This is rough; both transitions and sound need work. But I thought I’d put this trailer for A Flower for Mara up for comment. Any thoughts?

As an aid to my readers, some of whom I think I confused recently, I offer this helpful link:

Pwn

Yeah, you think that sounds weird. But it’s actually weirder. And very cool.

HT: Vincent Baker

From CNN.com:

A college student who branded a date’s body with a scalding piece of metal as payback for never calling her after they had sex was sentenced to five years in prison Friday.

Kristina Caban, 23, had no comment as state Supreme Court Justice Michael Obus sentenced her for what he called a crime that was “not remotely justifiable.”

Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg told Obus that Caban was the “mastermind behind the plan” to sear the torso of Samir “Sammy” Sara, then 23, for having sex with her once in 2004 and never calling her again.

Caban enlisted new boyfriend Robert Testagrossa to help brand a four-inch-high “R” on Samir’s abdomen in October 2006, the prosecutor said. She said Caban lured the former lover to a hotel room, where Testagrossa and another man grabbed him.

Blumberg said the men used a Taser to immobilize Sara in a room at the Chelsea Inn while Caban laughed at his distress and kicked him while he was down.

Yeah, that’s really bizarre.

But you know what’s really bizarre? The headline. I quoth:

“Woman brands thoughtless date with hot iron”

Having sex with a woman that isn’t your wife and then not calling back is a bit beyond just “thoughtless”. Actually, it’s sinful.

I’m just sayin’….

I just posted about the Washington D.C. checkpoint, which is in response to the large amount of violence in that area. So, here’s my question. Where does all that violence come from?

Now, there are always wicked men who “eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.” (Proverbs 4:17). And yet, I wonder…how much of this violence is connected to the drug trade? For example, my understanding is that nearly all the murders last year in Peoria were drug-related. Sadly, I don’t have any specific numbers on hand, though I would be quite interested to hear how I could go about proving or disproving this. I’m going to guess that this isn’t a particularly controversial point.

So, let’s say that I’m correct, and much of the urban violence that we suffer is the result of competition for the illegal drug trade. Can someone explain to me again why we’ve created a Prohibition on drugs? Why should the government be taking any sort of responsibility for the substances that people put into their own bodies?

And, on top of this, look at the various ways in which our fundamental rights are being violated in the ongoing “war on drugs”. (Watch this piece for an example of what I’m talking about, or just refer to the Washington Post article about the checkpoint.) Is this a price worth paying?

How is this justice?

From the Washington Post:

D.C. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier announced a military-style checkpoint yesterday to stop cars this weekend in a Northeast Washington neighborhood inundated by gun violence, saying it will help keep criminals out of the area.

Starting on Saturday, officers will check drivers’ identification and ask whether they have a “legitimate purpose” to be in the Trinidad area, such as going to a doctor or church or visiting friends or relatives. If not, the drivers will be turned away.

…

The checkpoint will stop vehicles approaching the 1400 block of Montello Avenue NE, a section of the Trinidad neighborhood that has been plagued with homicides and other violence. Police will search cars if they suspect the presence of guns or drugs, and will arrest people who do not cooperate, under a charge of failure to obey a police officer, officials said.

(emphasis mine)

Ahem. I quoth:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

I thought that this was supposed to be a law that we were all supposed to follow or something.

Okay, so I’m in favor of the legalization of drugs and all that. But, setting that aside right now, this story is really funny.

Zack the Weed Man. Funny stuff.

Hey, everyone. Ralph Mazza of Universalis, Robots and Rapiers, and Blood Red Sands was interviewed by Clyde on Theory from the Closet. Ralph even had a chance to break out his rules writing rant. Pretty cool!

Of course, I believe that bacon is healthier than this.

Dungeons and Dragons made simple!

HT: Brett

I’ve been thinking about blogging about the situation in Texas. It’s a ticklish situation, but it needs to be addressed. Happily, I don’t have to; James and Stacy McDonald have taken up the task instead. So, all I have to say is, “Read these posts.”

Well, except something my wife pointed out.

The original raid was prompted by a single anonymous phone call, right? (Which, by the way, turns out to have been fake.) So, on the basis of a single anonymous phone call, the police are allowed to raid what is essentially a small town? That would be like the police raiding every house in the University East neighborhood on the basis of a single anonymous drug tip.

I thought that kind of thing only happened in “bad” countries. Hmm.

So, I’m not voting for Obama, right? This is just a commentary from the sideline.

This is a great political speech. Notice how he completely trashes Clinton without actually saying anything. At the same time, he extends pity to her because she just doesn’t know any better, and besides, the Republicans did the same thing to her. But Obama…he’s different.

Really well executed. I tip my hat to you, sir.

There’s important background to this post. Ready?

I don’t like dancing. I mean, I understand the logic of it and all. I guess. But I don’t find that it’s a way that I express myself, and I find it very awkward when people want me to be a part of it. (In fact, I’m coming to realize that I’m very uncomfortable with my being embodied, but that needs to be a topic for another day.)

So, check this out. These are two people from my church (brother and sister, in fact), who are swing dancing. All those things I said about dancing go double for swing. Don’t get it, don’t like it.

But, there’s something about watching someone engaged in an activity that he loves that makes that activity attractive and beautiful.

So, I’m watching this little video of David and Anna, and I’m thinking, “Wow! I didn’t know that David and Anna could dance like that!” I’m also thinking, “I get it now. I understand why they love dance so much.” Nothing explained, just their love on display, shown by what they did.

I really enjoyed it.

Today is the anniversary of the Shot Heard Round the World. As such, I offer the following links in a spirit of celebration and contemplation:

The Sons of Liberty RPG. A fast-paced game of crazy, over-the-top, steampunk Revolutionaries fighting the British Man. Though, as the game points out, if you think that’s crazy, consider what the real Founders actually did, and you’ll have to admit that was pretty crazy and over-the-top, too. (Photos are here.)

In his own words: Paul Revere describes his midnight ride.

Another account of April 18-19, 1775.

Finally, an old press release from General Gage.

Feds to collect DNA from every person they arrest

The government plans to begin collecting DNA samples from anyone arrested by a federal law enforcement agency — a move intended to prevent violent crime but which also is raising concerns about the privacy of innocent people.

(Emphasis mine)

Okay, here’s a crazy thought. I was under the impression that it was the government’s job to punish crimes, not prevent them. Now, I do believe that the consistent punishing of crime will discourage the committing of crimes, but, ultimately, no one can prevent crime from happening.

Those who support the expanded collection believe that DNA sampling could get violent criminals off the streets and prevent them from committing more crimes.

A Chicago study in 2005 found that 53 murders and rapes could have been prevented if a DNA sample had been collected upon arrest.

(Again, emphasis mine)

Sounds like Minority Report to me.