Thoughts on a variety of things:
First, the campaign for President is rapidly boiling down to an Obama/ McCain matchup, unless Hillary pulls out the stops and starts effectively swift-boating Obama on the inexperience thing. The problem with that strategy is that the country never before seemed more ready for an outsider in the White House and ready to blame the Washington insider pols for the mess we’re in. The Hillary-Reid-Pelosi-Hoyer establishment wing of the Democratic party have effectively taken the hope and zeal of the 2006 congressional takeover and ground it into a pile of unappetizing gruel, especially on the Iraq issue, and have concentrated their efforts on the election… at the expense of any meaningful new policies… using the Bush veto as a convenient excuse. So along comes Obama with his eloquence, passion, and outsider credentials and it’s no wonder folks fall into episodic incontinence at one of his campaign stops. And of course McCain, ever the “party maverick”, is the ultimate career politician who checked what was left of his soul at the primary gate when he obscenely groveled before the very “agents of intolerance” (Robertson, Fallwell, et al ) that he decried 8 years ago, while representing the party that a) failed to see 9-11 coming, b) lied us into the quagmire known as Iraq while effectively turning that secular country into a seething hornets nest of Muslim fanaticism, and c) managed to sieze defeat from the jaws of victory in Afghanistan which, if you read the fine print on pape 16 of your daily newspaper, is virtually back in the controlling hands of the Taliban. Oh yeah, and how’s that search for Bin Laden going anyway?
Shaping up to be a slam dunk for whichever Dem gets the nomination, so, naturally, the Repubs have already ratcheted up the Democrats-as-sissies rhetoric with all Gitmo/waterboarding/FISA cultism. Jesus, what’s up with some of these rightie talk show gasbags and their waterboarding fetish? Is that all they’re left with, “We’re the torture party!”? Is this election really going to come down to which party favors wet towels placed over the nostrils of “detainees”?
Bush briefly halted his I’m-the-next-Abe Lincoln self-love fest to remind Chris Wallace of Faux News that the Dems are still the cut-and-run party and that only God fearin’, tough talking, ridin’ high in the saddle chicken hawks like him and Cheney could deal with the threat of “terrorishm”, and talking of all the imaginary terrorist attacks that haven’t taken place on American Soil on the Republican’s watch. What’s the bet that at least one more orange level terror alert goes up sometime between now and November?
So, I’m actually beginning to believe that Obama, with his rhetoric of hope and restoring the stature of U.S. integrity around the world, could be just the right salve for the open wound known as Bush (and his designated ass-kisser, McCain). And even though it’s unlikely that he’ll be any more effective about changing the direction of this country any more than Pelosi-Reid-Clinton-Hoyer at least we’ll feel a hell of a lot better about ourselves for a few months. At least until the forclosure notice is tacked to the front door.
While I hope Obama brings the positive change we’re all hoping for (even my Republican brother says he’ll vote for him) I was discouraged after reading how the anti-war movement was co-opted by pro-war Democrats. I was further distressed to find out that the same K Street crowd who undermined the out of Iraq movement are now behind Obama’s campaign.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/18349197/the_chicken_doves
Comment by prattvictory — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 11:59 am
Thanks for the great post, Stacy!
I wouldn’t be so hard on the Hillary-Reid-Pelosi-Hoyer set, though, since I don’t think that the Bush veto is just a convenient excuse.
Let’s face it - Combined with the filibustering Repubs, the Bush veto is really an insurmountable obstacle. I just pray that in the next election the Dems get a big enough majority to overcome the right-wing Repub stranglehold on our country.
By the way - On your old page you used to have a few links that I thought were great. I got to know www.dailyhowler.com and www.crooksandliars.com from your links. Can you add some links on the sidebar of you new web-page? If you do, I’d certainly also recommend thinkprogress.org.
Finally, you mentioned Paul Krugman’s column on the radio the other day .
I think Krugman’s stuff is really good. He does a great job backing up his positions and assertions with numbers and stats, and clear explanations.
Comment by goodguy — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 12:22 pm
GoodGuy, Great Post.
In fact it reminded me of something I was thinking about during the show on the way home last night. In answer to the questions Stacy was asking I would say that in my opinion it is fine for him to criticize Hillary. That said I am very happy when someone like Krugman steps up and defends her. I like that a lot.
I don’t know Stacy how many discussion boards you frequent but you do not have to go very far to find Obama supporters and other left leaning people bashing Hillary brutally. It happens on this blog!
Comment by Virginia M — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
By the way, here is a link to Krugman’s column…
Comment by goodguy — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
I just pray that in the next election the Dems get a big enough majority to overcome the right-wing Repub stranglehold on our country.
I’m almost afraid to get my hopes up. I have come to realize that what is almost as important as Congress is who is in charge of appointments to the Federal agencies. Most of the governments work and many of the most important regulations are handled by the big agencies. That is where good leadership makes a huge difference.
Comment by Virginia M — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 1:21 pm
OMG Stacy, It’s been so long since the last election that I completely forgot about the orange terror alerts!
Comment by Lorelei — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
Just prior to reading your current post, I was going over the vote on FISA and to what we are up against when it comes to the mentality of our sitting democratic senators and their spineless, feet in the air get along go along vote to disreguard the constitution and any of the rights of the people. Since you went on the air, three years ago, with Air America, it’s been one monumental, gigantic dissapointment and putting any more faith into the Democratic party is pure folly. I keep getting E-Mail urging me to contact my Senator, Rep. Et.Al. telling them to please vote what is right and don’t be frighened of the big boogy man. Alas, it all falls on deaf ears. or so it seems. I support Obama and hope that it soon will be over, this crap is kiling me.
Comment by knifemaster — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
I have come to realize that what is almost as important as Congress is who is in charge of appointments to the Federal agencies.
Boy, are you ever right about that, and it’s a big part of why the Clinton years were so good and the Bush ones so bad. It’s all about competence!
That’s something that’s made me feel good about all our Dem choices, the entire field and of course the two current ones. Competent to the max, and effective leaders to boot.
Comment by goodguy — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 2:50 pm
Very good post, Mr. Taylor — thank the Lord you are back on in S.D.! It’s glad there is at least one voice of sanity on S.D. talk radion1
While I feel that Obama is a stronger candidate than H. Clinton (and no, her gender has nothing to do with it, as far as I’m concerned), don’t underestimate the depths to which the GOP will sink to put McCain in the White House. (However, it will be so delightful to listen to this conservatives whine when McCain doesn’t jump at their every whim …and I have a feeling that’s exactly what’s going to happen!)
Comment by Vriendje — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 4:48 pm
Jesus, what’s up with some of these rightie talk show gasbags and their waterboarding fetish? Is that all they’re left with, “We’re the torture party!”? Is this election really going to come down to which party favors wet towels placed over the nostrils of “detainees”?
No kiddin’ Stacy. It’s an upside-down world we’re living in. So I gave Dennis a chance on my way to La Jolla. You’re right, he’s already getting over any problems with McCain. The funniest thing he said was he called Mitt Romney, “my guy.”
Nothing you can do, ’cause I’m stuck like glue…
Then right before commercial he has a pre-recorded bit asking if you apply neo-synephrine to a guy’s nose while he’s being waterboarded, (to dry his sinuses?) what’s the jury on that one? I just don’t get it. Why would anybody say something that stupid? Waterboarding isn’t just simulated drowning either. It’s partial drowning. The brain craves oxygen and the hapless victim in their delirium will do anything to stop it. I don’t believe the CIA when they say they only waterboarded three times either. Oh yeah, and it was just the top Al Qaeda guys that did 9/11. I wasn’t born yesterday. So every now and then after a certain episode of 24, Scalia weighs in on the importance of torture.
Comment by Flying Junior — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 5:05 pm
Right on, Flying Junior! Waterboarding is partial drowning not “simulated” drowning. The longer it lasts the more damage is done. You can die from waterboarding.
Comment by Virginia M — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 5:22 pm
I remember when McCain initially came out against torture. At least the Dukester never had to endure the shame of flip-flopping on this vital issue. Waterboarding, sexual humiliation, vicious dogs… all innocent fun, right Republicans? No harm, no foul? No organ damage? When the CIA wants to do something really nasty, they outsource to some place like Usbekhistan. Tell me what you think of this post, “The horror of cooked chicken.”
http://sobeale.blogspot.com/2007/12/horror-of-cooked-chicken.html
Comment by Flying Junior — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 5:37 pm
Stacy, I heard you take the call about superdelegates. I guess you wikipediaed or googled pretty much the same stuff I saw the other day over the commercial break, so I won’t bore your readers with the history, but it almost came into play in 1984 with Mondale not having a clear lead early on. As far as the delegate counts, it sounds very straight-forward and easy. 4049 delegates. 2025 to secure the nomination. A simple majority, no possibility of a tie if it’s a two-person race. I wonder if the superdelegates are committed on the first ballot, or can they vote any way they please? Obamans are concerned about this as Hillary is conected enough to have a comfortable margin of superdelegates. I wasn’t able to figure out how the disenfranchisement of the Florida and Michigan delegates affected the delegate count. It’s probably to early to know.
Nancy Pelosi, for one is a superdelegate. Loserman was stripped of his superdelegate status when he endorsed McCain; the so-called Zoell Miller rule.
Comment by Flying Junior — Tuesday, February 12, 2008 @ 6:02 pm
http://sobeale.blogspot.com/
Hey Stacy! Southern Beale might change your mind about southerners! She is great!
Comment by Virginia M — Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 10:40 am
stinkfinger; Your still an Idiot. Take your crayon and go write on someone elses blackboard
Comment by knifemaster — Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 11:45 am
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/poll_bullshit_is_most_important
Meaningless Bullshit is most important!
Comment by Virginia M — Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 11:57 am
Then why in Flordia was the number of forecloser home sales greater than non-foreclosure sales?
Hard to hide the truth.
Comment by Greg in Bonita — Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
Ace:
Your commentary was well stated regarding the smug idiocy of right wing talk radio nuts who are saying that leftists are going to crash into depression when Bush is gone and they will not have anyone to hate quite as vividly.
However higher awareness seeking people ought realize that the politically correct social police and Judeo-Christian bias against the term hatred is itself questionable. The word obviously means antipathy—as in deep dislike. Hatred therefore is part of the human condition—as is its opposite—love.
It is not the passion of hatred or antipathy that is automatically to be condemned but rather what people behaviorally do with feelings of hatred. Some behaviors that are motivated by hatred can be condemned as destructive. But only when hatred does become pathological should we condemn the feeling or attitude.
There are in fact times when deep seated antipathy, resentment, or indignity are the best responses to certain situations—for example the high levels of corruption in government. No one goes around worrying about how much hatred is pathologically leveled against various scapegoats—that are considered open season. It is more the sacred cows that are ready to use the label of “hatred” as automatically terrible and inhumane. This is part of this shallow and naïve culture.
However there is some truth in the fact that many people like to blame and turn all their animosity toward certain figureheads like Bush. The fact is that Bush is more puppet and symptom of a much bigger culture of corruption. Getting rid of Bush and company does not solve the corruption problem in American in which both parties are corrupt. However some pundits like us to believe by merely switching parties we will be better off—this is sad that Americans are so fricken naïve as to not realize that this culture itself is corrupt.
The fact is people like their economic lifestyles of cheap energy and luxury. The American people like their relative ignorance and willingness to be lied to in regard to securing their lifestyle. Americans like their throw away society. And Americans love to hate “them”.
Whereas the problem is indigenous to the culture itself—extreme corruption and extreme naiveté—with a continuous willingness to rationalize and hate politicians.
Johnny Walk of Balboa
P.S. I will blog with your group if it can be assumed that occasionally you will read the commentary out loud on your show—not all of us are willing to call in and speak directly.
Comment by Johnny Walk — Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 2:50 pm
Ace:
Your commentary was well stated regarding the smug idiocy of right wing talk radio nuts who are saying that leftists are going to crash into depression when Bush is gone and they will not have anyone to hate quite as vividly.
However higher awareness seeking people ought realize that the politically correct social police and Judeo-Christian bias against the term hatred is itself questionable. The word obviously means antipathy—as in deep dislike. Hatred therefore is part of the human condition—as is its opposite—love.
It is not the passion of hatred or antipathy that is automatically to be condemned but rather what people behaviorally do with feelings of hatred. Some behaviors that are motivated by hatred can be condemned as destructive. But only when hatred does become pathological should we condemn the feeling or attitude.
There are in fact times when deep seated antipathy, resentment, or indignity are the best responses to certain situations—for example the high levels of corruption in government. No one goes around worrying about how much hatred is pathologically leveled against various scapegoats—that are considered open season. It is more the sacred cows that are ready to use the label of “hatred” as automatically terrible and inhumane. This is part of this shallow and naïve culture.
However there is some truth in the fact that many people like to blame and turn all their animosity toward certain figureheads like Bush. The fact is that Bush is more puppet and symptom of a much bigger culture of corruption. Getting rid of Bush and company does not solve the corruption problem in American in which both parties are corrupt. However some pundits like us to believe by merely switching parties we will be better off—this is sad that Americans are so fricken naïve as to not realize that this culture itself is corrupt.
The fact is people like their economic lifestyles of cheap energy and luxury. The American people like their relative ignorance and willingness to be lied to in regard to securing their lifestyle. Americans like their throw away society. And Americans love to hate “them”.
Whereas the problem is indigenous to the culture itself—extreme corruption and extreme naiveté—with a continuous willingness to rationalize and hate politicians.
Johnny Walk of Balboa
P.S. I will blog with your group if it can be assumed that occasionally you will read the commentary out loud on your show—not all of us are willing to call in and speak directly.
Comment by Johnny Walk — Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 3:14 pm
I realize this is a little of the beaten path but I was wondering if you could take a minute to make a pitch to “save” the chocolates!
This is to say, that according to the interesting book: Rubbish! The Archaeology of Garbage by William Rathje and Cullen Murphy, there are a measureable amount of boxes of chocolates thrown away to the trash bins after Valentines Day! (which apparently is not equally true for Halloween candy).
Perhaps some of those women who throw away their chocolate giftss this February could take them to a preselected coffee shop for some of us chocoholics who seldom if ever are given chocolates for the v-day (vice day).
I’m not exactly suggesting that it is a sexist thing or anything but males are not subject to such throw away candy decisions, and are not inundated with nearly as many opportunistic advertisings for remedies like lipo-suction, plastic surgery, tummy tucks, etc. Personally I can not even read the Reader with out getting nauseated with all their predatory listings page after page.
Yet the sad truth is that too few beautiful women really have much habit in engaging sensual pleasure. So I really don’t understand all the effort that goes into worrying about physical beauty and its neurosis that so accompanies it—when there is so little emphasis is put on psychological attractiveness.
So at least we can save the chocolates. And by the way. There are a lot of lonely books dying for your attention.
Johnny Walk
Comment by Johnny Walk — Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 3:39 pm
The water boarding discussion is a red herring because it takes the focus off the number of those people left dead after being rendered Nazi style. At least things I have read on various websites months or years ago—there were literally dozens (if not more) of prisoners who were not just tortured—but were murdered in the process. The corrupt corporate media basically ignored this reality—just like Congress has continued to ignore its responsibility of intelligence oversight—save gaining talking points on how to .
The torture has been going on for years. But Americans can’t handle how corrupt this country really has become—so the talking heads focus on what seems ambiguous. Where is the recognition of the facts about kid-napping people and taking them to third world countries where uncouth things have been known to happen?
Comment by Johnny Walk — Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 3:56 pm
http://www.democrats.org/FightMcCain
Comment by Virginia M — Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 4:09 pm
Virginia - Thanks for the Southern Beale website recommendation, which has a great post about about how nutty it is to think that health-care should be based on profit motive. It’s spot-on.
Here’s a quote from guy named Glenn Smith, who writes for the Rockridge Institute, that I thought was great: “The health insurance industry has no more incentive to keep us healthy than Blackwater has in helping us avoid wars.”
Comment by goodguy — Wednesday, February 13, 2008 @ 8:52 pm
Mark Larson is such a dumb ass I try to listen to his show and it is impossible he has Michael Reagan on and the two of them sound totally nonsensical. If they represent the contemporary conservative I will be forced to go to the Ape house at the San Diego Zoo to decipher their nonsense. Michael Reagan got his dumb ass booted out of San Diego while his actor daddy was still alive he never brought anything to the discussion. Mark Larson only proves that if you will work for free long enough you can trick the real stupid person into believing your line of total bull shit.
There are no real conservatives like Barry Goldwater around anymore. Now these fraudulent freaks (Mark Larson, NY Mike, Rodger Hedgecook, Michael Reagan and many more….) are just a bunch of superstitious bobble heads doing the bidding for the oil companies and global corporations. All you have to do is say the word jesus and these nut jobs go into a spastic Al Jolson type of chorus line until they climax; then revert back to there total nonsense.
These fakes know the oil companies are ripping us all off, yet they never demand any accountability. If that is what conservatives have become just a bunch of corporate kiss asses I say piss on all these greedy corporate shills then water board them to shut them up.
Comment by Jesse east county — Thursday, February 14, 2008 @ 9:21 am
Limbaugh started years ago guiding those who are riding the “conservative” hobby horse in the direction of supporting the oil companies. He shills for them regularly. It was only a few years back that Hedgecock was talking about price fixing and boycotts. I don’t listen to him anymore so I don’t know if he hews closely to the Limbaugh line like all the other imitators and wannabees.
Comment by Virginia M — Thursday, February 14, 2008 @ 11:27 am
Mark Larson … and … Michael Reagan … sound totally nonsensical.
Amen Jesse!! It sure is nice to read your posts - They remind me of hearing you when you call in.
As far as the oil companies go, they are fat and happy with prices at about $95 per barrel and higher. What was it when Bush took office - less than $30, I think? And their muli-billion quarterly profits are just plain obscene.
Of course Bush’s Saudi pals are plenty happy too - as well terrorists who likely get lots of their funding from the mid-east oil profits.
Comment by goodguy — Thursday, February 14, 2008 @ 12:48 pm
You’re right. Michael Reagan is a total toilet-paper wad. He said Bush’ fiscal irresponsibility resembled that of a democrat. Bush doubled the national debt. It’s at $9 trillion. That’s $270k for every man woman and child in the U.S. That $270k figure is also the amount of money it costs every minute we are in Iraq. Every f***ing minute!
Comment by Flying Junior — Thursday, February 14, 2008 @ 11:44 pm
YO, FINGER; FACTS? FACTS? You wouldn’t know one if it hit you upside your head. As Iv’e said before, an intelligent dialogue with anyone takes two sides, at least one that operates on facts and brains and you don’t qualify for ether.
Comment by knifemaster — Friday, February 15, 2008 @ 10:53 am
Hey any of you in the “in crowd” know why Stacy is running reruns on the show?
Comment by Virginia M — Friday, February 15, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
At least until the forclosure notice is tacked to the front door……
yup- thanks to Cheneyist- Reaganism (ably served by the Clintons) we might well find the foreclosure notice tacked on the entire country. What happens when China, the Sauds, & the rest of the thugs we’ve been sold to want thier money? We owe HOW many trillion?
When that empty nitwit Reagan took office, we were the worlds top exporter & creditor. Thanks to “the invisible hand”, the Chicago boys, & bi partisan slugs, weare the worlds leading importer AND debtor.
Way to go, “conservatives”.
And chickenhawks are elevated to hero status. Facinating.
Mutt, La Mesa….
Comment by mutt — Friday, February 15, 2008 @ 4:22 pm
On to comedy. Leading neocon hero Kristol, getting it all wrong as only a “conservative” can….enjoy!
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/174894
You comin back Monday, Stace??
Comment by mutt — Friday, February 15, 2008 @ 4:43 pm
What’s the bet that at least one more orange level terror alert goes up sometime between now and November?
Guess it was closer to now Stacy. Listening to NPR for the morning commute, I didn’t hear Bush say it in his own words, but the newscaster immediately preceding his sound byte mentioned something about a terrorist attack on American soil that would make 9/11 seem small by comparison.
This to justify FISA law politics and immunity from lawsuits to the telecomm industry. Thank God Bush is president and we know about this threat.
If there was another one in the pipeline, who the hell’s fault would it be anyway?
Comment by Flying Junior — Friday, February 15, 2008 @ 7:18 pm
Great commentary Stacy. I still feel uneasy about both of the 2 top people. Edwards was my choice. He was the real deal. Whether he endorses any of them makes no difference. It’s all pay-back and there’s nothing we can do. But I will vote for Obama. Hillary took Murdoch’s money and that’s why I wrote her off from the beginning. As for you Mr. Fish…the reason there have been no attacks is because they (the bush league)did it in the first place. How hard is that to fathom? Don’t be a bottom feeder…rise to the top and get some air.
Comment by Julie in San Diego — Saturday, February 16, 2008 @ 1:19 am
US judge blocks Saudi Prince Bandar from moving real estate sale proceeds out of U.S.
The Associated PressPublished: February 10, 2008
“In London, lawmakers disclosed last month that Britain’s head of overseas intelligence had warned that Saudi Arabia probably would stop sharing vital information on terrorism if prosecutors pursued an investigation into alleged corruption in the arms deal.”
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/…andar-Suit.php
Here is my take on 9/11
The unraveling of the 9/11 operation is very complex I would have to say an extremely complex operation. Here is my take on the scope of what happened.
9/11 was the crescendo moment stemming back to 1954. We have all had time to
evaluate, re-evaluate, and evaluate the facts and disinformation surrounding
the spectacle of 9/11. I have no hesitation to state that 9/11 was the
catalyst to gain control of the remaining untapped oil reserves of Iraq and
Iran. I personally view 9/11 and the events afterward as three concentric
circles; each of the circles represent the following elements of the
operation. Each of the elements would have their own internal motives for
participation never to be unearthed though.
1.. The oil industrial complex, bush administration, and PNAC
2.. Israel as means to ensure long term stability in that region and a
source of long term finical gains
3.. Sunni faction of Islam (Saudi Arabia the Royal Family) to ensure their
on going wealth while destroying the Shiite faction that sits on the
remaining untapped oil reserves
The oil industry needed to gain control of the oil flow in that region
similar to the method Enron employed by manipulating energy prices in the
United States. This was necessary to recapture wealth from China and India
as their economies were expanding after 9/11 they became forced to pay
triple the price for their oil. Israel would have been reduced to do the
dirty work in the operation they had no resources to bring to the operation
but willing to become part of it via elements within PNAC. Israel would gain
a stake in the operation by wiring the World Trade Centers also the leverage
of the knowledge of the scope of the operation (Mukasey and AIPAC) . The
Sunnis wealth is dwindling as their oil reserves are rapidly decreasing;
while facing the reality that the Shiites would increase in power in the
region with their oil reserves. This would cause a serious change in the
balance of power in that region while both Islamic sects considering each
other as herertical doctrine and natural enemies for thousands of years. The
United States would destroy the Sunnis natural enemy for them that’s why
they are presently stuck on the 70/30 split of the oil.
If you follow this network back all three of the concentric circles had made
dramatic inroads during the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. Saudi
Arabia was matching dollar for dollar that the United States was covertly
funding the Mujaheddin. These entire funds were transferred through Israel
to purchase the weapons for the Mujaheddin. The network existed they just
need a plan to pull off any future heists. This means that the Mujaheddin
had been infiltrated by Mossad, CIA, and Saudi Arabia from day one. This
would mean that the Mossad, CIA, and Saudi Arabia are really Al-Qaeda.
Comment by Jesse east county — Saturday, February 16, 2008 @ 7:58 am
fish, you are a terrorist.
Comment by nobody special — Saturday, February 16, 2008 @ 8:45 am
YEA, JESSE, Coulnd’t have said it better. A lesson in how to be concise and to the point, refreshing. If finger attempted to read and digest your piece I’m sure you would hear his head explode all over the county
Comment by knifemaster — Saturday, February 16, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
ah, jeez. true believers, be they of the stinkfish or 9/11 was an inside job types are boring as all hell.
I usta blow stuff up for a living.
Theres enough stone cold evil these swine pull off that can be easily proved without vast conspiracies involving huge numbers of evidently invisible people.
Comment by mutt — Saturday, February 16, 2008 @ 5:32 pm
That’s right these bush family business partners told the United Kingdom stop an investigation or they would unleash a 9/11 on their country. Facts speak for themselves in the story below.
Judge: Saudi threats apparently ‘rolled over’ British government RAW STORY
Published: Friday February 15, 2008
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The British government appeared to have “rolled over” in response to pressure from Saudi Arabia to drop an investigation into alleged bribery in an arms deal with BAE Systems PLC, a High Court judge said Thursday.
Lord Justice Alan Moses made the comments while hearing a challenge brought by two lobby groups to the legality of a Serious Fraud Office decision to stop the investigation in December 2006.
“Saudi Arabia’s rulers threatened to make it easier for terrorists to attack London unless corruption investigations into their arms deals were halted, according to court documents revealed yesterday,” David Leigh and Rob Evans report for The Guardian. “Previously secret files describe how investigators were told they faced ‘another 7/7′ and the loss of ‘British lives on British streets’ if they pressed on with their inquiries and the Saudis carried out their threat to cut off intelligence.”
The Campaign Against Arms Trade and anti-corruption group Corner House argue the decision to halt the probe was illegal because it was based on tainted advice from then-Prime Minister Tony Blair and his government. The activists also argue it contravened the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s anti-bribery convention, disregarded Saudi Arabia’s obligations under international law and was against British law. Blair took responsibility for the decision to halt the probe, saying the investigation threatened national security interests.
That argument was reiterated on Thursday by the fraud office’s lawyer, Philip Sales, who said the decision was taken by the agency’s director because there was a serious and imminent threat to national security. Sales said Saudi Arabia threatened to withdraw cooperation on issues crucial to British public safety, including those «in light of the Islamist terrorist threat.
However, the two groups argue the government also put pressure on the fraud office to drop the investigation because BAE faced the loss of a lucrative jet fighter contract.
The activists’ lawyer, Dinah Rose, said the government had not disputed allegations that Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the former ambassador to the United States and now head of Saudi Arabia’s National Security Council, told Blair during a meeting in July 2006 to stop the inquiry or BAE would lose a 10 billion pound (US$19.6 billion) contract to buy Typhoon Eurofighter jets.
Rose said Blair then placed “irresistible pressure” on the fraud office’s director, Robert Wardle, to stop the investigation. “We submit that the prime minister, with the greatest respect, crossed the line,” she said.
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Judge_British_government_appeared_to_have_0215.html
Comment by Jesse east county — Saturday, February 16, 2008 @ 6:41 pm
Bush meets Saudi FM at White House and gives him a blow job in the rose garden.
(look at President George W. Bush grass stained knees in the picture on the link)
Published on Saturday, February 16, 2008.
Source: AFP
US President George W. Bush held talks here Friday with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal on what was expected to touch on the Palestinian-Israeli peace process and Lebanon, officials said.
White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Bush planned to meet the Saudi foreign minister in the Oval Office in the morning, with another official confirming that the meeting actually took place.
Bush “looks forward to discussing with him a wide range of regional issues including the president’s recent trip to the Middle East, to the region, the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and the situation in Lebanon,” Stanzel said.
A spokeswoman for the National Security Council later confirmed that the meeting between the president and Prince Saud took place but declined to provide any details about what was discussed.
The Saudi embassy in Washington also declined to comment.
http://www.blacklistednews.com/view.asp?ID=5613
Comment by Jesse east county — Saturday, February 16, 2008 @ 6:52 pm
Awww, Stacy, whatever is wrong I hope it’s OK soon. {{Hugs to you and yours.}} Thanks to Jorge for announcing on the break, Friday, that you’ll be back Monday.
Do you suppose that if the House doesn’t send a retroactive immunity bill covering the telecoms’ dirty hands for spying on U.S. citizens that, as W predicts, there will be another “terrist” attack? W seems to be implying this. Say, maybe right before the next “selection”? Perhaps in another “blue” state? So that maybe “selections would be too dangerous”? (not that we have much choice, but, still….)
On another, but related, topic, anyone else noticing all the tic-tac-toe chemtrails the last week? I guess we’re not eating the requisite amount of fast food poison and need to breathe it. We’re so doomed and deserve it, frankly: greediest and most aggressive, warmongering nation in recent history, “spreading ‘Democracy’” (at the end of a gun) to countries that a) will never be Democratic and b) have, uh, OIL for the taking, all coming from c) a country that lost all so-called Democracy when the goddamned Supremes annointed Jr.
Stock up on water my friends!!!! And tear up the lawns! Plant food–you can get food by just spitting out fruit and vegetable seeds. I don’t want y’all coming and invading me. Well, I guess “fishfinger” has fertile digits–maybe we can take turns planting them? Hey, even bullshit fertilizes, eventually.
Comment by Kathleen — Saturday, February 16, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
Stacy is back live! Yay, Stacy!
Comment by Virginia M — Tuesday, February 19, 2008 @ 3:27 pm
In response to the mediocre mind questioning Aguirre’s penis size,
Consider thus:
Americans, people not considered excessively bright on a worldly scale, are easily mis-lead with symbolism. Take a quick analogy of the quality of one’s courage with the size of one’s balls. Yet the truth is that courage is a heart word—as the root is from the French root ‘cour-‘ meaning heart. More importantly the heart is informed from the entirety of one’s being including ones awareness and emotion—not should the size of one’s testicles. If your gonads were strictly the sole or major source of courage then women would never be seen to possess it, and people who were viewed as underdogs would never fight back—nevertheless the psychological warfare against the male mind has dominated this stupid culture for too long.
This American hang-up with penis size has too many overtones. Every time someone has a moment of being stubborn, persistent, aggressive, etc., then the first form of attack is to question a man’s penis. It has of late even surpassed the questioning of one’s anality when one’s gets huffy, or wanting to complain, or see things be cleaner in the presence of a slob, or in the case of Aguirre being a prosecutor, wanting to play for a plaintiff. The point is that there is always something intrinsically wrong with the guy making a complaint or trying to cause change—whereas there was never anything wrong with the status quo or the person offering rationalizations.
Irrespective of the motives about why Aguirre’s staff may or may not be targeting smoke shops, it is simply too cheap an attack to question his masculinity because he may not be six foot three inches.
But this American hang-up about the penis is clearly out of proportion. Ask your self the following: How many times have you heard of a woman bragging about the size of genitalia? How many times have you a guy say: “I’m not going to date that women because her genitalia is too this or too that”? Probably never. Then why is there this constant plebian mentality that a man’s penis is the central fact of his personality and motives—that somehow it must explain away everything one does not immediately understand?
The most central fact about the penis other than it operates as a hose for fluids and has capacity to ejaculate or to “throw” substance beyond its physical terminal is that the penis is heavily inundates with nerves—meaning its sensitivity. How many “macho” men out there are bragging about the nervous investment of sensitivity in their penis? Why? Because the penis might then seem feminine? Oh my! No wonder there is such emphasis on one’s penis size and controlled muscularity to what is essentially a balloon.
As the saying goes, those who think they know it all ought chill out for a while why those of us that do can have our say.
Comment by Johhny Walk — Tuesday, February 19, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
In respect to arguments that strictly focus on water-boarding,
Invite your listeners to read Alexander Cockburn’s column from December 31, 2007 The Nation “Congress to CIA Torturers: ‘If Only you’d Told Us’”
@ http://www.thenation.com/docprem.mhtml?i=20071231&s=cockburn
In it he writes: “ …as Jeffery St. Clair and I describe in detail in Whiteout, our book on the CIA (available at www.counterpunch.org), the documented record of its savageries in this area goes back decades, starting with the recruitment of Nazi torture technicians in Operation Paperclip.” … “Down the years, the CIA has methodically destroyed records on matters pertaining to torture, assassination and mind control…”
The mainstream media’s focus on water boarding is “the practice of drawing a red herring across a trail to confuse hunting dogs.”
Comment by Johhny Walk — Tuesday, February 19, 2008 @ 5:52 pm
Oh Fish, you are a pathetic, uneducated, rude example of a human being. Your insults DO bring out the worst in people, but that’s how evil doers work, don’t they? You are no “angel.” You should take your finger painting, go with Rush to the Dominican Republic, and find some little boys to play with. You must have sucked your thumb until recently, or maybe you still do. Some people might say that you cheat your customers. And, since you don’t like paying taxes, some might say you cheat on those too. If you’re married, some people might say that you beat your wife, or push her around a little. What woman would want such a scumbag? You’re so bitter…you know the table will turn and you will be on the losing end. Stacy says, “Don’t feed the beast.” It’s difficult to hold back against such evil as you. Go push around someone smaller than you. Some would say you’re good at that. Go volunteer for Iraq, get your waterboarding fix, kills some Muslims, you chicken hawk. And shut up!
Comment by Kitty — Wednesday, February 20, 2008 @ 3:20 pm
Feed the beast? Lets face it, no matter what topic is brought up and discussed this IDIOT comes out of left,no, maybe, right field and fucks up this great blog.I’m going to try and ignore (IT)
Comment by knifemaster — Monday, February 25, 2008 @ 3:04 pm
Was so glad to wake up Monday and hear your voice again like the old days and hear you are regularly on am 1700 in the afternoon.. Guess I will need to buy a new radio for my bedroom - the old one there has a dial that only goes up to 1600.
I think Hillary has some one writing her speeches who works for Karl Rove. Only Republican could have produced that mean-spirited spoof mocking Barack Obama. Doesn’t she realize that it mocks his supporters even more than it mocks him? A politician can not insult his/her voters and expect them to vote for her.
I have voted in every election since JFK for the Democratic candidate - almost 50 years. If The Hillaryous one is the chosen one this year I will not vote for her.
Comment by amna cornett — Wednesday, February 27, 2008 @ 10:43 pm