From Salon.com today

Tuesday, Dec 20, 2011 9:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

I knew Christopher Hitchens better than you

Every writer who had a drink with Hitch has now told his story. But even Rushdie and Amis didn't know him like this

By Neal Pollack

And the beat goes on

Siemens Hires Former U.S. Afghanistan Commander McChrystal

By Richard Weiss - Dec 19, 2011 7:17 AM PT

Siemens AG, Europe’s largest engineering company, hired Stanley McChrystal, a former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, for a new unit seeking U.S. government contracts.

McChrystal, 57, will serve as chairman of Siemens Government Technologies, which spans security systems to engineering software for defense equipment, the Munich-based company said in a statement today. 

From NPR Monkey See

The 20 Unhappiest People You Meet In The Comments Sections Of Year-End Lists

Finally broke down and surfed me up some Charles Pierce. You should too:

The Republican Clown Car Needs to Drive Out of Iowa. Now.

December 8, 2011 at 2:54PM by Charles P. Pierce

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/iowa-republicans-6613232#ixzz1g3amhxV0

In which Obama reaches a new level in the substitution of rhetoric for reality.

 "Obama also took aim at the big banks that took bailouts from American taxpayers, pointing to "a deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street." He said banks that were bailed out had an obligation to work to close that trust deficit and should be doing more to help remedy past mortgage abuses and assist middle-class taxpayers."

"Trust Deficit"?  Are you kidding me?  "Help remedy" ?  "Assist" ? Are you kidding me????

One of those news items to which my  immediate response is "I Thought He Died Years Ago."

Serial killer Juan V. Corona, convicted in the 1970s of murdering 25 farmworkers, is scheduled for a parole hearing Monday, officials said.

One of many moving testimonials on "Women for Herman Cain."

Yvonne Settlemire

phoenix, AZ

"I am a single mom of three children and two have autism. I like what Mr Cain has to say. He the only one that wants to talk about the REAL issues. Im tired of all the side tracking of unimportant accusations by people from years and years ago. Today is what Im interested in. And the tomorrow of our country is what I want to be talked about. Im voting for Hermain Cain. Respectfully, Yvonne Settlemire "

Hubble Heritage Project

Maybe I won't do this anymore

Watching the GOP smugfest.  Projected winners:  AEI & PNAC. 

Simply put....

- News From Antiwar.com - http://news.antiwar.com -

Arms Sales to Asia and the Gulf Vital to US Corporations

Posted By John Glaser On November 15, 2011 @ 5:49 pm In News | No Comments

The Pentagon’s plan to sell 5,000 bunker-buster bombs to the United Arab Emirates does conform to the Obama administration’s strategy to strengthen military ties with allies in the Persian Gulf, but the deal may have been propelled for other reasons.
The planned sale is a gift for U.S. defense contractors who are setting their sights on weapons exports to countries abroad in anticipation of cuts to the domestic defense budgets.
After the terrorist attacks of September 11, the arms industry got paid like it hadn’t done in years. “Over the course of the decade,” the Financial Times recently reported, “the U.S. annual defense budget has doubled in cash terms to reach nearly $700 billion in 2010. The profits of the U.S. defense industry have quadrupled over that period.”
Now, with budget restraints both at home and in Europe, American military contractors are looking to Asia and the allied Gulf states to export weapons. And they’re being helped by the Pentagon and the political leadership who hype regional threats from China and Iran, respectively.
Tens of billions of dollars worth of weapons and military equipment have recently been sold to states in the Gulf Cooperation Council – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain – and that number will likely increase in coming years.
A recent Congressional Research Service report listed the most popular quantities and types of arms the US sold to Near East nations in recent years: 339 tanks and self-propelled guns; 71 APCs and armored cars; 3 minor surface combatants; 38 supersonic combat aircraft; 35 helicopters; 397 surface-to-air missiles.
Recent vows by the Pentagon to have a stronger military presence in Asia-Pacific, construct permanent military bases in Australia, and keep arms sales to Taiwan exorbitantly high are other examples of keeping the military industrial complex swimming in cash.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and a circus of leading members of Congress have expressed plans to scuttle the debt committee’s obligations to cut defense budgets. Amid hyped warnings that any cuts would threaten national security, the biggest military contractors may be insulated from the austerity after all.

Oh that old excuse...

"A court in Zimbabwe had a true Mr. Bumble moment when a man accused of sex with a donkey mounted a unique defense: Sunday Moyo insisted that he had hired a prostitute and she transformed into a donkey during the sexual encounter."

Just noticed that the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition event is being held at the Knapp Animal Learning Center which certainly puts it all in perspective.  In other news, yes I am watching same.  Love a circus.

Eschaton's Debate Thread:

Drink every time...Oh just drink

Go Here.  Read This.

Rapture Rescheduled for October 21. Come as you are.

Iran plot to sink The Maine revealed by heroic Obama Administration. Bush II asks "Why didn't I think of that?"

 Bored with harassing medical marijuana clinics and passing out ammo to drug cartels, Eric Holder hires a bunch of meth addicted screenplay writers to plot the new U.S. Gulf of Tonkin incident.

"The Terrorist Mastermind at the center of the plot is a failed used car salesman in Texas with a history of pedestrian money problems. Dive under your bed."
 

 Link Here to Glenn Greenwald of Salon on the Very Scary Iranian Terror Plot.

Clearly I will be going straight to hell, but I have no idea what these phrases mean:

American Exceptionalism

The American Dream

Original Intent

I have not only not read The Federalist Papers but immediately lose interest whenever they are mentioned.  Nor have I read De Toqueville’s  “Democracy in America” – however, as anyone who has seen  Born Yesterday  knows, neither has anyone else.

While my guitar gently weeps...

So the brainless spawn refers to Obama as Hitler.  Big deal.  I've heard the Public Enemies de jour compared to Hitler my whole life; for example, here. Who hasn't drawn one of  those mustaches on the Yearbook pic of the Women's Vice Principal?*  What I don't understand is casting Boehner as Netanyahu.  Is this supposed to be an insult?  A compliment?  This is a sincere question.  Help me out here.
*Sorry Bertha.  Hee hee.

Department of Where Are They Now

TPMMuckraker

CIA Operative, Who Caused International Crisis After Killings, Arrested After Argument Over Parking Spot

And from Juan Cole over at Informed Comment:
"Here’s a troubling thought: do you really think it would be a good idea to give a President Michele Bachmann or a President Rick Perry the authority to kill American citizens at will and with no due process?"

Remember when we scoffed at 'Death Panels?"

But if Rick Perry or Barack Obama don't like you, yo ass is grass!
From Glenn Greenwald at Salon:
Yemen

FRIDAY, SEP 30, 2011 3:31 AM PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME

The due-process-free assassination of U.S. citizens is now reality

BY GLENN GREENWALD

Robert Fisk: Why the Middle East will never be the same again

The Palestinians won't achieve statehood, but they will consign the 'peace process' to history.

Tuesday, 20 September 2011

The Palestinians won't get a state this week. But they will prove – if they get enough votes in the General Assembly and if Mahmoud Abbas does not succumb to his characteristic grovelling in the face of US-Israeli power – that they are worthy of statehood. And they will establish for the Arabs what Israel likes to call – when it is enlarging its colonies on stolen land – "facts on the ground": never again can the United States and Israel snap their fingers and expect the Arabs to click their heels. The US has lost its purchase on the Middle East. It's over: the "peace process", the "road map", the "Oslo agreement"; the whole fandango is history.

Mano a mano in the muck:

Greta Van Susteren calls Tucker Carlson a ‘pig’

More drama over Glendale's elephant Rose Parade float

Here

Department of Orwell Rolling in his Grave

New CIA chief Petraeus pledges to defend America

By Agence France-Presse
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011 -- 7:46 am

"David Petraeus pledged to confront the many threats facing America as he took the reins of the CIA, a decade after the 9/11 attacks that led to two wars where the former general made his name.

Petraeus was sworn in to lead the civilian covert war against Al-Qaeda having hung up his army uniform less than a week ago after a 37-year career that ended with years of difficult command roles in Iraq and Afghanistan."

(emphasis mine - kg)

From Truthdig

 A little over the top... as well it should be!

The Election March of the Trolls

By Chris Hedges

 "Rick Perry and John Boehner overtly make war on Social Security. Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi say they would like to save Social Security but are sadly powerless before the decisions of a congressional super committee they helped form. The result, of course, is the same. We get to choose the rhetoric and manner in which we are deceived and disempowered. Nothing more"

via WONKETTE

Random Muslim Becomes Millionth ‘Al Qaeda No. 2′ After Robot Kills Him

Oregon

My Bro took the girls to Brookings and let me come along too.

@SethMacFarlaneSeth MacFarlane 

Hmm, a cocky asshole governor from Texas. That might be worth trying.

“War is Peace” – Big Brother
“Submission means Respect” – Michele Bachmann

BAUCUS?  Sadly, yes.

So shuddup already...

Therapy can drive you mad, finds study on counseling given to 9/11 survivors

.

The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.

William Butler Yeats.  Will he ever stop turning in his grave?

These political whores have more ways to screw us than the Kama Sutra

Evil Corporate Tax Holiday Gains Bipartisan Support

Speaking of gang rule...

Americans Elect, meet the Politburo: An idea whose time has come (again)

Gang of (whatever):

A group of Congresspersons which aspires to compromise on an issue rather than admit that said issue is overblown, superfluous and a waste of time.  This is usually achieved by the Democrats completely caving to the demands of the Republicans.  In some cases (see Harry Reid) such caving not only concedes all demands of the opposite party but throws in concessions not previously on the table.  In addition, (see Obama) concessions on Social Security, Medicare and other programs are offered as assurance of complete submission. Recently compounded by the fact that the Democrats are now Republicans and the Republicans are seriously guano psychotic.

Assess YoSelf!

From the US EPA website:

You are here: EPA Home

• Region 8
• Yellowstone River Spill

Yellowstone River Spill

At approximately 11:00 PM Friday, July 1, 2011, a break occurred in a 12-inch pipeline under the Yellowstone River 20 miles upstream from Billings, Montana. The ruptured pipeline is owned by ExxonMobil Pipeline Company. According to the company, an estimated 1,000 barrels of oil entered the river before the pipeline was closed. EPA is leading the response in close coordination with the state of Montana and other federal agencies. EPA’s primary concern is protecting people’s health and the environment and will remain on-site to ensure cleanup and restoration efforts do just that. EPA continues to hold ExxonMobil, the responsible party, accountable for assessment and cleanup.  

(emphasis mine)

Dawn Johnsen Award to Elizabeth Warren

And SHAME again as Obama abandons another candidate who might actually do an effective job.  The President is nothing but a tool of our Corporate overlords and never tires of kissing the large ass of the Pentagon.  Yes, I still am capable of being disgusted. 

Getting articles on Kindle.  Thanks Balloon Juice.
http://www.balloon-juice.com/2011/07/15/kindle-2/#more-75054

Shame!

That's a good boy! Extra treats for paragraph 2.

Panetta Vows Measures Against Iran After Violence Spike in Iraq

New Rule: NPO 12 hours before flying and fully prepped for surgical search

Are surgical implants the next terror threat?

This stuff always cracks me up. And there seems to be an unlimited supply.

Married Ohio Family Values Republican Rep. Gets Busted With A Stripper

Mustache of Understanding Tortured Metaphor Award to Bill Donohue, Catholic League President

“In order to keep the human special [sic] alive, it has to be between a man and a woman, right?” Donohue explained. “I mean, let’s face it. If you want electricity, if you want juice, you can’t have two sockets touch each other or two prongs. The prong has to penetrate the socket." -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue

I'm Shocked!! (Again....)

Obama Capitulates to GOP and Withdraws Labor Protection from Colombia Trade Deal

Yikes...

(From Al Jazeera)

Fukushima: It's much worse than you think

Scientific experts believe Japan's nuclear disaster to be far worse than governments are revealing to the public.

Weiner to resign over Photogate...

But it's the junk in his head that bothers me.

Have a great Bloomsday. I'm out of mutton kidneys, so I'll just have a Guinness.

“Mr Leopold Bloom ate with relish the inner organs of beasts and fowls. He liked thick giblet soup, nutty gizzards, a stuffed roast heart, liver slices fried with crustcrumbs, fried hencod's roes. Most of all he liked grilled mutton kidneys which gave to his palate a fine tang of faintly scented urine.”

Osama Dead Laden

Ok, there 's a lot about this whole thing that I question.  And there is the stuff I just plain don't believe.  Right off, I don't buy the whole Gitmo-named courrier story, if for no other reason than that the timeline is just plain screwy.  Most likely, someone sold old UBL out, probably someone high up there in the ISI,  and part of the deal was a cover story that placed the source on the other side of a big ocean.  Bonus points:: this narrative allows the US to take credit for the entire operation, soup to nuts.  And it has sucessfully focused the conversation on Gitmo/Torture, a topic gleefully taking top billing in the msm, which never met a government narrative it didn't like.

Dead? I thought she was English.

Cops: Santa Cruz Man Was Living With Dead Woman

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. -- A Santa Cruz man was living in an apartment with a 30-year-old dead woman's body, police said Wednesday.

Our new ambassador to Afghanistan

From Wikipedia on Ryan Crocker:
Regarding the politics of Iraq, he said, "In many respects, the debates currently occurring in Iraq are akin to those surrounding our civil rights movement or struggle over states rights." 

Is nothing sacred?

According to Jon Stewart,  Bill O'Reilly says there’s No War on Christmas.  I hope this is a joke.  As wars go, the War on Christmas is my absolute fave.  Ranks right up there with Truck Month.

May the circle be unbroken, redux

In re the trial balloon naming Whatsisname to replace Gates as Sec of Defense, this from the 3/29/11 Business Insider:
Officials say Panetta has emerged as the most likely nominee from a field of candidates that has reportedly included Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), former Deputy Defense Secretary John Hamre, former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, and former Secretary of State and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell, a sometimes Obama confidante.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/trial-balloon-leon-panetta-to-replace-robert-gates-at-the-pentagon-2011-3#ixzz1J2EIyiDM

Colin Powell? Really? Chuck Hagel? Really?  Whatsisname? Obama’s ability to choose the worst person for the job is truly impressive.

Old soldiers never die but they sure can stink up the room

May the circle be unbroken....

Harry Reid just now on the budget impasse -- "Hope lies eternal."  I believe the expression is “Hope springs eternal.” But in Harry’s case recumbence is a better fit.

Interesting article from Al Jazeera on the  semantic games employed by the last and current administrations in order to justify permanent incarceration

Guantanamo is an evolutionary experiment

US detention centre can remain open as long as the "war on terror" continues, with no end in sight. Lisa Hajjar Last Modified: 29 Mar 2011 13:42

A Word About Digital Subscriptions to The Huffington Post

Here Comes Hillary

• One reason I preferred Obama to HRC was that I thought her somewhat of a warmonger.  Strike the somewhat.  Then he ups and makes her Secretary of State whose main role is to usher us (and our spineless allies) into a military mindset and, eventually, action. Ominous forecasts, UN resolutions, whatever it takes.  DOS pretty much serves as gatekeeper to DOD and the door is always open.  I think at some point – and far too late to save his rep - Colin Powell realized he was being used as a doorman.  Not so HRC who probably enjoys slipping through to schmooze with Gates and his CIA Irregulars.  As to the counter that McCain would probably have bombed Iran by now – wouldn’t that be a nice notch in HRC’s big girl panties? 

bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonnerronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoohoohoordenenthurnuk

Are they planning something?

India’s tiger population on the rise for the first time in years

By Agence France-Presse
Monday, March 28th, 2011 -- 9:31 am

Cobra escapes Bronx Zoo exhibit

Remember when Roe v Wade was settled law and Social Security was the third rail?

Interesting that the CIA Guy imprisoned in Pakistan is finally being referred to as the CIA Guy.  CIA/Xe/Blackwater Guy would be better -- but this is good enough.

Payback's a bitch...

Expert: Japan’s radiation could spread to U.S.

Thanks (again) to Daniel Ellsberg

Daniel Ellsberg: Obama ‘needs to get a grip’

Is this an all day event?

Libya oh Libya -- Capitol Steps (Singers)

Everything Old Is New Again

Department of Shocked! Shocked!

Read This:

Dodd to be chief lobbyist for motion pictures group

Read This:

From my 3/1/2010 Post re: Cenk Uyger on Christopher Dodd

?? Degrees of separation

Look -- I understand Diplomatic Immunity.  I get it.  But this guy Davis, which is not even his real name, an ex-xe-Blackwater mercenary operating under the CIA under cover of diplomatic staff -- that's a few too many degrees removed.

Report: Exodus of US Spies From Pakistan After Davis Arrest
Hundreds of 'Special Americans' Under Scrutiny

When the drums start beating, remember this:

The Huffington Post's Marcus Baram Discusses U.S. Companies With Business Interests In Libya On MSNBC (VIDEO)

g

Read More: Bp , Chevron , Conoco , Dick Cheney , Dow Chemical , Exxonmobil , Gaddafi , Halliburton , Libya ,Libya Protests , Marathon Oil , Muammar Gaddafi , National-Foreign-Trade-Council , Northrop Grumman ,Raytheon , U.s.-Libya Business Association , Uslba , Video , Business News

Washington Post Reporter Marcus Baram appeared onMSNBC on Tuesday to discuss U.S. corporations that have had business dealings in Libya. Baram recently reported about this alliance on HuffPost.

During the interview, he explained that "there's numerous instances of them [U.S. companies] lobbying the U.S. government" to protect their business interests in Libya.

Since the unrest in the country began, Baram explained that many of these companies "are concerned that it might not be a friendly environment for them when the new government comes."

WATCH (via MSNBC):

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-tv/marcus-baram-libya-us-companies_b_829498.html

What I saw when I wasn't nodding off...

Reese was very Hollywood High, 1964. I loved it! Scarlett on the other hand looked like she just forgot to have her hair done and got her dress from the free box.