It’s a fine, fine day…

I see it’s being captioned as: “Bush signs tough new interrogation bill” instead of “Bush signs torture into US statutes.” Score another one for the front-page above-the-fold crowd.

WF,

It’s like the suicide seat. At least the BCS considers the Gators and the ‘Horns top tier teams. I think we’ll run the table for the rest of the season, so I’m hoping for the Sugar Bowl.

Any lawyers around who can translate this into something I can understand?

(From page 18) “TORTURE.—A statement obtained by use of torture shall not be admissible in a military commission under this chapter, except against a person accused of torture as evidence that the statement was made”.

This is my favorite part so far:

‘‘(f) STATUS OF COMMISSIONS UNDER COMMON AR
TICLE 3.—A military commission established under this chapter is a regularly constituted court, affording all the necessary ‘judicial guarantees which are recognized as indispensable by civilized peoples’ for purposes of common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions.
‘‘(g) GENEVA CONVENTIONS NOT ESTABLISHING SOURCE OF RIGHTS.—No alien unlawful enemy combatant subject to trial by military commission under this chapter may invoke the Geneva Conventions as a source of rights.

Soooo….the judicial guarantees are “indispensible” unless we decide we can dispense with them.

We can only hope that Bush inadvertently inserted his usual “except for me” signing statement, thereby revoking the expanded Presidential powers created by the bill.

“alien unlawful enemy combatant.”

Reckon what were the authors smoking, and can we have some please? Such adversaries are traditionally thought of as small and green, and more likely to be visible to the really stoned. Does the Air Force really have the ones who crashed at Area 57 cryogenically frozen?

sjelly,

Illusory safety over the rights the greatest generation fought and died to preserve. The irony is really sickening.

One of the biggest things that pisses me off to end is that while Bush and his cronies spout Levidicus and (correct spelling?) and practically everything else in the Bible at us, he has done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that could even remotely distinguish him as the “good Christian” he never shuts up about being. Now, granted, I myself am not of the Christian faith, but if I remember correctly, and from what I do know, Jesus was an accepting, open-hearted, open-minded, and peaceful man who loved even those who opposed him. “Good Christian,” Bush? I, and many other civilized human beings, sincerely think not.

Hot Tub Tommy,

Been wondering what was up with you. We pray for you every day. In fact, the Green Swamp Godpeople are holding a Pray for Hot Tub Tommy event this Sunday afternoon. It is an offense in the eyes of God, an abomination that stinks in His Nostrils, that the vast left wing conspiracy was able to take down one of God’s True Champions.

Challenger blew up on my birthday. I watched it in real time from the parking lot of Citizen’s Bank of Leesburg. Still appals me that safety took a back seat to egos and agendas.

I did hear a reference yesterday on NPR to “high-fat soft drinks.” Now, I’ve always gotten a kick out of the presence of brominated vegetable oil in Mountain Dew, but I don’t think there’s ever been an issue with the fat content of soft drinks. (There was Porko-Cola, the high-lard drink with the refreshing taste of pork rinds in every can, but that is no longer on shelves for other reasons.)

David, as I told one of the little rednecks earlier, upon hearing…Brian Williams?, the greatest generation hasn’t even been born yet.
Be an optimist for a while and quit thinking like an ACLU lawyer.

“We’ve sat idly by while Bush, Cheney, Gonzales, and Rumsfeld arrogate to themselves all the powers of dictators. Hurrah for America may she rot in peace.”

I don’t want to be sitting idly by, I just don’t know that/how I can change anything. Is there anything we (jo schmo blue state citizens) can do that might make a difference?

Amen to Siobhan’s advice.

Leaves are turning in WNC (and the sweet gums are turning back down on the edge of the Green Swamp, soon to be joined by the maples). I’m taking these natural phenomena as signs of beautiful changes November 7.

Speaking of Politics and asking what you can do-

Continuing the saga of Tony Barr.

The good news is that Esquire Magazine has endorsed Tony and he talked to a reporter with the Los Angeles Times, but so far most of the media is ignoring this district. There is a reason for that. Our opponent Bill Shuster who Esquire called an underperforming representative, has made his campaign strategy to hide and hope that Tony either goes away or is not noticed by anyone. So Shuster doesn’t hold press conferences or do rallies or anything.

I spent Sunday during the day and Monday evening doing door to door then attending rubber chicken dinners with Tony. One was 2 hours drive to the west and the other was over an hour to the east.

It’s hard to imagine the pace Tony is keeping up. His school wouldn’t give him leave (It could be politically motivated) so he works there till 3:30 and then either makes an appearance or does door to door. On Monday we each arrived home after 11:00 PM and he had to be up at 5:00 the next morning.

Tony still hasn’t hit the national media and the local papers and TV don’t see a race so he works with little notice.

The campaign has gotten about $30,000 so far which is a bit less than the million that Shuster has on hand.

If the people of the district could see how much work Tony does and how little Shuster does, if they could talk to each of them, if they compared what each wants to accomplish, Tony would win in a landslide. But the game is so very stacked against him and Tony only has the deep dissatisfaction of the voters to work with.

We think that this election is a toss up. Tony has a good chance of winning but it sure won’t be easy, this district has been Republican for the past 146 years.

In the past half year, I’ve gotten to meet numerous politicians and candidates, I’ve seen the best and the worst. People like Tony who have pure motives and want to change America back to being honest and fair to its people, and others in for vengeance, self promotion and personal gain.

If you want to help out, you can send a check to one of the most honest and hard working people I know. You can find out more at www.tonybarr2006.com. You won’t find a better cause for your money.

Dammit now I misspelled it the correct link is
www.tonybarr2006.com
sorry for the confusion

On the other hand, does Shuster seem to spend any time around pages? That seems to be clearing the field pretty effectively right now. Truthfully, I’d rather be winning on issues, but if this is what it takes…

Come one
Who needs Habious Corpus anyway. We have George “Dorkwad” Bush protecting us from outer space now.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,222019,00.html

Murray/Siobhan…I’ll check out Tony’s site and actblue and see if we can do a little something. (Though little may be the operative word at the moment with neither of us having jobs yet post-trip).

Thanks for providing a way of doing something. I echo Dale’s feelings of impotence and frustration. Though now that we’re back in the country again it’ll be easier to get involved in some grassroots orgs.

Oh..and the master was at it again: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15321167

He just seems to have a way to take all the incoherent rage and warnings and disgust in my head and state it in such an eloquent and forceful manner. I continually find myself saying “ditto” and “amen”

oh and Murray…thanks for the book and the t-shirt. I look forward to diving into the Ball this wekeend. And folks…Murray still has t-shirts…get them while they’re hot!

Becca (and/or Brian)…try posting it a little at a time and maybe Fanny won’t bite. Or try just posting the link.

Following Harold’s recommendation I started posting it in sections. Part 1 was still rejected. I think I figured it out. I’ll substitute the offending word.

Murray/Siobhan…I’ll check out Tony’s site and actblue and see if we can do a little something. (Though little may be the operative word at the moment with neither of us having jobs yet post-trip).

Thanks for providing a way of doing something. I echo Dale’s feelings of [word that begins with I and means feelings of helplessness (or male inability to perform) and that makes Fanny mad] and frustration. Though now that we’re back in the country again it’ll be easier to get involved in some grassroots orgs.

whoops. Of course I missed the part with the link. The following should be at the beginning of comment #37 and is what the “He” is referring to.

Oh..and the master was at it again: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15321167

Thanks for the link Becca (and Brian).

I wonder how many people are listening?

I apolgize for using the c-word. forgot where I was.

my bad.

SeaD will proof-read from now on.

I’ve decided to let you in on a little classified info. This is of the Hush-Hush-Need-to-Know-Eyes-Only variety, so ixnah the abbingbla! I hope you remember the fine amigos that helped me across the Mexican border a while back. The main players, Xerxes and Katia, are already millionaires – is this a great country or what?! Katia is an agricultural importer (all legal, not to worry) and Xerxes is a closeted computer geek. (Okay, not so closeted.) So, how many reading and contributing to this blog can claim this level of wealth and status - Mr. Delay, Adam (of course) and me (though truth be known, most of that money came from Mr. DeLay’s many secret accounts), but we’ve all worked hard at our swindles and are deserving of just rewards.

Anyway, I persuaded Xerxes to write a one-off software program for my sole use for the period of 1 year, after which he is free to take it to market and become a millionaire many more times over. With this program I can burrow into data banks with the anonymity of a stealth bomber over Baghdad. I was scanning Karl Rove’s Visa account and noted a recent purchase of interest – a 62” plasma flat screen TV, requiring high-tech installation. I was able to get myself onto the install team (trade secret, so don’t ask!). Once we were inside his compound, the security was considerably less stringent, so during lunch break I found myself, alone, wandering the halls of the mansion. A curious intellect has always been both my bane and my salvation, and I was letting this attribute lead me on to new discoveries. After rifling through Karl’s wall safe and pocketing a few documents which will ensure a comfortable and early retirement, I was next mysteriously drawn to the meat locker. Back in the very rear of the locker, on top of the 5 gallon plastic tub of Cajun fois gras, I was met by the blank stare of the October Surprise himself – the severed head of Osama bin Laden. Being a collector of some renown, I stuffed the head into a soft sided cooler, packing ice and cold packs all around, ditched the spare tire from the van, hid the cooler in the tire well, and clocked back in at 1:00, not having been missed at all by the other team members. I now have the head stored, shall we say, off-campus, along with a number of other choice items of varying monetary value, as insurance against rain days and Federal subpoenas. Life is, indeed, good!

If you read Kevin Tillman’s screed shortly after reading or listening to Keith Olbermann’s latest contribution, you will see that these two extremely different people are saying the same thing. In almost the same words. How long, oh Lobster? How long?

And on November 7, every blessed one of you, get out there and Vote Democrat, no matter how much they annoy you (they annoy me terribly) - they are our only opportunity to get power back from the hands of the Republiwhatevers.

I’m hoping that Lemuel and his one-off software program stick with the data files of the people in Washington. Lemuel makes me just a little nervous…

Be afraid, hedera. Be very afraid! Damn, that’s fun; no wonder Cheney keep’s doing it.

Speaking of the “war on terror”, specifically the event that precipitated it…

One thing that struck me as odd in the days after 9/11 was Bush saying “We will not tolerate conspiracy theories [regarding 9/11]”. Sure enough there have been some wacky conspiracy theories surrounding the events of that day. The most far-fetched and patently ridiculous one that I’ve ever heard goes like this: Nineteen hijackers who claimed to be devout Muslims but yet were so un-Muslim as to be getting drunk all the time, doing cocaine and frequenting strip clubs decided to hijack four airliners and fly them into buildings in the northeastern U.S., the area of the country that is the most thick with fighter bases. After leaving a Koran on a barstool at a strip bar after getting shitfaced drunk on the night before, then writing a suicide note/inspirational letter that sounded like it was written by someone with next to no knowledge of Islam, they went to bed and got up the next morning hung over and carried out their devious plan. Nevermind the fact that of the four “pilots” among them there was not a one that could handle a Cessna or a Piper Cub let alone fly a jumbo jet, and the one assigned the most difficult task of all, Hani Hanjour, was so laughably incompetent that he was the worst fake “pilot” of the bunch. Nevermind the fact that they received very rudimentary flight training at Pensacola Naval Air Station, making them more likely to have been C.I.A. assets than Islamic fundamentalist terrorists. So on to the airports. These “hijackers” somehow managed to board all four airliners with their tickets, yet not even ONE got his name on any of the flight manifests. So they hijack all four airliners and at this time passengers on United 93 start making a bunch of cell phone calls from 35,000 feet in the air to tell people what was going on. Nevermind the fact that cell phones wouldn’t work very well above 4,000 feet, and wouldn’t work at ALL above 8,000 feet. But the conspiracy theorists won’t let that fact get in the way of a good fantasy. That is one of the little things you “aren’t supposed to think about”. Nevermind that one of the callers called his mom and said his first and last name, more like he was reading from a list than calling his own mom. Anyway, when these airliners each deviated from their flight plan and didn’t respond to ground control, NORAD would any other time have followed standard operating procedure (and did NOT have to be told by F.A.A. that there were hijackings because they were watching the same events unfold on their own radar) which means fighter jets would be scrambled from the nearest base where they were available on standby within a few minutes, just like every other time when airliners stray off course. But of course on 9/11 this didn’t happen, not even close. Somehow these “hijackers” must have used magical powers to cause NORAD to stand down, as ridiculous as this sounds because total inaction from the most high-tech and professional Air Force in the world would be necessary to carry out their tasks. So on the most important day in its history the Air Force was totally worthless. Then they had to make one of the airliners look like a smaller plane, because unknown to them the Naudet brothers had a videocamera to capture the only known footage of the North Tower crash, and this footage shows something that is not at all like a jumbo jet, but didn’t have to bother with the South Tower jet disguising itself because that was the one we were “supposed to see”. Anyway, as for the Pentagon they had to have Hani Hanjour fly his airliner like it was a fighter plane, making a high G-force corkscrew turn that no real airliner can do, in making its descent to strike the Pentagon. But these “hijackers” wanted to make sure Rumsfeld survived so they went out of their way to hit the farthest point in the building from where Rumsfeld and the top brass are located. And this worked out rather well for the military personnel in the Pentagon, since the side that was hit was the part that was under renovation at the time with few military personnel present compared to construction workers. Still more fortuitous for the Pentagon, the side that was hit had just before 9/11 been structurally reinforced to prevent a large fire there from spreading elsewhere in the building. Awful nice of them to pick that part to hit, huh? Then the airliner vaporized itself into nothing but tiny unidentifiable pieces no bigger than a fist, unlike the crash of a real airliner when you will be able to see at least some identifiable parts, like crumpled wings, broken tail section etc. Why, Hani Hanjour the terrible pilot flew that airliner so good that even though he hit the Pentagon on the ground floor the engines didn’t even drag the ground!! Imagine that!! Though the airliner vaporized itself on impact it only made a tiny 16 foot hole in the building. Amazing. Meanwhile, though the planes hitting the Twin Towers caused fires small enough for the firefighters to be heard on their radios saying “We just need 2 hoses and we can knock this fire down” attesting to the small size of it, somehow they must have used magical powers from beyond the grave to make this morph into a raging inferno capable of making the steel on all forty-seven main support columns (not to mention the over 100 smaller support columns) soften and buckle, then all fail at once. Hmmm. Then still more magic was used to make the building totally defy physics as well as common sense in having the uppermost floors pass through the remainder of the building as quickly, meaning as effortlessly, as falling through air, a feat that without magic could only be done with explosives. Then exactly 30 minutes later the North Tower collapses in precisely the same freefall physics-defying manner. Incredible. Not to mention the fact that both collapsed at a uniform rate too, not slowing down, which also defies physics because as the uppermost floors crash into and through each successive floor beneath them they would shed more and more energy each time, thus slowing itself down. Common sense tells you this is not possible without either the hijackers’ magical powers or explosives. To emphasize their telekinetic prowess, later in the day they made a third building, WTC # 7, collapse also at freefall rate though no plane or any major debris hit it. Amazing guys these magical hijackers. But we know it had to be “Muslim hijackers” the conspiracy theorist will tell you because (now don’t laugh) one of their passports was “found” a couple days later near Ground Zero, miraculously “surviving” the fire that we were told incinerated planes, passengers and black boxes, and also “survived” the collapse of the building it was in. When common sense tells you if that were true then they should start making buildings and airliners out of heavy paper and plastic so as to be “indestructable” like that magic passport. The hijackers even used their magical powers to bring at least seven of their number back to life, to appear at american embassies outraged at being blamed for 9/11!! BBC reported on that and it is still online. Nevertheless, they also used magical powers to make the american government look like it was covering something up in the aftermath of this, what with the hasty removal of the steel debris and having it driven to ports in trucks with GPS locators on them, to be shipped overseas to China and India to be melted down. When common sense again tells you that this is paradoxical in that if the steel was so unimportant that they didn’t bother saving some for analysis but so important as to require GPS locators on the trucks with one driver losing his job because he stopped to get lunch. Hmmmm. Further making themselves look guilty, the Bush administration steadfastly refused for over a year to allow a commission to investigate 9/11 to even be formed, only agreeing to it on the conditions that they get to dictate its scope, meaning it was based on the false pretense of the “official story” being true with no other alternatives allowed to be considered, handpicked all its members making sure the ones picked had vested interests in the truth remaining buried, and with Bush and Cheney only “testifying” together, only for an hour, behind closed doors, with their attorneys present and with their “testimonies” not being recorded by tape or even written down in notes. Yes, this whole story smacks of the utmost idiocy and fantastic far-fetched lying, but it is amazingly enough what some people believe. Even now, five years later, the provably false fairy tale of the “nineteen hijackers” is heard repeated again and again, and is accepted without question by so many Americans. Which is itself a testament to the innate psychological cowardice of the American sheeple, i mean people, and their abject willingness to believe something, ANYTHING, no matter how ridiculous in order to avoid facing a scary uncomfortable truth. Time to wake up America.

Hey, why did Fanny let that one through?

You lazy rat. What, are you all drunk with power now that the Democrats are large and in charge again? Get to work! There’s a spammer afoot, and YOU let him pass!