Pakistan Bans YouTube

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing click to enlargeFrom CNN: Pakistan has become the latest country to block access to the video-sharing Web site YouTube on the grounds that one or more videos on the site offend Islam, authorities said Monday. The Pakistani government is also asking YouTube to remove "objectionable content," said Nabiha Mehmood, a spokeswoman for the Pakistani Telecommunications Authority. If YouTube removes the video or videos that concern Pakistan, she said, the government may once again let its people post and view video clips. It is unclear what the video or videos in question depict, but a PTA official, who asked not to be identified, told the Associated Press that the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority blocks Web sites that show controversial drawings of the Prophet Mohammed. How is it Bush thinks we are terrified of these people when the mere sight of pen and ink can bring their country to its knees? Or endless videos of cats sleeping in laundry baskets for that matter? The power of free speech will always trump the power of a gun. You can kill a person, but you can't kill an idea. No matter what the Clinton Campaign wants you to think.

Do I want John Edwards’ health care or Hillary’s war?

Crossposted from Left Toon Lane, Bilerico Project & My Left Wing click to enlarge I watched the YouTube debate on CNN and gave it some thought before I commented on it. First off, I am tired of Gravel, Dodd and Biden. I am almost tired of Bill Richardson, every question he answers, he delivers with such a jittery quality, it doesn't inspire confidence. Hell, Gonzales isn't that nervous when he appears before Congress (note I didn't say testify). Although I don't think Kucinich has a chance to win, odder things have happened. I think Dennis needs to stay for no other reason than to lob common sense into the debates. They, so far, are in need of that. Hillary I think did well, but I am still not feeling it. Her remarks to Obama about being naive about diplomacy was off the mark and petty. Obama did very well and had an aura of confidence and intelligence that we haven't seen in the White House since, oh, you know when. His response to the diplomacy question was right on target. To paraphrase, "Get in there and get it done. We are not so afraid as to not talk to dictators." Which brings me to Edwards. He had two powerful moments. One was the hair video - it was a genius piece. Do we want to discuss his hair or the utter democratic wasteland known as the United States? The other moment was his rant about the gentleman with the cleft palate. After his rant, he said, asked really, the MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF THE NIGHT! Why? Indeed. Why in the world does someone with a cleft palate need to wait fifty years for corrective surgery? The GOPers claim you need to wait weeks to see a specialist in Canada (which is the same as it is here). But FIFTY FUCKING YEARS? Isn't that kinda wait time a bit on the long side? I think a lot of us need to start bellowing that question. "Why?" Now if we can just get Edwards to get real on the Gay rights issue, I think his ratings would improve.