But is it art?

Another poll, from the Pew Research Center, says that 66% believe Saddam Hussein had something to do with 9/11, and 86% believe he has or nearly has nukes. This country really does have the “president” it deserves. But note that it also says that 85% believe that Saddam has to be ousted for the war to be a success; winning the war that many in Congress claimed to be voting for, the war for UN resolutions and disarmament, would be considered a failure.

Found the Montana hairdresser ad. Very amusing.

The Bushies intend to rule Iraq through the US military rather than through a government of the existing opposition, a tacit admission of how badly they screwed up Afghanistan. Actually I’d prefer a Douglas MacArthur-style military occupation to a cobbled-together bunch of puppets and losers such as the existing opposition forces. Still, we gotta leave some time, and it doesn’t look good. A coalition of ethnic and religious groups will fall apart when no one’s around to knock heads together, leading either to Afghan-style warlordism or Iran-style Shia loonyism.

Speaking of which, how ‘bout them Pakistani elections? I admit I didn’t see it coming, but Musharaf must have done. After all, he hobbled the semi-democratic parties and generally put his thumb on the scales, so if the balance of power is held by Islamic fundies, he must have wanted it that way, or at least not minded. The president of the 6-party Islamic coalition group has a manifesto that begins with making everyone fear Allah and goes on to removing from the tv all “singing by prostitutes and dancing girls,” which I guess is very big over there after Seinfeld reruns, and hell, a ban on all singing and dancing, and instead, jihad all the time. Yes, I am quoting. They aren’t yet talking about banning kites, as far as I know, but it’s only a matter of time.

Where they really did well was in the two provinces bordering Afghanistan, which means an end to turning over Al Qaeda & Talibanis, they’ve said as much. So far the Bushies are just saying they accept the results of a, cough, democratic election, but with really sickly looks on their faces. If this gets out (not that it will, given the ignorance shown by the polling above), some of the rationale for invading Iraq but not Pakistan must surely be in doubt.

What hasn’t gotten much play is the story that a deal is near on UN resolutions on Iraq. There will be one written so vaguely that France and Russia can say it doesn’t authorize military action, and would require another resolution, and the US can say allows force without one. If this happens, I want the UN disbanded.

One of Bush’s nominees for a federal district judgeship in Texas, who has been confirmed but not technically given office, has decided, against all ethical rules, to postpone it and continue in the Texas Legislature for a bit, to make sure the R’s get to choose their own speaker. When I say ethical rules, I mean the rules for judges, I’m not sure there are any ethical rules for the Texas Lege.

Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez is practically taunting the CIA to stage another coup against him. He appointed the brother of Carlos the Jackal as director of energy (i.e., oil, so you know the Bushies are paying attention). Oddly enough, Carlos in 1975 burst into an OPEC meeting and held a bunch of oil ministers (including Venezuela’s) hostage.

Harry Belafonte criticized Colin Powell as a house slave. Guardian headline: Belafonte Told to Stick to Day-O Job

Can’t wait for Sunday when C-SPAN will run Iain Duncan Smith’s speech to the Tory Party conference, where everybody was paying so much more attention to the old John Major-Edwina Currie fuckfest. IDS, the least likely John Wayne lookalike, proclaimed himself the Quiet Man (“do not underestimate the determination of a quiet man”). As some have pointed out since, he really has a great deal to be quiet about.

From the Daily Telegraph: Two zoo keepers in Recklinghausen, north-west Germany, are being investigated by police for eating chickens and sheep from the zoo's petting area.

Christian toys, including
Item # (3a) Calvary Hill-complete with 3 removable crosses and roll-away stone. >>$10.75 ea.
Yes, let your children reenact the crucifixion. Suitable for ages 4 to 9, they say. (scroll about half-way down).

Speaking of childhood trauma, from the Sydney Morning Herald:

NZ court rules against porn movie birth
October 11 2002

A High Court judge today issued an injunction preventing the labour and birth of a child being filmed for a pornographic movie.

Justice Heath issued the injunction in the High Court at Hamilton. The woman, who can be identified only as "Nikki", is due to give birth on November 26, but was admitted to Waikato Hospital this week with complications.

Child, Youth and Family wants guardianship of her unborn child and a court order preventing the filming of the birth.

The court's decision is regarded as a landmark one and the government's deputy solicitor general, Helen Aikman, acted on behalf of the department.

She told the court, "It is increasingly common to videotape birth. The key difference here is the intention to shoot the film for pornographic purposes, not for personal or educational use," the Waikato Times newspaper reported.

"The thought of a baby being in a porn movie is likely to be highly offensive to a person of normal sensibilities," Aikman said.

"It is an unnecessary impediment to put on a child growing up, knowing it has been in a porn movie. The baby is likely to be harmed merely by association with this film."