The Eric P graphic design juggernaut continues to roll on with no end in sight! My latest work is the shiny new Justified Textworks. Remarkable -- will he actually redesign every website in the FBESP before he's done? For the love of the gods, why? Does he really think anyone goes to these sites?

But we're not just about new looks here at The FBESP -- we've got new content, too! Yes, I've finally posted my essay about Quantum Linguistics for the world to see. Huzzah!

Damn, my right arm hurts. I wonder if I'm not giving myself carpal tunnel syndrome from these 10-hour computer workdays. Oh well. Next up on the redesign drawing table: Garrison Multimedia!

Old News

I know you've heard it already, but in case you're living under a rock or something: PFC Lynndie England -- a US soldier who was photographed mocked Iraqi prisoners -- has said she was just following orders. Prosecutors, however, insist she was doing it all "just for fun."

On the first day of a hearing to determine whether England should be court-martialed for her actions at the prison, witnesses testified that the naked detainees shown with her in human pyramids and tethered to a leash were common criminals of little or no value to interrogators, abused only for sport.

Yeah, even though this same sort of thing has happened in US operations for decades (usually performed by proxies in places like Indonesia or Haiti), this was just an isolated instance where a stressed-out soldier was blowing off some steam.

And in the "it's-scary-because-maybe-he-meant-it" department: George W. Bush returned his foot to its natural inter-orificial position yesterday when he declared: ""Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." The article goes on to note: "No one in Bush's audience of military brass or Pentagon chiefs reacted."

'Nuff said.

Meanwhile, At KerryEd's Last Resort™ HQ...

Meanwhile, at the nation's top warehouse of "whatever-I-guess-we-have-no-choice"ism, Kerry himself actually scored a point with me on the issue of Iraq. I recently linked to a Boston Globe op/ed which asked what Kerry will do differently if/when he reaches the presidency. Well, on Tuesday he actually made some specific comments to this end. From the Los Angeles Times:

Within a first term as president, Sen. John F. Kerry thinks he could attract enough international help in Iraq to make it a "reasonable" goal to replace most U.S. troops stationed there with foreign forces, he told The Times in an interview. . . . Kerry flatly asserted that he was more qualified to conduct international diplomacy than Bush. He argued that the president was so committed "to rushing to the job of going to war" that Bush failed to sufficiently question the intelligence he received on Iraq before the U.S.-led invasion.

Of course, Kerry didn't sufficiently question the intelligence on Iraq either, so that last one's a bit of a hollow point. At the same time, I do fault the democrats less (a tiny bit less) for what happened, because they were guilty of pathetic butt-sniffing acquiescence, which is a lesser crime in my book than oilthirsty warmongering. So while he's not off the hook, I do credit Kerry for at least admitting that he made a mistake.

What? He's never admitted it? Well, you get the feeling that he wants to. Maybe I'm the only one who gets that feeling. Maybe it's just that I want him to. Oh, what the hell. We don't have a choice™. Resign yourself!

Random

Quickly now -- I got stuff to do. Look at all the funky ants!

Here, Afhgans -- have some styrofoam houses.

Using sound waves to freeze things? What a cool idea! [rimshot]

Mexican unions recently blocked the streets of Mexico City. Go get 'em, compañeros. You're fighting for all of us.

What could be better than CIA brainstorming? How about CIA brainstorming brought to you by Jerry Bruckheimer?

Ice cream vendor opens fire.

According to police, an 18-year-old woman approached Miller's ice cream truck and the conversation degenerated into a heated argument. Miller is suspected of taking out a pistol and firing two shots at the feet of the woman. She was struck on the collarbone-area by either a bullet fragment or debris from the shots, police said.

Life imitates that scene in Friday where Big Worm drives up in the ice cream truck.

There's some cool stuff in Yahoo's bin of online music mixers, although -- alas -- Looptracks appears to be down.

Boogers are blessings! No they're not; they're a bodily waste byproduct. Thanks for the link, Mimi.

Check out the random pictures blog.

TimeWaster™

HomeRun: Guide the drunk fellow toward his home without falling over. Remember kids: drinking is bad. It makes you fall over and appear in silly video games.

Today I'm listening to: Groove Salad!