Slog News & Arts

Line Out

Music & Nightlife

« The Bush Curse | Today in Stranger Suggests »

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

The Morning News

posted by on November 22 at 6:35 AM

AIDS in China: Cases up 30% in one year.

Nuts in UK: Scientologists Wooing London Cops.

Strife in Middle East: Now it’s Lebanon’s turn—again.

Imams in Airplanes: US Airways says no.

U.S. Snipers in Iraq: Not getting to shoot very many insurgents.

Bush and Maliki in Jordon: Maybe another meeting will turn things around in Iraq.

Obvious in Report: Gregoire told viaduct costs may yet rise.

Ass in Seattle: Still for sale on Craigslist—girl ass and boy ass.

Seattle City Employees in Australia, Hollywood, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Austria: We spend a shitload of money sending our elected officials and city staffers all over the fucking world.

RSS icon Comments

1

Dan, you should probably put a NSFW after the craigslist item. I was expecting maybe a donkey.

Posted by Gabriel | November 22, 2006 6:49 AM
2

I'm not sure I get this part of the NYT piece on snipers:

In theory, Western snipers are a nearly perfect method of killing Iraq’s insurgents and thwarting their attacks, all with little risk of damaging property or endangering passers-by. But in practice, the snipers say, they are seeing fewer clear targets than previously, and are shooting fewer insurgents than expected.

The differentiation of theory and practice in this case seems a bit odd to me. Either it's a good and effective way of fighting a given enemy or it isn't. If they aren't able to target many insurgents and aren't making a lot of valuable kills, what makes it "perfect in theory"? It's good that there's not collateral damage, but what makes it well suited to this style of fighting?

Posted by Gabriel | November 22, 2006 7:06 AM
3

"...super duper fetish friendly, I also have very nice feet!"

ive never been so turned on.

zzzzz

Posted by Pokahotass | November 22, 2006 7:13 AM
4

here here gabriel. I should have known, true, but curiosity got the best of me. A NSFW warning would have helped...

Posted by Mike in MO | November 22, 2006 7:20 AM
5

Maybe Seattle would have enough money to keep schools open if the City wasn't sending their councilpeople on trips around the world, doing siesta getaway workshops and basically treating them like emperors.

Are we sure we don't live in an aristocracy?

Posted by Gomez | November 22, 2006 7:31 AM
6

Also, the Gregoire viaduct link needs some HTML repair.

Posted by Gomez | November 22, 2006 7:32 AM
7

That hooker needs some help in the marketing department. The ad is way too wordy and the butthole shot is just a bit much. Even though people are purchasing his services, there is still a place for discretion in his advertising.

Also, he needs to learn how to orient his pictures correctly. I may sound picky, but its the details that make a good hooker a GREAT hooker.

Posted by Lou Graham | November 22, 2006 7:33 AM
8

I just woke up from a dream that I went on a friend-date with dan savage and he was partially deaf and spoke sign language. He was also very charming!

What a fucked up dream.

Posted by catnextdoor | November 22, 2006 7:42 AM
9

Gomez, I don't know enough to defend the travel, but your suggestion about schools is a bit disengenous. Sure...that money comes from tax dollars and COULD be rediverted. But it's not like if they hadn't traveled, the money would have gone to schools. That's just not the way a government budget works.

I'm glad that it looks like they're going to do an audit of this travel. I'm sure that some of the travel is excessive, but I also think that some of the aspects of the article are red herrings.

Posted by Ginger | November 22, 2006 7:50 AM
10

I actually thought, upon first glance of the photos, that the "Boy Ass" photos were of some rubber/resin sculptures that you'd see at a Chelsea gallery, especially with the lubed elements. The photos themselves have a certain haunting charm and mystique to them. I bet he could get more cash from some uptown art collector for 22x40 editions of these pics than the $200 for the real piece of ass...

Posted by pabst | November 22, 2006 7:51 AM
11

@2 - what makes it perfect in theory is that snipers are much like insurgents themselves tactically. they are not "shock and awe", they are not a laser guided bomb or a cruise missle--they are just two dudes hiding out looking to ambush targets of opportunity. That is exactly what the insurgents are, so in theory if you're going to fight a non-traditional war then sniper teams are a logical choice.

the reason that in practice this isn't the case NOW is that given enough time the insurgents figure out american tactics (insurgents only carry weapons when they're going to use them to minimize the time that they are susceptible to being shot due to rules of engagement, use children to search known sniper hides, etc). as the article also points out, there are a finite number of places where snipers can hide, therefore further limiting their effectiveness.

I think that if you look at the kinds of numbers they were getting early on in the war (double digits), you can say that they absolutely were effective in practice just as in theory.

What i found really valuable and interesting in the article is that it is a great microcosm for the war as a whole. sound tactics and training meets an enemy that adapts faster and to a degree mitigates the overall effectiveness of the tactics and training. The US military is then further hampered having to discard best-practices in a misguided attempt to "minimize" american deaths, which in conjunction with an enemy that learns draw nout over a multiple year timespan compounds the forces working against us. This erosion of effectiveness on the tactical level leads inevitably to a failure to "win" militarily (secure the peace).

Really great little encapsulation of some complex issues into an easy to understand sketch.

Posted by Charles | November 22, 2006 8:05 AM
12

9. Oh, I know that as well as anyone, Ginger... but I'm just pointing out the hypocrisy in the City saying there's not enough money to keep all our schools open... and then taking luxury trips across the Pacific.

Posted by Gomez | November 22, 2006 8:10 AM
13

Thanks for the thoughtful response, Charles. Those are good points. I guess when I think of insurgent tactics, I think of kidnappings, car-bombs and roadside bombs, and it seems that snipers would only be an effective defense against these if you had them everywhere.

Posted by Gabriel | November 22, 2006 8:10 AM
14

totally. i think that the best thing you can hope for with snipers is for getting the guys who plant the roadside bombs. In that case the americans have a similar advantage in that there are only so many "good" places to plant a bomb that is likely to actually kill soldiers so snipers can guard against that. but yeah, the kidnappings not so much i guess. :)

Posted by Charles | November 22, 2006 8:21 AM
15

yeah, but until the city takes control of the schools, what they do with their budget money isn't related to what the school board does with it's money. the council doesn't run seattle schools... yet.

It's like finding out the potus wasted a mil on pointless trips, then insuating if he hadn't Seattle would have had the money to quickly fix it's lack of bike transportation infrastructure.

the comparison just doesn't make sense. And it hasn't been the city saying the school's can't stay open, it was the super intendent who was saying that, and the school board gave him flack, and he resigned ... NO ONE is running seattle schools except running it in to the ground.

Posted by seattle98104 | November 22, 2006 8:34 AM
16

Dan, how do you know that's real private ass for sale, and not fake police ass for sale?


Tell me, if you were online shopping for ass and were a little wary of entrapment, wouldn't you avoid ass with price tags attached, ass available for incall, etc?

Posted by robotslave | November 22, 2006 8:50 AM
17

Stupid Chinese!
Stupid Africans!
Stupid Indians!

Smart white people!

Funny how millions of people with brown skin have in India and Africa have "AIDS", but only 40,000 a year are "infected" here in the US (look it up at the CDC's website). There's also no "epidemic" to speak of in mostly caucasian Europe, either. Hmmm.

Dan, you believe anything you read about "AIDS" (except that "superstrain" deal in NYC). You love AIDS.

If you really wanted AIDS to end, you'd do some research. You'd take the haloes off of the scientists, and take a hard, cold look at the facts. Instead, shrill emotionalism is your MO.

Even read the "HIV" test literature? The really "fun" part is how the test is to be interpreted. Strangely enough, the tests are biased towards "positivity" for those in the so-called "risk groups". Now, maybe you don't think that's a problem. But it is. And it isn't science. But, you probably didn't read that literature linked on another comment thread. You probably don't want to think.

So, continue believing Africans, Indians, and now Chinese are too stupid to stop screwing themselves to death. But not us good white people. Also, to keep yourself from altering your views, don't go looking at the various bareback websites where thousands of your fellow Seattle-ites are looking for raw sex. Oh, wait, I'm sure they're "sero-sorting". No worries. It's all good.

Posted by BD | November 22, 2006 8:54 AM
18

I cannot comprehend BD's comment. Can anyone parse it for me?

Posted by galax | November 22, 2006 8:59 AM
19

drink some kool-aid, don a tin foil hat, the re-read BD's comment. it also helps to drop some acid.

Posted by seattle98104 | November 22, 2006 9:01 AM
20

Hey, speaking of redundant posts, has anyone heard from "Religion Sucks"? I hate to admit this, but I kinda miss his inane posts...

Posted by Mike in MO | November 22, 2006 9:05 AM
21

Galax,

here's the distilled version.

"HIV" tests are biased.

"AIDS" diagnoses are biased towards gays, blacks, and people with varying shades of brown skin.

With thousands of MSM having raw sex in Seattle, we should be seeing "African" rates of infection. But, strangely enough, only Africa, sees "African" numbers.

Dan believes almost anything hysterical he reads about "AIDS".

Posted by BD | November 22, 2006 9:08 AM
22

I thought screaming "AIDS isn't real!" went out of style in the 90's?

Posted by L | November 22, 2006 9:10 AM
23

It did. Remember the days when Foo Fighters organized concerts and rallies for AIDS deniers? I wonder if they ever apologized for that. Something tells me BD is a Foo Fighters fan.

Posted by Gabriel | November 22, 2006 9:19 AM
24

Well, there goes the morning news thread.


Congratulations on a perfectly executed troll, BD.

Posted by robotslave | November 22, 2006 9:21 AM
25

I'm not making any comparisons, 98104, or saying that policy allows money to be diverted any one way. My point is that the City is willingly inefficient with how it spends its money, and it shows when key things like schools and basic infrastructure lack crucial funding, but the City can someone afford luxury trips. They can change their policies if that's what's keeping them from doing what is best. Take over the schools if that's what it takes, and for god sakes, STOP TAKING LUXURY TRIPS AND GETAWAYS UNTIL THE CITY'S NEEDS ARE MET. If nothing else, it's insulting to the citizens.

Posted by Gomez | November 22, 2006 9:24 AM
26

One interesting thing about the China AIDS article is that they attribute part of the rise in infection rates to better testing. This is similar to the phenomenon of police cracking down on crime in a particular area, which leads to more arrests in that area, which causes people to say that crime is getting out of control in that area because arrests are going up. So a silver lining of the article is that some of the rise is because people who were infected but didn't know it now do know it because of better and more widespread testing.

Posted by Gabriel | November 22, 2006 9:28 AM
27

IAWTC

Posted by seattle98104 | November 22, 2006 9:30 AM
28

27 is aimed on 25.

Posted by seattle98104 | November 22, 2006 9:31 AM
29

Uh, BD, the number of gay men here in Seattle infected with HIV is around 14%. That is below some African countries, but horrific none the less.

Have you ever been tested?

The HIV test measures the presence of antibodies and can't be tailored to match the race of the person being tested. And I can't see any way that the people from King County Health who do much of the testing would falsify results. They seem to genuinely care about our community and your allegation is insulting and absurd.

I donate to Lifelong AIDS Alliance to provide meals for people with HIV, and they told me that they have gotten around 1,200 more requests for assistance this year. Denial isn't going to make this cruel disease go away.

No one likes using condoms, but we could stop this disease in its tracks if we all just slapped one on -so take some responsibility for yourself and your partners. I’d rather not buy lunches for you in the future.

Posted by Andrew | November 22, 2006 9:36 AM
30

Silver linings are often storm clouds with good lighting.

Posted by The Peanut Gallery | November 22, 2006 9:41 AM
31

Um, Andrew, BD is a kook. You're wasting your time talking to him. Of course he hasn't been tested; he doesn't believe HIV has anything at all to do with AIDS. I'm sure he's dead set against rubella vaccine, motorcycle helmets, seat belts, and suicide hotlines on the Aurora Bridge as well.

Posted by Fnarf | November 22, 2006 9:52 AM
32

Wouldn’t it be even more surreal and insane if Bush and Al-Maliki met in Vietnam to discuss the Iraq War?

And now for something completely different -Preznit Bush’s speech from Vietnam courtesy whitehouse.org:

THE PREZNIT: “Wow, after everything my poppy went through to get me out of coming here back in the 60's, it's weird to actually be here. And I gotta tell you, I've been real surprised by how nice it is – and safe, too. Real good argument for Communism, know what I mean?

Aren't I a diplomatic genius? I'm actually standing in the country that whooped America but good for initiating a vicious war – one which I skipped out on – and yet I still have enough hick hubris to suggest we should have kept going.

Worst case scenario, history repeats itself, and one day, 32 years from now, my daughter Jenna will travel to Baghdad to preside over a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Iraq's 500th Hooters restaurant. And on that day, the Communists AND the terrorists will have won.

http://www.whitehouse.org/news/2006/11/vietnam_visit.asp

Posted by Andrew | November 22, 2006 10:12 AM
33

Did any of you catch the woman in Abu Dhabi who stood up at a speech by Bush the Elder and said "we do not respect your son"? Sweet stuff. Poor George, these are tough times for a Presidential Daddy. I'll bet Babs is a fucking terror to be around these days.

Posted by Fnarf | November 22, 2006 10:36 AM
34

When I read about Bush Sr getting heckled, I felt almost as sorry for him as I did for Reagan in his latter years. I remember the look on poor Ronald's face one time when a guy jumped up on stage and got in his face while he was accepting some award.

Posted by Justin J | November 22, 2006 11:08 AM
35

The HIV test measures the presence of antibodies

Wrong.

First, the "HIV" tests don't measure anything. They are purported to detect, but not measure.

Problem is, they don't detect "HIV antibodies". All they do is show a reaction to a few proteins. The tests aren't standardized, and they are non-specific. They are a sham.

Key phrases found on the test literature...
"not to be used as performing assay"
"at present there is no recognized standard for establishing the presence or absence of antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2 in human blood (Abbott Labs HIV Elisa).

Posted by BD | November 22, 2006 11:33 AM
36

See? And those people falling off the Aurora Bridge? NOTHING to do with suicide. They're pushed off by the medical-industrial complex for FINANCIAL GAIN! Bing! Bong! Boodley bwoop bwoop!

Posted by Fnarf | November 22, 2006 11:46 AM
37

Fnarf @ 33,

Yeah, and I loved Poppy's reaction which was to stammer and spit up something along the lines of 'if America's so bad then why does everyone want to live here' and 'that's just nuts.'

Guess we can see where junior gets his Xtreme denial and iso-tank level of detachment from reality.

That woman was being incredibly polite under the circumstances. Bush I was a mediocre preznit, but Bush II is not only the worst preznit in US history, he’s also one of the worst leaders (and I use that term loosely) in world history.

So suck it, Poppy.

Posted by Andrew | November 22, 2006 11:59 AM
38

BD, go take your crackpot theories and share them with your peers at Club Z or the men's room at the Greyhound Terminal. Someone else needs to use the library computer.

Posted by Crackpots unite | November 22, 2006 12:11 PM
39

BD, as to your "With thousands of MSM having raw sex in Seattle, we should be seeing "African" rates of infection. But, strangely enough, only Africa, sees "African" numbers."

It has more to do with some of the health practices there - shared breastfeeding, multiple wives (so that one being infected passes it on), scarification rituals with no cleaning of razor blades, other such things.

That and the widespread TB and Malaria. So people are already vulnerable.

Posted by Will in Seattle | November 22, 2006 2:04 PM
40

@2 and @11 - Charles is right about snipers and target availability. From what I've heard from other vets, it's more that they've adapted and instead of a target-rich environment (targets easily detectable, not questionable, trackable, and look good to civilian bystanders as clean kills) we have a target-poor environment now (murky, not sure who, looks bad if killed even if an insurgent).

Posted by Will in Seattle | November 22, 2006 2:13 PM
41

@40 - I would always argue with some of my conservative friends about how the terrorist training camps in afghanistan would have closed even if we only invaded iraq because we're providing the best training opportunity these militant fundamentalists have had since they fought the soviets twenty years ago. think about it, we're giving a four year on-the-job degree in countering american military tactics and equipment to anyone who wants to go. And it's a lot easier to get to the sunni triangle than it was to get to afghanistan.

Just wait until we leave iraq and all these grizzled combat vets have some time or organize and then come here. As far as I'm concerned the American government created al qaeda back in the 80s, and quite frankly i try not to think about what this new generation will do once they've had five to fifteen years to mature like bin laden did he cut his teeth against the soviets.

Posted by Charles | November 22, 2006 5:43 PM

Comments Closed

In order to combat spam, we are no longer accepting comments on this post (or any post more than 14 days old).