Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Still in the fields: And I have some Jewish friends with me.
Monday, December 29, 2008
O man, it's your war now too.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
The "S" word again.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Just an accident?
I really hate the Bush republican cabal for making me think this way, but here I am, a living breathing skeptic of all things Bush and Cheney.
Please read below and tell me if you aren't just a tad bit skeptical yourself:
"At 3:31 PM Friday, December 19, Michael L. Connell, a top Internet consultant for the Republican National Committee and for the Bush and McCain presidential campaigns, left Washington from the small airport in College Park, Md. Alone at the helm of a single engine Piper Saratoga, Connell's flight plan anticipated arrival at his hometown Akron-Canton Airport in a little over two hours, at 5:43 PM.
Instead, about three miles short of the Akron-Canton Airport, Connell's plane crashed to the ground in an upscale section of Lake Township, killing Connell instantly. "I was standing in the kitchen and I looked out the window and all I saw was fire," Taylor Fano told The Akron Beacon Journal. "It took out the flagpole and the cement blocks surrounding the flagpole . . . . It skidded across the driveway and right in-between a line of pine trees and a small fence around an in-ground pool."
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident and has not yet filed a report, but there was no immediate evidence of wrong-doing or sabotage.
Many in the blogosphere have called for further investigation of the crash, suggesting that Connell was about to provide crucial information in the case of alleged vote fraud in the 2004 Ohio presidential contest, and that that information would implicate Karl Rove and others in the Bush administration. [see update below]
Just last month, Connell was deposed in the ongoing case, King Lincoln Bronzeville Neighborhood Association v. Blackwell. According to accounts of the November 3rd deposition, Connell denied any knowledge of attempts to fraudulently manipulate 2004 Ohio vote counts.
There is, however, a more immediate and relevant question: How much will Connell's death, even if the accident was entirely without malfeasance, impede congressional committee investigations into the more controversial activities of the Bush administration over the past eight years - including the ongoing investigation into thousands of missing White House-RNC emails sent and received by some 22 White House political aides, including Rove. These emails are believed likely to shed light on the political firings of U.S. Attorneys, and to show if the White House had any role in controversial decisions to prosecute former Alabama Democratic Governor Don Siegelman.
After first emerging as a web consultant during the 1998 gubernatorial campaign of Jeb Bush, Connell quickly became a key member of the Republican brain trust and quickly became part of a small network of political consultants and lobbyists favored by Rove. He advised both Bush-Cheney campaigns, and was a regular consultant to the RNC and other GOP committees.
Connell, and his firms - New Media Communications, Govtech and Connell Donatelli Inc. - were part of a universe that included such other GOP operatives as Tony Feather and Jeff Larson of FLS Connect, Tom Synhorst of the DCI Group, and Jeff Averbeck of Smartech. Their companies have received millions of dollars from the Bush-Cheney campaign committees of 2000 and 2004 from the three major - national, congressional and senatorial - Republican Party committees; from such conservative interest groups as the National Rifle Association and Citizens Against Government Waste; from a host of corporations and trade associations seeking to remain in the administration's good graces; and from dozens and dozens of Republican House and Senate campaigns."
More here.
Oh field, has it ever occurred to you that it could all be just a big coincidence? Actually, no. Not with this bunch. But I will take a wait and see approach. I just hope that no stone will be left unturned in this investigation. And if there is no investigation, we will scream loud enough for every reasonable person in A-merry-ca to hear and then demand one.
Holiday horror!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas spirit.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
The New Green Economy.
I am just hoping that this is part of the new green economy that his O ness is always talking about. We can only wish. Now this is change that I could believe in. (Oh field stop it, you are an officer of the court, why are you encouraging pot smoking?) I am not. If it is made legal it should come with a warning label, just like cigarettes. And folk s should be encouraged to smoke responsibly, just like drinking.
See what you started Obama?
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Just once.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
LET THE SCAPEGOATING BEGIN.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said there had been 'an outpouring of anti-Semitic comments on mainstream and extremist Web sites.'
Madoff, 70, is Jewish and a prominent member of the powerful US Jewish community. He is alleged to have defrauded investors, including a number of Jewish-related charities, of some 50 billion dollars.
Site users have posted comments ranging from deeply offensive stereotypical statements about Jews and money -- with some suggesting that only Jews could perpetrate a fraud on such a scale -- to conspiracy theories about Jews stealing money to benefit Israel,' the ADL said in a statement.
'Jews are always a convenient scapegoat in times of crisis, but the Madoff scandal and the fact that so many of the defrauded investors are Jewish has created a perfect storm for the anti-Semites,' said Abraham Foxman, ADL national director.
'Nowadays, the first place Jew-haters will go is to the Internet, where they can give voice to their hateful ideas without fear of repercussions."
The Airline Industry will be next with their hands out. Wait.....
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The Bullet Or The Burger?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
WHERE ARE THE O-JAYS WHEN YOU NEED THEM? AND WAS THAT A KNIFE IN RICK'S HAND?
But you are killing me because I just read that Rick Warren of all people will be giving the invocation at your inauguration. I know why you are doing it, you want to show Christian conservatives that you are embracing them even though they didn't embrace you. My question to you would be why? Why invite the guy that set you up like some mob family rubbing out a rat? Did you really think that he was inviting you to his church for just a little sit down? I mean come on O man, who do you think Rick Warren really wanted to be president? I will give you a hint; it wasn't your black behind. And don't for a minute think that just because the Queen of Soul will be singing you are off the hook. She hasn't had a hit in forever, and you should know that.
Rick Warren? Something about the guy creeps me out. I know you are going to be saying your full name (Barack Hussein Obama) and you are scared that Joe A-merry-ca is going to be linking you to the whole Muslim thing; so what better way to assure him that you are a real Christian than to showcase Rick Warren.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
...the more they stay the same.
Monday, December 15, 2008
DICK CHENEY IS A BAD PERSON!
Cheney: "Terry, these are communications that involve acknowledged or known terrorists -- dirty numbers, if you will. And in fact, it is consistent with the president's constitutional authority as commander in chief. It's consistent with the resolution that was passed by the Congress after 9/11. And it has been reviewed repeatedly by the Justice Department every single time it's been renewed, to make certain that it is, in fact, managed in a manner that's fully consistent with the Constitution and with our statutes. "
Cheney: "There's a definition that's based on prior Supreme Court decisions and prior arguments, and it has to do with the Fourth, Thirteenth, and -- three specific amendments to the Constitution. And the rule is whether or not it shocks the conscience. If it's something that shocks the conscience, the court has agreed that crosses over the line.
Now, you can get into a debate about what shocks the conscience and what is cruel and inhuman. And to some extent, I suppose, that's in the eye of the beholder. But I believe, and we think it's important to remember, that we are in a war against a group of individuals and terrorist organizations that did, in fact, slaughter 3,000 innocent Americans on 9/11, that it's important for us to be able to have effective interrogation of these people when we capture them.
And the debate is over the extent to which we are going to have legislation that restricts or limits that capability. Now, as I say, we've reached a compromise. The president signed on with the McCain amendment. We never had any problem with the McCain amendment. We had problems with trying to extend it as far as he did. But ultimately, as I say, a compromise was arrived at, and I support the compromise."
Moran: "Should American interrogators be staging mock executions [and] waterboarding prisoners? Is that cruel? "
Cheney: "I am not going to get into specifics here. You're getting into questions about sources and methods, and I don't talk about that, Terry."
Moran: "As vice president of the U.S., you can't tell the American people whether… "
Cheney: "I don't talk about-- "
Moran: …or not we would interrogate… "
Cheney: "I can say that we, in fact, are consistent with the commitments of the United States that we don't engage in torture. And we don't. "
Moran: "Are you troubled at all that more than 100 people in U.S. custody have died -- 26 of them now being investigated as criminal homicides -- people beaten to death, suffocated to death, died of hypothermia in U.S. custody? "
Cheney: "No. I won't accept your numbers, Terry. But I guess one of the things I'm concerned about is that as we get farther and farther away from 9/11, and there have been no further attacks against the U.S., there seems to be less and less concern about doing what's necessary in order to defend the country. "
Cheney: "I'm not going to talk about intelligence matters.
Moran: Secret prisons?"
Cheney: "I'm not going to talk about intelligence matters."
Moran: "Does the International Red Cross have access to everyone in U.S. custody, as we are obliged?"
Cheney: "Terry, with all due respect, I won't discuss intelligence matters. I shouldn't.
Moran: I'd like to put this personally, if I can. You're a grandfather. I'm a father. When we look at those girls and we think that the country we're about to pass to them is a country where the vice president can't say whether or not we have secret prisons around the world, whether waterboarding and mock executions is consistent with our values, and a country where the government is surveilling without the warrant of a court, is that the country we want to pass on to them?"
Cheney: "I want to pass on to them a country that is free, that is not plagued by terrorist attacks, doesn't see a repeat of the terrible events of 9/11 when we lost 3,000 of our people that morning to a handful of terrorists who had no justification at all for what they do.
I can guarantee you that we do do as a government, as an administration, is to support and uphold the Constitution of United States, that we do, in fact, take extraordinary steps to make certain we maintain our constitutional obligations and responsibilities, which includes both defending the country as well as defending individual liberties and protecting the rights of all Americans. "
CHENEY: I was aware of the program, certainly, and involved in helping get the process cleared, as the agency, in effect, came in and wanted to know what they could and couldn't do. And they talked to me, as well as others, to explain what they wanted to do. And I supported it.
KARL: In hindsight, do you think any of those tactics that were used against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and others went too far?"
CHENEY: I don't. "
CHENEY: I do."
CHENEY: "I disagree with that. I think -- as I look at the intelligence with respect to Iraq -- what they got wrong was that there weren't any stockpiles. What we found in the after-action reports, after the intelligence report was done and then various special groups went and looked at the intelligence and what its validity was. What they found was that Saddam Hussein still had the capability to produce weapons of mass destruction. He had the technology, he had the people, he had the basic feed stocks.
They also found that he had every intention of resuming production once the international sanctions were lifted. He had a long reputation and record of having started two wars. Of having brutalized and killed hundreds of thousands of people, some of them with weapons of mass destruction in his own country. He had violated 16 National Security Council resolutions. He had established a relationship as a terror-sponsoring state, according to the State Department. He was making $25,000 payments to the families of suicide bombers.
This was a bad actor and the country's better off, the world's better off, with Saddam gone, and I think we made the right decision, in spite of the fact that the original NIE was off in some of its major judgments. "
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Iraqi shoe- ts at our Prez.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
BAIL THEM OUT!
"Please,please,please,please me......"
As the Detroit auto executives do their best James Brown imitation to Congress, it seems that everyone has an opinion about whether Congress should bail out the Big 3 or not.
Now first, I have a true confession: I have owned only one A-merry-can made car in my entire life. But still, that doesn't mean that I don't understand the importance and the significance of the A-merry-can auto industry. And before you start with me, don't even bother; I know that I am a hypocrite, and that I helped to contribute to the demise of the auto industry, so I should be one of the last people advocating for it.
But how can you blame me? I have mad love for Michigan. My first experience with A-merry-ca was as a very young child in East Lansing. I was there with my family while my father attended school and finished up his graduate studies. Michigan was where I first experienced snow, where I first forged friendships with people of other races, and where I was first introduced to A-merry-can games such as football and baseball (to this day the Detroit Tigers is my favorite baseball team). The first car I ever drove was my father's Cutlass by Oldsmobile. (I think they made them in Lansing) So it hurts to watch Michigan die a slow economic death as the auto industry struggles to survive. It hurts to watch rethugs demagogue this issue and try to score political points with their base while auto workers face the prospects of losing their jobs and their way of life. (Whatever happened to helping Main Street and not Wall Street?)
Now look, I know this is a tough call for some people. (Not rethugs, they are going to be against the working man no matter what)The executives at these companies have done a less than stellar job for the past 40 years. They have been slow to adjust to change, and their business model has not exactly been one that we could hold up as a shining example for our B school students all over the country. Flying to Washington in private jets was just plain stupid, and it shows just how out of touch they are. But Jim Press, VP of Chrysler, is right when he says that an auto failure could "trigger a depression" because of the "fragile nature of the economy". To ignore that fact would be just foolhardy. Come on field what's wrong with letting them go bankrupt and file for Chapter 11? They could finally try to be more innovative and restructure some of those UAW contracts. Let them go the way of Studebaker, Packard,Hudson and Nash; it's capitalism at work, make a better product and we will buy it. That's a fair point, and I would almost buy it. Almost. But there is just too much at stake with these companies. They employee far too many people who could lose their jobs. Way too many service industries who rely on them could go under, and the domino effect it would create could be devastating. Homes would be lost, tax bases would dry up, and entire communities would become extinct. It would be devastating to the state of Michigan and cities such as Detroit, Lansing, Saginaw, and Flint. And it could be devastating to you. I don't care where you live.
But do the rethugs care? Of course not. The Bogey Man to them in all of this is the UAW, and they want to teach them a lesson. After all, don't all the car manufacturers down South (where there are no union shops) do just fine? Why can't the Big 3 eliminate these UAW folks and start paying their workers closer to what the average Chinese and Indian worker gets? I will answer that: Because they aren't down South, and because they have kids in college and mortgages to pay. And because most of these people with there so called high wages support communities by spending where they live, that's why.
"For decades, Republicans have supported corporate efforts to earn profits without accountability to working Americans. Profits and bonuses rose before the decline, often by eliminating domestic production — and jobs — while switching operations overseas.
Yet when some of our biggest domestic employers need help — employers that actually produce something tangible, unlike Wall Street — Republicans choose to preach rather than do something constructive. Their actions betray American workers and sabotage an already fragile economy.
Yes, the automakers have a lot to learn, but surely not at the expense of our economic viability. It is almost inconceivable that Republicans would risk destroying some of the nation’s few remaining manufacturing giants just to teach the unions a lesson. "
~Barry Moskowitz, Opinion letter in the New York Times~~
Well said Barry, let's hope that there are some rethugs who stop watching FOX long enough to actually read the "Times".
So what do we do? We give the Big 3 the money with some strings attached. We demand accountability and we damn near Nationalize all three of those companies. (Field, you are such a Socialist. I know. But think about it. If there was a National Health Care Plan we wouldn't even be having this discussion, because the Big 3 wouldn't even have to worry about paying billions in health benefits to their employees) The Management culture has to change at these companies as well, and they have to rethink how they do business. (Design a car that the field might want to drive damn it!) And I am with the O man on this one; they have got to go green. In fact, some of the money we give them should be earmarked for environmental outcomes. And they have to do a better job of marketing their cars. They have to create better incentives to buy, and come up with more creative ways of financing the product. If people don't start going to the Big 3 show rooms we will be right back in this position in the very near future.
So that is my two cents. I am with Ben Stein of all people on this one. Let's bail out those suckers. Let's help the people of Michigan like we did the people of New York City. They deserve that much. Besides, I am sick of hearing these auto executives beg.
Friday, December 12, 2008
I found another one.
PART II OF MY GROUNDBREAKING “BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL” RESEARCH PROJECT: STEALTH RACIST TECHNIQUES FOR THE BEGINNING NEGRO FIELD RESEARCHER.
After revealing to the world my on-going anthropological work on the Africanus-American species in North America with my “Black is Beautiful” Field Work Progress…” report, my email and phone has been going off the hook from wannabee researchers, all wishing to contribute to my studies. So I’ve decided to take you, the budding Primate Researcher, under my wing and pass along some stealth racist tips to help you on your way!
The most important tool that I always take with me into the field, is a small white box about 2.5″ x 2″ with holes on one side; which is a simple, but highly effective sound device not requiring any batteries and fits nicely in the palm of your hand. You can easily find them in any large pet store by looking for boxes of furry toys, some look like ducks, some like cats. Look for the monkey one and give it a squeeze — you’ll be able to feel a box buried inside and it’ll cost about $6 or $7 dollars."
Now, as a suitably equipped Negrologist, you can look at such situations as a valuable scientific opportunity!"
Read the rest of this entry »
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Billie can you spare a dime?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Senate seat going once, going twice.....
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Book him Patrick.
I have to write something about this story, I just can't resist. It seems that "Serbian Obama" done went and got himself into some mess. He is called the "Serbian Obama" because according to one publication, like a certain chosen one, he is "young, handsome, and articulate". Well we can now add stupid to that list.
Let me get this straight: Governor Rod Blagojevich tried to sell Barack Husein Obama's senate seat to the highest bidder? And, to top it off, they caught this genius on tape like some old mob boss threatening people and trying to cut back room deals to the highest bidder. My god man have you no shame? Where do you think you live, Philly? I thought only our pols had corruption issues and liked to play phone tag with the feds? Seems I was wrong. Apparently they have a history down there in the land of Lincoln and in the "Windy City"as well. (Damn it, they won't let Philly be first in anything) Poor Rod, he just wanted to line his pockets and get rich like all the other greedy politicians. He heard about that $90,000.00 in "Dollar Bill's" refrigerator and he got jealous.
"I want to make money,"
Blago, you make $300,000.00 per year. Come on man, that ain't too bad. Why do you need more?
"If ... they're not going to offer anything of any value, then I might just take it" —
Naw, you wouldn't want that job Blago, not enough money for you. Although, I am sure you would go wild with all those lobbyist in Washington. Still, I have to wonder how a guy who knew the feds were on his butt like size seven jeans on J-Lo, would be on the damn phone of all places cutting deals. Hey Blago, there is a little thing called a wire tap, you might want to read up on it in the future...ahh never mind, you don't have a future.
And I love how his O ness distanced himself from this guy. I thought it was mighty strange that the governor of his home state didn't even get any speeches during the O man's campaign. O man your political instincts are starting to scare me. You are as smart as this guy was dumb. It's hard to believe that you both came up through the same machine.
U.S. Attorney, Patrick Fitzgerald called Blago's behavior "appalling", he characterized Blago as a man who led a "corruption crime spree". Oh ohh. Those are tough words from the man who convicted Scooter. Mr. Blagojevich, if I were you, I would start planning a future without the creature comforts of home.
Oh well, here is hoping that Blago (Serbian Obama) enjoys his little time away. Hey, look at the bright side Governor, at the end of his term, maybe, just maybe, your home boy will give you a pardon.
*Thanks for the pic ArtMaggot.
Monday, December 08, 2008
We are in a recession: it might be cheaper to keep her.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Stay away from corruption Mr. Cao.
There is hope for my peeps after all. Looks like they finally voted out that crook, Dollar Bill Jefferson. Yes my friends, you all know how I feel about corrupt politicians, so I was quite thrilled to hear of this bit of news. The fact that Anh "Joseph" Cao is a republican makes no difference to me. If he is going to do a better job of serving the 2nd congressional district of Louisiana, well then good for him.
It's nice to see black folks rejecting corruption and patronage. (Although I have to wonder why this clown was in the run off in the first place) Now granted, the turnout was low (12% among black people) and Cao only won by two percentage points, but I don't ever want to hear that black people just blindly vote for the black guy because he is black again. That has never been true, and now, hopefully, people will stop saying it. Cao is a Vietnamese immigrant, (the first Vietnamese American to go to Congress) and his election makes Louisiana the one state where the rethugs can brag about a bigger tent. Their Governor is an Indian American, and now their Congressman from the 2nd district is a person of color as well. Good for the "boot."
I just hope the rethugs are taking notes. The demographics of the country is changing, you should try to change with it. You should be reaching out to more aspiring politicians of color to carry your party's banner and deliver your message.
As for Jefferson, his three decades of political power and patronage is history. And apparently quite a few of his cronies were voted out of local offices as well. So it looks like lights out for Dollar Bill, and for all practical purposes, his political career is over.
It couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy.
Mr. Cao, I don't know if you will be in Washington very long, and that might be a blessing for you. Look what Washington did to Bill Jefferson.