FRIDAY F U N

• Every single episode of The Simpsons free and online
• View from a model airplane Here and Here
• Create art with your mouse
• Sounds for your computer
• Create your own Kaleidoscope
• Toothpick sculptures
• Sling the glob (game)
• ReduceIdiocy.org
• The Upside Down Prank (incl. short video near the end)
• How good are you at avoiding getting bluf'd? (trivia game)
• The Hubble Hall of Fame
• Critiquing the alphabet
  

BITS for the Week of September 25th

• See how badly Bush-war is abusing vets in this report on the misspending of allocated funds for veterans' mental health care
• Bush gets Stoned
• Top 25 censored stories of the past year. Some of these are truly frightening.
• 21 questions about the Iraq War, answered
• Is Keith Olbermann the only mainstream TV reporter left in the U.S. who reports the facts? It's starting to look like it. Check out this pre-9/11 analysis. (video)
• I was going to post an excerpt from Juan Cole's assessment of the NIE report, but the whole thing is so good, please just go and read the entire thing.
• "Since 2000, 'workers' health insurance premiums have risen a total of 84 percent, while their wages have increased 20 percent and inflation has risen 18 percent.'"
• If this doesn't get Keith Olbermann fired, nothing will. Where's this oratory been for the past 5 years?
• If you haven't already, then watch President Clinton rip Fox News a HUGE one. (of course, too little, too late). Also (via Phil L.) Keith Olbermann sums it all up.
• Big Oil: Scamming you every day at the gas pump, scamming the US Treasury at the bank.
• More on the MediCare Doughnut Hole. By the way, if the Bush-war Administration doesn't completely bankrupt the U.S. with this war on concepts (today's concept is "terrorism"), then the medical insurance industry will surely finish the job.
• With an advanced degree in Physiology, I feel comfortable in telling you that THIS PRODUCT is a total waste of your money unless you have significant pulmonary disease. (It might be handy to keep around for a medical emergency, though.)

"[Democratic leaders] are not spineless, they just agree with the Repubs. I think the Dems would have preferred that Iraq not be invaded, but given that it has they are behind it. Their only complaint appears to be that it’s not being run well. The Democrats time and time again have been handed clubs by the Repubs (torture being the largest) and instead of beating them over the head with them they just yawn and do nothing. The bottom line is that they are for the war and don't want to do anything to interfere with its progress. One only has to listen to H. Clinton or read the New Republic to see that this is true. The leadership of both parties support the right of the US to do anything it wants, to anyone it chooses, and should not incur any consequences. American Exceptionalism run way amok. A real feeling of helplessness has settled in as there seems to be little anywhere someone who is against these wars of conquest can turn. The truth of the matter is that neither party cares. They would be happy if only 3 people in the entire country voted as long as their party got 2 of the votes. Now its time to sit back and watch the war on Iran unfold just as scheduled with the US employing tactical nukes. The US and the world is changing and it certainly is not for the better. My children and their children will bear the brunt of the nasty consequences that are sure to come. The time for dissent will be limited." Soccerdad

As you know, today the United States of America just dropped down a huge moral ravine when our beloved government legalized torture and unconstitutional detention.

Let me go step outside right now and sniff....
.
.
.
Nope, not even a hint of revolution in the air.

My fellow progressives and everyone else who cares: It's time to get off our fat, lazy asses and start doing something about our country! Are all of us just going to sit around until there's nothing left to protect?

You've already been told that the November election is going to be run by Diebold & Co., so the Democrats aren't going to win anything (i.e. House or Senate). Then what? What are we going to do for the next 2+ years until our stupid voting public elects another corporate President? And then what are we going to do after that? Keep waiting? For what? What are we waiting for?

Maybe the End Times will end up being the better of two evils. No one seems to want a third choice, which would be to take back our country.

If this isn't like Germany in the 1930's, then I don't know what you'd call this rapid moral decay into fascism. Eventually the rest of the world WILL destroy the U.S. in order to save itself. They will have no other choice.

Just in case you were interested, here's the list of Democratic U. S. Senators who now officially and actively support torture and unconstitutional detention:

Tom Carper (Del.)
Tim Johnson (S.D.)
Mary Landrieu (La.)
Frank Lautenberg (N.J.)
Bob Menendez (N.J)
Bill Nelson (Fla.)
Ben Nelson (Neb.)
Pryor (Ark.)
Jay Rockefeller (W. Va.)
Ken Salazar (Co.)
Debbie Stabenow (Mich.)

and of course, Joe Turncoat Lieberman (Ct.)

I won't even list the Republican Senators, as there's just way too many!

Criminals on the Right, criminals on the Left. My god, they're everywhere!

This whole thing is just so unbelievably bad and outrageous, the only way to maintain your sanity is to laugh out loud.

Before you start weeping.

Thought for today.

This is your country, the one to which you stood up and pledged allegiance every morning from the first grade through high school and city council meetings, and about which you proudly sang at sporting events.

Your country was the one that you knew, without a doubt, was the best in the world because it championed justice and fairness. It was the only place you knew that actively tried to improve itself, from ending racism to developing the best social programs which helped those who couldn't help themselves. It was the one place you knew had the best educational system, the best healthcare, and the best research in technology, medicine and other sciences.

Overall, it had the best philosophers, the best religious tolerance and freedom, and some of the most beautiful natural scenery from sea to warming sea.

It was, essentially, the best place on Earth.

In five short years, a small band of greedy, self-serving, Americans-In-Name-Only criminals have done one heckofa job in partly destroying everything mentioned above.

The latest accomplishments of these AINOs include the addition of torture as a legally acceptable practice and the elimination of a person's right of habeas corpus.

As long as we who repeatedly pledged our allegiance continue to elect these types of AINOs into power, the destruction will continue, until there'll be nothing left to pledge to, except literally the flag waving in front of your face and maybe the pole holding it.

"....The last five years have probably been the DAMAGING five years in America's history. We have lost the moral high ground from which we used to champion human rights in world affairs. We have lost our credibility. We have lost the respect of the world community. We are losing our technological edge, and industry has fled our nation. And through all this the Democrats have twiddled their fucking thumbs and whispered an occassional "tsk tsk" while these maniacs in the White House have made a MOCKERY out of every tenet and ideal that we used to pride ourselves in. "This country is in deep shit, and it is going to take a leader of far greater charisma, far greater power of presence, and far stronger moral fiber, than the current batch of clowns in Washington have to offer, to pull us out of this mess." - - - Carroll

Wise words from Kos:

"....Stop whining. Stop bitching. And keep working to build a Democratic Party with backbone. The guys currently in DC don't have it? Yeah, we know that. That's why we're supporting a new breed of Democrat that isn't afraid of Rove's shadow. That will fight when the DC Dems would rather cower in fear. We have a problem. Obviously. Democrats would rather talk about how they need to be strong, than actually be strong. They would rather talk about "moral standing", than actually, you know, stand for what's right. I know that. You know that. I suspect that even Democrats in DC know that. It's just that they're paralyzed by fear. That's why we need to work for fearless Dems who won't let themselves be held hostage to fear. And remember, this is a long-term process. Just like conservatives didn't quit politics when Nixon was killing them with new government programs like the EPA or OSHA, we can't take our ball home every time we lose on an important issue. Be angry. But funnel that anger into positive activities. There are good Democrats running at all levels this cycle, and they'll do so again the next, and the one after that. Democrats think "looking strong" means bombing Iraq or Iran, when "looking strong" really means standing for something because you believe in it, even if you might not think it's the smartest political play. Whimpering every time Rove says "boo!" is not strength. Caving in to the administration is not strength. Surrendering what should be core beliefs because of political expediency is not strength. Update: Rereading this, I don't think I was clear on this point -- please do put pressure on Democrats to do the right thing. On torture or whatever. Please get angry when they fail us and core American values.

This is important:

URGENT ACTION: Support Boxer, Dodd's PAPER BALLOT Bill ! Take Action! ACT TODAY! SENATE MUST PASS in 3 DAYS for NOV. 7 PAPER BALLOT ELECTION PROTECTION! Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT) - RECOGNIZING AT LAST THE PERIL IN NOVEMBER -- introduced EMERGENCY LEGISLATION this week to protect the upcoming election! See NYTimes p.A 22 today (9/27/06) http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/27/washington/27ballots.html?_r=1&oref=slogin The "CONFIDENCE IN VOTING ACT OF 2006" will protect the votes of 40% of the American electorate that currently depend on all-electronic voting machines - not only to COUNT their votes but to CAST them. The "CONFIDENCE IN VOTING ACT OF 2006" provides funding for states to supply "contingency" paper ballots as an option for voters who choose them, and in cases where machine malfunctions disenfranchise waiting voters. Participation by Registrars would be voluntary. Nationwide election protectors, many of whom are strictly non-partisan, nonetheless support this legislation to let local officials know they will be reimbursed by the federal government for doing the right thing. It must pass FAST to assure elections proceed without failure on November 7. CALL AND/OR E-MAIL YOUR SENATOR TODAY. THERE MUST BE NO OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE IN ORDER FOR THIS TO PASS! TELL YOUR SENATOR THIS IS NOT ABOUT RIGHT AND LEFT, BUT RIGHT AND WRONG - THIS IS THEIR HISTORIC CHANCE TO BECOME ELECTION PROTECTORS IN 2006 AND PROTECT THE VOTERS! As reported on the Brad Blog (www.bradblog.com), "The inclusion of Dodd as a co-sponsor on the Senate legislation is no small coup, as he was one of the original co-sponsors of the HAVA legislation of 2002 which this bill would amend. Until now, he and the other bi-partisan co-sponsors of that original legislation have been reluctant to open HAVA to amendment." The legislation "would refund state and county voting jurisdictions that offer paper ballots as an option to voters, and requires such jurisdictions post "in a conspicuous manner at the polling place, a notice stating that contingency paper ballots are available at the polling place and that a voter may request to use such a ballot at the voter's discretion." Call the Congressional Switchboard 202-225-3121 and ask for your Senator. Or write a short e-mail note in your own words supporting the "Confidence in Voting Act of 2006" which is so new it doesn't have a number. We're going fast. You need not show deep understanding of the complexities of e-voting to be effective. YOU ARE ASKING FOR PAPER BACK-UP BALLOTS TO AVOID DISENFRANCHISEMENT BY MACHINE! CONTACT YOUR SENATOR -- AND ANY FEDERAL LEGISLATOR WITH WHOM YOU HAVE INFLUENCE - TODAY!

"Banned Books Week"

Sometimes things freak me out a little bit when it comes to government control. Like our right to free speech and freedom of thought! The Libraries here in Avondale, AZ are participating in the American Library Association's, "Banned Books Week". I commend the Libraries for attempting to bring it to everyone's attention. I was shocked to learn that some of the classics were on the banned list! What happened to the First Amendment? When I went into the library with my son, it made me think of what happened in Nazi Germany or Communist societies. I realized this is happening right here in the USA! The website has a plethora of information. I was most surprised to learn that parents are leading the way in getting books banned or challenged.

The “10 Most Challenged Books of 2005” reflect a range of themes. The books are: “It's Perfectly Normal” for homosexuality, nudity, sex education, religious viewpoint, abortion and being unsuited to age group; “Forever” by Judy Blume for sexual content and offensive language; “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger for sexual content, offensive language and being unsuited to age group; “The Chocolate War” by Robert Cormier for sexual content and offensive language; “Whale Talk” by Chris Crutcher for racism and offensive language; “Detour for Emmy” by Marilyn Reynolds for sexual content; “What My Mother Doesn't Know” by Sonya Sones for sexual content and being unsuited to age group; Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey for anti-family content, being unsuited to age group and violence; “Crazy Lady!” by Jane Leslie Conly for offensive language; and “It's So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies, and Families” by Robie H. Harris for sex education and sexual content. Off the list this year, but on for several years past, are the Alice series of books by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck and “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by Mark Twain. "Restriction of free thought and free speech is the most dangerous of all subversions. It is the one un-American act that could most easily defeat us."—Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas," The One Un-American Act." Nieman Reports, vol. 7, no. 1 (Jan. 1953): p. 20.

Sometimes I just shake my head in amazement and say WTF? BTW parents, we should have a law for you: Change the channel, restrict access, or how about if you just STFU! Can we please elect some sane officials and stop the basic infringement on our constitutional rights!

Vote Democratic!!

Seven of Six, crossposted at Low and Left

Lump Sum Buyouts?

The republi-cons are trying their best to tear down each and every entitlement program that exists. The reason is simple, the government is going broke. They are spending way to much on the war on terra, giving tax-cuts to their cronies and simply, the basic mismanagement of the country. Now comes the latest assualt on disabled Veterans and their benefits from the Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC). These folks are supposed to be working for the Veterans, instead they are assigned by congressional republi-cons to gut the VA system and save it money anyway it knows how. They are proposing lump sum buyouts for injured Vets. The most frustrating part is that the young uneducated kids coming back will look at this as a good deal. They want to start with those disabled Veterans who are in the 10%-30% Service Connected range. President Bush often speaks of controlling spending on entitlement programs and lumps Medicare, Medicaid and veterans’ benefits under the “entitlement umbrella” by consistently using them in the same sentence. This campaign of disinformation is used to sell the concept that all three of these programs are some kind of welfare, are out of control and therefore should fall under a sharp budget knife. This ignores the reality that Medicare is an insurance program and veterans’ disability compensation is provided to those who have been wounded or injured while serving the country. There are more questions than answers. Here are just a few of the potential problem areas – • If the veteran's service-connected condition worsened, would he be able to file a claim or would the condition now not be compensable? Many veterans will initially receive a 10 per cent or 20 per cent disability rating and then see it jump to as high as 100 per cent as they age and their particular condition worsens. • Would the VA continue to treat the veteran for the condition even though he wasn't getting compensation? Or, would the condition now be considered not to exist? The cost-savings to the government would be great and the cost to the veteran could be catastrophic. • What about another condition that occurs that is secondary to the original service-connected condition? How would that fit in? An example would be a veteran who receives disability for a bad knee. As that knee gets worse with age, back problems can arise and that could constitute a secondary disability that could be compensated. • Would the VA stop at the 10 per cent and 20 per cent disability ratings? Many feel that this would be just the beginning and that once the door is open, all disability ratings could be up for a lump-sum buyout. • Would the buyouts be retroactive? Or, would only “new” veterans fall under the plan? The largest savings for the government would be gained by including veterans currently receiving disability. • And, would the buyouts be mandatory or optional? The savings for the government would be greatest with a mandatory buyout plan. Could this be imposed on veterans?The biggest question of all is: How can you buy-out a disability? Veterans receive disability compensation because their ability to perform everyday tasks has been diminished by wounds or injuries sustained while on active-duty. The compensation paid by the VA is meant to make up for income lost due to the disabilities. A lump-sum payment is antithetical to the concept of on-going compensation for an on-going disability. This doesn't count the fact that many disabled Veterans will not be employed for jobs because of their disability. If they were a liability in the Military, they will be a liability on the outside. Insurance companies for many employers will not cover that individual for previous existing injuries. When layoffs come, who will be the first ones laid off the job? The healthy 25 year old or the 45 year old disabled Veteran who has missed some days of work for previous related injuries. I hate to sound redundant, how many healthcare agencies will provide insurance for sick, disabled Veterans? I can tell you...none, zero, zippo, nada! The VDBC does not have the Veterans best interest in mind! This is another big fuck you to the men and women who have fought and defended our country!! Vote Democratic!! Seven of Six

10 Reasons Why Gay Marriage is Wrong 01) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, and air conditioning. 02) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall. 03) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract. 04) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal. 05) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britany Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed. 06) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children. 07) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children. 08) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America. 09) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children. 10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans.

EXCITING NEWS!

Left is Right is growing! Phil L., a frequent guest-poster, has agreed to become a regular blogger on this site. Now readers will get a less-redundant perspective on progressive issues. Phil will be using his pen name "Seven of Six" and posting his opinions and research from the perspective of a U.S. veteran. I look forward to Phil's posts and hope you do too.

By approving the legalization of torture, the Bush-war Administration and the Republican Party have, in one fell swoop, undermined the basic integrity of our nation. The Poorman Institute summarizes the truly evil and morally vacant leadership currently running my/your federal government:

"These folks are very, very bad people, and they are, in the deepest sense, unAmerican. Halfway between them and what sane people recognize as “common decency” is a very, very long way away from decent. They have deceived a great many Americans over the years, and so, by gaining control of the machinery of the State, made every one of us complicit in this evil, unAmerican bullshit. We pay for the torture, we pay for the pointless, unwinnable wars (although we don’t pay for the body armor - can’t make an omlette without breaking some eggs!), we pay to lose the rights generations of our ancestors (either actual or spiritual - there’s no difference) fought and died to enshrine and preserve - and we even pay them a fine little salary for the priviledge. What they have done cannot easily be undone, and they will never, ever get more than a tiny fraction of justice for it. Fuck them. Fuck them whether they are Democrats or Republicans, and fuck the liars and sycophants and cowardly pussies who insulate them from getting even a tiny taste of their just deserts. It’s awful, it’s unspeakably awful, and, actively or passively, we all participate."

If you are a Republican, I just can't fathom how you can proudly claim to be a member of such an increasingly horrible institution. And if you aren't proud, then why the fuck are you a member?

Guest post from Phil L.:

Rebuttal- A lot has been written over the last few days about how poorly the Democratic Party stands up to the republi-cons. Nothing new there! I have to weigh in support of the Democratic Party. It's unfortunate but we do have to start somewhere. We have to take over Congress as the Democratic Party first, then institute changes within the Party. georgia10 from dailykos agrees with me: "But this late in the game, like so many other frustrated Democrats, I refuse to quit. So we will work. Over the next several weeks, we will sweat. We will write. We will walk around neighborhoods until our feet are sore and cold call until our voices crack. We will show the GOP what a pissed-off Democratic base can accomplish. "But elected Democrats--listen up. We won't be doing it for this Democratic Party. It's not for the preservation of today's Democratic Party that we fight. We don't want today's party. We do it for the birth of a new Democratic Party. We're going to work our asses off for Jim Webb, and John Tester, and the other candidates who if elected will usher in a new era in Democratic politics. "Today, we forge on. But we will never forget. Seat by seat, complacent Democrats will be challenged. Every primary will be a Connecticut primary. Every passive Democrat will be actively and aggressively challenged, not just on election day, but throughout the year. "Those who have abandoned fundamental Democratic principles--those who have abandoned basic American principles--will be abandoned themselves. "It won't happen in one election cycle. It won't happen in two or three. But eventually, we will reclaim our party, because we are Democrats. The party isn't made up of just the handful of currently elected Democrats and their incestuous clique of astonishingly incompetent consultants. We're the party, and from now, there will be no quarter for Republican-lite. There will be no sympathy for incumbents who feel entitled to Democratic seats. We're taking it back, today and every day until we get the Democratic Party America needs and deserves." The Dems do nothing approach accomplishes one thing; it hangs this whole sorry torture episode around the neck of the republi-con's! Use this for every future negative attack ad. Make sure the public knows the republi-con's alone are responsible for the approval of torture! They will be the ones who voted to approve it, the ones who have disgraced our once great Nation! Let's quit ragging on the Democrats. Make this the destruction of the Republican Party! Phil L.

Today's guest post by Phil L.:

"Beyond DeLay" How is Congressional corruption tolerated? We know that Congress can't or won't police themselves. I personally feel, it's a major issue and no leniency should be given. When will the American people wake up? Hammer it home, day in and day out. Make the people aware of it daily in the mainstream media, not having to search for it on some blog. It's not surprising that on this list 84% are Republi-cons. However, if the remaining Democrats are guilty, they need to be voted out also. Our main issue should be, 'We The People' will not allow our elected officials to defile the Constitution! "Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released its second annual report on the most corrupt members of Congress entitled Beyond DeLay: The 20 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and five to watch). This encyclopedic report on corruption in the 109th Congress documents the egregious, unethical and possibly illegal activities of the most tainted members of Congress. CREW has compiled the members’ transgressions and analyzed them in light of federal laws and congressional rules." Here's the list of the offending parties: "Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT), Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN), Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA), Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA), Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL), Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL), Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA), Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA), Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV), Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO), Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA), Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ), Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), Rep. John Sweeney (R-NY), Rep. Charles Taylor (R-NC), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA)DISHONORABLE MENTIONS: Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT), Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-IL), Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), Rep. Don Sherwood (R-PA)" I see a couple from my state of AZ have made the list. No surprise there. I say we start embarrassing these politicians! What's your take on it? Phil L.

This past week saw the Bush-war administration "debate" Republican Senators on the issue of how to best word legislation that will allow your government to torture people who have not been legally charged with crimes. That's the bottom line of the whole issue. Even though research has shown torture to not only be ineffective but actually detrimental to the gathering of military intellignce, and the fact that all military interrogation experts decry the use of torture, your government spent days arguing how best to say it's okay to injure, abuse, degrade and disable innocent-until-proven-guilty individuals. As bad as that was (and consequently will be for our future as a beacon of democracy), the other shocking fact, as Charles Pierce explains below, is that the supposed opposition party of this country did absolutely no opposing:

THE SILENT PARTY. You worthless passel of cowards. They're laughing at you. You know that, right? The national Democratic Party is no longer worth the cement needed to sink it to the bottom of the sea. For an entire week, it allowed a debate on changing the soul of the country to be conducted intramurally between the Torture Porn and Useful Idiot wings of the Republican Party, the latter best exemplified by John McCain, who keeps fashioning his apparently fathomless ambition into a pair of clown shoes with which he can do the monkey dance across the national stage. They're laughing at him, too. The New York Times has the right of it here, limning the pathetic gullibility at the heart of the "compromise." There is nothing in this bill that President Thumbscrews can't ignore. There is nothing in this bill that reins in his feckless and dangerous reinterpretation of the powers of his office. There is nothing in this bill that requires him to take it -- or its congressional authors -- seriously. Two weeks ago, John Yoo set down in The New York Times the precise philosophical basis on which the administration will sign this bill and then ignore it. The president will decide what a "lesser breach" of the Geneva Conventions is? How can anyone over the age of five give this president that power? And wait until you see the atrocity that I guarantee you is coming down the tracks concerning the fact that the president committed at least 40 impeachable offenses with regard to illegal wiretapping. And the Democratic Party was nowhere in this debate. It contributed nothing. On the question of whether or not the United States will reconfigure itself as a nation which tortures its purported enemies and then grants itself absolution through adjectives -- "Aggressive interrogation techniques" -- the Democratic Party had…no opinion. On the issue of allowing a demonstrably incompetent president as many of the de facto powers of a despot that you could wedge into a bill without having the Constitution spontaneously combust in the Archives, well, the Democratic Party was more pissed off at Hugo Chavez. This was as tactically idiotic as it was morally blind. On the subject of what kind of a nation we are, and to what extent we will live up to the best of our ideals, the Democratic Party was as mute and neutral as a stone. Human rights no longer have a viable political constituency in the United States of America. Be enough of a coward, though, and cable news will fit you for a toga. However, because I know it is vital for the Democrats to "recapture" the good Christian folks, there's a passage from Scripture that seems apropos: "When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it." -- Charles P. Pierce

Attention Californian voters: Proposition 90 is bad. Please cast a vote against it November 7th.

BITS for the Week of September 18th

• Hey Seniors: Happy Donut Hole Day!!
• Hmmm.... Maybe the Democrats' "play dead" (and morally reprehensible) approach to the torture debate is actually a shrewd strategy?
• The birth of "not torturiness"
• Ouch. MediaMatters slams FactCheck.org
• Today's word-for-the-day: POLYNYA
• More on sulfur-emitting Bush-war
• Greg Palast interviews Hugo Chavez
• Maryland congressional candidate brags about stealing votes.
• Wow. Check out President Hugo Chavez as he totally disses Bush-war in his address at the United Nations yesterday
• For all you Geeks out there: How to Hack Everything
• Congressional Republicans, right now, are trying to legalize voter suppression. Fight back.
• "It's unacceptable to think" (Keith Olbermann video)
• How Bush-war plans to attack Iran

FRIDAY F U N

• Clippy, the annoying Microsoft Office helper
• Microscopic Art
• Finger Forks
• Muppet Show: Beaker Sings Feelings
• American history in photos (excellent collection)
• Place the State (teaching game - my score: 88%)
• World Wikia (online wikipedia-type world travel info)
• The lure of catching more fish
• I'm Feeling Spendy (enter a price, see random Amazon product for that price) found at this site

Remember this great speech by Rep. Tim Ryan back in October, 2004 regarding the Bush-war lies? Well, Mr. Ryan is still around.

This needs no introduction:

Urgent Letter from Dennis Kucinich about Bush Administration Plans for a US War vs. Iran Dear Friends, The Bush Administration is preparing for war against Iran, using an almost identical drumbeat of weapons of mass destruction, imminent threat, alleged links to Al Queda, and even linking Iran with a future 911. In the past few months reports have been published in Newsweek, ABC News and GQ Magazine that indicate the US is recruiting members of paramilitary groups to destabilize Iran through violence. The New Yorker magazine and the Guardian have written that US has already deployed military inside Iran. The latest issue of Time writes of plans for a naval blockade of Iran at the Port of Hormuz, through which 40% of the world's oil supply passes. Other news reports have claimed that an air strike, using a variety of bombs including bunker busters to be dropped on over 1,000 targets, including nuclear facilities. This could obviously result in a great long term humanitarian and environmental disaster. Earlier this year, I demanded congressional hearings on Iran and was able to secure the promise of a classified briefing from the Department of Defense, the State Department and the CIA. When the briefing was held, the Department of Defense and the State Department refused to show and are continuing to block any congressional inquiry into plans to attack Iran. Just this past week, the International Atomic Energy Agency called "erroneous, misleading and unsubstantiated" statements relating to Iran's nuclear program which came from a staff report of the House Intelligence committee. Other intelligence officials have claimed over a dozen distortions in the report which, among other things, said Iran is producing weapons grade uranium. The Washington Post wrote: "The IAEA called that 'incorrect' noting that weapons grade uranium is enriched to a level of 90 percent or more. Iran has enriched uranium to 3.5% under IAEA monitoring." I have demanded that the Government Oversight subcommittee on National Security and International Relations, of which I am the ranking Democrat, hold hearings to determine how in the world the Director of National Intelligence, John Negroponte, viewed the report without correcting the obvious inaccuracies before it was published. Once again a case for war is being built on lies. You will recall that four and a half years ago I warned this nation about the deception behind the build up to war against Iraq. Everything I said then turned out to be 100% right. I led 125 Democrats in opposing the Iraq war resolution in March of 2003. The very same people who brought us Iraq in 2003 are getting ready to bring us a war against Iran. With your help, I will lead the way to challenge the Bush Administration's march to war against Iran. Please support my campaign for re-election with a generous donation to help continue my work in the Congress. The plan to attack Iran, on its face, threatens the safety of every US soldier serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, not to mention the countless Iranian lives at risk and the threat to world peace and environmental catastrophes. With your support, I intend to continue to insist upon: (1) Direct negotiations with Iran. (2) The US must guarantee Iran and the world community that it will not attack Iran. (3) Iran must open once again to international inspections of its nuclear program. (4) Iran must agree not to build nuclear weapons. Many of you joined me three years ago as I ran for President to challenge the deliberate lies about WMDs, Iraq and 911, Iraq and Al Queda and the Niger "yellowcake" claims which put us onto the path of an unnecessary, illegal, costly war in Iraq. The Iraq war has caused greater instability and violence in the world community. In the meantime, our government has used the oxymoronic war on terror to trample our Constitution, rip up the Bill of Rights and rule by fear. Please join with me as we continue our efforts for the end of fear and the beginning of hope, for international dialogue, for cooperation and for peace. Thank you, Dennis

Very few listened to Dennis and heeded his advice before March, 2003, when he correctly predicted the follies of our government's invasion of Iraq. Please, PLEASE take him seriously this time, people.

Here it is, hot off the press, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s latest Rolling Stone Magazine's exposé on the corrupt and failed electronic voting industry, currently projected to handle about 80% of the votes cast in the upcoming November national election. Intro:

The debacle of the 2000 presidential election made it all too apparent to most Americans that our electoral system is broken. And private-sector entrepreneurs were quick to offer a fix: Touch-screen voting machines, promised the industry and its lobbyists, would make voting as easy and reliable as withdrawing cash from an ATM. Congress, always ready with funds for needy industries, swiftly authorized $3.9 billion to upgrade the nation's election systems - with much of the money devoted to installing electronic voting machines in each of America's 180,000 precincts. But as midterm elections approach this November, electronic voting machines are making things worse instead of better. Studies have demonstrated that hackers can easily rig the technology to fix an election - and across the country this year, faulty equipment and lax security have repeatedly undermined election primaries. In Tarrant County, Texas, electronic machines counted some ballots as many as six times, recording 100,000 more votes than were actually cast. In San Diego, poll workers took machines home for unsupervised "sleepovers" before the vote, leaving the equipment vulnerable to tampering. And in Ohio - where, as I recently reported in "Was the 2004 Election Stolen?" [RS 1002], dirty tricks may have cost John Kerry the presidency - a government report uncovered large and unexplained discrepancies in vote totals recorded by machines in Cuyahoga County. Even worse, many electronic machines don't produce a paper record that can be recounted when equipment malfunctions - an omission that practically invites malicious tampering. "Every board of election has staff members with the technological ability to fix an election," Ion Sancho, an election supervisor in Leon County, Florida, told me. "Even one corrupt staffer can throw an election. Without paper records, it could happen under my nose and there is no way I'd ever find out about it. With a few key people in the right places, it would be possible to throw a presidential election."

Read the entire article here.

Guest poster Phil L. found this great video of Senators Durbin and Reid making fun of recipients of Bush's medals of freedom.

The greatest misuse of the word "integrity" in the history of the world:

"For the moment, the spotlight is on McCain and Bush -- a delightful GOP squabble. But it is the Democrats who ought to be paying close attention. For while the Democrats are awash in potential presidential candidates, they have nobody who even remotely approaches McCain's stature. I say this not because I agree with McCain across the board -- not on abortion, for sure, and not on Iraq, and not with his bellicose statements regarding North Korea -- but because he embodies a quality for which the country yearns: integrity. He is a man of his word." - - - Richard Cohen

Knowledge News reports how the recent degradation of Pluto's status continues:

Pluto's humiliation continues. Last month, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) officially stripped it of planet status, calling it a "dwarf planet" instead. This month, the Minor Planet Center (MPC) gave it a new, additional name: asteroid number 134340. The move is in keeping with poor Pluto's slide to something short of a planet. Pluto's moons--Charon, Nix, and Hydra--will be called 134340 I, II, and III, respectively. Meanwhile, the celestial body that, in the end, provoked Pluto's demotion got its official name. The IAU announced that 2003 UB 313, nicknamed "Xena," will be called Eris, after the Greek goddess of discord and strife. Eris's moon will be called Dysnomia, after Eris's daughter, the spirit of lawlessness. Eris is slightly larger than Pluto, and three times farther from the sun. According to the IAU's new definition of "planet," it's a dwarf planet, too--not the real deal--because it hasn't "cleared the neighborhood around its orbit." By the way, that definition hasn't exactly met with widespread acceptance. In the weeks following its announcement, many astronomers have called it "sloppy science" and have claimed that "it won't stand." They point out that few planets ever fully "clear the neighborhood" around their orbits. After all, said one, "If Neptune had cleared its zone, Pluto wouldn't be there," because Pluto's orbit sometimes crosses Neptune's. In fact, hundreds of astronomers have signed a petition stating, "We, as planetary scientists and astronomers, do not agree with the IAU's definition of a planet, nor will we use it. A better definition is needed." Stay tuned. The IAU doesn't meet again until 2009, so we're probably in for three years of interplanetary war.

Guest post by Phil L.:

A Few Minor Details Similar to the body armor issue, we have "money and politics" interfering with saving soldier's lives. Seems that Israel is way ahead on using a system called Trophy, to knock RPG's out of the air before they reach their target. Unfortunately, the Pentagon has a contract with Raytheon for 70 million. What's it mean? Soldiers denied the proper equipment or the latest available technology to protect themselves. The Israelis system is ready now, the Raytheon system will not be ready for 5 years! Will the soldiers get the latest and greatest to protect themselves? No, they will continue to get killed in battle because of priorities for Donald Rumsfield, "money and politics"! Next, we have an incredible story of experiments they are starting on Veterans for PTSD related problems. After injections of natural stress hormones on mice they are ready to immediately jump to testing on humans. I guess the Government is getting desperate to save money on Veteran's benefits. Damn, I feel sorry for the Veteran volunteers.

Left I on the News found this great chart which "playfully" rates the severity of the most deadly ways Americans die. Seriously, though, note where deaths from terrorism ends up, and then compare that with the incessant push by Bush-war to make it our number one priority.

Trudy Rubin of the Philadelphia Inquirer suggests a message the Democratic candidates should consider using for explaining how a Democratic-elected government will move beyond the Iraq whack-a-mole policy currently entrenched in the Bush-war Administration:

Fellow Americans, there is no issue of more consequence to American foreign policy than Iraq. Republicans accuse us of aiding the terrorists. That charge is untrue and unseemly, given that Republican mistakes have turned Iraq into a training ground for al-Qaeda. However, what you want to know is whether Democrats have a better plan. The mistakes of the last three years have left few good options, and the past colors our choices for the future. Some of my fellow Democrats, and some in the military, believe a speedy troop drawdown would take the steam out of the insurgency. I respectfully disagree. I believe a quick U.S. exit would open the door to a full-scale civil war and the collapse of Iraq, leaving a failed state that would become a magnet for terrorists. Iraq's Shiite and Sunni neighbors would play out their quarrels over its bloody corpse. Yet I do not believe that we can just "stay the course." This White House mantra is based on the hope that Iraq's national unity government can pull Shiites and Sunnis together and thus undercut the Sunni insurgents. But the mantra isn't working. The hard-core Sunni ex-Baathists and jihadis who want to seize power have brought the country to the brink of civil war. They have viciously attacked Shiite civilians since 2003. After years of turning the other cheek, the Shiites are retaliating against Sunni civilians. Unless these hard-core Sunnis can be stopped, Iraq's national unity government won't hold together. The slide toward civil war will accelerate, as moderate Sunnis are assassinated. The Iraq national security battalions we've trained won't jell, as their country falls apart. So we Americans are facing a moment of truth. Right now, U.S. forces are fighting alongside Iraqis to try to drive Sunni hard-liners out of Baghdad. But the U.S. military is strained and degraded by the administration's lack of planning for the demands of the postwar. It doesn't have enough troops in Iraq to do the job. In order to fight in Baghdad, we have pulled troops out of Al-Anbar province, the bastion of Sunni hard-liners. This led recently to a remarkable protest memo by the head of U.S. Marine intelligence in the province, calling desperately for more aid and troops. We are playing whack-a-mole, moving troops from one hot area to another and losing the gains we've made each time we do so. This lowers the chance that we can stop the hard-liners. It shrinks the chance that Iraq's unity government can survive and that its security forces thrive. Few Americans are in the mood to send more troops to Iraq. Many military specialists say there are no more combat-ready troops to send. Perhaps so. But if you elect this Democrat to office, I will not continue a Republican policy that is failing. We must decide as a nation, and soon, whether we think it is worth trying to bring stability to Iraq, a nation whose previous system we took down. We must search harder to find the troops we need, and the right kind of troops, to stabilize Iraq over the next year - and to give its government a chance. We must also try harder to enhance a program that is showing success, that embeds U.S. units within Iraqi units and helps them fight. These special U.S. units need more men, and soon. We must stop funneling U.S. aid money to large contractors - and hold the administration responsible for a system that has produced shameful scandals and a scarcity of results. And we must put Iraq into the context of a broader regional strategy. It will not be possible to stabilize that country without revising our policy toward Iran. Nor can we halt the destabilization of the Mideast region without a new effort to rejuvenate negotiations over a Palestinian state. I haven't even broached the need for an energy policy that makes us less dependent on Mideast oil wells - a policy this administration has shamefully failed to devise. But first and foremost, you must ask whether you trust a government that has failed so badly. We need competence, accountability, and the willingness to change course. Otherwise, our Iraq venture is destined for disaster. The choice is yours.

Here's something for you to chew on...

By gum, it might be good for you Recent studies show that gum chewing may speed recovery from bowel surgery. Chewing gum — banned in schools and Singapore, discouraged by dentists, deplored as bad etiquette — is proving to have some unlikely health benefits. Let’s start with your teeth. Chewing gum generates extra saliva, which may help wash away the Streptococcus mutans bacteria that are the main cause of cavities. Trident and some other sugarless brands are sweetened with xylitol, which is chemically related to sugar and just as sweet, but apparently doesn’t “feed” cavity-causing bacteria the way regular sugar does. Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol like xylitol, is also used to sweeten sugarless gums, but a review published in 2006 concluded that xylitol is the better cavity fighter. Heartburn is often caused by gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), which occurs when some faulty digestive-system plumbing allows stomach contents to back up into the esophagus. In 2005, British researchers reported the results of a study of 30 GERD sufferers who chewed gum for about half an hour after they ate. Measurements showed that the gum lowered acid levels in their esophagi. The researchers speculated that frequent swallowing helped control reflux and push any errant stomach contents back where they belong. Students are always looking for an edge; jawing gum might be a safe way to get it. Several years ago, Dr. Kenneth Allen, a professor at New York University’s College of Dentistry, had students learning dental anatomy either chew sugarless gum or study gum-free. When they were tested on the material, the chewers scored higher than the non-chewers. Gum gets the bowels going After abdominal surgery, your bowels tend to shut down. All sorts of misery may ensue, including a painful, bloated feeling, vomiting, and dehydration. Severe cases lead to longer hospital stays and all the health risks they entail. Traditionally, patients haven’t been allowed to eat after abdominal surgery until there’s some evidence that their bowels are moving again. For this reason, doctors and patients alike rejoice at the first postoperative episode of flatus. But now there is some evidence that waiting may be counterproductive and that small quantities of food soon after surgery may hasten the return of normal bowel function. Yet some recovering digestive systems can’t handle even those tiny amounts. Gum-chewing for abdominal surgery patients has been proposed as a form of “sham feeding” that could get the bowels moving again without actually putting food or fluid through them. Chewing stimulates the vagus nerve, a long nerve that originates in the head but has many branches, including some that control the bowels. The vagus nerve may also play a role in the release of gastrointestinal hormones that stimulate bowel activity. Get a move on Chewing may activate the bowels via the vagus nerve, which extends from the head to the abdomen. Several years ago, researchers at Gunma University School of Medicine in Japan reported that gum-chewing speeded recovery from laparoscopic colectomy. In 2006, the same group reported that chewing gum accelerated the recovery of patients who had surgery for colon cancer. Doctors at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in California reported similar results in the February 2006 issue of the Archives of Surgery. Their study involved 34 patients who had colon surgery for diverticulitis, an inflammatory condition, or cancer. Important firsts — flatus, bowel movement, feelings of hunger — all happened sooner for the 17 patients randomized to postoperative gum-chewing. They also spent fewer days in the hospital (4.3 versus 6.8). The doctors did the math and concluded that gum-shortened hospital stays after colectomies could save $118.9 million, less the $47,531 cost of the gum. The results haven’t been unanimous. A month before the Californians reported their findings, doctors at a hospital in Wales reported negative results from a similar study. The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, which has already paid for some of this research, announced in March that it was establishing a science institute to fund studies into gum-chewing as a way to lose weight, relieve stress, and increase concentration. If chewing gum does all that (and doubles your pleasure and fun) then Wrigley may have found a whole new medicinal market for its products, and Singapore may have to rethink its antigum policies. The country relaxed its laws to allow chewing for therapeutic purposes, of which there may be plenty. All rights reserved.Harvard Health Letterwww.health.harvard.edu/healthVolume 31 - Number 10 - August 2006

All You Need to Know about Election 2006 - by soccerdad 1. 80% of all votes will be tabulated by electronic voting machines 2. Diebold machines shown by Princeton profs to be easily "hacked" All other discussion is a complete waste of time.

BITS for the Week of September 11th

• They Shot The Wrong Lincoln - Republicans crap in their pants over their inability to control one of their U.S. Senators
• IAEA calls out Bush-war Administration on falsified findings (i.e. "LIES") about Iran's nuclear program
• Slow Brain Waves: a key to brain function?
• I'm not quite sure what the deal is with this video, but the makers claim it's politically oriented. See what you think.
• A movie for dreamers? Plus, Little Richard translates a Bush Speech
• How much do YOU love Hitler?
• How Democrats can effectively and successfully campaign against Republicans
• "This Hole in the Ground": must-see video of Keith Olbermann
• Bush-war's résumé
• More on the utter failures of the Bush-war Administration in Afghanistan

FRIDAY F U N

• Hangman (game)
• Scamming the scammer - how one creative individual controlled a Nigerian scammer
• Light-up bras
• When cockroach meets weatherman (video)
• Lines from Samuel L. Jackson
• World's first Wheelchair Backflip (about 2/3 into video)
• TV Shows from the '50s
• Ask a question. Set your price. Get your answer.
  

There are many online sources of relatively unbiased news about Iraq. For the past couple of years I have faithfully read Informed Comment, written by Juan Cole who is a Middle East expert and Professor of History at the University of Michigan. Juan filters information from numerous news sources, both domestic and foreign, and presents concise summaries on at least a daily basis. I recommend Informed Comment as one of your top five daily reads.

"One of George Bush’s weirder acts in office (and that’s saying a lot) was to move FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, whose main job is to save us from floods and earthquakes, into the control of the Department of Homeland Security. Exxon’s refineries, once “pollution source points” scrutinized by government watchdogs, are now “critical infrastructure” protected by federal hounddogs." - - - Greg Palast

"In light of the rantings that went on for 30 minutes by two colleagues from the other side, I'd like to state for the record that America is not tired of fighting terrorism; America is tired of the wrongheaded and boneheaded leadership of the Republican party that has sent six and a half billion a month to Iraq while the front line was Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. That led this country to attack Saddam Hussein, when we were attacked by Osama bin Laden. Who captured a man who did not attack the country and let loose a man that did[?] Americans are tired of boneheaded Republican leadership that alienates our allies when we need them the most. Americans are most certainly tired of leadership that despite documenting mistake after mistake after mistake, even of their own party admitting mistakes, never admit they do anything wrong. That's the kind of leadership Americans are tired of.... I'm not going to sit here as a Democrat and let the Republican leadership come to the floor and talk about Democrats not making us safe. They're the ones in charge and Osama bin Laden is still at loose." Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)

That's very nice, Senator. Now, what the hell took you so long to speak out???

The Princeton University Center for Information Technology Policy has released a major research paper exposing the failings of Diebold voting machines. Here is the important portion of the executive summary:

The main findings of our study are: 1. Malicious software running on a single voting machine can steal votes with little if any risk of detection. The malicious software can modify all of the records, audit logs, and counters kept by the voting machine, so that even careful forensic examination of these records will find nothing amiss. We have constructed demonstration software that carries out this vote-stealing attack. 2. Anyone who has physical access to a voting machine, or to a memory card that will later be inserted into a machine, can install said malicious software using a simple method that takes as little as one minute. In practice, poll workers and others often have unsupervised access to the machines. 3. AccuVote-TS machines are susceptible to voting-machine viruses — computer viruses that can spread malicious software automatically and invisibly from machine to machine during normal pre- and post-election activity. We have constructed a demonstration virus that spreads in this way, installing our demonstration vote-stealing program on every machine it infects. 4. While some of these problems can be eliminated by improving Diebold's software, others cannot be remedied without replacing the machines' hardware. Changes to election procedures would also be required to ensure security.

"In 2003, President Bush bet the house on the mother of all poker games. And in the end, he didn't have the cards to back it up. He was wrong on just about every single issue having to do with the war in Iraq from the existence of WMD, to the proper number of troops, to the strength and scope of the insurgency. And America will be paying for it for decades." - - - Paul Rieckhoff

Be sure to go see Iraq For Sale when it comes out in a few days. Then, ask yourself:

Who are the benefactors of war?
Financially speaking, that would be:

• Contractors who make and sell the weapons, ammunition, jets, vehicles, equipment and services to the military.
• Contractors who provide the material and labor for cleanup and reconstruction.
• Those medical and pharmaceutical companies which provide the equipment, drugs and services to the military during the war (for the wounded) and after the war (for the permanently disabled).
• Mortuaries and funeral homes who bury the dead soldiers and civilians.

Who pays for the war?

Financially speaking, we the taxpaying citizens foot the bill for all the above. Plus, many of us pay with our lives, our physical suffering, our careers, and our families (divorce, etc.) . The rest of us pay through reduced social services due to tax dollars being diverted from government social programs to all the above.

This is why, throughout modern history, civilians have never started a war. This is why, throughout modern history, corporate-sponsored and -supported governments start as many wars as possible.

As long as Bush-war, his cabal, and his corporate contributors continue to profit financially from murdering Iraqis and destroying the Iraq infrastructure and landscape, he will continue to keep our troops there, no matter how high a percentage of U.S. citizens want us to get the fuck out now.

That's just the way it is, folks, so deal with it and stop all the tiresome whining. And complaining. And demonstrating. And righteous hand-wringing.
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Instead, REVOLT AGAINST IT.

Terrific advice from Steve Soto:

Listening to Democrats whine about the White House politicizing 9/11 frankly gets old. We have been treated to several comments today in response to Bush’s linking of 9/11 with Iraq in his short speech last night by Democrats who take offense. Shut the f*ck up. The reason why Democrats continue to lose to these guys is because five years after 9/11 they continue to whine about the GOP’s behavior instead of doing something about it. Of course Bush and the White House lie about everything. That is your problem Harry Reid and Ted Kennedy, not theirs. Why do you still assume that they will not politicize 9/11? Instead, you should assume that they will politicize everything and lie about it, and remind the media of this in advance, undermining the GOP’s message. Hell even the voters in red states know that Bush is politicizing the war on terror, and yet you still whine about it instead of telling voters to expect the worst from this group of losers in the White House. Ask voters why the White House spends more time politicizing everything than they ever do at getting anything right? Of course Bush will continue to tie Iraq to 9/11, because their Iraq policy is a failure, because their worldview is so limited and faulty that they cannot come up with anything else, and because it is easier to scare the crap out of voters than it is to get something right. It is your problem Democrats that you haven’t been able to set the frame with the media and the public that these guys don’t know what the hell they are doing and have no Plan B to get us out, and yet will continue to lie about it. It is your fault Democrats that you don’t have the guts to tell the public that frankly you are smarter than the White House and its sycophants, and have a plan to get us out while still giving Iraq a chance at a new start. Since you don’t have the courage of your convictions on Iraq, why should you expect the public to abandon the GOP on terrorism and Iraq and listen to you, when you can’t attack the GOP’s fantasies and myths about Iraq? Ask voters if Iraq is going so well, why are the Iraqis planning for a civil war already so that an Islamic state can settle in? Is that the result the White House desired when it tied 9/11 to Iraq? Of course the GOP Senators are all talk and no action when it comes to opposing the White House and setting a new course, whether it be on Iraq, regional security, detainee treatment, or anything else. The House and Senate GOP are pussies, including McCain, and are afraid of their own shadows. Stop waiting for the Senate GOP to take some independent action, blame them for caving when they do, and tell the public that if they want a change in course, they must stop being let down by the Senate and House GOP and elect Democrats to offer a different direction. And yes, call out McCain, Graham, Specter, Warner, and all the GOP Senate incumbents this year for being rubber-stamping pussies who would sell this country down the river if Bush told them to. Tie Bush like an anvil around the neck of Ricky Santorum, Mike DeWine, Jim Talent, Conrad Burns, and all House GOP incumbents and tell voters if you want more of the same then vote for the GOP and stop complaining. Lastly, stop complaining and start adapting to do what is necessary to defeat a party pushing a failing strategy. There is no reason for Democrats to be losing to these guys except for a lack of guts and killer instinct. You will have to assume the worst from these guys and get down in the gutter with them, hitting them hard, early, and often. Stop your whining and talk plainly and succinctly about the lies, the failures, and the lack of imagination and intelligence with these folks. And question their patriotism for a change, and ask why is everything about money and power with the GOP instead of about finding Osama and winning a real war against terror. Ask the voters why the White House puts more effort into winning campaigns, photo ops, and scaring voters every two years than they do in making the country safer and defeating terrorist threats. And ask the voters if they have had enough, or will they fall for it again? Just simply ask the voters if they would buy a used car from the president, and if they and the country are better off now than they were six years ago. Republicans seemingly are afraid to admit they are Republicans at a time Democrats are still afraid of their shadows. Make Bush and Cheney into used car salesmen and make that image stick. - - - Steve Soto

"Bush didn't just accidentally let Bin Laden slip away, he did it on purpose. Bush was not then and is not now serious about catching Bin Laden. And this point should be a major issue for both the 2006 and 2008 elections. All Democrats should say they pay more than lip service to the goal of catching Bin Laden. Democrats should constantly emphasize that when Democrats regain Congress and the Presidency, we will take out Bin Laden, no matter where he is. Even if he has safe haven in some wildlands of Pakistan." - - - phild1976

[click for larger image]

From guest-poster Phil L.:

Mike, From Larry Johnson's 'No Quarter' blog: Here's the down and dirty on the questions about Iraq's links to terrorism Phil

Here's the newest Googlebomb, this one targeting the TV movie "Path to 9/11". Click and visit as many of these sites as you can.

The Path to 9/11 The Path to 9/11 The Path to 9/11 The Path to 9/11 The Path to 9/11 The Path to 9/11 The Path to 9/11 The Path to 9/11 The Path to 9/11 The Path to 9/11 The Path to 9/11 The Path to 9/11

BITS for the Week of September 4th

• Holy shit: Bush-war Administration paid US journalists to write anti-Cuba propaganda
• Still thinking of watching ABC's "Path to 9/11"? Read this review first.
• Good riddance to John Bolton
• Bush-war's failure in Afghanistan is nearing completion
• ACTION ALERT: Help stop Disney from mickey-mousing with the truth
• School of the Future is open
• Guest-poster Phil L. recommends this new blog: Progressive Historians; check it out
• Juan Cole explains Bush-war's obsession with the "Strategic Eclipse"
• Keith Olbermann questions President Bush-war's decency (video)
• Deceived 9/11 cleanup workers are paying for the Bush-war Administration's incompetence with their health and lives
• Al Qaeda's new best friend? Pakistan.
• Aha! The OTHER reason Dick "Shooter" Cheney outed Valerie Plame
• All about the famous Rumsfeld/Hussein handshake
• Yet another example of the Bush Administration putting Americans first last.
• More screenshots/slideshow of soon-to-be-released Windows Vista
• A Letter to President Bush

Joe Lieberman's campaign manager, Dan Gerstein, decided to claim, on the campaign site's blog, that Joe L. did not beat his wife. The comments that ensued are not only a sad commentary to the idiocy of Lieberman's campaign, but, even more so, absolutely hilarious.

FRIDAY F U N

• Van Gogh's Starry Night reproduced real-time
• Goggles - flight simulator using Google Maps
• Solving the mystery of the "Kissing Sailor"
• Create your own punk song
• Centenarians speak plus Really really old people
• The Biology of B-Movie Monsters
• Relieve your stress by popping bubbles
• Do some free work for one of the wealthiest companies in the U.S.
• What is the cash value of your web site's domain name?
• Cool print ads from around the world
• And finally, one man living out his fantasy

"Power always has to be kept in check; power exercised in secret, especially under the cloak of national security, is doubly dangerous." William Proxmire

"Bush has lied so often, and about absolutely crucial matters of national security, that I do not trust him any more. This is a sadder commentary than anyone can know. On the War on Terror, I don't prefer a partisan approach. After September 11, I felt we all had to pull together, left right and middle, to beat down this challenge. "But I saw our president taking unseemly advantage of the terror threat. I saw him take short cuts in the law. I saw him repeatedly mischaracterize the facts. I saw him hang pre-existing projects on this new peg. I saw him try to make Americans-- always before a proud, free people--live in fear, so as to aggrandize his own power and prevent criticism of his policies. Now members of his cabinet have been so emboldened by their megalomania that they are likening critics of the Iraq War to Hitler-lovers." - - - Juan Cole

Guest post by Phil L.:

An Ounce of Empathy Finally, a win for humanity on the border issue! Anyone with an ounce of empathy for human beings dying in the desert heat has to celebrate the decision handed down by Judge Raner C. Collins. Two 'No More Deaths' volunteers, "Shanti A. Sellz and Daniel M. Strauss were facing prison time in the high-profile case that was scheduled to go to trial next month." The problem was, they obeyed the rules. "In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins said the two were following guidelines that border volunteers had been using for several years without being arrested. "Sellz and Strauss were arrested July 9, 2005, near Arivaca after they were stopped by Border Patrol agents with three illegal entrants in their vehicle. They were volunteering with No More Deaths, a faith-based group that during the summer provides food, water and medical aid to illegal entrants walking in the desert. "The two said they were following a "protocol" they'd been taught by No More Deaths, checking with a lawyer and a doctor by telephone before they began driving the entrants, whom they described as being severely dehydrated and ill. It seemed that both sides of the immigration issue wanted to use this a rallying point." Yes, both sides were using it as a "rallying point"! One side considers 'illegal immigrants' as undesirables, breaking the law, not entitled to any humanitarian aid. In other words they want to let human beings die in the desert's of the United States. They will even try and prosecute volunteers who give aid to these "illegal entrants". The other side doesn't look at the 'illegal immigrant' issue. They look at the rights of human beings to live and ultimately get back to their families healthy. Maybe the United States is finally coming to its senses, at least 2 young volunteers will not have to suffer the inequity of justice!

"Many talk of the Bush administration not being "in touch" with reality. But who's [sic] reality? The one thing you must come to grips with in order to understand where we are headed is that the neocons place absouletly [sic] no value on [Iraqi] human life. Their goals involve power and maintaining that power. That hundreds of thousands (maybe even millions in the future) of innocent people have to die is literally of no concern or consequence to them. "Now ask yourself (assume their viewpoint for a second as disgusting as that is) is the US losing and will there be an attack on Iran? Finally, any blowback from such an attack will be used to justify their recent rhetoric. So exactly how do the neocons lose?" - - - SoccerDad

FRIDAY F U N

• Poodle disguise for your Doberman
• The relative size of Earth
• Drag the circles (game)
• Mobile Phone-Throwing World Championship
• Random Number Survey
• Worship at every meal with Jesus Pan
• The evolution of speech balloons
• The Auto Door
• The secret Microsoft Training videos
• The Ultimate Swiss Army Knife