Sen. Dodd's gone crazy. Urges kids to dress like him on Halloween

Now I've heard of some crazy costumes, but the Senator Dodd costume takes the cake this year. Here is a ridiculous idea...dress your child up like an old Senator with a dream to be President of the Free World.

Here is the press release from he Dodd Campaign,

Manchester, NH - Today, the Chris Dodd for President Campaign came to the aid of parents and children across New Hampshire who are still struggling to find the perfect costume for Halloween. The campaign released the following directions for the Chris Dodd Halloween costume.

"Every year, parents and their children struggle to find that perfect Halloween costume," said Dodd spokesman Bryan DeAngelis. "We wanted to do our part to help by providing them with the option of going as the one candidate who has the proven leadership, record of results, and bold ideas that we need in our next President - Chris Dodd."

and for the best part....the required materials,

Required Materials and Instructions for the Chris Dodd Halloween Costume:

White Hair - Use hair color to turn your hair into a bright white just like Chris Dodd's.

The white hair represents the seven years and two presidential vetoes that Chris Dodd had to work through to pass the Family and Medical Leave Act. It also represents the 26 years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee where Chris Dodd has been involved in every major foreign policy decision over the last quarter century. A fluent Spanish speaker, Dodd personally met with world leaders to help resolve conflicts in Latin America. In addition, he worked closely with Senator Ted Kennedy and President Bill Clinton to help facilitate the Good Friday Peace Accords that brought peace to Northern Ireland.

A Passion for Service

As a young man, inspired by President Kennedy, Chris Dodd joined the Peace Corps in 1966 and served for two years working in a rural village in the Dominican Republic, where he became fluent in Spanish, before going on to serve his nation in the National Guard and Army Reserves.

A copy of the Constitution

Chris Dodd carries a copy of the constitution with him everyday. As a Senator he has fought tirelessly to restore the constitution and roll back the Bush Administration assault on the rule of law. As President, the first thing he will do in January 2009 is restore the constitution, restore the rights of Habeus Corpus, and restore America's Moral Authority.

A folder with literature about Dodd's bold ideas

Whether the issue is Iraq, restoring America's standing in the world, driving down health care costs, fixing our schools, or building an economy that works for all Americans, Chris Dodd is offering bold, innovative ideas because he knows half-measures won't get the job done.

A few of Dodd's bold ideas to mention:
A corporate carbon tax that would punish polluters and spur the innovation of environmentally friendly technology.

Free community college for all Americans.

The American Community Initiative - a comprehensive national service plan that will draw upon the very best of our character to call Americans to service.

Happy Halloween. Watch out for the little Christopher Dodd's out there. Even for a Democrat...the thought of a 10 year old Christopher Dodd is scary as Hell.

Todays Posts:
Video: Biden on Giuliani.."all he mentions is a noun, a verb, and 911"
Japan wants out of Afghanistan...and the vote proves it
The GOP perversion continues..Cross Dressing GOP WA Rep. caught in sex scandal
Burma: The Army of Children

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Video: Biden on Giuliani.."all he mentions is a noun, a verb, and 911"

Joe Biden says it best..sometimes it helps to have a motor mouth

Best one liner in the Democratic Debate


Anybody but Rudy in '08

New Posts:
Sen. Dodd's gone crazy. Urges kids to dress like him on Halloween
Japan wants out of Afghanistan...and the vote proves it
The GOP perversion continues..Cross Dressing GOP WA Rep. caught in sex scandal
Burma: The Army of Children


Same Players. Different Scandal.

The Sub Prime Fallout Continues...Fed Cuts Interest Rates, again

Continual bailouts, the fall of the U.S. dollar, increased foreclosure rates...when will it end? The U.S. Federal Reserve hopes soon and have lowered interest rates to 4.5 % hoping to spur investment.

From the BBC,

The US Federal Reserve has voted to cut US interest rates from 4.75% to 4.5% to help revive the country's faltering housing and credit markets

The move had been widely expected by traders, who have been relentlessly selling the dollar and buying higher yielding currencies in anticipation.
.....
It follows last month's dramatic rate cut - the Fed's first in four years.
.....
The bold intervention in financial markets was designed to restore confidence in the nation's housing market, which has badly suffered from the repercussions of two years of interest rate rises between 2004 to 2006.
.....
They have particularly hurt those with poor credit ratings or on low incomes, who had been sold sub-prime home loans when borrowing costs were cheap. (that is exactly what homeowners did..BORROW their homes..and now it's time for the banks to reclaim them. Bad Realtors, bad lenders, bad inept policymakers)

A Congressional committee report said last week that up to two million US families - especially those considered risky lenders - could eventually lose their homes as borrowing cost rises filter through and lenders become more choosy as to who they lend to. ( not the banks, but the people. The banks have been 'bailed out' of their shady 'investments',)

Many analysts had taken the view that more rate cuts would be necessary to relieve the pain of higher borrowing costs on house buyers and consumers, which account for a critical two-thirds of US gross domestic product.

The Fed has been forced to take these cuts, yet the private equity firms and banks who created the 'problem' walks away without repercussions. Awful. Lower interest rates rock, but bailing out the 'sub primes' only continues the problem. Let them eat their losses and everything would change overnight.
Expect Greenspan to be on the press circuit, again with his "I didn't do it" tour, again. Greenspan's involvement is Paramount. His leadership allowed the 'problem' to persist. The racket continues.....

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Japan wants out of Afghanistan...and the vote proves it

Thursday is the day. The day that Japan officially quits their participation in the 'war of terror' in Afghanistan. Japanese lawmakers, in both houses of Parliament, have REFUSED to support their continued refueling 'mission' in the Indian Ocean.

According to Channel Asia News,

Japan's role in the U.S. led fight against terrorism in Afghanistan ends on Thursday, as Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda has failed to get the support of both houses of parliament to extend the refuelling mission in the Indian Ocean.
.....
Japanese maritime forces have been part of the US-led anti-terror campaign for the past six years.

The move is exacerbated by the consistent pressure placed upon Japan's 'role' in the war of terror.

11 countries which have benefited from Japan's services are urging Japanese parliamentarians to reconsider their decision.

And how could the Japanese PM, Fukuda, reverse the decision of "both houses of Parliament?" Easy...dissolve the Lower House of Parliament and hope for a better outcome,

Some analysts said one option the prime minister has is for him to dissolve the Lower House and call for snap general elections.

Political commentator Minoru Morita said: "The most rational solution would be to dissolve the Lower House and hold elections to let voters decide whether they support the issue. The ruling party will have to consider whether it'll have an advantage if it holds elections now.
"However, if it refuses to do so, its decision will be contrary to popular opinion. So I think general elections will be held next spring, and this issue will be resolved soon after that."

There's also speculation that Mr Fukuda and Mr Ozawa may reach a deal for their parties to form a coalition, in exchange for the opposition camp's support of the refuelling mission.

Sorry, Mr. Fukuda...the representatives of the PEOPLE have spoken. The Japanese populace want out of the 'mission'. We can only hope that the representatives of, We the People, do the same here in the U.S. End this awful WAR. Speak for the majority..not the minority. We want out, too.

Return Democracy back to the People!

Same Players. Different Scandal.

The GOP perversion continues..Cross Dressing GOP WA Rep. caught in sex scandal

Say it isn't so...Another GOP sex scandal? Yup, Washington State Representative Richard Curtis (R-LaCenter) was just 'busted' and like Sen. Craig..."he's not gay".

From KXLY,

State Representative Richard Curtis says he's not gay, but police reports and court records indicate the Republican lawmaker from southwestern Washington dressed up in women's lingerie and met a Medical Lake man in a local erotic video store which led to consensual sex at a downtown hotel and a threat to expose Curtis' activities publicly.
.....
A search warrant (video) unsealed Tuesday morning disclosed that State Representative Richard Curtis (R - La Center) had sex in his room at the Davenport Tower with a man identified as Cody Castagna, 26, of Medical Lake, who he met at the Hollywood Erotic Boutique on October 26th.

Curtis, according to a search warrant unsealed Tuesday, went to the Hollywood Erotic Boutique on East Sprague on October 26th at approximately 12:45 a.m.

And now for the great part,

The store clerk, who had talked with Curtis, referred to him as "The Cross-Dresser" and said that during their conversations he confirmed he was gay and was married with children at home.
.....
During his visit to the video store Curtis was observed wearing women's lingerie while receiving oral sex from an unidentified man in one of the movie viewing booths inside the store.

hehehe. Great family values, those GOPers have, eh. They just love the "compassionate conservatism".

and a few more of the 'juicy' details,

Afterward he met Cody Castagna, and they talked about getting together at Curtis' hotel room to have sex.
....
police reports confirm Curtis and Castagna had anal intercourse after which Curtis fell asleep. Castagna, according to court records, then allegedly took Curtis' wallet out of his jacket pocket and left the room.

It's 'Extortion Time' (another video),

Around 7 a.m. he called Curtis and told him he knew he was a member of the Washington State House of Representatives and was married, that he had taken pictures of Curtis with a camera on his cellphone and he offered to return the wallet in exchange for $1,000.
.....
The attempt to get his wallet back proved unsuccessful as Castagna called Curtis back later on the 26th and demanded the remaining $800 from him. Unbeknownst to Castagna at the time Curtis had already contacted Spokane police and a detective was present with Curtis when Castagna called again.
.....
During the call Castagna not only demanded $800 for the return of Curtis' wallet but also said the money would buy his silence, implying that without the money he would expose Curtis' gay lifestyle to his wife. Curtis admitted to police that if details of the incident became public he would have to tell his wife and would need to hire a divorce attorney.

Following the phone call arranging for the return of the wallet police officers set up surveillance of the location where Curtis' billfold was to be dropped and subsequently recovered it.

Castagna offered a completely different view of the events that happened on October 26th in several interviews with detectives. Castagna claimed that Curtis had met him at the Hollywood Erotic Boutique and later at Curtis' hotel room offered him $1,000 in exchange for sex, adding that while he was in Curtis' room at the Davenport Tower Curtis rented two XXX-rated gay movies for the two to watch. After the two had sex, Castagna claimed that Curtis gave him his wallet as collateral to hold on to until he gave him the remainder of the $1,000.

Ha. The GOP are full of 'closeted' liars. So typical of a 'republican'...Don't be so cheap if you're gonna participate in cross dressing gay love affairs while your wife and children are asleep at home. Cheap, dirty bastard. Add another to the LIST.

Video: Over 40 GOP scandals in 2007

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Burma: The Army of Children

We all remember the inspiring pro democracy movement in Myanmar/Burma in September, but do we know who crushed that 'revolution'? Many of those 'military participants' were children who are forced to 'work' for the Burmese military. A new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), entitled "Sold to be Soldiers: The Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers in Burma" says there are thousands of children forcibly employed in the Burmese military.

Here are a few excerpts from an article on HRW,

Burmese military recruiters target children in order to meet unrelenting demands for new recruits due to continued army expansion, high desertion rates and a lack of willing volunteers. Non-state armed groups, including ethnic-based insurgent groups, also recruit and use child soldiers, though in far smaller numbers.
.....
Military recruiters are literally buying and selling children to fill the ranks of the Burmese armed forces.
.....
All of the former soldiers interviewed by Human Rights Watch reported the presence of children in their training units. Thousands of children are present in the army's ranks, although their prevalence varies considerably by battalion. Particularly in some newly formed battalions, children reportedly constitute a large percentage of privates.
.....
The United Nations Security Council's working group on children and armed conflict will consider violations against children in Burma, including the use and recruitment of child soldiers. The UN secretary-general has already identified Burma's national armed forces in four consecutive reports to the Security Council for violating international laws prohibiting the use of child soldiers. The secretary-general has also listed several armed opposition groups as violators. Human Rights Watch

Listen to the entire interview with Jo Becker, Advocacy Director Children's Rights Division

and from the BBC article,

It claims that children are approached in public places by military recruiters and civilian brokers who have been promised cash rewards by the military.
The children are often beaten or threatened with arrest to force them to enlist, the report says.

It is claimed that recruiting officers routinely falsify enlistment documents to register children as being 18, the legal minimum age for recruitment.

One child quoted in the report says he was forced to lie about his age when he was recruited for a second time.

"When I said I was 16, I was slapped and he said, 'You are 18, answer 18.'

"I just wanted to go back and home and I told them, but they refused." BBC

Completely awful. Recruitment of children for the purpose of war is a WAR CRIME. Myanmar/Burma would not even exist if it were not for the international community. Greed, profits, oil and gas have KILLED 'democracy' in Burma. Worse, the politicians of the world have nothing to offer, but mere rhetoric.

Words alone will not solve the problems of 'democracy' in Burma, International Outrage and discontinuing economic and political support will.

End the Burma Travesty. Support Democracy. Support Human Rights. Support the world's children. Divest all monetary support and political resources....Myanmar falls as Burma rises.

Related Post:
Escaped Buddhist Monk offers insights into Sept. Protests in Myanmar

Same Players. Different Scandals.

Tony Snow is still talking? Someone muzzle him

I thought we escaped Tony Snow? Apparently not, this weekend he showed up in Boca Raton, Florida at the American Magazine Conference spewing at the mouth about the 'intellectual vigor' of the Bush Administration,

According to an article in Portfolio.com, Highlights of the conference were provided via 'the mouth of Snow',

highlights from Sunday evening's Q&A Tony Snow. The former White House speaker and Fox News talking head played it pretty cautious, but did offer a few observations worth repeating.

On his health: "I've got a small handful of tumors. They're not getting bigger. If they stay where they are I'll die at a ripe old age and that's what I'm looking forward to doing."

On what surprised him about working at the White House: "No. 1 was how much fun it was. Believe it or not, being press secretary was a blast -- the most fun I've ever had."

On the Bush Administration's decision-making process: "You don't see it but there's a process where everything gets discussed, and there are some raging arguments.... It's not the case that something is always handed in a neat little bundle to the leader of the free world. He's gotta make some choices....When people look back at this White House, they're gonna find its one that had a lot of intellectual vigor." Portfolio.com

Tough sell, Tony, but in honor of the theme " MagaBrand Revolution", you lived up to par. Re "branding" the Bush Administration as 'intellectual' is hilarious. Snow didn't stop there. The man loves his voice...

"The newspapers have to realize that they are a niche market and the one thing they can do better than anyone else is analysis. As a guy who spent the majority of his career in print media and loves writing, it scares me that newspapers are in the state they're in."

On the effects of the 24-hour-news cycle on journalism: "There are structural problems right now that make it very difficult to cover the White House the way it should be covered....People are trying to keep up with the electronic media. So what happens is you end up thinking, what can I do quickly and what can I do that people are going to watch? ....If you're doing it in real time, you can get real stupid." Portfolio.com

And my favorite....his analysis of Fox News,

"There's perceived bias on the part of Fox because they don't treat conservatives as knuckle-dragging morons....I think the rap on Fox having a bias is an unfair one. My sense is rather than grousing with a winning formula, people ought to learn from them." (Dumbass) Portfolio.com

Be glad we are free of this partisan, lying, hypocrite, moron professing the 'virtues' of a Rovian Bush 'residency' in the Oval Office. Perino offers more comedic intrigue, anyway. The "fake news" marches on...

Related Posts:
Introducing "DIPNOTE": The Department of State enters the Blogosphere
FEMA makes $hit up...again. Fake News from FEMA. Yup. Cali only Singed ...No big deal
Department of State and Homeland Security declare Mickey Mouse as U.S. "spokesperson"

Same Players. Different Scandal.

NASA: Adds a room, but loose Power. Solar Panel RIPPED

The never ending 'mission problems' of NASA continues. STS 120 is no different. Earlier this week NASA reported of 'metal shavings' around the gears of the solar panels, today..it's the entire Solar Panel.

From Reuters,

NASA's problems with the International Space Station's solar power wings multiplied on Tuesday after one panel ripped, threatening the structural integrity of the orbital outpost.

The 2.5-foot (75-cm) tear reduced the wings' energy output by just a fraction but until NASA can anchor the panels, managers will not proceed with plans to launch Europe's long-delayed Columbus laboratory on December 6, space station program manager Mike Suffredini said. (rushing to launch...again)

The problem surfaced at the end of an otherwise successful spacewalk by two shuttle Discovery astronauts to move a pair of the station's solar wing panels to the outermost end of the station's frame

'Otherwise successful'?...they found 'metal shavings' on their previous spacewalk.

"Managers previously deactivated automated operation of a second wing rotator after astronauts discovered metal shavings inside the joint."

.....

To help stabilize the station, NASA locked the wings in place to prevent them from automatically tracking the sun for energy.

"I don't want to do any more damage to the array than what's already been done," Suffredini told reporters.

Rushing to launch does help. Don't forget about that pesky 'tiny cracks in the heat shield' I warned about on Oct 22nd, in the article titled, "NASA clears shuttle for Launch, but probably shouldn't". The problem continues to be 'neglected',

Engineers were assessing which side of the station's troubled power system to attack first. NASA already canceled plans for a spacewalk to test a shuttle heat shield repair technique so astronauts could instead inspect the joint where metal shavings were found on Sunday.( not wise, those cracks should have kept the Shuttle grounded in the first place.)

That work might now be postponed in favor of fixing the tear in one of the left-side solar panels.

Nothing to worry about , though..NASA is on their 'business as usual' fix on the cheap,

"It's not a situation where anybody is particularly panicked," said Suffredini, adding that the fix might not be pretty.

"All we need is power. It doesn't have to look good," he said. Read the full article

NASA, NASA, NASA...what is becoming of you? May all our love go out to the astronauts dealing with NASA's 'shortcomings'.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Cheney returns from hunting trip. Now he's 'Hunted by Rev. Al Sharpton'

Geez..Can Cheney go hunting without a controversy? No. Last time he shot his friend in the face, this time his partners all made it out safe. Everything is ok. Except for the a picture of the Confederate flag at the secluded Hudson Valley Gun Club,

According to CNN,

a New York Daily News photographer snapped a picture of a small Confederate flag hanging inside a garage on the hunt club property.

What would one do with a photo of a Confederate flag coupled with Cheney being nearby do?.. show it to Reverend Al Sharpton, of course,

The photo was shown to New York City civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton, who issued a statement demanding that the vice president "leave immediately, denounce the club and apologize for going to a club that represents lynching, hate and murder to black people."

Sharpton's statement was issued hours after Cheney departed the club at 3:45 p.m. for a flight out of the Stewart Air National Guard Base. In a statement issued Monday evening, Cheney spokeswoman Megan Mitchell said neither Cheney nor anyone on his staff saw such a flag at the hunt club.

It's not clear whether the door of the garage that contained the flag was even open at the time the vice president was in the area. (but come on..a Confederate flag in upstate NY, not the best image to portray. Down south, sure..not NY.)

Let's just be happy with the fact that Cheney didn't shoot anyone in the face on this trip. That photographer better watch out, though. Next time, Cheney will give him to ol' 'Whittington Treatment'

Related post:
"Shotgun Cheney" is going Hunting.."friends and Lawyers beware"

New:
U.S. Marines new training program is "Developing a "Hunter's Mentality"
What did George W. Bush eat for Lunch?

Same Players. Different Scanadal.

U.S. Marines new training program is "Developing a "Hunter's Mentality"

“I MEF commanders believe that if we create the mentality in our Marines of hunters, and they take on some of those skills, then we’ll be able to increase our combat effectiveness,” General James T. Conway USMC, 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps

My goodness.."Every Marine a Hunter" this is the crap that our Military is teaching our children. A "hunter"? How about a "defender". You're not going to believe this one.

The United States Marine Corps has started a new training program named, "Combat Hunter". Combat Hunter aims to merge the skills of "big game hunters" of Africa with the 'new' urban combat soldier in the "war of terror".

According to a brilliant article by Nick Turse, in the Asia Times,

At a recent conference on urban warfare in Washington, DC, James Lasswell, retired USMC colonel,Head the Office of Science and Technology at the Marine Corps War fighting Laboratory,( neo conservative, PNAC participant)

He noted that, as part of an instruction course named "Combat Hunter", the marines have brought in "big-game hunters" to school their snipers in the better use of "optics". According to a September article by Grace Jean in National Defense Magazine, "[T]he lab conducted a war game with marines, African game hunters and inner city police officers to search for ways to improve training." The program included a 15-minute CD titled "Every Marine a Hunter." Asian Times
.....
"We think urban is the future. Everything worth fighting for is in the urban environment." said James Lasswell, Tom Dispatch

Wild. Here comes the kicker. Read this dumba$$ statement,

"The corps hopes to tap into skills certain marines may already have learned growing up in rural hunting areas and in urban areas, such as inner cities, said Colonel Clarke Lethin, I MEF's chief of staff." Read the full article

Quite an interesting statement. Put the obvious rural aspect aside, "inner cities"? Who was this comment aimed towards. Hmmm, the skills of our new Marine Corps apparently have skills based on "growing up" "hunting"in inner cities, too. I'm not a hunter, but I imagine if I ever went..it wouldn't be in the inner city.

Here in another article, General James T. Conway USMC, 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps, offers US a little more insight into our "new" hunter's mentality.

The skillful hunter of animals (dehumanizing the enemy) must learn how to successfully track down and engage it in its natural habitat…no matter what those surroundings may be. The natural habitat of mankind is in urban dwellings. This habitat has it own rules and its own camouflage. The “combat hunter” training will search for methods to help Marines find,and then hit, fleeing and moving targets that are sometimes among crowds of people", General James T. Conway USMC, 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps

Keeping with this "dehumanizing" mentality,

Troops on the ground say that they have to fire multiple shots into the enemy before they go down, and surprisingly enough, some still get up and keep coming.The suggestion has been made that perhaps a new and heavier round should be introduced to match the new Marine “hunter” mentality.

Not according to Gen. Conway. It's misdirected training.

“Put a round in the right place, and you’ll stop the bad guy, no matter the size of the bullet and how fast he’s moving,”.

He does have a point. His point being...

“The problem is we’re not very good at hitting moving targets. A hunter can hit a moving target with a great deal of frequency.Maybe we should start with shotguns and build a level of confidence in hitting a moving target via skeet or trap, and we go from there to rifle shots.”

Explaining the benefits of skeet shooting, Scott Reed, Fmr Marine Corps Rifle Range Coach, current AM of McIntyre Skeet Range & Paint Ball located at Camp Lejeune, N.C. explained,

Most of the principles of marksmanship that we learn in the Marine Corps do not apply in shooting moving targets.
.....
“The emphasis here is on the target, not the front sight post as in traditional marksmanship at the rifle range. Trigger control is not a major issue here either. Most Marines forget that the weapon is moving a great deal when they take the shot; this is not the case in traditional marksmanship. There’s no waiting and breathing with proper sight alignment and sight picture here. With skeet, as in combat shooting,you only have about 2 seconds to take a well aimed shot. The only difference is skeet targets don’t shoot back.”
.....
“The targets are moving at speeds of 45 to 47 Mph which is pretty fast. If you think about combat circumstances, a human being cannot run that fast so skeet shooting will get Marines conditioned for the worst case scenarios of moving targets”
.....
The shift from rifleman to hunter will have to take place mentally before it happens physically. The hunter knows that he/she is the hunter because they are confident in their superior skills. Through constant skeet shooting, the confidence that will be instilled in the individual Marine’s combat marksmanship abilities will begin to grow. As an outcome, the Marine will begin to feel like the hunter and therefore perform like one. Sgt. Steven King

Skeet shooting and "big game hunters"...sounds like Dick Cheney's type of "hunting trip". Throw in a few alcoholic drinks and an old lawyer 'friend' and Cheney will be planning his next vacation to Camp Lejeune.

related 'target practice' posts:
"Shotgun Cheney" is going Hunting.."friends and Lawyers beware"
The Statements Don Rumsfeld did not say on Camera
4th Branch addresses Dennis Kucinich and Impeachment

Same Players. Different Scandal.

What did George W. Bush eat for Lunch?

Reposted from the The Searcher,

It was a small ceremony. Just George, Dick, Condi, Karl, and a few others. They gathered around the document, and each said a few words. Then they let George bring out his condiment; a favorite bbq sauce from a ranch near his in Texas. He'd been putting that sauce on everything. He joked it was a shame they couldn't use this as an endorsement. Those gathered laughed, without hint of nervousness or doubt. This was a liberating evening for all.

After a toast, the President began. At first he tried silverware, but the parchment crumbled too much under the knife. After some trial and error, the method settled upon was to tear off long strips, and roll them up with bbq sauce like enchiladas. For the remainder of the document, he ate in this way. Once there was nothing left save for a paste of dust and sauce, they toasted again, clapped, and called it a night.

Next week was Dick's turn, with the other document. He was leaning towards bringing a simple vinaigrette. But that bbq sauce was growing on him.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Azerbaijan Security Forces foil "terror plot". Are they the 'new' terrorist busters?

"The Wahhabi virus has been around here for a few years, but it's necessary to prove their involvement in these events," Ilgar Ibrahimoglu, head of the Center for Protection of Freedom of Conscience

On Saturday Azerbaijan's security forces prevented what they are calling a, "large scale, horrifying terror attack", against the U.S. and UK embassies in Baku, the capitol of Azerbaijan. Welcome Al Qaeda in Azerbaijan, (AQA) if you will.

Here are the details from several sources,

"Several people belonging to a Wahhabi group have been detained. They were planning terrorist attacks near the U.S. embassy in Baku," National Security Ministry spokesman Arif Babayev was quoted as saying.

The ministry said the group was armed with stolen military grenades and assault rifles and had planned a "large-scale, horrifying terror attack." China View
......

Security forces raided a group planning the attacks, killing one member and arresting several others, a national security ministry statement said.
.....
The ministry said a renegade army officer was involved in the plot.

The lieutenant deserted his unit this month, taking with him four assault rifles, a machine gun and 20 hand grenades, the statement said.
.....
Security forces tracked the group to Mastaga, a village 30km (20 miles) north-east of Baku, on Saturday, where one of its members offered resistance and was killed. BBC

According to the Department of State's, Sean McCormack,

"There was some specific and credible threat information concerning the embassy and plans by militants to in some way do harm to the individuals in or around the U.S. Embassy there, but we have worked very well with the Government of Azerbaijan...Now, I think that they have ongoing law enforcement operations designed to address the source of the threat." AP

20 grenades, 1 machine gun, and 4 assault rifles..."horrifying and large scale", not so much. Or a plot to engage Iran with the West,

Ilgar Ibrahimoglu, the head of the Center for Protection of Freedom of Conscience, an Azeri human rights group, said it was not yet clear if the government was exaggerating the threat to show the West its determination to battle militant groups.

Welcome to Al Qaeda in Azerbaijan. (AQA). Shortly BushCO will ply them with jet fighters, advanced weaponry, and bombs. We all know, it 'pays' to play with Bush.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Workers strike in Dubai. Will Dubai finally learn their lessen?

Life in Dubai is great...as long as you're not an underpaid foreign construction worker who live in "labor camps". On Saturday, the building boom came to a halt as thousands of foreign construction workers flooded the streets of Dubai over substandard pay and deplorable living conditions.

According to BBC,

Workers blocked roads and threw stones at police on Saturday, prompting a government threat to deport rioters.

A fall in value of the UAE dirham means workers are unable to send as much money home as they previously could. (The dirham is tied to the dollar. As the dollar falls so does the dirham)

Dubai's economy has boomed in recent years, fuelled largely by a construction industry reliant on low-paid workers, many from South Asia.
Analysts say it is time for the authorities to consider a minimum wage.

and from IHT,

The workers, however, have complained about long hours, no minimum wage, harsh living conditions and no legal forums in which to air their complaints about management.

Despite the illegality of strikes in the United Arab Emirates, the laborers refused to go to work over the weekend and protested in the labor camp of Dubai's Jebel Ali Industrial Zone and on a construction site in Al Qusais, a residential neighborhood.

They demanded pay increases, improved housing and better transportation services to construction sites. Some workers threw stones at riot police that heavily outnumbered the protesters on Saturday. Ali bin Abdullah al-Kaabi, the Emirates' minister of labor, described the workers' behavior to the state news agency WAM as "uncivilized."

Not only did Ali bin Abdullah al-Kaabi call the workers "uncivilized", but also has deemed them a "national security threat" to the UAE,

He said workers were tampering with national security and endangering residents' safety. He said workers could have registered their complaints peacefully, but instead "turned themselves into rioters."

Those who damaged public property would be deported, the labor minister said.

"The ministry will not vacillate in taking necessary measures to deport whatever numbers of workers found responsible for such acts," al-Kaabi said on Saturday.

What will the Al Maktoum Dynasty do for her "uncivilized, national security threats who they keep in "labor camps"? Will Dubai finally get her minimum wage? Dubai might be the land of free trade zones, no taxes and increased foreign investment, but life is still deplorable for those who fuel her rise. If they want to keep those cranes moving, the land of the "little Big Sheikhs" had better start taking care of their foreign workforce.

Related posts:
UAE: Art Mecca...Abu Dhabi Louvre? Dubai Guggenheim?
U.S. Military renames Persian Gulf to "Arabian Gulf"....it's all in the name
Can Banks disable your Car? In the Middle East They Can
Ever Heard of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum?
Dubai: Rising out of the 'fog' to claim her role in international commerce
The Dubai Tea Party: The Carlyle/Haliburton Show is Shifting into 'OVERDRIVE'

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Saudi King goes to the UK. Tells UK "the world is not taking terrorism seriously"

Ok, ok. King Abdullah didn't quite call them "sissies", but close enough. Before departing on his extremely rare trip to the UK, the Saudi King gave an interview with the BBC in which he urged the UK to become more diligent and "serious" in the fight against "terror",

the Saudi monarch said he believed most countries were not taking the issue seriously, "including, unfortunately, Great Britain". (I guess the recent HUGE highly controversial BAE weapons deal wasn't enough to satisfy the King)
.....
"he said the fight against terrorism needed much more effort by countries such as Britain and that al-Qaeda continued to be a big problem for his country.

BBC world affairs correspondent John Simpson says King Abdullah is annoyed that the rest of the world has largely failed to act on his proposal for a UN clearing house for information about terrorism." BBC
.....
"We have sent information to Great Britain before the terrorist attacks in Britain but unfortunately no action was taken. And it may have been able to maybe avert the tragedy." King Abbullah

Isn't that cute. Saudi Arabia produced the 15 wretched souls who dropped our Twins, produced the despicable, Osama bin Laden, commits thousands of Human Rights abuses everyday, yet the "King" AKA Bush's BFF, still feels it's appropriate to tell other nations "they aren't serious" about fighting terrorism. Yup..that was a little regurg I just tasted. Pathetic.

Hey King, get your "house" in line then start ridiculing. Those who live in "glass houses" shouldn't throw stones. And the ridiculous idea of a "UN Clearing House" for terrorist information is absurd. Why would the West offer up her information to the very "nations" that support "terror" against them?

Watch the interview with the King.

recent posts:
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Same Players. Different Scandal.

Does Bill Richardson believe in UFO's, Too?

First there was Giuliani's "intergalactic attack", then Kucinich's visions of UFOs, and now, Richardson? Apparently our Presidential candidates are going "alien crazy".

On Friday, Bill Richardson entered the 'clandestine' UFO debate during a town hall meeting when a citizen asked him about the 1947 Roswell UFO mystery. Was it a plane, a weather balloon, a UFO? Who knows...but Richardson is prepared to get to the bottom of it.

"Answering questions at a town hall meeting Friday, a Dell employee asked Richardson about the 1947 incident in which many people still believe a flying saucer landed near the eastern New Mexico town.

"I've been in government a long time, I've been in the cabinet, I've been in the Congress and I've always felt that the government doesn't tell the truth as much as it should on a lot of issues," said Richardson, who is governor of New Mexico.

"When I was in Congress I said (to the) Department of Defense ... 'What is the data? What is the data you have?' "

He was told that the records were classified.

"That ticked me off," he said, as the crowd laughed.

"What do you want me to do? You want me to open up all those files?" he asked the alien enthusiast, who answered that he did.

"I'll work with you on that." Houston Chronicle

One has to love it. Our candidates are talking 'alien'...again. There is something interesting in their answers, though. The answers strongly reflect their campaign vision. Take Giuliani, if encountered with a UFO...he'd "attack" it. Kucinich would "talk" to it, and for Richardson...he just wants answers, he's the consummate student, diligently checking facts.

Recent posts:
Department of State and Homeland Security declare Mickey Mouse as U.S. "spokesperson"
Introducing "DIPNOTE": The Department of State enters the Blogosphere
$10 million dollar Bat Mitzvahs for your daughter via the U.S. Government
U.S. Military renames Persian Gulf to "Arabian Gulf"....it's all in the name

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Department of State and Homeland Security declare Mickey Mouse as U.S. "spokesperson"

Isn't America so beautiful? You won't believe this crap, but it's true. The Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security has joined forces with Walt Disney and produced a highly patriotic video.

Folks, it's not a joke. The U.S. Department of State and Homeland Security believes foreigners perception of America should be given by America's spokesperson, Mickey Mouse. Are you kidding, me?

It will be shown in the international arrivals halls of all major US airports as well as in visa-processing offices around the world. Major airlines will also be encouraged to show it on aircraft shortly before landing in the US.

According to The Independent,

From now on, the nerves of international passengers queuing up at passport control at airports in Washington DC and Houston will be soothed – or otherwise – by a sappy seven-minute film made by the folks at Walt Disney showcasing all that is wonderful, scenic and nice about the land of the free.
.....
While the no-dialogue video is packed with clichés of Uncle Sam – such as the inevitable shots of the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon and Golden Gate Bridge – travellers who consider themselves allergic to all things Disney should not necessarily despair. Mickey and his gurgling-grating laugh are not featured in the film and Disney even resisted the temptation to use it as a vehicle to promote itself and its theme parks.

The idea for it was Disney's, however, stemming from the widely held perception that the US has become less hospitable to foreign tourists since 9/11 and statistics showing the US winning a declining share of overseas tourism. It deployed Frederico Tio, a veteran of Disney films such as Finding Nemo, to make the short film and then donated it to the US government free of charge.

Please pinch me. It can't be true. Unforfunately it is. FEMA creates fake news, the Department of State just launched their propaganda blog, and now..DHS and DoS have teamed up with Disney. What the hell is the Bush Administration doing? The United States is becoming a joke.

Under Bush...our foreign policy has been reduced down to Ariel the Mermaid, Aladdin, Mickey Mouse, Pluto,..for God's sake...reduced down to Simba. But according to George W. Bush confidant, Karen Hughes, it's not that bad an idea. Commenting on the film,

"[the film is]creating a warm first impression, and first impressions are important".
.....
"We greatly appreciate Disney’s significant contributions to our efforts to make America’s embassies and airports more welcoming to our international guests. Disney’s creativity and excellence wonderfully capture the essence of America, which is embodied in the diversity and values of our people,”

Karen on Dipnote, The Official Department of State Blog,....

This week I attended a movie premiere, but without Hollywood stars – this is Washington after all. The stars of this film are the men, women and children of America, shown at work, at play and going about their daily lives. This new film was produced by Disney, at no expense to the taxpayers of America, and generously given to the U.S. government to help us welcome international visitors to our country.

As a communicator, I believe the first principle of effective communications is clarity – and this video clearly says: We want you to come to America, you will be most welcome. At the same time, it quietly communicates the greatest strength of our country – our people.

Folks, I'm not kidding. Here is their "joint" press release,

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State in partnership with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts premiered “Welcome: Portraits of America,” a multi-media initiative to welcome international visitors to the United States.
......
“Travelers form their first impressions of America when they arrive at our borders. Our global reputation therefore depends on making visitors feel every bit as welcome as they feel secure,” said Stewart Baker, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Department of Homeland Security.
.....

The film and still portraits showcase the diversity, friendliness and optimism of the American people. The film will be shown in the Federal Inspection Areas of U.S. airports, and in U.S. embassies and consulates overseas, while the still portraits will be incorporated in posters, banners and other imagery welcoming visitors to the U.S. The video and images will not feature or promote any commercial entities. The first airports to feature the images will be Washington Dulles International Airport and Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, to be followed by the nation’s other international airports.

For the project, Disney attracted a world-class creative team including producer Federico Tió, a highly-regarded marketer of some of America’s best-known motion pictures. Born in Havana, Cuba on May 1, 1962, Tió came to the United States on one of the first "Freedom Flights" in 1965. Tió’s crew embarked on a cross-country odyssey to capture the content for the video, including images of ordinary Americans at work, play, with family and at moments of introspection.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff announced a joint vision to enhance border security while streamlining security processes and facilitating travel for legitimate visitors in January 2006. As part of this initiative, the Secure Borders, Open Doors Advisory Committee was established with participation from the business, travel and tourism and academic communities. One of the goals of the Advisory Committee is to help the Departments of State and Homeland Security establish a friendlier, more welcoming process for visitors from the time they apply for a visa to their entry into the United States.

Excuse me, but I believe I just tasted a little "regurg".

and from the mouth of the creator of the "7 minutes of American Bliss", Fredrico Tio, who "donated" the film to "America",

"We thought it would be nice for people to be greeted by beautiful images that inspire them to explore America," Mr Tio said of his film. A Cuban immigrant himself who arrived in the US aged three, he focused not just on landmarks and landscapes but also on the country's ethnic diversity.

It was a project, he said, that took him and his assistants on an almost 15,000-mile trek through the US over 42 days. Characters featured in the final cut include an immigrant from Mexico tending to grapes in the Napa Valley, a former "lost boy" from Sudan brought to the US as a child and a Midwestern farmer.

Please tell me I'm dreaming. Our "reputation" is based on a 7 minute short produced by Walt Disney? Come on, now...really? Pathetic. Welcome to our "Homeland"..Disney America.

** I tried my hardest..I couldn't find a embed video to place on my site. Apparently the Department of State wants YOU to come to "their" site and take a look. Sneaky, sneaky, they are. You can watch it at Dipnote, The Official Department of State Blog.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Introducing "DIPNOTE": The Department of State enters the Blogosphere

Finally it's unveiled, The Official Blog of Department of State . Yeah...Boo.

Dipnote, describes itself as an, "opportunity for participants to discuss important foreign policy issues with senior Department officials."

What's their mission?..Well..according to the State Department,

The mission of the U.S. Department of State is to create a more secure, democratic, and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community.

Through its websites and other online resources, the Department offers broad public access to a wide range of information. Blogs.state.gov offers the public an alternative source to mainstream media for U.S. foreign policy information. This blog offers the opportunity for participants to discuss important foreign policy issues with senior Department officials. Heath Kern, Editor in Chief

Here is their "Welcome" message,

Welcome to the State Department's first-ever blog, Dipnote. As a communicator for the Department, I have the opportunity to do my fair share of talking on a daily basis. With the launch of Dipnote, we are hoping to start a dialogue with the public. More than ever, world events affect our daily lives--what we see and hear, what we do, and how we work. I hope Dipnote will provide you with a window into the work of the people responsible for our foreign policy, and will give you a chance to be active participants in a community focused on some of the great issues of our world today.

With Dipnote we are going to take you behind the scenes at the State Department and bring you closer to the personalities of the Department. We are going to try and break through some of the jargon and talk about how we operate around the world.

We invite you to participate in this community, and I am looking forward to stepping away from my podium every now and then into the blogosphere. Let the conversation begin.

PS - We're new at this. It looks like we broke our own rule and used State jargon in our blog title. "Dipnote" refers to a diplomatic note. It is one of the many ways in which governments formally communicate with each other.

The dictionary definition of a diplomatic note is: "A formal communication between an ambassador and a minister (usually the foreign minister) of this host government or another ambassador." Dipnote/State Department

they have videos, too.

How cute, they gave US a P.S. America, FEMA has recently been "busted" for creating their own press. Welcome, Dipnote, the Department of State's attempt at "creating the news".

and to think...I wanted to be a diplomat. Training wasted, I don't fit in with these criminals. The United States will never change her outlook upon the world unless we start realigning her priorities. Look at the figures..until the State Department receives more funding than the Pentagon, the "stick" will always speak louder than the "carrot". Until the U.S. fixes the disparity...Diplomacy will always come second to Bombs.

Bombs might be louder than words, but they only solve the problems in the short term. We need leadership with a vision of Peace and Prosperity, of Hope and Progress. We don't need "Bushness as Usual".

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Same Players. Different Scandals.

The Coultergeist is Back: "Perfected: The Ann Coulter Song" VIDEO

"The bitch is back"...either there's a war on the horizon or it's election time because the GOP took the muzzle off Ann Coulter. Save US all, someone just gag this dumbass.

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Same Players. Different Scandal.

VIDEO: Leonardo DiCaprio deserves his Nobel Prize too. The 11th Hour

Narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, written and directed by Leila Conners Petersen and Nadia Conners. The 11th Hour is produced by Chuck Castleberry, Brian Gerber, Conners Petersen and DiCaprio. The 11th Hour describes the last moment when change is possible. The film explores how humanity has arrived at this moment; how we live, how we impact the earth's ecosystems, and what we can do to change our course. The film features dialogues with experts from all over the world, including former Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev, renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA R. James Woolsey and sustainable design experts William McDonough and Bruce Mau in addition to over 50 leading scientists, thinkers and leaders who present the facts and discuss the most important issues that face our planet.

Please, "turn on the light". Visit their amazing website for more information and videos.