Broadcast Brian

So, there’s a strange waterworld sort of demolition derby going on in the waters off Antarctica.  Anti-whaling advocates in a big ‘ol boat named after Bob Barker (who donated the money for it) were rammed by / rammed a Japanese owned whaler.  Bob Barker is so cool.

So, MSNBC interviewed this dude in Atlanta who administers from afar orphanages in Haiti, who was the one who ostensibly arranged for the transport of 33 kids from Haiti to another orphanage in the D.R. If you watch the MSNBC video, please note how the orphans 1) refuse to let go of the reporter, and 2) how they’re completely comfy using a Blackberry Pearl.  The situation and charities are freaking circuses.  The Americans are holding out hope that God will intercede, but it would seem like the State Department might be in a better position at this point.

A West Philadelphia couple recently celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary.  That’s the Diamonds and Pearls anniversary for those of you keeping track or listening to TAFKAP.  Wow.

It occurred to me, watching and reading the coverage of the situation in Haiti, and this new suit out of Puerto Rico, that the Caribbean nation and our protectorate are converging on a populist course that could lead to requests of admission to the union. Understandably desperate people in Haiti are asking that the U.S. ‘take over’ the island nation; a valid response to a power vacuum.  In Puerto Rico, assertion of mass tort claims regarding Vieques could be used to leverage support in Congress for statehood.  In fact, some people may interpret Wyclef’s 5-2 handprint as call for Haitian statehood, with Puerto Rico representing number 51.

The U.S. has already granted essential asylum to Haitians ’stuck’ here on the day of the quake (18 month temporary visas), and a Financial Times op-ed suggests that the U.S. should go in on an international effort to actually take in residents of Port Au Prince while it is reconstructed.  At the same time, Caribbean islands and U.S. states alike are reportedly bracing for waves of asylum seekers; and, amidst the muddle, some probably well-intentioned missionaries may have engaged in child-trafficking.

Perhaps those who might want to see additional stars on the flag also see opportunity amidst catastrophe and the attention that comes along with it.

MSNBC reports that the FBI is noting an increase in ‘ransomware’ hacks. These viruses infect one’s PC, then demand money, in the form of ‘licenses’, in order for the user to continue enjoying the use of their own computer and digital life. This is a form of hostage taking.  Ransomware first gives your PC a dirty needle and then demands money for methadone and AZT.  Avoid.

So, while poor people aren’t human in South Carolina, in DC, at least when it comes to political rights, corporations are human. This particular bit of legal wizardry stems from the fact that corporations can be ’summoned’ to stand trial for their actions just like human defendants. However, due to what really seems like a really bad use of algebraic reasoning (so much so that, again, if this is bait, then I’m nibbling), corporations argue that, consequently, they should be able to act like humans and compete for resources like humans, even though they’re fictions made of money. Talk about a color blind society. Is the news watching Caprica or something? Does that mean JayZ is a Cylon?

Jack’s fey brother Andre Bauer, Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina, today finally made the connection between school lunch programs and overpopulation of poor people. He quoted his (probably charming) grandmother out of context to back up the metaphor, saying that she didn’t believe in feeding strays because then they make more strays.

This man is paid to represent the people of South Carolina. Things may well be desperate in that state if the man on deck to the mansion is forced to rely upon misapplication of homespun home economics to inform policy. Application of age-old wisdom to new issues is a powerful rhetorical device that should not be abused.

If this is bait, then fine, I nibbled. But, I like to imagine that Andre’s grandmother actually knew what an animal was and what a human was. If Bauer has proof that animals or cylons or whatever are abusing the school lunch program in order to out-breed humans, then he should present such proof - not attempt to sabotage his own party’s chances of governing during a time of actual fiscal crisis.

For some reason, this connects, in my mind, with Jack Cafferty’s comments regarding that 13 year old girl in Saudi Arabia. “This is how they treat children,” Jack said. Should we starve them?

A young woman in Saudi Arabia is reportedly looking at 90 lashes for an altercation with a teacher who confiscated her cellphone.

MSNBC interviewed noted Harvard Ethicist Arthur Applbaum about the ethical quandary now posed cruisers in the Caribbean.  His take is at the bottom of this article.

A group of photographers protested English policing methods, accusing the UK of being overly ‘coercive’ when enforcing anti-terrorism laws.  Specifically, the photographers assert that they are subjected to unnecessary searches despite wearing their press credentials.

Most of the complaints seem to be coming from photographers who were stopped and searched while covering rallies and protests.  The group’s slogan, “I’m a photographer, not a terrorist” not only echoes Star Trek, but also indicates the level to which civil discourse has fallen in this strange age.  Compared with recent popular political slogans that essentially order people around, “Hope for Haiti NOW” and “Vote or Die”, it’s positively profound.

Still, photographers must accept their gadfly rep or risk shooting themselves in the foot when the case in question goes on appeal.  Paparazzi harassment of semi-notable persons in the UK is more of a sport than it is in the U.S.  The trial court’s ruling that two particular stop and searches interfered with the privacy rights of the photographers could open the door for an in-depth dialogue on privacy in a country that has embraced the security of surveillance society at an uncertain cost to person privacy and freedom.  Should some intrepid public or semi-public figure wish to speak up about THAT side of the equation, then perhaps the kingdom might take notice of just how many freaking cameras are watching its citizens already, and how ’sticky’ notoriety can be within the island nation.

As for the photographers who have been subject to what does sound like unnecessary contact with the police, they need to acknowledge that while they may not be terrorists, neither are they they anti-tyranny angels they may wish themselves to be seen as.  Protecting society and the individual against abuses of power doesn’t always mean taking the outsiders’ view.  It doesn’t always mean engaging in guerilla theater.  It isn’t all aping Banksy and hoping to get shaken down by bobbies.  If they want to be ‘left alone to do [their] jobs’, then perhaps they should approach this as something additional to the obvious free speech issue.  Without compromising their recent court victory, they could head off the government appeal by negotiating a pragmatic solution to the fact that they seem to activate the police spidey sense without meaning to do so.  It’s possible to infer from the timing of this complaint that the photographers are upset about a change in policing procedure.  If that’s due to new training that police have received, then maybe there’s a workaround.  War photographers, for example, receive training on how to operate across and behind lines during armed conflict.  Maybe there’s a way for the kingdom that invented manners to create some sort of etiquette that doesn’t impede upon freedom of expression of serious journalists or compromise the efficacy of policing during demonstrations.

The actual terrorists are probably super happy with this current controvery and hoopla because it’s been a while since anyone gave them any bright ideas.  They’d been busy wasting their energies training people how to blow up their underwear or attack the love boat.  It may be worth mentioning that the Taliban are known to pack a video camera.