The MTMIND

No Facts, No Problem

2010-03-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

No Facts, No problem, for the right that is.

Too bad articles like this never contain any verifiable facts of any kind. Of course that does not stop the right wingnuts from believing it. Let's see a somewhat tortured mini bio of Francois Genoud is launched into after unsupported allegations that George Soros is connected to him (he was supposedly a mentor of Soros), none of which you can find any information on anywhere to verify that any of that is true at all. And then by some freaky connect the "Sean Hannity" dots, "guilt by fabricated association" we are to understand (of course) Obama is a Nazi sympathizer and we are all heading towards Adolph Hitler's vision of socialistic paradise. I know, I know, they need medication, but who is gonna tell them?

Search google for a 'catch phrase' in the article like "George Soros, who was mentored by and was a longtime associate of Francois Genoud" , especially when Pam is busy posting them. but try and find anywhere else that Soros is connected or even slightly interested in the extreme far right politics that Francois Genoud represented or connected to the Nazi Party in any way. I think you will find that Prescott Bush, King George the firsts father and King George the seconds grandfather, was indeed in business with Nazi Germany. Jeb Bush is waiting for his turn (to serve hahahaha). Let's make him wait until 2012.

Michael Trachtenberg
MTMIND

Good PR day for Israel

2010-03-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/03/02/hamas.spy/index.html
Sure It's good PR for Israel to wave around the son of an enemy. Renounce the father, nice touch. Especially since the Goldstone report is getting so much attention these days and calls for further investigations into allegations of war crimes.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/02/26/un.gaza.israel/

Truthfully, no one I know who opposes the actions of Israel visa vie the Palestinians supports Hamas, Hezbollah, PLO or ANYONE's use of violence or terrorism. But it is a little more than disingenuous for Israel or it's supporters to 'blame' Hamas, Al Aqsa Martyrs, Hezbollah , PLO, Jihadists, Fatah, or any other group operating in that area (there are dozens) for the violence, or point to their tactics as inhumane, which of course they are, and not recognize that none of these groups would even exist if it were not for the fact that Israel was created from war and continues in war to this day. It's like blaming Cochise for being a crazy Indian.

Michael Trachtenberg
MTMIND

The Ascent of Man

2008-12-14T19:10:00.000-08:00

At the dawn of the 21st century when so many of us were hoping for a new century of accomplishment and great gains for mankind, the ugly head of racism and religious intolerance rears up to inject it's venom into modern life. It seems absolutely Neanderthal to most thinking people, but extraordinary ignorance and hatred still abounds , sometimes in the most unlikely places.

Places of supposed learning and in men of supposed academic achievement. Yes you will find these ignorant beliefs in the most educated of men. Because western education all to often ignores the heart of man. It's ultra secularism means that it often shies away from ethics, and philosophy , trying too hard to be politically correct, and not offend any idiots in the audience. We pander to the lowest common denominator. We are afraid of the truly revolutionary thought and discourage discourse of ethics and philosophy because we cant stand the controversy. Instead we throw rocks at each other from opposite banks, never venturing into the water, because we might get dirty. We are cowards is the best way to explain it. We can't stand the argument, the disagreement. We cower at the possibility that our thoughts could be questioned so we don't express them. That is why so many western educated academics can be some of the most ignorant and bigoted people you will ever meet.

When do we start to put the old musty stench of racism, and religious intolerance behind us. Racism, bigotry and intolerance that runs red with the blood of a thousand generations of man. Isn't that enough blood, when is it enough? Shall we ask the dead, or is it us, the living, who don't get the joke.

That this is our lot. As a man I can profess intentions, expectations and hopes that things "could be different", we say, I "wish" it were different, but as a scientist I must admit that this is what humans do, this is what they always do.

Perhaps to expect humans to do otherwise is just wishful thinking, it certainly is not based on any evidence that mankind has the ability to outgrow his propensity for violence. There is a reason why the Bible, Torah and Koran are revered and sacred documents, because they hold so much human wisdom. These books preach tolerance and beg us and our leaders to honor the dignity of man. they beseech us to nurture what is best in mankind. Our better natures.

We are heading once again to global warfare because that's what we always do. We have haters, we covet, we are greedy and small, we practice revenge, and it spirals out of control, it always does. It's really an old story.

Granted the weapons of war and death are much more powerful and heinous that ever before, but only in their ability to kill large numbers of people at once. The methods are no less brutal or pitiless than at any other time. In fact our 'so called' modern culture, and intellectual and moral growth (LOL) means we may actually feel a pang of guilt or two when we drop the bomb on our enemies.

What's so funny about peace, love and understanding, well maybe the funny part is that an animal that has never practiced it, would even write a song about it.

We tell our modern history in terms of wars, it's a procession of battles and wars, we love the hero who kills 'all the bad guys'.

We are entranced by the drama, the irony, the gratuitous and arbitrary violence of war. Next to Love, umm perhaps even surpassing love, it is conflict that is at the heart of our literature, music, culture and art.

Certainly the discourse is becoming more and more strained towards war and conflict. Instead of being horrified at this turn of events, maybe I should be taking it for granted. Of course there will be more war, misery, death, despair. It is man's lot, war his medium, war his opium. He needs heroes, and battles, and glory in defeating an enemy. We need strife and pain, and seek it out if it is not present.

Religion really doesn't matter, it's window dressing. It's the enemy at the end of our spear we crave. Throughout time we have shown a propensity for dogmatic adherence to things that we know are not true. A "willful ignorance", that is at once, crass, boastful and loud and yet strangely seductive. Forget the fact that the three monotheistic religions of the world are founded in peace, love and tolerance. Never mind that we may not know what Moses, or Mohammed or Jesus would do, but we certainly know what they would not do. They would not demonize others and preach hatred and violence. They spoke of the universal dignity of man, and their words a challenge to us and our leaders to honor and treasure it.

Like the antagonist in the book "Epiptaph of a Small Winner" we are stuck on this wheel of time, that is greased by the blood of humans. Destined to replay and relive this same scenario over and over. A procession of war and violence, misery and despair, a nightmare that man never escapes. A kind of cosmic "Goundhog Day" we advance in time, the players strut and fret their hour on the stage, but the script is always the same.

What we need is a new way of thinking, a new paradigm of human interaction and survival. To stop the deadly treadmill we are on, we must be able to take the next step in the ascent of man. We have mastered the earth and all it's lifeforms. We have mastered the elements with our chemistry and physics. Our genetic heritage and our cultural evolution has allowed us this much. To take the next step in the ascent of man, we must learn to master ourselves.

Many of the great moments in the ascent of man were punctuated by one thing, there were men and women who were not afraid to venture beyond the common thought of their day. They were not afraid to challenge the dogma of the past.

A century and a half ago, a young President said exactly what I mean. This is what Abraham Lincoln said in 1862, and I leave you with that:

It is not "can any of us imagine better?" but, "can we all do better?"

The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise — with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.

(Abraham Lincoln, Annual Message to Congress, December 1, 1862)

Michael Trachtenberg

MTMIND

Beware False Prophets

2008-12-12T15:16:00.000-08:00

I would like to direct you to an article written by Susanne M. Reyto, on a website called Family Security Matters. Her article "Interfaith Dialogue – A Dangerous Road down a Slippery Slope" lambasts participants in an interfaith effort at tolerance and understanding, Islamic leaders are insincere and the rabbis are fools being used by an evil enemy.

Let's take a look at some her more colorful fabrications.

She says, "Jews have suffered, have been persecuted, yet have never advocated killing, blowing up mosques"

Of course that is false, while it is true that Jews have suffered in history so have most other groups at one time or another, Jewish terrorists bombed mosques, advocated killing and carried it out on a grand scale in furtherance of the creation of modern Israel. And Jews have been on both sides of the sword throughout their history, from the conquest of Canaan which brought the ancient Jews into the land of Israel (now called their ancestral lands), where Jews, the Israelites conquered the land and displaced the previous occupants, to infighting amongst themselves when the kingdom of Solomon was split after his death into Israel and Judah and on into modern times.

She goes on, to smear the Muslim Public Affairs Committee, MPAC.
"As an immigrant and naturalized American, I have a problem with such an organization – why should they need such an agency? What civil rights have they been denied? When immigrants arrived in this country before, they simply assimilated and no organization was established to fight for their rights. They accomplished their goals by hard work. I am one of those proud and grateful naturalized citizens."

Of course this is another lie, Immigrants to America have long created groups to advocate for their rights and protections. B'Nai Brith, Anti-defamtion leagues etc. B'nai B'rith International, the global voice of the Jewish community, is the most widely known Jewish humanitarian, human rights, and advocacy organization.

She rambles on with more crap, an offhand reference to Barack Obama (seems she is really scared of Obama also), and bunch of false references, a 'chlling' example of a muslim who knew another muslim who later sympathized with Al Queda, yada yada yada. The she writes, that to attain better interfaith understanding both parties must be honest and tell the truth, implying further that this is not possible for Muslims to do.
"This may be difficult for many Muslims because according to Islam, followers can say one thing and do the opposite – or, say one thing to us and say exactly the opposite to their people in their language. It is perfectly permissible to lie or deceive as long as you advance the cause."

Right, another lie, all the three monotheistic religions have prohibitions about deceit and bearing false witness.

She say's Islam is not "only" a religion, that it is also a political ideology. Wrong again, Islam is only a religion, just a religion. And in typical fashion for bigots somehow hatred for Jews is not the same as hatred for Muslims, Antisemitism is not to be equated with Anti-Islamic sentiment. Anti-Islam sentiment as it turns out is based in facts, while antisemitism is evil.

She goes on with more ramblings about how Rabbis and Jews who advocate peace are blind, naive and being used, and are just sad and misinformed. Peace is not a rational objective when dealing with Muslims, and these people are just kidding themselves, Peace efforts just aid the terrorists, and of course the common sickening narrative of the "Jew as victim", who always seeks to help others and is persecuted for their goodness, yada yada yada.

She writes, "We know the majority of Muslims are peaceful, but approximately 10%, about 150 million, are radical. Unfortunately, the peaceful, moderate Islamic community did not condemn the attacks prior to 9/11 or since."

Another lie, every major voice in Islam has continually repudiated violence and the 9/11 attacks. Not sure where she derives 10% as the number of radical Muslims within Islam, although I am certain her source is as suspect as the rest of her assertions. I would venture a guess that of those who self identify as Jewish there are a much higher percentage that also identify with Zionism, a radical perversion of Judaism.

"Interfaith Dialogue – A Dangerous Road down a Slippery Slope"

http://familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.1907/pub_detail.asp

We hear some who like to proclaim that Islam is "bad religion". That somehow it is not equal to Judaism or Christianity. That Islam and the Koran is flawed and violent and intolerant. That somehow Judaism or Christianity are superior to Islam. Naturally, and not surprisingly, this is often proposed by Christians and Jews.

Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth. This kind of bigotry and ignorance is hard to imagine in the 21st century, not to mention enormously disappointing. Many of us can remember the character of Archie Bunker on television. How we laughed at his ignorance and racism, it was funny. But there is nothing funny about real bigotry and racism, nothing at all.

Her article and those with similar sentiments are nothing but the most venal hate filled lies and homage to ignorance and intolerance. I will however borrow her parting line, because ironically it is most apropos, a line from her book about her families experience in the holocaust and the communist rule that came after in Europe.

"We must learn from the past and be prepared for the future."

Let's remember what happens when a group of people are allowed to be demonized and scapegoated.
And let's say, Never Again!

Haters must Go!

Michael Trachtenberg
MTMIND

Let It Burn

2008-12-12T08:44:00.000-08:00

According to the Christian fundamentalists awaiting the return of Christ the Lord, the 'End of Days" crowd, the world must turn against Israel for the Armageddon to begin.

(Are you Rapture Ready? http://www.raptureready.com/)
(Or are you a Muslim awaiting the return of Christ - http://www.endoftimes.net/index2.html)
For our Jewish friends don't forget
(Actively waiting for the Geulah hastens its arrival -http://www.moshiach.com/)

Shouldn't be long now. And who will be the "anti-christ", (pins and needles) well I gotta tell you the tension is building. The Muslims await the return of Christ 'the prophet', fanatical Jews are awaiting their Moshiach.

Should be a good show, the Armageddon will in all likelihood be televised. An extraordinary gala of misery, despair, hatred, intolerance, depravity and death. Of course biblical Armageddon will never happen and this only "proves" that men are still far more likely to follow the advice of their penis than their brain.

Though there are many forces allied in this dance of death, who are going to try their hardest to prove that they alone worship the one true God. Gotta love em. The creator of all things would not have to pit us against each other in a brutal blood bath to make himself or herself known to us. But I digress.

And of course it's an old story, (ignorance, intolerance, greed, hatred, hypocrisy, mistrust and war) but never before have we had such spectacularly powerful weapons and intensely morbid ways of killing so many people at once. YES! It's gonna be big.

Seems the ascent of man creeps along in fits and starts.

There were many of us, so hopeful, that this new millennium, filled with such promise, would bring incredible new rewards (he writes with a tear in his eye). With our new technology and understanding of physics and chemistry, along with incredible breakthroughs in biology we are poised to take a big leap forward in engineering and science, as well as human health and prosperity, it seemed as though never before had mankind had at his disposal such powerful tools to remake his world, but alas it seems that there are many among us (powerful forces) that are determined to take one giant step backwards.

Religious fanatics from the worlds three great monotheistic religions are determined to 'prove their point'. They worship the one true God, their religion alone hold the keys to knowledge righteousness and eternal truth. Religion aligned with enormous political and economic power (the alliance of religion and politics is always a bad sign, and has heralded death and despair throughout time).

You can tell them that we can all live together, they don't want to hear it. You can tell them that God is God, no matter what you call him/her or how you choose to pray, if you are praying to the one God, you are all praying to the "same God" (HELLO), "a rose by any other name" , but they don't get it. You can plead with them to think about what they are advocating (and raising money for ?) , death, misery and pain on an unimaginable scale, and point out that all the prophets preached the exact opposite. Jesus was not the prophet of "Zero tolerance". But they don't see it that way.

These people are convinced that they are doing God's work, and we know from many many experiences that when man tries to do God's work he fails utterly. I mean c'mon it's God for God sake, we are not exactly a replacement for the judgment and wisdom of God. But it is to no avail, these forces are determined to rumble, and the drums of war grow louder with each day.

Not with a bang but with a whimper.

Michael Trachtenberg
MTMIND

Cyber Police

2008-12-11T20:11:00.001-08:00

While government regulation always comes with strings attached, the reality is that the internet, an evolving term, that attempts to describe the growing networks of connected computers, databases and devices IS the future. At the invention of television few saw its power to transform the world, although it soon became evident, and yet the impact of the internet will be even more profound. The digital or cyber or information or whatever revolution you want to call it, is the platform on which the next industrial, engineering, scientific and cultural evolution will rest.

Within its promise, a new economy, a new social paradigm, a new global connectivity that will transcend nation states. Wherever the future is taking us, the internet and its incredible potential is leading the way.

When we made roads we made laws to regulate their safe use, when we made television we did similar, we must make 'rules' for the internet, and indeed we do already in many ways, but not from one coherent authority. The US should form a global group of advisers to help sheppard the growth and development of the internet. First with an eye towards our safety and to foster it's ethical use, second to preserve it's 'democratic nature' and secure its 'freedom' to grow, it's intellectual freedom. And the US should look to strengthen not weaken international law enforcement that can tackle cyber crime and emerging threats to this new frontier. We are still in the wild west days. And the hard ridin, hard drinkin types don't want to see the prairie tamed and paved over. But we're gonna have to get past the tendency to romanticize anarchy, and realize how important this next step is in the ascent of man.

Don't be scared, get involved. It is coming, it is here.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=83156
http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/081211_sanderson_intlcollab_web.pdf

Michael Trachtenberg
MTMIND

The Big Picture

2008-12-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

If you cannot see Zionism and Fundamentalist Christianity is exactly the same as radical Islamists, then you are only seeing part of the picture, and will never understand the dynamics of what is really going on. Zionism is NOT Judaism, just like radical Islamists do not represent Islam. Jews don't kill, steal and brutalize other people to take by force that which they cannot
provide for themselves, Zionists do. The same is true that Muslims do not gun down innocent women and children, Jihadists do. A radical perversion of Biblical, Talmudic or Koranic thought, combined with a dogmatic intolerant view of their own superiority and righteousness. If you want to understand, you need to see the big picture. You cannot begin to understand radical Islamic movements without knowing the history of the world in which it was bred. Just like you cannot understand Zionism unless you understand the world in which it was bred. Indeed Zionism makes no sense at all, unless you understand the people and motivations behind the movement, it's relation to current and historic events and the evolution of its ideology to present day.

To say that modern Zionism and the pogroms of Europe, the anti-Semitic sentiment in Europe at the end of the 19th century, the holocaust are not related is flawed intellectually. To see a radcial Islamic movement form and trying to understand it without looking at the persecution and oppression of Muslims in the middle east at the hands of Perverted Arab governments, Israel and the west, the "Muslim Holocaust" in Bosnia and Kosovo is equally ignorant. The fundamentals of Zionism, like the fundamentals of Radical Islamic thought are twisted perversions of the meaning of current events.

Zionism born of Jewish oppression and mistreatment, Holocaust in Europe drives terrorists to create war in Palestine which issues in the birth of Israel a so called Jewish State (does not end the war however). Muslims oppressed, creates Jihadist movements, war in Afghanstan with Russia, holocaust in Bosnia, Kosovo and continuing oppression in Palestine drives terrorists to... well you know the story.

Radical Islam formed in an environment that held nobody would come to the aid of Muslims in dire need. And that only through strict dominance of Muslims "lands" could the Muslim be free to worship and live with respect and dignity. If this sounds familiar to Jews it should, because the Zionist movement began and was propelled by the same rationale.

Examples abound in recent history where that concept is reinforced for Muslims, and held true over and over, so these radical and violent 'solutions' can seem tolerable, even welcomed, and the justification for the hopelessly depressed, forlorned and forsaken becomes rooted in GOD, the only one with the power to make the impossible happen (that you will always be accepted and safe) . And it is simple to understand how that message is received when talking with a Palestinian, an oppressed minority in Saudi Arabia, a Jew fleeing the holocaust in Europe or a Muslim in Bosnia or Kosovo. The natural solution to that assumption is simple , if no one cares, and justice does not exist, the solution lies in a "mono culture" state, where "one people" can live in "safety" and peace from the "other people" and of course this "utopia" has one drawback, it comes with total strict control as prescribed by the leaders in these movements (the well known "US" as in "Us And Them", also known as "Your either with us or against us", or in Liberal circles, it reciprocal statement "If you not part of the solution, your part of the problem"). This is the same mono culture utopian state that Christian fundamentalists ascribe when they proclaim that the United States of America is a "Christian nation".

The roots of Zionism are exactly the same, when you look past the meaningless dates and he said she said of history you find the same social and cultural dynamic that drives these extremist ideologies. Zionisms roots are in the so called "Jewish Problem" as first "described" by Theodor Herzl in the 1890's.

"The Jewish problem", the premised on the "fact" that the Jews, as an ethnic minority, would never fully be accepted by their host nations and almost always be blamed for the troubles of those nations. Enter God, stage left, the only one with the power to make the impossible happen, It was God who had foretold, through His prophets, that the Jews would never be accepted in the nations of their exile and would suffer much persecution as a result.

Sound familiar?
The Muslim Problem, The Christian Problem, The Jewish Problem, the same problem, intolerance, dogmatic theology, hate and mistrust. And if these "problems" have their roots in intolerance, dogmatic theology, hate and mistrust then solution to these 'problems' is...
well I'll leave that to you to figure out.

Michael Trachtenberg
MTMIND

Strategery

2008-11-13T07:44:00.002-08:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/13/pakistan.iranian.kidnap/index.html

This story strikes you as odd, first out, then a shudder as you realize what is so wrong with this picture. And now the realization, that yes, Pakistan is a powder keg of possible trouble, and that armed with nuclear weapons, can easily be called the most dangerous country in the world right now. Our intelligence services have warned that this is the place where they are placing greater importance these days, and we can see for good reason. The central Government is weak, we can see that NO ONE controls the tribal areas, and this no mans land harbors many secrets. With complicity from Pakistan's security services the ISI one can imagine a lot of dangerous scenarios and a recipe for continued conflict and unrest that will tend to destabilize Pakistan and the new government there. We should be doing everything we can to shore up the new government and democratic institutions ( a departure from the last 7 years) and hope that with our help the new government can get the upper hand.

The tribal areas on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan have never come under the complete control of Pakistan although they are thought to be a part of Pakistan. This shady area is a hotbed for terrorism as well as international arms and drug traffic. A toxic mix of radical theology shady characters, lawlessness and lots and lots of money... Read More. To be sure there are several areas in the world where the Bush administration has lit the fuse and walked away, but this area may very well be where the next attacks on the US are being planned and financed and a possible crisis for Pakistan and the world brewing.

Forget the ridiculous rhetoric of the Republicans when they talk about mushroom clouds, Iran or North Korea shooting off a nuclear armed missile at us, Israel or some other country. That is easily over the top and calculated disinformation for domestic consumption by the ignorant. But I don't need to shoot a gun to threaten you with one, I just have to point it at you. Actually shooting the gun would end the 'threatening' phase of our encounter and begin the conflict phase. The point being that you don't need to fire off a nuclear weapon to 'threaten' with one, you just need to be able to point one, and Pakistan can do that. Unlike the many made up threats constantly emanating from the GOP, you know, to control you with fear, an announcement from Pakistan's military that nuclear warheads were aimed at Tel Aviv, Kabul or Tehran would be a 'real' threat.

Michael Trachtenberg
MTMIND

Sorry, It Won't Happen Again, Promise

2008-11-11T22:58:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I have been gone so long. That sounds a little funny, knowing that I am basically talking to myself, but seriously. I will try and write more, I've let things go for too long. (Damn you FaceBook)

Progressive's Reality Check

2008-11-11T22:57:00.001-08:00

Now that Barack Obama has been elected, and the Bush years, will finally be relegated to history. We progressives have found that while elated and somehow validated by the recent election results, we are also still alone, perhaps more alone than ever. As our post election reverie fades, and our senses return, we are finding out that the world, with an Obama in the White house may hold a bit more promise than it did with Bush at the helm, but is still likely to disappoint us. For example, post the manic election season, we have noticed that John Stewart is not really that funny, although many of his 'reporters' are very funny, he is not. We have known all along that Barack Obama is every bit a modern politician with his allegiances to big money, and the status quo, but we acted as though we had at least been temporarily seduced by the lofty rhetoric of a candidate who hit some of the right buttons. The problem here is that real deep and meaningful change is as unlikely as it ever was. No doubt we will be buoyed by a shift in political focus, better environmental management, increased investment in renewable energy sources, improvements in access to health care for Americans, maybe even more realistic national focus on education and science, a perhaps more enlightened world view, and a more considered foreign policy and stable and thoughtful decision making in the White House, which will all be welcomed. While Thomas Friedman is just now getting the problems of carbon based energy and overpopulation, his latest brainstorm (hot, flat, crowded) some of us remember Pete Seeger singing about the problems of population growth, a half century ago. And have understood for over a two decades that ending the use carbon based fuels was the only pathway to tomorrow. True progressive thinkers are still in a wilderness, with few other travelers. Where is the reality check on Israel, can we count on Rahm Israel Emanuel to support Obama in implementing the Geneva Accords and bringing 50 years of warfare to an end. Can we count on Obama to restore civil liberties, habeus corpus, and put back the serious constitutional restrictions on the office he is about to occupy? Will Obama support the UN instead of denigrating it, will he allow it to become a serious forum for global action and cooperation? Will he really reform wall street and corporate governance? We hope for big things, as we always do, because at our core we believe in mankind. At least we still have Stephen Colbert.

That Poor Sarah Palin

2008-09-14T21:01:00.001-07:00

http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/12/news/economy/spiers_pig.fortune/index.htm?postversion=2008091406

With the Republican "supply side" economy in meltdown again (*see S&L crisis under Bush I) , all I can think of is that poor poor Sarah Palin, she does not deserve this at all.
Now She's a "Subprime Pig, Shame on you Fortune magazine, for this obvious reference to McCain's choice for VP..
Sarah Palin may not be the beauty she once was when she competed for Miss Alaska or whatever, but she has had five kids for god's sake, a "SubPrime Pig" that's just wrong.

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Media Explainer Bosnian War Crimes

2008-07-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

The recent arrest of Radovan Karadzic, a modern day Hitler for sure, has spawned some stories on the victims of his brutal policies. Of course many thousands of Serbian soldiers who perpetrated the raping of Muslim women and killing of Muslim men and boys. The torturers and rapists are largely still free. Though Karadzic is undoubtedly the most culpable and the highest ranking official during these times, (like Bush is now). He is also largely given credit for much of the architect of these atrocities.
His stooge Milosovic is dead, his brutal general, and the front man for much of the horrors Ratko Mladic is still, sadly at large.

But this blog entry is here specifically to remind our dear readers, that we watched this happening on TV for three years during the Clinton years. (*In case you have not read my blog before just want you to know I am devout progressive thinker, who feels that Bill Clinton was the best Republican president we ever had. Just so you don't think I am dumping on Clinton)

I remember watching in horror for three years on CNN as pictures and stories came back, much as they do today from the Sudan, of horrible atrocities being committed right before the "world's eyes". And my dear beloved Jews, from them silence. Never Again! was suppose to mean something. It didn't, now we must add to the names Bergen Belsen, Auschwitz, Dachau, the names, Sarajevo, Severnica, Gorajde and Kosovo, places where man's inhumanity towards men was allowed to run rampant. We watched and watched as Europe and the US did some hand wringing, and finger pointing, and mostly ignoring the whole affair, the UN did it's usual ineffective 'peacekeeper dance', with some of the most egregious horrors of the war carried out in UN "safe zones" and right under the noses of a UN force that was woefully inadequate for the task at hand, namely stopping the Serbian army and irregulars from their campaign of ethnic cleansing. Until the UN and people like Elie Wiesel and others finally broke through the apathy and implored the world to do something. Only then did Clinton half heartedly and to a chorus of the usual Republican ridicule (his own party) , stir into action , getting NATO into the action, so we would not be going it alone.

IMHO: They should have listened to Gen. Wesley Clark, they would have put things back together faster. But Wesley had a heart, something Republicans like Clinton have little use for. Clinton was going to be more restrained and politically practical.

...
The outbreak of war seemed like a joke to Jasmina, then just 19 years old. She dreamed of being an economist and says she played with her toddler son and baby daughter as if they were toys.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/07/22/sarajevo.rape/index.html

"Then they started torturing me. I lost consciousness. When I woke up, I was totally naked and covered in blood, and my sister-in-law was also naked and covered in blood. ... I knew I had been raped, and my sister-in-law, too."

...

"Every day we were raped. Not only in the house -- they would also take us to the front line for the soldiers to torture us. Then again in the house, in front of the children,"

All as we watched... you know, on TV!
MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Media Bias

2008-06-29T11:36:00.000-07:00

Here's a typical story in the US media about Israel.
With all the added stuff they don't mention.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/06/29/israel.gaza/index.html

Israel reopens Gaza border crossings

Israel reopened some of its border crossings with Gaza on Sunday, four days after it closed all but one passage because of Palestinian rocket attacks.

These are illegal border closings that collectively punish the 1.4 million people living in Gaza for the actions of a very few. And by the way those very few are fighting a war that Israel started and continues to persecute today.

Israel had closed crossings between Israel and Gaza except for Erez crossing on Gaza's northern border.

This is illegal and immoral, to close these border crossings and condemned by human rights groups and international courts. Collective punishment is seen as a war crime.

The Sufa and Nahal Oz crossings were open Sunday to allow for the passage of fuel, food and medical supplies.
Israel closed all but the Erez crossing on Gaza's northern border on Wednesday in response to rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza -- a violation of the fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas leaders.

Earlier that same day Israel attacked and killed supposed Hamas militants in the West bank. They killed three people. The rocket attacks came after the Israeli attacks.

Some of the rockets were fired by Islamic Jihad and Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the militant wing of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party.

This is the party of Yasser Arafat, the former PLO, and now Fatah the group that the US is 'supporting' in an attempt to destroy Palestinian unity and power. The US and Israel have funneled money and weapons into Fatah to help them kill Hamas, another war crime.

Israel said that under the conditions of the truce, which went into effect June 19, the Hamas leadership in Gaza is responsible for all militant attacks on Israel and not just those carried out by Hamas militants.

Just another in a long line of absurd and unrealistic 'conditions' that Israel puts on the peace process. Because they don't want a peace process, they want to destroy all the Palestinian people.

In return, Israel agreed to halt raids inside Gaza and gradually ease its economic blockade if the truce holds.

Israel has not halted raids, attacks, assasinations roadblacks, checkpoints, illegal detentions, and incarcerations, collective punishment or building settlements.

Israel has said the truce is a first step toward a broader cease-fire agreement that must include the release of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier who was taken hostage two years ago by militants in Gaza.

The Israeli government of Olmert indeed would like to get these soldiers back, they are fallen in the polls and it would go a long way towards redeeming them in the eyes of the public, but a first step, this is just a cruel joke,and a big lie. A lie the world knows is a lie. The question, why do we tolerate such deceit in our media, our leaders. Why do we let them lie to us, and why are we so quick to ignore the fact that we are being lied to.

Kick The Can

2008-04-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

They are officially referring to the Bush Administrations approach to dealing with these and other ongoing and emerging global problems as the "kick the can" strategy.
They are probably busying themselves with the 'end of term' and holiday parties in the fall and moving arrangements.

I wonder if he'll go back to Crawford?

Do nothing until January, he can do that standin' on his head.
Even with the chorus of people who are goading him to attack Iran before he leaves office, I think Bush himself, is more than happy not to illicit more controversy.
I think he is happy to ride out his 'record' on the Iraq war, and the fact that we were not attacked again on his watch, (his nightly prayer).
Of course he knows the bomb is ticking (he can hear it from where he is), but maybe just maybe it won't go off until after Jan 09.
The economy, the wars, the environment, health care, gas prices etc. etc. he can ride it all out till Jan.

There is another school of thought though and that is Bush will adopt a hubris reminiscent of "Mission Accomplished" and give us a "what the heck"
approach, why go out with a whimper when you can go out with a bang.
After January 09 he will never again have the option to order the military to attack something.
If he is going to be remembered as the worst president in US history why not go out big.
What's he got to lose, public opinion?
And there is no shortage of those in this administration urging the president to do just that.

George if you are reading this, I vote pull a Capt' Kirk, and just ignore it and hope it all goes away after Christmas. Try doing nothing, it can't get much worse. Maybe even keep the door open for poor ol Jeb in 2012.

Today's headlines
India and Iran close to a pipeline deal, which we gave India nuclear technology to stop,
headline today
Ahmadinejad says gas pipeline deal in 45 days

Iran snubbing the US and perhaps even kickin us when we are down, declares it will sell oil, but not in dollars.

Official says Iran has stopped using US dollar for oil deals

Who are the big threats to the US? Venezuela and Iran because they wont play nice with their oil.
Even though it is hard to find any act of terror carried out by Venezuela or Iran unless you count their actions in Iraq, you know in the war we started.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/04/30/terror.report/index.html

"Venezuela's associations with terror states, Iran's meddling in Iraq and the resurgence of al Qaeda in Afghanistan top the concerns in a new State Department report on terrorism threats in countries around the world."

"The Taliban in Afghanistan -- whose government was toppled by U.S.-led forces after the September 11 attacks in 2001 -- has strengthened its military and technical capabilities even while suffering heavy combat losses, says a State Department report released Wednesday."

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/30/terrorism.afghanistan/index.html?iref=werecommend

Michael Trachtenberg

MTMIND

Chef's Surprise

2008-03-24T21:46:00.000-07:00

Whats on the menu? Well lets see. Higher prices for food all over the world.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/03/24/food.ap/index.html
"Among the driving forces are petroleum prices, which increase the cost of everything from fertilizers to transport to food processing. Rising demand for meat and dairy in rapidly developing countries such as China and India is sending up the cost of grain, used for cattle feed, as is the demand for raw materials to make biofuels.

What's rare is that the spikes are hitting all major foods in most countries at once. Food prices rose 4 percent in the U.S. last year, the highest rise since 1990, and are expected to climb as much again this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-food25mar25,1,7719765.story

The World Food Program called on donor nations for urgent help in closing a funding gap of more than $500 million by May 1. If money doesn't arrive by then, Executive Director Josette Sheeran said in a letter to donors, the WFP may be forced to cut food rations "for those who rely on the world to stand by them during times of abject need."

http://voanews.com/english/2008-03-24-voa49.cfm

"In Egypt, a shortage of subsidized bread has resulted in long lines and occasional clashes in which several people have been killed. The president has ordered the army to use its bakeries to try to end the bread crisis, but the roots of the problem are more than just simple supply and demand. Rising food prices and poverty have combined with corruption to create a bread problem that will not be easily solved. VOA Correspondent Challiss McDonough has more from Cairo."

Bush policies will put many millions of people at risk of starvation.
Wow what a surprise.

See The MTMIND March 07
http://themtmind.blogspot.com/2007/03/global-gloaming-corny-solutions.html

Or The MTMIND May 07
http://themtmind.blogspot.com/2007/05/let-em-eat-cake.html

Still it's a shocker.

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Lies Work

2008-03-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Bush family history in politics show one thing, lies work.
If you tell a lie often enough people will start to believe it.

Michael Dukakis got his from poppy bush, John McCain in 2000 by Generalissimo Bush.

Latest polling show that the Bush-GOP spin machine is making headway. Despite all evidence to the contrary 51% of Americans report thinking things are going better in Iraq.

Bush/McCain and the GOP crew have been hard at work touting the effectiveness of "The Surge".
And despite our own government and independent reports to the contrary Americans are buying it.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/12/iraq.women/index.html

The message to our young people, The president lies because Lies Work !

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

The Science Delusion

2008-03-08T09:36:00.002-08:00

According to British biologist Richard Dawkins religion, or more specifically belief in a God is not scientifically supportable. His postulate, that the modern monotheist conception of God as a phenomenon should be evaluated on the merits of the evidence for God's existence. Treated like any other scientific theory, and then laughingly he goes on to do this, and he determines the likelihood of God's existence is low, though he says it cannot be determined absolutely that there is no God. In one sentence he reveals quite truthfully that Science can neither prove or disprove the existence of God but then proceeds to do so. At that point he ceases to be a scientist and becomes a preacher, of his own flawed religion.

More importantly, lets make the distinction that Dawkins is simply ridiculing those who, in his estimation believe in the literal translation of the new testament. His is an attack on fundamentalists, not a thesis on the existence of God. His book 'The God Delusion" is as much science based as creationism, and is simply an attack on fundamentalists as a group by a person who disagrees with them and their beliefs.

However because he is suppose to be a scientist, and has littered his book with scientific jargon and false premise, that his railings against fundamentalists are taken in that context. Nothing could be farther from the truth and this misunderstanding I will address. Nothing about Dawkins book is science or scientific period.

What Dawkins does is fall into a trap of scientist as egotist, and completely ignores the 'scientific basis' for man's mysticism, we are not Spock. What he ignores completely is the scientific basis for human mystical belief. The two hundred and fifty thousand year history of mankind's mysticism, and the role these characteristics play in mankind's development and nature. It would be a valid treatise to illuminate the foundations of religion, of mass hysteria and mankind's penchant for doggedly adhering to irrational beliefs, even in the face of contradictory evidence.
A failing perhaps, Dawkins, like all humans are susceptible to, but that is not what Dawkins is doing.

The modern monotheistic God, in fact all gods, demons, witches, ghosts, goblins, spirits, stems from this mystical nature of humans. What is faith and religious belief, but an expression of this mysticism an extrapolation of thought and understanding of the universe attributed to a 'supernatural force'. Instead of studying the vast amounts of data that seek to reveal this phenomenon he instead rails against this modern monotheistic concept of God, like a spoiled child who can not get his way.

The truth is, this very characteristic of humanity has allowed him to create science, a hypothesis after all is a leap of faith, a belief in something unfounded and unproved. It is man's mystical nature that has made our science possible and so powerful a tool for our specie. Man's ability to 'imagine' something unseen is at the foundation of our creation of science.

When you show a human a picture of say the bow of a ship, they can in his or her mind imagine what the rest of the ship looks like, we do this innately without training or coercion. It is a phenomenon of our intellect, our intelligence, that stems from the very basic building blocks of what we call intelligence, and that is the ability to match patterns. All living things have this ability, in mankind is it acutely developed and paired with an ability to form memories and draw on those memories to form and understand even larger patterns, but all living things must match patterns to survive. It is a fundamental attribute of life, that stems from the chemical basis for life, molecules form patterns that 'match up' to form other molecules.

There is a lot of hatred in those flailing tomes of Dawkins anti-religious rhetoric, maybe he was abused by a priest of shunned by a nun but somewhere, somehow he has developed a hatred for the religious and it comes out in his 'philosophy'. He ceases at this point to be a scientist and observer of phenomenon and instead becomes as ignorant and dogmatic and the religiously faithful people he is trying to criticize.

Let me state here unequivocally and emphatically that there is NO CONFLICT between Science and religious belief, or between Science and the belief in God. And that trying to create such a conflict is inherently ignorant and counterproductive. It is just as ignorant and counter productive when fundamentalist Christians try and foist religious doctrine in the guise of creationism on our children as science, as when Dawkins sets himself up as a scientific savior trying to convert the ignorant religious masses.

By it's very nature science can never prove or disprove the existence of God, nor can God negate science. Science is what humans call our method of discovery. In fact, it's called the scientific method. And at it's very heart are the principles of tolerance and uncertainty. To forget that as Dawkins does is to negate and debase science, by elevating it to an omnipotent and omniscient deity.

Science is method of discovery, a way for humans to discover things about our universe and ourselves.

The scientific method, simply put it a set of procedures, that starts with hypothesis, an idea of how something works, this is followed by collecting facts through experimentation. The next process is to share those results and have other 'scientists' try and repeat those experiments. By collecting data through experimentation and having more and more scientists be able to repeat our observations we lend more and more credence to our hypothesis. that's it, that's all it is, a way of discovering something that is already there in nature.

Contrary to popular belief humans and our science does not create anything, all creation is already done, complete, all we do with science is discover what is already there. Only an egoist wannabe creator like Dawkins would presume to deny the existence of a creator of all things, or further presume to know or understand the nature of the creator of all things. True scientists are not afraid to tell you they don't know something, only egoists like Dawkins must flaunt their presumed superiority in the face of those who, in their minds, don't know as much. Academic elitism is not a pretty thing and in the end just as sad, pathetic and vacuous as religious elitism.

From paper clips to the cure for cancer, the answers and technologies are already there, we can just discover them, like blowing sand away from a tomb buried in the desert, we don't create anything we simply discover it, through science, our name to describe our methods of discovery.

Lets take gravity for instance, or I should say the theory of gravity. Let's start with an observation that an object, say an apple, when dropped from my hand always falls towards the earth. The apple has weight or mass, thats a fact, a piece of data. The apple as I observe it falls towards the earth when I drop it from my hand, another piece of observational data, collected during the experiment of dropping the apple from my hand.

Thus we collect more and more data and facts through measurement and experimentation, that adds to our understanding and modifies and builds upon our theory. Science is mankinds way to discover and understand the universe and himself.

But all measurement and data is inherently subject to tolerance and uncertainty, it is flawed.
True scientists are not frightened or dissuaded by this fact, nor are they dogmatic and egotistical enough to ignore or deny it.

True scientists respect tolerance and uncertainty as a fundamental part of what they study. True scientists revel in the truth, we bathe and bask in it, we let it roll over us, and twirl it in our fingers, lap it up like a kitten eating milk.

Dawkins gives all true scientists a 'bad name' by employing the very dogmatic and ignorant tactics of those he is trying to attack. True science does not attack, it illuminates, nor does it judge, but instead provides understanding.

Let's not confuse Richard Dawkins views with the views of science. Science has no view, no point to make, no enemies to vanguish, no axe to grind, Dawkins does.

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Keeping America Safe Through Torture

2008-03-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

Today President Bush vetoed legislation which would ban the CIA from using torture.
Claiming that this is a valuable tool in the war on terror, to keep our country safe.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/08/bush.torture.ap/index.html

Now the question is, what will you do?
Sit on your duff and take the taxi to the darkside?
Or will you stand up and be counted, to put the inalienable rights of human beings back in American policy?

If you choose the dark side, understand the consequences for humanity, the rule of law, human rights throughout the world and our standing among nations.

If you choose to protest the use of torture, and the government that has reatedly lied to you about it's use, understand it is not enough to keep it to yourself.

NP, I have no life so it's easy for me to sit here and expound, meanwhile Bush today vetoed legislation that would forbid torture by the CIA, and it is hard for me to understand how anyone can defend the naked brutality of Zionism. BTW the Zionist government of Israel is one of those governments we send people to in extraordinary rendition to be tortured and happily provided "advisor's" to our teams at Abu Grahib.

Put aside the macho rhetoric of the Jew that aint gonna take it anymore, and hiding behind the pain and humiliation of the holocaust in Europe at the hands of the Nazis as a worn out and feeble excuse for their murderous policies and utter brutality and what you have is jackbooted monsters wearing yarmulke instead of swastikas.

Proud to be Jewish, and proud to oppose Zionism and the actions of Israel.
Proud to be American, proud to oppose torturing other human beings and the (illegal) actions of this administration.

Human Civilization and civil behavior is a thin veil, all too easy blown away by the slightest breeze. Doesn't take much take nice smiling happy humans and turn them into teeth flashing killers.

And with the current trends to brutalize and starve more and more of earth's human population, to disenfranchise and marginalize vast groups of us, to consolidating wealth and power in the hands of fewer and fewer, despoiling the environment that sustains us all, well, a recipe for the 'end of days' horror show 'left behinders' are busy praying and raising money for, endless warfare, bloodshed, depravity and despair.

Our own greed and shortsightedness, all the warnings from the old testament, and other so called sacred texts, that preceding generations have sought to warn us, their progeny about and protect us from ourselves. We, our own worst enemy.

I plan to watch it all on cable.

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Tick Tick Tick

2008-03-06T23:20:00.000-08:00

The US government created the Northern Command after 911, which is basically an unconstitutional arm of the military aimed at domestic control.
And the drum beat and scare mongering has started in preparation for election 2008.

The truth is the attack is coming and they cannot stop it. But instead of telling you the truth they must seems like they are in control and actively trying to stop it.

The actions of the US administration post 911 have made it a certainty that we (innocent Americans) will be targeted and killed. But they won't admit their mistakes or misguided foreign policies that are not designed to foment peace, but instead perpetuate war, that ensures their power and wealth and control.

The US Northern Command, U.S. military commander in charge of domestic defense??
Isn't our entire military in charge of "domestic defense". That should not mean they operate within the US.

This is a command deployed to operate within the US borders, something the constitution forbids and the framers of the constitution warned about. The next attack when it comes will give the US administration all the ammo they need to eliminate the last vestiges of civil liberty and constitutional freedoms. Bush has already declared, argued for, and taken extra constitutional powers in the name of his authority as commander in chief in time of war, so says the Supreme Court. But they are not done, not by a long shot.

The next attack may well be horrendous but the aftermath will be much worse, as with 911 the governments response will do more harm than good. And don't expect the military to be there to save the victims, you will be on your own, like the victims of Katrina. Michael Chertoff has as much as said so in statements, that Americans should not expect the government to get help to you in a crisis. Buy your own duct tape, batteries and water.

And if you believe , as I do , that we have yet to be told the whole truth about 911, then you must be a little skeptical, that this administration would be above manufacturing a crisis, to ensure the election for McCain, and taking Americans minds off the downward spiral of the economy, and give the administration a scapegoat for the recession/depression that is overtaking our economy, and a cement in place military control over civilian institutions. Right now it is only those declared by GW to be 'illegal combatants' who have been tortured and deprived of their human rights, but tomorrow??

We already have anecdotal and whistle blower evidence that illegal wiretapping and relaxed rules for law enforcement, searches and seizures, have been used in domestic criminal cases, contrary to what the administration has told us that these techniques are ONLY being used against terrorists.

Once you give law enforcement new powers they will use them as they please. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, it's an old maxim. Many thousands of national security letters have gone out demanding information and access to what otherwise would require a court order to obtain, using something called 'evidence' of a crime.

That may seem quaint and provincial to Dick Cheney and his Neo-Con fascist followers but it is the cornerstone our freedoms and liberties in this country and should not be swept aside so lightly, not by national emergencies or time of war.

If we give up those rights we don't have them anymore, and the constitution is not worth the paper it was written on.

And yet many Americans still think that these activities are restricted to surveillance of terrorists. By the time Americans are aware of this the next attack will subdue any protest for the most draconian of measures. People protesting for their civil liberties will be labeled traitors, and terrorist sympathizers, or worse, arrested for speaking their minds, held without charges or access to a lawyer, 'because they are dangerous' and 'we have to' and your either with us or against us.....

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/03/06/us.threat.ap/index.html

"Al Qaeda terrorists may be plotting more urgently to attack the United States to maintain their credibility and ability to recruit followers, the U.S. military commander in charge of domestic defense said Thursday."

"Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, chief of the U.S. Northern Command, also told reporters he has not seen any direct threats tied to the U.S. presidential elections. But he said it would be rash to think that such threats are not there."

"About the same time, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff raised eyebrows when he said he had a "gut feeling" that the United States faced a heightened risk of attack."

Tick tick tick

MTMIND

Michael Trachtenberg

Slippery Slope

2008-03-04T22:28:00.000-08:00

Oil's big influence on the US administration and it's corporations.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23467758/

"Citigroup shares sank about 6 percent to their lowest level in more than nine years, as stockholders recoiled at forecasts of more losses at the troubled bank and comments from a Middle East fund executive that Citi must raise more cash to stay in business."

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Murdered While We Watch

2008-03-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

I guess if you are a fan of illegal snuff films you are getting a thrill, but for the rest of us sane humans watching as the Palestinian people are slaughtered is not our idea of entertainment. In fact these are war crimes. Why the world is so apathetic is perhaps a mystery, but why the many thousands of Jews who do not support the actions of the Zionists in Israel are so silent is a real mystery. Never Again! remember that my dear Jews, now WE are the perpetrators of inhumanity towards man, now we are the oppressors, the brutes, the murderers. The Zionist movement has tainted a once great religion and stained it with the blood of thousands of innocent people, a strange brutal inhumanity that is neither Jewish or rational. This should not be tolerated, not among Muslims, Jews or secular people anywhere in the world. Why is the cry not louder, why have we been numbed to these daily atrocities?

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/01/mideast/index.html?iref=topnews

Perhaps it is the constant stream of violence we live with, perhaps our leaders want us to hate, to fear, to betray each other. Anti-Muslim sentiment is rife in America and around the world because of the misguided actions of a few, and yet Jews only speak of Antisemitism.

Can we not speak of Anti-Muslim sentiments and how wrong they are as well?
If the Jews cannot speak out strongly against such inhumanity, then who can?
It is coming from our own ranks, Jews don't kill people to steal their land, Zionists do.
It is hiding behind our prayer shawls, and in our synagogues, under our head scarves, behind our walls, in our backyards and in our families. We have invited the devil for dinner, and he has provided a feast of blood.

There are many thousands of Jews, perhaps millions, who are opposed to the actions of the Zionist government of Israel.

http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/

Now we have a new American phenomenon, Christian Zionists, cheering the bloody Zionists of Israel from the sidelines, sending suitcases full of money, in a slow macabre dance of death, each yearning for their messiah to come and rid us of the other one. Christian Zionists look forward to the day when all the Jews have been converted to Christianity, and the Likud and Zionists like Ariel Sharon, and Bejamin Netanyahu embrace them and their money and influence in the US. I know it makes no sense, but murder and religious hatred never does. Killing in the name of the creator of all things, who passed down his most sacred of commandments that thou shall not kill. These must be the acts of madmen, and yet Abu Grahib demonstrates that even the most rational of human beings can become a monster in the right circumstances. Who is creating these circumstances, who profits from them, why do our leaders not speak out, but instead fan the flames of hatred and intolerance. What's in it for them?

I am a happy and proud traitor, a traitor to the US war crimes, a traitor to the murderous torturers in the US administration, a traitor to the Zionist war crimes. I understand my German friends a little better now, their relationship to the Nazi's an embarrassment, they feel awkward and strangely ashamed of this brutal past, though none of them were Nazis or even born yet when the Nazis were finally defeated. I am embarrassed and ashamed by the Zionists who murder in the name of their perverted dreams of Eretz Israel, and call themselves Jews, when they are not Jews at all.

I will be called an antisemite, a Jew hating Jew, a traitor to the Jewish people, but if I am a traitor for denouncing this brutality then I am a proud and happy traitor.

Yes, one day this will all pass, the messiah won't come of course, and Jesus will not return to rapture his flock, and the decades blood letting will stop again if not just for a little while.
Sanity will return if not just for a moment and the killing will stop, but how many generations must endure this death and despair, how many generations must live like animals at each others throats. How many times must mankind do this to itself to learn the true lessons of the path of hatred and fear. These lessons are handed down in our holy books, they are codified and translated from many thousands of years ago and yet, here we are, repeating a bloody history, the same old story, when we already know the ending.

It ends badly.

You reap what you sow
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/06/mideast/index.html

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Darth Nader

2008-02-24T19:44:00.000-08:00

Ralph Nader throws his hat in the ring, again.

Never mind that he is the most qualified of any of the candidates, that he has a higher degree of integrity, honesty, experience and ethics than any of the candidates, that he is the only candidate that is telling you the truth, that he has real, well considered, sane and practical solutions to the problems we all face, never mind all that, he hasn't got a chance.

Now the media and the party activists will tell you he is a spoiler, that this is, after all, a 'two party country', where both parties are bought and paid for by the same players, a country where dissent against the party line is discouraged and often punished, where those who believe in the free exchange of honest opinions are to be marginalized, discredited and silenced, you know, like Nazi Germany.

If you REALLY want change, Vote Nader for president and be a part of the change. Or else you deserve what your going to get. You deserve to be lied to, and taken advantage of, because you knew your candidate was lying to you, and that Ralph Nader was telling the truth and you did nothing.

http://www.votenader.org/

MTMIND

We're Winning In Iraq

2008-02-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

After Six years of being lied to the American people are still so gullible that they will still ignore all evidence to the contrary, and that is, Iraq is a mess. But what can you expect from a population so poorly educated that a reported 3 out of 5 Americans do not understand the theory of evolution.

Cross border incursions by Turkey in the north of Iraq have opened a new war front.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/02/23/turkey.iraq/index.html

The Iraq and Afghan governments have been described as criminal enterprises, as the level of corruption dwarfs even our own.

Muqtada al-Sadr now disassociating himself from some of his followers who he says he can no longer control. This is his way of saying, Don't blame me for the continuing violence.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/03/07/iraq.main/index.html

McCain say's we're winning, that the surge is working, when even our government and independent reports like those from the RAND corporation state clearly that not only is the war lost, but further attempts to stem the insurgency are fruitless.

What is the answer, well whatever the solutions are they will NOT come from a population that is misled and a government that is determined to lie to us. And you can also blame media consolidation and complicity in this morass of misinformation and lies. When 5 corporations own virtually all the media in this country and all them lined up for favors from the federal government, it is a small wonder that the 'official news' is nothing more than government spin.

It's not liberal, it's not conservative, it's lies pure and simple.
The truth is not a liberal or conservative thing, it is what it is, and we are routinely shielded from it at all costs. Like the war, global climate change, national debt, government corruption, election misdeeds, the cost of oil. the abuses of Enron and other corporations. The list goes on and on, why are we so misinformed and the bigger question, why aren't we more upset about it.
Why do people listen to Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh , when they are both admitted liars?
Why do some many Americans feel that it is ok if not preferable to get the news and opinions they WANT to hear instead of the truth?

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Fear is the Mind Killer

2008-02-21T07:46:00.000-08:00

I too am concerned about my Social Security.
There are forces out there wanting you to 'hate' undocument immigrants.
A recent petition was sent to me that read in part.

"We, the undersigned, protest the bill that the Senate voted on
recently which would allow illegal aliens to access our Social Security.
W e demand that you and all Congressional representatives require
citizenship as a prerequisite for social services in the United States .

We further demand that there not be any amnesty given to illegals, NO
free services, no funding, no payments to and for illegal immigrants.
We are fed up with the lack of action about this matter and are tired
of paying for services to illegals. "

I just turned fifty last year and have been paying taxes and Social Security taxes since I was twelve years old.

But the basic premise of the petition is incorrect, our social security is not in danger because of possible payments to undocumented immigrants. Undocumented immigrants DO pay taxes, they pay social security, sales taxes, etc. they just never get to collect social security benefits because they are undocumented.

Social security is 'in danger' because our leaders from both parties have for 30 years been raiding the social security trust funds to finance our debt. The money that should be there for our retirement, to provide a modicum of dignity to us in our old age has been spent, and the government does not know how, nor does it particularly want to put it back.

Al Gore in 2000 had pledged to restore those funds by putting the surplus into a "lock box" that congress would not be able to spend (if you remember that). This of course was not allowed to happen. Republicans especially who have hated the 'New Deal" and "social anything" for years have been trying to kill this program and others that they collectively call "entitlements".

This money belongs to the people who have paid into the system for decades. If this were any corporation in America and the management had spent the employees pensions, they would all be going to jail, but this is the government, our elected leaders, and they will not be charged with any crime, although it is certainly a crime to have 'stolen' this money from retirees.

Now the government is telling you more lies, that undocumented immigrants are a threat to your money, they are telling our children that we retirees are a threat to thier money, pitting children against their parents in an effort to destroy these programs, (medicaid, Medicare and Social Security).

They cannot or will not put the money back so they will destroy the programs with lies and strangle it by making it impossible to repay those stolen funds. If you want to put in a petition to Bush, as futile as that would be, it should be aimed at letting him know that using our retirement funds to fund the deficit spending of congress that we have paid into for decades is unacceptable, and demand that the money be put back.

Social security was designed by accountants, it works, it works just fine, it is not broken, it is broke, it is broke because our elected leaders have spent the money, and left us with IOUs that they cannot or will not honor and payback.

Our national deficit is at record levels, thanks to Bush and a republican controlled congress. This is not a situation that was unforeseen or unavoidable, it is deliberately manufactured to dismantle the social programs that many many millions of Americans will depend on for a little dignity in their old age.

They cannot vote to eliminate these popular and vital social programs so they will strangle them by stealing the funding and ballooning the debt..

We are told now that we have NO CHOICE but to accept lower benefits or higher taxes, that is untrue, of course, another lie, they can and must make social security whole again, and only when people understand what has been done to them can we begin to put the pressure on our elected leaders to 'do the right thing'.

Don't hold your breath.

P.S. keep in mind that our elected leaders and republicans especially want you to hate, hate so called 'illegal aliens' hate gays, hate Muslims, etc. etc. hate clouds the mind , dulls the judgment, and muddies the waters of intelligent and rational discussion of the 'real' issues.
Don't be suckered in, undocumented immigrants are doing the 'lowest' jobs in our society in the worst conditions , for the lowest pay, they are hunted and preyed upon and taken advantage of by all sorts of miscreants, criminals and the government. It is not a 'free ride' to be an undocumented immigrant in America, it is often a nightmare.

All Americans are immigrants, (unless your a full blooded Cherokee), together these immigrants send millions of dollars back to their home countries, this money supports many more millions in the developing world, from the Phillipines to Quatemala. And our economy depends in these workers. The monied elite in America does not want this undocumented population to go away, they depend on their low wage workers and 'disposable' people to work in their businesses. What they want is to NOT have them gain any rights, because with rights comes the ability to demand fair wages, to protest or to sue for criminal treatment. They like their 'slave' labor and in fact are addicted to it.

The bush administration for all it's warts, foibles, incompetence and illegal activities had one very good idea, to document these people and create what it called as a 'guest worker program'. It's not amnesty, but a program to begin to document and deal with this vital part of our work force, and treat these people with dignity and humanity. Cheap lettuce and lawn work is hardly a trade off for keeping these people in slavelike conditions, at least not for an enlightened society. To control this situation and live up to our own stated morals and principles, we must be able to know who is in our country, and what they are doing here. Requiring businesses to ensure that employees are documented, fairly treated and paid.

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Only the Rights We Can Defend

2008-02-18T13:42:00.000-08:00

I disagree that there are not well organized conspiracies going on, but do agree that, in the end, we (the people) are allowing it to persist.
Now you only have to witness the bumbling efforts of this administration to manage the war, Katrina etc. etc. to understand that even well organized conspiracies are the product of fallible men.

The people and policies that created 911, and led us into this state of never ending war, 'knew' what they were doing.
You don't get fifty years of bad foreign policy by chance.
It is not an unconnected series of events from the Muslim holocaust in Bosnia and Serbia, to the brutalization of the Palestinian people, the apathy at genocide in Africa, etc. etc. these are events connected by a 'coherent' foreign policy, that has consistently failed to uphold human rights and the most basic principles of our own constitution. Wars are not fought for ideas, they are fought for money and power.
The ideas, the rhetoric just serves to aid those in power carry out their wars with 'public' support.

While you may reject the popular so called 'conspiracy theories' as do I, the real problem is that there is too much we don't know. Too much hidden and secret, too much spin, and very little appetite on the part of the public and the media (the fourth estate) to get to the bottom of things.

I would even hazard a guess that many governments are actively behind some of the most radical conspiracy theories, as they serve to 'muddy the waters' and convince intelligent people that the effort to get 'to the bottom of things' is not worthwhile.

My immediate point was that the Bush administration has been told by the Supreme court it's solutions and policies are illegal, the Justice department and even by their own admission, they feel unrestrained by any laws. That situation is intolerable, even in the midst of war.
There must be some accountability, it is our only way of preserving the rights we hold dear.

There is a quote from Jack McCoy of Law and Order fame in front of the Supreme Court in one episode, McCoy says that man has "only the rights he can defend". If we fail to defend those rights we no longer have them. They are not worth the paper they were written on. The rule of law is a fiction if it is not applied.

Would pursuing these criminals and exposing our own governments 'warts' solve the problems of radical and violent religious fundamentalism, no, eduction is the only thing that can save us from the ravages of death and despair that would be foisted upon us by Evangelical Christians , Zionist Jews and Radical Muslims, but it would lay the groundwork for a nation that can address those problems in a forthright way.

Bush Lied, Blair lied, over 90 thousand American soldiers dead or wounded, trillions spent and counting, many millions of Iraqis dead, wounded or displaced. The corruption and mayhem that is Iraq today a direct consequence of those lies. Taxi to the Darkside is about the US campaign of torture, but perhaps more importantly how our ignorance and complacency contributes to the environment where this kind of thing can happen.

Man has only the rights he can defend.

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Against All Odds

2008-02-12T01:37:00.000-08:00

The Bush administration and Republicans like McCain still rant about their need to fight Islamic extremism, that Iraq was the right decision, and that we are winning, when it is obvious to everyone but them that their actions post 911 have only served to exacerbate the problem of violent Islamic fundamentalism, firm up opposition to US policies, and spread the mistrust and despair that only fuels this kind of radical philosophy, and strengthens the very people and radical philosophies we should be trying to defeat. The war has spread Al Quaeda and violent Islamic fundamentalism like a cancer to every corner of the globe, our bad policies and poor leadership has metastasized what was a small rag tag group of radical fundamentalists into a global behemoth, combined with a fourfold increase in the price of oil, the proceeds of which fund this violent 'revolution'. Add to that the fact that their ranks are swelling while ours are withering. And you have what McCain calls 'a winning strategy' in Iraq.

Americans are so dumb, numb, doped up, fat, misinformed and lazy that they are happy to believe this crap despite mountains of evidence to the contrary.

I still hear republican supporters defending the actions of Bush-Cheney, poor misguided souls.

Study after study, expert after expert has testified to this as well as CIA and others in the administration who even prior to the invasion of Iraq warned of such consequences in open testimony before congress.

The Rand Corp. report characterizes "U.S. military intervention and occupation in the Muslim world" as "at best inadequate, at worst counter-productive, and, on the whole, infeasible." The Pentagon asked the nonprofit research organization to review strategies to thwart insurgents.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/02/11/rand.insurgencies/index.html

And what do you think the next attack on the US will bring us? An attack that every expert has characterized as not if but when. Will it bring us all an epiphany and sanity, or more radical warmongering, misinformation, hatred and despair. With our own radical fundamentalist Christians being revved up by the 'radical clerics' of thier evangelical faith, and the opportunistic politicians who pander to their dis-functional philosophy, what we have is a perfect storm. A storm of hatred, mistrust, hopelessness, misery and death.

What do you think the next attack on the US will bring us?

Take a guess.

MTMIND

Taxi To The Dark Side

2008-02-08T20:29:00.000-08:00

Our government is lying to us.
We are torturing people. Breaking international laws and our own long held and clearly stated principles.
The question is not why didn't we know about it, because we did, the question is why are we accepting torture, and why do accept the lies from our highest officials?

http://www.taxitothedarkside.com/

MT

The World Is Not Enough

2008-01-21T08:29:00.000-08:00

After seven years of Republican rule, in the White House and Congress, the Bush Administration and Republican controlled congress has taken us from budget surplus to irrationally exuberant deficits. Tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and unprecedented earmarks and pork barrel projects combined with wasteful government spending and a war without end, all from the party who supposedly was 'conservative'. GOP fiscal conservatism is a joke, that might make you laugh if it was not so tragic. The party of Reagan, the last president who took us from the worlds largest creditor nation to the worlds largest debtor nation. Even Newt Gingrinch whose plans included ballooning the deficit to kill social spending on the poor, could not have foreseen this debacle, (even with the help of his futurist mentor Michael Crichton).

Well the world no longer wants to extend credit to a overly indulged debtor whose main claim to economic fame is it's military industrial complex. Consumer debt is skyrocketing and credit card companies are girding themselves for record losses.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/BUSINESS/01/21/markets.plunge/index.html
Our soured relations with the rest of the world has further isolated us and the burden of two lost wars is draining our treasury daily.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/BUSINESS/01/21/markets.plunge.asia/index.html
A global tsunami of market devaluation has been spurred by our irresponsible behavior and the world is reeling. They are not likely to forget easily either, and the market 'healing' will undoubtedly leave us a much less powerful player in the global markets. They will seek firmer ground. Burn me once shame on you, burn me twice, well you know.

Martin Luther King day in the US, stocks crashing all over the world with the Indian Sensex losing more than 10% of it's value in a single day.

Bloody Monday will lead to a Black Tuesday in US markets.

"South Korea's Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 90.03 points, or 5.4 percent, to 1,592.63.

Australia's benchmark S&P index was down 6 percent.

The Singapore stock exchange was down 4.5 percent, and Taiwan's benchmark Taiex was down 6.6%.

Trading was halted in Indian markets Tuesday as shares plunged on opening, with the benchmark index falling 9.5 percent. Shares in India's Sensex fell nearly 11 percent -- a four-month low -- on Monday.

Europe's main three indices, the FT-100 in London, the CAC 40 in Paris and the DAX in Frankfurt fell between 5 and 7 percent on Monday"

The prospect for a 'soft landing' is an illusion that the GOP is foisting on us in their recent bids to 'stimulate' the economy. Unfortunately the rest of the world only sees this as heaping more debt on an already unsustainable amount. In the coming days and weeks it will interesting to see who the GOP tries to blame for this crisis (they have only themselves to blame but are adverse to taking responsibility when bad things happen).

What we need is fiscal responsibility, restructuring of the economy to redistribute wealth more efficiently. However the powers that own our leaders in Washington only hear the demands of their contributors, especially in an election year where every dollar counts.

The brighter side: For the GOP and the monied class, this will mean even more pressure to privatize schools, infrastructure and public services. States strapped for cash and people desperate for work will welcome privatization and the 'jobs' it will create. A bonanza for the wealthy who will feast at the trough of our misery. Look for more school systems, roads, public infrastructure to be bought up by corporations who will promise jobs and taking these 'burdens' off the taxpayer, sure you may have to pay a toll, a small tuition, etc. but that's the price for your ignorance isn't it. Like 100$ a barrel oil.

Add into the mix the next terrorist attack (timing is everything boys), every expert has already testified that it is not IF but When, the Bush administrations war on terror has only exacerbated the problem of Islamic extremism, and their pandering to the religious right (read that fanatics) fostering our own brand of religious evangelical extremism in the process. While our extremists combine with Zionist extremists in a macabre dance of death, one can assume that we shall reap what we have sown.

tick tick tick,

Rough times ahead.

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

2008-01-20T14:11:00.000-08:00

The roadmap to peace, or prescription for genocide.

While the US and Israeli Zionists talk the rhetoric of Peace they busy themselves with systematically killing the people of Palestine.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/01/20/israel.palestinians.ap/index.html

"The power cut forced already beleaguered Gazans to stock up on food and batteries in anticipation of dark, cold days ahead. Gaza officials warned the move would cause a health catastrophe while a U.N. agency and human rights groups condemned Israel."

But their cries go unnoticed in the US, because the US media is controlled by the same corporate powers who for decades have 'sided' with the Zionists. In a military/congressional/industrial collaboration, that has caused the deaths and destruction of millions worldwide, and led this beautiful country to the edge of ruin.

It's a simple formula really, from the Hebrew midrash, as Justice wells up from the earth, so shall peace descend from heaven, in other words, No Justice, No Peace.

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Rapture Me

2008-01-13T18:12:00.000-08:00

Genocide in Darfur and Palestine continues, as we mop up the Muslim holocaust in Sarajevo, Gorajde, Severinica, Kosovo. Creeping fascism engulfs the US and the EU under the guise of "The New World Order". Economic crisis looms as the old guard refuses to give up their wasteful and glutenous ways. Arguably the most powerful man in the free world is an illegitimately elected moron. Environmental crisis, political crisis and food crisis threatens needlessly to end the lives of millions of people.

Against this backdrop, (de-) GenerationX ers are busy bringing us the grandeur and spectacle of "No Pants Subway Day".
http://www.improveverywhere.com/2006/01/22/no-pants-2k6/

Makes you wonder.

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Deja Vu All Over Again

2008-01-10T02:20:00.000-08:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/01/09/us.iran/index.html

Here we go again, our Gulf of Tonkin.

Lies, corruption, greed, conflict, misery, despair, war without end.
Same as it ever was.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/01/12/pakistan.us/index.html

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

The Awakening

2008-01-08T13:48:00.000-08:00

With the US elections season heating up and domestic concerns taking a front seat the White House is finally happy to have Iraq off the front pages for now.

But quietly the country is unraveling.
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/01/08/iraq.main/index.html
The 'coalitions' we are paying to 'help us', are arming themselves to the teeth on our dime, and forming themselves into small military forces loyal to the local warlords or 'clerics', capable of defending their turf but with little or no control from a central government, which has still failed to come together on the most crucial issues.

These local groups, part of the 'Anbar Awakening" as the right wing likes to call it, are building small armies with the help and money from the US but the future for them is not a unified Iraq but a way to strengthen themselves for the coming wars.

The Anbar awakening is a name given to the situation in Anbar province where Shiite Militias agreed to help rid the countryside of outside insurgents for a fee.
This took place and developed well before the surge started and was a direct result of opportunistic Iraqi leaders realizing they could consolidate power and use the US military to 'cleanse' their neighborhoods for them, and get paid for it to boot.
Well the suitcases full of money have just begun to flow, (word gets around fast in Iraq) and the 'awakening' (hehehe) is in full swing.

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

The Surge is Working?

2007-12-30T13:24:00.000-08:00

It would be generous to call The Iraq War a fiasco, although Republicans will tell you it's a 'mixed bag'. The real reason for invading Iraq, of course, was oil security. An outcome that, so far anyway, has eluded the US government as insurgents and other groups have been very successful at thwarting efforts to increase Iraqi oil production. What will the next ten years bring is the question for many that will decide if the rationale for invading Iraq was sound.

Will Iraq fall in line as a major oil producer for the US? Replacing oil from Venezuela and other oil producing states that more and more are wanting to deal with cash rich China. The Chinese pay top dollar, and demand little or nothing in the way of human rights, political democratization or worker safety. While the US is seen as a dictatorial power that applies all kinds of social and political 'strings' to their deals, plus we want it cheap.

The bulwark of our oil supply Saudi Arabia is the heart of Al Quaeda and one of the most repressive regimes in the region. Iranians have much more freedom in their daily lives than Saudis do. Iraq however is not turning out to be the puppet regime Bush and his cronies thought it would be. Turned out to be a more complex problem, no doubt made even more complex by the incompetence of this administration. Yet Washington elites still support the effort to secure oil supplies. They are briefed daily on the consequences to National Security and our economy if we have an 'oil crisis' brought on by restricted supplies of oil.
For a relatively small country we consume 25% of the worlds available supply. Our dependence on the stuff makes it doubly difficult to find alternatives.

Great documentary
http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeyemonday/feature_171207.html

The real solution is to find those alternatives. Enough sunlight hits the US everyday to power ten US economies. Water can be transformed into hydrogen using a car battery for gods sake, hydrogen can be used to power all sorts of things, and the by product of burning hydrogen is water. Talk about your renewable energy. With sunlight providing the electricity to break water into hydrogen and oxygen, and the use of hydrogen to make electricity, power combustion for automobiles and other devices, the cycle is complete and offers truly endless supply of energy that can be adapted to run homes and businesses, automobiles and airplanes. Replacing the 'dirty' technology of carbon based fuels, whether that is petroleum or bio-fuels is not only a mandate for our security and continued prosperity but for the very health and life on the planet.

Saddam Hussein is still missed by many, and the rest of the population question whether all the bloodshed and continued suffering was worth it.
In the long run, however, the Americans will measure success in Iraq in a different way, in barrels per day.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/12/30/iraq.alert.ap/index.html

MTMIND
Michael Trachtenberg

Spreading Democracy

2007-12-23T16:54:00.000-08:00

I hope by now you realize, if you had not already dear reader, that all the anti-war people were absolutely right, although you will never get the Republicans to admit it.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/12/23/iraq.main/index.html
Spreading war desolation, destruction and despair is more like it.

But the truth is we knew that, we were just trying to warn the rest of you.
Save a few hundred thousand human lives (so far).

Too bad Americans are so stupid and believe what they are told without thinking, reading or asking questions, because it was really easy to see, 1. that Bush was lying to you, and 2. that invading Afghanistan and Iraq was 180 degrees in the wrong direction as a response to 911 and as a way to spread democracy and create a safer world for all of us.

When the Berlin wall fell and the old Soviet Union collapsed we entered the 'dark time'. Reaganites (those who worship the former president and 'B' movie star) will tell you he ended the cold war, what he did was to bankrupt the USSR in the arms race, and almost bankrupted us. It was then that we were in more danger than at any time since the end of WWWII.

Now we are deep in the tunnel with "No End In Sight' , the worlds three great monotheistic religions are being held hostage and twisted by fanatical extremists and hatemongers, bent on misery and destruction and Bush and his cronies just threw away the flashlight, put out the fire and pissed on the matches.

But there is still hope.
Hope that people will wake up. You don't have to be a rocket scientists to realize that you were lied to and to see through the BS that our governments and corporations put out. You don't have to be a guru to see that hatred and intolerance is antithetical to all religions and the purpose of the creator of all things.

You just have to want to.

The shape of things to come

2007-12-19T19:56:00.000-08:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/BUSINESS/12/19/earns.morganstanley.ap/index.html

Morgan Stanley, a premier US financial institution goes, hat in hand, to China for a bailout.

This is indicative of the entire US economy, more and more saddled with intolerable debt. We are about to see the world gorge on our misfortune.

Let us say thank you, to the Republican controlled congress and White House that could take us from a trillion dollar surplus to the largest debtor nation on the planet.

They have gorged at the public trough and now it is the US taxpayer who will pay the price of their greed and mismanagement.

MTMIND
Me published Dec 6

MSNBC publish Dec 23

see "The Other Shoe"
I hate being right all the time
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22379989/

But of course I am not some talented prognosticator, it just was easy to see on Dec 6, and earlier, but somehow Americans are just zombies watching reality TV and Jerry Springer. Somewhere along the line Americans got left behind. That is because public education sucks in this country and the media is owned by a small group of corporations who have no stake or incentive whatsoever to tell you the truth. The talking heads and political pundits are told what to say everyday. They have a script, and they too have no intention or incentive for telling you the truth.
I, on the other hand, don't know what else to tell you, I have no agenda. When you are a scientists, the truth is all you have, all you want, and all you need.

What Could Be Funnier

2007-12-17T22:04:00.000-08:00

What could be funnier than an 81 year old psychotic dictator who has held power for over fifty years making an announcement that he "won't cling to office"?

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/12/17/castro.letter/index.html

Won't cling to office? You mean he won't insist on remaining president after he dies and turns to dust. That's big of him, don't you think.

OK, so this only makes sense in Bushworld.

Just To Settle It

2007-12-17T21:54:00.000-08:00

Afghan War lost, Afghanistan a failed narco-state, the billions in drug money helping fuel the resurgence of the Taliban and Al Quaeda, along with billions in oil money thanks largely to the oil premium we pay for Bush's wars.

Iraq War lost, Iraq in tatters also de-evolving into brutally corrupt sectarian enclaves and warlordism and feudal states.

Syria a mess, holding tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees, Jordan a mess again with tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees, Lebanon reeling from Israeli attacks, Palestinians even more brutalized than they were 6 years ago (if you can imagine that). Turkey invading Iraq to quell Kurdish military incursions into Turkey, Iran on the ascendance, enriching uranium and banging it's chest.

Over 85 thousand Americans dead or wounded, over a trillion dollars spent directly on the war with another half trillion in re-arming and taking care of the wounded, and no end in sight.

America's moral standing in the world trashed as evidence of our war crimes grows every day, our economic powers faltering, our diplomatic power, pretty much a joke. Our military power, woefully inadequate for the tasks at hand.

Our allies looking for new friends, while our enemies are growing stronger.

After almost seven years at war, the primary target and named enemy, Al Quaeda is stronger, better organized and better funded than ever before. The policies of George Bush have managed after all this time and expense not to destroy Al Queada or diminish the threat to Americans and the the world but to metastasize Al queada into global behemoth, with tens of thousands more followers and billions in new funding. After seven years of war our enemy is stronger than it was on Sept. 11 2001. Just a plain and simple fact.
Our enemies are , more organized, better funded and swamped with new recruits, while we are drowning in debt, and our military is scrounging for recruits and losing more experienced people every day. They are winning, and they know they are winning. And all because Bush and Co. failed to recognize the simple realities of human life.

Even though they spout the religious rhetoric, and their script writers punctuate every thought with democracy and freedom their policies in reality do nothing to enhance equality, democracy or freedom. Instead their policies on serve to feed the ravenous hunger for power and wealth of their corporate and political friends. To the republicans and the Bush clan in particular there is no America, aside from serving their own greed for privilege and power.

Every expert, military or academic has testified that is it not a question of IF but WHEN the next attack will come.

tick tick tick.

And Bush and Co are scrambling now to delete all the records of their crimes, and yet we will be left with their destructive results for many decades to come.

Bush Never Met a Lie He Didn't Like

2007-12-07T01:20:00.000-08:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/12/06/cia.videotapes/index.html

Well we know one thing is for sure.
before Bush leaves office a lot of records are going to have get sanitized.
Too many crimes have been committed.
A month long shredding party is already planned.
Monica Goodling is bringing the Ambrosia.

The problem is too many people know, the domestic surveillance and breeches of the FISA act.
Authorizing torture and rendition for torture, corruption, cronyism and on and on.
One can only hope that we all (the world) can get some justice.

The Other Shoe

2007-12-06T18:50:00.000-08:00

The sub prime crisis.

Add to that the enormous debt, our weakness in manufacturing and export, and the upshot is the rest of the world economies are recoiling from our failures. They are rethinking the US as a place of ultimate economic security. When the bulwark of the global economy quakes and quivers, the rest of the world loses money.

George Bush and Co. could care less about the millions of Americans about to lose their homes, they, after all, are the little people. Their misery, little more than another opportunity to buy cheap real estate. (*see Republican money feast called Katrina).

http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/06/real_estate/Bush_plan_is_limited/index.htm?cnn=yes

What the Bush administration is reacting to and why he is 'stepping up' with this (largely useless) announced 'plan' today is to address the reality that if the rest of the world which buys our debt gets skittish, we could be in for a long term crisis. Bush has been warned that he cannot just ignore this and hope it goes away.

Rappers declaring they only want to be paid in euros, Saudis joking about switching to euros for valuation of oil, while not likely to happen anytime soon, just underscores the severity of the economic crisis. The crisis "is" the rest of the world has decided
that the US is too much in debt and 'a credit risk'. This never would have happened on it's own, but the fact is they are losing money, big money by being invested in the US debt markets.

Driving these forces are the enormous debt that the Bush administration has racked up, combined with unprecedented anti-US sentiment. There are a lot of people who would love to see our economic dominance diminished.

These two realities, enormous debt, enormous anti-US sentiment are driving this change in global economic power. With China, Europe and Russia emerging as the main beneficiaries, and China who holds most of our debt will wind up with more influence and political favor for holding on to their dollars. In the end China alone will not save us, and these forces will realign the global economic power structures.

An empire in descent?

The other shoe,
Next year, record foreclosures will drive record bankruptcies, further depressing the credit markets as billions of dollars in credit card debt becomes subject to the uncertainties of bankruptcy court. Even with the recent changes in the bankruptcy laws that favor the large credit card companies they still stand to lose big.

MTMIND
Me published Dec 6

MSNBC publish Dec 23
I hate being right all the time
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22379989/

But of course I am not some talented prognosticator, it just was easy to see on Dec 6, and earlier, but somehow Americans are just zombies watching reality TV and Jerry Springer. Somewhere along the line Americans got left behind. That is because public education sucks in this country and the media is owned by a small group of corporations who have no stake or incentive whatsoever to tell you the truth. The talking heads and political pundits are told what to say everyday. They have a script, and they too have no intention or incentive for telling you the truth.
I, on the other hand, don't know what else to tell you, I have no agenda. When you are a scientists, the truth is all you have, all you want, and all you need.

Redacted

2007-11-17T17:59:00.000-08:00

(*caution may contain spoilers)

Many critics and pundits are slamming this new film from Brian Di Palma.

I guess that's what makes the world go round.

You have to let go of the Hollywood that spews action and shoot em ups, and an endless stream of crap to fill theaters, to titillate and wow, for just one minute. And try and remember back to the old days when making films was an art form.

This is a Reubens, a Da Vinci. Every frame, every shot, every sound, every moment of the score is in service to this work. It is a masterful work in a medium of film. The fact that he builds his masterpiece using only the modern day 'video sources' to weave his story, a hand held camera, a documentary, news broadcasts, interview and security cameras, night vision video from an embedded reporter, even an inspired use of insurgent websites, video chat and 'You Tube' like sites to tell his story is itself a cinematic achievement for a director who has many decades of making hits for Hollywood, and could have made this film any way he wanted to.

Di Palma deserves a lot of credit and admiration , one for taking such a risk, and two for pulling it off.

The fact is, these are not hand held cameras, security cameras, or real websites, this is a film by an extraordinarily accomplished director, each frame is labored over and carefully crafted you can be sure. This was not a cheap way for hack director to 'seem' innovative and cutting edge. Instead he proves that at his age, he is still cutting edge and relevant, a master storyteller. His work here will be studied and copied be sure of that as well.

He takes you through the entire story without once letting you 'see' the Hollywood cameras. The result is organic and familiar yet unique and sets the piece into a zone somewhere between reality and fiction. A hyper reality, you get the newscasts , and the fictional documentary film, the home video, and the Internet. You taste the boredom and tedium of these soldiers working this obscure checkpoint, day after day after day, you taste the dust, you see the sweat, these soldiers without any real idea of why they are there or what their mission is, and the Iraqis they encounter who have no idea what to expect or do either, how to behave, how to survive under this kind of occupation, and the enemy, shrouded and unknowable, intangible yet ever present. Our five protagonists 'experience' the enemy but it seems like there is no one to shoot back at, the enemy is a ghost, they can only dream of killing.

War, a world in which the rules are ambiguous and make no sense, thrown out, and often changed in the middle of the game, in one scene the group learns they have been stop lossed into staying past their deployment time.

Into this vast moral morass sometimes all you need to do is throw in one 'wild card' and the results ... well the results can be unspeakable brutality.

This not Di Palma's story, this is a real story, it is Di Palma's illumination of this story. His vision, his revelation, his inspiration to produce this piece of artwork, Di Palma is at the end of a long hot day simply an artist, film is his medium.

I am also flabbergasted that they pan the cast. All five of the young leads in this film will go on to do big things, and I guess that's the best revenge for an actor, but they deserve kudos for their performances all. It is very difficult to act like your not acting. Nicolas Cage can crash through the door, get shot five times and save the girl, but to act as if you are not acting, to become for the audience a 'real person' in a real situation, well that requires talent, acting talent. The cast was terrific, hats off to the casting director as well, the five principles especially, have bright futures.

If he wanted to make another "Casualties of War", "Full Metal Jacket" or a "Battle For Haditha" he could have.

Now when you sit down with a Brian Di Palma film what you want is suspense, and terror. You want to feel your heart in your throat. After all, that is his modus operandi, he likes to explore terror and darkness. And to be honest with you I was watching for the first time waiting for the heart pounding tension you expect from Di Palma. And I got to the end of the film , liking it, and the cast, but just a little let down that he had not given me what he promised, then of course came the very final frame of the film, when the entire piece comes together, and my heart was in my throat, choking me.

He had sucked me in and sucked me in and just when I thought it wasn't going to happen, my goose bump spine tingling moment, he delivers a gut punch, punctuated by an unforgettable score.

The actual images of the Iraq war he uses in his final segment "Collateral Damage" are disturbing and graphic, that is true, but as many critics have pointed out those don't seem to phase American's anymore, we have become numb and inured to that kind of graphic violence, but the girl, I knew her now, I knew her story, I knew what happened and understood that terror, she wasn't just another war photo.

He did that to me, Di Palma did that. Nice work, bravo.

It is a masterpiece.

Fail Safe, On The Beach, Catch 22, Slaughterhouse-Five, Apocalypse Now.
The best anti-war films are not political they are directed to the notion that the real enemy is war itself, and the casualty of war is too often our own humanity.

Redacted.

I urge these 'critics' to watch it again, with some friends, no talking (maybe some popcorn) and watch this film again, understanding that sometimes accomplished lifelong directors try and honestly produce art, not just 'box office magic'. I promise you will find a whole new film there.

Now a critic reversing an opinion, that might just be news. Wanna make history? Give it another chance.

MTMIND

A Masterpiece From A Master

2007-11-15T01:20:00.000-08:00

I just saw the new Brian Di Palma Film "Redacted".
http://imdb.com/title/tt0937237/

It will be released in theaters tomorrow.

Wow, I have enjoyed his work, on and off, over the years, but I was totally blown away by this.

You have to watch the movie all the way through, don't leave the theater for some popcorn, the ending is the payoff, and so disturbing that I am shaking a half hour after it ended.

Di Palma made his name in thrillers, a la Hitchcock, or a Stanley Kubrick, in films like Body Double, Scarface, Dressed to kill.

He's an older man now and this film may very well be one of his greatest and Di Palma both wrote and directed this film. Based entirely on actual accounts of this horrific event in Iraq, the film is directed and shot in a way that starts out as if it were the video diary of one of the platoon members of this ill-fated bunch of marines. No Hollywood special effects, none of the glitz and glamor of "Scarface", or "The Untouchables".

It almost feels like a home made movie, with bits of news footage, roving at times to footage shot through security cameras. A fly on the wall, voyeuristic view in all in it's graininess. Clips from web pages integrate into the film, a French documentary, scenes that look like news footage, are woven together into a tapestry that is both unique, inventive and highly creative. A further testament to the brilliance of this director. no one has done this, and all who follow (and they will follow) can only aspire to this level of mastery of the film image, he has reinvented the genre and set the bar high indeed.

The casting is inspired and all turn in award winning performances. No big Hollywood names but accomplished actors doing what actors are suppose to do.

The score reminded me of Kubrick in Clockwork Orange or Eyes Wide Shut, almost like a funeral dirge, repetitive and morose, but it completes the perfection that is "Redacted".
As the film crescendos so does the score and the effect is nothing less than brilliant.

The ending is so powerful that you must take your hat off to this master. Very few are the films where I can say I would not change a single frame, this is one of them. Throughout the movie the approach seems almost too simple, and somewhat unsophisticated by hollywood standards, until you get to the very last shot, only then do you realize the brilliance of what he has done.

The anti-war theme is not new to Di Palma, he did his 'Viet Nam" piece in "Casualties of War" with Sean Penn and Michael J Fox (similar themes)(http://imdb.com/title/tt0097027/). But that was 1989, many years after the end of the war, and after Kubrick had done Full Metal Jacket in 1987, and others had treated the subject.

But this war is still raging, and this film may well define it.

Don't miss it. Watch the whole film until the very end.

I promise you an extraordinary emotional experience.

MTMIND

Bush's Oil

2007-11-14T06:40:00.000-08:00

Bush zombies will tell you that it is world demand, analysts frightened of being 'Plamed' will tell you they cannot tell you how much the cost of oil is a direct result of the Bush War.

But numbers don't lie, and are never afraid.

World demand and supply ratios have remained practically unchanged over the last six years, that is to say supply is meeting demand in much the same way as it has over the last six years.
So what has changed, The Iraq war, a failed US coup in Venezuela, trouble in Nigeria and uncertainty about Russian production has lead to fears and uncertainties in the market.

Most of the Oil surge in price is based solely on market fear and panic and the uncertainties created by the Iraq war.

In 2002 OPEC was quite happy with 29 dollar a barrel oil. In less than 5 years that price has quadrupled and is growing. This effects every corner of the globe, every economy on the planet and every technology and society.

The Bush people are laughing all the way to the bank. Nice work George, mission accomplished!

It is wholly unfounded and absurd. Part of this uncertainty has to be laid at the feet of this administration whose foreign policy has led to production disruptions and fear.

The Deadliest Year

2007-11-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

2007

The deadliest year for US soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/10/afghanistan.nato.clashes/index.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/07/world/middleeast/07iraq.html

Well we are never more divided as a nation, the economy is in meltdown, civil liberties in shambles, our nation embroiled in a 'war with no end', and our government is headed by criminals, miscreants and political cronies.

I'm not sure if the founding fathers imagined such moments, or that there would be "days like this", but if we turn to our constitution, I think we find an answer.

Impeach and imprison Bush and his cronies, restore civil liberties, get us out of international military entanglements, and practice what we preach in terms of respecting the human rights of others around the world, like say the Palestinian people, or the people of Pakistan, for starters.

Insult to Injury

2007-11-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

We Americans have every reason to want Bush impeached and removed from office.
His administration under his orders has broken many laws and lead us into tragedy.
While driving the country off a cliff can be written off by his supporters as 'not a crime' many of his actions have been. (so say's the Supreme Court)

The Iraqis on the other hand, have every reason to want to see Bush and Co. in the dock at the Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/09/iraq.children/index.html

Will they ever get justice?

All the King's Horses

2007-11-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/06/afghan/index.html

When do they (Conservatives) admit they screwed things up ?

Is there even the most fleeting hint of a glimpse of doubt left that the actions of the Bush administration has inflamed the world, and made us and every human living on the planet less safe. No not just less safe, much less safe.

Is there anyone out there who thinks that domestically; the quality of life, civil rights and freedoms, environmental health, medical care, the economy, education, national unity has been in any way improved by this Administration?

To not concede that George W. Bush and Co. have been a complete disaster for our country is bordering on the absurd at this point.

And yet, there you are.

The CEO's are falling

2007-11-04T17:09:00.000-08:00

Last week it was the CEO of Merril Lynch, this week it is CitiGroup,
America's largest financial institutions are being rocked by the losses in housing.
On average home values have fallen 10% across the country, obviously this is much much worse in some places, while other real estate has not fallen as much as that.
In Florida, as in some other states, it is considered a crisis.
Millions will lose their homes, and many billions of dollars will be wiped from the value of real estate across the country.
This represents bad debt, a goldmine for the wealthy that they will mine for the nuggets at bargain basement prices, the rest of it, the hot potato, well they are all wondering who will be left with that. In the end though it will be the public, the taxpayer who foots the bill.

Some in congress are proposing schemes that would bail out the financial institutions (again sic) some are proposing plans to help the homeowner and mortgage lenders, depends who's lobbist is paying for lunch I guess. None of them are proposing to actually do something to save the millions of Americans who will lose their home. No lobby for the poor and lower middle class.

Because these mortgages are bundled into ever more sophisticated investment vehicles, with Wall street doing what it does, creating new and more complicated ways of moving paper around and generating wealth, while creating no value, no one knows exactly where the 'bad paper' is. CEO's have ordered a strict accounting, and ordered their minions to dig deep into these packages and determine exposure to risk, but the complexity of the paper is actually a hindrance to understanding it's true worth. Some large mortgage companies have already gone under or soon will, combined with the large banks that are trying to understand what their losses might be, creates enormous uncertainty. Investors don't like uncertainty, especially international investors who don't expect that they are taking such risks.

The worry is that overseas investment and particularly those investors buying American debt. will get skiddish and bolt. That's why the EU put billions of dollars into circulation last month, to gird EU markets for this tsunami of bad American debt, and why the Fed just put 40 billion plus into our economy, while lowering the interest rate on borrowing it, to ease institutional concerns over the availability of future credit.

The fact that these companies themselves don't know what their exposure to risk is, or at least they are not telling the public, combined with inflationary forces, associated mostly with the cost of food and energy is putting pressure on the dollar which is falling precipitously against other foreign currencies.

In short, a massacre is already underway, and who will gorge on the bones of the dead, why the wealthy of course. They will swoop in like vultures and gobble up all the juicy bits, leaving the barest scraps of inedible carcass for the maggots and bugs.

It will be the largest transfer of wealth in our nations history. A true gilded age trifecta.

America's power stems largely from the fact that we are the worlds cash cow. Americans spend more for everything, not to get more mid you it just costs more here. From food and energy to toothpicks, even US companies that manufacture things here, sell their products at higher prices in the US markets than they do abroad. You would be shocked to learn that many of the things you buy here are for sale much cheaper, in other countries. Cheaper in US dollars, we're talkin apples for apples here. The exact same products! Why? Because Americans will pay more, from cosmetics to drugs, from services to food they will pay more, and they do.

If we cripple this cash cow, well ce la vie, the money doesn't care, it will go where it is best served. That is more and more to the EU and other emerging markets where the pickens are better and the returns, well just a safe and guaranteed.

We Own All The Food

2007-11-03T21:58:00.000-07:00

Just like in the media and so many other fields, industry consolidation, fewer and fewer companies and businesses owning more and more of the marketplace, means that we lose diversity, and diversity is strength.

Whats wrong with one company being so large.
A million pounds of tainted meat, that's what is wrong.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15587340/

Can you imagine what a million pounds of meat contaminated with E. Coli, salmonella or the newer strains of drug resistant staff could do?

A million pounds was part of a single day's run!

The Reagan-Bush administration destroyed the family farm and started this march of the mega-agri -businesses, providing subsidies and corporate welfare to these beheamoths, while allowing them to slowing gobble up more and more of our food supply, as well as create extensive verticle markets.

These companies not only own the food, but the processing plants, the trucks and the name brands that these products sell under. They do the marketing and the product 'roll outs'. From raw chemicals, additives, preservatives, packaging, and agricultural products right to your plate.

This generation of Americans has seen many of its favorite small family owned food products and local markets disappear, the quality brands we knew as children, bought up and assimilated by these mega companies. "Stepford food", that no longer resembles the original in quality, integrity or safety.

Now when you have a salmonella outbreak or another food bourne pathogen, gets into the system , you get many brands and tons of food effected. Not just a recall of Jena's pizza, but Tostino's and Frito Lay, and Mama Leone's, in ten states etc. etc.. Not just a recall of meat, but a recall of a million pounds of meat.

We used to have thousands more family farms, producing foods that were eaten locally, local control, local consumption. And frankly, we ate better food. We traded efficiencies of scale for diversity of production. This leaves us with a system that economists like Alan Greenspan fawn over as 'geared up for maximum profits', but at what cost? The loss of safety, diversity, and a prosperity that serves only the very wealthy and skips over the millions of Americans displaced by consolidation. What the Greenspan's always seem to fail to realize is that all those pretty numbers on the page represent the very real lives of human beings. And that maximizing profits comes at a price, that price is accepting a system that no longer serves humanity. You know those fleshy things that created the system. When our human economy no longer serves the best interest of human beings that create and sustain it? Whats the point.

Con-Agri , ADM and a few other companies dominate the business. They Own All The Food!

ADM was prosecuted for trying to collude with another company overseas to fix the global price for lysine. A food additive in the processed food market it is an enzyme essential to human life.
Did you get that? They were trying to corner the market and fix the price for a chemical essential to human life! Even if you are too dumb to understand, it effects you too. Also the chemical citric acid. Another chemical essential to human life.

The same horrible corruption is evident in many industries where our leadership has allowed consolidation to the detriment of diversity and strength.
The most obvious is in telecommunications, media and broadcasting industry.

Where we get information, news, culture, science. It's where we communicate with each other, learn about each other and what is 'really' going on in our world.

Now fewer and fewer companies own more and more of the media. It could be said that "they own the news".

MTMIND

Strange Bedfellows

2007-11-03T21:53:00.000-07:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/11/03/bhutto.pakistan/index.html

Just a week ago she was putting together a plan to share power with Musharrif. He had barred all other opposition from entering the country with trumped up charges, and they were both set to play their parts in this "Pakistan has democracy" farce. But the people of Pakistan were not havin it.

Massive demonstrations and unrest mostly due to his heavy handed tactics with the courts and the politics of the upcoming election. This election in which he promised four years ago to return Pakistan to Democracy, after he broke a similar promise from four years before. This was election everyone had been waiting for. This was the 'last time' he would pull this trick out to stay in power. The extraordinary disappointment of the majority of the people of Pakistan cannot be underestimated.

Combined with the rise of Islamic militants, an enemy since he turned against his old friend Afghanistan and backed the US invasion after 911. He chose his side, and Al Quaeda has had a bounty on his head, so far he
has survived dozens of attempts and near attempts on his life.

The domestic unrest combined with US pressure to 'do something' about the autonomous regions he created on the border with Afghanistan, trading local autonomy for the 'pledge' that they would not 'actively' support the Taliban and Al Quaeda.

But of course it has long been understood that while Musharrif made up his mind to 'side' with the US when the Secretary of State called to let him know that he was either with us or against us, in the early days after 911, many in Pakistan never ended their relationship with the Taliban. This includes many of the top military, Intelligence services under Musharrif as well as the private and corporate sector.

So Musharrif has proceeded to alternately help the US and stand back, exert more control over society and reform always fits and starts, always between a rock and a very hard place indeed. This almost schizophrenic leadership has only made the situation much worse.

The US wants their strongman to stay, not that convincing Musharrif to remain in power is the hard part, but the policy is tearing the country apart. While allowing a new more democratic government to emerge may not be Bush friendly, it most certainly would help to bring stability to a country with a nuclear arsenal, and a long range missile delivery system. The vast majority of Pakistanis are not Islamic militants. They are well educated and want a more western lifestyle. There are very strong religious undercurrents, orthodox madrases provide schooling for the poor, raging clerics and tribal loyalties complicate the social landscape. But these are mitigated wholly by a strong democratic process. A policy of repression only makes the extremists stronger.

But no one can accuse the Bush administration of working to make the world a safer place. Why start now.

MTMIND

Payday for the Wealthy

2007-09-02T11:02:00.000-07:00

It will wind up being one of the largest transfers of wealth in history,
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20546324/site/newsweek/
The congress is paying lip service, as is the president, but no one is helping or stopping the thousands of Americans who are losing their homes each month.
Drawn into risky and ill conceived loans by the draconian economic measures Bush put into place in 2000 to buck the recession caused by Clintons irrational exuberance in the tech market, and post 911 when the fed dropped interest rates practically to zero.

Both times there were warning signs and people ringing the alarm but because the housing boom bouyed Bush economic numbers no one wanted to get in it's way, even though they all knew that disaster was laying in wait for millions of Americans.

In the end land is wealth, and has value, if that value is degraded and the land picked up for a song, well the little homeowner gets it in the end, as the banks or creditors pick up the property.

Big money is lining up for these fire sales, ready to scarf up America's despair at 30-40-50% or more off the list price. Pay the difference or the back taxes and take over the mortgage (refinanced) at the Big money rate (brother in law rates). Land my boy, land, you can't go wrong with land, that is if you can hold onto it. Unfortunately for millions of poor and middle class Americans holding on to it is the one thing they will not be able to do.

Fair and Balanced,
To quote the GOP right wing-nut pundits, who constantly use this phrase as a get out of jail free card for GW, "Clinton did it too". Clinton was warned and knew about the Tech Bubble, Greenspan called it irrational exuberance, (doesn't that mean crazy, as in It's Just crazy, think about that the head of the federal reserve calling the market "irrational".
Ok nevermind, Clinton knew a big part of his legacy was the economy he could brag about, surpluses, how many US presidents could say that (Carter for one).

MT

A Thousand Tragedies for Iraq

2007-08-30T05:43:00.000-07:00

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/08/29/iraq.cholera/index.html

The Bush administration has taken some heat but not nearly enough for the lack of planning and incompetence in the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq. They have failed in every respect to anticipate or deliver on the most fundamental issues facing post invasion Iraq from the loss of the 'real' weapons of mass destruction in the form of tons of explosives and weapons gone missing 'after' the invasion, to the raping of the national treasury theirs and ours), museums, landmarks, archaeological sites and the looting of the country, to the poor pace of reconstruction
and the restoration of even the most basic services. (four years on power, water and basic services are still not up to pre-war levels).

Tens of billions have been spent on what was suppose to be the rehabilitation of the Saddam decline, and yet we have still not achieved for the Iraqi people even the levels of services and security during the reign of Saddam.

Hundreds of thousands have died, millions have fled the country, and the struggle for power in Iraq goes on. Now we are just creating space for this struggle wasting the lives and treasure of this country even further in this fiasco compounded by the arrogance of an administration not willing to face the truth of their own failures.

It is actually surprising that in the post invasion squalor we have created for the Iraqi people that this kind of health problem has not cropped up earlier.

We should, as Americans hold these men responsible, but in all likelihood they will never be punished, for there lies, deceit, treachery and treason.

The Armies of God

2007-08-29T22:14:00.001-07:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20430170/site/newsweek/page/0/

A good backgrounder on The war in Afghanistan and the hunt for Bin
Laden, but it also points out just how much of a failure the administrations 'war on terror' has been. Our enemies have been multiplied, are better funded, better equipped, and more focused now than ever before.

The Taliban is resurgent in Afghanistan, buoyed by the ineptness of US administration, recruiting in their homeland, financed by oil money the price of which has tripled, and the billions in poppy production that now supplies 90% of the worlds heroin.

George W Bush has provided Bin laden and the radical Islamists with a focal point, an swaggering idiot, a true 'evil doer' to be thwarted, just the right enemy to consolidate their forces and coalesce the next generation around their radical cause. Bush and his administration along
with the UK and the tacit ambivalence of Old Europe have provided the extremist Ying to their fanatical Yang, Instead of diffusing the radical Islamists Bush has created a global behemoth that has metastasized to every corner of the planet. A self fulfilling prophecy that is an ominous sign of what is to come.

Some say they (the Bushies) knew what they were doing when they went about creating the groundwork for WWW3, some say they are just incompetent, either way for the west and in particular America as we knew it, history has already written an epitaph. For when the next attack comes, and it will, the floodgates will be let loose and the rhetoric as well as the passions will undoubtedly lead to further bloodshed on a massive scale. Civil liberties will be a luxury we can no longer afford and the most vile and wretched bigotry and hatred will issue from every corner of politics and society. The 'Us Or them' mentality that Bush fomented after 9/11 will be set into stone, as mantra for the next wave of violence.

When you combine that with the fact that the west is strangling the third world, where people will be fighting just for water, and what you have is a perfect storm of religion, hatred, arrogance, greed, and intolerance, poverty and despair. It's a toxic cocktail.

Christiana Amanpours CNN reports highlight this growing wave of religious intolerance, to many of us this seems absurd in the 21st century, but unfortunately, for whatever reason, and even though it makes no sense to us, it is not a dream or a nightmare, it is really happening. I suppose if you are so inclined, religious war is an affirmation of your beliefs, your God will surely find you victorious.

After all mankind's history is written as a series of wars, we tell our stories backdrop, the struggle of civilizations, the clash of men and machine, and the ever grinding wheel of history is
greased with the blood of humanity, and seems insatiable to require a steady flow. Have you ever read "Epitaph of a Small Winner" by Machado De Assis, as his visions show him that mankind has always and will always live with and march to the steady drumbeat of war. The insane meaningless, futile thug of war. His dissolution, that mankind seems fated to be forever at war, forever making the same mistakes, and agonizing in the same insanity. He becomes a 'winner' over fate and time, by not having any children. A metaphor for his rebellion, his solution, his redemption, his protest and disgust, he will after all, if he cannot hope to change it, in his own little way, win. The story starts with the main characters death and he narrates the story from the 'other side'. This allows the character to go backwards and forwards in time and talk with nature herself.

"How glorious to throw away your cloak, to dump your spangles in a ditch, to unfold yourself, to strip off all your paint and ornaments, to confess plainly what you were and what you failed to be! For, after all, you have no neighbours, no friends, no enemies, no acquaintances, no strangers, no audience at all. The sharp and judicial eye of public opinion loses its power as soon as we enter the territory of death. I do not deny that it sometimes glances this way and examines and judges us, but we dead folk are not concerned about its judgement. You who still live, believe me, there is nothing in the world so monstrously vast as our indifference."

We are all simply grist for the mill.
Once again, in the dawn of the 21st century with Nuclear weapons in hand
mankind will again ravage itself claiming righteousness, and the certainty of religious faith, to mask the arrogance and avarice. Throughout the history of mankind he has made war, with his God at his side, not for piety or devotion, but for money and power, land and wealth. Religion the pretty, passionate excuse for the petty and decadent lust for wealth and power. These wars are never fought for God or religion, they are fought for wealth and power. The leaders are not waiting on salvation but for the payday.

It's About Time

2007-07-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

This was one of my pet peeves,

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/07/27/nasa.woes/index.html

No More Drunk Astronauts!

Truth is they only get drunk astronauts because they don't allow them to smoke weed, otherwise well, you know. Doobies in Space.

P.S. The Russians never went into space without some Vodka on board (and a little weed).

A New Beginning

2007-07-14T23:29:00.000-07:00

After the Bush administration floated the notion the Malaki may not be the right person to lead Iraq into a new era, Al Malaki announced that the US can leave anytime it wants.

He knows the US electorate wants Bush to leave Iraq or at least pull back. And Malaki doesn't want to be ousted.

A perfect storm with the US Congress, the American people and the Iraqi government up against the Bush Administration.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/07/14/iraq.military.ap/index.html

Our influence in Iraq is over, the war it is lost.
A tragic episode in our history, to be sure.
How to pay for it, we don't know, how to recover from it, we have no clue, how to take care of the many returning wounded, we have no money, how to repair the damage to US credibility, no one has a plan.

Our own CIA will now admit Al Qeada has only grown stronger after four years of war with the Bush administration, and the clock is ticking on the next attack.

Tick Tick Tick.....

The Dangers of Socialized Medicine

2007-07-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

The real danger of socialized medicine was made painfully public today as Britain accused three doctors in the terror plot that unfolded in London this last weekend.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/07/02/london.alert/index.html

Socialize medical care and what you wind up with are doctors too stupid to set off a bomb.

Because the bombs did not go off, the police in London, have enormous amounts of evidence that is leading them to unravel much more of the network, that might have been possible if the doctors had succeeded. Scotland Yard is going to reap the benefits of taking down this terror cell, they got lucky this time but it should pay off big. Tracking the group of misfit doctors, their contacts and the money trail.

Hate To Leave The Party

2007-06-26T13:53:00.000-07:00

Dying is scary, we all hate to leave the party.
I guess thats what Tony Blair is motivated by.
Why else would you become a mid east envoy to a dead end policy, trying to solve the Palestinian problem when it is clear that the Palestinian problem will be solved when all the Palestinians are dead or gone. At least as far as the US and israel are concerned, and for that matter the Arab states that border Palestine/Israel, other than look the other way at extremists groups in their midst they have done little to advance the cause of Palestinian reimbursement compensations or settlement of the borders.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/06/26/britain.blair/index.html

To be pigeon holed as Bush's lap dog again, not a good move.

Maybe Blair has it in mind to grow some cohones and set the Israelis right. Maybe he has an agenda that includes a rational a legal settlement, reimbursement and compensation for the Palestinians and a single contiguous state for them to build a future, a bridge out the fifty years of brutality and humiliation, the hell of occupation they have endured at the hands of the Zionists. Maybe he sees himself as a deliverer who can go beyond ritual politics and finally get the job done. Maybe monkeys will fly out of my ass.

Freedom On The March

2007-06-25T20:13:00.000-07:00

The Palestinian problem deepens every day, as the Israelis and the US have succeeded in splitting the Palestinian factions into armed camps at each others throats.
The policy of starvation, humiliation and deprivation along with military provocations and incursions and the ever present threat of assassination and violence have set the fire in which the Palestinian hopes burn today.

Israel and the US have withheld funding for the Palestinians, aid that after fifty years of occupation and brutality the Palestinian refugees have come to depend on for their entire existence.
Their infrastructure, culture and domestic institutions so depleted and destroyed that they cannot survive with out this aid.
Withholding this from them is tantamount to starving a caged man, choking a baby in the crib, there is no option for them , no other choice but to starve and die.

These and other ongoing policies of the US and Israel, designed to destroy what is left of the indigenous people of Palestine.

The Israeli's have no other plan than a long term view of getting exactly what they want which is as much of historic Israel as they can master. The map of ancient Israel (Eretz Israel) encompasses some of Jordon, Syria and Egypt as well as the land the Palestinian people once lived on. For the Zionist this IS the dream, not peace, peace is not the important thing, Eretz Israel is the important thing.
So when the israelis talk about peace they are just paying lip service to the diplomacy of the day. They have no intention of creating a peace with a second state of Palestinian people.

And as object lesson Yitzhak Rabin, who was about to trade a long history of violence for the peace his grandchildren might live in, was killed by his own people, Zionists from the Likud party like Benjamin Netanyahu.

After starving peoples of Gaza the Israelis began to smuggle weapons into Fatah, to foment increased violence among the factions inside Gaza. Israel has played an integral part in fashioning this enmity and exploiting this fracture.
Now they are releasing Fatah prisoners to stand with Abbas, (hopefully), to what end? More violence of course.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/25/mideast.summit.ap/index.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/07/08/israel.prisoners/index.html

The US and Israelis call Hamas a terrorist organization but that is just to deceive the public and obfuscate the fact that they are killing people without cause.
Not too long ago Fatah was the terrorist group, and Arafat it's leader, the progenitor of Fatah is the PLO the same group that killed Israeli athlete's at Munich, now Israel is releasing Fatah prisoners to fight against Hamas, not because Israel will allow peace or a viable Palestinian state, but to kill more of the indigenous people off, to hasten the day when they can annex all the land, the indigenous people still live on.

What do we call Abu Mazen the palestinian president willing to take weapons and money from Israel to kill Palestinian people?
If this ploy succeeds he will be another Hamid Karzai, a marked man with a price on his head who depends on the Israelis and the US to protect him from his own people. A man who must live in a compound with heavy security because he cannot venture into the streets with his own people.
What does it say about Abu Mazen that he could conspire with Israel to kill Palestinian people.

It say's "he's our man".

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2007/06/86750.htm

Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Washington, DC
June 18, 2007
"Well, let's remember that Mahmoud Abbas is the President of all of the Palestinian people through the Palestinian Authority. He is also the head of the PLO. These are the institutions of the Palestinians as a whole. We are focusing today and in the days to come on helping this new government to find its footing and to begin the work, the very difficult work, of making life better for the Palestinian people and that is our focus today."

Our US secretary of State has announced that we are concerned about making life better for the Palestinian people.

Sure we are...

Lies become truth, up is down, black is white. What you are able to see with your own two eyes you are told to deny and ignore. Is it any wonder that American politics is broken and psychotic?
Up is down, black is white, right is wrong, wrong is right.
Sleep tight, freedom is on the march.

The Next Best Thing

2007-06-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

We are for democracy, spreading it that is.. unless of course you happen to be a Muslim or a member of a group we don't like much. Take Hamas for example. The duly elected government of the palestinian people under occupation is not 'preferred' by Israel and the US, and so we find it acceptable that Israel has killed or jailed many of their leadership.
We find it tolerable that Israel has armed and stoked the opposition in an effort to unseat the duly elected government of the Palestinian people under occupation.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/17/palestinian.cabinet/index.html

In fact we can find it in ourselves to strangle the Palestinian governments funding so that they cannot pay their government workers, (or police, or garbage men etc.etc.).

We stand for democracy that is unless it gets in the way of some other national desire. Take Pakistan for example, where we are happy to prop a military dictator, who has renigged on his promise to hold elections for years.

We stand for democracy, unless we don't, and you can take that to the bank.

Hold On To Your Ticket

2007-06-03T02:53:00.000-07:00

Did you get your ticket to the "Castro Is Dead" party in Miami?

All bummed out because it looks like he's going to hang on for a while?

Miami's hardcore Cuban exile community and the local politicians that suck their ass, actually had the gaul and continued bad taste to plan (at taxpayers expense) several large "Castro is Dead" celebrations around the city. Supposedly even using the Orange Bowl for some sort of macabre festivities.

Well it's been six months and that traitorous maniac is still dying.

But don't tear up those tickets just yet. You'll want to be in Miami for those parties whenever they happen.
Just getting one of those Castro is Dead T Shirts will be worth it.

Hang in there Miami, he can't last forever. Of course neither can some of the old guard Cuban exiles in Miami. Castro has already outlived some of the most prominent ones.
It's now, in many cases, the tortured children of the Miami exiles that are left to carry the grudge for their parents generation.

But still it's gonna be some party.

Condoleeza Rice and the other 'Big Minds' at the Bush White House are predicting big changes for the Island once Castro is gone. Of course that is not likely in it's own sense due to the abscence of Fidel, but rather the Island will change because the world will end the embargo.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/06/11/eu.cuba.reut/index.html

What many republicans really want is an excuse to open up trade with the island, and they think that a dead Castro will be enough to overcome Miami cuban exile sentiment against lifting the embargo. As for the exiles, they want their island back. I say their Island because many of them are sons and daughters of the Cuban elite, who used to run the corrupt Island government. Castro revolution had promised democracy and instead betrayed the ideals of the revolution to create a communist dictatorship. Probably one of the most heinous stories of betrayal in the twentieth century.

What will really change after Castro has passed is that the embargo will get dismantled (slowly) and the island will change because of that.
I know, I know why couldn't we just have done that forty years ago.

Well we have our own little terrorist community here, people displaced, longing for their homes and lives and property, that was taken by force fifty years ago.

No I am not talking about the Palestinians, the Cubans man, the Cubans.
They were betrayed, and their lives stolen, you don't just 'get over that'.

Bad blood, and no one has had the desire or the political will for reconciliation.
Until Castro is dead that is.

Of course Miami and the US have had to bear the cost of bombings, killings, and the occasional terrorist attack against Cuba launched from the US.
But the exiles have been hardcore republicans and have largely gotten a pass on terrorist activities, as long it was kept fairly low key. The high profile bombings have stopped but many in Miami are still silent in fear of these people. They are known to have deep government connections and friends in high places. Murders and other crimes, are not investigated, and if they are, they are rarely punished. Miami juries have never convicted a cuban exile of terrorism. They have been rewarded for their loyalty, the Brothers to the Rescue terrorist group that sponsored flyovers of the island to drop leaflets (and who knows what else), recently were rewarded over 60 million dollars out of frozen Cuban funds, because Castro had the nerve to shoot down one of their illegal planes that had repeatedly violated Cuban airspace. You see terrorism can pay off big if you are terrorizing the right people.

He who laughs last, laughs best.

The Winds of Change

2007-06-03T02:33:00.000-07:00

No Escape for Pervez Musharraf,
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/06/02/pakistan.protest.reut/index.html

While desperately trying to hold on to the tenuous strings of power in Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf should have his finger in the wind, he will notice the power of this discontent, not only over his sacking of the Supreme court judge, but a 'perfect storm' of Islamic fundamentalism and genuine discontent at his disdain for Democracy. Like Bush, Pervez Musharraf has consolidated his power, and unhinged many civil rights, tortured his enemies all in the name of the War on Terror.

He has openly opposed Bush on several issues, including Iraq, and in his book he points out that he had warned the US that the invasion of Iraq would bring dire consequences for the region. I think he knew it would be trouble for him as well, even though he did not support it.
I imagine right about now he is trying to carve out a compromise that will save his hide, and get the street protests quieted down.

He has been known to play 'hard ball' with opponents, jailing some, killing others with little regard for rule of law.
However this is a horse of a different color. He cannot sweep these numbers under the rug, drag them away and torture them.

In truth he should step down, it's long overdue. And each time he renigs on his promise to hold elections his people get more and more ancy.
But both he and the US want to see him stay in power. He has proven to be a strongman dictator, that can deliver for the US . While his loyalty is questionable, he is the best that the Bush administration has over there.

A meltdown in Pakistan would open a whole new chapter in the War on Terror.
Muslim extremist who actually have nukes.

So the US is happy to endorse a brutal military dictator, as long as it serves our purposes.
Problem is that these guys typically get whats coming to them in the end.

He will bend or break.

If It Walks Like A Duck

2007-06-02T11:14:00.000-07:00

The Bush administration has repeatedly tried to distance itself from the Ethiopian invasion and ouster of Somalia's Muslim government. Denying providing aid the Ethiopia and supporting this mission militarily, all the while news stories have flourished about US intervention.
It's funny how the most incompetent and intellectually challenged administration, perhaps in US history thinks you are an idiot.
They think they can lie and lie and lie and that no one will put it together. And the truth is many Americans believe the lies. Over and over again, no matter how fantastic and in your face the lies are. I cannot fathom it other than to attribute it to a fanatical partisanship that trumps all other considerations. And that kind of fanaticism is dangerous.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18993264/

And in this story the reporter is quoting sources I guess, that say the US is firing off a Navy vessel trying to hit certain people? You don't fire guns off a Navy vessel to hit certain people.

"The destroyer USS Chafee fired her deck guns at two or three suspected "high-value terrorist targets" in the Puntland area along the northern coast of Somalia on Saturday, U.S. officials told NBC News. The suspects are accused of taking part in the 1998 bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania."

The killing of people who are "accused" of a crime is murder, assination, not execution, not justice. Calling them accused terrorists doesn't make it OK to kill them.

"According to the officials, the U.S. had "actionable intelligence” gathered by U.S. Special Operations Forces and local tribal leaders that the suspects were in the area."

According to officials the US had information that these persons were "in the area"?
How many innocent civilians were killed as a result of this shelling, trying to get at the persons, accused of a crime? No information follows.

"The suspects reportedly include Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, who is believed to be the mastermind of the 1998 attacks on U.S. Embassies in Africa that killed more than 200, and the 2002 Kenya attack on an Israeli hotel and simultaneous attempt to bring down an Israeli plane."

If we believe someone is guilty, then they are? And that is enough reason and cause to kill them and anyone else in their general proximity?

Oh and here's a picture, someone to hate.

We can kill anyone, anywhere, anytime, on our determination that they are a terrorist.
Sounds right, but where is the rule of law, do unto others, and who decides.

Until they point a finger at you, it may be comfortable to think that all this bravado and machismo is keeping you safer, it is not.

“This is a global war on terror and the U.S. remains committed to reducing terrorist capabilities when and where we find them,” Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told The AP.

“We recognize the importance of working closely with allies to seek out, identify, locate, capture, and if necessary, kill terrorists and those who would provide them safe haven,” Whitman said. “The very nature of some of our operations, as well as the success of those operations is often predicated on our ability to work quietly with our partners and allies.”

The emperor is naked.

Graduating Class

2007-06-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

As presidential administrations wind down there is the inevitable exodus 'to the private sector'.
Thus starts the transition of the current administration to the next and the long procession of ex government staffers looking to cash in on the 'years of service' and their government connections.
Or as they say in Texas, get while the gettin is good.

First to leave the Bush administration is Dan Bartlett, if you don't count Monica Goodling.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/06/01/bartlett.resign.ap/index.html

The earlier you go the less likely you are to seem as a rat leaving a sinking ship. Of course one could argue the Bush ship of State has been sinking for some time (at least listing heavily, and manned by an all rat crew).

May Roundup

2007-06-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

April showers bring May flowers.
Not any more global climate change wreaks havoc with old musical lyrics.

Here comes the pain.
Let's see Israel has tanks, armor, aircraft and nuclear weapons, Palestinians can throw rocks, and strap dynamite to themselves. That seems like a fair fight, but it gets better.
Starve the palestinian people, launch attacks, and shell from the air, smuggle weapons to Fatah, infiltrate and divide along party lines, so they will turn on and kill each other. Now that's a roadmap, roadmap to hell.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/10/gaza.violence/index.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/10/israel.palestinians.ap/index.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/12/gaza.violence/index.html

See Here Comes the Pain May 24

See Moral Compass April 11

The Great Ethanol Lie.
Auto execs flocked to capital hill this month to tout their cooperation with higher cafe standards and the desire to work together with congress on fashioning the new standards. Long opposing such chnages they have 'seen the writing on the wall' as far as the consequences of the global climate change debate, and are wanting to get out ahead of the ball so they can at least keep a handle on things.
See if they can manage to stave off regualtion for another eight or ten years, that would be good enough. As it is they don't have to do anything until the end of the decade.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070606/ap_on_go_co/fuel_economy

See Let Em Eat Cake

Scars from Iraq

2007-05-31T16:26:00.000-07:00

The scars from Iraq will be borne by this country for many years to come.
The pain of the dead and wounded, one type of scar. The mortal remains of war, the tribute of life an limb, embittered by the treachery and deciept that was exchanged as it was given.
But there are other scars, effecting all Americans, Afghans and Iraqis, and world.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18967454/

The solice and healing seems so far away because we are still in the heart of pain and misfortune.
Deep in the tunnel where the light can barely penetrate any longer, and the worst is yet to come.

Tick tick tick.....

Let em Eat Cake

2007-05-30T22:57:00.000-07:00

The Bush administration has known that's it's ethanol initiative would cause global food prices to rise. Especially in the US where we will feel it first. But eventually the entire planet will experience food shortages and inflation because of this push to create fuel from Corn and Other Bio fuels.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18946296/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18941618/

The truth is alternative energy means no more 'burning' fuels, but instead harnessing renewable forms of energy to generate electricity. Wind, Geo-Thermal, Solar, Hydro/Tidal and more.
Nano technology holds entire new vistas of self powered devices that have small power cells inside them. If only we had the political will to fund the college and subsidize the commercial scientific research into these areas. It would not take much of an incentive to get these new industries to large scale production, the market would do the rest.

The perpetuation of combustible fuels is harmful not only to human health and a major cause of global climate change, but also is unsustainable. Reason would dictate a vision towards ridding ourselves of this outdated , destructive and ultimately unsustainable technology. And yet we are falling over ourselves to export this technology to China and India, and other emerging economies. The global race to use the last drop of oil is heating up.

You say to yourself, is this poor planning, a misguided global view, an ignorance of science and human nature? No nothing so intriguing, it's just simple greed.

The 'Real Kicker', coal and petroleum are chemicalgoldmines. It is the composite organic chemistry of millions of years. These substances cannot be duplicated in the lab, we have no way of making it ourselves.
And every drop of petroleum contains innumerable complex organic compounds that scientists have just begun to understand and study. And we burn it up in our cars and power plants, now that's irony for you.

Not only that, we can't wait to burn up every last drop of it, so much so that we'll kill each other for the privilege. Once it is gone, it is gone, like I said, no one can duplicate the complexity of natural petroleum in the lab. It is the random complex interactions of earth and organics over millions of years. There are entire forests, and tens of generations of organic life that went into creating most of these oil fields. The chemical complexity alone in natural occurring petroleum across the globe is staggering. It will take our scientists a century or more to unlock the uses and secrets of the organic compounds found in petroleum, that is if we don't burn it all up first. It is truly 'black gold' from the earth.

Using corn based ethanol, bio-diesel and other organic fuels are just another way to perpetuate combustion engines, engines that should all be shelved over the next twenty years, mothballed.

Instead the corporate powers that want us addicted to oil (you know, Bush supporters), want to use ethanol and so called bio-fuels as a way to extend the lifespan of combustibles. We don't have to go to solar just yet, we can grow our way out of mid east oil dependence!

Well not only is that a lie, but what we are really trying to do is subsidize our buddies in the huge agri business community, stretch out the lifespan of combustibles, and raise the global prices for food and oil. Oil imports from Gulf states are expected to increase steadily into the future.

The answer is conversion, conversion from an 'oil based economy'. Not the kind of 'revolution' you would expect from 'Oil Men', like Bush/Cheney and Co. (you know Halliburton, KBR, DynCorp, Blackwater, Carlyle Group, General Dynamics, GE etc. etc.). Companies that benefit from high energy prices as well as global instability and warfare.

The policies of the bush administration have consistently favored a continued oil addiction and global instability. His supporters in the arms industry and his oil and energy buddies have been laughing all the way to the bank for six years.
Enron, PG&E scandal that shook down the people of California for over a billion dollars, all but swept under the rug, by Bush and The Governator. All the 'playahs' had a seat at the table when the White House formed it's policies. Free ride doesn't begin to describe it.

Finally he can really say,
Mission accomplished.

Illegal Immigration

2007-05-30T15:45:00.000-07:00

Ok so this is just crazy.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18944557/

Tens of thousands of Iraqis who have sought asylum in the US, mainly because they have helped the coalition forces during and since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the occupation of Iraq.
Translators, informants, liaisons and Iraqi government staff all want out before the US finally pulls stakes and goes home to let the Iraqis sort out their country.
Like in the fall of Saigon they are scurrying to get on board while the train is still in the station.

At some point they know the doors are going to close or at least get harder to walk through, and the race is on. Unfortunately in the mix are also Al Quaeda and Bathist sympathisers, who are unknown to US authorities, and the security risk of allowing mass numbers of Iraqis to enter the country right now is far too great.

The Bush administration has never mentioned this program, and has sought to restrict it to just the most important and sensitive of our 'allies' in Iraq, however many will slip through the cracks.
The next terrorist act may have been helped by one of these Iraqi transplants.
This is a foolish and bad policy, it will lead to sorrow.

tick tick tick......

The Bush Divide

2007-05-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

There is a divide between what the reality is in Iraq and what the White house wants you to think is going on in Iraq.
Recent military action aimed against the Kurds in Kirkuk have heightened calls for Kurdish separation. The Kurds who have had a functioning Kurdistan, for over a decade now, complete with flags, anthems, (I think they have a national flower), more or less run Kirkuk and are trying to move the Arabs out of the city ( the de-arab-ification of Kirkuk, and yes that's the same as ethnic cleansing) . Under Saddam Hussein Arabs had been moved in to replace Kurds who had been killed or driven from their homes (in the previous round of ethnic cleansing) . Now the Kurds want Kirkuk back (when you have lived as long as I have, a pattern emerges over the millennium) . More and more each month the reality of an independent Kurdistan in the North of Iraq has solidified into the consciousness of the Kurds and unless the Iraqi central government does a 180 and becomes a powerful force in Iraq, the Kurds have every reason and right to make a separate state.

Investment and infrastructure projects are booming in northern Iraq (*Kurdistan look it up on the map), well booming compared to the rest of the country which is seen as still too 'wild west' for any kind of serious investment, but Kirkuk and cities in the north are happening baby.
International trade shows, foreign investment, hotels, business is coming into the north.

The Kurds are going to get their due.

Driven along by violent attacks in the last few weeks Kurds are hardening their own stance against a central government in Baghdad. Oil sharing and regional autonomy is a vital part of putting Iraq back together again, but can the Bush people and the Malaki Government deliver the kinds of compromise and security this deal will need to take root and be successful.

Now all of this makes Turkey nervous. Kurdistan nationalism , this blossoming Kurdistan. The nightmare for Turkey a regionally and internationally accepted state called Kurdistan on their southern border. they have been railing about this for years, and have had many confrontational exchanges with the US over the potential for this to happen.
The big reason why they dropped out of the coalition of the bribed a few days before the start of the US invasion. Remember they were going to get 40 billion dollars and other kinds of aid, in return for using their ports and land routes into Iraq.

At the last minute they turned the deal down, as they could get no guarantees that a separate Kurdistan would not emerge from this conflict, and a majority of their population is Muslim and most people in Turkey objected to the war.
The Turks would have gone against their own people, and taken the money, but they could get no guarantees from the US that in no circumstance would a Kurdistan emerge from the invaded Iraq.

Turkey you see, have their own problems with separatists Kurdish factions who want to lay claim to land inside modern Turkey for their own, to become a part of Kurdistan. The Turks are not amused. The new found freedom and economic prosperity of Kurds in Iraq has emboldened and funded a renewal in the Turkish conflict. A conflict that has cost Turkey many lives over the last decade.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/05/24/turkey.terror/index.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/05/28/turkey.jets.reut/index.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/06/turkey.iraq.ap/index.html

Well today the Senate passed the Bush administrations umteenth war 'supplemental appropriation'. Once again keeping the cost of the war out of the budget process, and obscured from the American people.
Bush is fighting a war that does not exist, and meanwhile America is engaged in losing battles all over the world. Were losing because we are fighting the wrong enemy, the wrong war, in the wrong way.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/24/iraq.funding/index.html

There is a great divide between what the White House thinks is real in the world, and what the world is actually doing.

This is our leadership, reflective of the ignorance, intolerance, arrogance, treachery and greed that has come to symbolize so much of the Bush (and conservative) core supporters.

Here Comes The Pain

2007-05-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

Dozens of elected Palestinian political leaders from Hamas have already been imprisoned by Israel in an attempt to derail the elected government of the Palestinian people.
This latest attempt to destroy Hamas, and cripple the Palestinian government is not a surprise, what is a surprise is how long it has taken.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/05/27/mideast/index.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/10/gaza.violence/index.html

Shaken by their recent loss in Lebanon, the Israelis have been involved in internal investigations and recriminations for their failure. Activities in the occupied territory had fallen off for a while.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/05/24/israel.palestinians/index.html

Looking at Palestinian advances in solidarity one would have expected Israel to move earlier to disrupt possible reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah.

Israeli plans for the Palestinian people are hinged on the premise that post Arafat, the Palestinians be denied any meaningful leadership. (there is no partner for peace)
Splintering them is just what Israel is hoping to do by pitting Hamas against Fatah, supplying arms and intel to Fatah and hitting Hamas targets.
It's not that Israel is waiting to negotiate a final settlement with Abbas, they are not.
They are wanting to diminish the Palestinian will and presence as much as possible. Keeping them desperate and fractured and at each others throats, is the best offense.

To be sure it is a dirty way to fight, but since when has that stopped Israel?
The Zionists in Israel see any means as legitimate if it achieves their ends.
Zionism is a cruel and brutal ideology that has no concept of compromise.
It is a kind of Jewish fundamentalism that like radical Islamic groups has hijacked Judaism to promote their brutal agenda, which in the end is about power, money, land, not allegiance to Torah or Talmudic piety.

'Real' Jews don't kill people to steal their land. Just like 'Real' Muslims don't kill people.
It is abhorrent to the pious, to take another life, one of the first ten commandments.
These are born out of human arrogance and bravado, ego, testosterone, not religious devotion, no matter what the killer tells you.

Religious devotion would require sacrifice and compromise.
It is the 'easy way out' not the religious way out.

For the majority of human beings who do not particularly believe in any religion, it is a simple morality, that we all understand. We all understand compromise is necessary to have a family of man that gets along in the modern world. It may be naive to think that mankind can manage anything more than a petty, brutal competition for resources. Put a little lipstick on it but it is little more than base animal aggression that we can manage on any given day.
We are not capable of more. This neo con vision of humanity may in truth be the real one, I for one would prefer NOT to live in a 'savage nation'. I would like to think that we can do better.

It is only the professed religiously pious, the religious visionary that think they are really talking to god, in their heads, it is these nut jobs who hear the voice of God commanding them to kill. That God is validating their brutality and immorality, they act with his imprimatur and so are righteous in their crimes.

911 Massacre

2007-05-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

The government cover up of 911, the EPA's lying about the air quality in the City after 911, the governments desire to 'get rid of the evidence' as quickly as possible, has created a whole new category of 911 victims. Not only are the first responders who survived suffering, the dedicated individuals who worked down at 'ground zero' but thousands of people in the city that were breathing that air for weeks and months, will pay the price of government lies and incompetence. That along with the dozens of professional agencies and people who lied, falsified data, and or just kept quiet while the Bush administration and city officials were telling people things were OK.

There were many who understood the dangers of the air and dust following the collapse of the towers and building #7.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/05/24/wtc.dust/index.html

The tragedy of 911 compounded a million times over by lies were are being told by our own government. Not only about the who and why of 911, but in all the little things, that they could have done right, and spared lives.

Collateral damage, as are our young men and women in the military, casualties of policy, greed, intolerance, arrogance and ignorance.
But then isn't that always the case.
We are our own worst enemy.
The truth is out there, but we don't seem interested.
Whatever suits our needs, keep it simple, I know who to hate, don't confuse me.
Americans typically a bit more skeptical, have given up that bravado in the face of terror. Better to be safe than sorry ehh.
Better to let the President handle things, that's way he is there isn't it?
And now we have a lot more to be frightened of, revelation or self fulfilling prophecy.
Is George Bush awakened to the vast dangers of the radical Islamic movement, or has the actions of the Bush administration been specifically designed to inflame those radical elements.?
Is he now warning us about something real? Did they actual help create the very thing that they want us to fear?

Historians will have a lot to mull over, in the decades to come when it comes to sorting out this debacle, this clash of civilizations, this holy war.

Are wars fought for religion, or for power, money, wealth, influence, access to resources, economic reasons.
Historians will tell you it is the latter.

Current events is so muddled with lies and deception that it is hardly surprising that Americans are in the dark and largely misguided. But that is not an excuse, just the sad facts.

For being ignorant there is no excuse, except laziness, corrupted morality, and a slovenly mind.
The information is out there, many experts, academic and journalists have reported it to you.

You are being lied to, by the government, by the media, by your elected leaders.
And the truth isn't pretty, in fact it is downright scary. But better to know the truth than suffer in ignorance.

Stop suffering...

The Vietnamization of Iraq

2007-05-19T12:34:00.001-07:00

More and more each passing month these ill-fated, misguided, deceptive wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are looking a lot like America's Viet Nam experience. Forget the comparisons about being lied to, and having the facts and the costs of the war held in secrecy from us, those are, sadly now SOP in government. It's the tactical position we're in that is a lot like Viet Nam.

The comparisons go much deeper. A war in a part of the world we have failed to understand, because we cannot seem to think as anything but Americans. This 'intellectual intolerance', is binding and debilitating to our foreign policy. We can do business with the worst miserable military dictators in the world, as long as they are drinking a coke and eating a hot dog.

It's sad really, this country, the great melting pot, we have all the resources right here to understand and compliment every foreign culture on the planet, if only we could accept and embrace intellectually a broader world view. Yes, we're Americans but everyone on the planet is not. Intellectual Intolerant are bothered by a world where people don't bar-b-cue on Sunday, Pat Buchanan's Republicans, NASCAR types, think "Freedom Fries".

Comparisons to Viet Nam continue with the fact that we are now killing lots of non combatants, our enemy well entrenched, never has to 'take us on', they just have to pick off the easy meat, occasionally do something brazen and headline grabbing, a death by a thousand cuts, as they say.

Comparisons to Viet Nam continue, with the disposition of American troops and the nature of the conflict. No story this year has capture the futility of this battle, the confusion, the government impotence and the real signs that this war is a 'lost cause waiting to die a dignified death' than the story of the captured and missing GIs this week.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18755650/

The comparisons continue with the state of the American public. The main difference here is that there is no draft, taking American children away from their families. These wars are fueled by an all volunteer army. Enlistees and career military people, Reservists and National Guard troops. Add this to the fact the the government does not allow pictures of returning coffins on the news, nor does it readily publish casualty statistics, this has limited the scope of families affected directly by the fighting and so has left the large majority of Americans somewhat complacent. We are told basically to go out and shop, as a way of 'doing our part'. But the images and knowledge of returning dead and wounded Americans is peeking out from the back room where it has been kept. Stories like the poor treatment of patients at Walter Reed, have brought the numbers and the faces home to Americans. With tens of thousands of wounded vets returning it won't be long before they start to show up in our workplaces, churches and schools. Amputees and wheelchair bound vets, vets with emotional troubles and mental illness, and severe physical wounds will be surviving and returning to society. They will need long term care, something we have just started to discuss (another afterthought from Bush and Co.).

Comparision to Viet Nam, Americans withdrawing their support for the wars.

I said it before the first day of violence in Iraq, during the countdown to war as Bush told Saddam Hussein to step down and avoid the conflict. Bush called for Saddam and his sons to leave Iraq, Ari Fleischer had earlier said the Iraqi people could avoid war 'with one bullet', and the first bombing run in the initial attack (shock and awe) sealed that fate. I said 'they will hate us', because I know humans. Not for the unprovoked attack, not for the looting of their country, not for the botched reconstruction or even for the hell that we have plunged them into. But because we were bound to destroy more than rebuild, we were bound to make more enemies than friends, no matter how much money we spread around. If not just a matter on National pride, they will hate us.

Although I thought the war was a complete mistake, and that it would likely whip up more anti American sentiment than it was worth. In terms of access to that Oil, all we needed to do is buy it for gods sake. And the One Bullet solution, that Ari Fleischer said the Iraqis could manage if they wanted to avoid war, I thought was a darn good idea (for our CIA) if you really wanted to take out this dictator, and despite all of that I thought Bush had a 50-50 chance of pulling it off.
The war was wrong, misguided and stupid but he had a 50-50 chance to wind up with something for the effort.

Hindsight being twenty twenty, now we know he had no chance. There was no plan, there was though, the sputtering incompetence that has come to symbolize the Bush administration. A comedy of tragic errors one after the other, each one tripping into the next, like a set of falling dominoes, bizarre tragic, bloody dominoes.

Comparison to Viet Nam "The Domino Theory", the American people abandon you, they put pressure on the corporations, corporations put pressure on the media, the media puts pressure on the political donors, then the politicians follow.
It's coming, it just takes a while for ideas and public sentiment to percolate up to the leadership.

Intractable warfare, draining our national resources, unwinnable in military terms, losing the support of the public, large disabled and wounded veteran population to care for, all in line with the Viet Nam experience. However because Iraq is NOT Viet Nam and it is vitally important to keeping American Oil supplies stable in the next twenty years or more, this is not a fight we can walk away from. Unlike Viet Nam, there are many who feel that we cannot 'let go' of this one. You are not going to see helicopters leaving Baghdad with enemy fighters closing in.
A withdrawal of American troops to the periphery and neigboring countries (DuBai, UAE, Kuwait, maybe Jordan or Turkey as well), strategically placed bases inside Iraq, this will be the US presence their for some time to come. The Iraq study group at least had a practical approach, Bush and Co. however seemed not ready to give up the ghost on their neo con dream.

We will wind up with a 'soft occupation', if you will, beginning now with an American hand picked government for the most part.

It is like Viet Nam, problem is this is one nightmare we cannot wake up from.

Bush's Big Score

2007-05-10T20:15:00.000-07:00

The reality is we are all terrified. Because the 800 lb. gorilla in the room is staring at us.

Terrified because we know every expert has testified in front of congress, and told us over and over again, in the media, books, magazines, and radio.... they want to hit us again, and that we are vulnerable.
We are terrified because know that nothing George Bush is likely to come up with is going to stop that. In fact you would have to be living in a cave not to understand that the policies of this administration have caused the 'cancer' of radical violent religious fundamentalism to metastasize across the middle East and Asia, and into the homes and towns in major western countries. On 9-12-2001, we had a chance to put it back together. Now not all the kings horses and all the kings men.

We are a big target.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18601345/

Bush's Big Score.
Trumpeting this latest set of trumped up arrests the states attorney, the governor, Justice department, and of course the White House. Another sham arrest to get the PR going that they are vigilant and taking down the bad guys (those poor dumb schmucks, we may yet get to see those videos that were dropped off to get copied to a DVD).
Like the Miami group, a couple angry Muslims, (and who wouldn't be) , kickin it with their buddies, hatin' on Bush, hatin' on America , having a couple of beers. Having a little release talking about who they would love to shoot, and along comes and CIA or FBI type who 'infiltrates' the group, (goes to work at the same Mini Mart), say's how he's been to Afghanistan, and he'd love to kill someone too, and just by chance he knows where they can all get real Kalashnikov.
He also knows where they can download Radical Islamic materials and videos and he has friend of a friend who can get the guard rotation schedule for the Army base.

Man who wouldn't want a fully loaded Kalashnikov, I want a Kalashnikov, fully automatic, wood stock, and lots of magazines and ammo, but that's a story for another time.

Anyway these jerks get rope a doped by an 'insider' who is taping all their 'meetings' LOL.
Well it seems that these guys were going to attack Fort Dix, because one of them used to deliver pizzas there and he knew the base.

Does anyone really listen to this! Four or Six guys were going to attack The Army's Fort Dix with a couple of rifles.

Problem is that this is the same as the Miami case, angry guys, given the encouragement and the means by an FBI plant to 'really do it'.
Big questions in both cases as to whether if not for the participation, encouragement and access to weapons provided by the informants in both cases, would these guys have ever done anything more than rant at each other.
The Bush administration to this date has never successfully prosecuted one of these 'terror cases'.

I don't see bombings in malls, Americans are so desensitized to violence on that scale, we wouldn't miss a beat, simple bombings or drive bys would fade from the front page headlines of the news channels in a few days or even hours, wall street would barely blink an eye, say if Fort Dix was attacked by several suicidal nut jobs.

No it's got to be big, world trade center big. Hijacking multiple planes and using them to attack targets that's big. We all understand that the government brought the twin towers and building #7 down that day, but those Islamic fundamentalists from Saudi Arabia were the ones who flew those planes into their targets. (Did us a favor as far as Dick Cheney is concerned)
And with elements within our own governments help was a bigger bang they even they had hoped for.

We saw in Britain, home British-born Muslims can be radicalized, by the hopelessness born out of the injustice is gripping the middle east, and particularly the one billion Muslims in the world today. It is the worlds second largest religion and the fastest growing.

If you count Christians as distinct groups from the Mormons to the Baptists, Quakers, Protestants, Lutheran's etc. etc. You quickly find that Islam is the worlds largest distinct religion. The divisions in the Muslim faith are to be sure in many ways as great or greater that those of the Catholic Church. Yet like Christians there are certain things in which they feel a kinship, and that is their faith. You know , in Mohamed the Prophet, and the one god Allah.
Christians have the Prophet and part of the Holy trinity, Jesus of Nazareth, and the one god, umm that they call God.
The Jews, the poor Jews are still waiting for Messiah, so far no one was good enough, they have to make due with 'only' god for now, but they are the chosen people, that's got to count for something. And the other two religions are founded in the writings of the Old testament. They may not have had their messiah come to them, but they got bragging rights on the original work.
(history of the old testament not withstanding, a compilation of disparate manuscripts going back a thousand years, before the old testament was scribed for the first time, from stories and legends stretching back over ten thousand years, for sure, but that's what the Bible is and the Koran as well. All collections of human wisdom.)

BTW Islam is the most recent offshoot of Judaism if you will, the children of Torah and the Old Testament. Just reading it you can tell it is more enlightened, and modern, for the irony that today western people think of Islam as the more primeval of the three great monotheistic religions, and yet it was the ancient Arabs, the first Muslims, who gave us the mathematical concept of Zero, one of the most important conceptual epiphanies in the history of human mathematics. They gave us Algebra, and medical and scientific advances, cultural artistic and enlightened texts from the old world (over 1000 years ago).

The Bush administration has managed to 'personalize' this misery by linking it to a new modern day "Christian Crusade", not only 'stirring the pot' as it were but making this a fight 'of civilizations' , a code word for religious/cultural war. From the Army's Fort Dix website:

"Locating records of Baptism
Unless an individual was baptized Catholic there will be no record maintained. Only within the Catholic church is baptism required. If a person was baptized as a Catholic records are maintained in Washington, DC. The following information is provided: Archdioces for the Military Services, USA, P.O. Box 4469, Washington, DC 20017-0469"

A war against Islam ?? A war of cultures? Are we out to destroy a religion, a culture? They would say "yes" were out to destroy the culture of hate, from people who murder innocent civilians, who want to establish an "Islamic Caliphate", across the middle east and Asia. We are in a fight against people who want to destroy our way of life. In saner moments they will mention that violent Islamic extremism is still a rather minuscule population of people when you think about the majority of Muslims in the world. (one billion and growing) Most of whom don't want to live under Sharia law, but might like the idea that rapists are castrated at public ceremonies, and the drug dealers get their hands cut off or hanged.
They like having drug lords and perverts kept to a minimum, and Sharia law will do that for you. Of course that comes with no tv, no liquor, no music and a burka.
Like I said most Muslims don't want to live under Sharia law. Of course "most" Muslims today live in the poorest parts of the world, and are either hunting or being hunted by their neighbors or their dictator of the month. When you are dirt poor and in the middle of a war zone, somewhere west of the third circle of hell, Sharia Law looks pretty darn good (any law looks pretty darn good).

Recently Bush lent our military and diplomatic aid to quash the new Islamic government of Somalia, and urged, and paid for Ethiopia to move thousands of troops into Somalia to wrestle back power from 'evil' Muslims who had seized power and instituted Sharia law.
The US said that these people were radical Islamist (Islamo Facist as Rush Limbaugh likes to say). In fact the country was being run quite well for historical purposes, drugs were off the street, the courts and institutions were functioning, the government was strict but not radical and for the most part seemed to be making a decent transition to a stable country after years of war and devastation.

Not good enough, they were Muslims, and in a part of the world where Osama Bin Laden had found refuge in the past. Sharia Law, as Bart Simpson would say "no way man". Unfortunately for the war weary population of Somalia, most of whom were just grateful to have peace and stability, this started the killing all over again. Within hours of Ethiopian soldiers 'retaking' the capital Mogadishu, Khat (pronounced Cat) a drug banned under the Muslim faith, was again being sold on the streets ( Khat is a powerful hypnotic Amphetamine like drug, very dangerous, and debilitating.) .

Mogadishu 29, March.07 ( Sh.M.Network) At least 15 Ethiopian soldiers have been killed and others were wounded in the latest fighting raged in the Somalia capital Mogadishu, witnesses told Shabelle radio on late Thursday.

We cannot hope to 'win this fight' with men like George W. Bush as our leader. By listening to Christian fundamentalists (American evangelicals) or Jewish fundamentalists (Zionists), whose hatred colors their perceptions. We can't fight hate with hate.
We must address the fundamental causes of violent Islamic fundamentalism, namely abject poverty, oppression and brutalization of Muslims around the world.
When there is justice there will be peace. Humans are all the same, when they are fed and their children are safe, healthy and have a future, they don't want to fight. They just don't want to fight anymore, but oppress them, leave them ignorant, poor and forsaken, brutalize and humiliate them and they will fight back, like any human would. It's really fairly simple to understand the hatred for the US and the west, and undeniable why they should hate Israel and Israelis, they took their land, and have been murdering, humiliating and oppressing them for over fifty years. A slow motion genocide, not unlike our treatment of indigenous people in America. Only so much more brutal because it is now, in our time, in our faces. It's one thing to read about the massacres of American Indians, it's quite another thing to watch it on TV, in real time.

Well had enough? Have I made my point then, we are not safer, because of Bush's policies and his fake terror arrests. We are on the wrong road, if we want peace (and most of us do) we must seek justice.

OK so back to the 800 lb. gorilla in the room.
Tick tick tick.....

The Job Is Still Open

2007-05-08T21:20:00.000-07:00

The White House last month floated the idea and talked with ex generals about creating a position of "War Czar". Someone to run the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Yeah, I know , that's crazy talk, but it 's true, the Bush administration is too busy to run the war with just the Secretary of Defense and the DOD , The Joint Chiefs of staff, The State Department and the office of the National Security advisor. They need a "War Czar".
Someone to take charge and make sure objectives are met. Someone to over see things , and ok, basically someone to take GW Bush out of the loop.

He's tired of being commander in chief, he wants to delegate, delegate man, y'know get out of the day to day, make the big decisions, sure, when big decisions are going to made, GW should be there. Otherwise he can make some speeches, visit the troops, take a little time off, get back on the wagon.
Sure Bush is commander and chief, but he hates making those daily phone calls to Petraeus, "How's it going?", "Things Getting any better over there?", "Well you gotta get tougher", he hates it, absolutely, and he's tired of it, same questions every day, same answers, he needs a break.
He needs a "war maid", someone to clean up after the mess, tell the butler what to make for dinner and how many guests to expect, he's a busy guy.

The initial Generals all bailed before the attack began, (General Zinni), they recognized the mistake and left for reasons of patriotic obligation. The second wave (The Shock and Awe people) bailed out after the fall of Baghdad (the exiting Generals led by Tommy Franks), by then even they saw it coming, (with the mass looting) Iraq was going to be a cluster fuck.
They would leave it to the next wave of leadership to be blamed for the tragic aftermath (and Abu Grahib) of this ill-begotten war (Ricardo S. Sanchez and Co.). The third wave is now exhausted, fired or let go.
Now after losing or firing all the senior generals in the Army, the White House has fingered a one star general General Petraeus (now promoted to three stars, part of the 'deal') to lead the war effort in Iraq, partially because he raised his hand as they were working their way down the chain of command (he saw his opening and took it to a quick three stars), and partially because he had some measured success at getting his local area pacified with a program of providing meaningful work for Iraqis and "good community relations". "He wrote the book" and now it's the "Petraeus plan", poor schmuck. There's also a new face on the theatre of operations commander, a Navy Admiral, Admiral William J. Fallon , commander CENTCOM.

And there have been a lot of musical chairs also with Rice, Negroponte, Chalabi, Wolfowitz and others rotating through a series of jobs, designed to keep the faithful close but not responsible, not unlike the way the Catholic church moves around pedophiles from one parish to another.
Never admitting guilt or mistakes, just moving around the inner circle. Taking turns in the 'hotter seats'.

But it seems that no one wants the job. No one wants to be the "War Czar" at least, not yet. I suppose someone will step up as they work their way down the food chain. After all this could be a career maker for the right young staffer who's willing to take the plunge and a little heat.

Maybe Mike Meyers would be interested.

Michael Trachtenberg

April Roundup

2007-05-08T21:19:00.001-07:00

April Roundup.

More on the Bees.
"This is the biggest general threat to our food supply"
Kevin Hackett
National program leader for USDA's bee and pollination program
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18442426/

Well there are many threats to our food supply, but this is an important story in many ways.
(See Busy as a Little Oops!)

Biofuels, not the answer, just Bush's way of making things worse.
For the last forty years America has been the bread basket of the world. Not insignificant is this one fact that America's abundance of grain has kept many wars and conflict and suffering from happening, just because we were able to feed large groups of people cheaply.
Now that huge agri-business conglomerates control much of our food supply (since Ronald Reagan killed the family farmer) even small increases in prices can amount to large profits globally.
It's a huge giveaway to the Agri Business commmunity, it saves no energy or money, and it will drive US and global food prices through the roof. Good for ADM and Con Agri bad for the rest of humanity.
With rising global hunger, expect more misery, war and depravity.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18941618/

(See Corny Solutions)

Michael Trachtenberg

Why We Lost The War

2007-04-30T05:06:00.000-07:00

You can see it shaping up already. The GOP strategy for putting off responsibility for the fiascos in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have their scapegoat already picked out, for why this anti insurgency in Iraq that will take years to 'win' has failed. They are printing up the talking points and getting the books lined up to illuminate just who is responsible for costing America this vital front on the War On Terror.

It's you, the American people, you weak willed, lilly-livered simpering wimps who after 30,000 + dead and wounded just didn't have the stomach for any more.

It's you who are telling the terrorists they won, it's you who are being 'un american', a coward and a traitor.

And I have got some news for you, after the bitter experience of Viet Nam and now the humiliating defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan it's the 'last time' they start a war with you jelly-spined Americans.

They were counting on you to have the backbone and grit to see it through. You weak Americans don't have the balls to stay the course, show the gratitude, support your troops and get the job done.

It's you who are empowering the terrorists and practically begging them to attack again.

Never mind that every single expert who has testified before congress has already said we will get attacked again, and in fact that it is even more likely now that Bush and Co. have managed to metasasize the Al Queada movement into a myriad of splinter groups and is now a global beheamoth. Never mind that you were lied to about 911 and the Iraq to start this war, and never mind that Bush and Co. have profitted enormously from every aspect of this wretched war.

It's your fault that the Army is broken that our treasury is empty and heavily in debt. Had we stayed the course for another 5-10 years the GOP had plans to beef up the military, and get Iraqi Oil to pay for the whole thing. If you had not quit and surrendered to the enemy we could have had this whole thing taken care of in another 10-12 years.

The majority of Americans who are miserable quitters, that's who cost us this war. So when you look in the mirror, think of the tens of thousands of Americans dead or wounded, who gladly gave their life and limbs for your freedom. Think of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and Afghans who died trying to give you the victory in Iraq and Afghanistan that you now have squandered. I hope you can live with yourselves. Because....

It's your fault.

National Shame

2007-04-28T23:27:00.000-07:00

The Bush administration's total disdain for the average American, as evidenced in the facts that 5 million more Americans have fallen into poverty while he has been in office,
air, water quality have gone down, food safety, EPA regulations, wages and benefits, pensions, medicare, medicaid, aid to the poor, money for education. Every single measure without exception of the health and well being of the Average American has gone down, while the wealthy are still reaping the benefits of his tax cuts and capital gains cuts, deregulation of business and polluters.
Match that to the utter incompetence of his administration and what you have is a national shame.
Criminality and corruption
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18341744/

Poverty and economic class warfare
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0831/p02s01-usec.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/31/national/31census.html?ex=1283140800&en=d6576faa22af6f52&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc

EPA and Politics
http://www.ucsusa.org/news/commentary/epa-air-pollution-plan-puts.html

Federal Corruption
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6500283,00.html
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0407/dailyUpdate.html

Changing the Rules
What the Bush people love to do most is change the rules.
Change the rules so that not as many people can be counted as poor, change the rules, so that the government can use torture, change the rules so that average Americans can be spied on, wiretapped and searched without warrant or cause, change the rules so that polluters can go on polluting, change the rules so that people can be held indefinitely without trial or charges against them. and the list goes on and on in many ways which were done in secret, behind closed doors, in the dark and without our consent or knowledge.

They will not publicize many of these rule changes they don't want you to know. Secret executive orders, interim appointments, special plans, new agencies and departments, gutting agencies and departments that benefit average Americans , art, science, culture, Public broadcasting. While funneling huge amounts of our money to their friends, in grants, tax breaks , new programs that aid the wealthy, industrialists, corporate donors. Most of which you will never know about or could even understand.

Putting Politics before Science.
The Bush administration has consistently silenced, coerced or sidelined good science, the hard won efforts of human knowledge and experience to further their political goals of enriching their friends and brutalizing their enemies. They have put politics before science and rational thought, to propagate profits for their rich and powerful allies, putting Americans at risk in any number of ways not to mention the fact that by marginalizing science and sullying scientific debate they commit an intellectual crime against humanity itself.

But Bush and his cronies as horrid, corrupt, incompetent, arrogant, treacherous, intolerant, greedy and acrimonious as they may seem were voted into office by us, and it it us the Americans that put them there that must bear the shame of their record in office.
You may go out and protest this administration but that does not absolve you of the shame, you may have not even voted for them, but that does not absolve you of this shame, because we are all Americans and we share that above all else.

In public, in our work places, around the world, we are not republican or democrat, we are not Jew, or Christian or Muslim, we are not black or white, we are Americans. And it is OUR SHAME that we must confront as Americans, and we must find ways together to remove this shame, reverse the policies and trends of our own government, or continue to watch as we shame ourselves. There is not one of us no matter our politics or affiliations that does not feel and share this shame. There is not one of us who can hold their heads high as proud Americans. There is not one of us who can wash their hands of these facts and affairs, and say we were not involved. Because we are all 'involved', in this great country, in this human experiment in democracy and freedom, we are all involved.

Shame on us.

This War Is Lost

2007-04-25T18:17:00.000-07:00

No not Iraq, (although Iraq is also lost), I am talking about Afghanistan, remember Afghanistan, you know the first country that George Bush attacked without provocation.
Great article (one year ago)
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/HH30Df02.html

The tragic story of this lost war has been largely kept from Americans, both from lies and mis-information from the US government and a distracted media who is focused on the other war we are losing in Iraq.

Links
http://www.comw.org/warreport/
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/fivelies.html

Why Goodling Won't Talk

2007-04-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

Monica Goodling, the Justice Department-White house Liaison (a newly created position), won't talk about her former bosses, at least not to incriminate them in any scandal.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18308547/

Add to that the fact that George Bush cannot afford to fire Gonzales, he is the last defense against all sorts of investigations that could put any number of White house people in jail for a long long time.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18272340/

The White House immediately came out with a defense of Gonzales after his Senate testimony, because they cannot afford to let this man go, he is their only defense against a slew of investigations of criminal wrongdoing at the White House. No prosecution of White House staff can proceed without Justice signing off on it, and taking the lead. And Gonzales has proven time and time again that he takes his orders from Bush (The law be damned) . The senate can try and appoint independent prosecutors if wrongdoing is suspected but that power is so limited as to be useless in most of these cases. You need the smoking gun before you can ask for an independent council and both parties have reasons to want to limit the use of that kind of investigatory power.

And Alberto Gonzales knows it, he has been told as much by Bush himself, he serves at the pleasure of and answers to the President himself and no one else, and he knows Bush will not let him go, even if he tendered his resignation tomorrow, so he will not quit, nor will he have to.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17878865/

His Job is bullet proof period.

So far many investigations have been sidestepped and ignored only because The White House controls the justice department so strongly. Even John Ashcroft could not hold a candle to the mighty loyalty that Gonzales and Bush have for each other. Gonzales is bullet proof and the White House has so much as said so.
So all of this is just 'political masturbation' for the Democrats and the country, and even Republicans who still beleive in justice and freedom, equality and truth, nothing will come out of it.
Nothing that is until this administration steps down and a new one takes it's place. Then and only then can truly impartial investigations take place.
Expect a big shredding party before that happens.
Like the missing millions of emails, expect millions of government documents from the Bush White House to disappear in a puff of smoke.

No I'm not being cynical it's just how it is going to be. Millions of documents have already gone missing, millions more will be classified 'ultra secret' and won't be allowed to be viewed for fifty years or more, or until someone 'cracks the vault open' in court, which is not likely given the makeup of the Supreme court, and millions more will just disappear, like GW's driving and military records disappeared, I mean gone man, gone forever as in destroyed.

Goodling won't incriminate her old bosses because she is a good Christian, and will tow the conservative Christian line, that is, she will defend the righteous, against the evil hordes.
No I'm not kidding these messianic people in the White House think they are the guardians at the gates of righteousness and that the rest of us (non Christians) are infidels. (Sound familiar?)
She has already told investigators she will take the fifth, which means she has something to hide, period.
And to think that giving her immunity (from earthly Prosecution) will loosen her tongue, get her to tell the truth and implicate her former bosses in this petty political rigging of the states attorneys offices completely misses the point, she answers to a higher power. Again not kidding.

See What Would Jesus Do

My Man Gonzales

2007-04-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

"This is not about Alberto Gonzales, it's about what's best for the Department," he said.

Even responsible republican critics like Senator Arlen Specter are not ready to admit that the attorney firings were politically motivated and had the imprint of the White House all over the decision, Specter implied that there could be another explanation, extreme incompetence (on the part of Gonzales). Of course that doesn't wash with the facts the we do know.

It's funny watching these 'political shows', because you know everyone in that room today knew without a doubt that these firings were politically motivated. That is not in question, however, that's probably the most damning explanation we are going to get from a Republican anyway. They are determined to protect the White House and GW Bush, and why is a mystery, considering the tragedy Bush has unleashed on the Republican party. With even high level Republicans calling for Gonzales to leave, you would think there would be some movement. You would be wrong.

This spectacle is not over, the Senators will push for more testimony, and try to give Goodling immunity so that she might be compelled to testify. But if Monica Goodling was ready to take the fifth to avoid incriminating her boss (GW Bush) then why in heck would this good Christian soldier testify against her boss? Even with immunity she is likely to lie to save herself and her boss.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is the Guardian at the gates of hell for Bush and his criminal enterprise he calls the Executive branch of government. Bush would have to be insane to replace him, because without Gonzales playing defense the White House is vulnerable to any number of investigations any one of which could wind up putting a lot of people in prison.

Gonzales will not quit, that was obvious during his testimony today, and the White House was quick to release a statement that they were happy with his performance today. Period, end of story.

See Why Gonzales Won't Quit

No End In Sight

2007-04-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/316/index.html

*this post was copied from the NOW website.....

Nearly four years after President Bush declared an end to combat in Iraq, the country is still fraught with daily casualties, costly commitments, and an ongoing debate on how to end the violence. How did it come to this?

This week, NOW's David Brancaccio speaks with two very different, but unforgettable men who allege that U.S. bungling in Iraq created and fueled the deadly insurgency. Paul Hughes, a retired Army colonel, was part of the transition team after the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He says key decisions were made that ignored the realities of Iraq. Omar Fekeiki was a Washington Post reporter and translator who risked his life to help U.S. journalists.

Both Hughes and Fekeiki are featured in a new Sundance prize-winning documentary, "No End in Sight," which exposes what it calls "a chain of critical errors, denial, and incompetence that has galvanized a violent quagmire." Fekeiki's identity was hidden in the documentary for his protection, but he chose to appear unmasked on NOW for the first time.

Test of Wills

2007-04-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

Muqtada al-Sadr vs George W. Bush
This is the guy we should have taken to task in the first weeks and months of the occupation, instead we, among many other mistakes, including sidelining of the moderate cleric Al Sistani who could have been a unifying force in Iraq, left this miscreant to foment hatred and death in the nascent democracy. He is responsible for many US deaths including the death squads that have killed many Sunni, and exacerbated this wretched rift in Iraqi society.

Unless we take this guy out he is going to be a powerful destructive force in the future of Iraq.
Not that we are not trying, and he is currently hiding and avoiding public appearances, along with surrounding himself with an 'inner circle' of loyalists, because he knows he is a target.

The administration would like nothing more that get this guy, but the time has passed when that is going to be easy or even possible. Many in Iraq would like to see this man killed, yet he has many supporters who are currently providing a cocoon of protection for him.

The importance for the US is obvious, we MUST get the Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish elements to unite under the new government. Until we get a central government with legitimacy we will not secure Iraq. Part of this effort also has to come from Iraqis themselves who must decide to create the jobs and reconstruction that will help cement their place in the lives of the average Iraqi. They must become 'relevant' , that is easier said than done in a country beset by all sorts of criminality, much of it from within the ranks of the government itself. There are millions of dollars to be made by unscrupulous officials in the emerging Iraq, oil, contracts, reconstruction agreements, business arrangements all allow for corruption to invade into the process. In a country where lawlessness is a way of life, the criminals have a fertile ground to persist and thrive. There is little accountability in the country and the justice system and police are not above the fray.

The job of subduing the forces like Muqtada al-Sadr and his militias is the greatest US challenge in Iraq today. Holding the government together and helping it to achieve legitimacy in the eyes of the Iraqi people are critical if we are to succeed in Iraq, and while I don't agree with much that Bush and his cronies have done or have to say I do agree that we MUST 'win' in Iraq.

Running on Empty

2007-04-14T22:33:00.000-07:00

A Slow Moving Target

If it doesn't crash on it's own, it should make a nice slow moving target for the Iraqi resistance.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/04/13/osprey/index.html

The Osprey is the latest in Bush's Hi Tech arsenal to be deployed to Iraq.
Why?

A. Because it is the latest in high tech gear designed to take the battle to the Iraqi resistance fighters?

B. Because it is uniquely designed to be an advantage in the kind of desert and urban fighting we are engaged in against the Iraqi resistance?

C. Because it has unique advantages over the Blackhawk, the Apache or other attack aircraft?

D. Because we are running short of equipment.

If you guessed D you are correct.

Estimates from the pentagon (although no one can tell us why the pentagon has to estimate anything, they should know for sure) indicate a loss of 60+ helicopters in Iraq, that's roughly
25% of our helicopters. Unofficial sources put the number at 125 helicopters lost, roughly 50% of our fleet.

Of course that's not counting the two that were shot down today (April 15, 2007).
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L15571895.htm

The Osprey, after many, many billions of dollars, a good idea, that never worked.
They can send the Osprey to Iraq, they just have to make sure it never gets close to the battle zone. Of course the battle zone IS Iraq.

http://www.independent.org/newsroom/article.asp?id=1206
"After the fourth crash of the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft last month, Marine Corps Commandant James Jones asked to postpone indefinitely a decision on whether to approve full-rate production of the aircraft. He also called for a blue-ribbon panel to investigate the aircraft’s cost, safety and performance.

These steps are overdue. As Secretary of Defense under President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney opposed the Osprey. Today, the facts clearly show that this $40-billion defense albatross should be loosed from the taxpayers’ necks."

http://www-tech.mit.edu/V121/N8/osprey.8w.html

"The Defense Department’s inspector general has seized data from the computers of two Marine generals as an investigation into an alleged coverup of problems with the troubled V-22 Osprey aircraft is reaching into the top ranks at the Pentagon.

The investigation began in January with allegations that a lieutenant colonel who commanded the Osprey squadron in North Carolina encouraged crews to falsify maintenance records. Investigators are now looking into whether the squadron commander was pressured by superiors to hide the shortcomings of the Osprey, an innovative aircraft that takes off like a helicopter but flies like a plane."

P.S. We are also running out of troops.

http://www.army.mil/aps/06/maindocument/Text_SustainQuality.html

Unity of Effort

What is it? Unity of Effort (UOE) is a new recruiting initiative aimed at more than 78,000 former members of the military. It is specifically designed to help increase our prior service accessions (both officer and enlisted).

What has the Army Done? Under the UOE initiative, the U.S. Army will begin contacting those men and women (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard) who have previously served their country. The veterans will receive offers allowing them to retain their previous grade if they enlist within 48 months after separation; to retrain into a new specialty; and to receive up to $19,000 in enlistment bonuses, depending upon specialty selected. U.S. Army Recruiting Command provided their recruiters the names of prospective service veterans as they contact those former service members.

What efforts does the Army plan to continue in the future? We will obtain prior service data quarterly from the Defense Data Management Center in support of this effort and continue communications efforts for one year in order to measure the initiatives effectiveness.

Why is this important to the Army? Foremost, it provides an opportunity for veterans to once again serve their country. These service members have proven credentials as members of a team. They possess the experience, discipline, and leadership that are invaluable tools for the Army.

For Every Missing Email

2007-04-14T06:30:00.001-07:00

For Every Missing Email
There is an IT person who knows what happened.

Let's be honest here, the average White House employee has no clue how to delete millions of emails. Even the most computer savvy of them would have no idea or access to do that kind of thing. Somewhere out there is an IT geek who knows what happened. The poor schmuck that got the order to do it. I say poor schmuck because that person committed a felony. And being ordered to do it by the White House chief of staff is not going to be a viable defense.

"Millions of White House e-mails may be missing, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino acknowledged."

"The lawyer for Bush aide Karl Rove said that e-mails sought by the CIA leak prosecutor were also missing."

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/04/13/white.house.email/index.html

There is a good chance that somewhere some of those emails still exist.
Some operative who got them, some obscure CC or BCC, someone somewhere saved those emails, you can be sure of it.

What will be the GOP and super national moral radio conservative hit squad response to this, I know, try and point to something Clinton did. Well you know Clinton did blah blah blah....

What a lame excuse to justify government secrecy, conspiracy and lies. Where are the 'real' Americans? You know the ones who really care about truth, justice, freedom and equality, no matter who is breaking the law. When did we become a nation of red and blue instead of red white and blue.

It's obvious to a three year old that the White House had these emails 'purged' to avoid their scrutiny. It's further obvious that they have something to hide.

We can only hope some Republicans in congress will grow a spine and decide it's better to be an American than throw in with criminals. Because on Capital Hill you are either trying to uncover this conspiracy or you are a part of it.

See The Pentagon Papers

Half Priced Chocolate Day

2007-04-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

OK so this is a little off topic and on a personal note for me, actually, I thought about doing a whole blog on chocolate but instead I decided to share with you this little gem of wisdom, and one of the 'little known' Trachtenberg Family Holiday's.

I guess I don't need to tell you , I love chocolate, swiss, german, italian, french, dutch, (Israeli even, there are no political boundaries or problems humans can't surmount when together they decide to break into a good bar of chocolate ), milk, dark, white. Up down, left and right, I am a fan of the cocoa bean my friend.

And we in the Trachtenberg family are not particularly religious (though we are highly spiritual), we do not celebrate Easter Sunday and the ressurection of the Christ, we do not wallow in the satanic goulishness of the solstice and All Hallows Eve of Halloween nor do we make a particularly big deal over the squishy, whipped, sappy-ness of Valentines day, but what we do get revved up for is "Half Priced Chocolate Day".

Yes, my friends this is the day when a couple of bucks will get you a bag brimming with all sorts of chocolate treats priced at 50% off.

And as you may have guessed already, half price chocolate day comes three times a year. Now that's better than any of those other religious or traditional holidays, better by far.

That's right three times a year, mark it on your calendar, for you can go to any Publix or food market, Walgreens or Wal Mart and partake my dear readers, partake to your hearts content.
That's the day after Halloween, the day after Valentines day, and my personal favorite, the day after Easter Sunday.
(Just get there early supplies are always limited)

Yahoo and three cheers for Half Priced Chocolate Day!

P.S. Half Priced Chocolate Day is also a good day to stock up on those Peeps™

Holding Back the Laughter

2007-04-11T19:37:00.000-07:00

I can't help it, but I think about this republican lawyer I know, who helped the Bush/Cheney campaign swindle the American people out of free and fair elections in Florida in 2000, an ex Navy Seal who blabbered about how the Republicans will be good for the military, and how the Clintons were a disaster for the military. I remember the whispers of a military coup, a revolt if the democrats won. "Don't ask don't tell" had demoralized the military, and so on and so on...

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/04/11/military.stay/index.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51687-2005Jan5.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/17/AR2006121700494.html

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1606888,00.html

hahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha

sorry....

For all the Republican miscreants (and the homophobic) who thought it justified to destroy the foundations of American democracy to get 'their man' into the White house.

Careful what you wish for............

Newsflash update!
Dateline Washington D.C.
Bush seeks War Czar
"WASHINGTON - President Bush's top national security adviser said Thursday that there is an urgent need to name a high-powered White House official to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18089899/

"Earlier this week, there was a vague, unsubstantiated report that the White House has been exploring the notion of creating a senior position to oversee the conduct of the conflicts in Southwest Asia. Ostensibly, this slot would be filled by a retired military officer, and, not surprisingly, the media dubbed him the “War Czar.” This astounding report has since been confirmed, and the sheer stupidity of it is staggering." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18076025/

hahahahahahahahahahaha

I don't know why I am laughing, we are all in the deep shit.
Oh yeah, the idea that Bush would be good for the military, hahahahahahahahaha

The 800 lb gorilla in the room, the next attack on US soil.
tick tick tick......

Now that's not going to be funny is it?

Moral Compass

2007-04-11T16:19:00.000-07:00

Israel's use of innocent civilians as human shields, leading Israeli soldiers on for house to house searches for their prey has been found by the Israeli supreme court to be illegal. Yet the practice continues even today.

The IDF has launched so called 'investigations' into the use of human shields and officially says it does not support the practice, yet any Israeli soldier will tell you it is commonly used as a tactic in urban searches. The practice does not protect Israeli soldiers or make their job any easier or safer but rather is just another cruel and brutal reminder of the immorality of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. It is simply put another way to humiliate the Palestinian people, denigrate their importance by using them as 'slaves' and fodder for violence in their incursions into what is left of the Palestinian territory.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18058725/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5212870.stm

http://lawrenceofcyberia.blogs.com/news/2006/08/hiding_behind_c.html

Army of One (Billion)

2007-04-11T07:05:00.000-07:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18053235/
Retention and recruitment is in such dire circumstance that SRB's and enticement bonuses have soared some multiplying over tens times there 2001 amount.
For some rates that could mean well over $100,000.00 to re enlist.

"The struggle to entice Army soldiers and Marines to stay in the military, after four years of war in Iraq, has ballooned into a $1 billion campaign, with bonuses soaring nearly sixfold since 2003."

Seems like Bush's little 'war of choice' has a price tag that far exceeds anything anyone could have imagined at the time.
Even the most ardent anti-war (anti-Bush) challenger to this tragic policy (moi) could not have imagined how bad this would really become. Our worst nightmares were surpassed three years ago, now it's just like a extreme horror show you cannot wake up from. Over 1 trillion dollars and counting, this does not take into account the 2-3 hundred billion this war takes every year in 'extra' out of budget requests, nor does it take into account the cost of rebuilding our destroyed and demoralized military, a cost the next president and congress will have to allocate and the American people (taxpayer) will have to bear.

Schützen der Heimaten

2007-04-11T01:34:00.000-07:00

Protecting Ze Homeland

Your human rights and civil rights are gone.
You gave them up without a fight.
Your personal records from phone calls to bank accounts to library records, your car, your home or business are now subject to warrant less search and seizure.

This 'War on Terror' is a manufactured lie. It does not exist, it is being created for your viewing pleasure, and for the purposes of taking your liberty and freedoms and money and ensuring your obedience. It's only purpose to vest power and wealth in those who would enslave you.

And you are going along willingly, in your ignorance and fear.
The truth and information is out there, if you were intellectually curious enough to find out, but your not.

911 did not change everything, it was blowback for forty years of bad US foriegn policy.
And the reaction of the Bush administration 180 degrees in the wrong direction if our goal was to make America and the world a safer and more just place.

Foriegn policy that caused a lot of hatred and death in the countries where we imposed our corruption and the crimes of our CIA and clandestine services. A world where we overthrew democratically elected governments, supplied death squads and evil men with weapons and money, supported illegal wars and genocidal maniacs, smuggled drugs to our country to pay for war crimes overseas, and caused untold horrors throughout the world in the name of America.

This information is freely available, 'real' journalists, government watchdogs, civil organizations and government workers with integrity have exposed for you the lies and plans of those who are deceiving you over and over again, and you could put it all together and understand the danger you are in, if you were only smart enough, but your not.

Your not because your schools suck, MTV, Hollywood and Madison Avenue and the culture of illusion have convinced you that as long as the cable TV is on you are satisfied, fat and happy (Well you are fat) , while your journalists have sold thier integrity for a paycheck and your government lies to you with impunity.

You have allowed them to change your laws to eliminate your rights and civil protections that generations of Americans have fought and died for, and most of you don't even know it.

This reality has been shown to you by numerous people inside and outside of the government, you have been repeatedly warned that this is happening to you.

You have no one to blame but yourself.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/homeland/index.html

http://www.lifeandliberty.gov/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6547566,00.html

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/resources/17343res20031114.html

Fight Fire with Fire

2007-04-11T01:16:00.000-07:00

What does the bush administration do in response to allegations of broad abuse of the surveillance powers granted to the government under the provisions of the Patriot Acts I and II?

Ratchet up the rhetoric of course.
They have all but dismissed the notion that they must seek FISA approval or anything that resembles a warrant for just cause. They can search, invade, spy, investigate, intimidate, apprehend,incarcerate and detain at will, anyone whom they choose.
It is typical of this administration to use fear and intimidation against the American people, and typical of the Bush family and Dick Cheney.
Their unbridled arrogance is only matched by their unmitigated gaul.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18046106/

The government already had unfettered permissions to spy on Americans in every venue, through every medium, personal privacy does not exist in the law anymore (not an exaggeration). You have lost all of your rights to privacy, due process and freedom from warrant less searches and seizures.
And further, the use of torture and the suspension of habeus corpus has rendered all our constitutional civil liberties mute.

The 800 lb gorilla in the room, the next attack on US soil. What will that bring our beloved nation, military rule, martial law. Don't think it has not been discussed?

We MUST impeach these people, and set a new course for 'New American Century', or it may as well be the last American Century, because with the death of truth, freedom, justice and equality, so dies the America we all grew up to believe in and love. With it dies the America the founders of this great nation and countless individuals laid down their lives for.

With the death of civil liberties, dies the American spirit, the American dream, the American soul.
These people, traitors to the constitution, must be stopped!

http://themtmind.blogspot.com/2007/04/at-pleasure-of-us.html

The Enemy Within

2007-04-09T18:48:00.000-07:00

Thousands protest US occupation on the anniversary of the fall of Baghdad.
Now when the Bush administration is telling US that 'we can win' if just stay the course, the course is obvious. They will hate us, no matter what we do now, (and I knew this on the first day of the war), they will hate us.
Muqtada al-Sadr and his militias are calling for the end of occupation. Iraqi's want us out, they want to govern themselves, bloody or not, messy or not, they want to govern themselves, and truly in the reconstruction efforts, the rebuilding of a civil society they could hardly do worse in four years than Bush and Co. have done.

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/09/iraq.main/index.html

The Bush administrations utter arrogance, calling this an example of the new democracy, and there will be right wingers repeating this nonsense.

"peaceful gathering is part of the right to peaceful assembly and the Iraqi people to voice their views," Boylan said, calling it an example of the "changes occurring in Iraq.""

They will hate us, and the truth is they want us out, the sooner the better.

"With security stepped up across the country and a 24-hour ban on vehicles in Baghdad and Najaf, the marchers responded to a call by the Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who had demanded that his militia increase its efforts to force the US to leave. Sunni and Shia clerics marched alongside each other."

Voice of America
"A White House spokesman, Gordon Johndroe, downplayed the anti-American protests, saying Iraqis are now free to gather and express their opinions, which he said they could not do under Saddam."

Despite the recent and ongoing claims of this administration that the president's plan is working, the facts all point to the opposite. Not surprising, that GWB does not want to admit the truth or really does not recognize his own lies anymore. Violence in Baghdad has done nothing but increase, every month since the fall of Saddam, and US causualties continue to mount.
They talk about surge but on the table plans laid out call for years to bring the situation under 'control' whatever that means.
The lines keep blurring and the goal posts moved so many times that I don't think any of the players know where the end zone is anymore.
It's all a lie, and congress should have the balls to say no more!

At The Pleasure of Us

2007-04-07T12:55:00.000-07:00

It's time we reminded this petty little dictator that while all his criminal buddies in the White House and Justice Department may serve at the pleasure of the president, the president serves at the pleasure of American People. And we are not pleased.

Arrogance, ignorance, intolerance, treachery, hypocrisy and greed are not the American values we want in our president.

Just as a reminder, it's truth, justice, freedom and equality. Those are the values we send our children to kill for, those are the values we send our children to die for.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/03/01/keillor/

The Pentagon Papers

2007-04-06T20:35:00.000-07:00

Someone out there right now, holds the future of our democracy in their hands.

It was June 30th 1971, when the Supreme Court handed down a decision in the case of New York Times vs The United States .

Daniel Ellsberg, was responsible for the leaking of 7,000 pages of Pentagon documents, which exposed an extraordinary catalogue of lies and duplicity on the part of the US government, helped to bring an end to the war in Vietnam. Daniel Ellsberg
, a former marine company commander, who had served in Vietnam, leaked the documents, risking a life sentence to do so.

That was over thirty years ago, and now we are faced with another test of our democracy, one that will surely have as much influence over the next thirty years as any other we may take today.
Now we are faced with another administration that is lying to the American people. Hiding documents that prove they are lying, and threatening and coercing everyone and anyone who dares to expose those lies. The administration is hiding behind the veil of national security, to keeps it's lies a secret. Defending a war and a policy that has taken the lives of hundreds of thousands of innocent Americans, Iraqi and Afghan people.

Now we are at a crossroads, tens of thousands of Americans dead or wounded, a trillion dollars of our national treasure squandered and a President who has lied and deceived this country to take it to war.

Read these words and know that to be a true patriot is to speak truth to power. Those who gave their lives to forge a nation of free men, and those who give their lives today, and those who will give their lives tomorrow deserve nothing less, than our best efforts to expose those lies.

In seeking injunctions against these newspapers and in its presentation to the Court, the Executive Branch seems to have forgotten the essential purpose and history of the First Amendment. When the Constitution was adopted, many people strongly opposed it because the document contained no Bill of Rights to safeguard certain basic freedoms. 1 They especially feared that the [403 U.S. 713, 716] new powers granted to a central government might be interpreted to permit the government to curtail freedom of religion, press, assembly, and speech. In response to an overwhelming public clamor, James Madison offered a series of amendments to satisfy citizens that these great liberties would remain safe and beyond the power of government to abridge. Madison proposed what later became the First Amendment in three parts, two of which are set out below, and one of which proclaimed: "The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable." 2 (Emphasis added.) The amendments were offered to curtail and restrict the general powers granted to the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches two years before in the original Constitution. The Bill of Rights changed the original Constitution into a new charter under which no branch of government could abridge the people's freedoms of press, speech, religion, and assembly. Yet the Solicitor General argues and some members of the Court appear to agree that the general powers of the Government adopted in the original Constitution should be interpreted to limit and restrict the specific and emphatic guarantees of the Bill of Rights adopted later. I can imagine no greater perversion of history. Madison and the other Framers of the First Amendment, able men [403 U.S. 713, 717] that they were, wrote in language they earnestly believed could never be misunderstood: "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom . . . of the press . . . ." Both the history and language of the First Amendment support the view that the press must be left free to publish news, whatever the source, without censorship, injunctions, or prior restraints.

In the First Amendment the Founding Fathers gave the free press the protection it must have to fulfill its essential role in our democracy. The press was to serve the governed, not the governors. The Government's power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would remain forever free to censure the Government. The press was protected so that it could bare the secrets of government and inform the people. Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government. And paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people and sending them off to distant lands to die of foreign fevers and foreign shot and shell. In my view, far from deserving condemnation for their courageous reporting, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and other newspapers should be commended for serving the purpose that the Founding Fathers saw so clearly. In revealing the workings of government that led to the Vietnam war, the newspapers nobly did precisely that which the Founders hoped and trusted they would do.

Someone out there has those papers, has the knowledge and access to expose these lies. Someone out there right now in America, maybe even many men and women can stand up and speak out for the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Someone out there right now, holds the future of our democracy in their hands.

The Decision is theirs

Divine Man

2007-04-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

One of the foundations of modern evolutionary theory is that nature uses the same building blocks over and over again. That is to say that the difference between us and say an oak tree is not so much the foundation genetic controls but how these genetic devices are put together.
The same controlling factors that make an oak tree, make us.
The same basic processes and 'rules of the game' are responsible for all the living things we see on our planet.
This for one implies that all living things are a lot more closely related that might seem apparent from a first look at them.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17888475/site/newsweek/

For example, once nature had created an eye, a group of cells that respond to light, it used this basic design over and over again, adding things to it, building on it, to produce the myriad kinds of eyes we see in nature. This is very much like how we produce new variations of things. We take what we 'know' already and build on it. Nature varying little things here and there to do what scientists call 'tinkering' with the genetic code to produce a new 'mutation'. The theory of evolution says' that mutations that 'survive better' propagate.

Here is an interesting article where modern neuro-science is using these concepts of evolution along with observable experimentation and creating new understandings of how (and why) things work in our brain, the genesis of the human brain. This 'new way' of looking at biological systems will also help us understand the brains of other living things.
We may soon have a better understanding of the nature and potential of what we call 'intelligence' in other higher animals and plants.
The abilities to reason, predict, communicate, learn, 'feel'. Emotion is a biological function, with a biological foundation, born out of the needs of an organism, that is they serve a purpose. Our wall of distinction between humans and all the other life forms on the planet are crashing down as we discover the intimate connections between all living things. This homo centric view of the biological world, is fast fading into the dust bin where the concepts of earth at the center of the universe and flat earth theory lay. Homo centric thinking is central to most religions, for if we are not the chosen ones, created in Gods image, why is man special and unique? Indeed it turns out we are more or less one step on the evolution of life on this planet, in many ways no more vital and important that any other step. Aside from how important we are to 'ourselves'. These new thoughts and ideas will surely chafe at the foundations of major religions, although many animus religious already take for granted that we are part of the earth and share a common place in the scheme if things. Western religions however take a very different view, man as divine. These two opposing views will create an even greater rift between fundamentalist religions and the pursuit of knowledge through Science.
For the truly pious there is no conflict between science and faith.
In fact for the truly pious discovery through science only brings one closer to the creator.

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.
The teacher said it was scientifically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.
The little girl stated that the bible says that Jonah was swallowed by a whale..
Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible.
The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah".
The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?"
The little girl replied, "Then you ask him".

Why Gonzales Won't Quit

2007-04-03T21:02:00.000-07:00

The recent revelations of abuse of the Patriot Act by the FBI, illegally spying on thousands if not tens of thousands of innocent American citizens, by collecting phone records, bank records, business records etc. etc. with Justice department sanctioned letters of National Security.
The firings of US attorneys for political reasons, the failure of Justice to investigate the Valerie Plame leak case and the security clearances of White House operatives who have admitted they leaked this classified data, as well as many other inconsistencies, lies and misconduct have prompted some in congress to call for the dismissal or resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Well President Bush is not about to fire the one guy standing between him and an avalanche of investigations into the illegal activities of the Bush White House.

Let's get serious! Alberto Gonzales, long time, friend and protector of GWB is the only man standing in the way of multiple investigations into White House improprieties, any one of which is not only an impeachable offense, but one that could land Bush administration officials in jail for a long long time.

Gonzales is the guardian at the gates of hell as far as the Bush administration is concerned, to leave that position open for even a few weeks would invite disaster, let alone the uncertainty of who might replace him, (maybe even someone with a conscience).

Bush's allowance of torture, approval of illegal wiretapping and use of false evidence to justify a war, just the tip of the iceberg. (Watch World Trade Center Building #7 fall, oh yeah and look for the plane that supposedly hit the Pentagon in the video tape released by the FBI). The list goes on and on, of the high crimes and war crimes perpetrated by this administration. The Bush administration cannot afford to let Gonzales go and hope that his replacement will tow the line for them , or that in the absence of an attorney generalissimo like Gonzales for a period of time during confirmation of the next replacement that someone at Justice will grow a set of balls.

No Attorney General Gonzales has what we like to call "bullet proof" job security.

Count on it.

Close Guantanamo Now!

2007-04-03T20:27:00.000-07:00

We don't need it, it's an eyesore, and a magnet for controversy, besides we have dozens of other secret prisons all over the world that can do the job of illegal indefinite detainment and torture just fine thank you.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17935971/

For years now reports have been surfacing and even confirmed by the White House that the US is operating clandestine prisons all around the world. Prisons where supposed Al Queada suspects are routinely brought for detainment and torture. Why then does it make any sense at all to maintain this magnet for international condemnation in our own backyard?

http://www.amnestyusa.org/Fall_/Dirty_Secrets_of_the_War_on_Terror/page.do?id=1105203&amp;n1=2&n2=19&n3=358

My goodness just Google 'secret prisons' for gods sake and a plethora of articles detailing US secret prisons pops up, from all over the world, by myriad news agencies and NGO's and even our own government. Why bother with Guantanamo?

I'll tell you why, the Bush administration needs one place where they can 'show' the world that we are putting these people on trial. I mean one 'showplace' where the US can display people it wants the world to see. What I meant to say is a 'sideshow' where the US can draw attention from all of the other places it doesn't want to show, umm I meant one show tune, oh heck nevermind.

It's our PR palace, our place that goes to the Supreme Court, our place where we put these people into the promised military tribunals or kangaroo courts or hangman's noose or black hole from which there is no return or whatever you want to call it. It's the place where we can parade reporters through and Senators and Congressman can go to make a political photo op moment. The place where we can show how nicely we are treating these people. The ones with no rights, the ones we have tortured and brutalized, in the name of freedom.

That's why the Bush administration transferred KSM to Guantanamo, we couldn't tell you where he really has been for the last three years.

Why do we need Guantanamo, because without it we might just have to admit to all those other prisons we operate around the world, with the tacit approval or torturous governments around the world (you know the ones we are not suppose to be supporting anymore) .

It was recently reported that Defense Secretary Robert Gates has called for the closure of Guantanamo. The recent conviction of David Hicks by the tribunals at Guantanamo illustrating the problem, Hicks was convicted without the presence of lawyers and sentenced to seven years in prison (on top of the four he has already served, the crime, wrong place, wrong time) then his sentenced was reduced (he is an Autrailian and Prime Minister Howard has been putting pressure on Bush to release him for domestic PR reasons, it seems aussies, finally, are getting a little fed up) on the condition that he not talk to the press, not accuse the US of torture, and basically shut the hell up and blow away (seriously he had to sign an agreement). After four years of illegal detention that surely included torture Hicks was all too happy to agree. Austrailian Prime Minister Howard has made it clear Hicks will be rearrested if he abrogates the US agreement, Hicks will be quiet (until Howard is thrown out of office).

http://www.baylor.edu/Lariat/news.php?action=story&story=45014

It's time to close Guantanamo so the US electorate, and US news agencies can join the rest of the world and focus on the other illegal prisons Bush has established .

"President Bush said he emptied the CIA's secret prisons in September and sent its last 14 high-value detainees to the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. But he left open the possibility that the program could be used again. "

"April 3, 2007 - NAIROBI, Kenya - CIA and FBI agents hunting for al-Qaida militants in the Horn of Africa have been interrogating terrorism suspects from 19 countries held at secret prisons in Ethiopia, which is notorious for torture and abuse, according to an investigation by The Associated Press."

Note to America, Bush is lying to you. He has always been lying to you. The rumor that he won the 2000 election fair and square, lie. Don't be surprised now when each new press release contains more lies. As Bush himself is so fond of saying, "fool me once shame on you , fool me twice, shame is me, fool me again, it's a shame".

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1237589,00.html#article_continue
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/13/world/main1121577.shtml?cmp=EM8706

April Fools

2007-04-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

The President's Iraq Surge is working!

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/04/01/iraq.main/index.html

"Sen. John McCain visited a Baghdad market Sunday and later told reporters the American people were not getting the full story on what he said were improving security conditions in the war-ravaged capital."

"Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander there, was so confident in the security situation that he told the lawmakers they could remove their helmets "at our discretion," Pence said."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/09/AR2007030901839.html

Senator John McCain, (I will reinstate the draft) presidential hopeful, reports from the front lines of Baghdad that the President's plan is working! Just a few weeks ago, against the national will, Senator McCain, along with other Republican leaders in congress, implored us to 'give the plan a chance', now it looks like they were right. The President after four long years of deception, failure, corruption and incompetence had finally got it right.

All Iraq needed was few twenty, um forty thousand troops more to quell the sectarian violence in Baghdad and put the country on a road to true democracy, stability and a national unity.

Reports from the opposition, "who knew" , we all just figured this was a feeble, last ditch, desperate attempt for the president to push the war out long enough for him to dump this mess on the next administration.

We are all flabbergasted, says Senator OBama. Hillary Clinton's office released a statement that she was the one who had suggested the surge to the president months ago, and she is heartened that he had finally taken her advice.

Senator Leiberman, tore himself away from preparations for the Seder (he always makes the Matzoh ball soup), gushing like a school girl, had his "I told you so" moment when the reports came flooding in that the violence in Iraq has subsided and all parties are now moving to unite under the Al Malaki government. In a new power sharing agreement that once and for all settles the distribution of oil profits, the nature of central control and regional autonomy and puts to rest the Kurdish demands for an independent Kurdistan, the Iraqi people have "truly turned a corner" said Leibermann.

Dick Cheney, emerged from his secure bunker to announce that "The next three months will be pivotal", and also reiterated again that the insurgency is in it's "last throes".

What looks like a complete vindication of the administrations stand on the Iraq war and the decision to surge troops into Baghdad White House spokesperson Tony Snow today came out of his sick bed to join the newly minted Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino and the President's entire national security team at the podium in the White House press room to tout the administration's successes in Iraq.

"We're just jubilant", said Snow as he introduced one by one the president's team who made this day possible. Steven Hadley took the prize when he noted that he among all the Bush people had "some doubts", in the beginning but now he had to admit, along with the rest of the world, that the president made the right decision. "Always bet on Bush" he said, as he handed the microphone to Condoleeza Rice.

Fox News Reports congratulations and approval are pouring in from all the capitals of the world, from leaders anxious to ingratiate themselves to the president who now, it is said, is likely to enjoy an 80% approval rating at home.

Ok, Ok, we get it ......