Yeah its Monday, another damn week. Saw the oscars last night. Sideways won Best Adapted Screenplay, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind won Best Original Screenplay. So I am happy. Two very good movies in my opinion.

Martin Scorsese shut out for Best Director AGAIN. 0-5, oh well, maybe next time. Jamie Foxx won for his portrayal of Ray Charles, and boy what a great speech he gave.

Oh I went to the "Fight Big Media" meetup group tonight. Had a good time discussing how I think the media is broken, and what we can do to fix it. We were all interviewed by a writer from the Albuquerque Tribune (newspaper).

Anyways time for me to go to sleep.

You know, some of my conservative friends have asked me why I am against torture, when "we need to do this to protect our country". The answer I have for those people is the same answer I have for why I am against the death penalty in most cases as well; because if only one innocent person was subjected to torture or put to death, than that practice is unacceptable.

Thrown to the Wolves

Please read this entire story. It is from the New York Times, and if you can't read the story because it asks for a password, than read the excerpt here.

"In the fall of 2002 Mr. Arar, a Canadian citizen, suddenly found himself caught up in the cruel mockery of justice that the Bush administration has substituted for the rule of law in the post-Sept. 11 world. While attempting to change planes at Kennedy Airport on his way home to Canada from a family vacation in Tunisia, he was seized by American authorities, interrogated and thrown into jail. He was not charged with anything, and he never would be charged with anything, but his life would be ruined.

Mr. Arar was surreptitiously flown out of the United States to Jordan and then driven to Syria, where he was kept like a nocturnal animal in an unlit, underground, rat-infested cell that was the size of a grave. From time to time he was tortured.

He wept. He begged not to be beaten anymore. He signed whatever confessions he was told to sign. He prayed.

Among the worst moments, he said, were the times he could hear babies crying in a nearby cell where women were imprisoned. He recalled hearing one woman pleading with a guard for several days for milk for her child."

This is not the model society that we should be portraying to the world, this is wanton cruelty and will surely lead to retribution on our own troops that would be horrible. This is NOT us! I know we were hurt and we NEVER want something like September 11th to EVER happen again, but this is NOT the way to protect ourselves! This is WRONG!!!!!!!!

"Official documents in Canada suggest that Mr. Arar was never the target of a terror investigation there. One former Canadian official, commenting on the Arar case, was quoted in a local newspaper as saying 'accidents will happen' in the war on terror."

See now this infuriates me, "accidents will happen". Oh well, darn! Too bad this man was tortured mercilessly, and will never be the same. Eh. NO this is not right.

"A lawsuit on Mr. Arar's behalf has been filed against the United States by the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York. Barbara Olshansky, a lawyer with the center, noted yesterday that the government is arguing that none of Mr. Arar's claims can even be adjudicated because they 'would involve the revelation of state secrets.'

This is a government that feels it is answerable to no one."

EXACTLY, and this is why this is ALL wrong! Does no one else see the way this administration is consolidating its power? It really believes that is has to answer to no one. Its a scary proposition, it is not a democracy to be sure. It is not America!

WAKE UP!!

Well shrub met Vladimir Putin today and oh what an exchange they had.

Analysis: Bush, Putin Debate Free Societies

For those not familiar, shrub and many others have accused Russia of clamping down on democratic freedoms as of late. shrub said that he would confront Putin on this when the two met on shrub's European trip.

"Though cordial as they stood side by side, Bush and Putin addressed serious differences over what the West views as erosion of recent democratic freedoms in Russia.
....
Neither stuck to the script.

'I live in a transparent country,' Bush said at one point. 'I live in a country where decisions made by government are wide open.'

'The implementation of the principles and norms of democracy should not be accompanied by the collapse of the state and the impoverishment of the people,' Putin said at another point.
....
The leaders were responding to reporters' questions, but their remarks contained implicit criticism of one another's systems and expectations."

Oh the irony is so thick I can't take it! shrub tries to claim that decisions in his administration are transparent?! Are you f***ing kidding me?! That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! This administration is one of the most secretive United States Presidential administrations I have ever heard of. The irony and hypocrisy just amazes me.

Oh and Vladimir's little quip that the implementation of democracy should not cause the impoverishment of the people is great. A little smack in the face of the shrub. I guess he follows our news too, and knows how this president is bankrupting our country.

Seriously folks I won't go off into a scrap tonight but this president's ballooning deficit is a disgrace!!! And anyone, left or right who does not see this are lying to themselves. Its NOT right to mortgage our future, to mortgage our children's future for the selfish greed of today's big businesses. Its NOT right!!!!

Short post tonight I am tired.

Looks like things may get a bit dicey again with the U.S. and Europe. Europe is talking about lifting the arms embargo on China. shrub, in Europe, for his "I'm Sorry" tour, warned Europe that the U.S. would not take too kindly to that.

Bush Warns Europe on Ending China Embargo

Oh and the U.N. released a report on Afghanistan.

UN: Afghanistan Could Become Terror Haven

"Afghanistan remains one of the world's least-developed countries, the United Nations said Monday, warning that the nation which harbored al-Qaida terrorists until 2001 could fail again unless more is done to lift it from poverty.
....
However, it [Afghanistan] still has the worst education system in the world, according to the U.N. calculations, which points out that nearly three-quarters of all adult Afghans are illiterate and few girls go to school at all in many provinces."

Yes, a ways to go. We must not forget this little country while most of our attention is onward in Iraq, and dare I say Iran. The job is not done in Afghanistan.

On another note, I am still sad about Hunter S. Thompson's death. Apparently he wanted to become cannon fodder, literally, after his death. Looks like it will be a bizarre funeral. Well its still a miserable time none the less to realize that this voice is now silent. I hope to post some choice quotes from the Doctor in the near future.

Sad, sad news broke yesterday.

Writer Hunter S. Thompson Commits Suicide

I don't know how many of your are familiar with Hunter S. Thompson, he was a unique voice in a sea of homogeneous worthlessness. His most well known work, certainly was his book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which became the 1998 movie starring Johnny Depp and Benicio Del Toro. The movie follows Dr. Thompson (Hunter) and his attorney friend as they travel to Las Vegas for a drug enforcement convention. One of my favorite movies, I can watch it again and again and laugh hysterically every time.

Anyways, it really is a shame, Hunter S. Thompson was a refreshing voice oh truth. His spirit will be missed.

Comin' to git ya!

Negroponte Selected As Intelligence Chief

"President Bush named John Negroponte, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, as the government's first national intelligence director Thursday, turning to a veteran diplomat to revive a spy community besieged by criticism after the Sept. 11 attacks."

Here's hoping that Negroponte turns out to be a great pick.

Cheers folks!!

The Kyoto Treaty took effect today. Notably minus the signatories of the United States and Australia.

Proponents Want U.S. to Join Kyoto Pact

"The Kyoto Protocol, adopted in Japan's ancient capital in 1997, imposes legally binding requirements on 35 industrialized states to cut emissions of 'greenhouse gases' blamed for rising world temperatures to an average of 5 percent below 1990 levels. The treaty has been ratified by 140 nations.

But the largest emitter of such gases, the United States, has refused to go along with the restrictions, saying they are flawed and could hurt its economy. Washington's absence loomed large over celebrations Wednesday in Kyoto, where environment ministers from member countries said progress would be limited without American participation."

Could someone please tell me how this treaty would harm the US economy as to outweigh the benefits of reduced greenhouse gases? Because all I have heard is the standard line; simply that it will hurt our economy.

Next up, something out of the ordinary! The shrub today said that he was not ruling out raising the cap on earnings subject to social security tax, currently at $90,000.

Bush May Raise Taxes for Social Security

Great! I have been saying that we should do that since I first started looking into this issue. Originally it seemed like shrub was against this, but this is good news.

By the way, why are these headlines saying "raise taxes on Social Security"? It is raising the cap on earnings that are taxable, not raising taxes, which would connote that the tax RATE would be going up. Interesting that the SCLB (So Called Liberal Media) would frame the story this way. Things that make you go HMMMM.

Oh and in Iraq the Prime Minister selection has gone to a secret ballot.

Iraq's PM Race Goes to Secret Ballot

"After hours of closed-door meetings, members of the United Iraqi Alliance agreed to hold a secret ballot to choose between Ibrahim al-Jaafari and Ahmad Chalabi, most likely on Friday, said Ali Hashim al-Youshaa, one of the alliance's leaders.

The contrast between the two candidates is stark and reveals a division within the clergy-endorsed alliance, made up of 10 major political parties and various allied smaller groups."

Apparently this is not a good thing for prospects of unity. Hopefully this will shake out well.

Some not so good news from the Middle East.

Iran, Syria to Unite to Counter Threats


Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Naji al-Otari, left, meets with Iran's Vice-President, Mohammad Reza Aref, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2005. (AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian)

"Iran and Syria, who both are facing pressure from the United States, said Wednesday they will form a 'united front' to confront possible threats against them, state-run television reported.

'In view of the special conditions faced by Syria, Iran will transfer its experience, especially concerning sanctions, to Syria,' Mohammad Reza Aref, Iran's first vice president, was quoted as saying after meeting Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otari.

'At this sensitive point, the two countries require a united front due to numerous challenges.'

Otari concurred, saying, 'The challenges we face in Syria and Iran require us to be in one front to confront all the challenges imposed (on us) by others.'"

Oh boy. To hell in a hand basket, to hell in a hand basket.

Well today Michael Chertoff was confirmed by the Senate as the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Senate OKs Chertoff As Homeland Chief

And Iraq has a front runner for its new Prime Minister.

His name is Ibrahim al-Jaafari. He is viewed as a moderate among many more religious conservative candidates.

AP: Likely Iraq PM Promises Moderation

He said among other things in his interview with the AP,

"He said he supports women's rights, including the right to be the president or prime minister, as well as self-determination and individual freedoms for all Iraqis.
...
'I am looking for a constitution that would be a clear mirror of the composition of the Iraq people,' he said. It should be 'based on respecting all Iraqi beliefs and freedoms.'

But he opposes any attempts to break Iraq apart, following a nonbinding referendum in the Kurdistan region promoting independence."

Sounds good, hopefully if he becomes the new Prime Minister he can accomplish those ideas, and avoid a civil war and quell the insurgency. Here's hoping.

Oh no, no sarcasm. {{grin}}

Many months after the official September 11th Commission Report was released, and after the Presidential election is over, and after Condi Rice is confirmed as the new Secretary of State, a report that the administration fought to keep out of the public has been made available to the public. Well a heavily redacted version at least.

Classified 9/11 Report Exposes Multiple Attack Warnings

"In the months before the Sept. 11 attacks, federal aviation officials reviewed dozens of intelligence reports that warned about Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda, some of which specifically discussed airline hijackings and suicide operations, according to a previously undisclosed report from the 9/11 commission."

Dozens, being 52 to be exact. 52 warnings from April 2001 to September 10th 2001.

"The Bush administration has blocked the public release of the full, classified version of the report for more than five months, officials said..."

Why? If the administration has no fault, as I have already heard from some Republican mouthpieces, then why have they fought to keep this from the public? Ask yourself that question, and then ask yourself if you really trust this administration.

I take the night off, it my Birthday!! You all will have to wait until tomorrow to hear my wonderful insight.

Well this broke in the "mainstream media" on last Wednesday as far as I can tell. I have been tailing it since Friday, and I finally got to it tonight. Apparently a Jeff Gannon from Talon News has been "outted".

White House-friendly reporter under scrutiny

"The Bush administration has provided White House media credentials to a man who has virtually no journalistic background, asks softball questions to the president and his spokesman in the midst of contentious news conferences, and routinely reprints long passages verbatim from official press releases as original news articles on his website."

Ok so that sums it up rather well. There is alot more, read the article. But oh there is more, today ALOT more came out.

Apparently Jeff Gannon (the reporter in question) is an alias. Many bloggers have done some serious research on this guy (apparently they saw the blood in the water). They say that from this research they have deduced that his real name is Guckert. Well start here for the newest info on this story: MediaCitizen: Gannon Quits After Blogger Inquiry

See how some of this research started on the Daily Kos blog.

And here is some discussion on how some of the bloggers think this relates to the leak of undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity.

Then checkout what MediaMatters has to say on the issue.

Well where to start? I have alot to say, but it is getting late again, so I guess I will have to deal with this tomorrow.

I know what my conservative friends will say; who cares? This is nothing. Well you know what, it isn't nothing. Its something. It just shows the state of the news media now. It shows how the White House doesn't give a damn about journalism, integrity, or the independence of the press corps.

Ok I really am too tired to talk about this coherently.

Happy Mardi Gras everyone!

Because I am tired and it is late, I will keep this brief. People need to see the big picture here. It falls into the storyline that I, and many others have shown the republican party and the "So Called Liberal Media". What am I talking about? I am talking about this master deception called Social Security Reform 2005.

Cool Reception on Capitol Hill to Social Security Plan

"President Bush's plan for overhauling Social Security, the centerpiece of his second-term domestic agenda, met with a cool reception Thursday on Capitol Hill, where some influential Republicans expressed skepticism and all but one of the Senate's 44 Democrats vowed to oppose any proposal that increases the federal deficit."

Now once again, since I must pre-defend myself from some ultra-right wingers, I am NOT saying that Social Security does not need some fixing. What I am arguing is that once again this Administration is purposely misleading our country's citizens to get what they want. That is NOT the right way to do things. In the words of shrub himself:

"Our agenda ought to be able to stand on its own two feet." Source

Well mr president, if that were the case then why hide the pole behind those two feet?

Oh am I being subversive? {wry smile}

Ok, now briefly on last week's State of the Union speech.

"...he[bush] momentarily sounded open to persuasion. 'All these ideas are on the table,' President Bush said, after running off a litany of ways, some sensible, to balance Social Security's future commitments with its future revenue. 'I will work with members of Congress to find the most effective combination of reforms.'

A moment or two after Bush's declaration, however, he returned to form. We will not consider raising payroll taxes to solve the problem, he declared. But without raising taxes, the nation is left with only one side of the equation to tinker with."

Yes exactly, its a speech technique to give the casual listener the impression that the president is open to negotiations, but in actuality it is quite obvious as he lists off the things that he will NOT do, that there really is no negotiation. You know what he may be president but he is WRONG!

I recommend actually reading the following article fully, for a little bit of a education on this issue.

I will continue this tomorrow.

Ok well in case you missed it. Here is the transcript of last night's State of the Union speech.

C-SPAN: STATE OF THE UNION TRANSCRIPT

This speech had quite a few code words in it. You know when you have to use code words maybe there is something amiss. For example.

"I've appointed a bipartisan panel to examine the tax code from top to bottom. And when their recommendations are delivered, you and I will work together to give this nation a tax code that is pro-growth, easy to understand, and fair to all."

Emphasis added by me. Fair to all is a code word (phrase, if you will) for a flat tax. Why not just say, a flat tax? Why because he knows that if he says that people will be up in arms.

Read my lips: A flat tax would be destructive to our country. Borrowing from our future, at the rate this president is doing, we can ill afford to remove further tax revenue from the system.

Or how about

"I support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage."

Just say to "ban gay marriage". Damn! Oh and on that subject; from talk out of both sides of your mouth file:

"Government is not the source of these [moral] values, but government should never undermine them.

Because marriage is a sacred institution and the foundation of society, it should not be re-defined by activist judges. For the good of families, children, and society, I support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage."

Uh... if government is not the source of these moral values, then how can you support a constitutional amendment to enforce this moral value??? All within 15 seconds. Amazing!

Oh more code words:

"Because courts must always deliver impartial justice, judges have a duty to faithfully interpret the law, not legislate from the bench."

"Legislate from the bench" is code for, make a ruling that the Republican party does not like. Its ridiculous! The judicial branch must have independence, and not be compromised by the possibility of political attacks. Stop degrading our judicial branch, mr. president! This is part of the attack this administration has waged on the other two branches of the government in an effort to concentrate power in the Executive branch.

Oh and I won't even touch Social Security tonight. This post is already way too long, I will leave that discussion until tomorrow.

Well there it was, the State of the Union. I have alot of comments, but let me just say with regards to social security, there is a right way and a wrong way to do this. And we all need to take a step back and start leveling with people who aren't following this thing very closely, because after all that is what the fight is really about isn't it? The fight for the perceptions of the public.

Oh I need to stop for tonight. Tomorrow I will finish this discussion.

Well Iraq held the first post Saddam election on Sunday. Things went pretty well. Hopefully this mess is getting straightened out and we are heading in the right direction now. Only time will tell.

Iraqi Leader Says Thousands Couldn't Vote

"Iraq's interim president said Tuesday that tens of thousands of people may have been unable to vote in the country's historic weekend election because some polling places - including those in Sunni Arab areas - ran out of ballots.
....
The allegation that many voters were turned away could further alienate minority Sunnis, who already are complaining they have been left out of the political process.

'Tens of thousands were unable to cast their votes because of the lack of ballots in Basra, Baghdad and Najaf,' [President Ghazi] al-Yawer, himself a Sunni Arab, said at a news conference. Najaf is a mostly Shiite city but Basra and Baghdad have substantial Sunni populations."

The interim president happens to be Sunni Arab. Which I did not know. I hope this isn't planting a seed to further problems with the Sunni minority.

Well hopefully we will know the results soon, and see if this is going to work.

Now I would like to applaud the administration for putting forward a plan to increase the death benefits paid to the families of military personnel who are killed in action in Afghanistan and Iraq from some $12,000 to $100,000 and to pay for life insurance up to $150,000 additionally.

Now having said that I do agree with others that we should extend this to include any military personnel killed in any location, not just those two battlefields.

Military Death Benefit Called Too Narrow

"Lawmakers and military officials said Tuesday that President Bush's proposal to boost government payments to families of U.S. troops killed in Iraq, Afghanistan and other war zones was a good start but too narrow."

Well anyways that is my two cents for the night. Please come back to hear more from this liberal tomorrow.