Sometimes something still shocks me

I have a pretty cybnical attitude to alot of the news i read but this little bit really woke me up to how bad things are in Afghanistan.

"MSF has had an almost constant presence in the country throughout the Soviet occupation and the subsequent war, the Taliban's repressive regime, and the US-led war to oust the Taliban and target al-Qaida.

However, the agency - which has 80 international staff and 1,400 local employees working on projects in 13 provinces - has found itself unable to continue because of the deteriorating security situation."

It was really seeing the catch phrase "deteriorating seurity situation" that caught my eye in this situation. And what brought Medecins Sans Frontieres to flee such a successful commitment? America's campaign for the hearts and minds of Afghans.
Article.

Brain chips are here

It's the stuff of science-fiction. Yet it's here, and is being touted as a great medical and technological breakthrough. But you can't ignore the dark potential of these technologies.

Pictures and a thousand words

Oh how a love a good picture.

Notice the traffic jam at the top.

"Hey Mustafa, what's with the traffic?"
"Oh, the Americans are pushing over Saddam's statue for CNN but they won't let us watch."

Enjoy the police state

Another one from The Daily Show. How Big Brother can be good for you.

The one debate : Bush versus Bush

This is the one debate we've all been waiting for: George W Bush versus George W Bush. From The Daily Show.

History of the 9/11 commission - cartoon

See it here.

it's gotta be said somewhere

Imma getting me a T-shirt: sez "They Play, We Pay."
Gots it a pixxy of Bush and bin Laden playing and a 'consumer' playing leap frog. On the front is Bush jumping over bin Laden. On the back is Bush 'leaping' the consumer with Bin Laden bent over laughing.
Think you can swing that Jean? I'll give it a try.

Vive L'Israel... Vive L'Israel Liiiiiibre!

Looks like Sharon isn't welcome in France anymore. And it's not something French Jews have a problem with either.


article

US claims Iran behind 9/11

OK, here we go again! There's the excuse the neocons wanted to attack Iran.

Things you have to believe to be a Republican today

From Buzzflash:

Things you have to believe to be a Republican today:

Saddam was a good guy when Reagan armed him, a bad guy when Bush's daddy made war on him, a good guy when Cheney did business with him and a bad guy when Bush needed a "we can't find Bin Laden" diversion.

Trade with Cuba is wrong because the country is communist, but trade with China and Vietnam is vital to a spirit of international harmony.

The United States should get out of the United Nations, and our highest national priority is enforcing UN resolutions against Iraq.

A woman can't be trusted with decisions about her own body, but multinational corporations can make decisions affecting all mankind without regulation.

Jesus loves you, and shares your hatred of homosexuals and Hillary Clinton.

The best way to improve military morale is to praise the troops in speeches while slashing veterans' benefits and combat pay.

If condoms are kept out of schools, adolescents won't have sex.

A good way to fight terrorism is to belittle our longtime allies, then demand their cooperation and money.

Providing health care to all Iraqis is sound policy. Providing health care to all Americans is socialism.

HMOs and insurance companies have the best interests of the public at heart.

Global warming and tobacco's link to cancer are junk science, but creationism should be taught in schools.

A president lying about an extramarital affair is an impeachable offense.

A president lying to enlist support for a war in which thousands die is solid defense policy.

Government should limit itself to the powers named in the Constitution, which include banning gay marriages and censoring the Internet.

The public has a right to know about Hillary's cattle trades, but George Bush's driving record is none of our business.

Being a drug addict is a moral failing and a crime, unless you're a conservative radio host. Then it's an illness, and you need our prayers for your recovery.

You support states' rights, which means Attorney General John Ashcroft can tell states what local voter initiatives they have the right to adopt.

What Bill Clinton did in the 1960s is of vital national interest, but what Bush did in the '80s is irrelevant.

Feel free to pass this on.

Friends don't let friends vote Republican.

Sharon comes to his senses

There is bravery in politics. Ask Michael Collins. Ask Yitzhak Rabin. After all it was land for peace that killed him. And it might kill Sharon as well.
So when you see him let his own party fall apart to get closer to it's enemy you can bet that it's to do something important. Too bad Yitzhak is dead. I don't think Sharon is capable of making any of those sacrifices himself.

Nukes cost

Spent nuclear fuel might have killed your neighbor's brother's nephew but it never cost anyone any real money.

That's right folks. Pollution isn't only ugly. It also makes us all a little weaker in the wallet.

Things get nasty in Milwaukee

Article.

Secret Austrian Child Sex Commune Busted

Article.

Mr Palast sez

GIVE IT BACK, GEORGE: THE LAY LOOT THAT BOUGHT WHITE HOUSE
Bush and Republicans Should Give Up Ill-Gotten Gains
by Greg Palast

When the feds swoop down and cuff racketeers, they also load the vans
with all the perp's ill-gotten gains: stacks of cash, BMWs, whatever.
Their associates have to cough up the goodies too: lady friends must give
up their diamond rocks.

Under the racketeering law, RICO, even before a verdict, anything
bought with the proceeds of the crime goes into the public treasury.

But there seems to be special treatment afforded those who loaded up on
the 'bennies' of Ken Lay's crimes. If the G-men don't know where the
tainted loot is cached, try this address: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Ask
for George or Dick.

Ken Lay and his Enron team are the Number One political career donors
to George W. Bush. Mr. Lay and his Mrs., with no money to pay back
bilked creditors, still managed to personally put up $100,000 for George's
inaugural Ball plus $793,110 for personal donations to Republicans.
Lay's Enron team dropped $4.2 million into the party that let Enron party.

OK now, Mr. President, give it back - the millions stuffed in the
pockets of the Republican campaign kitty stolen from his Enron retirees.

And what else did Ken Lay buy with the money stolen from California
electricity customers? Answer: the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Just before George Bush moved to Washington, Kenny-Boy handed his
hand-picked president-to-be the name of the man Ken wanted as Chairman of the
commission charged with investigating Enron's thievery. In a heartbeat,
George Bush appointed Ken's boy, Pat Wood.

Think about that: the criminal gets to pick the police chief. Well,
George, give it back. Dump Wood and end the "de-criminalization" of
electricity price-gouging that you and Cheney and Wood laughably call
"de-regulation." Give us back the government Lay bought with crime cash.

And while we're gathering up the ill-gotten loot, let's stop by Brother
Jeb's. The Governor of Florida picked up a cool $2 million from a
Houston fundraiser at the home of Enron's former president long AFTER the
company went bankrupt. Enron, not incidentally, obtained half a billion
of Florida state pension money -- which has now disappeared down the
Enron rat-hole.

And Mr. Vice-President, don't you also have something to give back? In
secret meetings with Dick Cheney in the Veep's bunker prior to the
inauguration and after, you let Ken and his cohorts secretly draft the
nation's energy plan - taking a short break to eye oil field maps of Iraq.
Let us remember that the President's sticky-fingered brothers Neil and
Marvin were on Enron's payroll, hired to sell pipelines to the Saudis.
The Saudis didn't bite, but maybe a captive Iraq would be more pliant.

So, Mr. Law and Order President, please follow the law and give up the
Energy Plan that Mr. Lay bought with other people's money.

When I worked as a racketeering investigator for government, nothing
was spared, including houses bought with purloined loot. Let there be no
exception here. It's time to tape up the White House gate and hang the
sign: "Crime Scene: Property to be Confiscated. Vacate Premises
Immediately."

***
Greg Palast is an internationally recognized expert on electricity
deregulation and power company racketeering. Co-author of the United
Nations guide to power industry regulation, Palast's investigation of Enron
won Britain's prize for top business story of the year in 1998 (with
Antony Barnett of the Observer). Palast investigated Enron's influence on
the Bush Administration for BBC Television's newsnight and his expose
of Ken Lay's manipulation of the California power markets and litigation
won a 2004 Project Censored Award from California State University at
Sonoma's Journalism School. Palast's book, the New York Times
bestseller, "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy," includes a summary of his
investigations on Enron: "California Reamin': the real story of deregulation
and the power pirates."

To read more of Palast's writings or view his BBC film, "Policy or
Payback?," go to www.GregPalast.com

Media inquiries: Sallyanne McCartin (860) 435-6464
============================================
If you would like to have your e-mail address removed from this mailing
list. Cut and paste the following URL into your browser address bar.
This will automatically remove from the mailing list and you will receive
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Touchscreen Voting Flawed in Florida

From the London Guardian.

The last paragraph is particularly ominous:

"There is only one perfect voting system," LePore [Palm Beach County elections supervisor] said. "That's the one that doesn't involve humans."

That's right. Elections without humans are the best.

US may delay / cancel vote if attacked

BBC reports:

The Bush administration is reported to be investigating the possibility of postponing the presidential election in the event of a terror attack.

CNN for its part:

Newsweek reported that Soaries (nominated by Bush) expressed concern that no federal agency had the authority to postpone an election and asked Ridge to ask Congress to give his (electoral) commission such power.

Ridge warned Thursday that al Qaeda terrorists were planning a large-scale attack on the United States "in an effort to disrupt the democratic process."

Well, cancelling or delaying elections would mean they have succeeded in disrupting the democratic process? Or is it that a Democrat victory should be seen as a disruption of the democratic process?

Interesting are the two last paragraphs of this article:

What has Homeland Security officials worried is that terrorists could attempt to disrupt the election in the same way that train bombings in Madrid created unrest three days before the Spanish general election, Roehrkasse said.

Although there is no evidence that the bombings influenced the March 11 vote, socialist Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero unseated Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, whose center-right government supported the U.S.-led war in Iraq.

And what did the Spanish do about their elections, a mere 3 days after the terrorist attack? They just went ahead and held the vote anyway.

If the Spanish can do it, why can't the Americans?

Goodbye my darling

A stand up comedian was telling of the role of the king's clown in keeping the king from losing his sense. He could ridicule the king in the deepest way but never face retaliation for it. This comedian was telling me that they were in fact doing the same for us all. But personally I think that Gary Trudeau isn't doing so badly as a clown for GAB. Its sad that he's not listening.

But what got me writing was the fact this 'commitment' looks like it's going to last for at least 5 years. It will need many more soldiers to replace those that die or are wounded. It will mean in no uncertain terms that if the US military can not recruit any more soldiers it WILL have to call for a draft. The draft wasn't that popular in WWW. But then again the USA was attacked by another nation.
Not terrorists. Which have attacked nations as a whole for a long long time. Black Hand and all.

In Vietnam the draft was much much more unpopular. This time the war was clearly wrong. It did result in a massive anti-war movement which did result in riots. But most people did not have much more to be angry about. There were immense strides for equality in civil society but those have almost all, with the help of Katherine Harris, been lost. Rolled Back. With the absolute destruction of civil society since people do have severe grievances with their leaders.

It is true that the draft for Vietnam was not by any means as large as the one for WW2. And large troop deployments were only limited to Vietnam. That war of attrition did not expand to other nations.

The Vietnam draft did not have a massive impact on the daily lives of the majority of Americans. Maybe 1 million Americans lost a close relative. 1 out of about 250 million. I am trying to show that it was by no means as devastating as the German war against Russia in the First World War as far as the numbers of soldiers lost. But then again I have never heard of a revolution in a nation which was winning one.

Will the USA be able to withstand an draft for Iraq. To fight against an invisible enemy. An enemy which the only way to hate is not too look at the victims of this war against them as people. For if one did one would realize they are people as well one could not support such a war against an enemy we cannot define otherwise then in abstract. Saddam was not abstract. Neither were the Taliban. But they are gone. And the only people we are left fighting cannot be described sensibly otherwise then as resistance fighters. As insurgents. It is after all and by definition an occupation.

What if this war is lost? Nations do revolt almost at once if a war that has cost too much is lost. But I do not believe that a war against Iraq can cause that much loss unless the USA commits more then it can.
Will the war against Iraq spread? Will it escalate? If the USA did do something right, as far as they are concerned, it was to keep the Vietnam War in Vietnam. The Chinese saw the invasion of Vietnam as the acquisition of a foot hold in their back yards. They too, as the USA, did see it in strategic terms. But the Chinese were the only ones worried about that.

Arabs on the other do not have a single nation. But the soul of the Arab world is in the pocket of the USA. And it's heart under it's boot.
Arabs are not happy at all with the USA. Nor with their own leaders.

I do not feel that a draft for Iraq will cause the USA to revolt but it will make life a lot tougher for Bush&Co. As for us it might make life much harder. One thing that did surprise me about Fahrenheit 911 (And just about all that did. Moore really blew that one.) was the scene of Bush's inaugural drive to the White House. Will he have to take his oath behind bullet proof glass this time? Unless Kerry wins. But I bet he'd still call up a draft. And if a large enough draft is called the USA will face riots. If any of these riots manage to take control of a city, cause a revolt, I would be greatly surprised. It does not mean that life in the USA would become even uglier.

One of the first things I've posted here was a bit about getting out before it got too ugly. If a draft is called it's going to get ugly.
Too ugly? Depends oh how much beauty Americans see in the land. If they see it's still worth fighting for.

Why the NY times gets on my nerves

want to read their articles? you'll need to create an account.
You can even sign up for a little efax spyware. If you're eager enough to give them your name.
The only thing MGM wants to know if you have children. I guess they'll take it easier on you if you do.

register your account

Good News

For a while i thought 'good news' was news that was true. Until I saw Ken Lay get fucked!!
YES!!
That is good news. Thank you Deparment of Justice for showing me what good news is. Now let's see if it's going to show me what justtice is.

Record's of Bush's military "service" destroyed.

How f*cking convenient. From the New York Times:

Military records that could help establish President Bush's whereabouts during his disputed service in the Texas Air National Guard more than 30 years ago have been inadvertently destroyed, according to the Pentagon

That's the presidential equivalent of 'my dog ate my homework'. Kick the guy out. Impeach him. Send him to the Hague, I'll be at the airport with a 'traitors report here' sign.

Bush coordinating War on Terror and elections

This is sickening:

According to the New Republic, top Pakistani intelligence officials have confirmed that the Bush Administration is demanding the Pakistani government find as many "high value" terrorist targets specifically before Americans go to the polls in November.
...
Even more troubling, Pakistani sources admit White House aides told the Pakistani Director of Intelligence that "it would be best if the arrest or killing of [any high value terrorist target] were announced on twenty-six, twenty-seven, or twenty-eight July" - the first three days of the Democratic National Convention in Boston.

I guess we'll be getting an October (or maybe a July?) Surprise after all. And if this doesn't work, then we'll get a terrorist attack so that frightened Americans can hide behind Bush... or that's what he hopes anyway.

Apparently Saddam did NOT gas his own people

This is the last straw Bush is grabbing to cover his ass on Iraq. And it's false.

The IRANIANS gassed Halabja. The US knew it. Bush senior knew it and that's why, in 1988, the US gave Iraq poison gas to defend itself with.

Yet George W. Bush, in building his case for war, said, "The dictator who is assembling the world's most dangerous weapons has already used them on whole villages, leaving thousands of his own citizens dead, blind or disfigured."

In fact, Saddam could rely on testimony from the CIA to prove that the Iranians gassed Halabja. But hey, you say, there's no way some CIA dude is going to go to court and testify for Saddam. Well, that won't be needed. The CIA report detailing all this is already out in the public domain.

Full story here.

Some good news

Despite the endless support of Suharto for over 30 years and the resurgence of one of his generals, indicted for war crimes in Timor, Indonesia has picked a new president democraticly.


article

Bush should follow Saddam in the dock

While we're busy trying murderous despots....

Saddam Hussein is accused of committing acts of mass murder. Would these mass murders be including the need to put down armed insurrection inside his own country after the United States had interfered, financed and armed the insurgents/terrorists? And is George W. Bush not responsible, as Commander in Chief of his country's Armed Forces, for the ten thousand civilian deaths during this illegal war, including one thousand children? Is George W. Bush not responsible for the mutilation of thirty-five thousand people, their legs and arms and faces and futures blown away by his Armed Forces? Is George W. Bush not responsible for the cluster bombs deployed in civilian areas or the Depleted Uranium munitions which left swathes of Iraqi territory radio-active?

Welcome home boys

Oh well I guess I should do a little research when I come up with some kind of opinion. Looks like the USA can afford a major private military after all.
Nice to see that oil isn't the only precious commodity in Iraq. Looks like electricity and water deserve the same protection.

It's also nice to see that army radio operators blokes can repair their equipment. Very smart on the part of their army, very very smart.
Who the hell cares if GE makes 5000 field radios a year when your company is pinned down and the radio got blasted to bits.

Oh, and for Jarine Fleming to pop up does show how much of an Old Boy's Club the brittish army still is. Jardine Fleming, the Tai Tai of Hong Kong Hongs. The guys who kindly asked the Royal Navy to loosen Chinese trade restrictions on opium. Apparently the stuff was illegal before the Opium Wars. "Jardine Fleming in partnership with the Royal Navy puts Gunboats and Diplomacy together to work wonders for opening up new markets for Bengali Opium and restoring a favorable trade balance with China."

Oh boy!! Food business. Mercenaries do catering? Hmmmm talk about diversification! "oh Bohb! Be a good chap and after you finish off those rebels by the derricks could you fix me up some beans and eggs? A bit Peckish I am tonight."

"A modern legitimate version of the new mercenaries" Oh I don't doubt that he's a legitimate mercenary, especially when mercenaries only follow their own rules. Such as "no dough, no go".

Anyways, if Aegis is protecting democracy in Iraq at least the 1st Marines won't be.

Welcome home boys.

George of Khartoum

Looks like yet another humanitarian crisis. It's been making the papers for a while but now it seems to be coming up to a head. Arab Militias, after the end of a ceasefire,have pushed out a massive wave of black farmers from Sudan into Chad.

I say it's been coming to a head because I just saw the story on CTV news. Canada's own version of FAUX news, with Lllloyd Robertson "Canada's most trusted anchorman". Now these couldn't put a news show together if their teletype broke. A bit rough? Well considering the civil war in Sudan has been going on for 30 years and killed over 2 million people it's a bit embarrassing to see them having to introduce the country to us.

But why Sudan? Is it because they've harbored Osama? The Arab world's least wanted guest richboy? Is it because they're waging a racist war against poor black farmers? You know the kind? The ones with puppy dog eyes swarming with flies. The ones you're supposed to sponsor on Sunday afternoon. I'm not saying that the need isn't real but you don't just have to go to Sudan to find images like that. Is Is it because the government is the epitomy of a corrupt Islamic tyrany?? Is it because it's where the Arch of the Covenant is supposed to be buried?? A poor country like Sudan couldn't have oil in it?? Oh no no no, that would just be way too convenient for conspiracy theorists now would it?

Crazy Franc's Lock for 2005? Some kind of warish international police action thing in Saudi Arabia's kicking boy.
Just like England to Ireland they've been there since before Oliver Cromwell and have a religion to spread among the locals. But the fact that Osama bin Laden is an Arab Muslim has about as much to do with the civil war in Sudan then the occupation of Ireland by England does to Sean Connery boosting the Scottish nationalist movement. Look for golden opportunities in securities offered by major weapons manufacturers.

What does this say about the USA and the pumpers of hell's blood? They're absolutely desperate for it. Its running out so fast that they are ready to drop any kind of cash for it. So what if there is no more oil on this planet anymore? Well if you don't like food delivered from the farm or factory or factory farm by truck or rail powered by oil then it's no problem at all. Or driving your sick wife to the hospital. Or if it's an emergency to call for an ambulance.

What?? Finding alternative sources of energy is about stopping global warming? It's about saving the earth? Not quite so much as finding a way not to end up living like people do in Sudan. It's about saving our fucking asses.

As the old Arab saying goes "Better a hundred mothers cry then mine. But better my mother then me."

What happens when we, the only ones rich enough to develop a alternative source of energy, do? Weather it be hydrogen collectors or a mouse in a wheel that runs at the speed of light I don't think it will be very hard to hold back. As in the way the only way to get decent telephone service in Somalia is to buy a cell phone. Or for North Korea to get heavy water reactors.

Woman gets f*cked on Fox News

Yes siree! The very same people who got upset at the sight of Janet Jackson's tit carefully airbrushed the nipple on this promo for a 'news' segment, leaving plain ol' harmless penetration, penis and all, in full sight.

Not that I mind that much myself; I just find it rich that the ultimate right-wing, family values, guns are double-plus good / mansex-is-sexcrime network let that one, ahem, slip in.

Go check it out. They have a video of it too.

How to cancel elections

Ahem

The government needs to establish guidelines for canceling or rescheduling elections if terrorists strike the United States again, says the chairman of a new federal voting commission.

So just one exploding floating cooler in a marina would count as a terrorist act, and would therefore be enough to cancel the elections. If people were that scared in Israel, there would never be elections. Spain had an attack (terrorist or otherwise) 3 days before their scheduled elections, and yet they went ahead.

Isn't it 'letting the terrorists win' if you let terror disrupt your life / shopping spree / political system?

Eyewitness accounts: bombs in the WTC

Clips from footage taken on September 11, before the spin machine could issue The Official Story. Many witnesses reporting hearing bombs go off in the WTC.

A bit harder to cheat in Florida this year

CNN has won its case against the state of Florida regarding the right to access and copy the list of supposed felons who are barred from voting.

Florida bars people convicted of felonies in that state from voting.

In 2000, a similar list was the center of controversy when state officials acknowledged after the election that it contained thousands of names in error, thus barring eligible people from voting.

Hopefully the media will now step up to the plate and do their job.

Cocaine found on ship owned by Canadian PM's sons

Ah shucks. Caught again. New elections, anyone?

An underwater camera is credited with what's described as the fluke discovery of an attempt to smuggle millions of dollars in cocaine on a cargo ship named after the prime minister's wife and operated by the company he once controlled.

Article from the Toronto Star.

Money can't buy you love

How did the Vietnamese afford to beat the USA? How did Mohammed Farah Aideed?
The USA can spend as much as they want on their military but no one will ever die for a cause they know is evil. Unless they sold their soul to the devil. They'll fight, but if ever they think they'll die over it they'll suddenly realize that being home is a lot safer.
Ask... say... the Dogus of Venice, you know, the guy who built his Republic's territory with mercenary armies. The Republic of Venice? You never heard of it?? How about the last Emperor of Rome. I don't know his name either but I do know his military was pretty much built on mercenaries.
Of course US soldiers enlist thinking they're off to restore democracy but soon realize that home is far away and the safest way there is to stick with the program and hope to survive.
Of course it's hard to believe but the USA can't afford to be paying an army of 100 000 mercenary troops starting at 100 000$ for a private to say 1 million or 2 for a Brigadier.
Doesn't change the fact that they're running out of recruits. And I don't think the draft is going to be very well received after most of the people now realize that they were lied to to begin the war.
Never mind that those who would have volunteered most certainly did when the war was still about taking out Saddam to restore democracy and make the world safe from maniacs with too many guns. If they were smart enough to doubt what Bush&Co were saying and wait for proof before joining the military they're smart enough to realize that they were and still are lying through their teeth.
So what the fuck is going to happen when they do call the draft after DBT/Choicepoint rig this election again? Riots? Revolts? It's sad to say but I hope so.

Hillary for VP?

For once, the Drudge Report comes up with something to my liking. Word has it in Washington that Hillary Clinton will be Kerry's pick for VP.

I don't get to vote. But I wouldn't mind Hillary as VP at all. Maybe that would take the testosterone level down a few notches in the corridors of power. Imagine that, someone who doesn't have to prove her virility with missiles. Then again, I may be wrong.