Author: Moe_Lane

Anti-corruption groups want PMA probe.

This will do. For a start. Via Geraghty:

Watchdog Groups Join Calls for PMA Probe

House Democratic leaders face new pressure from four watchdog groups usually allied with them to open an investigation into the ties between three powerful Democrats and the now-defunct lobbying firm The PMA Group.

Democracy 21, Common Cause, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG on Thursday called on the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to probe the relationship PMA had with Democratic Reps. John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, Peter J. Visclosky of Indiana and James P. Moran of Virginia. The lawmakers secured lucrative earmarks for defense contractors represented by The PMA Group and received political donations from family members of the lobbying firm’s founder.

As the article notes – and has been noted in the past – this issue has been brought up numerous times by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and Speaker Pelosi and the rest of her crew keep squashing it. It’s going to be harder to do that going forward, if groups like US PIRG are going to be pushing the issue. Of course, it’s entirely possible that what the normally Democratic-allied groups are doing here is trying to create a firebreak; get a few of the absolute worst cases tossed overboard and claim it’s a housecleaning.

I hope not – I like to think the best of people, for as long as I can – but even if it is a cynical ploy I’d still favor running with it. After all, there’s no guarantee that said cynical ploy would work.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

I may actually have to pick this game up.

Disturbing final song and everything.

I mean, Portal’s
bloody cheap now. Of course, so was Tomb Raider Anniversary, and that might take me a while to run through. I think that this is the secret: wait until the cool games are sufficiently old enough that you can buy them for cheap and play them on obsolete computers.

Hey: I’m lame. I admit it.

Moe Lane

Giant, scary-looking bug given computer control chip.

What could possibly go wrong? (Via Steve Jackson Games)

The Army’s Remote-Controlled Beetle
The insect’s flight path can be wirelessly controlled via a neural implant.

A giant flower beetle with implanted electrodes and a radio receiver on its back can be wirelessly controlled, according to research presented this week. Scientists at the University of California developed a tiny rig that receives control signals from a nearby computer. Electrical signals delivered via the electrodes command the insect to take off, turn left or right, or hover in midflight. The research, funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), could one day be used for surveillance purposes or for search-and-rescue missions.

Ah, DARPA: Eager to have you show them; to show them ALL!!!!! since 1972.  Not that I mind… just so long as they avoid putting the X-Ray lasers or psionic hallucination projectors that DARPA-of-course-doesn’t-have on these suckers.  Mad science is all very well, but WiFi isn’t what you’d call secure, you know what I mean?

cyborg_x220

I’m missing the “Outrageous” part of Outrageous Military Experiments.

The 10 Most Outrageous Military Experiments, via Fark.

Going down the list: the plutonium one might be a bit dicey, although I presume that the accident victim was brain-dead already. The hallucinogenic warfare one, likewise kind of ethically challenging. And the psychic vision one… well, no moral objections there. But the rest of them seem pretty straightforward. Pretty impressive heroism there on the part of the volunteers, even. Especially the guys that volunteered for bioweapons vaccine testing.

Your random evocation of Opus for the day.

No real reason.


George the Kiwi: ALBATROSS. Just be glad your wife didn’t leave you for an albatross.
Ronald-Anne: Good, George, confront your feelings.
George the Kiwi: My puny kiwi wings weren’t big enough for Delores. Oh no, oh no… she had to have AN ALBATROSS. With great big huge LONG WINGS. He was on hormones. You heard me, read my beak: HORMONES.
Opus: Uh, maybe we shouldn’t confront those particular feelings.

A STORC choice to make.

“Your sluggardly, world-weary defeatism can inspire those with the energy and passion to do what you can’t or won’t.”

I meant to link to this Jim Treacher post a couple of days ago.  He decided to take as inspiration the unsung hero of Animal House. No, not Bluto:

Stork. Continue reading A STORC choice to make.