carapace – Not your father's america

February 2008 Southwest Climate Outlook

The February Southwest Climate Outlook is online. This month’s outlook provides recent drought conditions and the latest seasonal forecasts. The feature article is entitled “New streamflow forecasts for expert users.” 

You can both view the latest Southwest Climate Outlook in html format or view the printer-friendly PDF file at: http://www.climas.arizona.edu/forecasts/swoutlook.html
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Highlights from the February 2008 Outlook

Drought – Wet conditions in December and January have resulted in marked improvements in short-term drought across Arizona. New Mexico has missed many of these storms with most of the southeastern corner of the state only observing 25 percent of average precipitation in the past thirty days.

Temperature – Temperatures have generally been below-average across most of Arizona and northern New Mexico over the past thirty days. Southeast New Mexico has been relatively warm, with temperatures measuring above-average for the same period.

Precipitation – Much of Arizona and northern New Mexico observed very wet conditions over the past thirty days with many locations reporting 150 to 200 percent of average. Southeastern Arizona and much of southern New Mexico have been drier, with less than 100 percent of average precipitation observed.
 

ENSO – La Niña conditions strengthened this past month with sea surface temperatures over 2 degrees Celsius below-average in the central Pacific Ocean and the Southern Oscillation Index falling to -1.9 by the end of January. Forecasts indicate a strong likelihood that La Niña conditions will persist into the spring.

Climate Forecasts – Seasonal climate forecasts continue to project dry and warm conditions across the Southwest into the spring. The La Niña event is to blame for the below-average precipitation forecast and for the above-average temperature forecast.

The Bottom Line – Wet conditions across much of Arizona continued into January due to a persistent storm track . Southeast Arizona and much of southern New Mexico has missed out on the precipitation from these recent storms. This has prompted an expansion of abnormally dry drought status across the region on the National Drought Monitor. The current La Niña event is expected to persist into the spring.

Kristen E. Nelson
Associate Editor
Institute for the Study of Planet Earth
715 N. Park Ave., 2nd Floor
Tucson, AZ 85721
(520) 622-9001

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AP gets FISA, wiretapping authority wrong again

An AP article falsely suggested that the U.S. government does not currently have the authority to “eavesdrop[] on phone calls and e-mails of suspected terrorists.” The article also claimed, “The Senate has already passed its version of the measure to renew the law, which expired Feb. 16.” In fact, what expired on February 16 was the Protect America Act’s revisions to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act; the federal government still has the authority under FISA to listen in on the communications of suspected terrorists. The AP made similar false suggestions in a January report.

Read More

http://mediamatters.org/items/200802270007?lid=98312&rid=4303977

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Up to 70% of US aid to Pakistan ‘misspent’

27 Feb 2008

America’s massive military aid package to Pakistan has come under scrutiny after allegations that as much as 70% of $5.4bn in assistance has been misspent. Since 2002, the US has paid the operating costs of Pakistan’s military operations in the tribal belt along the Afghan border, where Taliban and al-Qaida fighters are sheltering. Pakistan provides over 100,000 troops and directs the fight; the US foots the bill for food, fuel, ammunition and maintenance. The cash payments [bribes] — averaging $80m a month — have been a cornerstone of US support for President Pervez Musharraf.

At:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/27/pakistan.usa

From: CLG News

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The Truth About Lying

Source: Gawker.com, February 14, 2008

Gawker.com, the media gossip blog, recently had a testy exchange with Richard Edelman, CEO of the giant Edelman public relations firm, after Gawker published an item which quoted an unnamed Edelman employee who reportedly advised a client, “Sometimes, you just have to stand up there and lie. Make the audience or the reporter believe that everything is ok.” Richard Edelman responded by telling Gawker that the report was “completely false and needs to be taken down. You bet we take ethics seriously.” This in turn prompted a rejoinder from Gawker blogger Hamilton Nolan, who retorted that Edelman himself had been dishonest about the nature of his company’s work for Wal-Mart. “You lied and said that the 100% company-controlled Astroturf group ‘Working Families for Wal-Mart’ was ‘A real group of people, as far as I know,’” Nolan stated. “I made the case that that was a blatant lie when I was at PRWeek, and I still believe it.” Nolan also pointed to a detailed report in New Yorker magazine, which detailed Edelman’s work for Wal-Mart, including its effort to “co-opt liberals” with the help of former environmentalist turned PR pro Leslie Dachs.

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Why do McCain, Obama and Clinton Want a Bigger Military?

ERIK LEAVER, erik@ips-dc.org, http://ips-dc.org

Leaver is a research fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies. He said today: “Obama and Clinton have both talked about cutting some wasteful systems but both have also talked about increasing the size of the military — a far more costly endeavor. So any of those savings will be dwarfed by troop increases. Obama wants to increase the size of the military by about 90,000 troops. McCain wants 150,000 additional troops.”

From: Institute for Public Accuracy

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Massive War Spending, the Economy, and the Budget

The CRS has released a report indicating that, to date, $700 billion has been appropriated for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, http://www.ombwatch.org/article/blogs/entry/4636/2  and if the rest of the president’s FY 2008 request is fulfilled, that number will jump to over $800 billion.

The extreme costs of these wars is not going unnoticed by Americans.

http://www.ombwatch.org/article/blogs/entry/4638/48

In fact, amid the economic uncertainty of late, some 68 percent of Americans think that a pullout from Iraq would fix the country’s economic problems.

And as war costs continue their march to the $1 trillion mark and Bush’s unprecedented war-time tax cuts continue to drain resources from the Treasury, the relative size of the gross federal debt continues its stride toward besting a 50-year record set in 1996.
http://www.ombwatch.org/article/blogs/entry/4640/48

OMB Watch Fiscal Policy Program   www.ombwatch.org

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IS IRAN WINNING THE WAR IN IRAQ?

By Robert Dreyfuss, The Nation

Washington’s decision to topple Saddam’s government has put in place a ruling elite that is far closer to Iran than it is to the United States.

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/77595/

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George W. Bush’s Resumé: This individual seeks an executive position. He will be available in January 2009…

Global Research, February 5, 2008

This individual seeks an executive position. He will be available in January 2009, and is willing (and hopeful) to relocate.

RESUME

GEORGE W. BUSH
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
Washington , DC 20520

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Law Enforcement:

· I was arrested in Kennebunkport, Maine, in 1976 for driving under the influence of alcohol. I pleaded guilty, paid a fine, and had my driver’s license suspended for 30 days. My Texas driving record has been ‘lost’ and is not available.

Military:

· I joined the Texas Air National Guard and went AWOL. I refused to take a drug test or answer any questions about my drug use. By joining the Texas Air National Guard, I was able to avoid combat duty in Vietnam .

College:

· I graduated from Yale University with a low C average. I was a cheerleader.

Past Work Experience:

· I ran for U.S. Congress and lost.

· I began my career in the oil business in Midland, Texas in 1975. I bought an oil company, but couldn’t find any oil in Texas. The company went bankrupt shortly after I sold all my stock.

· I bought the Texas Rangers baseball team in a sweetheart deal that took land using taxpayer money.

· With the help of my father and our friends in the oil industry (including Enron CEO Ken Lay), I was elected governor of Texas.

Accomplishments As Governor Of Texas:

· I changed Texas pollution laws to favor power and oil companies, making Texas the most polluted state in the Union. During my tenure, Houston replaced Los Angeles as the most smog-ridden city in America.

· I cut taxes and bankrupted the Texas treasury to the tune of billions in borrowed money.

· I set the record for the most executions by any governor in American history.

· With the help of my brother, the governor of Florida, and my father’s appointments to the Supreme Court, I became President of the United States, after losing by over 500,000 votes.

Accomplishments As President (with 4 3 5 Notable Firsts):

· I am the first President in U.S. history to enter office with a criminal record.

· I invaded and occupied two countries at a continuing cost of over one billion dollars per week.

· I spent the U.S. surplus and effectively bankrupted the U.S. Treasury.

· I shattered the record for the largest annual deficit in U.S. history.

· I set an economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12-month period.

· I set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12-month period.

· I set the all-time record for the biggest drop in the history of the U.S. stock market. In my first year in office, over 2 million Americans lost their jobs and that trend continues.

· I’m proud that the members of my cabinet are the richest of any administration in U.S. history. My ‘poorest millionaire, ‘ Condoleezza Rice, has a Chevron oil tanker named after her.

· I set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips by a U.S. President.

…

Complete article at:

www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8002

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And now for the important news …. 

By Argus Hamilton

Academy Award winner Tilda Swinton told reporters backstage Sunday she has two boyfriends in her life. She lives with both of them under one roof. It’s perfectly legal in California as long as you pay a twenty-five dollar fee for the extra baggage.

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com

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three thousand words

Tom Tomorrow: The Road to the Luminous Cavern of Power!

http://action.credomobile.com/comics/Original%20Image22709.jpg

Bruce Beattie: turn around or we sell all our t-bills

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoons/BeattB/2008/BeattB20080227A_low.jpg

Jack Ohman: I don’t think our relationship is improper …

http://images.ucomics.com/comics/tmjoh/2008/tmjoh080222.gif

We (Sunlight Foundation) have exciting new ways for you to get involved to spread Sunlight on the role of money in politics.

With the top Democratic presidential contenders running neck and neck, the role of SuperDelegates in determining the nominee will be particularly critical in this election. (SuperDelegates are those party leaders and elected officials who are automatically delegates to the national convention.) Congresspedia (http://congresspedia.org) — a joint project of Sunlight and the Center for Media and Democracy recently teamed up with LiteraryOutpost.com (http://literaryoutpost.com/) and OpenLeft (http://openleft.com/) to shed light on to the nominating process with the new SuperDelegate Transparency Project (http://tinyurl.com/2o46f8). This project is really your project, and it won’t be successful without your help. Come collaborate and help compile the district-by-district results of the popular vote and pledged delegates. Add what you know about the SuperDelegates’ position, too.

This is a great opportunity for you to help bring transparency and accountability to the Democratic National Convention by providing citizens with information on how the SuperDelegates could affect the outcome of the nomination. Sign up here (http://tinyurl.com/yszuga) to get started.

Want to know the biggest organizations backing your congressional delegation? Curious if a member of Congress is bringing pork-barrel spending home to your district? The Lawmaker Profiler, a unique tool from the Sunlight Foundation, lets you follow the money. Coming soon to a Web site near you, the Lawmaker Profiler is a full page, interactive politician profile designed for local and major media Web sites that want to provide one-click transparency for every member of Congress they cover. It works like a widget: you copy and paste one line of code in your web authoring application, and Lawmaker Profiler creates a full page profile about your member of Congress, generated directly from Sunlight’s servers. All data is aggregated and updated weekly from an extensive array of respected money and politics databases.

The Lawmaker Profiler presents information in an easy-to-grasp format that includes zoom-able maps, interactive graphics and at-a-glance facts that every voter should know. For those of you in Minnesota, follow your delegation using the Lawmaker Profiler on MinnPost.com: http://minnpost.com/sunlight/ Not in Minnesota? Call your newspaper and tell them to get in touch with Sunlight http://www.sunlightfoundation.com/contactus/) so they, too, can get this awesome free tool.

Best,
Gabriela Schneider
Communications Director
Sunlight Foundation

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National Security Archive Update, February 26, 2008 – White House Ignored Repeated Warnings That E-mails Were at Risk

White House Staff Claims Ignorance about its Own Prior Investigation
 Into Missing E-mails, Acknowledges it Still Has Not Located E-mails From
 Over 200 Days

For more information contact:
Meredith Fuchs – 202/994-7000

http://www.nsarchive.org

Washington D.C., February 26, 2008 – At a hearing today before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, it was disclosed that the White House has received repeated warnings from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and from information technology experts within the White House about the risk of lost e-mails. Records obtained by the Committee showed that NARA’s warnings began as early as January 2004 and that the White House was aware of the danger that e-mails may not be properly preserved. Further, testimony and evidence indicated that a new records management system was developed by the White House and NARA and then rejected by White House Office of Administration Chief Information Officer Theresa Payton in the fall of 2006, when the system was ready for implementation. The existing archiving process, which was installed as a temporary solution in 2002, was “primitive,” according to a former White House technology expert in communications with the Committee.

“The White House’s witnesses disclaimed knowledge and responsibility for the e-mail problem. The NARA witnesses said that they are waiting for the White House to take action. But no one is doing anything and time is running out,” commented Meredith Fuchs, General Counsel to the National Security Archive.

Excerpts of records released by the Committee during the hearing included a letter from Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein to White House Counsel Fred Fielding, dated May 1, 2007, stating that it is “essential that the White House move with the utmost dispatch . . . in taking whatever action may be necessary to restore any missing e-mails.” The records of the George W. Bush presidency will be transferred to NARA in January 2009, just eleven months from now. But an internal NARA memorandum from September 5, 2007, stated that “zero progress” had been made in planning for the transition and that NARA “still know[s] virtually nothing about the status of the alleged missing White House e-mails.”

Ms. Payton refused to provide an estimate of when her office will complete both the analysis of whether e-mails are missing and any necessary recovery effort, and specifically acknowledged that such recovery may not be completed in time for the White House transition. She stated only that White House staff are currently carrying out phase one of a three-phased process to identify missing e-mails and implement necessary restoration efforts, and that preliminary findings showed a reduction in the number of days with no EOP e-mails preserved from 473 (identified in 2005 OA analysis) to 202.

In a declaration submitted on January 15 in a lawsuit brought by the National Security Archive against the Executive Office of the President, Ms. Payton stated that the White House began saving its backup tapes in October 2003 in response to concerns about its e-mail archiving system, but that the tapes had previously been recycled regularly. Ms. Payton testified that the disaster recovery backups present only a snapshot of the applications and data on the systems at the time of the backup. Her testimony and the declaration recognize that the backups may not be complete.

“In addition, we are still worried about the e-mails that are missing from before October 2003. No one said anything about those e-mails today,” noted Meredith Fuchs.

Visit the Web site of the National Security Archive for more information about today’s posting.

http://www.nsarchive.org

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Cunningham smeared Obama, used his middle name during appearance at McCain rally

The MSNBC.com blog First Read reported that conservative radio host Bill Cunningham “repeatedly referred to [Sen. Barack] Obama as Barack Hussein Obama — at least three times.” Cunningham has a history of smearing Obama and referring to him as “Barack Hussein Obama,” doing so on Hannity’s America and his own nationally syndicated show.

Read More

http://mediamatters.org/items/200802260005?lid=95307&rid=4247321

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THE SWIFTBOATING OF OBAMA GOES INTO OVERDRIVE!

By Steve Young

First there was the Madrassa rumor, then the ceremonial Kenyan garb picture, but you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Take a read of the email I received yesterday…

http://tinyurl.com/2oox2j   (www.opednews.com)

Today’s Quote:

“Forget Swift Boats; this election year could become the battle of the armadas. Thanks to the success of misleading ads against John Kerry in 2004—as well as recent Supreme Court and Federal Election Commission actions—the current presidential contest promises to be more cacophonous and mud strewn than any in recent history, with a record number of down-and-dirty ads financed on the sly by big-money interests. Attacks bankrolled by “independent” groups—businesses, unions, and millionaires—and amplified by YouTube and reporters starved for news “will play a much greater role than ever before,” predicts a top GOP strategist.”

- David Corn, Meet the New Mudslingers

http://tinyurl.com/37ny32  (www.motherjones.com)

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KBR 4th Q profit up 65% on tax benefits, gas projects and ‘work’ in Iraq –Former Halliburton subsidiary remains Pentagon’s biggest private contractor mercenary in Iraq

26 Feb 2008

KBR Inc. reported Tuesday its fourth-quarter profit rose 65 percent… its top executive said a growing backlog suggests 2008 will be a good year. KBR’s total backlog for continuing operations grew to $13 billion in the fourth quarter, up nearly 9 percent from the prior quarter and 5 percent from a year ago.

At:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/5571498.html

From: CLG News

KBR’s Net Rises 65%

26 Feb 2008

KBR Inc. said fourth-quarter net income grew 65% on a tax gain from a divested unit as the company faced the prospect of not getting reimbursed for some costs incurred since the Iraq war began. “2007 was a record year for KBR in terms of profitability and I am pleased with the ongoing performance improvement in KBR’s core businesses,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Bill Utt.

At:

http://tinyurl.com/29xyde  (online.wsj.com)

From: CLG News

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Crude surpasses $101 –Heating oil surges to new high; natural gas at highest in two years

26 Feb 2008

Crude-oil futures rallied more than $2 on Tuesday to above $101 a barrel as cold weather in the U.S. continued. Heating oil surged to a new record high. Crude for April delivery gained $2.3, or 2.3%, to a new historic high of $101.11 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange in early afternoon trading. The intraday high surpasses crude’s last record of $100.65 hit last week. [Oops! MSNBC forgot to cover this one. But they had time to air a graphic called 'Dollars to Doughnuts,' showing that Hillary Clinton spent - gasp! - 5,000 dollars on doughnuts during the campaign! A better use of MSNBC's time might involve showing a panel that details ExxonMobil's profit 'surge' since the first GOP coup d'etat, or Halliburton's dividends since same. --LRP]

At:

http://tinyurl.com/2rxl4h  (www.marketwatch.com)

From: CLG News

Oil Hits a High; Some See $4 Gas by Spring

26 Feb 2008

Gasoline prices, which for months lagged the big run-up in the price of oil, are suddenly rising quickly, with some experts fearing they could hit $4 a gallon by spring. Diesel is hitting new records daily and oil closed at an all-time high on Tuesday of $100.88 a barrel.

At:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/business/26gas-web.html

From: CLG News

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Fears of Stagflation Return – As Price Increases Gain Pace Fed Cuts Outlook For Economic Growth Amid Credit Crunch

Wall Street Journal (*requires registration)

By Greg Ip

February 21, 2008

The U.S. faces an unwelcome combination of looming recession and persistent inflation that is reviving angst about stagflation, a condition not seen since the 1970s….

Stagflation, a term coined in the United Kingdom in 1965, defined the years from 1970 to 1981 in the U.S. Inflation rose to almost 15%. The economy went through three recessions. Unemployment reached 9%. Fed Chairman Paul Volcker finally conquered inflation, but only by dramatically boosting interest rates, causing a severe recession in 1981-82….

“The reason we’re so unlikely to see a repeat is we’re not adding irresponsible policy,” says CHRISTINA ROMER, AN ECONOMIST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY and a historian of Fed policy. That means if the Fed is wrong in thinking inflation’s recent rise is temporary, it will tolerate economic weakness in order to get inflation down again. “They’d have to let us suffer for a while.”…

In the early 1970s, President Nixon, with the acquiescence of Fed Chairman Arthur Burns, tried to get inflation down by imposing controls on wage and price increases….

…Mr. Burns and his colleagues wrongly concluded inflation no longer responded to the condition of the economy, said Ms. Romer, the Berkeley economist. “They didn’t know how the world worked,” she said….

Complete article at:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120355396795281551.html

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Bond crisis already crimping states

By Daniel C. Vock, Stateline.org Staff Writer

Michigan just suspended a state loan program for 8,500 students, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is facing a four-fold jump in interest rates on one of its loans. Both are signs of a new bond-market crisis that is threatening to hurt other cities and states if left unchecked.

  Read More

http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=282246

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Borowitz Report – Billion-dollar Obama Shocker

Cash-rich Obama Buys Yahoo

Outbids Microsoft for Internet Giant

Flush with cash after a deluge of online donations, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill) stunned the business world today by outbidding Microsoft for the Internet giant Yahoo.

The purchase of Yahoo is believed to be the largest acquisition of a multibillion-dollar company ever by a Democratic presidential candidate, industry experts said.

A spokesman for Microsoft at the company’s Redmond, Washington headquarters acknowledged that the company was “disappointed” to lose Yahoo to Sen. Obama, but added, “We can’t really be mad at him, because we love him so.”

The news of Sen. Obama’s $48 billion offer for Yahoo sent a shudder through Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY)’s campaign, which for the past six weeks has been subsisting on Ramen noodles.

In his televised debate in Cleveland, Ohio with Sen. Clinton, Sen. Obama said that he was able to purchase Yahoo because his campaign was reaping online donations averaging $1.8 billion a day.

Mr. Obama also offered to “personally hire” 2 million Ohioans to do odd jobs around his campaign headquarters.

“People say, can we really come up with enough errands for 2 million Ohioans to do?” he said. “Yes we can.”

Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick praised Sen. Obama’s plan, telling reporters, “His campaign is more than just words, he is offering people a real opportunity to go on a Starbucks run.”

Sen. Obama later added, “My campaign is more than just words, I am offering people a real opportunity to go on a Starbucks run.”

Elsewhere, President Bush said that the economy was not in a recession, leading economists to conclude that the economy was in a recession.

Andy in Montreal – April 8
Andy makes his first-ever appearance in Canada on Tuesday, April 8 at the Jewish Public Library in Montreal. 7:30 PM, 5151 Côte Ste-Catherine; admission free.

Andy’s Only West Coast Appearance – April 24
Andy makes his only scheduled West Coast appearance Thursday, April 24 at University of California, Santa Barbara. 8 PM at Campbell Hall. Tickets available at https://artsandlectures.sa.ucsb.edu

Andy with Susie Essman and Jeffrey Toobin – May 13
Andy hosts “Countdown to ’08″ on Tuesday, May 13 at 8 PM at the 92nd St. Y with his special guests Susie Essman (HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Jeffrey Toobin (CNN, bestselling author of The Nine). The Y is located at 92nd St. and Lexington Avenue. For tickets, go to www.92y.org .

http://www.borowitzreport.com/

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three thousand words

Monte Wolverton: at dubya’s new presidential library …

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoons/WolveM/2008/WolveM20080225_low.jpg

Nick Anderson: nader for president campaign

http://img.slate.com/media/92/080226_ed.gif

Ann Telnaes: are you patriotic? …

http://images.ucomics.com/comics/tmate/2008/tmate080227.gif

“I would tell audiences that we were facing not a bubble but a froth – lots of small, local bubbles that never grew to a scale that could threaten the health of the overall economy.” – Alan Greenspan, The Age of Turbulence.

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AP uncritically quoted “dirty trickster” Roger Stone — founder of C.U.N.T. — attacking Obama’s patriotism

An AP article about conservative attacks on Sen. Barack Obama’s patriotism quoted Roger Stone, identifying him only as a “Republican consultant.” The article did not mention that Stone established the anti-Hillary Clinton 527 group Citizens United Not Timid, which emphasizes its acronym on its website and on T-shirts, or that he reportedly was forced to resign from a political campaign in August 2007 after allegedly leaving a threatening telephone message at the office of New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s father.

Read More

http://mediamatters.org/items/200802250009?lid=91416&rid=4187066

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Oil Rises to Near $100 on Turkey News

25 Feb 2008

Oil prices rose to near $100 a barrel Monday as the Turkish incursion into northern Iraq and ‘warnings by Iran against further sanctions heightened concerns over potential crude supply disruptions.’ [Gee, Exxon's pre-election gas sale can't get here soon enough!]

At:

http://tinyurl.com/32vag9  (ap.google.com)

From: CLG News

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Iraq Oil Report – ‘Turkey, Kurds and the Iraq oil hype…’

Plus:

*Brits’ new Basra economic chief acknowledges concern over denationalization of natural resources
*KRG Pres. Massoud Barzani’s Baghdad beef
*Baiji-Baghdad-Anbar railway reconstruction begins
*Much, much more…

Fears continue, as does the Turkish invasion into northern Iraq, that the latter will cut supplies of oil in Iraq, thus buoying the price of oil.
 

While Agence France-Presse reports of worries over OPEC [...]

You may view the latest post at

http://tinyurl.com/2xejem  (iraqoilreport.com)

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The WasteBasket: A Bulletin on Wasteful Government Spending

by Taxpayers for Common Sense www.taxpayer.net

Check out our just-released complete Database of FY2008 Congressional
Earmarks

http://capwiz.com/taxpayer/utr/1/JAVHIDBQZE/DIHQIDBRGG/1759402376

A MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Volume XIII No. 8 – February 22, 2008

Important decisions in Congress aren’t always just about passing laws and legislation, sometimes they are more mundane.

When Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour (R-MS) selected Rep. Roger Wicker (R-MS) to fill the shoes of retiring Senator Trent Lott (R-MS), he created a coveted vacancy on the Appropriations Committee the people who write the checks to fund the federal government.

The committee vacancy brought out all sorts of contestants. Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA) and Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO), both politically vulnerable incumbents, Rep. Henry Brown (R-SC) and Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL), who had both been candidates for open appropriations seats in the past. And, Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), a leader of efforts in Congress to reign in earmarking and to make the Appropriations Committee more fiscally responsible, also put his hat in the ring.

The race to fill the open Appropriations Committee seat created a golden opportunity for House Republicans to put some substance behind their recent rhetoric about the need for greater earmark reform and transparency. But by picking Rep. Bonner, Republican leadership in the House squandered their chance to demonstrate that they were serious about changing the way the Appropriations Committee does business. And by not choosing Rep. Flake, a proven advocate of earmark reform and transparency, an even greater opportunity was missed. Given an opening to fundamentally challenge spending priorities in Washington, House Republicans instead chose to continue business as usual.

In addition, their final pick didn’t make much sense: Rep Bonner hails from a state already with significant representation on the committee. With his addition, almost half of Alabama’s congressional delegation sits on the powerful Appropriations Committee.

Despite efforts to characterize him as a reformer, the choice of Rep. Bonner was practically a coronation. Before his election to Congress he was Chief of Staff for his predecessor, Sonny Callahan, also a powerful Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman. Callahan’s predecessor, Jack Edwards, was also a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Republican leadership continues to pull their punches on earmark reform. Democrats made their earmark reform splash last year because they went further towards reform and transparency than anyone thought they would. Instead of taking a page from that book, Republicans seem to be trying to get by on spin and half measures.

Perhaps House Republican leadership could crib from Rep. Henry Waxman’s (D-CA) recent press release where he announced that after obtaining $12.9 million in earmarks in FY08, he wouldn’t pursue any for FY09. Waxman stated, “We have a problem in Congress. Congressional spending on earmarks is out of control?I think our best approach would be to suspend all earmarks for the 2009 appropriations cycle while we consider the right reforms for the earmark process.” Other lawmakers, like Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) have made similar remarks and come to similar decisions. But rather than taking a bold stand, the Republican caucus only calls for an earmark moratorium and reform if the Democratic caucus goes along.

These squandered opportunities and empty rhetoric simply reinforce public cynicism about Congress. Forty-four percent of FY08 earmarks went to Republicans, and the explosion of earmarks happened under their watch. Significant progress on earmark reform was made last year, but it is a long road ahead to get to true transparency and accountability in how politicians spend our tax dollars.

Words are nice, but taxpayers demand more action from both sides.

Going on at Taxpayer.net This Week

BREAKING NEWS: Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ) Indicted by Federal Grand Jury
http://capwiz.com/taxpayer/utr/1/JAVHIDBQZE/GCHXIDBRGH/1759402376

Check out TCS’s Complete FY2008 Database of Congressional Earmarks
http://capwiz.com/taxpayer/utr/1/JAVHIDBQZE/JKKKIDBRGI/1759402376

Ending the Earmark ATM: An Insider’s View of Congressional Earmarks
http://capwiz.com/taxpayer/utr/1/JAVHIDBQZE/GKRIIDBRGJ/1759402376

TCS in the News

Shelby near top of pork list (Birmingham Business Journal)
Link between programs’ funding, performance ratings is tenuous (GovExec.com)
Car-eating potholes dead ahead (Detroit Free Press)
Smart Growth Plan Proposed In Anticipation of BRAC-Related Development(Southern Maryland Online)
Bonner promises to try to reform earmark process in new committee spot (Media General, Washington DC)
Allegheny National Forest: Forest or Plantation? (The Patriot-News, Pennsylvania)
ElectionWatch: Networks Downplay Earmarks, Despite Millions Spent … (Business Media Institute, Virginia)
Capitol Hill ‘pork’ reformer faces uphill battle (Christian Science Monitor)
Editorial – Praise for pork-free politicians (Dunn County News, Wisconsin)
Salazar ranks 65th out of 100 in earmark requests in Senate (Grand Junction Sentinel, Colorado)
Bonner bashed on ‘pork’ (Press-Register, Alabama)
End the underhanded congressional spending (Concord Monitor, New Hampshire)
Video prompts Henley to take it to the limit (News & Observer, North Carolina)
Granger forced to walk fine line on earmarks (Fort Worth Star Telegram)
Valley congressmen serve up the pork (Modesto Bee, California)
Potomac Fever: Iowa got $152 million in earmarks last year (Des Moines Register)
Stevens, Young take fire over budget earmarks in Washington (Fairbanks Daily News-Miner)
Representatives set aside $1M for emergencies (Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Georgia)
ON THE HILL (The Times-Picayune, Louisiana)
Praise for pork-free politicians (Wisconsin State Journal)
Don Young earmarks unfairly singled out (Anchorage Times)
McCain pro-military, but worries defense firms (Guardian Unlimited, UK)
The Year in Earmarks (TPMmuckraker

Notable Quote

“Properly targeted earmarks can provide the resources for essential services and needs in all parts of our country.  They can also identify the most pressing priorities and bring assistance to those who need it most.  But none of us can have confidence that a majority of earmarks are meeting these goals under the current system”

- Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chairman House Committee on Oversight and Reform

                          ==========

The rising cost of food

Shoppers warned bigger bills on way

By Javier Blas

February 24 2008 22:02

When William Lapp, of US-based consultancy Advanced Economic Solutions, took the podium at the annual US Department of Agriculture conference, the sentiment was already bullish for agricultural commodities boosted by demand from the biofuels industry and emerging countries.

He added a twist – that rising agricultural raw material prices would translate this year into sharply higher food inflation.

“I hope you enjoy your meal,” Mr Lapp told delegates during a luncheon. “It is the cheapest one you are going to have at this forum for a while.”

His warning that a strong wave of food inflation is heading towards the world economy was met by nods from agriculture traders, food industry executives and western’s government officials at the USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum.

Larry Pope, chief executive of Smithfield Foods, the largest US pork processor, warned delegates of a wave of “real food inflation” just at the time central banks were under pressure to cut interest rates.

“I think we need to tell the American consumer that [prices] are going up,” he said. “We’re seeing cost increases that we’ve never seen in our business.”

…

Complete article at:

http://tinyurl.com/2ttdge  (www.ft.com)

                          ==========

Renewing U.S. Manufacturing: Promoting a High-Road Strategy

Economic Policy Institute Briefing Paper – Renewing U.S. Manufacturing: Promoting a High-Road Strategy, by Susan Helper, February 13, 2008.
 

“Over the last decade, the United States lost manufacturing jobs at a stunning rate: 16% of its manufacturing jobs disappeared in just the three years between 2000 and 2003, with a further decline of almost 4% between then and now. This had been some of the best paying work in the country. The average manufacturing worker earns a weekly wage of $725, 20% higher than the national average. This dramatic loss of high-paying manufacturing jobs is not inevitable. America can save many of these jobs with “high-road” policies that harness the knowledge of all of a firm’s stakeholders to create a highly productive, high-wage economy. As the case of the Sharp plant above suggests, the nation can accomplish this turnaround in ways that also help meet critical national goals, such as environmental sustainability.”

http://www.sharedprosperity.org/bp212/bp212.pdf

                          ==========

Congressman Ron Paul’s Texas Straight Talk – Taxes or Tolls on the TTC

“One major concern I discussed a few weeks ago regarding the Trans Texas Corridor is where the land will come from. Another concern is where the money will come from. Official government websites for the TTC assure that public-private partnerships will shield the taxpayer from bearing too much of the cost burden, but a careful reading shows the door is definitely open to public funding sources, while at the same time there is no doubt of the intention to charge tolls on the road.”

Click here for the full article:  http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2008/tst022408.htm

                          ==========

And now for the important news …. 

By Argus Hamilton

The Women’s Media Foundation sought nominations Sunday for its Courage in Journalism award. That’s easy. The bravest man in America is the one who woke up John McCain Monday with the news that all the major Academy Awards went to No Country for Old Men.

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com

                          ==========

three thousand words

Tom Toles: debt-addiction 12-step program

http://img.slate.com/media/23/080225_ed.gif

Wondermark: In which a Fortune is sought

http://wondermark.com/comics/383.gif

Tab: What Would Happen if Aliens Landed on Earth

http://cagle.com/working/080222/tab.jpg

NEW PULSE POSTED 

http://www.ornl.gov/news/pulse/pulse_v255_08.htm

That’s the url to the February 25, 2008, issue of DOE Pulse. Pulse is a newsletter about accomplishments at the Department of Energy’s national laboratories. Here is some of what you’ll find in this issue:

* Idaho: Nuclear simulations

* Berkeley: Microfluidic MRI

* Livermore: Sound science

* Oak Ridge: Neutron record

Feature: PPPL’s INCITE fusion simulations

Researcher profile: Idaho National Laboratory’s Michael Assante

                          ==========

Wash. Post did not mention that McCain campaign’s list of “[o]bjective observers” who criticized NY Times story included McCain’s own attorney

In a February 23 article, The Washington Post quoted a fundraising letter from Sen. John McCain’s campaign asserting that “[o]bjective observers are viewing” a February 21 New York Times article about McCain’s relationship with a telecommunications lobbyist “as a sleazy smear attack from a liberal newspaper against the conservative Republican frontrunner.” The Post did not note, however, that one of the “[o]bjective observers” quoted in the email was none other than Robert Bennett — an attorney hired by McCain specifically to deal with issues related to the Times’ reporting.

Read More

http://mediamatters.org/items/200802240001?lid=88577&rid=4130726

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U.S. gasoline prices rise to $3.10 a gallon: survey

24 Feb 2008

The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the United States rose in the last two weeks, tracking a rise in crude oil prices, according to a nationwide survey. [Yeah, too bad the pre-election gas sale isn't here yet.]

At:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080224/us_nm/energy_gasoline_retail_dc_1

From: CLG News

                          ==========

Speculation helping keep price of oil stratospheric

UNION-TRIBUNE
February 24, 2008

Dean Calbreath

As the price of oil jumped above $100 per barrel last week, pundits were falling over themselves to come up with explanations for the price spike.

Maybe it was that oil-refinery explosion in Texas, they said. Or maybe it’s because Venezuela is about to cut off oil shipments to the United States. Or maybe it’s because OPEC is going to slash production.

None of those ideas passes the sniff test:

There was a fire at a tiny refinery in Texas, but it affected only 70,000 barrels of crude oil a day, .004 percent of the daily production in the United States or .0008 percent of the world’s daily consumption. That’s hardly enough to make oil rise as high as $100.74 per barrel before settling down to a still-stratospheric $98.75 at the close of the week.

Venezuela’s Bush-hating President Hugo Chavez did threaten an embargo of the United States this month, but by the time oil was nearing the $100 mark, he had already backed down, as was expected.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries will probably vote to trim its production at its meeting March 5, but that’s no big news. Demand for oil typically recedes in spring, and it may drop more than normal if the global economy slows. OPEC is simply rejiggering its output to make sure its supply doesn’t outstrip demand.

Why have oil prices jumped so much?

…

Complete article at:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/calbreath/20080224-9999-1b24dean.html

Dean Calbreath: dean.calbreath@uniontrib.com

                          ==========

United States. Congressional Budget Office.

Effects of gasoline prices on driving behavior and vehicle markets

Washington : Congressional Budget Office, January 2008.

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/88xx/doc8893/01-14-GasolinePrices.pdf

                          ==========

Iraq Oil Report – ‘International actions urge against Iraq oil law, say no good oil decisions can be made under occupation’

Plus:

*A recap of Iraq’s current and potential oil sector
*Petrel Resources gets Iraq oil extension, ready for bids
*Reliance Industries staying out
*Electricity Ministry demands more money to provide power
*Much, much more

A coalition of U.S. veterans, unions and activists, who fear Iraq’s draft oil law is part of an orchestrated effort to turn Iraq’s oil reserves
 [...]

You may view the latest post at

http://tinyurl.com/252weg  (iraqoilreport.com)

                          ==========

Study Finds Corn Ethanol Adding to Greenhouse Gases

20 Feb 2008

BostonHerald.com reports that new research found that producing ethanol from corn could emit twice as much greenhouse gases as gasoline. The research pointed out that past studies failed to look at the vast changes in land use from growing corn as ethanol crops.

http://tinyurl.com/yqp4le  (www.biodieselinvesting.com)

                          ==========

THE THREE TRILLION DOLLAR WAR

By Joseph Stiglitz, Linda Bilmes, The Times of London UK

The cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts have grown to staggering proportions.

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/77663/

                          ==========

And now for the important news …. 

By Argus Hamilton

The Academy Award nominees for Best Actor on Sunday were actors who played an assassin, a gangster, a bank robber, an attorney and an oil man. This year all the bad guys are white males. It’s what the Democratic Party calls the tide of history.

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com

                          ==========

three thousand words

Ann Telnaes: can you believe the obama crazies? …

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoons/TelnaA/2008/TelnaA20080225_low.jpg

Cartoon du Jour – By Khalil: stuff the —- constitution …

http://www.bendib.com/newones/2008/february/small/2-26-RETRO-Immunity.jpg

Meyer’s Take by Tom Meyer: hillary’s believe it or not

http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/pictures/2008/02/24/022408-780×626-meyer.jpg

National Conference of State Legislatures – Ethics and Lobbying Legislation Database

http://www.ncsl.org/programs/ethics/database.htm

See what legislative ethics and lobbying bills are making their way through the nation’s state legislatures at the Center for Ethics in Government’s Ethics and Lobbying Legislation Database. Search by state, year, bill type, status, sponsor, key word, bill number or topic. Bills dealing with the following topics are included: ethics oversight, gifts, conflict of interest, honorariums, financial disclosure, nepotism, contracting with government, dual office holding, revolving door, representing others before government, ethics training, and lobbying.

                          ==========

O’Reilly aired clip of Bennett defending McCain without disclosing he’s McCain’s attorney

While discussing a New York Times article on Sen. John McCain’s relationship with a lobbyist, Bill O’Reilly aired a clip of McCain’s attorney Robert Bennett defending McCain against the article’s allegations, but did not disclose that Bennett represents McCain and was reportedly hired for the explicit purpose of dealing with the controversy.

Read More

http://mediamatters.org/items/200802220003?lid=87329&rid=4106922

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Oil giants are poised to move into Basra –It is thought that Shell, Exxon Mobil and dozens of others are watching closely.

24 Feb 2008

Western oil giants are poised to enter southern Iraq to tap the country’s vast reserves, despite the ongoing threat of violence, according to Gordon Brown’s business emissary to the country. Michael Wareing, who heads the new Basra Development Commission, acknowledged that there would be concerns among Iraqis about multinationals exploiting natural resources.

At:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/24/iraq.oil

From: CLG News

                          ==========

Iraq Oil Report – ‘Iraq and Iran meet in Tehran this week to discuss first Gulf War leftovers, including oil, border disputes and mines’

Plus:

*Status of the oil law update
*Oil Minister Shahristani on CNN Marketplace Middle East
*Corruption enemy #1
*Journalists in Basra allege South Oil Company and other security forces abuse
*Baghdad takes page from Giuliani’s NYC book in dealing with poor, homeless
*The Baghdad-Basra express restarts

A senior Iraqi delegation in Iran isn’t directly focused on recent allegations of misconduct in the [...]

You may view the latest post at

http://tinyurl.com/25vzu5  (iraqoilreport.com)

                          ==========

Oil Prices: It’s Not About the Oil

Crude oil prices are again breaking records, but not because of real issues with supply and demand 

Oil prices have resumed their wild ways. On Feb. 20 crude oil settled at $100.74—the highest ever settlement price—the second consecutive session with a settlement above $100. The spike was produced by a laundry list of news, from cold weather to a refinery explosion in Texas to the (falsely) rumored murder of a Nigerian militant leader. But when government inventories on Feb. 21 showed the nation’s crude oil supplies rose more than expected last week, West Texas crude shed $2.51, to close at $98.23.

What’s driving oil prices? Economics 101 says price is determined by the balance of supply and demand. But when it comes to the oil market, fears and expectations have been trumping economic rules and carrying the day. “These movements have nothing to do with supply or demand, or with oil for that matter,” says Fadel Gheit, senior analyst with Oppenheimer (OPY) in New York. “There is more exaggeration than ever before in this market.”

Hair-Trigger Trading

…

http://tinyurl.com/2qrlgb  (www.businessweek.com)

Herbst is a reporter for BusinessWeek.com in New York.

                          ==========

Bio-Foolish Behavior

By INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY

Friday, February 22, 2008

Environment: In 2005, America used 15% of its corn crop to replace just 2% of its gasoline. Two new studies say use of biofuels will leave the world a warmer and hungrier place. The law of unintended consequences has reared its ugly head once again, with a study published in the Feb. 7 issue of the journal Science.

According to University of Minnesota ecologist and study co-author David Tilman, converting the grasslands of the U.S. to corn for ethanol releases excess CO2 emissions of 134 metric tons per hectare (equal to 2.47 acres).

The reason is that plants, from grasses to trees, store carbon dioxide in their roots, shoots and leaves.

“I know that when I look at a tree that half the dry weight is carbon,” says Tilman. “That’s going to end up as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere when you cut it down.”

“Any biofuel that causes land clearing is likely to increase global warming,” says Nature Conservancy ecologist Joseph Fargione, the lead author of a second study also published in Science.

Fargione notes that ethanol demand in the U.S. has caused farmers to plant more corn and less soy. This has driven up soy prices and caused farmers in Brazil to clear more acres of rain forest to plant the increasingly valuable soy.

Tim Searchinger, an agricultural expert at Princeton University and lead author of the first study, says, “There is a huge imbalance between the carbon (released) by plowing up a hectare of forest or grassland from the benefit you get from biofuels.”

According to Searchinger, “Corn-based ethanol, instead of producing 20% savings, nearly doubles greenhouse gas emissions over 30 years and increases greenhouse gases for 167 years.”

…

Complete article at:

http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=288576545813154#

                          ==========

Export Development Canada … and more

 

Credit crunch symptoms spreading /

Stephen S. Poloz

Ottawa : Export Development Canada

http://www.edc.ca/english/docs/ereports/commentary/publications_14266.htm

CIBC World Markets

StrategEcon

Toronto : CIBC World Markets, February 21, 2008

http://research.cibcwm.com/economic_public/download/sfeb08.pdf

TD Bank Financial Group.

What’s going on with U.S. inflation? /

Beata Caranci

Toronto : TD Bank Financial Group, February 21, 2008

http://www.td.com/economics/special/bc0208_uscpi.pdf

Housing meltdown

Peter Coy

Why home prices could drop 25% more on average before the market finally hits bottom.

Business week, issue 4070, February 11, 2008

http://tinyurl.com/35ghjf  (www.businessweek.com)

                          ==========

The Mad, Mad Middle Class

CAF STAFF
By Isaiah J. Poole

February 21st, 2008

You may not agree, as Sara Robinson provocatively suggests, that the country is primed for revolution. But there is no doubt that large numbers of middle-class people are mad, really mad, about the damage Bush-league conservatism has done to the country and to their futures.

In fact, comments in a new Democracy Corps report, based on focus groups of Republicans and Democrats in Orlando, Fla., and Columbus, Ohio, reveal deep anger and frustration over policies that favor the wealthy and pull the ability to meet their basic aspirations further from their grasp.

Note comments like these:

Columbus man: “They talk about the economy as working for the very wealthy and I read in the New York Times that $200,000 per year is the new $100,000 per year in salary…That’s the standard of living to feel like you’ve really made it in America, $200,000 a year. For most people, that’s unattainable. They’ll never see that in two lifetimes. So I think it’s unfortunate that there is one-tenth of one percent of Americans own forty percent of the wealth in this country. That’s an obscene number. It’s a disgusting number.”

Orlando woman: “I don’t like people having like no-bid contracts over there [in Iraq]. I think that has really escalated the cost of the war too. I mean this war is just unbelievable and the cost and the money could be going to help New Orleans, use it on domestic programs and helping other nations.”

Columbus woman: “The war in Iraq, the amount of money being spent over there, and the cost of oil. It’s kind of all tied in. And then all of that filters down eventually to everyday people. And all of those costs eventually fall on our shoulders. On shoulders that are already pretty well packed.”

From the rising costs of fuel to the effects of the mortgage crisis, the Democracy Corps sessions reflect a middle class that feels under siege. And the traditional conservative palliatives, as far as these people are concerned, no longer cut it.

When the focus groups were presented with two economic messages — one based on Republican stump speeches that focuses on making the 2003 tax cuts for the wealthy permanent and an alternative that emphasized such items as investment projects, extending unemployment insurance and child tax credits, these prospective voters were, in the Democracy Corps words, “overwhelmingly drawn” to the more progressive message.

Here’s how a Columbus participant saw it:

…

Complete article at:

http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/mad-mad-middle-class

                          ==========

SOUTHERN CONE RENDITION PROGRAM: PERU’S PARTICIPATION – Operation Condor Crimes Focus of Italian Indictments

National Security Archive Update, February 22, 2008

New York Times Story Draws Attention to 1980 Abduction, Disappearance Case

http://www.nsarchive.org

Washington D.C., February 22, 2008 – Declassified U.S. documents posted today on the Web by the National Security Archive (www.nsarchive.org) show that the U.S. government had detailed knowledge of collaboration between the Peruvian, Bolivian and Argentine secret police forces to kidnap, torture and “permanently disappear” three militants in a Cold War rendition operation in Lima in June 1980–but took insufficient action to save the victims.

The Archive’s documents are part of a sweeping Italian investigation of Condor that has issued arrest warrants for 140 former top officials from seven South American countries and, in the words of today’s New York Times, has “agitated political establishments up and down the continent.”

The documents address what has become known as “the case of the missing Montoneros,” a covert operation by a death squad unit of Argentina’s feared Battalion 601 to kidnap three members of a militant group living in Lima, Peru, on June 12, 1980, and render them through Bolivia back to Argentina. (A fourth member, previously captured, was brought to Lima to identify his colleagues and then disappeared with them.) “The present situation is that the four Argentines will be held in Peru and then expelled to Bolivia where they will be expelled to Argentina,” a U.S. official reported from Buenos Aires four days after Esther Gianetti de Molfino, María Inés Raverta and Julio César Ramírez were kidnapped in broad daylight in downtown Lima. “Once in Argentina they will be interrogated and then permanently disappeared.”

Italy’s indictments include General Morales Bermudez and his military deputy Pedro Richter Prada, among 138 other military officers from Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay who were involved in the kidnapping, torture and disappearances of 25 Latin Americans who had dual Italian citizenship. The indictments, in a 250-page court filing by Italian judge Luisianna Figliolia last December, come after a six-year investigation by investigative magistrate Giancarlo Capaldo, who drew on hundreds of declassified documents provided by the National Security Archive’s Southern Cone project. “These documents provide hard evidence of Condor crimes,” according to project director Carlos Osorio, “that almost 30 years later still demand the resolution of justice.”

The New York Times story, “Italy Follows Trail of Secret South American Abductions,” noted that the Italian effort at universal jurisdiction “deals not only with individual cases involving Italian citizens but also with the broader responsibilities of Condor’s cross-border kidnapping and torture operations.” The story also suggested that Condor’s allied effort to track down, kidnap, and secretly transport targets to third countries, according to historians, was “reminiscent of the United States’ modern terrorist rendition program.”

The Archive’s Peter Kornbluh noted “sinister similarities between Condor and the current U.S. rendition, enhanced interrogation, and black site detention operations.”

                          ==========

Borowitz Report – Nader Announcement Shocker

Nader Announces Plan to Wreck Election

But Prominent Crackpots are Cool to Bid

Appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press” today, consumer activist Ralph Nader told host Tim Russert that he has officially decided to wreck the 2008 presidential election.

Mr. Nader had been huddling with prominent crackpots over the weekend to determine whether he had enough support among his natural constituency, self-absorbed whack-jobs, to mount an entirely meaningless campaign.

“If I wreck the 2008 election, I intend to wreck it in all fifty states,” Mr. Nader told Mr. Russert today. “I have no intention of being merely a regional spoiler.”

When asked if his candidacy could hurt the chances of the first African-American nominee for president, Mr. Nader put his fingers in his ears and started going, “Lalalalalalalala I can’t hear you.”

But across the country, significant numbers of crackpots who have supported Mr. Nader in the past appeared to be cool to his latest bid to wreck a presidential election.

“If I’m going to waste my vote, I want to be sure I’m wasting it on the right wingnut,” said longtime crackpot Stacy Klujian, who has supported Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex) in his 2008 campaign. “It is time for Ralph Nader to step aside for a new generation of bananaheads.”

For his part, Mr. Nader said that he had already begun preparing for his latest run as a spoiler by sneaking up behind people who were watching “No Country for Old Men” and telling them how it ended.

“It wasn’t as challenging as spoiling an entire election, but it was fun,” he said.

Andy in Montreal – April 8
Andy makes his first-ever appearance in Canada on Tuesday, April 8 at the Jewish Public Library in Montreal. 7:30 PM, 5151 Côte Ste-Catherine; admission free.
Andy’s Only West Coast Appearance – April 24
Andy makes his only scheduled West Coast appearance Thursday, April 24 at University of California, Santa Barbara. 8 PM at Campbell Hall. Tickets available at https://artsandlectures.sa.ucsb.edu

Andy with Susie Essman and Jeffrey Toobin – May 13
Andy hosts “Countdown to ’08″ on Tuesday, May 13 at 8 PM at the 92nd St. Y with his special guests Susie Essman (HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Jeffrey Toobin (CNN, bestselling author of The Nine). The Y is located at 92nd St. and Lexington Avenue. For tickets, go to www.92y.org .

http://www.borowitzreport.com/

                          ==========

three thousand words

Tom Toles: just married – recession/$100 oil

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/uc/20080222/ltt080222.gif

Rob Rogers: remind me why I thought this was a good idea

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoons/RogerR/2008/RogerR20080224_low.jpg

Mike Luckovich: what woman? …

http://www.comics.com/editoons/luckovich/archive/images/luckovich2008022523904.gif

#8 of the Top 10 Bizarre Biblical Tales

Onan – cautious, yet foolish

Found in: Genesis 38:8-10

A story so eponymous, it gave way to its own neologism – onanism, an archaic term for masturbation. Basically, God kills Er. Why? We don’t really find out. However, in a stroke of good luck, Er’s father, Judah, has given you the right, nay the duty, to have sex with your dead brother’s wife. Onan is a bit apprehensive at first, but agrees to go through with this bizarre scheme to create a ‘true heir’ to Er. He begins to have sex with the girl, but at the last minute decides to pull out and spill “his seed upon the ground.” God is so irked he decides to kill Onan too, and thus nobody gets an heir. This story is the basis for the Christian condemnation of masturbation and birth control.

The moral of this story? In the words of Monty Python, “Every sperm is sacred…”

                          ==========

Gods Christians Don’t Believe In / Gods Atheists Don’t Believe In

http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/02/11/gods-we-dont-believe-in/

                          ==========

ITALIAN POLICE STORM HOSPITAL TO PREVENT A LATE-TERM ABORTION

By Bean, Lawyers, Guns and Money

Is this what we’re heading toward here in the U.S.?

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/reproductivejustice/77348/

                          ==========

EX-CON TELEVANGELIST JIM BAKKER RETURNS TO TV WITH A NEW REAL ESTATE SCHEME

By Steven Reynolds, The All Spin Zone

The clock is ticking on when his new ministry will explode into scandal, though it’s even money whether his followers will finally ditch him for good.

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/77301/

                          ==========

EVOLUTION TO BE TAUGHT AS SCIENTIFIC ‘THEORY’ IN FLORIDA BECAUSE OF RIGHT-WING CAMPAIGN

By Ben Armbruster, Think Progress

A 2005 national review gave Florida’s science standards a failing grade because of its “superficiality of the treatment of evolutionary biology.”

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/77344/

                          ==========

Florida’s Education Evolution

Yesterday, the Florida Board of Education voted 4-3 to adopt new science standards that, for the first time, would require public schools to teach evolution. Previously, Florida’s science standards referred to evolution as “biological changes over time,” but those rules “were slammed by scientists as vague and shallow.” The new standards are intended to “make science learning more in depth” and “improve the understanding of science by Florida students, who do poorly in the subject area when tested.” In fact, a 2005 national review gave Florida’s science standards a failing grade because of their “superficiality of the treatment of evolutionary biology” and for “fudging or obfuscating the entire basis on which biology rests.” The new science proposal — which won the approval of the National Academy of Sciences — defined evolution as “the fundamental concept underlying all of biology” and one “supported by multiple forms of scientific evidence.” But instead of accepting this scientific standard, the Florida Board approved “a last-minute alternative” following numerous public complaints and objections made by religious conservatives. The new Florida school science standard on evolution will come with a caveat: “The subject will be taught as ‘the scientific theory of evolution.’”

www.americanprogressaction.org

                          ==========

Election Abuse of Faith

Election year 2008 has been peppered with talk of the place of faith in American politics. Candidates and religious leaders need to exercise greater caution. Whether expressing their deeply held personal beliefs or commenting on the influence faith has in a candidates’ decision-making.

Pastors are skating close to endorsement and some have crossed the line. Americans United recently reported Liberty University to the IRS for electioneering. Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr sent an email to supporters endorsing the candidacy of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Sending the endorsement on University letterhead in his capacity as chancellor constitutes a clear violation of federal tax law for tax- exempt 501(c) (3) organizations.

Federal tax law strictly forbids tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from endorsing candidates. However, the legality of candidate appearances at houses of worship when the same access is available to all candidates and no endorsements take place seems to remain in sure. Please visit our website for information on the restrictions and rights of houses of worship in electoral politics to ensure that your actions are within the law.

Americans United’s Rev. Barry W. Lynn says, “It is imperative that our houses of worship not become houses of partisan politics. We’ll be watching closely as Campaign 2008 proceeds, and we will take action when necessary.”

Faith Connections eNewsletter  www.au.org

                          ==========

Americans United Commends IRS For Investigation Into Partisan Politicking By California Church

February 13, 2008

Federal Inquiry Into Controversial Southern Baptist Pastor’s Electioneering Shows IRS Is Serious About Enforcing Tax Law, Says AU’s Lynn
 

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today commended the Internal Revenue Service for launching an investigation of a California pastor who used church resources to endorse Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee.

On Aug. 11, Dr. Wiley S. Drake, pastor of the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park, issued a press release on church letterhead endorsing Huckabee. Drake reiterated that endorsement on his church-affiliated radio show.

Americans United filed a complaint with the IRS noting that Drake’s actions appear to clearly violate federal tax law prohibitions on electioneering by non-profit groups.

Yesterday, WorldNetDaily reported that the IRS has opened an investigation into Drake’s actions and that the Alliance Defense Fund would represent Drake.

“I commend the IRS for investigating Pastor Drake’s flagrant abuse of church resources,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director. “This is a clear signal to clergy that the IRS is serious about enforcing federal tax law.

“When Religious Right operatives try to enlist churches in partisan political machines, they are putting those congregations’ tax exemptions at risk,” Lynn continued. “Americans go to church to grow spiritually, not be lectured on which political candidate to vote for.”

Drake is a prominent pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. He recently completed a term as second vice president of the group, its third highest post. He currently is running for president of the denomination, which became increasingly political after a fundamentalist takeover in the 1980s.

Following Americans United’s complaint to the IRS, Drake lashed out with a press release urging his supporters to pray for the destruction of Americans United and two of its staff members.

In his Aug. 14 missive, issued on church letterhead, Drake said, “In light of recent attacks from the ememies [sic] of God I ask the children of God to go into action with Imprecatory Prayer. Especially against Americans United for Seperation [sic] of Church and State…. Specifically target [AU staff members] Joe Conn or Jeremy Learing [sic].”

Imprecatory prayers are curses that ask God to strike down enemies. Drake provided some examples of imprecatory prayers from the Bible for his followers to emulate.

“Let his days be few; and let another take his office,” Drake wrote. “Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg.”

WorldNetDaily published portions of the IRS’s Feb. 5 letter to Drake. The letter states that it is “notice of the beginning of a church tax inquiry…. We are sending it because we believe it is necessary to resolve questions concerning your tax-exempt status as a church….”

The IRS letter cited Drake’s Aug. 11 press release on church letterhead and noted that churches “are prohibited from participating in, or intervening in (including the publication or distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office. This is an absolute prohibition, violation of which results in denial or revocation of exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes.”

Drake’s Aug. 11 press release on church letterhead said, “I announce that I am going to personally endorse Mike Huckabee. I ask all my Southern Baptist brothers and sisters to consider getting behind Mike and helping him all you can.”

Following that letter, Drake used his church-based internet radio show, “The Wiley Drake Show,” to plump for Huckabee.

“I believe Mike Huckabee is, indeed, a man that I can endorse. As Second Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention, I put out a press release to that effect,” he said on his Aug. 13 show, which is broadcast from the First Southern Baptist Church of Buena Park.

Alliance Defense Fund Attorney Eric Stanely said the IRS’s letter of investigation was in response to Americans United’s complaint. He accused Lynn of being “Big-Brotherish” and suggested that AU is trying to infringe on pastors’ right to speak freely on issues.

Responded AU’s Lynn, “Stanely is wrong on both counts. We support the right of clergy to speak out on issues, but they simply cannot endorse candidates using church resources. Furthermore, it’s not ‘big-brotherish’ to ask pastors to obey the law.”
 

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State   www.au.org

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HUCKABEE’S WIFE TAKES A BREATHER AT A VEGAS FIGHT, RESTS AT HOOTERS

By Melissa McEwan, Shakesville

Doesn’t she know she’s the wife of a Baptist preacher and should never do anything but read the Bible and make Christian babies?!

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/77510/

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Why Is Secular European Society Doing So Much Better Than God-Fearing America? The Big Picture, Part 1

Gregory Paul

Clearly something is very wrong in America compared to the more secular western countries when it comes to the health of the society? Is this an accident of history and circumstances? The evidence says no.

http://tinyurl.com/ytauab  (www.opednews.com)

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Link between religion and morality is false

Religion comes in two` parts: faith and ideology. Faith is always bad because it denies the truth and just makes you think that things are okay. It’s just like alcohol or drug addiction, a pleasing fantasy that is often used to mask how your life is falling apart. It is far better to stop the addiction and make your life genuinely improve than to spend it in delusion.

Ideology is the part of religion that is tacked on to the beliefs and used to tell people what to do. This can be to do good things and to do bad things. What is noticeable about the good things that people presume comes from their faith is that these ethics are found in people of different beliefs and people with no belief system at all. It has no positive link to how moral you are otherwise nonbelievers would be more likely to go to prison instead of the other way around.

–Robert Thornton-Kaye BSc (Hons), Lincoln, British Columbia.

http://www.holysmoke.org/icr-pri.htm

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three thousand words

Joe Liccar: bob pitches a fundraising idea to the church council

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoons/LiccaJ/2008/LiccaJ20080220_low.jpg

IF GOD IS SO POWERFUL AND HE IS SUPPOSED TO BE EVERYWHERE, HOW COME I CAN?T FIND HIM ON EITHER MYSPACE OR FACEBOOK?

http://www.reverendfun.com/2008/02/20080218_pda.gif

RUDIS MUIZNIEKS: the mind of god

http://www.humaniststudies.org/~funnies/Extras/cc20080220.jpg