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THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL

They seek him here, they seek him there, those Frenchies seek him everywhere. Is he in heaven or is he in hell? That damned elusive Pimpernel

The literary dandy and savior of the aristocracy during the French violent reign of Robespierre, who sent hundreds of the aristocracy to the gallows, and The Scarlet Pimpernel rode to save them. And so has our own fancied Scarlet Pimpernel saved another self styled aristocrat from falling to the great un-washed. In literature, the poor had Robin Hood and the rich had the Scarlet Pimpernel. Robin Hood has been the more enduring legend. That says something.

Scooter Libby’s wife once said if her husband went down he wouldn’t go down alone. Scooter, born August 22, 1950 at 3:57 am in New Haven, CT had too big an ego to “go down,” and Mr. Bush came to his rescue with a commuted sentence. Scooter Libby will not serve one day. I wonder who saved who. Did Bush save Libby or did Libby save Bush. in prison for his crimes; and our “Scarlet Pimpernel” will likely get away once again with this latest thrown finger at the law. Too bad he doesn’t have Pimpernel’s mask, although today he tried to cover his deeds by giving Libby’s commutation to a spokesperson, too cowardly to read it himself. And where are we to go with our self-styled aristocrats? Do we go to Congress, to Patrick Fitzgerald, to MSM?

I don’t know the exact time GWB’s “statement was read” but I do know when I heard it and with a Mercury retrograde and Saturn continuing to move toward Mr. Libby’s Sun and Pluto in a square to his North Node for the rest of the year and next, I don’t think we or he has heard the end of this.

George Bush dropped a bomb today and fashions himself pretty clever. He didn’t actually let Scooter off the hook but he did get him out of the hot water. The wells of the corruption in this White House go very deep, unfathomably deep. The Democrats are in a pretend rage so people won’t demand the impeachment, so let’s impeach them. The commutation is perfectly legal, but the impunity suggests it’s time to look into some of those other “high crimes and misdemeanors” this administration has been hiding. One good omen pointed out on Countdown last night, Bush’s boat got stuck in the mud yesterday that seems appropriate.

I wonder how Martha Stewart feels or the millions of people who have and are in prison because of the exact thing Scooter Libby did, obstruction of justice and lying to the Grand Jury and Federal Officers? I wonder how I would feel if Scooter were my father, brother, husband, son, and friend? But that is not the point, the point is we are a country of laws and it would seem duel rules for the elite and everyone else, and we know that and sadly accepted that for centuries. It’s not this commutation that is so disturbing; it’s just another example of this administration’s disregard for the laws of this land.

Nothing is static, it’s hard for some to grasp but every time the collective changes there is an energy shift world wide. Britain has changed, France has changed, and America’s solar return for 2007 suggests we are changing.

The Solar Return for 2007 has retrograde Mercury exactly conjunct the US Venus. We are getting very tired of nasty and mean, we are all going to want to be nicer. We want the war over, we are tired of the Ann Coulters and Limbaughs, and we want to be nice. Saturn is still in opposition to Neptune we will want the truth. The lies, all lies have become beyond tiring. With Mars in the 7th house in Taurus (its detriment) and sextiling the North Node, we will be looking for partners again to go to war with Iran. Iran’s aspects support a little dust up with someone. Gordon Brown of England is filling his cabinet with anti-war ministers; will something happen so grievous in England or Scotland or Wales to push Gordon Brown into standing with the odious war mongering present US administration as we lust toward war with Iran?

The US has been swimming under the fog of Neptune for several years and it looks like it will still be Neptunian until the 2008 shift.

With Saturn in the 11th in the Solar Return opposing Neptune in the 5th it looks like the hopes, wishes and dreams of the American People will be, if not thwarted, confused or not turning out as hopped. In fact there is a scattering of energies for the US this year; scattering, confusion and disappointment. There will also be an activation of creativity with Moon conjunct Uranus in the 6th house and falling in the US third. We the people will be more verbal, moving toward a stronger spirituality, and with our Cancer Sun moving toward the 10th house in the Solar Return and falling in the US 8th house, more creative as to how we make our money.

Among the predominate themes this year will be the frustration of the people with both parties that’s one, and it will walk in tandem with the frustration of the military. The Justice system will continue to be a concern however it could also be due for an overhaul and I don’t mean more conservative judges. A continuation of excessive greed in this country and a fear of losing what we consider being ours. With Neptune in the Solar Chart in a trine to the US Mars, we will feel more comfortable in asking “what is wrong with us?” Mental health will take a more center stage in the process of healing. More and more people will begin to “get” that it is a combination of mind, body and spirit that heals and helps us prosper.

In the US Solar Return of 2001, Pluto was on the US ascendant, and Moon, Saturn and Neptune were all aspecting the US Uranus which resides at the dangerous nuclear degree of 8 Gemini, this year it’s only the NN aspecting that degree in a square, but transiting Jupiter will retrograde back to an opposition to 9 degrees Gemini and will square the Solar Return NN. With Moon and Uranus conjunct in the 6th house of the military and health and jobs, the potential of some type of terrorist attack (similar to what the UK has experienced) is certainly a possibility as is the potential for martial law.

In GWB’s Solar Return Mars (in the 7th house of the US SR) falls in his 1st house, I expect to see him move back to his old pugnacious days, the “bring ‘em on days) he will certainly be pushing for war in Iran. I also think Israel will be attacked this year or will attack, pulling the US into their conflict.

Once again, lies will abound in this administration and I don’t see Congress being particularly effective or even wanting to be effective. There will be more attempts to restrict or thwart the internet and problems with the FDA oversight will cause serious problems for “we the people.” With SR Neptune and Saturn falling in the US 3rd house, we will all begin to see the betrayal of the media and the seeds to break up the hold of corporations over our information will begin. Don’t know if we will accomplish it, but if they don’t do something a massive amount of people will turn the networks off.

This Solar Return to America shows potential and destruction, remember, the same energy that builds also destroys so it will be up to us as how to use this energy, some of it will be positive and some not so much.

Again, this article would be way too long if every single aspect and potential were delineated, however the most important aspects in the US Solar Return is the Saturn/Neptune opposition (don’t forget that also relates to money and oil as well as what was said above) and in the 5th and 11th house someone will try to take our fun away this year, Saturn ruling the US natal 2nd house, count on our money flying away for a time. Another important aspect is the Moon/Uranus conjunction in the 6th with Jupiter going back to a square to the NN and then coming forward to square the Moon/Uranus. The Moon in the SR chart rules the 10th house and the 8th house in the natal US chart. This aspect brings in the specter of market crashes, shocks from the government, and shocks for the government coming from the people; believe me health care for all will rise to the top of our list.

August 7th through to December would be the most sensitive times for something to happen. The other planet to watch is Mars at 7 degrees Taurus, squaring GWB’s ascendant and Mercury and in a trine to his Mars, look for some kind of major up set coming from him and or to him. Mars is the only “earth” planet in this chart and it will be working overtime to secure all it can for the things of the earth. Last year there wasn’t any earth and the money grabbers actually lost ground. We all need resources; Mars can help us shore those up.

Rich or poor all want the same thing, more money, more resources, and not to have those things taken from us and both are concerned they will be taken. The poor rightly worries that the rich will take them and the rich believe they rightly worry that they will have to pay for health care, social security, and infrastructure. The fight between the rich and poor is always “how much is too much for you to have.” The 1800’s saw the Robber Barons and it led to a depression in the 1900’s because they upset the balance of power, they simply wanted too much. The masses saw their own Robin Hood rise and he set about a more equitable distribution of money and resources. Now the Scarlet Pimpernels have risen in the form of GWB and once again we as a country are moving toward an imbalance. And so it goes.

We seem to bounce back and forth between the rise and fall of the masses or the aristocracy and it amounts to whose ox is being gored. Right now it’s the ox of us, the people. Yesterday it would seem the Scarlet Pimpernel was the rider, we will have to see if Robin Hood shows up soon, because the imbalance is becoming too great.


They seek him here, they seek him there, those Frenchies seek him everywhere. Is he in heaven or is he in hell? That damned elusive Pimpernel

Addendum: The GOP and the 110th Congress (Dems and Gop alike) will pay a high price for this commutation according to the aspects on their charts in relationship to the "commuting Libby's sentence" announcement chart.

Sally Cheyne McDonald on Jul 3 | Link
Comments

Thanks so much for this, Cap'n Sally. I keep clinging to the thought that it's now 565 days until Inauguration 2008. I pray we get there not without new and deeper cuts and bruises than we have now. C'mon, Robin Hood!

Posted by: shylurker on July 3, 2007 05:39 PM

There will be deeper cuts and bruises Shy and America will absolutely never be the same, but all this "bruising" has the potential (it's up to us) of bringing America to a better place one day.

I have a theory about the end of the Mayan Calender in Dec. 2012. The Mayans had dozens of calenders representing human events, but most were found broken or pieces missing, the one they quote was found intact and it was the "war" calendar. I've wondered if instead of predicting the end of the world, they were predicting the end of wars. It's just a theory and I have nothing to back it up, I just wondered.

Posted by: Sally on July 3, 2007 05:59 PM

The end of war.....

I feel it is so.

Posted by: Pat C on July 3, 2007 06:25 PM

This is a relly nice article Sally. Thank you.

............

http://salon.com/books/feature/2007/07/03/paul_davies/

We are meant to be here

People are not the result of a cosmic accident, but of laws of the universe that grant our lives meaning and purpose, says physicist Paul Davies.

.............

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/03/libby.sentence/index.html

Libby decision hides truth, CIA operative's husband says

Posted by: Pat C on July 3, 2007 06:41 PM

Paul Davies is an interesting man.

http://aca.mq.edu.au/PaulDavies/pdavies.html

Posted by: Pat C on July 3, 2007 06:46 PM

Here's a moment of lightness. My 82 year old mother just said this about Scooter, "He's guilty as sin and he's got Cheney by the balls too!"

LOL!

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 3, 2007 07:04 PM

Travieso (from last the last thread),

No, I was a military brat – born in Abilene. I’m now in Minnesota. I did live in Dallas from ’79 to ‘91. I spent some time in Austin. It sure was a pretty city. I absolutely loved living in Dallas. I still have a sister in Plano.

Sally,

Great article! I hope with all my being that these criminals find justice one day. I hope every “common” working person that comes into contact with these criminals lets them feel their disgust. I know I shouldn’t but I want to see a big fat tomato hit the side of Karl’s head – splat!

Okay, back to reality….

Posted by: abilene on July 3, 2007 07:37 PM

The War Calendar. Oh, Cap'n Sally, you've once again imparted a wonderful bit of wisdom. I certainly join in the hope that's what it means, the end of war. Oh, yes!

Posted by: shylurker on July 3, 2007 07:41 PM

Posted on Salon by P Glass:

Uh-oh - look at what's slipping through unnoticed today. READ CAREFULLY:

The Associated Press July 3, 2007, 1:57PM EST
House balks at Bush order on regulations
By JIM ABRAMS

President Bush is giving an obscure White House office new powers this month over a wide range of regulations affecting health, worker safety and the environment. Calling it a power grab, Democrats running Congress are intent on stopping him.

Bush's order would require regulators to show that private markets had failed to address a targeted problem before they went after it themselves. The House voted last week to prohibit the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs from spending federal money on the order.

Officially known as Executive Order 13422, Bush signed the directive in January and it is to take effect July 24. It also gives political appointees greater authority over how federal regulations are written.

The House vote came on an amendment to a bill that funds the White House next year. The bill goes to the Senate when Congress returns next week from a Fourth of July holiday.

Rep. Brad Miller, D-N.C., who teamed with Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., in offering the amendment, said it "stops this president or any president from seizing the power to rewrite almost every law that Congress passes, laws that protect public health, the environment, safety, civil rights, privacy and on and on."

.........

Bush's executive order:

--Requires agencies to identify "market failures," where the private sector fell short in dealing with a problem, as a factor in proposing a rule. The White House regulatory affairs office is given authority to assess those conclusions.

--States that no rulemaking can go forward without the approval of an agency's Regulatory Policy Office to be headed by a presidential appointee.

--Directs each agency to provide an estimate of costs and benefits of regulations.

--Requires agencies to inform the White House regulatory affairs office of proposed significant guidance documents on complying with rules. Critics say this will create a new bottleneck delaying the issuance of guidelines needed to comply with federal regulations.

"This can only further delay implementing health, safety and environmental protections," said Gary Bass, executive director of OMB Watch, a private watchdog group that joined numerous labor and good-government groups, including the AFL-CIO, Public Citizen and the Union of Concerned Scientists, in opposing Bush's order.

Democrats portrayed Bush's order as another example -- similar to carrying out warrantless wiretaps or firing federal prosecutors -- where the administration has tried to expand its powers while keeping Congress and the public in the dark.

Miller, who heads the House Science oversight subcommittee, tried unsuccessfully in at a hearing in April to persuade the White House regulatory affairs office's former acting administrator, Steven Aitken, to reveal what private groups might have been involved in rewriting the Clinton-era order.

MORE

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8Q58SJG0.htm

Posted by: Pat C on July 3, 2007 08:39 PM

Sally -

I enjoy being nasty and mean! I want to live to
see the day that anyone connected to this administration ends up in the Hague, and the
likes of Coulter and Limbaugh hanging from lightpoles like Mussolini and his girlfriend. I
want to see every one of these bastards suffer!

They and their fellow travellers are responsible
for nearly a million deaths, and with Depleted Uranium with a shelf life of 4.5 billion years,
God knows how many more millions will die.

It is time for the American people to DEMAND that
our Foreign Policy comes from Washington NOT Tel
Aviv.

It's time we take Broadcasting liscenses away from stations that will not follow fairness, by
presenting all sides of an issue equally.

It is time to call Publishers and Editors on the
carpet for not covering the news fairly.

It is time to demand a reshuffling of the Supreme
Court.

It is time for Sunshine laws in ALL aspects of
Government... Federal, State and local.

It is time that Churches involved in politics, pay taxes. No more free ride.

It is time for Federal Laws for elections, and that all parties in all states are allowed on the
ballot.

It is time that we have a six week election period. NOT two years or more.

It is time that we ban lobbiests who work against
the people for a bunch of greedy SOBs.

It is time to stop treating Corporations like
individuals. Repeal the Amendment that made them
so.

It is time to pay teachers large salaries so we
can get the very best people, and build schools
that a modern and safe.

It is time of OUTLAW WAR!

It is time to outlaw Patriotism, the opiate of the masses. If you don't believe me look at the
crap that will be on TV tomorrow. Mostly militaristic pablum.

It is past the time to clean up music, TV and movies. Also violent gameboards.

No one should be able to use a cell phone in a car unless it is on speaker phone.

It is time to do away with AIPAC, if they want to
support Israel then they should move there. No more money for Israel or Egypt.

It is time to treat Venezuala and Cuba as equals.

Might DOES NOT make Right!

IMPEACH THE BASTARDS! TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!

Posted by: wv on July 3, 2007 09:05 PM

Too bad it isn't in their interest to make the US a better place or to promote peace in the world or to fight against global warming. It would have all been done by now if it were. None of their actions in the last 6 years has been accidental.

Posted by: on July 3, 2007 09:08 PM


Published on Monday, July 2, 2007 by TruthDig.com

A Declaration of Independence from Israel

by Chris Hedges

Israel, without the United States, would probably not exist. The country came perilously close to extinction during the October 1973 war when Egypt, trained and backed by the Soviet Union, crossed the Suez and the Syrians poured in over the Golan Heights. Huge American military transport planes came to the rescue. They began landing every half-hour to refit the battered Israeli army, which had lost most of its heavy armor. By the time the war was over, the United States had given Israel $2.2 billion in emergency military aid.

The intervention, which enraged the Arab world, triggered the OPEC oil embargo that for a time wreaked havoc on Western economies. This was perhaps the most dramatic example of the sustained life-support system the United States has provided to the Jewish state.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/06/30/2231/

Posted by: wv on July 3, 2007 09:11 PM

Posted by: wv on July 3, 2007 09:05 PM

Word wv.

Posted by: Pat C on July 3, 2007 09:48 PM

Sally, you always come up with the best analogies....the Scarlet Pimpernel indeed....I would't have given any of these SOBs anything close to an aristorcratic tie, unless, of course, it was the kind brought about by inbreeding.....that would work for me.

I just wish human nature was more advanced than these creatures exhibit.

Posted by: on July 3, 2007 10:18 PM

WV, from your lips to God(ess)'s ears. And the same for your Mom also, Lunaoscura.

Reminds me of my own mom, who was 72 in 2004 before the election, when I told her my sister regurgitated the GOP talking point, "Kerry is for gay marriage!"...my Mom's comment was, "So what--let 'em(get married)!!!!"

I remain proud of that ol' country gal to this day.....she saw through Shrub and his war profiteering from day one....

Posted by: Garry Todd on July 3, 2007 10:28 PM

Precisely what we suspected about the Libby commutation:

http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=6797

Posted by: Garry Todd on July 3, 2007 11:17 PM

Speaking of declaration of independence,

Shy, re your work on the No. Carolina rosters of the Revolution...my mother's Canadian ancestors came from No. Carolina, I believe...United Empire Loyalists. Many were those soldiers sent over by George III who were Irish/Scots and had been settled in various areas there maybe 10 years earlier( to keep the peace at the forts? ) ...I happen to find their stories during the research I did in genealogy in No. Carolina (finding all the subsequent family names remembered in their units and given to my ancestors descendants, which was quite amazing). They were persecuted also for their differing beliefs (they thought the revolution was anarchy) and ended up eventually being herded onto a ship in St. Augustine in 1784 (the Treaty of Paris in 1783 sent all the loyalists somewhere else) and dropped off in northern Nova Scotia, the Straits of Canso, in the dead of winter. So I come from both sides of it, UEL and Rev War fighters. I know that among those who traveled on the Argo to Nova Scotia were black slaves (freed), some with my family name, although I can't prove a connection to my known family...they became pretty famous also: A group of Black Loyalists settled in Nova Scotia but, facing discrimination there, some emigrated again for Sierra Leone.

But bless you for all your hard work in the transcribing of this history.

I've always had mixed feelings about the Revolutionary war, but I thought it was because I was raised in Hawaii and just was kind of 'out of it' in terms of indoctrination...I never knew about the Loyalists, except for my mother telling me that her ancestors were UE. I guess those who try to fight the tide and stay loyal to the old ways pay their dues also...I will just add this addendum to how Canada got its eventual freedom because of its Loyalists and the real division between the Brit and French parts of Canada:

The influence of the Loyalists on the evolution of Canada remains. Their ties with Britain and their antipathy to the United States provided the strength needed to keep Canada independent and distinct in North America. The Loyalists' basic distrust of republicanism and "mob rule" influenced Canada's gradual "paper-strewn" path to independence. In effect, the new British North American provinces of Upper Canada (the forerunner of Ontario) and New Brunswick were created as places of refuge for the United Empire Loyalists. The motto of the Province of Ontario relfects its Loyalist tradition: "Ut incepit fidelis sic permanet" (As she was loyal in the beginning, loyal she remains).
----------
If, now, 225 years later, we are the 'mob rule', it looks like the Loyalists might have had the right idea. However, that damn motto sounds more like GBush's White House!

What do you think, WV?

Posted by: judigem on July 3, 2007 11:25 PM


Republic to Empire

By Charley Reese

There is no such thing as a flawless politician. We should never expect perfection in anything involving human beings. But there very much is such a thing as character, and that's where we've gotten careless in our choice of leaders.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17958.htm

===

George W. Bush is One Tough Hombre

By Paul Begala

If you're rich and right-wing and Republican, George is a real softie. As George W. Bush demonstrated in giving Scooter Libby a Get Out of Jail Free Card, he is only compassionate to conservatives.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17959.htm

===

Reinventing A War Criminal

By Stephen Lendman

Just hours after standing down, the announcement everyone knew in advance came, surprising no one but angering most. Referring to the so-called Quartet, the BBC reported June 27: "Tony Blair is to become a Middle East envoy working on behalf of the US, Russia, the UN and the EU." The London Guardian called him "the Quartet's fifth horseman," an appointment that "beggars belief."

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17956.htm

Posted by: wv on July 4, 2007 02:33 AM


Judigem...

. The British gained another significant victory with the defeat of Fort Frontenac in August, 1758. This was such a great blow to the French, because it cut Montcalm's communication lines within Canada.

5. This brings us to the conclusive battle on the Plains of Abraham. After two devastating losses, the French's back was against the wall and they were hanging by a thread. On September 13, 1759 the French and British engaged in a brief battle on the Plains of Abraham which lasted only minutes. The French had retreated and were forced into Quebec City where the British took over and gained control of Quebec and opening up all of Canada.

Independence for Canada 1867, however they used
British passports into the late 1940s. Soon after
dropped "Dominion of Canada" into Canada with
own flag, passports, etc.

Posted by: wv on July 4, 2007 02:51 AM


Olbermann: Bush, Cheney should resign

‘I didn’t vote for him, but he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.’
MSNBC video


Special Comment: Bush, Cheney should resign
July 3: Keith Olbermann questions Bush’s actions in commuting the sentence of Scooter Libby.
Countdown

SPECIAL COMMENT
By Keith Olbermann
Anchor, 'Countdown'
MSNBC
Updated: 1 hour, 41 minutes ago


Keith Olbermann
Anchor, 'Countdown'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• Profile

“I didn’t vote for him,” an American once said, “But he’s my president, and I hope he does a good job.”

That—on this eve of the 4th of July—is the essence of this democracy, in 17 words. And that is what President Bush threw away yesterday in commuting the sentence of Lewis “Scooter” Libby.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19588942/

Posted by: wv on July 4, 2007 02:58 AM


Abducted BBC journalist freed in Gaza

Reporter Alan Johnston, held since March, handed over to Hamas

AP file The BBC’s Alan Johnson had spent far more time in captivity than any other kidnapped Western journalist in Gaza.

•GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Kidnapped British reporter Alan Johnston has been released after nearly four months in captivity, Hamas said Wednesday. Looking pale and frail, the BBC correspondent told The Associated Press he was "OK."

Television footage showed Johnston emerging from a building in Gaza surrounded by a throng of armed Palestinian men and escorted into a waiting car while cameras flashed around him.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19589894/

Posted by: wv on July 4, 2007 03:03 AM

I think lunaoscura's 82 year old mother is very sharp, and I agree with her deduction. Cheney is the one being protected by Libby, so Bush is really protecting the VP, by commuting Libby's sentence, but wait 'til the can of worms is opened, and they all start crawling out. As the saying goes, "truth will out".

Posted by: Crystal on July 4, 2007 04:09 AM

Wow, Sally! What a great article and comments all. wv, re Keith Olbermann, who was wonderful tonight--gosh the hair stood up on the back of my neck--reminded me of when Edward R. Murrow took on Sen. McCarthy.

Here are some links to MSNBC if you want to let them know how much you appreciate KO's taking on the Bush/Cheney regime:

countdown@msnbc.com

KOlbermann@msnbc.com

letters@msnbc.com

Don't have exact time when Olbermann started talking about the need for Bush/Cheney to resign--think it was about 8:35 PM, which shows T Mars in the Third house of communication on the cusp of the 4th (the people) in no-nonsense Taurus. Also Jupiter was in the 11th House of Sag indicating (maybe) the People's ideals. The first House was occupied with conj Moon (the people) and Neptune (obfuscation but also intuition) in the humanitarian sign of Aquarius. OK, this is amateur and elementary in the extreme, but I hope others can make more of it. (I've sure gone as far as I can.)

Love you all.

Posted by: Barbara on July 4, 2007 04:37 AM

Hey Jack, hooray for the red and white....Canada! I guess I am still able to put UE next to my name along with DAR! I really am split down the middle. I think Canadians are a whole lot saner than Americans across the general public. Although there is no doubt I would have rebelled totally against the entire Canadian culture as being too sane....

It appalls me even more that Bush is a COUSIN in terms of genealogy, many times in many lines. It is no wonder I can barely stand to see his picture flicker on a screen to run screaming from the room. I wonder what that means in DNA terms, that I should have such a reaction (although almost everyone I know has that, and they are NOT related to him, even distantly)...UGH is what it means in current terms....the whole family of them. Inbreeding personified. Off with their heads, the Red Queen cried.

I had a major full blown anxiety attack today...it was awesome. I realized I had too many things, I owned too much, that despite being very poor, I am very rich....that part was pretty cool. I'm going to have to check the planets for sure now. Saturn on Chiron could have something to do with it. Or Pluto/GC on my Part of Fortune and progessed ascendant, who cares...quite an attack!

We of ordinary middle and lower middle classes have tons more things and assets than 90 % of the people alive 100 years ago, let alone in the colonists, fighting for independence.

Posted by: on July 4, 2007 05:10 AM

Sally, thinking about what Mark Twain wrote about "The Terror" of the French Revolution. Twain noted that no one mentioned the terror that came before, i.e. the suffering of the lower (economic) classes.

Also thinking about the late Leslie Howard playing the Scarlet Pimpernel, and later, in a less known picture, "Pimpernel Smith." This was produced in Britain around 1938-40.The Smith character was a British anthropologist (sp?) working in Germany whose research showed that the "Aryans" weren't especially superior. He was assisted by a bevy of Oxford students (one of whom chewed gum all the time. That was the tip-off that he was an American. ) The Brit actors back then didn't do American accents.

The Brits have their serious faults, as do we. But, as we all know, Bushie ain't no Leslie Howard (who was beloved by the English for portraying the best of their society.)

Anyhow, Pimpernel Smith and his students were also smuggling people out of Nazi Germany under the noses of the Gestapo.

Dang! I swore not to post unless I could provide some useful astrological information. And here I go again.

Well, maybe idealistic do-gooders have some strong connection to the Sag/Capricorn cusp. Anyhow, Bush ain't no aristocrat. (You can have money and still be trash, as we say in the South)

Posted by: Barbara on July 4, 2007 06:06 AM

I don't know who is responsible for the post above regarding Canada, but please let me have the illusion that Canada is a bit more sane than the US right now. I love Canada and it makes me feel safer with them above us.

I don't wonder about the DNA of people who run screaming when Bush is on the TV, I wonder about the people who don't. Loved your post, I would agree, you are indeed very rich.

Posted by: Sally on July 4, 2007 06:09 AM

Barbara, you provide useful information with or without astrology.

I beg to point out that I don't define Bush or his ilk as an aristocrat, I define them as "self-styled" aristocracy. Not the same at all. But then again, I define all named aristocracy as "self-styled." I don't define character and quality with money or position or name, I define character and quality with character and quality.

But this group likes to think of themselves as the new aristocracy and Bush seems to be their most recent head. Lordy, I am sick of these people.

Posted by: Sally on July 4, 2007 06:15 AM

Whoops, I forgot, Olbermann began speaking at 8:50pm

Posted by: Sally on July 4, 2007 06:17 AM

JudiGem, we are, individually, the product of almost countless generations of genes. From a more recent perspective, some of my European ancestors came over to these shores very early (including Mayflower), and some of my other ancestors were standing on the shore to greet them, or else wondering what the heck these pale people were going to do to them. Some of my ancestors fought for the liberation of this country from England; others did not (and at least one was hanged for loyalty to the Crown). Some of my ancestors flourished while others died on the Trail of Tears. One of my ggguncles (Confederate) was killed at the Wilderness during the Civil War and another of my ggguncles, on the Union side, was also there. Did the bullet that killed the one come from the barrel of the gun of the other?
We just have to go on. We are the unique result of many others (go back far enough, and they are countless) who have gone before.
What is important, always, is to know we flow from the vast genetic reservoir of the human family going back to Africa tens of thousands of years ago. Some of our (relatively recent) ancestors distinguished themselves in ways that make us proud. Others, not so much. It is up to each of us to give thanks for those genes that make us strong, and carry on the good fight, hoping that we reinforce all the positive things in the genes we have and pass them on.

Posted by: shylurker on July 4, 2007 06:18 AM

This is quite a long text, but it he sums it up.

Just In Case You Forgot What 'Declaration of Independence' Means
by Mitch Battros - Earth Changes Media

You will not find "you are either with me or you are with the terrorist" (George Bush) in one minuet millimeter in the document 'declaring independent thinking'. Not one----

You will not find "you are either with me or you are with the polluters" (Al Gore) in what our men and women fought for, and highlights our disdain of fascism. Many of you might be truly frightened to find out just how many of our young people, and quit a few of us older ones, who haven't a clue as to what lock-step fascism really is.

When you read the "Declaration of Independence" which I have linked below, it will surely bring a tear to your eye. It shows clearly just how far we have drifted from its purpose and meaning. Fascism has morphed into Corporatism. There is not one ounce of difference.

Fascism: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=fascism

Corporatism: http://www.reference.com/search?q=corporatism

Do you believe banks, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, oil industry, and yes, the global warming cabal have your best interest in mind? Do you think you have a say in what is regulated? Not a chance --- Furthermore, I would argue they are driven by greed and supported by government. When was the last time you paid $35 dollars for a 3 cent overdraft? Or how about $90 to $140 for Liptor or other cholesterol or heart medication? Of course if you can wait 7 years you can get the generic. What about paying $3.25 dollars per gallon for fuel? Do you really believe there is an oil shortage? No, but they are crafty. Now they tell us there is enough oil, but it is the "refineries" that are the problem. Oh really---was this by accident or design?

Folks, I'm afraid we are looking down the barrel of an epidemic. I call it the dumbing down of America. It is by slow death of what we once were. Some say it all began with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. It has been suggested this was the final push and installation of "corporatism". I'm not an expert on this by any means, but it does seem this was the period when America broke free from a more or less equality of living standards. This is to say people's income matched the cost of living. Others believe it was during the 30's when the "Federal Reserve" was created. Either way---you lose.

A person's income would afford them a house which in 1969 was about $25,000 to $35,000. That very same house today is between $260,000 and $550,000 depending on your location. Would you say this matches the average income? Do you think your wages have matched the cost of living? Not a chance.

But the dumbing down of America goes far beyond money. It is the ever rapidly spreading disease of lemminghood. The once taught skill of "critical thinking" often available in most universities, and in some high schools, is non-existent. Simply tell an audience global warming is 100% caused by humans, and follow that with "there is no more discussion, the scientific studies are done" (Al Gore), and you have one instant audience of lemmings not knowing to ask---"Hey Al, could you give me a list of the scientists you refer to?" (Al Gore) Uhhhh, that's a very good question, but there is something more important than who said what, we're all going to die if you don't follow what I'm telling you". (Al Gore) "Next question"

Hey Al, just to follow up. Could you tell us again exactly what scientist said what? And could you pass along their CV (resume) just so I'll know we aren't talking about some meteorologist on channel 5 news. Sorry, don't mean to question your authority, but I'd kind of like to know how many solar physicists are on your team. Could you also include the paleoastronomers? Hey, and throw in a few paleo-climatologist just for grins. Oh, and one more thing---would you mind presenting the "peer reviews" of the so-called scientists you refer to as "there is no more question, the scientific results are in". Thanks Al, its been great. Best wishes on your political campaign. Whoops, I mean environmental education referendum.

The United States 'Declaration of Independence':

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Another link for a July astro newsletter
http://www.soothesayer.com/

Posted by: Penelope on July 4, 2007 10:29 AM

Hello and a Happy 4th to all of you! I am an idealistic dogooder with 29 Sag as my ascendant.
Thanks.
Here, in Xi'an, they have been talking about the pyramid which is still buried in the major grave of the emperor who is buried in a buiding there along with all the horse and chariots and soldiers. There is lots more here than can not be dug up soon. The emperor wanted to make a huge undergound tomb and use real people and horses to guard it,of course they would all have died when buried alives. But he was persuaded to use the the life size terracotta figures instead. They are all individuals modeled on living individuals;no two are alike in the 8000 or so soldiers and who knows what is inside the buildings.
Seeing the Ming tombs near Beijing a few years ago I was repelled by the underground city that another emperor had built underground to insure his immortality. The time, energy, money and good farm land that was wasted caused a lot of the poorer people to die of starvation, injury, and disease and casued a small revolution. I visited another underground tomb of a lesser emperor in Luoyang that had several smaller burial areas inside three hills that had been created above by the land removed from underneath the tombs.
I marvel at the catacombs of Rome and Paris and hope to see the pyramids some day. But this transformation of the Earth into a giant mortuary can not go on and on.There is no more spare land in China for planting all the people who live here now.
As a history major, I am excited when we find a new tomb and learn about the past. But, I think that there are as many dead ancestors as there are living people on Earth today. I suspect that India may have more people than China does now. If it does not it will shortly. I think there may not be anywhere to put everyone on Earth now as we have about the same number of living people as all the people who have gone before us. And we certainly can not make any more large underground cities to support the dead when we need the above ground to grow food for the living and not yet born.
Prehaps we should consider a way to return to the universe much sooner and without the glory of thousands of soldiers or dancing girls.

I noticed in An Inconvenient Truth that Al Gore does mention the size of the population as a problem that affects global warming but does not make suggestions about what we are going to do about it. As difficult as it is to solve the other problems that cause global warming this one will be even harder to mangage.
So how did I wander off topic so far, when poor Pharaoh Hetshepsut has just retured with a broken tooth and I used to listen, The Scarlet Pimpernel on the radio long ago. It all seems to be about an aristocracy to me. And of course the Dickens' tale of the French Revolution begins with,"it was the best of times and the worst of times." Who says some are better than others and this one should live and that one should die?
Some of my students think we will all move to Mars and come back here every few years for history field trips to look at the great art that went into our tombs and toys. I am hoping for a cool shady resting place on a gentle hillside where green grasses and weeds will soon grow on my grave and deer and cattle will feed near the tree where birds rest at night and wake before dawn and then the calcium from my old bones will find its way into meat and milk for new ones like me to go to Mars or stay here. I wonder who I would be if I had decided to come out a little earlier or a little later. I guess I could have been a do nothing or a do badder up to a point. Aristocrat or not I should have died of boredom if I had to be as donothing as a Bush and can not develop the energy for doeviler of a Cheney.

Alas, you can see, if you have read this far that I have not had a good conversation with a grownup native English speaking person in a long time, not an Amerian,Canadian, Australian or New Zealander. I did speak with a great guy from South Africa on the phone today. I am looking forward to a return to USA this summer.
In the meantime, I want to thank Sally for this wonderful place where I visit often and all of you great people who share your thoughts and stories. I found this place after the elections were stolen in 2000 and been coming here ever since. This is my imaginary home while I travel.Thanks and Happy 4th.bjt
P.S. If you know what an idealistic dogooder who has Pluto on her ascendant should be doing, feel free to tell me before it gets to my Sun in Cap.HAHA bjt

Posted by: Betsy on July 4, 2007 11:38 AM

Your inspired wisdom, Sally seemed to seed an energetic expansion of thought.

Shy, your revolutionary war post triggered and inspired a writing spree, a letter being formed that i will send to every dam* rascal even remotely connected these high crimes.

wv, your eloquence is profound.

So many articulate voices to read this morning. I'm deeply thankful to know that there are others raising hell. This 4th is for all of you, you who remain the true patriots.

Posted by: karen on July 4, 2007 02:30 PM

Betsy, well I am happy you are bored it gives us the benefit of some great insights.

I laughed at the comment of the emperor building an underground city to save his immorality. I think Dick Cheney has done the same thing.

Maybe your students are right and this little planet will become a living museum of what it used to be with our little hierarchal culture. It all seems so silly to me now, the "top down" type of culture, our Kings, queens, presidents, etc. like little people doing little jobs and make believing they are doing something more important than anyone else, and we pay them our money to do their little jobs.

We had an exhibit a few years ago of some of the terracotta soldiers from China, it was fascinating. The workmanship and life like expressions and the carved clothes was simply amazing to see.

When Pluto gets to your Sun in Capricorn, particularly when it's passing over your Ascendant as well you will go through a massive change and won't be the same at all. It will feel as if you are losing everything but I promise you will come into something better. You will be able to create a better life for yourself. Do a life board now with pictures and words of what you want to be and do. You are moving into your real self, the one we bury because of family and culture; or because of our past. We get trapped there sometimes in our past stories, with Pluto aspecting your Sun it's a golden opportunity to create a new and different story. You will come into your power, your real power.

Keep writing to us with your rich experiences there in China.

Posted by: Sally on July 4, 2007 02:31 PM

I know what you say about genes and ancestry. Now I just know I'm a human being. I went through the whole thing when I was younger of denying my native hereitage. Then, I went through the whole pride for my native culture. But, no matter how unjustly the natives were treated, I found a lot of homphobia and sexism that really bothered me. Of course, that is a generalization, and not everyone. Growing up on the Mexican border and being a Spanish speaker myself, I realized that really I was more hispanic in someways. I always felt in my whole life that I lived on the perifery of identities and lands - white, but not white enough. Indian in someways, but not full-blooded. I grew up on the border of Mexico and on the edge of where hispanic and anglo cultures collide. And, on top of that, I'm gay which has a whole culture unto itself. I spent my youth thinking about identity and what it meant. Now, it doesn't matter to me. It's a blessing to be exposed to so many differences and so many possibilities. I have learned that what makes us special as humans is our ability to adapt and to create such a variety of cultures and arts and ways of living. It really is amazing. Thanks for letting me say this.

Posted by: Travieso on July 4, 2007 04:42 PM

Hello Everyone ~ Thank you so much for your amazingly insightful, awakening, best-on-the-web, "Site".
I, like Betsy, have been reading / delighting / crying, with all of you here, since the fiasco of "2000".
What has sparked my 'need-to-write' ?,,,,,,, I d'know. - - (maybe) The "Emperor's Tombs" causes me to ask,,,, - Does anyone know what [someone] is up to, in Columbus, Ohio ?
What / who needs a building with 4-"foot" thick cement walls, and a moat ? - - And,,, how many 'other' buildings of this sort are going up around this country ?
How do you keep secret stashes of uranium ? Do you "hide things you don't want found, in a very busy, congested place" and rely on the, "can't-see-the-forest-for-the-trees" syndrome ?

( I use to be so naive, "make love not war' )
I am so suspicious, any more,,,,,
I feel that king georgie's partner-designer-in-crime is [more than] capable of,, the 'set-up' bombings in England / Scotland,,, to get the new, anti-war ministers of Mr. Brown's cabinet, to 'change their minds' & support another / extended war.
(who's 'helping' them with the 'intelligence' to find-&-destroy those bombs 'before' they go off ?????) (a very, very good thing,,,yes,,, but,,,,,)
Yep, the puppeteer makes smirky, [appear], quite "innocently-helpful", - that little clay monarch,,,,,,,,,
Oh, so,,,,, suspicious,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
And,,, when "The Dick" crosses-over,,,,, - will we hear the loud suuuucking-bang-POP !noise of the paper mache likeness, of the boy-king, being wrenched off his putrefying hand ,,,,,,,,,,, 'Just wondering,,,,,,,,,,,,,
I'm, normally, a peaceful, loving, understanding person. This monarchy is very disturbing to the well being of our children, grandchildren, ggrandchildren...The Planet... It must go away.
Why isn't that an easy, simple thing to accomplish ????
Oh, so,,,,, suspicious,,,,,,,,,,,,

Posted by: Crystal "D" on July 4, 2007 05:25 PM


Scooter Libby In Hell
What do Dick Cheney, Paris Hilton, "The Sopranos" and colon spasms have in common? Find out here!

By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist

Wednesday, July 4, 2007


So there you have it. Bush shrugs and smirks and then commutes the easy soft-focus sit-on-your-ass-all-day-and-knit white-collar prison sentence of a hollow political lackey who, in turn, took a bullet for his sneering mafia thug of a boss, Dick Cheney, who in turn was complicit (along with lead flying monkey Karl Rove) in the appallingly illegal outing of a CIA operative, which itself was a tiny but particularly nasty link in the giant chain of lies and deceptions undertaken to lead our wary and tattered nation into an unwinnable impossible costly brutally violent war that will now last, if current estimates are correct, until the goddamn sun explodes.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/g/a/2007/07/04/notes070407.DTL&type=printable

Posted by: wv on July 4, 2007 06:40 PM

Crystal D, what a wonderful post. And you are right, what are they doing in Columbus. I do know in the western half of the country they are building "detention centers" huge ones and in Colorado massive government buildings are going up in Aurora. I wonder if people wonder about the Patriot Act and one of the provisions. That George can declare himself president forever if there is a disaster or another terrorist attack. Why did they suspend Habeas Corpus and it remains suspended. They can pick up anyone they want, hold them indefinately and not provide them any legal recourse whatsoever. It feels as if things are picking up steam and I don't think Congress is stupid, I cannot believe they don't see and know what is happening.

I am attaching the reading of the Declaration of Independence on NPR you can read it and/or listen. You will be amazed how many of the things mentioned as the crimes of King George are being done today

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11703583

Posted by: Sally on July 4, 2007 06:57 PM


Published on Monday, July 3, 2006 by the Progressive

Put Away the Flags

by Howard Zinn

On this July 4, we would do well to renounce nationalism and all its symbols: its flags, its pledges of allegiance, its anthems, its insistence in song that God must single out America to be blessed.

Is not nationalism -- that devotion to a flag, an anthem, a boundary so fierce it engenders mass murder -- one of the great evils of our time, along with racism, along with religious hatred?

These ways of thinking -- cultivated, nurtured, indoctrinated from childhood on -- have been useful to those in power, and deadly for those out of power.


http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0703-29.htm

Posted by: wv on July 4, 2007 07:29 PM

Bill Herbst's Newsletter is out. I could have never phrased it so well.
snip..
Those of us who saw what was happening all along were ignored, since we had long ago taken refuge out on the social fringes of the bell curve, shaking our heads in disbelief at the deranged loonies running the asylum. Vietnam, the Cold War, Reagonomics, religious fundamentalism, "free" markets, NAFTA and globalization, Clinton's sell-out, corporate welfare, big money's kidnapping of the government, the healthcare fiasco, agribusiness, the military-industrial complex, the free-for-all to rape the environment for profit---all of it was clearly madness.

Collectively, we have acted like thieves for much longer than a decade. Go back as far as you like to find the roots of our depravity---30, 50, even 100 years. The painful revelation of finally discovering our amorality is a bitter pill for some, especially since America is now circling the drain of spiritual, economic, and political bankruptcy. We sold ourselves down the river for what are turning out to be unsustainable fantasies of material wealth (unsustainable for the masses, of course; the privileged few still profit handsomely). ....

http://www.billherbst.com/News100.pdf

Posted by: Charles on July 4, 2007 09:01 PM

Columbus is in my neck of the woods, Crystal. I honestly hadn't heard anything about that building, so I will check into it. I might guess that there would be something similar to it going up in or near all of the state capitals. More federal influence in the states at a time when the balance needs to swing back the other way. Whatever it is probably won't be "secret" for too long though, since the fascists and corporatists seem to want to force a showdown with us, though I don't know why they would want to fight a losing battle.

Shy, that was an absolutely beautiful post you made. If only more people could share in your insight, maybe we wouldn't have so much senseless racism, sexism, homophobia and prejudice going around. And maybe we wouldn't have people like the Bushes with their pompous sense of entitlement, thinking we all owe them reverence just for some meaningless bloodline link to the British Crown.

Posted by: NEOBuckeye on July 4, 2007 09:10 PM

If you missed Keith Olbermann's call for Bush & Cheney to resign, here is a link to the entire speech.

>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19588942

They run a short commercial for a credit card first (this is MSM after all) but it is worth it to see and hear KO's full statement.

It had me on my feet cheering.

PS

Also maybe it will do some good for MSNBC to note how much traffic this speech inspires.

Sally, thanks for correct time.

Posted by: Barbara on July 4, 2007 09:20 PM

Tornado warnings for the DC area until 10pm EDT for the fourth of July.

Oh my.

Posted by: Pat C on July 4, 2007 11:30 PM


Why Do We Hate Them?

By Gilad Atzmon

I find myself wondering, how dare the media ask 'why do they hate us?' Don't they know the answer? Don't we know the answer? Weren't we the ones who demolished Iraq? Wasn't it our PM, Tony Blair, who gave a green light to the Israelis to flatten Lebanon? Wasn't it Tony Blair's government who dismissed the democratically elected Hamas in Palestine? Wasn't it Blair who allowed the Israelis to starve Gaza?

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17963.htm

===

Call Out The Instigator

By Cindy Sheehan

I'm not backing off. I tried to remove myself from the political realm of the US, what BushCo is turning into an Evil Empire, but the blatant audacity of George commuting Scooter's sentence (he's not ruling out a full pardon -and you know he will) has dragged me kicking and screaming back in. I can't sit back and let this BushCo drag our country further down into the murky quagmire of Fascism and violence, taking the rest of the world with them!

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17961.htm

===

The High Cost of Libby's Silence

By Amy Goodman

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal," says the preamble to the Declaration of Independence. Unless, of course, you are a friend of the president. By commuting "Scooter" Libby's sentence, President Bush is also protecting himself and Vice President Dick Cheney.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17962.htm

===

Unimpeachably Impeachable

Don't Make It Harder Than It Has To Be

By Ray McGovern

Last week's four-part Washington Post feature on Vice President Dick Cheney removed any doubt in my mind as to whether he and President George W. Bush have committed the kinds of high crimes and misdemeanors that warrant impeachment.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17964.htm

Posted by: wv on July 5, 2007 12:03 AM


Here's something of which I was unaware...

In outsourced U.S. wars, mercenaries deaths top 1,000:

The death toll for private mercenaries in the U.S. wars in occupied Iraq and Afghanistan has topped 1,000, a stark reminder of the risks run by civilian mercenaries working with the military in roles previously held by soldiers.

http://news..yahoo.com/s/nm/20070703/pl_nm/usa_iraq_contractors_dc_2

===

U.S. occupation troops outnumbered by mercenaries :

The number of U.S.-paid private contractors mercenaries in occupied Iraq now exceeds that of American combat troops, newly released figures show, raising fresh questions about the privatization of the war effort and the government's capacity to carry out military and rebuilding campaigns.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4942664.html

Posted by: wv on July 5, 2007 12:06 AM

From Counterpunch...just as I've always believed!

Why Hillary Clinton Has Always Been a Republican

In the first of a series of profiles, Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St. Clair chart the formative years of Hillary Clinton. Watch her as she zigzags from Nixon campaigner and vote-fraud investigator in 1960 to Goldwater Girl and President of Young Republicans at Wellesley to her internship for Gerald Ford and campaigner for Nelson Rockefeller. Witness her reaction to the student protests at Yale and the demonstrations at Grant Park during the Democratic Convention in 1968. Learn how she and Bill vowed to "remake" the Democratic Party--using the Nixon model HRC learned about as a member of the House impeachment staff. And much more! Plus: David Price on anthropologist Andre Gunder Frank, the FBI and the Bureaucratic Exile of a Critical Mind.

Posted by: wv on July 5, 2007 12:16 AM

Thanks so much NeoB, JudiGem and Karen for your kind words. *Blush* Wonderful to hear from you again, Betsy.
I guess, Cap'n Sally, we have to buckle up for one more year of major turbulance. This month alone seems to promise tons of it.

Posted by: shylurker on July 5, 2007 12:57 AM

Well, I don't mind a good fight as long as we get an equal amount of punches in the coming slugfest. Just so they can't move forward any for another year, then it'll be OK.

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 5, 2007 01:09 AM

No wonder there is not enough political outrage - a predominance of unthinking bling zombies in the land??? This story is unbelievable!!

Kansas Shoppers Step Over Dying Woman
Filed Under: Crime News, Nation
WICHITA, Kan. (July 4) - As stabbing victim LaShanda Calloway lay dying on the floor of a convenience store, five shoppers, including one who stopped to take a picture of her with a cell phone, stepped over the woman, police said.
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/kansas-shoppers-step-over-dying-woman/20070704052209990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

Loved your article Sally, but I've always loved the Scarlet Pimpernel story from the other perspective - an intellegent man helping those caught up in mob rule. And dubya simply defines bully.
Perhaps I loved the pimpernel story so much because some of my ancestors escaped to England from France during that era.

Posted by: kiwijeanie on July 5, 2007 01:23 AM

A Reminder that Fire the Grid Day is July 17, 2007 @ 11:11 GMT

This just came to me by email! Watch Shelley Yates on YouTube in 8 parts - IT'S AMAZING!
I added the first paragraph. Please share :-)

This is really worth watching & doing. It’s very interesting, enjoyable to watch & will pull you in easily. Nothing to lose, everything to gain.

http://youtube.com/results?search_query=fire+the+grid

Shelley Yates is the real deal. The intention is for 100 Million
people to participate. Earth's grid desperately needs help. Mark your
calendars to Fire the Grid, JULY 17, 2007. www.firethegrid.com

Please read Shelley's story, and don't forget to have your speakers turned on to receive the full benefit of the music. This music was created to assist us in firing our own grid, so that we will be more able to assist on the 17th.??

If Shelley's story touches you, as it did me, please forward to your global address list. FireTheGrid.com has been receiving over 1 million hits a month from over 30 countries. Never before has it been possible to affect the grid in this way. Please, help make this happen.

Earth is literally dying...and it has little to do with pollution and everything to do with the frequency with which we are vibrating.? By raising our own frequency to 800 mgz, we fire the grid for our dear planet.? It's simple. It's a win/win - and the benefits we will experience are beyond our wildest imagination.

Please help. Fire The Grid! - July 17th 11:11 GMT.

Posted by: Sharon on July 5, 2007 03:46 AM

Yes I saw a story on CNN yesterday about a car that went off the road ( Ca?) a pasing motorist witnessed it called it in on his cell phone, gave the 911 operator the mile marker, and kept driving.
When the emergency team responded they couldn't find the car.
SO THEY LEFT THE SCENE! Next day it was discovered..........both occupants dead! IT WAS A RED CAR IN GREEN BUSHES, NOT COVERED OR HIDDEN!
When we functioned by the rule of law, were'nt you required BY LAW, to stop at the scene of an accident if you were the first one there? It was in New Jersey! I still remember that from my first drivers test 50 years ago!
But I have to say............today I am happy! I have enjoyed today to the max! All by myself ( but with several phone calls from good friends; gardening, making an outdoor fire[place out of cinder blocks and then grilling ion it, peppers, beets, potatoes and the first American food.......bison burger! I've savored every blossom, leaf, blade of grass, warbling bird, & if the sun goes out tomorrow, or "they follow us here"! that will be OK!
After 60 years I've realized my ambition to be assigned a children's book to illustrate............FINALLY!
I did do my duty this morning, shareing my deepest truthiest thoughts about the election & priorities, ( impeach before there's any more trouble) with Mrs. Clinton, who e-mailed for money & support!
QOP

Posted by: on July 5, 2007 04:07 AM

Hi Sally
Well done - your excellent advice to Betsy.
Like they say in your part of the world, "You'd better believe it!" - Betsy
And like they say in my part of the world, "Been there, done that!" - and quite recently.

Sag Ascendants of the world unite!!
God knows the world needs us to get us successfully through these times.

Posted by: Stan on July 5, 2007 05:14 AM

I looked at the shattered visage of my country today, America...and smiled, because it's People are creative, innovative and are not going to go quietly into George's monarchy. The People still have that same wild determination for self determination despite the road blocks, the fears, people are gona go, "Excuse me? I don't think so." Americans 230 years of melding cultures, no, I won't give up the dream of We the People.
King George didn't get it in the last incarnation and this George doesn't either. I'm done with this pissant.

Sally, as always awesome work.

Posted by: Morgana on July 5, 2007 06:38 AM

Morgana,
I like your perception! Perhaps that viewpoint contributed to my serenity yesterday.............Finally they "GET IT".
I realize, the left is fear mongering just as badly as the right!, with their fears of jack boots and detention centers.
As an example here is Bagent's gloomy, fatalistic take on it.
Warning...it's PG13, brilliantly written, but could cause severe depression!
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/index.php
The Ants of Gaia: It’s only the end of the world, so quit bitching
by Joe Bageant | Jul 4 2007 - 10:42am | permalink
article tools: email | print | read more Joe Bageant
The power of population is so superior to the power of the earth to produce subsistence for man, that premature death must in some shape or other visit the human race. The vices of mankind are active and able ministers of depopulation. They are the precursors in the great army of destruction, and often finish the dreadful work themselves. But should they fail in this war of extermination, sickly seasons, epidemics, pestilence, and plague advance in terrific array, and sweep off their thousands and tens of thousands. Should success be still incomplete, gigantic inevitable famine stalks in the rear, and with one mighty blow levels the population with the food of the world.
---Thomas Manthus-1798
QOP

Posted by: on July 5, 2007 11:23 AM

This morning, just after declaring that a frog with nine legs was found near a garbage dump, and that lefties and environmentalists would call this the result of pollution, but they, Joe Scarborogh and his sidekick, would just call that life, they launched into Gore and the arrest of his son. It was pronounced that Gore should be a father and take care of his son. If Gore attended the concert that he has organized, he was not doing his fatherly duties. They went on and on about it. They really NEED letters.

This is a launch to ruin the most dangerous candidate to the establishment.

Posted by: Pat C on July 5, 2007 02:41 PM

The entire world needs to change drastically. This story makes my blood boil! It made me think of JoannaO who I really miss. I hate that this happens in our world!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/07/05/damon.india.widows/#cnnSTCText

Shunned from society, widows flock to city to die

By Arwa Damon
CNN

VRINDAVAN, India (CNN) -- Ostracized by society, India's widows flock to the holy city of Vrindavan waiting to die. They are found on side streets, hunched over with walking canes, their heads shaved and their pain etched by hundreds of deep wrinkles in their faces.

Hindu widows are shunned from society when their husbands die, not for religious reasons, but because of tradition -- and because they're seen as a financial drain on their families.

They cannot remarry. They must not wear jewelry. They are forced to shave their heads and typically wear white. Even their shadows are considered bad luck.

more...

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 5, 2007 04:42 PM

lunaoscura, there is a wonderful movie called "Water", by Deepa Metha. It's a beautiul move, and addresses this atrocity really well.

Thank you for posting that.

Posted by: Pat C on July 5, 2007 06:23 PM

From Gene Lyons:

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Editorial/194769/

As the nation celebrates Independence Day, there’s ample cause for optimism that our democracy will survive the presidency of George W. Bush intact. That Americans would reject the Bush / Cheney brand of half-baked authoritarianism hasn’t always been clear. (See Joe Conason’s “It Can Happen Here” for details. ) It was touch and go for a while. Frankly, there have been times since 2001 when it was hard not to wonder if we still had the intestinal fortitude to govern ourselves.

Posted by: Pat C on July 5, 2007 06:34 PM

Pat QOP, never heard of Thomas Manthus....but Malthus? Anyway, the link links to nothing....
We should have been listening to Malthus all along, but anyone who EVER brought up population control was flogged unmercifully over the last century. And we will reap the wild wind on that one.
And I think that car was in the bushes for 2 weeks, not 2 days...that is the real outrage. I wondered, also, why the people who called in the accident didn't stop first. I think it is because we have become accustomed to other people doing 'their' job, while we don't stop for the destruction....except to take pictures...of a dying stabbing victim, gross.....! Makes one long for population control.
Charles, Bill Herbst is so amazing....
And WV, the dems always say we have a big tent...Hillary is not a Republican, she is a centrist democrat, as is Bill....I don't know why everyone is so surprised. She is also the smartest woman on the block; smarter than most of the males candidates. I'd vote for her....except for the fact that I have no idea how much she would be capable of undermining what little democracy we have left. that is a concern ALL of the candidates can be called on. Even Gore. Any of them.

To go back to Bill Herbst....we have 2008 to look forward to, when the 'warming trends' start, only not referring to our current glacial ice, but the Saturn/Neptune affect. As he said, this too shall change.

A thought occurs to me about the people here of various combos of ethnicity, and what it all means .. (I am not a combo except in the sense of differing political ideals, i.e., revolutionaries and loyalists and differing religious ideas)...I've always thought that it was a great thing to have people with a mix of DNA or that which we call race and which I call cultural Saturn lessons which may or may not carry genetic memory (my daughter's grandfather on her dad's side is from centuries of culture in Mexico)....to transcend local politics, local ideals, culture and to synthesize it all into a new way of living..even those of us living in foreign countries and absobing different cultures are contributing to a more global possiblity of living, as are all the immigrant populations. It is coming, it will be here, perhaps maybe not in our lifetimes, but the ideals of our experiences now will form those of the future.
great posts....

Posted by: judigem on July 5, 2007 07:05 PM


Many will recall that, on July 8, 1947, witnesses claimed an unidentified flying
object, with five aliens aboard, crashed onto a sheep and cattle ranch just outside Roswell, New Mexico. This is a well-known incident many say has long been covered up by the United States Air Force and the federal government.

However, what you may NOT know, is that in 1948,
some months later, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Bill O'Riley, Rush Limbaugh, and Condoleeza Rice were all born.

See what happens when aliens breed with sheep?

Posted by: wv on July 5, 2007 07:07 PM

cute joke WV but it doesn't correspond to the actual birthdays. Bush was born in 1946, Cheney in 1941, Rumsfeld in 1932, Rice in 1954, O'Riley in 1949 and Limbaugh in 1951. Maybe Rice and O'Riley and Limbaugh could fit.

Posted by: Sally on July 5, 2007 07:18 PM

Another thought....having been like this myself in the past - cautiousness, I mean, I am looking at the dems and how they creep into condemnation with 'feelers'...Like Joe Biden 'asking': The questions we should all be asking ourselves today are: Why is the President flip-flopping?" asked Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., pointing out the previous case. "Why does Scooter Libby get special treatment?"

The New York Times reported Wednesday that Bush's commmutation of Libby's sentence could throw a wrench into federal sentencing decisions nationwide because the sentence was consistent with those often handed down in perjury and obstruction cases.
-----
So why are they asking questions instead of stating 'facts' and going after Bush on special treatment and every other thing they can come up with?

Will aspects be much better next year for this, will the 'thaw' come on the administration's stonewalling and taking liberties not granted them? Is this the purpose of a Saturn - Neptune opposition (the Watergate years had similar aspects), that is, to start serious questioning, not just 'show' questioning?

Posted by: judigem on July 5, 2007 07:57 PM

Yeh, WV, I get that joke from the rightwingers, only with Dems...Gore, Clintons, etc....

Posted by: judigem on July 5, 2007 07:58 PM

Did you try going directly to smirkingchimp.com?
The Ants of Gaia is the 18th article down now, & sorry for the Manthus /Maltheus error; twas Bagant not me! I didn't edit before I copied & pasted!


http://www.smirkingchimp.com/index.php
QOP

Posted by: on July 5, 2007 08:28 PM

Sometimes I wish I weren't from this planet. I was born in 1948 so maybe I'm an ET alien!?

Posted by: on July 5, 2007 08:59 PM

Pat, I did got to smirkingchimp and used their search box with the title and it said there wasn't anything by that name...! I can try again.

Posted by: judigem on July 5, 2007 09:40 PM

Hey, Bagnant's rant is a good one and I don't disagree with any of it, Pat QP...but we have to look at the lens he is seeing it thru. We all see thru our own lens, not anyone elses (unless you work for rightwing media). I wouldn't put Bagnant in a left bag...we don't know that. But often people who are super realists are depressing and maybe even depressed. Ask me how I know this, right? hahahah...Saturn conj. the Sun. Maybe Joe suffers from this also. Any way, it is as likely that his take on things will come to pass as any of the idiginant culture's take on things will come to pass. I think people just don't care for realistic messages. He is funny, that is for sure, in that wonderful Saturnian cynical funny way.

Posted by: judigem on July 5, 2007 09:54 PM

A thought to our friend anon born in 1948...who says ANY of us are from this planet? I started saying I was from the Pleiades when I was about 8....maybe I am right about DNA and memory.

Posted by: judigem on July 5, 2007 09:55 PM

judigem, that post was from me. Sorry!

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 5, 2007 09:57 PM

Hi Luna, I was being serious/funny....because who really knows? I never felt like I was from America, I never felt like I had only lived on earth, and psychology might say I was alientated...or someone in new ager language might say that I AM an alien ET...language is such fun.

Hey..maybe we are all Pleiadians! you think? But when you look at the enormity of world events, I sure would be interested in a less nasty humanity....

Posted by: judigem on July 5, 2007 10:23 PM

Oh my, Raw Story reporting that the DC Madam has had the injunction lifted from her phone records...I wonder who will be forced to resign from important government positions now?

And a good story on how Fred Thompson was a mole for the White House during the Nixon debacle...he leaked to Nixon that the investigation was going after Nixon's 'recordings'....so that probably explains the missing 18 minutes....

Posted by: judigem on July 5, 2007 10:28 PM

I think this is something we really must pay attention to and make our thoughts known to our Reps.

http://www.shakesville.com/2007/07/the-death-of-net-neutrality/

The Death of Net Neutrality

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has decided to abandon net neutrality and allow telecoms companies to charge websites for access.

The FTC said in a report that, despite popular support for net neutrality, it was minded to let the market sort out the issue.

Because, after all, the market has done sooooo well by us in other matters vital to public welfare (see: health care).

Posted by: Pat C on July 5, 2007 10:41 PM

judigem, I've always said that this is the DMV planet. Hurry up, stand in line, get a number, stand in line, fill out a form, stand in line, get it stamped, stand in line, show documents, stand in line, not enough documents, go stand in anothe line.

Yet they keep telling us we're in the land of the free. Those of us who question all the necessity for standing in line are obviously not from this planet.

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 5, 2007 10:49 PM

Hey, folks, maybe there is hope for all the suffering, beaten-down people in China:
http://rawstory.com/showarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.guardian.co.uk%2Fchina%2Fstory%2F0%2C%2C2120044%2C00.html%3Fgusrc%3Drss%26feed%3Dnetworkfront

Cap'n Sally, is there reason to hope their plight will change? Thnx.

Posted by: shylurker on July 6, 2007 05:19 AM

Shy, apparently, China is embracing Al Gore's world concert and are planning to organize behind him to do environmental work. Interesting indeed.

Posted by: Pat C on July 6, 2007 06:31 AM

Luna, been to the DMV lately, huh? I remember those days...the only thing worse than standing in those lines was thinking about what it must be like to be the people working the counters!

A Ha, that is it....we are either one or the other....and it looks like the people at the counter are now in charge...!

Posted by: judigem on July 6, 2007 06:46 AM

Here's a creative way to express an important item!

http://findhabeas.com/

This is Habeas Corpus.
On October 17, 2006, he went missing without a trace. Last seen in Washington, D.C., his current whereabouts are unknown. Where is he? We don't know.
Make friends
Show your support for Habeas Corpus by visiting his MySpace page.
QOP

Posted by: on July 6, 2007 02:59 PM


Protestors strip, don horns against Spain's running of the bulls

Thu Jul 5, 2:26 PM

PAMPLONA, Spain (AFP) - Hundreds of animal rights activists took part in a "Running of the Nudes" Thursday to protest the traditional running of the bulls ceremony in the Spanish town of Pamplona.

The demonstrators ran stripped to their underwear and sporting plastic horns, as well as the traditional red bandana worn by those who take part in the famous Spanish event.

The running of the bulls involves the release of bulls every morning into the streets of the city in northeast Spain.
Daredevil revellers, including many foreigners, run ahead of the stampeding bulls as they are herded down the narrow streets towards the city's bull ring.

Runners are sometimes caught and either gored or trampled by the running bulls and 14 people have been killed in the event since 1911.

The bulls that run in the morning are used in bullfights the same evening.

Thursday's protest was organised by the animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), which said people from more than 30 countries took part.

Thousands of tourists are expected to attend the week-long festival of the bulls, which starts on Friday.

The running of the bulls was immortalised in Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel "The Sun Also Rises".

Posted by: wv on July 6, 2007 03:10 PM

My site is done! Aquariusmoon!

Posted by: Carol on July 6, 2007 11:38 PM

http://21c.com/aquariusmoon/index.shtml

My site is done!

Posted by: Carol on July 6, 2007 11:41 PM

Carol, I clicked on your link and got a colorful page that read This domain for sale.

Posted by: Barbara on July 7, 2007 12:13 AM

Error:
http://d21c.com/aquariusmoon/index.shtml
This is the Correct link

Posted by: Carol on July 7, 2007 12:20 AM

Thanks, Carol. Very nice site--richly textured.

Posted by: Barbara on July 7, 2007 01:23 AM

What if every aware person with email emailed the Oval Office and the VP's office with just the message: "Mr. Bush, You must resign." "Mr. Cheney, You must resign."

No need to go into details. Short is more powerful, and they know why. Maybe we could alert our friends, our favorite blogs, etc., and people all over the country would email that same message.

Would that generate a substantial amount of psychic energy, do you think?

Now might be a good time to start, with Mercury and Uranus both retrograde--time to revisit old problems. Or would it be better to wait until after July 9th?

The Resident can be emailed at

comments@whitehouse.gov


The Regent can be emailed at

vice_president@whitehouse.gov

Posted by: Barbara on July 7, 2007 01:33 AM

Woot! Woot! I just clicked on to "Live Earth" concert and, who did I see? Why, Al Gore, welcoming the Aussies to the event, thanking them for their cooperation and asking everyone to sign a pledge (several steps) to help pass a healthier earth on to the next generation. Well, folks, I just burst into tears hearing his voice, seeing his face, and knowing how much energy, effort and money he's putting into trying to save the earth. Also, of course, the painful frustration knowing that he should be occupying the Oval Office for his second term right now. Saving the earth is the nobler cause. Fer sure.

Posted by: shylurker on July 7, 2007 02:33 AM

shylurker, wouldn't you think that MSN would have set a browser for Mac users to tune in with? what a crock...you have to use Internet Explorer ONLY for 'best' experience...right. They no longer make IE for Macs. So it is just not too good watching or listening....

considering that Gore sits on the board of APPLE!!! it is damn rude...

Posted by: judigem on July 7, 2007 04:11 AM

Judi,

I didn't get that. Are you talking about internet browsers?

Posted by: Barbara on July 7, 2007 04:27 AM

JudiGem, my computer is an Apple. I do hope you can straighten out the problem you are having. Nice concert.

Posted by: shylurker on July 7, 2007 04:31 AM

I got it on my IMac. as a Quicktime movie.
QOP

Posted by: on July 7, 2007 11:57 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_Islands
The World is a man-made archipelago of 300 islands in the shape of a world map currently being built off the coast of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The World is one of a series of artificial island projects in Dubai, along with the Palm Islands, and like the other islands The World is being built primarily using sand dredged from the sea. The World is the brainchild of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.
QOP

Posted by: on July 7, 2007 12:31 PM

Actually, Al is throwing the Live Earth concerts as a birthday present for me! It was 46 years ago today that I crash landed on this planet.

Posted by: Cybear on July 7, 2007 02:40 PM

Happy Birthday Cybear,
Nice of Al to honor you that way!
I'm honoring Live Earth Day by planting things in the garden!
QOP

Posted by: on July 7, 2007 03:19 PM

Happy Birthday, Cybear! Forty-six isn't a bad age, it was ok four years ago... Any specific plans today, or just hanging out at the computer?

Posted by: Carol on July 7, 2007 03:20 PM

Thanks Carol and QoP!

I'll be hanging at the house. My partner is throwing me a party later today with friends and family. Until then, we'll be watching the concerts and checking out the world online.

I'd be planting my ferns if it were not a swamp outside. We have had nothing but rain for the past month and everything is waterlogged.

Posted by: Cybear on July 7, 2007 03:33 PM

Happy birthday Cybear! The best is yet to come! No kidding.

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 7, 2007 04:17 PM

Woot! Woot!
Woot! Woot!
It's Cybear's birthday!!

May hapiness be yours all year, Cybear, and your ferns always flourish.

Posted by: shylurker on July 7, 2007 04:56 PM

Hey!! Cybear. wishing you a happy birthday and the best year yet.

Posted by: clymela on July 7, 2007 09:27 PM


http://www.lunarplanner.com/EGM/FireTheGrid/

Fire The Grid
Global Earthgrid Activation
July 17, 2007 at 11:11 GMT
Nick Anthony Fiorenza

This web page presents the world-wide "Astronomical Earthgrid Spacetime Mapping" for "Fire the Grid. It reveals the extra-active locations on the Earth where portals in consciousness open as well as their tie-ins. Also presented is the astronomical star-level sidereal astrology surrounding this Venus-Crescent Moon event.

"Fire the Grid," is a one hour Global Meditation / Prayer international event initiated by Shelley Yates. See Shelley's web site presenting this event at: http://www.firethegrid.com/

You can post comments about any of this material on the Lunar Planner Forum at:
Lunar Planner Forum / Earthgrid / Fire The Grid.

The Earthgrid

One significantly active area runs from Provideniya, Northeast Russia, across the Bering Strait through Anchorage Alaska, along the Northern coast of the US (San Fran, LA, San Diego), through Baja Mexico, and the southern tip of South America--also energetically linking these areas.

Another highly active line runs along the west coast of New Zealand. Another links Sri Lanka, Calcutta India, and Ulan Bator Mongolia.

The Global Astronomical Earthgrid Spacetime map section below reveals more about Fire the Grid, and provides a link to a large map and a list of significantly active locations world wide.
Evolutionary Intelligence translates into Earth's energy grid catalyzing a natural and progressive unfoldment of human consciousness through a dynamic geometry created by Earth's daily rotation in the spherical geometry created by Earth's precessional cycle, which governs the "Evolutionary Cycle of the Soul" on Earth.

The Earthgrid is not merely a static geometry of energy lines, portals, sacred sites, or places of power, but is a dynamic, interactive system that awakens over time, in a "Earthgrid Activation Sequence."

http://www.lunarplanner.com/EGM/FireTheGrid/

Posted by: wv on July 7, 2007 10:03 PM

Happy Birthday Cybear

Also Born on July 7

Joseph Jacquard
inventor (1752)
Gustav Mahler
composer, conductor (1860)
Marc Chagall
painter (1887)
Robert A. Heinlein
science-fiction writer (1907)
Pierre Cardin
fashion designer (1922)
Ringo Starr
musician (1940)
Michelle Kwan
figure skater (1980)
Cybear (1961)

Satchel Paige
(Leroy Paige), 1906–82, American baseball player, born in Mobile, Alabama.


Celebrated for his wit and extraordinary pitching ability, Paige became legendary while barnstorming in the Negro baseball leagues prior to the integration (1947) of the major leagues. He played in as many as 2,500 games and is credited with more than 50 no-hitters.

In 1948, at the age of 42, Paige joined the Cleveland Indians of the American League. He pitched for six seasons in the majors and was the first star of the Negro leagues to be inducted (1971) into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Posted by: wv on July 7, 2007 10:11 PM

http://www.lunarplanner.com/HolyCross.html

Posted by: wv on July 7, 2007 10:24 PM

Penelope!! I love you and this supports my thinking while breaking my heart. Sorry so long in responding-I have been "out of touch" for a few days.
I know that things are definately out of balance and I know that fascism is the tune to which we dance. I know that people are so afraid, afraid of everything and when people are so afraid they are easily led. Oh if only we could solve our issues by dancing and feeling good together. If only all our issues could disappear by us being "good people" and not using that hateful ammonia or finding a way to keep cows from farting so much from all the greens they eat.
Where I work people are so overworked and crammed into horrible settings that they are ready to turn on each other daily. I fear what will happen when our expences go up and our compensation decreases and I have one of the desirable jobs in that we have benefits and senoirity and pensions.
Personally, I believe that all this talk, talk about the presidential race is to keep us from looking seriously and deeply into just what has happened to us and when it started and who did what when. We could start with the current thugs and then go back to other administrations. I just don't know where the spiritual will is to be found. Where I work people are more interested in tracking down sexual predators, or sending out mawkish emails "supporting the troops". They get their children registered and photographed by the local police but they know nothing about what really happened to get us in this "war". From my personal conversations the people I work with have never heard of the "embassy" we have built in iraq or the four or five supporting bases and they don't understand what has happened there and I think that they do not care. Everyone seems to be living large with video in the SUV and climate control in the house. I am amazed over what I see is considered normal-when I multipy this by say two hundred million I get dizzy.

Posted by: clymela on July 8, 2007 01:20 AM

Please go watch Shelley Yates on YouTube, the woman who started the fire the grid movement leading up to July 17, 11:11 GMT.

http://youtube.com/results?search_query=fire+the+grid

It's a really interesting & enthralling 8-part videos, about 2 min. ea (you can do something else on your computer while listening if you like). She say that if the July 17, 11:11 GMT time is inconvenient for you, you can participate by writing down your intention to give your soul permission to raise your energy field and take part. She shares a lot of what she was told to do, while temporarily dead, including her extreme resistence against doing this. There are 3 ways to get ready for event which will raise your energy field and connect it to the grid. Feeling delight in whatever gives you that feeling fully - could be becoming absorbed in eating an ice cream cone is one; listing to music that uplifts you totally (there is a composer named Branfield, I thnk, who's involved in this) is another. I forget the 3rd.

Posted by: Sharon on July 8, 2007 01:36 AM

Any chance, Cap'n Sally, that Merc going direct next week will somehow help this situation:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/7/7/165658/2191

Posted by: shylurker on July 8, 2007 01:44 AM

Wishing you a blessed year of love, peace, happiness & prosperity, Cybear - 7/7/07 - that has to herald a year of peace, love, communications & travel (3)!

Posted by: Sharon on July 8, 2007 01:44 AM

Oh, I went to MSN to check out the video of the Australian Live Earth concert, and it told me that Internet Explorer is what I needed to use...but there is no IE for macs anymore. It was a crummy feed, but eventually I was able to hear music while I worked...

So I was just saying, MSN is pretty rude to not make other browsers users friendly also....

But at least I was able to watch on NBC and Bravo to see all the concerts tonight...

Al Gore has done more to change the world than he ever could have done as president (it being a given that he wouldn't have started a war in Iraq in the first place_

Posted by: judigem on July 8, 2007 06:48 AM

Well finally......the old gray lady comes through!
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/opinion/08sun1.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&hp
Editorial
The Road Home

Published: July 8, 2007
It is time for the United States to leave Iraq, without any more delay than the Pentagon needs to organize an orderly exit.
QOP

Posted by: on July 8, 2007 11:52 AM

The Summer of
Spiritual Love 2007

by Owen Waters

Forty-year cycles are highly significant in human affairs. It was forty years ago, in 1967, that the Summer of Love erupted in San Francisco and inspired young seekers around the world to realize that there is a better, more loving way to be a human upon this planet.

Forty years later, the world is due for an outpouring of love in the summer of 2007, but it will become much more than it ever was in 1967. This time, it will reflect forty years of the maturing of the original idea. We have transformed from the earlier, seeking idealists to people who are beginning to understand how to focus and direct spiritual energy in order to make a real difference on this planet.

http://www.infinitebeing.com/0707/love.htm

Posted by: wv on July 8, 2007 01:28 PM

Cybear! My! The company you keep!

Joseph Jacquard
inventor (1752)
Gustav Mahler
composer, conductor (1860)
Marc Chagall
painter (1887)
Robert A. Heinlein
science-fiction writer (1907)
Pierre Cardin
fashion designer (1922)
Ringo Starr
musician (1940)
Michelle Kwan
figure skater (1980)
Cybear (1961) (Oh, that clever wv!)
Satchel Paige

Well, i'm waiting to read, see and listen to the next brilliant ChaHeinMah Cybear invention. Not only a sci-fi book, but one that speaks to you in brilliant colors. :)

Happy Birth Day, Cybear!

Posted by: karen on July 8, 2007 01:34 PM


For Iraqis, it's 9/11 every day.

Dr. Dahlia Wasfi - Life in Iraq Under U.S. Occupation

Must Watch Video

Shortages; lack of electricity; potable water; tanks rolling through the streets night and day; gunfire and explosions. Iraqi health care in shambles. 200 bodies turn up daily in the Baghdad morgue. For Iraqis, it's 9/11 every day.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17979.htm

===

In case you missed it

A Message From The "Iraq Resistance"

Video: Islamic Jihad Army - A message in English

"We are simple people who chose principles over fear."

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article7468.htm

===

Parasitic Imperialism

By Ismael Hossein-zadeh

How recent U.S. wars of choice, driven largely by war profiteering, are plundering not only defenseless peoples and their resources abroad, but also the overwhelming majority of U.S. citizens and their resources at home.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article17980.htm

Posted by: wv on July 8, 2007 01:35 PM


July 8, 2007

Op-Ed Columnist

A Profile in Cowardice

By FRANK RICH
THERE was never any question that President Bush would grant amnesty to Scooter Libby, the man who knows too much about the lies told to sell the war in Iraq. The only questions were when, and how, Mr. Bush would buy Mr. Libby’s silence. Now we have the answers, and they’re at least as incriminating as the act itself. They reveal the continued ferocity of a White House cover-up and expose the true character of a commander in chief whose tough-guy shtick can no longer camouflage his fundamental cowardice.

The timing of the president’s Libby intervention was a surprise. Many assumed he would mimic the sleazy 11th-hour examples of most recent vintage: his father’s pardon of six Iran-contra defendants who might have dragged him into that scandal, and Bill Clinton’s pardon of the tax fugitive Marc Rich, the former husband of a major campaign contributor and the former client of none other than the ubiquitous Mr. Libby.

http://select.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/opinion/08rich.html?_r=1&oref=login&pagewanted=print

Posted by: wv on July 8, 2007 01:55 PM

Hopefully Bush feels like the loneliest man on the planet about now. He's earned it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/06/AR2007070602003.html

Base to Bush: It's Over
By Byron York
Sunday, July 8, 2007; Page B01


Let's say you're a Republican president, a bit more than midway through your second term. You're scrambling to salvage what you can of a deeply unpopular war, you're facing a line of subpoenas from Democrats in Congress and your poll ratings are in the basement. What do you do?

You estrange the very Republicans whose backing you need the most.

(China Photos - Getty Images)
Monday, July 9 at noon ET
Outlook: Bush's Recent Blunders Leave Him Base-less
National Review White House correspondent Byron York explains how, by aligning himself with Ted Kennedy on immigration and offering only halfway forgiveness to Scooter Libby, president Bush abandoned the only backers he had left.
In The Post's Outlook Section
DEPT. OF LAME DUCKS: Base to Bush: It's Over
The Boy on the Bus
BUILT TO FLAIL: Our Clueless Intelligence System
HUMAN NATURE: A Corny Cold War
DISPATCH: DAMASCUS: In the Old City, a Bohemian Rhapsody
More From Outlook


David S. Broder:
Arizona's Border Burden

George F. Will:
Declaration of Dependence

Jim Hoagland:
The Next Battle in Iraq?

David Ignatius:
Getting the CIA We Need

Marcia Kraft Goin:
The Wrong Place to Treat Mental Illness

Today's Editorials


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That's precisely what President Bush has managed to accomplish during the two big political developments of recent weeks: the commutation of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's prison sentence and the defeat of comprehensive immigration reform. But the president's problems with the GOP base go beyond those awkward headlines. Republicans aren't mad at Bush for the same reasons that Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and the devotees of MoveOn.org are; there's no new anti-Bush consensus among left and right. No, conservatives are unhappy because the president allied himself with Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) over an immigration deal that leaned too far toward amnesty for illegal immigrants. They're unhappy because Bush has shown little interest in fiscal responsibility and limited government. And they're unhappy, above all, because he hasn't won the war in Iraq.

more....

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 8, 2007 06:35 PM

Oh man!! Sorry about that.

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 8, 2007 06:36 PM

Hey y'all, here's another "interesting coincidence"(he said sarcastically) involving
I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby.....read and enjoy...

http://realhistoryarchives.blogspot.com/2007/07/scooter-libbys-pardon-and-911.html

and Happy Belated, Brother Cybear, and many more to ya......

namaste and love y'all

Posted by: Garry Todd on July 8, 2007 07:10 PM

I thought this an interesting article, so I decided to post it here.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_opinion?id=161171938

Posted by: Crystal on July 8, 2007 07:34 PM

Good find, brother Garry.

Posted by: shylurker on July 8, 2007 07:51 PM

anybody here have some info on the possible impact of Live Earth Concert happening worldwide yesterday? clear to me that the energy was there...how are the aspects for the event, in terms of affecting change?

Posted by: km on July 8, 2007 09:24 PM

Thanks Shy!

Hope y'all are all keeping cool on this day of record temps....and try not to lose that same cool while reading this excellent summary of the past 94 years of ruinous US financial policy.....

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=6239

Posted by: Garry Todd on July 8, 2007 11:33 PM

Hi Sally and All. It has been a long time since I last posted but have been erratically keeping up. I think Gore will run and win.

I think he may announce this coming Dec when he has a Jupiter return with Pluto also conjunct and Mercury and the Sun crossing that conjunction within days followed by the same 3 crossing his Moon shortly after. Not sure of the trigger - transiting Jupiter, Sun, or Mercury, but like the Sun on Dec 20.

Relocate his birth chart to Denver, site of the Democratic National Convention in Aug 2008, then place the transits for 7pm, MDT, Aug 25, the convention's second evening around it. Transit Uranus on the MC and transit Jupiter on the
descendant (also square natal Sun).

My progression of his lunar return for election day in Nov 2008 is my reason for believing he will be elected.

Inauguration day of Jan 20, 2009 finds transit Jupiter conjunct his natal 7th.

Just for kicks relocate his natal to Jolly Dump, SD (50 state geographical center) or Lebanon, KS (48 state geographical center) and place the evening transits for election day around the chart. You will find transit Jupiter on the 7th. (I feel that a chart for a person or event located to either of these two places shows the peoples perception of a person or event).

Bob

P.S. I will get around to posting these charts on PhotoBucket and providing a link one of these days.

Posted by: unique_astrology on July 9, 2007 01:18 AM

Thank you, Crystal, for sharing the article by Gwynne Dyer. Most of us realize our country could obsess about things that would be more beneficial to the "whole",,,,, - but,,, this "interesting, fear-feeding government",,,,,,,
Whew ! They do love their 9-11-excuses-for-everything. ( it fills their over-flowing bank accounts, y'know,,,,- much easier than playing the stock market & they don't have to risk their own money,,,,)
The lives of children,, grown, not grown, brand new,,,, No matter what nationality,,,, our little king sees them as a threat to his "losing money", so uses them to "make money".
All things come from Love or Fear. - The root of any issue. The fear of loosing money is this country's greatest obsession.
My heart breaks for the people of Iraq. Though many cultures are being attacked by tyrannical bullies. We,,, - we - America - are the attacking bullies in Iraq.
I don't like how that sounds or feels. It feels as shockingly painful as it did years ago.
I hope "Scooter" lives to chat-his-heart-out at the "War Crimes" hearings. (at least,,,, hopefully, he has a secret vault with reams of info. to make the "new" president's job easier)
Man,,, just thinking about 'little king G" gets me aggggggitated.I've gotta go sit with some beads & incense to get peaceful again,,,,
Love you all,
Crystal "D"

Posted by: Crystal "D" on July 9, 2007 03:19 PM


Thursday, July 05, 2007

$5 Trillion in Housing Wealth Gone: The Impact of the Housing Bubble Bursting

A sane person surrounded by insanity will at some point, question his or her own mental health. Examining the past decade of housing especially from Southern California, the epicenter of the housing bubble, you begin to question economic fundamentals and simple rules of finance. At this point, we are reaching the overdue housing correction. Housing has created immense wealth in the economy and has propelled us out of a brief recession earlier in the decade. Yet this wealth was created on an illusion of easy credit. It is estimated that the housing bubble has created 5 trillion additional dollars of wealth as compared to a scenario where housing kept pace with inflation. This is important to note because historically, housing has only kept pace with inflation as an investment. When you have certain areas up 80 percent in real terms as the Center for Economic Policy Research has showed, we have speculation and not normal growth.

http://drhousingbubble.blogspot.com/2007/07/5-trillion-in-housing-wealth-gone.html

Posted by: wv on July 9, 2007 03:38 PM


OpEdNews

Original Content at
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_wayne_ma_070705_libby_a_long_time_mo.htm


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 5, 2007

Libby a Long-Time Mossad Agent

By Wayne Madsen


I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby has been a long-serving intelligence agent for Israel's Mossad, according to a veteran CIA "official cover" officer who spoke to WMR on deep background. The CIA's Clandestine Service has, over the years, gathered a tremendous amount of intelligence on Libby's activities on behalf of Mossad.

http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/print_friendly.php?p=opedne_wayne_ma_070705_libby_a_long_time_mo.htm

Posted by: wv on July 9, 2007 03:40 PM

Hello, Is there anyone still on this planet out there? What kind of merc stationary direct WAS THAT?
QOP

Posted by: on July 10, 2007 12:15 AM

QOP what on earth are you talking about?

Posted by: shylurker on July 10, 2007 12:21 AM

Yes! QOP what are you talking about? Did mercury fall onto your yard?

Posted by: clymela on July 10, 2007 12:28 AM

Remember when one of the big defense contractors recently moved world-wide headquarters to Dubai? I think it was Halliburton? Anyhow, over at Kos
>http://www.dailykos.com
there is a diary (look at right-hand column) titled

"I don't mean to be alarmist, but..."

Well worth a read! Apparently many of these big multi nationals that have been raking in dollars from the US treasury are now moving their headquarters to the Mideast.

Well, the Piscean Age began in the Mideast, I suppose. Maybe all this gathering of corporate war profiteer economic giants in the Mideast now actually heralds the final expansion and end of the Piscean Age.

Posted by: Barbara on July 10, 2007 01:13 AM

Remember when one of the big defense contractors recently moved world-wide headquarters to Dubai? I think it was Halliburton? Anyhow, over at Kos
>http://www.dailykos.com
there is a diary (look at right-hand column) titled

"I don't mean to be alarmist, but..."

Well worth a read! Apparently many of these big multi nationals that have been raking in dollars from the US treasury are now moving their headquarters to the Mideast.

Well, the Piscean Age began in the Mideast, I suppose. Maybe all this gathering of corporate war profiteer economic giants in the Mideast now actually heralds the final expansion and end of the Piscean Age.

Posted by: Barbara on July 10, 2007 01:13 AM

Sorry for the double-post. I got an alert that the first one didn't go through.

Posted by: Barbara on July 10, 2007 01:16 AM

Not into my yard! On my head! I was on th phone & computer from 9am-5 pm.with disabled transportation sitting in the yard!
( That turned out to be a blown hose, not headgasket as feared.)
Somebody reported that I was no longer eligible for low income power, one among MANY; so the lines were totally clogged Fri & this AM. The cap agency & the power company played ball with the responsibility, & my consequence for not dealing with it would be loss of power, water!
My Dr's receptionist suggested that maybe I ought to switch to the clinic as being closer: because I DON'T COME IN TO SEE THE DR OFTEN ENOUGH!!!
Huh? I'm not sick enough to qualify for medical care?
I had called in a request for blood pressure pill samples, & thyroid meds refill! both of which are keeping me healthy and functioning! I remember the days before Reagan, when you didn't need a DR. to prescribe every year!
Then battles with tech stuff, won't even go there!
So instead of getting to do some really creative things, with my new wonderful over the top software...... as I had planned......I wasted a whole day got frustrated and doing a few primal screams, ending up with calling Snowe's office and saying to her aide:" Hi It's your worst nightmare, didn't I call several years ago and recommend NOT confirming Roberts & Alito?" Andrew recognised me and we had a nice chat.................she hasn't defected ...YET! Giving it some thought!
SUn sq. my N merc exactly, & venus by 6 o; New moon will be a lu lu, sq N & p saturn.
AND it's damp & chilly @ 57o, while the rest of the country is sweltering under a heat wave!
After I duct tape the pieces of my head back together, everything will be JUST FINE!
QOP

Posted by: on July 10, 2007 02:51 AM

I guess Michael Moore ad a day similar to mine!@ He made EXCELLENT use of it!
Watch him out talk WOlf Blitzer!
17th comment down is You tube
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/9/175344/8323
QOP

Posted by: on July 10, 2007 03:42 AM

YAAAAAAAAAY! Olbeman reports TONIGHT!
As of tonight!
Snowe stands with Lugar & other Repug defectors. I though Andrew gave significant emphasis to that YET!
QOP

Posted by: on July 10, 2007 03:59 AM

Eeeeeeeek! QOP, that was an amazing recitation of events (and some you didn't even reveal). I do hope everything is calmer down in your vicinty. And, of course, that tranquillity reign in your domicile.

Posted by: shylurker on July 10, 2007 04:05 AM

PatQOP, Mercury Rx is straight from hell. I have lost track of my crisis de jour, and they were many. I don't know about the rest of you but I am exhausted from it all and I am sick of these jerks.

Posted by: Morgana on July 10, 2007 07:21 AM

Me too, however there was a certain feeling of empowerment from, caling Snowe's office and hearing Olbermann announce her separation from the Bush camp a few hours later!
I was disheartened by the jerkiness of the general population, more than the administration, in retrospective analysis, I won 60 lost 40% not bad!
With today's quincunx between mars & jupiter, 10, 11o taurus, 3 o from my 12th house sun...I think I'll just stay off the phone!
QOP

Posted by: on July 10, 2007 10:38 AM

Just trying to make sure none of you missed this:
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4786

Posted by: shylurker on July 10, 2007 04:50 PM

Hello everyone and thanks for all of the birthday wishes! It looks it will be quite a year both personally and worldwide.

On my side, I am starting a massage therapy class on Monday to get my license due to our hairpiece twit of a governor. Seems that he and his cronies have determined that Reiki, Qi Gong, and other theraputic touch modes of healing falls into the same catagory as your 'red light massage parlors'. So now, in order to advertise as a Reiki Practitioner or Teacher, one must have a massage license. Oh well, I have been planning to get a license to get into the healthcare system and get out of this crazy business I'm in so maybe this is just the push I need at this time.

On a global level, the next year is going to be a doozy. I am very concerned that Fiendco and Friends are going to pull the rug out from underneath us really soon. All the signs are there that they will to do anything to stay in power. These people so out of touch with reality that they will blow up the whole world to get their way. If they can't have there cake and eat it too, then no one else can either. That's what is scary about this bunch.

And I am worried that Kingdom of Bushit will be around way past 2008. Maybe that's what the end of the Mayan calender predicts. It will be the end of wars because it will be the final one. Humans may not exist after 2012 or in very small pockets scattered around the globe. Just a thought.

Posted by: Cybear on July 10, 2007 05:24 PM

It makes sense that after they've claimed to be 'turning corners' in Iraq all along that we would end up back at the starting line, right? Warning, Bush logic ahead, embedded in the following article. Either pull more hair out of your head, or laugh...or cry.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070710/us-iraq/

Dems Call for Combat to End by 2008

[snip]
White House spokesman Tony Snow earlier Tuesday confirmed that the coming administration report to Congress would say that Iraq has not met all the benchmarks set for it. The nature of that report was revealed earlier to The Associated Press by a senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

But Snow argued that the assessment is only "a look at the starting line" of the U.S. troop surge and shouldn't be used by critics to demand withdrawal.

"What Congress will get this week is a snapshot of the beginning of the retooling of the mission in Iraq," he said.

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 10, 2007 06:28 PM

Back in the 1950's or '60s--I've forgotten which, a copy of the Magna Carta was touring the US. As I remember admission or contribution costs to see it were used to restore historic building(s) in Coventry, England, which was hit hard in the blitz.

Anyhow, I remember gazing on that parchment with awe. Thinking of King John, who was forced to sign it, and of Sally's reference to Robin Hood, just looked up the Magna Carta on wickopedia.

Apparently John was a very incompetent king--(though not as incompetent as King George W. but who is). Anyhow King John put the Great Seal on the Article of Barons (the document preceeding the Magna Carta) on June 15, 1215. This document called for habeus corpus, the king has to obey the law, etc. It was recorded on July 15, 1215.

King John died from dysentary October 18, 1216. His 9-year-old son, Henry, was crowned king. Henry ruled 56 years and by the time he died, in 1272, the Magna Carter was settled law.

It is not until the 21st Century that an Engish-speaking nation has tried to do away with habeas corpus.

Posted by: Barbara on July 10, 2007 09:05 PM

Back in the 1950's or '60s--I've forgotten which, a copy of the Magna Carta was touring the US. As I remember admission or contribution costs to see it were used to restore historic building(s) in Coventry, England, which was hit hard in the blitz.

Anyhow, I remember gazing on that parchment with awe. Thinking of King John, who was forced to sign it, and of Sally's reference to Robin Hood, just looked up the Magna Carta on wickopedia.

Apparently John was a very incompetent king--(though not as incompetent as King George W. but who is). Anyhow King John put the Great Seal on the Article of Barons (the document preceeding the Magna Carta) on June 15, 1215. This document called for habeus corpus, the king has to obey the law, etc. It was recorded on July 15, 1215.

King John died from dysentary October 18, 1216. His 9-year-old son, Henry, was crowned king. Henry ruled 56 years and by the time he died, in 1272, the Magna Carter was settled law.

It is not until the 21st Century that an Engish-speaking nation has tried to do away with habeas corpus.

Posted by: Barbara on July 10, 2007 09:05 PM

dang! did the double-post again.

Sorry.

Posted by: Barbara on July 10, 2007 09:07 PM

Forgot to say, but you-all probably all know--King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta.

Posted by: Barbara on July 10, 2007 09:09 PM

Right Barbara,
We need a Robin Hood.
QOP

Posted by: on July 10, 2007 09:31 PM

QOP, read with respect your coping with the Merc retrograde. So glad that is over.

Mine was milder. Was stung by a wasp and couldn't close my left fist due to swelling of middle finger. Had to return to the grocery store and another place because of dropped keys.

Also was trying to buy some computer software, and the company itself was having trouble with their telephone answering system.

PS, toward the last of the Merc retrograde, guess you-all noticed that the DC Madam released ALL her telephone numbers on the net. They have been on-again and off-again, but on long enough for the computer-wise to capture them.

Posted by: Barbara on July 10, 2007 09:39 PM

You are so right, we do need a Robin Hood. And Cybear, happy belated birthday to you, hope it was a good one.

Bob I agree with you regarding Gore, but I think it will be sometime between mid-September to the 1st of November. I do believe Gore will run and will win, or at least win if he runs.

Mercury on election day 2000 was at 29 degrees Libra retrograde, on election day 2008 Mercury will be once again at 29 Libra only it will be direct. I see that as "what should have happened will happen" and that would only be if Gore runs, because he should have actually been President. Maybe we will all come out of the "rabbit hole" on election day 2008 or at least half of us.

The question remains as to why Gore would want to run for President, he certainly doesn't need it to be counted successful. However, each individual has to answer the question in their mind "I don't need this, but do I WANT this" whatever "this" might be. With Leo as his Ascendant and the ruler of Leo (the Sun) in Aries, and Mars, the ruler of his Mid-heaven (again Aries) in the first house in Leo, he absolutely does want the Presidency, unfortunately Saturn is also in Leo in the first house and I would bet he's not sure if he can attain the presidency. Therein lies the problem for him. He has just finished his second Saturn return, and in his first Saturn return he ran for the House of Representatives for the second time and won for the second time. His Sun trines Pluto and transiting Jupiter comes back around to set up a grand fire trine giving him a huge boost into believing he can win and should run. Also in 2008 Solar Arc Neptune also sets off the grand fire trine by progressing to 10 Sagittarius.

Posted by: Sally on July 10, 2007 10:14 PM

Oooooh, Cap'n Sally! That would be a thing of beauty. Truly. President Gore. Yessum!

Posted by: shylurker on July 10, 2007 11:34 PM

Would looking at Gore's Solar Return give us a clue?

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 11, 2007 12:09 AM

Thanks Sally! I hope you are right about Big Al. As of now I don't have faith in this administration, the Dems, the Rethugs or any of the current candidates.
Al would get my vote, but until then no one is.
Maybe if we could get 50 to 60 percent of the people against the king and his court to quit paying taxes we could make some radical changes. Cut the money off to all of the creeps in control.

I am still leary of what the future will bring. The world is an unstable mess. It's just more magnified here in the US.

Posted by: Cybear on July 11, 2007 01:02 AM

RUN AL RUN! Thanks for that glimmer of hope Cap'n Sally.

This may only be symbolic and worthless, but it's stil fun to read....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070710/ap_on_go_co/democrats_cheney_5

Posted by: Garry Todd on July 11, 2007 01:49 AM

I'd love to know how Tipper's charts look. Should be good clues there, too.

Posted by: shylurker on July 11, 2007 02:21 AM

QOP, I thought of you off and on today. Hope things were better for you. Isn't it a wonder how sometimes we pass through rough transits fairly guietly and then another time we just get knocked on the ass?
Here in our home we just kept losing money or rather money we were counting on just didn't come through. Pisser but not that unusual.

Posted by: clymela on July 11, 2007 02:48 AM

Hmmm...as I was saying....Funny how things like this come up when the Fiendco and Friends are backed into a corner. They're turning up the fear levels.

Officials worry of summer terror attack

WASHINGTON - U.S. counterterror officials are warning of an increased risk of an attack this summer, given al-Qaida's apparent interest in summertime strikes and increased al-Qaida training in the Afghan-Pakistani border region.

On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told the editorial board of The Chicago Tribune that he had a "gut feeling" about a new period of increased risk.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070711/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/summer_terror_threats

Posted by: Cybear on July 11, 2007 03:13 AM

Hmmm...as I was saying....Funny how things like this come up when the Fiendco and Friends are backed into a corner. They're turning up the fear levels.

Officials worry of summer terror attack

WASHINGTON - U.S. counterterror officials are warning of an increased risk of an attack this summer, given al-Qaida's apparent interest in summertime strikes and increased al-Qaida training in the Afghan-Pakistani border region.

On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told the editorial board of The Chicago Tribune that he had a "gut feeling" about a new period of increased risk.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070711/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/summer_terror_threats

Posted by: Cybear on July 11, 2007 03:13 AM

While Mercury may not have been kind to you recently, QOP, it sounds to me like it's worked well with you and your tremendous effort with Snowe. Congratulations--and many many thanks!

Posted by: shylurker on July 11, 2007 03:19 AM

While Mercury may not have been kind to you recently, QOP, it sounds to me like it's worked well with you and your tremendous effort with Snowe. Congratulations--and many many thanks!

Posted by: shylurker on July 11, 2007 03:19 AM

I saw that also Cybear, and it also made me wonder what else they've got planned....

Posted by: Garry Todd on July 11, 2007 03:31 AM

Oops! A double post. Oh, Barbara already did that earlier, so I'll just blame it on her.

Hi, Barbara! Hope all is well with you.

Posted by: shylurker on July 11, 2007 03:34 AM

HA! Good one Shy.

Meanwhile, see below for yet more "interesting reading".....

http://benjaminfulford.com/Howthe.html

Namaste and love y'all!
GT

Posted by: Garry Todd on July 11, 2007 03:58 AM

Garry, I don't see things like that as a coincedence. I 'see or feel' things and bam, something like this comes across the news.
Something is brewing.

Posted by: Cybear on July 11, 2007 03:58 AM

Thanks for the thoughts Clymela! It was a much better day!!Starting with last night when the mechanic dropped off my repaired car. & not too high a bill!
With no interruptions I was able to get a lot done!
AND it was a glorious day here, sunny but crisp!
In case anyone didn't see Olbermann tonight................
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/
Bush's facial expressions are priceless!
ANd see Garry's post above, re: cutting off Cheney's funding!
QOP

Posted by: on July 11, 2007 04:06 AM

Garry, Cybear, it's being reported (DU, et al.) that Olbermann discussed Chertoff's "gut" feeling as probably related to gas. Hahahahaha.
Seriously, I do know what you're saying and it concerns me very much, too.

Posted by: shylurker on July 11, 2007 04:08 AM

Well that should have gone in under Clymela/s post @ 2:48 Am but y'all were so busy with double posts it wouldn't go.
You are funny Shy!
DO WATCH Olbermann......... like Chertoff, he too has a "gut feeling
with a ( very different conclusion!)
It's Collins turn tomorrow!
Gravel with Scarbourogh!

Vhttp://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x40019
QOP

Posted by: on July 11, 2007 04:30 AM

Well that should have gone in under Clymela/s post @ 2:48 Am but y'all were so busy with double posts it wouldn't go.
You are funny Shy!
DO WATCH Olbermann......... like Chertoff, he too has a "gut feeling
with a ( very different conclusion!)
It's Collins turn tomorrow!
Gravel with Scarbourogh!

Vhttp://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x40019
QOP

Posted by: on July 11, 2007 04:31 AM

Well that should have gone in under Clymela/s post @ 2:48 Am but y'all were so busy with double posts it wouldn't go.
You are funny Shy!
DO WATCH Olbermann......... like Chertoff, he too has a "gut feeling
with a ( very different conclusion!)
It's Collins turn tomorrow!
Gravel with Scarbourogh!

Vhttp://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x40019
QOP

Posted by: on July 11, 2007 04:33 AM

I saw this this morning....

Al Qaeda Cell in the U.S. Or On Its Way, According to New Intel
Share July 10, 2007 6:30 PM

Brian Ross Reports:

Senior U.S. intelligence officials tell ABC News new intelligence suggests a small al Qaeda cell is on its way to the United States, or may already be here.

The White House has convened an urgent multi-agency meeting for Thursday afternoon to deal with the new threat.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/06/exclusive_suici.html

And the Dems sit on their asses while the lunatics run amuck....Impeach the bastards or remove them by force and maybe this type of crap will go away.

Posted by: Cybear on July 11, 2007 11:32 AM

OOOOOOpppppps! Must have been A Quiada making me post 3 times,...............
QOP

Posted by: on July 11, 2007 12:49 PM

Hi, Shy,

Just a typical morning here. Up early, check under the bed for Al Queda cells, dress, then outside to see if any tomatoes are ripe.

Posted by: Barbara on July 11, 2007 01:27 PM

Well, I noticed that things in webland were slow yesterday but all these multiple posts are funny.
Gary-I loved the thoughts on how western civilization evolved the father-god archtype. I came to a non-conflicting thought about my RC faith. However, killing David Rockerfeller, etc. will not free us. As evil as he and his peers may be, they could not succeed if it were not for the thousands and millions who still believe in father-god and his priests.
In the end, as the I Ching says to paraphrase: if we attack evil directly, it only arms itself—so in the end, it is better to make energetic progress in the good. In this case I think that energetic progress in the good is repeatedly pointing out that most of what christianity teaches in the churches is to keep people oppressed and afraid, to fight theology in government, and to talk about what is really going on in the world such as while america is definately rich and wonderful we are not kind, and in fact, since the Marshall Plan ended, we have been mudrering, conniving bullies especially towards people who are brown skinned and do not speak english.
I tell you—the stuff I hear at work from people my daughter's age is VERY DEPRESSING: on the whole, these 30-50 year olds are ignorant of the world, science, and philosophy, and they seem to be some type of fascitic christians. Of course they see me, and I quote,as "an old hippie who loves people and lacks ambition".

Posted by: clymela on July 11, 2007 02:10 PM


July 8, 2007

Red Alert: Has Santorum Let the Cat Out of the Bag?

By Mac McKinney


A very disturbing article has just surfaced by Paul Joseph Watson of Prison Planet about comments ex-Senator Rick Santorum made very recently on the Hugh Hewitt radio show. I quote you:

“In an alarming display of fearmongering, former Republican Senator Rick Santorum has suggested that a series of ‘unfortunate events,’ namely terrorist attacks, will occur within the next year and change American citizen's perception of the war.

“Santorum went on to clearly imply that terror attacks will occur inside America which will alter the body politic and lead to a reversal of the anti-war sentiment now dominating the country.” (http://www.propagandamatrix.com/articles/july2007/070707changeview.htm )

For those of us who have carefully studied events prior to and leading up to 9/11, this sets off giant alarm bells, because there were inadvertent tip-offs about that “unfortunate event” as well. In fact Watson reported about one of them in an earlier article:


“Hollywood director, producer and documentary film maker Aaron Russo, currently receiving a wave of plaudits for his latest release, America: From Freedom to Fascism, told The Alex Jones Show that Nicholas Rockefeller had personally assured him there was going to be an ‘event’ that would trigger the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq eleven months before 9/11 took place.” (http://www.proxyowl.net/cgi-bin/cgiproxy/nph-proxy.pl/000000A/http/www.jonesreport.com/articles/281006_rockefeller_911.html )


Ex-Senator Santorum is doing one of two things, or both, in the following article. He is either fear-mongering and/or accidentally letting the cat out of the bag about new BLACK OPS terrorist attacks being planned right now to continue to enable, drive and justify the Neocon/Republican, home-grown Fourth Reich. This is almost inevitable along the pathway of negativity, to continuously reinforce fear and terror with more fear and terror. So be aware, aware, aware that more terrorist (read U.S. State-Sponsored Terror) attacks may be in the works this year and next, not at the hands of Osama bin Laden, who is quite likely dead anyway, but at the hands of our own murderous government. The Fascist elitists are losing control of our minds en masse, so they need to replay the 9/11-Reichstag Fire card all over again.


We do not, unfortunately, have the luxury of waiting to see if Santorum is blowing smoke out his rear. We have to assume the worst, because too much is at stake. Consequently we have to continue to educate and inform the public, near and far, about False Flag Ops in general, 9/11 Lies in particular, and the ongoing Neocon/Fourth Reich strategy to maintain their hideous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, extend their theatres of war into Iran and Syria, continue to tighten the strategic noose around Russia, and increase repression and control of the American people (not to mention the British and others). So if another 9/11-style mass crime (or crimes) does occur, citizens will be much more skeptical and cynical about the simultaneous propaganda onslaughts that will occur, and actually prepared and ready to connect the dots. I guarantee you there will be many more digital and video cameras zooming in on any strange terrorist attacks this time. Perhaps our awareness and preparedness will even prevent another staged catastrophe.


The ball is now in our court, so let us run with it.


From OpEd News


Authors Bio: Student of history, religion, exoteric and esoteric, the Humanities in general and advocate for peace, justice and the unity of humankind, not through force, but through self-realization and mutual respect.

Posted by: wv on July 11, 2007 03:48 PM




Much of US favors Bush impeachment: poll

Jul 6 03:59 PM US/Eastern


Nearly half of the US public wants President George W. Bush to face impeachment, and even more favor that fate for Vice President Dick Cheney, according to a poll out Friday.
The survey by the American Research Group found that 45 percent support the US House of Representatives beginning impeachment proceedings against Bush, with 46 percent opposed, and a 54-40 split in favor when it comes to Cheney.

The study by the private New Hampshire-based ARG canvassed 1,100 Americans by telephone July 3-5 and had an error margin of plus or minus three percentage points. The findings are available on ARG's Internet site.

The White House declined to comment on the poll, the latest bad news for a president who has seen his public opinion standings dragged to record lows by the unpopular war in Iraq.

The US Constitution says presidents and vice presidents can be impeached -- that is, formally charged by the House -- for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors" by a simple majority vote.

Conviction by the Senate, which requires a two-thirds majority, means removal from office.

Just two US presidents have been impeached: Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998 and acquitted in 1999; Andrew Johnson was impeached and acquitted in 1868. Disgraced president Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 when a House impeachment vote appeared likely.

In late April, left-wing Representative Dennis Kucinich, a long-shot Democratic presidential hopeful, introduced a resolution calling for Cheney's impeachment. To date, the measure has nine listed co-sponsors and a 10th set to sign on when the House returns to work next week.

But Democratic leaders appear unlikely to pursue such a course.


Copyright AFP 2005, AFP stories and photos shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium

Posted by: wv on July 11, 2007 03:57 PM

Hello, While Mercury was doing funny stuff over there, we had cell phone problems from at least 2 of the networks being over loaded and some just left their phones at home. My new phone suddenly switched from English to Chinese for no reason I could find. I think is a little better today, I just flew in to Shanghai from Xi'an and other than higher costs than I had expected all went well, enjoyed chatting with Japanese toursits who were returning from Xi'an.bjt

Posted by: Betsy on July 11, 2007 04:52 PM


Big Al Gore, according to some...courtesy of
Camille Paglia

http://www.atroshenko.com/NSAlBuddha.html

Posted by: wv on July 11, 2007 05:30 PM

great posts as usual, something that i've come to treasure.

Now, something we've all known from the beginning of this onslaught of decency (with more to come, if Santorum is "on to something)is the way oil companies, Britain and the US are shaping oil policy and revenue in Iraq. This brief read makes clear their goals.

http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/context.jsp?item=IraqOilWorkersStrike#IraqOilWorkersStrike

It is an excellent overview.

Posted by: karen on July 11, 2007 06:05 PM

Yup!
Back into hell today...........due to....................
"these 30-50 year olds are ignorant of the world, science, and philosophy, and they seem to be some type of fascitic christians. Of course they see me, and I quote,as "an old hippie who loves people and lacks ambition".
It was one of them at the State paperwork level, failing to check mark a box! that has just cost me 3 working days to save my low cost power billing status!
A Man with GERMAN name at PUC corrected it for me!
Even if we get a good Admnistration back..........in my life time the results of "Many CHilds Left Behind" will be he order of the day!"
Or they are ("upwardly mobile ( they think) corporate/robot faschist/ beings, not necessarily christian!) profile young male 20 - 35! They are probably mnd controlled by the additives in coke products! The BLUE ONE?
With neighbors like this who needs black-ops!
QOP

Posted by: on July 11, 2007 06:45 PM

Hi everyone. Happies to the birthday kids! I've been lurking alot lately, have been really busy lately. But i agree with alot of the posts here,{doubly so in some cases!;)} clymelea, is os agree with that dark feeling about what may be in store...I've been saying for sometime now that we should count ourselves fortunate if we even have an election next year. Lots of canaries here.
I was thinking about such things one day and remembered PT Barnum's old saying that you can fool all of the people some of the time and some people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. I found it ironic that at a time when our governement has been coup'd by clowns, I should fine hope in a circus ringleader's quote.

Posted by: Raven on July 11, 2007 08:21 PM

Bush brings to mind the three monkeys, see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing. He believes that if he shuts his eyes real tight and clicks his heals and acts like a dictator, that magically he will open his eyes and really be the dictator guy.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070711/fired-prosecutors/

Bush Orders Miers Not to Testify

WASHINGTON — President Bush ordered his former White House counsel, Harriet Miers, to defy a congressional subpoena and refuse to testify Thursday before a House panel investigating U.S. attorney firings.

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 11, 2007 09:08 PM

Just finished reading this 2nd of 2 parts article on remote viewing, written by an ex psychic spy from our very own CIA spy program. But this is what he wrote about the first Gulf War and states of fear - of course, we know all the names of the guilty now, which weren't as well known then:

"Because," explains Morehouse, "the US$900 billion-a-year military-industrial complex, these greedy warmongers who build and market weapons to third-world countries don't want it because it's too cheap. Plus, if you start saving lives and killing equipment, then you force diplomacy to take its rightful place as the tool of conflict resolution in the new millennium. So you start to screw up this perpetual market of death and destruction.

"We now have members of Congress who have appropriated billions of tax dollars as welfare for arms manufacturers. So, when a manufacturer makes them and sells them to some third-world tyrant who can't even afford to buy powdered milk for the babies starving in his country but buys 12 jets that he can't afford, who pays for them? The US taxpayer. We now pay the weapons manufacturers, the arms dealers. And we pay off that tyrant's bill when he defaults."

Morehouse has a point. This modus operandi has certainly worked for every military conflict in the 20th century. The Gulf War was only the latest scam to generate profit streams for the arms manufacturers and their bankers, as well as get rid of excess population, i.e., "cannon fodder" (military personnel) and "useless eaters" (non-revenue-producing, resource-depleting people).

So what do you think, is 7/17/07 going to be the FiretheGrid day for a reason? I hope not...

Posted by: judigem on July 11, 2007 09:43 PM

URLs for the articles above:
http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/psispy2.html

Part one can be accessed at this site also.

Posted by: judigem on July 11, 2007 09:44 PM

Actually, I think that fooling people quote is usually attributed to Abraham Lincoln, though the record is vague:
http://quotes.zaadz.com/184/you_can_fool_all_the_people_so/by_abraham_lincoln

Posted by: shylurker on July 11, 2007 10:35 PM

This thread is full of great info and articles.

Judi, that Morehouse article was fascinating.

Garry, the benjamin article was so dead on. Makes you wonder.

Clymela and QoP, I have a very hard time dealing with my generation due to the utter ignorance that they display, but I chalk that up to the mass brainwashing that occured during many of our childhood years. But, there are also many of us that turned on, tuned in and awakened to the real reality as well back in the 70's. If you get my drift. Some of us woke up and never went back to sleep.

Posted by: Cybear on July 11, 2007 10:35 PM

CNN and ABC are reporting that Lady Bird Johnson has crossed over at age 94.

Posted by: Teresa on July 11, 2007 10:56 PM

yes, it looks like she did Teresa, of 'natural' causes, although after watching my mother pass away after 3 weeks of not eating, I'm not sure what natural actually means...she must have taken a lot of secrets with her.

speaking of secrets, Hustler publisher Larry Flynt said Wednesday that investigators working for the magazine are involved in more than 20 investigations relating to his recent call for information on Washington sex scandals.

The investigations include "high ranking Republican and Democrat members of the Senate and the House," Flynt said at a press conference in Los Angeles, in which RAW STORY participated via conference call.

"We've got some really good information here," he said....

Oh, I'll bet he has...story at Raw Story

Posted by: judigem on July 11, 2007 11:54 PM

Cybear, it sure puts a different slant on turning on doesn't it? I guess the very act of defiance it takes to take drugs and smoke mary jane and drop out and questioning 'The Man' is what is needed to see the truth and care. Funny how the 60s drugs were about finding community, expanding our minds, growing in consciousness and tuning into universal brotherhood. After that drugs were just drugs, used to escape the harsh reality(cocaine), or worse to slowly kill yourself(Meth) because life isn't worth all the psychic pain.

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 12, 2007 12:01 AM

and Cybear et al, another fascinating article in this newest edition of Nexus...which article comes out at the same time as the Pope announces that Catholics have the lock on authentic Christianity... at Nexus
http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/NewTestament.html

The man writing these articles has a 3 parter online about the Papacy and its criminal background...I haven't read that: http://www.nexusmagazine.com/articles/Papacy1.html
, but the New Testament thing I had an inkling of...what fascinated me was the foundation of the words 'Jesus Christ'....

And how the legend of Mithra which was 400 BC is an exact precurser to the story of the martyrdom of Christ.

Posted by: judigem on July 12, 2007 12:01 AM

I think Barnum said "No one ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the American public."

Something very telling happened today (Wed. July 11) in the US Senate. Sen. Jim Webb (D,VA) had introduced an amendment requiring a soldier to have time at home equal to his time in Iraq (or Afghanistan) before his tour of duty could be extended.

Almost all the Republicans (including closet Republican Liberman) voted against even allowing Jim Webb's amendment to come to a vote.

My two war-hawk armchair warriors (Senators Chambliss and Isakson, both R, GA) voted against Webb's amendment.

The unthinking "Conservatives" in Georgia who wave the flag and believe the GOP=patriotism don't know anything about what happened today.

I've written the Atlanta Journal and hope other Georgians will write their hometown newspaper.

Posted by: Barbara on July 12, 2007 12:02 AM

LOL! Chertoff's 'gut feeling' comment elicited this response form one our Democratic Representatives:

warning. If you follow the link there's a really scary large photo of Chertoff! Now that's got to be the face of terror, especially for little children

href="http://abcnews.go.com/WN/LegalCenter/story?id=3367404&page=1">http://abcnews.go.com/WN/LegalCenter/story?id=3367404&page=1">http://abcnews.go.com/WN/LegalCenter/story?id=3367404&page=1


Chertoff Explains 'Gut Feeling' About Terror Attack
No 'Specific Intelligence,' but 'Threat Is Very Alive'

[snip]
Chertoff indicated to the Tribune that the assessment is "not of a specific threat, but of increased vulnerability," but the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee sent Chertoff a letter today, asking him to "clarify your comments by providing concrete direction" to Congress and law enforcement agencies.

"What color code in the Homeland Security advisory system is associated with a 'gut feeling?'" asked Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.

"What sectors should be on alert as a result of your 'gut feeling'? What cities should be asking their law enforcement to work double shifts because of your 'gut feeling,'" Thompson asked.

"Are the American people supposed to purchase duct tape and plastic sheeting because of your 'gut feeling?'"

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 12, 2007 12:24 AM


What's happened to CondiSleezy?

Posted by: wv on July 12, 2007 12:29 AM

I just got thru reading the articles on the Papal history I posted about, and I can only say...it sure reminds me of the people running our country today...WV, if you have time to read it you may even see CondiSleasy in it!! hahahaha....those popes over the years from 970 or so to the 1600s sure killed a lot of people with terrific savagry. Put another laurel wreath on the heads of the occupants of the whitehouse and call them popes.

Posted by: judigem on July 12, 2007 01:30 AM

WV..Condi was up on the Hill with Hadley, defeating the troop 'rest' bill put forth by Jim Webb. Rethuglican Lieberman voted with the other rethugs against it, but 7 repubs rebelled and voted for it. 6 of those are up for re-election next year. http://www.rawstory.com/showarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.yahoo.com%2Fs%2Fnm%2F20070711%2Fts_nm%2Firaq_usa_dc_9

Posted by: judigem on July 12, 2007 01:38 AM

Is today the day Mercury went direct? yep...it sure is. I am already feeling a lot better.

Now what is going to happen with all these retrograde agreements and calls for impeachment? will they hold?

Posted by: judigem on July 12, 2007 01:41 AM

It's always amazing how Republicans become Democrats while running for office, isn't it?

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 12, 2007 02:09 AM

from TPM Cafe: http://www.tpmcafe.com/
What's in it for Democrats?

Fusion foting....check it out...

But a quick reminder if you’re just joining: “fusion” is a simple election reform that allows voters to vote for a candidate on more than one party line.

In New York, Governor Eliot Spitzer won last year running on both the Democratic and Working Families lines. The 155,000 New Yorkers who voted for him on the Working Families line were helping elect a Democrat and end 12 years of Republican misrule in Albany, but they were also helping to build an independent progressive third party and signal that they wanted the new governor to focus on the economic interests of working people – affordable health care, stronger unions, fairer taxes and support for working parents. One result – Gubernatorial support for a universal Paid Family Leave program. (more)

Posted by: judigem on July 12, 2007 03:42 AM

Lunaoscura, I think that psychedelics and grass are doorways to the mind and can only be used by those who understand what they are and what they are capable of. Unfortunately too many people were and still are clueless to what these substances can do under the right conditions. I was lucky enough back then to understand the spiritual nature of them and used them as such. Ah, the days of my youth....

Judi, thanks for the links! I'll have to read them tomorrow during my down time at work!

Posted by: Cybear on July 12, 2007 03:59 AM

And such is the state of our Union!
Anyone want to help me write letters to the editor? Or the township drones?
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/112-07112007-1376199.html
EDGEWATER PARK — Vicki Wozniak has filled her property on Stevenson Avenue with wildflowers, bushes and plants, turning it into a “backyard habitat'' for butterflies and birds.

But township officials think otherwise, calling her property overgrown, unsafe, and a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Wozniak, a member of the New Jersey Audubon Society, said she chooses certain plants to attract butterflies and birds. Hence, her back yard is filled with black-eyed susans, lilacs, milkweed, dahlias and salvia. She said she is offended when the township refers to her plants as “weeds.”
QOP

Posted by: on July 12, 2007 12:09 PM

Here's a little glimmer of good news:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2124274,00.html

Posted by: shylurker on July 12, 2007 01:48 PM

Here they go again, ratcheting up the fear levels, claiming Al-CIA(DUH!) is back at "pre 9/11" levels of strength.
I'm with you Cybear, I think they're planning another false flag stunt. Some reports I've seen predict it to be in this month(July), but we shall see.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070712/D8QANP000.html

Posted by: Garry Todd on July 12, 2007 02:47 PM

Hey Cybear, good reading! It gave some concrete evidence to what I've always 'felt'....

Garry, well duh....their numbers are down, Bush is sinking, too many people deserting the ship, etc etc...of course they are ratcheting up the levels...too many bloodhounds on their trail, bring out the blunderbuses! (remember that term?) sigh. They really do remind me of the popes of old, killing and stealing their way to power.

Posted by: judigem on July 12, 2007 05:46 PM



July 12, 2007

Impeachment Countdown: Are Bush and Cheney Starting to Lose Sleep?

By Dave Lindorff


Now it’s Sen. Barbara Boxer.

The junior senator from California on Wednesday stated publicly on national radio (the Ed Schultz Show) that in her view, impeachment of the president should be “on the table.”

' The reference, of course, was a pointed dig at Boxer’s San Francisco neighbor, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who over a year ago announced that if Democrats were to regain control of the House, impeachment would not even be considered. It would, she famously vowed, be “off the table.”

Of course, since Pelosi made that shameful declaration, brushing aside Bush’s already committed crimes against the Constitution, it has become clear that this president has been refusing to enact dozens, perhaps hundreds, of laws duly passed by the Congress, and that he has ignored the clear will of the people to have the disastrous Iraq War brought to a quick, merciful end.

http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/print_friendly.php?p=genera_dave_lin_070712_impeachment_countdow.htm

Posted by: wv on July 12, 2007 05:50 PM

Havard Professor Adam Block has the solution for us.

In his article in the magazine Pharmaco Economics,Costs and Benefits of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising: The Case of Depression.

Original Research Article
Pharmacoeconomics. 25(6):511-521, 2007.
He recommends to put anti depressants in the public drinking water supply. The gain of life quality would be 63 times higher than the cost of a new therapy.

Posted by: Charles on July 12, 2007 05:53 PM

There is the story that when Jacques Chiroc was president of France an American reporter asked him,

"Are you happy?"

Chiroc did a double-take and then growled, "Do I look like an idiot?"

Posted by: Barbara on July 12, 2007 07:06 PM

If you want to take a depressing look at how and where your pension fonds are invested and how they are performing.
http://www.markit.com/information/affiliations/abx

http://www.markit.com/information/affiliations/abx/history

Posted by: on July 12, 2007 09:12 PM

INTRODUCTION: American Caligula

The thesis of this book is simple: if George Bush were to be re- elected in November 1992 for a second term as the president of the United States, this country and the rest of the world would face a catastrophe of gigantic proportions.

The necessity of writing this book became overwhelming in the minds of the authors in the wake of the ghastly slaughter of the Iraq war of January-February 1991. That war was an act of savage and premeditated genocide on the part of Bush, undertaken in connivance with a clique in London which has, in its historical continuity, represented both the worst enemy of the long-term interests of the American people, and the most implacable adversary of the progress of the human species.http://www.tarpley.net/bushint.htm

I only bring this up again because it is de ja veux all over again....

Posted by: judigem on July 12, 2007 09:45 PM

translation of what Bill Kristol and all neocons think :

Allow me to translate. What Kristol is really saying is this: “If us rulers were to openly admit to the masses, ‘You’re all a bunch of sheep and you’re here to serve us, because we’re better than you, so kiss my butt,’ the masses might get a bit riled by such a comment and actually rise up and hang all of us assholes from lampposts.” Needless to say, the neocons don’t wish this to happen. In order to prevent it, therefore, dissimulation is absolutely necessary. http://www.newdawnmagazine.com/Article/George_W._Bush_Is_Not_a_Christian.html

Posted by: judigem on July 12, 2007 10:29 PM

That's very remniscent of Poppy Bush's infamous quote:

"If the people knew what we had done, they would chase us down the street and lynch us." -- George HW Bush

Posted by: NEOBuckeye on July 13, 2007 02:51 AM

Judi, Great reading! I have read bits and pieces over the years about Constantine and was very aware of his role in the myth of christianity. Isn't it beyond amazing that lies have become so called truths? Very much like what we are experiencing these days.

Posted by: Cybear on July 13, 2007 03:43 AM

Here's a light hearted exercise!
http://www.counterpunch.org/jackson07092007.html
The Correct Way to Affix a Stamp ( it's short!)
QOP

Posted by: on July 13, 2007 03:59 AM

That's a good one QoP! I hope things are settling down for you.

Here's a thought simular to the stamp , but with more of an impact. I think we should start a movement of flying flags upside down. It's a sign of distress. Anyone else up to it? If you are pass it around.

Posted by: Cybear on July 13, 2007 04:09 AM

http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/07/12/you-stop-a-war-with-the-constitution-you-have/

You Stop a War with the Constitution You Have


http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/07/12/democrats-cave-on-cheneys-funding/

Democrat Caves on Cheney’s F-u-n-d-i-n-g

Posted by: Pat C on July 13, 2007 05:22 AM

Get flag decals, Cybear, and install them upside down. I had one in a car window during the VietNam War. Whenever someone would try baiting me about it, wondering why I was unpatriotically flying the flag upside down, I'd say that no, flying the flag upside down was an SOS signal and perfecty legal, that my country was in a perilous state and I hoped we could be rescued. Always stopped them. But that was then and this is now.

Posted by: shylurker on July 13, 2007 05:46 AM


U.S. Soldier Tell Of Rape and Suicide of 15 Year Old Iraqi Girl

Video - Should only be watched by a mature audience

"Anyone with a rag on his head is fair game."

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18005.htm

===

'A Dead Iraqi Is Just Another Dead Iraqi... You Know, So What?'

By Leonard Doyle in Washington

Interviews with US veterans show for the first time the pattern of brutality in Iraq

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18004.htm

===

Abusing Iraqi Civilians

By Bob Herbert

There is no upside to this war. It has been a plague since the beginning. But it's one thing to lose a war. It's much worse for a nation to lose its soul.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18006.htm

===

The Other War: Iraq Vets Bear Witness

A Must Read - By Chris Hedges and Laila al-Arian

Over the past several months The Nation has interviewed fifty combat veterans of the Iraq War from around the United States in an effort to investigate the effects of the four-year-old occupation on average Iraqi civilians. These combat veterans, some of whom bear deep emotional and physical scars, and many of whom have come to oppose the occupation, gave vivid, on-the-record accounts. They described a brutal side of the war rarely seen on television screens or chronicled in newspaper accounts.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article18007.htm

Posted by: wv on July 13, 2007 09:31 AM



US House votes for troop pullout

The United States House of Representatives has voted in favour of pulling most combat troops out of Iraq by April next year.
The new legislation calls for the Pentagon to begin withdrawing combat troops within four months.

The vote comes despite President George W Bush's threat to veto any timetable.

Both the House and the Senate must pass separate legislation and then reconcile their two versions for a measure to be passed to the president.

Correspondents say the House of Representatives, controlled by the Democrats, is hoping to pressure the Senate to approve a similar timeline.

It is the third time this year the House has voted in favour of legislation to end US military involvement in Iraq.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6896789.stm

Posted by: wv on July 13, 2007 09:45 AM


July 13, 2007

Editorial -NY Times

No Progress Report

With the American public in despair over the Iraq war and key members of his own party deserting him, President Bush is still trying to twist reality to claim that his failed effort is worth sticking with. Yesterday, the White House issued a report card claiming that Iraq’s government had made limited progress on some political and security goals. And Mr. Bush insisted that not only was it not the time to talk about withdrawing American troops, but that he still believes that “the fight can be won.”

That’s been the spin for months. But Bob Woodward reported yesterday in The Washington Post that Mr. Bush’s director of Central Intelligence, Gen. Michael Hayden, warned the bipartisan Iraq Study Group last fall that the “the inability” of the Iraqi government to govern “seems irreversible” and he could not point to “any milestone or checkpoint where we can turn this thing around.”

A closer look at Mr. Bush’s hyped report card leads to that same grim conclusion. Eight months after General Hayden issued his warning, the United States still has no effective Iraqi government partner committed to an effective program of national reconciliation and no effective Iraqi military capable of acting independently in the absence of American troops.

Officially, the White House credited the Iraqi government with satisfactory performance on 8 of the 18 listed benchmarks, not considered a passing grade in most tests. And most of the claimed successes were partial, or minor. Even the easy graders at the White House had to conclude that there has not been satisfactory progress toward ensuring that Iraqi forces evenhandedly uphold the law, nor progress toward eliminating militia control of local security, nor progress toward equitable distribution of oil revenues nor toward reforming discriminatory anti-Baathist legislation.

The original point of these benchmarks was to spur recalcitrant Iraqi leaders into taking the steps necessary to rescue their country, and Mr. Bush’s Iraq policy, from the gathering flames of civil war. That is why Congress wanted to link these report cards to a clear threat of scaled-back American support if the Iraqi authorities failed to measure up. Mr. Bush’s veto removed that useful threat, diminishing any real incentive for Iraqis to take the hard steps required. They haven’t, and now America needs to act on its own.

Mr. Bush still refuses to talk about what almost everyone else now understands is essential: the need to develop an orderly plan to extricate American troops from a lost cause and reposition them in ways that can genuinely protect our national interests. A new classified study by the intelligence community offers one more reminder why continued delay and delusion is so dangerous. It says that six years after the Sept. 11 attacks Al Qaeda has rebuilt itself and has settled into safe havens in Pakistan.


Posted by: wv on July 13, 2007 10:06 AM


The Senate says "Om," Part 2

This afternoon, How the World Works will be your one-stop shop for regular updates on asinine Christian antics. A couple of weeks ago, I noted that the news that a Hindu prayer would kick off the U.S. Senate session on July 12 was not warmly received by some of the more troglodytic regions of the Web. Today, three self-styled Christian "patriots" physically attempted to disrupt the prayer, shouting, among other things, that "this was an abomination."

Talking Points Memo has the video. Ultrabrown and Sepia Mutiny pour on the ridicule.

In combination with my earlier post today on the Christian jihadis in Boulder, Colo., this latest eruption of stupidity poses a puzzler for those of us who do believe in evolution. If Darwin was right, how does such religious idiocy survive? What is it fit for?

-- Andrew Leonard

Posted by: wv on July 13, 2007 10:36 AM

Watch Dana Milbanks' very funny, creative, video about Sara "the Clam" Taylor!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007/07/12/VI2007071200448.html
& Cybear, yes immediate problem solved....now I am to be the Wash. Co Me. poster child success story!
And BTW: above when I said 30-5o year olds OF COURSE that was NOT all inclusive! Thank Goddess; there are MANY highly evolved people in this age range!
QOP

Posted by: on July 13, 2007 01:25 PM

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/07/12/special-comment-on-michael-chertoffs-gut/

Special Comment “Chertoff’s Gut”

Posted by: Pat C on July 13, 2007 02:33 PM

QoP, no offense was taken. Believe me, my generation is full of idiots, but some of us saw the light and never turned back. Were just out numbered.

Posted by: Cybear on July 13, 2007 04:20 PM

Yes and a lot of my peer group never saw the light either. I did & I stuck with it.
QOP

Posted by: on July 13, 2007 04:26 PM

A few years ago on one of my crosscountry motorcycle trips we stopped at a burger joint in Podunk, Somewhere in the US and I asked where we were at and a woman relpied, "Why, your in god's country". I asked her where he was. She didn't like that. My buddy about freaked out, worried that they would poison us.

Whenever someone asks me if I have found jesus, I tell them I saw him down at the hardware store looking for a construction job and his name is pronounced Hey Suse, no Gees Us. You should see the looks on peoples faces.

And whenever a xian freak or jehova's witness or mormon comes a calling, I tell them I am a witch, and they trun white as Casper the Ghost.

Now, my company has hired a part time person to work with me. They gave me his resume and come to find out he's a missionary evengelical freak boy all of the age of 22. Oh what fun I will have with him....ar, ar, snicker, snicker...

Posted by: Cybear on July 13, 2007 05:05 PM

Cybear, may I borrow your lines? I love the Hay Suse one!

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 13, 2007 05:22 PM

Absolutely!

It's a slow day here at work....

Posted by: Cybear on July 13, 2007 05:30 PM


Cyber:

I needed that chuckle today.....
Anymore?

On a more serious tone:

If anybody has an update on how Sally's daughter
and the babies are doing,

PLEASE LET THE REST OF US KNOW!!

Thanks

Posted by: CL on July 13, 2007 05:54 PM

But, but but.... Bush said we have them on the run !!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070712/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_terror_threat;_ylt=AnOitLExBtFeSWPSoE9ucEjMWM0F

[snip]
Among the key findings of the classified estimate, which is still in draft form and must be approved by all 16 U.S. spy agencies:

• Al-Qaida is probably still pursuing chemical, biological or nuclear weapons and would use them if its operatives developed sufficient capability.

• The terror group has been able to restore three of the four key tools it would need to launch an attack on U.S. soil: a safe haven in Pakistan's tribal areas, operational lieutenants and senior leaders. It could not immediately be learned what the missing fourth element is.

• The group will bolster its efforts to position operatives inside U.S. borders. In public statements, U.S. officials have expressed concern about the ease with which people can enter the United States through Europe because of a program that allows most Europeans to enter without visas.

The document also discusses increasing concern about individuals already inside the United States who are adopting an extremist brand of Islam.

National Intelligence Estimates are the most authoritative written judgments that reflect the consensus long-term thinking of senior intelligence analysts.

Government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the report has not been finalized, described it as an expansive look at potential threats within the United States and said it required the cooperation of a number of national security agencies, including the CIA, FBI, Homeland Security Department and National Counterterrorism Center.

more...

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 13, 2007 07:00 PM

But, but but.... Bush said we have them on the run !!

a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070712/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_terror_threat;_ylt=AnOitLExBtFeSWPSoE9ucEjMWM0F">http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070712/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_terror_threat;_ylt=AnOitLExBtFeSWPSoE9ucEjMWM0F">http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070712/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_terror_threat;_ylt=AnOitLExBtFeSWPSoE9ucEjMWM0F

[snip]
Among the key findings of the classified estimate, which is still in draft form and must be approved by all 16 U.S. spy agencies:

• Al-Qaida is probably still pursuing chemical, biological or nuclear weapons and would use them if its operatives developed sufficient capability.

• The terror group has been able to restore three of the four key tools it would need to launch an attack on U.S. soil: a safe haven in Pakistan's tribal areas, operational lieutenants and senior leaders. It could not immediately be learned what the missing fourth element is.

• The group will bolster its efforts to position operatives inside U.S. borders. In public statements, U.S. officials have expressed concern about the ease with which people can enter the United States through Europe because of a program that allows most Europeans to enter without visas.

The document also discusses increasing concern about individuals already inside the United States who are adopting an extremist brand of Islam.

National Intelligence Estimates are the most authoritative written judgments that reflect the consensus long-term thinking of senior intelligence analysts.

Government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the report has not been finalized, described it as an expansive look at potential threats within the United States and said it required the cooperation of a number of national security agencies, including the CIA, FBI, Homeland Security Department and National Counterterrorism Center.

more...

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 13, 2007 07:00 PM

Don't let this get lost. It's one for the history books--the kind of history books written by Howard Zinn and a few others. Maybe someday their type of history book will be the norm:
http://www.chieftain.com/metro/1183703953/14

Posted by: shylurker on July 13, 2007 10:04 PM

Cybear, you crack me up.

Didn't know about the upside down flag being an SOS...good idea...!

Posted by: judigem on July 13, 2007 11:29 PM

Cybear, my sister is a good liberal, but being a Libra she avoids confrontation and prefers smoothing the waters.

When members of a right-wing church came to our door to ask for her contribution to fight the "godless liberals" she heard them out.

Then she sweetly asked if instead they wouldn't like to contribute to her church. "We do a lot of good," she said.

They retreated.

Posted by: Barbara on July 14, 2007 12:42 AM

Usually I'm the one who likes to give advice, but this time I need some. I am going back to school online. I have applied to two colleges, one the University of Phoenix, and the other one Union University. I want to become a writer, but I don't want to waste my time or money. The first one: Bachelor of Science in Communications. The other college: Liberal Arts Degree.

I've tried Googling, but I can't find someplace that objectively compares the two from people who have no axe to grind. I've tried listening to my intuition, but I don't trust that either.

So I'm asking the circle of people here to tell me if they see or feel anything:

My birth data:

10-13-56
Cincinnati, Ohio+
10.05 am

Well, today I, with the help of a counselor, applied online to Phoenix.When I got to financial aid, my password wouldn't work!

Posted by: Carol on July 14, 2007 02:45 AM

I have a BA in English, Carol, and a Masters in Communications, with a motion picture focus. English was part of the school of liberal arts and did nothing for me (although one of profs said I should be a writer, after reading a few of my essays). It was great fun & I enjoyed writing screen plays very much, but probably journalism or public relations might have been a better choice - more employable, especially if I wanted to write non-fiction. You might want to also look into a creative writing program if you want to write fiction. I think my friend got her MBA at U. of Phoenix, partially by attending classes, partially on line.

Posted by: Sharon on July 14, 2007 03:13 AM

Shylurker, "But that was then and this is now".
The tides are turning and it is becoming safe to do such things without the threat of serious violence. Even down here in Texas people are waking up to the fact that we are under a dictatorship.

Judi, Yep. It's used as a code of distress in war. SOS indeed!

Barbara, Of course they retreated and would not offer a donation or assistance. They have no concept of compassion for there fellow man or woman unless you join them.

When I was in collage I was in a punk band that drew a lot of attention our way because we were so political. The police did not like us at all. And as I got older I was vocal about Gay Rights. Now I rage against the machine, but in more subtle ways.

Posted by: Cybear on July 14, 2007 03:21 AM

Conrad Black found guilty of fraud!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6445121.stm

Thank you Patrick Fitzgerald.

Posted by: Pat C on July 14, 2007 03:55 AM

Tough Talk on Impeachment

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07132007/profile.html

Posted by: Pat C on July 14, 2007 04:11 AM

Carol, If you want good and freee........try MIT.
www.mit.edu and they have many courses free, complete subjects. Aas they say that is why we have the internet to learn and to share knowledge. That is the real Masachusetts Institute of Technology and includes a lot technical courses. Haha. But it even includes Chinese. It is the real thing and the real price.
I did not look up writing for you but there are some other schools( like one in Germany which gives classes in German) involved so I am sure you can find one that will work for you.BJT

Posted by: Betsy on July 14, 2007 01:29 PM

Carol, please take the adivce and don't sign that contract. The University of Phoenix is not worth the thousands of dollars. I don't know where you are with education but Betsy's advice is very good.Also, have you looked up schools in your area? I am sure that you can get an eduction for much, much less.

Posted by: clymela on July 14, 2007 09:12 PM


Saturday, July 14, 2007

New Moon in Cancer
5:03am PDT
21° 41'

Eight Verses SoundArtwork

Ah…a New Moon in Cancer, our chance to be held by the sweetness of love that pulsates through every living thing. With Mercury (cognitive processes) in Cancer, this is the New Moon to build a bridge from the mind to the feeling side of life. Think of it as an interconnected state of mindful compassion; which makes a lot of sense since the Chinese characters for the term mindfulness are "heart" and "mind". On this New Moon of love, the idea is to fully open to the possibility of living each day as a loving, heartful, mindful being.

http://www.astrowisdom.com/thisnewmoon.htm

Posted by: wv on July 14, 2007 10:40 PM


From Michael Mandeville...


BULLETIN ITEM: Super Critical Please Read Immediately: EVERYONE MUST CALL PELOSI IMMEDIATELY AND ASK HER TO IMPEACH

CALL EVERY DAY. SHE NEEDS 100 MILLION PHONE CALLS. START DELIVERING THEM. This is most likely THE ONLY WAY TO DERAIL THE BOMBING OF IRAN AND THE BUILD UP OF WORLD WAR. KEEP CALLING NOT MATTER WHAT.

ALERT:
In response to Cindy Sheehan's challenge about running against her if Pelosi doesn't
bring impeachment to the table, Nancy Pelosi is taking
comments (not a poll) from the public on how they feel about
impeaching Bush/Cheney.
I just called . . . Let her know!

Here are the phone numbers; call today and/or tomorrow
202-225-0100
202-225-8259 Fax
-----------------------------
Perhaps you can also suggest cutting the budget for the private contractors in Iraq as a way to force the president to change. Not the same as cutting off money to the troops.

Posted by: wv on July 14, 2007 11:22 PM


From The Independent

Great article...

Ship of fools: Johann Hari sets sail with America's swashbuckling neocons

The Iraq war has been an amazing success, global warming is just a myth – and as for Guantanamo Bay, it's practically a holiday camp... The annual cruise organised by the 'National Review', mouthpiece of right-wing America, is a parallel universe populated by straight-talking, gun-toting, God-fearing Republicans.
By Johann Hari
Published: 13 July 2007
I am standing waist-deep in the Pacific Ocean, both chilling and burning, indulging in the polite chit-chat beloved by vacationing Americans. A sweet elderly lady from Los Angeles is sitting on the rocks nearby, telling me dreamily about her son. "Is he your only child?" I ask. "Yes," she says. "Do you have a child back in England?" she asks. No, I say. Her face darkens. "You'd better start," she says. "The Muslims are breeding. Soon, they'll have the whole of Europe."

I am getting used to these moments – when gentle holiday geniality bleeds into... what? I lie on the beach with Hillary-Ann, a chatty, scatty 35-year-old Californian designer. As she explains the perils of Republican dating, my mind drifts, watching the gentle tide. When I hear her say, " Of course, we need to execute some of these people," I wake up. Who do we need to execute? She runs her fingers through the sand lazily. "A few of these prominent liberals who are trying to demoralise the country," she says. "Just take a couple of these anti-war people off to the gas chamber for treason to show, if you try to bring down America at a time of war, that's what you'll get." She squints at the sun and smiles. " Then things'll change."

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article2766040.ece

Posted by: wv on July 15, 2007 12:33 AM

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/14/washington/14rove.html?ref=us

Rove Strategy Paper Found in Nixon Archive

WASHINGTON, July 13 - The year was 1973, and Karl Rove was looking for help - from the Nixon White House.

Tucked away inside 78,000 pages of documents from the Nixon administration, released by the National Archives earlier this week, is a little gem: a strategy memorandum from the man who would go on to become the architect of President Bush's rise to political power.

Mr. Rove, then a 22-year-old aide on Capitol Hill, was planning a run to become chairman of the College Republicans, a position he would ultimately win twice. So he wrote to Anne Armstrong, then counselor to Nixon. Mrs. Armstrong had been co-chairman of the Republican National Committee, and therefore Mr. Rove's ultimate boss the previous year when he was executive director of the college group.

In the memorandum, he thanked her for "taking time out of your busy schedule" to talk with him, and offered up his musings - in the form of a nine-page typed outline - on how to strengthen the Republican Party by motivating students.

"Appreciate anything you might be able to do for me," he wrote, on simple stationery with only his name, Karl C. Rove, at the top. "I have taken the liberty of enclosing the rough outline of my platform. Of special interest is the 'New Federalism Advocates' mentioned in the campaign section."

The document, intended to develop an election program for the 1974 midterm campaigns, suggests that even then, Mr. Rove had a keen eye for organization, and a propensity for slicing and dicing the electorate, the kind of microtargeting that has since become a hallmark of his campaigns.

More...

Posted by: Pat C on July 15, 2007 01:11 AM

Very scary assessment of British generals about the situation in Afghanistan and the effects of failure on the fragile situation in Pakistan. Do read, if you can spare a few minutes:
http://rawstory.com/showarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fobserver.guardian.co.uk%2Fworld%2Fstory%2F0%2C%2C2126817%2C00.html%3Fgusrc%3Drss%26feed%3D12

Posted by: shylurker on July 15, 2007 02:14 AM

wv, I totally second your motion to write Nancy Pelosi demanding impeachment. Would also suggest everybody contact his/her Representative in the House. If you don't have address, etc. you can find it below (but you have to know that little 4-digit number just after your main zip code--the mail carrier or post office can tell you.)

>http:www.house.gov/writerep/

Impeachment begins in the House. If your Rep is progressive, maybe give a thank-you first.

If your Rep is a right-wingnut-wacka-wacka-doo, be polite and play it with a straight face. They worry about reelection, too.

Posted by: Barbara on July 15, 2007 04:56 AM

Don't know why that link didn't highlight.

Trying again

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Posted by: Barbara on July 15, 2007 04:59 AM

Carol, be very careful what you sign. Today this kind of offer is essential for Universities to generate direly needed income.
All Universities and Community Colleges offer courses in creative writing etc. They are offered either via internet, you can just download the courses for free or even listen to them on TV.

MIT is like Betsy said one of the best offers. They have also a rule if you are excepted for studies and you can not afford the tuition they will help you find grants etc.
The University of Colorado had a fantastic program for writers years ago. Unfortunately I am not up to date.

Posted by: Charles on July 15, 2007 09:29 AM

Carol. Being over 65, I coulld go to the University of Maine free!
Check your state University and see if they offer a similar program!

North Korea told the United States yesterday that it had shut down its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon and readmitted a permanent international inspection team, completing its first step toward reversing a four-year-long confrontation with the United States during which the North has made fuel for a small but potent arsenal of nuclear weapons.

The North Korean claim, which was carefully synchronized with the arrival of a first shipment of fuel oil from South Korea, can be easily verified by the 10-member inspection team from the International Atomic Energy Agency
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/world/asia/15nuke.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Just REMIND EVERYBODY......................which Dem Presidential Candidate, has completed a successful DIPLOMATIC MISSION!
quietly , with out a lot of fanfare, who was asked by the N Koreans to go there for talks!
Will the MSM give him the credit, hype, spin....that he deserves?
Bill Richardson!
QOP

Posted by: on July 15, 2007 11:28 AM

The Richest of the Rich, Proud of a New Gilded Age

His achievement required political clout, and that, too, is on display. Soon after he formed Citigroup, Congress repealed a Depression-era law that prohibited goliaths like the one Mr. Weill had just put together anyway, combining commercial and investment banking, insurance and stock brokerage operations. A trophy from the victory — a pen that President BILL CLINTON used to sign the repeal — hangs, framed, near the magazine covers.
NO WONDER "POPPY" adopted slick Willie, as his son!
Must have happen the year I was a student! I didn't remember this one!
QOP

Posted by: on July 15, 2007 11:34 AM

And then there is W diplomacy!
Russia Suspends Arms Agreement Over U.S. Shield

MOSCOW, July 14 — President Vladimir V. Putin, angered by American plans to deploy a missile shield in Eastern Europe, formally notified NATO governments on Saturday that Russia will suspend its obligations under the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, a key cold war-era arms limitation agreement.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/world/europe/
15russia.html?th&emc=th
QOP

Posted by: on July 15, 2007 11:44 AM


Carol,
I did not want to say more about the
University of Phoenix on line as it might be harsh but it has a very bad reputation and there was also a problem with financial aid from the goernment's point of view.
The students who actually attend in person have complaints that teacher or professors do not show up as they all retired part timers and the school forgets to schedule them to teach.It is just a money making factory not interested in education. It is a degree mill.
Do you want to just learn or get a degree or both. Google M.I.T. Free Courses. M. I. T. expets to make all classes available free online in next few years and they have more than I can take already.
It is wonderful. It also includes emailing or voice meetings with the rest of the class and some videos and other stuff that will blow your mind.
And yes, in many states you can study free if over 65. Also if you are not into a degree you can just take the classes you like.
They also have scholarships at all public
universities. You may qualify for a grant or loan there.
Degrees are nice. I have 2, but if you only want to learn about writing you can just take what you are interested in. You can audit classes.
If you want a degree go to a good Land Grant University in your state and apply and talk with the people on campus like the Dean of English Department and ask about financial aid they have some one there to help you all the time. bjt

Posted by: Betsy on July 15, 2007 12:49 PM

link to the richest of the rich..............forgot it. NYT also.


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/business/15gilded.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
QOP

Posted by: on July 15, 2007 04:10 PM

Thanks Betsy!
I think I will sign on to an MIT course in the fall!
They don't offer course credits, but I never pursued that, just the knowledge & learning....I could have used a degree in
the last decade, BUT that need too has passed!
QOP

Posted by: on July 15, 2007 04:27 PM

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/07/14/john-dean-on-harriet-mierss-contempt-of-congress/

John Dean on Harriet Miers's Contempt of Congress

snip

By not responding to the subpoena, the President and Ms. Miers all but invited the House Judiciary Committee and, in turn, the House of Representatives to vote to deem her in contempt of Congress. It was a defiant, in-your-face insult to Congress. No president would do this unless he was quite confident of the outcome. Clearly, Bush’s White House and Justice Department lawyers believe that the solidly conservative federal judiciary will grant them a favorable ruling, and that, in the process, they will greatly weaken congressional oversight powers, to the advantage of the White House.

In short, the Bush White House is not bluffing with this act of defiance. Rather, the White House truly wants to test, and attempt to expand, presidential power.

Posted by: Pat C on July 15, 2007 04:54 PM

I'm checking out Kaplan University and I have E-Mailed Union University one more time for a consultation. I need a degree-I'm not over 65, far from it, and I want to get out of the clerical pool.The last time I went to college I told myself I had to be "practical" and not go for an English degree to be employable. I didn't do very well (but well enough to get an Associates). I now know how to support myself so that's no longer a consideration, so I want something better for myself.

I can delay a little to get a better online degree that has some depth to it.
I tried going back the night school route to college a long time ago, but after working a full work day and dealing with the hassles of transportation and not being well advised, I gave up. Online school means I can work a full day and go to school at a reasonable pace.

Union is at least local, so I have an opportunity to speak with someone face to face if I need to.

Thanks for the MIT material. I have bookmarked it and plan to supplement my online degree with the insights and knowledge that this course work would provide.

Posted by: Carol on July 15, 2007 06:56 PM

Al-Qaeda Escapes U.S. Assault

According to the U.S. Department of Defence, Diyala province is the fifth deadliest of Iraq's 18 provinces for U.S. troops, with at least 186 killed there thus far. After several weeks of the siege in Baquba, people were allowed in recent days to go to work. Witnesses spoke to IPS about fierce attacks by helicopters, and shelling of houses by U.S. tanks.

"The U.S. military bombed houses that were completely uninhabited," Kadhim Rajab, a 39-year-old city official told IPS. "Al-Qaeda had left the city before the operation even began because they knew what was coming even before we did."

But residents did speak of an al-Qaeda presence earlier. "U.S. troops bombed a number of houses that were actually used by al-Qaeda," Ibrahim Hameed, a 43-year-old secondary school teacher told IPS. "But there was no resistance at all, we heard no shooting."

Ismail Aboud, a 51-year-old physician, said the U.S. military had deliberately avoided armed clashes with militants. "It seems that the forces allowed the terrorists to leave the battlefield in order to avoid direct military clashes," he said.

.....

But Abdulla added, "What is disastrous is that before the members of al-Qaeda ran away from Qatoon (district of Baquba), they killed prisoners who had been kidnapped for getting money from their families as ransom."

Others spoke to IPS of the damaging effects of the U.S. military cordon around the city that was denying basic needs like medical care, food, water and security.

An expatriate programme manager for an international organisation, who did not wish to be named, told IPS that "the military operations are still continuing and the roads are still closed. One of my sources said that on Friday in Qatoon quarter a house was bombed and an entire family was killed. Only a baby survived."

The manager told IPS that tens of thousands have fled the Qatoon area. "Because of the closure (of roads and parts of the city) in Baquba the price of food has increased dramatically," she said. "Earlier 50 kg of flour cost 11 dollars. Now it is 40 dollars."

http://www.atlanticfreepress.com/content/view/1978/81/

Posted by: Pat C on July 15, 2007 08:09 PM

http://washingtonbureau.typepad.com/china/

Surprising news: China is saving a lot of forest by becoming the world champion of paper recycling.

This is the way it works: Ships that take containers of Chinese-made merchandise to U.S. shores don’t come back empty. They fill up with wastepaper.

A new report on my desk notes that Chinese imports of wastepaper have zoomed up fivefold in the past decade, and this is helping conserve forests.

“China is by far the world’s biggest consumer of wastepaper and that’s a good thing because in the last four years alone, China has prevented 65 million metric tons of wastepaper from heading to landfills in the US, Japan, and Europe,” said Brian Stafford, the lead author of the report by Forest Trends. “Just last year, China’s use of wastepaper instead of trees to make paper products probably saved 54 million metric tons of wood from being harvested for pulp.”

Some environmentalists holler that China is importing huge quantities of timber from illegal logging operations in places like Indonesia and Eastern Russia. This is true.

But the recycling aspect is intriguing. Last year, the report notes, the U.S. alone sold 8.6 million metric tons of wastepaper to China – far more than its entire global trade in wastepaper just a decade ago

More...

Posted by: Pat C on July 15, 2007 08:53 PM

Ya mean I spend all that time sorting and taking stuff to the recycle and we don't even process it?
WHy am I not suprised?
QOP

Posted by: on July 15, 2007 09:41 PM

So foolish of this country Pat.

Posted by: Pat C on July 15, 2007 10:07 PM

Carol, You have a good plan. Good Luck.bjt

Posted by: Betsy on July 16, 2007 12:39 AM


Comment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Britain must take the lead in Iraq - by getting out first

Brown should drive the debate on exit strategy. He can start by telling Bush he expects all UK troops home in months

David Clark
Monday July 16, 2007

Guardian

Only the most implacable critics of the government could fail to appreciate the shift in foreign policy since Tony Blair left office three weeks ago. This was always going to be a difficult and controversial process. Downing Street has already been forced to refute false suggestions of anti-Americanism made against Douglas Alexander, the development secretary, and Mark Malloch Brown, the new Foreign Office minister, last week. That is understandable. No British government is going to abandon a close alliance with the US as a central plank of its diplomacy, as David Miliband made clear again yesterday. The question is how restrictively ministers interpret its terms.
The Bush administration expects unconditional obedience from its allies, so it is refreshing to hear British ministers set out views that challenge neoconservative orthodoxy across such a broad front. According to Alexander, successful western strategy cannot be built on unilateralism, over-reliance on military power, the rejection of international institutions and indifference to global poverty and climate change. Malloch Brown argues that Britain and the US should be close, but not "joined at the hip".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,330197735-103677,00.html

Posted by: wv on July 16, 2007 01:43 AM

Is anyone else having problems with fitting the page into a normal size format? Suddenly I have a scroll bar at the bottom of the page because the text goes on and on.

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 16, 2007 01:53 AM

Cheney pushes Bush to act on Iran·

Military solution back in favour as Rice loses out
· President 'not prepared to leave conflict unresolved'

Ewen MacAskill in Washington and Julian Borger
Monday July 16, 2007

Guardian

The balance in the internal White House debate over Iran has shifted back in favour of military action before President George Bush leaves office in 18 months, the Guardian has learned.
The shift follows an internal review involving the White House, the Pentagon and the state department over the last month. Although the Bush administration is in deep trouble over Iraq, it remains focused on Iran. A well-placed source in Washington said: "Bush is not going to leave office with Iran still in limbo."

The White House claims that Iran, whose influence in the Middle East has increased significantly over the last six years, is intent on building a nuclear weapon and is arming insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/print/0,,330197756-110878,00.html

Posted by: wv on July 16, 2007 01:54 AM


Robert Fisk: TE Lawrence had it right about Iraq

'Rebellions can be made by 2 per cent active and 98 per cent passively sympathetic'

Published: 14 July 2007

Back in 1929, Lawrence of Arabia wrote the entry for "Guerrilla" in the 14th edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica. It is a chilling read - and here I thank one of my favourite readers, Peter Metcalfe of Stevenage, for sending me TE's remarkable article - because it contains so ghastly a message to the American armies in Iraq.

Writing of the Arab resistance to Turkish occupation in the 1914-18 war, he asks of the insurgents (in Iraq and elsewhere): "... suppose they were an influence, a thing invulnerable, intangible, without front or back, drifting about like a gas? Armies were like plants, immobile as a whole, firm-rooted, nourished through long stems to the head. The Arabs might be a vapour..."

http://news.independent.co.uk/fisk/article2768261.ece

Posted by: wv on July 16, 2007 02:02 AM



COMMENTARY:

Down in the Flood: The Senate's Blank Check for War on Iran

by Chris Floyd

On July 11th the U.S. Senate unanimously declared that Iran was committing acts of war against the United States: this 97-0 vote—including Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama, and Joe Biden—gave George W. Bush a clear and unmistakable casus belli for attacking Iran whenever Dick Cheney tells him to. Thursday, 12 July 2007—As you may know -- unless you rely on the corporate media for your news, of course -- yesterday the U.S. Senate unanimously declared that Iran was committing acts of war against the United States: a 97-0 vote to give George W. Bush a clear and unmistakable casus belli for attacking Iran whenever Dick Cheney tells him to.

The bipartisan Senate resolution – the brainchild (or rather the bilechild) of Fightin' Joe Lieberman – affirmed as official fact all of the specious, unproven, ever-changing allegations of direct Iranian involvement in attacks on the American forces now occupying Iraq. The Senators appear to have relied heavily on the recent New York Times story by Michael Gordon that stovepiped unchallenged Pentagon spin directly onto the paper's front page. As Firedoglake points out, John McCain cited the heavily criticized story on the Senate floor as he cast his vote.

http://baltimorechronicle.com/2007/071307Floyd.html

Posted by: wv on July 16, 2007 02:17 AM


July 14, 2007

The House Speaker is taking tally for IMPEACHMENT


PLEASE CALL Nancy Pelosi's office

t 8:30 am.

the phone line appears to be closed

Until then.

But you CAN send a fax!

202 - 225 - 8259

Yup!

Here's the deal as forwarded

House Speaker Pelosi's office is taking calls voting for

Impeachment of

Bush/Cheney

at

202-225-0100

She is

AFRAID CINDY SHEEHAN

Will run for her seat.

Each of you who have been wanting Impeachment,

need to commit right now to ask at least 10 others to call
and so on.

It needs to happen fast and NOW.

Pelosi wants 100 million phone calls ..?

Well, the WHOLE WORLD CAN CALL UP!

Let's BLITZKREIG the Speaker's office with demands for Impeachment of Bush
AND Cheney.

Please make a call, and thanks so very much.

HERE IS A LIST OF TOLL FREE CAPITOL HILL SWITCHBOARD NUMBERS:

1 (800) 828 - 0498
1 (800) 459 - 1887
1 (800) 614 - 2803
1 (866) 340 - 9281
1 (866) 338 - 1015
1 (877) 851 - 6437


Posted by: wv on July 16, 2007 02:46 AM


MEDIA CRITICISM:

Blacked Out by the Corporate Media, Impeachment Advances

by Dave Lindorff

When will the corporate media finally begin to honestly report on the impeachment story? And how will news organizations explain impeachment's seemingly magical appearance as a full-blown campaign in Congress?The corporate media are disgracing themselves even further, if that is possible, on the impeachment story.
On Thursday, three more members of Congress signed on to Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s bill to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney (H Res 333), bringing the total number of co-sponsors of the bill to 10. That in itself would be national news, but there is more to it than simple numbers. The new sponsors include two freshman, Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, who ran for office calling for impeachment, and Hank Johnson, who took over the seat of pro-impeachment Rep. Cynthia McKinney (McKinney filed her own bill of impeachment against President Bush in the waning days of the last Congress), but the group also includes Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA).

http://baltimorechronicle.com/2007/070207Lindorff.html

Posted by: wv on July 16, 2007 03:01 AM

http://economistsview.typepad.com/economistsview/

Paul Krugman: The Waiting Game

Paul Krugman straightens out some of the misleading claims made about health care waiting times, access to care, and other issues in comparisons of the U.S. to countries with universal health coverage:

The Waiting Game, by Paul Krugman, Commentary, NY Times: Being without health insurance is no big deal. Just ask President Bush. “I mean, people have access to health care in America,” he said last week. “After all, you just go to an emergency room.”

This is what you might call callousness with consequences. The White House has announced that Mr. Bush will veto a bipartisan plan that would extend health insurance ... to an estimated 4.1 million currently uninsured children. After all, it’s not as if those kids really need insurance — they can just go to emergency rooms, right?...

Mr. Bush['s] ... willful ignorance here is part of a larger picture: by and large, opponents of universal health care paint a glowing portrait of the American system that bears as little resemblance to reality as the scare stories they tell about health care in France, Britain, and Canada.

More...

Posted by: Pat C on July 16, 2007 05:42 AM

How much longer will Mexico an Canada be souvereign states?!!!

"So much for conspiracy theories! Now we have the ugly truth fully exposed. The US military really does now run Canada. "
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=6313
The US military is on Canadian soil forbidding the Municipality of Papineauville from renting a hall to the Council of Canadians who planned a public meeting to be held the day before the Three Amigos meet in Montebello, Quebec, Canada August 20, 21 2007 to plan their next moves in the dismantling of their respective countries of Canada, USA and Mexico.

CAP's leader said,"Bad enough that our RCMP and the Quebec provincial police force would apply offensive Canadian law to prevent a legitimate meeting of dissenting citizens. Totally untenable that a foreign army assumes jurisdiction on our land. But this we knew from the Binational Planning Agreement begun in 2002 that saw Canada crawl on its belly and permit the USA military to enter our land whenever it deems necessary. "

"Does anyone still believe that our federal leaders have not thrown away our sovereignty ? That from Chretien (Liberal) to Martin (Liberal) to Harper (Conservative), the Prime Ministers of this our land have not been committing treason behind closed doors? How otherwise would it be possible that a proud, sovereign, and free nation would see a foreign army on its soil interfering with the right of Canadians to assemble and to speak?"

Posted by: on July 16, 2007 09:34 AM

Here we go!!! gone, went!!!

http://baltimorechronicle.com/2007/071307Floyd.shtml

Thursday, 12 July 2007—As you may know -- unless you rely on the corporate media for your news, of course -- yesterday the U.S. Senate unanimously declared that Iran was committing acts of war against the United States: a 97-0 vote to give George W. Bush a clear and unmistakable casus belli for attacking Iran whenever Dick Cheney tells him to.

Posted by: on July 16, 2007 09:59 AM

I bet Cheney caught W & Gannon on tape or something! A lot worse than DUI or AWOL!
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/145143.html
The vice-president, Dick Cheney, has long favoured upping the threat of military action against Iran. He is being resisted by the secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, and the defence secretary, Robert Gates.

Last year Mr Bush came down in favour of Ms Rice, who along with Britain, France and Germany has been putting a diplomatic squeeze on Iran. But at a meeting of the White House, Pentagon and state department last month, Mr Cheney expressed frustration at the lack of progress and Mr Bush sided with him. "The balance has tilted. There is cause for concern," the source said this week. ..................................

Almost half of the US's 277 warships are stationed close to Iran, including two aircraft carrier groups. The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise left Virginia last week for the Gulf. A Pentagon spokesman said it was to replace the USS Nimitz and there would be no overlap that would mean three carriers in Gulf at the same time. .........................
QOP

Posted by: on July 16, 2007 01:01 PM

Given these vile acts (thank you "worlders" for the great links) it is imperative that we

http://firethegrid.com

Posted by: karen on July 16, 2007 02:54 PM

I heard about the Iran resolution last week (here?) and thought perhaps it was one of those rumors. Oh!! child that I am I was hoping for something decent out of the Dems. This proves that we are living through a coup-silent coup thanks to the corporate media and the childishness of the american people who want to believe that FOX news is on their side.

Posted by: clymela on July 16, 2007 02:57 PM

In addition to July 16, 2007 09:34 AM post:

The US military is on Canadian soil forbidding the Municipality of Papineauville from renting a hall to the Council of Canadians http://www.canadians.org/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Council_of_Canadians who planned a public meeting to be held the day before the Three Amigos meet in Montebello, Quebec, Canada August 20, 21 2007 to plan their next moves in the dismantling of their respective countries of Canada, USA and Mexico.

Posted by: Pat C on July 16, 2007 03:17 PM

Please post the best article you've seen on the September 2007 eclipse. That seems to be the month most likely for all hell to break lose.

Posted by: shylurker on July 16, 2007 03:39 PM

Quick PS: I mean, please post the link to the best article you've seen. Sowwy.

Posted by: shylurker on July 16, 2007 03:40 PM

http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSN1537388920070715

American angst grows over globalization "menace"

The stock market is at an all-time high, unemployment is near record lows, yet poll after poll shows American workers uneasy over job security and worried that they are losing out in a global economy.

The disconnect between the seemingly rosy economic data and the dour mood has caught the attention of some influential politicians who are concerned the middle class has soured on globalization, tingeing the debate on hot-button issues ranging from immigration to trade.

On the same day in June that Republican senators scuttled an immigration bill, many Democrats were applauding the demise of the fast-track trade authority that the Bush administration desperately wanted.

Rep. Barney Frank, who chairs the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee, sees a link.

"Both of those died because of problems that were extrinsic," the Massachusetts Democrat said, adding that many workers harbored "deep anger" over stagnant wages and widening income inequality, and were quick to pin the blame on illegal immigrants, China or regional trade deals like NAFTA.

More...

Posted by: Pat C on July 16, 2007 03:56 PM


More numbers for Nancy Polosi...

District Office - 450 Golden Gate Ave. - 14th Floor - San Francisco, CA 94102 - (415) 556-4862

Washington, D.C. Office - 235 Cannon HOB - Washington, DC 20515 - (202) 225-496

Posted by: wv on July 16, 2007 05:16 PM

I must have been one of thefirst callers...also deemed it worthy to drop a dime on the toll number for DC.
QOP

Posted by: on July 16, 2007 05:32 PM


OpEdNews

Original Content at http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_andrew_b_070716_impeachment_3a__the_ti.htm


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
July 16, 2007

Impeachment: The Time Has Come!

By Andrew Bard Schmookler

From many other people on the anti-Bushite blogosphere, hearing the idea that it's time to impeach Bush and Cheney would hardly be noteworthy. A great many commentators have been saying that for some time.

I think they've been mistaken-- till now. While I've agreed that Bush and Cheney deserve impeachment --have said, indeed, that no one in American history has deserved it more-- I've never considered that to be a sufficient basis for making such a judgment about what should be done. My approach has always been more strategic than that. I'm concerned not only with the rightness of an action, but with its impact. And a premature effort to move toward impeachment, I thought, might actually have strengthened the Bushites by weaking their opponents.

When many were condemning Nancy Pelosi for declaring impeachment to be "off the table," I did not join in the criticism.

Posted by: wv on July 16, 2007 08:18 PM


URL to above
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_andrew_b_070716_impeachment_3a__the_ti.htm

Posted by: wv on July 16, 2007 08:23 PM


Key Bancroft Aims for a Long Shot
Second Family Member Scrambles
To Stop Sale of Dow Jones to News Corp.

By SUSAN WARREN, SARAH ELLISON and DENNIS K. BERMAN
July 16, 2007; Page A6

As News Corp. pursues its bid for Dow Jones & Co., a key member of the controlling Bancroft family, Christopher Bancroft, has launched his own last-ditch, long-shot crusade to block the deal, according to people familiar with the matter.

They say he has spent recent weeks approaching hedge funds, private-equity firms and others in a quest to buy enough voting shares of Dow Jones to give him the power to torpedo a sale. Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of News Corp., has made a $5 billion offer to buy Dow Jones, publisher of The Wall Street Journal.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118454161710967101.html?mod=home_whats_news_us

Posted by: wv on July 16, 2007 08:47 PM

http://bobgeiger.blogspot.com/2007/07/reid-to-force-senate-into-all-night.html

Reid to force Senate in all night session tomorrow about Iraq withdrawal

Said Reid today: “We don’t have to mark time, waiting for the President to wake up one morning with a revelation. And we can choose that new path right now.”

Posted by: Pat C on July 16, 2007 09:28 PM


http://www.hillbillyreport.com/blog/2007/07/hillbilly-rep-5.html

Here's Kentucky's You Tube statement to McConnell & the Bushies................
a nice lilting country song to accompany.
QOP

Posted by: on July 17, 2007 01:14 AM

For those of you still up, remember to FIRE THE GRID! tomorrow morning with an hour of meditation, prayer, peace, love, joy, celebration, creativity, music, etc....or write your intention down on a piece of paper and sleep through it :-)

Posted by: Sharon on July 17, 2007 07:00 AM

Good morning AW.......I am going tofire the grid..by finishing my painting of underwater, seals, dolphins, lobsters..................
Light and love to all!
QOP

Posted by: on July 17, 2007 10:11 AM

I'm curious what you Awers might have experienced during the hour of "fire-ing the grid."

The energy i experienced was vibrational, manifesting in a sensation of moving in a concentric circle. On another level, i "felt" that my voice was in chorus with millions. Powerful.

Posted by: karen on July 17, 2007 01:20 PM

WASHINGTON — When saboteurs blew up several natural gas pipelines in central Mexico this month, temporarily shutting down production for U.S. automakers and other important manufacturers, a small and shadowy Marxist guerrilla group called the Popular Revolutionary Army reportedly claimed responsibility.

Four explosions in the Bajio, a central region that’s both the stronghold of the ruling conservative National Action Party and a big manufacturing zone, disrupted the flow of natural gas between Mexico City and Guadalajara, the country’s two biggest cities, and paralyzed pipelines in Veracruz and Guanajuato states.

General Motors and Nissan are said to have lost millions of dollars in production at their plants in the region.

But as the investigation into the July 5 and July 10 bombings drags on, the mystery only grows.

Among the theories: that the bombings were actually the work of drug cartels striking back at a federal government crackdown, or that the attacks were financed by Venezuela’s revolution-minded leftist president, Hugo Chavez, or that they were the work of the radical wing of the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), which narrowly lost last year’s presidential election.

Mexico’s guerrilla movements historically have been small in scale and generally amount to a political nuisance, so attacks on pipelines are highly unusual.

“This could be an isolated event or it could be the start of a campaign. We just don’t know,” said Raul Benitez, a professor at Mexico’s National Autonomous University who has studied the nation’s armed guerrilla movements.

More...

Posted by: Pat C on July 17, 2007 02:56 PM

My apologies. Here is the top part of the post from above.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/18017.html

Bombings cripple Mexican pipelines

Posted by: Pat C on July 17, 2007 02:57 PM

On a lighter note!
A very clever blending of images..........nice mid day break.

Preseident, Dearest
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x41485
QOP

Posted by: on July 17, 2007 06:34 PM


The Salon Interview: Elizabeth Edwards

On her confrontation with Ann Coulter, why she backs gay marriage -- and why Edwards is a better choice for women than Hillary Clinton.

By Joan Walsh

Jul. 17, 2007 | Elizabeth Edwards is not wasting time. She cut through the fog of sympathy and second-guessing about her decision to continue campaigning for her husband, John Edwards, despite learning in March she had incurable breast cancer, simply by hitting the campaign trail hard. By most accounts she has always been the campaign's leading strategist and still is. But lately she has emerged as its leading risk taker, too. At the end of June she won the nation's attention -- and the gratitude of many -- for confronting right-wing provocateur Ann Coulter live on MSNBC's "Hardball," after Coulter called John Edwards a "faggot" at a conservative conference in January, and joked in June about wishing he'd be assassinated. Since then she has been in San Francisco twice campaigning for gay rights, keynoting before the annual gay pride march in June and addressing the Human Rights Campaign's awards dinner on July 14. And where her husband, like the other leading Democrats in the presidential race, supports civil unions but balks at gay marriage, Elizabeth Edwards has come out behind full marriage rights.

Another famous spouse has been in the headlines in recent days, of course. But while former President Bill Clinton was busy telling Iowa and New Hampshire audiences that his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, has the experience to be president, Elizabeth Edwards' pitch seems to be that her husband has the guts to make the radical changes a president should be ready to make in 2009, after eight years of the Bush debacle. On Saturday night, at the end of a long day of campaigning, she curled up in light-blue pajamas made of environmentally friendly bamboo for an hourlong interview in her hotel room. She hit Hillary Clinton particularly hard, arguing that John Edwards is, in fact, the better candidate for women: "She's just not as vocal a women's advocate as I want to see. John is."

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/07/17/elizabeth_edwards/print.html

Posted by: wv on July 17, 2007 06:44 PM


Tuesday July 17, 2007 12:18 EST

Elizabeth Edwards didn't call Hillary Clinton a man

Matt Drudge is linking to my Elizabeth Edwards interview, with a banner headline: "Gender Bender: Wife Edwards Says Hillary 'Behaving Like a Man.'" Of course, that's not what Edwards said; the full context is:

"When I was a lawyer, I was the first female lawyer many people had ever seen. I had an obligation to my client to do the work right, but I thought constantly about my obligation to the women who came after me. If I didn't do a good job, they wouldn't get a chance to sit where I'm sitting. I think one of the things that make me so completely comfortable with [John Edwards running against Clinton] is that keeping that door open to women is actually more a policy of John's than Hillary's ... Look, I'm sympathetic, because when I worked as a lawyer, I was the only woman in these rooms, too, and you want to reassure them you're as good as a man. And sometimes you feel you have to behave as a man and not talk about women's issues. I'm sympathetic -- she wants to be commander in chief. But she's just not as vocal a women's advocate as I want to see. John is. And then she says, or maybe her supporters say, 'Support me because I'm a woman,' and I want to say to her, 'Well, then support me because I'm a woman.'"

I knew Edwards was making news when she criticized Clinton, but she was definitely not calling her a man, which is one of the GOP's favorite slurs against Hillary Clinton. This is the last, best hope of the Republicans to hold onto the White House: To brand the leading candidate, who happens to be female, as too mannish, while slurring the leading men -- John Edwards and Barack Obama -- as girly. Meanwhile, President Bush is the swaggering moron who won't ask for directions even though he's 100 miles off course, and the 2008 GOP lineup is a parody of masculinity -- not to mention a Mount Rushmore of infidelity. According to an Associated Press poll released today, GOP primary voters are still longing for someone different to throw his or her hat into the race. Elizabeth Edwards' point was to question Democrats who are making a straight gender pitch for women to support Clinton -- or for African-Americans to support Obama -- which is absolutely fair game.

-- Joan Walsh

Posted by: wv on July 17, 2007 07:10 PM


David Brooks' field trip to the White House
The worshipful report from the NYT columnist raises some uncomfortable questions about Bush's theological views.

Glenn Greenwald

Jul. 17, 2007 | As George Bush has become more and more isolated, and as his presidency has collapsed around him, he has increasingly arranged White House events where like-minded admirers come and gather around him and genuflect to his greatness. As The Washington Post's Peter Baker recently reported, these events are attended exclusively by small groups of right-wing pundits, "journalists" and neoconservative theorists and activists who sit around the President and both soak in and bolster the Rightness of his choices.

NYT columnist David Brooks was fortunate enough to have been invited to the most recent such gathering -- also attended by Event Regulars Rich Lowry and Kate O'Beirne of National Review -- and Brooks came away so impressed that he wrote a homage to Bush -- headlined "Heroes and History" -- that would even make Ultimate Bush worshipper John Hinderaker blush:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/07/17/brooks/print.html

Posted by: wv on July 17, 2007 07:24 PM

This was posted as a link on the smirkingchimp.com comments.
Can anyone with a more lawyerly mind make something out of this?
http://www.prosefights.org/nmlegal/nsalawsuit/nsalawsuit.htm#carter
Dear President Carter:

An unfortunate situation resulting from your administration's decision by apparently Zibigniew Brzezinski to incite Saddam Hussein to attack Iran in 1980 requires your immediate help to try to resolve peacefully.

Persian Mr Zoubin emailed
Sunday, January 07, 2001 5:52 PM

Dear Friend, we saw some of these documents http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/8327/buehlerpayne.html but we would like your commentary about what happened and all circumstances so we can post it on our website but as well as a report to the mailing lists.

With thanks

On behalf of SMCCDI A. Zoubin ( Information Committee) http://www.iran-daneshjoo.org/

The Information Committee was advised that "we would like your commentary about what happened and all circumstances so we can post it on our website but as well as a report to the mailing lists" may be a bad idea for the reason the information might reach the wrong or right, depending on your point of view, people.

In the alternative, we suggested gaining as much information as possible about what happened, then taking legal action to settle these unfortunate matters peacefully.

While Mr Zoubin did not respond to our suggestion, nothing unfortunate has happened yet.

To show our Persian friends that we are, in fact, sincere in our suggestion to settle matters legally, we filed a formal criminal complaint affidavit against Brzezinki for inciting Saddman Hussein in our reply to assistant US attorney Mitchell's response to void judgment.

QOP

Posted by: on July 18, 2007 12:20 AM

Karen,

Re 'Firing The Grid' this morning, I awakened 2 minutes B/4 4:11AM (AZ time) alarm, visualized Mother Earth w/ a glowing golden united, connected grid, ommmmmed a few minutes and fell back to sleep.

Upon re-awakening @ 7AM, immediately saw on the inner planes Mother Earth's golden glowing, united, connected grid, fully encircled w/ the human population, also glowing, each full of light, PLUS LIGHT pouring out of my heart chakra and 3rd eye streaming to the glowing golden Earth!!

All day I have been certain that a major SHIFT has occurred, and I just wish that I had spent the entire hour in meditation/visualization/intention to add to the millions of meditators' heightened vibration/electromagnetic frequency.

It would be so transformational-- to do these global meditations much more frequently--the Universe is truly supporting us...

After all, we are Spirit having a human experience here...we can change this 'movie' united - together...

Posted by: Kat on July 18, 2007 04:15 AM

The Snate is having an al night session......................they finally decided to stand their ground....................conected with fire the grid?
QOP

Posted by: on July 18, 2007 04:29 AM

Well...............without cspan, news blackout. How awful! I feel totally disconnected!
I didn't want to download the real player needed to get it online because I have an intensive 2 weeks of using my computer for Graphic Design & I didn't want to jeopardize my GD software!
Remember how they ( NPR) broadcast 2 days of the Hill Thomas debate? Today they have a cutesy little Yuppee rant about the difficulty of buying kids sneakers NOT made in China. Don't they realize that if the efforts in the Senate last night AFFECT where their kids snealers are made? ANd they are running a fund raiser!
The live blogs online were totally irrelevant, ADHD, more partying online than focused on what was actually happening! I think Collins joined forces with the Democrats, but the bloggers were discussing her outfit, being critical of her appearance, and her past record. No one responded to my question about what she did or said..NOT how she looked!
All the news reports talk about the cots being brought in and the food they were going to eat tonight, NOT the substance of the event!
The worst part of getting old is not wrinkles & waistline spread, its being a PHD student caught in a perpetual Kindergarten.class!
QOP

Posted by: on July 18, 2007 01:00 PM

Have the Brits gone loco too. Does anyone realize we are a few seconds away to WW III.

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070718/69179730.html
http://en.rian.ru/analysis/20070718/69165777.html

Putin can not extradite Litvinenko it is against Russian law.

I am so sick, disgusted, furious.... only because a a number of power hungry oligarch, we the people have to fight their ego war of dominance for them.
Why do we, the people, not all stand up and say-- not with us-- do your own duels of "honor" yourself, do your own dirty work.
We have not have a quarrel with.... Why do WE have to suffer!!!

Posted by: on July 18, 2007 02:54 PM

Sorry, mixed names up it should have been Lugovoi can not be extradited.P.

Posted by: on July 18, 2007 03:03 PM

Pray for Japan-Mother Earth-this could be catastrophic!!!

Situation grave at world's largest nuclear plant
by Deep Harm

Wed Jul 18, 2007 at 06:25:27 AM PDT

The world's largest nuclear plant, the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant, experienced a fire and damage after two earthquakes on Monday. Accounts of the damage worsen with each new report, and now data indicate that the plant sits directly over a fault line. The plant's seven reactors are currently shut down, but keeping them safely shut down will be difficult. If technicians cannot keep cooling water flowing to the radioactive cores, those could overheat, resulting in a meltdown and massive release of radiation. The head of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency has urged Japanese authorities to investigate the accident fully.
more...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/18/92527/0219

Spent years marching/petitioning, laying across RR tracks in effort to stop Nuclear GOD AWFUL Energy...with it's 1/2 life of radioactive toxicity 1000's of years!!! Toxicity causing cancers, DNA changes, fetus abnormalities etc. etc. etc

Winds, waters, foods carry the poisons worldwide!!!
As you know....PLUTO!!!

Posted by: Kat on July 18, 2007 09:52 PM

When something like this happens and the person refuses to talk about it my radar starts quivering. Why not talk about it?

http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=71318&provider=gnews

Kucinich out of hospital after apparent food poisoning
Tom Beres
Created: 7/18/2007 2:49:12 PM
Updated:7/18/2007 3:00:51 PM

CLEVELAND -- Congressman and presidential candidate, Dennis Kucinich, was headed back to Washington after being released from a Cleveland hospital Wednesday morning.
Kucinich was hospitalized Monday with symptoms of suspected food poisoning.

He felt ill Sunday while making a campaign speech in Florida. He was hospitalized after returning to Cleveland

Kucinich would not identify the hospital he stayed in or talk about any food that might have made him sick.

Kucinich follows a strict vegan diet.

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 18, 2007 10:17 PM

Maybe he needs to evaluate what happened...maybe he was poisoned..after all this would not be the first time a voice of opposition was threatened or disposed of...(anthrax sent to dems etc., Wellstone)

Posted by: neelie on July 18, 2007 10:56 PM

Hi all! the linked presentation should concern you if you think your stocks are safe, not fake, or if you think hedge funds are the only financial WMD out there. Massive naked short selling being covered-up by the SEC, and the reason the SEC was a joke from the start! http://www.businessjive.com/ As usual I say finance needs socializing.

Posted by: Timmy J on July 19, 2007 07:34 AM

Timmy J, thanks for the link, fantastic!!! This is what my gut feeling always told me.

Posted by: Charles on July 19, 2007 10:27 AM

Kat, why not do them monthly? I remember in the 80's we had a "Peace the 21st" Meditation and the December 31st Noon GMT Meditation. Now I haven't heard of them for several years now.

I can imagine a lot of these celebrations began to diminish because of the difficulties and busyness of trying to gather together in the flesh, and the logistics of trying to rent halls and such.

Which is one of the blessings of the internet. No need to deal with the logistics of renting halls in order to commune in the mind. Just get together online and do it. And those who cannot be near a computer during the appointed time can commune whenever they can get online. And no need to work with mass media in order to get the word out. And to be able to explain things longform instead of in media soundbites. (The television and commercial media create an economy of scarcity when it comes to getting information across).

Posted by: Carol on July 19, 2007 11:28 AM

Expansion on the previous theme: Online, a peace meditation could be done every hour on the hour all day long on the appointed day. People could pick an hour and simply join in meditation on that particular hour for 24 hours, or return to meditation again on a particular hour. You couldn't have really done that for sure pre-internet, because even if you thought someone else was joining you in thought, there was no way to be sure. And few halls were ever available for 24 hours to do so in the flesh.

What reminds me of this was the Daily Kos round the clock diary and fundraiser for Susan Collins opponent. Every two hours, someone would post a diary and remind people about the places you could donate online. Commentators would post that they donated (and sometimes how much) and why they donated to the candidate, and reasons why Susan Collins (R-Maine) should be retired.

Posted by: Carol on July 19, 2007 11:58 AM

And her opponant, Tom Allen is a really good guy! I was bartending for a caterer, and we catered his sister's garden wedding out in the mountains of S western Me. They are a really nice honest, family, no pretensions, no agends!
He is now Congressman for the 1st. dist. and I have attended many town meetings by him and our 2nd district rep Mike Michaud.
Although they keep a low profile in COngress, their policies are progressive and honest, and their votes always satisfactory!
Chellie Pingaree is going to run to replace Tom. ( She was mentored in high school by Paul Wellstone) SHe has been the Pres. of Common Cause, these past several years and her daughter Hannah is a Dem state Senator!
QOP

Posted by: on July 19, 2007 12:11 PM

Kat, don't think your marching and protests were in vain. Just think how much worse, and sooner things would have been without the protests! Thanks to opposition, the Fernald plant (near Cincinnati, my hometown) never became operational, and now the site itself is now being cleaned up. Several more plants never became operational either. And today, even with the fervor over global warming, proposals to increase the number of nuke plants are only being very, very, reluctantly considered.

Posted by: Carol on July 19, 2007 03:02 PM

The depradations are so fast furious and frequent it's hard to keep track of them.
WASHINGTON - Pennsylvania and Massachusetts senators say thousands of IRS workers whose paper processing jobs in the states are being phased out should be given jobs the agency contracted to private workers.

The processing work is scheduled to end in September at the Philadelphia facility, and in 2009 in Andover, Mass. The IRS says it's not needed because of the increased use of electronic filing by taxpayers. (yeh that's their excuse, actually it's been privatized!)
You know how hard it is to get through to the IRS now.............imagine then........................

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/246-07192007-1379803.html
QOP

Posted by: on July 19, 2007 04:02 PM

QQP, not an excuse. Even some of us file electronically now, so there are fewer people to actually do 1040's for paper. And just about all of the tax preparer companies file electronically for their clients too, so there's still fewer paper returns for individual taxpayers. But there's still a lot of privatization going on-support services and tax collection is one-and it's being fought furiously.

Posted by: Carol on July 19, 2007 04:12 PM


This is worth a few minutes of your time...
and in their own words too!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/generation-chickenhawk-t_b_56676.html

Posted by: wv on July 19, 2007 04:41 PM

Just got Steve Judd's latest newsletter, which contains this paragraph (I've been very antsy about that Sep eclipse, as you know):

"Early September is the most conflagrational time of the coming three months, and the new Moon partial eclipse opposing Uranus of the 11th September looks like triggering something different, perhaps a turnaround in the world’s fortunes. Some type of innovative invention? This period ends with the Mars/Pluto opposition at the end of September being a final trigger of danger for the year. Then it’s the march towards December’s Jupiter/Pluto conjunction, but that’s for the next newsletter…….. Unless you get your reading request in quick!"


Posted by: shylurker on July 19, 2007 07:56 PM

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/071907J.shtml

Cheney Suppressed Evidence in California Energy Crisis

Posted by: Pat C on July 19, 2007 08:12 PM

Valerie Plame's lawsuit dismissed

Associated Press

... U.S. District Judge John D. Bates dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds and said he would not express an opinion on the constitutional arguments. Bates dismissed the case against all defendants: Cheney, White House political adviser Karl Rove, former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby and former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. ...

https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2006cv1258-52

Posted by: Pat C on July 19, 2007 08:34 PM

http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/12.11A.bates-cheney.htm

This is the same Judge Bates who ruled against the GAO

Judge Rebuffs Effort to Obtain Records on Cheney Task Force
By David Stout
New York Times

Monday, 9 December, 2002

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 -- In a case involving bedrock constitutional issues, a federal judge today threw out a lawsuit brought by an agency of Congress against Vice President Dick Cheney over the formulation of the administration's energy policy.
Judge John D. Bates of Federal District Court found that Comptroller General David M. Walker, the head of the General Accounting Office, did not have sufficient standing to sue the vice president.
Mr. Walker had asked the judge to order the White House to reveal the identities of industry executives who helped the administration develop its energy policy last year.
In declining to do so, and in dismissing Mr. Walker's suit, Judge Bates said that granting the G.A.O. chief's request "would fly in the face of the restricted role of the federal courts under the Constitution."
When arguments were held before Judge Bates on Sept. 27, lawyers for Mr. Cheney argued -- successfully, as it turned out today -- that the comptroller general lacked standing because he had not suffered any personal injury and had no genuine stake in the outcome of the litigation.
In deciding for Mr. Cheney on relatively narrow grounds, Judge Bates said the Supreme Court has made it clear over the years that a would-be party to a case involving constitutional separation of powers must meet "especially rigorous" standards just to have standing to bring such a suit.

Posted by: Pat C on July 19, 2007 08:42 PM

I just got an email with a link the the movie opening next week (7/27) called "No End in Sight"...with a fascinating cast of characters...no actors, just people in the Bush administration and others who are speaking out. From the people who brought you 'Jesus Camp' http://www.noendinsightmovie.com/

And Timmy, thanks so much for the link to the SEC/short selling tutorial...here is an additional place to go after viewing that one.
http://www.thesanitycheck.com/

Posted by: judigem on July 19, 2007 10:10 PM

Luna, my first thought when I saw the Kucinich article was that he had been poisoned..

Posted by: judigem on July 19, 2007 10:12 PM

Mine too Judi.

.........

http://washingtonbureau.typepad.com/baghdad/

Baghdad Observer

Leila Fadel reports no one has ever seen Abu Omar al Baghdadi, a faceless leader who declared an Islamic state in some areas of Iraq last year. But Iraqi government officials have claimed to have killed him at least three times now.

........

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/18140.html

U.S. threatens action in Pakistan


An ambush of a military convoy that killed 17 troops near the Afghan border Wednesday pushed the death toll in a series of attacks to at least 101 Pakistanis in the past five days — and brought President Pervez Musharraf, according to a local newspaper headline, to a "Moment of Truth."

The Bush administration, after publicly demanding that Musharraf rein in militants linked to al Qaida, on Wednesday threatened to launch attacks into Pakistani territory if it sees fit.

"We certainly do not rule out options, and we retain the option especially of striking actionable targets," said White House spokesman Tony Snow. "But it is clearly of the utmost importance to go in there and deal with the problem in the tribal areas."

More...

Posted by: Pat C on July 19, 2007 10:29 PM

Looks like Valerie Plame's suit has been tossed by the same judge appointed by Bush (Bates) who threw out the Cheney Energy group papers...

I think we have to now consider that these people have thoroughly larded the system with people who see things just as they do....so it is time to impune not just the bushieclowns, but all those who support them. No more mr./ms. nice guys....

Posted by: judigem on July 19, 2007 10:39 PM

Might we actually be facing that long talked about constitutional crisis now? Especially after I read on one site the other day that Bush had said the Constitution was just a piece of paper and that he was the one who would decide everything....

And Hillary Clinton was just told by the Pentagon to STFU....that is discussed at Kos...and one guy wrote that Hil would be wearing the guy's guts as garter belts in a week....
WASHINGTON - The Pentagon told Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton that her questions about how the U.S. plans to eventually withdraw from Iraq boosts enemy propaganda....

"Premature and public discussion of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq reinforces enemy propaganda that the United States will abandon its allies in Iraq, much as we are perceived to have done in Vietnam, Lebanon and Somalia," [Undersecretary of Defense Eric] Edelman wrote.

He added that "such talk understandably unnerves the very same Iraqi allies we are asking to assume enormous personal risks."

Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines called Edelman's answer "at once outrageous and dangerous," and said the senator would respond to his boss, Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Edelman apparently got his diplomatic skills from the Dick Cheney school of governance. Since he's a former aide to Cheney, that seems likely.

That some lackey apparatchik in the Pentagon would dare to accuse a United States Senator of "boosting enemy propaganda" is an outrage. Not to mention a really stupid way to respond to one of the people who gets to decide your department's budget.

Considering that the Pentagon clearly went into Iraq with no real plan, it's safe to assume that they would also have no plan for a safe withdrawal of troops from Iraq. The lack of any kind of plan has been the hallmark of the Pentagon under Bush/Cheney, and given that track record, Clinton's question was more than appropriate.

Posted by: judigem on July 19, 2007 10:45 PM

China's grip on key food additive

Vitamin C prices have spiked this year. China controls 80 percent of the market. By Ron Scherer and Peter Ford

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0720/p01s01-woap.html?s=hns

New York and Beijing - A sharp rise in the international price of vitamin C is focusing fresh attention on the risks of the world's growing dependence on China for essential food supplies and additives.

China, which exports more than 80 percent of the world's ascorbic acid – also known as vitamin C and a key food preservative – appears to have cut production over the past several months, pushing prices up by more than 200 percent to a four-year high.

Reporters on the job: Peter Ford shares the story behind the story. John Nordell/CSM/file Customers have scrambled for supplies of the additive, found in thousands of processed foods from fruit drinks to organic hamburger rolls, from applesauce to granola.

The production cutback follows a Chinese government drive to enforce pollution limits on chemical and pharmaceutical companies, sources in the vitamin industry say. The four biggest Chinese vitamin C producers are also facing a price-fixing suit in a New York court. Since January, prices have risen from $3.40 a kilo to $11 a kilo, according to industry sources.

The reduction in world supply comes in the wake of a series of scandals surrounding Chinese food and drug exports, some of which have been found to be tainted by poisonous chemicals. The Chinese have charged that US exports are tainted and have banned some of them as well. In the wake of the scandals, President Bush on Wednesday appointed an imports safety panel that will report to him in 60 days.

More...

Posted by: Pat C on July 20, 2007 12:22 AM

For all of the people who have given me advice about school, I am now enrolled for a Bachelor of Communications at Kaplan Online University. Google E-Mail: The school was founded in 1937, and they have been doing online classes since 1987!

Thank you for all of the advice. I feel very good, especially when I went to the site and saw the wide and varied offerings of the University, and experienced the professionalism of my advisor.

Posted by: Carol on July 20, 2007 01:18 AM

http://www.apfn.org/apfn/reserve.htm

SECRETS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE
G. Edward Griffin on the Federal Reserve System, a 42 Min. video.

Pat C, China controls 80 percent of the market; this is how we can be held hostage by another nation. China is very good "chess player" and has time to develop and implement their plan . Their planing strategies does not just consists of days-wall street traders, 3-12 months max. --like Havard business school graduates but really long term; 10-20 years and longer.

Posted by: harles on July 20, 2007 01:10 PM


Friday, July 20, 2007

The Compassion of George Bush


...and an astrological update of the US President

President Bush recently showed his compassionate nature when he commuted the prison sentence of his loyal soldier Scooter Libby because he felt the sentence was "excessive." He demonstrated a great deal of sympathy for the man who merely lied to protect him and decried the suffering of his wife and children. Still, I was reminded that this was the same man who, while governor, was the overseer over more executions than any other governors in recent US history. Bush explained in his autobiography that it was not his job to "replace the verdict of a jury unless there are new facts or evidence of which a jury was unaware, or evidence that the trial was somehow unfair" and therefore it was not up to him to pardon those that were sentenced to death. This is the same man that observed the wreckage of New Orleans from 5,000 feet and seems to care little for the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed in his war of liberation.

http://astrodynamics.blogspot.com/

Posted by: wv on July 20, 2007 02:31 PM

harles, I lived in a few places in Asia as a young person, and I know how tactical the Chinese are. The fact that westerners haven't gotten that, and have given them this kind of advantage is stunning to me.

Posted by: Pat C on July 20, 2007 05:39 PM

Attorney General Patrick Fitzgerald

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aiSE8DZT4Avk&refer=news

Posted by: Pat C on July 20, 2007 07:08 PM

I wonder if George saw this coming when he looked into Vald's eyes.

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1130592007

10,000 young Russians the new Red Guards to fight Kremlin's opponents

AT A lakeside camp five hours drive north of Moscow, 10,000 young Russians are learning why the president, Vladimir Putin, is such a brilliant leader and why his opponents are so evil.

In the middle of the camp stand large portraits of Other Russia's leaders under the banner: "The Red Light Street".


Vocal opponents of Mr Putin's rule, Other Russia's three male leaders, including the world chess champion Garry Kasparov, are portrayed as prostitutes. In lurid colours they pout and pose in stockings, their faces frozen in feline grins.

"I didn't know who those people were until I came here," 20-year-old Lena from St Petersburg said."Now I know they are fascists."

Nearby, there was a poster depicting an intercontinental ballistic missile with the slogan: "Let there be sovereign democracy," a reference to the Kremlin's definition of democracy stripped of western influence.

More....

Posted by: Pat C on July 20, 2007 07:51 PM

NSPD-51: Bush prepares martial law

http://www.ww4report.com/node/3940

Every president since FDR has drawn up such plans. The most notorious were Nixon's "Operation Garden Plot" and Reagan's "REX 84 Alpha"—a legacy we recalled when the Homeland Security Act passed in 2002. This latest incarnation has gone unnoticed by the New York Times and other major media. Leave it to the editorial page of Tennessee's Chattanoogan, May 24:

Bush Makes Power Grab
President Bush, without so much as issuing a press statement, on May 9 signed a directive that granted near dictatorial powers to the office of the president in the event of a national emergency declared by the president ...


Bush is so unpopular that the mere mention of him can cause a party to lose a case -- or so they fear.

............

From Law.com:

Mention the President, Lose a Case?
Apparently President George W. Bush is now so unpopular that some lawyers believe the mere mention of his name in front of a jury could tip the scales against them.

Attorneys Michael P. Laffey and Robert P. DiDomenicis of Holsten & Associates in Media, Pa., are defending Upper Darby Township, Pa., in a civil rights suit brought by Harold Lischner, an 82-year-old doctor who claims he was falsely arrested for displaying an anti-war sign at a Bush campaign event in September 2003.

With the case set to go to trial on July 23, the defense lawyers recently filed a flurry of motions, including one that asked Eastern District of Pennsylvania Judge Gene E.K. Pratter to prohibit the plaintiff from mentioning Bush's name.

The motion in Lischner v. Upper Darby Township said that according to the latest Newsweek poll, Bush has "the worst approval rating of an American president in a generation," and that 62 percent of Americans believe that Bush's handling of the war in Iraq shows that he is "stubborn and unwilling to admit his mistakes."

Laffey and DiDomenicis argued that "the identity of George W. Bush has no relevance to plaintiff's claim and should not be admitted."

Any "probative value" of Bush's identity, they argued, "is substantially outweighed by the danger of unfair prejudice to defendant."

Bush's identity, they argued, "in and of itself, presents the danger that the jury will favor plaintiff."

As a result, the defense lawyers said, "it will be sufficient for plaintiff to testify that he displayed a sign in opposition of a 'presidential candidate.'"

more

Posted by: Pat C on July 20, 2007 11:08 PM

dept. of Revolution for Dummies; Congress Feature,French Revolution Fun

What Next For the Bush/Cheney Administration? Maybe Guillotines!

They’re immune to all laws, they can throw you in the gulag for any reason at all, and they can lock up all your money and property if you’re “impeding” whatever crazed satanic bullshit they’re doing now or in the future. So what can Congress or the Military or you, the hapless citizen, actually do to stop them? We’ve consulted top historians and constitutional scholars — the ones that came up on the first page of the Google search, anyway — and they’ve got some fun advice for America............................

http://wonkette.com/politics/dept%27-of-revolution-for-dummies/what-next-for-the-bushcheney-administration-maybe-guillotines-280860.php
Hope everything is OK Sally! And you are enjoying those babies.
QOP

Posted by: on July 21, 2007 12:02 AM

Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.) announced Friday that they will introduce legislation requiring the Pentagon to report to Congress on contingency planning for redeployment of troops to Iraq.

http://thehill.com/

Posted by: Pat C on July 21, 2007 12:12 AM

Let us pray!

Dick Cheney IS President! Today only, we hope...

Posted by: wv on July 21, 2007 03:53 PM

SHE WAS LISTENING...................YOUR PRAYERS ANSWERED!

Bush has five polyps removed, reclaims powers
Sat Jul 21, 2007 10:42AM EDT

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN2126540820070721
QOP

Posted by: on July 21, 2007 04:18 PM


Pelosi's Sinking Fortunes

Contributed by WebMaster
Thursday, 05 July 2007
By Dave Lindorff

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took power in the House of Representatives in January on a wave of public enthusiasm and hopes that Congress would finally start holding the president to account.

Not quite six months out, it's becoming apparent to Democrats who were looking to her for leadership that she's not about leading an opposition party; she's about posturing and hoping for better days in 2008, but not much else.

Californians voted for Democrats in Congress because they wanted to end the Iraq War, and because they were, and are, fed up with the anti-democratic antics of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Pelosi's own California Democratic Party Convention recently overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling on her and the Congress to impeach the president--something that Pelosi stubbornly refuses to allow to happen.


http://www.ichblog.eu/content/view/1840/1/

Posted by: wv on July 21, 2007 05:39 PM

Here is the link to the WhiteHouse.gov site with one of King George's latest Executive Orders

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070717-3.html

This one is a doozy. According to King George, from now on the Secretary of the Treasury, or any one of his flunkys that he names, can seize and freeze all property and assets of anyone deemed (by the Sec or flunkys) to be "undermining efforts to promote economic reconstruction and political reform in Iraq or to provide humanitarian assistance to the Iraqi people."

I certainly have been doing all I can (mostly letter writing and attending events) to keep us out of Iraq in the first place and to get us out now. By the Bushco definition I have been trying to undermine political reform.

Well, I'm probably too small potatoes to bother with and have very few assets. But supposing you and your church gave money to a charity to help, say, Iraqi orphans and someone somewhere in the bowels of the government was suspicious of that charity.?? Would there be an investigation? Heck, no. Your assets and property and your church's assets and property would be frozen without due process and without notice.

You wouldn't have money to hire a lawyer, and if a law firm donated their help then THEIR assets and property could be seized without due process or notice.

If your best friend gave you some supper and let you stay at her house (your house has been seized by the government and has a big old notice posted on the door) then HER property and assets could be seized without due process or notice.

Are we going to have an impeachment or do I have to go up to the attic and find my musket?

Posted by: Barbara on July 21, 2007 06:29 PM

wouldn't hurt to make sure it's in workimg order!
QOP

Posted by: on July 21, 2007 07:39 PM

Pelosi and the Dems have truly dealt themselves more damage than the Republicans ever could have, by simply failing to act upon the demands of the people. To me, these do-nothing Dems seem to be afflicted with a form of arrogance, "that the people only have us (the Dems) to turn to, so we can do whatever we want, whenever we want to do it, if we even want to do it at all" -- or so their thought processes go.

What they are actually doing, perhaps unwittingly, is allowing a great political void of non-representation to open that will likely be filled by a third or even perhaps a fourth party, if not immediately in 2008, then perhaps starting over the course of this next campagin season (already in progress) and building up to a critical mass by 2012. The time, I believe, is now ripe for a true and sustainable third party to emerge. However, it must emerge from the very grassroots of our society.

Anyone else picking up on the energy of the Uranus-Pluto Square yet? Yes it is a bit early and out of the signs, but it will grow stronger in the coming year.

I do believe that we have seen the Plutonian side of this aspect manifest, actually for quite a while now, and it seems to be growing stronger with Pluto nearing Capricorn. The corporatist/neoconservative elitist regime has deeply infested our government, turning over the rule of law while demonstrating a total disregard for the long term survival of humanity and life on Earth. They can consider only the survival of their own way of life, the winner-take-all brand of imperialistic capitalism that has empowered them, and is now gradually failing. They will battle at all cost to save it -- and themselves -- at the rest of the world's expense.

I don't think we will be rid of the NeoCons next year. Even if we could impeach and oust Bush and Cheney, the machine that put them in power would still remain intact and functional, perhaps with "replacements" already prepared and ready to go. It is that machine, the source of neoconservative power that we must destroy. Only then may we be rid of their toxic politics.

It won't be a direct revolution on the part of the people that brings them down this time, however. That would be implied by an opposition, as the French Revolution was by Uranus and Pluto. The square, however, suggests an indirect struggle or conflict. In this case, it seems likely that we, the people will need to respond to an agressive-opressive entrenched regime with our own unique group solutions, methods and innovations -- the Uranian side of this aspect. Perhaps this amounts to a "starve the beast to save the planet" methodology. With Uranus involved, though, we won't really know how that will turn out until the time comes. But we can be sure that the old entrenched regime will one way or another be given a run for its money, and perhaps literally so.

Posted by: NEOBuckeye on July 22, 2007 06:45 AM

Pelosi and the Dems have truly dealt themselves more damage than the Republicans ever could have, by simply failing to act upon the demands of the people. To me, these do-nothing Dems seem to be afflicted with a form of arrogance, "that the people only have us (the Dems) to turn to, so we can do whatever we want, whenever we want to do it, if we even want to do it at all" -- or so their thought processes go.

What they are actually doing, perhaps unwittingly, is allowing a great political void of non-representation to open that will likely be filled by a third or even perhaps a fourth party, if not immediately in 2008, then perhaps starting over the course of this next campagin season (already in progress) and building up to a critical mass by 2012. The time, I believe, is now ripe for a true and sustainable third party to emerge. However, it must emerge from the very grassroots of our society.

Anyone else picking up on the energy of the Uranus-Pluto Square yet? Yes it is a bit early and out of the signs, but it will grow stronger in the coming year.

I do believe that we have seen the Plutonian side of this aspect manifest, actually for quite a while now, and it seems to be growing stronger with Pluto nearing Capricorn. The corporatist/neoconservative elitist regime has deeply infested our government, turning over the rule of law while demonstrating a total disregard for the long term survival of humanity and life on Earth. They can consider only the survival of their own way of life, the winner-take-all brand of imperialistic capitalism that has empowered them, and is now gradually failing. They will battle at all cost to save it -- and themselves -- at the rest of the world's expense.

I don't think we will be rid of the NeoCons next year. Even if we could impeach and oust Bush and Cheney, the machine that put them in power would still remain intact and functional, perhaps with "replacements" already prepared and ready to go. It is that machine, the source of neoconservative power that we must destroy. Only then may we be rid of their toxic politics.

It won't be a direct revolution on the part of the people that brings them down this time, however. That would be implied by an opposition, as the French Revolution was by Uranus and Pluto. The square, however, suggests an indirect struggle or conflict. In this case, it seems likely that we, the people will need to respond to an agressive-opressive entrenched regime with our own unique group solutions, methods and innovations -- the Uranian side of this aspect. Perhaps this amounts to a "starve the beast to save the planet" methodology. With Uranus involved, though, we won't really know how that will turn out until the time comes. But we can be sure that the old entrenched regime will one way or another be given a run for its money, and perhaps literally so.

Posted by: NEOBuckeye on July 22, 2007 06:45 AM

Is there something very dark and sinister being planned or was this member of Congress denied access simply out of ignorance and incompetence?
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/118489654058910.xml&coll=7

Posted by: shylurker on July 22, 2007 07:33 PM

All three? Denied for sinister reasons, ignorance and incompetence.

Posted by: lunaoscura on July 22, 2007 08:43 PM

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nybres225303032jul22,0,877382.story?coll=ny-nynews-print

Impeach George Bush to stop war lies, deaths

JIMMY BRESLIN

Posted by: Pat C on July 22, 2007 09:30 PM

U.S. Agency May Reverse 8 Decisions on Wildlife

NYT By JOHN M. BRODER

WASHINGTON, July 20 — The Interior Department said Friday that it would review and probably overturn eight decisions on wildlife and land-use issues made by a senior political appointee who has been found to have improperly favored industry and landowners over agency scientists.

The appointee, Julie A. MacDonald, resigned on May 1 as a deputy assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks, after an internal review found that she had violated federal rules by giving government documents to lobbyists for industry.

The agency’s inspector general also found several instances in which Ms. MacDonald browbeat department biologists and habitat specialists and overruled their recommendations to protect a variety of rare and threatened species.

H. Dale Hall, the director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, said he had asked the agency’s regional managers to submit for review cases in which Ms. MacDonald might have inappropriately bent the process to fit her political agenda.

Mr. Hall winnowed the list to eight instances in which he said he expected that her actions would be reversed. ......

http://tinyurl.com/364xve --NYT

Posted by: Pat C on July 22, 2007 09:43 PM

A glimmer of hope, y'all:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2a735dd0-3873-11dc-bca9-0000779fd2ac.html

Posted by: shylurker on July 22, 2007 10:52 PM

Ok, so I'm getting very anxious. Has anyone heard from Cap'n Sally? Has anyone heard anything about the twins, her grandchildren born recently? Has anyone heard from JoannaO? Thnx!

Posted by: shylurker on July 23, 2007 05:20 AM

Be very afraid
Congress puts off fixing touch-screen voting
http://machinist.salon.com/

Another example of the Dems doing a half-a***d job?

Posted by: Stan on July 23, 2007 05:53 AM

IT IS ILLUSION !


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