Fine? Why Fine?

Poof

LGF has a powerful demonstration of Google's China policy.

Vertigo

(Via the UNPOPULIST.) Famous author brings the hammer down on famous singer.

I'm With Him

Perry de Havilland is pissed.

Now rather prominently amongst those things commonly felt to be a human right is the right to express yourself, just so long as you are not crying 'Fire' in a crowded theatre or actively inciting people to violence. Yet when a Danish newspaper prints some cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, sparking protests from Muslims, does she support the right of Danish people to express themselves? Hell no.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour was investigating the matter. "I understand your attitude to the images that appeared in the newspaper," Arbour wrote the Organization of the Islamic Conference. "I find alarming any behaviors that disregard the beliefs of others. This kind of thing is unacceptable."

Investigating? If it is 'unacceptable', it sounds like she is well past the 'investigating' stage as it looks pretty damn clear who she thinks is in the wrong here. Let me tell you what is unacceptable. Pandering to people who want to see force used to 'punish' people for saying things they do not like, that is unacceptable. Claiming to defend human rights on our dime while giving aid and comfort to intolerant bigots, that is unacceptable.

Preach It!

Words to live by in a story out of Vancouver.

"Defecating and urinating in the street is not something that's healthy for individuals."

[email protected]

I admit that I'm probably too attached to the internet but if you can't live without it for the hour or two a week you're supposed to be in Church, presumably praying, then there's a major problem.

British telecoms operator BT Group Plc has wired up a church in Wales to allow the congregation to hook onto local high-speed Internet connections when they want a break from the sermon.

Britain's largest fixed-line telecoms operator said on Tuesday it had installed a Wi-Fi wireless network access point, known as a hotspot, in Reverend Keith Kimber's St John's Rectory church in the city of Cardiff.

"The church has to move with the times and I wanted to make St John's a sanctuary for everyone, including business people with laptops and mobiles," Kimber said in a statement issued by BT.

"I have no problem with people quietly sending an email or surfing the Internet in church, as long as they respect the church."

From the Rev's quotes, it looks like it's not just the congregation that has forgotten why they go to church in the first place.

UPDATE

I threw this up here on my lunch hour and would like to add a bit. I'm not a churchgoer, I should be and anticipate becoming one again when I have kids (this is something we both feel strongly about). A minister actively participating in his flock's A.D.D. seems like a complete resignation to the fact that his message (God's message) just can't compete in the modern world. I know a lot of this was covered when PJP II died and they voted in a "hardliner," but I never really commented on it. The whole "The Pope Is Still Catholic" thing struck me as total load. The feigned surprise that the new Pope would be a traditional conservative adhering to strict Catholic doctrine was ridiculous.

If you're going to Church, pray. If you've got business that supersedes your churchgoing, then fine do what you have to do, but why bother going to church if you're not going to put your life on hold for that one hour a week and celebrate mass?

And this reverend facilitating the whole thing...ack!

All Lit Up

I think The Anchoress has the best line about the homemade light sabre fight which left the two Jedis seriously injured:

I mean, I watched all those Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck cartoons and never once thought I could blow up my face and get it back. Where is the common sense?

What's In A...?

Normblog is requesting suggestions for names "that sound good to you." There are no guidelines just that general feeling that you can get from a great name. Norm himself likes Mishcon de Reya and one of his readers puts up Isabella Rosellini.

Personally, I'm partial to the alliterative and the greatest alliterative name all-time, bar-none is Zarley Zalapski.

[Cross-posted to the UNPOPULIST.]

Time Has Come

A "Down with Fidel" rally in Havana!

"Freedom! Freedom!" the group of more than 100 delegates cheered in the yard of Felix Bonne, a veteran dissident, in a working-class section of Havana. Castro's regime would not allow the use of a theater or hotel for the assembly.

Participants included members of dissident groups that are sometimes at odds but share the goal of driving Castro from power.

"We think this is the first democratic assembly that has ever been held in Cuba," said organizer and former political prisoner Marta Beatriz Roque of the rare public display of opposition.

Still, some opposition groups refused to take part, saying the event was backed by Miami-based exile groups that support violence.

A U.S. diplomat brought a videotaped message from U.S. President George Bush, who congratulated attendees on their courage and efforts to build democracy.

And in Miami, Val is deeply involved in a Cuban-American conference and is posting (w/help) a ton of stuff.

Back Door Demon

How can you not read a story that contains these sentences?

But for superstitious Zanzibaris a visit from the sodomising gremlin is no joke.

[...]

"I felt my mouth becoming bigger and bigger. I started losing my ability to form words. My feeling was that my lower lip had stretched to my lap. I felt weak in my body. I became very sweaty. My experience was like that of a neighbour of mine who said his head seemed to grow to an enormous size."

Breaking...

Scientists have suspected for some time that men might be more resilient to booze than women.

That's some suspicion.

I have suspected for some time that scientists didn't go on Spring Break.