Thursday, October 30, 2008

Free Speech and Religion

Here are a couple of articles from September that I never got around to posting. The first details the unsuccessful attempt of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) to get the UN to pass a resolution banning "defamation of religion." The second is an interesting article on the general decline of free speech in the West due to a combination of self censorship and increasing state censorship.

Protectors of free speech speak out at last at UN

How the West was lost for free speech

Thursday, October 23, 2008

David Letterman's Revenge

After getting snubbed by McCain a few weeks ago, Letterman accepts his apology, then becomes the first major media personality to confront McCain about his relationship with Gordon Liddy, political criminal and mastermind of the Watergate break-in. Now, I wouldn't claim that either this or Obama's Ayers connection ought to have anything to do with the campaign, but it is does seem pretty hypocritical of McCain.

Nor is Gordon Liddy the only questionable acquaintance of McCain. One of his major supporters, Carl Lindner, was CEO of Chiquita when it began illegal protection payments to the AUC (a Colombian terrorist organization), and the district attorney of Medellin has called for him and other top executives to be extradited to Colombia to face criminal charges of financing terrorism.

Government Supported Religious Discrimination

The Department of Justice has decided that faith-based organizations receiving government funds may discriminate on religious grounds, despite a congressional law specifically forbidding this.

Monday, October 20, 2008

The Rise of Disaster Capitalism Socialism

Extraordinary economic times call for extraordinary measures.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Does Religion Make People Nicer?

Do religious people show concern for others because they truly believe religious morals, or because of fear of divine retribution and/or concern for their own reputations?

Friday, October 10, 2008

UK Plans Computer System to Tap ALL Calls and Emails

The UK is in the process of designing a computer system capable of monitoring every, call, text, e-mail, and website visited by every person in the country. They have already spent a billion pounds of taxpayer money. Can the US be far behind on this? How has surveillance gotten this bad?

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Criminality: Nature or Nurture?

Are criminals born or made? What are the implications?

Explanation of the crisis

Confused about the crisis? Mike Flynn is here to help.