quote[A five-strong Swiss crew have sailed into history by completing the first solar-powered transatlantic crossing.
The Sun21 catamaran arrived in Miami late on Thursday, 117 days after leaving Seville in southern Spain.
The crew of four academics and one full-time sailor said they were trying to promote the "great potential" of solar power to combat climate change.
A similar-sized boat would have used about 72 litres of diesel every 24 hours on the same voyage.]
Cool!
Thanks, Karen!
Friday, March 30, 2007
What A Boner! Part 2
quote[A Fishwrap spy informs us that House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) accidentally voted for the Democratic budget this afternoon.
The spy said Boehner staffers got calls during the vote wondering why their boss was the only Republican supporting the majority party's plan, which he had derided as "the largest tax increase in U.S. history."
Boehner quickly corrected the situation and the Democratic budget passed 216-210, with the Republican proudly voting "nay."]
Again, I am speechless...
The spy said Boehner staffers got calls during the vote wondering why their boss was the only Republican supporting the majority party's plan, which he had derided as "the largest tax increase in U.S. history."
Boehner quickly corrected the situation and the Democratic budget passed 216-210, with the Republican proudly voting "nay."]
Again, I am speechless...
What A Boner! Part 1
quote[During his short speech to those in attendance, Boehner six times mispronounced the group’s name as the “Tusk-E-gee,” eliciting audible groans from the front to the back of the Capitol Rotunda. One woman standing in front of me leaned to her companion and whispered, “This is so embarrassing, and he’s from my state.”
Perhaps making matters worse, almost all of Boehner’s speech focused on the general accomplishments of American forces in World War II, paying little direct respect to those in the room.
As if to remove any doubt about the verbal kerfuffle, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell took the stage and began his speech by pronouncing the group’s name correctly, while making a clear, if passing, glance in Boehner’s direction. Immediately afterward, the entire crowd broke into applause at the correction.]
No comment required...
Perhaps making matters worse, almost all of Boehner’s speech focused on the general accomplishments of American forces in World War II, paying little direct respect to those in the room.
As if to remove any doubt about the verbal kerfuffle, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell took the stage and began his speech by pronouncing the group’s name correctly, while making a clear, if passing, glance in Boehner’s direction. Immediately afterward, the entire crowd broke into applause at the correction.]
No comment required...
Russian media reports imminent US strike on Iran
quote[Russia told the United States on Thursday it must take care not to aggravate tensions over Iran with its naval presence in the Gulf, amid Russian press reports of an imminent US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. The US Navy has this week been conducting its biggest exercises in Gulf waters for four years. The Pentagon said the war games were brought forward because of mounting tensions between Iran and Western states.
"The Persian Gulf is today in such an agitated state that any action in this region, especially one that involves the navy or other military forces, must take into account the need not to aggravate the situation even further," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters.
Al-Arabiyya reported on its Web site on Thursday that the Bush administration is preparing to launch a military operation, dubbed "The Sting," to strike 20 Iranian nuclear plants, disabling Iran's atomic program for at least five to seven years.]
If they do, those fifteen British soldiers are toast.
"The Persian Gulf is today in such an agitated state that any action in this region, especially one that involves the navy or other military forces, must take into account the need not to aggravate the situation even further," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters.
Al-Arabiyya reported on its Web site on Thursday that the Bush administration is preparing to launch a military operation, dubbed "The Sting," to strike 20 Iranian nuclear plants, disabling Iran's atomic program for at least five to seven years.]
If they do, those fifteen British soldiers are toast.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Impeachment Threat Is Real
quote[When a conservative commentator who was on the frontlines of Newt Gingrich's "Republican revolution" entertains a thoughtful conversation about the politics and processes of impeachment on a major cable news network, it should be clear that the cloistered conversation about sanctioning this president has begun to open up.
No, Scarborough is not jumping on the impeachment bandwagon.
He is simply treating the prospect seriously, as did CNN's Wolf Blitzer earlier in the day.
What I told Scarborough is what I have been saying in public forums for the past several weeks: We are nearing an impeachment moment. The Alberto Gonzales scandal, the under-covered but very real controversy involving abuses of the Patriot Act and the president's increasingly belligerent refusals to treat Congress as a co-equal branch of government are putting the discussion of presidential accountability onto the table from which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tried to remove it.]
I really like this thought...
No, Scarborough is not jumping on the impeachment bandwagon.
He is simply treating the prospect seriously, as did CNN's Wolf Blitzer earlier in the day.
What I told Scarborough is what I have been saying in public forums for the past several weeks: We are nearing an impeachment moment. The Alberto Gonzales scandal, the under-covered but very real controversy involving abuses of the Patriot Act and the president's increasingly belligerent refusals to treat Congress as a co-equal branch of government are putting the discussion of presidential accountability onto the table from which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tried to remove it.]
I really like this thought...
Blair warns Iran of 'different phase'
quote[British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said his country is prepared to move to a "different phase" if negotiations fail to free 15 sailors and marines being held by Iran.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards captured the group Friday, while it was conducting what Britain called an inspection of a merchant vessel near the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab, at the northern end of the Persian Gulf.
Britain said the Royal Navy crew were seized in the Iraqi part of the waterway, where the border with Iran is disputed. Iran however says the group was in Iranian waters.
In an interview on GMTV on Tuesday Blair said: "I hope we manage to get them (the Iranian government) to realize they have to release them. If not, then this will move into a different phase."]
Am I too jaded since this makes me think of the gulf of Tonkin???
I am sure I'm not the first...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards captured the group Friday, while it was conducting what Britain called an inspection of a merchant vessel near the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab, at the northern end of the Persian Gulf.
Britain said the Royal Navy crew were seized in the Iraqi part of the waterway, where the border with Iran is disputed. Iran however says the group was in Iranian waters.
In an interview on GMTV on Tuesday Blair said: "I hope we manage to get them (the Iranian government) to realize they have to release them. If not, then this will move into a different phase."]
Am I too jaded since this makes me think of the gulf of Tonkin???
I am sure I'm not the first...
Tony Snow learns growth is cancerous, has likely spread to liver
quote[White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, a cancer survivor who announced last Friday he would undergo surgery to remove an abdominal growth, has learned that the growth is cancerous and has likely spread to liver, CNN is reporting.
Fox News says that interim White House spokesperson Dana Perino revealed Snow's situation in the morning press conference and said doctors will be going after it as aggressively is possible. Snow is sorry that people heard it from the press and not from him, Perino said.]
I never cared much for the guy, but I still wish him well. This can't be an easy situation for him or his family.
Fox News says that interim White House spokesperson Dana Perino revealed Snow's situation in the morning press conference and said doctors will be going after it as aggressively is possible. Snow is sorry that people heard it from the press and not from him, Perino said.]
I never cared much for the guy, but I still wish him well. This can't be an easy situation for him or his family.
House strips Bush of authority to appoint interim Attorneys
quote[In a 329-78 vote last night, the House of Representatives followed the Senate and stripped President George W. Bush of the authority to appoint United States Attorneys on an interim basis, ending the ability of the Bush administration to do an end run around the Senate in putting controversial US Attorneys in office.]
Finally, some teeth...
Finally, some teeth...
Monday, March 26, 2007
Diebold sues Massachusetts for not choosing their machines
quote[Weisberg said Diehold was so stunned it did not get the contract that it now believes "it's worth the time and money" of going to court to challenge the contract's award, even though the company at this stage has no hard evidence of unfair treatment.
Galvin yesterday called the Diebold suit "frivolous" and unlikely to succeed. "My office made a very reasonable selection after a long, open process of evaluating the voting machines," Galvin said.
"We are entirely confident we will prevail," he said.]
Bwahahaha!!! The poor corporation didn't get a contract. Awe, that's so sad...
Also, I loved the typo where the reporter called them "diehold."
Galvin yesterday called the Diebold suit "frivolous" and unlikely to succeed. "My office made a very reasonable selection after a long, open process of evaluating the voting machines," Galvin said.
"We are entirely confident we will prevail," he said.]
Bwahahaha!!! The poor corporation didn't get a contract. Awe, that's so sad...
Also, I loved the typo where the reporter called them "diehold."
Muscle Stem Cells May Offer A New Treatment Option For Congestive Heart Failure
quote[Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) due to myocardial infarction (MI, or heart attack) often have scar tissue in the heart, which limits the heart's ability to pump blood. In spite of cutting-edge medical therapy and other current heart failure treatments, two million patients in the United States are admitted to the hospital for CHF each year and almost half a million die annually. Doctors may now have the opportunity to successfully replace scarred heart tissue with healthy muscle via intracardiac injections of autologous skeletal myoblasts (ASM), stem cells from the skeletal muscle.]
Another reason to support this research...
Another reason to support this research...
Friday, March 23, 2007
Rat Poison to Blame for Pet Food Contamination
quote[ABC News has learned that investigators have determined that a rodent-killing chemical is the toxin in the tainted pet food that has killed several animals.
A source close to the investigation tells ABC News that the rodenticide, which the source says is illegal to use in the United States, was on wheat that was imported from China and used by Menu Foods in nearly 100 brands of dog and cat food.]
WTF??? This just highlights how vulnerable our food supply actually is.
A source close to the investigation tells ABC News that the rodenticide, which the source says is illegal to use in the United States, was on wheat that was imported from China and used by Menu Foods in nearly 100 brands of dog and cat food.]
WTF??? This just highlights how vulnerable our food supply actually is.
Iran seizes 15 British marines and sailors in Gulf
quote[Iranian forces seized 15 British servicemen on Friday in the mouth of the waterway that separates Iran and Iraq, triggering a diplomatic crisis at a time of heightened tensions over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
Britain said two boatloads of sailors and marines from the naval frigate Cornwall had searched a merchant vessel in Iraqi waters on a U.N. approved mission when Iranian gunboats encircled and captured them.
British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said she was "extremely disturbed". Britain summoned Iran's ambassador in London and protested through its embassy in Tehran.]
This can't be good.
Britain said two boatloads of sailors and marines from the naval frigate Cornwall had searched a merchant vessel in Iraqi waters on a U.N. approved mission when Iranian gunboats encircled and captured them.
British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said she was "extremely disturbed". Britain summoned Iran's ambassador in London and protested through its embassy in Tehran.]
This can't be good.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Shocker (at least to me): Sox Make Papelbon Closer Again
quote[Jonathan Papelbon and Terry Francona confirmed this afternoon that the club is abandoning the experiment to convert him to a starter and that he will continue as the team's closer.
Papelbon, despite his public declarations of embracing the role of starter, said he hasn't been able to sleep this spring because he wanted to close and finally told Francona of his desire on the field prior to Tuesday night's exhibition game.
"I walked into Tito's office and said, 'If you want to give me the ball in the ninth, I want it,'" Papelbon said today.
Papelbon confirmed the decision after this afternoon's game with Philadelphia.
“This was something that’s been kind of weighing on my shoulders for most of spring training, and trying to decide what makes me happy and what gets me going every day to show up at the ballpark to play 162 games a year,” Papelbon told ESPN. “I’m glad to finally make a decision and get it over with.”]
Wow! This is probably the best move for the Sox. I think they'll be a tough team to beat this year...
Papelbon, despite his public declarations of embracing the role of starter, said he hasn't been able to sleep this spring because he wanted to close and finally told Francona of his desire on the field prior to Tuesday night's exhibition game.
"I walked into Tito's office and said, 'If you want to give me the ball in the ninth, I want it,'" Papelbon said today.
Papelbon confirmed the decision after this afternoon's game with Philadelphia.
“This was something that’s been kind of weighing on my shoulders for most of spring training, and trying to decide what makes me happy and what gets me going every day to show up at the ballpark to play 162 games a year,” Papelbon told ESPN. “I’m glad to finally make a decision and get it over with.”]
Wow! This is probably the best move for the Sox. I think they'll be a tough team to beat this year...
It's out there: France makes UFO files public
quote[France's space agency has opened its official archives on unidentified flying objects, according to European news agencies.
Jacques Patenet, the head of UFO studies at the country's National Centre of Space Studies (CNES), said France is the first country to do so, according to reports in Agence France-Presse in France and Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Germany.
"It's a world first," Patenet said, according to the news agencies. "It's true that in the United States you can ask for information on a case-by-case basis. But we have done the opposite by putting all the information at the disposition of the public."
The agency said the site, which opened Thursday, currently contains 400 files, about one quarter of the approximately 1,600 unidentified flying object sightings reported in France since the 1950s. The rest of the files are scheduled to be online by the end of the year.]
Cool!
Jacques Patenet, the head of UFO studies at the country's National Centre of Space Studies (CNES), said France is the first country to do so, according to reports in Agence France-Presse in France and Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Germany.
"It's a world first," Patenet said, according to the news agencies. "It's true that in the United States you can ask for information on a case-by-case basis. But we have done the opposite by putting all the information at the disposition of the public."
The agency said the site, which opened Thursday, currently contains 400 files, about one quarter of the approximately 1,600 unidentified flying object sightings reported in France since the 1950s. The rest of the files are scheduled to be online by the end of the year.]
Cool!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Why I Was Fired
quote[WITH this week’s release of more than 3,000 Justice Department e-mail messages about the dismissal of eight federal prosecutors, it seems clear that politics played a role in the ousters.
Of course, as one of the eight, I’ve felt this way for some time. But now that the record is out there in black and white for the rest of the country to see, the argument that we were fired for “performance related” reasons (in the words of Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty) is starting to look more than a little wobbly.
United States attorneys have a long history of being insulated from politics. Although we receive our appointments through the political process (I am a Republican who was recommended by Senator Pete Domenici), we are expected to be apolitical once we are in office. I will never forget John Ashcroft, then the attorney general, telling me during the summer of 2001 that politics should play no role during my tenure. I took that message to heart. Little did I know that I could be fired for not being political.]
Good read...
Of course, as one of the eight, I’ve felt this way for some time. But now that the record is out there in black and white for the rest of the country to see, the argument that we were fired for “performance related” reasons (in the words of Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty) is starting to look more than a little wobbly.
United States attorneys have a long history of being insulated from politics. Although we receive our appointments through the political process (I am a Republican who was recommended by Senator Pete Domenici), we are expected to be apolitical once we are in office. I will never forget John Ashcroft, then the attorney general, telling me during the summer of 2001 that politics should play no role during my tenure. I took that message to heart. Little did I know that I could be fired for not being political.]
Good read...
House panel authorizes Rove subpoena
quote[The House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, despite a warning from President Bush, voted Wednesday to authorize subpoenas for White House adviser Karl Rove and other current and former administration officials.
The White House offered Tuesday to make Rove, former White House counsel Harriet Miers and others available in private discussions without being placed under oath.
Those conditions, which Bush called “extraordinary steps” and a “reasonable solution” to congressional demands for access to White House officials, met with resistance from leading Democrats.]
It's about time...
The White House offered Tuesday to make Rove, former White House counsel Harriet Miers and others available in private discussions without being placed under oath.
Those conditions, which Bush called “extraordinary steps” and a “reasonable solution” to congressional demands for access to White House officials, met with resistance from leading Democrats.]
It's about time...
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
New E-Mail Gives Details on Attorney Dismissals
quote[ A sarcastic internal e-mail message from one top Justice department official to another appears to confirm that personal and policy differences drove the termination of Carol C. Lam, the San Diego prosecutor who initiated investigations of Randy Cunningham when he was a Republican representative from California and Representative Jerry Lewis, as well as some defense department officials.
After a colleague said in a July 8 e-mail message that he was “sad” about something, Bill Mercer, a top Justice Department official, jokingly suggested some reasons.
“That Carol Lam can’t meet a deadline,” he wrote, “or that you’ll need to interact with her in the coming weeks or that she won’t just say, ‘O.K. You got me. You’re right, I’ve ignored national priorities and obvious local needs. Shoot, my production is more hideous than I realized.’ ”
The e-mail messages show Justice Department officials, who themselves had only an incomplete account of events, scrambling to prepare Mr. Gonzales and other senior officials for Congressional testimony that turned out to be inaccurate.]
Nah, politics had nothing to do with this...
After a colleague said in a July 8 e-mail message that he was “sad” about something, Bill Mercer, a top Justice Department official, jokingly suggested some reasons.
“That Carol Lam can’t meet a deadline,” he wrote, “or that you’ll need to interact with her in the coming weeks or that she won’t just say, ‘O.K. You got me. You’re right, I’ve ignored national priorities and obvious local needs. Shoot, my production is more hideous than I realized.’ ”
The e-mail messages show Justice Department officials, who themselves had only an incomplete account of events, scrambling to prepare Mr. Gonzales and other senior officials for Congressional testimony that turned out to be inaccurate.]
Nah, politics had nothing to do with this...
Feds Tests of Suspect Pet Food Kills 7
quote[As many as one in six animals died in tests of suspect dog and cat food by the manufacturer after complaints the products were poisoning pets around the country, the government said Monday.
A federal investigation is focusing on wheat gluten as the likely source of contamination that sparked a recall last Friday of 60 million cans and pouches of the suspect food, said Stephen F. Sundlof, the Food and Drug Administration's top veterinarian.
The ingredient, a protein source, is commonly used as filler.]
Hey! Let's kill some cats and dogs to find out what's killing our cats and dogs! Great fucking idea!
Doesn't anyone in the FDA have a chemistry set???
A federal investigation is focusing on wheat gluten as the likely source of contamination that sparked a recall last Friday of 60 million cans and pouches of the suspect food, said Stephen F. Sundlof, the Food and Drug Administration's top veterinarian.
The ingredient, a protein source, is commonly used as filler.]
Hey! Let's kill some cats and dogs to find out what's killing our cats and dogs! Great fucking idea!
Doesn't anyone in the FDA have a chemistry set???
Friday, March 16, 2007
What's in a name? Social insecurity
quote[I'm not sure what my name is. I didn't get hit on the head and lose my memory. I tried to renew my driver's license and was informed that the name I have been using for 25 years is not legal.
Apparently, I didn't change it from the name I was born with, Heather Vuillet, after I married Chip Lende. I thought I had, since Heather Lende is printed on my passport, license, income tax forms, property deeds, insurance policies and the nameplate in front of my chair at Haines Borough School Board meetings.]
Seriously messed up...
Apparently, I didn't change it from the name I was born with, Heather Vuillet, after I married Chip Lende. I thought I had, since Heather Lende is printed on my passport, license, income tax forms, property deeds, insurance policies and the nameplate in front of my chair at Haines Borough School Board meetings.]
Seriously messed up...
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Call The President! Yellowcake Finally Found!!!
quote[Every blue moon or so, collectibles dealer and pawnshop owner Frank Cafaro stumbles upon a buried gem amid an estate's junk and tchotchkes.
But his latest find was so alarming he called the Fire Department.
"We were in the warehouse and we pulled out this box of rocks from an estate sale," Cafaro said.
"Everything was individually labeled. Amethyst. Topaz. Uranium. The guy I'm working with says, 'What's that last one? Uranium? I think that's illegal.'"]
LOL!
But his latest find was so alarming he called the Fire Department.
"We were in the warehouse and we pulled out this box of rocks from an estate sale," Cafaro said.
"Everything was individually labeled. Amethyst. Topaz. Uranium. The guy I'm working with says, 'What's that last one? Uranium? I think that's illegal.'"]
LOL!
Time Magazine: How The Right Went Wrong
quote[A generation ago, fresh off the second biggest electoral landslide in American history, Ronald Reagan surveyed the wreckage that had been the opposition and declared victory. Standing before 1,700 true believers at the 1985 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), he proclaimed, "The tide of history is moving irresistibly in our direction. Why? Because the other side is virtually bankrupt of ideas. It has nothing more to say, nothing to add to the debate. It has spent its intellectual capital." At this year's conference two weeks ago, Reagan's name was invoked more than anyone else's. But the mood at the most storied annual gathering of conservatives was anything but triumphal. John McCain, the Establishment favorite to win the 2008 Republican nomination, skipped CPAC entirely but did show up on David Letterman the night before, choosing the most aggressively glib venue to semiofficially announce his candidacy. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney was there to make his pitch for 2008 but had to compete with a man who was working the crowd in a dolphin costume and a T-shirt identifying him as flip romney: just another flip flopper from massachusetts. Ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani barely mentioned the social issues on which he parts ways with conservatives, except to joke, "I don't agree with myself on everything." And the only memorable sound bite of the whole affair came from right-wing telepundit Ann Coulter, whose idea of an ideological rallying cry was to declare Democratic hopeful John Edwards a "faggot." The condemnation that followed, in which at least seven newspapers banished her column from their opinion pages, became a ragged coda for the state of a movement that had once been justly proud of its ability to win an argument.]
Ouch. That picture should be painful to true conservatives.
Ouch. That picture should be painful to true conservatives.
Panel OKs Subpoenas in Attorney Probe
quote[The Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday cleared the way for subpoenas compelling five Justice Department officials and six of the U.S. attorneys they fired to tell the story of the purge that has prompted demands for the ouster of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
The voice vote to authorize the panel to issue subpoenas amounts to insurance against the possibility that Gonzales could retract his permission to let the aides testify voluntarily, or impose strict conditions.]
I can't wait until they get to Rove!
The voice vote to authorize the panel to issue subpoenas amounts to insurance against the possibility that Gonzales could retract his permission to let the aides testify voluntarily, or impose strict conditions.]
I can't wait until they get to Rove!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Dems abandon war authority provision
quote[Top House Democrats retreated Monday from an attempt to limit
President Bush's authority for taking military action against
Iran as the leadership concentrated on a looming confrontation with the White House over the
Iraq war.
Officials said Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) and other members of the leadership had decided to strip from a major military spending bill a requirement for Bush to gain approval from Congress before moving against Iran.
Conservative Democrats as well as lawmakers concerned about the possible impact on
Israel had argued for the change in strategy.]
God. Damn. It.
These fucking dems are just as spineless in the majority as they were in the minority.
President Bush's authority for taking military action against
Iran as the leadership concentrated on a looming confrontation with the White House over the
Iraq war.
Officials said Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) and other members of the leadership had decided to strip from a major military spending bill a requirement for Bush to gain approval from Congress before moving against Iran.
Conservative Democrats as well as lawmakers concerned about the possible impact on
Israel had argued for the change in strategy.]
God. Damn. It.
These fucking dems are just as spineless in the majority as they were in the minority.
Top general: Homosexuality is immoral
quote[It doesn't sound like Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be supporting any changes to the Clinton-era "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military.
"I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts," Pace, the president's top military adviser, said during an interview with the Chicago Tribune. "I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way.]
This is rich, coming from a guy who kills for a living...
"I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts," Pace, the president's top military adviser, said during an interview with the Chicago Tribune. "I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way.]
This is rich, coming from a guy who kills for a living...
Poll: 69 percent oppose pardon for Libby in CIA leak case
quote[Nearly 70 percent of Americans oppose a presidential pardon for former White House aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby after his conviction on perjury and other charges related to a CIA agent's exposure, according to a CNN poll out Monday.
Just 18 percent said they would support a pardon for Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, while 69 percent said they opposed the idea. Meanwhile, a narrow majority said they believe Cheney was part of a cover-up in the case.]
Will Bush care??? No.
Just 18 percent said they would support a pardon for Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, while 69 percent said they opposed the idea. Meanwhile, a narrow majority said they believe Cheney was part of a cover-up in the case.]
Will Bush care??? No.
Friday, March 09, 2007
McCain To Be Swift-Boated
quote[Two familiar faces will soon be dogging Senator John McCain on the campaign trail, as activist Vietnam Veterans Jerry Kiley and Ted Sampley resume a campaign they have conducted for years against the Arizona Republican and former prisoner of war.
Jerry Kiley filed papers last week to establish the nonpartisan group Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain. "When people truly get to know him, there's no possibility they'll consider him for president of the United States," says Kiley, who served in the Army and completed the Internal Revenue Service paperwork to establish the "527" group.]
I don't like McCain, but I still think these guys are assholes.
Jerry Kiley filed papers last week to establish the nonpartisan group Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain. "When people truly get to know him, there's no possibility they'll consider him for president of the United States," says Kiley, who served in the Army and completed the Internal Revenue Service paperwork to establish the "527" group.]
I don't like McCain, but I still think these guys are assholes.
Giuliani Feuds With Firefighters Union
quote[New York City firefighters, who worked side-by-side with former Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) during the chaos of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and its drawn-out, somber aftermath, consider Giuliani anything but a hero.]
Why is this guy ahead in the polls?
Isn't he sort of backwards to the current conservative movement?
He is not:
*low-tax.
*anti-abortion.
*anti-gay marriage.
*pro-family.
*concerned about the sanctity of marriage (reference his numerous marriages/infidelity).
What is his stance on Iraq? My understanding is that he parrots Bush. So what is it that appeals to the right? I really want to know. Other than the above, how is he different than McCain (minus Washington experience with lobbyists and war-time service)?
Is it the whole "America's Mayor" crap???
Don't we all (or roughly 70-80 % of us) realize how such a simplistic qualifier endangers us and our country by now?
Please, someone tell me why he's the current poster boy of the right, other than he lists an R after his name.
Why is this guy ahead in the polls?
Isn't he sort of backwards to the current conservative movement?
He is not:
*low-tax.
*anti-abortion.
*anti-gay marriage.
*pro-family.
*concerned about the sanctity of marriage (reference his numerous marriages/infidelity).
What is his stance on Iraq? My understanding is that he parrots Bush. So what is it that appeals to the right? I really want to know. Other than the above, how is he different than McCain (minus Washington experience with lobbyists and war-time service)?
Is it the whole "America's Mayor" crap???
Don't we all (or roughly 70-80 % of us) realize how such a simplistic qualifier endangers us and our country by now?
Please, someone tell me why he's the current poster boy of the right, other than he lists an R after his name.
Gingrich: I had affair during Clinton era
quote[Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was having an extramarital affair even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he acknowledged in an interview with a conservative Christian group.
"The honest answer is yes," Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder James Dobson to be aired Friday, according to a transcript provided to The Associated Press. "There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards."]
Family values???
"The honest answer is yes," Gingrich, a potential 2008 Republican presidential candidate, said in an interview with Focus on the Family founder James Dobson to be aired Friday, according to a transcript provided to The Associated Press. "There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards."]
Family values???
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Former Press Secretary McClellan: White House Should 'Answer Questions' Now on CIA Leak Case
quote[Former White House spokesman Scott McClellan said tonight that if he was still advising the president he would urge him and his team to drop their policy of not talking about the Libby/CIA leak case.
"I would advise the White House to find a way to get out there and talk about it and answer some of the questions," he said on Larry King's CNN show tonight. He said it would be "interesting to see" if the White House can sustain its refusal to say anything through the appeal process.]
Of course, they won't...
"I would advise the White House to find a way to get out there and talk about it and answer some of the questions," he said on Larry King's CNN show tonight. He said it would be "interesting to see" if the White House can sustain its refusal to say anything through the appeal process.]
Of course, they won't...
After verdict, jurors call Libby `fall guy'
quote[Despite a "tremendous amount of sympathy" for Lewis "Scooter" Libby, jurors Tuesday found the former aide to Vice President Dick Cheney guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice.
According to one jury member, some believed Libby was being made a "fall guy" for his White House superiors.]
Of course he was the fall guy...
According to one jury member, some believed Libby was being made a "fall guy" for his White House superiors.]
Of course he was the fall guy...
Top House Republican says GOP acted like winos
quote[I'm not personally religiously opposed to earmarks. I think there are good earmarks. But just like the surgeon general might have told the American populous as a whole that perhaps one glass of red wine a day can be good for your health, he really didn't mean that advice for winos. Unfortunately, too many in our conference have not shown that they can handle earmarks responsibly.]
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
BREAKING: Libby Guilty!!!
quote[Former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby has been found guilty on four of five counts in his perjury and obstruction of justice trial.
Libby, 56, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a fine of $1 million.]
Obstruction of justice will get him at least a year in federal prison. 11 People unanimously said he committed perjury on two accounts.
Libby, 56, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a fine of $1 million.]
Obstruction of justice will get him at least a year in federal prison. 11 People unanimously said he committed perjury on two accounts.
Did your coprorate media mention this???
quote[An expert on Russian intelligence was critically injured in a shooting in front of his suburban Washington home, authorities said.
The shooting of Paul Joyal, 53, came days after he accused the Russian government of involvement in the poisoning of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. The FBI was assisting in the investigation.]
Why not???
I would have posted this earlier, but personal situations kept me away from updates recently.
Russian police say two American citizens poisoned by thallium
quote[Two American women have been hospitalized in Moscow
with poisoning by thallium, a highly deadly metal, Russian news
agencies reported Tuesday.
The women were identified as Marina Kovalenskaya and her daughter
Yana, 26, American citizens who had left the Soviet Union in 1989,
Interfax reported.
The pair were admitted to the Sklifosovsky Institute for emergency
care on February 24, and tests confirmed they had been sickened by
thallium.]
What the fuck is going on??? Is this the third state-sponsored assassination attempt on U.S. citizens???
Why is corporate media silent on this????
with poisoning by thallium, a highly deadly metal, Russian news
agencies reported Tuesday.
The women were identified as Marina Kovalenskaya and her daughter
Yana, 26, American citizens who had left the Soviet Union in 1989,
Interfax reported.
The pair were admitted to the Sklifosovsky Institute for emergency
care on February 24, and tests confirmed they had been sickened by
thallium.]
What the fuck is going on??? Is this the third state-sponsored assassination attempt on U.S. citizens???
Why is corporate media silent on this????
Monday, March 05, 2007
This stuff is toxic...
quote[1. Don't eat any product which has the words "partially hydrogenated" or "shortening" in the ingredients list.
A few statistics:
*0.5 g trans-fat per day = 182.5 g trans-fat per year. (this accounts for one or two servings that claim to be trans-fat free).
*Each extra gram of trans-fat per day doubles (and doubles again, for subsequent servings) your risk of heart disease.
*1000 g = 1 kg
*1kg = 2.2 lbs
*An average American consumes roughly 4.5 kg trans-fats per year. This = 9.92 POUNDS of this stuff!!! Stuff that is man-made and has been scientifically demonstrated to be deadly to our health!!!
But even when you are trying to avoid foods with trans-fats, you may still be consuming a significant amount, since each serving may have up to 0.5 grams. Ask yourself, how many servings are in that bag of chips you are eating? How many times do you actually eat the recommended portion??? My guess is close to zero.
0.5 times X servings adds up pretty quickly.
Look at those healthy Green Giant vegetables you microwaved for dinner. How many servings did you have?
Let's take a look a Jared's heart and see how much trans-fat he consumed on the Subway diet (I'd be surprised if he stuck with only the wheat bread, which is the only one that has no trans-fat).
What else is bad??? Just take a look in your cabinets, and you'll be surprised.
It is time to get this stuff COMPLETELY out of our food supply.
Don't listen to the big lobbying groups who say that Americans should be able to make this decision for themselves. It's nearly impossible when they truly hide their nutritional information.
Don't listen to the big lobbying groups who say that restaurants and food manufacturers will regulate themselves. They won't, and they've proven that. The only way to exact a change is to sue them.
Don't listen to the big companies that tout their products as trans-fat free, while they still use partially hydrogenated oils.
Do educate yourself. Do know what is bad and what is good. DO give your heart a healthy chance.
One last thought for tonight: we are not attempting to over regulate, we are attempting to save lives. Imagine if nearly every food product you consumed could contain up to 0.5 grams of lead without listing it. You'd be livid, and rightfully so.
It's time to be livid.
This stuff is toxic...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises:
Consumers can know if a food contains trans fat by looking at the ingredient list on the food label. If the ingredient list includes the words “shortening,” “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” or “hydrogenated vegetable oil,” the food contains trans fat. Because ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance, smaller amounts are present when the ingredient is close to the end of the list.
Note: Fully hydrogenated oils do not contain trans fat. However, if the word "hydrogenated" is used without the word "partially," that product may contain partially hydrogenated oil. Not all labeling is accurate and the word "partially" may have been wrongfully omitted on some products.
2. If the label says zero trans fats, don't believe it. If the words "partially hydrogenated" or "shortening" are in the ingredients list, it DOES contain trans fat.
Under FDA regulations in effect in the United States, "if the serving contains less than 0.5 gram [of trans fat], the content, when declared, shall be expressed as zero." Suppose a product contains 0.4 grams per serving and you eat four servings (which is not uncommon). You have just consumed 1.6 grams of trans fat, despite the fact that the package claims that the product contains zero grams of trans fat per serving. Changing this rule is a high priority for BanTransFats.com. We are working on it.
(In Canada, the situation is not as bad. If the serving contains less than 0.2 grams of trans fat, the content may expressed as zero. Click here for the Canadian rules.)
3. Be careful when consuming products with labels from outside the United States. Sometimes they contain partially hydrogenated oil but it's not on the label.
4. In restaurants, bakeries, and other eateries, ask whether they use partially hydrogenated oil for frying or baking or in salad dressings. If they say they use vegetable oil, ask whether it is partially hydrogenated. Don't be shy about asking. Assume that all unlabeled baked and fried goods contain partially hydrogenated oil, unless you know otherwise.
Ask about that fried food. Ask about the oil in the salad dressing. Ask about that donut. Ask about that pie crust. Ask about that bread. When you ask, you are sending a message to the seller of the food that you don't want trans fats.
5. Keep saturated fat intake low too. This is very important.
6. Remember that polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fats are good fats.
To learn more about good and bad fats, click here.
One more thing. Cholesterol that affects our arteries comes from two sources: (i) animal products and (ii) bad fats. If a product is "cholesterol fee," that doesn't mean that it won't raise your bad cholesterol. If the product itself contains no cholesterol but it does contain trans fat or saturated fat, it will raise your bad cholesterol.]
I am on a new rampage.
I have been anti the organic-food movement for many years, but have recently changed my attitude. Trans-fats are man made poisons that have NO business being in our foods. According to the Harvard Nurses Survey, just 1 extra gram a day of trans-fats doubles your risk of heart disease.
Now that the public has become more aware of this risk, many companies have become eager to proclaim their foods free of trans-fat. Despite what the FDA regulations say, DO NOT BELIEVE THEM. If the words partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated appear in the label, the product STILL CONTAINS trans-fat. The current law says that anything below half a gram of trans-fat per serving qualifies as ZERO trans fat. This is simply not true.
Want an eye opener??? Open your kitchen cabinets and scan the ingredient labels of all your foods. Many of them will be labelled with 0 trans-fat, but many of them will still contain them because they still carry the artificially made "partially hydrogenated oils."
Just imagine, you think you are being heart healthy, eating foods with zero trans-fats (according to the labels), but in actuality nearly every food you eat has some of this heart killing and unnecessary poison. Take this example, from an email from the bantransfats.com original petition to the FDA in 2003:
"to whom it may concerni tell you, I'm shaking right now!!!!!!
i suffered my first heart attack at age 30, a coronary bypass surgery as well in 1985. since.............i have been eating triscuits by the box full along with wheat thins, in the sincerest belief that i was doing myself good.
until this minute, i continued with that belief.
in January, i had my second bypass.
god i just can't believe it.
i really want to cry."
The box of Triscuit Thin Crisps, states as follows underneath a graphic of the USDA Food Guide Pyramid:
“Triscuit Thin Crisps are part of the “Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta Group.” Nutrition experts recommend eating the most from this important group: 6-11 servings daily.”
The box also states "No Cholesterol," "Low Saturated Fat." The Nutrition Facts panel shows that there is 1g of saturated fat per serving. There is no mention on the box that the product contains up to 2.5g of trans fat."
Trust me, It's hard nowadays to avoid this food additive that was invented nearly one-hundred years ago. And we are up for a very hard battle because the lobbying situation in Washington is direly in favor of the big corporations that wish to preserve the status quo. But we must do something. And if the only ways to do that are to lobby our congressmen, and to vote with our pocketbooks, it is definitely time.
As I said, I am on a rampage on this issue, and will now be posting regular updates on the most egregious violators, the liars, and the ones who are willing to hide behind the ridiculous 0.5 gram law.A few statistics:
*0.5 g trans-fat per day = 182.5 g trans-fat per year. (this accounts for one or two servings that claim to be trans-fat free).
*Each extra gram of trans-fat per day doubles (and doubles again, for subsequent servings) your risk of heart disease.
*1000 g = 1 kg
*1kg = 2.2 lbs
*An average American consumes roughly 4.5 kg trans-fats per year. This = 9.92 POUNDS of this stuff!!! Stuff that is man-made and has been scientifically demonstrated to be deadly to our health!!!
But even when you are trying to avoid foods with trans-fats, you may still be consuming a significant amount, since each serving may have up to 0.5 grams. Ask yourself, how many servings are in that bag of chips you are eating? How many times do you actually eat the recommended portion??? My guess is close to zero.
0.5 times X servings adds up pretty quickly.
Look at those healthy Green Giant vegetables you microwaved for dinner. How many servings did you have?
Let's take a look a Jared's heart and see how much trans-fat he consumed on the Subway diet (I'd be surprised if he stuck with only the wheat bread, which is the only one that has no trans-fat).
What else is bad??? Just take a look in your cabinets, and you'll be surprised.
It is time to get this stuff COMPLETELY out of our food supply.
Don't listen to the big lobbying groups who say that Americans should be able to make this decision for themselves. It's nearly impossible when they truly hide their nutritional information.
Don't listen to the big lobbying groups who say that restaurants and food manufacturers will regulate themselves. They won't, and they've proven that. The only way to exact a change is to sue them.
Don't listen to the big companies that tout their products as trans-fat free, while they still use partially hydrogenated oils.
Do educate yourself. Do know what is bad and what is good. DO give your heart a healthy chance.
One last thought for tonight: we are not attempting to over regulate, we are attempting to save lives. Imagine if nearly every food product you consumed could contain up to 0.5 grams of lead without listing it. You'd be livid, and rightfully so.
It's time to be livid.
This stuff is toxic...
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