This is interesting stuff: The ACLU’s Challenge to Intelligent Design.

First of all, I am a big fan of civil liberties and I question the patriotism of anyone that isn’t. I am proud of the ACLU for protecting our civil liberties. I am also proud of the ACLU for suing the living shit out of dumb fucking backwards ass idiotic twits who would force schools to teach their religious myths as science.

As I’ve written elsewhere, I don’t care if you believe that the universe was created by a flying spaghetti monster. I don’t even care if you teach your kids to believe it. I do care when you try to force teachers to teach that crap (PDF 92k) in our public schools. I am enheartened by religious people, of which there are many, who agree with me on this one.

Check out my new music podcast over at www.raintribe.com. Original music you can share!

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Music execs continue to show how they just don’t seem to think straight. Warner Music Group CEO Edgar Bronfman Jr. said:

“We are selling our songs through iPod, but we don’t have a share of iPod’s revenue,” he said. “We want to share in those revenue streams. We have to get out of the mindset that our content has promotional value only.”

Hello? Anyone home? Music companies deserve an exact percentage of 0% for the sale of freaking iPods and other music players. I almost never play big-label music on my iPod. This is just like when they wanted (and got, I believe) a share in all cassette sales. The presumption that cassettes or iPods are used exclusively or even mainly for duplicating big-label music is absurd. Dumbass, you sell MUSIC. People have been and will continue to be willing to pay for MUSIC. Rather than try to eat everyone else’s lunch, why don’t use idiots focus on how to sell MUSIC in the networked age? You don’t own my radio, my CD player, my phonograph or my MP3 player. Get used to it.

The holier-than-thou Christian freaks at Baylor University are scared that their student might read words they disagree with. Remember, folks, higher education is meant to provide a way for people to learn how to isolate themselves from differing opinions. It is well known that people turn gay if they read words written by a gay person. Don’t let this happen to your son or daughter! Make sure they never, ever read or hear opinions from gay people. This will assure that they stay on the path of discrimination, prejudice and intolerance.

If I was God I would smite these lame assholes.

Ya gotta like this: Former Tyco execs get up to 25 years in scandal.

We have got to throw these rich bastards in jail and take their money when they steal millions of dollars. In most cases some black guy that steals $400 gets more time than these greedy assholes who steal hundreds of millions. Rich folks hate to see other rich folks stripped of their fortunes and the system is skewed in their favor. It ain’t right and I’m glad to see some justice finally being done here.

Let’s make it clear to all these CEO-types: fuck with us and we will unquestionably fuck with you.

This trial is horrifying. It is so sad to see so many people killed for literally no reason. While I am in no position to delegate blame, it is unfortunate that Crotteau decided to confront a trespasser who had already apologized and was leaving. What was to be gained by that? Some personal satisfaction? But clearly it was Vang, according to my reading of the evidence, that turned tension to tragedy. I can’t read the facts any differently than cold blooded murder on his part. As a male who occasionally feels the irrational anger of the reptilian part of my brain, I can see why this situation was so precarious. If nothing else I hope that we can learn from this that peaceful resolutions never come from violent confrontations.

In response to official statements earlier today that news media would be excluded from covering the victim recovery process in New Orleans and surrounding areas on the suggestion that what is reported may offend viewers’ or victims’ sensibilities, CNN has filed a lawsuit in federal court to prohibit any agency from restricting its ability to fully and fairly cover this story.

As if we needed more proof that the official Bush policy of handling issues is to hide the facts and spin, spin, spin. These guys are gonna lose big-time because of their incompetence on this Katrina disaster…

Does your brain start to soften if you work in a corporation? Here’s another story about someone taking someone else’s food and complete irrationality ensuing:

Fired for sending catty personal email

First of all, do you really go to work with no cash, no checkbook and no credit card such that you can’t buy lunch? Second, do people really go around stealing food? (yes, I’m afraid, bizarre though it may seem.) Third, do you openly insult a peer in email and CC your co-workers? And finally, do you really fire people for minor, albeit stupid, lapses in email behavior?

If I had to choose I would say that whomever decided to fire people over this is the stupidest. It’s a tough choice.

But what’s even more petty is posting stupid things like this on your blog! 😉

Michael

Fired for Eating Pizza

Although he didn’t work in the department that held the meeting where the pizza was served, Garrison figured it was fair game since the company had bought it and it looked like it was going to be wasted if it wasn’t eaten. What he didn’t know is that several other employees had already worked out a plan to take the leftover pizza home with them.

When they discovered one-third of the leftover pizza pie had been eaten, the employees reported Garrison to management, ultimately leading to his firing last November — a month after he ate the food.

Although this is probably not as simple as it sounds, if you are one of the people that reported a fellow employee to the boss for eating pizza, you are a colossal loser.