Impeachment? At Least They are Mentioning It

Read it and weep with happiness. Okay, it’s not gold, but it’s something kinda shiny

“In a sign of the continuing partisan division of the nation, more than two-in-five (42%) voters say that, if it is found that President Bush did not tell the truth about his reasons for going to war with Iraq, Congress should hold him accountable through impeachment. While half (50%) of respondents do not hold this view, supporters of impeachment outweigh opponents in some parts of the country.

Among those living in the Western states, a 52% majority favors Congress using the impeachment mechanism while just 41% are opposed; in Eastern states, 49% are in favor and 45% opposed. In the South, meanwhile, impeachment is opposed by three-in-five voters (60%) and supported by just one-in-three (34%); in the Central/Great Lakes region, 52% are opposed and 38% in favor.

Impeachment is overwhelmingly rejected in the Red States—just 36% say they agree Congress should use it if the President is found to have lied on Iraq, while 55% reject this view; in the “Blue States” that voted for Massachusetts Democrat John Kerry in 2004, meanwhile, a plurality of 48% favors such proceedings while 45% are opposed.”

There’s more here (Zogby Link)



And from Xinhuanet (Link):

“LOS ANGELES, June 29 (Xinhuanet) -- US President George W. Bush's latest address to call Americans to stand firm in Iraq drew the smallest US TV audience of his tenure, according to a study released in New York on Wednesday.

Nielsen Media Research, a media tracking company headquartered in New York, US, said that an estimated 23 million television viewers tuned in to Bush's half hour speech on the Iraq war on Tuesday night.

That combined on the four main US broadcast networks and three leading cable news channels networks that carried the speech, the New York based media tracking company added.”

Absolutely The Ironic Headline Of The Day:

Bush Wants Answers on Iranian Leader's Past

WASHINGTON -- "The Bush administration today demanded that the Iranian government clarify the role of President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the 1979 storming of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and the prolonged hostage crisis that followed". The rest is in The LA Times.

'Course the headline I'd really like to see:
"Buttfuckboy Finally Admits Copping Out On Guard Duty"

Reminded Me Of The Biblical Story:

The Rude Pundit Welcomes Back The Prodigal Rude Bro.

what do you suppose he is talking about?

Who Loves Ya, Baby?

Keep in mind the fuss and flurry about the Terry Schiavo case and how all life is sacred even if it’s barely a life and we must do everything possible to save every single one of God’s creations. Remember how Dr. Frist diagnosed Schiavo via a four year old video and how sure his diagnosis as a doctor became? Oh yeah, until the autopsy results came in and all. With all this "life is sacred" and we can’t abort babies and we can’t use embryonic stem cells to cure deadly diseases and all the other righteous bullshit, seems on some fronts that sacred, precious, gotta save it, god’s gift, life could be a guinea pig if needed.

You’ll notice, when you read the list of those who voted against Sen. Boxer’s amendment(see Liz's post below), a few names you might recall from the world of save the children even before they are children. Save the egg and save the sperm, but once they unite and grow and shoot through the slide of life, hey what the hell? From that point on they are fair game. Do what you like with them and their mommies too. If they live long enough, through the hell of the experimentation, then you can push them into a school that probably won’t teach them shit, and later there’s always the opportunity to serve in the meat grinder known affectionately and patriotically as the war in Iraq. According to Rumsfeld, this war could go on another twelve years so a kid who is now about six years old still might have a chance to meet and greet bleed in Iraq.

So when you wonder who loves ya baby, just remember that love began in the mother’s womb and it doesn’t go a step beyond. As soon as you are a viable baby you’re on your own. Once you slide out and see the light of day, you may also see the darkness of pesticide experimentation. God creates humans for pesticide experimentation? According to 37 Republican Senators, I guess so.

Open Season on Liberals?

Go here: (Orcinus Link)

Tell me how it makes you feel.

Ok this is not ha ha funny but...

In the Senate: To prohibit the use of funds by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to accept, consider, or rely on third-party intentional dosing human studies for pesticides or to conduct intentional dosing human studies for pesticides.
Vote Counts: YEAs 60
NAYs 37
Not Voting 3

If you go and look at the 37 who voted to support the use of human pesticide testing, it's the prolifers! But wait... they are only pro-life if a corporation can't make money off it.

By a 60-37 vote, the Senate approved a provision from Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., that would block the EPA from relying on such testing _ including 24 human pesticide experiments currently under review _ as it approves or denies pesticide applications. (WaPo)

The Culture of Life administration had "lifted a partial moratorium imposed in 1998 by the Clinton administration on using human testing for pesticide approvals. Under the change, political appointees are refereeing on a case-by-case basis any ethical disputes over human testing." (WaPo)

Corporations always trump human beings. And don't you forget it!
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Time Magazine to Hand Over Reporter Notes

By PAT MILTON
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- "Time Inc. said Thursday it would comply with a court order to deliver the notes of a reporter threatened with jail in the investigation of the leak of an undercover CIA officer's name".

Read the rest here.

Entertainment News

Honestly I don't really give a shit about entertainment news but this is just too too...
As per Crooks and Liars recently

Tom Cruise criticized NBC ''Today'' show host Matt Lauer on Friday when Lauer mentioned Cruise's earlier criticism of Brooke Shields for taking anti-depressants. Cruise told Lauer he didn't know what he was talking about. ''You don't know the history of psychiatry. I do,'' Cruise said.

Tom Cruise is busy making a name for himself as the rudest person in hollywood...

Asked in an interview Wednesday with the German daily Bild if he believes in little green men, or whatever form they may take, Cruise said: "Yes, of course. Are you really so arrogant as to believe we are alone in this universe?" -Newsday

Cruise is so arrogant that we can only hope that there are no other life forms like himself anywhere else.
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This Just In...

You know how the MSM really didn't cover the Downing Street Memos all that much until we made a big stink about it and they still sort of kind of covered it? Well it seems that Tony Blair is attempting to downplay their significance and of course, now the story is all over the news. The story is all over google. Go figure

(AP) British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday that the "Downing Street memos" paint a distorted picture and insisted that the Iraq war was not predetermined by the United States.

"People say the decision was already taken. The decision was not already taken," he said in an interview with The Associated Press. Blair added that he was "a bit astonished" at the intensive coverage the leaked memos, which suggested British officials had doubts about the case for war, have received in the United States.

read the rest

And don't forget to read afterdowningstreet.org for all your DSM updates.
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The daughters should serve

by Jimmy Breslin
June 29, 2005
Newsday.com

If George W. Bush wants young people to get into this war so much, why doesn't he send his two daughters over to Iraq and fight for their country?

Read today what Bush has to say about fighting in Iraq. Read it on a day when we still have three women killed in Iraq, one from the Bronx.

The Bush daughters are 23, and at the Republican National Convention in New York last summer, they were a whirlwind at night. They looked as fit to fight for their country as any high school dropout.

This is an eminently fair thought. We have today the dead body of a young Latina woman from the Bronx. She comes home when it is clear that it is time for Bush to put up his own.

"Exactly! That's what I want to know," says Fiorela Valdez, sister of the dead young woman Marine, Ramona Valdez. "He doesn't have any family over there so he don't care. None of them do. I don't know of one daughter of one of them who's over in Iraq fighting the war."

read on

freedom tower unveiled

Very nice but did they have to call it the Freedom Tower?

This is New York, goddammit. We don't name shit "freedom" this or "freedom" that. We have the Statue of Liberty already. Enough is enough.

Isn't it just too fucking ironic that they want to name the WTC replacement tower after what we LOST on 9/11? Oh they just keep spitting in New York's face. Keep it up, wiseguys. Keep it up.
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UPDATE: Today Newsday has a lovely flyover animation of the new target tower. You gotta see this if you have Real Player. oy.

Snark Of The Day (Although John does sound a little serious)

From Counterpunch:

An Open Letter to Secretary Johanns
Put a Photo of Mad Cow #2 on a Milk Carton

By JOHN STAUBER

Dear Secretary Johanns,

Is there any truth to the rumor that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon print a photo of U.S. mad cow #2 ("Cow Jane Doe") onto the side panel of milk cartons?

Is it true that the USDA is so lost and desperate to find the herd she came from that you are turning to the tried-and-true milk carton method? Are you hoping that some member of the milk-drinking or cow-milking public will recognize her image on a carton and call you?

Using the milk carton method sounds like a good idea at this oh-so-late date, seven months after this mad cow first tested positive, and seven months after she then tested negative at your state-of-the-art (and I do mean art!) USDA lab.

Lots of news reports have suggested that Cow Jane Doe was from Texas, so you could probably save taxpayer money by just printing her picture on Lone Star State milk cartons. (Maybe she belonged to some of the those tough Texas cattlemen who sued Oprah for trying to warn us about mad cow in the USA back in 1996; that would be sweet western justice, indeed!)

Just have USDA print these words under her bovine image on the milk carton: "Do you recognize me? I'm a mad cow probably from Texas. If I look familiar, please call USDA Secretary Mike Johanns at 1-800-MadCow#2 and tell him all about me."

Finally, is anyone's USDA job on the line for gross incompetence and suspected corruption in this case of the missing mad cow? Or is this one of those national security-type snafus where nobody is held accountable and whoever should be will instead receive a Medal of Freedom from former Texas governor George Bush?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Sincerely,

John Stauber

John Stauber works for the Center for Media and Democracy, a nonprofit organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. He is the co-author of Mad Cow USA.

I Just Love Charlie Rangel

Hannity on his dumb show last night (via Crooks and Liars) said that Democrats are "playing politics" and Charlie Rangel (D) NY, explains that Iraq war was planned long before 9/11... which we already know. Colmes was awesome and brought out proof. Hannity after hearing proof, still accuses Rangel of being a conspiracy theorist. This is not a Democrat/Republican thing. It's a willful ignorance vs truth telling thing. When will they get it?

I wonder how much Sean Insanity is paid to bark for the bushistas? Or maybe he is just stoopid. Here's a link to the video (WMV)

Why Isn't Novak Going To Jail?

Robert Novak actually outed Valerie Plame in writing yet he is not facing jail. He is not being forced to reveal his source. Who is protecting him in the White House? Who told him to go ahead and out Ms Plame in retaliation for her husband, former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson's, claim that bush exaggerated evidence and that there was no yellow cake uranium sale between Niger and Iraq? Someone must have told him that they'd watch his back.

Judith Miller didn't write anything about this. The courts know who she spoke to in the government about the story so how come no one is asking them? How can she be responsible for a national security crime when it was Bob Novak who outed a CIA agent? How come the whole administration isn't issued a subpoena to testify as to who deliberately outed Ms Plame?

How obvious is this administration in its contempt for the media? Perhaps this gives us a clue as to why the media has appeared to be so complicit with the propaganda of the government and willing to blindly go along with the war when the reasons spewed by the government leading up to the war were indeed lies.
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Not the 9/11 Thing Again

Well I couldn't watch it so I read the transcript and as usual bushie declared that Iraq happened because of 9/11. He has a very short memory. He also tried to make it sound like we wouldn't have invaded Iraq unless there was a 9/11. Those of us who have followed everything coming out of this administration since the get go know that they have changed their story ad nauseum and even those who started paying attention recently have realized that bushie is so full of shit you can't believe anything he says anymore. Obviously bushie did not believe the 9/11 Commission Report. This calls for the citizens to demand another 9/11 Commission.

If this war is so important, I would like to see bushie's daughters and all the bush relatives of military age to enlist at once, get their arses over there to Iraq and kick some butt just to show the American people that this war is worth the sacrifice.

"Vengeance Is Mine, Saith The...Land Developers"?

Chap named "My Pet Goat" blogging over at the Dark Wraith Forums tipped me off to this delectable morsel:

"Could a hotel be built on the land owned by Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter? A new ruling by the Supreme Court which was supported by Justice Souter himself itself might allow it. A private developer is seeking to use this very law to build a hotel on Souter's land.

"Justice Souter's vote in the "Kelo vs. City of New London" decision allows city governments to take land from one private owner and give it to another if the government will generate greater tax revenue or other economic benefits when the land is developed by the new owner.

"Clements, CEO of Freestar Media, LLC, points out that the City of Weare will certainly gain greater tax revenue and economic benefits with a hotel on 34 Cilley Hill Road than allowing Mr. Souter to own the land.

"The proposed development, called "The Lost Liberty Hotel" will feature the "Just Desserts Café" and include a museum, open to the public, featuring a permanent exhibit on the loss of freedom in America. Instead of a Gideon's Bible each guest will receive a free copy of Ayn Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged."

Check out the entire article at Free Nation.

In Their Own Words:

Dahr Jamail received this letter from an Iraqi who asked him to pass it on to the American people:
"From an Iraqi citizen to the American people:

"We always have thought that you are citizens; away from the savageness which controls many people in the world because you suffered from the injustice of your own occupation more than two hundred and fifty years ago. Therefore, you picked up weapons against the occupiers until you forced him to go out of your state which was a great victory for you.

"Naturally, this occupier was giving unreasonable justifications for his stay in your country. Like any occupation, no country ever admit that they occupy some land but always says that they are a liberator of the people who are then unable to govern themselves and so on…

"Such reasons cannot change the origin of occupation.

"Nowadays, your army is occupying our homeland, destroying our homes and killing our men, women, and our children. The occupation is leaving this country full of chaos to the point we are now facing so many disasters, including suffering from looting and robbery.

"Sudden attacks and cruel murders have been perpetrated by your army who then prevent all people from submitting judicial complaints. This encourages all soldiers to kill thoughtlessly without any threat of trial.

"We have seen our Holy Quran desecrated by soldiers, but you continue to say your soldiers do not do what the Mogul and Barbarians did in the lands they occupied.

"Your soldiers did many immoral acts but your government leaders have done even more.

"We, the Iraqi people, do not put the responsibility of this on your shoulders because you are a people and not your government. But when the people have a decision in the fate of their country and decide to go in a direction which only benefits the government, this means that the people are satisfied with their governments’ actions.

"When you elected Mr. Bush for the second time, this was a declaration from you of being satisfied with all his acts in violation of the holiness of a state which shares a place with yours in the United Nations Security Council

"Has the age of occupation returned back to a place where agreements and treaties and international laws which forbid aggression are useless? When the people who chose to defend their land and reject the occupier are then described by your government as a terrorist? How long have you heard that an occupation which continues will have no resistance against it? Do you refer to the patriots of your own country as terrorists in your history books?

"Have you ever heard that there is a peaceful occupation? One that ended in victory for the occupier?

"American people, please remember the land of Iraq and remember the Iraqi people and think of yourselves as if you were in our place. In this way you will realize what Iraqis suffer.

"I am an Iraqi who bears no grudge against any person all over the world. We simply wish that other people may realize our suffering now, especially the people who do not support their thoughtless governments and their aggressive acts. For the people who support these corrupted governments will be responsible for them, and history will hold them responsible for allowing this tragedy to have occurred.

"This will be a shame on their ancestors who will not be able to hide this black page of history.

"Thank to the American people for listening attentively, and I am wishing you reasonableness and the ability to comprehend the truth".

Screaming For a Caption

He Doesn't Pay Attention To Polls

But I like this one.

The ABC News/Washington Post poll showed that 51 percent of Americans disapprove of the two-term president's overall performance, with 40 percent strongly disapproving.
Comparatively, former president Bill Clinton's highest strong disapproval rating peaked at 33 percent in 1994, while the strong disapproval rating for Bush's father George H.W. Bush reached 34 percent in 1992, according to the poll.

Yesterday at a WH Press briefing, a reporter asked Scottie: "But why is public support dropping so much?"

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, we're a nation at war, and war is something that is very tough. It is tough to see the images of violence on the screens of our televisions. The terrorists, all they can do is try to -- as Secretary Rumsfeld and General Abizaid talked about yesterday, all they can do is seek to grab headlines by spreading their destruction and fear and violence and attacking innocent civilians. They have no vision to offer, they have no alternative to offer the Iraqi people. All they seek to do is spread an ideology of hatred and oppression.

And so when you see those images on your TV screens, people are rightly disturbed by those images...

Has anyone seen grizzly war images on their television screens? I haven't.

Luckily Scottie reminded us of that fateful day in 2001 that we Americans keep forgetting about, in order to get us ready for his boss's speech tonight:

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think if you go back to September 11th -- remember, on September 11th the threats of the 21st century were brought to our shores. We saw in a very clear way the threats that we face on that day.

And the President said shortly after the attacks of September 11th that this is a long struggle that we're going to be in, that this is a different kind of war, one which we have never seen before. And we do face a determined and ruthless enemy, an enemy that has no regard for innocent human life. That's the nature of the enemy that we're up against. That's the nature of the enemy that the President will be talking about in his remarks tomorrow night.

And the President made it clear after September 11th that some will want us to grow complacent and forget about, or put the attacks off as a distant memory. But it does require patience and resolve to see this struggle through to the end. We have no option but to defeat the terrorists, and the terrorists will be defeated.

I keep forgetting that we are blowing up Iraq because we were attacked on 9/11. Silly me.
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Chinese Government Emulates American Government--Underreports Death Tolls

Subtitle: Who Leads In The Race To Kill Humans--Disease or George?

BEIJING -- "Avian flu has killed 5,000 wild birds in China's northwest, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, five times the number previously reported by the Chinese government". AP/Wash.Post story here.

"US military personnel who died in German hospitals or en route to German hospitals have not previously been counted. They total about 6,210 as of 1 January, 2005". That story by Brian Harring is here.

In Case You Needed Proof We're Losing The War In Iraq...

"After weeks of delicate negotiation involving a former Iraqi minister and senior tribal leaders, a small group of insurgent commanders apparently came face to face with four American officials seeking to establish a dialogue with the men they regard as their enemies".

The complete article is at International Clearing House.

Apparently, we're not losing the Colombian war as evidenced by these comments:

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Colombia's main leftist rebel group offered on Monday to swap three kidnapped American defense contractors for two guerrilla leaders jailed in the United States, but the U.S. government immediately rejected the proposal".

You can read the AP article here.

Oh They DID plan for after the war

Patricia sent this to me from Dahr Jamail Dispatch:

"Herbert Docena, researcher with the group 'Focus on the Global South'
who has studied Iraq's reconstruction and political transition pointed to the economic and political forces behind the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

”As early as February 2003, the U.S. had finished drafting what the Wall Street Journal called 'sweeping plans to remake Iraq's economy in the US's image',” Docena said. ”Just as the U.S. bombed out and physically obliterated almost all of Iraq's ministries, the plan entails the repeal of almost all of its current laws and the dismantling of its existing institutions, except those that already fit in with the U.S. design.”

PoP: Guess there was some planning for after the war, but not the kind that was needed.
Liz: Ah... we're playing god!
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New Rule: No Ten Commandments In Courthouses

Today a split Supreme Court struck down Ten Commandments displays in courthouses Monday, ruling that two exhibits in Kentucky cross the line between separation of church and state because they promote a religious message. I agree.

Honestly, the 10 commandments don't have a hell of a lot to do with our laws... humans would have figured out the difference between good and bad without the bible. Why judges felt the need to post a religious statement at their courthouses still beats me. Perhaps they felt that the threat of hell fire would be a better deterrent than jail... I don't know. I covered this stuff at length previously and analyzed the biblical chapters that refer to the 10 Commandments and cross posted it at "Was Blind But Now I See".

The funny part is that if America really adopted the "You shall not covet" commandment, our economy would collapse.

UPDATE: Oh wait, you CAN display the 10 Commandments on government land but NOT in court. Here are the details... and they are very vague.
AND
A 6-foot-granite monument on the grounds of the Texas Capitol — one of 17 historical displays on the 22-acre lot — was determined to be a legitimate tribute to the nation's legal and religious history.
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I Didn't Like Her Anyway

Judith Miller faces jail time.
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Good Morning and See Ya Later

Mr. Pop and I will be away for a couple of days. He will be doing Mr. Pop work and I will be having fun and chilling for a bit.

While I’m away, I want you guys to please be sweet to one another. See you later in the week.


I’ll leave you with Dahr Jamail’s most recent report:

"The jury of conscience has just released its recommendations after the culminating session of the World Tribunal on Iraq came to its conclusion. I’ll post the news story I wrote on this later, which will provide more details.

"I will add now, as a preface to a letter I received just now from an Iraqi who asked me to pass it on to the American people, that the jury made the following recommendations:

"The recommendations made by the jury included the demand for an immediate, unconditional withdraw of all occupation forces, the governments of the coalition to pay full compensation to Iraqis for any and all damages, and that all laws, contracts, treaties and institutions created under the occupation that Iraqi people deem harmful or un-useful to them be banished.

"Other recommendations included immediate investigations of crimes against humanity for Mr. George Bush, Tony Blair, and every other president of countries belonging to the coalition. In addition, the jury called for a process of accountability to begin to bring justice to journalists and media outlets that lied and promoted the violence against Iraq, as well as including corporations who have profited from the war".

Go here Iraq Dispatches to read the rest.

The US: We are NOT as bad as Nazi's, Pol Pot or Stalin

“They’re living in the tropics. They’re well fed. They’ve got everything they could possibility want,” said Dick Cheney about Gitmo, called America's Gulag by Amnesty International. Why he and Lush Bimbo make Gitmo sound so fabulous that senior citizens who are eating dog food should be begging for admission.

When Dick Durbin said "If I read this to you, and did not tell you that it was an FBI agent describing what Americans had done to prisoners in their control, you would most certainly believe this must have been done by the Nazis, Soviets in their gulags or some mad regime--Pol Pot or others--that had no concern for human beings," right wingers went insane.

How could any American use the word Nazi when describing something as American as torture? Most people had to go to the internets and look up Pol Pot but they knew that we couldn't possibly be anything like the Nazi's because we haven't killed 6 million Jews yet. The wingers went insane over Durbin's last comparison comment ... but you see it didn't matter one bit what the FBI man described. Wingers simply do not care about torture because you know the drill, "We were attacked on 9/11 and we can do anything we want now. Fuck you."

"Our men and women in uniform go out of their way to treat detainees humanely, and they go out of their way to uphold the values and the laws that we hold so dear in this country," McClellan said.

Well then who are the people who are "not being all that nice" to the prisoners if they are not our men and women in uniform?

When I read that Congress had nothing better to do than to come up with an amendment that bans flag burning, I got an overwhelming urge to burn a flag. I have never wanted to do that before, but for some reason, now that it will become a crime so serious that they had to make an amendment banning it because nothing else is really very important these days, I just can't seem to get the thought out of my head. I do hope that they will take this all the way and ban all graven images of the stars and stripes because those on the verge of death on 9/11 would have wanted it that way.

Last week bush's brain declared to the NY Conservative Party: that "Liberals saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for our attackers." Conservatives, he said, "saw the savagery of 9/11 and the attacks and prepared for war."

Democrats went nuts this time. They most certainly did not offer therapy. Liberals I know didn't offer therapy either. From what I remember, the US went marching off to Afghanistan by October and I didn't hear Democratic politicians screaming about that. For me, everything Rove said was very telling. He implied that conservatives are hot headed pricks, the Joe Pesci's of 'Goodfellas', who shoot first and think later... maybe. Don't apologize Karl. Your point was well taken.
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Sea Turtle in a Swimming Pool or Just Another Saturday at My House

About an hour ago, Mr. Pop got a call informing him that a green sea turtle (link for neat photo) crawled out of the Atlantic Ocean last night to dig her nest cavity and lay her eggs beneath the sand of the beach. There was a small problem. She crawled onto the beach, over the dune and into the back area of a beachfront condominium There she proceeded to lumber through a gap in the fence surrounding the condo’s swimming pool and then she plunged into the swimming pool. Not knowing how to use the steps she remains there in the pool. Mr. Pop is on his way to pick up a net and then to rescue the damsel in distress. I believe he said that the turtle nested in the sand near the pool before she took her dip.

Ha Ha! Mr. Pop thought the biggest thing facing him this morning was mowing our yard. “A sexually mature green sea turtle weighs 200-350 pounds with a carapace length of 2.5 feet. Adults grow to a carapace length of 3.5 feet and weigh an average of 400 pounds.” (link)

I’ll let you know how this all works out and hopefully there will be pictures that I can share. All the local media folks are scrambling to get their share of the excitement.

College Republicans Channel Themselves to Iraq War

(Or Tiffanee is Just Begging for a Snarking)


Well I tell you what, things are a lot different this morning. Strange things are happening.

First we find that young college Republicans are channeling combat from home. Okay, yeah, it requires drinking a couple of gallons of cheap beer first, but it can happen.

Here’s an example of the channeling from Crooks and Liars (Link):

"I physically probably couldn't do a whole lot" in Iraq, said Tiffanee Hokel, 18, of Webster City, Iowa, who called the war a moral imperative. She knows people posted in Iraq, but she didn't flinch when asked why she wouldn't go. "I think I could do more here," Hokel said, adding that she's focusing on political action that supports the war and the troops.

"We don't have to be there physically to fight it," she said.

Now stop laughing, I think Miss Hokel (and yes, her last name doesn’t help her case) is dead serious. She can stay here in the states and do a whole hell of a lot to stop the insurgency in Iraq. She’s cheap to keep too. No uniform, no MREs, no bandages, no up-armored vehicle required and no chance of a flag draped coffin in her future. Okay, there is the expense of the cheap beer, (link) but there is also “moral imperative”. Miss Hokel feels that she "physically probably couldn’t do a whole lot" in Iraq. Bless her heart, she has so little self-confidence. Sure you could, Tiffanee. You would make lovely cannon fodder just like all the rest. If you were in Iraq you could get a real camouflage suit. You and your pals wouldn’t have to buy the fake stuff they sell at the mall. You can do it Tiffanee--we believe in you--and don’t forget the “moral imperative”. That sounds so much nicer than "war", doesn’t it?

Yes, Miss Hokel is a warrior not amongst warriors, unless of course you count her fellow Yellow Elephants.

We need more battlefield photos of these young Republicans as they virtually wage their battle against those who hate our virtual and sadly disappearing freedom. They are staging now from a convention hall. The troops are ready for combat, a bit tipsy perhaps, but shit happens.

While Miss Hokel is engaged in virtual combat, "Washington has for the first time acknowledged to the United Nations that prisoners have been tortured at US detention centers in Guantanamo Bay, as well as Afghanistan and Iraq, a UN source said."(Link) Miss Hokel doesn’t have to worry about being taken prisoner by the enemy since she’s pretty safe at the mall on most days. There’s not been a lot of combat action reported from The Gap front. But ya’ never know. Enemy insurgents could storm the sale rack and buy up all the peasant blouses. You gotta stay on top of everything these days.

To make matters a bit worse, if that’s possible, “An Italian judge has ordered the arrest of 13 officers and operatives of the CIA on charges that they seized an Egyptian cleric on a Milan street two years ago and flew him to Egypt for questioning, Italian prosecutors and investigators said Friday.” (Link) Oops. CIA gets caught with thirteen fingers in the Italian cookie jar. How do you say criminals in Italian?

So as Miss Hokel and her buds sweat and pee, but never bleed in their pretend war, all hell is breaking out in the real world. Nice work, young Repulsive-icons college kiddos. Just keep doing the dirty work of promoting the war and drinking cheap-ass beer. I’m sure the men and women who are ACTUALLY SERVING IN THE MILITARY appreciate your efforts as you are “focusing on political action that supports the war and the troops”. When the, for real don’t cha know, soldiers are dodging bullets in 112 degree temperature in a land where most people hate their guts, I’m sure it makes life easier for them just knowing that a group of college kids are comfortably, virtually, fighting along with them from the comfort of home. And like Miss Hokel said, “We don't have to be there physically to fight it.” Ain’t it the truth Miss Hokel, ain’t it the truth. I for one appreciate your service, especially your lip service which is just as transparent as your dedication. Carry on, soldier.

You Simply Must Hear This

Today the author of the Hillary bashing book, Ed Klein was on Air America with Al Franken and Joe Conason. Man you should have heard Al and Joe question him. From what I could gather, the book is based on hearsay and the author had no intention of checking to see if what he wrote was in fact true. Crooks and Liars has the audio. Yay!

Once again, the Associated Press shows its prejudice.

The headline reads: "Female U.S. Marines Ambushed in Iraq".
Notice the "triggering" words: "Female" "Ambushed" designed to enflame the emotions?

The story's here.

The Day America Died

By DOUG THOMPSON

"America as a free nation died Thursday. Death came without mercy at the hands of the United States Supreme Court which ruled, in a split 5-4 decision, that a city has the right to steal an American citizen’s property without due course and turn it over to private developers.

"Death came to America after a prolonged period of life support. The United States has, for too long, been in a persistent vegetative state, brought on by a government that has abandoned the protections once guaranteed by the Constitution. The Bush administration, using fear of terrorism as a political sledgehammer, has stripped Americans of the right to counsel, the right to privacy and threatened even freedom of expression by suggesting that anyone who dares disagree with Dubya’s extremist right-wing views is a traitor to the flag".

Read the rest at Capitol Hill Blue.

Another Voice

Kristen Breitweiser writes Karl Rove’s “Understanding of 9/11”
“More to the point, Karl when you say, “Conservatives saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and prepared for war,” what exactly did you do to prepare for your war? Did your preparations include: sound intelligence to warrant your actions; a reasonable entry and exit strategy coupled with a coherent plan to carry out that strategy; the proper training and equipment for the troops you were sending in to fight your war? Did you follow the advice of experts such as General Shinseki who correctly advised you about the troop levels needed to actually succeed in Iraq? No, you didn't.”

Read it all

Proof That Liberals Are What Karl Rove Said They Are

by Ken "Help, I'm Stuck In the Closet and Can't Get Out" Mehlman

WASHINGTON, June 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- "It's outrageous that the same Democrats who stood by Dick Durbin's libeling of our military are now expressing faux outrage over Karl Rove's statement of historical fact. George Soros, Michael Moore, MoveOn and the hard left were wrong after 9/11, just as it was wrong for Democrat leaders to stand by and remain silent after Dick Durbin made his deplorable comments." (RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman)

Then the newswire goes on to PROVE that liberals are weenies... or whatever...

Liberal Third Party Groups Urged Restraint, Blamed America:

Immediately After 9/11, MoveOn.Org Petition Urged "Moderation And Restraint" And Use Of "International Judicial Institutions."

-- "We, The Undersigned, Citizens And Residents Of The United States Of America ... Appeal To The President Of The United States, George W. Bush ... And To All Leaders Internationally To Use Moderation And Restraint In Responding To The Recent Terrorist Attacks Against The United States." (MoveOn.Org Website, "MoveOn Peace,"

http://web.archive.org/web/20021127190638/peace.moveon.org/petition.php3, Posted 9/13/01, Accessed 6/23/05)

-- "We Implore The Powers That Be To Use, Wherever Possible, International Judicial Institutions And International Human Rights Law To Bring To Justice Those Responsible For The Attacks, Rather Than The Instruments Of War, Violence Or Destruction." (MoveOn.Org Website, "MoveOn Peace,"

http://web.archive.org/web/20021127190638/peace.moveon.org/petition.php3, Posted 9/13/01, Accessed 6/23/05)

-- "(W)e Demand That There Be No Recourse To Nuclear, Chemical Or Biological Weapons, Or Any Weapons Of Indiscriminate Destruction, And Feel That It Is Our Inalienable Human Right To Live In A World Free Of Such Arms." (MoveOn.Org Website, "MoveOn Peace,"

http://web.archive.org/web/20021127190638/peace.moveon.org/petition.php3, Posted 9/13/01, Accessed 6/23/05)

Just After 9/11, Liberal Filmmaker Michael Moore Derided "Terror And Bloodshed" Committed By Americans. (David Brooks, Op-Ed, "All Hail Moore," The New York Times, 6/26/04)

-- Just After 9/11, Moore Blamed America's "Taxpayer-Funded Terrorism" And Bush Administration For Terrorist Attacks. "We abhor terrorism - unless we're the ones doing the terrorizing. We paid and trained and armed a group of terrorists in Nicaragua in the 1980s who killed over 30,000 civilians. That was OUR work. You and me....Let's mourn, let's grieve, and when it's appropriate let's examine our contribution to the unsafe world we live in." (Michael Moore Website Archive, "Death, Downtown," Posted 9/12/01, http://www.michaelmoore.com, Accessed 7/27/04)

Notice how they used the internets to back up their thesis. You can read the whole thang here .
Anyway, I don't see what is wrong with the PROOF that many people wanted the government to act with restraint. It's not like we were invaded by a country... and on 9/12 and 9/13, there was no proof of who was responsible. Is it supposed to be a bad thing that not all Americans are trigger happy?
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Liberal Soldiers Fight and Die too, Mr. Rove

Perhaps Mr. Rove believes all American soldiers are conservatives. When he made his callous remarks about the differences in liberals and conservatives, he failed to exclude the liberal soldier. He also failed to exclude the liberal soldier’s family. Mr. Rove made a large mistake because he apparently forgot that liberal soldiers bleed and die in war just like conservative soldiers do.

What does the family of the liberal soldier feel when they read that Mr. Rove said, "Liberals saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for our attackers," and "Conservatives saw the savagery of 9/11 and the attacks and prepared for war."? What does the liberal soldier feel when he reads those words?

Mr. Rove said, "Conservatives saw what happened to us on 9/11 and said we will defeat our enemies. Liberals saw what happened to us and said we must understand our enemies." What does that say to the liberal soldier and to his family back home?

While many conservatives are quick to object to anything they deem to be unpatriotic or not supportive of our troops, will they object now? Now that Mr. Rove has said what he did about liberals, will the conservatives attack him for being unpatriotic because he made such statements about liberal soldiers? Will they demand an apology from Mr. Rove? Will they point out that such statements by Mr. Rove play into the hands of our enemy and undercut our soldiers’ determination? Will they object to some of our soldiers being described as liberals who "saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for our attackers"? We’ll see.

When Mr. Rove made his statements about his perception of liberals and conservatives he forgot to take into consideration that there is a war going on. While he berates liberals, liberal soldiers are dying in the war that is being fought for fabricated reasons. Those fabricated reasons were created by conservatives who "saw the savagery of 9/11 and the attacks and prepared for war." They prepared for a war that included liberals and conservatives, Mr. Rove.

Rove Says He Knows About the Motives of Liberals and He Sucks!

"Liberals saw the savagery of the 9/11 attacks and wanted to prepare indictments and offer therapy and understanding for our attackers," Rove said. "Conservatives saw the savagery of 9/11 and the attacks and prepared for war."
-Karl Rove-

And he also said
“Conservatives saw what happened to us on 9/11 and said we will defeat our enemies. Liberals saw what happened to us and said we must understand our enemies."

Rove also denounced Sen. Dick Durbin's comments comparing interrogation at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp to the methods of Nazis and other repressive regimes. He said the statements have been broadcast throughout the Middle East, putting American troops in greater danger. Durbin has since apologized for the remarks.

"No more needs to be said about the motives of liberals," Rove said.”

So that’s it huh? The attacks of 9-11 gave them the excuse to go to war? Sure sounds like it.

He insinuates, and not lightly, that liberals are the enemy of the United States and our troops. Can we slap him with a defamation of character lawsuit? Can we just slap the hell out of him?

This is a despicable comment coming from Rove and HE OWES LIBERALS AN APPOLOGY, NOW!

Call the white house and tell them so! 202-456-1111
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Local Governments May Seize Homes and Businesses

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that local governments may seize people's homes and businesses — even against their will — for private economic development.

“It was a decision fraught with huge implications for a country with many areas, particularly the rapidly growing urban and suburban areas, facing countervailing pressures of development and property ownership rights.

The 5-4 ruling represented a defeat for some Connecticut residents whose homes are slated for destruction to make room for an office complex.

They argued that cities have no right to take their land except for projects with a clear public use, such as roads or schools, or to revitalize blighted areas.

As a result, cities now have wide power to bulldoze residences for projects such as shopping malls and hotel complexes in order to generate tax revenue.”

More

Jesse says it for me and probably for you too

“TVNL Editor's Comments: Yesterday all 3 cable news networks aired live the entire press conference held by the parents of the Boy Scout who was missing and has been found. They also covered the second live press conference later in the day. In contrast none of these networks covered a single minute of the Downing Street Memo hearings involving 104 members of Congress.

News? This is of national interest? How do you think the parents feel? They feel great. Do we need to know more? Do we need any details at all? Do we need live and immediate coverage of this information as it unfolds or would a summarized report suffice? This story belongs in the bylines, not in the headlines and it surely does not merit complete live national coverage. The on-scene reporters keep asking questions. It is like they are finally getting to play reporter. It is comical to watch. Too bad they can not practice their skills on real news stories. Think about it! – Jesse,”

Check out TVNewsLIES You might also want to sign up for his daily newsletter too.

Folks, it doesn’t get any better than this

“An honest conversation” by Steve Gilliard

It’s honest and it’s real. Warning, you may cry.
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DSM Updates

While the right continues to pretend that the Downing Street Memo means nothing, it seems to be getting an awful lot of attention... even negative attention is attention... Watergate started as a trickle.

- Scott Ritter suggests that the war in Iran has already started, much like the war in Iraq started before it was declared. Interesting read.


- Robert Steinbeck of the Miami Herald suggests that Americans are inching closer to a reckoning: "The American public is inching tentatively toward a reckoning unlike any this nation has ever experienced. The oh-so-clever Bush administration strategists and their quasi-media acolytes, who have kept the reckoning at bay with a deft combination of we're-at-war patriotic fervor and fear-the-evil-liberals rhetoric, are running out of parlor tricks."

- And check out this interview with Sam Gardiner, a War College professor. (I didn't know there was a war college.) I watched something on the Science Discovery Channel about how the government controls the masses just yesterday. I thought all that stuff was conspiracy theory but it isn't. Luckily they can't brainwash all of us.

Gardiner: In the summer of 2003, we know from the Downing Street Memo that the Administration was talking about justifying a war by arguing that Iraq was the nexus of terrorism and WMD.

The terrorism argument was what propaganda literature would refer to as the big lie. The Administration’s objective was to make enough arguments connecting Iraq to terrorism and Bin Laden that the American people would believe Iraq was behind the 9/11 attacks. They used a technique called the excluded middle. Iraq supports terrorists. The attacks were by terrorists. Iraq must been behind the 9/11 attacks.

Thanks to Shakespeare's Sister, The Big Brass Alliance and Afterdowningstreet.org

Okay, it’s a little off color but what the hell?

Here’s your smile for today, just incase you haven’t found one yet.

Three women, one German, one Japanese and a Hillbilly, were sitting naked in a sauna.

Suddenly there was a beeping sound. The German pressed her forearm and the beep stopped. The others looked at her questioningly. “That was my pager”, she said. “I have a microchip under the skin of my arm.”

A few minutes later, a phone rang. The Japanese woman lifted her palm to her ear. When she finished, she explained, “That was my mobile phone. I have a microchip in my hand.”

The Hillbilly woman felt decidedly low tech. Not to be outdone, she decided she had to do something just as impressive. She stepped out of the sauna and went to the bathroom. She returned with a piece of toilet paper hanging from her behind. The others raised their eyebrows and stared at her.

The Hillbilly woman finally said, “Well, will you look at that. I’m getting’ a fax.”

I must thank Idgie over at Fried Green Tomatoes. I swiped that joke from her while she was out tending her tomato garden.
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Save Our Flag

Regarding the amendment to ban flag burning, because the House must have nothing better to than create smoke screens, Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham, R-Calif. decided to politicize 9/11 once again as Republicans who support the war like to do even though they are talking out of their asses and no one in NY would think of this... not even NY Republicans such as myself: "Ask the men and women who stood on top of the Trade Center... Ask them and they will tell you: pass this amendment."

"Pass this amendment. Don't burn our flag. Oh God No!"

.... oh yes, I am certain that the folks who died at the WTC on 9/11 were thinking of the fucking flag as they faced their death. I think of the flag every day. Not. Most of the New Yorkers I have spoken to who watched the 9/11 disaster live on television were thinking, "What the fuck did bush do to cause this! I'm getting the hell out of here!"
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Wives should be doing all the chores so the man can make more money

Oh my gawd, according to Britain's Institute for Social and Economic Research, it's scientifically proven and economical for us ladies to stay home and do all the chores while our man goes off to work. You see, if he doesn't have to worry about household stuff, he can focus more on his job, which of course is more important than anything else. A married man, assuming his wife is devoted to housewifery full time, can earn up to 3% more than his single counterpart, assuming that the single counterpart actually does all his chores and doesn't live with his mother.

I feel so guilty now.

Not.
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Pentagon Creating Student Database

The article says,

"The Defense Department began working yesterday with a private marketing firm to create a database of high school students ages 16 to 18 and all college students to help the military identify potential recruits in a time of dwindling enlistment in some branches..."

...The new database will include personal information including birth dates, Social Security numbers, e-mail addresses, grade-point averages, ethnicity and what subjects the students are studying...

...Some information on high school students already is given to military recruiters in a separate program under provisions of the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act..."

The article also explains how dangerous it is for the DoD to gather SS#'s because of the problem with identity theft. Privacy advocates are livid.

Well I certainly hope that the College Republicans are all contacted first. The people who should be recruited are those who support this cluster fuck that bush started. They shouldn't pick on our children who haven't even had a chance to grow up yet. How cruel and barbaric. Recruit people from 35-55 who voted for this evil war monger and his minions. Take 'em all. Take Ann Cutler and Michelle Mannequin, put Lush Bimbo on the front lines along with Insanity and O'Lielly. I'll go to Iraq before they can take my kid. But I won't go unless bush fights beside me.
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Rep. Cunningham instructs House to channel 9-11 victims

During the debate yesterday regarding a constitutional amendment to outlaw flag burning, the following comment was made.

"Ask the men and women who stood on top of the Trade Center," said Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham, R-Calif. "Ask them and they will tell you: pass this amendment."

What the hell was this guy thinking? Did he run that comment by his brain before he said it out loud?

I didn’t make it up, you can read it right here at Yahoo News.

"Cruel and Unusual" by Bob Herbert

Writing today about Jeb’s bizarre actions
NY Times (link)

“Eleven days before she died, Tom DeLay declared: "Terri Schiavo is not brain dead. She talks and she laughs, and she expresses happiness and discomfort. Terri Schiavo is not on life support."

Senator Tom Coburn, a Republican and a physician from Oklahoma, said: "All you have to do is look at her on TV. Any doctor with any conscience can look at her and know that she does not have a terminal disease and know that she has some function."

Speaking of brain damage, uh, Hello?

Read all of Mr. Herbert’s op-ed piece and rest assured that we’re not the only ones who think this is just so wrong. Bernie McCabe, the state attorney for Pinellas County doesn’t appear to be enthusiastically into this endeavor either.

More of the "Last Throes" and A Training Ground for Future Throes

Everyone remembers Dick Cheney’s comment about the insurgents being in their "last throes". Then there was the reporter who asked Scottie how long a throe lasts. Well, looks to me like the "last throes" have the potential to last a long time; too long. As of last night, 32 more innocent Iraqis are no longer in their last death throes.

"BAGHDAD, IRAQ - Four car bombs exploded at dusk Wednesday, killing at least 23 people, including sidewalk diners and passengers at a bus station. The coordinated attacks served as a chilling reminder of how potent militants remain in the capital despite around-the-clock American and Iraqi troop patrols.

"In all, at least 32 people were killed across Iraq, including a prominent Sunni law professor assassinated by gunmen. Jassim al-Issawi was a former judge who put his name forward at one point to join the committee drafting Iraq's constitution. The assassination appeared aimed at intimidating Sunni Arabs willing to join Iraq's efforts to create a stable political system".

More at The Houston Chronicle.

Training Ground for Last Throes? Mr. Cheney might have it all wrong. The insurgents appear to be in the throes of birth, not death.

Iraq is now a terrorist training ground, CIA says:

"A classified report from the U.S. spy agency says Iraqi and foreign fighters are developing a broad range of deadly skills, from car bombings and assassinations to tightly coordinated conventional attacks on police and military targets, the official said.

"Once the insurgency ends, Islamic militants are likely to disperse as highly organized battle-hardened combatants capable of operating throughout the Arab-speaking world and in other regions including Europe.

"Fighters leaving Iraq would primarily pose a challenge for their countries of origin including Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

"But the May report, which has been widely circulated in the intelligence community, also cites a potential threat to the United States".

Yahoo News (link)

Pentagon Creating Student Database

Recruiting Tool For Military Raises Privacy Concerns
Wash. Post (link)
"The Defense Department began working yesterday with a private marketing firm to create a database of high school students ages 16 to 18 and all college students to help the military identify potential recruits in a time of dwindling enlistment in some branches.

"The program is provoking a furor among privacy advocates. The new database will include personal information including birth dates, Social Security numbers, e-mail addresses, grade-point averages, ethnicity and what subjects the students are studying."

Please read the rest of the article

I'm in favor of this if it will also be a crime for the president of the United States to wipe his ass with a copy of the Constitution

WASHINGTON (AP) -- "The House on Wednesday approved a constitutional amendment that would give Congress the power to ban desecration of the American flag, a measure that for the first time stands a chance of passing the Senate as well".

You can read the rest at:
Dumshits outnumber halfwits

South Asia Heat Wave Kills At Least 375

By Nita Bhalla

BOMBAY (Reuters) - "At least 375 people have died from sunstroke and dehydration in a month-long heat wave sweeping India, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as South Asia endures one of its hottest summers on record, authorities said.

"Temperatures hit 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in some parts of South Asia this week, parching fields, emptying dams and drying river beds ahead of the annual monsoon.

"Freak weather extended as far as northern China, where the heat set off explosives at a chemical plant in Shanxi province that injured hundreds".

Here's the rest:

Science Under Siege By Bushistas

And the ACLU is fed up. Good. So am I. What alarms me most is that our schools must suck so much more than I ever thought, with so many Americans rejecting science. It almost reeks of a conspiracy.

"Academic freedom and scientific inquiry have come under sustained assault since September 11, 2001. Spurred by misguided and often disingenuous security concerns, the Bush Administration has sought to impose growing restrictions on the free flow of scientific information, unreasonable barriers to the use of scientific materials, and increased monitoring of and restrictions on foreign university students." ACLU Website

Read the executive summary here (PDF).
Read the report here (PDF).
Read the press release.
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Obstructionist and Damned Proud of It!

Last night on Hardball, Rove referred to Democrats as “obstructionist”, over and over. He used it in such a way as to insinuate that anyone who was an obstructionist should be regarded as someone who was an enemy to the country.

My dictionary defines obstructionist as “one who obstructs progress”. Nothing wrong with that.

You see, not all progress is good and not all obstructions are bad. Crossing a railroad track just as the train is approaching is not a good idea. That’s why the crossbars come down, to obstruct your progress and prevent you from being hit by a train. The obstruction of your progress by the crossbars saves your life. See, there are times when obstructions may prevent a negative outcome. And, there are times when further progress could be deadly.

I don’t mind being called an obstructionist. There is nothing wrong with trying to prevent our country from heading into a train wreck. I believe as Democrats we should all embrace the term “obstructionist”, and be proud and willing to stand up against the progress of anything that we believe to be detrimental to our country. Be an obstructionist, and be damned proud of it.

Bad Genes. Good Genes

Interesting story about Political Leanings And Genetics at the Seattle Post Intelligencer. A study says that your party affiliation has to do with your upbringing in most cases while your political leanings are genetic.

Political scientists have long held that people's upbringing and experience determine their political views....

But on the basis of a new study, a team of political scientists is arguing that people's gut-level reaction to issues such as the death penalty, taxes and abortion is strongly influenced by genetic inheritance....

Environmental influences such as upbringing, the study suggests, play a more central role in party affiliation as a Democrat or Republican, much as they do in a person's affiliation with a sports team.

I'm a left leaning registered republican who never voted Republican. My relatives and family are right leaning Republicans who only voted for JFK because he was Catholic. The relatives are wealthy overachievers. I was adopted, was an underachiever but I had the good genes... and I inherited their money. heh
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Jeb Shows His Ignorance, Again

Palm Beach Post (link):

"Gov. Jeb Bush made clear his opposition to using embryonic stem cells for medical research as scientists gathering Tuesday for the world's largest biotechnology convention said stem cells could provide cures for a variety of diseases.

"I think taking a life to create a life is a huge contradiction morally," Bush said during a visit to BIO 2005."

Well yeah Jeb, it would be “a huge contradiction” if that were the plan, which it isn’t. It might be helpful to know your subject before giving your opinion. No one has proposed “taking a life to create a life”. The hope is that with research using embryonic stem cells we will be able to improve and prolong the lives of suffering, already existing, human beings.

Meanwhile, The Real Story:

"Two Boca Raton teens living with juvenile diabetes urged members of Congress Tuesday to support stem-cell research, which they said could lead to a cure for their disease.

"Samantha Stevens, 15, and Zach Ullman, 17, were among 150 other children who have juvenile diabetes who lobbied for research money. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation sponsored the event."

The article continues in the Palm Beach Post:

Just When Florida Thought it Couldn’t Get Worse, It Could!

"Randall Terry, the anti-abortion activist who was a prominent voice in the losing battle to keep Terri Schiavo alive, said Tuesday he's going ahead with a Republican primary challenge of state Sen. Jim King in northeast Florida.

"King drew the ire of social conservatives this year when he and eight other Republican senators blocked legislation that aimed to reconnect Schiavo's feeding tube. Terry was spokesman for Schiavo's parents, who wanted their brain-damaged daughter to continue receiving nutrition." More:

The Mystery Continues

By Bob Kemper
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (AJ-C link)(free registration)
Published on: 06/21/05

Washington — "Ralph Reed won't be in the Senate hearing room Wednesday. But the role the Republican candidate for Georgia lieutenant governor played in blocking gambling in Alabama six years ago will be examined closely in the Senate Indian Affairs Committee's third hearing into whether Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff defrauded six casino-operating Indian tribes.

"Three leaders of the Choctaw tribe of Mississippi will headline the hearing, the committee announced Monday. Several associates of Abramoff and his partner, Michael Scanlon, are scheduled to testify, but Reed isn't among the listed witnesses.

"The Choctaw tribe, an Abramoff client, is at the center of a controversy over whether Abramoff, Reed and Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, used proceeds from the Choctaws' casino to fund opposition to a state lottery and video poker machines in neighboring Alabama that threatened the Choctaws' gambling monopoly in the area.

"The Choctaws had paid Abramoff $7 million since 1995, in part, to help quash competition.

"At the request of Abramoff, the Mississippi Indians sent $1.15 million to Norquist's anti-tax group, Americans for Tax Reform, in Washington.

"Norquist then sent most of that money on to anti-gambling groups in Alabama that, with help from Reed, defeated the state lottery in 1999 and video poker machines in 2000.

"The Alabama groups, including the Christian Coalition's state chapter, turned the money over to Reed and his company, Century Strategies, to pay for the campaign and his consulting services. Reed and the Choctaws said the money used to pay for the Alabama campaigns came from the tribe's nongambling revenue.

"The Indian Affairs Committee, led by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), also is examining Reed's role in shutting down Indian casinos in Texas under a similar arrangement with Abramoff. Reed has said he was unaware that the Texas campaign, which targeted the Tigua Indians in El Paso and another Indian casino near Houston, was funded with gambling proceeds".

(I believe this will be on c-span today.)

the really, really important issues

There is war, poverty, pollution, and all kinds of terrible, important controversies out there, but I want to redirect your attention to exactly where it belongs: Me.

My students are confounded by the prospect that someone can discuss issues facing gays and lesbians and not be one herself. It doesn't matter that I am not or if I am, but one student was really, really worried about it.

Last night I was discussing the full faith and credit clause of the U.S. Constitution and its implications for gay/lesbian/same sex partners and marriage. I was discussing how if a couple is married in VT/MA that couple is married in all 50 states. I had discussed earlier how Lawrence v. Texas came down on the side of privacy in the bedroom and that the government should not be interested in what consenting adults do in their beds.

One student said, well doesn't that mean that two men could marry and then have wives, too? And I said no, that would be bigamy. Why would they want to have a wife? I am married to my husband and I can't be married to another person at the same time.

My student looked me in the eye before every other student in the room and asked me, "Are you a lesbian?"

I said, "What?"

He said, "Are you a lesbian?"

I said, "That would come as some surprise to my husband. Hey, who I sleep with is none of your business."

He said, "Well, my English is poor."

I continued my class. I am a professional. We wrapped it up. They have a test tomorrow night.

I have never been so stunned in my life. Just because I explained the controversy surrounding gay/lesbian marriage and I didn't advocated the stoning of sodomites, this young man assumes he can ask me if I am a lesbian.

I enjoyed my C.J. Craig moment when like the gaggle of the press corps on The West Wing asked her if she was a lesbian and she said, "It is none of your business." But I am rattled because I am human and I suppose he meant that as an insult. As if it is an insult to be a lesbian.

My hair is short, I mean Annette Benning short. I wear mannish clothes and lots of very nice jewelry. Did this student think that only nubile, long haired, dress wearing, women with a baby at her breast aren't lesbians? I mean I know lesbians who look like June Cleaver and ones that look like Barbi Dolls.

I mean WTF? I don't care if people have carnal knowledge of a Xerox machine. Why would my student ask me something like that? How could what I do in my bedroom be his business? How? What just happened to me? Why am I just dumbstruck?

Preparing for the Supreme Struggle

"Like hostile nations on the edge of apocalypse, Washington's political right and left are on code red over a Supreme Court vacancy that does not yet exist.

"Conservative groups held a briefing last week at the National Press Club and promised to spend more than $20 million promoting whomever President Bush nominates to replace Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, should the ailing chief justice retire at the end of the court's term in June, as many expect. The liberal group People for the American Way countered with the threat of its 45-computer war room on M Street and a coalition of 70 other groups to fight back".

And

"In the meantime, Republicans close to the preparations say that the White House has assembled research on some 20 Supreme Court candidates, with more intensive research on a handful of the most mentioned, all federal appellate judges and all conservative: J. Michael Luttig and J. Harvie Wilkinson III of Virginia, Michael W. McConnell of Colorado, John G. Roberts Jr. of the District of Columbia, Samuel A. Alito Jr. of New Jersey and Emilio M. Garza of Texas.The White House also plans mock hearings in which the nominee will field aggressive questions from a "murder board", or a phalanx of lawyers and administration officials playing senators on the Judiciary Committee".

There’s more: New York Times link

Why I maintain animals are smarter than most people

CNN

Police: Lions free kidnapped girl
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A Friend In Mourning

Unthinkable news, unspeakable sorrow. My friend's husband has died.

Mutual acquaintances ask, "How is she doing?" I stammered one of several answers: She is devastated. She's crying a lot. She is hanging on. She's going to be okay. She will never be the same. She's doing as well as can be expected.

There is nothing false in any of these statements, and yet none of them ring true. Even when I rattled off the whole list, something essential is missing, something about the terrible grief now etched in her sweet voice, audible, even in the moments when I can hear her smile at one of our small shared understandings.

It's understandable for people to feel helpless in light of her grief. But just saying, "I'm so sorry," when death pulls at you with that kind of force, every gesture of connection to the living counts for a lot.

It's an important distinction, because mourning is a real place in time, the precise location where "the valley of the shadow" is not a metaphor but a parallel universe.

She is in mourning, the phrase is, in mourning--indicating a location, which is at some distance from those of us who are not. When I talk to her I bite my tongue to keep from trying to cheer her up. Instead, I offer words and gestures that I know cannot releave her raw pain, but sometimes, the least you can do is also the most.

I'm holding you both in the light, my dear friend.

...and now in XXXL & XXXXL!

Anntichrist S. Coulter reports that we now know "what Fatfuck wears to the porn store."

Lush Bimbo's I Heart Gitmo line is ever expanding:

I Got My Free Koran and Prayer Rug at G'itmo
The Club G'itmo - What Happens in G'itmo Stays in G'itmo
The Club G'itmo - Your Tropical Retreat from the Stress of Jihad
The Club G'itmo - My Mullah went to Club G'itmo and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

It's at: store.rushlimbaugh.com, if you need to see it to believe it.
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Arnold's Popularity is Plunging

Remember that night on Jay Leno when we heard, "I can promise you that when I go to Sacramento, I will pump up Sacramento." Oh god yes... pump it up!

I really can't believe the latest news is true. Arnold is America's favorite action hero and governator. He's so strong, muscular and articulate. What more could an American ask for in a politician?

Arnold understands the plight of blondes. In an article in Esquire he said, "As much as when you see a blonde with great tits and a great ass, you say to yourself, 'Hey, she must be stupid or must have nothing else to offer,' which maybe is the case many times. But then again there is the one that is as smart as her breasts look, great as her face looks, beautiful as her whole body looks gorgeous, you know, so people are shocked." Thanks for standing up for us blondes Arnie. We always get a bad rap.

And he's so modest about his manhood, ""The cock isn't a muscle so it doesn't grow in relation to the shoulders, say, or the pectorals. You can't make it bigger through exercise, that's for sure."

According to the SF Chronicle, "Less than a third -- 31 percent -- of the state's adults approve of the job the governor is doing in Sacramento, down from 54 percent in February. The numbers are only slightly better among registered voters, 37 percent of whom are happy with Schwarzenegger's performance and 53 percent dissatisfied."

The article goes on to say, "But Schwarzenegger's high-profile battle with the Democrat-led Legislature and his continuing disputes with groups representing California teachers, nurses and public employees have taken a toll. Only 16 percent of registered Democrats approve of the job the governor is doing, while his support among nonpartisan voters has shrunk to 35 percent, down from 48 percent four months ago."
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Arnold had better start "humping and pumping" again.
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Bush Administration Wants Us to Think of Vietnam Now?

Vietnamese Leader to Meet With Bush Washington Post link

Whose idea was this? What a damned good idea to bring up the memories of Vietnam right now. Which genius in the white house thought this would be a positive move. Now, when the Iraq war is looking like the ugly stepsister of the war in Vietnam, along with all its hideous memories, might not be the best time to put that war back in the spotlight. Someone must have had a scheduling problem. Why not invite all the amputees from the Vietnam war to the white house too? I would think that the last damned thing this administration would want to do now is to remind the country of the last time we went into a war and came out with nothing to show for it but dead and wounded American soldiers. Let’s see--what else does this era and the Vietnam era have in common?

Here's a Suggestion:

Once a day, click on Today in Iraq. This is what you'll see for today:

"Monday, June 20, 2005
War News for Monday, June 20, 2005
Bring 'em on: As many as twenty policemen killed and fifty wounded in suicide bomb attack during roll call at police headquarters in Arbil. This other news link puts the dead at forty.
Bring 'em on: Twenty three people killed and thirty six wounded in a suicide bomb attack on a restaurant popular with Iraqi security forces a few hundred yards from the Green Zone in Baghdad.
Bring 'em on: Five Iraqi security force members killed in car bomb attack in Baghdad.
Bring 'em on: US soldier killed in IED attack in Tal Afar.
Bring 'em on: The bodies of seven executed Iraqis found late Saturday in Baghdad.
Bring 'em on: US Marine killed by small arms fire near the Syrian border."

Then, copy it and send it to: president@whitehouse.gov and vice.president@whitehouse.gov
Day after day after day...
Oh, and don't forget to send it to the editors of your local newspapers and news organizations. Some of the ones I have include info@AP.org, PoliticalPoints@cbsnews.com, openforum@denverpost.com, letters@dmreg.com, comments@foxnews.com, foreigneditor@independent.co.uk, nightly@nbc.com, national@nytimes.com, nightline@abcnews.com, jlewers@press-citizen.com, opinion@press-citizen.com, opinions@qctimes.com, editpage@seattlepi.com, letters@smh.com.au, letters@tnr.com, onlinejournal@wsj.com, letters@washpost.com, etc.

As Jello Biafra once said, "Become The Media".

I Don’t Even Know These People

I don’t know a single person in Iraq, no Americans and no Iraqis. So, why should I care how many are dying? I mean, how can I cry about the death of someone I don’t even know? But, I do cry sometimes and it’s because it seems to me that every single one of these deaths might well have not occurred had it not been for my country electing the man who started it all.

Here in the US if a man murders a little kid we rise up in anger and disgust. Most of us had never met the little kid, but still it’s a heinous crime and everyone goes ballistic. There are little kids being killed in Iraq, and I don’t think enough people care. That’s why I cry for them, because there needs to be more crying for them. They are little kids I don’t even know but they deserve to be cried for and thought about. Also little kids’ moms and dads are getting killed in Iraq every day. Iraqi kids and American kids are losing their moms and dads. That makes me cry, but I don’t know those kids and I didn’t know their parents.

There are needless deaths occurring all over the world every day but I don’t cry for those people. Why are the deaths in this war different? Maybe it’s because I feel so guilty. We should have done more to prevent this war, but I don’t know what we could have done. We, along with so many around the world, tried to keep it from happening, but it did. I wish we could stop it. I sure do wish we could have prevented it and now I sure do wish we could end it.

A whole lot of people have died and are dying in Iraq, people I don’t even know. With all my heart, I care.

A Few Little Wishes

I wish that there would be an extra special place in hell for whomever invented those little motorized scooters that sound like a lawnmower on steroids. That little machine that tortures everyone within its noise range, which by the way is a big range. That little machine that goes warp speed and takes kids around blind corners on the road.

I wish that Senator Biden would stop saying that they need to put pvc pipes in the homes in Iraq to run the sewer straight into the Tigris River. There’s gotta be a better way for them to dispose of raw sewage than to dump it into the river.

I wish that, until she says something new or worth repeating, no one would video or audio tape Condi Rice.

Ditto that last wish for bush and everyone in his cabinet.

I wish that everyone who endorses the prison and the conditions at Guantanamo, was there.

I wish the next president of the US would discard, destroy and determine that there is no “War on Terror”. Call it over and done. Otherwise our country will forever be in a state of war. You cannot win a war waged against everyone who causes a particular emotion. We do not need to be fighting a war against an emotion using the world and our country as our battlefield. A war against terror will never end; how could it? There will always be someone in the world who wants to harm someone else. Meanwhile this “war” is serving as an excuse to do some pretty awful things here, and around the world.

WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.

It's getting scarier and scarier by the day. Talk to people, pick up a local newspaper, watch Faux News: If you don't support Gitmo then you're unpatriotic. We invaded and blew up Iraq to bring peace to the world. The war in Iraq is retaliation for 9/11 this week. In order to maintain our freedom, we must submit to closer scrutiny by the government. Remain very afraid of evil brown people who hate us. Science is being attacked by the creationists and sex ed today is just plain misleading.

What happened to my country? It was never perfect as there were always greedy swine running the show, but for most of us, we felt we could go about our business without fear of government interference. Even when the Russians hated us, we weren't under such scrutiny.

Once sane neighbors and friends who became easily influenced by the cable news and mass propaganda have lost their minds. They are paranoid shells of their former selves. They feel like they are under attack by an evil left agenda. It's the most amazing spectacle of a collective mind fuck since pre-war Germany. Hatred, anger and fear is part of the American psyche even more than it was during the cold war. Thank God for God, eh?

If my dad were alive today, he'd croak.
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Summer Moon Illusion

The moon (like a testicle) hangs low in the sky all this week. It's the lowest hanging moon in 18 years and it will appear especially inflated!

Be sure to check out all the details at the NASA website here. You won't want to miss this.

This Is What The Associated Press Considers Important This Morning

I'd give you a link to it (The Iowa City Press-Citizen) but in a few minutes it'll change to something even more chickenshit and mundane.

Top national and international headlines
From the Associated Press

Suicide Bomber Kills 20 at Iraq Police HQ
Goss Claims He Has Idea Where Bin Laden Is
Rice Makes Case for Democracy in Egypt
Parents of Missing Boy Scout Seek Help
Sen. Robert C. Byrd Laments KKK Connection
Scientists Find Early Signs of Alzheimer's
Crude Oil Prices Hit New Intraday High
Prank Against Tom Cruise Leads to Arrest
Grapefruit May Make Women Seem Younger
Spurs Nip Pistons 96-95 in OT, Lead Series

I GUESS IN 60 YEARS OR SO WE'LL DISCOVER THE TRUTH ABOUT THE NAPALMING OF FALLUJAH AND THE RADIATION FALLOUT IN IRAQ OF URANIUM DEPLETED WEAPONS

Japan Paper Runs Censored A-Bomb Stories
By KENJI HALL
Associated Press Writer

TOKYO (AP) -- "An American journalist who sneaked into Nagasaki soon after the Japanese city was leveled by a U.S. atomic bomb found a "wasteland of war" and victims moaning from the pain of radiation burns in downtown hospitals.

"Censored 60 years ago by the U.S. military, George Weller's stories from the atom bombed-city surfaced this month in a series of reports in the national Mainichi newspaper".

You can read the entire article (of all places) here from the Associated Press.

Quote of the Week:

"Things aren't getting better; they're getting worse. The White House is completely disconnected from reality. It's like they're just making it up as they go along. The reality is that we're losing in Iraq." -- Nebraska Republican Senator Chuck Hagel

Yep. Things are gittin' shaky. Although I don't believe the business about "rats deserting a sinking ship" is appropriate just yet. I guess the proper term of reference (the one used by the good little boys and girls in the main stream media) is "distancing". But I'd be worried too if I had to run for reelection next year. Anyhow, you can read more about Sen. Hagel at U.S.News & World Report.

Father’s Day Killing and Injury Report

Reuters (link)

There are fewer fathers this afternoon than there were yesterday afternoon and probably there will be even fewer by tomorrow afternoon. Most likely there will be many fewer by next Father’s Day.

“In Baghdad, a suicide bomber eluded a month-long crackdown and killed at least 16 people and wounded 29, many of them police and security guards eating lunch, when he walked into a busy restaurant close to the Green Zone government compound.”

And

"Operation Spear ... will break on the rock of Iraqi solidarity," the Muslim Clerics Association said in a statement, reflecting anger at U.S. military tactics.

"The chief doctor at the area's main hospital in Qaim, Hamdi al-Alusi, said he had seen 10 bodies and treated 17 wounded. Most of those hurt were women and children, he said.

"Remaining residents in Qaim said some families had left before the fighting to live in tents in the desert.”

And

“There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Sunday's bombing of the Baghdad restaurant, on a street protected by police checkpoints near an entrance to the government compound.

"The one-room, street-front restaurant was completely devastated with scarcely a stick of blood-spattered furniture intact. Human remains lay on the sidewalk. "Ibn Zanbour," or "Son of the Wasp," was a lively and well-known halt on a strip of grill and kebab establishments along a shaded sidewalk.

"The U.S. military command blames Zarqawi for a surge in violence since the Shi'ite- and Kurdish-dominated government took office in April. Since then more than 1,000 Iraqis and some 120 U.S. troops have been killed in rebel attacks.”

And

“A suicide car bomb attack on a police convoy in Baghdad killed five people and wounded 22, police sources said.

"Three people died and seven were wounded when gunmen opened fire at a market in Iskandariya, just south of the capital.

"Near Tikrit, Saddam's home town north of Baghdad, a suicide bomber killed three Iraqi soldiers and wounded nine on Sunday when he drove his car at an army patrol, police said.

"In Mosul, one civilian was killed and eight were wounded when two mortar rounds fell close to the city hall, police said. “


Notice how Father’s day wasn’t played up so much this year? Maybe they didn’t want us to remember all the fathers who have died in Iraq. Maybe they would like us not to concentrate on all those flag draped caskets, the ones with fathers inside. This will be a lot of families’ first Father’s Day without their dad. I’m thinking about those wives and those kids today. For them Father’s Day isn’t Happy.

Happy Father's Day

Father's Day with The Preznit

Father's Day Dinner with the G. Dubya Bush Family
Starring: Dubya, Laura, Jenna and Not Jenna as the twins

Twins: Happy Father's Day Daddy. We got you a book for Father's Day.

Dubya: You teach a child to read and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test.
I'm glad the First Lady is here. It's an unusual job where all you've got to do is walk down from your living room and come to work. I'm really proud of Laura.

Jenna: Mommy taught us to read.

Dubya: She is a fabulous First Lady. I was a lucky man when she said, yes, I agree to marry you. I love her dearly, and I'm proud of the job she's doing on behalf of all Americans. Just like I love my brother.

Not Jenna: Daddy, you love me don't you?

Dubya: I think Jeb and I were touched by what it means to be sitting at a table with a daughter who has said, I've got a responsibility to my mom.

Twins: Daddy we hope you like the book we got you. What was your favorite book of all time?

Dubya: Sometimes when I sleep at night I think of "Hop on Pop".

Jenna: Quite frankly Daddy, I think you spend entirely too much time thinking about Granddaddy and Saddam. I learned in college that this war thing is so bogus.

Dubya: After all, this is a guy that tried to kill my dad at one time. God told me to strike at al Qaida and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did..

Jenna: But Daddy, I miss spending time with you!

Dubya: I've been to war. I've raised twins. If I had a choice, I'd rather go to war.

Laura: George!

Not Jenna: I'm looking forward to working in Washington this summer. I can't wait to finally have a real job.

Dubya: The best way to relieve families from time is to let them keep some of their own money.

Jenna: We only get to keep some of it?

Dubya: When you have your own money, it means you've got more money to spend.

Jenna: huh?

Laura: You know what your father says. "...work is incredibly important. Work leads to dignity."

Jenna: You just want me to be too tired to go out at night.

Laura: Your secret service agents are exhausted, girls.

Not Jenna: Dad, how is the war in Iraq going? Are the Iraqi's happy to be free now?

Dubya: I think war is a dangerous place. Freedom frightens people who are terrorists.

Not Jenna: Dad, I'm scared for the future of our country... for the future of the world.

Dubya: God loves you, and I love you. And you can count on both of us as a powerful message that people who wonder about their future can hear.

Jenna: b-but... people are dying.

Dubya: We can help somebody who hurts by hugging a neighbor in need.
One of my hardest parts of my job is to console the family members who have lost their life.

Laura: It's so nice that we can spend Father's Day together as a family. Our twins are all grown and have graduated from college.

Dubya: Yes, that's a -- first of all, Mom, you're doing -- that's tough. But it's -- I appreciate that. I appreciate the idea of you wanting to give your children the education from you and the mom.

Laura: You're welcome?

Dubya: And it all starts with the human element, the thing that matters most in life, and that is our faiths and our families and our respected loves as dads for our daughters.

Not Jenna: What about the environment, Dad? People keep saying that our family doesn't care about it. I want to do something good for the environment.

Dubya: I'm so thankful, and so gracious -- I'm gracious that my brother Jeb is concerned about the hemisphere as well.

Laura: I am too George. How about you, Jenna?

Jenna: I hope to snag a rich guy, get married and have lots of babies.

Dubya: It's important for us to explain to our nation that life is important. It's not only life of babies, but it's life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the Internet.
Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream.

Jenna: huh?

Not Jenna: Can we go fishing in the cement pond after dinner?

Dubya: I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully.

Not Jenna: Daddy, I'm concerned that some people think you don't know what you're talking about.

Dubya: I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe -- I believe what I believe is right.

Jenna: Yeah, people say you're a war monger.

Dubya: I know all the war rhetoric, but it's all aimed at achieving peace.
We're in for a long struggle, and I think Texans understand that. And so do Americans.

Not Jenna: I don't think Americans understand what we believe in Texas.

Dubya: There's America, and then there's Texas.

Not Jenna: That's what I'm talking about.

Dubya: I like to tell people, Laura and I are proud to be Texas -- own a Texas ranch, and for us, every day is Earth Day.

Not Jenna: But Daddy... I have a question for you...

Dubya: I'm the master of low expectations. If I answer questions every time you ask one, expectations would be high. And as you know, I like to keep expectations low.

Jenna: Dad, is there a chance I could be president some day? Maybe after my kids are grown? I worked hard in school. I'd like to make a difference in the world.

Dubya: I can assure you, when I was a senior in high school, I never sat in an audience saying, gosh, if I work hard I'll be President of the United States.

Laura: The twins take after me, George.

Not Jenna: You were right, Jenn. We should have given him "The Cat in the Hat Comes Back".


------

All Bush quotes were actually said by our president at one time or another. They were taken out of context much like the religious right takes the Bible out of context. -The Mgmt.

This story was originally posted at blondesense last year on Father's day.

Opposites Distract Opposites Distract

Let’s take a look at what this administration says and what it does. We all yawn and remember the infamous line that went, I’m a uniter, not a divider. This president is an absolute divider as evidenced by his stubbornness and his refusal to discuss any ideas but his own. Never is there a hint of consideration for any point of view other than his own. This refusal to cooperate with or even consider any suggestion from the other side has become a distraction so many times. Changing social security over to private accounts is a perfect example. He has been like a snake oil salesman traveling from city to city trying to sell his wares. Even though few have bought into his scheme, he continues to try to sell it rather than try to change and improve it. His determination to sell a faulty product has distracted the country from any other possibilities for a solution to the problem and also from more important and more imminent issues.

The war in Iraq is another of his flawed products but sadly this one did sell. A lot of Americans bought his war and it has kept our country distracted from domestic issues that should have been addressed. But, unfortunately we literally can’t afford to do that now. He distracted with talk of peace while waging war. He says that democracies do not attack other countries, while at the same time he engages our democracy in an invasion of a sovereign land. He distracts with peace in order to wage war.

He also speaks of freedom and democracy while at the same time removing freedom in the name of security. He tells us we are safer but the truth is our freedom is not safe from him. Many are convinced that in order to be safe you must give up your rights. Are we locking others out or are we locking ourselves in? He distracts with the word “freedom” while he confines us. So while he sings of the wonders of freedom and democracy he has distracted the nation from seeing that he is undoing both.

Let’s also talk about religion. He claims to be a religious man but it’s not religion as we would describe it. His religion doesn’t conform to any dictates of a religion we could respect. His “religion” condones actions that run contrary to kindness, forgiveness, patience and understanding. What religion would condone invading and occupying a country based on lies? What religious person would snicker at a woman’s appeal to have her life spared before her execution? He uses religion to distract and disarm while his actions are not at all that of a religious nature and fall closer to that of an evil nature While he crows of, and distracts with words of compassion, his actions are the very opposite..

Race is another of his distractions. While he gives the assumption that he does not have a racial bias, his administration uses race when it benefits their cause. Think back to the campaign when republicans suggested that John McCain was the father of a black child and used it in such a way to make that a negative factor. This past week gave Republicans a perfect opportunity to display their compassion for African Americans but many failed to acknowledge the crimes of the past. Where were the president’s obedient Republicans last week? They always seem to obey bush; did they obey him last week? If they didn’t, it would be one of the very rare times they haven’t.

So while this president and this administration speak one language, their actions portray another. While they distract the nation with one proposition, they are slyly enforcing another. Peace means war and love means hate. In this administration opposites truly do distract.

Profess Your Love for Gitmo

This is sick! CafePress link

Special thanks to Anntichrist S. Coulter for the tip and here’s the message she sent to Cafe Press. After you see this, you may want to drop them a note as well.


“Okay, so since Cafe Press sees no problem whatsoever in "editing" content on "liberal" items, such as when Jesus' General made a propaganda poster featuring Rick Santorum in full Third Reich regalia (and y'all KNOW that it was ACCURATE!), based on the pedantic argument that the swastikas involved "promoted hate" --- HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY ALLOWING THIS TO EXIST?!?!??!

"I (heart) GITMO"?!??!?!?!?!

"Nice, folks, real nice. You ENDORSE and PROMOTE the torture of brown people so that Dick Cheney can get EVEN RICHER; you GLORIFY the fact that this administration has taken a giant dump on the entire GENEVA CONVENTION and basically told the United Nations to go get screwed --- and THIS isn't "HATE SPEECH"?!?!??!?!?!

"Hypocrisy... it sells so well in America, doesn't it?”

(Editor's Note: Cafe Press's toll-free number is 1-877-809-1659.)

out of control and right on schedule

Transcript: The News Hour/PBS June 17, 2005

SEN. DICK DURBIN: Let me read to you what one FBI agent saw. And I quote from his report:

"On a couple of occasions, I entered interview rooms to find a detainee chained hand and foot in a fetal position to the floor with no chair, food or water. Most times they urinated or defecated on themselves and had been left there for eighteen to twenty-four hours or more."

If I read this to you and didn't tell you that it was an FBI agent describing what Americans had done to prisoners in their control, you would most certainly believe this must have happened by Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime, Pol Pot or others, that had no concern for human beings. Sadly, that's not the case. This was the action of Americans in treatment of their own prisoners.

--snip--

(The Senator Warner jumps up and criticizes Durbin and of course effectively deflects attention from what Durbin is saying--that Americans are acting un-American--and starts wailing about Nazis and Commies.)

--snip--

SEN. DICK DURBIN: To suggest that I am criticizing American servicemen, I am not. I don't know who was responsible for this. But the FBI agent made this report. And to suggest that I was attributing all the sins and all the horror and barbarism of Nazi Germany or Soviet Republic or Pol Pot to Americans is totally unfair.

I was attributing this form of interrogation to repressive regimes such as those that I noted. And I honestly believe the senator from Virginia, whom I respect very, very much, would have to say if this indeed occurred, it does not represent American values. It doesn't represent what our country stands for.

(Mark Shields is a former Marine. Currently, he is an amazing journalist.)

MARK SHIELDS: Well, I think in this case they were both right. I mean, I think John Warner was right when he said these are buzz words. I mean, when George Bush the first said Saddam is Hitler before the war in 1991, it was just over the top. This is very -- this is over the top when you use the same word.

The fact that this was not some undependable detainee who made this allegation, it was an FBI agent, you know, should have been enough to stand on its own and I think Dick Durbin, upon reflection, would say that. But what is I think overlooked Margaret is Guantanamo was established for one reason and that was to reach -- to put those prisoners beyond the reach of American law. That's exactly it. I mean, that was the only reason Guantanamo was chosen. And the Supreme Court of nine constructionists -- strict constructionist, let it be noted -

MARGARET WARNER: It is.

MARK SHIELDS: It is -- this is under the constitution. Ever since then, in total defiance of that court decision, they have stonewalled the Supreme Court, that decision. And I think there's no question that this was established and it's hurt the United States. We've lost the moral high ground and it just is not working for us.

--snip--

This man [Senator David Durbin] is simply a piece of excrement, a piece of waste that needs to be scraped off the sidewalk and eliminated.

-- KVI's John Carlson, discussing Sen. Dick Durbin, on his Seattle-based talk show Thursday. (From David Neiwert's blog Orcinus)

That's it. That tears it. We as a nation are in serious trouble. We are talking about another human being who has criticized the treatment by Americans of other human beings as excrement to be scraped off and eliminated. We are headed into 1963 and 1968 and 1938.

People of conscience are being called filth. Do you understand what is next? People are going to be arrested, politicians are in danger, and protesters are in danger. Violence is being incited. And I wish I could call it irresponsible, but it is calculated. This hate is going to get out of control and with support for the war declining these fascists are going to get more desperate. They speak in a kind of code to which the seriously disturbed are attuned. And the really ill think that it is a call to action.

There are two points here that must be made:

So Durbin used those words, "Gulag" and "Nazi", and once you say those words, no one hears anything else you say. Why? Because they can't understand the real horror of those abstract words. So those words are useless. Remember what Fran Liebowitz has written. She said or words to the effect that few things really compare to each other. It is futile to say who has suffered more the slaves or the Holocaust survivors. Why compare? Things simply are what they are. The useful rhetoric is, "Americans are being inhumane. We are not acting like Americans are supposed to act."

Second, people who believe that inhumane treatment is not acceptable--i.e. America, love our soldiers or get wiped off the pavement like the excrement you are--is a real punch on the E-ticket to Hell for any person of conscience in the U.S.

I don't expect riots and marches unless there is a draft and surely the neocons have learned something from Vietnam. If you start drafting white, middle class kids off college campuses and right out of high school, then the middle class gets very, very angry. If you draft articulate people, you get articulate protests. No draft, no middle class chaos. No chaos at home means winning elections. And Iraq like Vietnam is not about anything other than controlling the domestic agenda.

The Soiling of Truth

The autopsy report came to light this week and its contents showed what all intelligent people had known, that Ms. Schiavo was indeed a breathing human with little to no physical abilities or mental awareness. With only half her brain remaining and her eyesight gone, Ms Schiavo was no longer living a life of dignity or pleasure. Removing the feeding tube was not only humane, it freed her to die. She had been kept a prisoner by our ability to keep the dead, for all means and purposes, around for as long as some would like. This seems to be almost a form of taxidermy. The person is on longer living but is kept in a tangible state for the benefit of others. Is it selfish or is it denial? Is it cruel? How can it be cruel if the person feels nothing? That’s the very reason it is cruel and that’s the very reason it’s selfish. The dead and dying deserve to rest in peace. Playing with and handling their helpless bodies is disrespectful at the very least.

Now that we know Ms. Schiavo’s condition and now that all talk of her recovery or improvement has been debunked by the physician who preformed the autopsy, this too should be laid to rest. But it hasn’t been. In a ghoulish-like fashion, Governor Jeb Bush, like the mad scientist in his dimly lit laboratory surrounded by jars of formaldehyde containing human body parts, refuses to leave Ms Schiavo’s body alone. He goes to the fictional grave and drags the dead corpse back under the spotlights. He prods the corpse and shakes it. He looks around to see if he can draw an audience as he tries to breathe life back into the corpse that once gave him such pleasure and notoriety. She was such a crowd pleaser once, and he wants the crowds to look again and see that she can, even in her decaying state, still play a role in his act. He wants to hear once again the sounds of the crowds as they applaud his show, his determination, his dedication, his life-saving magic. He needs the corpse to keep his show alive.

He is so desperate that he is examining his corpse to determine what happened fifteen years ago. Like so many rings on a tree stump, Mr. Bush is counting and determining what happened during the life of his treasure. Wherever he goes, he drags with him Ms Schiavo’s decaying corpse. Perhaps he feels the stench of his bounty will foul the air and no one will notice the truth of the autopsy report. He is so dedicated to keeping the decaying Ms. Schiavo’s memory with him that he is picking the tiny details to death. Did Ms Schiavo’s husband call for help the moment he found his fallen wife or did he wait? What is, in Mr. Bush’s determination, too long to wait before making a call for help? Was Ms Schiavo’s husband taking advantage of a physical opportunity to allow his wife to become brain dead so he could fight for her the rest of his and her life? Did he see his unconscious wife lying on the floor and immediately see the opportunity to allow her to go into a vegetative state? Was Ms Schiavo’s husband that wily and that fast on his feet? The ghoulish governor seems to think so.

The governor seems to feel that since he was wrong on all parts of the Schiavo case, he needs to blame her death on something or someone. He needs to seek redemption from those who paraded around the woman’s life as she died. He is screaming, it wasn’t my fault that she died, it was the fault of her satanic husband because there was a matter of a time span fifteen years ago.

As we watch this sadistic episode unfold before us, we realize that as Governor bush exhumed Ms Schiavo’s memory from her grave he carefully placed the dirt right on top of the truth.

How Does This Make You Feel?

From Juan Cole (LINK):

“ al-Zaman reports that the Association of Muslim Scholars protested a US raid on the home of its leader, Shaikh Harith al-Dhari. It also denounced the similar raid on the information office of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in Baghdad. The AMS demanded in a communique that such raids be stopped, along with "arbitrary" arrests of Iraqis in general and of national symbols in particular. The raid on al-Dhari's home took place Wednesday, while the Sadr office was searched on Thursday. The statement called upon the United Nations and international and regional organizations to intervene to stop what it called "terrorist and repressive practices against the principles of humanity." It also called for an investigatory commission to examine the conditions and realities in the prisons and holding cells.”

Vietnamese government confirms 4 new avian flu cases: WHO reports

Since the massive outbreak of H5N1 infection began in Southeast Asia in December 2003, 107 human cases have been reported to WHO and 54 of those people have died. Read it all at Canada.com

Gay Penguins Being Pimped

Oh this is unbelievable. If you're a social Democrat in Germany, you shouldn't force gay penguins to have heterosexual sex. It goes against the party. You shouldn't force minor penguins or any minor for that matter to have sex. Penguins should be allowed to "mate" with whomever their little hearts desire. I didn't make this up. Read below.

Birds of a Feather (harpers.org)
Originally from Harper's Magazine, May 2005.
From a petition addressed to the mayor and city council clerk of Bremerhaven, Germany, circulated in February by the Austrian website Rainbow Online.

The Austrian newspaper Kurier has reported the following: “Four lady-penguins from Sweden are set to seduce the homosexual Humboldt penguins at the Bremerhaven Zoo, in the hope that this will lead to offspring.” I emphatically urge you to put a stop to this project for the following reasons:

1. You are both elected officials for the Social Democrats, a party that in 2001 legalized civil unions for same-sex couples in Germany. In interpreting the principle of equality guaranteed by the third clause of the Basic Law, it is not conclusively refutable that this right should also be extended to penguins.

2. Regulating the choice of partnership—particularly in dealing with minors under guardianship—constitutes an abusive act of coercion over dependents. The given excuse of promoting procreation as a justification for forced copulation is similar to the mindset that, in the past, informed projects such as “Lebensborn e.V.”

3. If the Bremerhaven Zoo had consulted international scientific journals, they would be aware that all similar experiments over the past few years have failed. There are male penguins in long-term monogamous relationships in New York’s Central Park Zoo and the Coney Island Aquarium. The gay males were placed in isolated pools with females that were ready to mate, but the mutual lack of sexual interest was so apparent that the experiment was abandoned and the desperate creatures returned to their partners of choice. Incidentally, it was observed that gay male penguin couples take great pleasure and care in brooding eggs that are abandoned by neglectful mothers and then feeding the youngsters until they become independent.

Although the gay penguins in your city’s zoo are not entitled to vote, please protect them from this organized and coercive harassment by means of feminine seductive arts. Let the penguins continue unhindered in mating with whomever their hearts desire.

Yellow Elephant Cocktail?

There’s a post down below about Jesus’ General and his Operation Yellow Elephant.

Okay, let’s create the Yellow Elephant Cocktail. What would you use to make it, and how would you make it?

Go crazy, let your imagination run all over the damned place. It’s Friday, time to have a bit-o-fun.

The Other Bush Makes Another Stupid Move

AP Link:

“TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Governor Jeb Bush says there's some doubt about when Terri Schiavo's husband made a 911 call after she collapsed in 1990.

Terri Schiavo's parents have previously said their son-in-law waited more than an hour to make the call. An autopsy report released this week didn't address the allegation.

Bush says he might ask a state attorney for Pinellas-Pasco to investigate the allegation.

Terri Schiavo died March 31st after her feeding tube was disconnected despite unsuccessful attempts by Bush to keep her alive.”


Update

This same TV station just announced at noon that Jeb has asked the state attorney to investigate the matter.

I guess next we’ll get Frist down here to diagnose her condition at the time she first passed out.

Do you believe President Bush misled the nation in order to go to war with Iraq?

VOTE HERE

(Editor's Note): As of 9 p.m. CDT with close to 36,000 responses the vote is 94% yes to 6% no. You suppose that's considered a mandate?

Operation Yellow Elephant

Jesus' General is sponsoring Operation Yellow Elephant

"To motivate the College Republicans to vigorously defend the vital work they're doing defending the homefront by holding affirmative action bake sales, immigrant hunts, and subsidizing the Scaife funding of Ann Coulter, David Horowitz, and Michelle Malkin"

How you can go to college and still be a Republican these days is a mystery to me unless your daddy is a CEO. The truth about the illegal war in Iraq is anathema to College Republicans. Let's really educate these kids.

The General suggest this Weaponry: Flyers, posters, stickers, video cameras, still cameras, digital communications, humor, irony, creativity.

Ask the College Republican leadership to pass the following resolution at the 56th College Republican Biennial Convention June 24-26, 2005:

WHEREAS, the College Republican membership has always fully supported the war in Iraq;

WHEREAS, we have encouraged the notion that the degree of one's patriotism is directly proportional to their support for the war;

WHEREAS, by word, by deed and by support of Ann Coulter, David Horowitz, and Michelle Malkin we have decreed that dissent against the war is the equivalent of treason;

WHEREAS, the military continually falls far short of meeting its recruitment needs resulting in a manpower crisis;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The College Republicans organization is officially disbanded until the end of the war;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:

The College Republicans membership immediately volunteer for military service as infantrymen.

The General tells you Where to send your correspondence
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Burns Like Hell

From Juan Cole (link):

“As the scandal of the Downing Street Memo continues to percolate, it was confirmed on Thursday that the United States military used napalm-like incendiary bombs called MK77 in the Iraq War and then lied to their British allies about it. MK77 and napalm materials cling to the skin and inexorably burn the victim, and most countries in the world consider their use barbaric and something close to a war crime. The UK is signatory to a pledge not to use the weapons. British parliamentarians are now revisiting the question of whether MK77 was used against Fallujah last November. Persistent rumors circulated that the US used chemical weapons in that attack. Although MK77 is not classified as a chemical weapon, if it were used, it might help explain the rumors.”

Scottie, This is Not a Drill

“Yesterday, the White House dismissed Mr. Conyers' "hearing" as a stunt of no importance. This is simply rehashing old debates that have already been discussed," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.”

Okay Scottie boy, we’ll see how the “stunt” works out for thee and thine. Seems to me that even if a handful of members of the House of Representatives are using the word “impeachment”, that carries significance. Which old debates are you referring to Scot my lad? I don’t recall the old debate where we discussed the fix being in on the war or where we discussed kicking your boss out of office for lying to Congress. No, see we didn’t have this discussion to my knowledge until yesterday. “Stunt of no importance”? We’ll see, Scottie boy.

Just keep this in mind: "It reminds me of the little blurb that appeared in the paper that said there was a break-in at the Watergate," said another mother of a slain U.S. soldier.”

Every good fire relies on a little spark to give it birth. All that little spark needs is nourishment. It needs a little air and a little fuel to get it going. As of yesterday we have a little spark. Now the little spark needs to be fanned and fed to give it strength and force.

Scottie, we are ready to fan the hell out of that little spark and feed it all it needs to grow. So you should be in the market for a real damned good extinguisher. You can just write this off as a “stunt” if you like, but Scottie, this is not a drill.


Quotes are from Globe and Mail.

Now Here's a Mr. Rogers Worth Watching

Mule thanks Cabana boy Petey for link.

Excerpt from Pardon Me? by Mike Rogers

George W. Bush you are going down. Your days are numbered. You lied. The entire world knows it – and you know it too. Your lies killed our brave soldiers. Your lies have orphaned untold numbers. Your lies have crippled tens of thousands of America's best youth. Your lies have destroyed marriages, lives, and families. You are guilty of conspiracy. You are guilty of war crimes. You are guilty of High Crimes as specified in the Constitution of The United States of America. I figure that since you don't read, I'd better show you the part of the US Constitution that is going to hang you and the rest of your criminal group:

US Constitution – Article Two – Section 4

The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Read the whole thing

Halliburton to build new $30 million Guantanamo jail

Yahoo! News link:
“WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Halliburton Co. unit will build a new $30 million detention facility and security fence at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the United States is holding about 520 foreign terrorism suspects, the Defense Department announced on Thursday".

And.

"An air-conditioned two-story prison, known as Detention Camp #6, will be built at Guantanamo to house 220 men. It will include exercise areas, medical and dental spaces as well as a security control room, the contract announcement said.

"The contract announcement did not specify whether the new prison would also hold foreign terror suspects."

Worse Than Downing Street Memo?

I watched the hearings about the Downing Street Memo AfterDowningStreet.org on CSpan this afternoon led by Rep Conyers and it was very interesting to find out that the US was bombing Iraq BEFORE congressional approval. Stay tuned to see if the media picks up on this.

I was appalled at the tiny room in the basement the hearing took place in because the Republicans didn't want them to use a regular room. I am writing letters tonight. Some members of congress said it was suspicious that all sorts of voting was suddenly scheduled simultaneously with the hearings.

UPDATE FROM PISSED OFF PATRICIA:
Two Things You Need to See:
More Damning than Downing Street
This will backup something you heard during the hearing today.

And so will this
A Strategy of Lies

No Room at the Inn?

“UPDATE:15:45:46: SCOOP FROM KAREN AT THE HEARING:HC-5, The Big Room for hearings that are held in Congress, is open, and has been open during this entire time.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's office called this morning and requested it, even offering to change the time of the hearing, as the room was open for two hours this morning, but were denied the use of the much larger room by the House Leadership. The evidence is clear--the House Leadership deliberately prevented this hearing from taking place in a room that would accommodate the large number of people slated to attend. Karen asks that everyone put this information out on all the blogs you can. It seems that the House Leadership thinks that it can do things like this without anyone finding out about it. Let's show them they are wrong.”
[Link]

If the pandemic were to hit today, said Osterholm, "I don't know what we could do about it except say, 'We're screwed.'"

The article on avian flu is in U.S.News & World Report

They Like Me! They Really Like Me!

Gosh, the 25 year old porn star, Mary Carey, had a blast at the Republican fundraiser and everyone was just so nice to her. It's so good to see the Republican's put away their morality rhetoric for a change. Their hypocrisy was getting to me. The porn industry is freaking huge! Why not add them to the Republican base? Business is business. Religion and porn go hand in hand... well maybe not. The clergy are so secretive about sex. The media isn't going to make a big deal about this anyway- these are Republicans- not sleazy Democrats!

This young lady wants to run for Lt Governor in California so she most certainly had every right to be at this event because she is thinking of running as a Republican... Well it turns out that they really like her.

“I think what the adult industry should do is for all the different companies to donate to the Republican party, like give a 100 thousand or two to the Republicans, and then they’d probably like us better.” (AVN.com)

CAREY (on countdown): I think they can drink just as much [as porn stars]. There were some really drunk guys by the end of the night. I was getting propositions to have threesomes with wives or mistresses. I was offered money from oil tycoons! I mean, it‘s pretty exciting. I didn‘t take any money and I didn‘t do any threesomes, but it was pretty—I was just surprised. I thought everyone would be stuck up and no one was going to like me. And everyone loved me and got drunk and took pictures with me. So I want to keep going to Republican events. I‘m a fully converted Republican now."

CAREY: I actually did. I met this really nice guy from Ohio. And when I met him, I told him—he asked me what I do, you know, because I had my little badge that said Mary. And I said I ran for governor of California. And he told me he has some rich friends who‘d give me $10 million possibly towards the next campaign. And he introduced me to all his friends. And it turned out when they found out I was a porn star, his friend‘s owns strip clubs, and they‘re going to book me to make appearances in the strip clubs. So I networked and made some jobs—you know, some future job and work possibilities.

And I am so happy that she felt right at home with everyone. The star of Tit Happens, Lesbian Big Boob Bangeroo, and Everybody Loves Big Boobies also asserted that she is Christian too. Fabulous!

“I am very Christian. I believe in God; I grew up believing and still believe in a lot of Christian morals; I believe in the Ten Commandments; I believe that thou shalt not kill; I believe in doing good and being a nice human being.” (radaronline.com)

She seems to be very very nice too. And not sleazy.

“Politicians see the people who make porn movies as sleazy and the girls as dumb, but Mark’s not sleazy and I’m not dumb.” She pauses for a minute then asks, “Do you think I should shave my vagina tonight or tomorrow?”( radaronline.com)

Hahaha, she is funny too! She also likes our president, his handlers and family so much that she'd like to have sex with them. They should be honored.

“President Bush is pretty good looking,” she says anticipating meeting him personally. (but she didn't) “It’ll be fun. He seems like a party animal. Look at his daughters — they obviously get it from somewhere. I’d love to party with them.”(radaronline.com)

And to John at Americablog, she said about the Bush twins who are currently not serving in Iraq, "Oh my God, his daughters! I’d LOVE to party with his daughters. I’d love to meet them. I totally want to have sex with them. You can write it the day after I leave here."

Mary candidly admitted that she also "liked" Karl Rove. Other highlights: President Bush “is hot,” Karl Rove “is great,” and the parents of a US soldier asked her to send free porn to the troops.(the wire)

Well the Repubs and their contributors are not the prudes they'd like you to think they are. I am so relieved.
.

Impeach The Bastard and Let's Move On

"I have been very candid about my past."

"It's time to restore honor and dignity to the White House." So declared george bush during the 2000 presidential campaign. In one of his first ads, and ever so earnest sounding, bush told television viewers in Iowa he would "return honor and integrity" to the Oval Office. His promise to escort these values back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue---after you-know-who had done you-know-what in the Oval Office and then lied about it ---was often the emotional crescendo of Bush's stump speech. With solemnity, bush told the crowds that, should he be fortunate to steal, I mean win, the election, on the day of his inauguration he would not only lift his hand and swear to uphold the Constitution, he would swear to uphold the "honor and the integrity" of the presidency.

george bush is a liar. He has lied large and small. He has lied directly and by omission. He has mugged the truth --not merely in honest error, but deliberately, consistently, and repeatedly to advance his career and his cronies agenda. His lies greased his path towards the White House and they have been one of the essential tools of his presidency. To call him prevaricator is not an exercise of opinion, not an inflammatory talk-radio device.

george bush has provided the entire world with good reason to doubt the word of America. One day when bush was campaigning for president, he accused a Democrat foe of dishonesty and declared, "First and foremost is to tell the truth. There's a lot of young people who get disillusioned when they see political figures say one thing and do another." "So step one is to .....tell the truth." And on his first full day on the job, while swearing in his White House staff, Bush reminded his cadre, "On the mantelpiece in this great house is inscribed the prayer of John Adams's , that only the wise and honest may rule under this roof" But Adams's prayer has once more gone unanswered. bush's promise was a lie. The future of the United States remains in the hands of a dishonest man. Let's take it back. Impeach him now.
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Fun Things and Things to Drive you Mad!

Downing Street Memo T-shirts

O’Reilly goes nuts while talking about the New York Times and Al Franken. You gotta see the video! Rude Pundit, did you see it?
Crooks and Liars

While you’re at Crooks and Liars, check out the Mary Carey deal with Keith Olbermann
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The Conyers hearing will be live today on C-span 3 at 2:30 pm est

Info on the Conyers Hearing today

This tells you a little about what and who to expect today. It will be live on C-span 3 and you may watch it on C-span’s website.

Also………

Pajama Party tonight at Blondesense to celebrate a ray of hope in a world of hurt. As always, I will supply the adult beverages and mixers. Bring your favorite snack and wear your cutest jammies. The party starts when you arrive. By the way, got a good joke? If so, bring it with you. And, yes of course tiaras and all sorts of fuzzy slippers are acceptable. Gentlemen, please at least arrive clothed. What you do later is your business. LOL

Till later!

Palast for Conyers: The OTHER ' Memos' from Downing Street and Pennsylvania Avenue

(Following is text of an e-mail from one of the great journalists of our time):

Greg Palast, unable to attend hearings in Washington Thursday, has submitted the following testimony:

Chairman Conyers,

It's official: The Downing Street memos, a snooty New York Times "News Analysis" informs us, "are not the Dead Sea Scrolls." You are warned, Congressman, to ignore the clear evidence of official mendacity and bald-faced fibbing by our two nations' leaders because the cry for investigation came from the dark and dangerous world of "blogs" and "opponents" of Mr. Blair and Mr. Bush.

On May 5, "blog" site Buzzflash.com carried my story, IMPEACHMENT TIME: "FACTS WERE FIXED," bringing the London Times report of the Downing Street memo to US media which seemed to be suffering at the time from an attack of NADD -- "news attention deficit disorder."

The memo, which contains the ill-making admission that "the intelligence and facts were being fixed" to match the Iraq-crazed fantasies of our President, is sufficient basis for a hearing toward impeachment of the Chief Executive. But to that we must add the other evidence and secret memos and documents still hidden from the American public.
Other foreign-based journalists could doubtless add more, including the disclosure that the key inspector of Iraq's biological weapons, the late Dr. David Kelly, found the Bush-Blair analysis of his intelligence was indeed "fixed," as the Downing Street memo puts it, around the war-hawk policy.

Here is a small timeline of confidential skullduggery dug up and broadcast by my own team for BBC Television and Harper's on the secret plans to seize Iraq's assets and oil.

February 2001 - Only one month after the first Bush-Cheney inauguration, the State Department's Pam Quanrud organizes a secret confab in California to make plans for the invasion of Iraq and removal of Saddam. US oil industry advisor Falah Aljibury and others are asked to interview would-be replacements for a new US-installed dictator.

On BBC Television's Newsnight, Aljibury himself explained,

"It is an invasion, but it will act like a coup. The original plan was to liberate Iraq from the Saddamists and from the regime."

March 2001 - Vice-President Dick Cheney meets with oil company executives and reviews oil field maps of Iraq. Cheney refuses to release the names of those attending or their purpose. Harper's has since learned their plan and purpose -- see below.

October/November 2001 - An easy military victory in Afghanistan emboldens then-Dep. Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz to convince the Administration to junk the State Department "coup" plan in favor of an invasion and occupation that could remake the economy of Iraq. An elaborate plan, ultimately summarized in a 101-page document, scopes out the "sale of all state enterprises" -- that is, most of the nation's assets, "… especially in the oil and supporting industries."

2002 - Grover Norquist and other corporate lobbyists meet secretly with Defense, State and Treasury officials to ensure the invasion plans for Iraq include plans for protecting "property rights." The result was a pre-invasion scheme to sell off Iraq's oil fields, banks, electric systems, and even change the country's copyright laws to the benefit of the lobbyists' clients. Occupation chief Paul Bremer would later order these giveaways into Iraq law.

Fall 2002 - Philip Carroll, former CEO of Shell Oil USA, is brought in by the Pentagon to plan the management of Iraq's oil fields. He works directly with Paul Wolfowitz and Douglas Feith. "There were plans," says Carroll, "maybe even too many plans" -- but none disclosed to the public nor even the US Congress.

January 2003 - Robert Ebel, former CIA oil analyst, is sent, BBC learns, to London to meet with Fadhil Chalabi to plan terms for taking over Iraq's oil.

March 2003 - What White House spokesman Ari Fleisher calls "Operations Iraqi Liberation" (OIL) begins. (Invasion is re-christened "OIF" -- Operation Iraqi Freedom.)

March 2003 - Defense Department is told in confidence by US Energy Information Administrator Guy Caruso that Iraq's fields are incapable of a massive increase in output. Despite this intelligence, Dep. Secretary Wolfowitz testifies to Congress that invasion will be a free ride. He swears, "There's a lot of money to pay for this that doesn't have to be U.S. taxpayer money. …We're dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction and relatively soon," a deliberate fabrication promoted by the Administration, an insider told BBC, as "part of the sales pitch" for war.

May 2003 - General Jay Garner, appointed by Bush as viceroy over Iraq, is fired by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The general revealed in an interview for BBC that he resisted White House plans to sell off Iraq's oil and national assets.

"That's just one fight you don't want to take on," Garner told me. But apparently, the White House wanted that fight.

The general also disclosed that these invade-and-grab plans were developed long before the US asserted that Saddam still held WDM:
"All I can tell you is the plans were pretty elaborate; they didn't start them in 2002, they were started in 2001."

November/December 2003 - Secrecy and misinformation continues even after the invasion. The oil industry objects to the State Department plans for Iraq's oil fields and drafts for the Administration a 323-page plan, "Options for [the] Iraqi Oil Industry." Per the industry plan, the US forces Iraq to create an OPEC-friendly state oil company that supports the OPEC cartel's extortionate price for petroleum.

The Stone Wall

Harper's and BBC obtained the plans despite official denial of their existence, then footdragging when confronted with the evidence of the reports' existence.

Still today, the State and Defense Departments and White House continue to stonewall our demands for the notes of the meetings between lobbyists, oil industry consultants and key Administration officials that would reveal the hidden economic motives for the war.

What are the secret interests behind this occupation? Who benefits? Who met with whom? Why won't this Administration release these documents of the economic blueprint for the war?

To date, the State and Defense Department responses to our reports are risible, and their answers to our requests for documents run from evasive to downright misleading. Maybe Congress, with it's power of subpoena, can do better.

Blogs, the Media and Democracy

Let me conclude with a comment about those pesky "blogs" that so bother the New York Times. We should stand and offer a moment of quiet gratitude to the electronic swarm of gadfly commentators who make it so much harder for the US media to ignore news not officially blessed. Yes, Judith Miller's breathless reports for The Times that Saddam possessed weapons of mass destruction may have maintained "access" for the mainstream press to its diet of White House propaganda, but the blogs insure that, whatever nonsense the US press is biting on, the public need not swallow.

Let's Hear From Dr Dean

What do you think Dr Dean should discuss next?
Take the fun poll over at Night Light.

• Halliburton and Republican War Profiteering
• Stolen Elections, Subversion of Democracy
• The GOP and Racism
• Downing Street Memo
• Pattern of Mendacity
• Invasion of Privacy
• GOP's the Most Crooked Bunch of Guys Since the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang
• Iraq

Turning Back the Clock the Clock: Pension Laws Still Penalize Women

From Care2.com:

Should women still have to choose between having a family and having a secure retirement?

Women today play a much greater role in our workforce than they did just a few decades ago. And yet, pension plan laws have not been updated. The current laws unfairly penalize women for taking time off to raise families. It's time for pension plan laws that reflect the economy and the workplace of today and the future. Take Action!

Many companies have begun to adopt cash balance and other hybrid pension plans - ones that do not assume a full, uninterrupted career with a single company. Analysis shows that three-fourths of female workers fare better under these newer pension plans because they do not penalize women for moving in and out of the workforce as they try to balance work and family needs.


With traditional pension plans women are penalized when they change jobs, as under these plans the benefit increases dramatically the longer a worker stays with a company. Since women are more likely to change jobs more frequently, women retirees receive only about half the pension benefits that men receive.

Despite the benefit for female workers, these modern plans are now at risk. Due to a recent court decision and Congressional inaction, companies may be forced to stop offering cash balance and other hybrid pension plans - leaving women workers everywhere facing the prospect of "turning back the clock" when it comes to pension fairness.

Don't make women choose between having a family and having a secure retirement! Let Congress know you will no longer stand for inaction when it comes to pension equality.

Take Action. Sign Petition.

Veto This

Bush threatens to veto embryonic stem cell research and from what I hear this morning he has threatened to veto any changes to the Patriot Act, aka American Freedom Removing Act. Well he hasn’t vetoed anything yet so if he plans to start, I have some suggestions for what he can veto.

Veto this war. It’s a war based on "fixed" info and "slam dunks". It’s a war that has been the reason for many many deaths and so damned much suffering. How many flags have covered caskets? Well as of today it’s over 1700. But apparently we have more flags because the recruiters are going into schools and nabbing kids to send to Iraq as so many targets. This war is wrong and it should be vetoed.

Veto the prison in Cuba. Even if some say it’s serving really good food and has a nice view, that’s not going to cover for abusing human beings who aren’t even officially charged with any crime. Just because you feed a person a well balanced meal doesn’t mean you can brutalize them and torture them. We are not a nation of torturers so veto that damned prison.

Veto the insane idea that Americans should invest their retirement money in the stock market. At least not as long as there are leeches in charge of the corporations. While American jobs are applying for passports it’s not a good idea to take what little the people believe they will have after retirement and gamble that money away. Veto shrugging off the responsibility of the government to provide social security for retirees. If you can’t manage the money correctly we’ll find someone who can.

Veto allowing big pharmaceutical companies to bleed us financially dry.

And lastly, veto yourself and your entire cabinet. Veto Fox News based on the fact that they even employ Bill O’Reilly. Veto Bill O’Reilly’s mouth and his falafel and his loofah. Veto Sean Hannity (link) because he needs vetoing a lot. Veto Hannity’s silent partner, Alan Colmes (link). Veto them all. And if there are any vetoes left, veto most of the Senate and the House, especially the Democrats who run as close with Republicans as remoras run with sharks. Also veto anyone who claims to be a voice of God and blames cartoon characters for all the ills of the world.

If something is going to be vetoed, let’s begin with these and then we’ll move on.

1st human case of bird flu in Indonesia hits farmworker

Jakarta, Indonesia -- "A farmworker in eastern Indonesia has tested positive for bird flu, marking the country's first human case of the virus that has already killed at least 54 people elsewhere in Southeast Asia, health officials in Indonesia said Wednesday". San Francisco Chronicle:More:

Nope Condi, That Wasn’t a Real Surprise

Rice was on Chris Mathews’ show “Hardball” last night. (link):

Rice said, “I think we had, when we went to war, having tried everything diplomatically to avoid war, I think when we went to war, we had a plan for how to deal with the aftermath. There were a number of things that surprised us, including the fact that the army, in a sense, kind of melted away in those last days after Saddam Hussein was overthrown.”

I thought that was what they wanted. Seems this was kinda the plan.

-CBS News Jan 24, 2003 (link): “They're calling it "A-Day," A as in airstrikes so devastating they would leave Saddam's soldiers unable or unwilling to fight.

"If the Pentagon sticks to its current war plan, one day in March the Air Force and Navy will launch between 300 and 400 cruise missiles at targets in Iraq. As CBS News Correspondent David Martin reports, this is more than number that were launched during the entire 40 days of the first Gulf War.

"On the second day, the plan calls for launching another 300 to 400 cruise missiles.

"There will not be a safe place in Baghdad," said one Pentagon official who has been briefed on the plan.

"The sheer size of this has never been seen before, never been contemplated before," the official said.

"The battle plan is based on a concept developed at the National Defense University. It's called 'Shock and Awe' and it focuses on the psychological destruction of the enemy's will to fight rather than the physical destruction of his military forces.

"We want them to quit. We want them not to fight," says Harlan Ullman, one of the authors of the Shock and Awe concept which relies on large numbers of precision guided weapons.”

And then, remember this?

-CBS News March 17, 2003 (link): “All the decades of deceit and cruelty have now reached an end. Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict commenced at a time of our choosing.

"For their own safety, all foreign nationals, including journalists and inspectors, should leave Iraq immediately.

"Many Iraqis can hear me tonight in a translated radio broadcast, and I have a message for them: If we must begin a military campaign, it will be directed against the lawless men who rule your country and not against you.

"As our coalition takes away their power, we will deliver the food and medicine you need.

"We will tear down the apparatus of terror and we will help you to build a new Iraq that is prosperous and free.

"In free Iraq there will be no more wars of aggression against your neighbors, no more poison factories, no more executions of dissidents, no more torture chambers and rape rooms.

"The tyrant will soon be gone. The day of your liberation is near.

"It is too late for Saddam Hussein to remain in power. It is not too late for the Iraq military to act with honor and protect your country, by permitting the peaceful entry of coalition forces to eliminate weapons of mass destruction. Our forces will give Iraqi military units clear instructions on actions they can take to avoid being attacked and destroyed.

"I urge every member of the Iraqi military and intelligence services: If war comes, do not fight for a dying regime that is not worth your own life.

"And all Iraqi military and civilian personnel should listen carefully to this warning: In any conflict, your fate will depend on your actions. Do not destroy oil wells, a source of wealth that belongs to the Iraqi people. Do not obey any command to use weapons of mass destruction against anyone, including the Iraqi people. War crimes will be prosecuted, war criminals will be punished and it will be no defense to say, "I was just following orders."

-Geo. Bush-

(Please go back and read the entire speech. Listen to it’s tone, knowing what you know now, it’s chilling and such a stack of propaganda and lies.)

Of course there was this too.

-Washington Post November 20, 2003 (link):
“Before the war, President Bush approved a plan that would have put several hundred thousand Iraqi soldiers on the U.S. payroll and kept them available to provide security, repair roads and prepare for unforeseen postwar tasks. But that project was stopped abruptly in late May by L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator in Iraq, who ordered the demobilization of Iraq's entire army, including largely apolitical conscripts.

"Bremer reversed himself a month later, but by then the occupation had lost not merely time and momentum but also credibility among former soldiers and their families, an important segment of Iraq's population.

"Now, the Americans are trying to recover -- including rehiring some of the same soldiers they demobilized -- at what one top Defense Department official called "warp speed." And while the administration's handling of the Iraqi army has been widely viewed as a fundamental decision of the occupation, a number of U.S. officials and analysts are saying it was fundamentally wrong.

"This was a mistake, to dissolve the army and the police," said Ayad Alawi, head of the security committee of the Iraqi Governing Council. "We absolutely not only lost time. The vacuum allowed our enemies to regroup and to infiltrate the country."

"Finally, last night Rice said, “And it's interesting, the report that Charles Duelfer did at the end when the Iraq Survey Group reported, showed that this was somebody who was never going to lose his connection to weapons of mass destruction, who continued to harbor ambitions, continued to try to keep certain capabilities in place.”

"Harbor ambitions? Did over 1700 American soldiers die because someone “harbored ambitions? That’s the justification for this war, the deaths, the expense? Sorry Condi, your excuses aren’t good enough, but that’s no real surprise; sadly it’s what we have come to expect from you.

Downing Hearings Moved Back to the Hill

From Newsdissector.com

On Thursday June 16, 2005, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Room HC-9 of the U.S. Capitol, Rep. John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and other Congress Members will hold a hearing on the Downing Street Minutes and related evidence of efforts to cook the books on pre-war intelligence.

The hearings had been planned for the Democratic National Committee offices because the Republicans controlling the House Judiciary Committee had refused to permit the ranking Democratic Member to use a large room on the Hill.

However, the Democrats did have access to a small room in the Capitol, and Congressman Conyers has decided to move the hearings there. This does not indicate any change in position from the Republicans."

I don't know how much spin there is to these stories about Republicans not allowing Democrats to use rooms on the Hill, but I think we should write to our Republican Congresspeople and ask them if this is true and if so, why the hell is this going on, if they ever want to be re-elected?
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Vultures Do It Too

Down here, when a small animal is hit and killed by an automobile, the body often will remain in the road for a day or longer. During that time if a group of vultures spots the dead body from the air they will fly down to the side of the road. Once it’s safe, the birds will literally run into the road, and grasping some part of the dead body with their beaks, they will drag it off the road and into the grass where they are safe to begin their consumption of the remains.

This morning after the physicians had reported their findings regarding the Teri Schiavo autopsy, I couldn’t help but think of the vultures as the press moved in. Once the press had spotted the report and the facts, and the physicians had left, they felt safe to drag the report away. Then they began their own type of dissection. They began to pull apart the report and consume what appealed to their own appetite and own their audience.
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Squabbling Amongist Christians Religions is the Equivalent of Sibling Rivalry. Sometimes It Gets Bitter.

It makes parents, even those on high, exasperated.

That they would find each other would have been as unlikely to predict as bush admitting he is wrong or a good horse market. She was a old and lifelong Southern Baptist. They were young and on a mission for the Mormon Church.

A requirement of good "Mormonism" for young men is to serve as missionaries for the church for two years.They are expected to go door to door wherever they are sent and spread the gospel of the Latter Day Saints. (LDS), also called Mormons. Now if you think that's easy, put yourself in their place. You are nineteen years old, most likely from a rural background, have no car, and are in a strange place. You're also wearing a dark suit and tie, riding a bicycle, and knocking on strangers' doors. As you know, many who open those doors and find out you are "peddling religion " are not friendly.

They knocked on her door one day and explained their purpose. She said, "Well, I'm teaching our home Bible class." They excused themselves and left. Later she said to her husband, "I'll never turn those boys away again." Eventually they came back down her street, and she said what she says to everybody who's ever knocked on her door: "Have ya eaten yet?" Well, for two boys a thousand miles from home and batchin', nothin' sounded sweeter.

For the next eight or ten years, the Mormon boys "stationed" in her little Oklahoma town beat a steady path to her door. They overlapped each other every few months, and each new missionary was taken to meet Uncle Luther and Aunt Vonnie. Many of these boys were country raised and homesick, I'm sure. They are not allowed to call home except on Mother's Day. Vonnie and Luther were retired farmers, both in their eighties, and sure knew how to cook for hungry boys. The boys played Skip Bo, ate fried chicken and peach cobbler, helped Vonnie with her garden when Luther became unable, sang while she played on the piano, and found an oasis from the pressure.

Uncle Luther passed away last fall, and Vonnie's havin' health problems. I visited her in the hospital this spring, and she talked about her Mormon boys. Her face lit up. It was obvious how much they meant to her. Some still write, and the new ones still come by checkin' on her.

I don't know if they're better Mormons or she's a better Baptist for their knowin' one another. And I don't know if the leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention and the Elders of the church of the Latter Day Saints would approve. But I do know that the human race is a little better species because of these two folks took the time to appreciate one another as people.
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A Cowgirls Best Friend---Ah, dog stories. When Cowgirls Get the Blues

Talk about relationships: a cowgirl's best friend. Canis domesticus, Guardius dedicado, Barkus protectivus, Lickus plateus. Patient listener, uncomplaining companion, eager helper, and therapist.

Have you ever noticed when you leave and came back, it doesn't matter if you've been gone for five minutes or five days, your dog is so glad to see you? Can you think of a single human being that is that glad to see you? Say you're going to run into town. You jump in the pickup (nobody even called you a bitch and you do it anyway) but you've forgotten the car keys, so you race back in the house. The dog licks your hand, your cowboy spouse says, "Darling, I thought you left."

Granted, there are times when Canis domestics becomes Canis estupido. Like when you visit a strange farm with dog in the truck. You are met by a pack of uncivil ruckus-makers surrounding your pickup and barking your arrival to everyone within half a mile. Your well-mannered beast suddenly forgets that he has been to obedience home school. Forgets all the long patient hours you and he have spent together learning to sit, stay, heel, sic'em and "away to me." He becomes Goofy, King of the Jungle, engaged in a barking battle when, without warning, his brain comes loose! He leaps from the pickup into a pack of howling farm dogs, and they all disappear around the barn.

But in spite of these semiregular appearances of "good dog dot dumb" there are tender moments: like when you've had some assault on your heart or your pride of what you do for a living. You walk down by the creek or out to the haystack just to be alone to deal with this new reality. Accompanying you, as always if you let him, is Old Faithful. Head in your lap, paw on your knee, ready to agree to anything you say, ready to soak up a tear or a curse or a sigh. Guardian of your most secret thoughts. Friends without strings, as true as mother's love, as faithful as Siamese twins, and all for the price of a scratch behind the ear.
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Oh Sure, Now They Want Gays in the Military

So desperate for cannon fodder, congress is considering lifting the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and allow out-of-the-closet gays to join the armed forces. Story at yahoo.
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Tax Cuts Aid Those Who Helped Put Them Into Place

We are not surprised.

Tax cuts aid senators
By Geoff Earle and Lauren Mercer [The Hill]

Several senators — millionaires, many of them — have reported earning substantial dividend income in 2004, benefiting greatly from President Bush’s tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, according to financial disclosure reports made available yesterday. Read the rest


But seriously folks, instead of allowing them to try to amend the constitution to allow politicians to stay in power forever, we the people ought to be crying out that ALL politicians cannot serve consecutive terms. They need to be reined in. Now.
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Happy Blogaversary

To The Culture Ghost!

Hat tip to Uncle Horns

PS. Check out Uncle Hornhead's wife's Chain Mail iPod cozy. It's too cool!
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Why Cowboys Spend a Lot of Time Alone

Saw this bumper sticker on a pickup truck

Cowboy Foreplay
Get in My truck, Bitch!
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Grave Warning From Microsoft

I mean come on... now Microsoft issued a grave warning telling windows users to download the latest security fix to "Fix critical flaws." oy vay. What is with these words like "grave" and "fatal" I always see with their products? What drama queens!

"The most serious flaws affect Windows and Internet Explorer and could be exploited by a malicious hacker to take over a computer system. The other patches affect Windows, the Exchange server system, services for the Unix operating system, Microsoft's Interactive Training software for Windows, and ISA server, a network firewall program." BBC NEWS

My lord! How do people put up with this? I also read this article saying that it's getting easier if you have windows to transfer files from an old computer to a new one like this is a big deal. Good lord. It was never hard on Mac.

Windows is used in most of the world's computers. It was clearly an inferior operating system from the start but Bill Gates is a master marketer and his product was more affordable than an Apple. Apple people have been ridiculed by the PC world for their enthusiasm over the years... but seriously, the Apple users are just so happy with their computers that they want everyone to join in the fun. Really. Plus maybe they will make some of those cool games for Apple if more people buy them. Things are simple in the world of Apple. No viruses. No ad ware. What the hell is spy ware? Apple isn't perfect, but I've worked on both Windows and Mac and I really can't see why anyone would subject themselves to that torture. But that's just my opinion. BTW, Macs are priced competitively now.
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Rwanda Revisted

When I saw the HBO movie, "Sometimes in April" I was brought to tears. I had no idea what had happened there in 1994. It broke my heart. There was a memorial yesterday for the Rwanda genocide that happened 10 years ago. Kofi Annan was the UN Secretary back then and yesterday he apologized for not doing more to stop it. 8,000 Tutsi's and moderate Hutu's were massacred. "The international community is guilty of sins of omission," Mr Annan said.

The head of the small UN peacekeeping force in Rwanda at the time, Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire, told the conference that no-one was interested in saving Rwandans and the bulk of his force was ordered to leave. "I still believe that if an organisation decided to wipe out the 320 mountain gorillas there would be still more of a reaction by the international community to curtail or to stop that than there would be still today in attempting to protect thousands of human beings being slaughtered in the same country."

You know, he's right... animal activists get more accomplished than human rights activists.

Paul Kagame, the current Rwandan president said his nation bears the prime responsibility for the 1994 genocide but the outside world had stood by and let it happen. Now I feel guilty. But honestly, I didn't know. I think our news was covering Bill Clinton's sexual escapades. Mr Kagame again accused France of complicity in the genocide for training and arming the militias. Belgium and South Africa apologized for their inaction.

So what is with all this apologizing lately? At the same time the world sits back while a genocide is happening in Darfur... and the world sits back while US imperialists destroy Iraq in the name of civilization and freedom while building more and more WMDs... and we Americans are being taken over systematically by fascists in the same way Hitler took over Germany in the 1930's? Doesn't anyone read history books? They'll be chucking history books here the same way they are trying to dispose of the science books in the US. Will we have to endure a bloody massacre too? Save your history books.

There's a good brief history of what happened at BBC here: How the Genocide Happened. There is hardly much of an ethnic difference between Hutu's and Tutsi's yet when the Belgian's arrived there in 1916, they decided that the Tutsi's were 'better' and issued ID cards classifying people according to their ethnicity. That is when the shit started to hit the fan. The Tutsi's got the good jobs and enjoyed a better lifestyle. It's very interesting and it makes you think more about how the Europeans, in their attempts to civilize the world, fucked it up more. Just look at our country when they arrived here.

Now they are trying to rebuild and mend the division in Rwanda. Three million Hutu refugees fled to neighboring countries after the genocide, among them the perpetrators, who turned themselves into a rebel force menacing Rwanda's borders. Many have since disarmed and come back to Rwanda. But the Tutsi's are in power and there are fears that the Hutu will become resentful and a conflict could happen again.

I don't know if they got rid of the ID cards. They ought to. There is no way to tell if someone is a Hutu or a Tutsi unless you look at their ID. That was the worst part of the genocide- having to show your ID and then getting killed because of what was written on it.

But the Boy Sure Can Edit

“Philip A. Cooney, the former White House staff member who repeatedly revised government scientific reports on global warming, will go to work for Exxon Mobil this fall, the oil company said yesterday.

"Mr. Cooney resigned as chief of staff for President Bush's environmental policy council on Friday, two days after documents obtained by The New York Times revealed that he had edited the reports in ways that cast doubt on the link between the emission of greenhouse gases and rising temperatures.

"A former lawyer and lobbyist with the American Petroleum Institute, the main lobbying group for the oil industry, Mr. Cooney has no scientific training.”

And

"Phil Cooney did a great job," said Dana Perino, a deputy spokeswoman for the White House, "and we appreciate his public service and the work that he did, and we wish him well in the private sector."

And

“Exxon Mobil has long financed advertising and lobbying efforts that question whether warming caused by humans poses risks serious enough to justify curbing carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas emitted by smokestacks and tailpipes.”

More at the NY Times.

Ain't We Got A Great Department Of Defense? They Knew Before 9/11 We Were Going To Need A Prison Camp At Guantanamo.

From DoD News:
"Brown & Root Services, a division of Kellogg Brown & Root, Arlington, Va., is being awarded Task Order 0014 for $7,000,000 under a previously awarded cost-reimbursement, indefinite-delivery and indefinite-quantity construction contract (N62470-00-D-0005) for construction of a detention camp, Phase II, at the Radio Range area of U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Units will be of modular steel construction. Each unit measures approximately 6 feet 8 inches by 8 feet and includes a bed, a toilet, and a hand basin with running water. Work will be performed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and is to be completed by May 2002. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The basic contract was competitively procured with 44 proposals solicited, three offers received and award made on June 29, 2000. The total contract amount is not to exceed $300,000,000, which includes the base period and four option years. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic Division, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity".

Thanks to Rigorous Intuition and Daily KOs.

Like I Said...

...back on April 4th if you want to find some frequent embarrassing poop on the Bush administration, read the UPI or The Wash. Times.

Here's this which I've referred to in a post below:

"A former Bush team member during his first administration is now voicing serious doubts about the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9-11".

Check out the entire article at The Washington Times/UPI.

Conversations with a loved one

Upon arriving home, Patricia of Lone Tree said, "Well, what's new in the world today"?
I answered, "The Republicans want to repeal the 22nd Amendment".
"What's the 22nd Amendment", was the response.
I answered by asking, "How would you like to have George Bush as president for the rest of your life"?
And she replied, "What difference would it make? He's fucked the country up so bad, nobody'll ever be able to fix it".

Peter of Lone Tree revises his estimate of himself as a political sophisticate.

The Mother of a Dead Soldier Defines "Hard Work"

“Sheehan ridiculed Bush for saying that it's "hard work" comforting the widow of a soldier who's been killed in Iraq.

"Hard work is seeing your son's murder on CNN one Sunday evening while you're enjoying the last supper you'll ever truly enjoy again. Hard work is having three military officers come to your house a few hours later to confirm the aforementioned murder of your son, your first-born, your kind and gentle sweet baby. Hard work is burying your child 46 days before his 25th birthday. Hard work is holding your other three children as they lower the body of their big (brother) into the ground. Hard work is not jumping in the grave with him and having the earth cover you both," she said.”

There’s more here: Lexington Herald Leader

A Quick Max Out on the Jackson Meter and other stuff

Last night Mr. Pop and I realized within about ten minutes after the Jackson verdict that we were already maxed out on the Jackson meter. We could, like magical seers, predict that it would be a night of all Jackson. We made our decision to evacuate the premises. We retired to the patio to prepare and eat dinner. As darkness approached, we would occasionally go back into the house on different recon missions. The TV in the kitchen was on so whichever of us passed by the kitchen would report back to the patio what we had heard. Reports came with humor. One such report was that someone was comparing the OJ Simpson trial to that of Jackson. The same someone hadn’t bothered to say that the difference was that in the OJ trial there were two murdered bodies, but who’s concerned about facts. About ten o’clock we felt it safe to re enter the house, turned off the TV and hit the hay.

Today is Flag Day. Today we should all hang our flags out front of our homes and feel pride. I can possibly do half of that.

Tonight Chris Matthews is going to have Condi on Hardball. If Chris has one blond hair on his ass, he will not let her filibuster him as she did before the 9-11 Committee. He had better truly play hardball and not let her get away with bs.

So what’s up with Jenna and not-Jenna? Are they being hounded by military recruiters like every other kid in the US? Are they packing for boot camp? If not, why not? Where are Jeb’s kids? What branch of the military are they planning to join to “support our troops”? We could have an army of about four more if the kids really did support this war on Iraq (a.k.a. war on terror). As Mr. Pop said last night, there’ll always be something that terrifies someone, so we will remain in a state of war forever. Man, can he say some optimistic stuff or what? Sadly, he’s right. Until someone comes to their senses, we will be at war. When the country is at war, the president gets to do a lot of things that he normally could not do. So who wins?

They drug Saddam out and videoed him with no sound. Sadly they drug him out the same day the Jackson verdict came. Rove’s ploy to remind the world Saddam was a bad man was usurped by the world being reminded that Jackson wasn’t a bad man. Oops, misfire for Rove. What’ll be next? Better find some more mass graves in Iraq and find them fast. Maybe even re-find one, because we’ve all lost count of how many there have been or where they were. Hell, maybe they’ll even find something suspicious that could, might, possibly, perhaps, has potential for, be used as WMD. Some part of the general public would swallow that like a shot of fine bourbon. They’re so doped up on Patriotism that they don’t know what the hell they’re doing anyway. Or they could capture someone who was very close to the bad guy du jour (forgive my French or forgive my Freedom).

Speaking of freedom, don’t let anyone get away with saying the soldiers are in Iraq fighting for our freedom. No they’re not. We didn’t ask them to die for our freedom and this war has nothing to do with our freedom. George bush asked them to die, not you and not me. Our freedom doesn’t have a damned thing to do with Iraq. In case you doubt that, read the memos. We aren’t responsible for this war, we didn’t ask for it and don’t lay dead soldiers at our feet. Lay them in front of the white house.

Some are saying that it’s incorrect to compare this war to the war in Vietnam. They say it’s too early to do that. No, it’s not. We learned from Vietnam that we should have stopped digging the hole long before we did. Today we are remembering history and we have learned something. How many died during Vietnam? Should we wait until the grave is that deep again? NO!


Chris Hedges: (Antiwar.com Link)

"We are losing the war in Iraq. We are an isolated and reviled nation. We are pitiless to others weaker than ourselves. We have lost sight of our democratic ideals. Thucydides wrote of Athens' expanding empire and how this empire led it to become a tyrant abroad and then a tyrant at home. The tyranny Athens imposed on others, it finally imposed on itself. If we do not confront the lies and hubris told to justify the killing and mask the destruction carried out in our name in Iraq, if we do not grasp the moral corrosiveness of empire and occupation, if we continue to allow force and violence to be our primary form of communication, if we do not remove from power our flag-waving, cross-bearing versions of the Taliban, we will not so much defeat dictators such as Saddam Hussein as become them."


Amen!


Bring the troops home, impeach bush et. al., and let’s start cleaning up the mess.

This Stinks

This would never happen around here.

File Under “Oh, Shit!” George Bush in 08?

From Indy Media (Link):

“Republicans have officially started the campaign to amend the Constitution by repealing the 22nd Amendment - the one that confines the President to two terms. If the Republicans hold their current strength, or increase it, in the 2006 Congressional elections, expect this measure to pass allowing Bush to remain President...”

And

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 17, 2005

Mr. HOYER (for himself, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SABO, and Mr. PALLONE) introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

Strange Fruit

Southern trees bear a strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black body swinging in the Southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

From Billie Holiday's 1938 song "Strange Fruit"

Many were falsely accused of rape or murder. Most were black. Some were lynched simply for speaking to a white person. Crowds of families (sometimes up to 20,000) gathered in a sordid carnival-like atmosphere to watch a lynching. People celebrated and ripped body parts from the lynched as souvenirs. Photographs were sold as postcards to commemerate the occassion. Unspeakable torture, burning at the stake and horrific acts were often part of a lynching. Most lynchings took place in the south, the bible belt. There were also barbarous Montana Vigilantes who waged "justice" on Mexicans, Chinese immigrants, and Native Americans.

"The Negro prayed and shrieked in agony as the flames reached his flesh," reported a local newspaper, "but his cries were drowned out by yells and jeers of the mob." As Simmons began to lose consciousness the mob fired at the body, cutting it to pieces. "The mobsters made no attempt to conceal their identity but there were no prosecutions." (Bennie Simmons Anadarko, Oklahoma on June 13, 1913.)

“After taking the nigger to the woods about four miles from Greenwood, they cut off his penis. He was made to eat it. Then they cut off his testicles and made him eat them and say he liked it. Then they sliced his sides and stomach with knives and every now and then somebody would cut off a finger or toe. Red hot irons were used on the nigger to burn him from top to bottom.” From time to time during the torture a rope would be tied around Neal’s neck and he was pulled up over a limb and held there until he almost choked to death when he would be let down and the torture begin all over again. After several hours of this unspeakable torture, “they decided just to kill him.” - recounted by member of lynching party of Claude Neal On October 26, 1934 Marianna, Florida

In 1937 and again in 1940, yet two more anti-lynching bills passed through the House of Representatives, but were defeated in the Senate. Although the NAACP had failed to get a federal law passed, lynchings had almost disappeared by 1950. The NAACP's 30-year struggle to publicize the barbarity of lynch mobs had penetrated even the most backward and racist regions of the country.

Even after the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, lynchings persisted in the deep south to combat the achievements of the movement, the most significant of which was the illegal execution of nineteen year old Michael Donald.

States with 100 or more Lynchings from 1882-1967

• State (white- black) total
• Alabama (48- 299) 347
• Arkansas (58-226) 284
• Florida (25-257) 282
• Georgia (39-492) 531
• Kentucky (63-142) 205
• Louisiana (56-335) 391
• Mississippi (42-539) 581
• Missouri (53-69) 122
• North Carolina (15-86) 101
• Oklahoma (82-40) 122
• South Carolina (41-56) 160
• Tennessee (47-204) 251
• Texas (141-352) 493
• Virginia (17-83) 100

Over 4700 lynchings were recorded from 1882-1968. 1892 was the worst year for lynchings. 161 blacks and 69 whites were lynched. Between 1919 and 1922, statistics show that another 239 blacks were lynched. What is unknown is the number of unrecorded lynchings.

And now, in 2005, the Senate apologizes for not passing anti-lynching laws.

We have a dirty recent history in this country.
Information gathered from Lynchings and Hangings in American History
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UPDATE: [americablog.org]
Below are the senators who refused to vote for the anti-lynching legislation (it was a voice vote, BTW, because senators didn't want their names associated with it.)

Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Robert Bennett (R-UT)
Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Kent Conrad (D-ND)
John Cornyn (R-TX)
Michael Crapo (R-ID)
Michael Enzi (R-WY)
Chuck Grassley (R-ID)
Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Trent Lott (R-MS)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Richard Shelby (R-AL)
John Sununu (R-NH)
Craig Thomas (R-WY)
George Voinovich (R-OH)

Here's the list of co-sponsors.

LOOK WHO'S ASKING NOW!

Why Did the Trade Center Skyscrapers Collapse?
by Morgan Reynolds

Who is Morgan Reynolds? From LewRockwell.com:
"Morgan Reynolds, Ph.D., is professor emeritus at Texas A&M University and former director of the Criminal Justice Center at the National Center for Policy Analysis headquartered in Dallas, TX. He served as chief economist for the US Department of Labor during 2001–2, George W. Bush's first term". (Emphasis Added.)

Reynolds: "The government’s collapse theory is highly vulnerable on its own terms, but its blinkered narrowness and lack of breadth is the paramount defect unshared by its principal scientific rival – controlled demolition. Only professional demolition appears to account for the full range of facts associated with the collapses of WTC 1 (North Tower), WTC 2 (South Tower), and the much-overlooked collapse of the 47-story WTC building 7 at 5:21 pm on that fateful day".
(...)
"More importantly, momentous political and social consequences would follow if impartial observers concluded that professionals imploded the WTC. If demolition destroyed three steel skyscrapers at the World Trade Center on 9/11, then the case for an "inside job" and a government attack on America would be compelling".

There's more at the link above. It's worth a read and a save not only because it is a compelling summary of the contradictions but because now a former member of Bush's team has doubts and suspicions about the "official" version. Reynolds somewhat understates the case when he says, "...momentous political and social consequences would follow...". I prefer to ask, "How do you punish an adminstration that kills its own citizens just so they can blame it on someone else in order to start a war"?

Anntichrist S. Coulter, My Guest Writer Today

I don’t know who she is or what she’s all about, but I do know that I like her and I love the way she makes her point. Here’s one of her most recent points.

With her permission, the following words are the gems of the writer we know on the net as Anntichrist S. Coulter.



“What so many Ig'nant Yankees fail to understand is, it's not SOUTHERNERS who kept "The Dukes Of Hazzard" on the air all those years, and we SURE AS HELL DIDN'T ASK FOR THE MOVIE!!!

"And, at last count, there were more ACTIVE Klan chapters in Indiana and Ohio THAN IN THE ENTIRE SOUTH COMBINED. Don't even get me started on IDAHO and MONTANA... Gack.

"Plus, I've been to a few of those "modest clothing" sites that S.Z. has waxed poetic about, y'know, those "Prairie Muffins" types who laud their own "morality" because they OBNOXIOUSLY CROW ABOUT HOW "SUBMISSIVE" AND "DOCILE" THEY ARE BEFORE THE PRESENCE OF MAN??!?!? Yeah, guess where they're from. Sure as fuck ain't Louisiana.

"Hell, yeah, there's still a SHITLOAD of things that are still wrong in the South. Over breeding the inbreds being #1 on the list. But what so many of them Ig'nant Yankees fail to understand, and in many cases, fail to even SEE --- is that the same shit, and sometimes WORSE --- is going on in their own back yards. I guess it just makes 'em feel better about NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT when they can point fingers
and laugh at all of us "ignorant hicks."

"That's what's truly sad about this country --- the hick germ seems to reach from sea to shining sea. And another small note: I've met bigots from BROOKLYN who would put the cross-burning Neanderthals of my home state to SHAME.”


In my most recent email from Anntichrist S. Coulter she said, “Patricia, my pissed-off darling (and I mean that solely in the most heterosexual fashion possible)…”

Well, Anntichrist, right back at you with admiration and adoration. Thank you for allowing me the use of your words today. And also, thank you for reminding me to say one more time, Don’t mess with southern women!

Need A Reason To Never Surrender--How About Six?

Straight From the Downing Street Memo
There's just nothing quite like the smell of the smoking gun in the morning.

1. The memo has been verified as authentic
2. The memo is from months before the invasion
3. The "Military action, was seen as inevitable."
4. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action. justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being cooked around the policy.
5. It seems clear bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decide. But the case was weak.
6. Saddam was not threatening his neighbors and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea and Iran.

What Would Happen?

What if today there is a verdict in the Michael Jackson case and we also find out what happened to the girl in Aruba. What would happen then? What if no other women or children are missing for several weeks and no celebrity is on trial? Would the cable news shows just close up and go home?

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"My view is FOX News is a propaganda outlet for the Republican Party and I don't comment on FOX News." -- Howard Dean

Did This Have To Be Written?

I don't really know what to make of this article in the stupid old NY Post, but it bears looking at.

LIKE MOM, BUY-BINGE DAUGHTER SQUANDERS 9/11 CASH

The tormented widow has gone through nearly all the $5 million in 9/11 payments and donations she received — spending $1.5 million to renovate her Northport, L.I., home, $350,000 for a backyard basketball court and $500,000 on designer shoes.

Not to mention thousands more on cars, vacations and even breast jobs for friends.

But it hasn't helped.

Steve Gilliard, felt like I did... and still do after 9/11. It was different if you were here. He too felt disgust that Bernie Kerick had the audacity to fuck in an apartment overlooking Ground Zero in the aftermath. Fuck you, bush, for saying Kerick was a good man. Fuck you.

The GNC coming to NYC was a collective spit in our faces and exact proof that they didn't know or care what happened that day to real people with real lives. It was cheap political grandstanding and a blatant rise of fascism. Things are still different here. People are still reacting in strange ways. So what if survivors piss the money away?

What the hell are our troops doing in Iraq?
What the hell is the Patriot Act? It's not even in effect in New York City in case all the other paranoid pieces of shit in other US cities would like to know.
No, we don't walk around with guns here in NY. It wouldn't have helped anyway.
Why did bush let osama get away?
Why did the WH tell the EPA to declare that our air was safe here and now people are sick? Why didn't the 9/11 Commission help to heal the millions of New Yorkers who to this day want answers and closure?
Fuck the billboard in Arizona that tells citizens to remember 9/11 and be vigilant. Bite me.


Typical NY Post. Sensationalism trumps good taste and compassion. Open up the wounds, why don't you? gablessamurka indeed.

Don’t You Dare Shut Up

Lies, we have heard so many for so long that we doubt everything. How could we not? We doubted the war before it began because we listened to the weapons inspectors reports. They had found nothing. We cried and cringed that awful afternoon when America proudly displayed the infernal circus billed as “Shock and Awe”, the big televised killing and bombing display. It played in the center ring and there were no clowns. Stop and remember what went through your body and soul that day. Remember how you felt that you were losing your mind because the grief and repulsion were so overwhelming? Did you look at your TV and scream, “Please god, make it stop?” We cried because no matter what they told us, we knew people were being killed, and the last thing those people knew was that America the beautiful had attacked their country. The liberators had arrived and there was no time to go to the garden to pluck flowers to offer the men flying the planes that dropped the bombs. Just no time to welcome them with flowers and sweets because they were either picking up the pieces of their loved ones or they themselves were gasping their last breath. The only thing about that day that wasn’t a lie was the deaths.

Time went on and more died. Meanwhile, Americans flew their little flags on the windows of their automobiles. We were the mighty victors, because bush said so. Another lie was born on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, as bush proclaimed “Mission Accomplished”. Later we found that to be a lie, or so we thought. Maybe a mission had been accomplished. Maybe the mission was that he had started a war in Iraq. Perhaps this was one lie he didn’t tell us. Maybe we were thinking about the wrong mission, because it sure was a wrong mission.

Today the lies fly out so quickly that we have lost count. Lies begat lies and now they are like so many locusts. Just like locusts they are destroying everything in their path. While we have been fighting with the lies, we have lost so much. We have lost our reputation and our pride. That, along with all the Iraqi and American deaths, is the most tragic part of this war. Someone says they are “Proud to be an American” and you wonder, what part of what America is doing today makes you proud? Which lie are you yet believing? Do you doubt people have been killed in your name? Whether you supported or opposed this war, your money buys the bullets and bombs that are killing innocent Iraqi citizens.

Even today lies are being born and moving around the world. Doubt everything you hear about this war from the president and all his women and men. Doubt every number and every adjective. You have to, because when you know someone has lied to you so many, many times, you would be wise to question everything they do and say. It’s not un-American to question. It’s un-American not to question. If we want to regain our pride and our honor we have to keep asking questions and keep fighting the lies. The most un-American thing we could do, the most tragic thing we could do, the most awful thing we could do, is to shut up. If we shut up now, the liars will win and they’ve won too much already. Being a real American, a true American, means never shutting up and always shining the light on the lies. So keep making noise, lots of noise, and don’t you dare shut up! We have a debt to our dead soldiers and all the people who never had the opportunity to pick the flowers.

Real Woman's Issues

The second time I shaved my legs and underarms yesterday, (it's summer, you know) I had a thought... well I had a few thoughts and one was what I was going to cook for my man, but the other thought was pony tail or hat... no wait, it was about how to slam uppity "supposedly progressive" men like daily kos, who think that women shouldn't worry about being objectified.

There are more manly things to think about like the politics and the economy than women's issues. Whether or not 'A List' Male Lefty bloggers think that the continuing degradation of females by the media is a waste of time or is making a mountain out of a molehill should be of no concern to me. After all, putting women in their place (spread eagle on the bed) a long standing male tradition embraced by men of any political persuasion. Even the holy bible condones it. Who am I to even question true American values that cross all party lines? Men calling each other "pussies" or enjoying female cat fights is another time honored tradition. Silly me for thinking that "progressive" men would be above that. It just makes me want to go to Victoria's Secret and buy another cleavage enhancing bra on my husband's credit card.

Now I suppose that I have lost my sense of humor lately because spending so much time in front of the bathroom mirror practicing my surprised coy look without causing brow furl has become quite a chore. It takes away from my blogging sometimes. Other women bloggers have similar experiences. See links below.

Reading etiquette books at the beach is fun, but I have taken to reading the New York Times to improve my mind and my outlook on the world (to impress men)... but it's so big and cumbersome and men get mad when I learn stuff. The wind blows the Times too much at the beach... it really makes me mad. I exhale loudly when the paper gets crumpled. I even broke a nail when section B blew off my blanket and I had to retrieve it before the seagulls shat on it. Silly me, I was trying to read more about that war and wondering if my only begotten son would be drafted to fight in it.

With heaving ample breasts, I carefully pack my NY Times into the recycling bin being sure not to ruin my manicure. I flick my long blonde hair away from my naturally green eyes while glancing once again at my long bronzed legs to be sure that no hair has gone unshaven and join my man on the sofa to watch the hilarious antics of silly womanly women engaging in a food fight. What could be better or more important for world peace? Well I'd better start thinking about tonight's menu.

Update:
Some Guys Really Know How to Give a Girl the Giggles
Pop Quiz, Asshole
Why, I do declare!
Dear Ladies
Write Your Own Caption - Markos Moulitsas Zúniga Edition
Stuff This Wherever You Keep Your "Important Shit"
Pen-Elayne
Female Problems
Ode To Misogyny
Ironically
Sensing Humor
Patronized
Lance Mannion's Backgrounder on this Issue
Hell Hath No Fury
This One's For The Ladies

Second Smoking Gun: Another Memo

The Times has the other memo that shows that the UK would only support "regime change" in Iraq if the US would manipulate create the political framework that would make such an invasion "legal".

Excerpt:

3. We need now to reinforce this message and to encourage the US Government to place its military planning within a political framework, partly to forestall the risk that military action is precipitated in an unplanned way by, for example, an incident in the No Fly Zones. This is particularly important for the UK because it is necessary to create the conditions in which we could legally support military action. Otherwise we face the real danger that the US will commit themselves to a course of action which we would find very difficult to support.

The UK, in a roundabout, twisted sort of way, actually stops to think about what they are doing and if it's legal, unlike the bushistas.

US views of international law vary from that of the UK and the international community. Regime change per se is not a proper basis for military action under international law. But regime change could result from action that is otherwise lawful. We would regard the use of force against Iraq, or any other state, as lawful if exercised in the right of individual or collective self-defence, if carried out to avert an overwhelming humanitarian catastrophe, or authorised by the UN Security Council.

So it turns out that those of us who believed that the bush crime family thought up this invasion of Iraq simply to get Saddam out of there for personal reasons and to get some SUV juice were absolutely on the money.

Billmon blogging at This Modern World suggests:

... in addition to flooding the corporate media with calls and letters demanding that they get on the ball, complaints also should be directed to the offices of Sen. Pat Roberts, R-KA, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee -- (202) 224-4774; 109 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510 -- and Vice Chair Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D(alleged)-WV -- (202) 224-6472; 531 Hart Senate Office Building.

Or how about the chair of the House Intelligence Committee: Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-MI: (202) 225-4401; 2234 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington DC 20515. Or ranking member Rep. Jane Harmon, D(alleged)-CA: (202) 225 8220; 2400 Rayburn House Office Building.

Keep up to date by checking the Big Brass Alliance
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Stand with "Give'em Hell" Howard!

There is an AP article in the Columbia Tribune, that is very promising....looks like this non issue may have turned the corner. It accurately points out that Dean has brought in 13 Million dollars in the same time frame and context that Terry McCauliffe raised 8 Million.

In the meantime Cheney Criticizes Dean Over Remarks

"I've never been able to understand his appeal. Maybe his mother loved him, but I've never met anybody who does. He's never won anything, as best I can tell," Cheney said in an interview to be aired Monday on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes."

UPDATE FROM ABC NEWS:

"My view is FOX News is a propaganda outlet for the Republican Party and I don't comment on FOX News," Dean said. That was in response to vice president Dick Cheney calling Howard Dean "over the top" on Fox News on Sunday.

The former Vermont governor says democrats have not done a good job of talking about their moral values. He plans to do it more.

He also says he's received positive feedback for his tough talk so he plans to continue being in his words "blunt and clear" about the shortcomings of the republican party.

"People want us to fight," Dean told the national party's executive committee. "We are here to fight."

Journalist Freed in Iraq After 5 Months

Contained in the AP article which can be accessed here are these quotes:

"President Jacques Chirac, who was among those to greet Aubenas at an airstrip in Villacoublay, west of Paris, where her plane landed, also gave no details.

"Former Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, who worked on the case until leaving the government this month, said France paid no ransom, and Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie thanked officials in the DGSE spy agency".

France negotiates with Iraqis. French hostages live.
The U.S. does not negotiate with Iraqis. The fate of U.S. hostages is well known.
Jacques Chirac is a hero. george w. bush is one of the biggest assholes the world has ever known.

I'm More Afraid of Christians Than.....

On June 8th, America's dickweed, Lush Bimbo said:

Let me tell you something, the Democrats are more fearful -- and I've told you this too -- they're more fearful of Christians than they are of Al Qaeda. The Democrats are more fearful of Democrats [sic] than they are of Islamist terrorists living in this country. They are more fearful of Christians than they are of any enemy of the United States of America. They probably have more fear of Christians than they do nuclear weapons being launched by North Korea. [mediamatters.org]

Rush is right to a point. He should have clarified his statement though:

1. People are afraid of fundamentalist christians (with a small "c"). Fundies have no real religion. Fundamentalism is a 'make it up as you go' sort of movement based on fear and hate using the bible taken out of context. Fundamentalists aren't Christian just as Jehovah's Witnesses are not Christian. Anyone can make up a "religion" using the bible taken out of context.

2. He shouldn't lump everyone who is fearful of fundamentalist christians as Democrats. That is wrong. You don't have to be a Democrat to be concerned about wacko fringe "christian" groups. Plenty of Republicans and Independents understand that fringe sects threaten the fabric of American life and our constitution.

3. I am not a Democrat and I was raised a Christian. However, I am indeed more fearful of fundamentalist christians than I am of al Qaida and North Korea. Fundamentalist christians have a better chance of stripping our civil rights in this country than any terrorists. Fundies are working night and day to wage war on education, ethics, compassion, science and the American constitution. So Rush is damn straight that people are afraid of "christians".

How afraid of christians are you?
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A Shiny New Catapult for the Propaganda

Remember bush’s insane comment about catapulting the propaganda? Well, the US is looking at a new, somewhat costly, catapult.

“The U.S. Special Operations Command has hired three firms to produce newspaper stories, television broadcasts and Web sites to spread American propaganda overseas.

"The Tampa-based military headquarters, which oversees commandos and psychological warfare, may spend up to $100 million for the media campaign in the next five years.”

Continuing…

“The use of contractors in psyops is a new wrinkle. But psychological warfare expert Herb Friedman said he is not surprised.

"With only one active-duty and two reserve psyops units remaining, Friedman said, "The bottom line is, they don't have the manpower."

"Federal law prohibits sending propaganda to Americans, and some experts worry that psychological warfare messages, especially disinformation efforts, might blow back to American audiences via the Internet and satellite news channels.

"In this age of the Internet and instant access, it's of great concern," said Nancy Snow, a propaganda expert at California State University-Fullerton. "If you plant false stories, how can you control where that story goes? You can't."

"Others question whether the money could be better spent.”

Yes indeed, I would be one of those questioning whether the money could be better spent. And what’s this about “planting false stories”? The US telling lies? More lies? Haven’t we told them all?

The article continues here TimesDispatch.com(Link)

Got Any Hot Poop?

Subtitle: "What're They Trying To Sneak Past Us This Weekend"?

Remember?

Remember the three people who were kicked out of one of bush’s, closed to anyone but bush adorers, events? It was all about the bumper sticker that read "No More Blood for Oil". This was bush’s “March 21 Social Security forum in Denver before the president arrived at the taxpayer-financed event”.

“"It has been nearly three months since three individuals were removed from President Bush's Social Security town hall in Denver," Udall, DeGette and Salazar wrote to Secret Service Director M. Ralph Basham. "Each of us has called on the Secret Service to conduct an investigation to determine if the individual who removed these three persons unlawfully posed as an agent or a law enforcement official. Even though the Secret Service has conducted an investigation, the American people still do not have answers.

"It has been reported in the Denver media that the Secret Service knows the identity of the person responsible for removing these three people from the event. The lack of information from the Secret Service and the White House and their unresponsiveness toward this matter gives the appearance of either disinterest or a coverup."

There’s more here: Denver Post

Do NOT miss the Rude Pundit today.

Here's the link. And ruder than usual. Go big guy!

A Most Unusual Event- Sensenbrenner

If you were watching c-pan a bit ago you might have witnessed a little bit of history. The House Judiciary Committee was meeting to discuss the Patriot Act and Civil Liberties. Sensenbrenner chaired the committee. You could tell from the beginning that neither he nor the other Republicans wanted anything to do with this meeting. They didn’t want to see or hear anyone on the panel who had anything to say that didn’t praise everything the US has been doing. I’m so sorry I can’t list all the panel members. I know there was one from Amnesty International. The others were from similar organizations. Had I known what was about to transpire, I would have taken notes on the panel members.

First of all Sensenbrenner determined he would conduct the activities right by the clock. If a panel member was in mid sentence when the time expired, that person was not allowed to finish his or her sentence. If a member of the committee used his or her five minutes asking a question and the time expired, the panel members were not allowed time to answer. I personally had never seen anything like this. When all the members had had their turn, Sensenbrenner made his own statement and gaveled the meeting closed. He left the room. Here’s where the history may come in. The Democratic committee members stayed in their chairs and continued to talk to the panel and those in attendance. Basically they continued without the chairman and after the meeting had officially ended. They defied the chairman and asked if any members of the press were interested in what they had to say. The press stayed and C-span’s cameras kept rolling. Hopefully the transcripts will be out soon.

This was one of the most biased and bizarre examples of the Republicans closing out reality that I have ever seen. This was blatantly foolish and irresponsible. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that the Republicans on this committee are interested in fixing what’s wrong with our country. They were so busy trying to ignore and hide reality that they looked like arrogant fools.

UPDATE: The link to the video is now online at CSpan.org .
Click on the video under Recent Programs which says: House Hearing on Patriot Act Reauthorization (06/10/2005)
It's also available at Dem Bloggers

Contact Congressman Sensenbrenner today!
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Did you see the Daily Show Last Night?

Crooks and Liars has a clip with Brad Pitt's new concern for Africa. He's using his looks for good!

damn hurricane season

A Tropical Storm may hit Florida and/or the gulf.
I'm sorry you guys.
Forecasters predict another busy tropical storm/hurricane season this year although they can't predict if Florida will take the brunt of it again. I sure hope not.

Top 10 States With Direct Hits in Past 104 Years:

1. Florida......64
2. Texas......38
3. North Carolina......29
4. Louisiana......27
5. South Carolina......16
6. Alabama......12
7. Mississippi......9
8. New York......9
9. Connecticut......8
10. Massachusetts......6

Interesting hurricane webpage here.
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True Confession or Big Mistake?

As of late, I have been emailing my posts to Peter of Lone Tree and he has been posting them for me. This morning when I wrote the piece about “Science”, I intended to first mail it to Mr. Pop for him to edit and give his opinion. Well, that’s not what happened. Instead of emailing the piece to Mr. Pop, I emailed it to Peter. Okay, no big deal, right? Well kinda. You see when Mr. Pop and I email one another we always close with “I love you”. See where this is going? When I sent the post to Peter, intended for Mr. Pop, I also added; “does this make sense and is it okay? I love you”. Peter responded, “When did love ever make sense?”

I called Mr. Pop and told him about all this confusion I had created. When we hung up the phone he was still laughing. He thought Peter’s remark was funny as hell. I concur. Not that there’s anything wrong with loving Petey, you understand. We all love Petey whether it makes sense or not.

(editor's note: Now ya' know I why luv dese blondes. -- PoLT)

She Wants To Have The Baby Her Way

Argentina: The Right to Give Birth Naturally

An original media campaign in Argentina is aimed at raising women's awareness on their right to be accompanied in the delivery room, and to give birth in whatever position is most comfortable for them and without unnecessary medical interventions.

With financial support from the Dutch foundation Mama Cash, the Argentine non-governmental organisation Dando a Luz (Giving Birth) produced a series of television spots in which famous actors and models urge women to demand respect for their right to give birth the way they want.

”Don't let them lie you down,” advises Leticia Brédice, a popular actress who is currently pregnant.

The phrase has a double meaning, literally referring to the right to give birth in an upright position, but also alluding to not allowing one's rights to be trampled.

In another ad, model Dolores Barreiro asks ”Would you hurry the rising of the sun?” while pointing out that women and their babies ”take their own time to give birth and to be born.”

”The oxytocin drip (to speed up labour) or the artificial rupture of membranes (of the amniotic sac) should only be used in cases of extreme necessity,” she adds.

Another actress says: ”Don't let them take your baby from your side.”

And a third actress, who appears alone with a bouquet of flowers in the civil registry office, asks ”Can you imagine getting married alone, without a groom, and without any family members? Why do we accept being unaccompanied by a loved one at such an important moment as the birth of our children?”

Men also take part in the campaign. Popular television host Julián Weich recommends that the umbilical cord not be cut until it stops pulsating, to boost the infant's iron intake. But not all obstetricians are willing to lose the few minutes needed for delayed cord clamping.

The ads refer to the rights of mothers and infants in delivery, which are recognised in a national law in effect since November 2004. [read more]

I haven't given birth in 20 years so I don't know what advances there are in birthing in our country. 20 years ago, the husband could join the wife in the labor and the delivery rooms. It was encouraged. It was probably the reason why we only had one child.

Twenty years ago, manual water breaking and the oxytocin drip were pretty popular methods to speed things up. We also gave birth laying down although I am sure I would have been more comfortable if I was sitting up. Natural childbirth was pretty much the norm although it seemed that a lot of women had C sections and I later found out it was mostly for insurance purposes. After 20 something hours of labor, I didn't complain when the doctors decided to speed up my miracle with the oxytocin drip. Not oxycontin (I wish). I wonder how many horoscopes are screwed up because children are born on the wrong day. Maybe my son's real birthday should have been the next day.

Glad to see that Argentinian women are making sure that they can give birth on their own terms and not some insurance company's terms. Are we doing that here in the states too? Fill me in.
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What about science?

When did science become a bad word? When did scientists become the messengers of myth? Why do we no longer acknowledge science as a valuable field and study?

This administration seems to disavow science perhaps because it often runs head on into the religious theories. Is that why global warming has been poo-pooed by this administration? If they credited what the scientific community says about global warming would they also have to credit what science says about evolution? Could be. So to save face and grace with their fundamentalist religious right, they cannot allow science to be acknowledged. Also since this administration is so comfy in bed with industrial corporations, working to cut greenhouse gases would so inconvenience the very companies who fund the republican party.

This administration cannot allow science to intrude because it endangers their two most important elements, their base and their money.

Sure, corporations also donate to the Democrats, but the Democrats don’t depend as much upon them and the Democratic base is a mix of all sorts of people with no emphasis on the fundamental religious right. That’s our blessing.

Seems the reason science has become a bad word is, not because science is unsound, but because science often runs contrary to the words in the bible. I would like to ask anyone who has been cured of a disease, if the cure came from the bible or from science. If we remove the innovations and discoveries of science from today’s world where would we be? Could we instead simply have read the bible and be where we are today?

Science brings us our future and it helps us navigate through the real world. The bible brings it’s reader information about religion.

If we allow science to become an option rather than a necessary source of information, we will sadly regret that decision and so will future generations who will have to live with our mistake.

FBI (Five Bungled Incidents)

From the Duluth News Tribune (LINK):

“The FBI missed at least five chances in the months before Sept. 11, 2001, to find two hijackers as they prepared for the attacks and settled in San Diego, the Justice Department inspector general said in a report made public Thursday after being kept secret for a year.”

They screwed up and they want us to pay the penalty by forfeiting our freedom and our rights and our Fourth Amendment. Note the part below about “more information through Internet surveillance”. And also, “to seize records from banks, for instance, or Internet service providers.”

FBI Wants More Power
Baltimore Sun (LINK): (free registration req'd)

“The proposal to further expand FBI powers cleared the Senate Intelligence Committee in an 11-4 vote this week. The proposal, crafted partly in closed-door committee meetings, included three key provisions that have raised alarms:

The legislation would give the FBI the right to demand a variety of records - such as library, business or medical records - without first obtaining a judge's approval. Instead, so-called administrative subpoenas could be written by agents to seize records from banks, for instance, or Internet service providers.

The bureau would gain the authority to force the U.S. Postal Service to turn over photocopies of the outside of any mail sent by or addressed to people connected to national security investigations. It also could obtain more information through Internet surveillance.

Investigators probing foreign-based terrorism suspects also would be allowed to obtain court orders for wiretaps and searches, even if the purpose was only to pursue a criminal case. Current law requires that the information the bureau is seeking be tied to a foreign intelligence investigation.”

And, if you missed it;

House panel approves big cuts to PBS funding (LINK):

“A House Appropriations panel approved a spending bill Thursday that would cut the budget for public television and radio nearly in half and eliminate a $23 million federal program that has provided money for producing children's shows that include "Sesame Street," "Clifford the Big Red Dog," "Between the Lions" and "Dragon Tales."

By a voice vote, a House Appropriations subcommittee adopted a measure that would reduce the financing of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the organization that directs taxpayer dollars to public television and radio, to $300 million from $400 million.

The subcommittee also eliminated $39 million that stations say they need to convert to digital programming and $50 million for upgrading aging satellite technology that is the backbone of the PBS network.

The cuts in financing went significantly beyond those requested by the White House and are likely to be approved next week by the full Appropriations Committee and then by the House.”

Hopefully the Senate will show more sanity.
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sorry patricia, but I am pissed off on so many, many levels

"FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Using an evangelical school gymnasium as a backdrop, Gov. Rick Perry put his signature to legislation restricting abortions and added his backing to a measure barring same-sex marriage.

"Perry signed a bill Sunday requiring girls under the age of 18 to get their parents' consent before having an abortion and also imposes more limits on late-term abortions.

'For too long, a blind eye has been turned to the rights of our most vulnerable human beings -- that's the unborn in our society,' Perry told a crowd of about 1,000 people gathered at the Calvary Christian Academy.

"Texas already had a parental notification bill, approved in 1999. The new measure requires a parent to provide written consent for unmarried girls under 18. The bill also restricts doctors from performing abortions on women who have carried a child for more than 26 weeks unless having the baby would jeopardize the woman's life or the baby has serious brain damage.

"During the 11/2 hour program, Perry also signed a resolution to amend the Texas Constitution by banning same-sex marriages. However, that signature was only ceremonial since voters must approve the ban in November."

(The above is from "Pervert of the Day" Network formally known as CNN.)

Why are we signing a law in a church? Is his desk at the capitol building too cluttered with other busy body legislation for a little more pandering to the Christian Right? Say what you will about those Nazis--er--Christo-Fascists. They vote.

Perry is doing this, and telling gays if they don't like the laws in Texas to move somewhere else, to help crush those rumors of his marital infidelity. Seems the story is his wife walked in on him and one of his many, many male lovers.

I don't care if the man as carnal knowledge of a Xerox machine. I do care about hypocrisy. And he is Governor Hypocrisy and that is saying a whole hell of a lot in Texas.

This parental notification bill is unconstitutional. Look at what the Supreme Court said in a lucid moment. If legislation places an undue burden on a woman, it is unconstitutional. Having a girl tell her parents--one of which may actually be the father of her unborn fetus--places an undue burden on the girl if she can't have a judicial by-pass and go before a judge to get Courts' permission to abort. What if Daddy is going to beat the shit out of his pregnant daughter because she dares to control her own body and destiny.

Will these assholes at Calvary Christian Academy help the girl with her pregnancy, her medical bills, her housing if she keeps the little future imbecile? Will they wave tuition for the baby? These idiots were telling the press that they would happily take care of old people in nursing homes rather than have the state do it. Bullshit. What a bunch of liars. "Republican Kathy Holt says too much taxpayer money is being wasted on administration costs in education and nursing homes. 'The church should be responsible for taking care of the elderly,' she says. 'I'd be more than happy to write that woman a check. In fact, I bet I could get that entire church to make a donation.'

A donation? Yeah, passing the plate once outta take care of Grandma. Why the hell aren't y'all up there turning them and changing their diapers rather than standing around getting a look at that "godly" Governor Goodhair?

As for banning same sex marriage? Gays can't get a marriage license now so what the hell did the Legislature save us from? If gays don't boycott this state, they are going to have to smile and suffer with the rest of us.

I have many gay/lesbian friends. I don't pick people to be close to me by what they do in bed. What I will get all over them about, however, is how they vote. If gay/lesbians want to express their self loathing by voting Republican because Republicans don't touch those poor people and Democrats look like losers, and Republicans have more taste, better clothes, more antiques then those Homo-Fascists should really enjoy Texas even more.

Self Defeating Democrats Suck

Not one to watch a lot of television lately, I did manage to catch Dr Dean's comments about the Republican party. I knew he was talking about the party bigwigs when he said they "never made an honest living in their lives." Big deal. Sweeping generalizations are made about Democrats or the left by the Republicans all the time. Dean also mentioned that the Republicans are “pretty much a white, Christian party". Yeah so? Republicans are very proud of their "Christianity".

Do you see the Republicans rushing to the cameras to denounce one another? Hardly. That is why they are always winning. The Democrats are always whining. Joe Biden whined about Dean's comments. Oh grow some balls, Joe.

Liberal Oasis gives a good run down on the Dean trauma. Liberal Oasis comments that Dean is "attempting to fully put the party in the hands of the people and minimize the influence of corporate interests. And the big money guys don’t like it." I say, then let the big money guys switch to the GOP where they belong and give the Democrats back to the people. duh.

We have a big problem here in this country.
The Republican leaders storm across the fabric of American life like a corporate steamroller while dragging their shiny set of brass balls, emblazoned with dollar signs and corporate logos, along the landscape- spreading the seeds of doubt and scooping up those who dare to counter their attack kicking and screaming into the great white propaganda machine tearing them limb from limb, chewing them up and spitting them out like a penny gumball that lost its flavor.

There. I said it.

Down with the fascists.
I'm putting my money where my mouth is. Into the DNC. I support Dr Dean all the way.
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Stowaway boards Bush press plane

BBC News: "A man is detained after managing to stow away on a press plane accompanying the US president's Africa tour."


No silly, you must be bald, ask soft questions and have a cute azz.

What Did We Get?

It appears that all of bush’s judicial nominees are marching straight through the Senate and to the bench. Frist says the nuclear option is still on the table. So what exactly was the agreement that the seven Democratic Senators agreed to when the gang of fourteen met? What did the Democrats compromise and what exactly did the Republicans compromise? Again, what exactly did the Republicans compromise?

If the public feels that the Iraq war was wrong, that bush is out of touch with average Americans and that they trust Democrats over Republicans with their money, why are bush’s judicial nominees getting a free pass? If his judgment was so wrong on just about everything so far, why is his judgment given such weight now regarding these nominees? Something is fishy here. Something smells bad and it’s getting worse. While our country is at war, our economy is hurting and American’s disapproval of bush is going up, why are the American people and the Senate allowing our courts to be filled with people of bush’s choosing? Hasn’t he done enough harm already? Why is his taint allowed to spread to our judiciary and remain there for many years to come? Why allow his destructive legacy to go any farther?

My Grassroots- Our Big Challenge is the People's Spirit of Helplessness.

Power corrupts, absolutely, but so does powerlessness.

Today I feel incredibly hopeful that we can turn things around. I was born in 1952, the daughter of a farmer. I lived almost all my life in Missouri. I grew up in poverty. My mother became disabled when I was 9, so I had to run the household, take care of my mother and myself and do all the work around the house and take care of the livestock so Dad could work 12 hour days. My dream was to go to college and become a vet. No one in my family had ever gone to college. When I started school, I began to realize that I was different than the other kids. It wasn't until third grade that I realized I was poor, because at that point I started being called names like "white trash." I never before heard that phrase. I was making straight A's through he third grade. The only complaint my teachers had about me was that I talked too much. In the fourth grade, things began to shift for me when a teacher moved me into the lower class and told me to forget about college, that I was stupid. From then on, I made C's and D's. It was like that message that I was stupid, that I didn't count, I took in. In the ninth grade, we moved and my father started working at Ford Motor Co. I decided I wanted to make good grades and overnight I started making A's. I did win a scholarship but unfortunately, because of financial reasons, I never did get that chance to go to college. It did not ruin the quality of my life.

I had been raised to believe in equality, and believing that everyone was the same. And yet once I got out on my own and went to work I began to see how things weren't equal at all. I came to know that racism and bigotry were a huge part of they way things worked. My mother, I should tell you, was a Baptist who was always singing hymns. She was four-plus crazy but very progressive for her time. When I was about six, I remember her registering to vote. We walked into this teeny little store. It was wintertime, and so all the farmers were in there. There was a black woman ahead of her registering to vote, and she was reading this piece of the Constitution because she had to take the test. When it was my mother's turn she said, "I need to take the test." They said, "Oh, you don't have to." Because she was white, see. And my mother said, "No, if she has to, I have to." So I come from a history of parents who taught me that things SHOULD be equal.

Getting out into the world, I realized that that wasn't true at all. When I first got involved in the women's movement and civil rights I realized that as a low income person, I spoke differently than most of the middle-class leaders I came across. As a result, I was overlooked as a possible leader or having anything to offer. Even when I would volunteer to do things or offer to go out in the community and speak about issues, I was always discouraged because people felt I didn't speak right by their definition. I never felt like I belonged. I always felt left out. I'd work my behind off to get other less educated and low income people into those organizations, they would soon drop out for the same reason. That's when I began to realize that we had to do something different if we were really going to win, to really make change.

I met a woman named Jerry Banks who was a powerful civil rights leader who had worked for the NAACP. When I met her she was damn near 90 years-old, and she began to give me guidance. I would come in and say, "Oh Jerry, they didn't like me in that meeting." She'd say, "Of course not. What do you expect? Next time you go, you'll do this and that." She was tough and wonderful. Jerry taught me to register people to vote and started me reading about the issues that affected their lives. Talk about change! We got people to register to vote that had never voted in their lives. They didn't vote because they had become "enlightened." They voted because they started to link things together. Go beyond their own back yard. Jerry taught me that if it's just self-interest, we'll never be able to really change what needs to happen. If it's the environment in my backyard, I might clean that up, but it's not going to change what's happening to the ozone layer. Or I might change one politician in my community by registering people, but it's not going to change what the president does.

I think low-income people are very politically sophisticated when they have the information. People understand how the government uses money and that half their tax dollars are going to military, but they don't know how to act on it. That's what we have to bring people together to look at: how could we begin to make a difference?

Communities are very discouraged. People feel hopeless and despairing. As a result of organizing and making changes in small community, people began to believe that they can really make a difference. More importantly, other communities began to see what can be done. I'm talking about all generations. Our smallest organizer going door-to-door was five years old when she started. And we had people in their nineties who were going to vote for the first time in their lives.

I used to cry for a couple hours before I'd had to speak in front of a group of middle-class liberals. I was very frightened and felt that I didn't have anything to say that was worthwhile. The first time I ever spoke publicly was in Springfield Mo. Jerry had been asked to speak but was to ill at the time so