Thursday, June 21, 2007
The Splurge
I love the smell of death in the morning... smells like hubris with just a hint of desperation.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Just Say No
Hopefully, having faced the slings and arrows for the past six years, somebody on Tony's team will tell him, this is a really, really bad idea.
However, given Tony's meglomaniacal thirst for attention, he may just completely ignore them and accept this very high profile yet ultimately thankless task.
I mean, what's two more years of having the sh*t kicked out of you, when compared to all that face time.
However, given Tony's meglomaniacal thirst for attention, he may just completely ignore them and accept this very high profile yet ultimately thankless task.
I mean, what's two more years of having the sh*t kicked out of you, when compared to all that face time.
Sir Salman
My sensativity button has, strangely enough, been acting up lately. My sanctimony sensors however, have been working fine.
Tasnim Aslam, of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, told journalists in Islamabad: "Salman Rushdie has been a controversial figure who is known less for his literary contribution and more for his offensive and insulting writing which deeply hurts the sentiments of Muslims all over the world. Conferment of a knighthood on Salman Rushdie shows an utter lack of sensitivity on the part of the British government."
The Independent UK, 6/20/07
I would say to Mr. Aslam that in the west Sir Salman is known more for his literary contributions and less for his offensive and insulting writing.
His accolades include:
James Tait Black Memorial Prize (Fiction)
Arts Council Writers' Award
English-Speaking Union Award
Booker of Bookers or the best novel among the Booker Prize winners for Fiction
Prix du Meilleur Livre Etranger
Whitbread Novel Award (twice)
Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award for Children's Fiction
Kurt Tucholsky Prize (Sweden)
Prix Colette (Switzerland)
State Prize for Literature (Austria)
Author of the Year (British Book Awards)
Author of the Year (Germany)
Mantua Prize (Italy)
Premio Grinzane Cavour (Italy)
Hutch Crossword Fiction Prize (India)
India Abroad Lifetime Achievement Award (USA)
Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Cultural Humanism (Harvard University)
Aristeion Prize (European Union)
That a few 'government sanctioned' rent-a-crowd crazies hit the streets at any perceived slight against Islam by the west is becoming really tiresome.
Tasnim Aslam, of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, told journalists in Islamabad: "Salman Rushdie has been a controversial figure who is known less for his literary contribution and more for his offensive and insulting writing which deeply hurts the sentiments of Muslims all over the world. Conferment of a knighthood on Salman Rushdie shows an utter lack of sensitivity on the part of the British government."
The Independent UK, 6/20/07
I would say to Mr. Aslam that in the west Sir Salman is known more for his literary contributions and less for his offensive and insulting writing.
His accolades include:
James Tait Black Memorial Prize (Fiction)
Arts Council Writers' Award
English-Speaking Union Award
Booker of Bookers or the best novel among the Booker Prize winners for Fiction
Prix du Meilleur Livre Etranger
Whitbread Novel Award (twice)
Writers' Guild of Great Britain Award for Children's Fiction
Kurt Tucholsky Prize (Sweden)
Prix Colette (Switzerland)
State Prize for Literature (Austria)
Author of the Year (British Book Awards)
Author of the Year (Germany)
Mantua Prize (Italy)
Premio Grinzane Cavour (Italy)
Hutch Crossword Fiction Prize (India)
India Abroad Lifetime Achievement Award (USA)
Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Cultural Humanism (Harvard University)
Aristeion Prize (European Union)
That a few 'government sanctioned' rent-a-crowd crazies hit the streets at any perceived slight against Islam by the west is becoming really tiresome.
Disgusted of Buffalo
I am content that this man will spend the rest of his days rotting in a prison. What I am disgusted about is that the Buffalo news quotes only Dr. Slepians wife in defence of the conviction whilst quoting two, including one convicted of hiding Kopp during his stint on the run, nutjobs defending this idiot of a man.
Kopp’s supporters outside the federal courthouse rejected that theory, calling Kopp a nonviolent man and repeating his assertions that he intended only to wound Slepian so he no longer could perform abortions.
Joan Andrews Bell, a prominent figure in the anti-abortion movement, described herself as a pacifist but said she believed Kopp took a number of steps to avoid killing Slepian and injuring anyone else.
How can you call yourself a pacifist and then defend someone who aimed, shot and killed a highly respected and well liked human being with a high powered rifle. The contadiction is staggering, the logic... manifestly lacking.
Kopp’s supporters outside the federal courthouse rejected that theory, calling Kopp a nonviolent man and repeating his assertions that he intended only to wound Slepian so he no longer could perform abortions.
Joan Andrews Bell, a prominent figure in the anti-abortion movement, described herself as a pacifist but said she believed Kopp took a number of steps to avoid killing Slepian and injuring anyone else.
How can you call yourself a pacifist and then defend someone who aimed, shot and killed a highly respected and well liked human being with a high powered rifle. The contadiction is staggering, the logic... manifestly lacking.
Cuckoo
Many of the Old World species and some New World species are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds.
The Cuckoo
Bloomberg leaves the GOP but, for most of us, he was only in it for the opportunities it afforded him. It would be hard for me to vote for someone who's political ambition transcends their political convictions. Bloomberg, although a fair administrator, lacks a clearly defined set of principles that would allow me to actually figure him out. He brings to the table only an obscured picture of a man who will feather whatever politically expedient nest will further his own designs.
I suppose, in this day and age, those traits could be construed as the political norm, a necessary skill set that all the leading candidates have displayed or utilized at one time or another but, with the leading democratic candidates I at least can find common ground with most of their positions, with Bloomberg, I would if I could, but I can't.
The Cuckoo
Bloomberg leaves the GOP but, for most of us, he was only in it for the opportunities it afforded him. It would be hard for me to vote for someone who's political ambition transcends their political convictions. Bloomberg, although a fair administrator, lacks a clearly defined set of principles that would allow me to actually figure him out. He brings to the table only an obscured picture of a man who will feather whatever politically expedient nest will further his own designs.
I suppose, in this day and age, those traits could be construed as the political norm, a necessary skill set that all the leading candidates have displayed or utilized at one time or another but, with the leading democratic candidates I at least can find common ground with most of their positions, with Bloomberg, I would if I could, but I can't.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Brownshirt
Let's just put this out there, see how it flies, we can always disavow ourselves later but, the slur is now in the public domain and that is just how we want it.
How very Christian of them.
How very Christian of them.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Slammer Libby
I'm not one to gloat, I genuinely feel that Scoot committed a somewhat honorable, if misguided and ultimately criminal, act. My problem is with the cabal's peculiar and specific code of honor. And how criticism, of any kind, addles their response mechanisms. If this shiny gem of a scandal proves anything, it proves that this was a case of classic over reaction to a situation where, of all things, vengeance, pay-back, political assassination, call it what you will was unnecessary. That they went to such lengths to discredit one of their own and then attempted to cover up and remove themselves from the process by means of denial, obfuscation and deceit speaks volumes about this administrations immaturity and their over-simplistic, flawed decision making process.
That Scooter was willing to lie to and obstruct an FBI investigation with the express intent of protecting his bosses from having to tell the truth is ludicrously juvenile thinking. Unfortunately this kind of thinking is rampant in the Bush administration, where a twisted loyalty system governs over logic and principle. That loyalty only goes so far though because, ultimately their code of honor is based on the singular act of self preservation. As with the Gonzalez situation, they allow this poor, out-of-his-depth, hack to twist in the wind in order to protect the inner circle.
What motivates these second tier dispensibles to such blind loyalty is beyond me. They will eventually and inevitably be tossed aside as circumstances dictate and most probably be ridiculed all the way out by party members, right wing pundits and wingnuttia in general. That kind of humiliation must be tough even for a dyed in the wool neocon apparatchik to take but, take it they do. There must be some big golden parachutes out there in repugland.
But Scooter now makes the ultimate sacrifice, he will go to jail, his humiliation complete and sweeping and for what? To protect the men who allowed him to go through this ordeal, who's orders he was undertaking, who watch from the sidelines, silent as his life and career go down the toilet. That to me is not loyalty, it's idiocy, it's stark, raving madness. Pardon or no pardon, Scooter's reputation can never be rehabilitated, he will always be associated with scandal, his image etched into the pantheon of National Enquirer front pages, poor bugger! Telling the truth, though apparently inconceivable, would have made for very different headlines.
That Scooter was willing to lie to and obstruct an FBI investigation with the express intent of protecting his bosses from having to tell the truth is ludicrously juvenile thinking. Unfortunately this kind of thinking is rampant in the Bush administration, where a twisted loyalty system governs over logic and principle. That loyalty only goes so far though because, ultimately their code of honor is based on the singular act of self preservation. As with the Gonzalez situation, they allow this poor, out-of-his-depth, hack to twist in the wind in order to protect the inner circle.
What motivates these second tier dispensibles to such blind loyalty is beyond me. They will eventually and inevitably be tossed aside as circumstances dictate and most probably be ridiculed all the way out by party members, right wing pundits and wingnuttia in general. That kind of humiliation must be tough even for a dyed in the wool neocon apparatchik to take but, take it they do. There must be some big golden parachutes out there in repugland.
But Scooter now makes the ultimate sacrifice, he will go to jail, his humiliation complete and sweeping and for what? To protect the men who allowed him to go through this ordeal, who's orders he was undertaking, who watch from the sidelines, silent as his life and career go down the toilet. That to me is not loyalty, it's idiocy, it's stark, raving madness. Pardon or no pardon, Scooter's reputation can never be rehabilitated, he will always be associated with scandal, his image etched into the pantheon of National Enquirer front pages, poor bugger! Telling the truth, though apparently inconceivable, would have made for very different headlines.
Miss-iles
The US is still intent on deployment of it's European missile shield and NATO has given its guarded approval of the scheme. It's hardly surprising that NATO would get behind this, they are, after all, an extension of the US military industrial complex only with a different name.
That the missile shield is still unproven technology, costs a bloody awful amount of money and is designed to protect Europe from threats that don't even exist, was not mentioned.
That the missile shield is still unproven technology, costs a bloody awful amount of money and is designed to protect Europe from threats that don't even exist, was not mentioned.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Mittens II
By definition, all the large world religious movements could be described as cults, whether orthodox or sectarian, even atheism could be described as the cult of empirical evidence. It's just some are more culty than others. The OED defines the word cult as follows:
cult
1 a system of religious worship directed towards a particular figure or object.
2 a small religious group regarded as strange or as imposing excessive control over members.
3 something popular or fashionable among a particular section of society.
Paraphrased from Wikipedia.
It is with the sectarian religions, like the LDS, that one finds the unhinged opposition of the christian orthodoxies at its most vehement. That Joseph Smith was a bone fide snake oil salesman and charlatan there can be no doubt, but the same could be said, at the time, of Martin Luther and subsequent heretical idealists. Just a few years after the death of Jesus, his followers were persecuted, ridiculed and 'martyred' by the orthodoxy of those times. They were, as far as everyone else was concerned, a bunch of cultist losers with a blithe, incoherent message of universal love and salvation (boy, was that ever twisted).
Unfortunately, for the early leaders of Christianity, nobody, apart from the Jews - another cult - was particularily concerned with salvation, in fact the underlying message to the pantheists seemed to be - have a diabolically good time now and have a diabolically bad time later, heaven was the exclusive domain of the gods, so don't worry, be diabolical. Of course that had to change if religious power was to be consolidated and exploited. Monotheism held out the best hope for the emperors and priests of the time so Christianity was embraced and organized for the funneling of cash from and the stabilization of the masses, in return for their hard earned cash and unquestioning devotion to church and state they would receive an afterlife.
Therefore, given its fractal, handcrafted beginnings it is not surprising that schisms appeared in the early church and throughout it's chequered past as each cult, along economic, philosophic or nationalistic lines primarily, fought for their share of the take by offering varying degrees of pleasure and pain as motivation for feilty or as a repercussion for heresy.
Under successive kings, popes and bishops informed of the ramifications of rocking the boat, the status quo remained prevelant for centuries with little in the way of major change, the protestant schisms were intellectually driven rather than based on some new heretical behavior or system of belief, the catholics were riven by long standing feuds and continental divides but practice, unto this day, almost identical rites.
So when something new comes along, it will attract the attention of not only a now skeptical public but a collusive monopoly of parties extremely hostile to change and inclusion. The LDS stands as a prime example of this argument, they will never be accepted by the established churches, even though the LDS is itself well established, because to do so would mean not only having to embrace Joseph Smith and his preposterous canon but also provide access for future mormon incursions into the diminishing pool that is the convinceable bretheren.
Mitt will have to deal with this, for him to be elected he needs the support of the christian right, because he has pretty much abandoned the center, and that would take a gigantic leap of faith, so to speak, on their behalf. It would mean accepting what for most of them is an aberration. Mitt may lead in some polls but I would like to see the demographics, I personally don't think the monolithic base has broken for anyone yet especially Mitt and they are the ones who will be struggling with this. The wingnuts may like Mitts extreme and increasingly bizare rhetoric right now but they would be much more comfortable with a Fred Thompson or a Rudy rather than having to even think about religion come election day, for them, much like in early christendom it is a tool, a means to an end - exclusive power - not a way of life.
cult
1 a system of religious worship directed towards a particular figure or object.
2 a small religious group regarded as strange or as imposing excessive control over members.
3 something popular or fashionable among a particular section of society.
Paraphrased from Wikipedia.
It is with the sectarian religions, like the LDS, that one finds the unhinged opposition of the christian orthodoxies at its most vehement. That Joseph Smith was a bone fide snake oil salesman and charlatan there can be no doubt, but the same could be said, at the time, of Martin Luther and subsequent heretical idealists. Just a few years after the death of Jesus, his followers were persecuted, ridiculed and 'martyred' by the orthodoxy of those times. They were, as far as everyone else was concerned, a bunch of cultist losers with a blithe, incoherent message of universal love and salvation (boy, was that ever twisted).
Unfortunately, for the early leaders of Christianity, nobody, apart from the Jews - another cult - was particularily concerned with salvation, in fact the underlying message to the pantheists seemed to be - have a diabolically good time now and have a diabolically bad time later, heaven was the exclusive domain of the gods, so don't worry, be diabolical. Of course that had to change if religious power was to be consolidated and exploited. Monotheism held out the best hope for the emperors and priests of the time so Christianity was embraced and organized for the funneling of cash from and the stabilization of the masses, in return for their hard earned cash and unquestioning devotion to church and state they would receive an afterlife.
Therefore, given its fractal, handcrafted beginnings it is not surprising that schisms appeared in the early church and throughout it's chequered past as each cult, along economic, philosophic or nationalistic lines primarily, fought for their share of the take by offering varying degrees of pleasure and pain as motivation for feilty or as a repercussion for heresy.
Under successive kings, popes and bishops informed of the ramifications of rocking the boat, the status quo remained prevelant for centuries with little in the way of major change, the protestant schisms were intellectually driven rather than based on some new heretical behavior or system of belief, the catholics were riven by long standing feuds and continental divides but practice, unto this day, almost identical rites.
So when something new comes along, it will attract the attention of not only a now skeptical public but a collusive monopoly of parties extremely hostile to change and inclusion. The LDS stands as a prime example of this argument, they will never be accepted by the established churches, even though the LDS is itself well established, because to do so would mean not only having to embrace Joseph Smith and his preposterous canon but also provide access for future mormon incursions into the diminishing pool that is the convinceable bretheren.
Mitt will have to deal with this, for him to be elected he needs the support of the christian right, because he has pretty much abandoned the center, and that would take a gigantic leap of faith, so to speak, on their behalf. It would mean accepting what for most of them is an aberration. Mitt may lead in some polls but I would like to see the demographics, I personally don't think the monolithic base has broken for anyone yet especially Mitt and they are the ones who will be struggling with this. The wingnuts may like Mitts extreme and increasingly bizare rhetoric right now but they would be much more comfortable with a Fred Thompson or a Rudy rather than having to even think about religion come election day, for them, much like in early christendom it is a tool, a means to an end - exclusive power - not a way of life.
In Fatwa News Today...
More old white men telling women what they should and should not do with their bodies and at the same time ostracizing an organization that has done nothing but good and remains a butress to repression worldwide. Something the catholic church, given it's ties to fascist and repressive regimes throughout history, could learn from.
The catholic church has been steering a course toward ultraconservatism in an effort to win back it's aging benefactor base after a series of scandals, legal improprieties and financial hanky-panky, it is their belief that by appealing to the most intolerant, sexist, fearfilled bigots it can find it may get the religious right vote in the next election. Sorry... that's Guilliani, nobody besides 600 or so fat old white men in frocks gets to vote on the next pontificator. As feudal autocracies go it's a doozy.
Now, if they could just get back to tending to their flock and trying to actually abide by the word of Christ, I might have some grudging respect for them, until that time, which will never come, they can suck my sceptre.
The catholic church has been steering a course toward ultraconservatism in an effort to win back it's aging benefactor base after a series of scandals, legal improprieties and financial hanky-panky, it is their belief that by appealing to the most intolerant, sexist, fearfilled bigots it can find it may get the religious right vote in the next election. Sorry... that's Guilliani, nobody besides 600 or so fat old white men in frocks gets to vote on the next pontificator. As feudal autocracies go it's a doozy.
Now, if they could just get back to tending to their flock and trying to actually abide by the word of Christ, I might have some grudging respect for them, until that time, which will never come, they can suck my sceptre.
The Splurge
Those Trotskyites at the Pentagon must really hate America.
They must not have gotten the Bush/Cheney/Murdoch memo about rainbows, butterflies and bunny rabbits.
Neither did Professor Cole but he's always wrong! And I reiterate;
"...as Orwell's 1984 reminds us: "War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength."
They must not have gotten the Bush/Cheney/Murdoch memo about rainbows, butterflies and bunny rabbits.
Neither did Professor Cole but he's always wrong! And I reiterate;
"...as Orwell's 1984 reminds us: "War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength."
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Partners In Crime
The Iraqi parliament mirrors it's creators minds... inept, dysfunctional, morally bankrupt and driven by personal greed.
With the Iraqi parliament being a mere extension of the Oval Office, should we have expected anything other than complete failure?
Meanwhile, Iraq inexoriably slides into failed state status and captain codpiece fixates on a fake immigration crisis in a last ditch attempt to prove his relevance.
With the Iraqi parliament being a mere extension of the Oval Office, should we have expected anything other than complete failure?
Meanwhile, Iraq inexoriably slides into failed state status and captain codpiece fixates on a fake immigration crisis in a last ditch attempt to prove his relevance.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Democracy
Bush goes to the Hill, meets the republican minority that is mostly opposed to his immigration reforms, nothing concrete comes out of it.
Trent Lott, a man who's active gray matter can be measured only in miligrams expounds:
Senator Lott said that today’s discussion with the president illustrated “democracy at its best,” and that Mr. Bush indicated he “won’t sign a bad bill.”
After which, he retired to his private chambers wherein, he anticipated receipt of the bank of test results from his proctologist.
Trent Lott, a man who's active gray matter can be measured only in miligrams expounds:
Senator Lott said that today’s discussion with the president illustrated “democracy at its best,” and that Mr. Bush indicated he “won’t sign a bad bill.”
After which, he retired to his private chambers wherein, he anticipated receipt of the bank of test results from his proctologist.
Tony, Tony, Tony
Blair, much like Bush, is incapable of accepting his own role in his demise. That the press played such a huge part in his initial rise in and subsequent domination of the British political scene is paid but short shrift in Tony's tirade.
Blair was one of the first political practitioners in the modern multi-media wonkiverse. His playing of the press made politics hip again, fun for all the family, a cool diversion from the gray Major days.
Now he plays the victim card, brought down by a feral pack of sensation chasing bile mongers.
Tony... not for nothing but, everyone with an ounce of intelligence knows you were played for a fool by some of the most dangerously idiotic sociopaths on the planet. Like a lot of Bush acquaintances you were dragged into a failure of epic proportions and rather than extracating yourself and your people from it, you continued right along even after it became painfully evident that the Iraq fiasco and your righteous sounding justifications for it were fraudulant.
The press was his ally right up until the time the search for WMD in Iraq proved fruitless. There, for the first time, a compliant, one could argue a glorifying and jingoistic, press questioned Britains association with this venture and he was found wanting. When a nation needed an explanation, he gave them Bush administration talking points, that may work over here in the US where the establishment media has pretty much lost all credibility but over there the fourth estate was still a functioning and vital part of the national dialogue and they weren't convinced.
Since 2001 the political roadside has become littered with victims, discards and schills from this malicious administration, I think Tony is just bitter that his legacy, which may have been great, will be forever tarnished by his support for Bush's War but, much like Bush, rather than blame himself, he's out looking for targets.
Blair was one of the first political practitioners in the modern multi-media wonkiverse. His playing of the press made politics hip again, fun for all the family, a cool diversion from the gray Major days.
Now he plays the victim card, brought down by a feral pack of sensation chasing bile mongers.
Tony... not for nothing but, everyone with an ounce of intelligence knows you were played for a fool by some of the most dangerously idiotic sociopaths on the planet. Like a lot of Bush acquaintances you were dragged into a failure of epic proportions and rather than extracating yourself and your people from it, you continued right along even after it became painfully evident that the Iraq fiasco and your righteous sounding justifications for it were fraudulant.
The press was his ally right up until the time the search for WMD in Iraq proved fruitless. There, for the first time, a compliant, one could argue a glorifying and jingoistic, press questioned Britains association with this venture and he was found wanting. When a nation needed an explanation, he gave them Bush administration talking points, that may work over here in the US where the establishment media has pretty much lost all credibility but over there the fourth estate was still a functioning and vital part of the national dialogue and they weren't convinced.
Since 2001 the political roadside has become littered with victims, discards and schills from this malicious administration, I think Tony is just bitter that his legacy, which may have been great, will be forever tarnished by his support for Bush's War but, much like Bush, rather than blame himself, he's out looking for targets.
Loco Logo
Oh! Those Brits... the London Olympics logo is, as far as I am concerned, one of the worst pieces of design I have ever seen, 'Red' Ken Livingston, Mayor of London agrees but says in its defence:
"At a press conference with the inspectors in Canary Wharf, Mr Livingstone renewed his criticism of the logo - but conceded it may "grow on you".
He repeated his insistence that the designers should not be paid, but added: "It is a logo. It is not the meaning of life or a secret code that will identify the bloodline of Mary Magdalene. "It is a logo that will grow on you.""
The more I look at the damn thing the more bewildered I become.
Define Progress
It's a disheartening read really, when every positive is matched or bettered by a negative. Al Maliki's government reeks of inertia and irrelevance, not to mention corruption and sectarian divides.
That we send an active Admiral to do the State Departments work is a very bad sign... if we are losing the diplomatic battle and have now to resort to militaristic bullying to force Maliki's administration into action, what does that tell us?
Maliki's fragile hold on power is bolstered only by his ability to manufacture a coalition of opposing shiite factions, as that function becomes increasingly difficult in a destabilized environment you have to wonder how long Maliki's tenure will last. Afterall, he was a compromise candidate in a stormy scene of US, Kurd and Sunni disaffection at the first choice of a shiite majority exerting its political and religious mandate unaware of its proxy status.
Now that the shiites have awakened to the political realities of US fiat and fragmentation has become the new political game in town, Maliki appears out of his depth (as do most Bush administration appointees), appearing to comply with US demands and edicts on the one side whilst ruminating upon a lack of US real-politik in the region as a whole in a brazen attempt to save face with his diminishing plurality.
The surge was designed to provide political cover for, not only, Maliki and his merry band of death squad supporting, militia friendly shiite bretheren but also for captain codpiece and his not so merry band of vascillating republicans at home.
It was a desperate strategy wholly dependent on flawed analysis and simplistic reasoning and will lead us only to another crisis where, the same mistakes will be repeated.
That we send an active Admiral to do the State Departments work is a very bad sign... if we are losing the diplomatic battle and have now to resort to militaristic bullying to force Maliki's administration into action, what does that tell us?
Maliki's fragile hold on power is bolstered only by his ability to manufacture a coalition of opposing shiite factions, as that function becomes increasingly difficult in a destabilized environment you have to wonder how long Maliki's tenure will last. Afterall, he was a compromise candidate in a stormy scene of US, Kurd and Sunni disaffection at the first choice of a shiite majority exerting its political and religious mandate unaware of its proxy status.
Now that the shiites have awakened to the political realities of US fiat and fragmentation has become the new political game in town, Maliki appears out of his depth (as do most Bush administration appointees), appearing to comply with US demands and edicts on the one side whilst ruminating upon a lack of US real-politik in the region as a whole in a brazen attempt to save face with his diminishing plurality.
The surge was designed to provide political cover for, not only, Maliki and his merry band of death squad supporting, militia friendly shiite bretheren but also for captain codpiece and his not so merry band of vascillating republicans at home.
It was a desperate strategy wholly dependent on flawed analysis and simplistic reasoning and will lead us only to another crisis where, the same mistakes will be repeated.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Mittens
Once you get passed the initial fluff and bluster, contained in every article about this tragic bunch of Republican presidential candidates, the article is not too bad. I think Romney will have problems because of his cultist beliefs however, I think Romney will have many more problems convincing the public that he isn't a blitheringly idiotic windbag who is willing to change longheld and documented fundamental positions whenever it suits him. He is a political shape-shifter lacking any conviction or credibility and the press needs to get over the chiselled chin and wavey hair thing and call him on some of his sh*t.
Ah! Those Sauds...
Monbiot (Guardian UK) is not a happy camper this morning. The Prince Bandar (ex Saudi super ambassador to the US) British Aero Space (UK Governments Official Arms Dealer) scandal is about to go stratospheric . As TPM says, don't expect this scandal to remain on the other side of the Atlantic. Bandar's reach into the Oval Office and OVP is legendary.
This is how the press is supposed to respond to an administration run amok:
This makes a mockery of successive governments' claims to be supporting democracy around the world, and ensures our security is now entangled with that of the Saudi princes. Al-Qaida's primary complaint is directed against the Saudi monarchy and the western support it receives. Like the war in Iraq, like Blair's support for Israel's invasion of Lebanon and his uneven treatment of Israel and Palestine, this deal helps ensure Britain is a primary target for terrorism: not because our government acted on principle, but because it acted without it. Blair has invoked all the strategic threats from which he claims to defend us.
Close down Deso. Reopen the investigation. Sack the attorney general and the senior civil servants at the Ministry of Defence. Open a public inquiry to determine what Blair knew. Wage war on tax havens and secret offshore accounts. Hold BAE to account. Then lecture the rest of the world on good governance.
G. Monbiot - Guardian UK, 6/8/07
This is how the press is supposed to respond to an administration run amok:
This makes a mockery of successive governments' claims to be supporting democracy around the world, and ensures our security is now entangled with that of the Saudi princes. Al-Qaida's primary complaint is directed against the Saudi monarchy and the western support it receives. Like the war in Iraq, like Blair's support for Israel's invasion of Lebanon and his uneven treatment of Israel and Palestine, this deal helps ensure Britain is a primary target for terrorism: not because our government acted on principle, but because it acted without it. Blair has invoked all the strategic threats from which he claims to defend us.
Close down Deso. Reopen the investigation. Sack the attorney general and the senior civil servants at the Ministry of Defence. Open a public inquiry to determine what Blair knew. Wage war on tax havens and secret offshore accounts. Hold BAE to account. Then lecture the rest of the world on good governance.
G. Monbiot - Guardian UK, 6/8/07
Climate Unchanged
The heralded 'compromise' was nothing more than another Bush administration smoke screen, designed to give the appearance of concern and collective responsibility.
In fact, it was another completely meaningless charade.
Captain codpiece is a little under the weather this morning... nothing trivial, I hope.
Update: The European press appears somewhat less gullible than their American cousins. Shocking isn't it!
In fact, it was another completely meaningless charade.
Captain codpiece is a little under the weather this morning... nothing trivial, I hope.
Update: The European press appears somewhat less gullible than their American cousins. Shocking isn't it!
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Climate Change
Of course 'seriously considering' but ultimately 'utterly rejecting' are trade marks of this administration, see - Iraq Study Group.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Sludge
If success is measured by a decrease in violence, then why are we asked to anticipate more US casualties during the course of the surge? Surely the equation was; more troops = less violence not more troops = more troop deaths. For me, the natural conclusion is more troop deaths = more violence.
Oh! but wait, we are not fully deployed yet and won't be for another two months. Now, call me a naysayer or a traitor or whatever epithet de jour is popular in wingnut circles right now but is the military telling us that it is going to take up to six months just to deploy the 25,000 or so troops to the theater. Two things, how long did it take us to get the original invasion force into the theater? And, the Generals will have had their surge in full effect for just one month before they have to report to the preznit, congress and the American people, what sort of progress are they going to report on? I suppose getting all the soldiers and stuff into the field will be some kind of achievement.
September is a mirage.
Oh! but wait, we are not fully deployed yet and won't be for another two months. Now, call me a naysayer or a traitor or whatever epithet de jour is popular in wingnut circles right now but is the military telling us that it is going to take up to six months just to deploy the 25,000 or so troops to the theater. Two things, how long did it take us to get the original invasion force into the theater? And, the Generals will have had their surge in full effect for just one month before they have to report to the preznit, congress and the American people, what sort of progress are they going to report on? I suppose getting all the soldiers and stuff into the field will be some kind of achievement.
September is a mirage.
Heels
It takes more than one or two half assed, fleeting visits to the region to even get these peoples agendas coordinated, never mind having them come to some kind of an agreement.
Condi, of course, is somewhat distracted... she's having staffing problems at State. I suppose, like a fine pair of handmade Italian shoes, good 'Bushies' are getting harder to find these days.
The Israel-Palestine conflict is the lynch pin to any successful strategy the west wishes to employ in the middle east. Any kind of negotiated settlement or brokered peace deal would be the catalyst in stabilizing the region as a whole. That is why this administration has a complete light weight like Rice in the most exalted diplomatic position on the planet. She serves at Cheney's pleasure and Cheney, like all dedicated neocons, does not want peace in the middle east, ergo status quo in Israel, chaos everywhere else.
Everytime Condi visits Jerusalem, rest assured, in her exquisitely hand fashioned purse is a hand written letter from Mr. Cheney to Mr. Olmert. It contains just three words "Stay The Course."
Condi, of course, is somewhat distracted... she's having staffing problems at State. I suppose, like a fine pair of handmade Italian shoes, good 'Bushies' are getting harder to find these days.
The Israel-Palestine conflict is the lynch pin to any successful strategy the west wishes to employ in the middle east. Any kind of negotiated settlement or brokered peace deal would be the catalyst in stabilizing the region as a whole. That is why this administration has a complete light weight like Rice in the most exalted diplomatic position on the planet. She serves at Cheney's pleasure and Cheney, like all dedicated neocons, does not want peace in the middle east, ergo status quo in Israel, chaos everywhere else.
Everytime Condi visits Jerusalem, rest assured, in her exquisitely hand fashioned purse is a hand written letter from Mr. Cheney to Mr. Olmert. It contains just three words "Stay The Course."
The Oracle
Given this preznits track record for simply awful prognostication, I am now officially worried that the Russians already have nervous hands poised above large, red, flashing buttons with the word LAUNCH written on them (in Russian - of course).
Why does he even feel the need to say such a thing? If this were Victorian England - and I sometimes wish it were - he would have been locked up long ago and permanently, in the well appointed but mercifully escape proof attic of his parents, along with all the other glaringly obtuse reminders of their family's centuries of imbreeding.
I need a sedative...
Why does he even feel the need to say such a thing? If this were Victorian England - and I sometimes wish it were - he would have been locked up long ago and permanently, in the well appointed but mercifully escape proof attic of his parents, along with all the other glaringly obtuse reminders of their family's centuries of imbreeding.
I need a sedative...
G8
Things continue to go swimmingly in Heiligendamm. Although this administration has now accepted the fact that a few things may be amiss with regards to our planets health it will steadfastly refuse to act as a global partner in any clean up operation. Bush's 'Global Warming' speech of last week, in which no concrete proposals were mentioned, was, for all intents and purposes, a random gathering of verbs, nouns, adjectives etc. designed specifically to fill in a 30 second timeslot on the evening news left vacant after the latest missile test was found to be a complete and utter waste of time and money... again.
Meanwhile, has George 'I call him Vladimir' Bush pissed off a Russian today? It's 4:30pm or so in Germany right now, there's still time!
Meanwhile, has George 'I call him Vladimir' Bush pissed off a Russian today? It's 4:30pm or so in Germany right now, there's still time!
Partial Brain...
I never knew they called themselves the "Body of Christ" - seems a little pompous - anyway, they're not happy. Religious wingnuts are waking up to two realizations 1) their leadership is a gang of money hungry hypocrites, who have turned their followers demented confusion into a religio/industrial complex generating millions and millions of dollars and 2) the abortionist rabble, all that money is supposed to be spent on defeating, may have actually come out on the winning side in the Partial Birth Abortion Ban SCOTUS decision.
James Dobson, that paragon of virtuous windbaggery, comes in for some serious apoplectic, christianist rage:
"In an open letter to Dobson that was published as a full-page ad May 23 in the Colorado Springs Gazette, Focus on the Family's hometown newspaper, and May 30 in the Washington Times, the heads of five small but vocal groups called the Carhart decision "wicked," and accused Dobson of misleading Christians by applauding it."
Washington Post - 6/4/07
It has taken them so long to figure out they are being used...
James Dobson, that paragon of virtuous windbaggery, comes in for some serious apoplectic, christianist rage:
"In an open letter to Dobson that was published as a full-page ad May 23 in the Colorado Springs Gazette, Focus on the Family's hometown newspaper, and May 30 in the Washington Times, the heads of five small but vocal groups called the Carhart decision "wicked," and accused Dobson of misleading Christians by applauding it."
Washington Post - 6/4/07
It has taken them so long to figure out they are being used...
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Wingnuttia Is Not A Happy Place
William Kristol, arch defender of Cool Hand Scoot and Darth, remains calm under the pressure of witnessing the demise of such a good man, a family man, a cold warrior and Gulf War veteran... crikey Libby was almost super-freakin-human, a man betrayed by the President?
So much for loyalty, or decency, or courage. For President Bush, loyalty is apparently a one-way street; decency is something he's for as long as he doesn't have to take any
risks in its behalf; and courage--well, that's nowhere to be seen. Many of us used to respect President Bush. Can one respect him still?
William Kristol - The Weekly Standard 6/5/07.
Wait a freakin' second here... where's Cheney in this equation? If Bush needs to take a cup of courage here, we know who'll be passing the carafe, the boy king does not make a move without Cheney's say-so. And Bill, if I may call you Bill, Scoot worked for Cheney.
They hate Bush! This could get real ugly...
So much for loyalty, or decency, or courage. For President Bush, loyalty is apparently a one-way street; decency is something he's for as long as he doesn't have to take any
risks in its behalf; and courage--well, that's nowhere to be seen. Many of us used to respect President Bush. Can one respect him still?
William Kristol - The Weekly Standard 6/5/07.
Wait a freakin' second here... where's Cheney in this equation? If Bush needs to take a cup of courage here, we know who'll be passing the carafe, the boy king does not make a move without Cheney's say-so. And Bill, if I may call you Bill, Scoot worked for Cheney.
They hate Bush! This could get real ugly...
Cool Hand Scoot!
Down goes Scooter... down goes Scooter!!!
2 1/2 years in prison for protecting Darth's fat ass...
My guess... he'll be on the Halliburton board in 18 months.
2 1/2 years in prison for protecting Darth's fat ass...
My guess... he'll be on the Halliburton board in 18 months.
Benched
Of course, your average republican abhors racism, sexism, mysogeny and perpetual dominance by a white, anglo-saxon, male heirarchy.
Riiiight!
This is our South:
"He clearly failed the test when he ruled for a social worker who was rightfully fired for calling a black colleague “a good ole nigger.”"
"...he accepted the social worker’s claim that the use of the slur was “not motivated out of racial hatred or animosity directed toward her co-worker or toward blacks in general.”"
NYT 6/5/07
Given their druthers, the modern republican party would export this filth all over the planet. They are not ashamed, they are not bowed, they are not uncomprehending... this stuff sells, afterall, at the ballot box!
Riiiight!
This is our South:
"He clearly failed the test when he ruled for a social worker who was rightfully fired for calling a black colleague “a good ole nigger.”"
"...he accepted the social worker’s claim that the use of the slur was “not motivated out of racial hatred or animosity directed toward her co-worker or toward blacks in general.”"
NYT 6/5/07
Given their druthers, the modern republican party would export this filth all over the planet. They are not ashamed, they are not bowed, they are not uncomprehending... this stuff sells, afterall, at the ballot box!
Elites
Some governments have slaughtered or internally exiled their intellectual elites in an attempt to snuff out political or philosophical opposition and debate, some governments ignore their scientists, historians and assorted intelligensia and make up their own sh*t because the truth is too disturbing or may create an imbalance in the status quo - which is where they make their livings, others embrace the spirit of adventure, progress and the cut and thrust that intelligent inquiry stimulates in a society.
In Iraq, today, an entire generation of future leaders, scientists, academics and professionals are readying to depart their homeland for fear of diminished opportunity, prolonged violence, religious intolerance and political assassination. Their government is powerless to prevent it or perhaps, given their bent toward a theocratic rather than secular society, is encouraging it.
Our governments message - Freedom Is Messy!
What kind of freedom forces you to flee your home!
In Iraq, today, an entire generation of future leaders, scientists, academics and professionals are readying to depart their homeland for fear of diminished opportunity, prolonged violence, religious intolerance and political assassination. Their government is powerless to prevent it or perhaps, given their bent toward a theocratic rather than secular society, is encouraging it.
Our governments message - Freedom Is Messy!
What kind of freedom forces you to flee your home!
Of Missiles And Men
Please, please let us use our shiney new toys in your back yard, please!
Missing from the entire Times article, which was pretty well rounded, is the fact that the missile defense system is NOT effing working.
So we pay Poland and the Czech Republic gobs of money to position a system, on their territory, that may be of as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike but has all the potential for reigniting the arms race and initiating a new cold war. Is this administration really desperate for a legitimate enemy? One we are all familiar with and know how to despise. Is this more neocon/religeous right formenting for the end of days? Have we completely abandoned our senses so captain codpiece can don another uniform - a radiation suit and gasmask might be a good look for him - aboard the ruined flight deck of the USS Lincoln?
Who thinks this sh*t up?
Can someone, anyone - preferably an adult, please stop this stupidity?
Missing from the entire Times article, which was pretty well rounded, is the fact that the missile defense system is NOT effing working.
So we pay Poland and the Czech Republic gobs of money to position a system, on their territory, that may be of as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike but has all the potential for reigniting the arms race and initiating a new cold war. Is this administration really desperate for a legitimate enemy? One we are all familiar with and know how to despise. Is this more neocon/religeous right formenting for the end of days? Have we completely abandoned our senses so captain codpiece can don another uniform - a radiation suit and gasmask might be a good look for him - aboard the ruined flight deck of the USS Lincoln?
Who thinks this sh*t up?
Can someone, anyone - preferably an adult, please stop this stupidity?
Monday, June 04, 2007
Kurdling
We need this like another hole in the head.
Incursions into Iraqi sovereign territory - ostensibly Kurdish controlled - by the Turkish military may not seem so important but, the neocon agenda has always relied upon agitating for chaos in the region as a means to an end. To what end I have no idea, so this kind of provocation by the PKK, although easily suppressed if the political will was manifest, will likely continue until another unnecessary conflict erupts.
The quicker we abandon the failed neocon doctrines embedded in our political thought processes the better.
Turkey has been very pragmatic towards western goals in the region, we should be protective of the few old friends we have left and be exerting pressure instead on our new found friends, who without us, would not be enjoying the benefits that come with self-determination.
Incursions into Iraqi sovereign territory - ostensibly Kurdish controlled - by the Turkish military may not seem so important but, the neocon agenda has always relied upon agitating for chaos in the region as a means to an end. To what end I have no idea, so this kind of provocation by the PKK, although easily suppressed if the political will was manifest, will likely continue until another unnecessary conflict erupts.
The quicker we abandon the failed neocon doctrines embedded in our political thought processes the better.
Turkey has been very pragmatic towards western goals in the region, we should be protective of the few old friends we have left and be exerting pressure instead on our new found friends, who without us, would not be enjoying the benefits that come with self-determination.
Soul Mates
Another foreign policy 'initiative', that lacks any credibility, based on a supposed threat that doesn't exist, utilizing a system that has failed to live up to expectations - it continues to exhibit zero operational capability - and succeeds only in antagonizing a once and future ally in the GWOT.
And, who will Europe support in this latest fiasco?
If the policy was designed to drive a wedge between and meddle with the developing relationship betwixt Europe and Russia who gains from that? I know who would ultimately lose.
I suppose the idea of a 'Super Europe' stretching from the rocky shores of Galway in the west to the shipyards of Vladivostok in the east is pretty scary to this administration, at least seen in military terms - which is practically the only lens these raving lunatics ever use - but most everything is pretty scary to these self-proclaimed guardians of the American Way, so why not try to disrupt that evolution.
The problem with the concept though is that, I think, Europe has had enough of the sledge hammer approach to global problems and conflicts as evinced by their softly-softly approach toward Iran. I think the US will find very little support at the G8, with Blair pretty much a lame duck, and more pragmatic leadership coming to the fore and with this administrations track record of unsophisticated, ill-conceived, punative foreign policy failures, this half assed attempt at political engineering may find itself back-burnered in-perpetuity.
Update: They rattle a sabre, we, predictably rattle one right back. Odd that we used a NATO spokesman to announce our response.
And, who will Europe support in this latest fiasco?
If the policy was designed to drive a wedge between and meddle with the developing relationship betwixt Europe and Russia who gains from that? I know who would ultimately lose.
I suppose the idea of a 'Super Europe' stretching from the rocky shores of Galway in the west to the shipyards of Vladivostok in the east is pretty scary to this administration, at least seen in military terms - which is practically the only lens these raving lunatics ever use - but most everything is pretty scary to these self-proclaimed guardians of the American Way, so why not try to disrupt that evolution.
The problem with the concept though is that, I think, Europe has had enough of the sledge hammer approach to global problems and conflicts as evinced by their softly-softly approach toward Iran. I think the US will find very little support at the G8, with Blair pretty much a lame duck, and more pragmatic leadership coming to the fore and with this administrations track record of unsophisticated, ill-conceived, punative foreign policy failures, this half assed attempt at political engineering may find itself back-burnered in-perpetuity.
Update: They rattle a sabre, we, predictably rattle one right back. Odd that we used a NATO spokesman to announce our response.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Razin' Hell
Carrying on with the fruit motif, via Atrios comes this plum.
There will be an almighty sh*t slinging contest before this is all said and done.
I don't know how the right thought they would profit from this, once they brought religion into the political arena, where sh*t slinging is pretty much par for the course, it's difficult to avoid getting splattered. One may argue that religion has always been a part of the American political scene, I would disagree, but now it is becoming an issue rather than a given. We are supposed to be electing a President not a preacher.
Billy Graham knew better and warned them of the consequences.
There will be an almighty sh*t slinging contest before this is all said and done.
I don't know how the right thought they would profit from this, once they brought religion into the political arena, where sh*t slinging is pretty much par for the course, it's difficult to avoid getting splattered. One may argue that religion has always been a part of the American political scene, I would disagree, but now it is becoming an issue rather than a given. We are supposed to be electing a President not a preacher.
Billy Graham knew better and warned them of the consequences.
Nuff Said!
It's the 40th Anniversary of the release of Sgt. Pepper's. So here is something not from Sgt. Pepper's, just to be contrarian.
Nuts
Now, I know Billy has said and done a lot of great things in his long life, he lived his belief and will die with it, but he really should have put a stop to this.
'But, how should we f**k-off, oh Lord?'
'But, how should we f**k-off, oh Lord?'
Melons
Is there an entire branch of archaeology that I've been, up 'til now, unaware of?
The search for ancient fruits is certainly intriguing... today Japan, tomorrow the RNC. Natch! Mehlman left already.
It's definitely Friday.
The search for ancient fruits is certainly intriguing... today Japan, tomorrow the RNC. Natch! Mehlman left already.
It's definitely Friday.
Banana's
Back in the day, all I ever wanted for xmas was a Bananarama!
Down to two, but still as sweet
Russia's a Bully
They must have stolen our playbook or sumpin'.
WASHINGTON, May 31 — A top Russia expert at the State Department issued an unusually sharp public criticism on Thursday of Moscow’s behavior under President Vladimir V. Putin, describing the Kremlin as bullying its neighbors while silencing political opponents and suppressing individual rights at home.
New York Times 6/1/07
Do as we say, not as we do!
WASHINGTON, May 31 — A top Russia expert at the State Department issued an unusually sharp public criticism on Thursday of Moscow’s behavior under President Vladimir V. Putin, describing the Kremlin as bullying its neighbors while silencing political opponents and suppressing individual rights at home.
New York Times 6/1/07
Do as we say, not as we do!
Rumor Mill
The BBC 'ticker' is flashing the resignation of Dan Bartlett.
It is Friday, so it could be true!
Update: Here's the link. Super!
It is Friday, so it could be true!
Update: Here's the link. Super!
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