28 July 2003

Bush War Lies #19

Today, I'd like you to take a moment from your routine and do something nobody in the Bush administration has ever done.

No, I don't mean "serve honourably in the military." Oh you wags! :)

No, I suggest you read an actual letter from an actual GI who is attempting to stay alive over in Iraq. For once, get your news and form your opinions on the situation over their not from partisans and operatives and toadies, but from real people who have really put their lives on the line over there. A typical excerpt:
They have frozen all redeployments, so no one is going anywhere anytime soon, and our Congress goes on vacation July 25 so nothing is going to happen until mid fall. Not what we all want to hear out here. We are under siege out here, without supplies, without a mission and we can only roll the dice so many times and not get our (expletive) shot. More and more body bags and amputees will be coming home.

Food for thought.

27 July 2003

Bush War Lies #18

Condileeza Rice -- Liar, or Incompetent?

Courtesy Daily Kos.

Look Into "The Mirror" and See Your Future, Mr. Bush

"Polling conducted on July 19-20 by YouGov revealed that 68% of Britons believe that the Labour government has not been 'honest and trustworthy', 60% feel the same way about Blair himself. Fifty-four per cent of respondents indicated that, leaving aside the question of Kelly's death, they trust the BBC more than the government in the row over WMD claims (only 18% trusted the government more than the BBC). Almost half of respondents blamed the government for Kelly's death, while only 9% accused the BBC of being responsible."

Originally spotted in a report in the (London) Daily Mirror, the full article is here.

24 July 2003

Bush War Lies #17

Either the Bush administration lied when they "outed" the wife of former Ambassador Joe Wilson (who was the guy they sent to Niger and who told the administration the whole Niger-uranium thing was hooey) as a "deep cover" CIA agent in a fit of vengeance, or they broke the law. You decide.

From The Nation.

Bush War Lies #16: It's Official

There was no connection, and there is no connection between Al-Queda and Saddam Hussein, says the government's own official report on the September 11th tragedy.

So that's at least two solid, provable lies we've caught the President in.

I wonder how many you need for impeachment? Or if that's still too strong an option for you, how about an open Congressional investigation?

James Carville: "If we can spend $70M to investigate an act of consensual sex, we can spend a few million to find out why we are involved in a war in Iraq."

Bush War Lies #15

This quote comes directly from the Bush White House web page:
The danger is grave and growing. The Iraqi regime possesses biological and chemical weapons and is rebuilding facilities to make more. It could launch a biological or chemical attack 45 minutes after the order is given. The regime is seeking a nuclear bomb -- and, with fissile material, could build one within a year.

My response: Bullshit.
(thanks to Atrios for pointing this out.)

20 July 2003

Bush War Lies #14

I touched on it yesterday, but I want to expand upon this today: some of you who actually remember anything political from more than, say, a year ago may recall that a group called Judicial Watch gave President Clinton an awful lot of grief over his various alleged (and one actual) wrongdoing. They in particular led the charge to against Clinton fundraiser John Huang (quite rightly, too) and went after Hillary Clinton's rather dodgy accounting records with gusto.

At the time, a lot of us dismissed the self-proclaimed "conservative watchdog" group because they were being funded by psychotically-obsessed Clinton-hater and billionaire Richard Mellon Scaithe. I don't have time to go into a lot of backstory about him, suffice it to say he has a lot to answer for when it comes to trumped-up, made-up charges against the Clintons and their administration.

The group, however, insisted that they were independent of Scaithe. And now (as Tom Tomorrow has pointed out), it looks like the left may owe JW an apology.

Judicial Watch has finally obtained the first of what will probably turn out to be a barnful of incredibly damning documents from Dick Cheney's super-secret and bitterly-fought-to-keep-it-so Energy Task Force, which occupied much of the Vice President's first year in office. Most of you will dimly remember this if at all, but basically the Task Force met in secret for a year, then issued a slim report that amounted to three conclusions:

1. More foreign oil! More American oil! More British and Mexican oil! MORE OIL!!!!
2. Conservation is for communists.
3. Alaska! Florida! Why has nobody ruined these states looking for oil yet??

DIGRESSION: Incidentally, this seems like a good opportunity to remark upon Republican Hypocrisy #1,316: When Hillary Clinton holds secret meetings to craft a national health care policy, Republicans jump all over it, sue, screech, call for her removal, etc.

When Dick Cheney holds a year's worth of secret meetings from which almost nothing significant is ever heard about, and fights ferociously hard to keep the contents of those meetings secret (even defying an order from his own government!), neither the media nor the public bother to pick up on it. Now, where did you say that Liberal Media Establishment was again? (end digression)

So what do the first documents from that secret cabal of energy "experts" (who included Ken Lay of Enron, incidentally) have to say?

Fascinatingly enough, they include maps of Iraqi oilfields, including pipelines, refineries and shipping ports. They also include an even more interesting report called "Foreign Suitors for Iraqi Oilfield Contracts." This is highly interesting because at this very moment, the Bush administration is divvying up ... you guessed it ... contracts for the Iraqi oilfields!

Incidentally, the meeting that produced these documents was held in March 2001 -- seven months prior to the September 11th attacks. Incidentally, other maps for Saudi and United Arab Emirates oilfields were in there as well.

I got a bad feeling about this ...

Bush War Lies #13

Someone recently asked me if this "Bush War Lies" series will ever end. I told him it would end when Bush stops lying.

The most recent, and by far most outlandish and desperate, of the administrations lies came today, when House Speaker Dennis Hastert reached the absolute bottom of the barrel. He said, and I am not making this up, that if the intelligence George Bush got was bad, it was all ... wait for it ... Clinton's fault.

Yes. Clinton's fault. You read that right.

Okay folks, it is long past time the American Psychiatric Association classified obsessive hatred of ex-Presidents as a bona-fide mental disorder. I did not like or support Nixon, Ford, Reagan or Bush Senior, and indeed I hated several of the things they did while in office -- but if I ran into them in the street I certainly wouldn't pelt them with rocks and garbage. It would be an honour to meet them (actually, I met President Ford at a speech in Atlanta in '76, but that's beside the point).

Hastert, whose doughy, pudgy frame would not lead you to believe he could reach this far, claimed that Clinton was the one who "decimated" the human intelligence-gathering ability of the US years ago because of his ... get ready for this ... "proclivity not to use human rights violators and other shady individuals as intelligence operatives."

If it weren't so sad, it would be funny. You mean, Speaker Hastert, like well-known Bush CIA operative Manuel Noriega? You mean like CIA operative the Shah of Iran? You mean like ... CIA operative Saddam Hussein? Those sorts of shady characters?

Actually, quotes like this kind of make me happy, because when people utter complete crap like this, it means they are backed up against the wall and they know it, and they're spitting like kittens in a corner.

On the same Sunday morning gab fest, incidentally, our own Senator Bob Graham finally grew some balls and admitted what he'd been hinting at for weeks: the guy who pushed for the Niger lie to be inserted into the State of the Union speech was ... ta da! ... Dick Cheney, the guy who wanted claim to Iraq's oilfields years ago, and that he was well aware months before the speech that the information was false. Indeed, it was he who sent an ambassador to Niger to investigate the claim a year before the speech, and that ambassador's report was unequivocal: the documents were forged, the story was a hoax. And Cheney knew this 11 months before Bush said it.

So, at best, they are liars; at worst, they are incompetent idiots. Take your pick.

18 July 2003

My Blood Runs Cold

I am, at heart, a very happy-go-lucky guy. I like people, and people tend to like me -- I'm a good laugh, a fun guy to talk to, happiest when I am finding the good in someone I thought I didn't like.

In other words, I don't get down easily. I also don't get scared easily.

But I read something today that made my blood run cold. And that's not a feeling I'm used to.

Here's what I read that sent shivers up and down my spine: a young, educated white (but kind of tanned) man in Atlanta was visited by the FBI because he had been looking at a printout of an anti-Fox News rant he downloaded from the net in a local coffee shop, and someone claimed he was reading "subversive material."

Here's the man's account of the incident. Here's the article that he was reading.

This shit terrifies me.

What country is this??? What can I do to take it back???

17 July 2003

Bush War Lies #12

The Bush administration continues to lie to the public and assure them that the troops are committed for the long haul -- despite widespread reports of incredibly low morale and troop resentment due to repeatedly broken promises.

Last night, I watched the BBC World News, and saw some things you will not be seeing on the conservative-controlled US media:

-- A US soldier from the 3rd Infantry Division (the guys who actually conquered Baghdad) saying that he has "no clue" as to why they are still in Iraq.

-- Another US soldier saying that if Rumsfeld were in the room, he would "ask for the secretary's resignation."

-- Yet another soldier commenting that he "could not repeat on camera" his feelings for Sec. Rumsfeld.

-- A scene of American soldiers on foot patrol in Iraq, not speaking to the natives, barely looking at them, concerned only with protecting themselves and getting back to base alive. No more "attempting to win the hearts and minds" of the Iraqis.

-- And finally, the BBC report cut back to the Pentagon for a reaction to this footage, where a military spokesman reminds the troops that "they are not free to criticise the President or the administration in any way." This was an eye-opener for me, I did not know that US soldiers give up their constitutional rights when they decide to lay their life on the line for us.

So ask yourselves: why is it that no US network will show this footage of troops complaining? Why is it that no US network will air footage of the deeply angry and resentful families of US servicemen, who have been repeatedly lied to about when they are coming home and why they have not been replaced with fresh troops? Why didn't the US networks air the Pentagon's stern rebuke to the soldiers?

(Actually, I know the answer to that last one: because if they had, they would have had to air the complaints in the first place.)

Ask yourself: how much more are the US news networks not telling us about this "war" and how deeply mired we are in it?

Update:This editorial from the Wisconsin Capital Times tells it like it is.

Update #2: So maybe you'd like to know why Bush lied about Saddam trying to buy uranium (and many other things). I think this editorial at Slate.com goes over the facts and comes up with the truth. (thanks to thismodernworld.com for the tip-off!)

16 July 2003

Speaking of Damn Liars and an Apathetic Public ...

Microsoft today announced that there are "critical" security flaws in all their currently-supported Windows operating systems (NT, 2000, XP and even Windows Server 2003, launched three months ago) that could allow hackers to "take control of a computer over the Internet to steal, delete and snoop on a user's data."

Seems like we hear something like this from them every week or so, doesn't it? Oops, that's because we do. So far this year (counting today's three new security patches), MS has released 29 patches or updates, and it's only mid-July. For those of you who can't average things, that works out to about two patches per week.

This latest admission comes 18 months (yes, a year and a half ago) after Microsoft launched the laughably-named "Trustworthy Computing Initiative" and was directed by Bill Gates in a public memo to build security into every level of the operating system.

How long are we going to let these incompetent boobs run our lives, folks? How long? What's it gonna take for you to get off your lazy ass and find a better solution?

Doesn't it bother you that the same leaky, buggy, insecure Windows that you are having trouble with on your home PC is running the government's and the military's computers? Can't we do better than this?
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14 July 2003

Another Orlando Blogger

I'd like to welcome Blunted On Reality to the left-hand link list of Orlando bloggers. It's a great blog with lots of lovely links. It's so good to know that there is a small but growing number of people in Orlando who are ready to revolt against these crazy right-wing lunatics we seem to have had thrust upon us.

Hey, I wonder how many Orlando people have signed up for a Howard Dean meetup?

Update: Well I nevah! There's over 260 people coming to the next Orlando-area Howard Dean meetup! Man, that's refreshing! My faith this little backwards burg has been somewhat restored. When you add in the people supporting other Democratic or Independent candidate meetups (44 for Kerry, 33 for Clark, 27 for the Dems in general), that's almost 400 people who are really getting involved in bringing some badly-needed regime change to the US and our state.

Compare this to the number of Sean Hannity loser-listeners (34) or Republican Party zombies (24) or -- very disturbing -- Bill O'Reilly weirdos (17). Who in their right mind (pun intended) would want to hang out and talk about that nutjob?

12 July 2003

And the Best PC in Every Category is ...

... a Mac.

Best Desktops: Apple G4s
Best Laptops: Apple Powerbooks
Best OS (specifically, "most stable" with over 50% of users reporting "no lockups ever"): Mac OS X
Best Server: Apple Xserve

And this is according to PC Magazine, folks. And this is before the G5 comes out.

Kudos to PCM (both the editors and the readers) for putting the truth and the best info for their readers ahead of the interests of their advertisers for a change. Sadly, this makes PC Magazine virtually unique in their field. Incidentally, this echoes findings by Consumer Reports magazine rather consistently.

So if you can handle the truth, you owe it to yourself to at least visit an Apple retail store and give this stuff an honest spin. You won't be sorry.

09 July 2003

Caught, Caught, CAUGHT!

Pursuant to Bush War Lies #10 (see below), the adminstration has now admitted that they used information they (I love this) "now know to have been false." What's interesting is how the so-called "liberal" news media refers to this as "a misunderstanding" (yes, that's what they called it ... on CNN, supposedly a liberal bastion!) or at absolute worse, "possibly deliberate misleading."

Why not just call it LYING? Or TREASON? Or AN IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE? Cuz that's what I call misleading the public and putting our soldier's in harm's way almost exclusively to settle a personal vendetta.

And again I ask: where is the so-called "liberal media"? Sure, there's a handful of small outfits that could qualify, but I'm talking about the major outlets. Where are the leaders who will stand up and say "President Bush lied to us all, and deserves to be impeached?" Where are they??

06 July 2003

Bush War Lies #10

The man who investigated the claim that Saddam Hussein had tried to buy uranium in Niger found it to be a completely made-up story, and told the administration so months before President Bush made the (false) allegation in his state of the union address. Read more here.

03 July 2003

If You Do Nothing Else Today ...

... do what this tells you to do.

(thanks to our friends at This Modern World)

Tried for Fraud, Tried for Treason

So let me make sure I've got this straight:

The unelected President of the United States is daring Iraqis to attack and kill more American soldiers (they have killed over 200 since the "end" of the "war").

This is the same guy who pretends he was in the military when he actually went AWOL, and the same guy who pays plenty of lip service to the armed forced while cutting their danger benefits, their living allowances, and their VA medical coverage, right?

Just wanted to make sure I haven't finally slipped over to Bizarro-World, cuz it sure seems like it from here.

02 July 2003

'US Hypocrisy Astounding'

Sayeth Africa's "Daily Nation" newspaper.

Believeth it.

Geek Laff of the Week

First, read this exercise-in-bullshitting interview with Ted Waitt of the floundering Gateway (who's stock price is "well off it's 52-week high of $4.50.").

Then read this side-splitting "Sodium Pentathol" version of the article in the comments. Man, I needed a laugh that deep and long after all the death this week.

Thanks, Harvey Birdman, whoever you are.

01 July 2003

Katharine Hepburn, RIP

It certainly has been a strange week for celebrity deaths, has it not?

I don't comment on every person of note who passes away, but this week it was all people who have touched my life in one way or another, and yes that includes Katharine Hepburn. I never met her, but I guess you could say I was a fan. A big fan. I'd watch almost anything she was in, and some of her movies are among my favourites.

I remember quite vividly when Katharine Hepburn stole my heart. It was 1979, and she starred in a TV-movie remake of The Corn is Green, directed by one of her favourite film directors, George Cukor. Why this wasn't released theatrically I'll never know. It's such a shame that great TV-movies are always overlooked and less-frequently released on DVD than great movies (this version is available on VHS, but not yet DVD, according to imdb.com). I clearly recall thinking that this woman was the finest actress I'd ever seen. It was an observation that has largely stood up to the test of time.

I was a teenager, but the timeless tale (Bette Davis had starred in the film version in 1945) of a teacher bringing enlightenment to the working impoverished children (yes, the children worked -- in the mines alongside their fathers) of Wales was a stunning vehicle of Hepburn's indomitable spirit -- and I was quite taken with her fierce independence, her quirky style and her offbeat looks.

Those of you my age and younger who have only ever seen Hepburn as an "old lady" (and she was 71 when she did this movie!) would be surprised to know, but she was quite the angular beauty (in a Scottish sort of way) in her youth, which in her case lasted about 50 years. The palsy she suffered from was already in strong force in 1979, but it didn't diminish her performance or energy one iota. After seeing that, I was lucky enough to have a cinema in town play The Lion in Winter (1968) and after that I was hooked. Anytime a Katherine Hepburn movie came on TV I would try to catch it, and over the years I've seen a fair chunk of her filmography, and several of them (The aforementiond two as well as The African Queen, Suddenly Last Summer, Woman of the Year and The Philadelphia Story) I can happily watch as often as you like.

I confess that, unlike most Hepburn fans, I'm not as fond of her many films with Spencer Tracy. The chemistry between them is undeniable and highly watchable (indeed, their off-screen relationship easily gets into the Top Ten of Great Loves of the 20th Century), but the scripts were almost always silly men vs women runarounds that I find formulaic and good for only one or two viewings. It was fortunate that they had an actress like Hepburn to breathe some life into the female side of those scripts.

Hepburn's off-screen individuality and personal style was actually more rare than you'd think in a medium filled with "great artists." She embodies not only American feminism (would that more women would follow her example), but a certain New England pioneer spirit that really captures the imagination.

Much as I'll miss her, I can't really be too sad on her passing. As she once said in an interview, "I'll die when it's time. I'm all about great timing."

Indeed she is. Good night, Miss Hepburn.