Truth
As the theme for this week's edition evolved, I remembered a book that deals with our dark side, Meeting the Shadow. I don't know why I didn't think of it earlier; it even has a section -- "Enemy-making: Us and them in the body politic". I recommend the book to you.
Sam Keen's poem from the book resonated with me:
To Create an Enemy
Start with an empty canvas
Sketch in broad outline the forms of
men, women, and children
Dip into the unconscious well of your own
disowned darkness
with a wide brush and
stain the strangers with the sinister hue
of the shadow
Trace onto the face of the enemy the greed,
hatred, carelessness you dare not claim
as your own.
Obscure the sweet indiividuality of each face.
Erase all hints og the myriad loves, hopes,
fears that play through the kaleidoscope of
every finite heart.
Strip flesh from bone until only the
abstract skeleton of death remains.
Exaggerate each feature until man is
metamorphosized into beast, vermin, insect.
Fill in the background with malignant
figures from ancient nightmares -- devils,
demons, myrmidons of evil.
When your icon of the enemy is complete
you will be able to kill without guilt,
slaughter without shame.
The thing you destroy will have become
merely an enemy of God, an impediment
to the sacred dialectic of history.
"But I'm the decider and I decide what's best." -- George W. Bush
By definition, doesn't that also mean he is accountable for all of BushCo's malfeasance? Such an admission would've been a gimme for prosecutors at Nuremberg
On the Way from the Daily Zen Journal
"A true disciple of Buddha speaks the ultimate truth. If you do not agree with what I say, you are free to discuss it. You must remember, however, that Buddhism is concerned with the root of truth, not with the branches or leaves."
This above comes from a local website and immediately reminded me of this quote:
"There are thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root." - Henry David Thoreau, In Evil
The reason Bush and the denizens of BushCo are evil is their disdain for the truth. Truth is the antidote to evil. It sets you free, and, if you go as far as Gandhi, "Truth is God."
"It is well known that after saying for years that 'God is Truth,' Gandhi became dissatisfied with this motto and changed it to 'Truth is God.' It is less well known that the communal riots and religiously inspired mass killings which took place toward the end of his life drove him to remark (to Pandit Sundarlal) that he wished the communities would turn atheist if that would serve to stop communal hatred and riots,[2] and that he embarked on his last fast 'in the name of Truth whose familiar name is God,' and at the end of it remarked that:
"In the name of God we have indulged in lies, massacres of people, without caring whether they were innocent or guilty, men or women, children or infants… [but] I am not aware if anybody has done these things in the name of Truth. With the same name on my lips I have broken the fast."[3]
When a superpower is in the grip of evil, especially on a shrinking globe, it would seem fair to say the world is in the grip of evil. To use the phrase, "striking at the root [of evil]," strongly implies a powerful response. Those who are evil use a different playbook from that used by people who value "truth, justice, and the American way", for example. BushCo won't go quietly, conceding defeat in a gentle, civilized way. They will continue to lie, cheat, steal, torture, kill to keep and feed their greed and lust for power. On several occasions in the past I've previously cited M. Scott Peck's recommended strategy for dealing with evil -- "raw power."
Sophie Scholl: The Final DaysThis trailer for a foreign film Academy Award nominee opens with text that applies perfectly to the US. Simply substitute Republican Party for National Socialist Party and Bush for Hitler.
Bombs that would backfire
"At that point [in 1997], the Clinton administration and the Pentagon considered a bombing campaign. But after long debate, the highest levels of the military could not forecast a way in which things would end favorably for the United States.
"While the full scope of what America did do remains classified, published reports suggest that the United States responded with a chilling threat to the Tehran government and conducted a global operation that immobilized Iran's intelligence service. Iranian terrorism against the United States ceased."
Harper's Weekly Review
The worst president in history? One of America's leading historians assesses George W. Bush
"George W. Bush's presidency appears headed for colossal historical disgrace. Barring a cataclysmic event on the order of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, after which the public might rally around the White House once again, there seems to be little the administration can do to avoid being ranked on the lowest tier of U.S. presidents. And that may be the best-case scenario. Many historians are now wondering whether Bush, in fact, will be remembered as the very worst president in all of American history. "
A crisis almost without equal
The alarm should be bi-partisan. Many Republicans fear their president's image as a bumbler will hurt their party for years. The rest may fret about the almost certain paralysis within the administration, or a reversal of certain favorite policies. A Gallup poll this week revealed that 44% of Republicans want some or all troops brought home from Iraq. Do they really believe that their president will do that any time soon, if ever? In any case, a Fox News poll this week shows his approval rating sinking to 33%, with grassroots Republicans abandoning Bush in droves.
Stop us before we kill again!
"Since Bush&Co. openly carry out the most reprehensible crimes, with nobody being able to prevent them from moving on to even worse atrocities, it's almost as if their unconscious is screaming out for a political intervention, reminiscent of that old plea from a tormented serial-killer: 'Stop Me Before I Kill Again!'"
Lock him away to stop the next war
"WE cannot wait any longer for the impeachment of George W. Bush. Far more efficient to have Bush certified. There is no need for further debate on his mental state. The US President is bonkers.
"Having turned the White House into a madhouse, having taken more lunatic positions on more issues than any head of state since George III (are they, perchance, related?). GWB needs a long rest and a change of medication. And it shouldn't be too hard to guide him into a padded cell. Just tell him it's the presidential bomb shelter. "
Been there, done that
"IRAN'S ANNOUNCEMENT that it has enriched a minute amount of uranium has unleashed urgent calls for a preventive U.S. airstrike from the same sources that earlier urged war on Iraq. If there is another terrorist attack in the United States, you can bet your bottom dollar that there also will be immediate charges that Iran was responsible in order to generate public hysteria in favor of military action."
Analysis of Smirk's approval rating
Here's a video, Dear Mr. President, from a reader about Smirk.
No longer sitting pretty
"Bush's approval rating is bottoming out. Retired generals have launched a media coup against his Secretary of Defense. Republican strategists have actually started to consider the unthinkable: Their party could lose control of the House. (That does not yet seem likely, but the consequences are frightening for GOPers: Congressional investigations and subpoenas.) Bush's best pals in the 'coalition of the willing' are not faring well: Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was defeated in Italy, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair is once again on the ropes. The war in Iraq continues to get uglier--perhaps morphing into intractable sectarian conflict--and progress on the political front there seems elusive. And let's not forget, no WMDs have been found."
60 Minutes had a good segment tonight about BushCo skewing the intelligence to match their lies. One would think indictments would be in place tomorrow.
Ex-CIA agent says WMD intelligence ignored
"Tyler Drumheller, who headed CIA covert operations in Europe during the run-up to the Iraq war, said intelligence opposing administration claims of a WMD threat came from a top Iraqi official who provided the U.S. spy agency with other credible information."
Forrest Gump's evil twin
"While all that's true, and more and more folks are getting it, that's not the consensus of which I speak. Nope. This one is bigger, enormous, huge!
"Here it is: The president of the United States is a moron.
"Yes, stupid, dumb as common road gravel. And not figuratively, but literally. George W. Bush, president of the world's last remaining superpower, is a moron. Forrest Gump's evil twin."
Bush impeachment -- The Illinois state legislature is preparing to drop a bombshell - Utilizing a little known rule of the US House to bring Impeachment charges
"Detailing five specific charges against President Bush including one that is specified to be a felony, the complete text of HJR0125 is copied below at the end of this article. One of the interesting points is that one of the items, the one specified as a felony, that the NSA was directed by the President to spy on American citizens without warrant, is not in dispute. That fact should prove an interesting dilemma for a Republican controlled US House that clearly is not only loathe to initiate impeachment proceedings, but does not even want to thoroughly investigate any of the five items brought up by the Illinois Assembly as high crimes and/or misdemeanors. Should HJR0125 be passed by the Illinois General Assembly, the US House will be forced by House Rules to take up the issue of impeachment as a privileged bill, meaning it will take precedence over other House business."
This will likely speed up Gump's strike on Iran.
General Bush's lose-lose Iranian war options
"If US intelligence is as good in Iran as it was in Iraq, the chances of getting all of Iran’s nuclear capacity by aerial bombing must also be close to zero. So the gain would be fleeting. But the costs could be enormous. The most pro-western populace in the Middle East — the Iranian public — could overnight be turned into permanent foes of the West. A bombing campaign could force most Iranians into the arms of the genocidal religious nutcases now running the government."
Bush meets privately with think tank promoting military strike on Iran
"This tidbit about President Bush’s schedule was buried in today’s Washington Post:
Bush traveled Friday night to Stanford University, where he met privately with members of the libertarian Hoover Institution to discuss the war. He concluded the day with a private dinner held by George P. Shultz, a Hoover fellow and former secretary of state."
Iran sanctions push falls on deaf ears
"The US has failed to secure international support for sanctions against Iran and President George Bush has again refused to rule out nuclear strikes if diplomacy fails to curb the Islamic republic's atomic ambitions.
"Asked if his options included planning for a nuclear strike, Mr Bush said: 'All options are on the table. We want to solve this issue diplomatically and we're working hard to do so.'"
Translation: We'd rather bomb than talk.
Global Eye
"And when this attack comes -- either as a stand-alone 'knock-out blow' or as the precursor to a full-scale, regime-changing invasion, like the earlier aggression in Iraq -- there will be no warning, no declaration of war, no congressional hearings, no public debate. The already-issued orders governing the operation put the decision solely in the hands of the president. He picks up the phone, he says, 'Go,' and in 12 hours' time, up to 1 million Iranians will be dead."
US prepared to go it alone over Iran
"US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has invoked self-defence as a potential justification for military intervention in Iran. Rice said the US had the authority to act alone or with a coalition if the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme could not be resolved within the context of the United Nations Security Council."
Bait and switch on Iran: When "Diplomacy" means war
"One of the nation’s leading pollsters, Andrew Kohut of the Pew Research Center, wrote a few weeks ago that among Americans 'there is little potential support for the use of force against Iran.' This month the White House has continued to emphasize that it is committed to seeking a diplomatic solution. Yet the U.S. government is very likely to launch a military attack on Iran within the next year. How can that be?"
Chips down, Bush prepares a Hail Mary bet: It's just like playing blackjack in Vegas
"Now, here he is, sitting right next to all the other countries at the Big Table, representing America, it's little Dubya Bush, stewing in his own juices, his poll numbers hovering right near Nixon levels, mumbling to himself, smelling vaguely of sawdust and horse manure and dead Social Security overhaul plans.
"He is pockmarked by scandal, buffeted by storms of disapproval and infighting and nascent impeachment. He authorized the leak of classified security information merely to smear an Iraq war critic, he lied about WMD and lied about Saddam and lied about making the United States safer and lied about, well, just about everything, on top of launching the worst and most violent and most expensive, unwinnable war since Vietnam."
Baghdad street battle smacks of open civil war
"Snipers held rooftop positions as masked Sunni Arab insurgents said they were gearing up for another open street battle with pro-government Shi'ite militiamen in Baghdad's Adhamiya district on Tuesday."
On the ground, it's civil war
"The conflict in Iraq is not marked by front lines or raging battles between warring Iraqi factions. There is no Green Line separating sectarian militias, as in Beirut in the 1970s and 1980s, nor are there clearly defined armies and commanders. But by any measure, Iraqis will tell you that their country is embroiled in what amounts to civil war."
"Iraq war, round two"
"Problem is, the Bush administration’s hawks have a different idea, and there is no reason to think that they are not in control. As in 2003, the hawks are led by Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney and the staffs of the office of the secretary of defense and the office of the vice president. And, as in 2003, President George W. Bush—stubborn to the point of being pig-headed and obsessed with the goal of 'winning' the Global War on Terror—is likely to go along, no matter how strong the opposition from the realists. In 2003, the war in Iraq was opposed by virtually the entire professional class at the State Department, the CIA and the U.S. military, yet Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld launched their illegal, unilateral war anyway."
Is a nation run by war criminals a democracy? Only if the majority of the citizens are war criminals. And, it's a safe bet the Diebold voting apparatus will be tilted far far to the right in November of '06 and '08.
US faulted on efforts to rebuild nations
"The United States failed to make the health of ordinary citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan a top priority of reconstruction efforts, missing an opportunity to create substantial good will in the crucial days after the US-led invasions, according to a study to be issued today."
Health care isn't a priority in the US either. Nevertheless, BushCo should be praised for destroying nations, including the US.
Drug firms 'gouge' consumers after taking taxpayer handouts
"Thanks to huge government grants offered to pharma companies that turn around and make gigantic profits off the drugs they create, Americans are paying twice for many of the drugs on which they depend."
"American healthcare" is an oxymoron.
An unkept promise in Iraq
"Now, with roughly $200 million already spent and financing from Washington set to run out in less than nine months, it appears extremely unlikely that most of those clinics will ever be built. As The Washington Post reported earlier this month, the Army Corps of Engineers predicts that no more than 20 clinics will actually be completed — out of 142."
Are they talking about Iraq, the Gulf Coast, or both?
Afghanistan: A forgotten nation on the brink
"In a visit last month to Afghanistan, President Bush depicted the country as an unqualified success story, describing it as 'inspiring.' The reality is much more complicated and troublesome. A report released this month by the Council on Foreign Relations provides the grim details. The Council describes a country 'challenged by a terrorist insurgency that has become more lethal and effective and that has bases in Pakistan, a drug trade that dominates the economy and corrupts the state, and pervasive poverty and insecurity.' Last year 'was the deadliest [year] in rebel violence since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban in 2001.' With the country on the verge of becoming "a disastrous situation," the United States is withdrawing troops and disbursements of financial assistance are declining. Counter-terrorism expert Steven Simon predicts, 'There will likely be a crescendo of violence, focused largely on Kabul, this summer.' It's time to face reality and change course."
Harry Reid is right (I was saying it six years ago), whatever Bush says, believe the opposite.
Global storm warning
"Time and again, official spokespeople have claimed the Taliban was in its last throes, much the way the Iraqi insurgency was inaccurately described as terminal. NATO is doubling its 10,000-strong force by November. But Taliban's spring offensive has already killed 14 U.S. soldiers. And coalition forces responded with 2,500-strong Operation Mountain Lion in Kunar Province, whose mountain peaks soar to 15,000 feet. Heavy air support was supplied by B-52 bombers, F-15 fighter-bombers, A-10 Thunderbolts and British GR-7 Harriers. Taliban was anything but a spent force. Suicide bombings are now commonplace in widely scattered parts of Afghanistan."
Blast hits near US embassy in Kabul
"A U.S. counterterrorism official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because it is still early in the investigation, said the southwest side of the U.S. Embassy's compound was among the buildings struck in the rocket attack."
UN torture panel presses US on detainees
The United Nations committee against torture has demanded that the United States provide more information about its treatment of prisoners at home and foreign terrorism suspects held in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.
Rumsfeld linked to Guantanamo torture
"Rumsfeld could be criminally liable under federal or military law for the abuse and torture of detainee Mohammad al-Qahtani in late 2002 and early 2003, the New York-based Human Rights Watch said this week as some Democratic lawmakers demanded that Rumsfeld step down as Pentagon chief."
Since the Chimp has declared von Rumsfeld will stay, because "I'm the decider," doesn't that directly link Sparky as a fellow war criminal?
Guantanamo detainee list draws wave of complaints
"The list, released Wednesday under orders of a federal judge in a Freedom of Information lawsuit filed by Associated Press, may provide the first proof of life to families whose relatives have disappeared, said Antonella Notari, spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross."
Rumsfeld shouldn't be fired. He should be indicted.
"But the mainstream media is barely discussing Rumsfeld’s alleged culpability in the abusive treatment of detainees, up to and including torture."
New WH policy chief was "Brooks Brothers" rioter
"In George Bush's Washington, there's no shame in staging a fake protest to undermine a democratic election, apparently: last year, the Washington Post's Al Kamen noted that 'the 'rioters' proudly note their participation on resumes and in interviews.' Kaplan was even the one to cheekily dub the fracas the 'Brooks Brothers Riot.'"
Stop Republican pedophelia
"Republican County Constable Larry Dale Floyd was arrested on suspicion of soliciting sex with an 8-year old girl. Floyd has repeatedly won elections for Denton County, Texas, constable."
If I counted correctly, the piece has 56 examples of GOP pedophelia.
Lobbyists' lawyers say Rice leaked information
"Lawyers for two lobbyists accused of conspiring to obtain secret defense information said Friday that they intended to prove that senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, provided the lobbyists with some of the sensitive information."
Kindasleezy may do the perp walk for this one.
Sucking up to US doesn't help Canada
"'Well, I would begin by expressing our great appreciation to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for her hospitality, her warmth, her intelligence on so many of these issues in which Canada has a deep and abiding interest. And I would also very much describe this as a positive and productive meeting that allowed us to not only discuss in some detail these many important issues for both our countries, but also to establish a personal rapport, which I think is extremely important, and indicative of the relationship that does exist between our countries…
"'And, so I'm delighted to be here. I've always been a fan of yours and much of our discussion today confirmed what I already knew about you from having followed your career, so we're very grateful and I personally extend my thanks to you for your generous and very kind invitation to be with you.'" — Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, on a visit to Washington, April 13, 2006.
"Sorry about making you read that. Before I go on, I'll give you a moment to clean up the vomit and change your clothes."
I included this lengthy quote for Ian who wrote me this on April 16:
"Harper and his colleagues are busily serving us up Bush lite. They are every bit as scary as your fascist government but maybe even more frightening as Harper [new Prime Minister] is not stupid. Just when the majority of the American public are wakening up to the Republican disaster, we have signed on to a government which emulates everything that the Republicans stand for. Watching our new Foreign Affairs Minister, Peter MacKay suck up to Condoleeza Rice last week made me want to puke."
The CIA "Wehrmacht"
"This former senior officer said there 'seems to be a quiet conspiracy by rational people' at the agency to avoid involvement in some of the particularly nasty tactics being employed by the administration, especially 'renditions'—the practice whereby the CIA sends terrorist suspects abroad to be questioned in Egypt, Syria, Uzbekistan, and other nations where the regimes are not squeamish about torturing detainees. My source, hardly a softie on the topic of terrorism, said of the split at the CIA: 'There's an SS group within the agency that's willing to do anything and there's a Wehrmacht group that is saying, 'I'm not gonna touch this stuff'.'"
FBI casts 'overly broad net' in war against terror
"The FBI's encounters with activists are described in hundreds of pages of documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union under the Freedom of Information Act after agents visited several activists before the 2004 political conventions. Details have steadily trickled out over the past year, but newly released documents provide a fuller view of some FBI investigations."
If memory serves me, Anthony Romero of the ACLU said last week at the CU Conference that the FBI, under BushCo, had collected 1100 pages on the activities of the ACLU.
Cheney tax return shows Katrina tax benefits for non-Katrina charitable contributions
"It appears that the VP is a major beneficiary of the Hurricane Katrina tax relief act. In particular, he claimed $6.8 million of charitable deductions, which is 77% of his AGI -- well in excess of the 50% limitation that would have applied absent the Katrina legislation. The press release indicates that the charitable contribution reflects the amount of net proceeds from an independent administrator's exercise of the VP's Halliburton options -- apparently, the VP had agreed back in 2001 that he would donate the net proceeds from the options to charities once they were exercised."
Mutiny in the Supreme Court: The Roberts court signals the president that he is not immune from the Constitution
"Moreover, a majority of the court ( not Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, and Samuel Alito) signaled a readiness to, in the not so distant future, startle the president by striking down his method of removing terrorism suspects from our system of laws by setting them apart as 'enemy combatants' imprisoned in military cells indefinitely, incommunicado, without access to lawyers, and without charges—as he did to Padilla."
Yes, but will they be prepared to help put Sparky and company in orange jump suits at some future date?
Top court rejects appeal by Uighurs at Guantanemo
"Robertson said he could not grant the Uighurs' request for asylum in the United States because the law gives that power solely to the president. The Bush administration has opposed bringing them to the United States."
Berlusconi 'trying to do deal to avoid prosecution'
"Silvio Berlusconi refused again yesterday to concede defeat to Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition in the Italian election, demanding the formation of a broad coalition in a letter that commentators said amounted to a request by the media mogul for immunity from prosecution."
The Chimp will simply pardon himself in 2008.
11 realistic ways you can help reduce global warming
For example: "2. Install energy-efficient hot water system = Up to 30% reductions in household emissions"
The source of this list is Tim Flannery whose book, The Weather Makers, was recommended by a reader this week.
Scientists say they're being gagged by Bush White House monitors their media contacts
"Scientists doing climate research for the federal government say the Bush administration has made it hard for them to speak forthrightly to the public about global warming. The result, the researchers say, is a danger that Americans are not getting the full story on how the climate is changing."
Genocide?
Bush admin. classified golf traps, man-made ponds as "wetlands" . . .
"Interior Secretary Gale Norton called a press conference to claim our long nightmare of wetlands loss had finally come to an end due to unprecedented gains since 1997 (click hear to read the report she cites). However, she then admitted much of that gain has been in artificially created ponds, such as golf course water hazards and farm impoundments."
Kind of like saying public housing has increased under BushCo by including the boom in prison construction.
Global warming sparks a scramble for black gold under retreating ice
"Stephanie Tumore, a climate campaigner with Greenpeace, said: 'Haven't we learnt anything? Why are we going looking for more fossil fuels when what's happening in polar regions just proves that it is devastating and we cannot continue to do that?'"
As a species, we appear determined to pick up where the dinosaurs left off . . . extinction.
Scientists condemn US as emissions of greenhouse gases hit record level
"The United States emitted more greenhouse gases in 2004 than at any time in history, confirming its status as the world's biggest polluter. Latest figures on the US contribution to global warming show that its carbon emissions have risen sharply despite international concerns over climate change."
While Washington slept
"So it was extraordinary when London's Observer reported, on October 31, 2004, that the Queen had 'made a rare intervention in world politics' by telling Blair of "her grave concerns over the White House's stance on global warming." The Observer did not name its sources, but one of them subsequently spoke to Vanity Fair."
Secret plan to cut National Park funding by 30% in 5 years
"The Bush administration has directed the National Park Service to substantially decrease its reliance on tax-supported funding, according to internal documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). In a turnabout from the last two presidential campaigns when candidate Bush promised greater funding of parks, new "talking points" distributed last week to all park superintendents urge to begin 'honest and forthright' discussions with the public about smaller budgets, reduced visitor services and increased fees."
BushCo = nightmare.
Bush plan would hide data on 1.5 million pounds of toxic materials in California
"A Bush administration proposal to roll back Americans' right to know about chemical hazards in their neighborhoods would let California industries handle almost 1.5 million pounds of toxic chemicals a year without telling the public, according to an investigation of federal data by Environmental Working Group (EWG)."
BushCo policies = genocide.
IMF steps up pressure for dollar depreciation
"The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday stepped up the pressure for far-reaching shifts in exchange rates, declaring that the dollar will have to depreciate 'significantly' over the medium term if global economic imbalances are to be resolved in an orderly fashion."
Can this be good?
IMF sees US budget, trade deficits as risk factors: Bush officials are less than pleased with the global organization's economic outlook.
"Clearly irritating U.S. economic officials, the International Monetary Fund faulted the United States on Wednesday for its budget and trade deficits and its failure to provide universal health insurance, predicting that the dollar would inevitably decline in value against the world's other currencies."
The threat to a fistful of petrodollars
"From Russia, you might say, with love. This weekend, Alexei Kudrin, Russia's finance minister, dropped a bombshell in Washington.
"Attending the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, Kudrin caused his American hosts discomfort by openly questioning the dollar's pre-eminence as the world's 'absolute' reserve currency."
Swedish central bank dumps dollar
"Thanks to a corrupt government and an insanely greedy Fed, America is fast approaching a full-scale economic crisis of epic proportions."
A third of plant jobs evaporate in Mich.
"Michigan has lost nearly 1 in 3 manufacturing jobs since 1999 and impending factory closures by automakers and suppliers could further erode the state's position as a major global automotive hub, according to a new analysis by the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor."
Quotes from www.bartcop.com and others:
"Bush is as stubborn as Slim Pickens in 'Dr. Strangelove:' He'd rather ride Rummy to Armageddon than concede that Iraq was a botched project." -- Howard Fineman, Link
"I knew something was happening when I had John Murtha on several months ago and he talked about his plan for a timetable. And I got several calls from people at the Pentagon and others and they said, “You know Murtha’s right.” And I was stunned because you don’t usually get those kinds of calls. Then General Zinni said that Rumsfeld should resign. One former general said we have a civil war going on at the Pentagon. The generals are trying to reclaim control of the war because they do believe serious mistakes were made." --Tim Russert, slut-to-slut with Dom Imus, Link
"The biggest issues of the election are character issues.... the Republicans' trustworthiness and honesty and their competence. And they are going to lose big on both those issues. After that we get to Iraq, we get to the economy, we get to healthcare." -- Howard Dean, Link
"The Bush administration reads the poll numbers, they know most Americans think their policies are failing, so they've responded by changing the person who tells us those policies. It's quite a bold move. ... Every house cleaning starts by replacing the doormat" -- Ed Helms, The Daily Show
"In a free society with working, honest public mechanisms, it would be nigh impossible to elect an imbecile sock puppet fronting for a latter day nazi party cabal. But it happened here in 1980, 1988, 2000 and 2004. Why? Corruption. Corporate money. Media consolidation. Media fraud. Vote fraud. Stupid voters. Lazy voters. All based in corporate and corrupt money; corrupt, bribable congresshumans; dishonest pols (Rove, etc.); and, most of all, a servile fascist media. Perhaps the demise of this piece of shit nation is best." -- jtree, Link
"It almost makes me want to run for office. Almost" -- The Cheney Monster, on being praised by super-rich Republican donors Link
"I would say he's the most hated and dangerous person in the world." -- Mike Yanasak, a retired Vietnam veteran, carrying a "Terrorist in Chief" sign, Link
"The dumbest thing Bush could possibly do right now is fire Rumsfeld. Either a forced resignation or a dismissal would effectively bring the Bush presidency to an end." -- John Podhoretz, Link So, thousands more men must be maimed or die to protect Bush's phoney legacy as a smart war hero?
"I've got a pretty good idea who the seven lawmakers are." -- Tom Coburn, (R-Jesus Twin) who says seven GOPers are going to prison, Link
“I admire those who have stepped forward, and I agree with the arguments they are making. I count myself in the same camp.” -- retired Gen. Paul Van Riper, a lifelong Republican and the seventh general to ask for Rumsfeld's resignation, Link
"I retired. I have nothing to gain in doing this. There is no political agenda at all. For 31 years I was a loyal subordinate and did not tolerate dissension in the ranks. My sole motivation, are the servicemen and women and their families." -- Major General John Batiste, not so good with English, asking for Rumsfeld's resignation, Link
"I keep up with things, I read the front page..." -- Der Monkey, trying to convince reporters he's aware of the world around him
"On matters of war, Bush is not to be trusted. He has proven over and over that when he wants to go to war, the truth will not stand in his way." -- Scott Shields, on Iran nuking up in 13 days, Link
New Campbell Soup product
"Campbell Soup introduced a new soup today called 'W. It comes already heated. When you open the can it contains a little prick in hot water."It also is the only soup they make that carries a warning label. It says, 'This soup may be dangerous to your future and to the world, and may give you an uncontrollable urge to lie. In the event you experience any of these symptoms, please contact your Congressman about an impeachment.'”
Post Turtle
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75-year old Texas rancher whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually, the topic got around to former Texas Governor, George W. Bush and his elevation to the White House.The old Texan said, "Well ya know, Bush is a post turtle."
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.
The old rancher said, "When you're driving down a country road and ya come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle."The old man saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain, "Ya know he didn't get there by himself, he doesn't belong there, he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, and ya just want to help the dumb shit get down!"
Sam Keen's poem from the book resonated with me:
To Create an Enemy
Start with an empty canvas
Sketch in broad outline the forms of
men, women, and children
Dip into the unconscious well of your own
disowned darkness
with a wide brush and
stain the strangers with the sinister hue
of the shadow
Trace onto the face of the enemy the greed,
hatred, carelessness you dare not claim
as your own.
Obscure the sweet indiividuality of each face.
Erase all hints og the myriad loves, hopes,
fears that play through the kaleidoscope of
every finite heart.
Strip flesh from bone until only the
abstract skeleton of death remains.
Exaggerate each feature until man is
metamorphosized into beast, vermin, insect.
Fill in the background with malignant
figures from ancient nightmares -- devils,
demons, myrmidons of evil.
When your icon of the enemy is complete
you will be able to kill without guilt,
slaughter without shame.
The thing you destroy will have become
merely an enemy of God, an impediment
to the sacred dialectic of history.
"But I'm the decider and I decide what's best." -- George W. Bush
By definition, doesn't that also mean he is accountable for all of BushCo's malfeasance? Such an admission would've been a gimme for prosecutors at Nuremberg
On the Way from the Daily Zen Journal
"A true disciple of Buddha speaks the ultimate truth. If you do not agree with what I say, you are free to discuss it. You must remember, however, that Buddhism is concerned with the root of truth, not with the branches or leaves."
This above comes from a local website and immediately reminded me of this quote:
"There are thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root." - Henry David Thoreau, In Evil
The reason Bush and the denizens of BushCo are evil is their disdain for the truth. Truth is the antidote to evil. It sets you free, and, if you go as far as Gandhi, "Truth is God."
"It is well known that after saying for years that 'God is Truth,' Gandhi became dissatisfied with this motto and changed it to 'Truth is God.' It is less well known that the communal riots and religiously inspired mass killings which took place toward the end of his life drove him to remark (to Pandit Sundarlal) that he wished the communities would turn atheist if that would serve to stop communal hatred and riots,[2] and that he embarked on his last fast 'in the name of Truth whose familiar name is God,' and at the end of it remarked that:
"In the name of God we have indulged in lies, massacres of people, without caring whether they were innocent or guilty, men or women, children or infants… [but] I am not aware if anybody has done these things in the name of Truth. With the same name on my lips I have broken the fast."[3]
When a superpower is in the grip of evil, especially on a shrinking globe, it would seem fair to say the world is in the grip of evil. To use the phrase, "striking at the root [of evil]," strongly implies a powerful response. Those who are evil use a different playbook from that used by people who value "truth, justice, and the American way", for example. BushCo won't go quietly, conceding defeat in a gentle, civilized way. They will continue to lie, cheat, steal, torture, kill to keep and feed their greed and lust for power. On several occasions in the past I've previously cited M. Scott Peck's recommended strategy for dealing with evil -- "raw power."
Sophie Scholl: The Final DaysThis trailer for a foreign film Academy Award nominee opens with text that applies perfectly to the US. Simply substitute Republican Party for National Socialist Party and Bush for Hitler.
Bombs that would backfire
"At that point [in 1997], the Clinton administration and the Pentagon considered a bombing campaign. But after long debate, the highest levels of the military could not forecast a way in which things would end favorably for the United States.
"While the full scope of what America did do remains classified, published reports suggest that the United States responded with a chilling threat to the Tehran government and conducted a global operation that immobilized Iran's intelligence service. Iranian terrorism against the United States ceased."
Harper's Weekly Review
The worst president in history? One of America's leading historians assesses George W. Bush
"George W. Bush's presidency appears headed for colossal historical disgrace. Barring a cataclysmic event on the order of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, after which the public might rally around the White House once again, there seems to be little the administration can do to avoid being ranked on the lowest tier of U.S. presidents. And that may be the best-case scenario. Many historians are now wondering whether Bush, in fact, will be remembered as the very worst president in all of American history. "
A crisis almost without equal
The alarm should be bi-partisan. Many Republicans fear their president's image as a bumbler will hurt their party for years. The rest may fret about the almost certain paralysis within the administration, or a reversal of certain favorite policies. A Gallup poll this week revealed that 44% of Republicans want some or all troops brought home from Iraq. Do they really believe that their president will do that any time soon, if ever? In any case, a Fox News poll this week shows his approval rating sinking to 33%, with grassroots Republicans abandoning Bush in droves.
Stop us before we kill again!
"Since Bush&Co. openly carry out the most reprehensible crimes, with nobody being able to prevent them from moving on to even worse atrocities, it's almost as if their unconscious is screaming out for a political intervention, reminiscent of that old plea from a tormented serial-killer: 'Stop Me Before I Kill Again!'"
Lock him away to stop the next war
"WE cannot wait any longer for the impeachment of George W. Bush. Far more efficient to have Bush certified. There is no need for further debate on his mental state. The US President is bonkers.
"Having turned the White House into a madhouse, having taken more lunatic positions on more issues than any head of state since George III (are they, perchance, related?). GWB needs a long rest and a change of medication. And it shouldn't be too hard to guide him into a padded cell. Just tell him it's the presidential bomb shelter. "
Been there, done that
"IRAN'S ANNOUNCEMENT that it has enriched a minute amount of uranium has unleashed urgent calls for a preventive U.S. airstrike from the same sources that earlier urged war on Iraq. If there is another terrorist attack in the United States, you can bet your bottom dollar that there also will be immediate charges that Iran was responsible in order to generate public hysteria in favor of military action."
Analysis of Smirk's approval rating
Here's a video, Dear Mr. President, from a reader about Smirk.
No longer sitting pretty
"Bush's approval rating is bottoming out. Retired generals have launched a media coup against his Secretary of Defense. Republican strategists have actually started to consider the unthinkable: Their party could lose control of the House. (That does not yet seem likely, but the consequences are frightening for GOPers: Congressional investigations and subpoenas.) Bush's best pals in the 'coalition of the willing' are not faring well: Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was defeated in Italy, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair is once again on the ropes. The war in Iraq continues to get uglier--perhaps morphing into intractable sectarian conflict--and progress on the political front there seems elusive. And let's not forget, no WMDs have been found."
60 Minutes had a good segment tonight about BushCo skewing the intelligence to match their lies. One would think indictments would be in place tomorrow.
Ex-CIA agent says WMD intelligence ignored
"Tyler Drumheller, who headed CIA covert operations in Europe during the run-up to the Iraq war, said intelligence opposing administration claims of a WMD threat came from a top Iraqi official who provided the U.S. spy agency with other credible information."
Forrest Gump's evil twin
"While all that's true, and more and more folks are getting it, that's not the consensus of which I speak. Nope. This one is bigger, enormous, huge!
"Here it is: The president of the United States is a moron.
"Yes, stupid, dumb as common road gravel. And not figuratively, but literally. George W. Bush, president of the world's last remaining superpower, is a moron. Forrest Gump's evil twin."
Bush impeachment -- The Illinois state legislature is preparing to drop a bombshell - Utilizing a little known rule of the US House to bring Impeachment charges
"Detailing five specific charges against President Bush including one that is specified to be a felony, the complete text of HJR0125 is copied below at the end of this article. One of the interesting points is that one of the items, the one specified as a felony, that the NSA was directed by the President to spy on American citizens without warrant, is not in dispute. That fact should prove an interesting dilemma for a Republican controlled US House that clearly is not only loathe to initiate impeachment proceedings, but does not even want to thoroughly investigate any of the five items brought up by the Illinois Assembly as high crimes and/or misdemeanors. Should HJR0125 be passed by the Illinois General Assembly, the US House will be forced by House Rules to take up the issue of impeachment as a privileged bill, meaning it will take precedence over other House business."
This will likely speed up Gump's strike on Iran.
General Bush's lose-lose Iranian war options
"If US intelligence is as good in Iran as it was in Iraq, the chances of getting all of Iran’s nuclear capacity by aerial bombing must also be close to zero. So the gain would be fleeting. But the costs could be enormous. The most pro-western populace in the Middle East — the Iranian public — could overnight be turned into permanent foes of the West. A bombing campaign could force most Iranians into the arms of the genocidal religious nutcases now running the government."
Bush meets privately with think tank promoting military strike on Iran
"This tidbit about President Bush’s schedule was buried in today’s Washington Post:
Bush traveled Friday night to Stanford University, where he met privately with members of the libertarian Hoover Institution to discuss the war. He concluded the day with a private dinner held by George P. Shultz, a Hoover fellow and former secretary of state."
Iran sanctions push falls on deaf ears
"The US has failed to secure international support for sanctions against Iran and President George Bush has again refused to rule out nuclear strikes if diplomacy fails to curb the Islamic republic's atomic ambitions.
"Asked if his options included planning for a nuclear strike, Mr Bush said: 'All options are on the table. We want to solve this issue diplomatically and we're working hard to do so.'"
Translation: We'd rather bomb than talk.
Global Eye
"And when this attack comes -- either as a stand-alone 'knock-out blow' or as the precursor to a full-scale, regime-changing invasion, like the earlier aggression in Iraq -- there will be no warning, no declaration of war, no congressional hearings, no public debate. The already-issued orders governing the operation put the decision solely in the hands of the president. He picks up the phone, he says, 'Go,' and in 12 hours' time, up to 1 million Iranians will be dead."
US prepared to go it alone over Iran
"US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has invoked self-defence as a potential justification for military intervention in Iran. Rice said the US had the authority to act alone or with a coalition if the dispute over Iran's nuclear programme could not be resolved within the context of the United Nations Security Council."
Bait and switch on Iran: When "Diplomacy" means war
"One of the nation’s leading pollsters, Andrew Kohut of the Pew Research Center, wrote a few weeks ago that among Americans 'there is little potential support for the use of force against Iran.' This month the White House has continued to emphasize that it is committed to seeking a diplomatic solution. Yet the U.S. government is very likely to launch a military attack on Iran within the next year. How can that be?"
Chips down, Bush prepares a Hail Mary bet: It's just like playing blackjack in Vegas
"Now, here he is, sitting right next to all the other countries at the Big Table, representing America, it's little Dubya Bush, stewing in his own juices, his poll numbers hovering right near Nixon levels, mumbling to himself, smelling vaguely of sawdust and horse manure and dead Social Security overhaul plans.
"He is pockmarked by scandal, buffeted by storms of disapproval and infighting and nascent impeachment. He authorized the leak of classified security information merely to smear an Iraq war critic, he lied about WMD and lied about Saddam and lied about making the United States safer and lied about, well, just about everything, on top of launching the worst and most violent and most expensive, unwinnable war since Vietnam."
Baghdad street battle smacks of open civil war
"Snipers held rooftop positions as masked Sunni Arab insurgents said they were gearing up for another open street battle with pro-government Shi'ite militiamen in Baghdad's Adhamiya district on Tuesday."
On the ground, it's civil war
"The conflict in Iraq is not marked by front lines or raging battles between warring Iraqi factions. There is no Green Line separating sectarian militias, as in Beirut in the 1970s and 1980s, nor are there clearly defined armies and commanders. But by any measure, Iraqis will tell you that their country is embroiled in what amounts to civil war."
"Iraq war, round two"
"Problem is, the Bush administration’s hawks have a different idea, and there is no reason to think that they are not in control. As in 2003, the hawks are led by Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney and the staffs of the office of the secretary of defense and the office of the vice president. And, as in 2003, President George W. Bush—stubborn to the point of being pig-headed and obsessed with the goal of 'winning' the Global War on Terror—is likely to go along, no matter how strong the opposition from the realists. In 2003, the war in Iraq was opposed by virtually the entire professional class at the State Department, the CIA and the U.S. military, yet Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld launched their illegal, unilateral war anyway."
Is a nation run by war criminals a democracy? Only if the majority of the citizens are war criminals. And, it's a safe bet the Diebold voting apparatus will be tilted far far to the right in November of '06 and '08.
US faulted on efforts to rebuild nations
"The United States failed to make the health of ordinary citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan a top priority of reconstruction efforts, missing an opportunity to create substantial good will in the crucial days after the US-led invasions, according to a study to be issued today."
Health care isn't a priority in the US either. Nevertheless, BushCo should be praised for destroying nations, including the US.
Drug firms 'gouge' consumers after taking taxpayer handouts
"Thanks to huge government grants offered to pharma companies that turn around and make gigantic profits off the drugs they create, Americans are paying twice for many of the drugs on which they depend."
"American healthcare" is an oxymoron.
An unkept promise in Iraq
"Now, with roughly $200 million already spent and financing from Washington set to run out in less than nine months, it appears extremely unlikely that most of those clinics will ever be built. As The Washington Post reported earlier this month, the Army Corps of Engineers predicts that no more than 20 clinics will actually be completed — out of 142."
Are they talking about Iraq, the Gulf Coast, or both?
Afghanistan: A forgotten nation on the brink
"In a visit last month to Afghanistan, President Bush depicted the country as an unqualified success story, describing it as 'inspiring.' The reality is much more complicated and troublesome. A report released this month by the Council on Foreign Relations provides the grim details. The Council describes a country 'challenged by a terrorist insurgency that has become more lethal and effective and that has bases in Pakistan, a drug trade that dominates the economy and corrupts the state, and pervasive poverty and insecurity.' Last year 'was the deadliest [year] in rebel violence since U.S.-led forces ousted the Taliban in 2001.' With the country on the verge of becoming "a disastrous situation," the United States is withdrawing troops and disbursements of financial assistance are declining. Counter-terrorism expert Steven Simon predicts, 'There will likely be a crescendo of violence, focused largely on Kabul, this summer.' It's time to face reality and change course."
Harry Reid is right (I was saying it six years ago), whatever Bush says, believe the opposite.
Global storm warning
"Time and again, official spokespeople have claimed the Taliban was in its last throes, much the way the Iraqi insurgency was inaccurately described as terminal. NATO is doubling its 10,000-strong force by November. But Taliban's spring offensive has already killed 14 U.S. soldiers. And coalition forces responded with 2,500-strong Operation Mountain Lion in Kunar Province, whose mountain peaks soar to 15,000 feet. Heavy air support was supplied by B-52 bombers, F-15 fighter-bombers, A-10 Thunderbolts and British GR-7 Harriers. Taliban was anything but a spent force. Suicide bombings are now commonplace in widely scattered parts of Afghanistan."
Blast hits near US embassy in Kabul
"A U.S. counterterrorism official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because it is still early in the investigation, said the southwest side of the U.S. Embassy's compound was among the buildings struck in the rocket attack."
UN torture panel presses US on detainees
The United Nations committee against torture has demanded that the United States provide more information about its treatment of prisoners at home and foreign terrorism suspects held in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.
Rumsfeld linked to Guantanamo torture
"Rumsfeld could be criminally liable under federal or military law for the abuse and torture of detainee Mohammad al-Qahtani in late 2002 and early 2003, the New York-based Human Rights Watch said this week as some Democratic lawmakers demanded that Rumsfeld step down as Pentagon chief."
Since the Chimp has declared von Rumsfeld will stay, because "I'm the decider," doesn't that directly link Sparky as a fellow war criminal?
Guantanamo detainee list draws wave of complaints
"The list, released Wednesday under orders of a federal judge in a Freedom of Information lawsuit filed by Associated Press, may provide the first proof of life to families whose relatives have disappeared, said Antonella Notari, spokeswoman for the International Committee of the Red Cross."
Rumsfeld shouldn't be fired. He should be indicted.
"But the mainstream media is barely discussing Rumsfeld’s alleged culpability in the abusive treatment of detainees, up to and including torture."
New WH policy chief was "Brooks Brothers" rioter
"In George Bush's Washington, there's no shame in staging a fake protest to undermine a democratic election, apparently: last year, the Washington Post's Al Kamen noted that 'the 'rioters' proudly note their participation on resumes and in interviews.' Kaplan was even the one to cheekily dub the fracas the 'Brooks Brothers Riot.'"
Stop Republican pedophelia
"Republican County Constable Larry Dale Floyd was arrested on suspicion of soliciting sex with an 8-year old girl. Floyd has repeatedly won elections for Denton County, Texas, constable."
If I counted correctly, the piece has 56 examples of GOP pedophelia.
Lobbyists' lawyers say Rice leaked information
"Lawyers for two lobbyists accused of conspiring to obtain secret defense information said Friday that they intended to prove that senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, provided the lobbyists with some of the sensitive information."
Kindasleezy may do the perp walk for this one.
Sucking up to US doesn't help Canada
"'Well, I would begin by expressing our great appreciation to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for her hospitality, her warmth, her intelligence on so many of these issues in which Canada has a deep and abiding interest. And I would also very much describe this as a positive and productive meeting that allowed us to not only discuss in some detail these many important issues for both our countries, but also to establish a personal rapport, which I think is extremely important, and indicative of the relationship that does exist between our countries…
"'And, so I'm delighted to be here. I've always been a fan of yours and much of our discussion today confirmed what I already knew about you from having followed your career, so we're very grateful and I personally extend my thanks to you for your generous and very kind invitation to be with you.'" — Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay, on a visit to Washington, April 13, 2006.
"Sorry about making you read that. Before I go on, I'll give you a moment to clean up the vomit and change your clothes."
I included this lengthy quote for Ian who wrote me this on April 16:
"Harper and his colleagues are busily serving us up Bush lite. They are every bit as scary as your fascist government but maybe even more frightening as Harper [new Prime Minister] is not stupid. Just when the majority of the American public are wakening up to the Republican disaster, we have signed on to a government which emulates everything that the Republicans stand for. Watching our new Foreign Affairs Minister, Peter MacKay suck up to Condoleeza Rice last week made me want to puke."
The CIA "Wehrmacht"
"This former senior officer said there 'seems to be a quiet conspiracy by rational people' at the agency to avoid involvement in some of the particularly nasty tactics being employed by the administration, especially 'renditions'—the practice whereby the CIA sends terrorist suspects abroad to be questioned in Egypt, Syria, Uzbekistan, and other nations where the regimes are not squeamish about torturing detainees. My source, hardly a softie on the topic of terrorism, said of the split at the CIA: 'There's an SS group within the agency that's willing to do anything and there's a Wehrmacht group that is saying, 'I'm not gonna touch this stuff'.'"
FBI casts 'overly broad net' in war against terror
"The FBI's encounters with activists are described in hundreds of pages of documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union under the Freedom of Information Act after agents visited several activists before the 2004 political conventions. Details have steadily trickled out over the past year, but newly released documents provide a fuller view of some FBI investigations."
If memory serves me, Anthony Romero of the ACLU said last week at the CU Conference that the FBI, under BushCo, had collected 1100 pages on the activities of the ACLU.
Cheney tax return shows Katrina tax benefits for non-Katrina charitable contributions
"It appears that the VP is a major beneficiary of the Hurricane Katrina tax relief act. In particular, he claimed $6.8 million of charitable deductions, which is 77% of his AGI -- well in excess of the 50% limitation that would have applied absent the Katrina legislation. The press release indicates that the charitable contribution reflects the amount of net proceeds from an independent administrator's exercise of the VP's Halliburton options -- apparently, the VP had agreed back in 2001 that he would donate the net proceeds from the options to charities once they were exercised."
Mutiny in the Supreme Court: The Roberts court signals the president that he is not immune from the Constitution
"Moreover, a majority of the court ( not Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, and Samuel Alito) signaled a readiness to, in the not so distant future, startle the president by striking down his method of removing terrorism suspects from our system of laws by setting them apart as 'enemy combatants' imprisoned in military cells indefinitely, incommunicado, without access to lawyers, and without charges—as he did to Padilla."
Yes, but will they be prepared to help put Sparky and company in orange jump suits at some future date?
Top court rejects appeal by Uighurs at Guantanemo
"Robertson said he could not grant the Uighurs' request for asylum in the United States because the law gives that power solely to the president. The Bush administration has opposed bringing them to the United States."
Berlusconi 'trying to do deal to avoid prosecution'
"Silvio Berlusconi refused again yesterday to concede defeat to Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition in the Italian election, demanding the formation of a broad coalition in a letter that commentators said amounted to a request by the media mogul for immunity from prosecution."
The Chimp will simply pardon himself in 2008.
11 realistic ways you can help reduce global warming
For example: "2. Install energy-efficient hot water system = Up to 30% reductions in household emissions"
The source of this list is Tim Flannery whose book, The Weather Makers, was recommended by a reader this week.
Scientists say they're being gagged by Bush White House monitors their media contacts
"Scientists doing climate research for the federal government say the Bush administration has made it hard for them to speak forthrightly to the public about global warming. The result, the researchers say, is a danger that Americans are not getting the full story on how the climate is changing."
Genocide?
Bush admin. classified golf traps, man-made ponds as "wetlands" . . .
"Interior Secretary Gale Norton called a press conference to claim our long nightmare of wetlands loss had finally come to an end due to unprecedented gains since 1997 (click hear to read the report she cites). However, she then admitted much of that gain has been in artificially created ponds, such as golf course water hazards and farm impoundments."
Kind of like saying public housing has increased under BushCo by including the boom in prison construction.
Global warming sparks a scramble for black gold under retreating ice
"Stephanie Tumore, a climate campaigner with Greenpeace, said: 'Haven't we learnt anything? Why are we going looking for more fossil fuels when what's happening in polar regions just proves that it is devastating and we cannot continue to do that?'"
As a species, we appear determined to pick up where the dinosaurs left off . . . extinction.
Scientists condemn US as emissions of greenhouse gases hit record level
"The United States emitted more greenhouse gases in 2004 than at any time in history, confirming its status as the world's biggest polluter. Latest figures on the US contribution to global warming show that its carbon emissions have risen sharply despite international concerns over climate change."
While Washington slept
"So it was extraordinary when London's Observer reported, on October 31, 2004, that the Queen had 'made a rare intervention in world politics' by telling Blair of "her grave concerns over the White House's stance on global warming." The Observer did not name its sources, but one of them subsequently spoke to Vanity Fair."
Secret plan to cut National Park funding by 30% in 5 years
"The Bush administration has directed the National Park Service to substantially decrease its reliance on tax-supported funding, according to internal documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). In a turnabout from the last two presidential campaigns when candidate Bush promised greater funding of parks, new "talking points" distributed last week to all park superintendents urge to begin 'honest and forthright' discussions with the public about smaller budgets, reduced visitor services and increased fees."
BushCo = nightmare.
Bush plan would hide data on 1.5 million pounds of toxic materials in California
"A Bush administration proposal to roll back Americans' right to know about chemical hazards in their neighborhoods would let California industries handle almost 1.5 million pounds of toxic chemicals a year without telling the public, according to an investigation of federal data by Environmental Working Group (EWG)."
BushCo policies = genocide.
IMF steps up pressure for dollar depreciation
"The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday stepped up the pressure for far-reaching shifts in exchange rates, declaring that the dollar will have to depreciate 'significantly' over the medium term if global economic imbalances are to be resolved in an orderly fashion."
Can this be good?
IMF sees US budget, trade deficits as risk factors: Bush officials are less than pleased with the global organization's economic outlook.
"Clearly irritating U.S. economic officials, the International Monetary Fund faulted the United States on Wednesday for its budget and trade deficits and its failure to provide universal health insurance, predicting that the dollar would inevitably decline in value against the world's other currencies."
The threat to a fistful of petrodollars
"From Russia, you might say, with love. This weekend, Alexei Kudrin, Russia's finance minister, dropped a bombshell in Washington.
"Attending the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, Kudrin caused his American hosts discomfort by openly questioning the dollar's pre-eminence as the world's 'absolute' reserve currency."
Swedish central bank dumps dollar
"Thanks to a corrupt government and an insanely greedy Fed, America is fast approaching a full-scale economic crisis of epic proportions."
A third of plant jobs evaporate in Mich.
"Michigan has lost nearly 1 in 3 manufacturing jobs since 1999 and impending factory closures by automakers and suppliers could further erode the state's position as a major global automotive hub, according to a new analysis by the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor."
Quotes from www.bartcop.com and others:
"Bush is as stubborn as Slim Pickens in 'Dr. Strangelove:' He'd rather ride Rummy to Armageddon than concede that Iraq was a botched project." -- Howard Fineman, Link
"I knew something was happening when I had John Murtha on several months ago and he talked about his plan for a timetable. And I got several calls from people at the Pentagon and others and they said, “You know Murtha’s right.” And I was stunned because you don’t usually get those kinds of calls. Then General Zinni said that Rumsfeld should resign. One former general said we have a civil war going on at the Pentagon. The generals are trying to reclaim control of the war because they do believe serious mistakes were made." --Tim Russert, slut-to-slut with Dom Imus, Link
"The biggest issues of the election are character issues.... the Republicans' trustworthiness and honesty and their competence. And they are going to lose big on both those issues. After that we get to Iraq, we get to the economy, we get to healthcare." -- Howard Dean, Link
"The Bush administration reads the poll numbers, they know most Americans think their policies are failing, so they've responded by changing the person who tells us those policies. It's quite a bold move. ... Every house cleaning starts by replacing the doormat" -- Ed Helms, The Daily Show
"In a free society with working, honest public mechanisms, it would be nigh impossible to elect an imbecile sock puppet fronting for a latter day nazi party cabal. But it happened here in 1980, 1988, 2000 and 2004. Why? Corruption. Corporate money. Media consolidation. Media fraud. Vote fraud. Stupid voters. Lazy voters. All based in corporate and corrupt money; corrupt, bribable congresshumans; dishonest pols (Rove, etc.); and, most of all, a servile fascist media. Perhaps the demise of this piece of shit nation is best." -- jtree, Link
"It almost makes me want to run for office. Almost" -- The Cheney Monster, on being praised by super-rich Republican donors Link
"I would say he's the most hated and dangerous person in the world." -- Mike Yanasak, a retired Vietnam veteran, carrying a "Terrorist in Chief" sign, Link
"The dumbest thing Bush could possibly do right now is fire Rumsfeld. Either a forced resignation or a dismissal would effectively bring the Bush presidency to an end." -- John Podhoretz, Link So, thousands more men must be maimed or die to protect Bush's phoney legacy as a smart war hero?
"I've got a pretty good idea who the seven lawmakers are." -- Tom Coburn, (R-Jesus Twin) who says seven GOPers are going to prison, Link
“I admire those who have stepped forward, and I agree with the arguments they are making. I count myself in the same camp.” -- retired Gen. Paul Van Riper, a lifelong Republican and the seventh general to ask for Rumsfeld's resignation, Link
"I retired. I have nothing to gain in doing this. There is no political agenda at all. For 31 years I was a loyal subordinate and did not tolerate dissension in the ranks. My sole motivation, are the servicemen and women and their families." -- Major General John Batiste, not so good with English, asking for Rumsfeld's resignation, Link
"I keep up with things, I read the front page..." -- Der Monkey, trying to convince reporters he's aware of the world around him
"On matters of war, Bush is not to be trusted. He has proven over and over that when he wants to go to war, the truth will not stand in his way." -- Scott Shields, on Iran nuking up in 13 days, Link
New Campbell Soup product
"Campbell Soup introduced a new soup today called 'W. It comes already heated. When you open the can it contains a little prick in hot water."It also is the only soup they make that carries a warning label. It says, 'This soup may be dangerous to your future and to the world, and may give you an uncontrollable urge to lie. In the event you experience any of these symptoms, please contact your Congressman about an impeachment.'”
Post Turtle
While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75-year old Texas rancher whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually, the topic got around to former Texas Governor, George W. Bush and his elevation to the White House.The old Texan said, "Well ya know, Bush is a post turtle."
Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.
The old rancher said, "When you're driving down a country road and ya come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a post turtle."The old man saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain, "Ya know he didn't get there by himself, he doesn't belong there, he doesn't know what to do while he's up there, and ya just want to help the dumb shit get down!"
posted by Jerry | 7:44 PM
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