News Sophisticate

He'll Never figure it Out

2008-02-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy of JohnDoe40

Just look at this man. That's our 'resident. The economy is in shambles, our infrastructure is crumbling, the sub prime mess, two wars and an overarching third with his '100 year War on Terror....but what does Georgie do?

Here's a hint 'w'....Put it away. You'll never figure it out.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Michigan GOP chair is an A$$..calls Obama... "pet rock of the election" What an A-Hole

2008-01-14T03:40:00.000-07:00

I'll take a pet rock any day over any of these GOP swine. A "pet rock" will never lie, cheat, steal, or subvert the American people unlike the "compassionate conservatism" of the GOP.

From The Trail,

No Obamamania from Michigan GOP Chair

By Juliet Eilperin
TAYLOR, Mich. -- Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis has a new nickname for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.): "pet rock."

Speaking to a gathering of GOP stalwarts tonight, Anuzis conceded the presidential hopeful was loveable and popular. But that just makes him, in Anuzis' eyes, "the pet rock of the 2008 campaign."

"At the end of the day, we're going to figure out it's just a rock," Anuzis told the crowd, prompting a few laughs. "He's just another typical liberal senator who wants to be president of the United States."

No telling which Democratic presidential candidate will earn the nickname "Chia Pet" in the days to come.

"pet rock", Sad..first they called him "intellectually lazy", now it's "pet rock". Lil' hint...surrender the fantasy GOP. Next, you'll be calling him Mr. President! WE, Obama and Edwards are coming to town! It's time for CHANGE!

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Greenwashing Champion!!!: Sen. Mitch McConnell.. "Godfather of Green"

2008-01-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

ugh. I just tasted a lil' regurg. More like the "godfather of greenwashing". Who owns Mitch?

As Ted Glick has recently stated, "We cannot accept people like Mitch McConnell and George Bush and Dick Cheney and the rest of them, who are, I would say advisedly, climate criminals."

opensecrets.org
Same Players. Different Scandal.

Video: Bush is greeted by Isreali children singing "over the raindow"

2008-01-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

Really? Are things "so rosy" over there? Bush is in "fantasyland". He has to be. Israel is probably the only place in the world where children "welcome" his presence on their soil. I hope they're getting a good education and proper health care. We all know if they relied on him..they'd be SCREWED.

..and on the other side...

From Reuters,

"Thousands protest in Gaza against "vampire" Bush"

Some 20,000 members of the Islamist group, shunned by the West for refusing to renounce violence, set U.S. and Israeli flags alight. Bush was a "butcher" whose first presidential visit to the Holy Land was skewed towards helping Israel, they said.
.....
Protesters in Gaza, which Hamas seized in June after routing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah forces, waved green Hamas flags as well as posters with pictures of Bush as a vampire drinking from a cup marked "Muslim blood".

Why don't they post that video?

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Bush is in the Holy Lands...making promises while stating,"If I were an Israeli"

2008-01-08T01:05:00.000-07:00

"We will defend our ally, no ands, ifs or buts." the "resident"

Our stumbling goof....

From the Internation al Herald Tribune,

...Bush told Israel's Channel 2 TV.

"Iran's president, Mahmoud Amadinejad, has said Israel should be "wiped off the map," and Israel sees Iran's nuclear program as an existential threat."

"If I were an Israeli, I would take the words of the Iranian president seriously, and as president of the United States I take them seriously," Bush said.

"Whether there's an imminent attack coming, I don't think so," Bush said.
If Iran did strike Israel, Bush said, "We will defend our ally, no ands, ifs or buts."

I just wish he'd be so passionate about America, instead of day dreaming about being an Israeli.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

"Cocaine-laden submarines?" Over 18 captured since 2005

2008-01-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

What's the fastest way to get your cocaine into the United States? Powerboats, helicopters, small planes....nope. It's SUBMARINES.

From Reuters,

Colombian cocaine smugglers scuttled a U.S.-bound homemade submarine off the South American country's Pacific coast, Colombia's navy said on Thursday.

It was the second time in a month that Colombian forces, backed by the U.S. Coast Guard, stopped an underwater craft that was then sunk by its crew members to destroy their incriminating cargo.

In both cases, the smugglers quickly opened the hatches to sink the vessels before they could be boarded by authorities.

Both submarines had the capacity to ship 10 to 12 tons of cocaine to the world's biggest market.

oh..it's not just these two "homemade submarines", though. They have many more.

Colombia's navy has stopped 18 cocaine submarines since 2005.

My goodness. Cocaine laden submarines? No wonder the DEA says cocaine prices are going up. Transportation costs are a bitch.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

McCain...the friendly beligerent: "Make it 100 years!"

2008-01-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

VIDEO: Blackwater: The Crusade

2008-01-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

Bush on Blackwater

Related Blackwater articles

Same Players. Different Scandal.

India: "Your Dollar is worthless, here"..use our rupees instead

2008-01-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

I remember a time in my childhood when we could travel around the world and a single dollar made me feel rich while in other countries. That time period is over. The tables are changing. In fact, having dollars in your pocket may even get you rejected from entrance into one of the great wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal.

Excerpts from the Houston Chronicle,

India's tourism minister said today that the dollar will no longer be accepted at the Taj Mahal and other national tourist sites.

For years tourists visiting most sites in India were charged either $5, or 250 rupees.

After falling 11 percent in 2007, hitting nine-year lows to hover around 39 rupees, the dollar is out.

Charging only rupees now seems more practical and will save tourists money because "the dollar was weaker against the rupee," Tourism Minister Ambika Soni told the CNN-IBN news channel.

"Before the dollar lost its value, there was a demand to have (admission tickets) just in rupees," he added.
.....
"We expect a slight appreciation of the rupee to continue, although it won't be as dramatic as last year," said Agam Gupta, head of foreign exchange trading at Standard Chartered Bank in India.

The dollar has fallen against most major currencies, and it has lost ground against the rupee due to an influx of foreign capital, Gupta said.

aaahh, welcome to the "poor life". Where for each hour you work..your wealth becomes less and less worldwide. Thanks "resident" Bush.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Hillary Hates Iowa. Here comes OBAMA: "Inevitability. Waning"

2008-01-02T19:25:00.000-07:00

Another excellent drawing and commentary by The Searcher. The man has talent and foresight!

[best viewed while listening to the theme from Jaws.]

Aide: He's gaining. Some polls have him at a ten point lead in Iowa. That's a 25 point erosion in just the last month, and now clears the margin of error.
Hillary: I don't understand. We were running solidly for the last six months. What changed?
Aide: um. Nothing. Apparently that's the issue. Focus groups had us keeping you aloof and general. The more you stayed a symbolic blank slate, the more they liked you.
Hillary: So what's the problem?
Aide Well, it seems that at some point, people are looking for genuine. They want honesty, intelligence, and straightforward answers and discussion. It looks like Obama's been riding a positive wave with this strategy.
Hillary: But what about the focus groups? We tested honest and straightforward, and it tested horribly.
Aide: Uh, yes and no. We tested YOU attempting honest and straightforward. But the focus groups never bought it. Apparently genuine is more than a conversational style. And quite frankly, you made them very uncomfortable.
Hillary: So you're saying I can't stay vague symbolic, and I can't pull off honesty well enough to compete with actual honesty. So where does that leave me?
Aide: Um. well. How do feel about running for President of the Senate?
Hillary: .....

Copyrighting Gone Wild: Egypt attempts to "COPYRIGHT" pyramids

2008-01-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

What are we coming to. So there I was reading the news when I came upon this absurdity. The Egyptian government wants royalties paid to her if copies are made her "antiquities".

From the BBC,

Egypt's MPs are expected to pass a law requiring royalties be paid whenever copies are made of museum pieces or ancient monuments such as the pyramids.

Zahi Hawass, who chairs Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, told the BBC the law would apply in all countries.

The money was needed to maintain thousands of pharaonic sites, he said.
.....
Mr Hawass said the law would apply to full-scale replicas of any object in any museum in Egypt.
.....
"Commercial use" of ancient monuments like the pyramids or the sphinx would also be controlled, he said.

"Even if it is for private use, they must have permission from the Egyptian government," he added.
.....
But he said the law would not stop local and international artists reproducing monuments as long as they were not exact replicas.

From the WP,

"If you (want to) build an exact copy of the Great Pyramid we will stop you," Hawass told The Associated Press.
.....
The draft bill comes amid recent complaints in Egyptian media about money being made by the pyramid-shaped Las Vegas Luxor casino.
.....
Egyptian lawyer Hossam Lutfi, an expert with the U.N.'s World Intellectual Property Organization, said the draft may be baffling since the authors of the works in question are long gone.

Give me a break. Copyrighted antiquities are a joke. Hollywood prop makers beware. Don't make those props too realistic. Hmm..maybe a Sphinx body with the head of a rabbit. Ridiculous. It's just another "Pyramid Scheme".

Here is a newscast on the proposed copyright

Same Players. Different Scandal.

VIDEO: I'M SPEECHLESS!!! Texas voting SCAM

2008-01-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

I'm speechless. Crooks...all of 'em.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Did you recieve one? Blackwater Christmas Card

2008-01-01T11:30:00.000-07:00

Images Courtesy of Danger Room

..and they say they aren't Christian mercenaries. Welcome, the infamous Blackwater Worldwide Christmas card. My goodness.

When Pastors Attack: Huckabee takes aim at Romney

2007-12-29T13:30:00.000-07:00

Huckabee knows a flip flopper when he sees one. Or as the N.H. Concord newspaper states, "a phony". A phony, flip flopper he is, and Huckabee couldn't resist.

From the Caucus,

Mr. Huckabee laid out a string of attacks on Mr. Romney’s past statements about his views on abortion rights, gun control, the Reagan administration, and his past as a hunter.
“You are not going to find moments on YouTube of me saying something different about the sanctity of life today than I said ten years ago, ten minutes ago, or fifty years ago,” Mr. Huckabee said, referring to footage of Mr. Romney declaring his support for abortion rights—a position he later changed. “You are not going to find something in YouTube where I said something completely different about gun ownership and the second amendment than I did last week, ten weeks ago, ten years go.”

“You are not going to hear me making up stuff about my biography. I don’t go around saying I was lifelong golfer because I once rode in a golf cart when I was eight years old,” Mr. Huckabee said.
Mr. Huckabee laid out a string of attacks on Mr. Romney’s past statements about his views on abortion rights, gun control, the Reagan administration, and his past as a hunter.
“You are not going to find moments on YouTube of me saying something different about the sanctity of life today than I said ten years ago, ten minutes ago, or fifty years ago,” Mr. Huckabee said, referring to footage of Mr. Romney declaring his support for abortion rights—a position he later changed. “You are not going to find something in YouTube where I said something completely different about gun ownership and the second amendment than I did last week, ten weeks ago, ten years go.”

Ouch! Former Pastor, Huckabee has a vicious bite. Watch out McCain...you're next on the pastor's list. An eye for an eye. Duke it out with each other, reThugs..you are on the wrong side of change and progress.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

VIDEO: Rudy's Dumba$$ Campaign: Open Mouth, Insert Foot..again

2007-12-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

Rudy and his terrible crew will get US all killed. These folks never quit with their fear mongering, discriminatory, racist, Islamic fascist crap. Never. Once again, Rudy's worthless, despicable "friends" have raised concerns about his "Presidential" intentions.

Welcome, John Deady, the co-chair of state Veterans for Rudy and his penchant for babbling nonsense.

"He's got I believe the knowledge and the judgement to attack one of the most difficult problems in current history and that is the rise of the Muslims, and make no mistake about it, this hasn't happened for a thousand years. These people are very dedicated and they're also very very smart in their own way. We need to keep the feet to the fire and keep pressing these people until we defeat or chase them back to their caves or in other words get rid of them."

Rudy...Please do US all a favor. Take yourself and your corrupt friends and go hide in a CAVE. You embarrass US all...Consistently. These discriminatory WAR MONGERS DO NOT REPRESENT AMERICA. Only the Neo Conservative AGENDA!

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Pakistan: Here comes "state of emergency II" Musharraf prepares for crackdown...again

2007-12-29T12:06:00.000-07:00

It's all rolling downhill...again. As Pakistan attempts to cope with the death of her democratic hero, Benazir Bhutto, President Musharraf has sought another opportunity to subvert democracy. Here comes the TROOPS, again.

Here are a few excerpts from the BBC,

Mr Musharraf said looters "must be dealt with firmly and all measures be taken to ensure [the] safety and security of the people".
.....
Troops have been deployed onto the streets to try to quell the violence that has broken out since Ms Bhutto's death.
.....
Interior ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema said rioting across the country had destroyed 176 banks, 72 train cars and 18 railway stations, while at least 100 prisoners had been sprung from jails.

How can Mush, Bush, Brown, and Rudd believe that elections should still be held on Jan. 8th? Pakistan is in turmoil! Elections would be a COMPLETE FARCE on Democracy.

Nine election offices in Ms Bhutto's home province of Sindh were also reportedly burned to the ground.
.....
A spokeswoman for her Pakistan People's Party accused the government of trying to minimise its responsibility for Ms Bhutto's safety, and said the official account was "dangerous nonsense".

and here comes the best, most pathetic part...

Brig Cheema also said Pakistan did not need the help of the international community in investigating the assassination.

And he again accused a Pakistani militant, Baitullah Mehsud, of ordering the killing.

The tribal leader from South Waziristan, who has close links to al-Qaeda, has denied the accusations through a spokesman.

But Brig Cheema said: "We have the evidence that he is involved. Why should he accept that he has done it? It does not suit him. I don't think anybody has the capability to carry out such suicide attacks except for those people."

They are ALL complicit. The "government" has failed the people of Pakistan. Her political future is in DOUBT. Democracy will not survive without the WILL of the people.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

BushCO Breakfast Condiment: "I Can't Believe it's not Torture"

2007-12-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

Images courtesy of Johndoe40

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Last minute Shopping idea... War on Terror: The Board game

2007-12-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

There's no need to fight with your relatives this Christmas. Instead of lambasting on your drunkard uncle, degrading your wretched sister in law, or duking it out with your bitter drug induced step brother...all can rejoice and take it out on others. Welcome, "War on Terror: The Board game"

From Waronterrortheboardgame.com
Roast a terrorist, gorge yourself on a defenceless empire, plump up a coup, nestle up with a politician or spring a delightfully well wrapped IED - your choice. Play by our rules, or play by your rules, and hope they're the same as your neighbours' rules.
Christmas is that special time for falling out with family. But with the help of War on Terror the Boardgame it doesn't have to be that way. We suggest trying for 'World Peace' this Christmas instead. We put this special ending in the rules ages ago but in three years of testing, peace only broke out twice...so do your bit this year and make it a peaceful one. Although for all you warring nutters out there don't worry, being the peace envoy doesn't mean you can't have your murderous fun too: you can still be an aggressive war criminal at the same time.
.....
It's got suicide bombers, political kidnaps and intercontinental war. It's got filthy propaganda, rampant paranoia and secret treaties and the Axis of Evil is a spinner in the middle of the board.
.....
You can fight terrorism, you can fund terrorism, you can even be the terrorists. The only thing that matters is global domination - err, liberation.
.....
Everyone starts with the best intentions. Then things start to get cramped. Then you notice your neighbour has more oil than you. Before long, war is waged, nukes are dropped, revolutions are fought and terrorists are doing your dirty work, before turning on you...
.....
This is the War on Terror, the boardgame: A quality boardgame for 2 - 6 players, lovingly illustrated and politically correct (in a very literal sense). Playing it will bring out the nastiest, greediest, darkest, most paranoid aspects of your character. It's all great family fun.

Gotta Love it. Good Humored, Satirical fun the whole family can enjoy. Nature vs. Nurture? Which philosophy will you play by? Bush "cowboy diplomacy" or Richardson's "New Realism" of diplomacy? Just make sure you follow the rules.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Darfur..in the hands of "celebrity diplomacy". Clooney and Cheadle win 2007 Peace Summit Award. Department of State remains silent

2007-12-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

It's amazing...as BushCO follows their path of "cowboy diplomacy" in the Middle East in their quest for "blood oil", Genocide is occurring in the Sudan. Left with NO foreign policy "experts" due to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the all encompassing "war on terror",the U.S. has been forced to go with "celebrity diplomacy" for Africa. From Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Oprah, et all, our African foreign policy is lacking in Washington, but thriving in Hollywood.

From Reuters,

Dec 13 - Hollywood stars George Clooney and Don Cheadle have received the 2007 Peace Summit Award for their efforts to bring peace to Darfur.

The actors were presented with the award by former Soviet President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mikhail Gorbachev.
Clooney and Cheadle have both made trips to Darfur in the past two years and spoken with government leaders about the humanitarian crisis in the region.

As Clooney states,

"The Simple truth is that when it comes to the atrocities in Darfur. Those people are no better off now as then they were years ago. The murders continue, the rapes continue and some 2.5 million refugees have yet to go home...and when they write about this the question will be asked...Where was the rest of the world and the answer will be...it just wasn't a priority. "I am the son of and journalist and I understand that Freedom of Speech doesn't give you the right to run into a crowed theater and yell "FIRE" unless of course there is one. And there is a FIRE."

Sadly enough, we are lucky we have Hollywood..otherwise we wouldn't have DIPLOMACY in Africa. We'd be left with Wolfowitz and his wild ideas about Africa. (we already saw what is "ideas" did to Iraq...should we allow him to be "planning" for Africa?).

Sad. The United States has been reduced to "celebrity diplomacy" and Sub "machine gun" contractors as our Foreign Policy throughout the world. Blood Oil..rules the day....all in the name of "national security".

Anyways..Good job, George. Good job, Don. Thanks for doing the Department of State's job. Someone has to.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Will Immigration, "undocumented" unemployment rates, and the Sub prime mess invevitalbly Lead the U.S. into a Recession?

2007-12-13T10:07:00.001-07:00

"You can't turn a financial toad (into a prince) by kissing it or by securitizing it or by transferring its ownership to somebody else"

So Warren Buffet says the U.S. is nearing a recession if "jobless rates increase", eh. Guess what...they will. What most Americans and obviously the mainstream press, analysts, and all the Real Estate prognosticators fail to mention is how the "housing crunch" affects not only the "jobless rate", but also the immigration debate.

Let me be a little more clear. We all know that many "illegal immigrants" are concentrated in the construction industry. These people are NOT counted in our POLLS. Therefore the "jobless rates" are dramatically off kilter.

In many of the declining markets unemployment rates are misrepresented. These "illegals" are in the shadows. In short, the "jobless rate" has increased and will continue to as long as developers and investors begin to slow their projects. The "illegals" that are laid off will become UNEMPLOYED, but not COUNTED. Hence an increase in rates. Welcome to the RECESSION!

Here are a few excerpts of the article from Reuters,

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said the United States could slip into a recession if the jobless rate increases, he told CNBC television on Tuesday.
.....
"If unemployment picks up then we could be in for a recession," Buffett said.

The U.S. unemployment rate in October rose to the highest level since August 2006, and was steady at 4.7 percent in November.
.....
Buffett said daily figures from his own outlets, which include a broad range of companies in sectors ranging from food to furniture, indicated the season was "looking soft."

asked about the subprime mess and the Financial industry "write downs", Buffet commented,

"You can't turn a financial toad (into a prince) by kissing it or by securitizing it or by transferring its ownership to somebody else"

The dollar is shot! Unemployment is up! The Fed is wildly lowering rates! Foreigners are realizing their power and purchasing many U.S. assets! Welcome to the impending recession.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Torture "based" Reality Show to debut in Dubai

2007-12-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

“The show will have multinational appeal and will interest everyone, irrespective of nationality, age or gender,” said Anjum Fatima, one of the series’ creators.

My goodness. Reality TV "Dubai Style". Producers in Dubai are preparing the final stages of their new highly touted Reality TV show that "will pit individuals against each other in a competition that conveys the social nature of human beings." That's a unique way of saying , "we are going to torture these individuals with solitary confinement until they break."

Get a load of the details of the show courtesy Emirates Today,

“It’ll be a 24-hour continuous drama where six finalists will be locked in separate rooms with basic amenities.
As a test of their patience and their ability to survive without any social contact each will be required to live for as long as possible in their own cocoon and outlast the rest, ” said Fatima.
She said the test would prove difficult and interesting to watch, and added: “It’s a biological fact that human beings cannot survive in seclusion. Our need to interact with the rest of the world is not a matter of social choice, but a must for maintaining our sanity and day-to-day survival.
“Famous psychologists have established that human beings cannot survive for long when deprived of social contact, which makes this challenge more than just a matter of living on your own in a secluded room.” The series’s producers have already talked to three of the leading broadcast channels in the region and are planning to present the show in different languages.

and for the contestants...What do they get out of this?

A cash prize and a new car will be up for grabs for the winner
.....
the prize money is anybody’s guess, but we are expecting it to be something close to Dh100,000.” Prizes will also be given to the runner-up and third placed entrant, with smaller rewards going to the other finalists of the show.

The Bush Administration and Mukasey will surely enjoy this 'show'. Are you kidding me? Torture based reality programming? Next up..."Who can be waterboarded the longest?" "American Tortured Idol", "Wheel of Misfortune" ,"The Real Survivor". For an emirate that is attempting to crack down on it's "human rights abuses" this isn't a good display to the international community. Ridiculous! Torture based reality programming.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Move over "lead"....ASBESTOS in toys TOO. CBS to launch "CSI style" investigation

2007-12-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

Aaah...just in time for the Christmas toy rush. Welcome, 'Asbestos laced' toys to throw on the pile of injustice.

From Seattlepi.com,

Asbestos has been found in a variety of consumer products, including one of this season's biggest-selling Christmas toys, according to the nation's largest asbestos victims organizations.

The CSI Fingerprint Examination Kit, two brands of children's play clay, powdered cleanser, roof sealers, duct tapes, window glazing, spackling paste and small appliances were among the products in which asbestos was found by at least two of three labs hired by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization.

and of course it wasn't our 'government' who discovered this..it was US..citizens.

The group, which was created in 2004 by asbestos victims and their families, spent more than $165,000 to have government-certified laboratories examine hundreds of consumer products over 18 months to determine whether asbestos was present.

It is unusual for a group of volunteers, many of whom have asbestos-caused diseases, to fund research that impacts public health.

"We had to. No one else was doing it," said Linda Reinstein, the group's co-founder and executive director. "This is information that consumers and Congress must have because asbestos is lethal and we naively believe that the government is protecting us, when it's not."

I'll give you one guess as to where the product in manufactured. No silly it's not Iceland. It's our number one trading partner, China, of course.

The product that is of greatest concerns to some public health experts is the fingerprint kit, which is a huge seller
.....
The kit, made in China, is one of several items licensed by CBS after its popular "CSI" science-crime shows. This model has an extensive array of plastic tools, inks and three types of very fine powders -- white, black and glow-in-the-dark. The analysis done for the victim's organization found high levels of two types of asbestos in the white and the glow powder.

Ha. My goodness..everything is becoming 'toxic', but this time we're lucky. CBS is on the case. It appears they're launching their own 'CSI style' investigation into the matter on their own.

CBS Consumer Products responded quickly when told of the reported contamination.

"We've asked our licensee to immediately conduct an independent test in the U.S. for asbestos. If the toy is determined to be unsafe, then we will insist that the licensee remove it from the market," a statement from a CBS spokesman said.

The manufacturer and distributor -- Planet Toys in New York City -- said in an e-mail that it frequently inspects the plants in China that make the CSI toys.

"The kit has been tested and has met all safety standards requirements as set by toy safety agencies and legislation, including the Consumer Product Safety Commission," a spokeswoman said, but added, "The agencies don't require asbestos testing and therefore we have never been apprised of any unacceptable levels of asbestos.

"We respect anyone's right to test our products and should their or our future tests reveal anything unacceptable, we'll of course take swift action to remove contaminated products from the market."

Is their a politician out there who can save US? Greed seems to always win out ...depressing. Globalization is killing US all.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Video: John Edwards Pickets at NBC w/ WGA

2007-11-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

Good job, John. It's about time we see our Presidential candidates stand with our writers.

Did you know that the writers for "I Love Lucy" have never gained 1 cent in residuals? NOT 1 cent!

Why they've fighting. The best video to understand why they are striking.

SUPPORT OUR WRITERS! Please visit WGAAMERICA

weekend posts:
Video: "Non Violent" Weapons were USED on Protesters
Want to play Chess? Introducing the Axis of Evil Chess Set
New UK Spy Chief reveals his website to the Masses
What's the Point? National Ammo Day November 17th - 26th
According to Bush...We've been in a state of "national emergency" against Iran since 1979
Hillary slings "mud" at Obama via the hack Robert Novak

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Video: "Non Violent" Weapons were USED on Protesters

2007-11-17T20:22:00.000-07:00

I've been saying it for awhile now. These weapons are not for the 'enemy'. They are for US!

Acoustic "non lethal" weapons in use in Georgia....not the state, the country.

in case that wasn't enough...here's another Please watch this one. The Embed code is not available so I couldn't upload it here.

related Posts:
California Protestors Beware!, the 'non lethal' Vomit Inducing Flashlight is coming to Town
We are "Renting Democracy" and it Costs too Damn Much

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Want to play Chess? Introducing the Axis of Evil Chess Set

2007-11-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

One can't play chess with just the "evil"...they need to have the "axis", too.

Photos courtesy of erikrasmussen

For larger pics click here and here. The larger pics are for the "coffee spilling" Regroce. Hehehe

Same Players. Different Scandal.

New UK Spy Chief reveals his website to the Masses

2007-11-17T17:17:00.000-07:00

Are you kidding me? Alex Allan, the new head of the Joint Intelligence Committee which oversees MI 5, MI 6, and GCHQ is a "deadhead". Maybe it's me, but if you're in the "intel" community one shouldn't maintain a website with all his personal information on it.

Check this out,

the details on his website, described by a security official as "a serious breach", reveal him as a devoted fan of the American rock band Grateful Dead and a keen cyclist who once windsurfed to work in Westminster during a train strike.
.....
On the website, he says: "I first saw the Dead in the mud at Bickershawe in 1972 and was so knocked out....I have been a Deadhead ever since.
"I was Principal Private Secretary to the (British) Prime Minister, first John Major and then Tony Blair after the Election. It's the same job as 'Bernard' in Yes, Prime Minister for those who watched that!"
Mr Allan then goes on to detail other posts he held in Whitehall and his role as British High Commissioner to Australia from November 1997 to January 2000. The website also has transcripts of his speeches and details his wife's successful career as an artist.
Potentially more serious is the address of his west London house and his home and mobile telephone numbers. The Daily Telegraph has agreed not to publish further details. One security official said: "This is a very serious breach of security. Mr Allan is a target for terrorists and having this information in the public domain is a very naive move on his part. He may well now have to move." UK Telegraph

What an idiot. Little hint: Shut down the website Mr. Allan! Should we really have access to all your journals, speeches, photos, HOME ADDRESS, name of your wife, etc?

today's posts:
What's the Point? National Ammo Day November 17th - 26th
According to Bush...We've been in a state of "national emergency" against Iran since 1979
Hillary slings "mud" at Obama via the hack Robert Novak
Do you live on top on Bombs? Vista Lakes homeowners in Orlando do
Do you want $1 million Dollars? Prove the "Swiftboaters" were wrong on Kerry

Same Players. Different Scandal.

What's the Point? National Ammo Day November 17th - 26th

2007-11-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

What a bunch of crap. National Ammo "Day" isn't even a day...it's over a week. This is complete BULL$HIT

From Ammoday.com,

Second Amendment supporters should buy ammunition November 19th to support freedom, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.
Monday, November 19th is National Ammo Day, described as a BUYcott of ammunition. The goal of National Ammo Day is to empty the ammunition from the shelves of your local gun store, sporting goods, or hardware store and put that ammunition in the hands of law-abiding citizens.

According to the National Ammo Day website, each law-abiding supporter of the right to keep and bear arms is encouraged to buy 100 rounds of their favorite ammunition. Supporters are exhorted to Make your support of the Second Amendment known--by voting with your dollars!…
Here are the pathetic "goals" from the "Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms,
Second Amendment supporters should buy ammunition November 19th to support freedom, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.
.....
“Gun stores, ranges, and ammunition manufacturers across the country are under constant attack by a barrage of federal, state, and local regulations, frivolous lawsuits, and protests,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “If every gun owner bought 100 rounds of ammunition, that would put an estimated 7.5 billion rounds of ammunition into the hands of law-abiding gun owners dedicated to defending our constitutionally-protected individual right to keep and bear arms.”
.....
Mark A. Taff, CCRKBA Executive Director, went one step further and encouraged gun owners to not only buy 100 rounds of their favorite ammunition, but to fire those rounds on their local gun range. “I can’t think of a better way to spend a Monday evening than putting some rounds down-range to improve our marksmanship skills. Hitting what you aim at is crucial to responsible armed self-defense.”

Bull$hit. We deserve the right to bear arms, but suggesting that WE need a day/week to buy ammo is ridiculous and helps absolutely NOTHING. Support our schools, support anything..but don't go and buy AMMO. What a crock of NRA sponsored crap. Haven't bullets killed enough people, yet?

Same Players. Different Scandal.

According to Bush...We've been in a state of "national emergency" against Iran since 1979

2007-11-17T13:08:00.001-07:00

This crap blows my mind. The following is from the Presidential Documents section of LOUISdb.org

Notice of November 8, 2007

Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Iran
On November 14, 1979, by Executive Order 12170, the President declared a national emergency with respect to Iran pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States constituted by the situation in Iran. Because
our relations with Iran have not yet returned to
normal, and the process of implementing the January 19, 1981 agreements with Iran is still underway, the national emergency declared on November 14, 1979, must continue in effect beyond November 14, 2007. Therefore,
consistent with section 202(d) of the National
Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year this national emergency with respect to Iran.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register
and transmitted to the Congress.

(Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

November 8, 2007.

I guess the "resident in the Oval Office" wanted to remind US of something. That "something"....Iran. The man is dangerous and has other motives. Impeach!, before before he and his cronies start WWIII.

Related "emergency":

Continuation of Emergency Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Hillary slings "mud" at Obama via the hack Robert Novak

2007-11-17T12:09:00.000-07:00

Anybody who follows my blog knows that I'm an "aggressive progressive", who does not support Hillary Clinton, but supports the Democratic Party as a whole. Now that is mentioned let me move on. Robert Novak has published absolute rubbish about Obama and has claimed it comes from the Hillary campaign.

From Townhall.com,

Agents of Sen. Hillary Clinton are spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent for the party's presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, but has decided not to use it. The nature of the alleged scandal was not disclosed.
.....
This word-of-mouth among Democrats makes Obama look vulnerable and Clinton look prudent. It comes during a dip for the front-running Clinton after she refused to take a stand on New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's now discarded plan to give driver's licenses to illegal aliens.

The response from the Obama campaign sets the record straight,

“During our debate in Las Vegas on Thursday, we heard Senator Clinton rail against the politics of ‘throwing mud.’
.....
“The item did not identify these ‘agents,’ nor did it reveal the nature of the charge. It was devoid of facts, but heavy on innuendo and insinuation of the sort to which we’ve become all too accustomed in our politics these past two decades. If the purpose of this shameless item was to daunt or discourage me or supporters of our campaign from challenging and changing the politics of Washington, it will fail. In fact, it will only serve to steel our resolve.
“But in the interest of our party, and her own reputation, Senator Clinton should either make public any and all information referred to in the item, or concede the truth: that there is none.
“She of all people, having complained so often about ‘the politics of personal destruction,’ should move quickly to either stand by or renounce these tactics.
“I am prepared to stand up to that kind of politics, whether it’s deployed by candidates in our party, in the other party or by any third party.
“The cause of change in this country will not be deterred or sidetracked by the old ‘Swift boat’ politics. The cause of moving America forward demands that we defeat it.” The Carpetbagger Report

How convenient. Clinton's slinging "mud" via, Novak. Those GOPer's are trying their hardest to make Hill their '08 competitor against their pathetic Presidential nominees. Obama has the appeal of the masses. Hill represents the "old guard" and the Republicans are comfortable with her. We need a leader who isn't entrenched in the politics of the old. A leader who isn't entrenched in "manipulation Nation".We need "truth in leadership", not the Status Quo. Hillary, Novak, and their dirty tricksters are pathetic.

Anybody, but Hillary, Biden, Giuliani, McCain, Thompson, Huckabee, and Romney in '08. These people do not represent America. They represent the "status quo" and work against the "needs and wants" of the electorate. They are the past...we need a leader to take US into the future. A future full of hope. Hillary is NOT the ONE! nor are the status quo, war mongering, "richie rich" loving Republicans who wish to run against her. She is their "dream candidate"..Not OURS!

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Do you live on top on Bombs? Vista Lakes homeowners in Orlando do

2007-11-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

Bombs, bombs, bombs...everywhere you tread..bombs, bombs, bombs. What would you do if the half million dollar home you purchased was built on top of bomb laden soil? This is the very question that Vista Lakes homeowners in Orlando, FL are facing.

From the Orlando Sentinel,

World War II-era bombs, bomb fragments and related contamination could be mixed in with the soil used to fill in swamps, make berms and level the ground for homes, a school and roads, records from the Army Corps of Engineers and county planning office show.
.....
"There very well could be bomb material all over the place, anywhere out here," he said. "We want to know what's going to be done about it, and frankly we're not hearing a lot of answers."
.....
An agreement between developers, builders and owners, signed in 1999, sets out the legal permission for the builders to take and use dirt dug up from the old bomb range for two major roads: the Lee Vista Boulevard extension and the Econlockhatchee Trail extension.
.....
The agreement allows the builders to use the excavated dirt and sand anywhere else needed in the neighborhood.

Aerial photographs taken before and after development show that at least four ponds or small lakes were created on land inside the known boundaries of the Army range.
.....
Resident William Dore, who bought his $520,000 home a year ago in Vista Lakes, wants to know when the corps will look for bombs in the Windsor area.

"Yes, they should check the school right away, but when are they going to come to our neighborhoods?" he asked. "Why are they spending all that time out in the pasture land? Are they more worried about cows than people?
.....

"We want them to tell us when they're going to start searching [our neighborhoods]. What is their schedule? What is it that they even need in terms of manpower and resources? But they aren't telling us," he said. "Frankly, it's not going well."

Pathetic. Profits and greed always win against the concerns of the homeowner. Bomb laden soil used as "fill"? We aren't safe anywhere. Who is looking out for US? What about the health concerns? What about the increased rates of illnesses due to "bomb material"? This is ridiculous. Dirt is everywhere...why get your "dirt" from a bombing range? This makes absolutely no sense at all. I see a class action lawsuit in the works. Cheap bastards should have to pay. They have endangered the lives of the homeowners, their children, and our future.

Watch a few videos of this 'situation'

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Monkey Rule in India. The Monkeys are taking control

2007-11-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Last month I reported on the "killer monkeys" in India. This month the monkeys have gained their power within the northeastern part of the country. Accused of stealing cell phones, soft drinks, home invasion, and slapping women, the monkeys are gaining momentum.

From Channel News Asia,

"Monkeys are wreaking havoc in my constituency by taking away mobile phones, toothpastes, sipping coke after opening the refrigerators," Hiren Das told Assam state's assembly.

He said the primates were "even slapping women who try to chase them".

"It is a cause of serious concern in my area, with more than 1,000 such simians turning aggressive by the day," fumed Goneswar Das, another legislator representing Raha in eastern Assam.
.....
Last week, around two dozen people were hurt after monkeys rampaged through a New Delhi neighbourhood.

Last month, the deputy mayor of Delhi died when he fell from his balcony after being attacked by monkeys.

Efforts to drive out the animals are complicated by the fact that devout Hindus view them as an incarnation of Hanuman, the monkey god who symbolises strength.

India is ruled by Monkeys? Hmmm. Evolution comes full circle.

related post:
No more 'Monkey Business' in Delhi. Monkeys kill Delhi Deputy Mayor

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Do you want $1 million Dollars? Prove the "Swiftboaters" were wrong on Kerry

2007-11-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

Jump on the boat. The Swift boat liars who attacked Sen. John Kerry are offering a rare "competition". If one can prove that the "swifters" claims against Kerry in the 2004 Presidential race are lies, they WILL earn $1 million dollars from Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens, a major contributor to the swift boat campaign.

The funny part, John Kerry, himself, has taken up Pickens' on his "bet".

From the Houston Chronicle,

"While I am prepared to show they lied on allegation after allegation, you have generously offered to pay one million dollars for just one thing that can be proven false," Kerry wrote to Pickens. "I am prepared to prove the lie beyond any reasonable doubt."
.....
"It's beyond me; it's important for all the vets who served with me, who cared about it, whose own records were lied about. The problem is, it's the way they operate on the other side, and we have to end swift-boating forever. The way to do that is to have this public accounting."

I hope he "proves" Pickens wrong. In response to Kerry's claims to the $1 Million dollar prize. Pickens has stated that Kerry needs to provide all documentation of his military service. Hmm, Is this because Pickens knows he lied? I believe so. Pickens wants more "dirt".

Pickens wrote Friday in a letter faxed to Kerry, "I am certainly open to your challenge," but he said he would not pay Kerry unless the senator first provided him with copies of his wartime journals, as well as movies he shot while on patrol and his complete military records for 1971 to 1978.

"When you have done so, if you can then prove anything in the ads was materially untrue, I will gladly award $1 million. As you know, I have been a long and proud supporter of the American military and veterans' causes," Pickens wrote.

He also proposed a counter-challenge: "If you cannot prove anything in the Swift Boat ads to be untrue, that you will make a $1 million gift to the charity I am choosing — the (Congressional) Medal of Honor Foundation."

Go get that million, John. They dragged your name through the dirt and ruined your reputation. Sic 'em John! Don't let the GOP LIARS win this battle. Take out your big guns and shoot 'em down.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

VIDEO: The Other Debate: Mike Gravel w/ earpiece and all

2007-11-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

You have to love it. What do you do when the Democrats leaves you out of the debate? Mike Gravel plants himself on stage with a bluetooth mic and a large television broadcasting the debate live. While the candidates answered the questions, Gravel adds his unique commentary. Democrat, Progressive, Republican, Independent...this is sort of amusing. Take a couple minutes and watch the "Mike Gravel Debate"

It's like watching the debate with your Grandpa telling it like it is. Perfect debate format for Gravel. On his own..doing his own thing. He doesn't have a chance, but he's still great to listen to.

related Gravel post:
VIDEO: Say it isn't so. Gravel campaign offers 25K for "best Gravel" YouTube Video

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Chevron's Treasonous UN Oil for Food scandal SETTLED: Agrees to pay $25 million in fines

2007-11-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

Chevron is in the clear. Big Oil has won. Chevron has agreed to pay $25 million to make the civil and criminal charges against them in the UN Oil for Food Program 'go away'.

The Securities and Exchange Commission said Wednesday that Chevron had agreed to the settlement under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act without admitting or denying the charges. But the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York said Chevron could still be prosecuted for criminal tax violations.
.....
Of the $25 million, Chevron will forfeit $20 million under an agreement with the United States attorney’s office in New York and pay $5 million under an agreement with the district attorney’s office in Manhattan NYT
.....
The San Ramon, Calif., oil giant, without admitting or denying wrongdoing, also separately settled civil charges with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday.
The pact requires Chevron to implement enhanced compliance procedures designed to prevent future violations and to confirm that culpable employees are no longer working with Chevron. Dow Jones Newswire

How convenient for Chevron. How convenient for Condi...considering all this occured during her tenure at Chevron. In fact, Chevron even named a tanker after her, but later had to rename it again due to the UN Oil for Food Scandal. Meanwhile Oscar Wyatt was railroaded for doing the same...including a CRIMINAL TRIAL. Why not for Chevron?

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Ding,ding ROUND II: Hugo Chavez demands King of Spain Apologize...or else

2007-11-15T10:00:00.001-07:00

Isn't it amusing, Venezuelan 'President' Hugo Chavez has a vicious mouth when it comes to attacking his opponents, but when they turn the tables on him he shrivels up like a little baby and cries foul. On Saturday, Nov. 10th, the King of Spain told Chavez to "shut up" at a summit of leaders from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal...3 days later Chavez has decided he 'needs' and apology from the King or face his retribution in the form of business ties and investments with his country.

Here are a few excerpts from various Reuters article,

"The king lost it," Chavez said at a late-night political rally. "He should say, '... I, the king, confess, I was beside myself, I made a mistake.'"
.....
"Whatever has been privatized can be taken back, we can take it back," Chavez said earlier at a news conference. "If the government of Spain or the state of Spain ... start to generate a conflict, things are not going to go well." Reuters, 11/13
.....
"We do not want to hurt ties, but right now I am conducting a detailed review of the political, diplomatic and economic ties with Spain," the Cuban ally told local television.
"This means Spanish companies are going to have to show what their businesses are doing. I am going to take a look and see what's happening in those companies," he added.

and now for the Spanish reaction to Hugos' threats....

"(The comments) of the Venezuelan president, especially referring to Spanish companies, do not help us find a way out of the disagreement," Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said. "The Spanish government keeps stressing respect, respect. Respect for Spanish institutions, respect for Spanish firms." Reuters, 11/14

My goodness. Chavez respects no one. Expect this confrontation to escalate quickly. Nobody better tell the 'King of Venezuela' to "shut up", he goes nuts. Perhaps he should listen. When asked about his 69 changes to the Venezuelan Constitution that essentially gives him eternal rule and the ability to appoint anyone he chooses, he responded,

"Four questions you've come up with there, quite a few. What should I do?" he asked the reporter giggling. "You know what? Why don't you shut up?" Reuters 11/13

Don't be fooled by Chavez. He is not a man of the people. He is solidifying his power, nationalizing education, utilities, oil, and the telecom industries, banning NGO's, rewriting history, limiting freedom of speech, subverting the courts, exploiting U.S./Iranian relations, etc. He is no friend to America. No Friend to Latin America...and no Friend to the World. He is no "populist". He's just another self 'elected' subverter of democracy. He is a tyrant!

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Ahmadinejad found his first "traitor". Former nuclear negotiator charged with Spying

2007-11-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

Last week Ahmadinejad called the critics of his government less intelligent "than a little goat". By Monday he had denounced all Iranian citizens who criticize Iran's nuclear program as "traitors" and "If they do not give up their pressures on [the government] over the atomic issues, we [the government] will expose them to the Iranian nation," Two days later, Mr. Ahmadinejad has found his first "traitor". The pony show trials begin.

As reported by the BBC,

Former Iranian nuclear negotiator [Hossein Mousavian] has been charged with giving classified information to the British embassy, the Iranian intelligence minister has said.

Mr Mousavian is close to former President Hashemi Rafsanjani, a leading rival to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

In October, chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani resigned over reported differences with the president on the nuclear issue.
.....
Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie told the semi-official Fars news agency ..."This accusation is proven in the eyes of the intelligence ministry".

On Monday, Mr Ahmadinejad denounced as "traitors" those in Iran who have criticised its nuclear programme, state media have reported.

He went on to say that his critics had pressured a judge "to acquit a suspect for spying".

This was assumed to be a reference to Mr Mousavian.

Also on Wednesday Iran's parliament approved Mr Ahmadinejad's nominees for ministers of oil and industry.

The acting oil minister, Gholamhossein Nozari, was confirmed in his post, as was Ali Akbar Mehrabian as industry minister.

Now ya see..this was/is an absolutely stupid move on Ahmadinejad's part. It its also being reported today that Iran has conceded to the IAEA and given them documentation on their nuclear program.

The IAEA has been asking Iran for the design document since 2005.
.....
The design document contains information on casting uranium metal, a process related to the fabrication of nuclear weapon components.
.....
Iran says it was given the papers without asking for them during its black market purchases of nuclear equipment years ago.
.....
IAEA inspectors have been permitted to view the document in Iran, but up to now, Teheran has refused to let them have a copy.

Now a document has been handed over to the IAEA. BBC

Too little, too late. I fear Mohammed ElBaradei, the head of the IAEA, has bought Iran all the time the Bush administration take. The documents will only intensify their war mongering rhetoric.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

[Photo] Priceless: An American Dream

2007-11-14T08:37:00.001-07:00

photo courtesy of Drugo83 (For a Larger Pic)

Iran: Mr. "Members Only Jacket" calls Iranian non nuclear supporters "traitors"

2007-11-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Here goes whacko again. Instead of threatening Israel or the West, this time Ahmadinejad has threatened his own citizens.

From the BBC,

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has denounced as "traitors" those in Iran who have criticised its nuclear programme, state media have reported.
.....
Reformists and several senior clerics have challenged Iran's nuclear policy.

Last week, Mr Ahmadinejad was quoted as claiming his government's critics were less intelligent "than a little goat".
.....
In his speech at Tehran's Science and Technology University, Mr Ahmadinejad said he had no intention of halting Iran's nuclear programme despite warnings by rival politicians and several clerics of the serious threats facing the country.
.....
"These people are traitors and, based on our pact with the nation, we will not back down," he said, according to the official news agency, Irna.

"If they do not give up their pressures on [the government] over the atomic issues, we will expose them to the Iranian nation," he added.

"These are traitors and, in accordance with the vows we have taken to the nation, we will not back down and be onlookers."

Mr Ahmadinejad said he had chosen not to reveal their identities "because of some sensitivities", but warned he would do so "upon closure of the nuclear issue".

"They sent people to the enemy to regularly give them information from within the ruling system every week. We even have a recorded speech of one of them who tells the enemy: 'Why should you give up?... Step up pressure to make [Iran] retreat'," he claimed. Read the entire article.

The man is crazy. Unfortunately we have ourselves a crazy one, too. thump, thump, Thump...can you hear the drumbeat.

Weekend posts:
Doesn't this scare the Hell out of you? F- 35 Helmet
Biden joins Edwards..asks for Public Campaign Finance Funds
V-22 Osprey debacle continues...Osprey burst into flames
Shady Bernard Kerik still wants "Gifts"...this Time from You
McCain peers into Rudy's soul..sees horrible judge in character
California Protestors Beware!, the 'non lethal' Vomit Inducing Flashlight is coming to Town

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Doesn't this scare the Hell out of you? F- 35 Helmet

2007-11-10T17:55:00.000-07:00

The above picture is of the new helmet designed for use with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Scares the poop right out of me. Yikes. Star Wars meets Riot Cop..scary.

Anyway. "The Helmet", is "a vision into the future"...and the future is NOW. (Special note, the helmet is for the next generation aircraft, not the f 22, but the f 35),

Unlike modern fast jet aircraft the Joint Strike Fighter, which is planned to replace the famous Harrier, does not have a ‘traditional’ head-up display – instead the computerized symbology (not a word) is displayed directly onto the pilot’s visors.

This Helmet Mounted Display System provides the pilot with cues for flying, navigating and fighting the aircraft. It will even superimpose infra-red imagery onto the visor which allows the pilot to ‘look through’ the cockpit floor at night and see the world below. (pretty cool)
.....
The highly advanced Joint Strike Fighter, which is being built by Lockheed Martin, is planned to replace the RAF and RN’s Harriers. UK MoD, Defense News

From a different source,

The headgear being developed for the new, American-built F35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) will display navigation and targeting information on the inside of the pilot’s visor.

Precision head tracking software will allow pilots to "see through" the cockpit floor, with infra-red images of the ground below, during day or night time, being beamed in front of their eyes.
.....
The helmet mounted display system is being developed by California-based Vision Systems International and British company Helmet Integrated Systems Limited.
.....
"It even will superimpose infra-red imagery on to the visor to allow the pilot to look through the cockpit floor at night and see the world below.

"This is absolutely the cutting edge of technology. No other helmet will be able to do this.", a stated spokesman for the MoD Telegraph

Boo! Hehehee. Folks, the future is now..and this is what is in the pipeline. Kucinich and his UFO speak doesn't sound so crazy anymore. Does it? The "Defense" industry is moving into the "star wars" age.

Gizmodo says it best,

"The British Ministry of Defence has eliminated missiles and other projectile weapons in favor of a more open, glass covered cockpit offensive. Why? Their new tactic is to fly as close to enemy aircraft as possible while wearing this prototype helmet to make the opposition shit themselves to death. Victims won't be reincarnated as anything good either, but that's just a side effect."

Same Players. Different Scandal.

(Video) Gore on 30 Rock. Funniest Gore Performance, yet

2007-11-10T16:07:00.000-07:00

Hehehe.

Not the Same Players. Gore...slightly different. He actually makes sense.
Those who follow my posts understand the relevance of the above statement.

Check out the all of my posts.

Gary Hart is part of the Cabal. Don't let him fool you

2007-11-10T11:59:00.000-07:00

on Sept. 12, 2001

Gary Hart's 1984 TV Ads

Biden joins Edwards..asks for Public Campaign Finance Funds

2007-11-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

If nobody wants to contribute to your presidential campaign, by choice, what do you do? If you're Sen. Joseph Biden, you 'march on' by asking for Public Campaign Finance funds.

From Reuters,

Biden, who has raised $8.2 million for his bid and has spent about $6.3 million, submitted paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to qualify for government matching funds to help him compete in what will likely be the most expensive U.S. presidential campaign in history.
.....
"We are taking every step to ensure that we will have the necessary resources to compete in Iowa and the other early states," said Luis Navarro, Biden's campaign manager.
.....
The Delaware senator's campaign said it would decide over the next month whether to accept the money.

They will. Biden needs to keep is profile high. He's going to be Hillary's VP..just watch. (prediction due to his Yale connections. Yale alumni have been in the Oval Office for 28 consecutive years. Why stop now?)

Biden has credentials, but no support. Poor, poor, Biden. Do US all a favor. Drop out! You've already spent your 'supporters' money. Don't spend ours! Obviously...you're not worthy.

recent posts:

V-22 Osprey debacle continues...Osprey burst into flames
Shady Bernard Kerik still wants "Gifts"...this Time from You
McCain peers into Rudy's soul..sees horrible judge in character
CA Protestors Beware!, the 'non lethal' Vomit Inducing Flashlight is coming to Town

Same Players. Different Scandal.

V-22 Osprey debacle continues...Osprey burst into flames

2007-11-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

If you don't know about the Osprey yet, you should. The plane that takes off like a helicopter and flies like a plane or as I call it..."the pseudo flying transformer of death". Luckily this time it didn't kill anyone, it just burst into "manageable" flames.

According to Reuters,

The military is investigating an engine fire aboard a MV-22 tilt-rotor Osprey this week, but said on Friday it was too soon to discuss any possible impact on V-22s deployed in Iraq.
.....
The Marine Corp said an MV-22 assigned to a training squadron at Marine Corps Air Station New River, near Jacksonville, North Carolina, had to land unexpectedly on Tuesday after a fire in the housing of its left engine.

The five-member crew activated on-board fire suppression systems, landed safely at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, and evacuated the aircraft. There were no injuries, but the fire caused significant damage to the engine, Darcy said.
.....
Darcy said Tuesday's mishap involved a Block A aircraft, while the aircraft deployed in Iraq were a more advanced Block B version that included safety upgrades.

Safety upgrades...hmm. I wonder how that's working out.

The Marine Corps has been tight-lipped about the performance of the 10 Ospreys that arrived in Iraq last month.

Get that piece of crap out of Iraq now. This "transformer" is a deathtrap and will continue to be.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Shady Bernard Kerik still wants "Gifts"...this Time from You

2007-11-10T09:39:00.001-07:00

I couldn't believe it when I saw it, but it's true. Bernard Kerik, Rudy's shady BFF, has set up a website for his defense. "The Bernard Kerik Legal Defense Trust" even has a "Donor's Guide"

Check this out,

"The Bernard Kerik Legal Defense Trust has been established to allow Mr. Kerik’s friends and supporters to assist him in defending himself against possible charges that may be brought against him by the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York."
.....

"Having incurred legal fees in the course of the Bronx and federal investigation and paid a substantial financial penalty when he settled the Bronx case, and having had his business impacted by the intense publicity, he is not in a position to fund a proper defense to this federal case"
.....

The trust may accept unlimited personal contributions.

2. How Will the Funds Be Used?

Any contribution you make to the Trust will be treated as a gift to Mr. Kerik to be used at his discretion. All funds collected will be deposited with the trustee of the Trust, and it is Mr. Kerik’s intention that any funds contributed to the Trust will be used to defray legal expenses incurred by him during any civil or criminal investigations or court proceedings to which he may be a witness, subject or party, to reimburse him for any income taxes he incurs as a result of contributions to the Trust and income derived there from, and to pay any costs incident to creating, managing, and encouraging contributions to the Trust. In the event of Mr. Kerik’s death prior to the conclusion of any such investigation or proceeding, it is his intention that the funds in the Trust be used to defray any legal expenses incurred by his family. If any funds are left in the Trust once Mr. Kerik’s legal expenses have been paid in full, it is Mr. Kerik’s intention to donate the remainder of the funds in the Trust to a charity or charities to be determined at his discretion.

3. Are There Any Potential Tax Implications?

Your contribution to the Trust is not tax-deductible, and you may incur federal gift tax liability. However, an individual donor can make an annual tax-free gift of up to $12,000, and a married couple can make an annual tax-free gift of up to $24,000. However, you should consult your own accountant or tax advisor regarding your personal financial situation and any potential tax liability before making a contribution to the Trust.

IRS Circular 230 Disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS, I inform you that any tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding tax-related penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any matters addressed herein.

It's ok..you can vomit now. Get real...this idiot is still asking for "gifts". What a schmuck! Just like is BFF. Note the first line of his "donor's guide"...."Any contribution you make to the Trust will be treated as a gift to Mr. Kerik to be used at his discretion." Get it..HIS DISCRETION! Dirty, dirty, shady, shady. The only "gift" Kerik should receive is a jail cell..enough said

I wish I could have searched the site some more, but ugh..what a criminal. I had to leave.

related posts:
McCain peers into Rudy's soul..sees horrible judge in character
my other anti Rudy posts

Same Players. Different Scandal.

McCain peers into Rudy's soul..sees horrible judge in character

2007-11-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

Indicted on 14 counts of being a sleazy, corrupt, lying, cheat, Bernard Kerik, was Rudy's right hand man. Being Rudy's, other half, had its perks. From becoming Rudy's driver to New York City police commissioner to urging the WH to promote him to Homeland Security chief, Kerik was riding the Rudy wave. Not anymore...and John McCain wants everybody to know how Rudy was behind Kerik's rise. McCain is even blaming Rudy for part of the Iraq debacle.

From the AP,

Bernard Kerik did an irresponsible job training police in Iraq, presidential contender John McCain said Friday
.....
McCain cited Kerik's relationship with his Republican presidential foe as a reason to doubt Giuliani's judgment
.....
McCain...pointed to Kerik's performance in Iraq, along with complaints about how Giuliani treated first-responders after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, as reasons why the former mayor's presidential campaign should deserve greater scrutiny from voters.

and now from the mouth of McCain himself,

"I don't know Mr. Kerik. I do know that I went to Baghdad shortly after the initial victory and met in Baghdad with (Ambassador Paul) Bremer and (Lt. Gen. Ricardo) Sanchez. And Kerik was there. Kerik was supposed to be there to help train the police force. He stayed two months and one day left, just up and left," McCain told reporters traveling on his campaign bus.

"That's why I never would've supported him to be the head of homeland security because of his irresponsible act when he was over in Baghdad to try and help train the police. One of the reasons why we had so much trouble with the initial training of the police was because he came, didn't do anything and then went out to the airport and left." Read the entire article (it's worth it)

Oh my God! I agree with McCain. Good point, John...Rudy has a horrible judge of character. Just like Bush, he looks into peoples eyes and sees their soul. Unless that soul is corrupt..these 'men' want nothing to do with you. Rudy is just as complicit in Kerik's dirty pursuits. He is part of Giuliani as Giuliani is part of him. They are both corrupt. It's a Dog eat Dog World...let US be happy the GOP 'dogs' are beginning to eat each other.

Go Blue in '08...just not Hillary

related posts:
Shady Bernard Kerik still wants "Gifts"...this Time from You
my other anti Rudy posts

Same Players. Different Scandal.

California Protestors Beware!, the 'non lethal' Vomit Inducing Flashlight is coming to Town

2007-11-09T17:55:00.000-07:00

Californians beware! LED Incapacitators are coming to a police force near you. Funded by the Department of Homeland Security and produced by Intelligent Optical Systems, Inc., the wicked powerful vomit making flashlight is considered a non violent 'option' by it's makers.

How does it work, you ask? According to S&T Snapshots, a monthly newsletter produced by the DHS Science and Technology Directorate in partnership with the Homeland Security Institute,

By simultaneously overwhelming the subject both physiologically (temporarily blinding him) and psychophysically (disorienting him). A built-in rangefinder measures the distance to the nearest pair of eyeballs. Then, a “governor” sets the output and pulse train (a series of pulses and rests) to a level, frequency, and duration that are effective, but safe. The colors and pulses continuously change, leaving no time for the brain or eyes to adapt. After a few minutes, the effects wear off.

Bob Lieberman and Vladimir Rubtsov, the LED I inventors, say it a little more bluntly

“There’s one wavelength that gets everybody,” says Lieberman. “Vlad calls it the evil color.”

In fact, they believe their device will work well on the Southern border,

“There are often confrontations at border crossings with suspected illegal aliens or drug runners,” Lieberman says. “You don’t want to hurt or kill them, just take them into custody. With this,” he smiles, “they don’t need to know English to comply.”

...and for all those crowds of protesters....don't worry, DHS and IOS have a project in the works for you too,

"Output and size can easily be scaled up to fit the need; immobilizing a mob, for instance, might call for a wide-angle “bazooka” version."

All those protest rallies will soon become disgusting vomit parties. All courtesy of the Department of Homeland Security.

This next video is of Homeland Security Science & Technology chief, Jay Cohen, explaining and later demonstrating during a presentation.

Don't Daz Me, Bro (watch the END of THIS VIDEO)

He's referencing a student who ASKED a QUESTION and was tazered for it. These flashlights are not for the enemy. They are for US. Remember....it wasn't the students protesting at Kent State that were shot..it was those standing by and watching the protests that were.

related post:
We are "Renting Democracy" and it Costs too Damn Much

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Cocaine Prices rise 44%. WH and DEA claim cocaine shortage in US

2007-11-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

So there I was..reading my morning news, when I came across this article in the Houston Chronicle. Apparently we're winning one of our 'current wars'. Not the overarching war on terror, not Iraq, not Afghanistan, but the 'war on drugs', but don't tell this to the police. They think WH drug czar, John Walters and DEA chief, Karen Tandy are nuts.

Here are a few excerpts,

America's top two drug fighters said anti-narcotics programs in Latin America are causing a cocaine shortage in Houston and 36 other U.S. cities
.....

Armed with the results of a sample involving thousands of purchases made by undercover DEA agents and their informants during the first seven months of the year, Walters said the price of a pure gram of cocaine now stands at about $137 — up 44 percent since January.

"This report is the best evidence yet that counter-drug programs can break the machine that delivers violence, corruption and addiction to every country in the hemisphere..This is not yet victory, but it is a sign that we are on the right track." John Walters told reporters in Bogata, Colombia

....and now for the TRUTH...the Police rebuttal,

Claims of short supplies or higher prices, however, conflicted with reports from the streets of Houston and El Paso, the Texas cities singled out by the DEA as having a shortage.
.....
"the market hasn't changed much in years...You can still go to the open-air markets and get pretty much anything you are looking for...A gram of pure cocaine costs about $80 in Houston" Lt. Gray Smith of the Houston police narcotics division.
.....
"Our dealers aren't running dry.. Our guys are busting their humps every day, and the numbers are consistent." Darrel Petry, an El Paso police spokesman.

According to Lt. Smith the 44% 'increase' in price per gram could be solely due to the customer purchasing the drugs,

"It can have a scale depending on who you are and what part of town your are in," he said. "Street vendors will chisel all the money out of you they can. If you are wearing nice clothes and a watch, they'll try to hit you up for an extra $20."

I found this last statement amusing. The dealers are most likely over charging the Feds for their drugs...too damn funny. I can't relate because I have no idea what cocaine should cost, but it seems completely rational. If you don't know the person and they look 'rich'..charge 'em more. Little spoiled 'richie rich' Frat boys, Giuliani aides, and Presidents of the United States of America should pay more. Makes complete sense to me...and apparently the Justice Department as well,

Several analysts, as well as a new Justice Department report, suggest the DEA figures should be taken with a grain of salt.

Give me a break. We've been 'fighting' the 'war on drugs' since Nixon. It's failed. My message to the Feds...Stop being taken in your 'deals ' find a new approach. Your current 'spin' is full of CRAP. There is no success in the 'war on drugs'.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

(Video) Fox News Loves those Whores..mmm yummy

2007-11-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

We all know Bill O'Reilly is a complete prick, so this isn't anything new. I've ranted on and on about how often Fox 'newscasters' loves the smut, but my rants could never do justice to the issue as Robert Greenwald and his Brave New Films could do. Take a moment a watch their latest production.

Bill O'Reilly..."Prick of the Century".

today's posts:
The Curse of George Bush and his Constantly RElabeled 'Enemy'
Senate Res. 366: Another Complete Waste of Time
The FY '08 Defense Appropriations: $4.9 Billion in Earmarks...so far
Chávez Henchmen opened fire on Students at the Central University of Venezuela
Chávez Henchmen opened fire on Students at the Central Univ of Venezuela
We are "Renting Democracy" and it Costs too Damn Much
Giuliani and his new BFF, Pat Robertson, AKA 'nutjob'

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Chávez Henchmen opened fire on Students at the Central University of Venezuela

2007-11-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

The power consolidation of Hugo Chávez continues. On Wed., "Masked henchmen" in support of Chávez shot into a crowd of students at the Central University of Venezuela. The students were returning from a protest march at the Supreme Court in defiance to Chávez's 69 'changes' to the Constitution.

According to the IHT,

Masked gunmen shot into a group of students on Wednesday at this country's most prestigious university. The students were returning from a march here protesting changes to the Constitution proposed by President Hugo Chávez that could allow him to remain in power indefinitely.
.....
At least eight people were injured in the mix of gunfire and rock-throwing at the Central University of Venezuela, including two who were shot, according to Antonio Rivero, the national director of civil protection. The violence followed a march by tens of thousands of students to the Supreme Court.
.....
"At the moment the students arrived, they were attacked by others wearing hoods," Rivero said in comments broadcast on the radio here. "We do not know what faction they belong to," he said of the assailants.

Who else could they be associated with? Chávez wants eternal rule..this was his henchman's doing.

all of the court's 32 justices are believed to be supporters of Chávez. (just like George has)
.....
The president's supporters also control the federal bureaucracy and every state-controlled company and are trying to exert greater control over universities (Oil America)

It must be nice to make yourself a King. One can change things at will..hmmm sounds familiar to a 'resident' we all know

The official news agency (Fox Chávez News Style) said anti-Chávez (his Democrats) students had attacked pro-Chávez (chickenhawks) students with tear gas canisters (the canisters already used on the protesters) and threatened them with lynching ( probably did).
.....
Speaking at a land-reform ceremony in Carabobo State, Chávez said he would press ahead with campaigning for the new charter, which would abolish term limits for the president, but not for governors and mayors, and give him the authority to appoint rulers for new administrative regions to be created in the country. (sounds like King Georges' 6 year old Department of Homeland Security)

How convenient for him. Their Greed is killing US all.

today's posts:
The Curse of George Bush and his Constantly RElabeled 'Enemy'
Senate Res. 366: Another Complete Waste of Time
The FY '08 Defense Appropriations: $4.9 Billion in Earmarks...so far
Chávez Henchmen opened fire on Students at the Central Univ of Venezuela
We are "Renting Democracy" and it Costs too Damn Much
Giuliani and his new BFF, Pat Robertson, AKA 'nutjob'

Same Players. Different Scandal.

We are "Renting Democracy" and it Costs too Damn Much

2007-11-08T11:01:00.000-07:00

Pencil Sketch Courtesy of the Searcher

I pose the questions...When did we start "Renting Democracy"? When did 'citizens' concerns become completely irrelevant to our policymakers? When did we start living on "SWAT Squad Planet"?

Easy answer: Money, Lobbyists, 911, the war on terror...Yadda, yadda. But there is something more occurring right NOW! The very essence of Democracy is being assaulted worldwide. Worse, the supposed most democratic nations on earth, the UK and U.S., are allowing/approving of it. Consider the most recent candy coated, politically correct rhetoric they are calling it in Pakistan..in Georgia...in Myanmar. They're calling it "emergency rule". My A$$! Call it like it is..It's MARTIAL LAW. It doesn't taste as good as "emergency rule", but that is what it is, Martial Law.

Across the globe the 'opposition' is being dealt with by FORCE. The people who are 'protesting' for change and progress are being persecuted by the Ruling Parties. Persecuted by the Status Quo. Ridiculous.

Currently Conservative Right parties are in power and appear not interested in given any of it up. They are consolidating and ...worse, it looks like they're doing it for the 'long, haul'.

Why? In the last few months there have been constant "crackdowns". In Switzerland, Hungary, Georgia, Russia, Germany, Denmark, the U.S., the UK., Australia, Pakistan, India, Myanmar, China...and countless others. I'm not talking about silly little petty protests. In all the above countries the opposition has been met by either the military or these strange "black suited Democracy crushers". It's getting serious. We the people...the people who pay the taxes, are becoming the 'threat' or as Bush would say... " the national security threat".

We are adults. Stop treating US like children, peasants, and discarded waste. The people make up the composition of the 'nation', not our 'leaders'. Curfew my A$$...it's Martial Law.

Once again, When did we start "Renting Democracy" from our 'elected' leaders?

today's posts:
The Curse of George Bush and his Constantly RElabeled 'Enemy'
Senate Res. 366: Another Complete Waste of Time
The FY '08 Defense Appropriations: $4.9 Billion in Earmarks...so far
Chávez Henchmen opened fire on Students at the Central Univ of Venezuela
Giuliani and his new BFF, Pat Robertson, AKA 'nutjob'

Same Players. Different Scandal.

The FY '08 Defense Appropriations: $4.9 Billion in Earmarks...so far

2007-11-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

Yikes. Have you seen this report? H.R. 3222 is the newly released conference report on how much money you and I are placing into the piggy bank of the Department of Defense in '08. Included in the report are 2,049 earmarks totaling an estimated value of $4.9 Billion dollars. My goodness!

According to Bill Allison's blog,a source on the Hill emailed him with a few concerns, stating,

"[the report] contains a massive number of earmarks – 2,049 to be exact." I'm going to round the figures somewhat (they were calculated on the fly) but total cost of the earmarks is $4.9 billion. Included are 24 new earmarks costing about $59 million that were “airdropped” into the conference report. "These e armarks were considered by neither the House nor the Senate and were immaculately conceived in the conference report," he says.

Special props to Bill Allison and source. Thank you. Now the question remains...Who's earmarked what? Let's take a brief tour of the top earmark 'contributors',

First, courtesy of Earmark Watch, a map of where they are located

Hmm. Pretty Concentrated, eh...and now for the top earmark loving Representatives,

Rep. Murtha (D-PA) $166,500,000

Rep. Lewis (R-CA) $112,000,000

Rep. Kingston (R-GA) $72,187,000

Rep. Young (R-FL) $143,200,000

Rep. Visclosky (D-IN) $53,500,000

Rep. Moran (D-VA) $47,000,000

Want to know what your Representative earmarked? Find out HERE. I warn you...it's addicting. You'll spend a lot of time there.

What a complete waste of OUR HARD EARNED MONEY!

today's posts:
The Curse of George Bush and his Constantly RElabeled 'Enemy'
Senate Res. 366: Another Complete Waste of Time
Giuliani and his new BFF, Pat Robertson, AKA 'nutjob'

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Senate Res. 366: Another Complete Waste of Time

2007-11-08T07:20:00.000-07:00

Another complete waste of time of our policymakers. Did you know November 2007 has now been designated as " National Methamphetamine Awareness Month "? Yup, it sure is thanks to S. Res. 366.

Res. 366 was brought to the Senate by Sen. Baucus, which had the support of 12 Donkeys and 12 Elephants,

Mr. Baucus (for himself, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Biden, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Bond, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Corker, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Graham, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Levin, Mrs. Lincoln, Ms. Murkowski, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Salazar, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Smith, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Tester, Mr. Thune, Mr. Conrad, and Mrs. Dole)
.....
Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) designates November 2007 as "National Methamphetamine Awareness Month" to increase awareness of methamphetamine abuse; and

(2) encourages the people of the United States and interested groups to observe National Methamphetamine Awareness Month with appropriate educational programs and outreach activities. louisdb.org

What a nice way to come together. Really it is. "Methamphetamine Awareness" is important, but for an entire month? How about designating November 2007 as "National Bush/Cheney Awareness Month" or "National Wake Up They're Gonna Bomb Iran Awareness Month" or "National $100 a barrel Oil Awareness Month".

Enough. You get the picture. There are more important 'issues' they could be 'compromising' on...Like stopping another war, or debating the 'intel', or providing healthcare to our children, the encroachment on our civil liberties, ...the list is endless. "National Methamphetamine Awareness Month" would be extremely low on my list.

today's new posts:
The Curse of George Bush and his Constantly RElabeled 'Enemy'
Giuliani and his new BFF, Pat Robertson, AKA 'nutjob'

Same Players. Different Scandal.

The Curse of George Bush and his Constantly RElabeled 'Enemy'

2007-11-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

Five months ago I noticed something odd. It was impossible to turn of the television without hearing about the 'insurgents' recent attacks, their new beheading, botched plans, etc. Then 'boom' everything changed overnight. The people we were fighting became known as elusive "Al Qaeda" . Soon after the relabeling occurred they were relabeled again. This time they became known as Al Qaeda 2.0..or most commonly known as "Al Qaeda in Iraq".

Who is our enemy in November? Is it still AQI , or someone new? Are they insurgents again? Armed insurgents? Militants? Armed Militants? Al Qaeda in Iraq? The Taleban? Islamo facists? Terrorists? the PKK? Iranians? ...who is our revolving 'enemy' now?

Everyday our national media have referenced them as the above names. They interchange them as if they are the same people unified under the common 'cause' of waging Osama's global jihad . Are they? Hmm. I'm thinking not.

If we're going to fight this, war? We better define Who the 'enemy' is? Without that..we've lost. Are they all the same people or are they what 2008 GOP Presidential candidate, Fred "lazy" Thompson calls them, " A bunch of kids with IEDs "

Who is our enemy now?

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Giuliani and his new BFF, Pat Robertson, AKA 'nutjob'

2007-11-07T16:42:00.000-07:00

Good ol' Rudy has a new best friend. Not any friend, but the notorious Televangelist Rev. Pat Robertson. Rudy's new bud is a founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network, the Christian Coalition, Regent University, host of the 700 Club, a former GOP candidate for the Presidency in 1988, and a millionaire hundreds of times over.

He is also a complete wacko nut job who has a penchant to run his freakish, hate spewing, uber conservative mouth. Let's take a moment a remember some of the Rev's 'classic' statements of lunacy,

On woman's rights,

"I know this is painful for the ladies to hear, but if you get married, you have accepted the headship of a man, your husband. Christ is the head of the household and the husband is the head of the wife, and that's the way it is, period."

"(T)he feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians."

The Rev. believes homosexuality and the Democrats are the cause of all 'evil',

"Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It's no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history."

"I would warn Orlando that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you, This is not a message of hate -- this is a message of redemption. But a condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It'll bring about terrorist bombs; it'll bring earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor." –Pat Robertson, on "gay days" at Disneyworld

"Well, I totally concur." –Pat Robertson to Jerry Falwell following the Sept. 11 attacks, after Falwell said, "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say: "You helped this happen."

On Islam,

"Islam is not a religion. It is a worldwide political movement meant (sic) on domination of the world. And it is meant to subjugate all people under Islamic law."

His opinion of the Supreme Court,

"Lord, give us righteous judges who will not try to legislate and dominate this society. Take control, Lord! We ask for additional vacancies on the court."

On Separation of Church and State,

"That was never in the Constitution, however much the liberals laugh at me for saying it, they know good and well it was never in the Constitution! Such language only appeared in the constitution of the Communist Soviet Union."

On Hugo Chavez,

"If [Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez] thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it."

and my favorite...His prognostication for the end of 2007,

"The other thing I felt was that evil men, evil people, are going to try to do evil things to us and to others during the last part of this year. I don’t know if it’ll be in the fall or September or later on, but it’ll be the second half somehow of 2007. There will be some very serious terrorist attacks. The evil people will come after this country and there’s a possibility – not a possibility, a definite certainty - that chaos is going to rule. And the Lord said the politicians will not have any solutions for it. There’s just going to be chaos. Of course, we saw chaos in the Gulf after Katrina and the politicians had no answers … It’s going to happen. I’m not saying necessarily nuclear, the Lord didn't say nuclear, but I do believe it'll be something like that, that'll be a mass killing - possibly millions of people, major cities injured. I hope I’m wrong and I hope people will pray and that won’t happen, but nevertheless that seems to be what’s coming up. And then the Lord said he will restrain the evil people, but he will not restrain them necessarily initially. And, you know, He doesn’t have to restrain people. They’re evil people and they do evil things and they desire evil. (Watch the video of this quote. This psycho is serious and his co anchor eggs it on. Fear mongering at it's finest)

It's plain and simple. Rev. Pat Robertson is a complete nut job. Having a total loon like Robertson endorse Giuliani is not a surprise. It does demonstrate that Giuliani continues to have a completely awful judge of character. The inner circle of Giuliani consists of countless shady characters. From Kerik, to Alan Placa..the shady child molesting priest, to the myriad of neo con warmongers on his staff, Podhoretz, et. all. He has Mukasey in the bag. He was 'knighted' by the Queen in 2002, and now...America's false Mayor has another nut job endorsing him in his dirty scandalous pursuit to lead the U.S. into the depths of his insane 'reality'.

Look at his campaign staff. Look at his life. Look at his campaign contributors. Look at who he 'hangs' with. Rudy does not represent AMERICA.

The Queen made him a 'Knight', let's be sure the U.S. does not make him a 'King'.

video courtesy of bravenewfilms

recent Rudy related posts:
Video: Biden on Giuliani.."all he mentions is a noun, a verb, and 911"
Rudy's dumb friend, Podhoretz, Briefed Rudy on WWIV
Lining Rudy's Pockets: Giuliani's Dirty Donors
'Rudy' finds God on Friday..sometimes
and my entire anti Rudy archive

Same Players. Different Scandal.

AT&T Whistleblower tells all to Capitol Hill on Wed.

2007-11-06T12:33:00.000-07:00

Strap on your seat belts, the "telecom immunity joyride" is becoming more interesting. On Wednesday, Mark Klein, a telecommunications technician who says he helped AT&T and the NSA set up their controversial wiretapping system, is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee and tell his story.

Here are a few excerpts from an article by Rebecca Carr of the The Secrecy File,

Mark Klein wants the Senate Judiciary committee to reject legislation that offers telecommuncations companies legal protection for participating in President Bush’s surveillance program without a court warrant. The Senate Intelligence Committee recently cleared such legislation. (thanks to "telecom Jay")On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will evaluate the measure.
.....
“My job required me to enable the physical connections between AT&T customers’ internet communications and the National Security Agency’s illegal, wholesale copying machine for domestic emails, internet phone conversations, web surfing and all other Internet traffic,” Klein said in a statement.

“I have first-hand knowledge of the clandestine collaboration between one giant telecommunications company, AT&T, and the NSA to facilitate the most comprehensive illegal domestic spying program in history,”Klein said.

Klein said AT&T built technology to help the government’s domestic warrantless wiretapping program at its main switching facility in San Francisco.

Oops...busted..Someone is talking and the Judiciary Committee is about to hear him. I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow to see what "telecom Jay" has to say about 'immunity' for the OBVIOUSLY ILLEGAL eavesdropping program. Will AT&T andVerizon's contributions to "telecom Jay" pay off? Probably so. Mr. Klein's testimony will fall upon deaf "retro active immunity" ears.

Pelosi and Reid continue to allow BushCO the ability to open "Pandora's Box". The "House of Pelsoi and Reid" have failed US. They sold US short before they went on their vacation earlier this year. Their rush to 'grant' a continuance to the Bush/Cheney eavesdropping program will never be given up. Once they gave BushCO the gift of eavesdropping on US citizens, they will never get it back. Illegal or not, the NSA's wiretapping program is here to stay. Big Brother is not only watching...he's listening now, too.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

D.C. to Beijing : US and China agree on military 'HOTLINE'

2007-11-06T11:21:00.000-07:00

Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates has gone to China and came back with a telephone. The United States already has a 'hot line' from Moscow to D.C. why not Beijing to D.C, as well.

From the VOA,

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan announced the plan for a military-to-military hot line during Gates's first visit to China as pentagon chief.
No date of operation was given, but China's official Xinhua news agency said it would be the first of its kind that China has established with another country.

From Reuters,

Beijing has previously indicated it backs a hot line, long wanted by Washington, but the project has not been realized.

U.S. officials had expected China to embrace the idea again during Gates' visit. But they said talks on finalizing the arrangements would be the true test of whether Beijing really had the political will to establish such a direct link.

Good idea. Let our military officials communicate with each other. It's far better than having our 'elected' leader offer up his 'Bush Diplomacy' to China. We don't need any missiles flying around because we 'think' one side or the other has done something. Our decent into another 'Cold War' mentality is occurring...again. Until then, China can continue to ply the world markets with their lead contaminated products, anti freeze in toothpastes, copy right infringed materials, poisoned pet food, and hack into the computers of the Pentagon and our allies. We get a "hot line".

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Cheney doesn't know which Country Hugo Chavez leads

2007-11-03T10:00:00.000-06:00

Peru? or Venezuela? The VP seems to not know which country Hugo Chavez leads.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Video: Senior U.S. Foreign Service Officer "forcing US to Iraq is a potential death sentence"

2007-11-01T16:04:00.000-06:00

Diplomats in Revolt.

Jack Croddy, Senior U.S. Foreign Service Officer, states...

"Incoming is coming in everyday. Rockets are hitting the Green Zone. So if you force assign people that is shifting the terms of what we're all about. It's one thing if someone believes in what is going on over there...and volunteers, but it is another thing to send someone over there on a forced assignment....and I'm sorry, but basically that's a potential Death Sentence...and you know it."

Thank you Mr. Croddy! These 'diplomats' are not conscripts. The Bush administration CAN NOT FORCE them to Iraq. I urge all to follow up and read the comments posted at Buzzflash.net on this topic. FSO's are not the problem. They are HEROES in pursuit of PEACE.

recent posts:
Cheney's staff dressed his dogs like Darth Vadar and Superman for Halloween
Video: Bush on Cheney: "The dark force is near"
Video: Biden on Giuliani.."all he mentions is a noun, a verb, and 911"

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Cheney's staff dressed his dogs like Darth Vadar and Superman for Halloween

2007-11-01T15:28:00.000-06:00

I didn't believe it when I read it, but it appears true.

From the Huffington Post,

At the vice president's home at the Naval Observatory, his staff put both of the Cheneys' dogs in Halloween costumes on Wednesday, just for fun and family photos. The yellow lab got to be Superman. The black lab? Darth Vader.

The Caption read,

In this photograph provided by the White House, Vice President Dick Cheney's Labrador retrievers Jackson, left, and Dave, right, prepare for Halloween, Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2007, as they sit for a photograph at the Vice President's Residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington. Jackson is dressed as Darth Vader, Dave is dressed as Superman. (AP Photo/The White House, David Bohrer)

From ABC News,

ABC News' Jennifer Duck Reports: The Vice President's dogs may beat the President's dogs in the best dressed category this Halloween.

Late night TV shows have ridiculed and compared Vice President Dick Cheney to Darth Vader.

So in a wicked response, Cheney dressed one of his dogs, Jackson, as the famous Star Wars character. Cheney's other Labrador retriever, Dave, is dressed up as superman.

Independent panel cites U.S. Army as a procurer of needless debt

2007-11-01T12:59:00.000-06:00

"The Iraq-Kuwait-Afghanistan contracting problems have created a crisis"

It must be nice to be a government contractor. No bid contracts, limited oversight, unlimited profit potential...all is great. Not so according to a new report by six independent members on a panel to review the U.S. Army 'procurement process'.

From an article in the IHT. ...According the the six member panel,

In a wide-ranging report to be made public on Thursday, the panel said these and other shortcomings had contributed to an environment in Iraq and Kuwait that allowed waste, fraud and other corruption to take hold and flourish.
.....
the six-member panel, appointed in August by Army Secretary Pete Geren, levels a stinging indictment of how the army oversees $4 billion a year in contracts for food, water, shelter and other supplies to sustain United States forces in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan. The panel also blames senior army leaders for not responding more swiftly to the problems, despite warning signs like severe shortages of contracting officers in the field. "The Iraq-Kuwait-Afghanistan contracting problems have created a crisis," the report states.

Got that...a 'crisis'. These guys are spending not only our current funds, but those of our children as well. How hard is it to employ people to 'review' these shady contracts? How hard can it actually be? From the time I was little..I've always heard, " pay for what you can afford. Don't purchase anything you can't pay for up front. Anything else will lead to debt" The message appears true.

...the panel's examination of the problem is the broadest to date and offers potentially the most far-reaching recommendations for fixing the shortcomings plaguing the supply system for a military that is increasingly conducting combat and stability operations around the globe. (nowadays, War is everywhere)

and those recommendations are....

increasing the number of army contracting officers by about 25 percent, or 1,400, in coming years. (Years? try NOW!) It urges the department to improve training and to start young officers in the procurement corps soon after they join the army, not after seven or eight years of other duties, as is common now.
.....
any increases in financing or changes in authority, would require congressional approval, officials said. But several others will be up to Geren, the army secretary, and senior army leaders to carry out. ( In short, they still get what they want.)

The recommendations haven't came without grief, though. Many 'top lawmakers' view the 'recommendations' as too little too late,

These and other changes, the officials say, are long in coming, and if they had been put in place immediately after the Sept. 11 attacks, they could have curbed much of the corruption that has surfaced since then.

"If you had had more personnel, who were better trained, on longer tours with more supervision, could you have cut the number of fraud, waste and corruption cases in half?" asked Raymond DuBois, a former senior army official. "Yes."

Yet the corruption still continues,

As of Oct. 24, the army reported that it had 83 criminal inquiries related to contract fraud in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, according to Christopher Grey, an army spokesman. He said that 23 military and civilian staff members faced criminal charges, and that over $15 million in bribes had been uncovered. (The "#" is most likely far higher)
.....
One of the largest cases involves Major John Cockerham of the army, who is accused of bribery, conspiracy, money laundering and obstruction. Prosecutors have accused Cockerham, with his wife and sister, of taking at least $9.6 million in bribes in 2004 and 2005, when he was a contracting officer in Kuwait. ( these people should be tried for TREASON)

and how does the military 'attack' the problem? They've created another panel of course..

A second army review, led by Lieutenant General N. Ross Thompson III and Kathryn Condon, two army contracting specialists, is examining current contracting operations, particularly in Kuwait.

We don't need anymore 'studies' or 'investigations' . The contract 'procurement' system is in shambles. Our hard earned tax payer dollars are being diverted into 'programs, systems, and weapons' which the American tax payer would never approve. We're getting a lot of 'bang', but it's not worth the 'buck'.

Until we change the monetary equation...war will always come first and diplomacy second. The Department of State NEEDS to receive more funds...not the Department of Defense. Change that equation..you change the fate of the world.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Video: Bush on Cheney: "The dark force is near"

2007-11-01T11:36:00.001-06:00

The dark force is near...Bush feels it's presence...

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

Same Players. Different Scandal.

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

2007-10-31T15:53:00.000-06:00

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"

2007-10-31T14:35:00.000-06:00

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

2007-10-31T13:34:00.000-06:00

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

2007-10-31T12:42:00.000-06:00

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

2007-10-31T11:36:00.000-06:00

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

2007-10-31T09:40:00.000-06:00

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

2007-10-30T18:10:00.000-06:00

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

2007-10-30T16:39:00.001-06:00

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'

2007-10-30T15:51:00.000-06:00

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"

2007-10-30T11:57:00.000-06:00

“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?

2007-10-30T11:00:00.000-06:00

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?

2007-10-30T10:06:00.000-06:00

"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?

2007-10-29T08:31:00.000-06:00

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"

2007-10-29T07:22:00.000-06:00

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:
Does Bill Richardson believe in UFO's, Too?
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.

Does Bill Richardson believe in UFO's, Too?

2007-10-29T06:34:00.000-06:00

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"

2007-10-27T19:33:00.000-06:00

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

2007-10-27T10:49:00.000-06:00

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".

News you might have missed:
FEMA makes $hit up...again. Fake News from FEMA. Yup. Cali only Singed, No big deal
The Coultergeist is Back: "Perfected: The Ann Coulter Song" VIDEO
VIDEO: Leonardo DiCaprio deserves his Nobel Prize too. The 11th Hour
$10 million dollar Bat Mitzvahs for your daughter via the U.S. Government
VIDEO: Say it isn't so. Gravel campaign offers 25K for "best Gravel" YouTube Video
Don't throw bombs in New York....2 IED's thrown at Mexican Consulate

Same Players. Different Scandals.

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

2007-10-27T09:43:00.000-06:00

"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.

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

2007-10-27T08:21:00.000-06:00

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.

$10 million dollar Bat Mitzvahs for your daughter via the U.S. Government

2007-10-26T15:17:00.000-06:00

Maybe it's just me, but I love the headline. I just don't like the outcome. According to Selim Alfar and Andy Geller of the NYPost,

The former CEO of the leading supplier of body armor to U.S. soldiers in Iraq was charged yesterday with looting the company to bankroll a lavish lifestyle that included a $10 million bat mitzvah for his daughter.
In addition to the bat mitzvah - which included performances by Aerosmith, 50 Cent, Tom Petty, Kenny G and the Eagles - prosecutors said David Brooks got the firm, DHB Industries, to pay for other goodies.
Among them were a face lift for his ex-wife; vitamins for his stable of 100 horses; pricey vacations; fancy jewels; an armored car; a $194,000 Bentley; and a $100,000 diamond-studded belt buckle.
The elaborate scheme exploded yesterday when federal prosecutors unsealed a 21-count indictment accusing Brooks, 53, of securities fraud, insider trading, tax evasion and obstruction of justice. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Sandra Hatfield, 54, the company's former chief operating officer, was hit with similar charges.
Brooks founded DHB, which moved from Westbury, L.I., to Pompano Beach, Fla., last year, and served as its chairman and chief executive officer. He resigned last year as the scandal erupted.
According to the indictment, Brooks lined his pockets by having DHB underwrite his lifestyle and by artificially inflating the value of company stock.
He allegedly reaped $185 million by selling DHB stock when he learned that 6,000 bullet-proof vests the company made were about to be recalled for being faulty and not able to block bullets.
Hatfield, who left the firm in 2005, allegedly made $5 million in the scheme.
Brooks also was accused of evading taxes by giving money to charities he ran.

Brooks made headlines in November 2005, when he rented two floors of the Rainbow Room for the bat mitzvah of his daughter, Elizabeth.
He reportedly sent the company jet to fly Aerosmith in from Pittsburgh, paying them a cool $1 million. In return, they let his nephew play drums.
In honor of the band's appearance, Brooks changed from a black leather suit into a magenta suede biker outfit covered with chains.
The indictment said the body-armor tycoon spent $122,000 of company cash on iPods and digital cameras for his guests. It also revealed he shelled out $20,000 for leather-bound invitations to his son's bar mitzvah in 2000.
Brooks pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in federal court in Central Islip, L.I., and was held without bail pending a hearing Monday.
His lawyer, Paul Shechtman, said Brooks "grew up in Brooklyn and that means he doesn't run away from a fight. (I hope he rots in jail)
Shechtman asked for bail of a mere $50 million. Prosecutor John Martin asked that no bail be granted, calling Brooks a serious flight risk. NYPost

It must be nice. Having all your "bills" plus an extravaganza for your daughter & son, via the U.S. government. You can have it, too. All you have to do is be a corrupt businessman with great connections to the U.S. government. Houses, cars, jewels, horses, bat & bar mitzvahs..all expenses paid. Cheap, conservatives *&^#$)&s are only cheap when it comes to US.

Same Players. Different Scandal.

FEMA makes $hit up...again. Fake News from FEMA. Yup. Cali only Singed ...No big deal

2007-10-26T14:22:00.000-06:00

"All the news that's fit to print...and some that's not...from FEMA"

If nobody wants to air your "positive" news, start airing it yourself. At least that's what FEMA has decided to do. Who are these people? Hiding the truth from the American public and feeding them "crap"...feeding them some B$ conjured up in the "shadowy" backrooms of FEMA. Absolutely ridiculous. Only in Russia, Myanmar, China..and now the United States. Fox News has franchised and FEMA has bought in.

What the hell is going on? Our GOVERNMENT agencies are televising their own Saturday Night Live skits and trying to pass them off as NEWS.

From Reuters,

The U.S. government's main disaster-response agency apologized on Friday for having its employees pose as reporters in a hastily called news conference on California's wildfires that no news organizations attended.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, still struggling to restore its image after the bungled handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, issued the apology after The Washington Post published details of the Tuesday briefing.

"We can and must do better, and apologize for this error in judgment," FEMA deputy administrator Harvey Johnson, who conducted the briefing, said in a statement. "Our intent was to provide useful information and be responsive to the many questions we have received."
No actual reporter attended the news conference in person, agency spokesman Aaron Walker said.

A spokeswoman for Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who has authority over FEMA, called the incident "inexcusable and offensive to the secretary."

"We have made it clear that stunts such as this will not be tolerated or repeated," spokeswoman Laura Keehner said. She said the department was looking at the possibility of reprimanding those responsible.

I'm done. I can't read anymore of this obvious attempt to "rig" the news. Geez 'w', hasn't subverting multiple elections,entering 2 wars, a 3rd over arching war, countless bouts of claiming executive privilege, illegal wiretapping, extraordinary renditions, and the water boarding kept you happy? and now..you're having your government departments feeding US "fake news"...again.

Image gone. FEMA is a farce. Funny bastards, what an ingenious way of "improving America's confidence" in their corrupt organization. Welcome to the "culture of fear" and our 6 year old "homeland".

Let's Remember Former FEMA chief Michael Brown speak of the "torture of Hurricane Katrina" and FEMA's "fix". oops..it's not my problem, NOW

Same Players. Different Scandal.

VIDEO: Say it isn't so. Gravel campaign offers 25K for "best Gravel" YouTube Video

2007-10-26T12:43:00.000-06:00

I don't know what to say about this. Gravel is great, but doesn't have the slightest chance. Perhaps my headline should read, "Grandpa goes Wild: Gives away 25K for friends". Just watch the video.

$25,000 Gravel Campaign Giveaway

a couple words of wisdom to the 35percenters....make a video, capitalize on the 25k, then use it for Dennis. The money should go to nobody else besides an ANTI WAR candidate. You guys do great work. Might as well get paid by Gravel. Besides...he's lonely and wants to purchase friends. Be his friend..get that 25K. As Gravel states, "Go Blue".

Same Players. Different Scandal.

Don't throw bombs in New York....2 IED's thrown at Mexican Consulate

2007-10-26T11:45:00.000-06:00

Who throws "explosive devices" at buildings?

From the BBC,

Fragments of one of the devices were found in front of the building in midtown Manhattan at 0925 (1325 GMT), according to local WABC-TV News.

No injuries have been reported and the consulate would only confirm to the BBC that there had not been an explosion.

The New York Police Department said there was an ongoing investigation.

Law enforcement officials said the devices appeared to be similar to those thrown at the UK consulate in Manhattan in May 2005, WABC said.

The 2005 blasts, which happened in the early morning, shattered windows but did not cause any injuries. BBC

Here is the WABC article. or view the wretched newscast,

Residents reported hearing an explosion at around 3:50 a.m. this morning in front of the building at 27 East 39th Street. When consulate workers arrived at around 9:25 a.m., they reportedly discovered broken glass and fragments from one of the devices. Eyewitness News is told police responded and immediately began scouring outside the building for evidence. Neither of the devices actually got into the consulate.
.....
The NYPD Bomb Squad is on the scene investigating. None of the residents called police when they heard the overnight explosion. WABC

Shut up! "explosive devices"???...that didn't explode, but minutes later "law enforcement officials" claim they are similar to the "bombs" used during the UK consulate "attack" in Manhattan in 2005.

From the 2005 incident,

The two devices, described by police as novelty hand-grenades packed with gunpowder, were put in a concrete flower tub in front of the building.
....
Police studying the remains of the grenades say there is no evidence of a timing device and that they were probably detonated by hand.

Mr Bloomberg told reporters that although the British consulate was housed in the building on Third Avenue, it would be wrong to assume that this was the target of the attack.
.....
"What exactly was targeted is still under investigation. We have no idea who did this or what the motive was, but eventually we will find out and apprehend them," Mr Bloomberg said BBC

I guess they didn't "apprehend" them. Another day, another scandal. I'm so, so scared. Come on. Who believes this crap? Staging Fear...they think we are as stupid as they are.

Same Players. Different Scandal.