still excited

I am going to pull up a chair while I wait...

This could take some time.

Oh, and...Fristies!!!

Daryl Hannah
new
Submitted by Alice on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 1:11pm.

Why aren't any liberal talkers talking about this?

WASHINGTON — The Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday unanimously approved rules requiring greater transparency for executive compensation at bailed-out firms and all public companies.

In an open meeting, the panel voted 5-0 for a rule requiring firms that received government bailouts to let shareholders vote on executive pay. The SEC also voted to make all public companies give shareholders more information about pay policies, risk management and corporate governance.

Congress mandated the rule for participants in the Troubled Asset Relief Program, the $700 billion financial bailout. Known as "say-on-pay," it gives shareholders the opportunity to vote on companies' compensation practices, although the votes can be nonbinding.

The new rules must go through a two-month public comment period before they can be enacted.

The broader rule includes a range of requirements: Companies would have to describe how compensation policies relate to risk; explain the qualifications of directors, executives and nominees; and state whether compensation consultants might have conflicts of interest.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/01/executive-compensation-tr_n_224...

WaPo Does Damage Control After Cash-For-Access Scheme Leaks
By Versha Sharma - July 2, 2009, 12:21PM

This morning, Politico published a story detailing an interesting flier apparently being passed around DC health care lobby circles: a dinner invitation from the Washington Post at the house of CEO and Publisher Katherine Weymouth, selling access to its news and editorial staff and top Obama officials for $25,000 to $250,000. A health care lobbyist passed the missive on to Politico staff because he felt "it's a conflict of interest for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its 'health care reporting and editorial staff.'"

Two and a half hours after the story was published, executive editor Marcus Brauchli sent an internal memo entitled "Newsroom Independence," in which he stated that the news department will not be attending the dinner. The sentiment echoes the statement WaPo spokesperson Kris Coratti made to Politico:

The flier circulated this morning came out of a business division for conferences and events, and the newsroom was unaware of such communication. It went out before it was properly vetted, and this draft does not represent what the company's vision for these dinners are, which is meant to be an independent, policy-oriented event for newsmakers.

As written, the newsroom could not participate in an event like this.

Read the full text of Brauchli's memo and the original flier after the jump. More...

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/washington-post-sells-access-...

A Global Recovery for a Global Recession
By Joseph E. Stiglitz

This is not only the worst global economic downturn of the post-World War II era; it is the first serious global downturn of the modern era of globalization. America's financial markets failed to do what they should have done--manage risk and allocate capital well--and these failures have had a major impact all over the world. Globalization, too, did not work the way it was supposed to. It helped spread the consequences of the failures of US financial markets around the world. September 11, 2001, taught us that with globalization not only do good things travel more easily across borders; bad things do too. September 15, 2008, has reinforced that lesson.

A global downturn requires a global response. But so far our responses--to stimulate and regulate the global economy--have largely been framed at the national level and often take insufficient account of the effect on others. The result is that there is less coordination than there should be, as well as a smaller and less well-designed stimulus than is optimal. A poorly designed and insufficient stimulus means that the downturn will last longer, the recovery will be slower and there will be more innocent victims. Among these victims are the many developing countries--including those that have had far better regulatory and macroeconomic policies than the United States and some European countries. In the United States a financial crisis transformed itself into an economic crisis; in many developing countries the economic downturn is creating a financial crisis.

The world has two choices: either we move to a better global regulatory system, or we lose some of the important benefits that have resulted from globalization. But continuing the status quo management of globalization is no longer tenable; too many countries have had to pay too high a price. The G-20's response to the global economic crisis, crafted at meetings in November in Washington and in April in London, was a beginning--but just a beginning. It did not do enough to address the short-term problems nor did it put in place the long-term restructuring necessary to prevent another crisis.

A United Nations meeting in late June hopes to continue the global discussion begun at earlier G-20 meetings and to extend this discussion to what went wrong in the first place so that we can do a better job of preventing another crisis. The global politics of this meeting are complex. Many of the 173 countries that are not members of the G-20 argue that decisions affecting the lives of their citizens should not be made by a self-selected club that lacks political legitimacy. Some members of the G-20--including new members brought into the discussion for the first time as the G-8 expanded to the G-20--like things the way they are; they like being in the inner circle and argue that enlarging it will only complicate matters. Many from the advanced industrial countries would like to avoid overly harsh criticism of their banks, which played a pivotal role in the crisis, or of the international economic institutions that not only failed to prevent the crisis but pushed the deregulatory policies that contributed so much to it and its rapid spread around the world. Indeed, the G-20's response to the crisis in developing countries relied centrally on the IMF. More:

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090713/stiglitz/single

Sure, I'll take Franken over Coleman. But Franken was the most conservative on Air America- and the worst host. He supported the Iraq War, didn't believe in election fraud, and was narcissistic.

Lawsuit now accuses Xe contractors of murder, kidnapping

A just-amended lawsuit alleges six additional instances of unprovoked attacks on Iraqi civilians by Blackwater contractors.

Three people, including a 9-year-old boy, are said to have died.

Also added to the suit is a racketeering count accusing Blackwater founder Erik Prince of running an ongoing criminal enterprise involved in, among other things, kidnapping and child prostitution.

The latest charges, filed this week in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, bring to more than 60 the number of Iraqis allegedly killed or wounded since 2005 by armed Blackwater contractors guarding U.S. diplomatic personnel in Iraq.

The Moyock, N.C.-based security company, since renamed Xe, earned more than $1 billion under that contract before the State Department, under pressure from the Iraqi government, let it lapse in May.

One of the new plaintiffs is the estate of Akram Khalid Sa'ed Jasim, 9, who died when Blackwater shooters allegedly opened fire on a minivan returning from the Baghdad airport on July 1, 2007. The boy was traveling with his extended family, who had gone to the airport to apply for passports.

The Blackwater guards also shot the boy's mother in the back as she bent over trying to shield her 3-month-old daughter, who nevertheless was shot in the face, according to the lawsuit. The boy's father, uncle and cousin also were wounded.

The racketeering count added to the suit this week accuses Prince's companies of engaging in murder, weapons smuggling, money laundering, tax evasion, kidnapping, child prostitution, illegal drug use and destruction of evidence.

The companies are accused of carrying out three or more kidnappings using three airplanes, identified in the suit by their tail numbers. Susan Burke, the plaintiffs' lawyer, said Wednesday that the kidnappings appear to have been so-called "extraordinary renditions" in which suspects are taken to other countries for interrogation.

The child prostitution charge involves young Iraqi girls allegedly being brought to the Blackwater compound in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, identified in the lawsuit as the "Blackwater Man Camp," to provide oral sex to contractors for $1.

The purpose of the racketeering allegations is to demonstrate a "pattern of illegality" by Xe and its affiliated companies, Burke said.

If the court rules against Xe on the racketeering count, it could dissolve the company or place restrictions on its future activities.

"What we're very, very worried about is this company hurting other people going forward around the globe," Burke said. "They're moving into Africa, they're moving into other places, and we believe they need judicial supervision."

Anne Tyrrell, a Xe spokeswoman, said the company "rejects these allegations, which are largely identical to past allegations made by the same group of attorneys in other, unrelated cases."

Link

Okay, well, maybe not slavers...maybe....

Bank Fees Rise as Lenders Try to Offset Losses
By ERIC DASH

Bounced check: $32. Stop-payment: $30. A.T.M. charge: as high as $3.

Even now, after all those bailouts, banks never seem to tire of dipping a little deeper into your wallet. Despite the tough economic times and increased scrutiny from Washington, they are keeping most fees at record highs, and are eking out slight increases on others like overdraft charges — a step they rarely took during past recessions.

The result? Americans are paying more to save and spend their money.

And while the increases are still relatively small by historical standards, they illustrate how banks are looking for almost any nugget of income to help offset huge loan losses and lower revenue as consumers buckle down on spending.

The nation’s biggest banks — those that received the biggest bailouts from taxpayers, and are once again gaining strength — charge fees that are on average at least 20 percent higher than those at smaller lenders, according to Moebs Services, a economic research firm used by banks and federal regulators.

Some of the charges are getting more creative. Several big banks — including JPMorgan Chase, US Bancorp and Wells Fargo & — recently began billing some small-business customers for federal deposit insurance increases. Citigroup and PNC Financial assess around a 3 percent international transaction fee when customers swipe their debit cards overseas.

Bank of America recently introduced a raft of changes. In June, it raised the fees on its basic monthly checking account to $8.95 from $5.95. In April, the bank considered raising its overdraft charge to $39, nearly double what the typical bank charged a decade ago. It backed down only after an eruption of consumer complaints, tweaking its rules to keep its initial fee at $35.

And then there are credit cards: banks are scrambling to raise rates and fees before a credit card reform bill that President Obama signed into law last month takes effect. JPMorgan Chase recently announced it would raise some balance transfer fees to 5 percent, from 3 percent, in August. Citigroup, Bank of America and other lenders have also been raising the interest rates for millions of cardholders.

Over all, fees at the biggest banks are running at their highest levels on record. The average A.T.M. charge, which generates billions of dollars for banks annually, rose at the end of 2008 to $1.97, up from $1.78 the year before and nearly double the 89-cent average recorded in 1998, according to Bankrate.com.

Other charges are more eye-popping: today’s typical $30 stop-payment fee is about twice as much as a decade ago, according to Moebs.

But the most unexpected change has occurred in overdraft fees — the industry’s most lucrative and controversial charge — where the typical fee rose to $26 after five years at $25.

That is only a modest 4 percent increase, compared with the double-digit overdraft fee increases a few years ago, when charges rose to $25 from $22. But amid intense scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers, consumer advocates — and even some bankers— are surprised.

“We’ve never seen a price increase during a recession,” said Michael Moebs, the chief economist and founder of the research firm that analyzed the fee data at more than 2,200 lenders. “What the bankers are saying is that I want to maintain my revenue.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/business/02fees.html?_r=2&partner=rss&...

uly 2 (Bloomberg) -- Morgan Stanley may report a third straight loss because of accounting charges related to an improvement in the company’s own debt and the cost of repaying $10 billion in government bailout money.

The per-share loss probably will be 32 cents in the second quarter, according to the average estimate of 19 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. The New York-based bank may report net income of $322 million, diverging from the per-share results because the company issued stock during the quarter.

Morgan Stanley, led by Chief Executive Officer John Mack, cut back principal investing and proprietary trading after losing money on bad bets, focusing instead on building its business of advising individual investors. The firm’s reduced risk-taking backfired in the first quarter, leading to lower trading revenue than larger rival Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

“Management has taken the necessary steps to shore up the firm’s capital base,” Glenn Schorr, an analyst with UBS AG, said in a June 29 report. Still, “the steps have led to meaningful dilution to the common shareholder, which will water down future EPS,” said Schorr, who expects the bank to report a second-quarter loss of 50 cents a share.

Goldman Sachs is expected to report net income of $2.39 billion, up 14 percent from a year earlier, according to the average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. On a per-share basis, profit is likely to be $3.39, down 26 percent from a year earlier and unchanged from the first quarter, according to the average estimate of 22 analysts. More...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ao2DM6dnHnfk

I would be happier with Senator Sam Seder!
Submitted by edna ellen poe on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 1:39pm.

Lionel was the worst. Randi was the meanest. But, Al was too arrogant to even take callers.

I am too a stupid.

For example, I just had lunch. I had a sliced turkey and swiss on toasted sour dough & water.

I some how managed to cut my face with the toasted bread edge and bled all over my sandwich. I am a stupid enough to not have even noticed until I was nearly done.

Where will you go to find a more stupid?

June 30 (Bloomberg) -- American International Group Inc., the insurer bailed out by the U.S., said that valuation declines on credit-default swaps sold to European banks could have a “material adverse effect” on the company’s results.

The risk of losses on the derivatives may last “longer than anticipated,” the New York-based insurer said late yesterday in a regulatory filing updating the “risk factors” in its 2008 annual report. The firm had $192.6 billion in swaps allowing lenders to reduce the funds they had to hold in reserve as of March 31, AIG said.

“They’re guaranteeing close to $200 billion in assets in probably the riskiest environment in our lifetimes,” said David Havens, managing director at investment bank Hexagon Securities LLC. “It’s a huge number -- if there was any surprise, it’s that this hasn’t been flagged before.”

Gerry Pasciucco, hired from Morgan Stanley in November to clean up AIG’s Financial Products operation, is under pressure to unwind contracts at the unit, which brought the insurer to the brink of bankruptcy with separate bets tied to subprime home loans. Collateral payments tied to mortgage-linked swaps drained AIG’s cash last year, forcing the firm to seek a U.S. rescue.

“Given the size of the credit exposure, a decline in the fair value of this portfolio could have a material adverse effect on AIG’s consolidated results,” the company said yesterday about the European contracts.

The insurer slipped 22 cents, or 17 percent, to $1.11 at 9:41 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. AIG has plunged 96 percent in the past 12 months.

Pasciucco said in an April interview that winding down the bets would take until at least the end of 2010.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=a3c4Dhbj8JYM#

I hope you get everything out of it you want.

When bombing a funeral is spun as assassination, when all the posts I and those who share my opinions are ignored, and our arguments simply dismissed without being addressed, and yet I'm accused of being close minded, when normally rational people start defending war, because it's the Obama administration doing it, I can see there's no point in continuing the discussion.

But before I drop it entirely, I'd like to shift the focus a bit, and raise once more what, for me, is an important point pertaining to the disagreement. It's the undercurrent of Western supremacist thinking that seems to cloud people's judgement. It doesn't matter what America does, it can do no wrong in some people's eyes. Without acknowledging our involvment, an accurate picture of the situation can never be reached, and any solutions will be sorely lacking in effectiveness.

One more thing, and then I'm done. I think you are making a big mistake in not realizing how many people you will turn off with this round of war. People whose support the Obama administration needs. There are other alternatives besides aggression. You had a chance to go the MLK route, but now we see what was underneath the great marketing of hope and change. This will cost you politically, without a doubt.

I don't mind you being a vampire, may even be able to spare an occasional pint. It's those stinking zombies I can't abide. Bleh!

Washington Post Sells Access to the Regime and Its Own Reporters for $25,000 and Up
July 2nd, 2009

Via: Politico:

For $25,000 to $250,000, The Washington Post has offered lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to “those powerful few”: Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and — at first — even the paper’s own reporters and editors.

The astonishing offer was detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he felt it was a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its “health care reporting and editorial staff.”

With the newsroom in an uproar after POLITICO reported the solicitation, Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli said in a staffwide e-mail that the newsroom would not participate in the first of the planned events — a dinner scheduled July 21 at the home of Publisher and Chief Executive Officer Katharine Weymouth.

The offer — which essentially turns a news organization into a facilitator for private lobbyist-official encounters — was a new sign of the lengths to which news organizations will go to find revenue at a time when most newspapers are struggling for survival.

Link

Sorry I didn't "straight source" this, but the politico article is very long and somewhat convoluted.

Biden's in Iraq. I bet he orders moist toilet paper for dinner. It's hopeless now.

Gibbs said he hesitates to call Biden a “mediator” between factions. Biden, 66, will be “working with Shia, Sunni and Kurds to achieve political reconciliation,” Gibbs said. - Bloomberg

Ode to my misplaced hopes and dreams of a withdrawal coming sooner rather than later. It has the makings of a Friday the 13th episode.

That's not stupid. That's klutzy. You're just a big Klutz! :)

I posted the story and the follow-up

Submitted by toniD on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 1:31pm.

WaPo Does Damage Control After Cash-For-Access Scheme Leaks

I would be happier with Senator Sam Seder!
new
Submitted by edna ellen poe on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 1:39pm.

Sure, I'll take Franken over Coleman. But Franken was the most conservative on Air America- and the worst host. He supported the Iraq War, didn't believe in election fraud, and was narcissistic.

remix - Al Franken show

~`~`~`~`~`~
Jamesbennett

Wow, so the gist of this is right....this is pathetic for WaPo, and the press in general. Especially after the "indignation" the white house press room had at Obama and the HuffPo writer "setting up" questions prior to the presser...

Elaine: Oh! Don't you know what this means, it's like working with Tolstoy!

Jerry: Hey ya know what I read the most unbelievable thing about Tolstoy the other day, did you know the original title for "War and Peace" was "War--What Is It Good For?"!

-Why aren't any liberal talkers talking about this?-

yeah, they do suck. Then Michael Jackson came out with that nutty video and glorified them. Do you know how hard it was for me to find a date then when only zombies were being let into the clubs? It was awful. I drove a beautiful red vette in college. It's pretty pathetic when you are driving a vette and still can't fill the passenger seat. I finally got a gf, only to find out she was a gay and I was her cover so her mom would get off her back. You can put multiple lesbians in the passenger seat of a corvette, but you're not going anywhere at any speed.

a stupid...

Wait till the right discovers that even Al Franken "super liberal" isn't even close to what we consider "The Left"...

It will be funny to see him catching the occasional flak from the left....and it is going to confuse the hell out of FOX...

Procal Harum - Whiskey Train

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

Yet Obama greeted Uribe warmly at the White House this week, praising him for his "diligence and courage" and speaking optimistically about the passage of a free trade agreement -- a measure presidential-candidate Obama opposed on human rights grounds.
While the U.S. Dilly Dallies on Honduras, We Continue to Support a Right-Wing Thug in Colombia
By Liliana Segura, AlterNet. Posted July 2, 2009.

Alvaro Uribe could be re-elected through just the type of referendum the ousted Manuel Zelaya has been accused of trying to carry out.
http://www.alternet.org/world/141046/while_the_u.s._dilly_dallies_on_hon...

The masses are the decisive element, they are the rock on which the final victory of the revolution will be built.
Rosa Luxemburg

The day is coming when a single carrot, freshly observed, will set off a revolution.
Paul Cezanne

turkey/swiss on sour dough with plain water drink

sounds like a healthy choice. do you like a little lime juice in that water?

I have cut my self in the same way,toast is dangerous.

I see you have been working hard on the blog I hope your feeling better.

I just don't trust that the US is the only country that can force the Taliban out of the Swat area. What if we bribe the whole region with stuff like food and gadgets and goose down blankets. . We have terrorists here in the states the Faux crowd,timothy Mc vey types, rethug Senators I think we have to clean up our own backyard before we can mustard some support from other civilized nations. selling drones and arms is somehow the old broken way to resolve conflicts. Could we inspire other nations to take over the job of the world
police long enough for the US to rebuild its reputation.,. America has become land of out of control egocentric myth believing competitive ,morally deficient unfufilled myopic not ready for prime time attention whores..

I am more afraid of the Insurance companies,and the big Pharma than I am of the taliban. what is the moral imperative that gives little dicked leaders the incentive to act so insensitively to other types of human life?

War is America's most marketable product and I guess the economy is the excuse for our big bully style of manipulating the world's progress.

I am reminded of Dick gregory's line that if American Coporatism is so good everyone else would be nocking down our doors to steal it.

You know I can't reveal the mustard I use. Are you trying to get me tagged as some kind of careless elitist? We don't discuss mustard here. You are welcome to come over and I'll share my mustard with you but until then, we are all on a need to know basis.

The lettuce, however, I am proud to announce was plain iceberg. No lime in the water but I did use some of those ice cubes.

The Grocery store I shop at had limes at a dollar a piece last week. I swear you've never seen a Mexican move as fast as I did when I exited that store. There is a reason they call it food insecurities!

WaPo Does Damage Control
Submitted by toniD on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 1:31pm.

WaPo Does Damage Control After Cash-For-Access Scheme Leaks
By Versha Sharma - July 2, 2009, 12:21PM

Read the full text of Brauchli's memo and the original flier after the jump. More...

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/washington-post-sells-access-...

*******

Voice Your Complaints !

Jonathan.Adelstein@fcc.gov

Michael.Copps@fcc.gov

AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov - Pelosi

AskDOJ@usdoj.gov

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

that is the price at the used vegetable market which is what the hell's Kitchen residents call our local sloppy farmer's market. these limes are coming out of FLA. I finally got some water melon with some seeds in it.Most of the seedless watermelons are very GMo 'd... it's show time lets see what BRL is
up to

Is your money that good

How to Deal with America's Empire of Bases
A Modest Proposal for Garrisoned Lands

by Chalmers Johnson

The U.S. Empire of Bases -- at $102 billion a year already the world's costliest military enterprise -- just got a good deal more expensive. As a start, on May 27th, we learned that the State Department will build a new "embassy" in Islamabad, Pakistan, which at $736 million will be the second priciest ever constructed, only $4 million less, if cost overruns don't occur, than the Vatican-City-sized one the Bush administration put up in Baghdad. The State Department was also reportedly planning to buy the five-star Pearl Continental Hotel (complete with pool) in Peshawar, near the border with Afghanistan, to use as a consulate and living quarters for its staff there.

Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could

Whatever the costs turn out to be, they will not be included in our already bloated military budget, even though none of these structures is designed to be a true embassy -- a place, that is, where local people come for visas and American officials represent the commercial and diplomatic interests of their country. Instead these so-called embassies will actually be walled compounds, akin to medieval fortresses, where American spies, soldiers, intelligence officials, and diplomats try to keep an eye on hostile populations in a region at war.

I think you will find
When your death takes its toll

And what is being done about those military bases anyway -- now close to 800 of them dotted across the globe in other people's countries? Even as Congress and the Obama administration wrangle over the cost of bank bailouts, a new health plan, pollution controls, and other much needed domestic expenditures, no one suggests that closing some of these unpopular, expensive imperial enclaves might be a good way to save some money.

All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

In fact, I have a suggestion for other countries that are getting a bit weary of the American military presence on their soil: cash in now, before it's too late. Either up the ante or tell the Americans to go home. I encourage this behavior because I'm convinced that the U.S. Empire of Bases will soon enough bankrupt our country, and so -- on the analogy of a financial bubble or a pyramid scheme -- if you're an investor, it's better to get your money out while you still can.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/07/02-13

And I hope that you die...

Saving mountains.
Submitted by ghettodefender on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 1:19pm.

... SENATOR. I said to make him VP. I was KICKED OFF the only other blog I had time for, besides here. Here most save 2 or so, WAS HORRID TO ME - even calling me a RETHUG and WarDog, because I WOULD EVEN USE THIS EXAMPLE, but I kept saying all actions do to "A WINNING" strategy. I can name names about the STARS DOING SOMETHING FOR DECADES.

MOST ALL HERE TOUTED Obama as America's Saviour -- again I wanted as VP. NOW do all get it! HE/Obama LIED about getting out of Iraq. Yes we are "kinda" leaving -- after bush gave "to be killed orders" to many. NOW WE HAVE MORE SOLDIERS IN Afghanistan.

Everything has heighted regarding Nuclear Threats in other locations. It is time as even currently repeated as Leah said, IF NEEDED -- then (again to try) a U.N. "way".

ONLY ALICE and ME {& about 1 or 2 others} can HONESTLY complain ABOUT MOUNTAIN TOPPING! NO ONE GAVE A BLOODY DAMN ABOUT MOUNTAIN TOPPING...WHEN WE SPOKE OF before Prez O was elected!
I feel we must talk about how this BLOG "ATTACKED" an extreme Liberal/Progressive, such as me -- if I Cared. I haven't had a breath of time ... BUT that toxicBitchToxicWhore Randi Rhodes ... and those that supported "HER WAY" --
as I spoke with John "The Dread" Scott regarding Randi insulting 1/2 of DEMS, since WE SMART ONES, knew and you "folks" are just ATT (at this time) kinda-activists.

And now this BLOG is attacking Alice and Now Fernando & Crank Bait (although save Alice, FERN & CRANK never stood for me) - this time they just have a different "Well Thought Out" STRATEGY - ATT.

We should start an Open Mic so all can "say & respond" regarding "the issue". Whatev...

I Need Tea - Cheers.

I was listening to the Ron Reagan show. The commercial Ad featured Ron Reagan saying he was a life long atheist and advertising for this new Atheist/Agnostic Assoc. I don't remember it's name. But that kind of surprised me. I wonder if his sister is also an athiest?

nora turned me on to it a couple weeks ago and I heard that about ron reagan on one of the podcasts...

I was surprised. Who is attacking me Ms_A? And thank you for letting me know. As soon as I find out who it is, I'm going to throw a pie at them.

Is that the same place Janeane use to do a commercial for on AAR ?

Probably,I guess.. :)

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

link (if it works)

U.S. orders suicide warnings
on two anti-smoking drugs
U.S. health officials on Wednesday ordered Pfizer Inc and GlaxoSmithKline PLC to add strong "black box" warnings on their anti-smoking drugs to highlight the risk of serious mental health problems, including suicidal thoughts.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090702/ts_nm/us_pfizer_chantix

Growing concern that Sanford
has gone off the deep end
Gov. Mark Sanford is acting like a love-struck teenager. Or, maybe he has a deeper personality disorder, some experts speculate.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/310/story/71180.html

Eight days banging Maria will starve most active regions of the brain to the point of extinction. They even warn you to call a doctor if an erection lasts longer than four hours.

Sanford's running on his lizard brain now. His primitive lizard brain has always competed fiercely with the reasoning parts of his head anyway. He probably hasn't noticed the shut down of his reasoning circuits.

An original print of the Declaration of Independence has been discovered stashed away in the British National Archives in West London, the Daily Mail reports. One of 26 known surviving copies from the document’s initial print run, it's thought to be worth more than $8 million. The archive doesn’t intend to sell it, but it may lend it out to American museums.

“The Americans are very excited by it,” said a National Archives spokesman. The document was discovered by chance by an American researcher, who found it hidden and forgotten among 18th-century correspondence from US colonists that had been intercepted by the British. “It’s amazing that it has been lying there for so long undetected,” said the spokesman. “It just shows how many documents we have.”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1197046/Rare-valuable-copy-Ameri...

Obama: Putin is keeping 'one foot in the old ways'

President chides Russia's PM but says Dmitry Medvedev understands that cold war behaviour is outdated

On the eve of a trip to Moscow, Barack Obama chided Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister, today for keeping "one foot in the old ways of doing business"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/02/barack-obama-vladimir-putin-...

US Marines capture Afghan district in major offensive

Thousands of US Marines poured into Afghanistan's Taliban heartlands Thursday, quickly capturing a district in the first major assault of President Barack Obama's new war plan.

Dozens of aircraft ferried out the Marines from bases before dawn, aiming to take control of insurgent bastions of Helmand province in the country's south ahead of landmark Afghan elections next month.

Involving nearly 4,000 Marines, the air and ground assault was their first major operation since they arrived in Afghanistan as part of Obama's aggressive new strategy to turn the tide on a dragging conflict with the Taliban.

Within hours Marines and Afghan troops had hoisted the Afghan flag in the southern Khanishin district, entering the main town with no resistance, Afghan commanders said.

"The enemies have fled," Afghan army corps commander General Shair Mohammad Zazai told AFP, adding troops had told the locals they would stay to maintain security, a key tenet of the revised strategy.

Khanishin, towards the border with Pakistan across which Taliban travel, was one of a handful of districts in opium-growing Helmand where the Taliban held sway, establishing a proxy administration and justice system.

But the Marines also counted their first fatality with one killed in "hostile fire", spokesman First Lieutenant Kurt Stahl said without providing details.

"The helicopter insert has put all troops on the ground now in Garmser and Nawa," Stahl said, referring to districts that are key targets of the assault in the desert.

"Half of the objectives have been secured by nightfall, ahead of schedule. Slight resistance has been met," he said.

It was the Marines' biggest battle since Fallujah in Iraq in November 2004 and believed to be the largest joint operation in Afghanistan since March 2007 when British forces led 5,500 troops elsewhere in Helmand.

But it was reportedly dismissed by the Taliban, with the Afghan Islamic Press quoting a spokesman as saying that previous operations had not yielded success for the armed forces.

"We are resisting but would adopt all kinds of war tactics to the situation," spokesman Yousaf Ahmadi was quoted as telling the agency.

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/US_Marines_capture_Afghan_district__0702200...

Bill Clinton doing a very weird thing

And so one New Yorker who is both more liberal and considerably more senior to Gillibrand, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney of the East Side, decided she'll run against Gillibrand in 2010.

No one can stop her, but virtually all the state's Democrats have rallied around Gillibrand, as has the White House. Hillary, since she's now a diplomat, can't take a public position, but there was every reason to think that privately H. Clinton had to have given some kind of nod.

But now comes word that who is headlining a July 20 fundraiser for Maloney? Yes. Bill Clinton!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky

"It would be logical to suggest that an exchange of opinions regarding the global economic crisis will take place, in this context the issue of reserve currencies can be raised," said Dmitry Peskov. The meeting's agenda is still being made final. - Yahoo

This won't end up being about the dollar or the gold standard or any reserve. This conversation will be about the Navy and it's carriers.

except Rahmbo...destroying liberals and getting centrist elected is his favorite hobby...

NY Liberals need to rally around and protect this woman from the evil Rahmbo and his bluedog machine....

Maloney reps the NY 14th, thats Marons District I think...is he even registered in NY?

McKinney & Free Gaza Activists Won’t Sign Statement Of Guilt; Will Remain In Prison Longer
July 2nd, 2009 by Ronald Hardy · 6 Comments

Latest news on the McKinney front:

About an hour ago an associate of Cynthia McKinney spoke with an official at the American Embassy in Tel Aviv who stated that Cynthia McKinney and the other 20 human rights activists can be released from prison if they sign a statement of guilt in violating Israel’s territorial waters, which of course they are refusing to sign.
http://www.greenpartywatch.org/2009/07/02/mckinney-will-remain-in-prison...

Mark Sanford is either a romance addict (addicted to the physical high and risk of the state of emotional INFATUATION) or a pathological Christianist seducer (I will make all my lovers born-again!).

You read it here first.

@SamSeder: Just intrvwd Matt Taibbi on his piece in RS on Goldman Schs "Great American Bubble Machine" - follow up is here http://bit.ly/LYAIT vid soon

Fox NeFox News is reporting that the authorities in Israel plan to deport Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney after taking the ship she and 20 others were using in an attempt to deliver humanitarian air to the people of Gaza. The article implies that Israel intends to keep the ship, registered in Greece.

The article quotes Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor.

“Nobody wants to the keep them here. They will be released as soon as they are checked.”

The article says that McKinney and the others, including 1977 Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Maguire, are being held at Ben Gurion International Airport and will be deported from there.ws is reporting that the authorities in Israel plan to deport Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney after taking the ship she and 20 others were using in an attempt to deliver humanitarian air to the people of Gaza. The article implies that Israel intends to keep the ship, registered in Greece.

The article quotes Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor.

“Nobody wants to the keep them here. They will be released as soon as they are checked.”

The article says that McKinney and the others, including 1977 Nobel Peace Prize winner Mairead Maguire, are being held at Ben Gurion International Airport and will be deported from there.
http://www.greenpartywatch.org/2009/07/02/israel-to-deport-cynthia-mckin...

Remember when Bush Senior had us believing that Iraqi troops dragged Kuwaiti babies out of incubators and bayonetted them or some heinous lie like that.

The same parties who wrote that scenario -- are they still at work today dreaming up more heinous act scenarios? This makes it sound like they are still at it: Taliban buying children to use as bombs--

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/02/taliban-buying-children-...

================

Actually, the only way I'd instantly believe a multiple edged crime like this is if I heard that the Negroponte Death Squads et al were committing this horrible thing. That would make more sense.

to sell Christian/Porn dvds.

do you have a link to that ghettodefender?

Geez I hope they have express delivery. Chucks bd is in 6 days.

Remember when Bush Senior had us believing...

you read my mind.

Anyway, this trash talk is gunna be necessary for Obama's coming draft:

US unemployment rate soars to 26-year high

467,000 jobs lost in June, far worse than analysts expected
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jul/02/us-unemployment-june-4670...

Obama's socialism for the rich plan is about to unravel.
The Palin Teabaggers For Fascism are about to arise.

How to Make Fireworks
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Fireworks/

As far as exploding things go,
I prefer Dachshund v Aquaglove
http://www.instructables.com/id/Aquaglove/

...for unemployment...El Centro, CA...26.8%

Civilian labor force and unemployment by state and metropolitan area

h/t Yglesias

Wow. suddenly SW Virginia doesn't seem so bad.

in Defending Civilian Agency Networks

The Obama administration will proceed with a Bush-era plan to use National Security Agency assistance in screening government computer traffic on private-sector networks, with AT&T as the likely test site, according to three current and former government officials.

President Obama said in May that government efforts to protect computer systems from attack would not involve "monitoring private sector networks or Internet traffic" and Department of Homeland Security officials say that the new program will only scrutinize data going to or from government systems.

But the program has provoked debate within DHS, the current and former officials said, because of uncertainty over whether private data can be shielded from unauthorized scrutiny, how much of a role NSA should play and whether the agency's involvement in warrantless wiretapping under the Bush administration would draw controversy.
...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/02/AR200907...

I just read where they are opening HUGE new facilities in Utah and Texas to house and diversify location of their data storage facilities..

Link

It switches brain control back to the LITTLE head, like when they were teenagers. Then, all kinds of stupid shit breaks loose.

Do you know any men that are into Viagra? Have you noticed how red their faces get?

I was sitting out on a deck with my cousin who takes it. A frigging hummingbird flew right up to his face and was trying to suck nectar out of it. I am not making that up.

this weekend?

Apart from the various barbecues, wifey and I are seriously considering crashing a local "Tea Party" with a video camera to see if we could get any good goofy video of these freaks...

Maybe try to confirm some of Jeanane's observations...

Haven't decided yet though...

...
The racketeering count added to the suit this week accuses Prince's companies of engaging in murder, weapons smuggling, money laundering, tax evasion, kidnapping, child prostitution, illegal drug use and destruction of evidence.
...

http://hamptonroads.com/2009/07/lawsuit-now-accuses-xe-contractors-murde...

...

Submitted by Ducavurl on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 4:59pm.
A frigging hummingbird flew right up to his face and was trying to suck nectar out of it. I am not making that up.

-----------

Baah- ha- ha- ha!

FAIL: Google Censors Abortion Providers in 15 Countries

Google's long-standing motto has always been "Don't be evil." But if Google is itself not evil, then it at least has shown itself willing to flirt with evil, sometimes go for drinks with evil, and on occasion even go home with evil for the night, eventually slipping out the back door in the early morning while evil is still asleep. The latest example of this is the revelation, thanks to Women on Waves and the International Women's Health Coalition, that Google AdWords has been blocking advertising for abortion services in 15 countries since a September, 2008 update of policy. Abortion services ads have been disallowed, according to a Google representative, in Germany, Poland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, France, Italy, and Spain.

As you may note, the list of countries is so diverse as to be almost entirely arbitrary; the laws in the countries range from draconian to fairly liberal, and although Google has 'fessed up to the blockage, they haven't been forthcoming about how or why those countries were chosen. Lori Adelman of the IWHC reprints her correspondence with Google's representative (with the individual's name removed) on Feministing. In response to Adelman's inquiry about why Google chose to disallow ads in those particular countries, the representative replied cryptically that "I can share that we conducted the review and made the change to ensure our policy was fair, up-to-date, consistent with local laws and codes of practice." The rep also says that religious associations are allowed to place ads about abortion "in a factual and campaigning way" if the ads seek to "educate and inform" without shocking graphic images or lanuage.

Link

Lawsuit now accuses Xe contractors of murder, kidnapping
new
Submitted by Alice on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 5:24pm.

==

the 'new' blackwater right?

~`~`~`~`~`~
Jamesbennett

in the msm

when the dems were suddenly cast in the minority status; all this constant hand wringing and wondering about the future of the democratic party, who is going to emerge, how are they going to come back; are they going to be able to forge a message and endless blah blah blah on all the channels at all times of morning or night in the cable channels, endless wondering, who is going to be the leader, who is going to lead them out of the wilderness; how are they going to win 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 seats back in the next election.... and on and on.....

do you remember that? yeah i see, no, me neither

all of a sudden it was republicans on all channels all the time... and now that the repubs are in the minority, it's republicans on all channels all the time

i wouldn't mind if they were a little better looking and entertaining, but no, they're not

so we have to endure this on our tv screens

the above was re that jerk wad chuck todd (sorry, i just can't stand the man) interviewing some doughy faced republican about how and when the republican party can hope for a political come back

sigh and eye roll

...or Wimbledon (sp) but I haven't allowed myself to watch.

WTF = Obama Administration to Involve NSA
Submitted by Alice on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 4:51pm.
in Defending Civilian Agency Networks

The Obama administration will proceed with a Bush-era plan to use National Security Agency assistance in screening government computer traffic on private-sector networks, with AT&T as the likely test site, according to three current and former government officials.
{...see above for further...}

NSA
new
Submitted by cent on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 5:10pm.
I just read where they are opening HUGE new facilities in Utah and Texas to house and diversify location of their data storage facilities..

Link (...see above...)
...

I do not know which direction to go, exept continuing to do what I am working on now. ... Folks at some "animal groups" are expressing their DISLIKE re Prez O, yet He is ATT our PREZ. WE THE PEOPLE {WTP} have to take charge.
:):(

How are you...? Wicked must be fun to work on....

I think I wouldn't mind having some alcohol this long weekend...

Remember when Bush Senior had us believing that Iraqi troops dragged Kuwaiti babies out of incubators and bayonetted them or some heinous lie like that.
=====
We have got to expect such propaganda from the war makers. It happens in every war. What were the Germans doing to Belgian babies during WWl? This sort of thing does work, at least in the short term. Shall we get the anti-war movement going for when people become tired of the war?

...have been using "TEA PARTY for YEARS. They are JUST copy-lying rethugs.

DEMAND DEMS IN MEDIA...
Be as a PittBull (which I am called) AND NEVER RELEASE the BITE/BYTE! Keep On Keepin' On...

...which reminds me IT'S TEA PARTY TIME -- soon I will be calling "a Cab".

Don't forget:
http://scottdickshow.com/Scott_Dick_Show/Welcome.html
4pm

http://www.krxa540.com/
4-5pst Thursday

Study: Most Arizona students wouldn't pass citizenship test
Reported by: Dan Wilson
Email: dwilson@abc15.com
Last Update: 7/01 11:40 am
PHOENIX – Just days before Arizonans join with the rest of the country in celebrating Independence Day, a new study shows most of the state’s high school students wouldn’t pass the test to become American citizens.

The Goldwater Institute asked 1,140 high school students 10 random questions from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services exam.

In order to become US citizens, immigrants must answer six of the 10 questions correctly.

According to the Freedom from Responsibility: A Survey of Civic Knowledge Among Arizona High School Students, only 3.5 percent of the students in the study got six or more correct.

"The results of this survey are deeply troubling," said Matthew Ladner, Ph.D., vice president of research at the Goldwater Institute. "Despite the billions of dollars poured into education, Arizona high school students display a profound level of ignorance about American history, government and geography."

According to the Goldwater Institute, charter and private school students performed better. Charter school students had a passing rate about two times higher than traditional public schools and private school students were almost four times higher.

Test your own knowledge. Here are the 10 questions used by Strategic Vision, LLC in conducting the telephone survey.

1. What is the supreme law of the land?
2. What do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution?
3. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?
4. How many Justices are on the Supreme Court?
5. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
6. What ocean is on the East Coast of the United States?
7. What are the two major political parties in the United States?
8. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?
9. Who was the first President of the United States?
10. Who is in charge of the Executive Branch?

Link

I wonder, how well would the average minuteman do?

;)

Was he making a statement critical of Authority?

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/02/jackson.wrap/index.html?eref...

hug hug kiss kiss {aka xxoo (in code {giggle} thx Ali Cat}
;)

I luv Jeff Ferias {BUT I MUST remember Peter B on KRXA @ 4}
====
That conspiracy theorist? What does he have to say about the NovaM collapse?

I either heard or read somewhere that Jackson supported McCain. Does anybody in here have any info on whether or not that is true?

I had assumed he was a liberal.

video speaking/singing as Voices to save the starving re the World. If MJ was conservative, tis ONLY since his MORMON Mother stood by him and EU stood with him as MANY of the masses here were wicked to MJ.

WHERE IZ PETER B? I will get you my pretty. sniff eye-roll sniff.

PBC took the day off. Shit!

I surrender!

WAS/IS Our Age Fred A. &/or Gene K == A WONDERFUL ARTIST!

Re the other... SUPER Eye-Roll, AS SAID BEFORE, I know he ONLY Had One WOMAN Porn Site on his computer. Bloody L one would find more "sexy porn" passing sites on MINE!

BTW I had MJs site ON MY SITE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, prior 2 NOW. Eye-Roll {also thus a kewl luv'n eye-roll Tea Cheers 2 Mire ;) }

of MJ as sort of a joke. Especially after the cosmetic procedure stuff. Never listened to him after Thriller. Good, but no Prince. Recently, I was hipped that MJ may have been far more vital than my long held assumption.

Fake:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSZpYbXZ_GE
Realist:
http://www.ep.tc/realist/

Leah on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 7:16pm.
PBC took the day off. Shit!

sniff no PBC sniff
R U Ready? Assume the position...{teehee giggle}

Dear Ms Rothschild
This week marks the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots - which occurred in reaction to anti-gay raids by NY police in 1969 and are considered by many to be the beginning of the modern gay rights movement in America.

My parents, compassionate people, taught me that it's not enough to be tolerant of people different than ourselves: We must go beyond tolerance, and accept others as equals.

In my lifetime, the struggle for equal rights has made significant progress. Yet today, even with an African American president... even as we continue to break gender barriers and reverse the effects of centuries-long discrimination against African Americans, Native Americans, religious minorities, the disabled community, and others.... our laws actively discriminate against men and women who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered.

Throughout the country, this discrimination manifests in different ways.

In my own state of Florida, gays and lesbians are not allowed to adopt children, even as thousands of kids languish under state guardianship and in group homes. In Florida and most other states, no provision exists that grants legal recognition of civil unions - leaving many without benefits or visitation rights when their partner becomes ill or passes away.

This national lack of compassion and concern for our fellow Americans is immoral.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, honored combat veterans, desperately needed in the field, have been discharged from duty because it was disclosed they were gay.

Across America, couples who have lived together for decades in stable, committed relationships are denied health care benefits - because they are gay.

No one should have to uproot their family and move to a different state to gain these simple legal rights. It is fundamentally a denial of justice.

Like with so many issues we've discussed, we risk being defined by our inaction. Make no mistake -- there will be a time when the children of this country ask their parents why we allowed things to be this way - why we allowed decisions such as to who one chooses to love to be used as cause for denying a job, right of survivorship, or access to an ill companion.

On this issue, I have felt a moral obligation to stand on the side of compassion and justice. Long after my career ends, I hope to be proud of where I stood and of the support I gave for those who have made achieving equal rights their life's work.

I hope you see it as I do, and continue to push for equality for every American, including for our LGBT brothers and sisters.

With respect,

Congressman Robert Wexler

Rules!

Letter From Wexler (Stonewall)
new
Submitted by Leah on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 7:45pm.

*** I believe everything of which you say...
even regarding taking IN some CHILDREN, WHICH MANY MEN & WOMAN won't take.
/|\)0(

I just heard the commercial with Ron Reagan again.

It's the Freedom from Religion Assoc. he is advertising.
Calls himself an unabashed atheist.

Obama administration delays release of CIA report

€” The Obama administration said Thursday that it needs two more months to review an internal CIA report on the agency's secret detention and interrogation program before making it public, drawing criticism from civil libertarians who say it's past time for Americans to know how its government treated terrorism suspects.

The Justice Department had originally said it intended to release the report in June as part of a lawsuit, but department officials now say they need until the end of August.

The ACLU wrote Hellerstein saying it objects to further delay of the report's release.

"It is apparent that the CIA report is not being delayed for legitimate reasons but to cover up evidence of the agency's illegal and ineffective interrogation practices," said ACLU attorney Amrit Singh. "It is time for the president to hold true to his promise of transparency and once and for all quash the forces of secrecy within the agency. The American public has a right to know the full truth about the torture that was committed in its name."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8589584

(7. What are the two major political parties in the United States?)

you play by their rules!

http://www.americancasinothemovie.com/

Franken To Be Sworn In Tuesday, After Six Months Of Waiting
By Eric Kleefeld - July 2, 2009, 4:15PM

Sen.-elect Al Franken (D-MN) will be sworn into his new position on Tuesday, July 7, CNN reports.

Fun fact: This means Franken will be sworn in exactly six months plus one day after when he would have been sworn in along with all the other folks elected to the Senate in 2008, if not for the legal battle that kept his super-narrow election victory in limbo.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/franken-to-be-sworn-in-tuesda...

We have an update on this incident over the weekend in SD which was in equal parts bizarre, horrific and comic. A Sheriff's deputy got called to the home of two Democratic activists who were holding a fundraiser for congressional candidate Francine Busby. The complaint he was responding to was sd-deputy-702-dc.jpgwhat appears to have been a bogus noise complaint called in by a neighbor who simultaneously yelling anti-gay slurs from outside the event (a lesbian couple hosted the event).

So Deputy Marshall G. Abbott shows up at house and within a few moments he's literally going berserk, twisting the hosts' arms behind their back and throwing them to the floor and then pepper spraying multiple guests. (Reading the various accounts the whole thing sounds like some Saturday Night Live episode, though probably less so to the attendees who had pepper spray squirted into their eyes.) Apparently convinced he was in some sort of imminent danger from the group middle-aged, mainly female Democratic activists, Abbott proceeded to call in back up, which lead to eight more deputies, a helicopter and a canine unit being dispatched to the scene.

Now the Sheriff's Department is in lockdown, refusing to answer any questions while allegedly conducting their own internal investigation of the incident. But what jumps out to me is that the DA's Office in San Diego is still deciding whether or not to file charges against the two women Abbott arrested during his rampage.

--Josh Marshall

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/busby-campaign-supporters-and...

Submitted by Leah on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 7:36pm.
...Recently, I was hipped that MJ may have been far more vital than my long held assumption.
---------
I am not sure of your intent behind the word "vital?"

He was a brilliant artist and a tortured soul. (Where have I heard that before?)

I would put him on par with Prince: Both of them comprehend music beyond their peers and both of them redefine weird.

(Hoo, boy. I'm certain to eat some shit for that comment. Hell-oooo Fishgrease! Time to reappear to declare Prince an ass.)

Bill Clinton To Do Fundraiser For Carolyn Maloney
By Eric Kleefeld - July 2, 2009, 3:43PM

In an interesting development in the 2010 New York special Senate race, where appointed Democratic Sen. Kristen Gillibrand is facing a primary challenge from Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Bill Clinton will now headline a fundraiser for Maloney, despite the extensive efforts by the Obama White House to clear the field for Gillibrand.

Interestingly, Bill previously did a fundraiser for Gillibrand herself, as he has done for many politicians who supported Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. Both Gillibrand and Maloney supported Hillary during the 2008 primaries.

When asked for comment, Gillibrand spokesman Matt Canter instead pointed us over to a statement by an unnamed aide to Bill, who told PolitickerNY that this was not a shot against the incumbent: "The former president believes that Senator Gillibrand is doing a good job as senator and this type of thank-you event, and any other he may do, should not be read as an endorsement or un-endorsement."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/07/bill-clinton-to-do-fundraiser...

AN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Rock River Bank of Oregon, Ill. became the 48th bank failure of 2009, and the ninth Illinois bank failure of the year, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. late Thursday. Harvard State Bank of Harvard, Ill. will assume the deposits and purchase about $72.9 million of assets. As of April 30, Rock River Bank had total assets of $77 million and total deposits of about $75.8 million. Rock River also marks the 73rd bank to fail since the beginning of the recession.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/illinois-rock-river-bank-years-48th-ban...

By Wallace Witkowski

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. added three more failed banks to their tally late Thursday, bringing the day's total to six, and the year's total to 51. First National Bank of Danville of Danville, Ill., will have its deposits assumed by First Financial Bank of Terre Haute, Ind., which will also purchase $148 million in assets. As of April 30, First National had about $147 million in deposits. Elizabeth State Bank of Elizabeth, Ill. also closed with total deposits of about $50.4 million. Galena State Bank and Trust of Galena, Ill. will assume all of the deposits and purchase about $52.3 million in assets. The failures bring the total number of Illinois bank failures to 11 for the year. Dallas-based Millennium State Bank of Texas failed, the FDIC said, making it the first Texas bank of the year to fail. State Bank of Texas in Irving, Texas, will assume deposits of about $115 million and buy assets of about $118 million. The failures bring the total number of banks that have failed since the beginning of the recession to 76.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/three-more-banks-fail-bringing-years-to...

MJ was more important in the music scheme of things than Prince. That was according to a music person in the know I heard on the radio recently.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R201QhL_kxI&feature=related

Ah..San Diego,the land of the free..
Oops,Sorry..Posted before..
**
Busby Campaign, Supporters And Allies Publicly Mobilize Against Sheriff's Raid

By Eric Kleefeld - July 2, 2009

Democratic Congressional candidate Francine Busby (CA-50) and her allies have been embarking on an extensive public relations campaign in the wake of a raid on a campaign house party by the San Diego Sheriff's Department -- due to a noise complaint that is believed to have come from a person who heckled the event -- which ended in multiple people being pepper-sprayed and the full complement of deputies, including a dog unit and helicopter, coming in to arrest one of the hostesses and a guest.

*In an interview with TPM on Monday, Busby said that the original noise complaint clearly had a political motivation.

Con't - TPM

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

really write most of his songs ?

Or,where some of his songs like The Yankee's ?..ie..The Best Money can buy..

Just asking..

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

Long time no see..
I hope your doing good.. :)

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

Epic Civics FAIL
Submitted by cent on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 6:51pm.
Study: Most Arizona students wouldn't pass citizenship test
Reported by: Dan Wilson
*******
I don't know why I thought their were 12 Supreme Court Justices..D'oh !

Maybe,because 5 of them are Fascist Partisan Idiots !

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

I think WE should RECLAIM Tea Party.
Submitted by Ms_Anthrope on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 6:22pm.
==
I do my part,
"I RECLAIM the phrase Tea Party."
most nights after work in my backyard.

~`~`~`~`~`~
Jamesbennett

Submitted by MMRules on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 9:10pm.
I don't know why I thought their were 12 Supreme Court Justices...

CA-50 my high school home is turning into a police state.

What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants, brass-fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery;....
There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States at this very hour.

Go where you may, search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms- of the Old World, travel through South America, search out every abuse, and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.
Frederick Douglass
http://www.freemaninstitute.com/douglass.htm

;)

nt

Hospital: Teen killed by Israeli tank fire

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- A 17-year-old girl was killed and another person was injured on Thursday by Israeli tank fire at the El Marej refugee camp east of Gaza City, hospital sources said.

Israel Defense Forces responded to the report by saying a tank fired across the border in retaliation to mortars fired at an Israeli border patrol.

This comes on the same day as Amnesty International issued a scathing report about Israeli and Palestinian actions during Israel's fierce winter offensive in Gaza, undertaken after months of rocket attacks by Palestinian militants into Israel.
Don't Miss

* Amnesty: Israel killed hundreds of Gaza civilians
* Israel navy intercepts boat with ex-U.S. Rep. McKinney

The report said Israeli troops killed hundreds of unarmed civilian adults and children, broke laws and committed war crimes.

It also said Hamas and other Palestinian groups committed war crimes by firing hundreds of rockets into southern Israel, killing three Israeli civilians, injuring scores and driving thousands from their homes.

The report said both sides must allow independent investigations into the 22-day conflict, which spanned December and January.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/07/02/gaza.tank.death/index.html?ere...

Things like this happening and all they can report on is Michael Jackson. Sorry but this just pisses me off.

http://www.samsedershow.com/node/4978#comment-350927

Kelefa Sanneh, Staff Writer at The New Yorker and former music critic at The Times details just how much love for MJ there is by telling the story of Manu Dibango, the musician from whom MJ stole music for his song, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Despite the theft, Dibango extolls nothing but praise and respect for MJ.

Rihanna, on the other hand….

http://microphonememoryemotion.wordpress.com/2009/07/01/mj-stole-mama-se...

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."