* Derriere Orifice of the Week - Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL) announced that he has compiled a secret list of 17 members of the House of Representatives who are SOCIALISTS. He would not reveal their names because, “they are a secret.” Responding to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request I admit that I also have compiled a secret list of members of Congress. It is made up of those legislators entitled to be called ASSHOLES. Through threat of waterboarding I have reluctantly agreed to admit that Mr. Bachus is on the list.
* Speaking of secrets – “The CIA no longer operates any secret overseas prisons, Director Leon Panetta said yesterday, and has not detained anyone since he became chief in February.” Under Bush the claim was made that the prisons or “black ops sites” as they were called, did not exist and even if they did exist the torture of detainees in these non-existent prisons did not take place. The apparent existential contradiction can be easily explained by, “Liar, liar, pants on fire.” It also makes a joke of any oversight Congress pretends to have over the spy agencies and the Executive branch of our government.
* Speaking of more secrets ~ The Hypocrite Oath - “Medical professionals working for the CIA played a central role in the "ill-treatment" of terror suspects in U.S. custody overseas, according to a previously confidential report by the International Committee of the Red Cross” (conducted in 2007). One may ask why a person trained and sworn to protect life would willingly participate in the torture of another human being. The Nazis were infamous for their medical experimentation on concentration camp prisoners and eventually answered for their despicable inhumanity at the Nuremberg trials. But here we are talking about Americans – the good guys in war movies, the standard for international behavior. We are accustomed to instances of having scumbag politicians, spies, businessmen, religious leaders, teachers, police and bloggers. Scumbag medical professionals assisting in torture breaks new ground in the demise of the American dream that has led to this American nightmare.
* No secret – To be a Republican politician requires having the common sense of overcooked white rice. Texas State Rep. Betty Brown (R) said that Asian-Americans should change their names because they’re too hard to pronounce. “Rather than everyone here having to learn Chinese — I understand it’s a rather difficult language — do you think that it would behoove you and your citizens to adopt a name that we could deal with more readily here?” I have an idea! Asian Americans males should begin changing their names to George Bush 1, George Bush 2, George Bush 3 and so on. Females can be Betty Brown 1, Betty Brown 2 and so on. I cannot wait to pick up my Chinese takeout tonight and greet the young lady behind the counter with “Hello Betty Brown 324,119.” I intend to convince Ms. Brown 324,119 to change the name of Chow Mein to Texas Chile and Sumei Dumplings to Turd Blossoms.
* Feel better about yourself ~ you are worth more than you think – The company Innovative Research’s website says it provides the research community with quality biomedical products. I was stunned at the breadth and price of their products. For example, 50 ml of Human Saliva is priced at $275, Human Breast Milk $275, Human Semen $375 and Human Urine $75. This will certainly bring about a change in my behavior. No more will I sell a pint of my blood for a mere $25 and a jelly donut.
* The wrong defense – On FOX News last Sunday Brit Hume attempted to defend former president George W. Bush. Hume said that Bush did indeed believe in Global Warming. If that is the truth, how much more egregious is the Bush administration’s complete lack of action relative to Global Warming? It opposed higher gas mileage standards, did little to nothing to encourage green technology and ignored the Kyoto agreement of world powers to address warming. I had concluded that President Bush just did not get it – remember, science was involved. If Hume is correct, Bush is even more culpable than previously thought. We lost eight years in addressing potential disasters that may result from the warming of our planet - world-wide flooding and famine that could lead to world-wide war.
* The wrong war ~ a time to mourn – James Dobson is stepping down as leader of the religious right organization Focus on the Family. “Dobson conceded that evangelical conservatives had lost most of the recent so-called “culture war” battles… Humanly speaking, we can say that we have lost… the nation is now “absolutely awash in evil.”
On what is a rare occasion I agree with Mr. Dobson that the culture wars of the religious right are being lost and evil permeates our society. I would suggest, however, that the wrong battles were being fought and to some extent contributed to the greed that is at the core of our current economic travails. In an attempt to foist their “religious” agenda on our non-sectarian society the religious right forged an alliance with the Republican Party. In convincing their members to support Republicans, Dobson, Jerry Falwell and their brethren helped elect Republican legislators that were pro-business and anti-regulation, pro-deficit spending while reducing taxes for the wealthy. The Republican allies of the religious right, Bush and company, swept us into an unprovoked war leading to the loss of over 100,000 lives and the displacement of millions of Iraqis. Imagine if their broad influence had been directed to the business and political segments of our society to promote integrity, fairness, workers rights and protection of the environment. The religious right lost a generation of meaningful influence while being used as pawns by the GOP. It is indeed a sad eulogy.
* Love is a Many Splendored Thing – “A Saudi judge has refused for a second time to annul a marriage between an 8-year-old girl and a 47-year-old man.” Anyone in our culture would be appalled at this nuptial pedophilia. However, the judge was not as radical as it would appear on the surface. He granted that the child could apply for a divorce when she reaches puberty. And isn’t it almost always about money? “The girl's father, according to the attorney, arranged the marriage in order to settle his debts with the man, who is ‘a close friend’ of his.” On a social note, the wedding festivities will be held at Chucky Cheese and then the newlyweds will leave immediately for Disney World.
* On the lighter side ~ of heavy – All is “normal” in the land of Governor Sarah Palin. Her pick for Alaska Attorney General, Anthony Ross, is a racist, a writer of several manifestoes attacking Martin Luther King, Jr. as a communist subversive, a homophobe and anti-environmentalist. And to think that we almost had the opportunity to call her Madam Vice-President. The backlash to this nomination may result in Palin withdrawing the Ross nomination. As if Sarah did not have enough on her plate with the backbiting between her and former almost son-in-law Levi Johnston, her sister-in-law Diana Palin was arrested for twice burglarizing a house, during which she was accompanied by her 4-year old daughter. They will not be going to Disney World any time soon.
* Today is U.S. Tax Day – two views:
“I like to pay taxes. With them I buy civilization.” Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
“What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue.” Thomas Paine
Showing posts with label global warming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label global warming. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Saturday, September 8, 2007
9/8/07
*Mad George, mad at George - My brother has a science background and has often told me that he does not believe in coincidence. There are 30 days in September and the Bush administration has selected the 11th for General Patraeus to give his Iraq report. If Bush could sell peace as well as he can sell fear he would be seen as Martin Luther King instead of King George III. In 1776 America revolted against Mad George III.
*View from the Canadian Rockies – Transitioning from a big eastern city to the mountains, lakes, parks, ice fields and glaciers of Montana, Alberta and British Columbia was quite an experience. The spectacular scenery and exhilarating vistas were a reminder of nature’s grandeur, power and interdependence. I was amazed to learn that the Columbia Ice Field melted over a triple continental divide flowing to the Artic, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The resulting rivers flowing to the Atlantic and Pacific nurture vast areas of wheat production and provide water and electricity to millions of people. I was saddened by the thought that our federal government has been so lax in protecting our environment and ignoring the effects that poor planning and policing will have on our future. It is as if these leaders, these elected officials, these watchdogs at the Departments of Agriculture, Interior and the EPA do not have children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters and neighbors. Perhaps there is truth to the characterization that government employees are automatons that are produced in labs and factories. Where is the sense of responsibility? Where is the sense of humanity?
*Traveling to Canada requires a passport but I felt right at home reading the news:
-General Motors of Canada Ltd. will eliminate 1000 jobs (they employ just over 3000) at a truck plant in Ottawa. The U.S. market is the destination of 85% of this plant. This follows a cut of 2000 workers by Chrysler in Windsor Ontario earlier this year and the permanent shutdown of dozens of auto parts plants that supplied Detroit automakers.
-Three Canadian legislators are being investigated for influence peddling and misuse of funds.
-Millions in aid money by the Canadian government in Afghanistan has gone astray. There has been an absence of oversight. The Senlis Council, a think tank that examines security and development issues, has been working in Afghanistan for 2 years and says it is hard-pressed to find positive results of the $139 million expended during that time.
-Canadian Forces (CF) (air force) paid millions of dollars for maintenance work on its Airbus fleet that was never performed over the last 5 years. An audit showed that the CF are not supervising the elements of the contract that have been awarded to contractors. The audit did praise the quality of the maintenance work that was performed.
-In Calgary I saw a political ad on a park bench for the man running for 5th Ward Alderman. I thought that he had the quintessential name for a politician – Pay Jones. Later in the day I was disappointed to learn from another park bench with the same ad that Mr. Jones’ first name had been vandalized when someone painted over the right leg of the “R”.
*John Ibbitson writes a column about America for the Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail. With Idaho Republican Senator Larry Craig all over the news for soliciting men in a restroom Ibbitson asks, “What is it about conservative politicians that drive so many of them to destroy their lives in pursuit of illicit sex?” He opined that many political careers begin in high school or college before they are fully socially or sexually mature. Because they advocate tolerance, liberal politicians have room to adjust their lives to their adult reality. But conservatives must adhere to the Victorian ideal at odds with their internal urges. They learn to rationalize public positions and embrace party platforms. This denial becomes corrosive. Ibbitson says, “People who lie to themselves (a life unexamined) are poor stewards of the public trust.”
*Larry Craig’s voting record on gay issues:
Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006)Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000)Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996)Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)
*Still under scrutiny 1 - Sen. Ted Stevens (Republican from Alaska) infamously known for the Bridge to Nowhere and more recently for multiple corruption investigations once again comes under our scrutiny. In June, the House of Representatives voted by a wide margin to stop subsidizing new logging roads in the Tongass National Forest, our nation’s largest national forest. Over the last 25 years, more than 1 billion taxpayer dollars have been spent to clearcut and build roads through this irreplaceable forest. Stevens is now working to offset this House decision as well as to shield the National Forest Service from the courts for dereliction of duty. Fortunately, there are organizations such as Earthjustice that work through the courts to protect our natural resources. You can sign a petition to your congressmen to neutralize Stevens’ efforts at this link: http://action.earthjustice.org/campaign/Tongass_Alert_Sept_2007/wdn67ig24enet57?
*Still under scrutiny 2 – Rudy Giuliani continues talking about his impeccable role of hero following the attacks of 9/11 on the World Trade Center. He wants us to believe that this qualifies him to be President of the U.S. Robert Greenwald interviewed experts, police, firemen and their families to see if the Mayor’s claims have validity. You can be the judge. The link to the short video is: http://therealrudy.org/facts
*It has been 2 years since Katrina devastated New Orleans. In the days that followed I remember our president standing in the French Quarter and telling the citizens of New Orleans and the United States that America would help to re-build the city and help get its citizens back on their feet. What did follow were too many empty promises, incompetence and graft. Senators Dodd and Obama have introduced the Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act of 2007 aimed at addressing the inadequacies of the Bush plan. You can sign a petition urging your elected representatives to support this bill and force Bush to administrate responsibly. The link is:
http://pol.moveon.org/katrina07/petition/?r_by=&rc=paste
*At least it ain’t guns - Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican from Kentucky, is the Minority Leader and front man for the Bush administration. He recently approved an $8.3 million contract for a company to provide iPod-like devices to Afghani tribesmen. McConnell’s former aid Hunter Bates was paid $200,000 for his connection to McConnell. Bates, representing the company, helped McConnell raise $120,000 in contributions from his clients. It is comforting to know that when the tribesmen’s laptops go down they can listen to Eric Clapton singing Cocaine while working the poppy fields. It is less comforting to know that too many of our country’s elected leaders continue to be low-class prostitutes earning high-class fees and the only ones getting screwed are the constituents.
*Obscene – would be the word to describe what federal authorities have allowed credit card companies to do with interest charges and policies that at one time would have been illegal under usury laws. The Federal Reserve Board is considering new rules favorable to consumers although not likely to put a reasonable ceiling on interest rates. You can sign a petition supporting rule changes that are more consumer friendly at:
https://secure.npsite.org/cu/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr007=xozg932f81.app7a&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1647
*The longer we stay the ‘longerer’ we stay - I recently watched part of a C-SPAN interview of Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor to Jimmy Carter. He observed that the escalation and continuance of the Iraq War could result in an enlarged war that could last for 20 years in Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. The conventional wisdom is that Bush will leave the settlement of the Iraq War to his successor. The question now becomes how many successors?
*Crunched by the numbers – In 2006 the Iraqi ministries of defense, health and interior reported Iraqi civilian casualties to total 12,357. The U.N reported that the casualties were 33,717. Embarrassed by the high reported death toll, the Iraqi government refused the U.N. access to Health Ministry statistics in 2007.
*The devil takes many forms - In 2003 the Defense Department started an anti-terrorism data base called TALON to protect military bases in the U.S. It soon strayed from its intended mission and expanded the database to include reports by local law enforcement agencies and military security personnel about nonviolent demonstrations and anti-war rallies, activities protected by the First Amendment of our constitution. In 2006 the ACLU filed a lawsuit against this activity and it was just announced that the Pentagon will shut down the data base of secret information on peaceful groups. This is an excellent example of what can happen when government is allowed to conduct domestic spying activities with no oversight and guards. To those who advocate ceding freedoms to protect us from terrorists I would suggest that ceding freedoms ushers in equally dangerous threats.
*I dreamt in a dream – The war in Iraq is now costing $3 billion per week. With this amount of money how many children could receive health insurance, how many roads and bridges could be repaired, how many border guards could be hired, how many alternative fuel projects could be funded, how many diseases could be cured, how many …?
*He dreamt in a dream - Progress (definition): positive development; development, usually of a gradual kind, toward achieving a goal or reaching a higher standard - We will hear progress used frequently this week as Bush forwards his Iraq fantasy. Bush has claimed progress since 2003 while lacking a plan, a goal or a standard.
*Why I decided not to purchase Exxon/Mobil products – A report last February by 600 scientists from governments, academia, green groups and businesses in 40 countries concluded, "Warming of the climate system is unequivocal. Worse, there was now at least a 90 percent likelihood that the release of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels is causing longer droughts, more flood-causing downpours and worse heat waves, way up from earlier studies.” StopGlobalWarming.org reports that, “A conservative think tank long funded by Exxon/Mobil has offered scientists $10,000 to write articles undercutting the new report and the computer-based climate models it is based on.” Rather than garnering its vast resources to research and develop fuels more compatible with the environment and healthier for the human beings living on this planet, Exxon/Mobile has chosen to dig in its business-as-usual heels and obstruct both the truth and the progress for a better global community. Equal culpability belongs to our government which has been a tool of big oil interests rather than a progressive influence for constructive, positive change. Not to be forgotten in this equation is you and me. We have not been sufficiently pro-active in demanding better leadership from our elected representatives. AND, I am ticked that Mobil has stopped supporting Mystery Theater on PBS.
* ”Perhaps Special Places exist only in the minds of the observer, the special places where the human spirit joins freely to the movement of the land, where happiness within is expressed in the beauty without.”
Tom Willock, Canadian photographer
*View from the Canadian Rockies – Transitioning from a big eastern city to the mountains, lakes, parks, ice fields and glaciers of Montana, Alberta and British Columbia was quite an experience. The spectacular scenery and exhilarating vistas were a reminder of nature’s grandeur, power and interdependence. I was amazed to learn that the Columbia Ice Field melted over a triple continental divide flowing to the Artic, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The resulting rivers flowing to the Atlantic and Pacific nurture vast areas of wheat production and provide water and electricity to millions of people. I was saddened by the thought that our federal government has been so lax in protecting our environment and ignoring the effects that poor planning and policing will have on our future. It is as if these leaders, these elected officials, these watchdogs at the Departments of Agriculture, Interior and the EPA do not have children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters and neighbors. Perhaps there is truth to the characterization that government employees are automatons that are produced in labs and factories. Where is the sense of responsibility? Where is the sense of humanity?
*Traveling to Canada requires a passport but I felt right at home reading the news:
-General Motors of Canada Ltd. will eliminate 1000 jobs (they employ just over 3000) at a truck plant in Ottawa. The U.S. market is the destination of 85% of this plant. This follows a cut of 2000 workers by Chrysler in Windsor Ontario earlier this year and the permanent shutdown of dozens of auto parts plants that supplied Detroit automakers.
-Three Canadian legislators are being investigated for influence peddling and misuse of funds.
-Millions in aid money by the Canadian government in Afghanistan has gone astray. There has been an absence of oversight. The Senlis Council, a think tank that examines security and development issues, has been working in Afghanistan for 2 years and says it is hard-pressed to find positive results of the $139 million expended during that time.
-Canadian Forces (CF) (air force) paid millions of dollars for maintenance work on its Airbus fleet that was never performed over the last 5 years. An audit showed that the CF are not supervising the elements of the contract that have been awarded to contractors. The audit did praise the quality of the maintenance work that was performed.
-In Calgary I saw a political ad on a park bench for the man running for 5th Ward Alderman. I thought that he had the quintessential name for a politician – Pay Jones. Later in the day I was disappointed to learn from another park bench with the same ad that Mr. Jones’ first name had been vandalized when someone painted over the right leg of the “R”.
*John Ibbitson writes a column about America for the Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail. With Idaho Republican Senator Larry Craig all over the news for soliciting men in a restroom Ibbitson asks, “What is it about conservative politicians that drive so many of them to destroy their lives in pursuit of illicit sex?” He opined that many political careers begin in high school or college before they are fully socially or sexually mature. Because they advocate tolerance, liberal politicians have room to adjust their lives to their adult reality. But conservatives must adhere to the Victorian ideal at odds with their internal urges. They learn to rationalize public positions and embrace party platforms. This denial becomes corrosive. Ibbitson says, “People who lie to themselves (a life unexamined) are poor stewards of the public trust.”
*Larry Craig’s voting record on gay issues:
Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006)Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000)Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996)Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)
*Still under scrutiny 1 - Sen. Ted Stevens (Republican from Alaska) infamously known for the Bridge to Nowhere and more recently for multiple corruption investigations once again comes under our scrutiny. In June, the House of Representatives voted by a wide margin to stop subsidizing new logging roads in the Tongass National Forest, our nation’s largest national forest. Over the last 25 years, more than 1 billion taxpayer dollars have been spent to clearcut and build roads through this irreplaceable forest. Stevens is now working to offset this House decision as well as to shield the National Forest Service from the courts for dereliction of duty. Fortunately, there are organizations such as Earthjustice that work through the courts to protect our natural resources. You can sign a petition to your congressmen to neutralize Stevens’ efforts at this link: http://action.earthjustice.org/campaign/Tongass_Alert_Sept_2007/wdn67ig24enet57?
*Still under scrutiny 2 – Rudy Giuliani continues talking about his impeccable role of hero following the attacks of 9/11 on the World Trade Center. He wants us to believe that this qualifies him to be President of the U.S. Robert Greenwald interviewed experts, police, firemen and their families to see if the Mayor’s claims have validity. You can be the judge. The link to the short video is: http://therealrudy.org/facts
*It has been 2 years since Katrina devastated New Orleans. In the days that followed I remember our president standing in the French Quarter and telling the citizens of New Orleans and the United States that America would help to re-build the city and help get its citizens back on their feet. What did follow were too many empty promises, incompetence and graft. Senators Dodd and Obama have introduced the Gulf Coast Housing Recovery Act of 2007 aimed at addressing the inadequacies of the Bush plan. You can sign a petition urging your elected representatives to support this bill and force Bush to administrate responsibly. The link is:
http://pol.moveon.org/katrina07/petition/?r_by=&rc=paste
*At least it ain’t guns - Senator Mitch McConnell, Republican from Kentucky, is the Minority Leader and front man for the Bush administration. He recently approved an $8.3 million contract for a company to provide iPod-like devices to Afghani tribesmen. McConnell’s former aid Hunter Bates was paid $200,000 for his connection to McConnell. Bates, representing the company, helped McConnell raise $120,000 in contributions from his clients. It is comforting to know that when the tribesmen’s laptops go down they can listen to Eric Clapton singing Cocaine while working the poppy fields. It is less comforting to know that too many of our country’s elected leaders continue to be low-class prostitutes earning high-class fees and the only ones getting screwed are the constituents.
*Obscene – would be the word to describe what federal authorities have allowed credit card companies to do with interest charges and policies that at one time would have been illegal under usury laws. The Federal Reserve Board is considering new rules favorable to consumers although not likely to put a reasonable ceiling on interest rates. You can sign a petition supporting rule changes that are more consumer friendly at:
https://secure.npsite.org/cu/site/Advocacy?JServSessionIdr007=xozg932f81.app7a&cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1647
*The longer we stay the ‘longerer’ we stay - I recently watched part of a C-SPAN interview of Zbigniew Brzezinski, former National Security Advisor to Jimmy Carter. He observed that the escalation and continuance of the Iraq War could result in an enlarged war that could last for 20 years in Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan. The conventional wisdom is that Bush will leave the settlement of the Iraq War to his successor. The question now becomes how many successors?
*Crunched by the numbers – In 2006 the Iraqi ministries of defense, health and interior reported Iraqi civilian casualties to total 12,357. The U.N reported that the casualties were 33,717. Embarrassed by the high reported death toll, the Iraqi government refused the U.N. access to Health Ministry statistics in 2007.
*The devil takes many forms - In 2003 the Defense Department started an anti-terrorism data base called TALON to protect military bases in the U.S. It soon strayed from its intended mission and expanded the database to include reports by local law enforcement agencies and military security personnel about nonviolent demonstrations and anti-war rallies, activities protected by the First Amendment of our constitution. In 2006 the ACLU filed a lawsuit against this activity and it was just announced that the Pentagon will shut down the data base of secret information on peaceful groups. This is an excellent example of what can happen when government is allowed to conduct domestic spying activities with no oversight and guards. To those who advocate ceding freedoms to protect us from terrorists I would suggest that ceding freedoms ushers in equally dangerous threats.
*I dreamt in a dream – The war in Iraq is now costing $3 billion per week. With this amount of money how many children could receive health insurance, how many roads and bridges could be repaired, how many border guards could be hired, how many alternative fuel projects could be funded, how many diseases could be cured, how many …?
*He dreamt in a dream - Progress (definition): positive development; development, usually of a gradual kind, toward achieving a goal or reaching a higher standard - We will hear progress used frequently this week as Bush forwards his Iraq fantasy. Bush has claimed progress since 2003 while lacking a plan, a goal or a standard.
*Why I decided not to purchase Exxon/Mobil products – A report last February by 600 scientists from governments, academia, green groups and businesses in 40 countries concluded, "Warming of the climate system is unequivocal. Worse, there was now at least a 90 percent likelihood that the release of greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels is causing longer droughts, more flood-causing downpours and worse heat waves, way up from earlier studies.” StopGlobalWarming.org reports that, “A conservative think tank long funded by Exxon/Mobil has offered scientists $10,000 to write articles undercutting the new report and the computer-based climate models it is based on.” Rather than garnering its vast resources to research and develop fuels more compatible with the environment and healthier for the human beings living on this planet, Exxon/Mobile has chosen to dig in its business-as-usual heels and obstruct both the truth and the progress for a better global community. Equal culpability belongs to our government which has been a tool of big oil interests rather than a progressive influence for constructive, positive change. Not to be forgotten in this equation is you and me. We have not been sufficiently pro-active in demanding better leadership from our elected representatives. AND, I am ticked that Mobil has stopped supporting Mystery Theater on PBS.
* ”Perhaps Special Places exist only in the minds of the observer, the special places where the human spirit joins freely to the movement of the land, where happiness within is expressed in the beauty without.”
Tom Willock, Canadian photographer
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