Saturday, September 11, 2004
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Oops! Mushroom Cloud
Reported in North Korea
AP is reporting a large explosion in North Korea that created a huge crater and sent up a mushroom-shaped cloud.
We should note that large conventional munitions send up mushroom-shaped clouds, too. Even so, big explosions anywhere are usually very bad for anyone in the immediate vicinity.
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Oops! Mushroom Cloud
Reported in North Korea
AP is reporting a large explosion in North Korea that created a huge crater and sent up a mushroom-shaped cloud.
We should note that large conventional munitions send up mushroom-shaped clouds, too. Even so, big explosions anywhere are usually very bad for anyone in the immediate vicinity.
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Nader Off Arizona Ballot,
this time its final
A federal judge has thrown out a law suit that was a last ditch effort to get Ralph Nader on the ballot for the presidential election in Arizona. According to the Arizona Republic:
Most of the recent polls show Bush with a 5 to 6 point lead over Kerry. While picking up Nader's 2 points would help Kerry close the gap, it won't be enough to secure a victory.
Arizona did elect Democrats governor and attorney general just two years ago, so anything could happen. It's all going to come down to which party gets the most voters to the polls on November 2.
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Nader Off Arizona Ballot,
this time its final
A federal judge has thrown out a law suit that was a last ditch effort to get Ralph Nader on the ballot for the presidential election in Arizona. According to the Arizona Republic:
Even though Nader supporters gathered more than enough voter signatures, they abandoned their effort to compete in Arizona after Democrats questioned the validity of the independent candidate's nominating petitions.Presidential polls in Arizona have had such differing results over the past few months that it's really hard to say how much this will effect the Democrats' chances at turning Arizona blue. Polls since April have shown Nader pulling anywhere between 1.2% and 7% of the vote, with the 7% figure definitely being an outlier. Most polls have Nader getting around 2%.
Nader then filed a lawsuit last month alleging that the state's requirements for third-party candidates were unconstitutional because they violated a candidate's right to free speech and political association.
U.S. District Judge Frederick Martone allowed the lawsuit to remain alive so Nader attorneys could explore the legality of Arizona's residency requirement for petition circulators, which Democrats alleged Nader supporters violated.
State laws require petition circulators to be registered voters and Arizona residents.
Democrats alleged that more than 70 percent of the 21,500 petition signatures filed on behalf of Nader were invalid. Nader needed 14,694 valid signatures to get on the Arizona ballot.
Robert Barnes, an attorney for Nader, said Nader supporters didn't present signatures gathered by out-of-state petition circulators because they feared being prosecuted.
Martone said Nader should have raised the constitutionality of out-of-state circulators and the deadline for collecting signatures in state court.
Most of the recent polls show Bush with a 5 to 6 point lead over Kerry. While picking up Nader's 2 points would help Kerry close the gap, it won't be enough to secure a victory.
Arizona did elect Democrats governor and attorney general just two years ago, so anything could happen. It's all going to come down to which party gets the most voters to the polls on November 2.
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Confirmation of the Story
of W doing coke at Camp David
Something I missed a couple days ago. You remember the accusation in Kitty Kelley's new book on the Bush family, the one where Sharon Bush, the former wife of the president's brother Neil and a central source for the book, says that George W. Bush used to do nose candy at Camp David when Poppy was president?
When the book came out, Sharon denied that she ever said it. Only problem was, there was one other person there when Kitty was listening to Sharon. According to the New York Times (registration required):
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Confirmation of the Story
of W doing coke at Camp David
Something I missed a couple days ago. You remember the accusation in Kitty Kelley's new book on the Bush family, the one where Sharon Bush, the former wife of the president's brother Neil and a central source for the book, says that George W. Bush used to do nose candy at Camp David when Poppy was president?
When the book came out, Sharon denied that she ever said it. Only problem was, there was one other person there when Kitty was listening to Sharon. According to the New York Times (registration required):
Doubleday, the book's publisher and part of the Random House division of Bertelsmann, said it stood by Ms. Kelley's reporting. The publisher said in a statement that Ms. Kelly met with Ms. Bush for a four-hour lunch on April 1, 2003, where an unnamed third party heard the conversation, and that Ms. Kelley's editor, Peter Gethers, discussed the same material with Ms. Bush over the phone.I guess the only question that remains is, how big a bill was flightsuit boy rolling up to do his Camp David toots? Thanks to Jusiper for picking up the NYT's piece.
Lou Colasuonno, a former publicist for Ms. Bush, confirmed that he was the third party at the lunch and contradicted her denial. "I have not seen the book, I have only seen news reports," Mr. Colasuonno said. "According to what I have seen, what has been reported, I would not dispute that."
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Sticking Abstinence
where the sun don't shine
For a little teen sex humor, check out Technical Virgin.
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Sticking Abstinence
where the sun don't shine
For a little teen sex humor, check out Technical Virgin.
Friday, September 10, 2004
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Long Day on the Road
My apologies for the lack of posts. I had to journey to the Big City to fulfill some obligation that involves not nearly enough cash but at least some honorable work. I'll get right back on it tomorrow.
If you haven't already, read Digby's Tooth and Nail. The time for playing nice is over.
I try to be a decent human being in all circumstances. But when jumped by thugs in a dark alley, I'm likely to do some damage before walking out again. That's how I'm viewing this election year.
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Long Day on the Road
My apologies for the lack of posts. I had to journey to the Big City to fulfill some obligation that involves not nearly enough cash but at least some honorable work. I'll get right back on it tomorrow.
If you haven't already, read Digby's Tooth and Nail. The time for playing nice is over.
I try to be a decent human being in all circumstances. But when jumped by thugs in a dark alley, I'm likely to do some damage before walking out again. That's how I'm viewing this election year.
Thursday, September 09, 2004
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Getting Their Tin Foil Hats Mixed Up
As an inactive member of Veterans for Peace, I still get emails from the head of my local chapter. I tend to disregard most of them since he and I are frequently 180 degrees apart on how to achieve our common goals.
Tonight he's forwarding an email, quoting somebody named Alex Jones who conducted a radio interview with someone who said he was in the Texas National Guard who claims that his unit is being trained in preparation for martial law being declared in the U.S. on November 1st.
There is a link where supposedly you can listen to the radio interview, on a site called ParaPolitics.
I haven't listened to the interview (even bloggers have kids, dishes, laundry, etc), but I did take a look at a page of the ParaPolitics site and another called Liberty Forum that links to it.
Alex Jones' thing seems to be the big martial law conspiracy. He is hustling three videos on the subject:
Is this a Democratic plot to keep all the Freepers home on election day? If so, it is nothing short of brilliant.
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Getting Their Tin Foil Hats Mixed Up
As an inactive member of Veterans for Peace, I still get emails from the head of my local chapter. I tend to disregard most of them since he and I are frequently 180 degrees apart on how to achieve our common goals.
Tonight he's forwarding an email, quoting somebody named Alex Jones who conducted a radio interview with someone who said he was in the Texas National Guard who claims that his unit is being trained in preparation for martial law being declared in the U.S. on November 1st.
There is a link where supposedly you can listen to the radio interview, on a site called ParaPolitics.
I haven't listened to the interview (even bloggers have kids, dishes, laundry, etc), but I did take a look at a page of the ParaPolitics site and another called Liberty Forum that links to it.
Alex Jones' thing seems to be the big martial law conspiracy. He is hustling three videos on the subject:
Police State 2000 - The powerful central government is gearing up for the TOTAL TAKEOVERFascinating stuff, I must admit. But the weird part is, this is the sort of rhetoric we're used to hearing from the wacko right as they express their darkest fears about big government, the United Nations, and the Tri-Lateral Commission.
Alex Jones exposes the growing relationship between the military and police. Witness US marines training with foreign troops and learning how to control and contain civilian populations as practiced during Operation: Urban Warrior. You will see special forces helicopter attacks on south Texas towns, concentration camps, broad Unconstitutional police actions, search and seizure and more...
Police State 2: The Takeover - The corrupt central government has already implemented the first stages of an oppressive Police State -- MARTIAL LAW IS HERE! Alex Jones exposes the problem-reaction-solution paradigm being used to terrorize the American people into accepting a highly controlled and oppressive society. From children in public schools being trained to turn in their peers and parents, to the Army and National Guard patrolling our nation's highways, Police State: The Takeover reveals the most threatening developments of Police State control in our age.
Police State 3: Total Enslavement - The United States government, at all levels has fallen under the control of the desperately wicked New World Order clan
The events of Sept 11th mark the initiation of the final sick push of the illuminati to consolidate their one world order and transform earth into a prison planet.
In over two and a half hours, Alex Jones chronicles in stunning detail the true character of the globalists. Learn the master plan of the blood-thirsty elite to financially, physically and spiritually imprison not only America but the world.
Total Enslavement is the third installment in the critically-acclaimed Police State series and is a must-see for all who leve (sic) freedom. This film documents the nightmare rise of the Homeland Security dictatorship, Patriot Acts 1 and 2, the Total Information Awareness Network, government-run white slavery rings, the new prison surveillance economy and much more. The very future of humanity depends on exposing government-sponsored terrorism and how the globalists pose as our saviors whem (sic) in fact, they are the terrorists.
Is this a Democratic plot to keep all the Freepers home on election day? If so, it is nothing short of brilliant.
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The Problem with Bush's Brain
WARNING: Wingnuts and Freepers take note -- you're not going to like this.
Kevin Drum quotes an insightful letter to the Atlantic Monthly in response to a James Fallows piece that suggested the president might have some sort of organic learning disorder. The letter writer, an M.D., notes that Bush was perfectly articulate in his forties:
That assumes, of course, that the problem isn't a product of the drugs he's already been taking. We can debate how strong his need for those drugs is.
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The Problem with Bush's Brain
WARNING: Wingnuts and Freepers take note -- you're not going to like this.
Kevin Drum quotes an insightful letter to the Atlantic Monthly in response to a James Fallows piece that suggested the president might have some sort of organic learning disorder. The letter writer, an M.D., notes that Bush was perfectly articulate in his forties:
... Bush's problems have been developing slowly, and that just a decade ago he was an articulate debater, "artful indeed in steering questions and challenges to his desired subjects," who "did not pause before forcing out big words, as he so often does now, or invent mangled new ones." Consider, in contrast, the present: "the informal Q&As he has tried to avoid," "Bush's recent faltering performances," "his unfortunate puzzled-chimp expression when trying to answer questions," "his stalling, defensive pose when put on the spot," "speaking more slowly and less gracefully."Thus, there is the suggestion that his brain is experiencing some sort of degeneration.
Slowly developing cognitive deficits, as demonstrated so clearly by the President, can represent only one diagnosis, and that is "presenile dementia"! Presenile dementia is best described to nonmedical persons as a fairly typical Alzheimer's situation that develops significantly earlier in life, well before what is usually considered old age. It runs about the same course as typical senile dementias, such as classical Alzheimer's — to incapacitation and, eventually, death, as with President Ronald Reagan, but at a relatively earlier age. President Bush's "mangled" words are a demonstration of what physicians call "confabulation," and are almost specific to the diagnosis of a true dementia. Bush should immediately be given the advantage of a considered professional diagnosis, and started on drugs that offer the possibility of retarding the slow but inexorable course of the disease.Kevin suggests that, by all means, we get the president the drugs he needs.
That assumes, of course, that the problem isn't a product of the drugs he's already been taking. We can debate how strong his need for those drugs is.
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A Lynching in Tuskegee?
More info from Hungry Blues
Rain Storm previously linked to a story about a man, Winston Carter, whose body was found hanging from a tree along a county road near Tuskegee, Alabama. Local law enforcement officials were suggesting it was a suicide.
Ben Greenberg at Hungry Blues has been following this story and its lack of coverage in the southern press. Family members don't think this was a suicide. Neither do I. Greenberg has more here and here.
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A Lynching in Tuskegee?
More info from Hungry Blues
Rain Storm previously linked to a story about a man, Winston Carter, whose body was found hanging from a tree along a county road near Tuskegee, Alabama. Local law enforcement officials were suggesting it was a suicide.
Ben Greenberg at Hungry Blues has been following this story and its lack of coverage in the southern press. Family members don't think this was a suicide. Neither do I. Greenberg has more here and here.
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
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What'd I Miss?
I'm back and trying to play catch up on several days worth of interesting developments, since I wasn't at a terminal the whole time we were on the coast. So I'm trying hard to overcome significant inertia and climb back into the old blogging saddle. Here we go.
Looks like the Preznit's got some chickens comin' home to roost. Digby is fueling an outstanding whisper campaign about Bush's little coke and booze problem. Good stuff here, here, here and here.
Isn't it time for the president to come clean with the American people?
But, hey, you know what the "W" stands for, right?
Take the Poll.
Be sure and catch 60 Minutes on CBS tonnight.
I was considering writing a headline along the lines of Log Cabin Republicans Give Bush the Finger, but somehow it just didn't sound right.
One thousand dead Americans. And twelve thousand dead Iraqis.
I don't need one more reason to vote Bush/Cheney, Inc. out of office.
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What'd I Miss?
I'm back and trying to play catch up on several days worth of interesting developments, since I wasn't at a terminal the whole time we were on the coast. So I'm trying hard to overcome significant inertia and climb back into the old blogging saddle. Here we go.
Looks like the Preznit's got some chickens comin' home to roost. Digby is fueling an outstanding whisper campaign about Bush's little coke and booze problem. Good stuff here, here, here and here.
Isn't it time for the president to come clean with the American people?
But, hey, you know what the "W" stands for, right?
Take the Poll.
Be sure and catch 60 Minutes on CBS tonnight.
I was considering writing a headline along the lines of Log Cabin Republicans Give Bush the Finger, but somehow it just didn't sound right.
One thousand dead Americans. And twelve thousand dead Iraqis.
I don't need one more reason to vote Bush/Cheney, Inc. out of office.
