"A political science instructor at Santa Rosa Junior College is being investigated by the Secret Service for telling his students to compose an e- mail to an elected official that included the words "kill the president, kill the president," a school administrator said Wednesday.
Michael Ballou, a part-time lecturer who teaches an "Introduction to U.S. Government" course at the college's Petaluma campus, intended the assignment to be an "experiential exercise that would instill a sense of fear so they would have a better sense of why more people don't participate in the political process," said Doug Garrison, the vice president and executive dean of the Petaluma campus.
Most of the 30 students in the class dismissed the June 25 assignment as a joke, but after it was repeated at a subsequent class, one student did send the e-mail to U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa Valley) on July 5.
Leslie Danz, a spokeswoman in Thompson's Washington, D.C., office said the e-mail, which said only "kill the president, kill the president," was not opened until Monday because of the holiday weekend. It was immediately forwarded to the Capitol police service, she said. It was the first time the office has encountered such a threat, Danz said.
The student was interviewed by the Secret Service, which had begun investigating the assignment after being tipped by a classmate, Garrison said.
Making a threat against the president is against the law and subject to up to five years in prison."
You'd think a political science instructor might know about that whole prison thing. This dude is so not only getting canned, but he'll never be allowed on an airplane again. Hope you like trains, moron!
1000 Reasons Not To Vote For Bush.
Especially if you read comic books. Breasts as WMD's.
Slate is doing buzzwords and translations of presidential candidates. This is amusing.
John Kerry: "What it means: On the environment, I'm a war hero. On campaign reform, I'm a war hero. On affirmative action, I'm a war hero.
What it hides: What does Vietnam have to do with any of these issues?
Subtext: Did I mention I'm a war hero?"
Bush Asks Congress for $30 Billion to fight War On Criticism.
The American Apology Shirt. Has "I'm sorry my president's an idiot. I didn't vote for him" translated into several languages.
Bush falling off his Segway is all part of a conspiracy!
iron in the nude? Because I've burned myself on an iron before, and had one fly out of my hand and land on the carpet, and I'll be damned if I leave any dangling flesh out around a hot object like that.
Not only is Saddam's latest book, "Get out of here, curse you!" (yes, really) not going on sale because of you-know-what, he didn't even write them himself, the lameass.
(No, I really didn't expect any better, but it's still funny.)
this McDonald's surprisingly, hasn't been affected too bad by the anti-French crap.
1)" The people bitching about Bush hate him with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns, and will use any excuse to bring him down. This is naturally the position of the conservatives and most people who supported the war. It also has the virtue of being true: People who hate Dubya really hate Dubya. It would be interesting to find some way to gauge whether people who truly hate Dubya hate him more intensely than the people who truly hated Clinton hated him; possibly the best way to discover this would be to lock them all in a very large box, toss in some bludgeoning implements, and see who eventually crawls out of the box's bloody interior. Naturally, I'm for doing this right this very second.
2) The Bush administration appears to many people to be patronizing, guarded and stingy with the truth, an appearance based on fact that the adminstration is patronizing, guarded and stingy with the truth; it's not even so much that the Bush folks lie as it is about the overall impression that they don't feel obligated to share what they know with the likes of us. Let's face it, any presidential administration that wants to classify information already in the public domain is not an administration that engenders many feelings of trust and goodwill.
The first of these is of course nothing the Bush people can do much about -- Bush haters would hate Bush even if he were to up the top marginal rate to 80%, line the pockets of the poor with gold, and ban oil drilling within 1000 nautical miles of the United States shoreline. But the second of these is definitely of their own doing. If you want people to trust you, don't give them the distinct impression that their role is to shut up and unquestioningly do as they're told, because you know what's best for them, and that should be enough."
Arizona is considering ignoring it next time the terror rating changes color. Hey, we're Arizona, not California or New York. People forget we're actually here, so why bother? (Heh, I'm kidding, but still.)
They named a car after her in Iraq. "Just as Monica tempted Clinton, they will tempt you."
I was quite amused by this article written by a guy who unknowingly employed him as an interpreter.
(your political beliefs here.)
Enough already with leadership.
"On April 11, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher stated our goal in Iraq: “to create a situation where Iraqis can express themselves freely, where all points of view can be expressed freely and without intimidation or violence.”
In the same week, the Baseball Hall of Fame canceled a celebration of the great baseball film Bull Durham because two of its actors, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, had engaged in “public criticism of President Bush.” On the Web and elsewhere, Americans have been urged to boycott actors and others who publicly raise questions about our government’s policies with regard to Iraq.
How have we come to a place where we advocate “freedom of expression” for Iraqis “without fear of intimidation or reprisal” but organize economic reprisals and intimidation against those who criticize government policy here at home? Is it that we fail to understand or to teach the role of dissent in a free society?"
political playing cards continues.
Dictators sure don't know how to decorate.
Saddam's personal statuemakers were pretty bored by the job. "All of them, the many heroic iterations of Saddam and his close company, are the denizens of the former Arts Directorate foundry, one of five or so factories around the country that built monumental statues to satisfy the preening narcissism that often accompanies dictatorship.
"Of course we were amazed all the time about the orders for statues," said Farid Hussein, a supervisor at the factory and no relation to the deposed leader, as he roamed the abandoned grounds. "We would think, 'Oh, no, not another statue of Saddam.'"
There were so many Saddams - usually four or five a year from this factory alone in the more than 20 years that Farid Hussein worked here - that he said it was hard to keep track of any that were special.
"He would be raising his arm, or riding a horse," Hussein said, referring to the statues that were ordered. "The ones of Saddam were all the same. Whether he raises his hand or lowers it, he's still Saddam."
Monotony, though, was not reason enough for Farid Hussein, 45, a trained sculptor, or for others at the factory to quit in an economy that crumbled further each year. They also made their own sculpture here, secretly using the foundry's facilities and storing their art at home.
However exacting the Iraqi dictator was toward the rest of the country, the monuments produced at the foundry invariably pleased him, Farid Hussein said.
"He liked every one of the statues," he said of the former leader, "because there is no one who does not think a representation of him isn't beautiful."
Note to all David Nelsons: Don't even try to fly these days. Eeeesh.
“These are V.I.P.'s right, ordinary people aren't up on stage behind the president of the United States when he's speaking but the trick is to make V.I.P.'s look like they're ordinary people,” said Bill Bloomquist, political scientist.
That's why everyone sitting behind the president wearing a necktie was instructed to take it off."
"I tell you the looks on those childrens faces. I don't know if they'll say anything about anything ever again. Is that what we want? I don't think we want that," says Lopez." I beg to differ- I think in this country that's EXACTLY what they want now.
Is our world fucked up or what? WHY?!?!
This reminds me of reading Stealing the Elf-King's Roses, where there's a bunch of different parallel versions of Earth, and ours is the "cock-up" evil ruined universe. Figures.
And people wonder why I don't like him. Let's just pick a mere sampling of what he's done, eh?
Accomplishments as president:
Attacked and took over two countries.
Spent the surplus and bankrupted the treasury.
Shattered record for biggest annual deficit in history.
First president in US history to enter office with a criminal record.
First year in office set the all-time record for most days on vacation by any president in US history.
After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, presided over the worst security failure in US history.
In my first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their job.
Cut unemployment benefits for more out of work Americans than any president in US history.
Cut healthcare benefits for war veterans.
Set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously take to the streets to protest me (15 million people), shattering the record for protest against any person in the history of mankind.
Dissolved more international treaties than any president in US history.
My presidency is the most secretive and un-accountable of any in US history.
First president in US history to have all 50 states of the Union simultaneously go bankrupt.
Took the biggest world sympathy for the US after 911, and in less than a year made the US the most resented country in the world (possibly the biggest diplomatic failure in US and world history).
Removed more freedoms and civil liberties for Americans than any other president in US history.
In a little over two years created the most divided country in decades, possibly the most divided the US has ever been since the civil war.
Entered office with the strongest economy in US history and in less than two years turned every single economic category heading straight down.
Pardon my bitterness, but my odds for layoff in a few months just went skyrocketing up again...
at this. Rather an amusing article to read in a "family" newspaper. (Are there any non-family newspapers these days?)
and the Case of the Missing Weapons of Mass Destruction.
"There's nothing you could point to in the Bush Administration with pride," she says. "Nothing. There is no way any rational, reasonable person can say that the Bush Administration has been good for America."
but we won't arrest him. The hell?
Er, happy birthday, Saddam...wherever you are... if you still exist... (yesterday). Great, we Tauruses get him and Hitler.
Are the Iraqis getting spam for these daily now?
As they'd say on FARK.com, "Obvious."
He may want to move to London.
"He's my man." As Wil points out, not only is this guy "the enemy," shouldn't you be having meetings instead of gathering around the TV and laughing?
Death threats? Good lord. What is wrong with this country?
I could understand those who lusted after Bill Clinton. I could get the Stephanopolous lust. But Ari "Stonewall" Fleischer?
This sort of excites me, even though "oh, gee, guess he'll have to win on a write in" would probably happen.
This article about how women are the ones who worry about terrorism and run out to buy duct tape while men just kick back and relax is depressing. "So why do women feel they're more likely to be targets when in reality few outside certain neighborhoods are apt to be at any risk at all? "Women feel more insecure because generally they are more insecure," explains pollster Anna Greenberg. Women aren't just more likely to be more worried about terrorism than men, they're often more anxious about everything else that can go wrong, too. Which makes sense, she says, when you consider that women are more likely to be in the low-wage service sector, more likely to be laid off or unemployed, and more likely to be cash-strapped single heads of households. When things go wrong, they simply tend to hit women harder."
I hate being a girl.
Apparently, the Bush White House doesn't really want to answer any questions. And when I say "questions," I mean questions about say, Easter dinner. Not that I CARE what he did/ate for Easter dinner, mind you, but when they won't even talk about the trivial....
"Emil Vicale's business really began to surge when he put Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) in a pink dress.
His new hit is Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, who comes in two versions, "dumb" and "dumber." The dumber one talks."
Okay, so the odds of this being true are probably not great, but wouldn't it be fun?
You see stuff like Unofficial Operation Iraqi Freedom Action Cards! and it's amusing. Then you find out that our government seems to have taken the cards idea rather seriously. I'm not entirely sure why, and it's just rather weird and bizarre. But whatever sicko thought that Uday should get the Ace of Hearts needs to be smacked severely.
They don't seem to say that this is satire, but I'd assume so. Like they'd have a statue of Bush in SF?
Ah, the irony. He's that popular that he's getting merchandise. Y'all have sick senses of humor... then again, well... er... no comment.
http://www.probush.com/traitor.htm (no, I'm not providing a direct link, for obvious reasons) "IF YOU DO NOT SUPPORT OUR PRESIDENT'S DECISIONS YOU ARE A TRAITOR TO OUR COUNTRY!" Gee, is it refreshing that unlike everyone else mentioned here in the last few days, they just say it right out?
Third letter down in the letters to the editor in the school paper today: "I firmly believe in the the freedom of speech, but I am the only one who thinks this is incredibly offensive to our troops?"
Uh...I don't get WHY this is "offensive to our troops." People who aren't 100% in favor of the war are not automatically against the troops. Hell, we don't have any problems with them at all. They're just doing their jobs and it's not like they could quit and get out of it if they wanted to. We know that, and we're fair in that respect. Those of us ticked off at how things have gone are ticked off at our so-called president and how he's managed things so as to get most of the world mad at us. Call me crazy, but I suspect that doesn't bode well for the future. It's not that I even have a problem with going in and kicking Saddam's ass- I just don't like how he's going about it and think it's gonna damage the country something fierce.
I am so tired of the "now that there's a war on, everyone has to let Bush do whatever he wants, no matter what it is, with no complaint and a smile on their face" attitude. Blind worship/following/giving up your own brain power and ability to ask questions is a Bad Idea. Just watch Angel of late.
The Baseball Hall of Fame has canceled a celebration of Bull Durham. Why, you ask? Because Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon are anti-war. Get this letter (bold parts my emphasis):
"In a free country such as ours, every American has the right to his or her own opinions, and to express them. Public figures, such as you, have platforms much larger than the average American's, which provides you an extraordinary opportunity to have your views heard — and an equally large obligation to act and speak responsibly," Petroskey wrote.
"We believe your very public criticism of President Bush at this important — and sensitive — time in our nation's history helps undermine the U.S. position, which ultimately could put our troops in even more danger. As an institution, we stand behind our President and our troops in this conflict," he wrote."
So in other words, he's saying "You have the right to your opinions and to express them, BUT, we don't feel that you really do and should keep your damn traps shut!" The dude doesn't even seem to get the irony of what he's saying or doing here!
These shirts are needed more than ever, I guess. Oy.
I'm no fan of Saddam Hussein by any means, but the whole I'm gonna go to war, whether you like it or not attitude disturbs me greatly.
Who on earth would think this is funny? They should be caught and smacked severely.
This is hilarious. Note: billions of huge pictures, not for the slow.
What can I say, I'm in favor of protecting the right to object if you so choose to in America, regardless of what you feel about an issue. (Hence the poster links below too.) Since I'm worried that that's going to disappear of late...
I especially like the military bear, which I think works for the whole "just because there's some objection doesn't mean we hate troops" message. Either that or it just looks ironic, I'm not sure which.
Anyone who doesn't like Geraldo will enjoy this "Army justice."
Okay, so I suspect they were going for the ironic/funny touch with this one, but really, as one of the people in it says, "I'm sure the poor guy has to do this because someone's going to shoot him if he doesn't." It's ridiculous that he has to publically spout this shit, but he really doesn't get an option in the matter either.
I guess somebody had to suggest it sometime.
Here. Or start doing the slide show thing here.
This is an odd one. As is this, but it was an April Fool's joke. And what the heck is this?
Oh, I love living in a country where you can still make things like this and not get arrested... at least, for now, anyway.
