nanobubble

Belief

2006-10-05T20:38:00.000-05:00

Beliefs are survival tools our brains use when we don’t have sufficient direct sensory information to make a decision.

Hastert Does What's Wrong

2006-10-05T06:59:00.000-05:00

Embattled House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) has told conservative activist Paul Weyrich that he would resign if it would help the Republicans, Congressional Quarterly is reporting.

"He said if he thought that resigning would be helpful to the Republicans maintaining the majority, he would do it," Weyrich said in an interview. "But he did not think it would helpful for Republicans."

link

If only republican leaders knew how to do what is right instead of what is right for republicans. Apparently, helping their party is above everything else. It is above what is morally good and right - to resign from your position of leadership when there is clear evidence of your failure. And Hastert's failure isn't some technicality. He let Foley stay on the job and sexually assault underage boys. A criminal investigation would probably lead to his arrest. The children and families that have been attacked and shamed by this scandal. And all Hastert cares about is what is right for his political party.

Just like when he let Foley keep on molesting kids over the internet. That must've been what was helpful for republicans, too.

Hastert Sure Loves Kids

2006-10-03T21:14:00.000-05:00

"Pres. expresses confidence in embattled Speaker, calls him 'father, teacher, coach.'"
link

Someone who is a 'father, teacher, coach' must sure love kids. Especially little boys. Especially when you seemingly cover-up and assist a co-worker to molest boys over the internet.

What a guy!
Maybe he can show me a few moves on the gym mat.

What do Americans Look Like, Senator?

2006-10-03T19:31:00.000-05:00

Recently on the Daily Show, Trent Lott said "Iraqis look like Iraqis and Americans look like Americans"

I would love to hear, Senator, what you think Americans look like exactly?

Two Questions Arise: The Model Penal Code - Foley and Hastert Pedophiles?

2006-09-29T23:23:00.000-05:00

Granted, I'm not sure if the Model Penal Code section 2.06 has been adapted to the jurisdiction of Washington, DC.

But, let's assume it has. Or at least the definition of accomplice

Section 2.06. Liability for Conduct of Another; Complicity

(1) A person is guilty of an offense if it is committed by his own conduct or by the conduct of another person for which he is legally accountable, or both.
(2) A person is legally accountable for the conduct of another person when:
(a) acting with the kind of culpability that is sufficient for the commission of the offense, he causes an innocent or irresponsible person to engage in such conduct; or
(b) he is made accountable for the conduct of such other person by the Code or by the law defining the offense; or
(c} he is an accomplice of such other person in the commission of the offense.
(3) A person is an accomplice of another person in the commission of an offense if:
(a) with the purpose of promoting or facilitating the commission of the offense, he
(i) solicits such other person to commit it; or
(ii) aids or agrees or attempts to aid such other person in planning or committing it; or
(iii) having a legal duty to prevent the commission of the offense, fails to make proper effect so to do; or
(b) his conduct is expressly declared by law to establish his complicity.

The questions I have:
1. Was there a legal duty which was ignored when Rep. Foley's sexual predatory was first discovered many months ago?

2. If so, who had a legal duty to stop Rep. Foley from preying and sexually assaulting more children?

Those people may be brought to trial for being an accomplice to Foley's crimes.

Maybe it's nobody. But it's worth investigating.

Gabby and St. Patrick

2006-09-17T21:26:00.000-05:00

And they blame it on Democrats and Republicans. It sure isn’t partisan. I could argue, you know, hey, it’s really Republican, you know. But they don’t see it as a single party issue at all, and that frustration is, I think, a reason to consider a candidate whose achievements are most — obviously, mostly not on the political side. I am the most — you know, I think I am the most experienced person in actually getting stuff done in government you could possibly be, who is a total outsider.

link

Meanwhile...

After serving as a law clerk for a year to a federal appellate judge, Deval joined the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) in 1983 where he devoted most of his time to death penalty and voting rights cases. It was at LDF that Deval first met then-Governor Bill Clinton whom he sued in a voting rights case in Arkansas. Clinton worked with Deval to settle the case and the two began a relationship of strong mutual respect and admiration that continues today.

Deval left LDF in 1986 to join the Boston law firm of Hill & Barlow, where he became a partner in 1990. In addition to his private practice, he spent much of his time on pro-bono work, including a landmark lending scam case on behalf of Massachusetts' senior citizens. He also served as volunteer Chairman of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund's New England Committee and as a member of its National Board of Directors.

In 1994, President Clinton appointed Deval Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, the nation's top civil rights post. Deval worked on a wide range of issues at the Justice Department including the investigation of church burnings throughout the South in the mid-1990s, prosecution of hate crimes and abortion clinic violence, cases of employment discrimination, and enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Deval returned to private practice in 1997 with the Boston firm of Day, Berry & Howard. That same year, he was appointed by a federal district court to serve as the first chairperson of Texaco's Equality and Fairness Task Force, following the settlement of a significant race discrimination case at the company. He and his Task Force carefully reexamined and rebuilt the company's entire system of employment practices in a successful effort to create a more equitable workplace for everyone. Recognizing his unique ability to bring people together to get things done, Texaco hired Deval as Vice President and General Counsel in 1999, placing him in charge of its global legal affairs.

Next, Deval joined The Coca-Cola Company as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. He was elected to the additional position of Corporate Secretary in 2002. In these roles he was responsible for the company's worldwide legal affairs. He also served on the Company's Executive Committee - its senior leadership team. After nearly six years of commuting to Atlanta and New York, Deval resigned his post at Coca-Cola last year.

Deval has served on several charitable and corporate boards, as well as the Federal Election Reform Commission under Presidents Carter and Ford, and as Vice Chair of the Massachusetts Judicial Nominating Council by appointment of Governor Weld. He is the recipient of seven honorary degrees, including from Clark University in Worcester, Suffolk Law School in Boston, Northeastern University School of Law in Boston, and Curry College in Milton.

link

Good luck Gabrielli. Use your money. You need it. Emphasis all mine.

General Clark Talks Tough

2006-09-05T21:20:00.000-05:00

CAVUTO: General, we haven't had an attack in almost five years. That's not bad is it?

CLARK: Well, I'm delighted that we haven't and I hope we will never be attacked. The attack on 9/11 occurred on the president's watch. He took us into a war that we didn't have to fight. It's been used to incentivize recruiting al-qaeda. The number of people that are affiliated with al-qaeda world wide has more than doubled since 2001. Our armed forces are bogged down in Iraq. We haven't been able to effectively engage with North Korea. We're hearing the tom-toms beating for war with Iran. I think the American people can judge. This administration's policy has been a mistake and he's not made us safer. He's left us more vulnerable.

CAVUTO: Let me ask you, General, the folk we're fighting in Iraq right now, if we weren't fighting them in Iraq right now, where would they be?

CLARK: A lot of those folks wouldn't be fighting at all because what we did is, we incentivized a whole generation of young radical people to come and defend Islam against the United States. That the foreign terrorists that are there. Anywhere from a 1000 to 2000.

CAVUTO: So General, who incentivized the U.S.S. Cole attack? Who incentivized the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center?

CLARK: You changed the question... you changed the question. We did not have to attack Iraq. What we could have done is focused on Afghanistan and finished the job in Afghanistan but, Neil, we didn't do that. You realize, when we went into Afghanistan, we left Afghanistan again in a few months. We left 8000 combat troops there. We did none of the reconstruction. We didn't help the Afghan people recreate their economy. It had been devastated by the Soviets.

CAVUTO: Can I ask you, General. Wait a minute. We didn't respond to the U.S.S. Cole in any measurable way. We didn't respond to the '93 attacks on the World Trade Center in any way. So, is it just because this president is a Republican, that you're bashing him and prior one is not?

CLARK: No. It has nothing to do with that. In fact, the people who attacked us at The World Trade Center [in 1993], we arrested them. We broke up that ring. As far as the Cole attacks are concerned, a complete plan was worked up. By the time they had worked the plan up it was December of 2000. The administration was about to go out of office. A Republican was going to come in. I think, Richard Clarke has told the full story of passing along a 20 page plan along with all the details to the National Security Advisor, Condoleeza Rice. They never got a hearing. This president went on vacation in August of 2001 despite the warnings that al-qaeda was trying to attack us without ever summoning his cabinet offices together.

The clip is by far better, and includes a good amount of commentary beyond this transcript.

NEIL DOUCHEBAG: Would it have killed any of you at this pressert today to have at least acknowledged that [we have not been attacked in five years]?

CLARK: Well Senator Harry Reid did acknowledge the fact that we have not been attacked. But let me give you an example, Neil, in 1999 we got word and intercepted a terrorist group that was trying to attack Los Angeles airport - for new years of 2000 we broke that attack up. That's because we had an effective White House counter-terrorism strategy that was coordinating the agencies. That strategy fell apart in the early months of the Bush administraion - you can talk to the people, it's a matter of record. This administraion wanted to focus on weapons of mass destruction coming from North Korea, they wanted to focus on an ABM they did not focus on the problem of terrorism until it was too late. and then they took us to a war we didn't have to fight in Iraq, that has made the problem more difficult to come to terms with.

Bless you General, and bless Richard Clarke. You'd both be in my cabinet!

DLC is Poison to Democrats

2006-09-05T18:58:00.000-05:00

I'm sure some people can have a change of heart, but given the policies of the DLC, it's more like satan in donkey's clothing

"Any time the Democrats focus on the lack of progress in Iraq - and personalize it in Rumsfeld - it plays to their favor. But when Republicans stress that there hasn't been an attack on the homeland and we want to use aggressive surveillance to prevent future attacks, it plays to their favor," says Marshall Wittmann, a former GOP activist now with the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC).

Probably even a registered Democrat, so he can help the Joementum(tm) keep on keepin' on!

source

The Morality of Marvel

2006-09-05T18:51:00.000-05:00

"When an individual acquires great power, the use or misuse of that power is everything, will it be used for the greater good or will it be used for personal or destructive ends? Now this is a question we must all ask ourselves."

Clinton's Anti-Terror and the GOP's Greed

2006-09-05T18:49:00.000-05:00

Apparently, national defense measures are only justified when a republican has the idea

And they only work right when you break the law, violate the constitution, and remove the civil liberties of Americans. Just ask Bush.

More on Winning War

2006-09-05T18:42:00.000-05:00

When several military experts called for the addition of hundreds of thousands of troops early in the Iraq War, the Bush Administration rejected the call, and instead chose to fight with a minimal force. And now, when our troops have been deployed over and over again; when almost all of our combat units at our bases at home are at the lowest state of combat readiness; and with this Administration's continued insistence to stay a failed course; it is now more obvious than ever that we can not sustain this war on its current course and we must change direction.

...

While the Administration stresses that we are a country at war, they refuse to spread the burden proportionately. Instead, they pursue tax incentives for the rich, run up our federal deficit, and spend astronomical sums in Iraq with little or no control over wasteful and fraudulent spending. This is not the picture of a country at war.

...

If we are to fight this war with the same sense of dedication and vigor as we did prior wars, we cannot do it without a surge in force.

It is unlikely that the President will call for a draft. A draft is politically unpopular. But we cannot continue to allow the President to pursue open-ended and vague military missions without a change in direction.

Rep. John Murtha

I've never served in the US Armed Forces, but I would to defend my country. However, Bush does not seem to want to win the war in Iraq, as he touts the political rhetoric reminding us we're at war as a reason to support his failed agenda. The only reason to go to war is to win - until now. Today, going to war is a boost to your ratings, as Bush bathed in the glory right after 9/11. Fortunately, America is continually awakening, and will not seem to accept perpetual war (on one front). Just as his military advisors have suggested, we need more troops in Iraq or the failure that exists today will perpetuate and more Americans will die needlessly because we simply will not succeed with the current strategy.

Murtha is a soldier and a strategist moreso than Bush could ever hope to be. But Bush does not seek the same strategy of Murtha: Murtha wants to win and bring our dying soldiers home while Bush wants perpetual struggle. This is not something a president should ever do, nor any military leader, and it only warrants his swift removal or congressional censure.

Mo' Troops LESS Problems

2006-08-31T05:33:00.000-05:00

Bill talking about Rumsfeld's leadership skills in Iraq... or lack thereof.

The morgue in Baghdad counted more than 1,800 bodies last month, which was a record high...But this month, the morgue is on track to receive less than a quarter of that. Why? Because we've redeployed 8,000 U.S. soldiers and 3,000 Iraqi troops to Baghdad and sent them on house-to-house sweeps for militants and weapons caches. In other words, we've knocked Baghdad back from complete and total madness to borderline chaos.

Geez, it's almost like more soldiers works better. And it only took three years to figure this out.

Of course, the forces weren't added; they were moved from other parts of the country, which will now descend back into complete and total madness. Whack-a-mole, as they say.

Isn't this just more confirmation that Rumsfeld's plan was totally inadequate? And I don't mean that just as an attack. I just want to know how to get things right for when we invade Iran the week before the election.

The effect of troop presence is known in law as 'deterrence', which is a utilitarian form of justice. If you know you will get caught by authorities you are less likely to commit a crime.

Rumsfeld blasts Democrats... oh, the credibility

2006-08-29T19:25:00.000-05:00

surprise

One has to ask: Why do these failures still have jobs?

And then the answer comes... the republican congress. Checks and balances becomes useless under single-party rule, when that party fails to criticize itself and be accountable to wonton failures such as the Iraq war, losing to the Taliban in Afghanistan, .. well, the list continues, but there's no 'good' to report. This does not make me happy, but makes me nothing but disappointed.

Meanwhile, republicans can say nothing except that supporting democrats helps al-qaeda. Nothing like slandering your own Americans when you can't do your job! Thank god they have someone to blame, what else would they say if they didn't? Supporting Canada helps al-qaeda?

Secretary Rumsfeld's reckless comments show why America is not as safe as it can or should be five years after 9/11. The Bush White House is more interested in lashing out at its political enemies and distracting from its failures than it is in winning the War on Terror and in bringing an end to the war in Iraq. If there's one person who has failed to learn the lessons of history it's Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld ignored military experts when he rushed to war without enough troops, without sufficient body armor, and without a plan to succeed.

Under this Administration's watch, terror attacks have increased, Iraq has fallen into civil war, and our military has been stretched thin. We have a choice to make today. Do we trust Secretary Rumsfeld to make the right decisions to keep us safe after he has been so consistently wrong since the start of the Iraq War? Or, do we change course in Iraq and put in place new leadership that will put the safety of the American people ahead of partisan games? For the sake of the safety of this country, it is time to make a change.

--Harry Reid

Hip Hop in Starksboro

2006-08-28T23:19:00.000-05:00

Hip Hop in Starksboro
Submitted by Addison Independent on Wed, 2006-08-16 21:12.

By HARRIETTE BRAINARD

STARKSBORO — Although most of Vermont may not realize it yet, there is a large underground statewide hip-hop movement that is about to burst forth in Starksboro this weekend.

The extent of the influence of that the urban music and cultural phenomenon has had in the Green Mountain State will become apparent on Saturday when Bristol-based Nine37 Productions and Para Bellum Media Group stage a 14-hour hip-hop jam on a farm in Starksboro.

“We’re creating a kind of summit where people can display their skills and make connections with others,” said Josef Shafer, one of the promoters of the Hip Hop in the Hills event. “This is a positive thing for Vermont, we all want to show that it is not just for city and urban areas, this can give everyone a voice — this gives young people a positive voice.”

Read the full article to read about the lineup and more details about Nine37 and how they are working for social change and giving a voice to more people. It's another way to crash the gates to build a better democracy.

America Rotting

2006-08-27T10:57:00.000-05:00

Those incidents followed reports that the National Security Agency (NSA), the intelligence world's electronic eavesdropping arm, is consuming so much electricity at its headquarters outside Washington that it is in danger of exceeding its power supply.

"If a terrorist group were able to knock the NSA offline, or disrupt one of the nation's busiest airports, or shut down the most important oil pipeline in the nation, the impact would be perceived as devastating," Beckner said. "And yet we've essentially let these things happen — or almost happen — to ourselves."

...

The American Society of Civil Engineers last year graded the nation "D" for its overall infrastructure conditions, estimating that it would take $1.6 trillion over five years to fix the problem.

I can't say I let anything happen. This is clearly a leadership failure. Blame goes between the Executive and Legislative branches, for their failure to provide adequate budgeting. Again, the Republican 'leadership' has failed to provide for America.

I wonder where all the money is going

Grand Ayatollah Katherine Harris

2006-08-24T19:06:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Iran.

"God is the one who chooses our rulers." --Katherine Harris, Republican of Florida, US Senate Candidate

Guess nobody needs to vote for her, then.

Fundamentalists Wrong on Environment

2006-08-03T20:15:00.000-05:00

When fundamentalist wackos like Pat Robertson are wrong about climate change and global warming, it really solidifies the inference that religious fundamentalists are wrong about every anti-science claim they make.

The simple question to obtuse fools like this is "Do you believe in gravity?"

You don't have to. Science shows it is a fact of reality.

The assertion that climate change and global warming are characteristics of Earth regardless of humans over time periods of millions of years is true. However, to deny that humanity is not accelerating aspects of the climate change is sheer ignorance and ignores the crisis we are living in today.

Unfortunately, humanity doesn't have time to wait for the rest of the fundamentalists to get a sign from their imaginary superior before action needs to be taken.

Humanity needs to evolve from the technology of industry and apply efficient, renewable, zero-carbon solutions before it is too late. That is not a scare tactic, that is a scientific conclusion based upon environmental observation.

Thankfully, Pat saw some light, although it is based on a temperature map in a newspaper rather than the science behind climate change and global warming. Regardless, I applaud is 'revalation'. Maybe he'll start 'believing' in evolution, too.

Bill Galvin is Scared of John Bonifaz

2006-07-20T20:03:00.000-05:00

It is amazing how much of a vaccuum of democracy has been created in the Massachusetts campaign for Secretary of the Commonwealth due to Bill Galvin's fear of John Bonifaz. Galvin is such a loser he can't even make public statements or speak to his challenger who only wants to talk about the issues and role of Secretary.

The below is a continuation of Bonifaz's effort to FIND Galvin, who must be hiding in a Kansas bunker with Dick Cheney... God only knows.

-----------------------------------------

Bonifaz Believers,

Our search for Secretary Bill Galvin continues with the third installment of Where's Galvin? Thus far, we have visited Galvin's campaign headquarters - which turned out to be a private law firm - and called his State House office - something we were forced to do because he does not list a campaign phone number.

The result? We are still waiting for a response to John Bonifaz's debate challenge.

In the latest installment of Where's Galvin?, North Shore volunteer Janet Crane came into Boston to pay a visit to Galvin's State House office seeking an answer. Click here to view the episode in Windows or here to see it as a QuickTime file (req's Apple QuickTime 7, download here).

If you have missed the previous episodes of Where's Galvin?, you can view it in either format at www.WheresGalvin.com. Once there, you can also read the letter John sent challenging Galvin to the debates.

Elections are contests of ideas and all involved need to be accountable to voters. To date, Bill Galvin is the only Democratic candidate for statewide office that has refused to debate his Democratic opponent. As an elected official, it is Galvin's duty to debate his opponent before the voters of the Commonwealth.

Thank you for standing together with John in this exciting and vital race. If you would like to get involved with the Where's Galvin? effort, please e-mail us.

Juan Martinez
Campaign Manager

Contribute Today
Volunteer on the Campaign
Watch John’s Convention Speech
Post to the Bonifaz Blog (scroll down)
Tell a Friend about John

The Science Is Clear: No Smoking

2006-06-30T18:32:00.000-05:00

Surgeon General Warns of Secondhand Smoke
By JOHN O'NEIL
Published: June 27, 2006

Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona declared today that the evidence is now "indisputable" that secondhand smoke is an "alarming" public health hazard, and warned that measures like no-smoking sections don't provide adequate protection.

"Smoke-free environments are the only approach that protects nonsmokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke," he said.

Dr. Carmona did not call for a federal ban on smoking in workplaces, bars and restaurants, as a growing number of cities and states have done. He said he saw his role as providing the American people and Congress with definitive information on the subject.

"We hope that they will make the right decision on behalf of their constituents," Dr. Carmona said.

Smoking bans have often been bitterly resisted by business owners worried about losing customers and by groups skeptical about the dangers posed by secondhand smoke. But Dr. Carmona today said that "overwhelming" evidence showed that secondhand smoke is responsible for "tens of thousands" of premature deaths from heart disease and cancer among nonsmokers each year.

"I am here to say the debate is over: the science is clear," Dr. Carmona said at a televised news conference this morning, at which he released a report updating the original surgeon general's study of secondhand smoke in 1986.

If only the EPA Chief was as definitive and observant as this.

Full article

John Bonifaz for Secretary of State

2006-06-12T18:23:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot of commotion in Massachusetts with the upcoming November election. That is because there are three very important seats being contested: Governor, Lt. Governor, and Secretary of State. I have taken a particular interest in the Secretary of State election, because we are fortunate enough to have a national icon for voting rights running for office.

That candidate is John Bonifaz

Here is what people are saying about John:

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., did the nation a huge public service yesterday by elevating the 2004 stolen election controversy to a higher plateau, in this Rolling Stone article.

And that's why the Democratic Party in Massachusetts needs to put John Bonifaz on the ballot this weekend. We need John Bonifaz, a bona fide voting rights champion, contesting a primary race for Secretary of State that is about our fundamental right to vote.
...
John Bonifaz was there before I was, before almost anyone else from outside Ohio was...John led the court recount fight to count every ballot in Ohio, on behalf of the David Cobb & the Green Party and Michael Badnarik & the Libertarian Party.
John was not a Secretary of State then. He was no office-holder or campaign official. He went to Ohio on his own because it was the right thing for a public service lawyer to do.

Just like he did when he stood up to the Bush/Cheney war machine, and on behalf of John Conyers & Dennis Kucinich and 10 other progressive House members, filed suit to stop the Iraq War before it started. John argued this antiwar case in court, on the true grounds that to go to war against Iraq in the winter of 2003 would be unconstitutional--because the President could not go to war himself, without an official declaration of war from the Congress.

He lost, of course. The judge followed the time-honored precedent of refusing to follow the U.S. Constitution when a President wants to go to war. But John was right, and it was the right thing to do.

Full article

But John Bonifaz is also not your typical liberal candidate. He is one of the nation's leading experts on voting rights. Further provisions in his Bill of Rights reflect that background. They include:

--election day registration;
--early voting;
--ensured absentee voting;
--publicly financed elections and campaign spending limits;
--instant run-off voting;
--cross endorsement voting (fusion voting);
--proportional representation;
--redistricting reform;
--eliminating language barriers;
--non-partisan election administration;
--and support for congressional re-authorization of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and for a constitutional amendment that affirmatively guarantees the right to vote.

Are you getting the picture? Electing Bonifaz Secretary of State would mean putting in office someone who actually cares deeply and passionately about the right to vote and who knows more about protecting that right than does almost anyone else alive.

Full article

And on his website, I found a post by a Massachusetts resident about why they want John to be the next Secretary of State:

The foundation of our democracy begins with our right to vote. As our democracy has evolved, so must the process of voting. IRV, Fusion Voting, paper trails, technological transparency and constitutional assurances of equality and availability are reforms that we need to bring to the commonwealth. John Bonifaz is uniquely qualified and has shown the integrity to get the job done. Please help support his campaign for Secretary of State and bring this discussion to the forefront of our society.

My support for John has followed a gradual evolution. After hearing him speak on C-Span at the downing street memo forum in Washington, I came out to hear him again in Boston at a downing street memo forum with Gloria Fox and Barney Frank. I learned about how John challenged Blackwell in Ohio for the 2004 recount, and when he sued Bush for not having the constitutional authority to go to war in Iraq. The evening before he delcared his candidacy in this race, he came to a meeting of the Progressive Democrats of Jamaica Plain, and I was hooked. It was great talking with John, and I knew then I wanted him to win. I am a believer.

Becoming the signature gathering coordinator for Somerville and volunteering at the recent state convention only reaffirmed to me that I was doing the right thing, and seeing the 30% delegate vote, tells me there’s a good chance John will be the next Secretary of State for Massachusetts.

Your donation right now helps us all reach this goal and bring about real progressive voting reform to our great state.

Skinny Cats for John Bonifaz

Please consider making a donation to the campaign with the link above and get John that much closer to leading the nation on voting reforms. If you care about Ohio 2004, if you care about Florida 2000, you already know what to do.

Myspace and Mygovernment

2006-06-09T17:07:00.000-05:00

"I AM continually shocked and appalled at the details people voluntarily post online about themselves." So says Jon Callas, chief security officer at PGP, a Silicon Valley-based maker of encryption software. He is far from alone in noticing that fast-growing social networking websites such as MySpace and Friendster are a snoop's dream.

New Scientist has discovered that Pentagon's National Security Agency, which specialises in eavesdropping and code-breaking, is funding research into the mass harvesting of the information that people post about themselves on social networks. And it could harness advances in internet technology - specifically the forthcoming "semantic web" championed by the web standards organisation W3C - to combine data from social networking websites with details such as banking, retail and property records, allowing the NSA to build extensive, all-embracing personal profiles of individuals.

Full article

Government spying - which we already knew about - continually
reaffirming my boycott of social network websites and specifically
myspace.com.

An Inconvenient Opening

2006-06-01T19:19:00.000-05:00

This is a shout to encourage you all to go see An Inconvenient Truth, which opens this weekend around the country. Check the website for theaters and get a move on.

Also you can get the book

Reid Does the Right Thing

2006-05-31T22:38:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON - Reversing course, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid's office acknowledged Wednesday night he misstated the ethics rules governing his acceptance of free boxing tickets and has decided to avoid taking such gifts in the future.

The Nevada senator still believes it was "entirely permissible" for him to accept ringside seats for three professional boxing matches in 2004 and 2005 from the Nevada Athletic Commission but has nonetheless decided to avoid doing so in the future, his office said.

"In light of questions that have been raised about the practice, Senator Reid will not accept these kinds of credentials in the future in order to avoid even the faintest appearance of impropriety," spokesman Jim Manley said.

This is called learning. Harry learned that accepting such 'gifts' is wrong as a public servant and has rescinded his ways. This should be in the Democratic Platform, and be made policy of the party. There's no reason for a Nevada senator to accept gifts and attend private festivities, regardless of your take on Boxing. He has a job to do and that is to serve the people of Nevada, and as a senator, the nation. Give 'em hell Harry.

Story

I also find it interesting that he is pictured (in the article at the time) afront a backdrop which reads (at least) "Honest Leadership / Open Government". Given that this white house is the least open government in history, it will be interesting to see how the Democrats try to reverse that course and Crash the Gates

Haven't you had enough?

2006-05-12T06:32:00.000-05:00

Someone has

71% of America can't be wrong

All the Wars in Bush's Little Peanut

2006-05-06T19:05:00.000-05:00

Bush calls terror fight WWIII
From: Agence France-Presse
From correspondents in Washington

May 06, 2006

US President George W. Bush has said the September 11 revolt of passengers against their hijackers on board Flight 93 had struck the first blow of "World War III".
In an interview with the financial news network CNBC, Mr Bush said he had yet to see the recently released film of the uprising, a dramatic portrayal of events on the United Airlines plane before it crashed in a Pennsylvania field.

But he said he agreed with the description of David Beamer, whose son Todd died in the crash, who in a Wall Street Journal commentary last month called it "our first successful counter-attack in our homeland in this new global war, World War III".

Mr Bush said: "I believe that. I believe that it was the first counter-attack to World War III.

"It was, it was unbelievably heroic of those folks on the airplane to recognize the danger and save lives," he said.

Flight 93 crashed on the morning of September 11, 2001, killing the 33 passengers, seven crew members and four hijackers, after passengers stormed the cockpit and battled the hijackers for control of the aircraft.

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The president has repeatedly praised the heroism of the passengers in fighting back and so launching the first blow of what he usually calls the "war on terror".

In 2002, then-White House spokesman Ari Fleischer explicitly declined to call the hunt for Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda group and its followers "World War III".

full story

After the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, President Bush and his supporters spent a great deal of time talking about a "coalition of the willing" that at one time included four dozen countries. The president's use of the term "coalition" was always something of a misnomer, as it suggested a great deal of shared responsibility, when in fact the overwhelming majority of troops on the ground were from the U.S. Aside from the U.S. and Great Britain, no country ever had more than 5,000 troops in Iraq, and many of the coalition "partners" never had more than 100 troops in the country.

Additionally, some of the largest troop contingents came from countries in eastern and central Europe that had been coerced to join the coalition by the U.S., which promised support for their efforts to integrate into international economic and political organizations in return.

The president makes few references to his "coalition of the willing" these days because the coalition has been crumbling. Among the countries that have exited the coalition are Singapore (in January 2004), Nicaragua (February 2004), Spain (April 2004), Dominican Republic (May 2004), Honduras (May 2004), Norway (June 2004), Philippines (July 2004), Thailand (August 2004), New Zealand (September 2004), Tonga (December 2004), Hungary (December 2004), Portugal (February 2005), Moldova (February 2005), Netherlands (June 2005), Ukraine (December 2005) and Bulgaria (January 2006).

Compared with the U.S. casualty rate, the Italians have suffered relatively few losses in Iraq. But those losses have been deeply felt, as they have been in other coalition countries. Twenty-seven Italian soldiers died in Iraq, according to a CNN count. That's out of a coalition death toll, as of April 10, of 2,560 2,353 of them Americans, one Australian, 103 Britons, 13 Bulgarians, three Danes, two Dutch, two Estonians, one Fijian, one Hungarian, one Kazakh, one Latvian, 17 Poles, two Salvadorans, three Slovaks, 11 Spaniards, two Thai and 18 Ukrainians.

Prodi has always said that the Italian death toll was 27 too many.

A former prime minister, Prodi re-entered Italian politics two years ago after serving as president of the European Commission when he backed a campaign against Italian participation in the coalition that used the slogan "Iraq: A Wrongful War." Now, as the prime minister once more, Prodi will be able to implement the promise of that campaign by withdrawing Italian troops from the coalition and by further confirming that the ongoing occupation of Iraq is George W. Bush's project as opposed to that of a genuine "coalition of the willing."

full story

We now know that a blueprint for the creation of a global Pax Americana was drawn up for Dick Cheney (now vice-president), Donald Rumsfeld (defense secretary), Paul Wolfowitz (Rumsfeld's deputy), Jeb Bush (George Bush's younger brother) and Lewis Libby (Cheney's chief of staff). The document, entitled Rebuilding America's Defenses, was written in September 2000 by the neoconservative think tank, Project for the New American Century (PNAC).

The plan shows Bush's cabinet intended to take military control of the Gulf region whether or not Saddam Hussein was in power. It says "while the unresolved conflict with Iraq provides the immediate justification, the need for a substantial American force presence in the Gulf transcends the issue of the regime of Saddam Hussein."

full story

Tim's Thought Crimes

2006-05-03T00:58:00.000-05:00

Acclaimed American actor/director Tim Robbins blasted the US government's policy on terrorism -- and the US media's failure to examine it critically -- at a news conference in Athens promoting his stage version of George Orwell's "1984".

"We have right now a media that is willfully ignoring the high crimes and misdemeanours of the president of the United States," the star of Hollywood hits including "Mystic River" and "The Player" told reporters.

"Clinton lied about a blowjob, and got impeached by the media and Congress," Robbins said.

"(Bush) got us into (the Iraq) war based on lies that he knew were lies. ... His war has recruited more Al-Qaeda members than Osama bin Laden could ever have dreamed for ... yet no one in the media is calling for impeachment," he said.

Robbins pointed out similarities between current US policies on terrorism and the authoritarian society described by Orwell.

"Unfortunately, the book and the play is more relevant now than it ever has been," he said. "(It) talks about continuous warfare as a means to control the Western economy, and as a way to control rebel elements within society through the use of fear, constant fear."

"In my country we seem to be sanctioning renditioning of innocent people without trial ... put them in jail without telling anyone ... and torture them out of suspicion of what we think they might do," Robbins said.

"This is exactly what Orwell was talking about when he spoke of thought crimes," he added.

Full story

That Menace Iran

2006-04-29T21:23:00.000-05:00

With even mainstream media outlets like the Washington Post and The New Yorker publishing credible stories that the United States is seriously planning a military attack on Iran, increasing numbers of Americans are expressing concerns about the consequences of the United States launching another war that would once again place the United States in direct contravention of international law.

The latest National Security Strategy document published earlier this year labeled Iran as the most serious challenge to the United States posed by any country. This should be an indication of just how safe the United States is in the post-Cold War world, where the “most serious challenge” is no longer a rival superpower with thousands of nuclear weapons and sophisticated delivery systems capable of destroying the United States, but a Third World country on the far side of the planet which, according to the latest National Intelligence Estimate out of Washington, is at least 10 years away from actually producing a usable nuclear weapon. Furthermore, Iran has no capacity to develop any delivery system in the foreseeable future capable of landing a weapon within 10,000 miles of our shores.

However, despite the fact that there is no evidence that Iran is even developing nuclear weapons in the first place, the Bush administration and Congressional leaders of both parties argue that simply having the technology which would make it theoretically possible for Iran to manufacture a nuclear weapon at some point in the future is sufficient casus belli. As part of his desperate search for enemies, President Bush claimed in January that a nuclear-armed Iran would be “a grave threat to the security of the world,” words that echoed language he used in reference to Iraq prior to the 2003 invasion of that oil-rich country. Meanwhile, Vice President Dick Cheney vowed “meaningful consequences” if Iran did not give up its nuclear program and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton claimed there would be “tangible and painful consequences” if Iran did not cooperate.

The Washington Post quoted White House sources as reporting that “Bush views Tehran as a serious menace that must be dealt with before his presidency ends,” apparently out of concern that neither a Democratic nor Republican successor might be as willing to consider a military option.

full article

Zuckerman Impeaches Bush

2006-04-29T20:51:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday afternoon, Rep. Dave Zuckerman (Prog.-VT) dropped the third of three nearly unreported bombshells on the Bush administration. Zuckerman, along with 12 fellow lawmakers, introduced a formal resolution for the Vermont state legislature to call on the U.S. House of Representatives to impeach President George W. Bush.

With this resolution, Vermont joined the California and Illinois state legislatures, already embroiled in impeachment debates of their own.

US Market Capitalism

2006-04-29T20:35:00.000-05:00

This is what underlay the transformation of American corporate culture, and of the American business corporation from an institution with national identity, constrained to reconcile interests of owners, employees and community, into the modern global corporation, effectively controlled by its managers and mandated to the single objective of producing "value" for stockholders, while handsomely rewarded its executives.

This change transformed labor into an anonymous commodity and put both blue-collar and white-collar staff into competition with an effectively unlimited global labor supply, resulting in employment insecurity, reduced or static wages, diminished or eliminated benefits and pensions, and the destructive social pressures of falling living standards.

In the United States, the new model of corporate business has evolved toward a form of crony capitalism, in which business and government interests are often corruptly intermingled, the system resistant to reform because of the financial dependence of both major political parties on contributed money.

Read the full article

Hastert Loves Hydrogen

2006-04-27T22:20:00.000-05:00

House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Ill., center, gets out of a Hydrogen Alternative Fueled automobile, left, as he prepares to board his SUV, which uses gasoline, after holding a new conference at a local gas station in Washington, Thursday, April 27, 2006 to discuss the recent rise in gas prices. Hastert and other members of Congress drove off in the Hydrogen-Fueled cars only to switch to their official cars to drive back the few block back to the U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

Impeachment Happenings

2006-04-24T06:35:00.000-05:00

California Assemblyman Paul Koretz of Los Angeles (where the LA Times has now called for Cheney's resignation) has submitted amendments to Assembly Joint Resolution No. 39, calling for the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney. The amendments reference Section 603 of Jefferson's Manual of the Rules of the United States House of Representatives, which allows federal impeachment proceedings to be initiated by joint resolution of a state legislature.

The resolution, in the words of Koretz's press release, "bases the call for impeachment upon the Bush Administration intentionally misleading the Congress and the American people regarding the threat from Iraq in order to justify an unnecessary war that has cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives and casualties; exceeding constitutional authority to wage war by invading Iraq; exceeding constitutional authority by Federalizing the National Guard; conspiring to torture prisoners in violation of the 'Federal Torture Act' and indicating intent to continue such actions; spying on American citizens in violation of the 1978 Foreign Agency Surveillance Act; leaking and covering up the leak of the identity of Valerie Plame Wilson, and holding American citizens without charge or trial."

Koretz submitted amendments gutting AJR No. 39, a resolution unrelated to impeachment, to the Assembly Rules Committee. The Rules Committee may take up the bill this week for referral, allowing him to formally introduce the amended resolution.

AJR 39 is a bill introduced in January by Koretz calling for a moratorium on depleted uranium

"At both the state and national levels," Koretz said, "we will be paying for the Bush Administration's illegal actions and terrible lack of judgment and competence for decades--not only in the billions of dollars wasted on the war and welfare for the rich, but in the worldwide loss of respect for America and Americans. Bush and Cheney must be impeached and removed from office before they undertake even deadlier misdeeds, such as the use of nuclear weapons. There are no bounds to their willingness to ignore the Constitution and world opinion--we can't afford to wait for the next disaster and hope that we can survive it."

For more inormation and to thank this American hero, contact Paul Michael Neuman in Koretz's District Office: (310) 285-5490 paul.neuman@asm.ca.gov

The Dictator Decider

2006-04-18T18:06:00.000-05:00

"I'm the decider and I decide what's best." --George W. Bush, April 2006

Unfortunately for America and the world at large, he doesn't *know* what is best.

Long live the king.

Draft Gore

2006-04-18T18:04:00.000-05:00

You cannot see this film and not think of George W. Bush, the man who beat Gore in 2000. The contrast is stark. Gore -- more at ease in the lecture hall than he ever was on the stump -- summons science to tell a harrowing story and offers science as the antidote. No feat of imagination could have Bush do something similar -- even the sentences are beyond him.

But it is the thought that matters -- the application of intellect to an intellectual problem. Bush has been studiously anti-science, a man of applied ignorance who has undernourished his mind with the empty calories of comfy dogma. For instance, his insistence on abstinence as the preferred method of birth control would be laughable were it not so reckless. It is similar to Bush's initial approach to global warming and his rejection of the Kyoto Protocol -- ideology trumping science. It may be that Gore will do more good for his country and the world with this movie than Bush ever did by beating him in 2000.

Gore insists his presidential aspirations are behind him. "I think there are other ways to serve," he told me. No doubt. But on paper, he is the near-perfect Democratic candidate for 2008. Among other things, he won the popular vote in 2000. He opposed going to war in Iraq, but he supported the Persian Gulf War -- right both times. He is smart, experienced and, despite the false caricatures, a man versed in the new technologies -- especially the Internet. He is much more a person of the 21st century than most of the other potential candidates. Trouble is, a campaign is not a film. Gore could be a great president. First, though, he has to be a good candidate.

In the meantime, he is a man on a mission. Wherever he goes -- and he travels incessantly -- he finds time and an audience to deliver his (free) lecture on global warming. It and the film leave no doubt of the peril we face, nor do they leave any doubt that Gore, at last, is a man at home in his role. He is master teacher, pedagogue, know-it-all, smarter than most of us, better informed and, having tried and failed to gain the presidency, he has raised his sights to save the world. We simply cannot afford for Al Gore to lose again.

Read the full article

Draft Gore 2008

He's dead right when he says there are better ways to serve. However, we still need a regieme change at the White House.

Save the Internet

2006-04-11T20:57:00.000-05:00

A House subcommittee handed phone companies a victory Wednesday by voting 27-4 to advance a bill that would make it easier for them to deliver television service over the Internet and clearing the way for all Internet carriers to charge more for speedier delivery.

The lopsided vote was a defeat for Internet and technology firms like Google and Microsoft, which had hoped to amend the bill to enforce a principle called network neutrality and preserve the status quo under which all Internet traffic is treated equally.

Earlier in the day, the subcommittee voted 23-8 to reject an amendment by Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., that would have inserted specific language designed to enforce network neutrality and prevent the feared creation of fast and slow lanes on the Internet.

Markey said his amendment was necessary to protect the "Internet as an engine of innovation" and ensure that new services had an equal chance to sprout.
...
Supporters painted defeat of Markey's net neutrality amendment in bleak terms.

"Members from both sides of the aisle endorsed a plan which will permit cable and phone companies to construct 'pay as you surf, pay as you post' toll booths for the Internet," said Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy in Washington.

But Sonia Arrison, director of technology studies for the Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco, dismissed concerns that the proposed bill would lead to a two-tiered Internet.

"There's plenty of competition," Arrison said. "The market will take care of it."

Must we now [Save the Internet http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/4/11/194439/884] ?

Energy and DNA

2006-04-05T23:04:00.000-05:00

DNA can be damaged as a result of expending a large amount of energy, scientists say, and the fact that many participants in this study actually lowered their energy expenditure over the six-month period leads scientists to correlate this with decreased DNA damage and increased longevity.

Larry Daryl & Daryl

2006-04-04T21:07:00.000-05:00

Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr., who voted against hearing the appeal, neither signed Justice Kennedy's opinion nor offered an explanation of their own. It is possible that they objected to the language in the Kennedy opinion about the court's readiness to intervene "promptly to ensure that the office and purposes of the writ of habeas corpus are not compromised" if the administration were to change Mr. Padilla's status once again.

link

Too bad there's no cameras in the courtroom... then Tonin' would have something to say!

(cheers to conspiracy planet for not giving me permission to link that image)

Good night, and good luck.

2006-03-14T21:28:00.000-05:00

Sen. Feingold said the following to Fox News’ Trish Turner:

I’m amazed at Democrats, cowering with this president’s numbers so low. The administration just has to raise the specter of the war and the Democrats run and hide. … Too many Democrats are going to do the same thing they did in 2000 and 2004. In the face of this, they’ll say we’d better just focus on domestic issues. … [Democrats shouldn’t] cower to the argument, that whatever you do, if you question the administration, you’re helping the terrorists.

UPDATE: Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) accuses Feingold of “siding with terrorists.”

If we dig deep into our history and our doctrine, we will remember we are not descendant from fearful men. Not from men who dared to write, to speak, to associate, and to defend causes that were for the moment unpopular. This is no time for men who oppose Sen. McCarthy's methods to keep silent or for those who approve. We can deny our heritage and our history but we cannot escape responsibility for the result. There is no way for a citizen of the republic to abdicate his responsibilities. As a nation we have come into our full inheritance at a tender age. We proclaim ourselves as indeed we are, the defenders of freedom where ever it still exists in the world. But we cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home. The actions of the Junior Senator from Wisconsin have caused alarm and dismay amongst our allies abroad and given considerable comfort to our enemies. And who's fault is that? Not really his, he didn't create this situation of fear he merely exploited it, and rather successfully. Cassus was right, the fault dear Brutus is not in our stars, but in ourselves. Good night, and good luck.

Political Philosopher

2006-01-05T20:19:00.000-05:00

My favorite political philosopher would have to be martin luther king jr. dr king understood that politics is another word for society. Politics is another word for community, for culture. However when people say politics, they are talking about washington. They are talking about a few buildings where people get together and make serious decisions that impact everyone in this nation, this world. They impact our children, they impact our society, community and culture.

In his youth, Martin did not know what his life would come to be, but he had more quesitons than answers. He was blessed with the opportunity to educate himself to find answers to those questions, and all answers only bring more questions. His society was shaped by the church. as the son of a pastor, his culture was guided by the lord and the teachings of the bible. his philosophy was filled with the healing power of faith, a respected leader of his community.

As Martin was chosen to be a leader of his community in a time of need, his political philosophy was called to action and the discovery of nonviolence was put in the forefront. Martin preached calm strength and solidarity from his porch the night it was firebombed and revenge was in his community's eyes. His political philosophy preached to love your neighbor, and his community spread their success to change a nation forever.

It's been a failure wrapped in lies, but...

2005-11-17T22:02:00.000-05:00

It's time I withdrew right away.

Congressman Murtha has close ties to many top Pentagon officials as the senior Democrat on the powerful House Appropriations defense subcommittee. In emotional remarks to reporters in Washington, the Congressman said it is time to bring U.S. troops home. America's military has accomplished its mission, he said, and its duty is done.

Mr. Murtha said U.S. troops have become a catalyst for violence as the primary targets of insurgents in Iraq who are united against American forces. The war is not going as advertised, he said, calling it a flawed policy wrapped in illusion.

We Do Not Torture

2005-11-14T08:07:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON (AFP) -
CIA interrogators apparently tried to cover up the death of an Iraqi "ghost detainee" who died while being interrogated at
Abu Ghraib prison, a US magazine reported, after obtaining hundreds of pages of documents, including an autopsy report, about the case.
ADVERTISEMENT

The death of secret detainee Manadel al-Jamadi was ruled a homicide in a Defense Department autopsy, Time magazine reported, adding that documents it recently obtained included photographs of his battered body, which had been kept on ice to keep it from decomposing, apparently to conceal the circumstances of his death.

WASHINGTON - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has accused the U.S. military of using tactics "tantamount to torture" on prisoners at the U.S. Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, The New York Times reported on Tuesday

On January 27th, President Bush, in an interview with the Times, assured the world that “torture is never acceptable, nor do we hand over people to countries that do torture.” Maher Arar, a Canadian engineer who was born in Syria, was surprised to learn of Bush’s statement. Two and a half years ago, American officials, suspecting Arar of being a terrorist, apprehended him in New York and sent him back to Syria, where he endured months of brutal interrogation, including torture. When Arar described his experience in a phone interview recently, he invoked an Arabic expression. The pain was so unbearable, he said, that “you forget the milk that you have been fed from the breast of your mother.”

The context for the White House position is key. After the publication of the Abu Ghraib photos in 2004, the administration released a raft of documents claiming these documents showed that there was no policy allowing the abuse of prisoners. It was surreal; the documents showed just the opposite. It was as though the White House thought we couldn’t read.

Most striking was a memorandum of February 7, 2002, signed by President George W. Bush, on the treatment of Al Qaeda and Taliban detainees. That memorandum records the president’s unilateral determination that the Geneva Convention on prisoners of war “does not apply to either al Qaeda or Taliban detainees.” This decision is of dubious validity because there is no provision in the Geneva conventions that would countenance a unilateral decision to exempt prisoners from Geneva protections.

I will spare you most of the torturous language offered by the president’s lawyers. Suffice it to say that paragraph 3 of his February 7 memorandum contains a gaping loophole that, in effect, authorizes torture:

As a matter of policy, the United States Armed Forces shall continue to treat detainees humanely and, to the extent appropriate and consistent with military necessity , in a manner consistent with the principles of Geneva. (emphasis added)

Mounting criticism of US maltreatment of hundreds of "war on terror" detainees, and new evidence that the CIA runs secret prisons around the world, have put the White House on the defensive over an alleged policy of permitting torture.

On Thursday the two houses of Congress began discussions to finalize a bill that would ban any torture by US forces. President George W. Bush has threatened to veto it, even as he has denied sanctioning torture.

The same day, a former top state department official told a radio program that the office of Vice President Dick Cheney was behind directives which encouraged US forces's torture of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan.

That followed a Washington Post report a day earlier that the CIA has operated a network of secret prisons in eight countries where about 30 people were being held and interrogated.

"Virtually nothing is known about who is kept in the facilities, what interrogation methods are employed with them, or how decisions are made about whether they should be detained or for how long," the Post said.

WASHINGTON -- Evidence gained by torture can be used by the U.S. military in deciding whether to imprison a foreigner indefinitely at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as an enemy combatant, the government says.

Statements produced under torture have been inadmissible in U.S. courts for about 70 years. But the U.S. military panels reviewing the detention of 550 foreigners as enemy combatants at the U.S. naval base in Cuba are allowed to use such evidence, Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Brian Boyle acknowledged at a U.S. District Court hearing Thursday.

We Were Wrong

2005-11-14T08:03:00.000-05:00

Sun Nov 13,11:31 AM ET

WASHINGTON - While admitting "we were wrong" about
Iraq's weapons of mass destruction,
President Bush's national security adviser on Sunday rejected assertions that the president manipulated intelligence and misled the American people.

When will Bush tell this to the American people? When will he tell us what the strategy for victory actually is, and how he will achieve it? When will any decency or honesty begin to come from the White House? An embarassment... of bloody, guts and bombs proportions.

Fitzgerald Quote

2005-10-30T22:00:00.000-05:00

"I will not end the investigation," he said, "until I can look anyone in the eye and tell them that we have carried out our responsibility" -- Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald, October 28, 2005

Full Transcript

Pentagon Releases Iraqi Casualty Numbers

2005-10-30T20:49:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I saw this at the bottom of Google News, in a corner, wanting to be swept away on a Sunday evening:

(CNN) -- A recent U.S. military report estimates that nearly 26,000 Iraqis were killed or wounded by insurgent attacks from January 1, 2004, through September 16, 2005.

"Approximately 80 percent of all attacks are directed against coalition forces, but 80 percent of all casualties are suffered by Iraqis," the Pentagon report said.

The figure was extrapolated from a bar graph on page 23 of the report, which shows average daily casualties since January 2004. The chart is not exact, but the figure can be considered a rough estimate.

The number did not include civilians who may have been killed or wounded in coalition attacks, nor did it include insurgents.

January 1, 2004 through September 16th, 2005 is 625 days, and 20.5 months. Therefore there have been 1268.29 deaths per month or 41.6 deaths per day by my calculations, all numbers approximate as worded by the report.

In addition, according to the Iraq Casualty Count website 3492 Iraqi military or police have died to date. And again, it did not include 'insurgent' deaths, which occupation forces have been killing ever since the mission was accomplished.

However, these numbers are more of a ballpark figure. From Reuters:

He said the count did not provide separate figures for the number of killed or wounded and how many of those were civilians, police officers or soldiers.

The counts were based on casualty reports filed by U.S. and allied forces who responded to attacks, but Venable noted that foreign troops did not respond to all attacks.

Another reminder of the amount of suffering and death this war and occupation has brought upon people. The CNN article closes with the following:

Several more deaths over the weekend brought to 2,015 the number of U.S. troops who have died in the Iraq war, including 82 this month.

Making American casualties swell to over 17,000 killed or wounded.

The War Continues

2005-10-25T18:30:00.000-05:00

Please take a moment to watch the Flash photography presentation by Paul
Fusco, "Bitter Fruit" and consider gathering with your fellow Americans
for a vigil to acknowledge our fallen troops and reflect on the current
war for which our country is dying every day. Additionally, this
Saturday there is a Boston rally against the war. With the majority of
the nation now against this war, your presence and voice of courage is
more important than ever.

"A War without casualties? A war where only the evil get hurt? As much as we would like to believe this, such an idea does not exist. War produces casualties and destroys lives. Since the beginning of the Iraqi war the government has consistently tried to divert media attention both visually and factually."

An obvious example of that effort was closing Dover Air Force Base to the press so we cannot see rows of flag-draped coffins ready to be shipped to grieving families.

Bitter Fruit

"This week, the number of American soldiers lost while serving in Iraq reached over 2000. While thousands of families have made the ultimate sacrifice, thousands more send their children and loved ones off to a war that seems to have no end in sight.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 26, 2005 at 6:30 p.m. we will gather for a vigil to acknowledge our fallen soldiers and reflect on the war in Iraq.

This is an opportunity for thousands of us to gather together and acknowledge the sacrifices made by over 2000 American men and women in Iraq and their families and speak out against the war."

MoveOn.org: Iraqi War Vigil

For those of us in Boston, there is an additional rally this week at 11:00AM at the Boston Commons. For more information, visit

Boston Mobilization: Events

U.S OUT of Iraq Now Rally
On October 29 join with the Troops Out Now Coalition to. STOP the War Againstthe Poor from Iraq to New Orleans to Boston Fight Racism, Poverty & War U.S OUT of Iraq Now!
Date and Time: 10/29/2005, 11:00 AM
Location: Bandstan, Boston Common
Contact: October 29 Coalition

Ticky Tacky

2005-10-18T17:05:00.000-05:00

Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky-tacky,
Little boxes, little boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

And the people in the houses
All go to the university,
And they all get put in boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
And there's doctors and there's lawyers
And business executives,
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

And they all play on the golf-course,
And drink their Martini dry,
And they all have pretty children,
And the children go to school.
And the children go to summer camp
And then to the university,
And they all get put in boxes
And they all come out the same.

And the boys go into business,
And marry, and raise a family,
And they all get put in boxes,
Little boxes, all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one
And a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky-tacky
And they all look just the same.

-Malvina Reynolds

Can't Support a War Criminal like Wesley Clark

2005-08-23T06:48:00.000-05:00

Granted he did answer the questions, after leaving the interview and being followed, but I refuse to support someone for president who supports the use of depleted uranium.

I would vote for Clark if he was nominated, because he's the lesser of two evils, but until he states what he already knows - depleted uranium is a war crime and should be banned - I refuse to give him one ounce of support.

From NPq:

We thus know very well what the correlation of radiation content to risk of depleted uranium is. It is measurable, and it is very low-40 percent less radioactive than natural uranium. There has never been any correlation between this level of radiation and a specific effect. Simply put, depleted uranium falls within the scale of what is safely admissible.

Ok, so he claims there's no "specific effects" from DU exposure, but then...

In the case of depleted uranium, as in all radiation, you don't want the radioactive substance inside you where it does more damage.

There's no specific effects, but it does less "damage" when it only touches everything outside of you (Read: try not to breathe).

NPQ | So, this is a tempest in a teapot?

CLARK | I would never put it that way because an issue like this must be taken very seriously. But I am certain no new, unexamined correlation between DU weapons and health will be found.

All we have here are two sets of facts: First, 31,000 rounds of depleted uranium weapons were fired over a period of two months throughout an area 60 miles by 60 miles-almost 4,000 square miles. Second, some number of European soldiers are ill.

Somebody correlated these two. But there is no basis for this correlation scientifically, medically, statistically or experientially.

1. Radiation causes human sickness
2. Depleted Uranium radiates
3. Use of DU in an area caused human sickness
4. Correlations made
5. Clark discredits undefined basis, and supports the use of DU(!!!)

The basis is fact 1: DU RADIATES YOU. It makes you sick.

From The Progressive:

One part dealt with the use of depleted uranium. He said there have been a lot of studies on depleted uranium, and "there is no indication it causes any trouble," except perhaps if you put something in your mouth that is covered with it.

Or breathe air in the region where DU munitions were used. Or pump ground water from these regions. Tell that to the ground troops and the civilians from your A/C'd office on high I suppose?

Screw that. Wake up Clark, you are tiptoe-ing around your disdain for using a known weapon of mass destruction.

Just ask your fellow troops:

What can you tell me about cluster bombs, or depleted uranium?

Depleted uranium. I know what it does. It's basically like leaving plutonium rods around. I'm 32 years old. I have 80 percent of my lung capacity. I ache all the time. I don't feel like a healthy 32-year-old.

Were you in the vicinity of depleted uranium?

Oh, yeah. It's everywhere. DU is everywhere on the battlefield. If you hit a tank, there's dust.

Did you breathe any dust?

Yeah.

And if DU is affecting you or our troops, it's also impacting Iraqi civilians.

Oh, yeah. They got a big wasteland problem.

Do Marines have any precautions about dealing with DU?

Not that I know of. Well, if a tank gets hit, crews are detained for a little while to make sure there are no signs or symptoms. American tanks have depleted uranium on the sides, and the projectiles have DU in them. If an enemy vehicle gets hit, the area gets contaminated. Dead rounds are in the ground. The civilian populace is just now starting to learn about it. Hell, I didn't even know about DU until two years ago. You know how I found out about it? I read an article in Rolling Stone magazine. I just started inquiring about it, and I said, "Holy shit!"

If Clark has so much integrity, where is his statement against using WMDs against his own troops and civilians? His inaction is not the trait of a good leader, it is the trait of a warrior who uses any tactic to win - including torture, rendition, and other tactics that Bush uses to win whatever mission he has decided to embark upon with wanton respect to human rights and international law.

He already discussed it at length and considered all the angles - Bush does that quite often, so he says - but that doesn't mean Clark won't throw depleted uranium at any given country doomed to suffer the terror it leaves in its wake. I don't give a fuck what Clark considers in his mind if he continues to support evil in his actions. It's about taking action - the ball is in Clark's hands. And right now those hands work in support of using weapons of mass destruction against our troops and our enemies.

Therefore, I can't support Wesley Clark in any way, shape or form.

A letter to the ugly american

2005-08-18T00:04:00.000-05:00

A letter to Mr. Northern, from Operation Truth

Mr. Northern:

I am a Veteran of the Iraq war, having served with the 4th Infantry Division on the initial invasion with Force Package One.

While I was in Iraq,a very good friend of mine, Christopher Cutchall,was killed in an unarmoredHMMWV outside of Baghdad. He was a cavalry scout serving with the 3d ID.Once he had declined the award of a medal because Soldiers assigned to him did not receive similar awards that he had recommended. He left two sons and awonderful wife. On Monday night, August 16, you ran down the memorial cross erected for him by Arlington West.

One of my Soldiers in Iraq was Roger Turner. We gave him a hard time because he always wore all of his protective equipment, including three pairs of glasses or goggles. He did this because he wanted to make sure that he returned home to his family. He rode a bicycle to work every day to make sure that he was able to save enough money on his Army salary to send his son to college. At Camp Anaconda, where the squadron briefly stayed, a rocket landed inside a tent, sending a piece of debris or fragment into him and killed him. On Monday night, August 16, you ran down the memorial cross erected for him by Arlington West.

One of my Soldiers was Henry Bacon. He was one of the finest men I ever met. He was in perfect shape for a man over forty, working hard at night. He told me that he did that because he didn't have much money to buy nice things for his wife, who he loved so much, so he had to be in good shape for her. He was like a father to many young men in his section of maintenance mechanics. They fixed our vehicles with almost no support and fabricated parts and made repairs that kept our squadron rolling on the longest, fastest armor advance ever made under fire. He was so very proud of his son-in-law that married the beautiful daughter so well raised by Henry. His son-in-law was a helicopter pilot with the 1st Cavalry Division, who died last year. Henry stopped to rescue a vehicle belonging to another unit on what was to be his last day in Iraq. He could have kept rolling - he was headed to Kuwait after a year's tour. But he stopped. He could have sent others to do the work, but he was on the ground, leading by example, when he was killed. On Monday night, August 16, you took it upon yourself to go out in the country, where a peaceful group was exercising their constitutional rights, and harming no one, and you ran down the memorial cross erected for Henry and for his son-in-law by Arlington West.

Mr. Northern - I know little about Cindy Sheehan except that she is a grieving mother, a gentle soul, and wants to bring harm to no one. I know little about you except that you found your way to Crawford on Monday night in August with chains and a pipe attached to your truck for the sole purpose of dishonoring a memorial erected for my friends and lost Soldiers and hundreds of others that served this nation when they were called. I find it disheartening that good men like these have died so that people like you can threaten a mother who lost a child with your actions. I hope that you are ashamed of yourself.

Perry Jefferies, First Sergeant, USA (retired)

Riots in Iraq?: Sweeping The Outrage Under The Carpet

2005-08-12T19:04:00.000-05:00

1:49 pm: Government: release of Abu Ghraib prison photos could cause riots
By LARRY NEUMEISTER
August 12, 2005

NEW YORK - Releasing pictures and videotapes of detainee abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison would aid al-Qaida recruitment, weaken Afghanistan and Iraqi governments and incite riots against U.S. troops, the top military adviser to the president says.

Those must be some pretty evil events that were captured.

Myers said the release of the pictures "pose a clear and grave risk of inciting violence and riots against American troops and coalition forces."

He said it was "probable that al-Qaida and other groups will seize upon these images and videos as grist for their propaganda mill," leading to violent attacks, increased terrorist recruitment, continued financial support and a worsening of tensions between the Iraqi and Afghani populaces and U.S. and coalition forces.

He said the photographs and videos would be used in a propaganda campaign by insurgents in Afghanistan and Iraq who "use any means necessary to incite violence" against innocent civilians to undercut the U.S. mission.

The mission of what, exactly? Torture and videotapes? Snuff films? Hushed up murder of detainees?

In a response to the arguments by Myers, the ACLU submitted a declaration by retired U.S. Army Col. Michael E. Pheneger, who said Myers "mistakes propaganda for motivation."

He said he does "not underestimate the propaganda impact of the release of additional photos of the degradation of Iraqi prisoners in U.S. custody, but the photos will not be the real cause of subsequent attacks."

He noted that insurgents average 70 attacks a day and that they "will continue regardless of whether the photos and tapes are released."

Pheneger, a military intelligence officer from 1963 to 1993, said he found it difficult as a patriot and a career soldier to criticize the government.

But he said he believed that the release of the photos _ though damaging to the Army's reputation _ would lead to a thorough public examination of the effects of the administration's decision to change long-standing policies and approve interrogation techniques that the Army had long prohibited.

"The first step to abandoning practices that are repugnant to our laws and national ideals is to bring them into the sunshine and assign accountability," he wrote.

Full story at The New Mexican

Hybrid, Subaru, and the Near Future

2005-08-12T18:39:00.000-05:00

Ok, so, I sent a goofy little email to Subaru asking about the development of a hybrid vehicle. Here's the reply:

Thank you for visiting the Subaru Web site and for your inquiry regarding our hybrid vehicles.

Hybrid vehicle development involves many new technologies and designs. Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.(FHI), our manufacturer, is currently developing alternative fuel engines for future environmental measures, focusing on a compact-sized vehicle and aiming to commercialize it within the next few years.

A joint venture with NEC Lamilion Energy, Ltd. will advance the development of a manganese lithium-ion type rechargeable battery for automobiles. By integrating NEC's laminate-type manganese lithium-ion cell technology with FHI's battery pack technology, the new company will be prepared to develop the global de facto standard rechargeable battery. NEC Lamilion Energy, Ltd. plans to supply the test battery to all domestic and international automobile manufacturers for industry evaluation.

There is a more environmentally significant development over the battery/internal combustion engine hybrid in the long term. GM is making progress toward having fuel cell powered vehicles available in the future. In continuation of its history of adopting practical innovations, Subaru and its linkage with GM will be an eager partner in fuel cell vehicle developments.

While there are no specific dates or schedules available to us now, please be assured that you will be hearing more about Subaru's advanced technology vehicles in the future. If you would like further general information on FHI's efforts to preserve the environment, please go to http://www.fhi.co.jp/english/envi/env_report/main.html.

We appreciate that you took the time to inquire about our vehicles and give us your comments. We hope to continually improve our products. If you need any future assistance, you can always contact us through our Web site at www.subaru.com.

Best Wishes,

Natalie Cox
Subaru of America, Inc.
Customer/Dealer Services Department

Can't wait! Hope they make a [bio]diesel version...

Gather TOMORROW to show Solidarity with Cindy Sheehan

2005-08-12T18:25:00.000-05:00

An email from Boston Mobilization

THIS SATURDAY AUGUST 13th, 6:00-8:30 pm, PARK STREET STATION, BOSTON

Dear Friends –

One of the most frustrating things about trying to stop this war is that few of us feel it in a personal way. I think this is part of a plan, a plan to insulate us from the cost of this war. Few of us have to pay the price directly, as Cindy Sheehan does, and the Iraqi people do. Can you imagine losing a child to this war?

I have heard from many people that they will be at the vigil tomorrow. But many others have said words to the effect of: “I wish I could be there, I have other plans, I support you”

I totally understand but -

I don’t think this war is going to end until we are willing to change our plans, and disrupt our daily lives. What will it take? How many more dead? Will we each have to lose someone in order to do what Cindy did?

Or will it just grind on and on?

I beg you, take that one next step, BE THERE TOMMOROW!

Out of respect for Cindy and the Gold Star families we will be dressed in black. After sunset we will surround the Frog Pond holding candles. The reflection of their flames will honor all those who have lost their lives or been wounded in this illegal war.

PLEASE COME! WEAR BLACK, BRING CANDLES!

Please Spread the Word!

Yours In Action, Eve

Seeing Cindy

2005-08-12T17:34:00.000-05:00

Published on Friday, August 12, 2005 by CommonDreams.org
Seeing Cindy
by David Potorti

As a member of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, I¹ve been witnessing Cindy Sheehan¹s Crawford odyssey with a bittersweet mixture of pride, support and sadness. I felt the same way when Megan Bartlett, one of the first EMT workers to arrive at the World Trade Center site, founded Ground Zero For Peace/First Responders Against War; as military parents Nancy Lessin and Charley Richardson founded Military Families Speak Out; as the 9/11 widows known as the "Jersey Girls" dragged their government, kicking and screaming, into conducting an independent commission into the 9/11 attacks; and as Michael Hoffman, Kelly Dougherty, Jimmy Massey and others came together to create Iraq Veterans Against the War.

Ordinary Americans with first-hand knowledge of the results of terrorism, violence and war were bearing witness and asking to be heard.

I felt pride at their personal courage, support for their desire to spare others the horrors they had experienced, and sadness at the inevitable response they would draw from the government and its corporate media: Ignore them. They¹re small in number. They¹re not authentic. It¹s all about politics. They¹re funded by the Democrats. They¹re traitors. They¹re an invention of the media. They have a personal axe to grind. They don¹t know what they¹re talking about.

Every argument raised about Cindy Sheehan has been raised about us, and about the rest, each argument reflecting the same goal: to dehumanize us. Faced with the dissonant reality that 9/11 families might not support the bombing of Afghanistan, or military families might not support the war in Iraq, or that there¹s people with a few more questions for the 9/11 Commission, our reality‹our actual existence‹has to be denied. One radio pundit has claimed that we "aren¹t even 9/11 family members."

Denial and dehumanization are required elements of terrorism, violence and war. The humanity of our families was invisible to the people who murdered them on September 11th. The humanity of Afghan civilians, already suffering, was invisible to the Americans who supported the bombing of their country. The humanity of Iraqi civilians, already suffering, was invisible to the Americans whipped into war on a series of calculated lies. The humanity of the troops and reservists doing hard time in Iraq is invisible to the people sending them there. And the humanity of those troops killed or maimed for the rest of their lives remains largely invisible to the American people.

To stand up in the midst of this denial and demand that our humanity, and the humanity of others, be recognized, is not just a patriotic act of a high order. It¹s a way of reclaiming the life that was taken away from us. To respond that our demands are inauthentic, insincere, an "invention" --in short, not real‹dehumanizes us in the same way that terrorism, violence and war dehumanizes us all.

Even after he has shared his "sympathy," many continue to ask the President to see Cindy. The fact is, he doesn¹t have to see Cindy in Crawford. He can see Cindy in the brave numbers of Americans with first hand knowledge of the war on terror as they stand up to bear witness to what they, and we, have lost. He can see Cindy in the growing majority of Americans who see war for what it really is, and want the troops home. And he can see Cindy in the mutual humanity, sense of common purpose and worldwide desire for peace that revealed itself to the United States immediately after 9/11‹and remains, today, our best hope of survival.

Long after his Crawford vacation is over, we¹ll still be there---demanding to be seen.

Seeing Cindy

EMERGENCY
VIGIL TO SHOW SOLIDARITY
WITH CINDY SHEEHAN
Saturday August 13th
6:00 - 8:30 pm
Park Street Station
Wear black, bring candles!
Call 617-782-2313 for more details!
For more info, email us at:
contactus@bostonmobilization.org
Updates from Crawford

from Boston Mobilization

FOX News Buys MySpace.com for Millions

2005-07-18T17:28:00.000-05:00

Jewel in the crown of the $580m (£331m) deal is myspace.com, a two-year-old site which allows friends to share weblogs, photos, instant messages and music online.

Murdoch nets Intermix for $580m

I knew it was a bad egg from the beginning, or maybe I just didn't have any friends, but myspace.com is now owned by the man. The big evil white republican one who is spinning America to death has a vested interest in all your blah-blahs and photos of you holding that keg cup. You've been warned.

Bush Changes Mind, Keeps Traitor Aboard

2005-07-18T17:19:00.000-05:00

By Patricia Wilson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Monday vowed to fire anyone found by a federal probe to have acted illegally in the exposure of a CIA agent, in a shift from a broader pledge to dismiss leakers in the case.
...
Asked on June 10, 2004, whether he stood by his earlier pledge to fire anyone found to have leaked the officer's name, Bush replied: "Yes." On Monday, he added the qualifier that it would have to be demonstrated that a crime was committed.

article

Yet another manipulation, this time intended to keep Rove around. He needs his political assassin to murder anyone who gets in the administration's way - like Wilson, or any of the others who have fallen, who stand up and point to the flaws, lies and war crimes surrounding Bush and his Iraqi money laundering greed.

Bush doesn't mind if Rove is a lying traitor - Bush has proven himself to be one.

Don't forget Scooter, Cheney's chief of staff

WASHINGTON — White House strategist Karl Rove was the first person to tell a Time magazine reporter that the wife of an administration critic worked for the CIA, the reporter said Sunday. Vice President Cheney's chief of staff, Lewis Libby, then confirmed that fact to the reporter.

article

It's a pack of traitors. And our soldiers die for their money - billions and billions of taxpayer dollars, of corporate payoffs, right into their hands. Karl needs to stick around to politically assassinate all their enemies in the homeland - why do you think the FBI and Homeland Security are spying on Americans? Just in case Karl needs to leak some more information, to commit more treason, to maintain their traitor grip on Washington.

Mission accomplished.

China suggests using nuclear bombs against America

2005-07-15T14:07:00.000-05:00

``If the Americans draw their missiles and position-guided ammunition into the target zone on China's territory, I think we will have to respond with nuclear weapons,'' Maj. Gen. Zhu Chenghu, a dean at China's National Defense University, told visiting Hong Kong-based reporters. His remarks were reported by The Asian Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times.

Zhu stressed that he was expressing a personal view, not official policy, and was confident that China and the United States would not go to war, the reports said. While Zhu is a serving officer, he isn't involved in policymaking.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry didn't respond to requests for comment on the general's remarks. A woman who answered the phone at the protocol office of the Defense Ministry said it had no comment. She refused to give her name.

Chinese General Threatens U.S. Over Taiwan, Guardian Unlimited

I vote no confidence

Bush fully confident in suspected traitor

2005-07-13T06:55:00.000-05:00

The White House issued a statement announcing US President George W. Bush fully trusts his political adviser Carl Rove who has been accused of being responsible for leaking the identity of a secret agent to the media and whom the Democrat Party has demanded be dismissed from office.

full story

Why wouldn't he? Rove will probably get a promotion like Wolfowitz, Bolton, Rumsfeld and Robert Earl who get promoted for breaking the law and who contribute to their irresponsible, unaccountable government that headlines America today.

This is a stark contrast to earlier in the investigation when Bush pledged he would fire anyone involved in or contributing to the leak.

Scott McClellan cited the continuing criminal investigation over the leak to say that he would not discuss conversations Rove had had with a reporter about Plame before her name was published, or say whether Bush's pledge to fire anyone involved in leaking classified information still stands.

full story

This is another lie of Bush's because he is allowing a confessed conspirator to resume his daily operations at the White House of America's Executive Government.

But this is all part of an ongoing investigation and I'll comment on that when the time is appropriate.

Rove is doing everything he can to get off on a technicality - that the agent was not working covertly to Rove's knowledge - since he already confessed through his lawyer that he named the agent to the press. Therefore he would have exposed a CIA operative, but would not be guilty of a crime. This still falls under the context of what Bush would fire, and he should.

Bush said last year he would fire anyone found to have leaked the identity of Valerie Plame, the wife of former U.S. diplomat Joseph Wilson. Her name was given to reporters and published in 2003 after Wilson publicly criticized the Bush administration's use of intelligence leading up to the Iraq war.

A grand jury is investigating because leaking the name of a covert CIA officer could be a crime.

...

Newsweek reported this week that Cooper e-mailed a colleague about an interview with Rove in which they discussed a trip by Wilson in 2002 to Niger to check out allegations that Iraq had tried to buy uranium for nuclear weapons. According to Newsweek, Cooper wrote that Rove said it was "Wilson's wife, who apparently works at the agency" who authorized the trip.

full story

And Cooper testified it was Rove to the grand jury on July 13th, 2005.

Time line in leak of CIA operative's identity

The Democrats Speak on the Leak

2005-07-11T18:48:00.000-05:00

Finally, Democrat leaders are pointing out that Rove should be fired, a commission set up to hear testimony about his treason, and that he should potentially be indicted and brought to justice (left to rot in jail) for committing treason based on those results. This is a conspiracy of national security here, people.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House faced mounting Democratic calls for President Bush to sideline or fire his top political aide Karl Rove on Monday over his involvement in a CIA leak scandal.
...
"The White House promised if anyone was involved in the Valerie Plame affair, they would no longer be in this administration. I trust they will follow through on this pledge," Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said.

Other Democrats urged Bush to sideline Rove by suspending his access to classified information and said the deputy White House chief of staff should "clear the air" by answering questions from Congress. Another lawmaker said the intentional disclosure of a covert agent's identity amounted to an "act of treason."
...
Rep. Henry Waxman, a California Democrat and the ranking minority member of the House Government Reform Committee, called for a congressional hearing to hear testimony from Rove, who is widely seen as the architect of Bush's election victories.

"The recent disclosures about Mr. Rove's actions have such serious implications that we can no longer responsibly ignore them. The intentional disclosure of a covert CIA agent's identity would be an act of treason," Waxman said.

full story

Fox News: Highlighting the Advantages of Terrorist Attacks and Death

2005-07-11T17:55:00.000-05:00

If there was ever a line for the media to cross, this is it! The scumbags over at Fox News have outdone themselves and set a new benchmark for what it means to be a shithole of a media agency.

Fox News Slammed Over 'Callous' Line
by Julian Borger in Washington

Rupert Murdoch's Fox News channel was under fire yesterday for comments by some of its leading journalists in response to the London bombs.

Speaking about the reaction of the financial markets, Brit Hume, the channel's Washington managing editor, said: "Just on a personal basis ... I saw the futures this morning, which were really in the tank, I thought 'hmm, time to buy'."

The host of a Fox News program, Brian Kilmeade, said the attacks had the effect of putting terrorism back on the top of the G8's agenda, in place of global warming and African aid. "I think that works to our advantage, in the western world's advantage, for people to experience something like this together, just 500 miles from where the attacks have happened."

Another Fox News host, John Gibson, said before the blasts that the International Olympic Committee "missed a golden opportunity" by not awarding the 2012 games to France. "If they had picked France instead of London to hold the Olympics, it would have been the one time we could look forward to where we didn't worry about terrorism. They'd blow up Paris, and who cares?" He added: "This is why I thought the Brits should let the French have the Olympics - let somebody else be worried about guys with backpack bombs for a while."

Media Matters for America, a watchdog and frequent critic of Fox, criticized the comments on its website. "I think it's absolutely sickening three Fox anchors had such callous reactions to the bombings that took dozens of lives," said the Jamison Foser, of the group.

The Fox News media relations office had not responded by the time the Guardian went to press yesterday.

© Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005

full story
also on Alternet.org

After all, they're just being fair and balanced. They must feel terrorists and murderers don't have enough of a media voice in this world to share the terrorist opinion of the advantages of terrorist attacks.

Thankfully, Fox News is there, to help spread the message of terrorists and the advantage of terrorist attacks.

Bring Rove to Justice... But First, Bring Handcuffs to Rove

2005-07-11T17:50:00.000-05:00

The conspiracy is heating up.

There are two traitors in the case of the undercover CIA agent's name being leaked to the public - the person who leaked the name, and the person who published the leak - both violations of federal law and compromises of national security.

Unfortuantely, the two people being jailed in the case, Cooper and Miller, are neither of those two people.

One of them is Robert Novak, and the other is potentially Karl Rove or whichever other "senior White House official" who fed Novak, Miller and Cooper the illegal information.

What is Fitzgerald doing? The case is not being handled responsibly, but when it comes to issues surrounding this white house, treason and the culture of unaccountability run amok. Disgusting.

Edit: Novak is not going to jail because he squealed that his source is Rove. Fitzgerald now needs to prove that Rove knew that Plame was undercover, but I don't understand why we can't just put her on the stand (or someone else) who can testify that yes she was working covertly. Rove has already confessed to having outed her, which is treason given the covert testimony.

Why Isn't Bob Novak Going to Jail?
Why Bush has to fire Rove

And finally, a rather interesting read:
Transcript of the press asking the white house about this conspiracy

Video of the Conference

Iraq: The center of global terror

2005-07-06T03:45:00.000-05:00

Iraq Emerges as a Terrorist Training Ground
by Warren P. Strobel

Iraq has replaced Afghanistan as the prime training ground for foreign terrorists who could travel elsewhere across the globe and wreak havoc, according to U.S. counterterrorism officials and classified studies by the CIA and the State Department.

Iraq Emerges as a Terrorist Training Ground (Common Dreams)

Mission Accomplished, Bush. Thankfully, major operations in the country ended May 1, 2003. Luckily, our troops are dealing with the potentially twelve-year last throes of the unheeded civil war and residential uprising.

Terror Attacks Near 3,200 in 2004 Count

By KATHERINE SHRADER
The Associated Press
Tuesday, July 5, 2005; 11:53 PM

WASHINGTON -- There were nearly 3,200 terrorist attacks worldwide last year, a federal counterterrorism center said Tuesday, using a broader definition that increased fivefold the number of attacks the agency had been counting.
...
In 2004, the counterterrorism center says, there were 3,192 terror attacks worldwide with 28,433 people wounded, killed or kidnapped.

Terror Attacks Near 3,200 in 2004 Count (AP/WP)

Bush has succeeded in bringing terror to Iraq, which did not attack America or any other country on 9/11/01, and failing the war on terror by failure to capture Osama bin Laden and the other leaders of al-Qaeda while the number of terrorist attacks have increased fivefold in the past year. The attack and occupation of Iraq have depleted military resources and made America weaker and, as testified by our leading military generals, we are less capable to respond to other threats to America should they attack us.

Even more treason: Rove takes a leak

2005-07-06T03:41:00.000-05:00

I revealed in yesterday's taping of the McLaughlin Group that Time magazine's emails will reveal that Karl Rove was Matt Cooper's source. I have known this for months but didn't want to say it at a time that would risk me getting dragged into the grand jury. McLaughlin is seen in some markets on Friday night, so some websites have picked it up, including Drudge, but I don't expect it to have much impact because McLaughlin is not considered a news show and it will be pre-empted in the big markets on Sunday because of tennis. Since I revealed the big scoop, I have had it reconfirmed by yet another highly authoritative source. Too many people know this. It should break wide open this week. I know Newsweek is working on an 'It's Rove!' story and will probably break it tomorrow.

Indeed, Newsweek has this at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8445696/site/newsweek/:

The e-mails surrendered by Time Inc., which are largely between [Time reporter] Cooper and his editors, show that one of Cooper's sources was White House deputy chief of staff Karl Rove, according to two lawyers who asked not to be identified because they are representing witnesses sympathetic to the White House

It seems that the president's chief of staff, Karl Rove, and potentially the rest of Bush's cabinet, conspired and contributed to treason through revealing a CIA operative's name to a journal and thus the public. The suggestion is that they used the newspaper and their confidential knowledge for political gain.

That certainly warrants some attention and investigation.

Karl Rove: More anti-American Than Osama bin Laden or, They Execute Traitors, Don't They? (Common Dreams)

Where's a plan, Democrats?

2005-06-29T17:54:00.000-05:00

I'm sick of hearing that phrase.

KUCINICH AND COLLEAGUES INTRODUCE BI-PARTISAN HOMEWARD BOUND ACT

Dennis Kucinich and a bipartisan group of Representatives on June 16 introduced House Joint Resolution 55, the Homeward Bound Act, calling for a plan and timeline to be established for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. The Bill reflects the rising tide of discontent among Americans about the U.S. occupation of Iraq, whether or not they supported the war initially. In the last two weeks, due in part to continuing U.S. casualties, the huge cost of the war, the release of the Downing Street Minutes, publicity surrounding this Bill's bipartisan support and opinion polls showing widespread disapproval of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, a majority of
Americans have begun to ask what our goals are and to call for U.S. withdrawal. Read about the Homeward Bound Act at:
Homeward Bound Act

Kucinich had a plan "US out UN in - in 90 days" when he was running for President that he drafted in 2002. It's easy for someone to ask where something is when their eyes are closed. Clearly the US needs to withdrawl - and clearly a true multinational UN peacekeeping force needs to be implemented in order to assure security for the growth of Iraqi security forces, because they're in the middle of a fucking civil war.

You do not deserve our support, Mr. Bush

2005-06-28T22:15:00.000-05:00

"FORT BRAGG, N.C., June 28 - President Bush, facing a growing restiveness around the country and in his own party over the constant stream of casualties in Iraq, declared Tuesday night that the daily sacrifice of American lives in Iraq "is worth it, and it is vital to the future security of our country.""
full story

Just like your sacrifice during the time of need in the conflict with Vietnam? Oh that's right, you slithered your way right out of that sacrifice. How do you know what is worth anything, fortunate son? The only time you went to Iraq was to wave a plastic turkey around for some photographers.

You do not know shit about sacrifice. You shit on the poor, and give to the rich. Is that your definition of sacrifice? Given a war of lies with no connection to a national security threat or terrorism, your definiton is very much in line with your historical backstabbing and fallout from service.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005; Page A20

PRESIDENT BUSH sought last night to bolster slipping public support for the war in Iraq by connecting it, once again, to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and to the war against terrorism. That connection is not spurious, even if Saddam Hussein was not a collaborator of al Qaeda: Clearly Iraq is now a prime battlefield for Islamic extremists, and success or failure there will do much to determine the outcome of the larger struggle against them. But Mr. Bush didn't explain how a war meant to remove a tyrant believed to wield weapons of mass destruction turned into a fight against Muslim militants, a transformation caused in part by his administration's many errors since Saddam Hussein's defeat more than two years ago. The president also didn't speak candidly enough about the primary mission the United States now has in Iraq, which is not "hunting down the terrorists" but constructing a stable government in spite of Iraq's sectarian divisions and violent resistance from the former ruling elite. It's harder to explain why Americans should die in such a complex and ambitious enterprise than in a fight with international terrorists, but that is the case Mr. Bush most needs to make.
full article

That's right, Mr. Bush, you brought terror to Iraq and it is that terror which has destroyed over 60,000 Iraqi lives and nearly 20,000 American lives. There is no connection to al-Qaeda, except for the connection you delivered through occupation, and most likely they are merely residents who detest a foreign empire army of lies and treason murdering their men, women and children.

Imagine if China invaded the United States, for no reason, and stood around shooting civilians. Do you think there would be an 'insurgency' here? You're god damn fucking right there would be.

If you want to hunt down terrorists, why not go after actual terrorists like the ones who DID attack us on September 11th, his name is Osama bin Laden, and you've fucking failed to do anything about him - but I guess that only perpetuates your rhetoric of destroying our civil liberties for the sake of endless war. What a stupid traitor you are, Mr. Bush. Satan loves you and your work.

You have no mission, you have no point, you have only blood, corruption and lies. You are not FDR - your war is not worth the cost of one life, and you do not deserve our support, Mr. Bush.

The speech in numbers, from the folks at ThinkProgress:

* References to "September 11": 5
* References to "weapons of mass destruction": 0
* References to "freedom": 21
* References to "exit strategy": 0
* References to "Saddam Hussein": 2
* References to "Osama Bin Laden": 2
* References to "a mistake": 1 (setting a timetable for withdrawal)
* References to "mission": 11
* References to "mission accomplished": 0

Faked, from AmericaBlog: "ABC's Terry Moran just reported that the only time Bush got applause was in the middle of his speech when a White House advance team member started clapping all on their own in order to cajole the soldiers into clapping, which they dutifully did... So even the applause was fake."
full article

(CNN) -- Critics of the U.S. war in Iraq have condemned President George W. Bush for attempting to link the insurgency there with the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.

In a televised address marking a year since the U.S. handover of sovereignty in Iraq, Bush urged Americans not to "forget the lessons of September 11."
full article

All you can do is reference something unrelated, because if you referenced something related - vietnam - you wouldn't know what you're talking about. You were too high on cocaine and booze and getting abortions for your girlfriend, right Bush? You're drunk again, you stupid child, and you've driven America into a head-on collision.

Grilled Rumsfeld

2005-06-23T23:11:00.000-05:00

"This war has been consistently and grossly mismanaged. And we are now in a seemingly intractable quagmire. Our troops are dying. And there really is no end in sight," Kennedy said, as the Secretary of Defense sat opposite him during an appearance before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Arguing that "the American people, I believe, deserve leadership worthy of the sacrifices that our fighting forces have made, and they deserve the real facts," Kennedy told Rumsfeld, "I regret to say that I don't believe that you have provided either."
---------------
I couldn't agree more, my good Senator. What's more, it was intentionally mismanaged, through policies of torture and war crimes.

---------------
Rumsfeld was clearly shocked by the aggressiveness of the senator's comments.

"Well, that is quite a statement," huffed the Secretary of Defense, who pointedly told Kennedy, "The suggestion by you that people -- me or others -- are painting a rosy picture is false."

But the Massachusetts senator, who has been one of the most ardent Congressional critics of the war, wasn't buying secretary's line. Nor was Kennedy cutting Rumsfeld any more slack.

"In baseball, it's three strikes you're out," Kennedy told Rumsfeld. "Isn't it time for you to resign?"
--------------
Isn't it about time you are arrested, Donald?

--------------
Rumsfeld, who was evidently shaken by the question, paused briefly before saying, "Senator, I've offered my resignation to the president twice."

President Bush rejected Rumsfeld's offers, which came at the height of the scandal over the abuse of detainees at the
Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The Secretary of Defense told the committee he would defer to the president on the question of when he should step down. "That's his call," Rumseld said of Bush.
-------------
Bush is clearly incapable of making any adept 'calls' especially when it comes to taking war criminals out of his cabinet. Grow up, Donny. Even military-based representatives in the south have the gumption to do what is right. Do you? Not yet. But you still have the chance to make the right decision; to do what is just for America.

Turn yourself in. Go to confession
full article

Dear George

2005-06-19T23:07:00.000-05:00

Bush Says US is in Iraq Because of 9/11 Attacks on US

"President George W. Bush defended the war in Iraq, telling Americans the United States was forced into war because of the September 11 terror strikes."

Dear George, you are an idiot. It is a known known that Iraq did not attack America on Septemer 11th. Even your Vice President, Dick Cheney himself, has testified that Iraq did not assist al-Qaeda or have any hand in 9/11. And everyone else agrees, too, including the 9/11 commisssion. And the CIA. And the FBI.

""Some may disagree with my decision to remove Saddam Hussein from power, but all of us can agree that the world's terrorists have now made Iraq a central front in the war on terror," said the president."

Yes, I agree, you turned Iraq into a terror state because of your illegal invasion and sustained occupation and failure to bring peace, employment and freedom to Iraq. Congratulations, we all agree you are a failure.

""Our troops are fighting these terrorists in Iraq so you will not have to face them here at home.""

Keep saying that. Too bad we already HAVE BEEN ATTACKED and invading Iraq DOES NOT HELP. Americans are dying daily in Iraq, how is that better? When you say things like "so you will not have to face them here at home" coupled with ludicrous warmonger statements like "bring it on" you are inviting another 9/11 attack on American soil. And you still haven't captured Osama, you failure.

""This mission isn't easy, and it will not be accomplished overnight. We're fighting a ruthless enemy that relishes the killing of innocent men, women, and children," he said."

How many tens of thousands innocent Iraqis have been murdered by a failure occupation based upon lies and a terrorist strike that is factually unrelated? Oh, you stopped counting. Well...

Civilians reported killed by military intervention in Iraq
Min 22353
Max 25341
Iraq body count

Dear George, you are a failure.

Governor Hate

2005-06-18T09:00:00.000-05:00

The snake is out of the basket. And oh how he slithers. Mitt Romney has shown his true color: and it isn't red, white or blue, but a deep opaque black. Black like the hate-filled heart of a person who would be opposed to a pro-family and pro-children measure like equal marriage rights so much to endorse a constitutional amendment banning equality from millions of Americans united by love to build a family.

Mitt had hidden his evil as best he could from our great state as long as he desired, and now with goals that send his cold claws beyond New England, his mouth has opened and the vile breath of hatred pours from the state house of Massachusetts with wanton respect for women's suffrage, children's hopes for love and education, ethnic diversity and public education through pointed initiatives over the course of his governing.

This is legislation born out of hatred and fear - and I for one am disgusted. How about working to improve the state? We have real issues like racism, unaffordable housing, violence, homelessness, unemployment, .. all neglected by an agenda of hatred born from a Culture of Fear. It is high time we residents drove a political stake through the black heart of the Romney vampire before he drains the blood of another constituency elsewhere. Jesus teaches peace and acceptance, and Satan teaches you to fear and hate your neighbor. Clearly, Mitt Romney has chosen whom he endorses from those two choices. I encourage you to go to confession, sir, because you have sinned.

Try not to invade Vermont on your way out - all you'll find is weapons of mass peace and bombs of forgiveness.

Arrest Bush

2005-06-18T08:40:00.000-05:00

Arrest George Bush.
Arrest all his fucking friends.
Arrest Dick Cheney.
Arrest Donald Rumsfeld.
Arrest Colin Powell.
Arrest Tommy Franks.
Arrest Condoleezza Rice.
Arrest Ari Flischer.
Arrest Scott McClellan.
Arrest Alberto Gonzalez.
Arrest fucking Karl Rove.
Arrest Paul Wolfowitz.
Arrest Tom DeLay.
Arrest Bill Frist.
Arrest Tony Blair.
Arrest Christopher Meyer.
Arrest George Tenet.
Arrest John Bolton.
Arrest all the wizards of war behind the curtain.
Send them all to jail.
Send the troops home.
Send an apology to the relatives of the dead soldiers.
Send an apology to the UN.
Send an apology to the Iraqi people.
Send an apology to American residents.
Send John Conyers a thank-you letter.
Send Cindy Sheehan a medal of honor.
Send justice back to Washington.
Send checks & balances back to Washington.
Send integrity back to America.
Send the god damn troops home.
Send the fucking war criminals to jail.
Send the treasonous cover-up congressional scumbags to jail.
Send the lying traitors to jail.
Let them rot in their sin and blood.
Let America participate with the UN to form a multinational peacekeeping coalition that will restore integrity to the Iraqi people and work towards ending the disparity and greed that is plaguing our troops, the world, and the middle east today.

Note: This is not an endorsement for revolt or any illegality to be committed. It is my opinion in light of the downing street minutes which state simply "the facts are being fixed around the policy" of military invasion. If we were lied to, justice needs to be provided for the sake of America, Iraq, and Britain.

Article on downing street memo:
Downing Street Memo a Growing Problem for Bush

Coalition of hundreds of groups & organizations pursuing investigation of the memo:
AfterDowningStreet.org

Bite the hand

2005-05-25T17:35:00.000-05:00

You're keeping in step
In the line
Got your chin held high and you feel just fine
Because you do
What you're told
But inside your heart it is black and it's hollow and it's cold

Just how deep do you believe?
Will you bite the hand that feeds?
Will you chew until it bleeds?
Can you get up off your knees?
Are you brave enough to see?
Do you want to change it?

What if this whole crusade's
A charade
And behind it all there's a price to be paid
For the blood
On which we dine
Justified in the name of the holy and the divine

Fact: The White House tortures Americans

2005-05-24T20:49:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK, NY -- May 24 -- U.S. FBI agents operating in Pakistan repeatedly interrogated and threatened two U.S. citizens of Pakistani origin who were unlawfully detained and subjected to torture by the Pakistani security services, Human Rights Watch said today.

The brothers Zain Afzal and Kashan Afzal were abducted from their home in Karachi at about 2 a.m. on August 13, 2004. They were released on April 22, 2005 without having been charged.

During eight months of illegal detention, Zain Afzaland Kashan Afzal were routinely tortured by Pakistani authorities to extract confessions of involvement in terrorist activities. During this period, FBI agents questioned the brothers on at least six occasions. The FBI agents did not intervene to end the torture, insist that the Pakistani government comply with a court order to produce the men in court, or provide consular facilities normally offered to detained U.S. citizens. Instead, they threatened the men with being sent to the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay if they did not confess to involvement in terrorism.

Full Article

It's now a known fact - America tortures Americans. What further evidence or reasoning to oppose this treasonous administration and USAPATRIOT act abuse?

Updated citations:
Human Rights Watch article
HRW Recent News Releases

I like Ike

2005-05-12T17:02:00.000-05:00

"Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are ... a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid."
--President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1954

The Arlington National Cemetery

2005-05-03T18:21:00.000-05:00

"The holiest acreage in America was consecrated in an act of revenge. Beating a retreat back to Washington from their defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run, Union soldiers crossed into the property of ''Arlington House," Robert E. Lee's home on the Potomac River. They buried the remains of their dead comrades in Mrs. Lee's rose garden. From then on, the Confederate leader's estate was used as a Union graveyard -- a vindictive payback. The place is now known as Arlington National Cemetery."

Published on Tuesday, May 3, 2005 by the Boston Globe
America's Mortal Secret
by James Carroll
full story

An interview with George Lakoff

2005-04-30T11:58:00.000-05:00

Transcript: Interview with George Lakoff on PBS’s “NOW with Bill Moyers”
July 23, 2004
Interviewed by David Brancaccio
Transcribed by Meghan Baker

DB: Tonight you’re going to meet a fellow who has a hand in the ways that some Democrats put their ideas. His name is George Lakoff. Four years ago, he and colleagues at the University of California-Berkeley and UC Davis decided to start a think tank, called the Rockridge Institute. They felt Republicans were awfully good at winning the battle of words. They wanted to come up with new rhetorical weapons for the other side. Lakoff is a noted linguist, and the author of 8 books, including Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think. We began our conversation with ways in which language builds the frame, in which we view political issues.

DB: You say “frame,” that’s a key to understanding this. What kind of frame?

GL: Well, uh, frames are everywhere. Think of what happened on the very first day that George Bush took office. A press release came out using the words “tax relief.” Now, a linguist who looks at the word relief would say “Aha, there is a frame in which there is an affliction, an afflicted party who’s harmed by this, a reliever, who takes away this affliction, and if anybody tries to stop them, they’re a bad guy.” You add “tax” to that, and you get taxation is an affliction, and if the Democrats oppose the president’s tax relief plan, they’re the bad guys.

Bush clip: “We need tax relief now. In fact, we need tax relief yesterday. And I will work with Congress to provide it.”

GL: So, the word “tax relief” goes out to every radio station, every TV station, every newspaper, day after day after day. Soon, everybody’s thinking tax relief with the idea that taxation is an affliction, unconsciously automatically.

Bush clips: We’re gonna talk about some of that tax relief right quick. What was in the tax relief package. If you pay taxes, you’re gonna get relief. Tax relief. Tax relief. Because of the tax relief package we passed.

GL: And then the words become part of normal everyday language, and the conservative’s frame becomes part of the way you think about it. If you’re a Democrat, you want to really change the frame. The problem is that there is no existing frame out there. You have to create it. How do you think about taxes? Taxes are what you pay to be an American, like paying your dues to have democracy and freedom and opportunity and all the infrastructure that America provides.

Full Story
George Lakoff at Chelsea Green Publishing
Don't think of an elephant!

Media

2005-04-29T17:41:00.000-05:00

"When the Republicans ran the Congress and Clinton was in the White House, there was no accusation too small for them to pursue. Now that President Bush is in power, there's no scandal so large that they have any interest in examining it."

US Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)

DeLay 3: Culture of Sin and Suffering

2005-04-29T17:37:00.000-05:00

This is a direct cut and paste of an article posted on Common Dreams

Published on Friday, April 29, 2005 by CommonDreams.org
Delay’s Ethics Make a Difference
by Stephen Mucher

It’s been almost a decade since I last saw Tom Delay. I was a high school teacher on the small Pacific island of Saipan. Delay was on a fact finding mission. I’m sorry to say that we didn’t get a chance to talk.

A visit by a sitting member of Congress is still extremely rare on this tropical outpost, over 3000 miles west of Hawaii. Saipan is the capital of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a U.S. territory created after American marines expelled Japanese forces in WWII. Today, Saipan welcomes tens of thousands of tourists annually. Visitors tour battle fields, snorkel crystal waters, and golf the island's world famous links.

I’m sure Mr. Delay, joined by his wife, daughter, and staff, enjoyed their stay at the island’s finest resort. But it was government business, not tourism, that brought the then Majority Whip to Saipan. Like many residents, I was pleased to see that Delay had made a personal effort to assess our situation. The island was experiencing remarkable changes. By the mid nineties, the territory's lenient labor and immigration laws had created a free-market haven for a burgeoning garment industry. Unlike Guam and Puerto Rico, the CNMI was authorized by Congress to maintain its own minimum wage laws and non-resident worker expectations.

These conditions were perfect for powerful garment magnates, including the Hong Kong-born Willie Tan. Tan used his money to build factories, employee barracks, and, most importantly, political connections. Much like some 19th century West Virginia Miners, Tan employees lived in guarded compounds where they were required to purchase room, board, and store supplies at company rates. Capos discouraged these workers from exploring their legal rights, despite their status as guest workers on American soil. Hourly minimum wage seemed permanently fixed at a dismal $2.90. Such arrangements helped Saipan garment factories produce tariff-free "made in the USA " clothing at a fraction of the mainland cost. Given that garment industry officials controlled a local TV station, the island's largest newspaper, and a number of CNMI legislators, the possibility for reform looked grim.

Our optimism about Delay's visit stemmed from a belief that the solution to Saipan’s problems transcended political partisanship. The Department of the Interior had recommended a gradual annual increase in minimum wage over the next decade and encouraged vigorous enforcement of labor violations. With Congressional action, these moderate and necessary steps could proceed.

Many of the indigenous peoples on Saipan supported these moves. Sold out by their leaders, native islanders had watched helplessly as foreign labor made them a minority group on their ancestor’s land. Many felt powerless as their culture collapsed around them and employment options for their children dried up.

Surely, we thought, Delay would agree with us that these existing practices were harmful, unsustainable, and downright un-American. Among Saipan residents who were familiar with mainland labor laws, the question of federal intervention was a no-brainer. Regardless of our political leanings, we believed that pressure from Washington was needed to challenge vested interests. Even the island’s community of conservative southern Baptist missionaries—not known for their love of market regulation—shared this conclusion. Indeed evangelical and Catholic leaders pointed out that the lack of federal oversight made it easier for efficiency-minded factory managers to continue the common practice of forced abortions on female employees.

We now know that Delay was blind to these injustices. Earlier this week, the Associated Press used an open records request to confirm what many of us suspected after Delay’s 1996 visit. The congressman's trip was a political favor for lobbyist Jack Abramoff, a man he called "one of my closest and dearest friends." Abramoff, now under criminal investigation, remains at the center of an ongoing ethics investigation into Delay's travel expenses and close relationship with lobbyists.

Such relationships made Delay a particularly useful ally after the CNMI governors office, working in concert with garment industry officials, hired Abramoff. Over the course of one year, the CNMI paid out $3 million to Abramoff's firm Preston & Gates. Not coincidentally, the legislation aimed at reforming island labor practices never saw the House floor.

In the weeks ahead, we will hear more about Delay and "possible ethics violations." This language is unfortunate. For many Americans, ethics violations are viewed as technical oversights, fiscal improprieties, or personal abuses of power. Such thinking ignores the profound impact a leader’s decisions can have on real people.

For the tens of thousands of laborers and native islanders who have suffered under prolonged government corruption, Delay’s ethical choices have had such an impact. Real human beings have been cheated in their pursuit of a livelihood. Real human beings have seen their traditional cultural connections severed. And real human beings have learned that Constitutional rights are too easily skirted.

I still wish I could speak with Mr. Delay. I have no idea whether he broke any House ethics rules when he visited Saipan. But given the renewed interest in his actions, I would like to ask him more about the factors that determine his political decisions. “People know that Majority Leader Delay stands on principles and bases his voting decisions on the merits,” a spokesperson argued earlier this week. I, for one, remain unconvinced.

Stephen Mucher is Assistant Professor of History Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti). He can be reached at smucher@gmail.com.

Delay's Ethics Make a Difference, Common Dreams

DeLay 2 - Rot Spreading From Within

2005-04-27T06:14:00.000-05:00

The rot of sin, corruption, lies and greed begins at the center and spreads to all of the devil's friends.

Donations link DeLay, ethics panel

USA Today
April 27, 2005

WASHINGTON -- All five Republicans on the House ethics committee have financial links to Tom DeLay that could raise conflict-of-interest issues should the panel investigate the GOP majority leader.

Public campaign-finance records show DeLay's leadership political action committee (PAC) gave $15,000 to the campaign of Rep. Melissa Hart, R-Pa. -- $10,000 in 2000 and $5,000 in 2002. Hart would chair a panel to investigate DeLay if the committee moves forward with a probe.

The same political committee, Americans for a Republican Majority, also has donated to the campaigns of ethics chairman Doc Hastings of Washington, Judy Biggert of Illinois and Tom Cole of Oklahoma. They are among scores of Republicans DeLay has contributed to. Cole and the fifth panel Republican, Lamar Smith of Texas, contributed to DeLay's legal defense fund.

full story

Spy Box Added to Windows

2005-04-26T20:51:00.000-05:00

Microsoft to add 'black box' to Windows
By Ina Fried, CNET News.com
Published on ZDNet News: April 26, 2005, 4:00 AM PT

SEATTLE--In a move that could rankle privacy advocates, Microsoft said Monday that it is adding the PC equivalent of a flight data recorder to the next version of Windows, in an effort to better understand and prevent computer crashes.

"Think of it as a flight data recorder, so that any time there's a problem, that 'black box' is there helping us work together and diagnose what's going on," Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said during a speech at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference here.

Personalized experiences of debugging my intellectual property. No thanks! I love the bit about better understanding and preventing computer crashes. They wrote the code and now they have no clue why it sucks so bad. Yet another reason to 'switch' ... to linux.

full story

Culture of No Life

2005-04-26T18:12:00.000-05:00

News from republicans up in arms for the culture of life. Jeb Bush signs a murder bill. Maybe next time he leads the national guard to commit crime, he can murder local police officers in self defense? It's up to the courts to decide!

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Reuters) - Florida Gov. Jeb Bush signed a new anti-crime law on Tuesday that allows people to kill in self-defense without first trying to flee.

Supporters say the law is a logical extension of common law that allows homeowners who fear for their lives to use deadly force to defend themselves from an intruder in their homes.

The new law expands that doctrine to include people in public places who feel threatened and could be subject to death or great bodily harm.

"To suggest that you can't defend yourself against a rapist, who's trying to drag you into an alley, or against a carjacker who's trying to drag you out of your car is nonsense," said Marion Hammer, a former president of the National Rifle Association.

"The ability to protect yourself, your children or your spouse, is important, no matter where you are."

Critics of the new law, called the "Stand Your Ground" bill, have few objections to allowing people to protect themselves in their homes but say the bill will create a "Wild West" mentality in public, where residents may shoot first and ask questions later.

"There are going to be a lot of repercussions," said Rep. Eleanor Sobel, a Democrat. "You could have someone reaching into their pocket and if the person felt threatened he could shoot."

Like many states, Florida courts have ruled that homeowners have a right to defend themselves in their homes. Florida courts have expanded the doctrine to include employees in their workplace and drivers who are attacked in their automobiles.

Outside the home, however, courts have ruled that most victims must at least attempt to escape before using deadly force, a provision gun advocates say puts victims at greater risk. The new law removes that requirement if a person has a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm.

"All this bill will do is sell more guns and possibly turn Florida into the OK Corral," Rep. Irv Slosberg, a Democrat, said during recent debate on the bill.

full story

DeLay 1 - Traitors Unite

2005-04-26T17:27:00.000-05:00

Bush Gives Show of Support to Republican Leader DeLay (Update1)
Bloomberg - 32 minutes ago
full story
April 26 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush gave a show of support to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who has been under scrutiny for his ties to lobbyists, inviting him to an appearance in their home state of Texas and praising his ``leadership.'

-----------------------
Bush Backs Rep. DeLay Amid Ethics Allegations
Tue Apr 26, 2005 04:31 PM ET
full story

Bush himself made no mention of the ethics controversy but he praised DeLay's efforts on important legislation. "I appreciate the leadership of Congressman Tom DeLay in working on important issues that matter to the country," he said.

En route to the Social Security event, White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters that Bush supports DeLay "as strongly as he ever has, which is strongly."

McClellan played down the idea that the joint appearance was an attempt to give DeLay a lift because of the ethics controversy.

"This has to do with an event that is occurring in his area and the fact that the president appreciates his leadership in the House and that we work very closely with him, as well as other congressional leaders, on the agenda for the American people," McClellan said.

The Social Security event was held at a medical school in Galveston, which is near but not in DeLay's congressional district.

Reuters-2005

Bush then went on to provide examples of DeLay's admirable leadership skills:
1. Gerrymandering Texas voting districts to favor Republicans, causing Democrats to stage walkout protests and flee to other states, corrupt dishonest and unjust
2. Changing national house ethics rules to save his own ass for violating the ethics rules, also known as breaking the law. DeLay convinced his republican traitor friends to support this change. Illegal, corrupt dishonest and unjust
3. Issuing a threat to judges across America. Illegal and unjust
4. Taking bribes from lobbyists. Illegal, corrupt, dishonest and unjust
5. Laundering bribe money to his family. Illegal, corrupt, dishonest and unjust

I sense a trend here. Oh but wait! Bush just said he loves his leadership. Surprise - King Bush of Torture and War loves an illegal, corrupt dishonest and unjust traitor to America who should be in prison. The trend continues...

Wait! We should be blaming Democrats the whole time.

Officials said DeLay recommended that senators respond to questions by saying Democrats have no agenda other than partisanship, and are attacking him to prevent Republicans from accomplishing their legislative program. One Republican said the Texan referred to a ``mammoth operation'' funded by Democratic supporters and designed to destroy him as a symbol of the Republican majority.

Smoke and mirrors. What would people like Bush, DeLay, Rove (etc) be without them

Other links
Get Tom DeLay to Church On Time
Tom DeLay Threatens Judges: You Will Answer For This
DeLay Urges GOP to Blame Democrats Over Ethics
Tom DeLay Ambushes Texas - And America

Filibust

2005-04-25T06:53:00.000-05:00

"Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said it was not "radical" ... as he hardened his effort to strip Democrats of their power "

----

"Republicans have abandoned the long-standing tradition of consulting with the minority party on the more controversial choices"

"Bush took the provocative step this year of renominating seven of the 10 filibustered judges."
""Either confirm the nominees or reject them," Frist said. "Don't leave them hanging." --Frist

----

""Our judiciary must be independent, impartial and fair," said Frist, who was not present at the event. "

"Condolences quickly gave way to anger and accusations, with the top Republican in the House of Representatives warning judges at both the state and federal level they will have to answer for their actions.
"The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior," said Tom DeLay, the Republican leader who moved the Florida case to the federal arena. "

"Frist, speaking at an event organized by Christian groups trying to rally churchgoers to support an end to judicial filibusters, also said judges deserve "respect, not retaliation, no matter how they rule."

-----

"They are seeking to take away the independence of the judiciary — the crown jewel in our system of government — so that they can advance their own ideological agenda of the day," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.). "That is exactly the kind of tyranny that our ancestors fought to prevent."

Sources:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/25/politics/main690528.shtml
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0404-03.htm

Health v4 - Meat gives you cancer

2005-04-21T15:49:00.000-05:00

After yesterday's devotion of mental energy to the subject of health, I couldn't help but notice a headline floating around today's News

Meaty Diet Linked to Pancreatic Cancer
By Charlene Laino, WebMD Medical News
Reviewed By Michael Smith, MD

April 20, 2005 (Anaheim, Calif.) -- New studies presented at a major cancer meeting reinforce the old adage that you are what you eat (and drink).

One study shows that green tea may stave off prostate cancer. Another study suggests that eating a lot of hot dogs, sausage, and other processed meats may raise the risk of pancreatic cancerrisk of pancreatic cancer.

Loading up on red meat also seems to increase the chance of developing pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly of tumors, says study researcher Ute Nothlings, DrPH, MSE.

"The findings suggest that eating less processed meat and less red meat might help prevent pancreatic cancer," she tells WebMD. Nothlings is a researcher at the Cancer Research Center at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu.

Red meat has also been linked to an increase in colon cancer.

full article

The only way it could be more obvious is if the animals fought back when you tried to kill and eat them. ...

Health v3 - The Food Pyramids

2005-04-20T20:56:00.000-05:00

Is a pyramid no longer. The light! Glorious rays of color blinding me!

According to News-8 in Austin, Texas:

News 8 Austin - 1 hour ago
The old food pyramid has been transformed into a plan that better fits American lifestyles.

No, it has been transformed into subtle vegetarianism advocacy. This follows suit with the New American Plate, which empasizes "plant-based foods" (aka vegetarian) meals over meat-based meals. Not only is this better for sustaining humanity, but it's healthier. Just ask your doctor, or any credible published report in the matter.

The new pyramid does emphasize vegetarian health, but beans (aka legumes) are sadly grouped with meat and marginalized to the sparingly-edge. Isn't that cute. They don't outright say "stop eating meat" or to eat *anything* specific, as previous posts of mine have. They empasize the good news but don't provide a fininte diet or message. Fortunately, other groups have made the step and published their own pyramid:

And "legumes & beans" has been ressurected from the death category! Yay

Lalo

2005-04-20T20:50:00.000-05:00

Travel - Two-wheeled Perfection

2005-04-20T06:30:00.000-05:00

To me, this is the ultimate form of travel.

Top speed: 80 miles per hour
Fuel consumption: 180 miles per gallon
Acceleration: 0-60 mph in 6 seconds
Fuel: Diesel, Kerosene, BioDiesel

180 miles on a gallon of vegetable oil.

Please read the rest, the design is rather straightforward and sensible.
eCycle

Although mechanical engineering, specifically intricacies of motors and vehicles, is not my forte, so please comment with critiques of the design.

If only commuter cars would have the sense to make a BioDiesel self-charging hybrid.

And a tumor on the side

2005-04-19T19:51:00.000-05:00

Ah, the 21st century cigarette.
I've got bad news for all mobile or cellular phone users: They cause cancer. Or tumors. Pick one.

Things that radiate, when transmitting against your body, radiate your body. Cellphones, portable land-line phones, even pagers. To measure this effect of radiation, every cellular telephony device (in the USA, at least) has an SAR rating which stands for Specific Absorption Rate. This is the rating of radiation being absorbed by your flesh.
SAR explaination
Rest assured your radiator is just below government regulated standards for absorption. (1.6 W/Kg in 1g of tissue)

Since cellular phones are always trying to be in better service, and other updates, etc, you must make the assumption they are always transmitting something. But, you can also make the assumption that during a call they are transmitting higher volumes at continuous rates. Telephony calls open a circut which transfers 65kbps - even when you're really really quiet.

From BBC News:

"Mobile phones 'alter human DNA'
Tuesday, 21 December, 2004, 10:35 GMT
The mobile industry says there is no proof phones harm health

Radio waves from mobile phones do harm body cells and damage DNA, a laboratory study has shown.
But the European Union-funded Reflex research did not prove such changes were a risk to human health."

full story

And, in case you weren't aware, your DNA being altered is a significant impact on your health. The study was released with a caveat: State the facts, but your analysis must be 'safe'. These conclusions are typical of medical research, such as Pharma. But that's for another post.

My favorite is a recent study from Danish Cancer Society in Copenhagen, Denmark which claims:

"Cell phones don't cause cancer
April 13, 2005 06:36 IST

Relax! Your cell phone is safe.

Researchers at the Danish Cancer Society in Copenhagen, Denmark, say that they have found no evidence that would link use of mobile phones to brain tumours or to the risk of developing brain cancer.

The researchers, however, said that more such studies are required before concrete conclusions can be arrived at.

As a precaution, the Danish Cancer Society said that rather than holding the cell phone to the ear, everyone must use earpieces in the hands-free kits that usually come with the cell phones.

full story

There's no measured increased risk! But please, you must use your headsets. Long term studies to be conducted in the future, when nobody is using this technology anymore.

Risk mitigation:
---------------
Cellular phone:
-Don't use it - use other communication services as much as possible
-Don't touch the antenna - friends like to *chew* on it! amazing
-Use a headset - and keep the phone away from you

Bottom line... when convenience is capable elsewhere, ditch your cellphone.

"This research is no reason for people to be worried" - Dr Zenon Sienkiewicz, National Radiological Protection Board

You're right, Dr. Z...Why would anyone be worried about a digital cancerbox that you can turn off and nobody needs? At least this one doesn't cause cancer to your adjacents.

Patriotic violence: the beginning of a fascist state?

2005-04-09T19:21:00.000-05:00

'Patriotic rally'

Organisers spread the word of the rally on internet bulletin boards, which called for protesters to gather at a shopping centre in the north of the city.

Marchers chanted slogans and burned a Japanese flag, demanding a boycott of Japanese goods.

"Japan doesn't face up to its history," Cheng Lei said, quoted by Reuters news agency.

"We want to express our feelings so the Japanese government knows what we think."

Some smashed windows of a Japanese restaurant and others hurled bottles at a Japanese bank.

Hundreds of demonstrators threw rocks and bottles and shouted abuse at the residence of the Japanese ambassador to Beijing.

Another protester told AFP news agency earlier that the demonstration was a "patriotic rally".

"I am Chinese, I love China," Zhang Daili said.

"... [I]f you are a patriot then you must oppose Japan."

-----------------------------------

The history mentioned is of course the occupation during World War II and the war crime atrocities committed by the Japanese against the Chinese. The history of East Asia is deep with war, including the Korean peninsula as a victim of political and military tension and conflict.

Full article from the BBC-UK: Protesters attack Japan embassy

Prevent the radical judiciary nominations - Sign now

2005-04-05T19:42:00.000-05:00

We all know Bush is a tyrant and a radical activist puppet riding the
PNAC/Neocon/Traitor pony sending us to the clutches of Satan himself.
But now, he's trying to get his radical friends into lifelong positions
that don't involve stealing electionS in the future, including the
supreme court of America.

But what can you do? Check this: Sign petitions supporting to save the
200 year old checks'n'balances feature of the *fillibuster* which is the
only thing that has prevented Bush from getting these radicals into
position to date.

So, what do the traitors do? Spin the Terry Schiavo case to discredit
judges using treasonous phrases while trying to destroy the filibuster
in order to get the judges *they like* into office.

Interesting article here:
Senate Primed for Filibuster Showdown

Take action here:
The Senate Filibuster: Pillar of American Democracy

And here: Don't Let Republican Leadership "Go Nuclear" on Supreme Court

It's the right thing to do to help save America from fascism. If you
want to do more, sign on for email updates from www.afj.org,
www.pfaw.org, and *especially* www.commoncause.org

Peace

Got Gaim?

2005-03-23T07:17:00.000-05:00

America Online's AOL Instant Messaging ("AIM") is among the most popular instant messaging client-server solutions that many humans use globally. Recently, they had changed their privacy policy:

"acaben writes "AOL has posted new terms of service for AIM, that include the right for AOL to use anything and everything you send through AIM in any way they see fit, without informing you. A sample passage: '...by posting Content on an AIM Product, you grant AOL, its parent, affiliates, subsidiaries, assigns, agents and licensees the irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right to reproduce, display, perform, distribute, adapt and promote this Content in any medium. You waive any right to privacy.'""
full article: Slashdot.org

Luckily for us, and thanks to blog or news websites, people can turn into instant activists and get a result:

"gpmac writes "AOL has responded to the recent slashdot attention. America Online Inc. plans to make three small but significant modifications to the terms of service for its AIM instant messaging product to head off a firestorm of privacy-related criticisms. The tweaks to the terms of service will be made in the section titled "Content You Post" and will explicitly exclude user-to-user chat sessions from the privacy rights an AIM user gives up to AOL.""
full article: Slashdot.org

But if you're like me, you didn't sigh in relief at the second post, but noticed the corporate maneuver and understand that AOL's goal is to save all your messages and that is enough to look elsewhere. I wouldn't reccomend Yahoo! messenger, as Yahoo has no respect for their user's privacy rights either.

The next best solution? MSN messenger! haha.

Check out Jabber

What is Jabber?
Jabber is best known as "the Linux of instant messaging" -- an open, secure, ad-free alternative to consumer IM services like AIM, ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo (see the IM quickstart). Under the hood, Jabber is a set of streaming XML protocols and technologies that enable any two entities on the Internet to exchange messages, presence, and other structured information in close to real time. Jabber technologies offer several key advantages:
What can I do with Jabber?
So far you can use Jabber to talk with other people who use Jabber and participate in Jabber chat rooms. You can also chat with users of some other IM services (see below). Depending on which Jabber client you use, you can also transfer files, receive headlines, and so on.
Can I use Jabber to talk with people who use other IM services?
You certainly can! Communication with legacy IM services is made possible by what we call "gateways". Jabber developers have created software for gateways to AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), ICQ, MSN Instant Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger. However, not every Jabber server runs the gateway. See the Jabber User Guide for help setting up the gateways in your Jabber client.

Although Jabber does interface with 'legacy systems,' this interface means sending messages to the foreign servers. But, to avoid the privacy issues stated above, you need to avoid their servers. Therefore, I would reccomend leaving your friends in the dust while lobbying them to switch to Jabber. If they're worth talking to, they'll probably agree.

Got Gaim?
The only problem - your AOL-AIM client can't connect to Jabber. AIM only connects to oscar, AOL's centralized messaging server. So you need to establish a client-server platform for your new Jabber communicae. This is all described at Jabber.org. GAIM is a fully functional client which talks to all the popular flavors - AIM, Yahoo, MSM, Jabber, IRC, etc - similar to Trillian, but this one is open source and free. Here's a quick setup that I did on WindowsXP:

1. Download the client: gaim
2. Create a new account in GAIM that is of a Jabber protocol.
While supplying information for your new account (screen name, passwd, etc) be sure to click 'Advanced' and provide which jabber server you want to speak to. When adding buddies, you can specify their server, so in a sense all the servers can talk to each other. So, don't worry about where your buddies are, just worry about which is fastest for you.
3. Click to register your new jabber account on the jabber server you picked
4. Add buddies ( screenname@jabberserver.domain )

And you've successfully shed the closed-source proprietary information aggregating anti-privacy anti-people instant messaging corporate servers. Congrats!

Here comes the Robot Army, Part 2

2005-03-18T20:05:00.000-05:00

Israel to deploy robot bulldozers

The Israeli army is to deploy remote-controlled bulldozers to demolish Palestinian buildings.

Officials say the towering D-9 bulldozer has been modified to eliminate the risk to drivers.

The original US-made vehicle has been used to demolish hundreds of buildings linked to Palestinian militants in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Palestinians say the new version will mean more buildings will be destroyed - and more lives will be lost.

Full article

Health v2 - Five steps to improve your health

2005-03-16T22:10:00.000-05:00

This is a lifestyle, not a diet.

1. Change the way you think about fat. Fat is good. Eliminate trans fat from your diet as much as possible.
Less: hydrogenated
More: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated fat

2. Change the way you think about carbohydrates. Carbs are good. Eliminate refined grains from your diet as much as possible.
Less: refined (white) flour, refined sugar, white rice
More: whole wheat, brown rice

3. Consume organic food, all foods. Everything else contains genetically modified organisms or chemical additives, such as antibiotics, which may be harmful due to lack of testing. Also, non-organic food is subjected to much higher volumes of pesticides, which is bad for the consumer, the field worker, and the ecosystem that the pesticides enter into via ground absorption.
Less: Genetically altered food (non-organic), hormone-altered dairy (non-organic milk, butter, yogurt, etc)
More: Organic everything

4. Go vegetarian. Consider dairy and other animal products in the light of cooperative living, rather than manufacturing and processing, and support the producers who operate in those terms. There is no need in this world to waste energy and food by harvesting other animals for their fat and muscle. The process being used today is quite cruel overall, and genetic manipulation without testing and regulations is only going to perpetuate an erroneous path.
Less: Dead animal flesh
More: Everything else

5. Exercise. Forever. Cardiological & strength. Get involved in group or community sports programs, or start one.

Identity Theft and Credit, part III

2005-03-08T07:59:00.000-05:00

Just when things were bad, they're going to worse. Ah, the glory of Bush!

" The Republican-dominated Congress is on the verge of changing the nation's bankruptcy laws to make it easier for the hugely profitable credit card companies to get their money back and more at the expense of the nation's poor."

God bless them all.

"The "reform" is ostensibly needed to counter those who are abusing the current system by running up large debts and then wiping them out, leaving banks and credit card companies high and dry.

But the extent of those abuses is open to debate. It is known, however, that one of the leading causes of bankruptcy, especially among Americans over 50, has long been devastating medical bills not covered by insurance.

This Republican-dominated Congress would rather pass legislation favoring the wealthy and powerful than tackle the nation's shameful health care system that has left 42 million Americans without any medical coverage.

The "reform" package would require bankruptcy filers to pass a means test. If their incomes are above a certain poverty-line linked level, they wouldn't be able to file under Chapter 7, where all but a few debts are wiped out. Rather, they would be required to file under Chapter 13, which requires specific payments to creditors over a set number of years. "

Just when you thought you could get out of debt...

""What the credit card industry has been doing the last 10 years is akin to sending free samples of alcohol to alcoholics," says Travis Plunkett, legislative director for the Consumer Federation of America.

All segments of society have been affected. Veterans, for example, are being counseled by American Legion Magazine this month about the "debt trap" from too much credit card use.

"Paying the minimum payment every time on a $5,000 credit card debt at 21 percent interest will require 1,040 payments to clear the debt," the article points out. "Beyond the $5,000 principal balance, $32,198.66 in interest will be paid." "

Those shameful veterans.
Full article Bankruptcy Bill is Congress' Shame
Oops... I mean 'lawmakers'

Here comes the Robot Army

2005-03-06T13:07:00.000-05:00

There is an interesting trend of military technology of late: The development and deployment of a robot army.

"Late last week, in a parking lot in New Jersey, the U.S. Army unveiled what may be the future of war: 3-foot-tall robotic “soldiers,” outfitted with tank tracks, night vision and mounted automatic weapons capable of firing more than 300 rounds at a burst. Known as SWORDS (Special Weapons Observation Reconnaissance Detection Systems), these battle bots are on the leading edge of a new kind of warfare, in which — or so the argument goes — our troops will one day remain hidden (and, presumably, protected) while engaging the enemy by remote control. The Army intends to deploy 18 SWORDS units to Iraq in the spring, marking the first time robots have been used to fight and kill human beings one on one." -GNN "When Robots Do The Killing"

"Gun-slinging robots headed for Iraq duty"

Coming Soon: Robots with Guns

When Robots Do The Killing - Common Dreams

Pentagon Prepares To Build
$130bn Robot Army

The Robot Army of the Future

What happens when an oligarchy controls a globally-deployable robot strike team with air drones equipped with missiles and robot infantry with guns and rocket launchers, all networked via sattelite with night, infrared, facial recognition, spacial recognition optical technologies.

Who is to say that anyone is safe? Or has any ounce of privacy? In the globe.

And, just in case your favorite organized rebellion does happen to be armed with conventional weapons, rest assured your friendly robot government is armed with something much more effective:

"The US military is developing a new “plasma weapon” designed to inflict non-lethal but excruciating pain from long distances. The weapon is being designed with rioters/demonstrators in mind, and seems to be the logical extension of the mentality that relegates all public expressions of dissent to free-speech cages. I also wonder whether its development is any indication of the government’s expectation of more widespread dissent in the near future." --GNN, Plasma pain weapon

"Scientists have reacted angrily to the revelation that the US military is funding development of a weapon intended to deliver an "excrutiating bout of pain" from over a mile away. The "Pulsed Energy Projectile" (PEP) device "fires a laser pulse that generates a burst of expanding plasma when it hits something solid", the New Scientist explains. If you happen to be that something solid, then you get temporarily incapacitated without suffering permanent injury.

That's the theory, but pain reasearchers fear that the proposed riot control weapon could be used for torture, and further doubt a solid ethical basis for the research. Andrew Rice, a consultant in pain medicine at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, said: "Even if the use of temporary severe pain can be justified as a restraining measure, which I do not believe it can, the long-term physical and psychological effects are unknown."" --The Register, Scientists slam US plasma weapon

As one poster posts:
-------------------
"Posted Dec 1, 2004, 9:54 PM ET by Ken Zemach

As a guy who just got back from 19 months in Afghanistan and Iraq supporting at least 10 different robotic platforms, I can categorically say that weapons on ground based robots is the stupidest idea on the planet. Scenario: 1. Marines roll into Falujia (again) and send a robot with a machine gun down the street "to protect soldiers." 2. Man in window down street starts video taping. 3. Man sends 8 year old boy (or girl) down to beat the crap out of the robot with a baseball bat. We end up with either: 4a. Soldier decides not to gun down 8 year old boy, and boy destroys $500k robot and then man comes down and takes machine gun or 4b. Soldier guns down boy with robot, video to air on Al Jazeera at 6pm.

A lethally armed, expensive robotic platform with secure military communications equipment that can be disabled by a 70 year old woman who walks up to it and drapes a bedsheet over the camera (and then beats the crap out of it) is so ridiculous it makes me want to cry.

And to all those of you non-military guys and gals: not all soldiers think arming robots is a good idea. It's the dumb asses sitting behind a desk in the US that think it's a good idea. A complete and monumental waste of your tax dollars, I assure you."

Joke

2005-03-04T20:15:00.000-05:00

Q: What is the difference between Bush in Vietnam and Bush in Iraq?

A: Bush had a plan to get out of Vietnam

Identity Theft and Credit, Part II

2005-03-03T21:26:00.000-05:00

An email action alert from Consumers Union notified me of some rather interesting legislation coming to a state near you (maybe):

"Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the U.S., ruining the credit of millions of Americans each year. Using just a few pieces of personal information, a thief can steal your identity and open new credit accounts in your name.

But in some states, legislators are fighting identity theft by proposing laws that give consumers the right to lock up their credit files with a security freeze. A security freeze lets you decide who gets to see your credit record, which prevents thieves from obtaining credit using your identity.

Act now! Lawmakers in Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachuetts, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington have introduced legislation that will give you greater control over your credit record information. Help them get these bills passed! Click on your state in the green box. Click here to learn more about state bills. And if you receive a letter back from your legislator, tell us what they said."

And you can support this legislation by visiting the financial privacy website and using their email webform. Thankfully, Massachusetts is one of the states involved this round, so I was able to participate. I have no doubt this will be a national measure in the near future, unless the credit lobbyists manage to buy the republican majority as they have done before.

And are currently doing with the new Bankruptcy bill on the senate floor.

" As the U.S. Senate began considering bankruptcy legislation today, national consumer organizations called on Senators to reject the bill because it would favor creditors at the expense of Americans who have suffered genuine financial misfortune.

The bankruptcy bill (S. 256) would place numerous additional restrictions on Americans who attempt to declare either chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcy (see attached for more information.) It does not, however, place any restrictions on abusive lending by creditors.

“While credit card companies urge Congress to erect new bankruptcy barriers for many families, their profits are soaring,” said Travis Plunkett, Legislative Director of the Consumer Federation of America. “This bill simply doesn’t balance responsibility between families in debt trouble and the creditors whose practices have contributed to the rise in bankruptcies,” Plunkett said.

A large body of evidence..."

Please read the full article via consumersunion.org.

Peace

Killology : Fighting life by accepting the murder of others

2005-03-01T21:25:00.000-05:00

This is quite a spectacle. This particular lecturer specializes in educating people to accept the most evil act in the world that is both a sin in all major religions, instinctually wrong, and illegal: Homicide, manslaughter, murder.

"KILLOLOGY, (n): The scholarly study of the destructive act, just as sexology is the scholarly study of the procreative act. In particular, killology focuses on the reactions of healthy people in killing circumstances (such as police and military in combat) and the factors that enable and restrain killing in these situations. This field of study was pioneered by Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, in his Pulitzer-nominated book, On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society."

killology
The psychological cost of learning to kill

Excuse me while I dodge the gun pointed at my face. Whoop~!
I guess I'm just more into clerical arts, rather than making people suffer and being content with it. That sounds more like Satan's bed.

Identity Theft and Credit

2005-02-28T19:01:00.000-05:00

I've been doing a lot of research into *identity theft*.

My question is the following:
Q: How can I assure my identity is not stolen? What measures will hide my credit and identity information?

The only answer I have found is the following:
A: Not currently possible, due to the profiteering motivations of credit lending institutions which have lobbied the government to their will. It is up to the people to lobby the government to their will, and stop fraud opportunities. If you present yourself in a position to be stolen, you will be. It is currently impossible to remove yourself from a position of potential abuse. (Unless you live in California - see below)

However, I did find this
http://www.fightidentitytheft.com/legislation_california_sb168.html
California alone has the capability to freeze your credit. If I lived in California, this is the first and only thing I would do - freeze my credit.

For obvious reasons (see: profiteering motivations) this is not inherent into the laws of the nation, but will be soon, from what I can tell.

Socially Responsible Investing

2005-02-23T21:17:00.000-05:00

As I am maturing so are my fiscal capabilities. I am inherently against war profiteering, investing in environmental destruction, alcohol and tobacco, etc. therefore where *should* I invest?

A first step would be Pax World investment, which prides itself in being one of the founders of socially responsible investment.

Another website, The Social Investment forum, aggregates socially responsible investment companies and allows you to view some basic information and attributes about various socially responsible investment companies.

Joe Strummer's Vote

2005-02-21T06:43:00.000-05:00

An interview with Joe Strummer, former member of the Clash

Q: You've always shown a lot of interest in politics
in your lyrics. What's your political outlook
nowadays?

JS: OK, here's my new manifesto. I'm gonna pull out of
my pocket one vote. (takes out a dollar). 'He's gotta
dollar bill out of his pocket!' What I like to say to
anyone who could care to listen to me is that this is
our only vote. I'm saying that because we got democrat
votes and we voted in this guy two years ago (Tony
Blair) and he's become... what he was not supposed to
be. We can't get rid of him. Maybe we got a fifteen
year run with this guy. What can we do? Fold our tents
on the field. We'll lose the battle but not the war.

So it occured to me that since my real vote is
useless, null and void, therefore we ain't gonna start
runnin' down the street burnin' and a-lootin' either
'cause our ass is gonna get canned. So that leaves the
only vote anybody's got, this dollar bill. All I'm
trying to say is, when I wanna buy a record, I'm gonna
take my dollar bill and go to some corner guy with his
weird, kooky little shop. I'm not giving this to
Virgin Megastore. The same when I'm going to buy some
clothes- I ain't gonna go to Gap no more. I wanna go
to Ditsy Louie's Junk Clothing Box. I'm using my vote
here, this dollar bill is my vote. I'm not gonna go to
a fast food joint. I'm going to go to a place where
people own it, where the owner is standing behind the
bar, picking his teeth.

This is my new philosophy. Use your vote, your dollar
bill is your vote. It's time we stopped giving it in
the bucket-loads to these giants corporations. They're
not to be trusted with that amount of money. They're
only gonna bland us out, robot us out. They're gonna
crush us and pulverize us. All they want is our money.
They'd rather that we just sat on the pavement, saying
nothing and giving them dollar bills. That's what they
want to world to be while they have their cocaine and
champagne. The dollar bill is your only vote. That's
my new vibe.

http://www.buyblue.org/

Ten steps to war - The road to controlling a state

2005-02-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

10 easy steps to create an enemy and start a war:
-------------------------------------------------

First step: Create the enemy. Sometimes this will be done for you.

Second step: Be sure the enemy you have chosen is nothing like you. Find obvious differences like race, language, religion, dietary habits, fashion. Emphasize that their soldiers are not doing a job, they are heartless murderers who enjoy killing!

Third step: Once these differences are established continue to reinforce them with all disseminated information.

Fourth step: Have the media broadcast only the ruling party's information. This can be done through state run media. Remember, in times of conflict all for-profit media repeats the ruling party's information. Therefore all for-profit media becomes state-run.

Fifth step: show this enemy in actions that seem strange, militant, or different. Always portray the enemy as non-human, evil, a killing machine.

Sixth step: Eliminate opposition to the ruling party. Create an "Us versus Them" mentality. Leave no room for opinions in between. One that does not support all actions of the ruling party should be considered a traitor.

Seventh step: Use nationalistic and/or religious symbols and rhetoric to define all actions. This can be achieved by slogans such as "freedom loving people versus those who hate freedom." This can also be achieved by the use of flags.

Eighth step: Align all actions with the dominant deity.
It is very effective to use terms like, "It is god's will" or "god bless our nation."

Ninth step: Design propaganda to show that your soldiers have feelings, hopes, families, and loved ones. Make it clear that your soldiers are doing a duty; they do not want or like to kill.

Tenth step: Create and atmosphere of fear, and instability and then offer the ruling party as the only solutions to comfort the public's fears. Remembering the fear of the unknown is always the strongest fear.

Bankrupt

2005-02-03T01:15:00.000-05:00

It occurred to me that if my mother gets injured, a series of events may occur:

1. Cannot work, and loses her job
2. Cannot pay bills, and defaults on mortgage
3. Loses her house and becomes bankrupt

If there is no coverage for a particular injury or illness, a person will most likely not be able to pay very much in medical bills while paying other bills. In this case, the person will either lose their job and/or become bankrupt.

Bill McCarthy

2005-02-02T18:46:00.000-05:00

She's a witch! Burn her!
Just ask Bill Gates

Q: "In recent years, there's been a lot of people clamoring to reform and restrict intellectual-property rights. It started out with just a few people, but now there are a bunch of advocates saying, 'We've got to look at patents, we've got to look at copyrights.' What's driving this, and do you think intellectual-property laws need to be reformed?

A: "No, I'd say that of the world's economies, there's more that believe in intellectual property today than ever. There are fewer communists in the world today than there were. There are some new modern-day sort of communists who want to get rid of the incentive for musicians and moviemakers and software makers under various guises. They don't think that those incentives should exist.

And this debate will always be there. I'd be the first to say that the patent system can always be tuned--including the U.S. patent system. There are some goals to cap some reform elements. But the idea that the United States has led in creating companies, creating jobs, because we've had the best intellectual-property system--there's no doubt about that in my mind, and when people say they want to be the most competitive economy, they've got to have the incentive system. Intellectual property is the incentive system for the products of the future."

full interview

Why I'll never buy a Dell, dude

2005-01-24T21:52:00.000-05:00

That's right. America's favorite computer, however that happened, is doing everything it can to stay that way. Cheers, Ashlee.

From The Register:

How Dell made North Carolina beg for business

By Ashlee Vance in Chicago

Published Friday 21st January 2005 01:46 GMT
http://www.theregister.com/2005/01/21/dell_nc_beg/

Any reporter who has covered Dell for a couple of years has heard the stories about the company's iron-fisted negotiating tactics. Dell's size lets it put enormous pressure on partners, suppliers and rivals. Now it seems Dell has extended these Wal-Mart like ways to hammering entire states.

<>Documents unsealed by the North Carolina Department of Commerce show that Dell beat on the state during negotiations around the construction of a new plant in the Triad region, according to a report from the News and Observer. Dell boldly asked government officials to absolve it of paying any taxes at all and demanded that it be considered for government computer purchases. Dell also tried to put patriotic pressure on North Carolina to do anything to keep jobs in the US - an almost comical ploy given that Dell isn't terribly patriotic itself. It employs more foreign workers than it does here in the US.
"Think we're on the brink of a crisis ... other countries get it," Secretary of Commerce Jim Fain wrote in his notes after meeting with a Dell executive.

Fain then recounted that the Dell executive said he was "afraid we're going to get whipped in econ. - not in a war. We truly want to continue in this country. If we can't get states to get creative - or the fed gov't. . . And if we can't make it, who can - we're all about productivity. We need to get to where something happens at the fed level."

The same Dell executive later voiced his displeasure over how long North Carolina was taking to give into the company's demands. Dell also said it wanted "access" to government business in exchange for the plant, the paper reported. In the end, Dell received a stunning $240m package full of tax breaks to bring just 1,500 jobs to North Carolina. Taxpayers will pay the computer giant $15 per PC next year, and over $6 per box for the subsequent decade. Dell can lay off up to 40 per cent of these workers and still receive the government handouts. Not a bad deal for a hard done by cash machine.

North Carolina's Governor Mike Easley also received a gift that is sure to come in handy during future deals. He was given an autographed book from none other than Michael Dell. It's assumed the book was a copy of Direct from Dell: How to make a state beg. Maybe Easley be a better negotiator next time a company comes knocking.®

Foreign workers dominate Dell

By Ashlee Vance in Sydney

Published Wednesday 14th April 2004 03:41 GMT
http://www.theregister.com/2004/04/14/dell_hires_overseas/

Dell is doing its part to create jobs in the US, but it's doing an even better job creating jobs overseas.

<>In a recent SEC filing, Dell revealed that 23,800 of its 46,000 employees are currently working outside of US shores. That leaves just 22,200 workers at home. And even though only 36 per cent of its revenue comes from overseas sales, Dell plans to increase the non-US workforce at a rapid rate.

"Dell believes that its ability to attract and retain qualified personnel is critical to its success and achievement of its business plan," the company said in the SEC filing. "Workforce diversity is an essential part of Dell's commitment to quality and the future of Dell."

"Dell has recently established technical and customer support and related operations in India, Panama, Slovakia, Morocco, and China and intends to continue such efforts in other regions throughout the world as its international business continues to expand. Dell also recently established design centers in China and Taiwan."

While Dell presents a rosy pictures of its overseas aspirations, it has run into problems with foreign call center operators that have yet to master the Texan twang. Last year, Dell was forced to shut down corporate call centers in India after a flood of complaints. Here in Australia a number of loyal Dell consumer customers have complained to El Reg about impossible calls to Malaysia. But, hey, they work cheap.

Dell's tip toward a majority of foreign staffers could not come at a worse time for CEO Michael Dell's chums in the Republican Party. The Bush Boys are feeling the heat for a largely jobless economic recovery, which is the last thing you need in an election year.

But it would be hard to fault Dell for not doing his part for the Party. Since 2000, Dell has handed out $706,500 almost exclusively to Republican officials and organizations. (See List)

The folks in Dell's favor include George W., AG Ashcroft, the charming Every Republican is Crucial PAC, Americans for a Republican Majority and "those wild and crazy gays" Rick Santorum. Dell even donated money to his own company at times, according to the figures.

So take it easy on Dell for not doing its part in this jobless recovery. After all, we hear the next Dell Dude auditions are all the rage in Bratislava. ®

Returning The Favor:
Bush Huddles With Big Campaign Donors

WASHINGTON - January 3 - President-Elect George W. Bush’s economics meeting today with 36 key business leaders was studded with major donors to the Bush presidential campaign and the Republican Party, an analysis of contributions by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics has revealed. In all, the business leaders gave a combined $1.7 million in personal contributions to federal candidates and political parties – 93 percent of it to the GOP.

Totals include only the contributions made by the executives themselves. Contributions from their family members, or from their corporations, are not included.

All but five of the business leaders contributed $1,000 or more in the recent elections, based on data released by the Federal Election Commission on Dec. 1, 2000. Sixteen of them gave $10,000 or more, and six gave $100,000 or more. The Bush presidential campaign received $26,655 from the executives.

The top donors in the economic group were:

John T. Chambers of Cisco Systems - $372,500. Included in that total is $68,500 that went to the Democrats – the most given to that party by any of the executives in the group.

Kenneth L. Lay of Enron Corp. - $318,050.

Michael S. Dell of Dell Computer - $266,000.

Gerald Parsky of Aurora Capital Partners - $237,755.

John M. Hennessy of Credit Suisse First Boston - $147,000.

Robert E. Rich Jr. of Rich Products Corp (and chairman of Grocery Manufacturers of America) - $105,300.

The only executive in the group who gave more money to Democrats than Republicans was Ivan Seidenberg of Verizon Communications. Seidenberg gave $16,000 to Democrats and just $9,000 to Republicans. He was the only one in the group who donated to Al Gore’s presidential campaign. (He gave $2,000 to Gore and $2,000 to Bush)

Read the full article at Common Dreams