Orwell, Can You Dig This? Terrifying Apparition (AKA Nick Gillespie) Talks Freedom on Russian TV Show via Free Telescreen Technology!

Hey, suck it Zardoz! We got yer giant terracotta head right here!

Here's a talk-show-cum-science-fiction scene that, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein, is not only stranger we imagine, but stranger than we can imagine! And definitely stranger than we want to imagine.

Last night on the excellent Alyona Show on RT, I debated whether thangs like the PATRIOT Act have made us safer. The other guest is the American Center for Law and Justice's Jordan Sekulow.

That comically oversized mag cover in the back? Why it's the first issue of Reason published after the 9/11 attacks and it's worth revisting in full (click on the image below to go to table of contents):

Comments

[Captain Holly]

I must confess I liked the '70s Village People Pornstache version of Gillespie better....

[Greer]

Alas, it's hard to carry a debate when you look like you're in the adult section of a chat room.

But I was thinking that I wish there were a forum for REAL debate. Not 2 people shouting over each other cut off after 5 or 9 minutes but a real chance to debate things. The population isn't interested, but they already made up their minds (vias Fox or MSNBC) but I would welcome it. And it can't be boring and dry like Firing Line or some such bullshit and it can't be an extension of current formats, such as Hannity shadow boxing far left extremists. Most debate is the right debating itself and the left debating itself.

[cynical]

I think it would be nice in a written format. Sort of a Wikipedia, but based around Evidence + Argument = Conclusion, with evidence being primary sources. Get Jimmy Wales and David Brin to help you out.

[Greer]

nice idea.

[Greer]

Alas, it's hard to carry a debate when you look like you're in the adult section of a chat room.

But I was thinking that I wish there were a forum for REAL debate. Not 2 people shouting over each other cut off after 5 or 9 minutes but a real chance to debate things. The population isn't interested, but they already made up their minds (vias Fox or MSNBC) but I would welcome it. And it can't be boring and dry like Firing Line or some such bullshit and it can't be an extension of current formats, such as Hannity shadow boxing far left extremists. Most debate is the right debating itself and the left debating itself.

[Greer]

My points were SO salient, I had to post them twice

[Spiny Norman]

And I read them twice, just to make sure they were the same.

[Handsome Dan]

I always liked REASON's old 2001-2003ish "MONTH:YEAR" cover graphics, I never understood why they got rid of 'em, and wish they would bring it back. That is all.

[Hugh Akston]

I can't believe it's been ten years since this place was so much better when Virginia Postrel was in charge.

[Hugh Akston]

Also, Nick, now that you've shaved off that gay biker mustache, you're probably getting more digits from the ladies. Any chance of setting me up with Alyona?

[Mr Stupid Terrorists]

Aside from cockpit doors, there have been no major terrorist attacks because they can't find enough volunteers crazy enough to do anything. You could dribble gasoline across a bridge and light it on fire, fill a u-haul with gasoline cans, at the very least cause a few dozen deaths and shut down the bridge for weeks, and scare the piss out of the public. But no one has. It's telling that only the leader on each of the four planes knew it was a suicide mission; the other 15 had to be tricked into joining the mission. That says a lot about how hard it is for them to get volunteers.

There are a zillion ways to panic the public. The only reason for not having done so is because we are doing it ourselves, or because they can't get volunteers.

[Zeb]

This is why I find it so hard to believe that the terrorists (whoever they are) are really so set on fucking with the US. If there were a few hundred reasonably dedicated people willing to sacrifice life or freedom to make some trouble, shit would be happening every day. It really isn't hard for one or two people to plant a bomb somewhere or set some stuff on fire.

[terry]

The face in the water
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9PjvyfnPCY