Some "Conspiracies" May Not Be. . .

The Salt Lake Tribune reports claims that Timothy McVeigh had government help. If so, this would be a sort of covert Wag the Dog effort to outrage and alienate Americans enough to begin trading their liberties for "security."

I'm not sure I buy this one. It seems to fall into the Conspiracy as Causation fallacy instead of being based on a rational analysis of events.

Some Conspiracies Are Real . . .

The movie Breach is a true life thriller about Robert Hanssen who betrayed our national secrets to the Soviets and Russians in exchange for monetary gain.

I don't remember all the details about this from when it was in the news, but I certainly hope he had to pay bribery taxes.

It is the existence of real conspiracies (like the one to betray your country) that prompts the continued belief that there are Hidden Masters pulling all the strings. Excessive government secrecy and classification also create an aura of mystery about what the military could be "hiding," such as aliens et al at Roswell. It is entirely possible that nothing happened out there, but the issuance and retraction of the press release about capturing a "flying disk" possibly stoked the increasing paranoia we now feel towards the government.

More Potential for Biotech

How cool is this?

Scientists Grow Mouse Teeth From Single Cells
02.19.07, 12:00 AM ET

MONDAY, Feb. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Using tissue regeneration technology, Japanese researchers have been able to grow a new tooth from single mouse tooth cells and use it to replace natural teeth in a mouse.
The achievement is "a breakthrough in the development of bioengineered organs and proposes a novel concept for the organ replacement in future regenerative therapies," lead researcher Takashi Tsuji, associate professor, Department of Biological Technology, Tokyo University of Science, said in a prepared statement.

Reporting in the Feb. 19 online issue of the journal Nature Methods, Tsuji's team started by using the two cell types that form teeth -- mesenchymal and epithelial cells. They grew sufficient quantities of each of these cells and then injected them into a drop of collagen. This eventually developed into a budding tooth, which they transplanted into the cavity left by an extracted tooth in a mouse. . .

Regeration and cloning of limbs leads to a whole host of ethical issues that no one has confronted yet with the exception of a few Science Fiction writers. Our society as a whole has had no real discussion or discourse on the implications of such technologies because scientfic/medical research is far outpacing the ability of our society to digest these changes and adopt a coherent, consensus regarding these changes. For example, regeneration may lead to longer life spans for those here whenn it is fully realized, but may also lead to the birth of fewer children, resulting in the loss of some genes and increased risk of decimating plagues.

More Dicussion of our Impending Loss of Habeas Corpus

The Washington Post has an article on the appeals court decision I discussed here.

Maybe all is not lost . . .

Here is another good discussion of the issue from Talk Left. It is causing me a bit of Cognitive Dissonance though since I have been a proponent of the Unitary Executive theory.

New Tools to Control the Masses

Just the thing to handle rioting students in the developing world, or peaceful protesters in the Washington Mall. . .

Conspiracy Goes Mainstream (Again)

Joe Conason's latest book(and essay) rehashes the implications of Dye & Ziegler points about our society in their excellent book The Irony of Democracy. It also retreads Hofstadter's The Paranoid Style in American Politics.

But does his book contribute to a new left-wing paranoid syle in American politics, or is he on to something? Remember, "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross" - Sinclair Lewis

10 Zen Monkeys has a discussion of this meme.

The Slippery Slope to Facism Gets Steeper

I must confess, I always thought that Big Brother would be established by the radical left and not the right. After all, Jeanne Kirkpatrick's famous essay made the point that right-wing authoritarian governments have the potential to evolve into democracies. No one has seriously considered the possibility of a modern democracy moving towards fascism since the mid-20th Century.

Removing the ability of some people to gain habeas corpus review is just a step towards limiting its ability to all of us.

Regenerating Limbs through Biotechnology

Biotechnology has the potential to radically affect our culture. Here's an interesting story from the AP with about the cultural implications of biotechnolgy.

Allowing soldiers to regrow lost limbs might enable our military to lower its recruiting goals to still meet its obligations. Alternatively, the technology could be used for civilian uses, but such use could be regulated in a way that not everyone needing such a procedure will get it.

Science Finding Ways to Regrow Fingers

Feb 18 11:33 PM US/Eastern
By MALCOLM RITTER
AP Science Writer


NEW YORK (AP) -- Researchers are trying to find ways to regrow fingers _ and someday, even limbs _ with tricks that sound like magic spells from a Harry Potter novel.

There's the guy who sliced off a fingertip but grew it back, after he treated the wound with an extract of pig bladder. And the scientists who grow extra arms on salamanders. And the laboratory mice with the eerie ability to heal themselves.

This summer, scientists are planning to see whether the powdered pig extract can help injured soldiers regrow parts of their fingers. And a large federally funded project is trying to unlock the secrets of how some animals regrow body parts so well, with hopes of applying the the lessons to humans.

The implications for regrowing fingers go beyond the cosmetic. People who are missing all or most of their fingers, as from an explosion or a fire, often can't pick things up, brush their teeth or button a button. If they could grow even a small stub, it could make a huge difference in their lives.

And the lessons learned from studying regrowth of fingers and limbs could aid the larger field of regenerative medicine, perhaps someday helping people replace damaged parts of their hearts and spinal cords, and heal wounds and burns with new skin instead of scar.

Italian Government Forced 13-year-old to have an abortion

Turning a hypothetical government ban on abortion on its head: The Italian government is forcing a 13-year-old to have an abortion. This is a true life cautionary tale of what can happen when we the people consent to let the government have control over reproductive decisions.

Banning abortion is just the first step on the slippery slope of giving all control over reproduction to the government. Laws regulating who is allowed to reproduce in this country were passed at the hight of the American Eugenics movement in the early 20th Century. As a side note, the Nazi Regime obtained much information on forced sterilization etc. from American States that had passed Eugenics laws already.

If I were a stronger pro-lifer, I might be more concerned that banning abortion in the U.S. would be just the first step towards eventually mandating abortions for specified categories people. Think of a dystopia even more twisted than Brave New World, 1984, or modern-day China.

And of course, this happens in China too, but in a Western nation?

Rose Joins Her Own Conspiracy?

I am a huge fan of Two and a Half Men. On last week's episode, Charlie's stalker neighbor Rose on Two and a Half Men left town for London last week. Actually, she left the recurring role on that show for a starring role in Drive. It seems to be a cross between Rat Race and the Kaiser Soze elements of the Usual Suspects. We'll have to see how that plays out though. . .

I always liked Rose's character. My theory was that since Rose already had her MA in Pschology, she was working on her doctoral thesis and Charlie was her subject. The twisted things she does to Charlie, in addition to allowing her to exact her revenge for how he treated her, allows her to chart Charlie's reactions. I figured this would all be revealed as the twist at the end of the series. The only way this is going to happen now is if Melanie Lynskey new show is cancelled or she gets killed off it.

Bummer.

A Blow Against the Mercury Causes Autism Conspiracy

Many celebrities and influential people have concluded that mercury (poisoning) is the cause of autism. In fact, Congressman Burton has been heavily involved with the campaign to link the two and used his Chairmanship of the Government Reform Committee as a pulpit to preach that view.

It now turns out that he was wrong.

Minus one for the Autism Conspiracy.

2007 Music Festivals

I love Music Festivals, but have missed a large number of them by not knowing their exact dates until it was too late. Therefore, I have compiled a list of the top 2007 Music Festivals. Some of these are a bit off the beaten path, but should be well worth it.

The List So Far

March 9-11 Langerado (Sunrise, CA)
March 9-18 South x Southwest Music Festival (Austin, TX)
March 15 - April 1 Savannah Music Festival
March 23-24 Ultra Music Festival (Montreal, Canada)
April 20-21 Dewey Beach Pop Festival(Rehoboth,DE)
April 27-29 Coachella (Indio, CA)
April 27-29 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (New Orleans, LA)
May 4-6 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
(New Orleans, LA)
June 1-3 Rock am Ring (Germany)
June 1-2 Rock im Ring (Nuremberg, Germany)
June 8-10 The Download Festival (Donnington Park, Leceistershire, UK
June 22-24 Glastonbury Festival (U.K.)
June 22-24 Sierra Nevada World Music Festival (Booneville, CA)
July 5-7 Essence Music Festival (New Orleans, LA)
July 5-8 Roskilde Festival (Roskilde, Denmark)
July 6-8 Vancouver Island Music Festival.
July 7 Live Earth/Earth Aid (henceforth referred to as Live Earth Aid). (Washington, DC)
July 7 Ozzfest begins
Mid-July Heineken Jammin' Festival (Italy)
July 19-21 Goodstock (West Virginia)
July 19-22 Festival Internacional de Benicassim (near Valencia, Spain with an excellent line-up)
July 27-30 Eclipe Outdoor Electronic Music Festival (Montreal, Candada)
August (TBA) Burning Man
August 3-5 Lollapallooza (Chicago, IL)
August 8-13 Shambhala (Canada)
August 24-26 Reading and Leeds Festival (U.K.)
September 1-3 Bumbershoot link is to last year's lineup but Rumor is that Kanye West is headlining again. (Washington State)

I have some downtime in August, so I'd love to start at the Eclipse Festival in Montreal end at Bumbershoot in WA and then head home.

I would like for this list to be as comprehensive as possible, so please let me know (and include a link) about festivals left off this list, no matter where they are in the world. Thanks!

Also please let me know if the Pixies or Garbage are playing near you, so I can figure out where I can see them play again. Thanks!

Next Stop: Dystopia?

This mind reading techology, though in its infant stage, has a number of implications, some cool, some creepy.

The Creepy Implications
Our society continues its slide towards a police state - I always thought it would be done by the left; imagine my disappointment at being blindsided by the fascists. This technology could become used to routinely screen airport travelers and border crossers. Due to its enormous appeal for stopping terrorism, the people will learn to live with or ignore the hassle and it will spread. The end result will be the stifling of dissent by those in power - and who will those be?

Cool Implications
That said, it also has some pretty cool implications in terms of pioneering technology that will eventually be able to help those that are currently parapalegics or bed-ridden.

(Bio)Ethically Interesting Implications
The above begins to raise the questions of the gradual emergence of cybernetic organisms (CyBorgs). It will start out gradually, as a means of helping victims of war and accident. But how will it end? Will people decide to add an additional set or arms like Dr. Octopus? Will they be allowed to? How will our religious conservatives react to this?

Another implication is the possibility that humans will eventually be able to augment their intelligence, knowledge and skills by downloading information directly into their brains. This possibility is raised in Johnny Zed . Again, how will our religous conservatives react? What about our liberals concerned that such a technology will further widen the gap between the haves and have-less. What about our national puritan streak that makes us ban performing enhancement drugs for sports - would that translate to academia and science?

Good bye to a Creator of Mass Culture

Robert Adler's contributions have helped my stereo, DVD player and TiVo make life much easier and entertaining. Not to mention the use of my cell phone . . .

He, Philo T. Farnsworth and Edward Bernays did more more to create mass culture/media than anyone else until the creation of the internet.

Goodbye to someone who made it easier to be an agoraphobic couch potato obsessed with convenience . . .

Jericho Returns! Vanished resurrected (temporarily)

I just learned that fans ov Vanished can watch the complete season (though cancelled) on the web. I am very excited to see this show unwind.

Jericho finally returns this on Wednesday. Last week CBS aired a composite episode to bring new fans up to speed and to remind current fans of the intricacies of the plot and conspiracy.Whose side is Hawkins on? . . .

Jericho has done a good job of integrating its website into the show (especially during the looooong hiatus). That has allowed the curious viewer to carefully review Hawkins' actions and determine which side he is on. It currently seems as if he is some part of Homeland Security (the successor Department of FEMA as the new bugaboo for some conspiracy theorists).

Regardless, I am anxious for the 12 new episodes in a row, but anxious that that may indicate there will be no second season. But really what you do with a second season except stretch it into a big rebuilding America thing and morph the show into some type of Peacemaker-type drama). And if there is a second season, I'll be watching.

A brief word on 24 and civil liberties

I haven't watched 24 since the end of the first season (which rocked!), but have been getting into the current season (how could you not if you watched the season premiere).

Like most people concerned with national security, I almost believe that our troops and intelligence officers should be able to use all of the same techniques Jack Bauer does. Almost. However, once we start allowing that to occur against "foreign enemies" how soon until it turns to "domestic enemies" whether native born citizen or legal resident alien.

Actually empowering the government with the legal authority to act the way Jack Bauer does (which pretty much breaks the law in every episode) is just the first step on the road to tyranny. That said, I believe that the real life Jack Bauers should only act like him in extreme circumstances; but they should do so with the full understanding they are breaking the law. If they're actions are truly justified and protect Americans, then the agent would qualify for a Presidential partdon. Hmm... maybe we should offer our military forces and intelligence operatives that deal. "You can act like this, but if it doesnt pay off you're going to jail. If it saves lifes you'll get a pardon."

Screw the Politics: Earth Aid is going to Rock! (and Al Gore will be President)

I will happily shell out the $500 for VIP tickets to Live Earth Aid. The line-up, though not finalized, threatens to outdo that of the 1998 Tibetan Freedom Concert in talent. That concert, in my humble opion, actually had a better lineup than any music festival since, and including, the original Woodstock.

And I really don't care about the politics of the concert, and neither should you. Really, who are you hurting by not seeing a kick ass concert line up? Yourself, that's who!

Plus, if you go the American Concert you're likely to witness Al Gore lay the foundation for (or further) his effort to become President. Potentially, he'll announce, and all the publicity surrounding the concent, plus the simulcasting of the event will allow Gore to build an enormouse following.

My previous theory was that the'll announce at the Oscars if he wins. Which he still may do, but doing so may complicate his efforts to pull off the concert (due to FEC regulations and campaign finance laws). And it's actually a smart strategy for him to drop hints at the Oscars and then use the run up publicity to the concert will raise his national profile. Additionally, the concert would be the greatest presidential announcement venue EVER!

Back for the New Year

Thanks for checking back. I know it's been awhile, but life got in the way. Anyway I'll be back shortly with more comments on Politics, Post-Modernism and Pop Culture.

Hello 2007!

Happy New Year!!!

-US

Conspiracy Entertainment 2006-2007

This TV season has been especially good for conspiracy/paranoia entertainment, and featured three new shows. First we had the now-cancelled Vanished which looked to be a cross between the Da Vinci Code, Numb3rs and the X-Files (just the conspiracy of powerful string pullers, not the alien or supernatural aspects. It was quite good until cancellation. Next we had The Nine, which definitely had conspiratorial elements to it. Finally we had Jericho, the only of the three to survive. Possibly, because it centered on a very real fear: nuclear attack and what happens when communications collapses (not to mention the government).

And of course, the inimitable 24 which has returned with a fifth conspiratorial nightmarish day for Jack Bauer.

Of these four, the only two which are still on are ones that explicitly address the threat of terrorism, much in the same vein that Cold War films and TV mini-series were popular in the '80s became hits. It seems conspiracy's that ensnare government officials in non-terrorist activits is ok for our downtime reading, but the anti-terror alpha waves better be conveying terrorist-related conspiracies.

_________

PS Threshold made a short return on the SciFi Channel, but one year of episodes is not really enough to become a regular show without the creation of new episodes.

Battlestar Gallactica's Occupation/Resistance Theme

Thas been the occupation/resistance theme on Battlestar Gallactica, that began with a series of webisodes over the summer to give the fans small fixes until the return of the show.

What was compelling about that storyline is that it showed how a conspiracy (the resistance) forms and how its aims are not always domination at first but distraction. During that storyline Col. Tighe gins up the resistance to harass the occupier Cylons and maintain morale until Admiral Adama can return with the Battlestar and stage the rescue.

Additionally, others have written about the above story line being a critique of the US occupation of Iraq. That may be an interesting post-modern point. I enjoy that critique, but still want our troops to succeed in their mission of pacifying Baghdad and restoring enough order for the Iraqi government to finish the job. Therefore I choose to view that storyline as fitting into the very American meme of David defeating Goliath in an epic struggle (e.g., The Revolution, Civil War and WWII) to achieve/retain freedom.