The world has lost another visionary. A once drug addled "sports" writer for Rolling Stone magazine, whose ramblings tore at the fabric of our culture instead of the sheets of scores and statistics. A poet who wrote and lived (way) outside of the box. Not worried about politically correct wording or what is deemed appropriate for mass consumption by some governmental automaton . Hunter S. Thompson was one of the last in a dying breed. Grown, if not born, out of the sixties counter culture and the beatnik scene before that, Thompson, continued to throw his fists at the establishment. Destroying those that bet against him, like so many gas canisters on his Colorado estate, using the many weapons in his arsenal. He believed and professed freedom. Freedom from those who dampen, curtail, surpress, numb and dumb down a public willing to eat whatever it is fed as long as it's cheaper, more convenient and comes in a new, fresh flavor. We may never know what lead to the bullet that killed him. It's as though we've lost a collosal bet. A wager where the stakes were way to high. The world will miss you Dr. Gonzo. Well, at the very least, i will. So long and Mahalo, Hunter.
"Myths and legends die hard in America. We love them for the extra dimension they provide, the illusion of near-infinite possibility to erase the narrow confines of most men's reality. Weird heroes and mould-breaking champions exist as living proof to those who need it that the tyranny of ''the rat race'' is not yet final."
- Hunter S. Thompson
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Thursday, February 17, 2005
The Kyoto Treaty
On February 16, 2005 the Kyoto Protocol went into effect for the 141 countries that signed it. The coalition of the willing to ratify the protocol agreed reduce greenhouse gases 5.2% below their 1990 levels over the next decade. The coalition does not include the world's largest consumer of energy from fossil fuels and worst polluter, Us. Australian Prime Minister John Howard put it this way in Canberra. "Until such time as the major polluters of the world including the United States and China are made part of the Kyoto regime, it is next to useless and indeed harmful for a country such as Australia to sign up," I'm not sure which we should be ashamed of more, being called one of the "major polluters in the world" or being lumped in with China in our un-environmental stance.
Aside from the fact that this is yet another blemish on the United States's image in the world because of this administration's "you're either with us or against" foriegn policy (see also Human Rights), it may also set back some of the very industries that opponents of the "treaty" say it would negatively affect. Remember the jump that the Japanese auto industry had on US auto makers when it came to fuel efficient cars during and right after the oil embargo of 1973? Well, the same thing may happen now (despite Bill Ford's efforts) when it comes to new technologies in the automotive industry necessary to comply with the emmission reductions of the protocol.
I understand that the protocol is not a sole solution to global warming. I personally don't see how China and India are considered developing nations and Botswana is not. But the administration saying that the Kyoto Protocal would cost "millions of jobs" sounds a little grave, unless of course we are so stuck in our ways that we can not progress at the same rate as most of the rest of the industrialized world. Maybe this "loss" could be more of a change in millions of jobs from the assembly lines of the fossil fuel dependent to those of alternative energy and/or hybrid technologies. It will have to happen someday, even if the United States occupies the entire "Middle East". Why turn our nose on yet another International agreement?
Funny that this picture of Our Secretary of the Interior riding a snow mobilein Yellowstone National Park made it to the NY Times home page the day after the Protocol was enacted.
Aside from the fact that this is yet another blemish on the United States's image in the world because of this administration's "you're either with us or against" foriegn policy (see also Human Rights), it may also set back some of the very industries that opponents of the "treaty" say it would negatively affect. Remember the jump that the Japanese auto industry had on US auto makers when it came to fuel efficient cars during and right after the oil embargo of 1973? Well, the same thing may happen now (despite Bill Ford's efforts) when it comes to new technologies in the automotive industry necessary to comply with the emmission reductions of the protocol.
I understand that the protocol is not a sole solution to global warming. I personally don't see how China and India are considered developing nations and Botswana is not. But the administration saying that the Kyoto Protocal would cost "millions of jobs" sounds a little grave, unless of course we are so stuck in our ways that we can not progress at the same rate as most of the rest of the industrialized world. Maybe this "loss" could be more of a change in millions of jobs from the assembly lines of the fossil fuel dependent to those of alternative energy and/or hybrid technologies. It will have to happen someday, even if the United States occupies the entire "Middle East". Why turn our nose on yet another International agreement?
Funny that this picture of Our Secretary of the Interior riding a snow mobilein Yellowstone National Park made it to the NY Times home page the day after the Protocol was enacted.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Star Wars fails.... again.
On February 7, 2005, the president said ""The taxpayers of America don't want us spending our money into something that's not achieving results." when speaking about his budget. I wonder if Star Wars: the national missile defense system is on the chopping block for failing to achieve results yet again.
As reported by the New York Times February 15, 2005:
"The nation's fledgling missile defense system suffered its third straight test failure when an interceptor rocket failed to launch Sunday night from its base on an island, leaving the target rocket to splash into the Pacific Ocean, the Pentagon said Monday."
"Uh, we had a slight weapons malfunction, but uh... everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. How are you?" Han Solo 1977
As reported by the New York Times February 15, 2005:
"The nation's fledgling missile defense system suffered its third straight test failure when an interceptor rocket failed to launch Sunday night from its base on an island, leaving the target rocket to splash into the Pacific Ocean, the Pentagon said Monday."
"Uh, we had a slight weapons malfunction, but uh... everything's perfectly all right now. We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. How are you?" Han Solo 1977
Congratulations Dr. Dean.
Once again i find myself nodding my head to Paul Krugman. In his latest, Krugman ends with the lines "For a while, Mr. Dean will be the public face of the Democrats, and the Republicans will try to portray him as the leftist he isn't. But Deanism isn't about turning to the left: it's about making a stand." Howard Dean has been pegged a "leftist", because of the stand he took against the president's rush to war in Iraq. Gay marriage being allowed in Vermont may have also helped this image along, though i find that more Libertarian (but that's for another day). It was Governor Dean that balanced his state's budget without being required to. Where's the liberal spending we've all heard so much about?
Dr. Dean is not afraid of taking a stand and holding firm to it. He is the first nationally publicized Democrat with teeth that we have seen in a long time. Our only examples, since the death of Senator Paul Wellstone, have been men old enough not to worry about repricussions or re-elections and officials in a House of Representatives that was sadly neglected by the previous leader of the DNC . The republicans have their "attack dogs" and those that tout their "contract with (on) america". It's about time a leader was elected in the Democratic Party that had some fight in him.
Go Dean Go!
Dr. Dean is not afraid of taking a stand and holding firm to it. He is the first nationally publicized Democrat with teeth that we have seen in a long time. Our only examples, since the death of Senator Paul Wellstone, have been men old enough not to worry about repricussions or re-elections and officials in a House of Representatives that was sadly neglected by the previous leader of the DNC . The republicans have their "attack dogs" and those that tout their "contract with (on) america". It's about time a leader was elected in the Democratic Party that had some fight in him.
Go Dean Go!
Friday, February 11, 2005
The Power of the Blog
The mounting power of the "blog-o-sphere" has been demonstrated by world o crap, americablog, and dailykos's investigation and subsequent outing of Jeff Gannon/James Guckert, a "GOPUSA"-er that got into the White House press room and actually asked questions of the president and his press secretary under a fake name. How he received press passes with a fake name and a "news" organization that has zero distribution we may never know. Even the administration's press secretary scott mcclellan played along calling the "reporter" by his pseudonym "Jeff". This latest propagandist/softball pitcher has quit his position with the made up news agency talon, after wiping its website and gopusa's clean (the paper shredder truly is dead). Gannon/guckert and karl rove shared a mentor in morton blackwell. Blackwell was the one handing out the purple heart band aids at the rnc. He holds two day seminars on "journalism" that gannon/guckert and rove have both attended. But this scandal doesn't stop there. Turns out gannon/guckert may have been in on the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame, one of this administration's many scandals (all of which concern national affairs as opposed to extra-marital). In addition, gannon/guckert was very involved in the gop's 2004 campaign against former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle in South Dakota under the same fake name. All this news making headlines as karl rove is made an official policy advisor with an appointment to deputy chief of staff, in addition to his advisor status of course. The gannon/guckert scandal is just the latest in a list of people spouting the administration's talking points under the guise of credentialed journalism (some "journalists" were even paid for these services). All the more reason to help Senators Kennedy and Lautenberg get their Stop Government Propaganda Act passed through the Senate.
The breaking of this story shows the focus of web loggers that seem to be uniting in a variety of different forms and forums on the net. A meshing and consolidating of ideas, ideals, and message seems to be occurring. This is a very positive step in the right (as opposed to wrong) direction. It seems that those of us who find ourselves in the "sphere" and overwhelmed with interest tend to do more or at least don't mind doing the research that seems to be sadly lacking in the mainstream media and the mainstream populace for that matter. It's always good to get information through multiple sources and to know the history and possible biases of those sources. When the story breaks and two to three days later the subject resigns and websites are scrubbed clean and/or shut down you know you have something.
McClellan's defense:
"I don't think it's the role of the press secretary to get into being a media critic or to get into the role of picking or choosing who gets press credentials."
I guess the press secretary of the United States doesn't care who is asking questions of the greatest office in all the land. I didn't realize the press room was open to anyone with a website.
"In this day and age, when you have a changing media, it's not an easy issue to decide or try to pick and choose who is a journalist. It gets into the issue of advocacy journalism," McClellan said.
"Where do you draw the line? There are a number of people who cross that line in the briefing room.
"There are a number of people in that room that express their points of view, and there are people in that room that represent traditional media, they represent talk radio, they're columnists, and they represent online news organizations."
Hey scott, when i go to a bar they check my ID at the door. Maybe you guys should start checking ID of people that will be in the same room as the president of the United States of America. Or did you just let this one slide, because of what he was asking and saying.
The breaking of this story shows the focus of web loggers that seem to be uniting in a variety of different forms and forums on the net. A meshing and consolidating of ideas, ideals, and message seems to be occurring. This is a very positive step in the right (as opposed to wrong) direction. It seems that those of us who find ourselves in the "sphere" and overwhelmed with interest tend to do more or at least don't mind doing the research that seems to be sadly lacking in the mainstream media and the mainstream populace for that matter. It's always good to get information through multiple sources and to know the history and possible biases of those sources. When the story breaks and two to three days later the subject resigns and websites are scrubbed clean and/or shut down you know you have something.
McClellan's defense:
"I don't think it's the role of the press secretary to get into being a media critic or to get into the role of picking or choosing who gets press credentials."
I guess the press secretary of the United States doesn't care who is asking questions of the greatest office in all the land. I didn't realize the press room was open to anyone with a website.
"In this day and age, when you have a changing media, it's not an easy issue to decide or try to pick and choose who is a journalist. It gets into the issue of advocacy journalism," McClellan said.
"Where do you draw the line? There are a number of people who cross that line in the briefing room.
"There are a number of people in that room that express their points of view, and there are people in that room that represent traditional media, they represent talk radio, they're columnists, and they represent online news organizations."
Hey scott, when i go to a bar they check my ID at the door. Maybe you guys should start checking ID of people that will be in the same room as the president of the United States of America. Or did you just let this one slide, because of what he was asking and saying.
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
The right's race card.
The "debate" in the Senate concerning the appointment of alberto gonzales to top defender and enforcer of law (Attorney General) in the United States of America despite his work legitimizing the circumvention of international law while White House legal counsel has shown that the president's "mandate" has brought out the teeth in what has been a quiet, bush-lite Senate minority. Though a filibuster is not likely, it would be nice if alberto gonzales beat john ashcroft's record number of "No" votes (42).
The republican defense of gonzales's appointment seems to be that he is "hispanic", and would be the first of his ethnicity to hold the position. This is an interesting defense from the opponents of affirmative action (except when it pertains to colin powell). A position from former friends and allies of strom thurmond, the man that holds the record for the longest filibuster (against a civil rights law, of course). Cheney and friends, who voted against Martin Luther King Jr. Day, now can't seem to stop talking about the "races" of their appointments.
First they take fiscal irreponsibility from the democrats, now they're taking the race cards. What will the "reds" pigeonhole democrats as in two years?
"Every Hispanic American is watching," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah
"Mr. Gonzales is at the center of a torture policy that has run roughshod over the values that Americans hold so dear," Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.)
The republican defense of gonzales's appointment seems to be that he is "hispanic", and would be the first of his ethnicity to hold the position. This is an interesting defense from the opponents of affirmative action (except when it pertains to colin powell). A position from former friends and allies of strom thurmond, the man that holds the record for the longest filibuster (against a civil rights law, of course). Cheney and friends, who voted against Martin Luther King Jr. Day, now can't seem to stop talking about the "races" of their appointments.
First they take fiscal irreponsibility from the democrats, now they're taking the race cards. What will the "reds" pigeonhole democrats as in two years?
"Every Hispanic American is watching," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah
"Mr. Gonzales is at the center of a torture policy that has run roughshod over the values that Americans hold so dear," Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.)
Friday, January 28, 2005
The Iraqi election
The fall of Baghdad didn't do it. Killing saddam's sons didn't do it. The capture of saddam hussein didn't do it. The hand over of "authority" to an "interim Iraqi government" didn't do it. Maybe the election of a 275 member National Assembly, to select a president and committee to then draft a constitution will see us finally "turn the corner" on Operation Iraqi Freedom, bringing "stability", "democracy" and "liberty" to "the region".
The election we heard so much about during, prior to, and since the presidential campaign is finally here. It's funny how many people thought (and still think) it is an election to directly select a president in Iraq. Details weren't that important during the last presidential campaign. This Sunday brave Iraqi citizens, some outside the country, will go to the cardboard voting booth and select 275 leaders out of a field of 7,471 candidates from 111 different parties. One candidate is the former friend of the neo-cons, ahmed chalabi. Will the man who helped CONvince the administration and their closest friends of saddam's weapons of mass destruction, as well as saddam's connection to al qaeda for $300,000 a month be part of the government we've spent so much blood and treasure building?
Eight candidates have been murdered, polling places have been bombed, and foes of this election(and anything else the United States is a part of in Iraq) have threatened more intense violence leading up to and on election day. The intimidation involved in this election makes what happened in the Ukraine look like a Board of Education election. The world's standards on legitimacy for this election will have to be minimized, if not waived all together. The fact that there are no neutral foreign observers monitoring the vote is, in itself, proof of this.
One can only hope that somehow a civil war doesn't break out, and our troops can be brought home the way the Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Portugal, and Denmark are planning to.
There was a great speech given at the Johns' Hopkins School of International Studies by Senator Edward Kennedy on America's future in Iraq. In it he describes how "We need a serious course correction, and we need it now." He also addresses the possibilty that "We have reached the point that a prolonged American military presence in Iraq is no longer productive for either Iraq or the United States. The U.S. military presence has become part of the problem, not part of the solution."
The election we heard so much about during, prior to, and since the presidential campaign is finally here. It's funny how many people thought (and still think) it is an election to directly select a president in Iraq. Details weren't that important during the last presidential campaign. This Sunday brave Iraqi citizens, some outside the country, will go to the cardboard voting booth and select 275 leaders out of a field of 7,471 candidates from 111 different parties. One candidate is the former friend of the neo-cons, ahmed chalabi. Will the man who helped CONvince the administration and their closest friends of saddam's weapons of mass destruction, as well as saddam's connection to al qaeda for $300,000 a month be part of the government we've spent so much blood and treasure building?
Eight candidates have been murdered, polling places have been bombed, and foes of this election(and anything else the United States is a part of in Iraq) have threatened more intense violence leading up to and on election day. The intimidation involved in this election makes what happened in the Ukraine look like a Board of Education election. The world's standards on legitimacy for this election will have to be minimized, if not waived all together. The fact that there are no neutral foreign observers monitoring the vote is, in itself, proof of this.
One can only hope that somehow a civil war doesn't break out, and our troops can be brought home the way the Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Portugal, and Denmark are planning to.
There was a great speech given at the Johns' Hopkins School of International Studies by Senator Edward Kennedy on America's future in Iraq. In it he describes how "We need a serious course correction, and we need it now." He also addresses the possibilty that "We have reached the point that a prolonged American military presence in Iraq is no longer productive for either Iraq or the United States. The U.S. military presence has become part of the problem, not part of the solution."
Friday, January 21, 2005
Inauguration 2005
With Washington D.C. as secure as it has ever been, yesterday's ceremonies went, for the most part, as expected. The heavily guarded parade route and audience were filled with more supporters than dissenters. According to various reports, the number of dissenters reached between 500 and 10,000+. Some were so "aggressive" that police sprayed them with pepper spray shot through a fire hose.
The president's speech was of ideal's not details (inaugural addresses usually are). The "ultimate goal" he said was "ending tyranny in our world". Mr. President, does that include our tyrannical allies (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan to name a few)? The people of Sudan, Haiti, and China were probably excited to hear that "the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors." Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a world (or even a country) where each citizen has an equal voice in the election of their government and to have that elected government be answerable to the public that put it there. The left doesn't have a monopoly on dreamers after all. Well, I guess we'll just have to see if this "calling of our time" gets better results than "bring 'em on" and "dead or alive". All and all, Inauguration 2005 was well worth the $40,000,00.00 it cost, lucky the US government has some rich friends (just ask Secretary of Transportation Mineta about his friends at GM's party).
The president's speech was of ideal's not details (inaugural addresses usually are). The "ultimate goal" he said was "ending tyranny in our world". Mr. President, does that include our tyrannical allies (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan to name a few)? The people of Sudan, Haiti, and China were probably excited to hear that "the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors." Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a world (or even a country) where each citizen has an equal voice in the election of their government and to have that elected government be answerable to the public that put it there. The left doesn't have a monopoly on dreamers after all. Well, I guess we'll just have to see if this "calling of our time" gets better results than "bring 'em on" and "dead or alive". All and all, Inauguration 2005 was well worth the $40,000,00.00 it cost, lucky the US government has some rich friends (just ask Secretary of Transportation Mineta about his friends at GM's party).
Saturday, January 15, 2005
We're supposed to be the "good" guy.
The remaining "official" reasons for the War in Iraq seem to be the removal of saddam hussein from power based on his noncompliance with international law. His most egregious offense (since the Gulf War) being his lack of accounting for weapons of mass destruction. The weapons were not found by United Nations weapons inspectors in the time allotted them by this administration, nor were they found by the two consecutive United States weapons inspection teams appointed by this administration. In fact, the most recent team does not think there have been weapons of mass destruction produced in Iraq in a decade. The point of this web log entry is not to argue the merit of these inspections or discuss whether or not the former dictator "wanted" weapons of mass destruction, like the ones We possess (What leader wouldn't?). The idea that has struck me lately is that the War in Iraq is a war based on international law enforcement. Doesn't it follow that enforcers of international law must also abide by it?
Specialist Charles Graner was sentenced to 10 years in military prison for his role in the abuses and violations of international law that took place at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Defense of these criminal offenses seems to be three fold. The first defense minimizes the abuses that were committed in the name of "intelligence" gathering. The second compares the actions of Our soldiers with the actions of barbaric kidnappers. Last, but not least, there is the "following orders" defense that didn't work in the war crime tribunals at Nuremberg following World War II and doesn't work now.
Defenses like attorney Guy Womack's "Don't cheerleaders all over America make pyramids every day?" are attempts at minimizing the fact that the specialist and others forced men of faith, albeit misguided but surely extreme, to sin against their religion by having them strip naked, masturbate, simulate oral sex on one another, and stack in pyramids while guards and other inmates watched and were forced to watch. Analogies like Mr. Womack's fail for obvious reasons. And I can't remember any cheerleaders being attacked by German Shepards, hooked up to electrodes, or beaten to death at any pep rally I've ever attended.
The brutal beheadings that have taken place in Iraq are some of the most disturbing acts we've seen in this war. These acts were absolutely atrocious. They were criminal acts committed by terrorists. Are we not in Iraq to put an end to such atrocities? We are supposed to be the "good" guy. Actions like those at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay tarnish Our image as the world's good guy. As an American, I am insulted by the "they're beheading people" excuse. We are to bring enemies to justice through means within the laws of war, however difficult that may be. We can not lower Our standards, morals, and adherence to international law while simutaneously fighting for them.
Specialist Graner and others have testified that they were following orders. This does not dismiss the fact that they committed these crimes against the oath they are sworn to when enlisted. Offenses were committed by their hands and their boots. This defense does beg the question of how far up the chain of command approval of such methods went (and goes). The investigation conitunes. Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales's memo on why the Geneva Convention does not apply to some of those detained by the United States of America is just a glimpse of who may have been involved. The details of specific procedures that were approved of, and by whom, has yet to be made public.
With 202 people killed in the first two weeks of January, one wonders what "intelligence" these tactics produces. "Insurgent" numbers are rising, a suicide bomber killing 22 people at a "coalition" mess hall, and the slaying of the governor of baghdad are just a few of the recent stories coming out of Iraq. Are Our tactics working? Are we seen as "liberators"? I wonder what the "liberated" think of the sentence that Specialist Graner received?
Thursday is Inauguration Day. If you are making the trek to Washington D.C., good luck and thank you. There will be "Anti-war bleachers" set up at 4th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. Let 'em know we're here!
Specialist Charles Graner was sentenced to 10 years in military prison for his role in the abuses and violations of international law that took place at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Defense of these criminal offenses seems to be three fold. The first defense minimizes the abuses that were committed in the name of "intelligence" gathering. The second compares the actions of Our soldiers with the actions of barbaric kidnappers. Last, but not least, there is the "following orders" defense that didn't work in the war crime tribunals at Nuremberg following World War II and doesn't work now.
Defenses like attorney Guy Womack's "Don't cheerleaders all over America make pyramids every day?" are attempts at minimizing the fact that the specialist and others forced men of faith, albeit misguided but surely extreme, to sin against their religion by having them strip naked, masturbate, simulate oral sex on one another, and stack in pyramids while guards and other inmates watched and were forced to watch. Analogies like Mr. Womack's fail for obvious reasons. And I can't remember any cheerleaders being attacked by German Shepards, hooked up to electrodes, or beaten to death at any pep rally I've ever attended.
The brutal beheadings that have taken place in Iraq are some of the most disturbing acts we've seen in this war. These acts were absolutely atrocious. They were criminal acts committed by terrorists. Are we not in Iraq to put an end to such atrocities? We are supposed to be the "good" guy. Actions like those at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay tarnish Our image as the world's good guy. As an American, I am insulted by the "they're beheading people" excuse. We are to bring enemies to justice through means within the laws of war, however difficult that may be. We can not lower Our standards, morals, and adherence to international law while simutaneously fighting for them.
Specialist Graner and others have testified that they were following orders. This does not dismiss the fact that they committed these crimes against the oath they are sworn to when enlisted. Offenses were committed by their hands and their boots. This defense does beg the question of how far up the chain of command approval of such methods went (and goes). The investigation conitunes. Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales's memo on why the Geneva Convention does not apply to some of those detained by the United States of America is just a glimpse of who may have been involved. The details of specific procedures that were approved of, and by whom, has yet to be made public.
With 202 people killed in the first two weeks of January, one wonders what "intelligence" these tactics produces. "Insurgent" numbers are rising, a suicide bomber killing 22 people at a "coalition" mess hall, and the slaying of the governor of baghdad are just a few of the recent stories coming out of Iraq. Are Our tactics working? Are we seen as "liberators"? I wonder what the "liberated" think of the sentence that Specialist Graner received?
Thursday is Inauguration Day. If you are making the trek to Washington D.C., good luck and thank you. There will be "Anti-war bleachers" set up at 4th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. Let 'em know we're here!
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
2004... Let's Recap.
Well, homophobia and the fear of all things sexual (aka moral values) tried to "save" marriage and swayed an election, while the hetero teen queen, Brittany, got married twice. Amazing images of Mars from rovers Spirit and Opportunity mixed with abominable images from abu ghraib prison. Martha stewart, kobe bryant, and the red sox all made headlines, as the only world "superpower" spent $100 BILLION in treasure and 1,000 troops in blood not to stop the genocide in Sudan, not to aid the victims of the greatest catastrophe in Human history (though i am proud to say little george has upped Our government's donation from the "stingy" intitial offering of $15 million), but instead these sums were and are being used to force a country into "democracy" through the war that little george and little dick started to protect Us from the arms of a WMD-less dictator. Meanwhile osama bin laden has been left to flex his political muscles via tapes, both audio and video.
The 9/11 report hit the best seller list, Fahrenheit 9/11 passionately showed another side of the argument, and 9/11 echoed off the walls of the Republican convention (inside the building, of course). The war on drugs was dealt a hard blow by both rush limbaugh and jason giambi and we all now know who to turn to for advice on how to name our vibrators. Thank you bill o'reilly
Thank you Ray Charles. Thank you Marlon Brando. Thank you Rodney Dangerfield. Thank you Spalding Grey. Thank you Tony Randall. Thank you Christopher Reeve. Thank you Scott Muni. Thank you Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo). Thank you Jack Parr. Thank you Julia Child. Thank you Rick James. Thank you Old Dirty Bastard. Thank you Isabelle Sanford. And thank you yankees organist Eddie Layton. You each made a lasting impression on me.
I'm sure i've missed some big stories and moments from the year 2004. Some i ommitted on purpose. This is a blog after all, it's bound to have some bias, isn't it?
So, watch out for those wardrobe malfunctions and don't take no jive in 2005.
peace.
dave
If you haven't already done your good deed for 2005, PLEASE make a donation to the tsunami relief effort. Money is the best thing you can send right now. Groups on the ground there know what to do with it.
The 9/11 report hit the best seller list, Fahrenheit 9/11 passionately showed another side of the argument, and 9/11 echoed off the walls of the Republican convention (inside the building, of course). The war on drugs was dealt a hard blow by both rush limbaugh and jason giambi and we all now know who to turn to for advice on how to name our vibrators. Thank you bill o'reilly
Thank you Ray Charles. Thank you Marlon Brando. Thank you Rodney Dangerfield. Thank you Spalding Grey. Thank you Tony Randall. Thank you Christopher Reeve. Thank you Scott Muni. Thank you Bob Keeshan (Captain Kangaroo). Thank you Jack Parr. Thank you Julia Child. Thank you Rick James. Thank you Old Dirty Bastard. Thank you Isabelle Sanford. And thank you yankees organist Eddie Layton. You each made a lasting impression on me.
I'm sure i've missed some big stories and moments from the year 2004. Some i ommitted on purpose. This is a blog after all, it's bound to have some bias, isn't it?
So, watch out for those wardrobe malfunctions and don't take no jive in 2005.
peace.
dave
If you haven't already done your good deed for 2005, PLEASE make a donation to the tsunami relief effort. Money is the best thing you can send right now. Groups on the ground there know what to do with it.
Saturday, December 11, 2004
The news hasn't been so hot for Us.
The news hasn't been so hot for Us lately (and by Us i mean them). Retesting rumsfeld in the public waters seems to have been about as successful as Our multi-billion dollar missile defense system. Seems Ol' rummy has more than just the left pissed off. Our soldiers (with a little help from a local journalist) asked him questions about their "hilly billy armor" and when their over extended National Guard duty will finally suffice at a photo op town hall meeting with the soldiers in kuwait. To which donald replied "You go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you might want or wish to have." Administration foe/ally/foe john mccain reiterated that he has "no confidence" in the vice president's once mentor, don rumsfeld. It's not like cabinet appointment mistakes haven't been made over the past four years. Why, just a couple of weeks ago the boys were rallyin around New York's own bernie kerik. We all know by this point what happened to him. Ah New Yorkers, they really can get the dirt out quick on their own. I wonder if their are any Texan reporters out there that have any stories from say the early to mid 90's on the dimwit in chief.
Foreign news hasn't been to friendly either. Our only Arab ally Pakistani president pervez musharraf told Tony Blair the world is "less safe" since the invasion of Iraq. And remember when the wiseacre in chief "looked in the eye" of vladimir putin and got a "sense of his soul" , finding putin to be "very straight forward and trustworthy". Well now junior's Camp David pal is out there saying the United States of America seeks a "dictatorship of international affairs". Not good. Well at least he, pervez, and vlad still have the death penalty in common.
And now a new bin laden tape comes out. Bin laden, probably still celebrating pakistan's decision to withdraw from the search we left them to continue, has come out to praise the American embassy bombing in Saudi Arabia. Re-enforcing one of his main agendas, to disconnect his homeland, Saudi Arabia, from Ours.
So as we ride this monstrous wave of "political capital" that seems to get less and less support at home or abroad, all we can do is hope that Santa or Yo La Tengo can bring us enough cheer during this holiday season. Shop responsibly.
dave
Foreign news hasn't been to friendly either. Our only Arab ally Pakistani president pervez musharraf told Tony Blair the world is "less safe" since the invasion of Iraq. And remember when the wiseacre in chief "looked in the eye" of vladimir putin and got a "sense of his soul" , finding putin to be "very straight forward and trustworthy". Well now junior's Camp David pal is out there saying the United States of America seeks a "dictatorship of international affairs". Not good. Well at least he, pervez, and vlad still have the death penalty in common.
And now a new bin laden tape comes out. Bin laden, probably still celebrating pakistan's decision to withdraw from the search we left them to continue, has come out to praise the American embassy bombing in Saudi Arabia. Re-enforcing one of his main agendas, to disconnect his homeland, Saudi Arabia, from Ours.
So as we ride this monstrous wave of "political capital" that seems to get less and less support at home or abroad, all we can do is hope that Santa or Yo La Tengo can bring us enough cheer during this holiday season. Shop responsibly.
dave
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Show me what democracy looks like
The Ukraine has shown us what democracy looks like. A questionable election day outcome, where only 1-3% of the popular vote separated the candidates, and the results were at odds with exit polling, has brought tens of thousands of citizens out to protest. The protestors have been camped out in the capital of the Ukraine, Kiev, for some 10+ days. I wonder if they got the appropriate permits. Influenced by the public outcry, the Ukrainian Parliament has voted "no confidence" in the election of Viktor Yanukovych, the man backed by eastern Europe and Russia, over the EU backed "liberal reformist" Viktor Yushchenko, who is seeking a new election. Mr. Yushchenko is also backed by the US, though it's getting harder and harder to follow who Our allies are when even the "American" success story wal-mart is getting 70% of their commodities made in communist China. Not to mention Our newest ally, Afghanistan, overtaking Columbia as drug producer #1. Can you really blame our old friends for being stand off-ish? With the NY Times piece on a report issued back in July by the International Red Cross to Our government saying our abuse of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay was "tantamount to torture". I guess we don't need to lease Gulfstream 5 for flights to torture friendly nations anymore.
In other news hidden beneath the peterson trial, on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, the Pentagon released a report saying our enemies "hate our policies, not our freedom". Really?!?! Then there was the appropriations bill the republicans in Congress pushed through attaching riders having nothing to do with the budget and allowing no time for debate or review before the vote which of course passed. We are talking about riders affecting policies from Yellowstone National Park to abortion! Not to mention the eye witness reports saying the We used "unusual weapons" in Falluja, weapons resembling napalm. It's no wonder the people of Canada protested the man clear channel(the ministry of propaganda) billboards in Florida refer to as "our leader". It makes you want to abstain from the whole discussion. Otherwise leaving myself open to contracting AIDS from sweat and tears. Isn’t that right federally funded faith based teachers of abstinence?
It's no wonder 40% of Us are on prescription drugs.
dave
"We... owe it to mankind as well as to ourselves to restrain wrong by resistance and to defeat those calculations of which justice is not the basis." --Thomas Jefferson: 7th Annual Message, 1807
In other news hidden beneath the peterson trial, on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, the Pentagon released a report saying our enemies "hate our policies, not our freedom". Really?!?! Then there was the appropriations bill the republicans in Congress pushed through attaching riders having nothing to do with the budget and allowing no time for debate or review before the vote which of course passed. We are talking about riders affecting policies from Yellowstone National Park to abortion! Not to mention the eye witness reports saying the We used "unusual weapons" in Falluja, weapons resembling napalm. It's no wonder the people of Canada protested the man clear channel(the ministry of propaganda) billboards in Florida refer to as "our leader". It makes you want to abstain from the whole discussion. Otherwise leaving myself open to contracting AIDS from sweat and tears. Isn’t that right federally funded faith based teachers of abstinence?
It's no wonder 40% of Us are on prescription drugs.
dave
"We... owe it to mankind as well as to ourselves to restrain wrong by resistance and to defeat those calculations of which justice is not the basis." --Thomas Jefferson: 7th Annual Message, 1807
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
the little prince changes court
With locusts still swarming in Egypt, the little prince changes his court. Well, sort of.
The "resignations" of the "moderate" and on occasion "opposing" cabinet members continue to be delivered. Their nominees for replacement have been the promotions of yes men and women from deep inside "his" counsel. In a moment that some have said resembled reagan's appointment of Sandra Day O'Connor, condoleeza "i had an chevron oil tanker named after me" rice has become the first African American woman Secretary of State nominee, but that's not all. "He" had another lady to pat on the back and smooch after her statement, the not overly qualified, newly nominated Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. With alberto "the Geneva Convention doesn't apply to terrorists" gonzales as Attorney General, and stephen "I’ll take the bullet (sort of) for the nuCLEAR falsehood in the state of the union" hadley rounding out the echo chamber thus far, it looks like the administration is gearing up to really run rough shot, a la Faluja, over the country and Our government, pushing their agenda hard.
It's hard to watch a mortally wounded soldier being shot point blank in the head in a mosque on the other side of the world (even if it is the "enemy"). This action, though illegal, is not surprising in war. The backdrop of rumble that the liberated (whether former insurgents or not) will return to call home will not bring the flowers and sweets our 1228+ soldiers and $146,000,000,000.00+ were to purchase. What rationale is there to justify this renewed intensified fighting that is leveling the country it is liberating? How will the Iraqis feel towards the country that has destroyed their home? We can't even convince Our own former GI's that Iraq is a cause more worth fighting for than their fight to stay out of the fray all together? But why should we expect a solid strain of logic at this point? Hell, the party in control just changed the rules to allow their leaders to remain regardless of felony indictments. The "moral majority" changing the ethics rules governing their leaders for the lower is about as surprising as "conservatives" raising the national debt ceiling by another $800,000,000,000.00. Let's face it this White House takes the high road in speeches but their actions lie in dark, secret places (some of which may filled with donating "pioneers" turned presidential appointees).
This Thanksgiving don't let the turkeys get you down. Who knows, maybe we'll have an exciting player/fan brawl during the Dallas game or if that's not your bag, maybe you can pick up a bag of Afghan heroin. I hear they have plenty.
Thanks.
dave
The "resignations" of the "moderate" and on occasion "opposing" cabinet members continue to be delivered. Their nominees for replacement have been the promotions of yes men and women from deep inside "his" counsel. In a moment that some have said resembled reagan's appointment of Sandra Day O'Connor, condoleeza "i had an chevron oil tanker named after me" rice has become the first African American woman Secretary of State nominee, but that's not all. "He" had another lady to pat on the back and smooch after her statement, the not overly qualified, newly nominated Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. With alberto "the Geneva Convention doesn't apply to terrorists" gonzales as Attorney General, and stephen "I’ll take the bullet (sort of) for the nuCLEAR falsehood in the state of the union" hadley rounding out the echo chamber thus far, it looks like the administration is gearing up to really run rough shot, a la Faluja, over the country and Our government, pushing their agenda hard.
It's hard to watch a mortally wounded soldier being shot point blank in the head in a mosque on the other side of the world (even if it is the "enemy"). This action, though illegal, is not surprising in war. The backdrop of rumble that the liberated (whether former insurgents or not) will return to call home will not bring the flowers and sweets our 1228+ soldiers and $146,000,000,000.00+ were to purchase. What rationale is there to justify this renewed intensified fighting that is leveling the country it is liberating? How will the Iraqis feel towards the country that has destroyed their home? We can't even convince Our own former GI's that Iraq is a cause more worth fighting for than their fight to stay out of the fray all together? But why should we expect a solid strain of logic at this point? Hell, the party in control just changed the rules to allow their leaders to remain regardless of felony indictments. The "moral majority" changing the ethics rules governing their leaders for the lower is about as surprising as "conservatives" raising the national debt ceiling by another $800,000,000,000.00. Let's face it this White House takes the high road in speeches but their actions lie in dark, secret places (some of which may filled with donating "pioneers" turned presidential appointees).
This Thanksgiving don't let the turkeys get you down. Who knows, maybe we'll have an exciting player/fan brawl during the Dallas game or if that's not your bag, maybe you can pick up a bag of Afghan heroin. I hear they have plenty.
Thanks.
dave
Thursday, November 11, 2004
an eye trained
As the dust continues to settle and the dander starts to once again rise, "liberal conspiracy theories" from outside the mainstream media (with the exception of Keith Oberman) continue to surface with increasing frequency concerning the voting discrepencies in North Carolina, Florida, Nebraska, Ohio, among others. Now, whether or not you believe that these discrepancies are great enough to have swayed the outcome of the election, the fact remains that there are major problems with the election process here in the "greatest democracy in the world". Not only do we have an electoral college where the votes of less populated states weigh more than the that of the heavily populated, our polling places are overcrowded, and our voting apparatus is an incongruous mix of machines, most of which have no means of assuring the accuracy of their count. These problems need to be addressed. Election reform is essential to a nation based on the principle "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it". The greatest legal means of acting on this Right being our vote.
The time may have come to let one eye off the election and refocus on the "news". With a renewed sense of urgency the administration has gone head strong into a place from which the likes of Hungary and Doctor's without Borders are pulling out. That place, Iraq. In what could be the biggest offensive since the "mission" was "accomplished", our troops, some 10,000 strong, have gone back into Falluja, the world's new Guernica. As "he" stands and speaks of mandates and "capital", men, women, and children die. His mandate hasn't stopped Putin from signing "the Kyoto treaty 'he' decided to neglect". It didn't stop jobless claims from jumping by 20,000, and it didn't stop the conviction of 5 executives in the trial of "his" buddy kenny boy's company. All may not be lost. There is the ruling that Guantanamo Bay "war-crime trials" are unconstitutional and must halt immediately. There are some small victories, but with "finishing the job in Iraq", drilling in ANWR and the anti-gay marriage ammendment on the top of "his" priority list again there's gonna be a tall mountain to climb.
So scream in the streets of Seattle and march around the tank in L.A., smile big and purty when you flip ashcroft the bird, all the while keeping an eye trained on his replacement.
"Sir, attorney general, with all due respect, your personal belief is not a law." -- Sen. Dick Durbin
dave
The time may have come to let one eye off the election and refocus on the "news". With a renewed sense of urgency the administration has gone head strong into a place from which the likes of Hungary and Doctor's without Borders are pulling out. That place, Iraq. In what could be the biggest offensive since the "mission" was "accomplished", our troops, some 10,000 strong, have gone back into Falluja, the world's new Guernica. As "he" stands and speaks of mandates and "capital", men, women, and children die. His mandate hasn't stopped Putin from signing "the Kyoto treaty 'he' decided to neglect". It didn't stop jobless claims from jumping by 20,000, and it didn't stop the conviction of 5 executives in the trial of "his" buddy kenny boy's company. All may not be lost. There is the ruling that Guantanamo Bay "war-crime trials" are unconstitutional and must halt immediately. There are some small victories, but with "finishing the job in Iraq", drilling in ANWR and the anti-gay marriage ammendment on the top of "his" priority list again there's gonna be a tall mountain to climb.
So scream in the streets of Seattle and march around the tank in L.A., smile big and purty when you flip ashcroft the bird, all the while keeping an eye trained on his replacement.
"Sir, attorney general, with all due respect, your personal belief is not a law." -- Sen. Dick Durbin
dave
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
A snowball in hell
The American people have voted for george w. bush for a second term as president of the United States of America. And i can find little solace from the feelings of disgust, anger, and despair that this result has left me with. I find myself gasping for faith in this Country and its people.
Yesterday marked the second bursting of an internet bubble. This time the virtual lead among new registrations turned into the real defeat in getting them out to vote (The youth vote remained unchanged since 2000). Accountability for the past three years was trumped by the rhetoric of fear. And all those that voted for bush are responsible. Every policy this administration makes is the responsibility of every person that voted for its second term. Every policy that puts our troops in harm's way without "knowing" if a threat to the nation even exists, every policy that adversely affects the environment, that keeps wages and overtime down, that rewards big business (whether it be for outsourcing or for just being rich). It is they that voted for bush who are responsible. Rove and Co. have succeeded in making gay marriage more important than jobs, health care, and the image of the Country in the world. Congratulations America. I hope someday you actually think about what you've done. I hope someday you will see that presidential elections are more than the Texas Reds against the Massachusetts Blues. Who am i kidding? People don't think.
But what about those that found themselves on john kerry's side? What do we do? Do we move to Canada? Do the North East and West Coast secede from the Union? Do we just give up on caring and taking part in a society that doesn't seem to care what the major economic centers in the Country think? I, for one, am not giving up (though dropping out of corporate society as much as possible sounds good). This blog will still be here. I'll still be watching, yelling, and emailing those that let me. There will be no grace period this time. No feeling that dissent is somehow unpatriotic here. I refuse to let them take my Country away from me. It is my sincere hope that i am not alone in this.
It is a very disheartening day today within a movement that seemed to snow ball ever since Howard Dean and Michael Moore showed us that we could stand up against a vacationing "war president". But it seems that snowball didn't stand a chance in hell.
dave
Yesterday marked the second bursting of an internet bubble. This time the virtual lead among new registrations turned into the real defeat in getting them out to vote (The youth vote remained unchanged since 2000). Accountability for the past three years was trumped by the rhetoric of fear. And all those that voted for bush are responsible. Every policy this administration makes is the responsibility of every person that voted for its second term. Every policy that puts our troops in harm's way without "knowing" if a threat to the nation even exists, every policy that adversely affects the environment, that keeps wages and overtime down, that rewards big business (whether it be for outsourcing or for just being rich). It is they that voted for bush who are responsible. Rove and Co. have succeeded in making gay marriage more important than jobs, health care, and the image of the Country in the world. Congratulations America. I hope someday you actually think about what you've done. I hope someday you will see that presidential elections are more than the Texas Reds against the Massachusetts Blues. Who am i kidding? People don't think.
But what about those that found themselves on john kerry's side? What do we do? Do we move to Canada? Do the North East and West Coast secede from the Union? Do we just give up on caring and taking part in a society that doesn't seem to care what the major economic centers in the Country think? I, for one, am not giving up (though dropping out of corporate society as much as possible sounds good). This blog will still be here. I'll still be watching, yelling, and emailing those that let me. There will be no grace period this time. No feeling that dissent is somehow unpatriotic here. I refuse to let them take my Country away from me. It is my sincere hope that i am not alone in this.
It is a very disheartening day today within a movement that seemed to snow ball ever since Howard Dean and Michael Moore showed us that we could stand up against a vacationing "war president". But it seems that snowball didn't stand a chance in hell.
dave
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Well... This is it.
The 2004 General Election for the Presidency of these United States of America.
I hate to say it, but former first lady babara bush said it best when she told Ohio she planned to "have a nervous breakdown." I'm right there with ya Babs. If you've read any of these rants you obviously know where i stand on things concerning the current resident of Our White House. Now all that's left to do (for now) is VOTE and ask other people if they have VOTEd.
I was reading the Declaration of Independence at the ridiculously named, but kinda cool "Democracy Plaza". "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." Election Day is about as close to equal as we get at this point in Our Country's relatively young life. Every VOTE Counts! Whether it is a VOTE for Senator John F. Kerry or a VOTE for mickey mouse. We VOTE to let them know we're listening, or at least we're engaged enough to go touch the screen. The only way to get politics to work for "We, the People" is to let the politicians know that "We, the People" are there, and We can do that by casting our VOTE on November 2nd. It wouldn't hurt to ask people if they voted. Maybe throw in a little "yeah, i'll walk over there with you" just to make sure they do.
Cross your fingers, light a candle, say a novena, give a toast, whatever you gotta do.
This is a big one.
peace.
dave
coming soon "My Interview with Chris Matthews"
I hate to say it, but former first lady babara bush said it best when she told Ohio she planned to "have a nervous breakdown." I'm right there with ya Babs. If you've read any of these rants you obviously know where i stand on things concerning the current resident of Our White House. Now all that's left to do (for now) is VOTE and ask other people if they have VOTEd.
I was reading the Declaration of Independence at the ridiculously named, but kinda cool "Democracy Plaza". "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." Election Day is about as close to equal as we get at this point in Our Country's relatively young life. Every VOTE Counts! Whether it is a VOTE for Senator John F. Kerry or a VOTE for mickey mouse. We VOTE to let them know we're listening, or at least we're engaged enough to go touch the screen. The only way to get politics to work for "We, the People" is to let the politicians know that "We, the People" are there, and We can do that by casting our VOTE on November 2nd. It wouldn't hurt to ask people if they voted. Maybe throw in a little "yeah, i'll walk over there with you" just to make sure they do.
Cross your fingers, light a candle, say a novena, give a toast, whatever you gotta do.
This is a big one.
peace.
dave
coming soon "My Interview with Chris Matthews"
Thursday, October 28, 2004
A Shadow Cast
With the audible 32nd click of the old biological clock in my ears, i watched the Earth cast its shadow over a defenseless moon. And as with everything else in recent history, my mind couldn't seem to help but make the political analogy.
The shadow of secrecy, disrespect, and dishonesty cast by the little prince, and the tight knit protective barrier of neo-cons he has surrounded himself with to ward off reality, has darkened Our country ever since our only defense (the general election) was taken from us by junior's brother, Florida's campaign chairwoman/secretary of state, and the "highest" court in all the land in 2000. This shadow has darkened our "Clear Skies". Our image in the world has dimmed from a guiding light, both followed and emulated by nations to that of a isolationism bully that believes that the United States is above international law, "you are either with us or against us", and that under the guise of security no liberty is safe.
Our Country's problems did not begin with the appointment of george w. bush, but it has been exponentially sped up by the extreme "right" wing agenda he and his have pushed on us through misleading, candy coated speech, distraction, and a press that found itself turned into a propaganda machine, for fear of being dubbed "unpatriotic" for questioning the commander in chief (a truly patriotic act). Our problems as a Nation will not cease to exist when and if John Kerry is elected to office of President of the United States of America on November 2nd. This fight will take a long and sustained effort from those that truly care about Our Country and truly believe that this nation "shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
Tuesday, November 2, 2004 will mark a major battle and will send a message to those around the world. The evicting of this incompetent regime from Our White House is imperative to the quagmire that is Iraq, a real, ethical securing of our homeland, as well as the fate and future of the working, middle, and poorer classes of the United States. Those who need help the most should receive the most help, and those who no longer need, but only want should be willing (or made) to sacrifice more for the betterment of their countrymen if not for the very country that has allowed and encouraged their success through policy. A move towards the "left" is needed and this election is an essential step number one.
Please remember to vote on November 2 (and remember to bring your ID).
peace.
dave
The shadow of secrecy, disrespect, and dishonesty cast by the little prince, and the tight knit protective barrier of neo-cons he has surrounded himself with to ward off reality, has darkened Our country ever since our only defense (the general election) was taken from us by junior's brother, Florida's campaign chairwoman/secretary of state, and the "highest" court in all the land in 2000. This shadow has darkened our "Clear Skies". Our image in the world has dimmed from a guiding light, both followed and emulated by nations to that of a isolationism bully that believes that the United States is above international law, "you are either with us or against us", and that under the guise of security no liberty is safe.
Our Country's problems did not begin with the appointment of george w. bush, but it has been exponentially sped up by the extreme "right" wing agenda he and his have pushed on us through misleading, candy coated speech, distraction, and a press that found itself turned into a propaganda machine, for fear of being dubbed "unpatriotic" for questioning the commander in chief (a truly patriotic act). Our problems as a Nation will not cease to exist when and if John Kerry is elected to office of President of the United States of America on November 2nd. This fight will take a long and sustained effort from those that truly care about Our Country and truly believe that this nation "shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
Tuesday, November 2, 2004 will mark a major battle and will send a message to those around the world. The evicting of this incompetent regime from Our White House is imperative to the quagmire that is Iraq, a real, ethical securing of our homeland, as well as the fate and future of the working, middle, and poorer classes of the United States. Those who need help the most should receive the most help, and those who no longer need, but only want should be willing (or made) to sacrifice more for the betterment of their countrymen if not for the very country that has allowed and encouraged their success through policy. A move towards the "left" is needed and this election is an essential step number one.
Please remember to vote on November 2 (and remember to bring your ID).
peace.
dave
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
"Jesus" won't save us.
With just two weeks to go there is an anger and frustration welling up in me even more so than before. This president continues to run on irrelevant "wedge" issues as opposed to his record. No surprise there, right, but when i read that "jesus" was now part of the campaign..... Wow!
Having Mel Gibson's "jesus" on TV imploring Christians to vote will not save us from activist judges like justice clarence "pubic hair on her coke can" thomas or justice anthony "duck hunting with the defendent" scalia. He will not save us from the largest deficit in history (covered predominantly by China and Japan) or little george's increase in federal spending of over $400 billion, the fastest rate of growth in three decades (only $120,000,000,000.00 of which has been spent as of the last official update on the War in Iraq). Mel Gibson's "jesus" will not save the middle class from disappearing while both the poverty level and number of billionaires rise. He will not save us from rising jobless claims, lowering salaries, and the loss of so many manufacturing jobs. He will not save the planet that little george and his evangelicals believe their "god" created in seven days from the ravages of the "clear skies" program, the bankrupting of EPA enforcement budgets as well as the superfund, or the rape that is "healthy forests". Mel Gibson's "jesus" will not save us from the privatizing of our military. The second largest number of "boots" on the ground in Iraq are private contractors, who are paid far greater sums to go on supply, "suicide" missions than Our soldiers. Mel Gibson's "Jesus" will not save us from having our retirement benefits depend on the profits and stock prices of giant corporations like IBM. He will not save Our children from learning only to the test and nothing else, because if the test is failed their school will be lost. He will not save us from a "culture of life" that pre-emptively kills tens of thousands based on flawed, false, and fabricated "intelligence" (something this president at the very least pretends to lack). The man that Mel Gibson nailed to the cross will not save us from the rewriting of Our Constitution so that a group of Americans can legally be discriminated against.
President Carter said it best on Hardball when he said " People worship a savior who dedicated his commitment, his life and his words to the alleviation of the plight of the poor and the deprived and the scorned and the forgotten people, instead of elevating the rich to a position of preeminence. And I feel, as a steward of God‘s world, that I should take care of the environment. So there are many elements of Christianity—peace and justice and humility and service and compassion and love—that have been forgotten, with the elevation of a few other items.
And perhaps more importantly both President Carter and Senator Kerry agree that each has "always been a religious person, but was very careful never to mix the church and state."
Little bush is simply distracting an apathetic public that are sacrificing (unwittingly in some cases) their own economics so that the rich can get richer. He is preying on the beliefs and fears of people. He does this because he has nothing else to tell them. This administration is failure to everyone, but the wealthy, "ownership" class. If you are single, african-american, female, poor, working class, a union member, a teacher, a student, unemployed, or a person whose believes that we should love thy neighbor, turn the other cheek, and that the meek shall inherit the earth do yourself a favor and Vote for John Kerry for President of the United States of American. If you don't..... "god" help you.
peace.
dave
There are only two weeks left until the Election. Let's show the world that we have evolved and will continue to evolve as a society. Shout it from the mountain tops, preach it in the chat rooms (especially those of twons in Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania), email everyone you know, and tell them to email everyone they know. I'd rather not have to start the impeachment process in November. I want to support the President of the United States again.
Here are some videos to email your friends:
(Didn't Know I Was) Unamerican - by IanRhett
http://www.truemajorityaction.org/unamerican
bush's bad joke vid:
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/10/con04438.html
Hard work vid
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/10/con04418.html
Exaggeration vid:
http://www.democrats.org/exaggeration/index.html
And for the conspiracy theorists
What really happened at the Pentagon movie
http://www.pentagonstrike.co.uk/flash.htm#Main
a webpage devoted to bush's bulge (the one on his back):
http://homepage.mac.com/c.shaw/BushBulges/PhotoAlbum15.html
Where i got it from:
'JESUS' TAPES GET OUT VOTE MESSAGE....
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20041019-123226-2184r.htm
Carter Hardball transcript:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6281085/
Ten reasons to fire george w. bush:
http://reason.com/links/links071304.shtml
Having Mel Gibson's "jesus" on TV imploring Christians to vote will not save us from activist judges like justice clarence "pubic hair on her coke can" thomas or justice anthony "duck hunting with the defendent" scalia. He will not save us from the largest deficit in history (covered predominantly by China and Japan) or little george's increase in federal spending of over $400 billion, the fastest rate of growth in three decades (only $120,000,000,000.00 of which has been spent as of the last official update on the War in Iraq). Mel Gibson's "jesus" will not save the middle class from disappearing while both the poverty level and number of billionaires rise. He will not save us from rising jobless claims, lowering salaries, and the loss of so many manufacturing jobs. He will not save the planet that little george and his evangelicals believe their "god" created in seven days from the ravages of the "clear skies" program, the bankrupting of EPA enforcement budgets as well as the superfund, or the rape that is "healthy forests". Mel Gibson's "jesus" will not save us from the privatizing of our military. The second largest number of "boots" on the ground in Iraq are private contractors, who are paid far greater sums to go on supply, "suicide" missions than Our soldiers. Mel Gibson's "Jesus" will not save us from having our retirement benefits depend on the profits and stock prices of giant corporations like IBM. He will not save Our children from learning only to the test and nothing else, because if the test is failed their school will be lost. He will not save us from a "culture of life" that pre-emptively kills tens of thousands based on flawed, false, and fabricated "intelligence" (something this president at the very least pretends to lack). The man that Mel Gibson nailed to the cross will not save us from the rewriting of Our Constitution so that a group of Americans can legally be discriminated against.
President Carter said it best on Hardball when he said " People worship a savior who dedicated his commitment, his life and his words to the alleviation of the plight of the poor and the deprived and the scorned and the forgotten people, instead of elevating the rich to a position of preeminence. And I feel, as a steward of God‘s world, that I should take care of the environment. So there are many elements of Christianity—peace and justice and humility and service and compassion and love—that have been forgotten, with the elevation of a few other items.
And perhaps more importantly both President Carter and Senator Kerry agree that each has "always been a religious person, but was very careful never to mix the church and state."
Little bush is simply distracting an apathetic public that are sacrificing (unwittingly in some cases) their own economics so that the rich can get richer. He is preying on the beliefs and fears of people. He does this because he has nothing else to tell them. This administration is failure to everyone, but the wealthy, "ownership" class. If you are single, african-american, female, poor, working class, a union member, a teacher, a student, unemployed, or a person whose believes that we should love thy neighbor, turn the other cheek, and that the meek shall inherit the earth do yourself a favor and Vote for John Kerry for President of the United States of American. If you don't..... "god" help you.
peace.
dave
There are only two weeks left until the Election. Let's show the world that we have evolved and will continue to evolve as a society. Shout it from the mountain tops, preach it in the chat rooms (especially those of twons in Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania), email everyone you know, and tell them to email everyone they know. I'd rather not have to start the impeachment process in November. I want to support the President of the United States again.
Here are some videos to email your friends:
(Didn't Know I Was) Unamerican - by IanRhett
http://www.truemajorityaction.org/unamerican
bush's bad joke vid:
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/10/con04438.html
Hard work vid
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/04/10/con04418.html
Exaggeration vid:
http://www.democrats.org/exaggeration/index.html
And for the conspiracy theorists
What really happened at the Pentagon movie
http://www.pentagonstrike.co.uk/flash.htm#Main
a webpage devoted to bush's bulge (the one on his back):
http://homepage.mac.com/c.shaw/BushBulges/PhotoAlbum15.html
Where i got it from:
'JESUS' TAPES GET OUT VOTE MESSAGE....
http://washingtontimes.com/national/20041019-123226-2184r.htm
Carter Hardball transcript:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6281085/
Ten reasons to fire george w. bush:
http://reason.com/links/links071304.shtml
Saturday, October 09, 2004
a fact finding mission
An interesting thing happened the day after the vice presidential debate this past Tuesday. The talking heads of politics weren't spinning the question of who won, according to whose poll (which are being flooded by partisans regardless of who appears to come away the victor). Politicos everywhere were scrambling to check the facts. What a novel idea, if only they paid more attention to stories like that for the past 3 years. There was cheney's "Now, in my capacity as vice president, I am the president of Senate, the presiding officer. I‘m up in the Senate most Tuesdays when they‘re in session. The first time I ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight." Wrong! First off, since this administration took office cheney has, by my count, acted as president of the Senate on two Tuesdays, and by ABC's count the two had met at least three times before. And how about this whopper? "I have not suggested there is a connection between Iraq and 9/11." This from the man who told Meet the Press "If we’re successful in Iraq, if we can stand up a good representative government in Iraq, that secures the region so that it never again becomes a threat to its neighbors or to the United States, so it’s not pursuing weapons of mass destruction, so that it’s not a safe haven for terrorists, now we will have struck a major blow right at the heart of the base, if you will, the geographic base of the terrorists who have had us under assault now for many years, but most especially on 9/11." At this point the link between Iraq and al Qaeda is so weak that rumsfeld has even said that he has "not seen any strong, hard evidence links the two". My favorite was when dick mistakenly said www.factcheck.com instead of www.factcheck.org in response to a Halliburton attack by Senator Edwards (an attack the factcheck.org agreed with, mostly ) Factcheck.com turned out to be a Cayman Islands-based Name Administration Inc. When this site got swamped because of cheney's slip, they decided to redirect everyone to the site of Democratic mega donor George Soros. The site's top banner reads "Why we must not re-elect President Bush,".
The mangling of facts and reports has gone so far that it is hard to discern what is real. I'm sure we'll be hearing the administration spin the recent report on job creation in September, even though the increase is less than the 148,000 projected and the roughly 150,000 needed to keep pace with the rate at which the work force is expanding (Not to mention 18,000 manufacturing jobs that were cut). Cheney has even tried to spin the latest, and probably last, report by an administration appointed weapons inspector, which informed the American people that Iraq had "essentially destroyed'' its illicit weapons ability by the end of 1991, with its last secret factory, a biological weapons plant, eliminated in 1996. The sanctions were working despite the corruption in the "oil for food" program. A program that Halliburton was making money on through their subsidiary Dresser-Rand and Ingersoll Dresser Pump Co. while dick was the CEO and sanctions were in place.
So let Fox make up headlines for their website, let the administration define of "small business owner" in a way that includes cheney. It is up to us to research, fact check, pay attention, and then tell as many people as we can. These guys can't handle the reality that their policies are not working, or maybe they are working for them and their friends and they just can't handle telling us.
peace.
dave
Cheney on Iraq in 1992
"I would guess if we had gone in there," said Cheney in 1992, "I would still have forces in Baghdad today. We'd be running the country. We would not have been able to get everybody out and bring everybody home. And the final point that I think needs to be made is this question of casualties. I don't think you could have done all of that without significant additional U.S. casualties. And while everybody was tremendously impressed with the low cost of the conflict, for the 146 Americans who were killed in action and for their families, it wasn't a cheap war."
Check out:
My favorite story of the week:
Vibrator shuts down Australian airport
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/australia_air_vibrator
www.factcheck.org
Krugman's "Ignorance Isn't Strength":
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/08/opinion/08krugman.html
Bob Herbert's "Working for a Pittance
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/08/opinion/08herbert1.html
What really happened at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001?
http://www.pentagonstrike.co.uk/flash.htm#Mai
Fox news ridiculous quotes:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/2826011
Where i got it from:
Halliburton subsidiaries do business with Iraq (Legal oil for food):
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/6/24/80648.shtml
Urging Fact-Checking, Cheney Got Site Wrong
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12901-2004Oct6.html
Cheney attendance record for tuesdays:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/10/6/11163/2940
as compiled from searches at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/crecord/index.html
Cheney on Meet the Press:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3080244/
Rumsfeld quote:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/100604A.shtml
ABC reporting the three meetings between the two men:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20041006_463.html
The mangling of facts and reports has gone so far that it is hard to discern what is real. I'm sure we'll be hearing the administration spin the recent report on job creation in September, even though the increase is less than the 148,000 projected and the roughly 150,000 needed to keep pace with the rate at which the work force is expanding (Not to mention 18,000 manufacturing jobs that were cut). Cheney has even tried to spin the latest, and probably last, report by an administration appointed weapons inspector, which informed the American people that Iraq had "essentially destroyed'' its illicit weapons ability by the end of 1991, with its last secret factory, a biological weapons plant, eliminated in 1996. The sanctions were working despite the corruption in the "oil for food" program. A program that Halliburton was making money on through their subsidiary Dresser-Rand and Ingersoll Dresser Pump Co. while dick was the CEO and sanctions were in place.
So let Fox make up headlines for their website, let the administration define of "small business owner" in a way that includes cheney. It is up to us to research, fact check, pay attention, and then tell as many people as we can. These guys can't handle the reality that their policies are not working, or maybe they are working for them and their friends and they just can't handle telling us.
peace.
dave
Cheney on Iraq in 1992
"I would guess if we had gone in there," said Cheney in 1992, "I would still have forces in Baghdad today. We'd be running the country. We would not have been able to get everybody out and bring everybody home. And the final point that I think needs to be made is this question of casualties. I don't think you could have done all of that without significant additional U.S. casualties. And while everybody was tremendously impressed with the low cost of the conflict, for the 146 Americans who were killed in action and for their families, it wasn't a cheap war."
Check out:
My favorite story of the week:
Vibrator shuts down Australian airport
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/australia_air_vibrator
www.factcheck.org
Krugman's "Ignorance Isn't Strength":
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/08/opinion/08krugman.html
Bob Herbert's "Working for a Pittance
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/08/opinion/08herbert1.html
What really happened at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001?
http://www.pentagonstrike.co.uk/flash.htm#Mai
Fox news ridiculous quotes:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/politics/2826011
Where i got it from:
Halliburton subsidiaries do business with Iraq (Legal oil for food):
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/6/24/80648.shtml
Urging Fact-Checking, Cheney Got Site Wrong
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12901-2004Oct6.html
Cheney attendance record for tuesdays:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/10/6/11163/2940
as compiled from searches at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/crecord/index.html
Cheney on Meet the Press:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3080244/
Rumsfeld quote:
http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/100604A.shtml
ABC reporting the three meetings between the two men:
http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20041006_463.html
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
the first presidential debate of 2004
The first Presidential Debate of 2004 took place this past Thursday September 30. For Mr.Kerry, it was a chance to show the country his strength, his conviction, and his all around "presidentialness". He took advantage of this opportunity by doing just that. Standing up straight, in his red "power" tie, Senator John Kerry was the aggressor in this bout. There were no "knock out punch" one liners in this debate, a welcome change from the 24 hours, 30 second sound bite media which we are surrounded by. John Kerry stood strong, unwaivering in his attack on the president. Leaving an ill equipped president to ask for additional time on several occasions and, unlike his opponent, the president repeated and babbled through the blinking red light afixed to his podium (bending what were predominantly his rules).
After Kerry made reference to former president bush saying, "You know the president's father did not go into Iraq into Baghdad beyond Basra. And the reason he didn't is he said, he wrote in his book because there was no viable exit strategy. And he said our troops would be occupiers in a bitterly hostile land. That's exactly where we find ourselves today. There's a sense of American occupation." the president asked for additional time and then met the camera with a dazed 3-4 second
pause.
While the president was repeatedly telling the country how being the leader of the free world was "hard work". Senator Kerry spoke to the rising soldier deaths as well as the rising opium production in Afghanistan and the "hunt" for bin Laden. "The center is Afghanistan where, incidentally, there were more Americans killed last year than the year before, where the opium production is 75 percent of the world's opium production, where 40 to 60 percent of the economy of Afghanistan is based on opium, where the elections have been postponed three times. "
"The president relied on Afghan warlords that he outsourced that job to. That's wrong."
Kerry responded to the president's repeated mantra of "mixed messages" with the "mixed messages" the incumbent has sent to our country.
"what kind of mixed message does it send when you've got $500 million going over to Iraq to put police officers in the streets of Iraq and the president is cutting the cops program in America? What kind of message does it send to be sending money to open firehouses in Iraq but we're shutting firehouses, who are the first responders here in America?"
Kerry spoke to the disconnect between Iraq and al Qaeda's attacks on New York and D.C.
"smart means not diverting your attention from the real war on terror in Afghanistan against Osama bin Laden and taking it off to Iraq where the 9/11 commission confirms there was no connection to 9/11 itself and Saddam Hussein. And where the reason for going to war was weapons of mass destruction, not the removal of Saddam Hussein. This president has made, I regret to say, a colossal error of judgment."
To the "lead up" to the War in Iraq:
"The president said he would exhaust the remedies of the United Nations and go through that full process. He didn't. He cut it off, sort or arbitrarily. And we know that there were further diplomatic efforts under way. They just decided the time for diplomacy is over and rushed to war without planning for what happens afterwards.
And to the priorities that this president has set with respect to his budget:
"We didn't need that tax cut. America needed to be safe."
And as far as the statements made in the past Senator Kerry had this to say:
Mr. Kerry "Well, you know when I talked about the $87 billion I made a mistake in how I talk about the war. But the president made a mistake in invading Iraq. Which is worse?"
The president was frustrated and rattled and you could see it all over his face and in his body language. His image was that of an arrogant little man who feels he (and his office) are above questioning. Senator John Kerry finally took some of the fight we've all been calling for to the president, and all the repeated tag lines in the rove arsenal couldn't sway him.
"It's comin' y'all" - PIC
peace.
dave
P.S. The Vice Presidential debate takes place on October 5. It should be interesting to see the young, energetic, go getter, pretty boy go up against the old, shadowy, out from an undisclosed area incumbent.
P.P.S. The next two presidential debates will take place (October 8 and October 13).
A full transcript of this first debate can be obtained at :
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/01/politics/campaign/01dtext.html?pagewanted=1
In agreement:
The Boston Globe: "Ladies and gentlemen, you wake today to a whole new presidential race. Last night, John Kerry won as clear a debate victory as we've seen since Ronald Reagan outdueled Jimmy Carter in 1980, The Democratic challenger seemed more serious and substantive, more knowledgeable and confident, than the man who holds the job."
"Last night, I'm afraid, the president looked like a man who showed up for a nine-minute debate and was terrified to find it was a 90-minute debate," said Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), D-Vt. "After nine minutes
he'd run out of Carl Rove's one-liners."
Joe Scarborough: "as far as the debate goes, I don't see how anybody could look at this debate and not score this a very clear win, on points, for John Kerry." (MSNBC)
Excellent voter information site:
www.nationalvoice.org
In other news:
British Guantanamo Detainee Alleges Abuse from Jail
http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/430408|top|10-01-2004::08:31|reuters.html
Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment Fails in House
http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/430261|top|09-30-2004::19:28|reuters.html
House Ethics Committee Admonishes DeLay
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041002/ap_on_go_co/delay_ethics_11
After Kerry made reference to former president bush saying, "You know the president's father did not go into Iraq into Baghdad beyond Basra. And the reason he didn't is he said, he wrote in his book because there was no viable exit strategy. And he said our troops would be occupiers in a bitterly hostile land. That's exactly where we find ourselves today. There's a sense of American occupation." the president asked for additional time and then met the camera with a dazed 3-4 second
pause.
While the president was repeatedly telling the country how being the leader of the free world was "hard work". Senator Kerry spoke to the rising soldier deaths as well as the rising opium production in Afghanistan and the "hunt" for bin Laden. "The center is Afghanistan where, incidentally, there were more Americans killed last year than the year before, where the opium production is 75 percent of the world's opium production, where 40 to 60 percent of the economy of Afghanistan is based on opium, where the elections have been postponed three times. "
"The president relied on Afghan warlords that he outsourced that job to. That's wrong."
Kerry responded to the president's repeated mantra of "mixed messages" with the "mixed messages" the incumbent has sent to our country.
"what kind of mixed message does it send when you've got $500 million going over to Iraq to put police officers in the streets of Iraq and the president is cutting the cops program in America? What kind of message does it send to be sending money to open firehouses in Iraq but we're shutting firehouses, who are the first responders here in America?"
Kerry spoke to the disconnect between Iraq and al Qaeda's attacks on New York and D.C.
"smart means not diverting your attention from the real war on terror in Afghanistan against Osama bin Laden and taking it off to Iraq where the 9/11 commission confirms there was no connection to 9/11 itself and Saddam Hussein. And where the reason for going to war was weapons of mass destruction, not the removal of Saddam Hussein. This president has made, I regret to say, a colossal error of judgment."
To the "lead up" to the War in Iraq:
"The president said he would exhaust the remedies of the United Nations and go through that full process. He didn't. He cut it off, sort or arbitrarily. And we know that there were further diplomatic efforts under way. They just decided the time for diplomacy is over and rushed to war without planning for what happens afterwards.
And to the priorities that this president has set with respect to his budget:
"We didn't need that tax cut. America needed to be safe."
And as far as the statements made in the past Senator Kerry had this to say:
Mr. Kerry "Well, you know when I talked about the $87 billion I made a mistake in how I talk about the war. But the president made a mistake in invading Iraq. Which is worse?"
The president was frustrated and rattled and you could see it all over his face and in his body language. His image was that of an arrogant little man who feels he (and his office) are above questioning. Senator John Kerry finally took some of the fight we've all been calling for to the president, and all the repeated tag lines in the rove arsenal couldn't sway him.
"It's comin' y'all" - PIC
peace.
dave
P.S. The Vice Presidential debate takes place on October 5. It should be interesting to see the young, energetic, go getter, pretty boy go up against the old, shadowy, out from an undisclosed area incumbent.
P.P.S. The next two presidential debates will take place (October 8 and October 13).
A full transcript of this first debate can be obtained at :
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/01/politics/campaign/01dtext.html?pagewanted=1
In agreement:
The Boston Globe: "Ladies and gentlemen, you wake today to a whole new presidential race. Last night, John Kerry won as clear a debate victory as we've seen since Ronald Reagan outdueled Jimmy Carter in 1980, The Democratic challenger seemed more serious and substantive, more knowledgeable and confident, than the man who holds the job."
"Last night, I'm afraid, the president looked like a man who showed up for a nine-minute debate and was terrified to find it was a 90-minute debate," said Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), D-Vt. "After nine minutes
he'd run out of Carl Rove's one-liners."
Joe Scarborough: "as far as the debate goes, I don't see how anybody could look at this debate and not score this a very clear win, on points, for John Kerry." (MSNBC)
Excellent voter information site:
www.nationalvoice.org
In other news:
British Guantanamo Detainee Alleges Abuse from Jail
http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/430408|top|10-01-2004::08:31|reuters.html
Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment Fails in House
http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/430261|top|09-30-2004::19:28|reuters.html
House Ethics Committee Admonishes DeLay
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041002/ap_on_go_co/delay_ethics_11
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