War Crimes, Bitch!
WaPo editorial (rightfully) calls out the Bush administration as war criminals.
The Bush administration refused to release these records to the human rights groups under the Freedom of Information Act until it was ordered to do so by a judge. Now it has responded to their publication with bland promises by spokesmen that any wrongdoing will be investigated. The record of the past few months suggests that the administration will neither hold any senior official accountable nor change the policies that have produced this shameful record. Congress, too, has abdicated its responsibility under its Republican leadership: It has been nearly four months since the last hearing on prisoner abuse. Perhaps intervention by the courts will eventually stem the violations of human rights that appear to be ongoing in Guantanamo, Iraq and Afghanistan. For now the appalling truth is that there has been no remedy for the documented torture and killing of foreign prisoners by this American government.
Competence Personified
note: I think the last pic is fake.
Martha Stewart calls for sentencing reform
Interesting how walking a mile in someone else's shoes can change one's perspective, no?
Remember those Ecoterrorist-set Fires in MD
that destroyed all those new homes near Indian Head?
Yeah, not so much with the ecoterrorist… and a whole lot with a guard for the company that was supposed to protect the homes.
… don't forget, a lot of the wingnuts jumped all over the ecoterrorist label, like that idiot Instapundit and, of course, the entire radio echo chamber. Asshats.
NRA Urges Members to Observe King County Recount
From: "NRA-ILA Alerts"
To: [redacted]
Subject: Volunteers Needed In King County, WA!
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 13:17:20 -0500
Volunteers are still urgently needed in King County to assist with the recount for the Governor's race! The NRA endorsed gubernatorial candidate, Dino Rossi, after "winning" the Governor's race by 261 votes prevailed in the recount by 42 votes. Although he has now "won" twice, his opponent has asked for ANOTHER recount. Counties are in the process of recounting ballots at this time.
Volunteers are critically needed in King County, to spend a half-day to a day (or more if possible) sitting in the County Elections office and observing the recount to ensure that no mistakes are made. If you are available and willing to spend some
time on this important effort, please call Elliott Swaney at 800/228-4229. Tell him you are an NRA member and are calling to volunteer at the request of NRA. He will explain the process to you and provide you with instructions. Thank you very much for your help!
Because, you know, nothing screams "impartial observance" like a bunch of gun nuts in camouflage in the courthouse.
More backdoor draft shenanigans
150 civillians reclassified so they can be deployed to Iraq. Er, sent to Iraq. But they're totally civillians who can't be deployed.
When you see helicopters in action in Iraq or Afghanistan, you can be sure, those helicopters are supported by civilians from Redstone Arsenal. Civilians who are on the ground, over there. The thing to remember, it's a normal situation. "Sure, if the mission requires it, any federal employee, for that matter, can be assigned to go and support any organization's mission," says Tim Grey, the Director of the Human Resource Department at Redstone's U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command.
Most of the support work for the army aviation and missile systems managed at Redstone, is done on the base, but more than 150 civilian volunteers have been deployed during the past year. And now, AMCOM is designating 111-jobs as emergency essential, which means the holders of those jobs, might face deployment in the next two years. It's a concern to Don Eierman of the American Federation of Government Employees, Local 1858. "Southwest Asia for instance, is not a traditional war zone, there is no front line where the enemy is located. There have been attacks, sporadic attacks throughout the area. There's not really a safe zone, so the jeopardy to civilian lives is much higher throughout this type of campaign," says Eierman. The Union Local President, says his members support the soldiers, but they do have concerns about deployment. Tim Grey recognizes the danger in Iraq and Afghanistan, but says great care is taken to keep civilian workers safe.
Why Was This Middle Eastern Couple Fired?
Aliakbar and Shala Afshari worked at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. They have been in the U.S. for 18 years, working and raising a family. On May 5, they were fired suddenly–being told only that they had The failed a secret background check.
Key word: secret.
… first they came for the Afsharis…
DNC Kicks Bloggers Out of Meeting
Nice job, idiots. There won't be any more funds directed to the DNC from this guy, lemme tell you.
Yushchenko Poisoned with Dioxin
Bush should have a little talk with his soulmate Putin and tell him to knock that shit off.
FCC Investigating NBC… for Olympic Opening Ceremony
… is this the tipping point where the people realize all these "indecency" complaints are coming from an extremely small number of nutjobs? JFC.
Krugman to the Rescue… again
Second time he comes off of hiatus to address this bullshit social security plan the bushies/mortgage brokers are trying to push.
Sidney Blumenthal on Bernie Kerik
you know, the new head of DHS… the one who abandoned a child in Korea and abandonded his post in Iraq? That Kerik.
In line with other second-term cabinet appointments – Alberto Gonzales as attorney general, Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state – Kerik will be an enforcer, a loyalist and an incompetent. The resemblance is less to Inspector Clouseau or Chauncy Gardner than to Caligula's horse.
Choose the Blue
If you do get me anything for xmas, please only buy from the blue companies listed here.
Seriously.
If they're over 50% GOP, I want nothing from them. Nothing! There must be economic consequences for their actions, and as consumers all we can do (besides write) is to vote with our wallets. Go Blue!
Categories: Uncategorized
Krugman to the Rescue
Comes off of hiatus to address the Social Security privatization bullshit that the administration and the right are spewing.
For Social Security is a government program that works, a demonstration that a modest amount of taxing and spending can make people's lives better and more secure. And that's why the right wants to destroy it.
I love you, Paul. *sniff*