Da ROOTZ is rising in da TOOBZ!

Ned!!

Angels with Attitude:
Jane, Christy.

oh yeah: Beck

With a name like Lovecraft Biofuels, they’ve gotta put out a bumper sticker with something like “Put Cthulhu in your tank!”

Check out that Collins Kids link, fascinating story and a real find on Donita’s part this week.

well since this is a musical thread (hey Donita!) but we’re also talking about the Middle East, I’ll throw out

“Lark’s Tongue in AIPAC”

(name the group)

All Hail finifinito for my tech support!!!!

All hail to Her Royal Rockishness Donita for the excellent tunes!

OK, seriously, I am like the biggest dork in the world for the Ditty Bops now. I’ve played that video about 5 times this morning, including once for Mom who loved it.

The new Harpers has an article that tries to equate Peak Oilers with Left Behinders. I’m a Peak Oiler myself.

The Sprinter is a pretty cool vehicle even without the biodiesel conversion. It’s originally the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, a European high-efficiency diesel, the ones that are so efficient they’re the reason hybrids aren’t so popular in Europe. A friend of mine (vintage Mercedes enthusiast) managed to get hold of one a few years ago; it’s bigger than a minivan and gets the gas mileage of a car.

The biodiesel Mercedes story is a great one. I heard about it on NPR the other day.

To gently rain on the parade, if you go to http://www.biodiesel.org and look up this report you can infer that we might at best get a few to 10 percent of transportation fuel needs from domestic biodiesel, even if it goes with no processing from plant to oil.

We do need other alternatives. But all hail to using it as we can–it is greenhouse neutral (sink as much carbon as you release) and much cleaner than petro-diesel. Every little bit helps.

I can’t wait to get on the road again! Thanks for the 411 on the Biofuel rock-n-roll revolution.

Sid

Well Harper’s does make a point sort of. Peak Oil is the left’s Apocolyptic cult meme these days. The end of oil as a scare tactic is designed to bring people “home to Jesus” as they say re: environmental policies that make sense to conserve our resources. The reality of the situation is somewhere between the Peak Oil folks and the Cheneyites “What us worry?” approach.

I’m with Willie effin Nelson…to hell with all of em, I want me a big ‘ol pickemup truck running on BioWillie!

http://politicalwire.com/archi…..oters.html

Watch for a bunch of pieces on Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) in the coming weeks as he’s the key player in one of the most interesting races in years. Jason Zengerle concludes his New Republic profile with a telling conversation the senator had recently at the Thomaston town hall.

There, he asked the clerk about whether many people were coming in to register for the Democratic primary. Yes, she replied, but then she noted a strange anomaly: Lately, a number of those who’d been trying to register for the Democratic primary were, in fact, Republicans; because it was less than three months before the primary, however, it was too late for them to switch parties. Lieberman, as always, was ready with a quip. “Those are probably my voters,” he said.

It was supposed to be a joke, but no one laughed.

My husband and I are switching a vehicle to run on vegetable oil. We bought a “guinea pig” Ford 350 Econoline Van off of Ebay and are waiting for the kit to arrive from Veg Powered Systems. http://vegpoweredsystems.com/ We have mechanic friends that are going to install the kit for us and we’ve even inspired them to try to build a motorcycle that runs on veg. oil. This is a two tank system…

The unfortunate thing about Bio Diesel is it still emits carcinogens and also the waste from making the Bio Diesel is still toxic, but it’s still better than regular diesel.

With veg. oil for your fuel…you can hook up with your favorite restaurant and get their used veg. oil.

The restaurants have to pay to have it hauled away and you’d actually be helping one another out with taking their oil off their hands. Saving them the “take away” fee and you getting your fuel for FREE. Not to mention, your emissions are not harmful to the environment! We already have three restaurants lined up for when we get the conversion done.

I’m definitely going to check out this guy Brian’s website… having everything in ONE tank sounds amazing and maybe after we get all the kinks worked out with our own experiment, perhaps we’ll try to buy a car from him. Our goal is to go completely veg. powered with our cars by the end of next year.

Thanks, Donita, for the info!! Looking forward to hearing your new band…

I spent a lifetime in KCMO one summer
(couldn’t hang for another)
Someone give the Ditty Bops another bottle of water.
(and I hope they are not vegitarians, because that’s the best thing KC has to offer…well a stellar Art Museum (go figure) too)

My buddy I work with makes bio-diesel for his car. he say’s it costs about a dollar per gallon to make. The equipment isn’t cheap, about 4 G’s. The beauty is the byproduct when he is done is glycerin soap!As for the spin I’m in, I found a cool blues site that streams for free. A lot of electric blues. My fave.

http://www.bellyup4blues.com/

Ah yes Silverlake, right near Echo Park.

donita…

howdy from all the way over here in echo park! interesting, there’s been quite a bit of controversy over brian’s 1-tank conversion method on the bio-fuel boards i read, he’s been taking a lot of heat from knowledgeable mechanics (which he is not, as stated in the recent la weekly article)…apparently, the damage will not be noticeable until well down the line so he can claim that his cars run well on the system now…anyway, thanks for the great post…it’s a great friday treat!

Mack @ 16

KC has the best BBQ and steaks in the world IMO.

:-P

Hey Donita I meant to ask in email but I suppose this is a good public question to ask that you didn’t mention in your piece. How much are the Reagan era Mercedes diesels selling for that Brian sells? Or are people who own those old vehicles bringing them to him for conversion? I don’t have anyone here in Indy doing any conversions like that, its all about the E85 ethanol in this corn growing state for a fuel alternative.

j.cro@16
that’s great! check out the Treehugger TV interview link with Brian under his full name

I can’t stop watching this video! VERY compelling……….thanks for the fun, Donita.

Ditty Bops = fun. lead singer (black shirt w/ tie) is a ringer for one of my clients.

I like that Beck song.

Ok – so I have heard two songsa and I am popping out to the record store for a couple copies of the CD
(One for my sister)

G’day Donita,

TSII:

Junior Wells-Hoodoo Man Blues

Tackhead Sound System

The Sweet – Give Us A Wink

Moe Kaufman live at Expo ‘67

Material – Memory Serves

…And a dusty memory…

;>)

Donita @ 23
Thanks! Will do!

I’m telling you that video is ringing my skull today. It has an old timey feel, but at the same time it has something entirely new going on in their sound. It’s almost like organic techno music (?!?! – shut up fini!).

OK, maybe not, but I’ll be damned if that song doesnt scream for a big giant drumsnbass rhythm treatment and electronicish squeaks and squiggles in a remix version. Maybe using clarinet for the squeaks and squiggles and Japanese drums for the big beats.

I agree with calscientist 12 that biofuels are not going to solve all our energy problems. There is also the disturbing prospect (when the population hits 9 billion) that rich people’s cars and poor people’s children will be in competition for grain, oilseeds, etc. But, for the moment, converting a diesel engine to run on vegetable oil allows you to use restaurant waste as fuel. Some restauranteurs are happy to let you raid their fryer grease dumpsters for free. Just settle it, filter it, and pour it in your modified fuel tank. (No conversion is required to use biodiesel; you just need to replace old fuel lines.)

Finifinito@22
Lovecraft is buying up Reagan-era Mercedes from Washington State to Texas. sells them for about 5 grand. He will convert your diesel engine for about $700

oilydal@20
Greetings neighbor! yes I read the LA Weekly article as well.
But you must understand that the “Biofuel Nazi” is a maddog and defends his system ferociously!

Ever since Bush seized power it seems like the media have been pretending that they’re dead.

Average price for regular gasoline 7/21/07 in 50 states and DC

$3.00 16 states
$2.90 22 states
$2.80 13 states

National average: $2.990

http://www.fuelgaugereport.com/sbsavg.asp

Gas prices are high and continue to increase slowly.

Biofuels are renewable but like all carbon based fuels contribute to the atmospheric carbon load.

Friday afternoons are great for music for me because one of the local radio stations plays retro alternative at noon for an hour. It has me bopping along for the rest of the day. So this was the spin I was in during lunchtime:

Space Oddity – David Bowie
Beds Are Burning – Midnight Oil
Too Shy – Kajagoogoo
Right Here, Right Now – Jesus Jones
Lust For Life – Iggy Pop
Veronica – Elvis Costello
Alex Chilton – The Replacements
Come On Eileen – Dexy’s Midnight Runners
Orange Crush – REM
Dear God – XTC
Take On Me – A-ha
Stupid Girl – Garbage

Shirley Manson – yum…

Imperial Teen, 2, 3, 4, 1….

Another great spin Donita and FFT…

I’ve been on a Serge Gainsboug thing all day:
http://music.barnesandnoble.co…..&ITM=4

Check out:
Elaeudanla Taeitaeia (snipette)
http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp…..p;r=20.asx

Or
Requim Pour Un Twisteur (Snipette again)
http://sg1.allmusic.com/cg/smp…..p;r=20.asx

Bill Kristol hearts Joe Liberman. Kristol ponies up some cash for the odious one.

When is Ann Coulter going to cut a campaign spot for Holy Joe?

http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/el….._lieberman

-GSD

$5000 for a biodiesel Mercedes is a helluva deal really. I bet that guy becomes a millionaire from all the work he is gonna do.

oh…Donita, if you say you are buds with Shirley Manson, I will hate you for the rest of my life….lucky bastard!

GSD 37:

OK, this is my best pun in a long time (and spin topic relavant):

Kristol Blue Donation?!

Beck’s recent “Guero” is a great album, completing a classic triptych with the earlier “Odelay” and “Midnight Vultures”. I’m not as much into the mopey/strummy “Sea Changes” and “Mutations”, although they have their moments.

One of my fellow commuters is working on a homebuilt hydrogen fuel-cell design. (He also belongs to a biodiesel co-op.)

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) – Thousands across the Muslim world used Friday’s Islamic day of prayer to protest Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah, urging Sunni-Shiite unity to defeat the Jewish state.

Waving posters of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, thousands gathered after Friday prayers at Cairo’s Al-Azhar Mosque, the most prominent Sunni Muslim institution in the Arab world.

“Sunnis or Shiites (there is) no difference; all together to resist the enemy,” Sameh Ashour, head of the Arab Lawyers Union, told the crowd. “Resistance is the solution.”…

Meanwhile, Rice reportedly lambasts Hezbollah for “outrageous provocation” and warns Syria to get off the dime.

Michael Ledeen is wankin’ a serious woodie right now, no doubt. He wants the entire region to erupt in flames (while HE keeps a safe personal distance, of course).
.

…one of the local radio stations plays retro alternative at noon for an hour…
[snip]
Stupid Girl – Garbage

Way. too. soon. to. be. retro. I want to shoot all the “radio consultants” that have killed the music business. VIVA LA BLOGOSPHERE!!! VIVA DONITA!!!

FiniFiniTOOBZ! Well to be honest, it was technically after their retro alternative hour, but they dont play Garbage enough so I added it to the list :)

zAmboni@38
Shirley and I are two peas in a pod……just kidding, I haven’t met her yet, though I know and love her bandmate/producer Butch Vig

woderful buffet of a post donita. i will definitely go back for seconds.

and, bicycling is such a spiritual experience. it takes a while to get set up to the point that it is all joy. you gota build some funky muscles up and really work to get the right bike and saddle fit for you.(i’ve tried oh maybe 15 saddles over the years)
my advice is learn by rebuilding an as old steel road bike or a cruiser.(don’t spray paint it! bad for the ozone.) then you will gradually become immersed in the culture and become empowered. i use my car once a week now. i’m 55 years old with mouse size lung capacity and buckets of arthritis. i feel great and the head trip is a bonus.
When i’m on my bike i swear i am 11 years old.
down with fossil fuels.
thanks again donita.

Fini 14

Bio-Willie!!

I use it in my Passat wagon. Have to drive to South Austin to get it, but any time I’m that direction I fillerup.

Passat runs better and quieter on it, too.

Per Fini FiniTOOBZ! request from earlier, check this song, out it’s a real whoot. There’s a brief Microsoft commercial before it starts

As my dear friend who sent this to me says, somewhere in heaven Woody Guthrie smiles
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…..25442.html

FiniFiniTOOBZ! Well to be honest, it was technically after their retro alternative hour, but they dont play Garbage enough so I added it to the list :)

WHEW! I was swooning and clutching pearls there for a second. One more slip up and you start losing attaboys, ok zAmboni? Watch it, mister!

FWIW – you’re absolutely right, no one plays enough Garbage for my taste. I still play the hell out of that first album.

All Hail squirrel hiller @46

What John Casper #3 says

All hail Friday’s Music jumpoff!

The spin I’m in –

“don’t lie to me” – Big Star, from “Big Star live” the early 70s radio in-studio released by Ryko in the early 90s. politically apropos. Alex Chilton seething… me jumping around the kitchen saturday morning air guitar session. “Don’t cross me.”

“Nobody wants you when you’re down and out” – Bobby Womack. W’s post-G8 theme song. “takin’ my friends out for a mighty good time / drinkin’ that / good gin, champagne and wiiine”

“Tranquility” – Ahmad Jamal. Breathtaking descending figure. A guy can dream, can’t he?

“Eastbound” – Budos Band. This is a Staten Island afrobeat instrumental. Curious? Check your solar plexus post-haste.

This is way OT but I don’t have time to check to see if anyone else has posted it and it is a must see. On The Colbert Report last night Julian Bond does a great job of cutting up the pres.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..rch=julian bond

Millineryman @ 48

YAY you made it to the thread and remembered! He shared that in a thread earlier today, another great video from my Insomniac Music Theater of this morning.

BTW I have been up for 26 hours straight at this point, with only 4 hrs of sleep yesterday morning and a 29 hour day before that. “Punchy” was left in the dust half a day ago.

*really cool idea this bike tour thing… they should play at a greenpeace festival or something…I like the video…
*Beck, his band is great…I saw him once here in Brazil, cool dancing concert…
*Imperial Teen is a band with some guy from Faith No More right? can someone post some video links?
*ah Ramones…much fun…rocket to russia is one of the first and my fav vinyl…AND the cover has the same colours of L7’s Slap-happy…cool…
*Donita, you rock!

Bobby G,

The whole lot of Neo-conhood are sprouting yams as we write. Kristol, Ledeen, Perle, Bennett, Gingrich and the rest of the greenroom field marshalls.

Israel and Cheney and Bush are going to unite the Muslim world against them.

More strategery that will result in blowback. Let’s see what OBL has to say when he spouts off again.

-GSD

OK
This week the spin I’m in included:
Tom Verlaine – The Day on You (from Songs and Things)
Gang of Four – To Hell with Poverty (Go Home Productions Remix)… I am not a fan of remixes as a rule, but this one (included with the Japanese edition of Return the Gift) rocks!
Herbie Hancock – Spank A Lee (from Thrust)
Lizzie Mercier Descloux – Tous Pareils (from the recent reissue of her 3rd album, now on Ze and newly titled Zulu Rock)… Lizzie is a great fovorite of mine, and I was crushed by her death a little over a year ago.
Puffy AmiYumi – Call Me What You Like (from Splurge) … anthemic in all the right places
Yellow Magic (featuring Ryuichi Sakamoto) – Senor Coconut … What happens when a German glitch artist moves to Argentina, assumes a Latin identity and covers Yellow Magic Orchestra with a full latin orchestra? pure genius
A Hundred Birds – Batonga
Akiko Yano – Presto (new single from one of the most beautiful , individual voices of all time – hyperbole intended)

OT, but still in the pop(?) culture groove:

Pynchon’s politics? The reclusive author has a new book coming out, and here’s part of an article on it:

Sounds intriguing.

Never did share the Spin I’m In this week, here goes:

VAST – Here (Equillibrium video)
The Fixx – Red Sky At Night
The Call – When the Walls Came Down (someone left that one in comments here recently and I have been playing it daily ever since).

hey Fini, if I re-Call correctly I said it was a mediocre song (*sorry*!) with a strong doomsday message, or something like that.

OH yeah it was YOU that left that on my doorstep! Well it worked damnit, the lyrics captured my attention, and now everybody that comes by my house/studio gets subjected to that damn song daily!

‘Nother kind of sweet, sweet music in this chunk from Josh:

TPM Reader JW on Joe: “I offer this from the perspective of someone who is centrist and moderate, who doesn’t read any of the lefty blogs and is not part of the grassroots or the Howard Dean wing of the Democratic party. I am socially liberal but fiscally conservative, and I while I might be considered a hawk on most foreign policy issues (say, Afghanistan), I strongly opposed the invasion of Iraq. Based on my own feelings from the moderate wing of the party, I don’t think that the anti-Liebermanism is confined solely to the far left. The problem for me is that he is sanctimonious and seems to have this feeling that he owns his seat in the Senate. The fact that he would even considering running as an independent seems to be me to be appallingly self-centered. But his sanctimony stretches to other issues, most importantly Iraq. I don’t see any difference between Bush and Lieberman on Iraq. He is one of those “everything is going perfectly well” types who refuses to accept reality because it differs with what he wants reality to be. Some people may like that; most Republicans apparently do. Personally, though, I don’t. I think that Lieberman has just run afoul of his own party, and not just the far left of it. When you don’t see that coming, and you’d rather fight it than accept it and address it, it’s time to move on.”

Fini FiniTOOBZ! 55

I’m back, I absolutely love this post on Fridays, and I’m thrilled to make a contribution.

54
julian bond rocks!
what a funny clip. thanks.

Grrr. It ate my blockquote. Trying again:

Late last week, the book’s description — allegedly written by Pynchon — was posted on Amazon.com. It reads in part:

“Spanning the period between the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 and the years just after World War I, this novel moves from the labor troubles in Colorado to turn-of-the-century New York, to London and Gottingen, Venice and Vienna, the Balkans, Central Asia, Siberia at the time of the mysterious Tunguska Event, Mexico during the Revolution, postwar Paris, silent-era Hollywood, and one or two places not strictly speaking on the map at all.

“With a worldwide disaster looming just a few years ahead, it is a time of unrestrained corporate greed, false religiosity, moronic fecklessness, and evil intent in high places. No reference to the present day is intended or should be inferred.”

The description was soon pulled from the site, with Penguin denying any knowledge of its appearance. According to Amazon.com spokesman Sean Sundwall, Penguin requested the posting’s removal “due to a late change in scheduling on their part. We expect the description to be reposted to the book’s detail page in the next day or two.”

Locke declined comment on why the description was taken down, but did reluctantly confirm two details provided by Sundwall, that the book is called “Against the Day” (no title is listed on Amazon.com) and that Pynchon indeed wrote the blurb, which warns of more confusion to come.

“Contrary-to-the-fact occurrences occur,” Pynchon writes. “If it is not the world, it is what the world might be with a minor adjustment or two. According to some, this is one of the main purposes of fiction. Let the reader decide, let the reader beware. Good luck.”

The Jam – “Going Underground”
Georges Brassens – “Les Copains d’Abord”
MC 900 Ft. Jesus – various songs in that Miles Davis “In a Silent Way” vein
Amadou and Mariam with Manu Chao – “Dimanche a Bamako”, entire album
Radio Tarifa – “Oye China” – Spanish/North African blend that knocks my socks off
Peter Gabriel – “The Family and the Fishing Net”, “Biko”

Its ok punaise, I know how hard it is to put food on your bamily.

‘And they all…SLAP! So PEACE…Stay off my back, or I will attack…And you don’t want that‘

;>)

i kinda like bamily. it’s sorta Bambi-ish. like we’re all a little herd of gentle spotted fawns.

This is HUGE.

Lieberman is having a lottery to attend Clinton’s visit on Monday in Waterbury. I have cut and pasted the information regarding what you need to do in order to apply for the lottery below from My Left Nutmeg.

FDL folk and Lamont supporters in CT should get in and ask Joe the tough questions that he needs to answer. I’m sure people will have pointed questions for Bill too.

Clinton visit on Monday in Waterbury – 4 p.m. Monday at the Palace Theater.
The LIEberman campaign will be holding a lottery this evening to distribute tickets to the public interested in attending.

Want to go?

Jon Kantrowitz :: Go See Clinton Visit – Monday in Waterbury – 4 p.m.
If you are interested, this is what you need to do:
1. Send an e-mail to Marshall@joe 2006.com , or
2. Stop by the Lieberman Waterbury campaign office at 86 Bank Streeet and sign up.
The lottery drawing will be held tonight and winners notified.

Winning tickets must be picked up at the Waterbury office Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.to 9 p.m., and on Monday 9 a.m. to noon. A valid photo ID will be required for admittance.

RE: Peak Oil #1

I challenge anyone to find a scientist that can convincingly explain how petroleum is created.

It is referred to as fossil fuel only because of its preferred location in reservoirs naturally formed from fossilized sedimentary rocks. The best example of this being the highly porous and permeable carbonate reef reservoirs of Saudi Arabia. There is much debate about the formation of petroleum because it challenges the tenets of ‘Peak Oil’ and its dire predictions of a dwindling supply facing the demands of a growing population and the resulting greater consumption. There is the theory that petroleum is not an organic process but is the inorganic product of heat and chemical reactions deep in the Earth’s mantle: the abiotic theory (Thomas Gold and Freeman Dyson) See the link here for background and a proposal against it by Mike Ruppert who is a great proponent of a declining source.

More graphic brilliance from darkblack, ty for gracing the thread with your presence (bows).

Bamtown Rats

Bruno@66
Thanks Bruno! Rocket To Russia is my fave too. Yes, Roddy from Faith No More is in Imperial Teen

A valid photo ID will be required for admittance.

for a Democratic political rally? why not fingerprints and loyalty oath?

OK, the sleep aid is starting to work and my bed gently calls to me. I am going to sleep now. Will catch you all late night!

Allright People, I’ve got to go get my big hair done for my big rock show on Sat. I’ll check in later. I dig The Spins You’re In!

To Punaise @ 67 (and anyone else who cares) – check out the DVD “Tomorrow with Tom Snyder – Punk and New Wave” that just came out… 70s-80s late night talk show featuring performances and interviews w/the Jam, Ramones, Runaways, Elvis Costello, etc.

Highest highlight on the whole set was Wendy O Williams and the Plasmatics blowing up a car ROCKING OUT… on the same program as first-wave televangelist Rex Humbart. Shit had me DYING!!!!!

Rex: “Well I don’t know if I’d have her on MY program…”

Here’s a link to myleftnutmeg regarding the lottery to attend Clinton’s visit:

http://www.myleftnutmeg.com/frontPage.do

Speaking of alt car technology, in the 1970’s a friend of the family, an electrician, personally redid his car to be electric. Worked great.

I do have to tell a story on him though. My parents’ furnace went out on Christmas Day, so they called him for an emergency repair. He came over, examined it carefully, and made it work by giving it a good swift kick. And then he charged them! They were happy to pay.

wow! must be some big hair, if you have to start your “do” on friday for saturday.
see you donita!

sticky, thanks for the tip

RE: Peak Oil #2

Politically, if not accessibly (witness the shrinking number of shallow reservoir discoveries) ‘Peak Oil’ will be a reality as long as the Global energy source’s prime and most plentiful reserve is located in one location: the ME. Personally, I am not convinced that Iraq and Saudi Arabia have exhaustible supplies. It is possible that this area is a shallow source conduit to plentiful supplies…and we see who is challenging for control (as always) there. Oil will continue to be the essential lifeblood to industry as long as it remains the same for the world (translation Anglo-American) economy. In order to buy oil you must either buy American dollars or English pounds first, available at only two of the oil bourse markets in the world: New York and London. Iraq challenged to establish a new oil bourse as does Iran now…I guess you see where this is going.

First and foremost petroleum is a global economic tool of control held by the aforesaid oiligarchic elites. It is not in their interests to seek or accommodate more flexible or self-sustaining energy sources for industry until they can derive the same (or more) requisite control of the global economy.

Do not expect that they will ever gently relinquish their harness.

RE: Peak Oil #3

My pet theory is the Schlurm School of petroleum generation courtesy of these little goomers

punaise FYI — Manu Chao playing at Greek Theatre in Berkeley July 28

oooh … merci for Julian Bond link! in my teen years I had this lovely lifesize poster of him … and he’s still amazing

FiniFiniTOOBZ! @ 73:

? …You’re ‘too much, man’…sleep well.

Me, I’d just file it under ‘Things I’d pay a dollar to see’.

;>)

squirrel,

Speaking of spin :)

Thanks for the bike advice. Am easing back into the world of exercise/movement/?fun.

Grownup bikes are so high and so skinny they intimidate me from riding them. But an old fashioned kind with big wheels…that could work. Comfortable saddle a must.

Yesterday I extended my walk nearly all the way into town. I can see the day when I leave the car at home and just walk the 2 miles each way for errands.

…a United Nations report cited in Wednesday’s New York Times found that an average of more than 100 Iraqi civilians were killed each day in June—and I’ve learned from two sources that some senior figures at the CIA, along with a number of Iraq analysts, have been pushing to produce a new NIE. They’ve been stonewalled, however, by John Negroponte, the administration’s Director of National Intelligence, who knows that any honest take on the situation would produce an NIE even more pessimistic than the 2004 version. That could create problems on the Hill and, if it is leaked as the last one was, with the public as well.

“What do you call the situation in Iraq right now?” asked one person familiar with the situation. “The analysts know that it’s a civil war, but there’s a feeling at the top that [using that term] will complicate matters.” Negroponte, said another source regarding the potential impact of a pessimistic assessment, “doesn’t want the president to have to deal with that…”

http://harpers.org/sb-sources-…..33546.html

Heaven forbid that we disturb the Serenity of Dear Leader’s Beautiful Mind with inconvenient facts and trends.

tithonia
punaise FYI — Manu Chao playing at Greek Theatre in Berkeley July 28

yikes! haven’t been paying attention – thanks. I missed Radiohead, too.

Ditto thanks for Julian Bond link!

Check out this passage from the middle of http://www.timesonline.co.uk/a…..html>an op-ed in today’s Times of London:

Mr Blair, by his silence, seems to be endorsing the US line: allow Israel at least another week to take action against Hezbollah before any calls for a ceasefire are made. He would doubtless argue that, unless he is supportive of the Israelis publicly, he will have no traction with them privately. Yet there are two big problems with this approach.

First, the UK has little traction with Israel anyway. Mr Blair had a frank private conversation with the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, when he visited Britain last month. It doesn’t seem to have done much good.

Secondly, and more importantly, Mr Blair’s silence is sending a strong message to the world’s – and particularly Britain’s – Muslim community. By failing to condemn Israel’s overreaction, he is allying himself with those acts. What more powerful ammunition could there be for the radicalisers of Britain’s young Muslims? “Your Government doesn’t care about you and your fellow believers. You need to take action to defend them in this noble cause.”

It is a terrifying prospect. Mr Blair is endangering our nation’s internal security by his reluctance to move a millimetre from the US stance. Even if he is engaging in private diplomacy with Israel, it is not without serious costs to the rest of us. Long after he leaves government, we may be paying the price.

Imagine being as distressed and chagrined as we are about this PLUS being a Londoner with the first anniversary of 7/7 fresh in your mind.

In this morning’s WaPo online chat Pool boy let his guard down in the last question and let his true neocon colors fly:
“Washington, D.C.: Quick question about Gil Gutknecht, the Republican Congressman from who called for a withdrawal from Iraq — is he in a tight reelection race?
Jim VandeHei: potentially. His district, according to The Fix, is on the “outskirts of competitiveness.” Bush won it 51-47. That tells me it could flip in a bad environment.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/a…..30,00.html

Gah, how many links have I screwed up today? Think it’s time for a nap.

*ilson, the ID requirement is from the Secret Service.

squirrel hiller @ 47
“When I’m on my bike I swear I am 11 years old.”
Funny thing is, that’s what George W. Bush says, too!
Only he’s not riding to make a statement against the use of fossil fuels.

Jeebus CNN is dumb… check out their FDL reference.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/i…..index.html

Anyone catch this on cnn.com?

“Many writers saw a sexist aspect to Bush’s back rub. “This isn’t a Sigma Chi kegger, it’s the G-8 Summit,” wrote blogger Christy Hardin Smith on Firedoglake.com.

(Bush was actually in Delta Kappa Epsilon. Another Web 2.0 truism: Blogs are not always friendly with the facts.)”

Because apparently, DKE’S never go to Sigma Chi keggers. And cnn writers are way cooler than us.

Erik @ 12:45 pm (#97) – That’s actually an AP story. Someone pointed it out on the late night thread. There was commentary on it by Christy and others a couple of threads back.

I’m an old unrepentant head-banger who, given the even worse news then usual, apologize in advance for the darkness of my ‘spin I’m in’.

Can’t Happen Here – Rainbow
One – Metallica
Electric Eye – Judas Priest
War Pigs – Black Sabbath
The End – The Doors
Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? – Megadeth
Countdown to Extinction – Megadeth
Symphony of Destruction – Megadeth
Down in a Hole – Alice In Chains
2 Minutes to Midnight – Iron Maiden

our Christy is still the Sweetheart of Sigma Chi !

Kofi Annan is going to be on CNNs Larry King tonight at 9pm ET — wouldnt it be wonderful to have a talking computer using his voice?

squirrel hiller gentle spotted fawns But venomous, right?

How come we get nailed every time on the nit picking details – when the essence of the story is a goldang fact? These rethug effers invent facts AND the details and don’t get called out on either. (Big rhetorical question) The answer is: The Media Is Controlled by The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

Today the senate will be debating S.403 CHILD CUSTODY PROTECTION ACT. This deserves a special place in the annals of right wing creepiness.

As Senator Ensign announced the debate yesterday 7/20/07 :

“The Child Custody Protection Act simply states that if an adult willfully takes a minor child across State lines to get an abortion, for the purpose of avoiding a State’s parental consent or notification law that would be a Federal crime for that adult.

Judicial bypass is an integral part of all effective parental consent laws. So for those concerned about the cases of parental rape or incest and what a child does in that case?–there is a judicial review, a judicial bypass available. The Child Custody Protection Act would only apply in those States parental consent or notification laws in place.

This is an important piece of legislation, especially for parents as many of these cases involve a 20-something-year-old male who has impregnated a young teenager, often a 13, 14, 15-year-old girl, which has ended in a secret abortion.

Now because your little girl had become pregnant and this 20-something-year-old realized that is a crime of statutory rape, they want to dispose of the evidence. So they decide to talk your little girl into going across State lines for an abortion because your State law requires parental notification or parental consent for such a procedure. They go to the State next door, take care of the abortion, and you, the parent, know nothing about it. How would you feel as a parent in a situation such as that?”

The faux concerna and compassion is nauseating. So you’re a pregnant 13, 14, or 15 year old girl and you’re pregnant by someone your own age or older or a relative and maybe you’re feeling a little overwhelmed or traumatized. Not to worry, Senator Ensign is here to tell you that you have judicial bypass, maybe. Feel better? I thought so.

I shudder to think what the debate will be like today. The Congressional Record is usually a day late and I’m not sure I have the stomach for it anyway.

Another Web 2.0 truism: Blogs are not always friendly with the facts.

The MSM…Always friendly with the facts

They should trademark that one.

Negroponte, said another source regarding the potential impact of a pessimistic assessment, “doesn’t want the president to have to deal with that…”

Uh, why would he think that the President would have to deal with it? It’s scarey that someone might have to fill the Intel Czar in on the fact that the President doesn’t feel he has to deal with things, ever.

They been spooky too long when Katrina reminds them of a teutonic hooker from the 70’s and not a nation battering hurricane from less than a year ago.

punaise in #7 –

well since this is a musical thread (hey Donita!) but we’re also talking about the Middle East, I’ll throw out

“Lark’s Tongue in AIPAC”

(name the group)

A King Crimson pun? Now I’ve heard everything :-) All I can think of is “Thela Hun Gingrich”, but that’s not very Middle Eastern…

So glad to see all the musical posts here – always good to try out some new material, and I trust interesting-people referrals to sales and reviews anyday…

The MSM… Always f[r]iendly with the facts.

:-P

Hillary Clinton is the bravest, warmest, gentlest, most wonderful human being I ever hope to meet in my life !

Mmmmm, *ilson 102.

Mussy-sakes-alive! Now here’s maybe the only statewide campaign (TN) going downhill faster than Ned’s two opponents’:

Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Albertini was arrested for public intoxication Thursday night in Knoxville, sheriff’s officials said.

. . .

Earlier Thursday evening Albertini attended a Republican rally at Elizabeth Lane Farm in Knoxville. The event was billed as an opportunity to hear Republican U.S. Senate and gubernatorial candidates speak for five minutes each about their campaign goals.

Albertini, a real estate developer from Chattanooga, faces an uphill primary battle against state Sen. Jim Bryson. In his most recent campaign finance report, Albertini said he had raised $500 – less than 1 percent of Bryson’s $520,000 haul.

. . .

His campaign Web site says that among his top issues are opposition to abortion, illegal immigration and the state pension system.

. . .

(‘Sokay though. They let him sleep it off then cut him loose: “According to a corporal at the Knox County Sheriff’s Office Detention Facility, Albertini was booked into the jail at 1:07 a.m. He was released at 6:04 a.m. today after his arraignment, and the charges were dismissed.”)

I would say, the MSM–a little too chummy with the facts.

pour Le Punaise : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnUTgTUIMM4

“teutonic hooker from the 70’s” = Xaviera Hollander?

John C – Something you want to flesh out for us? *g*

if you hit F5 to refresh your browser, you’ll discover misogynist Robert has changed his mind …

110 Robert Shouldn’t you be at home making lunch or dinner

Thin ice.

*onderdog

“Lark’s Tongue in AIPAC”

(name the group)

A King Crimson pun? Now I’ve heard everything :-)

DING! DING! DING! you win the obscurama! (”Lark’s Tongue in Aspic”)

I was hoping for a simply “yes” or “no.”
Hanging his head in shame.
I routinely miss the depth/full meaning of your comments.

Good for him, *ilson, since he couldn’t even spell mind (”mimd”).

Teutonic Hooker = German Fisherman

*ilson – thanks for the King Crimson You-Tube link

From the Grand Teutons?

Thanks hackworth.
Now I get it.

In my August 2006 Edition of Hatrper’s Magazine, there is an article entitled “The Minister of Civil War: Bayan Jabr, Paul Bremer, and the rise of the Iraqi Death Squads, by Ken Silverstein

The death squads, which have expanded their area of operations from the capital across much of the country, are now believed to be responsible for more civilian deaths than the Sunni and foreign insurgents who are the United States ostensible enemies there. By any reasonable measure, Iraq is in a state of civil war, and some of its most ruthless and lawless combatants are members of the government’s own security units.
snip
To read the rest, buy the magazine.

707!

Cheney Uses Mideast As Campaign Issue

Thanks lotus, here’s a pic of the Tetons.

OT – File under “No Shit, Sherlock” – from TPM Muckraker

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001184.php

As long as Pat Roberts is chairman of the Senate Select Committeee on Intelligence, we may never see Phase II of the investigation into the pre-Iraq war intelligence. Spencer Ackerman, who has written extensively on the Iraq war and the pre-war intelligence fiasco for The New Republic, writes for TPMmuckraker about Pat Roberts’ disastrous tenure as the chairman of the committee, and Roberts’ fondness for running in circles:

“Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, sprinted off the blocks in early 2005. The very picture of an energetic committee chairman, he explained with a glimmer of excitement in his eye what his agenda for the next congressional session would be during a March 2005 speech at the Woodrow Wilson Center. In the cards was vigorous committee oversight during the ongoing intelligence-community restructuring, as the CIA’s role diminished and a new Director of National Intelligence arrived. Not in the cards, Roberts explained only in response to a question, was the committee’s long-awaited report into the Bush administration’s shaping of prewar Iraq intelligence.

…

Re King Crimson – there is no truyth to the vicious rumor that the guitar player’s blog is called Fripp Ublic.

Ooo, Robbie’s a little touchy, no? Coochy-coo.

Robert says:
July 21st, 2006 at 1:04 pm
Hillary Clinton is the bravest, warmest, gentlest, most wonderful human being I ever hope to meet in my life !

Robert, not everyone here is as enthusiastic about Hillary as you are, but you are certainly welcome to your opinion.

*ilson @ 116: Looks like you blew his mimd out from afar…He mightn’t notice that his lexemes changed.

;>)

lotus:

707!

You mean 404!?

Nope, Bong, I mean LOL upside-down, ’cause I went over my chair backwards laffin’!

Again,

Also, this part: The rise of the death squads corresponds almost precisely to the April 2005 appointment of Jabr Jabr as interior minister in Iraqi’s transitional government. The Interior Ministry controls billions of dollars and more than 100.000 men in police and parlimentary units.

Harpers August 2006

Ahhh – That would have been my next guess.

As far as having jailers deal with Bush — let the Dutch handle it in The Hague. Wingers like Bush are always whining about how cushy those European jails are…

uh oh all boldy-bold….

ahhhh *

at the time of the appointment of Negroponte to be Gauleiter of Baghdad, there was open talk of the “El Salvador option” in D.C. — some of us knew then what it meant, now the Iraqis do…

not everyone here is as enthusiastic about Hillary as you are

ROFL & wiping a tear

2.0 ALERT

AP Misrepresents Animals and College Students.

In a shocking example of playing 8 tracks with the truth, AP today ran a story that stated:

College Democrats sound a lot like the 1960s British rock band, the Animals

even though NONE of said college democrats were ever in a 1960s British rock band, much less, the “Animals.”

APogger 3.0 – unfriendly with facts and just a tiny bit tone deaf too.

“some of us knew then what it meant”
Yeah, unfortunately, Bush and Cheney didn’t.
The “Salvador option” leaves Iran and Russia as the major powers in the ME.
The longer we leave our forces in there, the more they get “degraded” for which we pay $267,000,000/day.
Heckuva job Bushie.

cc, after reading the longer excerpt at http://harpers.org/the-ministe…..9309.html, I gotta wonder whether Jabr will end up dead or Saddam II first.

Did someone say, “The Animals?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..search=san francisco nights

gotta wonder: will Jabr walk-y?

*ilson46201 @ 140
Exactly.

Death squads were a hallmark of his in Central America.

Negroponte would have made a better Ambassador to North Korea.

Oh looky, it’s our imm — all packed an’ ready wi’ visions of lobstahs ‘n’ crab rolls dancin’ in his head!

Hey, imm!

Bush and friends knew exactly what they meant – why else promote mr. death squad negroponte himself … and even Newsweek had the info:

‘The Salvador Option’
The Pentagon may put Special-Forces-led assassination or kidnapping teams in Iraq
WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Michael Hirsh and John Barry
Newsweek

Updated: 7:59 p.m. CT Jan 14, 2005
Jan. 8 – What to do about the deepening quagmire of Iraq? The Pentagon’s latest approach is being called “the Salvador option”—and the fact that it is being discussed at all is a measure of just how worried Donald Rumsfeld really is. “What everyone agrees is that we can’t just go on as we are,” one senior military officer told NEWSWEEK. “We have to find a way to take the offensive against the insurgents. Right now, we are playing defense. And we are losing.” Last November’s operation in Fallujah, most analysts agree, succeeded less in breaking “the back” of the insurgency—as Marine Gen. John Sattler optimistically declared at the time—than in spreading it out.

Now, NEWSWEEK has learned, the Pentagon is intensively debating an option that dates back to a still-secret strategy in the Reagan administration’s battle against the leftist guerrilla insurgency in El Salvador in the early 1980s. Then, faced with a losing war against Salvadoran rebels, the U.S. government funded or supported “nationalist” forces that allegedly included so-called death squads directed to hunt down and kill rebel leaders and sympathizers. Eventually the insurgency was quelled, and many U.S. conservatives consider the policy to have been a success—despite the deaths of innocent civilians and the subsequent Iran-Contra arms-for-hostages scandal. (Among the current administration officials who dealt with Central America back then is John Negroponte, who is today the U.S. ambassador to Iraq. Under Reagan, he was ambassador to Honduras. There is no evidence, however, that Negroponte knew anything about the Salvadoran death squads or the Iran-Contra scandal at the time. The Iraq ambassador, in a phone call to NEWSWEEK on Jan. 10, said he was not involved in military strategy in Iraq. He called the insertion of his name into this report “utterly gratuitous.”)

Following that model, one Pentagon proposal would send Special Forces teams to advise, support and possibly train Iraqi squads, most likely hand-picked Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Shiite militiamen, to target Sunni insurgents and their sympathizers, even across the border into Syria, according to military insiders familiar with the discussions. It remains unclear, however, whether this would be a policy of assassination or so-called “snatch” operations, in which the targets are sent to secret facilities for interrogation. The current thinking is that while U.S. Special Forces would lead operations in, say, Syria, activities inside Iraq itself would be carried out by Iraqi paramilitaries, officials tell NEWSWEEK.

for full story:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6802629/site/newsweek/

The “civil war” is a strategy consciously chosen by our govt.

It’s not too late yet mk.

Besides, NSA needs a “can you hear me now” N. Korea test.

New Jane: “Read CT Tea Leaves”

Hello, Lotus! I’m packed, wish I could say the same for the residents units members of my family collective.

My visions:

http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/ma…..obster.jpg

Great idea, mk and Mary! JUST the place for him, with JUST the chore.

Guess where this, And if the government has not been truthful, the state secrets privilege should not serve as a shield for its false public statements comes from?

Don’t be crool, imm, to us as loves you.

College Republicans sound a lot like a dusty, scratchy Pat Boone 45 being played on a Sears Solid State Mickey Mouse turntable with a worn needle and a slipping belt.

“…*crrkkk*….They did the Wang Dang Taffy Apple Tango Mambo Cha Cha Cha-*ping*…*crrkkk*…”

also on El Salvador Option … from a BBC correspondent who saw the original version:

President Reagan promised to draw the line against further communist expansion in El Salvador.

There followed a bloody 12-year stalemate between the US-funded and organised Salvadoran army, and Cuban-backed guerrillas.

Between one and two percent of the population – more than 70,000 people – died.

Terror tactics

I still find it extraordinary that US officials like the colonel, saw this as a success.

The suffering the Salvadoran people experienced is still felt today
The shield which stopped a guerrilla victory in El Salvador was in reality a reign of terror.

Tens of thousands of those killed in the war were rebel sympathisers, tortured and murdered by the security forces.

It was a well-organised, dirty war in which the CIA was heavily involved.

Horrendously mutilated corpses – sometimes decapitated – were left in full public view.

Using fear, the policy succeeded in denying the rebels open civilian support.

Some in the Pentagon have now been mooting the idea of training Iraqi hit squads to target insurgents and their sympathisers to quash open civilian support for them.

But for this to work would mean out-terrorising the Iraqi rebels, a difficult task indeed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/pro…..209595.stm

Umm, Keith (or its most recent descendant)? Detroit?

Okay, Bong, darkblack just sent me 707 again. See how it works?

and Billmon on the El Salvador option …

http://billmon.org/archives/001645.html

no civil war, just terrorism US style

Imm!

Today’s rains blew away and from about noon on it was hot and sunny in Eastern Maine. Lately the storms come hard and fast and rainy and blow through in a hurry to go somewhere else. The tropical storm has blown off towards Nova Scotia, if the weathercritters are to be believed.

Here’s to a week of great weather for your vacation!!

OS

Did someone say, Keith?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..arch=keith 98.6

somebody say “Stay the Course”?

http://img152.imageshack.us/my…..l01eq0.jpg

Old Sow — Thanks!! I am hoping. I will be on Desert Island on Seal Cove Pond. I hope to come buy some books during the week?

Mary!

DETROIT?!

Oh goody — Mary’s off typing away, fixin’ to tell us something good. Can’t you just feel it coming?

kayak on the lake

ladies…here’s my email. rplaenk@netcyclops.com

[Moderator: please write only nice things to him. The poor child is desperate for attention. ]

Little wager on whom Robert may [heart] next, anyone?

Love Friday with Donita

This weeks Hot as Al Gore afternoon music

Willie Dixon – Ginger Ale Afternon
Cat Power – The Covers record
Alice In Chains – Jar Of Flies
Ramsey Lewis Trio – The In Crowd
Soundtracks
Dylan – Billy The Kid
Songs From Countryman
Bootlegs of
Tom Waits 1974 in Denver, CO
Ray Charles 1950’s studio out takes
Big Smith – Fayetteville, AR 2004

Classics and a cool swim with the trout filled White River gets a fellow through the miserable news.

166
don’t talk back!
Bring in the dog and put out the cat.
Your dad is hip he knows what cooks!

Ah, Eureka, love me some floating the White.

hahaha Now it looks like punaise and I are hallucinating — together!

lotus:

capice… I’d be 707 too, but seein’ as how I’m doin’ the lurky/worky thing, the powers that be might catch on that I ain’t gettin’ a damn thing done today… or many others days…

FDL: I can’t quit you!

:-P

‘Sings along with Imm’

Yakity yak… Hand him back

With a name like “Dr. Bong,” your productivity was already suspect….

:~)

Solidarity, Bong. Have you another beer on me at quittin’-time, OK?

Darkblack — that is really somehow disturbing yet excellent!

Here we go, Bong, grab my hand: 1 – 2 – 3 – darkblack 707!

Thanks Imm… ‘Disturbing always, excellent occasionally’

;>)

We regret to inform you that Dr. Bong had to be taken to the emergency room. Seems he fell over backwards out of his desk chair and cracked his skull open…

Ooo. Make sure Bong gets his beer IV, okay, boss?

Splat!

;>)

Imm–Discards from my library. Lots of good reading, not much non-fiction, iirc. You can reach me at jobokunda at adelphia.net Please mention the Lake in your message line. I’m away from home Thursday-Sunday. Safe travels. OS

Darkblack — 179

Ludwig Von!

Darkblack 179 LOL

LOL lotus
I wonder if Dr. Bong has prescription-writing privileges. Somehow I think he does.

immanentize, Old Sow:

So, you’re keen on music?

;>)

Lotus – I got diverted with some real work questions – but its from Judge Walton’s San Fran case.

Michigan is still out there afaik.

You dont need to convert a diesel engine
to run on biodeisel, a regualr diesel
engine will do, you just need to know
how to make biodiesel from vegetable waste.
If thats to much to deal with there is this
place in Marina del Rey where you can buy
the actual fuel. I plan on buying a deisal
van next year to tour with my band. I dont
feel the need to convert the engine, I will
try my hand at making biodiesel myself, relatively new diesel vans are pretty inexpensive it may not be the answer to global warming its a step in the right direction

Keen on Maine and Darkblack!!

Ah, okay and thanks, Mary.

Does that biofuels project have anything to do with Julia Roberts’ announcement that she’s going to be a spokeswoman for Earth BioFuels?

http://www.usatoday.com/life/p…..erts_x.htm

Hi Spencer
I think that guy in Silverlake is independent
of all that. Earth BioFuels is Willy Nelson’s
Company

Thanks, Donita. Dittybops ROCK!

Lotus@143: I didn’t know they put the story up–I did all that typing myself! lol

Donita from L7 .. what a trip. a week or so ago, I caught a posting by “donita sparks” and thought “could that be THE Donita . . nah.” Huge L7 fan from back in the day. . .15 years later I find you on my favorite political blog . . who would thunk it. Still, when I’m feeling rather pissy, I turn up “Shit List” and scream the lryics. Right on, Donita!! Dig it when my politics and music collide … one of the hardest rocking chicks on the planet. if you’ve never seen L7 and Donita, you’re missing out. Wow, the memories of those gigs at the Shamrock and Raji’s .. Yeah, noticed the veggie mercedes too. . good for us out here in LA LA Land.

And Hi! also to you, Donita. Acquainted with you back in the days when I was living in Silverlake and Jac Zinder was still of this world. (God, I miss him). Married since and been living in JT these last 8 years. I hear of latest Silverlake doings from my husband’s nephew who just moved into a house two down from where I’d lived almost 15 years ago.

And, gentle readers, the Ditty Bops are the real deal. (they do a great Boswell Sisters number)

Beck is in near constant rotation these days (”Hey, hot-dog! Your popsicle’s melting”) along with El Gran Silencio.

And, Deerhoof.

Best of luck & life to you, Donita. How fun to have you on FDL every week.

PS – Loved your scene in Serial Mom!

For me, I tunes = Windows = ick.

Donita, thanks for pointing out The Ditty Bops. I’m a musician and cycling advocate… but somehow missed the Bops until now. I think the bicycle tour idea is amazing! Brilliant! I can’t even imagine riding all day and then performing. They must be on such a high. I hope they write a book about their tour.