Japanese conservatives as appalling as US counterparts

An outspoken nationalist mayor said the Japanese military's forced prostitution of Asian women before and during World War II was necessary to "maintain discipline" in the ranks and provide rest for soldiers who risked their lives in battle. 

That's the main thrust of this story, but you have to read the article to understand just how creepy this guy is. And it goes further than this mayor. He represents a conservative movement in Japan that is every bit as backward as U.S. southerners who think they fought a northern "war of aggression" over the "rightful" ownership of slaves.

Just go read it. It's scary because it makes you realize the US isn't an anomaly. The crazy is sprouting everywhere.

Digby on conservatives and satire

An echo from digby this morning about the topic I raised a few posts down, i.e., conservatives don't get satire:

This "study" is called "The Irony of Satire: Political Ideology and the Motivation to See What You Want to See in The Colbert Report."

Except, you know, the liberals are not "seeing what they want to see." It is satire! That is not an opinion. The liberals are factually correct and the conservatives are blithering idiots.

Your eyes tell the tale

I came across an interesting article on physorg.com this morning. It made me laugh since it confirmed an obvious truth: liberals and conservatives have very different brains.

The article is "Look: What your reaction to someone's eye movements says about your politics". (Click this title to read.) The short version: conservatives have no empathy and don't give a damn about anyone other than themselves. I know: not news. But here's the science to back it up.

It's not a long article. Give it a read and know that you're different (and better).