viatroy

two questions: why are you shaving the inside of your thighs? are you guys coming over to our site for a cookout tonight?

late birthday wishes ohio twin dude!

Rice said in a statement the United States wants Russia to respect Georgian sovereignty and agree to stop being a bully. Ivan said in a statement Russia wants the United States to respect Iraqi sovereignty and agree to stop being a bully.

I hold you to a higher moral standard than others, just because you're Beltmann. As far as politicians keeping their dicks in their pants, if their wives don't care, why should I? I figure it's an combined overflow of ambition and testosterone, and the little guy's still just campaigning.

I used to order a flag for my dad every year from my congressman. Awhile back we both decided flying a flag that had flown over the Capitol has lost it's import. He still has one, but he flies it at half-mast.

Lou, are you staying in Albany? Want to ride out w/MChris and I and my daughter?

damn, one of the few days I wasn't listening to WAMC. It's my usual constant companion when I'm home. I even like Alan and the fund drive.

Disturbing, excellent and scholarly book on the aggressive application of free-market capitalism on vulnerable nations in periods of crisis -- economic, political or natural. Klein dissects examples of Milton Friedman's doctrine around the world (Chile, Argentina, Poland, South Africa, Russia, Asia, Iraq yada yada) as it's powerful proponents planned and enabled the wholesale transfer of public dollars and assets into the wealthiest (offshore) pockets. The human suffering caused by greedy corporatization is staggering -- I won't go into the numbers -- the book is packed w/them -- but an id

Her story is a bit screwy - in that, first she claimed not to have killed anyone, but then later on, said that she had participated and drank the blood of some of the victims.

Free for All great documentary about supression of the black vote in Florida (including many serviceman overseas) and Ohio. It's beyond disgraceful. And another one, American Blackout about Rep Cynthia McKinney who had the cojones to stand up and make noise about it, at a price. Rock the vote peoples! It's probably a good thing I'm going on vacation.

Linking Bush to Al-Qaeda is a piece of cake though.

I've never believed Bush was calling the shots -- he sure didn't come up with his own policies.

exactly.

In the pockets of American oil companies now. Mission accomplished.

I don't think it's religiously motivated... Muslim nations just happen to be sitting on the oil we want and need. The neocon core as a matter of principle are generally disdainful of religious belief, but they find the American religious right a convenient core of support.

It's not rocket science -- with China and India coming up, we had to secure the oil first. Next up -- Africa and South America. But our gov't has weakened our ability to withstand the inevitable coming face off -- politically, economically, and morally. I'm glad I'm not going to be here in 50 years, and I wish my progeny well. I want to like Obama because I hoped he'd be different, but the sad fact is the two party system has been irretrievably corrupted by monied interests. Dems only give slightly more of a damn for the common good than the Reps. Anyone who makes it to this level

that cat's been out of the bag (I prefer to get my news offshore these days)

conundrum. I have two inside, but I need three altogether, and we'd obviously rather sit together, which would indicate moving to the lawn, but my daughter's never been and she wants to see the band up close and personal-like. Having just checked the Shed, there appear to be no inside tix. Consider yours sold Pedro.

The comparison w/Hitler has to do with the political manouevers that brought about his dictatorship, not his Aryan supremacy agenda. I agree that fascism can be used to describe any number of political actors/movements whose authoritarian agenda one disagrees with. The underlying point is about subversion of the Constitution, the neocon philosophy of the 'noble lie' wherein the ends justify the secretive means. I guess my greatest concern is the complacency that allows it all to happen, that belief in the greatness of this country means it can't happen here. This stuff happens on the fr

I have no problem with that, especially considering the source. Here's the basics: Powerful and Continuing Nationalism: Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are flag symbols on clothing and in public displays. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights: Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of tortur

I said it before, and I'll say it again: 1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy. 2. Create secret prisons where torture takes place. 3. Develop a thug caste or paramilitary force not answerable to citizens. 4. Set up an internal surveillance system. 5. Harass citizens' groups. 6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release. 7. Target key individuals. 8. Control the press. 9. Treat all political dissents as traitors. 10. Suspend the rule of law. 11. Corporate cronyism 12. Election fraud Hitler. Mussolini. Bush/Cheney. And as much as it makes his

George Washington on political parties: All obstructions to the execution of the laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, accordin

seconded. please.

No better place than DC on the Fourth!! I plan to follow Ben's lead and spend some time walking around the house naked. Other than that and a Farmers Market, I got nothin.