Monthly Archives: February 2011

BBC News – BBC offers apology for Top Gear comments on Mexico

The BBC offers an apology for it’s Top Gear talent being racist pricks.

It offers an apology but a good reading of the press release shows that it doesn’t actually deliver an apology.

When did our society turn into one where mumbling words that sound like you recognize someone was offended by something you did, but don’t care to find yourself at fault pass as an actual apology?

I plan to raise my kid better than that. I hope the rest of you do too.

Background checks are latest gun rights battleground | Minnesota Public Radio News

To date, the Republican takeover of the legislature here in Minnesota has resulted in two trends.

One, they want to enforce ID checks before people can cast a ballot. This, of course, ties in with a long-standing conservative tradition of making it harder for students, the poor, elderly, and minorities – especially recent immigrants – to vote. In short, it is anti-democratic. Which is fine, because Republicans do not believe America is a democracy. Seriously, just ask them.

The other trend since the election has been to take away any regulations that might save lives. The latest move is to do away with background checks prior to purchasing a firearm.

Voting? ID checks similar to an East German border crossing are the model for the GOP.

Buying a shopping cart full of guns? No ID required.

Priorities. Pay attention to what the politicians are telling you.

Census estimates show big gains for U.S. minorities – USATODAY.com

Minorities are making big numeric gains across the US. This might explain why even progressive states like Minnesota have suddenly turned into racist, gun-toting people scared of their own shadows.

Look, the US is going to be less white no matter what happens. If Caucasians don’t want to sow any more ill will against populations who already have legitimate grudges, this might be the time to be less vindictive and violent; not more.

BBC News – Chernobyl nuclear plant shelter faces cash woes

It still amazes me how we humans have managed to create an actual dead zone on our world. Here’s a story on how the Russians are having troubles getting cash to create a better containment cap at Chernobyl.

Also in the article is an interview with a former resident who went back recently.

Also, a really freaky slideshow of the power plant itself. I’ve seen a lot of images from Pripyat but not anything like this.