According to this memo supposedly leaked from Britain's Defense Ministry , the UK and US are planning on withdrawing about half of the troops from Iraq starting in early to mid 2006.
Well, Carnacki may be gone until August, but that doesnt mean I cant read happy stories, goldurnit! I didnt see anyone else rip him off yet (surprisingly), so I'm a-gonna do it! This week, anyway. Im slightly less lazy than usual tonight. If someone already ripped him off earlier lemme know and Ill delete...
I routinely check in with Buzzflash, and this morning there was a link today about new evidence brewing in the Johnny Gosch kidnapping case. Evidently this evidence includes a taped phone conversation and could be "the break needed to solve the case". While I havent followed this sex-ring case closely, I have been amused by the internet rumors about Gannon actually BEING Gosch, and no doubt I have been snarky about this in other diaries.
I'm certain I'm not the only one who has noticed that when something disappointing happens within our crazy political circus, there is a sizable amount of Kossack Dems who take the opportunity to express their desire to leave the party, start a new party, not vote for anymore Democrats, not donate to any Democratic orginizations...
et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. (said like Yul Brynner)
Most of the folks who post on this board seem to be a motley crew of introspective, intelligent, artisic progressives. I have no doubt that many of us fit the 'liberal' stereotype quite nicely. I know I sure do...Im a vegetarian who until recently wore her non-leather Birkenstocks year-round (with socks!), I went to art school in the nineties and used to wander about Boston in jeans so covered in paint they could stand on their own, and I didnt bathe much. I have long virgin hair and dont wear much makeup, I avoid Wal-Mart and listen to NPR on weekends, Im an avid reader of quality books and wish I could afford a Prius. I shop at Trader Joes. I was briefly a member of the Rainbow/Green party and I still have my Ralph Nader hemp T shirt from a rally in 2000, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
Last night while lying in bed, after I had finished the latest US magazine(my guilty mindless pleasure & coping mechanism) I still could not fall asleep, so naturally I began to ponder the consequences of the Bush/Corporate social agenda. Specifically the Bankruptcy Bill, the push to destabilize Social Security, Santorum's plan to essentially eliminate overtime as we know it, our crappy healthcare system, and the ginourmous redonkulous debt that Bush has racked up. All that Norquist-y stuff...and I thunk to myself:
"Seriously now, how does BushCo REALLY think they will deal with the people who go from just-barely- making-it to not-making-it-at-all-with-no-options?"
There has been A LOT of vitriol within this community between self-proclaimed moderates and those who are energized to take the party further to the left. I have read diaries with responses that state on no uncertain terms that votes will be lost if this party 'abandons' its moderates, or vice versa. Some of these arguments border on the ridiculous and devolve into useless shouting matches, which is a shame.
(For sake of simplicity, I am going to use the left/right spectrum to illustrate my point, although personally I think political thought is more of a spectrum and not so black & white)
A few weeks ago on his radio show, Al Franken was retelling a story about how Bush supposedly refused to hear any of the BAD news that was coming out of Iraq. According to an anonymous State Department tipster, Bush would only hear physically hear good news and forbade any negativity (read: reality). Franken then launched into this excellent 'Boy King' voice for several minutes, sounding like a high pitched, prissy, pampered aristocrat. It was great. Did anyone catch it? I thought it was simple and genius ridiculing that accurately underscored the fact that Bush is essentially a wealthy aristocrat with baby-smooth uncalloused hands in denial. We cant jam this idea down the throats of his poor supporters fast enough, if you ask me. Especially in the face of Bush devoting his time to domestic issues (the horror....the horror....)
So, as some of you may have heard, Boston has launched a manhunt for 4 'Chinese Nationals' who reportedly crossed over the Mexican border and proclaimed to be heading to New York or Boston with some sort of weaponry of mass destruction. It is unclear as to whether this weaponry is biological, chemical, or explosive in nature. In fact, the only thing that IS known is that this news is borne from a single, uncorroborated tip from the man who supposedly assisted the Chinese men over the border.
While tooling around looking for sock monkey themed xmas gifts for my husband (he likes monkeys) I came across the saga of this poor guy.
I thought the pics were sort of cute. Evidently this Ebay listing has been a long time in the making.
And to fill the required word count...help me out with my xmas shopping! Forgive my lack of political discourse today...I am still overstimulated from yesterday's Rumsfeld-a-thon.
My husband: Age 33, likes the Red Sox and the TN Titans, photography, hiking, monkeys, hippos, cartoons and progressive politics. What would be his perfect, reasonably-priced gift? (other than the Democrat sock monkey, of course)
I am trying to amass a vast collection of good n' funny progressive haikus & limericks to include in a progressive newsletter I'm developing.
Awhile back, there was an excellent thread of haikus about Ashcroft's resignation, remember that? I was pretty impressed with the KosPoets.
I would like any and all haikus and limericks you can come up with (even cut n pasting old ones you may have kicking around), but ESPECIALLY ones about W's environmental policies ang global warming.
I need some help with my post election project, and need names of the PROGRESSIVE PUNDITRY that pop up on cable news...y'know, the people networks call to argue with one of the scads of punchclock conservative pundits in attempts to seem fair n' balanced. I quit cable news earlier this year, so all I can remember are the obvious ones like Bill Press, Arianna Huffington, Carville, etc.
I posted this on the open thread a few minutes ago and someone kindly reminded me about FOX's lovely Susan Estrich (I believe the Kossack referred to her as an 'uber-whore').
It is crystal clear that our collective heads are swimming, and that many (most?) of us feel like we've been sucker punched...the wind has been knocked out of our lungs, and all the horrible scenarios that are emerging from this election threaten to bury us alive. The neglect of the environment! The increasing strength of the religious right and the ensuing fascism! The corporate owned media! The Cold Civil War! The actual Iraq War! The world hates us! George friggin' Bush!!!! (the bad news seems endlesss, does it not?) So many vital issues which we care deeply about seem so tenuous right now.
We have been bombarded with this idea that the race is extraorinarily close for months now, based mainly on polls that even the pollsters agree cannot be nearly as realiable as in years past (see any number of posts and articles over the past several months about this). And as we all know, which the media reminds us about daily, we are a 'nation divided' and more passionate than ever to vote, because this is 'the most important election of our lifetimes'. Etc Etc.
Firstly, I am generally pretty savvy concerning stuff (and junk), and I do read the economic and business news when I can. I will at least skim it and look at the pictures.
However, I would really appreciate it if someone could explain to me what is going on with Eliot Spitzer and how it is affecting the stock market, which is currently tanking. I understand there are multiple reasons for the tank action, but I am curious about Spitzer in particular as his name has been tossed around as a possible AG in a Kerry administation.
So, if someone would be so kind as to REALLY, REALLY dumb it down for me I would be thankful.
Here is an email I got from a co-worker this morning, who is just as obsessed with politics as I am:
"Ummm. Read this quote from Condie Rice in a CNN article and tell me if you evaluate it the same way I do - that Bush has an October surprise planned. I think it is a major slip of the tongue on her part or am I way off here?
*America's national security adviser has suggested that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's motive for any nuclear test could be to affect the U.S. election.
"The North Koreans would only succeed in isolating themselves further if they're somehow trying to gain negotiating leverage or their own October surprise," Condoleeza Rice said.
** "
At first I didnt see what he was being paranoid about. Then I reread a few times...."Their OWN October Surprise" Condi says. As opposed to OUR October Surprise?????
Could this be a slip on Condi's part, or is my coworker/me just plain old reading too far into CNN articles?
Fantastic essay...a must read. This guy is my favorite columnist.
He sums up exactly how I feel about polling, and Im sure many of you would agree too.
Wish I had more time to flesh out this diary but in the Bush economy I cannot afford to lose my job.
