ThinkFast: August 19, 2006
ThinkFast: August 19, 2006
The Iraqi government has imposed a two-day vehicle ban in Baghdad, “in an effort to avoid bloodshed during a major Shiite festival this weekend.” During last year’s festival, approximately 1,000 pilgrims died as a crowd stampeded across a bridge after rumors spread that a suicide bomber was among them.
Mosque attendance is “plummeting” in Iraq as tens of thousands of Iraqis choose to pray at home out of safety concerns. “Gatherings at Friday Prayer are sometimes one-tenth the size of what they once were, and parents no longer send their children to mosques for spiritual lessons.”
680,000. Number of refugees pouring back into Lebanon, creating a “humanitarian emergency.”
“The estimated costs for the development of major weapons systems for the US military have doubled since September 11, 2001,” even though these weapons would have “little direct role” in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Lawmakers are concerned that defense officials are simply “using the conflicts and the war on terrorism to fulfill a wish-list of defense expenditures.”
Blaming high gas prices, Ford is planning to halt production at 10 plants by the end of the year, its largest production cuts “since the industry’s crisis of the 1980’s.”
FEMA has less than 84 percent of its authorized personnel, even though in March, the agency’s chief said that “he wanted his manpower strength to be at 95 percent by the start of hurricane season June 1.”
Hurricane Katrina “exposed the soft underbelly of America as it relates to dealing with race and class. … And I, to this day, believe that if that would have happened in Orange County, California, if that would have happened in South Beach, Miami, it would have been a different response,” said New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin yesterday in a speech.
And finally: Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) caught on camera napping during the U.S. Senate Farm Bill Field Hearing. Good night, Senator.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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Jolly good job………..?
Return Of The Religious Police
August 19th, 2006 at 9:46 amAfghanistan OKs plan to re-establish strict Islamic institution once feared by many Afghans.
JUST IN:
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – A son-in-law of al Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawahri was the mastermind of a plot to blow up transatlantic airliners unearthed in Britain this month, a Pakistani newspaper said on Saturday.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060819/ts_nm/security_britain_pakistan_dc_2
Remember how Dubya released all Bil Laden’s relatives days after 9/11 ?? There’s your commander in chief protecting America !!
August 19th, 2006 at 9:59 amNote that even one of these stories is a major nightmare in and of itself, the fact that there are that many screwups on a daily basis is cause to question the sanity and competence of our current administration.
August 19th, 2006 at 10:01 am“You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice.
If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.
You can choose from phantom fears and kindness that can kill;
I will choose a path that’s clear
I will choose freewill.”
N. Peart
August 19th, 2006 at 10:07 amLet’s see should we make a troll post just to liven things up – Well Mainah if you choose freewill then you’re helping the terrorists because we all have to follow Gerge Bush’s plan or the terrorists will destroy us all with hairgel.
August 19th, 2006 at 10:11 amYeah, I second your proposal, bones. Clearly Mainah hates America. And what is with that foreign sounding name, anyway? Probably a member of Hezbollah. And, typical of terrorist sympathizing Democrats, Mainah can only come up with an ad hominem attack on real Americans.
August 19th, 2006 at 10:27 amOur nation is caught in a spiral of militarism and weapons spending which will leadu ultimately to our economic and political collapse. In the modern world diplomacy and a resonable post-imperial foreign policy is far more effective and far less costly. We need to break away from our national absession with miltarism and invest in education, science and infrastucture.
August 19th, 2006 at 10:27 amHah! Jaded Prole must not have gotten the memo. Education and science are the enemy! And infrastructure is something to be destroyed, not made!
August 19th, 2006 at 10:28 amI forgot to say something in post #5. Go Joe Lieberman! You are a true Democrat! (Just ignore the articles about Joe getting loads of help from the Republicans, and polling at 75% among Republican voters. Nothing to see here, folks. Just move along.)
August 19th, 2006 at 10:30 amFEMA has less than 84 percent of its authorized personnel, even though in March, the agency’s chief said that “he wanted his manpower strength to be at 95 percent by the start of hurricane season June 1.â€
How is this possible? I knowthe government has a lot of red tape and it takes a long time to get approval for hiring but this just seems to have a total lack of importance. Guess Bush can be bothered with this. And before trolls jump onto the “It isn’t Bush’s responsibility to oversee every Federal Dept.” line. Remember a while back when Reagan stepped in on a crisis of Federal workers and fired air traffic controllers and replaced them. That was directly handled by the president in a time of crisis. But responsibility has a different meaning when it comes tot he Bush family I guess.
August 19th, 2006 at 10:34 am“And in the day’s that followed
I listened to his words
I strained to understand him
I chased his thoughts like birds”,
.
August 19th, 2006 at 10:36 amBlaming high gas prices, Ford is planning to halt production at 10 plants by the end of the year
Gee, Ford is reacting to outside influeneces and making sound judgements that will save the company financially. Too bad they didn’t have that ability when they decided that making ginormous vehicles was a good idea as a gas crisis was approaching. Guess they didn’t see what other car makers were doing either. Must not have attended any car shows or looked at sales data worldwide. Oooopps. Their bad. Now American workers have to pay the price. But I am sure they will receive their usual bonuses for saving the company.
August 19th, 2006 at 10:39 amIn the councils of government, we must stand guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.- Dwight D. Eisenhower
August 19th, 2006 at 10:40 am[Channeling a wingnut]:
“Two day vehicle ban in Baghdad? What’s the big deal? They close of Main Street here in downtown Wingnutville every 4th of July for a parade. What are you liberals worried about?”
August 19th, 2006 at 10:40 amI’m a living sunset
Lightning in my bones
Push me to the edge
But my will is stone
Fools will be fools
And wise will be wise
But I will look this world
Straight in the eyes
What good is a man
Who won’t take a stand
What good is a cynic
With no better plan
Reality is sharp
It cuts at me like a knife
Everyone I know
Is in the fight of their life
Take your face out of your hands
And clear your eyes
You have a right to your dreams
And don’t be denied
I believe in a better way
August 19th, 2006 at 10:45 amBen Harper
Maureen Dowd on The Bicycle Chief: “’If you never take the training wheels off a kid’s bicycle,’’ Wolfie would say, “he’ll never learn to ride without them.’ … W. is sick of holding on to the bike as his legacy crashes. He wants to see some gratitude from his charges — pronto.â€
It’s this paternal condescension that’s always characterized this administration and their Republican apologists in general. Another goodie from Mo Do.
August 19th, 2006 at 10:55 amWell guys, after last night’s troll shit explosion, I figured turnabout is fair play. I went to a reichwing blog site (free republic) and posted a comment under the topic of Eleanor Clift. One troll called her Democrap. I returned the compliment calling the Bushco spewings Republicrap. I probably should use a stopwatch to see how fast it’s deleted and I’m banned from there.
August 19th, 2006 at 11:12 amGood Morning Madashell and all, another day in bizarro bush world……How’s the weather Mad.? Great here…..Think we are in for a nasty winter and lot’s of Ford workers are going to get cold after they loose their jobs…….CNN and all new’s still on the Ramsey case like flies on stink. Very little else. Without TP and other net sites would never know of the non stop wars and madness………..Blessings
August 19th, 2006 at 11:15 amSen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) caught on camera napping during the U.S. Senate Farm Bill Field Hearing. Good night, Senator.
He’s exhausted from non-stop loud-mouthed gum flapping. Nappy time…
THANKS FOR THE WEEKEND THINK FAST, TP!!!!!
August 19th, 2006 at 11:20 amMorning Sharon – the sun is shining and its going to be another hot one (for my neck of the woods, anyway). No rain in site for two WHOLE weeks. Not really normal, but hopefully this winter will make up for it. I guess its okay, though, I don’t have a lawn to mow since its turned brown. There’s a street fair today, and I’ve been talking (again) into being part of the parade, it’s always a load of fun though.
I posted yesterday about the nazi propaganda and how they OWNED the media. Same thing here – but at least we have other reputable sources to go to, which the German people did not have. The only difference. That’s why I have no patience left for the downright lies and the people who believe them. But I will always try and remain ever hopeful, its really all that’s left. Peace to you, Sharon, and do have a wonderful weekend.
August 19th, 2006 at 11:23 amZooey and all, have you been getting the daily emails from Think progress these past two weeks.?…..I mean the American Progress report. I use to get them 5 day’s a week, now none and keep sending in the sign up thingie…..Wondering what’s up.?…….Blessings
August 19th, 2006 at 11:26 amI posted this last weekend – but here it is aain, because we all need to smile every now and then…
HOPE
August 19th, 2006 at 11:29 am“Blaming high gas prices, Ford is planning to halt production at 10 plants by the end of the year, its largest production cuts “since since the industry’s crisis of the 1980’s.â€
August 19th, 2006 at 11:31 amIf Ford had a lick of management sense, they’d be rushing to license the Tesla technology and mass producing efficient electric cars.
Well folks, it did not take long for free republic to delete my comment and ban me from their site. Ahh, what great defenders of the Bill of Rights. Free republic = free speech but ONLY ON THEIR terms. Nazis all.
August 19th, 2006 at 11:35 amAin’t it good to see that Iraqis now have freedom of religion. Freedom to worship in their homes since the level of fear has risen to the point where they won’t go to Mosque. My good Pakistani friend tells me that in Islam, going to the Mosque for Friday prayers is a huge part of their faith. It’s like telling Catholics to attend Mass in their living room, without a priest.
August 19th, 2006 at 11:37 amMadashell, sounds like fun..Know we live in the same (sorta) neck of the wood’s…One more week and I get to hug Clydesdales and eat fair food at the Evergreen Fair….I usualy go 2 or 3 times during the couple of week’s it’s on……Know about the lawn thing all our’s are brown as well…Can’t water here, there are 12 famalies on the one well and I won’t risk it with the water table dropping so low. Hottest summer I remember for this area…First year to have red tomatoes and the berries were weeks early…….Gotta clean my mouse….LOL…… the damn thing isn’t working well..Later….Blessings
August 19th, 2006 at 11:37 amThe truce was broken because Israel couldn’t accept they lost. So with the help of Satan aka Bush Israel invaded Lebanon again to kill more people and cause more damage. Notice how Lebanon got help in rebuilding the country and to help the people. It didn’t take 5 days like it did in the US with the Katrina victims. Bush is mad because the Iran/Syria Presidents are smarting then him. Iran can give as much money as it wants to help Lebanon because of the oil. Thanks to Bush/Cheney/Haliburton Iraq has to now buy oil. Once rich in oil but because of the illegal invasion of the US, Iraq has to buy oil. Bush will and has destroyed anything he touches. How we’ll hear the spin of why Israel attacked Lebanon most likely they’ll say it was because some woman/children advanced first or they had a feeling something would happen so they defended themselves against a thought.
August 19th, 2006 at 11:42 amFree republic = free speech but ONLY ON THEIR terms. Nazis all.
Comment by Ho Chi Minh
Glad you made it back from Freeperland in one piece, Uncle Ho. That’s sick and dangerous territory…
August 19th, 2006 at 11:46 amYou are brave Ho Chi Minh – I just don’t have the heart to read their twisted logic, I get enough of that here.
August 19th, 2006 at 11:50 ammadashell,
Can you imagine what it’s like in Freeperland? I imagine they would feel as comfortable as we do, and are pretty open with their thoughts and ideas, too. Except it’s all ugly and twisted… *shudder*
August 19th, 2006 at 11:55 amAugust 19th, 2006 at 11:56 am
Zooey, madashell, Worf & others. Like I said, since the trollcrap last night, I thought I should return the kindness. I just fired off an e-mail thanking them for being such staunch defenders of the Bill of Rights and closed with a seig heil you nazi bastards.
August 19th, 2006 at 11:56 am
Blaming high gas prices, Ford is planning to halt production at 10 plants by the end of the year, its largest production cuts “since since the industry’s crisis of the 1980’s.â€
dumb greedy ford executives decided to continue building big-ass SUVs that no one wants anymore. The lack of vision in this country not only extends to the boardroom but also to the political area and beyond. America is in serious trouble unless we get some decent leadership in all areas of our society to reverse a trend of decline.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:01 pmNothing frightens the right wingers more than bona fide, reality-based debate.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:07 pm#21 – Sharon — Wanted to note that while we are still blogging on ThinkProgress, our newsletter, The Progress Report, is on break. It will return on Aug. 28. Thanks for the concern!
August 19th, 2006 at 12:14 pmHeh, heh, ain’t I a Stinker?-Bugs Bunny
Comment by Ho Chi Minh
Yeah, but you’re our stinker, Uncle Ho. *sniff*
August 19th, 2006 at 12:16 pmSen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) caught on camera napping during the U.S. Senate Farm Bill Field Hearing.
Who wouldn’t sleep during that boring thing? He’s still going to beat Tester. Tester is a dailykos liberal. There’s no way a left winger like that will win in Montana.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:19 pmWell guys, I gotta run, off to a birthday party. check back later.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:19 pmGood morning all, for some reason, I am unable to post at work anymore. So until they can get the problem sorted out, you won’t see much from me.
I was talking to my wife who is from detroit, and she sees the closures as ruinous to the detroit michigan area. Ford may be making a sound financial decision, but Detroit will most likely suffer heavily.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:19 pmAdam,
isn’t the governer of Montana a dem? Just asking a question.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:20 pmGo Joe Lieberman! You are a true Democrat!
He currently leads by 12 points.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:21 pmisn’t the governer of Montana a dem? Just asking a question.
A Dem, but he’s conservative. Tester is a died in the wool liberal. Won’t play in Montana. The Dems should have nominated that other guy, the moderate. Morrison I think his name was.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:26 pmKrazny,
Great to see you! I can read TP from work, but only if I come here in a roundabout fashion, not directly, because it will shutdown pronto. But no way can I comment. So if I get a few minutes, I read up on the insanity of the day, and save reading the comments until after work. Last night on TP was simply insane!
August 19th, 2006 at 12:28 pmGood morning all
Good morning to you too. I’m a conservative, so I hope my opinions are welcome here.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:28 pmZooey, I live in a very blue county – but there are a few who dare to spew their rhetoric every now and again in our local paper (comes out once a week) – but by the next week at least 10 letters are written back from our side of the line…(I hate that there is this division). Well, I’m off to enjoy this glorious day with good people such as yourselves! Have a wonderful weekend, all, and KEEP THE HOPE ALIVE!
August 19th, 2006 at 12:30 pmNot sure what he deal is, can read just fine, but when I post, I get the TP spam filter thinks you are spam your post will be reviewed, blah, blah, blah.
Adam, I wonder how dyed in the wool he actually is, or if his opponent spends alot of time painting him as such. I mean in Montana, if you say I will uphold the second amendment, and keep taxes down you should be okay. I have a feeling from reading you previous posts, you are so partisan, that you wouldn’t recognize a moderate if it bit you in the ass.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:31 pmHave a great day, madashell! I’m off, too. And I’m outta here…
Play nicely, all ya’ll!
August 19th, 2006 at 12:36 pmAdam, I wonder how dyed in the wool he actually is, or if his opponent spends alot of time painting him as such.
Tester is actually one of the rare successes of Dailykos endorsed candidates. Kos has proven that he can win only in a primary, but he got one in Tester.
I mean in Montana, if you say I will uphold the second amendment, and keep taxes down you should be okay.
Yep, but Republicans lucked out on this one, because the Dems nominated the more liberal guy. I know Burns was happy about it.
I have a feeling from reading you previous posts, you are so partisan, that you wouldn’t recognize a moderate if it bit you in the ass.
That’s not true. John McCain, Susan Colins and Olimpia Snow are all moderates. And they are quite popular Republicans.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:43 pmAdam did you mean to say they can only win in the primary instead of he? I am not trying to attack you typing god knows I make plenty of mistakes, just trying to make sure I understand your point. I don’t read Daily Kos, and have limited knowledge of Montana politics. Not a resident. Personally I would like to see the moderate side of the republican party take charge, just like I would like to see the moderates in the dem party be in control.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:54 pm#46, moreover, Susan Collins just endorsed Joe Lieberman. She’s very popular. Who are the voters going to like more, Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton endorsing Ned Lamont, or a cautious moderate like Collins endorsing Lieberman? I think Lieberman is going to beat Lamont.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:57 pmPersonally I would like to see the moderate side of the republican party take charge, just like I would like to see the moderates in the dem party be in control.
Comment by Krazny — August 19, 2006 @ 12:54 pm
Plays to the reality that ‘everything in moderation’ is a pretty good guide in life. Very few things are good in excess… If anything.
We certainly need to keep the extremists on both sides of the fence on short leashes. They just do way too much damage representing their tiny little minority opinions. But, frankly, if i had to choose between left wing extremists and right wing extremists, I’d rather be red than dead :)
August 19th, 2006 at 12:58 pmAdam did you mean to say they can only win in the primary instead of he?
What I meant was that, so far, the candidates that Dailykos has endorsed have only won in Democrat primaries (Tester and Lamont). That’s fine. But he has yet to show that his guys, his very liberal guys, can actially win a general election.
August 19th, 2006 at 12:59 pmI think Lieberman is going to beat Lamont.
Comment by Adam Baum — August 19, 2006 @ 12:57 pm
In 2.5 months anything can happen. I’m not making any predictions. The sheeple in this country are too fickle. Though, if Iraq keeps heading south and the price of gas hits $4, you can probably forget Lieberman. Even the moderates are moving left of center to distance themselves from the neocon nuts.
August 19th, 2006 at 1:01 pmPeople everywhere are so fearful of terrorism that they are running around accidentally killing each other. When will this ever stop?
August 19th, 2006 at 1:13 pmBut he has yet to show that his guys, his very liberal guys, can actially win a general election.
Comment by Adam Baum — August 19, 2006 @ 12:59 pm
I guess the proof or lack there of will be on election day. I am still up in the air on whether the support lamont received from Daily Kos and other web sites, was a good or bad thing. I am hoping that it may leed to more grassroots, and other type of support.
Unbelievable, I totally agree, the moderates need to run the country not the extrems. The biggest problem is the fringes tend to scream the loudest.
August 19th, 2006 at 1:14 pmUnbelievable, I totally agree, the moderates need to run the country not the extrems. The biggest problem is the fringes tend to scream the loudest.
Comment by Krazny — August 19, 2006 @ 1:14 pm
Perhaps it’s time to – culturally – start treating the loud people the same way we treat those who scream loudly in crowded theatres and grocery stores?
I’ve noticed that people are learning to be the squeaky wheel to get their way in life. It’s pretty obnoxious…
August 19th, 2006 at 1:32 pmAmanda #35, thank’s for the response….Hope I start getting the email’s again soon.
Adam Baum, having lived in Montana and planning to return soon I have some insight as to the way they and I think…..Most Montana folk’s are wonderful people. Hunting, fishing farming and wide open spaces are the norm. As you know we alway’s looked out for our neighbors and politics were not an issue when it came to your neighbors and sheere survival during a hard winter….
.Living in much of Montana is like stepping back in time, well, where I was anyway……Politics are conservative leaning, much like the old time conservatives. Nothing like the neo-con’s we have now……Even an old bleeding heart libral like me agreed with much and had wonderful debates (not shouting matches) with their views. Like many have pointed out here today, there are few moderates on either side anymore….Where I live now is a blue state and the radical right that live here are down right mean…..I see them and am in contact with them on a daily bases…..In fact if I had not been aware of my surroundings could of been taken out, literly, last week in a Safeway parking lot by a radical right winged nut case, skin head…..Yep! fact. No I was not packing, another plus in Montana, but had parked in such a way he was not able to get to me……All because of my bumper stickers saying to impeach bush and bring our troops home……..It’s not a safe world any more. Hasen’t been since bush was installed, my opinion ………I send Blessings and look forward to debates with moderates and any old conservative thinking……By the way Olympia Snow is one of the good one’s……Joe Lieberman is not now a Democrat…….He is baught and paid for by the radical reich and is a strong Irael supporter which is more war….More of my opinion……
August 19th, 2006 at 1:52 pm#4 – Mainah, nice post. I haven’t seen you post before. I hope you continue. And I hope you realize the ones following your post were not making fun of you, but of some of the right-wing posters who frequent this site.
August 19th, 2006 at 2:34 pmThe American far left wants:
Equal rights for all. To have the children of America well educated and happy. To have the people of America all able to afford a roof over their heads and food on their tables. To have the people of the rest of the world respect America. To keep Americans safe from real dangers, such as crime, enviromental disasters and unjust government. To avoid a police state. To neutralise terrorism by treating it just like any other crime. To not need a big military. The state to be neutral to race, creed and religion.
The American Far Right wants.
Equal rights for all Americans who agree with them. To have the rich children of America educated and happy, who cares about the rest. To have the people of the rest of the world fear America. To keep Americans safe from imaginary dangers, such competing economic systems, the wrath of god, and Islamofascism. Normal vanilla fascism is evidently okay, but I am sure they have their doubts about chocolate fascism. To have a police state. To neutralise terrorism by killing lots of people and scaring the fight out of the survivors. To have a big military. The state to be the final arbiter of what race, creed and religion is acceptable within its borders.
August 19th, 2006 at 3:18 pmThis Just In at Brasstv.com:
Politically motivated arrests of innocent people, designed
for maximum media impact to terrorize YOU.
That’s what the “War on Terror” is all about.
In less than five years, these scary stories have cost
Americans $430 BILLION – not including the over $300 BILLION
spent on the Iraq War – and not to mention the loss of our
Bill of Rights protections.
How serious was the “liquid bomb” threat?
Here’s a clip of some overly ambitious TV journalists who
let the cat out of the bag before the story “solidified.”
Someone must have slapped the reporters back into place
after this clip aired because the line of inquiry they
opened was never continued.
Short clip:
http://www.brasscheck.com/videos/911/9116.html
August 19th, 2006 at 4:38 pmCorrection:
August 19th, 2006 at 4:43 pmIt is http://www.brasscheck.com
The armaments doubling since 911 is the direct cause of the administrations faulty middle east program.
The mass of weapons and planes are meant for Israel, who, in concert with the neo-cons have promised to keep the middle east riled up so that the US and Israel can eventually control the whole area.
About one third of the pentagon budget goes to the supplying of Israel with arms, ammunition, planes and patrol boats.
BTW, you just know that it would be Israel to break the truce. The truce is not worth the paper it was written on because Rice and the rest of the ignorant state department officials, bush neo-cons all, had a hand in it.
August 19th, 2006 at 8:38 pmLawmakers are concerned that defense officials are simply “using the conflicts and the war on terrorism to fulfill a wish-list of defense expenditures.â€
Oh they think maybe Pentagon is exploiting the war on terrorism, huh…? Gee.
August 19th, 2006 at 11:48 pmThere are two reasons that the war in Iraq is not going to end any time soon.
1. The Iraqis don’t want it to end. They know that if they “stand up†and the US soldiers leave, the money from the US pouring into that country will eventually stop. They don’t want their sugar daddy to leave. They will milk this for every penny they can.
2. Military contractors, including Halliburton, don’t want it to end. They are making a lot of money on this war. Stop the war and the money stops.
The only way that the war is going to end is for the US to give the Iraqis a deadline for departure. Once they realize that the sugar daddy is moving out then you will see them standing up real fast. We can not be expected to baby-sit the Iraqis forever while they have a civil war.
We have been in Iraq almost as long as we fought World War II. It’s time to give a deadline and leave.
August 20th, 2006 at 7:32 amAug 20, 3:12 AM EDT
AP Investigation Finds More Than 80 Military Recruiters Disciplined for Sexual Misconduct
By MARTHA MENDOZA
AP National Writer
“More than 100 young women who expressed interest in joining the military in the past year were preyed upon sexually by their recruiters. Women were raped on recruiting office couches, assaulted in government cars and groped en route to entrance exams.”
Continued: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/R/RECRUITERS_SEX?SITE=MNCLO&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
August 20th, 2006 at 9:01 am