We

We'll never claim to be fair and balanced, just honest and trustworthy
January 11, 2008

Most Ironic Moment In American History: FBI didn’t pay their phone bill…wiretapping has been cut off
From Kay in Maine for White Noise Insanity

Yep! It’s true. Our own FBI got behind in their bills, so therefore, “NO WIRETAPPING FOR YOU!” said the telecom companies!

Vietnam, Iraq and Iran: Government Deception Then and Now
From Tom Harper for Who Hijacked Our Country

There are two recent news items that reveal the American government’s lies and dirty tricks during the 1960s. You might notice a few parallels between our government sleaze in Vietnam and Latin America and the current manufactured hysteria over Iraq and Iran.

This report shows some of the trickery played by both sides during the Vietnam War. For one thing, the famous Gulf of Tonkin “incident” never occurred. This alleged “attack” happened in August 1964. This was Lyndon Johnson’s excuse to escalate American attacks on North Vietnam. This was the attack that changed the Vietnam War from a “minor” conflict involving just a few American troops (with “light at the end of the tunnel”) to a full-blown war bringing thousands of American soldiers home in bodybags. And now we find out that the Gulf of Tonkin Incident never even happened.

This report was released at the request of the Federation of American Scientists for their project on government secrecy. The director of the project, Steven Aftergood, said: “What this study demonstrated is that the available intelligence shows that there was no attack. It's a dramatic reversal of the historical record.”

Philip Agee, a former CIA agent, died this past Wednesday. He left the CIA in 1969 after working mostly in Latin America for twelve years. In 1975 he wrote a book, “Inside the Company: CIA Diary” which revealed the CIA’s dirty tricks in Latin America.

His book also revealed the identities of some of his former CIA colleagues. Agee said he disclosed their identities “to weaken the instrument for carrying out the policy of supporting military dictatorships” in Greece, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. He said those regimes “were supported by the CIA and the human cost was immense: torture, executions, death squads.”

Agee’s book inspired a law — passed in the 1970s — making it illegal to disclose the identity of a CIA operative. Hmmm… that’s illegal? Who knew.

Homeland Security ... Of the Vote?
From RickB Ten Percent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials said they would unveil on Friday reasonable and inexpensive national requirements to implement an identification-card program critics call a costly invasion of privacy.The program, called Real ID, has been rejected by 17 states based on draft regulations. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said he would announce on Friday revised rules that reflect state concerns.
“We have worked very closely with the states in terms of developing a plan that I think will be quite inexpensive, reasonable to implement and produce … secure identification when drivers’ licenses are presented,” Chertoff said on Thursday to a panel of outside advisers to his department.

At the same time as this, coincidentally-

The Supreme Court appeared ready Wednesday to uphold the nation’s strictest requirement that voters show photo identification before casting a ballot. The justices are faced with a partisan dispute that echoes the bitterly divided decision that sealed the 2000 presidential election for George W. Bush. Now, as then, the court seemed divided along ideological lines.

Wednesday’s arguments were over a challenge to an Indiana law, passed in 2005, that is backed by Republicans as a prudent way to deter voter fraud. Democrats and civil rights groups oppose the law as unconstitutional and call it a thinly veiled effort to discourage elderly, poor and minority voters — those most likely to lack proper ID and who tend to vote for Democrats.

Meanwhile the next generation of homeland patriots are being well funded

Free speech zones. Taser guns. Hidden cameras. Data mining. A new security curriculum. Private security contractors… Welcome to the new homeland security campus…

The record so far is impressive: DHS has doled out 439 federal fellowships and scholarships since 2003, providing full tuition to students who fit “within the homeland security research enterprise.” Two hundred twenty-seven schools now offer degree or certificate programs in “homeland security,” a curriculum that encompasses over 1,800 courses. Along with OUP, some of the key players in creating the homeland security classroom are the U.S. Northern Command (Northcom) and the Aerospace Defense Command, co-founders of the Homeland Security and Defense Education Consortium.

OUP has also partnered with researchers and laboratories to “align scientific results with homeland security priorities.” In Fiscal Year 2008 alone, $4.9 billion in federal funding will go to homeland security-related research. (ht2 James @ The Mahatma X Files)

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The Dark Clouds Gather Over Rudy
From Jolly Roger for Reconstitution 2.0

FOX “News” may have been making love to him, but when it was revealed that he liked making love and sticking NYC with the bill, a campaign that was already problematic probably suffered a blow it will not recover from.

As the Carpetbagger Report points out, Florida is looking more and more like a lost cause for the President of 9/11. And the Carpetbagger Report also tells us what I’ve been saying for awhile-that Huck is going to be the guy to beat. McCavein may have won in New Hampshire, and he may win in South Carolina-but frankly, I expect that one to be close, and I’d say that there’s a better than even chance that Huck is going to prevail there, too. Look for Huck to get his cross and Bible back out as he heads for stomping grounds that are all too familiar for him.

It is pleasing that the Gopper candidate most hated by the wingtard establishment is the one who is looking more and more like the winner, even if that candidate happens to be Huck. It is not so pleasing to realize that Huck has learned quickly what works for him, and tailors his message accordingly anywhere he actually chooses to compete. He may be a wingnut, but he’s a very real populist, as opposed to the phony Chimpy brand. That populism is backed by a record, and will, in my opinion, be enough to cause Hill or Barack either one some serious trouble in a general election season.

When I wrote Huck off last month, I figured he’d never stop stumbling. Well, he did stop stumbling. He’s actually starting to disturb my notion that no Gopper could possibly win this time around.

In Iowa, Giuliani rationalized his dreadful, sixth-place finish by arguing (after a few words about 9/11) that he never even tried to compete in the state. But in New Hampshire, where he was the frontrunner up until a few months ago, he made a concerted effort to actually do well — and failed miserably. Whatever Giuliani was selling, New Hampshire voters weren’t buying.

It seems to be part of a trend.

Ask Giuliani about his chances moving forward, and after the obligatory non-sequiturs about 9/11, he’ll invariably emphasize Florida, which he’s long considered his firewall state.

And how’s that working for the former mayor now? Not well.

A new Datamar poll in Florida finds Mike Huckabee leading the Republican presidential primary race with 24% support, followed by Mitt Romney at 20%, Sen. John McCain at 18% and Rudy Giuliani now back in fourth place at 16%.

So, he lost in the early state where he wasn’t trying, he lost in the early state where he was trying, and he’s losing in the early state that’s supposed to propel him to victory.

It’s reached the point that Giuliani is now advertising on at least three Spanish-language television stations in Miami — in Spanish, of course — despite taking a firm stand on behalf of English-only measures.

See ya, Rudy. You’re done. And this time I won’t be back in a month to explain how I got it wrong. Maybe Jeb wasn’t such a great idea after all, no?

A Fitting Response -- IMNSHO
From Two Crows for Preserve, Protect and Defend

A couple of nights ago, I brought in the mail and found a letter from Ted Kennedy's office requesting a donation toward securing a Democratic Congress. Now, ordinarily such a letter would bring a Pavlovian response from me and a donation would be on its way by return mail. Not this time, though. Instead, I sent the letter below and the dems can go whistle for their money.

I'm burned out and don't know who to trust. It certainly doesn't seem as if the dems have earned my trust or respect; the reps never had them, and a viable 3rd party doesn't seem to be galloping to the rescue either.

Anyhow, here's the letter. The dems can limp along without my donation for the present.
xxx
To Whom It May Concern:

I am thoroughly offended by this request.
Ms. Pelosi very unwisely let it be known as her first act as Speaker of the House that impeachment was ‘off the table’ thereby rendering the Constitution toothless and telling the Bush administration that it had free rein to do whatever it pleased.

Since then, I have repeatedly asked that Congress fulfill its Constitutional duty to impeach first, Dick Cheney and then, George W. Bush. I have been told by my Democratic Senator that to do so would be inconvenient at this time.

Now, to add insult to injury, I received this request for a donation to the party that has abandoned those of us who voted for 1] an exit from Iraq and 2] impeachment of Cheney and Bush. Neither of those issues has been pursued.

I will resume donating money to the Democratic Party when it shows me that it has discontinued its policy of deserting the people who voted it into office.

Sincerely,
xxx
I will say this much, though:
I did feel completely safe including my name and address in the letter. That's more than I could say if I had sent such a notice to the current Republican party. That's something, anyway.

The Bush Effect
From Oliver Willis

By the numbers.

In the 2006 mid-term elections for Congress, young people, ages 18-24, voted overwhelmingly for Democrats over Republicans, by a 58%-37% margin, according to national exit polls -- a pattern reflective of a broader Democratic leaning among Gen Nexters compared with earlier Republican-leaning generations. In 2006, 48% of young people identified themselves as Democrats or leaned toward the Democratic Party, while only 35% identified themselves as Republicans – the lowest number recorded by Pew in its nearly 20-year trend. This makes them the least Republican generation. Larger percentages of Gen Xers, Boomers and Seniors identify with the GOP. It is not the case that young people have always been more Democratic. In fact, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, 18-25 year-olds were more Republican than older age groups.

Democrats for Mitt
From John Good for Left in Aboite

No. . .I haven't crossed over to the dark side, nor have I taken leave of my senses temporarily. I'm merely passing on a brilliant strategy offered up by kos - since Michigan Dems have no real choice in their primary next week, why not throw a wrench into the GOP machine. The DNC may have stripped the state's delegates, but Michigan's primary is open, leaving Dems the opportunity to repay republicans for past transgressions.

Click the pic to read all about it!

Did I mention The Wire yet?
From Mary for Get Your Own

I just finished season 4 of THE WIRE. If you are not watching this show then you are missing out. My brother-in-law turned us on to this and we have been watching as fast as we can get our hands on a new season. The 5th and final season has just started so we we are caught up.

The writers on this show get it SO right. It is so compelling. The characters are so full. The good guys are bad guys and the bad guys are good guys...it just crosses back and forth. It is such a commentary on society and the dysfunction of the system. Each season takes you through another piece of the dysfunction and they all connect. It's quite an education. A really smart and brilliant show. I'm not good at this so just trust me and watch it.

Update:
(Sornie, this is for you.) I took this from the HBO link for the show which I have above. Here is just part of what they have on the "About the show" page.

The first season of 'The Wire' (2002) concentrated on the often-futile efforts of police to infiltrate a West Baltimore drug ring headed by Avon Barksdale and his lieutenant, Stringer Bell. In Seasons Two and Three, as the Barksdale investigation escalated, new storylines involving pressures on the working class and the city's political leadership were introduced. Season Four focused on the stories of several young boys in the public school system, struggling with problems at home and the lure of the corner - set against the rise of a new drug empire in West Baltimore and a new Mayor in City Hall.

The fifth and final season of 'The Wire' centers on the media's role in addressing - or failing to address - the fundamental political, economic and social realities depicted over the course of the series, while also resolving storylines of the numerous characters woven throughout the narrative arc of the show.

Explains series creator David Simon, "It made sense to finish 'The Wire' with this reflection on the state of the media, as all the other attendant problems of the American city depicted in the previous four seasons will not be solved until the depth and range of those problems is first acknowledged. And that won't happen without an intelligent, aggressive and well-funded press."

Meanwhile ....
From Windspike for Educational Whisper

As you may or may not know, the President and his posse, the entourage surrounding Air Force One is gallivanting about the Middle East in his Ten Gallon Hat, at great taxpayer expense. Meanwhile, things are glum:

Nine American soldiers were killed in the first two days of a new offensive to root out al Qaeda in Iraq fighters holed up in districts north of the capital, the U.S. military reported Wednesday.

The toll marked some of the deadliest days for U.S. forces in Iraq since the fall. For all of December, 23 U.S. soldiers died in Iraq.

Nine less voters for candidates to be concerned about this fall. And there are more:

A booby-trapped home exploded Wednesday, killing six American soldiers and injuring four others. The U.S. military also reported that three service members were killed by small-arms fire the day before. The two-day toll makes the latest effort to flush out the militant group Al Qaeda in Iraq the deadliest military operation in months.

Of course, we have less to gripe about because the largest number of deaths caused by Iraq Democracy Spreading Experiment is substantially larger than the number of people killed on Nine Eleven:

About 151,000 Iraqis died from violence in the three years after the United States invaded, concludes the best effort yet to count deaths - one that still may not settle the fierce debate over the war's true toll on civilians and others.

I'm sure that's a conservative estimate.

And, just for fun, we do allow Blackwater to do it's business in Iraq too, some of whom are funded by US Taxpayer dollars (well that is after China calls in all our markers):

Suddenly, on that May day in 2005, the copter dropped CS gas, a riot-control substance the American military in Iraq can use only under the strictest conditions and with the approval of top military commanders. An armored vehicle on the ground also released the gas, temporarily blinding drivers, passers-by and at least 10 American soldiers operating the checkpoint.

“This was decidedly uncool and very, very dangerous,” Capt. Kincy Clark of the Army, the senior officer at the scene, wrote later that day. “It’s not a good thing to cause soldiers who are standing guard against car bombs, snipers and suicide bombers to cover their faces, choke, cough and otherwise degrade our awareness.”

Both the helicopter and the vehicle involved in the incident at the Assassins’ Gate checkpoint were not from the United States military, but were part of a convoy operated by Blackwater Worldwide, the private security contractor that is under scrutiny for its role in a series of violent episodes in Iraq, including a September shooting in downtown Baghdad that left 17 Iraqis dead.

Sure, that was a 2005 incident, but why is it coming out just now? Who's been held accountable for it?

A Little Campaign Trail Humor
From Der Parson for Der Parson's Rant

(click on the image for a larger version)
Sorry but I found that rather amusing.

Thanks to Hanks
From By Ken Levine

Another week of picketing at 20th Century Fox is in the books. Happy to report no one fell in the fountain this week. In fact, no one has fallen into the fountain since the holiday break.

News crews are still showing up and reporting on us. Except now they're all foreign language. Who knew that Rwanda TV had a Hollywood correspondent?

Gee, I guess the honeymoon is over. When wunderkind Ben Silverman became Prez of NBC he made a big show about how he was the writer’s best friend. He invited writers to bring their projects to NBC because he above all other network chieftains appreciated and valued writers. After the Golden Globes were canceled this week he said, "Sadly, it feels like the nerdiest, ugliest, meanest kids in the high school are trying to cancel the prom. But NBC wants to try to keep that prom alive."

Okay, we may be the nerdiest and ugliest but meanest? Us?! Did we break off negotiations? Did we refuse to bargain in good faith? Did we hold the entire town hostage, cost innocent workers their jobs all in the name of greed and winning? No, it was the popular kids who did that. And so I say fuck your prom. We nerds wouldn’t be allowed in anyway.

In addition to a lot of writers on line being offended by that remark they were also pretty much in agreement that the “life is high school” metaphor is now really old and cliché. But that could just be another example of how mean they are.

So the NBC fallback plan is for the Golden Globes to be considered a “news story”, not an awards show. Uh, doesn’t that tarnish the news department’s credibility and reputation just a tad? Somehow I can’t see Huntley and Brinkley announcing the Golden Globe winners and then turning to John Chancellor to analyze why “Walk Hard” didn’t win best song.

If anyone from CAA is reading this, we haven’t had our churros in a long time now. Where are you guys?

I love Jon Stewart but he is really being a dick. He knows damn well why Letterman got a waiver and he didn’t. Letterman’s show is produced by his independent company. Stewart’s is produced by Viacom, the aft section of the death star. Stop being petulant. Aren’t there Republican debates every night to make fun of? Rudy Giuliani’s staff went door to door in New Hampshire wearing Yankee caps. You can’t do ten minutes on that?

On the other hand, God bless Tom Hanks. He’s the first big name superstar to come out publicly and urge the AMPTP to end the strike. He said, "I just hope that the big guys who make big decisions up high in their corporate boardrooms and what not get down to honest bargaining and everyone can get back to work." Thank you, Tom. They don’t care if every writer and below-the-line worker in the world hates them but they do care that you might be unhappy.

Someone said that the cost of THE GOLDEN COMPASS is more than all the revenue the WGA would receive if the AMPTP accepts our offer. And yet somehow our offer is irresponsible and would cause complete financial ruin to the industry.

Meanwhile, the WGA announced the feature nominees for their annual awards. Here’s the list. Congratulations to all the very deserving screenwriters. The guild also announced it is discontinuing its big gala presentation this year because of the strike. But that's okay. We’re used to not going to proms..

Explosion Reported in Myanmar Capitol
From Thway Ni for Burmese Bloggers without Borders

[Source - AP]

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — An explosion in the capital of military-ruled Myanmar killed one woman Friday morning, a government official said. The official, who insisted on anonymity because he is not authorized to release information, said the explosion took place in a bathroom at the railway station in Naypyitaw at around 4:20 a.m. He had no further details, and it was unclear whether the explosion was caused by a bomb. There were no immediate claims of responsibility and the government has not yet blamed any group. Terrorism is rare but not unknown in Myanmar, which has been under military rule virtually continuously since 1962. The country experienced extreme political turmoil last September, when the government crushed non-violent, pro-democracy demonstration, detaining thousands and killing at least 31 people, according to a U.N. investigator, whose tally was twice the toll acknowledged by the junta. Naypyitaw is in a remote area of the country, 250 miles to the north of Yangon, the country's former capital and biggest city. It became the country's new administrative capital — and main military stronghold — in November 2005, and is well-guarded. The most deadly terrorist incident in recent years in Myanmar took place on May 7, 2005, when three bombs went off almost simultaneously at two upscale supermarkets and a convention center in Yangon. About two dozen people were killed and another 162 injured. In that case as well as several other smaller bombings, the government blamed political opponents and ethnic rebels, though no firm evidence was ever produced. Government opponents deny carrying out attacks on civilians.

Bomb explodes in Myanmar’s new capital, woman dies [source - Merinews] Kumar Sarkar 11 January 2008, Friday A BOMB exploded in Myanmar’s new jungle capital Nay Pyi Taw for the first time, killing a woman. The new capital hidden behind dense woods, deep inside Myanmar, has an overpowering blanket of security, and there have been no reports of a security breach after the military junta began governing the country from there, reports in the Myanmar media in exile said. The ruling junta constructed the new capital in November 2005, and shifted its administrative offices in phases. The blast was triggered at about 4:30 a.m. (local time) in the toilet of the Nay Pyi Taw railway station, killing a woman on the spot, who was inside. Railway officials were quoted as saying on condition of anonymity. The toilet was badly damaged. Security in the railway station and the capital was beefed up soon after the blast. Train schedules, however, have not been changed or disrupted. The body was identified as that of a woman of Karen ethnicity at the Pyinmana hospital; a nurse, who again, requested anonymity, was quoted as saying. The body is being sent for autopsy. The Nay Pyi Taw police have launched an investigation to figure out whose hand was behind the bomb explosion. Myanmar has to contend with innumerable rebel groups of many ethnicities, some of which have ceasefire pacts with the repressive military regime. Dissident activity, an old feature in Myanmar has surfaced afresh after the junta ruthlessly crushed an uprising by monks, students and the people in September 2007. An undisclosed number of monks and people were killed by security forces and thousands arrested. The junta has put the death toll at just 10. There have been sporadic bomb explosions in Myanmar, and there are regular firefights between the Burmese Army and the different rebel groups. But this is the first time that a bomb has gone off in the heavily fortified new capital. The junta, which is quick to blame the opposition for dissident activity, has so far been strangely quiet.

In New Study, Alzheimer’s Patient’s Symptoms Disappear in Minutes
From The Boomer Chronicles

A new study published this week in the Journal of Neuroinflammation documents rapid, marked improvement in Alzheimer’s disease within minutes of administration of a therapeutic molecule. Yes, minutes. I want to urge caution as the study primarily documents the experiences of a single patient, but read on:

The new study documents a dramatic and unprecedented therapeutic effect in an Alzheimer’s patient: improvement within minutes following delivery of perispinal etanercept. “It is unprecedented that we can see cognitive and behavioral improvement in a patient with established dementia within minutes of therapeutic intervention,” said Sue Griffin, Ph.D., director of research at the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock. “It is imperative that the medical and scientific communities immediately undertake to further investigate and characterize the physiologic mechanisms involved.”

This is truly exciting news.

Cuba: Lesbians Marry With Government Blessing
From Leftside

Two women were symbolically married in Cuba last week in the courtyard of a Government Ministry. It is not the first gay marriage in Cuba, but the first to receive high-level State support and publicity.

The issue is a bold move by the Havana authorities, as there still remains quite a bit of social unease with homosexuality in Cuba. When I was in Cuba I was amazed by the scenes of hundreds of gays openly partying and making out in public deep into the night. It was a far cry from the repression I was warned about before visiting. Still, I cringed when a cab driver used the "M" word when describing the scene.

As IPS reports:
A proposal for legal reform advocated by the National Centre for Sex Education (CENESEX) and the Cuban Women’s Federation calls for the recognition of de facto unions between same-sex couples and equal rights for heterosexual and homosexual couples, as well as eligibility to adopt children and, for women, access to assisted fertilization services.

The legal machinery is already rolling and the initiative may reach parliament in 2008, but no one can predict how long it will take to come to a vote. Meanwhile, CENESEX was advised by the ruling Communist Party to make efforts to prepare the public through a media campaign.

Bush Predicts
From Blogenfreude for Agitprop

Bush on Immigration Reform: "I'll see you at the bill signing."

Bush on Middle East Peace: "There is going to be a signed peace treaty."

Why don't I trust him?

Miserable Failure
From Karen for Namaste'

Failed to win the 2000 election.
Failed to "unite".
Failed to capitalize on the strong economy left by the previous administration.
Failed to build on the ground breaking work in improving relations with N. Korea.
Failed to listen to pre 9/11 terror warnings.
Failed to find OBL, the person behind the outrage that was 9/11.
Failed to listen to all those who told him that Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11.
Failed to listen to all those who told him that Saddam didn't have WMD.
Failed to understand the use and power of diplomacy to achieve anything!
Failed the US army by lack of planning for "what happens later ...."
Failed the people of New Orleans.
Failed to protect the constitution (his sworn duty!)
Failed to recognize climate change and the need to address it.
Failed the Office of the President.
Failed the American people.

The list goes on ..... and on .....

The National Shame That is Guantanamo Bay
From SueJ for Nailing Jello to the Wall

Today, January 11, The ACLU is calling on everyone opposed to torture and indefinite detention to WEAR ORANGE to symbolize their sadness and disgust with the national shame that is Guantánamo Bay.

Missing from the headlines these days (the pundits and the politicians don't find it "sexy" anymore I guess), this year marks the 6th anniversary of the first prisoners arriving at Guantánamo. Yet hundreds of people remain in legal limbo there, away from family, jobs, and homes. From the ACLU website:

After hundreds of detentions and two Supreme Court decisions rejecting the administration's detention policies at Gitmo, the legal status of the detainees there remains unresolved and the fight continues to end unlawful detention and the denial of due process.

The ACLU has continued to hold government leadership accountable by filing Freedom of Information Act requests for documents that reveal systemic torture to prisoners held in U.S. custody. So far, more than 100,000 pages of government documents detailing the torture and abuse of detainees.

In addition, the ACLU and Human Rights First have charged that former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld bears direct responsibility for the torture and abuse of detainees, and filed a complaint in federal court in January 2006 on behalf of nine men subjected to torture and abuse under Rumsfeld's command.

Iran Releases Video of Naval Incident
From Joh Padgett for Monticello

Iranian Navy Footage From Jan 6th Incident in the Straits of Hormuz (Reuters)

Iran today released footage from the naval incident that took place between Iranian Navy vessels and the USS Harry Truman Carrier Group operating in the Straits of Hormuz. The video from Reuters is embedded above and shows a few small vessels operating in waters near the carrier group. Its a different video than what US officials have been touting in recent days, which lends credence to the Iranian claims that the US doctored archival footage to create the video being shown in various media outlets.

Non-Diebold Precincts in New Hampshire Voted for Obama
From Mark Tokarski for Montana Netroots

Since Wulfgar and I argued so furiously down below, I thought I would post this here rather than at Piece fo Mind. I told Wulf that I had reason for suspicion of the New Hampshire outcome, to wit:

I showed you eight polls done by different polling professionals, all of which put Hillary at 28-32%. I cited a journalist who has seen exit poll data who claims that there was no last minute shift to Hillary in that data. I cited the fact that New Hampshire uses optical scanners that are easily hacked, which point was demonstrated on HBO’s Hacking Democracy. I cited that NH has taken no additional security precautions even after that movie came out. I cited the fact that NH’s vote counting system has been privatized, is run by one company, and that there is no government oversight, and that the company enjoys free access to the voting machines up to the election.

I then said that a good test of my theory that the vote was hacked would be to wait until we see the results from those precincts that did not use Diebold’s optical scanners.

Well, we have some evidence now. Ben Mosely at a blog called The Contrarian worked up a spreadsheet on New Hampshire votes, which included everything except absentee ballots. Here’s what he concluded:

What the informal statistics show is that Hillary Clinton received a 4.5% boost in towns using Diebold voting machines compared to towns that didn’t. Meanwhile, Obama was hurt in these towns showing a 2.5% decrease in the Diebold towns.

That’s enough to swing the election to Hillary.

Proof? No, Of course not. But this is exactly what one would expect to find if the hypothesis that the vote was hacked by LHS Systems, which controls the machines and memory cards that count the votes.

The surest way to settle this matter would be to simply count the ballots before they are destroyed. But that’s not going to happen. It’s so simple, so doable, it seems a no-brainer, but election fraud is the three ton elephant that sits square in our living rooms. We trip over it, we struggle to get around it, but we do not acknowledge it.

PS: The Brad Blog leads the way on this.

PPS: This blog highlights what appears to be a similar anomaly - a machine uptick for Romney of 7-10%. Not enough to pull out a win for him, however.

BLOG RECOMMENDATION

Want to know what happened 100 years ago today? Check out this cool blog that pretends to be a blog written from that perspective. Check out the 100 Year Old Weblog.

RIP - Sir Edmund Hillary
From Doug Masson for Masson's Blog

Sir Edmund Hillary, half of the first team to climb Mt. Everest, has died at the age of 88. He and his Sherpa climbing companion, Tenzing Norgay, summited Everest on May 29, 1953. Norgay died in 1986.

By all accounts, Hillary was a class act and a humble soul. Climbing Everest under any condition seems to be quite a feat. Climbing Everest for the first time with no fixed ropes, no proven trails, and 1950s mountaineering equipment is ridiculous.

Yet Another Political Position Quiz
From Ron Chusid for Liberal Values

Electoral Compass is yet another site which asks a series of questions and then matches them with the candidates. As with many of these sites, it is entertaining but has limitations which prevent it from actually making the decision for you. Many positions can be altered by a change in wording. There is no attempt to prioritize the issues. I might disagree with a candidate on some issues which wouldn’t affect my vote, but other issues might completely rule out a candidate.

After taking the test you see where you line up on a spectrum of both social and economic issues. Questions on Iraq and terrorism are included in the test, but it would be more revealing if they were along a third continuum. One notable finding is that the Democrats and Republicans are clumped into two very discrete groups. Among the Republicans, Ron Paul is less socially conservative, but remains much less conservative than any of the Democratic candidates. Of course if they included questions on legalization of all drugs and prostitution the results might be quite different. Paul also falls right in line with the other Republicans on economic issues, but a true test would show real distinctions here.

All the Democrats are significantly more liberal on social as well as economic issues than any of the Republicans. This helps shoot down the idea that Rudy Giuliani is a social liberal. He is the most socially liberal Republican after Ron Paul in this study, but not by very much. Fred Thompson comes in as the most conservative candidate, and the furthest from my views on this test.

I won’t knock the test very much as it did tell me to vote for Barack Obama. He is shown as being a little more socially liberal and economically to the right than the other Democrats who are lumped closer together. One useful feature is that after taking the test you can compare your answers to the answers of the candidates. For whatever it might mean, I once took a different test which advised me to vote for Gravel. As he’s not included on this test I could not determine if a different set of questions would provide the same result.

The Boycott
From AZ Goddess for I'm Sorry World

This idea is TOTALLY AMAZING

The Boycott

Her web page

peace peace peace

The Clinton Campaign's Dirty Tactics Have Moved Me to Support Obama
From Libhom for Godless Liberal Homo

The ability of the Clinton campaign to sicken me is their most consistent characteristic. When they used surrogates to bring up his Obama's youthful drug use, the hypocrisy of attacking someone for what Bill Clinton also did when he was young was pathetic. Having a sleazeball like Bob Kerrey attack Obama because his name supposedly "sounds Muslim," was both bigoted against non-Christians and absolute political cowardice.

Then, Ms. Clinton and her campaign staffers played a twisted game of constantly "distancing" and "apologizing" so they could keep the non-stories in the media. A conservative Republican like Hillary Clinton has nothing to offer Democrats, so her campaign is forced to engage in misleading and childish attacks against her opponents that have nothing to do with their records or positions on the issues.

And, her campaign's emails to rightist lists and postings on rightist web sites, claiming that Obama is secretly a Muslim and lying to the public show how low the Clinton campaign will go.

For me, the last straw happened just before the New Hampshire primary. The Clinton campaign already has been caught planting questions at campaign events. However, sunk to another low when they planted two men at a campaign event to scream "iron my shirts" at Clinton. Fanning the flames of misogyny in order to gain a short term political benefit from the backlash in New Hampshire is inexcusable.

Barack Obama is not my first choice for who I would like to be President. That would be Dennis Kucinich, the true liberal running for the Democratic nomination. Obama is a centrist and would thus be a mediocre president. However, a mediocre president would be far better than any Republican, including Hillary Clinton.

The Clintons, like the Bushes, are cancers on our political system and our nation's intellectual life. Orwellian claims by Ms. Clinton that she stands for "change" when she supports the same Republican policies as her horrible, horrible husband insults the intelligence of the American people. The Clintons are not just Republicans just by their positions on the issues; they are Republicans by the tactics they use in their campaigns.

Once the Democratic presidential nomination is decided, I'll start embedding Kucinich videos again because he has so much to say, and he is an example of the kind of president America desperately needs and deserves. But, if he can't get over 2% in New Hampshire, he isn't winning this time.

The main thing is stopping the Clintons.

If Cats and Dogs Could Talk
From TUA for The Future Was Yesterday

Things A Cat Might Say

Don’t sit on the couch! I might want a nap later.
Get me a new toy! This scraggly thing is two days old.
I demand a new hairbrush. I saw you using that one on the Dog!
Get off the bed! Can’t you see I’m tired?
My catbox needs cleaning. I just took a piss. You flush the toilet every time you use it don’t you?
DON’T close those shades! What’s wrong with you? You know good and well I haven’t had my Sun Bath yet!
When you go to bed, don’t use your pillow. You know who that’s meant for. Why do I have to keep reminding you? Are you related to the Dog?
I want a catnip dispenser I can use, installed in this house immediately, and kept full of fresh catnip everyday!!
Refill my water bowl.YOU don’t drink stale water, do you?
Make the Dog sleep outside. That horrible thing has the eating habits of a pig, hygiene habits worse than a slob, and is forever farting all over the place! Either he sleeps outisde, or you AND the Dog sleep outside! I won't have my house smelling like a kennel.
I run this place. Get used to it or leave. Even the dumb ass Dog knows I run this place!

Things A Dog Might Say

Hey there, buddy! Mind if I hop up there with you and lick my balls while you scratch yours? That damn cat is driving me crazy, too!

A TUA Creation

When Democrats Screw Each Other
From Mary Ellen for The Divine Democrat

First let me apologize for taking so long to get a new post out. To be honest, I was at a loss for words, a miracle, I know. The reason I was at a loss for words was because I began to lose hope in my fellow Democrats.

I have always been proud to be a Democrat. I felt that my party was where it was at, our platform has always embraced the interests of working Americans and guaranteeing personal liberties for all, no matter what their race, gender, age, or economic status.

Watching the past two Presidential elections was mind boggling. I saw crowds of Republicans, waving their flags and cheering on a President who lied, cheated, wire-tapped their phones, allowed a terrorist organization to kill over 3,000 of our citizens on 9/11. Their leader even allowed thousands of Louisiana citizens to drown while trying to get to safety after hurricane Katrina, while he vacationed. Yet, they stood by his side. Their leadership took hold of our country and has brought us to our knees, all the while standing together in solidarity against the Democrats. They put party before country, even though many of them are suffering from the policies of George Bush.

How many times have we all called them "mouth-breathers", "idiots", and "sheep"? Yes, we were so much better than they. At least that's what I thought until our Democratic Primaries started.

In the months leading up to the primary in Iowa, many of us chose a candidate that we supported. Some chose Kucinich, some Edwards, a few Obama, and many even liked Ron Paul. Not many seemed to back Hillary, but said they would "hold their nose and vote for her if elected". I was one of them who felt that way. In fact, I made the statement many times, no matter who gets the nod, they have my support in the general election. I've written some posts on different candidates such as Biden and Kucinich, and Hillary Clinton. In every post, I would point out what I liked or disliked, all based on their voting records or their performance in the debates. I never brought gender or race into the conversations, as far as I know---correct me if I'm wrong. While visiting other blogs, I would also discuss my likes or dislikes of a candidate, based on voting records or debate performances, never race or gender.

This is the part where I am going to tell you why I lost hope in our party. After the Iowa caucus, Obama won with a thrilling number of votes, my choice, John Edwards came in second and beat out Hillary Clinton. This was a huge upset for Hillary. All the talk on the blogs and in the news was about Obama, the new Democratic star. Obama was never a favorite of mine, which I had mentioned many months ago on this blog. I had my reasons, his voting record was the only reason. He's my Senator in Illinois and I've been watching his career from the beginning and often disappointed in his votes, especially regarding confirmation votes. After Iowa, I saw a lot of support for Obama, support that seemed to me to based solely on things like his book, and his charismatic speeches. When I saw that, I always said, "look at this voting record". I pointed out his high voter absenteeism in the Senate while campaigning, etc. I thought bringing up such issues was acceptable. I don't think I've ever called anyone stupid for backing him, I tried to stick to policy.

I wrote a post earlier this week about Hillary Clinton's, now famous, "emotional moment". I said that I thought it was over-blown, I defended her reasons for her misty eyes, and felt that she was being unduly slammed. I even mentioned my disappointment in the remarks by my chosen candidate, John Edwards. No matter who the candidate, if I think they screw up, I'll point it out. If I think they did something great, I'll point that out, also. If you notice, the night of the Iowa caucus, I congratulated Obama and his supporters on the thrilling victory.

Obama mania seemed to flood through the blogosphere. I saw nothing but praise and adoration for his speeches. He was compared to Martin Luther King, JFK, and yes...I even saw a comment that he was just like Jesus. I was wondering, is that all it takes? A flowery speech? Where's the beef? I was looking for discussion on policy and the only thing that I heard was he is our new hope for the future, nothing said about how he was going to bring about that hope.

Then it happened....I was told that because I didn't support Obama and asked why I should vote for a guy just because he is the new darling of the media, I got this response, "No one is putting a gun to your head. This is America and you can vote or not vote in the primaries. In fact, in November you can even write in "David Duke" if his views are closer to your own. Just saying........" Yes, I was called a racist, because I didn't support the candidate who was black.

I can't describe my feelings...shock, angry, hurt, sick--those are just a few. As the day went by, I tried to shake it off. I looked at other blogs, read some of the comments on the bigger blogs. I saw it again...and again, Obama supporters telling those who said they didn't like him, that they "just couldn't accept a black president", they too, were called racists. Then, as the media talking heads were all up in arms over their messed up exit polls, some of them claimed that the voters in New Hampshire didn't tell the truth about their votes, because they didn't want anyone to know they wouldn't vote for a black president. They were pegged as closet racists, because they didn't give their votes to Obama---the black candidate.

I continued to listen to the news and read the blogs. Conspiracy theories were running rampant. The Clinton's were accused of messing with the voting machines. Hillary was accused of faking her tears, and even more absurd, it has been said women in New Hampshire only voted for Hillary because they felt sorry for her after she "had a meltdown". New Hampshire women weren't given credit for being smart enough to vote on issues, only on empathy. I also saw a comment on a blog that any woman who voted for Hillary was because they were stupid and uneducated because some idiot had a poll that said that voters who had less education were more likely to vote for her. So, less education means their stupid? I guess that would mean I'm stupid, too. I don't have that much education.

Now, to get to my point (finally!). I'm seeing signs that the Democratic party voters are acting more like the right wingers we've all spoke of in the past. If you're not with Obama, you're against the Democrats...you're against America! If you stick up for a candidate that's getting an unfair shake, you're not a real progressive Democrat, you're Republican lite! I'm seeing criticism about candidate's being switched to criticism of those who support them. Is this what we've become? Is this the unity that Obama supporters are craving?

There is nothing wrong with discussing policy. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing on one's candidate of choice, but there is something inherently wrong when we turn on each other and label them racist, ignorant, or feminazi's. When we can't discuss differences in political policies or agenda's we are dumbing down political debate and then we lose. When someone is called a racist, like I was, it turns that person off to the entire political process. When you turn off other voters from your own party, you will polarize your party AND YOU WILL LOSE!

I've lost hope. I've lost hope in the Democratic ideals that I worked so hard for in my lifetime. I've lost hope that we can ever have unity in our government when we can't even have unity in our own party. I've lost hope in our candidates who have chosen to insult each other with negative ads. Hillary's camp accuses Obama of selling crack, Edwards is said to be using his wife's cancer for the sympathy vote, and statements made by John Edwards, implying that Hillary Clinton is too weak to run our country due solely on her bit of misty eyes or cracked voice. It all makes me sick, sick of the whole process.

I lost hope for my blog...because I don't know how to shake off the filth that I was exposed to by a man who doesn't know me and has associated me with one of the most despicable men in history, David Duke...all because I wasn't prepared to support Barack Obama who happens to be black.

I've thought seriously of shutting down my blog, but if I do I'll be leaving behind an outlet that I've enjoyed immensely. I've been fortunate enough to meet up with some of the kindest, most generous people I've met in my life. I've laughed and cried when reading their blogs while they shared their life experiences with us. I've been informed of current news and incredible commentary on debates (Tomcat!). However, what would hurt me even more than shutting down my blog and walking away from my computer would be to see any more of this division between us. Can we discuss the upcoming Democratic Primary elections and the candidates without grouping their supporters into labels such as "uneducated", "racist", and women who vote because they are "suckers for a sad story"---not smart enough to consider issues? I'm beginning to wonder.

If I "re-vamp" my blog and stop posting about politics, that will leave such a void that I don't think I could fill it. How do I write about things like gardening, music, or movies, when we are in the midst of one of the most important elections in my lifetime?

I've been told by a few of my blog friends to get back up on the horse and not to let someone keep me from doing what I enjoy. By writing this post, I think that's what I'm trying to do...get back up on that horse. But before I did, I wanted to be sure that the straps of the saddle were back on tight and I wouldn't get knocked off again.

In the infamous words of Barack Obama, "I'm fired up, ready to go!"

Well, maybe not fired up...I'm testing the waters. If they continue to be this rough, I'll get out of the game and sit this election out. I don't want to be a part of a political process where we put party before country, hatred before human decency.

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