"It is no surprise that gaps in domestic intelligence are being filled by ad hoc initiatives."
– Richard Posner
"Ad hoc initiatives" being the new euphemism for "crimes," apparently.
Coming soon a theatre near you:
"Ad Hoc Initiative and Punishment"
"Ad Hoc Initiatives and Misdemeanors"
"Ad Hoc Initiative of the Century"
"Partners in Ad Hoc Initiatives"
"Ad Hoc Initiatives of the Heart"
"A Perfect Ad Hoc Initiative"
"Ad Hoc Initiative Scene Investigation"
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Monday, December 19, 2005
Making "Arguments" Not Their Strength
Why not seek a warrant? 'Cause then they'd actually have to use "reason" and "logic."
Q: "But how does FISA --"
GENERAL HAYDEN:
"FISA involves the process -- FISA INVOLVES MASHALING ARGUMENTS. . . ."
Q: "But how does FISA --"
GENERAL HAYDEN:
"FISA involves the process -- FISA INVOLVES MASHALING ARGUMENTS. . . ."
MR. GONZALES, THE GHOST OF WILLIAM BELKNAP IS CALLING YOU
Yes, Cabinet officers CAN be impeached.
William W. Belknap, Secretary of War.
Impeached and tried and in the Senate.
Acquitted Aug. 1, 1876.
William W. Belknap, Secretary of War.
Impeached and tried and in the Senate.
Acquitted Aug. 1, 1876.
QUOTE OF THE YEAR
Brian Williams:
“A lot of people have seen in this series of speeches
you’re giving on Iraq, a movement in your position.
They call it an acknowledgment that perhaps the
mission has not gone as it was originally planned —
three points: That the U.S. would be welcomed as
liberators, that General Shinsecki, when he said this
would take hundreds of thousands of troops in his
farewell speech, might have been right. And third,
that it wasn’t a self-sustaining war in terms of the
oil revenue. Do you concede those three points might
not have gone as planned?”
President Bush:
“Review them with me again.”
Williams:
“Number one — that we’d be welcomed as liberators?”
President Bush:
“I think we are welcomed. But it was not a peaceful
welcome.”
–– Interview between NBC News Anchor Brian
Williams and President of the United States
President George W. Bush, December 12, 2005.
****************************************************************************
“I THINK WE ARE WELCOMED.
"BUT IT WAS NOT A PEACEFUL WELCOME.”
Orwell? Kafka? Lewis Caroll? Jonathan Swift?
Amateurs.
“A lot of people have seen in this series of speeches
you’re giving on Iraq, a movement in your position.
They call it an acknowledgment that perhaps the
mission has not gone as it was originally planned —
three points: That the U.S. would be welcomed as
liberators, that General Shinsecki, when he said this
would take hundreds of thousands of troops in his
farewell speech, might have been right. And third,
that it wasn’t a self-sustaining war in terms of the
oil revenue. Do you concede those three points might
not have gone as planned?”
President Bush:
“Review them with me again.”
Williams:
“Number one — that we’d be welcomed as liberators?”
President Bush:
“I think we are welcomed. But it was not a peaceful
welcome.”
–– Interview between NBC News Anchor Brian
Williams and President of the United States
President George W. Bush, December 12, 2005.
****************************************************************************
“I THINK WE ARE WELCOMED.
"BUT IT WAS NOT A PEACEFUL WELCOME.”
Orwell? Kafka? Lewis Caroll? Jonathan Swift?
Amateurs.
THERE’S NO PLEASING SOME PEOPLE
A recent poll ranked the popularity of the last 10
Presidents. Where did Bush rank?
(A) First
(B) Third
(C) Fifth
(D) Seventh
(E) Ninth
Answer: Last.
Favorite President:
1. John F. Kennedy --26%
2. Bill Clinton – 25%
3. Ronald Reagan -- 23%
10. George Bush – 9%
Bush was also viewed as the most warlike president (43
percent), the worst for the economy (42 percent) and
the least effective (33 percent).
***************************************************************
Presidents. Where did Bush rank?
(A) First
(B) Third
(C) Fifth
(D) Seventh
(E) Ninth
Answer: Last.
Favorite President:
1. John F. Kennedy --26%
2. Bill Clinton – 25%
3. Ronald Reagan -- 23%
10. George Bush – 9%
Bush was also viewed as the most warlike president (43
percent), the worst for the economy (42 percent) and
the least effective (33 percent).
***************************************************************
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"In the past five years, our economy has endured
a stock market collapse, a recession, terrorist
attacks, corporate scandals, high energy costs, and
devastating natural disasters."
– George W. Bush, Monday, December 12, 2005.
Someone finally had the guts to say it.
***********************************************************************
a stock market collapse, a recession, terrorist
attacks, corporate scandals, high energy costs, and
devastating natural disasters."
– George W. Bush, Monday, December 12, 2005.
Someone finally had the guts to say it.
***********************************************************************
FREIGHTED WITH MEANING
You may fly this Christmas. And there may be a dead
solider in the cargo hold.
Soldiers coming home form Iraq are supposed to be
treated with respect, including an honor guard. But
often they are packed as freight on commercial
airliners, stopping at local airports -- stuffed in
the belly of a plane with suitcases and other cargo.
John Holley and his wife, Stacey, were stunned when
they found out the body of their only child, Matthew
John Holley, who died in Iraq last month, would be
arriving at the airport as “freight.”
Matthew was a medic with the 101st Airborne unit and
died on Nov. 15.
"When someone dies in combat, they need to give them
due respect they deserve for (the) sacrifice they
made," said John Holley.
They called U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, and Matthew was
greeted with honor and respect.
A representative from the Defense Department said she
did not know why this is happening.
Maybe because they just don’t care?
***********************************************************
solider in the cargo hold.
Soldiers coming home form Iraq are supposed to be
treated with respect, including an honor guard. But
often they are packed as freight on commercial
airliners, stopping at local airports -- stuffed in
the belly of a plane with suitcases and other cargo.
John Holley and his wife, Stacey, were stunned when
they found out the body of their only child, Matthew
John Holley, who died in Iraq last month, would be
arriving at the airport as “freight.”
Matthew was a medic with the 101st Airborne unit and
died on Nov. 15.
"When someone dies in combat, they need to give them
due respect they deserve for (the) sacrifice they
made," said John Holley.
They called U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, and Matthew was
greeted with honor and respect.
A representative from the Defense Department said she
did not know why this is happening.
Maybe because they just don’t care?
***********************************************************
MEMO OF THE WEEK
From: Emery, Edie
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 11:09 AM
Subject: CNN statement regarding Mr. Novak
"After 25 years of serving as a CNN commentator and
program host, our colleague Bob Novak's tenure on the
network will come to a close (effective 12/31).
Through the years, Bob has offered incisive analysis
for much of CNN's programming, including Crossfire,
The Capital Gang, Inside Politics, Evans and Novak,
The Novak Zone, and Novak, Hunt and Shields. Bob has
also been a valued contributor to CNN's political
coverage. We appreciate his many contributions and
wish him well in future endeavors."
-- Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S.
UPDATE: Bob Novak, who you may remember put countless
lives in danger and hurt America’s ability to prevent
nuclear terrorism, by outing CIA agent Valerie Plame,
was hired by Fox News Friday afternoon.
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 11:09 AM
Subject: CNN statement regarding Mr. Novak
"After 25 years of serving as a CNN commentator and
program host, our colleague Bob Novak's tenure on the
network will come to a close (effective 12/31).
Through the years, Bob has offered incisive analysis
for much of CNN's programming, including Crossfire,
The Capital Gang, Inside Politics, Evans and Novak,
The Novak Zone, and Novak, Hunt and Shields. Bob has
also been a valued contributor to CNN's political
coverage. We appreciate his many contributions and
wish him well in future endeavors."
-- Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S.
UPDATE: Bob Novak, who you may remember put countless
lives in danger and hurt America’s ability to prevent
nuclear terrorism, by outing CIA agent Valerie Plame,
was hired by Fox News Friday afternoon.
HOW ABOUT A WAR ON STUPIDITY
With just days to go in a Congressional session
presiding over three wars, massive debt, a huge trade
deficit, a stalled economy and natural disasters,
Congress this week devoted itself to: Defending
Christmas.
The House seriously debated a resolution to support
the "symbols and traditions" of Christmas, and to
disapprove of utterly mythical "attempts to ban
references to Christmas.” H. Res. 579, is a
resolution "Expressing the sense of the House of
Representatives that the symbols and traditions of
Christmas should be protected."
It gets worse.
During the debate, Democratic members asked the
Republican author of the resolution, Rep. Jo-Ann Davis
(R-VA), if she would permit the symbols of Hanukkah
and other holidays to be included in the protection of
the resolution -- and she refused.
"Yes, Virginia... and North Carolina, Oklahoma, New
Jersey and others... your GOP representatives believe
in the imaginary 'war on Christmas,' and apparently
they think this is the best use of Congress' time.
And apparently they think nothing of pressing their
Jewish House colleagues to actually cast a
congressional vote in favor of Christian 'symbols and
traditions,' and they refuse to offer the same
supposed protections to the symbols of Chanukah,”
National Jewish Democratic Council Executive Director
Ira N. Forman said.
"In this case, House Republicans are adopting the
talking points of the most extreme, most divisive
far-right elements in today's society -- and making
that agenda the work of the people's House. Aside from
being a colossal waste of time, it's divisive, it
excludes other practices and faiths, and it buys into
the conservative fantasy that there's some war against
the 95 percent of Americans who celebrate Christmas,"
he also said.
****************************************************************
presiding over three wars, massive debt, a huge trade
deficit, a stalled economy and natural disasters,
Congress this week devoted itself to: Defending
Christmas.
The House seriously debated a resolution to support
the "symbols and traditions" of Christmas, and to
disapprove of utterly mythical "attempts to ban
references to Christmas.” H. Res. 579, is a
resolution "Expressing the sense of the House of
Representatives that the symbols and traditions of
Christmas should be protected."
It gets worse.
During the debate, Democratic members asked the
Republican author of the resolution, Rep. Jo-Ann Davis
(R-VA), if she would permit the symbols of Hanukkah
and other holidays to be included in the protection of
the resolution -- and she refused.
"Yes, Virginia... and North Carolina, Oklahoma, New
Jersey and others... your GOP representatives believe
in the imaginary 'war on Christmas,' and apparently
they think this is the best use of Congress' time.
And apparently they think nothing of pressing their
Jewish House colleagues to actually cast a
congressional vote in favor of Christian 'symbols and
traditions,' and they refuse to offer the same
supposed protections to the symbols of Chanukah,”
National Jewish Democratic Council Executive Director
Ira N. Forman said.
"In this case, House Republicans are adopting the
talking points of the most extreme, most divisive
far-right elements in today's society -- and making
that agenda the work of the people's House. Aside from
being a colossal waste of time, it's divisive, it
excludes other practices and faiths, and it buys into
the conservative fantasy that there's some war against
the 95 percent of Americans who celebrate Christmas,"
he also said.
****************************************************************
RADICAL MILITANT LIBRARIANS
"While radical militant librarians kick us around,
true terrorists benefit from OIPR's failure to let us
use the tools given to us. This should be an OIPR
priority!!!"
-- Unidentified F.B.I. official. Internal F.B.I.
e-mail message, October 2003
It's phrase already sweeping the blogosphere:
“radical militant librarians” may yet enter common
discourse.
Turns out though, that some liberals may have been too
worried that the government had too much power after
the PATRIOT Act.
Documents released this week showed that agents at the
Federal Bureau of Investigation have been frustrated
by their inability to get information they wanted.
The above e-mails sent in October 2003, complaining
that “radical militant librarians kick us around.”
They are a testy bunch.
********************************************************************
true terrorists benefit from OIPR's failure to let us
use the tools given to us. This should be an OIPR
priority!!!"
-- Unidentified F.B.I. official. Internal F.B.I.
e-mail message, October 2003
It's phrase already sweeping the blogosphere:
“radical militant librarians” may yet enter common
discourse.
Turns out though, that some liberals may have been too
worried that the government had too much power after
the PATRIOT Act.
Documents released this week showed that agents at the
Federal Bureau of Investigation have been frustrated
by their inability to get information they wanted.
The above e-mails sent in October 2003, complaining
that “radical militant librarians kick us around.”
They are a testy bunch.
********************************************************************
CREEPING FASCISM, PART XVIII
Deborah Davis, a 50-year-old mother of four, is in an
all ordinary woman, although she does have a son
serving in Iraq. To save money, she rides the bus to
work in Denver, Colorado. Every morning, her bus goes
through the Denver Federal Center, a collection of
government offices in an area with increased security.
Every morning, officers from the Department of
Homeland Security board the bus and check the IDs of
all passengers, whether or not they are exiting the
bus at the Federal Center. The officers glance at it,
but don’t check it against any list. There appears to
be no earthly reason to ask for ID, except a sort of
vague sense that it’s helpful in an age of terror.
In September, they had the following conversation:
Officer: "Do you have your ID?"
Davis: "Yes."
Officer: "May I see it?"
Davis: "No."
Officers would later said she was "argumentative." In
any case they handcuffed her and arrested her.
I’ve had this experience myself – not of being
arrested, but being asked to show ID without it being
checked against a database or recorded in any way. I
also work in this field of identification and the law,
and understand the temptation to believe that an ID
has some magic function that deters terrorists.
Well, it doesn’t, and all the 9/11 hijackers had valid
ID, and few were on any watch lists. Aside from being
unconstitutional, (the charges against her have been
dropped) the exercise on the bus was a colossal waste
of time, and probably detrimental to any effort to
prevent real terrorism.
But that's the world we live in now. Unthinking,
painfully useless attempts to deal with our fear.
Which is all the terrorists wanted in the first place.
************************************************************************
all ordinary woman, although she does have a son
serving in Iraq. To save money, she rides the bus to
work in Denver, Colorado. Every morning, her bus goes
through the Denver Federal Center, a collection of
government offices in an area with increased security.
Every morning, officers from the Department of
Homeland Security board the bus and check the IDs of
all passengers, whether or not they are exiting the
bus at the Federal Center. The officers glance at it,
but don’t check it against any list. There appears to
be no earthly reason to ask for ID, except a sort of
vague sense that it’s helpful in an age of terror.
In September, they had the following conversation:
Officer: "Do you have your ID?"
Davis: "Yes."
Officer: "May I see it?"
Davis: "No."
Officers would later said she was "argumentative." In
any case they handcuffed her and arrested her.
I’ve had this experience myself – not of being
arrested, but being asked to show ID without it being
checked against a database or recorded in any way. I
also work in this field of identification and the law,
and understand the temptation to believe that an ID
has some magic function that deters terrorists.
Well, it doesn’t, and all the 9/11 hijackers had valid
ID, and few were on any watch lists. Aside from being
unconstitutional, (the charges against her have been
dropped) the exercise on the bus was a colossal waste
of time, and probably detrimental to any effort to
prevent real terrorism.
But that's the world we live in now. Unthinking,
painfully useless attempts to deal with our fear.
Which is all the terrorists wanted in the first place.
************************************************************************
OVAL OFFICE FENG SHUI
Bill Clinton's memoir “My Life” has turned out to be a
big seller (see the poll above). Even, or especially,
in other countries. But there may more to it than
thrilling tales of Georgetown, Oxford, Yale, and all
things Hillary. Turns out the Chinese translation has
a few differences.
According to the Chinese version of “My Life”, even as
a child, Bill Clinton felt an overwhelming love and
admiration for Chinese culture and politics, and
considered rulers like Mao Zedong and "Chief
Architect" Deng Xiaoping his intellectual mentors.
Original sentences like "I was concerned about China's
continued suppression of basic freedoms" were
translated out, while new more enlightening passages
added, such as:
"It was from my uncle Buddy that I first heard that
China was one of the world's most ancient cultures,
that in ancient times its technology was already very
advanced, and that very early on it had produced the
Four Great Inventions. Take, for example, the cannons
that were tested in Buddy's munitions factory.
Originally, gunpowder was invented by the Chinese. Not
only that, the compass, printing, and paper were also
great creations of the Chinese people."
It seems the Chinese are not big on Clinton’s famous
wordiness. The notoriously very long opening sentence
of Mr. Clinton's version, which takes 48 words to
describe his birth, reads:
"The town of Hope, where I was born, has very good
feng shui."
*********************************************************************
big seller (see the poll above). Even, or especially,
in other countries. But there may more to it than
thrilling tales of Georgetown, Oxford, Yale, and all
things Hillary. Turns out the Chinese translation has
a few differences.
According to the Chinese version of “My Life”, even as
a child, Bill Clinton felt an overwhelming love and
admiration for Chinese culture and politics, and
considered rulers like Mao Zedong and "Chief
Architect" Deng Xiaoping his intellectual mentors.
Original sentences like "I was concerned about China's
continued suppression of basic freedoms" were
translated out, while new more enlightening passages
added, such as:
"It was from my uncle Buddy that I first heard that
China was one of the world's most ancient cultures,
that in ancient times its technology was already very
advanced, and that very early on it had produced the
Four Great Inventions. Take, for example, the cannons
that were tested in Buddy's munitions factory.
Originally, gunpowder was invented by the Chinese. Not
only that, the compass, printing, and paper were also
great creations of the Chinese people."
It seems the Chinese are not big on Clinton’s famous
wordiness. The notoriously very long opening sentence
of Mr. Clinton's version, which takes 48 words to
describe his birth, reads:
"The town of Hope, where I was born, has very good
feng shui."
*********************************************************************
THE BOY IN THE BUBBLE
“Newsweek” magazine asks this week if Bush lives in a
bubble. It includes this quote, alternately amusing
and disturbing:
“A foreign diplomat who declined to be
identified was startled when Secretary of State
Rice warned him not to lay bad news on the
president. "Don't upset him," she said.”
***************************************************************
bubble. It includes this quote, alternately amusing
and disturbing:
“A foreign diplomat who declined to be
identified was startled when Secretary of State
Rice warned him not to lay bad news on the
president. "Don't upset him," she said.”
***************************************************************
IRAQ UPDATE
It is the 1,000th day of war in Iraq, and we still
have not secured the road from Baghdad to the airport.
*********************************************************
have not secured the road from Baghdad to the airport.
*********************************************************
LAURA BUSH: HOW SINISTER IS SHE?
Liberals (those waging the war on Christmas) like to
point out all the so-called conservatives who also say
things like “Happy Holidays,” but don’t expect anyone
else to notice.
But Tim Wildmon, President of the American Family
Association, also noticed, and blasted President Bush
and First Lady Laura Bush for sending out cards that,
even though they include a quote from the Bible on the
inside, say “Season’s Greetings” on the front.
“Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether this is
sinister….or whether it just political correctness run
amok,” he said.
*********************************************************************
point out all the so-called conservatives who also say
things like “Happy Holidays,” but don’t expect anyone
else to notice.
But Tim Wildmon, President of the American Family
Association, also noticed, and blasted President Bush
and First Lady Laura Bush for sending out cards that,
even though they include a quote from the Bible on the
inside, say “Season’s Greetings” on the front.
“Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether this is
sinister….or whether it just political correctness run
amok,” he said.
*********************************************************************
WAR ON CHRISTMAS QUESTION OF THE WEEK
WAR ON CHRISTMAS QUESTION OF THE WEEK
How many times does the The official Fox Network web
page use of the word "Holiday"?
(A) Zero
(B) Three
(C) Five
(D) Seven
(E) Nine
Answer: Eleven
How many times does the Network’s web site use the
word “Christmas”?
(A) 10
(B) 20
(C) 30
(D) 50
(E) 100
Answer: Zero.
***************************************************************
How many times does the The official Fox Network web
page use of the word "Holiday"?
(A) Zero
(B) Three
(C) Five
(D) Seven
(E) Nine
Answer: Eleven
How many times does the Network’s web site use the
word “Christmas”?
(A) 10
(B) 20
(C) 30
(D) 50
(E) 100
Answer: Zero.
***************************************************************
Thursday, December 15, 2005
COPS TO PIRRO: SHUT UP
Jeanine's campaign of gaffes continues unabated.... Clearly, she is remaining in the race so increase her profile when she is hired as a Fox News Legal and Political Commentator in December of 2006.
New York Daily News
"Pirro told to zip it"
"Chattering outside church has officers fuming at her"
By Alison Gendar and Joe Mahoney
Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro was seen giggling and chatting outside a Bronx church after the funeral Mass for slain Police Officer Danny Enchautegui - spurring outrage from cops.
One officer brusquely told her to "shut up," prompting Pirro to zip her lips and snap to attention just after the flag-draped coffin holding Enchautegui was placed into a nearby hearse.
While grim-faced Finest stood ramrod-straight, Pirro drew glares from the hero cop's fellow officers when they spotted her giggling and chatting with state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R-Rensselaer).
"She should have kept her mouth shut and showed some respect," said one disgusted high-ranking member of the NYPD.
Fumed another officer: "It was bad timing. Everyone is waiting for the family to leave. The family is trying to be strong. We're all still in formation. It was out of line."
New York Daily News
"Pirro told to zip it"
"Chattering outside church has officers fuming at her"
By Alison Gendar and Joe Mahoney
Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirro was seen giggling and chatting outside a Bronx church after the funeral Mass for slain Police Officer Danny Enchautegui - spurring outrage from cops.
One officer brusquely told her to "shut up," prompting Pirro to zip her lips and snap to attention just after the flag-draped coffin holding Enchautegui was placed into a nearby hearse.
While grim-faced Finest stood ramrod-straight, Pirro drew glares from the hero cop's fellow officers when they spotted her giggling and chatting with state Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (R-Rensselaer).
"She should have kept her mouth shut and showed some respect," said one disgusted high-ranking member of the NYPD.
Fumed another officer: "It was bad timing. Everyone is waiting for the family to leave. The family is trying to be strong. We're all still in formation. It was out of line."
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
KANSAS, WE’RE NOT IN THE 19TH CENTURY ANYMORE
A University of Kansas professor wrote some e-mails
last week criticizing the serious study of
creationism. What happened next?
(A) He received unexpected widespread support
(B) The Catholic Church praised him
(C) He was nominated for a “Courage Award”
(D) Bill O’Reilly read his e-mails on the air,
prompting a backlash in Kansas
(E) He was fired
(F) He was attacked by a group “Christian” thugs
Answer: (E) and (F)
"This allows the department to focus on what's most
important, ”teaching, research and service,” said the
President when he was fired.
On Monday, the professor was treated at a Lawrence
hospital for head injuries after he said he was beaten
by two men on a country road. He said the men referred
to the creationism remarks.
Law enforcement officials are investigating.
********************************************************************
last week criticizing the serious study of
creationism. What happened next?
(A) He received unexpected widespread support
(B) The Catholic Church praised him
(C) He was nominated for a “Courage Award”
(D) Bill O’Reilly read his e-mails on the air,
prompting a backlash in Kansas
(E) He was fired
(F) He was attacked by a group “Christian” thugs
Answer: (E) and (F)
"This allows the department to focus on what's most
important, ”teaching, research and service,” said the
President when he was fired.
On Monday, the professor was treated at a Lawrence
hospital for head injuries after he said he was beaten
by two men on a country road. He said the men referred
to the creationism remarks.
Law enforcement officials are investigating.
********************************************************************
It's a War on Christmas, and We're Losing It
I want to write about the “War on Christmas,”
but there is very little left to say at this point.
Once it was on the “Today Show,” I think it had pretty
much run its course from the nutty, borderline
anti-Semitic rantings by Bill O’Reilly to self-parody.
Although Fox News anchor John Gibson –- you may
remember him from the O.J. Simpson trial -- does have a
book out titled, seriously, “The War on Christmas”.
(Available at Amazon – I suggest you pick one up
before they are banned.)
I would, however, point out the danger in demanding
that everyone else celebrate your holiday, and
equating lack of government support with censorship.
The logical end of this will be the government
dictating what is and what is not the proper way to
celebrate Christmas. Think I’m kidding? It’s already
happening.
In Nashville, the Mayor called the lighted tree in
Riverfront Park a “holiday tree,” instead of a
“Christmas tree.” Seeing as it was taxpayer funded,
that was probably wise. Indeed some conservatives
insist on calling the public tree by that name,
since it keeps it Constitutional.
But someone was listening to too much Bill
O’Reilly, and last week a Councilman name Eric Crafton
wrote legislation stating that Nashville “affirms
and supports the use of the words ‘Christmas’ or
‘Merry Christmas,’ instead of non-descript, generic
terms such as ‘Happy Holidays,’ ‘Winter Festival’ and
the like, when referring to Metro Government entities
or activities traditionally associated with
Christmas.”
“By using these generic, nondescript terms, it
diminishes the TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.
And, quite frankly, I’m tired of it.”
He also awkwardly said “We’re not in the business of forcing
people — but we do want to recognize that the whole
reason for this holiday was … because of Jesus
Christ".
His resolution, states that Christmas “derives from
the act of celebrating the Mass of Christ;” that
“Jesus Christ is an actual man who was born over 2,000
years ago, as recorded by history;” that Christ’s life
and teachings have “profoundly impacted the entire
world, especially the United States of America.”
So there you have it. A government resolution
defining the true meaning of Christmas. Which is
probably right. After all, Jesus was an American, and
a Republican. I’m pretty sure.
********************************************************************
but there is very little left to say at this point.
Once it was on the “Today Show,” I think it had pretty
much run its course from the nutty, borderline
anti-Semitic rantings by Bill O’Reilly to self-parody.
Although Fox News anchor John Gibson –- you may
remember him from the O.J. Simpson trial -- does have a
book out titled, seriously, “The War on Christmas”.
(Available at Amazon – I suggest you pick one up
before they are banned.)
I would, however, point out the danger in demanding
that everyone else celebrate your holiday, and
equating lack of government support with censorship.
The logical end of this will be the government
dictating what is and what is not the proper way to
celebrate Christmas. Think I’m kidding? It’s already
happening.
In Nashville, the Mayor called the lighted tree in
Riverfront Park a “holiday tree,” instead of a
“Christmas tree.” Seeing as it was taxpayer funded,
that was probably wise. Indeed some conservatives
insist on calling the public tree by that name,
since it keeps it Constitutional.
But someone was listening to too much Bill
O’Reilly, and last week a Councilman name Eric Crafton
wrote legislation stating that Nashville “affirms
and supports the use of the words ‘Christmas’ or
‘Merry Christmas,’ instead of non-descript, generic
terms such as ‘Happy Holidays,’ ‘Winter Festival’ and
the like, when referring to Metro Government entities
or activities traditionally associated with
Christmas.”
“By using these generic, nondescript terms, it
diminishes the TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS.
And, quite frankly, I’m tired of it.”
He also awkwardly said “We’re not in the business of forcing
people — but we do want to recognize that the whole
reason for this holiday was … because of Jesus
Christ".
His resolution, states that Christmas “derives from
the act of celebrating the Mass of Christ;” that
“Jesus Christ is an actual man who was born over 2,000
years ago, as recorded by history;” that Christ’s life
and teachings have “profoundly impacted the entire
world, especially the United States of America.”
So there you have it. A government resolution
defining the true meaning of Christmas. Which is
probably right. After all, Jesus was an American, and
a Republican. I’m pretty sure.
********************************************************************
FUN WITH SENTENCE COMPLETION
Complete this sentence from Pope Ratzinger:
“The suspicion emerges in us that a person
who does not sin is, after all, ________________.
(A) “Saintly”
(B) “Christ-like”
(C) “Frankly suspicious”
(D) “Boring”
(E) “Probably hiding something”
Answer: (D)
"The suspicion emerges in us that a person who does
not sin is, after all, boring; that something is
missing from his life: the dramatic dimension of being
free. We think that bargaining with evil, reserving
ourselves a little freedom against God, is, after all,
good or even necessary. But looking at the world
around us we can see that this is not so.”
–– Pope Benedict XVI
“The suspicion emerges in us that a person
who does not sin is, after all, ________________.
(A) “Saintly”
(B) “Christ-like”
(C) “Frankly suspicious”
(D) “Boring”
(E) “Probably hiding something”
Answer: (D)
"The suspicion emerges in us that a person who does
not sin is, after all, boring; that something is
missing from his life: the dramatic dimension of being
free. We think that bargaining with evil, reserving
ourselves a little freedom against God, is, after all,
good or even necessary. But looking at the world
around us we can see that this is not so.”
–– Pope Benedict XVI
MIKE, HOW DO YOU REALLY FEEL?
Interviewer, to Mike Wallace:
“President George W. Bush has declined to be i
interviewed by you. What would you ask him if
you had the chance?”
Mike Wallace:
“What in the world prepared you to be the
commander in chief of the largest superpower in the world?
In your background, Mr. President, you apparently were
incurious. You didn't want to travel. You knew very little
about the military. The governor of Texas doesn't have the kind of
power that some governors have. Why do you think they
nominated you? Do you think that has anything to do with the
fact that the country is so [expletive] up?”
“President George W. Bush has declined to be i
interviewed by you. What would you ask him if
you had the chance?”
Mike Wallace:
“What in the world prepared you to be the
commander in chief of the largest superpower in the world?
In your background, Mr. President, you apparently were
incurious. You didn't want to travel. You knew very little
about the military. The governor of Texas doesn't have the kind of
power that some governors have. Why do you think they
nominated you? Do you think that has anything to do with the
fact that the country is so [expletive] up?”
MENTAL INSTITUTIONS FOR LIBERALS
Mike Wallace’s son is "Fox News Sunday" anchorman
Chris Wallace. His reaction to what Mike Wallace said
"He's lost it. The man has lost it. What can I
say. He's 87-years old and things have set in. I mean,
we're going to have a competence hearing pretty soon."
Later he said about his father "He's checked out. I
don't understand it," beyond the fact that Wallace Sr.
has "problems with the war. "I don't know why he said
what he said," he added.
Nice.
********************************************************************
Chris Wallace. His reaction to what Mike Wallace said
"He's lost it. The man has lost it. What can I
say. He's 87-years old and things have set in. I mean,
we're going to have a competence hearing pretty soon."
Later he said about his father "He's checked out. I
don't understand it," beyond the fact that Wallace Sr.
has "problems with the war. "I don't know why he said
what he said," he added.
Nice.
********************************************************************
Monday, December 12, 2005
Fox News: Where Brutal Dictators Not Only Get Their News, They Write It
According the Guardian, Fox News now re-writes their news coverage based on the approval one the world's most brutal regimes.
"Fox News was ordered to alter its coverage of the riots in France after a Saudi prince with shares in its parent company News Corporation complained to Rupert Murdoch.
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdul aziz Al-Saud told a conference in Dubai he had telephoned Mr Murdoch after seeing a strapline on the news channel describing the disturbances as "Muslim riots".
"I picked up the phone and called Murdoch and said that I was speaking not as a shareholder, but as a viewer of Fox. I said that these are not Muslim riots, they are riots," Campaign Middle East magazine quoted the prince as saying.
"He investigated the matter and called Fox and within half an hour it was changed from 'Muslim riots' to 'civil riots'."
Just so we're clear, Fox news is now cleared for approval by an anti-freedom, misogynistic, brutal, torturing, radical muslim dictatorship?
"Fox News was ordered to alter its coverage of the riots in France after a Saudi prince with shares in its parent company News Corporation complained to Rupert Murdoch.
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal bin Abdul aziz Al-Saud told a conference in Dubai he had telephoned Mr Murdoch after seeing a strapline on the news channel describing the disturbances as "Muslim riots".
"I picked up the phone and called Murdoch and said that I was speaking not as a shareholder, but as a viewer of Fox. I said that these are not Muslim riots, they are riots," Campaign Middle East magazine quoted the prince as saying.
"He investigated the matter and called Fox and within half an hour it was changed from 'Muslim riots' to 'civil riots'."
Just so we're clear, Fox news is now cleared for approval by an anti-freedom, misogynistic, brutal, torturing, radical muslim dictatorship?
We're Pulling Out Fingernails Now
Via CNN:
"Inspectors found "a number of problems" at a jail housing Iraqi detainees, the nation's Human Rights Ministry said today, amid a report of a dozen incidents of "severe torture" at the facility.
Today's Washington Post quoted an Iraqi official saying at least 12 of the detainees had suffered severe torture. "Two of them showed me their nails, and they were gone," said an anonymous Iraqi official quoted by the Post."
It's not going to look if the purple-finger brigage are missing their fingernails...
"Inspectors found "a number of problems" at a jail housing Iraqi detainees, the nation's Human Rights Ministry said today, amid a report of a dozen incidents of "severe torture" at the facility.
Today's Washington Post quoted an Iraqi official saying at least 12 of the detainees had suffered severe torture. "Two of them showed me their nails, and they were gone," said an anonymous Iraqi official quoted by the Post."
It's not going to look if the purple-finger brigage are missing their fingernails...
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
And "Mad Max" Would Help With Crazed Bikers
What is it with the Republican party and their infatuation with Hollywood?
"There is even a movement to draft Mel Gibson, the actor and director, to run against Schwarzenegger in the Republican primary next year -- in part because the success of Gibson's movie, "The Passion of the Christ," could help his chances among religious conservatives. Raised in Australia, Gibson was born in New York and is a U.S. citizen. He has not expressed an interest in elected politics.
"We need to have a good backup," said Mike Spence, president of the California Republican Assembly, a grass-roots organization that is separate from the state party. Spence's group has already set up a Web site, melgibsonforgovernor.com. "He seems to be more consistent with the Republican message than the governor does."
Gibson could not be reached, and his spokesman, who was traveling Tuesday, did not return an e-mail and call for comment."
Monday, December 05, 2005
FEMA Was Warned Their Response in Mississippi Would Lead to "Riots"
According to the Associate Press, "FEMA realized its response to Hurricane Katrina was "broken" and braced for rioting over woefully low supplies in Mississippi in the days just after the storm, according to new documents released Monday."
"This is unlike what we have seen before," wrote William Carwile, FEMA's former top responder in Mississippi, in an e-mail sent September 1, three days after the hurricane. He couldn't get body bags to Mississippi.
"I personally authorized Hancock County to buy refer (sic) trucks that had been carrying ice becasue (sic) the coroner was going to have to start putting bodies out in the parking lot as his cooler was getting full. Still lots and lots of bodies out there." The next day he wrote: "System appears broken."
The troubles got worse from there. Local FEMA officials had to report that their plan could lead to disaster.
"If we get the quantities in your report tomorrow we will have serious riots," Fenton wrote.
Carwile wrote back: "Turns out this report is true. There seems to be no way we will get commodities in amounts beyond those indicated below. And it turns out these shortfalls were know much earlier in the day and we were not informed. Will need big time law enforcement reinforcements tomorrow. All our good will here in MS will be very seriously impacted by noon tomorrow. Have been holding it together as it is."
"Gulfport Ms only has enough commodities for roughly 3 hours distribution tomorrow," FEMA deputy chief of staff Scott Morris wrote in an e-mail sent at 11:46 p.m. on Aug. 29 — just hours after the storm roared ashore. "Apparently, the local law enforcement officials have allowed evacuees back into city."
Replying to Carwile's e-mail about body bag shortages, Scott wrote: "Let me know how I can help. 24/7 whatever you need."
"One of the things we have learned is that our logistic resources weren't up to the task, and the technology that we were using wasn't up to the task," FEMA's spokesman said. He also said that Michael Chertoff "has said that one of his priorities is retooling FEMA and, as part of that, making it a 21st century agency."
"This is unlike what we have seen before," wrote William Carwile, FEMA's former top responder in Mississippi, in an e-mail sent September 1, three days after the hurricane. He couldn't get body bags to Mississippi.
"I personally authorized Hancock County to buy refer (sic) trucks that had been carrying ice becasue (sic) the coroner was going to have to start putting bodies out in the parking lot as his cooler was getting full. Still lots and lots of bodies out there." The next day he wrote: "System appears broken."
The troubles got worse from there. Local FEMA officials had to report that their plan could lead to disaster.
"If we get the quantities in your report tomorrow we will have serious riots," Fenton wrote.
Carwile wrote back: "Turns out this report is true. There seems to be no way we will get commodities in amounts beyond those indicated below. And it turns out these shortfalls were know much earlier in the day and we were not informed. Will need big time law enforcement reinforcements tomorrow. All our good will here in MS will be very seriously impacted by noon tomorrow. Have been holding it together as it is."
"Gulfport Ms only has enough commodities for roughly 3 hours distribution tomorrow," FEMA deputy chief of staff Scott Morris wrote in an e-mail sent at 11:46 p.m. on Aug. 29 — just hours after the storm roared ashore. "Apparently, the local law enforcement officials have allowed evacuees back into city."
Replying to Carwile's e-mail about body bag shortages, Scott wrote: "Let me know how I can help. 24/7 whatever you need."
"One of the things we have learned is that our logistic resources weren't up to the task, and the technology that we were using wasn't up to the task," FEMA's spokesman said. He also said that Michael Chertoff "has said that one of his priorities is retooling FEMA and, as part of that, making it a 21st century agency."
Friday, December 02, 2005
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Bush, during a week-long visit to Asia, met with
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi as they took
a morning tour of Kinkakuji, the revered Temple of the
Golden Pavilion in Kyoto.
Koizumi showed Bush, a devout Christian, how to bow in
prayer before an idol of the Buddha, said Raitei
Arima, the temple's head priest.
What did Bush say to the priest?
(A) “That Buddha’s cute, but kind of fat.”
(B) “We pray in America too, but to Jesus.”
(C) “I wonder if my socks have any holes.”
(D) “I didn’t know they had religion in China.”
(E) “Buddha – what religion is that?”
(F) “I’ll bet you could drill for oil under here.”
Answer: (C)
"What was most interesting was that Bush said, “I
wonder if my socks have any holes.”
And Laura said not to worry," the priest told the
reporters from newspapers all over the world.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi as they took
a morning tour of Kinkakuji, the revered Temple of the
Golden Pavilion in Kyoto.
Koizumi showed Bush, a devout Christian, how to bow in
prayer before an idol of the Buddha, said Raitei
Arima, the temple's head priest.
What did Bush say to the priest?
(A) “That Buddha’s cute, but kind of fat.”
(B) “We pray in America too, but to Jesus.”
(C) “I wonder if my socks have any holes.”
(D) “I didn’t know they had religion in China.”
(E) “Buddha – what religion is that?”
(F) “I’ll bet you could drill for oil under here.”
Answer: (C)
"What was most interesting was that Bush said, “I
wonder if my socks have any holes.”
And Laura said not to worry," the priest told the
reporters from newspapers all over the world.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Bidentropy
Bidentropy
Bi.den.en·tro·py (Bi den Ä•n'trÉ™-pÄ“)
1. A measure of the loss of information in a transmitted message.
2. The tendency for all political thought and policy to evolve toward a state of inert uniformity.
3. Inevitable and steady deterioration of a political party or society.
Bi.den.en·tro·py (Bi den Ä•n'trÉ™-pÄ“)
1. A measure of the loss of information in a transmitted message.
2. The tendency for all political thought and policy to evolve toward a state of inert uniformity.
3. Inevitable and steady deterioration of a political party or society.
Monday, November 28, 2005
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"War is the hardest place to make moral judgments."
–– Col. Ted Westhusing
Journal of Military Ethics
–– Col. Ted Westhusing
Journal of Military Ethics
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Norah O'Donnell: Clueless or Right-Wing Shill?
Seriously, how out of it do you have to be to not know that the vote Friday was a stunt?
Only Norah O'Donnell, apparently, has no idea what is going on. Either that, or is a paid or unpaid operative for the Republican party.
The GOP is, of course, desperately trying to spread the false rumor that Rep. Murtha called for an "immediate" pullout from Iraq with a resolution he submitted in Congress. This is, of course, false.
The Republican resolution, sponsored Duncan "Cut and Run" Hunter, DID called for an "immediate" pullout from Iraq.
So naturally, this morning, on the Today Show, O'Donnell said, "Congress Murtha called for an immediate withdraw from Iraq."
Republicans are pleased, and Norah got paid her money -- or I hope she did, if not, she shills for free -- but the viewers of NBC got fed a pack of lies made up by the Republican party.
Only Norah O'Donnell, apparently, has no idea what is going on. Either that, or is a paid or unpaid operative for the Republican party.
The GOP is, of course, desperately trying to spread the false rumor that Rep. Murtha called for an "immediate" pullout from Iraq with a resolution he submitted in Congress. This is, of course, false.
The Republican resolution, sponsored Duncan "Cut and Run" Hunter, DID called for an "immediate" pullout from Iraq.
So naturally, this morning, on the Today Show, O'Donnell said, "Congress Murtha called for an immediate withdraw from Iraq."
Republicans are pleased, and Norah got paid her money -- or I hope she did, if not, she shills for free -- but the viewers of NBC got fed a pack of lies made up by the Republican party.
Monday, November 21, 2005
"Immediate"? Try Again, Times.
The New York Times Web Site:
"Cheney Attacks Democratic Critics of War, but Not Murtha "
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 12:20 PM ET
"The vice president, however, strongly disagreed with the top Democrat's call for an IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL in Iraq."
Just to be clear, Republican Duncan Hunter called for an immediate withdrawal on Friday.**
This was opposed by Democrats, including Murtha.
********************************************************
** Obviously, Hunter didn't mean it -- it was a cheap stunt designed to degrade the House. But Murtha has NOT called for immediate withdrawal.
This is a Republican spin point, eagerly lapped up the AP and the Times.
"Cheney Attacks Democratic Critics of War, but Not Murtha "
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 12:20 PM ET
"The vice president, however, strongly disagreed with the top Democrat's call for an IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL in Iraq."
Just to be clear, Republican Duncan Hunter called for an immediate withdrawal on Friday.**
This was opposed by Democrats, including Murtha.
********************************************************
** Obviously, Hunter didn't mean it -- it was a cheap stunt designed to degrade the House. But Murtha has NOT called for immediate withdrawal.
This is a Republican spin point, eagerly lapped up the AP and the Times.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Holocaust Denier Arrested
Call this another blow in favor of a Culture of Truth:
According to news reports, David Irving has been arrested in Austria on charges of denying the Holocaust took place, which is a crime in that country. While we are very much in favor of free speech, given worldwide and national degrading standards when it comes to a culture of truth mark this as a positive development.
David Irving is well-known British writer who has several books about WWII, has written that Adolf Hitler was not behind an orchestrated effort by the Nazi regime to wipe out the Jewish people.
Speaking of truth and lies, according to The New York Times in 1992 Irving was fined $6,000 in Germany after he said that that no gas chambers had been used in Auschwitz. This is illegal in Germany.
Mr. Irving was once known as a rigorous historian; some of his early works on Hitler and Germany were highly praised. But his views have became more extreme and he has become a hero of neo-fascist and neo-Nazi groups across Europe. Mr. Irving says he does not deny that the Nazis killed some Jews, but contends that the death toll among Jews in World War II was far lower than generally accepted.
Many years ago Deborah Lipstadt said David Irving was "one of the most dangerous spokespersons for Holocaust denial." Irving sued her for libel in England, where libel standards are looser than in the U.S., but he still lost.
The judge British libel suit called David Irving, called "an active Holocaust denier."
According to news reports, David Irving has been arrested in Austria on charges of denying the Holocaust took place, which is a crime in that country. While we are very much in favor of free speech, given worldwide and national degrading standards when it comes to a culture of truth mark this as a positive development.
David Irving is well-known British writer who has several books about WWII, has written that Adolf Hitler was not behind an orchestrated effort by the Nazi regime to wipe out the Jewish people.
Speaking of truth and lies, according to The New York Times in 1992 Irving was fined $6,000 in Germany after he said that that no gas chambers had been used in Auschwitz. This is illegal in Germany.
Mr. Irving was once known as a rigorous historian; some of his early works on Hitler and Germany were highly praised. But his views have became more extreme and he has become a hero of neo-fascist and neo-Nazi groups across Europe. Mr. Irving says he does not deny that the Nazis killed some Jews, but contends that the death toll among Jews in World War II was far lower than generally accepted.
Many years ago Deborah Lipstadt said David Irving was "one of the most dangerous spokespersons for Holocaust denial." Irving sued her for libel in England, where libel standards are looser than in the U.S., but he still lost.
The judge British libel suit called David Irving, called "an active Holocaust denier."
Thursday, November 17, 2005
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"I like guys who've never been there that criticize us who've been there. I like that. I like guys who got five deferments and never been there and send people to war, and then don't like to hear suggestions about what needs to be done."
–– Rep. John Murtha, Democrat of Pennsylvania
–– Rep. John Murtha, Democrat of Pennsylvania
Corruption in Iraq
Remember when certain people tried to spread the idea that we invaded in Iraq because of corruption in the Oil-for-Food program?
The New York Times is reporting that numerous criminal charges have been, and will be, filed against U.S. government officials and contractors, relating to bribes and kickbacks which have been paid in order to get lucrative contracts. I can't say I'm surprised.
A person named Philip H. Bloom, who apparently had oversight over recontrsuction contracts, has been charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, conspiracy to launder money and interstate transportation of stolen property.
Other Americans in the Coalition Provisional Authority, have been charged and are being investigated.
"This is the first case, but it won't be the last," the Times quotes Jim Mitchell, a spokesman for the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, an independent office.
Mr. Bloom, of course, should be considered legally innocent until are charges are proven in a court of law.
Mr. Bloom's lawyer, Robert Mintz of Newark, said, "The complaint and the supporting affidavit were unsealed for the first time today and we're in the process of reviewing the allegations."
The New York Times is reporting that numerous criminal charges have been, and will be, filed against U.S. government officials and contractors, relating to bribes and kickbacks which have been paid in order to get lucrative contracts. I can't say I'm surprised.
A person named Philip H. Bloom, who apparently had oversight over recontrsuction contracts, has been charged with conspiracy, wire fraud, conspiracy to launder money and interstate transportation of stolen property.
Other Americans in the Coalition Provisional Authority, have been charged and are being investigated.
"This is the first case, but it won't be the last," the Times quotes Jim Mitchell, a spokesman for the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, an independent office.
Mr. Bloom, of course, should be considered legally innocent until are charges are proven in a court of law.
Mr. Bloom's lawyer, Robert Mintz of Newark, said, "The complaint and the supporting affidavit were unsealed for the first time today and we're in the process of reviewing the allegations."
Friday, November 11, 2005
Veteran's Day
Number of Americans Killed in Iraq:
2,062
Number of Americans Wounded in Iraq
15,568
Number of Americans Killed in Iraq in October:
99*
*The highest number since January of 2005
Number of Americans Wounded in Iraq in October
602*
*The highest number since November of 2004.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Congressman: Arrest Chalabi
Congressman George Miller of California scores one for the culture of truth:
Rep. George Miller
Monday, November 7, 2005
"Madam Speaker, somebody ought to call the cops. Today I am not talking about collusion, corruption and cronyism and the leaking of sensitive classified information that has irreparably damaged the national security of the United States. No, I am not talking about Scooter Libby or Karl Rove, though their involvement in outing a female CIA agent to silence her husband's criticisms of the President's Iraq policy deserves closer scrutiny.
No, I am talking about another shadowy character and administration ally, someone whose deception played a large role in leading the United States into war in Iraq. I am talking about Ahmad Chalabi. Mr. Chalabi is the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq's newly constituted government. But Mr. Chalabi also is a convicted bank swindler who, we now know, fed the Bush administration false intelligence about Saddam's weapons of mass destruction and capabilities and Iraq's ties to terrorism.
Many Americans remember Mr. Chalabi as a man who convinced Vice President Cheney that the United States would be greeted as a great liberator in Iraq. Some have even said it was Mr. Chalabi who promoted the false story about Iraq's attempted purchase of nuclear material in Niger. Chalabi fed false stories about Iraq's weapons capabilities to New York Times reporter Judith Miller, a story that the Times was later forced to publicly discount.
Mr. Chalabi, who supplied information to the White House Iraq working group, a mysterious cabal, as Colin Powell's former chief of staff recently said, that hijacked U.S. foreign policy and hyped the case for war in Iraq. The bottom line is that Mr. Chalabi played a central role in the orchestrated deception leading to the invasion of Iraq.
After the administration discovered that Mr. Chalabi provided false intelligence, instead of investigating, the Department of Defense attempted to prop Mr. Chalabi up as a candidate of choice in the post-war Iraq.
Keep in mind what Mr. Chalabi did next. He was suspected of leaking classified information about U.S. intelligence capabilities to Iran. He was suspected of telling the Iranians that we had broken the code by which we were learning information about their activities.
Seventeen months ago, then National Security Adviser Rice promised an FBI inquiry into who leaked information to Iran. Seventeen months ago, and yet nothing has happened. Despite the fact that Mr. Chalabi was a prime suspect, the FBI has never interviewed him. In fact, the Wall Street Journal quotes the FBI as having said they have little active interest in this matter. Little active interest in a person who is leaking intelligence material to Iran in the middle of the war in Iraq?
Just this week the administration invited this criminal to meet with the Secretary of State and maybe even Vice President Cheney in the West Wing to discuss his candidacy for the Iraq presidency in this December's election. I would be curious to learn from the President what role granting a U.S. entry visa to a man suspected of spying for Iran plays in the administration's terrorism strategy.
Mr. Chalabi's actions are an insult to every American, especially those serving in our Nation's Armed Forces, and his high-level visit to the United States is an additional affront. Chalabi's crimes cannot go unanswered. He belongs in jail for his misdeeds. Instead, he gets a White House photo-op.
As the Senate concludes its investigation into the administration's use of false and misleading intelligence to make the case for war, no such inquiry would be complete without Mr. Chalabi's testimony under oath. While he is sashaying around the streets of Washington, D.C., the Senate Intelligence Committee and the House Intelligence Committee may want to issue a subpoena for his presence. He has offered to testify, but no intelligence agency of the United States has interviewed him, nor has the FBI, as we learned today.
He should be detained in this country until he gives that testimony. I know I speak for all Americans when I say that our idea of democracy is not propping up a bank swindler, kidnapper and extortionist whose lies and deceptions contributed to the 14,000 U.S. soldiers injured and over 2,000 killed in action and is an intractable quagmire with no end in sight. Americans deserve the truth about the Bush administration's manipulation of intelligence to justify this tragic war.
Calling the cops to arrest Mr. Chalabi, while he is here, so he can be interrogated, would be a good beginning to understand how extensive the manipulation, how false the evidence was, that caused the President to take us to war and which was championed by the Vice President and the President and the cabal to try to justify to the American citizens the reason for this war.
Mr. Speaker, call the cops. Mr. Chalabi should not be allowed to run free on the streets of this Nation's capital.
Rep. George Miller
Monday, November 7, 2005
"Madam Speaker, somebody ought to call the cops. Today I am not talking about collusion, corruption and cronyism and the leaking of sensitive classified information that has irreparably damaged the national security of the United States. No, I am not talking about Scooter Libby or Karl Rove, though their involvement in outing a female CIA agent to silence her husband's criticisms of the President's Iraq policy deserves closer scrutiny.
No, I am talking about another shadowy character and administration ally, someone whose deception played a large role in leading the United States into war in Iraq. I am talking about Ahmad Chalabi. Mr. Chalabi is the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq's newly constituted government. But Mr. Chalabi also is a convicted bank swindler who, we now know, fed the Bush administration false intelligence about Saddam's weapons of mass destruction and capabilities and Iraq's ties to terrorism.
Many Americans remember Mr. Chalabi as a man who convinced Vice President Cheney that the United States would be greeted as a great liberator in Iraq. Some have even said it was Mr. Chalabi who promoted the false story about Iraq's attempted purchase of nuclear material in Niger. Chalabi fed false stories about Iraq's weapons capabilities to New York Times reporter Judith Miller, a story that the Times was later forced to publicly discount.
Mr. Chalabi, who supplied information to the White House Iraq working group, a mysterious cabal, as Colin Powell's former chief of staff recently said, that hijacked U.S. foreign policy and hyped the case for war in Iraq. The bottom line is that Mr. Chalabi played a central role in the orchestrated deception leading to the invasion of Iraq.
After the administration discovered that Mr. Chalabi provided false intelligence, instead of investigating, the Department of Defense attempted to prop Mr. Chalabi up as a candidate of choice in the post-war Iraq.
Keep in mind what Mr. Chalabi did next. He was suspected of leaking classified information about U.S. intelligence capabilities to Iran. He was suspected of telling the Iranians that we had broken the code by which we were learning information about their activities.
Seventeen months ago, then National Security Adviser Rice promised an FBI inquiry into who leaked information to Iran. Seventeen months ago, and yet nothing has happened. Despite the fact that Mr. Chalabi was a prime suspect, the FBI has never interviewed him. In fact, the Wall Street Journal quotes the FBI as having said they have little active interest in this matter. Little active interest in a person who is leaking intelligence material to Iran in the middle of the war in Iraq?
Just this week the administration invited this criminal to meet with the Secretary of State and maybe even Vice President Cheney in the West Wing to discuss his candidacy for the Iraq presidency in this December's election. I would be curious to learn from the President what role granting a U.S. entry visa to a man suspected of spying for Iran plays in the administration's terrorism strategy.
Mr. Chalabi's actions are an insult to every American, especially those serving in our Nation's Armed Forces, and his high-level visit to the United States is an additional affront. Chalabi's crimes cannot go unanswered. He belongs in jail for his misdeeds. Instead, he gets a White House photo-op.
As the Senate concludes its investigation into the administration's use of false and misleading intelligence to make the case for war, no such inquiry would be complete without Mr. Chalabi's testimony under oath. While he is sashaying around the streets of Washington, D.C., the Senate Intelligence Committee and the House Intelligence Committee may want to issue a subpoena for his presence. He has offered to testify, but no intelligence agency of the United States has interviewed him, nor has the FBI, as we learned today.
He should be detained in this country until he gives that testimony. I know I speak for all Americans when I say that our idea of democracy is not propping up a bank swindler, kidnapper and extortionist whose lies and deceptions contributed to the 14,000 U.S. soldiers injured and over 2,000 killed in action and is an intractable quagmire with no end in sight. Americans deserve the truth about the Bush administration's manipulation of intelligence to justify this tragic war.
Calling the cops to arrest Mr. Chalabi, while he is here, so he can be interrogated, would be a good beginning to understand how extensive the manipulation, how false the evidence was, that caused the President to take us to war and which was championed by the Vice President and the President and the cabal to try to justify to the American citizens the reason for this war.
Mr. Speaker, call the cops. Mr. Chalabi should not be allowed to run free on the streets of this Nation's capital.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Thursday, November 03, 2005
WELL, THIS INSPIRES CONFIDENCE
.
"Can I quit now? Can I come home?"
--Michael Brown, former FEMA director, in an e-mail he sent the morning of the hurricane to Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs.
"I'm trapped now, please rescue me."
--Brown a few days later, to an acquaintance.
"Tie or not for tonight? Button down blue shirt?"
-- Brown, August 26, just days before Katrina made landfall.
"You look fabulous."
-- Worthy to Brown, on August 29, the day of the storm.
"I got it at Nordstroms. ... Are you proud of me?"
–- Brown's reply.
"If you'll look at my lovely FEMA attire, you'll really vomit. I am a fashion god."
-- Brown, August 29, the day of the storm.
"Can I quit now? Can I come home?"
--Michael Brown, former FEMA director, in an e-mail he sent the morning of the hurricane to Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of public affairs.
"I'm trapped now, please rescue me."
--Brown a few days later, to an acquaintance.
"Tie or not for tonight? Button down blue shirt?"
-- Brown, August 26, just days before Katrina made landfall.
"You look fabulous."
-- Worthy to Brown, on August 29, the day of the storm.
"I got it at Nordstroms. ... Are you proud of me?"
–- Brown's reply.
"If you'll look at my lovely FEMA attire, you'll really vomit. I am a fashion god."
-- Brown, August 29, the day of the storm.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Alito Does Not Deserve an Up or Down Vote
Judge Alito does NOT deserve an up-or-down vote.
Harriet Miers didn't get one.
The predecent has been set.
Bush should do the honorable thing and, after realizing that Alito is too far outside the mainstream to represent all Americans, ask him to withdraw his name from consideration.
End of story.
Harriet Miers didn't get one.
The predecent has been set.
Bush should do the honorable thing and, after realizing that Alito is too far outside the mainstream to represent all Americans, ask him to withdraw his name from consideration.
End of story.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Did Cheney and Libby Orchestrate the Outing of Valerie Plame?
By the time Libby met with Official A, he had already told Judith Miller about Valerie Plame.
On June 11 or 12, an Undersecretary of State (John Boolton) told Libby about Valerie Plame. At the same time, a CIA officer told Libby about Wilson's wife, and that she sent him to Niger.
On or around June 12, 2003, Libby and Cheney had a meeting in which Cheney told Libby that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA. Cheney had learned this from the CIA. They were discussing how to respond the upcoming Washington Post article by Walter Pincus, published June 12.
Two days later Libby discussed with a CIA debriefer Valerie Wilson, and expressed his anger at the stories that were coming out.
On June 19 the article in "The New Republic" came out.
Right after that, he and his Principal Deputy talking rebuting Wilson in the press.
On June 23, Libby told Judith Miller about Wilson's wife.
So here's my question:
In their meeting on June 12, 2005, or at any time prior or thereafter,
did Vice President Dick Cheney and Scooter Libby ever discuss disclosing
the fact that Valerie Plame worked at the CIA with a member of the press?
.
On June 11 or 12, an Undersecretary of State (John Boolton) told Libby about Valerie Plame. At the same time, a CIA officer told Libby about Wilson's wife, and that she sent him to Niger.
On or around June 12, 2003, Libby and Cheney had a meeting in which Cheney told Libby that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA. Cheney had learned this from the CIA. They were discussing how to respond the upcoming Washington Post article by Walter Pincus, published June 12.
Two days later Libby discussed with a CIA debriefer Valerie Wilson, and expressed his anger at the stories that were coming out.
On June 19 the article in "The New Republic" came out.
Right after that, he and his Principal Deputy talking rebuting Wilson in the press.
On June 23, Libby told Judith Miller about Wilson's wife.
So here's my question:
In their meeting on June 12, 2005, or at any time prior or thereafter,
did Vice President Dick Cheney and Scooter Libby ever discuss disclosing
the fact that Valerie Plame worked at the CIA with a member of the press?
.
Libby's Criminal Intent
On May 6, 2003, Nicholas Kristof published an article, presumably with Wilson as a source, describing the Niger trip and suggesting the allegations were based on forged documents.
On June 12, Walter Pincus of the Post published an article describing Wilson's trip and what he had reported back to the CIA.
On June 19, 2003, an article appeared in "The New Republic" online that was very critical of the office of Vice President and said that officials knew the Niger story was a "flat out lie."
I believe for Libby, and possibly Rove and Cheney, the New Republic story was the last straw. Almost immediately, decision was made, officially, to begin sliming Wilson. We get this key quote from the indictment:
"Shortly after the publication of the article in "The New Republic," LIBBY spoke by telephone
with his then Principal Deputy and discussed the article. That official asked LIBBY whether
information about Wilson's trip could be shared with the press to rebut allegations that the
Vice President had sent Wilson. LIBBY responded that there would be complications at the CIA
in disclosing that information publicly, and that he could not disucss the matter on a
non-secure telephone line."
Assuming this is accurate, it stongly suggests Libby was well aware he was dealing with confidential information.
He used a secure line, so was very careful with that information?
No.
Just two, or possibly three days later, he told Judith Miller, a journalist with no clearance, that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA.
On June 12, Walter Pincus of the Post published an article describing Wilson's trip and what he had reported back to the CIA.
On June 19, 2003, an article appeared in "The New Republic" online that was very critical of the office of Vice President and said that officials knew the Niger story was a "flat out lie."
I believe for Libby, and possibly Rove and Cheney, the New Republic story was the last straw. Almost immediately, decision was made, officially, to begin sliming Wilson. We get this key quote from the indictment:
"Shortly after the publication of the article in "The New Republic," LIBBY spoke by telephone
with his then Principal Deputy and discussed the article. That official asked LIBBY whether
information about Wilson's trip could be shared with the press to rebut allegations that the
Vice President had sent Wilson. LIBBY responded that there would be complications at the CIA
in disclosing that information publicly, and that he could not disucss the matter on a
non-secure telephone line."
Assuming this is accurate, it stongly suggests Libby was well aware he was dealing with confidential information.
He used a secure line, so was very careful with that information?
No.
Just two, or possibly three days later, he told Judith Miller, a journalist with no clearance, that Wilson's wife worked for the CIA.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
It's Always Something with the Bush Family
"Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said relief agency response to Hurricane Wilma will "be better" Thursday after residents waited for hours the day before for basic supplies such as water, ice and gasoline.
"Today is going to be better, tomorrow is going to be better than today, and the day after tomorrow will be even better," Bush said during a Wednesday news conference."
Just plug in "Iraq", "Terror", "The Economy", 'The Debt", "Supreme Court", "Ethics" and anything else, and the story just pretty much writes itself with this family, doesn't it?
"Today is going to be better, tomorrow is going to be better than today, and the day after tomorrow will be even better," Bush said during a Wednesday news conference."
Just plug in "Iraq", "Terror", "The Economy", 'The Debt", "Supreme Court", "Ethics" and anything else, and the story just pretty much writes itself with this family, doesn't it?
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
AFTER THE REVOLUTION
MY MOVIE QUOTE OF THE DAY
"After the Revolution,
I Will Buy Fiztgerald a New Cat."
"After the Revolution,
I Will Buy Fiztgerald a New Cat."
Wal-Mart Seeks "Healthy" Employees
A memorandum to the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has provoked quite a bit of reaction. It also could have implications for patient and employee privacy. The memo suggests that Wal-Mart take steps to hire healthy employees, get their employees healthier, and even discourage non-healthy employees from ever getting a job at Wal-Mart.
Not because you need to be healthy to work at Wal-Mart -- but to cut down on Wal-Mart's insurance costs.
But this is what anti-discrimination and privacy laws were designed to prevent.
We often hear that even small employers with group health plans will be unaffected by one sick employee. And that should be true for a large one, too. But what if an employer is so large that they can see extensive savings by implementing a corporate-wide, generalized effort to weed out employees who might cause their insurance rates to rise? Given the role that employers have in paying for health insurance and health care, not to mention other costs to employers from sick employees (lost time, lost productivity) this is a trend that we will see again.
Key Quotes from the Memo:
“Given the significant savings from even a small improvement in the health of our Associate base, Wal-Mart should seek to attract a healthier workforce.”
Some of the memo's recommendations:
• Design all jobs to include some physical activity (e.g. all cashiers do some cart gathering);
• Offer savings via the Discount Card on health foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables);
• Offer benefits that appeal to healthy Associates (e.g., an education offering targeted at students)
Other key quotes:
“A healthier workforce will lead to lower insurance costs, lower absenteeism through fewer sick days, and higher productivity.”
“It will be far easier to attract and retain a healthier workforce than to change behavior in an existing one.”
“These moves would also dissuade unhealthy people from coming to work at Wal-Mart.”
Not because you need to be healthy to work at Wal-Mart -- but to cut down on Wal-Mart's insurance costs.
But this is what anti-discrimination and privacy laws were designed to prevent.
We often hear that even small employers with group health plans will be unaffected by one sick employee. And that should be true for a large one, too. But what if an employer is so large that they can see extensive savings by implementing a corporate-wide, generalized effort to weed out employees who might cause their insurance rates to rise? Given the role that employers have in paying for health insurance and health care, not to mention other costs to employers from sick employees (lost time, lost productivity) this is a trend that we will see again.
Key Quotes from the Memo:
“Given the significant savings from even a small improvement in the health of our Associate base, Wal-Mart should seek to attract a healthier workforce.”
Some of the memo's recommendations:
• Design all jobs to include some physical activity (e.g. all cashiers do some cart gathering);
• Offer savings via the Discount Card on health foods (e.g., fruits and vegetables);
• Offer benefits that appeal to healthy Associates (e.g., an education offering targeted at students)
Other key quotes:
“A healthier workforce will lead to lower insurance costs, lower absenteeism through fewer sick days, and higher productivity.”
“It will be far easier to attract and retain a healthier workforce than to change behavior in an existing one.”
“These moves would also dissuade unhealthy people from coming to work at Wal-Mart.”
Monday, October 24, 2005
SIR, WE’VE LOST MARGARET THATCHER
Yep, even the iron Lady herself has turned on the war
in Iraq. Claims she was never for it.
"I was a scientist before I was a politician. And as a
scientist I know you need facts, evidence and proof -
and then you check, recheck and check again."
"The fact was that there were no facts, there was no
evidence, and there was no proof. As a politician the
most serious decision you can take is to commit your
armed services to war from which they may not return."
-- Margaret Thatcher
If they lost her, they've got big problems.
******************************************************************
in Iraq. Claims she was never for it.
"I was a scientist before I was a politician. And as a
scientist I know you need facts, evidence and proof -
and then you check, recheck and check again."
"The fact was that there were no facts, there was no
evidence, and there was no proof. As a politician the
most serious decision you can take is to commit your
armed services to war from which they may not return."
-- Margaret Thatcher
If they lost her, they've got big problems.
******************************************************************
WHAT KIND OF GRADUATION CEREMONY DO THEY HAVE ?
What did the head of Canada’s spy agency say Iraq has
become?
(A) “A fledgling democracy”
(B) “An experiment in developing a civilization”
(C) “A relatively peaceful war zone”
(D) “A place I hope to vacation – someday”
(E) “The envy of the Middle East”
(F) "A post-graduate faculty for terrorism"
Answer: F
******************************************************************
become?
(A) “A fledgling democracy”
(B) “An experiment in developing a civilization”
(C) “A relatively peaceful war zone”
(D) “A place I hope to vacation – someday”
(E) “The envy of the Middle East”
(F) "A post-graduate faculty for terrorism"
Answer: F
******************************************************************
It's Always Miller Time
Bill Keller, posted on Poynter.org, his thoughts on the whole Judith Miller
fiasco.
Emphasis added:
Date/Time:
10/21/2005 4:06:23 PM
Title:
Memo from NYT executive editor Bill Keller
“In the end, I’m pretty sure I would have concluded
that we had to fight this case in court. For one
thing, we were facing an insidious new menace in these
blanket waivers, ostensibly voluntary, that
Administration officials had been compelled to sign.
But IF I HAD KNOWN the details of Judy’s entanglement
with Libby, I’d have been MORE CAREFUL in how the
paper articulated its defense, and perhaps more
willing than I had been to support efforts aimed at
exploring compromises.
Dick Stevenson has expressed the larger lesson here in
an e-mail that strikes me as just right:
“I think there is, or should be, a contract between
the paper and its reporters. The contract holds that
the paper will go to the mat to back them up
institutionally -- but only to the degree that the
reporter has LIVED UP TO HIS OR HER END OF THE
BARGAIN, specifically to have conducted him or herself
in a way consistent with our LEGAL, ETHICAL, AND
JOURNALISTIC STANDARDS, to have been OPEN and CANDID
with the paper about sources, mistakes, conflicts and
the like, and generally to deserve having the
reputations of all of us put behind him or her. In
that way, everybody knows going into a battle exactly
what the situation is, what we’re fighting for, the
degree to which the facts might counsel compromise or
not, and the degree to which our collective
credibility should be put on the line.”
I’ve heard similar sentiments from a number of
reporters in the aftermath of this case.
There is another important issue surfaced by this
case: how we deal with the inherent conflict of
writing about ourselves. This paper (and, indeed, this
business) has had way too much experience of that over
the past few years. Almost everyone we’ve heard from
on the staff appreciates that once we had agreed as an
institution to defend Judy’s source, it would have
been wrong to expose her source in the paper. Even if
our reporters had learned that information through
their own enterprise, our publication of it would have
been seen by many readers as authoritative -- as
outing Judy’s source in a backhanded way. Yet it is
EXCRUCIATING to WITHHOLD INFORMATION of value to our
readers, especially when rival publications are
unconstrained. I don’t yet see a clear-cut answer to
this dilemma, but we’ve received some thoughtful
suggestions from the staff, and it’s one of the
problems that we’ll be wrestling with in the coming
weeks.
Best, Bill”
###
Fascinating. My translation:
“Judith Miller, through an endless series of lies,
deceits, and underhanded behavior, has not only
prevented the Times from reporting news for the last
few years, and compelled it to actively print lies,
she also forced every employee of the paper to sink to
her level, and get them to defend her, at the cost of
the own reputations. Further, she may have embroiled
the Times in criminal conspiracy and coverup, and to
this very day refuses to be honest with her colleagues
even after they have fought for her at great cost to
themselves.
Because of a complete lack of a sense of ethics or
management at the Times, a once fine newspaper is now
regarded a cheap, bought-and-paid-for propaganda tool,
used to destroy innocent people who would dare
challenge a government misleading its own people to go
to war. Once no longer trusted, an information source
can not function. The New York Times has shredded its credibility
through misplaced loyalty and fear of political payback.
Its shattered remains litter the sidewalks of New York, as do the careers
of everyone once associated with this travesty.”
Did I miss anything?
******************************************************************
fiasco.
Emphasis added:
Date/Time:
10/21/2005 4:06:23 PM
Title:
Memo from NYT executive editor Bill Keller
“In the end, I’m pretty sure I would have concluded
that we had to fight this case in court. For one
thing, we were facing an insidious new menace in these
blanket waivers, ostensibly voluntary, that
Administration officials had been compelled to sign.
But IF I HAD KNOWN the details of Judy’s entanglement
with Libby, I’d have been MORE CAREFUL in how the
paper articulated its defense, and perhaps more
willing than I had been to support efforts aimed at
exploring compromises.
Dick Stevenson has expressed the larger lesson here in
an e-mail that strikes me as just right:
“I think there is, or should be, a contract between
the paper and its reporters. The contract holds that
the paper will go to the mat to back them up
institutionally -- but only to the degree that the
reporter has LIVED UP TO HIS OR HER END OF THE
BARGAIN, specifically to have conducted him or herself
in a way consistent with our LEGAL, ETHICAL, AND
JOURNALISTIC STANDARDS, to have been OPEN and CANDID
with the paper about sources, mistakes, conflicts and
the like, and generally to deserve having the
reputations of all of us put behind him or her. In
that way, everybody knows going into a battle exactly
what the situation is, what we’re fighting for, the
degree to which the facts might counsel compromise or
not, and the degree to which our collective
credibility should be put on the line.”
I’ve heard similar sentiments from a number of
reporters in the aftermath of this case.
There is another important issue surfaced by this
case: how we deal with the inherent conflict of
writing about ourselves. This paper (and, indeed, this
business) has had way too much experience of that over
the past few years. Almost everyone we’ve heard from
on the staff appreciates that once we had agreed as an
institution to defend Judy’s source, it would have
been wrong to expose her source in the paper. Even if
our reporters had learned that information through
their own enterprise, our publication of it would have
been seen by many readers as authoritative -- as
outing Judy’s source in a backhanded way. Yet it is
EXCRUCIATING to WITHHOLD INFORMATION of value to our
readers, especially when rival publications are
unconstrained. I don’t yet see a clear-cut answer to
this dilemma, but we’ve received some thoughtful
suggestions from the staff, and it’s one of the
problems that we’ll be wrestling with in the coming
weeks.
Best, Bill”
###
Fascinating. My translation:
“Judith Miller, through an endless series of lies,
deceits, and underhanded behavior, has not only
prevented the Times from reporting news for the last
few years, and compelled it to actively print lies,
she also forced every employee of the paper to sink to
her level, and get them to defend her, at the cost of
the own reputations. Further, she may have embroiled
the Times in criminal conspiracy and coverup, and to
this very day refuses to be honest with her colleagues
even after they have fought for her at great cost to
themselves.
Because of a complete lack of a sense of ethics or
management at the Times, a once fine newspaper is now
regarded a cheap, bought-and-paid-for propaganda tool,
used to destroy innocent people who would dare
challenge a government misleading its own people to go
to war. Once no longer trusted, an information source
can not function. The New York Times has shredded its credibility
through misplaced loyalty and fear of political payback.
Its shattered remains litter the sidewalks of New York, as do the careers
of everyone once associated with this travesty.”
Did I miss anything?
******************************************************************
FIDDLING WHILE A CITY WAS DESTROYED
August 31, Marty Bahamonde, FEMA Regional Director frantically e-mailed
Mike Brown to tell him that thousands are evacuees were gathering in the streets with no food or water and that "estimates are many will die within hours."
"Sir, I know that you know the situation is past
critical," Bahamonde wrote.
Three hours after sending that e-mail,
Brown's press secretary wrote back that
Brown couldn’t response immediately.
Why?
(A) He was speaking with the White House about
response coordination with military.
(B) He was working with the state National Guard
authorities on rescue efforts.
(C) He was busy directing the Coast Guard relief and
supply mission.
(D) He was in a meeting with local police, fire and
rescue departments.
(E) He was organizing a massive effort with the Red
Cross, other charities, churches, businesses, and
individuals.
(F) He was eating dinner.
Answer: F
"We now have traffic to encounter to go to and from a
location of his choise (sic), followed by wait service
from the restaurant staff, eating, etc. Thank you."
******************************************************************
Mike Brown to tell him that thousands are evacuees were gathering in the streets with no food or water and that "estimates are many will die within hours."
"Sir, I know that you know the situation is past
critical," Bahamonde wrote.
Three hours after sending that e-mail,
Brown's press secretary wrote back that
Brown couldn’t response immediately.
Why?
(A) He was speaking with the White House about
response coordination with military.
(B) He was working with the state National Guard
authorities on rescue efforts.
(C) He was busy directing the Coast Guard relief and
supply mission.
(D) He was in a meeting with local police, fire and
rescue departments.
(E) He was organizing a massive effort with the Red
Cross, other charities, churches, businesses, and
individuals.
(F) He was eating dinner.
Answer: F
"We now have traffic to encounter to go to and from a
location of his choise (sic), followed by wait service
from the restaurant staff, eating, etc. Thank you."
******************************************************************
IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES, IT WAS THE END OF TIMES
TRUE or FALSE:
Wolf Blitzer recently hosted a show on CNN where he
and guests, including Pat Robertson, seriously debated
the question, as headlined, “Are We Living in the End
Times?”
Answer:
True
******************************************************************
Wolf Blitzer recently hosted a show on CNN where he
and guests, including Pat Robertson, seriously debated
the question, as headlined, “Are We Living in the End
Times?”
Answer:
True
******************************************************************
Et Tu, Burt?
"I heard Colin Powell tell the United Nations there
are weapons of mass destruction. I totally believed
him. I love this guy. He's like a hero. This was such
a bad, bad blemish mark on his life, that he was so
wronged.
"Then we go into Iraq. It looked like the heroic,
right thing to do.”
“It was the wrong thing to do. There was fabricated
information. There are no weapons of mass
destruction."
–– Burt Bacharach
"Stuff just kept going more wrong and more wrong here
as I was writing."
"Who Are These People?" sung by Elvis Costello,
expresses his disillusionment with the war in Iraq,
and forcefully asks, "Who are these people that keep
telling us lies and how did these people get control
of our lives and who'll stop the violence 'cause it's
out of control? Make 'em stop."
are weapons of mass destruction. I totally believed
him. I love this guy. He's like a hero. This was such
a bad, bad blemish mark on his life, that he was so
wronged.
"Then we go into Iraq. It looked like the heroic,
right thing to do.”
“It was the wrong thing to do. There was fabricated
information. There are no weapons of mass
destruction."
–– Burt Bacharach
"Stuff just kept going more wrong and more wrong here
as I was writing."
"Who Are These People?" sung by Elvis Costello,
expresses his disillusionment with the war in Iraq,
and forcefully asks, "Who are these people that keep
telling us lies and how did these people get control
of our lives and who'll stop the violence 'cause it's
out of control? Make 'em stop."
Friday, October 21, 2005
Judith Miller's Amnesia Worthy of Soap Opera
"When asked if she had ever left the impression with sources, including Mr. Libby, that she had access to classified information after leaving her assignment in Iraq, Ms. Miller said she could not recall.
“I don’t remember if I ever told him I was disembedded,” she said. “I might not have.” But she added, “I never misled anybody.”
-- Katharine Seelye’s, New York Times, October 20
"New York Times reporter Judith Miller told the federal grand jury in the CIA leak case that she might have met with I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby on June 23, 2003 only after prosecutors showed her Secret Service logs that indicated she and Libby had indeed met that day in the Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House, according to attorneys familiar with her testimony."
-- Murray Waas in National Journal
“I don’t remember if I ever told him I was disembedded,” she said. “I might not have.” But she added, “I never misled anybody.”
-- Katharine Seelye’s, New York Times, October 20
"New York Times reporter Judith Miller told the federal grand jury in the CIA leak case that she might have met with I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby on June 23, 2003 only after prosecutors showed her Secret Service logs that indicated she and Libby had indeed met that day in the Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House, according to attorneys familiar with her testimony."
-- Murray Waas in National Journal
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Court: Spyware Can Be Trespass
In a federal case pending in Illinois, (Sotelo v. DirectRevenue) a judge has accepted the idea that placing spyware can result in a tort claim of trespass to chattels.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleged that the defendant deceptively placed software on his computer, which allowed them to track the user and place targered pop-up ads on the computer.
The court denied a motion to dismiss the claim of trespass to chattels. The court accepted the claim that the allegation of the placement of, and damage done by, the spyware interfered with the plaintiff's personal resources to the degree required by the tort.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff alleged that the defendant deceptively placed software on his computer, which allowed them to track the user and place targered pop-up ads on the computer.
The court denied a motion to dismiss the claim of trespass to chattels. The court accepted the claim that the allegation of the placement of, and damage done by, the spyware interfered with the plaintiff's personal resources to the degree required by the tort.
Pirro Breaks Out the Child Molesting Talking Points
According to Newsday, on Tuesday Jeanine Pirro said in a speech, "That's a difference between Democrats and Republicans _ we don't want them next door molesting children and murdering women," referring to sex offenders.
Apparently this was in a Chemung County Republicans. She was referring to legislation that would civilly confine violent sex offenders after their prison sentences end, which is pending in the Democratic-controlled state Assembly.
It may seem a little early to break out the child molesting talking points, but the election is the first week of November.
Of 2006.
Yes, it is a little early for such talk and Clinton's people had a response:
"Ms. Pirro's comment is an affront to common decency and an outrageous insult to the five and a half million law-abiding Democrats in our state. With statements like these, Ms. Pirro's campaign is rapidly going from an embarrassment to a disgrace."
-- Clinton adviser Howard Wolfson.
The next day Pirro's campaign manager, Brian Donahue, she does not believe Democrats want sexual predators living next door to anyone. Well, that's just great! "This quote is out of context."
Aren't they always?
"She's conveying a sense of frustration associated with it because she believes that unless this legislation is passed, we are allowing sex offenders to prey on the innocent. The bill "is being held up for partisan reasons by the Democratic leadership." said Pirro's spokesman.
According to Newsday, "State Assemblyman David Koon, a Rochester-area Democrat whose 18-year-old daughter was kidnapped, raped and murdered in 1993, called Pirro's comments "total malarkey."
"Civil confinement should be out there, but it doesn't define Republicans and Democrats," Koon said, adding that "there are a lot of Democrats out there who believe in it."
Whatever the outcome of this legislation, the whole debate does suggest something about Jeanine, aside from her lack of ethics and her foundering campaign.
She should've run for a statewide office. She's a well-known prosecutor who's probably knowledgeable on criminal justice issues, which often impact other local political decision-making, like police department budgets, family court, welfare, poverty, drug policy, education, urban planning... But these are all local and state issues, as is criminal prosecution in general.
What's her stance on the war in Iraq? Scandal in White House? Harriet Miers? Federal and international environmental issues? Social Security? Federal spending? Taxes? CAFTA? The WTO? North Korea? Taiwan? Chechnya?
Jeanine: Drop out now. Run for Assembly. Then you can propose all the civil confinement bills you want.
Or maybe she doesn't really care about anything. Maybe she's just a cheap smear artist, an incompetent hack with a love of the spotlight.
Apparently this was in a Chemung County Republicans. She was referring to legislation that would civilly confine violent sex offenders after their prison sentences end, which is pending in the Democratic-controlled state Assembly.
It may seem a little early to break out the child molesting talking points, but the election is the first week of November.
Of 2006.
Yes, it is a little early for such talk and Clinton's people had a response:
"Ms. Pirro's comment is an affront to common decency and an outrageous insult to the five and a half million law-abiding Democrats in our state. With statements like these, Ms. Pirro's campaign is rapidly going from an embarrassment to a disgrace."
-- Clinton adviser Howard Wolfson.
The next day Pirro's campaign manager, Brian Donahue, she does not believe Democrats want sexual predators living next door to anyone. Well, that's just great! "This quote is out of context."
Aren't they always?
"She's conveying a sense of frustration associated with it because she believes that unless this legislation is passed, we are allowing sex offenders to prey on the innocent. The bill "is being held up for partisan reasons by the Democratic leadership." said Pirro's spokesman.
According to Newsday, "State Assemblyman David Koon, a Rochester-area Democrat whose 18-year-old daughter was kidnapped, raped and murdered in 1993, called Pirro's comments "total malarkey."
"Civil confinement should be out there, but it doesn't define Republicans and Democrats," Koon said, adding that "there are a lot of Democrats out there who believe in it."
Whatever the outcome of this legislation, the whole debate does suggest something about Jeanine, aside from her lack of ethics and her foundering campaign.
She should've run for a statewide office. She's a well-known prosecutor who's probably knowledgeable on criminal justice issues, which often impact other local political decision-making, like police department budgets, family court, welfare, poverty, drug policy, education, urban planning... But these are all local and state issues, as is criminal prosecution in general.
What's her stance on the war in Iraq? Scandal in White House? Harriet Miers? Federal and international environmental issues? Social Security? Federal spending? Taxes? CAFTA? The WTO? North Korea? Taiwan? Chechnya?
Jeanine: Drop out now. Run for Assembly. Then you can propose all the civil confinement bills you want.
Or maybe she doesn't really care about anything. Maybe she's just a cheap smear artist, an incompetent hack with a love of the spotlight.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Fake Tip in Holland Shuts Down Baltimore
Blame the Dutch!!
BALTIMORE, Maryland (CNN) -- Information about a possible threat that shut down the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel on Tuesday came from a source in the Netherlands, a senior U.S. official said.
The closures came about as a result of a "threat of undetermined credibility to an unspecified tunnel in the Baltimore area," said Kevin Perkins, head of the FBI's Baltimore office.
According to U.S. officials, the alert was triggered by a report that a shipment of explosives was heading into the city's harbor disguised as cocoa. The explosives then would have been used to build a truck bomb to be detonated inside the targeted tunnel, officials said.
"At this point in time we don't have any evidence that suggests this threat is credible," Perkins said. "However, we are continuing our investigation. We have to follow this to the end."
BALTIMORE, Maryland (CNN) -- Information about a possible threat that shut down the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel on Tuesday came from a source in the Netherlands, a senior U.S. official said.
The closures came about as a result of a "threat of undetermined credibility to an unspecified tunnel in the Baltimore area," said Kevin Perkins, head of the FBI's Baltimore office.
According to U.S. officials, the alert was triggered by a report that a shipment of explosives was heading into the city's harbor disguised as cocoa. The explosives then would have been used to build a truck bomb to be detonated inside the targeted tunnel, officials said.
"At this point in time we don't have any evidence that suggests this threat is credible," Perkins said. "However, we are continuing our investigation. We have to follow this to the end."
Monday, October 17, 2005
Judy Gives Herself Away
“I interviewed Mr. Libby for a second time on July 8, two days after Mr. Wilson
published his essay ATTACKING THE ADMINISTRATION on the
Op-Ed Page of The Times..."
-- Judith Miller
He did no such thing. Judy's bias is showing.
published his essay ATTACKING THE ADMINISTRATION on the
Op-Ed Page of The Times..."
-- Judith Miller
He did no such thing. Judy's bias is showing.
Thursday, October 13, 2005
Bush Popularity Among African Americans Hits All Time Record
BUSH HITS 98TH PERCENTILE IN
POPULARITY AMONG BLACKS
"All Time Record, Experts Say"
"According the White House, Bush's popularity among African Americans is now in the 98th percentile, which is an all-time record for any President, regardless of party. Sources in the White House say it is a reflection of all that Bush has done for blacks and other minorities, as well the American people, since he took office."
POPULARITY AMONG BLACKS
"All Time Record, Experts Say"
"According the White House, Bush's popularity among African Americans is now in the 98th percentile, which is an all-time record for any President, regardless of party. Sources in the White House say it is a reflection of all that Bush has done for blacks and other minorities, as well the American people, since he took office."
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Words of Wisdom from the Next Justice
"This is the wish
That should have been sent
Before your birthday
Came and went"
John Jay
John Marshall
Salmon P. Chase
John Marshall Harlan
Oliver Wendell Holmes
Charles Evans Hughes
Louis Brandeis
William Howard Taft
Benjamin Cardozo
Hugo Black
Felix Frankfurter
William O. Douglas
Harlan Fisk Stone
Robert Jackson
Earl Warren
Warren Burger
Thurgood Marshall
William Brennan
Sandra Day O'Connor
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
* Harriet Miers *
That should have been sent
Before your birthday
Came and went"
John Jay
John Marshall
Salmon P. Chase
John Marshall Harlan
Oliver Wendell Holmes
Charles Evans Hughes
Louis Brandeis
William Howard Taft
Benjamin Cardozo
Hugo Black
Felix Frankfurter
William O. Douglas
Harlan Fisk Stone
Robert Jackson
Earl Warren
Warren Burger
Thurgood Marshall
William Brennan
Sandra Day O'Connor
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
* Harriet Miers *
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
LBJ and The Court
I saw an interesting story this weekend.
It seems Lyndon Johnson really wanted to appoint an African-American to the Court, to his credit. But there weren't any vacancies.
So he decided to create one.
He nominated Ramsey Clark to his Attorney General, then told him, "You can't be Attorney General if your Daddy is on the Supreme Court. He's gonna have to step down."
So Justice Clark resigns the Court at only 67 years of age, and Thurgood Marshall becomes the 1st black Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
The LBJ was one tricky operator, that's for sure.
One of my problems with Bush is that not only do I disagree with combination of corporatism and militarism, he isn't nearly clever enough to pull something like this off.
It seems Lyndon Johnson really wanted to appoint an African-American to the Court, to his credit. But there weren't any vacancies.
So he decided to create one.
He nominated Ramsey Clark to his Attorney General, then told him, "You can't be Attorney General if your Daddy is on the Supreme Court. He's gonna have to step down."
So Justice Clark resigns the Court at only 67 years of age, and Thurgood Marshall becomes the 1st black Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
The LBJ was one tricky operator, that's for sure.
One of my problems with Bush is that not only do I disagree with combination of corporatism and militarism, he isn't nearly clever enough to pull something like this off.
Just Another Quiet Day In Iraq
From Juan Cole:
Guerrilla violence killed 18 persons in Iraq on Monday, including one US GI.
Protesters in Ramadi said they had not yet seen the offical text of the constitution and think the government is conspiring to keep it from them, according to the Washington Post. Many in Baghdad also say they have not seen it.
Guerrilla violence killed 18 persons in Iraq on Monday, including one US GI.
Protesters in Ramadi said they had not yet seen the offical text of the constitution and think the government is conspiring to keep it from them, according to the Washington Post. Many in Baghdad also say they have not seen it.
Allawi Government Implicated in Massive Theft
Ever since he delivered that ridiculous speech to Congress, I had Allawi pegged as an untrustworthy prop of the Administration.
Now comes this story.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -
"Iraq has issued arrest warrants against the defense minister and 27 other officials from the U.S.-backed government of former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi over the alleged disappearance or misappropriation of $1 billion in military procurement funds."
Now comes this story.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -
"Iraq has issued arrest warrants against the defense minister and 27 other officials from the U.S.-backed government of former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi over the alleged disappearance or misappropriation of $1 billion in military procurement funds."
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Miers Was Picked Because She is the "Right" Religion
"To persuade the right to embrace Ms. Miers's selection
despite her lack of a clear record on social issues,
representatives of the White House put Justice Hecht
on at least one conference call with influential
social conservative organizers on Monday to talk about
her faith and character. "
- The New York Times, 10/05/2005
This says alot about what's wrong with our system. She has no judicial, or philosophical, or constitutional record to speak of, so they try to sell her to their supporters with this crap about her being the "right" religion -- in other words, this all about outlawing abortion.
What's really twisted here is they want someone with very specific personal views, and they want her to impose those views, BECAUSE they are her personal views.
In other words, they want her to legislate from the bench, which is what they constantly say they DON'T want. That's truly screwed up.
despite her lack of a clear record on social issues,
representatives of the White House put Justice Hecht
on at least one conference call with influential
social conservative organizers on Monday to talk about
her faith and character. "
- The New York Times, 10/05/2005
This says alot about what's wrong with our system. She has no judicial, or philosophical, or constitutional record to speak of, so they try to sell her to their supporters with this crap about her being the "right" religion -- in other words, this all about outlawing abortion.
What's really twisted here is they want someone with very specific personal views, and they want her to impose those views, BECAUSE they are her personal views.
In other words, they want her to legislate from the bench, which is what they constantly say they DON'T want. That's truly screwed up.
Monday, October 03, 2005
Why the Right Wing is So Mad
This is zero sum game for the Right.
It's a one-time-only, lifetime appointment.
This is the whole reason they supported Bush beginning in 1998 and 1999. It's why they gave him money, volunteered, wrote letters, editorials, lied again again, It's why they stole the 2000 election, why the supported Swift Boating, the Iraq war, and the other insane nonsense Bush and Rove pull.
All so they could have this ONE thing. Justice Sunday I and II. This is what it was all about. No second chance. This was it.
And Bush blows it all by nominating a 60 year old woman who was his very efficient secretary.
It's as if Jed Barlett had nominated Mrs. Landingham.
The wing nuts went through too much crap to put up with this now.
It's a one-time-only, lifetime appointment.
This is the whole reason they supported Bush beginning in 1998 and 1999. It's why they gave him money, volunteered, wrote letters, editorials, lied again again, It's why they stole the 2000 election, why the supported Swift Boating, the Iraq war, and the other insane nonsense Bush and Rove pull.
All so they could have this ONE thing. Justice Sunday I and II. This is what it was all about. No second chance. This was it.
And Bush blows it all by nominating a 60 year old woman who was his very efficient secretary.
It's as if Jed Barlett had nominated Mrs. Landingham.
The wing nuts went through too much crap to put up with this now.
MIERS UNITES REPUBLICANS
They All Dislike Her
Senator Lincoln Chafee said he planned to apply a more skeptical standard to the next nominee because of the balance of the court and might even oppose a jurist similar to Judge Roberts. "I will be looking very carefully," he said, at the next nominee's views on privacy rights, separation of church and state and the scope of federal power.
On the conservative side of the party, Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas has said he would vote against a nominee who was not "solid and known" on cultural issues like abortion, same-sex marriage and religion in public life.
"If the president doesn't nominate a solid nominee, that is going counter to what he campaigned on," Mr. Brownback said, before this morning's nomination announcement. And if such a nominee "involves a contentious battle, then let it be."
Why are Chafee and Brownback such obstructionists?
Senator Lincoln Chafee said he planned to apply a more skeptical standard to the next nominee because of the balance of the court and might even oppose a jurist similar to Judge Roberts. "I will be looking very carefully," he said, at the next nominee's views on privacy rights, separation of church and state and the scope of federal power.
On the conservative side of the party, Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas has said he would vote against a nominee who was not "solid and known" on cultural issues like abortion, same-sex marriage and religion in public life.
"If the president doesn't nominate a solid nominee, that is going counter to what he campaigned on," Mr. Brownback said, before this morning's nomination announcement. And if such a nominee "involves a contentious battle, then let it be."
Why are Chafee and Brownback such obstructionists?
What Is John Roberts' Shoe Size?
Bush looked high and low for the most qualified person he could find to sit on America’s highest court, and settled on…. his lawyer.
Quick -- what is John Roberts' shoe size?
You don't know? I guess Bush never considered it that important.
But at a 1996 awards ceremony, he called Harriet Miers a "a pit bull in size 6 shoes."
Very funny. Cute, but like Bush's habit of bestowing nicknames, also crass and demeaning. Would he have something similar about a man?
Regarding Harriet Miers: Frankly, she doesn't appear to be qualified.
Apparently, she’s a devout member of the Bush Cult of Personality, and was even George Bush's personal lawyer in Texas. Later, after he was elected Governor, he gave the job of running the Texas Lottery.
Then she followed him to Washington, where she served as to serve as staff secretary, the person who controls every piece of paper that crosses the president's desk. Then it was on the Counsel's Office.
Apart from many years in private practice in Dallas, that's it.
This is who he picks for the Supreme Court.
No clerking with the Supreme Court. No clerking with an appellate court. No arguing before the Supreme Court. No significant legal scholarship.
Even if one is known as one of the most powerful lawyers in America -- let us say, the number personal injury lawyer in Texas, the best tax attorney in D.C., the most outstanding environmental lawyer in California, the best criminal defense attorney in New York -- this would not necessarily qualify someone for U.S. Supreme Court
Is Harriet Miers qualified for the job of interpreting the U.S. Constitution - our founding legal and political document for the rest of the country, rendering decisions that will have effects for decades, if not centuries?
At this point, the answer appears to be no.
Quick -- what is John Roberts' shoe size?
You don't know? I guess Bush never considered it that important.
But at a 1996 awards ceremony, he called Harriet Miers a "a pit bull in size 6 shoes."
Very funny. Cute, but like Bush's habit of bestowing nicknames, also crass and demeaning. Would he have something similar about a man?
Regarding Harriet Miers: Frankly, she doesn't appear to be qualified.
Apparently, she’s a devout member of the Bush Cult of Personality, and was even George Bush's personal lawyer in Texas. Later, after he was elected Governor, he gave the job of running the Texas Lottery.
Then she followed him to Washington, where she served as to serve as staff secretary, the person who controls every piece of paper that crosses the president's desk. Then it was on the Counsel's Office.
Apart from many years in private practice in Dallas, that's it.
This is who he picks for the Supreme Court.
No clerking with the Supreme Court. No clerking with an appellate court. No arguing before the Supreme Court. No significant legal scholarship.
Even if one is known as one of the most powerful lawyers in America -- let us say, the number personal injury lawyer in Texas, the best tax attorney in D.C., the most outstanding environmental lawyer in California, the best criminal defense attorney in New York -- this would not necessarily qualify someone for U.S. Supreme Court
Is Harriet Miers qualified for the job of interpreting the U.S. Constitution - our founding legal and political document for the rest of the country, rendering decisions that will have effects for decades, if not centuries?
At this point, the answer appears to be no.
Friday, September 30, 2005
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
BENNETT:
"All right, well, I mean, I just don't know. I would not argue for the pro-life position based on this, because you don't know. I mean, it cuts both -- you know, one of the arguments in this book Freakonomics that they make is that the declining crime rate, you know, they deal with this hypothesis, that one of the reasons crime is down is that abortion is up. Well --"
CALLER:
"Well, I don't think that statistic is accurate."
BENNETT:
"Well, I don't think it is either, I don't think it is either, because first of all, there is just too much that you don't know. But I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could -- if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down. So these far-out, these far-reaching, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky."
-- BILL BENNETT, September 28, 2005
"All right, well, I mean, I just don't know. I would not argue for the pro-life position based on this, because you don't know. I mean, it cuts both -- you know, one of the arguments in this book Freakonomics that they make is that the declining crime rate, you know, they deal with this hypothesis, that one of the reasons crime is down is that abortion is up. Well --"
CALLER:
"Well, I don't think that statistic is accurate."
BENNETT:
"Well, I don't think it is either, I don't think it is either, because first of all, there is just too much that you don't know. But I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could -- if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down. So these far-out, these far-reaching, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky."
-- BILL BENNETT, September 28, 2005
NOT AGAIN WITH BILL BENNETT
Even giving Bill Bennett full benefit of the doubt, I
have two specific objections to what said. Even
conceding he’s an “intellectual,” and sometimes
oddball hypotheses are thrown out from time, to time,
he was still dishonest, and to my mind, racist.
First, Bennett is now claiming he was actually arguing
against the idea of aborting blacks or anybody, that
he was in fact refuting such an argument, one made in
“Freakonomics” and presumably by liberals everywhere.
But that’s not just wrong, it’s disingenuous and
dishonest. In fact, his later foot-in-mouth problems
stem from this.
It’s true that the book does make
the argument that legalization of abortion is the
reason for the sudden drop in crime in 1990s. And
it might be correct. This
makes pro-life conservatives unhappy, but it pleases
those who think there’s an underclass of undesirable
people we’d all be better off without – i.e., racists.
Now, people who are pro-choice obviously do not, and
never have, suggested this as a reason to support
abortion rights.
This argument exists only in the fevered imagination
of Bill Bennett. What’s odd is how he swings back and
forth in the course of this discussion. First, he
cites the book. Then he says he disagrees with it.
The he makes his outrageous statement suggesting he
very much DOES agree with it.
Either way, he’s setting up this intellectual straw man
and knocking it down, which is what the right wing does all
the time, to the bafflement of normal people
everywhere.
The other objection I have has to do with his
out-of-the-blue statement “you could abort every black
baby in this country, and your crime rate would go
down.”
Why bring race into it? The book “Freakonomics” does
not mention race in any way. Why not use the word
“poor” or “urban” or “White” or “Christian”?
Why is it, in the heat of the moment, Bennett reached
into the back of his brain and pulled out “black”? Is
it because, somewhere, deep down, Bill Bennett equates
criminals with blacks and all blacks with criminals?
Was Bennett advocating aborting all black babies, like
some kind of modern-day Heinrich Himmler? Probably
not, though there are supporters of his who might.
But when asked by enterprising ABC reporter Jake
Tappper why he linked blacks and crime, according to
Tapper, “Bennett told me on the phone that race was on
his mind because of recent stories in the media about
New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.”
That’s just great.
I’m done with these people.
Bennett is useless chronic gambler who lectures other
people about morality, who has parlayed one tiny
Reagan Cabinet position into a hack career writing
about virtue and other concepts alien to him. He was
the Brownie of his day. Whatever else he is, he is
now officially an idiot and we should all devote the
remainder of our time on earth to ignoring whatever he
says.
******************************************************************
have two specific objections to what said. Even
conceding he’s an “intellectual,” and sometimes
oddball hypotheses are thrown out from time, to time,
he was still dishonest, and to my mind, racist.
First, Bennett is now claiming he was actually arguing
against the idea of aborting blacks or anybody, that
he was in fact refuting such an argument, one made in
“Freakonomics” and presumably by liberals everywhere.
But that’s not just wrong, it’s disingenuous and
dishonest. In fact, his later foot-in-mouth problems
stem from this.
It’s true that the book does make
the argument that legalization of abortion is the
reason for the sudden drop in crime in 1990s. And
it might be correct. This
makes pro-life conservatives unhappy, but it pleases
those who think there’s an underclass of undesirable
people we’d all be better off without – i.e., racists.
Now, people who are pro-choice obviously do not, and
never have, suggested this as a reason to support
abortion rights.
This argument exists only in the fevered imagination
of Bill Bennett. What’s odd is how he swings back and
forth in the course of this discussion. First, he
cites the book. Then he says he disagrees with it.
The he makes his outrageous statement suggesting he
very much DOES agree with it.
Either way, he’s setting up this intellectual straw man
and knocking it down, which is what the right wing does all
the time, to the bafflement of normal people
everywhere.
The other objection I have has to do with his
out-of-the-blue statement “you could abort every black
baby in this country, and your crime rate would go
down.”
Why bring race into it? The book “Freakonomics” does
not mention race in any way. Why not use the word
“poor” or “urban” or “White” or “Christian”?
Why is it, in the heat of the moment, Bennett reached
into the back of his brain and pulled out “black”? Is
it because, somewhere, deep down, Bill Bennett equates
criminals with blacks and all blacks with criminals?
Was Bennett advocating aborting all black babies, like
some kind of modern-day Heinrich Himmler? Probably
not, though there are supporters of his who might.
But when asked by enterprising ABC reporter Jake
Tappper why he linked blacks and crime, according to
Tapper, “Bennett told me on the phone that race was on
his mind because of recent stories in the media about
New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.”
That’s just great.
I’m done with these people.
Bennett is useless chronic gambler who lectures other
people about morality, who has parlayed one tiny
Reagan Cabinet position into a hack career writing
about virtue and other concepts alien to him. He was
the Brownie of his day. Whatever else he is, he is
now officially an idiot and we should all devote the
remainder of our time on earth to ignoring whatever he
says.
******************************************************************
BROWNIE, YOU REALLY ARE A WEASEL, AREN’T YOU?
******************************************************************
Another one I’m done with is this character Mike
Brown. One might have a touch of sympathy for a guy
who, after all, was put in charge of an agency he knew
nothing about and had no experience in; one that the
Bush administration gutted and hated anyway; and faced
a uniquely large natural disaster; and on top of that,
has been made the scapegoat for everything from FEMA’s
natural limits to the loss national guard troops to
not breaching the levees to Bush’s cluelessness.
On the other hand, his testimony before Congress this
week stunned even Republicans with his gyrations into
total weaselness. There was no real apology, no real
acknowledgement of mistakes, no real suggestions on what to
do better.
Just remarks like this:
"My biggest mistake was not recognizing by Saturday
that Louisiana was dysfunctional.”
And this:
"I very strongly personally regret that I was unable
to persuade Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin to sit down,
get over their differences, and work together. I just
couldn't pull that off."
As the kids say, give me a break. Bear in mind, the
man was under oath. This doesn’t even pass the laugh
test. This is the equivalent of saying, “I work too
hard” in a job interview.
No one buys the image of a desperate
Brown, begging Blanco and Nagin, not to be petty, to
get along, and save all the innocent people!
Blanco & Nagin are politicians in the same state, from
the same political party, and who frequently work
together. And Brown was gonna get them to work
together!
Let’s cut to the chase. Take it away, Chris:
"I'm happy you left. That kind of look in the lights
like a deer tells me you weren't capable of doing that
job."
-- Republican Congressman Christopher Shays
******************************************************************
Another one I’m done with is this character Mike
Brown. One might have a touch of sympathy for a guy
who, after all, was put in charge of an agency he knew
nothing about and had no experience in; one that the
Bush administration gutted and hated anyway; and faced
a uniquely large natural disaster; and on top of that,
has been made the scapegoat for everything from FEMA’s
natural limits to the loss national guard troops to
not breaching the levees to Bush’s cluelessness.
On the other hand, his testimony before Congress this
week stunned even Republicans with his gyrations into
total weaselness. There was no real apology, no real
acknowledgement of mistakes, no real suggestions on what to
do better.
Just remarks like this:
"My biggest mistake was not recognizing by Saturday
that Louisiana was dysfunctional.”
And this:
"I very strongly personally regret that I was unable
to persuade Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin to sit down,
get over their differences, and work together. I just
couldn't pull that off."
As the kids say, give me a break. Bear in mind, the
man was under oath. This doesn’t even pass the laugh
test. This is the equivalent of saying, “I work too
hard” in a job interview.
No one buys the image of a desperate
Brown, begging Blanco and Nagin, not to be petty, to
get along, and save all the innocent people!
Blanco & Nagin are politicians in the same state, from
the same political party, and who frequently work
together. And Brown was gonna get them to work
together!
Let’s cut to the chase. Take it away, Chris:
"I'm happy you left. That kind of look in the lights
like a deer tells me you weren't capable of doing that
job."
-- Republican Congressman Christopher Shays
******************************************************************
INCOMPETENTS ABROAD
I’m done with Karen Hughes, too. It’s over. I mean,
this is the person we sent, out of all the Americans
we could have chosen, to go over to the Middle East
and improve the image of the U.S. So she’s been
meeting with people, nominally sympathetic, but all
they do is barrage her with questions about Iraq, and
U.S. military action, and stuff like that, and she
wants to talk about how great the U.S. is. It’s very
frustrating.
So this week she had this to say:
“I had one person at one lunch raise the issue of the
President mentioning God in his speeches. And I asked
whether he was aware that previous American presidents
have also cited God, and that our Constitution cites
“one nation under God.” He said “well, never mind”
and went on to something else. So he sort of was
trying to equate that with the terrorists’
(inaudible). So I explained that I didn’t really think
that was something you could equate. And he sort of
dropped it and moved on. He was one of the opposition
leaders in Egypt.”
Ye gods. We’ve sent a moron to improve America’s
image, and she promptly destroys it.
Look, no one is saying she has speak fluent Arabic
(although it might help) or have a thorough knowledge
of the Koran.
But for the love of god, how do you think it looks
when this Egyptian knows more about our Constiutuion
that our representative does? That “never mind,” is
purely dismissive, knowing he’s either dealing with
kook, an ignoramus, or a liar.
Now he knows how we all feel.
******************************************************************
this is the person we sent, out of all the Americans
we could have chosen, to go over to the Middle East
and improve the image of the U.S. So she’s been
meeting with people, nominally sympathetic, but all
they do is barrage her with questions about Iraq, and
U.S. military action, and stuff like that, and she
wants to talk about how great the U.S. is. It’s very
frustrating.
So this week she had this to say:
“I had one person at one lunch raise the issue of the
President mentioning God in his speeches. And I asked
whether he was aware that previous American presidents
have also cited God, and that our Constitution cites
“one nation under God.” He said “well, never mind”
and went on to something else. So he sort of was
trying to equate that with the terrorists’
(inaudible). So I explained that I didn’t really think
that was something you could equate. And he sort of
dropped it and moved on. He was one of the opposition
leaders in Egypt.”
Ye gods. We’ve sent a moron to improve America’s
image, and she promptly destroys it.
Look, no one is saying she has speak fluent Arabic
(although it might help) or have a thorough knowledge
of the Koran.
But for the love of god, how do you think it looks
when this Egyptian knows more about our Constiutuion
that our representative does? That “never mind,” is
purely dismissive, knowing he’s either dealing with
kook, an ignoramus, or a liar.
Now he knows how we all feel.
******************************************************************
IT’S MILLER TIME!
Yeah, it’s been a pretty good week for liberals.
First Tom DeLay is indicted and then Judy Miller is
freed from jail for contempt, which means she’s going
to testify, finally, before the grand jury (damm,
they’re everywhere, aren’t they?) about who in the
White House broke the law and revealed Valerie Plame’s
name.
What’s funny is the Times has been whining daily about
how unjust it is that she’s in jail, and she could
never reveal her source without the world coming to an
end.
Here’s what they wrote in August:
“As of today, Judith Miller has spent more time behind
bars to protect privileged information than any other
New York Times journalist. Reporters from other news
organizations have endured longer jail time in the
same important cause over the years, but for us and we
hope for others, it should be clear after 41 days in a
Virginia jail that Ms. Miller is not going to change
her mind. She appears unwavering in her mission to
safeguard the freedom of the press to do its job
effectively.
If she is not willing to testify after 41 days, then
she is not willing to testify. It's time for the judge
and the prosecutor to let Ms. Miller go.”
Well guess what. Judy testified TODAY.
As other bloggers have noted, there’s no good way to
spin this. She caved. They say now she finally got a
waiver from Scooter Libby.
But Libby says, it’s the same waiver her gave her A
YEAR AGO.
One blogger said of Scooter:
“I don’t have much good to say about the vice
president’s chief of staff, but I don’t doubt that he
knows the difference between being coerced and acting
on his own free will.
How deep is the Times’ contempt for its readers that they really
think they’ll buy the “Oh, Judy finally has the right waiver” line?”
******************************************************************
First Tom DeLay is indicted and then Judy Miller is
freed from jail for contempt, which means she’s going
to testify, finally, before the grand jury (damm,
they’re everywhere, aren’t they?) about who in the
White House broke the law and revealed Valerie Plame’s
name.
What’s funny is the Times has been whining daily about
how unjust it is that she’s in jail, and she could
never reveal her source without the world coming to an
end.
Here’s what they wrote in August:
“As of today, Judith Miller has spent more time behind
bars to protect privileged information than any other
New York Times journalist. Reporters from other news
organizations have endured longer jail time in the
same important cause over the years, but for us and we
hope for others, it should be clear after 41 days in a
Virginia jail that Ms. Miller is not going to change
her mind. She appears unwavering in her mission to
safeguard the freedom of the press to do its job
effectively.
If she is not willing to testify after 41 days, then
she is not willing to testify. It's time for the judge
and the prosecutor to let Ms. Miller go.”
Well guess what. Judy testified TODAY.
As other bloggers have noted, there’s no good way to
spin this. She caved. They say now she finally got a
waiver from Scooter Libby.
But Libby says, it’s the same waiver her gave her A
YEAR AGO.
One blogger said of Scooter:
“I don’t have much good to say about the vice
president’s chief of staff, but I don’t doubt that he
knows the difference between being coerced and acting
on his own free will.
How deep is the Times’ contempt for its readers that they really
think they’ll buy the “Oh, Judy finally has the right waiver” line?”
******************************************************************
THE BROTHERS BENNETT
*****************************************************************
This is pretty funny. Judith Miller’s lawyer is Bob
Bennett, Bill Bennett’s brother. So he’s on CNN
today, bening asked about Judy’s suddenly changing her
mind about selling out her confidential source. So
the reporter naturally asks about Bob and his plan to
abort all black babies.
WOLF BLITZER: “Have you discussed this issue with
him?”
BOB BENNETT:
“Well, no, and, Wolf, let me say, I am rather
disappointed at you for not telling me you would ask
me about that. This was about Judy Miller, and I think
that's a courtesy you could have extended to me. What
I would emphasize is Bill's comment that such a
position would be morally reprehensible, I think it's
largely making a mountain out of a molehill.
I mean, I suppose I'll get in trouble by saying that
it's well established that MEN ARE MORE VIOLENT THAT
WOMEN are more violent than women and so maybe if we
ABORT ALL MALE BABIES, we would have a safer world.”
Thanksgiving at that house must some kind politically
incorrect marathon.
******************************************************************
This is pretty funny. Judith Miller’s lawyer is Bob
Bennett, Bill Bennett’s brother. So he’s on CNN
today, bening asked about Judy’s suddenly changing her
mind about selling out her confidential source. So
the reporter naturally asks about Bob and his plan to
abort all black babies.
WOLF BLITZER: “Have you discussed this issue with
him?”
BOB BENNETT:
“Well, no, and, Wolf, let me say, I am rather
disappointed at you for not telling me you would ask
me about that. This was about Judy Miller, and I think
that's a courtesy you could have extended to me. What
I would emphasize is Bill's comment that such a
position would be morally reprehensible, I think it's
largely making a mountain out of a molehill.
I mean, I suppose I'll get in trouble by saying that
it's well established that MEN ARE MORE VIOLENT THAT
WOMEN are more violent than women and so maybe if we
ABORT ALL MALE BABIES, we would have a safer world.”
Thanksgiving at that house must some kind politically
incorrect marathon.
******************************************************************
THE WHEELS ARE COMING OFF THE BUS
******************************************************************
Clearly, something is happening. The modern
Republican party has become a parody of Big Spending,
War, Incompetence, Cronyism and Corruption.
Consider this exchange from Joe Scarborough, former
Republican member of Congress, on his tv show.
SCARBOROUGH: “Let me ask you this. After, what‘s it
been now, 11 years, have Republicans become what they
hate? That‘s what Americans think…”
Later...
SCARBOROUGH:
“There has been the belief for some time
that Republicans have slowly morphed into the
Democrats. Now, that‘s not coming from me. That‘s
coming from “The National Review,” that says it‘s hard
to tell the difference between the Republican Party of
2005 and the Democratic Party of 1994. I mean, that‘s
coming from other conservative sources.”
The wheels really are coming off. The spending, the
pork, the obvious corruption – it’s just embarrassing.
******************************************************************
Clearly, something is happening. The modern
Republican party has become a parody of Big Spending,
War, Incompetence, Cronyism and Corruption.
Consider this exchange from Joe Scarborough, former
Republican member of Congress, on his tv show.
SCARBOROUGH: “Let me ask you this. After, what‘s it
been now, 11 years, have Republicans become what they
hate? That‘s what Americans think…”
Later...
SCARBOROUGH:
“There has been the belief for some time
that Republicans have slowly morphed into the
Democrats. Now, that‘s not coming from me. That‘s
coming from “The National Review,” that says it‘s hard
to tell the difference between the Republican Party of
2005 and the Democratic Party of 1994. I mean, that‘s
coming from other conservative sources.”
The wheels really are coming off. The spending, the
pork, the obvious corruption – it’s just embarrassing.
******************************************************************
GOD KILLS THOUSANDS: FILM AT 11
This is also from Scarborough’s show this week:
(Note: This has been edited for length)
SCARBOROUGH: “You have said a lot of things that have
shocked a lot of people. Explain to me why you think
that Katrina was God‘s wrath.”
HANK ERWIN, ALABAMA STATE SENATOR:
“Well, I think, if you look at what‘s going on, this
whole region has always known that, with the church,
that New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are known for
sin.”
“And if you go to a church and you read your Bible,
you are always told avoid sin and that there‘s
judgment for sin. And I just think that, in my
analysis—and I can‘t speak for everybody, but I
believe that, if you look at the factors, that you had
a city that was known for sin—the signature of New
Orleans is the French Quarter, Bourbon Street. It is
known for sin. And you have a Bible that says God
will judge sin, you can put two and two together and
say, it may not be the judgment of God, but it sure
looks like the footprint.”
So, I just told my friends, in an opinion, I think it
could be the judgment of God on the Gulf Coast and on
New Orleans. And I would urge the good folks that are
the innocent victims to rally and rebuild that city
and get a new signature.”
SCARBOROUGH:
“I have got to ask you this, Senator. I was on the
ground in Mississippi. We certainly saw the pictures
out of Louisiana. I saw young children, 15-month-old
babies, who were suffering. I saw, in New Orleans,
young children. I mean, you look on TV, you see young
babies dying on the sidewalk of heat exhaustion.
Certainly, these babies aren‘t sinful, are they?
Should they be made to pay for the sins of tourists
from Florida that go over and gamble in New Orleans
and Biloxi?”
ERWIN: “Well, I think you need to understand that,
whenever—wherever sin goes, the sins of a few can
affect the innocence of many.”
SCARBOROUGH:
“But, you know, Senator—you know, Senator, though, I
mean, the thing about the New Orleans—the New Orleans
storm is that it was the French Quarter that seemed to
be spared of devastation.”
ERWIN:
“Well, I understand that, and I think the lord sent
them a message that we need to turn around or we may
have another hurricane come. And I just think the
people who have been going in there, the church people
have been going into the French Quarter for years,
appealing for the people to turn around and get back
right with God. So, I think the message needs to go
even stronger, please turn around, so we never have to
go through this again.”
Sorry for the length, but that man is a STATE SENATOR,
for pete’s sake.
(Note: This has been edited for length)
SCARBOROUGH: “You have said a lot of things that have
shocked a lot of people. Explain to me why you think
that Katrina was God‘s wrath.”
HANK ERWIN, ALABAMA STATE SENATOR:
“Well, I think, if you look at what‘s going on, this
whole region has always known that, with the church,
that New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are known for
sin.”
“And if you go to a church and you read your Bible,
you are always told avoid sin and that there‘s
judgment for sin. And I just think that, in my
analysis—and I can‘t speak for everybody, but I
believe that, if you look at the factors, that you had
a city that was known for sin—the signature of New
Orleans is the French Quarter, Bourbon Street. It is
known for sin. And you have a Bible that says God
will judge sin, you can put two and two together and
say, it may not be the judgment of God, but it sure
looks like the footprint.”
So, I just told my friends, in an opinion, I think it
could be the judgment of God on the Gulf Coast and on
New Orleans. And I would urge the good folks that are
the innocent victims to rally and rebuild that city
and get a new signature.”
SCARBOROUGH:
“I have got to ask you this, Senator. I was on the
ground in Mississippi. We certainly saw the pictures
out of Louisiana. I saw young children, 15-month-old
babies, who were suffering. I saw, in New Orleans,
young children. I mean, you look on TV, you see young
babies dying on the sidewalk of heat exhaustion.
Certainly, these babies aren‘t sinful, are they?
Should they be made to pay for the sins of tourists
from Florida that go over and gamble in New Orleans
and Biloxi?”
ERWIN: “Well, I think you need to understand that,
whenever—wherever sin goes, the sins of a few can
affect the innocence of many.”
SCARBOROUGH:
“But, you know, Senator—you know, Senator, though, I
mean, the thing about the New Orleans—the New Orleans
storm is that it was the French Quarter that seemed to
be spared of devastation.”
ERWIN:
“Well, I understand that, and I think the lord sent
them a message that we need to turn around or we may
have another hurricane come. And I just think the
people who have been going in there, the church people
have been going into the French Quarter for years,
appealing for the people to turn around and get back
right with God. So, I think the message needs to go
even stronger, please turn around, so we never have to
go through this again.”
Sorry for the length, but that man is a STATE SENATOR,
for pete’s sake.
MCLELLAN BRIEFING OF THE WEEK
******************************************************************
Q: Is the President concerned that there's a stench of
corruption around the Republican establishment in
Washington?
MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, I don't think you can make such
a broad characterization. There are some instances of
individual situations, and we'll let those -- the
legal process proceed in those instances.
Q: But he's not -- he doesn't take it as seriously as
he takes other allegations of wrongdoing?
MR. McCLELLAN:I didn't say that; you said that.
Q: He did take it seriously?
MR. McCLELLAN: There's a legal process in place to
address these matters.
Q Does he still have confidence in Leader DeLay? And
what does he think the impact of this will be on his
agenda?
MR. McCLELLAN: I just expressed his views. Again, the
President considers him a good ally and a friend who
we have worked with very closely to get things done
for the American people.
Q: Does he still have confidence in him?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q: Does he still have confidence in him?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Leader DeLay is going to work to
address this issue. He has put out a statement by his
office. I think our views are very clear, in terms of
our relationship with the Congressman.”
Q: Is the President concerned that there's a stench of
corruption around the Republican establishment in
Washington?
MR. McCLELLAN: Terry, I don't think you can make such
a broad characterization. There are some instances of
individual situations, and we'll let those -- the
legal process proceed in those instances.
Q: But he's not -- he doesn't take it as seriously as
he takes other allegations of wrongdoing?
MR. McCLELLAN:I didn't say that; you said that.
Q: He did take it seriously?
MR. McCLELLAN: There's a legal process in place to
address these matters.
Q Does he still have confidence in Leader DeLay? And
what does he think the impact of this will be on his
agenda?
MR. McCLELLAN: I just expressed his views. Again, the
President considers him a good ally and a friend who
we have worked with very closely to get things done
for the American people.
Q: Does he still have confidence in him?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry?
Q: Does he still have confidence in him?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Leader DeLay is going to work to
address this issue. He has put out a statement by his
office. I think our views are very clear, in terms of
our relationship with the Congressman.”
MCLELLAN BRIEFING OF THE WEEK, PART TWO
Because once just isn’t enough:
Q: “All you say is, don't finger-point, the American
people want answers.”
MR. McCLELLAN: "That's not what I said.”
Q: “The American people want answers to what happened
and what went wrong –“
MR. McCLELLAN: “You're absolutely wrong. The American
people recognize that sometimes here in Washington,
people get all focused on the bickering and the
finger-pointing, they get into this charged
atmosphere. The President is –“
Q: “Maybe they could be focused on more than one thing
at the same time.”
MR. McCLELLAN: “The President is trying to elevate the
discourse, and we are. We're doing that, as well,
Bill. And that's what we're getting: the facts.
"As I just pointed out, there are some people that
thought things were happening initially in the
immediate aftermath of the storm that now turn out to
be not true. And we need to let the facts be gathered
and let the facts come out, and that's exactly what
we're doing.”
Q: “The facts would include what went wrong, wouldn't
they?”
Q: “All you say is, don't finger-point, the American
people want answers.”
MR. McCLELLAN: "That's not what I said.”
Q: “The American people want answers to what happened
and what went wrong –“
MR. McCLELLAN: “You're absolutely wrong. The American
people recognize that sometimes here in Washington,
people get all focused on the bickering and the
finger-pointing, they get into this charged
atmosphere. The President is –“
Q: “Maybe they could be focused on more than one thing
at the same time.”
MR. McCLELLAN: “The President is trying to elevate the
discourse, and we are. We're doing that, as well,
Bill. And that's what we're getting: the facts.
"As I just pointed out, there are some people that
thought things were happening initially in the
immediate aftermath of the storm that now turn out to
be not true. And we need to let the facts be gathered
and let the facts come out, and that's exactly what
we're doing.”
Q: “The facts would include what went wrong, wouldn't
they?”
This is Progress?
“The number of Iraqi army battalions that can fight
insurgents without U.S. and coalition help has dropped
from THREE to ONE, top U.S. generals told Congress
yesterday, adding that the security situation in Iraq
is too uncertain to predict large-scale American troop
withdrawals anytime soon.
Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who oversees U.S. forces in
Iraq, said there are fewer Iraqi battalions at "Level
1" readiness than there were a few months ago.”
******************************************************************
insurgents without U.S. and coalition help has dropped
from THREE to ONE, top U.S. generals told Congress
yesterday, adding that the security situation in Iraq
is too uncertain to predict large-scale American troop
withdrawals anytime soon.
Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who oversees U.S. forces in
Iraq, said there are fewer Iraqi battalions at "Level
1" readiness than there were a few months ago.”
******************************************************************
REMARKABLY LIKE A CIVIL WAR
If this isn't civil war, you could've fooled me.
"A senior U.S. Marine commander said Monday that
insurgents loyal to militant leader Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi had taken over at least five key western
Iraqi towns on the border with Syria and were forcing
local residents to flee."
"In an interview, Lt. Col. Julian Alford, commander of
the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines Regiment stationed
outside the western Iraqi town of al Qaim, said
insurgents in the area had been distributing flyers
they called "death letters," in which they ordered
residents of this western corner of volatile Anbar
province to leave -- or face death.
"Basically, the insurgents say if they don't leave
they will... behead them," said Alford, who took
command this month of about 1,000 Marines stationed in
the dusty desert area populated by roughly 100,000
Sunni Arabs."
******************************************************************
"A senior U.S. Marine commander said Monday that
insurgents loyal to militant leader Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi had taken over at least five key western
Iraqi towns on the border with Syria and were forcing
local residents to flee."
"In an interview, Lt. Col. Julian Alford, commander of
the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines Regiment stationed
outside the western Iraqi town of al Qaim, said
insurgents in the area had been distributing flyers
they called "death letters," in which they ordered
residents of this western corner of volatile Anbar
province to leave -- or face death.
"Basically, the insurgents say if they don't leave
they will... behead them," said Alford, who took
command this month of about 1,000 Marines stationed in
the dusty desert area populated by roughly 100,000
Sunni Arabs."
******************************************************************
Monday, September 26, 2005
Did I Say $200 Billion? I meant less. A lot less.
(Reuters) - U.S. government spending to repair Hurricane Katrina damage may turn out to be just half of early estimates, or about $100 billion, the Senate Majority Leader's chief budget aide said on Monday.
Bill Hoagland, who works for Tennessee Republican Sen. BillFrist (news, bio, voting record), also said congressional leaders would shortly ask lawmakers to find additional spending cuts to help pay for hurricane disaster aid, but added: "It's going to be tough."
At a conference on Katrina reconstruction, Hoagland said an estimate frequently cited on Capitol Hill that federal recovery costs would hit $200 billion "has no basis in analysis."
He warned that Congress, which in six days this month approved $62.3 billion in emergency aid to Gulf Coast states, should be more careful before rushing through another disaster assistance package that the White House is expected to request in October.
"The number could at the end of the day be closer to $100 billion as opposed to $200 billion," Hoagland told the conference organized by Equity International, a business development firm, and held in a Senate office building.
The rate of government spending so far was slower than anticipated, Hoagland said. So far, just $16 billion of the emergency government aid actually had been allocated, he said.
"The rate of expenditure today is not what was reported early on -- $2 billion a day -- but something like $700 million a day. So I'm not sure how fast this will go, but it does suggest that there are some restrictions on the way the money is flowing out to those who are in need," he said.
Hoagland said estimates for what would probably be the biggest chunk of federal spending -- repairs to public infrastructure -- were not in yet, partly because some areas hit by Hurricane Katrina in late August had been hit again during the weekend by Hurricane Rita.
Congressional leaders would step up efforts to find ways to pay for hurricane aid, he said. Before Hurricane Katrina, congressional leaders were hoping to make $35 billion in spending cuts over five years."
Bill Hoagland, who works for Tennessee Republican Sen. BillFrist (news, bio, voting record), also said congressional leaders would shortly ask lawmakers to find additional spending cuts to help pay for hurricane disaster aid, but added: "It's going to be tough."
At a conference on Katrina reconstruction, Hoagland said an estimate frequently cited on Capitol Hill that federal recovery costs would hit $200 billion "has no basis in analysis."
He warned that Congress, which in six days this month approved $62.3 billion in emergency aid to Gulf Coast states, should be more careful before rushing through another disaster assistance package that the White House is expected to request in October.
"The number could at the end of the day be closer to $100 billion as opposed to $200 billion," Hoagland told the conference organized by Equity International, a business development firm, and held in a Senate office building.
The rate of government spending so far was slower than anticipated, Hoagland said. So far, just $16 billion of the emergency government aid actually had been allocated, he said.
"The rate of expenditure today is not what was reported early on -- $2 billion a day -- but something like $700 million a day. So I'm not sure how fast this will go, but it does suggest that there are some restrictions on the way the money is flowing out to those who are in need," he said.
Hoagland said estimates for what would probably be the biggest chunk of federal spending -- repairs to public infrastructure -- were not in yet, partly because some areas hit by Hurricane Katrina in late August had been hit again during the weekend by Hurricane Rita.
Congressional leaders would step up efforts to find ways to pay for hurricane aid, he said. Before Hurricane Katrina, congressional leaders were hoping to make $35 billion in spending cuts over five years."
Bush Can't Get HIMSELF Adequate Body Armor
So now Bush can't even get himself proper body armor? Can we all finally agree that he doesn't have any idea what he's doing?
Would you trust your safety to this man?
"Potentially Flawed Armor Bought for President Bush, Elite Troops"
By JOHN SOLOMON, AP
WASHINGTON (Sept. 26) - Federal prosecutors are investigating whether a maker of bulletproof vests endangered lives, including President Bush's, by concealing potentially deadly flaws in the body armor sold to the government and police agencies.
A whistle-blower from the company, Second Chance Body Armor Inc., of Central Lake, Mich., testified this month that the Secret Service tested and bought some of the defective vests for the president and first lady Laura Bush.
The Pentagon also obtained the same armor for elite troops who guard generals, according to transcripts obtained by The Associated Press.
Many sales occurred well after Second Chance had been alerted that the Japanese-made Zylon synthetic material in the vests was degrading faster than expected from heat, light and moisture exposure, allowing bullets to potentially penetrate the armor, according to the whistle-blower's testimony and other company documents....
[SNIP]
By 2001, Second Chance's research chief, Aaron Westrick, was pleading unsuccessfully with his company's president to replace the vests after his own tests showed them degrading, the memos show.
"Lives and our credibility are at stake," Westrick wrote then-Second Chance president Richard Davis in a Dec. 18, 2001, memo. "We will only prevail if we do the right things and not hesitate. This issue should not be hidden for obvious safety issues and because of future litigation."
...."Second Chance customers were not alerted to the problems until September 2003 _ after a California police officer was shot to death wearing the vest and a Pennsylvania officer was seriously wounded."
..."Throughout 2001 and 2002, agencies from the Pentagon to local police bought vests from Second Chance, records show. The company now says more than 100,000 Zylon vests it sold are in question, and the government said it bought at least 40,000."
In summer 2002, company executives prepared a memo for their board of directors recommending two stark options.
"Solution 1: We continue to operate as though nothing is wrong until one of our customers is killed or wounded or Germany, Japan, Dupont or some other entity exposes the Zylon problem," the memo said.
Under a category "Downfalls" for that option, the memo warned an officer wearing one of the vests might be killed. "In the eyes of law enforcement, we will either be stupid for not knowing or greedy and uncaring for knowing and not doing anything about it," the memo said.
The second option recommended the company publish an ad "denouncing" the vests and "decline to make them" unless customers knew of the problem and still wanted them.
"...It is apparent that Toyobo was duped by Second Chance," Kent Jarrell, a U.S. spokesman for Toyobo, said Sunday. "We were shocked by the level of Second Chance's deception when their behavior was finally uncovered because of documents that surfaced in litigation and through investigation."
..."The president had Zylon Ultima armor and his wife had it, if I recollect, and they took a look at it ... I believe it was the Secret Service put the armor through some special tests and went with it, bought it," Westrick testified in a Sept. 9 transcript obtained by The Associated Press."
"...Westrick was told Bush wore Zylon-protection during the 2001 inauguration and during a 2002 event with police that his boss attended, according to legal professionals familiar with the case."
Would you trust your safety to this man?
"Potentially Flawed Armor Bought for President Bush, Elite Troops"
By JOHN SOLOMON, AP
WASHINGTON (Sept. 26) - Federal prosecutors are investigating whether a maker of bulletproof vests endangered lives, including President Bush's, by concealing potentially deadly flaws in the body armor sold to the government and police agencies.
A whistle-blower from the company, Second Chance Body Armor Inc., of Central Lake, Mich., testified this month that the Secret Service tested and bought some of the defective vests for the president and first lady Laura Bush.
The Pentagon also obtained the same armor for elite troops who guard generals, according to transcripts obtained by The Associated Press.
Many sales occurred well after Second Chance had been alerted that the Japanese-made Zylon synthetic material in the vests was degrading faster than expected from heat, light and moisture exposure, allowing bullets to potentially penetrate the armor, according to the whistle-blower's testimony and other company documents....
[SNIP]
By 2001, Second Chance's research chief, Aaron Westrick, was pleading unsuccessfully with his company's president to replace the vests after his own tests showed them degrading, the memos show.
"Lives and our credibility are at stake," Westrick wrote then-Second Chance president Richard Davis in a Dec. 18, 2001, memo. "We will only prevail if we do the right things and not hesitate. This issue should not be hidden for obvious safety issues and because of future litigation."
...."Second Chance customers were not alerted to the problems until September 2003 _ after a California police officer was shot to death wearing the vest and a Pennsylvania officer was seriously wounded."
..."Throughout 2001 and 2002, agencies from the Pentagon to local police bought vests from Second Chance, records show. The company now says more than 100,000 Zylon vests it sold are in question, and the government said it bought at least 40,000."
In summer 2002, company executives prepared a memo for their board of directors recommending two stark options.
"Solution 1: We continue to operate as though nothing is wrong until one of our customers is killed or wounded or Germany, Japan, Dupont or some other entity exposes the Zylon problem," the memo said.
Under a category "Downfalls" for that option, the memo warned an officer wearing one of the vests might be killed. "In the eyes of law enforcement, we will either be stupid for not knowing or greedy and uncaring for knowing and not doing anything about it," the memo said.
The second option recommended the company publish an ad "denouncing" the vests and "decline to make them" unless customers knew of the problem and still wanted them.
"...It is apparent that Toyobo was duped by Second Chance," Kent Jarrell, a U.S. spokesman for Toyobo, said Sunday. "We were shocked by the level of Second Chance's deception when their behavior was finally uncovered because of documents that surfaced in litigation and through investigation."
..."The president had Zylon Ultima armor and his wife had it, if I recollect, and they took a look at it ... I believe it was the Secret Service put the armor through some special tests and went with it, bought it," Westrick testified in a Sept. 9 transcript obtained by The Associated Press."
"...Westrick was told Bush wore Zylon-protection during the 2001 inauguration and during a 2002 event with police that his boss attended, according to legal professionals familiar with the case."
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Roberts Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee today approved the nomination of John Roberts as the next Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Three Democrats voted with ten Republicans for a vote of 13-5.
Five Democrats -- Senators Dianne Feinstein of California, Joseph Biden of Delaware, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Charles Schumer of New York and Dick Durbin of Ilinois voted against his nomination.
Republicans who voted yes:
Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, Utah
Sen. Charles Grassley, Iowa
Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona
Sen. Mike DeWine, Ohio
Sen. Jeff Sessions, Alabama
Sen. Lindsey Graham, S. Carolina
Sen. John Cornyn, Texas
Sen. Sam Brownback, Kansas
Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma
Democrats who voted yes:
Sen. Patrick Leahy, Vermont
Sen. Herbert Kohl, Wisconsin
Sen. Russ Feingold, Wisconsin
Democrats who voted no:
Sen. Edward Kennedy, Massachusetts
Sen. Joseph Biden, Delaware
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California
Sen. Charles Schumer, New York
Sen. Richard Durbin, Illinois
Three Democrats voted with ten Republicans for a vote of 13-5.
Five Democrats -- Senators Dianne Feinstein of California, Joseph Biden of Delaware, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, Charles Schumer of New York and Dick Durbin of Ilinois voted against his nomination.
Republicans who voted yes:
Sen. Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, Utah
Sen. Charles Grassley, Iowa
Sen. Jon Kyl, Arizona
Sen. Mike DeWine, Ohio
Sen. Jeff Sessions, Alabama
Sen. Lindsey Graham, S. Carolina
Sen. John Cornyn, Texas
Sen. Sam Brownback, Kansas
Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma
Democrats who voted yes:
Sen. Patrick Leahy, Vermont
Sen. Herbert Kohl, Wisconsin
Sen. Russ Feingold, Wisconsin
Democrats who voted no:
Sen. Edward Kennedy, Massachusetts
Sen. Joseph Biden, Delaware
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California
Sen. Charles Schumer, New York
Sen. Richard Durbin, Illinois
Friday, September 16, 2005
THAT MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE A RIDE
I got this note from the ASPCA:
“Working on a grid system, our five teams of three
rescuers each waded through waist-high, fetid water,
pulling boats loaded with equipment and supplies,
successfully avoiding injury on fallen tree limbs and
downed power lines.
This hot, sticky, frustrating day netted 25 cats, 14
dogs, one pet snake and a gentleman who been
overlooked by earlier rescuers.”
*****************************************************************
“Working on a grid system, our five teams of three
rescuers each waded through waist-high, fetid water,
pulling boats loaded with equipment and supplies,
successfully avoiding injury on fallen tree limbs and
downed power lines.
This hot, sticky, frustrating day netted 25 cats, 14
dogs, one pet snake and a gentleman who been
overlooked by earlier rescuers.”
*****************************************************************
To Bush, People are Just Props
HEY BIG SPENDER
Early estimates are that the cost of rebuilding the
Gulf Coast next year alone could more than the entire
cost of the Iraq war thus far.
Doesn’t make you feel good?
*****************************************************************
ALL PEOPLE ARE JUST PROPS TO HIM
“I am going to defend the people who are on the front
line of saving lives. Those Coast Guard kids pulling
people out of the -- out of the floods are -- did
heroic work. The first responders on the ground,
whether they be state folks or local folks, did
everything they could. There's a lot of people that
are -- have done a lot of hard work to save lives.”
-- George W. Bush
No one was attacking the Coast Guard. Bush is such a
coward, that just as when war supporters chant “you
have to support the troops,” Bush is going dodge his
terrible record from the Huricane by hiding behind the
heroism of other people.
*****************************************************************
THE WHEELS ARE COMING OFF THE BUS
"Katrina's winds have unspun the spin of the Bush
machine, particularly the crucial idea that he is a
commanding commander in chief. In the Newsweek Poll,
only 17 percent of Americans say that he deserves the
most blame for the botched early response to Katrina.
But, for the first time, less than a majority -- 49
percent -- say he has 'strong leadership qualities,'
down from 63 percent last year. That weakness, in
turn, dragged down his job-approval rating -- now at
38 percent, his lowest ever -- as well as voters'
sense of where the country is headed. By a 66-28
margin, they say they are 'dissatisfied,' by far the
gloomiest view in the Bush years, and among the worst
in recent decades."
–– Howard Fineman, Newsweek
*****************************************************************
THIS IS THE GUY THEY DIDN’T FIRE
"It was on Tuesday that the levee — may have
been overnight Monday to Tuesday — that the
levee started to break,"
-- DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff to Tim
Russert.
“The New Orleans office of the National Weather
Service issued a flash flood warning at
8:14 a.m. Monday, saying "a levee breach
occurred along the industrial canal at Tennessee
Street. 3 to 8 feet of water is expected due to
the breach."
*****************************************************************
Early estimates are that the cost of rebuilding the
Gulf Coast next year alone could more than the entire
cost of the Iraq war thus far.
Doesn’t make you feel good?
*****************************************************************
ALL PEOPLE ARE JUST PROPS TO HIM
“I am going to defend the people who are on the front
line of saving lives. Those Coast Guard kids pulling
people out of the -- out of the floods are -- did
heroic work. The first responders on the ground,
whether they be state folks or local folks, did
everything they could. There's a lot of people that
are -- have done a lot of hard work to save lives.”
-- George W. Bush
No one was attacking the Coast Guard. Bush is such a
coward, that just as when war supporters chant “you
have to support the troops,” Bush is going dodge his
terrible record from the Huricane by hiding behind the
heroism of other people.
*****************************************************************
THE WHEELS ARE COMING OFF THE BUS
"Katrina's winds have unspun the spin of the Bush
machine, particularly the crucial idea that he is a
commanding commander in chief. In the Newsweek Poll,
only 17 percent of Americans say that he deserves the
most blame for the botched early response to Katrina.
But, for the first time, less than a majority -- 49
percent -- say he has 'strong leadership qualities,'
down from 63 percent last year. That weakness, in
turn, dragged down his job-approval rating -- now at
38 percent, his lowest ever -- as well as voters'
sense of where the country is headed. By a 66-28
margin, they say they are 'dissatisfied,' by far the
gloomiest view in the Bush years, and among the worst
in recent decades."
–– Howard Fineman, Newsweek
*****************************************************************
THIS IS THE GUY THEY DIDN’T FIRE
"It was on Tuesday that the levee — may have
been overnight Monday to Tuesday — that the
levee started to break,"
-- DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff to Tim
Russert.
“The New Orleans office of the National Weather
Service issued a flash flood warning at
8:14 a.m. Monday, saying "a levee breach
occurred along the industrial canal at Tennessee
Street. 3 to 8 feet of water is expected due to
the breach."
*****************************************************************
THE WEEK IN REVIEW
FUN FACT OF THE WEEK
In the first day of his confirmation hearings, John
Roberts pledged that he understood that “It's my job
to call balls and strikes, and not to pitch."
The next day Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens
threw out the first pitch at the Chicago Cubs game at
Wrigley field.
*****************************************************************
SUPREME COURT QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Sen. Joe Biden:
“Judge Roberts' answers are "misleading."
Sen. Arlen Specter:
"The answers may be misleading but they are his
answers."
*****************************************************************
REMEMBER, YOU’RE UNDER OATH
This week, at the confirmation hearing, Senator Chuck
Schumer asked John Roberts this question:
“Let me ask you, then -- this hypothetical: And
that is that it came to our attention, Congress',
through a relatively and inexpensive, simple
process, individuals were now able to clone
certain species of animals, maybe an arroyo toad.
Didn't pass over state lines; you could somehow
do it without doing any of that. Under the
commerce clause, can Congress pass a law
banning even noncommercial cloning?”
Aren’t you glad you didn’t go to law school?
*****************************************************************
SUPREME COURT HEARING
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Which of the following occurred during John Robert’s
confirmation hearing?
(A) Roberts answered whether he thought Marbury v.
Madison was correctly decided.
(B) Joe Biden said he was jealous of Roberts’ hair.
(C) Ted Kennedy sang, “Oh, Danny Boy”.
(D) Arlen Specter reminded everyone that he invented
the Lone Gunman theory.
(E) Senator Brownback asked whether Roberts had ever
been a fetus.
(F) John Roberts’ wife fell asleep.
ANSWER: F
The others did not happen. As far as I know.
*****************************************************************
YOU CAN’T ARGUE WITH THAT
Bill O’Reilly:
“The truth of the matter is our correspondents at Fox
News can’t go out for a cup of coffee in Baghdad.”
Condi Rice:
“Bill, that’s tough. It’s tough. But what — would they
have wanted to have gone out for a cup of coffee when
Saddam Hussein was in power?”
I imagine this later exchange:
"Mr. President, you're about to leave office with the
lowest approval ratings of any President in modern
history. Iraq is in the middle of vicious civil war,
we have record defcits, gas is $5 per gallon, and our
network correspondents can't even walk the streets of
New Orleans because the city, under the temporary rule
of Halliburton, has become a disease-infested swamp of
failed casinos. What is your response?"
President Bush:
"That’s tough. It’s tough. But what — would they have
wanted to have gone out in the streets when the city
was under 20 feet of water?"
-–– January, 2009
*****************************************************************
YES, WE’RE STILL IN IRAQ
In case your mind was on other things, hundreds of
people were killed in Iraq this week. Literally.
The number of people killed by massive waves of
bombers on Wednesday ALONE has risen to 150, and
hundreds more were injured.
It was the worst one day toll since the fall of Saddam
in 2003.
*****************************************************************
In the first day of his confirmation hearings, John
Roberts pledged that he understood that “It's my job
to call balls and strikes, and not to pitch."
The next day Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens
threw out the first pitch at the Chicago Cubs game at
Wrigley field.
*****************************************************************
SUPREME COURT QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Sen. Joe Biden:
“Judge Roberts' answers are "misleading."
Sen. Arlen Specter:
"The answers may be misleading but they are his
answers."
*****************************************************************
REMEMBER, YOU’RE UNDER OATH
This week, at the confirmation hearing, Senator Chuck
Schumer asked John Roberts this question:
“Let me ask you, then -- this hypothetical: And
that is that it came to our attention, Congress',
through a relatively and inexpensive, simple
process, individuals were now able to clone
certain species of animals, maybe an arroyo toad.
Didn't pass over state lines; you could somehow
do it without doing any of that. Under the
commerce clause, can Congress pass a law
banning even noncommercial cloning?”
Aren’t you glad you didn’t go to law school?
*****************************************************************
SUPREME COURT HEARING
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Which of the following occurred during John Robert’s
confirmation hearing?
(A) Roberts answered whether he thought Marbury v.
Madison was correctly decided.
(B) Joe Biden said he was jealous of Roberts’ hair.
(C) Ted Kennedy sang, “Oh, Danny Boy”.
(D) Arlen Specter reminded everyone that he invented
the Lone Gunman theory.
(E) Senator Brownback asked whether Roberts had ever
been a fetus.
(F) John Roberts’ wife fell asleep.
ANSWER: F
The others did not happen. As far as I know.
*****************************************************************
YOU CAN’T ARGUE WITH THAT
Bill O’Reilly:
“The truth of the matter is our correspondents at Fox
News can’t go out for a cup of coffee in Baghdad.”
Condi Rice:
“Bill, that’s tough. It’s tough. But what — would they
have wanted to have gone out for a cup of coffee when
Saddam Hussein was in power?”
I imagine this later exchange:
"Mr. President, you're about to leave office with the
lowest approval ratings of any President in modern
history. Iraq is in the middle of vicious civil war,
we have record defcits, gas is $5 per gallon, and our
network correspondents can't even walk the streets of
New Orleans because the city, under the temporary rule
of Halliburton, has become a disease-infested swamp of
failed casinos. What is your response?"
President Bush:
"That’s tough. It’s tough. But what — would they have
wanted to have gone out in the streets when the city
was under 20 feet of water?"
-–– January, 2009
*****************************************************************
YES, WE’RE STILL IN IRAQ
In case your mind was on other things, hundreds of
people were killed in Iraq this week. Literally.
The number of people killed by massive waves of
bombers on Wednesday ALONE has risen to 150, and
hundreds more were injured.
It was the worst one day toll since the fall of Saddam
in 2003.
*****************************************************************
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