Is Bin Laden Dead? This interview with my old buddy Jim Robbins raises the possibility based on some reports coming out of Afghanistan. On the other hand, it could just be a red herring.
To reduce our dependence on oil from despotic monarchies like Saudi Arabia, maybe it's time to think about drastically increasing our use of the cleanest energy source known to man: nuclear reactors. So says Tom Randall, echoing the persuasive arguments made many years ago by the late Petr Beckmann. Nuclear reactors not only release much less radiation than coal-fired power plants, but they're a heck of a lot less susceptible to terrorist attack than, say, oil refineries. We've got to start thinking outside the box here, and if there's one thing we're discovering, it's that our current system of living contains vulnerabilities that we never considered before, for instance those of our large buildings and postal system.
Speaking of vulnerabilities, the horrific tunnel disaster in Switzerland (notice I don't call it an accident -- the first supposition in these times must be that this is a terrorist attack) has nearly cut off Italy from the mainstream of European commerce. Coincidence? I doubt it.
My wonderful city of Denver has decided they must spend half a billion dollars on a new "justice center", given the chronic shortage of beds in the current jail. The usual threats are being made: the authorities will have to release murderers, burglars, and rapists by the score to comply with federal regulations regarding the treatment of prisoners unless we increase taxes by an ungodly amount to pay for this new facility. So many questions arise. First and foremost, given that more people are arrested for victimless possession of psychoactive substances than for murder, burglary, rape and the other violent crimes, why don't we just end the war on drugs to free up some space in the city jail? After we do that, then let's see if we're still in violation of some federal rules mandating how comfortable accused criminals need to be.
Well, at least Denver's public library system is rated #1 in the country....