I should shopping for MY turkey, but I'm trying to finish this stupid assignment. I get it, I get it, teaching takes more time to do well than is humanly possible. The assignment is to make up questions for current events articles. This article was a particularly rough slog for me, because this is how I feel about Rumsfeld
In Sometimes-Brusque 'Snowflakes,' He Shared Worldview, Shaped Policy
By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, November 1, 2007; A01
In a series of internal musings and memos to his staff, then-Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld argued that Muslims avoid "physical labor" and wrote of the need to "keep elevating the threat," "link Iraq to Iran" and develop "bumper sticker statements" to rally public support for an increasingly unpopular war.
The memos, often referred to as "snowflakes," shed light on Rumsfeld's brusque management style and on his efforts to address key challenges during his tenure as Pentagon chief. Spanning from 2002 to shortly after his resignation following the 2006 congressional elections, a sampling of his trademark missives obtained yesterday reveals a defense secretary disdainful of media criticism and driven to reshape public opinion of the Iraq war.
Rumsfeld, whose sometimes abrasive approach often alienated other Cabinet members and White House staff members, produced 20 to 60 snowflakes a day and regularly poured out his thoughts in writing as the basis for developing policy, aides said. The memos are not classified but are marked "for official use only."
In a 2004 memo on the deteriorating situation in Iraq, Rumsfeld concluded that the challenges there are "not unusual." Pessimistic news reports -- "our publics risk falling prey to the argument that all is lost" -- simply result from the wrong standards being applied, he wrote in one of the memos obtained by The Washington Post.
Under siege in April 2006, when a series of retired generals denounced him and called for his resignation in newspaper op-ed pieces, Rumsfeld produced a memo after a conference call with military analysts. "Talk about Somalia, the Philippines, etc. Make the American people realize they are surrounded in the world by violent extremists," he wrote.
People will "rally" to sacrifice, he noted after the meeting. "They are looking for leadership. Sacrifice = Victory."
The meeting also led Rumsfeld to write that he needed a team to help him "go out and push people back, rather than simply defending" Iraq policy and strategy. "I am always on the defense. They say I do it well, but you can't win on the defense," he wrote. "We can't just keep taking hits."
The only man to hold the top Pentagon job twice -- as both the youngest and the oldest defense secretary -- Rumsfeld suggested that the public should know that there will be no "terminal event" in the fight against terrorism like the signing ceremony on the USS Missouri when Japan surrendered to end World War II. "It is going to be a long war," he wrote. "Iraq is only one battleground."
Based on the discussion with military analysts, Rumsfeld tied Iran and Iraq. "Iran is the concern of the American people, and if we fail in Iraq, it will advantage Iran," he wrote in his April 2006 memo.
Rumsfeld declined to comment, but an aide said the points in that memo were Rumsfeld's distillation of the analysts' comments, though he added that the secretary is known for using the term "bumper stickers." "You are running a story based off of selective quotations and gross mischaracterizations from a handful of memos -- carefully picked from the some 20,000 written while Rumsfeld served as Secretary," Rumsfeld aide Keith Urbahn wrote in an e-mail. "After almost all meetings, he dictated his recollections of what was said for his own records."
In one of his longer ruminations, in May 2004, Rumsfeld considered whether to redefine the terrorism fight as a "worldwide insurgency." The goal of the enemy, he wrote, is to "end the state system, using terrorism, to drive the non-radicals from the world." He then advised aides "to test what the results could be" if the war on terrorism were renamed.
Neither Europe nor the United Nations understands the threat or the bigger picture, Rumsfeld complained in the same memo. He also lamented that oil wealth has at times detached Muslims "from the reality of the work, effort and investment that leads to wealth for the rest of the world. Too often Muslims are against physical labor, so they bring in Koreans and Pakistanis while their young people remain unemployed," he wrote. "An unemployed population is easy to recruit to radicalism."
If radicals "get a hold of" oil-rich Saudi Arabia, he added, the United States will have "an enormous national security problem."
The memos delve into issues beyond Iraq and terrorism. In a memo to national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley in July 2006, Rumsfeld warned that the United States is "getting run out of Central Asia" by the Russians, who are doing a "considerably better job at bullying" than Washington is doing to "counter their bullying."
As public discontent and congressional questioning grew in 2006, his final year at the Pentagon, a series of snowflakes revealed a man determined to counter the chorus of media criticism in one- or two-line zingers to staff members about specific articles.
"I think you ought to get a letter off about Ralph Peters' op-ed in the New York Post. It is terrible," he writes on Feb. 6, 2006. In a Feb. 2 New York Post column, Peters decried "chronic troop shortages in Iraq" while the Pentagon buys "high-tech toys that have no missions."
On March 10, he commanded J. Dorrance Smith, the assistant defense secretary for public affairs, to craft a "better presentation to respond to this business that the Department of Defense has no plan. This is just utter nonsense. We need to knock it down hard." A Washington Post-ABC News poll that month found that 65 percent of Americans thought that Bush had no plan for victory.
On March 20, Rumsfeld ordered a point-by-point analysis of the seven "mistakes" columnist Trudy Rubin wrote about in the Philadelphia Inquirer and a response to her essay -- which he wanted to see before it was sent out. Rubin wrote that the war had "gone sour."
"Please have someone find precisely when I said 'dead-enders' and what the context was," he ordered Smith in September 2006.
A November 2006 editorial in the New York Times that said the Army was ruined "is disgraceful," Rumsfeld wrote to Smith. The editorial said that "one welcome dividend" of Rumsfeld's departure was that the United States would "now have a chance to rebuild the Army he spent most of his tenure running down."
Rumsfeld later reprimanded his staff, writing, "I read the letter we sent in rebuttal. I thought it rather weak and not signed at the level it should have been." He then instructed staffers to prepare an article about the Army. "We need to get that story out," he wrote on Nov. 28, 2006, a Tuesday. He ordered a draft by Friday.
Which statement is the best one sentence summary of the article by Robin Wright?
A. Donald Rumsfeld's "snowflakes" memos were lovely holiday gifts for aides and Cabinet members.
B. Rumsfeld formulates policy on the fly with the icy bite of the "snowflake memos."
C. Donald Rumsfeld is the most ignorant, arrogant asshole on the planet, and he should have done Lynndie England's time in the Miramar Brig.
So read the following articles before Thanksgiving when you have to deal with that right-wing uncle that you have to smile at and be nice to when you want to throw that nasty giblet gravy, or that God-awful green barf-looking jello mold that nobody ever had the chutzpah to tell mom that everybody hates, in his stupid Fox newz spewing pie-hole.
Scottiebot spills the beans, Cheney leaked CIA agent's name
(smile in uncky dum-dum's face K?)
EXCLUSIVE: Daniel Ellsberg Says Sibel Edmonds Case 'Far More Explosive Than Pentagon Papers'
BLOGGED BY Brad Friedman ON 11/19/2007 4:46AM
Really big smile for uncky dum dum....
'cause we know better, eh?
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
NYT Monday Nov 19, 2007
U.S. Hopes to Use Pakistani Tribes Against Al Qaeda
n the Swat region, a member of the Frontier Corps, a paramilitary force that has about 85,000 soldiers, stood guard at a bazaar.
By ERIC SCHMITT, MARK MAZZETTI and CARLOTTA GALL
Published: November 19, 2007
Goldman Sachs Rakes In Profit in Credit Crsis
By JENNY ANDERSON and LANDON THOMAS Jr.
Published: November 19, 2007
Chinese Dam Projects Criticized for Their Human Costs
The Three Gorges Dam is projected as an anchor in a string of hydropower “mega-bases” planned for the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River.
By JIM YARDLEY
Published: November 19, 2007
Keeping Witnesses Off Stand to Keep Them Safe
Scared Silent
Detective Sgt. Ronald Hampton of the State Police gang unit.
By DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI
Published: November 19, 2007
U.S. Says Attacks in Iraq Fell to Feb. 2006 Level
By CARA BUCKLEY and MICHAEL R. GORDON
Published: November 19, 2007
Child Matadors Draw Olés in Mexico’s Bullrings
Michelito Lagravere Peniche, 9, one of Mexico’s youngest bullfighters, confronts a calf in Mérida. More Photos >
By MARC LACEY
Published: November 19, 2007
n the Swat region, a member of the Frontier Corps, a paramilitary force that has about 85,000 soldiers, stood guard at a bazaar.
By ERIC SCHMITT, MARK MAZZETTI and CARLOTTA GALL
Published: November 19, 2007
Goldman Sachs Rakes In Profit in Credit Crsis
By JENNY ANDERSON and LANDON THOMAS Jr.
Published: November 19, 2007
Chinese Dam Projects Criticized for Their Human Costs
The Three Gorges Dam is projected as an anchor in a string of hydropower “mega-bases” planned for the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River.
By JIM YARDLEY
Published: November 19, 2007
Keeping Witnesses Off Stand to Keep Them Safe
Scared Silent
Detective Sgt. Ronald Hampton of the State Police gang unit.
By DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI
Published: November 19, 2007
U.S. Says Attacks in Iraq Fell to Feb. 2006 Level
By CARA BUCKLEY and MICHAEL R. GORDON
Published: November 19, 2007
Child Matadors Draw Olés in Mexico’s Bullrings
Michelito Lagravere Peniche, 9, one of Mexico’s youngest bullfighters, confronts a calf in Mérida. More Photos >
By MARC LACEY
Published: November 19, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
this is why people avoid the real news
The true Economic Cost of Iraq
Larry Johnson
November 18, 2007 at 7:51 PM
Preparing for Life After Oil
By Michael T. Klare
11/18/07 The Nation
Because it's baaaaaaaaaaad. Oy.
Larry Johnson
November 18, 2007 at 7:51 PM
Preparing for Life After Oil
By Michael T. Klare
11/18/07 The Nation
Because it's baaaaaaaaaaad. Oy.
Republic vs. Democracy
November 17, 2007 at 17:55:30
by Mark E. Smith Page 1 of 1 page(s)
OpEdnews.com/
Republic vs. Democracy
by Mark E. Smith
Do you think we have a democratic form of government? Think again! When progressives call for democracy, the response from regressives is often that we do not have a democracy, we have a republic. A republic, we're told, is a representative form of democracy, so many people think that we do at least have a type of democracy. We do not. The republic we have in the USA is not only undemocratic, it is anti-democratic. The reason for this is that while we supposedly have the right to elect our representatives, in reality we do not, as I explain below, and we also lack the power to remove them for refusing to represent us, as many of us have already learned the hard way. Without the power to elect representatives who will protect our interests, and to remove them if they fail to do so, we cannot be said to have a democratic form of government.
by Mark E. Smith Page 1 of 1 page(s)
OpEdnews.com/
Republic vs. Democracy
by Mark E. Smith
Do you think we have a democratic form of government? Think again! When progressives call for democracy, the response from regressives is often that we do not have a democracy, we have a republic. A republic, we're told, is a representative form of democracy, so many people think that we do at least have a type of democracy. We do not. The republic we have in the USA is not only undemocratic, it is anti-democratic. The reason for this is that while we supposedly have the right to elect our representatives, in reality we do not, as I explain below, and we also lack the power to remove them for refusing to represent us, as many of us have already learned the hard way. Without the power to elect representatives who will protect our interests, and to remove them if they fail to do so, we cannot be said to have a democratic form of government.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
The Major Daily Sheds Its D.C. Eyes
Holy Crap, how did I miss this one?
Monday, Nov. 12, 2007
Marcus Stern is the author of the best article I’ve ever read in The San Diego Union-Tribune. His June 2005 article about Randy "Duke" Cunningham’s home sale was a classic example of what Bob Woodward of The Washington Post famously referred to as the "Holy Shit" story because that’s exactly what I said after reading it....
...The news service was established to serve the company’s chain of newspapers, but almost all of those papers have been sold off to pay owner David Copley’s estate taxes. The death of Copley’s mother, Helen, in 2004 left her only child with a staggering debt to the IRS. (Estate taxes are sometimes blamed for killing off family-owned newspapers in America.)
...Faced with insufficient resources to pay the bill, Copley probably had little choice but to sell off the company’s dailies in Ohio and Illinois this year with the goal of hanging on to the flagship Union-Tribune...
...No one would have missed Copley New Service had it perished in the first half of its 52-year existence. The news service that ended Cunningham’s career reportedly began life as a CIA front. James S. Copley, David’s father, offered President Eisenhower his fledgling news service to act as "the eyes and ears" of the U.S. intelligence community in Latin America, according to a 1977 expose by journalists Joe Trento and Dave Roman in Penthouse magazine. CIA operatives were placed on the payroll, the story goes, and the new service exchanged information for scoops. It was all furiously denied by the Copleys, but even the company’s own historian conceded that the news service had a "sad and thoroughly undistinguished" past.
Ummm hmmmm. You don't really wonder why I call the San Diego Uniion Tribune " the Fishwrap," do you?
Monday, Nov. 12, 2007
Marcus Stern is the author of the best article I’ve ever read in The San Diego Union-Tribune. His June 2005 article about Randy "Duke" Cunningham’s home sale was a classic example of what Bob Woodward of The Washington Post famously referred to as the "Holy Shit" story because that’s exactly what I said after reading it....
...The news service was established to serve the company’s chain of newspapers, but almost all of those papers have been sold off to pay owner David Copley’s estate taxes. The death of Copley’s mother, Helen, in 2004 left her only child with a staggering debt to the IRS. (Estate taxes are sometimes blamed for killing off family-owned newspapers in America.)
...Faced with insufficient resources to pay the bill, Copley probably had little choice but to sell off the company’s dailies in Ohio and Illinois this year with the goal of hanging on to the flagship Union-Tribune...
...No one would have missed Copley New Service had it perished in the first half of its 52-year existence. The news service that ended Cunningham’s career reportedly began life as a CIA front. James S. Copley, David’s father, offered President Eisenhower his fledgling news service to act as "the eyes and ears" of the U.S. intelligence community in Latin America, according to a 1977 expose by journalists Joe Trento and Dave Roman in Penthouse magazine. CIA operatives were placed on the payroll, the story goes, and the new service exchanged information for scoops. It was all furiously denied by the Copleys, but even the company’s own historian conceded that the news service had a "sad and thoroughly undistinguished" past.
Ummm hmmmm. You don't really wonder why I call the San Diego Uniion Tribune " the Fishwrap," do you?
Friday, November 16, 2007
Artsy fartsy
_-_The_Remorse_of_Orestes_(1862).jpg)
All this hanging around artists makes me think of my favorite painting by Adolphe-William Bouguereau
The art show was great.
More of the best work there can be seen if you click on the image below, and scroll down
US Senate blocks bill to pay for Iraq, Afghanistan without restrictions
ANNE FLAHERTY Associated Press Writer
(AP) - WASHINGTON-The U.S. Senate on Friday blocked a Republican proposal to pay $70 billion (€47.7 billion) for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan without strings attached.
.."There is a misperception that this department can continue funding our troops in the field for an indefinite period of time through accounting maneuvers, that we can shuffle money around the department. This is a serious misconception," Gates told reporters at the Pentagon.
As a result, he said he is faced with the undesirable task of preparing to cease operations at Army bases by mid-February, and lay off about 100,000 defense department employees and an equal number of civilian contractors. A month later, he said, similar moves would have to be made by the Marines.
Some members of Congress believe the Pentagon can switch enough money to cover the war accounts, Gates said. But he added that he only has the flexibility to transfer about $3.7 billion (€2.5 billion) which is just one week's worth of war expenses. Lawmakers, he said, may not understand how complicated and restrictive the situation is.
Completely unrelated, but more interesting than I can do this morning. President of Venezuela: The Venezuelan President says they will cut off oil exports to the US if it decides to attack Iran
What is economic growth?
(AP) - WASHINGTON-The U.S. Senate on Friday blocked a Republican proposal to pay $70 billion (€47.7 billion) for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan without strings attached.
.."There is a misperception that this department can continue funding our troops in the field for an indefinite period of time through accounting maneuvers, that we can shuffle money around the department. This is a serious misconception," Gates told reporters at the Pentagon.
As a result, he said he is faced with the undesirable task of preparing to cease operations at Army bases by mid-February, and lay off about 100,000 defense department employees and an equal number of civilian contractors. A month later, he said, similar moves would have to be made by the Marines.
Some members of Congress believe the Pentagon can switch enough money to cover the war accounts, Gates said. But he added that he only has the flexibility to transfer about $3.7 billion (€2.5 billion) which is just one week's worth of war expenses. Lawmakers, he said, may not understand how complicated and restrictive the situation is.
Completely unrelated, but more interesting than I can do this morning. President of Venezuela: The Venezuelan President says they will cut off oil exports to the US if it decides to attack Iran
What is economic growth?
Wed SDUT Nove 14, 2007
Bond funding delays put some plans on hold
By Ed Mendel
STAFF WRITER
November 14, 2007
Bhutto calls for her rivals to unite
She says Pakistan leader should quit, rules out deal
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE AND THE WASHINGTON POST
November 14, 2007
Vaccine-preventable deaths mostly eliminated
It's first time CDC has done a review
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE AND BLOOMBERG NEWS SERVICE
November 14, 2007
New laws spur run on land, turbines
By Ted Sickinger
NEWHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
November 14, 2007
Championship bridge players slammed over anti-Bush sign
By Stephanie Strom
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE
November 14, 2007
By Ed Mendel
STAFF WRITER
November 14, 2007
Bhutto calls for her rivals to unite
She says Pakistan leader should quit, rules out deal
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE AND THE WASHINGTON POST
November 14, 2007
Vaccine-preventable deaths mostly eliminated
It's first time CDC has done a review
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE AND BLOOMBERG NEWS SERVICE
November 14, 2007
New laws spur run on land, turbines
By Ted Sickinger
NEWHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
November 14, 2007
Championship bridge players slammed over anti-Bush sign
By Stephanie Strom
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE
November 14, 2007
Th WaPo Nov 15,2007
Turmoil replaces treatment at Coalinga hospital
Shades of gray in fiction
Randi Lynn Beach / For The Times
Elaine Petrocelli, owner of Book Passage stores in San Francisco and Corte Madera, says Alice Sebold's novel "The Almost Moon" is "bold" and "brilliant."
As the target audience ages, protagonists are dealing with the same unsettling issues as baby boomers -- IN LARGER PRINT.
By Maria L. La Ganga, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 15, 2007
Airport tests reveal major security flaws
Investigators smuggled parts for liquid bombs past screeners at 19 locations. Changes at TSA are expected.
By Nicole Gaouette, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 15, 2007
Evangelical flocks on their own at the polls
AT THE CORE: Concern over security could lead Christian conservatives to overlook disagreements with Rudolph Giuliani, above, at a campaign stop in a Kirkland, Wash., cafe last month.
Conservative Christian leaders are increasingly reluctant to get political, leaving a key Republican voting bloc divided. The trend may help Giuliani but hurt the GOP in the long term.
By Stephanie Simon and Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
November 15, 2007
Monkey embryos cloned for stem cells, scientists say
Work published online by the journal Nature, a US-led team said they had created cloned embryos from rhesus macaques using the same method that created Dolly the Sheep and other animals.
The breakthrough is said to be a step toward doing the same with humans.
By Karen Kaplan and Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
November 15, 2007
LAPD's Muslim mapping plan killed
Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times
The reversal comes after a week of protests from Muslim groups and civil libertarians, who equated the mapping with religious profiling.
By Richard Winton and Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers November 15, 2007
Shades of gray in fiction
Randi Lynn Beach / For The Times
Elaine Petrocelli, owner of Book Passage stores in San Francisco and Corte Madera, says Alice Sebold's novel "The Almost Moon" is "bold" and "brilliant."
As the target audience ages, protagonists are dealing with the same unsettling issues as baby boomers -- IN LARGER PRINT.
By Maria L. La Ganga, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 15, 2007
Airport tests reveal major security flaws
Investigators smuggled parts for liquid bombs past screeners at 19 locations. Changes at TSA are expected.
By Nicole Gaouette, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 15, 2007
Evangelical flocks on their own at the polls
AT THE CORE: Concern over security could lead Christian conservatives to overlook disagreements with Rudolph Giuliani, above, at a campaign stop in a Kirkland, Wash., cafe last month.
Conservative Christian leaders are increasingly reluctant to get political, leaving a key Republican voting bloc divided. The trend may help Giuliani but hurt the GOP in the long term.
By Stephanie Simon and Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
November 15, 2007
Monkey embryos cloned for stem cells, scientists say
Work published online by the journal Nature, a US-led team said they had created cloned embryos from rhesus macaques using the same method that created Dolly the Sheep and other animals.
The breakthrough is said to be a step toward doing the same with humans.
By Karen Kaplan and Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
November 15, 2007
LAPD's Muslim mapping plan killed
Carlos Chavez / Los Angeles Times
The reversal comes after a week of protests from Muslim groups and civil libertarians, who equated the mapping with religious profiling.
By Richard Winton and Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers November 15, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
still reading
Tedious slog so far, but lately I have the attention span of a ground squirrel.
I think I'll take a short break and watch the author speak
We're not buying Cheney's bullshit this time.
Cheney Tried to Stifle Dissent in Iran National Intelligence Estimate
By Gareth Porter
WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (IPS) - A National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran has been held up for more than a year in an effort to force the intelligence community to remove dissenting judgments on the Iranian nuclear programme, and thus make the document more supportive of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's militarily aggressive policy toward Iran, according to accounts of the process provided by participants to two former Central Intelligence Agency officers....
Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Effort to Impeach Vice President Cheney Still Alive
Democracy Now! 11/09/07
(What a great listen, no wonder the msm does their best to marginalize Kucinich)
The question I have is whether or not this will ever make it out of the Judiciary committee? Any of these critters belong to you?
By Gareth Porter
WASHINGTON, Nov 8 (IPS) - A National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on Iran has been held up for more than a year in an effort to force the intelligence community to remove dissenting judgments on the Iranian nuclear programme, and thus make the document more supportive of U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's militarily aggressive policy toward Iran, according to accounts of the process provided by participants to two former Central Intelligence Agency officers....
Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Effort to Impeach Vice President Cheney Still Alive
Democracy Now! 11/09/07
(What a great listen, no wonder the msm does their best to marginalize Kucinich)
The question I have is whether or not this will ever make it out of the Judiciary committee? Any of these critters belong to you?
Friday, November 09, 2007
Lions for Lambs
Lions for Lambs
Hope I get to see it today.
10:08 AM 11/10/2007 nope, not yet
update 11:09 AM 11/12/2007 Saw it yesterday. My friend loved it. I walked out thinking "Eh, feh."
Unless you are
A) Apolitical or twelve years old
B) Uninformed or misinformed (read drooling right-wing Faux Newz watcher)
C) Have had your head up your ass for last 6 years
There are no surprises in this movie.
Hope I get to see it today.
10:08 AM 11/10/2007 nope, not yet
update 11:09 AM 11/12/2007 Saw it yesterday. My friend loved it. I walked out thinking "Eh, feh."
Unless you are
A) Apolitical or twelve years old
B) Uninformed or misinformed (read drooling right-wing Faux Newz watcher)
C) Have had your head up your ass for last 6 years
There are no surprises in this movie.
Thursday, November 08, 2007
WaPo Nov 8 2007
D.C. Tax Workers Charged In Scam
2 Accused of Taking $16 Million Worth Of Illegal Refunds
By Carol D. Leonnig, Clarence Williams and David Nakamura
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, November 8, 2007; Page A01
Clinton, in Particular, Draws Equal Parts Cash and Vitriol
By Jose Antonio Vargas For Candidates, Web Is Power And Poison
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, November 8, 2007; Page A01
How Blackwater Sniper Fire Felled 3 Iraqi Guards
Witnesses Call Shooting From Justice Ministry Unprovoked, But State Dept. Cleared Its Security Team After a Brief Probe
By Steve Fainaru
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, November 8, 2007; Page A01
Kaine Hails 'Balance' in New Political Landscape
By Tim Craig and Anita Kumar
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, November 8, 2007; Page A01
Bhutto Urges Protest Against Musharraf
By Griff Witte
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, November 8, 2007; Page A01
Read the whole article.
Women in Sri Lanka, South Africa, Cuba and Lesotho have it better than women in the US?
SRI LANKA HUMAN RIGHTS WOES CONTINUE -- United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour criticized Sri Lanka's human rights record this week, questioning whether the government has the political will to address concerns expressed by human rights groups and the international community."In the context of the armed conflict and the emergency measures taken against terrorism, the weakness of the rule of law and the prevalence of impunity is alarming," Arbour said Oct. 13 at the end of a visit to the country.Human rights groups estimate 1,100 people have disappeared or been killed since the government signed a 2002 truce with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelan. Reports of abuses increased after hostilities recommenced last year.Both sides in the civil war, which has raged on-and-off since 1983, leaving over 70,000 dead, have been repeatedly accused of human rights violations. Despite many public statements of support for upholding human rights, the government stands accused of extrajudicial killings, forced relocations and illegal detentions.Four human rights activists resigned from the government's human rights panel Oct. 15, citing a belief that the government is not serious about addressing problems."We were not achieving anything. . . . We served the committee for one and half years, the human rights situation is getting worse," Rohan Edrisinha, one of the four, told Reuters. "We began to realize that in a sense serving in an advisory committee wasn't really yielding any concrete results from the ground when it comes to human rights issues."
Rape in South Africa
Aired March 23, 2006 - 18:00:00 ET
Lesotho
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor March 8, 2006
• allegations of torture by security forces
• excessive force against detainees
• impunity
• poor prison conditions
• lengthy pretrial detention and long delays in trials
• regular occurrence of domestic violence
• severe restrictions on women's rights
• societal discrimination against persons with disabilities and HIV/AIDS
• child labor in the agriculture and informal sectors
The IWMF also recognized Ethiopia's Serkalem Fasil, who was jailed and, under deplorable conditions, delivered a child prematurely. She was incarcerated because of articles her publications carried that were critical of the government during the May 2005 elections. According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, only China and Cuba have a worse ranking than Ethiopia for their treatment of journalists.
Well, I guess it's all relative, eh?
2 Accused of Taking $16 Million Worth Of Illegal Refunds
By Carol D. Leonnig, Clarence Williams and David Nakamura
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, November 8, 2007; Page A01
Clinton, in Particular, Draws Equal Parts Cash and Vitriol
By Jose Antonio Vargas For Candidates, Web Is Power And Poison
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, November 8, 2007; Page A01
How Blackwater Sniper Fire Felled 3 Iraqi Guards
Witnesses Call Shooting From Justice Ministry Unprovoked, But State Dept. Cleared Its Security Team After a Brief Probe
By Steve Fainaru
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, November 8, 2007; Page A01
Kaine Hails 'Balance' in New Political Landscape
By Tim Craig and Anita Kumar
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, November 8, 2007; Page A01
Bhutto Urges Protest Against Musharraf
By Griff Witte
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, November 8, 2007; Page A01
Read the whole article.
 - GENEVA-Women in predominantly Muslim countries are struggling to compete for jobs, win equal pay and hold political office, falling behind the rest of the world in eliminating discrimination, a report said Thursday.<br /><br /><span style=){kind=link}
Women in Sri Lanka, South Africa, Cuba and Lesotho have it better than women in the US?
SRI LANKA HUMAN RIGHTS WOES CONTINUE -- United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour criticized Sri Lanka's human rights record this week, questioning whether the government has the political will to address concerns expressed by human rights groups and the international community."In the context of the armed conflict and the emergency measures taken against terrorism, the weakness of the rule of law and the prevalence of impunity is alarming," Arbour said Oct. 13 at the end of a visit to the country.Human rights groups estimate 1,100 people have disappeared or been killed since the government signed a 2002 truce with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelan. Reports of abuses increased after hostilities recommenced last year.Both sides in the civil war, which has raged on-and-off since 1983, leaving over 70,000 dead, have been repeatedly accused of human rights violations. Despite many public statements of support for upholding human rights, the government stands accused of extrajudicial killings, forced relocations and illegal detentions.Four human rights activists resigned from the government's human rights panel Oct. 15, citing a belief that the government is not serious about addressing problems."We were not achieving anything. . . . We served the committee for one and half years, the human rights situation is getting worse," Rohan Edrisinha, one of the four, told Reuters. "We began to realize that in a sense serving in an advisory committee wasn't really yielding any concrete results from the ground when it comes to human rights issues."
Rape in South Africa
Aired March 23, 2006 - 18:00:00 ET
Lesotho
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor March 8, 2006
• allegations of torture by security forces
• excessive force against detainees
• impunity
• poor prison conditions
• lengthy pretrial detention and long delays in trials
• regular occurrence of domestic violence
• severe restrictions on women's rights
• societal discrimination against persons with disabilities and HIV/AIDS
• child labor in the agriculture and informal sectors
The IWMF also recognized Ethiopia's Serkalem Fasil, who was jailed and, under deplorable conditions, delivered a child prematurely. She was incarcerated because of articles her publications carried that were critical of the government during the May 2005 elections. According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, only China and Cuba have a worse ranking than Ethiopia for their treatment of journalists.
Well, I guess it's all relative, eh?
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
What the Sam Hill
is going on in this world?
Georgia under state of emergency
The prime minister initially announced a state of emergency in the capital Tbilisi for 48 hours, but that was later extended to the whole country for 15 days.
At war with the law: Pakistan faces the consequences of a power grab
By Jo Johnson Published: November 7 2007 18:46 | Last updated: November 7 2007 18:46
I know I'm not the only one who's wondering if W is taking notes or calling the shots here?
Uh huh, that's what I thought:
Musharraf: Three Steps ahead of Bush in the Dictatorship Race
November 7, 2007 at 10:22:17
by Tumerica Page 1 of 1 page(s)
Georgia under state of emergency
The prime minister initially announced a state of emergency in the capital Tbilisi for 48 hours, but that was later extended to the whole country for 15 days.
At war with the law: Pakistan faces the consequences of a power grab
By Jo Johnson Published: November 7 2007 18:46 | Last updated: November 7 2007 18:46
I know I'm not the only one who's wondering if W is taking notes or calling the shots here?
Uh huh, that's what I thought:
Musharraf: Three Steps ahead of Bush in the Dictatorship Race
November 7, 2007 at 10:22:17
by Tumerica Page 1 of 1 page(s)
... San Diego households on average pay 34 percent more for consumer goods and services each year than the rest of the country, mostly for life's necessities: shelter, healthcare, food, and transportation. Thus, true poverty in San Diego is greater than what the federal threshold presents...
...In 2006, more than 330,000 residents of San Diego County lived below the federal poverty level, which last year stood at $20,614 for a family of four...
If that is their reported income, then obviously that family of four has at least the same amount coming in under the table in order to survive.
...In 2006, more than 330,000 residents of San Diego County lived below the federal poverty level, which last year stood at $20,614 for a family of four...
If that is their reported income, then obviously that family of four has at least the same amount coming in under the table in order to survive.
SDUT nov 7, 2007
Are retail clinics a healthy choice?
Outlets opening in county could fill niche; physicians warn of drawbacks
By Keith Darcé
STAFF WRITER
House overrides Bush's veto of water projects
Battle over spending bills intensifies
By Carl Hulse
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE
November 7, 2007
Underequipped and overenrolled
New Lincoln High beset with problems
By Helen Gao
STAFF WRITER
November 7, 2007
Facebook ads may revive privacy issues
Friends can be used to endorse products
By Anick Jesdanun
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Being a bit chubby might not be so bad
It may help fend off some ills, study says
By Lindsey Tanner
ASSOCIATED PRESS
November 7, 2007
Outlets opening in county could fill niche; physicians warn of drawbacks
By Keith Darcé
STAFF WRITER
House overrides Bush's veto of water projects
Battle over spending bills intensifies
By Carl Hulse
NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICE
November 7, 2007
Underequipped and overenrolled
New Lincoln High beset with problems
By Helen Gao
STAFF WRITER
November 7, 2007
Facebook ads may revive privacy issues
Friends can be used to endorse products
By Anick Jesdanun
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Being a bit chubby might not be so bad
It may help fend off some ills, study says
By Lindsey Tanner
ASSOCIATED PRESS
November 7, 2007
Cracks me up
This creative link title from Buzzflash made me laugh:
Brownback to Endorse McCain, Robertson for Giuliani; Being a Republican right now must be like shopping in a grocery store after a riot. Not much left on the shelf to pick through. 11/7
And now that I'm smiling, Here's Kucinich on the Cheney Impeachment via BlueGal at Crooks and Liars
Brownback to Endorse McCain, Robertson for Giuliani; Being a Republican right now must be like shopping in a grocery store after a riot. Not much left on the shelf to pick through. 11/7
And now that I'm smiling, Here's Kucinich on the Cheney Impeachment via BlueGal at Crooks and Liars
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
LA times front page tuesday nov 6 2007
Writers work picket lines as TV shows shut down
The WGA strike hits late-night programs first. It will take longer to affect series and films.
By John Horn
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 6, 2007
Arrests mount in Pakistan crisis
Musharraf rounds up lawyers and other foes amid international condemnation of his
emergency rule.
By Laura King
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Housing crisis tests GOP loyalties
The party could suffer in fast-growing exurban counties, where the real estate market is worst.
By Maura Reynolds
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 6, 2007
Sharing space, then lives
Aging homeowners find practical benefits in opening their doors to younger roommates. Sometimes, they forge strong bonds.
By Catherine Saillant
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Drug traffickers dive in
Submersibles are used to ferry narcotics. Some in U.S. fear the tactic may inspire terrorists.
By Chris Kraul
Schwarzenegger orders plan for 10% budget cuts
The directive to all state agencies comes amid projections of a growing shortfall driven by the housing downturn.
By Evan Halper
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 6, 2007
The WGA strike hits late-night programs first. It will take longer to affect series and films.
By John Horn
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 6, 2007
Arrests mount in Pakistan crisis
Musharraf rounds up lawyers and other foes amid international condemnation of his
emergency rule.
By Laura King
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Housing crisis tests GOP loyalties
The party could suffer in fast-growing exurban counties, where the real estate market is worst.
By Maura Reynolds
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 6, 2007
Sharing space, then lives
Aging homeowners find practical benefits in opening their doors to younger roommates. Sometimes, they forge strong bonds.
By Catherine Saillant
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Drug traffickers dive in
Submersibles are used to ferry narcotics. Some in U.S. fear the tactic may inspire terrorists.
By Chris Kraul
Schwarzenegger orders plan for 10% budget cuts
The directive to all state agencies comes amid projections of a growing shortfall driven by the housing downturn.
By Evan Halper
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 6, 2007
Monday, November 05, 2007
Mon Nov 5 NYT
Pakistan Rounds Up Musharraf’s Political Foes
U.S. Is Likely to Continue Aid to Pakistan
Trial Near for Shiite Ex-Officials in Sunni Killings
Fixing Citigroup Will Test Rubin By ERIC DASH
A History of Neglect Foster Children at Risk, and an Opportunity Lost
By LESLIE KAUFMAN
Different Rules When a Rival Is a Woman? November 5, 2007
Political Memo
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and PATRICK HEALY
U.S. Is Likely to Continue Aid to Pakistan
Trial Near for Shiite Ex-Officials in Sunni Killings
Fixing Citigroup Will Test Rubin By ERIC DASH
A History of Neglect Foster Children at Risk, and an Opportunity Lost
By LESLIE KAUFMAN
Different Rules When a Rival Is a Woman? November 5, 2007
Political Memo
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and PATRICK HEALY
2007 Weblog Awards and thieving journalists
Go vote pleeeeeaaaaaaase!
(Unless you think the Little Green Fascists deserve to win)
PS, anybody that comes up with the term "blogtopia" is number one in my book.
PSS, would somebody please whack Joel Stein over the head with a copy of the ten commandments, you know, like you do when the dog is bad.
Or in this case, when the dog is good.
(Unless you think the Little Green Fascists deserve to win)
PS, anybody that comes up with the term "blogtopia" is number one in my book.
PSS, would somebody please whack Joel Stein over the head with a copy of the ten commandments, you know, like you do when the dog is bad.
Or in this case, when the dog is good.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
How politics really work in the USA
This is for you non Americans who would rather look down your nose at Americans for "electing" "representatives" who suck, than to actually figure out why that may be.
First of all this is a Republic, not a Democracy.
The electoral college sucks.
The pay to play system sucks.
The fact that worthwhile candidates never get media exposure sucks.
Quid pro quo sucks.
Campaign ads suck.
Our whole media system sucks, and you're next, bitches, those greedy media giants won't spare you, either.
Last, but certainly not least, our voting machines suck.
The voting machines really suck.
First of all this is a Republic, not a Democracy.
The electoral college sucks.
The pay to play system sucks.
The fact that worthwhile candidates never get media exposure sucks.
Quid pro quo sucks.
Campaign ads suck.
Our whole media system sucks, and you're next, bitches, those greedy media giants won't spare you, either.
Last, but certainly not least, our voting machines suck.
The voting machines really suck.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Brand name spies and disaster capitalism
Blackwater's Owner Has Spies for Hire
Ex-U.S. Operatives Dot Firm's Roster
By Dana Hedgpeth
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 3, 2007; Page A01
First it became a brand name in security for its work in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now it's taking on intelligence.
Somehow I don't think these particular spies' investigatory talents will be utilized to discover the origins of the Harris fire.
Yeah, leave it to Cofer Black.
I'm so cynical that I think soon there will be shit going on in the border area that we residents of San Diego have NEVER seen before. Weird shit like, oh, how about suicide car bombers ramming Border Patrol vehicles? That's always a clue that the CIA is pulling shit in the neighborhood. Or drug runners using illegal Mexican mules except for maybe one of the mule's backpacks has explosives in it instead of drugs. These guys never stop coming up with reasons to create yet another underfunded law enforcement agency that will inevitably need to be supplemented with overpriced, overfed, overripe contractors who are accountable to no one. Double-dipping ain't near enough money for these greedy motherfuckers.
Hey, didn't the Roman Empire rot from the inside out?
People Burn Here
Rapture Rescue 911: Disaster Response for the Chosen Naomi Klein
Whoops, missed the CityBeat Blackwater article on the 30th, here 'tis
Ex-U.S. Operatives Dot Firm's Roster
By Dana Hedgpeth
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 3, 2007; Page A01
First it became a brand name in security for its work in Iraq and Afghanistan. Now it's taking on intelligence.
Somehow I don't think these particular spies' investigatory talents will be utilized to discover the origins of the Harris fire.
Yeah, leave it to Cofer Black.
I'm so cynical that I think soon there will be shit going on in the border area that we residents of San Diego have NEVER seen before. Weird shit like, oh, how about suicide car bombers ramming Border Patrol vehicles? That's always a clue that the CIA is pulling shit in the neighborhood. Or drug runners using illegal Mexican mules except for maybe one of the mule's backpacks has explosives in it instead of drugs. These guys never stop coming up with reasons to create yet another underfunded law enforcement agency that will inevitably need to be supplemented with overpriced, overfed, overripe contractors who are accountable to no one. Double-dipping ain't near enough money for these greedy motherfuckers.
Hey, didn't the Roman Empire rot from the inside out?
People Burn Here
Rapture Rescue 911: Disaster Response for the Chosen Naomi Klein
Whoops, missed the CityBeat Blackwater article on the 30th, here 'tis
Friday, November 02, 2007
Who Really Set the California Fires?
By Mike Davis, Tomdispatch.com. Posted November 1, 2007.
Mmm hmm. Finally. A little light shined on San Diego politics.
Mmm hmm. Finally. A little light shined on San Diego politics.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Blackwater, Potrero, Naomi Klein
(update) “Shock Doctrine” Author Naomi Klein on State-Sanctioned Torture and Disaster Response for the Chosen (click on pic) 
Happy Halloween.
How about a ghoulish San Diego story?
Tiny Potrero Battles County and Blackwater USA
Published on February 22, 2007
By Don Bauder
...Last July, Blackwater hired as a lobbyist Nikki Clay, a longtime cheerleader for corporate welfare (Chargers, Padres) and former president of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. Blackwater brought on the developer-friendly environmental firm of Mooney, Jones & Stokes, along with other companies to make up their project team. The team quickly snuggled up to the County, which was not playing hard to get...
( San Diego County is the largest urban county in the state without its own fire department.)
Massive security contractor faces growing protest in rural California town over 824-acre base
Miriam Raftery and Muriel Kane
Published: Tuesday April 3, 2007
Good neighbor?
Blackwater keeps its eye on a tiny East County enclave.
By Pat Sherman 10/09/2007
apparently the swamp things are ugly neighbors
11:53 a.m. October 21, 2007
Potrero fire causes evacuations around Julian
SIGNONSANDIEGO NEWS SERVICES
POTRERO – Santa Ana winds of 30 to 35 mph fueled a fast-moving brush fire that broke out Sunday in Potrero and resulted in evacuations of several rural communities, authorities said.
The fire started about 9:30 a.m. near Harris Ranch Road and Potrero Valley Road and was heading northwest as the noon hour approached, but no injuries were reported. The flames jumped Highway 94, according to Cal Fire officials.
Blackwater to California: Hire us to Put Out Your Fires
October 25, 2007 07:27 PM (EST)
Blackwater = Fire-Fighter?
By Noah Shachtman October 26, 2007 3:34:02 PM
Categories: Homeland Security, Mercs
...Local groups opposed to the complex said, before the latest conflagrations near San Diego, that Blackwater West's "regular detonation of firearms would be a risk both to the fire-prone landscape as well as to the wildlife that currently calls that area home, including the golden eagle and the California condor."
Au contraire, Blackwater execs answer. Brian Bonfiglio, vice president of Blackwater West, notes that the complex's proposal includes water tanks capable of holding 35,000 gallons. "I see a tactical operation center for East County fires," he says. "Can you imagine how much of a benefit it would be if we were operational now?"...
Injured California Firefighter Anticipated Dying
Updated: 10-29-2007 09:05:04 AM
TONY MANOLATOS, Staff Writer
The San Diego Union-Tribune
Rapue, 53, was in charge of Pikop and the two other firefighters, whose names have not been released. Both are in critical condition at UCSD.
...For Pikop, the day started like every other Sunday. The crew at the San Marcos station was mowing the lawn and trimming hedges.
Blackwater Provided Potrero with Relief Suplies During Fires
Oct 29, 2007
Amita Sharma
Blackwater's relief effort wins praise of project foe
By Anne Krueger
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
October 30, 2007
Fire facts
Why Aren't We Better Prepared for Inevitable Disasters?
...The GOP rivals parrot the same old, increasingly irrelevant and out of touch formula of cutting taxes and dismantling government....
Let's meet Naomi Klein
Today's Fishwrap
Happy Halloween.
How about a ghoulish San Diego story?
Tiny Potrero Battles County and Blackwater USA
Published on February 22, 2007
By Don Bauder
...Last July, Blackwater hired as a lobbyist Nikki Clay, a longtime cheerleader for corporate welfare (Chargers, Padres) and former president of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. Blackwater brought on the developer-friendly environmental firm of Mooney, Jones & Stokes, along with other companies to make up their project team. The team quickly snuggled up to the County, which was not playing hard to get...
( San Diego County is the largest urban county in the state without its own fire department.)
Massive security contractor faces growing protest in rural California town over 824-acre base
Miriam Raftery and Muriel Kane
Published: Tuesday April 3, 2007
Good neighbor?
Blackwater keeps its eye on a tiny East County enclave.
By Pat Sherman 10/09/2007
apparently the swamp things are ugly neighbors
11:53 a.m. October 21, 2007
Potrero fire causes evacuations around Julian
SIGNONSANDIEGO NEWS SERVICES
POTRERO – Santa Ana winds of 30 to 35 mph fueled a fast-moving brush fire that broke out Sunday in Potrero and resulted in evacuations of several rural communities, authorities said.
The fire started about 9:30 a.m. near Harris Ranch Road and Potrero Valley Road and was heading northwest as the noon hour approached, but no injuries were reported. The flames jumped Highway 94, according to Cal Fire officials.
Blackwater to California: Hire us to Put Out Your Fires
October 25, 2007 07:27 PM (EST)
Blackwater = Fire-Fighter?
By Noah Shachtman October 26, 2007 3:34:02 PM
Categories: Homeland Security, Mercs
...Local groups opposed to the complex said, before the latest conflagrations near San Diego, that Blackwater West's "regular detonation of firearms would be a risk both to the fire-prone landscape as well as to the wildlife that currently calls that area home, including the golden eagle and the California condor."
Au contraire, Blackwater execs answer. Brian Bonfiglio, vice president of Blackwater West, notes that the complex's proposal includes water tanks capable of holding 35,000 gallons. "I see a tactical operation center for East County fires," he says. "Can you imagine how much of a benefit it would be if we were operational now?"...
Injured California Firefighter Anticipated Dying
Updated: 10-29-2007 09:05:04 AM
TONY MANOLATOS, Staff Writer
The San Diego Union-Tribune
Rapue, 53, was in charge of Pikop and the two other firefighters, whose names have not been released. Both are in critical condition at UCSD.
...For Pikop, the day started like every other Sunday. The crew at the San Marcos station was mowing the lawn and trimming hedges.
Rapue, the captain, was normally based at Cal Fire's Rincon station, one of 18 in the county. He was covering the San Marcos station because the regular captain was off.
The four-member team heard about the fires on the radio, so they weren't surprised when they were dispatched to Potrero, 67 miles away.
The call came in shortly after 9:30 a.m., said Pikop, who started with Cal Fire less than five months ago....
Blackwater Provided Potrero with Relief Suplies During Fires
Oct 29, 2007
Amita Sharma
Blackwater's relief effort wins praise of project foe
By Anne Krueger
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
October 30, 2007
Fire facts
Why Aren't We Better Prepared for Inevitable Disasters?
...The GOP rivals parrot the same old, increasingly irrelevant and out of touch formula of cutting taxes and dismantling government....
Article Last Updated: 10/30/2007 11:00:26 PM PDT
Let's meet Naomi Klein
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
Today's Fishwrap
Monday, October 29, 2007
hmmm
All but one fire under investigation
...In South County, the Harris fire, which began in Potrero, is 85 percent contained at 90,440 acres. Full containment is expected Wednesday and full control on Saturday...
Calif. firefighters want Marines' help
By MICHAEL R. BLOOD, Associated Press Writer Tue Oct 30, 9:40 PM ET
Military aircraft are called in to supplement state and local fire resources when needed. That was the case last week when wind-fanned flames devoured more than a half-million acres and destroyed more than 2,000 homes.
After insisting for days that the winds were the reason some helicopters didn't get airborne more quickly, Schwarzenegger acknowledged Saturday that the firefighting effort might have been more effective if more state "fire spotters," also called helicopter managers, had been available at the outset.
except that the Marines were busy with backfire that exploded ammo on Pendleton
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Perfect Drought
By Bill Manson
San Diego Reader
October 18, 2007.
"It's catastrophic!"...
...The past two years have been the driest since record-keeping started back in 1801, when Thomas Jefferson was president," he says. "The Sierra Nevada snow is at 30 percent, and the Colorado River is into the eighth year of its drought."...
"What we have done with our lands, says Patzert, from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has exacerbated the problem. We have paved riverbeds with concrete; we have paved over much of the land. Rain can't soak in and make its way down into aquifers. Cars and gas stations contribute oil derivatives that spoil the purity of aquifer water. Dams keep rivers from depositing sand for our beaches. Coastlines recede. Nature's cycle is interrupted....
In fact, globally, Patzert, who looks at the Earth daily through his satellite cameras, feels gloomy. "It's the three P's," he says. "Population, pollution, poverty. But the single most critical element is population. Already China's, India's, Africa's lands are too degraded. Globally, it's the Grim Reaper. Locally, it's just a question of how much we can slow the degradation down."
Rickie Lee Jones - Flying Cowboys ...because it's a desert
San Diego Reader
October 18, 2007.
"It's catastrophic!"...
...The past two years have been the driest since record-keeping started back in 1801, when Thomas Jefferson was president," he says. "The Sierra Nevada snow is at 30 percent, and the Colorado River is into the eighth year of its drought."...
"What we have done with our lands, says Patzert, from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, has exacerbated the problem. We have paved riverbeds with concrete; we have paved over much of the land. Rain can't soak in and make its way down into aquifers. Cars and gas stations contribute oil derivatives that spoil the purity of aquifer water. Dams keep rivers from depositing sand for our beaches. Coastlines recede. Nature's cycle is interrupted....
In fact, globally, Patzert, who looks at the Earth daily through his satellite cameras, feels gloomy. "It's the three P's," he says. "Population, pollution, poverty. But the single most critical element is population. Already China's, India's, Africa's lands are too degraded. Globally, it's the Grim Reaper. Locally, it's just a question of how much we can slow the degradation down."
Rickie Lee Jones - Flying Cowboys ...because it's a desert
Thank you firefighters
(click pic to read about some of their obstacles)
And I never knew I was supposed to say this, but thanks to the inmates
Looks like they're making progress
Crews Continue To Battle Harris Fire
POSTED: 9:34 am PDT October 28, 2007
UPDATED: 10:06 am PDT October 28, 2007
SAN DIEGO -- About 2,500 firefighters still working on the Harris Fire in East County started work Sunday under sunny skies and very little smoke, as no active flames were observed.
interactive traffic map
All evacuations ended Saturday, and residents were allowed to return home. Repair work on Highway 94 between Dulzura and the Tecate turnoff means that road is closed, but that is the only roadblock up anywhere in East County Sunday morning, California Highway Patrol officers reported.
Fire spokeswoman Roxanne Provaznik said the fire was 65 percent contained as of sunrise Sunday, and that there were no active flames anywhere. Firefighters were concentrating Sunday on extending fire lines around the entire burned area, and looking for any smoldering fires in tree trunks or underground.
Canada looks really good right now to me
UPDATED: 10:06 am PDT October 28, 2007
SAN DIEGO -- About 2,500 firefighters still working on the Harris Fire in East County started work Sunday under sunny skies and very little smoke, as no active flames were observed.
interactive traffic map
All evacuations ended Saturday, and residents were allowed to return home. Repair work on Highway 94 between Dulzura and the Tecate turnoff means that road is closed, but that is the only roadblock up anywhere in East County Sunday morning, California Highway Patrol officers reported.
Fire spokeswoman Roxanne Provaznik said the fire was 65 percent contained as of sunrise Sunday, and that there were no active flames anywhere. Firefighters were concentrating Sunday on extending fire lines around the entire burned area, and looking for any smoldering fires in tree trunks or underground.
Canada looks really good right now to me
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