The Daily Radar

Conclusive proof the World Trade Center was not brought down by hijacked planes

Or not. Conspiracy theories fill a void in some people’s lives, but they are usually way, way off base. Like this guy. I try to avoid the term moonbat because I think there is limited value in calling people names. This guy, however, worked hard to earn a moonbat label for himself (not the guy in the picture, which I stole from Banter in Atlanter.)

Democracy and science are really working wonders in bringing us all the truth. Sheesh.

If you’re one of those who buys into the conspiracy theories surrounding the WTC, please take the time to read the publicly available information regarding the collapse of the World Trade Center in 2001. A lot of taxpayer money went into the report. I’m pretty convinced of what happened.
Hat tip: Banter in Atlanter who got this from Boortz. I love Boortz.

Families welcome at cryonics firm

In addition to former celebrities like baseball player Ted Williams, more average-income people are placing their hope for immortality in cryonics by using life insurance to pay for the process.

And an increasing number of Alcor’s 800 living members are signing up to have their entire families frozen in liquid nitrogen soon after their deaths.

Nice feature piece on cryonics and the possibilities. I’m have one of the life insurance policies they mention in the article. Call me crazy, or call me an optimist. You decide.

Democrats of Little Faith

Do Democrats have a problem with faith? Sure, some of them do. The biggest problem I see with the Democratic leadership is that the only stand they will ever take is to promise people more government means a better nation.

Consider the almost schizophrenic ramblings of Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean on the matter of faith in public life in the order in which they were uttered:

“We are definitely going to do religious outreach. Even in my campaign I was interested in reaching out to evangelicals.”

“The issue is: Are we going to live in a theocracy where the highest powers tell us what to do? Or are we going to be allowed to consult our own high powers when we make very difficult decisions?”

The one thing I can agree with is the idea that religious institutions should share the same tax burden as everyone else. But I’m a radical who thinks everyone should be taxed equally. The whole sliding scale thing is what makes taxes a likely catalyst for the second American revolution.

Feds get religion on laptop security (and so do I)

I encrypt all my important data as a matter of good policy. I’m amazed that government takes so long to catch on.

The Executive Branch’s Office of Management and Budget has just released a memo (spotted at SecurityFocus) that’s intended to staunch the flow of sensitive information that federal agencies have been practically hemorrhaging for some time now. Many of the recent high-profile stories involve either portables with sensitive data falling into the wrong hands (e.g., the VA laptop thefts) or some form of remote access (e.g., the DOJ incident), so the OMB has decreed that all mobile devices need some form of encryption and all remote access must be protected by two-factor authentication. Here’s the list of mandates from the memo:

1. Encrypt all data on mobile computers/devices which carry agency data unless the data is determined to be non-sensitive, in writing, by your Deputy Secretary or an individual he/she may designate in writing;
2. Allow remote access only with two-factor authentication where one of the factors is provided by a device separate from the computer gaining access;
3. Use a “time-out” function for remote access and mobile devices requiring user re- authentication after 30 minutes inactivity; and
4. Log all computer-readable data extracts from databases holding sensitive information and verify each extract including sensitive data has been erased within 90 days or its use is still required.

Rationality and Marriage

Andrew Sullivan (who is gay) on gay marriage:

As for Georgia, it’s important to note that the court has ruled that gay couples are not only barred from civil marriage, they are barred from any legal protections whatever. Georgia wants its gays like it once wanted its blacks: segregated from integration into “normal” families, even if they have been born into them. And, yes, many thought that was rational for a very long time as well.

We pay so much lip service to being fair in this country. It’s not fair to deny gay couples the same legal devices that straight couples have available. Consensual relationships between adults are between the people in the relationships, and if they want to form legal bonds they have every right to do so.