Happy Blogaversary to Heraldblog!


Heraldblog is now entering its third year in the blogosphere. It's been a riot.

Not. Sure. How. Much. Longer. I. Can. Keep. Going.
21.3.06 16:48


Strict constructionist judge slams gay marriage


An Aghan man may be freedom marching to the gallows because he converted to Christianity 14 years ago. But don't cry for Abdul Rahman, who converted when he was 27 years old. The hanging judge may suck at math, but he knows the law:
"He was a Muslim for 25 years more than he has been a Christian. We will request him to become a Muslim again. In your country two women can marry I think that is very strange. In this country we have the perfect constitution, it is Islamic law and it is illegal to be a Christian and it should be punished," said the judge.
Under Sharia law, the punishment for converting from Islam to Christianity is death.
21.3.06 18:03


Press conference stuff


Did anyone catch President Bush's press conference today? I heard some, and I have to say, Dubya is starting to sound desperate. He's whining more than usual, so much he's starting to sound like George Bush doing an impersonation of Will Forte doing an imperonation of George Bush. The lies and contradictions are coming faster than I remember, but that could be because he's finally facing the press, and the American people, again. But it you listen carefully, you can tell where the Republican Party is headed this fall. When asked about the NSA wiretapping scandal, Bush said that Democrats opposed terrorist surveillance. He also says Democrats view 9/11 as an isolated incident, and one not worth getting all upset about. I have yet to meet any of these Democrats, but I have a feeling we'll be introduced to some as we get in to the fall elections.

I would have to agree with Josh Marshall and others: George W. Bush may very well be regarded one day as the worst President ever.
21.3.06 18:38


Brazil leads US in energy independence


One of President Bush's strengths is his ability to lower expectations. The man is so clueless that when he does something the least bit progressive it earns Bush lukewarm kudos from groups who ordinarily can't stand the man.

So it was when Bush raised Cafe mileage standards the other week. Gas guzzling Hummers and other SUVs will now to be subject to mileage standards, the same as more sensible passenger cars. Environmentalists were no doubt surprised by the announcement, much the same way I would feel if my dog sat up and started talking.

Raising mileage standards is a bookend to his "addicted to oil" line at the State of the Union address in January, and a clear signal that the administration will soon come up with a serious energy plan. Should be any day now.

In all fairness, no American President has ever taken serious steps to curb US energy consumption. And it's been more than 30 years since the first Arab oil embargo that sent gas prices over 50 cents a gallon. Instead, we get excuses. The automakers tell us it will be too expensive and too difficult. Republicans tell us that real men burn oil. Democrats raised mileage standards, then get blasted at the polls.

But Brazil saw the writing on the wall, starting with that first oil shock (Nixon was President in 1973), and launched a 30 year effort aimed at attaining energy independence. And they succeded. At the end of this year, every car in Brazil will run on ethanol derived from sugar cane.
That's primarily because while the rest of the world was mapping the human genome, scientists in Brazil were mapping the DNA of sugar in an effort to create a cleaner, cheaper alternative to gasoline: sugarcane ethanol.

They succeeded. Brazil's ethanol is about 30 percent less expensive than gasoline; according to the World Bank, it's about 50 cents cheaper per gallon to produce sugarcane ethanol. And although ethanol gets slightly less mileage, it's still cheaper on a per-mile-driven basis.
So here's a suggestion, Mr. President. The next time you're in Florida, find a sugar cane plant. Have one of your secret service guys cut you off a big piece, about four feet or so ought to do it

And then let him whack over the head.
30.3.06 18:49


Love is


I always hated those cartoons.
30.3.06 19:19


Friday Kaloogian blogging




Media reports to the contrary, the north side of Milwaukee is not awash in blood and gang violence. Look at this picture. Go ahead. Really look. Do you see any violence?

h/t Wikipedia
31.3.06 02:07


[first page] [previous page]