Round Up

Pluto is no longer a planet!

Casey,

I love your platinum nuggets.

Gentlemonkeys prefer them.

Pluto is no longer a planet!

Posted by: DiAnne at August 24, 2006 01:08 PM

... and Goofy is still president.

"We are not Going to Leave Iraq as Long as I am President".
G.B. Press Conference last Week

That message that Bush will never leave Iraq and that getting out of Iraq will either be the problem of the next President or of a new Congress willing to defund the war, should show up in every progressive campaign. That Sherminesque statement is far more entrenched than his previous statements of stay the course.

Pluto is no longer a planet!

Posted by: DiAnne at August 24, 2006 01:08 PM

DiAnne:

And Earth isn't one either!

http://www.planetwavesweekly.com/resources/earth_not_a_planet.html

Posted by: Ira at August 24, 2006 01:22 PM

I totally agree, and I've heard him make that statement previously and was suprised then at the lack of uproar over it.

Then again... anyway, see this from MediaMatters --->

Media ignored Bush's vow that "[w]e're not leaving" Iraq "so long as I'm the president"

Summary: Various media outlets ignored President Bush's statement during an August 21 press conference that the United States will not withdraw its forces from Iraq as long as he is president.

Those outlets simply reported that Bush pledged to keep U.S. forces in Iraq until "the mission is complete," and offered no indication that Bush pledged to keep troops there for the remainder of his term.

In reporting on President Bush's August 21 press conference on Iraq and the Middle East, various media outlets ignored Bush's statement that the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq will not happen as long as he is president.

During the press conference, Bush stated affirmatively: "We're not leaving, so long as I'm the president. That would be a huge mistake. It would send an unbelievably terrible signal to reformers across the region. It would say we've abandoned our desire to change the conditions that create terror. It would give the terrorists a safe haven from which to launch attacks." Certain media outlets, however, simply reported that Bush pledged to keep U.S. forces in Iraq until "the mission is complete," offering no indication that Bush pledged to keep troops there for the remainder of his term.

From Bush's press conference:

more...
http://mediamatters.org/items/200608220005

Pluto's Concession Speech

Just before coming down to speak with you, I called Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus and congratulated them on their success today. As I see it, in this campaign, we've just finished the first half and the Classical Planet team is ahead, but in the second half, our team -- Team Pluto -- is going to surge forward to victory.

I am, of course, disappointed by the results, but I am not discouraged. I am not disappointed because I lost my planetary status, but because the old politics of scholarship and intellectual integrity won today.

I expect my opponents will continue to do in the future what they have done today: Belittle me instead of coming up with ideas to avoid having to rewrite science textbooks.

I will continue to offer the astronomers a different path forward to make my Solar system and orbit a better place to live and work, and that's what I want to do for another six million more years.

I know a lot of people in this system, and not just "classical planets", are angry about the direction in which the Solar system is moving, and so am I.

Tomorrow morning, our campaign will file the necessary petition with the International Astronomical Union so that we can continue this campaign for a new astronomy of unity and purpose. I will always do what is right for my orbit and Solar system regardless of what the political consequences may be.

Tomorrow is a brand new day. Tomorrow we launch a new campaign -- Team Pluto -- Asteroids, non-conforming celestial objects and planets.

Hopefully someone will post a video of Pluto's speech on YouTube.

UPDATE: Dick Cheney has issued a statement:

"Pluto's demotion today is a victory for the terra-ists."
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/8/24/102112/777

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14497678/
FDA OKs nonprescription ‘morning-after’ pill
Decision allows over-the-counter sale of Plan B for those 18 or older

Is this something else that's going to be given now before election day and then taken away right after the '06 election???

NonnyO
Well I saw in the newspaper dispenser - when I stooped over to try to read it during lunch break - that the new study published in Nature about how to do stem cell research without harming the fetus (using only one cell, then placed in a special medium) - is STILL not acceptable to the White House.

The real issue is never "life" - it's anything that decreases their ability to control women.
(The American Taleban) - Baptists, Baathists - whatever. When I was an undergraduate, I thought maybe professors talking about dangers of Patriarchy were over-reacting. Turns out they were not.

Hear about the explosions at the bomb plant here?

Those explosions were 10 miles from me and my teeth are still rattling.

No major injuries thank God, not yet anyway... so far about 6 explosions in all.

See, I'm always like, now why on earth would people not flock to the excitement of Louisiana in droves...?

Then I step back and realize, wow this is a crazy place.

I mean lala insane.

Christy
I saw that first thing in the morning - they didn't know why it happened, I notice. My mind always starts working - a cover-up? poor safety because of de-regulation?

On another note -
Just read that Venezuela is doubling their oil exports to China. In exchange, it looks like China will support their bid to join the UN.

Seems like the world is sorting up into sides - either for a big war or an unstable system of checks & balances. One thing is clear - the US can no longer police the world & it must be driving the neocons crazy. Being ideologues, they never put much work into their theories (whether they could actually be put into practice).

I read something interesting yesterday - (hard to source from here) - one of the main groups promoting regime change in Iran was started by one of the honchos at Honeywell. Pure profit motive - then get support of neocon ideologues & fundies.

Here's another interesting thing that folks might be interested in (which would of course be a convenient juxtaposition of circumstance). It's relevant to current news stories, http://tinyurl.com/f65mr being one example, and it's also a clear-cut example of individuals taking necessary action into their own hands rather than relying on somebody-else's-government to do it for them.

I got an email from Lorraine at CultureKitchen (http://www.culturekitchen.com) this morning, and this is what she had to say:

"The FDA got it half-right this morning. Plan B contraception has been cleared for over the counter dispensation, but only if you are over the age of 18. Younger than 18? You're shit outta luck, unless you're willing to go to the doctor's office and get a prescription yourself. How you're supposed to do that without your parent's knowledge, since I'm assuming they'll get the insurance bills, is beyond me. If you're lucky, there will be a Planned Parenthood office in your town. But again, that will require luck.

"So, here's the deal. I am making a pledge, which I fully intend to keep. If you need Plan B contraception, and you contact me, I will go to my local pharmacy and get it for you. Your parents don't have to know.

"The CWFA will likely lobby Congress for a bill that will make my activities illegal, but I do not give a rat's ass for what the CWFA thinks of me.

"This is an act of civil disobedience.

"A little over a year ago, I wrote of my own experiences with Plan B contraception. I re-post it here:

"(Written in 2005) I am a whore. Or at least, that's what I think I'm supposed to accept these days. You see, I've used Plan B contraception -- twice -- because, for various reasons, I didn't use birth control while I was having sex, and because, at 41, I do not want to get pregnant again, I resorted to Plan B. Pharmacists who want to dispense shame would think of me as a whore.

"The pharmacists who refuse to dispense the medication, even with a doctor's prescription, claim to be doing so because it's against their morals to do so. They claim they're saving fetuses. But really? I think they're punishing women who have sex. Again.

"Rather than fight them on this, allow them to cast shame on me for being sexually active and single, I'm just going to come out and say it. I am a whore. I don't want to get pregnant. I have the wherewithal to fight you, but many, many women -- those who feel shame about having sex in this culture -- don't have the resources to fight you. And so I'm fighting this on their behalf."

[snip]

Now, yr hmbl otr crspndnt may not have a uterus of his very own. But he has been involved with several other people's over the years. And he takes very seriously the rights of women to be in charge of their own reproductive systems.

So IFO heartily second Lorraine's emotion as stated above, and I give her serious props for publically offering to civilly disobey certain cynical stoopid repo-wrung laws on behalf of her sisters.

How about you? Questions, comments, kudos, brickbats?

Ummm Dianne, they just had another major explosion out there like a week and a half ago, my nieghbor lost her job.

Not sure what is up at the ammo plant but I would not go out there on a dare right now.

Officials said a fire broke out at the plant on 15,000-acre (6,000-hectare) Camp Minden, which appeared to have set off at least 10 explosions of munitions that included 10-ton bombs.

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-08-24T182618Z_01_N24452369_RTRUKOC_0_US-LOUISIANA-EXPLOSION.xml&src=rss

The Boston Globe
REV. JOHN F. HUDSON
And God sayeth unto man: I’ve had it!

By Rev. John F. Hudson | August 23, 2006

MAKING HIS first public remarks in more than 1,000 years, God appeared in the heavens yesterday and ordered all world religions founded in His/Her name to ``immediately take a well-deserved and long overdue time-out." At the crowded press conference, hastily called by the angel Gabriel with a trumpet blast, God’s tone switched between anger and sadness as He/She described being frustrated with the boundless cruelty and violence committed in His/Her name.

``It’s not like I haven’t been patient," said God, who is also known as Lord, Yahweh, Allah, Creator, and the Unnamed One. ``I make and give to humans this beautiful gift called Creation. I give them the ability to think and love and imagine. I send them messengers who teach. I provide food for all, sunsets, cute babies, music, even the Internet! But the minute I turn my back, they all start fighting. Holy War this, Crusade that, and Jihad, blah, blah, blah," He/She said.

full piece here: http://tinyurl.com/nwooc

Posted by: Otter at August 24, 2006 03:54 PM

Hey Otter,

I second that emotion. Or I guess I third it. Anyway - I'm with you furry friend.

Excellent journal over at DU by William Pitt re: this myth:

Oh Fa Chrissake...

DATA DUMP: "9/11 was Clinton's fault"

Posted by WilliamPitt in General Discussion
Thu Aug 24th 2006, 01:34 PM

The two great myths that have settled across the nation, beyond the Hussein-9/11 connection, are that Clinton did not do enough during his tenure to stop the spread of radical terrorist organizations like al Qaeda, and that the attacks themselves could not have been anticipated or stopped. Blumenthal's insider perspective on these matters bursts the myths entirely, and reveals a level of complicity regarding the attacks within the journalistic realm and the conservative political ranks that is infuriating and disturbing.

Starting in 1995, Clinton took actions against terrorism that were unprecedented in American history. He poured billions and billions of dollars into counterterrorism activities across the entire spectrum of the intelligence community. He poured billions more into the protection of critical infrastructure. He ordered massive federal stockpiling of antidotes and vaccines to prepare for a possible bioterror attack. He order a reorganization of the intelligence community itself, ramming through reforms and new procedures to address the demonstrable threat. Within the National Security Council, "threat meetings" were held three times a week to assess looming conspiracies. His National Security Advisor, Sandy Berger, prepared a voluminous dossier on al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, actively tracking them across the planet. Clinton raised the issue of terrorism in virtually every important speech he gave in the last three years of his tenure. In 1996, Clinton delivered a major address to the United Nations on the matter of international terrorism, calling it "The enemy of our generation."

snip

In Congress, Clinton was thwarted by the reactionary conservative majority in virtually every attempt he made to pass legislation that would attack al Qaeda and terrorism. His 1996 omnibus terror bill, which included many of the anti-terror measures we now take for granted after September 11, was withered almost to the point of uselessness by attacks from the right; Jesse Helms and Trent Lott were openly dismissive of the threats Clinton spoke of.

Clinton wanted to attack the financial underpinnings of the al-Qaeda network by banning American companies and individuals from dealing with foreign banks and financial institutions that al Qaeda was using for its money-laundering operations. Texas Senator Phil Gramm, chairman of the Banking Committee, killed Clinton's bill on this matter and called it "totalitarian." In fact, he was compelled to kill the bill because his most devoted patrons, the Enron Corporation and its criminal executives in Houston, were using those same terrorist financial networks to launder their own dirty money and rip off the Enron stockholders.

full article here:

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/WilliamPitt/84

So Pluto has been demoted to a dwarf planet. What a Dopey decision.

If Pluto can no longer be a planet, then I refuse to be part of this universe either.

I love Pluto. The planet of WAR.

Without it, being a scorpio no longer means anything.

I thought Mars was war. I think Pluto turned out to be a big iceball.

Anyway, the conjunction of the planets must be awfully messed up right now.

9/11 Clinton's fault?

Excuse me - the guy who was going to blow up LAX was arrested on Clinton's watch, coming in from Canada on the Pt. Townsend WA ferry. Notice nothing bad happened at the Millennium. Security was very high. Most of the bad things happened AFTER W's inauguration.

After 9/11, we had the world's good will, for the most part. Remember people burning candles for us, from Australia to even Tehran. We have pictures. Acting like a cowboy and making black & whites threats ruined it.

No, Pluto is not a big iceball. He's a big dog. Photo (and story) here:

http://liberalvaluesblog.com/?p=136

FRANKFORT, Kentucky (AP) -- A judge dismissed charges against Gov. Ernie Fletcher in a state hiring scandal Thursday after the governor agreed to a settlement that includes the resignations of four of his appointees.

"The governor acknowledges that the evidence strongly indicates wrongdoing by his administration with regard to personnel actions with the merit system," the judge said in a five-page order dismissing the charges.

The Republican's administration had been accused of illegally giving protected state jobs to political supporters.

more...
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/08/24/kentucky.gov.ap/index.html

U.S. generals say violence curbed in Baghdad
But violence persists as attacks kill 16 Iraqis, 2 U.S. soldiers

Updated: 25 minutes ago

(AP)BAGHDAD, Iraq - America’s two top generals in the Middle East said Thursday a security operation in Baghdad was helping curb violence after a surge of bombings and shootings there in recent months.

But the bloodshed persisted with three car bombs in Baghdad and a series of bombings and shootings across the country killing at least 16 Iraqis and two U.S. soldiers on Thursday. Another U.S. soldier was killed the previous day, the military said.

U.S. authorities claim a joint American-Iraqi operation that began in early August has improved security. The U.S. military has said the operation, for which 12,000 troops were redeployed to Baghdad, aims to curb mostly sectarian warfare.

“I believe there is a danger of civil war in Iraq, but only a danger,” Gen. John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, said after meeting with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani. “I think Iraq’s far from it. I think that there’s been great progress in the security front here recently in Baghdad.”

Abizaid said he and Army Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, were “very optimistic that the situation will stabilize.”

Casey also said the security operation was working.

“I think everybody has seen an improvement in the situation in Baghdad over the last weeks because of the operations of the Iraqi security forces supported by the American Army,” he said. “And we’re confident that we can sustain that.”

more ...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14499338/

Rep. Schmidt's marathon ad questioned

By MATT LEINGANG, Associated Press Writer
Thu Aug 24, 4:28 PM ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt is fast, capable of running a marathon in 3 hours, 19 minutes, 6 seconds.

At least that's what a photo on the Ohio congresswoman's Web site shows.

No way, says a rival who contends that the picture from the 1993 Columbus Marathon is doctored and complained to state election officials. A four-member commission panel ruled Thursday that there was enough evidence to look into the complaint.

State law prohibits candidates from publishing false statements designed to promote their election.

The photo shows Schmidt near the finish line at the marathon with a time clock showing 3:19:06, which would have made her one of the top finishers. But a newspaper list of the top runners does not include Schmidt, said Nathan Noy, who is seeking to run as a write-in candidate against Schmidt.

Noy said he believes the photo may be fake and suggested that Schmidt never even participated in the event. In the photo, Schmidt doesn't cast a shadow while other runners do.

Joseph Braun, an attorney representing Schmidt, denied that the photograph is fake. He produced what he said was an official race results book, listing Schmidt as the fifth-place finisher in her age group with a time of 3:19:09 — three seconds slower than the time depicted in the photograph.

The time clock reflects when the photo was taken, not her official time, Braun said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060824/ap_on_el_ho/candidate_marathon_photo

Posted by: monkey at August 24, 2006 07:50 PM

Maybe Mean Jean runs fast to get away from her own record...

- she called Murtha a coward
- she lied about her college degrees
- she lied about having endorsements/support from a rep. from CO & Family Research Council
- her approval rating in OH is lower than George (but only slightly above Bob Taft...)

Luckily, she's got some good competition now in Dr. Victoria Wulsin who is "running" against her .

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/8/24/183411/887

speaking of records to run from...

Harris: Separation of church and state 'a lie'

RAW STORY
Published: Thursday August 24, 2006

In a lengthy interview with Florida Baptist Witness, struggling U.S. Senate candidate Katherine Harris asserts, among other things, that the separation of church and state is a fallacy.

"We have to have the faithful in government and over time," the Witness quotes Harris as saying, "that lie we have been told, the separation of church and state, people have internalized, thinking that they needed to avoid politics and that is so wrong because God is the one who chooses our rulers."

Excerpted answers from the interview follow:

On civil rights for gays: "Civil rights have to do with individual rights and I don't think they apply to the gay issues. I have not supported gay marriage and I do not support any civil rights actions with regard to homosexuality."

When asked if abortion is a moral evil: "Yes. Because it's a life, it's a life. Life begins at conception."

Stem cell research: "I'm the only candidate in the primary or general who's voted against embryonic stem cell research and has voted for cord blood research and adult stem cell research. ... There are no successes for embryonic. That is why the private sector is not involved and there is no justification for taking a live embryo and destroying it."

Regarding the Florida primary: "Florida is the forerunner state. ...[W]hat happens in Florida sets the trend for what happens nationally. And with this election, if Bill Nelson wins, it’s going to be a very frightening proposition in 2008 in the presidential elections because whoever wins Florida will win the presidency."

more on...
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Harris_Separation_of_church_and_state_0824.html

Posted by: monkey at August 24, 2006 08:21 PM

Maybe she should have had a brain implant instead ... then she wouldn't have said such stupid things.

Or maybe the interview was just a booby trap...

Posted by: madame defarge at August 24, 2006 08:26 PM

... or maybe, she's just a shameful excuse for a human being.

Civil rights apply to all, biatch.

If, as Harris insists, the leaders of this country are hand-picked by God... then where does that leave monkeys and otters, huh?

Damn. Guess it's too late to get a refund on all those "Loutre For President" bumperstickers...

(Alan, Vets for Peace)

The Bush administration's most recent budget framework includes $910 million in cuts to the Veterans Administration. 2,615 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq, and yet efforts to double the death benefit for soldiers killed in active duty have been forcefully resisted by the White House. Pay raises for soldiers have been capped. The tax-cut mantra of the White House has not trickled down far enough to assist the troops on the line; soldiers fighting overseas and soldiers deployed for extended periods have not been deemed worthy of even minimal tax relief, while billions of dollars in tax cuts are gifted to the wealthiest among us.
Nearly 20,000 soldiers have been wounded in Iraq, but must wait nearly six months before being seen by a VA hospital. The prescription co-pay costs for veterans were doubled in Bush's proposed 2005 budget. His 2004 proposed budget would have eviscerated funding for the education of military children. The White House formally opposed allowing National Guard and Reserve members access to the Pentagon's health care program. Perhaps worst of all, the White House quietly attempted to cut combat pay for all soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, but this measure was quickly scrapped after it became public.

Posted by: Otter at August 24, 2006 08:53 PM

Forget monkeys and otters, where does that leave the voters? I mean, why bother?

Vote for Helen A. Handbasket

Cheer up, you silly 'panzee-man. Read this instead: http://tinyurl.com/lboyz

Posted by: Otter at August 24, 2006 09:08 PM

My, that's a tiny url ya got there.

Harris' understanding of the great issues of our time is as impressive as her grasp of makeup.

The phrase "Separation of Church and State" originates with Jefferson, in this letter from 1802:

http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.html

The better to wee you with, my dear.

Posted by: Ron Chusid at August 24, 2006 07:11 PM

Pluto was the god of the underworld. Gives a new meaning to "hell freezing over".

Posted by: Matthew Carnicelli at August 24, 2006 09:31 PM

Oh Matt... what a witty understatement!

Re: Harris

Anyone who messes with MY civil rights - I will ensure THEIR civil rights are trampled upon someday.

Re: Harris (again)

Besides, some people thought Harris, like Mann Coulter, was a tranny too, due to her makeup.

The right-wing tranny sellouts, like Coulter and maybe Harris, are not only selling themselves out, but the rest of America with them. I will NEVER forgive them.

Posted by: not my president at August 24, 2006 09:00 PM

NMP,

Do you have a link for your post? I want to send it to my e-mail list.

Oncall
I emailed the guy who sent that out.
He's a Quaker and peace activist & has worked with homeless vets for years. When I hear back I'll give it to you.
I thought it was good & trust him, so that's why I posted it
uncredited. I'll let you know.
It was titled "Another Day At the White House." Maybe he wrote it but he'd have had to get the figures from somewhere.

On another note -
Driving to & from work I heard radio broadcasts that really got me thinking.

They were both authors who have written on the middle east.
One was an Iranian who is a professor at Harvard now. He said Iran used to be bounded by competitors who kept it in check - Saddam on one side, the Taleban on the other. With them knocked out, they can really flex their muscle in the middle east.

The other was the guy who wrote "The Taleban," which sold well right after 9-11. He writes for International Herald Tribune and the Telegraph. He also wrote a book on Islam in SE Asia. He was talking about how Bin Laden has moved from the border of Afghanistan/Pakistan into Pakistan and has his #2 there as well, and there are other extremist groups. The London bombings and probably these recent threats to UK-to-US aircraft were probably from British of Pakistan origin who went to Pakistan for training. He was talking about how Musharaf is up for election in 2007 (though it isn't really a democracy but a military dictatorship that we support) and that he has done hardly anything to decrease terrorism or help catch Bin Laden et al.

The major point was that the US goes on about democracy but is so selective in which democracies they support. The neocons are always railing about Syria and Iran. What - about - Pakistan? Is - Saudi - Arabia - a - democracy? I didn't think so. & as he mentioned, Condi hasn't even been mentioning democracy lately.

Thinking also about Venezuela's deals with China. Was thinking about how we support populist revolts in places like Ukraine, as long as they are in the direction of "free trade." If they are in places like Venezuela or Bolivia, in the direction of "public control" (of oil, natural gas etc), we condemn them. It's a farce.

A Florida friend had a comment on the matter of Katharine Harris & God:

"God is the one who chooses our rulers."
Does this mean that God is actually a rigged voting machine? Wow, that would be disappointing...

Posted by: DiAnne at August 24, 2006 11:37 PM

Thanks.

No God is not a rigged voting machine. God only "tells" the people who tamper with the voting machines that they are doing God's work.

oncall and DiAnne,

I remember hearing a caller on either Stephanie Miller or Randi Rhodes say that in order to make God's will happen, the law of man must be sometimes broken, and elections outright stolen. In fact, I posted about it on the blog previously.

BTW, it was a Hollywood, California, based pastor.

Posted by: DiAnne at August 24, 2006 11:37 PM

Re: Pakistan

Any country that lets honor killings go rampant - or even encourage them, as in the case of Pakistan - is NOT a friend of the civilized world.

Posted by: Otter at August 24, 2006 03:54 PM

I haven't read any in-depth info on the new rules and regulations after now approving the morning after pill for over-the-counter purchase, but since it can be had without a prescription, I wonder if a daddy (widowed, divorced) can buy the pills for his under-age daughter who has come crying on his shoulder about having been coerced into sex by a mean boyfriend after she gets home from a date (technically, that's rape and also should be reported to police)? Or if a grandparent can do the same? Or does the woman who needs or wants the pills have to do the actual purchasing? Or, can a woman who doesn't need them yet buy one or two packets to keep on hand "just in case" (like for over holidays when pharmacies are closed, knowing full well these pills must be taken within 72 hrs. of unprotected sex, no matter if she was a willing or unwilling participant)...? Or...?

How do mommy or daddy otters feel about keeping the pills on hand "just in case" if they have a teenage-daughter who just "might" need them someday and that someday may fall on a holiday when they can't be purchased, and doctors are out of town and difficult to reach and regular pharmacies might be closed, etc...? Or what if a woman of child-bearing age just wants to keep the morning-after pills on hand "in case" and as a back-up if, say, her partner's condom breaks and she needs it in an emergency because she has medical conditions that prevent her from taking the pill, so actually needs some back-up protection if she doesn't want to take chances on becoming pregnant? I'm thinking of finances here, the cheapest way to go about having access to pills or other medications that one keeps on hand towards the day when they might be needed, vs. having to run to the doctor and enriching both medical corporations and pharmaceutical corporations. Why not only enrich one, just buy the pills, and when the expiration date arrives, throw them out and get new ones to keep on hand "just in case"?

Errrr.... too much common sense?

I support the woman who would buy morning-after pills for under-age young women who "might" need them. I would do the same (even if a pharmacist could tell at a glance I no longer need them for myself at my age). I would rather see the morning-after pills out on the regular shelves for purchase whenever the store/pharmacy is open.

Mars/Ares is the god of war, rules the sun sign Aries (cardinal fire sign), and before Pluto was discovered, it co-ruled Scorpio. Pluto rules sex, death, regeneration... the worst and the best of human passions, the sun sign Scorpio (fixed water sign)... and it rules nuclear power. Which means total good or total evil, not much in between. Scorpio also rules riches from/under the earth, like oil, diamonds and other gems, gold, silver, etc., which fall under the domain of Pluto/Hades, god of the underworld. Those names are taken from Greek and Roman mythology in western astrology. The transits of the outer planets (Uranus - rules Aquarius, Neptune - rules Pisces, Pluto - rules Scorpio) allegedly rule generational influences because they take so long in their rotations around the sun. Makes me wonder if modern astrologers are going to change things relating to Pluto, and how they do interpretations of natal astrology charts.

Hel is the Norse goddess of the underworld, and her domain is freezing cold. The expression 'cold as hell' has it's origins with Norse mythology (there is a town in Norway named Hell, BTW). No, I don't know why Hel's domain became known as hell in Christian mythology, but the early popes decreed that proselytizing priests were to adopt the practices of pagan religions to gain converts to Christianity, and to build churches where pagans worshipped their goddesses and gods. The early Catholic Church elevated the stature of Mary to gain converts, too, because the simple country-folk were used to worshipping goddesses above gods in her trinity of maiden, mother, crone in matrilineal cultures, and many early, now famous, cathedrals were built on sites where goddesses were worshipped. Easter is named for the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, goddess of dawn (decided at the synod at Whitby which united the Celtic Catholic and Roman Catholic churches which were at that time separate, but Rome prevailed), but, in any case, it had to coincide with moon cycles which determine the Jewish calendar, and early Celts also reckoned time by periods of darkness - dark of the moon to the dark of the moon, not full moon to full moon, just as the Jewish calendar does, which is how the Passover dates are determined and for the Christian Easter to coincide with Passover, the date has to be changed and reckoning has to be done by the dark of the moon to set the date.

There's almost nothing in modern Christianity that was not adopted and adapted from earlier cultures and how they practiced their religions, and if you look at pictures of the oldest cathedrals, some have the astrological signs carved above their doors (see Chartres Cathedral's front doors, for instance). Astrology was once very much a part of early Christianity, and was not labeled anathema until only two or three hundred years ago. Before then astrology and astronomy were the same 'science' and sanctioned by the church, and almost every royal court in the western hemisphere had court astrologers.

Up until the modern calendar, the new year was ushered in with the spring equinox, and was usually considered to be Mar. 24. In doing genealogy research one has to be mindful of when the calendars were changed and enter double dates for the year when a date falls between Jan. 1 - Mar 24.

How to explain in abstract astrological terms the theory of why the behavior of His Insufferable Twitness is tolerated? The sun sign Cancer is ruled by the moon, which brings out all the 'home, mom, and apple pie' stuff that's been part of pop American culture, and why boys go off to fight wars, and that's America's sun sign because of the 4th of July - and His Twitness celebrates his birthday a couple of days after that. And Cancer does rule mothers, the home, and normal Cancerians are great at being the first to make homemade chicken soup for their ailing relatives and friends (the negative side is they'll smother their relatives and friends by care-taking them with too much loving attention... there's a positive and a negative expression in all of these astrological 'interpretations'). Women like that are great enablers and good partners for men like His Twitness; they forgive and forgive and forgive every idiocy, lie, and abuse. (I don't get it.)

I suspect that women who find him "attractive" see the little boy, bumbling for attention and expression and it brings out some sort of wayward and demented mothering instinct in them, which means they want to tie his shoelaces and tell sonny-boy how to act like a man, in a weird way to manipulate him into acting like the great patriarch he's pretending to be, because deep down I think they know he's trying to compete with his father's reputation. (Seriously, if women with misguided s/mothering instincts need something to take care of so badly, they need to get a dog and open dog obedience schools; at least dogs can be trained.) If a woman is unhappy with her spouse, she likely tries to mold her son(s) into the kind of man she really wants in her life if she's ultimately disappointed in her choice of a husband. (Personally, I think the twit is ugly and those women desperately need psychological counseling - and glasses.)

When His Twitness talks about "protecting" soccer moms and "securing our borders" it makes misguided mold-impulsive women feel like he's trying to take on the role of the father in Rockwell paintings portrayed on the Saturday Evening Post covers from that long-ago era when there was a war that was at least 'justified' in that the whole world knew Hitler had to be put in his place. People who are deluding themselves that His Twitness could aspire to grow into the role in which he was appointed are not dealing with reality... and the negative aspect of moon-ruled Cancerians is that they are masters of illusion and self-delusion by moonlight.... They should look to other aspects of other planets in his chart to see the evil genius at work, see how he "lets" his counselors (like the Chinkster and Turd Blossom, et al.) manipulate him, and analyze how that illusory image is projected to the sheeple of this country who refuse to go cold turkey from the kool-aid they've been imbibing since the 2000 debacle. Even famous women like snooze anchors drama-queen-voiced Diane Sawyer, the giggling Couric, and even, amazingly, Barbara Walters, have insisted he is very charming and has a marvelous sense of humor. I don't get it.

I think as badly as reality-based people want to see His Twitness impeached and brought up on trial for war crimes at The Hague, that the self-delusion and illusions about His Twitness perpetuated in Lamestream Media will saturate the collective subconscious of this nation, and once he's out of office they will look back fondly at him like they did ol' senile Ronnie Reagan - and no one will hold him or his loyal circle of enablers accountable for their crimes. As of this moment in time, here's just no dealing with that kind of self-delusion projected on to all of us with the aid of the image-makers in Lamestream Media who refuse to deal with reality or the crimes of the little-boy-aspiring-to-be-a-man and those in his inner circle of greedy loyalists who will never see how they enabled the spoiled frat-brat with the addictive personality (loyalists who are raking in big bucks from taxpayers by keeping His Twitness enabled, even if he throws temper tantrums in private). They won't have to help pick up the pieces after they're out of office, but the rest of us will be forced into roles of indulgent parents who pick up the pieces after junior throws his temper tantrums and is allowed to run amok. As of this moment, I fear His Twitness, as the perpetual child, will never be held accountable. Remember, he doesn't even understand why the Iraq people resent his invasion and occupation of their country, and doesn't understand why they resent his imposition of democracy on them, and he doesn't 'get' why they are not grateful. His self-delusion is absolute. People don't want to believe such self-delusion is pure evil....

Those of us grounded in reality can only throw up our hands and blame it on the stars.

Blame it on the stars? What, is this all Britney's and Tom Cruise's fault *too*?

Your Right, Mars is the Planet of War. Nuclear power. And Regeneration.

And Pluto rules death and hell. And rebirth.

Scorpios are co-ruled by both planets.

But why do they keep saying Scorpios are 'jelous and cruel'...?

That is just unfair. I am one and have known many, I can not ever remember meeting a 'jelous' scorpio in my life.

"Makes me wonder if modern astrologers are going to change things relating to Pluto, and how they do interpretations of natal astrology charts."

I think not - especially in the post-Tarnas era.

However, what is likely to occur is a further re-visioning of the operative "frame" that governs astrology. In astrology, we too have our fundamentalists, who literally advocate a return to the system that thrived in the ancient and medieval worlds.

The modernist school, of which I am a card-carrying member, already believes that we have to rethink everything that we think we know about astrology, and base everything going forward on correlations that can be comprehensively documented and replicated.

And after Richard Tarnas' "Cosmos and Psyche", if one can accept the cosmological paradigm at all, then there can be no question of the importance of the heavenly body that astronomers called Pluto. As far as I'm concerned, this body's mythological name has never perfectly fit its impact - having much more to do in my view with the Hindu deity "Shiva" and, and in Tarnas' view, Dionysus.

This situation is quite similar in that regard to that of Uranus - whose electrifying impact has almost nothing to do with the mythology associated with that of the Sky God Ouranus, but everything to do with that of Prometheus.

Yesterday's decision will compel astrologers to further challenge what they think they do - and IMHO, that can only be a good thing. Most of us are already using the comet Chiron, and some have used the five major asteroids extensively. And, of course, neither the Moon or the Sun are "planets".

In the end, all defensible models of human behavior, even one as inherently multi-dimensional as astrology, must be based on studies that are grounded in observable human experience, and tested within a reasonable set of archetypal parameters. With that test in mind, I can only conclude that Pluto's place in the cosmic scheme of things must remain as influential today as it was before yesterday's announcement.

"Must it be. Yes it Must" - Beethoven's inscription over the opening bars of his Op. 135 String Quartet.

More US Presidents have been born under the sign of scorpio than any other.

Pluto Rocks.

Pluto *is* rocks.

Mathew Carnicelli
What my sister always told me is that Pluto is so far away that everyone on earth is same for Pluto. ??

Pluto is a slow moving "body" - and because of its elliptical orbit, can remain in certain sectors of the zodiac for long periods. So, for instance, Pluto remained in Leo from 1938 through 1957 - in contrast to its relatively short stay in Sagittarius, from 1995 through 2008-09 - and thank Cosmos for that!

THE TEA LEAF PROPHECY (LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS)
words by Joni Mitchell
music by Larry Klein and Joni Mitchell

Study war no more
Lay down your arms
Study war no more
Lay 'em down, lay 'em down now
Study war no more
Lay down your arms
Study war no more

Newsreels rattle the Nazi dread--
The able-bodied have shipped away--
Molly McGee gets her tea-leaves read--
You'll be married in a month they say
"These leaves are crazy!
Look at this town--there's no men left!
Just frail old boys and babies
Talking to teacher in the treble clef."

She plants her garden in the spring
She does the winter shovelling
Tokyo Rose on the radio
She says she's leavin' but she don't go

Out of the blue--just passin' thru
A young flight sergeant
On two weeks leave--
Says "Molly McGee--no one else will do!"
And seals the tea-leaf prophecy.
Oh these nights are strong and soft--
Private passions and secret storms
Nothin' about him ticks her off
And he looks so cute in his uniform

She plants her garden in the spring
He does the winter shovelling
But summer's just a sneeze
In a long-long-bad-winter cold
She says, "I'm leavin' here" but she don't go

"Sleep little darlin'!
This is your happy home
Hiroshima cannot be pardoned!
Don't have kids when you get grown.
Because, this world is shattered
The wise are mourning--
The fools are joking
Oh--what does it matter?
The wash needs ironing
And the fire needs stoking."

She plants her garden in the spring
He does the winter shovelling
The three of 'em laughing 'round the radio
She says "I'm leavin' here" but she don't go

She plants her garden in the spring
They do the winter shovelling
They sit up late and watch the
Johnny Carson show
She says "I'm leavin' here but she don't go

A Bubble in Time

We live in a time of bubbles. Over the past few years we've witnessed Internet and technology stock bubbles, and now the end-phase of what many observers believe will prove to be a real estate bubble. We've seen the emergence of what might be best described as a religious bubble, with fanatical adherents of many persuasions taking their beliefs to deadly extremes.

This age of rapidly expanding bubbles began in January 1995, when the planet Pluto, as referenced against the coordinates of the tropical zodiacal, left the sign of Scorpio and moved into Sagittarius. Astrologers describe Pluto as the planet of dramatic transformations, of evolutional changes in cultures, ideologies, human activities and consciousness itself. The sign of Sagittarius, thought to be ruled by the planet Jupiter, is intimately concerned with the nature and power of beliefs, in our coming to grips with issues around faith (both religious and psychological), and in evaluating the validity of these beliefs within the framework of the physical world. In a very real sense, when Pluto entered tropical Sagittarius, for a period of 13 years, the dynamics underpinning human belief found itself under a high-powered cosmic microscope.

http://www.hpleft.com/040303.html

A slow-moving body? Hey, I can relate to that.

Timely insight from Ellen:

As our interest in and support for real science declines, some Americans are actually mad about Pluto's reassignment to a dwarf planet, but few are talking about the many marines who have been called back to active duty in Iraq. Fewer are talking about how bad things still are in New Orleans. If Pluto was found unfit for planetary duty for not being the biggest and brightest thing out there, what should be done with a president and a congress that not only got us into Iraq and couldn't get anyone out of Katrina, but now want to get us into Iran? Can we demote our leaders to a dwarf government?

http://ellenofthetenth.blogspot.com/2006/08/weekend-roundup.html#comments

Ah, yes, monkeyman. Another Venus de Milo song.

And who woulda thunk that the DCP blog would have gone off on such an intense tangential discussion of Plutonium, too. It is to croggle.

NonnyO This is for You

AMERICA DECLARED AN ACCOUNTABILITY ZONE!
Military Tribunal Sentences Bush & Co. to Hard Labor - WOW!

CRAWFORD, TX- After Last week's ruling on NSA domestic spying, members of the Bush Administration were rushed before one of their own military tribunals and quickly found guilty of treason and conspiracy to undermine our Constitutional Republic. The judge took mercy on the criminals, and spared them the guillotine in favor of a life of hard labor and humiliation along the roadsides of America, "May they serve as a warning to all against hubris and greed for power" said a spokesman for court.

They are pictured above at their first stop in Crawford, Texas, formerly the vacation residence of G.W. Bush. The old Crawford City Jail has been re-opened to house the Bush Chain Gang. The Bush Ranch will be auctioned next week, as will his other assets and the assets of the Vice President, Karl Rove, Condoleezza Rice and Donald Rumsfeld to pay reparations to victims of their crimes.

Work Release Tour Greeted with Cheers and Cameras!

Well OK, we were just tickling your appetite for a little accountability, as the Bush Chain Gang "Work Release Tour" has done all around the country this summer. You probably don't know that there are now three sets of Chain Gang costumes, one based on the East Coast in D.C., another in the Mid-West, based out of Chicago, and a third on the West Coast, based in Seattle. All three sets were created at an "undisclosed location" near the Backbone Campaign's Headquarters on Vashon Island. And our dedicated volunteers are building more.

The Chain Gang has gotten coverage on CNN.Com, New York Daily News, Rueters, AP, YahooNews, The Seattle Times, multiple television stations across the country and now in the Lone Star Iconoclast. Nobody can seem to keep their camera in their pack or there cell phone locked when these characters show up. Crowds in restaurants or in parks often erupt into spontaneous standing ovations as the characters pass by. Many of the people who have volunteered to wear the costumes have raved that it was the "most fun" and "most powerful" political experience of their life!

Ironically, the Backbone Campaign is not really an "impeachment organization," but with abuse afterabuse, violation of national law after national law, and the systematic disregard for the balance of powers, the congress, treaties and international law, finally it just becomes irresponsible not to urge the use of the tool the Constitution provides, while we still have one. It's not negative, it's not "political," it's an affirmation of the document that provides the very foundation of this country. Thanks to the Bush administration, impeachment has become an indispensable component of a positive progressive agenda, and don't listen to the spineless, calculating, scared of their shadow politicians who tell you otherwise.

Bill Moyer
web: http://www.backbonecampaign.org

From Astrobuff, who is trying to scare me lst thing in the morning telling me the new passports with chips are coming out.

JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES

Barely acknowledged by the Western media, military exercises organized by Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan under the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, (CSTO) were launched on the 24th of August. These war games, officially tagged as part of a counter terrorism program, are in direct response to US military threats in the region including the planned attacks against Iran.

The Rubezh-2006 exercise, is scheduled to take place from August 24-29 near the Kazak port city of Aktau:

"It will be the first joint military exercise undertaken by CSTO countries, and will involve 2,500 members drawn from various armed services of member states, with Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan the principal participants. Uzbekistan, which has recently rejoined the CSTO, will send observers, while the two other pact members, Belarus and Armenia, will not be taking part .( IPWR News Briefing Central Asia)

Press reports from the region describe these war games as a response to US military presence and ambitions in Central Asia:

"The growing militarisation is connected with mutual mistrust among countries in the region, say analysts. Iranian media have speculated that the United States is using Azerbaijan to create a military counterweight to Iran on the Caspian. It is possible that the exercise conducted by the CSTO ˆ in which Russia is dominant ˆ represents a response to concerns about United States involvement in developing Kazakstan‚s navy. Observers say Russia is leaning more and more towards the Iranian view that countries from outside should be banned from having armed forces in the Caspian Sea."

end quote.........
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArti...

Democrats plot 'no confidence' vote against Rumsfeld

RAW STORY
Published: Friday August 25, 2006

The Democrats may be preparing a strategy to punish President Bush for allowing Donald Rumsfeld to continue to serve as Secretary of Defense, according to an item at the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire blog.

To shift the Iraq discussion from troop withdrawals to questions of accountability, Washington Wire reports, Democrats may attempt to attach a "vote of no confidence" to defense spending legislation in Congress. Democrats hope that Republican moderates seeking to distance themselves from the Bush war effort would support the measure, making it difficult for the White House to easily defeat the legislation.

Washington Wire added that Rumsfeld has indicated privately that he has no intention to resign.

Earlier this week, journalist Laura Rozen reported at her blog that President Bush may be testing the waters on replacing Rumsfeld after six years in office.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Democrats_plot_no_confidence_vote_against_0825.html

Posted by: monkey at August 25, 2006 09:52 AM

I have prediction, I predict in late Oct or first days of Nov, (before the election) Bush is going to replace Rumsfeld. Its a perfect gambit to draw attention away from those running for office from the Democratic Party. All eyes will then be on the Republicans the media will cover it over everything else the Republicans will get a ton a free air play and its in line with everything this Administration has done so far, sneaky underhanded and wrong headed but in line.

Crazy world
The bus driver in Louisiana who assigned black kids seats at the back of the bus also assigned 9 kids to 2 seats, so some had to stand and some had to sit on each other's laps. The complaint to the school took far too long to get attention.

Crazy world
I didn't realize Lebanon has 17 major sectarian groups, with assigned seats (proportionally) in Parliament. The President must be a Maronite Christian, the Prime Minister a Sunni, the Speaker of the House a Shiite & so on. No wonder France is hedging on troops - they messed it up in the first place, setting it up so there would not be a strong state. US will probably end up having to do the same thing in Iraq, to ever get out of there. Didn't realize Hezbollah (Shiite militia) was so strong - they are able to give $12,000US each to those who lost houses to Israeli bombing, of which there are about 15,000 (acc/NPR). So many people blame the US (rightfully or not), assuming we provided the missiles to Israel (well we probably sold them). It would not be fun to live in Lebanon - a small country that seems to get used as a battleground. Yet the people are resilient - 80 miles of spoiled Meditteranean due to a giant oil spill thanks to the Israelis, yet they're showing up at the beach with music blaring from cars, kids on bikes, & people smoking water pipes.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -- Sixty-three percent of Israelis want Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to resign in a sharp public rebuke over his handling of the war in Lebanon against Hezbollah, a newspaper poll showed on Friday.

more...
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/08/25/olmert.reut/index.html

Inquiry Opened Into Israeli Use of U.S. Bombs

By DAVID S. CLOUD
Published: August 25, 2006

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24 — The State Department is investigating whether Israel’s use of American-made cluster bombs in southern Lebanon violated secret agreements with the United States that restrict when it can employ such weapons, two officials said.

The investigation by the department’s Office of Defense Trade Controls began this week, after reports that three types of American cluster munitions, anti-personnel weapons that spray bomblets over a wide area, have been found in many areas of southern Lebanon and were responsible for civilian casualties.

Gonzalo Gallegos, a State Department spokesman, said, “We have heard the allegations that these munitions were used, and we are seeking more information.” He declined to comment further.

Several current and former officials said that they doubted the investigation would lead to sanctions against Israel but that the decision to proceed with it might be intended to help the Bush administration ease criticism from Arab governments and commentators over its support of Israel’s military operations. The investigation has not been publicly announced; the State Department confirmed it in response to questions.

more...
http://tinyurl.com/kzvdp

Last week, guess which story topped the national evening news on ABC, CBS, and NBC? JonBenet Ramsey1. Who was the big guest on Nightline and the Today Show? JonBenet Ramsey’s father. What story made front-pages of America’s newspapers, including the New York Times? You got it.

It wasn’t the war in Iraq or the tenuous truce in Lebanon, or even 10 million kids here at home who lack health insurance. It was JonBenet.

Sure, it’s an interesting mystery and a terrible murder, but under what criteria of professional journalism could it possibly merit being the top story in America last week? We’re so disgusted with “journalism” in America that we’re suggesting an action today that we’ve never suggested before.

Contact the News Anchors at ABC, CBS, and NBC, and tell them we’ve had enough JonBenet
---

I have never seen the story on tv because I didn't even want to experience it. It wasn't on radio I listen to - maybe luck of timing. It was on the Comcast site today though - the story reported above. I wondered - why don't they just test the DNA & shut up about it.

Anyway, for more go to the True Majority site, for action idea. http://www.truemajority.org?'
The Cherry Garcia people.

Monkey
Well cluster bombs were definitely used. I heard a story yesterday about children finding them. They are directed by parents not to touch anything - told that some of the cluster bombs look like toys. It will take a long long time time find all the unexploded bombs in civilian areas. There is no excuse in the universe for the use of cluster bombs, or the sale of them. Why were they ever developed?! They're evil.

Check out John Kerry's letter to the editor on Ned Lamont in today's Wall Street Journal:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115647449152645291.html
Lamont Has the Courage To Defy Bush and the War
August 25, 2006; Page A15
The sentiments expressed in "The Lamont Wing Is a Threat to Security" (Letters to the Editor, Aug. 22) will do nothing to make America safer. If the neoconservatives were half as good at fighting the war on terror as they are at misleading the American public, we'd be a lot safer than we are today.

The disastrous policy in Iraq has made America less safe. We were misled into a war which has become a dangerous distraction, and a profound drain on our financial and military resources. Nearly five years after the attacks of 9/11, it's clear that this administration hasn't learned the real lessons of 9/11 and failed to take the steps to make us as safe as we must be. Osama bin Laden is still on the loose. The 9/11 Commission's recommendations to secure our most vulnerable infrastructure remain virtually ignored. Homeland security funding has been cut for cities such as Boston and New York. Staying the current course in Iraq is not making the American people any safer at home or abroad and has hurt our fight in the war on terror.

Ned Lamont has had the courage to stand up to George Bush and make this cause a central part of his campaign. That's why Connecticut Democrats chose him over Joe Lieberman. Mr. Lamont will be tough and smart about our national security. He's boldly stepped forward to demand a winning strategy from Washington and he has put forward concrete ideas. Mr. Lamont vigorously supported the war in Afghanistan and will help restore America's focus on destroying Osama bin Laden and the enemies who actually attacked us on 9/11. He won't stand by and allow Afghanistan to continue to descend back into chaos. He'll fight for increased funding to protect our ports that have been left vulnerable and he'll fight to restore the cuts to the veterans' budget for our heroes coming home from Iraq. In fact, continuing the current course is a grave threat to our security and we'll be stronger with Ned Lamont in the Senate.

Sen. John F. Kerry (D., Mass.)
Boston

You beat me by almost a half hour DiAnne. I just came here to post that letter!

Posted by: Ron Chusid at August 25, 2006 12:40 PM

Slacker.

Protest permit alarms Utah's Jews
'It's scary': Many worry such a rally could blur the line between freedom of speech and anti-Semitism

By Heather May
The Salt Lake Tribune

Members of Utah's Jewish community are alarmed by a proposed demonstration that will call for "Death to Israel."

A man - whose name wasn't available Thursday - has applied for a free-speech permit from Salt Lake City to demonstrate on sidewalks near City Hall on Wednesday. The city is reviewing the application.

City officials cannot constitutionally deny it based on the content of the message.

Laura Green, director of the United Jewish Federation of Utah, said Thursday that she has received dozens of calls about the planned demonstration. Many fear the rally could incite violence against Jews.

"Based on freedom of speech, people have the right to say what they want to say. There has to be a line between saying what you want to say and preaching the genocide of a population," Green said.

She hopes the city denies the permit, saying the police will be busy enough with the other five demonstrations planned for Wednesday to coincide with President Bush's visit to Utah.

The president will speak to the American Legion's 88th national convention at the Salt Palace on Thursday. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are scheduled to speak on Tuesday.

"Our police force is going to be taxed to its limits," Green said.

But the police department has given its OK to the protest. Spokesman Joe Cyr said the group sponsoring the rally - listed as Center to Prevent Corporate Media Lying -has held demonstrations before. On average, about nine people show, he said. The permit application anticipates between nine and about 130 demonstrators.

"It's not like they're threatening to kill people," Cyr said. "They're just [expressing] their opinion."

more...
http://rawstory.com/showarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sltrib.com%2Fci_4235461

monkey,

Ok, I was a slacker here, but do I get any credit for posting Kerry's letter at two blogs (Liberal Values and DemBloggers) before coming here?

Submitted by Sebastien in Paris

Protests over Survivor 'tribes'

Officials in New York are campaigning to stop the broadcast of a new series of reality show Survivor which divides contestants into ethnic "tribes".

City council officials are to stage a rally on Friday to urge New York-based CBS network to pull the 13th series of Survivor, due to air from 14 September.

Campaign group Hispanics Across America called the programme "racist TV".

CBS said it had "full confidence in the producers and their ability to produce the programme in a responsible manner".

The broadcaster added that it "fully recognises the controversial nature of this format".

Diverse

The network announced on Wednesday that the 20 "castaways" would be initially segregated into groups of blacks, whites, Asians and Latinos before merging later in the series.

It said the move was aimed at addressing complaints that there had not been sufficient ethnic diversity in previous series.

What will it mean for a team - a race - to fail in a battle of wits and strength against another race?
Fernando Mateo,
Hispanics Across America

But New York councillor John Liu told the Associated Press: "The idea of having a battle of the races is preposterous.

"How could anybody be so desperate for ratings?"

The programme could encourage racial division, he added.

Hispanics Across America founder Fernando Mateo called the move an "offensive and cheap trick" to boost ratings.

"The participants will be held to the daunting and unfair challenge of representing an entire race of people," he said.

"What will it mean for a team - a race - to fail in a battle of wits and strength against another race?"

Twenty contestants will compete for a $1m (£530,000) prize while stranded on the Cook Islands in the South Pacific.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/entertainment/5284594.stm

Ron Chusid
Yes!

Posted by: Ron Chusid at August 25, 2006 02:00 PM

Sir, you've got credit out the ying-yang.

new thread...

Slightly on-topic: just finished reading:
"The Storyteller's Daughter" by Saira Shah

Only 254 pages, I wanted more. Hidden, nearly invisible, like the women in burkas, is Saira's nearly unbelievable courage... how she was able to live through this series of tales is nothing short of stunning.

http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-1400031478-0