Broken Nation

A chronicle of the fraud, incompetence, lies, distortion, and irresponsibility of the 43rd president and his administration. This book raises questions about 9/11, the Bush/Cheney connection to oil and other industry, and the lies behind the Iraq invasion.

Learn just how Republicans have broken your nation into pieces and learn what you can do to put it back together again.

Read excerpts here: Google Books

Final Thoughts

For some, Hurricane Katrina may be the worst natural disaster in history to hit the United States of America, but there may be something worse. One storm began in Texas many years ago, and in 2000 it expanded to blanket the skies above the entire United States. Hurricane George— the most destructive disaster to strike America.

Here is a president who has neglected an entire nation, yet had enough energy and money to force a democracy in Iraq. Here is a president who neglected an entire nation, yet had enough time and energy to fight against women’s rights, gay marriage, and evolution. George W. Bush is an absentee president who has repeatedly assaulted not only the ones who voted against him but the ones who voted for him as well.

Many consider Bush fully responsible for letting 9/11 occur. After all, he did ignore the intelligence, the August 6th memo, and other numerous warnings. The Twin Towers may have still been standing today if it hadn’t been for the gross incompetence. Thousands of more American lives would have been saved if it had not been for the fradulent war in Iraq. The nation of Iraq, which did not have WMD or links to terrorism, would not be in a civil war, thousands of civilian lives would have been saved, and radical religion and terrorism wouldn’t rule the classes there. Our soldiers would still be at home with their families. The billions funneled into the war and bureaucratic departments consisting of unqualified friends could have been used for real anti-terrorism initiatives. The energy could have been put towards stopping the genocide in Darfur or the poverty that is plaguing the rest of Africa. The money wasted on the war could have also been used for domestic society programs like healthcare and education. The world would have been a better place overall, if it had not been for the Bush Administration.

It’s ironic that after the Hurricane Katrina disaster, Bush’s approval ratings plummeted, the CIA leak case took front center in the headlines, and an inside member of the White House was indicted while others continued to be investigated. To bring attention to Bush’s destruction of nature through the industries and policies he’s promoted, it took an act of nature. Maybe this time we won’t forget it.

In October 2005, Senator John Kerry stood at the edge of a river in Massachusetts as he nervously watched a broken dam threaten an entire community. The crews soon fixed the broken dam, but a symbolic dam was breaking elsewhere. In another part of the country, former Vice President Al Gore stood before a crowd of thousands of Americans as he challenged the Bush administration and made a call for action to hold them accountable for what they have done to America. The dam had finally begun to break and out poured the waters that would cleanse a dirtied and broken nation.

Fight for your candidate and vote in 2008...

Peace and Progress!

Things not looking so good for Bush

House panel approves subpoena for Rice

In rapid succession, congressional committees Wednesday ramped up their investigations of the Bush administration by approving a subpoena for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and granting immunity to a key aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

By 21-10, the House oversight committee voted to issue a subpoena to Rice to compel her story on the Bush administration's claim, now discredited, that Iraq was seeking uranium from Africa.

Moments earlier in the committee chamber next door, the House Judiciary Committee voted 32-6 to grant immunity to Monica Goodling, Gonzales' White House liaison, for her testimony on why the administration fired eight federal prosecutors. The panel also unanimously approved — but did not issue — a subpoena to compel her to appear.

Check out the contenders for 2008

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12304248/

Some of the final candidates may not be listed yet!

2008 candidate draws up articles of impeachment

That candidate is Dennis Kucinich, and here are his Articles of Impeachment, officially known as H.Res. 333. In a nutshell, Kucinich believes Cheney should be impeached because he:

1. Manipulated intelligence to fabricate a threat of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction
2. Manipulated intelligence to fabricate a relationship between Iraq and al Qaeda
3. Openly threatened aggression against Iran absent any real threat to the the United States

http://kucinich.house.gov/SpotlightIssues/documents.htm

Support the impeachment here: http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/cheney

Another School Shooting in America

A gunman opened fire in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech on Monday, killing 21 people in the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history. The gunman also was killed.


“Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions,” said Virginia Tech president Charles Steger. “The university is shocked and indeed horrified.” http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18134671/?GT1=9246

My one question is where did the gun come from?

Yet despite today's horrible tragedy and previous school shootings, Republicans still support liberal gun ownership and accept money from the NRA and gun manufacturers.

I'm not the one making this a political issue, Republicans already have.


Republicans are contributing to crime rise in U.S.

After a decade of decline, violent crime is on the rise across the United States. Assault rose 2 percent between 2004 and 2005, according to the FBI’s latest report of national crime trends. Murder and robbery are up nearly 5 percent — the sharpest increase since 1991. Medium-sized cities of between 50,000 and 500,000 have been the bloodiest.

Gun-related crime rose 25 percent last year in Seattle, and it's up another 12 percent this year. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14137625/&GT1=8404

Republican Congress gives gun industry a lawsuit shield http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9762564/

Gun rights groups have given more than $17 million in individual, PAC and soft money contributions to federal candidates and party committees since 1989. Nearly $15 million, or 85 percent of the total, has gone to Republicans. The National Rifle Association is by far the gun rights lobby's biggest donor, having contributed more than $14 million over the past 15 years.

The NRA alone spent nearly $11 million lobbying elected and government officials from 1997 to 2003. But it wasn't the gun rights lobby's biggest spender. That was Gun Owners of America, which spent more than $18 million on lobbing over the same period.Since 1989, the NRA has spent more than $22 million on communications costs and independent expenditures, with more than $18 million spent in support of Republican candidates. http://www.opensecrets.org/news/guns/

WAR ON VIOLENCE

Former Bush Speechwriter Hints at 9/11 Inside Job

A GOP insider, former Bush 41 speechwriter and close friend of the Bush family writes in his new book that before 9/11, the Neo-Cons in control of the Bush administration were eager to seize upon a manufactured provocation to go to war - just as LBJ had done with the Gulf Of Tonkin in 1965, and questions the official 9/11 story.

Victor Gold is a veteran GOP campaign operative who worked closely with George H.W. Bush on his presidential campaign and also co-wrote his autobiography. He was also tasked with writing the profiles for Dick and Lynn Cheney for the official Inauguration program in 2001.

In his new book, Invasion of the Party Snatchers: How the Neo-Cons and Holy Rollers Destroyed the GOP, Gold slams the current administration and exposes their zeal for creating a pretext for a war that was planned many years in advance.

Gold confirms that war in Iraq was decided upon from day one, and that a fake pretext was readied and anticipated before 9/11 happened. Though Gold still pins the blame on Al-Qaeda, in acknowledging the fact that the Bush administration would have staged a false flag attack anyway had it not been for 9/11, he is one small step away from intimating that the attacks on the WTC and Pentagon were an inside job.

http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/april2007/130407insidejob.htm

Without a Trace: Missing White House Email Records

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) today has released a report, WITHOUT A TRACE: The Missing White House Emails and the Violations of the Presidential Records Act, detailing the legal issues behind the story of the White House e-mail scandal.

In a startling new revelation, CREW has also learned through two confidential sources that the Executive Office of the President (EOP) has lost over five million emails generated between March 2003 and October 2005. The White House counsel’s office was advised of these problems in 2005 and CREW has been told that the White House was given a plan of action to recover these emails, but to date nothing has been done to rectify this significant loss of records.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW, said today, “It’s clear that the White House has been willfully violating the law, the only question now is to what extent? The ever changing excuses offered by the administration – that they didn’t want to violate the Hatch Act, that staff wasn’t clear on the law – are patently ridiculous. Very convenient that embarrassing – and potentially incriminating – emails have gone missing. It’s the Nixon White House all over again.”

WITHOUT A TRACE covers the following areas: Presidential Records Act (PRA): Enacted in 1978, requires the president to preserve all presidential records, which are defined as those records relating to the “activities, deliberations, decisions, and policies that reflect the performance of [the president’s] constitutional, statutory, or other official or ceremonial duties. . .”

Clinton Administration Policy: In 1993, then-Assistant to the President and Staff Secretary John Podesta sent a memo to all presidential staff explaining that the PRA required all staff members to maintain all records, including emails. Podesta stated that the use of external email networks was prohibited because records would not be saved as required. The 1997 White House Manual and a 2000 memo issued by Mark Lindsay, then Assistant to the President for Management and Administration echoed this policy, requiring staff to use only the White House email system for official communications.

Bush Administration Policy: The Bush Administration has refused to make public its record-keeping policy. A confidential source provided CREW with a 2002 document indicating the use of “non-EOP messaging-enabled mechanisms should not be used for official business.” Bush Administration Practice: In the wake of the scandals surrounding Jack Abramoff and the fired U.S. Attorneys, emails were released showing that top White House staffers routinely used Republican National Committee (RNC) email accounts to conduct official business. For example, J. Scott Jennings, White House Deputy Political Director, used an RNC account to communicate with the former chief of staff to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales regarding the appointments of new U.S. Attorneys. Similarly, Susan Ralston, a former aide to Karl Rove, used RNC email accounts to communicate with Abramoff about appointments to the Department of the Interior.

PRA Violations: 1) The administration failed to implement adequate record-keeping systems to archive presidential email records; 2) two confidential sources independently informed CREW that the administration abandoned a plan to recover more than five million missing emails; 3) White House staff used outside email accounts to conduct presidential business, ensuring that emails were not adequately preserved. In fact, former Abramoff associate Kevin Ring said in an email to Abramoff that Ralston had told him not to send emails to her official White House account “because it might actually limit what they can do to help us, especially since there could be lawsuits, etc.”

*** Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.

Cheney Disresepcts America Again

Dick Cheney has come out again and disrespected the intelligence of Americans, as well as the troops he has sent to war over blantant lies. Once again, he is claiming that there was an Al Qaida/ Saddam link, yet he has not one shred of proof.

A declassified Pentagon report released Thursday confirmed yet again that the terrorist organization and the Saddam government were not working together before the invasion.

The Sept. 11 Commission’s 2004 report also found no evidence of a collaborative relationship between Saddam and Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida network during that period.

For these lies of both links to terrorism that never existed and WMD's that never existed, over 3,260 U.S. troops have been killed, another 26,188 Americans have been severly injured. Some estimates have put the Iraqi civilian death toll at over 600,000-- now who is the war criminal?

Al Gore takes Climate Crisis Challenge to Congress

Al Gore takes Climate Crisis Challenge to Congress

In his testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives, Vice President Al Gore reached out to members of Congress in a bi-partisan manner and provided a 10 point strategy plan to combat global warming. “There is a sense of hope that this US Congress will rise and present meaningful solutions to this crisis.” With 516,000 signatures on a petition signed just days before, Gore made his first appearance in the Capitol since his departure in 2001 and was welcomed by both parties, “welcome home.”

Citing scientific data and information from his book and film An Inconvenient Truth, Gore pleaded Congress to make a cut in emissions of 90% in order to cut global warming pollution.

“I promise you, the day will come, that our children and grandchildren will look back on us and ask what in God’s name were they doing…what was wrong with them?...Or they’ll ask another question, how did they rise above?”

In an emotional plea, Gore asked Congress to choose the latter and rise above this climate crisis by taking immediate action. Gore expressed concern over the 70 million tons of global warming pollution that is dumped into the atmosphere every day and how the Earth is literally shaking because of what’s happening in Greenland and other places due to glacier movement due to melting. Gore also acknowledged that methane is 23% more powerful than CO2 and that all pollution gases need to be dealt with.

In a bold 10 point strategy, Gore laid out the following innovative solutions:

1- Freeze CO2 emissions and then make immediate reductions
2- Use tax code to reduce taxes on employment and production and make up the difference with pollution tax.
3- Earmark a portion of those tax revenues for lower income groups for assistance in transition.
4- Come up with a strong global treaty and move the next meeting date up to 2010.
5- Put a Moratorium on coal-fired power plants
6- The creation of an Electronet that allows private homeowners to sell their excess electricity from self-produced wind and solar sources.
7- Raise CAFE standards
8- Use regulatory power that includes CFL bulbs and dimmers.
9- Creation of Connie Mae to set aside costs for green home improvement.
10- Required emissions reports from corporations.

Gore further stressed that the European cap and trade is succeeding continent wide, and that although there are some nations that are behind their goals, there are many that are ahead of schedule. He also announced the launching of a global TV, radio, and internet ad campaign to bring attention to the crisis. This campaign will begin on 7/7/07, with the LIVE EARTH festivals www.liveearth.org.

While some Republicans welcomed Gore, many attacked him by trying to censor and silence his testimony. Republican Representative Ralph Hall (TX) called the environmental concerns an “attack on energy.” Other Republicans like Representative Barton (also from Texas) admitted he considers oil and gas profits more important than the environment. Energy and Air Quality Committee member Dennis Hastert, in an ironic statement of obvious conflict of interest said, “We need to use more coal.”

Learn about the following:

Greenhouse Gases: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6662932

Melting Mountains: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6903014

Images of Greenland: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9827949/displaymode/1107/s/2/

Warming Signals: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16913964/displaymode/1107/s/2/

Energy Map of US: http://www.msnbc.com/modules/eoe/energy.asp

Greenest Cars: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17006933/

Read the MSNBC report at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17718399/

Meanwhile, 2008 candidate John Edwards is also focusing on the climate crisis:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17707331/

4 Years Too Long

March 17 was the 4 year anniversary of the Iraq War, despite claims that it wouldn't last this long:

Don Rumsfeld 2/7/2003: "It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months"

George W. Bush 5/1/03: "My fellow Americans, major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed."

Dick Cheney 6/20/05: "The level of activity that we see today from a military standpoint, I think, will clearly decline. I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency."

Danger: pet food recall!

Eukanuba, Iams and store brands tied to kidney failure & deaths

An unknown number of cats and dogs suffered kidney failure and about 10 died after eating the affected pet food..."At this juncture, we’re not 100 percent sure what’s happened,” said Paul Henderson, the company’s president... Menu Foods did not immediately provide a full list of brand names and lot numbers covered by the recall, saying they would be posted on its Web site — www.menufoods.com/recall

This is why we don't feed our pets that junk.

Did you know that most pet foods on your grocery store shelves contain animal by-products, unnecessary chemicals and preservatives? Did you also know that these same companies test their foods on laboratory animals subjecting animals to obscene brutality that often leads to destruction of the animal.

It is safe to say that your animal companion could be eating better and isn't really getting the full nutrition it deserves. In addition to poor quality, the artificial chemicals and preservatives in some of these mainstream foods have been tied to cancer and other diseases. The recent recall on pet foods should convince you that these companies are not concentrating on quality. See: Eukanuba, Iams and store brands tied to kidney failure, deaths http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17650075/

This is just another problem in America. People feeding their pets slop and drugging them up just like they're doing to thmselves. The only ones who benefit are the corporations.

We're tired of the big corporations selling us mass produced quantity over quality. We love our pets and believe they deserve the best quality food. That's why we've decided to help spread the word about Flint River Ranch. For more information go to: http://www.frrco.com/121883

Or ask us for a free sample so the animal can decide!

Note: There are other all natural or organic brands that are of similiar quality. Do the research and give your pets what's best.

Here are the basics on Flint River Ranch:

DOG FOOD
The Flint River Ranch Super Premium Dog Food formula is TWICE OVEN-BAKED under carefully controlled conditions and temperatures, resulting in better nutrition, palatability and digestibility for your pet.

Most importantly, what really separates Flint River Ranch food from other pet foods is what you won't find in it — No Ethoxyquin, No BHA, No BHT, No Artificial Colors or Flavors, and No By-Products.

The Flint River Ranch Chicken, Rice, Lamb, and Wheat dog food formula is nutritionally complete and balanced for all stages of your dog's life according to AAFCO Nutrient Profiles for Dog Foods.

Flint River Ranch Oven-Baked Dog Food offers:

Great Taste!
Healthy, with All Natural INGREDIENTS!
A 100% Complete and Balanced Meal!
100% Natural Nutrition!
100% Fresh!
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed! (Return in 30 Days for Full Refund!)
FREE Delivery to Your Door!

Proper diet isn't just important for humans — it is the most basic aspect of a pet's lifestyle. The Flint River Ranch All Natural Premium Dog food recipe is specially structured to help your dog's body holistically heal itself through proper nutrition. Benefits of this healthy dog food are quickly noticeable in your dog's shiny coat, healthy skin and energy level.
Healthy nutrition can also mean less medical bills. We firmly believe that your dog deserves the best food and a healthy and long life. Here are just a few

INGREDIENTS: Chicken Meal, Wheat Flour, Ground Rice, Lamb Meal, Poultry Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Ascorbic Acid), Ground Wheat, Dried Whole Egg, Lecithin, Fish Meal, Brewers Dried Yeast, Wheat Germ Meal, Dried Kelp, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, DL-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Source of Vitamin E), Zinc Oxide, Selenium Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Copper and Colbolt, Niacin, Ascorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin C), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, D-Biotin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement.

To Order: www.frrco.com/121883

CAT FOOD

With Flint River Ranch Super Premium Health Food for Cats and Kittens, you will be able to see an immediate difference in your cat's healthy skin, coat and energy level. We can attest to this! Healthy nutrition can also mean fewer medical bills. We firmly believe that your cat deserves the best food and a healthy, long life! Here are just a few reasons why it pays to feed your cats and kittens Flint River Ranch.

FRR Kitten and Cat Food offers:
Great Taste!
Healthy, with all natural INGREDIENTS!
A 100% Complete and Balanced Meal!
100% Natural Nutrition!
100% Fresh!
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed! (Return in 30 Days for Full Refund!)
FREE Delivery to Your Door!

CHICKEN AND LAMB MEAL: Flint River Ranch Cat and Kitten food contains chicken and lamb meal which is manufactured under carefully controlled conditions and temperatures - resulting in better nutrition, palatbility and digestibility for your pet. The secret to Flint River Ranch's great nutrition is how many nutrients are present in the cat's food and how efficiently they are utilized when digested.

Highest grade for Taurine
Naturally preserved with Vitamin E
Promotes low urinary pH
Helps prevent F.U.S.
Low levels of both Ash & Magnesium

INGREDIENTS: Chicken Meal, Ground Yellow Corn, Lamb Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Poultry Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Ascorbic Acid), Ground Whole Wheat, Dried Brewers Yeast, Fish Meal, Corn Germ Meal, Salt, Dried Beet Pulp, Dehydrated Cheese, Lecithin, D-Activated Animal Sterol (Source of Vitamin D-3), Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Riboflavin, Calcium Pantothenate, Choline Chloride, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Inositol, DL- Methionine, Manganese, Dehydrated Kelp, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Cobalt Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Taurine, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Dried Whey.

To Order: www.frrco.com/121883

For more information on commercial pet foods and FRR see the following:
http://www.flintriver.com/default.asp?gg=Y%20%20/
http://www.preciouspets.org/truth.htm
http://www.belfield.com/article3.html
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/jesse.htm
http://www.homestead.com/VonHapsburg/petfood.html
http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/Spring04/Perhach/PetFood/Contents.htm

Halliburton to open headquarters in Dubai

U.S. oil services firm Halliburton Co. is moving its headquarters and chief executive to Dubai.

Texas-based Halliburton, which was led by Vice President Dick Cheney from 1995-2000, did not specify what, if any, tax implications the move might entail. It plans to list on a stock exchange in the Middle East once it moves to Dubai — a booming commercial center in the Gulf. The company said it was making the moves to position itself better to gain contracts in the oil-rich Middle East.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17577926/

So we have a corporation that has made billions from the Afghanistan & Iraq invasions, in addition to Katrina hurricane disaster, and a Vice President and former CEO of this same company who has made millions. Now they're moving their headquarters, skipping out on U.S. taxes, and cutting U.S. jobs! When will this abuse end? It's utterly disgusting.

"KBR has so far booked more than $20 billion in revenues from its work in Iraq and has been the target of several investigations into the company’s billing practices. It has also faced complaints from some U.S. lawmakers about the company’s close ties to the Bush administration."

“This is an insult to the U.S. soldiers and taxpayers who paid the tab for their no-bid contracts and endured their overcharges for all these years,” said judiciary committee chairman Senator Patrick Leahy.

Dubai just happens to be the nation with ties to terrorism that was almost put in control of port security by President Bush, until Democrats and some Republicans alike spoke out against it.

Osama bin Laden turns 50

Yesterday Osama Bin Laden celebrated his 50th birthday:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17550135/from/ET/

"He is alive. I am 100 percent sure,” Taliban spokesman Mullah Hayatullah Khan told Reuters.

The most recent known videotape of bin Laden was released in late 2004, just before the 04 election.

I wonder if George called him to wish him a good day. No, he probably just showed up at the party.

A Message from Howard Dean

http://www.democrats.org/page/invite/deanmessage

Cheney's right-hand man Scooter Libby CONVICTED

Jury convicts Libby on four of five charges

Former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was convicted Tuesday of obstruction, perjury and lying to the FBI in an investigation into the leak of a CIA operative's identity.
Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, was accused of lying and obstructing the investigation into the 2003 leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity to reporters. Libby faces up to 30 years in prison, though under federal sentencing guidelines likely will receive far less. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17479718/?GT1=9145

Verdict in the Scooter Libby trial
The individual charges and their corresponding verdicts in the trial of former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby:

1 Obstruction of justice: Guilty

2 False statements to FBI investigators (concerning conversations with NBC newsman Tim Russert): Guilty

3 Perjury to the grand jury (Russert conversation): Guilty

4 Perjury to the grand jury (Cooper conversation): Guilty

So it looks like Libby has taken the fall for the Bush Administration's cover up of pre-war Iraq intelligence. In response to the ruling, Libby's attorney Theodore Wells tried to pin it all back on the administration responsible for his clients conviction:

"The wheels were falling off the Bush administration" in the summer of 2003, Wells argued. How could Libby, serving Cheney as both chief of staff and national security adviser, remember Plame's job when 100,000 U.S. troops were in Iraq and hadn't found the weapons of mass destruction the administration had cited to justify the war? Wells asked.

"And he still had his day job of trying to prevent another 9/11" terrorist attack, Wells said.
Was Wells implying that the administration was responsible for 9/11 too?

What will Congress vote on?

$93 Billion MORE for the Bush-Cheney War?

The House Appropriations Committee is about to vote on whether to give Bush and Cheney $93 billion more for the Iraq War, on top of the $363 billion they have already spent to create a historic catastrophe based entirely on lies that has increased global terrorism by 700%.

This will bring total war spending to $456 billion - every penny of which has been borrowed so our children and grandchildren will have to pay for the Bush-Cheney War. It has also cost the lives of 3,171 U.S. troops and an estimated 655,000 Iraqi civilians, many tortured to death by militia trained by the U.S.

Make plans now to join veterans, military families, and responsible citizens in a nonviolent march for peace and impeachment, beginning at the Vietnam War Memorial and ending at the Pentagon. http://www.marchonpentagon.org

Meanwhile: ‘It is just not Walter Reed’

Soldiers share troubling health care stories: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17458405/

Anne Coulter gets evil again and attacks John Edwards

Just watch it for yourself: https://johnedwards.com/action/contribute/coulter

This woman or whatever it is, is not a conservative, it's just evil. And even worse, many Republicans were in the audience cheering to this bigotry, including Dick Cheney and many of the Republican candidates. Mitt Romney was the one who introduced her!

Certainly not something good for America.

The John Edwards campaign is now raising "Coulter Cash" to fight this evil: http://johnedwards.com/r/6665/241917

Tell Congress to Wake Up

Dear American,

When the producers of An Inconvenient Truth first approached me with the concept for the film, I was skeptical. Could we really take a slideshow about the climate crisis and turn it into a compelling movie? Davis Guggenheim’s Oscar win for best documentary and a second one for Melissa Etheridge’s beautiful song “I Need to Wake Up” was a testament to their ability, but it was also a testament to you.

It was you who packed the theaters and got your friends to go see this film, greatly increasing the audience. And then this past December, it was you who connected through MoveOn.org and AlGore.com to attend An Inconvenient Truth viewing parties. At those parties and in the weeks that followed, nearly 200,000 of you wrote to Congress, demanding that they address the climate crisis like the planetary emergency that it is.

Even though I have been a life-long movie fan, I didn’t really understand how big of an audience a movie could reach. And of course I never would have imagined in a million years that a movie that I was a part of would receive two Academy Awards—or one—or would have ever been made in the first place! As humbling as this moment is, An Inconvenient Truth will only succeed if it drives all of us to take action. That’s why I’m asking you to join me in the next stage of our fight. On March 21st, I'm going to hand-deliver the messages you signed when I testify at Congressional hearings on the climate crisis.

This is an incredible opportunity to demonstrate to Congress that we demand immediate action. And I need your help to really make this moment count. Can you commit to getting 10 friends to send their message to Congress through AlGore.com before March 21st? The more voices I can bring to Washington, the more powerful our message will be.

To get your friends involved, just forward them this note or direct them to:
http://algore.com/cards.html

There is no longer a debate about the fact that global warming is real. We're causing it. The consequences are serious, and could be headed towards catastrophe if we don’t fix it. And it's not too late. I don't want to imagine a future in which our children say, “What were our parents thinking?” “Why didn't they wake up when they had a chance?” And I know you don’t either.

The hundreds of thousands of you who signed messages to Congress showed me what's possible. Working together we can unite millions of people and build support for real action on a scale that has never been seen before.

Help me take the first step and fill up that hearing room with your signatures. That picture alone will send a powerful message.

Can you commit to getting ten more people to send messages to Congress demanding action to stop global warming?
http://algore.com/cards.html

I’m looking forward to working with you on this monumental task.
Thank you,
Al Gore

Al Gore, international rock star

Oscar hopeful making case as America’s coolest ex-vice president

In the annals of vice presidential history, tonight will be something different. In his black tux, the man known to his most fervent fans as "The Goracle" will arrive by hybrid eco-limo and, surrounded by fellow Hollywood greenies Cameron Diaz and Leonardo DiCaprio, will stroll down the red carpet at the Academy Awards to answer the immortal question: "Al, who are you wearing?"

What a year it has been for Al Gore and his little indie film.

"An Inconvenient Truth," the 100-minute movie that is essentially Gore giving a slide show about global warming, is the third-highest-grossing documentary ever, with a worldwide box office of $45 million, right behind blockbusters "Fahrenheit 9/11" and "March of the Penguins."

Read the entire article at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17321273/

Who's the scariest man in the world?

If you guessed Dick Cheney, Cheers to you, you've been paying attention. This is the guy behind the entire Iraq War mess, also the one who profited from Halliburton stock as a result of Iraq contracts. This is also the guy behind PNAC, who said in 2000, the only way to return to the old-school way of American military power was to attack the Middle East and the only way to do that would come from a "Pearl Harbor" like attack, hence 9/11 less than a year later.

So what's new with Iran? Nohing much. Now Cheney says military action is still an option on the table. (Some experts predicted several years ago that an Iranian conflict would occur by the end of this administration) and they may be right after all.

Cheney leaves open military option against Iran

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17305000/

To boot, Cheney also blasted China this week for routine missile tests. It appears the United States is the only nation allowed to test and use weapons.

Cheney rips China’s anti-satellite weapons test

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17273020/

Also, this week, Cheney compared Democrats to terrorists again. This old trick is exactly that: OLD. Do Americans really still believe this crap? Democrats like Nancy Pelosi aren't standing for it.

Cheney won’t back down from Pelosi criticism

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17295904/

U.S. Govenrment Reveals Technology to Scan and Record Your Naked Body

The following is more evidence that your privacy and the world of privacy is over. We have officially entered the Orwellian world that George Orwell warned us of in 1948 in his book 1984. A world of constant surveillance, a world of government over individual, a world of corporation over individual. We are entering a Brave New World of comfort over freedom, and security over expression.

Powerful X-ray machine debuts in Phoenix
‘Backscatter’ visually strips off clothing
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17296248/

While some may laugh this off, this invasion is only a step in a series of invasions of our privacy. Security is the excuse. 9/11 is the excuse, even though we know the only reason 9/11 even happened in the first place was government failures at the top. This will have ugly results, mark my words.

LIVE EARTH

The Concert for a Climate in Crisis is Coming
http://liveearth.org

7/7/07

Rudy Runs Again, just like he did on September 11th

Giuliani confirms he’s running in 2008
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17158406/

While Bush was busy exploiting 9/11 to get what would become the biggest gain in rating polls for a sitting president, the Mayor of New York City was doing the same. Rudolph Giuliani who broke every promise he ever made while in office and whose own ratings were in the danger zone, used 9/11 as a springboard for million-dollar book deals and lectures. His popularity soared and he wore the name “hero” as if it were really true. Here was a politician running away from the scene of terrorist attacks yelling “let’s head uptown,” and yet he’s called a hero? For what? Rallying the people of New York after a terrorist attack? That’s not enough to be called a hero. The real heroes were the ones heading in the opposite direction as the mayor. The real heroes were the ones who climbed those steps and tried to rescue people from the burning towers. The brave New York City fire fighters and police officers, they were the heroes. I would like to see someone try and justify Rudolph Giuliani’s exploitation of 9/11. I would. I really am curious.

Rudy Giuliani & The Bush Administration Destroyed the WTC Demolition Evidence: http://www.ifilm.com/video/2778503

Rudy Giuliani Is Not a Hero. Repeat After Me.
When you place the command and control center so close to the World Trade Center that the new $50 million facility was destroyed in the attacks, and you are the one responsible for the FDNY having inoperable Motorola radios (how many people would have been saved if the firefighters could have actually heard the orders to evacuate?) and then, despite the fact that almost 3,000 of your constituents died, you fought against the formation of the 9/11 Commission, just as President Bush did, you are not a hero. You are a hypocrite.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-boyce/rudy-giuliani-is-not-a-he_b_40235.html

IS THE ECONOMY REALLY "FIRED UP"?

IS THE ECONOMY REALLY FIRED UP?
Compiled by Annabelle Gurwitch

Whose economy is it anyway? Jobless rate in America is the lowest since 2001; but since 2001, 95% of working people in America’s wages have been flat or falling. Only the top 5% have shared in the economic growth. Real wages and salaries makeup the lowest share of the GDP since 1947, corporate profits are the highest they’ve been since the 1960’s.
Where’s my gold watch? You won’t be receiving a gold watch if you were working for any of these companies:

• AOL said so long to 5,000. Employees in Aug 06.
• Intel cut its ties to 10,000 employees in Sept 06.
• Ford offered 75,000 workers buyout packages in October, and announced that 14 plants will close by 2012 eliminating 30,000 jobs.
• GM also offered buyouts to 100,000 workers if they said goodbye to their jobs.
• Dupont declared in the week before Labor Day that new workers will no longer receive defined benefit pension plans and more tenured employees’ pensions will be reduced. And uh, we’re not offering health care either - Happy Labor Day!
  

Ratio of average CEO salary to the average American worker is now 435 to 1

People who are unemployed stay unemployed fifty percent longer than they did in the seventies, and only about half as many receive unemployment insurance as did so in 1947.

Actress and humorist ANNABELLE GURWITCH, best known to television audiences for her many years as the co-host of the cult favorite “Dinner and a Movie” on TBS.
She is currently a contributing writer and commentator on “Day to Day” on NPR.

Her film FIRED is currently playing in select theaters: http://www.firedthemovie.com/
http://www.internationalfilmcircuit.com/fired/playdate.html

Global Warming is Certain

Officials from 113 countries agreed that a much-awaited report will say that recent global warming was “very likely” caused by human activity...

The officials also approved language that said an increase in hurricane and tropical cyclone strength since 1970 “more likely than not” can be attributed to man-made warming, according to delegates Leonard Fields of Barbados and Cedric Nelom of Surinam.

In its last report in 2001, the same panel had said there was not enough evidence to make such a conclusion. The last U.N. report, in 2001, said global warming was “likely” caused by human activity. There had been speculation that the participants might try to change the wording this time to “virtually certain,” which means a 99 percent chance.

The new report is expected to predict that global temperatures could between 2.5 to 10.4 degrees by the year 2100 unless stronger efforts are made to reduce carbon emissions from vehicles, power plants and other industry. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16922234/

Meanwhile...

Oil giant Exxon Mobil Corp. on Thursday posted the largest annual profit by a U.S. company — $39.5 billion — even as earnings for the last quarter of 2006 declined 4 percent. The 2006 profit topped the previous record of $36.13 billion which Exxon set in 2005.

Revenue at the world’s largest publicly traded oil company rose to $377.64 billion for the year, surpassing the record $370.68 billion that Exxon posted in 2005.

Exxon Mobil’s record annual earnings followed a year of extraordinarily high energy prices as crude oil topped $78 a barrel in the summer — driving up average gasoline prices in the United States to more than $3 a gallon. Prices retreated later in the year.

Wasted Money in Iraq

The U.S. government wasted tens of millions of dollars in Iraq reconstruction aid, including scores of unaccounted-for weapons and a never-used camp for housing police trainers with an Olympic-size swimming pool, investigators say.

The quarterly audit by Stuart Bowen Jr., the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, is the latest to paint a grim picture of waste, fraud and frustration in an Iraq war and reconstruction effort that has cost taxpayers more than $300 billion and left the region near civil war.

“The security situation in Iraq continues to deteriorate, hindering progress in all reconstruction sectors and threatening the overall reconstruction effort,” according to the 579-page report, which was being released Wednesday.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16895294/

New report reveals political pressure

Bush pressure seen on climate experts
Lawmakers get survey of scientists,

half of whom report political pressure
-MSNBC

The Democratic-controlled Congress on Tuesday stepped up its pressure on President Bush’s global warming strategy, hearing allegations of new political pressure on government scientists to downplay the threat of global warming.

Lawmakers received survey results of federal scientists that showed 46 percent felt pressure to eliminate the words “climate change,” “global warming” or similar terms from communications about their work.

The scientists also reported 435 instances of political interference in their work over the past five years.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16886008/

Cheney's Rich!

Cheney’s Halliburton Stock Rose Over 3000 Percent Last Year
http://www.projectcensored.org/censored_2007/index.htm#24

Vice President Dick Cheney’s stock options in Halliburton rose from $241,498 in 2004 to over $8 million in 2005, an increase of more than 3,000 percent, as Halliburton continues to rake in billions of dollars from no-bid/no-audit government contracts.

An analysis released by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) reveals that as Halliburton’s fortunes rise, so do the Vice President’s. Halliburton has already taken more than $10 billion from the Bush-Cheney administration for work in Iraq. They were also awarded many of the unaccountable post-Katrina government contracts, as off-shore subsidiaries of Halliburton quietly worked around U.S. sanctions to conduct very questionable business with Iran. “It is unseemly,” notes Lautenberg, “for the Vice President to continue to benefit from this company at the same time his administration funnels billions of dollars to it.”

CRS also found that receiving deferred compensation is a financial interest. The Vice President continues to receive deferred salary from Halliburton. While in office, he has received the following salary payments from Halliburton:

Deferred salary paid by Halliburton to Vice President Cheney in 2001: $205,298
Deferred salary paid by Halliburton to Vice President Cheney in 2002: $162,392
Deferred salary paid by Halliburton to Vice President Cheney in 2003: $178,437
Deferred salary paid by Halliburton to Vice President Cheney in 2004: $194,852

(The CRS report can be downloaded at: http://lautenberg.senate.gov/Report.pdf)

On the September 14, 2003 edition of Meet the Press in response to questions regarding his relationship with Halliburton, where from 1995 to 2000 he was employed as CEO, Vice President Cheney said, “Since I left Halliburton to become George Bush’s vice president, I’ve severed all my ties with the company, gotten rid of all my financial interest. I have no financial interest in Halliburton of any kind and haven’t had, now, for over three years.”

UPDATE BY JOHN BYRNE
The media has routinely downplayed Cheney’s involvement and financial investment in Halliburton, one of the largest U.S. defense contractors that received supersized no-bid contracts in Iraq. Ultimately, the importance of the story is that the Vice President of the U.S. is able to use his position of power to reap rewards for his former company in which he has a financial investment. Halliburton may also benefit from a chilling effect in which the Pentagon is more likely to favor Cheney’s firm to seek favor with the White House.

Cheney continues to hold 433,333 Halliburton stock options, and receives a deferred salary of about $200,000 a year. According to Cheney’s most recent tax returns, he held $2.5 million in retirement accounts, much of which likely came from his former defense firm.

Cheney recently filed disclosure reports that show he is valued at $94 million.
Senator Lautenberg’s disclosure, brought forward by Raw Story, received no mainstream coverage. While the press has often noted that Cheney was formerly Halliburton’s CEO, they routinely fail to mention how much money he accrued from the firm during his service there. They also fail to mention that he continues to receive a pension.

From Raw Story www.rawstory.com

Run Al, Run Al

The popular Al Gore is gaining support. With other candidates who voted for and supported the war, like Hillary Clinton, Gore is a much better choice since he was against it from the beginning. His work on global warming education has attracted the attention of the world and has just earned him two Oscar nominations, something even Ronald Reagan didn't have. Let's not forget his years of experience first as a Congressman, then a Senator, and then a successful Vice President in a successful administration that created jobs, created a surplus, and created the most progressive environmental laws yet. He is a Vietnam veteran, a civil servant, a teacher, a writer, and the winner of the 2000 election's popular vote. Even more so, in a nation tired of politicians, he is currently a civilian, one who is accomplishing much more than other presidential candidates like Barack Obama who spends more time campaigning and talking about ideas than accomplishing anything. John Edwards is another civilian who is accomplishing more than many of the current passive and distracted members of Congress. Gore/Edwards would be a nice team, don't you think?

"The ideal candidate for the Democrats may be the man who won the popular vote in 2000 -- and who opposed the war in Iraq from the very start" Rolling Stone: Run, Al, Run

http://www.algore.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=448&Itemid=81

Credibility? Cheny calls Iraq a sucess!

In an angry and nasty interview with Wolf Blitzer on Wednesday, Dick Cheney snapped on Blitzer several times claiming it was “hogwash” to suggest that President Bush’s credibility was on the line because of mistakes made in Iraq. He seems to be the only one in the world, along with Bush and a few other loyalists, who are confident in the Iraq war. It seems most prominent Republicans are now turning on the Bush administration, including George Pataki and Chuck Hagel. John McCain said "Cheney hasn't been serving the president." So it seems Republicans will now start playing the blame game, placing the blame off onto the more unpopular Dick Cheney. But let's remind them that they supported the war too.

Let's refresh Cheney's memory with things his president gave as reasons for going to war:

“The Iraqi dictator must not be permitted to threaten America and the world with horrible poisons and diseases and gases and atomic weapons.”
George W. Bush, Oct. 7, 2002

“The evidence indicates that Iraq is reconstituting its nuclear weapons program. Iraq has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes and other equipment needed for gas centrifuges, which are used to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons.” -President Bush, Oct. 7, 2002, in Cincinnati.

“The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.”
-President Bush, Jan.28, 2003, in the State of the Union address.

“The Iraqi regime possesses biological and chemical weapons...And according to the British government, the Iraqi regime could launch a biological or chemical attack in as little as 45 minutes.”
-President Bush on September 26, 2002

“We’ve learned that Iraq has trained al-Qaeda members in bomb-making and poisons and deadly gases ... Alliance with terrorists could allow the Iraqi regime to attack America without leaving any fingerprints.”
-President Bush, Oct. 7, 2002

To remind yourself, watch the following: http://www.bushflash.com/right.html

The Truth
“It is somewhat puzzling that you have 100% certainty about WMD’s existence and 0 certainty of where they are.”
-Hans Blix

The administration has not apologized but they have insinuated that there were some “problems with intelligence.” Ok, let’s assume for just a moment that I am wrong, along with the CIA, FBI, and other government officials as well as many other governments from around the world who believe they lied for political and financial gain. Let’s forget about the proof of their connections to the oil industry and Halliburton. Let’s forget about the facts and pretend for a moment that the administration was right. Let’s pretend Bush went into Iraq because he really thought there were WMD and links to terrorism? Now what does that say? This would mean that there was indeed a major intelligence failure. Wait! Wasn’t 9/11 a major intelligence failure also?

THE TRUTH

• The CIA had warned the BAD, “The intelligence is not good enough.”
• The U.S. invaded Iraq after only 3 ½ months of inspections.
• Iraq NEVER had the capability for making long range missiles.
• Iraq had NO connection to religious fanatics or terrorist organizations, in fact it’s quite the opposite, Hussein didn’t allow any of them in his country. Hussein and Laden were enemies. Hussein made sure there were no terrorist or Al Qaeda activity.
• Serin made in 1990/91 only had a shelf life of 3 years at best.

Cheney acknowledged that the situation in Iraq was very unstable but said toppling Saddam Hussein was the right thing to do. (maybe for Halliburton it was the right thing to do, they've made millions: www.Halliburtonwatch.org ) But it wasn't the right thing to do for American troops.

Elsewhere in the news, after spewing more lies on the State of the Union the other night, it is now revealed that the Bush administration's new energy plan to reduce gasoline demand by 20 percent could have an unintended side effect — increasing greenhouse gas emissions, California environmental officials say. Officials with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration say the president's strategy to wean the country from its dependence on foreign oil falls short of environmental reform.

It was the latest shot at the Bush administration by the Republican governor and his administration, which has chastised the president and the previous Republican Congress for failing to act on global warming.

"We think it not only does not go far enough but may actually, in some cases, if not done right, will increase greenhouse gas emissions," California Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Linda Adams said during a news conference Wednesday. "Without a cap or some kind of a carbon standard, we think the Bush plan falls short." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16806206/

Where are the senators?

Guess who Republicans (and FOX news) are giving positive attention to as a presidential front runner, as Cheney says "a formidable candidate who could win"? The answer is my missing New York senator Hillary Clinton. Why? Because they know she is a polarizing figure who really wont win.

On the heels of Barack Obama's announcement to explore a candidacy for president, Clinton has decided to get in the ring and spoil Obama's attention. But she's not the first. Obama jumped into the ring a week after John Edwards announced his candidacy. Edwards is not currently a senator with Congressional duties. Yes, duties, it's actually a job. But what is it they are doing? What have these two candidates accomplished in their terms? Edwards is working on fighting poverty and rebuilding communities ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. As a civilian it seems he is accomplishing more than these current politicians. Al Gore can be included as one who has accomplished much more and been more outspoken than Obama and Clinton.
So what is it Obama and Clinton have accomplished?

Hillary Clinton

• ignored election fraud in 2000 and 04, of course this would help her run in 2008
• ignored the facts of 9/11 and refused to push further investigations pleaded by her own NY constituents
• ignored the brutal Canadian seal hunt, citing that business with Canada is more important than the fact that they're allowing the slaying of defenseless animals, including pups.
• voted for the Iraq War even though other members of Congress and many in the general public knew it was all an immoral political hoax.
• voted to keep troops there even after it was proved that the reasons for war were wrong and illegal.
• New York is no better. Inner city schools still can't afford textbooks and most public schools are failing the public. Costs of living and housing are atrocious. Environmental concerns are being ignored.
• She has spent the majority of her time as a NY senator travelling around doing fund raising to add to her million dollar campaign fund.
• She has used the state of New York to launch her presidential bid. This is a slap in the face to all of those who elected her.
• Has remained virtually silent on all of the Bush administration's blunders and assaults on our nation.

Barack Obama

• ignored election fraud and irregularities in 2004 and blew off the work of John Conyers Jr. who pushed for investigations. Six months after he ignored Conyers plea, he went and began his own legislation on voting rights under his own name.
• voted to keep troops in Iraq even though it was proven they were sent there for wrong reasons and even though the war continues to be a disaster.
• is too inexperienced in national politics and has no foreign policy experience at all.
• Illinois is no better. Inner city schools are still without funding for books and repairs. Suburban schools are still failing the public. Costs of housing are too high. Unemployment is still a problem. And environmental concerns are being ignored.
• Has spent more time campaigning in other states than he spends serving his own constituents in Illinois.
• Panders to the radical religious right
• Has remained virtually silent on all of the Bush administration's recent blunders on the war and their assaults on the environment & economy.

Obama and Clinton, they're both losers in my book. Both pandering politicians. And no it's not because one is black and one is a woman. Give me a black man like John Conyers Jr. or even Al Sharpton, and I'd support him. Give me a woman like Barbara Boxer or Cynthia Mckinney or Barbara Lee, and I'd support her. But not Obama and Clinton. They're just as guilty as Bush is for making a mess of our nation. Let's elect a civilian in 2008.


"HILARY CLINTON CAN NEVER BE PRESIDENT" BILL MAHER
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMogRyGQ4Bc

Bad Environmental News

Rescuers guided eight distressed dolphins back into open water on Tuesday, a week after several of the animals became stranded in a shallow cove off Long Island, New York.

About 20 common dolphins wandered into the cove-like Northwest Creek near East Hampton, New York, last week, said Chuck Bowman, president of the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation, who has been involved in the rescue efforts.

The dolphins were thought to have followed fish through a narrow opening that allowed boats into and out of the cove.

Up to 80 rescuers and 10 marine biologists have worked to lure the dolphins back out toward the Atlantic Ocean.

"After working all day we got about eight dolphins out into the open bay waters, giving them a chance to survive," he said. "But about four are still left in the creek area." Six others have died, he said.

Above-average winter temperatures in the Northeast United States have caused some marine life, including dolphins, to linger closer to the shore than usual, Bowman said.

"Normally (the dolphins) would be far offshore feeding on Atlantic herring and mackerel," he said. "But we believe because of the warmer weather and temperatures the fish moved closer to the shore and the dolphins followed," he said.

Rescuers banged pipes on boats and rang underwater "pingers" to force the dolphins out of the shallow waters.

"They had to have been in stress because they had no food and were not in their natural habitat," Bowman said.

Rescuers were to try to free the remaining four dolphins on Wednesday. In a separate incident, eight common dolphins were found beached on Sunday in the Boston suburb of Quincy, the first mass stranding that scientists could recall in Boston Harbor. Thirty-one dolphins and a pilot whale have been stranded along the Massachusetts coast since the start of the year. Some had brain deformities or chronic diseases.

Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication

Blood in the streets

An explosion outside a Baghdad university as students were heading home for the day killed at least 65 people on Tuesday, in the deadliest of several attacks on predominantly Shiite areas.

The attacks came ahead of an imminent security operation by the Iraqi government and U.S. forces to secure the capital. On Tuesday alone, at least 109 people were killed or found dead across Iraq — the bloodiest day for such attacks in weeks.

Nearly 35,000 civilians were killed last year in Iraq, the United Nations said Tuesday, a sharp increase from the numbers reported previously by the Iraqi government.
Gianni Magazzeni, the chief of the U.N. Assistance Ministry for Iraq, said 34,452 civilians were killed and 36,685 were wounded last year.

Meanwhile, more violence and anger erupted after the beheading of Saddam's half-brother.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Today we salute an American hero, Martin Luther King Jr. Here are some of his many wise quotes that helped change the world for the better and bring progress, equality, and peace to America. Unfortunately, the battle is long from over.


Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom.

It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can stop him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important.

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true

When you are right you cannot be too radical; when you are wrong, you cannot be too conservative.

Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.

The church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society.

I submit to you that if a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live.

Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.

Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.

Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.

He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.

Martin Luther King Jr. 1929-1968

An Inconvenient Truth Silenced by Exxon, Shell, and others

Science a la Joe Camel
By Laurie David

At hundreds of screenings this year of "An Inconvenient Truth," the first thing many viewers said after the lights came up was that every student in every school in the United States needed to see this movie.


The producers of former vice president Al Gore's film about global warming, myself included, certainly agreed. So the company that made the documentary decided to offer 50,000 free DVDs to the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) for educators to use in their classrooms. It seemed like a no-brainer.

The teachers had a different idea: Thanks but no thanks, they said.

In their e-mail rejection, they expressed concern that other "special interests" might ask to distribute materials, too; they said they didn't want to offer "political" endorsement of the film; and they saw "little, if any, benefit to NSTA or its members" in accepting the free DVDs.
Gore, however, is not running for office, and the film's theatrical run is long since over. As for classroom benefits, the movie has been enthusiastically endorsed by leading climate scientists worldwide, and is required viewing for all students in Norway and Sweden.

Still, maybe the NSTA just being extra cautious. But there was one more curious argument in the e-mail: Accepting the DVDs, they wrote, would place "unnecessary risk upon the [NSTA] capital campaign, especially certain targeted supporters." One of those supporters, it turns out, is the Exxon Mobil Corp.

That's the same Exxon Mobil that for more than a decade has done everything possible to muddle public understanding of global warming and stifle any serious effort to solve it. It has run ads in leading newspapers (including this one) questioning the role of manmade emissions in global warming, and financed the work of a small band of scientific skeptics who have tried to challenge the consensus that heat-trapping pollution is drastically altering our atmosphere. The company spends millions to support groups such as the Competitive Enterprise Institute that aggressively pressure lawmakers to oppose emission limits.
It's bad enough when a company tries to sell junk science to a bunch of grown-ups. But, like a tobacco company using cartoons to peddle cigarettes, Exxon Mobil is going after our kids, too.

And it has been doing so for longer than you may think. NSTA says it has received $6 million from the company since 1996, mostly for the association's "Building a Presence for Science" program, an electronic networking initiative intended to "bring standards-based teaching and learning" into schools, according to the NSTA Web site. Exxon Mobil has a representative on the group's corporate advisory board. And in 2003, NSTA gave the company an award for its commitment to science education.

So much for special interests and implicit endorsements.

In the past year alone, according to its Web site, Exxon Mobil's foundation gave $42 million to key organizations that influence the way children learn about science, from kindergarten until they graduate from high school.

And Exxon Mobil isn't the only one getting in on the action. Through textbooks, classroom posters and teacher seminars, the oil industry, the coal industry and other corporate interests are exploiting shortfalls in education funding by using a small slice of their record profits to buy themselves a classroom soapbox.

NSTA's list of corporate donors also includes Shell Oil and the American Petroleum Institute (API), which funds NSTA's Web site on the science of energy. There, students can find a section called "Running on Oil" and read a page that touts the industry's environmental track record -- citing improvements mostly attributable to laws that the companies fought tooth and nail, by the way -- but makes only vague references to spills or pollution. NSTA has distributed a video produced by API called "You Can't Be Cool Without Fuel," a shameless pitch for oil dependence.

The education organization also hosts an annual convention -- which is described on Exxon Mobil's Web site as featuring "more than 450 companies and organizations displaying the most current textbooks, lab equipment, computer hardware and software, and teaching enhancements." The company "regularly displays" its "many . . . education materials" at the exhibition. John Borowski, a science teacher at North Salem High School in Salem, Ore., was dismayed by NSTA's partnerships with industrial polluters when he attended the association's annual convention this year and witnessed hundreds of teachers and school administrators walk away with armloads of free corporate lesson plans.

Along with propaganda challenging global warming from Exxon Mobil, the curricular offerings included lessons on forestry provided by Weyerhaeuser and International Paper, Borowski says, and the benefits of genetic engineering courtesy of biotech giant Monsanto.

"The materials from the American Petroleum Institute and the other corporate interests are the worst form of a lie: omission," Borowski says. "The oil and coal guys won't address global warming, and the timber industry papers over clear-cuts."

An API memo leaked to the media as long ago as 1998 succinctly explains why the association is angling to infiltrate the classroom: "Informing teachers/students about uncertainties in climate science will begin to erect barriers against further efforts to impose
Kyoto-like measures in the future."

So, how is any of this different from showing Gore's movie in the classroom? The answer is that neither Gore nor Participant Productions, which made the movie, stands to profit a nickel from giving away DVDs, and we aren't facing millions of dollars in lost business from limits on global-warming pollution and a shift to cleaner, renewable energy.

It's hard to say whether NSTA is a bad guy here or just a sorry victim of tight education budgets. And we don't pretend that a two-hour movie is a substitute for a rigorous science curriculum. Students should expect, and parents should demand, that educators present an honest and unbiased look at the true state of knowledge about the challenges of the day.

As for Exxon Mobil -- which just began a fuzzy advertising campaign that trumpets clean energy and low emissions -- this story shows that slapping green stripes on a corporate tiger doesn't change the beast within. The company is still playing the same cynical game it has for years.

While NSTA and Exxon Mobil ponder the moral lesson they're teaching with all this, there are 50,000 DVDs sitting in a Los Angeles warehouse, waiting to be distributed. In the meantime, Mom and Dad may want to keep a sharp eye on their kids' science homework.

laurie@lauriedavid.com
Laurie David, a producer of "An Inconvenient Truth," is a Natural Resources Defense Council trustee and founder of StopGlobalWarming.org
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112400789_pf.html

What you can do: Watch what kind of gas you use in your car, what kind of paper you use for your printer, what kind of products you buy and who you're buying them from. If you're a teacher show your students "An Inconvenient Truth" and visit http://www.climatecrisis.org/ for an educational companion guide.

On January 12, 2007 Exxon announced that it is cutting ties with Global Warming skeptic groups like Competitive Enterprise Institute. Why? Because for one, these front groups are out of the bag and have been revealed for what they are. For two, they don't need them anymore. Now they'll go right to the schools. But mark my words, there will be new front groups with fancy names coming out, except this time they'll cover their tracks a little better.

Remember that these polluting companies that are destroying our healthy environment are also the same ones who contributed large sums of money to the deadly Republican war, a growing budget deficit, and all of the other recent blunders including the Hurricane Katrina aftermath.

Joe Lieberman gives the president a pass on Katrina

Jan. 11, 2007 - Sen. Joe Lieberman, the only Democrat to endorse President Bush’s new plan for Iraq, has quietly backed away from his pre-election demands that the White House turn over potentially embarrassing documents relating to its handling of the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans.

No sooner did President Bush finish his speech Wednesday night than Lieberman put out a statement applauding Bush for his “courageous course”—a notable comment, given the lukewarm response the president’s speech received from many leading Republicans.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16585614/site/newsweek/

Nice going, Connecticut! You got your senator!

One day after proposing to increase U.S. forces by 21,500, mostly to help secure Baghdad, Bush appealed for patience.

"The new strategy is not going to yield immediate results. it's going to take a while," Bush said at Fort Benning, an Army base in Georgia from which about 4,000 more soldiers will soon deploy to Iraq.

Meanwhile, senators including Democrat John Kerry and Republican Chuck Hagel, grilled Secretary Rice on the failing Iraq policy. Hagel called Iraq "the worst blunder since Vietnam."

Bush sends MORE troops and admits strategy error

Admitting strategy error, Bush adds Iraq troops
He says 21,500 new troops will help quell violence

WASHINGTON - Defying public opinion polls and newly empowered Democratic lawmakers, President Bush told Americans Wednesday that he is dispatching 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq. And in a rare admission, he said he made a mistake by not deploying more forces sooner.

“The situation in Iraq is unacceptable to the American people, and it is unacceptable to me,” Bush said in a televised address from the White House. “Where mistakes have been made, the responsibility rests with me.”

With American patience running thin over his handling of the war, Bush said he would put greater pressure on Iraqis to restore order in Baghdad and used blunt language to warn Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that “America’s commitment is not open-ended.”

LIVE VOTE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16552198/

Bush still doesn't get it. Sending more troops to die isn't going solve the Iraq problem. Furthermore, he should be prosecuted for not having a war strategy and war crimes on the Iraqi people.

Meanhwile, a new Democratic Congress just passed a new higher minimum wage, something the Republican Congress didn't even think about.