ThinkFast: February 25, 2008
ThinkFast: February 25, 2008
“A year after a scandal erupted over the long-term treatment of soldiers at the hospital, the Army has turned to Disney for help. ‘Service, Disney Style‘ is newly required for all military and other government employees at Walter Reed.”
More and more economists foresee the country falling into a recession, according to the latest survey by the National Association for Business Economics. “The group said in a report being released Monday that 45 percent of the economists on its forecasting panel expect a recession this year.”
Yesterday, a suicide bomber attacked a large group of Shiite pilgrims heading to the southern Iraqi city of Karbala to commemorate the death of one of the religion’s major figures, Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. At least 56 pilgrims died in that attack, while two other roadside bombs targeting pilgrims went off in eastern Baghdad wounding four.
The Bush administration announced on Saturday that “wiretaps will resume under the current law ‘at least for now,’” as “telecommunications companies have agreed to cooperate ‘for the time being’ with spy agencies’ wiretaps.”
Last week, Talking Points Memo was awarded a George Polk Award for its coverage of the firing of eight United States attorneys. The New York Times writes the award signified for many that “anyone can assume the mantle of reporting on the pressing issues affecting the nation and the world, with the imprimatur of a mainstream media outlet or not.”
The number of troops and their families “seeking help from a Pentagon employee-assistance hotline — often linked to war deployments — has grown 40% every year since 2004.” The calls, which provide “confidential sessions with a licensed therapist,” underscore concerns “that more and longer combat tours strain troops and their families.”
Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard public policy lecturer Linda Bilmes write, “We have attempted to identify how much we have been spending — and how much we will, in the end, likely have to spend” for the Iraq war. They conclude: “The figure we arrive at is more than $3 trillion.”
Women’s lives in Afghanistan are “worse than ever.” A new report finds that violent attacks against women “are at epidemic proportions with 87 per cent of females complaining of such abuse — half of it sexual. More than 60 per cent of marriages are forced.”
Following plans by Stanford and Harvard to dramatically cut tuition for poorer students, Brown University announced today it will eliminate tuition for students whose parents earn less than $60,000.
And finally: Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney may not have won the GOP nomination for president, but he did win a Chicago Dental Society poll for “best smile.” Forty-five percent of dentists thought preferred Romney’s pearly whites over all the other presidential candidates. On the Democratic side, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and former senator John Edwards “were neck and neck at 38 percent and 36 percent of the vote.” Coming in last? Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), with just six percent of the vote.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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Kucinich to Investigate 9/11 Insider Trading; Hold Hearings on Responders’ Health
“I’m not afraid to ask questions about 9/11″
Congressman Dennis Kucinich revealed that he is initiating an investigation into the insider trading that took place leading up to 9/11, particularly in regards to put options placed on American Airlines and United Airlines stock.
Kucinich said that he had personal questions about the implications insider trading had.
“I’ve indicated a long-standing interest in gathering information and trying to get to the bottom of exactly what happened with respect to all the stock activity that took place preceding 9/11.” Kucinich said.
…”First of all, I’m not afraid to ask questions about 9/11,” Kucinich told the Alex Jones Show.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/31262
*** Please contribute, if you can, to Dennis Kucinich’s re-election campaign. Only days are left. http://www.Kucinich.us
February 25th, 2008 at 9:02 amGM Exec Stands by Calling Global Warming a “Total Crock of Shitâ€
DETROIT — General Motors Corp Vice Chairman Bob Lutz has defended remarks he made dismissing global warming as a “total crock of shit,†saying his views had no bearing on GM’s commitment to build environmentally friendly vehicles.
Lutz, GM’s outspoken product development chief, has been under fire from Internet bloggers since last month when he was quoted as making the remark to reporters in Texas.
In a posting on his GM blog on Thursday, Lutz said those “spewing virtual vitriol†at him for minimizing the threat of climate change were “missing the big picture.â€
“What they should be doing in earnest is forming opinions, not about me but about GM and what this company is doing that is … hugely beneficial to the causes they so enthusiastically claim to support,†he said in a posting titled, “Talk About a Crock.â€
…“My thoughts on what has or hasn’t been the cause of climate change have nothing to do with the decisions I make to advance the cause of General Motors,†he wrote.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/23/7251/
February 25th, 2008 at 9:02 amCBS transponder fails in Alabama during “60 Minutes” segment on Siegelman.
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/60_Minutes_broadcast_on_prosecution_of_0225.html
What an unpredictable coincidince!!!
February 25th, 2008 at 9:07 am2Million, they had that last friday: http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/22/gm-exec-global-warming-still-a-crock-of-sht/
February 25th, 2008 at 9:07 amI can just see the results of “Service, Disney Style” being given to our wounded veterans. On the one hand, service will be delivered professionally, with a friendly smile and lots of patience. On the other hand, no information will ever be given unless it’s specifically asked for.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:09 am‘Service, Disney Style‘ is newly required for all military and other government employees at Walter Reed.â€
Just what the wounded needed, service Donald Duck style.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:09 amQuack, quack.
“wiretaps will resume under the current law ‘at least for now,’†as “telecommunications companies have agreed to cooperate ‘for the time being’ with spy agencies’ wiretaps.â€
How many believe they actually have all their warrants in order? raise you right hand….
February 25th, 2008 at 9:12 amOn the other hand, no information will ever be given unless it’s specifically asked for.
Comment by missmolly — February 25, 2008 @ 9:09 am
And veterans will b e expected to stand in line for at least two hours to see an animatronic doctor.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:13 amThe Bush administration announced on Saturday that “wiretaps will resume under the current law ‘at least for now,’†as “telecommunications companies have agreed to cooperate ‘for the time being’ with spy agencies’ wiretaps.â€
awesome! more ammo to impeach bush… another admission of breaking the law….
February 25th, 2008 at 9:15 amWomen’s lives in Afghanistan are “worse than ever.†A new report finds that violent attacks against women “are at epidemic proportions with 87 per cent of females complaining of such abuse — half of it sexual. More than 60 per cent of marriages are forced.â€
———————————————–
It’s getting harder to see what’s better for the Afghan women. Under the Taliban, they weren’t getting sexually assaulted, but they couldn’t get education, medical care, or many other things women of other countries take for granted.
And it doesn’t sound like they have such a good deal now, either.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:15 amWhat did TP miss? I’m looking here & all over the net for write ups on the Don Siegelman scandal expose that aired last night on 60 Minutes. CBS apparently buried this story pretty well by airing it opposite the Oscars. HuffPost has something, everyplace else (so far) has nada.
Here’s a link to transcript & vid of Siegelman expose from 60 Mins:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/21/60minutes/main3859830.shtml
February 25th, 2008 at 9:16 am2Million, they had that last friday: http://thinkprogress.org/ 2008/ 02/ 22/ gm-exec-global-warming-still-a-crock-of-sht/
Sorry, didn’t see it, thanks!
February 25th, 2008 at 9:16 am‘Service, Disney Style‘ is newly required for all military and other government employees at Walter Reed.â€
Makes sense to me. We’ve had Goofy as Commander in Chief for 7 years.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:17 amChris Matthews is the most vivid example of all that is wrong with political coverage. He’s endlessly obsessed with personality-based politics and likes to promote the strong, masculine tough guy who you can have a beer with, versus the nerdy loser. And he has a cast of characters who go on his show, like Newsweek’s Howard Fineman, who gush over the maleness of the Republican candidates and warn Democrats about how that has real appeal to American voters. Most political reporters judge candidates on the basis of the likeability factor–Matthews is just more explicit about it. It resembles the high school mindset more than anything else. And because they have been trained to view Republican leaders as the cool, popular high school quarterbacks, and Democrats as the geeky, overly serious losers, they want to be liked by Republicans, and finally become part of that clique by deriding and mocking the nerdy liberals.
- Glenn Greenwald interviewed by Harpers Magazine 2/08
http://harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002466
February 25th, 2008 at 9:17 amDid everyone see this polling question at CNN.com? It’s something you would expect at Fox.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:18 amWrite to them and tell them what you think.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0208/CNNs_question_Obamas_patriotism.html
The Bush administration announced on Saturday that “wiretaps will resume under the current law ‘at least for now,’†as “telecommunications companies have agreed to cooperate ‘for the time being’ with spy agencies’ wiretaps.â€
———————————————
Um…what’s wrong with getting warrants?
February 25th, 2008 at 9:18 amBush has admitted to conducting wholesale warrentless wiretaps in the past. Why should we believe that after years of breaking the law, he will now obey it?
February 25th, 2008 at 9:18 amSome people would call this a return to “traditional marriage.”
February 25th, 2008 at 9:20 amSome people would call this a return to “traditional marriage.â€
Comment by Briseadh na Faire — February 25, 2008 @ 9:20 am
Oooh, good one.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:20 amOn the other hand, no information will ever be given unless it’s specifically asked for.
Comment by missmolly — February 25, 2008 @ 9:09 am
And veterans will b e expected to stand in line for at least two hours to see an animatronic doctor.
Comment by toasterhead — February 25, 2008 @ 9:13 am
I wonder how “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” will affect Tinkerbell……
February 25th, 2008 at 9:22 amSome people would call this a return to “traditional marriage.â€
Comment by Briseadh na Faire — February 25, 2008 @ 9:20 am
Who, James Dobson?
February 25th, 2008 at 9:23 amFrom the article:
Only the Siegelman section went dark. According to WHNT-TV, the local CBS affiliate, the issue was caused by a technical malfunction.
“We apologize that you missed the first segment of 60 Minutes tonight featuring a report titled, ‘The Prosecution of Don Siegelman,’” a WHNT story said.
…
“NewsChannel 19 lost our program feed from CBS. Upon investigation, WHNT has learned that the CBS receiver that allows us to receive programming from CBS failed,” the story added. “WHNT engineers responded as quickly as possible to restore the feed at 6:12 p.m.”
Right, I’ll bet the engineers were able to plug the receivers in as soon as political operatives allowed them to do so.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:25 amDid everyone see this polling question at CNN.com? It’s something you would expect at Fox.
Comment by Marie — February 25, 2008 @ 9:18 am
Typical example of a push-poll question, designed to plant doubt in the minds of the gullible regarding Obama’s patriotism.
I notice nobody is asking any questions about HRC’s patriotism. Or McCain’s. Or Huckabee’s. Or even Ron Paul’s. Furthermore, I can’t remember any poll question regarding any candidate’s patriotism in any previous election.
And you bet I’m going to write to CNN and tell them what I think.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:28 am#16 – “Um…what’s wrong with getting warrants?” Comment by missmolly — February 25, 2008 @ 9:18 am
They couldn’t just wire-tap anyone they wanted. They’d have to show proof for why they wanted the wiretap, and that’s something that the Bush Admin just doesn’t want to do.
For some reason, the so-called party of “take personal responsibility” refuses to take personal responsibility for their actions.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:28 am#22- this is Soviet-style censorship & something they should lose their broadcast license over. Scott Horton has a write up on the “convenient” AL blackout of the Siegelman expose:
http://harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002487
February 25th, 2008 at 9:32 am#22- this is Soviet-style censorship & something they should lose their broadcast license over.
Comment by And Yet… — February 25, 2008 @ 9:32 am
Do you think John McCain will pressure the FCC Commissioners to make sure WHNT’s license is renewed?
February 25th, 2008 at 9:35 am“Service, Disney Style” is newly required for all military and other government employees at Walter Reed.
Fitting, for a Mickey-Mouse operation. It gets better:
“The Army is paying Disney $800,000 to help revamp attitudes at the hospital.”
Was this another no-bid contract? Was Bugs Bunny shut out? Marvel comics? Tales from the Crypt?
Ok, now that I’ve gotten that out of my system….employees at Disney Resorts are all highly trained to make their guests experiences as positive as possible. If this means cleaning up Walter Reed and treating our wounded service men and women right, I’m all for it.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:36 amFrom the Wapo Disney/Walter Reed story:
The oft-cranky Disney cartoon character, wearing his blue sailor jacket and cap, was in a palpable rage. His webbed feet had lifted off the ground, his beak was gaping, and his white-gloved hands were tightly clutching an old-fashioned two-piece telephone
We can clearly see he’s frustrated. Why do we think he’s frustrated?”
Umm….because he’s only got three fingers, isn’t wearing pants and although the NSA is listening in on the phone call he’s not getting any assistance?
I’ve sat through a few mandatory “customer service training sessions†–ironically always held during customer service hours—during my few years in the corporate world, but this is the crappiest most insulting thing I’ve ever heard of.
As reported, the staff are being treated like six-year olds.
What should be changed, surely, is the management and the organization systems, not the goddamn vocabulary!
February 25th, 2008 at 9:37 amComment by Democrat Soldier — February 25, 2008 @ 9:28 am
Right. If they wanted a warrant to listen in on the phone conversations of someone suspected of terrorist activity (or plotting thereof), I doubt there would be a problem. The “proof” needed to get such a warrant doesn’t really need to be ironclad these days.
On the other hand, listening in on the phone conversations of, say, political enemies would be different. It’s a bit tougher to get a warrant for that. But very easy to do if the law permits warrantless wiretapping.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:37 amKucinich to Investigate 9/11 Insider Trading; Hold Hearings on Responders’ Health
“I’m not afraid to ask questions about 9/11″
You gotta love Kucinich. He’s in trouble in his reelection bid because the corporations are gunning for him. And what does he do? He pokes them in the eye. We need 100 Dennis Kucinich’s in Congress.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:38 amAnd Yet,
they won’t lose their license if it was Government officials who ordered the plug pulled!
February 25th, 2008 at 9:41 am#29 – “On the other hand, listening in on the phone conversations of, say, political enemies would be different. It’s a bit tougher to get a warrant for that. But very easy to do if the law permits warrantless wiretapping.” Comment by missmolly — February 25, 2008 @ 9:37 am
You’ve got THAT right!
It’s interesting that when Pres. Clinton was in office, any excessive behavior that could be envisioned by his critics was automatically “iron-clad truth”. With Pres. Bush, he could shoot a baby in the face, and it would be viewed as “saving the country from a terrorist” with no questions expected.
I would like to see some form of accountability by the Bush Administration. Heck, I’d like to see ANY form of accountability!
February 25th, 2008 at 9:42 amUpon reading about Turkey’s military offensive against Kurdish rebels in Northern Iraq, one quote stood out :
“Mr Gates also urged Turkey to respect Iraq’s sovereignty”
I’m not a geopolitical mastermind, as you may be painfully aware. But how can you invade a country, take over, install a government that suits you and then complain when OTHER countries invade?
February 25th, 2008 at 9:43 amThe Bush administration announced on Saturday that “wiretaps will resume under the current law ‘at least for now,’†as “telecommunications companies have agreed to cooperate ‘for the time being’ with spy agencies’ wiretaps.â€
If anyone thinks they ever stopped their wire taps, they are crazy. Why should he stop doing something that is illegal. No one has stopped him from doing all the other illegal things he has done.
He doesn’t want to have to get a warrant for the wiretapping he is doing because he is not spying on the “terrorists”, he is spying on you and me and his political enemies. He knows that no FISA court would give him a warrant for the spying he is doing.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:44 amon Afghani women..
#10 –”they weren’t getting sexually assaulted” [Pre-Afghan invaasion]
Are you SURE about that?…. I’m just saying.
But the essentials of their current situation are bloody awful–envouraged to advance themselves on the one hand but then not supported because Kabul has no reach beyond it’s walls and the NATO forces are too thin on the gorund and to establish security. Nation building on the cheap, human rights on the cheap, its absolutely appalling.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:47 ambilbo,
but as long as the throws up “national security” as a defence to any litigation, the courts give him a free pass.
We don’t have a democratically elected government, we have Big Brother.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:47 am“The figure we arrive at is more than $3 trillion.â€
A billion here and a billion there and pretty soon we’re talking about real money. It’s all monopoly money to Bush & Company.
This alone should be grounds for stopping the insanity that is Iraq. Our country cannot afford this kind of deficit spending. None of that 3 trillion has been “on the books”. It is all money that will someday need to be repaid. And the Republiscums want us to believe that it can be repaid without raising taxes.
I often wonder why Obama wants to be President. He’s going to have to raise taxes to pay back the money that Bush & Company borrowed and to repair our crumbling infrastructure. And when this happens, the Republiscums will start their “tax and spend” mantra again. Fortunately most people are on to them now and will not blame the Democrats for the fiscal mess that the Bush Crime Family made.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:49 amIn terms of Afghanistan, does anyone have any raw data on civilian casualties? We know Iraq has had close to one million deaths, but what about the first Bush war? I haven’t seen any figures thus far.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:49 amYou gotta love Kucinich. He’s in trouble in his reelection bid because the corporations are gunning for him. And what does he do? He pokes them in the eye. We need 100 Dennis Kucinich’s in Congress.
Comment by bilbobaggins — February 25, 2008 @ 9:38 am
“I can’t be bought and I can’t be bossed…I’m going to keep speaking the truth, I’m going to keep seeking the truth, and as long as people are there to support that, I’ll be in Congress.”
- Congressman Dennis Kucinich
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/31262
*** Make that 435 !
February 25th, 2008 at 9:50 amOp-ed in the NYT by Bill Kristol today with more of the echo chamber about Obama’s patriotism. Also Michelle Obama’s. Then on top of his spin, he has the audacity to criticize Obama and other Dem leaders of “preening self-regard,: “patronizing elitism” and “haughty liberalism” in his case, conservativism.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/opinion/25kristol.html?hp
February 25th, 2008 at 9:51 am“No, one winter does not a climate make, but imagine the screaming headlines we’d have if the trend had been the other way this winter”
You don’t work for GM do you?
February 25th, 2008 at 9:55 amI have been to both Disneyland and Walt Disney World a few times in my life, and I have to say that the Disney employees I have interfaced with have always been unfailingly polite, cheerful, and determined that my experience there be a happy one.
My biggest complaint about “Disney Service” is getting information. Disney employees are trained to give accurate information when asked for it, but not to volunteer anything not asked for. For example, when you talk to Disney Travel, you will get your questions answered, but they won’t volunteer information you don’t ask for. Even information you would expect to get on your own is difficult to get, because it’s the Disney way to encourage interaction with the “cast members” — for instance, in the park souvenir shops a fair amount of the merchandise won’t have prices marked, so you have to ask someone.
Even their websites are difficult to navigate. If you just want to know how much it costs to get into one park for one day, you have to weave your way through all the “Magic Your Way” packages to find it.
I don’t mind employees at Walter Reed making patients as comfortable as possible. I would have a problem if this “Disney Style” service means that a patient needs to specifically ASK about drug interactions or getting his incisions wet.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:56 amgg is here early – polluting the threads with his fascist rantings. GiGi- go get your estrogen pills to keep your beard from growing back. Hurry now.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:58 am“No, one winter does not a climate make, but imagine the screaming headlines we’d have if the trend had been the other way this winter.”
And yet the west coast is still suffering from drought. One would think all this snowfall would eventually transfer into snow-melt, and increased river and lake levels on the west coast, but it hasn’t happened. Perhaps Goody can tell us why?
February 25th, 2008 at 10:00 amDid everyone see this polling question at CNN.com? It’s something you would expect at Fox.
Write to them and tell them what you think.
http://www.politico.com/ blogs/ bensmith/ 0208/ CNNs_question_Obamas_patriotism.html
I sent them an e-mail. CNN is now on my “banned” list. I did try to find the poll on CNN.com to see what the answer was for most people and it seems to be gone. I guess they got a firestorm of protest and decided to take it down.
I wonder why they would do something like that in the first place? They had to know that it would offend Obama supporters, many of whom probably watch CNN or go to their website.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:01 amWriteups on the Siegelman 60 Minutes expose plus AL blackout brouhaha now starting to appear online @ TPM Muckraker, Raw Story, FireDogLake. Don’t let this story die, it might be the straw that breaks Rove’s back (yes, I know, I’m dreaming again):
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/todays_must_read_283.php#comments
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/60_Minutes_broadcast_on_prosecution_of_0225.html
http://firedoglake.com/2008/02/25/profiles-in-politicization-60-minutes-finally-airs-siegelman-story/
February 25th, 2008 at 10:02 amwithout even taking into account (i.e. subtracting) how many civilians would have died without the United States presence — likely a far higher number.
http://www.iraqbodycount.org/
Comment by good_golly
Um, how about none? If we hadn’t invaded, there would be a higher death count? That’s loopy reasoning.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:03 amComment by And Yet…
And yet if you’d bothered to look, you’d see I posted this stuff last night.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:04 amSnow cover over North America and much of Siberia, Mongolia and China is greater than at any time since 1966.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 9:51 am
Increased snowfall in the coldest regions of the world is actually a possible indicator of a warming climate. Ever heard of it being “too cold to snow?”
February 25th, 2008 at 10:05 amAre you SURE about that?…. I’m just saying.
Comment by 5th Estate — February 25, 2008 @ 9:47 am
I’m not going to claim that no sexual assaults were committed under the Taliban. But one of the things that helped the Taliban rise to power was outrage over the rape of women. The Taliban attempted to “solve” this problem by making women as invisible as possible. Not only were they to wear the burqa outside, but windows in any home with women were to be blackened so that women could not be viewed from the outside. Women weren’t permitted to be outside without a male chaperon — her husband or a male relative. Festivals and other gatherings where women and men would be together were banned.
With all this gender segregation, I’m sure that sexual assaults dropped. But this was a classic case of the cure being worse than the disease.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:06 amhow many civilians would have died without the United States presence — likely a far higher number.
Damn, who knew you could type a complete sentence while simultaneously demonstrating that you’ve got nothing but sh*t for brains?
February 25th, 2008 at 10:06 amUm, how about none? If we hadn’t invaded, there would be a higher death count? That’s loopy reasoning.
Comment by barfly — February 25, 2008 @ 10:03 am
Well, not none. Some Iraqis would’ve died. Not from car bombs and collateral damage and power drills to the back of the head, but from cancer, car accidents, old age, and other causes. What the Lancet study measured was a vast increase in death rates of all causes since the occupation began — not just from conflict-related violence or crime, but disease and other preventable causes made worse by the occupation.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:09 amWriteups on the Siegelman 60 Minutes expose plus AL blackout brouhaha now starting to appear online @ TPM Muckraker, Raw Story, FireDogLake. Don’t let this story die, it might be the straw that breaks Rove’s back (yes, I know, I’m dreaming again):
Comment by And Yet… — February 25, 2008 @ 10:02 am
Rove has ignored his subpoena for how many months? Remember, congress has the power of INHERENT CONTEMPT. They can send the Capitol Hill Police to arrest, handcuff and drag him to the House to be put on trial immediately. The Democrats could force him to appear. They choose not to.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:10 amI wonder why they would do something like that in the first place? They had to know that it would offend Obama supporters, many of whom probably watch CNN or go to their website.
Comment by bilbobaggins — February 25, 2008 @ 10:01 am
I suspect that the catalyst for the poll was all the hoo-hah over Michelle Obama’s comments about how she is proud of her country for the first time in her life (never mind the context of her remarks, which had to do with her country’s political system). Conservatives have been working overtime to spin this (along with the old canards about Barack not wearing an American flag lapel pin and getting caught on camera with his hands at his side during the national anthem) into a big whispering campaign about Obama’s patriotism.
My beef with CNN is their obvious buying into this bill of goods.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:12 am#42 – “I can’t imagine Kucinich being in real trouble in Ohio. After all, they kept re-electing Trafficant.” Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 9:52 am
And all those Republicans too!
February 25th, 2008 at 10:14 amGeorge Dumbya Shrub, and the absolute lie:
Yet, in 2001, the administration admitted THE EXACT OPPOSITE:
TOTAL BULLSH*T LIES.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:16 am“So you are saying that there would have been 0 violent deaths in Iraq in the past 5-6 years if we hadn’t “invaded?†Really?? It must have been Nirvana under Saddam with nobody dying.”
Comment by good_golly
There is a difference. I depend upon you not to see it. You never let me down.
There is no possible way that you can argue Saddam’s killing is anywhere near the scale of ours, which was accomplished in five short years.
But I always enjoy your attempts at swine lipstick application.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:19 amWomen’s lives in Afghanistan are “worse than ever.†A new report finds that violent attacks against women “are at epidemic proportions with 87 per cent of females complaining of such abuse — half of it sexual. More than 60 per cent of marriages are forced.â€
No frikkin wonder they hate us for our ‘freedumbs’…
February 25th, 2008 at 10:20 amThe Bush administration announced on Saturday that “wiretaps will resume under the current law ‘at least for now,’†as “telecommunications companies have agreed to cooperate ‘for the time being’ with spy agencies’ wiretaps.â€
And under the table, they certainly have been granted ‘immunity’ even though the law authorizing it has expired, right?
February 25th, 2008 at 10:21 am10 days since the Protect America Act expired & I’m still not dead.
Congress should not send this bill back to Bush. He vetoed it, let him stew in his own stubborness, I say. When he sqwaucks about it not being revised, simply state, ‘you vetoed it’.
Now, let’s get back to work to see which telcoms were doing it for him & Cheney BEFORE 9/11.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:24 amComment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 9:51 am
The midwest has seen more snow this year than in many recent years – it is my impression that global warming doesn’t mean that every region sees consistently higher temperatures, but that the mean temperature of the world is higher — and global warming also brings extremes in weather conditions. The changing temperature of the oceans and the currents are factors. Intracontinental drought conditions are increasing worldwide, but ocean levels are rising because of rising temperatures, bringing weather/storm extremes.
So in my own limited knowledge, I don’t think that one condition proves or disproves global warming, but that it is the “global” picture.
Just because I am sick of the cold, snowy winter here, doesn’t mean I don’t see that global warming is a fact.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:26 amIn case Katy missed it this morning…
WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!
FREAK OUT NOW! FEAR!!!!
February 25th, 2008 at 10:27 amListening to NPR yesterday (sorry, don’t know the program name), was a lengthy interview with Pete Seeger (folk singer who was blacklisted and otherwise generally attacked as he was associated with liberal causes from the 1930s through the 60s to the present).
He included many abuses of authority such as in the northeast being diverted by the police down a route where folks had piles of stones to throw at the concert goers: the police rounded up folks and told them that they were throwing stones at commies, but the truth was that the police were in league with the KKK to throw stones at whites and blacks and mixed
The thing that struck me was how innocent people were abused by the commie (terrah!!) card. Blatant abuses of power were excused if they could be hidden under the veneer of commie.
Now 50 years later, are we really that much better ?
February 25th, 2008 at 10:29 amJust because I am sick of the cold, snowy winter here, doesn’t mean I don’t see that global warming is a fact. -Marie
Agreed, Marie. Here in MN we saw some 100 yr old records broke just last week, (-31F), but the ‘trend’ for the last decade or more has been far warmer winters. My brother was riding his Harley in late Feb. more than one winter of late.
Violent extremes are part of climate change. We’ve set far more record high temps in the last 2 decades than cold weather records.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:30 amIn case Katy missed it this morning…
WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!
FREAK OUT NOW! FEAR!!!!
Comment by RUCerious — February 25, 2008 @ 10:27 am
**runs in cicles, arms waiving**
OH, No!!
February 25th, 2008 at 10:38 amAaaaaaaaaurg!!!
We’re all gonna die!!
hey! RU, you stole my thunder!
i was just getting ready to post:
“Good Morning…”
WE ARE ALL *NOT* GONNA DIE… TODAY…
whew…
*“wiretaps will resume under the current law ‘at least for now,’†as “telecommunications companies have agreed to cooperate ‘for the time being’ with spy agencies’ wiretaps.â€
February 25th, 2008 at 10:38 amComment by katy — February 25, 2008 @ 10:38 am
I can stop panicking now?
Good, people were starting to look at me funny….
February 25th, 2008 at 10:42 amC&L has a story and links about the CNN poll…
i was reading comments there last evening, and someone posted the link to that poll… when i went there the poll had been changed…
CNN’s Idiot ‘is Obama really a Patriot’ Poll
February 25th, 2008 at 10:44 amwayne, i’m just sayin’ – “TODAY”…
don’t get too comfy…
February 25th, 2008 at 10:45 amSorry, katy! I just assumed you were AWOL this morning. A certain chicken told me the sky was falling, so I thought I’d spread the word!
February 25th, 2008 at 10:45 amGood thing there isn’t a “Is McShame a lying bastard’ Poll. 113% of the public says yes.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:46 amUm…what’s wrong with getting warrants?
Comment by missmolly — February 25, 2008 @ 9:18 am
It’s called a “paper trail” that could turn into “evidence” down the road, leading to “prosecution”, “conviction”, and “incarceration”…
February 25th, 2008 at 10:48 am‘Service, Disney Style‘ is newly required for all military and other government employees at Walter Reed.â€
So that all military and government personnel will have a better understanding that Goofy and friggin’ Pluto have been running this country for the last 7 years ……..
February 25th, 2008 at 10:50 amComment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 9:52 am
He seems to be speaking in some sort of dialect this morning… what is this?
Gibberish? Crapola? Do we have a translator on board this morning?
What’s he saying? Is he asking where the bathroom is?
February 25th, 2008 at 10:52 amIs this another way of saying the service will be Mickey Mouse?
February 25th, 2008 at 10:53 amComment by Marie — February 25, 2008 @ 9:18 am
Comment by impeachcheneythenbush — February 25, 2008 @ 9:51 am
Comment by bilbobaggins — February 25, 2008 @ 10:01 am
Comment by katy — February 25, 2008 @ 10:44 am
Regarding the CNN poll on Obama’s patriotism — did y’all notice that one of the litmus tests of “patriotism” (according to the conservatives) is whether or not one wears an American flag lapel pin?
I’m curious — what, exactly, are these lapel pins supposed to do? Keep us safe? Balance our budget? Improve our economy? Protect civil rights? Repel terrorists in the way that a hunk of garlic does a vampire?
Oh — I think I’ve got it. I believe they are supposed to do EXACTLY the same thing that those magnetic yellow ribbon “support the troops” stickers on SUVs do.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:54 amIt’s called a “paper trail†that could turn into “evidence†down the road, leading to “prosecutionâ€, “convictionâ€, and “incarcerationâ€â€¦
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — February 25, 2008 @ 10:48 am
Ah, you’re right. Even though the administration doesn’t have anything to fear from the spineless current Congress, they might have something to fear from the 111th — you know, the one consisting of people we’ve elected who care about things like the law, corruption, abuse of power, etc.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:56 amService Disney Style = Mickey Mouse bureaucracy?
February 25th, 2008 at 10:57 amone wears an American flag lapel pin?
Some people consider wearing such “pandering” to the weak-minded, faux Patriot base..
However, if you’re a traitor, lying scumbag American, the Wall Mart crowd will forgive you just by simply “looking” patriotic.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:59 amTHE SKY IS FALLING?!?!?!? QUICK GO BUY SOMETHING!!!!
February 25th, 2008 at 11:01 amJust because I am sick of the cold, snowy winter here, doesn’t mean I don’t see that global warming is a fact.
Comment by Marie — February 25, 2008 @ 10:26 am
Hmmm….apparently the level of arctic sea ice doesn’t recognize the “fact” of global warming anymore
http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/columnists/story.html?id=332289
Unless of course the Canadians are in on the conspiracy to deny global warming too…
February 25th, 2008 at 11:02 amYES, we do KNOW that there have been about 1 million excess deaths in Iraq since the illegal, immoral 2003 invasion. It’s based on extensive scientific polling and analysis, and it confirms another scientific study.
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/feb2008/orb-f01.shtml
February 25th, 2008 at 11:03 am
barfly @ 52- Yeah, I see your comment now that I’m reading back in the TP comments, something I normally don’t have time to do after getting home from work. Glad you were on top of the Siegelman story last night, not quite so glad on the mockery…
Oh, well.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:03 ammissmolly; the American flag pin I have is on my boonie hat, upside down – which I wear to antiwar demonstrations. My hat is encircled with buttons, and pins.(peace/antiBush of course).
February 25th, 2008 at 11:03 am#87 – “Damned global warming alarmists.” Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 11:03 am
They’re almost as annoying as the global warming denialists! ;-)
February 25th, 2008 at 11:04 amOh — I think I’ve got it. I believe they are supposed to do EXACTLY the same thing that those magnetic yellow ribbon “support the troops†stickers on SUVs do.
Comment by missmolly — February 25, 2008 @ 10:54 am
Put a few kwai in the pocket of a factory owner in Shengzhou Province?
February 25th, 2008 at 11:06 amI just assumed you were AWOL this morning. …
Comment by RUCerious — February 25, 2008 @ 10:45 am
why would you assume that?
it IS monday… i’m always slow on mondays… hate ‘em…
and today, especially, cause i ‘ave a ‘orrible co’d in by dose…
i hate the runny-nose medicine… not even a good buzz…
but i’ll make it…
February 25th, 2008 at 11:08 amLorne Gunter … heh. Lorne sounds a bit obsessed.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:09 amabout the Siegelman/60Minutes story last night…
February 25th, 2008 at 11:14 amhere in central time zone, i watched it, and THEN turned on the oscars…
I suspect that the catalyst for the poll was all the hoo-hah over Michelle Obama’s comments about how she is proud of her country for the first time in her life…My beef with CNN is their obvious buying into this bill of goods.
Comment by missmolly — February 25, 2008 @ 10:12 am
Not to be outdone by CNN, the Clinton campaign has hit a new low:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8667.html
I just hope to God this blows up in her face in Texas and Ohio. What a bottom feeder.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:15 amHeh. The New Zealnad Climate Science Coalition … catchy name.
Oh look, they’re in bed with these fine folks.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:18 amI suspect that the catalyst for the poll was all the hoo-hah over Michelle Obama’s comments about how she is proud of her country for the first time in her life…My beef with CNN is their obvious buying into this bill of goods.
Comment by missmolly — February 25, 2008 @ 10:12 am
Not to be outdone by CNN, the Clinton campaign has hit a new low:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8667.html
I just hope to God this blows up in her face in Texas and Ohio. What a bottom feeder.
Comment by Keltoi — February 25, 2008 @ 11:15 am
Yeah , they need to up their game to smear Obama’s children ; maybe a smear campaign with a claim that one of them is from an out-of-wedlock affair that Barack falsely had…….
February 25th, 2008 at 11:20 amHmmm….apparently the level of arctic sea ice doesn’t recognize the “fact†of global warming anymore
http://www.nationalpost.com/ opinion/ columnists/ story.html?id=332289
Unless of course the Canadians are in on the conspiracy to deny global warming too…
Comment by Keltoi — February 25, 2008 @ 11:02 am
And all that ice and more is expected to melt once again this summer:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/02/12/national/a150504S64.DTL&type=science
February 25th, 2008 at 11:20 amRegarding the CNN poll on Obama’s patriotism — did y’all notice that one of the litmus tests of “patriotism†(according to the conservatives) is whether or not one wears an American flag lapel pin?
Comment by missmolly — February 25, 2008 @ 10:54 am
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a picture of one of the founding fathers wearing an American flag lapel pin and THEY created the country and the flag. Damn unpatriotic of them, don’t ya think?
February 25th, 2008 at 11:21 amReal, live Mickey Mouse healthcare for our Vets – now that’s special.
I thought the R’s had already Mickey Mouse’ed everything, yet somehow they can always find a lower low.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:29 amThe sea ice minimum of 2007 occurred during the Arctic summer. Of course the ice has recovered during the winter, and of course it can be above the abnormally low levels of recent years. One data point (the ice level right now) does not make a trend. Duh. the trend has not changed. The Arctic sea ice minimum during the summer continues to decrease. More importantly, glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica appear to be accelerating their advance to the sea.
http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/
February 25th, 2008 at 11:29 amanother interesting event of yesterday…
listening to SAM SEDER (OH! btw – he is subbing for randi all week -
very special – try to listen in if you can: http://samsedershow.com/)
and he was asking if listeners were having trouble accessing YouTube…
anyone here?
Pakistan Blocks Access to YouTube,
February 25th, 2008 at 11:37 amWall Street Journal – 1 hour ago
By JANE SPENCER Service on Google Inc.’s YouTube Web site was disrupted around the world for several hours Sunday after a botched effort by the Pakistan …
Web surfers hit by YouTube blackout The Press Association
YouTube and Pakistan – How did it happen? BBC News
Pakistan Blamed for Worldwide YouTube Break New York Times
…
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=YouTube&btnG=Search
I’m feeling grumpy this morning.
May I just say that I hate Republicans…?
Thanks. Carry on.
~A
February 25th, 2008 at 11:42 amGood Morning all, sorry to be so late on another miserable Monday under the dictatorship of cheney/ bull shit bush and company and all the lovely enabeler’s…
Checked out many of your good post’s and noted the tiny little black hearted troll is still here….Oh well some thing’s don’t change from one Monday to the next with the exception of many people still dieing in bush’s war’s and our constitution is still under attack…
Been mulling over this white house race a lot, even thought briefly I would go ahead and vote for who ever the dem’s put up so we woulden’t yet again have another insane madman in charge, then I read an article that for over 7 year’s has covered my feeling’s of the dem’s and how they are ( not) taking care of business…I find enabeler’s just as guilty as the evil instigator’s of a crime….Driving the git away car in a bank robbery make’s them all guilty.
To understand my feeling’s please go to rob@opednews.com and read the 1 page article written by Dr. Loo…”The Democrats (and election ) sleight of hand…….You all have a good day…..Blessings and Peace
February 25th, 2008 at 11:43 am# 54 missmolly
“With all this gender segregation, I’m sure that sexual assaults dropped.â€
Yes, one would reasonably imagine that to be so.
“But this was a classic case of the cure being worse than the disease.â€
I quite agree. Significantly, to me at least, there’s now no telling what is and isn’t acceptable behavior for these women, and that’s a truly terrible sate to be in. I recall Bush and his sock-puppet wife Laura yakking on about women’s rights in Afghanistan a couple of years ago—not a peep out of them since and nothing of course about the rights of Saudi women.
When I was in Bahrain (20 years ago!) I saw women in the suqs in the full dress, you couldn’t even see their eyes, but at the same time their were girls going to school in typical western uniforms and 20-40 year old women in the latest western fashions driving around on their own, acting as any western woman would. Of course imported workers from India and Indonesia were still treated like shit, professionals and laborers alike, and that happens in the west too, but the place was progressive. Wealth helps in that regard and Afghanistan is generally poor—all the more reason for wealth to be applied where it will make a difference in Afghanistan.
Everything we’ve heard about establishing democracy there from the politicians has been a crock of shit, and we knew it is soon as the Bush bastards started talking about it—the Republicans aren’t interested in democracy, just hegemony. Their “cures†always seem to make the patient worse.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:48 amI just hope to God this blows up in her face in Texas and Ohio. What a bottom feeder.
Comment by Keltoi — February 25, 2008 @ 11:15 am
If it’s really true that the Clinton camp is circulating this photo with the insinuation that it’s a negative thing, that’s beyond the pale.
Clinton has traveled the world in both her role as First Lady and as Senator, and she has often donned native garb of the places she has gone. There are probably several photos of HRC that exist showing her wearing a hijab. Those aren’t being used for any dirty tricks.
Anyone who is trying to whip up negative opinion toward Obama with this photo is 1) trying to paint Obama as a Muslim, even though he’s not, and 2) perpetuating the stereotype that being a Muslim is a bad thing. Neither of these things is constructive.
February 25th, 2008 at 11:51 amfrom sam’s blog page:
February 25th, 2008 at 11:53 amHey! Confused about the (other) McCain scandal, the one about his pulling out of federal matching funds? Read this concise explanation on John Aravosis’ AmericaBlog HERE!
Damn unpatriotic of them, don’t ya think?
Comment by PatrioticLiberalChristian — February 25, 2008 @ 11:21 am
They also managed to operate the country without “In God We Trust” on the money, or pledging allegiance to “one nation under God”.
Hard to imagine how this republic ever got off the ground…
snark/off
February 25th, 2008 at 12:01 pmComment by missmolly — February 25, 2008 @ 10:54 am
Betcha those lapel pins that “prove patriotism” are made in China!
Isn’t it interesting that the boy-king has undermined the Constitution, flauted the law of the land, began an illegal invasion/war, lied to the public, and the list goes on……
February 25th, 2008 at 1:18 pmBut he is patriotic because he wears a cheap little flag pin on his lapel.
Wonder if made in China is stamped on the back of the flag pin’s…Blessings
February 25th, 2008 at 1:23 pmSorry Missmolly and Marie, skipping over to much today…Blessings
February 25th, 2008 at 1:29 pmReal progressives vote for Nader.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 1:18 pm
In your dreams. Is the GOP going to assign operatives to campaign for Nader again this year, like they did in 2004?
February 25th, 2008 at 1:29 pmI wouldn’t know anything about that.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 1:32 pm
or anything else inconvenient to your prepackaged lies. You’re more dangerous to American than any Muslim.
February 25th, 2008 at 1:53 pmMore Americans changing religious denominations, study finds
February 25, 2008 12:09 PM
By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff
A sweeping new study of religious affiliation in the United States finds a country in which Protestants are becoming a minority, Catholicism is becoming heavily Hispanic, and the number of people who say they are not affiliated with any religion is growing.
[...]
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/02/more_americans_2.html
Survey: US Religious Landscape in Flux The Associated Press
• Survey: Many Americans Switch Faith Identity Washington Post
February 25th, 2008 at 2:00 pmPoor troll’s, still working off of old talking point’s….Must be terribly boring along with demeaning to work for the reich…..Hope they get paid in cash, the Grand Old Pervert party is running out of fund’s and check’s will not work any longer…
February 25th, 2008 at 2:02 pmReal progressives vote for Nader.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 1:18 pm
Real idiots vote for the GOP.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:04 pmI wouldn’t know anything about that.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 1:32 pm
You must have missed it then. Here’s some help getting caught up:
http://www.publicintegrity.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=13
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E07E3DB133AF93AA25754C0A9629C8B63
February 25th, 2008 at 2:05 pmI wouldn’t know anything about that.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 1:32 pm
The above statement should be each and every one of your posts …….And only the above.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:05 pmThe above statement should be each and every one of your posts …….And only the above.
Comment by MCMetal — February 25, 2008 @ 2:05 pm
well, it’s easy enough to assume. gg has no relationship with the truth.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:21 pmI wouldn’t know anything about that.
Comment by good_golly — February 25, 2008 @ 1:32 pm
Well you’re consistent.
February 25th, 2008 at 2:23 pm