Big dog shines

Clinton rocked the convention! Click to see.

F911

I feel that Fahrenheit 911 will be remembered by my generation the way Nick Ut's "Napalm Girl" has been remembered by the Viet nam generation. It is the moment when American compassion is reawoken and the "evil enemy" is exposed as a sobbing grandmother.

I was expecting to enjoy Fahrenheit 911 because I usually enjoy Michael Moore films and because I was looking forward to this the way Republicans must have anticipated Ken Starr's report. Even so, F911 exceeded my expectations by far. Michael Moore has created a masterpiece that is sure to be remembered as the progeny of a new genre of documentary. I call that genre the doculately (documentary + lately), for it is a documentary of recent history.

Most of the reviews I have read of Fahrenheit 911 failed to mention a facet which I feel gives F911 it's power. When the Bush administration made the case for invading Iraq they did so using lofty ideals like: We need to tip the first Domino in a freedom cascade. Michael Moore's movie tolls those visions of grandeur and conquest hollow.

We see, therefore, an Iraqi grandmother who has lost a handful of family members crying desperately out to God. "Where are you?", she says over and over again; echoing my own thoughts on God's benevolence. "Where are you? Why me? Where are you?"

We see what it means to lose a son in the war, but this time it is an American mother, this time it is an American life lost. This mother describes being so overcome with grief she couldn't support herself, and how the phone which delivered the terrible blow tumbled from her hand. Alone at the time she crawled to a chair and sobbed until her family members arrived.

Michael connects us all emotionally to the suffering which this war has unleashed. He opens our hearts to loss and our eyes to suffering and once this is accomplished the idea of war is replaced with the reality of war.

I recalled the Jewish barber (Charlie Chaplin) in the final scene of "The Great Dictator" when I came to that realization:

The way of life can be free and beautiful.
But we have lost the way.
Greed has poisoned men's souls - has barricaded the world with hate; has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.

We have developed speed but we have shut ourselves in: machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little: More than machinery we need humanity; More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness.
Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

More... Look up Hannah

If, as Charlie Chaplin suggests, it is feeling and humanity and kindness and gentleness that is needed at a moment like this, then Michael Moore's film is the most important artwork of our generation.

Most of the rest of the film is already well documented. Bush is shown mumbling and stammering across the country in a variety of venues, Paul Wolfowitz combs his hair with spit, the extensive Saudi/Bush and Saudi/Al Quaeda connections are examined, there are a few battle scenes, and John Ashcroft sings "When the Eagle Soars" (which he apparently wrote). Those things make the movie entertaining and provide strategic comic relief, but are mostly beside the point.

As for Nick Ut's photograph, less than one year after "Napalm Girl" was published on the AP wire the Viet nam war was officially concluded. Nobody cared about "the vision thing" anymore, they only wanted to make it stop.

My 911 Story

My 911 Story
(Written September 13, 2001)

I woke up early, before dawn, this morning because I was subbing for “Brother John” at WMPG radio. I went where I always do first thing every morning, to the coffee maker (it was Café du Monde coffee for me today).

The night before I had prepared all the music I would need and placed it in a canvas tote bag. So, once my coffee was finished I left early for the studio. I parked my truck out front of the station and sipped my coffee while the sun rose over Portland, Maine. In the dawn light seagulls were soaring above the city and the scene was more beautiful than any view of Portland I ever had. It must have been about 6am and at that time I now know that terrorists were on their way to Logan airport. At that time, though, all I saw and felt were beauty and inner peace (hey seagulls and coffee – try it before knocking it).

I grabbed my music and went inside the station. First, I set about locating the music I wanted to play but didn’t own. I remember it took me a long time to find “Will the circle be unbroken” by the Neville Brothers (on the Yellow Moon LP). That song has the lyrics “Undertaker, won’t you please drive real slow…that’s my mother, that’s my mother, and I sure hate to see her go”. I remember vividly that I played this song after Queen Ida’s “Papa played the fiddle” and Iris Dementh’s “Mama’s Opry” so that people in Portland could start their day with a good cry. I guess I was feeling introspective because of the magnificent morning I’d had. Looking back on it, though, I feel like a heel. Soon enough people would be miserable enough without me.

Generally, though, I’d have to say I played beautiful, happy music – at least I remember finishing the show in a wonderful mood. My favorite thing, which is to have a listener call and get album information (presumably so they can go out and buy it for themselves) happened several times, plus there is nothing like watching a city wake up on a beautiful day.

I remember that as I was wrapping up the show I botched the transition to the next one by failing to let the next DJ know how much time was left. She had to scramble to get started, but graciously didn’t get on my case.

I was on the air from 6:30am to 9am on WMPG & W281AC Gorham/Portland FM 90.9 and FM 104.1, and being simulcast on the web of course. I’m sure the terrorists that passed through Portland wouldn’t have been listening, since they were on their way to Boston already. However, it creeps me out to know that they were in my city, sleeping in it’s hotels, and passing themselves off as normal. I imagine there were seagulls in New York City that morning. I imagine there were public radio DJs like myself, going about their lives. I want to say I’m sorry to all the people of New York, to the husbands and fathers and mothers and sisters and brothers, to the urine-soaked bums, to the stone-faced cops, to the cabbies, to the hustlers, and the “suits” that make New York special. We didn’t know, or even suspect, that such an act would begin in our midst. How could we? The sun was rising on a beautiful day, and the Neville Brothers were singing “Will the circle be Unbroken.”

I left the station a few minutes after 9 (I had to file records and CDs, and I talked a bit to the other DJs). On my way home, I stopped at a bakery. A lady there distractedly sold me an éclair and a cinnamon bun (with raisins). Her coworkers were all saying things like “Oh my God” and staring at what I presumed was a TV, but I couldn’t see or hear it. Although I assumed it was entertainment television they were watching and someone like Mariah Carey “suffered” another “catastrophe”, curiosity got the best of me and I asked what was going on. When I was told a second plane had just struck the World Trade Center in New York, all I could manage to say was, “what?” They understood and said, “come look” and invited me over to watch television with them. On the television were the World Trade Center towers, but they were billowing smoke as if they were factories or paper mills. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I thanked the ladies and left; I went home and turned on my own television. I was hoping something was wrong with their televisions. I remember hoping the images on my TV would be normal. I know that’s stupid and I can’t explain it, but I felt it anyway. Of course, their television wasn’t broken and the World Trade Centers were burning on my television too.

I decided to call the station and let them know what I knew, which wasn’t much, but was enough to let them know they needed to shift their focus. I was the first to reach with the news and was asked to go live, on the spot, with what I knew. I remember I wanted to be cautious, measured, professional, and compassionate. I fear I was none of those things but, perhaps, the latter. How does one put into words a scene such as that? That two pillars of America have been bombed, that people, a great number of people (estimates as high as 50,000 at the time), were undoubtedly suffering. I tried to describe what I saw. I tried to give references (i.e. MSNBC reported…) whenever I could. At that point I wasn’t yet sure if one, or both, towers had been hit (the reporting was still quite frenzied).

I made the report brief and was asked to call back when I knew more. I watched TV rabidly, trying to confirm what had been hit and when. I watched footage of a commercial airliner slamming into tower 2. I called the station back with this information and by then they had received more calls. I remember that as I was reporting that both towers were indeed struck, and by commercial jetliners, that someone else reported that the Pentagon had been struck.

I don’t remember feeling unsafe, at-risk, or endangered. Let’s face it, I was in Portland, ME. However, I remember feeling pissed off at the military-industrial machine in this country; with their billion dollar budgets, their suits, their charts, their talk of “troops” and “theaters” not “Americans” and “battlefields”; their bravado and arrogance and for what? So that the very center of their operations can nearly be destroyed by people that can’t afford a decent bomb? This is akin to Barney Fife shooting himself in the foot. Andy always took away his bullets and I thought that was wise.

It was about that time I noticed I was absently stuffing an éclair in my mouth, while first reaching for my coffee, then the remote. I surprised myself because I should have been horrified. Where was my humanity?

It arrived when building two collapsed. Either NBC or ABC (I forget which) had just talked with firemen that were streaming into the building, knowing full well it was unsafe; to do everything they could for the people inside. When asked about it most people lied and said, “It’s my job, it’s what we do.” They didn’t say, “We love our neighbors and want to help them because they need us”, or “I don’t know why I’m willing to go in there, but I can’t help myself.”

Shortly after that segment, anyway, building two collapsed. I assumed that most, and I presumed all, of those men were now dead. I guess I learned what directors have known for decades, which is that people don’t react until suffering is personal. Someone I never met, but admired for their well-placed bravery, just died. They died not as victims, someone unlucky enough to be inside the World Trade Center that day, but as heroes; and finally tears came. Finally my anger gave way to grief as I became aware there were tens of thousands of lives ended today. Some of them were of the highest caliber.

I believe the US was attacked not because we are “good” and the attackers are “bad” as many in power are saying to their children. We were attacked because we engage in terrorism against other countries (i.e. Iran-Contra), we trained people like Osama Bin Laden, and because our politicians are not looking out for our best interests but their own.

It always bugs me that terrorists don’t attack the source of their frustrations. Do bonds traders and secretaries at the World Trade Center make intelligence decisions? Were the people leaping to their deaths the ones enforcing embargos?

No. In the end terrorists are frustrated and impotent, striking at targets they can reach because they cannot really effect change. Lot’s of people will be afraid now, but it won’t be the men in back rooms – the old-fashioned fascists – it will be the plumbers and secretaries and nurses and steel workers.

Sigh.


God Bless America


That’s my 911 story. There are approximately 250 million of them across the country. On Monday I’ll be discussing Michael Moore’s 911 story “Fahrenheit 911”.

Is our politicians learning?

Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?

George W. Bush
Florence, S.C., Jan 11, 2000

When I first heard that quote back in 2000 I knew we were in trouble as a nation. That inspired these lyrics, which I fancy would make a good gospel tune. The bit before the comma should be sung by someone with bass in their voice, the rest of the line by the rest of the group. Lines without commas should be sung solo.

Is our politicians learning?

Before the, bombs rain down,
Before the, children die,
Won't you, help us Lord,
Before the mothers cry?

They beat, drums of war.
They rub, hands in greed.
Won't you, hear this prayer,
In our time of need?

Won't you, fill us with joy?
Won't you, fill us with love?
Won't you, help us to live, Lord,
Like the peaceful dove?

Won't you, uplift our hearts?
Won't you, uplift our minds?
Won't you, stop us from acting,
Selfish and unkind?

Let us, love our neighbor.
Let us, feed our enemy.
Let us, speak the truth,
And live in harmony

Before...

U.M.


Maybe this song will come in handy for the Iran, or North Korea, or Syria, or China, or France buildup?

Troops scale back Anbar patrols

When you start reading stories like this it is either time to get more allies into Iraq or for us to get out.

Impossible position of our troops

Tipping his hat to Yogi Bera, John Fogerty just released a song called "Deja Vu All Over Again". He sees many parallels between Viet nam and Iraq and cannot believe we are so stupid again.

I believe it. In fact I am amazed human beings have lasted so long given how violent and stupid they are every day. Look at Sudan right now: more people might die there in one year than Saddam ever dreamed of killing in 35 years of power. In fact, without immediate action the death totals are estimated to be as high as one million.

Hope for change

James Carville is one of my favorite public figures. He doesn't mince his words, is kinda folksy, and has orchestrated a few routs. What's not to like?

Maybe only a southern man can somehow walk in the highest, most elite, circles of power on earth and exude an aura of down-home-ism at the same time. Or, maybe it has more to do with maintaining a rural vs citified speaking style (as in Reagan's case). Anyway, however he does it, I am a James Carville fan.

He has formed an organization called Democracy Corps whose goal is to make politicians more responsive to the wishes of the governed. Here's a link to the site:

Democracy Corps

On that site you can find a report called "Strategic and message clarity on the eve of the convention" which is his analysis of Kerry's chances against Bush:

Framework Favoring John Kerry’s Election

As a Kerry supporter I am most encouraged by this line: "There is no real
area where the president stands on firm ground."

Yipee!

Redemption through war

Doctrine produces conflict when combined with intolerance. I feel that any religion which preaches intolerance should more properly be considered a political organization.

Here is an article on United States evengelical Christians written from the perspective of one disaffected with the movement:

Evengelical militance

I personally don't understand how people can justify violence as a glory to God. There may be some debate as to whether or not Jesus is a pacifist, but there seems to be general agreement about what Satan wants (i.e. conquest, war, famine, and death).

Conquest, by the way, comes in the form of the deceiver.


"Bombing Iraq will spread democracy throughout the Muslim world".

- George W. Bush, Feb. 26, 2003


I wonder...

Wanna know what Kerry will stand for

Here is a link to the Democratic Platform for America. This is how Kerry and Edwards will govern:

Democratic Platform

A Democrat Knows That the Leaf Turns

A Prarie Home Companion has always been one of my favorite radio programs and Garrison Keillor, week in and week out, tells stories, puts on radio dramas, reads poetry and sings.

He wrote a book called "Homegrown Democrat: A FewPlain Thoughts From the Heart of America
"

Here is an excerpt from the book, in which he discusses the social contract which binds people in the Midwest:

A Democrat Knows That the Leaf Turns

I like that the excerpt talks about the type of society we want to live in, rather than the type of economy. Life is sacred. Money is not.

Flag Etiquette

One thing that irritates me is "patriotic" Americans that don't even know how to display their flags properly. Nothing says, "I'm a poser" like a flag in the rain, or those shredded flags on people's antennas.

Flag Etiquette

A new custom?

This morning, as allegations of sodomizing children surface in Iraq, I find myself thinking about war and peace in general terms.

I decided that if a war is worth starting then it ought to be worth dying for, therefore I propose that it be custom henceforth that all those responsible for starting a war be put to death at it's conclusion whether victorious or not.

Further, I propose that any leader who has led his nation into a war which takes ten years or more to conclude should also be put to death, under the theory that such a leader made a foolish miscalculation.

In this way life would be a bit more precious to those that rule. Also, we citizens would know that the cause were more important to a politician than money or self-preservation, and I might be scared enough to fight like hell when confronted with that.

The background: Democracy through Sodomy

According to the Red Cross, 70% to 90% of the detainees held at Abu Ghraib were arrested by mistake. Is it comforting to know that at least 30% to 10% of the children we may have tortured weren't innocent?

What a world we're building for the children.

Franklin D. Roosevelt- June 27, 1936

In 1936 Franklin D. Roosevelt accepted the renomination for the presidency in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In this speech he talks of a "resolute enemy within our gates", which he refers to as the "priviledged princes of economic dynasty".

If I were John Kerry I'd revive the great speeches of FDR and target them squarely at Bush and Cheney. After all, Bush belongs to a dynasty and Halliburton represents "priviledged enterprise, not free enterprise" in modern America. Bush is on record, too, referring to FDR's New Deal as socialism.

Here is the speech:

FDR on cronyism

Now, let's contrast what FDR said:

"We are poor indeed if this Nation cannot afford to lift from every recess of American life the dread fear of the unemployed that they are not needed in the world. We cannot afford to accumulate a deficit in the books of human fortitude."

With what Greg Mankiw, GWB's chief economic advisor said in February:

"The movement of U.S. jobs overseas due to cheaper labor costs, outsourcing, would prove a plus for the economy in the long run and was a new way of doing international trade"

(Source: Outsourcing OK)

Finally, FDR had to tangle with a Bush himself. You can read about it here:

Grandpa Bush


ADDENDUM: Halliburton has been subpoenaed over unit's Iran work. Read the story here:

$80 million for Cayman Islands unit of Halliburton

Iran crisis builds

Let's hope this report is way off the mark, otherwise we'll be rolling into Iran in October:

Iran Crisis Builds

BBC Audio interview with Bill Clinton

Here is a short interview conducted by the BBC with Bill Clinton. He talks about Tony Blair's "impossible position" in the run-up to the Iraq war and some of his own attempts to stop Osama.


Bill on Blair

Whale of a story

Whale of a story

What is the difference between
the eyes of a whale which wonder
and the wonder with which
we watch whales?

We watch a whale and wonder why,
while a whale with wonder in it's eyes
won't wonder why we watch.

While whales wallow in water
We follow in our floatilla
finding fun in his flippers
and fantastic belly flops.

U.M.

If at first you don't succeed, keep it up.

I am surprised by people who think Iraq is going swimmingly, and would like to know what failure looks like if not lying to get into a war and abandoning capable planning in favor of a "sweets and flowers" philosophy.
Perhaps a little quiz will win a few converts?

How many post-conflict American combat casualties were there in:

A. Germany
B. Japan
C. Haiti
D. Bosnia
E. Kosovo

If you answered zero, none, not one, less than one, and ought respectively you are correct.

Here is the documentation:

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

In Iraq, as of this writing we have 715 US military fatalities since Bush declared "Mission Accomplished" and 40 since we transferred sovereignty.

Here is the documentation:

Coalition Casualties in Iraq

I am currently reading Isaac Asimov's science fiction masterpiece "Foundation". The political mantra in the book is: "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent". It is a great novel made all the more entertaining contrasted against our current Commander-In-Chief.

Whenever Bush assures us he wants to "stay the course" I shall now recognize that he is seeking refuge.

Throwing the first stone with a log in his eye

A wife is not a punishment to be endured for the benefit of society! If you are unhappy with your marriage it is not somehow the fault of the activities of lesbians in Provincetown or gay men in San Francisco!

George Bush seems to think that society is going to collapse if gay people are allowed to marry. Apparently he wants to protect the sanctity of a Britney Spears weekend marriage from the clutches of "evil" lesbians like Mary Cheney (daughter of VP Dick Cheney).

How is it fair or equal to relegate homosexual Americans to "separate but equal" status? How, exactly, is the sanctity of marriage jeopardized by the actions of gay people? How, further, is it Christian to judge anyone?

Bush 'disappointed' by concept of equal treatment under the law for the Godless queers


It is human nature to feel better about oneself when playing the role of martyr or persecutor. As far as I can tell society would be a lot better off without either type of person. We need more people that take personal responsibility for their own actions and who tolerate the activities of their neighbors which do them no harm. Someone once said something about treating others the way you wanted to be treated yourself. I forget who said that or why, but it seems relevant. If they can find that quote, maybe they should put it up in a courtroom to serve as a mantra to those that judge others.
 

Neocon utopia

Seymour Hersh is a writer and it is difficult to listen to him speak sometimes. However, if you wade through this speech you will learn a few explosive details about operation Enduring Freedom.

Seymour comes on at about the 1 hour, 7 minute, and 50 second mark of this video. This is about the half-way point.

Interrogation or perversion?

This article paraphrases one of the more shocking charges:

Fruits of war

Wonks wonking

Wanna read a wonky analysis of Islam and it's relationship to terrorism?

If you answered yes, then you probably don't get out enough. May I suggest a nice movie like "The Station Agent"?

No?

Well then:

Modernization and Democratization in the Muslim World

Creeping fascism

When people are arrested and released from their jobs for wearing anti-Bush t-shirts, that's creeping fascism. It used to be considered un-American, but I guess now we say it is pro-Republican.

Little cat feet

On the light side

What kind of rhetorical swamp have faithful Republicans put themselves in?

Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.

The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is enforcing UN resolutions against Iraq (while also ignoring resolutions against Israel).

The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay.

There are many more truths here:

Things you have to believe to be a Republican today

Equal opportunity nation

One facet of governance is deciding where to draw the lines between economic needs and societal well-being. For instance, it would be cheapest of all not to educate children, but it would be hard to have a desirable and functioning society with a bunch of morons running around. It would be cheapest if every American were a slave to a supreme American overlord, but difficult to sell them cell phones, laptops, and game-cubes, or to create opportunity for ambition.

In the crazy liberal/progressive world that I want to live in there exists a humane and decent standard of living that promotes a safe and productive society. I want to live in a society that provides everyone health care, food and shelter security, and opportunity commensurate with their qualifications and work ethic.
I don't think a man, for instance, ought to have to choose between a doctors visit for his child or a roof over his family's head. I don't think children ought to be shuffled from activity to activity because their parents need to work two jobs to make ends meet. I don't think that a bright child, however poor, ought to be left to rot on the vine for want of an affordable education.

I am a perfect example of what a little help can do. Because of the Pell grant program I was able to go to college and get a degree writing computer software. Because of that career opportunity my income rose to a level which has more than compensated America's investment in me (via taxes on income and the goods that I buy).

I want to live in an America that works harder to provide insurance to the 43 million Americans currently without. I want to live in an America that invests in it's citizens so that we don't need to outsource high-tech jobs for lack of high-tech workers. I want to live in an America that fulfills it's economic commitments (vis-a-vis the budget) so that it can fulfill it's social commitments (vis-a-vis medicare, social security, and VA care). I want to live in an America that is a responsible steward of the environment.

I don't think that George Bush and I share the same vision for America. I'm not sure why, since he certainly knows the advantage of a helping hand.

Off to see the wizard...

Click picture to learn about the Wizard of Oz letter 

Juan Cole vs Bush

Juan Cole is a history professor at the University of Michigan. He has a blog based on the Middle East, History, and Religion. In this article he refutes Bush's "happy talk" with a little unhappy reality.

Who's safer now?

A CIA veterans take on Intelligence Committee report

Ray McGovern was a CIA analyst for 27 years, from the John F. Kennedy administration to that of George H. W. Bush. He, therefore, is someone whose opinions about CIA matters I like to pay attention to. This is a veteran of the cold war and a man that served both parties well (at one point he was briefing George H. W. Bush).

Here is his analysis of the recent Intelligence Committee report:

The Corruption of Intelligence

Here is another link to the article:

Corrupted Intelligence

Here is a link to the book mentioned in the article:

Imperial Hubris

Another tree falls in the woods and can only Democrats can hear it?

Who knew Biden was so damn funny

Rolling Stone put together a panel to discuss the deterioration in Iraq. Some of the things in this article are extremely candid, with my favorite being this statement from Senator Joseph Biden:

About six months ago, the president said to me, "Well, at least I make strong decisions, I lead." I said, "Mr. President, look behind you. Leaders have followers. No one's following. Nobody."

In fact, he has several direct lines like it, with a terrific one directed Cheney's way. I had no idea he had such a gift for put-down.

RollingStone.com

On the panel are:

Gen. Anthony Zinni Commander in chief of Centcom, 1997-2000; special envoy to the Middle East, 2002-2003; author of Battle Ready

Gen. Wesley Clark Supreme allied commander, Europe, 1997-2000; led NATO military campaign in Kosovo Rand Beers Counterterrorism adviser to President Bush, 2002-2003; national security adviser to Sen. John Kerry Sen. Joseph Biden Ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Thomas P.M. Barnett Strategic adviser to the Defense Department, 2001-2003; faculty member of U.S. Naval War College; author of The Pentagon's New Map Fouad Ajami, Director of Middle Eastern Studies at Johns Hopkins University

Sir Jeremy Greenstock British diplomat in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, 1969-2004; U.N. representative, 1998-2003; special representative for Iraq, 2003-2004

Youssef Ibrahim Managing director of the Dubai-based Strategic Energy Investment Group; former Middle Eastern correspondent for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal

Bob Kerrey Senator from Nebraska, 1988-2000; president of New School University

Chas Freeman U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, 1989-1992; assistant secretary of defense, 1993-1994

Defying Convention

What is the four-step program used by city officials and police to thwart first-amendment rights? Will New York and Boston political conventions more closely resemble open-air super-max prisons or a healthy democracy? Will candidates eventually need their own bullet-proof fleet to repressent us?

What is the difference between a protestor and an American expressing an opinion? Will the New York Times send any reporters to the "free speech zones"?

Is Ahmed Chalabi feeding bogus information about protestors to city officials through a network of Iraqi defectors?

Many of these questions seek answers here:

Defying Convention

Deep thoughts on Liberty, Justice, and Security

The reason a Western-style democracy generates much more wealth than, say, the economy of a tin-pot despot is because democracy puts control of wealth generation into the hands of the wealth generators. The affairs of state are complex enough without trying to micro manage 200 million people's daily lives.

This is why Stalin's Russia crumbled. Eventually nepotism, cronyism, communism, or whatever you wish to call it tries to dictate to people rather than providing for what they want. Soon, you tie up your national resources and treasure and workforce generating things that nobody wants to curry favor with your cartel of friends. The economy begins to suffer because exports decline, then the military begins to suffer because the economy suffers, then the workforce begins to suffer and that increases the security costs to the state, which tips you into an economic abyss. Eventually dictators wind up spending their time, energy, and resources propping up a way of life that is detrimental to all because they haven't the capacity for reason. For instance, while Saddam was glorying in his fiefdom when did you ever see "Made in Iraq" on anything?

China is interesting, for they seem to have struck upon the notion of controlling the culture with an iron fist, thereby controlling what the people want, the better to anticipate their needs. This is a novel idea that will simply take a bit longer to fail. The reason it will fail is because we live in an inter-connected and inter-dependent world now. When the Chinese see what we have they will want it for their children, and there is simply no way to keep our culture out through force of arms. The Chinese government will simply be unable to keep out Jerry Springer and Oprah no matter how hard it tries. In fact censorship generally increases demand for a product.

That is the strength of this nation more-so than it's weaponry or flag/logo design. I believe that when we are true to the ideals of our founding: that all men are created equal, that opportunity and fairness are the engine of a peaceful/wealthy society, that we must all pay our fair share to live in a just society, and that we will never trade our liberty (or our neighbors) for a few magic beans, we are unopposable. This is because, as a Russian (forgive my memory) best put it, "You cannot stop an ism".

This is the historic lesson of governance for politicians to learn. Fight favor, rather than curry it, and you will generate more cultural wealth, economic wealth, and military might than if you pontificate infallible edicts from a mountain-top. A mantra to govern well is, "Embrace choice, for that is the engine of liberty. Protect fairness, for that is the engine of opportunity."

Because I believe strongly in the above it is very frustrating to watch the Bush administration operate in Iraq. By treating Iraq's capital like a baby with candy and pontificating privatization Bush has robbed Iraqis of opportunity. By hoarding Iraq's treasure in Halliburton-style sweetheart-deals the Bush administration has robbed Iraq's economy of fairness.

It may be a long time yet before we see "Made in Iraq" on anything we buy.

Flip and Flop Friday

Whenever I hear President Bush accuse someone else of being a flip-flopper I enjoy a full belly laugh. Here is a man that promised to be compassionate and humble, who criticized Clinton for using the US military for nation-building in Kosovo, and who passes himself off as a good old boy (when he was educated at Exeter, Yale, and Harvard).

Let me provide one concrete example of Bush flipping and flopping, these quotes are on Osama and I think they would be a great ad for Kerry:

"The most important thing is for us to find Osama Bin Laden. It is our number one priority and
we will not rest until we find him!"

Pres. Bush, September 13, 2001

"I don't know where Bin Laden is. I have no idea and I really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority."

Pres. Bush, March 13, 2002


For many other examples, follow your mouse here:

Flippity Floppity

More bad news from Iraq

A bowl full of good intentions that produces a thimble full of spit is worth a thimble full of spit.

Here is a thimble full of spit:

Bad news in Iraq

I have no idea about the intentions and whether or not they filled a bowl.

Oh brother

Looking for deceit from the Bush administration is not unlike looking for blades of grass in a field. The latest deceit, covered by lies, which were then exposed amongst much spin and finger-pointing is this:

Inquiry Confirms Top Medicare Official Threatened Actuary Over Cost of Drug Benefits

In this particular scandal Bush administrators lied to Congress (including fellow Republicans) about the costs of Bush's prescription drug bill in order to get it passed.

It's kinda like the war, where President Bush sent a letter to Congress on March 19, 2003 which said that the war was permitted under legislation authorizing force against those who “planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001.”

The Sept. 11th commission, of course, put the lie to that canard. Now the finger-pointing (it was the CIAs fault) and spin (You can't prove the WMDs don't exist) has begun.

Republicans who believe Bush just because he is of their party are a lot like Charlie Brown showing faith in Lucy to hold the ball in place "this time". God bless your faith. I hope you're wearing thick trousers.

Come on out Osama Bin Laden wherever you are

This article charges that President Bush is playing political games with Osama Bin Laden's capture. Apparently Pakistan was asked to capture HVT (High Value Targets) during the Democratic National Convention.

It might be a smart political idea, but it is criminal to risk Osama's escape. He is the guy responsible for over 3,000 American deaths on 9/11.

Dumb and Dangerous

Of course, the last time Pakistan announced it had HVTs surrounded they were full of warm wind. Their forces got hammered and nobody was caught.

More McCain on Bush

"When it comes time to make the decision to send our young men and women into harm's way, that decision should be made by a leader who knows that such decisions have profound consequences. There comes a time when our nation's leader can no longer rely on briefing books and talking points."

Senator John McCain speaking of Bush in 1999

Fighting fire with fire

CNN has been airing an "ad" from President Bush's website in which John McCain is portrayed as John Kerry's first choice for a VP.

Here is just one thing that John McCain has had to say about George Bush:

"Governor Bush is one of the great polluters in history. Air quality in Texas has gone down." [McCain in New York City, 3/4/00]

You can find many McCain shots at Bush here:

McCain on W

The Bush administration likes to gloss over uncomfortable truths with a thin veil of happy talk. If the media decides to look beneath the veil it will find a wealth of McCain repudiations of Bush's policies.

The question I have now is, "Will this help Bush's reputation or hurt McCain's?" (hint: See Powell, Colin or Blair, Tony).

Ron Reagan is a Bush detractor

Ron Reagan Jr. was recently interviewed by Larry King. He isn't happy with Iraq or Bush. You can read his views here:

Ron Reagan Jr

Voting Official Seeks Terrorism Guidelines

"The government needs to establish guidelines for canceling or rescheduling elections if terrorists strike the United States again, says the chairman of a new federal voting commission.

Such guidelines do not currently exist, said DeForest B. Soaries, head of the voting panel."

Zoinks


Did you notice DeForest said "or rescheduling".

OR! WHAT DO YOU MEAN, OR!

It's Edwards

It's official. John Kerry chose John Edwards to be his running mate.

See the details here:

Bring on the VP debates

A hale of a torse

Here is how I have fun with language:

A hale of a torse

A hule and a morse
made love to a horse
but went about it back-ways

To the hule said the morse,
"'Twas a hell of a horse,
I can't wait to see the donkeys"


Here is how John Stewart, host of the daily show, has fun with the language (or bald-faced lies) of Dick Cheney and George W. Bush:

Lee Dick Sie

It's Edwards

It is official. John Kerry chose John Edwards to be his running mate.

See the details here:

Bring on the VP debates

Deafening Silence

I don't know how much lying the Bush administration can get away with, but I hope critical mass is fast approaching.

It now turns out that the Pentagon failed to report 11,000 SOLDIERS WHO WERE WOUNDED OR INJURED!

11,000!


Veterans for Common Sense - News Article

We are not just forgetting the fallen, we aren't paying attention to them to begin with.

Being a wounded US soldier in this war must feel like being a homeless man looking for kindness from strangers, and we all know how extravagantly the homeless profit from the kindness of strangers.

Land that I love

Here is a hilarious organization that uses honesty masquerading as satire. This group dresses extravagantly and flamboyantly and holds signs like "Blood for oil" and "Thank you for paying our taxes".

They are Billionaires for Bush and might have an organization near you. If you want to fight Bush with comedy, then this is the group for you.

Billionaires For Bush


This group is creative, humorous, and fun all rolled into one. What's not to love?

Makes sense, doesn't it? 

Will George Mitchell join Kerry?

Today I find myself wondering why George Mitchell isn't bantied about as a potential running mate for Kerry. Here's a guy that has international experience (i.e. Ireland), worked tirelessly to pass the Clean Air Act, took on Newt, and managed to maintain his reputation after serving all those years.

Then I remembered, well, there is the young wife. Maybe that's it.

Cost of War

Here is a site that lets you know how much the war in Iraq is costing in dollars and cents:

Financial Cost


Here is a site that lets you know how much the war in Iraq is costing in lives and injuries:

Human Cost

and in psychological damage:

PTSD for 1 in 6 soldiers

Churchgoers Get Direction From Bush Campaign (washingtonpost.com)

Does anybody else find it odd that the Bush/Cheney campaign is trolling the churches and issuing "duties"? I thought that was supposed to be left up to the morally qualified people (those without potty mouths and unjust war on their hands).

These guys have incredible Messiah complexes.

Is Bush going overboard?

Maybe WWF can do a pastor/mullah smackdown?

Hagel 's light shines

While it is tempting to gloat as each new Republican Senator, or four-star general, or prominent former backer criticizes Bush's record, I try not to do it. I generally feel sad because it is something akin to a broken heart which leads them to speak out.

Here, Republican senator Chuck Hagel says the war on terrorism has hurt America in it's battle against terrorism:

Hagel on Iraq


Criticizing your own party is a courageous thing to do and those objecting to Iraq's invasion ought to exhibit companionship, and not superiority, at the news.

Hollings criticizes war on terror

U.S. Senator Ernest Hollings made a rather forceful critique of operation Enduring Freedom. Here is an excerpt, with a detail I have not heard anywhere else:

With more than 800 GIs killed, 5,000 maimed for life and a cost of $200 billion, come now the generals in command, both Richard Myers and John Abizaid, saying we can't win. Back home the cover of The New Republic magazine asks, "Were We Wrong?".

The United States Has Lost its Moral Authority

Did Myers and Abizaid say we can't win in Iraq? I hadn't heard that.

John Henry was right!

Last night the Yankees were schmoozing VP Dick Cheney. When his face was shown on the billboard during "God Bless America" the crowd started boo-ing.


Cheney Pays Visit to Stadium

I wonder what it is like to go around living life like that? It can't be all that satisfying. After all, everybody wants to be loved. Everybody.

The Paranoid Style in American Politics

You might be interested in this article from the era of McCarthy:

" As a member of the avant-garde who is capable of perceiving the conspiracy before it is fully obvious to an as yet unaroused public, the paranoid is a militant leader. He does not see social conflict as something to be mediated and compromised, in the manner of the working politician. Since what is at stake is always a conflict between absolute good and absolute evil, what is necessary is not compromise but the will to fight things out to a finish. Since the enemy is thought of as being totally evil and totally unappeasable, he must be totally eliminated—if not from the world, at least from the theatre of operations to which the paranoid directs his attention. This demand for total triumph leads to the formulation of hopelessly unrealistic goals, and since these goals are not even remotely attainable, failure constantly heightens the paranoid’s sense of frustration. Even partial success leaves him with the same feeling of powerlessness with which he began, and this in turn only strengthens his awareness of the vast and terrifying quality of the enemy he opposes."

It ends with this analysis:

"We are all sufferers from history, but the paranoid is a double sufferer, since he is afflicted not only by the real world, with the rest of us, but by his fantasies as well."


Richard Hofstadter
Harper’s Magazine, November 1964, pp. 77-86



The Paranoid Style in American Politics


And, just for fun I include this Scorecard of Evil:

Scorecard of Evil

Groundwork

"Prime Minister Allawi, as head of a sovereign government, may decide he has to take tough measures to deal with a brutal cold-blooded killer,"

President Bush - 6/28/04


Of course, the only way Allawi can apply "tough measures" is via command of our troops, so I have a growing dread that our boys will be asked to partake in something untoward.

Send all the good vibes you can muster to Iraq in this time of need. A lot of lives could be at stake.

Hot potato

It looks to me like Paul Bremer is cutting and running for the hills with this stealth handover of sovereignty to Iraq. My guess is that Iraq will soon be a model dictator-run client-state.

John Negroponte, the man we sent to represent our interests as US ambassador has plenty of experience pretending not to notice atrocities. He was US ambassador to Honduras during the years when the Nicaraguan Contra forces were based in southern Honduras. Those forces were known as "freedom fighters" and turned out to be very good at fighting freedom.

I'm expectant that martial law will be declared in Iraq soon. Everyone will regret the temporary loss of freedom and proclaim their faith that the elections will be held on time.

Everyone that thought they were doing US troops a favor by using the US flag as a pom-pom to cheerlead for war have helped to bring us here. Soon they may have little to cheer for.

A martyr is willing to die.
A soldier is trained to kill.
Nobody wins but the bullet,
who lives for the thrill.

Rah.

Granny D sets sights on Senate seat

What's not to like about a 93 year old woman full of flint running for the NH senate?

Doris walked across this nation to highlight the need for campaign finance reform. She has been dragging a little red wheelbarrow around the country the past couple of years registering working women voters. Now, she's ready to get fiesty and be the change she wishes to see in the world.

www.haddockforsenate.org

Granny's speeches

John McCain has said some wonderful things about her and I wonder how New Hampsherites will respond to her campaign.

The times they are a changing

"The world knows America will never start a war. America has seen enough of war."

John F. Kennedy - June 1963 - American University

Contrast this philosophy with Bush's "National Security Strategy of the United States of America":

NSA Strategy

I'd like to know how Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, and Patriot Acts I and II promote "Championing Aspirations for Human Dignity".

Thomas to Tony

Sir Thomas More was beheaded because he would not swear an oath accepting King Henry VIII as Supreme Head of the Church. Before his untimely demise Sir Thomas wrote Utopia, which offers this advice for Tony Blair on the merits of guiding policy indirectly:

"The only result of this will be that while I try to cure others of madness, I myself rave along with them...Either I would think different thoughts from the rest, and that would be as if I had no thoughts, or else I would agree with them and thus (as Terence's Mitio Says) be an accessory to their madness. I do not understand what you mean by saying that a man should guide policy indirectly and should strive to make the best of things, so that what is bad will at least be made as good as possible. In councils there is no place for silent and unwilling acquiescence. A man must openly approve of the worst plans and consent to the most pernicious resolutions. One would pass for a spy or even a traitor, if he approved of such plans only grudgingly. A man has no chance to do good when his colleagues are more likely to corrupt the best of men than be corrected themselves. He will either be corrupted himself by his colleagues, or, if he remains sound and innocent, he will be blamed for the folly and knavery of others. He is far from being able to mend matters by guiding policy indirectly!"

The first casualty in the war of error may have been the truth, but the most enduring will be the damage done to Tony Blair's career. The second most enduring casualty will be the damage done to Colin Powell's career.

Both men should read Utopia, and perhaps Plato's Republic.

Feds: Ban ads for Moore flick

Anyone else feel like their living in Stalin's Russia these days?

Feds: Ban ads for Moore flick

What's next, May Day parades?

Maybe I better brush up on my goose stepping.

What the resistance thinks

Asia Times interviewed prominent men in the Iraqi resistance. Here are two former generals and a former colonel of Saddam Hussein that are now coordinating resistance to US forces:

Resistance views

It is important to know your enemy whether you wish to kill them or negotiate with them. This enemy appears confident, meticulous, and cell oriented. It also seems to have a steady stream of volunteers.

It will not be possible to defeat this enemy if 2/3 of the people support them without resorting to genocide or dictatorship. An important question is, is that number simply a bluff by persons tooting their own horn?

It might be telling that the new Iraqi leadership has made grumblings about martial law already.

Cheney speaks like a sailor in US Senate

Vice President Dick Cheney, the man that was supposed to restore a spirit of civility and respect to the Whitehouse, told Senator Leahy to go F*ck himself on the floor of the US Senate. This is reported in the Washington Post and has been reported on CNN. However, both sites were overloaded with traffic to the story so I provide this link:

Potty mouth

If you go to Google's news search here and enter "F*ck Cheney" you should find numerous other references.

Dick Cheney might be under a lot of stress, but a US vice president needs to be able to handle it. Maybe it is time for him to be retired?

ADDENDUM:

CNN traffic has calmed to the point you can access their stories on the Cheney profanity.

CNN video

Cheney not sorry

A great day for Democrats

Today is a great day for Democrats.

Michael Moore's new film Fahrenheit 9/11 opens in theaters across the nation. Review after review has raved about the films power and ability to skewer Bush with his own words.

Here is an AlterNet review of the movie:

AlterNet: Movie Mix: By Way of Deception

and, again, a link to the trailer:

911 Trailer


As if that weren't enough, Bill Clinton is going to be on Al Franken's show today talking about his new book (12-3 EST). You can listen to that here:

My Life


Yes, today life is good for Democrats.

Bush and the military

Here are some signs that the US military establishment is displeased with Bush:

1. Wesley Clarke ran for President to defeat Bush.

2. General Anthony Zinni tore Bush a new one at the Army War college.

3. Colin Powell will not re-join the administration if it wins in November.

4. David Hackworth, America's most decorated living soldier, helped uncover the Abu Ghraib abuses (see Hack on the attack). He is hopping mad that 6 low-level soldiers were made to take the blame for systemic leadership failure.

5. Norman Schwarzkopf (remember him?) has continually attacked the civilian leadership at the Pentagon (i.e. Rumsfailed), for failing to protect supply routes, failing to send enough men, and failing to equip said men with adequate gear.

6. Captains have been writing Op-ed letters complaining about forced conscription and over-long tours of duty (see War unending for some).

7. Recruitment is down: (see Recruitment down)

8. Janes Intelligence digest isn't sure we're winning the war against Al Quaeda:
Al Quaeda growing stronger

9. General Shinseki can not be pleased with this treatment: Shinseki retired.


ADDENDUM

10. Many military planners and diplomats have formed an organization which called for a change of leadership. You can read their statement here: Diplomats for change

An articulate president

You may have heard Drudge characterize Clinton as "losing it" on a BBC reporter. I watched the clip and all I can say is God how I miss having an articulate president.

See what you think:

Does Big dog lose it?

I also miss irrational exuberance.

Fascism, by any other name...

Hundreds of communities nation-wide, and 4 states, have passed laws banning local law enforcement officials from cooperating with Patriot Act style investigations (if federal agents want local help, they must adhere to the Bill of Rights and Constitution). Many conservatives, life-long proponents of small government, are as rabidly anti-Patriot Act as we liberals.

This poses a problem for Commander Bush, who wants to pass Patriot Act II, an act which would be called "An act to repeal of the Bill of Rights" in less ironic times.

The new Bush strategy is to pass the provisions of Patriot Act II piecemeal by attaching them to crucial pieces of legislation.

The Son of Patriot Act Also Rises


Citizens of New Hampshire have these words on their license plates, "Live free or die". I suggest it be changed to read, "Live free or vote Republican".

The great cultural war

With the invasion of Iraq going so badly Bush will no-doubt turn to God, Gays, and Guns to bolster the base. To wit, the Republicans are building up a head of steam to try to pass a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. But, moralists are no different than the rest of us and their fears are merely a projection of themselves.

You might be interested to know, for instance, that born-again Christians experience a higher divorce rate than secular couples and mainline Protestants. Also, there are higher divorce rates in the Southern Bible Belt than in the liberal Northeast.

You might also be interested to know that Dick Cheney has an openly Lesbian daughter named Mary Cheney, and that there is a website devoted to asking her to speak out against this new Crusade. My secret desire is that she weds in Massachusettes and invites the press for the ceremony.

Dear Mary


So, once again, Republicans are all: do as I say, not as I do. Texans call that "all hat, no cattle".

Fish in a barrel 4

Intro (JFK relaxed, smiling)
----------------------------

Hi. I'm John Kerry and I approved this message.


Act 1, Scene 1 (Dick Cheney, October 10, 2003)
----------------------------------------------

"He [Saddam] also has an established relationship with al-Qaeda, providing training to al-Qaeda members in the areas of poisons, gases, making conventional bombs."

Act 1, Scene 2 (Dick Cheney, January 2004)
------------------------------------------

"There's overwhelming evidence of an Iraq-al Qaeda connection and I am very confident there was an established relationship."


Act 1, Scene 3 (Dick Cheney, June 2004)
---------------------------------------

Saddam "was a patron of terrorism. He had long-established ties with a-Qaeda."


Act 2, Scene 1 (President Bush, State of Union, Jan. 28, 2003)
--------------------------------------------------------------

"Evidence from intelligence sources, secret communications and statements by people now in custody reveal that Saddam Hussein aids and protects terrorists, including members of Al Qaeda."


Act 2, Scene 2 (President Bush, September 2002)
-----------------------------------------------

"You can't distinguish between al Qaeda and Saddam when you talk about the war on terror."


Act 3, Scene 1 (President Bush, Sept. 17, 2003)
-----------------------------------------------

“We’ve had no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved with September 11th.”


Act 3, Scene 2 (David Kay)
--------------------------

"Anyone out there holding - as I gather Prime Minister Blair has recently said - the prospect that ISG is going to unmask actual weapons of mass destruction is really delusional. It is amazing that occasionally they slip back into talking about it. The problem is the unwillingness to take the responsibility of saying a few simple words: "We were wrong".


Act 3, Scene 3 (Douglas Maceachin, 911 report "Overview of the Enemy")
----------------------------------------------------------------------

"We have no credible evidence that Iraq and al Qaeda cooperated on attacks against the United States."


Outro (JFK humbly)
------------------

I'm running for president because I want to restore credibility to the whitehouse. Please vote for me in November and let's change America's direction together.



For more on these shenanigans, see (Spooked spooks)

Poets Against the War

Sometimes I wonder if there is so much suffering in the world because God loves making beautiful people, and if that's the only way. It's true, anyway, that Poets Against the War bloomed from the bullshit of the Bush administration.

I am glad so many poets are against the war, since I'd hate to hear cruelty beautifully rendered. One of my favorites is called "State of the Union 2003" by Sam Hamill. If you browse here I'm sure you'll find your own favorite.

State of the Union, 2003

Today I hugged a tree

Today I Hugged a Tree

Today I hugged a tree
that didn't want no hug from me.
So, soon I was sore
and I chopped it to the core.
I yelled, "Timber!" with a shout.
My victory was a rout.
Today I hugged a tree.
It died my enemy.

U.M.

Mumble chops

My guess is this is how Bush would deliver a great line. It'd get mangled into a freudian slip. Click on the picture for actual Bush linguistic manglings. 

Fierce Fireflies

Fierce Fireflies

Felicity followed fireflies to
find where they flew from.
Felicity followed fireflies to a field
of flowers far from any fence.

She saw soldiers standing silent.
She sneaked, but they saw.
She shook when she saw what they saw.
She saw they saw Felicity.

"Fireflies killed Felicity!",
or so the papers said.
If it weren't for fierce fireflies,
Felicity would not be dead.

U.M.

Fish in a barrel 3

Intro (JFK relaxed, smiling)
----------------------------

Hi. I'm John Kerry and I approved this message.


Act 1, Scene 1 (George W. Bush)
---------------------------------------

"The United States is committed to the world-wide elimination of torture and we are leading this fight by example. I call on all governments to join with the United States and the community of law-abiding nations in prohibiting, investigating, and prosecuting all acts of torture and in undertaking to prevent other cruel and unusual punishment."

President George W. Bush, June 26, 2003, the International Day in
Support of Victims of Torture



Act 2, Scene 1 (JFK - Serious, intent gaze)
-------------------------------------------

Leadership is more than a mouthful of promises. Real leadership requires follow-through. Please vote for me in November, and I promise to add backbone to America's promises.


PS
---

If you want to take action against US legalization of torture, see MoveOn Campaign

When peace was far away

Fictitious shores

I MANY times thought peace had come,
When peace was far away;
As wrecked men deem they sight the land
At centre of the sea,

And struggle slacker, but to prove,
As hopelessly as I,
How many the fictitious shores
Before the harbor lie.


The Poetry of Emily Dickinson

Fish in barrel 2

You may have heard the Whitehouse brag that terrorism was down in 2003. It turns out that was just another lie from the lying liars. They claim they accidentally forgot to include all of 2003 in their report.

This would make terrific fodder for another Kerry commercial.

First, the story here:


Liar!



Intro (JFK relaxed, confident)
-----------------------------------

Hi. I'm John Kerry and I approved this message.


Act 1, Scene 1 (J. Cofer Black - Ambassador and Coordinator for Counterterrorism)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is good news on the terrorism front.


According to a newly-released State Department report, there were 199
international terrorist attacks recorded during 2002. That represents
a significant drop from the previous year -- 44 percent fewer attacks.
In fact, it is the lowest level of terrorism in more than 30 years.
The last time the annual total fell below 200 attacks was back in
1969, shortly after the advent of modern terrorism.

That is a remarkable achievement.

Act 1, Scene 2 (Richard Armitage - Deputy Secretary of State)
-------------------------------------------------------------

"This year's terrorism report provides clear evidence that we are prevailing in the fight against terrorism"



Act 1, Scene 3 (Richard Boucher)
--------------------------------

"Our success was based on the facts as we had them at the time. The facts that we had were wrong."



Outro (JFK serious, confident)
-----------------------------------

I'm running for President to restore credibility to the Whitehouse. Please vote for me on November 2, 2004 and help me change America's direction.

Biological Treason

Biological Treason

I'm an unabashed detractor of
your nuclear reactor and I
don't accept your reasons for these
biological treasons or your
calm exaltations of dangerous
radiations.

And I don't wish to alarm you but
your words come back to harm you
when you clearly have no answer for this
life-eroding cancer that fuels
my derision of your toxic-waste
decision.

2340 grossly violated with intent.

When people worldwide think of America in Iraq, they will think of a smiling Ms. England, wearing rubber gloves, and giving a smirking thumbs-up while bent over a corpse.

Here is an in-depth discussion of just how far Abu Ghraib abuses exceeded the laws, some of which are punishable by death.

Nuremberg Revised

I'm with Andy Rooney. Anyone involved ought to have their citizenship stripped. Get out. Your actions are Nazi-esque and a cancer on America's reputation.

Rooney - Our Darkest Days Are Here

A-boo-ga-rape

"New evidence that the physical abuse of detainees in Iraq and at Guantanamo Bay was authorised at the top of the Bush administration will emerge in Washington this week, adding further to pressure on the White House."

See: Bad Boys, Bad Boys for more info.

What is a Buddhist perspective on the abuse of prisoners in Iraq?

Smile on your brother

Will humanity ever learn to love one another?

You're either with me or agin' me.

As Bush gets more and more desperate his behavior gets more and more pathetic. In this story he is asking the Catholic Church for assistance in his war on queers and his war on abortion.

My position is that abortion ought to be safe and legal since every closet in America has a coat hanger in it, and since an unloved child is liable to turn out to be full of hate (like Dick Cheney).

I say keep the pointy-hatted ones in their churches where they belong; America doesn't need a council of religious mullahs issuing edicts. That's called a theocracy and it is what we're dying to liberate people from.

Unbounded Megalomania

I have two more small points:

1. The Catholic church is against executions
2. The Catholic church is against the invasion of Iraq.

Are they with Bush, or with the terrorists?

Maybe we need to bomb the Vatican?

Dr. Strangeglove visits Venus

As you might guess, I am not a fan of missle defense systems. My main reasons are that they're costly and inexpensively thwarted, and that humanity won't profit from another arms race. That might even be a bumper sticker, "Human race, not Arms Race".

Discarding all of that, I found myself wondering what a best-case scenario for a missle defense system would look like. If someone launched a nuclear-tipped weapon and our missle-defense system shot it down. What then?

Wouldn't the kill vehicle cause the nuclear bomb to detonate someplace, probably in the upper atmosphere? Wouldn't that lead to, at best, widespread radioactive contamination and the disabling of the world's satellite systems, and at worst nuclear winter?

Allowing my mind to wander further I found myself wondering if we should try to bring about nuclear winter on, say, Venus. It is a planet that suffers from run-away global warming and whose surface is hot enough to melt lead. If we could cool it down perhaps we would see lakes and life-forms appear?

With further wandering I realized that all you need to wreak havoc (or deter havoc) is a big enough pile of junk strapped to a guidance system. We all know a meteor strike would be devastating, so why should a man-made meteor be any less so? Hell an RV camper from space might even be able to more effectively bunker-bust than a low-yield nuclear weapon, and velocity and momentum work free.

[Insert maniacal laughter here]

Guilty of Himsa

Sometimes reading the words of men like Ghandi can provide guidance in a storm-tossed world. Here are some quotes that I either like a lot or feel are totally appropriate for 2004.


Ghandi
------

"I would heartily welcome the union of East and West provided it is not based on brute force."

"What is true of the individual will be to-morrow true of the whole nation if individuals will but refuse to lose heart and hope."

"An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching."

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."


Daili Lama
----------

"We need a little more compassion, and if we cannot have it then no politician or even a magician can save the planet"

"Everybody loves to talk about calmness and peace, whether in a family, national, or international context, but without inner peace how can we make real peace? World peace through hatred and force is impossible."

"Ignorance is the source of hatred, and the way to get rid of ignorance is realization."

"When you encounter some problems, if you point your finger at yourself and not at others, this gives you control over yourself and calmness in a situation, where otherwise self-control becomes problematic."


Mother Teresa
-------------

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one"

"Let us make one point, that we meet each other with a smile, when it is difficult to smile. Smile at each other, make time for each other in your family"

"We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing."


Louisa May Alcott
-----------------

"Love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy."



There are many more here:
-------------------------

Another way:

A condemnation on this nation

I'll be away this weekend, so here is my parting post. Y'all come back now, ya' hear.


"We must make clear to the Germans that the wrong for which their leaders are on trial is not that they lost the war, but that they started it. And we must not allow ourselves to be drawn into a trial of the causes of the war, for our position is that no grievances or policies will justify resort to aggressive war. It is utterly renounced and condemned as an instrument of policy."

This declaration was made by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel L. Jackson, America's senior representative at the 1945 Nuremberg war crimes trials, and the tribunal's chief prosecutor.


"F*ck Saddam. We're taking him out."

President George Bush, March 2002, Time Magazine.

Maybe not sex, but definitely lies and videotape.

Donald Rumsfeld was taken to task on Face the Nation and it was almost painful to watch him twist in his own false assertions.

Rumsfeld on Face the Nation

I am hopeful that John Kerry's campaign will put this technique to work. There is ample material like this and it is damaging to Whitehouse credibility. Best of all, it is irrefutable.

Fish in a barrel

Ad intro (John Kerry, relaxed, sincere)
---------------------------------------

Hi. I'm John Kerry, and I approved this message.


Act 1, Scene 1 (Mr. Bush answering questions about Chalabi)
--------------------------------------------------------

"My meetings with him were very brief. I may have met with Mr. Chalabi at the State of the Union address as part of a rope line greeting. I haven't had any extensive conversations with him."


Act 1, Scene 2 (Mr. Bush on Meet the Press)
-------------------------------------------

MR. RUSSERT: If the Iraqis choose, however, an Islamic extremist regime, would you accept that, and would that be better for the United States than Saddam Hussein?

PRES. BUSH: They're not going to develop that. The reason I can say that is because I'm very aware of this basic law they're writing. They're not going to develop that because right here in the Oval Office I sat down with Mr. Pachachi and Chalabi and al-Hakim,


Ad Outro (John Kerry, intent, confident)
----------------------------------------

JFK: I'm running for president because I want to restore credibility to the whitehouse. Please vote for me on November 2nd, 2004 and we can change America's direction together.

Fini.

Ray Charles takes his final bow

Up above our heads there'll be music in the air now that Ray Charles has passed away. "Georgia on my mind", "Hit the road Jack", and "I'm busted" shall live on.

Goodbye Ray and thanks for the tunes:

BBC NEWS | Ray Charles dies

Don't vote Ralph

There is an organization dedicated to halting Ralph Nader's 2004 campaign. It is called, Don't Vote Ralph.

They produced a video showing Ralph's potential impact on the upcoming election. Take a look:

Nader's 04 Impact

66 (Unflattering) Things About Ronald Reagan

Before you give to the fund to carve Ronald Reagan's face into Mt. Rushmore, consider these counter-arguments:

Reaganomics

ADDENDUM: Here is an article by Noam Chomsky on the reign of Reagan:

Chomsky on the Gipper

RNC = Race, Nihilism, and Cronyism

Vernon Robinson is a homophobe, a racist, and not surprisingly a Republican. What is surprising is that his campaign is backed by people like Jack Kemp, the Club for Growth, and other mainstream Republicans.

Oh, wait, maybe that isn't surprising.

Actually, what is surprising is that his radio ads sound just like those of a white supremacist, albeit one who attacks homosexuals and immigrants rather than fellow black people. Perhaps the KKK should give him an honorary membership for supporting serveral items on their agenda?


Jesse Helms is Black


Hard to believe he could represent the party of Lincoln in the land of the free.

Let there be light

"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

--Martin Luther King, Jr.


"I'm a war president. I make decisions here in the Oval Office in foreign policy matters with war on my mind,"

-- George W. Bush

Transit of Venus

Today marks the rarest eclipse of all, the transit of Venus across the face of the sun. Here is a link to a live webcast:

Transit of Venus

Here is a poem I wrote for Venus.


Venus rhymes with penis
and it hangs low in the sky
and it does not need Viagra
to excite my naked eye.

Honoring our advesaries

Sometimes you need training wheels to help steady you on the road. Here is a ceremony that can help you to overcome your frustrations with the machine men that have machine hearts.


TOUCHING THE EARTH FOR OUR ADVERSARIES
By Caitriona Reed

You, who deliberately engage in the destruction of the environment for your own profit, you show me how much I value what is honest, what is generous, what has been clearly thought through, what is expressive of love for this planet home and our human and nonhuman fellow beings. So I bow to you in gratitude and touch the Earth.

You bring forth in me the passion and love I feel for this life-bearing land, its soil, air and waters, and the beings they nurture; the passion I feel for integrity and strong, sustainable community. Because of the strength with which I resist your actions, I have seen how strong my
love and passion really are. I bow to you in gratitude and touch the Earth.

Because the pain I feel when I allow myself to witness the pain of the world is no less than your pain--you, who perpetuate destruction and cut yourselves off from needs of the present and the generations of the future, I bow to you in compassion and touch the Earth.

Because the pain of greed, alienation and fear are no less than the pain of sorrow and mourning for what is lost, I bow to you in compassion and touch the Earth.

For the power of my anger, transforming itself into love for the beauty and integrity of all life-forms, and for the bright energy of my passion for justice and the health of all beings, I bow to
you in gratitude and touch the Earth.

Because we all want to be happy, to feel ourselves intact and part of a single whole, for that shared longing, I bow to you in compassion and touch the Earth.

Because you challenge me by your actions, demanding that I release my attachment to the belief that my view, my understanding, is the only correct one, I bow to you in gratitude and touch the Earth.

For you who teach me that the mind is a limitless source, a miracle capable of manifesting as love, as greed, as fear, capable of clarity or delusion, blind to the consequence of action or open to the boundless coherence of all that we do and experience in life. For you who show me what I myself am capable of when I let my life be governed by fear and greed, great awesome teachers, I bow to you in gratitude and touch the Earth.

In awe of the mind's capability for delusion and alienation that calls me so insistently to understanding and joy, I bow to you and touch the Earth.

With the understanding that all this will pass and with love in my heart, I bow to you and touch the Earth.


Awesome teachers indeed....

What should Nader do?

Ralph should trade his exit from the race for a commitment from Kerry to support instant run-off voting (See "The fairest vote of all", by Partha Dasgupta and Eric Maskin, March 2004, Scientific American). This would pave the way for future candidates like himself to run without harming candidates like Kerry, and that would be a great thing to accomplish.

As it stands now, Ralph isn't going to win and his campaign is not going to steal Republican votes from Bush. This is a clear-cut case of idealism that fails to accomplish its goals because it ignores reality (not unlike neo-con failures).

Here is the reality which Ralph Nader ignores:

Sorry Ralph

Don Quixote should open his eyes before he finds a field of wind-mills to charge.

Did God fire George Tenet?

You have to hope that this story about George's unstable mind isn't true, since he does have command of the most powerful military in the world.

Most upsetting is the thought that Tenet might have been fired because it was "God's will".


Thy will be done

Creepy.

I love my country, but I think my President is nuts.

Pope Denounces Events in Iraq to Bush

"Propaganda isn't what you tell people;
it's what you don't tell them."

- William S. Paley - CBS founder


However, the Internet giveth what Fox News taketh away.


Pope lectures Bush

Tens of thousands protest in Italy

Pictures from Paris protests will probably be here somewhere

Happy anniversary

When you hear the happy-talk about Iraq it nearly makes you believe the neo-con myth that war is peace and cluster-bombs are the pinnacle of caring.

This new flash animation which was produced by Eric Blumrich for Dennis Kucinich brings a karate chop to the face of that myth.

NOTE: This video contains graphic images.

One year on

Carved over the entrance to the CIA is the motto: "Know the truth and it shall set you free".

A Bhuddist might say in response, "The worlds pain is the price of caring".

Can the war on terror be compared to WWII?

The BBC asked the question, "What do you think of President Bush's comparison of the war on terror with WWII?". The responses make for eye-opening reading, if you are so inclined, on a Friday.

Can the war on terror be compared to WWII?

Watch it Friday

Today I thought I'd compile a few pieces of video for you. What the hey, it's Friday, and why should you read stuff.


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Fahrenheit 9/11 Trailer
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Here is the theatrical trailer for Michael Moore's new film "Fahrenheit 9/11". The movie is coming to America June 25th. Apparently, also, Michael hooked up with two distributors that he is very happy with.

As an author I think Michael Moore is barely entertaining, but as a film-maker he often rivets my attention. Let us cross our fingers that Michael Powell of the FCC doesn't ban this film until after the election.

Fahrenheit 9/11 Trailer


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Channel Surfing the Apocalypse
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This is still one of my favorite pieces of video examing the role of media in sounding the drumbeat for war.

It also has an excellent banjo scene that is a sheer delight and Congress set to music.

Guerrilla News Network: S-11 Redux


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War Pigs
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Ozzie vs Bush. What could be more entertaining?

WAR PIGS


Enjoy.

George J. Tenet at Swearing-In Ceremony by Vice President Gore July 31, 1997

Here is what George Tenet had to say at Al Gore's swearing-in ceremony.

It is interesting reading in hindsight:

Thanks Al

He does seem to have warm feelings for his family. No?

Re: Mr. President it's a slam dunk

Here is what Ray McGovern has to say about George Tenet's abrupt departure from the CIA:

Hear Democracy Now

Read Democracy Now transcript

Tenet packs his bags.

Has George Tenet had enough of playing second-fiddle to civilian bunglers with close ties to Iranian spies? Is he ready to publish a kiss-and-tell, or falling on his sword to protect his boss?

Is Bush hoping to pin the blame on Tenet for invading Iraq? If so, will he employ the same strategy with Rumsfailed and Cheney?

That's curious, George

Mother of Exiles

Here is the poem etched into the base of the Statue of Liberty. The colossus of Rhodes, referenced in the poem, is one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world.


“The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles.
From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!"” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”


Countless immigrants have read these words with hopeful hearts. May their children keep this vision of America alive for the next waves of huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

Wolf! Wolf!

Ray McGovern was a CIA analyst for 27 years from the administration of John F. Kennedy to that of George H. W. Bush.

Here he essentially claims that the Bush administration is peddling tales of a falling sky for political purposes. He also accuses the Bush administration of showing considerable disdain for international law.

He also says he wouldn't put it past this president to declare martial law in order to avoid an election in November, in order to avoid war crimes prosecution.

Now, this is coming from a bi-partisan that chooses his words very carefully every time I've heard him speak....gulp.

Good enough for pa

It looks to me like another tree has fallen in a roomful of Republicans. Did it make a sound?

America's most-decorated living soldier sounds-off on Iraq

America's most decorated living soldier attacks the Iraq war:

Headed for trouble

David Hackworth is not some pinko, tree-hugging, liberal, peace-nick railing against the man. He's a true-blue, dyed in the wool, served his country with honor, war hero (with 8 purple hearts) telling us there is something wrong in Washington.

The detractors club is impressive in credentials and membership growth. I wonder whom will be too much of a heavyweight for Republicans to ignore? Richard Clarke, Anthony Zinni, and David Hackworth have spoken loudly and clearly.

If a tree falls in a room full of Republicans, does it make a sound?

Click picture for Krugman's analysis 

Looking for a sign?

Jupiter, known as "shining father" to the Romans, is considered the god of light and sky and protector of the state and it's laws:

Jupiter mythology

Venus is considered the god of love and beauty:

Venus mythology

Venus and Jupiter will pair up in the morning sky in early November. So, we'll have the protector of state and the goddess of love in the sky just before a new dawn.

Bush's defeat seems writ large in the heavens as long as candidate Kerry is willing to tip his hat to love and defense of the Constitution.

Perhaps Kerry should set up kissing booths at the convention with proceeds to benefit the ACLU? Maybe he could set up a dunk-tank where the barker sports a John Ashcroft mask and tells participants they aren't worthy of privacy, free-speech, and the like?