She was one of the first African women to attain international acclaim as a model and wrote a book, "Katoucha, In My Flesh, published last year about her own experience with the ritual at the age of 9. So far foul play is not suspected in her death.
From CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/29/katoucha.dead.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Friday, February 29, 2008
South Africa Sanctions Elephant Slaughter
Even baby ones...
From CNN.com:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/02/29/elephant.killing/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
From CNN.com:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/02/29/elephant.killing/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Tens of Thousands in Palestine Protest Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza
From the "Voice of America News" (I wish tens of thousands of Americans had protested the initial 'election' of Bush, maybe our condition wouldn't be in the condition it's in if we had.)
But, back to Gaza:
"Tens of thousands of Palestinians rallied in the Gaza Strip Friday to denounce Israel's deadly airstrikes this week, as a senior Israeli official threatened a widescale invasion to stop rocket fire from the territoryAlso today, Israel's deputy defense minister told Israeli radio the Jewish state has no choice, but to launch a widescale military operation in Gaza. He said Israel will use all of its power to defend itself.
"He said the more Palestinians intensify rocket fire and extend the reach of the rockets, the bigger the "shoah" they will bring upon themselves.
"Shoah" is the Hebrew word for holocaust or disaster. An Israeli spokesman says the deputy defense minister used the word to denote a disaster, not as a reference to the Holocaust."
Oh brother...
The whole story: http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-29-voa74.cfm
But, back to Gaza:
"Tens of thousands of Palestinians rallied in the Gaza Strip Friday to denounce Israel's deadly airstrikes this week, as a senior Israeli official threatened a widescale invasion to stop rocket fire from the territoryAlso today, Israel's deputy defense minister told Israeli radio the Jewish state has no choice, but to launch a widescale military operation in Gaza. He said Israel will use all of its power to defend itself.
"He said the more Palestinians intensify rocket fire and extend the reach of the rockets, the bigger the "shoah" they will bring upon themselves.
"Shoah" is the Hebrew word for holocaust or disaster. An Israeli spokesman says the deputy defense minister used the word to denote a disaster, not as a reference to the Holocaust."
Oh brother...
The whole story: http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-29-voa74.cfm
About Prince Harry
I'm sure it's no new news to y'all that he was in Afghanistan and the press was told to keep a lid on it, someone leaked and now he's been pulled out. Why can't the Royal Family be left alone about private matters?
I mean, seriously, it really did endanger him for everyone to know he was there - and it's impressive to say the least that he was, (recall the movie here in America where the guy goes around asking Congressmen or Senators or both about sending their children to Iraq and no one will discuss it...). Someone actually stands up, albiet for a war I think we're about 10,000 days late and God knows how many dollars short for, and a leader of the country, (or potential leader), fights right there with the rest of the people as a leader should and what happens - people exploit it.
I could exploit a lot of things I've run across in music journalism and political journalism but I have this little thing called Ethics that is apparantly a problem. Sad world when that's the case.
Fellow journalists I'm very dissappointed in you. Behaving that way is not freedom of the press, it is explotation of the noble.
And now of course the "Times" reports the aftermath: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3463459.ece death threats, peril, all kinds of jolly stuff that could have been easily avoided.
I mean, seriously, it really did endanger him for everyone to know he was there - and it's impressive to say the least that he was, (recall the movie here in America where the guy goes around asking Congressmen or Senators or both about sending their children to Iraq and no one will discuss it...). Someone actually stands up, albiet for a war I think we're about 10,000 days late and God knows how many dollars short for, and a leader of the country, (or potential leader), fights right there with the rest of the people as a leader should and what happens - people exploit it.
I could exploit a lot of things I've run across in music journalism and political journalism but I have this little thing called Ethics that is apparantly a problem. Sad world when that's the case.
Fellow journalists I'm very dissappointed in you. Behaving that way is not freedom of the press, it is explotation of the noble.
And now of course the "Times" reports the aftermath: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3463459.ece death threats, peril, all kinds of jolly stuff that could have been easily avoided.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Over 1 In 100 Adults in the US Behind Bars
Now that is sure to do a great deal to improve the country - what is the deal here? From the "Herald Tribune":
"Germany imprisons 93 out of every 100,000 people, according to the International Center for Prison Studies at King's College in London. The comparable number for the United States is roughly eight times that, or 750 out of 100,000.
"Urahn said the nation could not afford the incarceration rate documented in the report...
"It cost an average of $23,876 dollars to imprison someone in 2005, the most recent year for which data were available. But state spending varies widely, from $45,000 a year in Rhode Island to $13,000 in Louisiana."
I mean hell, why not just give people at risk for committing non-violent crimes due to poverty that much a year and solve the problem in a more constructive way?
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/29/america/29prison.php
"Germany imprisons 93 out of every 100,000 people, according to the International Center for Prison Studies at King's College in London. The comparable number for the United States is roughly eight times that, or 750 out of 100,000.
"Urahn said the nation could not afford the incarceration rate documented in the report...
"It cost an average of $23,876 dollars to imprison someone in 2005, the most recent year for which data were available. But state spending varies widely, from $45,000 a year in Rhode Island to $13,000 in Louisiana."
I mean hell, why not just give people at risk for committing non-violent crimes due to poverty that much a year and solve the problem in a more constructive way?
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/29/america/29prison.php
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Mc-Insane and Obama - Obamas' Iraqisms
Here's what Obama says about the War:
"McCain questioned whether Obama was aware of the al Qaeda base." Obama's response was: "There was no such thing as al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq."
From CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/27/mccain.obama.iraq/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Watch Obama's speech: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/27/mccain.obama.iraq/index.html?iref=mpstoryview#cnnSTCVideo
"You've gotta stand for somethin' or you'll fall for anything" - Aaron Tippin, or someone else did it... point is...
"McCain questioned whether Obama was aware of the al Qaeda base." Obama's response was: "There was no such thing as al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq."
From CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/27/mccain.obama.iraq/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Watch Obama's speech: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/27/mccain.obama.iraq/index.html?iref=mpstoryview#cnnSTCVideo
"You've gotta stand for somethin' or you'll fall for anything" - Aaron Tippin, or someone else did it... point is...
Supreme Court Evaluates Punitive Damages In Exxon Case
From Bloomberg.com:
"Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Supreme Court justices questioned the $2.5 billion punitive damage award assessed against Exxon Mobil Corp. for the 1989 Valdez oil spill, the largest in American history"
So, basicially, what's up with this as far as I see it is that the people of Alaska, (even a Republican Gov. is opposing this), are completely being shafted for all they lost when a drunken boat driver, (and yep, they knew he was drunk), accidentally created a massive disaster, environmentally and economically) -- no punitive damages for corporations, the powers that be shout. Ok... so no punitive damages for citizens either. I mean, all those people in Alaska, who are desperately suffering financially over the oil spill and have not yet received appropriate compensation, or what compensation = what Exxon makes in 2 or 3 weeks, they still have to pay punitive damages if they get in trouble right? How about immunity all across the board?
This is what disturbs me folks, the Supreme Court, rigged by Herr Bush, is using this to change the punitive damages law for all of us. This is not good. This case could set major precident. That means that corporations can send drunk drivers on oil rigs and ruin entire parts of the world and pay nothing, yet if we drive drunk, we can't drive to work to pay the damages and then go to jail.
That's what's up guys. This is why one must watch the Supreme Court above all. This is also perhaps why when first asked, early on, if he wanted to run for President Obama said he'd be happy with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ajFkglZna8uo&refer=news
"Feb. 27 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Supreme Court justices questioned the $2.5 billion punitive damage award assessed against Exxon Mobil Corp. for the 1989 Valdez oil spill, the largest in American history"
So, basicially, what's up with this as far as I see it is that the people of Alaska, (even a Republican Gov. is opposing this), are completely being shafted for all they lost when a drunken boat driver, (and yep, they knew he was drunk), accidentally created a massive disaster, environmentally and economically) -- no punitive damages for corporations, the powers that be shout. Ok... so no punitive damages for citizens either. I mean, all those people in Alaska, who are desperately suffering financially over the oil spill and have not yet received appropriate compensation, or what compensation = what Exxon makes in 2 or 3 weeks, they still have to pay punitive damages if they get in trouble right? How about immunity all across the board?
This is what disturbs me folks, the Supreme Court, rigged by Herr Bush, is using this to change the punitive damages law for all of us. This is not good. This case could set major precident. That means that corporations can send drunk drivers on oil rigs and ruin entire parts of the world and pay nothing, yet if we drive drunk, we can't drive to work to pay the damages and then go to jail.
That's what's up guys. This is why one must watch the Supreme Court above all. This is also perhaps why when first asked, early on, if he wanted to run for President Obama said he'd be happy with the Senate Judiciary Committee.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ajFkglZna8uo&refer=news
White House Dismisses New Castro - Big Surprise
From "Al Jazeera News":
We say it's not a democracy. Hell, we're not a democracy anymore. Look at the Supreme Court, the Patriot Act, "stop hey what's that sound everybody look what's goin' down."
This crap is making me start to want to make speaches and rouse the rabble. I think there needs to be a major march on Washington to ensure a fair election this time. Of course, everyone who participated would probably dissappear.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D3F87370-D368-4326-BA78-05F0D8F28BC8.htm
We say it's not a democracy. Hell, we're not a democracy anymore. Look at the Supreme Court, the Patriot Act, "stop hey what's that sound everybody look what's goin' down."
This crap is making me start to want to make speaches and rouse the rabble. I think there needs to be a major march on Washington to ensure a fair election this time. Of course, everyone who participated would probably dissappear.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D3F87370-D368-4326-BA78-05F0D8F28BC8.htm
Meanwhile, Guatamala, China Open Records to Reveal Human Rights Abuses
From "Al Jazeera English News":
"The Guatemalan president has ordered the release of military archives from the country's brutal civil war in a bid to shed light on human rights abuses during the period.
"Alvaro Colom ordered the release on Monday during ceremonies held to mark the conflict, which left around 200,000 people dead or "disappeared" from 1960 to 1996.
"We are going to make public all military archives ... so the truth can be known, and so that once and for all we can build on truth and justice," Colom said.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A68469B7-B588-4023-A136-CE2E69175A5D.htm
and in China:
"China has agreed to grant the US access to its military records which might help resolve the fate of thousands of US soldiers who had gone missing during the Korean War and other Cold War-era conflicts, US defence officials say.
"The deal is expected to be publicly announced on Friday after final talks to work out details, the Pentagon said.
"Washington has been asking China to open up military archives that it believes could help trace more than 8,100 American soldiers who went missing in action (MIA) or were taken as prisoners of war (POW) during the Korean War."
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/C0721E08-2233-42EC-A055-7F7979D73AB8.htm
Lets do that ourselves, why don't we? Oh I know, why don't we be honest about where weapons of mass destruction are/came from/things like that too? Nah...would screw up the grand dictatorship we have in the works. "Party at Ground Zero" folks.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A68469B7-B588-4023-A136-CE2E69175A5D.htm
"The Guatemalan president has ordered the release of military archives from the country's brutal civil war in a bid to shed light on human rights abuses during the period.
"Alvaro Colom ordered the release on Monday during ceremonies held to mark the conflict, which left around 200,000 people dead or "disappeared" from 1960 to 1996.
"We are going to make public all military archives ... so the truth can be known, and so that once and for all we can build on truth and justice," Colom said.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A68469B7-B588-4023-A136-CE2E69175A5D.htm
and in China:
"China has agreed to grant the US access to its military records which might help resolve the fate of thousands of US soldiers who had gone missing during the Korean War and other Cold War-era conflicts, US defence officials say.
"The deal is expected to be publicly announced on Friday after final talks to work out details, the Pentagon said.
"Washington has been asking China to open up military archives that it believes could help trace more than 8,100 American soldiers who went missing in action (MIA) or were taken as prisoners of war (POW) during the Korean War."
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/C0721E08-2233-42EC-A055-7F7979D73AB8.htm
Lets do that ourselves, why don't we? Oh I know, why don't we be honest about where weapons of mass destruction are/came from/things like that too? Nah...would screw up the grand dictatorship we have in the works. "Party at Ground Zero" folks.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A68469B7-B588-4023-A136-CE2E69175A5D.htm
China Says it Will Resume Human Rights Talks Just in Time for the Olympics
How convenient. From the "New York Times":
"China is anxious to prevent critics and activists from linking its human rights record with the Olympic Games.
“The Olympics, which is a great gathering for the Chinese and the people of the world, shouldn’t be politicized or subject to boycott for political reasons,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Liu Jianchao, told a separate news briefing in Beijing on Tuesday. “That’s against the general will of the people of the world.”
Seems like these days, human rights are at least against the general will of the governments of the world. People? Who cares about people? Isn't it the corporations that will live after us, never mind the children and grand-children. I'm sure robots can run them or something.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/world/asia/27china.html?hp
"China is anxious to prevent critics and activists from linking its human rights record with the Olympic Games.
“The Olympics, which is a great gathering for the Chinese and the people of the world, shouldn’t be politicized or subject to boycott for political reasons,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Liu Jianchao, told a separate news briefing in Beijing on Tuesday. “That’s against the general will of the people of the world.”
Seems like these days, human rights are at least against the general will of the governments of the world. People? Who cares about people? Isn't it the corporations that will live after us, never mind the children and grand-children. I'm sure robots can run them or something.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/world/asia/27china.html?hp
US and India at Nuclear Stalemate?
From BBC News:
"US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has repeated American warnings to India that time is running out for an oft-delayed nuclear accord. Objections from the Indian government's communist allies have delayed the deal...
Under the terms of the controversial deal, India would get access to US civilian nuclear technology and fuel...
In return, Delhi would open its civilian nuclear facilities to inspection - its nuclear weapons sites would remain off-limits..."
The motivation here:
"US arms contractors are competing for weapons contracts in India, including a deal to supply 126 multi-role fighter aircraft, worth $10 to $12bn"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7266750.stm
"US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has repeated American warnings to India that time is running out for an oft-delayed nuclear accord. Objections from the Indian government's communist allies have delayed the deal...
Under the terms of the controversial deal, India would get access to US civilian nuclear technology and fuel...
In return, Delhi would open its civilian nuclear facilities to inspection - its nuclear weapons sites would remain off-limits..."
The motivation here:
"US arms contractors are competing for weapons contracts in India, including a deal to supply 126 multi-role fighter aircraft, worth $10 to $12bn"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7266750.stm
Environmental Protesters on Roof of Parliment
From the Hindu News Update Service:
"In an embarrassment to the Labour Government, a group of demonstrators on Wednesday climbed onto the roof of the Houses of Parliament and unfurled banners to protest plans to expand the Heathrow airport...a banner read: 'No Third Runway'. The protest came on the final day of the Government's consultation on expanding Heathrow airport, including to build a third runway.
One of the protesters, Richard George, 27, said: "I stood on the roof of Parliament because the democratic process had been corrupted. The aviation industry had taken full advantage of a weak Prime Minister to get the Heathrow consultation fixed."
This following a Greenpeace effort on Monday when five activists managed climbed on top of a British Airways plane to protest against expanding the airport.
"It does not even consider global warming despite everything Brown has said about the environment and despite the massive impact aviation has on the climate."
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200802272071.htm
"In an embarrassment to the Labour Government, a group of demonstrators on Wednesday climbed onto the roof of the Houses of Parliament and unfurled banners to protest plans to expand the Heathrow airport...a banner read: 'No Third Runway'. The protest came on the final day of the Government's consultation on expanding Heathrow airport, including to build a third runway.
One of the protesters, Richard George, 27, said: "I stood on the roof of Parliament because the democratic process had been corrupted. The aviation industry had taken full advantage of a weak Prime Minister to get the Heathrow consultation fixed."
This following a Greenpeace effort on Monday when five activists managed climbed on top of a British Airways plane to protest against expanding the airport.
"It does not even consider global warming despite everything Brown has said about the environment and despite the massive impact aviation has on the climate."
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200802272071.htm
Lookie lookie a no contest election in Russia
now there's a surprise. I repeate, hope they don't rig ours again. Or if they do, whoever wins won't step out like Gore did. Beware of Clinton, she's cut from the same cloth and might 'bow out gracefully' to Herr Bush herself. Meanwhile, Russia:
From the "Voice of America News":
"Russia's presidential contest stands in sharp contrast to America's hotly-contested presidential primaries...Unlike his American counterparts, Dmitri Medvedev - the candidate of the ruling United Russia Party - did not need to submit his ideas, style and political record to the scrutiny of open competition, in which various party constituencies select their nominee based on discrete interests, be they regional, social, industrial, or financial.
Instead, Medvedev was nominated in private, though the exact procedure is unknown..."
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-27-voa18.cfm
Sounds like that first election Bush won to me. "We are the people are parents warned us about." - Buffett I think
And meanwhile, per the BBC they may support Iran sanctions:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7267327.stm
Sounds just like round 1 with the 'weapons of mass destruction' Powell lie. Maybe it's not a lie. But, I again return you to a little thing called the Iran Contra Hearings. I think we laid the groundwork for all of this long ago. Hey, and with Russia taking the arms race into space, we can even do it on a planet far, far away.
From the "Voice of America News":
"Russia's presidential contest stands in sharp contrast to America's hotly-contested presidential primaries...Unlike his American counterparts, Dmitri Medvedev - the candidate of the ruling United Russia Party - did not need to submit his ideas, style and political record to the scrutiny of open competition, in which various party constituencies select their nominee based on discrete interests, be they regional, social, industrial, or financial.
Instead, Medvedev was nominated in private, though the exact procedure is unknown..."
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-27-voa18.cfm
Sounds like that first election Bush won to me. "We are the people are parents warned us about." - Buffett I think
And meanwhile, per the BBC they may support Iran sanctions:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7267327.stm
Sounds just like round 1 with the 'weapons of mass destruction' Powell lie. Maybe it's not a lie. But, I again return you to a little thing called the Iran Contra Hearings. I think we laid the groundwork for all of this long ago. Hey, and with Russia taking the arms race into space, we can even do it on a planet far, far away.
Kenyan Opposition Suspends Protests
From the "Voice of America News":
"Kenya's opposition party says it is suspending anti-government demonstrations planned for Thursday despite the lack of progress toward resolving the country's ongoing political crisis. The opposition said the postponement was made at the request of former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan who is trying to broker a power sharing deal between the two sides. VOA's Scott Bobb reports from Nairobi."
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-27-voa31.cfm
The post electoral violence has wiped out businesses, jobs, people: http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-26-voa59.cfm
Leaves hundreds of thousands with nowhere to go: http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-21-voa24.cfm
"No direction home...like a complete unknown." B. Dylan
Why aren't we protesting more? The UN is certainly not suggesting we refrain from doing so, that I'm aware of anyway.
"Kenya's opposition party says it is suspending anti-government demonstrations planned for Thursday despite the lack of progress toward resolving the country's ongoing political crisis. The opposition said the postponement was made at the request of former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan who is trying to broker a power sharing deal between the two sides. VOA's Scott Bobb reports from Nairobi."
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-27-voa31.cfm
The post electoral violence has wiped out businesses, jobs, people: http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-26-voa59.cfm
Leaves hundreds of thousands with nowhere to go: http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-21-voa24.cfm
"No direction home...like a complete unknown." B. Dylan
Why aren't we protesting more? The UN is certainly not suggesting we refrain from doing so, that I'm aware of anyway.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Turkey Continues to Invade Northern Iraq
U.S. is opposing their actions. Read on, from Bloomberg.com: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=auN53EhtBr5E&refer=africa
NYPD Blues, Trial Begins for NYC Officers Who Shot Unarmed Man
Heck, if you run them down in France you get a riot squad in your streets a year later. Here there's a trial. He was killed hours before his wedding no less. Read more in the "Washington Post": http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/25/AR2008022501470.html
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young Join Anti-War Soundtrack
From Reuters/Billboard:
NEW YORK (Billboard) - "Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Peal Jam have contributed tunes to the anti-war soundtrack for a documentary about a U.S. soldier paralyzed in Iraq.
"The 30-song, two-disc album "Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran" will be released March 18 via Warner Music's Sire Records label. All proceeds from the sale of the album will benefit Iraq Veterans Against the War."
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2352326720080223
NEW YORK (Billboard) - "Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young and Peal Jam have contributed tunes to the anti-war soundtrack for a documentary about a U.S. soldier paralyzed in Iraq.
"The 30-song, two-disc album "Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran" will be released March 18 via Warner Music's Sire Records label. All proceeds from the sale of the album will benefit Iraq Veterans Against the War."
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2352326720080223
"Don't Fence Me In" Virtual Fence on Mexican Border
Not only does it keep people from coming in, it keeps us from gettng out - ever think of it that way?
From Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2260893820080223
From Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2260893820080223
Oh Wait, We Do Have a Dictator - Wiretapping Season
Just in from Reuters:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - "The Bush administration said on Saturday U.S. telecommunications companies have agreed to cooperate "for the time being" with spy agencies' wiretaps, despite an ongoing battle between the White House and Congress over new terrorism surveillance legislation.
"The Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a joint statement saying wiretaps will resume under the current law "at least for now."
"President George W. Bush has said he would not compromise with the Democratic-led Congress on his demand that phone companies be shielded from lawsuits for taking part in his warrantless domestic spying program.
"The measure passed by the Senate would provide retroactive lawsuit immunity to firms which cooperated with warrantless wiretaps that Bush authorized after the September 11 attacks. But the House of Representatives has opposed it, and Democratic leaders of both chambers said they would try to find a compromise.
"Democratic leaders of congressional intelligence and judiciary committees issued a statement on Friday saying they were committed to passing new legislation and urged Bush to support an extension of the temporary law. Bush has said he would hold out for a permanent overhaul of the 1978 surveillance law."
This is not cool at all. Read the full story: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2229053420080224
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - "The Bush administration said on Saturday U.S. telecommunications companies have agreed to cooperate "for the time being" with spy agencies' wiretaps, despite an ongoing battle between the White House and Congress over new terrorism surveillance legislation.
"The Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a joint statement saying wiretaps will resume under the current law "at least for now."
"President George W. Bush has said he would not compromise with the Democratic-led Congress on his demand that phone companies be shielded from lawsuits for taking part in his warrantless domestic spying program.
"The measure passed by the Senate would provide retroactive lawsuit immunity to firms which cooperated with warrantless wiretaps that Bush authorized after the September 11 attacks. But the House of Representatives has opposed it, and Democratic leaders of both chambers said they would try to find a compromise.
"Democratic leaders of congressional intelligence and judiciary committees issued a statement on Friday saying they were committed to passing new legislation and urged Bush to support an extension of the temporary law. Bush has said he would hold out for a permanent overhaul of the 1978 surveillance law."
This is not cool at all. Read the full story: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2229053420080224
Those "ready to face death" in Iraq promise to defend themselves against Turkish attacks
Iraq's Kurdish Peshmerga, in Kurdish, "those ready to face death",
From Reuters:
"said they would fight Turkish forces if they stay too long.
"So far the Peshmerga forces have stayed on the sidelines of the Turkish military operation, which is taking place in a remote, sparsely populated mountainous region. Kurdish officials regard the area as outside their control.
"We have lost our patience with the Turkish military's shelling of our area," said Peshmerga fighter Rasheed Ghazi, 53. "We will confront them if they push further with their troops or try to our occupy our area."
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSL2444277620080224
From Reuters:
"said they would fight Turkish forces if they stay too long.
"So far the Peshmerga forces have stayed on the sidelines of the Turkish military operation, which is taking place in a remote, sparsely populated mountainous region. Kurdish officials regard the area as outside their control.
"We have lost our patience with the Turkish military's shelling of our area," said Peshmerga fighter Rasheed Ghazi, 53. "We will confront them if they push further with their troops or try to our occupy our area."
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSL2444277620080224
Bush Still Stomping his Foot Like Rumplestiltzkin Over Wire-Tapping
Again, from "Voice of America News":
"President Bush says Congress's failure to reauthorize a controversial wiretapping law is irresponsible...House Democrats have accused the Bush administration of exploiting fear to justify excessive use of power. Conyers said the Democrats in Congress want more time to craft a measure that protects both the United States and the civil liberties of its citizens. He expects the House and Senate will agree on a new surveillance bill within the next few weeks."
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-23-voa19.cfm
check the previous blog, there's already a law that covers us with the terrorist thing. This law just makes it so the Gov't can spy on us. He's trying with all his meight and mein to establish power of Presidency over Congress and House - not cool. That's what we call a dictatorship boys and girls. Why, my question is, is he doing this at the end of his administration? Hope we're not in for another rigged election. Hope if we are, whoever is voted in doesn't back out like Gore did.
"President Bush says Congress's failure to reauthorize a controversial wiretapping law is irresponsible...House Democrats have accused the Bush administration of exploiting fear to justify excessive use of power. Conyers said the Democrats in Congress want more time to craft a measure that protects both the United States and the civil liberties of its citizens. He expects the House and Senate will agree on a new surveillance bill within the next few weeks."
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-23-voa19.cfm
check the previous blog, there's already a law that covers us with the terrorist thing. This law just makes it so the Gov't can spy on us. He's trying with all his meight and mein to establish power of Presidency over Congress and House - not cool. That's what we call a dictatorship boys and girls. Why, my question is, is he doing this at the end of his administration? Hope we're not in for another rigged election. Hope if we are, whoever is voted in doesn't back out like Gore did.
The Scene in Iran Gets a Little Scary...
From "Voice of America News":
"In a televised speech, Mr. Ahmadinejad said Tehran would take unspecified reciprocal measures against any country that imposes new sanctions.
Senior officials from Germany and the five permanent Security Council members (the U.S., Britain, France, Russia and China) plan to meet in Washington Monday to discuss a possible sanctions resolution."
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-24-voa5.cfm
It's like re-living the Cold War scares man, except this time Castro's not around.
"In a televised speech, Mr. Ahmadinejad said Tehran would take unspecified reciprocal measures against any country that imposes new sanctions.
Senior officials from Germany and the five permanent Security Council members (the U.S., Britain, France, Russia and China) plan to meet in Washington Monday to discuss a possible sanctions resolution."
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-24-voa5.cfm
It's like re-living the Cold War scares man, except this time Castro's not around.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Actions Speak Louder Than Words, So A Rantecdote: A Day at Sen. Obama's Law Firm
Ok, I control myself re. Barack's campaign, perhaps more than I should, but this nonsense over who wrote what in which speech is making me angry. Barack was the youngest person ever to edit the Harvard Law Review, has written more brilliant speeches, (even the ones he made in Chi were astonishing - you can find some by Googling from back in the day), than any politician I've seen run for any office in my lifetime.
Most politicians employ speech-writers to do most, if not all of the work to my understanding, (one of the things my Great-Uncle and his wife did in the Truman administration). Not Barack as far as I can tell. His speeches sound just like him to me. And what he says is all the more powerful because it therefore has the conviction of his own, original ideas behind it. Now there's a new wave in politics - someone presenting their own ideas. But seriously folks, all those famous lines from Presidents, who knows what percentage were actually written by the Presidents, (speech-writers don't get direct credit, big surprise). Some were I'm sure. Some Presidents were probably extremely good writers with bad ideas, some bad writers with good ideas and so on. Barack has both the ideas and the writing ability. Plus he can deliver as well as the best actor in Chi town; no small feat.
Sooooo... because he would stick up for me if someone was slamming my writing & he had the time or opportunity, (and for any of you if the cause were genuine), here's a little insight into his actions. As Sen. Clinton said:
"You know, there's a difference between speeches and solutions, between talk and action," she said. "You know, I was raised to believe that actions speak louder than words and what we need now is a president who will get in there, roll up our sleeves and get to work for you."
Ok Hil, here's what it was like to work with him, what was it like in your law firm?
When I first moved to Chicago, I was working for this extremely cool temporary agencey, (I know, sounds like an oxymoron, but there it was awesome!) I got to go to a different place every day, so quickly got to know my way around the city. Lots of places kept calling me back for longer assignments, but I wanted to audition at will, (was seriously pursuing theater at the time), so turned most down. The exceptions were WGN radio and Sen. Obamas' firm.
It wasn't a huge sun-shadowing building on LaSalle St. where most of the big deal firms in Chi town are, (the buildings really do block out the sun on LaSalle, it's a little freaky). Nope, groovy little brownstone tucked to the left of the loop or so. The receptionists' Mom was a blues singer who still toured. The attorneys' were brilliant Civil Rights leaders who not only fought against corporate and Gov't evil in court, among other causes, but lectured at Loyola and other impressive things. And unlike just about any other firm I've worked for, (and I've worked for so many I have to leave 1/2 of them off my resume at this point - I keep quitting when I run into corruption, hard to stick with a law firm, though wouldn't have been a problem had I stayed with this one), the staff actually was promoted - paralegals there had once been clerks, one was working towards law school...
Even though they worked on some of the biggest cases in the country, (one v/s Nabisco had a book written about it), they put their employees first. Now, don't get me wrong, I heard "It's not just right now, it's right now, right now", screamed down stairs when deadlines loomed there as much as in any other law office. And believe, things had to be EXACTLY right. But of course they did. These were cases filed under seal, or in the Fed. Court of Appeals, or both. At least a great deal of the time.
So, to elaborate on what I mean by put employees first. Well, they had some odd rules, or rather absence of them. For example, you could wear whatever you wanted. Some would test this, wearing sweatsuits, shorts, don't think I tested it, (I was way into clothes at the time and the cornocopia of fashion in Chi town nabbed me), but others did to the point that clients would ask if the office was also an apartment building. If you needed time off, you had time off, (and I missed so much I don't see why they didn't fire me - well, I do, the managing partner understood that I was young, saw my potential and was dedicated to cultivating it, staying on to become a paralegal and possibly go to law school was mentioned and I should have stayed, in retrospect - well, maybe not).
Anyway, all employees, from the clerk up, had full, immediately effective and equal benefits. Every type of insurance, including life insurance from a very good company was the best of it considering our lovely health care crisis, and everything else you can think of was also included. When it was your birthday, you got to pick where you wanted to go to lunch and the whole firm took a long one. Christmas parties were insane; one at the Madison office had included a circus for the children I believe. And the mother of one of the partners would bring beautiful, elaborate gingerbread houses each year for every employee with children.
I was paid more, and had better benefits, as a clerk there than almost any of my friends in Chi commanded with college degrees. Indeed, I was paid more then, (and that was 10 years ago), than I've been at times with firms in Richmond and Kentucky in the past 5 years as a paralegal. No joke. (Yes, yes, beating myself in my head for leaving, I was young and thought all law firms, hell, all jobs, were like that. They should be. And that is what Barack's actions speak.) I did all the court filing and rather than have me deal with the bus and train, they let me take cabs/gave me control of a small expense account to do so. The managing partner met with me regularly to tell me not only what areas could improve, but what I was doing that was terriffic.
I have been turned down for jobs because I'm 'not going to just remain a paralegal' or, like a friend of mine just had happen to her at a Richmond firm we both worked for, 'too smart'. They were the polar opposite. I remember one of the paralegals, under who's direction I know not but assume the managing partner, taking me aside and saying, 'We think if you know what is happening in these cases you'll be more interested in what you're doing' and she taught me the intricacies of litigation, step by step. I'd help them edit the pleadings, which generally contained arguments every bit as brilliant as those I'd studied in philosophy classes. They put me in charge of updating the law library, (back then actual books were still used rather than the computer), and no one discouraged my reading the updates as I added them.
Speaking of reading, another odd absence of rule was that I could read whatever I wanted at the front desk. A total bibliophile from the age of 3, I tested this constantly. I don't remember what contentious piece of literature started it, but I remember reading something and being surprised that no one told me to keep it out of clients' sight. So I tested the boundaries, going so far as to sit for a week or more quite openly reading the Marquis de Sade's "Justine". No one said a word. Well, I think it did elicit more conversation coming my way actually, but no one directly mentioned the book :)
And not only was I valued as an employee while there, but have had the benefit of the firms' encouragement over all of these years. I've continued to receive sage guidance when I've asked and have been given unexpected praise and encouragement, up to the present day. The managing partner has never failed to give me a beyond glowing reference, though on more than one occassion his doing so led lesser attorneys to not hire me because I 'needed to just go to law school.'
So, that is how Barack acts, as far as the rights of workers, free speech and all that goes.
I repeat, wonder what it was like to work in Sen. Clintons' law firm?
Most politicians employ speech-writers to do most, if not all of the work to my understanding, (one of the things my Great-Uncle and his wife did in the Truman administration). Not Barack as far as I can tell. His speeches sound just like him to me. And what he says is all the more powerful because it therefore has the conviction of his own, original ideas behind it. Now there's a new wave in politics - someone presenting their own ideas. But seriously folks, all those famous lines from Presidents, who knows what percentage were actually written by the Presidents, (speech-writers don't get direct credit, big surprise). Some were I'm sure. Some Presidents were probably extremely good writers with bad ideas, some bad writers with good ideas and so on. Barack has both the ideas and the writing ability. Plus he can deliver as well as the best actor in Chi town; no small feat.
Sooooo... because he would stick up for me if someone was slamming my writing & he had the time or opportunity, (and for any of you if the cause were genuine), here's a little insight into his actions. As Sen. Clinton said:
"You know, there's a difference between speeches and solutions, between talk and action," she said. "You know, I was raised to believe that actions speak louder than words and what we need now is a president who will get in there, roll up our sleeves and get to work for you."
Ok Hil, here's what it was like to work with him, what was it like in your law firm?
When I first moved to Chicago, I was working for this extremely cool temporary agencey, (I know, sounds like an oxymoron, but there it was awesome!) I got to go to a different place every day, so quickly got to know my way around the city. Lots of places kept calling me back for longer assignments, but I wanted to audition at will, (was seriously pursuing theater at the time), so turned most down. The exceptions were WGN radio and Sen. Obamas' firm.
It wasn't a huge sun-shadowing building on LaSalle St. where most of the big deal firms in Chi town are, (the buildings really do block out the sun on LaSalle, it's a little freaky). Nope, groovy little brownstone tucked to the left of the loop or so. The receptionists' Mom was a blues singer who still toured. The attorneys' were brilliant Civil Rights leaders who not only fought against corporate and Gov't evil in court, among other causes, but lectured at Loyola and other impressive things. And unlike just about any other firm I've worked for, (and I've worked for so many I have to leave 1/2 of them off my resume at this point - I keep quitting when I run into corruption, hard to stick with a law firm, though wouldn't have been a problem had I stayed with this one), the staff actually was promoted - paralegals there had once been clerks, one was working towards law school...
Even though they worked on some of the biggest cases in the country, (one v/s Nabisco had a book written about it), they put their employees first. Now, don't get me wrong, I heard "It's not just right now, it's right now, right now", screamed down stairs when deadlines loomed there as much as in any other law office. And believe, things had to be EXACTLY right. But of course they did. These were cases filed under seal, or in the Fed. Court of Appeals, or both. At least a great deal of the time.
So, to elaborate on what I mean by put employees first. Well, they had some odd rules, or rather absence of them. For example, you could wear whatever you wanted. Some would test this, wearing sweatsuits, shorts, don't think I tested it, (I was way into clothes at the time and the cornocopia of fashion in Chi town nabbed me), but others did to the point that clients would ask if the office was also an apartment building. If you needed time off, you had time off, (and I missed so much I don't see why they didn't fire me - well, I do, the managing partner understood that I was young, saw my potential and was dedicated to cultivating it, staying on to become a paralegal and possibly go to law school was mentioned and I should have stayed, in retrospect - well, maybe not).
Anyway, all employees, from the clerk up, had full, immediately effective and equal benefits. Every type of insurance, including life insurance from a very good company was the best of it considering our lovely health care crisis, and everything else you can think of was also included. When it was your birthday, you got to pick where you wanted to go to lunch and the whole firm took a long one. Christmas parties were insane; one at the Madison office had included a circus for the children I believe. And the mother of one of the partners would bring beautiful, elaborate gingerbread houses each year for every employee with children.
I was paid more, and had better benefits, as a clerk there than almost any of my friends in Chi commanded with college degrees. Indeed, I was paid more then, (and that was 10 years ago), than I've been at times with firms in Richmond and Kentucky in the past 5 years as a paralegal. No joke. (Yes, yes, beating myself in my head for leaving, I was young and thought all law firms, hell, all jobs, were like that. They should be. And that is what Barack's actions speak.) I did all the court filing and rather than have me deal with the bus and train, they let me take cabs/gave me control of a small expense account to do so. The managing partner met with me regularly to tell me not only what areas could improve, but what I was doing that was terriffic.
I have been turned down for jobs because I'm 'not going to just remain a paralegal' or, like a friend of mine just had happen to her at a Richmond firm we both worked for, 'too smart'. They were the polar opposite. I remember one of the paralegals, under who's direction I know not but assume the managing partner, taking me aside and saying, 'We think if you know what is happening in these cases you'll be more interested in what you're doing' and she taught me the intricacies of litigation, step by step. I'd help them edit the pleadings, which generally contained arguments every bit as brilliant as those I'd studied in philosophy classes. They put me in charge of updating the law library, (back then actual books were still used rather than the computer), and no one discouraged my reading the updates as I added them.
Speaking of reading, another odd absence of rule was that I could read whatever I wanted at the front desk. A total bibliophile from the age of 3, I tested this constantly. I don't remember what contentious piece of literature started it, but I remember reading something and being surprised that no one told me to keep it out of clients' sight. So I tested the boundaries, going so far as to sit for a week or more quite openly reading the Marquis de Sade's "Justine". No one said a word. Well, I think it did elicit more conversation coming my way actually, but no one directly mentioned the book :)
And not only was I valued as an employee while there, but have had the benefit of the firms' encouragement over all of these years. I've continued to receive sage guidance when I've asked and have been given unexpected praise and encouragement, up to the present day. The managing partner has never failed to give me a beyond glowing reference, though on more than one occassion his doing so led lesser attorneys to not hire me because I 'needed to just go to law school.'
So, that is how Barack acts, as far as the rights of workers, free speech and all that goes.
I repeat, wonder what it was like to work in Sen. Clintons' law firm?
Monday, February 18, 2008
"Ohio" en Francais...Seems Fitting
Les soldats et le nixon de bidon venant,
étaient finalement tout seuls.
Cet été j'entends le tambourinage,
quatre morts en Ohio.
A obtenu de lui descendre
que les soldats nous lancent vers le bas devraient avoir
été faits il y a bien longtemps.
Que si vous la connaissiez
et trouviez ses morts sur la terre comment
osez courez-vous quand vous savez ?
A obtenu de lui descendre
que les soldats nous lancent vers le bas devraient avoir
été faits il y a bien longtemps.
Que si vous la connaissiez
et trouviez ses morts sur la terre comment
osez courez-vous quand vous savez ?
Étamez les soldats et le nixon venant,
étaient finalement tout seul.
Cet été j'entends le tambourinage,
quatre morts en Ohio.
étaient finalement tout seuls.
Cet été j'entends le tambourinage,
quatre morts en Ohio.
A obtenu de lui descendre
que les soldats nous lancent vers le bas devraient avoir
été faits il y a bien longtemps.
Que si vous la connaissiez
et trouviez ses morts sur la terre comment
osez courez-vous quand vous savez ?
A obtenu de lui descendre
que les soldats nous lancent vers le bas devraient avoir
été faits il y a bien longtemps.
Que si vous la connaissiez
et trouviez ses morts sur la terre comment
osez courez-vous quand vous savez ?
Étamez les soldats et le nixon venant,
étaient finalement tout seul.
Cet été j'entends le tambourinage,
quatre morts en Ohio.
Serbia recalls U.S. Ambassador, claims violation of International Law
From BBC news:
"...in protest at US recognition of Kosovo's independence...Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica also threatened to withdraw envoys from other countries which recognised the territory's secession from Serbia."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7251802.stm
"...in protest at US recognition of Kosovo's independence...Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica also threatened to withdraw envoys from other countries which recognised the territory's secession from Serbia."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7251802.stm
8 Days a Week of Violence in Denmark
over the re-release of one of the cartoons. 30 arrested so far. This is just horrible. Why did they have to re-run the thing. I mean, insult to injury and all that. Not cool.
And check this out:
"none of the men accused of masterminding the plot are being put on trial - the Danish intelligence services say revealing their evidence would compromise their intelligence network.
"Instead, they are expelling two of the suspects who do not have Danish citizenship and freeing the third who does.
"How does it make sense that a person who is trying to kill somebody is being arrested, charged, interrogated and then released and yet still we should feel that he's a terrorist?" asks Imran Hussein, who runs Network an advisory body for Muslim organisations in Denmark."
From BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7251378.stm
And check this out:
"none of the men accused of masterminding the plot are being put on trial - the Danish intelligence services say revealing their evidence would compromise their intelligence network.
"Instead, they are expelling two of the suspects who do not have Danish citizenship and freeing the third who does.
"How does it make sense that a person who is trying to kill somebody is being arrested, charged, interrogated and then released and yet still we should feel that he's a terrorist?" asks Imran Hussein, who runs Network an advisory body for Muslim organisations in Denmark."
From BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7251378.stm
A Jack Straw that's nothing like the song - Dossier on Iraq weapons...
This is screwed up
From the TimesOnline:
"A confidential draft document about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction...bears a strong resemblance to the Government’s 2002 dossier that provided justification for the 2003 invasion.
"The early version, drawn up by John Williams in 2002 when he was press secretary to Jack Straw, Foreign Secretary at the time, was published yesterday..."
The Brittish Government has long maintained the Williams was his work alone and that it played no part in the formulation of the official dossier, (per the "Times", written by the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), and published in September 2002.)
But they're the same folks, "similar intelligence judgments about the threat from Iraq, although they appear in a different order."
Well, we saw what Gen. Powell said in the end about those "weapons of mass destruction".
("It's the End of the World as we Know it" running through my head... but don't know that I feel fine. Let me try to get "Jack Straw" in my head instead...lets all sing along shall we? Change the words to fit this one perhaps?)
Full story:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3393317.ece
From the TimesOnline:
"A confidential draft document about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction...bears a strong resemblance to the Government’s 2002 dossier that provided justification for the 2003 invasion.
"The early version, drawn up by John Williams in 2002 when he was press secretary to Jack Straw, Foreign Secretary at the time, was published yesterday..."
The Brittish Government has long maintained the Williams was his work alone and that it played no part in the formulation of the official dossier, (per the "Times", written by the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), and published in September 2002.)
But they're the same folks, "similar intelligence judgments about the threat from Iraq, although they appear in a different order."
Well, we saw what Gen. Powell said in the end about those "weapons of mass destruction".
("It's the End of the World as we Know it" running through my head... but don't know that I feel fine. Let me try to get "Jack Straw" in my head instead...lets all sing along shall we? Change the words to fit this one perhaps?)
Full story:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3393317.ece
This is unsettling...220,000 pds. of explosives found near Gaza
From Bloomberg.com:
"Thousands of Palestinians crossed the border after Hamas militants blew up parts of a wall separating Gaza and Egypt on Jan. 23 following a seven-month Israeli blockade imposed in retaliation for Hamas' rocket attacks on border towns.
"Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in June after nine days of fighting in which it ousted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement. Fatah still controls the West Bank."
I suppose if it worked once... ugh. Nasty way to go about things. Oh yes, and don't forget, if they cross they'll have their legs broken. It really sounds like a lose lose situation. Restraining myself from further commentary here... ancient battles of epic proportions are more than I can elaborate on at this hour. I leave that to you - please do comment when I fail to babble endlessly.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=aTZ3H.47AYmY&refer=africa
"Thousands of Palestinians crossed the border after Hamas militants blew up parts of a wall separating Gaza and Egypt on Jan. 23 following a seven-month Israeli blockade imposed in retaliation for Hamas' rocket attacks on border towns.
"Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in June after nine days of fighting in which it ousted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement. Fatah still controls the West Bank."
I suppose if it worked once... ugh. Nasty way to go about things. Oh yes, and don't forget, if they cross they'll have their legs broken. It really sounds like a lose lose situation. Restraining myself from further commentary here... ancient battles of epic proportions are more than I can elaborate on at this hour. I leave that to you - please do comment when I fail to babble endlessly.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=aTZ3H.47AYmY&refer=africa
French Police Raid Housing Projects to Find Last Year's Rioters
They sent over 1,000 officers before dawn and arrested 35 people. Quite a ratio there. I would NOT want to wake up to 1,000 officers of any sort storming through the streets. What a way to wake up - must have felt like the occupation. Officers came under gunfire last November, but none were killed.
From the Associated Press:
"The riots in November erupted after two teenage boys were killed in a motorbike crash with a police car in Villiers-le-Bel, a town with a large immigrant population. Of the 130 police officers injured in the violence, at least 10 were hit by buckshot or pellets.
The violence echoed the rioting that raged for three weeks in 2005 in immigrant-heavy poor neighborhoods across the country. In both cases, the riots exposed the frustration of Arab or black, French-born children or grandchildren of immigrants from France's former colonies over entrenched discrimination and isolation."
So, the solution to this....
"Riot police, some with their faces covered or wielding battering rams, swept into the town north of Paris — Villiers-le-Bel — where the rioting was concentrated. Police also conducted house-to-house searches in neighboring Sarcelles, Gonesse and Arnouville.
"Police arrested 35 people, all suspected of attacking officers in the riots, said prosecutor Marie-Therese de Givry. Four suspects were still at large, the prosecutor said.
"About 100 officers surrounded a building across from a library and preschool in Villiers-le-Bel that had been burned down by rioters last year. The officers battered down doors there and arrested at least two people.
"We know this can be traumatizing in families with children," said de Givry. But "there was an important risk that suspects would flee."
Sorry kids... what on earth? Couldn't have anything to do with the elections coming up in early March now could it?
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5glmQPSJ6X10Dn_KUGGo7rsTWRn1AD8USVTB81
From the Associated Press:
"The riots in November erupted after two teenage boys were killed in a motorbike crash with a police car in Villiers-le-Bel, a town with a large immigrant population. Of the 130 police officers injured in the violence, at least 10 were hit by buckshot or pellets.
The violence echoed the rioting that raged for three weeks in 2005 in immigrant-heavy poor neighborhoods across the country. In both cases, the riots exposed the frustration of Arab or black, French-born children or grandchildren of immigrants from France's former colonies over entrenched discrimination and isolation."
So, the solution to this....
"Riot police, some with their faces covered or wielding battering rams, swept into the town north of Paris — Villiers-le-Bel — where the rioting was concentrated. Police also conducted house-to-house searches in neighboring Sarcelles, Gonesse and Arnouville.
"Police arrested 35 people, all suspected of attacking officers in the riots, said prosecutor Marie-Therese de Givry. Four suspects were still at large, the prosecutor said.
"About 100 officers surrounded a building across from a library and preschool in Villiers-le-Bel that had been burned down by rioters last year. The officers battered down doors there and arrested at least two people.
"We know this can be traumatizing in families with children," said de Givry. But "there was an important risk that suspects would flee."
Sorry kids... what on earth? Couldn't have anything to do with the elections coming up in early March now could it?
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5glmQPSJ6X10Dn_KUGGo7rsTWRn1AD8USVTB81
Friday, February 15, 2008
Obama Wins, And Now McCain Becomes A Family Affair
GW Sr. joins good old Jeb in backing him: http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/bush-41-to-endorse-mccain/
Think they'll rig this election like the Gore/Bush one?
Think they'll rig this election like the Gore/Bush one?
Perhaps the Mystery Behind all the Missing Pakistanis
Major election Monday: http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/postglobal/needtoknow/2008/02/pakistans_elections_united_we.html
Thank God
Congress did not extend wiretapping laws. From CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/15/bush.fisa/ Temporary revisions expire this weekend.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
No Wait, cartoonist season! Now you can get assassinated for your comics!
This is messed up. I may have to even go on a brief Rantecdote here rather than just lure you into reading the news with Lizicisms per usual. This cartoonist Westergaard, in Denmark, cartoonist for the Danish newspaper Morgenavisen Jullands-Postensaid, started a cartoon in 2005 that portrayed the Prophet Mohammed. Now, per some interpretations of Islam, which certainly deserves respect as much as any other world religion (up to you on that one, I was a religion major so I have my own opinions, probably biased but equally biased in favor of all of them), doing that at all is blasphemous. Sort of like the no idols thing in the Bible.
Allow me to digress for a moment about Mohammed...what you don't find in the news...when Mohammed came out of the cave with the Koran things were extremely screwed up in his zone. A lot of what he was trying to do with Islam, including having women wear veils, was to bring control over a people that had gone out of control. Women were being raped in the streets left and right, no one was safe, he said, here's an idea that might cut down on that, wear veils. Not entirely that simple but was part of the point.
Just like part of the point of Jesus was to reform out of control Judaism, (as he saw it), that had gotten so wrapped up in the particulars of law that they'd missed the main point. Neither are looked at as such today, they've morphed into different things for different times and people too. But that's another rantecdote.
However, will add that the first person Mohammed told about the Koran, (very, very big deal here folks), was his wife. So shed a few veils of illusion and look up a little about women and Islam in more detail than the daily news gives you. NOT that there are not some seriously screwed up things going on. NOT saying that. Just saying, there is always more than one side to a story.
Back to the matter at hand. Westergaard apparantly went over the line when he depicted Mohammed with a bomb with a lit fuse instead of a turban on top of his head. Ok, I can see how that would offend some Islamic people, can see how depicting Mohammed in a cartoon would, but dude is in Denmark, for one thing. He said that he wanted his cartoon to say that some people exploited the prophet to legitimize terror. However, many in the Muslim world interpreted the drawing as depicting their prophet as a terrorist.
Ok, well many in the US interpret Bush as a terrorist - how far are we from not being able to draw cartoons about that I wonder? I return you to Pravda. But that's another story too.
So... "Danish authorities said Tuesday they have arrested three people who allegedly were plotting a "terror-related assassination" of a cartoonist whose drawing of the Prophet Mohammed sparked rage in the Muslim world two years ago." (CNN)
Ok, well, glad they've done that and the guy isn't going to be assassinated over a cartoon.
"CNN's Paula Newton said the arrests reinforced growing fears in Europe that radical Islam was trying to suppress free speech.
"More and more Europeans feel that Islam is a threat to their way of life," Newton said. A recent Gallup poll for the World Economic Forum showed a majority of Europeans believed relations between the West and the Muslim world were worsening. According to the poll this sentiment was strongest held among Danish.
Westergaard remains under police protection and does not know whether it will continue.
"I could not possibly know for how long I have to live under police protection; I think, however, that the impact of the insane response to my cartoon will last for the rest of my life," he said. "It is sad indeed, but it has become a fact of my life."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/12/denmark.cartoon/?iref=hpmostpop
Watch out cartoonists. Worlds' taking the comedy out of comic and free out of speech. This is messed up man. Europe fears radical Islam threatening free speech -- what? Ok, SOME Islamic people feel it is EXTREMELY not cool to depict Mohammed, certainly to make a cartoon of him and yes, it is INSANE to attempt to assassinate someone over a cartoon. But please - that is threatening free speech in Europe on a grand scale in what way? How about here in the U.S.? I've had papers not run a story because it was too much information. I've had them edit the hell out of things too. Is that because of Islamic extremists? There isn't any free speech really, not here when you get right down to it. Don't know about Europe first hand but please, Islamic extremists take over the press world-wide...right...
Islam is NOT a threat to anyones way of life except those who live under the rule of extremists like the Taliban or those in other places who are truly threatened by extreme Islamic terrorists - and that happens, it happens here and it is a very bad thing. There are terrorist groups that aren't Islamic. Terrorism is horrific period. But WAKE UP WORLD or everyone "wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world and speak out, or sing out, or whatever it is you do. And for God's sake vote. For the worlds' sake vote. Wherever in the world you may be. If you can, that is.
Allow me to digress for a moment about Mohammed...what you don't find in the news...when Mohammed came out of the cave with the Koran things were extremely screwed up in his zone. A lot of what he was trying to do with Islam, including having women wear veils, was to bring control over a people that had gone out of control. Women were being raped in the streets left and right, no one was safe, he said, here's an idea that might cut down on that, wear veils. Not entirely that simple but was part of the point.
Just like part of the point of Jesus was to reform out of control Judaism, (as he saw it), that had gotten so wrapped up in the particulars of law that they'd missed the main point. Neither are looked at as such today, they've morphed into different things for different times and people too. But that's another rantecdote.
However, will add that the first person Mohammed told about the Koran, (very, very big deal here folks), was his wife. So shed a few veils of illusion and look up a little about women and Islam in more detail than the daily news gives you. NOT that there are not some seriously screwed up things going on. NOT saying that. Just saying, there is always more than one side to a story.
Back to the matter at hand. Westergaard apparantly went over the line when he depicted Mohammed with a bomb with a lit fuse instead of a turban on top of his head. Ok, I can see how that would offend some Islamic people, can see how depicting Mohammed in a cartoon would, but dude is in Denmark, for one thing. He said that he wanted his cartoon to say that some people exploited the prophet to legitimize terror. However, many in the Muslim world interpreted the drawing as depicting their prophet as a terrorist.
Ok, well many in the US interpret Bush as a terrorist - how far are we from not being able to draw cartoons about that I wonder? I return you to Pravda. But that's another story too.
So... "Danish authorities said Tuesday they have arrested three people who allegedly were plotting a "terror-related assassination" of a cartoonist whose drawing of the Prophet Mohammed sparked rage in the Muslim world two years ago." (CNN)
Ok, well, glad they've done that and the guy isn't going to be assassinated over a cartoon.
"CNN's Paula Newton said the arrests reinforced growing fears in Europe that radical Islam was trying to suppress free speech.
"More and more Europeans feel that Islam is a threat to their way of life," Newton said. A recent Gallup poll for the World Economic Forum showed a majority of Europeans believed relations between the West and the Muslim world were worsening. According to the poll this sentiment was strongest held among Danish.
Westergaard remains under police protection and does not know whether it will continue.
"I could not possibly know for how long I have to live under police protection; I think, however, that the impact of the insane response to my cartoon will last for the rest of my life," he said. "It is sad indeed, but it has become a fact of my life."
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/12/denmark.cartoon/?iref=hpmostpop
Watch out cartoonists. Worlds' taking the comedy out of comic and free out of speech. This is messed up man. Europe fears radical Islam threatening free speech -- what? Ok, SOME Islamic people feel it is EXTREMELY not cool to depict Mohammed, certainly to make a cartoon of him and yes, it is INSANE to attempt to assassinate someone over a cartoon. But please - that is threatening free speech in Europe on a grand scale in what way? How about here in the U.S.? I've had papers not run a story because it was too much information. I've had them edit the hell out of things too. Is that because of Islamic extremists? There isn't any free speech really, not here when you get right down to it. Don't know about Europe first hand but please, Islamic extremists take over the press world-wide...right...
Islam is NOT a threat to anyones way of life except those who live under the rule of extremists like the Taliban or those in other places who are truly threatened by extreme Islamic terrorists - and that happens, it happens here and it is a very bad thing. There are terrorist groups that aren't Islamic. Terrorism is horrific period. But WAKE UP WORLD or everyone "wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world and speak out, or sing out, or whatever it is you do. And for God's sake vote. For the worlds' sake vote. Wherever in the world you may be. If you can, that is.
Assassination attempt on President of East Timor
From BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7240667.stm
Duck season, no rabbit season, no heads of state season - Jesus, Chad, Kenya, this, missing ambassadors...no one "knows" what happened to Bhutto, that lovely uranium poisoning of the Russian guy awhile back...
God help us all.
Duck season, no rabbit season, no heads of state season - Jesus, Chad, Kenya, this, missing ambassadors...no one "knows" what happened to Bhutto, that lovely uranium poisoning of the Russian guy awhile back...
God help us all.
Across the universe is right, now Russia threatens to take the arms race to outer space...I'm taking off with Han Solo if at all possible
And y'all read about how well their election is going didn't you? (If not, scroll down the blog and delight yourself with that bit of un-a-newsment)
Again from the "Voice of America News":
"Russia is warning of a new arms race if a treaty banning the deployment of weapons in outer space is not achieved. Russia and China have jointly presented a draft treaty to the U.N. Conference on Disarmament that would prohibit the deployment of weapons in space and the threat or use of force against satellites or other spacecraft. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva."
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-12-voa27.cfm
Again from the "Voice of America News":
"Russia is warning of a new arms race if a treaty banning the deployment of weapons in outer space is not achieved. Russia and China have jointly presented a draft treaty to the U.N. Conference on Disarmament that would prohibit the deployment of weapons in space and the threat or use of force against satellites or other spacecraft. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from Geneva."
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-12-voa27.cfm
And now nuclear officials in Pakistan are kidnapped and the Ambassador to Afghanistan is missing
"Stop, hey, what's that sound, everybody look what's going down" ... what is going down man?
Again, from the "Voice of America News":
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-12-voa12.cfm
Again, from the "Voice of America News":
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-12-voa12.cfm
U.S., Iraq & Iran Meeting in Baghdad in a Few Days
Gonna talk about Iraqs' "Security Situation" - anyone see the video footage of Colin Powell lying to the UN about "Weapons of Mass Destruction" with Mr. Sinister sitting right behind him making sure he said what he was supposed to say, no doubt. Can't remember the film it was in. Memory screwy from a horrible car accident. If you know the name, post it please, was on the Independant Film Channel for a while. Stuff like that, and the matter of the FBI guy, (name also escaping me), who submitted a detailed report warning of the 9/11 attacks to Bush well ahead of time and had his office moved to the World Trade Center; anyway, stuff like that makes me doubt anything anyone says about a "Security Situation" in Iraq. And now it's Iran with the Weapons of Mass Destruction. Well, maybe they do and that ain't good - but can we say Iran Contra Hearings boys and girls?
From the "Voice of America News":
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-12-voa22.cfm
From the "Voice of America News":
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-12-voa22.cfm
Critical Primary Elections Today, Obama & Clinton Showdown
From the "Voice of America News":
"Voters are going to the polls in the eastern states of Maryland, Virginia, and in Washington, D.C. The three neighboring jurisdictions hold about 12 percent of the total delegates needed to reach the nomination"
So GO if you're in the area. Clinton has a slight lead over Obama. Meanwhile, McCain backed by Jeb Bush - oh now there's a surprise. "The former governor called McCain a patriot and devoted conservative leader who has made tremendous sacrifices for the country." RECANT I apologize for the previous sarcastic statement, (now deleted) about McCains' "sacrifices". He was a prisoner of war in Vietnam and has indeed made them. But the support of Jeb Bush seems to be very contrary to something someone who has been in torturous conditions as a prisoner of war would want. So, ask not what your Senator can do for you but what you can do for your Senator, holds.
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-12-voa7.cfm
"Voters are going to the polls in the eastern states of Maryland, Virginia, and in Washington, D.C. The three neighboring jurisdictions hold about 12 percent of the total delegates needed to reach the nomination"
So GO if you're in the area. Clinton has a slight lead over Obama. Meanwhile, McCain backed by Jeb Bush - oh now there's a surprise. "The former governor called McCain a patriot and devoted conservative leader who has made tremendous sacrifices for the country." RECANT I apologize for the previous sarcastic statement, (now deleted) about McCains' "sacrifices". He was a prisoner of war in Vietnam and has indeed made them. But the support of Jeb Bush seems to be very contrary to something someone who has been in torturous conditions as a prisoner of war would want. So, ask not what your Senator can do for you but what you can do for your Senator, holds.
http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-12-voa7.cfm
Monday, February 11, 2008
They're Just At it Today Top Taliban Commander Captured in Pakistan
Well, that ought to help C. Rice with her "War that could change the world"
NOT that I'm not glad the Taliban is getting out of there. Hope they are. The Taliban is a very, very bad thing. Seriously. Like every woman in Afghanistan is in Guantanamo living under their regime. Before that? There are extremeists everywhere, (take a look around the U.S.), but women worked, had medical care, went to school, you know, had normal lives that didn't involve never leaving houses with the windows painted black. Among other atrocities. But I repeat, why didn't we go get them in the Clinton Administration when we were begged to?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/11/AR2008021101487.html?hpid=moreheadlines
NOT that I'm not glad the Taliban is getting out of there. Hope they are. The Taliban is a very, very bad thing. Seriously. Like every woman in Afghanistan is in Guantanamo living under their regime. Before that? There are extremeists everywhere, (take a look around the U.S.), but women worked, had medical care, went to school, you know, had normal lives that didn't involve never leaving houses with the windows painted black. Among other atrocities. But I repeat, why didn't we go get them in the Clinton Administration when we were begged to?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/11/AR2008021101487.html?hpid=moreheadlines
Live From Guantanamo: Military Prosecutors Seek Death for 9/11 Suspects
Again, from the "Washington Post"
"The Pentagon announced today that it has charged six detainees at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, military prison with conspiring to carry out the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and that military prosecutors will seek the death penalty for each.
Ok. Well, I'm not going into what many said when I was up in NY/Jersey about the Trade Center, (however if you're reading this please feel free to do so yourself), but sure, for causing the death of all of those people, death. Not to mention the horrible aftermath for families, the pittance the Gov't gave to them, the disease all the firefighters at the scene caught. They even say:
""There will be no secret trials," he said. "Every piece of evidence, every stitch of evidence, every whiff of evidence that goes to . . . the military tribunal will be reviewed by the accused, subject to confrontation, subject to cross- examination, subject to challenge. . . ."
BUT
"But Hartmann declined to answer questions about the admissibility of evidence obtained against Mohammed by waterboarding, a technique that the CIA has acknowledged using to extract information from him and from two other al-Qaeda members who are not among those charged today. The technique, which simulates drowning, has been widely described as torture."
Hmmm...that's what they did during the witch hysteria that swept Europe too. Got lots of confessions in the Inquisition. NOT the judge here. Just saying, confession under torture is dubious at best. Why not just break out an iron maiden?
"The Pentagon announced today that it has charged six detainees at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, military prison with conspiring to carry out the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and that military prosecutors will seek the death penalty for each.
Ok. Well, I'm not going into what many said when I was up in NY/Jersey about the Trade Center, (however if you're reading this please feel free to do so yourself), but sure, for causing the death of all of those people, death. Not to mention the horrible aftermath for families, the pittance the Gov't gave to them, the disease all the firefighters at the scene caught. They even say:
""There will be no secret trials," he said. "Every piece of evidence, every stitch of evidence, every whiff of evidence that goes to . . . the military tribunal will be reviewed by the accused, subject to confrontation, subject to cross- examination, subject to challenge. . . ."
BUT
"But Hartmann declined to answer questions about the admissibility of evidence obtained against Mohammed by waterboarding, a technique that the CIA has acknowledged using to extract information from him and from two other al-Qaeda members who are not among those charged today. The technique, which simulates drowning, has been widely described as torture."
Hmmm...that's what they did during the witch hysteria that swept Europe too. Got lots of confessions in the Inquisition. NOT the judge here. Just saying, confession under torture is dubious at best. Why not just break out an iron maiden?
4 Arrested, Charged With Espionage, Whether or Not They Have Lawyers Uncertain
Now, I'm not saying it's not espionage. It happens. And it's a bad thing, a very bad thing. But are we presumed guilty before judged innocent these days is my question.
From the Washington Post:
"Federal agents today arrested four people on espionage charges, including a Defense Department employee from Alexandria, and accused them of passing classified information to China that included details about the Space Shuttle and U.S. military sales to Taiwan...
"It was not immediately clear how much, if any, damage the alleged espionage did to U.S. national security. Justice Department officials are planning to discuss the cases at a news conference this afternoon, and the four defendants are scheduled to appear in federal courts. It was unclear if lawyers for them had been appointed.
"But DOJ officials said the cases reflect the determination of China's government to penetrate U.S. intelligence and obtain vital national defense secrets."
Maybe so. And if so, that ain't good. Details disclose what the men are accused of doing here (please do read them, this is not a clear picture of the situation):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/11/AR2008021101283.html
At the same time, doesn't look like the proper way to go about trying people for treason... unclear evidence of actual damage, unclera lawyers... I don't like secrets sold to China one bit, but I don't know that I like this either. Please do add some insight here if you have it. This one has me stumped.
From the Washington Post:
"Federal agents today arrested four people on espionage charges, including a Defense Department employee from Alexandria, and accused them of passing classified information to China that included details about the Space Shuttle and U.S. military sales to Taiwan...
"It was not immediately clear how much, if any, damage the alleged espionage did to U.S. national security. Justice Department officials are planning to discuss the cases at a news conference this afternoon, and the four defendants are scheduled to appear in federal courts. It was unclear if lawyers for them had been appointed.
"But DOJ officials said the cases reflect the determination of China's government to penetrate U.S. intelligence and obtain vital national defense secrets."
Maybe so. And if so, that ain't good. Details disclose what the men are accused of doing here (please do read them, this is not a clear picture of the situation):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/11/AR2008021101283.html
At the same time, doesn't look like the proper way to go about trying people for treason... unclear evidence of actual damage, unclera lawyers... I don't like secrets sold to China one bit, but I don't know that I like this either. Please do add some insight here if you have it. This one has me stumped.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Speaking of Marines, Veterans Search for Missing Marine Who "May Not Want to Be Found"
Well, if we could still concienciously object... though doesn't apply to the enlisted. Jesus, what are we doing to our soldiers. Oh yea, the world must be willing to "Fight and Die", (except for people who order others to do so, don't forget that part.)
When my Uncle came back from Vietnam he dissappeared into the woods for I don't know how long, no one would ever tell me. Only my Grandmother knew where he was. I had a philosophy proffessor who took too much of something and ended up AWOL without knowing it, (again, during Vietnam). Ended up in an opium den in Thailand. Said the only thing he really remembered was being in the boat going over there, (had to lie down so no one would see him), and then being at the place. Told some strange tales about the whole thing. Don't think he got in trouble, actually.
Did you guys hear a while back, (now, this was about a year ago I think), how Bush was sending possees down to pick up people who'd gone to Canada to avoid the Vietnam draft, eventually moved back but had missed the Carter amnesty loophole and gone on and had families, grandchildren, normal lives here again. He had the grandparents arrested and held without access to lawyers or anything just to deter people now from doing something similar. "Sorry to disrupt Grandfathers' day at school but you're going to jail..."
There was one solidier who had deserted, or something, it was so disturbing to read that my memory is fuzzy, but from this war. He was locked up under similar conditions. The most highly decorated marine in the counrty went to visit him in prison and gave him his medal. If anyone can find links to these stories, or remembers them better than I, please post.
From NBC2 News Online:
"CHARLOTTE COUNTY: Veterans pushed aside their battle scars Sunday to search for 24-year-old missing Marine Eric Hall. Hall went missing a week ago and now veteran volunteers fear he may not want to be rescued.
"These troops, they go to war for us and return home and sometimes they don't come home completely 100%," said Adam Birge, Hall's cousin.
"Clinical psychologist Dr. Lynn Bernstein says the reason why so many younger veterans have problems with this disorder is because they're constantly being deployed back overseas, meaning they're re-experiencing this trauma over and over again.
"Veterans say that they believe Hall doesn't want to be found which is making the search even more difficult. Hall's family said that they will not give up until he is found."
Their state of mind so well reflects the reports we get of death/injury/horrors over there doesn't it?
Full story: http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=17436&z=3
When my Uncle came back from Vietnam he dissappeared into the woods for I don't know how long, no one would ever tell me. Only my Grandmother knew where he was. I had a philosophy proffessor who took too much of something and ended up AWOL without knowing it, (again, during Vietnam). Ended up in an opium den in Thailand. Said the only thing he really remembered was being in the boat going over there, (had to lie down so no one would see him), and then being at the place. Told some strange tales about the whole thing. Don't think he got in trouble, actually.
Did you guys hear a while back, (now, this was about a year ago I think), how Bush was sending possees down to pick up people who'd gone to Canada to avoid the Vietnam draft, eventually moved back but had missed the Carter amnesty loophole and gone on and had families, grandchildren, normal lives here again. He had the grandparents arrested and held without access to lawyers or anything just to deter people now from doing something similar. "Sorry to disrupt Grandfathers' day at school but you're going to jail..."
There was one solidier who had deserted, or something, it was so disturbing to read that my memory is fuzzy, but from this war. He was locked up under similar conditions. The most highly decorated marine in the counrty went to visit him in prison and gave him his medal. If anyone can find links to these stories, or remembers them better than I, please post.
From NBC2 News Online:
"CHARLOTTE COUNTY: Veterans pushed aside their battle scars Sunday to search for 24-year-old missing Marine Eric Hall. Hall went missing a week ago and now veteran volunteers fear he may not want to be rescued.
"These troops, they go to war for us and return home and sometimes they don't come home completely 100%," said Adam Birge, Hall's cousin.
"Clinical psychologist Dr. Lynn Bernstein says the reason why so many younger veterans have problems with this disorder is because they're constantly being deployed back overseas, meaning they're re-experiencing this trauma over and over again.
"Veterans say that they believe Hall doesn't want to be found which is making the search even more difficult. Hall's family said that they will not give up until he is found."
Their state of mind so well reflects the reports we get of death/injury/horrors over there doesn't it?
Full story: http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readarticle.asp?articleid=17436&z=3
Berkeley CA True to it's Roots, Refuses to Allow Marines to Recruit There
From Reuters:
And here the go with their favorite "Taxpayer Dollars" phrase, if I hear it one more time I'm going to be ill. Clearly, they are going to the greater part to the war. Scroll down to Bush's proposed increased spending blog.
Amanda Beck - Reuters
"BERKELEY, California - Officials in the famously liberal California town of Berkeley have stirred a national fuss by telling U.S. Marine Corps recruiters they aren't welcome anymore and by aiding those protesting against them.
That stance is too much for some Republican lawmakers, who are threatening to retaliate by stripping the counter-culture city of about $5.3 million in federal and state dollars.
"If the U.S. Marines are not good enough for Berkeley, neither are taxpayer dollars," Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said in a statement."
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN1058361420080210
Of course it's a Texas Republican, (no offense to all you super-cool Texans out there)
And here the go with their favorite "Taxpayer Dollars" phrase, if I hear it one more time I'm going to be ill. Clearly, they are going to the greater part to the war. Scroll down to Bush's proposed increased spending blog.
Amanda Beck - Reuters
"BERKELEY, California - Officials in the famously liberal California town of Berkeley have stirred a national fuss by telling U.S. Marine Corps recruiters they aren't welcome anymore and by aiding those protesting against them.
That stance is too much for some Republican lawmakers, who are threatening to retaliate by stripping the counter-culture city of about $5.3 million in federal and state dollars.
"If the U.S. Marines are not good enough for Berkeley, neither are taxpayer dollars," Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said in a statement."
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN1058361420080210
Of course it's a Texas Republican, (no offense to all you super-cool Texans out there)
And While We're Talking About Russia, Kosovo Split Creates Cold-War Like Effect
From the AP:
"MOSCOW (AP) — Russia may not come to outright blows with the West over Kosovo, but independence for the province seems sure to deepen the Cold War-style chill settling over Europe.
Detaching Kosovo from Serbia will likely aggravate disputes over a host of sensitive security issues ranging from missile defense to NATO membership for the former Soviet republics of Georgia and Ukraine."
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hyGB-ZkOT-yMRocN4wvxdeaH5bNAD8UNKQP01
NATO sure is catching it these days.
"MOSCOW (AP) — Russia may not come to outright blows with the West over Kosovo, but independence for the province seems sure to deepen the Cold War-style chill settling over Europe.
Detaching Kosovo from Serbia will likely aggravate disputes over a host of sensitive security issues ranging from missile defense to NATO membership for the former Soviet republics of Georgia and Ukraine."
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hyGB-ZkOT-yMRocN4wvxdeaH5bNAD8UNKQP01
NATO sure is catching it these days.
Putin and King of Jordan to Meet and Discuss Oil, Nuclear Issues ...
Discussing bilateral trade and economic co-operation:
From ChinaView.com:
"MOSCOW, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Jordan's King Abdullah II will meet here on Monday for talks that will focus on trade and economic ties between the two nations, a senior Kremlin official said on Sunday.
"The Jordanian king... urged the two countries to enhance cooperation in such fields as infrastructure projects, the oil and gas industry and the nuclear energy sector.
Abdullah also appreciated Russia's involvement in the Middle East peace process, saying it will be vital in the months ahead as Palestinians and Israelis begin to discuss final status issues."
Is it, all put togehter now, not just from this, the end of the world as we know it like REM said folks?
For the full story: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/10/content_7586512.htm
From ChinaView.com:
"MOSCOW, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Jordan's King Abdullah II will meet here on Monday for talks that will focus on trade and economic ties between the two nations, a senior Kremlin official said on Sunday.
"The Jordanian king... urged the two countries to enhance cooperation in such fields as infrastructure projects, the oil and gas industry and the nuclear energy sector.
Abdullah also appreciated Russia's involvement in the Middle East peace process, saying it will be vital in the months ahead as Palestinians and Israelis begin to discuss final status issues."
Is it, all put togehter now, not just from this, the end of the world as we know it like REM said folks?
For the full story: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/10/content_7586512.htm
Death Toll of Bombing at Pakistan Political Gathering Rising
From CNN.com:
"ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- The death toll in the bombing of a political gathering on Saturday has risen to 27 with more than 50 people wounded in the attack, according to an Associated Press report.
"The attack, which is likely to raise fears about greater election violence in Pakistan, took place in the town of Charsada in Peshawar province between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m....The Awami National Party is a Pashtun nationalist group based in Pakistan's North West Frontier...
Abdul Waheed, 22, who suffered burns from the blast, said the bomber struck as a member of the party was reciting verses from Islam's holy book, the Quran... Policeman Mohammed Khan told Associated Press two policemen were among the dead, and several children had been killed or injured."
The full story: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/10/pakistan.blast/
And Scotland Yard can't untangle the death of Bhutto. Where's Sherlock Holmes and Watson? They'd solve it. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/weekinreview/10burns.html?em&ex=1202792400&en=3ec6b90c62371748&ei=5087%0A
Believe 1/2 of what you see and none of what you hear folks.
"ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- The death toll in the bombing of a political gathering on Saturday has risen to 27 with more than 50 people wounded in the attack, according to an Associated Press report.
"The attack, which is likely to raise fears about greater election violence in Pakistan, took place in the town of Charsada in Peshawar province between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m....The Awami National Party is a Pashtun nationalist group based in Pakistan's North West Frontier...
Abdul Waheed, 22, who suffered burns from the blast, said the bomber struck as a member of the party was reciting verses from Islam's holy book, the Quran... Policeman Mohammed Khan told Associated Press two policemen were among the dead, and several children had been killed or injured."
The full story: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/10/pakistan.blast/
And Scotland Yard can't untangle the death of Bhutto. Where's Sherlock Holmes and Watson? They'd solve it. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/weekinreview/10burns.html?em&ex=1202792400&en=3ec6b90c62371748&ei=5087%0A
Believe 1/2 of what you see and none of what you hear folks.
No Freedom of Speech For British Olympic Athletes
From the "Voice of America News"
"British athletes competing at this year's Olympic Games in China are being asked to sign a contract that includes a pledge not to speak out on political or human rights issues....
"...a clause in the contract states that "athletes are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues." It reports that anyone who violates the contract will be sent home from Beijing.
A spokesman for the British Olympic Association says the organization is not trying to censor British athletes, and that an athlete is allowed to respond if asked a direct question."
Some twisted variation on don't ask don't tell - ok, you can be asked but still don't tell... what is up with this?
Here's the whole story: http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-10-voa15.cfm
"British athletes competing at this year's Olympic Games in China are being asked to sign a contract that includes a pledge not to speak out on political or human rights issues....
"...a clause in the contract states that "athletes are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues." It reports that anyone who violates the contract will be sent home from Beijing.
A spokesman for the British Olympic Association says the organization is not trying to censor British athletes, and that an athlete is allowed to respond if asked a direct question."
Some twisted variation on don't ask don't tell - ok, you can be asked but still don't tell... what is up with this?
Here's the whole story: http://voanews.com/english/2008-02-10-voa15.cfm
Protest in Jerusalem Over Government Inaction Against Continued Rocket Fire
From the "International Herald Tribune"
"Dozens of residents of Sderot came to Jerusalem to protest what they said was government inaction in the face of the continued rocket fire. Joined by sympathizers, they sat down on the highway and blocked the main entrance to the city at midday before marching to the prime minister's office, paralyzing traffic on central routes...
"...Thirteen Israelis have been killed by rocket fire from Gaza over the past seven years, many of them in Sderot. The attack Saturday caused an uproar in part because of the age of the boys who were wounded. The rocket caught them out in the street; the alert system sounded, but did not give them enough time to take cover. The younger boy has had part of one leg amputated, but his doctors said the condition of both brothers had stabilized by Sunday. About 40 rockets were launched Friday and Saturday, army officials said...
"In remarks before a cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said "the outrage is natural, but it must be clear that outrage is not a plan for action."
Well, we're not the only country where protesting gets you but so far I supppose.
Read the full story: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/10/mideast/mideast.php
"Dozens of residents of Sderot came to Jerusalem to protest what they said was government inaction in the face of the continued rocket fire. Joined by sympathizers, they sat down on the highway and blocked the main entrance to the city at midday before marching to the prime minister's office, paralyzing traffic on central routes...
"...Thirteen Israelis have been killed by rocket fire from Gaza over the past seven years, many of them in Sderot. The attack Saturday caused an uproar in part because of the age of the boys who were wounded. The rocket caught them out in the street; the alert system sounded, but did not give them enough time to take cover. The younger boy has had part of one leg amputated, but his doctors said the condition of both brothers had stabilized by Sunday. About 40 rockets were launched Friday and Saturday, army officials said...
"In remarks before a cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said "the outrage is natural, but it must be clear that outrage is not a plan for action."
Well, we're not the only country where protesting gets you but so far I supppose.
Read the full story: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/10/mideast/mideast.php
Defense Secretary Gates Goes Up Against NATO
Why can't everything be like it is in "Star Trek the Next Generation", where there's a Federation that everyone works with? When I was a kid, in college even, all this lying to the UN/going up against NATO would have been so alien to my imagination I would have laughed at the idea. What is going on in this world?
From "The Washington Post"
"MUNICH, Feb. 10 - Defense Secretary Robert Gates challenged the European military leaders and lawmakers Sunday to revive flagging support for the international mission in Afghanistan, warning that if members of NATO were no longer willing to shoulder the burdens of war equally, it "would effectively destroy the alliance...
"...Some allies ought not to have the luxury of opting only for stability and civilian operations, thus forcing other allies to bear a disproportionate share of the fighting and the dying," he said. He repeated comments made in Washington last week that NATO risked becoming a "two-tiered alliance" if certain countries, which he did not name, continued to shy away from combat...
"...Such remarks have irked some NATO members, who say the Pentagon is unfairly blaming its allies for the inability to win a lasting victory over the Taliban and other insurgents."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/10/AR2008021000759.html?hpid=topnews
Ya think? Nah, we wouldn't try to shift blame for our mess... why that would be un-American.
From "The Washington Post"
"MUNICH, Feb. 10 - Defense Secretary Robert Gates challenged the European military leaders and lawmakers Sunday to revive flagging support for the international mission in Afghanistan, warning that if members of NATO were no longer willing to shoulder the burdens of war equally, it "would effectively destroy the alliance...
"...Some allies ought not to have the luxury of opting only for stability and civilian operations, thus forcing other allies to bear a disproportionate share of the fighting and the dying," he said. He repeated comments made in Washington last week that NATO risked becoming a "two-tiered alliance" if certain countries, which he did not name, continued to shy away from combat...
"...Such remarks have irked some NATO members, who say the Pentagon is unfairly blaming its allies for the inability to win a lasting victory over the Taliban and other insurgents."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/10/AR2008021000759.html?hpid=topnews
Ya think? Nah, we wouldn't try to shift blame for our mess... why that would be un-American.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Now C. Rice is a Prophet
From the UK TimesOnline:
"At Kandahar airfield, Dr Rice told a gathering of troops that they were involved in a fight that would “transform history”."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3331077.ece
Drop the manifest destiny can we? So, NATO leaders "launch rearguard action to stop alliance rupturing over Afghanistan."
"At Kandahar airfield, Dr Rice told a gathering of troops that they were involved in a fight that would “transform history”."
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3331077.ece
Drop the manifest destiny can we? So, NATO leaders "launch rearguard action to stop alliance rupturing over Afghanistan."
Happy Year of the Rat!
I was born in the year of the rat. Never thought that was quite as cool as it should be. More about it and the New Year's celebrations in China:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3328319.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3328319.ece
Kenyans Agree on Joint Government
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hu1q9MI4JTHR_27gg8FtQ6zvvFSwD8UM68VO0
Romey Goes Homey
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_080208.htm
He's out of the race.
He's out of the race.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Australia Releases Grisley Japanese Whaling Images
For the love of God save the whales:
Read and look at the Associated Press story. I'm too nauseated to even comment, it's self-evident.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ibg-iiecl794l9FUlAuU3Cq41iIAD8ULGDFO0
Read and look at the Associated Press story. I'm too nauseated to even comment, it's self-evident.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ibg-iiecl794l9FUlAuU3Cq41iIAD8ULGDFO0
Upcoming Election in Russia Will Not Be Monitored
From iht.com:
"The principal election watchdog organization in Europe said Thursday that it would not send observers to monitor the remainder of Russia's presidential campaign and the election March 2, citing severe restrictions imposed on its work by the Russian government.
The cancellation of the observation mission, announced by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, or Odihr, was not unexpected. But it formalized the intense differences between the way Russia's nominal democracy is viewed abroad and the way the Kremlin and its state-controlled news media portray it.
It also marked another impasse between the West and the Kremlin, which, flush with oil money and renewed confidence, has shown a willingness to shed the international and diplomatic commitments it made after the Soviet Union's collapse."
This is what oil can do for the world folks, feel like I'm living "Dune" and it's the Spice. Goody, Goody, we instill the confidence to carry on with corruption. Shedding international and diplomatic commitments...remind you of someone we didn't elect?
Read on...
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/07/europe/russia.php
"The principal election watchdog organization in Europe said Thursday that it would not send observers to monitor the remainder of Russia's presidential campaign and the election March 2, citing severe restrictions imposed on its work by the Russian government.
The cancellation of the observation mission, announced by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, or Odihr, was not unexpected. But it formalized the intense differences between the way Russia's nominal democracy is viewed abroad and the way the Kremlin and its state-controlled news media portray it.
It also marked another impasse between the West and the Kremlin, which, flush with oil money and renewed confidence, has shown a willingness to shed the international and diplomatic commitments it made after the Soviet Union's collapse."
This is what oil can do for the world folks, feel like I'm living "Dune" and it's the Spice. Goody, Goody, we instill the confidence to carry on with corruption. Shedding international and diplomatic commitments...remind you of someone we didn't elect?
Read on...
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/07/europe/russia.php
Speaking of the Mafia, Big Sweep Nets Gambinos
From the New York Times:
"More than 60 people — among them the entire Gambino family hierarchy and reputed figures from the Genovese and Bonanno families — are named in two indictments, along with union and construction industry officials, the law enforcement officials said.
By about 10 a.m., 52 people were already in custody, including the family’s acting underboss, Domenico Cefalu, and consigliere, Joseph Corozzo, the officials said. The acting boss, who prosecutors identified as John D’Amico, known as Jackie the Nose, was not yet in custody and several officials said he was believed to be on vacation.
The arrests are to be announced later this morning at a news conference at the office of United States Attorney Benton J. Campbell in Brooklyn."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/nyregion/07cnd-mob.html?hp
Not exactly politics -- well, I don't know, remember Hoffa, maybe it is...
"More than 60 people — among them the entire Gambino family hierarchy and reputed figures from the Genovese and Bonanno families — are named in two indictments, along with union and construction industry officials, the law enforcement officials said.
By about 10 a.m., 52 people were already in custody, including the family’s acting underboss, Domenico Cefalu, and consigliere, Joseph Corozzo, the officials said. The acting boss, who prosecutors identified as John D’Amico, known as Jackie the Nose, was not yet in custody and several officials said he was believed to be on vacation.
The arrests are to be announced later this morning at a news conference at the office of United States Attorney Benton J. Campbell in Brooklyn."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/nyregion/07cnd-mob.html?hp
Not exactly politics -- well, I don't know, remember Hoffa, maybe it is...
Egyptian Gov't Sounds Like a Soprano "We'll break your legs..."
For God's sake, can't people grow up. What is wrong with this world man? I mean, I get there's a great deal going on in this part of the world, and it's a long, complicated story that goes back thousands of years. But really...
From the Associated Press
"Egypt's foreign minister said that no further violations of its borders would be tolerated in the wake of a 12-day breach of its frontier with Gaza and said anyone daring to cross would have their legs broken, the state news agency reported."
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/07/africa/ME-GEN-Egypt-Palestinians.php
There are better ways to say things. And I would hope it's reasonable to expect foriegn ministers to find better ways to say things.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State met with him, guess they were going over offers that can't be refused or something. I'm not going into the politics of all this here, like I said, that's thousands of years and the Hamas and all kinds of stuff, just saying there's something seriously wrong when heads of state are talking like the mafia.
From the Associated Press
"Egypt's foreign minister said that no further violations of its borders would be tolerated in the wake of a 12-day breach of its frontier with Gaza and said anyone daring to cross would have their legs broken, the state news agency reported."
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/07/africa/ME-GEN-Egypt-Palestinians.php
There are better ways to say things. And I would hope it's reasonable to expect foriegn ministers to find better ways to say things.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State met with him, guess they were going over offers that can't be refused or something. I'm not going into the politics of all this here, like I said, that's thousands of years and the Hamas and all kinds of stuff, just saying there's something seriously wrong when heads of state are talking like the mafia.
NATO Tries to Maintain Unity Over War in Afghanistan
From Reuters:
"NATO struggled to maintain unity over the war in Afghanistan on Thursday after the United States raised concerns that some members were not willing to let their troops "fight and die" to achieve victory."
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL0732357120080207
There's more of course, check the link.
Did you know that during the Clinton Administration Afghanistan BEGGED us to come help them get rid of the Taliban. Early, early on - my guess is it would have prevented all kinds of crap. He was about to - something happened though, can't quite dig what it was out of the archives of my brain. If anyone recalls, please do post.
The thing is though, I mean, Bush does his best to present all of this with Afghanistan as a new thing, a problem under his chicken little, "The terrorists are coming! The terrrorists are coming!" belt only. Sure, there are terrorists, and the Taliban ain't no good - that's no joke. Afghanistan, I reapeat BEGGED for help when they started up. Look at what happened when they didn't get it. And now the administration is worried about Afghanistan?
Why? Because it fits into the propaganda that's why. The blatent disregard for human rights that Bush perpetually executes, along with the way he tries to make himself the good guy in each case is disgusting. Things were so bad in Afghanistan a few years ago that doctors were leaving the bodies of dying women on the steps of Gov't buildings so that they could see what they were doing to the people. Think there's a health care crisis here? None for women whatsoever there. Not for some time. And that's just the tip of a very large iceburg, or sand-dune I suppose.
Where was all this when the Taliban was starting to take control? That's my question. Think of all the lives that could have been saved. Oh, no wait, we're concerned with those who are willing to, "Fight and die". Is Ms. Rice going to go Bodaica and fight on the front? There ought to be manditory draft for children of politicians. No joke. Didn't someone do a movie about that? Went and asked all the Congressmen about it or something? Again my brain archives fail me slightly.
"NATO struggled to maintain unity over the war in Afghanistan on Thursday after the United States raised concerns that some members were not willing to let their troops "fight and die" to achieve victory."
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL0732357120080207
There's more of course, check the link.
Did you know that during the Clinton Administration Afghanistan BEGGED us to come help them get rid of the Taliban. Early, early on - my guess is it would have prevented all kinds of crap. He was about to - something happened though, can't quite dig what it was out of the archives of my brain. If anyone recalls, please do post.
The thing is though, I mean, Bush does his best to present all of this with Afghanistan as a new thing, a problem under his chicken little, "The terrorists are coming! The terrrorists are coming!" belt only. Sure, there are terrorists, and the Taliban ain't no good - that's no joke. Afghanistan, I reapeat BEGGED for help when they started up. Look at what happened when they didn't get it. And now the administration is worried about Afghanistan?
Why? Because it fits into the propaganda that's why. The blatent disregard for human rights that Bush perpetually executes, along with the way he tries to make himself the good guy in each case is disgusting. Things were so bad in Afghanistan a few years ago that doctors were leaving the bodies of dying women on the steps of Gov't buildings so that they could see what they were doing to the people. Think there's a health care crisis here? None for women whatsoever there. Not for some time. And that's just the tip of a very large iceburg, or sand-dune I suppose.
Where was all this when the Taliban was starting to take control? That's my question. Think of all the lives that could have been saved. Oh, no wait, we're concerned with those who are willing to, "Fight and die". Is Ms. Rice going to go Bodaica and fight on the front? There ought to be manditory draft for children of politicians. No joke. Didn't someone do a movie about that? Went and asked all the Congressmen about it or something? Again my brain archives fail me slightly.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Where Those "Tax Dollars" Every Politician Likes to Talk About So Much Are Going - War Spending for Next Year
From "The New York Times"
"The military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan could cost $170 billion in the next fiscal year over and above the $515.4 billion regular Pentagon budget that President Bush has proposed, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said on Wednesday"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/washington/06cnd-military.html
The way he's going with the economy, we'll all be too starved to fight. Hey, I know, he can just turn the whole country into a concentration camp and instead of forced labor have forced combat. Oh no wait, then there wouldn't be any taxes to collect. Maybe just do it to the poor, sick and elderly. There's an idea.
"The military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan could cost $170 billion in the next fiscal year over and above the $515.4 billion regular Pentagon budget that President Bush has proposed, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said on Wednesday"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/washington/06cnd-military.html
The way he's going with the economy, we'll all be too starved to fight. Hey, I know, he can just turn the whole country into a concentration camp and instead of forced labor have forced combat. Oh no wait, then there wouldn't be any taxes to collect. Maybe just do it to the poor, sick and elderly. There's an idea.
Things Appear to Have Been Brought Under Control in Chad
From AFP:
"Chad's President Idriss Deby Itno declared Wednesday a "stunning victory" over rebel forces, saying his troops were back in "total control" after insurgents stormed Ndjamena at the weekend."
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gI3lVSoCqoabT3dGOM7BNll0Xf8g
I'll believe it when I still see it in a week or so. Insurgents here, insurgents there, insurgents, insurgents everywhere. World news starting to sound like a Dr. Seuss book.
"Chad's President Idriss Deby Itno declared Wednesday a "stunning victory" over rebel forces, saying his troops were back in "total control" after insurgents stormed Ndjamena at the weekend."
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gI3lVSoCqoabT3dGOM7BNll0Xf8g
I'll believe it when I still see it in a week or so. Insurgents here, insurgents there, insurgents, insurgents everywhere. World news starting to sound like a Dr. Seuss book.
A Beef With Beef
USDA Shuts down supply of beef to schools from Hallmark Meat Packing (CA). Now, isn't it their job to catch it before that sort of thing happens? Nope, gotta hit the press and have cruelty to animals exposed before anyone regulates I suppose. Like it isn't already public knowledge that slaughterhouses are cruel to animals. What is wrong with this world? Did someone flip the idiot switch on the universe or something?
Read on in the "LA Times"
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-usda7feb07,0,401189.story
Read on in the "LA Times"
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-usda7feb07,0,401189.story
Oh "Stop Hey What's That Sound Everybody Look What's Goin' Down" Bush Actually Admits to Something Re. CIA Torture, Sort Of
From Reuters:
"CIA Director Michael Hayden testified before Congress on Tuesday that government interrogators used waterboarding, often described as simulated drowning, on three suspects captured after the Sept. 11 attacks of 2001.
Hayden's admission, the first time a U.S. official publicly disclosed the number of people subjected to waterboarding and named them, drew calls for a criminal investigation. Critics worldwide condemn waterboarding as torture, but the Bush administration has refused to define it as such."
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN06286822
3 times they've used it. Yea, and 4 Dead in Ohio were the only casualties of Vietnam. Oh and never mind the world, we all need to agree with the way Bush defines things. The whole world is wrong and he's right. What on earth? What in the world rather. The sad thing is, he can't possibly even expect us to believe this. The scary thing is he clearly does not care about the UN, the Geneva Convention, the Constitution - not, as Vonnegut said in one of his brilliant novels, diddly-squat. He's a didiot. And is executing squatters rights on the whole nation with his eminent domain manifest destiny crap. Who in the hell elected him dictator of the world? Oh wait, no one elected him for anything, that's right. The vote was the first thing to go.
"CIA Director Michael Hayden testified before Congress on Tuesday that government interrogators used waterboarding, often described as simulated drowning, on three suspects captured after the Sept. 11 attacks of 2001.
Hayden's admission, the first time a U.S. official publicly disclosed the number of people subjected to waterboarding and named them, drew calls for a criminal investigation. Critics worldwide condemn waterboarding as torture, but the Bush administration has refused to define it as such."
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN06286822
3 times they've used it. Yea, and 4 Dead in Ohio were the only casualties of Vietnam. Oh and never mind the world, we all need to agree with the way Bush defines things. The whole world is wrong and he's right. What on earth? What in the world rather. The sad thing is, he can't possibly even expect us to believe this. The scary thing is he clearly does not care about the UN, the Geneva Convention, the Constitution - not, as Vonnegut said in one of his brilliant novels, diddly-squat. He's a didiot. And is executing squatters rights on the whole nation with his eminent domain manifest destiny crap. Who in the hell elected him dictator of the world? Oh wait, no one elected him for anything, that's right. The vote was the first thing to go.
Go Obama & Thank You Dead! Obama's Taken the Lead
From the Bloomberg.com: "Barack Obama said he emerged from Super Tuesday as the leader in the delegate count over Hillary Clinton in a Democratic presidential race that both campaigns expect will be a protracted battle.
"``Two weeks ago, nobody thought we would come out of Feb. 5th standing,'' Obama, an Illinois senator, said this morning in Chicago. ``But we won more delegates and we won more states."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aRIrbsde71E4&refer=home
Now, they're saying it's just "After Super-Bowl Tuesday" and yea, maybe that had something to do with it. Am I the only one who noticed there was NOTHING in the press or on radio, (noticable to me anyway), about the reunion show? WTF? Seriously, I was appalled, (though not surprised, considering how "free" our press is), to hear people on the radio the morning after talking about celebrity endorsement of candidates and how Hillary was scrambling for more and then hear them list all these people backing each but NO mention of the Dead.
No rock-nation without representation man.
"``Two weeks ago, nobody thought we would come out of Feb. 5th standing,'' Obama, an Illinois senator, said this morning in Chicago. ``But we won more delegates and we won more states."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aRIrbsde71E4&refer=home
Now, they're saying it's just "After Super-Bowl Tuesday" and yea, maybe that had something to do with it. Am I the only one who noticed there was NOTHING in the press or on radio, (noticable to me anyway), about the reunion show? WTF? Seriously, I was appalled, (though not surprised, considering how "free" our press is), to hear people on the radio the morning after talking about celebrity endorsement of candidates and how Hillary was scrambling for more and then hear them list all these people backing each but NO mention of the Dead.
No rock-nation without representation man.
Monday, February 4, 2008
In Honor of Obama - Since the Dead Are Coming Out With it, Guess I Will Too - and I'm Also Defending Myself Against the Obvious NASA Misunderstanding
"Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong."
- Richard Armour
In an earlier post, I said I was leaving the endorsing or not of Sen. Obama up to you. This was before I knew about this fabluous concert tonight. And by the way, that makes me wonder what on earth bizzarro universe my karma has flipped into, I mean, I join GratefulWebs' political section after a year of contemplation and discussion with Mike about it and with in a week the Dead fully joins my former co-worker. "Instant Karmas' going to get you" indeed, to return to the Beatles. Weird.
So, primarily, I left the endorsement up to you because I feel like everyone has a right to form their own opinion. Yes, I can guess the opinion of the audience of GratefulWeb prior to the cool show tonight, but still, doesn't mean its' everyones already even within the anticipated market.
It was, secondarily, because I feel that the basic tennants of our shatterred constitution and the Declaration of Independance I also have the good fortune of having had a direct ancestor have a hand in, and, indeed, all of the ideals of this country now shatterred under the heels of what smacks, frankly, of someone trying to hide a Dictatorship behind Democracy like so many other countries do, support everyones' right to form their own opinions about candidates.
I know that Barack, perhaps unlike other candidates, is actually saying what he really means and is not throwing out propaganda. So, it is not difficult to form your own opinion on him. I also feel that, because I knew him personally for some time, and have maintained contact with the managing partner of his firm for years, I am so close to the subject matter my opinion might unjustly sway. That smacks, to me, of participating in the exact kind of politics we don't need in this country, even though I may well be wrong and overly cautious.
If I am overly cautious, it is with good cause. I not only have the afore-mentioned background, but have a Great-Uncle who worked at a very high level in the Executive Offices of the President in the Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy Administrations, reporting directly to the President in each case. I know all too well that the nightmare we are seeing, and many are turning a blind eye to or refusing to see, has been in the works for a very, very long time. Otherwise it would not be like this now. It is going to take more than one, even two administrations to undo what has been going on since probably Roosevelt, in all honesty. I would hate to see Barack blamed for the mess Bush is trying so hard to leave us with, and that could happen.
My Great-Uncle tried to effect positive change as he worked with these Presidents in ways that you cannot imagine and I won't go into because they are not public information. Even I, as a relative, only know pieces of the story, Freedom of Information Act goes but so far. Regrettably, it killed him and I don't think he really did achieve what he set out to do. I don't want that to happen to Barack, for another thing. That's why I made the cult of personality comment in my rantecdote about him. But destiny, is destiny albiet it is not manifest in the ludicrous sense our President would like us to think it.
I am so proud of Barack I cried when I first heard his speech at the Democratic Convention. The first one. I immediately wrote the managing partner of the firm saying how proud he must be and how lucky Barack and I both had been to have had the influence of him, and people like him, (don't think for one moment that he was not hired by a firm full of people who have worked just as hard as he has to change the world, including the son of the man who won the case that determined standardized testing was racially biased).
He wrote back saying that it was not they, but people like Barack and I who made them who they were. The largest compliment I've ever recieved. Maybe I'll pull the e-mail and post it but that seems kind of egocentric. He also suggested that I find the right lobbying group in D.C. and work my way on to the Hill from there. Said it seemed like the best career choice that he could see, (and, as I'd been in touch with him for 10 years, he would know). I looked into it, was offerred a legal research job with a Hill bastion, but turned it down because I, like the person who posted the comments in the blog below, refused when it came right down to it to participate in this administration.
So, I'm proud of him, I'm happy for him, I'm excited for him and I'm behind him 100% personally but it wouldn't be a democracy if the press wasn't free, (and frankly, it isn't, but that's another tangent). I'm not going to play just his side or just the side of this administration is the Anti-Christ, (though they may well be).
I feel that the best way to write about politics, or most effective rather, is to point out that there are always two sides, and based on personal knowledge or no, that there are always things we don't know and must consider. Blatent slamming of Bush, policies and idiocy is rampant. It's not a bad thing. I'm glad it happens. I do it a bit myself. But sometimes I hold back because I think we need to do what we are accusing others of not doing, look at the whole picture. Otherwise we are also hypocrites, even if we're in the right.
Or the left rather :)
You're right, I'm left, I'm gone... for now anyway, just like the song says, (sort of). That one's from the Man in Black himself I believe.
- Richard Armour
In an earlier post, I said I was leaving the endorsing or not of Sen. Obama up to you. This was before I knew about this fabluous concert tonight. And by the way, that makes me wonder what on earth bizzarro universe my karma has flipped into, I mean, I join GratefulWebs' political section after a year of contemplation and discussion with Mike about it and with in a week the Dead fully joins my former co-worker. "Instant Karmas' going to get you" indeed, to return to the Beatles. Weird.
So, primarily, I left the endorsement up to you because I feel like everyone has a right to form their own opinion. Yes, I can guess the opinion of the audience of GratefulWeb prior to the cool show tonight, but still, doesn't mean its' everyones already even within the anticipated market.
It was, secondarily, because I feel that the basic tennants of our shatterred constitution and the Declaration of Independance I also have the good fortune of having had a direct ancestor have a hand in, and, indeed, all of the ideals of this country now shatterred under the heels of what smacks, frankly, of someone trying to hide a Dictatorship behind Democracy like so many other countries do, support everyones' right to form their own opinions about candidates.
I know that Barack, perhaps unlike other candidates, is actually saying what he really means and is not throwing out propaganda. So, it is not difficult to form your own opinion on him. I also feel that, because I knew him personally for some time, and have maintained contact with the managing partner of his firm for years, I am so close to the subject matter my opinion might unjustly sway. That smacks, to me, of participating in the exact kind of politics we don't need in this country, even though I may well be wrong and overly cautious.
If I am overly cautious, it is with good cause. I not only have the afore-mentioned background, but have a Great-Uncle who worked at a very high level in the Executive Offices of the President in the Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy Administrations, reporting directly to the President in each case. I know all too well that the nightmare we are seeing, and many are turning a blind eye to or refusing to see, has been in the works for a very, very long time. Otherwise it would not be like this now. It is going to take more than one, even two administrations to undo what has been going on since probably Roosevelt, in all honesty. I would hate to see Barack blamed for the mess Bush is trying so hard to leave us with, and that could happen.
My Great-Uncle tried to effect positive change as he worked with these Presidents in ways that you cannot imagine and I won't go into because they are not public information. Even I, as a relative, only know pieces of the story, Freedom of Information Act goes but so far. Regrettably, it killed him and I don't think he really did achieve what he set out to do. I don't want that to happen to Barack, for another thing. That's why I made the cult of personality comment in my rantecdote about him. But destiny, is destiny albiet it is not manifest in the ludicrous sense our President would like us to think it.
I am so proud of Barack I cried when I first heard his speech at the Democratic Convention. The first one. I immediately wrote the managing partner of the firm saying how proud he must be and how lucky Barack and I both had been to have had the influence of him, and people like him, (don't think for one moment that he was not hired by a firm full of people who have worked just as hard as he has to change the world, including the son of the man who won the case that determined standardized testing was racially biased).
He wrote back saying that it was not they, but people like Barack and I who made them who they were. The largest compliment I've ever recieved. Maybe I'll pull the e-mail and post it but that seems kind of egocentric. He also suggested that I find the right lobbying group in D.C. and work my way on to the Hill from there. Said it seemed like the best career choice that he could see, (and, as I'd been in touch with him for 10 years, he would know). I looked into it, was offerred a legal research job with a Hill bastion, but turned it down because I, like the person who posted the comments in the blog below, refused when it came right down to it to participate in this administration.
So, I'm proud of him, I'm happy for him, I'm excited for him and I'm behind him 100% personally but it wouldn't be a democracy if the press wasn't free, (and frankly, it isn't, but that's another tangent). I'm not going to play just his side or just the side of this administration is the Anti-Christ, (though they may well be).
I feel that the best way to write about politics, or most effective rather, is to point out that there are always two sides, and based on personal knowledge or no, that there are always things we don't know and must consider. Blatent slamming of Bush, policies and idiocy is rampant. It's not a bad thing. I'm glad it happens. I do it a bit myself. But sometimes I hold back because I think we need to do what we are accusing others of not doing, look at the whole picture. Otherwise we are also hypocrites, even if we're in the right.
Or the left rather :)
You're right, I'm left, I'm gone... for now anyway, just like the song says, (sort of). That one's from the Man in Black himself I believe.
Ok - Enough Politics, Something Really Cool in Science and Music
They're going to blast the Beatles' "Across the Universe" into space today. From Switched.com:
"Set to be a multiple anniversary on Monday, the song's space release marks the original recording of the Beatles classic 40 years ago, NASA's 50th anniversary, 45 years of the Deep Space Network, and the launching of Explorer 1 (the first U.S. satellite)"
Yoko says it'll bring on the aliens, (well, sort of - sorry Yoko, I can't resist the usual Yoko joke when the rock-ortunity presents itself.): http://www.switched.com/2008/02/04/beatles-across-the-universe-to-be-blasted-into-space/
I'm so upset about the health care crap I have to step down from my soap-box for a moment and listen to the Beatles and look at NASA photos or something.
"Set to be a multiple anniversary on Monday, the song's space release marks the original recording of the Beatles classic 40 years ago, NASA's 50th anniversary, 45 years of the Deep Space Network, and the launching of Explorer 1 (the first U.S. satellite)"
Yoko says it'll bring on the aliens, (well, sort of - sorry Yoko, I can't resist the usual Yoko joke when the rock-ortunity presents itself.): http://www.switched.com/2008/02/04/beatles-across-the-universe-to-be-blasted-into-space/
I'm so upset about the health care crap I have to step down from my soap-box for a moment and listen to the Beatles and look at NASA photos or something.
Bush Releases Fiscal Year Won't Budge-t Request To Cut Existing Health Care Programs
From a Las Vegas Sun editorial:
"A splendid plan, Mr. President. Slash the services that allow people to live at home longer and avoid expensive nursing home care, then cut reimbursements to nursing homes so that they have room for fewer patients." Democratic lawmakers have said the budget request "hasn't a chance of survival, and we hope that's true," the editorial states, adding, "Bush's proposal would be a terrible, cruel way to treat our nation's sick" (Las Vegas Sun, 2/4).
Read the gorey details and weep in the "Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report". I am.
Can anyone say Dickensonian England folks? Debtors prison revived soon no doubt. That'll fix everything! Jail and kill off the sick and needy.
Which, on a much lighter note, reminds me of a great song, "Don't Worry About the Poor", (I think that's what the song is called, close if no cigar), by Special Ed and the Shortbus. Should you go to my MySpace page, check Aaron Lewis out in my top friends and click play on the video - they're jamming it live at some festival that escapes me at the moment. After you read the link above you'll need some comic relief.
"A splendid plan, Mr. President. Slash the services that allow people to live at home longer and avoid expensive nursing home care, then cut reimbursements to nursing homes so that they have room for fewer patients." Democratic lawmakers have said the budget request "hasn't a chance of survival, and we hope that's true," the editorial states, adding, "Bush's proposal would be a terrible, cruel way to treat our nation's sick" (Las Vegas Sun, 2/4).
Read the gorey details and weep in the "Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report". I am.
Can anyone say Dickensonian England folks? Debtors prison revived soon no doubt. That'll fix everything! Jail and kill off the sick and needy.
Which, on a much lighter note, reminds me of a great song, "Don't Worry About the Poor", (I think that's what the song is called, close if no cigar), by Special Ed and the Shortbus. Should you go to my MySpace page, check Aaron Lewis out in my top friends and click play on the video - they're jamming it live at some festival that escapes me at the moment. After you read the link above you'll need some comic relief.
It Ain't No Octopuses Garden: Unersea Internet Cable Cut in the Persian Gulf
From the Press Association:
"The break caused severe phone line disruptions and compounded an already existing internet outage across large parts of the Middle East and Asia after two other undersea cables were earlier damaged north of Egypt.
"Omar Sultan, chief executive of Dubai's IPS DU, said that the incident was "very unusual". He said it was not known how the underwater Flag Falcon cable, stretching between the United Arab Emirates and Oman, had been damaged."
http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5h23fGk7I9m4Fa2MH6W7X7DbN-rJg
Not suspicious at all, nope, any ideas I have about that are undoubtedly the expected paranoid notions of hippiedom...
Oh God, I've admitted I'm a hippie.
"The break caused severe phone line disruptions and compounded an already existing internet outage across large parts of the Middle East and Asia after two other undersea cables were earlier damaged north of Egypt.
"Omar Sultan, chief executive of Dubai's IPS DU, said that the incident was "very unusual". He said it was not known how the underwater Flag Falcon cable, stretching between the United Arab Emirates and Oman, had been damaged."
http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5h23fGk7I9m4Fa2MH6W7X7DbN-rJg
Not suspicious at all, nope, any ideas I have about that are undoubtedly the expected paranoid notions of hippiedom...
Oh God, I've admitted I'm a hippie.
Kenyan Government Rejects Mediator
From the AP:
"Former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan said Monday the Kenyan government and governing party have rejected his choice to lead mediation efforts in talks to end a deadly postelection crisis...I thought I should withdraw and go back to South Africa so I don't become a stumbling block myself," he told reporters outside the Serena Hotel, the venue of the negotiations."
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hu1q9MI4JTHR_27gg8FtQ6zvvFSwD8UJG2C00
And in Chad, battle over control of the Capital:
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009924214
"Everywhere is war..."
"Former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan said Monday the Kenyan government and governing party have rejected his choice to lead mediation efforts in talks to end a deadly postelection crisis...I thought I should withdraw and go back to South Africa so I don't become a stumbling block myself," he told reporters outside the Serena Hotel, the venue of the negotiations."
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hu1q9MI4JTHR_27gg8FtQ6zvvFSwD8UJG2C00
And in Chad, battle over control of the Capital:
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7009924214
"Everywhere is war..."
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