Bush on a Harley

Looks like I'm not the only one who couldn't resist fun with
this one

(just scroll down to number ten)

Remember the 2006 Republican campaign motto: "We have nothing to sell but fear itself."

Ack Ack Ack terra terra terra! yeeesh

Bush says foiled plot in Britain means U.S. will be fighting terrorists for years
Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2006

or at the very least keepin' them people from them axis 'o evil countries outta the real estate market here...fer a while

Iranian brothers file lawsuit over 3 years of detention during FBI investigation
Monday, Aug. 14, 2006


'People power' is a global brand owned by America
08/15/06 The Guardian
The US and the western media back protests over controversial elections when it suits them, but are silent over those in Mexico

No. Fucking. Shit.

The Last Days of the American Republic

Chalmers Johnson: ”The Last Days of the American Republic.”

C-Span 06/11/06 (click on title link to play) Run Time 59 Minutes

The largest element in our budget of discretionary spending goes for national security. We are spending today more on national defense, so-called really on war, than all the other nations on earth combined. That’s an astonishing figure. Its also amazing to see that perhaps, 20,000 insurgents in Iraq have fought to a standstill 130,000 of the most-highly trained, heavily equipped troops on earth


Chalmers Johnson's next book is due out in February 2007

To pre-order from Amazon
Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic [American Empire Project] (Hardcover)

It's Monday

Gas Prices Inch Up to Hit Another High
Monday, August 14, 2006 - Page updated at 12:22 AM
(AP) - CAMARILLO, Calif.-Nationwide gas prices hit yet another record in the last three weeks, rising just over one cent to nearly $3.03 per gallon, according to a survey released Sunday.

(Ummm, make that $3.40 here)

Oil crisis: It's only just begun
Monday, August 14, 2006 - Page updated at 12:22 AM
By Paul Salopek
Chicago Tribune

Ummm, yeah, guys? you know that thing over in the Middle East? It's not really working out like we had planned, you know? Um, there isn't nearly as much oil as we thought, and the natives are acting up, so, gee willikers, I guess it's time to tell you that your whole way of life is ab-so-fucking-lutely unsustainable. We're real sorry that your great-great grandkids are going to have to pay for the mess, but it was a helluva party while it lasted, eh?

Published on 11 Aug 2006

by Energy Bulletin / Whiskey & Gunpowder.

Archived on 11 Aug 2006.
by Byron W. King

No more business as usual

this was interesting:

NASA can't find original tape of moon landing
Mon Aug 14, 2006 10:48 PM BST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government has misplaced the original recording of the first moon landing, including astronaut Neil Armstrong's famous "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," a NASA spokesman said on Monday.
Armstrong's famous space walk, seen by millions of viewers on July 20, 1969, is among transmissions that NASA has failed to turn up in a year of searching, spokesman Grey Hautaloma said.
"We haven't seen them for quite a while. We've been looking for over a year and they haven't turned up," Hautaloma said.
The tapes also contain data about the health of the astronauts and the condition of the spacecraft. In all, some 700 boxes of transmissions from the Apollo lunar missions are missing, he said.
"I wouldn't say we're worried -- we've got all the data. Everything on the tapes we have in one form or another," Hautaloma said.
NASA has retained copies of the television broadcasts and offers several clips on its Web site.
But those images are of lower quality than the originals stored on the missing magnetic tapes.
Because NASA's equipment was not compatible with TV technology of the day, the original transmissions had to be displayed on a monitor and re-shot by a TV camera for broadcast.
Hautaloma said it is possible the tapes will be unplayable even if they are found, because they have degraded significantly over the years -- a problem common to magnetic tape and other types of recordable media.
The material was held by the National Archives but returned to NASA sometime in the late 1970s, he said.
"We're looking for paperwork to see where they last were," he said.
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved. Learn more about Reuters

Ooooops.

Iranian Leader Opens Up (on 60 Minutes)

Ok, I just watched it, and frankly, I have more questions than answers. I want to see all of the footage and I don't want either of their translators, translating for me.

Is there such a thing as a neutral translator on prime time? In any country?

I learned nothing.

Ok then.

Awwwww CRAP, I'm in the minority again.

You know, for a white chick, I spend a lot of time in the minority...

Heh.

depleted uranium

the AP covers DU?

Not very well, but it's in the mainstream media.

Project Censored covered it two years ago.

hmmmmmmmm.

Fascist government lying, cheating, spying, just another day in America

North County Times Publishes an Embarrassing 'Political Stunt' Disguised as a Newspaper Column

Traseger should read this before he does it again (pdf)



Two Congressional Experts Explain What Has Gone Very Wrong With Congress
By JOHN W. DEAN ----
Friday, Aug. 11, 2006

Judge Allows AT&T Lawsuit To Proceed
Posted By sarabeth On 20th July 2006 @ 14:20 In War on Terror

Judges Consolidate Telecom Spy Lawsuits
Friday, Aug. 11, 2006

The End of Suburbia (C) 2004

This is part of the commentary from this documentary, transcribed more or less accurately by me:

"This documentary started out as a response to September 11....had questions about the official story... The major news stories, Afghanistan, Iraq, the economy, Enron, even 9-11 itself were actually symptoms of the bigger news story of Oil Peak..."
"American suburbia is in a position of remarkable geopolitical importance right now. Their votes in many respects will determine how this crisis unfolds, and it's outcome. The crisis is going to be increasing costs for energy, for oil and for natural gas and how your average suburban American respond to this, and who they vote for, and the kinds of policies they support to deal with this is going to affect the entire world. They are the citizens of the Roman Empire of today and uh they have incredible power to influence this crisis towards a catastrophic conclusion, or towards something that is possibly sustainable. That will possibly take us into another era, an era of decreased energy at some level, but different kind of energy sources, but to get from here to there is going to be incredibly difficult. Alot of that depends on people coming out of their denial...."
"...this current administration is completely out of touch, in a very dangerous way with the reality of the way people think around the world, and that reality can't be forced to conform with their ideology, hence we're led toward catastrophe." and another voice says "I just find it sad that it's easier to tell the American public that they'll have to sacrifice their sons and daughters and relatives than it is to tell them they're gonna have to sacrifice their SUVs and 5,000 square foot homes." "Ouch." "Well, that's what it comes down to."

As I do my best to avoid the ever-increasing potholes on the road (my city's so broke, they can't pay attention) and my husband puts 20% of his paycheck in the tank just to get to work, I'm stunned at how quickly the predictions in this documentary are materializing. It's only two years old. It's not all gloom and doom, but it is time to make changes, it you want to survive, that is. Peak Oil is not all over the mainstream newz because there's no advertising revenue in it. Duh. When this guy tells you, umm, we can't live like we have been any more because the fossil fuel energy we use (like pigs) is finite, it's probably time to listen.

Helllllooooooooo?

They are working on the sequel: Escape from Suburbia

BBC Power of Nightmares 1, 2, 3

When I saw this morning that the "terror alert" had been raised I thought two things. That it's either real and the Middle East is about to blow up , because they've just had enough of Israel's, the US', and Britain's bullshit, or it's another crock of doo doo. I thought of this three hour special that I had watched over them damn internets.

This will let you know why the politicians need us more than we need them.

The Power of Nightmares part one

The Power of Nightmares part two

The Power of Nightmares part three

Western mines not impacted by Prudhoe Bay shutdown

Western mines not impacted by Prudhoe Bay shutdown
By: Dorothy Kosich
Posted: '09-AUG-06 04:00' GMT © Mineweb 1997-2006
RENO--(Mineweb.com) Spokesmen for several western precious metals miners told Mineweb Tuesday that, since their mining operations buy diesel from sources other than west coast refineries, their Nevada and Idaho mines probably won't experience serious impacts from the planned shutdown of the Prudhoe Bay oil pipeline.
Nevertheless, consumers can expect a 15-cent to 20-cent per gallon increase in western states, such as Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and California, that rely on products from oil refineries in California and Washington State. Diesel and jet fuel will also feel the impact of the pipeline shutdown.

please no deja vu

Boy, this looks good.

Connecticut Democrats oust Lieberman
MarketWatch
Last Update: 12:44 AM ET Aug 9, 2006

I just hope when I wake up in the morning, it's not deja vu .

Cailfornia & oil & gas & Alaska

British Petroleum's 'Smart Pig'The Brilliantly Profitable Timing of the Alaska Oil Pipeline Shutdown
Published on Tuesday, August 8, 2006 by the Guardian/UK
by Greg Palast




Bill to curb greenhouse gases poses dilemma for Schwarzenegger
SAMANTHA YOUNG
Associated Press
Posted on Sun, Aug. 06, 2006
SACRAMENTO - Over the past year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has sought to position himself as a leader on climate change issues.

He outlined a broad program to reduce air pollution during a speech at a United Nations summit a year ago and last week reached a publicity-generating agreement with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

BP says no need to hurry Alaska gas deal
By Yereth Rosen
...U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney in June wrote to Alaska legislators urging them to approve the pipeline project Murkowski has brokered with BP, ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil Corp...

...They say it surrenders basic state powers to protect the public interest and cedes meaningful state control over the project, which is expected to cost more than $20 billion....

AK ANWR + pipeline map

US Press re: Israel, and ban on Arab news in India?

I say the US mainstream press sucks re: Israel:
Noam Chomsky on Israel, Lebanon and Palestine
By Kaveh Afrasiabi of Global Interfaith Peace
08/07/06 "Information Clearing House" -- --

Do you agree with the argument that Israel's military offensive in Lebanon is "legally and morally justified?"
Noam Chomsky: The invasion itself is a serious breach of international law, and major war crimes are being committed as it proceeds. There is no legal justification....



Tomgram: Dahr Jamail, The Damage in Lebanon -- and Beyond
...As of this writing, the Lebanese government had already announced at least 900 deaths, and that number is now certainly well over 1,000. At least 60 Israelis are also dead from Hezbollah rocket attacks on Israel and fierce fighting inside Lebanon...

Arab news ban in India?

Joe Francis is a pig

NEWSCOMA is way too nice to say anything like this, so I will.

Joe Francis is a nasty ass pig who needs to grow the fuck up.

'Baby, Give Me a Kiss'
The man behind the 'Girls Gone Wild' soft-porn empire lets Claire Hoffman into his world, for better or worse
By Claire Hoffman, Times Staff Writer
August 6, 2006

Joe needs to take some ritalin, or something, my God, what a spoiled rotten flaming asshole.

Update Friday September 15, 2006 The Verdict: Joe Francis is Still a Sleazehole


Girls Gone Wild' producers fined $2.1 million
'POSTED: 2015 GMT (0415 HKT), September 12, 2006

Joy

I was listening to the Squirrel Nut Zippers just the other day, so I heard the influence right away. I have been a REALLY BIG fan of Rickie Lee Jones since 1978. I became interested in politics around 6 years ago. This song made me feel joy. I haven't felt that from listening to a song in quite a while. Joy and hope. It's really a fun song.

She recorded it especially for the Blue America community

Have you had enough? mp3 file from Crooks and Liars


DownWithTyranny tells us how he got involved with this

RICKIE LEE JONES AND THE GUYS FROM THE SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS TELL WHY THEY RECORDED HAVE YOU HAD ENOUGH?

Indigenous Middle Eastern Jews condemn Israeli aggression

Indigenous Middle Eastern Jews condemn Israeli aggression
Thu, 03 Aug 2006 01:42:46 -0700

Palestininan Jews killed at Sabra and Shatila? Never heard that before.

What is it with this God thing, anyway?

My friend wrote this this the other day. I liked it. He said it's ok to share it with you.

Some living things having gained some time to devote to pursuits other than plain survival have wondered if there is an overarching reason for existence thus they have created Gods. Of that there can be no reasonable doubt. Cleverly though they also have made their Gods necessary and inevitable. We create our Gods in order to create us. Something in the human psyche needs that, the evidence seems to indicate. But enough of this intellectualizing. One wants an experience of God (by which I mean) the un-nameable mystery behind it all. That does not come by thinking. All the words written, all the sacred inspired texts, beautiful though they may be are mere signposts. They are not the road itself. Those who argue "take this road" or "take that road" are stuck looking at maps. They are eating the menu, but not the meal. They are hearing the notes, but not the music.

US Gen. Abizaid says civil war possible in Iraq

US Gen. Abizaid says civil war possible in Iraq
Thu Aug 3, 2006 10:34am ET


Baghdad Burning (today's post)

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 (archive post)
...The latest corpses were those of some Sunni and Shia clerics- several of them well-known. People are being patient and there is a general consensus that these killings are being done to provoke civil war. Also worrisome is the fact that we are hearing of people being rounded up by security forces (Iraqi) and then being found dead days later- apparently when the new Iraqi government recently decided to reinstate the death penalty, they had something else in mind...


General Abizaid obviously doesn't read Riverbend's posts.

Hate the news? Here's why.

Bombing is backed by most American voters
From Tom Baldwin in Washington 08/04/06 "The Times"

-- -- ISRAEL’s military campaign in southern Lebanon is still being backed by most American voters, according to a survey published yesterday that shows public opinion in the US once again sharply at odds with views in Europe. The Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll found that 59 per cent believed that Israel’s actions were “justified”, although a quarter of this group stated that the military had behaved in an “excessively harsh” fashion.

After watching Orville Shell online last night, I understand, but I'm still saddened. Try to tell people from other countries why Americans are so ignorant of current events in the Middle East and they won't believe you unless they have lived in the US sometime within the last ten years. Try to tell an American nursed on Faux newz, or Entertainment Tonight, or any of the major network newz soundbites that they are ignorant (meaning uninformed) and they will tell you "I don't want to know," "It's too depressing, " or "I don't care, " or most commonly, "I don't have time for that." Ask them why they don't seek out news sources on the internet and they will say "I work on a computer all day, I don't want to touch a computer when I'm not stuck working at one." These are answers I have received when I have asked people why they don't know what I know. These are all understandable reasons to me. If you just don't want to deal with the news, the following interview might help you figure out why it's such a turn off, you're NOT crazy, Ok?

The Brancaccio/Schell interview is worth 24 minutes of your time, come on, it's Saturday, g'head, g'head'----

Orville Schell on a Responsible Press
8.4.06

Hiya boeing.com, you looking for a link to this article?


Military Waste In Our Drinking Water
By Sunaura Taylor and Astra Taylor, AlterNet. Posted August 4, 2006.

Happy to oblige.

halliburton.com landed here, wtf?

Can anyone tell me why someone from halliburton.com in Houston Texas would perform a search using these words:

australia seismic whale dead interview

and then wade through 15 effing pages of Google results to hit on this particular entry?

On this silly little blog?

hmmmm?
LEAD: More than 140 whales die after beachings in Australia, NZ
Asian Economic News Dec 13, 2004
SYDNEY, Nov. 30 Kyodo
...More than 140 whales have died in three separate mass strandings in Australia and New Zealand since Sunday, according to government officials and media reports Tuesday....Sen. Bob Brown of the Australian Greens party said in a statement released Tuesday that seismic tests carried out in oceans to search for gas and oil should be stopped until the whale migration season ends.

''The whale strandings of recent days come exactly a year after a similar stranding on Tasmania's west coast,'' Brown said. ''In both cases, seismic testing occurred in the preceding days.''

Seismic testing is sound bombing of the ocean bed to search for oil and gas. There is growing evidence that such activities may impact whales and dolphins but research data are inconclusive.

''However, the precautionary principle should apply, and the tests, until shown to be safe, should stop -- at least in whale migration seasons,'' Brown said...

or maybe halliburton was looking for this or this?


Greg has some info on the oil barons..

THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD FOR BIG OIL
Greg Palast Aug 03, 2006


Um, Greg? They hate sunlight.

In PA, Big-Time GOP Donors Show True Colors: Green
By Justin Rood - August 2, 2006, 5:51 PM
A Halliburton lobbyist giving money to the Green Party?


Santorum, the Green Party, and some very strange bedfellows

...James Holman (misidentified in FEC records as "Howmen"); California publisher, $5,000:Holman publishes a string of pro-life, Catholic newspapers across California (and, highly incongruously, an alternative paper, the San Diego Reader. According to this article, he pumped a whopping $1.1 million last year into Proposition 73, a parental notification measure that Holman called in ads "the first 'pro-life measure to be voted on in the state of California.'" ...

Oh yeah, good times here in the 50th. oily congresswhore Bilbray votes

He and other local congresswhores along for the slip n slide ride:

North County Reps vote to lift offshore drilling ban

Anybody who thinks San Diego doesn't have any serious problems is a moron, a tourist, or they've spent way too much time with their heads up their asses.

Let's fix the voting problem

http://www.blackboxvoting.org/toolkit-presentation.pdf

Mel Gibson

I don't give a shit. Shut the fuck up about something someone said when they were drunk. I'm fucking sick of hearing about it. Besides, Mel's not the only person on the planet who might be pissed off at the Jews who run Israel right now, and are bombing the crap out of Lebanon. My guess is that they're bombing areas of Lebanon that are loaded with Palestinians who fled their own land when the Jews took control of it. Jews were horribly vicitimized during the second world war. The Israeli government has become the victimizer of Palestinians. You want to call me an anti-semite for saying that, FINE. Just use the word with all of it's meanings. I pretty much hate that fact that the Arabs (semites) and the Jews (semites) have been trying to kill each other for thousands of years. Nobody wins a war of ideology with weaponry. And I hate the fact that my country is selling weapons all over the world. So call me unpatriotic while you're at it. I don't give a shit.

Note: This is not an invitation for Christo-fascists to think I'm on your side, fuck you too. Religious texts were written by men, making NONE of them perfect.


By Dahr Jamail
There was Khuder Gazali, an ambulance driver, whose left arm wasblown off by a rocket fired by an American-made Apache war helicopter while he was rescuing civilians whose home had been bombed. The ambulance then sent to rescue the rescuer was bombed, everyone in it killed. Miraculously, the third ambulance was able to retrieve him, only because the Apache had left. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article14306.htm

More oil crud

Thanks cookie jill for the jump start on this one

The crude facts about oil
Global market not only cause for rising gas prices
By JEFF DONN
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tuesday, August 1, 2006

Even the insane bible thumping Pat Robertson couldn't get in on this action

It's just too lucrative.

Welcome to Pottersville: Enough is Enough

Welcome to Pottersville: Enough is Enough

Jurassicpork strikes again!!!!

As the world burns

Tomgram: Frida Berrigan on the Weapons Trade as Entertainment

EXCLUSIVE: The Busby/Bilbray Election Contest Lawsuit

Busby/Bilbray Election Contest Lawsuit (petition)

Ok.

Anger Management

I must be really twisted, because I laughed a few times while playing this game.