Friday, September 24, 2004
Quiet Blogging Weekend
I will be travelling to NH this weekend to see family, so blogging will be light-to-non-existent until Sunday night or Monday morning.
Be sure to visit the blogs to your left. There's something there for almost everyone.
Have a good weekend.
| Permalink Here
I will be travelling to NH this weekend to see family, so blogging will be light-to-non-existent until Sunday night or Monday morning.
Be sure to visit the blogs to your left. There's something there for almost everyone.
Have a good weekend.
| Permalink Here
Line of the Day
This eloquence from Number 44 today at Temple University in Philadelphia:
Love that! Could the closer be here?
| Permalink Here
This eloquence from Number 44 today at Temple University in Philadelphia:
They say the Europeans won’t help us, no matter what. We’re not going to get more cooperation in the war on terror, no matter what. Ordinary people around the world will resent us, no matter what. But I have news for President Bush: just because you can’t do something, doesn’t mean it can’t be done.
Love that! Could the closer be here?
| Permalink Here
Job Tracker
Working for America has a web site that will tell you what companies in your area are outsourcing jobs overseas. Just enter your zip code and you'll get a list of companies.
Tip of the Horn to Barry Ritholtz who posted this in a letter at Altercation. Barry is also the proprietor of The Big Picture. Very informative and worth a look.
| Permalink Here
Working for America has a web site that will tell you what companies in your area are outsourcing jobs overseas. Just enter your zip code and you'll get a list of companies.
Tip of the Horn to Barry Ritholtz who posted this in a letter at Altercation. Barry is also the proprietor of The Big Picture. Very informative and worth a look.
| Permalink Here
Drafty
Link.
I wonder what they're hiding?
(My emphasis)
| Permalink Here
Link.
A Pentagon-appointed panel of outside experts has concluded in a new study that the American military does not have sufficient forces to sustain current and anticipated stability operations, like the festering conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and other missions that might arise.
Portions of the study, which has not been officially released, were read into the public record on Thursday by Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, a leader of Democrats who want to expand the size of the military. During testimony by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and his top commanders, Senator Reed said he found the study "provocative and startling."
Mr. Rumsfeld said the report was an "excellent piece of work," and that he had ordered briefings on its findings for senior military and civilian officials.
But he cautioned after the hearing that the section read by Senator Reed was not a comprehensive synopsis, and that the authors of the study may not be fully aware of the variety of steps under way by the Pentagon broadly to lessen stress on the force, and actions taken specifically by the Army to increase the number of available combat forces without further expanding the military...
I wonder what they're hiding?
(My emphasis)
| Permalink Here
Apt Political Cartoon
JMM is right.
This cartoon sums it up pretty well.
(I'd put up the cartoon, but it has come to my attention that Uncle Horns is loading slower these days because of all the posted pictures.)
| Permalink Here
JMM is right.
This cartoon sums it up pretty well.
(I'd put up the cartoon, but it has come to my attention that Uncle Horns is loading slower these days because of all the posted pictures.)
| Permalink Here
Cheney Says Kerry Disrespectful of Allawi
Coming from Cheney, this is funny:
At least Kerry didn't tell Allawi to go f**k himself.
(But it does seem that Allawi has picked up the idea of 'talking points' rather well.)
| Permalink Here
Coming from Cheney, this is funny:
..."I must say I was appalled at the complete lack of respect Senator Kerry showed for this man of courage, when he rushed to hold a press conference and attack the prime minister, a man America must stand beside to defeat the terrorists," Cheney told several thousand supporters.
"John Kerry is trying to tear down all the good that has been accomplished, and his words are destructive to our effort in Iraq and in the global war on terror," Cheney said. "As Prime Minister Allawi said in his speech, and I quote, 'When political leaders sound the siren of defeatism in the face of terrorism, it only encourages more violence.' End quote."...
At least Kerry didn't tell Allawi to go f**k himself.
(But it does seem that Allawi has picked up the idea of 'talking points' rather well.)
| Permalink Here
The Power of Political Blogs
This commentary by John Powers (scroll down) aired at the end of NPR's Fresh Air last night. Kos & Atrios each got shout outs.
The best part was when Powers identified a certain right leaning blog as Little Green Apples.
Of course Atrios's name for the site is much better than that: "Little Green Snot Bubbles."
No link, sorry.
| Permalink Here
This commentary by John Powers (scroll down) aired at the end of NPR's Fresh Air last night. Kos & Atrios each got shout outs.
The best part was when Powers identified a certain right leaning blog as Little Green Apples.
Of course Atrios's name for the site is much better than that: "Little Green Snot Bubbles."
No link, sorry.
| Permalink Here
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Allawi
Hearts and minds:
| Permalink Here
Hearts and minds:
Iyad Allawi, the new Prime Minister of Iraq, pulled a pistol and executed as many as six suspected insurgents at a Baghdad police station, just days before Washington handed control of the country to his interim government, according to two people who allege they witnessed the killings.
They say the prisoners - handcuffed and blindfolded - were lined up against a wall in a courtyard adjacent to the maximum-security cell block in which they were held at the Al-Amariyah security center, in the city's south-western suburbs.
They say Dr Allawi told onlookers the victims had each killed as many as 50 Iraqis and they 'deserved worse than death'...
| Permalink Here
Spine
From the presser today at the White House:
Deny ANY wrongdoing - check
Lie about failed diplomacy - check
Iraq & 9/11 in the same sentence - check
Lie about terrorist presence - check
And that's just in two questions.
Kos said it, and I agree. This will be the last time we'll see Bush taking questions in a press conference before the election. I'll miss the babbling brook.
| Permalink Here
From the presser today at the White House:
Q Mr. President, you say today that the work in Iraq is tough and will remain tough. And, yet, you travel this country and a central theme of your campaign is that America is safer because of the invasion of Iraq. Can you understand why Americans may not believe you?
PRESIDENT BUSH: No. Anybody who says that we are safer with Saddam Hussein in power is wrong. We went into Iraq because Saddam Hussein defied the demands of the free world. We went into Iraq after diplomacy had failed. And we went into Iraq because I understand after September the 11th we must take threats seriously, before they come to hurt us.
And I think it's a preposterous claim to say that America would be better off with Saddam Hussein in power. I certainly know that that's the case for America and I certainly know it's the case for the Iraqi people. These are people who were tortured. This good man was abed in a London flat, and he wakes up with two Saddam henchmen there with axes, trying to cut him to pieces with an axe. And, fortunately, he's alive today; fortunately, we call him friend and ally. But he knows what it means to have lived under a society in which a thug like Saddam Hussein would send people with axes to try to kill him in bed in a London flat.
No, this world is better off with Saddam Hussein in prison.
Q Sir, may I just follow, because I don't think you're really answering the question. I mean, I think you're responding to Senator Kerry, but there are beheadings regularly, the insurgent violence continues, and there are no weapons of mass destruction. My question is, can you understand that Americans may not believe you when you say that America is actually safer today?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Imagine a world in which Saddam Hussein were still in power. This is a man who harbored terrorists -- Abu Abbas, Abu Nidal, Zarqawi. This is a man who was a sworn enemy of the United States of America. This is a man who used weapons of mass destruction. Going from tyranny to democracy is hard work, but I think the argument that says that Saddam Hussein -- if Saddam Hussein were still in power, we'd be better off is wrong.
Deny ANY wrongdoing - check
Lie about failed diplomacy - check
Iraq & 9/11 in the same sentence - check
Lie about terrorist presence - check
And that's just in two questions.
Kos said it, and I agree. This will be the last time we'll see Bush taking questions in a press conference before the election. I'll miss the babbling brook.
| Permalink Here
Porter Goss Confirmed
We have a new CIA Chief.
Never mind if he thinks he can't do the job:
I feel safer already.
| Permalink Here
We have a new CIA Chief.
Never mind if he thinks he can't do the job:
In March Goss told left-wing filmmaker Michael Moore: "It is true I was a case officer, clandestine services officer, and yes, I do understand the core mission of the business. But I couldn't get a job with the CIA today. I am not qualified."
I feel safer already.
| Permalink Here
They
Please take the time to read about Andrew Wilson. What's so special about him? He changed his full name to, They. Why would They do this? I'll let They take it from here:
As you can see, the story is a grammatical Molotov Cocktail. Or so they say.
Ideas for the name of his first born?
| Permalink Here
Please take the time to read about Andrew Wilson. What's so special about him? He changed his full name to, They. Why would They do this? I'll let They take it from here:
They said people often make references to an anonymous "they."
"'They do this,' or 'They're to blame for that.' Who is this 'they' everyone talks about? 'They' accomplish such great things. Somebody had to take responsibility," They said.
He did it for the humor, he said.
"I was just having a good time," They said. "I've faced health issues in my life, and I know better than to take life for granted. Life is short, and you should try to find a way to make yourself smile."
Before taking the legal step, They searched the Internet for other people named They, but found none, he said.
As you can see, the story is a grammatical Molotov Cocktail. Or so they say.
Ideas for the name of his first born?
| Permalink Here
Hesiod
I'm not sure when our man returned, but I'm sure glad he's back.
If you don't know of whom I speak, say hello to Counterspin Central.
| Permalink Here
I'm not sure when our man returned, but I'm sure glad he's back.
If you don't know of whom I speak, say hello to Counterspin Central.
| Permalink Here
CBS and Hypocrisy
So there is a reasonable chance that the memos are forgeries. CBS messed up.
Is that enough for the GOP?
What do you think?
The Right is agog about the whole episode saying there should be an investigator with subpoena power etc. etc. etc. What is the purpose of this? Clearing the President's good name? Everything I've read points to the fact that the content of the 60 Minutes story is true. I'm not sure pushing for an investigation is such a wise idea from their perspective because these things have a way of ending up on your own back porch.
This point is belabored but, the hypocrisy shown by the right is galling, even for them. They get supreme complicity from the media during the march to war, the 9/11 commission testimony, half-a-million dollar swift boat ad buy and voter supression. Now they complain about being treated unfairly by CBS.
I'm outraged by their outrage.
| Permalink Here
So there is a reasonable chance that the memos are forgeries. CBS messed up.
Is that enough for the GOP?
What do you think?
The Right is agog about the whole episode saying there should be an investigator with subpoena power etc. etc. etc. What is the purpose of this? Clearing the President's good name? Everything I've read points to the fact that the content of the 60 Minutes story is true. I'm not sure pushing for an investigation is such a wise idea from their perspective because these things have a way of ending up on your own back porch.
This point is belabored but, the hypocrisy shown by the right is galling, even for them. They get supreme complicity from the media during the march to war, the 9/11 commission testimony, half-a-million dollar swift boat ad buy and voter supression. Now they complain about being treated unfairly by CBS.
I'm outraged by their outrage.
| Permalink Here
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
Do you think Iraq is growing out of control?
That's the question of the day on MSNBC.com.
The results after 257,629 responses?
Yes 81%
No 19%
| Permalink Here
That's the question of the day on MSNBC.com.
The results after 257,629 responses?
Yes 81%
No 19%
| Permalink Here
Countries Where al Qaeda Has Operated
The State Department has a map and list of the countries where OBL's organization has had activity.
One question. Why isn't Iraq on the list?
(Unless they are counting Iraq as a U.S territory.)
| Permalink Here
The State Department has a map and list of the countries where OBL's organization has had activity.
One question. Why isn't Iraq on the list?
(Unless they are counting Iraq as a U.S territory.)
| Permalink Here
Drinking Liberally
A good time last night at the Ten Stone. I met some very cool people and look forward to hanging out with them again soon.
Here's a picture from the festivities. Another Cosmo for the gentleman in the back.
Will get a link to more pictures up soon.
UPDATE: See all of the pictures here.
| Permalink Here
A good time last night at the Ten Stone. I met some very cool people and look forward to hanging out with them again soon.
Here's a picture from the festivities. Another Cosmo for the gentleman in the back.
Will get a link to more pictures up soon.
UPDATE: See all of the pictures here.
| Permalink Here
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Line of the Day
In the comments over at Corrente, lambert strether, in response to an anonymous(!) troll, comes up with this beauty:
It takes a village to stomp a weasel.
If you don't know who's the village and who's the weasel then you haven't been paying attention.
| Permalink Here
In the comments over at Corrente, lambert strether, in response to an anonymous(!) troll, comes up with this beauty:
It takes a village to stomp a weasel.
If you don't know who's the village and who's the weasel then you haven't been paying attention.
| Permalink Here
Nukes
We've heard all about Iran ignoring the International Atomic Energy Agency's demands and North Korea's bolstering of their arsenal. Two countries who went full steam ahead while we searched Iraq for bottlerockets.
What about proliferation in South America?
Tristero has the details.
| Permalink Here
We've heard all about Iran ignoring the International Atomic Energy Agency's demands and North Korea's bolstering of their arsenal. Two countries who went full steam ahead while we searched Iraq for bottlerockets.
What about proliferation in South America?
Tristero has the details.
| Permalink Here
Kerry on Letterman
Of course he read the Top 10 List, "Top 10 Bush Tax Proposals."
Number three is a winner:
10. No estate tax for families with at least two U.S. presidents.
9. W-2 Form is now Dubya-2 Form.
8. Under the simplified tax code, your refund check goes directly to Halliburton.
7. The reduced earned income tax credit is so unfair, it just makes me want to tear out my lustrous, finely groomed hair.
6. Attorney General (John) Ashcroft gets to write off the entire U.S. Constitution.
5. Texas Rangers can take a business loss for trading Sammy Sosa.
4. Eliminate all income taxes; just ask Teresa (Heinz Kerry) to cover the whole damn thing.
3. Cheney can claim Bush as a dependent.
2. Hundred-dollar penalty if you pronounce it "nuclear" instead of "nucular."
1. George W. Bush gets a deduction for mortgaging our entire future.
| Permalink Here
Of course he read the Top 10 List, "Top 10 Bush Tax Proposals."
Number three is a winner:
10. No estate tax for families with at least two U.S. presidents.
9. W-2 Form is now Dubya-2 Form.
8. Under the simplified tax code, your refund check goes directly to Halliburton.
7. The reduced earned income tax credit is so unfair, it just makes me want to tear out my lustrous, finely groomed hair.
6. Attorney General (John) Ashcroft gets to write off the entire U.S. Constitution.
5. Texas Rangers can take a business loss for trading Sammy Sosa.
4. Eliminate all income taxes; just ask Teresa (Heinz Kerry) to cover the whole damn thing.
3. Cheney can claim Bush as a dependent.
2. Hundred-dollar penalty if you pronounce it "nuclear" instead of "nucular."
1. George W. Bush gets a deduction for mortgaging our entire future.
| Permalink Here
Monday, September 20, 2004
Kalashnikov Vodka
“I’ve always wanted to improve and expand on the good name of my weapon by doing good things, so we decided to create a vodka under my name. And we wanted that vodka to be better than anything made, up until now, in both Russia and England.”
Lt. Gen. Mikhail Kalashnikov explaining his decision to launch a libation bearing his name.
Can also kill you, but at a slower pace.
| Permalink Here
“I’ve always wanted to improve and expand on the good name of my weapon by doing good things, so we decided to create a vodka under my name. And we wanted that vodka to be better than anything made, up until now, in both Russia and England.”
Lt. Gen. Mikhail Kalashnikov explaining his decision to launch a libation bearing his name.
Can also kill you, but at a slower pace.
| Permalink Here
WMD: The Movie
That's Weapons of Mass Deception. Danny Schechter, the proprietor of the blog at Media Channel has put together a film detailing the media's failure to do their job in the lead up to the Iraq War. It will be available on DVD soon and is currently showing at film festivals around the country.
Here is a flash video promotion of the film and more information about the film is available here.
Here is what writers are saying:
"A comprehensive and devastating critique of the TV news networks' complacency and complicity in the war on Iraq... brilliantly argued and scrupulously documented... a must see" -- Chicago Reader
"More cohesive and devastating than Fahrenheit 911" -- Boston Phoenix
“Searing... Powerful" -- Sacramento Bee
Sure to enter the Uncle Horns DVD vault upon release.
| Permalink Here
That's Weapons of Mass Deception. Danny Schechter, the proprietor of the blog at Media Channel has put together a film detailing the media's failure to do their job in the lead up to the Iraq War. It will be available on DVD soon and is currently showing at film festivals around the country.
Here is a flash video promotion of the film and more information about the film is available here.
Here is what writers are saying:
"A comprehensive and devastating critique of the TV news networks' complacency and complicity in the war on Iraq... brilliantly argued and scrupulously documented... a must see" -- Chicago Reader
"More cohesive and devastating than Fahrenheit 911" -- Boston Phoenix
“Searing... Powerful" -- Sacramento Bee
Sure to enter the Uncle Horns DVD vault upon release.
| Permalink Here
Kerry on Monday in NY
Hitting Hard
Time for a terror alert!
| Permalink Here
Hitting Hard
...The first and most fundamental mistake was the President’s failure to tell the truth to the American people.
He failed to tell the truth about the rationale for going to war. And he failed to tell the truth about the burden this war would impose on our soldiers and our citizens.
By one count, the President offered 23 different rationales for this war. If his purpose was to confuse and mislead the American people, he succeeded.
His two main rationales – weapons of mass destruction and the Al Qaeda/September 11 connection – have been proved false… by the President’s own weapons inspectors… and by the 9/11 Commission. Just last week, Secretary of State Powell acknowledged the facts. Only Vice President Cheney still insists that the earth is flat.
The President also failed to level with the American people about what it would take to prevail in Iraq.
He didn’t tell us that well over 100,000 troops would be needed, for years, not months. He didn’t tell us that he wouldn’t take the time to assemble a broad and strong coalition of allies. He didn’t tell us that the cost would exceed $200 billion. He didn’t tell us that even after paying such a heavy price, success was far from assured.
And America will pay an even heavier price for the President’s lack of candor...
Time for a terror alert!
| Permalink Here
Sunday, September 19, 2004
McCain Critical of Bush's Iraq Policy
John, my man, where have you been?
| Permalink Here
John, my man, where have you been?
A Republican senator who campaigned for the US president at last month's Republican convention says the Bush Administration has made mistakes in their Iraq policy.
Senator John McCain says the toleration of looting in Iraq after the invasion and the failure to prevent insurgents from establishing strongholds within the country are examples of these mistakes.
Mr McCain says a ground offensive is urgently needed in Iraq to re-take areas held by insurgents.
"We made serious mistakes right after the initial successes by not having enough troops there on the ground, by allowing the looting, by not securing the borders - there was a number of things that we did," he said.
"Most of it can be traced back to not having sufficient numbers of troops there."
| Permalink Here
