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August 13, 2005
Confusion
I guess this is what happens when Bush thinks he can run the show from his redneck estate.
BUSH RADIO ADDRESS: "Despite the acts of violence by the enemies of freedom, Iraq's elected leaders are now finishing work on a democratic constitution."
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL (to the Washington Post today): "We set out to establish a democracy, but we're slowly realizing we will have some form of Islamic republic."
BUSH RADIO ADDRESS: "And when that mission of defeating the terrorists in Iraq is complete, our troops will come home... The terrorists cannot defeat us on the battlefield."
WASHINGTON POST: "Administration officials have all but given up any hope of militarily defeating the insurgents with U.S. forces."
Bush's address here.
11:44 PM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Failure all around for Bush's Wars
The administration is finally admitting that the Iraq they envisioned won't happen.
The United States no longer expects to see a model new democracy, a self-supporting oil industry or a society where the majority of people are free from serious security or economic challenges, U.S. officials say.
Let's do the list. No WMD. No 9/11 or Bin Laden connection. No chance of defeating the terrorist, I mean insurgents, I mean extremists, I mean the suiciders. And now, no democracy. Why the holy fuck did we do this again? Will Bush explain his administration's latest assessment to Cindy Sheehan?
Full story from the Washington Post here. More here.
AND... Exiled Taliban officials are running for office in Afghanistan. But they're sounding more like Taliban Lite. More here.
11:04 PM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
The WMDs have been found!
Did Iraq have WMDs before our invasion? Nope.
Do they have them now? Yep.
08:59 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
How does he speak with that thumb in his mouth?
Hunter at dKos brings to our attention the latest in a long line of right-wing chickenhawks: Mike Gallagher, a talk show host who is organizing an anti-Sheehan "Pro America Bus Trip". As Hunter suggests, the title of the rally seems to imply that Cindy is somehow anti-American. What with losing her son in a war and all, then questioning her president as to the reasons.
Mr. Gallagher has four sons, all of prime military age. None are serving, or plan to. Mr. Gallagher himself has never served in the military.
Big surprise! Check out that picture of him. I mean, next to Bush in the flightsuit, it's probably the most illustrative example of a purebred chickhawk. And for a group of ideologues who hate the gay community so much, these people sure do love their costumes.
09:44 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
August 11, 2005
Make it stop! It burns! It burns!
From an eBay auction here:
Note the text in the description: "The magnet is not very strong, so i would not recommend putting it on your car."
10:52 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
August 10, 2005
Classic Drudge stupidity
What's wrong with this picture?
The answer courtsey of Media Matters.
07:38 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Paul Hackett vs. Fat-Ass Drug Addict
Suddenly, we have public, progressive political figures who DON'T MINCE WORDS. One is the incredibly heroic Cindy Sheehan (see post below). The other is Paul Hackett, who will be running for Congress in 2006 in Ohio.
Hackett, a lawyer and a Marine who just served in Iraq, is being smeared by Rush Limbaugh. This is because the right is terrified that Hackett represents the future of progressive America and the Democratic Party. They're afraid of Hackett because Hackett is not afraid of them.
So yesterday Limbaugh, who himself dodged Vietnam because of an anal cyst, accused Hackett of going to Iraq to "PAD HIS RESUME." Hackett responded on the Ed Schultz show. Here it is in brief, and it's BRILLIANT:
That's typical for that fat-ass drug addict to come up with something like that. There's a guy -- I didn't hear this, but actually when I was on drill this weekend, I've got to tell you, he lost a lot of Republican supporters with his comments. Because they were coming up to me, telling me, "I can't believe he said that! And besides that, he called you a soldier. He doesn't know the difference between a soldier and a Marine!"So generally, the consensus is, you know, Rush doesn't know squat about patriotism. He's typical of the new Republican. He's got a lot of lip, and he doesn't walk the walk. The fact of the matter is, I went to Iraq to serve my country.
Media Matters has the whole blow-by-blow.
05:54 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By John Christian Plummer
Cindy Sheehan in her own words
I'm gonna say, "OK, listen here, George. #1, you quit, and I demand - every time you get out there and say you're going to continue the killing in Iraq to honor the fallen heroes by continuing the mission - you say, except Casey Sheehan.'""And you say, except for all the members of 'Gold Star Families for Peace' cuz we think not one drop of blood should be spilled in our families' names. You quit doing that. You don't have my permission."
And I'm gonna say, "And you tell me what the noble cause is that my son died for." And if he even starts to say "freedom and democracy," I'm gonna say "bullshit."
You tell me the truth. You tell me that my son died for oil. You tell me that my son died to make your friends rich. You tell me my son died to spread the cancer of Pax Americana, imperialism in the Middle East. You tell me that, you don't tell me my son died for freedom and democracy.
Cuz, we're not freer. You're taking away our freedoms. The Iraqi people aren't freer, they're much worse off than before you meddled in their country.
You get America out of Iraq, you get Israel out of Palestine.
And if you think I won't say "bullshit" to the President, I say move on, cuz I'll say what's on my mind.
Read the rest of her frank, heartfelt and brilliant speech at truthout.
05:42 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By John Christian Plummer
5 things Bush will honor before he honors Cindy Sheehan and her son:
1. His fancy new 9 iron that doubles as a “cool sword.”
2. Karl Rove’s magical secret closet full of colorful Wizard’s robes.
3. Snugglin’ with Barney.
4. Katherine Harris’s pretty new campaign face.
5. A dang good pretzel.
11:15 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By
August 09, 2005
Baghdad mayor ousted, 97 killed or wounded
Full story from the NY Times. Have you honored Cindy and her son yet, Bushie?
10:50 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
August 08, 2005
What's more important, George? Golf or honor?
Talk to Cindy, George. Don't arrest her. She's given more than you can ever imagine.
08:43 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Honor them, George. Talk to Cindy.
07:53 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Who we honorin' here?
George W. Bush to Cindy Sheehan, June 2004: "Who are we honorin' here?" While Bushie digs for armadilla's in Crawford, the families of those killed in Iraq want answers. When will he honor them?
07:43 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Go talk to Georgie
Cindy Sheehan is inviting people to join her in her vigil for dialogue with Bush. She's sitting with Gold Star Families for Peace (GSFP) members outside the Bush estate -- I mean, ranch -- in Crawford, Texas. If you, or someone you know, has the time and the means, head on down to Crawford and be braver than our media and most members of Congress.
Here are Cindy's questions and plans, courtesy of the GSFP website:
1) We want our loved ones sacrifices to be honored by bringing our nation's sons and daughters home from the travesty that is Iraq IMMEDIATELY, since this war is based on horrendous lies and deceptions. Just because our children are dead, why would we want any more families to suffer the same pain and devastation that we are.2) We would like for him to explain this "noble cause" to us and ask him why Jenna and Barbara are not in harm's way, if the cause is so noble.
3) If George is not ready to send the twins, then he should bring our troops home immediately. We will demand a speedy withdrawal.
GSFP will be joined by members of Veteran's for Peace (VFP), Military Families Speak Out (MFSO), Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW), Code Pink, and Crawford Peace House.
We GSFP members will not leave until we get answers from George Bush. We deserve and expect him to welcome us with answers to as why our loved ones are dead.
Every worker for peace, every worker for justice, every person who wants our country back are welcomed to join us on Saturday. Show George Bush that we mean business. Be there to support us family members who have already been through so much. We are fighting for our country, our world, especially the children.
05:27 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By John Christian Plummer
White House vetting process still all wacky-like
Whoops.
A White House council on volunteerism said Friday it's taking another look at how the President's Call to Service Award -- accompanied by a laudatory letter from President Bush -- was issued to Stanley "Tookie" Williams, a California Death Row inmate who has written a series of books warning young people against the gang life.
If you recall, following the Bernard Kerik fiasco, Bush was asked during a press conference what lessons he had learned from the disastrous Kerik affair. Well, it's a miracle this happened what with Bush's airtight answer: "The lessons learned is, continue to vet (patronizing smirk)."
Full story here. Tip to Roger Ailes.
UPDATE: To the credit of the White House (blasphemer, I!) Tookie has done a lot of good work since his conviction as evidenced in the above article and Tookie's website. Interesting, though, that Bush -- who enjoys executing people as much as he enjoys wearing invisible six-shooters -- would give an award to someone he'd otherwise sentence to death given the opportunity.
03:15 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Why is Bush scared of this woman?
Cindy Sheehan has been waiting in extreme heat outside Bush's ranch in Texas. She wants one simple thing: to talk to Bush.
And Bush won't come out and talk to her. Why? Because she wants to ask him some uncomfortable questions, like why did Bush send her 24-year old son to his death in Iraq when he knew before the invasion that there were no WMDs and no Al Qaeda connection.
Bush is a coward. And until he has the courage to face this grieving mother, he cannot be called a human being. Even a dog will come when it's called.
Will Pitt has a detailed write up on the whole Bush-coward tale.
01:13 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By John Christian Plummer
Go figure: Drudge is a shameless asshat
Finding evidence that Drudge is a tasteless smearmonger is like finding urine on the floor of a pub restroom. It's easy to spot, but you end up stepping in it anyway.
To wit... I knew better than to click on his headline today, "PROTESTING SOLDIER MOM CHANGED STORY ON BUSH..." (Caps-Lock his, of course). But I couldn't help myself.
The mother of a fallen U.S. soldier who is holding a roadside peace vigil near President Bush's ranch -- has dramatically changed her account about what happened when she met the commander-in-chief last summer!
Read the article here (pool of standing urine ahead!) and tell me how her story "dramatically" changed. The only real difference in the two articles is that the second one -- a firsthand interview with Wolf Blitzer -- has far more detail, while the first -- a poorly written article from "The Reporter" newspaper in Vacaville, CA -- is paraphrased, spotty, and selective. Nevertheless, shame on Drudge smearing this poor woman.
On her current media tour, Sheehan has not been asked to explain her twist on Bush; from praise to damnation!
He's a sad, sad little man with a stupid hat. Excuse me while I wash the piss off my sneakers.
10:51 AM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
August 07, 2005
What about biodiesel cars?
How has biodiesel fuel hovered under the public radar for so long? Yeah, yeah. Dumb question. Nevertheless, I've only started researching it this week, which is admittedly very sad. But with all the debate over high gas prices and record oil prices, it's staggering that biodiesel isn't garnering more attention.
Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.
Biodiesel is the only alternative fuel to have fully completed the health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act. The use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter compared to emissions from diesel fuel. In addition, the exhaust emissions of sulfur oxides and sulfates (major components of acid rain) from biodiesel are essentially eliminated compared to diesel.
A 1998 biodiesel lifecycle study, jointly sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the US Department of Agriculture, concluded biodiesel reduces net CO² emissions by 78 percent compared to petroleum diesel. This is due to biodiesel’s closed carbon cycle. The CO² released into the atmosphere when biodiesel is burned is recycled by growing plants, which are later processed into fuel.
More information here. Interesting veggie-fuel vs. the Prius Q&A here. Wikipedia overview and links here.
How quickly do you think the Exxons and Texacos will add biodiesel to their pumps? Sorry. No more stupid questions tonight.
10:24 PM | Comments (0) | Posted By Bob Cesca
Queer Eye for the Right Guys!
Instead of siphoning billions of tax dollars to weapons manufacturers to make idiotic, non-working contraptions like the Missile Defense System, let’s instead funnel that money to brilliant scientists who can create an ACTUAL GAYDAR.
Many of us have heard of gaydar, of course. Some among us possess an innate ability to determine whether or not someone is gay.
But what if we had an actual Gaydar Machine? Imagine turning its Gayzer Beam on the likes of Rick Santorum and Karl Rove, and watching all the pretty lights on the Gaydar Machine flash pink.
I think Rick, Karl, and oh-so many like-minded folk who hate the gay man they’ve buried deep inside themselves would truly be set free by Gaydar. And I, for one, wouldn’t hate them for their freedom.
03:40 AM | Comments (0) | Posted By John Christian Plummer
Bush trying to put ringer above Fitzgerald?
Newsweek's Michael Isikoff will splash a story in tomorrow's Newsweek which reveals that the boss of CIA leak probe prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald is likely to be replaced by a former Bush classmate at Yale.
The "facts" in a case like Plamegate are investigated by a special prosecutor. The "true facts" in a case like Plamegate are investigated by a special prosecutor -- who's under the influence of a Bush crony.
02:15 AM | Comments (1) | Posted By Bob Cesca
