Floating a Coup

Bush adviser raises doubts about al-Maliki
Details of classified Hadley memo surface in New York Times

WASHINGTON - President Bush’s national security adviser has raised serious doubts about Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s ability to control sectarian violence, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

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This has been leaked in order to float the idea of removing him from office. Mark my words, BushCo will be taking him out one way or another in the next six months. If I were al-Maliki, I would tell us to get out as soon as possible and end the Status of Forces Agreement. However, if we remove him in any way, the civil war will commence at full speed immediately. BushCo is playing a very dangerous game.

Bush Learns Frat Boy Intimidation Crap Doesn't Work on Everyone

Son also rises in testy Webb-Bush exchange
By Emily Heil

President Bush has pledged to work with the new Democratic majorities in Congress, but he has already gotten off on the wrong foot with Jim Webb, whose surprise victory over Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) tipped the Senate to the Democrats.
Webb, a decorated former Marine officer, hammered Allen and Bush over the unpopular war in Iraq while wearing his son’s old combat boots on the campaign trail. It seems the president may have some lingering resentment.

At a private reception held at the White House with newly elected lawmakers shortly after the election, Bush asked Webb how his son, a Marine lance corporal serving in Iraq, was doing.

Webb responded that he really wanted to see his son brought back home, said a person who heard about the exchange from Webb.

“I didn’t ask you that, I asked how he’s doing,” Bush retorted, according to the source.

Webb confessed that he was so angered by this that he was tempted to slug the commander-in-chief, reported the source, but of course didn’t. It’s safe to say, however, that Bush and Webb won’t be taking any overseas trips together anytime soon.

“Jim did have a conversation with Bush at that dinner,” said Webb’s spokeswoman Kristian Denny Todd. “Basically, he asked about Jim’s son, Jim expressed the fact that he wanted to have him home.” Todd did not want to escalate matters by commenting on Bush’s response, saying, “It was a private conversation.”

A White House spokeswoman declined to give Bush’s version of the conversation.

About that House of Cards....

Home prices: Record drop in October

Median price sinks 3.5 percent from a year earlier, trade group see more price declines ahead.
By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer
November 28 2006: 2:59 PM EST

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The price of existing homes sold in October fell for the third straight month and posted the biggest drop on record, an industry group said Tuesday, adding it expects weakness in pricing to drag on into next year.

The National Association of Realtors said that the median price of a home sold in October was $221,000, the same as in September, but down 3.5 percent from October 2005.

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Like I said, plan accordingly.

Progressive Ponderings: Faith-based Government

by Joe Mayer

"Tell me your image of God and I'll tell you your politics." — Marcus BorgIn a previous Pondering I asked the rhetorical questions: Do we really believe America has a preferential place in God's divine plan? And, does that plan approve of the violence that we use? Sadly, today in this 21st century after the birth of the namesake of our "national religion," the answer to both questions is a resounding "Yes."

Before we continue to dismantle our "separation of church and state" and advance "faith-based initiatives" sponsored and paid for by government, we need to step back and look at modern examples of church/state marriage. Al-Qaeda is a faith-based initiative, as is the Taliban. The Israeli/Palestinian and Irish/English conflicts are faith-based. Do we want to emulate that which we condemn in others, that which we label as "evil," that which we war against? I'm afraid to answer that question.

The Borg quote at the top refers to one image of God as the almighty, wrathful judge who lives outside our world, a God of empire who demands exclusive loyalty, favors some tribes of people over others, rules over the world through earthly anointed representatives and visits a terrible vengeance on his enemies and unbelievers. The second image of God is that of a loving creator living amongst his / her cherished people, always encouraging an interdependent, all-inclusive relationship and understanding within all aspects of an evolving world.

...Click on the link to read the entire editorial.

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Like I said...no difference.

Holy Hell

My Half-Year of Hell With Christian Fundamentalists

When Polish student Michael Gromek, 19, went to America on a student exchange, he found himself trapped in a host family of Christian fundamentalists. What followed was a six-month hell of dawn church visits and sex education talks as his new family tried to banish the devil from his soul. Here's his story.

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Just another reminder of the ignorance and danger these people pose to this country. This isn't about being against religion or faith, it's about being against the very absolutism from which people ran to this country.

This Is The Beginning...

Orders for manufactured goods plunge

WASHINGTON - Orders for big-ticket manufactured goods plunged in October by the largest amount in more than six years, in another sign of a slowing economy.

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Mark my words, the recession is coming. The first cards in the house of cards that is our economy are starting to tumble. The dollar is falling overseas. The housing market, which is the NUMBER ONE investment for Americans, is dropping. And, the credit extended to Americans on said investment is overused and will start to kill our ability to consume; the only thing we seem to do.

Plan accordingly.

G-D, Please Save Me From Your Followers

"The problem doesn’t just lie in the contradictions of fundamentalist teaching about Stonewall Jackson. It recurs now, today, in the Pentagon. Sharlet sees “a joyous disregard for democracy.”

The most striking example is a short video on faith and diplomacy made in the aftermath of September 11,2001, by Christian Embassy, a behind-the-scenes ministry for government and military elites. It almost seems to endorse deliberate negligence of duty, Dan Cooper, an undersecretary of veterans' affairs, announces that his weekly prayer sessions are "more important than doing the job." Major General Jack Catton says that he sees his position as an adviser to the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a "wonderful opportunity" to evangelize men and women setting defense policy. "My first priority is my faith," he says. "I think it's a huge impact.... You have many men and women who are seeking God’s counsel and wisdom as they advise the Chairman [of the Joint Chiefs] and the Secretary of Defense." Brigadier General Bob Caslen puts it in sensual terms: "We're the aroma of Jesus Christ." There's a joyous disregard for democracy in these sentiments, for its demands and its compromises, that in its darkest manifestation becomes the overlooked piety at the heart of the old logic of Vietnam, lately applied to Iraq: In order to save the village, we must destroy it. "

...click on the link to read the entire article.
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Repeat after me...there is NO difference between our religious fundamentalists and those who attack us in the name of G-d. Period.

The ONLY difference right NOW is that they haven't started killing people YET.

God MUST be PISSED!

Homosexual Animals Out of the Closet
AnimalDomain

From male killer whales that ride the dorsal fin of another male to female bonobos that rub their genitals together, the animal kingdom tolerates all kinds of lifestyles.

A first-ever museum display, "Against Nature?," which opened last month at the University of Oslo's Natural History Museum in Norway, presents 51 species of animals exhibiting homosexuality.

"Homosexuality has been observed in more than 1,500 species, and the phenomenon has been well described for 500 of them," said Petter Bockman, project coordinator of the exhibition.

Click on the link for more...

Just Thinking About Money Makes You Selfish...Who Would Have Thought?

Mere Thought of Money Makes People Selfish
Health SciTech

Just the mere thought of money can turn a person selfish, so that he helps others less often and prefers to play alone, a new study shows.

In a series of nine experiments, researchers found that money enhanced people's motivation to achieve their own goals and degraded their behavior toward others. The concept of money, they suggest, makes a person feel more self-sufficient and thus more apt to stand alone.

The scientists said the study had nothing to do with making a person feel wealthy. When real or fake money, or even a photo of cash, was placed in sight of participants, they became selfish.

The results could explain why the topic of money can be so detrimental to a couple’s lasting bond.

“In our experiments, the people who are reminded of money really worked hard toward their own goals. But that might not be conducive to a good interpersonal relationship,” said study leader Kathleen Vohs of the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.

Continued on link...

Indecision 2006

I LOVE Steven Colbert!

The Morning After

I wish I could say I was sorry to see them all go...but no.

A GREAT day to be an American!

No real time to post today, but I wanted to say that it is a great day to be an American. Finally, finally, our sense overcame our fear.

Now, let's hold ALL of their feet to the fire and start moving forward again!

Congratulations America!

Let's Pretend

As Keith said, he is just making it up as he goes along.

White House Caught Doctoring

BushCo Ministry of History does its work.

Repugs Will Stop At Nothing II

Firedoglake

UPDATE: Laura Ingraham has asked her listeners to call the Dem Voter protection hotline — and they are now being flooded with calls from crank callers. Please call Laura and tell her what you think about this: 800.876.4123. You can e-mail her here. Apparently, voter intimidation and fraud are a joke to Laura Ingraham. Let's let her know that it is no joke.

UPDATE #2: More on Laura Ingraham: "caller indicated she is running a tape of Bill Clinton over and over saying "call 1-888 Dem Vote to report problems" — and then making fun of him, thus producing a spike in crank calls to the number" Protecting voter integrity is no joke. And I am not laughing. If anyone has audio of this, I'd love it.

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This is what Republicans think about democracy at home. It's a joke to them. Power is all they care about.

Why Clinton Would Win Again...In A Landslide

Clinton Stumps for Webb (Video)

Just watch and listen.

Bush Tells the Truth About WHY We Went Into Iraq...Finally

It's ALL About the Oil (Video)

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Now that he isn't running, he tells us what it is really all about.

Republicans Will Stop At Nothing

Voter Intimidation In Virginia

FBI looking into possible Va. voter intimidation
Officials probing reports of phone calls allegedly intended to confuse voters

Phone Barrages

Robo-Calls (Video)

Recording of Phone Call (Video)
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They are truly evil.

Freedom

YouTube...voice for the people.

Moving Forward In Iraq

Newsweek Article

The drawdown option: It is past time to confront reality. To avoid total defeat, the United States must reduce and redeploy its troops and nudge the Iraqis toward a deal. Here's how.

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Hey, someone read a little about counter-insurgency. It's about time SOMEONE did.

Murdoch Is A Tool

Murdoch thinks Iraq casualties are "minute"

Casualties in Iraq

Sure, since NO ONE he knows would have to do the fighting. What is it with these business douchebags who think that soldiers are just assets to be spent? They are so arrogant that they dismiss soldiers as nothing more than chess pieces that are expendable for THEIR vision of what is good.

Oh please let their be a change.

Just Vote!













In honor of Jim Webb I am wearing my combat boots to work today. Please vote. Please vote for change. Please take part in the governing of this country. Please help return the power to the people. Please fight fear. Please vote.

Call a friend and take them to the polls with you. Let's initiate change.

Deibold Wants HBO to Cancel Show

Oops...a little to close to home I guess.

Hypocrisy is an Art with the Radical Right

Man Claims 3 Year Relationship with Pastor

Is there even ONE heterosexual Republican?

Hey, Republicans, just remember, you're not really gay if you don't smile or backup.

Politicizing Intelligence to Start a War

This is what you are voting for on the 7th. If you want this to be investigated, if you want it to stop happening...vote for change.

Scott Ritter: We Don't Care About Iraqi's

The truth is ugly.

The Climate Project

I have been accepted to be a trained presenter for Al Gore's Climate Project. I plan on attending the class and taking part. It should be interesting and fun.

Scandals Alone Could Cost Republicans Their House Majority

Indictments, investigations and allegations of wrongdoing have helped put at least 15 Republican House seats in jeopardy, enough to swing control to the Democrats on Tuesday even before the larger issues of war, economic unease and President Bush are invoked.

With just five days left before Election Day, allegations are springing up like brushfires. Four GOP House seats have been tarred by lobbyist Jack Abramoff's influence-peddling scandal. Five have been adversely affected by then-Rep. Mark Foley's unseemly contacts with teenage male House pages. The remaining half a dozen or so could turn on controversies including offshore tax dodging, sexual misconduct and shady land deals.

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That is assuming most Americans are even paying attention.

Because of Iraq

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Military Charts Movement of Conflict in Iraq Toward Chaos

A classified briefing prepared two weeks ago by the United States Central Command portrays Iraq as edging toward chaos, in a chart that the military is using as a barometer of civil conflict.

A one-page slide shown at the Oct. 18 briefing provides a rare glimpse into how the military command that oversees the war is trying to track its trajectory, particularly in terms of sectarian fighting.

The slide includes a color-coded bar chart that is used to illustrate an “Index of Civil Conflict.” It shows a sharp escalation in sectarian violence since the bombing of a Shiite shrine in Samarra in February, and tracks a further worsening this month despite a concerted American push to tamp down the violence in Baghdad.

In fashioning the index, the military is weighing factors like the ineffectual Iraqi police and the dwindling influence of moderate religious and political figures, rather than more traditional military measures such as the enemy’s fighting strength and the control of territory.

The conclusions the Central Command has drawn from these trends are not encouraging, according to a copy of the slide that was obtained by The New York Times. The slide shows Iraq as moving sharply away from “peace,” an ideal on the far left side of the chart, to a point much closer to the right side of the spectrum, a red zone marked “chaos.” As depicted in the command’s chart, the needle has been moving steadily toward the far right of the chart.

An intelligence summary at the bottom of the slide reads “urban areas experiencing ‘ethnic cleansing’ campaigns to consolidate control” and “violence at all-time high, spreading geographically.” According to a Central Command official, the index on civil strife has been a staple of internal command briefings for most of this year. The analysis was prepared by the command’s intelligence directorate, which is overseen by Brig. Gen. John M. Custer.

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Really? Tell us something we didn't know. Oh, and why is it classified? Not because of sources and methods, but because it speaks badly about our status in Iraq.

Bottom Line