| "Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast" -Oscar Wilde |
 |
"The liberal soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth, shall be watered also himself." -- Proverbs 11:25 |
"...you have a choice: be a fighting liberal or sit quietly. I know what I am, what are you?" -- Steve Gilliard, 1964 - 2007
"For straight up monster-stomping goodness, nothing makes smoke shoot out my ears like Brilliant@Breakfast" -- Tata
"...the best bleacher bum since Pete Axthelm" -- Randy K.
"I came here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum." -- "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (1954-2015), They Live
"For straight up monster-stomping goodness, nothing makes smoke shoot out my ears like Brilliant@Breakfast" -- Tata
"...the best bleacher bum since Pete Axthelm" -- Randy K.
"I came here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And I'm all out of bubblegum." -- "Rowdy" Roddy Piper (1954-2015), They Live
Brilliant Recent Posts
There's nothing new under the sunAu revoir, y'all....
So Long and Thanks for All the Gefilte Fish
Like White on Rice
Why Did Hillary Clinton Hire a Monsanto Lobbyist t...
Virtual Book Sale
The Man Who Poisoned America
We are privileged to be alive today
The Prodigal Blogger Stops By
Good Times at Pottersville, 3/14/15
Brilliant at Searching
Brilliant Stuff to Buy
What's on my mind:
Brilliant Archives
Brilliant at Begging
Like what you read?Please consider supporting B@B with a donation: There is no gift like the present.
But gifts are nice too:
Feed Me!
Stuff You Must Read
Friday, August 06, 2004
Well, isn't that CONVENIENT
Juliusblog has some fascinating information on the correlation among Bush's poll ratings, terror alerts, and subsequent upticks in the ratings.
That grinding sound you hear is that of your chain being jerked.
That grinding sound you hear is that of your chain being jerked.
Presidents in Glass Houses Shouldn't Let their Surrogates Throw Stones
Hey, THEY wanted to bring up Vietnam, right?
If we're going to talk about Vietnam, let's go back to those pesky Bush TANG records, shall we? Start with Paul Lukasiak's detailed study of the Bush records (try to ignore the ghastly color scheme; it's worth coping with to read this stuff); then scroll down here to see Bernard Weiner's analysis, then let the good folks at Corrente distill it all for your edification, and you're left with only one conclusion:
The man so blithely feeding America's children into the meatgrinding maw of the Iraq insurgency was just too damn chickenshit to even finish his own Air National Guard service. But of course, the Swift Boat Veterans for Cultivating Old Grudges From Here to Eternity don't want to hear about that.
Does it matter at this point? Does any of it matter? Perhaps it shouldn't. It WAS all many years ago, as so many people have noted. It's an issue only because the current occupant of the White House wants to paint himself as some kind of brave military fighter pilot, when he's just really wearing the Halloween costume. But somewhere along the line, someone at the DNC, having STILL not learned the lessons of 16 years of Lee Atwater and Karl Rove's tactics, topped off with whipped cream and the cherry of the Ken Starr witchhunt, decided, in the face of all evidence of reality, that they wouldn't DARE impugn a military hero. Famous last words.
I told people as early as last year that if Democrats thought that John Kerry's military service would hold the Republican Smear Machine back, they should guess again.
I hate it when I'm right.
If we're going to talk about Vietnam, let's go back to those pesky Bush TANG records, shall we? Start with Paul Lukasiak's detailed study of the Bush records (try to ignore the ghastly color scheme; it's worth coping with to read this stuff); then scroll down here to see Bernard Weiner's analysis, then let the good folks at Corrente distill it all for your edification, and you're left with only one conclusion:
The man so blithely feeding America's children into the meatgrinding maw of the Iraq insurgency was just too damn chickenshit to even finish his own Air National Guard service. But of course, the Swift Boat Veterans for Cultivating Old Grudges From Here to Eternity don't want to hear about that.
Does it matter at this point? Does any of it matter? Perhaps it shouldn't. It WAS all many years ago, as so many people have noted. It's an issue only because the current occupant of the White House wants to paint himself as some kind of brave military fighter pilot, when he's just really wearing the Halloween costume. But somewhere along the line, someone at the DNC, having STILL not learned the lessons of 16 years of Lee Atwater and Karl Rove's tactics, topped off with whipped cream and the cherry of the Ken Starr witchhunt, decided, in the face of all evidence of reality, that they wouldn't DARE impugn a military hero. Famous last words.
I told people as early as last year that if Democrats thought that John Kerry's military service would hold the Republican Smear Machine back, they should guess again.
I hate it when I'm right.
I Love the Smell of Backpedaling in the Morning
At least one of the goons behind the group of so-called Swift Boat Veterans Against Kerry involved in the new Regnery Press hatchetjob, "Unfit for Command" has retracted and regretted his statement that John Kerry didn't deserve his silver star:
No, Mr. Elliott, it's WE who are in trouble here if this doesn't get the kind of press that the book is getting, and of course we all know it won't.
Interesting how the men who were actually on the same boat WITH Kerry all support him, and it's only a bunch of grudgemongers, like long-time Republican operative and Nixon henchman John O'Neill (not the heroic John O'Neill who warned just about everyone before 9/11 and died in the World Trade Center, but a lowlife scum who's been trashing John Kerry with Kenneth Starr-like zeal for over 30 years, thus giving a new dimension to the admonition, "Get a fucking life already!") who are suddenly offended after thirty years.
Why do I get the sense that Wolf Blitzer, who welcomed O'Neill with open arms isn't going to be rushing to get George Elliott on his show?
...yesterday, a key figure in the anti-Kerry campaign, Kerry's former commanding officer, backed off one of the key contentions. Lieutenant Commander George Elliott said in an interview that he had made a ''terrible mistake" in signing an affidavit that suggests Kerry did not deserve the Silver Star -- one of the main allegations in the book. The affidavit was given to The Boston Globe by the anti-Kerry group to justify assertions in their ad and book.
[snip]
Yesterday, reached at his home, Elliott said he regretted signing the affidavit and said he still thinks Kerry deserved the Silver Star.
''I still don't think he shot the guy in the back," Elliott said. ''It was a terrible mistake probably for me to sign the affidavit with those words. I'm the one in trouble here."
No, Mr. Elliott, it's WE who are in trouble here if this doesn't get the kind of press that the book is getting, and of course we all know it won't.
Interesting how the men who were actually on the same boat WITH Kerry all support him, and it's only a bunch of grudgemongers, like long-time Republican operative and Nixon henchman John O'Neill (not the heroic John O'Neill who warned just about everyone before 9/11 and died in the World Trade Center, but a lowlife scum who's been trashing John Kerry with Kenneth Starr-like zeal for over 30 years, thus giving a new dimension to the admonition, "Get a fucking life already!") who are suddenly offended after thirty years.
Why do I get the sense that Wolf Blitzer, who welcomed O'Neill with open arms isn't going to be rushing to get George Elliott on his show?
Thursday, August 05, 2004
The Mother of All Freudian Slips
I heard it with my own ears, folks. This came out of George W. Bush's own mouth when he signed the 2005 Defense Appropriations Bill this morning:
If you're an Air America listener, you'll probably hear it a number of times today. If not, you can see it for yourself right on the White House web site. Scroll down to the 4th paragraph from the end.
UPDATE: Atrios cites that AP has actually picked this up for its wire.
ANOTHER UPDATE: In case it hasn't been beaten to death, see it for yourself here.
"They [our enemies] never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people ... and neither do we."
If you're an Air America listener, you'll probably hear it a number of times today. If not, you can see it for yourself right on the White House web site. Scroll down to the 4th paragraph from the end.
UPDATE: Atrios cites that AP has actually picked this up for its wire.
ANOTHER UPDATE: In case it hasn't been beaten to death, see it for yourself here.
BREAKING....GEORGE W. BUSH DISMEMBERS THAT CUTE LABRADOR PUPPY FROM THE TOILET PAPER AD!!
Not really, but you've got to admit, the latest headline from Drudge is pretty damn funny (or would be if there weren't millions of mindless, grinning bulldogs who worship before the altar of C-Plus Augustus who'll believe it):
BRUUUUUUUUUUCE!!
I've never been a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, for all that I've lived most of my life in New Jersey. Oh, he's a good songwriter and does a really great live show, but I've never had that sense of "yeah, baby, I'm home" about his music the way I did the first time I heard the Dave Matthews Band. But there's no denying the man's ability to tune into the Zen of American life.
But still, who knew he was such a damn fine op-ed columnist:
Now I'll step back and wait for the inevitable Republican response, jeering Springsteen for thinking that as a preposterously wealthy member of the =tokke= ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, he can possibly relate to the struggles of working people the way oil industry fuckups George W. Bush and Dick Cheney can.
But still, who knew he was such a damn fine op-ed columnist:
It is through the truthful exercising of the best of human qualities - respect for others, honesty about ourselves, faith in our ideals - that we come to life in God's eyes. It is how our soul, as a nation and as individuals, is revealed. Our American government has strayed too far from American values. It is time to move forward. The country we carry in our hearts is waiting.
Now I'll step back and wait for the inevitable Republican response, jeering Springsteen for thinking that as a preposterously wealthy member of the =tokke= ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, he can possibly relate to the struggles of working people the way oil industry fuckups George W. Bush and Dick Cheney can.
Now THAT'S Some Designated Driver!
Before reading this, ask yourself: What if instead of Jenna and Barbara Bush, this article was about Chelsea Clinton? How would the media respond?
The Palm Beach Post reports today that a scheduled U.S. Airways flight between Boston and Washington, DC, was diverted to Albany, NY so that the daughters of the current occupant of the White House could be picked up when their own flight out of Albany was cancelled.
"A representative for US Airways said the decision to divert the plane had nothing to do with the Bush twins. In fact, the representative said US Airways often diverts planes for such problems, but could not provide an exact number when asked."
Perhaps because it isn't done?
Have any of you ever been stranded at an airport for hours or overnight because your flight was cancelled and you had to wait for an opening on another flight? Have any of you ever been told that another flight was being diverted to pick you up?
I thought not.
I'm not trying to harp on the Bush daughters unduly; not even I think that they have the power to divert scheduled flights for their own needs. But their father does, and this further points to the kind of privilege the Bush family thinks it is owed by both industry and the public.
But MORE important is the fact of US Airways' announcement that it may default on the terms of a U.S. loan guarantee this quarter.
A Bloomberg News feed reprinted in this morning's Chicago Tribune reports that:
"US Airways 'anticipates risk of failing to comply' with requirements for the $900 million guarantee as of Sept. 30, according to a filing at the Securities and Exchange Commission. The government board that backed the guarantee could then demand repayment, the filing said."
I wonder if US Airways will be granted some leeway on making this loan payment, now that they have served as emergency taxi service for the president's daughters.
The Palm Beach Post reports today that a scheduled U.S. Airways flight between Boston and Washington, DC, was diverted to Albany, NY so that the daughters of the current occupant of the White House could be picked up when their own flight out of Albany was cancelled.
"A representative for US Airways said the decision to divert the plane had nothing to do with the Bush twins. In fact, the representative said US Airways often diverts planes for such problems, but could not provide an exact number when asked."
Perhaps because it isn't done?
Have any of you ever been stranded at an airport for hours or overnight because your flight was cancelled and you had to wait for an opening on another flight? Have any of you ever been told that another flight was being diverted to pick you up?
I thought not.
I'm not trying to harp on the Bush daughters unduly; not even I think that they have the power to divert scheduled flights for their own needs. But their father does, and this further points to the kind of privilege the Bush family thinks it is owed by both industry and the public.
But MORE important is the fact of US Airways' announcement that it may default on the terms of a U.S. loan guarantee this quarter.
A Bloomberg News feed reprinted in this morning's Chicago Tribune reports that:
"US Airways 'anticipates risk of failing to comply' with requirements for the $900 million guarantee as of Sept. 30, according to a filing at the Securities and Exchange Commission. The government board that backed the guarantee could then demand repayment, the filing said."
I wonder if US Airways will be granted some leeway on making this loan payment, now that they have served as emergency taxi service for the president's daughters.
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
While Bush was Proving Something to Poppy in Iraq....
...a REAL threat to the U.S. was gearing up.
John Gorenfeld, an invaluable resource for information on the Bizarro World that is the universe of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, reports on a Jane's Defense Weekly article that should make you forget all about those cops in NYC carrying M16s. Because it looks like Kim Jong-Il, the North Korean Leader that makes Saddam Hussein look like Mr. Rogers, has sea-launched missiles capable of hitting California. And where did he get them? From no less a personage than the man a number of member of Congress crowned as the Messiah not so long ago, the Rev himself.
Think about it. Rev. Moon, who not only owns the Washington Times, but also United Press International, has supplied a member of the so-called "Axis of Evil" with missiles. In my book, this qualifies as "supplying terrorist regimes with weapons of mass destruction." Isn't that supposed to warrant immediate invasion by the Bush Administration? Think about this the next time you see WashTimes staffers Bill Gertz, Tony Blankley, Andrew Sullivan, or Jonah Goldberg blabbering on CNN or MSNBC about the so-called "War on Terror". Remind yourself that these guys are taking a paycheck from the guy who provided Kim Jong-Il with WMDs.
UPDATE 8/5/04: Mark Kleiman explains it all for you.
John Gorenfeld, an invaluable resource for information on the Bizarro World that is the universe of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, reports on a Jane's Defense Weekly article that should make you forget all about those cops in NYC carrying M16s. Because it looks like Kim Jong-Il, the North Korean Leader that makes Saddam Hussein look like Mr. Rogers, has sea-launched missiles capable of hitting California. And where did he get them? From no less a personage than the man a number of member of Congress crowned as the Messiah not so long ago, the Rev himself.
Think about it. Rev. Moon, who not only owns the Washington Times, but also United Press International, has supplied a member of the so-called "Axis of Evil" with missiles. In my book, this qualifies as "supplying terrorist regimes with weapons of mass destruction." Isn't that supposed to warrant immediate invasion by the Bush Administration? Think about this the next time you see WashTimes staffers Bill Gertz, Tony Blankley, Andrew Sullivan, or Jonah Goldberg blabbering on CNN or MSNBC about the so-called "War on Terror". Remind yourself that these guys are taking a paycheck from the guy who provided Kim Jong-Il with WMDs.
UPDATE 8/5/04: Mark Kleiman explains it all for you.
No, there really WAS new information! Honest!
Not that the media were beating the fact that the Administration put New York on Orange Alert based on old information the way they would beat to death, oh, say, a presidential BLOWJOB....but the not-so-sleeper cells of Bush apparatchiks in the halls of what passes for media in this country did happen to mention it yesterday. This was enough to put the White House back into spin mode, and today the New Whore on the Block, otherwise known in common parlance as the New York Times, reports that:
"Senior government officials said Tuesday that new intelligence pointing to a current threat of a terrorist attack on financial targets in New York and possibly in Washington - not just information about surveillance on specific buildings over the years - was a major factor in the decision over the weekend to raise the terrorism alert level.
"The officials said the separate stream of intelligence, which they had not previously disclosed, reached the White House only late last week and was part of a flow that the officials said had prompted them to act urgently in the last few days."
Well, on the calendar that I've always lived on, "late last week" takes us up to, I don't know, like maybe Friday? And the terrorism alert was issued over the weekend? You don't think it might have been germane to the discussion to mention that the information had been compiled a while ago, but that new information had surfaced to indicate that the threat was once again real? Hell, even I might have believed that one.
No, my friends, the Mayberry Machiavellis pulled a fast one on us, trying to draw attention away from the Kerry/Edwards Stop the Insanity Summer 2004 Bus Tour by beating us again, I mean terrorizing....I mean terrifying Americans with yet another chorus of "The Terrorists are coming!" And now that they've been caught, suddenly they claim that there's new information...and we're supposed to take them at face value.
The Times, which has for the most part gotten in touch with its inner Bush Lapdog of late, gingerly touches on this: "That shifting tone may prove frustrating to the public, providing little guidance for assessing the gravity of threat information whose details remain shrouded in intelligence reports not available to anyone outside the highest ranks of the government."
On the other hand, it does accomplish three things: It makes people feel so uneasy that they might prefer the fool they know to the knave they don't; it contributes to the atmosphere of fear that allows Ashcroft to do whatever he damn well pleases, and it just might get the Administration off the hook the NEXT time they allow a terrorist attack to occur so that they can gain political advantage.
Just like last time.
"Senior government officials said Tuesday that new intelligence pointing to a current threat of a terrorist attack on financial targets in New York and possibly in Washington - not just information about surveillance on specific buildings over the years - was a major factor in the decision over the weekend to raise the terrorism alert level.
"The officials said the separate stream of intelligence, which they had not previously disclosed, reached the White House only late last week and was part of a flow that the officials said had prompted them to act urgently in the last few days."
Well, on the calendar that I've always lived on, "late last week" takes us up to, I don't know, like maybe Friday? And the terrorism alert was issued over the weekend? You don't think it might have been germane to the discussion to mention that the information had been compiled a while ago, but that new information had surfaced to indicate that the threat was once again real? Hell, even I might have believed that one.
No, my friends, the Mayberry Machiavellis pulled a fast one on us, trying to draw attention away from the Kerry/Edwards Stop the Insanity Summer 2004 Bus Tour by beating us again, I mean terrorizing....I mean terrifying Americans with yet another chorus of "The Terrorists are coming!" And now that they've been caught, suddenly they claim that there's new information...and we're supposed to take them at face value.
The Times, which has for the most part gotten in touch with its inner Bush Lapdog of late, gingerly touches on this: "That shifting tone may prove frustrating to the public, providing little guidance for assessing the gravity of threat information whose details remain shrouded in intelligence reports not available to anyone outside the highest ranks of the government."
On the other hand, it does accomplish three things: It makes people feel so uneasy that they might prefer the fool they know to the knave they don't; it contributes to the atmosphere of fear that allows Ashcroft to do whatever he damn well pleases, and it just might get the Administration off the hook the NEXT time they allow a terrorist attack to occur so that they can gain political advantage.
Just like last time.
It's STILL the hypocrisy, stupid!
With the selection of John Edwards as the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee, of course we can expect three glorious months of GOP rants against trial lawyers. I guess the Bush Administration is against ordinary people like you and me having access to the legal system for redress of grievances. No, I'm not talking about Bush hiring his very own trial lawyer in case, oh, say, he gets indicted in the Plame case. No, I'm referring to a relatively minor fender-bender from 2000.
The Daily Mis-Lead is citing a story from the New York Daily News from November 2, 2000 (page 31, to be exact) in which it seems that the Brat-in-Chief "sued Enterprise Rent-a-Car in Austin over a fender bender involving his
daughter, even though no one was hurt, and insurance would have covered the
collision. Bush "also tried to sue the woman who was driving the rental car but was unable to serve her with papers."
So I guess in the Bush Future, not only can we expect to work long hours for no pay for guys making 3,498,600 times what we do for running companies into the ground, we can also expect to be sued by these very guys should we have the misfortune to encounter their daughters in motor vehicles.
The Daily Mis-Lead is citing a story from the New York Daily News from November 2, 2000 (page 31, to be exact) in which it seems that the Brat-in-Chief "sued Enterprise Rent-a-Car in Austin over a fender bender involving his
daughter, even though no one was hurt, and insurance would have covered the
collision. Bush "also tried to sue the woman who was driving the rental car but was unable to serve her with papers."
So I guess in the Bush Future, not only can we expect to work long hours for no pay for guys making 3,498,600 times what we do for running companies into the ground, we can also expect to be sued by these very guys should we have the misfortune to encounter their daughters in motor vehicles.
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Lies, Damn Lies, Bald-faced Lies....and then there's the steaming heap that is Tom Ridge
...who is working in bullshit the way Van Gogh worked in oils. [/Jean Shepherd]
Continuing with the shocked....SHOCKED....and appalled meme, Here's Tom Ridge with a straight face:
Speaking at a news conference in New York, Ridge said that because of the heightened security steps, "We have made it much more difficult for the terrorists to achieve their broad objectives. ... We will not become fortress America."
Uh, excuse me? There are cops with M16s patrolling the streets of midtown Manhattan, vehicles are subject to random search, but we will not become fortress America? Too late, Ridge, we already are.
Continuing with the shocked....SHOCKED....and appalled meme, Here's Tom Ridge with a straight face:
Speaking at a news conference in New York, Ridge said that because of the heightened security steps, "We have made it much more difficult for the terrorists to achieve their broad objectives. ... We will not become fortress America."
Uh, excuse me? There are cops with M16s patrolling the streets of midtown Manhattan, vehicles are subject to random search, but we will not become fortress America? Too late, Ridge, we already are.
Another reason to love Howard Dean
...his ever-reliably accurate utter horseshit detector proves correct again:
HoDee on Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, Sunday, August 1, 2004:
"I am concerned that every time something happens that's not good for President Bush he plays this trump card, which is terrorism. His whole campaign is based on the notion that "I can keep you safe, therefore at times of difficulty for America stick with me," and then out comes Tom Ridge.
It's just impossible to know how much of this is real and how much of this is politics, and I suspect there's some of both in it..."
Once again, the Good Doctor's pointing out of the obvious was met with the expected outcries of shocked....shocked.....SHOCKED!!!!! (And let's not forget the ever-popular APPALLED!!!) that anyone could POSSIBLY INSINUATE that the Bush Administration might use FEAR to draw attention away from the successful Democratic convention and it's energetic, focused, no-more-Mr.-Nice-Guy Presidential slate:
The Arizona Republic waved smelling salts in front of its own nose with a white lace handkerchief:
"Everything considered, which is more important?
For President Bush to act with a sense of urgency against terrorism, thus having to face the paranoid political delusions of Howard Dean?"
Joementum Lieberman continued in his chosen role as watercarrier for Team Bush:
"Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), speaking on the same program, said no one 'in their right mind would think the President or the secretary of homeland security would raise an alert level and scare people for political reasons. That's outrageous.'"
The Rocky Mountain News called Dean's remarks "contemptible."
Who's sneering now, morons?
This is without a doubt the most cynical Administration of my lifetime. Millions of Americans live and work in New York City. There's enough about living in the biggest target in the U.S. to instill fear even without terrorist warnings. Marc Maron was dead-on right yesterday on Morning Sedition that this administration is like the kind of abusive spouse that manipulates you into being so afraid of the outside world that you'll embrace the abuser, because even though he beats you, at least you know what you've got.
Is this what we want to be? Frightened little abused enablers of a batterer?
HoDee on Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer, Sunday, August 1, 2004:
"I am concerned that every time something happens that's not good for President Bush he plays this trump card, which is terrorism. His whole campaign is based on the notion that "I can keep you safe, therefore at times of difficulty for America stick with me," and then out comes Tom Ridge.
It's just impossible to know how much of this is real and how much of this is politics, and I suspect there's some of both in it..."
Once again, the Good Doctor's pointing out of the obvious was met with the expected outcries of shocked....shocked.....SHOCKED!!!!! (And let's not forget the ever-popular APPALLED!!!) that anyone could POSSIBLY INSINUATE that the Bush Administration might use FEAR to draw attention away from the successful Democratic convention and it's energetic, focused, no-more-Mr.-Nice-Guy Presidential slate:
The Arizona Republic waved smelling salts in front of its own nose with a white lace handkerchief:
"Everything considered, which is more important?
For President Bush to act with a sense of urgency against terrorism, thus having to face the paranoid political delusions of Howard Dean?"
Joementum Lieberman continued in his chosen role as watercarrier for Team Bush:
"Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.), speaking on the same program, said no one 'in their right mind would think the President or the secretary of homeland security would raise an alert level and scare people for political reasons. That's outrageous.'"
The Rocky Mountain News called Dean's remarks "contemptible."
Who's sneering now, morons?
This is without a doubt the most cynical Administration of my lifetime. Millions of Americans live and work in New York City. There's enough about living in the biggest target in the U.S. to instill fear even without terrorist warnings. Marc Maron was dead-on right yesterday on Morning Sedition that this administration is like the kind of abusive spouse that manipulates you into being so afraid of the outside world that you'll embrace the abuser, because even though he beats you, at least you know what you've got.
Is this what we want to be? Frightened little abused enablers of a batterer?
Monday, August 02, 2004
Drudge Report: Chicken Little Caught In Flagrante Delicto!!
OK, yeah, it's Drudge, but this wouldn't surprise me one bit:
"Much of the information that led authorities to raise the terror alert at several large financial institutions in the NY and D.C. areas was 3 or 4 years old... NYT Tuesday Page One Splash To Claim: Intelligence and law enforcement officials 'had not yet found concrete evidence that a terror plot or preparatory surveillance operations were still under way'"
Now here's the question: If this is true, it's the most cynical example yet of the depths to which this administration will sink to keep Americans afraid. But hey, whatever works, right?
As it turns out, "talking about death can raise people's need for psychological security, the researchers report in studies to be published in the December issue of the journal Psychological Science and the September issue of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin." (source: The Craven News Network).
The terrific Mark Maron had a spot-on rant about this on Morning Sedition today...likening the Bush Administration's use of fear as a manipulative tool with the tactics of abusive relationships, in which the abuser instills fear of the Great Outside World until you believe that only the abuser can keep you safe. Is America just a giant collective equivalent of a battered spouse? If so, sheesh, then what does Laura Bush's zonked-out habitual demeanor REALLY mean? The mind reels.....
UPDATE: Yup, it's true. Most damning is the FACT that "they had not yet found concrete evidence that a terrorist plot or preparatory surveillance operations were still under way."
It's really no longer possible to believe anything this Administration says, and I take no pleasure in the fact that my worst suspicions have been confirmed. This Chicken Little act is not only getting tired, but it puts us in grave danger in the event that there ever IS new information that DOES truly indicate that an attack is imminent.
The level of security that we see in New York City today as a result of Karl Rove's plan to draw attention away from John Kerry is hugely expensive, and could very well bankrupt the city over time. But perhaps that's part of the plan. Bush to NYC: Drop Dead, and if you won't drop dead, we'll let 'em kill you. And if they're not ACTUALLY ready to kill you yet, we'll make sure you're terrified until they are.
Top THAT, Gerald Ford.
"Much of the information that led authorities to raise the terror alert at several large financial institutions in the NY and D.C. areas was 3 or 4 years old... NYT Tuesday Page One Splash To Claim: Intelligence and law enforcement officials 'had not yet found concrete evidence that a terror plot or preparatory surveillance operations were still under way'"
Now here's the question: If this is true, it's the most cynical example yet of the depths to which this administration will sink to keep Americans afraid. But hey, whatever works, right?
As it turns out, "talking about death can raise people's need for psychological security, the researchers report in studies to be published in the December issue of the journal Psychological Science and the September issue of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin." (source: The Craven News Network).
The terrific Mark Maron had a spot-on rant about this on Morning Sedition today...likening the Bush Administration's use of fear as a manipulative tool with the tactics of abusive relationships, in which the abuser instills fear of the Great Outside World until you believe that only the abuser can keep you safe. Is America just a giant collective equivalent of a battered spouse? If so, sheesh, then what does Laura Bush's zonked-out habitual demeanor REALLY mean? The mind reels.....
UPDATE: Yup, it's true. Most damning is the FACT that "they had not yet found concrete evidence that a terrorist plot or preparatory surveillance operations were still under way."
It's really no longer possible to believe anything this Administration says, and I take no pleasure in the fact that my worst suspicions have been confirmed. This Chicken Little act is not only getting tired, but it puts us in grave danger in the event that there ever IS new information that DOES truly indicate that an attack is imminent.
The level of security that we see in New York City today as a result of Karl Rove's plan to draw attention away from John Kerry is hugely expensive, and could very well bankrupt the city over time. But perhaps that's part of the plan. Bush to NYC: Drop Dead, and if you won't drop dead, we'll let 'em kill you. And if they're not ACTUALLY ready to kill you yet, we'll make sure you're terrified until they are.
Top THAT, Gerald Ford.
Come Back Eric Alterman, All is Forgiven
About a year ago, I sent a testy e-mail to Eric Alterman, and got placed in his kill file. I don't even remember what it was about, that's how important it was. But I take back all the mean things I said about him. His blog today is right on the money.
Other Brilliant Bloggers
DriftglassCorrente
Hullabaloo
Hoffmania
Orcinus
Scoobie Davis
Talking Points Memo
World O'Crap
Fact-esque
Liberal Oasis
Oliver Willis
Talk Left
This Modern World
Philip Barron
Rising Hegemon
AMERICABlog
James Wolcott
Skippy the Bush Kangaroo
Dependable Renegade
The Political Carnival
Astrological Musings
Firedoglake
Spiiderweb
Words of Power
RIPCoco
Kung Fu Monkey
Empire Burlesque
WTF is it Now
Down With Tyranny
Welcome Back to Pottersvillle
Spocko's Brain
The Sideshow
The Ostroy Report
Fallenmonk
Three Wise Men
NewsHoggers
Blue Gal
Blah3
Shadow of the Hegemon
Slacktivist
ShortWoman
Echidne of the Snakes
Jesus' General
My Left Wing
Arthur Silber
Republic of T
Bitch Ph.D
The American Street
Comments from Left Field
Balloon Juice
I Can't Believe It's Not a Democracy
Scholars and Rogues
On My Mind
PhysioProf
The Vulgar Curmudgeon
Monkeyfister
Sasha Undercover
ThePoliticalCat
Fables of the Reconstruction
Talk2Action
D-Day
State of the Day
Just an Earth-Bound Misfit
Bradblog
They Gave Us a Republic
Vagabond Scholar
Seeing the Forest
The Reaction
Orcinus
SteveAudio
Princess Sparkle Pony
Paul Levinson
Politics After 50
The Jed Report
One Utah
Sam Seder
Alternet
The Political Carnival
County Fair
Mudflats
A Feather Adrift
That's Why
Disciples of Joe
No Longer Quivering
Margaret and Helen
Stand With Dr. Dean
All the Good Names Were Taken
Badtux the Snarky Penguin
My Mental Dumping Ground
Legal Schnauzer
Alicublog
Bouphonia
Konagod
The Reverse Spin
City of Angels
The Gospel According to Hate
Menopausal Stoners
Stinque
The New York Crank
BP Oil Slick
Pen-Elayne
Inside-Out the Beltway
Reclusive Leftist
Southern Beale
The Moderate Voice
The Rant
Help the 99ers
Brendan Calling
Matt Taibbi
I Was Told There Would Be Bacon
We Don't Agree, But...
ShortWoman
of mule dung and ash
Cookies in Heaven
The Hunting of the Snark
The Policy Page (Rick Ungar)
Ramona's Voices
Sardonicky
Dagblog
The Titanic Sails At Dawn
Cheese Food Nation
Donkey Mountain
Thump and Whip
Under the Lobsterscope
Addicting Info
Wifely Person
Disaffected and it Feels So Good
Reality Chex
Burnt Orange Report
Salmon Alley
The Politics Blog w/Charles Pierce
Elizabitchez
We Are The 99 Percent.
Republic of Gilead
amigoingsomeplace
Fukushima Diary
The Polygon
Degringolade
Onyx Lynx
Parsley's Pics
Mainmati
Brandflakes for Breakfast
The Economic Populist
Liberal Dan
Ex-Amish Atheist
The Poor Man's Huffington Post
Constant Commoner
Channel Surfing
Big Bad Bald Bastard
Panic in Funland (Tbogg!!!)
Weird Wally's Worldview
Brilliant Furriners
Because we all may have to live somewhere else someday.The Galloping Beaver (Canada)
Cathie from Canada
How This Old Brit Sees It ...
Stunner's Afflictions (Jamaica)
Jamaican Lifestyle
Heathers
Pulling up the ladderbehind them
Daily Kos
Atrios
Open Left
CeleBloggers
Roger EbertDispatches from the Island &
Further Dispatches
(Jorge Garcia)
Baseball Nerd
(Keith Olbermann)
FOK News Channel (ditto)
Brilliant at Tweeting
(We won't do it, but we'll follow them)Marc Maron
Sam Seder
Brendan McDonald
Johnny Weir
Melina
Lynn
Keith Olbermann
In Memoriam
(yes, we're getting tired of having to do this)
Break Room Live archives
Morning Sedition 3/04-12/05
A Brilliant Radio Show -
Morning Seditionists
Camp Butch (all the
Sedition you can eat)
Jim Earl and his
Big Page of Crap
Morning Remembrance
Steve Gilliard 1966-2007:
A Brilliant Blogger
The News Blog archive
NetSlaves article archive
Friends of Steve:
The Group News Blog
"Jon Swift" (Al Weisel) 1963-2010
Bats Left Throws Right (Doghouse Riley)
Brilliant at Disappearing
Maybe they've been raptured?Altercation
The All-Spin Zone
Baghdad Burning
Carrie's Nation
Little Country Lost
Cynical Nation
Pam's House Blend
photos1.blogger.com/blogger/397/497/320/bb_banner.1.jpg]^23004A00]coral]navy],](](]]]black],]3]8]20]1]2]3]3]1]2]3]1]1],](](]^235E3D00])])]^3Cimg^20src^3D^22)photos1.blogger.com/blogger/397/497/320/bb_banner.1.jpg^22]^22...you^20have^20a^20choice^3A^20be^20a^20fighting^20liberal^20or^20sit^20quietly.^20I^20know^20what^20I^20am^2C^20what^20are^20you^3F^22^20--^20^3Ca^20href^3D^22)stevegilliard.blogspot.com/2003/12/im-fighting-liberal-you-know-ive.html^22^20STYLE^3D^22color^3Awhite^3B^22^3ESteve^20Gilliard^2C^201966^20-^202007^3C/a^3E^3CBR^3E^22For^20straight^20up^20monster-stomping^20goodness^2C^20nothing^20makes^20smoke^20shoot^20out^20my^20ears^20like^20Brilliant@Breakfast^22^20--^20^3Ca^20href^3D^22)www.poorimpulsecontrol.net/blog^22^20STYLE^3D^22color^3Awhite^3B^22^3ETata^3C/a^3E],](],](](]black](](](]^23FDF2D7](](](]^23333](](](],]50]20],](](]^23FFF8DD])])]black]1.5]15],](](]^2398A45C])])]black]^23FFF8DD])])]^23666]30]^235E3E1A]^23622121],](](]^235E3E1A](],](]^235E3E1A]^23039]^2306C],](](]^23FFF8DD])])],](](]^23FFF8DD])])],](](]^23FFF8DD])])],](]^235E3E1A]^23666]15]3]25]20]^23808C43],](](],](],](](],](]black](](](],](](](],]^235C3E11](](](],](](]^23211104](](](](](],]^2336F]^23211104](],](]Posted^20by^20^24AUTH^20^7C^20^24TIME]20],](](]^23FFF8DD])])]^23FFF8DD])])]^23666]30]^235E3E1A]^23622121],](](]^235E3E1A](],](]^23333]^23039]^2306C]Contact]]]Home]^24HOME]First^20Page]Email^3A^3CBR^3Ebrilliantatbreakfast^20at^20gmail^20dot^20com]]]RSS]^24RSS]RSS^20Feed]Your^20Servers]]]Jill]rilliantatbreakfast.blogspot.com]]Melina])www.ripcoco.com]RIPCoco]Carrie])carriesnation.blogspot.com]Carrie^27s^20Nation]And^20occasionally...]]]jurassicpork])welcome-to-pottersville.blogspot.com]Welcome^20to^20Pottersville]Bob])bobrixon.blogspot.com]The^20Rix^20Mix]Tata])www.poorimpulsecontrol.net/blog]Poor^20Impulse^20Control]Spiiderweb])spiiderweb.blogspot.com]Spiiderweb]Other^20Brilliant^20Bloggers]]]Modern^20Fabulousity])modernfabulousity.blogspot.com]Modern^20Fabulousity]Pandagon])www.pandagon.net]Pandagon]Altercation])www.mediamatters.org/altercation]Altercation]Corrente])www.correntewire.com/]Corrente]Hullabaloo])digbysblog.blogspot.com]Hullabaloo]Hoffmania])www.hoffmania.com]Hoffmania]Orcinus])dneiwert.blogspot.com]Orcinus]Scoobie^20Davis])scoobiedavis.blogspot.com]Scoobie^20Davis]Talking^20Points^20Memo])talkingpointsmemo.com]Talking^20Points^20Memo]World^20O^27Crap])world-o-crap.com/blog]World^20O^27Crap]Fact-esque])casadelogo.typepad.com/factesque/]Fact-esque]Liberal^20Oasis])www.liberaloasis.com/]Liberal^20Oasis]Oliver^20Willis])www.oliverwillis.com/]Oliver^20Willis]Talk^20Left])www.talkleft.com/]Talk^20Left]The^20Talent^20Show])www.thetalentshow.org/]The^20Talent^20Show]Waveflux])www.waveflux.net]Waveflux]Rising^20Hegemon])rising-hegemon.blogspot.com/]Rising^20Hegemon]The^20Poor^20Man])www.thepoorman.net/]The^20Poor^20Man]AMERICABlog])www.americablog.org/]AMERICABlog]Needlenose])www.needlenose.com/]Needlenose]Brilliant^20NJ^20bloggers]]]^24ARCHIVE]^20]]Friends]]]Horm])blog.horm.org]Hallucinations^20Of^20Reabsorbed^20Mind]Phorm])p.horm.org]Another^20Phormation]Etc]]]^3Cimg^20src^3D^22)psyc.horm.org/barimg/bar_psycho.png^22^20width^3D^2280^22^20height^3D^2215^22^20alt^3D^22PsycHo^3A^20Free^20Template^20Generator^22^20style^3D^22border^3A^200px^20solid^20black^22^20/^3E]^24PSYCHO]PsycHo^3A^20Free^20Template^20Generator]^3Cimg^20src^3D^22)psyc.horm.org/barimg/bar_firefox.png^22^20width^3D^2280^22^20height^3D^2215^22^20alt^3D^22Get^20FireFox^21^22^20style^3D^22border^3A^200px^20solid^20black^22^20/^3E])www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/]Get^20Firefox^21]^3Cimg^20src^3D^22)psyc.horm.org/barimg/bar_xhtml.png^22^20width^3D^2280^22^20height^3D^2215^22^20alt^3D^22XHTML^20Validator^22^20style^3D^22border^3A^200px^20solid^20black^22^20/^3E])validator.w3.org/check/referer]XHTML^20Validator]]]]Home]^24HOME]First^20Page]Email]^24EMAIL]Mail^20me^21]RSS]^24RSS]RSS^20Feed]Archive]]]^24ARCHIVE]^20]]Friends]]]Horm])blog.horm.org]Hallucinations^20Of^20Reabsorbed^20Mind]Phorm])p.horm.org]Another^20Phormation]Etc]]]^3Cimg^20src^3D^22)psyc.horm.org/barimg/bar_psycho.png^22^20width^3D^2280^22^20height^3D^2215^22^20alt^3D^22PsycHo^3A^20Free^20Template^20Generator^22^20style^3D^22border^3A^200px^20solid^20black^22^20/^3E]^24PSYCHO]PsycHo^3A^20Free^20Template^20Generator]^3Cimg^20src^3D^22)psyc.horm.org/barimg/bar_firefox.png^22^20width^3D^2280^22^20height^3D^2215^22^20alt^3D^22Get^20FireFox^21^22^20style^3D^22border^3A^200px^20solid^20black^22^20/^3E])www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/]Get^20Firefox^21]^3Cimg^20src^3D^22)psyc.horm.org/barimg/bar_xhtml.png^22^20width^3D^2280^22^20height^3D^2215^22^20alt^3D^22XHTML^20Validator^22^20style^3D^22border^3A^200px^20solid^20black^22^20/^3E])validator.w3.org/check/referer]XHTML^20Validator^26^2361470^3BPsycHo}){kind=small}
