Journalism, Or Militarism?

WASHINGTON — As part of an information offensive in Iraq, the U.S. military is secretly paying Iraqi newspapers to publish stories written by American troops in an effort to burnish the image of the U.S. mission in Iraq.

The articles, written by U.S. military "information operations" troops, are translated into Arabic and placed in Baghdad newspapers with the help of a defense contractor, according to U.S. military officials and documents obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

Though the articles are basically factual, they present only one side of events and omit information that might reflect poorly on the U.S. or Iraqi governments, officials said. Records and interviews indicate that the U.S. has paid Iraqi newspapers to run dozens of such articles, with headlines such as "Iraqis Insist on Living Despite Terrorism," since the effort began this year.

Well, isn't THAT lovely.

... something that Americans can be proud of and willing to die for...

Sounds as if democracy is moving right along in Iraq, and that the new government (and its leaders like Hakim and Sadr) will be something that Americans can be proud of and willing to die for.

David Corn's closing statement in his latest post. Give it a read.

Another One Bites The Dust

''Prohibiting massage parlors, liquor stores, and casinos from getting tax breaks is not a tough call," Representative Frank R. Wolf, Republican of Virginia, and 65 other members of Congress wrote in a letter to the House leadership. ''In fact, there really shouldn't be any debate."

Hmmmm. But giving huge tax breaks to big pharma and oil copmanies, that's American and admirable. Sheesh.

This is New Orleans, for goodness sake. Applying a "moral code" for just who gets tax breaks, especially from this administration, is a cruel joke. Unfortunately, the only one laughing IS this administration.

Temper Tantrum

"The President has always been willing to make changes," the senior aide said, "but not because someone in this town tells him to - NEVER!"

Guess that sums it up, in a nutshell. A bratty little boy is running this country. And he's holding his breath, until he's blue in the face. It's his way or the .....

You know the drill.

Was Eason Jordan Correct?

Bumped from an earlier post. I thought this appropriate, after reading about Bush and his need to bomb Al Jazeera. First Eason Jordan was forced to resign because of his comments about US forces firing on reporters. OH MY, he did NOT say that, did he? Yup, he did. Then, of course, there was the Italian journalist saga, in which, to this day, the US has refused to return the automobile that the Italian was in with others. See, this vehicle will prove the Italian journalist was right, and that the target was the individuals inside the car, and not the car's engine, as the US story is told.

As noted below, this war has seen more journalists killed than in any other war we've been a part of.

This administration has been obsessed with controlling the media througout its entire term. I am wondering just how long the Bush gang believed these reporters and newspaper owners would cowtow to them, and when they would wake up to their senses.

Now, with things crumbling all around them, the Bush crew seem to have lost their "luster" and MSM, although slow, is starting to stretch its legs. Hopefully, they'll find them in time to stand up. Even more hopefully, they'll find they still have legs, and that this administration didn't really cut them off at the knees.
---------------------

BAGHDAD, Aug 28 (Reuters) - A Reuters Television soundman as shot dead in Baghdad on Sunday and a cameraman with him was wounded and then detained by U.S. soldiers.

Iraqi police said they had been shot by U.S. forces. A U.S. military spokesman said the incident was being investigated.

Waleed Khaled, 35, was hit by a shot to the face and at least four to the chest as he drove to check a report from police sources of an incident involving police and gunmen in the Hay al-Adil district, in the west of the city.

"A team from Reuters news agency was on assignment to cover the killing of two policemen in Hay al-Adil; U.S. forces opened fire on the team from Reuters and killed Waleed Khaled, who was shot in the head, and wounded Haider Kadhem," an Interior Ministry official quoted the police incident report as saying.

And what about Giuliana Sgrena?

The U.S. military said Sgrena's car rapidly approached a checkpoint Friday night, and those inside ignored repeated warnings to stop.

Troops used arm signals and flashing white lights, fired warning shots in front of the car, and shot into the engine block when the driver did not stop, the military said in a statement.

But in an interview with Italy's La 7 Television, the 56-year-old journalist said "there was no bright light, no signal."

And Italian magistrate Franco Ionta said Sgrena reported the incident was not at a checkpoint, but rather that the shots came from "a patrol that shot as soon as they lit us up with a spotlight."

In an interview with Sky TV, Sgrena said "feeling yourself covered with avalanche of gunfire from a tank that is beside you, that did not give you any warning that it was about to attack if we did not stop -- this is absolutely inconceivable even in normal situations, even if they hadn't known that we were there, that we were supposed to come through."

Was Eason Jordan correct?

BAGHDAD -- More journalists have been killed in Iraq since the war began in March, 2003, than during the 20 years of conflict in Vietnam, media rights group Reporters Without Borders said yesterday.

"No wonder they're now afraid - very, very afraid."

This is, by far, the best piece I have read on the topic of "How The Bushies Got There, And Where Are They Going Now."

Here's a tidbit, but go read the whole thing. It's worth it.

It's finally Wizard of Oz time in America. You know - that moment when the curtains are pulled back, the fearsome-looking wizard wreathed in all that billowing smoke turns out to be some pitiful little guy, and everybody looks around sheepishly, wondering why they acted as they did for so long.

Starting on September 11, 2001 - with a monstrous helping hand from Osama bin Laden - the Bush administration played the fear card with unbelievable effectiveness. For years, with its companion "war on terror", it trumped every other card in the American political deck. With an absurd system for color-coding dangers to Americans, the president, vice president and the highest officials in this land were able to paint the media a "high" incendiary orange and the Democrats an "elevated" bright yellow, functionally sidelining them.

How stunningly in recent weeks the landscape has altered -almost like your basic hurricane sweeping through some unprotected and unprepared city. Now, to their amazement, Bush administration officials find themselves thrust through the equivalent of a Star-Trekkian wormhole into an anti-universe where everything that once worked for them seems to work against them. As always, in the face of domestic challenge, they have responded by attacking - a tactic that was effective for years. The president, vice president, national security adviser and others have ramped up their assaults, functionally accusing Democratic critics of little short of treason - of essentially undermining American forces in the field, if not offering aid and comfort to the enemy. On his recent trip to Asia, the president put it almost as bluntly as his vice president did at home, "As our troops fight a ruthless enemy determined to destroy our way of life, they deserve to know that their elected leaders who voted to send them into war continue to stand behind them." The Democrats were, he said over and over, "irresponsible" in their attacks. Dick Cheney called them spineless "opportunists" peddling dishonestly for political advantage.

[snip]

Now both agendas are in disarray with no help whatsoever on the horizon. Imagine, for instance, that the South Koreans timed the announcement of the withdrawal of the first of their troops from (Kurdish) northern Iraq for the moment the president arrived in their country. Imagine that Tony Blair's people are now said to be perfecting total withdrawal plans for next year, and that the president recently may have had to slap down the top American general in Iraq for suggesting withdrawal (or at least draw down) plans of his own. Imagine that various European nations are now investigating (or in the case of an Italian court charging) American agents in the "war on terror" with crimes. Imagine that the president, who often insisted Saddam had been overthrown to rid Iraq of its torture chambers ("the torture chambers and the secret police are gone forever")and to end the reign of a "murderous tyrant who ... used chemical weapons to kill thousands of people", now faces a "tip-of-the-iceberg" torture scandal in Iraq involving the people we've brought to power and another spreading scandal about the American use of a chemical-like weapon, white phosphorous, on civilians in the city of Fallujah. Imagine that we proved less capable than Saddam of delivering basics like electricity and potable water to the people of Iraq, that we squandered billions of taxpayer dollars in "reconstruction" funds there, and that we face an insurgency that continues to grow and spread in opposition to a shabby elected government all but in league with the Iranians. Imagine that the president's Iraq war is now devouring his presidency and that it can only get worse.

What Glory Days?

Bruce Springsteen's landmark 1975 masterpiece "Born To Run" is receiving the re-mastered, re-packaged treatment this holiday season as a 2-CD, one DVD boxed set. This marks the album's thirtieth anniversary, and more proof to offer today's young music consumers who never knew the thrill of hearing this for the first time. It wasn't just that Springsteen gave us a perfect vision of yearning and longing in "Thunder Road," the opening song. The cinematic preciseness of those first lines ["The screen door slams/Mary's dress waves"] told us there was more at risk than the escapism of a five minute pop song.

Of course, the Repugs killed a Senate bill that would honor the Boss.

Exit, Stage Left

No, you idiot, that's stage right!

... it's morning in America ...

Lot's of discussion going on at dailyKos over the events in the House yesterday. This quote is a dandy:

. . . it's morning in America, and guess what folks, George Bush trashed the place last night, Just LOOK at this mess. . .

Friday's Random Ten

Friday’s Random Ten

(9416 song titles, and counting) Loaded them all up, and hit shuffle. These are the first ten that played.

7002 - Ruby & The Romantics - Our Day Will Come
4080 - Nancy Wilson - Save Your Love For Me
1611 - Aretha Franklin - I Say A Little Prayer For You
7351 - Sam Cooke - The Last Mile Of The Way
2070 - CCR - Lookin’ Out My Back Door
5212 - Vince Gill - Pretty Little Adriane
2566 - England Dan & John Ford Coley - What Can I Do With This Broken Heart
3609 - Lee Ritenour - Isn’t She Lovely
6968 - The Moonglows - Secret Love
3006 - Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson - Folsom Prison Blues (live)

Bonus track -

2921 - Giorgia featuring Ricky Fante - I Heard It Through The Grapevine (live)

Cross-posted at Feministe and Preemtive Karma.

"Clap Louder. Or Shut Up."

Boy, oh boy, was that an exciting debate in the House today, or what?

I know Randi Rhodes says the House is more raucus than the Senate, but to watch this whole thing today, and hear all the booing and hissing from the Democrats in the House was, to say the least, fun. Well, maybe fun isn't the exact word I was looking for ... entertaining would fit. Aside from the actual implications of what our government is actually doing in these sessions, which is basically ramrodding every piece of crap Big Business and Oil Company legislation they can find, it was sobering to watch this session.

Hunter has a good rant, probably better than I could put up at the moment, so give it a read.

The Republicans don't want a debate over the war. They never wanted a debate over the war. They have gone, throughout the entirety of the last four years, to great lengths to impugn the patriotism, the courage, and even the Americanness of any citizen or politician that demands any such debate from their government.

They believe merely debating the current state of the war is an act against patriotism. Cheney blusters that questioning him, or the President, amounts to being anti-American. If you're a Republican, you have only two choices in this war: Clap Louder, or Shut Up.

No, after a blocking of every avenue of debate, after questioning the patriotism of every critic, this is now the Republican War, through and through. If you're a Republican, you like this war just fine, and you don't care how long it takes, how many American troops get killed, or how incompetently the war is run. If you're a Republican, you think of the war as a vehicle of nationalist virtue, not to be questioned by the likes of fellow Americans who demand answers better than "everything is fine". If you are a Republican, you meet the calls for an exit strategy with cries of cowardice. You meet calls for investigation into prewar failures with the brazen and shallow admonishment that anyone requiring accountability for failure does not adequately "support the troops". It is raw nationalism, and raw partisanship, of the ugliest and most cowardly fashion. Men who would send the sons and daughters of others across the world to die for a still never-quite-defined principle, but lack the courage to themselves defend their own convictions and actions to their fellow Americans.

So now -- faced with the real threat of a debate over the war --they turn to whatever partisan maneuvering they can muster in order to block that debate, yet again, and attack those that demanded it. Clap Louder, they demand, or Shut Up.

I love this quote: "You guys are pathetic. Pathetic," yelled Rep. Marty Meehan, D-Mass.

Bush Mantra: Hell No, We Won't Go

With more and more members of congress growing a set, it has become fun to watch the Bush gang squirm over the calls for troop withdrawals from Iraq.

See, my view is that there was never any intention of leaving Iraq, due to the fact that they are building permanent bases there. The work has not stopped, and the goal of course, has always been to control the oil. It has nothing to do with the Iraqi people, their governance, or their freedom. It is all about their oil.

And, the American people, although desperate for oil, aren't really going to say yes to 10 more years of sacrificing our young men and women to Iraq, just so a few billionairs can reap in more billions.

So, watching the preznut squirm has been entertaining. Bush and his administration have dug in their heels and their chant is "hell no, we won't go."

Stay tuned.

SENATE STRIPS EARMARKS FROM 'BRIDGES TO NOWHERE' - But Federal Money Will Still Go To Alaska

UPDATE: Unfortunately, it was only a mirage, with the expectation we would walk away "fulfilled" that the pork was stripped. Not so:

"It's largely symbolic," said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who would have preferred to strike all $24 billion in special projects that members stuffed into the highway bill. "The money will still go to Alaska," as opposed to the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast, or to fund other budget priorities, McCain said.

It just gets reduced from a bill particular to a state choice of what to do with the money. The fucking federal money will still go to Alaska.

----- Bumped from earlier date

YIPPPEEEE! They finally axed those Alaskan bridge pork projects.

The Senate Appropriations Committee removed earmarks for two controversial "bridges to nowhere" in Alaska: the Gravina bridge, which would connect Ketchikan to an island of 50 people, and the Knik Arm bridge, which would link Anchorage to a sparsely populated area. The projects have been the subject of strong criticism because of the general backlog of existing roads and bridges in desperate need of repair, especially those affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. According to the National Association of Civil Engineers, one in four bridges nationwide is structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, not including the damage from Katrina and Rita.

Removing The Sleaze From PBS

The 67-page report — the culmination of a six-month investigation by Kenneth A. Konz, the corporation's inspector general — portrays former Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson as a rogue appointee who often exceeded his authority in his determination to address what he viewed as a liberal tilt in public
broadcasting.

Ya think?

While you are at it, scroll down to the bottom of the page and Donate.

Bush Critics Apologize

Realizing that they had pushed it just a little too far, critics of President Bush's Iraqi fiasco swallowed their pride today and apologized. At first Bush seemed to want to reject the apology, but finally said "Okay, just as long as you never do it again."

"Gosh, no way, Mister President, we're thoroughly chastened," said a shame-faced John Kerry, speaking from behind the presidential printer/fax/copier. "I guess me and the other guys were fallaciously emboldened by unfolding events on the world stage, and by some twisted misfiring of our cerebral synapses we've arrived without luggage in the scary valley of the shadowy Darth, choosing to bash you, my most exalted potentate, rather than to hammer our own heads. For that we shall remain eternally vigilant."

"All right, Botox Face, apology accepted."

"Please let me blow you, Mister President," said Nancy Pelosi, a crimson hue spreading quickly cross her cheeks. "Your manhood is as enormous as your legacy someday shall become. Not that your legacy isn't enormous already. Whew, that's one enormous legacy, I've gotta say. Why, your legacy is so big that people run around it for exercise. Your legacy is so huge that when it steps on the scales anyone with even a modicum of wisdom turns their head and coughs. Right, I know that was a little oblique. Your legacy is so big that when it lies out on the beach, no one else gets sun."

"It is a pretty big legacy..."

"Nancy is really speaking for all of us," said the Reverend Al Sharpton, taking a break from shining the presidents Cole Haan Edwin Cap Toe Crocs. "I guess sometimes we... and by 'we' I refer to the American people at large... and how large would that be, Nancy?"

"Oh, gosh, the American people are so large that when you climb on top of them your ears pop."

"That's right, Mister President, I'm just a humble negro preacher, but even I know that most people would really like to see the end times just as soon as possible, if not quicker. Me, I'd like to wait until after the final season of The Sopranos, but yeah, whatever's convenient for you."

"Ya'll get out of here. You're starting to freak me out."

HAHAHAHAHA. More rum, please!

"...conquer, I mean liberate ... "

For those who missed it, the latest TV disaster miniseries —which ends Sunday — is based on hurricanes, accompanied by tornadoes, that sweep not just the Gulf Coast, but the whole world, beginning with Paris, which seems only right, given France's refusal to help us conquer, I mean liberate, Iraq.

Ha ha ha ha. That was funny.

Microsoft To The Rescue!

Mark Russinovich couldn't understand how the rootkit had sneaked onto his system. An expert on the internals of the Windows operating system, he was careful when it came to computer security and generally had a pretty good idea of what was running on his PC at any given time. And yet the security tool he was using to check his PC was pretty clear: It had found the "rootkit" cloaking software typically used by virus and spyware writers.

After a bit of detective work, Russinovich eventually tracked down the source: a Sony BMG Music Entertainment CD entitled "Get Right with the Man," performed by country music duo Donnie and Johnny Van Zant.

It turns out that Sony is using techniques normally only seen in spyware and computer viruses in order to restrict the unauthorized copying of some of its music CDs. Sony's software, licensed by Sony from a Banbury, UK, company called First 4 Internet, has become the basis of a dispute that once again pits computer advocates against an entertainment company experimenting with new ways to prevent unauthorized copying of its products.

When I read this, I remembered reading about a year or so ago, that Sony was going to imbed its CDs with some kind of tracking device and/or spyware that would limit how many times you could copy the CD, and put a bot out on the internet should you try to share it. That pretty much made me swear off buying any new CDs. What was of concern to me was that you could not remove all the files on your computer that this program installed without first contacting Sony direct and requesting the necessary uninstall program.

Then I read this.

Sony BMG said today it will offer a patch for one of its own exploits - one that comes bundled with its music CDs.

The code cloaks itself and by intercepting and redirecting low level windows system calls, forces the audio through a custom player, and restricts the number of CD burns that can be made.

As Sys Internals' Mark Russinovich discovered this week, removing the Sony code using standard anti-malware tools leaves the user with an inoperable CD drive.

So, now they would provide the patch without having to directly request it, on an individual basis.

Then, gosh darn it, those awful little worm guys figured out that they could use this rootkit to hide worms, since the Sony guys perfected a hidden file system.

Finally, Sony had to discontinue using the rootkit.

Sony BMG said today it will offer a patch for one of its own exploits - one that comes bundled with its music CDs.

The code cloaks itself and by intercepting and redirecting low level windows system calls, forces the audio through a custom player, and restricts the number of CD burns that can be made.

As Sys Internals' Mark Russinovich discovered this week, removing the Sony code using standard anti-malware tools leaves the user with an inoperable CD drive.

Now Microsoft has gone and created an update that will completely uninstall and remove the Sony rootkit from all Windows operating systems. Take that, ya baaastaards!

Security tools within Windows will soon seek out and destroy the rootkit-like component of Sony's CD copy-restriction software.

Microsoft will update its security tools to detect and remove part of the copy protection tools installed on PCs when some Sony music CDs are played.

The software maker has determined that the "rootkit" piece of the XCP software on some Sony BMG Music Entertainment CDs can pose a security risk to Windows PCs, according to a posting on Saturday to a Microsoft corporate Web log.

Friday Random Ten

Friday's Random Ten - loading up the 9,000 plus song titles, hitting "shuffle," and here they are:

7641 - Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes - If You Don’t Know Me By Now
3541 - Kylie Minogue - I Can’t Get You Out Of My Head
1379 - Michelle Branch - Everywhere
1752 - Bangles - Manic Monday
7488 - Janis Joplin - Summertime
495 - Little Anthony and the Imperials - Shimmy, Shimmy Coco Bop

"Then she showed me what to do, at first I was amazed!"

1627 - Asleep At The Wheel - Route 66
1634 - At The Drive-In - Proxima Centauri
6713 - Rascal Flatts - From Time To Time
8919 - Haley Mills - Let’s Get Together

Bonus Track

4459 - Ricky Fante - Are You Lonely Too

Extra Extra Bonus Track!

7589 - Van Halen - Higher

Cross-posted at Feministe.

Peace, out.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DJ RIX!

Here's to dining, fine wine, and great cupcakes (or coconuts!)

They Were For Open Bids Before They Were For No Bids

It is simply amazing how many times this administration says it will do one thing, and then does absolutely nothing, or the complete opposite of what they say they will do. Like the resigning bonuses for military personnel, which after they got you to reenlist, they tell you they cannot give you. Now it's the opening up for rebidding of hurricane rebuilding contracts that FEMA said it would undertake. A month after so stating, absolutely zero contracts have been reopened for bidding. In fact, the government now says they won't be up for bids until the current ones run out, sometime next year.

Isn't that special?

WASHINGTON (AP) - Despite a month-old pledge, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has yet to reopen four of its biggest no-bid contracts for Hurricane Katrina work and won't do so until the contracts are virtually complete. A promise to hire more minority-owned firms also is largely unfulfilled.

The no-bid contracts for temporary housing, worth up to $100 million each, were given to Shaw Group Inc., Bechtel Corp., CH2M Hill Inc. and Fluor Corp. right after Katrina struck. Charges of favoritism helped prompt last month's pledge by FEMA acting director R. David Paulison, but now officials with the Homeland Security Department, which oversees FEMA, say the contracts won't be awarded again until February.

The disclosure dismayed some lawmakers and business groups that believe the Bush administration has not done enough to ensure Katrina contracts are spread around. In particular, they say small and minority-owned businesses in the Gulf Coast have been shortchanged.

FEMA promised to boost the number of contracts given to minority-owned businesses but in the last month the percentage has increased only slightly, from 1.5 percent to 1.8 percent of the $3.1 billion awarded. That's still well below the 5 percent of federal contracts normally set aside for minority-owned firms.

Fucking liars. Fucking cheats. Fucking thiefs.

Veteran's Day Appreciation

In the summer of 1862 Congress enacted legislation that authorized the President to purchase "cemetery grounds" to be used as national cemeteries "for soldiers who shall have died in the service of the country."

The National Cemetery Administration has evolved slowly since the initial period of great challenge associated with the Civil War.

In the 1930s, new national cemeteries were established to serve veterans living in major metropolitan areas such as New York, Baltimore, Minneapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Antonio.

More than 2.5 million Americans, including veterans of every war and conflict—from the Revolutionary War to the Gulf War—are honored by burial in VA's national cemeteries.

In honor of our veterans who have passed, and to those who are still with us, my prayers for you and my appreciation for your service to our country.

The Start Of The GOP Slide

Tuesday's elections in Virginia and New Jersey didn't bring Republicans the good news they need after months of bad news. And while they argue that Democratic victories in the two states were about local politics, Democrats were quick to disagree as the 2006 congressional campaigns approach the starting gate.

It was very heartening to read/hear that the Democratic candidates came out ahead in the governor races in Virginia and New Jersey. A lot of slime was tossed in the last 24 hours before the votes, and it is good to note that the dirty ones did not prevail.

I hope this bodes well for our chances of taking out the ReThugs in control, in 2006.

ProBusiness, My Ass - Oil Companies Are Anti-People

On my plane ride this weekend to Las Vegas for a birthday celebration, I picked up a copy of the Wall Street Journal, and saw this story on how the Senate may consider a windfall profits tax on Big Oil - a proposal that Democrats are now pushing. What was interesting about the story was not its coverage of the issue - but of just how deeply-ingrained a Big Business-mentality today's media really approaches stories with.

The Journal notes that "while a populist political penalty may clear the Senate" (ie. the windfall profits tax), "there's no sign such measures are gaining in the more pro-business House of Representatives." But here's the real question - what is "pro-business" about letting the oil companies continue to rip off the rest of the economy? The fact is, the oil industry is not just bilking individual Americans - its profiteering is hurting many other businesses.

What we see here is that the term "pro-business" is now used by the media to describe anything that permits profiteering - regardless of whether it is actually "pro-business." Sure, allowing oil industry profiteering may be "pro-oil industry" - but it is certainly not "pro-business" as a whole.

When it comes to our corporate controlled government, David Sirota is always smack dead on!

I note that today, leaders in the oil industry are before the Senate, trying to defend their obnoxious quarter profits.

Together the companies earned more than $25 billion in profits in the July-September quarter as the price of crude oil hit $70 a barrel and gasoline surged to record levels after the disruptions of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

There is a growing call for support of a windfall profit tax on the oil industry, and these boys are scrambling to save their big bucks. I am sure that is the prime reason for the recent 34 cent drop over the past month.

Chalabi And Condi, Sitting In A Tree ...

Ahmed Chalabi comes in from the cold today, arriving in Washington to meet senior Bush administration officials for the first time in two years - despite lingering allegations that the Iraqi politician provided bogus pre-war intelligence, and a continuing investigation into whether he passed US secrets to Iran.

What is up with that? First, this guy was the bullshitter's bullshitter, when it came to addressing the issues of WMD in Iraq. Then, in a bizarre turn of events, the U.S. decided that it was Chalabi that had been leaking sensitive information to Iran (like the fact that the U.S. had broken Iran's spy codes), and there was talk of criminal investigation and charges.

Ah, the strange bedfellows this country has slept with in order to pull off the Iraq massacre.

So, Now It Is France's Fault?

So, now it's France's fault that the U.S. and Britian invaded Iraq. Yup, that is according to Britian's Blair:

At his monthly press conference yesterday, the Prime Minister responded with claims that the French President, Jacques Chirac, was to blame for the slide to war without a second UN resolution. He said the French had threatened to veto a second UN resolution on Iraq.

Mr Blair told journalists: "If you go back and look at what happened in March 2003, I think you will see that I made the most strenuous efforts to get a second UN resolution and to end up with a second resolution that would have given us more time. The fact is, we couldn't get one for a very simple reason: the French made it clear they would veto any such resolution."

Bullshit (cough) bullshit!

The Old "We Won't Yank Your Non-Profit Status If You Just Say You Love Bush" Ploy

The Internal Revenue Service has warned one of Southern California's largest and most liberal churches that it is at risk of losing its tax-exempt status because of an antiwar sermon two days before the 2004 presidential election

On June 9, the church received a letter from the IRS stating that "a reasonable belief exists that you may not be tax-exempt as a church … " The federal tax code prohibits tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from intervening in political campaigns and elections.

The letter went on to say that "our concerns are based on a Nov. 1, 2004, newspaper article in the Los Angeles Times and a sermon presented at the All Saints Church discussed in the article."

The IRS cited The Times story's description of the sermon as a "searing indictment of the Bush administration's policies in Iraq" and noted that the sermon described "tax cuts as inimical to the values of Jesus."

Note here, that the IRS is going after the church based on an L.A. Times article. Mind you, no one from IRS attended the service, and the article is pretty clear that no one from the church "informed" IRS.

Trolling, as usual. That's our government. If you are a right wing nut job and want to hold Justice Sunday rally's and preach from the pulpit how Tom Delay, et al, are righteous god fearing individuals, that's ok. But as soon as you criticize that piece of shit called the Preznet, and his policies, well, we're just going to Rove your ass. Take that.

Owens said that an IRS audit team had recently offered the church a settlement during a face-to-face meeting.

"They said if there was a confession of wrongdoing, they would not proceed to the exam stage. They would be willing not to revoke tax-exempt status if the church admitted intervening in an election."

What a crock of shit! How long is it going to be before this country realizes their civil rights have all been tossed out the window? The article goes on to state that the church has retained lawyers that are specialists in tax exemptions and will fight this.

You Will Submit!

Speaking from the Senate floor, McCain said, "If necessary - and I sincerely hope it is not - I and the co-sponsors of this amendment will seek to add it to every piece of important legislation voted on in the Senate until the will of a substantial bipartisan majority in both houses of Congress prevails. Let no one doubt our determination."

Take THAT!

Fashion or Faux Pas?

I was reading this bit on Portland, Oregon, in the travel section of the NYT, and ran accross this little tidbit:

WHERE TO SHOP

The city's most interesting shopping street is Northwest 23rd Avenue (a k a "Trendy-third"), just north of the downtown core. Here you might see a pigtailed mom in cowboy hat and blue boots window shopping while walking a dog - and her young daughters in matching outfits.

I remember living in Portland for about 18 months, in 1982 and 1983. I had two interesting things happen to me while dressing somewhat similarly as noted above.

First, was at the Halloween party at my step-daughter's elementary school. Although the child went dressed in costume, neither her father nor I were in costume. Being from Los Angeles, I was dressed in cowboy boots, a mini-skirt, and great sleevless top, with a leather jacket. I can't tell you how many people approached me and told me to my face, in front of my family, how much they loved my costume. Of course, only my family knew I wasn't in any costume, so that kind of unnerved me.

The second incident was when I got fired from my legal secretary job ... for the clothes that I wore. They instituted a dress policy after that. I didn't wear enough polyester, and the cowboy boots bothered them.

Ever since that time, I added "I will not change the way I dress" as a condition of employment whenever I went on an interview, along with my other two non-negotiable conditions: I will not sleep with you, and I will not balance your checkbook.

The Terminator Forbids Dick Tracy Entrance To Rally

There simply isn't any event that Republicans will hold that is open and not staged.

Take Arnie's speech in San Diego today. His people actually prevented Warren Beatty and his wife, Annette Bening, from attending the rally.

Amazing, simply amazing.

They only talk to the choir, which is why the Republicans are so out of touch. They keep thinking they have this mandate from the people, and they are sadly out of step with the opinions of the general public. The staged shows are just not going to cut it, and while Bush and his cronies were able to keep people from entering their staged events, here in California, it's a different story. Arnie can play that game only so far, but not letting Warren and Annette attend his rally is just plain stupid.

Friday's Random Ten, West Coast, circa 1960's

FRT - 60's edition
(sorry, bar closed for the evening, private party)


Petula Clark - Sign Of The Times
Righteous Bros. - Try To Find Another Woman
Paul Revere & The Raiders - Just Like Me
(doing the "frug" now)
Skeeter Davis - The End Of The World
(turning down lights for the "grinder" dance)
Anita Bryant - Paper Roses
(I’ve never liked her politics, but she had the hit way before Marie Osmond did)
Beach Boys - Little GTO
(Turn it on, wind it up, blow it out!)

Why Mike Love is still suing Brian is beyond me. MIKE, baby, get a grip and MOVE ON.

Frankie Avalon - Dede Dinah
Johnny Rivers - Memphis, Tennessee
James Brown - Night Train
(LOL... I’ve been on some trains in my time!)
Donovan - Sunshine Superman
(Sunshine came softly through my window today .. HELL fucking yeah)

Bonus track:

Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Tutorial On Iraq

So you end up with a peculiar result: Everyone has set up the same straw man, in order to deny what would otherwise be obvious: The war in Iraq is a civil war, one that has relatively little to do with the war on terrorism, but that has almost half of the U.S. Army bogged down in the middle of it.

Seems the blogosphere is having beer, and not at Carrie's Bar & Grill!

For the best in straight information on Iraq, I go to Juan Cole's Informed Comment. For fun commentary, I read Billmon's The Whiskey Bar. Read Billmon's take on his little drinkathon with Dr. Cole and their discussion of Iraq.

PBS Can Start To Mend, I Hope

It's official .. Tomlinson is outta here!

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting Board of Directors said Thursday that embattled former board chairman Ken Tomlinson has resigned.

The board has been reviewing a CPB Inspector General's report--called for by a pair of congressmen--on Tomlinson's relationship with the board stemming from Tomlinson's attempts to add more conservative programming.

The board said in a statement: "[F]ormer chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson has resigned from the CPB board. The board does not believe that Mr. Tomlinson acted maliciously or with any intent to harm CPB or public broadcasting, and the board recognizes that Mr. Tomlinson strongly disputes the findings in the soon-to-be-released Inspector General’s report.

"The board expresses its disappointment in the performance of former key staff whose responsibility it was to advise the board and its members.

Man, there is a Santa Claus, after all!!!

Squeeze The Veggies

I suspect that this guy's concept of himself would be less enthusiastic about sharing the burden of pregnancy if the geography of the testicles were squeezed in a vise for 18 hours as he tried to expel a cantaloupe through his penis. It would very likely change his vision of the meaning of his life, as well.

This made me laugh out loud the first time I read it. Digby's on a roll giving his take on a take about a woman's right to choose.

Calling Them On Their Bullshit, Finally

Everybody and their cousin have blogged and/or posted on this event today, so I'm not going to rehash the particulars.

But let me say thanks to Harry Reid for his courageous action today. Let's hope that we can finally open up that festering wound in the GOP.

Cronyism Gone Wild

... Oh, I can easily understand the gray areas where intelligence can be couched for or against a particular policy. But this is different. What Goss is doing, with Bush's evidently enthusiastic approval, is eliminating from CIA any data gathering and analyses that do not support the presumptions and policy wishes of the Bush White House.

In other words, what Bush is creating is a CIA that, had it existed in 2002, would have been far more wrong about WMD and Saddam/al Qaeda connections than it actually was.

A Digby "pearl," commenting on The American Prospect's article on Porter Goss and his dismantling of the CIA.