8.17.2005
Our local Cindy Sheehan candlelight vigil
Here are some shots from the Cindy Sheehan candlelight vigil that took place on our town square tonight. It was one of many that took place all over the country simultaneously. It was quite moving. There were quite a few positive reactions from passersby. I didn't really see or hear anything negative except for one gentleman who quietly expressed his disapproval from his car as he sat at a red light. All in all it was an excellent time. At one point the participants walked the square chanting "What do we want? PEACE! When do we want it? NOW!" I even heard a brief refrain from "Give Peace a Chance" Did anyone else attend a similar vigil in their area? If so let us know.
Welcome another good liberal blogger
..and he's from Atlanta too!
Bob Rasey dot net
Funny tidbit:
Bob Rasey dot net
Funny tidbit:
One of my favorite Larry David quotes from Curb Your Enthusiasm addresses this very issue of Christian proselytizing:Excellent!
Why do Christians take everything so personally with Christ ya know? It's like not only do you have to worship him; you want everybody to. It's like I like lobster. Do I go around pushing lobster on people? Do I say you must like lobster? Eat lobster it's good it's good! It's not only where you live, you go to Africa you travel all over the world. Eat lobster, have some more lobster it's good. WE WANT YOU TO HAVE LOBSTER!!
One soldier's reaction to the cross incident
Posted on Democratic Underground by Qanisqineq
My husband has been a soldier for 10 years and is currently stationed in Korea. He served in Iraq from 2003-2004. He is not afraid to discuss his hatred for Bush or his hatred for this war with anyone in the army. He's been warned about his open Bush bashing.
This month he is doing some special training and they don't have access to television for the entire month. A few days ago news of Cindy Sheehan camping outside Bush's ranch reached them. They have discussed it and no one he works with is offended, their morale isn't lowered. They support her.
I have only seen my husband become emotional about this war once. Normally he talks about how much he is against it but in more of a matter-of-fact way. He tries not to let it bother him. However, during Michael Moore's "Fahreheit 9/11" he cried during a part showing the Iraq war. He had returned from Iraq probably about 4-5 months prior to that. He never cries.
This morning when I told my husband about the incident with the crosses was the second time I heard him become emotional about the war. When I told him someone had driven down the crosses erected for dead troops he became dead quiet (very unusual for him). The next time he spoke I could hear the anger dripping from his voice and it started to crack like he was tearing up. He was too angry to even discuss it and said "I have to go" and hung up. It had nothing to do with the crosses themselves as we are atheists. It had to do with the disrespect to the fallen troops.
That's how this shithead made the soldiers feel when he mowed down their crosses.
I 
Maureen
This exchange took place in the early days of the first Gulf war while Bush senior was on a monthlong vacation. What is it with these assholes and their long vacations during wartime?
"I just don't like taking questions on serious matters on my vacation," the usually good-natured Bush senior barked at reporters on the golf course. "So I hope you'll understand if I, when I'm recreating, will recreate." His hot-tempered oldest son, who was golfing with his father that day, was even more irritated. "Hey! Hey!" W. snapped at reporters asking questions on the first tee. "Can't you wait until we finish hitting, at least?"
Junior always had his priorities straight.
Read the entire column here
Asshat Quote of the day
"I honestly find it troubling that three Republican representatives are so quick to embrace such a radical redistributive concept. Their slogan may as well be, 'From each according to his ability, to each according to her gender.' "
-Supreme Court justice nominee John Roberts
Ladies, it's time to get sized for your burkhas
-Supreme Court justice nominee John Roberts
Ladies, it's time to get sized for your burkhas
"Just do me one big favor, ok? Don't vote for Bush"
Sgt. Campbell requested that, if something happened to him, his family place this photo on his coffin.
(Photo: Family Collection)
From 'Truthout' I recalled reading this last year, and haven't forgotten it:
I found out that my brother, Sergeant Ryan M. Campbell, was dead during a graduate seminar at Emory University on April 29, 2004. Immediately after a uniformed officer knocked at my mother's door to deliver the message that broke her heart, she called me on my cell phone. She could say nothing but "He's gone." I could say nothing but "No." Over and over again we chanted this refrain to each other over the phone as I made my way across the country to hold her as she wept.
I had made the very same trip in February, cutting classes to spend my brother's two weeks' leave from Baghdad with him. Little did I know then that the next time I saw him would be at Arlington National Cemetery. During those days in February, my brother shared with me his fear, his disillusionment, and his anger. "We had all been led to believe that Iraq posed a serious threat to America as well as its surrounding nations," he said. "We invaded expecting to find weapons of mass destruction and a much more prepared and well-trained Republican Guard waiting for us. It is now a year later, and alas, no weapons of mass destruction or any other real threat, for that matter."
Ryan was scheduled to complete his one-year assignment to Iraq on April 25. But on April 11, he emailed me to let me know not to expect him in Atlanta for a May visit, because his tour of duty had been involuntarily extended. "Just do me one big favor, ok?" he wrote. "Don't vote for Bush. No. Just don't do it. I would not be happy with you."
Last night, I listened to George W. Bush's live, televised speech at the Republican National Convention. He spoke to me and my family when he announced, "I have met with parents and wives and husbands who have received a folded flag, and said a final goodbye to a soldier they loved. I am awed that so many have used those meetings to say that I am in their prayers and to offer encouragement to me. Where does strength like that come from? How can people so burdened with sorrow also feel such pride? It is because they know their loved one was last seen doing good. Because they know that liberty was precious to the one they lost. And in those military families, I have seen the character of a great nation: decent, and idealistic, and strong."
This is my reply: Mr. President, I know that you probably still "don't do body counts," so you may not know that almost one thousand U.S. troops have died doing what you told them they had to do to protect America. Ryan was Number 832. Liberty was, indeed, precious to the one I lost - so precious that he would rather have gone to prison than back to Iraq in February. Like you, I don't know where the strength for "such pride" on the part of people "so burdened with sorrow" comes from; maybe I spent it all holding my mother as she wept. I last saw my loved one at the Kansas City airport, staring after me as I walked away. I could see April 29 written on his sad, sand-chapped and sunburned face. I could see that he desperately wanted to believe that if he died, it would be while "doing good," as you put it. He wanted us to be able to be proud of him. Mr. President, you gave me and my mother a folded flag instead of the beautiful boy who called us "Moms" and "Brookster." But worse than that, you sold my little brother a bill of goods. Not only did you cheat him of a long meaningful life, but you cheated him of a meaningful death. You are in my prayers, Mr. President, because I think that you need them more than anyone on the face of the planet. But you will never get my vote.
So to whom it may concern: Don't vote for Bush. No. Just don't do it. I would not be happy with you.
Is this for real?
I saw this on Mixter's blog and had to check it out. If it's for real I have to vote for him. The problem is that I don't see his party affiliation anywhere on the site. Please let me know if you find it. I can only assume he's a liberal. After all only bad actors become Republican politicians.
The Vent from the AJC
Wednesday
Current Republican leadership is more interested in checks than balances.
Maybe Dubya's neighbor should pack himself and his shotgun over to Iraq.
You idiots elected the wrong millionaire.
The difference between an oenophile and a wino is simply one of net worth.
I am at the age and girth where you can't help but notice the Roman numerals for 40 are XL.
More than 1,800 U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq, and the new constitution will be based on Islamic fundamentalism, not Western democracy. Do your homework before invading another country, Georgie!
I'm from Poland and I demand that the NCAA change "pole vault" to "stick vault."
The gas pump might as well be wearing a mask on it and a "Stick 'em up!" sign.
Am I the only one noticing the more approval ratings go down for Bush, the more gas prices go up? Do you think he's getting back at us?
Current Republican leadership is more interested in checks than balances.
Maybe Dubya's neighbor should pack himself and his shotgun over to Iraq.
You idiots elected the wrong millionaire.
The difference between an oenophile and a wino is simply one of net worth.
I am at the age and girth where you can't help but notice the Roman numerals for 40 are XL.
More than 1,800 U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq, and the new constitution will be based on Islamic fundamentalism, not Western democracy. Do your homework before invading another country, Georgie!
I'm from Poland and I demand that the NCAA change "pole vault" to "stick vault."
The gas pump might as well be wearing a mask on it and a "Stick 'em up!" sign.
Am I the only one noticing the more approval ratings go down for Bush, the more gas prices go up? Do you think he's getting back at us?
8.16.2005
Those motherfuckers!
Sorry to be so blunt.
A person, who obviously supports Dubya, has shown his distaste for Casey Sheehan and many other American troops who died in Iraq by mowing down a line of crosses that bore their names along a dusty Crawford, Texas road. With a pickup truck dragging chains. Destuction was the only thing on that asshole's mind.
It's not so much the action but the symbolism. We are supposed to blindly follow the leader or be labeled a traitor. We are supposed to support our troops, no questions asked, by agreeing to this war. Mowing down these little memorials, that were placed by relatives of the fallen, shows an utter disregard for those very troops.
The mentality required to perform such an act can only be described as moronic. Don't these people see the irony in their actions? Love the troops - spit on their graves.
I'll never understand the cult that is Bush but I am quite familiar with their motto. We Don't Care!
A person, who obviously supports Dubya, has shown his distaste for Casey Sheehan and many other American troops who died in Iraq by mowing down a line of crosses that bore their names along a dusty Crawford, Texas road. With a pickup truck dragging chains. Destuction was the only thing on that asshole's mind.
It's not so much the action but the symbolism. We are supposed to blindly follow the leader or be labeled a traitor. We are supposed to support our troops, no questions asked, by agreeing to this war. Mowing down these little memorials, that were placed by relatives of the fallen, shows an utter disregard for those very troops.
The mentality required to perform such an act can only be described as moronic. Don't these people see the irony in their actions? Love the troops - spit on their graves.
I'll never understand the cult that is Bush but I am quite familiar with their motto. We Don't Care!
8.15.2005
"We Don't Care"
...tell us something we don't already know.
Well, I think we’ve met the new Repug/RW slogan. It's been shouted at a Gold Star mother who is trying to turn the grief over the loss of her son into change. It's been shouted here by disruptors against everything we say is wrong with this administration and where it's taking our country and the world.
Hey, at least they’re finally being honest.
And, I hate to tell them, but they aren't telling us anything we didn't already know about them. We know they don't care about the environment, because they love their SUVs and any mention of trying to curb our energy dependence on oil sends them into fits. We know they don't care about the reputation of our country, because they support sending Bolton to the UN. They don't care that there are people in our country without access to health care because they work for a company that doesn’t provide insurance, because that would cut into profits.
They don't care about the civilians in Iraq, because they think the "liberal media" is doing something wrong by occasionally, when pushed to the wall by activists, reporting on some of tragedies that have been caused by the war. They don’t care about the Geneva Convention or human rights, because they ignore the abuses that have been going on in Gitmo and other places. They don't care about our soldiers, because they think it's just fine to have them fighting a war without a foreseeable end, with a lack of equipment, and anybody who suggests that maybe we should talk about bringing them home is labeled, by them, to be a traitor.
They don't care about our Constitution, because they support the PATRIOT act, which basically shreds the Bill of Rights and they act like the ACLU is somehow un-American for trying to guard some of our remaining civil rights. They don't care that their beloved Bush Administration is the most corrupt administration many of us have seen in a long time, with their secrecy, underhandedness, and war profiteering.
In everything they do, in everything they believe, in everything they are, in the way they have chosen to live their lives, they have shown us that they don't care.
How is that a rallying cry? How is that something that you want to be known for? How emotionally and morally decrepit do you have to be to make a phrase like "I don’t care" something to be shouted at a mother who has lost her son in this country’s military? How is that a stance? "I don’t care." What pride is there in that when you are talking about lives of other human beings? What pride is there in that when talking about our country? What pride is there in that when talking about our future?
If they have ever shown their true colors, it is with this phrase. They do not care – not about us, our children, our world, our environment, our rights, peace, or justice. And the remarkable thing is that, by their actions and their attitudes, they show us that THEY don’t care about their country, their children, their world.
The only thing they do care about is themselves. And to me, that makes them pretty damn horrible people.
And no, they do not need to tell me that. I already know. I just wonder why they think it’s something to be proud of.
Thanks to Lisa Lynne
Well, I think we’ve met the new Repug/RW slogan. It's been shouted at a Gold Star mother who is trying to turn the grief over the loss of her son into change. It's been shouted here by disruptors against everything we say is wrong with this administration and where it's taking our country and the world.
Hey, at least they’re finally being honest.
And, I hate to tell them, but they aren't telling us anything we didn't already know about them. We know they don't care about the environment, because they love their SUVs and any mention of trying to curb our energy dependence on oil sends them into fits. We know they don't care about the reputation of our country, because they support sending Bolton to the UN. They don't care that there are people in our country without access to health care because they work for a company that doesn’t provide insurance, because that would cut into profits.
They don't care about the civilians in Iraq, because they think the "liberal media" is doing something wrong by occasionally, when pushed to the wall by activists, reporting on some of tragedies that have been caused by the war. They don’t care about the Geneva Convention or human rights, because they ignore the abuses that have been going on in Gitmo and other places. They don't care about our soldiers, because they think it's just fine to have them fighting a war without a foreseeable end, with a lack of equipment, and anybody who suggests that maybe we should talk about bringing them home is labeled, by them, to be a traitor.
They don't care about our Constitution, because they support the PATRIOT act, which basically shreds the Bill of Rights and they act like the ACLU is somehow un-American for trying to guard some of our remaining civil rights. They don't care that their beloved Bush Administration is the most corrupt administration many of us have seen in a long time, with their secrecy, underhandedness, and war profiteering.
In everything they do, in everything they believe, in everything they are, in the way they have chosen to live their lives, they have shown us that they don't care.
How is that a rallying cry? How is that something that you want to be known for? How emotionally and morally decrepit do you have to be to make a phrase like "I don’t care" something to be shouted at a mother who has lost her son in this country’s military? How is that a stance? "I don’t care." What pride is there in that when you are talking about lives of other human beings? What pride is there in that when talking about our country? What pride is there in that when talking about our future?
If they have ever shown their true colors, it is with this phrase. They do not care – not about us, our children, our world, our environment, our rights, peace, or justice. And the remarkable thing is that, by their actions and their attitudes, they show us that THEY don’t care about their country, their children, their world.
The only thing they do care about is themselves. And to me, that makes them pretty damn horrible people.
And no, they do not need to tell me that. I already know. I just wonder why they think it’s something to be proud of.
Thanks to Lisa Lynne
Quote of the day
"I think it's also important for me to go on with my life, to keep a balanced life. I think the people want the president to be in a position to make good, crisp decisions and to stay healthy."
-Vacationing frat boy George W. Bush
You fucking prick. It's not about you and your pathetic life. It's about us. Your constituents. What a selfish piece of shit you are.
-Vacationing frat boy George W. Bush
You fucking prick. It's not about you and your pathetic life. It's about us. Your constituents. What a selfish piece of shit you are.
Tell me something I don't know
Election Fraud Continues in the US
New Data Shows Widespread Vote Manipulations in 2004
By Peter Phillips
In the fall of 2001, after an eight-month review of 175,000 Florida ballots never counted in the 2000 election, an analysis by the National Opinion Research Center confirmed that Al Gore actually won Florida and should have been President. However, coverage of this report was only a small blip in the corporate media as a much bigger story dominated the news after September 11, 2001.
New research compiled by Dr. Dennis Loo with the University of Cal Poly Pomona now shows that extensive manipulation of non-paper-trail voting machines occurred in several states during the 2004 election.
Continue...
New Data Shows Widespread Vote Manipulations in 2004
By Peter Phillips
In the fall of 2001, after an eight-month review of 175,000 Florida ballots never counted in the 2000 election, an analysis by the National Opinion Research Center confirmed that Al Gore actually won Florida and should have been President. However, coverage of this report was only a small blip in the corporate media as a much bigger story dominated the news after September 11, 2001.
New research compiled by Dr. Dennis Loo with the University of Cal Poly Pomona now shows that extensive manipulation of non-paper-trail voting machines occurred in several states during the 2004 election.
Continue...
Day 9 at Camp Casey
by Cindy Sheehan
The ninth day ended in the most awesome way. We were out at Camp Casey and it was sprinkling a little bit and it really looked like the rain was going to start pouring down anytime. We looked over into the next cow pasture and there was a full rainbow. Rainbows are supposedley God's sign of hope. When Casey was killed on 04/04/04, I thought that all of my hope was killed, too. Being involved in the peaceful occupation of Crawford and meeting hundreds of people from all over the world has given me so much hope for the future.
We had a lovely interfaith prayer service this morning. It was truly beautiful and we were all weeping while we were singing "Amazing Grace." But, during the service, one of our neighbors fired off a shot gun. He said he was shooting at birds, but he is tired of us being there and he wants us to leave. I didn't get to talk to him, but I told the media that if he wanted us to leave so badly, why doesn't he tell his other neighbor, George, to talk to me. We are good neighbors and we are cooperating with everyone. By the way, in case I forgot to blog it last night, the Sheriff has requested that I stay down in Crawford during the night, because he is afraid for my safety after he leaves. He said he would "sleep better" himself at night if I came into town to sleep. Judging from the shooting guns, I guess he was right.
George Bush took a 2 hour bike ride on Saturday, and when he got back, he was asked how he could go for a two hour bike ride when he doesn't have time to meet with me, and he said: "I have to go on with my life." (Austin Statesman, August 14) WHAT!!!!!????? He has to get on with his life!!! I am so offended by that statement. Every person, war fan, or not, who has had a child killed in this mistake of an occupation should be highly offended by that remark. Who does he think he is? I wish I could EVER be able to get on with my life. Getting on with my life means a life without my dear, sweet boy. Getting on with my life means learning to live with a pain that is so intense that sometimes I feel like throwing up, or screaming until I pass out from sorrow. I wish a little bike ride could help me get on with my life.
I need to focus on the positive, though, and there is so much. I had so many amazing things happen today. I couldn't walk through Camp Casey or the Crawford Peace House today without hugging people and getting my picture taken. Now I know how Mickey Mouse feels at Disneyland. I had a soldier from Ft. Hood come out today and he brought me a small stone with a First Cavalry insignia painted on it and the pictures of three of his beautiful buddies who were murdered there by George's reckless policies. It was such an incredible moment for me when he said: "Keep on doing what you are doing. We are so proud of you. Casey would be so proud of you."
I just wish George had as much courage in his entire body as Casey had in his little pinky, then he would meet with me. Crawford, Tx. is beautiful prairie land, but I could think of dozens of other places I would rather be right now. However, if George or anybody else thinks I am leaving before my mission is "accomplished" they have another think coming. I will stay the course. I will finish the mission. I will take no prisoners.
By the way, we had about 7 counter protesters today and hundreds at Camp Casey...don't let the mainstream media say differently.
The ninth day ended in the most awesome way. We were out at Camp Casey and it was sprinkling a little bit and it really looked like the rain was going to start pouring down anytime. We looked over into the next cow pasture and there was a full rainbow. Rainbows are supposedley God's sign of hope. When Casey was killed on 04/04/04, I thought that all of my hope was killed, too. Being involved in the peaceful occupation of Crawford and meeting hundreds of people from all over the world has given me so much hope for the future.
We had a lovely interfaith prayer service this morning. It was truly beautiful and we were all weeping while we were singing "Amazing Grace." But, during the service, one of our neighbors fired off a shot gun. He said he was shooting at birds, but he is tired of us being there and he wants us to leave. I didn't get to talk to him, but I told the media that if he wanted us to leave so badly, why doesn't he tell his other neighbor, George, to talk to me. We are good neighbors and we are cooperating with everyone. By the way, in case I forgot to blog it last night, the Sheriff has requested that I stay down in Crawford during the night, because he is afraid for my safety after he leaves. He said he would "sleep better" himself at night if I came into town to sleep. Judging from the shooting guns, I guess he was right.
George Bush took a 2 hour bike ride on Saturday, and when he got back, he was asked how he could go for a two hour bike ride when he doesn't have time to meet with me, and he said: "I have to go on with my life." (Austin Statesman, August 14) WHAT!!!!!????? He has to get on with his life!!! I am so offended by that statement. Every person, war fan, or not, who has had a child killed in this mistake of an occupation should be highly offended by that remark. Who does he think he is? I wish I could EVER be able to get on with my life. Getting on with my life means a life without my dear, sweet boy. Getting on with my life means learning to live with a pain that is so intense that sometimes I feel like throwing up, or screaming until I pass out from sorrow. I wish a little bike ride could help me get on with my life.
I need to focus on the positive, though, and there is so much. I had so many amazing things happen today. I couldn't walk through Camp Casey or the Crawford Peace House today without hugging people and getting my picture taken. Now I know how Mickey Mouse feels at Disneyland. I had a soldier from Ft. Hood come out today and he brought me a small stone with a First Cavalry insignia painted on it and the pictures of three of his beautiful buddies who were murdered there by George's reckless policies. It was such an incredible moment for me when he said: "Keep on doing what you are doing. We are so proud of you. Casey would be so proud of you."
I just wish George had as much courage in his entire body as Casey had in his little pinky, then he would meet with me. Crawford, Tx. is beautiful prairie land, but I could think of dozens of other places I would rather be right now. However, if George or anybody else thinks I am leaving before my mission is "accomplished" they have another think coming. I will stay the course. I will finish the mission. I will take no prisoners.
By the way, we had about 7 counter protesters today and hundreds at Camp Casey...don't let the mainstream media say differently.
Asshole of the month
Letter to the editor - AJC
Tragedies aren't limited to battle
Why does the AJC spend so much space on individuals killed in battle?
To put things in the proper prospective, it should also list on Page One in large bold type the daily casualties in the United States caused by bad drivers, murders, drownings, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, party drunks, stupidity, etc.
My deepest sympathy goes to Mary Ann MacCombie for her loss, but her son was doing his duty and serving his country. His life could have been ended by someone or something among those items listed.
ED WOLAK, Moreland
Yes Ed, his life could have ended in an auto accident or a hurricane but it didn't. It was ended by the violence we caused in Iraq. What a fucking idiot you are!
Tragedies aren't limited to battle
Why does the AJC spend so much space on individuals killed in battle?
To put things in the proper prospective, it should also list on Page One in large bold type the daily casualties in the United States caused by bad drivers, murders, drownings, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, party drunks, stupidity, etc.
My deepest sympathy goes to Mary Ann MacCombie for her loss, but her son was doing his duty and serving his country. His life could have been ended by someone or something among those items listed.
ED WOLAK, Moreland
Yes Ed, his life could have ended in an auto accident or a hurricane but it didn't. It was ended by the violence we caused in Iraq. What a fucking idiot you are!
8.13.2005
Satellite of Love?
The iPSTAR satellite, owned by Thailand’s Shin Corporation, was launched this week. The US$400 million project is being hyped as the world’s largest broadband satellite. Once iPSTAR is properly in orbit, it will provide millions of customers in over 20 countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region with voice, data, video conferencing, and broadband Internet services.
But in case you think such a launch is all about high-tech wizardry and the marvels of modern science; think again. Before the launch, Shin Corp executives requested that all male guests in their private corporate viewing room remove their neckties, believing that the ties “would jinx the launch.” In fact, there was a slight glitch and the launch was postponed for two hours. And wouldn’t you know it, one of the guests in the Shin Corp crowd “remembered” that he was wearing a bow tie. After the tied-up Thai removed the offending bad luck piece, the satellite launch proceeded smoothly.
If the rest of the project goes as planned, ShinSat (the satellite arm of Shin Corp) will become the world’s largest commercial satellite operator. Much of iPSTAR’s bandwidth capacity is expected to be grabbed by the two major markets of China (25%) and India (15%). Shin Corporation was founded by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who still holds a 53% interest in the company. This fact has given fuel to critics who feel that Thaksin often uses his powerful position to influence or negotiate business deals with other countries in the region.
But in case you think such a launch is all about high-tech wizardry and the marvels of modern science; think again. Before the launch, Shin Corp executives requested that all male guests in their private corporate viewing room remove their neckties, believing that the ties “would jinx the launch.” In fact, there was a slight glitch and the launch was postponed for two hours. And wouldn’t you know it, one of the guests in the Shin Corp crowd “remembered” that he was wearing a bow tie. After the tied-up Thai removed the offending bad luck piece, the satellite launch proceeded smoothly.
If the rest of the project goes as planned, ShinSat (the satellite arm of Shin Corp) will become the world’s largest commercial satellite operator. Much of iPSTAR’s bandwidth capacity is expected to be grabbed by the two major markets of China (25%) and India (15%). Shin Corporation was founded by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who still holds a 53% interest in the company. This fact has given fuel to critics who feel that Thaksin often uses his powerful position to influence or negotiate business deals with other countries in the region.
8.12.2005
And what "kind of people" would that be?
Marine recruiter Staff Sgt. Jason Rivera went to a Pittsburgh home to talk to the parents of a high school student who had expressed interest in joining the Marine reserves.
It was a large home in an upscale suburb just north of the city. There were two American flags in the yard. The student's mom opened the door wearing an American flag t-shirt.
"I want you to know we support you" she gushed.
Rivera soon realized just how far her support went.
"Military service isn't for our son. It isn't for our kind of people" she said.
How much do you want to bet that there is a W sticker on her SUV?
It was a large home in an upscale suburb just north of the city. There were two American flags in the yard. The student's mom opened the door wearing an American flag t-shirt.
"I want you to know we support you" she gushed.
Rivera soon realized just how far her support went.
"Military service isn't for our son. It isn't for our kind of people" she said.
How much do you want to bet that there is a W sticker on her SUV?
Excellent response
Tom is a damn good writer and so eloquent. Here is his response to one of my anonymous wingnut freaks. Go read it.
Dubya sez...
"I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend"
-George W. Bush, on visiting Denmark, June 29, 2005
It's too bad Cindy Sheehan can't say the same
8.11.2005
James Dobson's cure for a gender-confused child
"[The father] can even take his son with him into the shower, where the boy cannot help but notice that Dad has a penis, just like his, only bigger."
-James Dobson
-James Dobson
War Pigs
FAUX News seems to have their collective panties in a twist over the new Stones song Sweet Neo-Con. Cavuto even suggested a possible boycott. So much for free speech. I wonder what their reaction would be if Black Sabbath had released War Pigs in this day and age.
War Pigs
Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerers of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds, oh lord yeah!
Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor
Time will tell on their power minds
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess
Wait 'till their judgement day comes, yeah!
Now in darkness, world stops turning
As the war machine keeps burning
No more war pigs of the power
Hand of god has struck the hour
Day of judgement, god is calling
On their knees, the war pigs crawling
Begging mercy for their sins
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings
ALL RIGHT NOW!
8.10.2005
Quote of the day
"Before my son was killed, I used to think that one person could not make a difference. But one person that is surrounded and supported by millions of people can be heard."
-Cindy Sheehan
-Cindy Sheehan
New stickers
Propaganda Central has a new line of stickers. My favorite is "NICE HUMMER - Sorry about your (little) penis".
It's about damn time!
Real Time with Bill Maher starts up again on Friday August 19th at 11pm. Be there or, well, don't be there :-)
Another new blog
Our new buddy and fellow American anonymous has a new blog. Check it out. Be sure and leave a comment or two. He seems to crave the attention.
8.09.2005
Another good place to land
Go visit left coaster E'l Roy over at maybe you've already heard... He has some excellent things to say. I think you'll like it unless you're "anonymous" :-)
Quote of the day
"That's typical for that fatass drug addict to come up with something like that. There's a guy ... I didn't hear this, but actually when I was on drill this weekend, I've got to tell you, he lost a lot of Republican supporters with his comments. Because they were coming up to me, telling me, "I can't believe he said that! Besides that, he called you a soldier. He doesn't know the difference between a soldier and a marine!"
-Paul Hackett talking about Rush Limbaugh on the Ed Shultz Show
-Paul Hackett talking about Rush Limbaugh on the Ed Shultz Show
Knock knock - who's there?
So why did Dubya go to Crawford for four weeks? Scotty McClellan poo pooed critics with this folksy argument:
Spending time outside of Washington always gives the president a fresh perspective of what's on the minds of the American people. It's a time, really, for him to shed the coat and tie and meet with folks out in the heartland and hear what's on their minds.Hey Scotty! There's someone just outside the ranch who'd love see him! Unfortunately he only has until Thursday because that's when she gets arrested.
The Stones smack Dubya and Condi
In their new song "My Sweet Neocon" Mick and the boys let Dubya know how he and many Americans feel.
"You call yourself a Christian, I call you a hypocrite/ You call yourself a patriot. Well, I think your are full of shit!... How come you're so wrong, my sweet neo-con."
If it shows up on their new release it will be my first Stones CD since Tattoo You.
"You call yourself a Christian, I call you a hypocrite/ You call yourself a patriot. Well, I think your are full of shit!... How come you're so wrong, my sweet neo-con."
If it shows up on their new release it will be my first Stones CD since Tattoo You.
A College Republican Leader Shows Why He’s Too Busy to Fight in Iraq
Just like Cheney he has "other priorities".
When asked why he didn’t volunteer to fight in Iraq, which Dubya describes as “the central front in the War on Terror,” Paul Gourley said he felt compelled to stay stateside and fight in the “war of ideas.” Looks to me like he's well on his way to a DUI like Dubya and Uncle Dick.
When asked why he didn’t volunteer to fight in Iraq, which Dubya describes as “the central front in the War on Terror,” Paul Gourley said he felt compelled to stay stateside and fight in the “war of ideas.” Looks to me like he's well on his way to a DUI like Dubya and Uncle Dick.
My pledge
The first person, who is thinking of running for the Democratic nomination in 2008, to go to Crawford and stand beside Cindy Sheehan will get my total support.
Can you spot the real threat to national security?
Bob Harris poses an interesting question. Who will Dubya have arrested first? Osama Bin Forgotten or Cindy Sheehan? See his take on it here.
Letter to the Editor - AJC
Letters from the sane side of my red state:
War in Iraq: Bush, end this travestyI've been an advocate of abolishing the Electoral College for years. Even before the GOP stole their first election. -John
After reading that President Bush is experiencing a marked decline in support of his invasion of Iraq, one can only hope that his advisers sit him down and explain things on a level he might comprehend. There was a time when his limited intelligence was a source of humor, but the loss of more than 1,800 American lives rids Bush and his reckless policies of any humor.
I hope Sen. Bill Frist's opposite stance on stem-cell research will be followed by a Republican movement toward some semblance of a rational foreign policy. We are indisputably not wanted by the Iraqis. We should pray and call on our representatives to do whatever it takes to end this travesty. We are losing America's finest every day.
Gov. Sonny Perdue's tears over the loss of Georgia citizen-soldiers was powerful. Keep the momentum. While Bush enjoyed his Crawford ranch, many Georgia families prepared for funerals. It isn't right.
TOMMY CHAPMAN, Macon
Victory for the U.S. not in the cards
We would fare better if our foreign policy were left to expert poker players, who make decisions based upon facts and realities rather than on wishes and blind hope. A poker expert, realizing that the hand is lost, would fold on the Iraq war and cut his losses. He would see that his opponent has the best cards in a hand he improves with every draw. Staying with a losing hand is a waste of lives and money.
Whether you call them defenders or an insurgency, they are controlling the war while we struggle with force protection. As we take more casualties, they grow stronger. Our troop strength numbers are inadequate as their numbers grow. They are becoming more organized and more sophisticated with their tactics, and we lose our fighting forces and expensive equipment to bombs made in backyard shops. Their support comes from neighboring nations, as we are unable to seal their borders.
You cannot bluff an opponent who knows he has the cards. It is time to throw this one in and wait for the next deal.
ART HURT, Atlanta
To raise voter turnout ditch Electoral College
Attempting to get everyone to the polls on a single weekday is only part of the reason why more people do not vote ("Elections on weekend would aid democracy," @issue, Aug. 6). There's also the Electoral College.
Any "blue" person living in a "red" state feels disenfranchised. Eliminating the Electoral College would equalize the system and eliminate focusing on a single state (e.g., Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004) to decide a winner.
Discarding this system would make me feel as though my vote counts and that I haven't wasted my time and effort at the polls.
ESTHER K. DROEGE, Doraville
Dubya ignores the 9-11 Commission
It's no secret that the Bush administration was dead set against the 9-11 commission from the get go. They were reluctant to providing any helpful info every step of the way. Bush fought against testifying and wouldn't even show up without Uncle Dick there to hold his hand. Then wouldn't even testify under oath preferring to just chat with the commission. Now that the 9-11 group wants to do a follow-up, they have no official standing, so Bush can tell them to take a hike.
Thomas H. Kean, the former Republican governor of New Jersey who led the bipartisan Sept. 11 commission, said he was surprised and disappointed that the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and several other executive branch agencies had failed to respond to requests made two months ago for updated information on the government's antiterrorism programs.I can see them now. Holding their hands over their ears while saying "La la la la la la la I can't hear you!"
"It's very disappointing," Mr. Kean said of the administration's failure to cooperate with the group. "All we're trying to do is make the public safer."
Mr. Kean said there had been no response of any sort to interview requests for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld; Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Porter J. Goss, the C.I.A. director; Robert S. Mueller III, the F.B.I. director, and Andrew H. Card Jr., the White House chief of staff, among others.
8.07.2005
Return of the Khmer Rouge
Among the most evil world “leaders” of the past century – notable creeps such as Adolph Hitler, Adi Amin, and Saddam Hussein – Cambodia’s Pol Pot ranks as one of the most despised. Although Pol Pot died in 1998, and his much-feared Khmer Rouge (dubbed “the most lethal regime of the twentieth century”) comrades have since slithered away into obscurity, their evil deeds have not been forgotten.
It is estimated that under Khmer Rouge rule – from 1975 to 1979 – nearly two million Cambodians died due to execution, starvation or exhaustion from forced labor. By contrast, the US bombing of Cambodia from 1969 to 1972 – “collateral” from the Vietnam War - killed over 600,000 people. (For an insightful look at the role that the USA – particularly Henry Kissinger and the Nixon administration - played in the Khmer Rouge’s rise to power and the destruction of Cambodia, read the excellent Sideshow by William Shawcross.) Even after being disposed by a Vietnamese invasion in early 1979 (an occupation that lasted a decade), the Khmer Rouge kept fighting government forces and continued to hold a seat in the UN until 1991 when a truce was signed. Among the many countries that still recognized the Khmer Rouge as the official representative of Cambodia was the United States. During the Reagan era in the 1980s, the US government blocked efforts to put Khmer Rouge leaders on trial, and refused to label the KR atrocities as “genocide.”
In Cambodia today many high-ranking KR officials are still alive and well; living prosperously and securely in huge homes, driving SUVs around town, and remaining insulated from the widespread poverty that still engulfs the beautiful but dysfunctional country. Despite many years of attempts, a trial of surviving KR leaders has still not materialized. A tribunal has been authorized by both the UN and the Cambodian government, but funds will have to come from donor nations. Thus far, heavyweights such as Australia and Japan have promised money, but the United States has declined to contribute. There is serious talk of a trial commencing this year, but before that can happen many details have to be ironed out; foremost among them are which ex-Khmer Rouge officials will be put on trial. The tribunal will be comprised of both Cambodians and foreigners, with judges expected to be Cambodian.
And many see that as a big problem. In a high-profile court case last month two Cambodian men were convicted of murdering an important union leader, even though no forensic evidence was presented and no eyewitnesses testified. That verdict, say some, was unfair, and left many in the international community wondering if Cambodia is capable of holding an impartial and credible trial. The Cambodian court system has a history of being - in the words of one observer - “weak, corrupt and susceptible to political influence.” Thus, the chances of holding a legitimate and satisfactory genocide trial look very bleak indeed.
It is estimated that under Khmer Rouge rule – from 1975 to 1979 – nearly two million Cambodians died due to execution, starvation or exhaustion from forced labor. By contrast, the US bombing of Cambodia from 1969 to 1972 – “collateral” from the Vietnam War - killed over 600,000 people. (For an insightful look at the role that the USA – particularly Henry Kissinger and the Nixon administration - played in the Khmer Rouge’s rise to power and the destruction of Cambodia, read the excellent Sideshow by William Shawcross.) Even after being disposed by a Vietnamese invasion in early 1979 (an occupation that lasted a decade), the Khmer Rouge kept fighting government forces and continued to hold a seat in the UN until 1991 when a truce was signed. Among the many countries that still recognized the Khmer Rouge as the official representative of Cambodia was the United States. During the Reagan era in the 1980s, the US government blocked efforts to put Khmer Rouge leaders on trial, and refused to label the KR atrocities as “genocide.”
In Cambodia today many high-ranking KR officials are still alive and well; living prosperously and securely in huge homes, driving SUVs around town, and remaining insulated from the widespread poverty that still engulfs the beautiful but dysfunctional country. Despite many years of attempts, a trial of surviving KR leaders has still not materialized. A tribunal has been authorized by both the UN and the Cambodian government, but funds will have to come from donor nations. Thus far, heavyweights such as Australia and Japan have promised money, but the United States has declined to contribute. There is serious talk of a trial commencing this year, but before that can happen many details have to be ironed out; foremost among them are which ex-Khmer Rouge officials will be put on trial. The tribunal will be comprised of both Cambodians and foreigners, with judges expected to be Cambodian.
And many see that as a big problem. In a high-profile court case last month two Cambodian men were convicted of murdering an important union leader, even though no forensic evidence was presented and no eyewitnesses testified. That verdict, say some, was unfair, and left many in the international community wondering if Cambodia is capable of holding an impartial and credible trial. The Cambodian court system has a history of being - in the words of one observer - “weak, corrupt and susceptible to political influence.” Thus, the chances of holding a legitimate and satisfactory genocide trial look very bleak indeed.
8.06.2005
R.I.P. Robin Cook
I was saddened to read about the death of former British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook (not to be confused with the author of the same name) on Saturday. Cook collapsed after taking a walk with his wife on a mountain in Scotland.
Cook is perhaps best known for his vehement opposition to the current war in Iraq. He resigned his post in Tony Blair’s cabinet in 2003 as a protest against Britain’s involvement in the war. During his resignation speech in Parliament – which received a standing ovation – Cook declared: “Why is it now so urgent that we should take military action to disarm a military capacity that has been there for 20 years, and which we helped to create?” Cook was only 59 years old.
Cook is perhaps best known for his vehement opposition to the current war in Iraq. He resigned his post in Tony Blair’s cabinet in 2003 as a protest against Britain’s involvement in the war. During his resignation speech in Parliament – which received a standing ovation – Cook declared: “Why is it now so urgent that we should take military action to disarm a military capacity that has been there for 20 years, and which we helped to create?” Cook was only 59 years old.
Republican devil
Inspired to find more pics of Republicans with their hands up for more demonic power ball fun I decided to Google "republican" Images. On page two I find this. Rather telling isn't it?
8.05.2005
Quote of the day
"I can't see that the President has prevented any terrorism. I think he's increased it, from everything we can see in Iraq. I have to thank the troops who put up with this idiot Commander-in-Chief that we have."
-Congressman Pete Stark
-Congressman Pete Stark
8.04.2005
Pirates Sail These Seas
We all remember reading tales about pirates when we were kids. Captain Hook and other such swashbuckling characters filled our young minds with wonder and imagination. But pirates are not a fictional creation, nor a thing of the distant past. Yes, right now in our shiny high-tech world, pirates still sail the seas, looting and shooting with reckless abandon - although it’s doubtful they’ll be sporting black eye patches or hobbling on wooden legs.
Most incidents of piracy occur in the Malacca Strait, a 970 kilometer-long passage of water between Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia’s Sumatra peninsula. The strait is the world’s busiest commercial sea lane, hosting more than a quarter of all international cargo shipments. It is estimated that about 900 commercial vessels pass through the strait each day. The Strait links the Indian and Pacific oceans, making it the shortest sea route between China, India, and Indonesia. Japan is also dependent upon the route; over 80% of its oil is shipped via the Malacca Strait.
The Malacca Strait has been dubbed a “pirate’s dream” due to its plethora of shallow reefs, narrow channels and small islands; all of which make it relatively easy for ambush and escape. In recent years piracy along the strait has soared: vessels have been burnt, crew members abducted or killed, and tons of cargo seized. Incidents of armed piracy dropped significantly in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami in late December, but that short period of calm appears to have dissipated, with more violent acts of piracy being reported in the past six months. Malaysian Defense Minister Najib Razak recently stated: “The reality is that we need more resources to ensure the level of security in the Straits of Malacca. The only way we do it is to engage the international community, but not at the expense of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Clearly, the sovereignty issue is a touchy one. Some parts of the strait are in Malaysian waters, others belong to Indonesia or Singapore. Recently, the three countries agreed to begin coordinated air patrols over the strait, hoping that it will help to significantly reduce pirate attacks. There is also increasing concern that ships passing through the strait may become targets for terrorists. And when it comes to “fighting terrorism” its safe to assume that the United States wants a piece of the action. The US has proposed sending troops (why is that always the US response?) to protect the strait, but that idea was strongly rejected by Malaysia and Indonesia. A plan to use private security forces to “escort” commercial vessels through the strait has also been nixed due to concerns about having armed personnel onboard, as well as jurisdictional issues.
In the meantime, expect pirate attacks to continue and the threat of terrorism to cast an ugly cloud over the waters.
Most incidents of piracy occur in the Malacca Strait, a 970 kilometer-long passage of water between Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia’s Sumatra peninsula. The strait is the world’s busiest commercial sea lane, hosting more than a quarter of all international cargo shipments. It is estimated that about 900 commercial vessels pass through the strait each day. The Strait links the Indian and Pacific oceans, making it the shortest sea route between China, India, and Indonesia. Japan is also dependent upon the route; over 80% of its oil is shipped via the Malacca Strait.
The Malacca Strait has been dubbed a “pirate’s dream” due to its plethora of shallow reefs, narrow channels and small islands; all of which make it relatively easy for ambush and escape. In recent years piracy along the strait has soared: vessels have been burnt, crew members abducted or killed, and tons of cargo seized. Incidents of armed piracy dropped significantly in the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami in late December, but that short period of calm appears to have dissipated, with more violent acts of piracy being reported in the past six months. Malaysian Defense Minister Najib Razak recently stated: “The reality is that we need more resources to ensure the level of security in the Straits of Malacca. The only way we do it is to engage the international community, but not at the expense of national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Clearly, the sovereignty issue is a touchy one. Some parts of the strait are in Malaysian waters, others belong to Indonesia or Singapore. Recently, the three countries agreed to begin coordinated air patrols over the strait, hoping that it will help to significantly reduce pirate attacks. There is also increasing concern that ships passing through the strait may become targets for terrorists. And when it comes to “fighting terrorism” its safe to assume that the United States wants a piece of the action. The US has proposed sending troops (why is that always the US response?) to protect the strait, but that idea was strongly rejected by Malaysia and Indonesia. A plan to use private security forces to “escort” commercial vessels through the strait has also been nixed due to concerns about having armed personnel onboard, as well as jurisdictional issues.
In the meantime, expect pirate attacks to continue and the threat of terrorism to cast an ugly cloud over the waters.
8.02.2005
Rush Limbaugh is an asshat gasbag
Rush Limbaugh, on air, called Paul Hackett a "staff puke." Repeatedly.
Paul Hackett served as a civil affairs officer in Iraq. Eleven civil affairs soldiers and marines have died in the Iraqi theater. What's more, Paul Hackett led marines in combat while in Iraq. And, it goes without saying, he faced deadly violence every day he was in the country.
Rush Limbaugh avoided military service thanks to a pilonidal cyst. Paul Hackett volunteered to serve, even though no one had asked him to.
Rush Limbaugh (to no one's surprise) joins the long list of Republicans who, rather than respect those who have honorably served in our nation's military (as should be expected), instead disgracefully spit upon them. How disgusting. What is wrong with these people?
Thanks to Swing State Project
Paul Hackett served as a civil affairs officer in Iraq. Eleven civil affairs soldiers and marines have died in the Iraqi theater. What's more, Paul Hackett led marines in combat while in Iraq. And, it goes without saying, he faced deadly violence every day he was in the country.
Rush Limbaugh avoided military service thanks to a pilonidal cyst. Paul Hackett volunteered to serve, even though no one had asked him to.
Rush Limbaugh (to no one's surprise) joins the long list of Republicans who, rather than respect those who have honorably served in our nation's military (as should be expected), instead disgracefully spit upon them. How disgusting. What is wrong with these people?
Thanks to Swing State Project
You know the GOP is full of hypocrites anyway so this shouldn't be surprising
"If Clinton makes a recess appointment, it's a finger in the eye of the Senate. I think you'd find there would be an awful lot of repercussions from that. I think there'll be a slowdown on a lot of things from the president. I think you're going to have difficulty getting judges through. They're going to have difficulty on the appropriations process. I think there'll be attempts by some to really let the president know you don't do this."I couldn't resist adding this one. It's a real gem. Republicans talked about Clinton's disrespectful, contemptuous ways in the appointment process, but get this:
-Orin Hatch, December 15, 1997
"If the President recess appoints him, it would be an unfortunate elevation of politics above due respect for the Senate, its procedures and its constitutional responsibilities. It would serve as evidence, in my opinion, that this Administration does not wish to achieve consensus on this difficult issue but is instead intent on playing wedge politics. It would be taken very badly by Republicans on Capitol Hill."
-Orin Hatch, November 24, 1997
"I need respect and cooperation from the administration during the recess period if they expect to have my respect and cooperation after the first of the year. So I would not expect them to give a recess appointment. It would really poison the well for next year."
-Trent Lott, December 4, 1997
"The administration, in its eagerness to win Senate confirmation for its nominees [to regulatory agencies], has agreed to let Senate Republicans take the lead in naming candidates for Republican slots."And we all know what Clinton got for being so accommodating.
-Washington Post, August 02, 1997.
7.30.2005
This is amazing - you won't believe your eyes
This illustrates how our perception of color is influenced by surrounding colors. Check it out.
7.29.2005
The Dirty 15
Here's a list of the asshole Dems who jumped ship and made CAFTA a reality:
Melissa Bean (IL)
Jim Cooper (TN)
Henry Cuellar (TX)
Norm Dicks (WA)
Ruben Hinojosa (TX)
William Jefferson (LA)
Jim Matheson (UT)
Greg Meeks (NY)
Dennis Moore (KS)
Jim Moran (VA)
Solomon Ortiz (TX)
Ike Skelton (MO)
Vic Snyder (AR)
John Tanner (TN)
Ed Towns (NY)
These people should never get a dime from labor unions or the progressive community again. That goes for the ones who represent marginal districts too. The idea that this was a "tough vote" for a Democrat who represents a swing district doesn't hold water. Polls show that Americans are sick and tired of Congress passing these corporate-written "free" trade deals that sell out ordinary workers. If any of these people represent you, I urge you to RAISE HELL!
Melissa Bean (IL)
Jim Cooper (TN)
Henry Cuellar (TX)
Norm Dicks (WA)
Ruben Hinojosa (TX)
William Jefferson (LA)
Jim Matheson (UT)
Greg Meeks (NY)
Dennis Moore (KS)
Jim Moran (VA)
Solomon Ortiz (TX)
Ike Skelton (MO)
Vic Snyder (AR)
John Tanner (TN)
Ed Towns (NY)
These people should never get a dime from labor unions or the progressive community again. That goes for the ones who represent marginal districts too. The idea that this was a "tough vote" for a Democrat who represents a swing district doesn't hold water. Polls show that Americans are sick and tired of Congress passing these corporate-written "free" trade deals that sell out ordinary workers. If any of these people represent you, I urge you to RAISE HELL!
PMS
That's my term for otherwise nice people who supported Dubya. PMS or Poor Misguided Souls is something to help me come to terms with these people. It stems from my trying to make sense of my Dad and his wife. They are kind, generous and thoughtful of others. They are pillars of their community and are very fair in their opinions. I don't have a clue why they supported Dubya other than they just didn't like Kerry. It just doesn't fit them. Hence the term. Too bad it's already in use. I was at a red light today and saw the sweetest little old lady. She looked like the type who would invite you in for cookies or lemonade on a hot day. As she pulled forward I saw the W04 sticker on her car. I immediately shook my head and said to myself "PMS". It's fun - give it a try. Then there are times when you see a large SUV with a perosn behind the wheel who looks like an asshole and drives like one. If you see a W04 sticker on that vehicle just say to yourself, or out loud, "ASSHOLE!"
7.28.2005
Our conservative Christian president
As far as I know this is a genuine still from a video. It shows Bush giving the finger to the press before or after a meeting on the CAFTA vote. I would like to hear the reaction of the genuine Christians who voted for this asshole. Do they feel as if they were hoodwinked? Do they regret their vote? Probabaly not.
CAFTA passes by 2 votes
God Damn It! What is wrong with these people? CAFTA is even worse than NAFTA. Didn't we learn anything by that debacle? What's worse is 15 Democrats jumped ship and voted for it. I can't wait until I get their names. They WILL get letters.
Read all about it
Read all about it
Judge lectures Bush administration
A judge, in sentencing an Algerian man for plotting to bomb the Los Angeles airport, had some nice things to say to the Bushies.
EXCELLENT!
Story here
U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said the successful prosecution of Ahmed Ressam should serve not only as a warning to terrorists, but as a statement to the Bush administration about its terrorism-fighting tactics.
"We did not need to use a secret military tribunal, detain the defendant indefinitely as an enemy combatant or deny the defendant the right to counsel," he said Wednesday. "The message to the world from today's sentencing is that our courts have not abandoned our commitment to the ideals that set our nation apart."
EXCELLENT!
Story here
7.27.2005
Back in the saddle
I'm slowly trying to get myself back to the blog. Still have lots of work to do between now and Sunday night. Not to mention that job at work that has a Friday deadline. I should be done by Monday :-(
By the way - a month or so ago I mentioned an anti-spyware proggy called CounterSpy. I'm still using and wouldn't be without it. There is a link for CounterSpy on the right. Get the trial version and give it a go. If you find that you like it the cost is only $20. Well worth it in my opinion.
By the way - a month or so ago I mentioned an anti-spyware proggy called CounterSpy. I'm still using and wouldn't be without it. There is a link for CounterSpy on the right. Get the trial version and give it a go. If you find that you like it the cost is only $20. Well worth it in my opinion.
Shock and Awe Revisited
Shock is when you find out your 401(k) plan is in bankruptcy. And Awe is going to be when your Social Security funds aren't there because Dubya put them into the hands of the people who bankrupted your 401(k) in the first place.
7.26.2005
Aeon Flux
Hot Damn! They made a live action flick out of my favorite animated series. Ok, so it's the only animated series I really ever got into. It reminded me of Heavy Metal magazine which I read religiously in the 70s and 80s. Charlize Theron should be excellent in the title role. Check out the Aeon Flux web site.
Finger Licking Good
Thai cuisine offers a myriad of delicious choices, from spicy curry and fragrant soups, to fresh seafood and stir-fried treats. But when you are in Thailand and subject to menus that have been brutally translated into English, be prepared for anything! Here are a few examples of entrees that I've seen listed on various Bangkok restaurant menus:
Grilled Lamp
Pig Intestin with Savory Sauce
Fired Chickern
Pork Having Sunbath One Time Only
Broken Fish Trap
Deep Fried Crap
Grilled Lamp
Pig Intestin with Savory Sauce
Fired Chickern
Pork Having Sunbath One Time Only
Broken Fish Trap
Deep Fried Crap
7.24.2005
No Rice for ASEAN
It’s not just Egypt, the US, and the UK that are on high alert for terrorists these days. Oodles of extra security preparations are in place for the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Ministerial meeting in Vientiane, Laos this week.
This annual security conference is billed as Asia’s largest gathering of politicians. As for the increased security measures, some of them will be startling for the laid back citizens of the usually tranquil Lao capitol. For example: no tuk-tuks (three-wheeled vehicles) will be allowed on the streets of the city center. This would be akin to having San Francisco halt cable car service for the week. In other words: it’s hard to imagine. In addition, all land border crossings - such as the Friendship Bridge that links Laos with Thailand - will be closed. This measure will temporarily prohibit backpackers and other “solo” travelers that aren’t part of a group tour from entering the country. That’s also hard to imagine, but apparently that’s what the government is planning. Meanwhile, Vientiane police are conducting spot-checks on motorists, and authorities have clamped down on travel between Vientiane and outlying provinces in order to “keep out troublemakers.” This appears aimed at Hmong militants and anti-government rebels that have been blamed for a series of minor bombings and other incidents that have occurred on a sporadic basis since early 2000.
Even though the meeting hasn’t yet started, it’s making news for the fact that Condoleezza Rice will not be appearing. Citing “other travel plans” she is skipping the event and sending one of her deputies instead. That may not seem like a big deal but this will be the first time since 1982 that an American Secretary of State has not attended this important Asian gathering. Needless to say, ASEAN members are not happy about Rice’s decision to skip the meeting, seeing her absence as a sign of diminishing US commitment to the region.
One major issue that may be decided at this meeting is whether or not Myanmar (Burma) should be allowed to serve as next year’s host. In the past, ASEAN has used a revolving system that allows each member country (there are ten) to serve as the annual “chairman.” However, in light of that country’s continuing poor human rights record, some members are demanding that Myanmar be skipped in the hosting rotation. Rumor has it that Myanmar may in fact decline the chairmanship in order to avoid further controversy.
Meanwhile, Vientiane is sprucing up its dusty streets, old buildings and historic temples. The pleasantly sleepy town will be doing its best to look its best for the visiting dignitaries. Even a new 14-story hotel – the tallest building in Laos – has opened for the occasion. More than 2,000 participants from 25 countries will be in attendance, along with over 700 media personnel, making this the biggest event to ever hit the poor, land-locked country. And despite Laos’ distinction as being the “most bombed country per capita in the world” (thank the USA and their role in the Vietnam War for that claim to fame), you can be sure that the sweet and friendly Lao people will do their utmost to welcome their guests and make the event run as smoothly as possible.
This annual security conference is billed as Asia’s largest gathering of politicians. As for the increased security measures, some of them will be startling for the laid back citizens of the usually tranquil Lao capitol. For example: no tuk-tuks (three-wheeled vehicles) will be allowed on the streets of the city center. This would be akin to having San Francisco halt cable car service for the week. In other words: it’s hard to imagine. In addition, all land border crossings - such as the Friendship Bridge that links Laos with Thailand - will be closed. This measure will temporarily prohibit backpackers and other “solo” travelers that aren’t part of a group tour from entering the country. That’s also hard to imagine, but apparently that’s what the government is planning. Meanwhile, Vientiane police are conducting spot-checks on motorists, and authorities have clamped down on travel between Vientiane and outlying provinces in order to “keep out troublemakers.” This appears aimed at Hmong militants and anti-government rebels that have been blamed for a series of minor bombings and other incidents that have occurred on a sporadic basis since early 2000.
Even though the meeting hasn’t yet started, it’s making news for the fact that Condoleezza Rice will not be appearing. Citing “other travel plans” she is skipping the event and sending one of her deputies instead. That may not seem like a big deal but this will be the first time since 1982 that an American Secretary of State has not attended this important Asian gathering. Needless to say, ASEAN members are not happy about Rice’s decision to skip the meeting, seeing her absence as a sign of diminishing US commitment to the region.
One major issue that may be decided at this meeting is whether or not Myanmar (Burma) should be allowed to serve as next year’s host. In the past, ASEAN has used a revolving system that allows each member country (there are ten) to serve as the annual “chairman.” However, in light of that country’s continuing poor human rights record, some members are demanding that Myanmar be skipped in the hosting rotation. Rumor has it that Myanmar may in fact decline the chairmanship in order to avoid further controversy.
Meanwhile, Vientiane is sprucing up its dusty streets, old buildings and historic temples. The pleasantly sleepy town will be doing its best to look its best for the visiting dignitaries. Even a new 14-story hotel – the tallest building in Laos – has opened for the occasion. More than 2,000 participants from 25 countries will be in attendance, along with over 700 media personnel, making this the biggest event to ever hit the poor, land-locked country. And despite Laos’ distinction as being the “most bombed country per capita in the world” (thank the USA and their role in the Vietnam War for that claim to fame), you can be sure that the sweet and friendly Lao people will do their utmost to welcome their guests and make the event run as smoothly as possible.
7.19.2005
Absolute Power
Believe it or not, the United States is not the only country with a screwed up government. In Thailand, things appear to be going from tolerable to frightening. In his latest power grab, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (ex-telecommunications mogul and perhaps the richest man in Thailand) has issued an emergency decree that gives him unprecedented new powers. His grab-bag of new perks includes the right to censor news, detain suspects that haven't been officially charged, confiscate property, expel foreigners deemed to be “troublemakers,” check e-mails, and tap telephones. Hmm…has the familiar smell of post-9/11 Bush actions, doesn’t it? All of the new Thailand measures are justified by Thaksin (pronounced, ironically, as “Toxin”) on the grounds of “protecting the national interest and security.” Once again, this has the eerie odor of “Homeland Security” written all over it.
Why the sudden need for such over-the-top actions in Thailand? Last week there was a coordinated series of bombings in the southern city of Yala. This prompted Thaksin to ask his cabinet for the “absolute power” to “stamp out unrest” in the region. And the region certainly is a mess. The Yala attacks are the latest in a spiraling wave of insurgency that has occurred in Thailand’s Deep South since early last year. Most incidents have occurred in the three southern, mostly Muslim provinces, that border Malaysia. This region has been the scene of almost daily disturbances, ranging from shootings and bombings to beheadings and arson. Police officers, government officials, school teachers and even Buddhist Monks have been victims of the attacks. The violence in the past 18 months is unprecedented; over 800 people have died.
Thailand has endured an active separatist movement in the South for decades. As recently as the 17th century, the province of Pattani was a separate kingdom with its own rich history. In 1902 it was formally annexed to Thailand (then known as Siam). Due to its previous independence, many people in Pattani still argue for a separate state. Is this the main reason for the recent violence or are there other factors percolating under the surface? Whatever the case, the Thai government has done nothing to effectively stifle the unrest.
Naturally, Thailand’s media are up in arms about the possibility of news coverage being censored. One highly-regarded figure is also skeptical of the government’s plan. “Authorities have worked inefficiently,” says former PM Anand Panyarachun. “They arrested innocent people instead of the real culprits, leading to mistrust among locals. So, giving the government broader power could lead to increased violence and eventually a real crisis.”
That’s what I fear also. The Thai government is fanning some very dangerous flames.
Why the sudden need for such over-the-top actions in Thailand? Last week there was a coordinated series of bombings in the southern city of Yala. This prompted Thaksin to ask his cabinet for the “absolute power” to “stamp out unrest” in the region. And the region certainly is a mess. The Yala attacks are the latest in a spiraling wave of insurgency that has occurred in Thailand’s Deep South since early last year. Most incidents have occurred in the three southern, mostly Muslim provinces, that border Malaysia. This region has been the scene of almost daily disturbances, ranging from shootings and bombings to beheadings and arson. Police officers, government officials, school teachers and even Buddhist Monks have been victims of the attacks. The violence in the past 18 months is unprecedented; over 800 people have died.
Thailand has endured an active separatist movement in the South for decades. As recently as the 17th century, the province of Pattani was a separate kingdom with its own rich history. In 1902 it was formally annexed to Thailand (then known as Siam). Due to its previous independence, many people in Pattani still argue for a separate state. Is this the main reason for the recent violence or are there other factors percolating under the surface? Whatever the case, the Thai government has done nothing to effectively stifle the unrest.
Naturally, Thailand’s media are up in arms about the possibility of news coverage being censored. One highly-regarded figure is also skeptical of the government’s plan. “Authorities have worked inefficiently,” says former PM Anand Panyarachun. “They arrested innocent people instead of the real culprits, leading to mistrust among locals. So, giving the government broader power could lead to increased violence and eventually a real crisis.”
That’s what I fear also. The Thai government is fanning some very dangerous flames.
7.18.2005
Missing In Action
I said it before but I apologize for being so neglectful of Wild Sects. I can't thank Bangkok Bertha enough for the excellent posts in my absence of mind.
This move has been taking all of my energies. I lived in my old house for 7 years. It's amazing the crap one family can accumulate when given the space to store it. We finally started sleeping in the new house last Friday. We still have much to do in the old house including, but not limited to, emptying the basement and attic, sorting through the tons of garage sale items, repairing drywall in a bedroom ceiling which incudes installing a sheet and a half of drywall, mudding the whole ceiling, sanding and then painting the whole room. Then there's the yard.
I have 2 weeks to complete all this while dealing with a 2 week deadline on a large project at work. Needless to say I'm swamped. Please have faith that I'll be back at the keyboard just as soon as I regain my sanity.
This move has been taking all of my energies. I lived in my old house for 7 years. It's amazing the crap one family can accumulate when given the space to store it. We finally started sleeping in the new house last Friday. We still have much to do in the old house including, but not limited to, emptying the basement and attic, sorting through the tons of garage sale items, repairing drywall in a bedroom ceiling which incudes installing a sheet and a half of drywall, mudding the whole ceiling, sanding and then painting the whole room. Then there's the yard.
I have 2 weeks to complete all this while dealing with a 2 week deadline on a large project at work. Needless to say I'm swamped. Please have faith that I'll be back at the keyboard just as soon as I regain my sanity.
7.17.2005
Comedy Central
That George W. Bush sure is a funny fellow. There are few standup comics working these days that can rival him for pure zaniness and unpredictability. I was reading a Reuters article in the Bangkok Post today and this is what Dubya had to say about his mystery choice for the Supreme Court vacancy:
"My nominee will be a fair-minded individual who represents the mainstream of American law and American values. The nominee will meet the highest standards of intellect, character and ability."
Unlike you, eh, George?
"My nominee will be a fair-minded individual who represents the mainstream of American law and American values. The nominee will meet the highest standards of intellect, character and ability."
Unlike you, eh, George?
7.13.2005
7.12.2005
Jules Shear by request
Hank posted a cool comment about Jules and Wild Sects and wanted to hear You Just Don't Wanna Know (4.0mb) from Got No Breeding. Always happy to oblige another Jules fan.
Just in case Hank didn't get a chance to hear the unreleased Jules song, Bad Connection, that his manager sent me, here it is.
Enjoy!
Commentary Today
I just found a web site that gives commentary from both the sane side and the religious right wing nutjob fanatical neocon side. It's called Commentary Today. Enjoy!
7.09.2005
WHEW!
Sorry to be so neglecting of Wild Sects but it's been a busy week!
First there was the Dodd family reunion here in Atlanta. Relatives came from Ohio, Missouri, West Virginia and Florida. It was a blast. Got to get reacquainted with cousins I hadn't seen in 35 years and even met one I had never met before. It was a great time. Needless to say there was several instances of various forms of inebriation. Especially with a cousin from Ohio who I grew up with and have seen every couple of years since then. He ended up staying all week.
Second there was the fact that I finally found a home suitable for my immediate family to move into. Just signed the papers yesterday. We'll be moving throughout the next week so once again blogging will be sporadic at best. Thanks to Bangkok Bertha for the great School Daze post. At least SOMEBODY is doing their job :-)
First there was the Dodd family reunion here in Atlanta. Relatives came from Ohio, Missouri, West Virginia and Florida. It was a blast. Got to get reacquainted with cousins I hadn't seen in 35 years and even met one I had never met before. It was a great time. Needless to say there was several instances of various forms of inebriation. Especially with a cousin from Ohio who I grew up with and have seen every couple of years since then. He ended up staying all week.
Second there was the fact that I finally found a home suitable for my immediate family to move into. Just signed the papers yesterday. We'll be moving throughout the next week so once again blogging will be sporadic at best. Thanks to Bangkok Bertha for the great School Daze post. At least SOMEBODY is doing their job :-)
7.07.2005
School Daze
The e-mail from my friend Stan in Orlando was short and succinct: "I found a copy of the Eagle Eye on the bus this week. Would you like me to send it to you?" I e-mailed back and told Stan to send it to me ASAP. I hadn't seen an Eagle Eyein years and was eager to see one again. And just what is an Eagle Eye? You'd be forgiven if you thought it was yet another government "intelligence" agency. It's actually the student newspaper at Orlando's Edgewater High School, my old alma mater. When I said that I hadn't seen a copy of the Eagle Eye in years, I was not being totally accurate. I was a staff writer for the paper back in 1976 and 1977, which - if my rusty math skills are correct - is about a three-decade span of time. Ouch! Age ain't nothin' but a number, right?
Stan mailed the newspaper to me promptly but since he lives in Orlando and I live in Bangkok it took ten days to reach me. Once I had the coveted newspaper in my hands, I read it from cover to cover. Perusing the Eagle Eyebrought back a flood of high school newspaper memories. I remembered all those afternoons in journalism class, writing articles for the paper. I was in the sports department, writing up roundups of football and basketball games, and anything else that fell into the category of a competitive event (bowling, talent shows, you name it!). Being a music freak, I also got to write album reviews, critiquing the latest records (remember those black vinyl beauties?) by artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Bad Company, and Led Zeppelin.
These days, it's safe to say, the song does not remain the same. Music changes and so do people. And that's the beauty of time; things change and we keep learning from new experiences. Reading the 2005 version of the Eagle Eyegave me valuable insight into the mindset of the digital generation youth. After living in Thailand for nearly a decade, it's safe to say that I'm more than a little out of touch with the typical American teenager. What are their dreams, hopes and fears? I found some of the answers in the newspaper I was reading. The copy of the Eagle Eye that Stan sent me was dubbed the "Senior Issue" and contained several pages of "reflections" by graduating staff members. One writer, Hanif Ali, described his high school experience as "a field of bewilderment riddled with landmines of sentiment, convoluted and altered by my naivety." That was good for a chuckle. But his closing line was what really caught my eye: "I find myself breathing in a new independence, and it's refreshing." It sounds like this kid might have a bright future in journalism.
Amidst the plethora of senior year remembrances, I was also pleased to see some good examples of editorial writing. In this day and age where so much of the American media appear to be nothing more than government mouthpieces, it's refreshing to see some intelligent dissent being written. Apparently not all of the young Eagle Eye staff writers are swallowing the propaganda the current government is spewing out. Some are challenging what they've been told, and writing honestly about what's on their mind. And that's something that I find very refreshing.
Stan mailed the newspaper to me promptly but since he lives in Orlando and I live in Bangkok it took ten days to reach me. Once I had the coveted newspaper in my hands, I read it from cover to cover. Perusing the Eagle Eyebrought back a flood of high school newspaper memories. I remembered all those afternoons in journalism class, writing articles for the paper. I was in the sports department, writing up roundups of football and basketball games, and anything else that fell into the category of a competitive event (bowling, talent shows, you name it!). Being a music freak, I also got to write album reviews, critiquing the latest records (remember those black vinyl beauties?) by artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Bad Company, and Led Zeppelin.
These days, it's safe to say, the song does not remain the same. Music changes and so do people. And that's the beauty of time; things change and we keep learning from new experiences. Reading the 2005 version of the Eagle Eyegave me valuable insight into the mindset of the digital generation youth. After living in Thailand for nearly a decade, it's safe to say that I'm more than a little out of touch with the typical American teenager. What are their dreams, hopes and fears? I found some of the answers in the newspaper I was reading. The copy of the Eagle Eye that Stan sent me was dubbed the "Senior Issue" and contained several pages of "reflections" by graduating staff members. One writer, Hanif Ali, described his high school experience as "a field of bewilderment riddled with landmines of sentiment, convoluted and altered by my naivety." That was good for a chuckle. But his closing line was what really caught my eye: "I find myself breathing in a new independence, and it's refreshing." It sounds like this kid might have a bright future in journalism.
Amidst the plethora of senior year remembrances, I was also pleased to see some good examples of editorial writing. In this day and age where so much of the American media appear to be nothing more than government mouthpieces, it's refreshing to see some intelligent dissent being written. Apparently not all of the young Eagle Eye staff writers are swallowing the propaganda the current government is spewing out. Some are challenging what they've been told, and writing honestly about what's on their mind. And that's something that I find very refreshing.
6.30.2005
Asshat of the week
Cory Bray, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business
By the time I encountered Cory Bray, a towering senior from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, the beer was flowing freely. "The people opposed to the war aren't putting their asses on the line," Bray boomed from beside the bar. Then why isn't he putting his ass on the line? "I'm not putting my ass on the line because I had the opportunity to go to the number-one business school in the country," he declared, his voice rising in defensive anger, "and I wasn't going to pass that up."Yeah I suppose making an ass of yourself and supporting Dubya is shit.
And besides, being a College Republican is so much more fun than counterinsurgency warfare. Bray recounted the pride he and his buddies had felt walking through the center of campus last fall waving a giant American flag, wearing cowboy boots and hats with the letters B-U-S-H painted on their bare chests. "We're the big guys," he said. "We're the ones who stand up for what we believe in. The College Democrats just sit around talking about how much they hate Bush. We actually do shit."
Is it just me or is this nuckin' futs?
The DeLand (FL) City Council voted against the use of touch screen Diebold vote stealing machines. Now they face lawsuits declaring the county in violation of the law. It stems from the fact that the only devices currently certified in Florida to meet the accessibility requirements of the disabled are touch screens Diebold vote stealing machines.
If the lawsuit is successful, it will be almost impossible for local governments to stop the invasion oftouch screens Diebold vote stealing machines. Well, there goes the Democracy.
Read more via The Orlando Sentinel
If the lawsuit is successful, it will be almost impossible for local governments to stop the invasion of
Read more via The Orlando Sentinel
Luckovich 06/30/2005
This is the first image hosted by my new wildsects.com domain. I haven't created an actual web site yet but I will eventually.
Sporadic blogging
I won't be posting very much over the next several days. I'm getting very busy at work and I'm helping to organize a family reunion. I'll try and keep abreast of current events and post when I can. It'll mostly just be passing on things of interest (so what's new, eh?).
The Vent from the AJC
Thursday
I told you America was influencing the Middle East. Now Iran has a religious bigot know-nothing for its president too.
I have something good to say about George Bush: He helped me to appreciate what a great country this was.
The Chinese bid to take over an American oil company is just the first chapter of the corporate sellout of our nation in the interest of profits.
This Fourth of July, I am going to celebrate freedom from an oppressive government and smoke a banned substance: a Cuban cigar.
Anybody else find it kind of strange that the same crowd that wants to display the Ten Commandments also wants to change to Constitution to elevate flag worship to the point of idolatry?
This liberal was a Marine during Vietnam. I'll vent about anything I like, chicken hawk!
Conservatives should not be allowed to vent about Vietnam. They should only mention college, where they fled.
Yippee! Now we can put a monument of the Quran in front of our courthouse!
I guess you have to be a raving lunatic to get a vent printed. OK, here goes: George W. Bush is America's greatest president.
So now that America is losing faith in the mission in Iraq, can we please have our money back?
I guess if you say it enough people will think it’s the truth,.i.e, Bush linking the current war in Iraq to the tragedy on September 11.
Will all the young Republicans who voted for the “war President” please go enlist?
I told you America was influencing the Middle East. Now Iran has a religious bigot know-nothing for its president too.
I have something good to say about George Bush: He helped me to appreciate what a great country this was.
The Chinese bid to take over an American oil company is just the first chapter of the corporate sellout of our nation in the interest of profits.
This Fourth of July, I am going to celebrate freedom from an oppressive government and smoke a banned substance: a Cuban cigar.
Anybody else find it kind of strange that the same crowd that wants to display the Ten Commandments also wants to change to Constitution to elevate flag worship to the point of idolatry?
This liberal was a Marine during Vietnam. I'll vent about anything I like, chicken hawk!
Conservatives should not be allowed to vent about Vietnam. They should only mention college, where they fled.
Yippee! Now we can put a monument of the Quran in front of our courthouse!
I guess you have to be a raving lunatic to get a vent printed. OK, here goes: George W. Bush is America's greatest president.
So now that America is losing faith in the mission in Iraq, can we please have our money back?
I guess if you say it enough people will think it’s the truth,.i.e, Bush linking the current war in Iraq to the tragedy on September 11.
Will all the young Republicans who voted for the “war President” please go enlist?
6.28.2005
REQUIRED READING
Guest Viewpoint: The party's over for betrayed Republican
By James Chaney
As of today, after 25 years, I am no longer a Republican.
I take this step with deep regret, and with a deep sense of betrayal.
I still believe in the vast power of markets to inspire ideas, motivate solutions and eliminate waste. I still believe in international vigilance and a strong defense, because this world will always be home to people who will avidly seek to take or destroy what we have built as a nation. I still believe in the protection of individuals and businesses from the influence and expense of an over-involved government. I still believe in the hand-in-hand concepts of separation of church and state and absolute freedom to worship, in the rights of the states to govern themselves without undo federal interference, and in the host of other things that defined me as a Republican.
My problem is this: I believe in principles and ideals which my party has systematically discarded in the last 10 years.
My Republican Party was the party of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Barry Goldwater, and George H.W. Bush. It was a party of honesty and accountability. It was a party of tolerance, and practicality and honor. It was a party that faced facts and dealt with reality, and that crafted common-sense solutions to problems based on the facts as they were, not as we wished them to be, or even worse, as we made them up. It was a party that told the truth, even when the truth came hard. And now, it is none of those things.
Fifty years from now, the Republican Party of this era will be judged by how we provided for the nation's future on three core issues: how we led the world on the environment, how we minded the business of running our country in such a way that we didn't go bankrupt, and whether we gracefully accepted our place on the world's stage as its only superpower. Sadly, we have built the foundation for dismal failure on all three counts. And we've done it in such a way that we shouldn't be surprised if neither the American people nor the world ever trusts us again.
My party has repeatedly ignored, discarded and even invented science to suit its needs, most spectacularly as to global warming. We have an opportunity and the responsibility to lead the world on this issue, but instead we've chosen greed, shortsightedness and deliberate ignorance.
We have mortgaged the country's fiscal future in a way that no Democratic Congress or administration ever did, and to justify the tax cuts that brought us here, we've simply changed the rules. I matured as a Republican believing that uncontrolled deficit spending is harmful and irresponsible; I still do. But the party has yet to explain to me why it's a good thing now, other than to say "... because we say so."
Our greatest failure, though, has been in our role as superpower. This world needs justice, democracy and compassion, and as the keystone of those things, it needs one thing above all else: truth.
Republican decisions made in 2002 and 2003 have killed almost 2,000 of the most capable patriots our country has to offer - volunteers, every one. Support for those decisions was gathered through what appeared at the time to be spin and marketing, but which now turns out to have been deliberate planning and falsehood. The Blair government's internal documentation only confirms what has been suspected for years: Americans are dying every day for Republican lies first crafted in 2002, expanded and embellished upon in 2003, and which continue to this day. This calculated deception is now burned into the legacy of the party, every bit as much as Reagan's triumph in the Cold War, or Nixon's disgrace over Watergate.
I could go on and on - about how we have compromised our international integrity by sanctioning torture, about how we are systematically dismantling the civil liberties that it took us two centuries to define and preserve, and about how we have substituted bullying, brinksmanship and "staying on message" for real political discourse - but those three issues are enough.
We're poisoning our planet through gluttony and ignorance.
We're teetering on the brink of self-inflicted insolvency.
We're selfishly and needlessly sacrificing the best of a generation.
And we're lying about it.
While it has compiled this record of failure and deception, the party which I'm leaving today has spent its time, energy and political capital trying to save Terri Schiavo, battling the threat of single-sex unions, fighting medical marijuana and physician-assisted suicide, manufacturing political crises over presidential nominees, and selling privatized Social Security to an America that isn't buying. We fiddle while Rome burns.
Enough is enough. I quit.
From The Register-Guard - Eugene, OR
By James Chaney
As of today, after 25 years, I am no longer a Republican.
I take this step with deep regret, and with a deep sense of betrayal.
I still believe in the vast power of markets to inspire ideas, motivate solutions and eliminate waste. I still believe in international vigilance and a strong defense, because this world will always be home to people who will avidly seek to take or destroy what we have built as a nation. I still believe in the protection of individuals and businesses from the influence and expense of an over-involved government. I still believe in the hand-in-hand concepts of separation of church and state and absolute freedom to worship, in the rights of the states to govern themselves without undo federal interference, and in the host of other things that defined me as a Republican.
My problem is this: I believe in principles and ideals which my party has systematically discarded in the last 10 years.
My Republican Party was the party of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Barry Goldwater, and George H.W. Bush. It was a party of honesty and accountability. It was a party of tolerance, and practicality and honor. It was a party that faced facts and dealt with reality, and that crafted common-sense solutions to problems based on the facts as they were, not as we wished them to be, or even worse, as we made them up. It was a party that told the truth, even when the truth came hard. And now, it is none of those things.
Fifty years from now, the Republican Party of this era will be judged by how we provided for the nation's future on three core issues: how we led the world on the environment, how we minded the business of running our country in such a way that we didn't go bankrupt, and whether we gracefully accepted our place on the world's stage as its only superpower. Sadly, we have built the foundation for dismal failure on all three counts. And we've done it in such a way that we shouldn't be surprised if neither the American people nor the world ever trusts us again.
My party has repeatedly ignored, discarded and even invented science to suit its needs, most spectacularly as to global warming. We have an opportunity and the responsibility to lead the world on this issue, but instead we've chosen greed, shortsightedness and deliberate ignorance.
We have mortgaged the country's fiscal future in a way that no Democratic Congress or administration ever did, and to justify the tax cuts that brought us here, we've simply changed the rules. I matured as a Republican believing that uncontrolled deficit spending is harmful and irresponsible; I still do. But the party has yet to explain to me why it's a good thing now, other than to say "... because we say so."
Our greatest failure, though, has been in our role as superpower. This world needs justice, democracy and compassion, and as the keystone of those things, it needs one thing above all else: truth.
Republican decisions made in 2002 and 2003 have killed almost 2,000 of the most capable patriots our country has to offer - volunteers, every one. Support for those decisions was gathered through what appeared at the time to be spin and marketing, but which now turns out to have been deliberate planning and falsehood. The Blair government's internal documentation only confirms what has been suspected for years: Americans are dying every day for Republican lies first crafted in 2002, expanded and embellished upon in 2003, and which continue to this day. This calculated deception is now burned into the legacy of the party, every bit as much as Reagan's triumph in the Cold War, or Nixon's disgrace over Watergate.
I could go on and on - about how we have compromised our international integrity by sanctioning torture, about how we are systematically dismantling the civil liberties that it took us two centuries to define and preserve, and about how we have substituted bullying, brinksmanship and "staying on message" for real political discourse - but those three issues are enough.
We're poisoning our planet through gluttony and ignorance.
We're teetering on the brink of self-inflicted insolvency.
We're selfishly and needlessly sacrificing the best of a generation.
And we're lying about it.
While it has compiled this record of failure and deception, the party which I'm leaving today has spent its time, energy and political capital trying to save Terri Schiavo, battling the threat of single-sex unions, fighting medical marijuana and physician-assisted suicide, manufacturing political crises over presidential nominees, and selling privatized Social Security to an America that isn't buying. We fiddle while Rome burns.
Enough is enough. I quit.
From The Register-Guard - Eugene, OR
Dubya sez... Part Deux
THEN: Concerning Kosovo.
"Victory means exit strategy, and it’s important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is.”
-George W. Bush, 4/9/99
“I think it’s also important for the president to lay out a timetable as to how long they will be involved and when they will be withdrawn.”
-George W. Bush, 6/3/99
NOW: Concerning Iraq.
“It doesn’t make any sense to have a timetable. You know, if you give a timetable, you’re — you’re conceding too much to the enemy.”
-George W. Bush, 6/24/05
Dubya sez...
"You see, not only did the attacks help accelerate a recession, the attacks reminded us that we are at war."
—George W. Bush, on the Sept. 11 attacks, Washington, D.C., June 8, 2005
Quote of the day
A quote that Howard Dean seems to be following very closely.
"You don't have to give the Republicans Hell. All You have to do is tell the truth, and they'll think that it's Hell."
-Harry Truman
"You don't have to give the Republicans Hell. All You have to do is tell the truth, and they'll think that it's Hell."
-Harry Truman
Rumsfeld once criticized the Johnson administration for not coming clean about Vietnam
Do his statements from the 60s sound familiar to you? They should. That's what most of us are saying now about Iraq.
Via Think Progress During Vietnam, Rumsfeld Criticized Administration For “Credibility Gap”
Via Think Progress During Vietnam, Rumsfeld Criticized Administration For “Credibility Gap”
U.S. headed for disaster when efforts in Iraq collapse
Red flags flapping sharply in the wind signal our country is on the verge of a major political - and economic - setback.
We may now be only weeks away from a complete collapse of the Iraqi army and the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq in the face of overwhelming public pressure on Tony Blair.
That is a realistic projection based on the reports of two Washington Post reporters, whose dispatches from inside Iraqi Army units and U.S. units assigned to train and work with the Iraqi military have just been published.
What the Post reporters found was massive disenchantment on both sides: American forces bitterly disappointed with the Iraqi government forces, and Iraqi troops harboring similar feelings toward their American counterparts. Only a small percentage of all Iraqi troops are now estimated to be adequately trained to take over the defense of their country. Desertions are widespread.
More than 1,700 American men and women sent to Iraq have returned home in body bags thus far, and more than 7,000 have been critically wounded. War dead in total exceeds 25,000, including "collateral casualties." And the price tag for our military operations tops $200 billion - and counting.
Read on...
We may now be only weeks away from a complete collapse of the Iraqi army and the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq in the face of overwhelming public pressure on Tony Blair.
That is a realistic projection based on the reports of two Washington Post reporters, whose dispatches from inside Iraqi Army units and U.S. units assigned to train and work with the Iraqi military have just been published.
What the Post reporters found was massive disenchantment on both sides: American forces bitterly disappointed with the Iraqi government forces, and Iraqi troops harboring similar feelings toward their American counterparts. Only a small percentage of all Iraqi troops are now estimated to be adequately trained to take over the defense of their country. Desertions are widespread.
More than 1,700 American men and women sent to Iraq have returned home in body bags thus far, and more than 7,000 have been critically wounded. War dead in total exceeds 25,000, including "collateral casualties." And the price tag for our military operations tops $200 billion - and counting.
Read on...
Frist joins his buddy DeLay in Sleazeland
Yesterday, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and his 2000 Senate campaign committee, Frist 2000, Inc.
They allege that the Frist 2000, Inc. failed to disclose a $1.44 million loan taken out jointly by Frist 2000, Inc. and by Frist’s 1994 campaign committee, Bill Frist for Senate, Inc., making it appear that Frist 2000, Inc. had a lot more money that it actually had.
In June 2000, Frist took $1 million of the money that had been contributed to his 2000 Senate campaign and invested it in the stock market, where it promptly began losing money. Isn't he all for private accounts for our Social Security? But I digress. In November 2000, Frist tried to collect $1.2 million he had lent his 1994 Senate campaign committee. But as a result of the stock market losses, Frist 2000, Inc. did not have enough money to repay the loan. Frist solved this problem by having the 1994 and the 2000 campaign committees jointly take out a $1.44 million bank loan at a cost of $10,000 a month interest. Frist 2000, Inc. did not report this debt on its FEC disclosure forms.
I really hope this gets all the attention it deserves.
They allege that the Frist 2000, Inc. failed to disclose a $1.44 million loan taken out jointly by Frist 2000, Inc. and by Frist’s 1994 campaign committee, Bill Frist for Senate, Inc., making it appear that Frist 2000, Inc. had a lot more money that it actually had.
In June 2000, Frist took $1 million of the money that had been contributed to his 2000 Senate campaign and invested it in the stock market, where it promptly began losing money. Isn't he all for private accounts for our Social Security? But I digress. In November 2000, Frist tried to collect $1.2 million he had lent his 1994 Senate campaign committee. But as a result of the stock market losses, Frist 2000, Inc. did not have enough money to repay the loan. Frist solved this problem by having the 1994 and the 2000 campaign committees jointly take out a $1.44 million bank loan at a cost of $10,000 a month interest. Frist 2000, Inc. did not report this debt on its FEC disclosure forms.
I really hope this gets all the attention it deserves.
6.27.2005
We have a bunch of children running the country
I don't know how credible this is. I got it from Drudge. We all know of his painstaking efforts to verify each and every story before posting them. But doesn't this sound like a bunch of immature morons to you? Some Republicans are talking about retaliating against ALL of baseball because someone who makes them feel bad might buy himself a team. I can't wait until the Republicans start nominating adults for public office again.
Despite the Washington Nationals' successful start to the season, to some Capitol Hill Republicans there is a dark cloud on the Nats' horizon: the potential that their newly adopted home team could be purchased by billionaire financier George Soros!
Soros has joined an ownership bid being led by entrepreneur Jonathan Ledecky that is angling to take over the Nats, who are currently owned by Major League Baseball.
ROLL CALL reports: Soros pumped more than $20 million in the last cycle into groups seeking to unseat President Bush and elect Democrats and relates that the very prospect that Soros could have a stake in the team is enough to irritate Congressional Republicans.
"I think Major League Baseball understands the stakes," said Government Reform Chairman Tom Davis (R), who recently convened high-profile steroid hearings.
Davis said that if a Soros sale went through, "I don't think it's the Nats that get hurt. I think it's Major League Baseball that gets hurt.
They enjoy all sorts of exemptions' from anti-trust laws. Rep. John Sweeney (R-N.Y.), vice chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that covers the District of Columbia budget, said if Soros buys the team and seeks public funding for a new stadium or anything else, the GOP attitude would be, "Let him pay for it."
6.26.2005
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