April 2008 archive

Yesterday on a campaign stop replete with photo-ops in New Orleans, Sen. John McCain made an attempt to distance himself from the failings of the Bush Administration during Katrina and the federal flood by saying “Never again…” and spinning himself as someone who would have been more proactive than had Bush regarding this disaster.

But does McCain really represent a change from BushCo incompetence, if not outright genocide, in New Orleans? Would a McCain administration really aid New Orleans’ recovery? Is McCain a friend of New Orleans, or a foe?

The original article, subheaded The Broken Promises of Neoliberalism, by Mark Engler via counterpunch.com.

Where are we as far as economic policy and the Democratic party, and where are we likely to end up should the Democrats gain control of the White House (as well as extend their majorities in the Senate and House)? What is the effect upon the rank and file of the Democratic Party?

The timing of the release of intelligence regarding the link between North Korea and Syria over an alleged nuclear reactor facility that the Israeli’s bombed inside Syria is being questioned by the international community.  

Of course, rightly so because of where the intelligence information is coming from.  The Bush Administration.  Not the most trustworthy group of people on the world stage today, I think we can all agree.

From BBC:

The US has made explicit allegations that the target hit by Israeli warplanes in Syria last September was a nuclear reactor under construction.

But the White House statement – after a series of intelligence briefings on Capitol Hill – raises many questions.

As does the decision to go public just as international talks to try to roll back North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme have hit a critical stage.

hey hey we’re the republicans

Its my own design

Its my own remorse

Help me to decide

Help me make the most

Of freedom and of pleasure

Nothing ever lasts forever

Friday’s Headlines: Bush Plan To Contract Federal Jobs Falls Short: More GOP ads target Obama: Syria ‘had covert nuclear scheme’: Gaza fuel crisis forces UN to stop food aid deliveries: Thousands queue to see corpse of Padre Pio: Historians call for Mein Kampf reprint as time runs out in fight against far Right: Pakistan claims impending deal with militants: Beijing to meet Dalai Lama’s representative: Winners and losers in land of starving billionaires: Senegal’s Wade says India to fully supply rice needs: Applying Capitalism to Protect Dwindling Brazilian Forestland

For Airlines, Runways Are the Danger Zone

WASHINGTON – The recent groundings of thousands of flights have raised flags about skipped airplane inspections and botched repairs to wiring.

But what really worries aviation specialists? Runway collisions.

“Where we are most vulnerable at this moment is on the ground,” the chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, Mark V. Rosenker, said. “To me, this is the most dangerous aspect of flying.”

For the six-month period that ended March 30, there were 15 serious “runway incursions,” compared with 8 in the period a year earlier. Another occurred at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on April 6 when a tug operator pulling a Boeing 777 along a taxiway failed to stop at a runway as another plane was landing, missing the tug by about 25 feet.

Did I fall asleep and miss something?  The media keeps saying that Clinton won Pennsylvania and will be a boost to her nomination attempt.  OK, she won and won pretty darn good, but she only get a bit more finds, not an automatic nomination,–the math does not favor her–well real math not that new math that the Clinton camp uses.

Just looks like the media is determined to keep her in the race, of course she will not bitch about it.  And the media gives her every avenue to use her “new” math and make her appear to have a fighting chance–she does not, unless Obama has a complete meltdown.  I realize that she is hoping that will be handed to her on a silver platter.

My problem with the reporting is that all I saw and read was telling me she should win Pennsylvania by 7-12 points.  She won by 10, but all the reporting seem to indicate that she won by a landslide or that she somehow had pulled off another upset.

Look at MSNBC, they use Harold Ford, Jr as a panel person, he is a Clinton supporter but also beyond that he is the chairman of the DLC a group that is strongly behind Clinton.  I just thought that Obama had gained the lead and somehow lost it.  But all reports of the primary were as predicted, so where was the excitement?

Ok, I have a problem with the media reporting on this election cycle.  IMO, they are in the tank for Clinton.  To use Clinton supporters as neutral analysis is not giving the voter a good overall view of the campaign.    

Just a quickie, because this seems like news to me.

From the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR):

“For the first time, the CIA has acknowledged that extensive records exist relating to its use of enforced disappearances and secret prisons,” said Curt Goering, AIUSA senior deputy executive director. “Given what we already know about documents written by Bush administration officials trying to justify torture and other human rights crimes, one does not need a fertile imagination to conclude that  the real reason for refusing to disclose these documents has more to do with avoiding disclosure of criminal activity than national security.“

Late Night News

Iraqis see red as U.S. opens world’s biggest embassy

By Howard LaFranchi, The Christian Science Monitor

Thu Apr 24, 4:00 AM ET

…

“It is a symbol of occupation for the Iraqi people, that is all,” says Anouar, a Baghdad graduate student who thought it was risk enough to give her first name. “We see the size of this embassy and we think we will be part of the American plan for our country and our region for many, many years.”

The 104-acre, 21-building enclave – the largest US Embassy in the world, similar in size to Vatican City in Rome – is often described as a “castle” by Iraqis, but more in the sense of the forbidden and dominating than of the alluring and liberating.

…

Designed according to what are called the “Inman standards” – the results of a 1985 commission on secure embassy construction headed by former National Security Agency head Bobby Inman – recent embassies have been built as fortified compounds away from population centers and surrounded by high walls.

…

The $740 million compound – expected to cost more than $1 billion a year to operate – was originally expected to cost $600 million to build and was to open in September 2007. Design changes and faulty construction caused repeated delays.

…

But even the embassy’s opening may not be assuaging diplomats’ concerns about assignments in Iraq. Last week, the State Department warned that it may start ordering employees to serve at the embassy next year if more volunteers do not come forward for the 300 posts expected to open.

But wait!