I came across this really interesting program from 2004 produced by the BBC. The Power of Nightmares explains terrorism and indeed the current geopolitical climate in terms of the US neoconservatives' need to scare us in order to battle liberal values. Interestingly, the current radical Islamist movements are explained to stem from what was a similar movement to protect Arab states from corrupting Western influence.

The program is in three parts (180min), see them all on:

• Google Video, or
• the Internet Archive.

On the other hand, if you're going to be flying anytime soon, you might do better to skip this one, as it will infuriate you even further at all the bullshit you have to go through and have your toothpaste and scissors stolen.

Creative writing is what English teachers like, isn't it? I guess that's what some people were good at in school, and now they're working in newsrooms. Like this fabulous news report.

I should write one of these pieces myself. I'm just not sure if I have what it takes.

Scientists have discovered a *dangerous* new substance called triheptopotassium. You are in _danger_ of being exposed to it almost everywhere you go. Anne Harris, a single mother of three, was walking her two-year-old daughter, Jennifer, in the park when she was hit in the face.
"It came out of thin air, there is no way I could have seen it coming. Once I felt the first drop, I grabbed my daughter and ran for the car. But it was too late, we were both soaked in it."
Anne's friend Marv was home when Anne and her daughter arrived last Tuesday. "She came to my house because it was closest to the park. Anne was frantic. We tried to wash it off her and Jennifer as best we could, but we couldn't be sure that it hadn't gone into the skin and poisoned the blood. We hope and pray that Anne and Jennifer will be okay."

Our technical expert Tony Allen has more. "Thanks, Lucy. Triheptopotassium is a _new_ liquid substance discovered *last year*. It is a clear liquid, which falls from the sky. So far no one knows where it comes from, but one thing is certain: it is *very* dangerous."
Scientists say that the best you can do is stay indoors, and not let your kids play outside under any circumstances.

Now I just need some actors in suits to play the parts. I have to make sure they use enough syllable elongation and other emphasis techniques on words like dangerous.

Normally I'd just read these political articles and move on, but one that I found today is so succinct and logical that I think it deserves a note in the margin. Incompetent Design, the premise of how Bush and his buddies manage to make their dealings seem incompetent whereby they're point by point achieving exactly what they want to achieve.

It's a sobering perspective on the situation, certainly similar views have been expressed in the past, but I haven't come across a theorem equally elegant, logical and complete.

It's interesting how the assumption of "things aren't going the way we want them to" has been made into fact without actually being established anywhere. Meanwhile, sock puppets and figureheads like Bush, Rumsfeld, Gonzales and Rice come out and say the most outlandish things and the only response is mockery. Fine way to deflect real reactions. Underestimating idiots sure can be dangerous.

I have always had a lot of respect for math as a field, and subject. It's always been given generous time in school, always one of the subjects that had the most hours per week. As such, the further I've gone in math the more my relationship to the subject has become strained. I think the last time I felt that math was really fun I was 12. Over the years I've become

I found an amusing website today: http://jestnamwstyd.com/.

You probably have an idea of what's happening in God Bless America (thank you for that superb pun, the Guardian). Christian radicalism is going strong, everything in Washington is done in the name of God and as an extension of Him. In a country founded (among other things) on religious freedom, atheists are downright persecuted. The recent election notwithstanding, Bush is still in office and certain groups have begun a countdown to 2008, which should be well into the Iran war (have you noticed how everyone is taking that as a foregone conclusion?).

Anyway, as one of the few backers of GBA's legendary "alliance", we sent troops to Iraq. A move out of pure self interest (as all political decisions always are), in order to improve the economy, elicit GBA investment in Poland and build a tighter trade relationship. However, it's not just on the foreign arena that we've aligned ourselves, we also have our share of religious nuts, most infamously in the presidential palace (which hasn't exactly done much for our public image in the civilized world), offering statements on "family values", and in support of homophobia and xenophobia. As such, this website, entitled "We're ashamed", is an expression of protest against the political leadership, in a similar countdown to 2010.