least one man on watch at any given time when under way. Jesus, when I worked for a dredging company they had a day crew and a night crew, and there's a lot less maintenance required to run a cutterhead dredge than a 1000' container ship.
Sebastian|4.13.09 @ 6:26PM|#
Wow, a lot of people came into my blog just to look at pictures
of Dushku... :P
May I recommend some more of her, in this week's dominatrix
outfit?
|4.14.09 @ 4:26PM|#
All this talk about pirates makes me wonder...
What the hell is Kit Walker up to
these days?
Kevin
Invisible Finger|4.14.09 @ 4:59PM|#
The only thing scarier than right-wing extremists are NPR listeners.
Site comments/questions:
Media Inquiries and Reprint Permissions:
(310) 367-6109
Editorial & Production Offices:
3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-2245