(Updated below) (Update II) (Update III)

While being assaulted by the continuous exposures of scandalous abuses of power, politicizing of the apparels of government and erasing the separation of church and state (one more example here), along with an increasing crescendo of calls for impeachment proceedings, the besieged Puppet Presidency and Unitary Regency have unleashed in recent weeks their true "surge" plans: unrelenting blitzkrieg-like, coordinated propaganda counter-strikes to sell the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while making the case for more war in the Middle-East, through it all playing on the fear and insecurity of Americans. Why? Either to support a rush to establish a de facto American Empire, or to hasten a Second Coming-like Armageddon. Or both.

The question of a definition of terrorism has haunted the debate among states for decades.

Here is a summed up definition of terrorism from a 2001 report of the U.S. State Department (the original report is no longer available online apparently, and thus I use this article as source instead): Premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets (civilians and/or military personnel who are unarmed, or off duty at the time) by subnational groups or clandestine agents, usually intended to influence an audience. Acts of terrorism are also considered as attacks on military installations or on armed military personnel when a state of military hostilities does not exist at the site, such as bombings against military bases.

However clear such a definition may appear to be, it nonetheless falls short when one considers insurgents against a regime or resistance fighters against occupiers. That is why the main difficulty in clearly defining terrorism lies with the unfortunately inconvenient - but nevertheless realistically valid - argument that one state's "terrorist" is often another state's "freedom fighter".

(Updated below) (Update II)

It never ceases to amaze me to what levels of utter irrationality the fundamentalists, neocons and other right-wing madhaters are willing to descend into.

(The following constitutes the last part of a short three-part series on evolution)

So far, I have endeavored to disassemble two of the favorite (non)arguments of fundamentalists and denialists against the reality of the process of evolution - namely, A) that humans have remained essentially unchanged since Creation; and B) that the science underlying evolution is wrong/invalid.

Mind you - notwithstanding that I so endeavored by using a tongue-in-cheek-with-a-wink approach, the facts provided in these two previous entries of mine remain soundly grounded in reality and scientific accuracy (taking into account that I have to vulgarize the science at the same time).

(The following entry constitutes the second part of a short three-part series on evolution. Part one can be read here)

Fundamentalists and other denialists of the process of evolution are fond of arguing that it is an invalid science, seeking to undermine it with either theological, ideological or philosophical (non)arguments (three examples among so many here, here and here), or outright non-science, pseudo-science and quackery - like intelligent design or creationism science.

One of the main (non)arguments of religious fundamentalists against the process of evolution is that God created man in His image and that, subsequently, humans have ever remained unchanged since the creation of Adam and Eve some 6000-10000 years ago.

A new museum in Kentucky aimed at refuting the process of evolution is now open. Exhibits show dinosaurs living side by side with humans.

Sayeth the museum's spokesman: "The mission is to tell people that the Bible's history is true, and if its history is true its message of the gospel is true. ... It's a book of history and you can trust its science." (Emphasis mine)

Nice. Very nice.

The U.S. is NOT “the richest country on earth”; it merely plays host to the largest pieces of the largest corporations on earth, as well as to several of the richest families on earth. It plays host in the same way a human body plays host to a virus.

I don’t believe in The Devil any more than I believe in an old, white-bearded Caucasian (or any other flavor of human) sitting on a throne on a cloud in Heaven judging us all – while committing every sin we’re forbidden, plus a few. That just sounds too human.