It's About Damn Time

it's about fing time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

one step...can lead to another....

Good start. Now if they can urge Congress to impeach and remove Bush, Cheney and Gonzalez for flagrantly breaking the law on several levels, we'll be on our way to recovery.

Homegrown terrorists now considered severe threat by NYPD:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20278590/

They are part right - extremism is rampant in NYC. They are wrong in that they are not necessarily Muslims, however - I've had my fair share of Korean Christian extremists in NYC.

The death toll just doubled.

Now saying as many as 500 killed.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070815/iraq/

Bingo! Nailed it.

"What is truly sad is the lack of clear statements by our presidential candidates which would

*reject the idea of signing statements as a backdoor veto

*reject the idea of the unitary executive in any form

*acknowledge the importance of checks and balances and separation of powers

*commitment to maximum defense of the Bill of Rights, pointing out that “protection” and “security” which overrides those is neither protection or security of America as we have known it

That is one reason I find it hard to motivate myself for a presidential race that is moving too quickly, and is too much about personalities, and not about us.

http://www.correntewire.com/what_teacherken_said

Amen!

Casey, this is good news indeed. After staying silent over 4+ years, Australia's legal profession, with the top lawyers as spokespeople, questioned and damned and petitioned our government continually, until our 2nd Guantanamo Guest was released and sent home to Australia.

These same associations - state and federal - have become very political in recent events. All of this has come after the so-called war on people who kill and make us scared. Those terr'ists. We have become far more terrorising than terrored, by allowing ourselves to be sucked into such a ridiculous war.

The same top lawyers in Australia have actually held conventions to oppose parliamentary legislation and decisions on the rule of law.

Recently a "terrist" gave his mobile phone inclusive of sim card to his cousin about a year earlier. This terrist was moving to Australia from England. After a long time working in a Gold Coast hospital, he was arrested and held for almost a month. This arrest and holding was on the untrue information that the mobile phone in question, sim card, was used in the latest failed suicide attacks in the UK - found at the scene. Finally the judge ordered that he be bailed.

Whereupon our minister for immigration got hysterical and cancelled the doctor's visa because "he was obviously of unsavoury character." To me this speaks more about the unsavoury character of the minister than the doctor.

When the legal profession, gets involved, things happen. And this is very good.

CHENEY VIDEO A HIT ON YOU TUBE:

almost 1/2 a million hits - it's only been up about a week

Cheney '94: Invading Baghdad Would Create Quagmire C-SPAN
01:22
In this interview from April 15th, 1994, Dick Cheney reveals the reasons why invading Baghdad and toppling Saddam Hussein wouldn't In this interview from April 15th, 1994, Dick Cheney reveals the reasons why invading Baghdad and toppling Saddam Hussein wouldn't be a great idea. He also stipulates that "not very many" American soldiers' lives were worth losing to take out Saddam during the Gulf War.

SOURCE: This clip was originally aired on C-SPAN3 [History] on the evening of Thursday, August 9th. http://c-span.org (more) (less)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BEsZMvrq-I

Added: August 10, 2007, 10:23 AM
From: grandtheftcountry
Views: 498,985
Rating:
4136 ratings

It seems strange to me that Australia developed into a different social climate than we did, politically, attitude wise, but yet, I am still very surprised at the level of racisim in Australian culture.

I am not sure why it surprises me, but it does. That case against that doctor is total bullsh*t.

I had always thought of Aussies as more 'tolerant' than We are. It was quite a shock to realize how wrong I was.

WTF is wrong with our countries? How do you evolve past it?

Why are white people so freaking paraniod?

OMG this man is just begging us to storm the gates and kick his ass.

Bush Administration Says Warrantless Eavesdropping Cannot Be Questioned

The Bush administration said Monday the constitutionality of its warrantless electronic eavesdropping program cannot be challenged.

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/08/bush-administ-1.html

NOW WHAT?

Cannot be Constitusionaly challenged?

OMFG!

We are in serious trouble.

Posted by: Christy at August 15, 2007 09:42 PM

The Constitution is only as good as the government that is willing to enforce it.

otherwise, it is just a piece of scratch paper.

Oh, the things I want to type here but don't in fear of being eavesdropped on. Ah, the land of the free.

IMPEACH the f*ckers already, or worse.

Monkey, me too, had to revise what I said lest Homeland Insecurity question my morbid sense of humor.

But, while we are talking about them, may as well address them directly since they are most likely already here.

Dear Homeland Insecurity.

Go ahead, point a spy satallite at me. Read my email. Violate the law like it don't mean nothing....

But I just want you to know, I think you are a bunch of assh*les, and the United States Constitution will be your down fall.

If not for fear you wouldn't have jack.

JACK!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118714764716998275.html?mod=hpp_us_editors_picks

U.S. to Expand Domestic Use Of Spy Satellites

The U.S.'s top intelligence official has greatly expanded the range of federal and local authorities who can get access to information from the nation's vast network of spy satellites in the U.S.

The decision, made three months ago by Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell, places for the first time some of the U.S.'s most powerful intelligence-gathering tools at the disposal of domestic security officials. The move was authorized in a May 25 memo sent to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff asking his department to facilitate access to the spy network on behalf of civilian agencies and law enforcement.

Until now, only a handful of federal civilian agencies, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the U.S. Geological Survey, have had access to the most basic spy-satellite imagery, and only for the purpose of scientific and environmental study.

According to officials, one of the department's first objectives will be to use the network to enhance border security, determine how best to secure critical infrastructure and help emergency responders after natural disasters. Sometime next year, officials will examine how the satellites can aid federal and local law-enforcement agencies, covering both criminal and civil law. The department is still working on determining how it will engage law enforcement officials and what kind of support it will give them.

Access to the high-tech surveillance tools would, for the first time, allow Homeland Security and law-enforcement officials to see real-time, high-resolution images and data, which would allow them, for example, to identify smuggler staging areas, a gang safehouse, or possibly even a building being used by would-be terrorists to manufacture chemical weapons.

more...

What does it take to file an official request for the Hague to bring charges against someone?

Can We as citizens ask for relief from a man who is so obviously outside of our own laws?

Can he be sued by a body of citizens?

Can the World Court be petitioned by a large group of US Citizens to charge our own leaders with war crimes?

Christy,

The US government is so powerful that it will have the UN dismantled rather than giving up its leaders to an international body.

And as long as there are red patches of cancer (including my own area) attached to our nation, there is no hope.

The US government wors for WE the People, and I do not give a crap what georgie tries to break to prove otherwise.

The United States Constitution is hope. Keep her in your heart and she will live on. We will keep it alive.

It is the only thing that matters Ally. Everything else is moot.

I refuse to let them walk away without a fight. Too many people are dead, too many questions threaten to explode in our faces. Wether georgie is here or not, it won't change.

The only thing that will change it is nailing his ass to the wall.

Christy
The case has to be submitted by a country.
http://www.icj-cij.org/jurisdiction/index.php?p1=5&PHPSESSID=75c6771fc2fc1e0c0bd77518e3ee2474
& probably against another member country, and we don't belong.

2. Who may submit cases to the Court?

Only States are eligible to appear before the Court in contentious cases. At present, this basically means the 192 United Nations Member States.

The Court has no jurisdiction to deal with applications from individuals, non-governmental organizations, corporations or any other private entity. It cannot provide them with legal counselling or help them in their dealings with the authorities of any State whatever.

However, a State may take up the case of one of its nationals and invoke against another State the wrongs which its national claims to have suffered at the hands of the latter; the dispute then becomes one between States.

--There are other international criminal courts - go to the FAQs.

Again,

Can the World Court be petitioned by a large group of US Citizens to charge our own leaders with war crimes?

It is not like we don't have enough evidence, we have mountains of it and days and days of video.

Can they be petitioned? Cause we damn sure can russle up the signatures.

Some 200 million US citizens know something is terribly wrong. Those that know what are desperate for a legal recourse.

I will be the first to sign just say where.

TY NMP.

Very interesting.

What about Germany...?

Can US Citizens bring war crimes charges against a US president in Germany?

I know their court already threw out a suit against rummy the frail, but that was a suit brought by non US Citizens.

Can he be sued by a body of citizens?

Posted by: Christy at August 15, 2007 10:24 PM

I've no idea, but why not? A class action of several million people should be a possibility. Trouble is though - your president has stacked the courts with his own little "yes sir" judges. You'd have to be able to appoint an actual judge instead of a Gonzales-like amnesiac.

Off topic:

Massive quake hits Peru capital
August 16, 2007 - 12:56PM

Electricity lines lie fallen in Lima after a 7.9 magnitude earthquke struck Peru.

A powerful earthquake meauring 7.9 shook Peru's coast near the capital today, killing at least 17 people.

The quake toppled buildings and caused hundreds to flee office buildings.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/massive-quake-hits-peru-capital/2007/08/16/1186857643744.html

George W Bush et al have made the world really unsafe, with wars directly, indirectly or almost, happening in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza. And now, as if taunting Iran were not enough for this moronic president, he is going after Pakistan, too. Not to mention North Korea. When do we call it a World War that he's trying so hard to create. He will go down in history as the most hated and aggressive US president ever. His arrogance is not unlike that of Hitler.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003917.php

Next month, a new rule will come into effect that gives Gonzales new power over state death penalty cases.

Posted by: Not My President at August 16, 2007 01:53 AM

Does that mean that Gonzales will have the power of life and death over people who have committed smaller crimes as him?

than him...

His arrogance is not unlike that of Hitler.

Posted by: woz at August 16, 2007 12:34 AM

His friking arrogance is worse, as far as I am concerned, because we had Hitler, and we had Vietnam, and the impetent little thug learned nothing.

US Mine Safety Czar Is Another Bush Fox Guarding the Henhouse
The man who will oversee the federal government's investigation into the disaster that has trapped six workers in a Utah coal mine for over a week was twice rejected for his current job by senators concerned about his own safety record when he managed mines in the private sector.

President George W. Bush resorted to a recess appointment in October 2006 to anoint Richard Stickler as the nation's mine safety czar after it became clear he could not receive enough support even in a GOP-controlled Senate.

In the wake of the January 2006 Sago mine disaster in West Virginia, senators from both sides of the aisle expressed concern that Stickler was not the right person to combat climbing death rates in the nation's mines.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/08/15/mine-safety-czar-richard-_n_60581.html

Reading The Pictures: Beyond The Pet Goat

Although I had seen this photo before, the fact it showed up in Monday's NYT "Goodbye Karl" slideshow caused me to take a closer "visual forensic" look. The photo, as you can tell from the clock and the TV screen, was taken at 9:25 am on the morning of 9/11/2001 at Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida.

Although everyone in the world, it seems, is familiar with the "Pet Goat" photos, I think this one -- though far lesser known -- is as much, if not even more scandalous.

Given the detailed timelines available from that morning, we know well how George Bush spent 10 very long minutes reading a story to a group of second graders. He entered the classroom room at 9:03, and he was informed at 9:06 by Andy Card that a second plane had crashed into the World Trade Towers, but he didn't finish up with the kids until 9:16.

What is much less familiar, however, is how Bush spent the next fifteen or twenty minutes. After taking another minute or two to speak with the teacher and principal after the reading exercise, Bush and company made their way into this adjoining classroom. Once there, Bush spoke with Condi Rice (check), then Dick Cheney (double check), then New York Governor Pataki (check again). What is most remarkable -- both about the photo, and Dubya's subsequent decision making -- however, are those pages in front of him.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-shaw/reading-the-pictures-em_b_60558.html

Serial-escapee monkey nabbed after latest bid

TUPELO, Miss. - Oliver apparently has learned to pick locks, making his second breakout from behind bars in less than a month.

On Wednesday, however, the white-faced capuchin monkey was back at the Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo, and this time his cage has been secured with triple chains and locks.

“There’s one on top, one on the bottom and one in the middle,” park manager Kirk Nemecheck said. “If he gets out again, someone is letting him out.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20279211/

I must confess, I released the monkey.

Posted by: Christy at August 16, 2007 07:27 AM

Mission Accomplice

New home construction slowest in decade
Construction of new homes and apartments off 6.1

WASHINGTON (AP) - Construction of new homes fell to the lowest level in more than a decade in July as builders continued to struggle with the steepest housing slump since 1991.

The Commerce Department reported Thursday that construction of new homes and apartments dropped 6.1 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.38 million units. That was down 20.9 percent from the pace of activity a year ago and represented the slowest pace since January 1997.

The housing industry, which had enjoyed a prolonged boom until 2006, has been struggling this year with a deepening slump as builders are slashing prices and throwing in various incentives in an effort to unload record levels of unsold homes. The problems have been worsened by rising home foreclosures, especially in the subprime market, a development which is dumping even more homes onto the glutted market.

In other economic news, the Labor Department reported that the number of newly laid off workers filing for unemployment benefits rose by 6,000 last week to 322,000. The increase was unexpected. Analysts had been looking for a decline of around 1,000.

more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20296292/

8-term Rep. Deborah Pryce to retire
Departure of No. 4 GOPer renews Democrats interest in Ohio district

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20294735/

Is the White House worried about Gen. Petraeus saying too much on Capitol Hill? Is that why it wants to limit the amount of face time he has with Congress? The Washington Post: "Senior congressional aides said yesterday that the White House has proposed limiting the much-anticipated appearance on Capitol Hill next month of Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker to a private congressional briefing, suggesting instead that the Bush administration's progress report on the Iraq war should be delivered to Congress by the secretaries of state and defense…The skirmishing is an indication of the rising anxiety on all sides in the remaining few weeks before the presentation of what is widely considered a make-or-break assessment of Bush's war strategy, and one that will come amid rising calls for a drawdown of U.S. forces from Iraq."

The antiwar group Americans Against Escalation In Iraq will begin running a TV ad campaign targeting GOP lawmakers Thelma Drake (VA), Phil English (PA), Mitch McConnell (KY), and Fred Upton (MI). The ads -- which will air in college towns in the states on MTV, ESPN, and local network stations -- attempt to tie these Republicans to the draft.

One of the ads goes: ”Thelma Drake has supported Bush's war in Iraq for four years”; it quotes War Czar Douglas Lute about a military draft possibly being on the table. And it ends: “Tell Thelma Drake to end this war.”

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/08/16/319514.aspx