White House invloved in torture at a high level--

from AP and ABC news--

"Not all of the principals who attended were fully comfortable with the White House meetings.
The ABC News report portrayed Ashcroft as troubled by the discussions, despite agreeing that the interrogations methods were legal.

'Why are we talking about this in the White House?' the network quoted Ashcroft as saying during one meeting. 'History will not judge this kindly."' "

History will not judge this kindly? What? How about indignation that torture is immoral? Maybe they should have had the meetings at Jo's Strip and Tease Club. Oh, I forgot. Ethical John Ashcroft can't see titties, but hey--torture a guy and dehumanize him until he shits his pants and dies--no problem. Let's give him the Mr. Ethics-in-Action award.

We shouldn't do this in the White House because it can be linked to the President. Hell of an answer. It's kind of like asking your kid why he has ten bags of weed on his desk. Area you dealing? No, I smoke a lot.

What is the matter with these people? Geneva Convention? International laws? We don't need no stinking badges! tough guys making tough choices. Oh, what? The international community both aids us and abhors us. What, are we the world dominatrix? Lady Freedom in Leather? And no, I am not cutting Clinton slack as extraordinary extradition started under his watch.

Or am I that naive thinking that in order to be the world moral authority we should be willing to do things ethically?

rojo

Yay! My son survived a night in a blizzard in Wyoming. He could not get a hotel room last night. All the rooms at the inns in Rawlins were taken. Nary a manger to be found. Good thing he did not have a celestial son with him, just his Goldie pit bull. One of the cutest dogs I know. Since my dog can't read, I can say that on LJ. I had more than enough frequent customer points for any hotel in Rawlins for a free room, just they were all taken.

Ah, well. He should get to his sister's today.

In the news--

Iran brokers Iraq cease fire. That should drive our current administration nuts (remember the evil trilogy) and really drives home that the war cannot end as long as the "what's left of the coalition of the willing stays there. and the Iraqi police surrender to Sadr. What a mess. They really aren't standing up too well.

And Andrew Sullivan wants Cheney and Bush charged with war crimes.

Has he changed his tune.

rojo

And They Will Honor Us As Liberators--

Offered without comment. IPS:

Iraqi doctors in al-Anbar province warn of a new disease they call “Blackwater” that threatens the lives of thousands. The disease is named after Blackwater Worldwide, the U.S. mercenary company operating in Iraq.

“This disease is a severe form of malarial infection caused by the parasite plasmodium falciparum, which is considered the worst type of malarial infection,” Dr. Ali Hakki from Fallujah told IPS. “It is one of the complications of that infection, and not the ordinary picture of the disease. Because of its frequent and severe complications, such as Blackwater fever, and its resistance to treatment, P. falciparum can cause death within 24 hours.”

rojo

just a thought

I am watching Countdown right now and was struck by the team of Barrack and Bill Richardson. Boy, would he be a hell of a choice for VP.

rojo

It Always Is Worth Reading the Source

With Bush claiming that all Democrats want the end of the country as seen in the fact that they do not want to grant retroactive immunity to telecom companies, it is good to read the letter sent to him by Congressman Silvestre Reyes, Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. In it, he clears up many of the untrue claims of the Administration. The biggest of these are the Patriot Act wiretapping of known organizations still is in force for one year and FISA courts can approve any new wiretaps needed.

You know, just like they could always do, but the Bush Administration decided to bypass the rule of law.

I am proud of the Dems for finally standing up to White House pressure and making laws important again.

And congartulations to Kosovo for becoming independent!

rojo

A Loving Deacon

Erick Erickson, editor of the popular conservative megablog RedState, conceded that progressives currently enjoy an advantage over conservatives online — though he attributed it to an asymmetry in free time, since conservatives “have families because we don’t abort our kids, and we have jobs because we believe in capitalism.”

I am so glad I have so much free time on my hands. After all, protecting the environment and making drinking water safe takes so little time. Things he forgot that progressives do in their spare time, aside from blogging, as they don't work hard--
1) eat their children
2) rock and roll
3) illegal sex (otherwise why would animal/human hybrids be such a big issue)
4) drink and drugs to excess (that is probably why there is so little blogging and reading, even though we must be unemployed, our brains are spaced out)

Is this man straight out of 1964-1968 and where did they find the time capsule with him in it? I haven't heard that venal of an accusation since the "dirty hippies" were excoriated for having no drive and principles. and wanting only to mooch off of the hard-working regular folk. I am in shock that people could be so misinformed. I have a Cadillac driven only by a welfare queen to sell him. Low miles, she could not afford the gas.

He categorizes himself as a normal person living in middle Georgia. He was a lawyer and is a deacon. Not uneducated, nor inexperienced. It is not often you find someone as judgmental and venal and hate-filled and still be a deacon. I bet his congregation members are a lovely bunch. Actually, I have no idea.

That may be the difference between me and him. I do not know how he lives and even though I say some mean things after not meeting him, only reading his writing, I really don't know him. I have formulated a few yucks at his expense, but I don't really know him.

It is no more fair of me to condemn him without knowing him than for him to condemn liberal and progressive bloggers as non-child bearing, do nothings--willing to live off of the efforts of the "Hard workers" of the capitalist society.

Judgment is easy. Love is not.

rojo

What's Good for GM is Good for the Country @ 04:52 pm

Let me see if I have this straight. GM is asking 74,000 to take early retirement becasue they are losing their ass. Granted, what Atrios calls "the Big Shitpile", or the subprime mortgage problem is good for a couple of billion in losses (remember GM is as much of a bank as they are a manufacturer in the US, or why their cars look like they were designed by accountants.) But, 74,000 jobs now going to be lost. Wasn't this close to the amount of new jobs created in each of the last two months? So we need about 100,000 new jobs every month to keep pace with the new workers. Basically, we have been losing jobs regularly and now we will have 74,000 more on SS, manufacturing jobs (do fries come with that shake?) or basically jobless and many in the already hard hit Midwest. Yes, GM's troubles can partially be traced to the health care they have to pay their workers. Another section is the abyssmal designs from 1974-1985 or later. They lost their reputation. Even though many of their new cars have won awards, it is hard to get back that loving feeling from the buying public. When was the last time you heard someone get excited about a Nova. They do have some fun stuff coming out, like the HHRi (I think that is what it is called, but a high performance HHR, it is!) But nothing to get a hold of the public imagination like the Taurus did for Ford in the 80s. Or the Vette of the 60s. I hope the flexible fuel vehicles do them well. The US can ill afford to lose another major manufacturer.

rojo

Well, it has been a while.


I know it is Super Tuesday and everyone is claiming to be the change, but let's all pay homage where it belongs--

Thank you, St. Reagan for making being self-absorbed and greedy holy.

and right-wing asshats talk of being a Christian country. Yes, Christians, who kill over 500,000 Iraqis so we can occupy their country and we can still drive pickups and SUVs that have support our troops stickers on them.

Somewhere reasoning (or irony) has never been taught in schools. You know, like math and economics, where you learn if you consume too much you can't pay for, you go bankrupt. and the Deciderer puts out a budget without funding his war that is $500,000,000 underfunded already and sees no problem with it. More tax cuts please. Has anyone ever explained that war expenses need to go in the budget and that Daddy will not bail out the country.

At least allow media to show the boys coming home in the boxes. Make it real.

rojo

Proud to be an American.

rojo

Today's post starts with a reference we all should read. 10,000,000 emails disappear against Federal regulation when we start a war, give out the identity of our covert EXPERT on Iranian nukeular policy and start investigations that could lead to impeachment. Either this is the Gang who could not think straight (I wonder if computers were around 6,000 years ago. or did they evolve?) or they think that "if the dog ate their homework" that is okay. At least concoct excuses better than an eight year old.

Being a geek, I called in late to work today when I saw Barnake (I am sorry, I mispelled his name yet another way earlier, no disrespect intended) today at his hearing thingie. Very precise statement of facts, I know.But, he was sweating and his voice was wavering as he stated his case. We need a short-term fix. Not over the next year, within 2-3 months. Period. Tax cuts he would not comment on as he put it "I won't get into politics."

Later he spoke of balancing input and output. You either cut the budget majorly or add taxes. Not rocket science. Anyone who raises kids and pays mortgage knows you have to buy clothes, food, utilities and pay mortgage. You don't have an option. And you only have XXXX amount of dollars. Duh. Unless you are born with a silver spoon and don't have to worry about these things. Ah, dreams of being a kept man float through my head. as do fantasies of winning. Or wiining powerball.

Anyhow, he also mentioned that the mortgage carnage is worth $100,000,000, but may be MULTIPLES of that and maybe as much as $1,000,000,000 or 7.x% of America's annual economy. OW! But no one saw it coming. This is why there is need for a short term stimulus, just so people who have to buy gas, buy food, and pay bills can do it. Or best case so they can buy products. This is a far cry from long-term benfits (if any) from a trickle down (genuflect to St. Reagan) economy. As many times as he said short-term, I got very afraid. very, very afraid of what he is seeing in the tea leaves.

Ooops flight is going. maybe more on this later.

rojo

Hey moog, would buy this for a quarter?
from the story The Marching Morons

I have a hard time believing that the media still believes anything that comes out of this administration. The "speedboats going to kill us all" in the Straits of Hormuz story is one fine example. People said the Al Jazeera tapes had to be faked. No, once again, the news was leaked at a specific time to get people all riled up about those damned Iranians just as Middle East "Peace" talks were coming off.

Follow me on this. Bush hisself goes to talk peace, but the US warship is attacked by 3 speedboats. It shows how big a menace those pesky Iranians are and they should be bombed back to the Stone Age. Now, let's talk peace. Does Gulf of Tonkin mean anything to anyone? Here is our esteemed leader trying to provoke a war while at peace talks. and has members of his cabinet "make up" a news story. Just to prove his big his swinging dick is.

Doesn't the media find two or three sources for stories any more, or do we all have to suffer from gossip column reportage. One unnamed source leaked... hmmm. I am sorry. "Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, and we won't be fooled again." Yet the MSM falls for it again and again and again. So, American public opinion is swayed by a fraudulent leak whose inaccuracy will never really be believed. Let me state that more clearly---the lie got out there first, hit the front pages, the 30-second sound byte, and any follow up will not get that big of coverage. Over 30% of the population in some states still believe there were WMDs in Iraq, and at least 10% in the last survey I read believe these were used against American troops. This was about 6 months ago. The state in question was one of the Carolinas.

I had a boss once who lied and covered up his own deficiencies by setting others up to do a lot of his work and then when decisions were wrong he had a fall guy. It was always their fault as they gave him bad information. After a while, you had to learn to cover your ass. Write, print and save all emails. Turn down information hunts that were not part of your responsibility. Be cynical. When will the press and the American public learn these bastards in office lie.??!!Continually.

So far, this administartion has ruined the economy, got us stuck in a Vietnam-like scenario and is trying to start another war, while concommitantly making agreements to tie America to their strategery for another 20 years. People should be screaming.

And yet videos are believed at face value and Iran is the greatest threat to America going. and we sell arms to Suadi Arabia, the country that helped organize the World Trade Center massacre (how many in the plot came from Iraq? from Saudi?) We are being sold down the river. and people just schlump along without rage in their hearts. And wonder how they can buy their next big screen TV.

I have a hard time sleeping at night knowing the country I love has caused over 600,000 needless deaths just so some asshole can play Commander Guy and the oil companies who own his soul profit. And now the right-wing press is saying all the stories by The Lancet giving the death toll in Iraq is payed for by George Soros. and why does he love the terrorists? After all the death toll is only 50,000. You can still sleep at night knowing you caused 50,000 deaths just so democracy in the Middle East will get a chance? Yet you bitch when Hamas gets elected.

I am glad it is early morning or I would reallly be pissed off. No caffeine yet.

rojo

Too Tired to Really Rant

But a few things need said--

I overheard on the radio yesterday a snarky comment which did make me chuckle. On a sportstalk station they were mentioning that Kucinich was not going to be on the stage at the semi-democratic debate last night. "Why not just let him stand near the corner. He won't take up that much room."

But the seriousness of not covering a candidate and letting him have his say is a problem. He was right on the war, on impeachment and other topics, but he is too far out there to let him speak, b y some standards. (Being correct and having foresight is not a big deal to some.) Actually, in this sense the media is controlling the election. If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there, NO ONE HEARS IT. I do not want to get into the solipsistic argument of the importance of self-consciousness here, other than to say of course the damn tree fell, but no one was there to hear it and therefore knows it fell. Well, if Kucinich can't speak publically, who knows what he says. (I hate it when Bishop Berkeley was right, even in a limited way.) MSM should not be allowed to control our access to information. He's unelectable, but right. If he were heard, at worst he would influence the debate.

Then Mitt "I was born witrh a silver spoon in my mouth" Romney is quoted as saying his victory in Michigan is an inspiration for all the hard-working people (who he embodies.) Huh? Didn't Daddy own Michigan and a car company? How many times did daddy run for President? If I remember my conventions correctly, more than twice he was mentioned by the delegates of the Great State of Meechigan. So Mitt gets to be blue collar by having it rub off on him? WTF and no one questions this--but Kucinich can't catch a break. MSM should have ripped him a new one for his pomposity, if nothing else. Okay, so he looks like a Ken doll. So what?

and Huckabeerry Hound wants to change the constitution to suit his beliefs. You know, he has the right to do that. Women got the right to vote. Blacks got rights. I just don't want to live in that type of country so I hope he keeps being defeated. He si the scariest candidate to me. A populist who is one of God's own. That automatically gets him 25% of the vote. All he needs is a third party candidate and 15% more and he wins. Oy! oops, excuse me--Paraise Jesus.

rojo

"Citigroup could write down as much as $24 billion due to subprime and credit-related losses, CNBC has learned. In addition, an estimated 20 thousand layoffs will be part of a comprehensive plan to slash costs and raise capital.

The plans will be unveiled Tuesday, when it reports fourth-quarter earnings. At the same time, Citigroup could also announce that it is cutting its dividend payment. "

I wonder how many hourly and middle management disappear and how many executives. Let's see middle management = $60,000-70,000. CEO = $5,000,000 and bonuses minimum. or roughly 10 middle managers whose job it is to follow orders. Just once I want millions for a job where I can run the company into the ground!!!!! Home Depot, I am waiting!

Speaking of which, Ford is making the hopes of future profits (and probably existence) on the production of the new F-150. Yes, make a gas hog that is a high profit margin in case bad gas mileage and high gas prices may have any effect on consumer spending habits. I know I am lining up for a 12 mpg vehicle. How about you? Any wonder why Toyota is now the second highest selling car in America. Yes, Toyota, not Chrysler or Ford! and they have GM in their sites. Remember, GM cut the electric car because there was no market. and remarketed the NOva (no go) in Mexico after the first failure. D'oh. I hate to say it, but amercian car companies earn the stupidest management titles they deserve.

Overheard on the radio today--

1) Huckabee is more dangerous than Al Queda to America. He has the backing of the Teacher's Union and the NEA. He can destroy a generation by teaching them the wrong things and a dirty bomb can only kill at worst 100,000. Another Right Wing WTF moment.

2) It is okay to vote for a pro-life candidate even if he is not approving of the death penalty. Let's see pro-life and pro-death. Hmmm. or pro-life and wanting death. Damned catholic channels confuse me. The death penalty was justified as punishment.

3) We must elect Rudy so he can place more strict constructionist Supreme Court judges. Regardless of his other policies for the greater good of the country. Right Wing idiot Dennis Prager.Enough OMG moments on the radio.

But one more stoopid fact according to Playboy-Thompson supporters have more sex than anyone else with 17% doing it at least once per week. I never knew that much Viagra was consumed by seniors. Damn!!!!!

wow, another great day on I-5. Is it any wonder Americans are dumber than ever?

rojo

A Day of Surprises

Let's see--US may have misrepresented the Iranian speedboat threat (source ABC news). What a shock!!!! Yeah, right. Peznut Chimpface goes to the Mid East and they have to ratchet up fear. I hope the perpetrators of these atrocities never have to bend over for the soap in the prison shower. Then they shall know what "oops, my mistake." really means. Butt, maybe Rove would like that.

Internal US wiretaps are dropped by the phone companies for lack of payment. How did that happen? Debt getting too much yet? I am glad to know that someone else gets punished for the "Oh, I just forgot line." I wonder if these wiretaps were FISA legal?

Christmas spending hurting the economy. No one had any money to spend if they had to buy gas, heating oil and medical expertise. Just have to love those good paying manufacturing jobs at McDonalds. (Honest, Buerau of labor reclassified making fries as manufacturing years ago in the Bush Presiduncy to make the numbers look better. Look it up.) Of course this means we need more tax cuts for the rich in some god-awful twisted way. Like that money will trickle down. Just ask the steel workers in Cleveland and Pittsburgh how well it trickled down in the 80s until now and how many steel manufacturers there still are in the area by comparison. Or maybe autoworkers in Flint. Hard to buy a plasma big screen on Mickey Dees wages.

rojo

Today's TV Fun

I was watching morning hotel TV yesterday and had on CNBC. Almost never watch it, but they had on a segment on business called "Squawk on the Street." It is hosted by the obligatory news babe and an elderly angry white male. No comments necessary on why there are few, if any, angry elderly white women and few news hunks. Probably the same reason strip clubs (excuse me, gentlemen's clubs--like there are a lot of gentlemen asking for lap dances out there--maybe we should ask Miss Manners) advertise in the sports and business sections, aside from the back of alternative newspapers under adult services. BTW, never knew there were so many Asian immigrants offering massage services. So many CMTs, so little time.

But I digress, the news babe reads the story on the gun boats threatening US destroyers yesterday at about 7:30 CA time (funny how this happens when the Preznut, J Fredd Muggs in Chief, is going to the Middle East. Maybe he needs to stay away and keep from fanning the flames. I don't think they like him there.) and all of sudden the fat Angry White Man must have not known his mike was live. "They should just sink them!" comes over the tube. He may know business, the bastion of Fat Angry White Males, but foreign policy expert he is not. Anyhow, the news babe rolls her eyes and looks to the ceiling left as she tries figure out how to cover the gaff. And her career just ticks away.

Today (just can't get enough) they had an on-scene reporter at the Las Vegas High Tech Goo Jaw show. He was talking about electroferric paper as a means of possibly making newspapers that are constantly changing. Except, he called it "really cool" paper. and admitted he might not be able to remember the name of the paper once he was done with the script. He is the "tech expert". Great expert coverage there. The news babe comes back, "just think if they can make this paper it will be like the newspaper in Majority Report and there will never be just one deadline. It will be deadlines 24/7." She is probably correct.

Probably the most incisive comment over the past two days, that.

Remember when we could relax without cell phones and being on line all the time. Bet you tranqs and booze and Ambien are used more than ever. You need to be off line sometimes, just to digest and think. and meditate. and enjoy the simple act of breathing. Even a tweaker needs to crash sometimes. And tweak ain't life and its creative cycles. I need to ask myself, how often do I take a deep breath and relax while at work? Does work ever end? and how do you delineate that in your consciousness? comments, anyone.

rojo

McGovern is so right.

rojo

Can't Pass This One Up!

What happens when Bush takes Viagra? he gets taller. Robin Williams

rojo

completely stolen from Crooks and Liars.com--

In the NYT, Robert Dallek reviews Elisabeth Bumiller’s new book on Condoleezza Rice, “An American Life: A Biography.” One gets the sense the book probably won’t be too hard-hitting — Bumiller has a well-earned reputation for passivity, and Dallek notes the biography’s “above-the-battle tone” and refusal to “offer any decisive judgments on Ms. Rice’s performance.”

Most notably, though, there was this gem:

Ms. Bumiller says that if President Bush and Ms. Rice can produce a settlement in the Middle East between Israelis and Palestinians and an end to North Korea’s nuclear program, it would give them claims on success that would significantly improve their historical reputations.

As Scott Lemieux responded, “And if I discover a way of powering cars entirely with oxygen, emitting a vapor that would result in the immediate killing of cockroaches and paralysis in the hands of every Hollywood producer about to sign a contract with Joel Schumacher and Uwe Boll, my reputation as a world-class scientist would be greatly enhanced.”

Yglesias gets in on the fun, too: “By the same token, if earth’s yellow sun gave me the powers of a kryptonian, I’d be a super hero. If my blog had Engadget’s traffic, I’d be the most popular political blogger. If George Bush could breath underwater, he’d be a fish.”

rojo

Call Me Confused

Call me "Crazy", but I have sincere doubts about the new reports that Bhutto died from an Al Queda attack. Are you sure there was not a magic bullet? Here we have a brave opposition leader (hey, she may not have been great in her first try as prime minister) as America's choice who had one assassination attempt against her. And yet she carries on. First, we are told it was a suicide bomber, then a gunshot, now its Al Queda and, Oh Yes, as opposed to law, the crime scene was hosed down immediately and no autopsy. What, did the Warren Commission perform the investigation? Or is this the truth? or a fabrication to make sure we know there is a fearsome devil that we need to be protected against because America's choice could not be protected? Or is there even more subterfuge at work? The U.S.S. Maine comes to mind.

And this from the Catholic Front. Yes, we need a demonic death squad! Even Jesus is shuddering in his radiant post-grave body. Put a German in charge and more Demons are created. It is well known to readers of the dearly-departed Weekly World News that demonic possession among teens is among the rise. And they need to be dealt with by 80-year old priests. Christ (pardon the pun), I am only 55 and my arthritis is so bad I cannot keep up with 30-year olds at rock shows. How in the hell is an 80-year old priest going to keep up with demon seed? particularly if they take over teens. We are doomed. Doomed, I say.

All jokes aside, conservatism has a tendency to create enemies that must be annihilated. It sees the enemy, the "other" everywhere and projects its fears and anger towards that entity or group. Look for Al Queda and you will find him. (If you are interested and have a spare 4 hours, well spent, I must say. My ADD brain even sat still for this. Watch The Power of Nightmares from BBC television as it describes this phenomenon in US Foreign Policy, It is very, very good. and thought provoking.) The danger of this paradigm is that conservatives tend to control armament. Doubt that? How many New Age vegetarians own guns for hunting? And when was the last serial killer or mass murderer you know of a far leftist, after the Bolshevik Revolution. (an aside, was Stalin a dictator or a Bolshevik?) But these were revolutions, not the result of a single person. Colorado has had three such incidents and none were done by leftists. Timothy McVeigh was not a leftist.

rojo

Maybe Yext Year

It is sad Butto was assassinated. Who is to gain? and what will happen to an already unstable region? well beyond my predictions. I have as littel Middle East experience as our current State Department crack team. But I can't forget they have nukes and I wonder how good the security is. And remember that "loose nukes" were the biggest fear of the dissolution of the USSR. BTW, anyone seen Condi lately?

I see that the EU is looking at solar power for Europe and Africa by constructing a large plant in the Sahara. and a 100 x 100 mile plant could provide ALL the electricity for the US using current technology. And this does not include wind power. Just imagine what the US could be, a WORLD LEADER, if we had not gone through the St. Reagan Revolution. In the long run, he and other neocons will be remembered as having visionary approaches to economy akin to Lenin. Free market has failed as much as communism. And before anyone scoffs too loud, think of how many people died in Iraq, where estimates are well over 1,000,000 dead. All for the ability to drive SUVs. Makes me sleep well at night.

It is maddening that this government, free marketers all, do not have the stones of Jimmy Carter and put a profit cap on energy. All these lost mortgages because of predatory lending and bankruptcies because of medical bills, people living paycheck to paycheck hoping there is no major medical emergency looming on the horizon. It is obvious this administration cares not about the middle class. Or as the class clown and resident drug expert, Rush Limbaugh brags, Roosevelt is being rolled back. Great, we can have an economic system that led to the Great Depression.

and people on LJ Democrats worry that a methhead may be getting government funds. In my youth, we worried about welfare queens in Cadillacs. Those weren't real either. Cheese and Rice, we waste more money than can be spent on meth to privitization without conscience. and no one blinks anymore. The public lexicon and accepted values have wandered so far to the right that the language should be unrecognizable to those over 40.

Immigrants are the new N word, and they are listless, dirty, uncultured, don't speak English ... Oh yes, and they bring crime. Little has changed over the years. We always, as a culture, need to kick the crap out of and demonize someone. It makes it easier to live with our own faults as we don't need to recognize them--just blame someone. Fear and loathing are great remedies for everything. And it keeps attention away from what is really happening. Misdirection is not just a football strategy. Never look at the man behind the curtain.

Internautte, I hope your trip is going well and I hope Deli Girl is having a Happy Holiday season. I will sit back and watch the Broncos get run over by Adrian Peterson.

rojo