Thursday, April 17, 2003

A database Big Brother would envy… DNA profiles from juvenile offenders and from adults who have been arrested but not convicted would be added to the FBI's national DNA database under a Bush administration proposal.   Hey, I thought the “conservatives” were the champions of smaller government?   Aren’t these the same guys who don’t trust the government to oversee polluters? Or to inspect food? Or to fluoridate water?   And now they want to create a DNA database of the entire nation - one “arrest” at a time? Would that be stretched to include mere “detentions”?   Does anyone think this would have a chance in hell of happening if it were not for the pervasive climate of fear that the Bush regime strives to perpetuate?   Or that if President Gore attempted to DNA tag every protester that there would be howls of condemnation from members of the “librul media” like Rush or Savage or O’Reilly?   Your rights and freedoms as a US citizen are under assault.   (Oh, and BTW if you think you have nothing to worry about “if you’re innocent” – think again.)   What are you going to do?   Joining the ACLU would be a step in the right direction.   Writing your reps and senators couldn’t hurt either.   It’s your freedom and your liberties – protect them!   (Thanks to MWO) 1:49:55 PM

“A cookie full of arsenic” That’s how gossip columnist J.J. Hunsecker described publicity flack Sidney Falco in Sweet Smell of Success. The irony of course was that J.J. could just as easily been describing himself.   Times have changed but this sordid corner of the public sphere has not.   Click here to read an interesting and illuminating dissection by Michelangelo Signorile of how publicity flacks and amoral gossip columnists (like Lloyd Grove of the Washington Post) still shape our world – yes even our political world. It’s brief, fun and disturbing.   (thanks to tapped) 12:24:20 PM