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Bush's Iran booga-booga resumes
by Mr. Chuckles
| May 24, 2007 |
Does anyone else see the linkage between Bush receiving his $100 BILLION to fund the Iraq War -- just through Sept? -- and the heightened booga-booga about Iran?
I had already noticed that the Iran propaganda largely disappeared while Bush was waiting for his next cash infusion. Then today Iran is all over CNN and the other cable news channels! 9 US warships are engaged in daytime war exercises just off the coast of Iran and Bush holds a major news conference!!! Booga-booga.
$100 billion is a ton of money and can pay for a lot of bombing attacks. Since the Pentagon can shift money around there is no reason to believe that the Democrats didn't just fund the new Iran War.
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I'm furious about the renewed war funding, and worried cross-eyed about the renewed saber-rattling against Iran, but I hadn't intertwined the two in my mind. Nice dot-connecting ...
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What Wayne Madsen reports (part 2)
Have you ever noticed that some of the most vile people targeted by
Madson for his seemingly "slanderous" revelations have never committed
the direct conduct of calling him a liar? Madson declares that the mass
murderer Cheney is also a whoremonger. absolute silence. He also
reveals that the boyfriend murderer, Pickles, is having severe marital
disruptions produced between her own squeeze (think pimple on ass) and
the serial war-liar, Condum -- er -- Condi.
None have ever turned such seemingly Sun-or-National Inquirer-esque
"untruths" into courtroom claims. Now, there are only two reasons I can
really for this circumstance. ONE, they don't have the money to finance
a suit (huh?), or TWO, the "allegations" that Madson puts out are
fundamentally true, and even by them just calling WM a liar makes it a
court-actionable for slander by Madson. ... MORE ...
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DanD
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What catastrophe awaits us?
by Arielle S.
| May 24, 2007 |
Re Grounds for impeachment, and arrest
Scarier than any horror movie I ever saw ... So what kind of catastrophic emergency is he going to create?
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What might trigger such an "emergency", of course, remains to be seen. But we live near an airport, and I must admit, walking home from work last night and watching planes climb into the sky, I was thinking how easy it would be for these criminals -- meaning, the Bush-Cheney administration -- to plant a bomb, blow up a passenger jet, and seize absolute power.
And then I was thinking, a few years ago such a thought would've been proof of paranoia. But with Bush-Cheney, having such thoughts just establishes that you're well-informed.
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Helen & Harry
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Seen in traffic
Bumper sticker seen in traffic:
If you aren't appalled, you aren't paying attention.
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I'm paying attention, but being appalled all the time is exhausting.
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Helen & Harry
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Quick thinking
by Herb Ruhs, MD
| May 24, 2007 |
The "War On Terror" is the latest version of the age old war on the
poor.
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Herb Ruhs, MD
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Cheney and rumors of Cheney
Re What Wayne Madsen reports
Madsen (only source?)
'DC madam' lawyer: Cheney isn't not on phone records
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Your note is so cryptic I'm not sure whether we're agreeing or disagreeing. The article you've sent cites Wayne Madsen's report, and rumors spawned by Madsen's report. By my amateur standards of journalism, though, rumors based on Madsen's report are not a "second source" that confirms Madsen's report.
And again I'll say, Madsen might be right about this, might be wrong -- we'll see how the story develops. I'm just not buying it solely on Wayne Madsen's say-so, even as Madsen's say-so reverberates on other websites and on late night monologues and in emails in our in-box. I'll need to read it from someone I trust, someone whose name isn't Wayne Madsen, and whose source isn't Wayne Madsen.
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Helen & Harry
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When cats sprout wings
by Kathy Fisher
| May 24, 2007 |
Maybe the cat just needs a good combing Looks like extra long fur balls!
Nice Maine coon cat though.
Chinese woman claims her cat has grown wings
First your money, then your life
Bonuses offered to new, re-enlisting troops
Is it a bonus, or a bribe?
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Wig
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6 o'clock Iraq follies
Well, I feel odd about the recent capitulation by the democrats on the funding bill. Not surprised about it but sorely disappointed (again).
I may be revealing my age by writing this but this is why the riot in 68 happened at the Democratic convention and not the Republican. Everyone expected the Republicans to come down on the side of war for no good reason, it is what they are about. And sure in Chicago it was the police who attacked first but we all knew we were being betrayed by the Democrats. Same lame excuses that I am reading and hearing on the news now to top it off!
What is it going to take, how many broken heads how many broken bodies? How many dead and wounded soldiers? How long before they just declare victory again and evacuate the asylum -- sorry, meant embassy?
Americans in the end will vote Republican not because they have the answer but because you might as well vote for the real devil when the other choice wants to also be the devil.
We need a new Roosevelt or an Eisenhower, at least they tried. Ike brought an end to the Korean War like he said he would try. Pelosi needs to be out in the real world trying to make a living on a real job at current salaries not as Speaker with that wonderful retirement package the rest of us won't get!
I am just saddened because I had hoped. Foolish me I guess.
What if they threw a Democratic Party and nobody came?
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J.R.
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Wayne Madsen is wrong again
by Angry Annie
| May 24, 2007 |
Re What Wayne Madsen reports
Here, add this one to the list of stories Wayne Madsen's gotten wrong.
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Angry Annie
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The why of it
by JR Mooneyham
| May 24, 2007 |
So THIS is why Bush wants to attack Iran:
Iran most active in countering terror| |
Excerpt: A recent statement issued by the UN Security Council (UNSC) says Iran is the most active country in countering terrorism.
The statement was issued after Iran submitted a report to the UN titled "Iranian Government's 50 Counterterrorism Acts" which presented the UNSC with Iran's activities in fighting terrorism during 2006. |
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It's a good quip but I'm skeptical. I'm wondering why the article doesn't quote from or give the title of the "recent statement issued by the UN Security Council," and I'm wondering whether the source, Press TV, is a distinctly different entity from the Iranian government...
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Helen & Harry
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Five questions about Wayne Madsen
by Marshall C.
| May 24, 2007 |
Re What Wayne Madsen reports
So what's your thing with Wayne Madson? So he gets things wrong once in a while? So you don't ever make mistakes? So you don't think it's possible Dick Cheney could be a prostitute's customer? You think someone would fuck that monster if she wasn't being paid?
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We certainly make mistakes, and as we've already said, it's entirely plausible that Cheney would be a prostitute's customer. It's a great story and I'd love it to be true, but Wayne Madsen's say-so isn't evidence enough to make me believe it.
We simply don't believe a source that seems to get the facts wrong, repeatedly. Why do you believe him?
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Helen & Harry
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Third party?
by Leon Fisher
| May 24, 2007 |
If in fact a third party candidate was to be elected President, he would
have to face an entrenched and hostile Congress. Therefore, any attempt
by a third party President to introduce reform without the necessary
support in Congress would be doomed to failure.
No, a boycott by tens of
millions of voters, added to those millions of Americans already turned
off by the current political process would send a message to the
Washington politicians that could not be ignored.
At risk of being
totally ignored by their constituents, even the most powerful
politicians would be forced to rethink where their bread is buttered.
And for that matter if millions of small investors, fed up with the
economic rape of the American economy would divest from the market,
perhaps Wall St may reconsider their support for Free Trade.
Leon
All the bird he gets
Obstacles to peace: Water| |
Excerpt: The Arab-Israeli dispute is a conflict about land - and maybe just as crucially the water which flows through that land.
The Six-Day War in 1967 arguably had its origins in a water dispute - moves to divert the River Jordan, Israel's main source of drinking water.
Years of skirmishes and saber rattling culminated in all-out war, with Israel quadrupling the territory it controlled and gaining complete control of double the resources of fresh water.
A country needs water to survive and develop. In Israel's history, it has needed water to make feasible the influx of huge numbers of Jewish immigrants... |
This is what puzzles me the most about the whole middle east
debacle, why on earth would anyone voluntarily go to live there ??
The whole place is just one hot, sandy desert.
Spaniard #1: Hey, Capitano, the rain, she's a stop to fall,
and the corn, she's all dead!
Conquistidore: Shut up, Vespucci! I claim this stinking desert in the
name of the Empire of Spain forever - let's go!
Priest: Oh, by the way, you're all Catholics now, Domini, Domini,
Domini, God bless you and...
Spaniard #2: C'mon, Father, nobody in their right mind would live in
this stinking desert!" (Firesign Theatre)
* * *
Sh*t and awe| |
Excerpt: An outdoor news conference in perfect spring weather, with
birds chirping loudly in the magnolia trees, is not without its
hazards. As President Bush took a question Thursday in the White
House Rose Garden about scandals involving his Attorney General, he
remarked, "I've got confidence in Al Gonzales doin'
the job." Simultaneously, a sparrow flew overhead and left a
splash on the President's sleeve, which Bush tried several times to
wipe off. |
To paraphrase a Buddhist saying "That president deserves all the bird he gets."
Remember, remember
Re Grounds for impeachment, and arrest
Please remember this elevation of "The Police State ", "The New World Order", and paramilitary forces.
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Dee R.
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By any means necessary
Re Washington is in the grip of corporate fascism
If you're not going to vote you'd better start looking at other means. Because ignoring them doesn't mean they're going to ignore you.
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Helen & Harry
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Not now, not soon, not never
For anyone with hopes of full withdrawal of US forces from Iraq, read on. The simple facts
of the matter are the US is never going to leave Iraq, not voluntarily, at least...
Pentagon studies long-term commitment in Iraq
* * *
U.S. may turn to UN for Iraq solution: British report
Seems to me Smirk's startin' to implement the Baker-Hamilton plan on the sly...
Lucky
Re Why I Cry
I know me and my baby are so lucky that I have enough milk to feed him...
Terror sanctuary
by JR Mooneyham
| May 23, 2007 |
US says Bin Laden wants Iraq to become 'terror sanctuary'
Haven't there been numerous articles saying that's exactly what the US has
made of Iraq since we invaded?
DotheRightThing.com
by Ann in the UK
| May 23, 2007 |
Just came across this site dotherightthing.com, thought you might be interested.
In the absence of a more apt solution (uhh, I dunno, enacting and enforcing
laws to make these companies behave ethically and responsibly, say), seems
like a pretty good way to make corporations accountable.
Who know, it may actually work.
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Thanks. I've never heard of that website before, but it looks like good people doing good work. I definitely enjoyed clicking my opinions on about twenty companies listed... My opinions of most companies seems a lot more negative than the average...
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Helen & Harry
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New and improved napalm
by Raynald B.
| May 23, 2007 |
Re US official said it was "patently false,"
but US forces did use napalm in Iraq
I never could understand this napalm thing. It was invented and used, probably tested. It
is some type of feu grégeois the recipe of which was destroyed because of its
inhumanity.
Why use a new and improved version? Don't get me wrong.
I have some very good friends in the US. All I can say is WHY? Is this a means to have any
people join democracy?
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Well, I certainly can't explain it, beyond the old "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
At the highest levels of any government, and certainly American government, are monstrous men who don't cringe at all at the thought of killing and maiming people. Long as they don't get any blood splatters on their clothes.
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Helen & Harry
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What's your spin?
Re Casualties in Afghanistan & Iraq
Total Iraqi's Killed Since War Began - 2003 (4 1/2 years)
The Iraq Body Count says 67,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed - the Iraq
Government says 150,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed - the Lancet Study
says 650,000 Iraqi's have been killed.
Consensus: Total Iraqis - 350,000 have been killed - (including the Iraq
army, militant combatants, insurgents and civilians) (Iraqi civilians killed
125,000 of total)
What's your Spin?
The Lancet Study
The Iraq Body Count
Iraq Govt
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We don't "spin" the dead.
There's a war going on. Lots of people are dead, "lots" is way too many, and a lot more will be dead by the time I finish typing this. We're doing what we can to stop the slaughter -- are you? Or are you just wasting our time with a game of "pin the tail on the corpses"...?
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Helen & Harry
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Lanny Davis
Re White House whitewashed
'Privacy Board' recommendations
your article was an eye opener. It seems these review boards are nothing but whitewashes.
I guess davis did do some good when he quit. at least he made some paper somewhere.
He didn't do his job either. He just quit and walked away.
as i write this, i am listening to bush on the telly. he is speaking at the coast guard
academy graduation. the poor bastards have no choice but to sit there and listen to this
fucking bastard.
he is starting to sound like he is coming apart. god willing it will happen soon...
I wish nothing for him and his family except what they deserve.
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Unlike our president madman, I believe torture is repulsive, and that any imprisonment should be safe and humane. No exceptions. Therefore I would have to oppose any proposal that gave Bush the punishment he deserves.
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Helen & Harry
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What Wayne Madsen reports
Wayne Madson is a first-class reporter, with just a small and very
modified yellow-journalism streak in him. As far as I'm concerned, his
personally flavored style at least lets me know that I may be reading
something composed by a human. ... MORE ...
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DanD
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Comments for the good doctor
by Ann in the UK
| May 22, 2007 |
Re The anger over breast- and bottle-feeding
First off let me say how honored I feel that not only did Dr Herb read my
article and the discussion that followed but, also, that he took the time to
respond. As one of a rapidly dwindling number of medics who still retains my
respect, I'd like to thank him for that -- it's easy to become totally
cynical in this world, he is an occasional reminder that such complete
cynicism is still unwarranted.
However, I'd just like to pick up on a couple of things.
Firstly, I agree, the decision to breast or bottle feed can be a difficult
one. And, certainly, as others have observed, urbanization, the breakdown of
the extended family and, increased employment outside of the home are all
influencing factors. But, these are not the overriding ones. As others have
also observed, under scrutiny, these explanations for the disturbing decline
in breastfeeding (coupled with simultaneous rise in bottle-feeding) in the
west (and elsewhere) over the last century and a half are insignificant
compared with the powerful influences of the 'major saboteurs' -- the
multinational, multibillion dollar formula industry and the medical
professions entrenched reliance upon them for money.
This highly
questionable (but, as yet, still unquestioned by any one of any authority),
underhanded union, combined with a succession of seemingly complicit
governments who do little to educate women about their infant feeding
'choices', or to force workplaces to make provision for breastfeeding moms
who need to work, or to outlaw what must be the most unethical partnership
since. well since unethical partnerships where invented (yes, I know the
medical profession began to publicly divorce themselves from their
relationship with the formula industry way back when they had that series of
bad publicity in the late 70s, but no one's actually buying that, are
they?).. seems to make the likelihood of choice -- about breast milk or
formula -- all a bit academic, don't you think? The formula industry
generates enough revenue/profit/wealth to fund a small nation. Do you really
think they're going to jeopardize all that by leaving women to make private,
personal choices? Coerced choice is what we have, not informed choice.
Secondly, regarding 'demonizing people' for the choices they make. I agree
totally. That's why I propose expunging the phrases 'mother earth',
breastfeeding Nazi, lactivist, breastfeeding mafia, "'Breast is best
brigade", breastfeeding bullies. from all dialogue relating to
breastfeeding mothers who happen to be informed about choices they've
made...
I'd also like to qualify much of what Vicki said [Bottle feeding] with the words 'free of
commercial influences". Yes, HIV infected women in the west (in the
undeveloped world the risks of bottle-feeding have to be weighed against the
risks of developing HIV -- diarrhea may kill the child before HIV does),
women undergoing cancer treatment etc. (Except for underweight starlets --
even most malnourished women are still able of produce breastmilk of good
quality LINK)
should all have generic alternatives made available to them. There shouldn't
be some sort of commercial stampede for their custom.
Regards as ever
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Ann in the UK
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PS -- Regards to Doris [Boycotting] -- keep up the good work my dear, whist Nestle may not
feel it (don't you believe it, Helen and Harry, for people who say they
don't feel it, they don't half spend a lot of time and energy explaining
their position... Methinks they do doth protest too much.) I'd rather die of
thirst and starvation than let a morsel they produce into/onto my body!
Nookulur nuttiness
by JR Mooneyham
| May 22, 2007 |
Bush Admin decides it's too much trouble to cut nuclear arsenals -- even of possible enemies.
U.S. will let nuclear treaty with Russia expire| |
Excerpt: The United States plans to let a landmark nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia expire in 2009 and replace it with a less formal agreement that eliminates strict verification requirements and weapons limits, a senior U.S. official says. This would continue President George W. Bush's practice of repudiating arms control as a means of curbing nuclear weapons while relying more on countermeasures like export controls, interdiction and sanctions. |
In support of female breasts
by Kevin Good
| May 22, 2007 |
Re Why I Cry
I am a big fan of female mammary glands. They were a large factor in my parenthood adventure. Both of my children were breast fed. Any time of day or night my wife was ready with the exact formula at the perfect temperature. No need for a measuring spoon or microwave.
The only problem was weaning my son. He was learning to talk and still breast feeding. He called them 'sides' because he heard his mother ask, 'Are you ready for the other side?' Eventually we figured out he was attached with a left handed thread. We turned him counter clock wise and he popped right off.
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Sides? You've ruined "side of fries" for me, forever ...
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Helen & Harry
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In decline
Men's minds decline more with age| |
Excerpt: The new study used data from the BBC Sex ID Internet Survey, conducted between February and May 2005. The survey had more than 250,000 respondents worldwide.
Survey participants completed four tasks that tested sex-related cognitive skills: matching an object to its rotated form, matching lines shown from the same angle, typing as many words in a particular category as possible in the given time (e.g. "object usually colored grey") and recalling the location of objects in a line drawing. The first two were tasks at which men usually excel; the latter are typically dominated by women.
Within each age group studied, men and women performed better in their respective categories on average. And though performance declined with age for both genders, women showed significantly less decline than men overall. Women slowed down more in terms of their decline, but when comparing men and women of the same age, men showed a greater amount of decline. |
Especially with those in congress who seemed to have forgotten why they where elected. Now they are planning to draft an funding that would give bush ... what was the question ??
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Chris M.
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President Cheney
by Kenneth J.
| May 22, 2007 |
Two really really scary words: President Cheney. One democrat in Congress actually
said that what why he wasn't pushing Bush's impeachment. Interesting.
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That's catchy, but I'm not sure there would be any noticeable difference if Cheney was officially President. I get the impression that Cheney and Rove are already co-presidents, while Bush is merely co-dependent.
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The anger over breast- and bottle-feeding
by Herb Ruhs, MD
| May 21, 2007 |
After a few decades of experience trying to convince moms to breast feed, I think I understand some of the subtleties involved. It is often a very complicated and, above all, always a very personal decision. In a humane world moms would be supported in making these decisions rather than pilloried for making "the wrong choice." ... MORE ...
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Herb Ruhs, MD
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No rest for the weary
by JR Mooneyham
| May 21, 2007 |
This is apparently a HUGE collection of photos (BANDWIDTH AND MEMORY WARNING) showing how cities are applying spikes to anything someone might want to sit or lay down on in public.
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I was aghast when I first saw this in practice, in San Francisco ten years or so ago -- little mini-armrests on all public benches. It actually took me a moment to realize that it meant laying down was impossible. That's how empty-headed 'leaders' 'solve' the problems of poverty and societal rot.
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There's something important everyone's ignoring here: in honest-to-god disasters and emergencies, these inhospitable contraptions will cause horrible and wholly unnecessary suffering upon the city's mainstream population themselves. For it's easy to imagine scenarios where a sizable percentage of a city's population might have to take refuge in their parks and other public places. And what about when open air events are held in such places, even in normal times? The audience will be terribly pained by it all. Especially children and the elderly or infirm...the least and weakest among us...
It also makes for much graver injuries to kids who play in the vicinity of such things. It's worse than installing brass knuckles everywhere! It's like we're affixing miniature WWI bayonets to everything! Sheesh!
And all that's if you utterly ignore the intended target of these things: the decrepit homeless.
The children really are our future
Let's picture a scene from today. Your son or daughter, a senior in high school, is an apathetic, video-game, cell phone, couch lovin' lump of clay. Obsessed with looks, sex, and drama. Now let's fast-forward twenty years. It's 2027. These kids did without their educational programs, vocational training, music, art, or sports programs. They were passed on in school without an education. They were without classes to prepare them economically for the future.
They are now the people that work at the restaurants, at the car repair stations, at the hospitals. They're issuing your loans, approving and monitoring your social security. They're building your houses, fixing your water heaters and garbage disposals. THEY are teaching the next generation.
They're our governors and senators. They'll be sending the next generation off to war. They'll be approving our healthcare plans. They'll be inspecting our food for quality of edibility. They'll be our air pilots and bus drivers. They'll be our nursing home residents.
You know your government won't help. Pay attention to your kids more closely. Clamp down. Now. They really are our future.
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Sherri B.
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Bottle feeding
Re Guess what's in the bottle
Bottle feeding is not always child abuse. If you are HIV positive, you had better bottle feed unless you
want to infect your child (and many third world moms are positive because they do not have the right to
say no). If you are being treated for cancer, bottle feeding is good. If you are using a lot of
methamphetamine, bottle feeding is good. Heck, if you are a Hollywood starlet dieting back to pre-pregnancy weight, bottle feeding is good. I have seen babies in the process of starving to death
because mom was on a 1200 calorie per day diet. So, no, bottle feeding is not necessarily child abuse.
OTOH, making blanket statements about parenting may be.
Another thing I have noticed is that the breastfeeding supporters are often elitist. If they truly supported breastfeeding, paid maternity leave would last at least 6 to 9 months. Abandoned moms (aka single moms) would not be forced to return to work at 6 weeks and those who were welfare dependant would not be forced back at 3 months. In addition, those moms who did return to work (at 6 to 9 months) would have on-site daycare so they could breast feed on coffee breaks and at lunch. If you all out there truly support breastfeeding, then, come next Mother's Day, I expect to see major demonstrations in the street!
PS: Herb says hi.
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Being cheerfully childless, the ol' battle between breasts and bottle has always been off in the distance for me. The big-picture changes you're talking about sound terrific and necessary, sound like *real* solutions that would really make the situation suddenly sane ... and I hate my own pessimism for thinking this but it also sounds sadly unlikely, until women control politics ...
Meanwhile, working women (especially working women with children) don't have the huge gobs of time it takes to lead or attend rallies and such, so yeah, like you say, the activists who get camera time and become spokeswomen and become the face of a movement like this are most likely from the elite class, same as with other activist causes.
And this wasn't your point, but I have to add that those elite activists, generally speaking, annoy the f**k out of me, even when they're probably decent people and I agree with what they're saying. That's part of what makes me so uncomfortable in activist groups. I usually feel like I'm accomplishing more when I keep my distance and do things on my own -- write my own angry letters, signs, and bumper stickers, and I often attend the elite-activists' rallies and maybe make a few friends or allies there, but I shun the invitations and come-ons to sign up, pay dues, and attend meetings.
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Proprietary software catches world's stupidest sex offenders
by Angry Annie
| May 21, 2007 |
Sex predators booted from MySpace| |
Excerpt: MySpace said it is checking its membership roster with a Sentinel Tech Holding Corp. database of registered sex offenders and removing profile pages of those that match.
The two companies created together Sentinel Safe, touted as the nation's "first proprietary software dedicated to identifying and removing sexual predators from online communities." It was installed on the website on May 2. |
Does MySpace somehow require users to register under their legal names, complete with photo ID? I don't think so, so how does this "proprietary software" sniff out anyone but the stupidest convicted sex offenders -- the ones too dumb to even make up a phony name when they register with MySpace...?
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Angry Annie
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The most useless army in the world
by Mr. Chuckles
| May 21, 2007 |
If you recall, last year when Israel was attacking Lebanon, the Lebanese army stayed in their barracks and did not fight to defend their country. Many even surrendered to the Israeli invaders without firing a shot. But they're not done yet building their image as an Awesome Power...
In their latest Mighty Feat, the Proud and the Brave of Lebanon's Army are attacking a refugee camp with tanks and artillery. (Notice how they fear to engage personally but kill from afar.)
AND the US State Department is applauding.
Do you think the Lebanese government can survive when they refuse to defend their country when invaded, and then when not invaded, attack their own refugee camps? I don't. They're going down. Sooner or later that government will fall.
Thanks, Bush! You've done it again...
Lebanese army pounds Palestinian camp| |
Excerpt: Lebanese troops blasted a Palestinian refugee camp with artillery and tank fire again Monday, seeking to destroy a militant group with al-Qaida ties. The barrage smashed buildings and sent plumes of black smoke towering over the crowded camp on the Mediterranean.
The fierce, two-day battle has killed nearly 50 combatants and an unknown number of civilians, raising fears that Lebanon's worst internal violence since the 1975-1990 civil war could spread in a country with an uneasy balancing act among various sects and factions.
Palestinian officials in the camp reported at least nine civilians were killed Monday, along with 40 wounded. ...
The State Department defended the Lebanese army, saying it was working in a "legitimate manner" against "provocations by violent extremists" operating in the camp. |
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Mr. Chuckles
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Milking it for all it's worth
Re Why I Cry
We must not see this corporately sustained devotion to baby-formula poisoning as (just) a Third-World, or especially only a FEMALE, problem.
I once knew a former Air Force Sgt. who had retired in the Philippines. He wouldn't let his Filipina wife breast-feed HIS kids almost exclusively 'cause he didn't want to be living with a squeeze sporting broke-down jugs (well, alright ... pint-sized milk cartons). He could command such authority in that third-world estate mostly for the fact that this here family provider controlled a most fundamental necessity of low-rent (but much higher than REAL 3rd-world poverty) survival. That necessary object was -- of course -- a U.S. Government supplied, military retirement check. On the short-shrift, his self-indentured, in-house bedmate could do little but humor him, if for no other reason, just to keep herself from gettin' kicked to the curb (too soon).
And hell, the formula companies over there proudly advertise that their products are not only as good as momma's original, but even "scientifically proven" better! So this self-imagined, legend-in-his-own-mind had all the justification he needed to quite dogmatically command from his functionally common-law wife that her motherly allegiance must first, by default, be trusted to Nestle's (et-al) lap-dance version of new-born nutrition ~
After all, gotta keep those teaties lookin' fresh'n bouncy for the next evening's "rondayvu!"
While this may seem to be a more severe example of the larger problem, for many of the world's mothers, it's this hubris-littered brand of testosterone-enhanced selfishness that has a whole lot to do with why many women (both here in the U.S. as well as abroad) don't breastfeed their babies.
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DanD
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Peace on the peninsula
by UselessEater
| May 21, 2007 |
Army threatens critic over blog policy| |
Excerpt: When Wired News published the unclassified policy document on its Web site, [open government activist Steven] Aftergood downloaded it and posted it on his own site, along with dozens of other reports, studies and statements from Pentagon offices and other government agencies.
Two days later, Aftergood received an e-mail that appears to be from the U.S. Army. "You have Army Publications hosted on your website illegally," stated the e-mail ... "Please remove this publication immediately or further action will be taken," the e-mail concluded. |
Note that the blogger, not Wired, gets threatened by the U.S.| |
Wired does good work and does it frequently, but they're owned by Condé Nast, the giant conglomerate that owns everything from Vogue to reddit.com. Condé Nast could easily assign six or twelve of its fleet of attorneys to explain the law to the Army, and the cost wouldn't amount to a digit or a footnote on their balance sheet.
Steven Aftergood's website is a volunteer effort, where every penny spent comes from someone's personal pocket. He probably looks much easier to intimidate ... to the dolts in that Army office who don't know diddlysquat about principle and persistence, or right and wrong. |
* * *
The Koreas make historic crossing of Cold War line
What happens to the Axis of Evil if N & S Korea make peace before the US wants? Will we
remove our troops if asked?
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The question of whether there will be peace between North and South Korea is too important to be left to North and South Korea.
If peace between North and South Korea is in the interests of the Bush-Cheney criminal cabal, there will be peace. If there's more money to be made from war, or from a tense "almost war" situation, then that's what will happen, by hook or by crook. Most likely by crook.
Wish I was kidding.
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Helen & Harry
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Thank you, all
by Ann in the UK
| May 21, 2007 |
Re Why I Cry and all the responses
I've just looked at the site and all I can say is WOW! When I wrote that letter to you the other day, I really hadn't expected any response, I was just sounding off -- ranting -- as usual. I'm so heartened by all the comments I can tell you. I'd like to thank all those who not only took the time to read it, but also those who felt moved enough to respond.
My dream is that, one of these days there's going to be a criminal investigation -- the biggest the planet has ever seen, which will befit the biggest crime against humanity the planet has ever seen -- into the infant feeding scam and the succession of voracious individuals and agencies involved in it. How this fiasco has gone on unchecked for so long by any real authority one can only imagine, but these buggers must realize their days are now numbered.
That, thanks to an ongoing lack of education and government restraints, these companies are permitted to deliberately continue, virtually unrestrained, to convince women around the globe that they don't need to use, or can't even produce, the abundant, freely available fluid that, unequivocally, protects them and their children against a variety of diseases and conditions, is an abomination.
That, thanks to a lack education and government restraints, they can purposely continue to persuade women to switch to a relatively scarce and, for many, inordinately expensive 'alternative' that is -- unlike its flawless, profitless, matchless rival whose protective effects seem endless -- ever 'improving', but to this day, unbeknownst to most of those convinced to use it, still wouldn't protect someone from even a cold, is an outrage.
But, that -- perhaps years later -- these same companies can then go on to profit from that deliberate, calculated, outrageous and abominable deception by providing them with the drugs to combat these same diseases and conditions that might have been avoided if only they'd breastfed, or been breastfed, is quite simply the single worst atrocity to have been waged on mankind in history.
What's worse is that it's just so bloody ongoing. The Philippines is just the latest example:
In a rather dire reflection of our successive political leaders concern for this issue, almost since its adoption by the World Health Assembly in 1981, (largely) voluntary health campaigners across the world have had to encourage governments across the world to enact legislation to fully, rather than partially, if at all, to implement the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes (LINK)
Known simply as the Code, this unique tool was intended as a 'minimum requirement' for protecting infant health against the, to that point largely unrestrained, aggressive marketing practices of formula corporations (largely -- and somewhat disturbingly -- these days, owned by Big Pharma). One can only describe their successes as 'minimal' -- but one such success was the Philippines (LINK).
Under the Aquino administration, The Code was made Law in that country in 1986 although, typically -- as they have elsewhere -- the relentless formula companies have always found ways of deliberately circumventing its, to be honest, less than stringent rules and, of course, exploiting loopholes in the wording, or misinterpreting, or virtually ignoring it altogether. And, generally, they get away with this behavior around the world, largely because policing these Code violations has been left to concerned volunteers and, largely, because -- despite a mass of evidence to the contrary -- governments' are, apparently, unconcerned (LINK) that such behavior is detrimental to maternal and child health (which in real terms means the health of all of us).
However, not so in the Philippines. Unlike our own respective deciders-in-chief, their government actually does seem to give a crap about the health of it's nation.
In fact, this year, the Philippine government became so sick and tired of the mockery the (largely US PDF) formula companies were making of its Laws they decided they'd tighten them up (i.e. implement them in their entirety as per the original request of the World Health Assembly way back in the early '80s!). And so, they set in motion the required procedures to do so.
Of course this didn't go down well in the industry and, naturally, they resisted all attempts to stymie their profits (LINK). Bad enough, I hope you'll agree.
But then came the sinister bit.
Back in August, the Filipino government received what can only be described as a threatening letter from the US Chamber of commerce (which was subsequently leaked to the Filipino press (LINK), expressing the Chamber's concerns about "the effects this decision will have on the pharmaceutical industry", explaining that, "if regulations are susceptible to amendment without due process, a country's reputation as a stable and viable destination for investment is at risk" and, rather menacingly concluding: "We know you would want to avoid such a situation (from) occurring".
Obviously, campaigners have been very concerned with this turn of events, and have organized a series of celebrity backed (LINK) go to "Emma milks it") events and petitions to support the Filipino government and to encourage them not to be intimidated or bullied by (US) corporate pressure.
Sadly, however, it looks as though these bully-boy tactics are working. With the help of a bunch of fast talking, mind-blowing, expensive corporate lawyers only the (largely US) pharmaceutical industry could afford to employ, the (largely US) companies involved took the Filipino Ministry of Health to court and, unfortunately for the mothers and infants of the country, succeeded in having the new regulations blocked.
Until they become 'unblocked' Filipino children and their mothers are at the mercy of these ruthless and devious companies, who are, it seems, more interested in protecting their investments than they are about the health of those who those investments might harm.
So who are the people who are most likely to suffer the consequences of continued sabotage of a once steadfast breastfeeding culture?
This week, UNICEF in the Philippines added this video to Youtube, it demonstrates very clearly, not only the target demographic of these companies -- poor and poorly educated, women and their families -- but also illustrates why the Filipino government are right to be so concerned. The images we're presented with are a clear example of the widespread disregard the (largely US) formula companies have, not only for the individual Laws of the countries in which they push their wares but, also, for the International guidelines that most of the violations we see were intended to prevent when they were first introduced -- almost 30 years ago.
Is this how you, the citizens of the US, expect your corporations to behave: breaking local and international laws and guidelines without so much as a flicker of an eyelid from either the corporation involved, or your government? Is this what capitalism -- in the largest capitalist society on the planet -- has degenerated to: bullying foreign governments into doing what you want, regardless of the consequences for their own citizens? How do you think such aggressive activities by your companies/your government reflect on the American populace around the world?
So, what are you doing/going to do about it?
Regards, as ever,
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Ann in the UK
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Boycotting
Re Why I Cry
Renewed efforts to boycott Nestlé -- thanks for the initiative and information -- I've been boycotting multi-national companies like this one for some 30 years. It is such an outrage: here in the best country for mothers and children on the earth, I mean Sweden, breast-feeding is the self-evident first option, and then, all around the world Nestlé KEEPS up its immoral marketing, trying to dupe unsuspecting people. Ladies and gentlemen, there ARE fair trade products for our every vital need, and I'm happy to join you in turning our backs in scorn at these greedy destroyers. Mindful consumers can change a lot!
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On this and a lot of other issues, it's important for each of us to do what we can...
But it's also important, I think, to keep an eye on reality. And here in reality, corporate boycotts don't add up to much, and mindful consumers rarely accomplish what they intend. How many years have you and I been boycotting Nestlé ... but I don't think Nestlé cares about the boycott, any more than it cares about the kids it's killing.
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Ron Paul and Mike Gravel
Bring troops home now
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Excerpt: Last week's vote was a loss for Wisconsin's Sen. Russell Feingold and other Democrats who want to bring the Iraq occupation to a halt. But the undertaking forced Democratic presidential hopefuls, including Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, previously reluctant to limit war funding, to come out in favor of the measure. Unfortunately, 19 Dems couldn't or wouldn't heed the distress signal that the American electorate fired last November, joining 47 Republicans in the vote to end the occupation funding. Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, is one of those Democrats. He said he opposes any measure that cuts off money for the war because ''we don't want to send the message to the troops'' that Congress does not support them. |
Oh come on...did anybody really think this was going to turn out any different ??? Please !!!!....The democratic party has never been pro peace. Or have they conveniently forgotten that nearly every democratic presidential candidate, save McGovern has been very very hawkish ?? Or that those we refer to as neo-cons come from the most hawkish wing to the democratic party ??? And that all these democratic senators and congress critters were falling all over themselves to vote for this blasted war ??? Give me a break.
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Iraqi leadership's failures raise pressure on U.S.| |
Excerpt: Iraqi leadership's failures raise pressure on U.S. Although U.S. officials vow not to meddle in the government they helped to create, they have brought their influence to bear again and again, including in Maliki's selection as prime minister in early 2006. In January of this year, top U.S. officials considered, and narrowly rejected, a proposal to try to reorganize the fractious political order around a new moderate coalition. |
Oh so instead of removing our troops, we will remove the duly elected PM because, obviously it's HIS fault. And besides, it requires fewer helicopters.
* * *
Paul's 9/11 explanation deserves to be debated
by Roland S. Martin, CNN
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Excerpt: What has been overlooked is that Paul based his position on the
effects of the 1953 ouster by the CIA of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh.
An excellent account of this story is revealed in Stephen Kinzer's alarming and revealing book, "Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq," where he writes that Iran was establishing a government close to a democracy. But Mossadegh wasn't happy that the profit from the country's primary resource -- oil -- was not staying in the country.
Instead, the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (now known British Petroleum, or BP) was getting 93 percent of the profits. Mossadegh didn't like that, and wanted a 50-50 split. Kinzer writes that that didn't sit too well with the British government, but it didn't want to use force to protect its interests. But their biggest friend, the United States, didn't mind, and sought to undermine Mossadegh's tenure as president. After all kinds of measures that disrupted the nation, a coup was financed and led by President Dwight Eisenhower's CIA [Set up by Harry Truman --chris] , and the Shah of Iran was installed as the leader. We trained his goon squads, thus angering generations of Iranians for meddling in that nation's affairs.
As Paul noted, what happened in 1953 had a direct relationship to the takeover of the U.S. Embassy in 1979. We viewed that as terrorists who dared attack America. They saw it as ending years of oppression at the hands of the ruthless U.S.-backed Shah regime. |
Absolutely !!! Paul and Gravel are the only two candidates with anything on the ball. The rest are a bunch of arrogant, clueless jackasses. Which is why neither Paul or Gravel have a prayer ... sigh. The biggest jack ass will get elected.
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This is really the only part of the political cycle that I even marginally enjoy -- the regular ritual where one or two candidates with principle, and thus no chance at winning, make a few minimal waves for the brief time when such waves are tolerated, before being booted off the stage...
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Helen & Harry
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What it truly is
A couple of weeks ago, I was reading on the online news that Wolfie made an outburst that
went something like, "if they f--k with me then I will f--k with them. I know plenty about
them."
Now since that time, I have read nothing further in the news about that remark, and I was
rather disappointed because I believed that it would lead to something further and expose
the World Bank for what it truly is and not the dribble that is spoon fed to the peasants.
But the organized news media fell silent. And Wolfie fell silent. And he got a parting
gift of at least $400,000, and he announced his resignation.
One thing is for sure. He will not evaporate. He will be somewhere, but probably somewhat
transparent.
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And of course, whatever Wolfowitz's next waystation in life might be, he will undoubtedly be bringing the world more evil, hatred, and probably bloodshed in quantity. It's his only talent.
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Helen & Harry
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Diehard, the caveman edition
by JR Mooneyham
| May 20, 2007 |
Amazing new theory of prehistory: I know this is off your main topic, but if it's confirmed, it'll spell out one amazing 'hell of an adventure' experienced by our forebears.
Diamonds tell tale of comet that killed off the cavemen
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And it all turns out to be just a Geico commercial ...
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Helen & Harry
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Next generation
by Kathy Fisher
| May 20, 2007 |
Gulf War vets' children have higher birth defect rates
DU, the gift that keeps on giving long after the wars are over!
Wide load
by Kevin Good
| May 20, 2007 |
Re Bumper stinker
I luv ya Herb but I see a very limited market for this bumper stinker.
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Kevin Good
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Brighter babies with breastfeeding
by Charlotte J.
| May 20, 2007 |
Re Why I Cry
Many studies are also showing a higher IQ for babies that are being breast fed. LINK
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Charlotte J.
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Double debunkery
by Madeline Zane
| May 20, 2007 |
Soldiers lose access to MySpace,
YouTube as part of information blackout| |
Excerpt: The Defense Department began blocking access on its computers to YouTube, MySpace and 11 other Web sites yesterday, severing some of the most popular ties linking U.S. troops in combat areas to their far-flung relatives and friends, and depriving soldiers of a favorite diversion from the boredom of overseas duty.
YouTube execs question military ban
Excerpt: Company officials said they were especially puzzled by the block because it came just days after the military launched its own channel on YouTube offering what it calls a "boots-on-the-ground" perspective of scenes of combat.
A new Iraqi government policy implemented this month bans news photographers and camera operators from filming bombing scenes, meaning video taken by citizens and uploaded to YouTube could become the only imagery the public sees of such devastation. |
The military's claim that soldiers are being kept off these websites merely because of bandwidth concerns would be a lot more believable if they hadn't recently banned rank-and-file soldiers from testifying before Congress, and forced all blog posts from Iraq to be cleared by soldiers' superior officers. In addition, the military is refusing to report on the progress of the "surge" until September. And this week, Iraqi police started enforcing their ban on journalism by firing over the heads of reporters trying to cover bombing casualties. Obviously, this ban on websites that troops use to inform Americans about what's really going on in Iraq is just one part of a larger information blackout.
* * *
IAEA: Iran far from weapons grade uranium| |
Excerpt: Iran is making ``slow but steady'' progress in its efforts to enrich uranium, but probably still wouldn't have enough fuel for a single nuclear warhead until 2009 at the earliest, a former U.N. inspector said Tuesday. David Albright, who now heads the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security, said Iran still must overcome some tricky obstacles if it intends to enrich uranium to weapons grade. |
The big headline in the mainstream American press is that Iran is getting better at enriching uranium. No one is pointing out that they are still completely incapable of producing weapons-grade anything.
I would also point out -- again -- that no one who is serious about finding a diplomatic solution would say that they won't come to the bargaining table unless the other side has capitulated completely ahead of time. This is exactly what we're demanding from Iran, yet we act as if THEY are acting irrationally for refusing to go along.
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Madeline Zane
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