ThinkFast: March 6, 2006
ThinkFast: March 6, 2006
Experts monitoring the $1.6 billion levee reconstruction project in New Orleans “say large sections of the rebuilt levee system will be substantially weaker than before the hurricane hit.” They cite shortcuts in the construction process and “weak, substandard” building materials.
DHS Irony Level: Elevated. The Department of Homeland Security is “having difficulty safeguarding its own headquarters” because of “inadequate training, failed security tests and slow or confused reactions to bomb and biological threats.”
More than 90 percent of Sadr City residents suffer from psychological disorders, “including depression, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD,” though only about 75 psychiatrists remain in the war-torn country.
“Detainees in Iraq are still being tortured, receiving electric shocks and beatings with plastic cables,” according to a new report by Amnesty International. Thousands of Iraqis continue to be held without charge or trial.
The White House is “quietly pushing” Dubai Ports World to “significantly restructure” and partner up with a U.S. firm to keep the port deal from sinking. The U.S. company “best equipped to partner with DP World”: Halliburton.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) will introduce legislation to take authority away from the Treasury Department over transactions such as the Dubai ports deal. Collins’ bill would “give the Homeland Security Department the lead in approving foreign takeovers of companies that touch on national security.”
Kenya is starving. The United Nations says a “‘catastrophic’ number of Kenyans will starve to death unless immediate donations arrive to buy food for 3.5 million people facing prolonged drought.” (Donate here.)
Shortly after Hamas won a majority of seats to take control over the Palestinian Authority Legislative Council, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, “I’ve asked why nobody saw it coming.†Apparently, Rice simply wasn’t paying attention. “A State Department-commissioned poll taken days before January’s Palestinian elections warned U.S. policymakers that the militant Islamic group Hamas was in a position to win.â€
Parental notification laws “do not appear to have produced the sharp drop in teenage abortion rates that some advocates hoped for.” The NYT study “found no evidence that the laws had a significant impact on the number of minors who got pregnant, or, once pregnant, the number who had abortions.â€
And finally: North Carolina rebuts criticism that the Confederate flag is a racist symbol by holding an “all white” celebration at the state House chamber, singing “Dixie” and saluting “a Civil War-era state flag.”
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Welcome to the United States of Halliburton. Here’s your SSN / Employee ID Number. There’s your pick axe. Start digging for coal to keep Darth Cheney’s heart machine pumping!!!
March 6th, 2006 at 9:11 amAfter watching ‘60 minutes’ last night. The ‘we do not torture’ just went down in flames. The one army guy said ‘if’ he were a prisoner,he would exspect to be hung by the wrists and accept it. Well,there is one way to find out mister, put out your wrists. Oh and we will whack you in the knees so you can’t stand up.
March 6th, 2006 at 9:11 amWhat exactly does Haliburton do that is so unique and how much would it cost for Americans to start a company that does the same thing in hopefully a more open and honest (maybe even nonProfit) manner?
March 6th, 2006 at 9:14 amCollins’ bill would “give the Homeland Security Department the lead in approving foreign takeovers of companies that touch on national security.â€
But that’s not the problem. No one thought the DPI deal was a security risk in the first place until the public found out about it.
March 6th, 2006 at 9:27 amLet the Lament of the Republicans be as a great wailing unto all nations. For they have bartered their Constitution for the oil of snakes.
March 6th, 2006 at 9:29 amSen. Susan Collins (R-ME) will introduce legislation to take authority away from the Treasury Department
Uh…Mrs. Collins? Haven’t you noticed that your party doesn’t follow any law it doesn’t like? You DO know, Sen. Collins, that no matter what the law says, they’ll just do whatever they want? So…go ahead and waste our time and pass this bill. I guess breaking your law will just be another item on the Bush Impeachment Docket when it finally arrives…
March 6th, 2006 at 9:30 amArbeit Macht Frei, those levees will be built for free.
http://www.usapa.army.mil/pdffiles/r210_35.pdf
Of course, the media will be monitored. In case of riots and disturbances, everything must be brought under control. ‘Civilian Labor Camps’ on US Army installations coming soon. No prisoners of war to do the harvesting. During World War II, German prisoners of war housed in the US were used to harvest crops in the Midwest.
Winston loves Big Brother.
March 6th, 2006 at 9:38 amNew day, more crap from the Bush regime…..My day’s could improve if we the people would get our country back from the liers and thieves……Blessings
March 6th, 2006 at 9:58 amAll of the above just goes to show one the sickness and depravity of the shrubs government.
Get rid of the pukes in 2006 and lets start over.
March 6th, 2006 at 9:59 amIt was only a matter of time before we could count on a ‘good american’ business like Halliburton to step in and ‘help out’ with the ports deal and all the $ that goes along with it
March 6th, 2006 at 10:18 amwhat’s up with the moony times??? there have been several times lately that TP has linked to that paper with relatively good stories, not the usual rightist propaganda … or am i mistaken?
March 6th, 2006 at 10:25 amOur nation is dying under the leadership of the Bush Regime!Employment opportunities are moving overseas and the American Dream is drying up before our very eyes! Homophobia is so rampant now, that even Hollywood is afraid to give “Best Picture Oscar” to Brokeback Mountain movie! Fear and hatred are being shoveled down our throats, by a warmongering idiotic president on prozac! We are doomed!
March 6th, 2006 at 10:29 amI wonder if this is the type of crap that was going on in Rome as it sunk into depravity on its way to the gladitorial events…
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11696916/
March 6th, 2006 at 10:32 amGoodbye Frying Pan, Hello Fire…
It was pretty hard to believe that the administration could screw up the Dubai Ports World scandal any more than they have already, regardless of what you think of the actual security concerns. But, well, they have, because their solution to this mess…
March 6th, 2006 at 10:36 am“North Carolina rebuts criticism that the Confederate flag is a racist symbol by holding an “all white†celebration at the state House chamber, singing “Dixie†and saluting “a Civil War-era state flag.—
Do they no know what the definition of ‘racist’ is? Unbelievable.
March 6th, 2006 at 10:37 amOpps – “Not Know”
March 6th, 2006 at 10:38 amDPI bought CSX World Terminals too. John Snow was instrumental in that deal too.
http://www.dpiterminals.com/fullnews.asp?NewsID=6
March 6th, 2006 at 10:50 amHalliburton. But of course. Is there anything they don’t do?
March 6th, 2006 at 10:53 am#18 – purvis ames,
March 6th, 2006 at 11:03 amEthics.
Speaking of the DHS Irony Level, how about:
March 6th, 2006 at 11:20 am“The Conservative Threat Level.”
And finally: North Carolina rebuts criticism that the Confederate flag is a racist symbol by holding an “all white†celebration at the state House chamber, singing “Dixie†and saluting “a Civil War-era state flag.â€
I grew up in NC. I can tell you that I honestly believe that even in this day and age, it is still a symbol of racism and belief in white supremacy. The effort to convince people that it is part of the heritage of the south is pure BS. Are there people in Germany who still fly the Nazi flag as part of their heritage? Because it’s the same damn thing.
March 6th, 2006 at 11:23 am#21 – Absolutely ann, well said. When I lived in Louisiana I often questioned why things were done a certain way, having just moved there from California. The prevailing attitude was, “This is the way we’ve always done it,” even if it really wasn’t working all that well for them. They’d look at me like I was nuts! I love the Northwest!!
March 6th, 2006 at 11:37 amAfter watchung 60 minutes last night about the prison gaurd being convicted and demoted,it was obvious that his orders were to enjoy his work.This mentality being fostered by the military is so destructive I cannot see how those soldiers will ever be of any use as civilians.After watching Andy Rooney last night I just have to say follow the money.It all comes home to roost in the pockets of those elite few who are hellbent on destroying the United States of America to demoralize everything we the people ever thought this country stood for.The basement crazies have delegated the real Americans to the basement.When will any of those elected officials stand by John Conyers and end this nightmare?
March 6th, 2006 at 12:43 pmGood post’s, I agree….Blessings
March 6th, 2006 at 12:58 pm[...] (via thinkprogress.org) Experts monitoring the $1.6 billion levee reconstruction project in New Orleans “say large sections of the rebuilt levee system will be substantially weaker than before the hurricane hit.†They cite shortcuts in the construction process and “weak, substandard†building materials. [...]
March 6th, 2006 at 1:06 pmImpeach Now!
While we are dragging our feet about impeaching George W. Bush the people in Iraq are still dying; the prisoners at Guantanamo are still being force fed and tortured; and in spite of the brouhaha over Dubai; This moron has just given military atomic secrets to India. Conyers should put into action his bill of impeachment now and not wait for more signatories.
Arianna Huffington said on national TV that we should wait until after 2008 until the Democrats have won the Congress. Our people are doing more running off at the mouth than we are doing thinking. It seems as though the mental defective Bush is able to commit atrocities on almost a daily basis. People are already dying as a result of global warming. Are we going to wait for a nuclear winter before we impeach this traitor when he has two and a half more years as a lame duck?
March 6th, 2006 at 1:10 pm“North Carolina rebuts criticism that the Confederate flag is a racist symbol by holding an “all white†celebration at the state House chamber, singing “Dixie†and saluting “a Civil War-era state flag.â€â€
Do they no know what the definition of ‘racist’ is? Unbelievable.
Comment by Bob Loblaw
Traitors. One and all. Traitors to Abe Lincoln, The American Flag, and the U.S. Constitution which their ancestors abandoned and forsake… Traitors..
March 6th, 2006 at 1:37 pm#3
There are other companies with capabilities to do what Halliburton does. Bechtel might be one-but that’s another can of worms all together. Look at what Halliburton actually does to understand that there are other companies that have (or could have) their capabilities.
To over simplify- what Halliburton does when given a task is to sub-contract through their subsidiaries and take a little off the top along the way. They are basically managers and perform no actual work. (Engineering, labor, equipment, etc., sub-contracted dozens of times.) I believe if you were see a flow sheet with Halliburton at the top broken down through subsidiaries to contractors to sub-contractors to actual labor- the pyramids size and depth would make your eyes pop. A percentage of the capital that changes hands along the chain makes it back to mother Halliburton. A staggering amount of capital.
It’s easy to see the potential for abuse but what’s convenient is the deniability of Halliburton itself. “A peon contractor ripped-off a peon subâ€. Not our problem- “FU- pay me†(from Goodfellas). With Halliburton, it appears that the crooked contractors are conspicuously well connected. Connections over capabilities.
I’m not big on conspiracy theories and don’t want to get into it here. In fairness, what Halliburton ideologically does is an important task involving great risk, financial and otherwise. It should be hiring and taking advice from the best in the perspective business instead of their buddies- maybe they are- but I hope not. Bad managment. They hired poorly and blew it- I believe they would rather the reconstruction went rosie in Iraq.
I think Halliburton is simply a crooked contractor with very deep roots and an agenda. Personally, I would like to see Halliburton and its entire structure barred from doing business with the US government. This is especially true of KBR.
There are alternatives to Halliburton and more specifically KBR. Bechtel is one. Bechtel has its own sordid past and conspieracy theories behind it but has a far better track record than KBR. Of note is that Bechtel is historically much more union friendly and subsequently more concerned with quality and safety of their craftsmen than KBR. (This I know first hand.) They tend to get more government contracts when the dems have power.
KBR is venomously anti-union and quite active in destroying the Building Trades portion of the AFL-CIO. (Primarily with the help of the ABC). Few people pay attention to this or care about the condition of trades unions but they are key in “fighting back”- but sadly weak.
The Halliburton issue is obviously very complex. If they are “fired” someone else has to step in. Not so sure contractors are willing to step into that pile left in/on Iraq. The ports are another story however. The US company of which they speak surely doesn’t have to have anything to do with Halliburton…I don’t buy the argument that they are the only ones capable of managment. But they might be the only ones that might get bonding for such a task. Complex.
Side bet- If Halliburton gets into the port “bid-ness” the Longshoremen have major problems within 2 years.
March 6th, 2006 at 1:40 pmSecretary of State Condoleezza Rice said, “I’ve asked why nobody saw it coming.â€
March 6th, 2006 at 2:39 pmJust a quick one for the record. Condi, while serving as Senior Director, of Soviet and East European Affairs in the National Security Council, and a Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs in the first Bushco operations, she claimed to have not seen the fall of the soviet union coming either. This behavior seems to be something all too common with her approach to foreign policy and shopping as well.
#29, spyder
March 6th, 2006 at 2:55 pmRice says she asked why nobody saw it coming. This is so ridiculous, it is absurd. She is the one who is/was expert on the Soviet Union — that was her specialty – her field of expertise – and she is blaming someone else for not being astute enough to see it coming?
Good grief — they are all alike. Phony, lying, self-absorbed, and in over their heads.
On “Meet the Press” Sunday March 5 General Peter Pace was one guest. He is a Bush indoctrinated individual, that has no opinions of his own. To his way of looking at things, Iraq is coming along just peachy keen. Being in the military I don’t think he can express his views, factually, else he would be demoted. Bush’s way of dealing with anyone that disagrees with his idiotic views.
March 6th, 2006 at 3:05 pm#26
People are already dying as a result of global warming.
Care to provide any evidence of this or is this just another delusion from your warped mind? Man cannot stop global warming anymore than he created it. The increases in temperature are caused by fluctuations in solar activity. This is why the Mars polar caps are also melting.
March 6th, 2006 at 3:07 pmNeo-Progs – Name for me another firm (besides the well-known French company) which has the wide-ranging capabilities of Halliburton – just one…..
March 6th, 2006 at 3:14 pmRe: psychological tests in Sadr City – would a neo-prog researcher find out how the Brits held up mentally during WWII – and the Blitz in particular.
#26
Here is a link to one of many articles backing up my claim:
http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/earth_sciences/report-49939.html
March 6th, 2006 at 3:20 pmhttp://www.wgint.com/about_us.html
March 6th, 2006 at 3:28 pm#35+
Compare to this-
http://www.halliburton.com/
March 6th, 2006 at 3:33 pmWow, we have been spending billions of dollars trying to find evidence of water on Mars and all we have to do is head North. Shit, call up NASA.
March 6th, 2006 at 3:33 pmMan cannot stop global warming anymore than he created it. The increases in temperature are caused by fluctuations in solar activity. This is why the Mars polar caps are also melting.
Comment by . — March 6, 2006 @ 3:07 pm
You should really read the articles you link to. From the article:
“Applying their analytical method to the solar output estimates by the Columbia group, Scafetta’s and West’s paper concludes that “the sun may have minimally contributed about 10 to 30 percent of the 1980-2002 global surface warming.”
This study does not discount that human-linked greenhouse gases contribute to global warming, they stressed. “Those gases would still give a contribution, but not so strong as was thought,” Scafetta said.”
The study indicates that instead of 100%, human activity “only” contributes 70 to 90%.
So, no matter how you spin it, human activity accounts for the bulk of greenhouse gases, i.e., we are the main cause of global warming.
Also, this just in:
March 6th, 2006 at 3:46 pmEvidence that humans are to blame for global warming is rising but governments are doing too little to counter the threat, the head of the United Nations climate panel said on Monday.
Global warming evidence grows -U.N. expert
any you’ll…?
March 6th, 2006 at 4:05 pmThat’s… and you’ll…?
March 6th, 2006 at 4:06 pmGERALD GIBSON IS RIGHT:THE CONFEDERATE FLAG REPRESENTS TREASPN!IDES[PISE IT.WHAT AMERICAN , WHAT SANE WHITE SOUTHERNER WOULD APPROVE OF IT? ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS MY PRESIDENT, NOT THAT TRAITOR .GEORGIA IS PART OF THE USA., NOT THAT SLAVE UNION.GEN.SHERMAN DID MY GEORGIA A GOOD DEED!
March 6th, 2006 at 4:48 pmWiscoDuk, Halliburton is planning on spinning off KBR in an IPO. They know about all the money has been made and the law suits are starting so “cut and run” with the money….
March 6th, 2006 at 9:47 pm#42
These are not dumb folks.
What needs to be stressed is there are alternatives to Halliburton. Check out their website and whats the first thing that hits you in the face? “Unleash The Energy”. Followed by:
They are all about oil and proud of it. “adds value” = makes money.
I’m sure someone can/will dig up some dirt on WGI, but they appear to be better suited for “the ports job”. Just not quite as well connected. Take the time to look at their website.
March 6th, 2006 at 10:24 pm#2 So Jesus wasn’t a messiah, and son of God, but only an enemy combatant to the Roman Empire, and the 3 martyrdom days were only “enhanced interrogation techniques” under the roman DHS?
March 7th, 2006 at 4:41 am#45 Oh, and /Sarcasm off
March 7th, 2006 at 4:41 amHomeland security in disarray? The contituent agencies couldn’t function properly seperately, as history shows. How in hell did they think they’d work together. It’s an underfunded boondoggle, it has never worked yet whilst spending billions of dollars in every direction on nonsensical programs such as border security only to have Bush decide to give the project to Dubai Ports World. Countless Arab people and Countries have SERIOUS issues to resolve with Bush in particular, and the US in General. There’s no way to vet all the employees of DPW! Now, it seems the levees being built are being built in weeks instead of years. They are of less quality than the ones that caved in the wake of Katrina. WHY WASTE THE MONEY!! If you don’t have the time or money to do the job right the first time, where in hell will you get the time and money to do it right the second time!! Well, we’ll be revisiting THIS debacle again.
March 7th, 2006 at 9:42 amSo much money was spent on new uniforms and changing all the paperwork that for the first year under Homeland security, Customs and Immigration officers were not allowed to work overtime therefore US ports were only covered Monday to Friday from 8-5 the rest of the time they was no coverage .
March 8th, 2006 at 12:27 amMaybe we should give New Orleans back to France since they are the ones that built in a silly spot to begin with.
March 15th, 2006 at 1:54 am#38 global warming? Hargwash- We are actually at the beginning of another ice age. no we can’t stop that either
March 15th, 2006 at 1:58 am