Even open thread

Tomorrow my tree goes up, and my 8 foot inflatable glowing Grinch :-) Read More......

CBS Joins Bush Gay Bashing Campaign

John posted the news that CBS and NBC won't run the UCC ad. Read the language in the UCC release from CBS carefully....

Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other individuals and organizations," reads an explanation from CBS, "and the fact the Executive Branch has recently proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the [CBS and UPN] networks. (emphasis added)

This is really scary. What the fuck does anything the Executive Branch proposes have to do with what ads a television network will take? This is an amazing admission. CBS is cowering before the Bush Administration.

View the ad yourself. It does not say ONE THING about gay marriage. Yet, somehow, a proposal by the Bush Administration to ban gay marriage trumps an anti-discrimination ad from a religious group.

Maybe if the ad celebrated that fact that gays were being turned away, CBS would run it. Smacking gays around seems to be the new sport for the media. After all, as Americablog reported, The Washington Post was willing to publish a gay-bashing insert earlier this month.

If you are a gay American or have a gay relative or a gay friend and aren't really worried about the anti-gay fervor sweeping this country, you are not paying attention. Let's just call it what it is: gay bashing. And, the gay bashing is led by President Bush. He condoned it, he ran on it and he is fostering it.

What a truly amazing world it would be if our "born again" President and his hate filled party actually heeded the words of that guy, Jesus Christ, they are always talking about. The UCC ad notes quite accurately "Jesus didn't turn people away." And, if my memory serves me, Jesus also didn't use try to pit one group of people against another. In fact, his message was quite the opposite.

The irony of this would almost be too rich, if it weren't for the fact that in America, gay bashing has become acceptable thanks to the President. Unfortunately, it looks like the so-called independent media is willing to follow his lead.
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It's official: Jacques to leave Human Rights Campaign, largest gay rights lobby

FROM HRC:

CHERYL JACQUES TO LEAVE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN

HRC Boards Put Transition Plan in Place

WASHINGTON - Citing a difference in management philosophy, the Human
Rights Campaign's boards and its president, Cheryl Jacques, announced that she will resign from her position.

"Cheryl hit the road almost as soon as she arrived and has been an
effective advocate for our community," said HRC Foundation Board Co-Chair Lawrie Demorest.

Jacques led HRC through the successful defeat earlier this year of the Federal Marriage Amendment in the House and Senate, and through a period of significant growth in fundraising and membership, including a record $30 million budget for 2004, and a membership that now exceeds 600,000.

"My priorities were to defeat the Federal Marriage Amendment, expand the organization's membership and fundraising capacity, increase our diversity and maintain a strong voice in the media," said Jacques.

"Cheryl has achieved a great deal as HRC President," said HRC Board of Directors Co-chair Gwen Baba. "We will miss her leadership and
professionalism, but we understand her desire to move on to other
challenges. Cheryl was a member of the HRC family before she arrived in Washington, and she'll remain part of us."

The boards announced that HRC Board of Directors Co-chair Michael Berman and Hilary Rosen will lead the organization through the transition while a search for a new leader is underway. Berman is president of The Duberstein Group in Washington and Rosen led HRC's strategic efforts to defeat of the FMA. Rosen will be focused on internal, strategic issues and management.

"HRC has a very deep bench of experienced and talented senior staff who are already working on new strategies in the fight for equality," added Berman. "In addition to recalculating our political efforts, we will enhance our activities in the corporate world, in the media and, most important, in communities of faith."

The Board of Directors and the Foundation Board will meet with staff in early December in Las Vegas for their annual winter meeting to prioritize the agenda and organize the transition to new leadership.

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CBS, NBC refuse to air church's ad because includes pro-gay message

Apparently the United Church of Christ (those wild folks)can't run an ad on CBS or NBC because the ad mentions gay people in a positive light. CBS had the audacity to come right out and blame it on the gays:

"Because this commercial touches on the exclusion of gay couples and other minority groups by other individuals and organizations," reads an explanation from CBS, "and the fact the Executive Branch has recently proposed a Constitutional Amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, this spot is unacceptable for broadcast on the [CBS and UPN] networks."

Still think the media is left wing? We need to blow these bastards out the water. From the Washington Post to the major networks (e.g., ABC's "expose" on Matthew Shepard last week that including, well, nothing new), it's time to tell them that being anti-liberal doesn't make them objective.

You can watch the ad here for yourself. Yes, it's come to the point where an ad for pro-tolerance is now too controversial in America. Read More......

Shiny tin-foil people holding hands...

And then some. New poll: Only a third of Americans believe evolution is backed up with solid evidence, and almost half think God created man only 10,000 years ago. Read More......

Cold day in hell before blogger works...

I post, it chokes, I post, it chokes, I post, it chokes... Read More......

Maria Shriver: Schwarzenegger Won't Be President

She doesn't say he doesn't want to run, or that he won't run if the amendment can happen quickly - rather, she says the amendment will take too long. But what if it doesn't?

From Reuters:

"Forget about it. It is not going to happen. The process takes years, and this is as far as it goes," Shriver, the niece of former President John F. Kennedy, told Vanity Fair magazine amid talk of amending the Constitution to allow the Austrian-born film star to run for president.

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Same-gender marriage in South Africa?

Hmmm...

A lesbian couple's appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal to have their marriage legally recognised and registered succeeded on Tuesday.

The court, in a majority decision, declared that under the Constitution the common law concept of marriage was to be developed to embrace same-sex partners.

The appeal, brought by Marie Fourie and Cecelia Bonthuys, in essence challenged the definition of marriage under South African common law.

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Valuing families, not so much

Daily Kos reports:

Apparently a Filipino-born man who married a US citizen is having his application for citizenship denied because the US citizen had a sex change 24 years ago. Making her really a "man," I guess. Meaning that this is a gay marriage, which can't be recognized by the US government. Meaning he has to be deported.

I'm curious what the legal status is of post-op transgendered people in the US or the various states. Anyone? Read More......

HRC rumored to have fired its executive director

More to come. Read More......

Court: Colleges can bar bigoted military recruiters

Wow, and they even used the Boy Scout case, in part, to justify it. This is good news. The decision, by a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, can still be appealed to the full appeals court or it can be appealed to the US Supreme Court. In the meantime, unless the court issues a stay, colleges are free to kick the anti-gay recruiters off of campus. Check with your college, make sure they're aware of the new court decision, and pressure them to kick off the military recruiters NOW. Read More......

Happy 20th Birthday West Hollywood

A birthday shout-out for West Hollywood, where the mayor and a majority of the City Council are openly gay, celebrating their 20th anniversary of cityhood this week. Next year they can drink. Read More......

Another Blogger-from-hell day

Blogger is having issues, again. I've been trying to post all morning. Argh. Consider this an open thread, if it posts. Read More......

The USSR is back

Socialism is alive and well in Mother Russia, where the oil industry has been re-nationalized. Yukos Oil, Russia's largest oil producer, and for a time, arguably the most "western" company in the way it ran its business, is about to be repurchased by Gazprom, another company that is owned and controlled by the Russian government.

Yukos was once responsible for nearly two percent of the world's oil production. But that was before its CEO, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, spoke out in favor of more personal freedoms and private ownership in Russia, and supported Vladimir Putin's opponents in elections. Shortly after Khordokovsky's public dissent, he was thrown in jail and Yukos was hit with tax evasion charges the international business community has universally condemned as bogus. The company would keep paying the fines, because they can't defend themselves in Putin's kangaroo court, but now Putin is forcing the company into bankruptcy. Of course, by forcing the sell-off of Yukos' core assets before it's less essential ones, Putin is breaking his own laws. But then, rule of law has never really been an issue in the Soviet Union.

Of course, the US government has done next to nothing, maybe because our president once claimed he "looked into Putin's soul" and saw a kindred spirit. (I wonder what folks in Chechnya think of Putin's soul.) Maybe because the US wants Putin to keep quiet over Iraq.

But this can't be denied -- Vladimir Putin wants more control over the oil supply, and he's willing to break the law to do it. The Russian bear is getting ready to growl again. And this white house is caught with its fly down.

The white house has already demonstrated its failure on this issue. Will Congress repeat this failure when Russia demands membership in the World Trade Organization later this year?
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UK embassy issues warning about declining safety in Iraq

I believe that the British embassy in Iraq forgot to run this one past the Pentagon spin team who tells everyone that the situation is improving.

The embassy says a bomb was discovered on a flight inside Iraq on 22 November. It shows that insurgents have been able to penetrate the stringent security at Baghdad airport.

The warning is in sharp contrast to more optimistic statements from US military commanders after the capture of Fallujah in which they have spoken of "breaking the back of the insurgency".

The embassy says that the road between Baghdad and the international airport, perhaps the most important highway in the country, is now too dangerous to use.

The airport road is littered with evidence of previous attacks: the twisted cars used by suicide bombers and craters from roadside bombs.

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Annan has to go, unfortunately

I am in no way anti-UN and I believe in the value of the institution and want it to succeed but this latest story about Koffi Annan's son taking money from a company involved in the Iraq oil-for-food period tells me that Annan has to go. People like this only undermine the legitimacy of the UN and give fodder to the anti-UN crowd. Sadly I don't believe Annan when he says he was "very disappointed and surprised" because he has been downplaying serious allegations for a while now. Now it seems pretty clear why he was so short tempered about the investigations.

I truly want the UN to succeed but I am also fed up with waste and corruption. Annan already came into this job with the failure of Rwanda on his shoulders and this one is just too much to tolerate. The UN is not there to make your family and friends rich or to have plush jobs, it is there to bring the world together and to help people.
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November on verge of being a record month

Too bad it's on the verge of being a record for US deaths in Iraq. It's unfortunate that our fearless media is unable to stop humping the leg of the Pentagon and report on Iraqi deaths as well, but I suppose they're not like us anyway so who cares?
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It's Mehlman Monday

Mondays are a bitch

Wonkette and Working for Change both weigh in today on the Ken "Is she is or isn't she" Mehlman, the expected incoming head of the Republican Party.

I differ with Wonkette on one thing. I would loathe Mehlman much more for being gay than for being the head of the RNC. True, the RNC makes it bread and butter gay-bashing, and more. So yes, Mehlman gets no merit badges for taking over the helm of an organization that practices and preaches bigotry (not to mention, he did the same at the Bush campaign). But a gay Mehlman would be even more loathe-worthy. You get extra brownie points in hell for selling out your own people.

Anyway, we'll keep following this story, because it sure as hell isn't going away. It's looking like Ken Mehlman is going to be the Mary Cheney of 2005. The "It" girl for gay America. I'm seriously thinking we may need to throw a party for Ken once he gets the RNC chairmanship. Maybe, as someone previously suggested, we can even give him a little ambiguously-gay pride parade in front of the RNC headquarters.

It's gonna be a fun year. Read More......

Student Invents Glow-In-Dark Underwear

From AP:

Beau Carpenter, an avid runner who also works at NASA, initially thought of creating glow-in-the-dark jogging clothes, but practicality evaporated when thongs captured his attention during his Internet research.

Yeah, I'm sure they did. :-)

PS Can't wait for Congress to legislate this kid out of history. Read More......

Cooooooooooooool

Ok, this is way cool. Yahoo's "My Yahoo" page is where you can decide which type of news you want (AP top stories, Reuters, gays and lesbian, etc.), your weather, your stocks. Well, they've just added RSS feeds for blogs, including yours truly. You can now add the blog feed to your My Yahoo page so you can keep up on the latest posts to the site, all on one page along with other top news from around the Net (like your other favorite blogs). I'm in love... Read More......

See what happens when you travel...

Blogger apparently flipped out today. I noticed gobbly-gook when I got back to DC tonight. Just republished the entire blog, should be fine now. Sorry about that.

Anyway, I'm back. Consider this an evening open thread. JOHN Read More......

MASS LEGISLATORS WALL OF SHAME: Bigotry knows no party affiliation

From AP. The following Massachusetts State Representatives and State Senator joined in the lawsuit just rejected without hearing by the Supreme Court. If you're from Mass., call or write these bigots a little note and let them know that we'll be ready for them in 2006:

Rep. Elizabeth A. Poirier, R-North Attleboro: email - 617-722-2976
Rep. John A. Lepper, R-Attleboro: email - 617-722-2100
Rep. Edward G. Connolly, D-Everett: email - 617-722-2692
Rep. Christopher P. Asselin, D-Springfield: email - 617-722-2090
Rep. Philip Travis, D-Rehoboth: email - 617-722-2430
Rep. James R. Miceli, D-Wilmington: email - 617-722-2692
Rep. Peter J. Larkin, D-Pittsfield: email - 617-722-2380
(Rob's Note: Larkin is on the board of the Mass. DLC - I guess bigotry is part of moderation.)
Rep. Robert S. Hargraves, R-Groton: email - (617) 722-2305
Rep. Emile J. Goguen, D-Fitchburg: email - 617-722-2400
Rep. Mark J. Carron, D-Southbridge: email - 617-722-2060
Sen. Steven C. Panagiotakos, D-Lowell: email - (617) 722-1630

If there are any candidates out there running against these people, please let us know so that we can make the public aware of alternatives to these small minded idiots. Read More......

Bush's affirmative action plan moves into high gear

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see women, African-Americans, and Latinos getting such high exposure in the Bush administration (heck, we may even have a "gay" taking over the top RNC job). In fact, Bush's first three new Cabinet appointees have been two Latinos and a black woman. Kudos to Bush. The only thing is that I have a nagging feeling that Bush is practicing a little affirmative action in an effort to woo minority votes away from the Dems. That doesn't mean the 3 candidates aren't qualified (well, Albert "Abu Ghraib" Gonzales has some issues). The issue, rather, is that it's fair to wonder if Bush is favoring minority candidates for these first few high profile jobs, simply as a pulicit-getting vote-getting gambit. That would be rather hypocritical, to say the least, coming from a party and a president that has tried to dismantle affirmative action, while blasting Dems for race-baiting, etc.

But it is funny to watch Republicans embrace their minority nominees, touting their minority-ness in public like a new and mystical flavor of Ben & Jerry's ice cream that's sure to wow the public. The problem is that the Republicans are offering a flavor that Democrats embraced decades ago. It's not so wow or cool or novel anymore to appoint a Latino, an African-American or a woman to a high administration position. And the fact that the Republicans think so, and trumpet it so loudly, is only more evidence of how much they don't get it. Simply appointing a black man to a senior administration position, or a Latino or a woman does not prove that you "get" the issues that matter most to that community. And for the Republicans to think it does is tokenism of the worst kind. Read More......

GAY MARRIAGE STANDS IN MASS: Supreme Court won't hear case

Great news on the gay marriage front! From AP:

The Supreme Court on Monday sidestepped a dispute over gay marriages, rejecting a challenge to the nation's only law sanctioning such unions.

Justices had been asked by conservative groups to overturn the year-old decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Court legalizing gay marriage. They declined, without comment.

In the past year, at least 3,000 gay Massachusetts couples have wed, although voters may have a chance next year to change the state constitution to permit civil union benefits to same-sex couples, but not the institution of marriage.

Critics of the November 2003 ruling by the highest court in Massachusetts argue that it violated the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of a republican form of government in each state. They lost at the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston.

Their attorney, Mathew Staver, said in a Supreme Court filing that the Constitution should "protect the citizens of Massachusetts from their own state supreme court's usurpation of power."

Federal courts, he said, should defend people's right "to live in a republican form of government free from tyranny, whether that comes at the barrel of a gun or by the decree of a court." (Rob's note: Courts generally don't like it when you tell them they have no power and call them tyrannical -- it just shows you that the challenge to gay marriage has no basis in law at all.)

Merita Hopkins, a city attorney in Boston, had told justices in court papers that the people who filed the suit have not shown they suffered an injury and could not bring a challenge to the Supreme Court. "Deeply felt interest in the outcome of a case does not constitute an actual injury," she said.

Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly told justices that voters can overrule the Supreme Court by adopting a constitutional amendment.

The lawsuit was filed by the Florida-based Liberty Counsel on behalf of Robert Largess, the vice president of the Catholic Action League, and 11 state lawmakers.

The conservative law group had persuaded the Supreme Court in October to consider another high profile issue, the constitutionality of Ten Commandments displays on government property. The court agreed to look at that church-state issue before Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

He is working from home while receiving chemotherapy and radiation and will miss court sessions for the next two weeks...

So, gay marriages will stand in Massachusetts until at least 2006, and with the four or five pick-ups in the Mass. State House from November, gay marriage may remain in Massachusetts for the foreseeable future.

Moreover, this is a good reminder that Justice Rehnquist is still not back on the job. Remember when he was going to be back on the Monday after his illness was announced? Read More......

Democracy flourishing in Myanmar: Suu Kyi detained for another year

The new leadership somehow looks just like the old leadership. Hopefully we will hear something out of the White House about this but since the US has a military presence in Myanmar (I witnessed this myself) I somehow doubt there will be much more than our normal light criticism and flowery talk about democracy.
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Christmas shopping season sluggish

With an iffy economy, this should come as no surprise to anyone. The only thing that surprises me is that stores such as Walmart failed to make prices as attractive as possible. Sounds like they were simply too greedy.
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Uncle Sam wants YOU -- unless you're rich

Today's Boston Globe has an interesting piece on how military recruiters go after working class kids much harder than kids from white-collar families.

Just in case there was any doubt remaining over whose kids are sent to die when the white house lies.
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Sarkozy takes the helm in France

It's only the conservative party leadership for now, but I am still waiting to hear one person that isn't convinced Sarkozy will be the next President in France. To date Sarkozy has not stayed anywhere long enough to build up a negative record but he is full of hype and determined to bring change. There's a strong feeling that France needs change, something that does not come easily or quickly here in Europe. He's a new generation with new ideas and even old line Socialists are convinced he will win.

Funny enough, despite being a "conservative" he is leading the charge to bring quotas to France to incorporate the Arab population in the future of France. He is about the only politician in France who is serious about solving the mess of third and fourth generation Arabs who are blocked out of schools and jobs because of the old boy network. He is also loved by many in the Jewish community here in France which is the largest in Europe. He is also calling for changes to make business easier in France as well as fiscal responsibility. It's still early days but this is definitenly the guy to beat in the 2007 presidential elections.
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Americans to Bush: hands off Roe v. Wade

59% believe the next Supreme Court nominee should uphold Roe while 3 in 10 want it overturned. But since George won with a crushing, massive blowout, eternal reign mandate of 51% he doesn't really give a damn.
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Falwell to gay Republicans: Get out of the party

The only thing Falwell and I agree on. But for different reasons. He thinks gays should leave the GOP because he's a bigoted ass. I think gays should leave because the GOP is now run by folks trying to kiss Falwell's ass. It's time for gay Republicans to take back their party or get out. Playing Uncle Tom is no longer an option. Read More......

Sunday night open thread

The French have a saying, "Les Week-ends sont sacres." Meaning, my weekends are sacred (or "off limits"), so don't expect me to work :-) In my case, holidays are sacred. I'm back in DC Monday night, so expect the number of posts here to return to normal then. In the meantime, enjoy the quiet. Read More......

Artsy diversion for a Sunday in November

"The Bouquet"

The other day my friend Mike sent me a link to his blog where he posts a bunch of his artwork. I think his stuff rocks, and was surprised to hear that he hadn't given much thought to selling it, he just does it for fun. Very cool stuff, and kind of zen in its own way (perhaps that's why the site is called dadanation). I admit, I'm no art expert, but I really find his stuff amazingly interesting. Check it out for yourselves and see what you think. And be kind in your comments, Mike reads the blog :-)

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Bipartisan group of politicians call on Bush to give a damn

It's sad that a bipartisan group of politicians has to call on President Bush to get more involved in order to help reform the intelligence community before the next "big one" strikes. Shouldn't the president care enough on his own to avoid another 9/11? Oh that's right, it's the holidays and he's probably too busy reading My Pet Goat II.

If the bill does not pass this year, then "you go back to the status quo, the structure of the intelligence community unchanged since before 9/11, and it is not likely to be changed for six months or more," Hamilton said.

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Alabama: Red State Values?

Today, the Washington Post has a front page story on the defeat of the referendum to remove discrimination from the Alabama constitution.

On that long-ago day of Alabama's great shame, Gov. George C. Wallace (D) stood in a schoolhouse door and declared that his state's constitution forbade black students to enroll at the University of Alabama.

He was correct.

If Wallace could be brought back to life today to reprise his 1963 moment of infamy outside Foster Auditorium, he would still be correct. Alabama voters made sure of that Nov. 2, refusing to approve a constitutional amendment to erase segregation-era wording requiring separate schools for "white and colored children" and to eliminate references to the poll taxes once imposed to disenfranchise blacks.

Where's the outrage from the sanctimonious moralists on the right wing? There is none. In George Bush's America, we can pit one group of Americans against another.

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Evening open thread

It's official, I bought a new Sony VAIO desktop. Sorry Mac-ettes, but I couldn't resist. 200 gig hard drive, 512 ram (and bought another 512 for 50 bucks to add on to it). Pentium 4 processor. Got a GREAT 19 inch Sony flat screen monitor. And a $200 graphics card for only $100 at Best Buy (rebate). The thing can record and show TV programs, burn them on DVDs, and lots more. Just HAD to have it. And now I can start playing more with video (yes, I need more things to do with my free time, for free, and that involve work-like activities). Anyway, as Rob mentioned, the gamer in me really had to have a PC (my friends kept telling me they really are better for games.) So I'm totally stoked.

The thing is, I've been using a laptop exclusively since 1997. So it's kind of freaky finally getting a real screen, and a 200 gig hard drive. Ok fine, I'm a geek.

And by the way, Happy Birthday to me today! (Well, it's still today in Chicago, the 27th) :-) JOHN Read More......

I can't stand the IRONY any more...

Of all people to be talking about leaks at the CIA, ROBERT NOVAK? The man who leaked Valerie Plume's name? From Creators Syndicate:

Moreover, McCain told me this week, "with CIA leaks intended to harm the re-election campaign of the president of the United States, it is not only dysfunctional but a rogue organization." (Rob's Note: As opposed to leaking the name of the wife of one of YOUR political opponents.)

Following a mandate from the president for what McCain advised, Goss is cleaning house. The reaction from the old boys confirms those harsh adjectives of "dysfunctional" and "rogue."

The nation's capital has become an echo chamber of anti-Goss invective with CIA officials painting a picture for selected reporters of a lightweight House member from Florida, a mere case officer at the CIA long ago, provoking high-level resignations and dismantling a great intelligence service.
...

That cleansing process has been inhibited by the CIA's fear factor as an extraordinary leak machine. Its efficiency was attested to when Goss appointed Michael V. Kostiw, recently staff director of the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism, as the CIA's executive director.

Before Kostiw could check in at Langley, the old boys leaked information that Kostiw was caught shoplifting in 1981 after 10 years as a CIA case officer.

Kostiw then resigned the Agency's third-ranking post, though Goss retained him as a special assistant. Kostiw's treatment has enraged people who have known him during a long, successful career in Washington -- including John McCain. The senator called Kostiw "one of the finest, most decent men I have ever met."
...
McCain's use of the word "rogue" carries historical implications. A long, debilitating time of troubles began for the CIA in 1975 after Sen. Frank Church called it "a rogue elephant" that is out of control causing trouble around the world.

The current use of the word refers to the intelligence agency playing domestic politics, which is an even more disturbing aberration.

What about leaks of the names of undercover CIA agents? How does that impact national security Novak? What about rogue journalists who out undercover CIA officers at the behest of... oh that's right, you won't tell us who leaked the name. Black is white, white is black...

Update: Crooks and Liars just posted the John Stweart clip Robert Novak: DOUCHEBAG FOR LIBERTY. Check it out, it's hilarious. Read More......

The media are vultures

The woman has been dead for years, and still they will milk her for ratings. Disgusting. From Reuters:

NBC television network will broadcast a never-before-seen video tape of Diana, Princess of Wales, next week in which she says she suspects a member of her staff with whom she fell in love was 'bumped off.'

NBC said on Friday the two-part program starting next Monday includes excerpts of interviews Diana recorded with communications consultant Peter Settelen in her living room, discussing her childhood, marriage and struggle with bulimia.

Earlier this year NBC aired audio tapes Diana secretly recorded for a 1992 book that exposed the turmoil of her marriage to Prince Charles, whom she divorced in 1996. The princess was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997.

Heaven forbid they actually try and do some real journalism. Read More......

Rainy day open thread

Well, it's raining in Chicago anyway. Have at it. Off to look for a new computer :) Read More......

Oh my god, I'm wearing a dress!

Insert your caption here...

(Photo from Yahoo) Read More......

Matthew Shepard Story on 20/20

I didn't watch the 20/20 story last night, but regular reader Pam has coverage at Pam's House Blend. Read More......

The Irony is MAKING ME INSANE

Dear Leader continues his Do As I Say, Not As I Do post-election mindf*ck. Here's his commentary on the Ukraine from AP (Photos from Yahoo):

President Bush declared Friday that charges of voter fraud have cast doubt on the Ukrainian election...

The United States and other Western nations contend that massive fraud marred the presidential runoff election Sunday in Ukraine, and the country's highest court has ordered election officials not to publish the results until an appeal is heard next week. Earlier this week, Secretary of State Colin Powell cited reports of fraud in the election in saying the United States cannot accept the results of presidential elections in Ukraine.

"There's just a lot of allegations of vote fraud that placed their election, the validity of their elections, in doubt," Bush said. "The international community is watching very carefully. People are paying very close attention to this, and hopefully it will be resolved in a way that brings credit and confidence to the Ukrainian government."

Bush did not directly answer a question about what consequences Ukraine might face if the dispute is not resolved to his satisfaction. Powell said there would be consequences for U.S.-Ukraine relations if the government there did not act "immediately and responsibly" to find a solution that respected the will of its people.

As Bush spoke, several dozen Ukrainian protesters stood across the street, waving their country's flag and calling on Bush to press for a fair election result. "Will President George W. Bush now stand up to Russia's blatant imperial overreach in Ukraine?" wrote Michael Balahutrak of Houston in literature distributed at the gathering.

Can you imagine what Thanksgiving with Bush must have been like? I mean, talk about a national nightmare. I wonder what Jenna was drinking just to get through the night. I can't wait for her tell all book... Read More......

Halliburton: the picture of everything that is wrong about big business

OK, we've had talk of bribes, price gouging and overbilling and now there's a new report out that says a third or more of US government property that Halliburton was paid to manage can not be located by auditors. Maybe the missing equipment is the same place as the WMDs.

Bowen reported that an audit earlier this summer found KBR had lost track of more than $18 million worth of equipment in Iraq. Investigators could not track down 52 of 164 randomly selected items in an inventory of more than 20,000 items overseen by KBR, including two electric generators worth nearly $1 million, 18 trucks or SUVs and six laptop computers.

Pentagon and Halliburton officials have been searching since the summer for the missing items and have tracked down many of them. Some were found in the hands of "unauthorized users" and 111 vehicles had not been returned for required check-in, they said.

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Thwarted terror attacks in England? Never happened.

Incredible. Just when I think that it is not possible to detest Tony Blair and his power hungry partners any more, it comes out that the thwarted attacks on Canary Warf and House of Commons never happened. These people are joined at the hip with Bush & Rove.
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Hey big spender

I'm all for beefing up the CIA, but is there some point where Bush is going to stop spending money like a drunken sailor?

You voted for him, you own him. Read More......

Friday evening open thread

As I'd mentioned, I'm out of town all week, and as it is a holiday week/end, the blog may be a bit lite until Monday (or maybe not). Gnite Read More......

Grinch or not?

Interesting story from California. A couple decorates their house with tons and tons of Xmas lights, the Today Show covers the house, the crowds swell to 1500 sight-seers an evening, and the neighbors get pissed. The city is now requiring the couple to get a permit, as a result of the complaints?

So are they a couple of grinches, or do the neighbors have a point? Read More......

Friday Orchid Blogging

Bl. Yellow Bird



A very easy-to-grow plant with long almost grassy-type leaves (pencil thin). Mine blooms a bit purplish (as you can see in the pic) then transforms to almost a pure yellow over a week or so. The purple spots remain. A very simple, pretty, dainty flower and plant - reminds me of why I associate orchids with Asian paintings (and art and philosophy). The simplicity and the beauty. Read More......

Iraq's elections may now be delayed

Gosh, now there's a show-stopping surprise. President Bush has been telling us that Iraq is going just great. The proof he's been offering is the upcoming Iraq elections. Well now several political parties, including two "closely allied" to the US (read: puppets?), are calling for a postponement of at least six months for the January elections.

Like I said, bit surprise there. And here President Bush has told us that everything is going great and the elections are the proof. Huh. Hey 51% of America: Any buyer's remorse yet? You bought it, you own it. Read More......

Republicans steal another election, this time in NJ

Why isn't this illegal? Shouldn't accusing your opponent of commiting a crime, in print, the night before the election when there's not chance to refute the accusation, constitute some kind of a crime?

A native of India who lost a bid for a local township committee seat by 12 votes after fliers accused him and his running-mate of accepting contributions from "foreign nationals" is hoping a recount will reverse the outcome.

A recount takes place Monday in the race pitting Zaheer Jan and Allen Mass against two Republican incumbents in the race for two seats on the township committee. The top two finishers will win.

Jan lost his chance at a township committee seat by 12 votes out of more than 8,100 cast — and Mass, his fellow Democrat, lost by a single vote.

The night before the election, virtually every home in Bedminster received a flier from the campaigns of Republican incumbents Don Cross and Kurt Joerger, claiming Jan and Mass were being funded by "foreign nationals, not local residents."

Both Democrats have said they have not taken contributions from foreigners, which is against the law. Mass, an attorney who formerly worked for the Justice Department, said he believes the fliers were racist.

Read More......

More lies from the Bushistas

Joe noted below that Bush is pushing for more abstinence-only education. The article notes that the Bushies want more money even though we don't yet know if the education even works. In response, there's this very cute, but absolutely lie of a comment, from Bush's folks at HHS:

"We don't need a study, if I remember my biology correctly, to show us that those people who are sexually abstinent have a zero chance of becoming pregnant or getting someone pregnant or contracting a sexually transmitted disease," said Wade Horn, the assistant secretary of Health and Human Services in charge of federal abstinence funding.

Cute, but an absolute lie. People aren't worried that abstinence doesn't prevent pregnancy. They're worried that abstinence-only education doesn't promote abstinence, you jerk. Of course, Horn knows that, but from this administration, don't expect to get a straight answer on anything.

You voted for it, you own it. Read More......