Freedom...what does it mean to you
Sat Nov 04, 2006 at 09:03:49 AM PDT
I've been away for a long time. After '04 I was exhausted. I was tired of working so hard to elect democratic candidates only to be smacked down to ground on election night. I was tired of my fellow americans either failing to vote or voting for GOP candidates that had lied and misled this country.
I withdrew from politics and all that went with it. I quit checking Dailykos 18 times a day. I did not read talkingpointsmemo anymore. I played with my kids, continued to work hard and went through life humming a "i'm not going to pay attention to W leading us to hell in a handbasket" tune.
The Pitbull that Rove and others are facing
Tue Oct 11, 2005 at 05:45:20 AM PDT
A fundamental aspect of defending a criminal case is how "tough" the prosecutor is. Is he someone that believes that everyone that violates the law should be charged? Is he someone that believes in mitigation and therefore giving someone a break on sentencing when factors exist, i.e. if a defendant has been productive in life, has small children, others who rely on support etc?
OR, is the prosecutor someone who believes the law is the law and those that violate it should be prosecuted with the full force and resources that the government can muster and that if convicted should be sentenced without mercy?
It appears that Mr. Fitzgerald is a prosecutor that strikes fear in the hearts of criminal defendants and heartburn for criminal defense lawyers.
More, after the flip.
Audit: Iraq fraud drained $1 billion of our money
Fri Aug 12, 2005 at 06:45:48 AM PDT
It is not enough that there are no WMD in Iraq and that this administration mislead our country.
It is not enough that husbands and wives, and mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers are dying every day for a war based on a lie.
It is not enough that this war in Iraq has made us less safe, not more.
No, on top of all that and more, we, the taxpayers, have been robbed of about a BILLION dollars.
From the Mercury News
By Hannah Allam Knight Ridder Newspapers
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi investigators have uncovered widespread fraud and waste in more than $1 billion worth of weapons deals arranged by middlemen who reneged or took huge kickbacks on contracts to arm Iraq's fledgling military, according to a confidential report and interviews with U.S. and Iraqi officials.
The Iraqi Board of Supreme Audit, in a report reviewed by Knight Ridder, describes transactions suggesting that senior U.S.-appointed Iraqi officials in the Defense Ministry used three intermediary companies to hide the kickbacks they received from contracts involving unnecessary, overpriced or outdated equipment.
More after the flip.
Feds indict lobbyist Abramoff for fraud
Thu Aug 11, 2005 at 12:34:04 PM PDT
Unbelievable.
We'll have to wait and see if Abramoff, like most people indicted in federal court starts singing like a bird.
This could be the beginning of a very slippery slope of trouble for many connected to Abramoff.
When the powers of the criminal arm of the U.S. Department of Justice are on top of you, most people would sell out their mother.
The story from the Miami Herald after the jump.
Were our children poisoned by Thimerosal in vaccines? Who cares?
Tue Jun 28, 2005 at 06:25:51 PM PDT
For years I looked at the link between thimerosal and autism. I spent so much time on it because that is how I make my living; however, I quickly learned that this was not going to be any ordinary case. I began my investigation into thimerosal when I was approached by two families that had children diagnosed with the symptoms of autism that developed after receiving a round of vaccines. These families each told the same story. They each had healthy, happy children who changed dramatically after receiving thimerosal-containing vaccines. Children who were developing, learning words, beginning to speak, beginning to tell their moms and dads they loved them, who then changed into children who would beat their heads against the wall for hours at time and would no longer speak or make eye contact.
Like many cases where I was unfamiliar with the science, I began my investigation with an open mind, simply to find out whether or not there was a connection between thimerosal autism.
What I found was more disturbing than I could imagine.
The rest of the story, after the break.
Judge Orders CIA agents arrested
Fri Jun 24, 2005 at 11:11:58 AM PDT
There has been a great deal of debate regarding the CIA kidnapping suspected terrorists and secreting them away to locations where torture is not so much a problem.
I really believe in the concept of due process, even for terrorists.
Now, others in power are having some serious doubts.
More after the break.
Giuliani, once a shake-down artist....
Sat Apr 02, 2005 at 06:58:32 AM PDT
Always one.
I wonder how many of these scams Mr. Giuliani has engaged in around the country.
From the State in Columbia South Carolina:
The head of a powerful House budget panel has called on Rudy Giuliani to return $80,000 he was paid by the S.C. Hospital Association to speak at its tsunami relief fund-raiser here in February.
Rep. Tracy Edge , R-Horry, chairman of the health and human services budget subcommittee, said he was "disappointed" to learn the former New York City mayor had charged the association $100,000 to speak.
But there is more from Rudy's fellow repub after the break.
Lorraine, it's not your body in Kansas (or your med records)
Fri Feb 25, 2005 at 06:41:15 AM PDT
Following on the heels of
Lorraine's wonderful post yesterday, is news that should make all of us a little uneasy, regardless of our position on abortion.
Attorney General Phill Kline, THE chief law enforcement officer for the State of Kansas, has decided that he wants ALL the private medical files maintained by physicians in Kansas that contain information on women who have had certain types of abortion procedures.
The NYT has the story.
Why? Because someone, MAY have committed a crime. Who? He doesn't know. It's like pornography. He'll know it when he sees it.
How does this happen in America in 2005?
Tue Feb 22, 2005 at 02:38:45 PM PDT
My city, like every city in this Country, has its fair share of homeless people. Some are annoying, some are dangerous, and some are people like you and me that have had just too many bad luck breaks.
That describes Albert Witherspoon a local homeless legend, pest, enigma or hero of the GOP (he is a true self-starter).
Albert has no legs. He has no home. He has a wheelchair that is falling apart, but he has his dignity.
He also has a police-issued violation charging him with breaking the law. His offense? Operating a business without a proper city business license. It might cost him $762.50 if found guilty.
More after the break.
Frist's (the cat-killer's) "devastation" photo-op
Fri Jan 07, 2005 at 06:11:41 PM PDT
Unless you've been under a rock today, you know that
Sen. Frist is touring some of the areas hit by the tsunami. Hell, he has only been gone a few hours and already has his
smiling mug, holding a few underprivileged kids on his web site.
True to form, this style over substance senator, further downgraded America's status in the world view by tell a staffer that was taking pictures of Frist at the scene to "get some devastation in the back".
That's right. Get some money shots so when i go home, i can archive 'em and use them in my Frist for White House ads.
This is the same guy, that happens to be leading our Senate right now, and due to a lack of intelligent voting for the past 2 election cycles, is leading the U.S. Senate in setting the agenda for our country for who knows how many years.
What else can we say about our boy Dr. Frist?
Happy New Year
Fri Dec 31, 2004 at 06:56:30 AM PDT
I'm checking out until after the New Year. I'm going to go spend some time with my wife and kids, some old friends and some new.
But, I wanted to say HAPPY NEW YEAR!
2004 is almost gone...thank God. It was a strange, wild, and emotional year.
2004 certainly brought us some tough times:
1. Reelection of GWB
2. Deterioration of conditions in Iraq
3. Losing friends family in Iraq
4. GWB policies alienated us from the
Islamic World
5. GWB alienating us from the rest of the
World
6. Hurricanes in Florida
7. Tsunami disaster
8. MSM thinking that reciting GOP talking
points is fair/balanced
9. Rich got richer and the poor got poorer
BUT......
Gov't w/o Free Press or Free Press w/o Gov't?
Wed Dec 08, 2004 at 05:42:07 AM PDT
Once again, the inimitable Fritz Hollings has spoken and hit the nail on the head. In today's State (our statewide paper) he writes about the "new media" and their ever increasing inability to report the truth.
As an aside, as a South Carolinian, I must say I am deeply saddened that we have sent Jim DeMint to replace Fritz. God help us.
A teaser below the break and here is the link:
http://www.thestate.com/mld/state/news/opinion/10364309.htm
Ltr to Dobson: Bible bans Gays, but what about this?
Fri Nov 12, 2004 at 12:20:55 PM PDT
Subject: Dear Dr. Dobson
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2004 11:21:20 -0500
Dear Dr. Dobson:
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's law. I have learned a great deal from you and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's laws and how to follow them:
My Questions after the break:
A Death in the Family
Wed Nov 03, 2004 at 07:34:40 PM PDT
That is what it has felt like all day long. Like so many of you i worked my heart out. I was an on-call lawyer for election issues that arose anywhere. Darting off to various precincts to squash voter suppression. (they always happen to be minority areas...save that for another diary)
I was so energized, excited and optimistic about this election. Hell even my 6 year old called it for kerry. See this diary from last week.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/10/27/213820/79
That now feels like a lifetime ago. The hope and optimism of last week that i can hardly remember now. Today, i like you, awoke to a nightmare.
Bloggers blew it:
Wed Nov 03, 2004 at 10:52:21 AM PDT
What they say about us: from cbs.marketwatch.com
Bloggers blew it
Commentary: Much posting, little impact
By Frank Barnako, CBS.MarketWatch.com
Last Update: 12:37 PM ET Nov 3, 2004
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- No one reads blogs.
Oops! I did it again. Better get under my desk because the e-mail flames arrive.
But when the most popular political blog draws less than 270,000 visitors on Election Day, you've got to ask, "What's the point?" (More traffic reports below.)
"How dare you say such a thing?" "What about the 4 million blogs Technorati is tracking?" "What about the fact that 11 months ago RSS was a geek secret and now it's a bolt-on to My Yahoo?" "What about the 100 million page impressions a month Blogads.com says it delivers?"
CNN Reporting Kerry conceding
Wed Nov 03, 2004 at 08:14:55 AM PDT
CNN reporting that kerry called bush and conceded
its over folks
now we must decide where to go from here
i think we all take a break
relax a few days
congratulate yourselves on the victories
mourn the losses and lets get back to work next week on changing this place for the better
i think there is a lot we can do if we come together
lets think up some goals support each other and continue to support progressive change
Bin Laden to address U.S. people
Fri Oct 29, 2004 at 12:57:27 PM PDT
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6363306/
Al-Jazeera to broadcast new bin Laden tape
Arab TV says al-Qaida leader has message for American people
BREAKING NEWS
NBC, MSNBC and news services
Updated: 2:53 p.m. ET Oct. 29, 2004
Arab satellite television station Al-Jazeera said Friday that it would broadcast a tape from al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden addressing the American people.
Al-Jazeera said the tape, to be aired at 4 p.m. ET, dealt with the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and their consequences. While the announcer said the message was an audiotape, the station's Web site called it a video.
"Orgy of theft" at Al Qaqaa AFTER invasion
Wed Oct 27, 2004 at 08:22:36 PM PDT
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/28/international/middleeast/28bomb.html
October 28, 2004
MISSING EXPLOSIVES
4 Iraqis Tell of Looting at Munitions Site in '03
By JAMES GLANZ and JIM DWYER
AGHDAD, Iraq, Oct. 27 - Looters stormed the weapons site at Al Qaqaa in the days after American troops swept through the area in early April 2003 on their way to Baghdad, gutting office buildings, carrying off munitions and even dismantling heavy machinery, three Iraqi witnesses and a regional security chief said Wednesday.
