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During Nazi Germany's heyday, there existed a small group of students--five actually--at Munich University that formed the White Rose Society. It was an activist group that advocated non-violent resistance to the Nazis. (It didn't end well for some of them.)
Here from the White Rose Society is a writing that seems, once more, pertinent, unfortunately. If its relevance escapes you, Dada suggests substituting "American" wherever the word "German" appears.
Nothing is so unworthy of a civilized nation as allowing itself to be governed without opposition by an irresponsible clique that has yielded to base instinct. It is certain that today every honest German is ashamed of his government. Who among us has any conception of the dimensions of shame that will befall us and our children when one day the veil has fallen from our eyes and the most horrible of crimes - crimes that infinitely outdistance every human measure - reach the light of day? If the German people are already so corrupted and spiritually crushed that they do not raise a hand, frivolously trusting in a questionable faith in lawful order of history; if they surrender man's highest principle, that which raises him above all other God’s creatures, his free will; if they abandon the will to take decisive action and turn the wheel of history and thus subject it to their own rational decision; if they are so devoid of all individuality, have already gone so far along the road toward turning into a spiritless and cowardly mass - then, yes, they deserve their downfall. Goethe speaks of the Germans as a tragic people, like the Jews and the Greeks, but today it would appear rather that they are a spineless, will-less herd of hangers-on, who now - the marrow sucked out of their bones, robbed of their center of stability - are waiting to be hounded to their destruction. So it seems - but it is not so. Rather, by means of gradual, treacherous, systematic abuse, the system has put every man into a spiritual prison. Only now, finding himself lying in fetters, has he become aware of his fate. Only a few recognized the threat of ruin, and the reward for their heroic warning was death. We will have more to say about the fate of these persons. If everyone waits until the other man makes a start, the messengers of avenging Nemesis will come steadily closer; then even the last victim will have been cast senselessly into the maw of the insatiable demon. Therefore every individual, conscious of his responsibility as a member of Christian and Western civilization, must defend himself as best he can at this late hour, he must work against the scourges of mankind, against fascism and any similar system of totalitarianism. Offer passive resistance - resistance - wherever you may be, forestall the spread of this atheistic war machine before it is too late, before the last cities, like Cologne, have been reduced to rubble, and before the nation’s last young man has given his blood on some battlefield for the hubris of a sub-human. Do not forget that every people deserves the regime it is willing to endure!
(Thanks to Cassandra of Taos for forwarding the above!)
Monday, January 30, 2006
Just 17 more years and 16 more Iraqi tours til retirement
Okay, okay, so I'm in a bad mood this afternoon. Maybe it's because there are only 25 democrats in the senate. Maybe it's because there IS no more Democratic party. Maybe that has nothing to do with my foul mood. Maybe I'm angry 'cause my drinking water is contaminated by oil industry additives that cause cancer. Maybe not. Maybe my brain's pickled in Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE). I don't know and I don't care.
So maybe it's not a good time to read about the 50,000 GI's being retained in the military by the Pentagon's "stop loss" program. This policy is being applied to soldiers in units due to deploy for Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to the story I read, some GI's are disputing the fairness of this. But--and here's the big but..."court challenges have fallen flat". Please note, to those who have challenged the Pentagon's stop loss program and lost, don't expect it to get better. The courts are being stacked against you. Tomorrow's senate vote will be just another step towards cementing your vanished avenues of justice.
Now while I'm sympathetic to those in the armed services that are getting tired of rotating in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan so fast they're dizzy, I have to say, this is what you do when you enforce the policies of fascists. So buck up and just try to do your sworn duty, even if you already have--but it just wasn't enough to suit Uncle Sam. Remember, you live in the greatest, free-est nation on Earth. And remember, you're a volunteer of the armed forces of that nation. So if your enlistment is up, but you can't leave, well, just know the rest of us back home are making our own sacrifices for the Motherland in our nation's drive for global dominance.
And forgive me if I continue to repeat it over and over on these pages, but while you're out there, convoying down some Iraqi road, subconsciously praying the next IED exploded in the world's newest democracy doesn't go off under your vehicle, remember the words of Henry Kissinger, "Military men are just dumb stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy."
Maybe your government will decide for you you'll make a career out of the military. Maybe they already have!
So maybe it's not a good time to read about the 50,000 GI's being retained in the military by the Pentagon's "stop loss" program. This policy is being applied to soldiers in units due to deploy for Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to the story I read, some GI's are disputing the fairness of this. But--and here's the big but..."court challenges have fallen flat". Please note, to those who have challenged the Pentagon's stop loss program and lost, don't expect it to get better. The courts are being stacked against you. Tomorrow's senate vote will be just another step towards cementing your vanished avenues of justice.
Now while I'm sympathetic to those in the armed services that are getting tired of rotating in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan so fast they're dizzy, I have to say, this is what you do when you enforce the policies of fascists. So buck up and just try to do your sworn duty, even if you already have--but it just wasn't enough to suit Uncle Sam. Remember, you live in the greatest, free-est nation on Earth. And remember, you're a volunteer of the armed forces of that nation. So if your enlistment is up, but you can't leave, well, just know the rest of us back home are making our own sacrifices for the Motherland in our nation's drive for global dominance.
And forgive me if I continue to repeat it over and over on these pages, but while you're out there, convoying down some Iraqi road, subconsciously praying the next IED exploded in the world's newest democracy doesn't go off under your vehicle, remember the words of Henry Kissinger, "Military men are just dumb stupid animals to be used as pawns in foreign policy."
Maybe your government will decide for you you'll make a career out of the military. Maybe they already have!
When my name is a number on a piece of plastic film.
I was reading over at jurassicpork this morning where he made mention of an incident I thought well worth reiterating here to those of us who are still living the misconception we live in a free and open society.
I would hate to see anyone violently shaken from that illusion like two vegans who were among a small group demonstrating on public property against a Honey Baked Ham store in Georgia.
This happened way back in December of 2003, but I thought repeating it may save many still living in the phantasma of the "land of the free" a lot of grief. Obviously, we haven't been for some time. See, what happened during their little protest was a man appeared and took photographs of the group from his unmarked car.
A little uncomfortable from being photographed by this stranger, Caitlin Childs and Christopher Freeman decided to write down a description of the car along with its license plate number.
But after the demonstration, they discovered they were being followed by two men in that very car. Eventually, they pulled in behind the vegans and demanded the paper they had written a description of the car on. Declining, Childs was cuffed and body searched for that paper. At least one of the men worked for Homeland Security. Both vegans were arrested after Childs' paper and house keys were seized (which were never returned).
On at least two occasions I've had the "privilege" to be photographed (I must be doing something right?) of which I was aware. Once by a couple of strangers with cameras sporting zoom lenses far longer than our Bill of Rights. And once by a low flying government helicopter passing dangerously close to a small group demonstrating against the US harboring of airliner bomber and terrorist, Luis Posada Carriles.
Fortunately, on both occassions I had the presence of mind to NOT raise my camera against those ID'ing the crowd or I may have faced grief similar to our vegans here. Just remember, when you find yourself being observed or photographed by strangers, that is their right. Do NOT attempt to return the favor. That is NOT your right.
I get a little tired of warnings of the potential for a civil war in Iraq if we leave. Iraq is already in a civil war. I get tired of warnings the US is turning into a fascist state. The US is already a fascist state.
In the words of Harry Belafonte, "We've come to this dark time in which the new Gestapo of Homeland Security lurks here, where citizens are having their rights suspended." So buck it up fellow Americans and just swallow that will-o'-the wisp dream of a free America you're living in.
I would hate to see anyone violently shaken from that illusion like two vegans who were among a small group demonstrating on public property against a Honey Baked Ham store in Georgia.
This happened way back in December of 2003, but I thought repeating it may save many still living in the phantasma of the "land of the free" a lot of grief. Obviously, we haven't been for some time. See, what happened during their little protest was a man appeared and took photographs of the group from his unmarked car.
A little uncomfortable from being photographed by this stranger, Caitlin Childs and Christopher Freeman decided to write down a description of the car along with its license plate number.
But after the demonstration, they discovered they were being followed by two men in that very car. Eventually, they pulled in behind the vegans and demanded the paper they had written a description of the car on. Declining, Childs was cuffed and body searched for that paper. At least one of the men worked for Homeland Security. Both vegans were arrested after Childs' paper and house keys were seized (which were never returned).
On at least two occasions I've had the "privilege" to be photographed (I must be doing something right?) of which I was aware. Once by a couple of strangers with cameras sporting zoom lenses far longer than our Bill of Rights. And once by a low flying government helicopter passing dangerously close to a small group demonstrating against the US harboring of airliner bomber and terrorist, Luis Posada Carriles.
Fortunately, on both occassions I had the presence of mind to NOT raise my camera against those ID'ing the crowd or I may have faced grief similar to our vegans here. Just remember, when you find yourself being observed or photographed by strangers, that is their right. Do NOT attempt to return the favor. That is NOT your right.
I get a little tired of warnings of the potential for a civil war in Iraq if we leave. Iraq is already in a civil war. I get tired of warnings the US is turning into a fascist state. The US is already a fascist state.
In the words of Harry Belafonte, "We've come to this dark time in which the new Gestapo of Homeland Security lurks here, where citizens are having their rights suspended." So buck it up fellow Americans and just swallow that will-o'-the wisp dream of a free America you're living in.
In the morning news.
A headline on Excite.com this morning had the immediate effect of my opening the link. It was a story about our Secretary of State, formerly known as the "Chevron Oil Tanker, CondoleezzaRice". In what sounded like a Sunday confessional overheard in the cathedral by someone spying without authorization, the headline read, "Rice Admits U.S. Underestimated Hamas Strength".
I guess I was hoping that our Oil Tanker admitting she underestimated Hamas strength, might also confess she overestimated pre-war Iraq's strength. I mean, c'mon, from pre-invasion "mushroom clouds over American cities", to post-invasion "No WMD's", none, nada, zero, zilch, is quite a credibility gap. But I guess we're gonna have to wait a while longer for that admission. Maybe at her war crimes trial?
In the same article, Martin Indyk, who was a top Middle Eastern negotiator for the Clinton administration criticized Bush's foresight of the Hamas victory by saying, "on the American side, the conceptual failure that contributed to disaster was the president's belief that democracy and elections solve everything."
I'm pretty sure Indyk's been misquoted there or that was a typo. Oh, I know Bush has been saying that publicly for the past 4 or 5 or 23 years. Long enough that "democracy" has become one of those hackneyed obligatory platitudes we must endure in every Bush speech.
But the facts just don't support it. If they did, why would the U.S. orchestrate the coup that ousted Haiti's popularly elected Jean-Bertrand Aristide or covertly support the sabotage of democratically elected Latin American leaders critical of the U.S.? And what of our support for any anti-democratic despot who provides us with oil or a strategic military air base?
Or what of our own little fledging democracy in Iraq? It's a great achievement to flaunt, so long as the wrong party doesn't gain too much popular support, of course.
But for the ultimate proof in the pudding of Bush's seeding and fertilizing democracies globally, one need look no further than our own USA to lay bare the contradictions of Bush sanctimoniousness where, to gain power, the Bush team orchestrated their own 2000 bloodless coup and, to retain their ill-gotten power, they stole another one in '04.
So "democracy" from the lips of Bush is hollow hypocrisy. But brace yourselves for yet another speech spiced with those charged words and hackneyed phrases tomorrow evening in the State of the Union speech. Sadly, about half the nation is still buying the spiel. If only the majority of us could get over Bush as a strong leader against terrorism instead of the strong leader that he is in creating terrorism. Undoubtedly, I'll have more to say about that soon.
I guess I was hoping that our Oil Tanker admitting she underestimated Hamas strength, might also confess she overestimated pre-war Iraq's strength. I mean, c'mon, from pre-invasion "mushroom clouds over American cities", to post-invasion "No WMD's", none, nada, zero, zilch, is quite a credibility gap. But I guess we're gonna have to wait a while longer for that admission. Maybe at her war crimes trial?
In the same article, Martin Indyk, who was a top Middle Eastern negotiator for the Clinton administration criticized Bush's foresight of the Hamas victory by saying, "on the American side, the conceptual failure that contributed to disaster was the president's belief that democracy and elections solve everything."
I'm pretty sure Indyk's been misquoted there or that was a typo. Oh, I know Bush has been saying that publicly for the past 4 or 5 or 23 years. Long enough that "democracy" has become one of those hackneyed obligatory platitudes we must endure in every Bush speech.
But the facts just don't support it. If they did, why would the U.S. orchestrate the coup that ousted Haiti's popularly elected Jean-Bertrand Aristide or covertly support the sabotage of democratically elected Latin American leaders critical of the U.S.? And what of our support for any anti-democratic despot who provides us with oil or a strategic military air base?
Or what of our own little fledging democracy in Iraq? It's a great achievement to flaunt, so long as the wrong party doesn't gain too much popular support, of course.
But for the ultimate proof in the pudding of Bush's seeding and fertilizing democracies globally, one need look no further than our own USA to lay bare the contradictions of Bush sanctimoniousness where, to gain power, the Bush team orchestrated their own 2000 bloodless coup and, to retain their ill-gotten power, they stole another one in '04.
So "democracy" from the lips of Bush is hollow hypocrisy. But brace yourselves for yet another speech spiced with those charged words and hackneyed phrases tomorrow evening in the State of the Union speech. Sadly, about half the nation is still buying the spiel. If only the majority of us could get over Bush as a strong leader against terrorism instead of the strong leader that he is in creating terrorism. Undoubtedly, I'll have more to say about that soon.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Where have all the soldiers gone?
"The wounding of prominent ABC journalist Bob Woodruff and his cameraman Doug Vogt on Sunday underscored the great dangers confronted daily by journalists trying to keep the world informed about Iraq." So begins an article from INSI, Brussels.
No doubt that Iraq is the most deadly place on Earth for journalists these days. What has happened to Bob Woodruff and Doug Vogt is tragic. But Iraq is also a very bad place for American GI's, too, not to mention Iraqis. But unfortunately, unless GIs get killed in action and graduate to "statistic status", i.e., a number that becomes another one that gets reported in the daily death toll, they are forgotten.
Those "only suffering" wounds from a IED, ambush, suicide bomber, etc. that result in head traumas, blindness, amputation, etc. go unaccounted for. They become invisible. But as with Woodruff and Vogt, many of our troops weekly suffer similar wounds, are evacuated to Germany and never heard of again. They simply vanish, precisely as the Bush administration would prefer it.
That's where my real interest in this story is piqued, because in Woodruff and Vogt we will witness the progress and processes which many, many Americans experience after they've "vanished".
No doubt that Iraq is the most deadly place on Earth for journalists these days. What has happened to Bob Woodruff and Doug Vogt is tragic. But Iraq is also a very bad place for American GI's, too, not to mention Iraqis. But unfortunately, unless GIs get killed in action and graduate to "statistic status", i.e., a number that becomes another one that gets reported in the daily death toll, they are forgotten.
Those "only suffering" wounds from a IED, ambush, suicide bomber, etc. that result in head traumas, blindness, amputation, etc. go unaccounted for. They become invisible. But as with Woodruff and Vogt, many of our troops weekly suffer similar wounds, are evacuated to Germany and never heard of again. They simply vanish, precisely as the Bush administration would prefer it.
That's where my real interest in this story is piqued, because in Woodruff and Vogt we will witness the progress and processes which many, many Americans experience after they've "vanished".
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Bush as suitor
We all know Bush is on a well orchestrated PR campaign, spinning his unlawful activities as necessary to keep us safe.
Well, as I listened to Bush answer reporter's questions about his spying on American's on Keith Olbermann the other night, my imagination began to wander. I found myself drifting off, "What if Bush were a salesman? Would I buy a car from him?
BUSH: But you know I want to make sure that people understand that if, if - if - if - if the attempt to write law—makes this program—is likely to expose the nature of the program, I'll resist it. I mean - and I think the American people understand that. Why tell the enemy what we're doing? If the program is necessary to protect us from the enemy? And it is. And it's legal. And we'll continue to brief Congress and we review it a lot. And we review it not only at the Justice Department but with a good legal staff inside NSA. Yeah?
If I boarded an American flight for Dallas and, before the plane departed the concourse, Bush--the pilot--the Bush pilot--came over the cabin's speakers saying something like, "Welcome aboard (pause), aboard ahm"... then almost inaudibly, "What flight is this?" to his co-pilot. "Yeh, flight 14U bound to...('where? where we goin?')...oh yeh, bound for New Orleans. That's in Louisiana case, if, if, case you don't know....." and so on. Would I stay on that plane I found me asking myself.
QUESTION: The FISA Law was implemented in 1978 in part because of revelations that the National Security Agency was spying domestically. With is wrong with that law that you feel you have to circumvent and it as you just admitted expand presidential powers?
BUSH: Well—May I - May I - May I—If I might, you said that I have to circumvent it. There—Wait a minute. That's a—There's something—it's like saying you are breaking the law. I mean, I'm not. That's what you have got to understand. I am upholding my duty and at the same time doing so under the law about the Constitution behind me. That's just important for to you understand. Secondly, the FISA Law was written in 1978.
We're - we're - we're having a discussion in 2000 - and six. It's a different world. And FISA is still an important tool. It's important tool. And we still use that tool. But also - and we—I looked. I said, look, is it possible to conduct this program under the old law? People said, well, it - it—it doesn't work in order to be able to do the job you expect us to do. And so that's why I made the decision I made. You know, circumventing is a loaded word. And I refuse to accept it. Because I believe what I'm doing is legally right.
Or just imagine. If I were seated in Row thirteen and, glancing out the cabin's window, I see Bush as airline mechanic, wrench in hand, fiddling with the plane's engine. Would I stay in my seat, or beat a hasty retreat for the terminal before they locked down the cabin's door?
QUESTION: What do you fear or your staff fear about releasing the photograph with Jack Abramoff with you, Mr. President? You don't fear anything, tell us why you won't release it.
BUSH: You are asking about pictures. I had my picture taken with him evidently. I have had my picture taken with a lot of people. Having my picture taken with someone doesn't mean that I'm a friend with them or know them very well. I have had my picture taken with you. I'm also mindful we live in a world in which those pictures will be used for political purposes and they are not relevant to the investigation.
QUESTION: How many pictures?
BUSH: I don't have any idea.
I drifted off again, this time imagining Bush as my financial adviser, entrusted with my life's savings. I quickly banished the chilling thought.
QUESTION: Mr. President, you talked about Jack Abramoff in the context of pictures but it may not be about pictures, he also had some meetings with some of your staff. You remember. You ran on the idea of restoring honesty and integrity to the White House. Why are you letting your critics attack and taint you with maybe a guilt by association? Why not throw up your books and say, look here's....
BUSH: There is a serious investigation going on by federal prosecutors. And that's—that's their job. And they will - if - if they believe something was done inappropriately in the White House, they'll come and look and they are welcome to do so. There is a serious investigation that's going on.
QUESTION: Do you want to tell the American people, look, as I promised, this White House isn't for sale and I'm not for sale?
BUSH: Look. I - I - I—It's hard for notice say I didn't have pictures with the guy when I did. But I have also had pictures with thousands and thousands of people. The man contributed to my campaign but he contributed either directly or through his clients to a lot of people in Washington and this needs to be cleared up so people have confidence in the system.
Probably the scariest thought of all then occurred to me. What if I'd had a daughter and she'd brought home this empty suit to announce her engagement?
I'm sure I'd ponder had Bush stolen her love from someone else she'd chosen to marry? And having wormed his way into her life, her heart, did he pre-emptively strike at her affections. And does he continue to carry on his forceful assaults upon her emotions day in, day out, night after night? Despite her real wishes he would just leave her alone?
Could this possibly have been my daughter's first choice? Could she not have done better with someone else? Anyone else! And why does she continue on with this windbag of bullshit?
Damn! The thoughts were unbearable until I realized, "Whoa, whoa. Snap out of it. It's okay, I don't have a daughter who brought Bush home to ask for her hand."
"What a relief!" I sighed. "No Bush son-in-law. He's only our president."
Well, as I listened to Bush answer reporter's questions about his spying on American's on Keith Olbermann the other night, my imagination began to wander. I found myself drifting off, "What if Bush were a salesman? Would I buy a car from him?
BUSH: But you know I want to make sure that people understand that if, if - if - if - if the attempt to write law—makes this program—is likely to expose the nature of the program, I'll resist it. I mean - and I think the American people understand that. Why tell the enemy what we're doing? If the program is necessary to protect us from the enemy? And it is. And it's legal. And we'll continue to brief Congress and we review it a lot. And we review it not only at the Justice Department but with a good legal staff inside NSA. Yeah?
If I boarded an American flight for Dallas and, before the plane departed the concourse, Bush--the pilot--the Bush pilot--came over the cabin's speakers saying something like, "Welcome aboard (pause), aboard ahm"... then almost inaudibly, "What flight is this?" to his co-pilot. "Yeh, flight 14U bound to...('where? where we goin?')...oh yeh, bound for New Orleans. That's in Louisiana case, if, if, case you don't know....." and so on. Would I stay on that plane I found me asking myself.
QUESTION: The FISA Law was implemented in 1978 in part because of revelations that the National Security Agency was spying domestically. With is wrong with that law that you feel you have to circumvent and it as you just admitted expand presidential powers?
BUSH: Well—May I - May I - May I—If I might, you said that I have to circumvent it. There—Wait a minute. That's a—There's something—it's like saying you are breaking the law. I mean, I'm not. That's what you have got to understand. I am upholding my duty and at the same time doing so under the law about the Constitution behind me. That's just important for to you understand. Secondly, the FISA Law was written in 1978.
We're - we're - we're having a discussion in 2000 - and six. It's a different world. And FISA is still an important tool. It's important tool. And we still use that tool. But also - and we—I looked. I said, look, is it possible to conduct this program under the old law? People said, well, it - it—it doesn't work in order to be able to do the job you expect us to do. And so that's why I made the decision I made. You know, circumventing is a loaded word. And I refuse to accept it. Because I believe what I'm doing is legally right.
Or just imagine. If I were seated in Row thirteen and, glancing out the cabin's window, I see Bush as airline mechanic, wrench in hand, fiddling with the plane's engine. Would I stay in my seat, or beat a hasty retreat for the terminal before they locked down the cabin's door?
QUESTION: What do you fear or your staff fear about releasing the photograph with Jack Abramoff with you, Mr. President? You don't fear anything, tell us why you won't release it.
BUSH: You are asking about pictures. I had my picture taken with him evidently. I have had my picture taken with a lot of people. Having my picture taken with someone doesn't mean that I'm a friend with them or know them very well. I have had my picture taken with you. I'm also mindful we live in a world in which those pictures will be used for political purposes and they are not relevant to the investigation.
QUESTION: How many pictures?
BUSH: I don't have any idea.
I drifted off again, this time imagining Bush as my financial adviser, entrusted with my life's savings. I quickly banished the chilling thought.
QUESTION: Mr. President, you talked about Jack Abramoff in the context of pictures but it may not be about pictures, he also had some meetings with some of your staff. You remember. You ran on the idea of restoring honesty and integrity to the White House. Why are you letting your critics attack and taint you with maybe a guilt by association? Why not throw up your books and say, look here's....
BUSH: There is a serious investigation going on by federal prosecutors. And that's—that's their job. And they will - if - if they believe something was done inappropriately in the White House, they'll come and look and they are welcome to do so. There is a serious investigation that's going on.
QUESTION: Do you want to tell the American people, look, as I promised, this White House isn't for sale and I'm not for sale?
BUSH: Look. I - I - I—It's hard for notice say I didn't have pictures with the guy when I did. But I have also had pictures with thousands and thousands of people. The man contributed to my campaign but he contributed either directly or through his clients to a lot of people in Washington and this needs to be cleared up so people have confidence in the system.
Probably the scariest thought of all then occurred to me. What if I'd had a daughter and she'd brought home this empty suit to announce her engagement?
I'm sure I'd ponder had Bush stolen her love from someone else she'd chosen to marry? And having wormed his way into her life, her heart, did he pre-emptively strike at her affections. And does he continue to carry on his forceful assaults upon her emotions day in, day out, night after night? Despite her real wishes he would just leave her alone?
Could this possibly have been my daughter's first choice? Could she not have done better with someone else? Anyone else! And why does she continue on with this windbag of bullshit?
Damn! The thoughts were unbearable until I realized, "Whoa, whoa. Snap out of it. It's okay, I don't have a daughter who brought Bush home to ask for her hand."
"What a relief!" I sighed. "No Bush son-in-law. He's only our president."
Friday, January 27, 2006
Expecting the worst, hoping for the best.
I made a huge mistake this afternoon. I began watching the boob tube around 5:00 this evening. That's way too early. I've learned that catching early local news, then net news (which I usually avoid like a plague--except this evening), followed by Countdown at 6:00, I'm way past overload before dinner. I don't think that aids in digestion. But every so often I forget and I pay for it.
So, by 7:00, with dinner done, I felt about to explode. Not from the meal, no, I'd a sensible dinner, but from what I watched on TV. So stuffed, my brain felt like bursting.
I had watched Scotty McClellan literally giddy over John Kerry reiterating his call to filibuster against the Alito nomination--from Switzerland! The press secretary's uncontrollable elation just foamed over. It had been an extremely tough week with the press corps I guess. Poor Scott. I say that because it was pretty creepy.
I then witnessed a couple from New Orleans whose house is still in total shambles from Katrina. They were upset their insurance company wasn't paying and the money from the government wasn't flowing down to make up the difference between the would be insurance reimbursement and cost to replace their home. I saw a Bush clip insert: "I've given $83 billion in Katrina aid. That's not exactly small change," he said with his smirk. But this particular couple wasn't impressed. When asked who they voted for, they replied, "Bush." But I'm the one who's nuts because I found myself smiling. (Maybe it was just a schadenfreude moment.)
From a local news story, I learned one of the advantages of living here, on the US-Mexico border, is I can cross the Rio Grande and buy from a Mexican pharmacy--over the counter--a morning after pill for about $8-$11.
I imagined being a teenager today. Of the night before where my girlfriend and I had some indiscreet moments. Unable to sleep later that night, I call her first thing next morning. I ask if she'd like to go across the border. To buy a pill. To my shock, she responds curtly, "No!" Upset by her wrecklessness, I decide to go over to the farmacia myself, where I procure the
pill. I take it.
That doesn't make sense, I know. Sheer lunacy. Well, so is the gist of another story I heard just a bit later I thought. It went like this: a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll taken earlier this week shows, despite growing disillusionment with our Iraq misadventurism, 57% of Americans favor military intervention in Iran if it pursues "a program that could enable it to build nuclear arms"!
I'm still choking on that one. I know that it takes the first 25-30 years of one's life for the pre-frontal lobe of an individual's brain to reach maturity. It's that part of the brain that weighs risk, has a tremendous sense of loyalty to its peer group and an irrational sense of its own immortality. Older, "wiser" men leading nations exploit these traits of their country's youth, using them to make war.
Maybe that helps explain the poll results. I'd heard the number of young people under thirty out-number those over thirty. Maybe that poll question was put before a lot of four to twenty-nine year olds with undeveloped pre-frontal lobes. Or maybe that poll is simply testament, once more, to my growing insanity.
James Hillman in his book, A Terrible Love of War, quotes a number of people who lived through the heat of battle. Here's what some of them said:
From an American soldier during WWII: "It made us feel like kids letting loose. We sprayed gasoline around...and ran along, touching matches here and there and feeling crazy."
From an American lieutenant: "Now the fight was at its wildest. We dashed...from one building to another, shooting, bayonetting, clubbing...The wounded and the dead...lay in grotesque positions at every turn...Never in my wildest imagination had I conceived that battle could be so incredibly impressive--awful, horrible, deadly, yet somehow thrilling, exhilarating."
Or as Anthony Loyd, war correspondent, wrote before a battle in Bosnia, "There was no other place in the world that I would have preferred to be. There can be few instants in life that a man is lucky enough to feel so at one with his time and place. It would have been a good moment to die...I cannot apologize for enjoying it so...It was like falling in love again, a heady sensual rush that I wished only to clasp unquestioningly."
Maybe that's man's fatal flaw as a species. We just can't help ourselves. Killing while at extreme risk of our own death heightens our sense of life.
But maybe not. Maybe I'm just a freakin' idiot. Fortunate for me, I'm surrounded by a nation of logical people and their courageous, competent leader--my strongest remaining link to sanity.
So, despite being unable to recognize the country I've grown up and lived in all these years, I'll just trust in those who haven't lost their grip on reality. Hope for the best.
So, by 7:00, with dinner done, I felt about to explode. Not from the meal, no, I'd a sensible dinner, but from what I watched on TV. So stuffed, my brain felt like bursting.
I had watched Scotty McClellan literally giddy over John Kerry reiterating his call to filibuster against the Alito nomination--from Switzerland! The press secretary's uncontrollable elation just foamed over. It had been an extremely tough week with the press corps I guess. Poor Scott. I say that because it was pretty creepy.
I then witnessed a couple from New Orleans whose house is still in total shambles from Katrina. They were upset their insurance company wasn't paying and the money from the government wasn't flowing down to make up the difference between the would be insurance reimbursement and cost to replace their home. I saw a Bush clip insert: "I've given $83 billion in Katrina aid. That's not exactly small change," he said with his smirk. But this particular couple wasn't impressed. When asked who they voted for, they replied, "Bush." But I'm the one who's nuts because I found myself smiling. (Maybe it was just a schadenfreude moment.)
From a local news story, I learned one of the advantages of living here, on the US-Mexico border, is I can cross the Rio Grande and buy from a Mexican pharmacy--over the counter--a morning after pill for about $8-$11.
I imagined being a teenager today. Of the night before where my girlfriend and I had some indiscreet moments. Unable to sleep later that night, I call her first thing next morning. I ask if she'd like to go across the border. To buy a pill. To my shock, she responds curtly, "No!" Upset by her wrecklessness, I decide to go over to the farmacia myself, where I procure the
pill. I take it.
That doesn't make sense, I know. Sheer lunacy. Well, so is the gist of another story I heard just a bit later I thought. It went like this: a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll taken earlier this week shows, despite growing disillusionment with our Iraq misadventurism, 57% of Americans favor military intervention in Iran if it pursues "a program that could enable it to build nuclear arms"!
I'm still choking on that one. I know that it takes the first 25-30 years of one's life for the pre-frontal lobe of an individual's brain to reach maturity. It's that part of the brain that weighs risk, has a tremendous sense of loyalty to its peer group and an irrational sense of its own immortality. Older, "wiser" men leading nations exploit these traits of their country's youth, using them to make war.
Maybe that helps explain the poll results. I'd heard the number of young people under thirty out-number those over thirty. Maybe that poll question was put before a lot of four to twenty-nine year olds with undeveloped pre-frontal lobes. Or maybe that poll is simply testament, once more, to my growing insanity.
James Hillman in his book, A Terrible Love of War, quotes a number of people who lived through the heat of battle. Here's what some of them said:
From an American soldier during WWII: "It made us feel like kids letting loose. We sprayed gasoline around...and ran along, touching matches here and there and feeling crazy."
From an American lieutenant: "Now the fight was at its wildest. We dashed...from one building to another, shooting, bayonetting, clubbing...The wounded and the dead...lay in grotesque positions at every turn...Never in my wildest imagination had I conceived that battle could be so incredibly impressive--awful, horrible, deadly, yet somehow thrilling, exhilarating."
Or as Anthony Loyd, war correspondent, wrote before a battle in Bosnia, "There was no other place in the world that I would have preferred to be. There can be few instants in life that a man is lucky enough to feel so at one with his time and place. It would have been a good moment to die...I cannot apologize for enjoying it so...It was like falling in love again, a heady sensual rush that I wished only to clasp unquestioningly."
Maybe that's man's fatal flaw as a species. We just can't help ourselves. Killing while at extreme risk of our own death heightens our sense of life.
But maybe not. Maybe I'm just a freakin' idiot. Fortunate for me, I'm surrounded by a nation of logical people and their courageous, competent leader--my strongest remaining link to sanity.
So, despite being unable to recognize the country I've grown up and lived in all these years, I'll just trust in those who haven't lost their grip on reality. Hope for the best.
We don't torture, spy, or lie. Oh, and one other--my favorite pet peeve....
One of my pet peeves has to do with the government's reporting of the economy and its growth rate. I'm reminded of it monthly when the latest economic data comes out. Interviewing an economist's interpretation of these statistics on NPR this morning, he repeated the government propaganda that inflation is tame "outside of food and energy" price increases. He had to qualify the inflation index each time he referred to it by making sure you know it doesn't count the cost of those essentials.
I apologize for calling it propaganda, but when the government began tracking the inflation index awhile back by excluding the cost--to you--of food and energy, they began seriously bullshitting all of us.
But I guess inflation is tame for you, so long you don't have to eat, transport yourself to work and back each day, heat or cool your homes, or buy goods brought to your local store shelf by some form of energy consuming transport.
Look for the government to eliminate healthcare costs from that index real soon. That should pretty well kill all inflation. That is, so long as you stay perfectly healthy, shut your thermostats off, don't go anywhere and most important, don't eat anything for Pete's sake. It'll be the perfect life in a nation of Pollyannas led by a government that doesn't know shit about art, but when it comes to statistics, can sure paint a perfect picture!
Shining light on the Pentagon
I'd like to paste a letter that was in my mailbox this morning. It's from a member of a local peace group who went to Washington to continue the press for peace. I haven't asked her permission to post this, but she has granted it to another to use in a church service. So, on the presumption she wouldn't mind being quoted here, I shall post it, with attribution to "anonymous."
Here is another account of my presence in Washington I thought might be of interest. On Jan. 23rd seven of us went unannounced to the pentagon to bring attention to the military abuses in Iraq.
The authorities at the Pentagon had told us that we could not process; we could not pass out leaflets; that no indiscretion would be tolerated or arrests would be immediate. Eventually, on 23 January our group of seven would require twenty-five heavily armed Pentagon Protective Service agents to stand between us and the people coming and going.
On the sidewalk beside the Pentagon a mass of civilian and uniformed employees poured throughout the late afternoon. One of our members placed a hood over his head and was tethered by rope to another member in our group, simulating pictures of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo and secret prisons that span the globe.
During the hour and a half presence, our time was interrupted when the Pentagon Protection Service spokesperson pushed us further and further from the masses of people passing by on the walk way. After twenty minutes we were pushed off the sidewalk behind a fence into a lawn, like Iraqi citizens are pushed from their streets in Baghdad by huge tanks. We had formerly been told we would not be allowed on the grass, so it felt a little like Brother Rabbit asking not to be thrown into the brier patch.
An early promise that we could carry out our prayer time on the sidewalk suddenly changed and another round of discussions went on between our liaison and the police. The atmosphere seemed to cool dramatically when we engaged in conversation with a contract worker stopped to speak with us. He explained he had been offered work in Iraq but he didn't want to take advantage of those people who are worse off.
Thirty feet away we watched hundreds of state-supported defenders of freedom pass by on their way from an office to a meeting, or to a shift change or... to defend the country and make the world order come out right.
When all twenty-five agents took their positions and covered their hands with bright blue latex gloves and we had been there for about forty-five minutes we knew that our ability to negotiate more time was limited. But we continued with our little silent vigil.
The Washington Post had reported that morning a massive increase in appropriations for secret units like thespecial forces and Navy Seals. I was not surprised. As I watched the crowd pass I wondered who was directing and commanding that process. My mind went from this temple of modern warriors to their colleagues I had seen clothed in flak vests and armor as they moved about Baghdad, the 2500 who will never walk these streets again and the tens of thousands whose lives are broken because their souls were not meant for warrior campaigns designed in the Pentagon. I thought of their chances for healing. Then I looked at the hooded one in our midst. I noticed that the throngs that passed us looked carefully at our signs but their eyes dropped when they saw the hooded one.
By the time we took our leave, the Pentagon Protective Service had created a silent, empty space between us and the masses of this day's foot soldiers that walked just beyond the security corridor. That empty space had a sacred quality, an interim safe place where the Divine could remind us all, holy warriors and holy peacemakers of the freedom and hope of the light.
Here is another account of my presence in Washington I thought might be of interest. On Jan. 23rd seven of us went unannounced to the pentagon to bring attention to the military abuses in Iraq.
The authorities at the Pentagon had told us that we could not process; we could not pass out leaflets; that no indiscretion would be tolerated or arrests would be immediate. Eventually, on 23 January our group of seven would require twenty-five heavily armed Pentagon Protective Service agents to stand between us and the people coming and going.
On the sidewalk beside the Pentagon a mass of civilian and uniformed employees poured throughout the late afternoon. One of our members placed a hood over his head and was tethered by rope to another member in our group, simulating pictures of detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan, Guantanamo and secret prisons that span the globe.
During the hour and a half presence, our time was interrupted when the Pentagon Protection Service spokesperson pushed us further and further from the masses of people passing by on the walk way. After twenty minutes we were pushed off the sidewalk behind a fence into a lawn, like Iraqi citizens are pushed from their streets in Baghdad by huge tanks. We had formerly been told we would not be allowed on the grass, so it felt a little like Brother Rabbit asking not to be thrown into the brier patch.
An early promise that we could carry out our prayer time on the sidewalk suddenly changed and another round of discussions went on between our liaison and the police. The atmosphere seemed to cool dramatically when we engaged in conversation with a contract worker stopped to speak with us. He explained he had been offered work in Iraq but he didn't want to take advantage of those people who are worse off.
Thirty feet away we watched hundreds of state-supported defenders of freedom pass by on their way from an office to a meeting, or to a shift change or... to defend the country and make the world order come out right.
When all twenty-five agents took their positions and covered their hands with bright blue latex gloves and we had been there for about forty-five minutes we knew that our ability to negotiate more time was limited. But we continued with our little silent vigil.
The Washington Post had reported that morning a massive increase in appropriations for secret units like thespecial forces and Navy Seals. I was not surprised. As I watched the crowd pass I wondered who was directing and commanding that process. My mind went from this temple of modern warriors to their colleagues I had seen clothed in flak vests and armor as they moved about Baghdad, the 2500 who will never walk these streets again and the tens of thousands whose lives are broken because their souls were not meant for warrior campaigns designed in the Pentagon. I thought of their chances for healing. Then I looked at the hooded one in our midst. I noticed that the throngs that passed us looked carefully at our signs but their eyes dropped when they saw the hooded one.
By the time we took our leave, the Pentagon Protective Service had created a silent, empty space between us and the masses of this day's foot soldiers that walked just beyond the security corridor. That empty space had a sacred quality, an interim safe place where the Divine could remind us all, holy warriors and holy peacemakers of the freedom and hope of the light.
In today's NY Times
This is part of the ad appearing in the NY Times today by Impeach Bush. I wish I could pretend at optimism that impeachment is a real possibility. But that said, I have signed their petition and urge anyone so inclined who hasn't to take a minute and join the more than 641,000 who have.
At least "Impeach Bush" is getting the "I" word out there.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
The time for civility is past
(Georgetown University law students turning their backs on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales as he spoke to them earlier this week.)Recent Supreme Court appointments by Bush have centered a great deal on each nominee's position on abortion. While that's an important and polarizing issue for many, I can't help get the feeling the passionate abortion debate is a subterfuge to cover a far greater effect of these nominations.
Stacking the court with the president's extremist right-wing shills is going to affect far more than the individual's power over his or her womb. We already have a sense of that in the president's audacious seizure of power beyond his authority. And just listen to his barristers in support of his right to torture, make war, and spy on us without the consent of the congress. Checks and balances are dead.
Bush has stomped on international treaties with impunity resulting in detentions without due process and heinous tortures. He carries on surveillance without consent of congressional oversight and admits it. And as we learn now from the Boston Globe, should congress fail to renew the Patriot Act, tough shit. Alberto Gonzales says Bush doesn't need it! According to Gonzales, congress gave the president his broad investigative authority when they allowed him to use force against Al Qaeda after 9/11. In yet another power seizure, we learn Bush doesn't need the fucking Patriot Act!
So, obviously stuck with a conservative executive, conservative congress peppered with mostly wimpy democrats, and a increasingly conservative Supreme Court, the time for civility is past.
As my wife said out of the blue earlier this week, "It's time for incivility." For those of us worried about our constricting freedoms, perhaps we are being overly distraught at what the future holds.
Rather than wringing our hands, we need realize there's another alternative open to us. We can consciously opt to disregard the 'law of the land'. I choose as my precedent for this our very own president. Bush holds himself--with the support of his court he's building--to be beyond the law.
Anyone who can seize control of the nation, lie us into war, deny people due process, torture with impunity, and illegally spy on the citizenry has demonstrated one need not obey laws. The time for civility has past.So, be not too distraught over America's remolding by Bush. As those Georgetown University students demonstrated, we have the choice to just turn our backs on these bastards, just as they have turned their backs on America. Screw unto others as they would screw unto you!
(NOTE: One word of caution, however. While Dada is simply reminding us of another choice we have, he is not necessarily endorsing it. It's a personal decision one may choose, but remember, it is the government who's stacking the courts who will sit in judgment of you and not the other way around should you decide to pursue this course. At present, there is no with the juevos to sit in judgment of the president.)
*photos by AP.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
And to all a good night!
So okay...I've been working on a blog since yesterday. Can't seem to finish it, to post it, because I keep changing it. So I was going to close down, call it a day and go drift off to la-la-land.
But I can't do that with clear conscience. Why? Because Republicans, incensed by questioning of Bush's right to spy on Americans, angered by calls in some quarters for our withdrawal from Iraq, have gone on the offensive. "These are the words of traitors!" they say. Howard Dean is bin Laden's source of inspiration.
Well, truthfully, I wouldn't sleep very well tonight if I just went to bed, leaving Dean out there by himself, twisting in the wind.
So if calling the president's spying on Americans unconstitutional, if advocating for the removal of our troops from Iraq is traitorous, I confess. I have been helping Dean. I am a traitor too.
I know there are a number of other traitorous bastards out there with Dean and Dada. I visit their websites regularly. I read their blogs. We're in excellent company. It's a large horde actually.
Okay, having said that, I think I'll sleep better now.
But I can't do that with clear conscience. Why? Because Republicans, incensed by questioning of Bush's right to spy on Americans, angered by calls in some quarters for our withdrawal from Iraq, have gone on the offensive. "These are the words of traitors!" they say. Howard Dean is bin Laden's source of inspiration.
Well, truthfully, I wouldn't sleep very well tonight if I just went to bed, leaving Dean out there by himself, twisting in the wind.
So if calling the president's spying on Americans unconstitutional, if advocating for the removal of our troops from Iraq is traitorous, I confess. I have been helping Dean. I am a traitor too.
I know there are a number of other traitorous bastards out there with Dean and Dada. I visit their websites regularly. I read their blogs. We're in excellent company. It's a large horde actually.
Okay, having said that, I think I'll sleep better now.
God Bless Amy!
To my old friend against the pull out of American troops from Iraq because "we have to finish the job," I would like him to see one of Amy Goodman's segments today on "Democracy Now!"
Interviewing Ali Fadhil,a journalist for Britain's "The Guardian" newspaper, we were shown clips from his Foreign Press Association's award winning documentary of Fallujah after the U.S. seige and its near total destruction.
As I watched images of that destroyed city and bodies left rotting, people's homes and possessions reduced to rubble piles, I had to wonder to myself, "What job in hell is there left for us to do?"
God bless Amy Goodman for her coverage of this story; for giving us images showing how our tax dollars are spent. For those of you who didn't happen to see it, check later this evening. I'm sure CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN will be showing samples of the same images Amy gave us.
Interviewing Ali Fadhil,a journalist for Britain's "The Guardian" newspaper, we were shown clips from his Foreign Press Association's award winning documentary of Fallujah after the U.S. seige and its near total destruction.
As I watched images of that destroyed city and bodies left rotting, people's homes and possessions reduced to rubble piles, I had to wonder to myself, "What job in hell is there left for us to do?"
God bless Amy Goodman for her coverage of this story; for giving us images showing how our tax dollars are spent. For those of you who didn't happen to see it, check later this evening. I'm sure CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN will be showing samples of the same images Amy gave us.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Dufus and the Goof Balls
I got kinda excited with news of the president's national ad campaign kicking off this week. Today's stop: Kansas State University. He's selling Americans on his authority to spy on 'em outside the scope of his powers to do so.
Keeping us scared is a tactic Bush will use repeatedly--to the point of tedium. It's a theme he'll lean on heavily. After all, the more frightened we are of the next terrorist attack, the more willingly we'll surrender our Bill of Rights to him, right?
Curious, isn't it? It's like there's just so much power in the Universe to go around. So to increase his, the president has to usurp our's, congress', and the constitution's.
But the news that had me wishing I was a student at KSU was the headline that Bush is taking unscripted questions from the audience! More and more, the article said, the president is becoming comfortable with this format as a way of building support for the erosion of our rights. Of course, I was forgetting, the audience is stacked. Never mind Bush is the president of us all (if you accept election theft as a legitimate means of seizing power, that is).
Yes, while Bush reigns over 100% of us, half of all Americans are culled from his audiences.
As a result of banning half of us from seeing our president, Bush is learning he need not fear anything in the way of questioning too tough from an audience of young republicans and their fellow conservatives. The curious will only be armed with Nerf Ball questions. Bush excels at handling these. The press has been throwing him softballs for years.
No need to worry about unexpected hardballs or curves. Those pitchers have been ejected from the game. You know, dissent is unsportsmanlike conduct.
Keeping us scared is a tactic Bush will use repeatedly--to the point of tedium. It's a theme he'll lean on heavily. After all, the more frightened we are of the next terrorist attack, the more willingly we'll surrender our Bill of Rights to him, right?
Curious, isn't it? It's like there's just so much power in the Universe to go around. So to increase his, the president has to usurp our's, congress', and the constitution's.
But the news that had me wishing I was a student at KSU was the headline that Bush is taking unscripted questions from the audience! More and more, the article said, the president is becoming comfortable with this format as a way of building support for the erosion of our rights. Of course, I was forgetting, the audience is stacked. Never mind Bush is the president of us all (if you accept election theft as a legitimate means of seizing power, that is).
Yes, while Bush reigns over 100% of us, half of all Americans are culled from his audiences.
As a result of banning half of us from seeing our president, Bush is learning he need not fear anything in the way of questioning too tough from an audience of young republicans and their fellow conservatives. The curious will only be armed with Nerf Ball questions. Bush excels at handling these. The press has been throwing him softballs for years.
No need to worry about unexpected hardballs or curves. Those pitchers have been ejected from the game. You know, dissent is unsportsmanlike conduct.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Not to worry....help may be on the way!
What a shame! So much of our national treasure is encased within the brains of each and every individual serving us with great honor in our nation's capital. I'm talking about our House members, our senators, and our administration whose very thoughts and actions impact the lives of each of us and writes the pages of history we turn anew each day.
Each member's mind is like a computer hard-drive with oodles of files documenting how we got to where we are at this moment in time. Collectively, it's a treasure beyond measurable wealth.
It's a living national trust for posperity. But lately I've been worrying at the vast amounts of this treasure that is disappearing almost daily. The ongoing narrative and wealth of future generation's history is being depleted at an alarming rate. Disappearing into some vast wasteland of desolation, the loss--if not stopped--could be an immeasurable tragedy.
I'm talking about the sudden erosion of memory of so many of our honorable government officials feeling the searing heat from scandals scourching their dutiful minds.
It's a concern for us all. Or at least it should be. Why just locally, there is a tribe of Native Americans wondering where millions of dollars they gave a lobbyist to protect their casino went. Sadly, today, their casino has vanished along with their millions and finding anyone who knows for sure where the money went is difficult because of sudden failing memories.
We've heard the stories of Scooter Libby and Judith Miller's memory gaps. Even our Vice President forgets we laid the rumors of Iraq's WMD's to rest, along with Saddam's link to Bin Laden. He still cites these as fact at times.
Tom DeLay can't remember squat about much of those questionable practices he has. But they must have been pretty bad because they cost him his job as majority leader from which he conducted those practices in the House.
And look at Bush. Hell, he hardly knows "Kenny Boy" Lay anymore since his Enron stole Californians, investors and its employees blind. And Britain's Tony Blair, along with Bush, are in denial about much of the Downing Street memos. They shouldn't feel too badly, however, our mainstream media forgets to look into it, forgets to report about it to us as well.
Pat Robertson calls for the assassination of a foreign head of state then, through faulty memory I guess, denies it. But he also forgets they tape the program he makes such pronouncements from.
The list is long and goes on and on. There's even a "I can't recall" defense for those whose memories are so bad they'll be defending themselves in a court of law (or a senate confirmation hearing).
Take this latest scandal leader, Jack Abramoff. Apparently he gave the Bush/Cheney campaign over $100,000 to qualify him as a member of some elite club of the president's, yet the White House has assured us Bush does not know Abramoff, nor has he met him.
Perhaps the photographs Time magazine has just announced it has uncovered of Bush and Abramoff hobnobbing at WH functions will help joggle our president's memory? There's at least five of 'em. Maybe they'll help.
If not, there's one other hope for the pandemic of sudden memory failures plaguing our leaders. See, a couple of years ago in 2001, Eric R. Kandel, a researcher in cell and molecular biological studies of memory storage, announced encouraging results in jogging the memories of little rats. By inserting a gene in a rat's brain and then activating it with an antibiotic doxycycline, one's memory was found to be enhanced.
Originally produced to aid people suffering with age-related memory loss, Dada wonders if this might not be useful in recovering memories jolted to sudden amnesia by the rampant greed and corruption outbreak in our government offices.
It's been five years since the initial results were announced from tests on the little rats. Maybe by now, doxycycline activated brain genes are ready to be tried in big rats. After all, it would be a tremendous loss to historians and future generations to not remember how America got to this exciting event horizon we now inhabit at the beginning of the 21st Century.
Each member's mind is like a computer hard-drive with oodles of files documenting how we got to where we are at this moment in time. Collectively, it's a treasure beyond measurable wealth.
It's a living national trust for posperity. But lately I've been worrying at the vast amounts of this treasure that is disappearing almost daily. The ongoing narrative and wealth of future generation's history is being depleted at an alarming rate. Disappearing into some vast wasteland of desolation, the loss--if not stopped--could be an immeasurable tragedy.
I'm talking about the sudden erosion of memory of so many of our honorable government officials feeling the searing heat from scandals scourching their dutiful minds.
It's a concern for us all. Or at least it should be. Why just locally, there is a tribe of Native Americans wondering where millions of dollars they gave a lobbyist to protect their casino went. Sadly, today, their casino has vanished along with their millions and finding anyone who knows for sure where the money went is difficult because of sudden failing memories.
We've heard the stories of Scooter Libby and Judith Miller's memory gaps. Even our Vice President forgets we laid the rumors of Iraq's WMD's to rest, along with Saddam's link to Bin Laden. He still cites these as fact at times.
Tom DeLay can't remember squat about much of those questionable practices he has. But they must have been pretty bad because they cost him his job as majority leader from which he conducted those practices in the House.
And look at Bush. Hell, he hardly knows "Kenny Boy" Lay anymore since his Enron stole Californians, investors and its employees blind. And Britain's Tony Blair, along with Bush, are in denial about much of the Downing Street memos. They shouldn't feel too badly, however, our mainstream media forgets to look into it, forgets to report about it to us as well.
Pat Robertson calls for the assassination of a foreign head of state then, through faulty memory I guess, denies it. But he also forgets they tape the program he makes such pronouncements from.
The list is long and goes on and on. There's even a "I can't recall" defense for those whose memories are so bad they'll be defending themselves in a court of law (or a senate confirmation hearing).
Take this latest scandal leader, Jack Abramoff. Apparently he gave the Bush/Cheney campaign over $100,000 to qualify him as a member of some elite club of the president's, yet the White House has assured us Bush does not know Abramoff, nor has he met him.
Perhaps the photographs Time magazine has just announced it has uncovered of Bush and Abramoff hobnobbing at WH functions will help joggle our president's memory? There's at least five of 'em. Maybe they'll help.
If not, there's one other hope for the pandemic of sudden memory failures plaguing our leaders. See, a couple of years ago in 2001, Eric R. Kandel, a researcher in cell and molecular biological studies of memory storage, announced encouraging results in jogging the memories of little rats. By inserting a gene in a rat's brain and then activating it with an antibiotic doxycycline, one's memory was found to be enhanced.
Originally produced to aid people suffering with age-related memory loss, Dada wonders if this might not be useful in recovering memories jolted to sudden amnesia by the rampant greed and corruption outbreak in our government offices.
It's been five years since the initial results were announced from tests on the little rats. Maybe by now, doxycycline activated brain genes are ready to be tried in big rats. After all, it would be a tremendous loss to historians and future generations to not remember how America got to this exciting event horizon we now inhabit at the beginning of the 21st Century.
Molly kicks ass!
If any of you have been reading Dada's Dally for awhile, you may have noticed my penchant to nickname certain favorites of mine. Take our former National Security Advisor, now our Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. When speaking of her, I refer to her as "The Former Chevron Oil Tanker, Condoleezza Rice".
It's well known there was an oil tanker with the name "Condoleezza Rice" painted on its stern. What's less well known is, whether Ms. Rice reciprocated with an oil tanker on her stern. For that, we are left to wonder. But if she did, perhaps--like her oil tanker namesake--she had it removed to avoid appearing insensitive to we little folk who still place some minute faith in our political representatives.
I also have a nickname for Senator Hillary Clinton, aka to Dada as, "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child, It Takes a Bomb to Raze a Village."
Both of these nicknames I chose as reminders of where these very influential women come from, what they represent. Rice is a former executive of an oil company, now advocating for Bush's war for oil. Clinton wrote a book on the proper caring for a nation's children who then voted for Bush's war against innocent Iraqis of which tens of thousands of its victims have been (yep, you saw this comin', didn't you?) children!
What's particularly unnerving is, when the 2008 "elections" are spoken of, these are two of the names that most frequently pop up. If this is the best we have to hope for in '08--assuming Bush will in fact cede power--the nation will only be digging its grave deeper.
That's why I'd like to take a moment this morning to promote Molly Ivins' column, "I will not support Hillary Clinton for president". In it, she kicks ass. And she warns us of the folly of allowing an opportunist like Clinton to run for president.
In Molly's words, "Sen. Clinton is apparently incapable of taking a clear stand on the war in Iraq, and that alone is enough to disqualify her. Her failure to speak out on Terri Schiavo, not to mention that gross pandering on flag-burning, are just contemptible little dodges.
" The recent death of Gene McCarthy reminded me of a lesson I spent a long, long time unlearning, so now I have to re-learn it. It's about political courage and heroes, and when a country is desperate for leadership. There are times when regular politics will not do, and this is one of those times. There are times a country is so tired of bull that only the truth can provide relief. "
Continuing, Ivins cites polls showing the majority of Americans (whoever the hell they are--the one's being dominated by a small minority of right-wing extremists, I guess), sorry, the majority of Americans are against the war in Iraq, favor single-payer healthcare, raising the minumum wage, repealing tax cuts for the rich, favor deficit reduction by cutting the Pentagon's, not domestic spending, favors protecting the environment, taxing oil company's windfall profits, etc.
Well, obviously, what most of us want, none of us is gettin'. As Ivins chides our representatives, Democrats especially, "Can't you even read the damn polls?"
If interested, I highly recommend you 'read the damn' column in its entirety here.
It's well known there was an oil tanker with the name "Condoleezza Rice" painted on its stern. What's less well known is, whether Ms. Rice reciprocated with an oil tanker on her stern. For that, we are left to wonder. But if she did, perhaps--like her oil tanker namesake--she had it removed to avoid appearing insensitive to we little folk who still place some minute faith in our political representatives.
I also have a nickname for Senator Hillary Clinton, aka to Dada as, "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child, It Takes a Bomb to Raze a Village."
Both of these nicknames I chose as reminders of where these very influential women come from, what they represent. Rice is a former executive of an oil company, now advocating for Bush's war for oil. Clinton wrote a book on the proper caring for a nation's children who then voted for Bush's war against innocent Iraqis of which tens of thousands of its victims have been (yep, you saw this comin', didn't you?) children!
What's particularly unnerving is, when the 2008 "elections" are spoken of, these are two of the names that most frequently pop up. If this is the best we have to hope for in '08--assuming Bush will in fact cede power--the nation will only be digging its grave deeper.
That's why I'd like to take a moment this morning to promote Molly Ivins' column, "I will not support Hillary Clinton for president". In it, she kicks ass. And she warns us of the folly of allowing an opportunist like Clinton to run for president.
In Molly's words, "Sen. Clinton is apparently incapable of taking a clear stand on the war in Iraq, and that alone is enough to disqualify her. Her failure to speak out on Terri Schiavo, not to mention that gross pandering on flag-burning, are just contemptible little dodges.
" The recent death of Gene McCarthy reminded me of a lesson I spent a long, long time unlearning, so now I have to re-learn it. It's about political courage and heroes, and when a country is desperate for leadership. There are times when regular politics will not do, and this is one of those times. There are times a country is so tired of bull that only the truth can provide relief. "
Continuing, Ivins cites polls showing the majority of Americans (whoever the hell they are--the one's being dominated by a small minority of right-wing extremists, I guess), sorry, the majority of Americans are against the war in Iraq, favor single-payer healthcare, raising the minumum wage, repealing tax cuts for the rich, favor deficit reduction by cutting the Pentagon's, not domestic spending, favors protecting the environment, taxing oil company's windfall profits, etc.
Well, obviously, what most of us want, none of us is gettin'. As Ivins chides our representatives, Democrats especially, "Can't you even read the damn polls?"
If interested, I highly recommend you 'read the damn' column in its entirety here.
Dodging the slings and arrows hurled at your convictions.
Thanks to The IWR Year in SatireI chose today's illustration as a result of an incident which occurred in front of the federal courthouse building downtown during a local peace group's vigil that takes place there every Friday at noon. I had been going to these with my wife and her mother the past month. They've been supporting these demonstrations far longer and more faithfully than I.
But I stayed home this Friday to get our replacement garage door opener working smoothly. Without it, I can't get the car out of the garage. And with no car to drive around, U.S. oil consumption would decline, leaving Bush without his real, true reason for wreaking anarchy and terrorism on millions of Iraqis and killing tens of thousands of 'em in the process.
(Note to Bush--Calling Bush! There were no WMDs! [but you knew that beforehand, didn't you?] You got Saddam--your back-up "justification" for your Iraq misadventurism. Why not just get the fuck out? Why not, because those weren't your real reasons for going in. Right?)
What's now taking place in Iraq is *real* terrorism. It's Bush's demented form of nation building in the name of freedom and "democracy" with any innocent bystander its next potential victim. That's terrorism.
For every American who died on 9/11, how many Iraqis must die before justice is served? Estimates now stand at more than 33 Iraqis for every American victim on that day. But the real answer is none. That's because Iraqis had nothing to do with 9/11. It's not justice being served here. But--as I'm so proned to do--I digress.
So what does today's illustration have to do with what went on at the weekly peace vigil Friday at the courthouse? Well, my 80 year old mother-in-law was standing curbside. She was holding a sign that read, "DROP BUSH, NOT BOMBS" when a young angry motorist slowed down and said threateningly to her, "How about I come to your house tonight and bomb it?!"
I never fail to be amazed by these "patriots" who defend their president as he dismantles the nation and its constitution, his admission of illegally spying on Americans being his latest in a string of impeachable offenses. Those who blindly, or out of some deep seated tendencies toward ignorance, fear, or a subconscious love of despotism, support what's happening here are some very scary people. Not just because they can issue threats to blow someone up, but because they're enablers of behaviors by a president who's playing craps with the future of this nation as well as the world's. This man's president is an illegitimate child of power run amok. And yet, Bush's pathologies are being validated by people like this.
It's probably good I didn't go downtown Friday. It's not uncommon to get an occasional ominous reaction from a young chickenshithawk defending his president. But by threatening my 80 year old woman standing up for peace?!
I realize that fellow is like a mirror image of myself in that viewpoints opposite mine are very infuriating. But I temper my response to 80 year old grandmothers, i.e., I don't threaten to go over to their house and blow the shit out of it with them in it.
But maybe the action of that young upstart against a vulnerable elderly woman is the kind of bravado employed by the world's greatest military might against a millenia's old, defenseless civilization that didn't do anything to us. I guess my peace activist mother-in-law and the angry reaction of her antagonist is illustrative of the state of the nation under the great "uniter, not divider" who seized the government in 2000.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Feeling lost? Fear not!
For those of us who sometimes feel abandoned, or like we're living in "Whacko World" just one Universe over from our own, or Dante's hell where all hope was checked at the door before we entered, etc. etc. et.al., fear not. I have it on good source (one of my Christian conservative [former] friends), we are in good hands--God's!After thinking about this for months now, somewhat unconvinced initially, I'm beginning to believe he's right. See, I'm thinking that maybe our little corner of the Universe is kinda the equivalent of Las Vegas or Monte Carlo to God. And that Earth, in particular, is God's favorite Comedy Club, that She comes here for great laughs.
And since Earth has contracted George Bush to play the house for years to come (and I don't mean his act closes in 2008--think long-term ala George Burns here), God's gonna be dropping by real regular like.
Sure, sometimes Bush's material gets a little stale, but that's where his great team of warm-up clowns keeps God returning, coming back for more.
So fear not. Pshaw! on those pangs of abandonment you've been feeling. God may be very close by. Laughing Her ass off. Oh sure, some may conclude that our creator's a wee sadistic but remember, at least She's smiling down on us.
Know how you "size up".
HOMELAND SECURITY SUGGESTIONS:Personal identification information on the new National Identification Cards to be issued to every American citizen will include each individual's collar size. If you do not know yours, it is strongly suggested you have your neck measured, recorded and that information placed in a safe place for future use.
This will save time when applying for your mandatory individual I.D. card, with the additional advantage of minimizing the national rope shortage being anticipated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Hold still, this'll only take a minute.
The beauty of the vise is it has two sides which, when squeezed together enable it to put sufficient pressure upon an object to screw it, unscrew it, file it, i.e., smooth its rough edges, or perform other manipulations upon it per the user's whim.
Funny, but I thought of this tool while watching this evening's news. Let me just give you two sample stories from the networks tonight.
The first was the story of Bin Laden's latest threat/offer to America. In it, terrorist numero uno said al Qaeda was prepping for attacks here in the US but the group was open to a conditional truce with Americans. I was watching this (unfortunately) on CBS. (I switched to another network immediately afterwards.)
While CBS devoted all of this story to the new threat of al Qaeda terrorist attacks here in America, it gave only one sentence to the 'conditional truce' offering from Bin Laden. And you know what was funny about his conditions for a truce? They are some of the same things being debated on the floors of the two houses of our U.S. Congress, i.e., withdrawal of American troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
But what's even funnier is, the Bush administration discredited the truce portion of Bin Laden's message, while choosing to validate the threat portion, as my wife was so quick to point out. Are you fucking scared enough yet, Americans? If not, maybe Bush will raise the alert level, something til now--despite Bin Laden's ominous overtones--he's deemed unwarranted.
So in order to avoid losing my supper, I jumped on the TV remote to procure a new source for news. Forgive me if I don't remember where I landed, but it was NBC or ABC. Whatever. And the story I heard next was of Jill Carroll, the 28 year old abducted American Christian Science Monitor reporter whose captors deadline for her release/execution is rapidly approaching. A desperate plea for her safe return was being made by her mother.
I couldn't stop thinking about the American general after his adamant bravadoed reaffirmation, "America does not negotiate with terrorists."
"What if it was HIS daughter?" I thought. Or Cheney's? Or one of the Bush twins? Would our resolve be so strong?
And then we were told by the network that we're not even sure who the real kidnappers are. "Contract kidnappers" was the phrase the network used, leading me to ponder exactly who would want Jill Carroll removed. Surely there's the insanity of the terrorists. But what of the insanity of our own American terrorism? After all, how many independent journalists have accidentally died at the hands of the trigger happy American military?
Carroll is known as a "compassionate, scrupulous reporter who cares deeply for the Iraqi people," leaving in question who might want her removed enough to hire contract kidnappers?
It's my concern here we may accept too readily the line fed us by our media, a media that has failed us grossly and continues to do so daily. So before we jump into the mush we're being fed, take time to consider the vise being used to hold our brains in place as they're being screwed, unscrewed, or filed down. It requires pressure from more than one side to reshape your head.
"That sumbitch ain't shit!" (And don't forget to spit.)
As I remarked in a comment during a visit to the Enigma Cafe earlier this morning, I had a nice Wednesday. It was filled with pleasant distractions, to include the obligatory movie "Glory Road". Far better than I'd expected, I simply tag it an obligation for most El Pasoans to see because of its capture of a moment of pride for the community when its five Afro-American starters took on, and defeated, Kentucky's all white starters for the 1966 national basketball championship.
I wasn't a resident of Texas way back then. No, I was in the army fighting the spread of Communism just up the road in New Mexico. Close enough for Texas Western's (now UTEP) run for the title to capture my attention, however. Unquestionably, their season changed the future of college basketball forever.
So when I got home yesterday afternoon, I blogged. And because I'd just returned from a movie set in the mid-sixties as the Vietnam 'war' was building, it somehow felt right I should focus on Sen. John McCain--one of that war's heroes, and his latest dog and pony foxtrot with Bush.
I've talked before about the repeated screwing McCain gets from his president. From their slandering his wife, child and even trashing McCain's own military record and tenure as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam in North Carolina during the 2000 presidential primary there. To his latest betrayal by Bush.
Talking about McCain's anti-torture provision in the defense spending bill, when Bush acquiesced and signed saying, the ban "is to make it clear to the world that this government does not torture and that we adhere to the international convention of torture, whether it be here at home or abroad."
A joyous McCain responded, almost giddily, "We've sent a message to the world that the United States is not like the terrorists....what we are is a nation that upholds values and standards of behavior and treatment of all people."
Of course, that was all just bullshit.
Because McCain should have known, should have been bracing himself for the hypocrisy about to spew forth from his president. As we all know by now, Bush quietly added a "signing statement" to the bill exempting himself from honoring what he'd just signed.
In other words, Bush screwed McCain again. As they used to say back on the farm of a man with Bush's character, "That sumbitch ain't shit!" (And then, for effect, they'd spit an exclamation!)
Well, I don't know. After his latest trashing, McCain was on CBS's "Face the Nation" this past weekend touting the blueprint for Bush's Iranian wet dream. Yes, the president's love slave, McCain, is "rah-rah"ing for his master (again) as illustrated in his proclamation, "The military option is the last option, but cannot be taken off the table."
Is everybody braced for our Iraq nightmare as rerun, this time in Iran?
I'm no psychologist. Maybe that's why I have difficulty with McCain's unlimited capacity to be screwed over and over by Bush and come back for more. Maybe it springs from his years of torture and captivity by his Viet Cong masters. Whatever its source, I confess to having no feelings for his suffering endless betrayals by his president, nor his insatiable capacity for more.
As we used to say back on the farm of a man with McCain's honor, "That sumbitch ain't shit!" (Oh, and don't forget the spitting exclamation!)
After my distractions yesterday, I didn't care to post my blog. Didn't have the passion for it. Wasn't angry enough. Maybe that's something to do with our own tolerance as citizens for the abuses of Bush. We're distracted by any number of day to day events be they keeping a job, finding one, saving our pensions, going to a good movie, worrying about our aging parents, or wondering how we'll manage if one of the family gets seriously sick.
For the moment, I've lost that pleasant deflection of my attention. As a result, maybe I'll blog today. Why, already I've heard several causes for outrage that I may have missed had I not decided, instead, to go to a movie.
I wasn't a resident of Texas way back then. No, I was in the army fighting the spread of Communism just up the road in New Mexico. Close enough for Texas Western's (now UTEP) run for the title to capture my attention, however. Unquestionably, their season changed the future of college basketball forever.
So when I got home yesterday afternoon, I blogged. And because I'd just returned from a movie set in the mid-sixties as the Vietnam 'war' was building, it somehow felt right I should focus on Sen. John McCain--one of that war's heroes, and his latest dog and pony foxtrot with Bush.
I've talked before about the repeated screwing McCain gets from his president. From their slandering his wife, child and even trashing McCain's own military record and tenure as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam in North Carolina during the 2000 presidential primary there. To his latest betrayal by Bush.
Talking about McCain's anti-torture provision in the defense spending bill, when Bush acquiesced and signed saying, the ban "is to make it clear to the world that this government does not torture and that we adhere to the international convention of torture, whether it be here at home or abroad."
A joyous McCain responded, almost giddily, "We've sent a message to the world that the United States is not like the terrorists....what we are is a nation that upholds values and standards of behavior and treatment of all people."
Of course, that was all just bullshit.
Because McCain should have known, should have been bracing himself for the hypocrisy about to spew forth from his president. As we all know by now, Bush quietly added a "signing statement" to the bill exempting himself from honoring what he'd just signed.
In other words, Bush screwed McCain again. As they used to say back on the farm of a man with Bush's character, "That sumbitch ain't shit!" (And then, for effect, they'd spit an exclamation!)
Well, I don't know. After his latest trashing, McCain was on CBS's "Face the Nation" this past weekend touting the blueprint for Bush's Iranian wet dream. Yes, the president's love slave, McCain, is "rah-rah"ing for his master (again) as illustrated in his proclamation, "The military option is the last option, but cannot be taken off the table."
Is everybody braced for our Iraq nightmare as rerun, this time in Iran?
I'm no psychologist. Maybe that's why I have difficulty with McCain's unlimited capacity to be screwed over and over by Bush and come back for more. Maybe it springs from his years of torture and captivity by his Viet Cong masters. Whatever its source, I confess to having no feelings for his suffering endless betrayals by his president, nor his insatiable capacity for more.
As we used to say back on the farm of a man with McCain's honor, "That sumbitch ain't shit!" (Oh, and don't forget the spitting exclamation!)
After my distractions yesterday, I didn't care to post my blog. Didn't have the passion for it. Wasn't angry enough. Maybe that's something to do with our own tolerance as citizens for the abuses of Bush. We're distracted by any number of day to day events be they keeping a job, finding one, saving our pensions, going to a good movie, worrying about our aging parents, or wondering how we'll manage if one of the family gets seriously sick.
For the moment, I've lost that pleasant deflection of my attention. As a result, maybe I'll blog today. Why, already I've heard several causes for outrage that I may have missed had I not decided, instead, to go to a movie.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Just hold on here, you have no right to die!
Yesterday evening there came the shocking news of an incident at our local airport. As passengers were boarding a Continental Airlines flight for Houston, there came a sudden "Thud!" according to one passenger. Shortly, there followed an announcement from the cockpit instructing those on board to drop the shades on the windows, that they would have to evacuate the airplane.
As the unboarding passengers soon came to learn from the few who had witnessed the source of the "thud", a mechanic working on one of the plane's engines had gotten too close as it revved in its preflight takeoff ritual. The mechanic was sucked into the 737's turbine with disastrous results. The plane had to be decommissioned and passengers required to seek alternative flights to their destination. A few needed counseling.
I flashed back to that horrific event as I was reading today's news of the Supreme Court's decision upholding Oregon's Suicide Law.
"Justices have dealt with end-of-life cases before," it read, "most recently in 1997 when the court unanimously ruled that people have no constitutional right to die."
I read that again, "when the court unanimously ruled that people have no constitutional right to die"!
I then heard myself faintly chuckling at the horrible fate of the Continental mechanic, his terrible death, and how he had violated the law by his unconstitutional death. "Holy shit!" I exclaimed in total amazement. "He had no right to die!" I thought, reflecting on how many thousands of others died yesterday without the government's permission.
Yes, my reaction was perverse, but I am merely a spectator of decisions and events too closely juxtaposed.
My mind then flashed to the hundred thousand plus innocent Iraqis killed while trying to deliver "American democracy" to them. "The court unanimously ruled that people have no constitutional right to die." Unless, I guess, the state decides to validate your ticket outta here. Then it will expedite the process.
Next I remembered the first news of the day that greeted me. Of Clarence Ray Allen. He was the oldest California inmate on that state's death row. Until today began at midnight when, a few minutes past his 76th birthday that ended at the stoke of twelve, the state of California put him to death.
I then wondered "what if?" What if Clarence Ray Allen, ailing with a number of infirmities, had suffered a heart attack from all the excitement of his birthday a few minutes before midnight?
I heard myself repeating the words of the article on the Supreme Court's Oregon suicide law once more. "The court unanimously ruled that people have no constitutional right to die."
I'm sure--out of obeyance for the law of the land--Clarence Ray Allen would have gotten the best possible medical attention available to revive him. To restore him to a condition of health where he would be well again. Well enough, anyway, for the state to kill him. Some matters, even as personal as decisions of our own deaths, may not lie with us.
Many, as in the case of Clarence Ray Allen, have no problem with that. I simply find laughable the extraordinary efforts we would likely extend him, to sustain him, until well enough to murder him.
As for terminally ill individuals suffering so miserably at the hands of John Ashcroft and Washington politician's whims, I have extreme problems with that also. I've witnessed a brother experience excruciating pain for great periods of time before finally being extended death's mercy.
But Attorney General John Ashcroft's opinion in 2001 that declared Oregon doctors who helped people die would be violating the federal Controlled Substances Act has been turned back. (Take a deep breath, John, it'd be okay. Trust me. There'd be no one to prosecute because they'd be mercifully dead.)
But it's not over. The congress may decide to next take up the issue. It may still be legislated by our representatives "that people have no constitutional right to die."
As a comment 'eljoven' made to a blog entry here earlier this month regarding the Republican's definition of life, "It begins at conception and ends at birth."
Apparently so. After that, they'll take over the important decisions for you.
As the unboarding passengers soon came to learn from the few who had witnessed the source of the "thud", a mechanic working on one of the plane's engines had gotten too close as it revved in its preflight takeoff ritual. The mechanic was sucked into the 737's turbine with disastrous results. The plane had to be decommissioned and passengers required to seek alternative flights to their destination. A few needed counseling.
I flashed back to that horrific event as I was reading today's news of the Supreme Court's decision upholding Oregon's Suicide Law.
"Justices have dealt with end-of-life cases before," it read, "most recently in 1997 when the court unanimously ruled that people have no constitutional right to die."
I read that again, "when the court unanimously ruled that people have no constitutional right to die"!
I then heard myself faintly chuckling at the horrible fate of the Continental mechanic, his terrible death, and how he had violated the law by his unconstitutional death. "Holy shit!" I exclaimed in total amazement. "He had no right to die!" I thought, reflecting on how many thousands of others died yesterday without the government's permission.
Yes, my reaction was perverse, but I am merely a spectator of decisions and events too closely juxtaposed.
My mind then flashed to the hundred thousand plus innocent Iraqis killed while trying to deliver "American democracy" to them. "The court unanimously ruled that people have no constitutional right to die." Unless, I guess, the state decides to validate your ticket outta here. Then it will expedite the process.
Next I remembered the first news of the day that greeted me. Of Clarence Ray Allen. He was the oldest California inmate on that state's death row. Until today began at midnight when, a few minutes past his 76th birthday that ended at the stoke of twelve, the state of California put him to death.
I then wondered "what if?" What if Clarence Ray Allen, ailing with a number of infirmities, had suffered a heart attack from all the excitement of his birthday a few minutes before midnight?
I heard myself repeating the words of the article on the Supreme Court's Oregon suicide law once more. "The court unanimously ruled that people have no constitutional right to die."
I'm sure--out of obeyance for the law of the land--Clarence Ray Allen would have gotten the best possible medical attention available to revive him. To restore him to a condition of health where he would be well again. Well enough, anyway, for the state to kill him. Some matters, even as personal as decisions of our own deaths, may not lie with us.
Many, as in the case of Clarence Ray Allen, have no problem with that. I simply find laughable the extraordinary efforts we would likely extend him, to sustain him, until well enough to murder him.
As for terminally ill individuals suffering so miserably at the hands of John Ashcroft and Washington politician's whims, I have extreme problems with that also. I've witnessed a brother experience excruciating pain for great periods of time before finally being extended death's mercy.
But Attorney General John Ashcroft's opinion in 2001 that declared Oregon doctors who helped people die would be violating the federal Controlled Substances Act has been turned back. (Take a deep breath, John, it'd be okay. Trust me. There'd be no one to prosecute because they'd be mercifully dead.)
But it's not over. The congress may decide to next take up the issue. It may still be legislated by our representatives "that people have no constitutional right to die."
As a comment 'eljoven' made to a blog entry here earlier this month regarding the Republican's definition of life, "It begins at conception and ends at birth."
Apparently so. After that, they'll take over the important decisions for you.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Rubbing elbows with greatness, hoping some will rub off
I wasn't going to blog today. Instead, I'd intended to take the day off. My wife and I were invited by friends to view Brokeback Mountain, which we did. Excellent movie, and afterwards we adjourned to Starback's Mountain (Starbuck's) to discuss it.
But when I arrived home, I glanced over the headlines and found a story just too funny to ignore. It's about our president honoring MLK, Jr. on this, his holiday. In case anyone missed it, I thought I'd share a bit of it with you. (Following quotes are from excite.com's Bush Says King's 'Dream' Not Yet Completed by NEDRA PICKLER.)
Before I get into what Bush actually said, followed by his Attorney General Gonzales' "honoring" of King also, let me just note the extreme delusion our leadership is living under. If they actually believe they are advancing King's vision for America, it is not enough to--one day out of the year--convince us how hot on its trail they are while trashing it the other 364.
But its also possible our leadership may just be going through the motions of some obligatory 'honoring' of a dead person they really detest by lying to us what a great man they think King was. I don't know which is worse. Neither is good, but I suspect in one, or the other, lies the truth.
Bush credited King as being one of America's greatest historical figures while reminding us that his dream of equality (here, substitute 'poverty') is not yet complete.
"At the dawn of this new century, America can be proud of the progress we have made toward equality, but we all must recognize we have more to do. The reason to honor Martin Luther King is to remember his strength of character and his leadership, but also to remember the remaining work." (God, how incredibly funny is it to hear Bush speaking of character and leadership!)
"Bush told the crowd that Congress must renew provisions of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act that are set to expire next year. The president had previously declined to support the renewal until last month." (When he probably realized January was Martin Luther King's birthday.)
As Dada likes to remind everyone, who would your president be today if Bush's little brother Jeb hadn't removed all those voting rights of African Americans from Florida's voting rolls in 2000?
Bush continued, "We recommit ourselves to working for the dream that Martin Luther King gave his life for - an America where the dignity of every person is respected; where people are judged not by the color of their skin -- by the content of their character; and where the hope of a better tomorrow is in every neighborhood in this country," (Dada says, "Think of post-Katrina communities 'genocide' now ongoing across New Orleans.")
Earlier in the day, Bush visited the National Archives where he viewed the Emancipation Proclamation. As he said while there, "Abraham Lincoln recognized that all men are created equal. Martin Luther King lived on that admonition to call our country to a higher calling, and today we celebrate the life of an American who called Americans to account when we didn't live up to our ideals." (Dada says, "Think Bush photo-op--and recall what's happened to those who have called Bush to account when he didn't live up to our ideals.")
Bush's attorney general also paid tribute to King, saying civil rights "is not a black, brown or white issue. It is a people's issue."
Further expounding, Gonzales continued in his effort to reassure us of his humble origins, stating he is "the attorney general for all Americans."
"I've lived that dream," he said, "and I must preserve and protect the hopes and opportunities that I have received for future generations," as we remember Gonzales contribution towards Bush's ability to violate international treaties in order to torture, and violate American's civil rights by spying on them in the name of security.
I would love for Martin Luther King, Jr. to be alive today. To respond to the honors being heaped upon him by leaders retaliating for 9/11 against people who had nothing to do with 9/11, imprisoning people indefinitely without charge or due process. Torturing anyone at will. Violating American's Bill of Rights.
Yes, "Happy birthday, Martin." We've made huge strides. (Ugh, gag!) But as the president reminds, "we have more to do." Dada ponders just how much more the nation can tolerate.
Of course, the irony in all of this is: The longer these self-righteous, self-deluding megalomaniacs are in charge, the further we recede from King's ideals. But just for today, at least, let them rub elbows with greatness while hoping some of it's rubbing off on these pathetic bastards!
But when I arrived home, I glanced over the headlines and found a story just too funny to ignore. It's about our president honoring MLK, Jr. on this, his holiday. In case anyone missed it, I thought I'd share a bit of it with you. (Following quotes are from excite.com's Bush Says King's 'Dream' Not Yet Completed by NEDRA PICKLER.)
Before I get into what Bush actually said, followed by his Attorney General Gonzales' "honoring" of King also, let me just note the extreme delusion our leadership is living under. If they actually believe they are advancing King's vision for America, it is not enough to--one day out of the year--convince us how hot on its trail they are while trashing it the other 364.
But its also possible our leadership may just be going through the motions of some obligatory 'honoring' of a dead person they really detest by lying to us what a great man they think King was. I don't know which is worse. Neither is good, but I suspect in one, or the other, lies the truth.
Bush credited King as being one of America's greatest historical figures while reminding us that his dream of equality (here, substitute 'poverty') is not yet complete.
"At the dawn of this new century, America can be proud of the progress we have made toward equality, but we all must recognize we have more to do. The reason to honor Martin Luther King is to remember his strength of character and his leadership, but also to remember the remaining work." (God, how incredibly funny is it to hear Bush speaking of character and leadership!)
"Bush told the crowd that Congress must renew provisions of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act that are set to expire next year. The president had previously declined to support the renewal until last month." (When he probably realized January was Martin Luther King's birthday.)
As Dada likes to remind everyone, who would your president be today if Bush's little brother Jeb hadn't removed all those voting rights of African Americans from Florida's voting rolls in 2000?
Bush continued, "We recommit ourselves to working for the dream that Martin Luther King gave his life for - an America where the dignity of every person is respected; where people are judged not by the color of their skin -- by the content of their character; and where the hope of a better tomorrow is in every neighborhood in this country," (Dada says, "Think of post-Katrina communities 'genocide' now ongoing across New Orleans.")
Earlier in the day, Bush visited the National Archives where he viewed the Emancipation Proclamation. As he said while there, "Abraham Lincoln recognized that all men are created equal. Martin Luther King lived on that admonition to call our country to a higher calling, and today we celebrate the life of an American who called Americans to account when we didn't live up to our ideals." (Dada says, "Think Bush photo-op--and recall what's happened to those who have called Bush to account when he didn't live up to our ideals.")
Bush's attorney general also paid tribute to King, saying civil rights "is not a black, brown or white issue. It is a people's issue."
Further expounding, Gonzales continued in his effort to reassure us of his humble origins, stating he is "the attorney general for all Americans."
"I've lived that dream," he said, "and I must preserve and protect the hopes and opportunities that I have received for future generations," as we remember Gonzales contribution towards Bush's ability to violate international treaties in order to torture, and violate American's civil rights by spying on them in the name of security.
I would love for Martin Luther King, Jr. to be alive today. To respond to the honors being heaped upon him by leaders retaliating for 9/11 against people who had nothing to do with 9/11, imprisoning people indefinitely without charge or due process. Torturing anyone at will. Violating American's Bill of Rights.
Yes, "Happy birthday, Martin." We've made huge strides. (Ugh, gag!) But as the president reminds, "we have more to do." Dada ponders just how much more the nation can tolerate.
Of course, the irony in all of this is: The longer these self-righteous, self-deluding megalomaniacs are in charge, the further we recede from King's ideals. But just for today, at least, let them rub elbows with greatness while hoping some of it's rubbing off on these pathetic bastards!
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Just Imagine
"...what I really need is some assholes to be carted off in handcuffs." Enigma4ever, as quoted from a comment left here yesterday. (Note to enigma: Thanks for that piece of Americana. If you'd like me to refrain from quoting you here, then you should probably refrain from making such pithy comments herein. [grin]~D.)
Well, I share enigma's sentiment. Seeing some folks cuffed and carted off for a goodly number of years would go a long, long way toward improving my mental health. It would probably do wonders for the health of the nation as well. But let's be realistic, that doesn't look likely.
When first booting up this morning, I saw the headline, "Glum Democrats Can't See Halting Bush on Courts." I didn't bother to read it. Or, I should say, couldn't bear to read it.
It's just details on the further entrenchment of the Bush regime and its contrived legitimacy by cementing control of the courts around the president with his lackey extremists that will affect this nation long after King Bush has departed, whenever that may be. (Reminder: Bush may not leave in 2008 if his penchant to disregard constitutional law as he so amply and audaciously has demonstrated up to now is any indication of things to come.)
But in what turned out to be a Saturday of most pleasant distractions, I was unexpectedly asked three questions during the preamble to a college basketball game I found myself attending spontaneously last eve.
Those questions were:
1.) "Does that star-bangled banner still wave?" Ans. - "Yes!" as the next question was immediately posed;
2.) "O'er the land of the free?" Ans. - this one I was pondering, what with our diminishing liberties, as being revealed more and more with each passing week, when suddenly the last question was posited;
3.) "and the home of the brave?" Ans. - This one I was shocked to hear me telling myself, "No!" I stood there thinking of the large number of brave souls who are trying to save the nation, but as a collective, I had to confess there is no bravery in a nation who's international diplomacy ends with bombs. Or our leader who appears before every audience of carefully screened and vetted subjects to avoid any possibility of questioning or dissent. Of citizens whose Constitution is being systematically dismantled while we, as a nation, won't "stand up".
"SIT DOWN!" came several angry shouts from behind me. Apparently, as ired spectators reminded me as I pondered those questions, a basketball game had broken out below us.
But this morning when reading enigma's need to see some "assholes being carted off in hancuffs," I wondered--as great as my Saturday turned out to be--how much better it could have been in a world where criminals can't pardon themselves for their felonious behaviors because they've suspended justice in order to break the laws?
I'm sure, given free rein to one's imagination, each of us could construct a list of assholes. I won't begin to delineate mine here or now. It's far too long. But it would include some pretty big names. For starters, it would contain those faux warriors and chickenshithawks who send our kids off for a lie but deny us our right to acknowledge their return by seeing them in coffins. Or, by ordering the Department of Veteran's to NOT give out the names of those returning wounded.
The list would extend to our fiduciaries in Washington, sent there to represent our interests but who violate our trust to enrich themselves at our expense; to the gangsters (you gotta love Abramoff's new Thirties mobster persona) who feed the aforementioned bastards; to those corporate bandits whose justice will never begin to repay the lives stolen from trusting consumers, employees and shareholders; to the generals on down who carry out policies of the chickenshithawks without challenge, rather than standing up to 'em at risk of their rank, career, and retirements.
Yeh, what a better place this world could be.
With that in mind, and to borrow a friend's desire, let me take this opportunity to wish each and everyone of you the following:
May there be some assholes carted off in hancuffs in your near future.
Hell, as Lennon reminded us, one can still "imagine", can't they? I haven't heard yet that dreaming's been outlawed.
Now, go make your imaginary list of assholes. But remember: In that Dada considers this nation no longer the "home of the brave", maybe you should just keep your list to yourself.
Well, I share enigma's sentiment. Seeing some folks cuffed and carted off for a goodly number of years would go a long, long way toward improving my mental health. It would probably do wonders for the health of the nation as well. But let's be realistic, that doesn't look likely.
When first booting up this morning, I saw the headline, "Glum Democrats Can't See Halting Bush on Courts." I didn't bother to read it. Or, I should say, couldn't bear to read it.
It's just details on the further entrenchment of the Bush regime and its contrived legitimacy by cementing control of the courts around the president with his lackey extremists that will affect this nation long after King Bush has departed, whenever that may be. (Reminder: Bush may not leave in 2008 if his penchant to disregard constitutional law as he so amply and audaciously has demonstrated up to now is any indication of things to come.)
But in what turned out to be a Saturday of most pleasant distractions, I was unexpectedly asked three questions during the preamble to a college basketball game I found myself attending spontaneously last eve.
Those questions were:
1.) "Does that star-bangled banner still wave?" Ans. - "Yes!" as the next question was immediately posed;
2.) "O'er the land of the free?" Ans. - this one I was pondering, what with our diminishing liberties, as being revealed more and more with each passing week, when suddenly the last question was posited;
3.) "and the home of the brave?" Ans. - This one I was shocked to hear me telling myself, "No!" I stood there thinking of the large number of brave souls who are trying to save the nation, but as a collective, I had to confess there is no bravery in a nation who's international diplomacy ends with bombs. Or our leader who appears before every audience of carefully screened and vetted subjects to avoid any possibility of questioning or dissent. Of citizens whose Constitution is being systematically dismantled while we, as a nation, won't "stand up".
"SIT DOWN!" came several angry shouts from behind me. Apparently, as ired spectators reminded me as I pondered those questions, a basketball game had broken out below us.
But this morning when reading enigma's need to see some "assholes being carted off in hancuffs," I wondered--as great as my Saturday turned out to be--how much better it could have been in a world where criminals can't pardon themselves for their felonious behaviors because they've suspended justice in order to break the laws?
I'm sure, given free rein to one's imagination, each of us could construct a list of assholes. I won't begin to delineate mine here or now. It's far too long. But it would include some pretty big names. For starters, it would contain those faux warriors and chickenshithawks who send our kids off for a lie but deny us our right to acknowledge their return by seeing them in coffins. Or, by ordering the Department of Veteran's to NOT give out the names of those returning wounded.
The list would extend to our fiduciaries in Washington, sent there to represent our interests but who violate our trust to enrich themselves at our expense; to the gangsters (you gotta love Abramoff's new Thirties mobster persona) who feed the aforementioned bastards; to those corporate bandits whose justice will never begin to repay the lives stolen from trusting consumers, employees and shareholders; to the generals on down who carry out policies of the chickenshithawks without challenge, rather than standing up to 'em at risk of their rank, career, and retirements.
Yeh, what a better place this world could be.
With that in mind, and to borrow a friend's desire, let me take this opportunity to wish each and everyone of you the following:
May there be some assholes carted off in hancuffs in your near future.
Hell, as Lennon reminded us, one can still "imagine", can't they? I haven't heard yet that dreaming's been outlawed.
Now, go make your imaginary list of assholes. But remember: In that Dada considers this nation no longer the "home of the brave", maybe you should just keep your list to yourself.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
"A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth."
"We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing oriented society to a person oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism, and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered. A nation can flounder as readily in the face of moral and spiritual bandruptcy as it can through financial bankruptcy." Beyond Vietnam, April 1967, Martin Luther King, Jr.
(My thanks to Casandra of Taos, NM for the great link honoring Martin Luther King, Jr)
Regrettably, in reading King's words today, the nation has degenerated--not progressed--since he spoke them nearly forty years ago. We now live in a country teetering on chasm's edge, in the hands of 'compassionate conservatism'.
We cannot expect security at the hands of those who have endangered us all.
And we can't buy peace by undermining it and charging the high costs of our militarism to our grandkids. Enrichment of the people does not come by bankrupting their nation's treasury.
Compassion isn't possible from leadership while it's slopping on the nation's wealth and gagging on it's own greed while doing so.
Under this regime, the leadership of illegimates and incompetents in control is choking on the corruptions of its own excesses of power and wealth grabbing.
And don't expect help from mainstream media, no longer the watchdogs of government, but its lapdogs instead.
In short, don't expect solutions from this government when it is the very source of our problems.
I heard a comment last evening that most blogs are "like shouting out the window." That may be so, but it's obvious we're not going to get solutions where we're presently seeking 'em. Shouting out the window is one thing among several small things Dada can do. Hopefully the choir of voices will grow deafening real soon.
Happy birthday, Rev. King. Dada hopes we will have a country that is still honoring your life and words another forty years from now!
(My thanks to Casandra of Taos, NM for the great link honoring Martin Luther King, Jr)
Regrettably, in reading King's words today, the nation has degenerated--not progressed--since he spoke them nearly forty years ago. We now live in a country teetering on chasm's edge, in the hands of 'compassionate conservatism'.
We cannot expect security at the hands of those who have endangered us all.
And we can't buy peace by undermining it and charging the high costs of our militarism to our grandkids. Enrichment of the people does not come by bankrupting their nation's treasury.
Compassion isn't possible from leadership while it's slopping on the nation's wealth and gagging on it's own greed while doing so.
Under this regime, the leadership of illegimates and incompetents in control is choking on the corruptions of its own excesses of power and wealth grabbing.
And don't expect help from mainstream media, no longer the watchdogs of government, but its lapdogs instead.
In short, don't expect solutions from this government when it is the very source of our problems.
I heard a comment last evening that most blogs are "like shouting out the window." That may be so, but it's obvious we're not going to get solutions where we're presently seeking 'em. Shouting out the window is one thing among several small things Dada can do. Hopefully the choir of voices will grow deafening real soon.
Happy birthday, Rev. King. Dada hopes we will have a country that is still honoring your life and words another forty years from now!
Friday, January 13, 2006
Thursday, January 12, 2006
My torreon
Somewhere back around medieval times, there sprung up a number of communities which lived behind the protection of walls. At least I think it was back around then because I confess to a historical memory draught between the colonial America and the seventh day when God rested. But somewhere between then and then, a bunch of castle like kindgoms sprung up, inside of which whole little neighborhoods of tribal communities existed in security behind fortress-like walls. Some had moats as added security, making access to uninvited guests more difficult if the drawbridge were drawn.
Digressing for a moment, I heard recently that Iran was removing the UN seals from their nuclear project. My mind drifted to herds of these aquatic mammals, barking nervously, peering over the backs of trucks carting them off from the moat around their castle to their new homes in zoos across Europe and Asia. Drawing up the bridge and emptying the moat of these seals placed there by the United Nations forebode of bad things to come I thought.
Well the security provided by castles evolved into a form of their 20th Century offspring called bomb shelters. Sure, there were secret hidden underground fortress-like facilities beneath our leadership in Washington and inside a mountain in Colorado for their nuclear command center, but citizens frightened enough could have their own backyard castle, underground. These, in the new century, we have entrusted to our agency of Homeland Security.
Somewhere in between castles, bomb shelters and Michael Chertoff, in the 18th and 19th centuries, there existed the new world Spanish equivalent in the form of a small turret shaped structure constructed of thick adobe walls. These were called torreons. One such example exists in Taos, NM today. It's small with no windows, just peepholes, safe from slings and arrows yet capable of firing bullets from inside.
That's kind of where I was last night when I hastily posted my unedited, unfinished blog that had been sitting out all day getting stale. It contained nothing more than the usual daily news, but somehow I felt particularly disheartened and vulnerable.
Tomorrow was Friday (again!). Would I go downtown and stand outside the federal courthouse with a sign that would ire Bushheads to respond angrily? Yeh, probably. I'd give it one more try as slogans for the message I would stand beneath scrolled across my mind. Stuff like, "PEACE or else, you bastards!"
But what I really wanted was a respite from the daily assaults. The seige I was feeling oppressively under. I wanted my "torreon". And so I posted my unfinished blog and sought the security therein.
But thanks to Enigma and the encouragement of others to her through their comments over on her site, I realized this is no time to retreat. We may be under assault, but as El Torreon--that place of cramped freedoms and austere surroundings--reminds me and Ben Franklin's old saw warned, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety, for they are the Chicken Little dimwits who have bought the fearmonger Bush's intimidations at the cost of their freedom." (Er, or something like that--that was off the top of my head.)
The cement's drying....
Just scanning the headlines and today seems to be shaping up as a pretty normal day.
Let's see, there was the normal roadside bombing that claimed the lives of three US soldiers near Fallujah, but who gives a tinker's damn about that, right?
Israel, or the US, or Israel AND the US, are making plans to "disrupt" Iran's nuclear ambitions. (Can you say, "Kaboom!"?) Nothing new there.
Syria may be the next Bush "democracy" to be created in the middle east. (Like the long term estimates of the cost of Iraq at $2 TRILLION is no big deal, right? But hey, with the Republicans "smaller government" which seems to come at exorbitant costs, who cares?)
Then there's that damn whistle blower, former employee inside the NSA, who gave the New York Times the story of Bush's eavesdropping on Americans is now telling us that, despite the administration's claims it's used sparingly, the true number of Americans who could be under surveillance could be in the millions if the full range of the NSA's secret programs are used. (The government is now telling us he failed a psych-test--he's obviously insane.)
As I mentioned previously, a local yokel name of Mario Escobedo, in a letter to the editor here, declared he didn't care of Bush listening in on what his girlfriend and he may say, or if Bush eavesdrop when he calls to wish his cousin "Happy Birthday." As Escobedo tells us, he leads a simple life with nothing to hide. A small price to pay for "security" Bush style.
This seems to back up the latest Washing Post poll wherein 65% of Americans saying the threat of terrorism trumps privacy rights, in effect revealing the war on terrorism is already over and we lost.
Meanwhile, the Alito hearings have wound down and with his confirmation another brick in the wall of Bush's despotism will be cemented in place.
The Bush administration's stratagem as described by Dave Lindorff in "How the US Press Squelches Bush Impeachment Drive" over at counterpunch is this new post-constitutional government tactic where "the president, it turns out, has been signing executive letters along with many of the bills Congress passes, essentially asserting that as commander-in-chief in his fake "war" on terror, he reserves the right to ignore those bills."
Lindorff continues, "The beauty of this presidential scam is that, since the 'war' on terror will never end, neither will his self-claimed draconian powers."
Things are progressing nicely. Little known is that "Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity." (Declan McCullagh, Wash., DC correspondent for CNET News.com)
Careful bloggers! "(a) Whoever--(1) in interstate or foreign communications--(C) makes a telephone call or utilizes a telecommunications device, whether or not conversation or communication ensues, without disclosing his identity and with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person at the called number or who receives the communications: shall be fined under title 18 (but only $50,000 for each violation, a violation being defined as "each day of violation shall constitute a separate violation") United States Code, or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
********
Well damn, that's as far as I got with the blog earlier today before I becane distracted by something far more important--pruning backyard shubbery. Returning here this evening, my mind's spun off in a new direction.
It's not my purpose to reshape the world here, obviously. This is just a place I come to vent (sometimes rant) and connect occasionally with others of like mind. So, having said that, let me get on with the blog my new mood feels like expressing. (See next entry, above.)
Let's see, there was the normal roadside bombing that claimed the lives of three US soldiers near Fallujah, but who gives a tinker's damn about that, right?
Israel, or the US, or Israel AND the US, are making plans to "disrupt" Iran's nuclear ambitions. (Can you say, "Kaboom!"?) Nothing new there.
Syria may be the next Bush "democracy" to be created in the middle east. (Like the long term estimates of the cost of Iraq at $2 TRILLION is no big deal, right? But hey, with the Republicans "smaller government" which seems to come at exorbitant costs, who cares?)
Then there's that damn whistle blower, former employee inside the NSA, who gave the New York Times the story of Bush's eavesdropping on Americans is now telling us that, despite the administration's claims it's used sparingly, the true number of Americans who could be under surveillance could be in the millions if the full range of the NSA's secret programs are used. (The government is now telling us he failed a psych-test--he's obviously insane.)
As I mentioned previously, a local yokel name of Mario Escobedo, in a letter to the editor here, declared he didn't care of Bush listening in on what his girlfriend and he may say, or if Bush eavesdrop when he calls to wish his cousin "Happy Birthday." As Escobedo tells us, he leads a simple life with nothing to hide. A small price to pay for "security" Bush style.
This seems to back up the latest Washing Post poll wherein 65% of Americans saying the threat of terrorism trumps privacy rights, in effect revealing the war on terrorism is already over and we lost.
Meanwhile, the Alito hearings have wound down and with his confirmation another brick in the wall of Bush's despotism will be cemented in place.
The Bush administration's stratagem as described by Dave Lindorff in "How the US Press Squelches Bush Impeachment Drive" over at counterpunch is this new post-constitutional government tactic where "the president, it turns out, has been signing executive letters along with many of the bills Congress passes, essentially asserting that as commander-in-chief in his fake "war" on terror, he reserves the right to ignore those bills."
Lindorff continues, "The beauty of this presidential scam is that, since the 'war' on terror will never end, neither will his self-claimed draconian powers."
Things are progressing nicely. Little known is that "Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity." (Declan McCullagh, Wash., DC correspondent for CNET News.com)
Careful bloggers! "(a) Whoever--(1) in interstate or foreign communications--(C) makes a telephone call or utilizes a telecommunications device, whether or not conversation or communication ensues, without disclosing his identity and with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person at the called number or who receives the communications: shall be fined under title 18 (but only $50,000 for each violation, a violation being defined as "each day of violation shall constitute a separate violation") United States Code, or imprisoned not more than two years, or both."
********
Well damn, that's as far as I got with the blog earlier today before I becane distracted by something far more important--pruning backyard shubbery. Returning here this evening, my mind's spun off in a new direction.
It's not my purpose to reshape the world here, obviously. This is just a place I come to vent (sometimes rant) and connect occasionally with others of like mind. So, having said that, let me get on with the blog my new mood feels like expressing. (See next entry, above.)
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
DeLay sucks more than Cubans; he sucks American's as well (blood, that is)
Tom DeLay sucking a Cuban cigar. It probably wouldn't have been a big deal if DeLay hadn't once said, "Every dime that finds its way into Cuba first finds its way into Fidel Castro's blood-thirsty hands.... American consumers will get their fine cigars and their cheap sugar, but at the cost of our national honor."Thanks to Democratic Underground
If that isn't the biggest crock of crap! But that's the kinda guy Tom DeLay is. Drowning in a sea of hypocrisy, he's so corrupted he can't even smell the stench of his own stink. It's difficult to imagine, but there still exists supporters of Tom DeLay. I know. I have observed them in a feeding frenzy, eating his detractors who impugn the former House majority leader's reputation. Why, DeLay is their high muckamuck serving the best interests of our nation! These people frequent a lunatic bin for the morally impaired disguised as a political online chat room here on the web.
If one quietly rolls back the carpet and lifts the trap door beneath with enough stealth, you'll glimpse a horde of bloated cockroaches feeding off the remains of folks like anti-war families who've lost loved ones in Iraq, the ACLU, Vietnam triple amputee Max Cleland, the John McCain family. Folks like that. I confess, it's one of the more repulsive sights imaginable, outside of those nauseating images of mutilated Iraqi children and the deformities being manifested in new-borns by American use of Depleted Uranium weapons in Iraq.
(Note: In the case of the John McCains, Dada experienced extreme revulsion at the roaches devouring wife, Cindy ["crazy doper"], and their adopted child ["She's black, she's black!"....if that doesn't give you a clue, 'buy you a vowel' about these right-wing hacks...]. However, I admit to some fascination of John McCain's vermin infested carcass. His family's integrity destroyed, his own military service impugned, he keeps coming back for more. Always the sucker for his president's latest betrayal, I confess feelings of emptiness at seeing his fellow conservatives devour his ass.)
But as I am so prone to do, I digress. As for Tom DeLay and our congress that's suddenly hemorrhaging Jack Abramoff money faster than the Titanic threw off lifeboats, I'm sure in that chatroom there's a whole new crowd the vermin are feasting on, and that would be the folks who are taking down sanctimonious DeLay and their other corrupted heroes.
It's laughable that Abramoff turns state's witness and suddenly people are tossing back money like hot potatoes. Why, even our president has returned $6,000! (Hmm, wonder what he did with the other $94,000?) I heard one Texas representative say she was donating $1,000 to the Boy Scouts because "It's the right thing to do!" (Just as I'm sure keeping the bribe money was the right thing to do--if "Damn!," ONLY she hadn't got caught, right?)
As noted by Cynthia Tucker, columnist, "In a moral universe, the one Americans purport to inhabit, defrauding Indian tribes and ripping off banks ought to be grounds for pariah-dom. Yet the growing list of accusations against Mr. Abramoff drew barely a whimper of complaint from Republicans, who were overwhelmingly the recipients of his largesse, until he pleaded guilty last week to several felony counts in a sweeping federal corruption case."
With Abramoff's squealing it will be amusing to watch in the days ahead money's being returned and memories being lost ala the post Enron meltdown when CEO Kenneth Lay went from president Bush's "Kenny Boy" to "I hardly knew him" campaign donor.
Along with the sudden amnesia of these crooked bastards, look for more ignorance on the part of the perps to emerge also. Like former Christian Coalition Ralph Reed's claim he didn't know where the money he was accepting had come from. Or the Honorable Tom DeLay who ran with Abramoff, one of his "closest and dearest friends," claiming he had no idea who was footing the bill for his Scotland golf outing. As Cynthia Tucker muses, "You're at an expensive resort where the tab has been paid, and you don't ask who paid it?"
Sadly, all of this is a horrifically inefficient way to enrich charitable organizations. For the Native Americans defending their casino interests by flooding Abramoff with millions of dollars, only small droplets in the amount of a few thousands of dollars are now dripping into the pockets of Boy Scouts and others from the other end of the pipe, "gifts" from our elected representatives.
Somehow, millions got lost in the pipeline. To pay for golf trips, cruises and other lavish favors, I suppose.
I guess what's really, really sad is all these millions expended on people who can't remember their donors, much less the generous gifts those donors gave them. To that, let me just remind 'em, our moral models: "Trust me, you had a great time with it!"
Monday, January 09, 2006
A nation of "has-beens"
- Friday, in "Suckers", I wrote about that wonderful "learning experience" Bush had last week when he met with, listened to, and learned from former secretaries of state and defense who served through a variety of international situations to include hot wars and cold wars. Collectively, they represented decades of experience and expertise.
- Unfortunately, the president didn't have too much time to listen, to learn. After a 40 minute "Iraq update" all present were required to endure, somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes were allowed the collective gathering. This left each former secretary with less than a minute to address the president before they were all hustled off by Bush for their "family picture". It was my premise (and others) the sole purpose of the gathering was for a Bush photo-op. I think that was fairly obvious as I illustrated in my blog.
As a result, I received a comment from enigma4ever over at Watergate Summer. She shared her impression of the picture that resulted from the braintrust gathered in the White House. ".... yeah it was all about the picture- but look at the picture- and the expressions of these older wiser experienced souls..they all have a similiar expression in their eyes..'WTF are we going to do about this little SOB'...they all look like they have been shaking their heads and need some maalox..."
Enigma continued, "It is like the Christmas photo, and there is the one sticky old Drunk uncle that always wants to stand a little too close and he smells like a mildewed dishtowel, and Brut, and bargain brownbag Scotch....and when the photos come back everyone is looking pulled away and miserable..."
I liked Enigma's family Christmas photo comparison. I have this thought that all families are dysfunctional to varying degrees. (Hopefully, that's just bullshit, because if it were true, what would that say about our "family of man"?)
But as those duped into Bush's photo op probably pondered-- per Enigma's suggestion--"WFT are we going to do about this little SOB," I think Papa Bush's secretary of state, Lawrence Eagleburger, may have said it all in admitting when "talking to the president there is a tendency to be restrained in expressing opposing views."
In other words, each state head present may have varying degrees of differences with junior, but they all bite the bullet out of some traditional respect for the office, despite whichever idiot is currently holding it.
Take Madeleine Albright for example. While she got a little testy with Bush, even she loves killing Iraqis.
Well, as Eagleberger went on to say "There was some criticism," but poignantly concluded, puffing on a cigarette outside the white house, as he chatted with reporters after the meeting, "We're all has-beens anyway."
That pretty well summed it up. And I think, "We're all has-beens anyway," is an apt metaphor for how the world views the American people and their nation under Bush's leadership.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
No Purple Heart for Bush, but....
Bush, Jan. 1, 2006, sporting a two inch gash on his forehead(AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)
President Bush began the New Year with a trip to Brooke Army Medical Center where he visited with soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. While there, he also presented purple hearts to nine military members.
The president, who had a noticeable gash on the left side of his brow, offered words of comfort as he remarked, "As you can probably see I was injured myself, not here at the hospital but in combat with a cedar."
Bush quipped. "I eventually won."
Let's face it. That's about the sincerest form of empathy anyone can expect from one born with a silver spoon in his mouth whose "successes" in life were handed him by his dad, dad's cronies, brother Jeb or the Supreme Court.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Suckers!
(White House photo by Eric Draper)Thursday's meeting between president Bush and former Secretaries of State and Defense was billed as a "bipartisan consultation" for past heads to input their ideas on Iraq and the Middle East.
According to CNN, however, it didn't go quite as smoothly as planned. After a glowing 40 minute briefing by administration personnel updating current conditions in Iraq, previous Secretary of State, "Uncle Tom" Powell sat quietly, never speaking a word. Many present suffered ear drum damage from his deafening silence.
Then President Clinton's Sec. of State, Madeleine Albright, seemingly disturbed by the rosy update report, placed a bur under Bush's saddle when she implied Iraq was draining his attention from other important issues.
An agitated Bush shot back, "I can't let this comment stand." The 5-10 minute input meeting was quickly adjourned by Bush. As DAVID E. SANGER of The New York Times writes, Bush herded "the whole group into the Oval Office for what he called a 'family picture.'"
But not before the president said, "The main thrust of our success will be when the Iraqis are able to take the fight to the enemy that wants to stop their democracy and we're making darn good progress along those lines," Bush said. (Dada swears this is similar to something the president may have said once or twice before in the past three years.)
(NOTE: Regarding the "good progress" the president alluded to, Dada reminds readers of the example set in Iraq the same day Bush said this: 140 slaughtered, including 11 U.S. military members dead. Another Bush "good progress" day!)
But I digress. After adjourning to the Oval Office for their "family picture", former heads of the State and Defense Departments still wishing to address Bush's Iraq policy, were shuttled across the hall to talk with Stephen J. Hadley, the National Security Adviser, and Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
As William J. Perry, who served as defense secretary under President Bill Clinton said of Bush's meeting, "The message was, briefly stated, that the political process is working."
And what of Bush, vice-president Cheney, our secretary of state, Chevron oil tanker Condoleezza Rice, and defense secretary Rumsfeld? Unfortunately, they were not present to hear the wisdom of their predecessors. They had left for "other meetings".
It is at this point that Dada would like to remind readers of the Bush appearance on the rubbled heap of the post-9/11 World Trade Center with his arm around a retired fireman. Of Bush's post-Katrina remarks in front of a group of out-of-state firemen taken from their rescue efforts to pose behind Bush as an evening news release op. Of the thousands who have committed themselves to sit behind the president as he travels around the nation hawking whatever he's selling at the moment.
To those former Secretaries of State and Defense who may have felt slighted by the president, take heart. As with all of president Bush's back drop "supporters", whether sincere or deceived, Dada would suggest, "You have been duped!"
The president was not interested in hearing your opinions or listening to your suggestions on Iraq. Never mind the incredible experience represented by your presence there. Bush had no desire to glean the wisdoms of your expertise, i.e., he didn't wanna hear your shit! No, you were invited to the White House for a Bush photo-op!
No, the venerable group of former leaders of the State were there for one purpose only--as stage props for a Bush photo. But Dada has to admit, it's a picture worthy of a real president. Just looking at it, doesn't it seem to dignify and validate the invalid policies for which Bush is increasingly under fire. And for Bush, he got what he wanted--his picture surrounded by bright folks, some of whom disagree with his war, but appear to be endorsing it!
Thanks. Or, as Bush would probably say, "Gotcha, suckers!"
Tremendous Middle Eastern Opportunity - New Listing.
For Sale By Owner:
Location, location, location! Just on the market! Won't last. This one's centrally located where the action is!
Nice! Approx. 171,000 sq.mi. of one-of-a-kind desert acreage. Opportunity for right buyer/s to acquire this most desireable property located in nice middle eastern neighborhood. Older area in historic district mostly off the grid with water from two rivers. Also has waterfront access to Persian Gulf with nice views. Property borders stable and culturally rich neighborhoods Syria, Turkey, Jordan and Iran.
Needs work. Includes all structures on property, most damaged & needing repair making this a great fixer-upper for the handyman. Currently has 25 million tenants with 100% occupancy rate.
Owner anxious. Forced to sell to avoid financial and moral bankruptcy. Will consider all offers. (Please note: Mineral rights NOT transferrable and will be retained by current owner.)
Assumable mortgage. May take over payments. Owner will also consider trades with particular interest in properties in the Venezuelan neighborhood.
Open house: Property open for viewing anytime. Best to visit unannounced so as not to disturb or upset tenants. For further info, contact owner's agent C. Rice, Washington, D.C. anytime except Augusts.
(Dada note: I wrote the above to help president Bush unload Iraq after learning earlier this week he's decided not to uphold his commitment to rebuild that nation. Apparently, we can't afford it anymore. This is probably because of two factors:
1.) the graft and corruption which permeates the no-bid contracts to Cheney's Halliburton and its subsidiaries is more expensive than originally budgeted for. Transfer of the public treasures to private industry and individuals has exceeded all administration expectations, but the bloated expenses and cost overstatements required are now bankrupting the nation.
2.) rebuilding a nation in this state is foolish because we are still in the process of destroying it. Anything actually rebuilt presents an irresistable target for U.S. aerial bombers that have mostly reduced Iraq to rubble. Dada reminds: Who hasn't target practiced their shooting skills by setting up bottles on a fencepost? After a hit that reduces the target to shards, one doesn't set up the shards to shoot. No, you put up a new bottle to destroy. Kaboom!)
(If anyone has a suggestion for the above ad to help move this property quicker, feel welcome to a leave your comments. Thanks!)
Location, location, location! Just on the market! Won't last. This one's centrally located where the action is!
Nice! Approx. 171,000 sq.mi. of one-of-a-kind desert acreage. Opportunity for right buyer/s to acquire this most desireable property located in nice middle eastern neighborhood. Older area in historic district mostly off the grid with water from two rivers. Also has waterfront access to Persian Gulf with nice views. Property borders stable and culturally rich neighborhoods Syria, Turkey, Jordan and Iran.
Needs work. Includes all structures on property, most damaged & needing repair making this a great fixer-upper for the handyman. Currently has 25 million tenants with 100% occupancy rate.
Owner anxious. Forced to sell to avoid financial and moral bankruptcy. Will consider all offers. (Please note: Mineral rights NOT transferrable and will be retained by current owner.)
Assumable mortgage. May take over payments. Owner will also consider trades with particular interest in properties in the Venezuelan neighborhood.
Open house: Property open for viewing anytime. Best to visit unannounced so as not to disturb or upset tenants. For further info, contact owner's agent C. Rice, Washington, D.C. anytime except Augusts.
(Dada note: I wrote the above to help president Bush unload Iraq after learning earlier this week he's decided not to uphold his commitment to rebuild that nation. Apparently, we can't afford it anymore. This is probably because of two factors:
1.) the graft and corruption which permeates the no-bid contracts to Cheney's Halliburton and its subsidiaries is more expensive than originally budgeted for. Transfer of the public treasures to private industry and individuals has exceeded all administration expectations, but the bloated expenses and cost overstatements required are now bankrupting the nation.
2.) rebuilding a nation in this state is foolish because we are still in the process of destroying it. Anything actually rebuilt presents an irresistable target for U.S. aerial bombers that have mostly reduced Iraq to rubble. Dada reminds: Who hasn't target practiced their shooting skills by setting up bottles on a fencepost? After a hit that reduces the target to shards, one doesn't set up the shards to shoot. No, you put up a new bottle to destroy. Kaboom!)
(If anyone has a suggestion for the above ad to help move this property quicker, feel welcome to a leave your comments. Thanks!)
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Do as I say, not as I do.
What Bush does:
- cuts funding for mine safety enforcement by $15 million.
- mans the Mine Safety and Health Administration with people more concerned with corporate mining interests than the safety of the workers it's supposed to protect.
- cuts 170 positions from MSHA.
Then the tragic deaths of 12 Sago mine workers happened this weekend.
What Bush says:
- "We send our prayers and heartfelt condolences to the loved ones whose hearts are broken."
- "We ask that the good lord comfort them in their time of need."
*****************
NOTE: The Sago Mine has a lengthy history of serious safety violations. In the past year, Sago's been cited for 180 of 'em. Over half of those violations were considered by inspectors to be "significant and substantial", meaning they could seriously impact the health and safety of workers.
Some of these violations resulted in fines to the mine owners. Most were less than $200/violation. None was more than $1000.
In light of the deaths over the weekend, take heart however. White House spokesman Scott McClellan says the Bush administration has proposed a four-fold increase in fines for violations of Mine Safety and Health Administration regulations! That should reassure all of us mine safety has just been increased four-fold.
- cuts funding for mine safety enforcement by $15 million.
- mans the Mine Safety and Health Administration with people more concerned with corporate mining interests than the safety of the workers it's supposed to protect.
- cuts 170 positions from MSHA.
Then the tragic deaths of 12 Sago mine workers happened this weekend.
What Bush says:
- "We send our prayers and heartfelt condolences to the loved ones whose hearts are broken."
- "We ask that the good lord comfort them in their time of need."
*****************
NOTE: The Sago Mine has a lengthy history of serious safety violations. In the past year, Sago's been cited for 180 of 'em. Over half of those violations were considered by inspectors to be "significant and substantial", meaning they could seriously impact the health and safety of workers.
Some of these violations resulted in fines to the mine owners. Most were less than $200/violation. None was more than $1000.
In light of the deaths over the weekend, take heart however. White House spokesman Scott McClellan says the Bush administration has proposed a four-fold increase in fines for violations of Mine Safety and Health Administration regulations! That should reassure all of us mine safety has just been increased four-fold.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
au·dac·i·ty (ô-dăs'ĭ-tē), n.
au·dac·i·ty (ô-dăs'ĭ-tē), n., 1. Fearless daring; 2. Bold or insolent heedlessness of restraints
Note to public. More and more this blog says less and less. The theme of it becomes narrower and narrower as revelations of the administration's abuses of power become wider and wider. So having said that, having warned you, you may stop reading here and go do something more productive, like continuing your adult education classes on how to choose the right Medicare prescription plan, or reading your instruction manual on how to properly balance the new garage door you got for Christmas.
For those of you choosing to stay, don't say you weren't warned.
A couple of weeks ago in a blog here, I suggested the nation may already be under the rule of a despot and we may not realize it. I'm becoming more and more convinced that's exactly the case. We're living under a repressive regime. The ongoing evidence of such continues to accumulate publicly. And the audacity of that comes from an administration that seemingly doesn't care you know it!
Wake up America! There is more than sufficient signs that this illusion of "democracy" we live under is nothing more than a wet dream. There's always been corruption of the election process. But it's become more than that. It's embedded itself so deeply in our electoral system you can hear the public whimpering louder and louder after each national election of discrepancies and downright law violations before we fall back into our obedient complacency.
It appears the extremist minority that could only drool at the possibility of wresting control of the country away from mainstream America has now become a reality. And, having stolen the freakin' country, they're not about to relinquish the power they are wielding not only nationally, but globally.
The entire nation's been seized by people with the power to decide who your candidates will be, who gets to vote for 'em, and how the votes will be manipulated to determine the outcome.
Does it bother anyone else that a TV network will often seek advice on an important national or international issue from an "expert" such as Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson, a person who's advocated the assassination of a head of state? Holy shit!
Blah, blah, blah. I'm just whistling into the wind, I know. At the risk of being repetitive--tough! How many times does one have to beat their goddamned head against a wall that most Americans don't realize they're imprisoned behind??!! Or seemingly care, to wit:
First, that real, real subtle clue dropped several years ago by our president:
"It'd be a lot easier if this was a dictatorship, so long as I'm the dictator." Bush wasn't just being glib here. He was serious people!
Or how about Bush and Cheney testifying before the congressional 9/11 commission, exempted from taking an oath to tell the truth! And was it just me, or was anyone else bothered by the fact their unsworn testimony had to be delivered together as they held each other's hands. I guess that was to keep their story straight.
Am I pissed? You're goddamned right I am. And one of the reasons is, my patriotism has been bludgeoned because of these two. Bush and Cheney have the ass because I ponder the destruction of the country by a bunch of thugs in the White House who don't think we have any right to question them under oath on matters of national security. By their dismantling of the nation through their picking and choosing the laws they will follow and those they'll violate--at their disgression. You've got to admire our "president" and our president (no typo!). They're incredibly audacious.
Bush will say straight faced to a global audience, "We don't torture!" Bullshit. We've seen the pictures. He will sign the bill outlawing the torture of detainees, as he quietly reserves the right to bypass the law under his powers as commander in chief!
As New York University Law Professor David Golove says, Bush signed in effect saying, "I will only comply with this law when I want to, and if something arises in the war on terrorism where I think it's important to torture or engage in cruel, inhuman, and degrading conduct, I have the authority to do so and nothing in this law is going to stop me."
And Bush will reluctantly admit, he's been using his National Security Agency for spying beyond the powers granted him under the constitution or by his congressional "overseers". He then audaciously reassures us (read "scares the shit outta us")--he intends to continue violating the law for our own safety.
I don't know how many "clues" we need from the administration to demonstrate the powers they have seized. The powers we quietly cede this despotism will ultimately bite us in our collective ass.
But apparently, many are not too concerned. In a letter to the editor in this morning's local paper, one Mario Escobedo writes, "I am not worried that someone might listen to what I might whisper to my girlfriend or that I called my cousin to say happy birthday."
It's the stock bullshit response of the masses who think they have nothing to hide, gladly relinquishing the right to their privacy. And this scares me a helluva lot more than the threat of terrorism the president's been hammering like spikes of fear into our brains for the past four plus years. It should scare the hell out of everybody because the biggest threat to America may not be from the terrorism outside, but the terrorism from within.
But as Mario Escobedo assures us, "If the government wants to eavesdrop on my simple life, I have nothing to hide and it would be such a small price to pay for national security."
And we wonder at the source of the administration's brazen audacity. We need look no further than the Mario Escobedos of America. Keep 'em nervous, keep 'em scared and they will follow you, as sheep, through the gates of hell.
Note to public. More and more this blog says less and less. The theme of it becomes narrower and narrower as revelations of the administration's abuses of power become wider and wider. So having said that, having warned you, you may stop reading here and go do something more productive, like continuing your adult education classes on how to choose the right Medicare prescription plan, or reading your instruction manual on how to properly balance the new garage door you got for Christmas.
For those of you choosing to stay, don't say you weren't warned.
A couple of weeks ago in a blog here, I suggested the nation may already be under the rule of a despot and we may not realize it. I'm becoming more and more convinced that's exactly the case. We're living under a repressive regime. The ongoing evidence of such continues to accumulate publicly. And the audacity of that comes from an administration that seemingly doesn't care you know it!
Wake up America! There is more than sufficient signs that this illusion of "democracy" we live under is nothing more than a wet dream. There's always been corruption of the election process. But it's become more than that. It's embedded itself so deeply in our electoral system you can hear the public whimpering louder and louder after each national election of discrepancies and downright law violations before we fall back into our obedient complacency.
It appears the extremist minority that could only drool at the possibility of wresting control of the country away from mainstream America has now become a reality. And, having stolen the freakin' country, they're not about to relinquish the power they are wielding not only nationally, but globally.
The entire nation's been seized by people with the power to decide who your candidates will be, who gets to vote for 'em, and how the votes will be manipulated to determine the outcome.
Does it bother anyone else that a TV network will often seek advice on an important national or international issue from an "expert" such as Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson, a person who's advocated the assassination of a head of state? Holy shit!
Blah, blah, blah. I'm just whistling into the wind, I know. At the risk of being repetitive--tough! How many times does one have to beat their goddamned head against a wall that most Americans don't realize they're imprisoned behind??!! Or seemingly care, to wit:
First, that real, real subtle clue dropped several years ago by our president:
"It'd be a lot easier if this was a dictatorship, so long as I'm the dictator." Bush wasn't just being glib here. He was serious people!
Or how about Bush and Cheney testifying before the congressional 9/11 commission, exempted from taking an oath to tell the truth! And was it just me, or was anyone else bothered by the fact their unsworn testimony had to be delivered together as they held each other's hands. I guess that was to keep their story straight.
Am I pissed? You're goddamned right I am. And one of the reasons is, my patriotism has been bludgeoned because of these two. Bush and Cheney have the ass because I ponder the destruction of the country by a bunch of thugs in the White House who don't think we have any right to question them under oath on matters of national security. By their dismantling of the nation through their picking and choosing the laws they will follow and those they'll violate--at their disgression. You've got to admire our "president" and our president (no typo!). They're incredibly audacious.
Bush will say straight faced to a global audience, "We don't torture!" Bullshit. We've seen the pictures. He will sign the bill outlawing the torture of detainees, as he quietly reserves the right to bypass the law under his powers as commander in chief!
As New York University Law Professor David Golove says, Bush signed in effect saying, "I will only comply with this law when I want to, and if something arises in the war on terrorism where I think it's important to torture or engage in cruel, inhuman, and degrading conduct, I have the authority to do so and nothing in this law is going to stop me."
And Bush will reluctantly admit, he's been using his National Security Agency for spying beyond the powers granted him under the constitution or by his congressional "overseers". He then audaciously reassures us (read "scares the shit outta us")--he intends to continue violating the law for our own safety.
I don't know how many "clues" we need from the administration to demonstrate the powers they have seized. The powers we quietly cede this despotism will ultimately bite us in our collective ass.
But apparently, many are not too concerned. In a letter to the editor in this morning's local paper, one Mario Escobedo writes, "I am not worried that someone might listen to what I might whisper to my girlfriend or that I called my cousin to say happy birthday."
It's the stock bullshit response of the masses who think they have nothing to hide, gladly relinquishing the right to their privacy. And this scares me a helluva lot more than the threat of terrorism the president's been hammering like spikes of fear into our brains for the past four plus years. It should scare the hell out of everybody because the biggest threat to America may not be from the terrorism outside, but the terrorism from within.
But as Mario Escobedo assures us, "If the government wants to eavesdrop on my simple life, I have nothing to hide and it would be such a small price to pay for national security."
And we wonder at the source of the administration's brazen audacity. We need look no further than the Mario Escobedos of America. Keep 'em nervous, keep 'em scared and they will follow you, as sheep, through the gates of hell.
Misanthropy in our midsts
Part of my morning routine involves reading the local newspaper online. I was real dismayed by one particular "Letter to the Editor" today. It came from a Jim Parker. I don't know where these cynics keep coming from, but his words are an excellent example of just what's wrong with the country.
It's obvious Mr. Parker just isn't buying Bush's reassurances that we don't torture, we don't go to war frivolously, and we're not living in a police state. Under postulate number 5 below, Parker's health is likely in a precarious state. But it's folks like him that are giving the president huge headaches as well.
Anyway, here's Jim Parker, in his own words:
******************************************
With this new year, I'd like to share some of my wisdom. Here are 13 Rules to Improve Your Life:
1. Seek higher education and learn a second language. So you can move to another country where the jobs are.
2. Always spend more than you earn and go deep in debt. This will make you very popular.
3. Trust Corporate America. They will never deceive nor rob you.
4. Support the two-party political system. Fake democracy is easier than real democracy.
5. Do not question what you are told. Independent thinking will make you sick.
6. Seek constant entertainment. It prevents thinking and learning.
7. Support rule by the mega-rich. They know what's best and you will benefit.
8. Ignore history and the Bill of Rights. This is old stuff and boring.
9. Learn to love corporate and government surveillance. Big Brother does not exist.
10. Support killing and destruction by war. War is good. It promotes peace.
11. Torture by government is OK. It is usually done to foreigners. It will never happen to you.
12. Always be afraid. Terrorism has now replaced Communism. New enemies will be found as needed.
13. Trust and obey all those in authority. Otherwise, the system won't work.
******************************************
If the government can just contain the growing number of these misanthropists until all the new prisons are completed (sometime before the 2008 "elections"), Bush will be able to enjoy his political capital he is so anxious to expend to the benefit of all his Americans.
Have patience citizens. A better America is just around the corner. If just left alone, our president will lead us there. Despite cynic's misgivings.
It's obvious Mr. Parker just isn't buying Bush's reassurances that we don't torture, we don't go to war frivolously, and we're not living in a police state. Under postulate number 5 below, Parker's health is likely in a precarious state. But it's folks like him that are giving the president huge headaches as well.
Anyway, here's Jim Parker, in his own words:
******************************************
With this new year, I'd like to share some of my wisdom. Here are 13 Rules to Improve Your Life:
1. Seek higher education and learn a second language. So you can move to another country where the jobs are.
2. Always spend more than you earn and go deep in debt. This will make you very popular.
3. Trust Corporate America. They will never deceive nor rob you.
4. Support the two-party political system. Fake democracy is easier than real democracy.
5. Do not question what you are told. Independent thinking will make you sick.
6. Seek constant entertainment. It prevents thinking and learning.
7. Support rule by the mega-rich. They know what's best and you will benefit.
8. Ignore history and the Bill of Rights. This is old stuff and boring.
9. Learn to love corporate and government surveillance. Big Brother does not exist.
10. Support killing and destruction by war. War is good. It promotes peace.
11. Torture by government is OK. It is usually done to foreigners. It will never happen to you.
12. Always be afraid. Terrorism has now replaced Communism. New enemies will be found as needed.
13. Trust and obey all those in authority. Otherwise, the system won't work.
******************************************
If the government can just contain the growing number of these misanthropists until all the new prisons are completed (sometime before the 2008 "elections"), Bush will be able to enjoy his political capital he is so anxious to expend to the benefit of all his Americans.
Have patience citizens. A better America is just around the corner. If just left alone, our president will lead us there. Despite cynic's misgivings.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Doctor Feel-Good's Traveling Medicine Show
I suppose what I'm gonna say next is going to upset some people. But before you all begin your posse's logistical search for the rope with which to hang Dada, I pray you'll just give me a fair listen before you kick my horse out from under me. First a little history on what's prompted me to blog this, pissing off some of you who will read it.
In recent days, I've been hearing hints of the same story over and over in the background noise of the mainstream media which often flows through the house like uncontainable flood waters and mud from a west coast rain swollen creek. But yesterday, after another story about an Iraqi infant, I finally paused to listen. The item was about some heroic measures being taken on her behalf.
Her name is Noor, and her's is an incredible story of the effort being expended by a number of groups to save her life. Born with spina bifida, Noor's outlook was grim. Noor's family was told she would not live more than 45 days. Amazingly, she had surpassed that grim estimate by a couple of months when she was discovered by the Georgia National Guard. They had come into Noor's Baghdad home in a house to house search operation.
Instead of finding insurgents, the Guard found baby Noor, along with her grandmother and her nine children. Upon seeing her, the Army began a Herculean international effort to save Noor. She was examined by a unit doctor, charities back home were contacted, a surgeon in Atlanta offered to operate on Noor, Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss intervened to get visas approved overnight for her and her family to travel, American Airlines agreed to fly them from Kuwait to States no charge, and Mariott Hotel chain agreed to put them up free. It's a story that's apparently made news around the world.
(This is, sincerely, all pretty heart warming stuff. But here comes the part that may piss some of you off. And if it does, it'll probably be because you are for this freakin' war I suppose. And if I do upset some of you, I say, "Too bad!" because it divulges some very gaping holes in your smug nationalism.)
Noor's story is getting the wonderful coverage it deserves, but Dada wonders why? Perhaps it's just the kind of "feel-good" news we, as Americans, need to be hearing. Maybe it serves as balm for our psyches so incinerated by the atrocities we have reaped on a nation of mostly innocent people. Maybe it saves us from choking on the tens of thousands of Iraqis caught up in the middle of the havoc being rained down upon them from American taxpayer bought-and-paid-for bullets and bombs.
Why, just yesterday several members of an unsuspecting Iraqi family in Bajii were killed by an indiscrimminate bomb dropped on their heads. As Reuters reported, our military "made no mention of casualties and said Iraqi police had handled the scene after the attack." Two of the dead were children.
How neat and expedient that is. A bomb dropped from a plane on a routine run saves American troop's lives on the ground. But the aftermath of the collateral damage is turned over to the local police. It's out of our hands. How tidy.
Sadly, this slaughter is not uncommon. It has been going on since the war began in the spring of 2003 when Robert Fisk of the UK's "The Independent" described the mortuary of dead farmers, women and children in the aftermath of the U.S. bombing of Hilla as "a butcher's shop of chopped-up corpses".
Imagine a SWAT team lobbing a hand grenade ito your neighbor's house to remove it's abusive father on a holiday binge. Great way to end a touchy situation, even if it does take out the wife and kids. Such is the nature of the U.S.'s approach to war. It's the most expeditious way to handle bad situations, i.e., bombs dropped from a couple thousand feet in an air war America's going to rely on more and more as our troops on the ground become fewer and fewer.
I have a dear friend with whom I went to college. Over the holidays, we touched on the war in one of our semi-annual phone calls. Expressing my anger at our actions, my friend chided me saying, "We need to finish the job we've started."
Jesus Christ, that's impossible for me to grasp. Having discovered and destroyed all of Iraq's WMD's (none!), and captured that evil Saddam for his part in 9/11 (none!), we now must stay to restore order to the chaos we've created. A chaos resulting from our mere presence in Iraq.
So let us continue to work toward a solution for Iraq's problems, a large part of which seems to be bombing the shit outta 'em. And killing a lot of innocents in the process. Many of whom are children.
Enter baby Noor. What a wonderful reminder of the tremendous humanitarian outpouring we are capable of. As we hear of her ongoing tribulations, will she bolster our ongoing amnesia, counter-act the continuing attrocities done in our names, clear our collective conscience? Dada doubts it. But her story sure makes us feel good, doesn't it?
As platoon medic Justin Donelly, the first medic to assess Noor upon her discovery by his fellow National Guardsmen said, "It's really something to see somebody taking a step outsidse their own personal cultural box to, you know, get help and befriend this...." (voice trailing off)
Thank you baby Noor. Thanks for the distraction, the mental balm, our clearer collective conscience.
But enough of the feel-good. Time to reload and get back to work! We have a job to finish.
In recent days, I've been hearing hints of the same story over and over in the background noise of the mainstream media which often flows through the house like uncontainable flood waters and mud from a west coast rain swollen creek. But yesterday, after another story about an Iraqi infant, I finally paused to listen. The item was about some heroic measures being taken on her behalf.
Her name is Noor, and her's is an incredible story of the effort being expended by a number of groups to save her life. Born with spina bifida, Noor's outlook was grim. Noor's family was told she would not live more than 45 days. Amazingly, she had surpassed that grim estimate by a couple of months when she was discovered by the Georgia National Guard. They had come into Noor's Baghdad home in a house to house search operation.
Instead of finding insurgents, the Guard found baby Noor, along with her grandmother and her nine children. Upon seeing her, the Army began a Herculean international effort to save Noor. She was examined by a unit doctor, charities back home were contacted, a surgeon in Atlanta offered to operate on Noor, Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss intervened to get visas approved overnight for her and her family to travel, American Airlines agreed to fly them from Kuwait to States no charge, and Mariott Hotel chain agreed to put them up free. It's a story that's apparently made news around the world.
(This is, sincerely, all pretty heart warming stuff. But here comes the part that may piss some of you off. And if it does, it'll probably be because you are for this freakin' war I suppose. And if I do upset some of you, I say, "Too bad!" because it divulges some very gaping holes in your smug nationalism.)
Noor's story is getting the wonderful coverage it deserves, but Dada wonders why? Perhaps it's just the kind of "feel-good" news we, as Americans, need to be hearing. Maybe it serves as balm for our psyches so incinerated by the atrocities we have reaped on a nation of mostly innocent people. Maybe it saves us from choking on the tens of thousands of Iraqis caught up in the middle of the havoc being rained down upon them from American taxpayer bought-and-paid-for bullets and bombs.
Why, just yesterday several members of an unsuspecting Iraqi family in Bajii were killed by an indiscrimminate bomb dropped on their heads. As Reuters reported, our military "made no mention of casualties and said Iraqi police had handled the scene after the attack." Two of the dead were children.
How neat and expedient that is. A bomb dropped from a plane on a routine run saves American troop's lives on the ground. But the aftermath of the collateral damage is turned over to the local police. It's out of our hands. How tidy.
Sadly, this slaughter is not uncommon. It has been going on since the war began in the spring of 2003 when Robert Fisk of the UK's "The Independent" described the mortuary of dead farmers, women and children in the aftermath of the U.S. bombing of Hilla as "a butcher's shop of chopped-up corpses".
Imagine a SWAT team lobbing a hand grenade ito your neighbor's house to remove it's abusive father on a holiday binge. Great way to end a touchy situation, even if it does take out the wife and kids. Such is the nature of the U.S.'s approach to war. It's the most expeditious way to handle bad situations, i.e., bombs dropped from a couple thousand feet in an air war America's going to rely on more and more as our troops on the ground become fewer and fewer.
I have a dear friend with whom I went to college. Over the holidays, we touched on the war in one of our semi-annual phone calls. Expressing my anger at our actions, my friend chided me saying, "We need to finish the job we've started."
Jesus Christ, that's impossible for me to grasp. Having discovered and destroyed all of Iraq's WMD's (none!), and captured that evil Saddam for his part in 9/11 (none!), we now must stay to restore order to the chaos we've created. A chaos resulting from our mere presence in Iraq.
So let us continue to work toward a solution for Iraq's problems, a large part of which seems to be bombing the shit outta 'em. And killing a lot of innocents in the process. Many of whom are children.
Enter baby Noor. What a wonderful reminder of the tremendous humanitarian outpouring we are capable of. As we hear of her ongoing tribulations, will she bolster our ongoing amnesia, counter-act the continuing attrocities done in our names, clear our collective conscience? Dada doubts it. But her story sure makes us feel good, doesn't it?
As platoon medic Justin Donelly, the first medic to assess Noor upon her discovery by his fellow National Guardsmen said, "It's really something to see somebody taking a step outsidse their own personal cultural box to, you know, get help and befriend this...." (voice trailing off)
Thank you baby Noor. Thanks for the distraction, the mental balm, our clearer collective conscience.
But enough of the feel-good. Time to reload and get back to work! We have a job to finish.
Monday, January 02, 2006
Hang 'em high!
Whoo boy. We all know about those slimy, untrustworthy whistle blowing bastards. They just have this inability to keep their goddamned mouths shut at learning of some corruption, public saftey danger, violation of individual rights, illegal activity, etc. within an organization they themselves most often are a part of.
Sooner or later, these squealers simply can't contain themselves any longer. In the ultimate betrayal, they feel some incomprehensible compulsion to rat, to spill their guts, to protect an unsuspecting public being endangered by secret activities outside their best interests. This is difficult for Dada to understand. Maybe they're recessive individuals with mutated ethics genes or something. They have absolutely no sense of loyalty.
That's why, I'm so glad to see the present revelations of president Bush's NSA spying upon any American individual or group he perceives as a threat is being placed in its proper perspective. The outrage is not that Bush saw fit to extend his tentacles to embrace extra-constitutional powers he is not privileged to, nor was he granted, in order to illegally spy on us.
No, the real threat--as being revealed by the press reporting the actions of the Justice Department--is the sonofabitch who betrayed the executive branch of our government by revealing it's breaking the fucking law!
You see, whoever did this, is violating "national security". I guess national security includes any violation of our constitutional laws, so long as you don't know about it!
Let's hope attorney general Gonzales' organization can find the slimy bastard(s) who got their priorities skewed in trying to protect American's constitutional rights instead of those secretly stealing 'em from us in the White House.
After all, we all know how America hates a damn stool pigeon, whistle blowing snitch of a son of a bitch. Hang 'em high, I say. Hang 'em high!
(Dada thanks Mrs. Dada for bringing this to his attention!)
Sooner or later, these squealers simply can't contain themselves any longer. In the ultimate betrayal, they feel some incomprehensible compulsion to rat, to spill their guts, to protect an unsuspecting public being endangered by secret activities outside their best interests. This is difficult for Dada to understand. Maybe they're recessive individuals with mutated ethics genes or something. They have absolutely no sense of loyalty.
That's why, I'm so glad to see the present revelations of president Bush's NSA spying upon any American individual or group he perceives as a threat is being placed in its proper perspective. The outrage is not that Bush saw fit to extend his tentacles to embrace extra-constitutional powers he is not privileged to, nor was he granted, in order to illegally spy on us.
No, the real threat--as being revealed by the press reporting the actions of the Justice Department--is the sonofabitch who betrayed the executive branch of our government by revealing it's breaking the fucking law!
You see, whoever did this, is violating "national security". I guess national security includes any violation of our constitutional laws, so long as you don't know about it!
Let's hope attorney general Gonzales' organization can find the slimy bastard(s) who got their priorities skewed in trying to protect American's constitutional rights instead of those secretly stealing 'em from us in the White House.
After all, we all know how America hates a damn stool pigeon, whistle blowing snitch of a son of a bitch. Hang 'em high, I say. Hang 'em high!
(Dada thanks Mrs. Dada for bringing this to his attention!)
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