Cheap Blogging Crutch 06.26

Tehran dispatch: The regime shows us movies
Want to know what Iranian state TV has been showing the masses in an attempt to placate them during an uprising? A Lord of the Rings marathon. And George Lucas weeps a little bit inside. Question though: in the midst of a revolution do you really want to show people a trilogy whose main themes are small and weak disparate groups banding together to overthrow the all-encompassing evil that plagues the land? Or did you somehow re-dub it to make it seem like Frodo and Gandalf are doing everything to help Sauron?

Rhode Island Slavery Legacy Prompting Name Change
hands up if you knew Rhode Island's full name was "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations"? Hands up if you forgot Rhode Island was a state. Well, it is and out of all of the states it happens to be the one with an unfortunate call back to slavery in it's title. But not for long. They're just going to lop off that plantation part, go with Rhode Island, and change the state motto to "Of course we've always been against slavery! Why do you ask?"

Meet Orly Taitz, Queen Bee of People Obsessed With Barack Obama's Birth Certificate
Want to meet the most demented of all right wing Obama conspiracy theorists? I mean other than the ones that broadcast nationally on radio and TV to audiences in the millions. Just know that if you disagree with her you are either a traitor, Muslim, terrorist, or part of Obama's thought police. Seriously. I can't even do the depths of her insanity justice. Go read it, then back slowly away from your computer, and take a shower.

Nuclear disaster averted by dirty laundry
Did you know that the only thing preventing the UK from being an irradiated wasteland of tea drinking nuke mutants was some dude noticing that a reactor cooling pond was leaking water while he was doing his laundry? Yeah. Remember stuff like this when people try to start up the nuclear energy kick again with comments like "no, really it's completely safe now."

American shoppers misled by greenwash, Congress told
If you just bought something with the phrase "green", "energy efficient", "natural", "eco-friendly", or "non-toxic", you probably just bought a bottle full of bullshit. Up to 98% of natural/environmental products are made of lies. But rest assured, at least what you bought didn't have any trans fats in it.

Scientology: The Truth Rundown, Part 1 of 3 in a special report on the Church of Scientology
Want to know exactly how crazy, weird, and controlling the "Church" of Scientology is? Well the St. Petersburg Times has decided to oblige you with a massive series dealing with everything from L. Ron's beginning, to who runs the "church" now, to what happens if you want to leave. Almost as crazy as the Obama birth certificate lady. Definitely creepier. Stay away from Clearwater, Florida and the Super Power Building.