truth addicts

What is wrong with this picture

2005-10-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

With the tragedy of both hurricane Rita and Kathrine there is need for federal money to help those displaced. As excepted rightwing hacks in the press and on Capitol Hill are complaining that to much federal money will be spent in the relief effort. I have seen figures of 200 billion dollars or more and these people think that it is to much. However they have no problem with federal money being used to blow up people around the world. When it comes to war spending the sky is the limit, but when citizens need help its to much money. What the fuck is wrong with this country? How in the hell can these vultures sleep at night when thier priority's are so far out of whack. I can only hope that a new flu will surface, an incurable flu that is instantly fatal and only affects the top one percent and there offspring.

How are you blogasphere?

2005-10-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

I have been absent for a while but now I'm back. I think I got all the bullshit spam off of here, if you see some let me know.

Well there has been a lot of crazy shit going on in the world of politics and starting tomorrow I will start posting two angry foul mouthed liberal opinions a day for your mind fucking enjoyment. Until then wake up and smell the conservative stench they are destroying are country. What are we going to do about it?

Hello you spaming bastards

2005-10-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

Don't spam my blog I don't give a fuck about bad credit, stocks, or bankruptcy.

Hello, be back soon

2005-08-04T09:52:00.000-07:00

Hi there

thanks for your encouraging comments Anon., Chet, and Trudging. However what's with the love letters between Stormtrooper and Superman. I realize I have not been taking good care of my blog. But please keep your weird Jesus conversations confined to yourselves. Maybe even look into the archives of this blog to find out how the author of this blog feels about Jesus. Thanks for visiting, but please keep Jesus out of it.

Taking a Break

2005-04-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

Hi there everyone. Sorry that I have not been posting for your viewing pleasure or displeasure. However I have to make some money sometimes too, I got bills to pay. So check back in a week or two and I should be back to normal. You could always throw some money in the donate bin, then I can sit at this keyboard all day and all night. Well, check back later. Until then stay safe and stay informed.

Lobbyists spend 13 billion over past three years

2005-04-08T10:17:00.000-07:00

O.K. so how many of you out there believe that the people in Washington are looking out for you? Well how many of you had a hand in giving up 13 billion dollars to get your issues addressed?

From the Inter Press Service Agency

" WASHINGTON, Apr 7 (IPS) - Special interest groups and lobbyists in Washington spent a whopping 13 billion dollars to influence decisions made by the White House, Congress and other U.S. federal agencies over the past eight years, a watchdog group said Thursday.

The Washington-based Centre for Public Integrity said in a report that the money spent by lobbyists to entertain lawmakers at posh restaurants and throw fancy parties, among other tactics, had exceeded total financing for political campaigning.

Our report reveals that each year since 1998 the amount spent to influence federal lawmakers is double the amount of money spent to elect them, Roberta Baskin, executive director of the Center for Public Integrity, told reporters on Thursday.

Today, federal lobbying is an industry in its own right, she said.

Lobbying firms that work for entities fighting for a slice of the 2.5-trillion-dollar annual federal budget also hired 2,000 former officials -- including 250 former members of Congress and agency heads -- to pressure the government on issues ranging from abortion, taxation, and highway construction to foreign policy and trade. "

more

DeLay paid Wife and Daughter $500,000

2005-04-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

Wow I wonder if he wants to adopt me and my family. This article is from the BBC

From the BBC article

" The Republican leader in the US House of Representatives reportedly paid his wife and daughter $500,000.

The payments appear in Federal Election Commission statements and separate records in Tom DeLay's home state of Texas, says the New York Times.

While other Congress members employ relatives, these payments - via political committees - are reported to be particularly generous.

Mr DeLay's aides said the women had played a valuable role.

The Times says payments to his wife, Christine, and his daughter, Dani DeLay Ferro, were described in the disclosure forms as "fund-raising fees," "campaign management" or "payroll," with no further information about how they earned the money. "

more

View towards Bush and Congress slipping according to poll

2005-04-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

This article from ABCNews shows that people are getting sick of Bush but not nearly as much as a Republican Congress.

From the ABCNews article

" President Bush's standing with the public is slumping just three months into his final term, but Americans have an even lower regard for the job being done by Congress. Bush's job approval is at 44 percent, with 54 percent disapproving. Only 37 percent have a favorable opinion of the work being done by the Republican-controlled Congress, according to an AP-Ipsos poll.

Bush's job approval was at 49 percent in January, while Congress was at 41 percent.

"This is a pretty sour spring," said Karlyn Bowman, a public opinion analyst at the conservative-leaning American Enterprise Institute. "People are not very impressed by what Bush is doing or by what Congress is doing Democrats or Republicans."

also from article

" Republicans in Congress and the president moved quickly during the Easter recess to approve legislation intended to prolong the life of Schiavo, the brain-damaged Florida woman who died after her feeding tube was disconnected.

The number supporting Bush's handling of some domestic issues dipped between March and April, to 42 percent for the economy and 38 percent for issues like education and health care, according to the poll conducted for The Associated Press by Ipsos-Public Affairs.

Support for the president's approach to his top domestic priority, Social Security, remained at 36 percent, while 58 percent oppose it. "

more

Nobel laureate in economics, Joseph E. Stiglitz on how Democracy starts at home

2005-04-06T18:05:00.000-07:00

I found this at TomPaine.com. It is a very interesting opinion piece from a professor at Colombia University.

From Democracy Starts At Home at TomPaine.com.

" The Bush administration has put expansion of democracy at the center of its foreign policy. This is a far nobler calling than simply expanding American hegemony. The question is, does Bush really mean it, and does he genuinely understand what democracy means?

The Bush administration praised Saudi Arabia's municipal elections, but what about the rights of women,including their voting rights? It welcomed (if it did not actively participate in) the toppling of Venezuela's democratically elected leader, but it continues to support Pakistan's military dictator. It criticizes Russian President Vladimir Putin, but only after he goes against business interests. And it may raise concerns about media concentration in Russia, but remains silent about media concentration in Italy.

There is a taint of hypocrisy in a more fundamental sense. The Bush administration is right to emphasize the importance of elections, without which democracy is inconceivable. But democracy entails more than periodic elections, and the legitimacy of elections depends on the public's confidence in the electoral process itself. In this respect, the last two American presidential elections have hardly been models for the world. "

more

A Fish with Claws?

2005-04-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

I found this on Fish Wars on Cars and I am going to cross post it here. Thanks to Nona at FWoC for this story

Original Darwin Fish Had Claws
About 350 million years ago, some of the earliest land animals crawled on 5-toed feet along a warm tropical beach, in what is now Nova Scotia. They left footprints, which were recently discovered by surprised scientists, who had thought it took animals much longer to adapt feet suitable to land.

Creatures first dragged themselves out of the seas about 370 million years ago, but their primitive feet were adaptations of fins, with 8 toes.

The Nova Scotia footprints, though, seem to be those of amphibians and reptiles well equipped for life on dry land. Some of them may even have been able to climb trees.

Dr. Spencer G. Lucas:":"They're not just walking on stubby toes. They've got claws. They've got long, thin fingers." Evolution, he says, appears to have been moving faster than scientists suspected.

Nona Williams: "Like most religious conservatives, the Ichthus fish failed to evolve and remains legless to this day."

Get your Darwin fish car emblems from Ring of Fire Enterprises and while you're at it, get our new emblem featuring T-Rex snacking on one of those legless, unevolved fish.

DeLay in hot water over 1997 trip to Moscow

2005-04-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

This was reported today in the Washington Post.

" A six-day trip to Moscow in 1997 by then-House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) was underwritten by business interests lobbying in support of the Russian government, according to four people with firsthand knowledge of the trip arrangements.

DeLay reported that the trip was sponsored by a Washington-based nonprofit organization. But interviews with those involved in planning DeLay's trip say the expenses were covered by a mysterious company registered in the Bahamas that also paid for an intensive $440,000 lobbying campaign.

It is unclear precisely how the money was transferred from the Bahamian-registered company to the nonprofit.

The expense-paid trip by DeLay and four of his staff members cost $57,238, according to records filed by his office. During his six days in Moscow, he played golf, met with Russian church leaders and talked to Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, a friend of Russian oil and gas executives associated with the lobbying effort.

DeLay also dined with the Russian executives and two Washington-based registered lobbyists for the Bahamian-registered company, sources say. One of those lobbyists was Jack Abramoff, who is now at the center of a federal influence-peddling and corruption probe related to his representation of Indian tribes.

House members bear some responsibility to ensure that the sponsors for their travel are not masquerading for registered lobbyists or foreign government interests, legal experts say. House ethics rules bar the acceptance of travel reimbursement from registered lobbyists and foreign agents. "

more

DeLay claimed on March 18 that he was the target of a conspiracy. With all the crap DeLay has rolled in, all anyone has to do is follow the stench.

Report says Arab's see little change in the region

2005-04-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

In an article from Reuters a report that was due out before the Jan. Elections was finally released after U.S. and Egyptian governments criticized early drafts.

From the Reuters article

" In a long-awaited report contested by the United States and Egypt, Arab intellectuals and reformers said they saw no significant advances toward democracy in the Arab world in the year after October 2003.

The third Arab Human Development Report (AHDR), released on Tuesday under U.N. auspices, says most reforms were "embryonic and fragmentary" and did not amount to a serious effort to end repression in the region, which has some of the world's most authoritarian governments. "

also from the article

" "Overall, there has been no significant easing of the human development crisis in the Arab region," it said.

The most controversial parts of the report, subtitled Towards Freedom in the Arab World, describe the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory and the occupation of Iraq by the United States and its allies as violations of freedom and obstacles to human development there and in the region.

It says that the occupations gave Arab governments an excuse to postpone democratization, forced Arab reformers to divert some of their energies away from reform and strengthened extremist groups which advocate violence. "

I wonder why they didn't want this out before the elections? I also wonder if you'll see this on Fox or CNN?

Kudos to the Court

2005-04-05T12:43:00.000-07:00

The Supreme Court ruled yesterday to help protect I.R.A.'s from creditors during bankruptcy.

From a NYTimes article

" A unanimous Supreme Court on Monday ruled that federal bankruptcy law shields individual retirement accounts from creditors. The decision gives middle-income consumers, for whom an I.R.A. is often the most significant retirement asset, the same protection in bankruptcy that higher-paid workers receive for their 401(k) plans and company pensions.

Those company plans, as well as Social Security payments, were already exempt from creditors. But the federal bankruptcy code's treatment of I.R.A.'s was ambiguous enough to have resulted in much uncertainty and conflicting lower-court decisions. In Monday's opinion, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, the Supreme Court overturned a 2003 ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, in St. Louis.

The decision was a victory for an Arkansas couple who sought to shield $65,000 in their two I.R.A.'s when they filed for bankruptcy in 2001. The couple, Richard and Betty Jo Rousey, had both worked for the Northrop Grumman Corporation, which required them to take lump-sum distributions from the pension plan when they left. They rolled over the proceeds into the two I.R.A.'s.

Several years later, the Rouseys filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 7 of the bankruptcy code, in which a court-appointed trustee supervises the sale of any assets that are not exempt under the statute and distributes the proceeds to creditors. The bankruptcy court, an appellate bankruptcy panel, and the Eighth Circuit all agreed with the trustee, Jill R. Jacoway, that the Rouseys' I.R.A.'s were not exempt and were thus available to creditors. "

Way to go!

Dems finally take a stand on Gannon

2005-04-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Well this is a real long story so I think I will just link to it for ya.

The Raw Story

I do think it's about time that the Dems show some Balls on this. I do think they should screaming bloody REDRUM at the Liberal Media about why this story is not in the news. If a Dem. were in office this would be a scandal complete with 24/7 news coverage.

Another Texas Senator goes after the Judiciary

2005-04-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

This is just sick, what is wrong with these idiot Senators? And what the hell is wrong with you junk heads that think it's O.K. . Well anyway here is the article from the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post article

" "It causes a lot of people, including me, great distress to see judges use the authority that they have been given to make raw political or ideological decisions," he said. Sometimes, he said, "the Supreme Court has taken on this role as a policymaker rather than an enforcer of political decisions made by elected representatives of the people."

Cornyn continued: "I don't know if there is a cause-and-effect connection, but we have seen some recent episodes of courthouse violence in this country. . . . And I wonder whether there may be some connection between the perception in some quarters, on some occasions, where judges are making political decisions yet are unaccountable to the public, that it builds up and builds up and builds up to the point where some people engage in, engage in violence. Certainly without any justification, but a concern that I have." "

also from the article

" Ralph G. Neas, president of People for the American Way, said last night that Cornyn, "like Tom DeLay, should know better. These kinds of statements are irresponsible and could be seen by some as justifying inexcusable conduct against our courts." The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee called the senator's remarks "an astounding account of the recent spate of violence against judges, suggesting that the crimes could be attributed to the fact that judges are 'unaccountable' to the public."

In his speech, Cornyn criticized the Supreme Court's 5 to 4 decision on March 1 that said it is unconstitutional to execute people who were under 18 when they committed their crimes. "In so holding," Cornyn said, "the U.S. Supreme Court said: We are no longer going to leave this in the hands of jurors. We do not trust jurors. We are no longer going to leave this up to the elected representatives of the people of the respective states." "

So this guy is talking all this crap because he is mad that he can't send a person under 18 to the gas chamber? What the fuck is wrong with you people? Abortion is wrong but killing a 15 year old is justified? That's it you people are SICK stupid and SICK. Turn the other cheek, or something like that.

Executive Order 13303

2005-04-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of EC #13303 well neither had I until today. Thanks to Randi Rhodes of Air America for bringing up this topic and Liberal Elite from Randi's blog for the EarthRights article.

Here is the order EC#13303

According to an article from Earth Rights International

" President Bush has issued an Executive Order, so far completely unreported, that purports to grant broad legal immunity to oil companies operating in Iraq. The Order is, on its face, outrageous, and should be investigated.

Executive Order 13303, issued on May 22, 2003, claims to be essential to Iraqi reconstruction efforts. A cursory reading of the Order indicates that its real purpose is to protect oil companies by giving virtual impunity for any activities undertaken relating to Iraqi oil.

This Order, with broad language that seems to sweep aside federal statutes, including the Alien Tort Claims Act, has received no public attention. It has been brought to light by a researcher with the Sustainable Energy and Environment Network (SEEN).

Under this Order, an oil company complicit in human rights violations, or one that causes environmental damage, would be immune from lawsuits. The language of the Executive Order is so broad that it might as well have been written by lawyers for Halliburton, ExxonMobil and ChevronTexaco. "

Lt General Ricardo Sanchez authorized Tourture Techniques, according to Memo

2005-04-04T16:12:00.000-07:00

I think I understand why people hate the A.C.L.U, they make very hard to cover up wrong doing. In an article in The Independent they A.C.L.U has attained a Memo proving that Lt General Ricardo Sanchez lied under oath.

From the Independent article

" Documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) reveal that Lt General Ricardo Sanchez authorised techniques such as the use of dogs to intimidate prisoners, stress positions and disorientation. In the documents, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, Gen Sanchez admits that some of the techniques would not be tolerated by other countries.
When he appeared last year before a Congressional committee, Gen Sanchez denied authorising such techniques.

He has now been accused of perjury.

In the September 2003 memo, Gen Sanchez authorised the use of 29 techniques for interrogating prisoners being held by the US. These included stress positions, "yelling, loud music and light control" as well as the use of muzzled military dogs in order to "exploit Arab fear of dogs". Some of the most notorious photographs to emerge from the Abu Ghraib scandal showed hand-cuffed, naked Iraqi prisoners cowering from snarling dogs.

Six weeks after Gen Sanchez issued his memo, a subsequent directive banned the use of dogs and several of the other techniques following concerns raised by military lawyers. The ACLU says that at least 12 of the techniques listed in the memo went beyond the limits for interrogation listed in the US Army's field manual. "

also from the article

" When he appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee in May 2004, Gen Sanchez flatly refused approving such techniques in Iraq, and said that a news article reporting otherwise was false. "I never approved any of those measures to be used ... at any time in the last year," he said under oath. The ACLU accuses him of committing perjury and has asked the Attorney General to investigate. In a letter to Alberto Gonzales, the group said: "Gen Sanchez's testimony, given under oath before the Senate Armed Services committee, is utterly inconsistent with the written record, and deserves serious investigation. This clear breach of the public's trust is also further proof that the American people deserve the appointment of an independent special counsel by the Attorney General." "

So does anyone believe that anything will happen to Gen Sanchez? Not likely. However at least we know the truth about Abu Ghriab and that Gen. Sanchez is a LIAR just like his boss. Hey right wingers did you hear about this on Fox? How about those dirty Liberal Stations like CNN, ABC, or CBS? No. That's because there is no Liberal media you IDIOTS. One day the President is gonna say the sky is Red and all you dumb asses are look up and say "YUP!, golly look at that, it is Red, I never noticed it until Bush said something."

WAKE UP YOU CRASH TEST DUMB ASSES.

What's the Trouble Tommy Boy?

2005-04-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

A poll conducted by Zogby's in DeLay's home district shows that he maybe losing support. This is from an article in the Houston Chronicle.

From the Houston Chronicle article

" House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's footing among his constituents has slipped drastically during the past year and a majority of his district disapproves of how he handled the Terri Schiavo case, according to a Houston Chronicle poll.

Nearly 40 percent of the 501 voters questioned Wednesday through Friday said their opinion of the powerful Sugar Land Republican is less favorable than last year, compared with 11 percent who said their view of him has improved.

Half of the respondents gave DeLay a somewhat or very favorable rating.

Yet 45 percent said they would vote for someone other than DeLay if a congressional election in the 22nd District were at hand; 38 percent said they would stick with him."

also from the article

" The statistics are rife with political warning signs for DeLay, particularly among his Republican supporters, Zogby said.

Seventy-eight percent of those Republican voters said they picked DeLay in 2004, and 63 percent said they would do so again. "He hasn't lost a majority of conservatives, but he has lost enough of them to pull him down,"said Zogby, who has conducted public opinion polls since 1984. "These are not good re-election numbers."

He noted, however, that DeLay still has a year and a half before he has to seek re-election.

The poll findings come as the tough-as-nails DeLay slogs through one of the roughest years of his two decades on Capitol Hill.

He was admonished three times by the House ethics committee, questions have been raised about the financial backing for some of his overseas trips, and Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle, a Democrat, is investigating the political fund-raising tactics of a political action committee DeLay helped set up. "

According to the article Tom's ethics problems and interference with Schiavo case are likely factors for the down turn.

Can you say BACKFIRE? I knew you could.

Hey Ladies, your Number One!

2005-04-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

Let me explain according to a Christian Science Monitor article Women will be affected the most by the new Bankruptcy Bill guidelines. Yes Women of America the government and credit companies think your number one with a middle finger flipping you the bird.

From the CSM article

" "Make no mistake, the new bankruptcy bill will fall hardest on women," says Elizabeth Warren, a professor at Harvard Law School and coauthor of "All Your Worth: The Ultimate Lifetime Money Plan."

Even without the reform, more than 1 million women will find themselves in bankruptcy court this year, outnumbering men by about 150,000, if past trends hold, says Jill Miller, chief executive officer of Women Work! in Washington, D.C. "

also form the article

" Single mothers, who often work in low-wage jobs, are 50 percent more likely to file for bankruptcy than married parents, and three times more likely than childless couples, says Ms. Miller.

One divorced mother in suburban Chicago has refinanced her house eight times in 12 years and still owes $25,000 in credit-card debt, says Catherine Williams, vice president of Money Management International, a credit-counseling service in Houston.

About half of that debt, Ms. Williams says, is an accumulation of day-to-day expenses: "Johnny sits on his glasses, Susie loses her coat, and the price of gas goes up." Other expenses involve vacations and what Williams calls "compensation spending" to make up for the divorce.

"If she didn't have the equity in the house, she probably would have been bankrupt," Williams says. "

also from the article

" Under current laws, noncustodial parents who file for bankruptcy cannot discharge their child support and alimony. Under the proposed new law, Miller says, they still can't discharge those debts, but there's a difference. Claims to back child support and alimony would be on equal footing with the claims of credit-card companies. In some cases, "mothers will be coming in after other creditors have received their payment," Miller says. "It's absolutely terrible." "

There are still more joint filings than single women filing, and there are more women in the country I believe. That however is not important what's important is that Rich people can weasel there way out of bankruptcy and the rest of us have to take it in the rear. Lucky for me I am not a Women, I do worry about my daughters though. Guess it's time to start teaching them now about money management.

Much Ado about Nothing

2005-04-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Take a look at how The Independent in the U.K. sees this whole "Minute Man Project" thing.

From the Independent article

" They Touted themselves as fearless patriots standing up for the defence of the homeland. Their enemies painted them as dangerous vigilantes who threatened to create a bloodbath on the US-Mexican border. In the end, the so-called Minuteman Project a private, month-long initiative to patrol the southern Arizona border and fend off illegal immigrants has turned out to be little more than an April Fool's joke.

The 1,000 people promised by the Minuteman Project's organisers ended up at just 480, the organisation said. Reporters who attended their inaugural rallies outside two Border Patrol stations in Cochise County, south of Tucson, said there were 150. "

also from the article

" As Ray Borne, the mayor of the border town of Douglas, told reporters: "This is a monster created by the media. But by Tuesday it's going to fizzle out."

Cochise County has been the scene of clashes over immigration before, with a rash of shootings of Mexicans causing outrage three years ago.

The Minuteman Project was the brainchild of a retired accountant from southern California, teaming up with a local anti-immigration activist called Chris Simcox.

Mr Simcox has a record of talking more loudly than his actions would warrant. In 2002, he founded a group called Civil Homeland Defence in Tombstone and told the media he was training 600 volunteers to patrol the border. Only a handful showed up. "

I am not sure why they didn't include James Gilchrist's name, he is accountant from So Cal., but I find it interesting that the Media in the states has down played the turn out. From what I have seen on the News its mostly seniors. I never believed the hype about a boarder War, I did however figure there would of been a bigger turn from the Skin Head type folks out there. Thank Goodness for small favors.

All in all if there are no incidents I think there is no problem with retired Americans helping to stem the tide of illegal immigration. It kind of a win/win the heat will be good for there arthritis and the Boarder Patrol can spend more time at the Coffee Shop. The people crossing the boarder are not the problem though. The problem is that all of those folks who went down to Tombstone stopped a Wal Mart on their way down. Wal Mart and other corporations give lots of money to politician's on both sides of the boarder to keep the boarders open.

Hey Right Wing, Newsflash, You Were Lied To.

2005-04-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

I found this story about the main Iraqi defector who went by the name Curveball that made up the administrations causes for going to War. Well as it turns out he was a drunk, a cousin to an aid of Ahmed Chalabi, and the C.I.A. never even met him. This story was from The Observer by way of the Guardian online.

From the The Observer article

" According to a US presidential commission looking into pre-war intelligence failures, the basis for pivotal intelligence on Iraq's alleged biological weapons programmes and fleet of mobile labs was a spy described as 'crazy' by his intelligence handlers and a 'congenital liar' by his friends.

According to the report, the failure of US spy agencies to scrutinise his claims are the 'primary reason' that they 'fundamentally misjudged the status of Iraq's [biological weapons] programs'. The catalogue of failures and the gullibility of US intelligence make for darkly comic reading, even by the standards of failure detailed in previous investigations. Of all the disproven pre-war weapons claims, from aluminium centrifuge tubes to yellow cake uranium from Niger, none points to greater levels of incompetence than those found within the misadventures of Curveball. "

also from the article

" Between January 2000 and September 2001, Curveball offered 100 reports, among them the claims of mobile biological weapons labs that were central in the US evidence of an illicit weapons programme, but subsequently turned out to be trucks equipped with machinery to make helium for weather balloons.

In the aftermath of the US-led invasion, Iraqis whom Curveball claimed were co-workers in Saddam's alleged biological weapons programme did not know who he was. He claimed he'd witnessed a deadly biological weapons accident when he was not even in Iraq when it was meant to have happened. After September 2001, his claims were given greater credibility despite the fact that he was not in Iraq at the time he claimed to have taken part in illicit weapons work. His information was central to an October 2002 National Intelligence Estimate that concluded Iraq 'has' biological weapons, and was widely used by President Bush and Dick Cheney to make their case for war. "

also from the article

"In May 2000 doubts about his credibility surfaced when he was examined for signs that he had been exposed to biological agents. While the results were inconclusive, a US official was surprised to find Curveball had a hangover and said he 'might be an alcoholic.'

By early 2001, the Germans were having doubts of their own, telling the CIA their spy was 'out of control'.

But warnings were dismissed. Intelligence analysts who voiced concern were 'forced to leave' the unit mainly responsible for analysing his claims, the commission found. At every turn analysts were blocked by spy chiefs and their warning never passed on to policy-makers. "

So come on people. Are you really so stupid that you think that the Bush administration had no idea that they were so full of shit. Why don't you people wake up and smell what your shoveling.

What I find most interesting is that Papa Bush hasn't come out to defend his beloved C.I.A.. He went after the N.R.A for calling them and the A.T.F. jack booted thugs, but for some reason he is silent when they are being called inept, liars, useless, and out dated.

Funny don't you think?

This is Wrong

2005-04-03T08:01:00.000-07:00

So there is a lot of resentment at the ACLU, because people believe that they want to destroy religion. Well I could post numerous examples of where they helped religions fight against the state. Instead I will present to you a resent case where congress has approved a job training bill that removed a 25 year old provision that prevented federally funded religious organizations from using religious litmus tests in employment decisions. This Republican controlled Congress removed this provision that was added years ago by a Republican controlled Senate. I don't remember this being in the news. I found it on the ACLU website

From a press release on the ACLU website

" "In its current form, the Jobs Training bill would erode key civil rights protections against government-funded religious discrimination," said Terri Ann Schroeder, an ACLU senior lobbyist. "Members failed to restore key civil rights protections. The House has shown that it is more concerned about advancing a political agenda than ensuring that qualified people are not dismissed from publicly funded programs for their religious beliefs."

The bill, the Job Training Improvement Act (H.R. 27) would allow religious organizations that receive federal funds from the Workforce Investment Act's job-training programs to discriminate against their employees based upon religion. It would repeal current law, which states that all recipients of federal money for job-training programs must not discriminate on the basis of religion or religious beliefs. "

also from the website

" The ACLU pointed to a lawsuit that filed recently by Americans United for Separation of Church and the ACLU of Pennsylvania as an example of the need for strong civil rights protections. The said that Bradford County and a self-proclaimed "prison ministry" are violating the Constitution by using government funding to advocate religion. The county and the ministry operate a vocational training program for inmates in which a significant proportion of inmates" time is spent on compulsory religious discussions, religious lectures and prayer, rather than on learning job skills. The complaint also alleges that program administrators discriminate in hiring workers based on their religious beliefs and affiliation.

"The Scott amendment would have protected Americans against government-funded religious discrimination," Schroeder added. "These protections, supported by both civil rights and religious groups, were put in place years ago to ensure that publicly funded religious groups comply with the same civil rights laws that apply to everyone else using federal dollars." "

So what the Hell is wrong with religious groups having to follow the same rules as anyone else taking Federal Money. This is America that's the way it goes. They shouldn't get any money at all they don't pay taxes so they should get no tax money. However they get the Money and know they maybe able to use religion to decide who to help. That's nonsense there is know way to defend this. The Congress has been infected by a disease called the "right wing" slowly they want to erode the separation of church and state even when it means cutting out provisions that were added by Republicans. Where have the real Conservative Republicans gone?

If you are a right winger and want to try and defend this, don't bother you dumb jackass. I don't care what you say, YOU ARE WRONG. Anyone who thinks it is O.K. for a tax exempt group to be allowed to accept our tax money and then discriminate against people when the use it, is one of two things. You are as brain dead as Terri Schivao or as stupid as Lenny from "For Mice and Men". I know you haven't read the book so lucky you "Evil Hollywood" made the story into a movie for you go rent it.

Why are we giving them money anyway they collect alms for the rich fucks who drive Big Cars and live in Big Houses. OHH!!! That's why they need tax dollars. They spend all the money you give up to help the poor and less fortunate on there lavish life styles. So there again we have a case of the people being helped by the State disguised as help from Church.

STOP RELIGIOUS WELFARE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

The Weekly Questions

2005-04-02T09:31:00.000-08:00

Why do people who believe in God and Heaven and all that, so afraid to let people die?

Could it be that they are sure there is a Hell, but not as certain that Heaven is real?

Terri was baptized right?

So then why not let her go to be in paradise?

If you want to submit a question for next week email it to

Minuteman76_9@yahoo.com

Nepotism alive and well in Bush Administration

2005-04-01T14:47:00.000-08:00

Here is a down right case of Nepotism if nothing else.

From an article in the Washington Post .

" Philip J. Perry, who is married to Cheney daughter Elizabeth Cheney Perry, is a partner at the Washington law office of Latham & Watkins, and has represented Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin Corp. In dealing with the department.

In Bush's first term in office, Perry was general counsel to the White House Office of Management and Budget, where he helped draft the 2002 legislation that created the Department of Homeland Security. "

also from the article

" Lobby registration documents he filed with Congress state that he helped the firm secure liability protection from lawsuits prompted by terrorist attacks, under the 2002 SAFETY Act. The department granted the liability protection in June, making the firm one of only about eight whose products have been certified for coverage.

Among Perry's other clients in the last two years were private prison firm Corrections Corp. Of America and hospital proprietor HCA Corp., but he did not represent them on any work with Homeland Security, the congressional filings said. "

It might not be that big of a deal that the new nominee for Homeland Security general counsel is Cheney's Son-in-Law. However it might be a problem that he as been a lobbyist for some of the Companies with contracts in the agency. Or maybe someone with ties to the private prison industry should be involved with Homeland Security. Maybe there was no one else who was qualified for the job?

A.I.G. Admits 1.7 billion in improper accounting.

2005-04-01T07:57:00.000-08:00

In regular robbery cases the person convicted of the crime has to pay back what they took from there victim it's call restitution. I wonder have any of the rich bastards that ripped off stock holders in the Enron scandal have had to pay it back. I wonder if the Big Wig's at A.I.G will have to pay back the 1.7 billion. This story is from the Christian Science Monitor.

From the CSM article

" American business is facing yet another major scandal involving more accounting shenanigans.

But, this scandal has the potential to cause tsunami-sized damage: It involves a highly respected insurance company, American International Group (AIG) - which is part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average - which has now admitted to $1.7 billion in improper accounting. And, it has enveloped some legends in the financial arena: Maurice "Hank" Greenberg, forced out as chairman of AIG, and Warren Buffet, the Omaha stock market guru, who will be questioned about his possible involvement. "

also from the article

" The scandal links two of the world's richest men. According to Forbes Magazine, Buffet is the world's second-richest person with assets of $41 billion. Greenberg is ranked 132 in the world and 59th in the US with assets of $3.1 billion. Recently, two of Greenberg's sons, both executives in the insurance business, have also been tarnished by scandal.

Greenberg is well-known in Washington where he known for raising large amounts of money. Greenberg was one of the President Bush's "Rangers" which means he personally raked in more than $200,000 for the reelection campaign. At the same time, he is also known for his access to members of the cabinet and Congress. This access has paid-off as the administration has often supported Greenberg on a number of issues ranging from access to China to terrorism insurance. "

This is disgusting and deplorable there are people in this country that are homeless even though they work. People have no health insurance. Kids go to bed hungry. All the while the Rich get richer and when they break the rules nothing happens. Why is it O.K. for the ultra wealthy to miss place 1.7 billion dollars? Why do poor people in the Red States continue to believe the rhetoric of the Right Wing that say unrestricted corporations are what's best for society?

Here is a link to a site called Liberalism Resurgent. I am also linking two specific pages.

Government Success Stories

Free-Market Failures

Yes it's biased so what you've been getting right wing bias info shoved down your throat for years.

Judge appointed by the First George Bush, calls Bush and Congress's actions unconstitutional

2005-03-31T13:12:00.000-08:00

In a report in the New York Times a conservative Federal Judge censures Bush and Congress.

From the NYTimes article

" A federal appeals court in Atlanta refused Wednesday to reconsider the case of Terri Schiavo, with one of the judges rebuking President Bush and Congress for acting "in a manner demonstrably at odds with our founding fathers' blueprint for the governance of a free people." "

also from the article

" The 11th Circuit court's decision, signed by Chief Judge J. L. Edmondson, was only a sentence long. But in a concurring opinion, Judge Stanley F. Birch Jr., appointed by the first President Bush in 1990, wrote that federal courts had no jurisdiction in the case and that the law enacted by Congress and President Bush allowing the Schindlers to seek a federal court review was unconstitutional. "

Here is a link to the entire opinion. It's thirty pages long so grab a beer and some chips.

DeLay wants Judges heads to roll, good luck Monkey Boy

2005-03-31T12:17:00.000-08:00

In yet another attempt to make people forget his ethical indiscretions Tom DeLay actually thinks that people in this country, 70% of which think Congress and Bush had no right to get involved, will help him to remove Judges he doesn't agree with. In a statement released a half an hour ago the Hammer made it clear that these Judges will be dealt with.

From U. S. Newswire

" SUGAR LAND, Texas, March 31 /U.S. Newswire/ -- House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) today released the following statement mourning the passing of Terri Schiavo:

"Mrs. Schiavo's death is a moral poverty and a legal tragedy. This loss happened because our legal system did not protect the people who need protection most, and that will change. The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior, but not today. Today we grieve, we pray, and we hope to God this fate never befalls another. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Schindlers and with Terri Schiavo's friends in this time of deep sorrow." "

This guy is so out of touch with reality it's funny. Hey Tom guess what buddy you are on your way out the door and if your lucky you won't end up getting HAMMERED in a Federal Prison. America has finally seen how crazy you and your neo-con buddies are and they are disgusted by it. Have you seen the Presidents approval rating lately.

Misplaced Anger and Last Resort make for volatile mix

2005-03-31T11:40:00.000-08:00

an opinion by truthaddict

Don't get me wrong we need to stop Terrorism and illegal immigration is a problem, but a bunch of Crazy redneck idiots like Gilchrist's Minuteman Project can only end up causing more harm than good. They have misplaced anger at migrants coming over the border and a justified worry that terrorists maybe coming across a porous boarder.

The Mexican Government and U.S. corporations are the one's to blame for the influx of migrants. They push people off of there private land to build factories or plants, then employ a few locals for almost nothing and encourage others to risk there lives to leave there loved ones and come up to America to find work.

This is not the fault of the migrants, they have no choice but to come here. On top of that American corporations want them to come here in order to keep wages down here. This needs to stop. The elite class of Mexico needs an attitude adjustment along with the NAFTA and WTO systems.

As far as Terrorists go we do need to prevent them from entering the country however we also need to stop protecting there right to buy and own guns under the guise of Second Amendment protections. People whine about how human rights groups protect the rights of Terrorists not to be tortured but ignore the fact that these potential dangers are arming themselves.

The time has come to shift the focus on terrorism from one of " They hate our Freedoms" to what the real problem is. America has flexed it's military muscle all over the world. Some of those countries are not in favor of our meddling.

Our government and media tell you they hate us because they hate our freedoms, and we must crush them with that very freedom in order to bring peace. The Terrorists say that as long as America spreads itself through the Arab world that we will never know peace. So who is lying I don't know about you but this administration has been caught in more lies than a " Crooked Sheriff " and I am inclined to believe that if the terrorists say a new approach by America to the Middle East will keep America safe I say it's time to leave the Arab's to there own devices.

Bush's New School Medicine Show devoid of Free Speech

2005-03-31T10:44:00.000-08:00

It is not that I find anything interesting about the fact that people would be kicked out of an event in favor of Bush's Social Security plan for disagreeing. What bothers me about this story from the Washington Post is that these Town meeting are being paid for with tax dollars. Until the day that I get to pick and choose where my taxes go. The man who is represent all of the citizens in this country has no right to use my tax money and then not allow anyone and everyone who has a ticket into these new school medicine show Bush passes of as being Town Meetings.

From the Washington Post article

" Three Denver residents yesterday charged that they were forcibly removed from one of President Bush's town meetings on Social Security because they displayed a bumper sticker on their car condemning the administration's Middle East policies.

The three, all self-described progressives who oppose Bush's Social Security plan, said an unidentified official at an event in Denver last week forced them to leave before the president started to speak, even though they had done nothing disruptive, said their attorney, Dan Recht. "

also from the article

" Scott McClellan, Bush's press secretary, said it was a volunteer who asked them to leave "out of concern they might try to disrupt the event." He said the White House welcomes a variety of voices into events but discourages people from coming to heckle the president or disrupt town hall forums. "If someone is coming to try to disrupt it, then obviously that person would be asked to leave," he said. "There is plenty of opportunity outside of the event to express their views." "

Bullshit Scott this is America and people who interrupt town hall meetings are not only part of the landscape, but are all of the fun of the local political seen. People all over the country know of at least one wild eyed crazy wacko that makes Town Hall Meetings and City Council Meetings entertaining to say the least. These three people have the right to be there and to disrupt, which they had not, simply because they are American Citizens.

All that Glitters, sometimes smells like Hell

2005-03-30T20:40:00.000-08:00

The rosy picture that is painted in the main stream media, about the wildfire that is Democracy spreading itself across the Middle East may not be as pink as we thought. There appears to be a vein of Anti American sentiment. According to a Christian Science Monitor article titled New Arab rallying cry: 'Enough' by Dan Murphy the administration's goal of improving Americas hold in the region may be a lofty one.

From the CSM article

" In Lebanon, largely pro-Western demonstrators saying enough to the Syrian occupation of their country have been met by demonstrators led by Hizbullah, saying enough to what they view as US meddling in Lebanese politics.

In Bahrain last week, the largest protests in memory saw the country's politically disenfranchised Shiite majority saying enough to pro-American King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa's policies. And in Cairo Wednesday the chants included "Enough to Mubarak, Enough to Bush, Enough to Blair,'' along with "We will not be ruled by the CIA" and "Down with the White House." "

also from the article

" "There seems to be this assumption that if you're pro-democracy then you're pro-US foreign policy, and that's incredibly misleading,'' says Marc Lynch, a political scientist and expert on the Middle East at Williams College in Massachusetts. "

this idea is backed by an Egyptian Women

" As a secular and modern Egyptian democrat, Jihan Shabaan is the very image of the Middle Eastern citizens President Bush hopes will take to the streets and demand the freedom. "

also from the article

" But for Ms. Shabaan and most of her colleagues in the movement, "enough" doesn't apply to President Mubarak alone. She expects a democratic Egypt would distance itself from the US, a long-time ally, and hit out at what she calls decades of "hypocritical" US policy in the Middle East.

"If things really change here, America's illusions that its interests in the region would be advanced by democracy will be laid bare,'' she says. "A real democratic government in Egypt would be strongly against the US occupation of Iraq and regional US policies, particularly over Palestine. We are strongly against US influence."

Despite apparently genuine sentiment, Kifaya organizers say there's also practical reasons to make the distance from the US clear. The government has tried to paint democracy activists as foreign puppets in the past, alleging they take foreign money. "The regime are the ones taking American money. But they always accuse us of having foreign money whenever there are calls for democracy," says Shabaan. "

So the can of worms has been ripped open. I for one think it's great to hear. If Bush's push for American Democracy in the Middle East actually produces true Democracy in the region than good. The irony of Bush and friends being the demise of American Imperialism is just unbearably funny.

I stand with the true Democracy movement in the Middle East and say "KIFAYA".

Stand for your freedom and buck the yoke of elite oppression. Break the bonds of foreign meddling in your fate. The only way for there to be Peace is if all people are free to choose there own path without the interference, unless of course asked for as was the case in the aftermath of the first Iraqi invasion when we backed out and allowed Saddam to crush the resistance.

There is no way to impose FREEDOM on anyone. When people are ready you can help them, but forcing people to freedom will only produce tyranny.

You Never Can Tell

2005-03-30T14:03:00.000-08:00

The Boy Scouts Of America don't like gays, because they are trying to foster a wholesome environment for young men. However they seemed to have let a real dirt ball slip through the cracks. In a New York Times report Douglas Sovereign Smith Jr. The longtime program director of the Boy Scouts of America as well as chairman of its Youth Protection Task Force pleaded guilty to possession and distribution of child pornography. Now God knows that this is bad enough however people are trying to make it seem not so bad.

From the NYTimes

" He entered his plea today without making a deal with prosecutors. "He's willing to accept responsibility. ... Obviously, he wanted to get this behind him," the Assistant United States Attorney, Bret Helmer, said, according to The Associated Press. "

oh good he wants to take responsibility.

also from the article

" Mr. Smith, program director since 1996 and a scouting official for 39 years, did not respond to a message left on his telephone in Colleyville, near Fort Worth, on Tuesday. His lawyer, Jack Strickland, also did not return calls but told the A.P. on Tuesday: "He's not taking this well. I've got to tell you, this is a good man and I would hate to see the entirety of his life and the good things he's done defined by one incident." "

So this is one incident. What a bunch of bullshit. This is one incident where he got caught. It is unbelievable the way White Men with Money are always in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or when ever they get in trouble for something sick like this we don't want to ruin there life over a "single incident". This guy needs to spend real time in a Federal "Pound you in the Ass Prison" for what he has done. But this son of a donkey ass eating monkey funk isn't even in jail, he is actually out on bail.

from the article

" He remains free on bond until sentencing July 12, the A.P. said. "

That is complete bull if he were poor or had pigment in his skin he would never get bail for child porn. This unbalance in the justice system has gone far enough. If you do something wrong than you pay the price no matter your social, economic, or racial make up.

Some in Congress believe High Tech Army plan costs to much.

2005-03-28T15:03:00.000-08:00

The New York Times reported today a story describing members of Congress faltering support for Future Combat Systems a system that's first phase may cost as much as 145 billion.

From the NYTimes article

" That price tag, larger than past estimates publicly disclosed by the Army, does not include a projected $25 billion for the communications network needed to connect the future forces. Nor does it fully account for Army plans to provide Future Combat weapons and technologies to forces beyond those first 15 brigades.

Now some of the military's advocates in Congress are asking how to pay the bill.

"We're dealing today with a train wreck," Representative Curt Weldon, Republican of Pennsylvania and vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said at a March 16 Congressional hearing on the cost and complexity of Future Combat Systems. "

also from the article

" The Army is asking Congress to approve Future Combat while it is fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan whose costs, according to the Congressional Research Service, now exceed $275 billion. Future Combat is one of the biggest items in the Pentagon's plans to build more than 70 major weapons systems at a cost of more than $1.3 trillion.

The Army has canceled two major weapons programs, the Crusader artillery system and the Comanche helicopter, "to protect funding for the Future Combat System," said Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona and a member of the Armed Services Committee. "That is why we have to get the F.C.S. program right."

David M. Walker, the comptroller general of the United States, said in an interview that the Pentagon's future arsenal was unaffordable and Congress needed "to make some choices now."

"There is a substantial gap between what the Pentagon is seeking in weapons systems and what we will be able to afford and sustain," said Mr. Walker, who oversees the Government Accountability Office, the budget watchdog of Congress. "We are not going to be able to afford all of this."

He added, "Every dollar we spend on a want today is a dollar we won't be able to spend on a need tomorrow." "

1.3 trillion dollars what the F%^#.

O.K. Bush voters time to put up or shut up. Uncle Bush Needs You!

2005-03-28T12:40:00.000-08:00

an opinion by Truth Addict

So with problems in recruiting, the administration has raised the age and added bonuses for enlisting. They are working on their pitch to the parents of poor and minority youth. Attempting to tap into their sense of patriotism in order to send there kids of to war. I wonder though why we are having a problem with recruiting at all. With the amount of men and women who support Bush and agree with this war, why is it they haven't run to join the fight to bring freedom to the world. Why aren't the children of Corporations that contributed large amounts of money to Bush lining up to join.

I don't want to her another word from you punk ass chumps about how right this WAR is until you join up to go fight in it. Everyone knows why pacifist's and hippies and anti war people don't join the Army. What excuse do those that claim to be in favor of WAR have not to join. The Army needs you Bushites the time has come to put your money where your mouth is.

All able bodied Republican Men and Women under the age of 39. Your time has come. Now is the time for you to take your silly ass over to get shot at for the cause you say you support.

However being the big ass hypocrites you are the whole lot of you probably don't have the stones to put yourselves in harms way. James Brown describes that kind of bullshitting the best and I quote " TALKING LOUD, AIN'T SAYING NOTHING" put up or shut up right wingers now is your chance.

I bet they wish they didn't oppose gays in the military now. What a bunch of clowns.

Support the Troops and Support your WAR sign up TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blog Acting Funny

2005-03-28T10:12:00.000-08:00

My blog was doing weird shit until moments ago. I have been trying to figure out what the hell was wrong. I don't know if I did something right or if my emails to blogger did it, but it all looks ok now. So off to read my favorite and not so favorite and down right silly news sites and I will be back in a while. Talk amongst yourselves.

Oh My Freaking Goodness

2005-03-27T12:40:00.000-08:00

Click link read story. Be happy that it didn't happen, be very afraid that it was an option.

Police 'showdown' averted

requires free sign up.

Are you worried about Inflation?

2005-03-27T10:47:00.000-08:00

I came across this article on the Christian Science Monitor website. I hadn't personally noticed an increase in the prices of goods and services. Then again I don't spend my money on Coffee, Hotels, or shoes from France, guess Bill O'Riely's boycott of France isn't working as well as he thought. I have noticed gas prices but they always go up before the Spring/Summer holiday season. Anyway, there are some who are noticing and there are some that don't think it's here, yet. I always liked the word yet. Really lets you know how some feels about something. The article is titled Inflation flickers again on horizon by Ron Scherer .

From The CSN article

" It's been years since most Americans could say they're paying more for a cup of coffee, a hotel room, or a pair of walking shoes.

But now, the price of coffee is up as much as 10 cents a cup, the hotel room will cost an extra $6 a night, and a popular pair of walking shoes from France runs about $20 more than last year

The US dollar has fallen against the euro, which makes imports from Europe more expensive. Import prices are up nearly 3 percent year over year and rising. "Basically, it is a mirror image of the second half of the 1990s, when we had the dollar rising and simultaneously falling import prices," says Mr. DeKaser. "

Some businesses are feeling the pinch.

also from the article

" In the past, many businesses absorbed modestly higher costs. For example, John McGrane, manager of Oyster Bay Marine Center, buys lines and ropes from New England Ropes. He says in the past, price increases have been about 1 percent. Now, he's looking at a 9 percent increase. And he says anything metal, such as the chains used in moorings, is rising in price as well.

"I personally think inflation is here, especially in the luxury industry," says Mr. McGrane. "

Inflation is not a sign of a strong economy is it?

Lies Lies Lies Yeah!

2005-03-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

If you can say nothing else about this Administration, you can definitely call them consistent. They lie equally about nuclear weapons to us and to others. I found this Washington Post Article thanks to the Media Matters Website. The article titled U.S. Misled Allies About Nuclear Export by Dafna Linzer reports that the government lied when they claimed North Korea had sold uranium hexafluoride to Libya.

From the Washington Post Article

" In an effort to increase pressure on North Korea, the Bush administration told its Asian allies in briefings earlier this year that Pyongyang had exported nuclear material to Libya. That was a significant new charge, the first allegation that North Korea was helping to create a new nuclear weapons state.

But that is not what U.S. intelligence reported, according to two officials with detailed knowledge of the transaction. North Korea, according to the intelligence, had supplied uranium hexafluoride -- which can be enriched to weapons-grade uranium -- to Pakistan. It was Pakistan, a key U.S. ally with its own nuclear arsenal, that sold the material to Libya. The U.S. government had no evidence, the officials said, that North Korea knew of the second transaction. "

also from the article

" The new details follow a string of controversies concerning the Bush administration's use of intelligence on weapons of mass destruction. In the run-up to the Iraq invasion in March 2003, the White House offered a public case against Iraq that concealed dissent on nearly every element of intelligence and included interpretations unsupported by the evidence.

A presidential commission studying U.S. intelligence is reviewing the case, as well as judgments on Iran and North Korea. The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence also is reviewing evidence on nuclear, chemical and biological programs suspected in Iran and North Korea.

The United States briefed allies on North Korea in late January and early February. Shortly afterward, administration officials, speaking to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity, said North Korea had sold uranium hexafluoride to Libya. The officials said the briefing was arranged to share the information with China, South Korea and Japan ahead of a new round of hoped-for negotiations on North Korea's nuclear program. "

The other thing I found interesting was according to Media Matters, only NBC ran a story about this. You can watch the clip on their site. Wow their they go again that damn "Liberal Media" out to get the President. Rubbish!

It Could be Nothing

2005-03-27T06:49:00.000-08:00

I found this on Wired News. The Story titled TSA Work Sloppy, but Not Illeagl by Ryan Singel an interesting article about how our government intends to use a system, that uses computer algorithms to detect terrorist threats to airplanes by comparing itineraries to government watch lists and commercial data.

From the Wired Story

" Homeland Security officials failed to keep millions of airline passenger records secure and repeatedly made false denials of their involvement in data transfers to the media and Congress, but they did not violate federal law, according to a report released Friday.

The report (.pdf) by acting Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Richard Skinner found that the Transportation Security Administration was involved in 14 different data transfers totaling more than 20 million records in 2002 and 2003. "

also from the article

" The goal of almost all the data transfers was to test a system called CAPPS II, which intended to use computer algorithms to detect terrorist threats to airplanes by comparing itineraries to government watch lists and commercial data.
That system was eventually scrapped in July 2004.

The TSA is now testing a similar system, dubbed Secure Flight, using reservations it publicly demanded from the airlines in November and commercial data records from Acxiom. "

there are some concerns, but according to the story none of the file drops were illegal. However civil libetarians, Sen. Joe Lieberman(well I guess he has to stand up for something) and even a Homeland Security the chief privacy officer Nuala O'Connor Kelly.

also from the Article

" civil libertarians, including Electronic Frontier Foundation attorney Lee Tien, argue this report shows that the TSA cannot be trusted with such personal information.

"This is worse than ChoicePoint," Tien said. "It reflects an attitude toward the privacy of Americans that falls well below what people are up in arms about in the commercial data industry.

"Obvious bad security and data-privacy practices were allowed to fester because there is no public scrutiny," Tien said. "They never had to tell anyone that they were asking for or getting passenger data. Combine that with the secretiveness of the Homeland Security Department, and you have a recipe for a privacy disaster."

Ari Schwartz, associate director of the Center for Democracy and Technology -- a group known for working closely with government officials -- says it is clear that the TSA did break the law.

"If these were not Privacy Act systems of records, then why were they merging commercial and airline data at all?" Schwartz asked. "What is the purpose if you are not going to pull people out by name and find potential terrorists?" "

and finally

" This will not likely be the end of this issue for the TSA, however, as Nuala O'Connor Kelly, the chief privacy officer for Homeland Security, is still working on a report on whether the transfers violated the Privacy Act. "

So it could be nothing but it sounds a bit extreme. It's for the terrorists now who will they use for next?, What will they use it for later?

This Weeks Question?

2005-03-26T17:12:00.000-08:00

Well it's Saturday and I have noticed that I don't post much on Sat. I guess it's because I'm a family man or maybe I need a break from sitting at this little table once every six days. So I think on Saturday I will post an Open Question. Lets see if people will discuss it.

This Weeks Question

Do you believe there is a Liberal Left Wing Media? Yes or No.

Whatever way you answer give some references to illustrate your point.

If you would like to submit a question for next week email it to Minuteman76_9@yahoo.com .

One More Thing.

2005-03-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

I need to give thanks to Loyal Achates for sending me this article. The Washington Post reported on March 22, 2005, this story about how most of Terri's $750,000 settlement has been used up and that for the last few years she has been getting assistance from, oh my gosh MEDICAID I'm for one am appalled. Didn't Congress just pass a budget that cut spending on Medicaid? Yes they did so they want to save Terri but they don't want to fund saving her. Sounds just like how they run a WAR. Send our boys and girls off to die, but don't give them the things they need until pressed. Thanks again to Loyal Achates .

Media Pushing more Schiavo Misinformation.

2005-03-25T08:22:00.000-08:00

I understand that I said I was done with this crap. However the Media is not done trying to convince the Public that Terri is "not as bad as the Doctors say she is". They have produced a Doctor, who they claim was nominated for a Nobel Prize, a nurse who said that Mr Schavio was trying to kill his wife to get the insurance, and a anti-abortion group called Operation Rescue/ Operation Save America. Even Pat Buchanan has had a change of heart about the U.S marshals office.

Well according to Media Matters the "Liberal Media" is not giving you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

So the first bullshit story where to begin. Ahh! Yes the nurse. This bunch of steaming crap was reported on CNN Live and Fox News' Fox and Friends on March 22, 2005. CNN I thought they re liberal. I would expect this from Rupert's Bunch of yes men and women, but CNN. Oh yeah the Right Wingers are the dumb asses that think CNN is Liberal.

Form Media Matters this is what Fox and CNN reported

" Fox introduced her as a "registered nurse in Florida" who "cared for Terri for more than a year between '95 and 1996." In addition, on-screen text described Iyer as "Carla Sauer Iyer; Cared for Terri Schiavo." "

and

" On CNN, Iyer was introduced as a "nurse who says that she cared for Terri Schiavo [for] more than a year in the mid-1990s." As with Fox, CNN's on-screen text described Iyer as "Terri Schiavo's former nurse." Another on-screen text line presented on CNN stated that Iyer "testified about Terri Schiavo's physical state." "

also from Media Matters

" In both a 2003 court affidavit (posted on the website operated by Terri's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler) and her March 22 cable appearances, Iyer maintained that Terri Schiavo was constantly "alert and oriented" while under her care, "saying such things as 'mommy,' and 'help me.' " She claimed that "Throughout my time at Palm Gardens, Michael Schiavo was focused on Terri's death. Michael would say 'When is she going to die?' 'Has she died yet?' and 'When is that bitch going to die?' " The affidavit also included her claims that Michael Schiavo expressed the desire to "accelerate" Terri's death, that when Terri was sick and looked as if she might die, "He [Michael] would blurt out 'I'm going to be rich,' " and the assertion that "[I]t is my belief that Michael injected Terri with Regular insulin" to intentionally make her sick. She claimed in her affidavit that "I ultimately called the police relative to this situation, and was terminated the next day." "

Well the Judge dismissed these charges. They left that little bit of info out.

From Media Matters

" Greer dismissed Iyer's charges, noting that they -- along with a similar affidavit given by Heidi Law, another nurse who formerly took care of Terri Schiavo -- were "incredible to say the least" and that "[n]either in the testimony nor in the medical records is there support for these affidavits as they purport to detail activities and responses of Terri Schiavo." "

Crap story number two regards the "Nobel Prize nominated doctor"

O.K. here we have that bastion of Liberal News MSNBC and surprise, surprise, surprise, Fox News again. Both Sean Hannity and MSNBC host Joe Scarborough both promoted Dr. William Hammesfahr's false claim that he is a Nobel Prize nominee.

From Media Matters

" Hammesfahr, a Florida neurologist disciplined in 2003 by the Florida Board of Medicine who claims he can help Terri Schiavo, testified during an October 2002 court hearing on the Schiavo case that his claim to be a Nobel nominee is based on a letter written by Rep. Mike Bilirakis (R-FL) recommending him for the prize. But Bilirakis is not qualified to make a valid nomination under the Nobel rules. "

There are approximately 3,000 people who can nominate people for a Nobel, and most of them are past winners.

also from Media Matters

" Right to submit proposals for the award of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, based on the principle of competence and universality, shall by statute be enjoyed by:

1. Members of the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm;

2. Swedish and foreign members of the medical class of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences;

3. Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine;

4. Members of the Nobel Committee not qualified under paragraph 1 above;

5. Holders of established posts as professors at the faculties of medicine in Sweden and holders of similar posts at the faculties of medicine or similar institutions in Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway;

6. Holders of similar posts at no fewer than six other faculties of medicine selected by the Assembly, with a view to ensuring the appropriate distribution of the task among various countries and their seats of learning; and

7. Practitioners of natural sciences whom the Assembly may otherwise see fit to approach.

Decisions concerning the selection of the persons appointed under paragraphs 6 and 7 above are taken before the end of May each year on the recommendation of the Nobel Committee. "

To see the other bullshit stories that were easily disproved with a little research go to Media Matters. This will be the absolutely last time I address this issue. You sick bunch of Fucks need to let the Multiple court decisions stand. Let this poor women go, and then turn around and ask why Congress greatly over stepped it's authority in this matter.

Imagine that Finance Companies fined for Conflict of Interest

2005-03-25T07:19:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard Citigroup, American Express, JP Morgan Chase and Putnam Investments have been fined to settle claims that brokers were paid to recommend funds. This story from the BBC News reports how these Companies were fined in excess of 82 million after an eighteen month investigation looking into the marketing and selling of mutual funds.

From the BBC

" Citigroup, American Express, JP Morgan Chase and Putnam Investments were fined $81.25m in total to settle claims that brokers were paid to recommend funds. "

also from the article

" On Wednesday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) handed out civil fines worth $20m and $40m respectively to Citigroup, the world's largest financial services company and Putnam Investments, a subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan.

In a connected move, the National Association of Securities Dealers said Citigroup, American Express and JP Morgan Chase had agreed to pay $21.25m in total for alleged violations in the sale of mutual funds. "

and

" The watchdog also alleged that Citigroup recommended and sold funds offering a lower level of return to investors because they delivered higher levels of sales commission. "

So these are the people our president wants to give our Social Security to. I am sure that all of you fools that believe this crap, about how great it would be to have personal investment accounts would never take the time to read other sources of news. Well I wonder did you see this Story on Fox News? What about the "Liberal Media" has anyone seen any stories about how these investment firms are screwing people in order to make more money for themselves.

Wake up Dumb Ass Americans these investment companies are salivating over the prospect of getting your money. Do not believe the hype about how much you can make from personal accounts. The only people who are going to benefit from this are the Elite bastards that got a nice big Tax Cut while the rest of us got a $300 or $600 loan on our refund.

A Call for Liberal & Conservative Blogger's to Unite for our Freedom of Speech.

2005-03-24T12:19:00.000-08:00

I offer a temporary olive branch to those I normally berate. This issue about how to restrict Political Blogs and Bloggers is just crap. I read this story in the Washington Post the people in power on both sides in Washington don't like the idea of a bunch of bloggers possibly affecting election's. They want to put limits and restrictions on political activity over the internet.

In a bi-partisan effort these ass clowns want to silence us, Liberal and Conservative, because they fear losing their jobs. This is way I am Non-Partisan, both of the major parties are full of crap. They are in the pockets of corporations and don't give a damn about there constituents, unless there is an election cycle. Then they play to people's emotions in order to keep their seat. Of course it doesn't hurt to have all that Big Business money and corporate Media coverage.

This situation requires us all to put our political differences aside and stand together in the name of our freedom of speech. Contact you Congressmen and Senators and tell them to leave the blogasphear alone. If they do not listen then we must back candidate that will repeal what ever restrictions to our free speech they put in place.

There are countless ways to contact Washington, pick yours and DO IT!

Big Liberal Media Giants ABC yet to report on DeLay's Ethics Mishaps

2005-03-24T07:56:00.000-08:00

Here is more proof that the media is not Liberal. Out of the three major T.V. networks ABC as March 17 2005 had yet to air anything about Sen. Tom DeLay and his questionable ethics practice's. You can find this little tid bit and many others at Media Matters a progressive watchdog group who focus on comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.

From Media Matters

" On March 15, NBC's Nightly News and CBS' Evening News both covered the DeLay ethics story. CBS' The Early Show reported it on March 16, and the CBS Evening News followed up with a brief report that evening. All four reports also mentioned that DeLay may also be indicted in Texas over the alleged use of a political action committee he formed, Texans for a Republican Majority, to illegally funnel corporate money to Texas Republicans to bolster their ultimately successful attempt to gain control of the Texas state legislature from Democrats in the 2002 elections. A county district attorney in Texas has already indicted three close associates of DeLay. "

also from Media Matters

" ABC News is the only one of the three network news outlets not to have reported on recent revelations that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) accepted lavish, all-expense-paid trips to South Korea and Britain, apparently in violation of House rules forbidding members from accepting travel expenses from registered lobbyists. "

So the Liberal media has only run 3 or 4 stories about a conservative Senator who has been admonished, is in danger of being indicted, and has clearly taken money from lobbyists to fund "Educational Trips" to play golf at St. Andrews in Scotland. Yeah ,now there is true freaking liberal media bias. Wake Up America.

O.K. Jeanette here are both of the Comments

2005-03-23T23:01:00.000-08:00

Here you go this is the First comment I left on the post you deleted.

That nurse is a liar. You want to know what happened with money in this case cut and paste this linkhttp://www.miami.edu/ethics2/schiavo/timeline.htm

It’s a timeline from when Terri and Michael were married until todays congrestional nonsense. If you have any trouble I have a link on my site.

Here are a few tid bits from the time line

May 1992
Terri Schiavo’s parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, and Michael Schiavo stop living together.

August 1992
Terri Schiavo is awarded $250,000 in an out-of-court medical malpractice settlement with one of her physicians.

November 1992
The jury in the medical malpractice trial against another of Terri’s physicians awards more than one million dollars. In the end, after attorneys’ fees and other expenses, Michael Schiavo received about $300,000 and about $750,000 was put in a trust fund specifically for Terri Schiavo’s medical care.

February 14, 1993
Michael Schiavo and the Schindlers have a falling-out over the course of therapy for Terri Schiavo; Michael Schiavo claims that the Schindlers demand that he share the malpractice money with them.

As far as her family wanting to take care of her. Why did they send back to hospice after 3 weeks

September 1990
Terri Schiavo’s family brings her home, but three weeks later they return her to the College Park facility because the family is “overwhelmed by Terri’s care needs.”

There is much more to this case than what the Right Propagana Machine lets you see.

Not a single word about you. You may not be a right wing nut but you sure do have selected memory like one.

Here is the second Comment

Oh How I Love Jesus
March 22, 2005
Doctor Says Terri Can Recover
Newsmax.com has a story about former Nobel Prize nominee Dr. William Hammesfahr, a brain specialist. In the story, Dr. Hummesfahr is quoted as saying he and others have treated patients worse than Terri and have seen them regain independence and dignity. And before anyone questions his qualifications on this case, Dr. Hummesfahr has examined Terri and looked at all her medical reports and X-rays. Read the full story here
posted by Jeanette @ 12:39 pm
1 Comment »
Why did you erase your post Knowledge of the Case about Terri’s Nurse? Why did you get rid of it and the Comments? You don’t want people to know the truth? Your a Chump
I know you erased it because I used my site meter history. Someone spent 10 min on my site and the came from a post called Knowledge of the Case from your site and so I clicked it and now there is no entry found.
The internet rocks and you are a chump for erasing your post and my comment shooting it down.
Your in my favorites now, don’t make me do this again. Leave my comments up you right wing chimp. That goes for any of you right wing bloggers that read this. TruthAddict will call you out for what you are.
Comment by truthaddict — March 22, 2005 @ 2:21 pm

Yes I called you a Chump Chimp in this comment.

By the way the Truth about that doctor is that a Florida Congressmna sent a letter saying he should be nominated for a Nobel Prize.

So who is not telling the truth?

I've been Banned

2005-03-23T18:33:00.000-08:00

So this morning I got up to check on my blog, and on the blogs of the right wingers that I have left comments on. I don't believe this but my server has been forbidden from going to Oh how I love Jesus. I have tried Multiple times and I can not get on there. I take it as a compliment and as proof that I am spreading truth to the Right and they don't like it. However I think it is total bullshit.

Censorship is bad enough, but censorship in the name of pushing propaganda is fascist. If the people at OHILJ believed what they were saying then why would they care if some crazy Liberal posted links disputing there point of view. No they are weak in mind, conscience, and moral constitution they fear facts and truth so much that they not only ignore them, they block them out. Well if you think that censorship is crap then go to http://ohhowilovejesus.com, you may have to cut and paste, and tell them to allow me back on there site and stop censoring those who might disagree with them. Or you can cut and paste this whole post and leave it on one of there comments.

Either way if you really believe in freedom of speech, be you on the right or left, let them know that CENSORSHIP IS BULLSHIT.

Pro Big Business Democrats get slammed in E-mail, GOOD!

2005-03-23T07:55:00.000-08:00

To all you right wing kooks out there who think I am unfair here you go. A report from The Hill talks about an E-mail sent out to Liberal Activists attacked congressional democrats form the New Democrats Coalition backing the Pro Big Business Bankruptcy bill. The Email sent out by David Sirota a fellow at the Center for American Progress. The Article tries to put a ray of sunshine on the dissenting, but there are plenty of groups that want to get after these Democrats.

If you want to voice your displeasure with these so called New Democrats go to this site

New Democrats Coalition

If you want to voice your support for David Sirota go to this site

Center for American Progress

So what the hell is wrong with you right wing Monkey See, Monkey Do what you FUCKING told people it would be just as easy for you to hold your Republican Masters to task for there pro business views. Oh that's right you like working three jobs at 5.75 an hour to barely make it every year. That's right your poor and so am I and so are most of us.

It is impossible for you to be in the top 1% haus unless your pulling in millions per year, not a few hundred thousand or even one million, but millions. And most of you reading this that call yourselves Republicans don't even make 100,000 a year. Yet 19% of you dolts think your in the top one percent. Let that soak in, 19% think there in top 1%, do the math, O.K.

So why the hell do you vote against you best interest. You didn't even get a Tax cut that $300 or $600 you got was a loan and if you look at your taxes the year you got that money you will see that they took that money back. Grow some stones Righties and take a look at how your getting screwed you don't have to be Liberal to notice that.

This Means WAR!

2005-03-22T11:29:00.000-08:00

O.K. That's it, I have been using blog click and coming across right wing blogs and posting comments. Well I come back later and my comments are gone? These right wing monkeys don't like to be challenged. The first one is the blog gopinfluential.blogspot.com this chump chimp not only erased my comment but you can no longer leave comments. Unfortunately I forgot to save there post and my comment so I can't post it for you.

However I did rember to save my comments when I left a comment on Oh how I love Jesus
this Chump Chimp erased the whole post and the two comments mine and another. The post was about a Nurse who worked with Terri and said the Husband was just after the money. Here is the link from my site meter to the deleted post Knowledge of the case and here is the comment and link I left

That nurse is a liar. You want to know what happened with money in this case cut and paste this linkhttp://www.miami.edu/ethics2/schiavo/timeline.htm
It's a timeline from when Terri and Michael were married until today's congressional nonsense. If you have any trouble I have a link on my site.
Here are a few tid bits from the time line
May 1992
Terri Schiavo's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, and Michael Schiavo stop living together.
August 1992
Terri Schiavo is awarded $250,000 in an out-of-court medical malpractice settlement with one of her physicians.
November 1992
The jury in the medical malpractice trial against another of Terri's physicians awards more than one million dollars. In the end, after attorneys, fees and other expenses, Michael Schiavo received about $300,000 and about $750,000 was put in a trust fund specifically for Terri Schiavo's medical care.
February 14, 1993
Michael Schiavo and the Schindlers have a falling-out over the course of therapy for Terri Schiavo; Michael Schiavo claims that the Schindlers demand that he share the malpractice money with them.
As far as her family wanting to take care of her. Why did they send back to hospice after 3 weeks
September 1990
Terri Schiavo's family brings her home, but three weeks later they return her to the College Park facility because the family is "overwhelmed by Terri's care needs."

There is much more to this case than what the Right propaganda Machine lets you see.

Some one came from there site and spent 9min 44sec on my site that is how I got the link to the deleted post.

SO THIS IS WAR you chumps erase my comments and I will blast you and send it to Syndication. I will also post the Comment and Post back on your blog. You will not prevent people from finding the Truth.

O.K. lets put this Case to Rest

2005-03-21T14:29:00.000-08:00

First I want to thank JamesMac on the Randi Rhodes Blog for posting this and Randi for reading it on air.

This is a link to

KEY EVENTS IN THE CASE OF THERESA MARIE SCHIAVO

Steven Haidar, Dartmouth College/University of Miami
Kathy Cerminara, Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law Center

This content may be reproduced for non-commercial, education purposes only, with appropriate attribution to the source. (For more information, read our copyright policy.) Please send comments, suggestions and corrections to Ken Goodman, UM Ethics Programs, at ethics@miami.edu. News media and others seeking comment from Florida Bioethics Network leaders should call 305-243-5723.

So there you go no spin, no reporters, just the facts. This time line is up to date. It was updated today. I will put no more time into this. You want the Truth Right Wing, you can't HANDLE the TRUTH.

DeLay and Bush are HYPOCRITES!!!!!

2005-03-21T13:02:00.000-08:00

So here is the biggest proof of the way you right wingers are getting "Punk'd". In Texas the is a Law called the Feudal Care Law this law signed by then governor Bush allows hospital's to pull the plug on patients who don't have health insurance. Here is a link to an article from the Houston Chronicle about a BABY had it's breathing tube removed under the Law Bush signed.

From the article

" 2 p.m. Tuesday, a medical staffer at Texas Children's Hospital gently removed the breathing tube that had kept Sun Hudson alive since his birth Sept. 25. Cradled by his mother, he took a few breaths, and died.
"I talked to him, I told him that I loved him. Inside of me, my son is still alive," Wanda Hudson told reporters afterward. "This hospital was considered a miracle hospital. When it came to my son, they gave up in six months. ... They made a terrible mistake."
Sun's death marks the first time a U.S. judge has allowed a hospital to discontinue an infant's life-sustaining care against a parent's wishes, according to bioethical experts. A similar case involving a 68-year-old man in a vegetative state at another Houston hospital is before a court now. "

also from the article

" Texas law allows hospitals to discontinue life-sustaining care, even if a patient's family members disagree. A doctor's recommendation must be approved by a hospital's ethics committee, and the family must be given 10 days from written notice of the decision to try and locate another facility for the patient.

Texas Children's said it contacted 40 facilities with newborn intensive care units, but none would accept Sun. Without legal delays, Sun's care would have ended Nov. 28. "

So here they are taking up the cause in Florida after signing a Law that allows the "hospital" to pull the pulg. If anyone one of you right wingers out there can polish this shit ball. More power to ya. Stop drinking the Kool-Aid for God's sake.

ABC News Poll and GOP memo

2005-03-21T12:29:00.000-08:00

I found this Poll conducted on March 20, 2005 and this GOP memo on the Al Franken Blog. This an ABC News Poll

The Poll

- 70% of Americans say it is inappropriate for Congress to involve itself in the Schiavo case.
- 67% of Americans think the elected officials trying to keep Schiavo alive are doing so more for political advantage than out of concern for her or for the principles involved (Just 19% believe the elected officials are acting out of concern for her or their principles.)
- 58% of Republicans, 61% of independents and 63% of Democrats oppose federal government intervention in the case.
- 50% of evangelicals oppose federal government intervention in the case, just 44% approve of the intervention.
- 63% of Catholics and a plurality of evangelicals believe Schiavo's feeding tube should be removed.

The Memo

From the Seattle Times

" The one-page memo, distributed to Republican senators by party leaders, called the debate over Schiavo legislation "a great political issue" that would appeal to the party's base, or core, supporters. The memo singled out Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., who is up for re-election next year.
"This is an important moral issue, and the pro-life base will be excited that the Senate is debating this important issue," said the memo, reported by ABC News and later given to The Washington Post. "This is a great political issue, because Senator Nelson of Florida has already refused to become a co-sponsor and this is a tough issue for Democrats." "

So the GOP thinks this a good issue. Come on Right Wingers what else do you need to prove to you that they don't really care. Not only about this, but about you. They only want your votes. The elites in the GOP, you are not elite 200,000 a year is not rich, know that they can play with your emotions in order to get your vote. WAKE UP. If this memo was from the DNC you would all be screaming bloody murder.

Trouble for Halliburton and it's subsidiary's

2005-03-20T11:53:00.000-08:00

Just in case you forgot about Halliburton. I wanted to remind you that even though the coverage in T.V. and print media are non existent or relegated to page A20 in most papers. Those of us that are not so lazy have been checking out the news from the rest of the world. I found a plethora of coverage on the subject at BBC News.com I will give a little bit of each story and the link so you can read the whole article for yourself.

1. Halliburton exec on fraud charges
This little story is about an American an Kuwaiti brought up on charges for defrauding the U.S. out of at least $3.5m for fuel in Iraq.

From the article

" Jeff Alex Mazon, 36, an ex-procurement manager for Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR), is due to appear in a federal court in Atlanta on 10 counts of fraud. Kuwaiti businessman Ali Hijazi has also been indicted on the same charges.

An audit report investigating $108m-worth of questionable fuel delivery costs in Iraq was released on Monday by Congressional Democrats critical of Halliburton's work in Iraq.
Mr Mazon, of Georgia, and Mr Hijazi are accused of defrauding the US government of more than $3.5m by devising a scheme to overcharge the military for fuel. "

No wonder American media won't touch this, didn't Bush just ask for another 80 billion for the War. Wonder how much of that money will disappear?

2. Halliburton in $108m Iraq probe
Another story about how Halliburton got no bid contracts and then KBR overcharged the government. The article sites a leaked report from the Defense Contract Audit Agency.

From the article

" The probe is examining more than $108m (£56m) of a contract extension which was worth $875m.

No competing bids were sought by the Defense Department.

The auditors questioned $108.41m of the overall bill.

One item, the delivery of fuel to KBR in Kuwait by government-approved contractor Altanmia, cost $62m - $61m of which is now being queried.
KBR, which was contracted to deliver petrol, kerosene and other fuel to Iraq between May 2003 and January 2004, also came under criticism over retrospective payments for Turkish fuel.
Despite having fixed-price contracts with suppliers, it added $16.8m in costs to its Turkish fuel bills because of rising oil prices. "

3. Halliburton faces 'payment cut'
This article is about how the Army wants to withhold payment to Halliburton over issues regarding KBR's billing for meal's in Iraq. My favorite part is where Halliburton says they will pass cuts down to it's suppliers. Effectively taking food out of our soldiers mouths

From the article

" The company has said it would pass on any cutbacks to its suppliers.
Part of the dispute is believed to centre on the way KBR bills for meals.
The Pentagon wants to be charged for exactly how many meals are actually eaten, while Halliburton's systems are said to be based on estimates. "

There are a few more stories so do some reading. Why the hell is this not in the "Liberal Media"

Democracy in the Middle East

2005-03-20T08:31:00.000-08:00

So we all know that in the main stream media and the right wing pundits are applauding President Bush for bring a "Wave of Democracy" to the Middle East. So I thought I'd take a trip through cyberspace and see what I found about this "Wave". So first I went to NEWS.com.au and found an article titled

"Iraq's Jaafari aims for Sharia rule"

In this article dated March 20 2005, Ibrahim Jaafari the front runner for candidate for prime minister talks with a reporter from German magazine Der Spiegel. Mr. Jaafari a Shiite said that he aimed to introduce sharia Islamic law to Iraq creating a Muslim State . He assured that Iraq would not follow the example of neighboring Muslim States, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

From the NEWS.com.au article

" "It's understandable in a country where the majority of people are Muslim," Mr Jaafari said of the Sharia law, in an interview conducted in Baghdad due to appear in Tuesday's edition of German magazine Der Spiegel.

"Iraq should become a Muslim country but without falling under the influence of Iran or Saudi Arabia," he said.

"Everyone will have the same rights, even members of the many minor religious communities," he said, explaining there would be multiple forms of jurisprudence. He also said women would be under no legal obligation to wear a veil.

"They will make their own decisions," the Shiite candidate said. "

The article also sites an opinion poll that interviewed 2000 covering 15 of 18 provinces. The poll by an Iraqi firm employed by US International Republican Institute. The poll shows that 46% of Iraqi's are in favor of a "sepration of state and Mosque"

also from the article

" According to results of a poll released yesterday, most Iraqis are deeply attached to their Islamic identity but do not want a strict application of sharia law, as in neighbouring Saudi Arabia or Iran.

About 48 per cent of those interviewed agreed that "religion has a special role to play in the government", while 46 per cent supported a separation of state and mosque. "

So I began to wonder what is sharia exactly so I found a blog called Informed Comment. Informed Comment is the blog of a Professor of History at the University of Michigan named Juan Cole. This blog is focused 100% on the middle east. While reading through this blog I found a post about the above story. Mr. Cole had a different view as to what Mr. Jaafari had to say. He claimed that Mr. Jaafari was using the techniques of misdirection. Refuteing the claims that sharia would allow freedom to one and all.

From the post on Informed Comment

" Jaafari is using the techniques of misdirection here. The system he is proposing would put Shiites under their ayatollahs with regard to laws governing marriage, divorce, inheritance, alimony, custody of children, etc. Sunnis would be under their clergy, and Catholics would be under canon law. Since 97 percent of Iraqis are Muslims, 97 percent will be under shariah or Islamic law. "

He also persented evidence that Iraqi women are already being forced to wear veils

also form the post

" Jaafari hastens to say women will not be made to veil. But in fact, in Basra and some other parts of Iraq, Sadrist and Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq young men are forcing girls to veil in public already. "

and these are the least of the problems for women in Iraq

also from the post

" Jaafari's system will give girls half the amount of inheritance that their brothers receive, and may well make women's testimony worth half that of a man in court. If strict gender segregation is enforced, and coeducation ended, Iraqi women may find it difficult to get post-BA training, since they won't be allowed in the professional schools (now coded as "male"), and mostly won't have professional schools for women, or in any case many fewer than for men. "

Now while this kind of treatment of women maybe good for the Right Wing Ladies like Ann, Dr. Laura, and Ms. Ingram. I think it is deporable, women were free to drive, become Doctors, and held positions in the government without wearing headscrafs and veils. I understand Saddam was a brutal son of a bitch but at least he wasn't a fudamentlist. As the father of two young girls 3 and 1 I worry about what womens rights will be like in this country when they are adults. If the silence of promenet women on the Right is any indication. Womens rights may very well go out with the bath water.

O.K. THAT'S IT

2005-03-19T17:33:00.000-08:00

I have tried my hardest not to get into this on my blog. Mostly because I think this a personal matter between a Husband and a Wife, however as Popeye so eloquently said it. "I stands all I can stands and I can't stands no more". First of all 90% of you don't know Mary Schiavo, her Husband, or there families. So who the FUCK are you to say what she wanted you big fat head, little brained ,follow the crowd, bunch of ASSHOLES!!!!!!!!. What the hell is wrong with you people? Second, She did this to herself she had an eating disorder and this was the consequence. There is no one to blame for her being in that state but HER. Third, Not a single one of you freaking idiots would want to be in her position. Fourth, the video that they show on T.V. is like 6 or 7 years old. From what I understand she has only gotten worse. So now that I have that out of the way. I only want to say this.

It is ABSOLUTELY FUCKING LUDICROUS that congress is trying to push through legislation to keep her alive. AND YOU FUCKING MORONS SCREAM AND YELL ABOUT GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN YOUR LIVES. WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU CALL THAT. WAKE UP IDIOT'S, STOP MOVING YOUR POSITIONS TO SUIT THE RIGHT WING WACKO ISSUE OF THE DAY. CONGRESS NEEDS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP JOBS IN THIS COUNTRY. YOU SHIT EATING MONKEYS NEED TO ASK WHY YOUR BELOVED ADMINISTRATION HAS JUST CUT PAY TO FIRST RESPONDERS AND FUNDS TO BORDER PATROL. SEE, THAT'S WHY THEY GET YOU ON THIS DUMB SHIT SO THAT WAY YOU FORGET THAT THERE FUCKING YOU WITH A BIG OLD PINE TREE, NO LUBE, CONES AND ALL. CHRIST IF YOU ARE REAL PLEASE COME AND GET THESE FUCKING JACKASSES OUT OF THE PARADISE THAT YOU MADE SO WE CAN FIX THE SHIT THEY MESSED UP.

By the way if you don't like my languge, SO WHAT. I don't like a bunch of people putting there fat heads where they do not belong.

B.B.C. Reports on Secret plan for Iraqi Oil.

2005-03-18T07:39:00.000-08:00

Well after two years it appears that there was a plan hatched in the early days of the Bush administration. Out of all the reasons we were given for invading Iraq there was one that was always denied. We did not go to WAR for OIL. Well guess what ya'll we did and not only that there was a conflict between Neo-Cons and Oil Companies.

Greg Palast reporting for BBC's Newsnight reported that the Bush administration had plans for Iraq before 9/11. Richard Clark told us this two years ago, but who the hell is that guy? In a joint investigation between Newsnight and Harpers magazine they requested documents using the Freedom of Information Act and spoke to both Iraqis, former CIA employee's, Neo-Cons, and Oil executive. The report found on the BBC News website was from the Newsnight show aired on BBC two in the U.K. Wed. March 17.

From the BBC report

Two years ago today - when President George Bush announced US, British and Allied forces would begin to bomb Baghdad - protesters claimed the US had a secret plan for Iraq's oil once Saddam had been conquered.

In fact there were two conflicting plans, setting off a hidden policy war between neo-conservatives at the Pentagon, on one side, versus a combination of "Big Oil" executives and US State Department "pragmatists".

"Big Oil" appears to have won. The latest plan, obtained by Newsnight from the US State Department was, we learned, drafted with the help of American oil industry consultants.

Until the Oil industries plan was push aside by a Secret Plan drafted before the U.S. led invasion. During there investigating they spoke to Robert Ebel a former Oil chief and CIA energy and oil analyst. Mr. Ebel who now a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Mr Ebel is reported as saying that the sell of was given the go ahead at a secret meeting in London headed by none other than Ahmed Chalabi.

The reporters also spoke with an Iraqi-born oil industry consultant. Falah Aljibury told Newsnight that he interviewed potential successors to Saddam Hussein for the Bush administration personally. Mr. Aljibury also claimed to have attended secret meetings in the U.S. and the Middle East.

From the BCC report

An Iraqi-born oil industry consultant, Falah Aljibury, says he took part in the secret meetings in California, Washington and the Middle East. He described a State Department plan for a forced coup d'etat.

Well the secret plan hit a snag in the form of a former Shell Oil CEO Philip Carroll. Who is quoted telling Paul Bremer "There was to be no privatisation of Iraqi oil resources or facilities while I was involved." So the Bush administration wanted the Oil and there was a fight between Neo-Cons and Big Oil for what to do with it. Neo-Cons wanted to destroy OPEC and the Oil company wants to keep prices high. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM! Interesting, very interesting. This is all coming out after only two years imagine what we will know in five.

You can read more about the plans for Iraqi Oil and watch Newsnight's broadcast at Greg Palast's website.

Let's Talk

2005-03-17T10:40:00.000-08:00

So I want to open up some discussion about media and the government. I also want to see what happens when people who are different watch the same thing and see how it is interpreted through the individual. O.K. Here's what you do click this link C-SPAN I am choosing C-SPAN because they seem to have no bias. There are no comments from pundits just a camera in a room. Watch these three videos it will take some time but, hang in there.

Pres. Bush Press Conference (03/16/2005)

Sec. Michael Chertoff on Future of the Dept. of Homeland Security ( (03/16/2005)

Justice Antonin Scalia Speech on Constitutional Interpretation (03/14/2005)

Now when your done leave a comment about what you saw. I will leave the first one I am on the last video. So lets see what happens when we all watch the same thing through our personal rose color glass.

Democrats showing no Back Bone

2005-03-16T09:57:00.000-08:00

In an Opinion piece by Robert Kuttner titled Democrats Asleep at the Wheel at Boston.com News. The writer sites some very interesting things. Down in the article he sites a NY Times/CBS the poll said most of the country think Bush does not have the same economic priorities as them.

From the Article

"A New York Times/CBS poll last week reported that 63 percent of respondents felt that Bush had different economic priorities than those of most Americans. A majority (51 percent) opposed Bush's Social Security privatization plan, and that rose to 69 percent when respondents were informed that the shift would cut the basic guaranteed benefit."

He also wonders why the Democrats can't turn Bush's domestic blunders into a winning strategy. He sites some recent examples

From the Article

" Stealth Tax Increases. While the Bush administration has bestowed immense tax cuts on the richest 1 percent, the upper-middle class is getting socked by the alternative minimum tax. This provision was enacted to make sure that wealthy people did not avoid taxation entirely by piling up multiple deductions. But thanks to inflation, the tax now denies such basic deductions as local property taxes to some families making under $100,000 a year. It costs them more in higher taxes than Bush's tax cuts save them. Bush also raised taxes for low-income families by reducing the effective child tax credit. Yet another stealth tax increase is rising state and local taxes and changes, made necessary by Bush's reduced aid to states."

and

"Children Left Behind. The Bush education bill imposed high-stakes testing on states and local school districts, but shortchanged the money to help teachers teach and children learn. Bush is also underfunding programs like Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, leaving more working families without adequate health insurance."

These are just two examples. If people in this country are unsatisfied. Why the Hell don't the Dems point it out.

Coalition of the, Not so much.

2005-03-16T09:18:00.000-08:00

A report in the Telegraph News by Anton La Guardia, Diplomatic Editor says that Italian troops will begin to pull out of Iraq in six months. Prime Minister Berlusconi was reported to be in contact with the British Government and said that the Brits maybe be pulling troops in the near future. Berlusconi said in the article

"I have spoken about it with Tony Blair. We need to construct a precise exit strategy. Public opinion expects this and we'll discuss this soon," he said.
"We will begin a progressive reduction of our contingent even before the end of the year, starting in September, in agreement with our allies."

This does not reflect well on Bush's Coalition of the Willing. Italy's announcement is just another in a long exodus. From the article

"The Iraq coalition is breaking up. Yesterday, Bulgaria said it expected to withdraw its 450 troops from Iraq by the end of this year. The Netherlands will complete its military withdrawal next month, while Ukraine plans to pull out in the coming months."

and don't forget Bush's bestfriend Poland. Also from the article

"Poland has floated the end of 2005 as a possible date to bring its 1,700 troops home."

Military Families, Iraq Veterans to converge on Fayetteville. To say, bring troops home, NOW!

2005-03-16T08:25:00.000-08:00

I found this press release to the assignment desk at the Daybook Editor. It was on the U.S. Newswire website. Four different Veteran and family groups will be marching in Fayetteville to tell the Bush administration to bring the Troops home. It's funny when I think of how the right tries to paint the Anti War movement as small fringe groups of socialists and hippies or unAmerican. Some how I don't think Military Families Speak Out would consider themselves unAmerican. I wonder if the main stream media will report this story straight or will they spin it to make these groups look unsupported. Well they are not alone. I will see if they will send me some photos of the rally and try to get an interview with these fringe groups. Check back this story is not over yet.

Iraqi Molasses

2005-03-16T00:19:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to share a poem I wrote. I spent yesterday with my kids so I had no time to post. I am finally getting chance to post something at midnight. Well in the morning back to the news wire. Until then enjoy the poem. Let me know what you think.

Iraqi Molasses

Do you ever sit, sit and stew, stew about you
And just how much Bush lied to you
How much can you take before you finally break
How long can this shit pile up before you erupt
Do you even notice
Are you even affected
By the fact that our President was never elected
My brain boils and my blood burns
My vision turns red
When I see how many solders are dead
A war based on lies
Can only compromise
Our standing in the world
No longer do people
Long to be like America
They hate us
And see us as bastards
As our warships and tanks
Bring death and destruction
Unless of course theirs been a disaster
Like a typhoon
Then you better make room
And don’t ever assume
That we don’t give enough
What ever we give
We can hardly give up
Its hard to fund charity
When were blowing shit up
The truth hurts, huh
It burns your eyes
And turns your stomach
Do you remember the lies
The claims that they made
For our reasons to raid
You wish you could run from it
Put it out of your mind
But the pain that's inside
Will no longer let you reside
In the blissful ignorance
Where you used to hide
How much does it hurt
Is it painful enough
To get off of your ass
And kick up a fuss
Take over T.V. and radio
And make them give up
Or the office of the Congressmen
Or the ones that gave piggy Bush
The O.K. to slay
Innocent people and ransack the towns
Because their greed
Has them focused with what’s in the ground
So they drum up some story
About Anthrax and terror
To get Joe Q Public
Worked up in a fervor
They served up lies
Like burgers and fries
And you not only bought them
But got them super sized
With drawings of mobile labs
They convinced you to send
Your lads and your lasses
All so they could get rich
Off that Iraqi molasses

You Spin me Right Round Baby!

2005-03-14T23:40:00.000-08:00

So I was Blogging on Blog Click and found this article that claimed Saddam's WMD's had been moved to Iran or Syria. Well this was pure bullshit the guy who runs this blog picked apart a New York Times Article from this past Sunday. He did not name the Article or it's authors JAMES GLANZ and WILLIAM J. BROAD and did not link the story NY Times I wonder why?

Here is the comment I posted on there site. I figure he will trash it.

I saw your headline so I read the post. Wow we were wrong Saddam did move the WMD's to Syria. Then I noticed that you didn't link to the story. So I found it myself. The story was about Looters after the fall of Baghdad.

You Spin better than Bill himself.

This is the frist sentence

"In the weeks after Baghdad fell in April 2003, looters systematically dismantled and removed tons of machinery from Saddam Hussein's most important weapons installations"

About the WMD's here is your quote,

" The top Iraqi defence official said equipment cabable of making parts for missles as well as chemical, biological, and nuclear arms were missing from 8 or 10 sites that were the heart of Iraq's WMD program "

Here is what the paper said

" Dr. Araji said equipment capable of making parts for missiles as well as chemical, biological and nuclear arms was missing from 8 or 10 sites that were the heart of Iraq's dormant program on unconventional weapons. That program was the rationale for the United States-led invasion, but occupation forces found no unconventional arms and C.I.A. inspectors concluded that the effort had been largely abandoned after the 1991 Persian Gulf war. "

and Syria was only mention twice

" Dr. Araji said that if the equipment had left the country, its most likely destination was a neighboring state. David Albright, an authority on nuclear weaponry who is president of the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, said that Syria and Iran were the countries most likely to be in the market for the kind of equipment that Mr. Hussein purchased, at great cost, when he was secretly trying to build a nuclear weapon in the 1980's. "

and

" The recent monitoring-agency report said Unmovic had asked Iraq's neighbors if they were aware of whether any equipment under agency monitoring had moved in or through their countries. Syrian officials, it said, replied that "no relevant scrap from Iraq had passed through Syria." The agency, the report added, had yet to receive a response from Iran and Saudi Arabia."

Not to mention how you forgot to say how it was the Looters who were highly organized. Did you really think no one would look it up.

I'm 80% sure you will waste this post so I will post it on my blog too. Good Day.

Rock the Boat, Rock the Boat baby, Tip the Boat over

2005-03-14T15:19:00.000-08:00

It is good to see Christians finally standing up for the beliefs of there savior. Today on Capitol Hill Members of the National Council of Churches and the Interfaith Alliance actually did what Jesus would do. They took a stand against the unChristian like behavior of the currant administration.
An article on the KLTV7 website tells the story of how this Faith Based Group told Bush that his budget was against there values. I don't no what Bible Bush has read, but in all the Bible's I've picked up Jesus never turned away the sick, started a war, or gave money to people who have it already. He did however heal the sick, feed the poor, and advocated turning the other cheek. I have deep respect for these people for standing up. Unfortunately I don't see anything coming of this. There is one part of the Bible that the Far Right always forgets

The Love of Money is the Root of all evil.

Imagine that Democracy in America

2005-03-13T19:59:00.000-08:00

It seems the Democrats are thinking of not spending so much time and money in New Hampshire and Iowa. Well looky there maybe they've figured out that there are only so many people in those areas that will vote for them. This is a welcome change of pace from the old tyme system that ignored the rest of the country. Here's a link to the article from AP on Yahoo News

Now if we could just get rid of that pesky Electoral College, a racist elitist system, and try some real DEMOCRACY!!!

Bush feeling the Pressure on SS fight.

2005-03-13T13:24:00.000-08:00

Has Bush finally figured out that Social Security destruction is not going to be his legacy. He will no doubt mess a lot of shit up, but it appears that even he may be tiring of the Social Security debate. In a ABC news article By TOM RAUM the President is shifting his focus away from Social Security the article sites recent failures of Bush's agenda.

From the ABC News article

" Failure to generate more public support for his plan for individual investment accounts for Social Security seems to have thrown the rest of his agenda off stride.
Among recent setbacks:
His initiative to control power plant emissions was rejected last week by a Republican-controlled Senate committee. His energy plan remains stalled after two unsuccessful attempts to get it through Congress in his first term.
His proposal to extend tax cuts for five years ran into opposition from Senate GOP leaders who were supporting a budget that holds tax cuts at $70 billion, rather than the $100 billion Bush proposed.
Bush's effort to allow religious groups receiving federal grants to consider a job applicant's religious beliefs has an uncertain future in the Senate after close passage in the House. "

So there maybe no chance for Bush even after staging rallies across the country. So I wonder how many tax payer dollars went to push what seems to be a doomed plan? We may never know but, worse than that will the moderate Republicans in the Legislator will have the balls to hold Bush accountable for wasting tax payer's money. Probably not.

Propaganda, Propaganda, Propaganda

2005-03-13T10:51:00.000-08:00

An article today in the New York Times by DAVID BARSTOW and ROBIN STEIN talks about evidence that the Bush administration is not only paying journalists to tow the party line, but have actually produced Propaganda themselves. The article found at NY Times

Says that 90 second fake news broadcasts have been sent and played around the country. While the stations that air these fake broadcasts know the are produced by the State Department. They have failed to tell there viewers what they are watching.

From the New York Times article,

" This winter, Washington has been roiled by revelations that a handful of columnists wrote in support of administration policies without disclosing they had accepted payments from the government. But the administration's efforts to generate positive news coverage have been considerably more pervasive than previously known. At the same time, records and interviews suggest widespread complicity or negligence by television stations, given industry ethics standards that discourage the broadcast of prepackaged news segments from any outside group without revealing the source.
Federal agencies are forthright with broadcasters about the origin of the news segments they distribute. The reports themselves, though, are designed to fit seamlessly into the typical local news broadcast. In most cases, the "reporters" are careful not to state in the segment that they work for the government. Their reports generally avoid overt ideological appeals. Instead, the government's news-making apparatus has produced a quiet drumbeat of broadcasts describing a vigilant and compassionate administration. "

Also form the article,

" In all, at least 20 federal agencies, including the Defense Department and the Census Bureau, have made and distributed hundreds of television news segments in the past four years, records and interviews show. Many were subsequently broadcast on local stations across the country without any acknowledgement of the government's role in their production. "

So this is what it has come to. The Main Stream Media often mistaken for being Liberal. Are nothing more than a shills for a corrupt system run by a corrupt administration. This proves even more why we must unseat the extreme right of the Republican party in 06. These people must be held accountable.

A Very Good Sign

2005-03-13T01:04:00.000-08:00

An article in the USA Today a poll shows that 7 out of 10 people are worried about government secrecy. According to the poll

" Americans feel strongly that good government depends on openness with the public, with seven out of 10 people concerned about government secrecy, a new poll says.
The poll, conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs for Sunshine Week, a coalition of media organizations and other groups pressing for government access, found that more than half of Americans believe government should provide more access to its records.
Even more — 70% — are either "somewhat concerned" or "very concerned" about government secrecy. Nearly as many felt access to public records was "crucial" to good government. "

" • 52% said there is too little access to government records; 36% said access is "just about right"; 6% said there is too much.
• 50% said access to court records is "just about right," while 33% said there is too little and 8% said there is too much.
• When it comes to government meetings and hearings, 48% said there is too little access, 42% said access is "just about right" and 5% said there is too much. "

With the way this administration is trying to close the Government. I am glad to see that people do not approve.

Delay uses contributions from Gambling interests to fund "Educational Trip"

2005-03-12T09:29:00.000-08:00

It appears Rep. Tom DeLay can add another notch to his bedpost of violating House ethics rules. Even though he has been admonished three times last year for infringements. This incessantly arrogant Cad just keeps on doing things that tread the razors edge between unethical and damn near illegal.

A report in the Washington Post today ads even more fuel to what is turning out to be an inferno that even Dante would admire with envy. It seems that Mr. DeLay took and "Educational Trip" to London with his wife, lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and two top staff members, Tony Rudy from the whip's office and chief of staff Susan Hirschmann, as well as her husband, David Hirschmann.

Now I have no problem with a little R&R. However I do have a problem with a Special Intrest group paying for most of the trip, and Mr. DeLay then voting down a bill opposed by contributors to said Special Intrest group. Don't take my word for it read the article for yourself at The Washington Post. Sorry you will have to find it I can’t get a link to work.

Where in the World is Ari Fleischer

2005-03-12T08:24:00.000-08:00

I had been wondering lately about where and what former Press secretary Ari Fleischer was up to. Well it turns out he wrote a book about his two and half years in the White House. In an interview in with the Columbia Journal Review http://www.cjr.org/ he talked about his book,time in the white house,and even tried to justify the planting of Jeff Gannon/ James Guckertt or what ever his name is today. He even spoke about how it is the Press secretaries job to tell the truth about every word that is spoken in the Oval Office. I find that interesting considering he and his predecessor Scott McClellan have helped to keep the truth from the people in this country, often with the help of the so called Liberal Media.

Bush's SS plan is most likely D.O.A.

2005-03-11T10:50:00.000-08:00

The Washington post reported today that Bush's Social Security plan to add private investments my not even make for a vote. According to a survey of Senate Dems. There are at least 41 Dems. that will do whatever they can to stop this conversion of Social Security into a Wall Street money grab. Some of the Dems. include Sens. Thomas R. Carper (Del.) and Mary Landrieu (La.). Take a look at the whole article.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25304-2005Mar10.html

The Senate Dems. say they have problems with creating more federal debt and cutting benefits. They site Vice President Cheney who said the Bush accounts would cost "trillions of dollars." . Kudos to the spaghetti spine Senate Dems. for showing some balls. Now if they would only hold Bush and his administration accountable for the lies that have us bogged down in Iraq and there complacent actions before 9/11.

Sunshine Bill to be Introduced

2005-03-11T10:13:00.000-08:00

The Associated Press and seven journalism organizations are joining sense. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt. In introducing a Bill that will help keep the government open in the wake of what is seen by many as an increasingly secretive government after the events of 9/11. The Bill proposes creation of a 16-member advisory commission that would conduct a study to determine ways to speed the release of records under the Freedom of Information Act. The bill has the backing of several news organization including American Society of Newspaper Editors You can read the article on Editor and Publisner here's the link

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000835959

While I like this plan I am not quite sure that I trust anything that has a Texan behind it. I hope that the journalists involved will keep both of these Senators honest. Corporate media has lost it's creditably in the last 5 to 10 years, even more so in the years sense 9/11.

U.S. May halt Aid to countries that allow slavery

2005-03-11T09:52:00.000-08:00

It's the 21st century and somehow there is still slavery running rampant on this planet. Slavery has many forms nowadays. Form the indentured servitude of Wal-Mart workers to the Innocents of the Child Sex Trade.

Well the U.S. state department has stated that they may withhold Aid to countries that allow slavery. According to Ambassador John R. Miller who said in front of congress "Thanks to the efforts of Congress, countries that do not make significant efforts to confront slavery face the threat of losing non-trade-related, non-humanitarian forms of U.S. assistance"

Take a look at the article from the U.S. State Dept. Website and read the text of Ambassador Miller's Remarks Before The Committee on International Relations Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights and International Operations.

http://usinfo.state.gov/gi/Archive/2005/Mar/11-774347.html?chanlid=globalissues

Merge on the Networks

2005-03-10T12:33:00.000-08:00

An opinion by truth addict

Over run the damn T.V. and Radio stations. Put a halt to the whole system. We have the stories, most of the people know the truth. They don't want to run the real stories. Then lets force them to.

The Neo Cons have been forcing there closed minded ideology on the masses for to long. They have the power, we have the numbers. Get your video cams and tape decks get the real news and lets ram it down there throats. Let them choke on the truth. If we don't these fools are going to nuke the world and then crap there pants when Jesus doesn’t show up to save them. They are more than happy killing all of us. All because of there faith.

Well I have faith too. I have faith that people will get fed up and break the yoke of Tyranny. There right, judgment day will come and they will be judged. Not by God but by the masses. The elite have thrived off the broken backs, dreams, and sprit of the people for ages.

Rise up and take the power back If they won't share the wealth, then they get none of it. Greed has ruled the world sense Paul distorted the words of a Rabble Rousing Mystic named Jesus . The kingdom of heaven is within. If revelations wasn't the Bible these fools would laugh it off as the ravings of a madman. The crap will not come to pass. There is no end of days unless we make it.

If there is a God, then he already gave us paradise and these fool believers only buy that crap so they can get away with screwing you without feeling bad about it. If you do wrong you will pay, there is no being saved from your actions. The right talks about personal responsibility then they feed you a line about how you can be saved for your sins. "The Devil made me do it" are the words of the first jerk trying to shirk is responsibility, and the greedy have used it to screw the rest of us sense he said it.

Fix Social Security Now

2005-03-09T12:11:00.000-08:00

Where do we live? America, right. Well then can some one explain to me why in a land where everyone is supposed to equal. We are not all taxed the same for Social Security? Some of us, no most of us pay Social Security taxes on all of our income. Those that make more than $90,000 don’t pay Social Security taxes on all there income. They only pay up to $90,000 because that is the cap.

The cap, the CAP, THE CAP! what cap, what makes you a “better” American because you make more than $90,000 dollars a year. Nothing. Are we all not the same in a democracy. So then why do you not pay the same? Some people say “raise the cap to $120,00 or $140,000 that will fix Social Security.” O.K. but why only raise the cap? Get rid of the cap. The cap is preposterous it is, how you say, Un American.

If we are all equal than we should all pay taxes on all of our income. I can hear you now “ this is an outrage, this guy is a socialist.” no simple Simon this is America and in this country we are all equal and that means we are all the same. You want to fix Social Security? Fine, you get taxed on all your income not part of it. No more loop holes or caps. When we are all paying taxes on all of our income, than at least our money will be equal.

Who is Safia Taleb Al Souhail?

2005-03-09T12:08:00.000-08:00

Safia Taleb Al Souhail is the Iraqi women they showed hugging the mother of a fallen Marine at the State of the Union Address. The one that Bush said “Eleven years ago Safia’s father was assassinated by Saddam’s intelligence service. Three days ago Safia was finally able to vote for the leaders of her country” . So here was a women that had lived under the horrible dictatorship of Hussein. Her father murdered by Saddam’s secret police. Now, after all this she can vote in a free Iraq. Well lets take a closer look, shall we.

According to an article from the AFP (Agence France-Presse) on Nov 20 2003. Safia Taleb Al Souhail was in Amsterdam. It also states that she spent her childhood in Iraq but her family left when Saddam’s Baath Party took power. That was in 1968 with the blessing of the U.S. government. The article says she was 38 in 2003 that would make her 2 when she left Iraq. She has apparently lived in Beirut, Amman, Paris, and Washington and is well traveled due to her world wide activism. How could she be living under the Anthrax filled Iron Fist of Saddam if she left the country in 1968 with her family?

It is true that her Father was killed by Saddam’s intelligence service. However her Father was killed in Lebanon planning a coup against Saddam. Her family also found the U.S. to complacent in his death according to Al Bawaba on Dec 20 2003 the article was found at the following website http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=1379. Her sister blamed the U.S. .
Her Father Sheik Taleb Al Tamimi was the leader of a million member strong tribe called Bani Tamim. He was planning a coup d’tate against Saddam from Beirut. His daughter Nora Al Tamimi claims the U.S. government told Saddam of the plot because they did not want the coup to take place. They were at odds with Sheik Tamimi because he did not approve of there policies. He was killed at his front door.

President Bush made it seem as if American forces had freed Iraq allowing this “poor Iraqi women” who had spent her life under the rule of Saddam the chance to vote in free elections. Hog wash this women spent her life outside of Iraq even spending time in the States. This “poor women” has been to more countries then most of the people I know. What a terrible life traveling the globe speaking about how awful Saddam was to women. We all know that as much as her and just like us she has no first hand experience with Saddam’s brutality towards women. I feel bad for the loss of her Father. It appears that he was a Revolutionary who wanted Saddam out of Iraq long before he had hung himself on the rope the U. S. gladly gave him.

It is deplorable that Bush and the Right Wing again use deception and half truths to justify what they have done in Iraq. They should be ashamed of themselves. The constant lies they give both before war and currently about Iraq are just disgusting. The fact that the Left Wing Liberal Media has somehow missed the facts is at best interesting. If this were Clinton, Gore, Mickey Mouse whoever pick a name they would have been all over this.

Blue States Punished

2005-03-09T11:59:00.000-08:00

An Opinion piece by Ian

The President’s 2006 Budget, which was recently "partially released" to the public, has come under continuous scrutiny. Medicaid, the Environment, Housing for the Poor, and Drug Subsidies for Veterans are, to name a few, key programs to be significantly cut. Defense Spending will be left unrestricted, and the Elite Tax Cuts, which cycles out billions of Federal dollars, will not be sacrificed. Yet, interestingly enough, there are also significant cuts to states that voted for the Democratic candidate in 2004.
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Vermont, Wisconsin, California, Washington, and Oregon all cast their electoral votes for John F. Kerry in November. And, all will receive significant cuts in Federal Aid according to the new Budget. Boston alone will lose an estimated $8 million. The White House has said that these states utilize the programs to be cut more than others.
That’s interesting, for these states are relatively economically healthy, when compared to poor state economies such as Mississippi, Alabama, Idaho, etc. The "utilization" of programs like welfare, and Medicaid are more in effect in those red states than Massachusetts.
Is this some sick Republican revenge? Did Bush not appeal to "…all those who cast a vote for my opponent…"? Didn’t he want to "earn" their trust? This is not the way to accomplish such a task. Besides making it clear that Healthcare and the Environment are not National Interests, Bush has also made it clear that Blue States will be treated, or mistreated, accordingly.
This is a declaration of war on the Democrats and the Middle Class of America. Yet, Democrats continually have not fought back. Lame Politicians like Lieberman, and good old Harry Reid have failed the party. That’s because when Democrats actually voice opinion, like Barbara Boxer, they are pounced on by the right wing media. Bill O’Reilly misquoted her questioning to Condoleeza Rice, and attacked a caller who tried to correct him. Mr. O’Reilly: She said truth not troops.
It is foolish to question why the right wing does this. It works. To be "unpatriotic" is a great crime in this country. So, the Conservatives will twist and spin everything to make liberals look that way. We must stand up, like Boxer, and defend that word liberal. After all, a liberal is defined as:
a. Not limited to or by establised, traditional, orthodox, or authoritarian attitudes, views, or dogmas; free from bigotry.
b. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behavior of others; broad-minded.
c. Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.
What is wrong with this? We need to change the context of this word I America. The recent budget cuts clearly alienate states with significant Liberal Populations. We, must fight back. For, being a Lieberman is worse than being a Conservative. It is time we all became Boxers.

Boycott ABC and it's Advertisers

2005-03-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

ABC had planed to air an episode of there show "Wife Swap" that had the wife of an atheist switching with the wife of a Devout Christian. Apparently they have decided not to air the episode which was set to air on March 16. Instead they have switched it with an episode about a women who's family lives off the power grid and a women who's family is engulfed in technology. Granted, that sounds like an interesting episode in it's own right. I feel that with the social climate in the country it is important to show a family on T.V. that has the stones to admit that they are atheists.

Well, I went to ABC's website to find an explanation as to why they are not airing the atheist/Christian episode. I could not find one. So I thought maybe they are just going to air it another day. There was no indication that they are going to air it in the future. So I e-mailed every name on there contact list. I let them know that I was very disappointed that they had decided not to air the atheist/Christian episode. There is a link to there contact page on the bottom of this post. Hit'em all with e-mails. If that is not enough then it's time to boycott ABC and its advertisers.

The right wing Christian conservatives have used there numbers to force there ideology down the throats of the rest of us. It's time to take a page out of there book and start boycotting T.V. and radio stations and there advertisers. There are only two thing the networks care about "ratings and Revenue" it's time to hit them where it hurts. It's a big planet and we should be able to share it without forcing each others views on each other. I don't walk up to strangers and tell them there fools who follow Paul and not Jesus. I have never told someone they are going to hell, unless they deserved it. So why do these people feel like they need to save me. Save yourself, you silly dolts. The End has been near for the last 4000 years and we are all still here. Perhaps the end will never come.

http://www.abcmedianet.com/net_contacts/netcontacts.shtml

What The Hell Happened?

2005-03-07T14:33:00.000-08:00

Well there are already conflicting accounts as to what happened when U.S. forces open fired on a car transporting Italian journalist GIULIANA SGRENA and several Italian intelligence officers. The U.S. government says that they opened fire on the car after it failed to slowdown or stop at a U.S. checkpoint. Government officials have said that they had no idea that she had been released. They state that this was just a horrible mistake.

Well the people in the car have a very different look of the same situation. Ms. Sgrena has written in a letter today published in Il Manifesto, the paper she was working for in Iraq. In the letter she says that her captors had told her she was going to Rome. However when they were leaving they told her "We'll take you and don't give any signals of your presence with us otherwise the Americans could intervene.". It appears that the captors turned her and the car over to the intelligence agents that had helped secure her release.

The car was less than a kilometer away from the airport when the car was riddled with bullets. As many as 300 to 400 rounds by some accounts. The Italian government is asking to see the car and the U.S. government claims they don't where it is. One person was killed and according to the Italians 3 other intelligence officers were injured. The U.S. says there were only two other agents in the car.

So, what is the truth? We may never know if the U.S. military targeted this car as many in Italy believe. However we do know that Ms. Sgrena had written many articles critical of the U.S. military intervention in Iraq. Including stories about the use of Napalm in Fallujah and about the U.S. using illegal weapons in Iraq. We know that the paper that she works for Il Manifesto is not friendly to the Bush administration. We do know that before the War started a Bush official said that reporters who were not embedded with Military units were in danger of being targeted when using Sat. Phone uplinks.

There are plenty of stories in the main stream media about this shameful situation. However they make sure to blast Ms. Sgrena for being Left-Wing and they call Il Manifesto a communist newspaper. They fail to mention that the communist party is a viable party in Italy and they hold seats in the government. So if you want to see what the people who lived through this have to say about it check out http://www.ilmanifesto.it/ they have a translator so don't worry. Take a look at "My Truth" and some of the other articles written by Ms. Sgrena. Then decide what you think about her accusations.

2005-03-06T14:50:00.000-08:00

The right wing Evangelical crazies that think social programs are wrong are diluted. They are Fascist Capitalists not Christians. First of all Jesus was a social advocate. He spent is time with the poor and destitute. He and his disciples were out there feeding the hungry and bringing aid to the sick. Anyone who doesn't know that needs to stop being told what the Bible says. Pick up the book by yourself and read it. Think to yourself how it makes you feel when you read the "good word". I know what your saying "what the hell dose he know, I read my Bible all the time" yes you might read it, but you don't hear it.

You hear the words of a man who takes your hard earned money to interpret the words for you. He takes a verse here and a line there and a word from over here and creates a message of give me your money and you'll go to heaven. You miss the words of Jesus when you put faith in the words of man. Jesus said to give your money to the poor and less fortunate. Jesus turned the tables over in the Temple and you have a gift shop selling WWJD? stickers and 3n1 clothing. Do you think that a man that trashed the money changers would condone a cash register in the place you worship him.

I say to all of you that you are not servants of God, but whores of the almighty dollar. No social programs are not anti-Christian its akin to the revolutionary ideas that Jesus died for. It is the corporate congregation and television stations that take money from the flock and sell Jesus name, all the while buying nice cars and houses. When your preacher drives a Cadillac and you ride the bus that is anti-Christian.

Its funny to think that you don't see that the devil has got you in his clutches. As you run from store to store at Christmas time and buy so much useless crap that your not even left with a dime. You put on credit so you can pay over time. You are totally removed from the views of the Jew that for the last 2000 years you have thought had died for you.

Its amazing the way people follow blindly the words of men that are greedy and conniving. They lead you to believe that you'll be rich in heaven. Stop and think about that for a moment. They tell you there is no such thing as reincarnation that you only get one soul and if you give it to Jesus he will make your life whole. Do you have any memories of before you were born. Think about it, take your time. Get nothing huh, so what makes you think that you'll know whether your rich in heaven. If you have no memories before birth than you wont have any after death. If you have no memory than you wont know the difference between rich and poor.

Now think about the words of you friend Jesus. Did you ever think that maybe his point was that in death we are all the same. That the idea is to treat each other with respect and kindness and live your life with social and color blindness. That maybe just maybe the man you call pastor. Is only perpetuating the never ending cycle of servant and master.

Separation of Church and State.

2005-03-06T12:09:00.000-08:00

So there as been a lot of debate over whether or not the white property owners who wrote the Constitution intended a separation of church and State. I find the argument completely bogus and without merit. Any dolt with the ability to read and write and with internet access should be able to determine for themselves that the Founding Fathers wanted a separation of Church and State.

However people for some reason are buying into the idea that this is a Christian country founded by Christians. There are countless people out in the main stream, so called liberal media, trying to push the idea. Sighting one or two instances where Washington mentions God or Ben Franklin motioning that they should bring in a Clergymen to pray at the Constitutional convention. However the ignore countless quotes by Washington advocating Church and State separation and they fail to mention that Franklins motion was voted down.

The reasons for the revolution were surly not based on any spiritual crusade to make a Christian nation. In fact if the founding fathers were such good Christians they surly they would have suffered under King George knowing that the will have eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. According to the good book Jesus said " Give unto Caesar what is Ceasars give unto God what is God." and Peter said in 1Peter 2:13-14 " Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right." hardly the words one would look to when seeking spiritual guidance for a revolution.

Thomas Jefferson clearly stated in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Danbury, Connecticut, on Jan 1, 1802. He wrote: "The First Amendment has erected a wall of separation between Church and State." he then sited the U.S. Constitution, Article VI, paragraph 3

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

The Right wing conservatives often site Jefferson in the arguments in favor of the second amendment. However they overlook the fact that Jefferson was so disgusted with the Church that he wrote is own Bible. The Jefferson Bible was pieced together by Jefferson taking two bibles and removing all the miracles and revelations. Correct me if I'm wrong but don't you have to believe in the Miracles and Second Coming to be a Christian.

So how can the Right use Jefferson to further one agenda but ignore the fact that he strongly believed in a separation of church and state. Simple, there hypocrites. Have you ever notice how they preach about the evils of money yet they drive nice new cars and have big screen T.V.'s. They are selling the masses on the idea that you will be rich in the Kingdom of Heaven so the can be rich on the planet earth.

Now there even trying to tell you that the founding fathers were devout Christians. They want you to believe this so they can impose there religion on you. So what religion will it be? Are you sure that your version of the Christian faith is the one the right wing is talking about. Do you have to be born again? What about the Mormans they count themselves among the religious right. However Bob Jones has called them a cult as well as Catholics. So before you stand up to fight to bring back something that was never there to begin with. Remember that the bill of rights clearly states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. It doesn't take an expert to figure out what that means.