Rhetoric vs. Reality Smackdown II !!!!!

John Kerry on Newly Declassified N.I.E. Findings on Iraq Policy and Terror

“The National Intelligence Estimate provides jarring confirmation that the disastrous policy in Iraq is weakening our hand in the war on terror.

Terrorist organizations from Al Qaeda to Hezbollah are thrilled that we are bogged down in Iraq, even as the Administration misleads America with fear and sloganeering.

No matter how much the administration pretended otherwise, as we were debating a Senate resolution to change course on Iraq, our intelligence agencies were telling this Administration that America is less safe and more endangered by terrorists because of the failed stay-the-course policies in Iraq.

“The truth is clear: Rather than being the central front in the war on terror President Bush claims, Iraq is a fuel depot for terror, fanning the flames of worldwide jihadism. Their arrogance, incompetence, and ideological blindness has left us with more terrorists in the world who want to kill Americans.

“Make no mistake, there is no way to regain lost ground in the war on terror without redeploying out of Iraq and making Iraqis stand up for Iraq. We must set a deadline to get out of Iraq and refocus on the real war on terror. Every day that this Administration refuses to face facts and change their failed approach in Iraq is another day they play into the hands of the terrorists.”

Way off topic, so I apologize.

I wanted to let all of you know that Truth shall Prevail contacted me last evening. She gave me the sad news that her mom just passed away.

Normally, I'd suggest putting a kind note to her in the forum, but this time, I suggest sending Truth any wishes here on the blog. (Or you can email me if you want a snail mail address. I can send it to you that way.)

Fe,

That's a great article you wrote. Personally, I hope whoever wins that it's the American people and the World at large who wins instead of some self-interested, power-hungry organization. (You know which one I mean!)

Fe
Sorry we missed you in SF - you probably had your answering machine on & were blogging away, judging by your nice output lately!

I learned an interesting bit of trivia - I hadn't realized that Bill Bennett, drug czar under George HW Bush & compulsive gambler, once dated Janis Joplin!

71 people were arrested today in and around the Senate side of the Capitol. The arrests were orderly and most were released by this evening.

A few opted to remain in jail overnight, making the statement that they were doing nothing illegal, but were letting their voices be heard.

If anyone sees any coverage of this, please let us hear about it. There was a lot of press and media but no story that we can find.

Chuck in Houston for Suz:

Please convey my condolences to Truth.

Chuck in Houston

Chuck in Houston for Fe:

Great work! I guess in a month or so we'll find out if the American people are willing to role over for all of this again.

Chuck in Houston

Chuck in Houston for All:

Much as I don't like to watch Fox, does anybody have a link to the video of President Clinton's interview?

Chuck, Clinton Fan and Yellow Dog Democrat in Houston

http://www.crooksandliars.com/category/fox-news/fox-news-sundaychris-wallace/

If you click on the title, you go to the page where there's also a transcript. There's more than one Faux Snooze story here connected with the Clinton interview; the others are followups.

http://www.crooksandliars.com

Home page. The left border has an index. Most recent video clips are in the center 'index' of sorts. One has the title Torture: a Family Value.

"Do Nothing Democrats"? READ THIS!

Originally published Sep 26, 2006
Trouble is, when Democrats do SOMETHING, it never gets coverage. It never gets acknowledged by the ruling party. It never sees the light of day. (And as you'll see later, THEY GET THREATS FROM THE GOP.)

Except on CSPAN. Go to this link. Scroll down (or page over) to this listing:

http://www.hoffmania.com/blog/2006/09/do_nothing_demo.html

Looks like Condi forgot about the memo she got from the Clinton administration. He "left a comprehensive anti-terror strategy" for incoming officials when he left office.

"We were not left a comprehensive strategy to fight al-Qaida," she told the newspaper, which is owned by News Corp.

This must suck, Condi. Here it is - January 25, 2001. (PDF file) http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB147/index.htm

Posted by: Suz at September 26, 2006 08:46 PM

My most sincere condolences go to Truth and her family. I am very sorry for their loss.

My own mother's passing helps to me cherish every moment I have with my own children. I often wonder how much she would have loved spending some time with them.

Thank you NonnyO and Oncall -- good that somebody is keeping tabs on the record.

Keep the Faith and GOTV 2006!

Chuck in Houston

Chuck in Houston Waxing Lyrical:

Song and Lyrics by Tammy Wynette (I suppose), prompted by nostalgia for the "Blues Brothers" (that's to you Oncall) and Hillary Clinton's defense of Brother Bill vis Fox (that's to you NonnyO), and in general a nod to the idea that nobody (male or female) is without fault so it behooves everyone to judge not lest ye be judged and to refrain from throwing stones if you live in a glass house (or a White House, Brother George, Junior). The last bit is I suppose a nod to Matthew (I miss the Sunday sermons). Anyhow, with no further ado:

Sometimes it's hard to be a woman
Giving all your love to just one man
You'll have bad times
And he'll have good times
Doin things that you don't understand
But if you love him
You'll forgive him
Even though he's hard to understand
And if you love him
Oh, be proud of him
Cause after all he's just a man

Stand by your man
Give him two arms to cling to
And something warm to come to
when nights are cold and lonely

Stand by your man
And show the world you love him
Keep giving all the love you can
Stand by your man

Stand by your man
And show the world you love him
Keep giving all the love you can
Stand by your man

Chuck in Houston

Chuck in Houston for Suz:

Also, I'd like to pass on the following to Truth. I am going through all my old files as I've relocated to a house here in Houston. In doing so, I came across a set of leaflets from my Grandma's funeral back in 1991. I thought they would have the words to "Amazing Grace," so I pulled them out the other day when me and my daughter were playing guitar. But instead, they had the 23rd Psalm (I had to wing it on the "Amazing Grace" lyrics). So, anyway, for what it is worth, I wanted to type this into the blog:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:
for thou art with me; Thy rod and
thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
of mine enemies: thou anointest my head
with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life and I will
dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Chuck in Houston

Chuck in Houston for Truth:

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I'm found.
I was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that first my fears revealed.
'Twas grace my fears relieved.
How blessed was that holy day
When first I did believe.

When we've been gone ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less time to sing God's praise,
Then when we first begun.

That's the way I remember it anyway.

Chuck in Houston

Truth:

My heart goes out to you and your family over your loss. I sincerely hope that the pain you feel today will soothe to a loving memory as time goes on.

Take care, and know we here are praying for you.

Di:

Last weekend was one long, huge convergence of everything going on in my life demanding immediate attention, including an unexpected guest who dropped out of my life and came back in.

Hope you and Ken had a great whatever number it is honeymoon in SF at the Lovefest. Give him my best...

Chuck!!!

You yellow dog! Glad to see you here.

I think we should all take good note on this news cycle and support whoever it is in Congress demanding they release ALL of the NIE.

It is after all, about everything we've been fighting against the last five years.

Courtesy of Robin:

Richard A. Clarke Launches Good Harbor Report on the Internet

WASHINGTON and PHOENIX, Sept. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Good Harbor Report, (http://www.GoodHarborReport.com ), a new website dedicated to national security and international conflict, and guided by former White House officials Richard A. Clarke and Roger Cressey, has begun operating. The site will highlight topics ranging from terrorism and war to alternative energy and pandemics, providing both a virtual public square for a distinguished and diverse list of contributors, and a uniquely interactive stage by which the larger community can also engage in the debate.

Fe
Thanks! We did it up good!

Courtesy of Alan:

Olbermann Defends Clinton, Revokes Bush Free Pass

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Video_Olbermann_defends_Clinton_revokes_Bush_0926.html

Courtesy of mbk

http://www.c-span.org/Distance_Learning/

Good speech by Kerry & he accepts questions from students from 6 universities

Even Mel "The Passion" Gibson is against the war, likening killing of soldiers to human sacrifice by the Aztecs, in his next film
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=9211

Chuck:

I see your Wynette and raise you a Milsap.

-----------------

At five o'clock she knows I'll soon be home
She don't worry 'bout me running round
Cause all of my good times are waitin' right there for me
And she knows where I'll be when the sun goes down

I'm a stand by my woman man
Our world turns around a little gold band
And love leads us through life hand in hand
I'm a stand by my woman man

We fall asleep at night thinking ain't love grand
That's why I'm a stand by my woman man
When she's down she knows I'll be beside her
Cause I'm not just her lover I'm her friend

Our love keeps gettin' better and I'll gladly spend forever
Standin' by the woman who stands by her man

-----------------

we'll stand up til they stand down,
Otter

Truth, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Posted by: DiAnne at September 27, 2006 01:39 AM

Mel was in a moving Vietnam war film in 2002, "We Were Soldiers" - that may help explain his attitude towards what our soldiers are going through in Iraq. This film is a recreation of the first full-scale American battle of the war.

Those of you who are also fans of "We Were Soldiers" may be interested to learn that Joe Galloway, the photo-journalist who is played by Barry Pepper in the film, is still writing, and that his columns are available on the web.

Here's an excerpt from his latest:

We've sunk to Osama's level
By JOSEPH L. GALLOWAY
McClatchy Newspapers

The torture of prisoners is not only illegal under American and international law it is, put simply, immoral and unjust. It is also un-American.

It is amazing that we are still hung up in a debate over President Bush's insistence that we bend and break our laws and the Geneva Conventions so that our agents can do everything short of murder to make a man talk.

The president's bill - blocked in the Senate by three Republicans who know war and know the law and know what's right - would allow Central Intelligence Agency operatives to subject prisoners to water-boarding, or near-death by drowning; to being forced to stand for 40 hours at a time; to sleep deprivation; to being tossed naked into a freezing cold cell for days at a time.

Sleep deprivation was a favorite of the Soviet KGB. They knew that after three or four days their victim would be hallucinating, shivering and shaking, weakened to the point where he would admit anything just for the hope of half an hour of sleep.

I saw water-boarding long ago in Vietnam. A half-naked young man, suspected of being a local Viet Cong guerrilla, was handed over by his American captors to South Vietnamese troops.

Four of them held him down. An old, dirty rag was coiled around his face covering his nose and mouth. A fifth held a five-gallon tin of water slowly pouring it into the coiled rag.

The water took the place of air for that prisoner. His chest heaved violently as he sought the air and took in only water. I turned away before I could see whether he talked or drowned. An American captain shrugged; it was a Vietnamese thing.

There were other field expedient tortures in Vietnam, including the infamous telephone generator, where wires were clamped on genitals and the handle cranked at increasing speeds, and wattage, as the victim screamed and bucked.

Those abominations existed in Vietnam, but they were not carried out by Americans. There was a line that was never to be crossed. It was a line between barbarity and civilization. It was a line between them and us.

- more -

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/special_packages/galloway/15566385.htm

Chuck:

What goes around, comes around (which is the commonly quoted adage version of the concept of karma, also known more formally by "As ye sow, so shall ye reap", aka the Golden Rule, etc.)...

...and since they borrowed so much from us over the centuries, it's no surprise that there's been some reverse borrowing on our part in return. (Hey, ritual is ritual no matter what brand name is hung on it.) To wit:

----------------

The Earth is my Mother;
I shall not want.
Her hand brings forth the green pastures;
She tarries within the still waters;
She leads me in fields of fruitfulness for my glory.
Yea, as I walk through the summer of life unto death,
I will not be afraid, for You are with me.
Your womb in the earth will enfold me.
You prepare a harvest before me and bless my home with children.
You fill me with milk and honey.
My cup overflows.
Surely, goodness and beauty will nurture me all the days of my life,
and I will become part of the Earth forever.

---------------

many paths one journey,
Otter

Truth:

All of our thoughts and prayers and beams are with you in your time of loss. You are one with us, and we are one with you -- a virtual family, perhaps, but a family nonetheless. We grieve when you grieve, we mourn when you mourn; and never doubt that we are all here for you, whenever you may have need of us.

blessed be,
Otter

http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=4_TSP

Thank you all so much. You don't know how much it means to have people to care and be one with you during a loss like this one.

We are all exhausted, as it took as many of us as we could get to care for her near the end. She never once complained, and she suffered terribly. She is free now, free from the pain, and frustration of wanting to feel well but going downhill more and more each day.

She was a very strong woman and I was blessed to have her for my mom.

My best friend from Jr. High brought over a wonderful dinner tonight of "real" lasagna, green salad, rolls. Neighbors have been dropping by with other treats. My son is going to be a pall bearer. We have relatives driving here from Denver, which is an honor, and my mom will be pleased they made the sacrifice to come and honor her.

My mood is pretty good, I am glad her suffering is over. Trying to find out if my job in ND is stil open.

Thank you all, you are all wonderful. My utmost gratitude, and blessings to you all.

Love,

Truth

September 27, 2006
News Analysis
Waging the War on Terror: Report Belies Optimistic View
By DAVID E. SANGER

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 — Three years ago, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld wrote a memo to his colleagues in the Pentagon posing a critical question in the “long war’’ against terrorism: Is Washington’s strategy successfully killing or capturing terrorists faster than new enemies are being created?

Until Tuesday, the government had not publicly issued an authoritative answer. But the newly declassified National Intelligence Estimate on terrorism does exactly that, and it concludes that the administration has failed the Rumsfeld test.

Portions of the report appear to bolster President Bush’s argument that the only way to defeat the terrorists is to keep unrelenting military pressure on them. But nowhere in the assessment is any evidence to support Mr. Bush’s confident-sounding assertion this month in Atlanta that “America is winning the war on terror.’’

While the spread of self-described jihadists is hard to measure, the report says, the terrorists “are increasing in both number and geographic dispersion.”

It says that a continuation of that trend would lead “to increasing attacks worldwide’’ and that “the underlying factors fueling the spread of the movement outweigh its vulnerabilities.’’

On Tuesday evening the White House issued what it called a fact sheet lining up the intelligence estimate’s findings with President Bush’s own words in recent months, comparing, for example, the report’s account of the the spread of new terror cells independent of Al Qaeda to Mr. Bush’s references to “homegrown terrorists’’ from Madrid to Britain.

But there is a difference in tone between Mr. Bush’s public statements and the classified assessment that is unmistakable.

The report says that over the next five years “the confluence of shared purpose and dispersed actors will make it harder to find and undermine jihadist groups.’’

- more -

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/27/washington/27assess.html

Love and warmth to Truth and her family from ours.

Truth, those who hold it together for everyone else need others to hold them. We are holding you now.

Chuck,

Check out the Chronicle this Thursday for a story on Clinton vs. Wallace.

I may be in it.

Posted by: Karen at September 26, 2006 10:48 PM

Karen, I'll see if I can locate it but I did see a mainstream report on your protests. The 2 MSM sites I was on last night were cnn.com and msnbc.com so I believe it was probably one of those two. I'll let you know when I find it.

Here's the one article:

Peaceful Iraq war protests prompt 71 arrests
POSTED: 0030 GMT (0830 HKT), September 26, 2006

By Lisa Goddard

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two Presbyterian ministers were among 71 people arrested during a series of peaceful protests against the Iraq war Tuesday, said a spokeswoman for a group participating in the protests.

Demonstrators held sit-ins, prayer services and sing-alongs at four locations in the Capitol complex, including the central atrium of the Senate Hart Office Building.

The demonstrations were reminiscent of the Vietnam era, with protesters strumming guitars, singing peace songs, holding flowers and wearing hats made of balloons. (Watch war protesters face the music -- 1:28)

Senate staffers watched the demonstrators from their offices. Protesters said that several workers gave them a thumbs-up or other signs of approval. (Watch how the protests are part of a highly charged day in Washington -- 2:23 )

"We are trying to protest a lack of civil liberties and to try and end a war culture," said protester Alex Bryan of New York.

Thirty-three of those arrested were charged with unlawful conduct inside the Hart Building, said Sgt. Kimberly Schneider of the Capitol Police.

Thirty-eight more demonstrators were arrested at separate protests near the Capitol, she said. Of those, 23 were charged with crossing a police line and 15 were charged with demonstrating without a permit.

All of those arrested were cooperative with police, Schneider said.

The National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, which has organized dozens of anti-war protests around the country, coordinated Tuesday's effort, which included several religious and secular groups.

Among those arrested during the demonstrations were two Presbyterian ministers, a Catholic activist and a member of a Quaker group, said Jennifer Kuiper, spokeswoman for The Declaration of Peace, one of the groups participating in the protests.

read the rest here....
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/09/26/dc.protests/index.html

There's also a WaPo article

Police Stop Protest at Senate Building
Dozens Arrested in Several Antiwar Demonstrations Held Near Capitol

By Michelle Boorstein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 27, 2006; Page A14

The quiet, sunny atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building was transformed into a chaotic scene yesterday when dozens of war protesters filed into the lobby, formed a prayer circle, shouted Scripture and eventually were arrested as Senate staffers hung over railings and crammed glass-walled offices to watch.

Employees in the building and longtime area activists said they had never seen police allow such a demonstration in a government office building, with activists one and two stories up reading the names of the Iraq war dead, civilian and military. The names rang loudly through improvised megaphones into the building's open center. Dozens of police streamed into the atrium and arrested about 35 people, including Rick Ufford-Chase, who until recently was a top official of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

there's more here...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/26/AR2006092601359.html?nav=rss_nation

Also here's the NYT article on the hearing that you attended with the orange shirts prominently featured in the accompanying photo.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/26/us/politics/26detain.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Musharraf: Iraq war makes world more dangerous

The Iraq war has not made the world safer from terror, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf told CNN, saying he stands by statements he makes in his new book. Musharraf -- often portrayed as being in agreement with President Bush on the war on terror -- writes he never supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq. "It [the war] has made the world a more dangerous place," he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/09/26/musharraf.terror/index.html

just asking about you yesterday chuck. Long time no see. Great to have you back Yellow Dog.

Tired of hearing that the Dems don't have a plan for dealing with the war on terror & the war in Iraq? I know I am. Here's some good info to keep available, courtesy of Daily Kos's Bill in Portland Maine:

The Democrats' plan to fight terrorists:

Increase the size of Special Forces to destroy Osama Bin Laden and terrorist networks like al Qaeda. Implement the bipartisan 9/11 Commission proposal to secure America's borders and ports and screen every container. Fully man, train, and equip our National Guard and our police, firefighters and other first responders.

The Republicans' plan to fight terrorists:

Tax cuts for the rich, no-bid contracts for the cronies and, what the hell, let's invade Iraq.

A plan by Democrats' for dealing with Iraq (Kerry-Feingold):

Only U.S. troops essential to completing the mission of standing up Iraqi security forces, conducting targeted counter-terrorist operations and protecting U.S. personnel and facilities would remain [after July, 2007]. The United States to maintain an over-the-horizon military presence to prosecute the war on terror and protect regional security interests. The President to work with the new Iraqi government to convene a summit that includes the leaders of the governments of each country bordering Iraq, representatives of the Arab League, NATO, the European Union, and leaders of the governments of each permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to try something new.

The Republicans' plan for dealing with Iraq:

Tax cuts for the rich, continued war-profiteering, indefinite deployments, stay-the-disastrous-course, cut and run from reality, raise the top recruiting age to 42 (forty two!!) and keep civilian death counts artificially low by not counting car bombs. After all, the war and occupation are just a comma, anyway.

http://www.dailykos.com/hotlist/add/2006/9/27/82049/8133/displaystory//

Another great investigative reporting job from Rolling Stone which has gone unreported elsewhere.

THE LOW POST: Your Tax Dollars at Work
In Washington, another tale of waste and fraud unpunished

MATT TAIBBI

There are small news stories, there are really small news stories, and then there is "Defense Institute Head Resigns," a little maggot of a news item that blipped into the "D" section of the Washington Post last Wednesday.

Three-hundred-fifty-six words in all, about half the length of an AP NFL game account, and the Post was the only paper in the country that ran the story. So how important could it have been?
Actually, the Post item about the resignation of Dennis C. Blair from the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) spoke volumes about the utter insanity of the modern American media landscape.

In a month when Katie Couric redefined the "scoop" as an advance glimpse of celebrity idiot-spawn Suri Cruise, and investigative journalism according to muckracking icon 60 Minutes meant sappy profiles of Howard Stern and Bill Romanowski, it made all the sense in the world that the denouement of a spectacular tale of massive government waste and fraud would go completely unnoticed by virtually the entire journalism community.

The name of Dennis C. Blair became somewhat infamous on the Hill this summer when he became wrapped up in a minor controversy surrounding appropriations for the F-22 Raptor jet fighter. Blair, a former Navy admiral who once headed the U.S. Pacific Command, was until last week the president of the IDA, a federally funded nonprofit research center which provides the government with "independent" analyses of weapons programs and defense legislation.

Earlier this year, the IDA had been asked by the Pentagon to assess the viability and potential cost of a three-year, $60-plus billion Multi-Year Procurement (MYP) of F-22 jets. The details here are complicated, but in essence the MYP -- proposed as an amendment to the Senate's 2007 Defense Authorization bill by Georgia's Saxby Chambliss -- would lock the government into a bulk purchase of three years' worth of F-22s, instead of the traditional yearly individual purchases.
Blair's IDA did as ordered, ultimately issuing a report showing that the MYP, by allowing suppliers to sell to the government at reduced bulk rates, would save the government a quarter of a billion dollars. This contradicted the findings of both the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Research Service, which blasted the procurement as an indefensibly stupid waste of money, but the IDA's "congressionally mandated independent study" (as Chambliss called it) was the one legislators chose to listen to.

read the rest here...
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/11729724/the_low_post_another_tale_of_waste_and_fraud_unpunished

Truth...

Four years ago next week, Oct 3rd, my mom passed without warning, while on vacation with my dad.

It always weighs on me this time of year, and reading the good wishes from others here to you has helped my attitude a bit as well, so looky there, your mom already did me a solid!

Peaceful wishes to you & yours...

Times reporter rips ‘assault’ on abortion rights
Greenhouse also likened Congress to a ‘law-free zone’ in Harvard speech

MSNBC
Updated: 1 hour, 59 minutes ago

A New York Times reporter who covers the Supreme Court likened Congress to a “law-free zone” and weighed in on abortion policy at a Harvard University appearance this summer.

According to National Public Radio, Linda Greenhouse — who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1998 for her Supreme Court coverage — told a Cambridge, Mass., audience in June that the U.S. government had “turned its energy and attention away from upholding the rule of law and toward creating law-free zones at Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib, Haditha and other places around the world – (such as) the U.S. Congress.”

A tape of some of her remarks was aired during the NPR broadcast on Wednesday.

She also spoke of a “sustained assault on women’s reproductive freedom and the hijacking of public policy by religious fundamentalism. To say that these last few years have been dispiriting is an understatement.”

“I said what I said in a public place,” Greenhouse told NPR, when asked about the remarks. “Let the chips fall where they may.”

more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15026618/

Truth --

Sorry to hear about your mom. I've been there and know how hard it is and how unbelievably exhausting...

White light and good vibes. Rest up when you can.

Hmm.

---------------

NEW YORK (AP) - The youth-heavy online hangout MySpace.com is launching a voter-registration drive to engage its members in civics. In partnership with the nonpartisan group Declare Yourself, MySpace is running ads on its highly trafficked Web site and giving members tools such as a "I Registered To Vote On MySpace" badge to place on their personal profile pages.

"Young people in this country ... are really engaged in what's happening in their community and want to make a difference," said Jeff Berman, MySpace's senior vice president for public affairs. "The key is to make it easy for them to get engaged. By putting these tools on MySpace and putting it in front of their eyes, you make it far more likely they will use them."

[snip]

---------------

and if you don't vote you're not allowed to bitch,
Otter

Firm That Paid Iraq Papers Gets New Deal

Sep 27, 9:56 AM (ET)
By REBECCA SANTANA

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - A public relations company that participated in a controversial U.S. military program that paid Iraqi newspapers for stories favorable to coalition forces has been awarded another multimillion-dollar media contract with American forces in Iraq.

Washington-based Lincoln Group won a two-year contract to monitor a number of English and Arabic media outlets and produce public relations-type products like talking points or speeches for U.S. forces in Iraq, officials said Tuesday.

"Lincoln Group is proud to be trusted to assist the multinational forces in Iraq with communicating news about their vital work," Lincoln Group spokesman Bill Dixon said in a statement. Details about the contract were confirmed by the U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, and were described in documents posted on a federal government Web site outlining contracts awarded.

The contract is worth roughly $6.2 million per year over a two-year period, Johnson said.

The idea is to use the information to "build support" in Iraqi, Arabic, international and U.S. audiences for what the military describes as its goals in Iraq, such as destroying the insurgency and helping Iraqis build a democracy, according to contract documents.

The list of media outlets to be watched includes the New York Times, Fox Television and the satellite channel, Al-Arabiya.

The Lincoln Group was mired in controversy last year when it became known that the company had been part of a U.S. military operation to pay Iraqi newspapers to run positive stories about coalition activities. According to the company's Web site, it was created in 2003 to do public relations and communications work in challenging environments such as Iraq.

The type of contract, its cost, and the fact that it was awarded to the PR and communications company have raised questions.

Rep. Robert Andrews, D-N.J., who serves on the House Armed Services Committee, said he would be asking the Department of Defense for information about how this "controversial" vendor was chosen, saying the choice of the Lincoln Group "concerns me greatly."

But, Andrews said he's more concerned about the fact that the contract was awarded at all, not just to the Lincoln Group.

"I wish that our problem in Iraq was that the military wasn't getting good PR," Andrews said. "The problem seems to be that the country is sliding into civil war."

Johnson could not comment on how the Lincoln Group was chosen, saying it was a "standard contracting process." He said the contract did not include any provisions to purchase favorable coverage or pay for favorable stories. The Lincoln Group would not comment on the contract beyond the statement issued.

Lucy Dalglish, the executive director of The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, based in Arlington, Va., said she was worried about whether the military would be creating its own news through its own newspapers or Web sites.

"If they're trying to influence Iraqi opinion of Americans, I almost find that to be unconscionable because that would say that they do not value a free and independent press in Iraq," Dalglish said.

Johnson said the contract is really nothing new from programs that are already in existence.

Multi-National Forces-Iraq already has in place a one year contract with The Rendon Group, a Washington D.C.-based company, to perform many of the same functions this current contract would fulfill, Johnson said.

"We always monitor the press. Any organization, anywhere monitors the press to see what's being said to determine what messages are out there and how it's impacting the environment," Johnson said.

The Rendon Groups contract, worth $6.4 million over one year, was scheduled to expire this September but Johnson said it has been extended until Oct. 27 while the winner of the new contract is determined.

A key question is whether any public relations campaign in Iraq will work.

more...
http://www.rawstory.com/showarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fapnews.myway.com%2Farticle%2F20060927%2FD8KD86D80.html

Hmm, hmm.

---------------

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States could detain more foreigners as enemy combatants under legislation Congress will debate this week after a last-minute change in the bill, lawmakers said on Tuesday.

Democrats complained that Republicans quietly made several changes to the bill defining procedures for trying foreign terrorism suspects after an agreement last week between the White House and a group of dissident Republican senators.

"There are significant changes," said Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee. He said the new elements could complicate efforts to push the bill through Congress before lawmakers leave this weekend to campaign for November elections.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a key negotiator on the bill, said enemy combatants would now include those who provided money, weapons and other support for terrorist groups as well as those involved in actual operations.

Graham of South Carolina said the term "enemy combatant" also would apply to those fighting a U.S. ally.

"We're making sure that an enemy combatant could be defined as something other than a front-line troop," Graham said. "We want to make sure that giving material aid and support to terrorism would put you in the enemy combatant category."

Graham said U.S. citizens could not be deemed enemy combatants under the bill, but several human rights advocates said the language was so broad that they believed Americans could be detained under it. The Center for Constitutional Rights said even attorneys representing Guantanamo inmates could be deemed enemy combatants.

The Bush administration has declared the detainees held at the U.S. naval facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, most of whom were picked up in Afghanistan, to be enemy combatants who can be detained indefinitely.

[snip]

---------------

habeas shmabeas,
Otter

FEINGOLD, KERRY INTRODUCE RESOLUTION URGING BACKUP PLANS FOR VOTING MACHINES
Difficulties with Recent Primary Elections Highlight Need for Back-Up Systems Like Paper Ballots

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and John Kerry (D-MA) have introduced a resolution calling on state and local governments to have back-up systems in place on election day to ensure that every eligible voter who wants to vote is able to. The Senators’ Sense of the Senate resolution notes the difficulties that voters in many states have experienced with new voting technology and urges states to do whatever is necessary to ensure that voters are actually able to cast a vote on November 7, 2006, including providing emergency paper ballots in the event of a voting machine failure.

“We cannot allow the American people to lose faith in the most fundamental aspect of our democratic system – the right to vote,” Feingold said. “Some of the problems we saw this year, like voters in Maryland being told to come back later because the machines weren’t working, are simply unacceptable. A back-up plan as simple as having emergency paper ballots on hand is essential to preventing election day disasters.”

Kerry said, “It’s a disgrace that a Congress and an Administration which talks about exporting democracy around the world ignores the challenges of our own democracy right here at home. We have seen American citizens disenfranchised in our elections for the simple reason that no effective back up system was in place. That’s a national scandal. But here we are, 42 days away from another election, and Congress has again dragged its feet even after we mobilized 35,000 citizens to demand a hearing for our Count Every Vote Act, even after what we saw just this month in Montgomery County. We need emergency action now. That is why I am co-sponsoring the Dodd-Boxer legislation to provide emergency paper ballots and that is why Russ Feingold and I are introducing our resolution today demanding election day back-up plans. We have a duty to ensure that no citizen will be denied the right to vote in 2006.”

Feingold and Kerry are also co-sponsoring legislation with Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT) to help states make paper ballots available in case of election day problems with electronic voting machines. Feingold and Kerry introduced the resolution ahead of Congress’ adjournment for the 2006 elections. With the problems some voters have already experienced during primary elections this year, the senators believe the Senate should be on record supporting state efforts to be prepared in the event of problems on Election Day. Earlier this month, problems with new voting technology were reported in a number of primaries around the country.

Truth Shall Prevail
Sending best wishes for you at the time of your mother's passing. Hope to see you if you return to ND, as I will probably visit my mom in Spring. You even met my mom! It's hard as parents get older & live so far away. It's a big country. I'm glad you made it back to spend time with her and help her. I hope your job's still there or that you find one you like.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060927/ap_on_go_co/defense_spending
House OKs $70B for Iraq, Afghanistan

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2006/09/27/notes092706.DTL&nl=fix
Is Bush Really The Devil?
Satan has better taste in shoes. Is far sexier. Can actually spell 'Venezuela.' I mean, come on

Elizabeth Holtzman | Bush Seeks Retroactive Immunity for Violating War Crimes Act
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706J.shtml
Elizabeth Holtzman writes: "Thirty-two years ago, President Gerald Ford created a political firestorm by pardoning former president Richard Nixon of all crimes he may have committed in Watergate - and lost his election as a result. Now, President Bush, to avoid a similar public outcry, is quietly trying to pardon
himself of any crimes connected with the torture and mistreatment of US detainees."

The New York Times | The Fine Art of Declassification
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706K.shtml
The New York Times's editors write: "It's hard to think of a president and an administration more devoted to secrecy than President Bush and his team. Except, that is, when it suits Mr. Bush politically to give the public a glimpse of the secrets. And so, yesterday, he ordered the declassification of a fraction of a
report by United States intelligence agencies on the global terrorist threat." They continue: "But the three declassified pages from what is certainly a voluminous report told us what any American with a newspaper, television or Internet connection should already know. The invasion of Iraq was a cataclysmic
disaster."

Andrew Bacevich | Chickens Are Home to Roost in Iraq
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706L.shtml
Andrew Bacevich writes: "As if by stealth, almost without our noticing, the Iraq war's long-awaited turning point has arrived. After the innumerable events touted as decisive that turned out to be anything but that - the capture of Saddam Hussein, the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the various milestones
related to the creation of a new Iraqi political order - the endgame now becomes clear. And the outcome points ineluctably towards an American failure of immense proportions."

Dean Baker | Medicare: Why Are Conservatives Scared of Competition?
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706M.shtml
Dean Baker writes, "In their public pronouncements, conservatives like to claim that they are free-market individualists. They want to leave everything to the markets and let businesses and individuals fend for themselves. The tough-guy rhetoric makes for a nice story, but the reality is very different. The conservatives need to be constantly coddled against the rigors of an unfettered marketplace. It turns out that life can be tough for rich people in a competitive market. That's why they need the helping hand of the government at every turn."

Attacks in Afghanistan Grow More Frequent and Lethal
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706N.shtml
Afghanistan suffered two deadly bombings on Tuesday that killed 20 people, providing another sign of the increasing size and power of suicide attacks and roadside bombs by insurgents. Civilians increasingly have been paying the price of the more frequent and devastating attacks. More than 150 civilians have been killed by suicide bombings this year.

Rights Groups Decry US Senate Bill on Detainees
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706O.shtml
White House-backed legislation on the treatment of terrorism suspects may protect them from torture but gives the United States immunity from legal challenges, human rights groups say.The US Senate bill laying out procedures for interrogating and trying suspected terrorists that is making its way through
Congress this week would effectively protect President George W. Bush and future presidents from judicial oversight.

The Diminished Dividends of War
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706P.shtml
The US intelligence community agrees that the invasion and occupation of Iraq have made the United States less safe from terrorist threats. Meanwhile, President George W Bush appears to be facing a growing revolt among top military commanders who say their ground forces are stretched close to breaking point.

Dozens Arrested in Several Demonstrations for Peace Held Near Capitol
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706Q.shtml
The quiet, sunny atrium of the Hart Senate Office Building was transformed into a chaotic scene yesterday when dozens of war protesters filed into the lobby. A circle of protesters saying prayers and reading the names of the Iraq war dead, civilian and military, were arrested. Thirty-five additional peace demonstrators were arrested yesterday around the US Capitol in related protests. Hundreds of anti-war actions have taken place across the country this week as faith-based and other groups push for a timetable for the United States to leave Iraq.

The following sums up the Republican campaign strategy for the next 6 weeks:

"Republicans will delight in how open Chairman Reynolds is about the strategy; Democrats will spit blood."

Nice to know they are so concerned about dealing with issues confronting voters.

Republicans just chose St. Paul Minnesota for their '08 Convention. Kind of a strange choice and maybe portends problems for Norm Coleman's re-election. Still hoping Dems choose Denver.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House refused Wednesday to release in full a previously secret intelligence assessment that depicts a growing terrorist threat and has fueled the election-season fight over the Iraq war.

Press secretary Tony Snow said releasing the full report, portions of which President Bush declassified on Tuesday, would jeopardize the lives of agents who gathered the information.

It would also risk the nation's ability to work with foreign governments and to keep secret its U.S. intelligence-gathering methods, Snow said, and "compromise the independence of people doing intelligence analysis."

more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15024576/

So lemme get this straight Snowjob, it's ok to out a CIA agent and risk their life to strengthen a case for war, but can't release a document that would refute your administrations central assertions re: Iraq?

... and it would risk our ability to deal with other nations???? I thought we told other nations they were either with us or against us and we would blow them back to the Stone Age if they didn't go along with us...

... and keep secret our intelligence methods? Like illegal eavesdropping or waterboarding?

Truth,
Our prayers are with you now, I have a hard time dealing with these things now. But what helped us when we lost Angie in praticular me was poems that reminded me she was in a wonderful place now free of pain so I offer my humble attempt to comfort you. My heart aches for you please know no matter how far we are all there with you in spirit.

Everything

When we have done all the work we were sent to do,
we are allowed to shed our bodies,
which imprisons our soul like a cocoon encloses the butterfly
and when the time is right we can let go of it.
Then we will be free of pain, free of fears and free of worries--
free as a beautiful butterfly returning home to God....

By Elisabeth Kübler-Rosss

I keep reading this, and I don't get it...

'For Republicans, the report (NIE) provides more evidence that Iraq is central to the war on terrorism and can't be abandoned without giving jihadists a crucial victory.'

(Can SOMEONE please explain to Repubicans AND the American public that IRAQ WAS NOT CENTRAL to the so called war on terrorism BEFORE the enormously gifted poor decision makers decided to invade Iraq!!!! The situation will be worse no matter what we do now, all BECAUSE REPUBLICANS PUT US THERE!!!!)

Keith Olbermann ReceIves a Death Threat, and the New York Post Thinks It's Pretty Darn Funny

The New York Post's unctuous Page Six "reported" it, but it's also been independently confirmed that MSNBC's Keith Olbermann -- whose brave commentaries of late taking to task the Bush Administration (and President Bush himself) have invited genuine comparisons to Edward R. Murrow -- opened a suspicious letter with a California postmark that was mailed to his New York City home late Tuesday night and out poured a white powdery substance. A threatening note inside reportedly indicated that this represented revenge for his outspoken on-air views of late.

more...
http://tinyurl.com/e4s4t

(CNN) -- Seventy-one percent of Iraqis responding to a new survey favor a commitment by U.S.-led forces in Iraq to withdraw in a year.

The majority of respondents to the University of Maryland poll said that "they would like the Iraqi government to ask for U.S.-led forces to be withdrawn from Iraq within a year or less," according to the survey's summary.

"Given four options, 37 percent take the position that they would like U.S.-led forces withdrawn 'within six months,' while another 34 percent opt for 'gradually withdraw(ing) U.S.-led forces according to a one-year timeline.' (Watch why one analyst says U.S. strategy is flawed -- 1:45)

"Twenty percent favor a two-year timeline and just 9 percent favor 'only reduc(ing) U.S.-led forces as the security situation improves in Iraq.'"

The month's poll came in the midst of a turbulent year marked by increased Sunni-Shiite sectarian violence in Baghdad and elsewhere in the nation.

A U.S. commander said Wednesday that suicide attacks in Iraq are rising as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan gets under way.

Majority favor attacks on U.S.
The poll's summary also suggests that most Iraqis think the American presence is doing more harm than good.

"An overwhelming majority believes that the U.S. military presence in Iraq is provoking more conflict than it is preventing and there is growing confidence in the Iraqi army," the summary said. "If the U.S. made a commitment to withdraw, a majority believes that this would strengthen the Iraqi government.

"Support for attacks on U.S.-led forces has grown to a majority position -- now 6 in 10. Support appears to be related to a widespread perception, held by all ethnic groups, that the U.S. government plans to have permanent military bases in Iraq."

more...
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/09/27/iraq.poll/index.html

what sick sobs would think a death threat is funny. Curious if the FBI will bother to investigate.

Posted by: monkey at September 27, 2006 04:12 PM

The only thing that surprises me is that Olberman hasn't yet been thrown into jail and tortured, along with the writers like Molly Ivins, William Rivers Pitt, et al., who tell the truth about the administration, and America's shame that we have to endure the criminals who have seized power.

Posted by: NonnyO at September 27, 2006 04:56 PM

Better hope Nov. 7th goes well, or you will see that kinda stuff for sure in '07.

Bush: "Read It Yourself" Portion of Intel Report Released
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706A.shtml
"The Bush administration's failed policies in Iraq are fueling global terrorism and making America less safe," said Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader. "These results are the unfortunate consequences of the administration's decision to cherry-pick pre-war intelligence, ignore our senior military leaders, and
completely fail to plan for the post-Saddam occupation."

Dave Lindorff | Bush War III: Going to War to Save His Own Ass
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706B.shtml
Dave Lindorff writes: "Unless the American people and their ostensible representatives in Congress act quickly to make it clear that the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force does not apply to an attack on Iran, and that it did not make the president a dictator with the power to make war at will, I'm betting that we'll be at war with Iran before Election Day."

White House Blocked Report Linking Hurricanes to Global Warming
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706C.shtml
The Bush administration has blocked the release of a report that suggests global warming is contributing to the frequency and strength of hurricanes.

Jeff Cohen | Ann Coulter & Me
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706D.shtml
In an excerpt of Jeff Cohen's new book, "My Misadventures in Corporate Media,"
he writes, "Coulter is something of a cross between Joan Rivers and Eva Braun. Now I have a general rule against Eva Braun comparisons, ever since my pal Randy Credico, a comedian, got banned from the Tonight Show 20 years ago - after he quipped that whenever he saw America's UN ambassador Jean Kirkpatrick on TV, he had to wonder 'if Eva Braun really died in that bunker in 1945.' I've made an exception in Coulter's case."

House OKs $70 Billion for Iraq, Afghanistan
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706E.shtml
Despite intense partisan divisions over the course of the Iraq war, the House on Tuesday easily approved $70 billion more for military operations there and in
Afghanistan. Lawmakers also adopted a record $448 billion budget for the Pentagon. The $70 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan is a down payment on war costs the White House has estimated will hit $110 billion for the budget year
beginning October 1st.

Senators Propose Funds for Paper Ballots to Back Up Electronic Ones
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706F.shtml
Three Senate Democrats proposed emergency legislation today to reimburse states for printing paper ballots that can be ready at polling places in case of problems with electronic voting machines on November 7th.

Harold Meyerson | The "Moderate Republican" Scam
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706G.shtml
"The moderates will vote for the extremist," writes Harold Meyerson. "'Moderate,' after all, is only an adjective; 'Republican' is a noun. Chafee, Snowe, the whole lot of them, are moderate enablers of an extremist party. That leaves those voters in Rhode Island, Maine, Ohio, and other states where these
self-proclaimed Republican moderates are running only one choice if they seek a Congress to check and balance the president, if they want a more moderate nation: Vote for the Democrat."

Pierre Haski | Ghosts
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706H.shtml
Pierre Haski argues that Japan's new Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe - nicknamed "the Hawk Prince" by the Japanese press for his nationalist bent - will need to establish better relations with his immediate neighbors to achieve his foreign policy ambitions.

Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein | Our Pathetic Congress
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092706I.shtml
"The Final Days of any Congress are never pretty, as lawmakers scramble to finish a string of bills while getting out of town as early as possible to hit the campaign trail. After 37 years in Washington - 18 elections - we are pretty well inured to these shenanigans. But even those of us with strong stomachs are
getting indigestion from the farcical end of the 109th Congress, slated for early Saturday," write Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein.

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/us/terrorism

Hurdles cleared for detainee legislation
WASHINGTON - Republicans on Wednesday cleared procedural hurdles in the House and Senate on the way to giving President Bush authority to detain, interrogate and try terrorism detainees before military commissions. House Republicans succeeded on a vote in blocking any Democratic amendments to the legislation. In the Senate, GOP leaders won an agreement from Democrats to debate the bill for less than a dozen hours and then vote on it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060927/ap_on_go_co/congress_terrorism_17
But as lawmakers scurried to finish several items before leaving town this weekend and focus instead on midterm elections, Bush's terrorism surveillance bill fell to the wayside. Vast differences between House and Senate versions of the wiretapping bill cannot be bridged before week's end, Republican officials conceded.

That allowed Republicans to focus on passing a bill that would allow Bush to put the nation's most dangerous terror suspects on trial this fall — just as voters head to the polls.

The legislation would establish a court system to prosecute terror suspects, after the Supreme Court had ruled in June that Bush needed Congress' blessing to do so. And while the bill would grant defendants more legal rights than they had under the old system, it nevertheless would permit some trial evidence not usually allowed in regular U.S. courts.

Hearsay evidence, for example, would be permitted, as long as a judge finds it to be reliable. Coerced testimony would be allowed in narrow circumstances — generally if a judge finds it reliable and the statement was taken before a 2005 ban on cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

The bill provides extensive definitions of war crimes such as torture, rape and biological experiments — provisions intended to protect CIA interrogators from being prosecuted for war crimes when handling terror suspects.

Bush wanted a provision that would have said the United States interprets Geneva Convention standards to mean that cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment cannot be used. GOP senators balked at this request because they said it would "redefine" the 1949 treaty.

But senators did agree to add language that says the president can "interpret the meaning and application" of the treaty. While he would not be allowed to authorized interrogation techniques that would violate prohibited war crimes, he would be allowed to decide whether interrogation techniques are within bounds.

{{{Check out that last paragraph..!!!!!!!! Like DimWit has any training in interpreting law? And WHY does no one ever dwell on the fact that torture will be allowed, and the fact that the Criminal in Chief will retroactively declare himself and his administration immune from being charged with war crimes.....??? Why so FEW hours of debate??? WHY the last minute Bum's Rush to pass this piece of INSANE legislation......??? I'm wondering if they will pass this crap in the dead of night with only half of the senators even attending....???}}}

Tomorrow, Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and the Financial Times will host a briefing, “National Security: A View From the Senate.”
John Kerry will be keynote speaker.

NonnyO
So some scary terrorists will finally be publicly on trial - just as Americans are headed to the polls - and the gullible will feel safer. This reeks.

"That allowed Republicans to focus on passing a bill that would allow Bush to put the nation's most dangerous terror suspects on trial this fall — just as voters head to the polls."

Posted by: monkey at September 27, 2006 04:59 PM

That's what I'm afraid of....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More questions as a result of that article that says DimWit will be allowed to "interpret" laws...

Will the voting public ever get to view the wording on what they propose passing as law to torture people and make criminals immune from prosecution...? Illegal Law as that, IMHO.

I wonder how fast there can be a court challenge to that piece of tripe, and how far up the food chain it will go, if it would get to the SCOTUS, whether or not SCOTUS will slap it down....

Posted by: DiAnne at September 27, 2006 05:17 PM

I saw that, and I'm horrified!!! My mind is practically blanking out in horror.

BUT... if the trials are secret, and if hearsay evidence is allowed (if the judge deems it valid! Sure!), there's no point to the trials. It's just another kangaroo court, of the variety the US used to condemn under the old USSR, what apparently still goes on in some countries.

This is BEYOND effing INSANE!

Chris Matthews must have finally heard the voice of God.

He's asking Charlie Cook why the media has stopped covering Iraq, even though CNN is describing this past week as the worst week for attacks.

Can you believe it? A media guy asking a print guy why the networks have stopped covering the war.

Cyrano: Matthews has verbally turned against the war and Bush, you can hear it in the tone of his questions. A flip flop since '04.

Truth,

So sorry to hear about your mom. Know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers, and that she is, indeed, in a better place.

Carol

Monkey,

Thanks for the kind words, and Karen, and Vic, and April, and Otter, and everyone else too.

This is the first real loss of this kind my family has suffered, and the myriad of emotions is eratic. I have been the strong one but today I don't feel strong, nor do I want to have to be, but I guess I will deal with my grief in my solitude and try to be up for others.

You have each blessed me with your caring and kind words and thoughts and energy.

I did receive good news today - two jobs with my previous employer in N.D. were offered to me today, one in Linton where I lived before, or one in the city (Bismarck). My boss is excited should I decide to come back.

April honey, I can never imagine the pain, but your words about the butterfly are beautiful, and I am going to see if we can use those in the service. Other siblings are planning the service (family dynamics are sooooooooo interesting, aren't they always?) but I did manage to get in a song that I love to be sung at the service: "It is well with my soul."

I love you all. You mean so much to me. Thank you for being there for me, it is such a comfort.

Love,

Truth

P.S.

And, oh, how I pray for peace on Earth.

sorry Truth for your loss.I was comforted by my rabbi who recommended that I spend time viewing family albums and remembering what a great human being my dad was, just as I am sure you feel about your mom.
Just know that we are all here as your extended family, for you to lean on. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Thanks to you, too, Ira.

It sounds like you have a wonderful family.

And, if you didn't get a chance to see my posts to you before, thank you so much for everything you have done and are still doing to make this election be as productive as possible. You have ALWAYS been right about alot of things being important, but this '06 election being the crucial deciding one if our nation is to survive the way we once knew it. I truly appreciate every ounce of effort you have put into the fight.

Didn't mean to highjack this thread, but my brain and emotions are fried today. A bit of a letdown I suppose from acting like ER critical care staff members for the past 6 weeks 24/7.

Tomorrow my gentleman friend is coming to pick me up and give me an "escape" day. We do movies, dinners, and were dance partners (west and east coast swing, ballroom, and square dancing). I told him I needed to get out of here and have some R and R and escape time, so tomorrow I shall get it. I need it.

Love to you all....

Truth