Random Thoughts
February 22, 2005
Dr. Hunter S Thompson (1937 - 2005 )
I was stunned reading Hunter S Thompson killed himself last weekend. The man was a literary god to me and it is hard to believe his body of work is finished. The man was without a doubt the most honest... Continue readingPosted by pmcmahon at 10:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
November 15, 2004
Images of Fallujah
A week has passed since the start of hostilities in Fallujah. A week of incredible devastation aimed at a city which was no threat to us before the start of the war, and was no threat to us during the... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 10:14 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
October 31, 2004
Lancet Study on Iraqi Deaths - Revisited
Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable. There are lies, damned lies and statistics. - Mark Twain In looking more closely at the Lancet report and in reviewing comments by other respected pundits (see Fred Kaplan at Slate, among... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 07:54 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
Lancet Study on Iraqi Deaths
The Lancet, the world's pre-eminent medical research journal, has published a study on Iraqi mortality rates (login required, get one here) before and after the 2003 invasion. In it, they conclude that approximately 100,000 Iraqi deaths can be attributed to... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 01:40 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
October 30, 2004
The Real Face of War
This video, taken by the gun camera of a U.S. Apache helicopter, shows an engagement between the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division and a small group of Iraqis. THE VIDEO CONTAINS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC VIOLENCE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 03:27 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack | Permalink
October 26, 2004
Rise Of The Weird
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. - Dr. Hunter S. Thompson We've got one week left, and a sense of weirdness is creeping out from cracks and crevices everywhere. The left is trumpeting Big Defense and Foreign... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 11:22 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink
October 24, 2004
The Attack of Al-Pieda
The Smoking Gun reports that two University of Arizona students have been arrested on felony charges after throwing custard cream pies at Ann Coulter during an appearance at the University on Thursday evening. Apparently the University claims that the student's... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 05:34 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack | Permalink
October 23, 2004
Impressions in a U.S. Marshal's Office
Don't know why I thought of it, but a while back I installed glass desktops on every desk at our local branch of the U.S. Marshal's office. The visit was eerie to the point of surreal. I remember walking down... Continue readingPosted by pmcmahon at 08:33 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack | Permalink
My Mind is Mush
It is getting very close to the elections, and I still have reasons to vote for both men and neither man. My mind is more convoluted than ever. Neither candidate wants to say anything worthwhile but they sure can deliver... Continue readingPosted by pmcmahon at 12:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
October 16, 2004
Appeals Court Rules Against Mass Searches at Protest
In a decision that may have broad implications with respect to the Patriot Act, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday unanimously ruled that protesters may not be forced to pass through metal detectors before they assemble for a... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 06:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
October 14, 2004
William Gibson is Back
William Gibson, the visionary novelist generally considered to be the originator of the culture of "cyberpunk" and the author of such modern classics as Neuromancer and Johnny Mnemonic, is once again blogging his thoughts. And, in classic Gibson style, pulling... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 11:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
October 09, 2004
Video Evidence of American War Crimes?
This video, supposedly taken last April from inside the cockpit of an F-16 fighter jet during a raid on Falluja, appears to show the targeting and killing of a group of apparently unarmed Iraqi civilians. This is truly horrifying stuff.... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 11:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
Is George Bush Really Cecil The Turtle?
Still not sure? Here's an audio clip of Bush/Cecil.... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 08:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
eBay Auctioning Bush Wood On The Internets
Some people on eBay with a stellar sense of humor have posted an auction for a genuine(?) piece of Bush wood as used in the debate last night. This is truly hilarious stuff. Thank God for Photoshop. UPDATE: Well it... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 06:25 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
When I'm 64 - Happy Birthday, John
Today would have been John Lennon's sixty-fourth birthday. Lennon was one of rock's first socially active and politically aware musicians, tirelessly working for world peace and social justice, particularly during the second half of his career. I like to think... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 06:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
Another Beheading
After three weeks of toying with the emotions of many thousands of civilized people, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi beheaded Kenneth Bigley. Looking back it was naïve to think Zarqawi was going to release him.... Continue readingPosted by pmcmahon at 03:53 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack | Permalink
October 02, 2004
Link o' The Day
So that we would never forget the contributions of our Polish brethren, we bring you this link: www.youforgotpoland.com.... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 11:51 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
September 26, 2004
The End is Near
This just in from the Department of Latter Days: Most people live their entire lives knowing that certain assumptions about the way things work are just inescapably true. For example, when you heat ice it melts. If you continue to... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 01:32 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
July 27, 2004
Faggots, Anyone?
Ok, there's absolutely nothing I can say about this. The headline speaks for itself. Oh, and if you happen to be reading this from somewhere outside the U.S., don't bother clicking on the link. You probably wouldn't understand. I realize... Continue readingPosted by bcoffee at 11:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Permalink
