Rudi! The Fire Fighters are a tough bunch. They really played a huge role in Kerry's primary campaign. They were there when he wasn't getting much institutional support, and you would have thought Kerry had the whole AFLCIO behind him.
I pity Rudi, and anyone else who arouses the wrath of the FFs.
monkey said:
Iraq demands Blackwater pullout
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki asked the U.S. State Department to "pull Blackwater out of Iraq," after an Iraqi probe concluded that the private contractors committed unprovoked and random killings in a September 16 shooting, an adviser to al-Maliki told CNN.
Hmmm. Rudi have ties to Motorola? Bushies have ties to Motorola?
Well - if he's the nominee, this stuff will definitely be more widespread. That's a good thing.
Carol said:
Sheesh.
President Bush Honors Motorola Leadership in American Innovation and Competitiveness
Motorola Awarded National Medal of Technology during White House Ceremony
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 13, 2006 – Today at the White House, President George W. Bush presented Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) with the 2004 National Medal of Technology. The prestigious annual award recognizes Motorola for its outstanding contributions to America’s technological innovation and competitiveness. The National Medal of Technology, established in 1980 by an act of Congress, is the highest honor awarded by the President to America’s leading innovators.
Gad! I certainly hope this gets out to everyone. Guliani would probably outdo Bush in his callous disregard for life and the nepotism with which he hands out contracts to Motorola.
And the Blackwater lot - with all the support they get from the WH will never be called to account for the murders they've carried out.
woz said:
Christy! I hope you see this. I am truly overwhelmed with her paintings which arrived a little while ago. I will learn how to upload the photos here while you are all in bed sleeping.
Christy - the *beautiful mystery* is truly beautiful. I love it. I love her. She is beautiful and her eyes follow you wherever you are.
*Sunshine* is also incredible. Sometimes I see a woman from the 30's which hair kicked up at the bottom.Sometimes I see a vortex. It changes from each different angle I look at it. And it appears to be always moving. I do love your choice of colours. I like light and bright in my home.
When you come in tomorrow, hopefully my paintings will be here.
Carol said:
President George W. Bush has appointed over a dozen people from AEI to senior positions in his administration. AEI claims that this is more than any other research institution.
Christopher B. Galvin (Motorola) - board of directors, American Enterprise Institute
Reminder: PBS's Frontline is presenting "Cheney's Law" tonight. This is what WaPo has to say about it, and the article quotes other reviews on the show. According to this article, Faux Noise aired a show about Dickie over the weekend. Must have been a total whitewash of Dickie and his relationship with Georgie. I didn't see the show, but if the WaPo article is correct in its assessment, everything's just hunky dory on the surface and anything that's been in the news that is the teeniest bit controversial, Dickie 'wasn't at liberty to talk about.' Sheesh. I dunno about anyone else, but the excessively fauning deference shown to those two war criminals by everyone from Lamestream Media to Congress Critters is about to drive me mad.
I don't expect much from the PBS show other than more excuses and lack of questions about Dickie and/or Georgie. Almost everyone in Lamestream Media gives the war criminals a free pass and never questions anything about them or their activities (most of which have been conducted with Congressional approval or enabling laws or retroactive permission and immunity).
The show just started here; I'm taping it. The opening credits carried the words "restore" the power of the presidency. This does not bode well for an objective look at Cheney or the executive branch. No executive powers were taken away prior to Georgie's installation as president, so there are no powers to "restore." Every power claimed by Cheney for, or on behalf of, the executive branch of government were never given to the executive branch in the Constitution (and are powers only a dictator would claim, in addition to being illegal and/or unconstitutional)....
The Real Iraq We Knew
By 12 former Army captains
Excerpt:
There is one way we might be able to succeed in Iraq. To continue an operation of this intensity and duration, we would have to abandon our volunteer military for compulsory service. Short of that, our best option is to leave Iraq immediately. A scaled withdrawal will not prevent a civil war, and it will spend more blood and treasure on a losing proposition.
America, it has been five years. It's time to make a choice.
Chuck said:
Dwazhon:
Thanks for all the hard work on the website! Love the side-bars. For example, here is a big blast from my past (and present and maybe even future) from this page:
Thank you for your thoughts on my rants last night. I was very burned out (I am attending full-day trainings AND working this week), and the nation ripping Gore to shreds over his Nobel Prize win really has pushed me over the edge.
NMP, your point that I am a global citizen first really resonates with me. It also reinforces the difference between us, and the antisocial Christian extremists who display "NOT OF THIS WORLD" on their SUVs.
Christy, the Constitution is everything - and why I once thought the US was it for me. But as long as the enforcers are ignoring it, it's just a piece of paper. We have to change that. Fast.
Chuck, welcome back - and as you say, change won't happen overnight. I do hope for the best, but I will prepare for the worst. If Giuliani becomes our next Prez, I *will* be exterminated, at the hands of Jamaican and other homophobic Third World immigrants he groomed and loved so much in NYC.
Ally
You will survive Giuliani and any dictator - you are strong.
I found out in the provincial Everett Herald today that a creepy Latvian group is coming to Lynnwood and their main issue is antigay. Lynnwood Convention Center let that hate group in but not the Ku Klux Klan. What is the difference. There will be a protest for sure.
We welcome all nations to the Melting Pot of America, but there are "bad apples" who bring hate with them. It was a group of immigrant Russian homophobes that came down from Bellingham and beat a gay man within an inch of his life.
I don't know the answer.
Carol said:
Nonny,
I just watched the Frontline program. It was pretty revealing about the depths BushCo. have gone and the laws they have bended and broken. It was not apologetic at all.
The description of the Gonzales/Card visit to Ashcroft's hospital bedside was appalling.
Cheney is a bad, bad man. Addington is Cheney redux. These are awful people.
But then we knew that.
Carol said:
This from think Progress is relevant to the Frontline program:
Durbin, Feingold, Kennedy Demand Bush Withdraw Nominee For DOJ Office Of Legal Counsel
In September, the White House has declared that its “next priority this fall” is to obtain Senate approval for Steven Bradbury, “the man who is advising President Bush on the extent of his terrorism-fighting powers.” In 2005, Bradbury replaced Jack Goldsmith as head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) and has since been interim OLC chief.
We welcome all nations to the Melting Pot of America, but there are "bad apples" who bring hate with them. It was a group of immigrant Russian homophobes that came down from Bellingham and beat a gay man within an inch of his life.
-----
Latvia was the first EU member to ban gay marriage. The Baltic/Polish/Russian homophobia is at dangerous levels, and we cannot let that become part of American politics, the way we have already let Cuban and Korean homophobia become part of American politics.
As much as I am fed up at Canada, the Canadians have done one thing right - push the salad bowl model of immigration, but a firm NO on ethnic homophobia by outright legalizing gay marriage.
Chuck said:
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)
Yes, star crossed in pleasure the stream flows on by
Yes, as we're sated in leisure, we watch it fly
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
Time can tear down a building or destroy a woman's face
Hours are like diamonds, don't let them waste
Time waits for no one, no favours has he
Time waits for no one, and he won't wait for me
Men, they build towers to their passing yes, to their fame everlasting
Here he comes chopping and reaping, hear him laugh at their cheating
And time waits for no man, and it won't wait for me
Yes, time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
Drink in your summer, gather your corn
The dreams of the night time will vanish by dawn
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
So, Ally, are you suggesting that Toyota decided to not treat Consumer Reports right?
Carol said:
Can you say Cold War?
Putin warns against attacks on Iran
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press Writer 19 minutes ago
TEHRAN, Iran - Vladimir Putin issued a veiled warning Tuesday against any attack on Iran as he made the first visit by a Kremlin leader to Tehran in six decades — a mission reflecting Russian-Iranian efforts to curb U.S. influence.
He also suggested Moscow and Tehran should have a veto on Western plans for new pipelines to carry oil and natural gas from the Caspian Sea, using routes that would bypass Russian soil and break the Kremlin's monopoly on energy deliveries from the region.
The song remains the same Lyrics
Artist(Band):Led Zeppelin
I had a dream.
Crazy dream.
Anything I wanted to know.
Any place I needed to go.
Hear my song.
People won't you listen now?
Sing along.
Don't know what you're missing now.
Any little song that you know.
Everything that's small has to grow.
And so it grows!
California sunlight, sweet Calcutta rain
Honolulu starbright - the song remains the same.
Singing Hare Hare
Ooo, dance the Hoochie Koo.
City lights are oh so bright, as we go sliding...
Chuck said:
Carol:
Can you say "Great Game?"
Chuck said:
You see, the "Song Remains the Same" is sort of like a metaphor set to music! Or maybe it's an allegory.... Never could get that straight.
Chuck said:
Or maybe it's an enigma wrapped in a riddle wrapped in a mystery. Chert ego znaet.
Chuck said:
At any rate, of one thing I'm certain. The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe. And no dental floss tycoon in Montana can tell me different.
Chuck said:
Churchill:
"I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest."
Which, as far as I have ever been able to determine, has absolutely nothing to do with the interest of national Russians. But there you have it.
Chuck said:
No, s drugoi storony, nel'zia otkazat'sia: narod imeet svoi ves' v etoi zhizni.
Chuck said:
Vstavai strana ogromnaia,
Vstavai, vo smertnyi boi.
S fashistskoi siloi temnoiu,
S prokaltoiu ordoi.
Pust' iarost' blagorodnaia
Skipaet kak vol'na.
Idet vpoina narodnaia
Sviashchenaia boina.
Chuck said:
Further to that prior, which I'm sure made no sense to most:
That's odd -- I just posted that for grins. The song lyrics I wrote in transliterated Russian is like the main soing for them for WWII. SoI "Youtubed" it and a lot of weird snippets came up -- some quite powerful. I think it's worthwile clicking on a few for the flavor -- remember for Europe WWII was Russia against Germany for the most part. Some of these clips represent total war in a way Americans, thankfully, have never known on such a scale.
Chuck said:
It's odd -- I guess for an American if you think of "War in your living room" you associate that with watching the news on Vietnam or Iraq on TV in your living room; whereas a Russian or German from the WWII period (or their kids) would associate it with your living room blowing up and half the people in it dying (or watching your family starve and freeze in your living room). I suppose the same is true for the Germans and Japanese. Or the Vietnamese for that matter (not that they had traditional American living rooms or anything).
Chuck said:
I wonder if anybody ever stops for a minute to think about how many people we killed in the Phillipines around the turn of the century or how many families we blew up or otherwise burned to death with bombs in Vietnam. I mean, I'm not for a minute suggesting that we aren't a great country and all -- we are. I guess a big country like the US is entitled to some big mistakes. And it's not like the rest of the bigger powers around the world are great humanitarians. Think of how many people got killed in Indonesia as Sukharto turned power over to Sukharno! India kicked the Brits out -- how many people got killed or "cleansed" after that as the sub-continent separated into Pakistan and India and then again into them plus Bangladesh and it's still going on over Kashmir? Actually, better not to think on all that.
I think that video of Guilliani will hurt him just as much as the pictures of McCain hugging George Bush buried McCain. The more people who see that video of Guilliani, the less likely he is to even be a factor in the Republican primaries. That video will expose him as the self serving thug that he really is. Send it to as many people as you can.
woz said:
oncall - I agree. Here's hoping that it's widely distributed.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/10/16/the-daily-show-tony-snow-job/
The Daily Show: Tony Snow-job
{{{Poor Tony SnowJob. He's thinner, so I suspect his health isn't all that good. What EVER possessed him to go on The Daily Show (and what ever happened to his retirement)? Someday there will be a special place in the Xtian hell for people like him who die with lies on their lips....}}}
Democrats: Bush Ties May Have Led to Iraq Oil Contract http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101607R.shtml
Dave Michaels for The Dallas Morning News reports that "Democratic lawmakers moved Monday toward investigating Hunt Oil's exploration contract in Iraq, saying the company's ties to President Bush raised questions about whether it had insider information that helped it reach the deal."
{{{"MAY" ....? There's a Nov. 2 deadline to turn over info, and no subpoenas are involved. I wonder if that deadline will come and go without any commentary by Congress Critters...?}}}
woz said:
Ok - I can't post the photos of Christy's gorgeous art work. So I'll have to get someone to do it for me.
Okay? (That's not a real photobucket address .. . just an example.)
monkey said:
Here's why the bullsh*t response and lack of leadership by this administration is gonna cost us dearly for generations...
Hatred of U.S. drives al-Qaida recruiting
As Americans become desensitized, violence radicalizes ordinary Arabs
The Bush administration rejects the idea that the war in Iraq has driven young Arab men into the arms of al-Qaida. But if you believe the young men themselves, the administration is wrong.
At a Baghdad jail for prisoners who have attacked U.S. forces, everyone — to a man — says it was the U.S. occupation of Iraq that drove them to violence. And they are not alone. Across the Middle East and South Asia, the same story can be heard in Internet cafes, mosques, safe houses and prisons.
“The U.S. says this war is part of the global war on terrorism,” Saedi Farhan, an Iraqi engineer who took part in an attack on U.S. forces, said in a weekend interview with NBC News. "But people here say that the war has increased fanaticism and brought terrorism to Iraq."
Interviews with Farhan and other radicals reveal that many young men were torn when it came time to choose sides. Even though they fight alongside al-Qaida, they insist that — contrary to what U.S. officials say — they do not support al-Qaida. Many, in fact, say they hate al-Qaida.
But they hate the United States more.
Turned against the Americans
“An aggressor occupied my country, destroyed it and made millions [of] refugees. It is an honor to fight this,” said Hamid Ali, the owner of a construction company who also admitted attacking U.S. troops.
At a government rehabilitation center in Saudi Arabia, many radicals say they now reject the al-Qaida philosophy. But at the same time, they admit that the U.S. occupation of Iraq drove many of them to join the movement and that it still drives their hatred of America. Some, in fact, were arrested for trafficking in Internet videos about Iraq designed specifically to motivate and recruit for al-Qaida.
One of them, Saddam Sogoby, says he was recruited over the Internet, seduced by videos of Iraqis fighting America.
Like other U.S. officials, Adm. Scott Redd, head of the National Counterterrorism Center, says it still is not proven whether a visceral response to scenes of U.S. destruction is radicalizing a generation of young Arab and Muslim men.
“In the short term, that is probably true,” Redd said. “But ... I believe in the long-term strategic deal. And that remains to be seen."
But other U.S. officials are beginning to reject that view. And the closer they are to fighting the threat on the ground, the more vigorously they seem to reject it.
New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly expresses no doubt that the war has made his job harder.
“I think there is no question about it, that the war in Iraq has been a catalyst," Kelly said.
While the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington are often invoked to justify the war, Kelly said the war has actually made New York less safe.
“That’s what we have to deal with,” he said. “We can’t deal with the world as we wish it would be. That’s, in our judgment, a fact, and it has made our job perhaps more challenging, more difficult.”
‘Chasing the wrong bad guys’
Bruce Riedel, a former Middle East expert with the CIA, said that the Bush administration was unable to admit that it had made mistakes and that the war had made things worse.
“We’ve got our best and brightest in the wrong desert, chasing the wrong bad guys,” said Riedel, who was the National Security Council’s senior director for Near East and North African affairs on 9/11. “We need to put our best people in South Asia going after the man who we know is planning another attack on the U.S.” — that is, Osama bin Laden.
The war has “made America less safe,” he contended. “By diverting so much money, so much of our intelligence effort and so much of our special forces in the military to fighting a war in Iraq, we have diverted resources from the central battlefield in the war against al-Qaida.”
President Bush’s homeland security adviser, Frances Townsend, remains unconvinced. The picture is a distortion, she suggests, maintaining that the war is simply a convenient rallying cry for jihadists sworn to destroying the West.
If it were not al-Qaida, it would be “something else,” Townsend said, citing a steady stream of terrorist attacks against U.S. interests before the invasion of Iraq.
“We should be very clear that every time we take the fight to the enemy, we make the United States safer and we make our citizens safer,” Townsend said.
“There’s no question,” she said, that for bin Laden and his chief deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, “the war in Iraq is critical for them to win. There’s no question that they look to ... leverage [the] expertise of fighters in Iraq, not only inside Iraq but around the world.”
(Townsend is from Planet Bush... incredibly deep denial, or just incredibly simple? Those statements are inane!)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Verizon Communications says it has provided federal, state and local law enforcement agencies tens of thousands of communication and business records relating to customers based on emergency requests without a court order or administrative subpoena. [emphasis mine]
From their web site:
Verizon Law Enforcement Assistance (LEA)
Continental U.S. Verizon Custodian
Of Records
P.O. Box 1001
MC -- TXD01613
San Angelo, TX 76902
Continental U.S.: 888-483-2600
Fax: 325-949-6916
Fax: 325-947-3022
Verizon Privacy Group
1515 N. Courthouse Rd.
Suite 500
Arlington, VA 22201
Fax: 703-351-3653
Verizon Communications
Corporate Headquarters
140 West Street
New York, NY 10007
Telephone: 800-621-9900
Speaking of Giuliani, he apparently told Obama "You're No Reagan" (I saw the headline, didn't read the article) - I would definitely take it as a huge compliment if someone told me I'm no Reagan.
monkey said:
Someone may have told me once I was no Reagan, but I simply don't recall that, Senator.
Ron Away
monkey said:
Break Out Yer Dictionary...
President Bush to hold press conference at 10:45 a.m. ET today
Karen said:
Anyone watch the press conference? I am in between classes...
monkey said:
Bush Scolds Congress
Bush: Congress dragging feet on key issues
President urges action on domestic issues, addresses Turkey, Dalai Lama
WASHINGTON - President Bush on Wednesday accused Congress of dragging its feet on key pieces of legislation, urging quick action on budget and children's health measures.
He also urged the Democratic-controlled Congress to drop efforts to pass a House resolution labeling as genocide the World War I-era killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians in the final years of the Ottoman Empire.
With all the pressing responsibilities facing the nation, "One thing Congress should not be doing is sorting out the historical record of the Ottoman Empire," he said.
"Congress has little to show for all the time that has gone by" since Democrats gained control in January of both the House and the Senate, Bush said.
At a White House news conference, the president also said that Congress needs to act on mortgage relief for homeowners hit by the housing crisis, trade deals that would strengthen allies, legislation expanding U.S. markets and aid to military veterans.
Bush also defended his decision to attend a ceremony in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol later Wednesday to award Congress' highest civilian honor to the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual head of Tibet's Buddhists.
"One, I admire the Dalai Lama a lot; two, I support religious freedom, he support religious freedom," Bush said.
The reception the Dalai Lama was getting in the United States infuriated the Chinese government, which reviles the Buddhist leader.
Big Hitter the Lama
monkey said:
On the war on terror, Bush said it was important that Congress act on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act so that progress can continue to be made against al Qaeda.
"Al Qaeda's still dangerous. They're dangerous in Iraq. They're dangerous elsewhere. Al Qaeda's not going to go away any time," Bush said. "That's why it's important for us to be listening -- you know, finding out what their intentions are and what are their plans, so we can respond to them."
monkey said:
Pretty obvious how this press conference came about... prez cant fight his way outta ratings basement, only ones with ratings lower than hizz, if pozzible, is Congrezz. So Mr. "I Dont Follow The Polls" went on to pile on and direct fire at em. Everything is now their fault, and still, as always, never hizz.
Large setta spheres on that nut.
monkey said:
Stephen Colbert tosses satirical hat into ring
‘After nearly 15 minutes of soul-searching, I have heard the call’
NEW YORK - Stephen Colbert has announced his candidacy for president on "The Colbert Report," tossing his satirical hat into the ring of an already crowded race.
"I shall seek the office of the president of the United States," Colbert said Tuesday on his Comedy Central show as red, white and blue balloons fell around him.
Colbert, 43, had recently satirized the coyness of would-be presidential candidates by refusing to disclose whether he would seek the country's highest office — a refusal that often came without any prompting.
Shortly before making the announcement, Colbert appeared on "The Daily Show" (the show that spawned Colbert's spin-off) and played cagey, claiming he was only ready to consider a White House bid. He entered the studio set pulled by a bicycle pedaled by Uncle Sam and quickly pulled out a bale of hay and a bottle of beer to show that he was "an Average Joe."
Colbert said his final decision would be announced on a "more prestigious show," which turned out to be his own.
"After nearly 15 minutes of soul-searching, I have heard the call," said Colbert.
His recent best-seller, "I Am America (And So Can You!)," allowed him to mock the now-standard approach to a White House run, complete with a high-profile book tour.
Colbert said he planned to run in South Carolina, "and South Carolina alone." The state, one of the key early primaries, is also Colbert's native state. Earlier this week, South Carolina public television station ETV invited Colbert to announce his candidacy on its air.
Exactly how far the mock conservative pundit planned to stretch his impression of a presidential candidate wasn't clear. Colbert rarely breaks character on camera, including at his memorable speech at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner last year.
The Comedy Central host has often mobilized his fans ("Colbert Nation"), encouraging them to vote to have a Hungarian bridge named after him, for example, or to vandalize Web site Wikipedia.com with his version of "truthiness" and "wikiality."
Colbert said he would run as both a Democrat and Republican. He earlier explained the strategy: "I can lose twice." He claimed three running mate possibilities: Colbert-Huckabee, Colbert-Putin or Colbert-Colbert.
Minutes after announcing his presidential pursuit, Colbert welcomed CBS political analyst Jeff Greenfield to ask how he had changed the race.
"This is going to be one for the books," said Greenfield.
A spokesman for Colbert said he would be unavailable for further comment Tuesday evening.
In a guest column for Maureen Dowd in Sunday's New York Times, Colbert wrote: "I am not ready to announce yet _ even though it's clear that the voters are desperate for a white, male, middle-aged, Jesus-trumpeting alternative."
Happy Birthday to MonKey's dad. Thanks for giving us the MonKey!!
Man, I bet you were very interesting to parent, MonKey....
AND..be sure to check out the fabulous new sheets over at the DCP regular blog, and feel free to go to Daily Kos and give it a rec.
monkey said:
I was a chimp off the ol' block.
Model Simian
monkey said:
Dobbs: Can we survive the Bush presidency?
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Diehard GOP faithful, the dwindling number of Bush loyalists and political pundits of every stripe and medium seem obsessed these days with defining or discerning the "legacy of George W. Bush."
Frankly, I spend more time worrying about whether or not the United States can survive the remaining 15 months of his ebbing presidency.
There is little mystery about what future historians will consider to be the legacy of the 43rd president of the United States. Those historians are certain to describe the first presidential administration of the 21st century with terms such as dissipation and perversion.
Bush campaigned for the Republican Party's nomination eight years ago, styling himself as a compassionate conservative. He's amply demonstrated that he is neither.
Although many conservatives refuse to accept the reality, George W. Bush is a one-world neo-liberal who drove budget and trade deficits to record heights while embracing faith-based economic policies that perversely require only blind allegiance to free markets and free trade, without regard for consequence.
This president pursues a war without demanding of his generals either success or victory and accepts the sacrifice of our brave young men and women in uniform while asking nothing of our people or the nation at a time of war.
Sadly, this president has diminished a great nation and may diminish it further.
President Bush has pressed hard for the Security and Prosperity Partnership, the first step toward a North American Union that will threaten our sovereignty. This administration has permitted American businesses to hire illegal aliens, encouraged the invasion of 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens and has given Mexico and corporate America dominion over our borders and our immigration policy.
Were it not for an outraged public, the Bush administration would have been happy to cede control of our ports to a Dubai government-owned company.
The assault on our national sovereignty continues: At a time when public approval of the White House and Congress is near historic lows, the president is urging the Senate to act favorably on our accession to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
One hundred fifty-five nations have ratified the Law of the Sea Treaty, which essentially codifies into law detailed rules about freedom of the seas and the extent of territorial waters. The treaty also establishes an international bureaucracy to regulate deep-sea mining.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee recently heard arguments on the 1982 Law of the Sea Treaty, which President Ronald Reagan rejected but President Bill Clinton submitted to the Senate in 1994. A vote is likely in the weeks ahead, and this Democratic-controlled Senate is the same institution whose leadership sought passage of the disastrous comprehensive immigration overhaul legislation.
And just as this administration trotted out an Army general to support the Dubai Ports World fiasco and a Marine Corps general to support the administration's immigration proposal, it's now pressured the U.S. Navy to support this treaty.
Bush says the treaty "will secure U.S. sovereign rights over extensive marine areas, including the valuable natural resources they contain." The president could not be more wrong.
This treaty will submit the United States to international tribunals largely adverse to our interests, and the dispute resolution mechanisms are stacked against the United States. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, astutely argues that nearly all the signatories "have voted against the United States over half the time [at the United Nations]."
This administration can do nothing straightforwardly and perverts language at every turn. Take, for example, the words of Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte arguing in support of the treaty. "As a non-party," he argues, "We are not currently in a position to maximize U.S. sovereign rights over the shelf in the Arctic or elsewhere."
Negroponte's tortured reasoning is entirely consistent with this administration's intellectual performance over almost two terms in office, but it serves neither the truth nor the national interest.
The Law of the Sea Treaty would undermine our national sovereignty and act as a back door for global environmental activists to direct U.S. policy.
It would hold the United States to yet another unaccountable international bureaucracy and constrain our national prerogatives. Aside from that, the treaty is wholly unnecessary. The U.S. Navy already enjoys international navigation rights by customary practice.
Our elected officials in both political parties and the national media should worry less about the legacy of this lame-duck president and far more about the future of a great nation and people debilitated by his ruinous leadership.
Before the Wednesday honor, Bush said he was attending the ceremony because he admires the Dalai Lama, the two of them both support religious freedom and because "I like going to the gold medal ceremonies."
Please, someone buy the dolt a pretzel at the ceremonies.
monkey said:
Mukasey: Torture authority memo a 'mistake'
Attorney General-designate repudiates president's power to violate laws
WASHINGTON - Attorney General-designate Michael Mukasey said Wednesday the president doesn't have the authority to use torture techniques against terrorism suspects, a stance not taken by predecessor Alberto Gonzales and considered key to the nominee's confirmation.
Mukasey repudiated a 2002 memo by then-Assistant Attorney General Jay Bybee that said the president has the power to issue orders that violate the Geneva Conventions as well as international and U.S. laws prohibiting torture. The memo was later disavowed and overridden by an executive order on interrogation of terrorism suspects, which allowed harsh questioning but included a vaguely worded ban on cruel and inhuman treatment.
"The Bybee memo, to paraphrase a French diplomat, was worse than a sin, it was a mistake. It was unnecessary," Mukasey, 66, told the Senate Judiciary Committee under questioning by Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
A defiant Blackwater Chairman Erik Prince said yesterday he will not allow Iraqi authorities to arrest his contractors and try them in Iraq's faulty justice system. But they sure as hell tried and hung Sadam, by that same FAULTY IRAQ JUSTICE SYSTEM
After Comments, U.S. Terror Chief Resigns
October 17, 2007 3:07 PM
Justin Rood Reports:
Three days after Americans saw the Bush administration's counterterrorism chief say the Iraq war has likely not made the United States safer from terrorism, the official announced his resignation, citing health reasons. http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/10/after-comments-.html
Kangaroo - are you still there? Christy's bellsouth email address isn't working. Do you have another email address? Or can you tell me where to email her? Her 2 paintings arrived yesterday and I'm "gob-smacked" as they say in England. I need to let her know.
And I couldn't get the paintings onto here. I'm thinking that may be because I guessed the width instead of finding out for sure.
Email me if you read this - Please. :)
wendy.lohse -at- gmail.com
House passes federal journalist shield, includes bloggers
By Nate Anderson | Published: October 16, 2007 - 11:01PM CT
The Free Flow of Information Act has just cleared the House by a vote of 398-21, but that doesn't mean President Bush has any interest in signing it. The bill would offer protection of sources and documents to journalists (including professional bloggers) caught up in federal investigations, and could put an end to images of reporters led from court in handcuffs after refusing to testify. The Bush administration sees it as carte blanche to leak government information without penalty, though. http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071016-house-passes-federal-journalist-shield-includes-bloggers.html
Sending email now, but she will be away for a few days for her Grandmothers funeral, I just got three this morning, and another one to come they are excellent.
sparrow said:
I'd vote for Colbert! The guy who can look Bush in the eye and call him out for his crimes like he did would be the guy who understands right from wrong. And that's the kind of guy I want in the W.H.
Go Colbert!
(Where do I get a t'shirt now?)
woz said:
Thanks Dwahzon. I'm only here for about 5 more minutes but I'll certainly take note of what you say when I get home. All your work here is much appreciated. It is great.
Karen said:
oy. This just in:
Chicago to open U.S. Marine Corps high school.
The Chicago Tribune (10/15, Banchero, Sadovi) mreported, "Chicago Public Schools (CPS), which already has the largest junior military reserve program in the nation," has created "the country's first public high school run by the U.S. Marines, much to the chagrin of activists who have fought to keep the armed services out of city schools." The city also "announced plans to open an Air Force academy high school in 2009." The move would make CPS "the only public school district in the nation to have academies dedicated to the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines," serving over 11,000 students. Students are not required to enlist in the military after graduating from the schools. "But despite a stated focus on college prep, the city's military academies have had mixed academic records since the first academy opened in 2000," with none of the schools meeting federal No Child Left Behind testing standards last year.
monkey said:
Geez, do ya get red armbands when enrolling at those schools?
I'm goin 30's Germany for Halloween... dress rehearsal for the 10's in America.
IN GOD’S HANDS http://www.malcomlagauche.com/id1.html
From day one of his presidency, Bush positioned himself as a savior of U.S. morals while trying to export this piety to the rest of the world. In reality, he is more akin to the charlatan preachers of old who traveled the nation selling snake oil remedies from the back of their wagons.
Someone called me today asking for money for some Democratic state legislative campaign fund. It was a young person, probably new at this kind of job etc... I told this person politely that I was having a real hard time with the Democratic leadership in Washington. I said that if Hillary Clinton was nominated for president I would have a very difficult time supporting the Dem. ticket. I said that I was unhappy that the Dems are making little or no progress in bringing the troops home from Iraq. Finally I suggested that Bush and Cheney should be impeached. I told her that all of the above is not her fault but that her bosses should be aware of the mood that many of us have toward the Dem party.
ralpheh said:
After Comments, U.S. Terror Chief Resigns
October 17, 2007 3:07 PM
Justin Rood Reports:
Three days after Americans saw the Bush administration's counterterrorism chief say the Iraq war has likely not made the United States safer from terrorism, the official announced his resignation, citing health reasons.
@@@@@@
This is of little of no consequence if the Democrats in Congress don't make a big deal of this. This guy is just another casualty in Bush's war on the truth... truth which the Democrats have hard time talking about above a whisper.....
Chuck said:
Ralpheh:
Who did you vote for for President in 2000? I voted for Gore (and got audited, I think, as a result -- long story).
Chuck in Houston
Chuck said:
Anyway, since nobody asked, here is the story. Back in 2000 I was working on a project for Chevron in Baku Azerbaijan (I do procurement in the oil patch in case anybody is curious). My dad (Monkey -- this should ring a bell) was USAF (he joined 1941 -- USAAC back then). He retired to Oregon in 1968 (I was 7). Of course, as anyone from Oregon knows, if you have to make money Oregon stinks as a place to live. If you already have it, well, that's a different story. Anybody interested in how this relates to Gore 2000?
It is hard to imagine somebody with a 48% negative rating becoming President of the United States. Personally, I want a candidate that can win (Richardson?, Edwards?). I know that sounds shallow and thoughtless, but I am determined that the next President is not a Republican.
Chuck said:
Ralpheh:
Also, I love this concept of "triangulation" that you espouse. It kind of reminds me of Jeremy Bentham and the Greatest Good for the Greatest Number, which, if I remember my undergrad BS, is sort of the basis of 19th century Liberalism.
So Hillary Clinton is the one candidate that tries to accommodate the desires of the majority of Americans -- is that the concept of "triangulation"?
Well, thanks for that info. That corresponds to my concept of democracy. I am with you, Ralpheh baby! Go Clinton! She ain't Kerry but she's the best we got in 2008!
Chuck in Houston
Chuck said:
Oncall:
Are you referring to our current Commander in Chief? I think his negatives have always been a bit higher than that but I may be wrong.
Chuck in Houston
Chuck said:
Oncall:
Also, it's not the candidates that elect Presidents - it's us, the voters. Excepting 2000 of course.
re: Toyota and Consumer Reports - I was referring to Toyota's hiring of now-Chief Justice John Roberts to shred the ADA, and its crackdown on anyone who even remotely thinks about organizing. Of course, Toyota's Kentucky plant is notorious for using perpetual temps with no chance ever to go permanent - that may also explain the slip in the quality of the Camry, which is built there.
Toyota/Lexus is NOT welcome in my garage, even if we're talking about the Prius. Same with all Ford brands, Hyundai/Kia, and BMW/Mini (once my current 3-series is retired).
Consumer Reports is pretty objective, at least re: cars, and its focus areas are different from what the right-wing car enthusiast magazines (Car And Driver, etc.) carry.
There will be a march on October 27 for human/domestic spending over war spending, in 11 cities across the nation. Los Angeles is one of them, and with my nosy folks gone to Alaska for the weekend, I am joining in my pink mini.
But you've just wiped out the entire car industry except GM (terrible cars and overpriced) and Honda -- or am I missing something? I mean, at the end of the day we al have to drive something. My dily commute is ~40 miles. And my 92 5-speed amnual Honda Civic gets 35-40 mpg on that!
Chuck in Houston
Chuck said:
amanual = manual and dily = daily; other typos intuitive I hope -- Sorry!
My father regularly puts over 350,000 miles on his Chevrolet vans.
I drive a Honda Accord myself. (Yes, I know, I'm spoiled enough to drive two cars - a SoCal thing.) It was acquired from my sister, and now has 97,000 miles - nothing beyond routine maintenance, though fuel economy isn't too great.
And the Germans still look fine to me - even with BMW out, there are VW/Audi, Mercedes Benz, and Porsche, though the latter two are too much for my budget.
I am specifically referring to Hillary's negatives. Hers are very high and it will be hard to overcome them. If she can, then bless her for that accomplishment. But, it may be best if the Democrats don't have to deal with the problem of reversing negative impressions among almost half of the population. I must admit that 48% is a number I learned from the media, therefore its accuracy is suspect.
On another topic, I am not sure if anybody heard that Dennis Hastert is leaving Congress before his term expires. That will require a special election in his district. The district is in a state of flux, but the Republicans are much better organized and are more likely to get one of their own elected. If that happens, the November 2008 election will be an incumbent Republican facing a Democratic challenger
Roll Call is reporting that Dennis Hastert will announce his resignation (effective "later this year") tomorrow, Thursday, setting up a special election here in IL-14.
The state of affairs in your Congressional district sounds a lot like my region.
Here in CA-42, I had no Dem candidate to vote for in 2006 - the Republican crook Gary Miller ran unopposed. Now, the Dems have Ron Shepston running, but he is supported by the national Dems (DCCC) not the state-level organizations.
State- and local-level Dems have been ineffective at best, and irrelevant at worst, especially when it comes to the specific needs of SoCal suburbs.
There is a reason why SoCal suburbs are overwhelmingly Republican, and the Republicans have a good chance of turning the entire state red, overpowering the blue island of the San Francisco Bay Area.
By JAMES GLANZ
BAGHDAD, Oct. 17 — Iraq has agreed to award $1.1 billion in contracts to Iranian and Chinese companies to build a pair of enormous power plants, the Iraqi electricity minister said Tuesday. Word of the project prompted serious concerns among American military officials, who fear that Iranian commercial investments can mask military activities at a time of heightened tension with Iran.
The Iraqi electricity minister, Karim Wahid, said that the Iranian project would be built in Sadr City, a Shiite enclave in Baghdad that is controlled by followers of the anti-American cleric Moktada al-Sadr. He added that Iran had also agreed to provide cheap electricity from its own grid to southern Iraq, and to build a large power plant essentially free of charge in an area between the two southern Shiite holy cities of Karbala and Najaf.
The expansion of ties between Iraq and Iran comes as the United States and Iran clash on nuclear issues and about what American officials have repeatedly said is Iranian support for armed groups in Iraq. American officials have charged that Iranians, through the international military wing known as the Quds Force, are particularly active in support of elite elements of the Mahdi Army, a militia largely controlled by Mr. Sadr.
An American military official in Baghdad said that while he had no specific knowledge of the power plant contracts, any expansion of Iranian interests was a concern for the military here.
Right On! I am right with you baby! Go Clinton! I am also so against the regime in Iran. I never did like religious intolerance. Go Hillary!
Chuck in Houston
October 17, 2007 11:
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
HEY CHUCK,
Hillary is THE WORST of the Dem candiates - both on the issues, her lack of credibility and her high negatives. If ANYONE can energize and unite the rightwing and depress the turnout of independents, it is Hillary
Hillary is DLC, Republican-Lite, Dem-hawk.
BTW- Bush and Cheney are not running in 2008,
if we are stuck with Horrible Laughing Hillary my other options are, which I am strongly leaning toward:
1) Vote Republican for president to teach the stupid DLC dems a lesson
2) Not vote for president, to teach the stupid DLC dems a lesson...
ralpheh said:
Chuck said:
Hey Ralpheh:
On this:
October 17, 2007 4:24 PM
Right On! I am right with you baby! Go Clinton! I am also so against the regime in Iran. I never did like religious intolerance. Go Hillary!
Chuck in Houston
@@@@@@
Hey Chuck,
Hillary and Bush agree on Iran!!!!
Hillary and Bush agree on Iraq and WMD!!!
wow!!! what a coincidence
ralpheh said:
not my president said:
Ralpheh
If not Clinton who?
Who are you supporting:?
Hey... after the tragedy of the Georgie and Dickie years, I'm ready for some comedy! I'd consider voting for Stephen Colbert (and I'm not sure I'm joking; I may be serious a year from now).
Hillary and Barak and John, the three frontrunner Dems, have NOT committed to getting our troops out of Iraq and ending torture and closing Gitmo immediately upon taking the oath of office, so without the promise of ending the illegal Iraq war and closing Gitmo and ending torture as the first things to do within hours of taking the oath of office, I refuse to vote for any of the "frontrunners." Tough talk about leaving "options" open regarding invading/attacking Iran are just plainly insane, whether said by Dems or anyone else. We most assuredly do NOT need any more 'cowboy diplomacy' and illegal wars! Also, none have proposed not-for-[corporate] profit health care plans, and I want corporations of all kinds OUT of our government.
Dennis Kucinich has committed to ending the Iraq war and closing Gitmo and ending torture and he's committed to a common sense not-for-profit health care system, and he authoried H. Res. 333 to impeach Dickie. In taking those surveys on a couple of web sites online, most of my personal philosophies align perfectly well with Kucinich (altho a Dept. of Peace is just silly and redundant, 'cuz the things he says would be covered by a Dept. of Peace are already taken care of by state agencies, so an Orwellian-sounding DoP would be a total waste of money we don't even have in the treasury - just as the Dept. of Homeland Security is redundant and now a giant white elephant of inefficiency because too many agencies are under one department, when all that was originally necessary was for law enforcement agencies to communicate with each other, and the name sucks big time because it's akin to WWII Germany's terms). Everything else Kucinich says he stands for, I mostly agree with (and Dennis has his talking points down to manageable sound-byte seconds without convoluted explanations like Hillary and Barak and John).
If politicians of every party don't go cold turkey and stop drinking the PNAC-neoCon kool-aid PDQ, I'm not buyin' anything they're sellin'.... More of the same unconstitutional, illegal, unethical, dishonorable, and uber-secret dictatorial Georgie/Dickie policies we do NOT need. Period.
I AM most assuredly looking for a name to write in when I go to vote in '08 if the Dem frontrunners have not changed their erroneous war/torture and corporate health care agendas. Kucinich's words appeal to me, but for comedic relief after these disastrous Georgie/Dickie years, I just might actually consider writing in Stephen Colbert, at least for VP. He couldn't possibly do any more damage than Georgie and Dickie already have.
ralpheh said:
More splaynin' and triangulatin' from HIllary on her Iran vote:
woz said:
October 18, 2007 12:05 AM
not my president said:
Iraq Awards Contracts to Iran and China
I'm really enjoying these snubs to the US bullying occupation. Well done, Iran and China.
woz said:
Apologies for that statement above to the thousands of troops who are trying to do the right thing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unfortunately the brutish behaviour of the Blackwater troops against Iraqi citizens hangs badly on the regular troops. So - ALL are seen as bad.
It will take a long time for the world's populations (not governments because they are all in collusion) to love and respect Americans as they once did.
And Happy Birthday Monkey's Dad.
woz said:
testing again
woz said:
woz said:
woz said:
woz said:
Ok dwahzon - I'd better give up. :(( I feel like I'm spamming question marks or broken image icons.
However - everyone, if you would like to see Christy's paintings they can be found here:
AND Christy. I'm sorry that a part of the painting is missing at the bottom. And I've cut through the middle of your logo. All other photos had too much light on the black fabric and across her eyes. This was the best photo even if it's missing a little. I'll be choosing the
Rudi! The Fire Fighters are a tough bunch. They really played a huge role in Kerry's primary campaign. They were there when he wasn't getting much institutional support, and you would have thought Kerry had the whole AFLCIO behind him.
I pity Rudi, and anyone else who arouses the wrath of the FFs.
Iraq demands Blackwater pullout
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki asked the U.S. State Department to "pull Blackwater out of Iraq," after an Iraqi probe concluded that the private contractors committed unprovoked and random killings in a September 16 shooting, an adviser to al-Maliki told CNN.
more...
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/10/16/iraq.blackwater/index.html
Hmmm. Rudi have ties to Motorola? Bushies have ties to Motorola?
Well - if he's the nominee, this stuff will definitely be more widespread. That's a good thing.
Sheesh.
President Bush Honors Motorola Leadership in American Innovation and Competitiveness
Motorola Awarded National Medal of Technology during White House Ceremony
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 13, 2006 – Today at the White House, President George W. Bush presented Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) with the 2004 National Medal of Technology. The prestigious annual award recognizes Motorola for its outstanding contributions to America’s technological innovation and competitiveness. The National Medal of Technology, established in 1980 by an act of Congress, is the highest honor awarded by the President to America’s leading innovators.
Full article here:
http://www.motorola.com/mediacenter/news/detail.jsp?globalObjectId=6416_6366_23
Gad! I certainly hope this gets out to everyone. Guliani would probably outdo Bush in his callous disregard for life and the nepotism with which he hands out contracts to Motorola.
And the Blackwater lot - with all the support they get from the WH will never be called to account for the murders they've carried out.
Christy! I hope you see this. I am truly overwhelmed with her paintings which arrived a little while ago. I will learn how to upload the photos here while you are all in bed sleeping.
Christy - the *beautiful mystery* is truly beautiful. I love it. I love her. She is beautiful and her eyes follow you wherever you are.
*Sunshine* is also incredible. Sometimes I see a woman from the 30's which hair kicked up at the bottom.Sometimes I see a vortex. It changes from each different angle I look at it. And it appears to be always moving. I do love your choice of colours. I like light and bright in my home.
When you come in tomorrow, hopefully my paintings will be here.
President George W. Bush has appointed over a dozen people from AEI to senior positions in his administration. AEI claims that this is more than any other research institution.
Christopher B. Galvin (Motorola) - board of directors, American Enterprise Institute
http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=4456
Reminder: PBS's Frontline is presenting "Cheney's Law" tonight. This is what WaPo has to say about it, and the article quotes other reviews on the show. According to this article, Faux Noise aired a show about Dickie over the weekend. Must have been a total whitewash of Dickie and his relationship with Georgie. I didn't see the show, but if the WaPo article is correct in its assessment, everything's just hunky dory on the surface and anything that's been in the news that is the teeniest bit controversial, Dickie 'wasn't at liberty to talk about.' Sheesh. I dunno about anyone else, but the excessively fauning deference shown to those two war criminals by everyone from Lamestream Media to Congress Critters is about to drive me mad.
I don't expect much from the PBS show other than more excuses and lack of questions about Dickie and/or Georgie. Almost everyone in Lamestream Media gives the war criminals a free pass and never questions anything about them or their activities (most of which have been conducted with Congressional approval or enabling laws or retroactive permission and immunity).
The show just started here; I'm taping it. The opening credits carried the words "restore" the power of the presidency. This does not bode well for an objective look at Cheney or the executive branch. No executive powers were taken away prior to Georgie's installation as president, so there are no powers to "restore." Every power claimed by Cheney for, or on behalf of, the executive branch of government were never given to the executive branch in the Constitution (and are powers only a dictator would claim, in addition to being illegal and/or unconstitutional)....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2007/10/16/BL2007101600991_pf.html
The Biggest Cheney Mystery
Excerpt:
While neither Cheney nor his enormously influential legal adviser David S. Addington were willing to talk to PBS, the vice president welcomed Fox News's Baier with open arms.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/15/AR2007101500841.html
{{{Highly Recommended reading in its entirety: WaPo Editorial}}}
The Real Iraq We Knew
By 12 former Army captains
Excerpt:
There is one way we might be able to succeed in Iraq. To continue an operation of this intensity and duration, we would have to abandon our volunteer military for compulsory service. Short of that, our best option is to leave Iraq immediately. A scaled withdrawal will not prevent a civil war, and it will spend more blood and treasure on a losing proposition.
America, it has been five years. It's time to make a choice.
Dwazhon:
Thanks for all the hard work on the website! Love the side-bars. For example, here is a big blast from my past (and present and maybe even future) from this page:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071016/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_russia_caspian_sea
In Canada, the disgrace by the name of Stephen Harper may have to face an early election. Find out why:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7047310.stm
I'm really PO'd at Canada ever since its denial of entry to Medea Benjamin.
NMP, Christy, Chuck:
Thank you for your thoughts on my rants last night. I was very burned out (I am attending full-day trainings AND working this week), and the nation ripping Gore to shreds over his Nobel Prize win really has pushed me over the edge.
NMP, your point that I am a global citizen first really resonates with me. It also reinforces the difference between us, and the antisocial Christian extremists who display "NOT OF THIS WORLD" on their SUVs.
Christy, the Constitution is everything - and why I once thought the US was it for me. But as long as the enforcers are ignoring it, it's just a piece of paper. We have to change that. Fast.
Chuck, welcome back - and as you say, change won't happen overnight. I do hope for the best, but I will prepare for the worst. If Giuliani becomes our next Prez, I *will* be exterminated, at the hands of Jamaican and other homophobic Third World immigrants he groomed and loved so much in NYC.
Ally
You will survive Giuliani and any dictator - you are strong.
I found out in the provincial Everett Herald today that a creepy Latvian group is coming to Lynnwood and their main issue is antigay. Lynnwood Convention Center let that hate group in but not the Ku Klux Klan. What is the difference. There will be a protest for sure.
We welcome all nations to the Melting Pot of America, but there are "bad apples" who bring hate with them. It was a group of immigrant Russian homophobes that came down from Bellingham and beat a gay man within an inch of his life.
I don't know the answer.
Nonny,
I just watched the Frontline program. It was pretty revealing about the depths BushCo. have gone and the laws they have bended and broken. It was not apologetic at all.
The description of the Gonzales/Card visit to Ashcroft's hospital bedside was appalling.
Cheney is a bad, bad man. Addington is Cheney redux. These are awful people.
But then we knew that.
This from think Progress is relevant to the Frontline program:
Durbin, Feingold, Kennedy Demand Bush Withdraw Nominee For DOJ Office Of Legal Counsel
In September, the White House has declared that its “next priority this fall” is to obtain Senate approval for Steven Bradbury, “the man who is advising President Bush on the extent of his terrorism-fighting powers.” In 2005, Bradbury replaced Jack Goldsmith as head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) and has since been interim OLC chief.
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/16/durbin-bradbury/
Here's what Lynne Cheney had to say about the Frontline program (they must have been telling the truth):
Lynne Cheney Falsely Attacks PBS Documentary As ‘One-Sided,’ ‘Predictable,’ And ‘A Hit Job’
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/16/cheney-frontline/
Hey Folks, if you are interested in foreign affirs:
Further to my prior, this link says it all -- all folks on the left are basically the Politburo or their progeny -- genetically or spiritually:
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/071016/481/f91057952aa9430e90969f5b878b5394;_ylt=AmLAEtf5nQC4GlKNpmFpfvEUewgF
The guy on the right seems to be cutout of the club.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. As some bard once put it: The Song Remains the Same (sorry Madame DeFarge-- It's a guy thing).
See, the four guys on the left drink vodka and eat sturgeon and the poor guy on the right has to hide it.
October 16, 2007 10:01 PM
not my president said:
We welcome all nations to the Melting Pot of America, but there are "bad apples" who bring hate with them. It was a group of immigrant Russian homophobes that came down from Bellingham and beat a gay man within an inch of his life.
-----
Latvia was the first EU member to ban gay marriage. The Baltic/Polish/Russian homophobia is at dangerous levels, and we cannot let that become part of American politics, the way we have already let Cuban and Korean homophobia become part of American politics.
As much as I am fed up at Canada, the Canadians have done one thing right - push the salad bowl model of immigration, but a firm NO on ethnic homophobia by outright legalizing gay marriage.
(M. Jagger/K. Richards)
Yes, star crossed in pleasure the stream flows on by
Yes, as we're sated in leisure, we watch it fly
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
Time can tear down a building or destroy a woman's face
Hours are like diamonds, don't let them waste
Time waits for no one, no favours has he
Time waits for no one, and he won't wait for me
Men, they build towers to their passing yes, to their fame everlasting
Here he comes chopping and reaping, hear him laugh at their cheating
And time waits for no man, and it won't wait for me
Yes, time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
Drink in your summer, gather your corn
The dreams of the night time will vanish by dawn
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
And time waits for no one, and it won't wait for me
No no no, not for me....
Carol et al.
Re: Motorola
It's a strictly right-to-work, anti-union company, I heard on DKos. Any mention of the U-word will get you immediately fired.
I switched from Samsung to Motorola for my cell phone because Samsung was so anti-labor. I guess I won't get another Motorola.
That leaves me with Nokia and maybe Sony Ericsson. LG, though unionized, is out, because it's a Korean company.
Re: another anti-labor company
Toyota's product reliability is slipping, says Consumer Report, which used to automatically recommend Toyota products, but not anymore.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/Advice/ToyotaIsSlippingConsumerReportsSays.aspx
So, Ally, are you suggesting that Toyota decided to not treat Consumer Reports right?
Can you say Cold War?
Putin warns against attacks on Iran
By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press Writer 19 minutes ago
TEHRAN, Iran - Vladimir Putin issued a veiled warning Tuesday against any attack on Iran as he made the first visit by a Kremlin leader to Tehran in six decades — a mission reflecting Russian-Iranian efforts to curb U.S. influence.
He also suggested Moscow and Tehran should have a veto on Western plans for new pipelines to carry oil and natural gas from the Caspian Sea, using routes that would bypass Russian soil and break the Kremlin's monopoly on energy deliveries from the region.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071017/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_russia
The song remains the same Lyrics
Artist(Band):Led Zeppelin
I had a dream.
Crazy dream.
Anything I wanted to know.
Any place I needed to go.
Hear my song.
People won't you listen now?
Sing along.
Don't know what you're missing now.
Any little song that you know.
Everything that's small has to grow.
And so it grows!
California sunlight, sweet Calcutta rain
Honolulu starbright - the song remains the same.
Singing Hare Hare
Ooo, dance the Hoochie Koo.
City lights are oh so bright, as we go sliding...
Carol:
Can you say "Great Game?"
You see, the "Song Remains the Same" is sort of like a metaphor set to music! Or maybe it's an allegory.... Never could get that straight.
Or maybe it's an enigma wrapped in a riddle wrapped in a mystery. Chert ego znaet.
At any rate, of one thing I'm certain. The crux of the biscuit is the apostrophe. And no dental floss tycoon in Montana can tell me different.
Churchill:
"I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest."
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/31000.html
Which, as far as I have ever been able to determine, has absolutely nothing to do with the interest of national Russians. But there you have it.
No, s drugoi storony, nel'zia otkazat'sia: narod imeet svoi ves' v etoi zhizni.
Vstavai strana ogromnaia,
Vstavai, vo smertnyi boi.
S fashistskoi siloi temnoiu,
S prokaltoiu ordoi.
Pust' iarost' blagorodnaia
Skipaet kak vol'na.
Idet vpoina narodnaia
Sviashchenaia boina.
Further to that prior, which I'm sure made no sense to most:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzdG21cVJRY&mode=related&search=
That's odd -- I just posted that for grins. The song lyrics I wrote in transliterated Russian is like the main soing for them for WWII. SoI "Youtubed" it and a lot of weird snippets came up -- some quite powerful. I think it's worthwile clicking on a few for the flavor -- remember for Europe WWII was Russia against Germany for the most part. Some of these clips represent total war in a way Americans, thankfully, have never known on such a scale.
It's odd -- I guess for an American if you think of "War in your living room" you associate that with watching the news on Vietnam or Iraq on TV in your living room; whereas a Russian or German from the WWII period (or their kids) would associate it with your living room blowing up and half the people in it dying (or watching your family starve and freeze in your living room). I suppose the same is true for the Germans and Japanese. Or the Vietnamese for that matter (not that they had traditional American living rooms or anything).
I wonder if anybody ever stops for a minute to think about how many people we killed in the Phillipines around the turn of the century or how many families we blew up or otherwise burned to death with bombs in Vietnam. I mean, I'm not for a minute suggesting that we aren't a great country and all -- we are. I guess a big country like the US is entitled to some big mistakes. And it's not like the rest of the bigger powers around the world are great humanitarians. Think of how many people got killed in Indonesia as Sukharto turned power over to Sukharno! India kicked the Brits out -- how many people got killed or "cleansed" after that as the sub-continent separated into Pakistan and India and then again into them plus Bangladesh and it's still going on over Kashmir? Actually, better not to think on all that.
Good night all!
I think that video of Guilliani will hurt him just as much as the pictures of McCain hugging George Bush buried McCain. The more people who see that video of Guilliani, the less likely he is to even be a factor in the Republican primaries. That video will expose him as the self serving thug that he really is. Send it to as many people as you can.
oncall - I agree. Here's hoping that it's widely distributed.
ok - here goes - Christy's Beautiful Mystery
Nope :(
Again:
![]()
http://www.americanprogress.org/cartoons/2007/10/101607_ears.html
American Progress Cartoon
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/10/16/former-telcom-ceo-bushs-illegal-spying-began-months-before-911-attacks/
Former Telcom CEO: Bush’s Illegal Spying Began Months Before 9/11 Attacks
{{{I wish Keith Olbermann was on any of the "major" networks that anyone can get without cable....}}}
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/10/16/the-daily-show-tony-snow-job/
The Daily Show: Tony Snow-job
{{{Poor Tony SnowJob. He's thinner, so I suspect his health isn't all that good. What EVER possessed him to go on The Daily Show (and what ever happened to his retirement)? Someday there will be a special place in the Xtian hell for people like him who die with lies on their lips....}}}
Democrats: Bush Ties May Have Led to Iraq Oil Contract
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101607R.shtml
Dave Michaels for The Dallas Morning News reports that "Democratic lawmakers moved Monday toward investigating Hunt Oil's exploration contract in Iraq, saying the company's ties to President Bush raised questions about whether it had insider information that helped it reach the deal."
{{{"MAY" ....? There's a Nov. 2 deadline to turn over info, and no subpoenas are involved. I wonder if that deadline will come and go without any commentary by Congress Critters...?}}}
Ok - I can't post the photos of Christy's gorgeous art work. So I'll have to get someone to do it for me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFihvd_Fcck
Happy 74th to a USAF-Vietnam vet, all around good man who continues to amaze me to this day.
Happy Birthday, Dad.
Hey woz, good try. Everything is right except for the name.
<img src="P1010004" alt="BeautifulMystery" width="300" border="0"/>
The name needs to be the url of wherever you uploaded the file. Something like:
<img src="http://www.photobucket/xnxnx/xnxnx/P1010004.jpg" alt="Beautiful Mystery" width="300" border="0" />
Okay? (That's not a real photobucket address .. . just an example.)
Here's why the bullsh*t response and lack of leadership by this administration is gonna cost us dearly for generations...
Hatred of U.S. drives al-Qaida recruiting
As Americans become desensitized, violence radicalizes ordinary Arabs
The Bush administration rejects the idea that the war in Iraq has driven young Arab men into the arms of al-Qaida. But if you believe the young men themselves, the administration is wrong.
At a Baghdad jail for prisoners who have attacked U.S. forces, everyone — to a man — says it was the U.S. occupation of Iraq that drove them to violence. And they are not alone. Across the Middle East and South Asia, the same story can be heard in Internet cafes, mosques, safe houses and prisons.
“The U.S. says this war is part of the global war on terrorism,” Saedi Farhan, an Iraqi engineer who took part in an attack on U.S. forces, said in a weekend interview with NBC News. "But people here say that the war has increased fanaticism and brought terrorism to Iraq."
Interviews with Farhan and other radicals reveal that many young men were torn when it came time to choose sides. Even though they fight alongside al-Qaida, they insist that — contrary to what U.S. officials say — they do not support al-Qaida. Many, in fact, say they hate al-Qaida.
But they hate the United States more.
Turned against the Americans
“An aggressor occupied my country, destroyed it and made millions [of] refugees. It is an honor to fight this,” said Hamid Ali, the owner of a construction company who also admitted attacking U.S. troops.
At a government rehabilitation center in Saudi Arabia, many radicals say they now reject the al-Qaida philosophy. But at the same time, they admit that the U.S. occupation of Iraq drove many of them to join the movement and that it still drives their hatred of America. Some, in fact, were arrested for trafficking in Internet videos about Iraq designed specifically to motivate and recruit for al-Qaida.
One of them, Saddam Sogoby, says he was recruited over the Internet, seduced by videos of Iraqis fighting America.
more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21312504/
continued...
Like other U.S. officials, Adm. Scott Redd, head of the National Counterterrorism Center, says it still is not proven whether a visceral response to scenes of U.S. destruction is radicalizing a generation of young Arab and Muslim men.
“In the short term, that is probably true,” Redd said. “But ... I believe in the long-term strategic deal. And that remains to be seen."
But other U.S. officials are beginning to reject that view. And the closer they are to fighting the threat on the ground, the more vigorously they seem to reject it.
New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly expresses no doubt that the war has made his job harder.
“I think there is no question about it, that the war in Iraq has been a catalyst," Kelly said.
While the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington are often invoked to justify the war, Kelly said the war has actually made New York less safe.
“That’s what we have to deal with,” he said. “We can’t deal with the world as we wish it would be. That’s, in our judgment, a fact, and it has made our job perhaps more challenging, more difficult.”
‘Chasing the wrong bad guys’
Bruce Riedel, a former Middle East expert with the CIA, said that the Bush administration was unable to admit that it had made mistakes and that the war had made things worse.
“We’ve got our best and brightest in the wrong desert, chasing the wrong bad guys,” said Riedel, who was the National Security Council’s senior director for Near East and North African affairs on 9/11. “We need to put our best people in South Asia going after the man who we know is planning another attack on the U.S.” — that is, Osama bin Laden.
The war has “made America less safe,” he contended. “By diverting so much money, so much of our intelligence effort and so much of our special forces in the military to fighting a war in Iraq, we have diverted resources from the central battlefield in the war against al-Qaida.”
President Bush’s homeland security adviser, Frances Townsend, remains unconvinced. The picture is a distortion, she suggests, maintaining that the war is simply a convenient rallying cry for jihadists sworn to destroying the West.
If it were not al-Qaida, it would be “something else,” Townsend said, citing a steady stream of terrorist attacks against U.S. interests before the invasion of Iraq.
“We should be very clear that every time we take the fight to the enemy, we make the United States safer and we make our citizens safer,” Townsend said.
“There’s no question,” she said, that for bin Laden and his chief deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, “the war in Iraq is critical for them to win. There’s no question that they look to ... leverage [the] expertise of fighters in Iraq, not only inside Iraq but around the world.”
(Townsend is from Planet Bush... incredibly deep denial, or just incredibly simple? Those statements are inane!)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Verizon Communications says it has provided federal, state and local law enforcement agencies tens of thousands of communication and business records relating to customers based on emergency requests without a court order or administrative subpoena. [emphasis mine]
From their web site:
Verizon Law Enforcement Assistance (LEA)
Continental U.S. Verizon Custodian
Of Records
P.O. Box 1001
MC -- TXD01613
San Angelo, TX 76902
Continental U.S.: 888-483-2600
Fax: 325-949-6916
Fax: 325-947-3022
Verizon Privacy Group
1515 N. Courthouse Rd.
Suite 500
Arlington, VA 22201
Fax: 703-351-3653
Verizon Communications
Corporate Headquarters
140 West Street
New York, NY 10007
Telephone: 800-621-9900
To send an e-mail, go to: http://www22.verizon.com/foryourhome/ContactUs/Contactus_email_form.aspx
Speaking of Giuliani, he apparently told Obama "You're No Reagan" (I saw the headline, didn't read the article) - I would definitely take it as a huge compliment if someone told me I'm no Reagan.
Someone may have told me once I was no Reagan, but I simply don't recall that, Senator.
Ron Away
Break Out Yer Dictionary...
President Bush to hold press conference at 10:45 a.m. ET today
Anyone watch the press conference? I am in between classes...
Bush Scolds Congress
Bush: Congress dragging feet on key issues
President urges action on domestic issues, addresses Turkey, Dalai Lama
WASHINGTON - President Bush on Wednesday accused Congress of dragging its feet on key pieces of legislation, urging quick action on budget and children's health measures.
He also urged the Democratic-controlled Congress to drop efforts to pass a House resolution labeling as genocide the World War I-era killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians in the final years of the Ottoman Empire.
With all the pressing responsibilities facing the nation, "One thing Congress should not be doing is sorting out the historical record of the Ottoman Empire," he said.
"Congress has little to show for all the time that has gone by" since Democrats gained control in January of both the House and the Senate, Bush said.
At a White House news conference, the president also said that Congress needs to act on mortgage relief for homeowners hit by the housing crisis, trade deals that would strengthen allies, legislation expanding U.S. markets and aid to military veterans.
more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21342269/
'I admire the Dalai Lama a lot'
Bush also defended his decision to attend a ceremony in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol later Wednesday to award Congress' highest civilian honor to the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual head of Tibet's Buddhists.
"One, I admire the Dalai Lama a lot; two, I support religious freedom, he support religious freedom," Bush said.
The reception the Dalai Lama was getting in the United States infuriated the Chinese government, which reviles the Buddhist leader.
Big Hitter the Lama
On the war on terror, Bush said it was important that Congress act on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act so that progress can continue to be made against al Qaeda.
"Al Qaeda's still dangerous. They're dangerous in Iraq. They're dangerous elsewhere. Al Qaeda's not going to go away any time," Bush said. "That's why it's important for us to be listening -- you know, finding out what their intentions are and what are their plans, so we can respond to them."
Pretty obvious how this press conference came about... prez cant fight his way outta ratings basement, only ones with ratings lower than hizz, if pozzible, is Congrezz. So Mr. "I Dont Follow The Polls" went on to pile on and direct fire at em. Everything is now their fault, and still, as always, never hizz.
Large setta spheres on that nut.
Stephen Colbert tosses satirical hat into ring
‘After nearly 15 minutes of soul-searching, I have heard the call’
NEW YORK - Stephen Colbert has announced his candidacy for president on "The Colbert Report," tossing his satirical hat into the ring of an already crowded race.
"I shall seek the office of the president of the United States," Colbert said Tuesday on his Comedy Central show as red, white and blue balloons fell around him.
Colbert, 43, had recently satirized the coyness of would-be presidential candidates by refusing to disclose whether he would seek the country's highest office — a refusal that often came without any prompting.
Shortly before making the announcement, Colbert appeared on "The Daily Show" (the show that spawned Colbert's spin-off) and played cagey, claiming he was only ready to consider a White House bid. He entered the studio set pulled by a bicycle pedaled by Uncle Sam and quickly pulled out a bale of hay and a bottle of beer to show that he was "an Average Joe."
Colbert said his final decision would be announced on a "more prestigious show," which turned out to be his own.
"After nearly 15 minutes of soul-searching, I have heard the call," said Colbert.
His recent best-seller, "I Am America (And So Can You!)," allowed him to mock the now-standard approach to a White House run, complete with a high-profile book tour.
Colbert said he planned to run in South Carolina, "and South Carolina alone." The state, one of the key early primaries, is also Colbert's native state. Earlier this week, South Carolina public television station ETV invited Colbert to announce his candidacy on its air.
Exactly how far the mock conservative pundit planned to stretch his impression of a presidential candidate wasn't clear. Colbert rarely breaks character on camera, including at his memorable speech at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner last year.
The Comedy Central host has often mobilized his fans ("Colbert Nation"), encouraging them to vote to have a Hungarian bridge named after him, for example, or to vandalize Web site Wikipedia.com with his version of "truthiness" and "wikiality."
Colbert said he would run as both a Democrat and Republican. He earlier explained the strategy: "I can lose twice." He claimed three running mate possibilities: Colbert-Huckabee, Colbert-Putin or Colbert-Colbert.
Minutes after announcing his presidential pursuit, Colbert welcomed CBS political analyst Jeff Greenfield to ask how he had changed the race.
"This is going to be one for the books," said Greenfield.
A spokesman for Colbert said he would be unavailable for further comment Tuesday evening.
In a guest column for Maureen Dowd in Sunday's New York Times, Colbert wrote: "I am not ready to announce yet _ even though it's clear that the voters are desperate for a white, male, middle-aged, Jesus-trumpeting alternative."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21342607/
Happy Birthday to MonKey's dad. Thanks for giving us the MonKey!!
Man, I bet you were very interesting to parent, MonKey....
AND..be sure to check out the fabulous new sheets over at the DCP regular blog, and feel free to go to Daily Kos and give it a rec.
I was a chimp off the ol' block.
Model Simian
Dobbs: Can we survive the Bush presidency?
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Diehard GOP faithful, the dwindling number of Bush loyalists and political pundits of every stripe and medium seem obsessed these days with defining or discerning the "legacy of George W. Bush."
Frankly, I spend more time worrying about whether or not the United States can survive the remaining 15 months of his ebbing presidency.
There is little mystery about what future historians will consider to be the legacy of the 43rd president of the United States. Those historians are certain to describe the first presidential administration of the 21st century with terms such as dissipation and perversion.
Bush campaigned for the Republican Party's nomination eight years ago, styling himself as a compassionate conservative. He's amply demonstrated that he is neither.
Although many conservatives refuse to accept the reality, George W. Bush is a one-world neo-liberal who drove budget and trade deficits to record heights while embracing faith-based economic policies that perversely require only blind allegiance to free markets and free trade, without regard for consequence.
This president pursues a war without demanding of his generals either success or victory and accepts the sacrifice of our brave young men and women in uniform while asking nothing of our people or the nation at a time of war.
Sadly, this president has diminished a great nation and may diminish it further.
President Bush has pressed hard for the Security and Prosperity Partnership, the first step toward a North American Union that will threaten our sovereignty. This administration has permitted American businesses to hire illegal aliens, encouraged the invasion of 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens and has given Mexico and corporate America dominion over our borders and our immigration policy.
Were it not for an outraged public, the Bush administration would have been happy to cede control of our ports to a Dubai government-owned company.
The assault on our national sovereignty continues: At a time when public approval of the White House and Congress is near historic lows, the president is urging the Senate to act favorably on our accession to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
One hundred fifty-five nations have ratified the Law of the Sea Treaty, which essentially codifies into law detailed rules about freedom of the seas and the extent of territorial waters. The treaty also establishes an international bureaucracy to regulate deep-sea mining.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee recently heard arguments on the 1982 Law of the Sea Treaty, which President Ronald Reagan rejected but President Bill Clinton submitted to the Senate in 1994. A vote is likely in the weeks ahead, and this Democratic-controlled Senate is the same institution whose leadership sought passage of the disastrous comprehensive immigration overhaul legislation.
And just as this administration trotted out an Army general to support the Dubai Ports World fiasco and a Marine Corps general to support the administration's immigration proposal, it's now pressured the U.S. Navy to support this treaty.
Bush says the treaty "will secure U.S. sovereign rights over extensive marine areas, including the valuable natural resources they contain." The president could not be more wrong.
This treaty will submit the United States to international tribunals largely adverse to our interests, and the dispute resolution mechanisms are stacked against the United States. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, astutely argues that nearly all the signatories "have voted against the United States over half the time [at the United Nations]."
This administration can do nothing straightforwardly and perverts language at every turn. Take, for example, the words of Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte arguing in support of the treaty. "As a non-party," he argues, "We are not currently in a position to maximize U.S. sovereign rights over the shelf in the Arctic or elsewhere."
Negroponte's tortured reasoning is entirely consistent with this administration's intellectual performance over almost two terms in office, but it serves neither the truth nor the national interest.
The Law of the Sea Treaty would undermine our national sovereignty and act as a back door for global environmental activists to direct U.S. policy.
It would hold the United States to yet another unaccountable international bureaucracy and constrain our national prerogatives. Aside from that, the treaty is wholly unnecessary. The U.S. Navy already enjoys international navigation rights by customary practice.
Our elected officials in both political parties and the national media should worry less about the legacy of this lame-duck president and far more about the future of a great nation and people debilitated by his ruinous leadership.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/16/Dobbs.Oct17/index.html
Before the Wednesday honor, Bush said he was attending the ceremony because he admires the Dalai Lama, the two of them both support religious freedom and because "I like going to the gold medal ceremonies."
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/17/dalai.lama/index.html
Please, someone buy the dolt a pretzel at the ceremonies.
Mukasey: Torture authority memo a 'mistake'
Attorney General-designate repudiates president's power to violate laws
WASHINGTON - Attorney General-designate Michael Mukasey said Wednesday the president doesn't have the authority to use torture techniques against terrorism suspects, a stance not taken by predecessor Alberto Gonzales and considered key to the nominee's confirmation.
Mukasey repudiated a 2002 memo by then-Assistant Attorney General Jay Bybee that said the president has the power to issue orders that violate the Geneva Conventions as well as international and U.S. laws prohibiting torture. The memo was later disavowed and overridden by an executive order on interrogation of terrorism suspects, which allowed harsh questioning but included a vaguely worded ban on cruel and inhuman treatment.
"The Bybee memo, to paraphrase a French diplomat, was worse than a sin, it was a mistake. It was unnecessary," Mukasey, 66, told the Senate Judiciary Committee under questioning by Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21340442/
SENATOR CLINTON HOPELESSLY TRIANGULATING ON THE ISSUE OF IRAN AND QUDS FORCE AND HER VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THE KYL-LIEBERMAN AMENDMENT:
Simply Amazing Hypocracy
A defiant Blackwater Chairman Erik Prince said yesterday he will not allow Iraqi authorities to arrest his contractors and try them in Iraq's faulty justice system. But they sure as hell tried and hung Sadam, by that same FAULTY IRAQ JUSTICE SYSTEM
Defiant Blackwater refuses arrests
CEO says he won't let contractors be tried in 'faulty' Iraq justice system.
http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071017/FOREIGN/110170057/1003
After Comments, U.S. Terror Chief Resigns
October 17, 2007 3:07 PM
Justin Rood Reports:
Three days after Americans saw the Bush administration's counterterrorism chief say the Iraq war has likely not made the United States safer from terrorism, the official announced his resignation, citing health reasons.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/10/after-comments-.html
Record: oil reaches $89 per barrel
Oil prices jumped Wednesday to a record high 89 dollars on simmering tensions in the crude-rich Middle East that could further stretch tight global energy supplies, traders said.
http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Oil_hits_record_89_dollars_on_sizzl_10172007.html
Kangaroo - are you still there? Christy's bellsouth email address isn't working. Do you have another email address? Or can you tell me where to email her? Her 2 paintings arrived yesterday and I'm "gob-smacked" as they say in England. I need to let her know.
And I couldn't get the paintings onto here. I'm thinking that may be because I guessed the width instead of finding out for sure.
Email me if you read this - Please. :)
wendy.lohse -at- gmail.com
House passes federal journalist shield, includes bloggers
By Nate Anderson | Published: October 16, 2007 - 11:01PM CT
The Free Flow of Information Act has just cleared the House by a vote of 398-21, but that doesn't mean President Bush has any interest in signing it. The bill would offer protection of sources and documents to journalists (including professional bloggers) caught up in federal investigations, and could put an end to images of reporters led from court in handcuffs after refusing to testify. The Bush administration sees it as carte blanche to leak government information without penalty, though.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071016-house-passes-federal-journalist-shield-includes-bloggers.html
yeah woz
woz...
I saw your attempts at posting the picture and answered you earlier today with what wasn't quite in this comment above.
Please check it out. I'm very interested to see Christy's latest work.
Sending email now, but she will be away for a few days for her Grandmothers funeral, I just got three this morning, and another one to come they are excellent.
I'd vote for Colbert! The guy who can look Bush in the eye and call him out for his crimes like he did would be the guy who understands right from wrong. And that's the kind of guy I want in the W.H.
Go Colbert!
(Where do I get a t'shirt now?)
Thanks Dwahzon. I'm only here for about 5 more minutes but I'll certainly take note of what you say when I get home. All your work here is much appreciated. It is great.
oy. This just in:
Chicago to open U.S. Marine Corps high school.
The Chicago Tribune (10/15, Banchero, Sadovi) mreported, "Chicago Public Schools (CPS), which already has the largest junior military reserve program in the nation," has created "the country's first public high school run by the U.S. Marines, much to the chagrin of activists who have fought to keep the armed services out of city schools." The city also "announced plans to open an Air Force academy high school in 2009." The move would make CPS "the only public school district in the nation to have academies dedicated to the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines," serving over 11,000 students. Students are not required to enlist in the military after graduating from the schools. "But despite a stated focus on college prep, the city's military academies have had mixed academic records since the first academy opened in 2000," with none of the schools meeting federal No Child Left Behind testing standards last year.
Geez, do ya get red armbands when enrolling at those schools?
I'm goin 30's Germany for Halloween... dress rehearsal for the 10's in America.
Three Reichs make a wrong.
IN GOD’S HANDS
http://www.malcomlagauche.com/id1.html
From day one of his presidency, Bush positioned himself as a savior of U.S. morals while trying to export this piety to the rest of the world. In reality, he is more akin to the charlatan preachers of old who traveled the nation selling snake oil remedies from the back of their wagons.
Giuliani and his NeoCon, pro-war advisors who want war with IraN
Someone called me today asking for money for some Democratic state legislative campaign fund. It was a young person, probably new at this kind of job etc... I told this person politely that I was having a real hard time with the Democratic leadership in Washington. I said that if Hillary Clinton was nominated for president I would have a very difficult time supporting the Dem. ticket. I said that I was unhappy that the Dems are making little or no progress in bringing the troops home from Iraq. Finally I suggested that Bush and Cheney should be impeached. I told her that all of the above is not her fault but that her bosses should be aware of the mood that many of us have toward the Dem party.
After Comments, U.S. Terror Chief Resigns
October 17, 2007 3:07 PM
Justin Rood Reports:
Three days after Americans saw the Bush administration's counterterrorism chief say the Iraq war has likely not made the United States safer from terrorism, the official announced his resignation, citing health reasons.
@@@@@@
This is of little of no consequence if the Democrats in Congress don't make a big deal of this. This guy is just another casualty in Bush's war on the truth... truth which the Democrats have hard time talking about above a whisper.....
Ralpheh:
Who did you vote for for President in 2000? I voted for Gore (and got audited, I think, as a result -- long story).
Chuck in Houston
Anyway, since nobody asked, here is the story. Back in 2000 I was working on a project for Chevron in Baku Azerbaijan (I do procurement in the oil patch in case anybody is curious). My dad (Monkey -- this should ring a bell) was USAF (he joined 1941 -- USAAC back then). He retired to Oregon in 1968 (I was 7). Of course, as anyone from Oregon knows, if you have to make money Oregon stinks as a place to live. If you already have it, well, that's a different story. Anybody interested in how this relates to Gore 2000?
Ralpheh
If not Clinton who?
Who are you supporting:?
Hey Ralpheh:
On this:
October 17, 2007 4:24 PM
Right On! I am right with you baby! Go Clinton! I am also so against the regime in Iran. I never did like religious intolerance. Go Hillary!
Chuck in Houston
It is hard to imagine somebody with a 48% negative rating becoming President of the United States. Personally, I want a candidate that can win (Richardson?, Edwards?). I know that sounds shallow and thoughtless, but I am determined that the next President is not a Republican.
Ralpheh:
Also, I love this concept of "triangulation" that you espouse. It kind of reminds me of Jeremy Bentham and the Greatest Good for the Greatest Number, which, if I remember my undergrad BS, is sort of the basis of 19th century Liberalism.
So Hillary Clinton is the one candidate that tries to accommodate the desires of the majority of Americans -- is that the concept of "triangulation"?
Well, thanks for that info. That corresponds to my concept of democracy. I am with you, Ralpheh baby! Go Clinton! She ain't Kerry but she's the best we got in 2008!
Chuck in Houston
Oncall:
Are you referring to our current Commander in Chief? I think his negatives have always been a bit higher than that but I may be wrong.
Chuck in Houston
Oncall:
Also, it's not the candidates that elect Presidents - it's us, the voters. Excepting 2000 of course.
Chuck in Houston
Chuck,
re: Toyota and Consumer Reports - I was referring to Toyota's hiring of now-Chief Justice John Roberts to shred the ADA, and its crackdown on anyone who even remotely thinks about organizing. Of course, Toyota's Kentucky plant is notorious for using perpetual temps with no chance ever to go permanent - that may also explain the slip in the quality of the Camry, which is built there.
Toyota/Lexus is NOT welcome in my garage, even if we're talking about the Prius. Same with all Ford brands, Hyundai/Kia, and BMW/Mini (once my current 3-series is retired).
Consumer Reports is pretty objective, at least re: cars, and its focus areas are different from what the right-wing car enthusiast magazines (Car And Driver, etc.) carry.
A shameless plug for CodePink:
There will be a march on October 27 for human/domestic spending over war spending, in 11 cities across the nation. Los Angeles is one of them, and with my nosy folks gone to Alaska for the weekend, I am joining in my pink mini.
http://www.codepinkalert.org/section.php?id=327
Ally:
But you've just wiped out the entire car industry except GM (terrible cars and overpriced) and Honda -- or am I missing something? I mean, at the end of the day we al have to drive something. My dily commute is ~40 miles. And my 92 5-speed amnual Honda Civic gets 35-40 mpg on that!
Chuck in Houston
amanual = manual and dily = daily; other typos intuitive I hope -- Sorry!
Chuck,
My father regularly puts over 350,000 miles on his Chevrolet vans.
I drive a Honda Accord myself. (Yes, I know, I'm spoiled enough to drive two cars - a SoCal thing.) It was acquired from my sister, and now has 97,000 miles - nothing beyond routine maintenance, though fuel economy isn't too great.
And the Germans still look fine to me - even with BMW out, there are VW/Audi, Mercedes Benz, and Porsche, though the latter two are too much for my budget.
Japan still has Nissan and Subaru too...
I am specifically referring to Hillary's negatives. Hers are very high and it will be hard to overcome them. If she can, then bless her for that accomplishment. But, it may be best if the Democrats don't have to deal with the problem of reversing negative impressions among almost half of the population. I must admit that 48% is a number I learned from the media, therefore its accuracy is suspect.
On another topic, I am not sure if anybody heard that Dennis Hastert is leaving Congress before his term expires. That will require a special election in his district. The district is in a state of flux, but the Republicans are much better organized and are more likely to get one of their own elected. If that happens, the November 2008 election will be an incumbent Republican facing a Democratic challenger
Thanks, Robin! I'll drink to that!!
Roll Call is reporting that Dennis Hastert will announce his resignation (effective "later this year") tomorrow, Thursday, setting up a special election here in IL-14.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/10/17/214821/67
Thanks Fat Denny!
(listening to Lou Rawls sing "You've Made Me So Very Happy" - the Blood Sweat and Tears song, at http://www.novaplanet.com, Paris)
oncall,
The state of affairs in your Congressional district sounds a lot like my region.
Here in CA-42, I had no Dem candidate to vote for in 2006 - the Republican crook Gary Miller ran unopposed. Now, the Dems have Ron Shepston running, but he is supported by the national Dems (DCCC) not the state-level organizations.
State- and local-level Dems have been ineffective at best, and irrelevant at worst, especially when it comes to the specific needs of SoCal suburbs.
There is a reason why SoCal suburbs are overwhelmingly Republican, and the Republicans have a good chance of turning the entire state red, overpowering the blue island of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Dems need better organizing everywhere.
Iraq Awards Contracts to Iran and China
By JAMES GLANZ
BAGHDAD, Oct. 17 — Iraq has agreed to award $1.1 billion in contracts to Iranian and Chinese companies to build a pair of enormous power plants, the Iraqi electricity minister said Tuesday. Word of the project prompted serious concerns among American military officials, who fear that Iranian commercial investments can mask military activities at a time of heightened tension with Iran.
The Iraqi electricity minister, Karim Wahid, said that the Iranian project would be built in Sadr City, a Shiite enclave in Baghdad that is controlled by followers of the anti-American cleric Moktada al-Sadr. He added that Iran had also agreed to provide cheap electricity from its own grid to southern Iraq, and to build a large power plant essentially free of charge in an area between the two southern Shiite holy cities of Karbala and Najaf.
The expansion of ties between Iraq and Iran comes as the United States and Iran clash on nuclear issues and about what American officials have repeatedly said is Iranian support for armed groups in Iraq. American officials have charged that Iranians, through the international military wing known as the Quds Force, are particularly active in support of elite elements of the Mahdi Army, a militia largely controlled by Mr. Sadr.
An American military official in Baghdad said that while he had no specific knowledge of the power plant contracts, any expansion of Iranian interests was a concern for the military here.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/18/world/middleeast/18grid.html?_r=2&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1192680271-U/I/d3nEOfvrBW9mcKxKBw&pagewanted=print
Chuck said:
Hey Ralpheh:
On this:
October 17, 2007 4:24 PM
Right On! I am right with you baby! Go Clinton! I am also so against the regime in Iran. I never did like religious intolerance. Go Hillary!
Chuck in Houston
October 17, 2007 11:
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
HEY CHUCK,
Hillary is THE WORST of the Dem candiates - both on the issues, her lack of credibility and her high negatives. If ANYONE can energize and unite the rightwing and depress the turnout of independents, it is Hillary
Hillary is DLC, Republican-Lite, Dem-hawk.
BTW- Bush and Cheney are not running in 2008,
if we are stuck with Horrible Laughing Hillary my other options are, which I am strongly leaning toward:
1) Vote Republican for president to teach the stupid DLC dems a lesson
2) Not vote for president, to teach the stupid DLC dems a lesson...
Chuck said:
Hey Ralpheh:
On this:
October 17, 2007 4:24 PM
Right On! I am right with you baby! Go Clinton! I am also so against the regime in Iran. I never did like religious intolerance. Go Hillary!
Chuck in Houston
@@@@@@
Hey Chuck,
Hillary and Bush agree on Iran!!!!
Hillary and Bush agree on Iraq and WMD!!!
wow!!! what a coincidence
not my president said:
Ralpheh
If not Clinton who?
Who are you supporting:?
@@@@@
Anybody But Clinton:
Richardson
Edwards
perhaps Biden in a pinch
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Vote2008/story?id=3742682&page=1
Presidential Parody? Stephen Colbert Joins the Race
'Comedy Central' Host Announces His Plans to Run For President
~~~~~
Hey... after the tragedy of the Georgie and Dickie years, I'm ready for some comedy! I'd consider voting for Stephen Colbert (and I'm not sure I'm joking; I may be serious a year from now).
Hillary and Barak and John, the three frontrunner Dems, have NOT committed to getting our troops out of Iraq and ending torture and closing Gitmo immediately upon taking the oath of office, so without the promise of ending the illegal Iraq war and closing Gitmo and ending torture as the first things to do within hours of taking the oath of office, I refuse to vote for any of the "frontrunners." Tough talk about leaving "options" open regarding invading/attacking Iran are just plainly insane, whether said by Dems or anyone else. We most assuredly do NOT need any more 'cowboy diplomacy' and illegal wars! Also, none have proposed not-for-[corporate] profit health care plans, and I want corporations of all kinds OUT of our government.
Dennis Kucinich has committed to ending the Iraq war and closing Gitmo and ending torture and he's committed to a common sense not-for-profit health care system, and he authoried H. Res. 333 to impeach Dickie. In taking those surveys on a couple of web sites online, most of my personal philosophies align perfectly well with Kucinich (altho a Dept. of Peace is just silly and redundant, 'cuz the things he says would be covered by a Dept. of Peace are already taken care of by state agencies, so an Orwellian-sounding DoP would be a total waste of money we don't even have in the treasury - just as the Dept. of Homeland Security is redundant and now a giant white elephant of inefficiency because too many agencies are under one department, when all that was originally necessary was for law enforcement agencies to communicate with each other, and the name sucks big time because it's akin to WWII Germany's terms). Everything else Kucinich says he stands for, I mostly agree with (and Dennis has his talking points down to manageable sound-byte seconds without convoluted explanations like Hillary and Barak and John).
If politicians of every party don't go cold turkey and stop drinking the PNAC-neoCon kool-aid PDQ, I'm not buyin' anything they're sellin'.... More of the same unconstitutional, illegal, unethical, dishonorable, and uber-secret dictatorial Georgie/Dickie policies we do NOT need. Period.
I AM most assuredly looking for a name to write in when I go to vote in '08 if the Dem frontrunners have not changed their erroneous war/torture and corporate health care agendas. Kucinich's words appeal to me, but for comedic relief after these disastrous Georgie/Dickie years, I just might actually consider writing in Stephen Colbert, at least for VP. He couldn't possibly do any more damage than Georgie and Dickie already have.
More splaynin' and triangulatin' from HIllary on her Iran vote:
October 18, 2007 12:05 AM
not my president said:
Iraq Awards Contracts to Iran and China
I'm really enjoying these snubs to the US bullying occupation. Well done, Iran and China.
Apologies for that statement above to the thousands of troops who are trying to do the right thing in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unfortunately the brutish behaviour of the Blackwater troops against Iraqi citizens hangs badly on the regular troops. So - ALL are seen as bad.
It will take a long time for the world's populations (not governments because they are all in collusion) to love and respect Americans as they once did.
And Happy Birthday Monkey's Dad.
testing again
Ok dwahzon - I'd better give up. :(( I feel like I'm spamming question marks or broken image icons.
However - everyone, if you would like to see Christy's paintings they can be found here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/wendy.lohse/NewAlbum181007618PM?pli=1
AND Christy. I'm sorry that a part of the painting is missing at the bottom. And I've cut through the middle of your logo. All other photos had too much light on the black fabric and across her eyes. This was the best photo even if it's missing a little. I'll be choosing the