Hagel is an Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War and Cheney is a chickenhawk who "had better things to do" when his country was at war.

"The casualties we're taking, the billion dollars a week we're putting in there, the kind of commitment we've got -- we're not going to be able to sustain it," he said.

Iraq and Vietnam still have more differences than similarities, he said, but "there is a parallel emerging."

Hagel also refused to back down from his June assertions that "the White House is completely disconnected from reality" and "the reality is that we're losing in Iraq."

Senator Hagel also criticized President Bush's refusal to meet with Ms. Sheehan.

"I think the wise course of action, the compassionate course of action, the better course of action would have been to immediately invite her in to the ranch. It should have been done when this whole thing started. Listen to her."

Indeed.

Posted by Kevin at 09:57 AM |

August 18, 2005

We fight for democracy, we don't practice it. Now go home!

While Cindy Sheehan tends to her mother who suffered a stroke, neocons continue to aspirate on their own spittle because she has the gall to protest the war.

Everyone knows that good American mothers love sending their kids off to die for shifting reasons. Ted Webb understands this, and while he's not upset at all with Cindy Sheehan, she should shut up because she's a traitor and pathetic.

You would think I am upset with Cindy Sheehan, I am not. I understand a mother's grief when it comes to losing a child. It must be the very worst thing one can endure.

Remember, as you read this rant, that Webb is not upset with Cindy Sheehan. Really.

However, her son Casey was a second hitch member of the military. What did you expect from a soldier? When you sign for the military, you risk the chance that you may end up giving your life for your country. I respect her son and the ultimate sacrifice he made.

Her beef isn't with the fact that he died, it's that he died for a lie. But you'd have to actually listen to what she said to get that.

Now back to Cindy. She has become a parody of Air America, the liberal radio network. Cindy is reading from the same talking points memo Al Franken does. In Cindy’s mind, the only way out of Iraq is to quit. She demands we get out. Wait a minute did any of you vote for Cindy Sheehan to make such decisions for us? I didn’t.

Remember, he's not upset with Sheehan. He's just really upset that she has the gall to question our King President, who knows exactly what he was doing. And since he was elected he is infallible. That's the way it is for all Presidents (except for Bill Clinton).

Cindy joins the ranks of Hanoi Jane Fonda and Michael Moore, two who long ago lost any sense of credibility. Cindy Sheehan is pathetic. Her living son has asked her to please come home, her husband has filed for divorce, and the entire nation is looking on in disbelief.

Nope, not upset at all. I'm sure you can't imagine losing a child, Ted, since you wouldn't jump to call Sheehan pathetic if you had. And that nation looking on in disbelief? That nation is gathering in candlelight vigils to show solidarity with Sheehan. But oh, well. I'll bet Webb believes there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq as well, and that Saddam was behind 9/11.

One year ago, Cindy described her meeting with President Bush as much different than she remembers today. What happened in one year? Has the death of her hero son caused her to flip? Perhaps some of the extreme left have found someone to launch a campaign off of?

Thought here Cindy, shut up and go home. You are embarrassing the memory of your son Casey.

Actually, Ted, anyone with at least half a brain has opposed the invasion and occupation of Iraq from the get-go. The extreme lefties you're talking about are other grieving parents--that's who's joining Sheehan, and that's who's organizing the candlelight vigils around the country. Funny, that--they felt angry over the fact that their kids were maimed and killed for ever-shifting reasons. WMDs! Terrorism! Democracy! Who knows? Who cares? We're fighting for "freedom" or something else, but it doesn't matter. Our Preznit says we've gotta do it and do it we will like good little sheeple.

Cindy doesn't have to shut up and go home. It's this novel thing about living in a democracy--she can actually protest. She can criticize the President. That's part and parcel of living in a democracy, but it does seem to be a stretch for Bush's shills to actually know what freedom means.

Posted by at 07:59 PM |

Handbook of Southern Manners

For those of us living in the uncultured, coarse, Christian hating Pacific Northwest, the Handbook of Southern Manners should come in handy. It's about time we northerners learn how to lynch, smile while spewing completely offensive crap and worship ourselves for the war we lost.

In the Introduction, one overall general offense is listed:

While concern for our conduct toward others is down, the assertion of our Constitutional rights is up. There is also a serious increase in negative political ads and the use of vulgar language. We do business with little thought for others. What happened to the time when a man’s word was his bond and you could do business on a handshake? Some say civility is in a permanent state of change. On the contrary, the basics stay the same indefinitely, and have since the earliest times of recorded history.

Translation: As long as your Constitutional rights are being stripped from you with a smile and a handshake, shut your vulgar mouth and take it.

More Introduction gems:

Therefore, we must first recognize the raw logic that demands the exercise of common courtesy, and then move on to the art form that makes it more than a perfunctory exercise. Good manners are an essential ingredient in a healthy society because they smooth relations with the people with whom we interact and prevent a host of problems. More than this, good manners make life more pleasant and enjoyable. Such courtesies actually honor God by giving respect to that part of His universe that was created in His image: humans. When good manners are practiced sincerely, the respect that flows outward creates self-respect, something the Socialists and others of their kind try to generate through false and demeaning government-sponsored programs and clichés.

Translation: Socialists don't have manners because manners come from God. Socialists are unGodly heathens..so therefore any manners they might have must have come from Satan.

From the Maintaining Your Honor and Integrity chapter:

Family is important to Southerners probably more so than to others living in these united states. Our tradition is such that we tend to be “clannish.” Stand by your family. The bonds you have with family are such that no matter what, you will always have them. As a dependent living with your parents, you should always defer to their authority. Once on your own, you are the boss, but you should still show respect for your parents and all they have done to raise you.

Translation: We love our families so much that we have the highest divorce rates in the nation. But don't look at that. Look at how we smile our charming smiles while we're stabbing you in the back.

I have a great deal of family in the South. I love them all. But if this is how folks below the Mason-Dixon are expected to comport themselves...don't expect much in the way of respect from those of us up North. Most of us don't take kindly to being smiled at while trying to tie a noose around our necks.

And it's United States, not united states. Country names are capitalized. Especially the one to which you pledge your allegiance. Supposedly.

Posted by Carla at 03:44 PM |

Headline bad-song flashback cringe alert!

RUN JOEY RUN!

Anyone recall that one? I just can't help it because...

TV Show Host Scarborough Weighs Senate Bid

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Congressman turned political talk show host Joe Scarborough has a choice to make: renew his contract with NBC or challenge Katherine Harris for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.

Scarborough said Wednesday that he has already talked with Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and plans to meet with Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman and White House officials next week about whether to get into the race to unseat Democrat Bill Nelson.

The GOP really doesn't want Katherine Harris to run. So they're feeling out Joe Scarborough. Google "Lori Klausutis" and read. Then you'll understand just how desperate they are.

Take it away, David Geddes --

Daddy please don't, it wasn't his fault, he means so much to me

Daddy please don't, we're gonna get married...just you wait and see.

She called me up, late last night, she said Joe, don't come over
My dad and I just had a fight, and he stormed out the door
I've never seen him act this way, my God, he's going crazy
He says he's gonna make you pay, for what we've done...

Run Joey run Joey run Joey run Joey run Joey run!

Posted by Jeff at 01:55 PM |

The importance of being honest

If you've ever bothered to check my PK bio, you'll note that I'm not a registered Democrat. I'm registered as "non affiliated". Kevin gleefully pokes at me over this, knowing that it's not an oversight on my part. He likes to think of this lack of affiliation as an "inner Indy" crying to get out from under my Democratic leaning tendencies.

In reality I haven't registered as a Democrat for a couple of reasons.

1. I thought (stupidly) at the time I registered that if I wasn't affiliated the parties wouldn't solicit me. In hindsight that was an immense brain fart. Now I'm an equal opportunity target.

2. The Democrats piss me off just enough to keep me from expending the necessary energy to haul my ass down to the county seat. Perhaps this is part of the inner Indy. But it's also a larger issue that I think is worth addressing.

A lot of Democrats have trouble wrapping their brains around the practice of being straight forward.

Witness the squeamish response to Cindy Sheehan by some in the Democratic quarter. Agree or disagree with her motives, Sheehan has put herself out there, straight shooting from the hip. Her candor is the root of her appeal. Yet there are a dearth of the regular democratic opportunists at Camp Casey. Those who like tend to show up for face time are strangely missing.

It's as if honesty is a communicable disease that could rub off and send them down the road to eternal decency.

There are obvious exceptions. Democratic Senator Russ Feingold seems to have made peace with his inner honest guy. He not only speaks up as an honest broker, he consistently gives off the impression of being forthright. It's more than just an occasional brush with truth.

Part of George W. Bush's appeal is that some think he believes in what he's doing. (There are more than a few who think he's lied his ass off about a lot of policy issues. I'm not in a position to argue with them, because quite frankly I agree.) But it's quite clear than many think that Bush exudes honesty. That he offers a straight arrow moral leadership which doesn't waver.

It's that "not wavering" part that gives Bush his greatest appeal, in my view. Whether or not Bush really buys his own schtick is an unwinnable argument unless we can crawl inside his cranium (scary) and make that determination. Bush pulls off the hubrisly afflicted bravado because he comes across to many (and until recently the majority) as a truthful, folksy guy. He looks like he's standing up for what he believes in.

A lot of Democrats don't do that. They try to adopt Republican talking points or push to the right for short term political gain. As if abandoning abortion rights will all of a sudden make voters beat a path to the Democratic door. Or if Dems would only take take Yglesias' advice and wax esoteric about Intelligent Design. Or pander for votes like my Congressman (David Wu-Oregon) did by voting for the heinous bankruptcy bill.

All of this comes across as completely dishonest to me. David Wu is a progressive who votes to make it harder for those in financial trouble to file for bankruptcy..without first demanding legislation on predatory lending practices...? No. And if this were his only nonprogressive voting act I wouldn't have a gripe, most likely. But it isn't.

If Democrats want to win they have to stop pandering and start standing up for their progressive values. There's no reason to vote for a Democrat who plays a Republican on the voting floor. People don't want a great pretender. They want someone who at least attempts to be an honest broker and a straight forward leader.

Posted by Carla at 10:55 AM |

The Onion cannot survive

Not when real news and satire are impossible to tell apart. "Here's lookin' at you, kid" has taken on a whole new meaning:

The Japanese company behind Kidsbeer, a nonalcoholic beverage that looks like the real thing, is apparently shipping 75,000 bottles of the stuff a month. From The Japan Times:

"Children copy and mimic adults.

"If you get this drink ready on such occasions as events and celebrations attended by kids, it would make the occasions even more entertaining."

The Kidsbeer label captures a nostalgic mood as it was modeled after classic beer labels.

"Even kids cannot stand life unless they have a drink," reads the product's advertising slogan.

Hey, here in Amurka we got (toy) guns for kids, (drive-able toy) cars for kids, why not (non-alcoholic) beer, too? Don't they still make those candy cigarettes?

Posted by Jeff at 10:54 AM |

Rabid Pinko Commies.

KCNA

Kim Jong Il Receives President of Washington Times Corporation

Pyongyang, August 16 (KCNA) -- Leader Kim Jong Il Tuesday received Joo Dong Mun, president of the Washington Times Corporation, on a visit to Pyongyang. On the occasion the president offered his congratulations to Kim Jong Il on the 60th anniversary of Korea's liberation.

Kim Jong Il welcomed the Pyongyang visit of the president, had a cordial talk with him and posed for a photograph with him.

Apparently the Moonie Times' unconditional support of Bush isn't undermined by it's ties to Communist dictators.

Long live the Fatherland, baby.

Posted by Carla at 10:22 AM |

August 17, 2005

Wohoo!!

Our friend "A Vet" from Voice of a Veteran is back from his long sabbatical. Spread the word.

Posted by Kevin at 04:09 PM |

Support Cindy Sheehan. Support Peace.

Support Cindy Sheehan, the Gold Star Mom. Join a vigil for peace--you can find one here.

Thanks to The Heretik for photoshopping goodness.

Posted by at 03:48 PM |

2 outta 3 ain't bad

Good news, then good news, then bad news, here ya go.

You've probably already read this:

Antiwar protester Sheehan to move campsite

"A neighbour of President Bush's has offered us his land," the source said. "It's got plenty of acreage for us, it's private land, we would have legal permission to be on it, it's much closer to the ranch -- in fact it's across the street from his (Bush's) church."

"We have taken him up on his offer," the source added.

And now this (hat tip to desi):

"Rowena Jhant, a mother from Waco, Texas, and a supporter of President Bush, and Charlie Anderson, a war protester who served in Iraq, of Virginia Beach, Va., restore crosses and American flags that were vandalized by a pickup truck the night before, along the road leading to President Bush's ranch, in Crawford, Texas, Tuesday, August, 16, 2005. Jhant, who disagrees with the anti-war protesters led by 'peace mom' Cindy Sheehan, said she did not feel it was right to drive by and leave the American flags and crosses on the ground without trying to help repair the destruction."

So Camp Casey's having an effect, in good ways. It's attracting attention of another sort, however:

Move America Forward will be conducting the “You Don’t Speak for Me, Cindy” caravan beginning next week. It will feature military family members who have loved ones serving in the war against terrorism in Iraq or Afghanistan.

The delegation will be led by Deborah Johns of Marine Moms. (Her son has served in Operation Iraqi Freedom).

Main caravan leaves from San Francisco, California on Monday, August 22nd. Other caravans will depart from around the country. (snip)

Everyone arrives in Crawford, Texas for a giant “We Support Our Troops AND Their Mission” Rally on Saturday, August 27, 2005.

Mark your calendars. Might get wild. Then again, maybe this counter-protest will be like the last one: turnout reports ranged from 10-20 to 250-350, depending on who was doing the reporting.

Posted by Jeff at 01:55 PM |

Getting the story straight on Plame

Former Federal Prosecutor Elizabeth De La Vega:

Pundits have reached a rare unanimous verdict about one aspect of the grand jury investigation into the Valerie Plame leak: no charges can be brought under the Intelligence Identities Protection Act because it imposes an impossibly high standard. Christopher Hitchens, for instance, described the 1982 act as a "silly law" that requires that "you knowingly wish to expose the cover of a CIA officer who you understand may be harmed as a result." The pundits are wrong, however, and their casual summaries of the requirements of the 1982 statute betray a fundamental misunderstanding regarding proof of criminal intent. Do you have to intend to harm a CIA agent or jeopardize national security in order to violate the Intelligence Identities Protection Act? The answer is no.

De La Vega goes on to dissect the wording of the law. She also gives the blow by blow on how a prosecutor would likely pursue proving a violation of it.

It's a short and informative read. It also flies in the face of much of the punditry bleating from the talk box about how the Act won't apply to Rove.

Posted by Carla at 12:12 PM |

Able Danger: who's zooming who?

Over at Washington Monthly, Kevin Drum has been white on rice when it comes to the Able Danger story.

To nutshell for those unaware, Able Danger was a US Army military intelligence program that alledgedly used data mining techniques to identify the Al Qaida cell run by Mohammed Atta. The story goes that this took place a full year before the 9/11 attacks. Supposedly nothing was done because the DOD lawyers wouldn't allow the Able Danger team to tell the FBI.

The upshot of the "scandal" is..the 9/11 Commission never investigated this.

Last week the rightwing pundit class was in apoplectic meltdown over the situation.

Leading the charge on Able Danger is Rep. Curt Weldon who, with a book to pimp and a committee chairmanship in his sites, has hawked a chart he says proves the case that Atta was identified way before 9/11. Except as Kevin demonstrates, he probably didn't.

What may be starting to crystalize however, is the Bush Administration Pentagon may have very well hid information from the 9/11 Commission on the issue.

Posted by Carla at 09:20 AM |

PMS sucks

Most of the time I don't mind the fact that I'm getting older.

I'm raising two really great kids. I have enough money most of the time to do what I need to do. I'm self confident and I'm happy with my appearance. I am in a good place in my life, in general.

Which is why days like today are so frustrating.

I woke up this morning under a cloud (literally and figuratively). I'm a complete grouch. My emotions are right at the surface this morning as well. While watching a Today Show segment on the USO I started crying. It wasn't even really a heart tugging segment. I saw the soldiers and their families and started crying.

I have a day or two like this each month as a part of my hormonal cycle. It didn't used to happen. As I age though these days seem to get more intense. I hate them. It really sucks.

Even though I'm quite aware that my emotions are heightened and feelings are strong, I can't logic my way out of the reactions. I grit my teeth and try not to let them overtake me..but days like today seem impossible.

I'm going out to my garden this morning to putter around. Gardening has a calming effect on me. It's soothing to be out there dead heading and weeding...nurturing the plants.

I hate this day and it's only 9:00 AM.

Posted by Carla at 08:14 AM |

August 16, 2005

Ethnic cleansing and double standards

Daphna Baram, an Israeli journalist living in London, wrote a compelling commentary for the Guardian newspapaer called Disengagement and ethnic cleansing. In it she speaks openly about the racism is behind Sharon's "disengagement" plan from Gaza.

It is no accident that this time around the "left", the supporters of disengagement, reclaimed the national colour, blue, while the radical right wing stayed away from it.

The disengagement from Gaza is considered a step in the right direction because it will cut off about 1.3 million Palestinians from Israel's responsibility, thus improving the demographic balance between Israelis and Palestinians in the territories that remain under Israeli control. All this, at the very low price of removing 8,000 of the 400,000 settlers in the occupied territories, and with the additional benefit of gaining easy popularity in the rest of the world and, most important, pleasing the US.

The entire situation is fraught with irony. Not the least of which is that the kindler, gentler Zionists are the ones advocating the racist disengagement position. Their rightwing Zionist opponents would prefer much less humane approaches to the "problem".

Speaking of the "problem" of Palestinians... Baram cites an academic conference held at Haifa University in April. The subject of the conference was "the demographic problem". Which of course is an apparently politically correct way of saying that the point of the entire thing was to discuss ways of dealing with the Palestinian "problem." Apparently the irony was lost on it's participants. But, it wasn't lost on the Jewish and Israeli Arab students who protested outside. They gave "qualified racist" certificates to participants of the conference.

Baram observes the obvious fact that once a "problem" is recognised, a "solution" must be found...

Taken to it's logical conclussion, Zionism can't rationally fault Nazis for wanting to engage in ethnic cleansing of Jews from Germanic nations. Apparently the true sin of the Nazis was the methods they implimented after having named the Jewish "problem" to the brutal methods employed as the so-called final "solution".

Undoubtedly self-proclaimed "friends of Israel" will label me an anti-semite for having drawn the obvious parallel between Zionist philosophy and Nazi philosophy. The knee-jerk crowd are good at self-righteously dismissing the fact that I am myself Jewish. Which of course would make me a "self-hating Jew" in their twisted minds.

I don't much care with extremists think of me. What I find appalling is how passively the vastly larger group of moderates around the globe so meekly acquiesce to the right wing demagoguery and hypocrisy when it comes to Israeli racism.

Update: Note the muted reaction to settler violence as compared to how Israel typically responds to Palestinian violence of the same magnitute. No armed sieges, no dropped 1-ton bombs, no reciprocal killings as they've done in the past when a Palestinian did the exact same thing.

Posted by Kevin at 06:12 PM |

We've got the majority so it's your fault we can't pass legislation

New York Times columnist John Tierney just knows that bills can't get passed in Washington because of those damn Democrats!

When the T.S.A. was created, Republicans insisted on letting five airports - San Francisco; Tupelo, Miss.; Rochester; Kansas City, Mo.; and Jackson Hole, Wyo. - use private companies instead of T.S.A. screeners. A study by the Government Accountability Office found that the private screeners were more likely to detect smuggled contraband.

Now Republicans are pointing to those results - and the innovations that the private companies have introduced while the T.S.A. has been moribund - as evidence that America needs to make the same switch that Israel and European countries made.

"Right now T.S.A. is the regulator, the auditor and the operator of airport security," said Representative John Mica, the Florida Republican who is chairman of the House aviation subcommittee. "That never works. It's a total conflict of interest."

Mr. Mica has tried - and failed so far because of Democratic resistance - to pass legislation making it easier for airports to switch to private companies. I hope he succeeds this fall, but I'm worried that the T.S.A. may sabotage him. Besides the plan to ease up on pocketknives, it's also considering a proposal to exempt members of Congress from such screenings.

That downtrodden and defeated Republican Majority can't fight the mighty Democratic Minority to pass a bill to get airports from under the clutches of the Republican Executive branch controlled (via Homeland Security) Transporation Security Administration.

I can't decide who is insulting my intelligence more: Tierney...or the New York Times who continues to employ Tierney.

Setting aside the merits of private companies handling airport security screenings, exactly how are the Dems responsible from keeping the majority party from passing their bill? The committees are controlled by the GOP. The GOP have more seats on the committees than the Democrats. If the GOP wants the bill out of committee all they have to do is get their membership to vote for it.

Tierney is undoubtedly familiar with the concept of "majority". Feigning victim status for the Republican Party THAT RUNS EVERYTHING IN WASHINGTON DC reeks of stupidity.

I realize Rove is a little busy defending himself against treason to play Svengali to the rightwing echo chamber. But this is the best Teirney could manage on his own?

Posted by Carla at 12:53 PM |

The Boys Club catfight

If only Trent Lott and Bill Frist were Democratic women. Drudge would have an orgasmic headline of the mudwrestling catfight between two leftist babes.

Alas, instead we're forced to live vicariously through the indignant strains of the latest white, male Republican whinefest in the form of Trent Lott's new book:

WASHINGTON — Sen. Trent Lott accuses Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of betraying him during a GOP revolt in a new, tell-all biography that expresses little remorse for the racially tinged remarks that led to Lott's loss of power and Frist's ascension.

In Herding Cats: A Life in Politics, available in bookstores Aug. 23, the Mississippi Republican blames the media and a handful of his GOP colleagues for the loss of his Senate leadership job in December 2002.

Frist, a Tennessee Republican who replaced Lott as the GOP leader, comes off as traitorous. The book generally divides other Republicans into either heroes or villains, depending on whether Lott saw them as allies or enemies during his downfall.

"I consider Frist's power grab a personal betrayal," the book says. "When he entered the Senate in 1995, I had taken him under my wing. ... He was my protege and I helped him get plum assignments and committee positions."

It would be tempting to feel sorry for Trent. After all, he fell victim to the Republican Party's ruthless machine. Lott didn't tow the line as Senate Majority Leader when it came to backing all of Bush's policies. So when his racist comments about Strom Thurmond surfaced, the White House was more than happy to see Lott lose his position of power.

Then replace him with the hackatatious Bill Frist. Frist has been more than willing to cement his head up the collective White House posteriors.

The temptation to cry for Trent is easily overcome, however. The guy has is a slime ridden Republican pap dealer. You don't get to the top of the Senate Republicans without having been ruthless and willing to pander (which might be said for the Dems as well). Lott is among the worst offenders.

Cry your crocodile tears, Trent. But in the end you'll very likely have your job in the Senate for another six after the 2006 elections. Frist is running for President. He won't make it out of the GOP primary.

Posted by Carla at 11:07 AM |

Freedom Walk This Way! update

The Washington Post has pulled its co-sponsorship. The updated entertainment schedule reflects the change:

Schedule of Events (tentative):

On-going, All Day Events

8:15 am -- Men's Prayer & Pancake Breakfast
8:30 am -- First Presidential Beer Bong
9:00 am -- Seminar #1: Getting your kid a military deferment
9:30 am -- Rush Limbaugh Live, on the Purdue Pharma OxyContin Stage
10:00 am -- Vote on which country to invade next (Diebold Tent)
10:30 am -- Freedom Fries Brunch
11:00 am -- Meet the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (autograph session)
11:30 am -- Roundtable discussion on reproductive rights (MEN only)
12:00 am -- Seminar #2: Corporations: the government of the future
12:30 pm -- Condi Rice leads 2nd line parade, singing "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'"
1:00 pm -- Michelle Malkin lecture: If They're Brown, Lock 'Em Down
1:30 pm -- EPA Address #2 Trees: the real cause of forest fires
2:00 pm -- Break for secret meetings
2:15 pm -- Clarence Thomas reads list of black Republicans
2:30 pm -- Intelligent Design panel discussion, led by Rick Santorum
3:00 pm -- Lecture by Karl Rove: Doublespeak made easy
3:30 pm -- Mid-day Snack: Hardees EnormoBurgers; More Freedom Fries
4:00 pm -- Alberto Gonzales: Torture as an Olympic event
4:30 pm -- Ann Coulter Stand-Up Comedy: Hitler was an Evolutionist
5:00 pm -- Seminar #3: Education: a drain on our nation's economy
5:30 pm -- Coin collecting with Tom Noe & Ohio Governor Bob Taft
6:00 pm -- March to the Monument -- "double-time, you maggots! Or the Terr'ists WIN!"
6:30 pm -- BBQ dinner (all pork! what else?)

Main Stage Events

8:30 pm -- Clint Black Concert! (set list -- subject to DOD approval):

• Killin' Time


• Put Yourself In My Shoes


• One More Payment (sponsored by General Electric)


• A Good Run Of Bad Luck


• Nothing's News (introducing the Washington Post Pentagon Channel staff orchestra)


• Buying Time (Duke Cunningham drum solo!)


• One More Payment reprise (MBNA tribute)


• Something To Cry About


• When My Ship Comes In (sponsored by Halliburton, MC Dick Cheney) (note: ask Cheney to lead the FISH cheer at this point)


• The Good Old Days (Ronald Reagan video tribute)


• One More Payment redux (Tom DeLay presented with Medal of Freedom)


• I'll Take Texas


• Our Kind Of Love (w/Fred Phelps & Michelle Malkin)


• Til Santa's Gone (Milk and Cookies -- served by Laura Bush)


• Life Gets Away


• Someone Else's Tears (featuring D. Rumsfeld on harmonica)


• If Lovin' You Is Wrong (I Don't Wanna Be Right)


• Money Or Love


• The Boogie Man (W introduction)


• The Shoes You're Wearing (Condi intro)


• Medley: When I Said I Do - A Lover's Clown (Condi & W duet)


• We All Fall Down


• You Don't Need Me Now


• Desperado (W solo serenade)


• Medley: Live And Learn-The Hard Way-Who I Used To Be-Burn One Down


• Kill the Poor


• I Raq & Roll!


• God Bless the U.S.A. (all)

Posted by Jeff at 07:53 AM |

August 15, 2005

Sympathy for the dark side, and other movie reviews

Thanks to Carla and Shakespeare's Sister, I'm inspired to write movie reviews today. These will be very short, sweet, and to the point.

Revenge of the Sith--Yes, I saw it. With my dad. We both liked the the first three (or last three, depending on how you're counting). One question kept running through my head--Padme, darling, have you ever thought about pulling on a pair of jeans, throwing on a T-shirt, and sliding into a comfy pair of Berks? Being a Rules girl got you Darth Vader, what good did it really do you? Though I have to say, if I had to deal with platitudes like You shouldn't form attachments and If someone you love dies you should be happy since they're part of something bigger now I'd be ready for the dark side myself.

A Lot Like Love--Ashton Kutcher was actually kind of appealing in this. I'm not sure if it's because the movie was good, or if it was because my plane was stuck on the runway for three hours thanks to heavy weather back home. Watch the movie, gnaw off own leg. Hmmm. . .yeah, Kutcher would be appealing. Okay, to be fair, he did a decent job. As did Amanda Peet.

Madagascar--the lemur rave scene was funny. And the credits were hysterical.

Troy--If you turn the volume off and play porno music (bowchachabowbow bowchachabowbow) it's not half bad. Men in short leather skirts--need I say more? Too bad the dialogue was so godawful. Couldn't they have turned Achilles into the strong, silent type? He came off as an annoying twit.

Shawn of the Dead--Hysterical. Shawn is the type who'd usually irritate me, but I found him oddly endearing in this movie. And I liked his girlfriend. Besides, what's not to like in a zombie movies with lines like this:

What do we do?

I don't know. Have a sit down?

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days--Cute, highly unlikely, but cute. Kate Hudson acting like an id on a rampage was a classic. I can't get the words Princess Sophia or Krong the Destroyer out of my head.

50 First Dates--juvenile, but cute. The ending has the seeds of a very creepy psychological thriller or short story.

Dark Water (the original)--It was good--creepy, atmospheric, and overall kinda sad. (Thanks for lending it to me, Trish.) After seeing this and the ring, though, I'm starting to wonder if the director has abandoment issues.

The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy--PANIC. They took a clever science fiction series and turned it into a hackneyed love story. IT WASN'T A LOVE STORY, FOLKS. And why in the hell wasn't Owen Wilson cast as Zaphod Bebblebrox?

Ocean's Twelve--Pretty people. Funny people. Flexible opponent. Convoluted plot. Decent caper flick.

The Life Aquatic--very much a Wes Anderson flick. I liked it, it was understated and wry. But then, Owen Wilson was in it, which made me happy even though he had a dorky mustache in it (men should not be allowed to wear them--they look ridiculous).

Big Night--I love Tony Shaloub, ergo, I love this movie. His charecter's reaction to someone ordering pasta when they've already had risotto (SURE! WHY NOT GIVE THEM MASHED POTATOES AS WELL??) was a riot. Very bittersweet ending (and yes, I think that his brother got what he deserved in the romance department.)

Posted by at 07:37 PM |

Iran: Like Iraq, only with weapons inspectors

Based on the ever-so-trustworthy intelligence gathering capabilities of the Project For The New American Century braintrust, the Bush Administration has been ramping up their sabers against Iran.

The Iraq-style mushroom cloud speech is still somewhere in Condi's portfolio, no doubt. It's recyclable. Just change that "q" to an "n".

Except there's a hitch in the giddy-up: The IAEA has been allowed to do their job.

UK Independent:

The UN nuclear watchdog is preparing to publish evidence that Iran is not engaged in a nuclear weapons programme, undermining a warning of possible military action from President George Bush.

The US President told Israeli television that "all options are on the table" if Iran fails to comply with international calls to halt its nuclear programme. Both the US and Israel - the Middle East's only nuclear-armed power - were "united in our objective to make sure Iran does not have a weapon", he said.

However, Iran is about to receive a major boost from the results of a scientific analysis that will prove that the country's authorities were telling the truth when they said they were not developing a nuclear weapon. The discovery of traces of weapons-grade uranium in Iran by UN inspectors in August 2003 set off alarm bells in Western capitals where it was feared that Iran was developing a nuclear weapon under cover of a civil programme. The inspectors took the samples from Iran's uranium enrichment plant at Natanz, which had been concealed from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for 18 years.

Those who wish to learn from history will be taking note of the fact that this same IAEA was forced out of Iraq before they were able to finish their inspections due to Bush's invasion. In addition:

ElBaradei, who has been monitoring the situation day to day, also confirmed that he and Blix had received an invitation from Baghdad "to visit Iraq with a view toward accelerating the implementation of our respective mandates." He did not say whether he or Blix had accepted.

"I should note that in recent weeks, possibly as a result of increasing pressure by the international community, Iraq has been more forthcoming in its cooperation with the IAEA," he said, adding that inspectors still have found no evidence that Saddam Hussein has revived his nuclear program.

The disdain tossed toward the UN by the rightwing blogpunditry class will no doubt extend to the IAEA on this issue. After all..the IAEA is disagreeing with Bush. Those who come out in disagreement with Dear Leader are branded as traitors and terrorist sympathizers. There's no room for dissent. Cindy Sheehan is an "ignorant cow" for demanding to know why her son was sent to Iraq.

This ought to provoke some juicy tidbits of rightwing labeling.

Thosecommielovinghomoterroristnukesympathizingliberalbastards.

Posted by Carla at 02:49 PM |

Under Construction: The Progressive Blogosphere

Mandate Media mogul and venerable Blue Oregon front man Kari Chisolm is launching LeftyBlogs.com.

LeftyBlogs.com promises to scan blogs throughout the United States, updating the latest delicious bloggy goodness from over 600 sites and posting it on a state by state layout.

I'm hopeful that this sort of site will start to send traffic around to the smaller lefty blogs...who are getting their asses handed to them trafficwise by the smaller conservative blogs.

Posted by Carla at 02:41 PM |

Editors Ponder How to Present a Broad Picture of Iraq

As a liberal I am concerned in general about fairness and equality. I think it's important to consider arguments from the dark side in order to better understand where they're coming from. I also think it helps me to develop my own ideas more fully.

Which is why I understand the cries of bloggers like Chrenkoff, who've attempted to put out the "good news from Iraq". Oddly Chrenkoff blog contributor Arthur finds discomfort in Iraq's whole picture, but that's a story for another post.

Recently, a group of newspaper editors whose papers subscribe to the Associated Press, pondered why so little good news makes the headlines or the news stories coming from Iraq. A sort of "bunker mentality" by AP reporters was blamed in part for not getting the "whole story" of Iraq in the papers.

A bunker mentality? In other words they're hanging out in the green zone, hunkered down and not getting out very much.

It seems reasonable to conclude that reporters aren't writing about hospitals getting electricity and schools teaching kids when the reporters don't even bother to leave their hotel. Until you get to this part:

Mr. Silverman said the wire service was covering Iraq "as accurately as we can" while "also trying to keep our people out of harm's way."

"The main obstacle we face," he said, "is the severe limitation on our movement and our ability to get out and report. It's very confining for our staff to go into Baghdad and have to spend most of their time on the fifth floor of the Palestine Hotel," which is home to most of the press corps. The hotel was struck by a tank shell in 2003, killing two journalists.

Iraq remains the most dangerous place in the world to work as a journalist, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. At least 13 media workers have been killed in Iraq so far this year, bringing the total to 50 since the war began in 2003.

"Postwar Iraq is fraught with risks for reporters: Banditry, gunfire and bombings are common," the committee's Web site says. "Insurgents have added a new threat by systematically targeting foreigners, including journalists, and Iraqis who work for them."

So Iraq is in many ways a lawless place where bandits attack journalists and other foreigners almost at will. That would seem to be in line with what we're hearing from journalists.

It's an obviously pressing problem that would justifiably trump stories on hospitals and schools. If patients and kids are dodging bullets on their way to and from hospitals and schools..it kinda makes it tough to report how great the hospital or school might be.

We have great schools and neighborhoods throughout the US as well. But we don't hear a lot of that in the news headlines either. Maybe I'm missing it..but I haven't heard the rightwing wax indignant about the lack of domestic blissy-type stories that litter the local schools. In fact they latch on to the bad stories in an effort to push through their own brand of alledged reform.

The calls for reports of positive progress in Iraq ring rather hollow, under those circumstances.

Posted by Carla at 11:33 AM |

A steaming pile of bovine feces on toast

An example:

There are plenty of us who voted for Bush that do not worship him and disagree with plenty he's done. Not every supporter of the war in Iraq necessarily thinks Bush is the best person for the job, but enough thought Kerry was far far worse.

That paragraph came from the PK comments section over the weekend.

Just what exactly was Kerry going to do as President that could somehow be drastically worse than what we've had with Bush?

Would Kerry run the national debt into stratospheric levels? Would he take us into a bogus war that would swiftly degrade into a Vietnam-style mess? Would he allow Congress to leave national security to the states? Would he have a policy that allows defense contractors to loot the National Treasury? Would he put proven liars into key diplomatic positions?

Kerry wasn't my first choice from the Democratic Party pool. He wasn't even my second. But any notion that he was somehow so absolutely awful that Bush looked good is complete and utter crap.

I suppose I could debate the point by point issues on Kerry vs Bush...but what's the point? There are obviously folks out there who remain loyal to Bush while he systematically screws them sideways. Even while using language like There are plenty of us who voted for Bush that do not worship him and disagree with plenty he's done, the underlying disdain for Kerry is at the level of absurd.

When Bush finally leaves office, the US will owe TRILLIONS of dollars. Iraq will historically be known as the greatest folly in US history. In my view..worse than Vietnam. Our credibility as a moral leader in the world will be completely shattered. Our civil rights will be eroded in the name of "catching terrorists".

But Kerry is "far, far worse".

Kerry would have put a check on the rampant Republican Congress. The Executive branch would have been forced to rein in the powers that Bush expanded in the name of working with Congress somehow. He'd have had to develop a plan for Iraq that allowed for reasonable withdrawal..and isn't beholden to the gas and oil lobbies.

Kerry had his issues, to be sure. But I think historians will rate George W. Bush as the worst President in modern history. Worse than Hoover. Worse than Nixon. And exponentially worse than Clinton.

Posted by Carla at 07:49 AM |

Amen and preach it, brother!

"President Bush is on a five-week vacation. From what?"
--David Letterman

Posted by Jeff at 06:20 AM |

August 14, 2005

Sunday Gardenwhore Blogging: Coleus Edition

Last year I discovered the beauties of coleus.

My flowerbeds are unfortunately not heavily sunlit, in general. I've been forced to find alternatives to my favorite sunloving perennials in order to maintain my flowerbeds.

Coleus is not a perennial here. But I've found that I can winter over if I take cuttings, dip the cut end into root compound and pot them up for storage in my kitchen garden window.

My front step is also fairly shady. So I've got coleus in out front:

It grows best if you remember to pinch back the new growth every once in a while and let it get bushy. You also have to remember to pinch off the flower stalks...which have little lavendar colored, scroungy looking flowers.

The pot in front is heliotrope. This is my first attempt at growing heliotrope and I think I'll try it again next year. I didn't pinch these back and in retrospect I probably should have.

For Mother's Day this year I bought myself several of these "upside down pots". I like their uniqueness. I have two hanging on my back deck that contain geraniums. This one contains yet another species of coleus:

I tried to get a close up shot of the leaves on this specimen but I couldn't get a good shot. I don't have a tripod for my camera and it's tough to get that shot to come out clear.

I also plan to do a lot more coleus in my flowerbeds next year. These have thrived:

My neighbor reminded me this week that coleus also makes a really nice accent in flower arrangements. And since I needed to pinch back a few anyway, I stuck them in with these dahlias and roses:

Posted by Carla at 10:59 AM |

ChefGate update

Laura Bush has hired the first ever woman Executive Chef for the White House, thereby apparently terminating ChefGate.

Front runner Richard Hamilton ran afoul of Laura's wealthy Texan friends who insisted that the new Executive Chef be a Texan. Apparently unwilling to directly buck her friends, Laura chose to simply elevate the long-time White House assistant chef, Cristeta Comerford, to the top position. Presumably her elitist Texan friends were okay with a non-Texan getting the job as long as she was already on the staff.

It's a real shame that the first ever woman to hold the job had to be the beneficiary of the first ever politicized Executive Chef search. She deserves better, as did Richard Hamilton. But, this is the Bush White House after all. Politicizing everything they touch seems to be part and parcel of what it means to be a member of the Bush clan.

Posted by Kevin at 09:17 AM |

Walken for President?

I have no idea if this is a hoax or completely legit.

Christopher Walken for President of the United States?

The guy has played some of the creepiest characters on screen. Maybe he'd scare Iran into ending their nuke program?

Posted by Carla at 08:13 AM |

August 13, 2005

Movie suckage

My daughter has been sick for the past couple of days. She's better today and up and around, acting her regular perky self.

Due to her illness we've been cooped up in the house for the last two days. So yesterday afternoon I went to the video store to get a movie. At her request I rented First Daughter starring Katie Holmes.

Oh my god what a bad movie.

In a nutshell: the POTUS daughter goes off to college. Wants a normal college experience. Gets suffocated by the Secret Service. Secret Service backs off (except they sneak in a hot looking agent to pose as the Resident Advisor...requisite romance ensues). Daughter parties and gets into trouble.

Katie Holmes isn't the worst part of this movie. Close...but not quite.

The worst part is the writing and story line.

One scene in particular has the First Lady showing up to the college after the Holmes' character is caught by paparrazzi. The underage girl gets drunk and dances on a bar wearing skimpy clothes.

The First Lady/mother character shows up to reprimand the daughter. But instead of berating her for underage drinking, bump and grind dances and general stupid behavior, she is pissed because the girl was caught and is ruining the father's reelection campaign. "He's dropped three points in the polls..."

This was too much even for my daughter.

Daughter: Uh...she's mad at her for getting drunk cuz it's making the dad drop in the polls?

Me: So it seems.

Daughter: If I did something like that you'd kill me.

Me: Probably.

Daughter: How can she not yell at her for getting drunk when she's not old enough?

Me: It's a movie, sweetie. I guess that's how they decided to handle the story line.

Daughter: That's insane, Mom. She's not teaching her daughter to be responsible and to do the right thing. She's just mad because the dad might not win. This is so stupid.

Me: You're right. This is very stupid.

When a 12 year old with a fever notices the blatant flaws in a movie and can articulate them, you know it sucks.

Posted by Carla at 08:25 AM |

August 12, 2005

The Beatitudes come home to roost

Another dose of the noxious Justice Sunday is slated for this Sunday, August 14.

The usual cast of repugnant characters are involved: Falwell, Dobson, Perkins, Colson, Schlafly...and that paragon of Republican ethics virtue, Tom DeLay.

This Shakes' Sis post about so many Christians seemingly not reading the Bible made me wonder how long it's been since the Justice Sunday gang had been to the Gospel of Matthew. In particular, Chapter 5:

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

I'm curious if Bush has read that section lately. Especially since the White House loosed the hounds on Cindy Sheehan.

I've mentioned before how cruci-fiction gang of white Christian males complains of persecution while completely dominating government and other large sectors of society. Perhaps they use the Beatitudes (as highlighted above) to justify their sense of moral certitude.

The irony being their support of those who seek to tear down and ruin individuals who disagree with Bush.

Not to mention the clerics' close association with the odious Tom DeLay.

Posted by Carla at 02:25 PM |

Portland's Drinking Liberally makes the Trib

Boldly going where the The O seems loathe to tread, the Portland Tribune talks up Stumptown's version of Drinking Liberally:

The sun is slanting diagonally onto the covered back patio of the Lucky Labrador Brew Pub.

Squinting, we make our introductions. Nicole Vanderhoof and her parents, Sue and Roy Vanderhoof, are sitting at a picnic table, sharing a pitcher of beer. An upright red, white and blue sign that reads “Drinking Liberally” lets newcomers know that this is their group.

Nicole Vanderhoof founded the happy hour get-together in October, when the tension surrounding the presidential election was at its peak. “I would sit there and read all this news,” she says, and she thought, “there’s got to be other people who want to talk about this.”

She was right. Not only that, but nearly a year later, she’s still drawing 20 or more people to her monthly, liberal-leaning gatherings.

I've been able to make it to two DL's in the last few months. I'd like to go more often but events have conspired against me.

I love how the leaders of DL let the conversation take on it's own, organic form...never really directing things. It's casual, interesting and there are lots of fascinating folks to talk to.

Sometimes it's just good to be with people who share your passions and understand your vision. It's like plugging in to a massive energy source that rejuvinates and inspires.

Posted by Carla at 12:05 PM |

Save them Dr. Dobson, you're our only hope

Awhile back, Pam followed a story about a teen sent against his will to "ex-gay camp". The camp was alledgedly supposed to "cure" gay males.

The camp's efforts haven't been as fruitful as they hoped. Perhaps it's time for them to turn their attention to other parts of the animal kingdom.

This pair of swans in Boston appear to need some good old fashioned "heterosexual conversion":

Boston's beloved pair of swans -- feted by city leaders, residents, and tourists alike as one of the Hub's most celebrated summer attractions -- are a same-sex couple. Yes, scientific tests have shown that the pair, named Romeo and Juliet, are really Juliet and Juliet.

The city's Parks and Recreation Department conducted the tests months ago, but didn't announce the results for fear of destroying the image of a Shakespearean love story unfolding each year in the Public Garden.

''Each year when the swans go in, the kids immediately come to us and say, 'Which one's Romeo, and which one's Juliet?' " parks spokeswoman Mary Hines said yesterday in response to a Globe inquiry. ''It's just like one of those fairy tales; why spoil it?"

This year and last, the swans have laid eggs in the spring and then stood guard at the nest as visitors and nearby residents made regular pilgrimages, hoping to see the eggs hatch. Neither batch did. Turns out, that's because they were never fertilized by a male swan.

Damn birds. You'd think they'd have the courtesy not to flaunt their sexuality in a public park. With little kids watching, no less.

Posted by Carla at 10:33 AM |

Another Bush excuse unravels

""Congress saw the same intelligence I had, and they looked at exactly what I looked at, and they made an informed judgment based upon the information that I had."--Bush, Meet The Press

Raw Story

Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush issued an order to the Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Department, and his cabinet members that severely curtailed intelligence oversight by restricting classified information to just eight members of Congress.

Congress got to see all of the same intelligence as the President, except the classified stuff. That material was just a little bit too much information. Congress can't be counted on to make an uninformed decision with all that messy classified stuff.

Posted by Carla at 09:13 AM |

Listening to 9/11

Are you?

Posted by Carla at 09:00 AM |

Freedom Walk This Way!

Um, no, I don't think the Freedom Walk will rock like Aerosmith. It will not rock a bit, in fact. Don't believe me? Check out this tentative entertainment schedule. WOOHOO!

Posted by Jeff at 07:39 AM |

August 11, 2005

""I do think that the facts are – and history shows that – there is a particular entity, a particular group of people who are engaging in these terrorist activities."

Terrorism isn't quite as black and white..or Arab..or Islamic...as the folks in the Elephant Caucus would like us to believe.

Via Lindsay, it appears the terrorist scourge isn't quite lining up with the "young Arab" racial profiling of some of our Republican leaders.

CNN:

Federal agents arrested a 24-year-old man at an Oklahoma airport Wednesday after finding what appeared to be an explosive in his bag, authorities said.

Charles Alfred Dreyling Jr. was going through a security checkpoint at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City when a Transportation Security Administration employee noticed the item Wednesday morning, FBI Special Agent Gary Johnson said.

I'm not against profiling per se. But it doesn't make sense to profile Arabs and Muslims when we've had domestic terror attacks perped by young, white males.

Update: Another Freeper conventional wisdom is turned on it's head. As reported by Dave Neiwert, a car belonging to the mom of a soldier recently killed in Iraq was vandalized. 20 small American flags that were on the lawn of the house were lit and placed under the car.

The Freepers went predictably apeshit. Guess who they blamed?

Turns out the car was vandalized by a couple of local teens who have no apparent political motives.

More young white men to racially profile, eh?

Posted by Carla at 01:32 PM |

Iraq: Our own Kobayashi Maru

For those geeky enough to get Kobayashi Maru without explanation, I salute you. Live long and prosper, baby. And skip the next few sentences.

For those that aren't Trekkie, Kobayashi Maru is from the film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. It is the name of a simulated training exercise in which cadets are presented with an unwinnable scenario.

Iraq is fast becoming the Kobayashi Maru for the United States. If we stay, suicide terrorism will continue to rise. If we go, the civil war is practically inevitable. The efforts at an Iraqi constitution are very unlikely to reach consensus as well.

Over at Middle Earth Journal, Ron Beasley has a more detailed post on the Iraqi forecast. It's a hellish set of problems that didn't have to happen.

Posted by Carla at 10:05 AM |

Weldon: National Security be damned.

Other bloggers and pundits who are smarter and whose work is much more read than mine have noted that the GOP smear machine attacks where the GOP are weakest. They would for example go after an opponent on his military service record while their candidate had no military service whatsoever.

The Republicans have demonstrated an immense ineptitude at national security. They absolutely suck at managing it.

Witness the fact that they keep cutting taxes while shipping containers go unchecked, our borders remain porous, airport security continues to be a joke, etc.

During campaigns they use national security issues against their opponent like a corked bat in Fenway....with Green Monster-like success, so far.

One of the more cynical (and dangerous) aspects of the Republican national security facade is their willingness to use it for political gain.

Most of us bloggy wonks are well aware of the Rovegate Scandal in which a CIA agent is outed to the press for political gain. Laura Rozen points to a lessor, if not just as politically ruthless, situation with a US Congressman:

One strange thing about this claim by Congressman Curt Weldon that he has defense intelligence sources who a year before 9/11 identified Mohammad Atta as a member of a Brooklyn al Qaeda cell is that, by some accident of fate, I was at a talk Weldon gave at the Heritage foundation back in 2002, where he was making the same claim and showing the same chart of the al Qaeda cells. (Start at around minute 24, minute 31 starts the claim, minute 33:33 is the chart). I even went up afterwards and asked if it would be possible to get a copy of the chart that accompanied his talk and that he's been showing recently, but it proved elusive. So why is this coming forward in a more prominent way only now? After all, the 911 commission had more than a year of hearings when it could have investigated these claims, and the commission's report has been out for more than a year now. I don't know the answer. But it's worth noting that The Hill reports today that Weldon hopes to use the August recess to secure the chair of the House Homeland Security Committee.

Weldon has had this information for two years and he didn't give it to the 9/11 Commission to investigate? What possible reason could he have for holding on to crucial information like this...? Rozen hints at a juicy political opportunity.

If Weldon indeed held on to important 9/11 related information until an opportune moment to score an especially good committee Chairmanship, and is then rewarded with it, the Republican Party is worse off than I thought.

Rewarding a guy for witholding information that could have been used to better understand our failures in the lead up to 9/11?

National security be damned.

Posted by Carla at 08:13 AM |

August 10, 2005

Abortion: No regrets

A few weeks ago I read a piece at Sheelzebub's other blog that I've churned over and over in my mind ever since.

An excerpt:

I'm not one of those people who decry abortion as a necessary evil. I'm not one of those self-righteous misogynists who would pass judgement on pro-choicers, pregnant women, or women who chose to abort. I don't hate abortion.

I think it's wonderful.

I think it's wonderful because it frees women from unwanted pregnancies, it keeps women from enduring the risks and complications that can arise from pregnancy, and it gives them say over when they will have children. If ever.

So I will not give the whinging line, "Oh, abortion is horrible, but I guess I'll have to allow it." Because the woman sitting across from me could have had one. Or my mother could have had one. Or an aunt. Or my friend. They could have had one, and not been sorry for their decision. They could have had one and known full well that their lives were better for it. Telling them what they did was horrible but permissible, an evil albeit a lesser one, tells them that their lives are worthless. The better life they have is based on a sin and evil and that they are unworthy.

When I was 19 years old I had an abortion.

I've never regretted my decision to do it. I was halfway through my sophomore year in college. My boyfriend had recently become my ex boyfriend because I'd caught him cheating with another girl. I was emotionally, spiritually and financially unprepared for pregnancy and subsequent motherhood.

As one of their excuses for banning abortion, the anti-choice set has insisted that abortion lays too heavy a burden of guilt on the woman. They say that many women wear this guilt like a millstone and we have to protect young women from this unbearable weight.

I've never experienced that guilt. Not once.

I have however thought perhaps that something was out of whack in my own psyche for not toting that burden around. Why do all these women feel so bad for what they've done and I don't? What's wrong with me? Am I so evil and unfeeling because I don't have regrets for not bringing an unwanted child into the world?

As it turns out..guilt is what you make it. Or what is thrust upon you, in my case.

Instead of lugging abortion guilt..I lugged "lack-of-abortion-guilt" guilt.

Sheelzebub doesn't know this because I didn't tell her, but her piece helped to lift that from me. It helped me to realize that my lack of bad feelings from my abortion isn't some sort of oddity that I have to hide under a bushel so as not to be considered as some unfeeling freakish woman.

I waited to have children until I felt the time was right. I didn't place an unwanted infant into society. I took responsibility for myself and my actions by ending an unwanted pregnancy.

I have no regrets about those decisions because they were the right decisions for me.

I'm a better parent and a better person for having made them, too.

Posted by Carla at 11:27 AM |

ChefGate?

In March of this year I wrote about the campaign by superchefblog to get the first ever woman Chef hired at the White House. It never panned out. But now superchefblog is reporting the details of what might come to be known as ChefGate.

It seems that not only is Richard Hamilton one of America's premier chefs, but he's been the frontrunner for the job of White House Executive Chef for a number of months. And apparently he never applied for the job... they called him.

Naturally Hamilton was interested and proceeded with the vetting process one would expect for such an important job, including the stipulation that he not divulge any of the details or even that the White House was interested in him.

They go out after a chef with press and notoriety, and they ask you if you are willing to give it up. At some level you are. It's an honor. There are few White House Chefs in history; not too many people can do it. You are a piece of history -- not just Culinary History but History -- for maybe three or maybe 20 years. It's incredible -- or could be.

"Could be" turned into "could be longer." Richard returned to his restaurant and waited.

The first follow-up action pretty much killed his job at the Spiced Pear: Mrs. Bush sent a group of her friends to his restaurant to try the food. Someone in the White House party spilled the beans that Richard was on the shortlist for the White House job, and the restaurant management immediately started leaving Richard out of restaurant publicity, among other things. "The trust declines. The comfort wears off" when a boss finds out you're talking to others about taking another job. Instead of waiting for others to make a move, he quit the Spiced Pear and started consulting.

In early May, the White House summoned Richard back to cook three meals. He prepared a dinner for 12, a lunch for 12, and a cocktail for 40. Richard described the visit to superchefblog:

Lunch was interesting. All of Mrs. Bush's friend were there. One woman was adamant that no chef should be in the White House who wasn't from Texas. She trashed everything savagely. That led Mrs. Bush to think she needed to look again.

In a follow up invitation to cook again for the White House a month or so later Richard Hamilton was graciously and warmly received by the Bushes.

"The woman who had wanted a Texan chef wasn't at the second luncheon," Richard explained to superchefblog. And "if the search is about Texas chef, let's admit it." Otherwise, "if it is about culinary skills representing the country -- cooking all the different cuisines that are served -- let's make it about that." By this time, half a year had slipped by, and superchefblog noted in comparison how quickly the Supreme Court justice search had concluded.

It can't be because of Hamilton's personal politics. According to superchefblog, Hamilton enjoys strong Republican support. So, it appears that this all comes down to him not being a Texan. Mrs. Bush either doesn't have the maturity to be upfront about the new Executive Chef position being open only to Texans or that her Texan friends are the ones making the decisions around there. Or maybe it's a little of both.

Posted by Kevin at 08:44 AM |

Rumsfeld: Iranian weapons found in Iraq

Fox:

WASHINGTON — Some weapons entering Iraq are coming from Iran, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld (search) said Tuesday, though he indicated it was unclear whether they were coming from elements of the Iranian government or from other parties.

"Weapons clearly, unambiguously from Iran have been found in Iraq," he told a Pentagon briefing. "It's a big border. It's notably unhelpful for the Iranians to allow weapons of those types to cross the border." He did not provide further specifics.

Were I in the Pentagon Press Corp..I'd have two questions for Rummy:

1. Are these Iranian weapons the ones that we sent in exchange for hostages during the Iran/Contra Scandal?

2. How is it that Ronald Reagan didn't fight the "war on terror" in order to catch the guy that took our citizens hostage...and is now President of Iran?

Posted by Carla at 08:30 AM |

Dear Ms. Rice and Mr. Rumsfeld --

In light of this and related news reports:

Congressman: U.S. intel knew 9/11 plotters

The Sept. 11 commission will investigate a claim that U.S. defense intelligence officials identified ringleader Mohammed Atta and three other hijackers as a likely part of an al-Qaeda cell more than a year before the hijackings but didn't forward the information to law enforcement.

And in particular this:

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said he was unaware of the intelligence until the latest reports surfaced.

It's obvious you either can't or won't do your jobs. We demand your resignation letters by close of business today.

To Mr. Rumsfeld --

Don't take it personal. You'll find something else to do. Write a book. Make speeches. Who knows? The Supreme Court may need another Medal of Freedom winner any day now.

To Ms. Rice --

You weren't mentioned anywhere in this story. This happened during your tenure as National Security Advisor. Accountability? Hell yes, that applies to you! Your past behavior shows you won't give a straight answer to anything, even if the question is "How are you today?"

Anyway, pack up your shit, and get out, both of you. NOW.

Love,

The American People

Posted by Jeff at 05:43 AM |

August 09, 2005

A Bigger Bang

"You call yourself a Christian, I call you a hypocrite/You call yourself a patriot, well I think you're full of sh*t."

Thus spaketh Mick Jagger to Dear Leader.

I wonder how many country stations will be boycotting The Rolling Stones now?

A Bigger Bang is the title of the Stones' new album. Which may have to do a lot more with their edgy political commentary than the other sort of banging that Jagger is known for.

Posted by Carla at 08:18 PM |

A rebel without a clue....

Into the great wide open,
Under them skies of blue
Out in the great wide open,
A rebel without a clue

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water...The Shark rears it's ugly version of political fairy tales:

I now have documentation from King County and the Secretary of State proving what has been suspected for months but which state and county officials have insistently denied all along -- King County did NOT mail all of the required military and overseas ballots by the Oct. 8th deadline. Dozens if not hundreds of King County military ballots that should have gone out on the 8th were sent out late. Over 5,000 non-military ballots covered by the UOCAVA guidelines (overseas citizens, possibly military dependents) were sent out at least 4 days late and hundreds of others appear to have been sent more than 4 days late.

No Stefan...you really don't. I've been looking over your "documentation" at length. What you have is akin to a big roll of toilet paper.

I contacted both the Secretary of State's office and King County Records and Elections yesterday to give them an opportunity to respond to my findings. The Secretary of State's office responded today with evidence indicating that King County misled them last October. King County did not dispute my findings.

I contacted both the Secretary of State's office and King County Elections today to give them an opportunity to respond to your findings. My results were much different and infinitely more factual than yours, it appears.

Additionally and for future reference...just because someone doesn't call you back to "dispute your findings" doesn't make your findings correct. Brad Pitt has never contacted me to dispute my finding that he wants to put me up in a new home on the beach in Malibu. But I harbor no delusion that my "finding" is correct, either.

More after the jump.

King County was supposed to send all of it's military and overseas ballots out by October 8, 2004. This date had been King County's own cutoff date that they were working toward. Down the road, the feds made October 8 their cutoff for all of the counties in Washington. The feds said they'd sue if Washington State didn't get all of it's ballots out by the 8th:

On Oct. 7, State Elections Director Nick Handy sent all county auditors an e-mail tagged "URGENT" telling them about a threat from the senior litigation attorney for the Department of Justice. Handy said the state's attorney had been told the federal government "is preparing a lawsuit to be filed tomorrow against the state of Washington."

He said the conflict could be avoided with what he described as "one final offer" from the federal government. The next day he wrote the Justice Department agreeing to a compromise:

Four counties — Franklin, Pend Oreille, San Juan and Whatcom — would mail federal write-in ballots instead of regular absentee ballots so they could meet the federally imposed deadline.

Note the glaring absence of King from that list. But it gets more interesting:

All but one county met the federal deadline, Handy said. Island County fell a few days behind in mailing less than 1,000 ballots, an oversight he said was reported to the Justice Department.

Why isn't Stefan screaming his little pixels off for the Island County Elections Office collective heads? Why just King..who can confirm that they did? Enquiring minds want to know.

Washington State Elections Director Nick Handy confirmed with the Department of Justice on October 8 that according to his office, all ballots were mailed on time.(Later it was discovered Island County had not..again Stefan is strangely mum on that one)

Stefan continues:

I asked Nick Handy yesterday if he would let me know what information King County provided him as the basis for that representation. He forwarded me this email to go along with this spreadsheet (which I converted to PDF).

Okay kids..click on the email. Go on. I dare ya. Note that the date of the email is August 4, 2005. The person in question is being asked to remember information that took place in October of 2004. The person thinks maybe it was 10K+ ballots and it may or may not have been Bill Huennkins she spoke with. This is definitive? No wonder Rossi lost.

The punchline: somebody from King County Elections (perhaps Bill Huennekens) told the SoS office that KC sent out all of its 10,564 UOCAVA ballots that it knew about at the time on Oct. 8th. Problem is, other King County records contradict that claim. Indeed, those records indicate that more than half of the UOCAVA ballots were sent out on Oct. 12th or later.

I suppose I could tiptoe through all of Stefan's accounting and spreadsheets again. But I have the feeling that now, as it was then, it would be an exercise in futility. Stefan has jacked around with numbers before in an effort to make himself relevant. And with Rossi's court challenge loss his efforts at relevance are even more desperate.

And then there's the fact that the US military and the voting rights wing of the Department of Justice have received no complaints from Washington state residents regarding not getting their ballots.

It's over Stefan. You lost. Deal with it.

Posted by Carla at 04:26 PM |

The Poet swift boats Washington. Vote Arnold!

My friend "The Poet" has a shortwave radio program called "The Crystal Ship". He and cohorts rock the shorwave airways with their raucous music and incendiary political commentary.

He emailed me one such piece of commentary that I thought was hilarious. A riff in much the way the Rowboat Vets did....

"This message is sponsored by the Continental Soldiers for Truth."

(((music comes up, "The World Turned Upside Down")))

"General George Washington....
The So-called Father of our Country?
Or irresponsible and immoral neer-do-well, and perhaps even TRAITOR?
YOU be the judge.

"George Washington was immortalized in a painting portraying him crossing the Delaware River.
But why did Washington actually cross the Delaware? To attack the Hessians? NO.
Eyewitness accounts of Continental soldiers now reveal
that his primary motivation for crossing the Deleware River,
was to escape local Pennsylvania authorities who sought him in connection
with civil disturbances at a series of BROTHELS!

"The Battle at Trenton: A Great and Moral Victory? NO.
Washington's winter campaign was not only a fundemental violation of long-standing military laws and traditions,
but his attack on Trenton, making war on Christmas Day, the birthdate of The Prince of Peace,
was a GROSS violation of basic MORAL VALUES held dear by All right-thinking Christian Americans!

"But perhaps Washington does not share ANY of our moral values.
At the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse, he was heard by eyewitnesses,
loudly and repeatedly taking the Lord's name in vain, and MAY have used the F-WORD!

"Why did Washington, as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, split that army and
lead it to near-destruction in the battles on Long Island?
And why did Washington allow the British Army to escape from Boston without ever firing a shot?
Could it be connected with the fact that he was in the employ of the British Army under Braddock
a mere twenty years earlier--- a British army which he ALSO saved from annihilation?
These questions cry out for truthful answers!

"George Washington: Great General and moral leader? NO.
Washington actually LOST most of the battles in which he was ever engaged.
But according to eyewitness accounts, he kept the late-night oil burning brightly in his tent
in private 'consultations' with the young, attractive and FRENCH Marquis de Lafayette.

"Was Washington's relationship with Lafayette confined to 'military affairs' alone?
What was actually contained in Washington's French letters? And what do they REALLY
mean when they say 'Washington Slept Here'?

"Washington: A fiscally responsible manager? NO!
Washington rarely has any money, and when he does manage to make a dollar,
has been known to throw it away!
Will YOU allow George Washington to throw YOUR tax dollars across the river?

"Don't fall victim to the Washington Legend, NOW THAT YOU KNOW THE TRUTH!

"Vote for Honesty, Loyalty and True Patriotism
Vote for Decency and Christian Moral Values
Vote for the Truth!

"Vote Benedict Arnold on November 2nd.

"This Message has been Paid for by
the Continental Soldiers for Truth
with illegal contributions from the Republican National Committee"

Posted by Carla at 01:29 PM |

Paul Hackett ROCKS!

Hackett calls Limbaugh a "fatass drug addict"

Appearing on yesterday's edition of "The Ed Schultz Show," Paul Hackett made several stand-out statements. Go listen. I suggest Democratic party leadership organizations, and Dems who voted for CAFTA, take note, as well.

Posted by Jeff at 12:45 PM |

Courage in the form of Cindy Sheehan

I belong to an email political debate group. I've been a part of this group off and on for years. It consists mostly of conservatives, the vast majority of which are Bush supporters. Actually they're more than just supporters. They're complete apologists for Bush's many failed policies.

Yesterday, one of them sent out the following on the topic of Cindy Sheehan:

Here's what I don't get... The US has an all VOLUNTEER military. Those who are in it CHOSE to be in it. When you join the military, you need to reasonably expect that there is an elevated risk of death on duty, and that you freely accept this. You also VOLUNTEER to obey the orders and assignments of those placed above you. So where does she feel that she has been wronged by President Bush? Did she really expect that her kid could join the MILITARY and then never get sent off to places where PEOPLE SHOOT AT YOU?

Apparently the notion that with that reasonable expectation of "elevated risk of death on duty" comes without the reasonable expectation that the President of the United States won't take the nation to war needlessly. That the President will thoughtfully, carefully consider every option and make certain that war is in fact the only way. That the President won't abuse the powers of his office to invade nations that represent no immediate military threat to the nation. That the President will not send our soldiers to die in an unecessary war.

I have a son. I don't know how any mother is able to come to grips with the agony of losing their child. But worse, knowing their child didn't have to die has to exacerbate the grief.

Sheehan's initial meeting with Bush, despite attempts by the rightwing freak spin machine to the contrary, was fraught with Bush's own hubris and contempt toward these military families. It's all a dog and pony show for Bush. His attitude demonstrates that he could care less that these mothers have given their precious children in an invasion and occupation he and his organization insisted upon.

Sheehan's likely inevitable arrest this coming Thursday (an unarmed mother and her unarmed group are somehow a national security threat..but not until Thursday when Condi and Rummy show up) will hopefully be shown on national news feeds all over the nation. Hauling away to jail the mother of a dead soldier because the President refuses to speak to her about the man he sent to die is an embarrassment to the nation.

The Bush apologist crowd truely seems to believe that it's appropriate to not hold Bush accountable for the failures of Iraq. No WMD. No WMD related programs. Saddam's people were no longer properly documenting what was going on with their weapons programs and in fact turned everything they had over to the UN prior to the invasion.

But it's somehow Bush hasn't wronged anyone..especially not Cindy Sheehan whose son needlessly left his blood on the sands of Iraq.

Posted by Carla at 09:16 AM |

Discovery is home.

Apollo 13 was on the other night. I'll still sit and watch it. And recall when it was actually happening and I was 6. And think about seeing Apollo 17 go up, from a couple hundred miles away. And recall the Challenger explosion, everything about that day -- as news director of an NBC affiliate AM radio station, I had it all as it happened, long before people in our area had CNN and such like.

The night after, we went to see Stevie Ray Vaughn, and blues was exactly right for the mood it seemed everyone was in at that moment.

All the coverage of the Discovery shuttle landing had a "waiting anticipating disaster deathwatch" edge that was distasteful.

When reporters stand by gas station roofs, in the face of a hurricane, are they just rolling tape waiting for that perfect footage of live destruction, as the roof flies away? Hell yes! witness the Anderson Cooper-Ramada sign thing during Dennis -- they showed it 5000+ times (or nearly as much as the Howard Dean scream).

The shuttle coverage seemed a bit like that. I'm glad they're home safe.

Posted by Jeff at 08:09 AM |

August 08, 2005

Loose Lips...

Posted by Kevin at 01:25 PM |

Lies and the lying liars who tell them

"The important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our Number One priority and we will not rest until we find him!" George W. Bush, Sept. 13, 2001

Osama bin Laden escapes from Tora Bora in December, 2001

"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and I really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." George W. Bush, March 13, 2002

Newsweek exclusive:

During the 2004 presidential campaign, George W. Bush and John Kerry battled about whether Osama bin Laden had escaped from Tora Bora in the final days of the war in Afghanistan. Bush, Kerry charged, "didn't choose to use American forces to hunt down and kill" the leader of Al Qaeda. The president called his opponent's allegation "the worst kind of Monday-morning quarterbacking." Bush asserted that U.S. commanders on the ground did not know if bin Laden was at the mountain hideaway along the Afghan border.

According to military author Sean Naylor, the Tora Bora campaign a "strategic disaster" because the Pentagon refused to deploy a cordon of conventional forces to cut off escaping Qaeda and Taliban members.

It appears that Rumsfeld deliberately let Osama escape. And you can bet that it wasn't done on his own initiative.

To what end, you might ask?

How convincing do you think president Bush's case for invading Iraq to prevent Saddam from passing WMD to al Queda might have been had Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants been in custody or confirmed dead at that point?

Posted by Kevin at 11:53 AM |

The Church Lady's real name Kevin Martin

In it's quest to make certain that nipples are never seen on TV again, the FCC has hired itself a new consultant:

The Federal Communications Commission has hired as an advisor an anti-pornography activist and former lobbyist for groups that push for Christian precepts in public policy. The move may herald a reinvigorated campaign against broadcast indecency and bring renewed pressure on cable to reconsider its racy offerings.

Penny Nance, until recently a board member of Concerned Women for America, is working as a special advisor in the FCC’s Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis, said aides to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.

The strategic planning office helps develop agency policy. Concerned Women for America describes its mission as “helping…to bring Biblical principles into all levels of public policy.” In recent weeks Nance, a longtime supporter, stepped down from the organization’s board, said an official with the Washington, D.C.-based group.

No word yet on whether the FCC will be consulting Fred Phelps on the interpretation of Bible policy.

In other FCC news, I noticed a striking similiarity between new FCC Chair Kevin Martin and former Saturday Night Live stalwart The Church Lady:

I report, you decide.

Posted by Carla at 08:22 AM |

August 07, 2005

RIP Peter Jennings

Long time ABC News anchor Peter Jennings has died from lung cancer. He was 67 years old.

Jennings has been in my living room consistently since I was a girl. He's been a part of our culture..our very existence..for many years.

Jennings book The Century is part of my personal collection. It's one of the books I treasure and plan to share with my grandchildren.

Rest in peace, Peter Jennings.

Posted by Carla at 09:03 PM |

He feels your pain. Really.

"I want to ask the president, `Why did you kill my son? What did my son die for? Last week, you said my son died for a noble cause' and I want to ask him what that noble cause is?"

This mother will have to keep waiting.

CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) -- The angry mother of a fallen U.S. soldier staged a protest near President Bush's ranch Saturday, demanding an accounting from Bush of how he has conducted the war in Iraq.

Supported by more than 50 demonstrators who chanted, "W. killed her son!" Cindy Sheehan told reporters: "I want to ask the president, 'Why did you kill my son? What did my son die for?"'

Sheehan, 48, didn't get to see Bush, but did talk about 45 minutes with national security adviser Steve Hadley and deputy White House chief of staff Joe Hagin, who went out to hear her concerns.

Appreciative of their attention, yet undaunted, Sheehan said she planned to continue her roadside vigil, except for a few breaks, until she gets to talk to Bush. Her son, Casey, 24, was killed in Sadr City, Iraq, on April 4, 2004. He was an Army specialist, a Humvee mechanic.

"They (the advisers) said we are in Iraq because they believed Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, that the world's a better place with Saddam gone and that we're making the world a safer place with what we're doing over there," Sheehan said in a telephone interview after the meeting.

"They were very respectful. They were nice men. I told them Iraq was not a threat to the United States and that now people are dead for nothing. I told them I wouldn't leave until I talked to George Bush."

She said Hagin told her, "I want to assure you that he (Bush) really does care."

"And I said if he does care, why doesn't he come out and talk to me."

Um, well, he doesn't care that much.

Hat tip: Republic of T.

Posted by at 07:23 PM |

Phelps-o-thon: Making lemonade from one ugly ass lemon

American Taliban Secretary of Hatred the right Revered Fred Phelps is endearing himself to the fringe right culture by staging a protest at the funeral of an American soldier.

"The first sin was being a part of this military. If this young man had a clue and any fear of God, he would have run, and not walked, from this military," said protester Shirley Phelps-Roper. "Who would serve a nation that is godless and has flipped off, defiantly defied, defiantly flipped off, the Lord their God?"

One protester had an American flag tied to his belt that draped to the ground. He was holding a sign that read, "Thank God For IEDs," which are explosive devices used by insurgents to blow up military convoys.

Protesters said America has ignored the word of God, and those who defend the nation must pay a price.

"That's the first piece of solid evidence that you have that the young man is currently in hell," Phelps-Roper said.

"The soldier is in hell now, you believe?" Mahoney asked.

"Absolutely," Phelps-Roper said.

I'm rethinking the Taliban reference. Phelps and his ilk make the Taliban look like lambs. These Pharisetical invertebrate pieces of human excrement are a disgrace to Christianity. Just as extreme Islamists disgrace Islam.

Instead of throwing a counter-protest, two military wives are holding a fundraiser for the soldier's family:

Yoannon asked, "I thought if we could do this and get some money for Sgt. Taylor's wife, to make up for this man putting such a stain on the last peaceful moment she has with him, why not?"

"That's already enough of a burden on the family to have to deal with that, especially with the kids. Then have some guy sharing his views on something that has nothing to do with the family," said Sanders.

Yoannon has set up a phone number and e-mail address where you can send your pledge.

"They can just e-mail me their name, phone number and what they want to pledge. I'll get back to them and give them the information where they can send the money to."

She said it's the least they can do in this time of grief.

"If he wants to spill his hate, we'll spill our love and money."

Rev Phelps and his ilk are too blinded by their hatred to notice..but the scripture they pretend to adhere is slapping them in the face.

Donations for the fallen soldier can be made by contacting Yoannan at (706)366-0945 or email at sgt.taylorfund@hotmail.com.

You can also donate directly via Charter Bank:

Charter Bank
114 S. 7th Street
Opelika, AL 36801

Posted by Carla at 05:23 PM |

Why I'm a Democrat: Honor, Integrity, Service.

Via Kos.

24 year Navy Vet and former Republican Eric Massa is running for Congress in New York's 29th as a Democrat.

Why?

Let me tell you up front: I used to be a Republican. So why, now, am I a Democrat? What does it mean to me to be a Democrat?

I could tell you that the short answer, of course, is "I didn't leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left me." But there's more to it than that.

I served my country for 24 years on active duty as an officer in the United States Navy. Along this journey I fell in love with and married my wife, Beverly. We raised a family moving all over the world. Our deployments included direct support of Marines in Beirut and involvement in Operation Desert Storm, but my capstone military assignment was as Special Assistant to General Wes Clark, both in Panama and when he became Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces.

My career was cut short when I was diagnosed with terminal Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. The good news is the doctors got the prognosis wrong and with the help of my faith, family, and friends I was able to find the strength to overcome the odds, and I beat cancer. I spent the last part of my military career as a cancer outreach advocate, traveling the country and talking with other cancer patients who were in the same position I had been. Meeting these people, and talking to them, really made clear to me the importance and the urgency of securing health care for all Americans.

When my Naval career ended I returned to Corning, New York. I went to work for Corning Inc. until the tech bubble burst and I, and many thousands of fellow tech workers, got wet. My wife and I made the decision to stay in Corning, and I went to work (with a long commute) as a Staff Member in the House Armed Services Committee.

During my time with the Committee, I expressed grave concerns to the Republican leadership and wrote several dissenting documents about the plans to invade Iraq. When I saw what was happening to our returning veterans, I again documented my concerns to the Republicans. When my former Commanding Officer and friend, Wes Clark, joined the Presidential race, I refused to let partisan politics stand in the way of my loyalty to him. I left my position on the House Armed Services Committee and have not looked back. While I was not on the House floor when the vote to invade Iraq took place, I voted with my feet by joining the Wesley Clark for President Campaign in New Hampshire.

Since the election, I have only become more concerned about the future of this country, as I have watched right-wing extremists hijack the Republican Party and pump out legislation that seems designed to destroy the middle class and make life harder for working families. I believe I have a responsibility to pass on to my children Justin and Alexandra a nation as solid and secure as the country I inherited from my parents.

That is why I am a Democrat.

I am a Democrat because as a Democrat I can fight to defend the values which have guided me all my life: service, integrity, and accountability.

I am a Democrat because I believe that access to health care for all Americans is a national security priority.

I am a Democrat because I know that it is wrong to sell out our working families by sending their jobs overseas with bad trade agreements like CAFTA - it's wrong, and it's hurting our nation.

I am a Democrat because I believe that Social Security is one of the greatest accomplishments of modern America, and we must defend it against risky and destructive privatization schemes.

I am running for Congress as a Democrat because the working people of the 29th District of New York deserve a Representative who is more than a rubber stamp for the Bush-Rove-Delay agenda.

Honor. Integrity. Service. National Security. Government works for working families. Equal access to health care for all Americans. Keep Social Security intact.

Not a bad start.

Look no further for real American values.

Posted by Carla at 11:26 AM |

August 06, 2005

American Beauty

Vanity is many a woman's achilles heel. It can cause us otherwise very smart, very capable women to turn themselves inside out doing stupid things.

I've had my own issues with vanity. I've been known to buy things that I should know aren't going to fix a percieved body issue. Older must mean at least a little wiser, however. I like to think that I can't be suckered into throwing down my hard earned cash for a pill that will deal with cortisol or a bra that will make my tits look like I'm 20 again.

This piece by Lindsay really reminded me of those days when I believed the marketing hype: thinner is better, you can be flawless. It boils down to insecurity, I suppose. As I've aged I've become comfortable with myself. I don't find myself worrying nearly as much about what other people think of me.

Hypotheses run rampant on why women have body image issues (I guess men probably have them too). Airbrushed pages of women looking flawless and skinny have trained our minds to a certain ideal. One that's impossible for the rank and file to attain.

People are easily suckered in to believing that blotchy skin is a scourge and cellulite is keeping them from getting good sex. It's the PT Barnum method of tearing people down and promising to build them back up with a magic cure.

Which is why snake oil in whatever form, almost always sells.

Posted by Carla at 03:44 PM |

Exit plan for Iraq

Jeff at Pen and Sword points us to a proposed exit plan for Iraq.

Clearly, poking holes in the Bush administration's Iraq policy does nothing constructive as far as changing that policy. What's needed is a viable alternative. Tom Hayden has offered up just such an alternative over at The Huffington Post.

Go read the entire thing for yourself. His preface is an important part of the context for his ten point plan. But, here is the ten point plan:

1. The US should declare no permanent or imperial interest in controlling Iraq. That means no permanent bases, no control of oil fields, no corporate dominance. This would be critical to producing an atmosphere leading to talks.

2. The US should offer a timetable for ending the occupation and withdrawing troops as an encouragement to the peace process. The US should declare its intention to begin withdrawal after the projected Iraqi elections scheduled for 2006, and begin now with a significant unilateral withdrawal step no later than the end of this year. American military forces should cease offensive combat operations immediately. As a further incentive, the US should repeal all neo-liberal economic policies imposed by the occupation which deny Iraqi businesses and the Iraqi people the right to control their economic development and resources.

3. The US should request the United Nations to organize the reconstruction effort and to monitor the military withdrawal process. This request will only be taken seriously in the context of a US announcement of withdrawal.

4. The President should express a commitment to a Marshall Plan for Iraq under international sponsorship. An alternative model is needed to a“reconstruction” benefiting US multinationals during a military occupation.

5. The President should appoint an experienced peace envoy independent of the Pentagon or any agencies of the American occupation. The model might be that of Sen. George Mitchell's mission to Northern Ireland.

6. The US should seek peace talks with Iraqi resistance groups and intermediaries. The peace envoy should promote cease-fires and open-ended peace talks on multi-level tracks without conditions with all insurgent groups or their intermediaries, Iraqi government officials, and Iraqi non-governmental organizations. This process already has begun among Iraqis.

7. The US should encourage a political settlement opening doors to Sunnis and disaffected communities. To lessen the chances of civil war, the constitutional discussions should incorporate reforms that encourage conflict resolution and violence reduction. These would include, but not be limited to, self-governance in occupied Sunni areas, basing assembly seats on local districts, community policing with local review boards, guaranteed representation for Sunnis and minorities, power-sharing over oil resources, and general amnesties and time served for most insurgent combatants and ex-Baathists.

8. The US cannot defeat jihad militarily but can weaken support for the jihadist rationale among Iraqis. The proposed new US policies would deprive the most militant holy warriors of their main justification for terrorism. Their popular support in Iraq will shrink or they may choose to fight on other battlefields. No one can be optimistic about completely ending this threat, but our aggressive occupation policies have only worsened it.

9. Negotiate for legitimate US interests. The peace envoy should negotiate all feasible assurances that the American troop withdrawal will be honored, that Americans will be eligible for reasonable allocations -- but not control -- of Iraqi oil resources, and that postwar Iraq will take effective steps against becoming a center for aggression against any other countries in the region.

10. The US should negotiate tension reduction in the region. Violence in Iraq will be diminished, and regional collaboration increased, if the US replaces its aggressive threats against Iran and Syria with steps towards diplomatic negotiation, and brokers a viable Palestinian state.

Posted by Kevin at 09:49 AM |

Too sexy for my shirt

So sexy it hurts...

Sorry for the light blogging over the last couple of days. I've been really busy and I guess Kev, Jeff and Sheelzebub must be too. It's much too difficult to stay inside and plug away on the computer on these beautiful summer days.

I often like to turn on the TV while I'm making dinner. As we were eating late last night (7:30, which is very late for us. But it was too hot to eat earlier than that) the local news was over. But to my delight, The Philadelphia Story was just coming on.

For those that haven't seen it, the film stars Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart. All three are at their best.

It's entirely possible that Cary Grant is the sexiest actor to ever appear in film. He's finger licking good-looking.

PSoTD is asking Who, during his/her experience in film or television or stage in the 1950s, do you think is the sexiest by your standards today?

To limit this question to a single decade seems way too restricting to me. There's a plethora of celluloid sexy goodness from earlier and later decades.

Often people think of women as the creatures who inhabit the title of "sexy" on film. But the first that come to mind for me are men (in no particular order):

Cary Grant
Errol Flynn
Sean Connery
Brad Pitt
Jimmy Stewart
Henry Fonda
Paul Newman
Robert Redford
Antonio Banderas
Elvis

Women would have to include Marilyn Monroe, Kim Novak, Ursula Andres, Sophia Loren...

Who else should be on these lists?

Posted by Carla at 08:57 AM |

Hibakusha

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the Hibakusha, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. Three days from now will be the anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing. It got me thinking about the time I went to Hiroshima, and the reactions to any dissent here after 9/11.

I was expecting a lot of hostility when I visited Hiroshima. I found none. The people there were either friendly or indifferent towards me. But there is no indifference when it comes to the bomb.

At exactly 8:15 a.m., the moment of the blast, the city's trolleys stopped and more than 55,000 people assembled at Peace Memorial Park observed a moment of silence that was broken only by the ringing of a bronze bell.

Then, with offerings of water and flowers for the dead, Hiroshima remembered how the blast turned life to death for more than 140,000 and forever changed the face of war. Outside the nearby A-Bomb Dome, one of the few buildings left standing after the blast, peace activists held a "die-in" - symbolically falling to the ground to dramatize the toll of nuclear weapons.

Later Saturday, thousands of paper lanterns - symbolizing the souls of the dead - were to be floated in a river next to the park.

In a "Peace Declaration," Hiroshima's outspoken Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba gave an impassioned plea for the abolition of all nuclear weapons, and said the United States, Russia and other members of the nuclear club are "jeopardizing human survival."

"Many people around the world have succumbed to the feeling that there is nothing we can do," he said. "Within the United Nations, nuclear club members use their veto power to override the global majority and pursue their selfish objectives."

Peace activists called for a nuclear ban.

On Thursday about 8,000 people, including several hundred activists from 29 countries, attended a conference, the biggest pre-anniversary event. Roughly 2,000 activists joined in the march beforehand.

"For us it is special to see this city with our own eyes," said Anatoli Ionesov, head of the four-person delegation from Uzbekistan. "Our idea is to create a nuclear-free zone in central Asia."

Though the world conference, which is held each year, is sponsored primarily by leftist or labor groups, it has a broad appeal within the Japanese population. The organizers have collected 8.5 million signatures for a nuclear ban.

"We want this conference to be a strong impetus for the creation of a fair and nuclear-free world," the organizers said in a statement opening the conference. "We must speed up this movement for the sake of bringing peace and security back to the world."

Smaller gatherings have been held in the peace park for the past month or so.

Other peace groups have held vigils, including Arlington United for Justice with Peace. Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba is a former resident of Arlington, MA.

 Inspired by the current mayors of Hiroshima (former Arlington resident Tadatoshi Akiba) and Nagasaki, more than 1,000 communities around the globe have joined with the survivors of the bombings (Hibakusha) to say "never again."

Mayors Thomas Menino of Boston and David Cohen of Newton are two local mayors who have committed to a Mayors for Peace Initiative that calls on the nuclear powers to live up to their treaty obligations of disarmament and the complete abolition of nuclear weapons. Currently 7,000 nuclear warheads - far more powerful the bombs used at Hiroshima - are on alert.

Church bells will be tolled 60 times at 8:15 a.m. Aug. 6, the date of the first bombing. Many area churches are participating in this acknowledgement, including Arlington Street Church in Boston, St. John's Methodist Church in Watertown and Park Avenue Congregational Church and Calvary Church United Methodist in Arlington.

To say the bombings were horrific is a study in understatement. The injuries of the survivors were ten times that.

If my wounds had been on my arms or my legs, I would have known it was, but my wounds were on my face, so I had no idea for some time. I just didn't know. I asked my parents how I looked, but they just said that I had only minor wounds. They didn't tell me the truth. After I got better, I found a piece of mirror and looked into it. I was so surprised I found my left eye looked just like a pomegranate, and I also found cuts on my right eye and on my nose and on my lower jaw. It was horrible. I was very shocked to find myself looking like a monster. I even wished I had died with my sisters. I was just overcome with apprehension when I thought about it.

People's skin peeled right off their bodies.

Yes, well, I couldn't see anyone around me but I heard somebody shouting ``Help! Help!'' from somewhere. The cries were actually from underground as I was walking on. Since no choose were available, I'd just dug out red soil and roof tiles by hand to help my family; my mother, my three sisters and a child of one of my sisters. Then, I looked next door and I saw the father of neighboring family standing almost naked. His skin was peeling off all over his body and was hanging from finger tips. I talked to him but he was too exhausted to give me a reply.

You can read the full testimony of the survivors here.

From what people had told me about the museum in Hiroshima, I expected a lot of gruesome pictures. They were there, as were wax figurines of people after the blast. That actually didn't faze me, since I'd read Hiroshima in high school--the descriptions of the burns and the melting skin were much more graphic.

What I was struck by was the fact that the museum looked at Japan's role as aggressor in World War II. There was a huge section dedicated to Hiroshima's history as a military base, Japan's aggression towards China and Korea, and Nanking. It comes as no small irony that some of the most vociferous opponents to right-wing nationalists in Japan are the survivors of the bombings and peace activists in Japan.

Suzuko Numata , a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, tells her story and prays for all of the war dead. She dedicated a moment of silence to the victims of Pearl Harbor, then talked to U.S. veterans about her experience.

And we can learn something from the peace advocates of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They don't just act as if a bomb was dropped out of the blue; there's a quite a lot of self-criticism and self-examination, which is often decried as unpatriotic.

A protester in Japan has been arrested after vandalising a memorial which commemorates the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima 60 years ago.

The man, who gave himself up to police, chiselled out a reference to Japan's "mistake" of waging war from the stone.

Takeo Shimazu, 27, told police he was a nationalist and asked why Japan should make an apology on its own monument.

. . . The inscription partially chiselled out by Mr Shimazu reads: "Let all the souls here rest in peace as we will never repeat this mistake."

Police said he handed himself in, with a hammer and chisels, in the early hours. "Why should the Japanese apologise in a monument they built? It is the Americans who committed the mistake," he is reported to have said.

Lest we tell ourselves such thinking is the sole purview of the Japanese, remember September 11. Anyone here who had the gall to say that the US wasn't well-liked for some strong reasons, and envy wasn't one of them were called terrorist sympathizers, America-haters, and traitors.

And please, drop the argument that we just don't care about the 9/11 victims. You can look critically at your own country's actions without excusing the killing of civilians. I still want Osama Bin Laden captured, and I still want him and his thuggish cohorts held accountable. It doesn't mean that I think the U.S. was just sitting around, innocently sipping tea when the big meanies came. We've got a long history of colonization and brutality. Likewise, the bomb survivors and activists can hold the U.S. accountable for the bombing, criticize the U.N. security council, and still take their own country to task for its own actions.

It's called, well, thinking. And it's something more of us should do.

Posted by at 07:49 AM |

August 05, 2005

God is Cornelius. Or is he Zira?

Comments to this piece by Lance Mannion tickled my noggin about why the Intelligent Design pimps have their thongs in such a twist to get ID taught in public schools. Lance opines on the notion that they don't really understand the definition of the word "theory".

The comment that prompted me to solidify my own notion veered in the direction of "..they're all idiots so what's the point?"

The Viscountess wants a bumper sticker that says:

"Evolution is Theory.
Creation is MYTH!"

She says not "believeing" in evolution is like not believing in Calculus.

Lewis Black told me (and about 5000 other people in the audience) "I used to argue with Creationists. Not anymore. Wanna know why? BECAUSE THEY'RE IDIOTS."

All adds up doesn't it? Makes sense that Bush would endorse "Intelligent Design."

I hope I'm not breaking some cardinal blogger etiquette by posting a comment from Lance's blog...but that's what prompted this return comment from me:

It's not about being idiots...although that would wrap things up nicely and neatly. Most creationists aren't idiots. They're offended at the idea that they descended from apes. This would mean that God is an ape...as they believe God created man from his own image. They've spent their entire religious lives steeped in the idea that God is a kindly old beared Dumbledore in white robes who lives on clouds and gives out jeweled crowns to the good Christians.

The idea that God might look like Cornelius (or worse, Zera) from Planet of the Apes is a jagged little pill.

(By the way, I looked it up and I spelled "Zira" incorrectly in my comment at Lance's blog. Like anyone cares...but there you have it)

I grew up in the Kansas of Oregon. I heard from the pulpit that God created man in his own image and likeness. Whether or not that's what the Bible means (or even really says) isn't especially relevant to the King James Version of the party line.

God can't be an ape...and St. Peter isn't supposed to look like Dr. Zaius.

We're supposed to be above the animal kingdom. God gave us dominion...or so the man at the pulpit quoting Genesis says. How can we have dominion over the animals if we're little more than animals ourselves? And then the undermining of the foundation of the literal King James Faerie Tales comes crashing down like so many dominoes.

Besides, if you look closely, Bush doesn't look like he's too far up the evolutionary chain from Cornelius:

Or Zira, for that matter:

The best way to take that idea out of people's minds is to push ID.

Posted by Carla at 07:33 AM |

August 04, 2005

Novak and Santorum...meltdowns a go-go

The spine implants that have recently found their way to the US media are causing consternation for poor Rick "Man on Dog" Santorum and Bob "stop picking on me or I'll cry" Novak.

Via Crooks and Liars, Santorum's radio interview with WNYC's Brian Lehrer has Santorum essentially coming unglued. The entire interview is over 30 minutes...but if you fast forward to around the 20 minute mark Santorum's babbling gobbledegook...comparing consensual gay sex to polygamy, bigamy, etc. Gays can't have consensual sex, don'tcha know. This sort of whacked out hackery just can't be properly appreciated unless you're a circus contortionist. Oh..and Bush can't have open town meetings cuz of "security concerns". Santorum's neck practically snapped at that at the twist in that one.

Novak's problems run much deeper.

When a guy resorts to saying "bullshit" on the air over national television..you know he's in a froth. Someone call the FCC!

But my favorite part is when he rips the microphone from his lapel and storms off the set.

Apparently Bob's a wee bit sensitive about the CIA leak case.

Video at Crooks and Liars here.

Update: Heh. CNN has suspended Novakula.

Posted by Carla at 03:11 PM |

More GOP phony ethics

So Rep. Tom Davis, R-VA, thinks that a baseball player's possibly false statement to Congress might be worthy of a perjury investigation.

"As a practical matter, perjury referrals are uncommon," Davis told The Associated Press. "Prosecutions are rare. But this is a high-profile case, so I think it will get an honest look-see. I don't think anyone can avoid it.

"If we did nothing," he added, "I think we'd look like idiots. Don't you?" (Emphasis supplied)

Hello!! You look like idiots, Congressman!

Rep. Davis is chair of the House Government Reform Committee, of course. And it is under that auspices that he's talking about investigating Rafeal Palmeiro. But, Davis is also a member of the House Homeland Security Committee. Surely that leaves him in an ideal position to weigh the relative merits of these two cases. And he chooses to pursue the guy who literally plays with a ball and stick for a living?

Speaking of baseball and Congressman Davis... Tom Davis is the one who said that Major League Baseball shouldn't grant it's DC franchise to an investment group which included George Soros, thereby tilting the field in favor of president Bush's friend, fundraiser and former business partner in the Texas Rangers - Fred Malek. Not only are Soros and Malek peers, albeit on opposite ends of the ideological/political spectrum, but Malek engaged in anti-semetic activities at the request of and on behalf of president Nixon, an infamous anti-semite. Yet this same Congressman Davis who did his damnedest to help Mr. Malek win the MLB franchise deal is also the same Congressman Davis who made a big show out of publically repudiating the Malaysian Prime Minister for making anti-semetic statements.

I guess ol' Tom only cares about Jews when it's not one of Bush's cronies that's been anti-semetic.

Congressman, your partisanship is stunningly obvious and yes, you look like a two-faced, double-dealing idiot.

Posted by Kevin at 12:37 PM |

I'm just a girl ...

living in captivity
Your rule of thumb
Makes me worry some

Not being a rightwinger perhaps their sense of humor is lost on me. For some reason, John Hinderaker finds it amusing that a Sheik's audience would sit and listen to him with rapt attention while he rants away:

There seems to me a Pythonesque element to the rapt attention of the worshipers listening to the Gaza sheik. I don't know if laughter is an appropriate response, but it makes me feel a little better.

When high profile liberal bloggers make such statements about Christian preachers ranting away while their congregation sits soaking it in with rapt attention..it's Christian bashing. The divisive invective leashed forth from the mouths of some of the more aggressive Christian leaders in this country is untouchable. The cruci-fiction crowd considers speaking out against vitriolic hate speech from the pulpit to be an assault on the downtrodden American Christian society who considers itself powerless against the onslaught of liberalism...despite the fact that conservative Christians essentially run government at all levels of the federal system.

Yet when a Sheik spouts forth odious rhetorical vomit while his congregation soaks it up like sponges, it's time to stand up and...giggle?

Maybe it's just a Minnesota thing.

Posted by Carla at 12:10 PM |

East Coast, West Coast...

Okay, let me get this straight. In Florida, if you feel threatened, you can open fire on someone. They changed the law last year, so you don't even have to be in your own home, or try to run away, hide, anything. Just stand your ground, and start pluggin'.

Law Lets Floridians 'Shoot First'

"With a National Rifle Association lobbyist at his side, Gov. Jeb Bush signed a law Tuesday to make it clear that people have a right to meet "force with force" to defend themselves on the street.

The measure, which passed the Legislature overwhelmingly earlier this year, says that people who are under attack do not have to retreat before responding. They have the right to "meet force with force, including deadly force if they reasonably believe it is necessary to do so."

Florida residents already have that right in their homes. The bill, which takes effect Oct. 1, extends the right to public spaces, such as the street or a place of business..."

Meanwhile, in California:

An 11-year-old US girl has been spared a felony trial for throwing a stone at boys pelting her with water balloons. ...

Police in California said it had been a serious assault, but others said it was no way to treat a childish crime.

The girl's lawyer, Richard Beshwate, said the deal had been agreed ahead of her felony trial on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon, which was due to start on Wednesday.
...

Police responded with three cars and a helicopter after the 11-year-old threw a stone at a group of boys who rode by on their bikes and pelted her and her brother with water balloons.

Maribel, who speaks little English, was read her rights twice in English before being detained.

So, altogether now, with feeling -- "WTF!?!?"

Hat tip to Francesca.

Posted by Jeff at 11:10 AM |

How to judge society...by Josh Marquis

Yesterday morning I listened to a debate between radio talk show host Thom Hartman and Clatsop County, Oregon Prosecutor Josh Marquis. They debate was on the merits (or lack thereof) of the death penalty.

I don't have a fully formed opinion on the death penalty. I have argued both sides of the issue in an effort to solidify a position for myself. So far I haven't been able to reach a satisfactory conclusion.

But during the debate, Marquis (arguing pro-death penalty) said something that startled me. Paraphrasing, he said:

Society shouldn't be judged by how it treats the least of it's citizens.

Yeah Mr. DA...it should.

Perhaps Josh has spent a little too much time with right wing whacko radio talk show host Lars Larson. I've heard Josh on the radio before with Lars. I could see a hubris soaked invertebrate like Larson discarding the "least of it's citizens". Larson lacks basic scruples and intellectual integrity.

Marquis is apparently under some sort of delusion that society is judged by the way it treats the wealthy, Mercedes driving Paris Hilton types. As long as we're good to Paris..we don't have to worry about the folks who've murdered, raped or committed other crimes. That segment of society is expendable, it seems.

While I'm still unsure of my stance on the death penalty..I don't think it should be used as an excuse to rid society of those considered the "dregs". Executions shouldn't be used as a human garbage disposal.

It's unsettling to hear a District Attorney take that sort of position.

Posted by Carla at 08:00 AM |

Dear Mr. President --

During your upcoming 5 week vacation, just on the off chance you feel the need to do something, there's a funeral or 2 and/or memorial service you might consider attending.

Families of battered unit are `just numb'

CLEVELAND -- Since May, parents like Rosemary Palmer have anxiously watched the death toll grow steadily in Iraq among a 1,000-Marine reserve unit that includes her son.

One here, one there, then four, then eight, then one. That was the toll in May alone for the flinty battalion, headquartered in Brook Park, a Cleveland suburb, and dispatched to a remote desert outpost on the Euphrates River in Iraq in March.

Then came this week, the worst so far. Five Marines from the battalion were killed Monday, and an additional 14 on Wednesday. Palmer watched the account of the 14 fallen Marines on a TV newscast Wednesday, and though he wasn't mentioned, she "knew" instinctively that her son, Edward "Augie" Schroeder, 23, was among them.

You said it yourself, sir, just the other day -- "we are at war"; and recently, you said "there's no higher calling" than military service. Do these soldiers' ultimate sacrifice honor with actions, not just words.

You don't need to make a public display of it. The Bible reminds us not to (Matthew 6:6). The President of the United States can't go anywhere without attracting some attention, of course. But you popped up suddenly in Iraq to serve turkey to the troops. And here we're only talking about an Ohio suburb, not the other side of the world.

Just something to think about while you're clearing brush for the next 30+ vacation days. Try not to crash your mountain bike, by the way!

Happy trails,

Jeff

Posted by Jeff at 07:18 AM |

August 03, 2005

Howard Dean to the rescue

I just got a DFA email written by Hackett. In it he points out that it's been 15 years since a Dem got better than 30% in Ohio's 2nd District. He gives a lot of the credit to DFA, which of course Howard Dean founded and built along with his legions of supporters.

"We have the power to win back Congress. Yesterday proved it. And DFA is on the front lines of the fight -- determined, hopeful and fearless."

Where are the Dean naysayers prognosticating what a horrible future the Dems have because of Dean? Where are the demagogues who said that Dean's too far out of the mainstream to attract the middle?

The proof's in the pudding, as they say. Nothing better than 30% for 15 years and then along comes Howard Dean and... BAM!! 48%.

Not to take one iota away from Hackett, mind you. Clearly it was Hacket who Ohioans voted for. But, the fact remains that, directly and/or indirectly, Howard Dean played a positive role in this stunning turn around in 2nd District voting patterns.

Posted by Kevin at 06:28 PM |

GOP OH-2 Talking Point #6, revisited

Below on this post, I reviewed the Republican talking points regarding the Ohio 2nd Congressional District election results.

It occured to me that I'd neglected to mention a rather glaring anecdote.

TP #6:National Democrats Are Extremely Vulnerable on the Issue of Taxes – Democrat Paul Hackett was defeated largely as a result of his positions on taxes. OH-02 demonstrated emphatically that national Democrats do not have credibility on the tax message and they continue to be extremely vulnerable on the issue.

If this is the case, then why did every single tax levy on the ballot in which Hackett appeared PASS?

Republicans try to pigeonhole Democrats as big tax raisers and themselves as the constant tax cutters...because people want their taxes cut.

Except in very red, Republican Ohio-2..where they've just voted to raise them to fund schools, roads and the fire department.

Now tell me who lacks cred with the people of Ohio-2.

Posted by Carla at 04:27 PM |

Wading thru Crawford

President Bush is poised to set a record for presidential vacation time. Of course there's no real surprise in that. I mean, this is the guy who has spent roughly 20% of his presidency on vacation.

Reminds me of that old TV show, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.

Ironically, Scott McClellan told reporters that vacationing on his ranch gives Bush "a fresh perspective of what's on the minds of the American people."

Right... the same guy who is so carefully shielded from the American people that only known dittoheads... er supporters were allowed into Bush/Cheney 04 campaign events is going to have a friggin' clue what's on the minds of the American people by going on vacation? Ha! Only in the delusional world of loyal Bush supporters could such a patently absurd notion seem rational.

In keeping with that mindset, Bush said of his upcoming Crawford vacation: "On the other hand, I'll also be kind of making sure my Texas roots run deep."

Texas roots?

Let me see... Bush was born in Connecticut into a family of Eastern elites, went to an uber-elite private Academy in Massachusetts, went to uber-elite university at Yale (Connecticut) and Harvard (Massachusetts). As the campaign of Kent Hance, the Democrat who terminated Bush's run for Congress in 1978, said, "And while Kent Hance graduated from the University of Texas Law School, his opponent -- get this folks -- was attending Harvard. We don't need someone from the Northeast telling us what our problems are."

Posted by Kevin at 01:58 PM |

OH-2:The stench of Republican sweat fills the air

Ohio's special election forced the Republican Party to dump cash and resources into a seat that should have been completely safe for them.

According to the Almanac of American Politics 2006, "The most Republican major metropolitan area in the nation over the longest time span has been Cincinnati". Bush beat Kerry 64%-36% in this region.

The Republicans were forced to sweat this race because, as Howard Dean has noted over and over...the Democrats made it competitive. They didn't just roll over and let the Republicans have the seat.

I received a copy of this NRCC memo today courtesy of a Democratic aide:

MEMO

To: GOP Friends

From: Carl Forti, Communications Director
Ed Patru, Deputy Communications Director

Re: OH-02 Special Election

Date: August 3, 2005

____________________________________________________________________

National Republicans last night retained the OH-02 Congressional seat vacated by Ambassador Rob Portman. Republican Jean Schmidt defeated Democrat Paul Hackett. The following post-election analysis may be helpful to you as you discuss the race and its implications.

Republicans Won; Democrats Lost – Republican Jean Schmidt defeated Democrat Paul Hackett by a comfortable margin, 52%-48%. Turnout in last night’s special election was 29%.

Hackett Ran as a Republican – Despite Hackett’s best efforts to nationalize the OH-02 special election, and the national media’s extraordinary interest in the race, the election was a local race and Hackett ran as a Republican. Two of his TV ads – including his closing ad – bore images of the President.

Democrats Failed to Create Wind on Ethics – Despite Democrat attempts to link Schmidt to the cloud of controversy in Columbus, Hackett still failed to win. What happened in Ohio was a microcosm of the strategy Democrats are aiming to employ nationally, namely, they are attempting to defeat Republicans by creating an anti-Republican wind.

Democrats Failed in OH-02 Despite Enormous Help – Even with an extraordinary amount of national media attention showered on Hackett, a huge last-minute influx of money from Democrat-affiliated special interests and other liberal online groups, and aggressive help from online bloggers, Democrats failed in OH-02. Despite all the national attention and online support, national Democrats failed to support Hackett. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi did not donate to the Hackett campaign. DCCC Chair Rahm Emanuel also failed to lend his personal financial support to Hackett.

The President Remains Popular Among Republicans – The OH-02 special demonstrated that the President remains immensely popular among Republican base voters, and that Democrat attempts to make congressional elections a referendum on the President’s policies in districts where Republicans outnumber Democrats will not work.

National Democrats Are Extremely Vulnerable on the Issue of Taxes – Democrat Paul Hackett was defeated largely as a result of his positions on taxes. OH-02 demonstrated emphatically that national Democrats do not have credibility on the tax message and they continue to be extremely vulnerable on the issue.

National Democrats Wasted Money They Don’t Have on OH-02 – National Democrats spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the special at a time when they have less than a third of the COH net resources available to them than the national Republicans have.

The fact that the NRCC found it necessary in the first place to send out a memo on a special election that should have been a cakewalk for them is extremely telling. They need talking points (TPs..which is also what they wipe with) for a seat they should have held with great ease?

TP #1: Republicans Won; Democrats Lost– Republican Jean Schmidt defeated Democrat Paul Hackett by a comfortable margin, 52%-48%. Turnout in last night’s special election was 29%.

Rob Portman, who vacated the seat, received 70%+ of the vote in this district from 1998-2004. Schmidt won it by 4. Not only is this an extremely UNCOMFORTABLE margin for the GOP and Schmidt..it's just a few heartbeats away from an automatic recount.

TP #2:Hackett Ran as a Republican – Despite Hackett’s best efforts to nationalize the OH-02 special election, and the national media’s extraordinary interest in the race, the election was a local race and Hackett ran as a Republican. Two of his TV ads – including his closing ad – bore images of the President.

Schmidt took half a million dollars of NRCC (that's national, for those of you scoring at home) cash for this race. The national media became interested in the race after the shameful attempts at smearing Paul Hackett. Not to mention Schmidt's dishonesty regarding her association with Republican blogger and former candidate Eric Minamyer.

TP #3:Democrats Failed to Create Wind on Ethics – Despite Democrat attempts to link Schmidt to the cloud of controversy in Columbus, Hackett still failed to win. What happened in Ohio was a microcosm of the strategy Democrats are aiming to employ nationally, namely, they are attempting to defeat Republicans by creating an anti-Republican wind.

How dare those Democrats point out Schmidt's shaky ethics. And since when is Coingate a "cloud of controversy"? The Republican Party of Ohio has been exposed as a corrupt political machine that screwed the taxpayers of Ohio. It's crystal. Schmidt lied about her association with Noe..the guy at the head of the scandal.

TP #4:Democrats Failed in OH-02 Despite Enormous Help – Even with an extraordinary amount of national media attention showered on Hackett, a huge last-minute influx of money from Democrat-affiliated special interests and other liberal online groups, and aggressive help from online bloggers, Democrats failed in OH-02. Despite all the national attention and online support, national Democrats failed to support Hackett. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi did not donate to the Hackett campaign. DCCC Chair Rahm Emanuel also failed to lend his personal financial support to Hackett.

The DNC sent 28 campaign staff to Ohio. Hackett clearly had enough money and resources to make a major difference in the race. Republican bitching about "national" influences in this race is complete joke. If Pelosi and Emanuel had focused a huge amount into this race, Hackett still likely would have lost and the GOP would be complaining about how the Dems wasted their money.

(Oh wait...see TP#7)

TP #5:The President Remains Popular Among Republicans – The OH-02 special demonstrated that the President remains immensely popular among Republican base voters, and that Democrat attempts to make congressional elections a referendum on the President’s policies in districts where Republicans outnumber Democrats will not work.

According to Zogby, the Red State approval ratings for Bush aren't exactly under the "immensely popular" category:

Zogby International also continues to track the President’s performance in both the “Red States” which he carried in the 2004 election and the “Blue States” carried by Senator John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat Bush defeated last fall. President Bush is approved by 52% in the Red States, a positive trend away from his 48% job approval there a month ago. But in the Blue States, the President’s approval is in freefall, down to 37% in the latest poll, two points lower than the 39% of Blue States who approved his job performance in June.

If "just barely half of the people think Bush doesn't suck" in the states that voted for him is "immensely popular" then the "soft bigotry of low expectations" has once again reared it's head.

TP #6:National Democrats Are Extremely Vulnerable on the Issue of Taxes – Democrat Paul Hackett was defeated largely as a result of his positions on taxes. OH-02 demonstrated emphatically that national Democrats do not have credibility on the tax message and they continue to be extremely vulnerable on the issue.

Hackett creamed Schmidt with rural voters..where taxes tend to be the larger issue. Hackett practically won a seat that has been virtually untouchable for the last 6 years. It would appear that the nation is preparing itself for a reasonable and responsible tax and spend strategy..even in it's most Republican regions. Raising taxes in a time of war (that's why we had to have Bolton in the UN right now..we're at war, remember?) isn't unreasonable to the vast majority of Americans. Even Republican Americans.

TP #7:National Democrats Wasted Money They Don’t Have on OH-02 – National Democrats spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the special at a time when they have less than a third of the COH net resources available to them than the national Republicans have.

Weren't they just complaining that the Dems didn't use all their resources to help Hackett? They also claimed that Hackett tried to "nationalize" a local race by using outside resources? And now here it says the Dems spent resources they didn't have? The GOP can't even keep their talking points straight in the same damn memo.

And don't worry about the national Dems when it comes to money, Dr. Dean has everything well under control.

Posted by Carla at 12:08 PM |

Camp Carla

"Camping" is one of those subjective terms that people use to describe overnight excursions in the great outdoors. I know people who think that it's not really camping if you don't hike in to a roadless area, sleep in tents, bury your own poop and cook over an open fire pit. This is not my idea of camping. This is my idea of slow torture.

When I go camping with my family there are showers, electricity and running water. There are also structures to sleep in that I didn't personally haul under a web of bungy cords hooked to the roof of my car. I realize that there are those who would consider this more like staying in a hotel. To them I say: if you want to bury your own poop..more power to you. I'll go camping my way, you go camping your way.

Even with the less-than-rustic accomodations of our campground I find it to be one of the loveliest spots around:

There's a great walking path that runs behind this particular waterfall.

It's also a wonderful swimming hole.

It may not be a roadless area where we sleep under the stars...

...but it's got the kind of Pacific Northwest beauty that doesn't exist in many other places.

We came across some massive anthills during our stay. This one was about four feet across. Watching the ants work..so busy and purposeful..was fascinating.

We were also visited by black bears during our stay. At night I packed up the food and put it in the car. But apparently someone wasn't careful with the garbage cans across the way. A bear lifted the can out of the garbage can container (a wooden structure containing two 50 gallon heavy duty garbage cans that can't be removed without first lifting them up out of the structure) and had his way. The contents of which were strewn about the garbage area on our first morning.

Posted by Carla at 11:18 AM |

"General sir! Intelligence update!"

Sir, an excellent opportunity to recruit gung-ho volunteers is right around the corner! There will be a Florida hotel resort FULL of patriotic drum-bangers, war-mongers, liberal-bashers, haters of all things French... all high-PR-value enlistments.

Think of the Glorious Struggle Against Violent Extremism's need for symbolic leaders! Imagine the recruiting TV spots and web banner ads and posters:

Joe Scarborough reporting for duty;
David Horowitz low-crawling under barbed wire;
John Ashcroft... covering up a naked statue.

Rush Limbaugh could show our soldiers the wonders of modern medicine. "Only a _____ Frenchy would refuse to take his Lariam!"

A Who's Who of senators and representatives will be on hand, as well, both male and female. Any or all of them could no doubt serve in some capacity. Why, sir, my 58-year-old uncle The Pilot (Vietnam vet, wounded in-flight from below -- but still fully manly) was being actively recruited within the past 2 months, in spite of his bad back and inability to pass a physical or PT test. "No problem!" he was told.

Peggy Noonan, Wayne LaPierre, Ed Meese, John O'Neill, Rep. Katherine Harris -- as before the climactic battle in The Lord of the Rings, "...names worth a thousand mail-clad knights apiece."

And these are merely the featured speakers, sir -- think of their audience. A couple thousand potential willing victims -- beg pardon -- gallant patriots! They deserve a chance to serve!*

I recommend we make it as easy as possible for them all to enlist. Operation Jaundiced Pachyderm, perhaps?

*(will make a good T-shirt design)

Posted by Jeff at 07:39 AM |

August 02, 2005

Update: OH-2

This very Republican district is NOT going to be a walk for the Republicans:

10:55PM Eastern

US HOUSE Ohio 2nd Dist
662 precincts of 753 reporting

JEAN SCHMIDT 49,681 50%
PAUL HACKETT 48,811 50%

Do I hear a bellweather?

Update:

11:02 Eastern:

753 precincts of 753 reporting

JEAN SCHMIDT 57,974 52%
PAUL HACKETT 54,401 48%

Posted by Carla at 07:52 PM |

OH-2

It's too soon to tell....

US HOUSE Ohio 2nd Dist
175 precincts of 753 reporting

PAUL HACKETT 13,512 51%
JEAN SCHMIDT 12,802 49%

Posted by Carla at 06:09 PM |

Justice for Linda Loaiza

Imagine that you are 18. You have your whole life ahead of you. One day, you are kidnapped and held prisoner. Your captor rapes you repeatedly, beats you so badly that your skull is cracked, starves you, grinds out cigarettes on your face, cuts off your lower lip and a nipple, and slashes your genitals. You are held for four months, until the cops rescue you.

You'd get justice, right? No one would let someone like your assailant walk the street, right?

Apparently they would in Venezuela. Linda Loaiza has found this out the hard way.

In July of 2001, 18-year-old Linda Loaiza was rescued by the Caracas police in Luis Carrera Almoina's apartment. She had been repeatedly raped and brutally tortured for four months; she was found in a state of severe malnutrition, with her earlobes destroyed, a nipple cut out, cigarette burns all over her body, multiple cranial fractures, and bruises and cuts on her face and genital area. After undergoing nine operations, Linda is still recovering. The lifelong physical effects of her ordeal include cataracts, impaired hearing, reduced movement, facial scarring and an inability to bear children.

The accused perpetrator, Luis Carrera Almoina, had been previously arrested for torturing his then partner in 1999. He is the son of a Gustavo Carrera Damas, who at the time was president of a major university in Caracas. After being detained and put under house arrest, Carrera Almoina attempted to flee with the help of his father. He was captured the next day, and his father was later charged with obstructing judicial action.

The judges, all eager to protect a golfing buddy--or at the very least, a fellow upper-class man and his son--dragged their feet and refused to try the case. The case was deferred 29 times,and 59 judges declined to hear the case. The statute of limitations was coming up--and Carrera Almoina was in no danger of being prosecuted.

So Loaiza went on a hunger strike. On the steps of Venezuela's highest court.

So the finally tried the case. You'd figure either Almoina would be sent to prison or acquitted, and that would be the end of it, right?

Oh, no. Think again. No one in the court was interested in his trial.

In an attempt to exploit an outrageous piece of the Venezuelan Penal Code which calls for a reduced sentence for crimes against sex workers, Carrera Almoina's defense claimed that Loaiza was part of a prostitution ring. If sentenced to jail time, Carrera Almoina would have only have had to serve a fifth of the normal sentence. No evidence was presented in support of these claims, and Loaiza has consistently denied them. Nevertheless, on October 21, 2004, the judge acquitted Carrera Almoina and his father of all charges, citing a "lack of evidence”, and ordered an investigation of Loaiza, her father and sister for prostitution.

Because, you know, kidnapping, raping, mutilating, torturing, starving, and bludgeoning someone is A-OK if they're hookers. They don't have feelings 'cause they're not human. Or something like that. Besides, I'll bet all women lie, so making her and her family an example via witch-hunt is just part of due process.

Loaiza and her attorney immediately appealed the ruling. In a statement, Loaiza affirmed, "I'm determined not to give up and to keep fighting for justice. I think many women in Venezuela and in the whole world have been through similar experiences and keep their suffering in silence for fear of the torture they will have to once again undergo, this time in the hands of the judicial system.” The district attorney supported the appeal, and had already noted irregularities during the trial, including illegally submitted evidence by the defense.

The Venezuelan women's movement, including PLAFAM, IPPF/WHR's member association in Venezuela, mobilized to raise awareness of the case and to provide legal and emotional support to Linda Loaiza in her fight for a new trial. On April 12, 2005, the seventh court of appeals annulled the verdict and called for a new trial. PLAFAM continues to raise awareness in the media and in public forums so that the same delays and corrupt measures will not be employed again.

Go here to send a message to the Venezuelan Judiciary and demand justice for Linda Loaiza.

Further reading: Rape Acquittal Angers Venezuelans, the BBC.

Posted by at 05:47 PM |

If it walks like a target and talks like a target...

...then its a target. Rove's aides are being subpeonaed:

ABC News has learned that one was Susan Ralston, Rove's long-time right hand. The other, per ABC News' Jake Tapper, was Israel "Izzy" Hernandez, Rove's former left hand (and now a top Commerce Department official). It isn't clear if either had been asked to testify before last week.

....The appearances of Ralston and Hernandez suggests at least part of the focus remains on Rove, although his attorney tells ABC News that he still believes Rove is not a target of the investigation.

Somebody might want to alert Rove's lawyer that when the US Attorney subpeonas your client's aides, there's a reasonable chance the client is a target of the investigation.

Hat tip: (Kevin Drum)

And yes, I'm back from camping. I'll have some photos tomorrow.

Posted by Carla at 03:28 PM |

To teach or not to teach...

Bush says that public schools should teach Intelligent Design alongside evolution.

“I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of thought,” Bush said. “You’re asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas, the answer is yes.”

The question is: Should Intelligent Design be taught alongside evolutionary theory?

Posted by Kevin at 02:53 PM |

Everything that goes around comes around again

JERRY: You know, this is like that Twilight Zone where the guy wakes up, and he's the same - but everyone else is different!

JERRY: They were all like that!

Iffy song lyrics spark controversy at practice

"A song slated to be used at halftime shows by youth football cheerleaders here has been pulled after some parents objected to its lyrics.

Girls on the McDonald Midget Football League cheerleading squad spend every afternoon preparing for sideline cheers and halftime dance shows, but when Marie Burton, mother of one of the girls, heard the lyrics to "Holla Back Girl," one of the songs being used by the cheerleaders, she was outraged.

Now the issue has ballooned into a controversy involving angry parents, the mayor, league officials and possibly council."

Flashback! 1979. High school. Wanna get this pep rally really cranked up? Spin this 45:

Foxy - Get Off

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh -- Yeah!
Get OFF!

Music may ease and end all discretion
So we can get off
We keep under the sheets with two lovelys
So we can get off

Said I hope that we get the promise, ladies
And make me get off
Take it from girls with our imagination
So we can get off

Call me up at your place, I can love you crazy
In the heat you will understand
Danger and excitement, that's what makes a lady
Find out what she wants in a man

To get off, to get off, to get off, to get off
To get off, to get off, to get off, to get, get off!

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh...

Never heard a peep complaining about that song. What do you suppose is the symbolism in the line "We keep under the sheets with two lovelys/So we can get off"?

Maybe our parents were just oblivious. They might miss the verses, but even the whitest-of-the-white-bread-and-mayonnaise parents should've wondered about "Get OFF!" repeated a couple hundred times.

Maybe they figured, what's the big deal? I shudder to think what music my little girl (almost 4) will be doing her cheerleader routines to in a few more years.

Posted by Jeff at 10:17 AM |

August 01, 2005

That's Mr. Medal of Freedom recipient Bolton, to you!

W had to go and send John Bolton off to the U.N. with a recess appointment after all.

And I had such high hopes for the Jeb Bush/John Bolton ticket in 2008, too! I mean, look at this logo:

TBogg puts it a bit, ahem, more succinctly:

There can only be two reasons why the worst President in American history appointed the foot-stamping, tantrum-throwing, woman-abusing, serial-lying John Bolton to the UN.

One, he needs someone in the United Nations who, when we launch an air attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, will stand up in the UN and say, "What are you gonna do about it, pussies? Fucking Euro-faggots." while Condoleeza Rice plays 'good cop' and explains that this was something we "had to do" more in sorrow than in anger. This way the neocons can keep their five-year boner up, while one of their chickehawk compatriots plays fake 'diplomat'.

Second, the Bolton appointment is just another example of a spoiled rich kid who has spent his life being bailed out of bad situations without repercussions, refusing to listen to someone telling him, "No.". This is no different when then when he was told to report for TANG duty and then chose to not show up because he didn't get his way.

Posted by Jeff at 12:19 PM |