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DCP ver. 2.0 -- Threader? What Threader?
(Eh? How's that? Get thee behind us, Shrub! Er, I mean, um, Satan that is. Yeah, that's it.)
Ahem.
Anyway.
"Now, as you may have noticed, we here at the Democracy Cell Project..."
No, wait.
Strike that.
As Mark Twain would ask, "Is that the royal 'we', the editorial 'we', or the 'we' of people with tapeworms?"
Okay, then.
So, as you may have noticed, *I* here at the Democracy Cell Project didn't change this thread header until it hit almost 200 comments in the message queue tonight.
That wasn't a deliberate thing, it's not like I held the thread header hostage waiting to see if anybody noticed that it hadn't changed in a couple of days. But since that's how it worked out this time, it does give me a good hook to hang this (pre-planned, ahem) new thread header on tonight.
First of all, let's deconstruct the 'we' thing. A lot of people have written threaders for the DCP blogsite over the last two and a half years. I'm only one of them. And as far as I'm concerned, this is not my personal blogsite -- it's all of ours. Yours, theirs, ours, mine. In that order.
But those of you who've been around here for a while (which is to say, most of you who are reading this now) know that many of the names you used see at the bottom of these threaders haven't been seen in a while. That's understandable -- life is what happens when you're busy making other plans, people change focus and move on over time, that's the way it works -- but it does mean that some voices we used to hear from in this space haven't had much to say here in a while.
When you look down at the bottom of these threaders, you'll still see some familiar names these days. Karen Bradley posts news and views of what's happening in her home town of Washington, DC. Dianne Grieser provides words and pictures about what's happening in her northwest corner of the country. Suz Krueger gives us her two cents on heartfelt issues like healthcare and creative activism, and does so very well.
Every now and again Casey Morris and dwahzon will pop up with a new threader, too (though nowhere near as often as they used to). Polly Sigh hasn't spoken up in this space in quite a while, alas -- though rumor is that she's fixing to do so again in the relatively new future. We haven't seen a new 'Tao of Politics' piece in quite a while, either (though I'm hoping that we will before too entirely long, also).
Again, that's understandable. Life happens. And in some cases, life has happened pretty hard. That's cool. We can dig it.
But in the meanwhile, getting away from the 'we' thing again, you've seen my name at the bottom of these threaders quite often. Maybe too often.
I'm guessing you might be getting a little sick of hearing from me in this space by now. Not because I don't have anything to say worth reading, I hope, but because the DCP is all about giving and taking a broad range of opinions from a variety of different people with different things to share, and if I'm doing the lion's share of the writing then that means other voices aren't being heard.
You'll have noticed that in the course of writing this series request-for-input threaders about "Whither goest though, DCP, in thy shiny car in the night?" I have been including an email address and asking you to send me your thoughts and ideas. I've also invited you to send in your own essays and postulations and just plain rants so that your words can be posted in this space rather than my own.
That's not an accidental thing. We -- and in this case, I'm back to using 'we' as meaning all of us who participate in this strange and wonderful online community known as the Democracy Cell Project -- are at our best when all of us are heard. We all have something to say, and this space is for all of us to say it in.
A few days back, there was a guest-written threader in this space from one of our long-time community members. It was attributed to her snail-space name, Rachel K. So. I hope you remember reading it, because I sure do. She had something to say, this was the place for her to say it, and it garnered a lot of solid responses from the other regulars here. And that was very cool.
It is true that I'm the managing editor, aka chief cook and bottle washer, in charge of the primary DCP content these days. (See, there it is, now I'm back to the 'I' thing again. Dang.) But as previously noted, as far as I'm concerned, this is not my personal blogsite -- it's all of ours. Yours, theirs, ours, mine. In that order.
I know we don't tend to stay on the nominal threader-based topic much here; that's a key part of the gestalt that the DCP community has established over the years. Sometimes I've found myself wondering whether we should even be posting threaders at all, or just putting up a 'Daily Open Thread' link and just swapping it out for a new one of the same when the number of comments gets to be too long for comfort.
But that's not really the deal, is it? I understand that the threader essays that get pubbed in this space really do get read and they really do matter to the DCP community. And that's why I -- no, let's make that 'we' again, please -- really want to hear from you about what gets said in this space.
What do you want to read here? What might you want to write here? This is *your* blogsite, after all. So don't be shy. Do what Rachel did, and send in your thoughts, ideas, and essays (rants, whatever) to: rick(at)democracycellproject(dot)net. Speak up, have your say, make this space all of ours instead of just some of ours. Because that is, after all, what the DCP is all about.
(Oh, and about the threader not being changed out for almost 200 posts until now... no evil or even editorial schemes at work there, it's just that I had a minor post-surgery health thingie crop up and, unlike a certain big fat lying radio talk-show idiot, I acknowledge that I really oughtn't to write/talk/post in public when I'm on narcotic pain meds. Ahem.)
Anyway, that's the deal. This is DCP threader country, and there is plenty of room for everybody here. This is your/their/our space, not mine. So...
What do YOU want to see here?
(Whoops, though -- I almost forgot to include the obligatory disclaimer here: "My name is Rick Albertson, and I approved this message." And I hope that you did/do, too.)
Well that was fun to read! & we must have a graphic. That's the number one rule, imho!!
H Clinton: deauthorize IWR
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/3/173917/1013
good idea
For Byrd press release & photo of him with his ubiquitous and omniscient, all-seeing copy of the Constitution, click on my name - call the number there and thank him - He & H Clinton are both on the Armed Services Committee. In the battle for media attention, this may be a coup.
Rick. A great idea, although I never tire of reading your threaders and your graphics are always creative and raise the required emotion.
I'd love to write a threader when I think of a topic that is as relevant to all DCPers as it is to me. I'll do that very soon. When my friend leaves next week to drive to Queensland - 10 hour ferry trip across Bass Strait from Tassie to Melbourne first, of course.
We do share a lot of the same issues, so I'm sure that something will hit me soon.
nmp - good link. thanks.
;-) An unedited rant from me could run on to 30 pages printed out! You seriously do not want that! Yes, I manage to keep my rants to a few paragraphs or one or two long paragraphs now and then, but mostly when I'm on a roll I just keep typing until I'm exhausted. I find myself repeating things I've stated before, and I tire of my own redundancy. (It's not only Georgie's endless repetion that hits my low boredom threshold; I bore myself when I repeat myself.)
I like most of the thread headers, find myself agreeing with most of them, others make me think about things from different angles (all to the good, since I try to imaginatively think my way into someone else's experiences, so I can then better understand others' viewpoints)... and then there's that very small group of thread headers where I can't respond because I don't know anything about the subject, so I have nothing to say about whatever the subject of the thread is. I find them interesting, but have no opinions about the subject, so those few I don't comment on.
Quite often I find myself commenting on a thread topic, and then go on to posting something else.
Open threads are a good idea. Because so many of the crimes of the current administration overlap, it's difficult to stay "on topic" because one thing leads to another or affects something else... which ultimately affects all of our lives (usually not for the better since December 2000 and the SCOTUS decision that put the cretins in power).
The original stated goals of the blog included media and voting, so whether they're on topic with the thread header or not, I post things related to those two topics, since they are of concern to all of us and touch all of our lives.
I come to a screeching halt about publishing under my real name and not my blog name. My blog name is my "real" name in one aspect of my life so I have an emotional connection to my blog name, but my "real real" name is still my own and I'd like to keep it off of the blog or a thread header. I like the anonymity of using a pseudonym or blog name.
More open threads sounds like a good idea....
So the devil hath come to the dcp!!
lets all welcome him!!
Everybody say "HI CARL!!!"
as for open threaders.....i'm for em'
"What do you want to read here? What might you want to write here? "
I am so glad you asked.
I want to read something that could inspire even the most deliberate and critical among us.
Strange how the most basic and simple concepts never fail to inspire passion in us all, as a whole.
The most simple ideas are truly considered radical and even impolite, but they have the ability to do something nothing else can,,. They unite us in the same dreams.
Wide open, robust debate, insires us to dream together.
Quite simply, I am asking you to invite dissent, and throw away the bonds of dangerous political correctness and trust that we can still be inspired by simple and honest truths.
I would like to lay out the first and most pressing as an example of what we need from you, our leaders, and indeed each other. I sincerely dread what I am about to say, but it must be said.
Let us quit pretending in every way. The Iraq War is lost. Hopelessly lost. There is no way possible to salvage that, there is no hope of regaining control of the situaton.
Those that lead us need to be brutally honest about what this means. I mean you literally must explain it in the most basic terms.
I know I am younger than a lot of you here. I don't remember Vietnam. I was not alive in the 60s. I know what is happening here, but I do not understand it.
My entire life has been completely encased inside an empire that was at peace inside and outside our borders. I can not understand a life where that no longer exists.
The Iraq war is lost. Our nation does not understand the reality of it, or what to do about it.
There are many important and pressing issues we need to deal with. And all of them will need to be dealt wih in the same way.
Brutal honesty, and wide open dissent.
Those two things combined always have inspired MASSES of people. They are impassioned and compelled to join the debate. Every time that happens, we always always always find more common ground in our dreams and that becomes way more important than all poliical and religious and even racial polarities.
Maybe I will write something about it just for you to throw in.
But then again, I am most likely just as high as you are.
4 presciptions, $560.
Kick ass allegy meds, $7.99.
Taking 5 different medicines that all have 'drowsiness' as a side effect....Priceless.
Christy. I responded to your post about Aline in the last thread.
What's the feeling here about Tenet and his book?
Posted by: Christy at May 4, 2007 02:08 AM
Hear! Hear!
Wide open brutal honesty is a dose of what this nation needs. We need to slap the reich-winger sheeple upside the head with the truth until they take off their rose-colored glasses and stop drinking the kool-aid hear the truth.
Truth from us. Hard questions from us to our Congress Critters, and no acceptance of polite middle-of-the-road, fence-sitting, say-nothing-of-substance rhetoric.
Most especially, we must challenge our Congress Critters to wake up to what so many of us have known all along. No "if-I-knew-then-what-I-knew-now" excuses. They knew; they just aren't telling us. Before I got a computer, which led to access to truthful news and hard questions, I was laid up after spinal surgery and accidentally turned into a political/news junkie watching TV, saw the pretzelnit debates and knew that Georgie would start a war in Iraq to finish his daddy's war (the lying little sack of dung was given speaking credit by bobbleheads who knew better but said he did well in the debates anyway; the bobbleheads need to quit trying to be political analysts; they're rank amateurs at deconstructing lies, and their polite refrains about how well he did helped elect the lying little sack of dung).
Even though it was only a sentence thrown out as a bone here and there on the evening snooze, I heard enough truth in the lead-up to the illegal war crime (invasion of another country for no reason, an act of aggression forbidden by the Geneva Conventions) to know we were being lied to about the "justifications" for Georgie's war in Iraq.
That means the people in the Beltway Bubble had to know more about the truth than we did... and still they let spoiled frat-brat Georgie have his way and start an illegal war. I have never, ever figured out why they let him do that, since Congress is the only body that can declare war. No excuses I've heard have satisfied me (and both Cons and Dems are only offering excuses, not reasons, for allowing Georgie to appear to have war powers that belong only to Congress). Our Congress Critters need to be held accountable... or be voted out of office. Period.
Then there's the horror of The Cretin permitting torture (a war crime) and opening up prison camps on Gitmo and sending prisoners to other countries that permit torture openly. That is NOT civilized behavior and it shames us all. I've never gotten over the horror of hearing about all of that, and likely never will. Those war crimes MUST stop! No one has ever explained why they let Georgie and Dickie continue allowing torture and holding prisoners illegally. Congress Critters need to be called on the carpet to answer questions about that fiasco. I firmly believe they could have stopped him... and they have chosen not to. Refusing to make choices is making a choice, too, so they've chosen not to make choices to stop the abominable little twit. That's morally and ethically dishonorable and dishonest on many levels.
9/11 didn't touch me personally. I didn't know anyone who died in that tragedy, and I don't know anyone who knew anyone who died that day. I could look at the situation dispassionately from a distance (emotionally, intellectually, and physically). Criminals committed the hijackings, not an army representing any country. The criminals died with their victims. There was no one to prosecute in a court of law for their heinous crimes. (Nor am I forgetting three towers imploded, not just the two we hear about so much, so there may be cause to believe the event was an inside job - or at least allowed to happen so this administration that wanted an excuse to start a war in Iraq to gain control of their oil could invent reasons to start their illegal war. They were talking about invading Iraq before they were given their offices by SCOTUS.)
Still, we need truth to be aired - in newspapers, and especially on TV. We need to encourage the more ethical journalists to keep on talking. Keith Olbermann, Bill Moyers for two, and oddly enough, Jon Stewart (the latter deconstructs the lies and presents the truth with humor). Right now those are the only three I'd "trust" with the truth. ("Trust" is a word not found in my personal lexicon, so I use the word with quotes to qualify the meaning.)
But truth must get out for people to hear it, and our Congress Critters need to be held accountable for their decisions and the fact that they've so often chosen not to make choices or take any stand against Georgie's war and his decision to permit torture and holding prisoners illegally.
That means impeachment or signing on to the World Court and letting The Hague try them for war crimes....
On a personal note: I've been following the story about Aline. I'm so sorry for your loss and the tragedy as a result. I hope things will be resolved at some point. If you knew a terrific cold case investigator who has access to any evidence that forensic scientists could work on, someone who can deconstruct stories and lies to get to the truth, perhaps you may find answers someday. I wish you and yours well.
What's the feeling here about Tenet and his book?
Posted by: woz at May 4, 2007 03:59 AM
I saw an interview of Tenet on Charlie Rose at midnight. Tenet is whining and excusing himself. He's made himself irrelevant in the larger picture and explained nothing. He's a loyal Bushie, no matter what. He never did answer any direct questions Rose put to him, so he's learned the 'fine art' of saying nothing with a lot of words in a circular fashion... just like Georgie and Dickie....
Well, that's my take on Tenet. Others may think differently, but I see nothing but another poisonous adder, a mediocre man, a political pawn ready to give up his own personal integrity for the insufferable little twit "leading" this nation to certain ruin.
On overnight snooze on one of the major networks there was a blurb about a magazine (Time? Newsweek?) that did a story on the 100 most influential people in the world. Georgie did not make the list...!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070504/ap_on_el_pr/republicans_debate
GOP debate focuses on Iraq war, abortion
Excerpt:
Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean boldly said the debate "confirms that a Democrat will be elected in 2008. The Republican presidential contenders are only offering more of the same failed leadership and misplaced priorities that President Bush brought to the White House."
{{{The rest of the article is about the usual neoCon divisive issues centering on abortion, evolution, stem cell research, and - of course - they're all gung ho about Georgie's illegal war. Eeeowww....}}}
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2007/05/04/notes050407.DTL&nl=fix
Mark Morford
Al Qaeda Hates Your Commute!
Did terrorists cause SF's freeway meltdown? How about your lousy haircut? Spilled coffee? Sure!
{{{Funny in a sad, pathetic way.... It reminds me how often I've heard or read the words "terrorist" and "terrorism" since 9/11 and the fact that I just tune the word out because it's been repeated too often by he-who-shall-not-be-named and his lying minions....}}}
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/05/03/who-doesnt-believe-in-evolution/
Who Doesn’t Believe in Evolution?
{{{Question asked of RNC "debaters." Three of them raised their hands....}}}
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/05/03/gop-debate-ron-paul-speaks-truth-about-iraq-and-conservative-values/
GOP Debate: Ron Paul Speaks Truth About Iraq And Conservative Values
{{{With that answer, this is the only "viable" candidate RNC has. Too bad he'll never get any publicity.... He could actually give the Dems a run for their money.}}}
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/05/03/colbert-explains-why-we-need-to-detain-and-torture-some-innocent-people/
Colbert Explains Why We Need To Detain and Torture Some Innocent People
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/5/3/1762/68685
HOT TIP: Grover Norquist on DC Madame Jeane Palfrey's Client List
{{{Ohhhhhhhh... the comments... Bwahahahahahaha!!! Choking with laughter! Norquist's name has not been verified in public, but the description fits. One commenter mentioned 20/20 had seven minutes at the end of the program on the DC Madame story (I dunno; I didn't see it, wasn't aware it was even going to be talked about). The fact that ABC is sitting on this list is telling; no one has the balls to publish the names, obviously. Still, the comments... Bwahahahahaha!!!!!}}}
This is the comment I left for that dKos diary:
ABC has much to answer for...
They helped promote the illegal war in Iraq....
If anyone at ABC had any testicular fortitude and really believed in the First Amendment, they'd release ALL the names on that list, and let the squirts fall where they may. It could be THE story of the early 21st century... if ABC wanted the scoop bad enough. It would certainly take attention away from the war crimes in Iraq and Gitmo...! (And, just maybe impeachment would finally be talked about out in the open....)
We've been metaphorically screwed by dang near every politician in DC (and every lobbyist group and every corporation and every neoCon think tank and every reich-wingnuttia fundie religious group) since Georgie and Dickie were given their offices by SCOTUS in December 2000.
If ABC does not release the names on that list, they're the same old cowards promoting the lying, criminal administration of Georgie and Dickie that they've been since 2000 when they first put their noses up Karl's and Georgie's and Dickie's butts, and people who won't forgive them for that 9/11 piece of fiction will still be boycotting their network.
Payback's a bitch.
NonnyO said
9/11 didn't touch me personally.
Had to reflect back on that. I didn't watch the coverage because I was afraid of being hypnotized and lied to so I've only seen "it" happen (partly) about 4x, but my imagination is great. No relatives died but did make a good friend (American) in Istanbul (he was the only person not French, Russian or Turkish) who came close. He ran across the street to get a latte and then the first tower blew. He kept all his work shoes inside so had on his sneakers and it took him about 5 years before he could replace the shoes (emotionally), plus he moved (city to upstate) and changed careers (banker to teacher). Profound impact! Plus when we met him the war was breaking out (2003) and it was triggering post-traumatic stress.
When I think of 9/11 and "our" country and people - I don't really thnk that way. People are people and tragedy is tragedy - Katrina, the giant tsunami, Darfur, Rwanda, Bhopal, Chernobyl, Bali, Madrid, London underground and all the rest. I might add cancer, car crashes, murder. Death every day, much of it preventable.
It really bothers me a lot when politicians and pundits get all nationalistic and us/them about it, especially when we're into global domination economically and militarily (neither of which we are capable of anymore because of our changing demographics and shrinking natural and financial resources).
HOT TIP: Grover Norquist on DC Madame Jeane Palfrey's Client List
If it's true, it's a beautiful thing.
Moveon is polling about impeachment. Let them know what you think.
http://dailykos.com/story/2007/5/4/03514/79973
Posted by: sparrow at May 4, 2007 10:29 AM
Hang tough on this. I'm not sure it's a valid poll.
Go to the home page using a moveon.org URL, no pol/ in front of the name.
I don't see anything on the home page about a moveon poll....
I'm wondering if it's a look-alike web site.
I get nervous about leaving my name and all on web sites, and that's what this one does.
If it were a valid poll, they don't need a name and email address....
Heading downtown to have lunch with Nancy Pelosi & Geraldine Ferraro...and about 2000 others...
Will report back any news/relevant info later.
Posted by: madame defarge at May 4, 2007 10:53 AM
Thank madame. I can't wait to hear what they say.
William Fisher | Gitmo Lawyers Push Back
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/050407J.shtml
A Justice Department proposal to limit lawyers' access to the nearly 400 detainees at Guantanamo Bay is drawing sharp criticism from much of the legal community in the US. Mary Shaw of Amnesty International USA told Truthout: "The right to a fair trial is one of the universally applicable principles recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which the US is a signatory. The US took a huge step away from this standard with the Military Commissions Act of 2006. And now the proposal to limit attorneys' access to their clients at Guantanamo Bay will further hinder detainees' rights to full equality under the law."
Florida Acts to Eliminate Touch-Screen Voting System
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/050407N.shtml
Florida legislators voted on Thursday to replace touch-screen voting machines - installed in 15 counties after the troubled 2000 presidential election - with a system of optical scan voting. The new system is scheduled to be running in time for the 2008 presidential election.
Oil Company Accused of Dumping Waste in Amazon
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/050407P.shtml
US oil company Occidental Petroleum has been accused of contaminating an area of the Peruvian Amazon where it and its successor company have drilled for oil over the past 32 years, creating misery for the local Achuar people through widespread lead and cadmium poisoning. The oilfield in the Corrientes river basin was turned over to the Argentinian oil company Pluspetrol in 2000, but the pattern of spillage and poisoning has continued unabated.
Gonzales Refuted: Former Supervisor Extols Fired Prosecutors
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/050407L.shtml
A former deputy attorney general lavished praise yesterday on most of the eight US attorneys who were fired after he left the job. James Comey, the Justice Department's second-in-command from 2003 until August 2005, testified that only one attorney had serious performance problems.
Madame,
Hope you have your camera and will write about it.
(Also, I was about to become jealous of your 'intimate luncheon' date until I saw the 2000.)
If it's true, it's a beautiful thing.
Posted by: Cyrano at May 4, 2007 10:12 AM
One can only hope....
It would be a bright spot on otherwise dismal years since December 2000.
The only thing that would be better is if there were actual impeachment proceedings against Dickie (first) and Georgie (second)....
NonnyO and Cyrano,
It doesn't interest me any because frankly, I'm sure it will take down as many Democrats too.
I do like Glenn Greenwald...
today's post is priceless ... or at least really damn funny...
watch the ad and go read it...
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/05/04/we_win/index.html
dwahzon,
Yep...good Glenn Greenwald today.
*All* threads on this site are open threads.
:0)
say what now?,
Otter
Yee, haw! It's backbone time!
--------------
Democrats Not Backing Down on Iraq
WASHINGTON (AP) - Congressional Democrats have signaled they're not ready to back down in their confrontation with President Bush on Iraq, spurring Republicans to accuse them of causing political gridlock.
[...]
For the first time, Bush dispatched his top aides to Capitol Hill this week to sit down with Democratic leaders to discuss the war.
"It has taken almost four and a half years, but it appears the president finally is willing to consider what most Americans and members of Congress have long known: we must change course in Iraq and move toward a strategy that will make our country more secure," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in a statement released Friday.
[...]
In a flash of defiance, House Democratic leaders on Thursday weighed a proposal that would guarantee the war money only through July. After that, Congress could block additional money from being spent if the Iraqi government does not meet certain political and security goals.
The proposal, not yet endorsed and outlined for only a few members, would be a direct challenge to the president and could prompt another presidential veto. This week, Bush vetoed a $124.2 billion bill that would have provided money for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan while requiring troops to begin coming home by Oct. 1.
[...]
Democrats contend they will provide troops the resources they need and will send Bush a bill by the end of the month. The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service has reported that the Army has enough bookkeeping flexibility to fund war operations until about July, although the lack of cash would cause problems in other areas.
[...]
The move likely would appease a large number of House Democrats who are reluctant to vote for a war spending bill unless it moves toward getting troops out of Iraq. Such a plan would signal to caucus members that the speaker was not willing to back down to Bush and, at the same time, support the troops.
[...]
Numerous other ideas are being floated in the Senate, most of which involve some combination of goals the Iraqi government must reach. The key impasse, however, is whether to require the withdrawal of U.S. troops if the benchmarks are not met.
Democratic Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Robert Byrd of West Virginia proposed a measure to repeal the 2002 resolution authorizing force in Iraq. Under the bill, Bush would be required in October to seek Congress' blessing to continue operations in Iraq.
"If the president will not bring himself to accept reality, it is time for Congress to bring reality to him," said Clinton, a presidential contender for 2008.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino immediately shot down Clinton's proposal as "troubling" in light of ongoing negotiations.
"Here we go again," Perino said in a statement. "The Senate is trying another way to put a surrender date on the calendar. Welcome to politics '08-style."
----------------
welcome to the real world, Spokeswoman Barbie,
Otter
Posted by: sparrow at May 4, 2007 11:35 AM
Not really. As the hookers who work the respective conventions revealed a few years back, they do much better business with the GOP. Democrats believe in free love, but Republicans are willing to pay for it...
Posted by: madame defarge at May 4, 2007 10:53 AM
Great. Thanks! I can't wait to hear about your experience.
As for contributing new threaders, when I have a good idea, I will contribute again.
Immigration is a hot topic that I can rant on and on about forever, so when the timing is right, I will probably submit something on immigration.
In fact, I should've submitted something to coincide with the May 1st protests, but I've been sick - and my Republican family has been going out of their way to limit my "corrupting" influences, including DCP.
Democrats believe in free love, but Republicans are willing to pay for it...
Posted by: Cyrano at May 4, 2007 02:08 PM
Because the average Republican is much more sexually repressed than the average Democrat.
This partly explains why Mann Coulter is such a raging mess of testosterone.
Now, was Mel Brooks thinking of Ms. Coulter when he wrote these lyrics, for one of the songs in "The Producers":
"I see a line of beautiful girls
Dressed as storm troopers, each one a gem
With leather boots and whips on their hips
It's risque, dare I say, S & M!"
What's up with this?
First Obama is threatened. Then Edwards. Now I see Hillary is threated as well?
This is taking things way to far.
(No links to the top two but here's Hillary's link: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/5/4/132524/4426 )
I look forward to seeing many more thread headers by each or our DCP 'regulars' and our new ones too.
According to the WaPO gossip columnists that Tucker Carlson has on his show every Friday, Obama and Kerry had a very public three hour dinner at The Four Seasons, in DC, this week.
Could JK be getting ready to endorse Obama?
They also mentioned that Mike Bloomberg had his own public dinner with Chuck Hagel...for what it's worth.
Cindy Sheehan calling for a boycott of O'Rielly. Good I say! Wish she would include Rush, but maybe that's next.
I had a lot of reading to catch up on here--I have been pretty over-the-top swamped this week. Rick, I have an almost-a-thread-header ready to go, about the dinner the other night with an Iraqi Parliament member.
This is now officially the last week of classes and I have students with needs and dance concerts, and presentations and all sorts of wonderful celebrations, so it has been hard to get here, even to read. But read I do and I just want to say that I miss hearing from and about folks when we all get so busy.
Right now I am in my office, between parties for the graduates. This group is full of success stories; not all of them evident. I am proud of them. Today I did a movement choir by the Potomac with my friend Marylee and about 20 dance therapists. It was beautiful and full and reminiscent of the one we did Sept. 11 last year--that Suz was part of as well. So Suz, we thought of you too.
So let's keep coming back and checking in and checking up with each other -- because that's what communities do.
Anybody hear any news flashes from NOLA -- explosions? high winds? excessive noise??
What's up with this?
First Obama is threatened. Then Edwards. Now I see Hillary is threated as well?
This is taking things way to far.
(No links to the top two but here's Hillary's link: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/5/4/132524/4426 )
Posted by: sparrow at May 4, 2007 04:47 PM
@@@@@@
The Dixie Chicks got death threats.... People who oppose the war or Bush get death threats.... The death threats may even come from "Christian" conservatives!!!
And, as happens every year at this time, today is the 4th of May Four dead in Ohio....
http://www.may4.org/
--------------------
Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?
Gotta get down to it
Soldiers are cutting us down
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?
Tin soldiers and Nixon coming,
We're finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming,
Four dead in Ohio
(One)
Four dead in Ohio
(Two)
Four dead in Ohio
(Three)
Four dead in Ohio
(How many more?)
Four dead in Ohio
----------------
never ever forget, y'all,
Otter
"Kent State Day of Remembrance Honors Virginia Tech Tragedy"
(Associated Press)
"Campus tragedies separated by more than a generation linked Kent State and Virginia Tech universities on Friday, as students on the Ohio campus marked the shooting deaths 37 years apart.
"A bell on the campus of Kent State -- rung each year to mark the Ohio National Guard shooting deaths of four students during anti-war protests on May 4, 1970 -- first rang out 32 times to honor victims slain April 16 at Virginia Tech by a rampaging gunman."
http://tinyurl.com/39erfo
(see also:)
"Sixties activist sees Iraq-Vietnam link"
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/59350.html
"Activist Hayden speaks at KSU"
http://www.postchronicle.com/news/breakingnews/article_21278723.shtml
"Kent State massacre left indelible mark on Stone"
http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/rozner.asp?id=308772
"Assessor remembers Kent St. shootings"
http://tinyurl.com/3dfvka
(and:)
"Kent State Marks 1970 Shootings"
http://www.postchronicle.com/news/breakingnews/article_21278308.shtml
"Kent State University in Ohio Friday marked the 37th anniversary of the day National Guardsmen shot and killed four students during a Vietnam War protest.
"With anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan as the keynote speaker, events include a display of boots representing the number of lives lost in the Iraq War, the Daily Kent Stater reports.
"In addition, the university library opened for public viewing an archival collection of letters and other materials dealing with the events that left four students dead and nine wounded.
"Materials range from iconic photographs to the original FBI documents with J. Edgar Hoover's signature.
"One letter from a group of French students has the letter "X" in President Richard Nixon's name replaced with a Nazi swastika."
never ever *ever* forget,
Otter
Ally, I just realized, we should be asking someone exactly like you how to end our immigration nightmares.
Frankly I am sick of such a racially divisive issue. Why can't we just listen to people who understand it very well in the political sense. I ish it were that simple.
Me, I love Mexicans, and some people in this country cringe at the very idea I would say so. I don't care anymore. All you need is love.
I like Canadians too. I got arrested once by a Canadian. He was a nice guy. Knew a lot more about the pope than your average coon ass cop.
I do not understand the white fear of brown people, as almost an instinct.
It is creepy.
We have the best damn brown people in the world, ask them what is right and I really think that will be THE ONLY WAY to get a sane, humanist, and economicaly balanced immigration problem.
As both an immigrant and US Citizen Ally, what would be your plan?
What would be the economical impact...?
I wish somebody would tell us, beause right now it is just all f*cked up. Not even I dare tinker with that time bomb.
After which, this is just lagniappe:
---------------
Daylight again
Following me to bed
I think about a hundred years ago
How my fathers bled
I think I see a valley
Covered with bones in blue
All the brave soldiers that cannot get older
Been asking after you
Hear the past a-calling
From Armageddon's side
When everyone's talking and no one is listening
How can we decide
Do we find the cost of freedom
Buried in the ground
Mother Earth will swallow you
Lay your body down
Find the cost of freedom
Buried in the ground
Mother Earth will swallow you
Lay your body down
----------------
one... two... three... four... how many more?
Otetr
Military cracks down on bloggers and they now list msm as a 'threat'.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/5/4/155551/0258
Karen--Nice to know all of you enjoyed another movement choir. Selfishly, I'm glad to know you thought of me.
No...I have heard of no lightening strikes, explosions, or earth shattering news from NOLA. But I'm sure they're having a terrific time.
Christy--I have no idea why there is that fear. Sh*tty people exist from all religions, all colors, all social-economic backgrounds. But I do know that in portions of this country, they feel immigrants are stealing jobs.
Otter--Thanks for the Kent State links. My family got to travel to Kent State a few years ago, and it felt incredible to be there in that city. I almost felt the ghosts of the protesters there.
I just got done watching An Inconvenient Truth for the first time. Very good movie. Like F-9-11, very easy to understand and very convincing.
Posted by: Christy at May 4, 2007 08:31 PM
Christy,
I'll think of something over the weekend. Right now, I am too sick to think.
But I do want to write a thread header on immigration, and will do so when able.
And Sparrow, Nonny, Woz, all of you, again, I am profoundly grateful for your kind words for my family.
For years.......
And now...hope.
All the others lost, for them too. Hope returns.
Some days I can actually feel it breaking over everything. Since I was 9 I never felt that before.
Not about her. Or the others.
I just realized what it is.
Just knowing you are there, I no longer dread it. I no longer really even fear it.
I am truly honored to know the story of Faye Aline Self. She changed the adults, but she SHAPED us children left behind, lurking in doorways.
I must admit, I am in AWE of Karrie. In every sense imagianable she is truly a child of murder. Nothing ever stopped her, nothing ever escaped that brain she has been tracking serial killers with since she was 10.
I can not imagine the strength it took to become and remain something close to normal.
If you think I can get intense, you should talk to Karrie! Man she thrills me. I have missed her and her crazy flame red hair.
I am so proud of my family. We never let them erase her. We never stopped looking and bearing witness. My grandfather was an incredibly brave man, he made sure we understood exatly what his thoughts were on it.
It will not be for nothing. I belive that now, I never did before. Only in isolation can they remain untouchable and all mighty.
When the system is so horrifically corrupted and malfunctioning, it can never ever never be trusted to fix itself. Even with time.
Mostly because of people like yall, who never even knew us, it will be stopped when enough people demand it be stopped.
It really does seem like a miracle to me to watch it starting to happen.
I wish my grandparents had lived to see it begin unfolding.
Feel better Ally doll. Take your time.
And Suz,
"Christy--I have no idea why there is that fear. Sh*tty people exist from all religions, all colors, all social-economic backgrounds. But I do know that in portions of this country, they feel immigrants are stealing jobs."
I understand the job thing, and in fact that is my only true concern with immigration legal or illegal. The economic impact on our own citizens is devastating.
There is no real distinction between the economic argument and the flat out racial fear. It is more prevalent in the deep south, but there are large pockets of it everywhere.
That so called 'white fear' runs much deeper than it appears on the surface. In this sate they are almost phobic about the 'mixing of the races'. Their excuses can be truly fascinating in their logic. Fascinating and disturbing. And common.
If I did want to point out a solution, I would have to say it begins when we can nuetralize the fear and focus on the economic options available.
Christy,
I can't speak for others, but I am more honored that you told us Aline's story and yours too. It is such a traumatic event and so life-forming too. Your cousin Karrie sounds amazing. Of course she is welcomed here as well. I hope both of you can take the pain and rage and build something good out of it. (It's difficult to do!)
But all in all, we're a mixed up crazy community around here, and over the course of two years, you can't help caring about what happens to each and every person.
"Here we go again," Perino said in a statement. "The Senate is trying another way to put a surrender date on the calendar. Welcome to politics '08-style."
----------------
Posted by: Otter at May 4, 2007 01:38 PM
Surrender? Surrender to whom? Surrender to Iraq? Are we at war with Iraq? Yes. I guess we are now that not a single group wants us there. Two individuals currently living in Iraq want US troops to stay. Patreus and Maliki who was the US candidate for Iraq's elections. Hoodwinking democracy?
Since those who can't speak or recognise English words equate troop withdrawal as surrender, let us do just that. Wave the white flag at Maliki, lay down arms and surrender to his forces. Wouldn't that see our troops becoming POWs in Iraq?
Surrender is a ridiculous word to use for the withdrawal of all US troops. Surrender = Imprisonment. Withdrawal = Go Home.
People are afraid of the word surrender. That's why they know to frame it that way. Surrender implies shame and scurrying home like a child who has been scolded. For these people who relish the 'fatherly' role, this is worse than a failure.
But will the majority of America still fall for their framing?
Surrender?
Sounds like some of the conservative warmongers weren't afraid of surrendering to the madame!
Gone to a workshop all day - catching up on rumors.
Heard maybe Norquist on the list and also Doug Feith of OSP's number two? Bet some people are sweating it!
Anyone up for a little decompression courtesy IRC??
First round's on me...
There's a white tie dinner for the queen at the WH
And apparently bush is taking etiquette lessons (futile endeavor, I realize).
A trip down memory lane:
Kristof reports that in 1991, President George H.W. Bush invited Queen Elizabeth to the White House for a state banquet.
Barbara Bush introduced young George to the Queen. George W. told Her Majesty that his new cowboy boots were embroidered with the phrase "God Save the Queen." Barbara then explained that it was fear of such a remark that caused her to seat young George a safe distance from the Queen.
George then told the Queen that apparently he was the Bush family's black sheep. "Who's yours?" he queried. According to Kristof, Queen Elizabeth smiled and retorted, "None of your business."
http://www.midlandtexas.gov/midland/bush/bush.html
Here's the Chicago Tribune's report on the luncheon I attended today with Nancy Pelosi, Geraldine Ferraro, Dick Durbin, Michelle Obama, the ubiquitous Jesse Jackson, Rahm Emanual, Tammy Duckworth, Jan Schakowsky, Gov. Blowdryavich...and 2046 other people, mostly women. Man, what a great day. I'll tell more once my head stops spinning & I can collect some thoughts.
Pelosi attacks Bush over war funding bill
While the White House and Democratic congressional leaders try to reach a compromise supplemental Iraq war funding bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi showed no signs Friday of slowing her attacks on President Bush.
Appearing in Chicago at Rep. Jan Schakowsky's Ultimate Women's Power Lunch, a fundraiser hosted by the North Shore Democratic congresswoman at the Chicago Hilton and Towers, Pelosi called the war "the biggest ethical issue facing our country."
Pelosi questioned whether it was ethical to send troops into war "under a false pretense without a strategy for success," without proper equipment and training and without "demanding accountability from the Iraqi government while we dishonored our commitment to our veterans here at home."
"In the elections, when the American people were calling for a new direction, the one place where they called for it in the clearest possible way was in the war in Iraq," Pelosi (D-Calif.) told an audience estimated at about 2,000 people.
"They wanted the war to wind down," Pelosi said. "Instead, the president has escalated it. He has a tin ear in terms of listening to the people and a blind eye as to what is going on in Iraq."
Earlier, Pelosi defended Democrats from GOP criticism that their now-vetoed Iraq supplemental measure contained a U.S. troop withdrawal timetable that amounted to a script for insurgents or Al Qaeda to take over the country, creating new opportunities for terrorism.
"We'll fight terrorism," she said. "There is absolutely no question about the Democrats commitment to fighting terrorism."
Of warnings from the White House and Republicans that Al Qaeda is actively working in Iraq and threatening the country's stability, Pelosi said that Al Qaeda wasn't present before the U.S. invasion. She said Al Qaeda represents "a small percentage of the insurgents and militias and those who are fighting there."
"The Iraqis will take care of Al Qaeda and we will fight terrorism wherever it exists," Pelosi said. "But that doesn't mean we have to have our troops dying in a civil war that is not making our country safer."
http://tinyurl.com/2pmpvj = Chicago Tribune
www.charlierose.com
On Charlie Rose (PBS) tonight. Likely there will be transcripts of the show online at some point.
First, A conversation with Bill Maher, comedian and host of Real Time with Bill Maher.
Next, A conversation with author and journalist Christopher Hitchens about his book God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.
madame
sounds great, can't wait!
Does anyone know of this happening? I haven't seen the original but my friend is sending the newspaper article to me.
This is how the story goes: An American manufacturer sells bags to France (in the photo it looks like a sports bag). The care label inside the bag has English instructions and on the other side it has French instructions. When translated, the French side of the care label says, We are sorry that our President is an idiot. We didn't vote for him.
Never saw it Woz. Sounds like a good bag to have thoouh.
V...sorry to have missed you in the decompression room. (I went to bed early.) Saturday's a lost cause for me, but I can be there Sunday if anyone wants to visit on Sunday in there.
Posted by: woz at May 5, 2007 03:16 AM
Poor Woz! We all live on the wrong side of the planet for you. And you end up with only the rare insomniac to chat with.
True - but the pace is nice and slow, sparrow. Just right for me.
May 5, 2007
Film’s Wall Street Predator to Make a Comeback
By MICHAEL CIEPLY
LOS ANGELES, May 4 — Greed is still good.
Or so those at 20th Century Fox hope. Even as their boss, Rupert Murdoch, pursued an uninvited takeover bid for Dow Jones this week, Fox movie executives quietly sealed a deal to revive Gordon Gekko, the suspender-loving financial prowler who made grabbing seem good in Oliver Stone’s 1987 film, “Wall Street.”
When last seen, the corrupt Gekko, an Oscar-winning role for Michael Douglas, was on the brink of surrendering his white cuffs for handcuffs, having been sold out by his protégé Bud Fox, played by Charlie Sheen.
“He went to jail,” acknowledged Edward R. Pressman, who produced the original movie and reached an agreement with Fox this week to develop a sequel in which Mr. Douglas will resume his machinations on a global scale in the hedge-fund era. Mr. Pressman declined to say more about the plot. But the title, he said, will be “Money Never Sleeps,” after one of Gekko’s guiding principles in the first film, written by Stanley Weiser and Mr. Stone.
- more -
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/05/movies/05movi.html
Hi Rick and everyone,
Re- the thread header - I just want to say how grateful I am that you, Rick, and everyone else perseveres here, even when it seems like traffic is slow. I have needed to let life intervene for a while, and feel basically too uninformed to comment lately. The DCP is still the place I come to for info and to "see" familiar "faces". Rick, I know I haven't gotten tired of your pieces. I appreciate your ability to keep it fresh, and would just encourage an open thread once in a while to keep you from burning out.
And now, back to lurking for a while longer....
Posted by: woz at May 5, 2007 03:16 AM
I did hear about that. Here's what I found with a google:
http://htmini.com/2005/03/24/tom-bihn-em2/ - read to the bottom & see a photo!
Here's another site that shows how people show their dissent; it also has a good photo of the anti-commander-guy bag.
http://www.backspace.com/notes/2004/10/02/x.html
Do yall realize we could all get rich by selling voodoo dolls of georgie.
And for just 19.99 we can throw in the free needles.
I can't talk smack about him, but if I had a voodoo doll in his likeness, I sure could have fun sticking needles into it.
Posted by: Christy at May 5, 2007 10:18 AM
Your wish is CrassCommerce's command... Check this out...
http://www.crasscommerce.com/product_info.php?products_id=285
Md,
That is very, very funny.
However, I personally could never be comfotble wrapping a voodoo doll in the US flag.
georgie I am all for getting hit with hoodoo.
The flag thing though... You gotta be careful what your cursing with such dark power.
I'd like a voodoo "Mission Accomplished Georgie" doll.
Especially enhanced with the sock thing--same as real life.
Karen's new blog entry is up, and it's a corker all right.
There is a road not too far from here, my sister used to live on it.
Swan lake Road is one of those major roads in town that goes and goes until you wind up in the deep swamps.
All us locals actually call it by two names, in town it is Swan Lake Road. But the place it meets the back woods it is commonly called Ju-Ju road. Not even the cops would patrol it on he swamp end.
After Aline when I was 9, we spent alot of time in the bayous looking for cop cars offloading drug planes in Red River Parish.
But, as a teenager, I spent my time stalking Ju Ju road in Bossier parish. The things I saw there hiding behind trees in the middle of the night...
Man oh man. Those nights really were incredible.
I have never seen anything so....mezmerizing. Appalling. Compelling. Sensual. Frightening. Raw and powerful. Even now in my dreams I can still see them dancing. I mean DANCING, all night long. Never saw any dance that could compare.
It was a crazy way to grow up.
I love Louisiana. I can not think of a single other place where I have felt so alive.
Woz
It's a TRUE urban legend about the French label.
http://www.snopes.com/business/hidden/tombihn.asp
I also have a shirt that says "Help Us Chirac" (w/ a fleur de lis)
but it's a bit outdated as of 5/17 when he steps down.
I also have one that says "Your religion is not mine" in French that I got at a Goth shop but I get received as a highly antisocial and bad person if I wear it.