I'm up, but not for much longer.
Gotta try and catch some zzzzzzz's and get ready for this exciting weekend as democracy hits Iraq.

Progressives need to start doing a better job of getting their message out on the internet. I've noticed that there about a dozen or so who post regulary on Bradblog. If each of us sends the Url for this website to friends and relatives, some minds may be changed to our way of thinking. Its obvious that most of us here already agree with each other. By inviting some who are in agreement with the enemy, we might end up with some Jimmo's, Paul, Taco tom types but so far they have been on the losing end of the discussions. Information is how the Bushies have gotten where they are, and we haven't as Progressives done our part in that department. Some on this site are very articulate and can convey the Progressive message much better than I. Some post great links to other writers and journalists. If all some people hear is Republican propaganda there isn't much chance of ever changing any minds are there?

It is official. The Iraqi vote has been rigged. Why do I say that?

The president has pledged to leave Iraq if the new government asks the US to leave. Story here.

When he slips and makes definite statements about elections (e.g. "I guarantee we will win ... [some state]") as he has in the past, he lets the cat out of the bag for the aware.

The permanent military bases are not complete yet, and the oil infrastructure and distribution network is not complete, and the occupation of the middle east is also not finished.

So, the Iraqi that is going to win will be bushit. Remember that the Iraqi election office is not even in Iraq. It, like Cheney's home away from home, "is at an undisclosed location".

I agree that the message must be spread widely in order to avoid "preaching to the choir." Here are other progressive sites I visit and/or contribute to:

BuzzFlash, VoteCobb, ShadowBoxi8, FreePress.net, Freepress.org, RawStory, CrooksandLiars, Media Matters, CommonDreams, Common(Cause)blog, DemocraticUnderground, Democrats.com, thesquanderer.com, Votefraud, VotersUnite, Blue Lemur, blackboxvoting.org (Bev Harris), Alternet, Ohio Voter Suppression News, betterworldlinks, usvip.org and left.org (formerly Redefeatbush.com).

I used the exit poll/election comparison as a short example in my statistics class yesterday. It was a graduate class, and I knew everybody was anti Bush, so it wasn't a big risk on my part (i.e., in terms of using inappropriate material in an academic class). The goal was to show that statistics was not just a cold academic exercise, but rather an important means of examining real world issues. I was surprised that most of the students did not realize that from a statisticians viewpoint there is no question that fraud occurred. (either that or the exit polsters used different methods in states without paper ballots)

Charles #5. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

It is so very important that we grasp this.

The opposition uses sound bytes.

It is said to be because the populace has a very narrow bandwidth ... attention span.

(The WOW article Cheryl posted yesterday and Winter Patriot honored more today is unreadable to many of the general populace, because long sentence comprehension requires that the reader's neurons, dendrites, and axons be distributed by more than boob tube patterns).

We need to use sound bytes as a tactic in our strategy to expose the traitorous MSM.

The exit poll is a short and swift concept.

But the MSM has been pounding and beating down the exit poll mechanism which it once extolled.

The reason is exactly as you found. There is a major coverup and smear campaign against exit polls.

We should do all we can to enlighten folk about the science involved.

I have been hammering this out on black box voting and in general most bloggers there do understand that exit polls done right are in fact alligned with science rather than with politics and pseudo-science.

Please continue to share your knowledge from time to time as we all need another cup of java here and there.

An open thread with no specific topic - as good a place to start as any.

Hey, first time poster here, just wanting to thank all of y'all for helping me hold on to a little bit of hope after everything that's happened over the past few months (or rather, NOT happened, in the case of mainstream media coverage of voter fraud). I'm here in a small farming community in Tennessee, an island of blue in a sea of red run mostly by Southern Baptist conservatives whose priorities right now are saving our children from Halloween, the heathen liberals, and Spongebob Squarepants. My contact with kindred spirits is limited mostly to internet, and when I'm drinking my morning coffee and reading the news, Bradblog is always my first stop.

Re: spreading the word vs. preaching to the choir - it's not easy being in the "minority", but yeah, we definitely have to try.

I'm taking a hiatus of sorts from my "regular" political forum on the discussion board at Dockwave.com, which for the moment has been over-run by right-leaning posters. In my posts there I link constantly to articles on BradBlog, hoping to somewhat illuminate the minds of those who are willing to consider for even a moment that Fox News and CNN are not telling them the whole story. Those who are of similar minds there may eventually start to post here too - I hope so. I don't want to abandon the "other place" completely, because I feel that distributing information and pointing out fallacy is an obligation shared by every true patriot, and besides, if we're only around those with whom we agree, we're not learning as much as we could. But, even the strongest among us need a place to rest, regroup, and reaffirm now and then.

What I wanted to ask, is anyone here from Nashville or surrounding areas? Would notice of upcoming rallies and events regarding election reform be of any interest here?

Anyway...pardon the ramble, just wanted to say thanks y'all.

In Winter Patriot's "RECOUNT WITNESSES: Stickers Placed on OH Recount Ballots!" (1/26/05), there was some allegation and discussion of corruption by both democrats and republicans in the Ohio election machinations.

Some feel the republicans are more prone to election fraud while others feel the democrates are more prone to election fraud.

I propose the following procedure of ideas for handling such matters.

If we believe the statement "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely", then we have something to work with.

Power contains toxins. No political party is immune. It is a personal thing not a party thing.

If we can also believe in the concept of a "separation of powers", and tie it to the above, then we can develop some analytical concepts to work with.

I think our forefathers felt that the separation of powers would give an immediate resistance to the toxins contained within power.

I do not think they did the separation just to cause a fight. They had had enough of rancor.

But beyond that when one branch of government is overcome by the toxins, the other two branches can and should lend a helping hand.

We see this in some of the torture cases, where the administrative branch is said to have toyed with the notion of torture. (An indication of the work of the toxins within power).

The judicial branch has ruled in several cases that we must stay away from torture, and the congress has affirmed that in some strong statements. Good medicine.

All that being said, I think there should be a presumption of toxin corruption against the person in power at a given time.

To the extent that party loyalty can be compared to a carrier or spreader of the toxin, then the party in power should be presumed to be more at risk of corruption than the other party that is not in power.

Of course, the presumption can be overcome by honesty and openness.

The true and complete antidote is in the people, and if the government is not exposed to that via transparency, then the toxins will stay and fester and spread.

Welcome to KestrelBrightEyes. Sorry, I'm Canadian.

KestrelBrighteyes #7.

For sure welcome ... and thanks.

My father is a city councilman in a Tennessee city ... but alas ... I need to be near an ocean ...

Keep up the good work there ... remember that song by Billy Kristol Gayle "Gotta Make the Red State Blue"

How rude and arrogant is this?

http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0124-20.htm

re #11:

rude and arrogant in the extreme, but the piece is beautifully written, and the ending is exquisite.

I find it so ironic that with all the tight security for the events in DC this week that enough time and energy was mustered to stop families in mourning so forcefully at the Pentagon. I also find it ironic that if I were a wealthy Republican who had donated large sums of money for the �re�-election of the President, I could have had access to all the big wigs at the lavish parties�but I, whose son paid the ultimate price of his precious life to this country, can�t even get within a half of a mile from the man who sent him to die.

We Gold Star Families for Peace are not giving up the fight to hold someone in this administration accountable for the quagmire in Iraq and the more important struggle to bring the rest of our children home from this devastating occupation now. It takes most of our energy just to get out of our beds in the morning and mourn our horrific losses. We need all Americans to wake up and start lobbying their elected officials for an end to this immorality in Iraq and to join our voices in protest.

Here's the link: The Dangerous Gold Star Families

#7: Welcome KestrelBrightEyes! and thanks for speaking up. I think I can speak for all when I say we hope to hear from you often...

#3,6,8,10: Dredd, I don't thank you often enough.

And a hearty "Right On!" to Pushcat for #2, Robert for #4 and Charles for #5.

[Pushca ? what happened to your "t"?]

As for the spreading of information: I agree and I think I will have more to say about this later but at the moment I want to say this [little] bit:

I think we all can contribute best by doing whatever we can do best. We need investigators and motivators as well as salesmen and librarians. To a certain extent, we all need to do all these things. But we'll do them in our own ways, of course, and in different proportions.

I definitely agree with the idea that we all need to listen [and to talk!] to people who don't agree with us.

Cheryl #11.

The Matrix factor comes to mind again.

This mother who had a son that was killed is void of any self analysis or criticism of her and/or her son for submitting to what she calls:

the mindless invasion and occupation of Iraq

a war that had no basis in reality

etc. etc.

I am sorry, but he went. He submitted to all that she criticizes.

They did not resist.

There are consequences for not resisting these bad things.

It really reminds me of the cigarette commercials where a person is quoted as saying "I can't quit" and the doctor saying "I can't operate".

Citizenship in a democracy must be all it can be or we suffer the consequences of a demockracy.

True Dredd,

WE all (collectively) know that. But I don't believe that she felt that way until her son was killed and she saw just how disposable he and all the others were.

It's very sad that she didn't understand BEFORE she lost her son but I think it is a good thing that she now sees the light and has found other military families that feel the same. You can be certain that they are speaking out as loudly as they can.

You know as well as I do that people really just want to live their lives and trust their leaders. And they're right. Why should people have to constantly be on guard to ensure that their elected officials are doing what they were elected and are being paid to do?

I feel badly for this family and all the others on both sides of the ocean. They have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous, lying, murdering war criminals and I am glad that so many of them are finally waking up. One day justice WILL be served.

Damn, Dredd, you're one convincing dude. You just might have given me the boot I need to kick the fool habit! And Pushca! Thanks for the journeys you send me off on. BTW, were you manxed or something?

Just to show that there's more going on in the world besides corruption, illegal wars and forced democracy, what the heck is going on in the Andaman and Nicobar islands?

http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=13658319

Further to #14 read Carly's poem. It's hearbreaking.

http://www.gsfp.org/

On a somewhat related note-

One of the little-noticed parts of the "No Child Left Behind" act that has INFURIATED many parents who have no choice but to send their children to public schools:

http://www.alternet.org/story/14716

An exerpt from the article:

"Buried deep within the funding benefits is Section 9528 which grants the Pentagon access to directories with students names, addresses and phone numbers so that they may be more easily contacted and recruited for military service."

For those who want to help in the fight to limit access by military recruiters to our schools, or just give young people an idea of what they're REALLY facing (to counter the propaganda and false promises put out by recruiters), there are resources at the bottom of the page:

http://www.afsc.org/resources/free.htm

BTW, parents who want their children to have the option of declaring CO status in the future when the draft comes need to start documenting ASAP.

Government of, for and by the people?

http://disc.server.com/d...article=74880;title=APFN

Hi, Winter: Someone in a previous topic, sorry I don't recall who, mentioned a Recall DUMYA Petition. Could an appropriate but brief Recall Bush Petition be created for VR and put permanently at the top of the Election Topics list. So anyone who visits can easily print the Recall petition out, sign and date it, and send it to their Sen./Cong., etc.? A link to the names and addresses of the Sen./Cong. would also help any would be petitioner. Thanks, Winter and everyone for all the great work.

Hi, Winter: Re #20 above - my thinking is that each Petition is the equivalent of a vote. "PETITION TO RECALL GEORGE W. BUSH - BY VOTING WITH THIS PETITION, YOUR VOTE, AND EVERY VOTE, WILL BE COUNTED BY YOUR SEN./CONG."

Welcome, welcome, welcome, KestrelBrighteyes! The more the scarier!!

Czaragorn, you gave me my first real LOL in a very long time with your "manxed" question above.

Cheryl, I can't keep up with your links, but keep them coming.

ALL of you: have a wonderful day! I'll be back later...

Cheryl #14: here is a link to a comment on VR which has some links to a psycholgical profile of the dynamics this lady has experienced.

I feel for her and feel a bit guilty for not having brought down the MSM. Still trying.

Peggy #20: it was Rik.

Nothing to feel guilty about Dredd. We are all doing the best that we can with the best that we have.

I just love having intelligent discussions with people such as yourself. Points are made and countered with total respect for the others' viewpoint and never degenerate into name calling. The worst that could happen is agreeing to disagree. Great, isn't it?

Going to read the links. They look very interesting. Talk to ya soon.

More "open thread" stuff... comments relating to nothing in particular:

---

It's been suggested that some day there may be an 'unexplained' shutdown of the internet and our normal channels of communication may be severed. For that reason I think it might be a good idea for some [or all!] of us to start saving important articles, and web pages, rather than simply reading or bookmarking them. Without an internet, we could still distribute a lot of very valuable information, using paper and photocopiers if necessary. But we would need to have captured the text [and/or the graphics] before the 'unexplained' shutdown in order to print things and copy them and share them.

It might seem like a tall order but at least we'll have some technology. The early Soviet dissidents had to do the same thing, but often without any tools.
See "samizdat" in the wikipedia for more inspiring stuff.

---

Links like this please don't read my blog are easier for the readers than URLs like this: http://winterpatriot.blogspot.com ... if you'd like to learn how to post a link, please click here for a short tutorial.

Also, if you want some practice in posting links, this would be a good thread to try it. If you have questions about what you see here, or if for some other reason you can't post a link, please ask questions on this thread. I'll be hanging around watching for people who need help.

---

How do you like having a thread that's completely open? Should we have one every day, or just once in a while, or what? If you tell us what you think, maybe we can make the site better. Otherwise, probably not! ;-(

---

I am reluctant to suggest rules, but how about this one: Any commenter who apologizes for going off topic on a completely open thread gets 40 lashes with a rolled-up newspaper. Fair enough?

---

Here's another quick lesson in HTML for BradBlog:

You can use
[i]'i' for italics[/i]
or [b]'b' for bold[/b]
or [b][i]both for both[/i][/b] ...

but you have to type angled brackets ( "" ) rather than square brackets ( "[" and "]" ) to get the desired effects.

Like this:
'i' for italics
or 'b' for bold
or both for both ...

Try this stuff out if the urge strikes you. I'll talk to you later...

on UNIX and LINUX systems it's common to have a 'fortune' program running --- every time you open a new window you get the equivalent of an electonic fortune cookie ...

I'm working hard this afternoon [can't you tell??] and the three most recent 'fortunes' I have seen are all timely, I think:

A nuclear war can ruin your whole day.

No doubt. I pray it doesn't come to that. And the harder we work, the better our chances...

I can't tell how much that was intended to be a joke. I have the same uncertainty about the following one:

A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you will look forward to the trip.

and I wonder whether this was what Condi had in mind when she said the time for diplomacy is now?

The third 'fortune' was a little more obviously 'tongue-in-cheek' but it still stings:

It now costs more to amuse a child than it once did to educate his father.

Feel free to comment about any of these things [or anything else of course!]

I gotta go do some work now ... catch you later!!

Winter Patriot #26 - Ooooh, I'll put those 'fortunes', especially the last one, in the "sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying" file.

------

Q: How many Bush Administration officials does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A: None. There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; its conditions are improving every day. Any reports of its lack of incandescence are a delusional spin from the liberal media. That light bulb has served honorably, and anything you say undermines the lighting effect. Why do you hate freedom?

Winter Patriot #25 - Thanks for the tutorial Winter Patriot (COOL handle btw) This format is a little different from what I'm used to (especially the

In fact, let's give it a try:

Ever wonder what outside financial interests a legislator in your state might have? Now you can find out with a couple of clicks of your mouse. Putting the country's government ethics laws to work, the Center for Public Integrity today made thousands of state legislators' outside interest disclosure filings available to online users.

State Legislators' 2004 Personal Disclosures

BTW, I LOVE the open thread (my usual method of life journey is via tangent roads off an open thread highway), but I can see where it could get confusing if looking for specific information at a later date. Is there a way to do a text search in archives for particular info?

Here's a hopeful link sent to me today by a good friend: the origin of the Peace Symbol

Winter Patriot,

Your comment about entering links because they are harder for spyware to "read" resonated profoundly with me. I have had a creepy day. Heads up, everyone. Get your spyware installed NOW.

As I was reading a link from BuzzFlash about the B*** family's history with the financing of Hitler's rise in Germany, I noticed that my server, which had gone dark, lighted up again and was running full bore. I immediately broke my server connection and ran a spyware "sweep." Silly me, I hadn't activated the program for blocking because it sometimes interferes annoyingly with the things I'm doing.

The sweep turned up a monitor, which had been installed in one of my graphics programs. Now, that system monitor had not been there this morning. It's not there now because I deleted it. But I don't like the fact that it had a chance to spy at all. Be very paranoid.

On a more encouraging note: in our tiny local weekly newspaper, independent of course, two long and very angry Letters to the Editor appeared today, both of them howling about the present administration. The first, written by a regular, began with the statement that he believed he would outlive America and he is 70.

Quick, inventors, where can we find an "anger energy" transformer and converter. We need to power our own "nuke"- and fast!

I've been posting with an erroneous web address. I hope this fixes it!

Sorry, everyone. :-\

Winter what am I doing wrong? I'm trying to link to:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/

And this is what I get.

[/a]

I'll try again.

Welcoming tourists to the good ole U.S. of A!

http://management.silico...39024677,39127374,00.htm

re #28:

Hey KB: you've got a nice functional link there! congrats!

"Is there a way to do a text search in archives for particular info?"

Yes. At the top right corner of the screen [i.e. scroll up on this one to see it] there's a 'search' form. Type the word or words you're looking for in the box just above the text "search the blog" button and then press 'enter' or click on "search the blog" to start the search. If you enter a single word, the search engine looks for any blog item containing that word. If you enter more than one word, the search engine looks for an entry containing all those words. If you want to find a phrase [i.e. given words all together in the same order] then quote the phrase. As far as I can tell. you can search through the main (blogged by:) items but not the comments. Brad can correct me on this when he gets back if I have any of this wrong. And ask more questions here if you feel the urge. That means KB or anyone else, of course...

#30: Peg C. wrote "Your comment about entering links because they are harder for spyware to "read" resonated profoundly with me."

Nobody understands me. I never said anything about spyware. The spies who are reading us are doing it with software but that's not the same as spyware. Spyware is like a virus and you have to take care of it at your end. It doesn't care how we format our comments. The spies who read us don't care either. They can find the stuff we're writing about no matter how we type it. They probably know about all that stuff before we do, anyway.

What I meant when I said "links are easier for readers than bare URLs" is that it's easier to click on a link than to copy-and-paste a URL. We post links rather than URLs as a courtesy to the people who are reading us. I hope that clears that one up; ask more questions if I have said anything you didn't understand.

re #31: Peg: the link to your blog works fine now. Thanks for fixing it up.

re #32 and #33: Cheryl: I will be around to help you in a little while. Sorry for the delay. Multitasking again...

re #2 and #33 again:

Cheryl: to link to "Crooks and Liars" at "http://www.crooksandliars.com/", do it like this:

<a href="http://www/crooksandliars.com/">Crooks and Liars</a>

You had the first part right both times but you didn't get the ending right either time. Practice makes perfect. Try again for sure. Ask again if necesary.

Sorry I misunderstood, WP. When you're shaken, you're shaken.

Incidentally, the system monitor "installed" on my PC is a type that runs continuous "screens" of internet use. It felt reallycreepy. And in that vein, (or maybe a different one, WP ), read this REALLY creepy article

#37 continued

from Mother Jones. Ha! I made the link. Hope it works.

Some have mentioned "weird" computer activity in these threads so I'll toss in some possible relief.

Here are two free spyware/malware programs for Windows users:
CWShredder: Download
Ad-Aware: Download

A free software firewall for Windows users:
ZoneAlarm: Download

Some basic HTML tips.

So you won't lose your parking spot on Brad Blog the above links will open in a new browser window except for the direct file download links.

How do you get a new window? Insert: target="_blank" following the url as in this example:
Brad Blog

Thank you all, have fun!

Oh yes. Winter Patriot, perhaps you could tell me how to correct my blog URL permanently so that I don't have to edit it every time I post. It's but a small thing, I own, but a pain nonetheless

And thank you, Torqued, for the HTML site. That's really useful and I needed it desperately!

Oops I broke it above, shoulda used the preview button?

An HTML example is displayed as typed using "entity" tags but since I failed I'll display it bracketed instead:
[a href="http://www.bradblog.com" target="_blank"]Brad Blog[/a]

Peg C, Did you try the "Remember me next time" checkbox above the Reset, Preview, Submit buttons when you post?

Yes, I think these open threads are really successful. It would be nice to have them as a regular feature, because often our urges towards communication are not germane to specific postings. Judging by the response here, other people like them too.

Torqued -

AHA

Oh, and Torqued,

The reason my posts #37 and #38 were sent separately is that I tried a "preview" of the first, intending to go back and finish it as one post. But back, upstream so to speak, my message had vanished. I had to paddle frantically downstream again, post it, and add a second installment. Bluebird lost a long post that way yesterday.

I doubt anyone makes as many mistakes as I... forgetting to copy my text before previewing has cost me plenty too.

And yes, these open threads are great for all that other necessary chatter...

re: open threads - maybe Fridays would be a good day? Don't know about y'all, but by the time Friday rolls around, I'm ready to tell the truth and shame the devil, so to speak.

BTW, ran across this on Truthout - could that flicker in the dark be a candle of hope that maybe, just MAYBE, these folks are starting to figure it out?

What If (It Was All a Big Mistake)?

Okay, so I'm an optimist - sue me.

KestrelBrighteyes,

You may be a blasted optimist, but you are my favorite raptor, I swear. And I'm an inveterate birder!

Herewith an Openthread OT:

Many years ago, as a single parent struggling to support two children on a female's salary and maintain my identity as an articulate person, a writer with a "voice," I wrote a poem about the "Sunday Gardener:" "...The Sunday gardener knows his limits and his discontent..." Little did I divine then that I would be struggling with the same limitations three decades later - and in a mortal cause.

To translate: the "Sunday Gardener" in this context is the perforce dilletante, the person who must pursue his passion as if it were an avocation because he cannot afford to do otherwise. A professional agriculturalist or horticulturalist has seven days a week to devote to his passion. The Sunday gardener has but one - and few professional contacts. O.K. Now I've parsed the line into bran flakes, perhaps I can get to the point. Most of us ARE Sunday gardeners like me; and many of us have great gifts and important things to say. But the platforms, except on the Internet, are not there.

I know many of us are in the same condition - frustrated communicators, attempting to "disturb the universe" by commenting on blogs and sending messages to Congress. We ARE getting through, though. Things ARE being brought up. Light IS being cast, however frustratingly weakly, on very dark places. No matter how feebly our individual voices broadcast, the sum of them is creating an increasingly impressive volume.

Blessings upon you, Sunday gardeners and patriots. I'm very proud of us.

Re #47

That is a brilliant article, the questions are searching, pertinent and unpartisan in nature and echoes much that I have been thinking for years.

And those words flowed from the mind of a Republican.

I have made a point before in another thread (in a galaxy far, far away...) that I have no fight with Republicans - I disagree with much that they say, but they are not my enemy. A lot of people who consider themselves to be Republicans are decent folk who hold liberty as dear as we do.

The neo-cons who conceive of this are not my enemy - everyone is free to express their opinion, I do not assume the right of censure becuase I disagree.

The neo-cons who make it policy ARE my enemy - their views are being imposed not just on US citizens, but on people all around the globe, without consultation and without representation.

Once again, I say do not alienate all Republicans - not all are Repigs or bushites, many are moderates who only now are beginning to see what the future holds if the current administration is not impeded. They deserve support in moving forward away from this situation as anyone else, possibly more so because they are going against the lies which they have believed in.

Anyone who agrees with these values can find some common ground with me:

All mankind is created equal, not just US citizens.

No-one should be deprived of property or liberty without due process of law, justly conceived and fairly applied.

Every vote counts and every vote counted.

Might does not make right.

Tax is not a malady which requires relief - it is the duty of each citizen to provide the common infrastructure for the good of all.

Healthcare for all is a fundamental right,as is a decent education. A populace that is sick and ignorant is a sure sign of a callous society.

Government regulation is not always bad, businesses have proved beyond any doubt that they cannot be trusted with self-regulation on many issues.

As you would harm no other do as thou wilt.

There are probably many more, but these are what I can come up with off the top of my head.

Peg C,

I like your Sunday Gardener comment #49. And totally, infinitely love these open threads. Friday is a good idea. There is so much talent here, I can't get enough of everyone. Maybe you could post the poem one of these days?

Our communication on the Internet is unique. We connect mind to mind with no other sensory distraction. I think it is developing new and improved connections in our brains. And we get such a mightily diverse audience. Instanly. Any time, day or night. It's a new and innovative type of communication and I am so excited to be part of it.

Peg, do you remember the Dr. Suess story, Horton Hears A Who? All these little people were trapped on a weed (or a speck of dust) in a field needing help. In order to get the attention of Horton the Elephant, every Who in Whoville got together and raised their voices in unison. Horton saved them. This reminds me of Whoville.

Re:47..... I came across that today and felt a portent of things to come. I agree with Da Wookie. Absolutely. If we can listen, and even learn to "like" sensible Republicans, our country can grow strong again. I have to work personally at controlling then rage I feel for everyone that voted for Bush the last time. That one is tough.

Hi Teresa,
A colored bit of glass,
A spiral, weathered shell,
The howling of the wind,
The sounding of a bell.
The words are there to hear,
And here to there as well...

Sorry, Teresa! Wrong poem...

Did I succeed?

Public can force withdrawal of troops from Iraq

Yippee!!! Cool.

Yet more election fraud

OMG Winter, I think you have created a monster!!!

re #54-56: Yep!
Yippee!!! is RIGHT
Rock On, Cheryl!

Hi Teresa, Czaragorn, Cheryl, Da Wookie, Winter P,

Glad we're still here. Isn't life interesting?! Congratulations, Cheryl!

Thank you. Thank you very much. How exciting!! Now what Winter?

Now what? That's up to you, Cheryl!

I'm so glad this thread is open, because I just got back from AlterNet, having read Jules Siegel's new article there, and it puts our whole outrage into righteous, vindicated perspective. Just a sample:

"It's hard to say which is more disgusting, the descriptions of the torture or the bone-chilling analyses of how the president of the United States gave himself the powers of an absolute military dictator. Under Military Order No. 1, which the president issued without congressional authority on November 13, 2001, George W. Bush has ordered people captured or detained from all over the world, flown to Guant�namo and tortured in a lawless zone where, the White House asserts, prisoners have no rights of any kind at all and can be kept forever at his pleasure. Despite the at-best marginal intervention of the American courts so far, there is no civilian judicial review, no due process of any kind."

Who in his/her right mind WOULDN'T be revolted, alarmed and angry?

As I alluded to in #50, we have seen the results of division and now we are reaping the wild wind. As long as we can agree on the issues at hand, then we should work with whoever (of integrity) will assist our cause.

As Conyers and Boxer recieved accolades here for their fight for truth, should be we not accord Ron Paul with similar praise? As a republican, it could (and probably) will be construed as critisism of the Bush elite and will most likely signal if not the end of his career, then the beginning of a very rocky path for him.

I say "RON PAUL SPEAKS OUT - HUZZAH!!". I don't care what colour his politics, in the current environment anyone in Congress who says these things publicly deserves recognition. Someone get an interview with that man...

When the democrats in Congress (with a few obvious and noteworthy exceptions) can develop this level of guts, then we might be getting somewhere, but until they stop sitting on their fat, overpaid arses and start being the oppositiion that they were elected to be, then people like Conyers, Boxer AND Paul will continue to be all we have. I hate to break it to you folks, but that won't be enough - damn the divisions, let's see some unity.

Vive le revolution de velours, mes amis.

Teresa,

Your comment in #51:

"Our communication on the Internet is unique. We connect mind to mind with no other sensory distraction. I think it is developing new and improved connections in our brains. And we get such a mightily diverse audience. Instanly. Any time, day or night. It's a new and innovative type of communication and I am so excited to be part of it."

This reminded me startlingly of Teilhard de Chardin's ruminations in the forties concerning a universal mind and its logical inevitability. Read his books "The Phenomenon of Man" (sorry, I haven't studied the "How to underline" part yet!) and "The Hymn of the Universe." Our copies are so marked up they're almost illegible.

Peg C,

That sounds fantastic! I love the titles.
"Hymn of the Universe" is right up my street.
Will get and read.

Some things have come to mind I'd like to say. Be back later to join all these brilliant minds.

You go girl!

" In that garden where Adam lost his primeval innocence there stood, we have been told, two forbidden trees: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life. Adam ate of the first, and was driven from the garden lest he eat of the second. But between these two stood other trees, of which Adam was not told, and one of which has been found by some of his children.
For Adam taught his children, as he labored to till the soil, that the cure for the ills that come of knowledge is more knowledge. His children did not forget, and in any case they could not have turned back. Some of them came again to the entrance of the garden, where the angel barred the way. Though his flaming sword slew many, some made their way past. But they did not come to the tree of life.
Instead, after many hardships, they came to a great tree which had twin trunks, the branches of which interlaced, and the fruit of the two could not be distinguished. The name of the nearer trunk was the tree of knowledge how worlds are made, and the name of the farther trunk was the tree of knowledge how worlds are destroyed. And Adam's children ate; and they were seized with a great fear, beyond any fear that man had known, which left them no peace nor rest, but drove them on.
The road beyond lies through dark and dangerous chasms; and whether they will win through, it is not given to us to know. If they do, they may come to the tree which bears the knowledge of how worlds may be made in which man may safely live. Only then - if their search succeeds thus far - may they be ready to reach out to the tree of life which stands beyond. "

Epilogue, "Economic Institutions and Human Welfare," John Maurice Clark, Alfred a Knopf, New York, 1957

John Maurice Clark was my grandfather, an economist and social democrat as his father had been before him. I thought that perhaps these words from his "Epilogue" were very timely right now. Though I've read them myself many times, they've never struck such a necessary chord with me as in the present crisis of the world's conscience.

Yes, Cheryl!

I'm not one to proclaim heroes, but she seems to be the woman of the hour, doesn't she? What would we do without her?

Thank you everyone for all your personal insights and research.

I was thinking this morning, about the possible assassination of George Bush. Something Theresa said about being a "sacrificial lamb". As Bush and his agenda become increasingly unpopular with Americans (his role is to be "likeable" and "popular", leading Americans merrily down the path of destruction without having them suspect a thing), he will cease to be an asset and become a growing liability for the neocons. One way to resolve this problem would be if his "assassination" occurred. Americans would immediately set aside their objections to the man and his policies, and join the call to "avenge" the death of their "President". So, the last thing we want, is a "Bush Martyr". If he is murdered, the people who will benefit the most will be the neocons. It will be presented to us that "...Abu...Bin...Iranian...Nuclear..." so-and-so group did it, and we therefore must bomb Iran and Syria and N. Korea and...etc., and declare a national emergency...

This is something we should talk about. It may well keep Bush alive and slow down the neocon objectives.

Peggy,

Slow down on the "wheels-within-wheels-within...!" I really don't think that anyone is obsessing about "the ultimate solution." I believe we're all working towards a more civilized demise to this fiasco. The b-word is no lamb, and he is sacrificing himself.

Oh, ye of little faith, have hope, at least, that your fellows in sanity are at least a little bit pragmatic and sane!

Peace...

Czaragorn, is there really such a thing as a "wrong poem"?
I like that. One of yours?

Peggy #68.
It did cross my mind that #!&%! was becoming a liability, and thet they would try to get rid of him. His popularity is really declining now. You can hardly drum up extreme nationalism with a jackass that few people like. But It looks like the whole thing is unraveling. The inauguration speech was a colossal joke, and revealed the true madness and incoherence of the Alexander the Great wannabe.
If they were about to succeed in this global military coup, I think they would have a better strategy than this. They are getting more and more ridiculous as time goes on.
In fact, history may well look back on this time and say," Oh, yeah. Wasn't that the nutty President who wanted to end tyanny in the world in four years? Actually, that was when the USA became morbidly afraid of carbohydrates.

O those damn typos!

This probably isn't a new idea, but it's gotta be worth a try. In the 90's Newt Gingrich (I think it was - throw me a frickin' bone here! I'm only a limey) came out with the 10 point contract. Now as I recall, in it's content it was a crock of shit, but the idea was sound - it gave a quick list of ten points to define an idealogy. One of the many problems facing us is that the terms liberal and progressive have been very successfully subverted by the right to mean communist, unpatriotic, weak or whatever else serves their purpose at the time.

I suggest that we do something similar. I think that ten points is about right, it's simple, easy to remember, any more you lose the thread, any less you lack any meaningful definition. My opening suggestions are (with apologies to Jeff Foxworthy):

1. If you believe in Government BY the people, FOR the people, you might be a liberal.

2. If you believe that everyone is created equal, you might be a liberal.

3. If you believe that "as thou wouldst harm no other, do as thou wilt", you might be a liberal.

4. If you believe that "Those who exchange liberty for security will soon find that they have neither", you might be a liberal.

5. If you believe that anyone has the right to speak out publicly without fear of arrest or imprisonment, you might be a liberal.

6. If you believe that no-one should be deprived of property or liberty without due process of law, you might be a liberal.

7. If you believe that every vote should count and every vote should be counted, you might be a liberal.

8. If you believe that labour and environmental regulations are a good thing, you might be a liberal.

9. If you believe in balanced budgets, you might be a liberal.

10. If you believe that Military force should only be used as a last resort, you might be a liberal.

Any and all suggestions welcomed.

Vive le revolution de velours, mes amis.

Peg C,

What a wonderful, talented, humanitarian family you come from. No wonder you have the character you do.

It gives me great faith to know that people like this are always around. Things are so much easier to bear when taken to a higher level.
I always count on artists, writers, and great thinkers to get me there.

We have a job to do now.

Monsieur Da Wookie,

I'm afraid the people who believe the labels have descended so far into cognitive dissonance, that they are unreachable. To associate progressive(progress) with weakness, Communism, etc., is so far gone, I wouldn't know where to begin. So many of them have completely shut down, and have taken their illusion too far. They are clinging desparately at this point.

But we could start calling Bush a "babykiller", since he loves to murder Iraqi children and is so against health care for the children of his own country. They understand terms like that.

Or when they've lost their home and possessions, their elderly parents are homeless and suffering, and their sick children are dying, they might come to understand that the "progressives" have a way to help them.

And here's something to cheer you up on our great leader's "Day of Demockracy".
This was posted on Daily Kos:

by Armando
Sat Jan 29th, 2005 at 21:30:35 PST

From the Wingnuts(this is for real):

"President Bush is not content to be the best President since Reagan; he wants to be the greatest President since Lincoln. I still think he has a shot. The next few months will tell a great deal."

Replies:

1.Surely he was talking about Rudolph Avery Lincoln, (4.00 / 26)

president of the Knights of Columbus, Beantown, Iowa chapter, circa 1945, who is rumored to have gotten so sloshed at the annual chili roast he disgorged his contents in Ma Bumpkin's famous fire roast chili. Fortunately no one seems to have noticed the difference.
I think Bush may have a shot there.

2.I'd love it... (none / 0)

...if Bush would adopt some of Lincoln's policies.
As his first step toward doing this, may I suggest an evening at the theatre.

Re #74

Teresa, I�m not sure that I totally agree. When there is only one source of information, most people will believe it. IMO one of the many mistakes of the liberal/progressive side of the fence is that we have failed to correct the right when these slurs have been made and the majority will assume that is because that deep down we know it to be true. Even the gutless behaviour of most Democrats in congress can be viewed as weak liberals covering in fear of the "right" Right. If we start engaging in puerile name calling, we bring ourselves down to the level of those we criticise and only serve to weaken our own position and strengthen theirs.

We need to get the message out in an easily digestible form and many people in the US who vote conservative have liberal views - I forget who (it was probably Al Franken or Michael Moore) gave some very convincing statistics of this. We need to reach these people and give them something to believe in that more closely matches their own values. I reckon most people with liberal values who vote conservative do so because THE RIGHT GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN - lies probably, but the values of the right are presented clearly.

If we present our values just as clearly, then we at least can provoke some thought on the issues - even if we don't convince many we can at least present an alternative view, something we have failed to do for a couple of decades now. Forget focus groups, steering groups and all that crap, establish a core set of values and make sure all policies adhere to them. Present them clearly to the populace and then let them choose. Yeah, I know the right have the MSM eating out of the palm of their hand, so "be the media, someone has to". Spread those values by word of mouth, in the blogosphere, casually bringing these topics up with work colleagues, by any means necessary. I travel to and from work on the Underground and when I print out an article to read, I leave it on the train. I know that it will probably get pitched with all the other papers and leaflets on the train, but if JUST ONE person reads it beforehand, I'll have given food for thought to someone who may have been factually malnourished. Not much, I'll be the first to admit, but something and the good thing is TPTB can't stop me.

While I agree that there are unreachables, in the absence of compelling evidence I refuse to believe that they form anything like a majority. In any election, there appear to be about 20% who are undecided, let us present our values to them. We progressive/liberals have been too passive for too long and I for one am spoiling for a fight. As long as we fight passionately with our values (truth and compassion), stay focused on our aims and refuse to fight on ground picked by the right, we can make a difference. I can't say for sure that the current mess can be turned around without hardship, but our silence has been consistently used by the right as proof positive of our collaboration, so we need to remove that weapon from their arsenal of lies.

My opinions, no humility, no apologies

Vive le revolution de velours, mes amis.

{Admin: A comment from the Taco Parrot has been moved here from a thread on which it was off-topic}

-------- original message follows ---------

Brad: william had a very good question. Do you suppose you could give us an answer? Thank you.

Jimmo

COMMENT #133 [link]
...jimmmmo said on 1/26/2005 @ 3:38pm PT...

COMMENT #131 [link]

...william said on 1/26/2005 @ 10:13am PT...
JUST a quick question on where the Privacy Policy on this web site is?? I like to debate issues, but there does not seem to be a privacy policy posted here anywhere. I would like to engage people in spirited debate, but not if state privacy laws could or would be violated. I know California State law requires a policy be posted to protect California residents. My own state AG is horrendously tough on internet privacy violations. Anybody know where the policy is here? Thanks!

Great point William!

In almost every state, web sites operators that do not protect or respect the privacy of people visiting that site could be held criminally and /or financially liable for loss, injury, or damage as a result.
You are wise to ask. You are right, there is no privacy policy posted here so if you are correct about California, and I presume you are, the law states the policy has to be posted; and that is just one state's requirement.

Our state AG is very interested in this.

Re #77

From the grammar and spelling, I'd say that Jimmo had some help with this one.

You're telling me that the Attorney General of the state of California is terribly interested in this lil' ol' blog site and yet is too busy to keep an eye on what the Power Barons are up to?

That figures, welcome to Arnieville.

I'll be back. :-p

{Admin: A comment from the Taco Parrot has been moved here from a thread on which it was off-topic}

-------- original message follows ---------

http://www.privacy.ca.go.../lawenforcement/laws.htm

Governor S really is into this stuff.

re #77 and the many duplicated comments posted on other threads:

Mr. Friedman is out of the office at the moment. He will be able to answer your questions when he returns.

Looks like it's just more distraction from trolls (Jimmo?).

To my knowledge, this blog doesn't retain personal information on specific users (and I'm guessing the "remember me" features use cookies that are stored client-side). As nothing personal is recorded about visitors... why would there be a need for a privacy policy?

You cannot distract us from seeking the truth or from seeking justice being served to shitheads like Blackwell, Feeney, LaPore and co. - Nothing will stop us or throw us off course... least of all your lame trolling efforts... ya might as well just give it up.

Hi Peggy,
#68 is a very scary posting because I am more afraid of Cheney than Bush (if that's possible). To save the situation they would BOTH need to be gone!

34 Scandals during the first 4 years

Anyone have any more?

Teresa # 70 - 'Twas the summer of his life,
the songbird should have thrived;
bereft of love's sweet greath,
instead he just survived...
He met an angel from his dreams,
he knew when she arrived...
The roses bloomed, the sun shone through,
And now he sings, revived...

Oops - wrong poem again!

Damn! I never preview - make that breath

Da Wookie #72, #76 -

Your attitudes and methodology are just right, oh friend across the pond! Long live the velvet revolution!

re: # 77

Privacy? We don't got no stinkin' privacy! We don't need no stinkin' privacy! (somehow does not compute) Just hand over the oil. Some things are timeless...

Da Wookie...#76,

Of course I agree with your sound reasoning. And I have always believed that honesty would prevail.
But what disturbs me is some deep attraction to negative sensationalism, judging from what the majority watches on television. People seem to be suffering from boredom...too much to eat, too much to watch, little real spiritual fulfillment...some deep seated rage.
I've stayed out of politics until now, and I don't watch TV, because of the hate and low level of mental stimulation. So I was horrified at witnessing the slander in the last campaign.
Sometimes the reasonable message approach seems like trying to be intellectual with a child in the middle of a temper tantrum.
I, of course, don't mean to say we shoud try and get our message across like they do. It's National Enquirer level.
But I think we are being manipulated by the right when we think we are not getting through. That something is fundamentally wrong, and we need to radically change. I think that belief is weakening us further.
Considering that the last Democratic candidate actually won the popular vote with a crystal clear message of fighting for the middle class makes me think that our problems are not with communicating our values as much as we are being manipulated to believe.
The last election proved that the Democratic values are those of the majority.

Czaragorn,

Thanks....#84.
That has more significance than you realize.

I think the problem is that we are in a leadership crisis now. In the grip of something beyond our control. No one has the answer. We are being forced to tap into ourselves. There is a feeling of being abandoned by a parent. So we scramble to mature a bit. Time will tell us what to do.

First, I may not post very often, but I read every word. You all give me such comfort to know that I am not alone. I am supposed to be preparing for a big trade show that I will be ehibiting at starting on the 11th, but I can't seem to pull myself away from the blogs and Velvet Revolution to prepare for our exhibit.

KestrelBrighteyes, I can fully relate. I am a very blue liberal living in a very red Tennessee and feel surrounded at times by total ignorance. When this Brooklyn girl moved to TN, the question I always got was simply, WHY? (a business decision, by the way) I'm still trying to answer that and since the election, I am feeling even more out of place. I have found pockets of blues and have made some of the strongest friendships based on our kindred idiologies - isn't it strange how idiology has become a focal point in our everyday lives when, up until the election, it never even became a topic of conversation? I was taught to never discuss religion or politics and now politics is the foundation of my life. (Being Jewish doesn't come up too often in rural TN if I can help it!)

The reason I'm interjecting here today is that I have been extremely upset (among other reasons for being upset about this mess we're in) about an article I read this morning and wondered if any of you saw it. If not, here is the link I created: http://tinyurl.com/6pl89 I don't know if it will be something you can click on, but try to read if if you can. It is called, "Bush Aims to Form a GOP Legacy" and it is from the Washington Post.

What can we all do to stop this surge of imperialism that Bush et al are trying to ram down our throats? This country is founded on a 2 party (or more) system and he is trying with all his political might to eliminate the Democratic party. This is insane! He feels unstopable due to his "mandate" (yeah, right!)

I look at the Congress and the Senate and all I see is Republican rule and protection of Bush by both the legislative and judicial branches of our government. Whatever happened to checks and balances? Even if we could impeach him, that still leaves Chaney, heaven forbid! And if we managed to get rid of both, there's still Hastert!

I don't read much any more about the fact that the Congress and Senate have also been subjected to stolen elections - there was much said about this at the beginning. Bush and his henchmen have found a way to create a political fortress around themselves to avoid any punishment such as impeachment. Without the cooperation of the Congress, there cannot be an impeachment. Does anyone know of an alternate avenue?

I can't even complain to my Congressman or Senators - I've got Bill Frist and Lamar Alexander to deal with! I feel that I cannot even contact any of the people who "represent" me because they don't!

Read the article if you can - yes, it's just one more of many we've seen - but he feels invincible. He feels that he can stomp on the Democratic party and eliminate them (yes, the article actually says this!) and we have to not only stop this from happening but come up with REAL ways to strengthen the party and we have to come out fighting, but I am stumped about how to do this.

Of course, feelings of invincibility are the first signs of weakness and that may end up being his downfall, but how can we deal with another 4 years (and beyond, if Rove has his manipulative say) - this is the first time I feel that our democracy is in danger. This is the first time that our democracy HAS been endangered!

Sorry for all the ranting, but I felt that this open forum (thanks Brad and Company!) was the perfect way to air this. Maybe now I can figure out a way to concentrate for a few moments to prepare for this show next week after airing my frustrations. The show is very important to my future, but so is my country and our freedom!

Thanks to all of you for being there and keeping me from going insane. Thanks for your intelligent posts and a reason to continue hoping. And thanks, Brad, I start every day reading this blog - keep it coming!

Vive le revolution!

After all that, I just realized that there are 2 more current open threads. Do you think anyone will still read this one?

Ilene #92.

Yes.

Hi, Cheryl #82 - I guess my point in #68 relates to what Freebird and others have been saying about a CRISES that will give the neocons total control: the assassination of Bush would do that (a) like you say, Cheney would be President (b) a foreign entity would be blamed, i.e., Iran (c) and Americans who DID NOT like Bush would nevertheless rally around the neocons and Cheney to avenge the death of Bush. Yes, it would be terribly advantageous to the neocons if Bush were assassinated. They would be my first suspects if anything "happened" to Bush.

Where has all the money gone?

re #76: Da Wookie wrote:

"I travel to and from work on the Underground and when I print out an article to read, I leave it on the train. I know that it will probably get pitched with all the other papers and leaflets on the train, but if JUST ONE person reads it beforehand, I'll have given food for thought to someone who may have been factually malnourished. Not much, I'll be the first to admit, but something and the good thing is TPTB can't stop me."

I've been meaning to suggest similar tactics. They couldn't stop you from leaving an article in a coffee shop either, could they? or a dozen other places in a big city? could they?

----

re #91: Ilene you proud liberal: Never hesitate to rant, especially on an open thread. And that was a good one, so thanks. We need more good rants around here.

Yu brought up a good point that I have been meaning to mention:

"I may not post very often, but I read every word."

There are a lot of readers in the same boat, Ilene. And there are a lot of others who read every word even though they never post. How do we know this? It's simple. Every now and then somebody pops up and says "I've been reading this blog for quite a while now and I figured it's about time I said something."

Somebody on another thread said that blogging isn't making any difference (or words to that effect) but I think he was wrong about that. Posts like #91 on this thread and the first one from Kestral the other day are evidence that what I'm saying is true. So I'd say let's keep up the good work and anyone who wants to argue with me may do so, especialy since this is an open thread!

Winter Patriot,

Yes, blogging IS making a difference. I just came back from a very long Progressive planning session in my tiny rural Maine town. There were about fifty people there, county party officials too, and they were all determined and energized. But what united everyone in excitement and hope was the fact that they could get together, share and store information, and coordinate their actions and communications on a blogsite: the one that I set up for just that purpose some time ago and which will now, I hope, begin to be useful.

Blog on, all. It's the best comfort we have right now.

Re: # 91 Ilene I would have to disagree that it doesn't do any good to write your Senator or Congressperson just because they belong to the "other" party. My senators here in Missouri are both Republican. Christopher Bond changed his mind on a highway bill some time ago as the result of petitions and e-mails. Most politicians take notice when they recieve about a thousand or more letters or e-mails. I knew "Winter Patriot" the typo hound would notice the (t) missing in my previous. Guess it was manxed.

Pushcat,

Tail or no tail (and it didn't take a "typo-hound" to miss - when a post is posted "PUSHCA" people notice), you're a brick. Both of MY senators are GOP - in a Blue state yet - and it's hard to know what to say or where to ask. Huh? This is one CONFUSED electorate! Does anyone stand for anything? The voters would like to know!

Re #98

One of the reasons that I have (repeatedly) said that we progressives should not dismiss all republicans is that I don't actually think much of the democrats right now - they roll over and let the neo-cons rub their bellies when they're told to (with a few notable exceptions). Please don't go thinking that you live in a multi party system, because to all intents and purposes, you don't. How many democrats actually voted for the Patriot act? Lots. That, my friend, is aiding and abetting the shredding of the bill of rights and, IMO is inexcuseable.

When you have a party not in government who opposes those in government, THEN AND ONLY THEN do you have an opposition and therefore a two party system. What you currently have is a party in power and a party of craven cowards who, when told by the neo-cons to jump say "Massa, how high?"

The only hope for the democrats is Howard Dean, forget Kerry - let us not forget, he promised to fight to the last vote and then IN THE FACE OF OBVIOUS ELECTION TAMPERING, CONCEDED WELL BEFORE THE VOTES WERE COUNTED AND THEN TOOK A HOLIDAY. Those are the facts, he promised a fight and then cut and ran - he let us down once and would likely do it again. The fact that he has not lent his name to any legal action over this doesn't improve his standing in my eyes, where I come from, there's a name for people who talk a good fight and then run away...

I reckon we should drop the party politics, they just don't work anymore. Vote for people on the basis of their policies, not their parties.

Vive le revolution de velours, mes amis.

Ilene #91 - Thank you so much for venting with all of us out here! Once we put it all together we're gonna let out one mother of all collective belches! Thanks too for the link - it just about says it all - what a bunch of dishonest, crude, shallow, greedy people! You are not alone in noticing the mark of the beast, and you'll never have to stand alone as long as we all stay in touch. My own contribution is to strive to somehow get us kindred spirits far and wide all together, say around the Ides of March, with each and every one of us sending a bag of pretzels to geeduhbayabullsh. How would the post office deal with 50 million bags of pretzels, each pretzel carrying the same unmistakable message? It's hard to hide 50 million bags of pretzels, hard to sweep under the rug. The Czechs gathered in the town squares and jingled their keys, signalling to TPTW that it was time to go. It worked. It was called the Velvet Revolution, even though it was a hoax - but that's another story. So let's get out there and jingle our pretzels. BTW, I have absolutely no connection to the pretzel industry. And, in the flush of victory, we must not fail to ensure that the housecleaning is thorough!
Rock on! cha cha cha

Peg C #97 - Right on, lady! Ain't you cunnin'? Setting up blogsites and all. Are you a real Mainer? I'm not (meaning my parents and grandparents aren't buried there), but I spent enough time there growing up to feel and think like one, and I may go back real soon. In any case, it would account for your wonderfully understated blilliance, deah.

And Peg C, your senators are sentient beings, and they can certainly be engaged in discussions. You go girl! With your eloquence you can turn their red eyes blue, I'd wager... What a coup for the good guys, having those two join Jeffords!

Czaragorn,

TU for the two posts above. Ayuh, I'm a real Maineiac right enough, or half one! And half of my extended clan is as well, though we tend to be nomadic for reasons of employment, largely academic.

I am aware that Collins and Snowe sensiate better than most GOP-ers. So I do write them annoyingly frequent e-letters, largely of petition, sometimes requesting politely that that rethink their loyalties.
We pay their salaries, after all.

And do return to Maine soon. It's amazingly hospitable to eccentricity and dissent.

re# 100 DA Wookie. I have to agree the two party system in this country no longer exists. Too many democrats "DO" vote with the republicans. Its time for a Labor Party in this country. Someone who will represent the wage earners in this country, teachers laborers, machine operators, etc. etc. etc.

People, another scary set of statistics.

Wonder if this made it into the MSM over there? This kind of reading would warm Karl Rove's heart - if he had one.

Vive le revolution, mes amis.

Yay CBC! What a great week. First Ann Coulter and now Bill O'Reilly. Woo-hoo!

Bill freaks out!

Yo Cheryl! Please keep those fine links coming!

I'm with Czaragorn, Cheryl! Thanks for the links. I hadn't yet had my Smirking Chimp fix of the day.

Does anyone else think that we need a new open thread? This one has grown so long it's in dangered of tangling!

Yeah, We're getting like kittens in the yarn.

What fun! Please pass the catnip!

ME-E-E-O-O-O-O-W

You guys are so much fun!
Don'tcha love these open threads?

OK...Here's a couple of verses from the song "Cat Scratch"... done in a walking bluesy rhythm... snap your fingers and get into it.

There's a new thing, new thing goin' round.
Everybody's doin' it, doin it now.
It's easy, easy enough to catch
And the name of the thing is the Cat Scratch.

We can't pay the bills, we ain't got the rent
All of the money, it came and it went
Until we, run into a little cash
We're just gonna have to sit around
And do the Cat Scratch.

Life hurts So what are you gonna do
With yourself You gotta get up and move
A moment of pleasure
Is what you gotta snatch
You have got to learn to do the
Cat Scratch.

Bravo, Teresa!

Get DOWN, Teresa! I don't know the lingo, being a downeast yankee and all, but I can sure get into the emotions.

And onward to the new Open Thread!

Freedom is on the march!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wholy cow, what a bunch of rubish throwing pacificts!! why not just take a trip to France, or Canada and make yourselves a new home, because obviously your all very miserable living in a country that is committed to allowing people freedom from murdering dictaors, and rapists. I am amazed that anyone could find it in their hearts that it is wrong or (laughably illegal) to defend our nation from terrorists and would rather sit back with their hands under their butts waiting for more civilians in our country or in others, to die, rather than striking them down first. It's all peace, love and harmony until your brother, wife, husband, or child die from another attack, while you all sit and slam an adminastration that has the courage to do something to protect you! Perhaps you would rather that Bush used attacks against enemies of our nation, when he wants to distract you from Grand Jury testimony. I'm sure there are more asprin manufacturing plants out there, other than the one Clinton blew up! Who cares about all the folks that died at US embassy's during Clinton's reign. Liberal, pacifics, democrates don't care about fighting for freedom, they only care about fighting to get things for free!!

Who will believe the bu$hit lie "This particular program does not actually monitor conversations"? Only the kool aid drinkers!

I went back one of our Brad Blog past discussions of the spying in this republican dictatorship:

1/25/2005 link here, yes, 2005. Read Doe v Ashcroft and now tell me I was just being paranoid over a year ago.

And a year before that ...

i thought you might enjoy this letter which I found while reading skippy the bush kangaroo