The Stanford Prison Experiment
In 1971, Dr. Phil Zimbardo began an experimental simulation of prison life, one that went horribly awry within days but still offers unique insight into the psychological effects of incarceration on both prisoners and guards. His slide show documents the unraveling as the student prisoners, guards and even their families fall alarmingly into their assigned [...]
The Journey of Mankind
The Bradshaw Foundation hosts this marvelous map of human migration, beginning from our origin as a species over 150,000 years ago. It’s cool.
Shakespearean Daily Diss
“I will show myself highly fed and lowly taught.”
—All’s Well That Ends Well, 2.2.3
Giving Up the Search
Another reminder: still no WMDs found.
UNITED NATIONS, June 16 — The search for Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction appears close to an official conclusion, several years after their absence became a foregone one.
The United States and Britain have circulated a new proposal to the members of the United Nations Security Council to “terminate immediately [...]
It’s Called Torture
Sy Hersh surfaces with a reminder of what your government does when it thinks no one is watching, and of who knew what, when:
On the afternoon of May 6, 2004, Army Major General Antonio M. Taguba was summoned to meet, for the first time, with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in his Pentagon conference room. [...]
Shakespearean Daily Diss
“He has not so much brain as ear-wax.”
—Troilus And Cressida, 5.1.51-52
Another Attorneygate Resignation
Quietly handing in his notice on Friday afternoon—effective a week later—was Mike Elston, a chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, bringing to five the number of (apparently) Attorneygate-related resignations from the Department of Justice.
Some highlights from Elston’s tenure at DoJ:
– He allegedly called three of the fired U.S. attorneys and made an [...]
Not Just a Metaphor Anymore
Think the US Senate is full of crap? On Wednesday, it sure was:
“Usually, if a turd gets into the Senate, it’s because he or she was elected,” Emily Heil reports for Roll Call. “But on Wednesday, several large piles of actual, nonmetaphorical ‘No. 2′ found their way into the Capitol, and the source isn’t [...]
More Vote Shenanigans: ‘08 Preview
With elections coming next year, the federal Department of Justice is busily trying to invalidate as many ballots as possible, this time with the usual phony voter-fraud excuse in their call to action in North Carolina.
In a letter two months ago, the Justice Department said it was reviewing North Carolina’s voter rolls and that it [...]
Another End-Run Around Congress
Since Congress passed a bill ending the Attorney General’s authority to appoint interim US Attorneys without Senate approval, it may be surprising to hear that AG Gonzales is trying to do it again while the bill gathers dust on the President’s desk.
Tracy Schmaler, a spokeswoman for Senator Leahy, clarified the situation in an e-mail to [...]
