In all of the time we spend observing the Rebel Alliance, we never hear of their governing strategy or their plans for a post-Imperial universe. All we see are plots and fighting. Their victory over the Empire doesn't liberate the galaxy--it turns the galaxy into Somalia writ large: dominated by local warlords who are answerable to no one.
Which makes the rebels--Lucas's heroes--an unimpressive crew of anarchic royals who wreck the galaxy so that Princess Leia can have her tiara back.

The Case for the Empire

"Labeling itself Independence for New Jersey, the Haddonfield-based group insists that Springsteen's "Glory Days" are ahead, and it intends to gather the 800 signatures needed to place the Monmouth County superstar on the November ballot. The deadline for filing petitions is June 4."

Springsteen for Senate

Rodale Press, the publisher of Runner's World magazine and many other prominent health-oriented publications, sent a stiff note to a hobbyist website this week, demanding it delete a hyperlink to a "printer-friendly" version of a runnersworld.com article or -- face the consequences.

Another Deep-Link Suit

The data centers originally blossomed as the Internet bubble grew. The theory was that Internet traffic would continue to double every six months ... "There was sort of an ad hoc land-grab mentality." ... "The heyday of telecom expansion is not what it was and will not be coming back."

All Over the Area, Data Centers Assume New Identities

"At its best, the Internet can educate more people faster than any media tool we've ever had. At its worst, it can make people dumber faster than any media tool we've ever had. The lie that 4,000 Jews were warned not to go into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11 was spread entirely over the Internet and is now thoroughly believed in the Muslim world. Because the Internet has an aura of "technology" surrounding it, the uneducated believe information from it even more. They don't realize that the Internet, at its ugliest, is just an open sewer: an electronic conduit for untreated, unfiltered information."

Global Village Idiocy

Google has developed a tool to do text searches on printed catalogs vendors mail them.

Google Catalog Search

... debt slashed to "junk" status; $32B in debt, but customers aren't defecting [yet]. "The bigger problem is going to be two, three or four years out. It's a long-term situation." ... price wars, excess network capacity and a weak economy have taken their toll ... After Thursday, analysts are talking more about the possibility of bankruptcy. "WorldCom's problems will likely cast a further pall on other leveraged telecom carriers with perceived liquidity issues -- primarily Sprint and Qwest."

WorldCom to declare bankruptcy?

Einstein had socialist-anarchistic leanings.

New Details Emerge From the Einstein Files

In that same year, E*Trade posted a loss of $241.5 million, or 73 cents per share."

E*Trade's CEO salary is 30% of their annual loss!!

E*Trade downgrades CEO's pay - Tech News - CNET.com

"Marijuana was placed here for a reason people."

More Manifestos from the Smiley-bomber... Mostly random mish mash of Hindu and New Age stuff; arguing about the afterlife. I think he predicts the end of the earth in 2011, but "the word" is open to interpretation.

Lucas Helder Mailbox Manifestos