358 prisoners have died in a prison fire because the guards a) couldn’t find the keys to unlock the cells, and b) wouldn’t let firefighters into the building. (Story here.)
But judging from u.s. news coverage, the really important story is that Whitney Houston is still dead.
The United States was nearly destroyed last month.
Thankfully, alert public servants intervened to avert America’s destruction; like Gandalf facing down the Balrog they cried “you … shall not … pass!” – and sent Boris and Natasha scurrying back to their sinister overseas nation.
Oh, and Marilyn Monroe’s remains are safe also.
Dum dum dum da dum dum, I feel free ….
Crispin Sartwell writes:
perhaps it seems obvious that it is in the interests of poor people to have an extremely powerful and pervasive state; perhaps it seems obvious that it is in the interests of rich people to have a tiny powerless state. however, looking at the thing squarely, this is the opposite of obvious. it seems obvious because people keep repeating it or always conceive the terrain this way. but it’s just wackily false with regard to reality. who needs the state more: you know, robert rubin or rodney king?
Read the celý piroh. (CHT Charles.)
Details here.
On the west coast, cops commit war crimes.
On the east coast, cops admit that corruption is a perk of their jobs, and get all indignant about being prosecuted.
Maybe we should start using the slogan “no special rights for cops.” (Of course, applied consistently that would make them not cops anymore. Which is fine with me.)
I laughed when Nero’s minions sent
fire-tortured souls to the sky.
Without the walls of Pilate’s halls,
I shouted “Crucify!”I roared my glee to the sullen sea
where Abel’s blood was shed.
My jeer was loud in the gory crowd
that stoned St. Stephen dead.— Robert E. Howard
Even if the death penalty were morally legitimate (and I think it isn’t), and even if we could be justifiably confident that every one of those 234 executed prisoners was actually guilty of the crimes for which they were sentenced (and I think we can’t), it would still be grotesque to react to those executions with cheers and applause, as the audience did at this week’s Republican debate. Surely a mood of solemnity and regret would be more appropriate. These Republicans howling and hooting over executions are the kind who formerly reveled in seeing Christians thrown to the lions. The fact that they now have the effrontery to call themselves Christians only adds insult to injury (literally).