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Eternal Vigilance At The Bank
I walked into the bank yesterday to make one of those long, tiresome and takes-forever-because-we-have-to-count-out-tons-of-change kind of deposits.
Fortunately, they have a good "kids corner" there, so I knew it would be okay to bring my four year old without wreaking havoc on the bank for the 20+ minutes we would be there. In case you haven't noticed, most banks are now quieter than most libraries.
Except my bank.
Since you may have to wait in line, they have thoughtfully installed a television up on the wall for your viewing pleasure while you wait. Nice. Except for one thing. It's always tuned to Fox. Always. I had marked this fact before mentally, but it wasn't until today as I thought back on it, and confirmed in my memory that it really is tuned to Fox every single time I come into the bank.
Worse still, the President was on the television, speaking to a crowd in West Virginia, informing us how brave the people from the Sago Mine tragedy are, and how we have to pray for them. He didn't mention that we need to pray especially hard for them because he and the Republican-led Congress removed the protection for miners and removed funding for enforcement of MSHA violations.
He then continued with a bit about how we need to understand what the soldiers in Eye-Rack are facing.
As I stood in line, I thought, "That's enough."
In a fairly loud voice, I called over to the lovely teller Michelle, "Excuse me, Michelle? Can we please change the station here? I find this offensive." She nicely replied that she didn't have the remote, but she would call her manager, which she promptly did.
The manager came out of his office and over to me in line right away. He said in a fairly startled voice, " Hi. You are offended by the news?"
"No, I'm not offended by the news, " I replied. "I am offended by Fox News, which pretends to be the news, but reports things that are demonstrably false. I am offended by any news outlet which sees its job as being a cheerleader for the President instead of a cheerleader for the truth. But mostly I am offended having to listen to the President tell us how we need to understand what the troops are facing in Eye-Rack. I don't need to be lectured to about understanding what the troops face by a guy who spent Vietnam dodging the draft while other people died. You know, my child is here, and I don't want him listening to this [pointing to President Bush speaking on the television]. And I don't want to be forced to listen to this while I am standing in line. So, could you please change the channel?"
You can imagine my shock when four other people in line started applauding my mini-rant.
As the bank manager looked at us, you could see the mild surprise and acquiescence cross his face.
"Okay, well, I will go get the remote and change it. What do you want on?", he asked.
"How about the weather channel?" I said, looking at my line standing compatriots. Everyone nodded and the channel was changed.
As I look back, I hadn't noticed that when the manager came out, he hadn't intended to have to change the channel. He didn't bring the remote with him. He left it in his office. Interesting.
The real point to the story is obvious though. We don't have to take it. We don't have to tolerate propaganda in public places.
Our democracy didn't slip away in 2000 with a Supreme Court decided election, and it didn't get overthrown in 2004 either.
It's been eroded and deteriorated and desecrated, day by day, in many ways, both large and small.
It will take many actions, both large and small, on the part of all over us, to get it back. To take it back.
"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance," said Thomas Jefferson.
Eternal vigilance everywhere. Even in line at the bank.
Way to go Casey! I'm smiling at the mental picture of you and the bank manager and the applauding people.
Posted by Casey Morris at March 23, 2006 10:00 AM
:-) KUDOS, CASEY!!! :-) Good deed, good writing! :-)
Quite clearly, that bank manager doesn't know the difference between cheerleading pro-war propaganda and "news" that speaks the truth (not that most of Lamestream Media knows, either, just that Faux is worse than most). Yes, far better to listen to nothing, or to canned music, or to have the weather channel on than to listen to anything spoken by the coward who was given the role of 'leader' of this nation....
Casey- my credit union even has little TVs on the poles to the drive through. I can't put my money in the tube and send it to the cashier without seeing a fox TV newsperson spouting out their view of the day's happenings. It IS offensive. My problem is that here in Pensacola, if I requested a channel change, I wouldn't have people behind me applauding. They'd be arguing to keep fox on. It is propaganda from the "money" industry- they want us all to be pro big money and pro business. If their cashiers are so slow that I have to have TV to entertain me while they send me my receipt, they need to hire faster cashiers.
So, you're not the only one who is getting this from your financial institution.
When I'm in a doctor's office waiting room, I just change the channel myself. No one ever says anything. But I know they're thinking that I must be a very pushy person. Oh well....... they could be right :-)
Casey, you rock! It will be interesting to note what channel they have up the next time you go in... If they persist in showing fake news, I know you'll let them know that you'll find a bank that believes in the truth.
BTW, in case you missed it on the last thread, Dixie Chicks have a great new song out that will put you in the mood... http://www.dixiechicks.com
CASEY, you go, girlfriend!
The simple empowering moment is worth it ALL.
Casey tells bank to fox off.
Microfilm at 11.
http://www.startribune.com/389/story/323864.html
Web search: It's all in the archive
If you find meaning in the esoteric and obscure, this article has some good links. I was aware of Project Gutenberg (link in article) because I found something on their web site a long time ago (think it was Plato's Symposium or literature or philosophy equally old - and in the public domain with no copyright laws covering it). I just finished marking the other links for future reference, too, and I think the one with archived news may benefit those who are looking for old quotes. For those who love really, really old music, there's one link that has digitized old cylinder recordings of very early music....
I know it's OT, but I found the links interesting. And, anyway, when we need those breaks from depressing political agendas, it's nice that there are alternative web sites with interesting stuff on them....
Another option would be to publicly withdraw all funds from said bank and say why. We had to look and look to find a decent Credit Union. It belongs to the same local company that our medical coverage is through. Not as many services maybe, but feel better about dealing with them.
I have turned off Fox News at my health club when I saw it before and would not buy any books at the Twin Cities airport because they have Fox News bookstores and huge monitors with Fox News all over the airport. I don't even think we'll take NW Airlines anymore.
It is great that Wallis’s principles continue to get attention by progressives. We had a discussion about his book God’s Politics several months ago.
Wallis talks about the separation of church and state as necessary to guarantee the survival of church – all churches. When the Constitution was drafted, conservatives were afraid that without this separation, other more populous and less conservative churches would force the conservative churches to disappear. Now the conservative churches want theirs to be the only spiritual voice
Jon Stewart had on Russ Feingold last night ...
Feingold: "I was taught that the congress makes the laws and the president is supposed to sign them and enforce them. He's not supposed to make them up.---How many times are we going to let George Bush and Dick Cheney say you guys don't support the troops, you're not patriotic and let them push us around?"
more (with video)...
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/03/22.html#a7627
Posted by: nmp at March 23, 2006 11:48 AM
This is not my bank. It's the bank of the pre-school where I am the financial officer on the board. When this bank was selected, it was a community owned bank. It's now been absorbed by a larger financial institution, although that institution is still a smaller institution than the mega-banks.
In order to change I would need to go to the board, refile, change signers cards, etc.
I thought about it, but realized that I have a greater influence getting the bank to change, based on how many people are in line each day, than, than taking the operating account out of that bank, since we are a small cooperative school.
I kinda like the idea of protesting propaganda at the bank. It's good practice. Keeps my protesting chops in shape, and makes me more likely to speak up more often when I see this thing happen, snowball effect and all. I also wonder that maybe some other people in line won't think about speaking up the next time they are offended by public propaganda.
I've also thought about asking the bank manager WHY Fox is always on, and I think I will the next time I am in there.
TO LINDA E.
I know that people won'tbe cheering you down there, but do know that if you decide to speak up at the bank, or at least put them on the spot for an explanation, we will be cheering you on here.
threadmusic...
I'm The Slime
by the late, great Frank Zappa
I am gross and perverted
I’m obsessed ’n deranged
I have existed for years
But very little had changed
I am the tool of the government
And industry too
For I am destined to rule
And regulate you
I may be vile and pernicious
But you can’t look away
I make you think I’m delicious
With the stuff that I say
I am the best you can get
Have you guessed me yet?
I am the slime oozin’ out
From your tv set
You will obey me while I lead you
And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day that we don’t need you
Don’t call for help...no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled
It has been stuffed into my mold
And you will do as you are told
Until the rights to you are sold
That’s right, folks..
Don’t touch that dial
Well, I am the slime from your video
Oozin’ along on your livin’room floor
I am the slime from your video
Can’t stop the slime, people, lookit me go
... and in related news...
NEW YORK (AP) -- As TV viewing habits evolve, networks are constantly trying new ways to reach viewers, through the Internet, video iPods, and on-demand services from cable providers. Next up: the produce aisle.
In what appears to be a first, CBS has signed up to become a programming partner with SignStorey Inc., a Fairfield, Connecticut-based company that has video screens installed in 1,300 supermarkets nationwide.
George Schweitzer, the head of CBS's marketing group, said the screens would provide short-form programming designed specifically for shoppers on topics such as health, nutrition, as well as short news and sports items and entertainment.
Schweitzer said some material would be drawn from CBS shows but revised for the supermarket screens, which generally appear in produce and deli sections, where people tend to linger and where there aren't shelves that would block the view.
"We know how competitive it is in the marketplace," Schweitzer said. "We saw this as a great way to reach out to our audience in an exclusive venue. We're not competing with our competitors there, and you can't change the channel."
more...
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/03/23/cbs.supermarkets.ap/index.html
money makes the world go down
I didn’t get a chance to post this on the previous thread before this thread started...so I’ll post here.
I went through all the references about vote fraud and there is no hard evidence.
There is a lot of empirical evidence of bad machines, dates, etc which SEEM to indicate fraud. The final totals need to be analyzed.
How about this for starters
Where is the data that sez there were more votes then voters?
Where is the data that sez the exit polls were different then the actual totals?
Where is the data that sez the vote totals were different then historical data?
The blackboxvoting.org site article is interesting
03-18-06: BBV EXCLUSIVE - Diebold TSx touch-screen study (Part I)
Here we see better machine acceptance testing and analysis.
A few questions to always ask about any voting system – besides demanding an audit trail:
1 – Build levels of each system. The content of each machine must be the same or at least well documented. Some may be different model numbers. The shipping manifest must agree with the units.
2 – The number of times flash memory has been cycled. Each cycle represents a voter or a test. Most flash chips should easily handle 1 million cycles.
For teckies---ignore if you want
{
The reason flash degrades is the voltage to reset the chip is a very high negative voltage (up to -24V) in relation to the nominal write/read voltages (-.5 to 3V). This high voltage guarantees the memory is erased quickly but it degrades the positive/negative material barriers. Thus over time, the chip is actually destroyed. However, counts up to a million and even higher are possible without error.
}
back to normal…
3 – The fact that old data is left in the flash is really disturbing. This indicates the machine provider quality assurance is horrible.
4 – Verify the contents via part and serial numbers. Know what you are buying.
5 – Verify all connections and cabling meet electrical codes.
6 – I noticed the switches were broken because switch guards for the wrong material are used. This is sloppy as the problem is well known. (It can be temporarily fixed with a small cardboard shim; is used all of the time). Another example of poor production and QA practices.
7 – Have an acceptance test that cycles at least one thousand voters through each machine. Yes, it will eat up some flash. So each machine can handle only 999,900 voters. Try to break the thing.
I see the problem as election officials are not really computer professionals. They are in areas way beyond their technical expertise.
Anyone want to start a company that goes around and verifies voting machines?
WASHINGTON (AP) -- As Congress prepares for a showdown over immigration policy, President Bush urged lawmakers Thursday to have a "civil debate" that respects people of all backgrounds.
"Ours is a nation of law and ours is a nation of immigrants, and we believe that we can have rational, important immigration policy that's based upon law and reflects our deep desire to be a compassionate and decent nation," Bush said.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/23/bush.ap/index.html
Whopper with cheese
Reid: Bush 'Dangerously Incompetent'
LAS VEGAS, March 23, 2006
(AP) Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid called President Bush "dangerously incompetent" on Wednesday and said the administration ought to be doing more to prevent increasing sectarian violence in Iraq.
"Where is (Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice? Why isn't she over in the Middle East, as the chief diplomat of this country should be, trying to get the political forces to form a government over there?" Reid told The Associated Press.
Rice is currently in the Bahamas to meet with 14 foreign ministers and the secretary-general of the Caribbean Community and Common Market, a regional trade bloc known as Caricom.
Reid said the United States was "failing three different ways in Iraq." Military efforts have lagged, the economy is crippled by decreased oil production and frequent power outages, and attempts to form a national unity government are behind schedule, he said.
-snip-.
While Mr. Bush has been speaking directly to Americans about the progress in Iraq through a series of recent appearances around the country, Reid lambasted that effort.
"Why isn't he spending time with these leaders in the Middle East trying to get this government formed?" Reid said.
-snip-
Reid also responded to comments the president made Tuesday when he said his successor in the White House would likely be responsible for deciding when U.S. troops leave Iraq.
"To me it shows how dangerously incompetent he is," Reid said. "'Stay the course, mission accomplished, bring 'em on,' the American people are sick of that. We need to change course in Iraq. ... I think the president burying his head in the sand is not going to do the trick."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/23/politics/main1432159.shtml
Finally..Reid's lips do actually move..
pfff... pfff... check 1, 2...
Is this thing on?
Testing, 1-2-3, testing...
Looks like ole Babs (aka Marie Bushette) is surfacing in the news again...
Former first lady Barbara Bush donated an undisclosed amount of money to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund with specific instructions that the money be spent with an educational software company owned by her son Neil.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/3742329.html
Casey
It's impossible to avoid situations like the bank one,due to the complexity of our lives, so glad you confronted them about Fo anyway and expecially that other customers appreciated it.
It's going to be an interesting test for me when I go to visit family members in various states & accompany them on errands!
My reply from Deb at the post:
The Washington Post did not hire Ben Domenech as a blogger.
Washingtonpost.com did so. The two are under different management. Domenech
will not be writing for the Post. If you wish to complain, please do so to
executive.editor@wpni.com. Deborah
Love this story! Reminds me of a day my dad took all his money out of a bank because they pissed him off.
What I don't get is why Americans are willing to become cogs in the grand plan to make a very few people very wealthy. The soldiers have to risk everything in Iraq for a few connected corporations to make a mint. The miners have to risk everything so the mining corporations can make a mint. The American people have to give up a reasonable economy and a reasonable country so a few corporations can make a mint.
You're gonna LOVE this one...
Site reveals Cheney's hotel room requirements
Memo from vice president's office demands Fox News on TVs, Diet Sprite
MSNBC
Updated: 11:28 a.m. ET March 23, 2006
Like many rock stars, Vice President Dick Cheney has a checklist of requirements for his hotel suites. But you won’t find bottles of booze or bowls of green M&Ms among the demands, according to a document posted on The Smoking Gun Web site.
The site, which collects public documents on crime, celebrities and politicians, says it obtained the memo from a hotel employee prior to a Cheney visit.
The “downtime requirements” memo includes fairly mundane requests such as a king or queen sized bed, a desk with a chair and a container for ice.
The vice president also requires that all televisions be tuned to Fox News, and a pot of decaf coffee and four cans of "Diet Caffeine Free Sprite" be in the room.
Handwritten additions to the memo also request several newspapers, including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and extra lamps.
It also specified that Cheney staff must be notified in advance of any hotel gifts left in the suite.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11975731/
Check out this letter to the editor about washingtonpost.com's newest employee, Ben Domenech.
http://mediamatters.org/static/pdf/stark-20060322-redamerica.pdf
More info on this latest misstep by wapo.com here...
http://mediamatters.org/
Way to go, O'Malley!!
Bob Shrum on Hardball:
Democrats are going to go around the country and guarantee the American people that if they take back the House and the Senate, Bush will not be censured or impeached. Those may not be his exact words, so you might want to find a transcript before exploding.
He just said it a few minutes ago.
Posted by: Matthew Carnicelli at March 23, 2006 05:32 PM
... and we all know what a tactical genius Shrum is.
Just one letter short of a Shrub.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060323/media_nm/survey_dc
Hard times ahead for TV ads: survey
Excerpt (more on link):
The ANA-Forrester Research study of 133 national advertisers found that 78% think TV advertising is less effective than it was two years ago. One major reason, according to Forrester vp Josh Bernoff, is digital video recorders, which allow users to skip commercials.
~~~~~
For people like me, ads on TV have been ineffective for many years. The few shows I do watch I record first, then watch later, just specifically so I can fast forward through the ads. The decibel level of TV ads goes up, which means the ads yell at me - when the content is not speaking down to me like my intellect is impaired. I find them insulting and demeaning, and I just refuse to listen unless I'm forced to do so during news when I'm trying to listen for weather forecasts (but the mute button gets a workout, and it's worn on the edges). I pretty much gave up listening to most radio because I can't control the yelling content of ads by fast forwarding through them (public radio when I was driving was the exception).
If this survey is correct, it may have some impact on political ads in the future. I hope. I think we already know what neoCon ads will talk about: war, terror, denigrating Dem/Progressive stances of the same, and the usual stuff that has become so repetitious in the last few years. It would be a major turnoff to hear more of what we've heard since the current regime was put in office.
If I were giving advice to Dems planning political ads, I'd say: Don't yell or shout! I refuse to listen to anyone yelling at me via a TV commercial...!
Posted by: madame defarge at March 23, 2006 02:51 PM
Boomerang Bucks from Babs....
I wonder if there's an Ignite educational program entitled "How to profit from other people's disasters"? As I recall, a Bu$h relative (uncle?) got a bundle from insurance on the Towers after 9/11, too.
Gads, there must be a genetic mutation on the DNA in that family that dictates obsessive selfishness....
Linda -
You might be surprised. I am always (pleasantly) surprised to hear glimmers of discontent in this bastion of Red military Pat Robertson Foxwatching Bushthumpers where I live.
There is actually a lot of dissatisfaction. Like Casey's story...I have heard several times where somebody dared to say something...and the supposedly Red crowd...after a brief shock-and-awe pause of did-he-really-say-and-mean-that? starts laughing or cheering or sharing their gripes.
It only takes one pin to puncture a bubble. Just be careful what comes whooshing out.
There are some really great political cartoons here ===>
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x738556
veritas- what is the most ridiculous is that if you were waiting in a long traffic line, you might actually have a reason to want to watch a TV set. But these sets are placed on the pole with the vacuum tube, so you only see them when you reach the front of the line. They're always tuned to fox, but when the teller finishes your transaction, his or her face comes on to the screen as a video and says thank you. So what is the point in having the news on anyway? Couldn't they just have some sort of a screen saver on the screen? Like I said, if a teller is so slow that you need to watch TV while she's doing your transaction, they need to hire another teller. And BTW- there are no TV's in the lobby of the bank at all. It's just all very strange. And it's a credit union for education employees, most of whom are in a union and many of whom aren't fans of Bush anyway. Come to think of it, protesting might just bring some applause. It's all just weird and Orwellian.
A few years ago, the supermarkets tried those little news tv shows. They're gone now.
The banks had a ticker..probably cnn, then they went to sports only, now they're gone.
It's funny how you don't realize how much they infiltrate your life.
McDonalds around here have Fox news on. Maybe it's time to go in and campaing. (Anyone want to do a letter writing campaign to McDonalds? They started putting in cozy seats and nicer decor with tv which is great...except it's faux news. Maybe fox paid for the tvs!)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060323/ap_on_go_pr_wh/port_security_bahamas
U.S. Hiring Hong Kong Co. to Scan Nukes
WASHINGTON - In the aftermath of the Dubai ports dispute, the Bush administration is hiring a Hong Kong conglomerate to help detect nuclear materials inside cargo passing through the Bahamas to the United States and elsewhere.
The administration acknowledges the no-bid contract with Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. represents the first time a foreign company will be involved in running a sophisticated U.S. radiation detector at an overseas port without American customs agents present.
Freeport in the Bahamas is 65 miles from the U.S. coast, where cargo would be likely to be inspected again. The contract is currently being finalized.
~~~~~~~~~~~
OK... "no-bid" contract raised my eyebrows, as did other stuff further on in this article.....
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0321-06.htm
Oil Gushes into Arctic Ocean from BP Pipeline
Coming next?
North Korea to handle nuc security.
For those who may have missed it, I finally remembered my Kos password.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/23/205115/532
V for VERITAS!!!
And to all of you that love me. I love you back.
In fact, I am imagining SOME of you naked, right now....
Peace
Olberman just gave old Babs WORST person of the week award! When will these people just go a-way??
If you haven't gone to vote on where russ is giving his $5000 to, chk it out
http://www.progressivepatriotsfund.com/page/s/vote
Eric Massa is running in my district and is a dynamo.....
Jimmy Carter's Kos diary:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/3/23/103458/107
Something is horribly wrong.
E-voting screws up elections in Chicago, Texas
I. Illinois
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0603220085mar22,1,3756192.story
ELECTION 2006: THE PRIMARIES
Voting machine woes force ballot backup
Published March 22, 2006
A high-tech voting system in Chicago and suburban Cook County provided plenty of frustration and confusion for voters during its first test Tuesday, as election officials dealt with missing power cords and ballots, jammed equipment and broken electronic voting machines. The problems left some pining for the old days, even if they included the notorious punch-card ballot. "It was easier to worry about hanging chads," said Daniel Fore, an election judge in Oak Park.
After dealing with polling-place problems, election officials nervously awaited results as they slowly trickled in from the more than 3,000 locations in Chicago and suburban Cook.
Cook County Clerk David Orr said remote transmission of results had failed in "dozens" of polling places, slowing results. He said judges were sending some data cards downtown by cab for counting, after they were unable to merge and transmit results from the new touch-screen and optical scanning systems.
"I'm actually pleased that this much is coming in," Orr said, adding that the merging of early voting tallies also slowed the results.
Officials say they typically can report results from more than 90 percent of precincts within an hour of polls closing. But four hours after the polls closed Tuesday , 44 percent of precincts were reporting results in suburban Cook County.
(snip)
The oversized optical-scan paper ballots jammed in some machines, while audio equipment for blind voters was not installed or did not work in other places. On the Near South Side, only Republican ballots registered on the optical scanner at the Providence of God Early Learning Center, 1814 S. Union St.
"It's a landslide," joked Republican election judge David Masak. "As of right now, I can tell you we are officially the only precinct in Chicago that is going 100 percent Republican."
That was at midday. The good humor melted away after four visits from elections officials failed to make the scanner work. Of the 71 ballots cast in the 25th Ward's heavily Democratic 31st Precinct, only its seven Republican paper ballots and three Republican touch-screen ballots had been counted when the polls closed.
(snip)
In suburban Cook County, election officials said about 10 optical scanners and 15 touch-screen machines were swapped out during the day because of equipment failure, among the roughly 4,000 machines in the polls. City officials still were counting their equipment failures but said at least two machines needed to be replaced and 30 to 40 needed repairs during the day.
(snip)
II. Texas
San Angelo Standard-Times
Court-at-law recount suspended
http://www.sanangelostandardtimes.com/sast/news_local/article/0,1897,SAST_4956_4559073,00.html
Electronic machines not providing all info
March 21, 2006
On orders from the Texas Secretary of State's office, the recount for the Tom Green County Court-at-Law No. 2 race has been suspended midway through its second day. About 1:30 p.m. today, county Republican Chairman Dennis McKerley stopped the recount after workers found discrepancies of as much as 20 percent between what was counted Monday and what was reported Election Night. "We're having some trouble with the electronic equipment," McKerley said.
Apparently, McKerley said, new electronic voting machines provided by vendor Hart InterCivic are not printing ballots for every vote cast on the machines. During recounts, which must be done by hand, the machines are designed to print out separate ballots for every vote.
(snip)
The problem affects early votes cast in what appears to be every precinct, McKerley said. All of commissioner's Precinct 1 was affected, he said, as were all the randomly selected voting precincts in other parts of the county. Although sign-in sheets match the counts provided by the machines on Election Night, he said, the number of printouts does not match the sign-in sheets.
More than 3,000 early votes were cast in the race between Assistant County Attorney Julie Hughes, incumbent Judge Penny Roberts and former prosecutor Dan Edwards, meaning the problem likely affects more than 600 votes of the 9,500 cast early and on Election Day. Just 12 votes separate third-place finisher Edwards from second-place finisher Roberts to see who will face Hughes in the April runoff election. Edwards requested and paid for the recount.
Hearing Friday for Abramoff associate
Ex-Bush official linked to golf trip, efforts to acquire federal property
WASHINGTON - The influence-peddling scandal surrounding disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff heats up again on Friday when a former Bush administration official and associate of the disgraced lobbyist appears at a pretrial hearing in federal court.
David Safavian, the White House's former top procurement official, is charged with misrepresenting his connections with lobbyists — specifically, Abramoff — while working at the General Services Administration.
A key event was a lavish golf junket to Scotland in 2002, mostly paid for by a charity Abramoff controlled. Among those who went on the trip was Republican Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio and former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed Jr.
more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11976525/
Some GOP flee from Bush, but not his money
Despite sinking poll numbers, president remains country’s top fund-raiser
WASHINGTON - Many worried Republicans on the ballot in November have been pushing away from the White House, not wanting to be dragged under by President Bush’s sinking approval ratings and growing anxiety over Iraq.
That doesn’t mean they’re also fleeing his cash offerings, however.
Despite approval ratings in the mid-to-upper 30s, Bush remains the nation’s most successful fundraiser. Vice President Dick Cheney, whose poll numbers are even lower than Bush’s, is not far behind. Both have raised tens of millions of dollars for GOP congressional and gubernatorial candidates running in this year’s midterm elections.
-snip-
Fancy footwork
It has resulted in some fancy GOP footwork as candidates in tight races step away from Bush and Cheney on divisive issues but dance toward them when the subject is money.
Bush has scheduled fundraisers Friday for Rep. Mike Sodrel of Indiana at The Murat Centre in Indianapolis and for Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., at a private residence in the Pittsburgh area.
He’s doing another one at a Washington hotel on Monday for Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., where $1,000 will get you in the door, and $10,000 in combined contributions from others will get you a “photo opportunity with the president,” according to an invitation.
more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11988100/from/RS.2/
Benson on religion
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/benson/
I laughed so hard at this one, it hurts...
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/benson/articles/032306benson.html
real truth...
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/benson/articles/032106benson.html
civil war?
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/benson/articles/031906benson.html
Fox dresses up staff to 'sparkle and shine'
March 22, 2006
BY ROBERT FEDER, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST
If Mark Suppelsa, Robin Robinson and the rest of the folks who covered Tuesday's primary on WFLD-Channel 32 looked a bit more colorful than usual last night, that was no accident.
Believe it or not, the news anchors and reporters at the Fox-owned station were ordered by their boss to wear flashy clothes -- preferably "red, white and blue."
-snip-
"Sparkle and shine," Finlayson wrote, "and give the viewers a visual difference when they are flipping around. Content will win, but you want to catch the eye of our friends and neighbors at home."
As of this writing, it's too soon to tell whether the dress code had any effect on Channel 32's ratings. (The station's newscasts generally lag behind its competitors, which accounts for the recent management upheaval there.)
But the very idea of journalists being ordered to wear attention-getting costumes while they cover the news struck some staffers as offensive, patronizing or just plain dumb. And the idea of putting such a directive in writing might have been even dumber.
more...
http://suntimes.com/output/feder/cst-fin-feder221.html
I'm shocked they allow any blue at all.
Wonder where he gets it from??? Read the first line of 41's response to this question below...
CBS News' Radio's Peter Maer speaks with former president George H.W. Bush 25 years after the Reagan assassination attempt on March 30, 1981.
Peter Maer: Many people probably lose sight of the fact that you and Ronald Reagan had only been in office for 70 days on that day in March of '81. What are your most vivid memories of that awful day 25 years ago?
Former President Bush: First, the shock of his being shot. I was in Texas at the time on a trip. I didn't really realize or understand fully what had happened although they began sending reports to me on Air Force Two. My original thoughts — and they still prevail — is a friend has been hurt. A friend has been shot. And then it all unfolded from there because there was speculation immediately, and understandably, that if something happened to Reagan I might be president. So the Secret Service shot me off to our airplane. We sat there for a while for some reason. I can't remember why and then flew back to Washington. So I remember the reaction. A friend has been shot. I didn't honestly believe that the burden of the presidency would fall on my shoulders and all of that.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/23/politics/main1432228.shtml
RE: Immigration issue...
Interesting how the sides are shaping up. Conservatives want to stop illegal immigration all together; George wants to initiate a guest worker program, under the auspices of national security (of course); and Kennedy & McCain have an approach, which is very similar to George's but has some meat to it (i.e., illegal immigrants who meet strict criteria, pay fines & back taxes should have a path to permanent residency and possibly citizenship). Of course, Frist wants in the game and will put forth "his" bill to tighten control of our borders without creating the guest-worker program the president wants. And Reid is threatening to filibuster Frist's bill.
In any case, this is going to be interesting as it's debated more next week. George's approach (actually Kennedy/McCain's) seems pretty reasonable (gasp - I can't believe I'm saying that...) and more along the lines that progressives would agree with. Plus, it appears to be more pro-business.
So, will the Dems rally around George's approach and come across as bi-partisan, pro-security & pro-business while the Repubs distance themselves from George and hold a hard line position based only on national security (presumedly to position themselves for the next election & make the unhappy conservative voters happy)...
That said, these words from George still seem awfully hypocritical to me, considering every other issue he has dealt with in his term...
"I urge members of Congress and I urge people who like to comment on this issue to make sure the rhetoric is in accord with our traditions," the president said.
He added, in a warning to members of Congress, that "the debate must be done in a way that doesn't pit one group of people against another."
http://tinyurl.com/laeh6 = NYTimes
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/23/AR2006032301785.html
Posted by: monkey at March 24, 2006 08:43 AM
Looks like that copy of "My Pet Goat" was his father's...
Once again, proof that George is above the law...
Bush shuns Patriot Act requirement
In addendum to law, he says oversight rules are not binding
By Charlie Savage, Globe Staff | March 24, 2006
WASHINGTON -- When President Bush signed the reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act this month, he included an addendum saying that he did not feel obliged to obey requirements that he inform Congress about how the FBI was using the act's expanded police powers.
The bill contained several oversight provisions intended to make sure the FBI did not abuse the special terrorism-related powers to search homes and secretly seize papers. The provisions require Justice Department officials to keep closer track of how often the FBI uses the new powers and in what type of situations. Under the law, the administration would have to provide the information to Congress by certain dates.
Bush signed the bill with fanfare at a White House ceremony March 9, calling it ''a piece of legislation that's vital to win the war on terror and to protect the American people." But after the reporters and guests had left, the White House quietly issued a ''signing statement," an official document in which a president lays out his interpretation of a new law.
In the statement, Bush said that he did not consider himself bound to tell Congress how the Patriot Act powers were being used and that, despite the law's requirements, he could withhold the information if he decided that disclosure would ''impair foreign relations, national security, the deliberative process of the executive, or the performance of the executive's constitutional duties."
http://tinyurl.com/kfx2v = Boston Globe
Heads up!!!
Noam Chomsky, noted international activist and professor of linguistics at M.I.T., will be online Friday, March 24 at 2 p.m. ET to offer analyses and insights on the latest headlines on domestic and international affairs.
Submit a question now, or during the discussion.
http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/zforum/content/submit_nation10.htm
Mehlman must be getting really worried and desperate about Santorum losing in November to Bob Casey. And he should be.
"Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman blasted state Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr. on Wednesday, calling the probable challenger to U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum a man with high ambition and few ideas."
Posted by: Ira at March 24, 2006 09:46 AM
Yeah, cuz Republican ideas have been working so damn well since they've been in power.
Helen A. Handbasket
Posted by: madame defarge at March 23, 2006 02:51 PM
Ahhhh. Good old Bab's. Benevolence with a hook. Now THAT'S a new trick. (Not.)
O.K. Bear with me here. I KNOW I read something on the old Kerry blog that was an article (anybody know how I can get ahold of Rocketman? I think he might have submitted the article) that PROVED that Neil Bush OWNS stock and has his fingers in none other than ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINE SOFTWARE. I KNOW I read it, and have googled it and googled it and found nothing.
I am, today, going to try Snopes. If anyone is as curious as I am about this, lend a hand.
Really COOL article, Casey!!! Good for you!!!
We have T.V. on in the bank and the Dr.'s offices here, too, but they are tuned into the soap operas most of the time. Priorities in red America, I guess! :-)