SHALL WE GO FOR A THOUSAND?
The ancient and highly cranky comments board – right over on the right there – has now made it to 800 comments. It has long functioned as absurdist piece of cyberart rather than any practical forum, and yet it so far survives. I know it takes a long time to scroll down to enter an new comment, especially on dial-up, but please persevere in the interests of seeing how far we can push it. (Always one of my favorite things.)

CANADA IS CONCERNED
Regular readers with be aware that I have previously ruminated on how the aliens seem to have gone to ground since George Bush wrangled his lease on the White House, but it seems the Canadians have their fingers on the extraterrestrial pulse. Canadian Defense Minister Paul Hellyer has allerted the Canadian Parliament to the dangers of alien invasion and initiated hearings about the implications of ET encounters and the possiblity that "advanced civilizations that may now be visiting Earth." Hellyer’s concerns were first made public back in September, when he made a speech at the University of Toronto.
"The secrecy involved in all matters pertaining to the Roswell incident was unparalled. The classification was, from the outset, above top secret, so the vast majority of U.S. officials and politicians, let alone a mere allied minister of defence, were never in-the-loop. . . . The United States military are preparing weapons which could be used against the aliens, and they could get us into an intergalactic war without us ever having any warning. . . . The Bush administration has finally agreed to let the military build a forward base on the moon, which will put them in a better position to keep track of the goings and comings of the visitors from space, and to shoot at them, if they so decide."

KAYMO IS ALSO CONCERNED
And sent over the following...
"Randy "Duke" Cunningham, the infamously stupid and rabidly right wing Congressman from San Diego, who resigned today after admitting to taking at least $2.4 M in bribes is the same oaf who attacked Bill Clinton in Sept 1996 for appointing judges who were alleged to be "soft on crime." Cunningham roared that "We must get tough on drug dealers. Those who peddle destructioin to our children must pay dearly." Four months later his son Todd was busted over a deal to ship 400 pounds of weed to California from Massachusetts*. When it came time for sentencing this particular drug dealer, Representative Cunningham begged the judge for leniency. However, Todd got two and a half years, in part because he tested positive for cocaine three times while on bail."
*Huh? Another Canadian connection?

IT’S A LEGAL MATTER, BABY
The ongoing trial of Saddam Hussein can only prompt me to feel that the WW2 Allies must have breathed a sigh of relief when Adolf Hitler shot himself, and also reflect that, okay, so Saddam was one murdering despotic bastard, but maybe – just maybe – that was what it took to keep Iraq quiet. But read the report (sent over by some girl) and you be the judge. There are, however, a couple of lines that raise a red flag. "The images are being broadcast by U.S. company Court TV with a 30-minute delay to allow officials to censor the footage."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051128/wl_nm/iraq_dc

Meanwhile, Gary Glitter could be the first rock start to be executed by firing squad. (Or any other means, for that matter, unless you count Victor Jara in Chile.)
http://www.news24.com/News24/Backpage/Crime_Court/0,,2-1343-1345_1840497,00.html

The secret word is Convict

AND TALKING OF VICTOR JARA
Las casitas del Barrio Alto
con rejas y antejardin,
una preciosa entrada de autos
esperando un Peugeot.
Hay rosadas, verdecitas,
blanquitas y celestitas,
las casitas del Barrio Alto
todas hechas con resipol.
Y las gentes de las casitas
se sonríen y se visitan.
Van juntitos al supermarket
y todos tienen un televisor.
Hay dentistas, comerciantes,
latifundistas y traficantes,
abogados y rentistas.
Y todos visten policron,
juegan bridge, toman martini-dry.
Y los niZos son rubiecitos
y con otros rubiecitos
van juntitos al colegio high.
Y el hijito de su papi
luego va a la universidad
comenzando su problemática
y la intríngulis social.
Fuman pitillos en Austin mini,
juegan con bombas y con políticos,
asesina generales,
y es un gángster de la sedición.
Y las gentes de las casitas
se sonríen y se visitan.
Van juntitos al supermarket
y todos tienen un televisor.
Hay rosadas, verdecitas,
blanquitas y celestitas,
las casitas del Barrio Alto,
todas hechas con resipol.