Max Blumental And The "values Voters"

Max Blumenthal again infiltrates the world of fundies. My personal favorites are the "lobbyist" who says homosexuality is merely a brain imbalance and that anyone can be overtaken by it, and the "new evil" of Islamofascism. The mindset is at the same time funny, fascinating, and very scary. Thanks Max! Someone has to do it:



And thanks to Downwithtyranny for the link.

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RIP | Porter Wagoner & Robert Goulet

I'm so old I remember the old Porter Wagoner Show on Saturdays. Here's a clip from the old show with "The Last Thing on My Mind", and with an amazingly young Dolly Parton:



Robert Goulet left the mortal coil to:
"Sunrise, Sunset"



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Springsteen Banned At Clear Channel?

Clear Channel owns what used to be a great rock station(WKQQ) in Lexington. I don't even bother to turn it on much any more. It's just the same tired oldies that I've heard a billion times over and over(Steve Miller: Big Jet Airliner, etc.), it's just groan enducing, indescribable suckitude.
I also already knew that the Clear Channel top brass are Republican weasels of the first order. Now comes the word from Atrios and DWT that they've put out a ban on the new Springsteen cd Magic.

I do have to add that I don't think there's much chance of WKQQ Lexington playing the new Bruce anyway, or the new John Fogerty, or that Robert Plant/Alison Krauss, or anything new. They seem to be VERY happy with their oldies suckitude. There is one new cd they may lock onto and that's the new Eagles cd. Especially if it sounds at all like the old Eagles music.
I agree this is a perfect example of the need to break up all this monolithic media dinosaurs. There's tons of money being spent by lobbyists to see that that doesn't happen though. Rock on Bruce.. Loved you since Born to Run.

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Bush Fundraiser Linked to crashed Drug Plane

Returning to the story about the crashed drug plane linked to CIA/Republicans. There's been a few updates to the story. Has this been verified? Heck no, what do you think I am a "News" organization? Now if I were one of those "News" corporations I'd be doing indepth stories on Brittany Spears and what color pattern Laura Bush prefers in the Lincoln bedroom. This is an exclusive(?) from Madcow Morning News.

-
Bush Fundraiser Linked to CIA Drug Plane












Image.

"..Links between the ownership of the drug-running Gulfstream (Cocaine Two) and the other American-registered plane busted carrying a multi-ton load of cocaine in Mexico recently, the DC9 (Cocaine One) airliner caught with 5.5 tons of cocaine in Mexico 18 months ago.

Recently-released FAA records from the Gulfstream II business jet that went down in Mexico a month ago with four tons of cocaine reveal that before it was “parked” in the name of a New York real estate developer with ties to the Russian Mob, the plane was owned by a secretive Midwestern media baron and Republican fund-raiser, who had a business partner who, incredibly, owned the other American drug plane, the DC9, recently busted in Mexico.

Adams was in business with Miami attorney Michael Farkas, who founded SkyWay Aircraft, which owned the DC9 busted in Mexico 18 months ago with 5.5 tons of cocaine aboard.

Moreover at the same time the Bush Ranger extraordinaire Stephen Adams owned the Gulfstream (N987SA) in 1999 and 2000, he was personally buying over $1 million of billboard ads for George W. Bush for his 2000 Presidential election bid.

..The links between recent owners of the two drug planes, discovered during an examination of FAA registration records, suggest a continuing criminal conspiracy to engage in massive drug trafficking, involving Republican fund-raisers Adams and Senator Mel Martinez, Saudi arms dealer Khashoggi,
prominent oligarchs in the Russian Mob, dirty San Diego defense contractor Titan Corp., as well as elements of American military and civilian intelligence..

..The politically-explosive implications of the scandal may explain why American officials have been reluctant to move against, or even name, the true owners of the planes and basically "turned a blind eye" to the American involvement exposed by the drug trafficking seizures."

More.

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The DFA "Pulse Poll" Chris Dodd

From Democracy For America.













Senator Chris Dodd:

"The Military Commissions Act. Warrantless wiretapping. Shredding of Habeas Corpus. Torture. Extraordinary Rendition. Secret Prisons.

Enough is enough."


Go here for details and to vote for Senator Dodd

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Wingnut Welfare

Remember that FEMA official John Philbin who orchestrated the "Fake FEMA News conference"? Well it was reported this morning that he'd jumped to another job on the gravy train, as director of public affairs for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Well it looks like they saw the publicity coming. John's been kicked to the curb before he even got his office.
--
From Raw Story:

Fake FEMA news conference director loses promotion

..
Poor John will have to wait till the heat dies down to get "re-assigned".

On the other hand here's the next guy to be repositioned in the Bushco/Neocon Wingnut system:

Immunity Deal Hampers Blackwater Inquiry

Bureau of Diplomatic Security chief Richard Griffin last week announced his resignation, effective Thursday. Senior State Department officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have said his departure was directly related to his oversight of Blackwater contractors.

-

I Ain't Afraid Of No Ghost

An oldie but goodie: Rockwell, "Somebody's Watching Me"



Happy Halloween!

-

Light On The Rings Of Saturn

From the Cassini spacecraft.




















Surging Across the Rings
July 26, 2007

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The New Larry Flynt Sex Scandal Expose

Larry Flynt was on Fox and told Cavuto that, he’s “hoping to expose a bombshell” that will stand “Washington and the country on its head.” Within the next week or two. Is Mitch McConnell sweating bullets? Or Lindsey Graham?

-

Flynt Teases New “Huge” GOP Senate Sex Scandal.

-

We find out today that Mitch has been taking tons of money from companies under investigation and now this.

Light Painting

Light writing

From lichtfaktor.



Another at Antonesfr.

-

Ode To Ann Coulter

From Brave New Films:

"Perfected: The Ann Coulter Song"



"She's got the highest Adam's apple at the Republican convention."
Night All-have a great weekend!

-

That Sound You Hear..

Is the sound of Wingnut heads exploding all across America.

-
Rice taps Clinton, Carter for Middle East advice

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Anxious not to repeat mistakes of past Middle East peace-making, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has turned to former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter for tips ahead of her own conference this year.

Link.

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Bill Maher On The GOP

Bill Maher talks about the GOP's scaremongering on Iran.



-

Vid - Crooked Still

The cello and Bluegrass. Crooked Still with New Railroad:



Linked

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FEMA - Today's Dumb and Dumber

Hear about the fake FEMA "News" conference on the California fires? It's just to good to miss. Heckuva job Brownie...er..FEMA. Like my dad used to say, "These people would screw up a one car funeral!" They actually thought they could get away with a staged news conference and fill it with praise for themselves. The Onion couldn't make this stuff up.

--

FEMA Meets the Press, Which Happens to Be . . . FEMA
By al kamen, Washington Post

"..Reporters were given only 15 minutes' notice of the briefing, making it unlikely many could show up at FEMA's Southwest D.C. offices.

They were given an 800 number to call in, though it was a "listen only" line, the notice said -- no questions. Parts of the briefing were carried live on Fox News (see the Fox News video of the news conference carried on the Think Progress Web site), MSNBC and other outlets.."
-
"..And so I think what you're really seeing here is the benefit of experience, the benefit of good leadership and the benefit of good partnership," Johnson said, "none of which were present in Katrina." (Wasn't Michael Chertoff DHS chief then?) Very smooth, very professional. But something didn't seem right. The reporters were lobbing too many softballs. No one asked about trailers with formaldehyde for those made homeless by the fires. And the media seemed to be giving Johnson all day to wax on and on about FEMA's greatness.

Of course, that could be because the questions were asked by FEMA staffers playing reporters. We're told the questions were asked by Cindy Taylor, FEMA's deputy director of external affairs, and by "Mike" Widomski, the deputy director of public affairs. Director of External Affairs John "Pat" Philbin asked a question, and another came, we understand, from someone who sounds like press aide Ali Kirin.."

Asked about this, Widomski said: "We had been getting mobbed with phone calls from reporters, and this was thrown together at the last minute>."

-

Simply amazing. This should be remembered as the WTF! Presidency.

-

This Just In...

Fred Thompson is dumber than a bag of door knobs III.

-

Deadly Cute - The New Photoshop Contest

From Worth 1000:


















In this contest, we want you to show us something that looks cute at first glance, but hides a lethal secret. Show us kittens concealing cutlery. Penguins with poison pincers. A pink bunny wielding a huge banhammer. Well, maybe not that last one, but you get the idea.

Linked at BB.

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Mitch McConnell's Dropping Poll Numbers

Bush cheerleader Mitch McConnell's polling is still dropping with disapprovals at an all time high. Now he and dubya are wanting even more money for their illegal war.

Link.

-

Cutie of The Day

Cruella the Guinea pig giving(what she thinks is) her best side:
















-

Video | Yusuf Islam/Cat

One of my favorite writers and voices from long ago. Cat Steven's/Yusuf Islam's "How Can I Tell You":



-

Sign The Petition | Tell Harry Reid No Immunity

I think Harry Reid, along with Pelosi are fairly worthless but you can sign this petition to try to get Harry to do the right thing. He might even do it(wouldn't that be amazing). It would be a big change from his usual "Bluster then fold" strategy. A LOT of groups and major Bloggers have signed up:
-

Tell Harry Reid: No Immunity for Lawbreaking Companies

American Civil Liberties Union
ColorOfChange.org
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Moveon.org Political Action
Working Assets Wireless
Glenn Greenwald, Salon
Jane Hamsher, Firedoglake
Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, Dailykos
Christy Hardin Smith, Firedoglake
Matt Stoller, OpenLeft
Digby, Hullabaloo
Duncan Black, Atrios
John Aravosis, Americablog
Chris Bowers, OpenLeft
John Amato, Crooks and Liars
Howie Klein, DownWithTyranny

Go here sign the petition. Every little bit may help.

-

Jack Cafferty Talks - You Should Listen

-

Scrooge Republicans

"Are there no prisons, are there no workhouses?"
-Scrooge Republicans

Using the pathetic trick of releasing the mean-spirited announcement on a Friday evening, the week's lowest-buzzing moment of news coverage, the Bush Administration wants to cut the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a move which will literally leave 30 million low-income households in the cold this winter.

Oil costs are rising, and the Bush administration's response is to pull the plug on homes that can't afford the market-priced heat.

Link: Patriotboy, and Huffington.

-

You Know Who You Are

Funny of the day:

Hot Chicks With Douchebags

There once was a nanny, Bridgitte.
So Swedish, with boobies petite.
But douche-face soon pounced,
With hand gestures pronounced,
And Bridgitte soon smelled like lunch meat.

Thanks BG for the linky

-

Video George Carlin On Olbermann

George Carlin is still the man.



-

Ernie And The Gang's Kentucky Komments

Go to BluegrassReport for an excellent collection of Kentucky Republican comments from the last few years. The destruction Republican Governor Ernie Fletcher has laid on the state Republican party in the last few years, and it actually looks like people are finally starting to see the real Mitch McConnell to. Which ain't a pretty sight.
I've included a few of my favorites below but go read them all. It's a strange and fun little read in Republicanville.

-
"The war in Iraq has been an "extremely successful undertaking."
-U.S. Senator McConnell's (R) take on the Iraq War.

"But the facts are what they are. The fact is the pardons happened. The fact is he did take the Fifth (Amendment before a grand jury). The fact is he was indicted. The fact is he does have a legal defense fund. The fact is he said we were going to get to the unvarnished truth, but we didn't."
-Lt. Governor Steve Pence (R) on his decision to abandon Governor Fletcher (R) and endorse Anne Northup (R).

"He has alienated all who wanted to help and is down to two or three he will listen to and they are as unaware of reality as he is."
-Former top Fletcher official Basil Turbyfill concerning Fletcher's firing of staff after pardoning them.

“This Governor has more baggage than a loaded UPS 747-- indictments, pardons, misuse of taxpayer money, hiding donors to his secret fund from public view; it is too much for Republicans to endure.”
-Top Republican strategist Ted Jackson on Governor Fletcher (R).

“If you only hired the most qualified people, how will our people ever get hired?”
-Fletcher adviser and GOP Treasurer Dave Disponett in documents

And last but not least, the ever compassionate Senate President David Williams everybody!:
"It appeared to me that this young man might very well be a provocateur in this entire thing."
-Senate President David Williams (R) after Cumberland College student gets expelled for simply being gay.

-

I threw in the Basil Turbyfill quote mainly because of the name Basil Turbyfill.

-

The DFA "Pulse Poll"

From Democracy For America.













Photo

First up Dennis Kucinich weighs in these topics(and others):

Ending the war and preventing the next one

Empowering Constitutional abuses, and ending them

True "universal health care"

Marriage equality

Impeachment

Go here for details and to vote.

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Chris Dodd On The Upcoming FISA Bill

I'm liking Chris Dodd more and more. I still like John Edwards but Chris Dodd seems fearless and his stands on many issues are right there with mine. Here is Senator Dodd on his opposition to the up coming insult that is the FISA bill:



Thanks to Firedoglake which also has questions for Senator Dodd in their comments.

-

Stephen King Photoshop Contest

Link.

-

DU's Top Ten

Here they are. This week's Top Ten Conservative Idiots from DU.

-

Bloodspell | Machina

"Bloodspell" is a machina film(game engine based)




Linked here.

-

The Plastic-Trash Continent

Continent-size toxic stew of plastic trash fouling swath of Pacific Ocean

"..The enormous stew of trash - which consists of 80 percent plastics and weighs some 3.5 million tons, say oceanographers - floats where few people ever travel, in a no-man's land between San Francisco and Hawaii.."

-

Know Who Your Friends Are

Some of Dubya's best buds.

--

Egyptian intelligence agents devised a fiendish plan. They lured a thirteen year-old boy named Ahmed into an apartment with the promise of juice and videos. Ahmed was the son of Mohammed Sharraf, a well-known Egyptian fundamentalist and a senior member of al-Jihad. The boy was drugged and sodomized; when he awakened, he was confronted with photographs of the homosexual activity and threatened with the prospect of having them shown to his father. For the child, the consequences of such a disclosure were overwhelming. "It could even be that the father would kill him," a source close to Zawahiri admitted.

Next the Egyptian agents got the first boy to lure in a second, whom they also drugged and raped. Then they got the two to spy on Zawahiri in an attempt to kill him. Then Zawahiri caught the two boys spying. And then he had them both shot.

-

Our kids as laboratories

And guinnea pigs.

-
Tests reveal high chemical levels in kids' bodies

"..Most Americans haven't heard of body burden testing, but it's a hot topic among environmentalists and public health experts who warn that the industrial chemicals we come into contact with every day are accumulating in our bodies and endangering our health in ways we have yet to understand..."

-

Baghdad Burning as Iraqi Refugee

Riverbend has a new post up. She's now an Iraqi refugee living in Syria.

-

The first weeks here were something of a cultural shock. It has taken me these last three months to work away certain habits I’d acquired in Iraq after the war. It’s funny how you learn to act a certain way and don’t even know you’re doing strange things- like avoiding people’s eyes in the street or crazily murmuring prayers to yourself when stuck in traffic. It took me at least three weeks to teach myself to walk properly again- with head lifted, not constantly looking behind me.

-

The Owl and the Polecat

In a battle of wits. It'll be close.
-














Bush uses photo-ops to ‘angle for conservation stature.’
--Think Progress(The comments are worth the trip)

They called Bush "the toxic Texan" while he was governor and he's applied that system nationwide since then. With owls being wise this one probably already knows that anytime dubya praises something environmental, or has a photo-op with something natural, his toxic-team is in the background dooming that something.

Update: Aaah, looky here: The Toxic Texan wants to clearcut owley's forests. Sorry Owley. I'm sure that Harry and Nancy will have your back like they've been watching out for us.. er...Well.. never..mind..Sorry little guy.

-

Monday Morning Wake-Up Call

"Cat Man Do" by Simon Tofield. In my case this would be a whining, nudging, foot-tapping chihuahua waking me up. Wakey! Wakey! I wish I had bakey!



As always it was a short weekend. I managed to get online a few times all weekend. Just long enough to barely stay up with the "news". You'd think a weekend would be the time blogging would come easy. In my case I seem to do better during the week in the evenings, and from work(Ssssh! Don't tell anyone).

Found at Squid.

-

Bill Moyer's Journal

Tonight Blackwater. The Bushco private corporate army. It should be interesting.

-

Friday Vid

Steely Dan is a like 'em or hate 'em kind of group. I happen to like 'em. Here's "Kid Charlemagne" Live.



Crank it up.

-

Dubya's World

From Dubya's World.

--
37 million people now live below the poverty line -- 12.9 million of those are children.

The official poverty line is an income of $19,971/yr for a family of four.

A single parent working full-time for minimum wage makes $10,712/yr.

3.9 million families had at least one member go hungry because they couldn't afford enough food.

1,600,000 jobs lost in the private sector since Dubya took office.

46.6 million people lack health coverage.

1.7 million VETERANS -- including some Iraq War Veterans -- have no health insurance.

750,000 Americans are homeless; 300,000 of them are Veterans

-

Blog Recommends - Army of Dude

Army of Dude has become a great place to check every few days to see if he has a new post up. The one I linked to earlier was his response to drug addict Rush Limbaugh calling veteran's opposed to the Iraq war "phony soldiers". In the latest he talks about being home for a while recuperating and those experiences:

--

"..After a month I'm still not quite comfortable with being in small, crowded and loud places like bars. My senses are more refined now. I'm a more attentive driver and I can see and hear things a lot differently. A club with a thousand different conversations used to be collective noise. Now I hear an endless amount of distinct voices and every note coming from the DJ. I'm agitated by people coming too close or brushing up against me like never before. I don't jump, twitch or moan when I hear an expected loud noise. You know the feeling you get when you narrowly avoid a car crash? That's what I get. I'm perfectly fine at first glance, but the blood drains from my face and my scalp tingles. I may or may not break into a sweat at this point. I don't recall many dreams while I was in Iraq, but now they flood my subconscious. In one I'm riding in a bus and hanging out the window. Another bus in the opposite lane passes by, and Jesse Williams is waving to me from inside. I wave back. Another has me on a routine patrol when I find half a body on the side of the road. It's Chevy. His face is twisted but recognizable. His lower half is gone, despite his body being intact when he died.."

-

In another post He hits el Rushbo again.

-

Pro-War Rally In Northern Kentucky Fails Wonderfully

From Americans Against Escalation in Iraq.

--

Pro-War ‘Rally’ in Northern Kentucky Draws Few Supporters, More Opponents of Iraq War

“Vets for Freedom” Grassroots Campaign Turns Out Single-Digit Support for Bush’s Iraq War Policy as Kentuckians Call on Sen. McConnell to Bring an End to the War

Walton, KY – More evidence of the broad opposition to the war in Iraq, in Kentucky and across the country, came to light yesterday as the “Vets for Freedom” event in Northern Kentucky drew more opposition than support for the organization’s stated cause. What had been touted as a “rally” in support of President Bush’s war in Iraq [Cincinnati Enquirer, 10/4/2007] turned out exactly 21 people, many of whom were opposed to the war. In fact, opponents of the President’s reckless Iraq war policy outnumbered supporters, and much of the discussion focused on bringing an end to the war.

Link and image from Ditch Mitch.

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RIP | Joey Bishop

Ellen just told me that Joey Bishop died today. I'm actually old enough to remember the Joey Bishop Show faaar back in the mists of time(1970+-). He was a funny guy, a nice guy and a way cool guy. He was the last surviving member of "the ratpack" with Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Peter Lawford. This clip is from his show with Sammy Davis jr presenting Joey with a birthday cake. Believe it or not the other guy in the clip is Regis Philbin. Anyway here it is and check out those nehru jackets:



Say Hey to Sammy and the guys Joey. Bye.

-

Support Senator Dodd

Thanks to Senator Dodd for his courageous blocking of that Bushco/Telco FISA bill!
I like Chris Dodd's positions more and more, from Iraq to saving our constitution and Bill of Rights, and now stepping in to put at least a temporary stop to this FISA insanity. I didn't see Senator Obama step up, nor Clinton, nor Edwards either for that matter.

Show your support for Senator Dodd by signing his petition and/or donating.

-

Broken Record | Democrats Cave, Again

An example of why Congress approval ratings are below Bush and about even with Satan and Cheney(Yes we saw this one coming):

Senate Deal on Immunity for Phone Companies

Check AMERICAblog

Update: Chris Dodd comes through:
Senator Chris Dodd plans to put a hold on the Senate FISA renewal bill.


"The policy of being to cautious is the greatest risk of all."
--Nehru

-

Thursday Morning With The Elephant's Trunk

YAAAWWN! Good morning from the land of work. I just got in so it's time to browse a bit and wake up with my coffee. This is interesting and beautiful, it's "The Elephant's Trunk Nebula" in the star cluster IC 1396, in the constellation Cepheus.


-

Lara Logan with Jay Leno

CBS News Chief Foreign Correspondent Lara Logan on The Tonight Show:
"Things are going very badly in Iraq".



Link at Think Progress.

-

Olbermann and Rachael Maddow

Keith Olbermann interviews Rachael about that YouTube video regarding the Congressman Joe Knollenberg's ranting Chief of Staff:



-

John Pilger - Inside Burma

Includes an interview with Prime Minister Aung San Suu Kyi.


Hint: Click on the "Google video" to go to Google and then full screen the video there.

-

Stop Using Those Throwaway Water Bottles

Tis true.

--
Break the long distance throwaways - Use refillable bottles and filtered tap water:

Americans consumed more than 31 billion liters of bottled water in 2006 – nearly 28 gallons for every man, woman, and child. Manufacturing all those bottles required 900,000 tons of plastic and emitted as much greenhouse gas as 500,000 cars! Trucking a bottle of water 500 miles can double its climate impact – and some are shipped much, much farther.

Sign pledge here.

Get your local water qaulity results at the Tap Water Database(U.S.).

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Graeme Frost Family on Olbermann

The Frost family Interview by Keith Olbermann.



-

SCHIP | Bethany's Story

Of course the Rightwing led by their lady of smear Michelle Malkin are now trying to smear 2 yr. old Bethany and her parents.

-

Computer Repair...And Tomatoes!

Computer Repair and tomatoes.
















-

Gore Derangement Syndrome

This explains a lot.

Gore Derangement Syndrome.

-

Another Episode of: The Real Rudy Giuliani

New York firefighters don't care much for Rudy Giuliani. With good reason.




Anyone like me who's been getting their news from the Internet and newspapers, and very little(other than local) from the tv has had reasons to dislike and distrust Rudy for a good while. Yes, even before 9-11-01.

Also check out Crooks and Liars.

-

John Edwards Gets SEIU-Iowa Endorsement

John Edwards gets the SEIU(Service Employees International Union)-Iowa Endorsement



Great news for the Edwards campaign.
-

Kentucky Beats Number 1 LSU!!

I just have to celebrate the Kentucky football team. The Wildcats beat the number one ranked LSU Tigers in Lexington Saturday night in the third overtime. Congratulations Kentucky! Here's the final plays of the third overtime and then the crowd rushs the field:



-

The Neo Con Game Show

From the evil mind of Tom Tomorrow.



















I keep seeing this show over and over.

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John Fogarty - Deja Vu

Deja Vu all over again, and the "dirty hippies" saw it coming...again. Turn..It..Up!



Someone make Nancy Pelosi and Harry Ried watch.

Deja vu.

-

The Strange Fears of Bill O'Reilly

Glenn Greenwald explains what Bill O'Reilly considers being "far left". Habeas corpus, a right to trial, search warrents, etc. Go read it:

--

John Edwards' dark leftist America.

-

Bill Maher On The Horrible "Flag Pin" Controversary

A bit old but a goodie.



C&L.

-

That Republican Logo

I don't know if you've heard the talk about that 2008 Republican Convention Logo in, yep, you guessed it, Minn-StPaul. Note the elephant's "wide stance", note how he's mounted on "2008". Fark has discovered the fun and their readers are photo-shopping the crap(no pun intended) out of it. Here's the original in all it's wild, starry-eyed glory:













And here's one of my favorites of the submissions:













More.

Linked from DWT.

-

How does it feel to die?

No one gets out of here alive. Some awareness from NewScientist.

--
Death special: How does it feel to die?

IS IT distressing to experience consciousness slipping away or something people can accept with equanimity? Are there any surprises in store as our existence draws to a close? These are questions that have plagued philosophers and scientists for centuries, and chances are you've pondered them too occasionally.

None of us can know the answers for sure until our own time comes, but the few individuals who have their brush with death interrupted by a last-minute reprieve can offer some intriguing insights. Advances in medical science, too, have led to a better understanding of what goes on as the body gives up the ghost.

More.

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Gore Wins Nobel Peace Prize

Well Al did it. The winner of the 2000 Presidential election(won popular vote) is the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Oh, and it's Midnight Madness! Happy Friday Mornin'!

-

Gore, U.N. body win Nobel Peace Prize















-

Rachael Maddow on Olbermann

The Rightwing noise machine worked itself into a tizzy over a little boy who said he was glad he had help from SCHIP when he needed it for injuries he'd received. Lots of places to go to get some background information including here and here, etc. Here's Rachel Maddow on Keith Olbermann's show summing up the whole sordid episode perfectly:



-

Spy Bugs?

From The Washington Post.

--

Vanessa Alarcon saw them while working at an antiwar rally in Lafayette Square last month.

"I heard someone say, 'Oh my god, look at those,' " the college senior from New York recalled. "I look up and I'm like, 'What the hell is that?' They looked kind of like dragonflies or little helicopters. But I mean, those are not insects."

Out in the crowd, Bernard Crane saw them, too.

"I'd never seen anything like it in my life," the Washington lawyer said. "They were large for dragonflies. I thought, 'Is that mechanical, or is that alive?' "

That is just one of the questions hovering over a handful of similar sightings at political events in Washington and New York. Some suspect the insectlike drones are high-tech surveillance tools, perhaps deployed by the Department of Homeland Security.

Linked from Left i.

New Orleans | Desolation And Bushco Cronyism

The Rude Pundit is x-rated but completely right, Bushco gang doesn't even try to hide the corruption and cronyism anymore. Why should they? The corporate info-tainment's job is to muddy the waters(no pun intended). Brace yourself and read the Pundit:

--

"..See, not only might the pumps not work, but the contract for the pumps went to Moving Water Industries, a Florida corporation. The owner of MWI is J. David Eller. Eller was once a business partner of Jeb Bush, you know, the former governor of Florida who happens to be the President's brother. Bush-El, as their company was known, marketed water pumps overseas. Eller has donated over $140,000 to Republican candidates over the last 15 years. The contract had a $5 million "incentive" to do the work quickly.."

--

Kind of reminds me of when harpy Bush mama Barbara gave money to New Orleans but she ear-marked it so it could only be spent on educational items sold by her son Neil. Of course there's always her compassionate remarks about the victims:
"And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this - this is working very well for them."

That old Urban legend of the Bushies being shape-shifting alien reptiles makes some sense but it's just to easy.

-

The Bush Scandals List

You'd better get yourself a drink and settle in. This, as you well know, will be a LONG freakin' list.

--
Hugh Makes A List










Bush Scandals List

....Bush's Presidency began in the shadow of a contested and likely stolen election and promised to be unsuccessful in a largely forgettable and unremarkable way. 911 changed all that and transformed a plodding, and essentially AWOL one termer into an accidental hero. Enormous power flowed to his office but Bush had no idea how to use it. He liked to campaign, not govern. In those around him, he prized loyalty over competence and honesty. A believer in the notion of "to the victor go the spoils," he was the perfect mark for every conniver, bumbler, bungler, hack, hanger on, and would be crony that Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, and their friends could find. In the normal course of things, this would have spelled failure. Post-911, it was catastrophic.

The List.

-

The Elusive Canadian Wingnut

From five feet of (Wingnut) Fury.
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From Kathy Shaidle

Are there even a thousand really poor people in all of America? Really poor. Dying-on-the-sidewalks-with-open-sores poor? The so-called poor have cars and cable tv and free medical. They live in America in the 21st century, where school is free and libraries are free and a bus ticket to a better town costs less than a bag of crack. If they’re “poor” it’s because they were too lazy and stupid to a) finish high school and/or b) keep their pants on. Jesus had something to say about folks who didn’t properly manage their money or other people’s, and who squandered free gifts and good will. He told the adulteress to sin no more, not to find herself another baby daddy.

Read the rest and feel your logic sensors burn out and your head explode. Remember to be poor in America you have to be "Dying-on-the-sidewalks-with-open-sores. Got that? I won't even go into Jesus as money-manager, investment counselor.
Sadly No has a real nice run-down(if only we could) of Kathy Wingnut.

By the way rumour has it that Kathy was a frequent user of the Canadian (free) health care system for years.
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This Just In: Democrats To Bend Over Again

I know you've seen this already a dozen times, but it should be repeated another dozen. I don't really pretend anymore to know what the Democrats are doing, what their plan is, if any. They'll do one little minor accomplishment, so I'll think, well that's pretty good, they're growing a spine. Then they turn around as regular as clockwork and give away the farm, fold like limp cardboard. They're all set to do it again, on numerous fronts. From just kissing Bush behind on wiretapping(again):

Two months after vowing to roll back broad new wiretapping powers won by the Bush administration, Congressional Democrats appear ready to make concessions that could extend some of the key powers granted to the National Security Agency.

To being perfectly willing to allow a Republican mole on the FEC(Federal Election Commission).

I assume the Congressional Democrats firmly believe they have a lock on 2008. Their motives for consistently folding I've given up trying to understand, but they sure believe in that 2008 lock. That we've just no where else to go and in a big way they're right. But I hope they can comprehend how many Democrats are becoming so dillusioned and outright embarrased by their capitulating that there's a chance the next surrender, or maybe the one after that will lead a few million Democrats to stay home on election day in disgust. Who could blame them.

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The Blackwater Timeline

From: "Making A Killing: A Blackwater Timeline".

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2006
Blackwater's federal contracts total $593 million.

May 2006
Blackwater announces plans for new combat training facilities in California and the Philippines.

February 6, 2006
Pentagon releases its Quadrennial Defense Review, classifying private contractors as a part of the Defense Department's "Total Force."

September 24, 2006
Blackwater convoy driving down the wrong side of the road ("counter flowing") in al-Hillah strikes an oncoming car, propelling it into a telephone pole. The Iraqi car bursts into flames. Blackwater contractors leave the scene without offering help to the victim, who dies in the fire.

December 24, 2006
Drunken Blackwater operator Andrew Moonen shoots the Iraqi vice presidents' security guard in the Green Zone. He is fired, fined, and flown back to the United States, but returns to Kuwait two months later with another private contracting firm.

2007
Blackwater's federal contracts total $1 billion.

More.
Linked from War & Piece.

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Drug Planes & Spooks?

Crashed drug plane owned by US Government?

Another linky.
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Think Again: Drugs

Prohibition has failed—again. Instead of treating the demand for illegal drugs as a market, and addicts as patients, policymakers the world over have boosted the profits of drug lords and fostered narcostates that would frighten Al Capone. Finally, a smarter drug control regime that values reality over rhetoric is rising to replace the “war” on drugs.
-Ethan Nadelmann

“The Global War on Drugs Can Be Won”

No, it can’t.

A “drug-free world,” which the United Nations describes as a realistic goal, is no more attainable than an “alcohol-free world”—and no one has talked about that with a straight face since the repeal of Prohibition in the United States in 1933. Yet futile rhetoric about winning a “war on drugs” persists, despite mountains of evidence documenting its moral and ideological bankruptcy. When the U.N. General Assembly Special Session on drugs convened in 1998, it committed to “eliminating or significantly reducing the illicit cultivation of the coca bush, the cannabis plant and the opium poppy by the year 2008” and to “achieving significant and measurable results in the field of demand reduction.” But today, global production and consumption of those drugs are roughly the same as they were a decade ago; meanwhile, many producers have become more efficient, and cocaine and heroin have become purer and cheaper.

It’s always dangerous when rhetoric drives policy—and especially so when “war on drugs” rhetoric leads the public to accept collateral casualties that would never be permissible in civilian law enforcement, much less public health. Politicians still talk of eliminating drugs from the Earth as though their use is a plague on humanity. But drug control is not like disease control, for the simple reason that there’s no popular demand for smallpox or polio. Cannabis and opium have been grown throughout much of the world for millennia. The same is true for coca in Latin America. Methamphetamine and other synthetic drugs can be produced anywhere. Demand for particular illicit drugs waxes and wanes, depending not just on availability but also fads, fashion, culture, and competition from alternative means of stimulation and distraction. The relative harshness of drug laws and the intensity of enforcement matter surprisingly little, except in totalitarian states. After all, rates of illegal drug use in the United States are the same as, or higher than, Europe, despite America’s much more punitive policies.

Link.

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The Book of Disquiet

"..What grieves me is that my best is no good, and that another whom I dream of, if he existed, would have done better. Everything we do, in art or in life, is the imperfect copy of what we thought of doing.."
-Fernando Pessoa



















The Book of Disquiet
Fernando Pessoa
Translated by Richard Zenith

Linked.

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Neocon Gold

I think I saw this ad just the other night.



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Gore Favored to Win Nobel Peace Prize

Now this should make Wingnut heads explode.

Gore Favored for Nobel Prize














Go Big Al!

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Global Warning | "It Is Too Late Already"

Ilulissat, Greenland


Glaciers, Moulins, and the acceleration of melting.

Glacial Acceleration - A Sea of Troubles

From Sean-Paul Kelley at The Agonist

More here.

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Decision Making For Maroons

"My job is a decision-making job. And as a result, I make a lot of decisions"
-George W. Bush














Thanks to Blue Gal.
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Just One..I'm on a Skank Diet

A cute pic I've seen around the Web.




















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Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen was on 60 minutes tonight. I've been a follower of Bruce since I bought his "Born to Run" album in the mid-seventies. The man is a patriot and he pisses off the wingnuts. What more could you want? Here's "Factory" from "Darkness on the Edge of Town":



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Jim Carrey And The Burma Dictatorship

Actor Jim Carrey has another video out about Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma.



Inquiries@un.org urging the UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon to coordinate a strong response by the United nations Security Council to the situation in Burma. …”

Link C&L.

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Calling Occupants..

..Of Interplanetary craft. We need all the help we can get.




From Klaatu.

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Name That Republican

A Field Guide trading cards.

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Sunday Droopy Sunday

Whew! I'm back from the lake and caught a total of 1 fish. As fans of dubya would say, Yeehaw! With chores and some of the assorted jobs around here done I can finally get online. If you wanted cutting edge news you'd be at Huffington Post, Raw Story, and the big orange satan, etc. anyway. Hopefully everyone's having a great Sunday. On a completely unrelated note I was reading the dead tree edition of The Lexington Herald this AM and came across another of their and Ryan Alessi's scramble to pin something/Anything on Democratic candidate for Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear. They had another today on the front page with the damning title, "Report reveals conflict of interest, Beshear failed to disclose key facts to state official". Of course when you read the article it seems the worst thing Beshear had done was, to use Alyssi's own words, "The investigative report -- released at noon yesterday after being locked away for 12 years -- said Beshear was at least generally aware of a potential conflict of interest". Got that! "generally aware of a potential". I don't think their fishing expedition is bearing fruit, and I don't think this will hurt Beshear against indicted Republican Governor Ernie Fletcher. I'm not sue what Alessi's angle in this is. Maybe he sees a chance for some "journamalistic" fame in his scramble for crimes against Beshear. If this is all he's got he should just let it go. Bluegrass Reports has a great rundown on this. They say that no other Kentucky newspaper is trying to build this story into something the way the Lexington paper is. Curious. You really should read BR's take on it. You know maybe the Herald Leader could put Alessi onto that Obama flag pin story(snark).

The Top 25 Underrated Guitarists

Rolling Stone's Top 25 Underrated Guitarists.




















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Friday Lunchtime Video

It's Friday, Lunch is finally here, and I'm leaving early today, AND going to the lake in the morning! Here's a Quick video of Roseanne on Austin City Limits, "Seven Year Ache":



Going to read some Blogs. Back later.

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Creatures Of The Deep

Grimpoteuthis, a type of Dumbo octopus (up to 5 feet), lives in every ocean, near the bottom. It flaps its earlike fins to swim.

Image from:
The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss

Linked from David Pescovitz at BB.

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Human Rights Watch | Burma

If there's ANYONE the Bush Imperial Presidency should be badmouthing right now its the military dictators of Burma.
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Burma: Foreign Investment Finances Regime
Companies Should Condemn Crackdown

"Keeping quiet while monks & other peaceful protesters are murdered & jailed is not ... constructive engagement."
--Human Rights Watch, 10-2-07.

More here and here.
And 200 Monks Lined Up and Killed

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Tattoo Of The Day | Level Up

I'm not a tattoo kind of fool but I really like this one.




















Linkage.
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The Miniature Earth Project

Visualizing what the world might look like if it had a population of only 100 people.
The Miniature Earth Project



Linked also from the Squid.

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John Edwards | On Iraq

John Edwards talks with Olbermann about Iraq and mercenaries..er..private contractors:

"I will end combat missions."
-John Edwards


"We must put the democracy back in our military and prevent a disaster like the continuation of the Iraq War from ever occurring again,'' Edwards says in remarks provided to The Associated Press. ''As commander in chief, I will transfer most security missions currently performed by contractors back to military command, where they belong."
-Edwards: Limit Private Security Firms

Link: Taylor Marsh

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REM | Near Wild Heaven

Speaking of REM and Michael Stipe. Here's "Near Wild Heaven".



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Weak Has A Face

From Darin Murphy.

Weak Has a Face, and It's Pelosi's

If there was any doubt before, which there wasn't, it's gone now. Watching Nancy Pelosi on The View yesterday morning provided the final proof that the backbone of the House is only as strong as its speaker. Her body language said it all. There she sat in the center of the table, sandwiched between Elizabeth Hasselbeck and the "Is the world flat? I don't know" lady, looking anxious and devoid of stately confidence. She could barely look in the eyes of America's Favorite True Believer on her left, who immediately smelled fear and pounced on her prey. "If the violence in Iraq had gone up," she started in (I'm paraphrasing), "you would be insisting that the surge was a failure. Now that the reports say it's gone down drastically, aren't you willing to admit that the surge is a success?" So what does Pelosi do? Does she make like Bill Clinton versus Chris Wallace, lean into her face and retort "young lady, don't try that little conservative hit job on me. You obviously don't know fudged numbers when you see them"? No. Instead she looks somewhere in Hasselbeck's general direction and squeaks meekly, "But that's still a lot of deaths." (I'm not paraphrasing). She then quickly changes the subject as she spends the rest of the interview leaning away from Hasselbeck and focusing on the three women on her right, wishing to God they had sat her down beside Whoopi.

More.

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Michael Stipe of REM

Free Aung San Suu Kyi, free Burma.



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The Congressional Democrats

Ted Rall has them figured out.
















Thanks DWT.

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Vote Vets Calling Out Rush

The new ad from Vote Vets:



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