The bounty hunters

The US senate has voted to raise the bounty on Osama Bin-Laden's head to $50 million. Well, lets hope it's not a Euro-zoner who finds him, because the exchange rate will be killing.

This is unbelievable. This is the most wanted man in the world since Adolf Hitler and the land of the moneymaking free's governing body is willing to give fifty million dollars to have his head carved and brought to their table on a plate? Who the hell do they think they're talking to?

This isn't a missing kitten poster, tacked to a tree.

They are demanding, in effect, that this man's closest associates betray their leader. The Senate is effectively requiring the creation of a whole Gethsemane scene that could well become the start of a new worldwide religion. This is the big time. Fifty million dollars may sound like a lot of money when you're trying to pay your rent in New York city, but it's probably not quite enough to give somebody who's looking for it, the life of an oil sheikh.

But surely anything that happens now in the bin Laden story is all gravy, as far as he's concerned. He's had his rockstar moment, he's made his impact, the world knows his name and quivers when it's mentioned. His big idea has been sent through the world, and it has reverberated.

Meanwhile the "9-11 was an inside job" campaigners were out in Union Square today, handing out dvds and flyers. Convincing conspiracy theories are still pistol hot in America. As is the "Impeach Cheney, Impeach Bush" movement.

I saw a touching documentary about Al Gore a couple of weeks ago, made by Spike Jonze before That Election. The documentary was never officially released. Gore seemed very possessed of a sense of civic duty, but more than that, he was human and sincere (and also half naked and bodysurfing). There is a huge desire in the hearts of many here, trying hard to convince him to run. You can find these people at draftgore DOT com.

Elsewhere on the planet, Bill Clinton is planning to fundraise in Ireland, for Hillary's campaign. That has got to be a first.