� 798. Disclosure of classified information

Quietly and without fanfare, it looks like the above-cited law is in the preliminary stages of being enforced.(Thanks to Honest Partisan for providing a link to the law, BTW).

The only penalties I have seen for breaking this law seem to do with confiscating any financial windfall accruing to the law-breaker. Does this, in the larger context, constitutes treason? I am of the opinion that:

1. The nature of warfare has changed, such that propaganda and spin have taken on a more prominent role than in the past. Particularly in an asymmetric conflict.

2. Disclosure of classified information in the New York Times weakens our warmaking capability.

3. The U.S. Constitution defines treason as a.)levying war against the U.S., b.)adhering to enemies of the U.S., and c.)providing aid and comfort to the enemy. The clause was formulated with due regard to preventing abuse by a majority power within the context of routinely vicious partisan politics. If you follow that last link and read the whole article, you read a suggestion that the state of treason case law remains unresolved and ambiguous.

Perhaps a test case is in the offing?

Apolitics, Now.

Thusfar, my blog FBRU has remained resolutely apolitical, but I may as well use it for my musings rather than plague the comments section on other people's blogs.

First couple of articles I would like to juxtapose will start with this one about the Bolton U.N. interim appointment. Great quote:

For some reason, Bolton's critics felt no need to reform the United Nations, which under the leadership of Secretary-General Kofi Annan has descended into the most intense sort of tragicomedy. The body's vaunted "oil for food" engagement with prewar Iraq came under investigation, prompting many observers to dub it the worst financial scandal in history. And reports came out of Africa about how U.N. "peacekeepers" were building a sex-slave industry.

Did we mention that the U.N.'s human rights commission came under fire for naming to its membership agents of the world's most despotic regimes? Was no reform necessary?

And about those despotic regimes.

What you're getting for christmas from me.

Probably nothing. I'm getting presents for my kid, my fiance, my secretary, TruckerJohn, my ex-wife, my parents, and one of my residents who is having some problems getting laid and needs some moral support. Oh, and 3 of my 6 partners. The rest of you? Nothing, even though you may be quite important to me, e.g. my 3 brothers, bandmates, O.R. personnel, etc. C'mon. Don't forget the reason for the season, and all that.

FAQ if your band is unpopular

1. If my band is unpopular, does that mean that we suck? Not necessarily. Many popular bands suck. Many excellent bands are unpopular. The music world is like a big High School, only moreso.

2. This band really sucks and they got more fans than we do. Waaaah!! Yeah, some bands can get a crowd out because, frankly, they suck in a pleasing manner. There are hordes of bands ripping off Dave Matthews, Grateful Dead, Screamo (the genre where individual bands cannot be told apart), Nickelback, Tool, Metallica, etc. ad nauseum. They can always get a better crowd than yours because, if you are doing something original, nobody's heard of your thing. Everyone's heard of Nickelback, and that band sounds JUST LIKE Nickelback. And it only costs $3. And those dudes, like, live in our dorm.

3. Let's go back to question 1 for a second. If my band is unpopular, does that mean we suck? Well yes, actually, your band may very well suck.

4. How can I get more people to show up for our shows? Should I do more flyers? Play on bills with more popular bands? Suck somebody's cock? Yes, you should do all of those things. Your band may still suck, but you might get more people out to shows. It takes a long time to build a loyal following.

5. Actually, I don't like the people showing up to our shows. They scare me. This kind of thing can happen every once in a while. Don't worry about it; you have more in common with them than you might think.

6. Will I get famous from this and be able to get that house in Malibu along the beach? Probably not. I hope you're not doing this because you have some kind of hope to sell platinum. Ask yourself the following questions: a.)are people throwing money at me? b.)are big name producers falling over themselves to be on our next project? c.)do we even HAVE a project, let alone a next one? d.)are famous people coming up to me and asking to suck my joint? Are they also giving some love to the ballsack? e.)am I dating a supermodel? f.) do I employ a housekeeping staff? If you've answered no to any of the above questions, keep your job at Autozone.

7. Should I quit this band and form or join another one? Maybe. It could be that you are an unrecognized talent, the next Kurt Cobain or maybe even Brad Gillis of Nightranger. You can look forward to playing St. Petersburg Ribfest when you are in your fifties. Then again, you may be peaking at the present moment....