Bad Boys, Bad Boys...

Wanna Talk About Sin?

Judge orders release of Abu Ghraib Photos.

What is so interesting to me are the reactions from the Right. In a thread on Fark, several people argued against this because it would “inflame the insurgents/terrorists (which I acknowlege is a legitimate concern, but not an excuse) and variations on the “It’s just a bunch of Frat-Boy pranks. They’re chopping off heads! What the big deal?” theme. Either way, they don’t want anyone to see those pictures, including themselves.

First of all, it was not “a bunch of frat boy pranks.” It was torture, period, of a group the majority of which were innocents. And as much as Mr. Rumsfeld wants to convince everyone that it was an instance of aberrant behavior from a group of emotionally disturbed malcontents, our now-Attorney General’s memo in 2002 seems to show that a culture that condones torture was being encouraged in the higher ranks of our government. The fact is someone in our government condoned, if not encouraged, these actions.

I thought the entire point of us trying to spread western democracy is that we are so much more socially and politically advanced than nations in the Middle East, that we are better than they are. I thought the entire point of toppling Saddam’s regime was to bring these people freedom from such atrocities. Way to win hearts and minds people! Way to show them the advantages of American democracy.

The Right does have a point in that these photos might very well inflame the insurgents further, putting soldiers who have only served with honor at greater risk. But that is why the Geneva Conventions exist, not to benefit our enemies but to benefit us, to protect our soldiers from this kind of treatment. When American soldiers ignore the Geneva Conventions, it’s only announcing that other American soldiers are fair game for the same heinous treatment by our enemies. Something the people at Abu Ghraib should have considered before they condoned torture.

But God Damn it! We’re Americans, we’re supposed to be better than this. We are the Land of the Free, Home of the Brave and we are supposed to deplore this kind of behavior. Period. It doesn't matter what the Insurgents have done, it’s doesn’t matter what anyone else has done. We hold ourselves to a higher standard than they do because we are Americans. Trying to excuse what happened at Abu Ghraib because “it wasn’t as bad” as the cutting someone head off or “it wasn’t as bad” as the Holocaust is rationalizing, pure and simple. It’s wrong and no moral relativism can make it right. It should have never happened and there is no excuse.

From...

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” ~ The Declaration of Independance

And...

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” ~ The Constitution of the United States of America

To...

""Are we willing to *Admit* that we want to do that? After all, if that *is* the path we take, then should the American public not be informed that that is the road that we are taking? So that they may know what they wreak? So that they may take responsibility for the lives they have lost? So that they may take the responsibility knowing that they took it upon themselves to decide who should live, and who should die?

Or are you saying we should keep it a secret, because most Americans are moral cowards, and don't want to admit they have blood on their hands for their victory?" ~ Felgraf, Fark.com

Good Question.

The fact that many in the Far Right still attempt to rationalize or even justify these acts is a huge ‘red flag’ to where these people want to take this country. They are not interested in the ideals this country is founded on, only in glorifying the name “United States of America” through power and might, no matter how little it may actually mean anymore. “Torture? That’s o.k. Destroying civil liberties? Hey, anything to make us safe.” They will turn “America” into an empty, meaningless word so long as everyone in the world fears it.

On to something lighter...

Not Bad But Stupid, X 2

Financier Runs Up a 64K tab (U.S.) to Bag Model.

"Miss Lennard said: "Even though the guy was very sweet, it was not quite enough to make me leave my boyfriend."

She added: "Maybe he could try diamonds next time!"

WTF?

First of all, I understand the celebratory nature of it, but it looks like this went a little beyond thet norm. He could have bought a car and hired a high class hoooker for that amount. I mean, if he wanted to sleep with a mercenary bitch that would fall for his black Amex, he might as well go to the one that is at least honest about it.

The 2nd dumbass is this gal's BF who stays with her while she goes out with people like this. This obviously wasn't a business dinnner and her behavior (allowing some guy to blow that kind of cash on her) combined with her comment afterwards, whether joking or not, says "I'm for sale!" even if it's the whole tease/make me cheat thing. I used to joke with one of my BF's about his "other girlfriends" and in all my relationships both of us have had friends of the opposite sex, but they weren't blowing thousands of dollars trying to impress either one of us. Who the hell puts up with someone cruising line of infidelity that heavily?

Dumbasses.

Shock & Awe

To wrap up story of the Dover winners shocks and to show how much ingenuity goes into being a Crew Chief for NASCAR:

“Roush Racing president Geoff Smith said he expects NASCAR officials to issue a technical bulletin as early as Friday outlawing the trick shock absorbers used by Hendrick Motorsports teammates Johnson and Kyle Busch in their 1-2 finish Sunday at Dover International Speedway.

Instead of soaking up bumps, as shocks normally are designed to do, Smith said the Hendrick cars' shocks were designed almost to work in reverse; every time they hit a bump, the shocks jacked up the car's rear end for about 15 seconds. Because cars encounter frequent bumps at Dover, the shocks apparently kept the Hendrick cars' tails elevated about an inch beyond what NASCAR rules allow for most of the race, directing more air to the cars' rear spoilers and creating extra aerodynamic "downforce" that helped the cars stick to the track.

Cheating? Not exactly, Smith said.

"It was clearly an ingenious engineering exercise, and they ought to be commended for their ingenuity," he said.

Johnson's team declined comment through a spokesperson.

This explains why the two Hendrick cars failed an initial technical inspection by NASCAR officials Sunday night but passed the maximum-height requirement after they "settled," as NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston explained this week. Officials confiscated the Hendrick cars' shocks after the race, along with shocks from four other cars.

Smith expects NASCAR to prohibit all teams from using such shocks beginning with the Oct. 9 race at Kansas Speedway. The Hendrick shocks wouldn't help in this weekend's race because downforce isn't a major concern at Talladega and teams typically try to get their cars as low to the ground as possible without violating NASCAR's minimum height requirements.

Smith figures that Busch, a rookie, has been testing the system all season. "That didn't show up for a championship (contender) the day before Dover," Smith said. "That required a lot of effort, a lot of testing."

Penske Racing president Don Miller, meanwhile, wondered why the Hendrick cars apparently were given a second chance to pass officials' maximum-height measurement. "All I can say is, if it comes in as too high, it should be black and white," Miller said.

Said Poston, via e-mail: "When the (No.) 48 went up on the platform, it was initially high, but in a matter of seconds the car settled and it made the required height. Absolutely no one made an adjustment to the car; however, as often is the case, an inspector was under the car but did not touch it. The 48 only made one trip through inspection.”

Damn, that’s clever.

I’ll Feel Better Sunday

Sunday is Superspeedway racing at Talladega. Lots of drafting, lots or aero. I love it!

Best of luck to Mark Martin and the #6 team in his bid for his First Championship and lots of luck to Elliott Sadler and the #38 guys for their bid to hold onto the 11th Place in the standings and lots of luck to Dale Jr. and the #8 team as they get the 8 car back on top!