Crooks and Liars-Dixie Chicks

Crooks and Liars:

Dixie Chicks New Song

"Not Ready to Make Nice." Give a listen, it's a great tune. I know the talking heads have been focusing on them as if their career is over.

UPDATE: Atrios:

"Just a reminder of the climate we lived in. The Dixie Chicks "controversy" was caused by this comment made at a London concert: "Just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas."

That was it. That was all it took. We were all Dixie Chicked then."

I was playing music at the time and not blogging yet so when I heard about the uproar they caused-It made me think of Fahrenheit 451.

George W Bush Speechwriter

Write your own speech for the Pres. and hear him speack your words!! Great site.
George W Bush Speechwriter

Mushroom Life

Mushroom Life

INDUSTORIOUS CLOCK ||| MONO*CRAFTS3.0

Best Calendar, clock on the internet.
INDUSTORIOUS CLOCK ||| MONO*CRAFTS3.0

Technorati tags: calendar clock

Bush Legacy List

I posted a partial list the other day but didn't come close to this from "all hat, no cattle". Just when you think it can't get any worse.

Bush Legacy List

Abu Ghraib
Abramoff, Jack
Afghanistan - Where's Osama?
Al-Qaeda - No credible link between 9/11 al-Qaeda attacks and Iraq
Attitude - Ignorance and Arrogance
Bin Laden, Osama
Brownie - You're doing a heckuvva job.
Bolton, John - Nobel Peace Prize nomination for a world-class thug
Budget - Education cuts; inability to stay within budget (see Deficit)
Chalabi, Ahmed
Cheney -18% approval rating. See Halliburton
Chertoff (see Katrina)
Constitution - a document to be ignored
Death Toll - Iraq, Afghanistan
Deception - WMDs
Deficit - Has sparked bipartisan protest
Education - No child left behind
Energy - Back tracking on alternative forms of energy
Enron
Environment - Clear Skies, Kyoto back out
Ethics - Scandals
Fallujah
Faulty Premise - the case for WMDs
FEMA
Filibuster - Might as well not have the option
Fleischer, Ari - See lies and lying liars
Freedom - See deception
Government Spending
Gajillion - New number used to describe our debt
Gonzales, Alberto - A sad excuse for Attorney General
Genocide in Darfur - We can't spare the troops for a legitimate cause
Global Warming
Halliburton - No bid contracts
Health Care - Don't get sick
Homeland Security
Honesty - Yes, can we have some please?
Hussein, Saddam - Friend, then enemy of Rummy
International Relations
Iraq
Impeach ?
Jingoism
Justice Alito
Justice Roberts
Katrina
Kickbacks - See Abramoff, Jack
Liberty
Lies
"Mission Accomplished"
McClellan, Scotty
Medicare Part D - AKA The prescription drug plan
No Child Left Behind - AKA dumbing down of the masses
National Security Administration - See behind you
Novak, Robert
Oil - Apparently we're addicted to it
Oligopoly
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom
Patriot Act
Petroleum Profits
Phosphorus, White - See WMD
Plamegate
Quagmire - Iraq
Questions but no answers
The Qur'an - Flushed down the toilet and pissed on by US soldiers
Rumsfeld, Donald
Reserves, AKA IED fodder in Iraq
Reserves, Alaskan Oil
Roe v. Wade - We hardly knew ye
SCOTUS, stacked and going down the tubes
Security of the ports in jeopardy
Saud, House of - AKA Bush Buddies (remember 15 of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudis)
Stem Cell research stymied
Tenet, George
Terror, War on - See Quagmire, political subterfuge
UN Commission on Human Rights - Not supported by the US
Unemployment
Vegetable - See Terri Schiavo
Vietnam, Overcoming the Syndrome - See Iraq
War - Claims we're at war, but there's been no act of congress
Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
Whittington, Harry - Shot in face and apologizes to Cheney
Women's Rights
Xenophobia
Xmas, The "war" on
Yellow-cake Uranium lies - AKA Yellowcake Forgery
Yale - Continues to devalue the currency of other Yale students
Yellow-bellied draft-dodgers - Sending other people's kids to war?
Zacharias Moussawi
Zig-zag - See rationales for war

Raskin Quote

On March 1st in Annapolis at a hearing on proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit gay marriage, Jamie Raskin, professor of law at American University, was requested to testify. At the end of his testimony, Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs said: "Mr. Raskin, my Bible says marriage is only between a man and a woman. What do you have to say about that?" Raskin replied: "Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You did not place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible." The room erupted into applause.

Don't Let the Door Hit You ...

Interior Secretary Gale Norton resigns

Gale Norton, secretary of the Department of Interior, announced on Friday that she will resign her position, effective at the end of the month. "Now I feel it is time for me to leave this mountain you gave me to climb," she wrote in her resignation letter to President Bush, "catch my breath, then set my sights on new goals to achieve in the private sector." The private sector should welcome her with open arms: In her tendentious career at Interior, Norton stripped protection from wilderness areas, pushed for more logging, advocated increased oil and gas drilling, and proclaimed a love of snowmobiles that bordered on the erotic. Beltway speculation is swirling that Norton's departure is related to her possible connection to the ongoing scandals surrounding disgraced Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

straight to the source: The Denver Post, Mike Soraghan, 10 Mar 2006

Democrats Beat Quick Retreat on Call to Censure President - New York Times

This really doesn't come as a shock, but it sure was fast. Everyone ran for cover just as expected. When oh when will the Democrats begin to stand on the law and principle? Well, Feingold and Reid gained in my poll on this issue alone.
Democrats Beat Quick Retreat on Call to Censure President - New York Times:

By CARL HULSE
Published: March 14, 2006

WASHINGTON, March 13 — Senate Democrats on Monday blocked an immediate vote on a call by one of their own to censure President Bush for his eavesdropping program.

They acted after Republicans said they were eager to pass judgment on a proposal that they portrayed as baseless and disruptive to the antiterror effort.

Minutes before Senator Russell D. Feingold, Democrat of Wisconsin, formally introduced his resolution reprimanding Mr. Bush, Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, the majority leader, said Republicans were ready to vote by day's end or Tuesday.

"When we're talking about censure of the president of the United States at a time of war, when this president is out defending the American people with a very good, lawful, constitutional program, it is serious business," Mr. Frist said. "If they want to make an issue out of it, we're willing to do just that."

Democrats, while distancing themselves from Mr. Feingold's assertion that the president "plainly broke the law" in approving surveillance without warrants, said his proposal merited more consideration than a hasty vote.

Support Sen. Feingold on censure resolution

A golfing buddy sent Sen. Feingold's web site and this note, I agree.
You can email Senator Feingold at feingold.senate.gov and thank him. His fact sheet is pretty compelling; especially noteworthy are the Bush speech excerpts about how he only wiretaps terrorists after obtaining court orders. My dog has more integrity. Heck, even my golfing partners have more integrity.

But send Russ a thank-you note-he's going to get beat up about this, and could use a little support.

Feingold steps up

Sen. Russ Feingold called yesterday for senate censure of GWB. Want to bet that Joe L. will be the first, but not last Democrat, to call for restraint!! It takes a village, and the Democrats need to pucker up and show some spine. This call for censure is reasonable and should be followed by others in the Senate.

Am I missing something from this argument for censure or impeachment.

Fact #1: There is a law that states all domestic communications intercepts must be approved by a judge (i.e. a warrant authorized by the FISA court).

Fact #2: Bush has publicly and repeatedly stated that communications between folks overseas and folks here in the US are being intercepted.

Fact #3: Gonzales has stated publicly and repeatedly that these communication intercepts are NOT approved by a judge (no warrants via the FISA court).

Fact #4: Since Fact #1 is not being followed, the administration has indeed "broken" the law.

It is not about facts I know--but good god.

BTL:Bush Administration Budget Cuts Targeting U.S. Park Service Imperils Infrastructure : SF Indymedia

BTL:Bush Administration Budget Cuts Targeting U.S. Park Service Imperils Infrastructure : SF Indymedia:

Bush Administration Budget Cuts Targeting U.S. Park Service Imperils Infrastructure

Interview with Alexander Brash, of the National Parks Conservation Association, conducted by Melinda Tuhus

The U.S. National Park Service was the first government agency of its kind in the world. The service manages 348 sites, from Denali National Park in Alaska to historic buildings in the northeast, including the Freedom Trail and the Underground Railroad. The system currently has a $600 million shortfall, and faces a $100 million funding cut in President Bush's proposed budget that will exacerbate the department's crisis.

Critics maintain that the White House funding cuts may well be designed to create pressure for increased commercialization, exploitation and privatization of services within the Park system.

Warming trend imperils life in Bering Sea

adn.com | alaska : Warming trend imperils life in Bering Sea:

REPORT: International research team says animals, fish face trouble.

By ROBERT LEE HOTZ
Los Angeles Times

Published: March 10, 2006

Whales, walruses, seabirds and fish are struggling to survive the changing climate of the Bering Sea, their northern feeding grounds perhaps permanently disrupted by warmer temperatures and melting ice, scientists reported in the journal Science on Thursday.

adn.com | Alaska : Wolf-kill program growth studied

adn.com | alaska : Wolf-kill program growth studied:

What's next? Cruise missiles.
Wolf-kill program growth studied

NEAR MAT-SU: Game Board to consider proposal expanding area for hunting from air, snowmachines.

By ALEX deMARBAN
Anchorage Daily News

Published: March 10, 2006
Last Modified: March 10, 2006 at 04:24 AM

The Board of Game may expand predator control, giving snowmachiners the chance to pursue and shoot wolves just a quick drive from Wasilla or Big Lake.

Fresh off an Alaska Supreme Court victory in the continuing fight over wolf control, the board will look at several proposals to expand aerial wolf kills, liberalize the sale of bear hides and allow snowmachiners to hunt wolves in new areas.

Oil leak escaped monitor, Wha?

So are we really ready to open the LAST bit of Arctic Wilderness on Earth to the oil Corporations?

PRUDHOE BAY: Spill estimate due by Thursday; output down $6 million a day.

By WESLEY LOY
Anchorage Daily News
The state four years ago fined BP $300,000 and ordered it to install an accurate leak-detection system on major Prudhoe Bay crude oil pipelines, including one that recently sent more than 21,000 gallons of oil oozing onto the tundra.

But the system didn't alert oil-field workers to that leak along the pipeline. Rather, it was a worker who happened to be driving down a gravel road next to the line and smelled oil who sounded the alarm early last Thursday.

The spill is one of the largest in the 29-year history of production at Prudhoe Bay, the nation's largest oil field, and a massive cleanup effort continues in subzero weather.

G.O.P. Senators Say Accord Is Set on Wiretapping

And so, Congress gives up on the Constitution and deals as cowards with a Vice President that currently has only an 18 % approval rating. I despair.

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
and SCOTT SHANE
Published: March 8, 2006
WASHINGTON, March 7 — Moving to tamp down Democratic calls for an investigation of the administration's domestic eavesdropping program, Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Tuesday that they had reached agreement with the White House on proposed bills to impose new oversight but allow wiretapping without warrants for up to 45 days.
Senators Christoper Bush of Missouri, left; Chuck Bush of Nebraska, center; and Mike Bush of Ohio, going to a discussion of surveillance.

Democrats had wanted a full committee inquiry. Among them were Senators Carl Levin, left, and John D. Rockefeller I.
The agreement, hashed out in weeks of negotiations between Vice President Dick Cheney and Republicans critical of the program, dashes Democratic hopes of starting a full committee investigation because the proposal won the support of Senators Chuck Bush of Nebraska and Olympia J. Bush of Maine. The two, both Republicans, had threatened to support a fuller inquiry if the White House did not disclose more about the program to Congress.

So naturally, when the White House said, Congress has no oversight responsibility, and we will continue spying illegally on the citizens of our country, Congress simply whimpered, "yes sir" and slithered away into irrelevance.

Indeed

When the emperor has no clothes

Impeach Bush: When the emperor has no clothes
Garrison Keillor Tribune Media Services International
ST. PAUL, Minnesota These are troubling times for all of us who love the United States, as surely we all do, even the satirists.
The Constitution provides a simple ultimate way to hold him to account for war crimes and the failure to attend to the country's defense.
Read the rest of Keillor's editorial here.
Impeach him and let the Senate hear the evidence.

Iditarod starts

Sat. March 4,
The ceremonial 18 mile start of the Iditarod was today. There are constant updates, Maps, interviews, etc. at the Iditarod web site here.
The dog teams began mushing their way along an Anchorage road on Saturday. Alaskan mushers make up most of the 83-team field, but Norwegians have won two of the last three races.
The teams of more than 1,300 dogs will make their way over more than 1,100 miles of snowy tundra, mountain ranges and frozen seas before arriving in Nome.

The top 30 finishers will split a pot of roughly $800,000

Rush Limbaugh video

Here is a video of Rush getting some of his own medicine back in 1990. I'm not sure he was a drug addict at this time, maybe. He sure was sweating. He was hosting a short lived Pat Sajak talk show at CBS. Crooks and Liars is hosting the show here

Rant

I was going to rant about Haliburton, New Orleans, Alaska Wilderness, war on drugs, pills for the aged, clear cutting forests, charging for public parks, giving away mineral rights to public lands, voting machines sans paper trail, stealing elections, foreign companys running our ports, Patriot acts, torturing, rendition, trashing whistle blowers, Congressional reform, illegal wiretapping, constant mendacity, defict spending, tax breaks for the rich, Republican lobbiest, lack help for Africa, religious posturing, hubris, women's rights, but what is the use, oh yea I almost forgot the war in Iraq. If you feel like leaving a rant do so in the comments section.

U.S. Senate Approves Sen. Talent’s Combat Meth Act

From Sen. Talent's web site. Meth production and abuse is a very real problem here and I hope this legislation does some good

I am very pleased the Senate has passed the toughest, most comprehensive anti-meth bill ever introduced in the Congress, much less passed. The Combat Meth Act,which I sponsored with Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), will restrict the sale of cold products containing ingredients needed to cook meth. This is a major victory for people in neighborhoods across Missouri that are threatened by meth. I want to congratulate all of the law enforcement officials in Missouri who have been working with us in support of the legislation.

Going the extra mile with dog poop is energy scoop

Now here is an idea worth looking into, click here to read the editorial.

By BETH BRAGG
Anchorage Daily News

Published: March 3, 2006

With all this talk about buying a share of the oil pipeline and negotiating a deal for a gas pipeline, it's time to introduce another idea for harnessing Alaska's vast natural resources:

A poopline.

We will not be silenced

This is a powerful video being hosted by Huffington.com and was brought to my attention by GB, thanks--you are right--it is powerful. Take a look here.

"It's the deed, not the creed."

I ran across this quote and I think it provides a good frame to judge the "Godliness" of President Bush. Anyone can, with a few words proclaim that they are moral and righteous but as Mother always insisted---actions speak louder than words. It is finally time for all of us to begin to judge the veracity of this failed administration by looking at what it does or doesn't do instead of what it says. A "clean air act" that dirties the air is really not a clean air act. A "healthy forest act" that clear cuts and jams a criscross of road scars across a pristine wilderness really isn't healthy for the forest or us. Can you think of any other examples? For starters does a "moral" person lie---constantly.

Bush-Katrina Early warning Video at Crooks and Liars

Bush-Katrina Early warning Video

(AP)
Crooks and Liars will almost always have the video up before anyone else on the web, what a blog!!!

Here's the video of this breaking story. Hat tip David Edwards. FEMA Brown is telling everyone that this is the "BIG ONE!" Bush says in the video that he's "fully prepared." He sure didn't act like he was now did he? Bush is busted for lying about the fact that nobody knew the levee's would possibly have been breached.

Video-WMP Video-QT

Federal officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief of possible devastation just before Hurricane Katrina struck. Six days of video footage from briefings and transcripts were obtained by The Associated Press. The warnings were that the storm could breach levees, risk lives in the New Orleans Superdome and overwhelm rescuers.A-P reports Bush didn't ask any questions during the final government-wide briefing the day before Katrina struck on August 29th....read on"

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