One thug down, one to go.

One? And here I thought you’d never be an optimist. :)

Thanks, Siun.

It appears that yours is the place to visit when “news” and information from a certain part of the world “breaks”.

One hopes, once again, that the Egyptian army is well-equipped in the humanity department, a signal failing of many military “establishments”.

DW

Siun – several scattered tweets that this Council blocked Suleiman from attending this meeting – that would be significant if confirmed

Sami Anan unlocking the Super Mayor badge ?

Too bad we failed to be out front on the DEMOCRATIC side of history.

Siun,

Various commenters have pointed out, as has Juan Cole, that the Egyptian military has its own divisions (heh). Any info you can provide on factions within the military would be interesting.

heard of the army is expected to issue a statement to the protesters that “all your demands will be met.”

How they wanted jobs I want details on how the Army plans to meet those demands. Why I want to take notes so we can go Egypt on Obama.

Thank you, Siun! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for an excellent outcome, and I hope this positively affects the entire Middle East and beyond.
I read this at Correntewire (Lambert has done yeoman’s work in covering the events):
“New demands emerge from TS for entire govt to step down and a year-long period of transition while a new Constitution is written. Supreme Council of the Armed Forces now in session. Mub was not at the meeting. 10:29AM They issued a statement that’s totally ambiguous but highly significant, to which the TS crowds reacted positively.”
http://correntewire.com/

Wow. Best of luck to the Egyptian people.

One thug down, one to go.

The entire Arab world is worried your wrong about only one more to go. Me I’m hoping the next one to go is Obama but thug nope punk would need Stones to be a thug. Punk surrenders more than France and has done nothing to Help African Americans.

According to the Guardian, the AP also has reported Suleiman was not at the army council meeting:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/feb/10/egypt-middleeast#block-42

Interesting that AJ & democracynow can find peeps to do simultaneous Arabic-English translation, but CIA, U.S. military can’t find anyone who can even speak Arabic.

Time for Obie to go on teevee, take credit and say he had the protesters’ back all the way.

thanks !

Siun – several scattered tweets that this Council blocked Suleiman from attending this meeting – that would be significant if confirmed

It means he is a figurehead until new elections or a new dictator can be chosen I have no idea what the Army wants or how they plan to play things.
We need details on the generals.

Interesting that AJ & democracynow can find peeps to do simultaneous Arabic-English translation, but CIA, U.S. military can’t find anyone who can even speak Arabic.

It’s because their translators were all gay, now they are gay, unemployed Arabic speakers.

several scattered tweets that this Council blocked Suleiman from attending this meeting

I can only imagine what the Very Serious People in the administration are saying to one another.

That did cross my mind…

Speculating here but maybe now that Mubarak is leaving, the Army is going to (finally) side with the people. Opinions?

The Guardian has these items:

“Reports that Mubarak will stand down tonight
• Conflicting rumours he will hand power to VP or army
• Army ‘says it will meet all protesters’ demands”

and:

There are rumours state TV employees are leaving the building for fear of a coming backlash.

4.34pm: Al-Jazeera is reporting that Ib>the NDP chief reportedly stopped Mubarak making a speech handing power to Suleiman. (my bold)

4.31pm: From my colleague Peter Beaumont:

“So Egypt’s military council statement is communique number 1 of er how many? getting a definite coup-y type vibe”
less than a minute ago via web
peter beaumont
petersbeaumont

Siun is the definite Go To Gal. I always feel confident that I’m getting the latest and best facts here.

Just how many Arabs even now feel safe in the Army after 9/11 or after years of solders being shot at by brown people. An Arab working in the Pentagon must feel like me at a Klan Meeting.

I am so happy! **tears** Tons of Blessings to each and everyone in the Square.

BTW, once everyone gets tired of waiting for Mubarak to speak, just tell to get the hell offline so he can start.

Prior record is twice at midnight Egypt time, which would be 5 hours from now.

Well done, Margaret! So much irony, so little time…

Mubarak doesn’t need to say anything other than “I quit” but no doubt he’ll make himself a martyr and talk about how poorly done by he is.

“sanguine” “situation is fluid” blah, blah, blah

AJ reporting (confidently!) that prez airplanes have NOT been mobilized.

“…while a new constitution is written.”

Gosh, i hope they tweet each and every debate. What a stunning constitutional movement. **happy dance**

So Egypt’s military council statement is communique number 1 of er how many? getting a definite coup-y type vibe”

oooh goosebumps – was just now thinking of the final scene in Z

Don’t forget the part about how Egyptians should be grateful to him for all the sacrifices he’s made for them.

$70 billion of sacrifices, if recent totals be true, up from $40 billion estimates at the beginning of the demonstrations.

What I would like some insight into is the head of Parliment who constitutionally should take over…

Why is he being passed over? Why a “coup” to prop up Suliman? Why cant they follow the constitution?

I understand the 2 month time frame for elections might not work but it seems like these could easily be pushed back a couple of months without the need for a coup.

From where I sit it looks like kabuki preserving the status quo.

My heart is in Tahrir Square. Wish my butt could be there too.

Good to *see* ya.

Fascinating.

The thugs themselves wrote their own constitution…shorter…it doesn’t matter to them.

Yep. I’d be happy to make those kinds of sacrifices….even 0.001 percent of them.

If change is ushered into Egypt by the army, will it be only cosmetic? Sorry for being so repetitive, but the army is an instrument of the state. It will serve its own best interests, and to maintain it’s power and prestige. It doesn’t want to fire on the people, but it doesn’t want instability either. I imagine it had to bridge any divisions in its own ranks before moving forward.

Will there be a new constitution? Free and open elections? A true democratic government? If everything now hinges on the army’s say-so, I’d bet no. They’re vested in some form of the status quo.

If the army has healed its own divisions, then it might start knocking the protesters’ heads without fearing a revolt within its own ranks. It let the governments thugs/police through bricks and Molotov cocktails on the peaceful protesters already, and allowed peaceful Egyptians to be attacked. I’m not so optimistic that it’s gonna broker a fair deal.

This is speculation on my part, I know. And a bit of a downer. I hope I’m all wrong, and the Egyptian people defy the puppet masters and get a good government. (And I wish the same for us!)

could fly out on Military plane

many tweets that he recorded speech (approved by Military) and has jetted off to Shar’m el Sheik

So, what is likely now. If there is so much concern about the “speaker” stepping into power for the short period of time that would be required to set up new elections (and during the time frame the American diplomats advising Obama, who don’t bother with constitutions much, thought that the VP, Suleiman, would rule instead of the speaker), is this basically a military work around?

Are they going to try to set up the military (instead of Suleiman or the speaker) and term is a bloodless coup and let the military in essence be in charge through the new (hopefully the new) elections? That might, with the right military assurances, keep Israel comfortable and be one of the better short term outcomes that could be generated, if the military gets out of the detention and torture business it was getting into the last week or so.

Also – wasn’t Panetta (not Clinton) one of the first sources on Mubarak stepping down? What gives with that?

Side with to prevent violence yes. But side how much on creating jobs and redistributing the wealth that I don’t see them doing much. Will they play divide and conquer create jobs for the educated but not help the poor by raising the minimum wage or some other divide and conquer strategy?
America has been 2 steps behind this whole crisis I bet divide and conquer is what America is pushing Egypt to do to bad for that plan that the Christians and the Brotherhood seem to have focused on the greater enemy.
We need the Red Staters to get smart like the Brotherhood blame the people in power not the scapegoat.
The Army could appease the crowd by going after the police thugs who shot at the crowd and have tv trials when they are caught.
Added benefit of that plan remove a competing power base.

From AJ.

6:49pm: Alan Fisher, Al Jazeera correspondent, notes the military’s Supreme Council has only ever held three open sessions in its history. 1967, 1973 – and today.

True that. Siun knows the difference between fact, speculation, and wishful thinking as well as the true currency of hope and humanity.

News ya can use from a person whom you may trust, without reservation.

Geez, maybe this is what a genuine example of an honest “fourth estate” actually looks and feels like.

How ya doin’ demi? I note that rancor and annoyance are quite as prevalent on certain threads as ever, and that the latest outrages still surprize and amaze.

Always amuses me how many Americans have got “advice” for others seeking participatory democracy and justice. As if we had a genuine clue … beyond hype and PR.

DW

If change is ushered into Egypt by the army, will it be only cosmetic?

There’s no way of knowing at this moment. Valid questions all.

We need the Red Staters to get smart like the Brotherhood blame the people in power not the scapegoat.

That’s asking quite a bit.

Money talks.

Thanks for incredible work throughout Siun.

But don’t make them angry or they’ll pull out the six-shooters and impose justice and order THEIR way.

Yay!

I think a w00t! is appropriate here.

Go Egypt!

Siun, you’re incredible. Thank you for bringing us the story of Egypt over the past couple weeks.

It is, isn’t it?

I found the Associated Press write-up with the info about Suleiman’s absence:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ml_egypt

I’m wondering where ElBaradei is in all of this, too. Oh, it seems a spokesperson for him is talking on AJE right now…

Thank you, thank you, Siun – how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good tidings!

I have been clinging to that statement the army spokesperson made early on that the Egyptian army would never fire upon the brave Egyptian people, hoping that had been said truthfully and with honor. Sulieman has had such a different attitude, and indeed elements of the military have been still arresting and mistreating people on their way to and from the square – I’d say those were his henchmen.

Let it be hand in hand, let it be! What a brave ongoing struggle!

AJ did correction that it was CIA “sources,” not Panetta directly.

But all is rumor at this point, so take everything you hear with a large amount of skepticism.

It might work if Rush gets a brain implant and then starts talking sense.

Second that!

I have fantasies of him getting drug induced Alzheimer’s and turning him into a meat puppet.

What I don’t understand about that is that supposedly under the Egyptian constitution, if he steps down power goes to the Speaker (which supposedly was what the US did not want, bc the Speaker was such an awful guy – although most of that seemed like a ruse to simply get their guy, Suleiman, in – apparently when they had Mubarak appoint Suleiman VP they just assumed that the VP would take over if Mubarak stepped down, then found out that wasn’t how the Egyptian constitution worked and that’s why they were backtracking to keep Mubarak in)

I can see a handoff to the miltiary if they basically treat it all as a coup and pretty much suspend gov in general and revert to martial law while the army works with the protestors to generate a new govt, but its always a risky thing (for democracy) to hand off power to the military. Here, I can see it being the best short term option, though, bc it could greatly reassure Israel about borders and prevent any illconsidered actions, but the short term path to military rule might not be a long term path to success of reform unless there is a lot of structure behind what is going on – and with US Presidential elections in 2012, the US commitment to any long term path is going to be unreliable.

ElBaradei has proven to be a complete wimp in all of this. I noted a week or so ago that he was very good as head of IAEA, a bureaucratic job with 192 bosses, but as a leader not-so-much. His subsequent near invisibility has added to my opinion.

Brian Williams just this minute said Panetta did say it.

If Brian Williams said it, it must be true.

LOL!!

Congratulations to the Egyptian people. They were willing to put themselves on the line for real hope and change. The U.S. public is stuck with the faux version.

…CIA, U.S. military can’t find anyone who can even speak Arabic.

How do you know that? Have any disinfo links that are credibly unreliable? Isn’t it pragmatically unuseful to seem non-unincompetent?

AJE reporting that the Egyptian Army prevented Mubarak from handing power to Suleiman!

Banner: “Analysts: Military coup taking place”. CNN

And he’s considered a “legitimate newsman” but the public.

No kidding? Oh, my.

Indeed when shown the gapping holes in Arabic resources – and offered computer resources that fill those holes from some of the best in the world, our intel operation rejects the help – indeed comments from Congressional hearings that pointed out the gap I am speaking about were part of the presentation that did not move our intel to seek some inexpensive help.

They needed big corporation or big politician (plural actually) to even get into further discussions. I am not really sure our intel is really into “stopping terrorists” or “national defense” when it is not a major corporation helping them out.

pragmatically unuseful to seem non-unincompetent

Hmmm. Coming to think of it, that could be even better than being misunderestimated.

Boy, there is gonna be one big celebration….

Ah yes, there’s that. I’m doing fine here. Keeping myself occupied. Staying away from the fray. I always find a way to stay in touch with my friends here. I’ve learned to not buy into some of the more negative blah blah blah. *g* (Self preservation, ya know.)

Al Jazeera is reporting that the State TV is being evacuated because the staff fears reprisals.

fuck us running – I know when I want boots on the ground coverage and insightful commentary, I go to Contessa Brewer and Chris Matthews

I probably shouldn’t have said Panetta, but I thought it was very odd that it wasn’t State Dept sourcing and I’d be just as interested in where Suleiman is going after the speech as Mubarak. Did the CIA cut a deal that gets their torturer out before there could be a military rule with military commissions? ;) Not that I believe in things like trials of torturers anymore, but someone is going to have to take over the Secret Police detainees or the bodies they leave behind.

It’s such a good thing that Obama kept “extraordinary” rendition to torture as a part of his foreign policy. I did like Cooper’s flat out assertion that the Egyptian govt lies about detentions and tortures – it makes all those renditions arranged by the US under the rhetoric that no one will be tortured in essence directly challenged by US media sourcing. Makes it a bit harder to claim you’ve cut a nifty and reliable deal for the guys you are handing over when the US press is saying flat out that the gov you are cutting the deals with lies about detention and torture.

FDL has the best reporting in the country. Thanks, Siun, for all your hard work.

then found out that wasn’t how the Egyptian constitution

Imagine that, a country that actually complies with its constitution.

but its always a risky thing (for democracy) to hand off power to the military.

In the case of Egypt, it is likely the people are better represented by the military than by the elite which can be more easily be manipulated by foreign powers seeking their own interests.

I dunno, maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world that he’s not approaching things for apparent political for himself.

We just don’t know what’s going on outside of the small part of the revolution that can be televised and reported on in real time. It’s impossible to know just what will happen or even what would be the best thing for the people.

egyptian tweeps – ‘tonight we party, tomorrow we overthrow !’

I meant no value judgment. Meant only to point out that ElB seemed to be good at one job but not another.

I hope it will be a well considered one.

It’s a pretty drastic thing to have to rely on a military coup to get rid of a torturing President and Secret police apparatus – especially when the military was getting into that same torture business recently.

I’m cautious on this one, but glad for the protestors that they are going to have their well deserved moment tonight.

Did I hear that you took a tumble, eCAHN?

Couple years ago .. I took a trip, flew a short distance and then the concrete rose up and smote me. Don’t recommend it to my friends, no way no how.

DW

They can try it, but in a nation where half the population is 20 or younger, when the same communication technologies that enable Twitter are essential for getting Egypt to a place where it is economically more functional, they’re on a fool’s errand if they think that will work. Israel is going to have to come to grips with the fact that Obama doesn’t run the entire world.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/10/egypt-unrest-mubarak-may-address-nation-party-chief-says/

Prison term cut for bin Laden cook

The former cook of al-Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden has had his Guantanamo prison sentence reduced to two years from 14, under a plea agreement that remains secret.

The secret agreement is, he can only prepare Freedom Fries for the rest of his life.

lol – and the things it says make you wonder how it was raised.

Mubarak currently meeting with VP and will make live speech tonight.

AJ reporting that Egyptian state TV sez that M’s speech will be live on air from Cairo.

The energy of the crowd right now is so high and horns are honking….

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/20112101653445426.html

The above repeats Siun’s report – just a different source.

believe our Emptywheel called that in her post from his orignal sentencing

Ah, NewThink. Mendaciously well said, heck of a job, … and now, AitchD, you is on “their” list.

For better, bestest, or worse.

;~DW

Yep. No backing off now.

I don’t know whether you are aware of it, but the guardian.uk put an English/Arabic toggle on their Live Update page within the passt 48 hours. And some of their Twitter feeds are showing in Arabic; ditto NYT.

Meanwhile, I’m pretty sure CNN’s Ivan Watson speaks Arabic; MSNBC’s Engel certainly does.
And Egypt alone has 80,000,000 people. And the US is streaming AJE on computers b/c we don’t have cable feeds of Arabic language info; meanwhile, they watch US sitcoms.

Siun, when this is over (peacefully, in a way that regenerates Egypt), I hope you take a bow. Your passion has been a blessing.

Try what?
Military rule in the short run after Mubarak steps down, instead of a hand off to the Speaker under the Constitution?

Form everything I’ve heard so far, that seems to be what even the TS protestors are talking about – a military rule during a period of time to draft a new constitution and/or patch up the old one. Is that not what you are seeing? Do you think they are going to have the pass off go to the Speaker?

I’m not sure I follow your comment?

Yes, fell down a flight of stairs backwards. Stepped on the loose part one down booty with the other foot they tried to raise the trapped foot. No broken bones, a miracle in itself, & recovering slowly but nicely.

Sorry to hear about yours. Concrete even less forgiving than wooden steps.

Murbarak…”What are we going to do Suly???? Where are we going to leeve???”

Suleiman…”Muby, you screwed up…now I’m going to have to leeeve too…Noooo…”

hahahaha

What I’m thinking is that ElBaradaei might be doing more leading behind the scenes than it seems, if only in how his statements about not negotiating with the Mubarak administration, which he’s been making all along, echo the position of the student movement.

He’s certainly playing a role & he’s still on my list of ‘solid citizens,’ so that’s a good thing. I got a phone call a bit ago, so was on the phone when ElB’s spokesman came on AJ & missed the beginning. What I did hear sounded responsible.

That’s how it seemed to be shaping up – thanks for the link. It’s such a volatile, ever changing situation right now.

@83 – probably restrictions on what he can say about how he was treated and a release of rights to pursue remedies for his treatment.

Heh.

I pray that no power devolves to Omar “Sheikh al-Torture” Suleiman following Mubarak stepping down. He cannot be trusted to oversee the transition.

I think el-Baradaei would be a great person to have involved in the reshaping and I think that’s what he went back for – not to lead, but to be helpful. We just have so few guys who want to actually help their country instead of milk what they can from 15 minutes of fame that it’s gotten hard for us to recognize those kinds of guys.

Firepup Freedom Fighters:

“…Mubarak has relocated to Sharm el-Sheik with his army chief of staff.”

Sure looks like the military has got Mubarak under control and Suleiman has no armed forces outside of the secret police and the irregular thugs. This doesn’t mean that the Egyptian people have won the day…but they are certainly a lot closer to victory than is the US government or the oilagarchy.

Gad! eCAHN, I’m glad you are alright. Still a bit sore, in places, I reckon?

That “episode” sounds long enough for you to have had a mo’ to “think” on the way down … I merely had time to get my hand between myself and the concrete. My “thinking” was comprised of “Oh …sh!”WHAM!!!

DW

What do ‘we’ know for certain? Recall what you are able of Able Danger.

Oops; now Jon Kyl:

“Mark Murray writes:Move over Kay Bailey Hutchison, Kent Conrad, Joe Lieberman, and Jim Webb. The latest U.S. senator to announce that he/she won’t run for re-election in 2012: Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl (R).

NBC News has confirmed through sources that Kyl, the No. 2 in the GOP Senate leadership, will announce his retirement at a press conference today from Phoenix.”

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/10/6024809-kyl-becomes-latest-senator-to-retire

Sorry, Mary. I thought you were positing yet another military junta taking control moving forward indefinitely, and my point was that demographics, thought-processes, and economics seem to have left that mode behind in the dust.

The fact that there’s confusion suspects to me that deals are still being cut.
When the post-mortems of this are done, I hope that someone notes the Robert Tait article in yesterday’s Guardian.uk about being picked up by the Egyptian security police, and then being threatened with torture and having to hear his ‘fixer’ being electrocuted (!).

I phoned one of my Senators’ offices, and the staffer was **really** interested in that article — in fact, stayed on the phone while he called it up on the computer. FWIW, over 40% of my state’s wheat crop goes to Egypt, so for people here to start waking up to the horrors of what is actually being perpetrated on the people who are their customers is… well, we live in interesting times.

Now, it’s going to be interesting to see how much of Mubarak’s $40 – $70 billion the Egyptian people can claw back. That’s over half a billion for every million of his own people at a minimum. I don’t see even a military junta being able to keep a lid on that in the era of growing transparency.

anyone have any tips and tricks on translating Arabic to English on twitter ???

using a macbook pro – no phone w/ “apps”

google has a good translator.

Happened to me just about a year ago..had to relearn to walk…walking really well now, but omg am I stiff in the morning or if I sit in one position too long. Ouch!

Here’s the link.

Citizen Mary:

I’m glad to hear someone say what I’ve been thinkin’ since el-Baradaei got back into the country…this thing is a long way from resolved but if there has been communication between the various groups and if all are willing to follow a “non-partisan” el-Baradaei through an interum then it’s just a matter of the military standing up for the people and goin’ after the secret police and the CIA backed mercs.

YAY!

thanks sweetie – using that presently, just seems a little kluge-y to me

The excitement is palpable…wow..what a great moment in history.

Might be in preparation for a POTUS run…

The fact that there’s confusion suspects to me that deals are still being cut.

my spidey says same – appears to be somewhat dramatic gambit by Military – can watch the various actors place their bets as the twitter feed progresses

Did you break anything?

My left knee is wobbly. In the initial recovery it seemed to be getting OK, so I started using it more & got something caught (prolly ripped cartilage), which caused renewed swelling & pain. That’s subsided but this time I’m going much more slowly.

Yes I did have time to think, mostly Oh Shit, but also to relax & go with the flow. I’m a good “faller” in that sense. In all the bad tumbles I taken, skiing, riding, ordinary life, I try to remember to relax, which makes a big diff in how severe the injuries are.

Also a lot of icing.

Speaking of which, I should go get a bag & do some more.

And while I’m gone, Mubarak should start his speech.

Oh No..

Babylon 9

He’s wing-nutty, racist, wears nice ties, racist, hates brown people, Senate experience, anti-abortion, racist. What more could a GOP voter want?

I’m glad you are doing well, lsls. I consider myself fortunate, but still feel the lingering aftereffects as added to Arthur’s rightas, especially when the weather “changes”. It’s a good thing aging makes us wiser, as I’d hate to imagine what things would be like if we went t’other way.

DW

BTW, you need a phone w/apps :)

I can live-stream AJE on my phone. There’s an app for that.

Ugh.

Egypt’s military relies on and depends on US, France, and Great Britain for its weapons inventories in the same way that Wal-Mart relies on and depends on China.

Most of my pain now is due to Arthritis too which manifested worse after the fall, and also to the development of new muscles, etc. It has been a long haul…

and submitted a false/doctored statement on Colloquy to SCOTUS – good luck w/that mendacious jerk !

thanks for Babylon 9 – a little smoother !

Headline on AJE gives me chills.

THE REVOLUTION

“The immense crowd in Tahrir is cheering louder and louder – and clearly feels that something is about to change.”

Beautiful to behold.

I understand.

Part of the problem is that recently the reports have come out of army involvement in detentions and torture as well.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/02/2011210135310479662.html

I actually do think that the military solution that the protestors seem to be backing is the best short term solution, but I also worry about the long term, especially to the extent there’s already been bleed through on the Secret police’s torture tactics. At some point, though, if you kick Mubarak out(yeah) some person or limited group has to assume some kind of control and it seems as if the protestors – who know their own country best – appear to be not just ok, but happy about the scenario of a short term military supervised succession – so fingers uncrossed long enough to pop the cork on the champagne. ;)

Only “reworked” a couple of knuckles in me right hand, eCAHN.

Goin’ with the flow, yes, indeedy, the secret to “good” falling.

Mubarak takes the cake? Billions in “icing”?

Who says tyranny doesn’t pay?

And consider the lush retirement, afterwards.

Must be a number of “leaders” in that position.

Maybe they ALL take the cake?

(And everything else not welded to the floor …)

DW

*just* ;)

Let’s hope.

If you read the fine print on the containers of food that Wal*Mart dispenses, you will find that non-food substances are included, undoubtedly to save cost.

Various reports in Singapore media have said that Chinese companies are mass producing fake rice made, in part, out of plastic.

Obviously last week’s diplomacy guaranteed nothing definitive would happen until after the Super Bowl.

Citizen eCAHNomics:

I been dealin’ with the inevitable also, my right meniscus has been slowly erroding over the last 10 years and since I retired I been livin’ on a diet of Tylenol ES and asparin. For the last 18 months I been dancin’ with the orthopod who has done x-rays and a recent MRI and tells me that there is cortisone in my future for the next couple a years or so. I have been lucky that I haven’t had the traumatic damage you have suffered and I still have the wife’s insurance but the deductable just went up from $50 to $250 last December. Hang in there and get it surgically cleaned up if you can…the arthritis from that kinda damage can be really unbearable.

Wouldn’t want to distract the cummershul watchin Merikuns!

fuzzy recollection – early on CW saying ElBaradei wouldn’t take reins of transition . . . because whoever does will somehow be ineligible to run any elections to come

The worst leader of any country in the 20C is someone in West Africa. Equatorial Guinea. The guy was really nuts. Don’t remember about the size of his spoils, but they were considerable.

I do remember the end of the story, which is that Thatcher’s son was in a plot to overthrow him, which failed. Wrote a spy thriller about it.

True enough – but at the present time our intel folks have over 500,000 files on what they think are about 20,000 persons at the do not fly center for example (this is public knowledge) – they can not correlate the data by UNIQUE “person” because of a lack of Arabic resources – resources pointed out as needed in secret meetings 10 years ago, in public hearings since 2006, 2007, etc.

Those resources exist in the private sector – but in small research groups – not in large companies – and when offered to the NSA the result was a presentation and a brush off. A CD transfer is so hard to accept if it does not come from IBM.

Rice constipates, so the plastic additive would have a counteractive effect.

More humanitarian starvation?

I’ve had cartilage surgery on both my knees. But I also lived with it ripped for a long time beforehand. So right now I’m just going with the flow to figure out how bad it is before going to a doc, who will instantly recommend surgery. Also, my ACLs are severed in both knees, owing to much earlier injuries, but as it turned out, I haven’t needed them.

But that may have changed. We’ll see.

I can only imagine and admire your willingness and courage to relearn …
over time, I have come to imagine you as one who has the fortitude and the inner strength to deal with adversity, even great and dire adversity, and to say little about it by way of self-congradulation or self aggrandizement, as your concerns seem centered on the well-being of all humanity.

Thank you for sharing, lsls, as learning about each other helps us all to understand more of everything.

DW

Moving to Siun’s new post upstairs.

The worst leader of any country in the 20C is someone in West Africa…

*sits on keyboard so as not to invoke Godwin’s Law*

Possible our 1971 dictator Idi Amin in Uganda – tossed Asians out of the country – killed 300,000 based on whims – ate – yes, ate – many that opposed him – retired to a Saudi heaven where he was a happy playboy.

At least he gets my vote. :-(

Brown rice has been a staple of my diet for close to 40 years. Have yet to have any bowel problems with it.

Wow. Thank you DW that makes me feel even better!! hahaha :)

OTOH, Marcy Wheeler wrote a thoughtful piece the other day, “Made in America” in the 21st Century.

Was that the one about the Chrysler ad? Great piece.

You two are gonna make me choke up! (And, you both know, I love that.)
Total personal ot to LS. I just got back from the nursery with three primroses plants. Two whites for the bathroom – which, yes I just finished cleaning, thank you) and one purple one for me desk here in the LR.
Hearts and flowers, beloved.

Moi aussi. It’s the refined white rice that constipates (and is recommended by physicians when certain antibiotics cause unwanted side-effects).

Francisco Macías Nguema

Lots of candidates, to be sure. Macias takes the cake in the sense of being truly nuts. Small country, so most never heard of him.

Yes. Po’ Marcy probably still suffers from the Bobby Layne curse — hasn’t watched her team in a Super Bowl in her lifetime.

Oh, you guys. I got kidded for suggesting menopause as a PUAC subject. But, bowel subjects are so okay???? /s I’m just teasing ya. PS I prefer the non plastic included kind.

Hiya Demi…ooooh…I love primroses..giving me ideas..today it is still cold here, and tomorrow only in the 50′s, but…Spring arrives on Sat., I can’t wait to get out in the completely overgrown garden. Have fun. L

Last week, I had a small bouquet of daffodils on my desk. We both know how long they lasted. Maybe 4 – 5 days. But, they sure were cheery. This purple primrose, who know? But, a lot longer, right. And, the while ones are in a cut glass bowl on the windowsill, so they even get light! I’d give up sex, chocolate and okay, not music, to keep flowers in my life.

A good, ‘memory-foam’, ‘correct’ orthopedic pillow can be miraculous. A lot of useful time happens when you’re sleeping or trying to sleep. The pillows aren’t expensive.

I was trying to suggest a useful analogy about Egypt’s military’s inventory. I’ve been inside a Wal-Mart maybe four times ever. Probably three. I’ve misplaced my Parental Control PIN for my snark and giggle tags, which are OFF.

lol :)

we did have Arabic speakers but were kicked out for being gay