Osama's Marketing Campaign Widens

Osama bin Laden has apparently taken to heart criticisms of his hard line Islamic message, and is now soft pedaling his attack on America. This may be a useful ploy in the short term, but die hard Osamaniacs are likely to decry this softening of his message and image. This could have a negative impact on his campaign of hate, and his life expectancy could also decrease significantly.

Since re-emerging on to the world stage in 2001 after an extended period where he was largely forgotten by the typically distracted American public, bin Laden has focused the majority of his efforts on describing to the American people just how evil they are. This latest shift in message may not play any better with this audience than anything else, but at least it is a change of pace.

Hardcore fundamental purists may see this differently. "He's sold out completely," I expect some might say. "Osama needs to stay on message, even if it makes him look like he is reading from a script or page of talking points." Perhaps one might chime in "It's like when you go to see The Beach Boys in concert; sure, you may like the new music, and expect to hear a lot of the new release, but if you don't get Good Vibrations and Help Me, Rhonda in the mix, you are not leaving happy." The consensus among this purely hypothetical crowd of dedicated extremists is that Osama is deviating from the path of enlightenment, and so, must be put down.

Expect to see his next video transcript moving back closer to eleven on the crazy scale, and refocusing on hate, destruction and the American devils, or expect to see him no more as his true believer followers take care of his business.

Shocking News From Kansas

Apparently, murder is still illegal in the eyes of at least 12 jurors in Kansas. I guess that isn't so shocking after all.

The middle aged man who took the like of Dr. George Tiller was convicted, and faces a minimum sentence of fifty years. It sounds like they are going for what is called the "hard 50" option, which would send him away for the full fifty years, rather than giving him the option to ask for release in half that time.

I hope he has enough time inside to really give some thought to the concept of why killing is not a great way to express one's political views. Who knows? He may even figure out why what he did was a bad move for everyone concerned.

He will probably die in prison, but I hope he lives until his full sentence is up. That way he can live on as a shining example for others who might want to express their beliefs with hot lead and hate.