19 June 2009

Sorry about that whole slavery thing...

But no reparations!

The U.S. House and Senate are both working on bills that would officially apologize for slavery. The wording of the Senate bill specifically prohibits the use of the apology in the search for reparations.

"Cohen said he and Harkin worked closely with the NAACP and other civil rights groups on language that would not endorse or preclude any future claims to reparations. "It will not harm reparations but won't give any standing to it," Cohen said."
Republicans were generally supportive, though one political science professor who spent time lobbying Bush to make the apology said it will be virtually meaningless coming from the Democrats because they are generally supported by African Americans and currently have a partially African American president.

Next up: Apologies for American Indians, Japanese Americans, most of Latin America, Iran...

16 June 2009

Shocker: Detainee lied under torture to avoid more torture


The LA Times is reporting that documents they obtained show that the man behind 9/11, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed told US Military officials that he lied to his interrogators in an effort to avoid further torture and abuse. The revelation brings a new intensity to the debate over torture and the reliability of information gained from using some of these techniques.
"I make up stories," Mohammed said, describing in broken English an interrogation probably administered by the CIA concerning the whereabouts of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. "Where is he? I don't know. Then, he torture me," Mohammed said of his interrogator. "Then I said, 'Yes, he is in this area.' "

15 June 2009

WRESTLING ANNOUNCER FACE-OFF



This is truly one of the best rants I've ever heard. Do yourself a favor... take 10 minutes and listen to this

Mona Lisa showing some skin



A previously-unknown work has been uncovered of a nude, Mona Lisa-esque model. The painting was attributed to Leonardo Da Vinci at its purchase in 1845, though it may simply be modeled after one of his lost works.


14 June 2009

"Will the Antichrist be homosexual?"

A newspaper in Wasilla, Alaska (Alaska's fifth largest city, famous for its failed abstinence-only sex education) featured a headline asking "Will the Antichrist be homosexual?" The shocking conclusion is rather... inconclusive.

MHP: Charlotte's Web... of Evil!

Delicious indeed.

TIME TO HANG #10



The Hershey Bears, the longest and proudest franchise in the American Hockey League, are now the greatest franchise in the history of the 73 year old hockey league. On Friday June 12, the Bears defeated the Manitoba Moose 4-1 to win the Calder Cup Finals 4 games to 2. This championship was their 10th all time and 2nd in 4 years.