May 12 2008
Yesterday, was a real mother of a day, but there was no shortage of news for today’s Ten Post Round-Up:
1: Monsanto helping to bring down India’s farmers….
2: Myanmar cyclone almost takes down the 2008 Republican National Convention…
3: Is Florida being punished for the outcome of the last two general elections?…
4: Apparently, there really IS “a sucker born every minute”…
5: Our Constitutional democracy is in grave danger…
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May 11 2008
Mother’s are special. You realize all the more how much goes into Mothering when you become one. Suddenly your whole world revolves around the care & entrusting of bringing up a child. It is one of the most difficult jobs you could ever love. Because there are no breaks from it, really, and you are committed pretty much like the traditional wedding vows-for better or worse, in sickness & in health, rich or poor. Now that I think about it, many parent child relationships actually uphold those vows longer & stronger, than marriage vows. Although there are tons of books on parenting, much of it is learn as you go. In the early years especially, it seems once you have figured out a workable routine or solution, the child evolves to something new & different.
May 11 2008
THE TURD, ROVE
Based on “The Word”
By John Lennon and Paul McCartney
New Lyrics by Sweet Pea
Speak a lie and be like me
Let my power set you free
hear the story that I wove
Gave you heard the spinner Rove?
I’m so fine! It’s all mine!
I’m the turd, Rove
In the beginning you misunderstood
I run the show and I drain all the good
(I’m The Turd, Rove!)
Spread the lie, and be like me
Take your rights to make you free
Hear the hate that i have wove
Have you heard the spinner ROve
I’m so great, it’s too late
I’m The Turd, Rove
When I go ut I hear people say
He baits the homos but his step dad was hay
(I’m The Turd, Rove)
May 11 2008
All of whom are women. From the VOA writeup:
Police in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu say they have detained more than 560 Tibetan protesters Sunday, all of them women.
It was the all female demonstration against China’s crackdown in Tibet since violence erupted in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa in March.
Since then, Tibetan exiles have taken part in anti-China protests nearly every day. Nepal is home to about 20,000 Tibetan refugees.
Power to the people…Buddha please keep them safe.
Sphere: Related ContentMay 10 2008
Choosey Mutha’s choose….PEACE
Eight children a day are killed by guns in our country — for a total of almost 3,000 a year — and another 13,000 a year are wounded. Nearly 1.7 million children under the age of 18 live in homes with firearms that are both loaded and unlocked.
The Million Mom March will be focusing on this topic on Mother’s Day.
8 CHILDREN KILLED A DAY ~ NO WAY!
Sphere: Related ContentMay 09 2008
There’s no rest for the wicked. Let’s see what wickedness is afoot in today’s Ten Post Round-Up:
1: Pentagon threatens soldier’s pay over emergency war funding bill….
2: Maybe Iraq could help pay for its reconstruction with their oil revenues?…
With House Poised to Spend $163 Billion, More Argue Iraq Should Use Oil Money to Pay for Reconstruction–AlterNet
3: Looks like GWBs “surge” strategy is being put to the test…
4: China is helping to fund GWBs presidential library…
Let’s See Who’s Funding The Bush Presidential Library–duckplops
5: Nevada governor is fighting to get back in the Governor’s mansion and oust his wife, in divorce dispute…
Sphere: Related ContentGovernor wants back in mansion: Court battle brewing as Gibbons seeks to oust wife from official residence–Elko Daily Free Press
May 08 2008
Such farkwittery here folks. The audacity of Special Counsel Scott Bloch and his minions just slays the hell out of me. From AP via TO:
The U.S. Office of Special Counsel last year shut down a previously undisclosed investigation into the federal prosecution of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, according to an internal memo made public Wednesday.
The investigation was being conducted by a task force formed at the agency a year ago to pursue high-profile political investigations in Washington, most notably whether the White House played politics in firing U.S. attorneys. It began gathering information on the Siegelman case in September and was planning to request documents from the Justice Department in October before Special Counsel Scott Bloch ordered the case closed, according to the Jan. 18 draft memo, made public by the Project on Government Oversight, a watchdog group.
Why do they think its ok? Common sense would dictate otherwise, wouldn’t it? As Siegelman says, the most important issue now is:
“The question is who told them to shut it down,”
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May 08 2008
IN OUR STRIFE
Based on “A Day In The Life”
By John Lennon and Paul McCartney
New Lyrics by Matthew5
There’s a truth, it goes unspoken
In the strife
The lies have changed
They go on and on forever
Crudely made, they seem too strange
But his half truths had a purpose
His quest for power, he deceived us all
We believed him, that’s our failing
The phony God will surely fall
But in all his mass deception
There is no lie compares to this
If you only try and trust me
I’ll show you pain can be your bliss
Though we know he won’t forgive defection
Of kind-hearted folk who see the lie
We know he wants to male them suffer
In the strife he let’s more die
Though we know he’ll never be forgiven
For walking away from warfare whores
We know the man who’s mad will try and stop us
Madmen love the pain much more
Madmen love the pain much more
May 08 2008
I recently joined J-Street, the political arm of the pro-Israel, pro-Peace movement. J-Street was founded to create meaningful American leadership to bring a peaceful end to the Arab/Israeli and Palestinian/Israel conflicts.
J Street represents Americans, primarily but not exclusively Jewish, who support Israel and its desire for security as the Jewish homeland, as well as the right of the Palestinians to a sovereign state of their own - two states living side-by-side in peace and security. We believe ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is in the best interests of Israel, the United States, the Palestinians, and the region as a whole.
Today, I received an email from founder Jeremy Ben Ami, with the text of an article he’d written in a recent Washington Post issue. I print it in full:
5 Myths About Being ‘Pro-Israel’
By Jeremy Ben Ami
Six decades ago, my father fought alongside Menachem Begin for Israel’s independence. If you’d have told him back then that politicians in the world’s last superpower would be jockeying today to see who can be more “pro-Israel,” he would have laughed at you. Grateful as I am for decades Continue Reading »
Sphere: Related ContentMay 08 2008
So much news, so little coffee. Jump start the ol’ gray matter with today’s Ten Post Round-Up:
1: Pretty soon, heart patients be able to say that they are “serious as a heart attack” about their Bluetooth….
New wi-fi devices warn doctors of heart attacks–BlackListedNews.com
2: Along with the right to marry, other rights for homosexuals disappear with same-sex marriage bans…
Oops, That Ban On Gay Marriage Took Away Other Rights–Bring It On!
3: Driving lifestyles altered by higher gas prices…
High Gas Prices Force People to Alter Lifestyles–Colorado Confidential
4: So much for McCain paying for likely breaking campaign finance laws…
5: Libertarian presidential (formerly, Democratic) candidate, Mike Gravel attempts to woo Obama Girl by doin’ “…Dat Soulja Boy”…
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May 08 2008
The MSM seems to have Alzheimer’s when it comes to McCain’s ’spiritual guide’ Ron Parsley. Thanks to Mother Jones and Brave New Films, we get to see Parsley in all his..um…glory, at work preaching the …cough…word..of God. From the BNF site:
You may have heard of Rev. John Hagee, the McCain supporter who said God created Hurricane Katrina to punish New Orleans for its homosexual “sins.” Well now meet Rev. Rod Parsley, the televangelist megachurch pastor from Ohio who hates Islam. According to David Corn of Mother Jones, Parsley has called on Christians to wage war against Islam, which he considers to be a “false religion.” In the past, Parsley has also railed against the separation of church and state, homosexuals, and abortion rights, comparing Planned Parenthood to Nazis.
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May 07 2008
The cost of the Forever stamp goes up on Monday. So I am throwing my .01¢ worth of thoughts on this matter.
The cost of sending a first-class letter will rise a penny to 42 cents on May 12, but the Forever stamps — currently selling for 41 cents — will remain valid for full postage after the increase.
Forever stamps were introduced last year and since then more than six billion have been sold, people are stocking up as the rate increase nears.
The post office sold $267,696,023 in Forever stamps in March, up from $207,900,132 in February and $115,303,031 in January.
May 07 2008
H/T to EmptyWheel for reporting on this. Seems the ACLU and the fine folks at EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) have scored a victory against the FBI and their scurilous NSL’s (National Security Letter). From the EFF press release:
The FBI has withdrawn an unconstitutional national security letter (NSL) issued to the Internet Archive after a legal challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). As the result of a settlement agreement, the FBI withdrew the NSL and agreed to the unsealing of the case, finally allowing the Archive’s founder to speak out for the first time about his battle against the record demand.
*snip*
The NSL included a gag order, prohibiting Kahle from discussing the letter and the legal issues it presented with the rest of the Archive’s Board of Directors or anyone else except his attorneys, who were also gagged. The gag also prevented the ACLU and EFF from discussing the NSL with members of Congress, even though an ACLU lawyer who represents the Archive recently testified at a congressional hearing about the FBI’s misuse of NSLs.
“This is a great victory for the Archive and also the Constitution,” said Melissa Goodman, staff attorney with the ACLU. “It appears that every time a national security letter recipient has challenged an NSL in court and forced the government to justify it, the government has ultimately withdrawn its demand for records. In the absence of much needed judicial oversight - and with recipients silenced and the public in the dark - there is nothing to stop the FBI from abusing its NSL power.”
Bless those patriotic folks that fight the good fight at the ACLU and the EFF. Without them, the snoopers would be getting away with murder…if they aren’t already.
May 07 2008
May 07 2008
Reports today have been released that Sen. Clinton loaned her presidential campaign $6.4 million over the past month. A campaign aide said Clinton gave her campaign another $5 million on April 11, more than a week before the Pennsylvania primary.
Clinton’s campaign reported raising $10 million online after her Pennsylvania victory on April 22. Evidently, the money was not enough and her fundraising was unable to keep up with her expenses heading into Tuesday’s contests.
Obama has routinely outspent her in primary after primary and has shown little difficulty tapping his vast network of donors. He spent more than $7 million on advertising head of Tuesday’s primaries in North Carolina and Indiana to her nearly $4 million.
According to the latest campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission, Obama began the month of April with $42 million in the bank for the primary to Clinton’s $9.3 million.
But Clinton had debts of $10.3 million at the start of the month, much of it money owed to her main polling, phone banking and advertising consultants.
Although I cringe at the obscene amounts of money it takes all politicians to get into office, I also cringe at a potential president that runs a campaign into red ink or debt. It’s handy that the Clinton’s happen to have spare millions to loan Hillary’s campaign, but it says a lot about how she’s mismanaging her campaign.
Not only does she have money troubles, but she has crossed a threshold of numerical impossibility, delegate wise to be able to secure the nomination. Her “Full Speed Ahead to the White House” speech was coupled with a plea for donations.
If Hillary is going to use driving analogies for this campaign, then it is not advised to go full speed ahead when you are in a deep ditch. Sustaining this kind of damage can make a vehicle unsafe at any speed. Better to call a tow truck & take it in for repairs.
May 07 2008
To say that I am furious would be an understatement. It appears as if the Veterans Administration has covered up the attempted suicides of approximately 12,000 veterans every year/ The cause of these suicide attempts was Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and as it turns out it wasn’t because of a lack of resources, it was because the VA, in its reluctance to get involved with the expenses associated with an expensive disorder like PTSD decided not to cover those expenses.
According to a recent Rand study approximately 1.7 million soldiers have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of that number approximately 320,000 have returned with various brain injuries, depression, and psychological disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Until recently the Veterans Administration has claimed that only 1,000 veterans have attempted suicide, but now, two Democratic Senators have called for the resignation of the top VA mental health official. Senator Daniel Akaka of Hawaii and Patty Murray of Murray of Washington State have called for the resignations of Ira Katz, the mental health director of the Veterans Administration and other top VA officials.
Information pertaining to the cover up and the actual number of suicide attempts came to light during a national trial in San Francisco when emails by Katz and other officials were disclosed. The trial is a direct result of two veterans groups, Veterans United For Truth and Veterans for Common sense. During the course of the trial, which does not seek monetary damage but rather oversight to guarantee the safety of our Veterans, the emails revealed some of the following attitudes on the part of Katz and his associates.
“Is this something we should (carefully) address ourselves in some sort of release before someone stumbles on it?” Katz inquired. Another email stated that on the average 18 veterans kill themselves every day and that of that number, 18 per day are successful while, five are under VA supervision at the time. The results are even more tragic when you consider the possibility that only fifty percent of those veterans with depression or PTSD have sought treatment–a fact which may have something to do with the fact that governmental agencies drag their feet when it comes to providing services for those veterans who suffer from psychological disorders, preferring to approve claims for those with physical disorders. Why if you didn’t know better you’d think that the government was dragging its feet where psychological issues are concerned because it believes it can get away with it.
Sphere: Related ContentMay 07 2008
There’s no news like good news. Sadly, there is no good news in today’s Ten Post Round-Up:
1: A serious drug ring was busted up at San Diego State University….
2: Whites and Blacks use drugs at the same rate, yet Blacks are far more likely to be arrested for drug offenses…
3: The offices and home of Special Counsel, Scott J. Bloch, who oversees protection for federal whistleblowers, have been raided…
FBI Searches Office of Special Counsel Building–Crooks and Liars
4: The “Robbins” half of Baskin-Robbins, has passed away (the other half - Baskin, died awhile back). Both left behind more than 1000 flavors enjoyed by ice cream lovers the world over…
5: They saved the school and were served with pink slips…
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May 07 2008
Enigma mentioned this raid in comments at my blog yesterday. Today I read about over at TomPaine/OurFuture.org:
FBI agents on Tuesday searched the home and office of a federal watchdog as part of an investigation into whether he obstructed an inquiry into allegations of his own misconduct.
About 20 agents seized documents and computers from the office and Virginia home of U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch, said officials familiar with the investigation.
Several of his employees have been subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury as early as next week, according to the officials, who asked to remain anonymous because they weren’t authorized to comment.
Agents are looking into whether Bloch deleted his agency’s computer files to hinder an outside investigation of his treatment of employees, the officials said. Bloch, appointed in 2004, investigates allegations of retaliation and ethics violations by federal employees.
Man, its just amazing how much corruption there is in BushCo. It makes Nixon’s administration look like a kids birthday party. Notice he is an appointee…didn’t they vet these fuckers? Or do they actually look for this type of smarmy creep?
Sphere: Related ContentMay 06 2008
WHAT WENT WRONG
Based on “What Goes On?”
By John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Richard Starkey
New Lyrics by PraetorOne
CHORUS
What went wrong with your heart?
What went wrong with your mind?
Shells are ripping them apart
As you tell another lie
Is that praise that you will find
What made you so unkind?
On Saturday I heard you
As you chose another course
But when i listen to you
I can hear the same old source
It’s too easy for for Herr Rove to spew a lie
No surprise
CHORUS
I see you on the TV
As you lie before the press
But now the tide is turning
And you’re such a royal mess
It’s too easy for the G.O.P. to lie
No surprise
What goes on in your heart
I see you put the party first
The country, oh it fell
You didn’t even think it
When the soldiers went to hell
Did you mean to praise yourself while soldiers die
No surprise
CHORUS
May 06 2008
May 06 2008
Put on your thinking caps. You will definitely find today’s Ten Post Round-Up educational:
1: Why does it seem that people who have a problem with women having abortions seem to have no problem with war?….
2: Gas is almost up to $4.00…
3: 4,327 Florida 10th graders can’t read…
4: Do we really want four more years of GWBs policies?…
John McCain didn’t vote for George Bush in 2000: Has adopted his platform for 2008–Crooks and Liars
5: The woman who helped overturn the law that banned interracial marriage, has passed away (Dizzy and her husband are thankful for that)…
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May 05 2008
Primaries..aren’t we tired of them yet? Tomorrow will see half of the remaining delegates decided. Obama’s lead in NC has shrunk like a set of testes in the cold. Hillary is crowing about that, plus her margin has increased in IN.
After tomorrow, the biggest set of undecideds will be the Super Delegates..you know, the ones that don’t have to vote for anyone they don’t want to. There are roughly 260 of those folks still out there undecided.
Gas-tax Hillary will come out smelling like a rose no matter how tomorrow turns out. But those Supers…they still hold all the cards. Damn it.
Sphere: Related ContentMay 05 2008
GEORGE
Based on “Girl”
By John Lennon and Paul McCartney
New Lyrics by PraetorOne and SweetPea
Is there anyone left who’s going to believe the story
About the freedom that he took away
He’s the kind thug who lies so much it makes you angry
And you’dwish he’d up and walk away
Ah George!
George
George!
When I think of all the lives
He threw away for pleasure
He will find a way to hype the war
And he promises the world to us and I remember
That he’s just an alcoholic whore
Ah George
Ah George
Ah George
He’s the kind of guy who loves the war
And gives you more
You feel a fool
When you say it’s just a trick
He looks for help from Tricky Dick
He’s cruel cruel cruel cruel
Ah George
Ah George
Ah George
May 05 2008
The big blue bus whisks us down Hwy 1, past the Jack Nicklaus Golf course, currently under construction ~ a mere $350 to play we learn. Going past small concrete houses, villas and many hotels we embark at Melia Cabo Real, greeted by friendly Company big wigs, our choice of water, Mai Tai, Mango Margaritas and a quick registration process, were we get our day trip passes and our room keys. Also the magic orange bracelet. Taking the elevator we reach our floor, each has its own “patio’ consisting of sofa, chairs and a mirror~ I note ours has two angel heads as ornamentation.
Our room is spacious~ marble floor through out, that feel very nice on the feet and two nice views; a water feature planted with palms, vines, and manicured sand, raked like a Zen garden. The balcony view overlooks the center court and if daring enough to lean out a bit~ the sea. We freshen up go down to the water side restaurant and begin to experience the “magic” of the orange bracelet….let me just say “all- inclusive” means just that, tips and all . The food here~ from burgers to tamales is surprisingly good ~ more guacamole, chips and seafood than I could imagine. The staff is very attentive and after a great repast, our group decides to power nap through the humidity and regroup for dinner. Repeat of lunch, except of course it is dinner. We head to the main bar for more talking and drinking…the bracelet keeps working and I thank all the hard work my friend and her contemporaries did to get us here.
Mad dogs and Englishmen
Sphere: Related ContentMay 05 2008
Be forewarned. You might find some things in today’s Ten Post Round-Up a little shocking:
1: Teen who kept pregnancy secret, delivers healthy baby and walks to the hospital with the umbilical cord still attached….
California teen gives birth in shower, walks to hospital–The Associated Press
2: 38 years ago, 4 students were gunned down by National Guardsmen for standing up against an escalation of the Vietnam War…
Remember Kent State during Convention Protests–Colorado Confidential
3: While the media is dissecting Obama and his spiritual relationship with Rev. Wright, why is McCain being ignored despite his spiritual relationship with Pastor Hagee? The answers could be as simple as “black” and “white”…
Rangel blasts Blitzer: Brings up Bizarre beliefs of Falwell and Robertson–Crooks and Liars
4: The same chemicals used to make nonstick cookware are showing up in nursing mothers’ breast milk…
Moving up the food chain: PFCs present in nursing mothers’ breast milk–Flesh and Stone
5: Having plenty of trees on your block, could cut kids’ rate of asthma…
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May 05 2008
KBR does it…and now another huge federal contractor is setting up ‘house’ offshore so it doesn’t have to pay their employees as… well…employees. This newest one is MPRI a sort of BlackWater-type company which is owned by L-3, one of the biggest federal carpetbaggers in the Middle East. From the IRS site on what makes one an Independent Contractor:
The general rule is that an individual is an independent contractor if you, the person for whom the services are performed, have the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not the means and methods of accomplishing the result.
From ThinkProgress:
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