Bits & Bytes

• To put it in simple terms: the average person is a moron--In a January 12 editorial, the Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette proceeded to explain why state legislators must "target" tax cuts in order to solve Indiana's problems. In other words, the J-G is saying government officials are smarter and more effective than either ordinary citizens or market forces.
• Conspiracies everywhere!--In a guest editorial in the Bloomington Voice, local enviro-nut Scott Wells wonders whether a decision by County Commissioner Kirk White was based on a campaign contribution White received in the mayor's race in 1995. Considering Wells' constant hinting at bribe taking and conspiracy by Republican officials in Monroe County, one wonders if he imagines black helicopters flying over his residence on a daily basis, no doubt piloted by White and Monroe County GOP Chairman Chris Calloway.
• AP stupidity runs rampant--In Associated Press stories January 15 and 16, headlines and content of AP stories seemed to indicate environmental damage and harm to animals is more important than harm to humans. The January 15 article was about how ice storms in New England killed trees, not once mentioning human deaths caused by the storm. The January 16 article was headlined "Iraq may have used dogs for testing" despite most of the story was on potential testing of biological weapons on humans.
• The militia speaks in the IDS--In a guest editorial on January 15, Kofi Nokwahene argues Martin Luther King's message of nonviolence was not only counterproductive, but a message of surrender to racist policies of the era.
• What about the First Amendment?--Texas farmers are suing Oprah Winfrey over a comment made on her program regarding the safety of meat since the British Mad Cow scare. The program was neither inflammatory nor full of wild eyed and unsupportable claims, yet Texas law states Winfrey is somehow liable for the losses of farmers in the wake of this scare. Can anyone say "unconstitutional"?