In Frank Schnittger's recent entry "Anti-Americans should stop masquerading as anti-war" I asked the following question:

Do you think a series of diaries on "the embryonic police state" would be of interest here at ET?  For the first time yesterday I heard Olbermann use that term and I thought, I can't stop it so why not document it in a series of diaries?  What think you?

I have since received the following responses:

"I say go for it." Drew J Jones

"go for it!"  author Frank

"Absolutely. Go for it!"  dvx

"Start slow. Make the definition clear. Keep each essay short, and you will have something." siegestate

"And don't forget ET rules: focus on facts and data, always mention (and link to) sources, etc..."  and "Definitely yes. It would be a good idea."
  Melanchthon

"Absolutely. Among other things, the same tendencies can be seen in Canada as well. We aren't nearly as far down the road as the US is, but we are still on that road.

I have a hunch we aren't the only other country considering toying with the implementation of police state."  edwin

"And our own government is definitely trying to put more police in the French state: surveillance cameras, speed cameras, military in the airports and train stations, ISPs enrolled as content cops, frequent ID checks on everyone black or brown, you name it..." Bernard

That's it so far.  You folks tend to be SOOO polite that you might hesitate to voice a negative comment so let me begin.

"Twank.  You have proven to be a worthless loudmouth who posts absurd comments which we tolerate and ignore.  Yes, the diary you propose has merits but YOU are the last person to head up such a project.  Go back to posting inane little comments which seems to be the extent of your abilities."

Next.  Let's hear from more of ETs finest.  I'll check back in 5-6 hours.  Bye.

The rooster crows at MIDNITE. Ooooooooooh!

LAS VEGAS - Windmills atop the Brooklyn Bridge. Green power in Fresh Kills. The Statue of Liberty's torch powered by an ocean windfarm.

That's the vision for a green revolution Mayor Bloomberg laid out in a speech at the National Clean Energy Summit on Tuesday night.

"Perhaps companies will want to put wind turbines atop bridges and skyscrapers, or use the enormous potential of powerful off-shore winds miles out off the Atlantic Coast, where turbines could generate roughly twice the energy," Bloomberg told the summit.

"We don't generate a lot of electricity in New York City," he said. "But we can work on using less. And in New York, we're determined to do what no other city has ever attempted, and that is to keep our energy usage at or near its current level even as our population grows."

Talk to you in 3 weeks, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in Paris!

(Undisclosed location:)

"Ideas or the lack of them can cause disease." - Kurt Vonnegut

You either nationalize the banks or you nationalize the mortgages.  Otherwise, they're all toast.

 - Nouriel Roubini

Somehow I missed that statement in the NYT profile.  Scary stuff from the guy who's been pretty much dead-on the whole time.

I was listening to the morning talk show on the radio on my way to work today in the car, and I was amazed to find the host discussing the recent prediction that one of the big banks was about to collapse.  Citi, Wachovia, Bank of America -- who would it be?  A lot of callers wondering if they should get their money out.  Many others simply saying, "Fuck it, we're screwed anyway."

Odd topic, since the talk show usually involves goofy discussions of sports, booze, music, etc.

It reminded me of the story of a stock broker who overheard a janitor discussing his portfolio in 1929, and knew at that moment that a feverish boom had created an amazing bubble, and that a once-in-a-lifetime crash was coming.  The stock broker sells off the next morning.  The market goes through the floor.

"Dow 9,000" may yet prove too optimistic for even Dr Doom.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?

A Spanair SA MD-82 jetliner broke up and caught fire after skidding off the runway at Madrid's Barajas International airport, killing more than 140 people in Spain's worst aviation accident since 1985.

The single-aisle plane, manufactured by Boeing Co. unit McDonnell Douglas, crashed while attempting to take off for the Canary Islands with 175 passengers and crew on board, said an official from Spanair, a unit of Scandinavian carrier SAS Group.

Television pictures showed a column of smoke billowing from the runway and a helicopter dropping water on the crash site. Dozens of fire engines and police vehicles attended the scene following the accident after 2 p.m. local time.

QUESTIONER: If we don't reenact the draft, I don't think we'll have anyone to chase Bin Laden to the gates of hell.

MCCAIN: Ma'am, let me say that I don't disagree with anything you said.

Enough pussyfooting around.  Enough.  McCain just put the gun to his head on this election.  Now pull the fucking trigger, Obama.

Where's your motherf*%&ing flag pin?