Identity Politics

How will he vote after the transformation is complete?

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/17/america/NA-FEA-GEN-US-Turning-White.php

Dirty Bomb in the Making

"The identity of the intended buyer for the uranium has not been released."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7119172.stm

I'm sure it's the usually suspects like the secular cult of elderly Scandinavian woman. And why is this not front page material? Would it be because it would be feeding too much into the Bush administrations "politics of fear"?

Annapolis: An Exercise in Futility

And this is why peace in the Middle East, short of a military victory by one side or the other, is doomed to failure:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071127/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_palestinians

"Today you are here to send a message to those who say the land of Palestine is not for sale," said Mahmoud Zahar, a fiery Hamas leader. "Whoever thinks we will recognize a Jewish state ... are deluding themselves. There will be no recognition of the state of Israel."

I agree with him. Anyone who thinks that these violent, religious extremists who belong back in medieval times can be reasoned with is deluding himself. Even if some so called "moderates" in the PA were willing to trade land for peace in a formal two state solution, they don't have either the compunction or ability to stop the extremists from launching terrorist attacks against Israel from either territory. Heck, they can't even get along among themselves as evident by the civil war between Hamas and Fatah. What makes anyone realistically think they could unite in peace with Israel?

Here's my favorite quote, and note the demographic:

"Annapolis is a disaster for us," said Amina Hasanat, a 37-year-old mother of eight who demonstrated in Gaza City. Dressed in a black robe and black and green headband, she predicted the conference would end in failure. "This will be an advantage for the resistance," she said.

On to the World Series

I'd like to think in some small way our vigil for Mike Lowell, Mrs. Lowell's youngest son, made the difference in this series against the Indians.

Human Nature

Here is a series of recent photos that offers evidence that people are not rational creatures:

Poverty

One more reason why I can't take much of the hip-hop community seriously:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/10/15/people.ti.ap/index.html

Here are my favorite quotes from the article:

KRS-One, whose real name is Lawrence Parker, said the fellow rapper's legal woes should not reflect on the industry as a whole.

"I'm saddened anytime I hear of a hip-hopper being locked up or somehow stunted in his life or his growth," he told The Associated Press. "I hope he wasn't into nothing crazy."

No, not at all! Those purchases were going to end up as trophy pieces above the mantle, I'm sure. There's no tradition of glorifying violence among rappers!

Notice too the objectification of the event as something external. T.I. was "locked up" or "stunted". You'd never think from these comments that it was something that this individual did to himself or was responsible for.

Chicago rapper Common, who won the CD of the year award along with T.I., tried to lend his support at the awards show.

"I salute my guy T.I., who also won, wherever he is," said Common, while raising up his trophy.

Exactly. Props for a convicted felon who's been caught buying machine guns and silencers. The subculture of protection and denial in the black community is extraordinary.

Bob, Bicycle Surveyor

I ALWAYS go biking with the camera as you never know what you'll bump into, literally or otherwise. For you intelligence gathering types out there, here's a brief sampling of boats and ships recent to Boston harbor (as seen from Castle Island at least).

Where's that baggy pants ordinance???

“Black-brown coalitions are tough to sustain.”

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/03/roland.martin/index.html

Sure is when you have “the white man” working against your interests. What about white/brown coalitions? Are they anything like black/white coalitions?

If I'm white and I share political commitments with someone of a different color, does that mean we've formed a coalition, whereas if the other person were the same color as I, we simply have similar interests? Can only a "black" canidate represent a "black" constituency?

Have I got it all wrong this whole time in not realizing that my skin color and race inform my political interests?

“…neither group can afford to be egomaniacal and regard the other as irrelevant. Hispanics and blacks aren't going anywhere, and they better resolve their disputes, or watch both groups remain at a standstill.”

I’m sure Thomas Sowell would have a lot to say about this statement, but the excerpt does well to highlight the overhyped view that the only thing holding minorities back in America is underrepresentation and exlusion (white privilege), and the way to improve conditions and access is through political power.

“Blacks are not the enemy of Hispanics, and vice versa. The enemy is a lack of quality of education, being shut out of the economic levers, as well as poor health care. The resources of this nation should go where the need is.”

Wow, can’t get anymore implicit racism with that socialist statement. He means to say that black and brown people have got to band together to demand whitey open up the schools and the jobs to us.

The enemy of blacks, browns, or whites is a dysfunctional poverty of culture that doesn’t take advantage of educational opportunity, doesn’t prepare itself for participation in the work force, and makes poor life choices in diet, exercise, or family planning.

You’ll never hear a politician articulate that criticism. You know, because we’re all one people.

US 'terrorists'

From the opening paragraph of Seymour Hersh's latest article:

October 8, 2007

Foreign Policy; Pentagon; Iranian Operations Group; Plans

Planning: In a series of public statements in recent months, President Bush and members of his Administration have redefined the war in Iraq, to an increasing degree, as a strategic battle between the United States and Iran. “Shia extremists, backed by Iran, are training Iraqis to carry out attacks on our forces and the Iraqi people,” Bush told the national convention of the American Legion in August. “The attacks on our bases and our troops by Iranian-supplied munitions have increased."

So, wait a minute. You don't have to go to a Bush speech as a source for proof of what Iran is doing in Iraq. If the Iranians are promoting instability by providing training and weapons to the insurgency in Iraq, a policy which has directly resulted in the death of our soldiers, isn't it Iran that has redefined the war in Iraq as a strategic battle between Iran and the United States?

I can't take articles like this seriously when in the opening comments a fundamental flaw in thinking has taken place.

Expected Delivery Date: Tuesday, October 2nd

Man, look at that thing. Life as I know it changes after Tuesday.

******************UPDATE*****************

Package Progress
Location
Date
Local Time
Description
SHREWSBURY,MA, US
09/28/2007
2:45 A.M.
IN TRANSIT TO
ADDISON,IL, US
09/28/2007
1:44 A.M.
DEPARTURE SCAN
ADDISON,IL, US
09/27/2007
7:21 P.M.
ORIGIN SCAN
09/27/2007
7:07 P.M.
FORWARDED TO THE FACILITY IN THE DESTINATION CITY
US
09/27/2007
3:42 P.M.
BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

*******************************UPDATE**************************************

BOSTON,MA, US
10/02/2007
7:57 A.M.
OUT FOR DELIVERY

Don't Eat Your Watch

Just a friendly reminder.

Civilized vs Barbaric

One approach involves an order based on a sense of fairness, the other, a free for all:

"In their cultures, they do not queue for buses where they live and there is a scrum every time a bus turns up, while in British culture there is a nice orderly queue."

But if the cultural relativists are correct, and are to be taken at their word, aren’t the Brits dominating and subjugating these foreign students with their “fairness”? How do we know that this "fairness' principle should have universal currency between both Brits and foreign students with all things being culturally equal?

It Has Begun

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070918/sc_afp/peruhealthoffbeat_070918032309;_ylt=AlBiO8d5p4Vy5elkTKNDj5ETO7gF

What's wrong with this picture?

Look closely...

A Certain Fashion Trend

I love this; have you read about Atlanta's effort to ban saggy pants in public?

It's obviously a controversial measure, and I'm of mixed feelings about it, nothing of which has to do with denying a desire to see the stupid baggy pants syndrome removed from public sight.

But I do struggle with it. Consider that wearing the baggy sagging jeans started with young black males as a tribute to those in prison, so it is in a way a form of political protest. What can be more patriotic than dissent?

I'm reading an article with comments from Debbie Seagrave, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070823/ap_on_fe_st/atlanta_sagging_pants

"Seagraves said any legislation that creates a dress code would not survive a court challenge. She said the law could not be enforced in a nondiscriminatory way because it targets something that came out of the black youth culture."

"This is a racial profiling bill that promotes and establishes a framework for an additional type of racial profiling," Seagraves said.

Multiculturalism at its best! If a behavior --any behavior, even something as low as walking around with your pants falling down-- represents a "cultural" expression by a group, especially a minority group, then it MUST be a good thing, and cannot be judged.

You’re supposed to believe --condescendingly so-- that the inarticulate thug and the freelance slut are young black people in their natural state and in need of legal protection.

And so, we observe how indecency (defined by white, middle-class values, of course) and low trash culture (a term used by the dominant oppressor class to create “the other”) is transformed into a victimology. Efforts at public decency are examples of white oppression. Which is ironic since Councilman C.T. Martin, who is pushing the legislation, is black, but unauthentically so. He was brainwashed by them white folk into profiling his own kind.

The Nightly Neighborhood Circus Show Continues

How are your neighbors doing? Oh my… there’s always something going on in our neighborhood. Every night, or nearly every night, it seems it’s got to be something. I always find myself running to the front window to find out what the latest calamity is about. Such exciting times we live in!

Tonight, we were treated to several individuals involved in a public display of what those in the therapy culture call “conflict resolution”. Conflict resolution occurs by listening to and providing opportunities to meet each side's needs, adequately addressing their interests so that they are each satisfied with the outcome. Here, let these fine young adults from our neighborhood demonstrate:

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

You may think that's a soundtrack put to the video, cracker, but you'd be wrong. It's hard to see, because the video is dark, but that's actually the volume level coming from a car stereo and the 5 individuals on the corner, across from our house, about a hundred plus feet away. The 5 individuals loudly refered to themselves as "niggahs".

Damn.... dat' shitz loud.

We were "treated" to this behavior nonstop for about an hour and half, sometime between 2 and 3 in the morning, before the cops showed up and dispersed these considerate, outstanding citizens, who of course gave the cops attitude while leaving, and in turn had to be threatened with arrest. You know, the police were harassing them because they were providing the neighborhood with free entertainment, drinking, breaking bottles, littering the corner with trash, and smoking their "stuff" out in the open. No wonder they were upset when they were told to leave.

Welcome to third world Dorchester.

Embrace Difference

A very thoughtful neighbor (they’re all so civic minded around here) just drove by playing a lovely song for this summer afternoon. It’s now my favorite tune, whether I like it or not, because its sonic footprint has been imprinted on my brain by the 120 decibel, sub-bass delivery system that can probably communicate with elephants and whales hundereds of miles away.

In order to share the wealth of this great cultural experience, I present to you the lyrics of A.M. TO P.M. by CASSIDY from the album “I'M A HUSTLA”. Everyone sing along, you know the words!


I still move work, from the A.M. to the P.M. Niggaz got beef, I'ma spray 'em when I see 'em {*2X*}

[Cassidy] I punk on the street from the A.M. to the P.M. Nigga want beef, I'ma spray 'em when I see 'em Lay 'em when I see 'em, AK 'em when I see 'em Hop out the Bronco, I'll O.J. 'em when I see 'em Cut a bone out his skin, fish fo-lay 'em when I see 'em n' wire is real, Kanye 'em when I see 'em On their job, so I'll pay 'em when I see 'em Turn boys to men I'll wine Yayo when I see 'em Cause I'll be on the grid from the pm to the am Paint pictures with my rhymes, you can see 'em when I say 'em My songs like movies you can see 'em when you play them If a nigga want beef, when I see 'em I'ma spray 'em For six g's I could get your wip swiss cheesed I'm like a red nose, spic you a mixed bread Bitch please all 'em dudes in your cool ass I'll get you strangled with the strings on your doo-rag

[Chorus: repeat 2X] I still move work from the A.M. to the P.M. Niggaz got beef, I'ma spray 'em when I see 'em I still move work from the A.M. to the P.M. Niggaz got beef, I'ma spray 'em when I see 'em

[Cassidy] I'ma let you talk all stupid, till you get harked all stupid Sparked out stupid, outlined in charcoal stupid Dog I bite I don't bark all stupid, it is wat it is I'm in the coupe room droped all stupid Fitted hat cocked all stupid, gettin' top off stupid My clientele cop all stupid We excels on the block all stupid, it is what it is It's a fact that I rap all stupid Get your wig pushed back all stupid We strapped all stupid, I'll get you clapped all stupid Don't let the pills and the yack make you act all stupid Yeah I do my thinh all stupid, let my chain bling all stupid Ny ring all stupid and my earring all stupid I got them things and I swing all stupid

[Chorus] [Cassidy] Yo, with my flow you all amazed and astonished I've been hot since I got my first single with sonic Back in the days when Shawn Kemp played for the sonics I rocked the huge jeans and I played the atonics You know I blow A'z, I'll be blazing the chronic It got my mind scrambled the and egg and an omelette I talk to God every day, and he made me a promise Me and T like, Malcolm and Alasia mahomie Me and Swizz like Martin and Jessy But the fact that I can get assassinated, is startin to stress me I ain't tryna let the police department arrest me But I still keep the still tuff under the fresh tee And I ain't just rapin for my health So before you diss me, you be betta off laughin at yourself Cause I ain't tryna battle on the mic I have them goons hop out on you like they did Harrell at the light

Ghost Ship

Today I went for my normal bike run from here in Dorchester to Castle Island in Southie, and along the way, something spooky happened. The shoreline was covered in dense fog and visibility was quite limited. I haven't seen such fog in a long time and I felt bad for pilots and passengers of the planes overhead on final approach to Logan.

Now, on a bike you get to experience everything you normally would on a walk -passing conversations, smells, etc.-- but at 4 times the speed. What was neat about today's ride was nearly every conversation encountered centered on how amazing the fog was. Everyone seemed transfixed by it, and now you will be too!

Pure Evil

http://www.wpbf.com/news/13630001/detail.html

The father only sees his son Nathan "every few weeks", and he makes the admission that:

“Maybe he’s hanging around with the wrong crowd right now, I don’t know.”

...yet, he can't believe his shy, timid little boy would do something like this. Yeah, well, how would you know who he is, Dad?

This here might also give some background on the rich, home environment Nathan was raised in:

"His mother, Ruby Nell Walker, has been arrested nine times on charges that include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault with intent to do bodily harm. His father, also named Nathan Walker, has been arrested eight times."

Place your bets on whether or not the lawyer and family play the race card.

"I'm so tired of America" by Rufus Wainwright

"I don't particularly like this country either."

"We are stuck in this never ending jingoist meme, where even the most innocuous self-examination is considered treason. Our President is clearly a bully and a moron - and no one seems to notice."

"I truly hate my fellow Americans - we are lazy, greedy self-indulgent warmongers."

"Peace Democrats"

"During the American Civil War (1861-1865), the Copperheads nominally favored the Union but strongly opposed the war, for which they blamed abolitionists, and they demanded immediate peace and resisted draft laws. The Democratic platform followed the Peace wing of the party, calling the war a "failure." They wanted Lincoln and the Republicans ousted from power, seeing the president as a tyrant who was destroying American republican values with his despotic and arbitrary actions."

See any parallels to the political situation today in regards to the war?

This, too, is amazing:

"On May 1, 1863, former Congressman Vallandigham declared that the war was being fought not to save the Union but to free the blacks and enslave Southern whites. The Army then arrested him for declaring sympathy for the enemy. He was court-martialed and sentenced to imprisonment, but Lincoln commuted the sentence to banishment behind Confederate lines. "

Clearly, the Patriot Act has nothing on Lincoln:

“During the Civil War, Lincoln appropriated powers no previous President had wielded: he used his war powers to proclaim a blockade, suspended the writ of habeas corpus, spent money without congressional authorization, and imprisoned 18,000 suspected Confederate sympathizers without trial.”

What Would Reagan Do?

"Intelligence officials say Daqduq is one of Hezbollah's top special operations commanders, an expert in the use of roadside bombs. The Americans say he, along with the Iraqi militia commanders he worked with, has admitted working with Iran's elite Quds Force special operations unit."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/07/01/iraq.hezbollah/index.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlO-cUGGQPo&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fhotair%2Ecom%2Farchives%2F2007%2F07%2F01%2Fyou%2Ddont%2Dsay%2Dus%2Dcaptures%2Dtop%2Dhezbollah%2Dbombmaker%2Din%2Diraq%2F

Why is it that Iran will suffer no consequence of assisting in the deaths of American soldiers in Iraq? Where is our leadership?

Also, this from Bill Roggio, where he clears up a false impression with some distinctions that nobody saw fit to make:

"On June 4, The New York Times released partial data from a classified memorandum that stated only 29 percent of Baghdad was secured, and provided little context to the status of the remaining 71 percent of Baghdad. The article was widely interpreted as heralding the failure of the Baghdad Security Plan, as four months into the operation, less than one third of Baghdad was secured. "

"On June 29, Major General Joseph Fil, Jr., the commanding general of Multinational Division Baghdad and the 1st Cavalry Division, briefed on the status of Baghdad and provided the much needed context to the security situation in the city. Maj. Gen Fil noted there are 474 “mahalas” – or neighborhoods - and that operations go through four stages: disruption, clearance, controlling, and retention. Each phase can be understood as follows:

Disruption: U.S. and Iraqi forces do not have forces established in the region or have not conducted clearing operations. Security forces are conducting raids and other shaping operations to “disrupt” enemy activity and gain intelligence on the terrorist and insurgent networks.

Clearance: Security forces are in the process of conducting large-scale operations, sweeps, and searches to find and secure weapons caches, detain insurgents, and establish a permanent presence in the area.

Controlling: Security forces have a presence in the area, and neighborhood watches and police forces have been established. The areas are now considered secured.

Retention: Neighborhoods are under control and have been fully transitioned to Iraq control.

Maj Gen Fil compared the numbers from April to today. In April about 19 percent of Baghdad was secured, 41 percent of Baghdad was yet to be cleared, and about 35 percent of Baghdad was in the process of being cleared. In May, as The New York Times reported, the number of neighborhoods under control jumped to 29 percent, but there was no discussion of neighborhoods in the clearance and disruption phases."

Question: Are there any responsible adults left in the media?

Glad to have them back

USS Cape Cod

All that's fit to Print

Thoughts: the largest scale operation since the fall of the Saddam regime in 2003 is underway, right now in Iraq, and what is our media focused on informing the general public about? This:


Aside from that spectacle, here's a survey of some of the other headlines after doing a search for "Arrowhead ripper". Arrowhead what you say?:

MSN = Nothing

CNN = Nothing up in headlines on their home page. Last article mentioning the offensive is three days old under "Nine U.S. troops die in Iraq" (Of course, you need to read 15 paragraphs into the article to find where they mention that these soldiers died in an operation that killed at least 68 al Qaeda militants.)

BBC = Nothing up in headlines on their home page . Last article on the offensive (you know, so you can keep an update on a critical ongoing operation in which our fellow countrymen are dying) was from the 22nd, 4 days ago.

Fox = Nothing in top headlines, last article was from the 23rd. Geeez, nothing from Fox??? And with their Republicon bias, too. So surprising.

ABC online news = A news story on how Senator Richard Lugar is breaking with Bush on his failed policy in Iraq. Iraq, the one thing ABC isn't giving up to date reporting on. No mention of Arrowhead Ripper, and why should there be when you're a news service that's committed to maintaining a narrative that Iraq is a failure?

CBS News = Top story is "Heavy Rains and Winds Slam Texas". No mention of Iraq at all in the headlines. Must not be anything going on there worthy of reporting.

LA Times = No mention of Iraq. No articles containing phrase "Arrowhead Ripper". Nothing.

The New York Times = Finally! A front page article with a picture even! Though at a closer look it is several days old and not up to date. The title is "For GI's in Iraq a Harrowing Day facing a Trap". No bigger picture of the operation, just a 2 pager on a platoon blowing up boobytraped houses. The jist of the entire article is captured in the last lines:

"Lieutenant Morton, the platoon commander, sought to put the hectic, anxiety-filled day in the arc of a long war. He said, “It is one of those days when you’re not doing anything, but stuff happens.” "

I've already posted the links to the likes of Michael Yon and Michael Totten.

http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/operation-arrowhead-ripper-day-one.htm

Is it me here, or is something seriously deficient on how our media is reporting (or not reporting) this war? Michael Yon's observations with regard to the media are disturbing to say the least. With the exception of a few journalists, the media has all but abandoned the region:

"Alexandra Zavis from Los Angeles Times is down in the heat of the battle bringing home information. Michael Gordon from New York Times is still slugging it out.... CNN has joined the fight. AP came but will stay only a few days. Joe Klein from TIME was here on the 21st and his story posted the same day and was accurate."

That's it? But isn't now when we really need the media to report on the region and our ongoing efforts there? So we can really know about progress towards success or failure?

Evidently not.

If a parent phoned me continually asking for progress on how their son or daughter was doing in class, and I continually focused solely on the negatives without ever mentioning the successes, or where they've improved, I'd be willing to bet that parent would think that their child's progress was poor. On a similar note, here's a new poll presented by CNN on how the American public thinks the war is going:

Today's coverage on the war is the invariable anonymous deaths in unknown places for indeterminate reasons. That's it. That's the hopeless headline pounded home to the American public, that's the message they're supposed to absorb when they check on the daily news:

"More Deaths For No Discernable Cause"

There's something more than a bit absurd about CNN providing grossly inadequate and slanted coverage of the war, but then emphasizing the public's "perception" that progress is going poorly on the war, the very war that they don't really do a decent job of informing their subscribers to begin with. And when it does attempt to inform, it's just body-counts devoid of the cause involved, or what the sacrifices are for.

Can the effort to manipulate public perceptions of the war be any more transparent?

Tokyo Rose couldn't do better. Doubt me? Take a poll and ask your average Joe or Sally if they've heard that Paris Hilton was released from jail, and then ask them if they've heard of Operation Arrowhead. If in the rare chance that you get a positive answer, ask them what the specific goals are for the operation, and whether it's succeeding or not. Then get back to me.

Battle for Iraq

Sadly, you'll never see coverage or read articles like this in the MSM:

http://billroggio.com/archives/2007/06/the_battle_of_iraq_2.php

Or this:

http://michaelyon-online.com/wp/be-not-afraid.htm

Be right back... stepping out for a moment...

Religion of Peace

Following are excerpts from a speech delivered by Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, Secretary of the Iranian Guardian Council, which aired on Iranian TV Channel 1 on June 1, 2007

Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati: Today, we can see that even in America, people are increasingly inclined towards Islam. In other countries, the Islamic revival has begun. People are increasingly inclined towards the Koran, towards Islam, towards the Islamic Revolution and the Imam [Khomeini]. Just like this movement destroyed the monarchical regime here, it will definitely destroy the arrogant rule of hegemony of America, Israel, and their allies.
At the end of the day, we are an anti-American regime. America is our enemy, and we are the enemies of America. The hostility between us is not a personal matter. It is a matter of principle. We are in disagreement over the very principles that underlie our revolution and our Islam.

Uncivilized Cesspool

Comments from the blog “Breath of the Beat” about a much underreported story concerning how “a huge, open cesspool, part of an immense network of festering waste products has burst this past week and swept away an entire Palestinian village of 25 houses”:

"My Father served in the Merchant Marine during WWII. He told me that at every North African or Eastern Mediterranean port he sailed into, he could smell it from 25 miles out at sea. That smell was the palpable odor of a people trying to live in the modern world with a governmental organization that was not up to the task of providing the services required. The stink that must be emanating from Gaza now is just more of the same."

Back in the day, tribal and incessant warfare was the norm in Europe. Think of the Germanic tribes before they encountered and absorbed the civilizing influence of Christianity. Today, many societies have learned how to live in relative peace and freedom as a result of the revolutionary ideas of the Enlightenment project.

When and how will this come to the Middle East?

The answer I feel will remain allusive so long as the explanation as to why the region remains violent and backwards is based on the notions of neocolonial meddling and generations of repression.

To further get my point, read this telling article:

http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/11055.htm

Community Activist

Stop crime with vapors!!

BushCo Sponsored GloboDoom

John Edwards thinks the war on terror is an "ideological doctrine advanced by the Bush administration". You know, something invented by Karl Rove to produce fear in the voters, and get them to vote for the evil Republicons. I was wondering: has Edwards seen a complete list of attempted terrorist plots foiled since 9-11? Does he really believe that Bush or Karl Rove are the puppet masters pulling the strings behind the scenes? Does he really think that efforts by Muslim extremists -as individuals and groups- to kill Americans here and abroad is Bush propaganda?

I couldn't find an easily accessible list, so here's my attempt to create one. Feel free to add anything I've missed:

· December 22 2001: Richard Reid, attempting to destroy American Airlines Flight 63, is subdued by passengers and flight attendants before he could detonate his shoe bomb.

· July 4 2002: An Egyptian gunman opens fire at an El Al ticket counter in Los Angeles International Airport, killing two Israelis before being killed himself.

· The West Coast Airliner Plot: In mid-2002 the U.S. disrupted a plot to attack targets on the West Coast of the United States using hijacked airplanes. The plotters included at least one major operational planner involved in planning the events of 9/11.

· October 2002: John Allen Muhammed and Lee Boyd Malvo conduct the Beltway Sniper Attacks, killing ten people in various locations throughout the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area from October 2 until they are arrested on October 24.

· The Jose Padilla Plot: In May 2002 the U.S. disrupted a plot that involved blowing up apartment buildings in the United States. One of the plotters, Jose Padilla, also discussed the possibility of using a "dirty bomb" in the U.S.

· May 12 2003: Bombings of United States expatriate housing compounds in Saudi Arabia kill 26 and injure 160 in the Riyadh Compound Bombings. Al-Qaeda blamed.

· Iyman Faris & the Brooklyn Bridge: In 2003, and in conjunction with a partner nation, the U.S. government arrested and prosecuted Iyman Faris, who was exploring the destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. Faris ultimately pleaded guilty to providing material support to al-Qa'ida and is now in a federal correctional institution.

· The East Coast Airliner Plot: In mid-2003 the U.S. and a partner disrupted a plot to attack targets on the East Coast of the United States using hijacked commercial airplanes.

· The 2004 U.K. Urban Targets Plot: In mid-2004 the U.S. and partners disrupted a plot that involved urban targets in the United Kingdom. These plots involved using explosives against a variety of sites.

· August 28 2004: Shahawar Matin Siraj and James Elshafay are arrested for planning to bomb the 34th Street–Herald Square subway station in New York City during the 2004 Republican National Convention.

· July 7 2005: London bombings – Bombs explode on one double-decker bus and three London Underground trains, killing 56 people and injuring over 700, occurring on the first day of the 31st G8 Conference. The attacks are the first suicide bombings in Western Europe.

· March 3 2006: Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, an Iranian-born graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, drives an SUV onto a crowded part of campus, injuring nine.

* June 2006: The Canadian police foiled a homegrown terrorist attack by arresting 17 suspects, apparently inspired by Al-Qaida, who obtained three times the amount of an explosive ingredient used in the Oklahoma City bombing

* July 2006: A terrorist plot to attack transit tunnels under New York's Hudson River was broken up in its early planning stages. Three suspects were arrested overseas, including a Lebanese man the FBI said was an al-Qaeda follower.

· August 10: A major anti-terrorist operation disrupts an alleged bomb plot targeting multiple airplanes bound for the United States flying through Heathrow Airport, near London, UK.

· August 30 2006: An Afghani Muslim hit 19 pedestrians, killing one, with his SUV in the San Francisco Bay area.

· May 7: 2007 Fort Dix attack plot Six men inspired by Jihadist videos arrested in the US, in a failed homegrown terrorism plot to kill US soldiers.

· June 2007: Four men, including a onetime airport cargo handler and a former member of the Parliament of Guyana, were charged yesterday with plotting to blow up fuel tanks, terminal buildings and the web of fuel lines running beneath Kennedy International Airport.

Good Stuff

I thought only in an alternative universe would one ever expect to see another Crowded House album. And yet, here we are:

http://www.crowdedhouseofficial.com/audio.php?id=1&format=wma

Opening w/ Peter Yorn in August at the Pavilion. ANyone?

A-1 Citizens

Suspect Arrested For Shooting at Passing Car

Yesterday, Thursday, May 24, 2007 at approximately 7:55pm, officers from District C-11 (Dorchester) responded to the intersection of Quincy St. and Stanley St. for shots fired.
There, officers located ballistic evidence and observed the victim’s car to have numerous gunshot holes. Officers then spoke to the victim’s who indicated that the suspect was observed to have entered apartment two of 34 Stanley St. after firing several shots at their passing car. The Entry and Apprehension Team responded to 34 Stanley St. in hopes of locating the suspect from the shooting inside the house. Officers formed a perimeter around the house and secured the house by having all occupants exit to ensure their safety. Officers entered the house and located an individual inside the house matching the suspect description and detained him to ascertain whether or not he was the person that had fired the shots at the passing victims. The detained individual was positively identified by both victims. Suspect, Travis S. Kingsberry, 23, of Dorchester was placed under arrest and charged with Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon, Discharging a Firearm within 500’ of a Dwelling, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition

Pigs are Flying!

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1624697,00.html

Living in a State of Nature

A chronicle of recent destructive behavior by those locals for whom the rules of society do not apply. This is all in the span of about a week:

Traffic Stops Ends In Gun Arrest

Last night at 9:58pm, members from the Youth Violence Strike Force were on patrol in the area of Washington and Dunlap Streets. Officers observed a motor vehicle with a broken brake light. Officers conducted a traffic stop, on approached to the vehicle officers noticed a strong smell of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. While exiting the vehicle the suspect tossed a small plastic bag of marijuana on the drivers seat of the motor vehicle. The suspect quickly looked to the ground and began to flee on foot down Dunlap Street. The suspect was apprehended at the corner of Wheatland and Whitfield Streets. Keon Barnes, 23, of Dorchester was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, Possession of Class D and Resisting Arrest. Officers did recover drugs and a firearm.

Bike Unit Makes Gun Arrest

At 11:54pm, members from the Mountain Bike Unit were on patrol in the area of Blue Hill Avenue. Officers received information that a black male walking up Blue Hill Avenue was believed to be in possession of a firearm. Officers were also informed that the suspect fired one round into the air while walking. The suspect was described as a black male wearing a black coat. Officers searched the area and observed a black male fitting the description walking across Blue Hill Avenue. When officers attempted to speak with the suspect he ignored officers and immediately placed his right hand into his waist area and changed directions. Officers observed the suspect drop an item and heard the sound of metal hitting the pavement. Leonard Nimmons, 31, of Brookline was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition. A firearm was recovered.

Suspects Arrested with “Fruits of the Crime”

At approximately 8:44pm, yesterday, officers from District D-4 arrested a 16-year-old from Roxbury and 17-year-old Jean C. Pena, of Dorchester and charged them with Armed Robbery.
Officers initially were dispatched to the area of 108 Peterborough St. for a robbery involving a firearm. On arrival officers met and spoke with the victim who reported that he was approached by two individuals while walking home. The victim that one of the two suspects approached him and put his arms around his shoulder and stated “Come take a walk with me, I think I know your brother.” The victim resisted the suspect’s advances and told the suspect that he did not have a brother. At this point, one of the two suspects lifted his shirt and displayed a firearm in his waistband. The suspects then took the victim’s jacket and fled.
Officers broadcast the description of the suspects while they were getting information from the victim, and were soon alerted that Northeastern PD had two individuals matching the suspects’ description. The victim was able to positively identify the suspect who was wearing his stolen jacket. Both suspect were placed under arrest and transported to the station.

Three Suspects Arrested for Shooting at Elm Hill Ave and Sonoma Street

About 5:36pm yesterday, Saturday, May 19, 2007, officers from District B-2 (Roxbury) responded to the intersection of Elm Hill Ave. and Sonoma St. for a person shot.
On arrival, officers located a 20-year-old black male victim suffering from gunshot wounds to the arm and leg. The victim was transported to Boston Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries by ambulance.

Conversation with witnesses and revealed that three described males had been observed entering a motor vehicle almost immediately after the gunshots were heard. Security officers in the area while attempting to make their way to the scene of the shooting were almost struck by the fleeing vehicle of the suspects. A description of the fleeing motor vehicle was broadcast along with the registration of the car.

Some time after the broadcast of the described suspect motor vehicle, officers located it in the area of 560 Shawmut Ave. in the South End. Surveillance was established on the vehicle and after some time three individuals were observed entering the suspect motor vehicle. Officers attempted to conduct a motor vehicle stop after the three individuals entered the car but the car refused to stop until Lenox St. where the operator abandoned the car and fled on foot leaving two passengers in the car. Officers secured the individuals in the car while others pursued the operator. After a lengthy foot chase, officers were able to locate the operator of the car in a dumpster. All three individuals were detained and returned to the district. There, investigation and evidence revealed that the three in custody were the same ones responsible for the shooting.

Officers then arrested and charged William Pantoja, 20, of Dorchester, Nathanael Villalongo, 23, of Cumberland, RI, and Bolivar Marin-Torres, of Revere with Assault with Intent to Murder. Suspect Pantoja was further charged with Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon for trying to run over the security officers while fleeing from the scene and a host of other motor vehicle infractions.

Person Shot At Greenwood and Harvard Street

This morning at 12:56am, officers from District B-3 (Mattapan) responded to Boston Medical Center on a report of a walk in shooting victim. On arrival, officers located a 25-year-old male suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim stated a black male wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt shot him. The victim was treated for a non-life threatening injury.

Two Juveniles Arrested for Unarmed Robbery of Pizza Delivery Man

Last night at 11:04pm, officers from District B-2 (Roxbury) responded to a radio call for a larceny in progress at 123 Alexander Street. On arrival, officers spoke with the victim who stated two black males robbed him. The victim stated that he knocked on the door and a black male stated, “I don’t want it, you took too long”.
The victim stated at that time two more black males appeared behind him and asked what was going on. At that time the two suspects grabbed him and took the food and ran around the right side of the house to a lot that’s leads to Magnolia Street.
As officers were standing outside talking to the victim, officers observed two black males on Magnolia Street staring in the officer’s direction. Officers drove to Magnolia Street and approached the two males. The victim positively identified both suspects as the ones who robbed him. The victim stated he just wanted the warming box that contained the pizza back. Officers were able to locate the victims warmer behind the house in the shed. Two juveniles from Dorchester, a 15-year-old and a 13-year-old were arrested and charged with Unarmed Robbery.

Congressional Job Approval

We've been hearing for forever and a day how President Bush's approval ratings are in the tank. We've also been told that Bush' poor ratings are a reflection of a public sentiment for change on “failed” policy. If that theory holds true, then one must imagine that the lower public approval rating for Congress is a thorough rejection of their platform as well.

So, with all things being equal, I'm looking forward to the media's non-stop harping on how the numbers on Congress are now subterranean:

http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=27589

That is, provided all things are equal. What's that you say? You can't find mention of these poll numbers anywhere?

Disturbing

http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/us/2007/05/13/dennis.mi.91.year.old.beaten.wdiv&wm=10

BushCo Propaganda

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070510-120705-6975r.htm

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070503-115739-2909r.htm

Down the Memory Hole

Look at them... happy, content with each others company, unknowing of the forces controlling the information which shape their consciousness. Information that is helping to build a future utopia!

Enter six men --all foreign-born and described as "Islamic militants"—that have been arrested on charges of plotting to attack Fort Dix army base in New Jersey. These men planned to use automatic weapons to kill as many US soldiers as possible, prosecutors say.

But a day or so after this story comes to light, you'd be hard pressed to find it mentioned by any of the mainstream news organizations. It's like it never happened. It is now outside the public consciousness, or at least should be as far as those pulling the levers behind the mainstream media’s curtains are concerned.

However distracted, let’s remain focused. CNN is reporting as one of its top national stories that a Steakhouse refuses to serve O.J. Simpson.

MARXISM 2007: A Festival of Resistance

Hello children. If you want to learn about and organize for a new world of peace, freedom and liberation, then don't miss :

http://www.carleton.ca/socialists/marxism/

With really alert, super-visionary guest stars!

Zafar Bangash
Wahida Valiante
Ausma Malik
Peter Leibovitch
Ali Mallah
James Clark, International Socialists

...speaking on subjects like, "Life under capitalism", "Indigenous resistance", and my personal favorite, "Building unity: Muslims and the Left".

One of the special speakers is listed as a "trans-activist".

???

Our World is Becoming Unhinged

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/22_believe_bush_knew_about_9_11_attacks_in_advance

“Democrats in America are evenly divided on the question of whether George W. Bush knew about the 9/11 terrorist attacks in advance. Thirty-five percent (35%) of Democrats believe he did know, 39% say he did not know, and 26% are not sure.”

I wonder sometimes if in 5 or 10 years time we’ll be having a debate about how the US govt planned a nuke attack inside the US to impose martial law.

Pigs can Fly!

Well, almost. But look at the headlines at CNN. They're actually reporting about something other than daily body counts:

Iraq exit could spell disaster, experts warn

With the debate heating up over the withdrawal of U.S. forces in Iraq, CNN analysts and other observers warn of the potential consequences of leaving too soon: an international terror hub for al Qaeda, extreme sectarian violence and the potential for a larger regional conflict that draws in Saudi Arabia, Iran and others.

_________________________________________________________________

UPDATE:

In an effort to convince the world of their intent to never die, and to stay in Iraq forever with endless numbers, the insurgency (with near-impenetrable armor-plated skin) has taken on the name of "Reptilicus".

Loose Nukes

This is a comforting story:

http://www.washtimes.com/functions/print.php?StoryID=20070501-105445-4737r

Wait. Gertz could be a puppet disseminating propaganda from Rove's bunker in order to perpetuate the politics of fear. I almost fell for it again... those damn neocons!

Minorities fare worse in traffic stops

This article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070429/ap_on_re_us/traffic_stops

...explains that a new federal study has found that, "Black, Hispanic and white drivers are equally likely to be pulled over by police, but blacks and Hispanics are much more likely to be searched and arrested, a federal study found.” As well, "Police were much more likely to threaten or use force against blacks and Hispanics than against whites in any encounter, whether at a traffic stop or elsewhere, according to the Justice Department."

Well, why might this be the case?

This never seems to be the honest discussion people want to have, satisfied instead with accepting the equation of race + poverty = crime, which of course is an insult to those who are non-white and poor, and manage to make their way in society and up the social ladder without resorting to criminal behavior. By accepting this theory, it of course allows one to avoid the uncomfortable position of judging others, and taking the blame instead.

The report also speculates that the racial disparities uncovered "do not constitute proof that police treat people differently along demographic lines" because the differences could be explained by circumstances not analyzed by the survey. The 2002 report said such circumstances might include driver conduct or whether drugs were in plain view.

Well, if it's not racism and prejudice that primarily explains the disparities, then where else can we turn for causal explanations? What about, say, behavior, and bad choices, and the dysfunctional and violent thug culture that produces them?

I'm sure I'm being too judgmental in suggesting it, and ultimately I've got to realize that I'm probably to blame as a member of the dominant white culture that has oppressed others for so long.

I'll offer up a very recent blog entry by the BPD to the mix:

Daily Incidents For April 29, 2007Firearm Recovered During Traffic Stop

At 10:30pm, members from the Youth Violence Strike Force were on patrol in the Woodrow Ave area conducted a motor vehicle stop. Further investigation revealed the registration was canceled. The operator provided police with a driver’s license and a car rental agreement. The rental agreement showed that the vehicle was due to be returned on the 21st of April. Officers requested both occupants to exit the vehicle, as the vehicle was not allowed on the road due to a canceled registration. During and inventory search of the vehicle officers discovered a sock with a firearm protruding through a hole in the sock located in the pocket of the passenger seat. Jhett Ezedi, 23, of Hyde Park and Deshawn Parris, 24 of Dorchester were arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Unlawful Possession of Ammunition. Officers did recover a loaded firearm. Mr Ezedi will also be charged with Operating Unregistered Motor Vehicle.

One Clean Cat

Gaining trust through dialogue:

I think I've convinced here it's in her best interest:

We have achieved willful compliance! Persy freely swims with the blue fishies!

The News is Excellent: Reports from Rove's Bunker underneath the White House

Obviously, Cheney's the leader flanked by the two white guys in trenchcoats:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO3U6Ia2GLE&mode=related&search=

Up is Down

The caption reads:

“Palestinians attend a demonstration against violence in Gaza April 23, 2007. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA)”

What’s wrong with this picture? If this is what this man brings to a peace rally, I'd hate to see what he brings to a pro-war rally.

It's Here! It's finally arrived!!

"The War is Lost"

Of course, you should be tempted to dismiss what follows as more propaganda from a warmongering lackey of the world Zionist neocon conspiracy. Still, did you know that Harry Reid once demanded that we go to war on the basis that Saddam had broken the 1991 armistice accords, but now claims he was duped about WMD by Chimpy?

This defeatist argument for withdrawal ("things have changed", or "the war is lost") is the one that disturbs me the most, not just for its false logic, but because of how it critically undermines morale and current efforts. Can you imagine being a soldier fighting in Iraq right now while a politician back home declares your efforts worthless?

Patraeus was confirmed by the Senate in a vote of 81-0 in January of this year. And yet, now some of those same Senators that unanimous confirmed him for the position (presumably because they believed his expertise was necessary for achieving our goals in Iraq?) now support legislation that would cut funding the troops --while they are still in the field fighting. Something Reid said he wouldn’t do:

“As far as setting a timeline, as we learned in the Balkans, that’s not a wise decision, because it only empowers those who don’t want us there, and it doesn’t work well to do that.” –Reid, 2005

"Now he's the commander in chief, and we're not going to do anything to limit funding or cut off funds, even though there are some on the outside who suggest that,'' House leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has said. "I think we want to make sure that the troops have everything that they need." -- Harry Reid, November 30, 2006

Absolutely shameless.

The original goals of the policy –to remove Saddam’s threat of WMD and affect a reform of the geopolitics of a backwards region that exports terror --remain as valid as when they were originally articulated, not just by the president, but by many democratic members of congress back in 2002. If we retreat, the enemy will not go gentle into that goodnight. They will take a withdrawal from Iraq as a sign of weakness, as they have in the past, and be emboldened to strike.

With the stakes involved, why isn't congress spending its energies supporting Patraeus's new plan instead of undermining it? How do democrats think things will play out if they succeed in their legislative aims???

Maybe the answer to that question is why they are so reluctant to engage in public dialogue about it.

The only thing that has changed from the original commitment by congress is their willingness to abandon our obligation to a policy they authorized for partisan, political gain. The Iraq insurgency, just as with the Vietcong, knows they can’t win militarily. Most of the attacks are basically publicity stunts aimed primarily at the MSM and American and western public opinion. America may very well lose the war through a collective loss of will and that is precisely the terrorist strategy for their success. Makes you wonder who Reid's constituency is.

Good times.

Religion of Peace

AP caption: "Palestinians plant an olive tree in memory of the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings, along the route of Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Maasarah, close to Bethlehem, Friday, April 20, 2007. Palestinians planted 32 olive trees, one for each victim at Virginia Tech."

How touching. Gee, I sure hope none of those killed at Virginia Tech were supporters of Israel.

Meanwhile, a Palestinian parliament speaker calls for the extermination of Americans and the Jews:

http://switch5.castup.net/frames/20041020_MemriTV_Popup/video_480x360.asp?ai=214&ar=1426wmv&ak=null

Remember When

"As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I firmly believe that the issue of Iraq is not about politics. It's about national security. We know that for at least 20 years, Saddam Hussein has obsessively sought weapons of mass destruction through every means available. We know that he has chemical and biological weapons today. He has used them in the past, and he is doing everything he can to build more. Each day he inches closer to his longtime goal of nuclear capability -- a capability that could be less than a year away.

I believe that Saddam Hussein's Iraqi regime represents a clear threat to the United States, to our allies, to our interests around the world, and to the values of freedom and democracy we hold dear.

What's more, the terrorist threat against America is all too clear. Thousands of terrorist operatives around the world would pay anything to get their hands on Saddam's arsenal, and there is every possibility that he could turn his weapons over to these terrorists. No one can doubt that if the terrorists of September 11th had weapons of mass destruction, they would have used them. On September 12, 2002, we can hardly ignore the terrorist threat, and the serious danger that Saddam would allow his arsenal to be used in aid of terror.

The time has come for decisive action. With our allies, we must do whatever is necessary to guard against the threat posed by an Iraq armed with weapons of mass destruction, and under the thumb of Saddam Hussein.

The United States must lead an international effort to remove the regime of Saddam Hussein -- and to assure that Iraq fulfills its obligations to the international community. This is not an easy decision, and it carries many risks. It will also carry costs, certainly in resources, and almost certainly in lives. After careful consideration, I believe that the risk of inaction is far greater than the risk of action.

We must address the most insidious threat posed by weapons of mass destruction -- the threat that comes from the ability of terrorists to obtain them.

The path of confronting Saddam is full of hazards. But the path of inaction is far more dangerous. This week, a week where we remember the sacrifice of thousands of innocent Americans made on 9-11, the choice could not be starker. Had we known that such attacks were imminent, we surely would have used every means at our disposal to prevent them and take out the plotters. We cannot wait for such a terrible event -- or, if weapons of mass destruction are used, one far worse -- to address the clear and present danger posed by Saddam Hussein's Iraq."

Senator John Edwards (Democrat, North Carolina) Addressing the US Senate September 12, 2002

http://edwards.senate.gov/statements/20020912_iraq.html

Is this really reporting?

Bombings raise questions about `surge'

By STEVEN R. HURST, Associated Press Writer 21 minutes ago

BAGHDAD - U.S. and Iraqi officials have voiced cautious optimism that the 2-month-old security operation in Iraq might be working. A suicide bombing at parliament and another that sent a Baghdad bridge crashing into the Tigris River delivered a powerful message that the American-led crackdown may be too late.

Why is a "reporter" using terms like "may be" or "might be"? Is his job to accurately identify and communicate events as they transpire to the public, or is it to speculate? In what universe is this considered a reflection of good journalistic standards for objective reporting?

Weapons of Mass Deception

Why isn't this story, instead of the Imus flap, headline news???

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070412/NEWS03/304120012

Well, on second thought, this Christopher Paul character probably does take his orders from Rove as part of the administration's "Politics of Fear" covert program. Jee, I almost got suckered in there by BushCo again.