Richard Bennett

Matier and Ross report on Ray Haynes’ bill granting concealed carry permits to victims of hate crimes and domestic violence: PACKING PINK: After years in San Francisco politics, Democratic state Assemblyman Mark Leno is no stranger to special-interest lobbying. But even he did a double-take when a transsexual from the “Pink Pistols” showed up in … Continue reading “Arming cross-dressers”

Matier and Ross report on Ray Haynes’ bill granting concealed carry permits to victims of hate crimes and domestic violence:

PACKING PINK: After years in San Francisco politics, Democratic state Assemblyman Mark Leno is no stranger to special-interest lobbying. But even he did a double-take when a transsexual from the “Pink Pistols” showed up in Sacramento the other day to lobby for a pro-gun bill.

The Pink Pistols (their motto: “Armed gays don’t get bashed”) were there to testify for a proposal by Republican Assemblyman Ray Haynes of Riverside that would give victims of hate crimes and domestic violence the right to pack concealed weapons.

As for why Haynes chose a Pink Pistol to make the point?

“I suppose they were trying to be cute and clever,” said Leno — whose own bill to end job discrimination against transsexuals was being heard the same week.

Ray’s not only one of the smartest members of the legislature, he’s got a great sense of humor. Go visit his office in the Capitol some time and look for the “Spotted Owl Helper” poster. His bill failed, with gay activists Leno and Jackie Goldberg voting “No”. It’s a shame these people have no compassion for the victims of patriarchy.

Teresa Heinz Kerry would add victims of adultery to Ray’s list:

Teresa Heinz Kerry thinks that Hillary Clinton should have shot her husband for being unfaithful, that plastic surgery is essential, and that rabbit meat provides the best diet for children.

Seems prudent (Kerry via Tim Blair).

Great Divide

This entry by Michael J. Totten on the difference between libs and cons is an example of blogging at its best: Everybody needs to get out of their rut. Start small. Liberals: Read about Iran. Don’t just read about American policy there, read about Iran. Find out what happens when America isn’t looking. Conservatives: If … Continue reading “Great Divide”

This entry by Michael J. Totten on the difference between libs and cons is an example of blogging at its best:

Everybody needs to get out of their rut. Start small.

Liberals: Read about Iran. Don’t just read about American policy there, read about Iran. Find out what happens when America isn’t looking.

Conservatives: If you live in a major city, next time the Persian film festival comes to town, buy yourself a ticket. Some of the best films in the world are made in that country. The outside world is greater than the sum of its threats.

Thesis is that libs see everything in relation to America, and cons see everything in relation to the past, more or less. My addition is that modern education aims to turn out libs, while failing to educate. Cons are either very well-educated or not educated at all, and that’s how they escape the conditioning.

Death on wheels

It seems that we’ve found one of those mobile bio-weapons labs that Powell told the UN about: WASHINGTON, May 6 (Reuters) — Initial examination of a tractor-trailer turned over to United States forces in Iraq indicates that it might have been a mobile chemical or biological weapons laboratory, a defense official said today. “Preliminary indications … Continue reading “Death on wheels”

It seems that we’ve found one of those mobile bio-weapons labs that Powell told the UN about:

WASHINGTON, May 6 (Reuters) — Initial examination of a tractor-trailer turned over to United States forces in Iraq indicates that it might have been a mobile chemical or biological weapons laboratory, a defense official said today.

“Preliminary indications are that it perhaps was part of a mobile chem-bio arms system,” said the official, who spoke on condition of not being identified.

With evidence like this falling into place, I wonder how long it will be before ANSWER and fellow travellers admit they were wrong on the “there are no WMDs in Iraq” charge. Prolly gonna take a while.

Suave move

Flying the plane to the Abe Lincoln was a pretty suave move on the president’s part.

Now this is really clever

Atheros has added higher speeds and hardware-based compression to their WiFi chipset: NETWORLD INTEROP, LAS VEGAS, April 29, 2003 –Atheros Communications, the leading developer of advanced wireless LAN (WLAN) technology, today announced the availability of Super G” and “Super A/G” capabilities that deliver 90Mbps TCP/IP throughput for 802.11a/g and 802.11g Wireless LANs. These capabilities include … Continue reading “Now this is really clever”

Atheros has added higher speeds and hardware-based compression to their WiFi chipset:

NETWORLD INTEROP, LAS VEGAS, April 29, 2003 –Atheros Communications, the leading developer of advanced wireless LAN (WLAN) technology, today announced the availability of Super G” and “Super A/G” capabilities that deliver 90Mbps TCP/IP throughput for 802.11a/g and 802.11g Wireless LANs. These capabilities include a new 108Mbps data rate design for 11g and 11a, real-time hardware data compression, standards-compliant bursting support, and dynamic transmit and modulation optimizations. Super G and Super A/G are fully backward compatible with conventional 11b, 11g, and 11a products and are activated by a simple software driver upgrade for products already on the market.

This is impressive, if the range is anything useful.

Inflated figures from Iraq

The New York Times reports that the claims of massive looting of cultural artifacts in Iraq were, in fact, grossly inflated. Instead of 170,000 items missing, it looks more like, um, 25 that are for sure missing: Col. Matthew F. Bogdanos, a Marine reservist who is investigating the looting and is stationed at the museum, … Continue reading “Inflated figures from Iraq”

Col. Matthew F. Bogdanos, a Marine reservist who is investigating the looting and is stationed at the museum, said museum officials had given him a list of 29 artifacts that were definitely missing. But since then, 4 items — ivory objects from the eighth century B.C. — had been traced.

Twenty-five missing pieces out of an inventory of tens of thousands really isn’t a story.

Good money after bad

Unstrung reports that Airgo Networks has raised $20M in a third round, bringing the total to something like $52M. They say Airgo uses multiple antennas to extend range and “increase capacity” of wireless networks, and speculate that the founders’ experience might be a plus: One thing Airgo might have going for it is experience — … Continue reading “Good money after bad”

One thing Airgo might have going for it is experience — as CEO Greg Raleigh has already created and sold a wireless technology company.

But they don’t delve very deeply into the question of how relevent this experience might be to what Airgo’s building, since Airgo won’t really say. I used to work there and I know what they’re building, but I of course can’t talk about it due to all the NDAs I had to sign and all the meetings I had to go to before I was able to figure out what they’re building and why. But I can say that I don’t expect their investors to make out on this deal, for reasons I will gladly explain when they make more product details public.

All in all, I think the Vivato product is more technically impressive, Vivato’s execs have much more in the way of relevent experience, they haven’t had massive layoffs, and their product actually works.

Pure Myth

The Chronicle: 5/2/2003: The Neoconservative-Conspiracy Theory: Pure Myth is a good summary of one of the most pervasive recent conspiracy theories: The ruins of Saddam Hussein’s shattered tyranny may provide additional evidence of chemical weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, but one poisonous by-product has already begun to seep from under the rubble. It … Continue reading “Pure Myth”

The Chronicle: 5/2/2003: The Neoconservative-Conspiracy Theory: Pure Myth is a good summary of one of the most pervasive recent conspiracy theories:

The ruins of Saddam Hussein’s shattered tyranny may provide additional evidence of chemical weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, but one poisonous by-product has already begun to seep from under the rubble. It is a conspiracy theory purporting to explain how the foreign policy of the world’s greatest power, the United States, has been captured by a sinister and hitherto little-known cabal.

It has lots of good “I told you so” material.

Puppies and kittens

This blog is too mean. Please enjoy this inspiring pitcher of the way things can be if we all visualize Whirled Peas: