Oct 26 2007

Pete, Nancy, George and WWIII, by Cindy Sheehan

auntcindytig07

Originally posted at Information Clearing House

Pete, Nancy, George and WWIII

By Cindy Sheehan

“You don’t have money to fund the war or children. But you’re going to spend it to blow up innocent people if we can get enough kids to grow old enough for you to send to Iraq to get their heads blown off for the president’s amusement.”
-Pete Stark (D-Ca)

“While Members of Congress are passionate about their views what Congressman Stark said during the debate was inappropriate.”
-Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, (D-Ca)

“But this – we got a leader in Iran who has announced that he wants to destroy Israel. So I’ve told people that if you’re interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from have (sic) the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.”
-George Bush, War Criminal
10/25/07 “ICH” — — I cheered inside my head when I heard Rep. Stark unbelievably utter his words condemning the murderous acts of BushCo on the House floor, and I was impressed with his candor, compassion and what I consider an appropriate amount of rage and honesty. How many of us were not thinking the same thing about the S-CHIP votes? I knew, however, that it would not be long until Pete Stark had to apologize. It happened today.

I believe that Speaker Pelosi’s comments about Rep. Stark were utterly inappropriate and out of line. I believe that when she said that impeachment was “off the table,” her remarks were not only inappropriate but also antithetical to our Constitution and directly in opposition to why the people of this country put Democrats back in power.

We may remind the Speaker of some of the things George has said: He told us that Saddam was able to reach the Eastern part of the US with drones that contained either chemical or biological weapons; that the smoking gun might come in the form of a “mushroom cloud” and that Saddam was also seeking significant amounts of “yellow cake uranium.” George and his co-criminals also told us over and over again that 9-11 was the justification for an attack on Iraq because Saddam had something to do with 9-11.

It is imperative that Ms. Pelosi be a true leader and lead the charge to impeach the liars, or at least get the hell out of the way so they can be impeached. I buried my son for no logical, moral or truthful reason for God’s sake, and she has neither the integrity or fortitude to finally say that BushCo has to be stopped before George is the instigator for Armageddon.

Ms. Pelosi is not the only one who condemned Rep. Stark; she joined hands (again) with Republicans to do so. However, for the Republicans to say that Congressman Stark’s comment demeaned “the troops” is so patently ridiculous, it is stunningly pathetic. Our troops and their much higher paid cousins, the mercenary killers, are killing innocent Iraqis. IT IS A WAR! What do these morally bankrupt Chickenhawks think occurs in war? It would be better for everyone if “the troops” went over to play pinochle with the Iraqis, but occupied peoples have an inherent hatred of their occupiers and want them to leave their country: dead or alive. Congress wants to hide behind “the troops” by giving BushCo billions more dollars to wage the occupation so their lobbyist buddies and campaign contributors can become richer off of the flesh and blood of those same troops that they claim to support.

BushCo has over 14 more months to sew their demented seeds of destruction all over the planet. We must all join Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Oh) in his call to remove them from office not only for their past, but for their future, illegal wars of aggression, possibly even doing the unthinkable: using a nuclear weapon. The terrorists that wear Brooks Brothers and Armani and live and work in the big white house on Pennsylvania Avenue are more dangerous to our way of life and safety than any others.

I wish Congressman Stark had not caved to the establishment elitists. George is the one that needs to apologize to each and every one of us for killing just about everything that we hold dear: our treasury, our Constitution, our standing in the international community, our ecology, our children, and for murdering our hopes and dreams for the future.

When I replace Nancy Pelosi as the Representative from California’s 8th district, I will fight for the lives, security and prosperity of not only my constituents, but for all the human beings in the world. If BushCo is still in office, God forbid, when I am sworn in, I will do everything in my power to hold them accountable for their crimes against humanity and I will never, ever apologize for telling the truth.

To Contact Cindy: http://CindyforCongr…

Oct 26 2007

The Stars Hollow Gazette

One of the things I got out of Swim Team was a job.  I was a professional Life Guard and Water Safety Instructor for about 7 or 8 years.

Never had to rescue anybody though I had a supervisor who thought I was waiting too long to save the dog paddling girl who only had a T-Shirt for a bathing suit.  And she was being Black in a pretty white pool.  Not my regular boss the dope smoking Christian so I let it slide but I was pretty pissed off.  She was right by the side and not 10 feet from me, no danger at all.

I picked up a kid out of the gutter at the same pool who I was sure had broken his leg.  Nope.  Bounced right up and giggled.

Good work if you can get it- 2 to 9 and about 50% breaks, harder in the winter when you had to work 12 hour days and teach.  Your job basically is to be an asshole and stop people from having too much fun.  No running, no dunking, no splashing.  It’s Adult Swim because I say so you snotty brat.

I’ve guarded some pretty squirrley places too, above a dam in river water, a pool you had to vacuum every morning because the sport was to heave your beer bottles over the fence and smash them right on the lip of the pool so the shards fell in the water.  Good times.

After all I learned to play very good Pitch.

Oct 26 2007

Stopping the war – is it a priority?

Cross-posted at Daily Kos
Hello out there! I don’t usually diary because as working mother of young children I am quite busy. But I really want ask this – is stopping the war a priority? I know there is a lot of compelling news today, but hope you will give this subject a moment of your attention. There are protests in 11 cities this Saturday and, on behalf of everyone who is planning to attend, I want to tell you – WE NEED YOU THERE!
http://www.oct27.org/

My sign for this protest reads  – “Stop the war – for their children, and for ours” and I believe this.  We have to stop this war for our children.  We are draining the treasury, we are turning the world against us, we are causing pain and destruction – in their names – and they will pay for it.  I shudder to think the kind of world they will grow up in. 

Perhaps you will say that our energy is better spent combating global climate change – I say that protesting the war will help in this fight too.  Not only by showing our politicians that we Democrats are no shrinking violets, but because going to a protest will make you an activist – one who is willing to go outside their comfort zone for what they believe in, and this carries over into other areas. 

We complain and complain about our representatives continuing to fund the war.  Are they spineless? We ask.  What about all the alleged abuses and countless innocents living and dying in squalor?  What about our soldiers PTSD who are abandoned when they return? Is our government evil?  We ask.  Do they have spines? We ask.

The truth is – we could ask each of these questions about ourselves.  What are we willing to do to stop the war?  We expect our representatives to stand up for us, but we will not even stand up for ourselves. 

Do you think protesting is futile?  Well, if it does no good it is because you are not there.  That’s right!  If you went, the protest would be a success!  Because if you are going, that means that someone like you, somewhere else has seen the light and has decided to go.  If everyone who is against the war marched, we could not be ignored any longer.

I am sorry for the negativity – I know a lot of you out there are going or have damn good reasons not to.  I am discouraged because the entire group of mothers that I organized to march backed out.  They are all against the war, but marching was not a priority.  They are my friends, and I want to understand, but I don’t.

BTW – Bush and Cheney might be ignoring us, but do you think our own candidates are?  Perhaps Clinton/Obama/Edwards/et al. are watching to find out what kind of supporters they’ve got.  We need to let them know that we mean business – that we will not sit around and be fed on chocolate cream puffs while the world is burning down around us. 

It is true that as one person we are each but a drop in the bucket.  In these situations we cannot be more than that – and  that bothers some people.  But I say that this is pure ego and that to get things done sometimes we must move swarm-like with a crowd.  If you want to express your own opinions loud and clear – go out and buy a piece of cardboard and write your thoughts in large, bold letters.  You will be most satisfied when a like minded person gives you the “thumbs up” (or a counterprotestor gives you a different sort of gesture).  And then march.

Please join us this Saturday at noon. For more information see http://www.oct27.org

Oct 26 2007

We miss you Paul (photo essay)

Today is the fifth anniversary of the death of Senator Paul Wellstone (D, MN). His life and death changed the lives of many people.  He leaves a wonderful legacy. 

I felt like I was represented when he was my senator.  He stood up to the corporate interests, and he had guts. He didn’t test the wind before he took a stand on something. He had convictions and a backbone. Our politicians today can take a lesson out of his book.

Twenty days before his death, he voted against the authorization for Bush to attack Iraq. The following block quotes are from an article posted on  Common Dreams.

“There is lots at stake,” Wellstone conceded as he boarded the sleek subway from the Senate chamber back to his office. “I was asked this morning if this would hurt me politically. I don’t have any idea. But what would hurt me for sure would be to utter words on the floor of the Senate that I don’t believe or to vote for something I am against, especially on a question of life and death.”

Wellstone recognized the costs associated with war and who, ultimately, makes the sacrifice.

He called Hussein a “brutal, ruthless dictator” and a menace to the world.

But he added: “Our decisions finally must have the informed consent of the American people, who will be asked to bear the costs in blood….”

He was truly a man of principle. His vote against the authorization was made in an election year, but politics wasn’t in the equation.

“I was telling my family that here I am, 58 years old, and I’ve really tried to always do what I believe is right,” he said. “And at 58, I’m not going to change that. I believe this is the right decision, the right vote.”

Paul Wellstone, his wife Sheila, their daughter Marcia and 3 campaign workers died when their plane crashed in Northern Minnesota.  Their deaths inspired a memorial wall outside of the Wellstone campaign headquarters in St Paul where citizens paid their respects.

A memorial service followed on the University of Minnesota campus that probably represented a gathering of more US senators with ordinary citizens than at any other time in history outside of Washington DC. The wedge of black suits in the blurry handheld photo represents the senators and some of their guests.

A close up of the photo shows some familiar faces; Trent Lott looked right at me as I took the photo.

Since Paul Wellstone’s death, a grassroots organization has started in his name. The group, Wellstone Action, offers camps that train activists and aspiring politicians.

In Minnesota, we see Wellstone bumper stickers and T shirts everyday. 
  The young woman in the photo below was kicked out of a Bush campaign event in 2004 for wearing a T shirt with Wellstone’s name on it.

Republicans want to stamp out what he stood for. But we won’t listen. We won’t cower to their media power and propaganda.

But we miss you Paul……

Oct 26 2007

Wooooonderful Things

California Wildfires

Governor George Bush toured the damage today in California popping up like Alfred E. Newman from one ruined dream to the next, smiling while walking on the remnants of people’s destroyed lives and livelihoods.  In his photo op he said that the Federal Government has every intention of helping out.  Once again leaving himself an out.  The man that will commit to nothing but illegal war and torture.

So what’s a burned out homeowner to do in these troubled times of global warming?  Luckily the White House was quick to respond with a hand written list.  Experts say the handwriting looks a lot like Barbara Bush’s style but will need at least three tv talking heads to confirm their hunch before coming forward.  Jump to see the list. 

Woooooonderful Things to Think of Besides a Burned Out Flooded America on the Brink of a Major Recession:

1. Ponies.
2. A warm towel fresh from the dryer.
3. Superman/Ronald Reagan
4. A giant piece of cake from the fair.
5. The first snowflake.
6. Doesn’t Katie’s hair look terrific!
7. New shoes.
8. Baby Bunnies.
9. Kittens kittens kittens.
10. Look how much more damage could my idiot son possibly do?
11. I hear Macy’s has a sale on mattresses laced with Toxic Fire Retardant Chemicals!
12. Just think of all the frequent flier miles you’ll get while looking for a new home!
13. With any luck there will be a new jail opening up in your town and you could get a good job!
14. A smile is it’s own reward.
15. Don’t think of Blackwater the Company, think of Blackwater the song!

Anywho your federal government is way to busy killing innocent civilians in Iraq to take care of any stuff back here at home.  As Georgey says, “we are killing innocent civilians oversees so we can kill them back here at home”.

Oct 26 2007

writing in the raw: it’s my nature

love.death.love.death.love.sex

before my 16th birthday, my dad took me out for dinner. he said he figured it was time for the “sex” talk. whoo boy.

so we’re at dinner and i say, dad i know about sex… haven’t had it yet, but like i know about it.

he says i only wanted to tell you this one thing: don’t ever let anybody fuck you. if you want to fuck them, that’s fine. but don’t EVER let anybody fuck you.

holy shit. what did he just say?

and then we both started laughing.

my father gave me one hell of a gift: the knowledge and confidence to own myself. to own my decisions. to be my own person.

yeah, you own yourself and you give yourself… don’t ever let anybody take anything you are unwilling to give.

but when you let go, let giving yourself be a completing act. because it’s love we all want, so make it about loving somebody.

then sex is a playground, an archeological dig. it’s absurd, a comedy, a vacation of hours… it’s making poetry in grunts and groans. it’s about that slow reveal… the getting there…


maybe, when we stop letting others define us

maybe, when we stop letting life define us

maybe, when we start defining ourselves

we’ll stop creating worlds in which we hate to live

love.sex.love.sex.love.death


what the hell am i talking about anyway? but i do know.


we’re all a force of nature. we ooze energy, both light and dark. and my nature is telling me that things are fucked up. and it’s wrapped around love, sex, and death.


it’s just a few people really, so powered by the idea of death, who embark on this master of the universe trip. and all the power and resources they control are proof that they can control death; certainly they can command it. they tie us all to this quest of escaping death. overcoming it. overpowering it. by killing and controlling the rest of us. they think they can acquire enough power to live forever.


it’s my death theory. i’ve been thinking about it for some time. how does it work. but i know it’s so. death has created this hellish reality we now face. george bush, the old man, crying at some event for his son jeb. i knew when i saw it. that he knew. he could not outrun death. and what he was really crying for? if there’s really god, he’s damned. and maybe i saw a little regret for the way the world turned out and his part in it. because when you realize it’s not all about you and others have to live with what you’ve done, then maybe that’s when it hits you. how insignficant all the power mongering was. how insignficant all the pissing contests.


suddenly, what’s real is the polluted seas, lost species, and millions dead. and all for fucking what?


for fur coats, limo-driven bentleys, big houses, expensive cigars and cognac in three hundred dollar snifters… all for fucking what?


for babies to born diseased and so their mothers can watch them die? to hack off the dorsal fin of shark for fucking soup? and drop the animal back into the sea to die.


all for what? power? money? enough power to stop death?


death.sex.death.sex.death.love


love huh? how do you talk or write about that, really. talk about moonlight, stars, birds singing, sun shining… ta daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.


no. it isn’t like that. love. can i use my current situation? it’s like a hot flash. slow, dry, spreading warmth. and sometimes, it’s hot, wet, spreading heat.


there’s nothing rational about it. nothing logical about it. it’s all feeling and emotion. like seeing my nephews or my dutchman or my dog and really, from where ever the center of my being is…that’s where the feelings emanate from and i feel it right to the top of the skin. it feels like eating a really good meal. but not overeating. yeah. it feels like being satisfied. it feels comfortable.


how much can you really write about love? not much for me. because i can’t put on this page the music of it or the pain of it or the joy of it… or the mostly everyday of it.


no. love is your own story.


HEY… whatever you do, write something. share something. leave something here. talk about things. it isn’t about what i wrote. well, maybe a little bit. but please… leave something.

Oct 26 2007

Rest in Peace Paul and Sheila – a personal tribute

I still remember the day five years ago today. I was in our lunch room at work when a co-worker called to say that there had been a plane accident involving Paul Wellstone. I ran into my office and turned on the radio. It didn’t take long to hear that both Paul and Sheila were gone. I cried the rest of the afternoon and for the first time I understood how people felt when Kennedy was assasinated.

The only difference was that, like so many Minnesotans, I had the opportunity to meet Paul and Sheila. Back in the early 90’s, after he had been elected to the Senate, Sheila visited with me for the better part of a Saturday, learning about the non-profit I work for. And then Paul joined us at the end of the day. Shortly before that, Paul had lost a lot of friends in the Senate when he forced a roll call vote on a pay raise for Senators. Paul had opposed the raise and wanted our elected representatives to have to go on record with their support. Paul and Sheila set the money from the raise aside after it had passed and gave it to charitable institutions in our community. A few months after we met, we got a check from them. And when we were moving our offices a year and a half ago, I found a hand-written note from Sheila thanking me for the time we’d spent together. Its now one of my most treasured possessions.

This story could be told a thousand time over from other folks here in Minnesota. Paul and Sheila worked so hard in Washington. But they remained connected, in very real ways, with all of us here at home. We ALL felt like we knew them, whether we’d had the chance to talk face-to-face or not. I remember seeing them at a movie theater near my house one evening. After the movie was over, everyone wanted to talk to them and shake their hands. Paul, ever the extrovert, ate it up and stayed long enough to connect with everyone. Sheila, much more of an introvert, just tolerated it all. But one-on-one, either would give you their full attention and let you know that your voice had been heard.

There will never be another Paul and Sheila. And I miss them terribly…especially in these dark days. But I do often think that what would make them most proud is our work to carry on their legacy. And I’m certain that they would be proud of Pakou Hang. She was Deputy Political Director for his last campaign and is running for St. Paul City Council – election November 6th.

The legacy lives on.

Oct 26 2007

Solar Stuff

The future….or part of it, of our energy systems.

The Iraq War….a war for oil….will cost us WELL over two trillion dollars by the time (if ever) it ends.

What would happen if we spent that money …TWO TRILLION DOLLARS!!!…..on alternative energy research? Instead of spending it to …in essence…obtain Iraqi oil for the the Oiligarchy to sell to us?

Solar, wind, wave, geo-thermal….solving nuclear safety problems, even research on fusion. Let’s put our money into that….instead of killing people to steal their oil….

…just a thought…


via videosift.com


via videosift.com


via videosift.com


via videosift.com

A Special Bonus!

NASA’a satellite composite of this years ice melt!

From NASA: The 2007 Arctic summer sea ice has reached the lowest extent of perennial ice cover on record – nearly 25% less than the previous low set in 2005.


via videosift.com

Oct 26 2007

What The Wingnuts Taught Me This Week (Wingnut Update)

The adage that one learns something new everyday is certainly fairly close to the truth especially when one applies it to Americas Society of Wingnuts. So put on your MOP gear (chemical protection suit) and let’s see what the Wingnuts have taught us.

Today

Fred Thompson speaking in South Carolina equated the Iraqi insurgency this way We will not be a safer country, we will not be a safer America if the whole world watches us being defeated by a bunch of kids with improvised explosive devices.
Yes a homemade bomb in every child’s toy box. So I guess those men firing at US troops are really children in costume.

What are the 10 most Dangerous Organizations In America?

10 ) Think Progress

9 ) Muslim Student Association

8 ) CodePINK

7 ) American Civil Liberties Union, National

6 ) Family Research Council

5 ) Center for American Progress

4 ) League of the South

3 ) MoveOn.org

2 ) Universities and Colleges

1 ) Media Matters for America

This list is brought to you by: Family Security Matters

That’s right ladies and gentlemen the above mentioned groups are hurting you Americans because they either educate your children or they fight to preserve the rights of all Americans. So I guess fine organizations like Focus On The Family  are just fine. Because they hate all the “Right Kinds” of people. You know everybody but themselves.

Update

For instance, in August 2007, FSM Contributing Editor Philip Atkinson published an essay, titled “Conquering the Drawbacks of Democracy,” in which he counseled that President Bush should follow the example of Julius and Augustus Ceasar and become “the first permanent president of America”:

  President Bush can fail in his duty to himself, his country, and his God, by becoming “ex-president” Bush or he can become “President-for-Life” Bush: the conqueror of Iraq, who brings sense to the Congress and sanity to the Supreme Court. Then who would be able to stop Bush from emulating Augustus Ceasar and becoming ruler of the world? For only an America united under one ruler has the power to save humanity from the threat of a new Dark Age wrought by terrorists armed with nucelear weapons.

 

Yesterday

Dana Perino had this to say about global warming
Q: And one more. You mentioned that there are health benefits to climate change. Could you describe some of those?

MS. PERINO: Sure. In some cases, there are – look, this is an issue where I’m sure lots of people would love to ridicule me when I say this, but it is true that many people die from cold-related deaths every winter. And there are studies that say that climate change in certain areas of the world would help those individuals. There are also concerns that it would increase tropical diseases and that’s – again, I’m not an expert in that, I’m going to let Julie Gerberding testify in regards to that, but there are many studies about this that you can look into.
I’m sure there are health benefits say if your a fish or cockroach or you enjoy living in a geothermal environment then everything will be just fine.

October 24
Glen Beck Talking About The Fires In California:
“I think there is a handful of people who hate America,” Beck said. “Unfortunately for them, a lot of them are losing their homes in a forest fire today.”
So living in a liberal state with a Republican Governor and 19 Republicans serving in the House of Representatives means that they are getting just what they deserved: Burned Out Of House and Home because Glen “Pin Head” Beck says they hate America.

October 19 On SCHIP

Representative Steve King gave the world this analogy of the SHIP program.
SCHIP
Socialized
Hillarycare For
Illegals and Their
Parents
Here I thought it was for children whose parents can’t afford to purchase private health insurance.

Oct 26 2007

A Waste of Silicon

A salesman friend in the electronics industry says business of okay, and in fact is changing from the ups and downs common in the 1980s.  Trade magazines say there might be an improvement in the future in solar cells and Applied Materials is even getting into the business.

http://sst.pennnet.c…

Silicon is one of the first things needed to make an electronic device.  It is made into wafers, 300mm is a common wafer disk size.  From there a complex expensive process carried out in ultraclean rooms turns silicon into everything from solar cells to mini NSA type spy cameras.  These “fabs” of course are moving increasingly to China.

Now I know we all wish the Bush years had actually been the Gore years but I do sense a fanaticism in the “carbon footprint” movement.  Yes, I’m going to cease calling it the global warming movement and opt for the true phrase “carbon footprint tax movement”.

For if the sky truely is falling and the oceans are going to rise every useless electronic device factory should be making solar cells today.  Every other use is simply a waste of silicon.  Do I really need a device which can track my location just so I can talk to other people and irradiate my brain in the process?
http://www.prolibert…

Now if you find that a little to far fetched try these.

How about putting the power of a V8 muscle car on your motocycle!
http://www.angellabs…

Or did the inventor of television discover a possible fusion energy reaction?
http://www.philotfar…
http://en.wikipedia….
Or can energy be tapped from luminous bubbles in a liquid?
http://www.futurepun…

All of these things might be possible…………

Not.  Humans are involved don’t you see.
http://www.pureenerg…
And politics.
http://www.bushflash…
http://www.democracy…

As the lead painted childrens toys arrive from the communist totalitarian police state arrive, I have to say I have my doubts.

Oct 26 2007

The Kucinich Plan