Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Headlines - Tuesday

Adding to the threats, racial incidents and physical abuse surrounding the President-elect and his followers, the AP says:
 
"And in a Maine convenience store, an Associated Press reporter saw a sign inviting customers to join a betting pool on when Obama might fall victim to an assassin. The sign solicited $1 entries into 'The Osama Obama Shotgun Pool,' saying the money would go to the person picking the date closest to when Obama was attacked. 'Let's hope we have a winner,' said the sign, since taken down."
 
"One of the most popular white supremacist Web sites got more than 2,000 new members the day after the election, compared with 91 new members on Election Day, according to an AP count. The site, stormfront.org, was temporarily off-line Nov. 5 because of the overwhelming amount of activity it received after Election Day. On Saturday, one Stormfront poster, identified as Dalderian Germanicus, of North Las Vegas, said, 'I want the SOB laid out in a box to see how 'messiahs' come to rest. God has abandoned us, this country is doomed.'" -- Greg Mitchell
 
Update: The Secret Service reportedly is investigating Sarah Palin, who agents say is responsible for provoking a spike in death threats against President-elect Barack Obama: http://statesmanjournal.com/article/20081115/UPDATE/81115007
 
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Bush escapes
 
63 days left of George of the Bungle.
 
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Get your electric car - h/t Dick
 
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Somali pirates hijacked a supertanker hundreds of miles off the Horn of Africa, seizing the Saudi-owned ship loaded with crude and its 25-member crew, the U.S. Navy said Monday.
 
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Wall Street's Bailout is a Trillion-Dollar Crime Scene  Link

Excerpt:
Despite all of this potential lawlessness, the Democrats are either openly defending the administration or refusing to intervene. "There is only one president at a time," we hear from Barack Obama. That's true. But every sweetheart deal the lame-duck Bush administration makes threatens to hobble Obama's ability to make good on his promise of change. To cite just one example, that $140 billion in missing tax revenue is almost the same sum as Obama's renewable energy program. Obama owes it to the people who elected him to call this what it is: an attempt to undermine the electoral process by stealth.

Yes, there is only one president at a time, but that president needed the support of powerful Democrats, including Obama, to get the bailout passed. Now that it is clear that Bush is violating the terms to which both parties agreed, the Democrats have not just the right but a grave responsibility to intervene forcefully. 

When a bank is robbed, nobody says "We need to put more money in this bank." They say, "Let's arrest the bankrobbers and get our money back."

But we have this problem...


    "Our president has asked us to look the other way!"

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"I'm a free market person - until you're told that if you don't take decisive measures then it's conceivable that we could go into a depression greater than the Great Depressions."  - Bush, talking about how much his bastards have stolen from us  Link
 

Why wouldn't the same be true of health care? "I'm a free market person, until I'm told that America is ranked 45th in health care."

We have about 50 million Americans with no health insurance. This allows the sons of bitches to charge us $70 for aspirin.

The Clintrons tried to fix this, but the Republicans said "NO" and the scared bunny Democrats agreed with Rush Limbaugh that health care was "too big to fix" and look where we are now.

Looking at it another way - didn't Republican bribes kill Detroit?
Detroit spends more of health care for each car than they spend on steel.

Detroit can't compete on the world stage because the Republicans keep accepting bribes from the health care crooks to keep health care prices the highest in the world.

Why do we settle for that?

American drug companies sell pills in Canada for 15 cents each, but that same pill costs $6 here - there's no reason for that besides greed. Then the Bush bastards said, "Canadian drugs aren't safe" and make importing them ILLEGAL.

Why do we settle for that?

Remember: Bush made it ILLEGAL to negotiate for lower prices.

If *I* was running the DNC, I would've made them gag on that 1,000 times, but we have this problem in America...

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From Juan Cole at Informed Comment today comes a story that is just chilling. According to a French news documentary, French soldiers are claiming that they had Osama in their sights and could have either captured or killed him, but were called off by - you guessed it - the United States of Bush's America.

If true this is either rank treason or gross negligence by President Bush and anyone in his administration that refused the French permission to get Osama bin Ladin, as Bush so famously stated back on September 17, 2001, "Dead or alive." Osama Bin Ladin, the leader of the organization that killed 3000 people on September 11th. Osama, the sole reason a "War on Terror" supposedly was necessary. And yet, according to these French documentary filmmakers, we deliberately refused to let our ally eliminate him and the threat he posed.

Here's a brief description of the claims made in the French documentary from a December 2006 Reuters article.

So who is right? The French filmmakers? The Afghan newspaper that published this story? Or the American and French governments who have denied its veracity, and the mainstream media that has refused to investigate the allegations that the Bush regime called off attacks of Osama bin Laden by French special forces on two occasions. All I know is that Bin Laden (or someone claiming to be him is still threatening "spectacular" attacks against the United States and other Western countries seven long years after the Bush administration ignored the warnings of their own intelligence services and allowed the 9/11 attacks to occur.

Of course, the right wing bloggers are all over the alleged terror threats by Al Qaeda, and naturally they are bemoaning the fact that Obama will be our president (but not theirs, of course) when such attacks may occur. Yet, do they report any word regarding these claims that Bush and/or the American military prevented the French from taking out Osama in 2003 - twice? That sound you hear is a thousand crickets chirping, my friends.

Now some may consider posting this story linking to the Afghan news report, and to the French documentary, as mere tin hat tomfoolery by a leftist moonbat. Yet I remember a similar reaction when the Italian press released a documentary about the Pentagon's use of White Phosphorus as an incendiary weapon in Fallujah, Iraq, and as we all know, that story ultimately proved to be true, based on confirmation from official US military sources. So I wouldn't dismiss this story out of hand just yet. Especially in light of the fact that it has been extremely convenient for the Bush administration (and its principal political operative, Karl Rove) to raise the specter of Al Qaeda and Bin Laden these last seven years to justify the actions they have taken in their "War on Terror" including, but not limited to, the ill founded and illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq, the Pentagon plans to attack Iran with either conventional or nuclear weapons ordered by Vice President Cheney, the use of torture and unlawful detentions, the unlawful warrantless surveillance of American citizens, the murder of thousands of innocent Iraqi and Afghan civilians, and the use of imminent terrorist attacks as an election year smear tactic against Democratic candidates for national office.

How easy would have all that been for Bush, Rove and Cheney to accomplish if Bin Laden had been captured or killed back in 2003? By the French? How willing would Americans have been to keep troops in Iraq after Osama's death? How effective would Republican claims that we would all die if a Democrat were elected as President in 2004 have gone over without those incredibly well timed Bin Laden videos to rachet up the fear level here in America? How many people would have been willing to sacrifice our nation's honor, our moral integrity and our civil liberties if Osama wasn't always there to use as justification for such extreme measures?

Just asking.

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An extensive federal report released Monday concludes that roughly one in four of the 697,000 U.S. veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf War suffer from Gulf War illness.

That illness is a condition now identified as the likely consequence of exposure to toxic chemicals, including pesticides and a drug administered to protect troops against nerve gas.

The 452-page report states that "scientific evidence leaves no question that Gulf War illness is a real condition with real causes and serious consequences for affected veterans."

http://www.first-draft.com/2008/11/from-the-depart.html

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Oil is 55.49 per barrel.

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James Hartline, christian activist:

God keeps trying to get their attention. They, for their part, are shouting so loud for the acceptance of homosexuality, that they cannot hear the thunderous warnings of God: "Repent! For the judgment comes soon!"

Each time homosexual activists attempt to force their agenda on California, there have been raging, massive, incinerating fires sweeping across the California landscape.

Today, people are running for their lives as 800 California homes have burned down and the firestorm is spreading like a nuclear holocaust. Yet, the radical homosexual anarchists rampage upon the streets of this state demanding the destruction of marriage and family, and the establishment of their socialistic dark vision for society.

You see, the problem is this: God has plans for California in the near days ahead. Thus, these attempts to force an ungodly tyranny on this state are being met blow with blow by God. God is saying, "California shall be a refuge for America when the catastrophes come. California belongs to Me, not the advocates of sexual anarchy."

The more that homosexual activists press their battle in California, the more there will be great calamaties in this state.

http://jameshartlinereport.blogspot.com/2008/11/california-fires-rage-as-gay-marriage.html

You know, this bleating seems very familiar...oh yeah, he did this same sort of nonsense last year, same time, same bat channel, in the "homosexual stronghold of Hillcrest" over the fires in San Diego.

In case you didn't know, James Hartline is a self-proclaimed prophet of God:

God has granted me the privilege of prophetically looking into the mighty vision that He is in the process of establishing for this generation.

So, the Prophet James hath spoken!

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Down a red dirt road, in the middle of Utah's Southeastern desert, a worn wooden sign welcomes lost hikers - because unless you knew how to find it, getting lost is likely the only way you would stumble across Rockland Ranch. From afar, you almost think you're hallucinating from the heat. But as you get closer, you can see it's no mirage - there is a community of modern day (polygamist) cave dwellers living on the side of this sandstone plateau. 

http://cbs5.com/national/polygamist.cave.homes.2.866760.html

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Blackwater just got caught shipping weapons to Iraq by hiding them in dog food bags. TPMMuckraker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You'll recall that Blackwater Worldwide, the scandal-plagued BushCo mercenary group that, since 2004, has been paid at least $323 million on a $1 billion no-bid government contract. Blackwater is in the headlines now because six of its mercenaries may be facing charges for the massacre of 17 Iraqi civilians in September 2007. Earlier scandals have included the abrupt resignation of State Dept. Inspector Howard Krongard over Blackwater-related perjury charges, allegations that Blackwater employees were traitorously recruiting U.S. troops in the war zone and that and Blackwater security shot a dog belonging to the New York Times Baghdad bureau.

Erik Prince's mother, Elsa, donated $450,000 to Pro 8, making her the 4th largest donor.  

Elsa Prince

Elsa is also the founder of Focus of the Family, which donated over $439,000 to the anti-gay cause.

Months later, Focus on the Family announced it would lay off or reassign 46 of 1,300 employees. Now it says there will be more layoffs due to restructuring of its distribution arm.

It's a dead cinch the families of the dozens of employees who are about to be fired would have preferred that the nearly $900,000 donated to Prop 8 by Prince and their bosses had gone toward salaries.

They may also be wondering where the group's other millions have gone. In fiscal year 2006, Focus on the Family reported total revenue of $142,279,843 and net assets of $79,316,290. More current figures were not readily available.

Just think how many families they could have fed for $899,000.

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What is wrong with these people?

Shocked by the national support of same-sex marriage, leaders of the Prop. 8 campaign have rolled out a new tactic: threatening the Supreme Court.

Andrew Pugno, their attorney turned up the rhetoric this weekend:

 What could get opponents of same-sex marriage in the street, however, would be the state Supreme Court tossing out the vote, he said. San Francisco city officials, joined by the city of Los Angeles and Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties, have petitioned the court to do just that.

"I think you'll have a revolution on your hands at that point," Pugno said.

And because saying "Merry Christmas" is so much more important than expending your efforts to actually make someone's Christmas merry, Focus on the Family wants shoppers to know which retailers are naughty and which ones are nice - at least when it comes to holiday lingo.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/16/focus-family-puts-retailers-naughty-and-nice-list-/

Happy Solstice!

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The stupidest exercise machine you'll ever see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUuwEq98ByM&eurl=http://www.burbia.com/node/2113

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Ramp up the looting!

h/t Dick - having learned well from their Washington masters... 

The government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki is systematically dismissing oversight officials who were installed to fight corruption in Iraqi ministries by order of the American occupation administration, which had hoped to bring Western standards of accountability to the notoriously opaque and graft-ridden bureaucracy here. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/world/middleeast/18maliki.html?_r=1&oref=slogin 

Dick Cheney and the Boys of Bechtel and KBR are probably going to make a killing out of this.

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It now appears that Joe Lieberman will get a symbolic slap on the wrist today from the pantywaists known as Democratic senators ...

Greenwald looks at the mindset of the Dem leadership like only he can.

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A story appeared in the Entertainment section of the news about how Sarah Palin could rake in $7 million from a book deal. I hope the publisher stipulates she must write the book herself. We'll never see her again, please God.

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Give me a break. Dutch insurer wants bailout cash to grow their business. They've already received billions from the Dutch government and now have plans to buy a US bank so they can rake in even more. They aren't doing this because they are experiencing financial problems but because they want to expand. So US taxpayers have the honor of funding Aegon's business growth strategy.

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A new pro-life organization, Personhood USA, plans to assist local pro-life groups in different states to put personhood amendments on their states ballot by using the petition process. They say:

"Praise Jesus! The pro-life tide is rising in America, now is the time for the entire pro-life movement to turn the focus off from permitting murder but attempting to 'regulate' it, to pushing for the recognition of the God given right to life for all innocent persons. Persons are humans beings from the moment of fertilization." Cal Zastrow, Co-Founder of Personhood USA. http://www.personhoodusa.com/node/33

Interesting. 73% of Colorado voters rejcted the "Personhood" amendment, and the anti-choice movement optimistically sees that defeat as a glass-27%-full type of situation. They couldn't even pass an initiative limiting choice in Red State South Dakota. 

I have a suggestion for you so-called pro-lifers: Use some of that zeal of yours to defend the lives of people who are already living outside of the womb.

You see, a lot of you -- probably most of you -- voted for George W. Bush. Twice. And George W. Bush has killed over 4,000 American soldiers by sending them to Iraq in order to "defend" us from nonexistent weapons of mass destruction, i.e,. for no good reason. 

I know the abortion debate can get a bit heated at times, but I think we can all agree that soldiers are people too. Right? So why is there no outrage from the so-called pro-life movement over the Iraq war? Or have I missed it? Please, enlighten me.

And let us not forget the thousands of innocent Iraqi and Afghan civilians that have died from errant American bombs and bullets, or due to Bush's complete and utter failure to protect these people from the thugs and criminals after he toppled their governments. 

Hey, anti-choicers, why don't you create an organization called Personhood Islam? You could use your mighty powers of persuasion to convince certain skeptical elements of our society that Muslims are people - not scary monsters - too. If you're so interested in protecting life, why don't you put pressure on the Bush administration to stop killing Muslims? You agree that Muslims are people, right? Don't they have a right to life? I'm still looking for that passage in the bible where Jesus told his disciples to bomb the crap out of Muslim-controlled countries. Can you give me a hand with that? 

Why don't you so-called pro-lifers take a weekend off from harassing Planned Parenthood and scared teenage girls, and go stand in front of the White House and let the man that you put into office know that the culture of death he has created is unacceptable.

Hypocrites should clean up their own mess before they tell the rest of us what to do. It's time for them to take responsibility for the horror that they unleashed upon the world.

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Time to cancel your Newsweek subscription

Here's why.

With threats against Barack Obama's life already rising as a result of Sarah Palin whipping her frothing minions into a frenzy, why on earth would a major publication print something like this?

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A day after the Iraqi Cabinet approved a withdrawal agreement that would remove US forces entirely from the country by the end of 2011, the White House is trying to snooker the press by saying that they agreed only to "aspirational dates." There is nothing aspirational about this agreement. It is a firm deadline for withdrawal that wouldn't even allow for residual forces in the country.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is out there today claiming that
no we can't leave on this kind of schedule. This is just the beginning of the pushbacks that we can expect to see from the military as we move into a new Administration.

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Just weeks before leaving office, the Interior Department's top lawyer has shifted half a dozen key deputies — including two former political appointees who have been involved in controversial environmental decisions — into senior civil service posts." The move will "deprive the incoming Obama administration of the chance to install its preferred appointees in some key jobs.

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The Pentagon spent about $600 million on more than 1,200 Iraq reconstruction contracts that were eventually canceled," reports the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, adding that "42% of canceled contracts were terminated because the contractor either failed to deliver or performed poorly."

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