I've just discovered that there is such a thing asMillimeter Wave Security Cameras. Using extremely high frequency ("millimeter wave") radio frequency bands, security personnel can use these devices to look directly through clothing (the image on my sidebar was captured by one of these). They were initially deployed in Israel to spot suicide bombers and have since been incorporated into your friendly neighborhood airport. One wonders if this will bring an influx of voyeurs into the security profession. The picture on my sidebar is an image snapped by one of these cameras. Five years from now, you will get emails in your inbox that read: lesbians dirty sex hidden cam millimeter wave.

I have a new theory about Sarah Palin. She is not intended to pull Hillary Clinton voters, except for those who are completely oblivious. Her huge pro-life stance will turn off the vast majority of Hillary supporters. Instead, she is a pull for disaffected evangelicals. It seems more than likely that a huge number of evangelicals would have stayed home rather than vote for John McCain, and in his campaign he has made a number of concessions to them; he was doing his best to pander. In this respect, Sarah Palin is possibly the best choice they could have made: she is a wholesome, American, evangelical, pro-life, pro-gun, pro-drilling, anti-wildlife soccer mom. She is not a replacement for Hillary Clinton; she's a replacement for Ron Paul.

Cuba has already been hit by Gustav; it appears that it was a Category 4 (same as Katrina) when it hit land. There is no report on human injury yet from Cuba, but over sixty people have died in Haiti, and fifteen deaths have been reported from Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. The hurricane is expected to hit the U.S., and there is a greater than fifty percent chance it will hit New Orleans as a Category 5 hurricane.

John McCain had an exceptionally cranky interview with Time Magazine earlier this week. I think we might now know why he was so upset. Here is an imaginary conversation between him and his campaign adviser just before the interview :

McCain: You're kidding me, right? The polar bear lady?

Adviser: Look, John, you remind voters of Dick Cheney, and Sarah Palin is the most un-Cheneyesque thing that exists in the Republican Party. She's youngish, she's attractive - I mean, she was a runner up in Miss Alaska - and she'll pull away Hillary voters.

McCain: She's the governor of a state with fewer people than Detroit is what she is.

Adviser: And John, she supports the issue that matters right now: she wants to drill.

McCain: You're killing me. I can already see the headlines: "Dan Quayle, the Second Coming." There's nothing there.

Adviser: The media will love her. Look at her. She has all the "feminine charm" that Hillary doesn't.

Intern knocks on the door.

Intern: Senator, the Time people are here to interview you.

McCain: Fuck! Look, we're not done with this yet. I'll be right back. I have more to say about this beauty queen.

The Associate Press is at it again with another Obama smear. Last time they did this, last week, their reporter got fired. Maybe Moveon will make it happen again.

Here's the AP mission statement:

AP's mission is to be the essential global news network, providing distinctive news services of the highest quality, reliability and objectivity with reports that are accurate, balanced and informed. AP operates as a not-for-profit cooperative with more than 4,000 employees working in more than 240 worldwide bureaus. AP is owned by its 1,500 U.S. daily newspaper members.

My favorite part is the "reliability and objectivity" line.

Buzzflash.com has an article on the mysterious failure to charge the three men who brought assault rifles to Denver in order to assassinate Obama.

In an era where a drunk bar patron raving against the continued existence of a president or candidate could be picked up and questioned by the Secret Service without the bat of an eyelash, anyone should be seriously concerned by a driver in Denver hauling the following:

"...two high-powered rifles, including one with telescopic sights, along with radios, wigs, a bullet-proof vest, a high-magnification spotting scope, three identifications not belonging to Mr. Gartrell, and 44 grams of the stimulant methamphetamine. One rifle had a threaded barrel so that it could be fitted with a silencer."

Sounds like a classic assassination kit. The fact that it was only uncovered after a chance traffic stop is troubling.

As buzzflash mentions, tt's a little eerie, to say the least, that a police officer would write this off as "the racist rantings of drug abusers." Because meth heads have never hurt anyone.