What do you do if you’re stuck in a Third World country where corrupt officials have left your nation on the verge of famine? Of course, you go hunting for vampires. That’s what’s happened in Malawi where mass hysteria about alleged vampire attacks has led to full-scale vigilantism. The stories range from the typical lone or small group of vampires (who can be identified and beaten by mobs — one man has already been stoned to death) to conspiracy theories about the government and the United Nationals collaborating to kill people and steal their blood. Forget smart mobs, good old fashioned stupid mobs are still the rule in many parts of the world. Source: ‘Vampires’ strike Malawi villages. The BBC, December 23, 2002.
Month: December 2002
Star Trek: Nemesis — Beginning, Middle and End of Final Journey
I haven’t seen Star Trek: Nemesis nor do I plan to until it comes to TNN or some other third tier cable channel. What I’ve heard, overall, is that if you liked Star Trek: Insurrection, you’ll like Nemesis. Of course IMO Insurrection was worse than even the most excrable ST:TNG episode . . .
The box office figures for Nemesis are fascinating, Captain. The movie had a respectable, if not great, opening last week, lodged at the #2 spot and taking in almost $19 million. But this weekend looks like it’s going to be a disaster for the film.
Friday’s sales for the film were off more than 80% from last week. On both a per-screen and total receipts basis, Nemesis was beaten yesterday by The Wild Thornberrys movie. Ouch! (For those who don’t obssessively watch Nickelodeon, The Wild Thornberrys is a crappy Nickelodeon cartoon about a girl who talks to animals.)
Of course The Wild Thornberrys didn’t cost Nickelodeon $60 million in production and $33 million in promotional costs. Nemesis will probably not even reach $40 million, and perhaps Paramount will mercifully put an end to these Rick Berman abominations.
Henry Hanks Is Just Four Heartbeats from the Presidency
One of the things I like about weblogs is watching people like Henry Hanks just get all over an issue that isn’t being widely noticed in the mainstream media. In this case it’s a completely bogus claim about presidential succession that is being promoted by politicians who apparently can memorize Democratic Party talking points but can’t be bothered with understanding the niceties of the Constitution.
Hanks points to a typical example where Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee complains of Trent Lott,
I am extremely disappointed by Senator Lott’s comments. I find them totally inappropriate and especially reprehensible coming from someone who is just four heartbeats away from being president.
Hanks has linked to numerous stories of people repeating this ill-informed claim. The reality, of course, is that Lott is somewhere near the bottom of a long list of people in the line of presidential succession. The current order is,
The Vice President Richard Cheney
Speaker of the House John Dennis Hastert
President pro tempore of the Senate1 Robert Byrd
Secretary of State Colin Powell
Secretary of the Treasury Paul O’Neill
Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
Attorney General John Ashcroft
Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton
Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman
Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans
Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao
Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy G. Thompson
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Melquiades Rafael Martinez
Secretary of Transportation Norman Yoshiro Mineta
Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham
Secretary of Education Roderick Paige
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Princip
People like Lee seem to think that Lott will be President pro tempore of the Senate, but that position goes to the Senator of the majority party who has served the longest. Former Klansman Robert Byrd is currently fourth in line of succession — Trent Lott isn’t even the senior Senator from Mississippi having been elected to the Senate in 1988.
Chrissie Hynde: It May Take Murder for Animal Rights Message to Get Through
According to the Center for Consumer Freedom, celebrity animal rights activist Chrissie Hynde tells an interviewer in Pulse magazine, that animal rights activists may have to up the ante to effect the changes they desire,
The last resort is for someone to go in and actually take these guys out. Maybe it will have to be an out-and-out assassination. When no one will listen anymore, then individuals have to take the law into their own hands and it can get very ugly.
Apparently Hynde is just another James Charles Kopp wannabe.
Source:
She’s Not Pretending. Center for Consumer Freedom, December 16, 2002.
The Right Way to Deal With Racist Idiots
At this point it seems certain that Trent Lott will be forced to relinquish the Senate Majority Leader and, with any luck, he’ll follow through on his private threats and quit the Senate altogether. Some Republicans seem to think that would be a disaster, because Democrats would likely persuade at least one Republican Senator to cross the aisle and regain control of the Senate. But I’d prefer to see Lott leave altogether to send a message that such views are not tolerable in the U.S. Senate (and Robert Byrd would join him if the Democrats were actually serious about this sort of thing).
Contrast that with how Lott’s comments might be handled in a country such as Canada. David Ahenakew, described by Reuters as “a Canadian native elder,” recently offered up praise for Adolf Hitler’s murder of millions of Jews. As with Lott, Ahenakew and his views should be shunned.
But in Canada — and many other parts of the world — the state takes things one step further and makes it possible to charge people such as Ahenakew with crimes for saying such despicable things.
Chris Axworthy, a Saskatchewan attorney general, told Reuters that he has already asked police to investigate whether or not Ahenakew can be charged with a hate crime.
Making speech criminal in that matter is far more objectionable than anything Lott or Ahenakew said.
Source:
Canada Native Leader Faces Probe Over Hitler Praise. Roberta Rampton, December 16, 2002.
Disposition of 2002 New York City Arrests
The North American Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network recently distributed the following e-mail about the disposition of court cases stemming from the arrest of animal rights activists protesting outside the home of a Marsh Inc. executive earlier this year,
On April 21st, 2002, during World Week for Animals In Labs, 10 people were arrested for alleged property destruction at the home of a Marsh Inc. executive in New York City, [USA]. They were charged with 1 count of criminal mischief in the 2nd degree – a Class D felony charges (in the U.S. are ranked as violations (the least serious), misdemeanours, and felonies (the most serious)) The case was closed today.
One individual was not an activist and was improperly identified while walking down the street past the activists and was arrested.
Peter Owens, Jessica Stewart and Broderick Gumpwright had their charges dismissed early in the case.
Melinda DeAugustines plead to Criminal Trespass (a misdemeanour)and sentenced to time served and one year of probation. If she cooperates with her probation, the charge will be dropped to a violation and sealed after that year.
Amiee Grenier plead guilty to a Class E felony (Class A is the highest, E the lowest) and was sentenced to 5 years of probation.
Benjamin Persky plead guilty to a Class D felony – Criminal Mischief in the 2nd degree. He will be sentenced December 23rd, at 100 Centre Street, Part 71, 11th floor. Time is unknown, though likely 2:15pm.
Joshua Schwartz and Jennica Tait plead guilty to a Class D felony – Criminal Mischief in the 2nd degree. They have court dates January 6th and February 10th respectively – I am unsure as to whether this will be sentencing or a pre-sentencing conference.
Jennifer Greenberg went to trial and was found guilty of a Class D felony, Criminal Mischief in the 2nd degree. She too has court January 6th.
Josh, Jennica, and Jen’s court dates will be held at 111 Centre Street, part 53, 5th floor, New York City. Court begins at 9:30 a.m. If they receive a different, specific scheduled time down the line, it will be posted.
Thanks so much to everyone who attended court for the defendants this week. They have personally expressed their sincerest appreciation.
Jennifer, Benjamin and Josh are currently in custody. Please write them letters…Josh is doing better than Jen – she’s only 17 and is rather upset.
Jennifer Greenberg, 3100201610
Rose M. Singer Center
1919 Hazen St.
East Elmherst, NY 11370
USAJoshua Schwartz 3100201611
BBKC
125 White St.
New York, NY 10013
USABenjamin Persky 1410212600
GRVC
0909 Hazen St.
East Elmherst, NY 11370
USA
Source:
Urgent ELP! Bulletin. E-mail communication, North American Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network, December 14, 2002.