Archive for March 10, 2009

Continuing His Dissenting

Posted: March 10, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
Tags: ,

Darren Hutchinson continues his dissents on the current administration:

On Rendition:

The Obama administration has indicated that rendition will continue and that it, like Bush, will not utilize rendition to torture. Obama’s executive orders close CIA black sites, but they do not close other United States-run facilities, such as Bagram, which can (and already) house terrorism suspects. Because the administration has claimed legal authority to deny habeas corpus relief to Bagram detainees and to detain indefinitely Al Qaeda suspects, Bagram could become the functional equivalent of Guantanamo Bay.

I would of course dissent from him on Guantanamo.

Earmarks:

Sorry guys, but this one does not pass the laugh test. The bill was structured last year, but Obama, who campaigned on earmark reform (last year), also co-sponsored a $7.7 million earmark while he was still Senator (last year). Thus, even though he campaigned against earmarks, Obama still sponsored one worth millions of dollars. Now that he is President, however, Obama has deleted his name from the list of sponsors. The spending item remains in the budget. [Note: The Obama administration denies that the spending provision is an earmark. Please read the Congressional Quarterly article to see this argument dissected.]

He rightly hits republicans on this too and we deserve it!

DNA evidence:

I believe that inmates should have the right to test DNA evidence used to convict them. They certainly should have the right to test the evidence prior to a conviction. The issue of cost is not relevant in this particular case, because Osborne’s lawyers will pay for the DNA analysis. Because I strongly believe in due process and because science can answer the question of guilt or innocence, I believe that the Court should rule against Alaska and reject the Bush-Obama arguments.

I can’t see how you can restrict this use of evidence myself.

Phony stem cell stuff

Posted: March 10, 2009 by datechguy in catholic, opinion/news
Tags: ,

You know, embryonic stem cell research was not against the law in the US during the Bush administration but federal funds weren’t spent on it. Adult stem cell research have produced actual benefits and are pooh poohed, but that doesn’t kill humans and thus doesn’t produce the vital ingredient that makes embryonic stem cell research the priority it is.

The vital ingredient is the sin. The sin of murder, the sin of complicity to murder, the sin of being paid to murder and the sin to say that evil is good.

This is the reason why embryonic stem cell research is such a priority, because it produces a sin that can help damn humans. That is all it is good for.

If you are not a Catholic you likely think that is nonsense, you have the right to think that and call me a nut all you want. This doesn’t make it less true.

The difference is people see heaven and hell and God and the devil as an interesting thing to debate and discuss or dismiss. I see and state that it is reality. Like anything that is actually real and exists it needs to be addressed in our lives as much as the snow on the sidewalk.

Update: Via Glenn what a surprise:

Members of Congress and advocates for fighting diseases have long spoken of human embryonic stem cell research as if it were a sure avenue to quick cures for intractable afflictions. Scientists have not publicly objected to such high-flown hopes, which have helped fuel new sources of grant money like the $3 billion initiative in California for stem cell research.

In private, however, many researchers have projected much more modest goals for embryonic stem cells. Their chief interest is to derive embryonic stem cell lines from patients with specific diseases, and by tracking the cells in the test tube to develop basic knowledge about how the disease develops.

Or to put it another way, its all about the tax dollars.

BTW this is listed as an update because this was a scheduled post.

A very old Catholic Joke

Posted: March 10, 2009 by datechguy in catholic, fun, oddities
Tags: ,

My Grandfather who died when I was 4 used to tell this joke before my mother was born. It predates his coming to America in 1906. (more…)

Award to grant

Posted: March 10, 2009 by datechguy in doctor who, fun, opinion/news
Tags: , , ,

After seeing this post I’m going to create the Jon Pertwee Frontier in Space award. Hopefully to be less necessary than the nelson.