Dennis Kucinich swept the DFA poll -- much to the surprise of the DFA poll-makers, who have been backing GORE and had no doubt hoped that their guy would win. DFA withheld endorsement of the winner - even though KUCINICH clearly won hands down. Gore isn't even running! and he was second. Kucinich won more votes than Edwards & Obama combined.
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Friday, November 30, 2007
If Dems voted their consciences, it would be Kucinich by a landslide
Dennis Kucinich stands as the one candidate whose bred-in-the-bone beliefs about war and peace, the rights of working people, environmental integrity, and the sanctity of the Bill of Rights embody the convictions of what may be fairly called mainstream Democrats -- political heirs of the New Deal, the Fair Deal, and the best of the Great Society .
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The Media's "Anti-Hugo Chavez" Slant
The big Western media is creating slowly a new "Evil Dictator" so the American people don't have to think about THEIR dictator...
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Hostage Situation Reported At Clinton Campaign Office - Video
A man claiming to have a bomb walked in to Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign offices Friday and took hostages, police and witnesses said.
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Police confirm hostage situation at Clinton campaign office in N.H.
An armed man took people hostage at a New Hampshire campaign office for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton on Friday, New Hampshire's WMUR-TV reported.
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Bin Laden appeals to Europeans
Nov. 30 - A new audio recording by Osama Bin Laden calls on Europeans to stop helping the U.S. in Afghanistan.
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EU disappointed after nuclear talks, Iran digs in
By Parisa Hafezi and Adrian Croft LONDON (Reuters) - The European Union said it was disappointed after talks with Iran on Friday seen as a last chance to avert U.S. pressure for tougher international sanctions over Tehran's disputed atomic...
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CNN's Brown called MoveOn.org "American insurgents"
During the November 28 CNN special Campaign Killers: Why Do Negative Ads Work?, CNN "anchor" Campbell Brown propagandized, err reported: "General David Petraeus made his reputation taking on insurgents in Iraq. But when he came to Capitol Hill in September, he was confronted by American insurgents, a liberal anti-war group called MoveOn.org."
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VIDEO FLASHBACK: Mike Huckabee's Phone Call From God
At a Republican Governors Association Dinner in 2004, Mike Huckabee took the stage and began to deliver remarks when his cell phone rang. He took the phone out of his pocket and proceeded to have a 3-minute conversation with God about President Bush's reelection, asserting that God was on the side of the Republicans.
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CNN expunged "don't ask, don't tell" question and answers in rebroadcasts
Rebroadcasts of the CNN/YouTube debate for Republican presidential candidates omitted a question from a retired brigadier general about the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, as well as the candidates' answers to the question. CNN did not note the omission.
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In prison for writing an email
His family is constantly harassed and intimidated.
He was forced to labor under harsh conditions.
His wife was pressured to divorce him.His name is Shi Tao and all he did was send an email. Join the Global Write-A-Thon and help create a world where people are never punished for peacefully exercising their freedom of expression.
Protected by both international law as well as the Chinese constitution, freedom of expression is a right guaranteed to all. In 2004, when Shi Tao used his Yahoo! email account to send a message to a U.S.-based pro-democracy website, he was exercising this freedom. But the Chinese government's response was swift and harsh.
In a matter of months, Shi Tao's whole life changed. The authorities arrested him, and charged him with the vaguely-defined criminal offense of "illegally providing state secrets to foreign entities." He is now serving a 10-year prison sentence for simply sending an email.
"The people of China deserve the right to freely express their views, even when it means criticizing the government," Shi Tao's mother told Amnesty International during a recent interview. Shi Tao's suffering is shared by many individuals around the world whose rights are violated. From December 7 through Human Rights Day on December 10, you can use your rights and speak up on behalf of theirs. Show the world's leaders that you support human rights. Write a letter in support of Shi Tao and other people at risk. Shi Tao was imprisoned for writing an email. Your letters can help set him free.
Sincerely,
Michael O'Reilly
Campaign Director, Individuals at Risk
Amnesty International USA
Thursday, November 29, 2007
The Wake-Up Call
By Matt Wuerker, Politico.com
© Cartoonist Group, 2006
Technorati tags: Cartoonist Group, Matt Wuerker, Politico.com, political cartoons, editorial cartoons, political satire
Trent Lott's Likely Replacement Featured In Borat [VIDEO]
Former Rep. Chip Pickering appeared at a Pentecostal gathering where theories against evolution were cheered and the Chief Justice of the Mississippi State Supreme Court declared that America
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GOP YouTube Debate: Who Loves Torture and Hate Immigrants the Most?
Steve Benen: For over two hours, the GOP hopefuls made it abundantly clear that none of them should be the president.
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George W. Bush's Resume
RESUME
GEORGE W. BUSH
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20520
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
LAW ENFORCEMENT
I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving while
intoxicated. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver's license
suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been "lost" and is not
available.
MILITARY
I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a
drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas
Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam.
COLLEGE
I graduated from Yale University with a low-C average. I was a cheerleader.
PAST WORK EXPERIENCE
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in
Midland, Texas, in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil
in Texas. The company went bankrupt right after I sold my stock. I bought
the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using
taxpayer money. With the help of my father and our friends in the oil
industry, including Enron CEO Ken Lay, I was elected governor of Texas.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS
I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making
Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston
replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America. I cut taxes
and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money.
I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American
history. With help from my Governor-of-Florida-brother, and my father's
appointments to the Supreme Court I became President after losing by over
500,000 votes.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT
I'm the first U.S. President in history to enter office with a criminal
record. I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over a
billion dollars per week. I spent a U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted
the U.S. Treasury. I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in
U.S. history. I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed
in any 12-month period. I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a
12-month period. I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the
history of the U.S. stock market. In my first year in office, over 2 million
Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues every month.
I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any
administration in U.S. history. My "poorest millionaire," Condoleeza Rice,
had a Chevron oil tanker named after her. I set the record for most campaign
fund-raising trips by a U.S. President. I am the all-time U.S. and world
record-holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations. My
largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends, Kenneth
Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud (Enron) in U.S.
History. My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to
assure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision.
I've protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or
prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky
affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate
rip-offs in U.S. history.
I presided over the biggest energy crisis in history, refusing intervention
when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed. I presided over the
highest gasoline prices in U.S. history. I changed U.S. policy to allow
convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. I appointed more
convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history. I
created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the
history of the United States government.
I've broken more international treaties than any U.S. President. I am the
first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S.
from the Human Rights Commission I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court
of Law. I refused to allow inspectors access to U.S. "prisoner of war"
detainees and thereby refused to abide by the Geneva Convention. I'm the
first President in history to refuse U.N. election inspectors (during the
2002 U.S. election). I set the record for fewest numbers of press
conferences of any President since the advent of television. I set an
all-time record for most vacation days in any one-year period. After taking
off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure
in my nation's history. I garnered unprecedented sympathy for the U.S. after
the World Trade Center attacks, and less than a year later made the U.S the
most hated country in the world, possibly the largest failure of diplomacy
in world history. I also set the all-time record for most people worldwide to
simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million), shattering the
record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.
I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, pre-emptive
attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against
the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. citizens, and the world
community. I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a
cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families-in-wartime.
In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking
Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends. I am the first
President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my
presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security. I am
supporting development of a nuclear "Tactical Bunker Buster," a WMD. I have
so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden [sic] to justice.
RECORDS AND REFERENCES
All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's
library, sealed and unavailable for public view. All records of SEC
investigations into my insider-trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed
in secrecy and unavailable for public view. All records or minutes from
meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy
policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review. I am a
member of the Republican Party.
PLEASE CONSIDER MY EXPERIENCE BEFORE CONTRIBUTING TO MY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY OR VOTING REPUBLICAN IN THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
PLEASE SEND THIS TO EVERY VOTER YOU KNOW.
The Reich-Wing Republican Joke Page
GEORGE W. BUSH
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20520
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
LAW ENFORCEMENT
I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving while
intoxicated. I pled guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver's license
suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been "lost" and is not
available.
MILITARY
I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a
drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas
Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam.
COLLEGE
I graduated from Yale University with a low-C average. I was a cheerleader.
PAST WORK EXPERIENCE
I ran for U.S. Congress and lost. I began my career in the oil business in
Midland, Texas, in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn't find any oil
in Texas. The company went bankrupt right after I sold my stock. I bought
the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using
taxpayer money. With the help of my father and our friends in the oil
industry, including Enron CEO Ken Lay, I was elected governor of Texas.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS GOVERNOR OF TEXAS
I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making
Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston
replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America. I cut taxes
and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money.
I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American
history. With help from my Governor-of-Florida-brother, and my father's
appointments to the Supreme Court I became President after losing by over
500,000 votes.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS PRESIDENT
I'm the first U.S. President in history to enter office with a criminal
record. I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over a
billion dollars per week. I spent a U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted
the U.S. Treasury. I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in
U.S. history. I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed
in any 12-month period. I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a
12-month period. I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the
history of the U.S. stock market. In my first year in office, over 2 million
Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues every month.
I'm proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any
administration in U.S. history. My "poorest millionaire," Condoleeza Rice,
had a Chevron oil tanker named after her. I set the record for most campaign
fund-raising trips by a U.S. President. I am the all-time U.S. and world
record-holder for receiving the most corporate campaign donations. My
largest lifetime campaign contributor, and one of my best friends, Kenneth
Lay, presided over the largest corporate bankruptcy fraud (Enron) in U.S.
History. My political party used Enron private jets and corporate attorneys to
assure my success with the U.S. Supreme Court during my election decision.
I've protected my friends at Enron and Halliburton against investigation or
prosecution. More time and money was spent investigating the Monica Lewinsky
affair than has been spent investigating one of the biggest corporate
rip-offs in U.S. history.
I presided over the biggest energy crisis in history, refusing intervention
when corruption involving the oil industry was revealed. I presided over the
highest gasoline prices in U.S. history. I changed U.S. policy to allow
convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts. I appointed more
convicted criminals to administration than any President in U.S. history. I
created the Ministry of Homeland Security, the largest bureaucracy in the
history of the United States government.
I've broken more international treaties than any U.S. President. I am the
first President in U.S. history to have the United Nations remove the U.S.
from the Human Rights Commission I withdrew the U.S. from the World Court
of Law. I refused to allow inspectors access to U.S. "prisoner of war"
detainees and thereby refused to abide by the Geneva Convention. I'm the
first President in history to refuse U.N. election inspectors (during the
2002 U.S. election). I set the record for fewest numbers of press
conferences of any President since the advent of television. I set an
all-time record for most vacation days in any one-year period. After taking
off the entire month of August, I presided over the worst security failure
in my nation's history. I garnered unprecedented sympathy for the U.S. after
the World Trade Center attacks, and less than a year later made the U.S the
most hated country in the world, possibly the largest failure of diplomacy
in world history. I also set the all-time record for most people worldwide to
simultaneously protest me in public venues (15 million), shattering the
record for protests against any person in the history of mankind.
I am the first President in U.S. history to order an unprovoked, pre-emptive
attack and the military occupation of a sovereign nation. I did so against
the will of the United Nations, the majority of U.S. citizens, and the world
community. I have cut health care benefits for war veterans and support a
cut in duty benefits for active duty troops and their families-in-wartime.
In my State of the Union Address, I lied about our reasons for attacking
Iraq and then blamed the lies on our British friends. I am the first
President in history to have a majority of Europeans (71%) view my
presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and security. I am
supporting development of a nuclear "Tactical Bunker Buster," a WMD. I have
so far failed to fulfill my pledge to bring Osama Bin Laden [sic] to justice.
RECORDS AND REFERENCES
All records of my tenure as governor of Texas are now in my father's
library, sealed and unavailable for public view. All records of SEC
investigations into my insider-trading and my bankrupt companies are sealed
in secrecy and unavailable for public view. All records or minutes from
meetings that I, or my Vice-President, attended regarding public energy
policy are sealed in secrecy and unavailable for public review. I am a
member of the Republican Party.
PLEASE CONSIDER MY EXPERIENCE BEFORE CONTRIBUTING TO MY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY OR VOTING REPUBLICAN IN THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
PLEASE SEND THIS TO EVERY VOTER YOU KNOW.
The Reich-Wing Republican Joke Page
Can you sign the petition demanding that Congress act to stop the president from committing to a massive military presence in Iraq for decades?
Hi,
Have you seen the news? President Bush is negotiating a deal with Iraq to keep our troops there indefinitely--it could include permanent bases and a massive military presence for years! Bush is trying to tie the hands of the next president.
Congress can stop him from setting up permanent bases in Iraq and block an indefinite occupation--but they need to hear a groundswell of pressure from us immediately and loudly so they act on this quickly. I just signed a petition demanding that Congress stop the president from committing to a massive military presence in Iraq for decades. Can you join me? http://pol.moveon.org/endless/?r_by=11723-8582640-GLKckF&rc=mailto
Thanks!
Have you seen the news? President Bush is negotiating a deal with Iraq to keep our troops there indefinitely--it could include permanent bases and a massive military presence for years! Bush is trying to tie the hands of the next president.
Congress can stop him from setting up permanent bases in Iraq and block an indefinite occupation--but they need to hear a groundswell of pressure from us immediately and loudly so they act on this quickly. I just signed a petition demanding that Congress stop the president from committing to a massive military presence in Iraq for decades. Can you join me? http://pol.moveon.org/endless/?r_by=11723-8582640-GLKckF&rc=mailto
Thanks!
New McCarthyesque bill targets activism
Very quietly a bill was passed by the House called the Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act which will set up a "research group" made up of 60% Republicans who will decide what groups will be considered radical and "potentially dangerous". For those old enough, the phrase "Are you or have you ever been" feel very familiar. The ACLU is protesting.
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Discussing McCain's Hitler comment, CNN's Brown...
During postdebate analysis of the November 28 CNN/YouTube Republican presidential debate, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper aired an exchange between presidential candidates Sen. John McCain (AZ) and Rep. Ron Paul (TX), in which McCain referred to Paul's assertion that U.S. troops should be redeployed from Iraq and stated, "[W]e allowed Hitler to come...
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That Darn Dictator! | Mark Fiore's Animated Cartoon Site
A very interesting political animation from Mark Fiore. Can you figure out who the real dictator is? Click on the link below to view...
Barack Obama's Foreign Policy Forum in Portsmouth, NH
Barack Obama: "Our ability to lead has been set back by our bluster and our refusal to talk to nations we don't like," the Illinois senator said. "Our security and standing have suffered because of the misguided war in Iraq that should have never been authorized."
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Halt US aid, bin Laden urges Europe
Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, has called on Europeans to stop their political leaders helping the US in the Afghan war. "It would be better for you if you [restrained] your politicians who flock to the White House and worked actively to end the wrong done to the oppressed," he said in an audio tape aired on Thursday.
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Sunday, November 25, 2007
Ashcroft firm to monitor med-implant settlement.
When U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie announced a $311 million settlement to end a probe into kickbacks by leading manufacturers of knee and hip replacements, he touted the agreement as a groundbreaking development for consumers and the industry. The deal also proved to be lucrative for Christie's old boss.
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Australian Premier, an Ally of Bush, Is Defeated
Sydney, Australia - Australia's prime minister, John Howard, one of President Bush's staunchest allies in Asia, suffered a comprehensive defeat at the hands of the electorate on Saturday, as his Liberal Party-led coalition lost its majority in Parliament.
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Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Obama Tells Kids He Was a "Goof-Off", Tried Drugs & Alcohol
Good for Obama. He's not running from his early experimentation with drugs, including cocaine, and alcohol. He also says he was a "goof-off."We've come a long way from the "But I didn't inhale" days.
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Prison System a Costly and Harmful Failure: Report
By Randall Mikkelsen WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans in prison has risen eight-fold since 1970, with little impact on crime but at great cost to taxpayers and society, researchers said in a report calling for a major justice-system overhaul.
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Neocon accused of misquoting Iran's leader to push case for invasion
Norman Podhoretz is among the most vocal in urging President Bush to bomb Iran, based on the belief that traditional deterrence won't work if the country acquires nukes.The Economist has called into question an oft-cited statement Podhoretz attributes to Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini to justify the need to attack, saying it is likely “bogus.”
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Google REFUSES to run Impeachment ad. This is very scary.
The unstoppable organizer and provider of all the world's data has just refused to run a simple, non offensive sponsored ad by "YaliesorImpeachment.org" Northeast Impeachment Coalition asking for impeachment, claiming they do not permit " the advertisement of websites that advocate against a group protected by law". HUH?
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Here come the thought police
The proposed commission is a menace through its power to hold hearings, take testimony and administer oaths, an authority granted to even individual members of the commission - little Joe McCarthys - who will tour the country to hold their own private hearings. An aura of authority will automatically accompany this congressionally authorized...
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A Blueprint for Impeachment;:The Constitution Still in Crisis
I was recently given an award by the Cranbrook Peace Institute and the ceremonies were held in Detroit, the hometown of Rep. John Conyers. I was pretty surprised that he agreed to introduce me at the event considering that the last time I saw him I was being hauled out of his office in DC in handcuffs and I have been very outspoken about the Democr
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Hold Presidential Debates in New Orleans, for God's Sake!
We are going to get skewered for saying this, but racism and the agenda of big oil is everywhere. People are afraid to speak out and have left it to white northerners from white bread country to open the discussion. It is unbelievable, as Landry so astutely points out, that the Commission on Presidential Debates has rejected an application to...
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Time for a Military Coup
Assuming that military generals aren't participating in some sick charade to set up Iran, it would appear that a sense of reality is washing over the minds of leaders in our military as well as former military leaders.
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First Woman, First Black, First Latino, or First Honest President?
The phrase honest politician has become an oxymoron. We should not be impressed by the prospect of having the first woman, first black or first Latino president. What would be far more radical would be to have the first honest president. Time to stop voting for liars. Better to not vote at all. Voting for liars only encourages more lies.
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Honoring the Presidency Requires Dishonoring this President
The American people need to be helped to understand that when a president disgraces and violates his office, he's not entitled to the authority and respect Americans usually grant their presidents.
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Stem Cell Breakthrough Uses No Embryos
Scientists have made ordinary human skin cells take on the chameleon-like powers of embryonic stem cells, a startling breakthrough that might someday deliver the medical payoffs of embryo cloning without the controversy.
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Europeans, Let Us Prevent the War Against Iran
We are being warned about it from all sides: the United States is at the brink of war, ready to bombard Iran. The only thing lacking is the presidential order. At the beginning of October, dozens of American political, religious, military, intellectual and artistic personalities called on the United States's joint chiefs-of-staff, officers and soldiers to repudiate any order to attack Iran. This unprecedented appeal underlines the degree to which the risk of seeing war break out any time in the upcoming days, weeks or months is real and how imperative is the duty to prevent that risk. That's why we support the appeal launched on the other side of the Atlantic and desire to extend it to Europe.
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Killing Fields probe gets underway | Video
Nov. 20 - The long awaited UN-backed tribunal into Cambodia's genocide begins with the appearance of Duch.
The 66-year-old born-again Christian has admitted multiple atrocities at the notorious Tuol Sleng jail through whose gates at least 14, 000 deemed opponents of Pol Pot's revolution passed - fewer than 10 are believed to have survived.
Paul Chapman reports.
Soundbite:
Long Det, Cambodian outside court
Iraq warns foreign security firms after shooting
By Mariam Karouny and Waleed Ibrahim BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Private security firms in Iraq which act outside the law will be dealt with firmly, officials said on Tuesday, after a woman was shot in central Baghdad. Monday's shooting was the latest in a...
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Iran says will soon hold talks with U.S. on Iraq
By Zahra Hosseinian TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has agreed to hold a new round of talks soon with the United States on how to improve security in Iraq, Iran's foreign minister said on Tuesday. Ambassadors of the two old foes, deeply at odds over who is...
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Turkey Thud
By Nick Anderson , The Houston Chronicle
From the Cartoonist Group.
Technorati tags: Nick Anderson, Cartoonist Group, political cartoons, editorial cartoons, political satire
Author Responds:Will Democrats Restore Our Liberties Stolen in the Bush Era
A recent article exploring proposals to restore rights and liberties undermined during the Bush era has sparked several debates among readers. AlterNet invited author Ari Melber to respond.
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Howard Zinn's Rebel Voices: A Call for Civil Disobedience
Rebel Voices, the dramatic counterpart to Howard Zinn's work, brings together American voices pulled from speeches, articles, memoirs and interviews to highlight a national tradition in short supply in recent years: civil disobedience.
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The GOP Has Become the Party of Moral Depravity
The conservative movement made hay for 40 years claiming that liberals were "morally depraved." Let's look at the record.
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When AWOL Is the Only Escape -- A Patriot's Story
The story of a soldier whose outlook toward the mission in Iraq changed his outlook from a believer to a soldier who finally went AWOL, one of a now huge number (over 4,000 according to official records, more according to veterans' orgs.) in fiscal year '07. What is life like for an AWOL soldier? This article tells you.
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Is Reason Magazine Afraid of Naomi Klein's Book?
Alexander Zaitchik: Klein's book is a serious one, a monster shot across the bow of staunch Friedmanites like the ones at Reason.
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The Art of Mental Warfare Presents: Nine Inch Nails (video)
But this video is very well done and raises important questions about our administration and our involvement in Iraq, and makes important points. The filmmaker talks about "diversions," using some of our Fox Porn footage to make the point, which as we know, is exactly the kind of diversion those on the right want to provide while they foment war.
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Bill O'Reilly Runs Ads for the Same Anti-War Movie He Claims
Matt Corley: Mark Cuban says the point of the ad buy was to see what O'Reilly's real motivation for attacking the film was.
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O’Reilly Runs Ad For ‘Vile’ Movie He Claims Hurts Troops & Helps Terrorists
For two months now, Fox News host Bill O’Reilly has been using his various media perches to criticize & attack Brian De Palma’s controversial new film, Redacted, which was financed by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. Last week, in order to test “O’Reilly’s motivation” for his campaign, Cuban bought ad time for the film during The O’Reilly Factor
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It's a Real Race in Iowa: Obama Takes the Lead for the First Time
Steve Benen: It appears recent criticism of Clinton from Edwards and Obama is having an effect.
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Breaking: Neocons Are Focus Grouping War With Iran!!!!
The hawkish advocacy group Freedom's Watch recently rolled out a multi-million dollar ad blitz in support of the troop surge in Iraq. It's now test marketing language that could be used to sell a war with Iran.
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Monday, November 19, 2007
Another candidate with planted questions?
After the recent brouhaha over Hillary Clinton and some planted questions, most political observers had to concede that the practice is hardly unusual at the presidential level. The Clinton campaign got caught, and it was embarrassingly sloppy for the usually-flawless operation, but the reaction was muted thanks in part to the frequency with which
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Pakistan court bulldozes through rulings for Musharraf
By Kamran Haider ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's Supreme Court, packed with government-friendly judges since the imposition of emergency rule, dismissed on Monday the main challenges to President Pervez Musharraf's re-election last month. Once the...
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Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Brian De Palma's Redacted opens 11/16 - Don't let Bill O'Reilly's protests succeed
Why is Bill O'Reilly so terrified of "Redacted" - it's just fictional, isn't it?
Perhaps we should all go see the film this weekend to find out why...
Bob Fertik
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Latin America's Shock Resistance
Naomi Klein-Recent events in Latin America show how societies can recover from extreme capitalism and become less vulnerable to externally provoked political shocks.
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Dick Cheney's Sadistic Passion for Shooting Tame Animals
Dick Cheney just spent a day shooting up pen-raised birds. Some hunters liken the sport -- killing tame animals that offer no resistance -- to having sex with a blow-up doll. Sociopaths Jeffrey Dahmer and Richard Speck were both big on animal cruelty. And they weren't running foreign policy.
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Have Democrats Lost Their Liberal Spirit?
A new book explores the McGovern campaign and what Democrats have -- or have not -- learned from it.
Intro written by Colin Greer: The following excerpt is from Bruce Miroff's book on the 1972 McGovern Presidential campaign, The Liberals' Moment. This is the first history of that epochal event in progressive politics. The book is rich in detail and its path takes us to the recognition that, for two or three generations, the leadership of the Democratic party and its guiding centrist message derives from politicos, DLC luminaries including Bill Clinton and John Podesta, who cut their teeth in the McGovern campaign and learned the wrong lessons from it.
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Intro written by Colin Greer: The following excerpt is from Bruce Miroff's book on the 1972 McGovern Presidential campaign, The Liberals' Moment. This is the first history of that epochal event in progressive politics. The book is rich in detail and its path takes us to the recognition that, for two or three generations, the leadership of the Democratic party and its guiding centrist message derives from politicos, DLC luminaries including Bill Clinton and John Podesta, who cut their teeth in the McGovern campaign and learned the wrong lessons from it.
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Monday, November 12, 2007
Key Khmer Rouge leader arrested
Nov. 12 - Cambodian police have arrested the former Khmer Rouge Foreign Minister Ieng Sary and his wife for war crimes committed during the 1970s.
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Pakistan to resume Musharraf case
Nov. 12 - Pakistan's Supreme Court will resume a hearing challenging President Pervez Musharraf's election.
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Border Patrol agents brutalize protestors during No Borders Camp closing.
At the end of a bi-national march from the site of the No Borders Camp and rally at the Mexicali/Calexico port of entry, around 100 Border Patrol officers and attacked a group of about 30 demonstrators on the u.s. side and with pepper gas pellets, tazers, and batons. 2-3 people were severely beaten and more suffered from the use of chemical weapons
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Confrontation looms over Bhutto's protest
By Simon Gardner and Kamran Haider LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto will not be allowed to hold a motorcade procession planned for Tuesday from the city of Lahore to protest against emergency rule, a government...
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"US Must Redefine Privacy" from CLG
We are no longer a free country...nor are we living in a democracy. I wish this scared more people! It scares the crap out of me!!!
Intelligence official: U.S. must redefine privacy --Residents [!] need to adjust to loss of anonymity, government leader says 11 Nov 2007 As Congress debates new rules for government eavesdropping, a top intelligence official says it is time that people in the United States changed their definition of privacy. Privacy no longer can mean anonymity, says Donald Kerr, the principal deputy director of national intelligence. Kerr’s comments come as Congress is taking a second look at the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
Citizens for Legitimate Government - Index
Technorati tags: CLG, Citizen's for a Legitimate Government, political opinion, government wiretapping, freedom, government
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)launches Veterans Resource Center
NAMI launches Veterans Resource Center
Visit NAMI's Veterans Resouce Center (www.nami.org/veterans)
Add your tribute to the
Veterans Tribute Honor RollForward this e-mail to those who are veterans or active duty military, and their families
This week, NAMI launched its Veterans Resource Center, an online portal to mental health resources for America's veterans, active duty service members, and their families. In conjunction with this launch, NAMI is providing you with a unique opportunity to honor those who have served and continue to serve our country.
As we approach Veterans Day 2007 as a nation at war,many of our veterans who are returning from active duty face a second war at home, confronting profound mental health problems that challenge their lives and the lives of their families.
Consider these grim statistics:
- Almost 1 in 3 veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq confront mental health problems.
- In 2006, the suicide rate in the Army reached its highest level in 26 years.
- Approximately 30% of veterans treated in the Veterans health system suffer from depressive symptoms, two to three times the rate of the general population.
- More Vietnam veterans have now died from suicide than were killed directly during the war in the 1960s and 70s.
- Approximately 40% of homeless veterans have mental illnesses. Approximately 57% of this group are African American or Hispanic veterans.
In an effort to respond to these issues, NAMI's Veterans Resource Center features a growing compilation of fact sheets, self-help information, online discussion groups, research and policy updates, and links to government agencies and other private organizations. NAMI has made the Center a priority to meet a growing need.
One of the special features of the Veterans Resource Center is the Veterans Tribute Honor Roll. This is a way you can support NAMI's work on behalf of veterans.
Make a donation online, and you will have the opportunity to add your name to the list of those who are supporting better mental health care resources for veterans, active duty service members, and their families.
You may also make your gift in tribute to a veteran, active duty service member, or other loved one, and include a message of support for display on the Roll.
For Veterans Day 2007, let's show our men and women in uniform whose lives are affected by mental illness that they are not alone, and that their fellow Americans stand with them, ready to support them.
Please make a donation today, and add your tribute to the Honor Roll.
Bush Is Officially The Most Hated US President Ever [VIDEO]
Or at least in the history of the Gallup Poll. Even Nixon's disapproval numbers weren't as high during the height of the Watergate crisis.
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Saturday, November 10, 2007
The Catastrophic Iraq Occupation the U.S. Media Rarely Reports: Interview
"The bogus idea that if the U.S. leaves things will worsen is both inherently racist and ignorant." Dahr Jamail's MidEast Dispatches are essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what is happening in Iraq (you can sign up on the site to receive his reports via email). Dahr Jamail has spent a total of 8 months in occupied Iraq...
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Why Are Democrats Afraid to Impeach Cheney? [VIDEO]
Cheney has an 11 percent approval rating, so why are Democrats scared to take him to task in front of the entire nation?
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Bill Moyers: When Are We Going to See Democracy In Pakistan? [VIDEO]
It's now a contest between guns and power versus people and truth.You've been seeing these pictures all week, But let's take a second look and consider what an extraordinary thing is happening in Pakistan.Those are lawyers you see out there in the streets, confronting the army and the police, taking those blows, tear-gassed, shoved into vans like cattle and hauled off to who knows what fate.
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The Bush Administration Plans to Blame You for Iraq
When it becomes clear to everyone that the surge has failed, blame will be shifted from the civilian and military leaders, who sold us a war on false pretexts, to "the enemy within", the American people who failed to sustain their will to win, just as was done with the Vietnam War. The seeds of this myth are already being sown.
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"Could Smoking Pot Be Good for Teens?" by AlterNet
I'm 46 and smoke marijuana. But, I can't begin to believe that marijuana could be good for children...teenagers. Then again, I have a 15 yo son and I don't think kids should smoke until there 21. Like the drinking age...that doesn't work. But, what does?
Peace,
soul
By Bruce Mirken, AlterNet. Posted November 10, 2007.
If you follow the White House's twisted logic, the answer could be yes.
A new study from Switzerland raises the question: Might marijuana actually be good for teens? The answer is almost certainly no, but if one follows the logic used by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP, aka the Drug Czar's office), the answer would be, "In some ways, yes."
If that seems confusing, allow me to explain.
The Swiss study, just published in Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine was based on a survey of 5,263 students, aged 16-20. Scientists compared teens who smoked both cigarettes and marijuana, those who used only marijuana, and those who abstained from both substances. The results were surprising.
By pretty much all measures, the youths using both marijuana and tobacco were doing the worst. Compared to those using marijuana only, they had poorer grades, were less likely to finish school, more likely to be depressed and more likely to get drunk frequently. Their marijuana use was also much more frequent than the marijuana-only group, and they were much more likely to have started smoking marijuana before age 15.
But the marijuana-only teens were strikingly similar to the abstainers, with very few statistically significant differences. The marijuana smokers were more likely to skip school but had comparable grades and were just as likely to finish their schooling as the abstainers. The marijuana users had more "sensation-seeking" personalities, which -- not surprisingly -- translated to somewhat higher use of alcohol or other drugs than the abstainers. But the marijuana-only group's use of alcohol and other drugs was far lower than the marijuana/cigarette group.
And in some ways the teens using marijuana looked better than the abstainers. They had better peer relationships, were more likely to be involved in sports and more likely to be on an academic (as opposed to vocational) track in school.
(Click on the link below to read the entire article)
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Real Time with Bill Maher | Naomi Klein
As many of you already know the author of the book "Shock Doctrine", Naomi Klein was a guest on Real Time with Bill Maher.
Here's the clip;
Real Time with Bill Maher Naomi Klein
Technorati tags: Naomi Klein, Bill Maher, The Shock Doctrine, Real Time with Bill Maher, videos, YouTube
ThinkFast Agency
**I'm a Big fan of Mark Fiore's work...I'm glad to see other's enjoy his work as well!
A satirical ad for spin by the White House.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Email: Join Me - Restore America's Honor
An e-mail I got from Democrats.com-Unity;
Please read this note from Gen. David Irvine, who taught interrogation for 18 years, about ending torture in America's name. At a time when our leaders aren't giving us straight answers, Gen. Irvine gets to the point: Torture is never the answer.
Please join me in signing the petition to all presidential candidates.
Bob Fertik
Dear Friend,
I taught prisoner of war interrogation for 18 years to U.S. Army soldiers. Neither I nor the Army taught torture: it's morally wrong, it endangers our own troops who may be taken prisoner, it undermines our values, and it does not produce reliable information.
Torture is un-American. One year from today, we can elect a President who 'gets it' - and rejects it. Thirty seconds from now, you can make a difference. |
Strong presidential leadership is needed to restore our nation's stature in the eyes of the civilized world. This week, one year from the presidential election, I am adding my name to Human Rights First's petition, urging all of the presidential candidates to restore our nation's honor. You can do the same .
This isn't about being tough on terrorists. It's about what's in the strategic interest of the United States. Torture doesn't produce reliable information but it does harden hearts and minds against us, and torture by any agency of our government puts our own troops at greater risk. It's time to stop playing semantic games about what torture is.
If you're like me, you want a President who is truly devoted to this country , its longstanding laws, and its fundamental values. A President who will:
- Stop shipping prisoners to countries known to torture
- Close Guantanamo
- Restore the right of habeas corpus
- Ensure that torture is never again a part of U.S. policy
In one year, we could be celebrating the election of a leader who understands what's at stake. But only if we demand it today! Thank you for joining me and Human Rights First as we end torture and abuse in America's name.
Yours sincerely,
Brigadier General David R. Irvine, USA (Ret.)
Human Rights First is a nonpartisan, 501(c)(3), international human rights organization based in New York and Washington D.C. We do not favor or oppose any candidate for public office.
Friday, November 2, 2007
What if a fake story started the Iraq war?
What if a fabricated story of biological weapons drove the U.S argument for the 2003 invasion of Iraq? CBS claims that it has identified an Iraqi defector, named Rafid Ahmed Alwan, who gave intelligence information to German and U.S investigators...
It is possible a fabricated story of biological weapons drove the U.S argument for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
U.S television network CBS says it has identified an Iraqi defector named Rafid Ahmed Alwan, who gave intelligence information to German and U.S investigators.
Mr Alwan arrived at a German refugee centre in 1999, where he allegedly lied about being a chemical engineer in charge of a facility making mobile biological weapons.
He was eventually interviewed by German intelligence and was able to provide credible descriptions of the Djerf al-Nadaf plant because he had actually worked there, albeit not as head of a biological weapons program.
Summaries of his debriefings were sent to the CIA and then became the main platform for the U.S decision to invade Iraq.
The information was passed to then secretary of state Colin Powell to use at the United Nations in a major speech justifying military action against Iraq.
CBS says Mr Alwan is now believed to be living freely in Germany, probably under an assumed name.
Feinstein & Schumer Confirm Support for Bush Nominee
Two key Democrats crossed party lines and pledged their support to President Bush's embattled Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey, all but ensuring the retired judge's confirmation as the nation's top law enforcement official.
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Rice to be subpoenaed in espionage case
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and more than a dozen other current and former intelligence officials must testify about their conversations with pro-Israel lobbyists, a federal judge ruled Friday in an espionage case.
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The Metaphysics of Change
With Rosabeth M. Kanter, Harvard Business School professor and author of the acclaimed America the Principled: 6 Opportunities for Becoming a Can-Do Nation Once Again, Mary Ann Gould took us onto a rocket ship high enough to reveal our present-day reality. The short list is that change is needed, badly.
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Secret Memos Reveal Rumsfeld Ordered Military to Link Iraq and Iran
GottaLaff: Donald Rumsfeld also wrote of the need to "keep elevating the threat."This post, written by GottaLaff, originally appeared on Cliff Schecter's Brave New Films BlogBoy-howdy! Rummy's little "snowflakes" (messages) sure conveyed some whiz-bang notions!
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Bush Pathetically Panders to His Base By Bashing MoveOn, Code Pink
Faiz Shakir: With his anemic presidency on the rocks, Bush has resorted to battling with bloggers and war protesters for relevance.
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Whatever Happened to the Good Life?
Illusion versus facts. A comparison of the 1950's middle class versus today's middle class...Since we're accustomed to thinking of young people and students as the shock troops of social change, explaining youthful inertia has become a national preoccupation (sadly, we expect impassivity from the middle aged). Many point to the absence of a draft as a motivating factor. Others cite the lack of contemporary examples of successful collective action to inspire faith in the efficacy of protest. But more often than not, the problem is conceived as cultural. The emerging generation, of which I am part, is post-Watergate, post-Monica Lewinsky, and weaned on irony and satire. We expect the government to deceive us and are hardly surprised, let alone outraged, when these expectations are met. Others argue that young people aren't particularly self-absorbed or apathetic; they're overworked and indebted. Today's twenty- and thirty-somethings are so busy struggling to make ends meet, they simply don't have time to take to the streets.
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Pictures of Our Nations Leaders... which they are NOT proud of!
Democrat or republican, they all have taken some pretty bad pictures. Laugh at your tax dollars at work!
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Thursday, November 1, 2007
Leftover Loot
Since 9/11, the Transportation Security Administration has collected tons of items at security checkpoints; in 2006 alone, screeners took in more than 13 million items. What happens to all that stuff? The TSA turns it over to state surplus property agencies, which tend to sell it online or at retail stores. (Sometimes the contraband is sold in bulk.)
The agencies say they'll reunite you with your prized pocketknife, if they can locate it. But they would much prefer that travelers figure out the rules and abide by them. "Our goal is for passengers not to bring this stuff on anymore, so we won't have to deal with it," says Steve Ekin, Georgia's surplus property division director. Here's where to look, and what you might find.
Alabama
Airports: 14 in Florida and Alabama, including Miami, Orlando, Huntsville, and Birmingham
Where to buy: eBay (seller ID: alstatesurplus)
Typical deal: Golf driver $100
Craziest items? "There are always lots of plastic fake swords that people buy at Walt Disney World, so there are probably lots of mad kids."
Info: adeca.state.al.us/surplus%20propertyGeorgia
Airports: Atlanta, Savannah/Hilton Head
Where to buy: Stores in Tucker (Atlanta Surplus Center, 770/414-6468); Swainsboro (Swainsboro Surplus Center, 478/289-2623); and Americus (Americus Surplus Center, 229/931-2407)
Typical deal: Hammers $3, cordless drills $10
Craziest items? "We get flatware and kitchen knives stolen from restaurants, and we've received a bowling pin, a chain saw, and a few circular saws."
Info: surplusproperty.doas.georgia.govIllinois
Airports: Chicago O'Hare, Chicago Midway, and occasionally four more in Illinois and Michigan
Where to buy: Auctions held at ibid.illinois.gov
Typical deal: 25 pounds of Swiss Army knives for $250
Craziest items? "On occasion, we'll see big bowie knives and ninja swords. And nunchucks--a lot of those come through."Kentucky
Airports: Eight in various states, including Orlando and Miami (Alabama shares the loot), and Louisville
Where to buy: eBay (seller ID: kysurplus)
Typical deal: 50 Swiss Army knives for $250
Craziest items? "We've collected about 500 mini Louisville Slugger bats bought at the Louisville Slugger Museum."
Info: finance.ky.gov/internal/surplusOregon
Airports: Portland and Eugene
Where to buy: eBay (seller ID: oregontrail2000)
Typical deal: 10 Leatherman multitools for $75
Craziest items? "Golf clubs and machetes."
Info: oregonsurplus.comPennsylvania
Airports: 13 from various states, including New York JFK, Newark, Philadelphia, and Cleveland
Where to buy: eBay (seller ID: pastatesurplus)
Typical deal: Deer-hunting kit (gut-slitting knife, multitool, pocketknife, large safety pins, rope, flashlight) for $50
Craziest items? "We've received hundreds of pairs of fuzzy handcuffs and other ... paraphernalia--I wanted to create funny Valentine's Day kits, but folks here thought taxpayers wouldn't like it."
Info: dgs.state.pa.us/surp_propTexas
Airports: Seven across the state, including Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin
Where to buy: Austin Storefront in Austin, 512/463-1990
Typical deal: Scissors and corkscrews 25¢, knives 50¢, multitools $2.50
Craziest items? "Brass knuckles, crutches, and piñata sticks. And we once got a cane with a knife inside it."
Info: tfc.state.tx.us/communities/supportserv/prog/statesurplusWashington State
Airports: Seattle-Tacoma, Spokane, and Tri-Cities
Where to buy: Auburn Retail Store in Auburn, 253/333-4912
Typical deal: Corkscrews for 25¢
Craziest items? "Lots of ulus--round Eskimo chopping blades. Also, a Sit'n Putt. It's a short-handled putter designed to be used while you're on the potty."
Info: ga.wa.gov/surplus
Google Earth Banned in Iran
An Iranian businessman trying to download Google Earth in Iran go the following: "Thanks for your interest, but the product that you're trying to download is not available in your country".
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Concern Raised Over Iran Rhetoric
"My fear is that if we continue to escalate from both sides that we will end up into a precipice, we will end up into an abyss. As I said, the Middle East is in a total mess, to say the least. And we cannot add fuel to the fire,"
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US called Waterboarding a War Crime in 1947.
Mukasey Won’t Say Waterboarding Is Torture But in 1947 the U.S. Called It a War Crime, Sentenced Enemy Officer to 15 Years Hard Labor
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Talking Points Memo | Silencers?
11.01.07 -- 2:57PM
This isn't just a rhetorical question. There certainly may be reasons I'm not aware of. But why does Blackwater need silencers in Iraq? If they're conducting offensive missions, sniping, raids, etc., it would make sense. But for purely defensive security missions protecting State Department employees? Again, not just a rhetorical question -- it's certainly not my area of expertise. I'd be curious to hear from folks who know more about the subject.
The fact they appear to have smuggled them into the country doesn't weigh heavily in favor of an innocent explanation.
From the Desk of Donald Rumsfeld . . .
In a series of internal musings and memos to his staff, then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld argued that Muslims avoid 'physical labor' and wrote of the need to 'keep elevating the threat,' 'link Iraq to Iran' and develop 'bumper sticker statements' to rally public support for an increasingly unpopular war.
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Democrats Debate In Philly: Kucinich Calls For Reality in Iraq and Impeachm
Kucinich not only called for Democrats to reject any movement toward war with Iran, he went on to call for the impeachment of President Bush. If the media was looking for a candidate to set themselves apart from the “front runners,” Kucinich did just that.
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47 Million Americans Lack Health Insurance
The number of Americans lacking health insurance rose by nearly 8.6 million to 47 million from 2000 to 2006, with children and workers from every income level losing coverage, a new report said on Thursday.
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Venezuelan troops use tear gas on Chavez protesters, but CNN ignores why.
CNN takes a stance pro opposition in this article. The organizers of the protest tried to illegally enter National Assembly just as the debate was about to begin. Would CNN support us organizing and entering congress right now? They U.S. media supported the coup against Hugo Chavez that our government helped commit. They are all of them, not us.
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UN Urges US to End Cuba Embargo
For the 16th consecutive year running, the UN General Assembly has voted on a non binding resolution to recommend that the US ends its 40 year old trade embargo on Cuba “as soon as possible", in line with international law and the UN charter. The vote passes while the US, Israel, Palau, and the Marshall Islands voted against it. Micronesia Abstain.
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8 of the top 9 Bush loyalists have resigned from the administration
Yesterday, one of the remaining two Bush loyalists, Karen Hughes, resigned. And so, our chart of fallen Bushies gets one more red RESIGNED mark, leaving only Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, still in office.
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Burma's Uprising: People Power, Not Political Puppetry
By Cynthia Boaz
t r u t h o u t | Report
Thursday 01 November 2007
In the past month, amid the flurry of reports and commentary in international media about the events in Burma, a disturbing theme has emerged among some media commentators. Ranging from the Asia Times and the South China Morning Post to a collection of skeptical Western bloggers, they make the claim that various Washington DC-based agencies and a few key political actors are actually pulling the strings in the Burmese uprising. The rationale behind this "foreign interference," as it has been termed by both the Burmese and Chinese governments, has been given as (take your pick): interests in oil and/or gas reserves, heroin, methamphetamines, geopolitical advantage, and power projection by the United States. While I am among the first to question the motives of the American administration when it comes to foreign policy, I find these claims absurdly cynical to the point of being delusional.
To wit: in an article that appeared in the Asia Times on October 18, 2007 titled "The Geopolitical Stakes of the Saffron Revolution," the author states that "Myanmar's 'Saffron Revolution', like the various color revolutions instigated in recent years against strategic states surrounding Russia, is a well-orchestrated exercise in Washington-run regime change." The author then goes on to cite the role of the NED, George Soros's OSI, Freedom House, The Albert Einstein Institute's Gene Sharp, retired Colonel Bob Helvey, the Serbs involved in the nonviolent overthrow of Milosevic, or some combination of the above, as the "puppet-masters" in the series of events in Burma over the past two months.
These statements, which amount to nothing more than conspiracy theories supported by a cherry-picking of mostly unrelated factoids about links between the NLD and US actors, are both irresponsible and potentially dangerous. In fact, when it comes to the mostly well-meaning leftist bloggers, these claims signal that those who should be most encouraged by mass displays of civilian resistance to tyranny may have bought into the propaganda of the Burmese junta and its backers in China. Thus, those who should know better (many of the progressive web sites who have reported on these 'theories') are actually doing the movement in Burma a great disservice by strengthening the hand of the junta there, and potentially undermining the momentum of the resistance. As Stephen Zunes notes in an essay published on the Asia Times web site in early August (in response to similar claims made about Iran), many self-identified progressives who promote these conspiracy theories ironically "strengthen the argument of US neo-conservatives that only military force from the outside - and not non-violent struggle by the people themselves - is capable of freeing [Burma] from repressive rule."
If we have learned any lessons from the past century about how real democratization comes about, it is that the most effective and enduring means of long-term change is through broad-based nonviolent indigenous coalitions. The list of examples is long, but includes countries from every region of the world, including such divergent places as the Philippines, Poland, South Africa, Chile, Mali and Lebanon.
The first misconception in the conspiracy theories stems from the coincidence that in the Burma case, US foreign policy and the interests of the Burmese movement are the same on at least one point: Both entities would like to see an end to military rule in that country. This does not, however, constitute proof the Bush administration is behind the uprising. One of the key criteria for the success of broad-based nonviolent resistance is that it be indigenous. And if the thesis that nonviolent struggle was simply another method for the projection of US power, how do these conspiracy theorists explain the successes of broad-based civilian movements in places like Chile (where the US had supported Pinochet) and the Philippines (whose ousted dictator Marcos had been a close friend of Ronald Reagan)? Are these cases simply anomalies?
By the same token, NED and OSI's support for the resistance in Burma has been common knowledge for decades. However, according to leadership inside the country, this support has primarily taken the form of the sharing of generalized knowledge in the field of nonviolent action (a body of cases and scholarship available to anyone who takes the initiative to investigate it). The actual struggle in Burma - the strategizing, the implementation of tactics, and perhaps most importantly, the will actively to resist injustice - are at the volition of the Burmese people, just as they should be.
Another misconception comes from a degree of ignorance about how nonviolent struggle works. To claim nonviolent protests of the scale we witnessed in late September in Burma can be manufactured abroad is to grossly overestimate the influence of US agents and agencies. How could US agencies organize broad-based protests and manage to get hundreds of thousands to maintain nonviolent discipline half a world away, while these same agencies have, for 50 years, been unable to remove the now 81-year-old, and reportedly invalid, Fidel Castro from his perch only 90 miles from the US border and with a population one-fifth the size of Burma's? These kinds of claims show contempt for what the people of Burma are doing, which is to assert control of their own destiny. They have had enough of repression, fear and poverty. This is their struggle, and they deserve, like all people who are struggling for justice, respect for having sovereignty over their own lives and credit for their courage and sacrifice in the face of oppression.
One of the key concerns on the part of many of those perpetuating this propaganda is US agencies are responsible for the bloodshed of the past month because they are the instigators of the uprising. Setting aside the fact no one has produced any actual evidence for this, it is critical to remember the responsibility for repressive bloodletting always lies in the hands of the oppressors, not those who are fighting the injustice. In "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," Martin Luther King Jr. (who was accused of provoking violence against the civil rights movement by encouraging non-cooperation with the unjust system of racism) wrote to his accusers "... You assert that our actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence. But is this a logical assertion? Isn't this like condemning a robbed man because his possession of money precipitated the evil act of robbery? ... Society must protect the robbed and punish the robber." A few years later, in reflecting on the success of the Nashville sit-ins, one of the members of the civil rights movement there noted, "You cannot wait for someone else to do it, you cannot wait for government to do it, you must make it happen, through your own efforts and action and vision." Regardless of our ideological lenses or propensity for (sometimes justified) suspicion, we have both an individual and collective responsibility - as humans and citizens of a global world - to acknowledge that now in Burma thousands are living up this sentiment. To question the Burmese peoples' authorship of their own struggle serves the interests of a brutal dictatorship, and risks undermining global support for what is, at its heart and its force, an indigenous people's movement.
---------
Cynthia Boaz is assistant professor of political science and international studies at the State University of New York at Brockport, and is on the academic advisory committee of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict.
Cynthia Boaz | Burma's Uprising: People Power, Not Political Puppetry
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