Road Trip

Welcome to our road trip around the internets.

Talk about your security threats!-"A voting system that is not auditable contains the seeds of destruction for a democracy," says Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J., a chief sponsor of a bill to improve electronic-voting security.

The Bushiveks play right into Al Qaedas' hands-While written in 2004, Naji was already inferring that the war in Iraq was shaping up to be exactly what al Qaeda wanted.
"Naji believes the way you really hurt empires is to make them commit their military far from their base of operations," according to McCants.
According to Naji, this strategy has two main benefits. First, there is the propaganda victory of forcing a superpower to challenge al Qaeda directly.
"The point is to make them come in," McCants said. "You'll be seen as fighting the crusaders directly so you'll win over the public."

Oh they are sooo crafty!-What are the benefits? One company, NeuStar, doesn't beat around the bush. In a pitch to service providers, it bills itself as a "scapegoat" for hire, presumably allowing phone companies to deny responsibility for or involvement in turning over their records to the government.

Appreciate all your hard work son..I mean sun-The unique South African-developed solar panels will make it possible for houses to become completely self-sufficient for energy supplies. The panels are able to generate enough energy to run stoves, geysers, lights, TVs, fridges, computers - in short all the mod-cons of the modern house.


How much "energy" is in that drink?- HMMMM Let me have a cup of coffee and think that over.

Another colorful map-Watch the colors change!

Boneheads

They hate the terrorists but loooooove there methods.

The Times Fights Back

From the San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco talk show host Melanie Morgan believes that Times editor Bill Keller should be jailed for treason for approving the publication.
The maximum penalty for treason is death.
"If he were to be tried and convicted of treason, yes, I would have no problem with him being sent to the gas chamber," Morgan, whose show airs on KSFO-AM, told The Chronicle on Wednesday. "It is about revealing classified secrets in the time of war. And the media has got to take responsibility for revealing classified information that is putting American lives at risk."

Any one who has taken 10 minutes to have an independent thought on this must finally assume that the greatest threat to our democracy and other Americans is the rabid hatefilled "I'm a better American than you" right wing. This is just another issue to turn the sheeple on advocates of open and transparent government. 5 years into the so called "war on terror" we have yet to have a debate on the best methods and use of our resources and people in keeping us safe. No debate is allowed. It's the one way policy and it is failing. Terrorism and its influence around the world is increasing not decreasing. It's time to get serious and tell the radical right to settle down.

The New York Times defends it's self with the evident common sense today. Read the full piece here.

COUNTERTERRORISM has become a source of continuing domestic and international political controversy. Much of it, like the role of the Iraq war in inspiring new terrorists, deserves analysis and debate. Increasingly, however, many of the political issues surrounding counterterrorism are formulaic, knee-jerk, disingenuous and purely partisan. The current debate about United States monitoring of transfers over the Swift international financial system strikes us as a case of over-reaction by both the Bush administration and its critics.........The International Economic Emergency Powers Act, passed in 1977, provides the president with enormous authority over financial transactions by America's enemies. International initiatives against money laundering have been under way for a decade, and have been aimed not only at terrorists but also at drug cartels, corrupt foreign officials and a host of criminal organizations.
These initiatives, combined with treaties and international agreements, should leave no one with any presumption of privacy when moving money electronically between countries. Indeed, since 2001, banks have been obliged to report even transactions entirely within the United States if there is reason to believe illegal activity is involved. Thus we find the privacy and illegality arguments wildly overblown.
So, too, however, are the Bush administration's protests that the press revelations about the financial monitoring program may tip off the terrorists. Administration officials made the same kinds of complaints about news media accounts of electronic surveillance. They want the public to believe that it had not already occurred to every terrorist on the planet that his telephone was probably monitored and his international bank transfers subject to scrutiny. How gullible does the administration take the American citizenry to be? ..........There is, of course, another possible explanation for all the outraged bloviating. It is an election year. Karl Rove has already said that if it were up to the Democrats, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi would still be alive. The attacks on the press are part of a political effort by administration officials to use terrorism to divide America, and to scare their supporters to the polls again this year.

The idea that any large number of Americans would want to see other Americans killed and would in anyway intentionally aid the terrorists is dictionary definite demagoguery. If someone wants to debate motives, fine. I would be happy to talk about what our best methods and tactics should be. How important our Constitution and transparent government is or why I want our American soldiers to come home. Unfortunately the apopleptic radical right can only condemn and confuse the issue. Quite likely on purpose. The American people should reject these people as truly radical and unhinged. Let's have a real debate about terrorism and our freedom and democracy.

The Wingnuts Play Politics Again

This rather lengthy post is a valid and full explaination on why all this phoney hullabaloo about the "Times" is just that...phoney hullaballo.

Did you know SWIFT has a PUBLIC website? Here.
Among the items on said site:
Cooperation - SWIFT has a history of cooperating in good faith with authorities such as central banks, treasury departments, law enforcement agencies and appropriate international organisations, such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF*), in their efforts to combat abuse of the financial system for illegal activities.

I bet the crafty terrorists couldn't figure that out though huh? Big secrets the "times" revealed there. The wingnuts should be redfaced over this one.

Our Mission

Here's a flash program made by a 15 year old girl named Ava Lowery. Please watch.

Now the wingnuts will jump up and say "But Saddam was killing lots of his own people." "Maybe the insurgents killed all those people." Please understand this. The problem here is that we, the people of the United States, are involved in this. We helped enable this killing. When Saddam was killing people it wasn't on my shoulders that I made Saddam do this. We are now responsible. And I hate it. There was no good reason to get involved over there. It was not part of the war on terror until we made it so. I hate so much that we have done. The statements like you love the terrorists or you hate America or you are cut and run when all I am doing is trying to forward a spiritual principal just sickens me. I'm a bad guy for trying to forward proper principals, in the hatefilled, fear, guilt, bizzaro world of the radical right.

Librl Medya

Here is an excellent example of slanted news coverage. If it was a debate between two guests it might be acceptable. The way it was done it was shameful.
As a person with more years in broadcasting than most "talents" on Fox news, most likely including this Brian guy, this is not how you do it.
To say that anyone in the media is totally unbiased is unrealistic. I'm ok with the idea that you have an agenda. You can ask the questions you want. The host has the power to lead the discussion. If you are not good enough to make your point in that way then you shouldn't be on a national network. You should be in journalism school. Shameful, amateurish, unprofessional...We're Fox News

Timeline

I may add to this as I go along. I would just like to short and sweet why I favor a timeline like Kerry-Feingold layed out.
Iraqi constitution-timeline
Iraqi elections-timeline
Iraqi government-timeline
Yes ,they went over it a bit but they were under pressure to get it done and they did. Please remember Allawi was the inital President, Talabani was elected and now we have Mahdi. An unelected President..kinda like Saddam. People sorta, not really voted for him.

Regardless it is timelines these people react to. They must be forced to act. Otherwise I am sure they are fine with us doing all the work and spending our money. What the right is so worried will happen if we leave is already happening as noted here. We are in the middle of another countrys' fight. The fact is we must stand down before they can stand up. They will purge the Al Qaeda fighters and pronto. They will fight for their country.
Another point I bet many, including nearly all the "cut and run" crowers, know nothing about is this:

The Kerry-Feingold proposal would leave in Iraq US troops who are training Iraqi security forces, protecting American assets, or conducting ” targeted counter-terrorist operations.”

Yes, I know the plan lost but how could something so sensible be mocked and derided to the extent that it was. Radical Republicans. It's not about America or our troops for them, it's all about politics and trying to make themselves look more "patriotic" than the next guy. It's also about the corporate media that blows off the details and goes with soundbites and talking points.

Fight The Good Fight

This is a good example on how important framing an issue is. Lots of people on the right, including some I have debated, say framing doesn't matter, just the facts. Their narrow thinking doesn't allow them to see how many ways one can approach the facts. Here Bernie Ward looks at the Wall Street Journals'(among others) outing of the financial records spy program. Bernie asks who should determine what the press can print. The rightie on here obviously doesn't like that frame and tries to switch it to talking points like hurts the war on terror, unamerican, blah, blah, blah. Same old stuff. Bernie won't let him of the hook so he decides if he can't use his frame of "I'm a great American and you're not" that he is going to leave.. Pretty funny stuff. Yes, Bernie was a little rude but as tired as I am of being nice to these propagandists it actually was refreshing. Not the same old shirk in a corner from the guilt, guilt, guilt-fear,fear, fear pushed by the wingnuts. This is how to show them you won't buy in to their psychological warfare.

Watch the video. The transcript doesn't do it justice.

As far as the program goes I don't know enough about it yet to talk about it. If they are doing it legally with oversight and not tracing Americans with no indication of terror connections I am OK with it. I want to know why so many Americans get swept up in all this "terrorist investigation." I am far more worried that our country, as we know it, will fall from within than from some terrorist attack. I want to watch those guys running the show. Especially right now because this cabal has given me multitudes of reasons to not trust them. I also find it strange that they are so worried that we are giving away "secrets". Any terrorist who wouldn't think his every move may be tracked in one way or another isn't worth their salt as a terrorist anyway. The President said publicly he was going to cut off the sources of funding. Rightly so. Of course corporations launder money and use offshore banks all the time to avoid paying taxes and we were never very good at getting them. Even though we all know they exist.
It looks to me like a "we are great Americans and you're not" ploy they employ so often.

The Rights' Favorite Druggie

Wow! This is at least as serious as a bj. Pardon me Three Dog Night but apparently for Rush it's not too easy to be hard.

Sources have confirmed to CBS4 News that conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh has been detained at Palm Beach International Airport for the possible possession of illegal prescription drugs Monday evening. Limbaugh was returning on a flight from the Dominican Republic when officials found the drugs, among them Viagra. Limbaugh entered a plea deal back in April in a previous case where his charge of fraud to conceal information to obtain prescriptions was dropped under the condition he continue undergoing treatment for addiction. Limbaugh had admitted to being addicted to pain killers on his radio program and had entered a rehabilitation program prior to that arrest.

You knew he was really just a "softie" didn't you?


Update:
Miami, FL -- June 26, 2006 -- Roy Black, Rush Limbaugh's attorney, issued the following statement today in response to several inquiries by the media:While going through routine Customs inspection of luggage at Palm Beach International Airport upon his return from an international trip, Rush Limbaugh was detained by customs agents after they noticed a non-narcotic prescription drug, which had been prescribed by Mr. Limbaugh's treating physician but labeled as being issued to the physician rather than Mr. Limbaugh for privacy purposes. After a brief interview, Mr. Limbaugh was permitted to continue on his journey.Source: Roy BlackAmir ForesterVice President, Public RelationsPremiere Radio Networks.

Wow again! Wonder if you and I could do it that way?

Update 2 from Jerry Falwell June 25th sermon:

FALWELL: Illicit sex today. Today the world has gone sex crazy. Illicit sex has become the downfall of many in the Bible. Movie stars not married to each other, having babies and making headlines all over the world as though they were doing some great thing. Big deal! Just another moral pervert. And for them to become heroes for our kids. My wife and I will be married 49 years the next anniversary.

Would this apply to thrice married and divorced Rush Limbaugh..viagra dominican sex trade Rush?
Look, I think this is not a huge issue except for all the hypocrisy that oozes out the edges of their perfect world. Where is the consistancy in their standards? There is none. It's all political from the radical right.

Failure To Think.....

...Past the end of your nose. In the ongoing smear campaign(the only way the right knows how to do it) against John Murtha, This is the latest for the non thinking knee jerk conservatives. The story.

MIAMI — American presence in Iraq is more dangerous to world peace than nuclear threats from North Korea or Iran, Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., said to an audience of more than 200 in North Miami Saturday afternoon.

What do they have to say about this? Take a wild guess. It's not to hard to figure out. It's the same thing they say about everyone else who might have a thought that differs from theirs.

(real comment from a rightie blog below.)

Here is a man who loves the United States. A man who definitely wants us to do our best. A man who could easily be the spokes person for any terrorist group. He gives comfort and hope for terrorists worldwide. (the first two sentences obviously snark)

One note johnnys, so predictable you don't even need to ask.

Let's examine Murthas' statement. "MIAMI — American presence in Iraq is more dangerous to world peace than nuclear threats from North Korea or Iran.."

Peace according to the dictionary:
The absence of war or other hostilities.
An agreement or a treaty to end hostilities.
Freedom from quarrels and disagreement; harmonious relations

Ok, a few of you bright people are catching on. Iran has no nuclear weapons. North Korea does but we are, at this point, absent of war or other hostilities. We are in negotiations with both on ending hostilities and neither our side or the other has commenced more than verbal hostilities.

Iraq. War, hostilities between not only the U.S. and and others but hostilities between numerous factions within the country. Certainly we must be aware of threats and Madmanjani and nutcase in N. Korea are certainly that. The fact is the possibility exists that an agreement can be made. Even if one thinks the possibility is small. So far peace among us(outside of jawboning) has been maintained. That is not the case in Iraq. Which is more dangerous, the potential for violence or actual violence? Which is more dangerous to world peace, war between a number of countries or violence within one country? Again this is not just two sides fighting but many factions with inflamed passions on each side. Would it be more dangerous to condemn and argue with conservatives or liberals or advance to a killing war among us? Which is more dangerous to peace? If other countries got involved on one side or the other would that enhance world peace or diminish it?
The lack of critical thought is mindnumbing among the hate other Americans crowd. How little of an education must you have to not be able to find the logic in Murthas statement.

He gives comfort and hope to terrorists worldwide.

And just how does he come up with this conclusion? He doesn't. It is more learned knee jerk conservatism.
What things make America attractive to others? What freedoms do we pride? Maybe the freedom of speech and thought? But exercise it and you are harming America and aiding our enemies? How I Qless do you have to be to even force this to make sense? Is this what we want for Iraq? That only positive comments are allowed? The rest are unpatriotic and harmful to the country? Totally mindless stupidity and logic.
How does freedom of speech and thought give aid and comfort to those who we are told don't want it? Seems to me if anyone is talking like the terrorist or their best friend it would be those opposed to freedom of thought and not those that support it. Of course when you are long on rhetoric and bluster and short on critical thinking skills all the right bizarro world slogans make perfect sense. Jerk that knee!!

More on the swiftboating of Murtha Here and Here.

How these people can say they support the troops is beyond me.

Update: The librl medya misrepresented it and the radical republicans spread it...suprise!

Murtha apparently never said anything of the sort. What he did was cite a Pew poll released two weeks ago showing that people around the world, including in closely-allied countries like Great Britain, believe the U.S. is the greatest threat to peace.
A statement released by Murtha’s office today quotes an email from Melissa Sanchez of the Miami Herald, who also attended the speech, saying of the purported Murtha “quote”: “That was in reference to international polls. It was not so much his own conjecture, but a conclusion drawn from polls in various countries.”

Of course other countries don't have a large group of wingnuts who think they should totally destroy the people who don't agree with them..by whatever tactics. The wingnuts are shameful, and shameless.