Coffin Nails

Anyone ever wonder why we've pumped, dumped, spit, belched, dropped, and poured poison into the air, water, and ground for a century, and the biggest governmental concern is lighting up a cigarette may be hazardous to your health?

A Must Read

The Night After
The Easier the Victory, the Harder the Peace

By URI AVNERY

It is now fashionable to talk about "the day after". Let's talk about the night after.

After the end of hostilities in Iraq, the world will be faced with two decisive facts:

First, the immense superiority of American arms can beat any people in the world, valiant as it may be.

Second, the small group that initiated this war--an alliance of Christian fundamentalists and Jewish neo-conservatives--has won big, and from now on it will control Washington almost without limits.

The combination of these two facts constitutes a danger to the world, and especially to the Middle East, the Arab peoples and the future of Israel. Because this alliance is the enemy of peaceful solutions, the enemy of the Arab governments, the enemy of the Palestinian people and especially the enemy of the Israeli peace camp.

It does not dream only about an American empire, in the style of the Roman one, but also of an Israeli mini-empire, under the control of the extreme right and the settlers. It wants to change the regimes in all Arab countries. It will cause permanent chaos in the region, the consequences of which it is impossible to foresee.

Its mental world consists of a mixture of ideological fervor and crass material interests, an exaggerated American patriotism and right-wing Zionism.

That is a dangerous mixture. There is in it something of the spirit of Ariel Sharon, a man who has always had grandiose plans for changing the region, consisting of a mixture of creative imagination, unbridled chauvinism and a primitive faith in brute force.

Who are the winners?

They are the so-called neo-cons, or neo-conservatives. A compact group, almost all of whose members are Jewish. They hold the key positions in the Bush administration, as well as in the think-tanks that play an important role in formulating American policy and the ed-op pages of the influential newspapers.

For many years, this was a marginal group that fostered a right-wing agenda in all fields. They fought against abortion, homosexuality, pornography and drugs. When Binyamin Netanyahu assumed power in Israel, they offered him advise on how to fight the Arabs.

Their big moment arrived with the collapse of the Twin Towers. The American public and politicians were in a state of shock, completely disoriented, unable to understand a world that had changed overnight. The neo-cons were the only group with a ready explanation and a solution. Only nine days after the outrage, William Kristol (the son of the group's founder, Irving Kristol) published an Open Letter to President Bush, asserting that it was not enough to annihilate the network of Osama bin Laden, but that it was also imperative to "remove Saddam Hussein from power" and to "retaliate" against Syria and Iran for supporting Hizbullah.

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Tranny Annie

Shemale Annie column REPUBLICANS, BLOGGERS AND GAYS, OH MY! discussing Gannon/JeffPants: "Press passes can't be that hard to come by if the White House allows that old Arab Helen Thomas to sit within yards of the president."

Now, imagine if a liberal equivalent of Coulter commented something like "Economics can't be too hard to come by if the White House allows that old Jew Alan Greenspan to sit...."

Bizarro

The buzz: Was Hunter Thompson "suicided" because he "was working on an expose of the homosexual pedophile underground which permeates the MSM, Washington, DC, & BOTH political parties..."? Skolnick also claims that Gannon/Guckert is Johnny Gosch, a 12 y/o kidnapped in OH in 1982 and put into a child prostitution ring.

While I doubt Thompson was murdered, and doubt Gannon/Guckert is Gosch, I do believe MSM, DC, and both parties could be involved in pedophile rings. Blackmail is the only thing that explains the government puppets and MSM, tap dancing faster and harder than any Riverdance extravaganza I've seen.

Google Jew

Google explanation:

An explanation of our search results.

If you recently used Google to search for the word "Jew," you may have seen results that were very disturbing. We assure you that the views expressed by the sites in your results are not in any way endorsed by Google. We'd like to explain why you're seeing these results when you conduct this search.

A site's ranking in Google's search results is automatically determined by computer algorithms using thousands of factors to calculate a page's relevance to a given query. Sometimes subtleties of language cause anomalies to appear that cannot be predicted. A search for "Jew" brings up one such unexpected result.

If you use Google to search for "Judaism," "Jewish" or "Jewish people," the results are informative and relevant. So why is a search for "Jew" different? One reason is that the word "Jew" is often used in an anti-Semitic context. Jewish organizations are more likely to use the word "Jewish" when talking about members of their faith. The word has become somewhat charged linguistically, as noted on websites devoted to Jewish topics such as these:

* http://shakti.trincoll.edu/~mendele/vol01/vol01.174
* http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/jonah081500.asp

Someone searching for information on Jewish people would be more likely to enter terms like "Judaism," "Jewish people," or "Jews" than the single word "Jew." In fact, prior to this incident, the word "Jew" only appeared about once in every 10 million search queries. Now it's likely that the great majority of searches on Google for "Jew" are by people who have heard about this issue and want to see the results for themselves.

Our search results are generated completely objectively and are independent of the beliefs and preferences of those who work at Google. Some people concerned about this issue have created online petitions to encourage us to remove particular links or otherwise adjust search results. Because of our objective and automated ranking system, Google cannot be influenced by these petitions. The only sites we omit are those we are legally compelled to remove or those maliciously attempting to manipulate our results.

We apologize for the upsetting nature of the experience you had using Google and appreciate your taking the time to inform us about it.

Sincerely,
The Google Team

p.s. You may be interested in some additional information the Anti-Defamation League has posted about this issue at http://www.adl.org/rumors/google_search_rumors.asp. In addition, we call your attention to both the Jewish Internet Association, an organization that addresses online anti-semitism, at http://www.jewishinternetassociation.org/, and Google's search results on this topic.

Oddly, google doesn't have the same concern about the words nigger, coon, spick, chink, sandnigger, greaser, etc.

Found It

China has opened up a number of state-owned and once-strategic sectors of its economy to local and foreign private investment in a decision which will extend the role of entrepreneurs in industries long monopolised by the government.

The sweeping reform, announced in a policy document released by the State Council, China's cabinet will legalise private investment in sectors including power, rail, aviation and oil.

Bush said the tax breaks for the wealthy would create investment in more jobs, he just didn't tell you where.

Jargon

Somewhere in the last decade or so the meme has become the US is a "Judeo-Christian" nation. The "Judeo-Christian tradition." The "Judeo-Christian heritage." I must have been out of the country.

Growing up in the Bible belt it was generally understood that America was a nation founded on Christianity, no Jewishness about it. There was also understanding among most Bible thumpers that the Jews killed Jesus, spit at the cross, practiced ungodly behavior, and some sincere Christians taught that "Jews are a perverse people accursed by God forever." Christianity which once preached the New Covenant/replacement theology (Jews have no future, no hope and no place in the plans of God) now back laws that anything anti-Israel is anti-semitic. Jews and Christians now brothers-in-arm.

I remember when Jews were excluded from membership in the country club, discriminated against in the work force, education, housing, the butt of jokes, and known as "white niggers". Hence the Jewish and Black alliance during the Civil Rights era, although Jews were never excluded and lynched to the extent of Black Americans. Jews were in positions of authority much earlier than Blacks (1916 first Jewish SCOTUS judge). Today more power through politics (what an understatement). With the release of tapes, we know how Nixon felt about Jews - "you can't trust the bastards, they turn on us." Tricky Dick got his comeuppance.

According to The Myth of the Judeo-Christian Tradition, by Arthur A. Cohen, the term Judeo-Christian is "an invention of American politics." Though the two religions hold some common beliefs, the term insinuates more in common than actually is, and ignores the common ground in Islam. How convenient, that Christians and Jews are persecuted and victimized by the same enemy today, Islam. The world still ruled by mythology and might, dressed up in jargon. The mothers of invention.

AARP Bash

The blogosphere rumbling that the same group behind Swift Boats are currently bashing AARP, "which had the nerve to come out against President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security."

The same AARP who jumped ship and supported Bush's Medicare 400 billion prescription drug plan? The same AARP who spent 7 million in ads backing the Bush plan? The one lobby fits all AARP? The same AARP which stood to reap huge benefits from the Bush plan? The wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty AARP?

Cui Bono?

Tel Aviv Blast. TEL AVIV, Israel — A Palestinian homicide bomber carrying 20 pounds of explosives blew himself up in a crowd of young Israelis waiting outside a nightclub near Tel Aviv's beachfront promenade just before midnight Friday, killing at least four other people, wounding dozens and shattering an informal Mideast truce.

How do they know the bomber was "carrying 20 pounds of explosives"?

Logistics

Shrink Wrap Bodies. In the case of a natural disaster or terrorist attack, some emergency officials in Western Washington plan to be prepared with a large, shrink wrap machine. The Thurston County Coroner's Office recently won approval to purchase a machine able to shrink-wrap human remains. The process would make it easier to transport a large number of bodies. After the bodies have been autopsied and identified, they would be zipped into body bags, placed on a plywood trays and covered with cardboard lids. The coroner's office has already started a bidding process to find a company to build the machine. A Homeland Security grant will pay for the machine, which will cost an estimated $50,000.

Can't we just use our plastic and duct tape?

Let Me Finish

Fred Burks : "As a deep insider myself, I have independent confirmation of President Bush using an earpiece to assist him in communicating intelligently with others. I've worked as a contract Indonesian language interpreter with the US State Department for over 18 years. I first started interpreting at the presidential level in 1995 at a White House meeting for President Clinton and President Suharto of Indonesia with their top advisors." Bush's Interpreter Says Bush Uses Earpiece.

Burks has what might be considered tinfoil with websites on UFOs, feel good inspiration site, etc.

Currently Burks is fighting with the government over a Cuban vacation.. Maybe Burks is a sore loser? or maybe GW really does have a hand up, I mean a bug in his ear. Or maybe none of this is worth the post it's written in.

Uncle Bucky

William H.T. "Bucky" Bush profits from work in Iraq. He "exercised options on 8,438 shares of company stock Jan. 18, according to reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He acknowledged in an interview that the transaction was worth about $450,000.

In an earnings report issued Tuesday, the firm disclosed that net earnings for the first quarter ending Jan. 31 reached a record $20.6 million, while quarterly revenue hit $233.5 million, up 20% from a year ago. As a result, the company boosted its projected annual revenue to between $990 million and $1 billion.

William Bush, 66, a onetime St. Louis bank executive and head of an investment firm, joined the board in 2000, eight months before his nephew won the White House.

The president's uncle said in an interview that he never used his family connections to help the company win contracts."

No doubt Bucky is as honest as his nephew.

Oprah Effect

I've been unable to tolerate the unconscionable vanity of Oprah for a long time. Paul Street's article in Black Commentor expresses the Oprah Effect in more detail.

"It’s a carefully cultivated perception. With her army of disproportionately Caucasian counselors, personal trainers, fitness consultants, personal chefs, massage therapists, interior designers, and New Age healers, Oprah has taken an “inner journey” toward primarily personal healing and accountability and away from the collective struggle for racial equality and social justice. “The other kids were all into black power,” Oprah told the Tribune in the mid-1980s. But “I wasn’t a dashiki kind of woman … Excellence was the best deterrent to racism and that became my philosophy.” As her programming became ever more racially “sanitized” during the 1990s, Elaine Brown notes (in her excellent book The Condemnation of Little B [Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2002]), Oprah’s emphasis focused on “providing …comfort to what became her core audience of white women, in the form of ‘lifestyle’ and glamour ‘makeovers,’ diets, and New Age self-healing readings and practices and endless self-deprecating discourse over her own weight and ‘nappy’ hair.” “Winfrey carefully avoided using her unparalleled power and voice on behalf of black women,” Brown bitterly observes, “even as the political agenda pounded poor black women and their children ever deeper into poverty and degradation.”

Today, while American inequalities of class and color are worsened by racist imperial adventure in the Middle East, Oprah trumpets and exemplifies narcissistic personal obsession, egoistic wealth accumulation, and the narrow pursuit of individual “excellence” amidst permanent, unchallenged, and brutal social injustice. In Oprah’s world, it’s all about how to “Change Your Life,” a slogan that does not mean engaging with fellow African Americans, other people of color, and white allies in the difficult and often dirty struggle to challenge hierarchy and democratize society. It’s mainly about private color-blind solutions and personal experience. It means working with what Brown calls “a group of whites possessing curious credentials” (New Age healers and consultants), the great struggle to look and feel better inside the smaller circles of daily life – circles that happen, in Oprah’s case, to be situated at the super-opulent heights of a grotesquely unequal societal pyramid that grants more than 2 billion world citizens less than a dollar a day on which to live the good life that is sold in Oprah’s show and magazine.

As for the participants in the upcoming and aforementioned “black tie event” (the Academy Awards), it is worth recalling the meaner side of black upper-class elitism, expressed by Chris Rock in his popular routine “Niggas vs. Black People.” Rock divides black America into two classes, Cosby’s “lower economic people” being the “Niggas.” “I love black people,” Rock says, “but I hate niggas! Boy, I wish they’d let me join the Klu Klux Klan.”

Now there’s something for Oprah’s predominantly white audience to get teary-eyed about, after a bit of advice on how to decorate their next palatial Hollywood mansion more perfectly in accord with the unmet needs of their inner child."

Keep Them Doggies Movin'

Seems every month for four years many progressive friends, bloggers, acquaintances, have stated with each new story, "this" should, could, would bring down the Bush administration. Enron, WMD, Bush's TANG service, the August 2001 PDB, KBR-Halliburton contracts, Valerie Plame, Abu Gharib, Gitmo, torture, Gannon/Guckert, dozens upon dozens of lies, illegalities, and fraud beginning with the Bush appointment in 2000. Barely a stir in the house, or congress, or the average Joe. Why? The nation shrugged when Bush was appointed in 2000, most continue to shrug. The extremist push to place Bush in power four years ago had a motive, now answered for some of us, others haven't even asked.

It is not government of the people by the people, and hasn't been for a very long time and was always shaky at best. Honest balloting has been questionable for decades and now - totally worthless. With sufficient E-voting and friends who deliver, it makes no difference whether we the people vote or not. The results are tallied long before the casting of ballots. The red herd/blue herd, though they're disapprovin', keep them doggies movin'.

I have watched "apathy" for a long time. From the somewhat predictable June and Ward Cleaver '50s, through the turmoil and changes of the '60s and the numbness of the '70s. Enter apple rouge cheeks and affable wordster, bonnie Bonzo Ron, a gipper face for America. Grampa, benovlent but stern, do as you're told, be happy, soon we'll be living high and wide, greed is good, suckers. Perfect player for a nation with exaggerated pride and self-confidence, personified in political and religious leaders. By god, we schmucks can't suck billions out of S&Ls but hot damn our leaders sure can. Anyburton can do it, cook the books and screw 'em. Saddam a monster for killing thousands but between two Bushes with a Clinton we can kill a million, bring 'em on, because we know we're free. Makes people write songs.

Will another war in Iran and/or Syria "wake up" people? To what? That the rulers murder for profit behind God and flag? Forget it. The "people" are convinced they're sharing Bush's image of God's democracy and killing the bad guys. Few before them cared about the millions left dead in Slavery, in Native America, Southeast Asia, and Latin America and they don't care about the swarthy folks in turbans and hijabs. Enter the new age racism/bigotry aka Multicultural Madness: How Western Civilization has been turned upside down in one generation. Joseph Farah, the ragmaker of WND, an Arab-American Christian who is white enough. Might as well admit it, for the American majority, unless you're white (or close to it) and love Jesus and the flag, then you are rarely more than savage - barbarian - evil - and smell bad too. Plenty of non-whites willing to twist what America wants to hear and, ca-ching ca-ching, make it seem downright virtuous with heaven waiting at the end of the ride.

What will it take to "wake up" the people. The draft? Forget it. The bulk of the draft families in this country will be silently relieved to send Johnny marching off to war. He's a pain in the ass at home and mom and pop can finally be proud they're contributing to the "greater good" of mankind, liberating and democratizing and Christianizing what's left of the world. Too much of the public buys every line BushCo feeds them. They're bored. They need lots of drama to feel they have a life. Bush personifies much of America. Corrupt, cruel, gutless, backward, manipulative, dead of spirit but somehow proud of it. Bush Country.

Bush Says

"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. Having said that, all options are on the table," Bush said. (And family feud survey says...option attack.)

"It's in our interests for them not to have a nuclear weapon," Bush said. (Especially when we attack.)

And for Putin, Bush says "A constructive relationship allows me to remind him that I believe Russia is a European country and European countries embrace those very same values that America embraces." (Europeans use piss-on you stickers George, and that "values" thingy is a GOP meme.)

Peed Off

Brussels.

Paul Belien writes: "WHEN JOHAN VANDE LANOTTE, Belgium's Vice Prime Minister, goes to the toilets today, he finds the urinals in the offices of his ministry decorated with stickers. They show an American flag and the head of George W. Bush. "Go ahead. Piss on me," the caption says. Vande Lanotte is one of Bush's hosts in Brussels. Is peeing on your guest's head appropriate? In Belgium it is. After all, Brussels' best known statue is that of "Manneken Pis," a peeing boy.

The piss stickers, specially made to be used in urinals, can be seen these days in the public toilets of Belgian schools, youth clubs, and pubs. They were designed by Laurent Winnock, president of the Young Socialists, the youth branch of Vande Lanotte's Socialist party. Winnock did his creative work during his office hours, which would not be worth mentioning if Winnock did not work in the offices of Vice Prime Minister Vande Lanotte, as one of his press spokesmen.

Fifteen years ago, I was sacked by a Belgian newspaper because I had written an article in the Wall Street Journal which the Belgian politicians did not like. Being a somewhat conservative and pro-American journalist, I was a regular contributor to the Journal in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These articles were not liked by my liberal colleagues, nor by the Belgian regime. On April 6, 1990, I was fired after writing a Journal op-ed piece about how a major story had been ignored by the Belgian media under political pressure from the top political parties.

That day ended my career as a newspaper journalist. None of the Belgian papers has been willing to employ me since. Fifteen years later I am still known by my former colleagues as "that fascist from the Wall Street Journal." And now I could see those same editors sitting in the audience, listening to a man whom they despise.

Indeed, they think that the world will be saved if America becomes more like Europe, whereas I think that Europe will be saved only if it becomes more like America. But that is an opinion which no one in Europe is allowed to have. Those who do, get peed upon." Paul Belien.
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Don't be upset Paul, Michelle Malkin and Vdare like you.

Hunter S. on 9/11

mp3 Aussie Interview from 2002. Cui bono.

Remember Vanunu

Pravda article of July 27, 2004: "Israel may be implicated in the biggest crime of the past century, which took place in Dallas in 1963." Iran’s Tehran Times, writing from Jerusalem, said: "In a startling accusation, nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu has alleged that Jerusalem was behind the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, who was exerting pressure on the then Israeli head of state to shed light on the Dimona nuclear plant."

Vanunu’s comments that there are "near-certain indications" that Israel was involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy support the thesis of Michael Collins Piper, presented in his book Final Judgment, that Israeli agents played a key role in the murder.

AFP asked Vanunu to explain his comments about Israeli involvement in the murder of President Kennedy.

"My view is that Kennedy was assassinated because of his strong opposition to [Israeli prime minister] Ben Gurion," Vanunu said.

At the time, Ben Gurion was working to create a nuclear arsenal for Israel.

The group that was involved with Ben Gurion in developing and protecting Israel’s nuclear arsenal "was behind the assassination of Kennedy," Vanunu said.

Remember the Rostow Gang (TX)

WALTER ROSTOW (1916-2003). A Yale Ph.D. (1940) and Rhodes scholar, he served (1942–45) with the covert Office of Strategic Services during World War II. Assistant to the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe, in 1947 and was involved in the development of the Marshall Plan. Was rejected 3 times for employment during Eisenhower administration, failing background checks. One of the architects and passionate defenders of the Vietnam War as an adviser to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Years later stating the failure in VN was out of his control, not due to his ideology. (Walt memo discussing aid to Israel in 1967 and Dimona inspection.) Wife Elspeth Davies Rostow, Council on Foreign Relations, Vice Chairman during Clinton administration.

EUGENE ROSTOW (1913-2002). Brother of Walter. Graduated from Yale in 1933. Rostow served (1966-69) as undersecretary of state for political affairs under President Lyndon B. Johnson, where he too was an articulate defender of the government's Vietnam policy. Under President Ronald Reagan he was (1981-83) the director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the highest ranking Democrat to serve in the administration. Eugene stated in the 1980s "We are living in a pre-war, not a post-war, period," which led to arms buildup. Super-hawk. Sons Victor and Charles Nicholas.

C. NICHOLAS ROSTOW. General Counsel and Senior Policy Advisor to the Ambassador, U.S. Mission to the United Nations. Appointed in 1989 Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. The BNL (Banca Nazionale del Lavoro). "Nick Rostow, the General Counsel to the NSC. Mr. Rostow's previous experience includes playing a key role in the White House efforts to cover up the Iran-Contra scandal and to obstruct a 1988 GAO investigation of then-Vice President Bush's ties to Panamanian leader and drug lord, one Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega."

NICHOLAS ROSTOW. U.S. Department of State Thinking Ethically about Preemption "Existing international law is up to the terrorism challenge. The questions and issues raised by the events of September 11, 2001, are not new; what has changed is the technological context. Certain states and groups regard terrorism as a cheap, effective weapon and use it with no notice and to devastating effect. The questions today include what constitutes an immediate threat and what kinds of weapons are at issue. International law recognizes a right of anticipatory self-defense when it is reasonable under the circumstances. Those circumstances include policies of hostility to the United States and willingness to use terrorists and weapons of mass destruction."

VICTOR ROSTOW. A Pentagon policy official (April 2003) who is serving as a liaison to the Iraqi team, said its task would be to help General Garner "turn over functioning ministries to the new Iraqi interim authority after a period of time."

Marketing war must be genetic.

Peace

ASPEN, Colo. - Hunter S. Thompson, the acerbic counter-culture author of books such as "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," fatally shot himself Sunday night at his Aspen-area home, his son said. He was 67.

"Hunter prized his privacy and we ask that his friends and admirers respect that privacy as well as that of his family," Juan Thompson said in a statement released to the Aspen Daily News.

Senator Crap In Iraq

Clinton, a New York Democrat, said insurgents intent on destabilizing the country had failed to disrupt Iraq's landmark Jan. 30 elections.

"The concerted effort to disrupt the elections was an abject failure. Not one polling place was shut down or overrun," Clinton told reporters inside the U.S.-protected Green Zone. "The fact that you have these suicide bombers now, wreaking such hatred and violence while people pray, is to me, an indication of their failure," Clinton said.

Clinton said the last time she visited Iraq in late 2003, she traveled to the Green Zone by road from the international airport. Today, security is so bad that none of the senators dared drive through Baghdad's streets, even in armored cars. Aside from the Green Zone, their only glimpse of the capital came from the relative safety of U.S. military helicopters that ferried them from the airport.

"It's regrettable that the security needs have increased so much. On the other hand, I think you can look at the country as a whole and see that there are many parts of Iraq that are functioning quite well," Clinton said.
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The hardest part about getting long in the tooth is cognizance. Listening to the same stale crap from different pols and knowing said pols are the spawn and/or protege of the previous crapsters who parroted the exact crap about ______ (insert country or 'ism').

Schadenfreude

Martin Peretz (a contra-war backer and a signer of PNAC) offers yet another rant on the UN in The New Republic. The commentary posted on Freepers. I'm unable to pull up TNR for some reason tonight. The usual Peretz waxing on and on i.e. "It is typologically the same people who wanted the United States to let communism triumph--in postwar Italy and Greece, in mid-cold war France and late-cold war Portugal--who object to U.S. efforts right now in the Middle East. You hear the schadenfreude in their voices--you read it in their words--at our troubles in Iraq. For months, liberals have been peddling one disaster scenario after another, one contradictory fact somehow reinforcing another, hoping now against hope that their gloomy visions will come true." Or blame liberals first, liberals love commies and Arabs. (Schaudenfreude means 'enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others', liberals must also be sadistic.)

He continues: "I happen to believe that they won't. This will not curb the liberal complaint. That complaint is not a matter of circumstance. It is a permanent affliction of the liberal mind (liberals also mentally afflicted). It is not a symptom; it is a condition. And it is a condition related to the desperate hopes liberals have vested in the United Nations. That is their lodestone. But the lodestone does not perform. It is not a magnet for the good. It performs the magic of the wicked. It is corrupt, it is pompous, it is shackled to tyrants and cynics. It does not recognize a genocide when the genocide is seen and understood by all. Liberalism now needs to be liberated from many of its own illusions and delusions. Let's hope we still have the strength." I happen to agree somewhat with Peretz on this one. The UN is a lodestone, attracting, as he says, the corrupt, the pompous, shackled to tyrants, and cynics. But we might disagree on who needs liberating from delusions, who is shackled to who.

UN Ambassadors:
1971-1973 George H. W. Bush.

1973-1975 John A. Scali. Special Consultant to the President from 1971 to 1973. Jewish World printed rave reviews of his career which were officially read into the senate record on his death in 1995.

1975-1976 Daniel P. Moynihan. Elliot Abrams was once Moynihan's Chief of Staff. Christopher Finn of Carlyle also once served as Moynihan Chief of Staff.

1976-1977 William W. Scranton. Formerly a Director of Cummins Engine, IBM, Mobil, The NYT, H.J. Heinz and the New York Life Ins. Co. Member of the Trilateral Commission. United States Congressman from 1961-1963; Gov. of Pennsylvania from 1963-1967; US Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 1976-1977; Member of the US National Group in the Permanent Court of Arbitration from 1977-1984; and, Member of several Presidential Commissions. Yale graduate.

1977-1979 Andrew Young. Board of director on Delta Airlines, Argus, Host Marriott Corporation, Archer Daniels Midland, Cox Communications. Aide to MLK (took the safest path after Memphis and there's something to be said for theocracy but seems to have kept his nose clean).

1979–1981 Donald McHenry. Author of Micronesia: Trust Betrayed. Director of the International Paper Company, the Coca-Cola Company, the Fleet National Bank and its holding company Fleet Boston Financial Corporation, GlaxoSmithKline and AT&T. Ambassador McHenry serves on the Boards of the Institute for International Economics, International Institute for Education and the American Ditchley Foundation.

1981–1985 Jeane J. Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick, ambassador during the Reagan administration, is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Project for the New American Century: Signed several PNAC advocacy letters. Nicaraguan Freedom Fund: Vice president. She argued that "rightist authoritarian regimes can be transformed peacefully into democracies, but totalitarian Marxist ones cannot. They can be changed only by aiding armed opponents of communism. In the final analysis these enemies of freedom can only be deterred from greater aggression . . . by the military capacities of the United States."

1985–1989 Vernon A. Walters. Served 1972 to 1976 as Deputy Director of Central Intelligence.

1989–1992 Thomas J. Pickering. Pickering served as special assistant to Henry Kissinger in 1973-74, when the US was attempting to avoid defeat in Vietnam. He was Kissinger's special assistant when the latter helped mastermind the US-backed coup that brought the fascist general and mass murderer Augusto Pinochet to power in Chile. He served as US ambassador to El Salvador under the Reagan administration, when Washington was supporting that country's death squad regime.

1992–1993 Edward J. Perkins. Perkins is member of the Council on Foreign Relations and edited books include Preparing America's Foreign Policy for the 21st Century, with David L. Boren. In 1996, he retired with rank from the Career Minister in the US Foreign Service. During his career, he has held positions within the Bureau of Far Eastern and South Asian Affairs, Office of Management Operations. He has served in the US Embassy in Accra, Ghana, as Deputy Chief Mission to the US Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia (1981), and as Director of State’s Office of West African Affairs (!983-1985). In 1985, he was appointed Ambassador to Liberia and in 1986 he was appointed Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa. In 1992, he was appointed as a US Representative to the United Nations and US Representative in the UN Security Council (1992-1993). Ambassador Perkins has been honored with several distinguished and meritorious service awards. A trunk load of kudos but he hasn't really done much. All his African experience sat idle during Rwanda.

1993–1996 Madeleine K. Albright. Infamous remarks "CBS Reporter Lesley Stahl (speaking of post-war sanctions against Iraq): "We have heard that a half million children have died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And - and you know, is the price worth it?" Madeleine Albright (at that time, US Ambassador to the UN): "I think this is a very hard choice, but the price - we think the price is worth it." The rightwings hit the fan over the comments, so concerned were they that killing of Iraqi children was being done under a Democrat (as opposed to the 2 Bush men killing them).

1997–1998 William Blaine Richardson. In 1997, President Clinton appointed him to be the United States Ambassador to the United Nations. He served until 1998, when he was appointed as U.S. Secretary of Energy. He served here until 2001. Think Wen Ho Lee. Richardson was elected governor of New Mexico in November 2002. He succeeded a two-term Republican governor, Gary Johnson. Richardson is the only Hispanic Governor in the United States (although his daddy is Boston white who met his momma while a Citicorp exec in Mexico City). He has also been criticized for expanding and enjoying too much the perks of the position. As governor, Richardson continues to be interested in foreign policy. During the summer of 2003, he met with a delegation from North Korea to discuss concerns over that country's use of nuclear energy. (I smell tat a Wen Ho for tit your Governorship.)

1998–1999 A. Peter Burleigh. Thirty-three years in Foreign Service. Stated in 1999 "There has been no disruption of humanitarian assistance under the Oil-for-Food program, and it is a matter of the utmost importance that the program continue without disruption. " In 1989 Burleigh served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research at the United States Department of State. Prior to this, he served at the Department of State for the Bureau of Near Eastern and South Asian Affairs as: Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, 1987 - 1989; Director of the Office of Northern Gulf Affairs, 1985 - 1987; and Deputy Director of the Office of Analysis and Research, 1982 - 1985. Poppy Bush nominated Burleigh for the Rank of Ambassador While Serving as Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism in 1991.

1999–2001 Richard Holbrooke. LBJ staff on Vietnam, google East Timor, Indonesia, 200,000 dead, human rights abuses, genocide, etc.

2001 James B. Cunningham (acting). Helped bring Muammar Qaddafi to his knees, so it's been said.

2001–2004 John D. Negroponte. God help us all.

2004– John Danforth. Yale Divinity, ordained minister, Republican senator, Missouri. Shortest tenure. Resigned after 6 months (his staff was "stunned"), citing his wife's broken ankle needed him. Confidentially, he was pissed b/c he was expecting Colin's job.

(Beware of those posing as "liberals" or liberal mags.) Peas in the same neocon pod.

Nom de Guerre

George "El Jefe Asesino" Bush has assembled quite the rightwing squad. The choice of Negroponte should not surprise or puzzle anyone who remembers the '80s. Just one bloody hand washing the other. Will Negroponte bring back the nom de guerre (we'll have to use the Spanish term since we're pretending to be angry with the French). Negroponte knows all about nombre de guerra. Likely assigned a few during his days in Central America. I haven't felt this sense of dread since lying on a dirt floor in Salvador as policia in the next room discussed what to do with me. The Democrats have drawn straws to see who will "protest" the appointment before they confirm it.

Here's a suggestion for squad nombres:
John "Uncle Juan Rabioso" Negroponte.
Michael "El Himmler" Chertoff. Easy for Bush to nickname as Him.
Porter "Comandante El Mop-Up" Goss, or Moppy for Bush.
Alberto "Capitan Torturador" Gonzales. Torty.
Karl Rove, "Fava beans y chianti?" Beanie.
Condi Rice as "Doctora SpitOut Sus Testiculos." Honey.

Aye aye aye aye adios a sus huevos.

Hobnobbing

For bald knobs.

Three years, still no arrest of inner circle pretzel that beat the shit out of Bush.

The Toking of Montel

I haven't read Montel's book Climbing Higher but in a recent Chicago Tribune article "Fighting for your life shouldn't be a crime" Montel states "someone suggested that I try smoking a little marijuana before going to bed saying it might help me fall asleep." He goes on to say he was skeptical but tried it. Voila!

Montel, after his arrest in 2003 for possession at the Detroit airport: "... statement released by Williams' office indicated that he used marijuana on the advice of his physician to treat the chronic, constant pain caused by MS." At the time possession of any amount of marijuana carried up to a year prison time in Michigan. Williams was fined $100.

Granted, it's unfortunate for anyone to suffer from disease, but I don't buy Montel's line. The National MS Society's own medical trials are inconclusive. THC effects on spasticity were inconclusive and "side effects, especially at higher doses, included weakness, dry mouth, dizziness, relaxation, mental clouding, short-term memory impairment, space-time distortions, and lack of coordination." and that "smoked marijuana was shown to worsen control of posture and balance in 10 people with MS and 10 who did not have MS. All 20 study participants reported feeling "high." Wow, all 20.

Monty didn't go public with his cry for medicinal weed until after getting caught with a bong full. Montel long spoke out against drugs, but now pleading a case for one. Now an activist/lobbyist for "medicinal" marijuana. A gifted motivational speaker who lectures on how to overcome obstacles on the road to success. Maui wowie or Acapulco Gold, no sticks or seeds.....?

Hearts & Bunnies

Just a reminder, while enjoying those truffles and chocolate dipped strawberries Chocolate May Have Small Handprints of West African Children. (May have?)

"With the help of the International Labor Organization, the government has set up a Cocoa Task Force to help eliminate forced child labor. But the head of the national cocoa marketing body, Lucien Tape Doh, says lots of money has gone to waste. He says several Ivorian delegations have been to Washington to understand what exactly American lawmakers want. He says each trip is very costly for Ivorians, but he adds "you shouldn't count the number of flies on a wound." In other words, the end justifies the means. " (Stall?)

To date the chocolate industry has not met the "protocol" to ensure child slavery is not practiced and time is running out with a July '05 deadline. Should the top 10 exporters operating in Cote d'Ivoire, such as Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland, and Nestle monitor their suppliers from the Ivory Coast?

Everyone Should Have One

Start Your Own Tax-Exempt Think Tank: Effective Self Defense Against Corporate and Political Donor Class Tax Predation.

Survival of the Fittest Budget

I have no problem with most of Bush budget cuts. For example, his cuts in law enforcement. We really do not need more "uniforms" patrolling. There is more than enough IT surveillance to keep an eye on Joe Blow: with his credit report, student loans, medical records, driving record, work history, 1040s. We know where, when, or if he gets his dog neutered, his wife spayed, his kids on Adderall. We know if he watches Skinamax and HBO or steals his cable from the guy next door. We know his brother is a meth-head or crack head and gets SSI, or "crazy check" as it's called in this part of the country. We know his little sister has 4 kids, Tyler, Kayla, Tiffanie, and Austinn and lives with her latest significant other who draws Disability after doctor shopping that spinal strain until 3 disckectomies really made him disabled. We know Joe Blow no longer drives after 3 DWIs. We know his daddy died of alcoholic liver and his mom gets a widow check, and welfare on the 3 grandchildren she's raising because Joe's other sister is somewhere in Memphis shacked up with a guy on heroin, they too get guvmint handouts because they can't hold jobs. Over forty million Americans receive some form of disability. When did we become such a crippled nation?

We don't need more men/women in uniform to harass people for driving while Black, or cops to round up prostitutes, johns, and homeless drunks. We don't need more patrols to shoot unarmed Black children or tazer 6 year old kids in the school principal's office. We don't need more cops to bust occasional meth labs in the trailer park or shootouts with 1 acre marijuana farmers. We don't need more border cops as the illegals are going to get here anyway because who would clean the homes and play nanny to the politicians, and work the jobs Joe Blow's disabled family can't work. We have enough border cops taking money from coyotes. Cut the Drug Task Force. The field agents are Rambo-wannabees and the agency administrators more criminal than the small time dealers they're chasing. As for cuts to defense against terrorism, ...we know how 9/11 went down and who to fear and need protection from. Just be careful opening envelopes with powder.

Education cuts? We fund childcare for low income working mothers and do not need programs such as HeadStart. It's nothing more than warehousing children of the poor whose parents most often are not working but stoned at home watching soaps and getting fatter. Besides, these children will begin public elementary warehousing in a couple of years and that's soon enough.

So what if we cut a few thousand families off heating assistance and food stamps. That's what extended family is for. Turn down the thermostat, layer clothing, do aerobics, eat less. Not as though the obesity epidemic couldn't use some help here. My parents told stories of the Great Depression when they were newly married with young children and of 4 generations living in a 2 story farmhouse. It can be done, with a little bootlegging and other survival skills.

Cuts to poor people's healthcare? Aside from the inner city knife & gun club hospitals and serious disease centers, most healthcare involves drug seekers, hypochondriacs, and treatment for "disorders" that should be dealt with outside of the medical field. I have seen adult onset diabetics become free of insulin simply by lifestyle changes. Put down that Whopper and get on the treadmill. Even the elderly take twice the amount of drugs they need simply because of lifestyle. Children with "oppositional defiant disorder" and adults who cannot "focus" or those who are "seasonally affected." A generation or so ago it was known as "delinquent", "stupid" and "cabin fever." Actually, we don't have better healthcare, just more healthcare and unnecessary prescriptions to go with it. (But hey, Viagra will be covered.)

Cuts to Amtak and farmers. If your customers can't keep you in business, then sink. Dam and waterway projects to be cut? Why not, the funds have gone to the wrong pockets for decades (may be why such projects are so "popular in congress"). Many of these dams and waterway projects or "riverways" are for recreation and tourism and who's going to have the money for that as the middle class shrinks? Our infrastructure is crumbling, not to mention the roadside amenities (motels, diners, etc.) have become public toilets. Few family vacations include cross country road trips. Few working families can afford vacations. That's a bygone era.

The problem with the Bush budget is not that he is cutting, nor that many of the cuts will hit the innocent and the deadbeat among us. The problem is the austerity will not be equitable, as he siphons off questionable social programs to conquer the world with hillbilly armor and finance war profiteers. Let's get serious with cuts and taxation. No more Mr. Nice Guvmint to religion and/or nonprofits. If you want freedom to worship and influence politics, pay for it. Stop sheltering wealth in nonprofit "foundations." We know God and philanthropy is big business, tax it. No more gravy train government contracts to multinationals who sweatshop the labor outside the US. Fire one-half of all bureaucrats. Raise taxation on war profits and return the proceeds to society, all troops should accrue free stock in Halliburton, Lockheed, Boeing, etc. Surely, the economic geniuses can ratio a way for every Joe Blow taxpayer to get a dividend for every tax dollar he contributes to war. Institute campaign finance reform and term limits so politicians have to get off their knees to the ruling elite; and go home and work like the rest of us. Legalize other forms of prostitution. Time to admit "useless feeder" is not just a term for the lower caste. Time to share the austerity.

The Great Dem Hope

Breaks my heart to see the progressives and democrats who believe they have the power to change what's happening in the US. It cannot be done, not with today's Democrats such as the Clintons or with Kerry or 99.9 percent of "liberals" in politics today. Haven't my friends noticed liberals drop and offer their blue bellies whenever the NeoCons command heel? The best the party had to offer was Kerry? Although listening to Bush is unbearable, watching Kerry sag through his campaign with hang-dog face was almost as painful. Kerry has two expressions. Bored and/or peeved. I guess I would look that way too if I had the Heinz money and had to play a politician on TV.

My friends won't change things with men like Zell "Maverick" Miller, described as a conservative democrat with conscience, or Lieberman a "centrist." Does that mean you have to be "conservative" to have a conscience? I still haven't figured out how Gephardt passes as a democrat. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) says CONdi Rice "has the skill, judgment, and poise to lead in these difficult times." No need to muzzle these blue-dogs, they bark red. Democrats such as Boxer and McKinney play the obstructionist part occasionally, fetching headlines, then quiet. Probably best to let sleeping dogs lie.

Tim Ryan raised my hopes. He's the Democrat from OH who a few months back gave the passionate speech about why young people fear Bush is lying about a draft. The young Mr. Ryan last week received a prime subcommittee seat. Appointed to the Readiness Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee that will enable him to keep watch on the upcoming base closures as he lobbies to keep open the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, pork for home. Certainly that tit will expect a tat and change Ryan's tone.

The course will not be changed with the new DNC chairman. The Great Dem Hope: Howard Dean. "Supporter Rebecca Cague watched Dean with a wistful smile. "I feel like he is what we need to revive the party," she said. "He's not afraid to speak his mind; and when he does, he speaks for us." Us who? Howie III, another Yalie. Growing up in a Park Avenue apartment so cramped that the family was forced to convert the dining room into a bedroom for the newborn. In fact, space was so tight there was barely enough room for baby Howie's live-in nurse. Dean the Dabbler, a few years on Wall Street like his dad, grandaddy and great grandaddy before him. Then to medicine for 4 years before another career change - to politics. Dean's own party spanked him in the primaries, and the DNC chair his reparations. Dabblin' Dean.

Where were the democrats when America's manufacturing base was being outsourced 20 years ago? Out Gatting and Nafta-ing. Have democrats ever stopped big oil and pharmaceutical from gouging us for energy or medicine? Breathed any clean air lately, drink water from the tap? Johnny still can't understand what he reads regardless which party promises better education. Did Clinton balance the budget, or cook the books? Are you sure? Have Democrats in the last 5 years stopped BushCo on anything?

War on Poverty (we have more poverty), War on Drugs (we have more drugs), War on Crime (more crime), War on Illiteracy, War on Terror, is there a pattern here?

One crisis after another now. Makes me long for the days when politicians committed lesser high crimes and misdemeanors. Such as burglaries, guns for hostages and blowjobs. BushCo will have their way, it's a done deal. Plundering, profiteering, crimes against humanity, in your face globogestapo. As someone said, Democrats and Republicans -- both cheeks on the corporate ass. Hooyah.

Volunteer Now

Request online application for becoming a board member on your local Draft Board. Citizen volunteers whose mission, upon a draft, will be to decide who among the registrants in their community will receive deferments, postponements, or exemption from military service based on the individual registrant's circumstances and beliefs. Pilonidal cysts are not excusable at this time.

Scraps R Us

BushCo budget cutting. According to CNN "Bush would slice a $600 million grant program for local police agencies to $60 million next year. Grants to local firefighters, for which Congress provided $715 million this year, would fall to $500 million." According to this headline "Bush budget scraps 9,790 border patrol agents". Bush and the congress hogs and sows, however, are spending big appropriations on IT. Chenega and subsidiaries awarded 1/2 billion over the last few years, thank you Ted Stevens. IT, information technology, you know all that stuff they need to train some of us to track the rest of us.

The Bush Non-Millionaire White Base

The working white poor, the class most likely to suck it up and drink another Bud and blame the Mexicans (anyone speaking Spanish is Mexican), blame the Blacks, and any other non-white foreigner, and liberals too are at blame. They support Bush policies because they don't understand but can remember the one-liners BushCo gives as reasoning. They like SS privatization because they're eager to be their own stockbroker, investment advisor, and portfolio watcher. A few of them might be competent, but the majority are not, and will make stockmarket choices the way they choose between "Lucky Day" pull-tabs or scratch off "Red Hot Cash." Their jobs are generally janitorial, laborer, nursing aides, delivery drivers, convenience clerks, burger flipper, menial menial menial labor which generally makes them mean mean mean. This class in decades past were considered the "salt of the earth." Good friends, good neighbors, hardworking and poor. Now indignant and resentful, feeling injured by their status and eager for scapegoats to stake to the post. They graduate high school, get GEDs, even a year of community college or tech school. Their church going patterns vary but always Christian. They prefer the rolling and speaking in tongues when they are born again. This group is not likely to turn against BushCo vision of America. Little physical and emotional stamina and the fight for survival keeps their short attention span addled. Some know what's politically going on but don't care. They vote only when the Bush Team riles them up. They say things like "kill 'em all."

The nickel millionaires. Accustomed to hanging on by threads. They have filed bankruptcy at least once, more likely twice. They buy brand name imitations of the rich and famous and splurge their tax refunds on plasma screens, downpayment on a car for junior, or perhaps a trip to Vegas or Cancun which gives them travel stories for years to come. They firmly believe they're superior and in the upper middle class. The medicine cabinet is filled with meds for migraine, acid reflux, insomnia, and depression, and that's just for the kids. Their work carries more prestige. Teachers, cops, firemen, office workers, Wal-Mart managers, secretaries, salesmen. They don't have a pot to piss in but several tasteful window treatments (bank owned) to throw it out of. They're pretty sure Bush fiscal policies will not effect them. Afterall, they receive no welfare or government handouts. They have jobs and insurance. The ripple effect of cutting federal funds to states doesn't occur to them, or at least not often. The prices of energy, food, and rise in State taxation hasn't hurt yet. They forget that Bush policies will effect funds going to grandma's nursing home, or little Johnny's learning problems or special education, or even that grandpa's Meals on Wheels is largely government funded. They will not raise a voice against Bush policy, they have supported it and must continue to do so. False pride and ego. Unless Fox News offers them justification to turn away from Bush, they will continue to support their own demise. They may be what's left of the middle class. They have surface knowledge on everything. They say they would vote for Colin as president (knowing it will never happen) but laugh at Sharpton and rant at Jesse. They may have college degrees and pretend that means something when half a brain and money for textbooks is all it takes. The distinction between them and the working class poor are a few dollars. They say things like "Saddam Hussein was another Hitler."

The next group includes realtors, entrepreneurs, doctors and attorneys, contractors, management executives, business owners; many have inherited from parents, even if nothing more than a paid off home and the dirt it sits on. They take more and better trips and have more credit cards and investments. Paper rich and dollar poor, many feel resentful they do not have more; aware the slightest economic breeze could blow their modest wealth away ala Enron or one good tax audit. They know they cheat and fudge on many things but justify it. They blame the "system" that isn't distributing the burden fairly but they would feel burdened if they paid zero taxes. They have many pots and windows and aren't sure what they really want since all they have is not enough, but know themselves are not to blame for anything. They did a lot of cocaine in the 70s and 80s and lived in the fast lane but today present an image of moral superiority to their own kids and anyone else who will believe it. They trust the government is heading in the right direction because they like the gunslinger machismo. Sometimes with advanced degrees, they pose as experts and scholars. They say things like "we had to remove Saddam."

All support Bush and will do so if for no other reason than it is the path of least resistance. Most wouldn't care if BushCo made the Middle East a ghost town with pipeline running straight to Shikmim Farm. Most would rather go through a "hazing" at Abu Gharib than admit BushCo is immoral, illegal, and evil. They will sacrifice their sons and daughters to Bush Wars because martyrdom has appeal. Afterall, the rightwing has told their white base, over and over, they are the victims of the anti-Christian leftwing, reverse discrimination, illegal immigrants, welfare queens, and Black crime. They believe they are the "good Americans."

The New Intel Reform or Is It?

"A reliable source" mentioned in passing (otherwise I would ignore) the following : "...I'm sure its all done under the guise of homeland security. but you know whats funny about Homeland Security? You ever hear of the OSG? It was developed during Reagan, a group under the CIA that brought all the intel agencies together to share intel on how to counter terrorism.... they act like nothing like this had been done before when they created homeland security after 9-11. They addressed this back in the mid 80s and did the same thing, now they behave as if it's something new."

According to NARA Reagan signed 381 Executive Orders during his presidency. EO #12333 United States Intelligence Activities. A maze of executive orders but the gist of it is that yes, basically BushOne set up an umbrella of intel groups under his control.

In December 1981 BushOne is made chairman of the Special Situation Group, responsible for crisis management. In April 1982 NSDD-30 puts BushOne in control of convening the SSG in managing terrorist incidents. There's even mention of FAA if an incident involves domestic terrorist hijackings (who could imagine - Condi). To support the SSG a Terrorist Incident Working Group was established. This group consisted of representatives from State, DCI, DOD, FBI, FEMA, NSC and any others deemed necessary. Throughout the 1980s a lot of intel directives going on.

Remember when BushTwo threatened to veto any bill that didn't give him absolute power and authority over Homeland Security. "Make no mistake: if what the Senate (passes) in that narrow vote were to come to the president's desk it will be vetoed, '' White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said Wednesday. "The president will be effectively prevented from making decisions based on national security no matter how urgent a crisis we find ourselves in," Fleischer said. How about that. Is that an Enabling Act? aka 'Law for Removing the Distress of the People of the Third....

When BushOne built his gnarly intel "Group" 20+ years ago, where did it go? Out of the closet dressed up as Homeland Security, or when BushOne lost re-election did they packup and go home? I bet Porter Goss knows.

Homeland Security Department will have 180,000 personnel and 600 in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) with the stated goal to "centralize planning and to coordinate government resources to thwart a catastrophic terrorist attack on U.S. soil." US intel makes mentor Reinhard Gehlen proud. I'm real curious as to who will be appointed DNI to lead all the thwarting and remove the distress.

Priceless

From the Kos site - a deeper look into Ms. Sofia Taleb Al Souhail. The woman and the hug at the SOTU photo-op.

Some People Push Bullshit

Initially I intended to ignore the Churchill hooplah but since continuing to run into it I might as well have my say-so. The 'Some People Push Back aka Chickens Come Home' essay by Ward.

Predictably, the right trashes and the left defends Ward, the usual freedom of speech, etc. etc. I place Ward in the category with Michael Moore: Upholders of the BS. I'm still waiting the identity of those 19 hijackers, and a bit more proof as to exactly how 19 men lived and played in the US for years before simultaneously pulling off a sophisticated plan with box cutters to overtake 4 jets and fly 3 of them into their targets.

There are too many questions surrounding 9-11 hence I can only conclude, as with other historic events, the truth will not be known (outside the halls of Mossad/CIA). Ward and Moore and others of such ilk and ink, generate controversy while upholding the official story with a little variation as to where/who they point the finger of blame, the Saudi, our foreign policy, etc. Although the Saudi BushCo connections and US foreign policy are a problem, 1 film maker and 1 professor are not a threat to the status quo. The quarreling generated by caterers of the "official" story distracts the left, the right, and in between, while upping book/movie sales and reinforcing the government authorized version of 9-11. The chickens that came are "us" operating at home as abroad, assassinations, coups, whatever was necessary, that's what Malcolm meant.

Farmer on the Dole

NYT article "Bush Is Said to Seek Deep Cuts in Farm and Commodity Programs". It may seem that Bush is saying big operators have to make it on their own, I don't believe it. Living in the armpit of the heartland of farming I have long ranted about the corporate farm welfare. The article says " Mr. Bush would set a firm overall limit of $250,000 on subsidies that can now exceed $1 million in some cases." The way it's done now is partnerships are set up, with 3 or 4 farmers collecting the limit which can be 1 million plus, i.e. your momma, your daddy, and little Johnny too are partners.

What Roosevelt set up for family farmers in the Great Depression has become, like most everything else, a big teat for the already rich. Farm wealthyfare for recipients such as Rockefeller, Ted Turner, Ken Lay, Bob Dole, Birch Bayh, and corporations such as Chevron, Caterpillar, Archer Daniels Midland, and Eli Lily Co. Will they sit their ploughs still for this? The small to mid size farms still working will go for sale, can't compete with the big boys. What may appear as fiscal responsibility on Bush's part (if it gets through the senate intact) will simply push the remainder of family farms into becoming tenant farmers, sharecroppers for the big ones. The agri-corporations will not be weaned.

It's Fun

"... to shoot some people."

Major General J. N. Mattis, U.S. Marines Message to All Hands :

"For decades, Saddam Hussein has tortured, imprisoned, raped, and murdered the Iraqi people; invaded neighboring countries without provocation; and threatened the world with weapons of mass destruction. The time has come to end his reign of terror. On your young shoulders rest the hopes of mankind. You are part of the world's most feared and trusted force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon. Share your courage with each other as we enter the uncertain terrain north of the Line of Departure. Keep faith in your comrades on your left and right and Marine Air overhead. Fight with a happy heart and strong spirit."

I wonder if Mattis removed Col. Joe W. Dowdy in April 2003 because Dowdy wasn't prepared to have fun. Mattis has a reputation of " being an extremely aggressive commander."

It's fun to shoot some people. Ask any napoleonic size commander who forgets to engage his brain before engaging his mouth. Such statements are forgiven, reasoning that's war, yammer yammer, unless of course it's "them" insurgents stating it's fun to shoot some of "us."

There were a couple of videos going around showing US troops killing "insurgents" with obvious ogasmic sound in their voice. Killing is one thing, getting off on it another. Maybe we'll need perpetual war - keep these men occupied somewhere else.

Deep Throat (not Monica)

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Religiosity Working

As a dedicated, devout heathen I see the rise in Christian zealotry equal to the rise in radical Islam . I've lost count the number of genuine photos in the last 4 years showing Bush in poses of twisted religiosity. The halo lighting, the word "Lord" behind and above Bush in front of a crucifix, Jesus backdrops. For many of those twice born folks Bush is the hero, the man who will bring morality back into our homes, cinema, art, politics, classrooms, courtrooms, boardrooms, the oval room and bedrooms (run Bruce and Steve run). Bush warms the cockles of hearts claiming Christ his favorite philosopher. Nevermind that JC was not a philosopher but a "freedom fighter" running around making problems for the ruling elite of his time b/c he wanted the throne of his birthright back (God only knows what grief he caused the Romans in those missing life years of 12 to 30-something.)

It's the rise of the moral mob. Regardless how much the world loathed Bush, or how many glamorous leftwingers in Hollywood spoke out, no matter how many tapes conveniently appeared or the number of terrorists threats/alerts, no matter what the lying "liberal press" wrote, nothing would shake the moral mob from standing by their Man. Such faith and commitment, near on idolatry. The Man and his Mob.

The Man Bush now presents a reasonable amount of piety (not counting the occasional screw up in the beginning, i.e. crusade) while lower disciples such as Gen. Boykin run around stating "he (Bush) was appointed by God." Or the infamous "My God is bigger than your God." Nanner nanner, he appointed Bush. Did anyone in the oval office snicker at the religious connotation when naming MOAB? The vile little boy who stuffed firecrackers in toad butts grows up to be the Man who gives approval to name the "mother of all bombs." His God truly does mysterious work (or has a cruel sense of humor).

The Bush programs for our health and well-being, are a glory unto themselves in buying votes and social engineering: $31 Million in New Grants to Support Abstinence Education. Fifty grantees can now afford to tell their community of teens “"sexual activity before marriage can have a negative social and psychological impact..." Abstinence, something most of the old farts over age 50 taking this money never practiced in the 1960s or 70s. Aren't parents supposed to tell kids this for free? Does it make anyone a tad nervous that Bush has the "New Freedom Mental Health" and "New Freedom Initiative for People with Disabilities" ? Yes sir, you will be back on your feet and on Paxil in no time and feel good about that minimum wage job. Surely, if this doesn't work, there's an initiative somewhere to help quicken your uselessness to a better place.

Where are the demo-eunuchs as Bush and company lead the flock to the promised land of Orwell? Trying to imitate the Republicans mostly; a few years up the election road a democrat gets sloppy seconds and all the blame. Koom baa baa yaa my lord.

State of the Union Address

We have gotten the government we deserve.

Iraq Gray

There are opinions the US will divide Iraq into controllable slices, and opinions against. Will there be division, partitions and governors of Kurdleville, Sunnofaville, and Shiitville? Time will tell. The UK/US at times have operated that way. But imperialism has so many ways of decapitating a culture. (Irony is most Americans cannot connect the dots of the foreign methods to what the old guards are doing in the US.)

If the Bushcons follow the Latin technique Iraq will remain one unit. Note we do not have any South Salvador or South Nicaragua. This method of low level warfare, sanctions, deprivation, starvation, death, grinds the civilian population to surrender. I watched this process in Nicaragua during the 1980s. The "contras," or Miami-istas brought the population to its knees with rape, torture, terror, until the people were willing to elect anyone Washington approved of to end the horror or whorers of Reagan's dirty little war.

Certainly BushCo long ago doodled their wishlist of leaders of each faction, Kurd/Sunni/Shiite who in turn will maintain sufficient "peace" among their disgruntled followers. Just shuffling the deck a little, dealing Kurdish and Shiite cards this hand. The factional leaders will have the palaces, when not knobbing around London or Maryland, while the fakir Iraqi bends over. An elite guard will keep the stragglers/strugglers in line. They can't be called "Iraqi Security Forces" as the "forces" is too oppressive sounding - we need fuzzy feeling for US consumption, like "United Iraq Defense".

The Iraqi people did not overthrow SH. Nicaragua turned from Ortega and the Sandinistas, that little US venturette was the cakewalk and not nearly as valuable as Iraq. We had the Kurds but Saddam never had the Kurds. We starved, straffed and sanctioned and Iraq didn't rise up - forcing another Bush to go in another time. For years we've had all these exiled Londinistas waiting to come home and take care of Iraq and still the people left SH in power. For a country as nationalistic as the US has become, Americans seem to have difficulty understanding other nations can feel nationalism (or feel at all). Bush's fist smacking "feels good" on the night he announced the war felt good b/c he was going to by god show those camel jockeys this time. Iraqis just refused to make this easy for US.

Living in war, from within the self and from everyone and everything, the despair becomes unmovable. Not only does a person feel the physical misery that comes with war, but the mind dims to gray, dulls the condition. Living in a country at war if a person returns after war has truly ended, even with poverty continuing, it's startling how colorful and animated the place is. What was war numbed gray is suddenly alive with all the senses. The Iraqi people may be tired of gray.

Saddam was a US instrument/puppet, we know another puppet will be given to the Iraqi people. Unless other major players enter the game, and I haven't ruled out that possibility, Iraq will be what the US/Israel want it to be. Life is quite miserable in nations with puppets, and quite miserable w/o them, we've a collection of Asian, Carribean, African, and Latin countries under our boot to prove it. Will the Iraqi people find themselves sufficiently beaten down to accept the will of Bush? It's possible. I wouldn't bet on anything though.

Vietnam Election a Resounding Success?

By now most have probably seen the info going around regarding the article from NYT September 1967 article in contrast to the Iraq election. Reads like an urban legend but indeed looks like not. The article can be bought for a fee from NYT archives. According to Snopes it's the real McCoy, or perhaps in this case, the real Mohammed.

U.S. Encouraged by Vietnam Vote:
Officials Cite 83% Turnout Despite Vietcong Terror
by Peter Grose, Special to the New York Times (9/4/1967: p. 2)

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 — United States officials were surprised and heartened today at the size of turnout in South Vietnam's presidential election despite a Vietcong terrorist campaign to disrupt the voting.

According to reports from Saigon, 83 per cent of the 5.85 million registered voters cast their ballots yesterday. Many of them risked reprisals threatened by the Vietcong.

The size of the popular vote and the inability of the Vietcong to destroy the election machinery were the two salient facts in a preliminary assessment of the nation election based on the incomplete returns reaching here.

There Are Black Conservatives Out There Hoax

Who is the biggest glibbest Black liar for the neocons? After reading an article by Jude Wanniski and with a unanimous vote here at KAB Ms. Condi Rice wins. As we enter February and Black History month, the top player in "There Are Black Conservatives Out There Hoax", without question, goes to Dr. Rice. The Secretary of State can nab her award (a bottle of Ms. Butterworth syrup, Aunt Jemima pancake mix, and a slap up side the back of the head) personally from me here at the KAB office.

Runners-up in the growing coterie of Black conservative pretenders are too numerous to list so choices were made from each category which include, but not limited to political office holders, speakers, journalists, Bible thumpers, front groups, and the like, some of the firsts in the field of intelligent Blacks to suck-up to the hardright's payroll as the neocons began grooming conservative tokens 3+ decades ago. Runners-up receive only the slap up side the back of the head.

Alan Keyes (errand boy for white politicians) and Colin "Me Lie" Powell. 'Nuff said.

Clarence "Coke Can" Thomas. Recipient of Affirmative Action but now against it, here come da judge testalying. Thomas admits to listening to Rush Limbaugh radio and having an epiphany....Imagine if you will...another dimension...where "Pills" Limbaugh is illuminating compassionate conservatism...and Thomas crossed over into...the right zone. Gives me the shudders.

Ward Connerly aka "one of the country's leading opponents of Affirmative Action". Founder of American Civil Rights Institute, funded largely by the rightwing Bradley Foundation. Hacks as one of Townhall's Black conservative columnists.

Thomas Sowell - Townhall hackster, rightwing peddler of rightwing studies by rightwing think tanks that tell us things like: white Americans believe (no duh) Black Americans are getting more than their fair share. For Sowell, protest is not the sign of a healthy democracy but a "sign of a spreading sickness in a society too wimpish to insist that law and order matter and too mushy-minded to see that self-indulgence at other people's expense is not idealism." (Law/order, self-indulgence/other people's expense = conservative code words for black folks in the hood.)

Ken Hamblin aka "the Black Avenger" on radio, columnist, author, described by the NYT as "intellectual brawler sometimes called the black Rush Limbaugh." Hamlin insists that America offers opportunities to anyone who follows traditional values of right and wrong. Against Affirmative Action. Hamblin favors the terms "poverty pimps" to describe Black urban politicians, and memes like "welfare queen" and “egg-sucking dog liberals”. Hamblin states he'll "gladly invade Mexico to stop the country from dumping its lower-class citizens on us." If he's avenging on behalf of anyone, other than himself, I'd like to know who.

Randall Kennedy for authoring "Nigger: The Strange Career of a Troublesome Word" and other books giving strange aid and comfort to the white conservative status quo, they need not feel any "white guilt", transmigrating the I'm-okay-I-got-mine into his next existance. Bad Karma Randy. As if Blacks don't have enough to worry about, Blacks need to show compassion to all the whites feeling guilty out there. Sounds like a rehash of 1960's white suburbia guilt pyschobabble. Kennedy's book convinced Andy Rooney with the logic that the N-word "is being renovated" and "the term can be a sign of affection". Rooney seems to think that the best "way to get rid of words like nigger" and "all the contemptible ideas that go with it" is by using it. Now who would Andy affectionately use the word for? What a spin, this earns Rooney the only non-Black biggest glibbest liar slap up side the head.

BAEO (Black Alliance for Education Options) receiving millions from, again, the rightwing Bradley Foundation, the foundation also funded "The Bell Curve." BAEO at the Taxpayer Trough too. BAEO will provide training if you want to open a local chapter in your city so you too can just overwhelm parents with great quality education choices. The money BAEO has spent on print/video ads, administration costs, symposiums, empowerment campaigns, speaking expenses endeavoring to promote the party line, could've paid for quality education for Black children in several states.

Bishop Sedgwick Daniels - founder and pastor of The Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God in Christ in Milwaukee since 1986. In 2002 Bush personally visited Bishop Daniels--who voted for Clinton and Gore--and Bush awarded him a faith-based $1.5 million grant. In the fall of 2004 Daniels's face appeared on Republican fliers in Wisconsin, endorsing Bush as the man who "shares our views." Daniels heard the calling of a powerful force, a voice from way up high, a voice BOOMING from a higher authority....the White House paymasters? Praise the Lord.

That's KAB's short list of the many "Black conservatives" shouting the joys of Black conservatism, all the way to the bank.