ROOTZ!

Do sign the petition. It will do your heart good.

RevDeb @
2

Do sign the petition. It will do your heart good.

signed

I did it. So did my mom (I’m her proxy. . . heh).

Signed it earlier this morning!

I’m #1,212.

OT – Abbas declares Hamas militia illegal

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday declared Hamas’ militia in the Gaza Strip illegal, and the Islamic movement responded by defiantly announcing plans to double the size of the paramilitary unit.

Twolf1 – I noticed from your comments in the previous thread that we must be nearly neighbors. I’m in the west end of the Poconos. On my ridge I usually have some snow most of the winter and of course none this year. I have had a few flurries here and there.

I signed the petition from Jane’s previous post, even though I’m not a New Yorker. Tom Tomorrow and Stephen Colbert have helped keep me sane through these dark times. I personally think he’s a brilliant satirist.

Petition signed.

Is it morning in America yet?

OT – additional brilliance…by whom, I do not know. Found this while playing around.

http://www.tehgoogle.com/

I LOVE Tom Tomorrow:

Young Republicans want to help!

http://www.workingforchange.co…..emid=21816

Pade – Nope not too far away from each other. I’m about 20 mins west of Allentown. It is so warm today, I removed the storm windows and put the screens back in.

Lou Costello @ 13

I LOVE Tom Tomorrow:

Young Republicans want to help!

http://www.workingforchange.co…..emid=21816

I like that one, but it’s pretty much preaching to the choir. The Young Republicans lack the sense of subtle irony required to get the joke.

Glenn Greenwald once wrote a post about how when he first found a book of TT’s comics from the time just before the Iraq War, he assumed they had been written years afterwards, due to how much foresight they showed. Might be worth someone digging up (sorry, I’m running out the door.)

OT –

This is good for a few giggles. Check out the FDL icon.

Twolf1 I just registered at your site. It is probably a bit warmer at your house. I house hunted in your direction but couldn’t pass up this house in the woods. I’m off to work on my wood pile.

I signed it. Hooray for Tom Tomorrow!

I have an extra special Late Nite for tonight all set to go backstage. Pach said I could have his spot tonight. I’m very excited about it.

Pade @
18

Twolf1 I just registered at your site. It is probably a bit warmer at your house. I house hunted in your direction but couldn’t pass up this house in the woods. I’m off to work on my wood pile.

It’s currently 69 degrees here.

who owns the “voice” now? it seems i remember some not very nice person bought it in the not to distant past ……

tom (i know that’s not your real name), you’re not alone. you’ve got a lot of fans out there. i’ve never lived near new york but i’ve been reading you for years (at least ten. not sure how many more).

I’m not a New Yorker, but I posted a link to the petition at my blog. Hopefully that can help get a few more signatures.

(everyone must be outside enjoying the global warming)

Ah, just got my HRC membership renewal in the mail. No check for you! The Joe Lieberman endorsement was more than enough, thank you. I don’t give money to organizations that support anti-gay-rights candidates.

hi, everybody! signed tom’s petition; the VV must be outta their mind to drop him from their print edition. is this how dinosaurs made decisions at the end — totally against their own self-interest?

anyway, fiance and I are off to Impeach at the Beach — I’ll have a report when we return!

…oh, and:
Troops
Home
NOW

Here’s some more wisdom from Frank Rich.

WARNING: It’s not what you think, but pretty funny.

“I have presidential ambitions, but they pale in comparison to what I think is most important to our nation’s security. If it destroys any ambitions I may have, I’m willing to pay that price gladly,” McCain said Friday, brushing aside scenarios of political fallout.

Who is this guy trying to kid?

twolf1 @ 23

(everyone must be outside enjoying the global warming)

69 today, 73 tomorrow in northern Virginia. It’s weird.

Re this petition:

Tom Tomorrow is an oracle.

McCain is “staking out a position as a hawk on this war — that it’s winnable and we’re going to move forward and do this. Certainly it’s a risky strategy,” said Fred Solop, a political science professor at Northern Arizona University. “But right now his sights are on winning the nomination for his party. And that’s a position that’s going to get him a lot of support as he pursues it.”

“John’s taking a gutsy position, not because he’s read any political opinion polls or sifted through the results of the last election, but because he thinks that’s what’s right for America,” Lieberman said.

Answering critics, McCain acknowledged that the military would be over-stressed under his proposal but said, “I believe there’s only one thing worse than an overstressed military — and that’s a broken and defeated military.”

zero degrees F, no wind, snowing lightly.

About to sign the petition, but wondering….

For years, up here in Alaska, my wife and I subscribed to the New Yorker, the New York Review of Books and the Village Voice. When we got kids, we added National Geographic. About nine or ten years ago, the Village Voice seemed to drop the quality of their investigative reporting. Until then, that aspect of the paper was among its best. But I kept subscribing, partially because I could never find the paper for sale in book stores up here.

But when their music coverage went from the best in the USA to OK, I dropped the subscription. When i’m in Seattle in the summer, I’ll pick up an issue or two, but I seldom check their web page. For me, the Village Voice has lost all relevance.

One reason why is exemplified by TRex’s post from last night. He reports on a person who has done investigative work, has responded progressively, has been slimed, and TRex poses actions for us to fight back. Sort of what the Voice did so well in their own way 20 years ago. Only far, far, far faster, and possibly, with more profound effect.

Before I sign the petition, can somebody explain to me why I should care WTF the Voice does next?

There is one benefit with the global warming thing that comes to mind. We won’t have to heat our pools.

OT – Following up on my comment earlier in the week on the tragic – dare I say mysterious and unexplained Christmas Eve death of Paul Sheldon Sanford, prominent attorney and radio host in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, below is a link to his Boston Globe obituary.

Many firepups will remember Paul Sanford as the sole member of the White House Press Corps member who dared ask WH Press Secretary Scott McClellan about the “potential violation of the statute protecting the identity of covert agents” regarding the betrayal of Valerie Plame.

http://www.legacy.com/BostonGlobe/Dea…..D=85810478 – 27k – Jan 4, 2007

>newspaperbrat @ 33

OT – Following up on my comment earlier in the week on the tragic – dare I say mysterious and unexplained Christmas Eve death of Paul Sheldon Sanford, prominent attorney and radio host in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, below is a link to his Boston Globe obituary.

Many firepups will remember Paul Sanford as the sole member of the White House Press Corps member who dared ask WH Press Secretary Scott McClellan about the “potential violation of the statute protecting the identity of covert agents” regarding the betrayal of Valerie Plame.

http://www.legacy.com/BostonGlobe/Dea…..D=85810478 – 27k – Jan 4, 2007

That is so very sad…and a little scary.

egregious @
28

twolf1 @ 23

(everyone must be outside enjoying the global warming)

69 today, 73 tomorrow in northern Virginia. It’s weird.

It’s 69 degrees here too, over 200 miles north of you.

Kentucky Woman @ 34

>newspaperbrat @ 33

OT – Following up on my comment earlier in the week on the tragic – dare I say mysterious and unexplained Christmas Eve death of Paul Sheldon Sanford, prominent attorney and radio host in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, below is a link to his Boston Globe obituary.

Many firepups will remember Paul Sanford as the sole member of the White House Press Corps member who dared ask WH Press Secretary Scott McClellan about the “potential violation of the statute protecting the identity of covert agents” regarding the betrayal of Valerie Plame.

http://www.legacy.com/BostonGlobe/Dea…..D=85810478 – 27k – Jan 4, 2007

That is so very sad…and a little scary.

And this:

In lieu of flowers, the family humbly requests that you stand up for what you believe.

Done – Rock on!

My sister in Fairbanks Alaska, tells me that over the last thirty years she has lived there, that glacial receding is way beyond worrisome.

Oh – and check out ‘Moral Orel‘ on Cartoon Network, as the similarities to me between the two are many.

Oklahoma kiddo @
30

Answering critics, McCain acknowledged that the military would be over-stressed under his proposal but said, “I believe there’s only one thing worse than an overstressed military — and that’s a broken and defeated military.”

Yea…he’s apt to say just about anything at this point. Expecting him to give a talk at Bob Jones U. any day now on how Stonewall Jackson was a friend of the slaves.

More followup from last thread — the reason global warming isn’t part of the “first 100 hours” is not because it isn’t considered important, but because it’s big and will require a lot of work. The initial list isn’t the most important issues, it’s the ones that can be dealt with fairly quickly to establish a record of accomplishment (or Bush veto.) So let’s keep that in perspective.

OT – Army asks dead to sign up for another hitch

The Army said Friday it would apologize to the families of about 275 officers killed or wounded in action who were mistakenly sent letters urging them to return to active duty.

If you haven’t seen it Chicago Dyke’s coverage of the AEI event is the only version that won’t make you grind your teeth (much.) A sample:

We aren’t winning enough (they couldn’t bring themselves to say “losing”) because of the naughty, feckless generals who misinterpreted Bush’s brilliant strategy thus far.

Redshift @
43

If you haven’t seen it Chicago Dyke’s coverage of the AEI event is the only version that won’t make you grind your teeth (much.) A sample:

We aren’t winning enough (they couldn’t bring themselves to say “losing”) because of the naughty, feckless generals who misinterpreted Bush’s brilliant strategy thus far.

*warning* Link contains pictures of Joe Lieberman. May not be for the faint hearted or short of temper.

This is for Katie Jensen (from last thread, I got a very late start today).

Average surface temps for all of the Great Lakes for the past 10 years.

twolf1 @
42

OT – Army asks dead to sign up for another hitch

The Army said Friday it would apologize to the families of about 275 officers killed or wounded in action who were mistakenly sent letters urging them to return to active duty.

What, haven’t you ever watched Army of Darkness? The dead make great warriors!

tryggth @
17

OT –

This is good for a few giggles. Check out the FDL icon.

“Trox”?

Re that surge thingy and defining a mission for it, there remains a lot of daylight between what Bush is likely to propose and what the Iraqis want. The Iraqi government (and I use that term advisedly) is dubious about an increase in US troop levels. It has two reasons for this. First, introducing more US forces into Iraq now merely emphasizes for everyone the weakness and general ineffectualness of the Maliki government. Second, Muqtada al Sadr, a crucial Maliki parliamentary supporter with a major power base in Baghdad wants US forces out, not in the country. Muqtada is a nationalist, albeit a religious one. He believes his militia the Mahdi Army and its associated death squads can take on the Sunnis and he doesn’t want us getting in the way or crimping his play.

In comments today redolent with black comedy, Maliki addressed this last issue obliquely when he stated:

“I ban all political parties and organizations from practicing any partisan activities inside the armed forces”

http://www.usatoday.com/news/w…..htm?csp=24

As Ross Perot would say, “Problem solved!” Although Bush and Maliki often disagree, they are alike in their belief that if they say something, reality will necessarily follow.

The mission of the surge/escalation varies on whom you listen to. This is because there are, in fact, two missions on the table, the one Bush and company are planning and the one the Iraqis (think Maliki) want. I like to think of them as the “Inside” and “Outside” strategies.

Bush and his new coterie of complaisant, like minded generals favor an inside strategy of US forces operating within Baghdad and establishing a secure environment there through widespread and aggressive patrolling.

Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, a U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, said this past week that any new effort to stabilize Baghdad would likely involve traditional, large-scale U.S. operations as well as nighttime raids by smaller, more mobile forces.

Such a move would also put US forces in a position to curb death squad activity and, depending on whether planners had taken their meds or not, could include an attempt to take out Muqtada al Sadr and/or the Mahdi Army.

The Iraqis (Maliki) prefer the outside strategy. This would station American troops around but not in Baghdad. They could be called in as needed. Under this plan, the Shia would seek to gain effective control of Baghdad. Death squad activity would continue in the spirit of “creating” security, and Muqtada and his men would be insulated from US forces. The real mission for US forces under this scenario would be to fight Sunni tribal forces who are currently trying to surround the capital and cut it off from the rest of the country, especially the Shia South.

I don’t think that it will come as a surprise to anyone that the likelihood of either of these strategies working is zero.

A final note. I just could not pass up this wonderful quote:

“The execution of the tyrant was not a political decision, as the enemies of the Iraqi people say. The verdict was implemented after a fair and transparent trial, which the dictator never deserved,” al-Maliki said.

I posted a long comment here a couple of days ago detailing just how fair and transparent Saddam’s trial really was. But it is Maliki’s offhand admission that Saddam never deserved any judicial process that is the most telling. Justice, as opposed to vengeance, has a very long, and hard, road ahead of it in Iraq.

Noonan @
46

twolf1 @
42

OT – Army asks dead to sign up for another hitch

The Army said Friday it would apologize to the families of about 275 officers killed or wounded in action who were mistakenly sent letters urging them to return to active duty.

What, haven’t you ever watched Army of Darkness? The dead make great warriors!

Klaatu barada nikto

darkblack: can you tell if this has been photoshoped? It’s been circulating overseas and supposedly was taken during Dubya’s gay cocaine post cheerleading at Yale days…and if genuine is surely reason for Bab’s urgent Christian orientation salvation intervention!

(Warning: no Presidential Cod Piece shown here…)

http://www.ausculture.com/blog…..h_nude.jpg

Just Asking @ 50

darkblack: can you tell if this has been photoshoped? It’s been circulating overseas and supposedly was taken during Dubya’s gay cocaine post cheerleading at Yale days…and if genuine is surely reason for Bab’s urgent Christian orientation salvation intervention!

(Warning: no Presidential Cod Piece shown here…)

http://www.ausculture.com/blog…..h_nude.jpg

My eyes! My eyes are bleeding!

Oklahoma kiddo @
38

My sister in Fairbanks Alaska, tells me that over the last thirty years she has lived there, that glacial receding is way beyond worrisome.

Yep!

twolf1 @
44

Redshift @
43

If you haven’t seen it Chicago Dyke’s coverage of the AEI event is the only version that won’t make you grind your teeth (much.) A sample:

We aren’t winning enough (they couldn’t bring themselves to say “losing”) because of the naughty, feckless generals who misinterpreted Bush’s brilliant strategy thus far.

*warning* Link contains pictures of Joe Lieberman. May not be for the faint hearted or short of temper.

C-SPAN has the speech up at this page:

http://www.cspan.org/videoarch…..veDays=100

HotFlash @ 36

Kentucky Woman @ 34

>newspaperbrat @ 33

OT – Following up on my comment earlier in the week on the tragic – dare I say mysterious and unexplained Christmas Eve death of Paul Sheldon Sanford, prominent attorney and radio host in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, below is a link to his Boston Globe obituary.

Many firepups will remember Paul Sanford as the sole member of the White House Press Corps member who dared ask WH Press Secretary Scott McClellan about the “potential violation of the statute protecting the identity of covert agents” regarding the betrayal of Valerie Plame.

http://www.legacy.com/BostonGlobe/Dea…..D=85810478 – 27k – Jan 4, 2007

That is so very sad…and a little scary.

And this:

In lieu of flowers, the family humbly requests that you stand up for what you believe.

A little scary indeed! And sadly, because Paul was a successful criminal attorney those of us who so greatly admired his political courage fear the investigation of his death will be limited to spectulation of a disgrunted client and ignore his passionate progressive advocacy for holding the White House accountable for the war and the Plame outing. Assuming of course our Monterey County Coroner’s office is even doing a thorough investigation of his shocking death. Our once highly respected Monterey County government has devolved and become increasingly embarrassing with scandals that include most recently a criminal indictment of our former Registar of Voters, several Superior Court judges under review and a Board of Supervisors whose majority members appear to be lackeys for major developers including local icon Clint Eastwood’s Pebble Beach Company. Sigh!

Great comic strip! LOL!

newspaperbrat @
54

HotFlash @ 36

Kentucky Woman @ 34

>newspaperbrat @ 33

OT – Following up on my comment earlier in the week on the tragic – dare I say mysterious and unexplained Christmas Eve death of Paul Sheldon Sanford, prominent attorney and radio host in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, below is a link to his Boston Globe obituary.

eMany firepups will remember Paul Sanford as the sole member of the White House Press Corps member who dared ask WH Press Secretary Scott McClellan about the “potential violation of the statute protecting the identity of covert agents” regarding the betrayal of Valerie Plame.

http://www.legacy.com/BostonGlobe/Dea…..D=85810478 – 27k – Jan 4, 2007

That is so very sad…and a little scary.

And this:

In lieu of flowers, the family humbly requests that you stand up for what you believe.

A little scary indeed! And sadly, because Paul was a successful criminal attorney those of us who so greatly admired his political courage fear the investigation of his death will be limited to spectulation of a disgrunted client and ignore his passionate progressive advocacy for holding the White House accountable for the war and the Plame outing. Assuming of course our Monterey County Coroner’s office is even doing a thorough investigation of his shocking death. Our once highly respected Monterey County government has devolved and become increasingly embarrassing with scandals that include most recently a criminal indictment of our former Registar of Voters, several Superior Court judges under review and a Board of Supervisors whose majority members appear to be lackeys for major developers including local icon Clint Eastwood’s Pebble Beach Company. Sigh!

I can’t read ziggurat very well, so I don’t know if it was rumi, egregious or GSD who left us something to ruminate on: a list of people all over the world who have “committed suicide” over issues surrounding the war. It’s astounding just how long the list is.

Rumi, another for your list? Maybe you could update it for us now…

OT – Colo. avalanche buries, sweeps away cars

A huge avalanche buried several cars and sent others over the edge Saturday on U.S. 40 near 11,307-foot-high Berthoud Pass, Colorado highway officials said.

“Our crews said it was the largest they have ever seen. It took three paths,” said Stacey Stegman, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Transportation.

Oklahoma kiddo @ 29

“John’s taking a gutsy position, not because he’s read any political opinion polls or sifted through the results of the last election, but because he thinks that’s what’s right for America,” Lieberman said.

Of course, if he had read any opinion polls or sifted through the results of the last election, he’d realize that he’s boned. McCain is playing to lose. Fine with me.

but back around the 27th, rumi left us something to ruminate on: a list of people all over the world who have “committed suicide” over issues surrounding the war. It’s astounding just how long the list is.

There were also those who “committed suicide” around issues of election fraud. One investigative reporter from Florida comes to mind – he left a message for his wife that he was going to meet a source and was onto something big, and then, of course, became despondent and killed himself.

Blue America with Howie and David Lutrin is upstairs.

And for the record (missed the thread earlier), central Vermont, former snow belt, nearly seventy degrees, absolutely no snow. We normally have snow on the ground from mid November on; we have had one snowfall of a handful of inches, followed a day later by rain, which washed it away.

This following last year’s dismal winter, almost no snow. Around here, nobody’s happy.

carolyn urban @
59

There were also those who “committed suicide” around issues of election fraud. One investigative reporter from Florida comes to mind – he left a message for his wife that he was going to meet a source and was onto something big, and then, of course, became despondent and killed himself.

We are discussing Florida’s Political Swampland upstairs!

The Village Voice is now owned and operated by New Times.

Sign all the petitions you want to, Tom Tomorrow is being shown the door.

Mommybrain @ 56

newspaperbrat @
54

I can’t read ziggurat very well, so I don’t know if it was rumi, egregious or GSD who left us something to ruminate on: a list of people all over the world who have “committed suicide” over issues surrounding the war. It’s astounding just how long the list is.

Rumi, another for your list? Maybe you could update it for us now…

[Mod note; is this the link you’re looking for:
CGCS Investigative Report ]

I’ll sign it but seriously, why not just read it at Salon.com. I know all of you have a computer and you can read it for free if you go through some ad screen first. Sorry, ornery today, I guess the climate of stupidity does have an effect on all of us.. The thread-head does not give reason why the Village Voice is dropping the cartoon, maybe it’s because it’s basically the same 5 political cartoons every other 5 editions. I guess that’s simply my own opinion though. I wonder why is the voice is dropping Tom for real? Oh well, back to the grind-grind-grind of watching George W. BushCo screw life and liberty right in the ass! It’s worse than the grind of a MMORPG!

(Takes a second Lexapro)

-Cheers!

I’m 1589 and H.L. Mencken is very annoyed!