I'm watching the imperial presidency hearing on c-span.org and even though my place of work has a T-3 network connection, and even though I normally watch C-Span from here and have no issues whatsoever; the video/audio has never been worse.  The video stops, audio ends, and when the video does work, it's really low quality.

I've tried switching players and it only gets worse.  

Back in the very early 90's, a girlfriend and I were sitting in a park in beautiful Bamberg, Germany (where I was then-stationed across the street from Kos's MLRS unit; I was with the 1st Armored Division, "OLD IRONSIDES").

Several beers into the hot afternoon we were having a great debate on war and gender.  I insisted that equity would also come in the form of equal risk in being drafted or having to do civil service.  Males in Germany had and still have a compulsory service requirement.  She smacked me down with the best come-back ever: "why should women be drafted to fight in a war started by men?!"

Well folks, the times are changing!

Having served in the Army (1988-1991) I can appreciate this as good news:  

Back in late August, you may have read about a market crash forecast brought about because of some 245,000 put options on the Dow Jones Eurostoxx 50 index.

Well, today, September 21st, is the 'drop-dead' date for this 'bet.

This morning I was looking at my hemorrhaging retirement portfolio.  So far, I've lost all gains made since January 1st, plus a smidgen more.  

All-in-all, I'm not yet worried enough to move my funds to a more secure place, but it got me thinking about the recent push for privatized social security.

Join me after the flip  

I'm part of a local group of ham radio operators that has a typical club email list.  Recently, the president of that group, an elderly gentleman, posted a rather partisan anecdote, which I'm sure you've seen before, to the entire list.  This wouldn't normally get to me, but our club is a-political in nature and it's deemed bad form to delve into divisive issues such as politics (and at the same time, we all aren't so insulated from reality that we can't let a little politics slip into the discussion now and then).

He's been moving more and more into problematic territory and this is only the latest of his forays into shoving his views down everyone else's throats.  AT the moment, I am new enough to the club, as well as young enough, to get away with throwing a well-thought piece back at him.  The other liberals in the group are a bit afraid to speak up.  I will not remain silent.  :)

(jump the hump)

I just watched Keith Olbermann's scathing Special Comment and I couldn't be more ecstatic.

However, I start thinking about how every time in the past few years when someone right HERE on DailyKos has tried to emit a 'crazed' (but reasonable) comment, they are shot down.

No, I don't really think it's some GOP Staffer sitting in a Senator's office trolling to bring down the Kos community.  It's being done by otherwise well-intentioned people who probably agree with 90% of the issues you hold near and dear.

I am sitting here somewhere in Berkeley, channeling someone who wants to take control of my keyboard.  So here he goes:

OK, first 6:06am this morning, on The Sixth Day of the Sixth Month of the year two-thousand and SIX, and I figured "well maybe if He calls His children home at 6:06pm, they'll be more than happy to snuggle up with their personal savior and a cup of 'blood' after a long day's work.

After all, it's hard being Rapture Ready!

Listening to Mike Malloy last night on Air America Radio, I heard an interesting point a caller made which I think deserves to be reiterated:

We hear all kinds of polls showing sinking approval numbers for Bush and the government in general.

How exactly does this non-approval translate to votes for Democrats?

Sure, Bush is doing himself in beautifully.  Even if we could somehow raise JFK or FDR from the grave, we wouldn't be as successful at illuminating this administration's ineptness and criminality as BushCo has been.

With Bush's popularity going down like Jeff Gannon at a GOP sleep-over, it's no surprise to anyone that the administration is playing Wag The Dog to try and whip up some good ol' American War Frenzy in hopes to avoid an otherwise inevitable impeachment and imprisonment (at the very least) for the myriad of crimes perpetrated by each and every one of them.

It probably goes without saying that if somehow Bush managed to pursuade the military to actually go ahead with the use of a nuclear weapon, regardless of its yield, the people of this nation, and the world need to rise up and immediately remove their ability to use another one.

Just read Bush pushes for Patriot Act renewal and started thinking how important it is for the 'Act' to continue since it provides an awful lot of wiggle room for this imperial _resident to escape oversight, and possibly even impeachment, for the NSA wiretapping he has already 'fessed up to. It also fits in well with Bush in general, since it gives him a very clear goal that he must achieve in a month (since his attention span is measured in seconds, I suspect anything over a month is stretching it for the dim son).

I wonder how much better-behaved our government would be if we staged (at least) annual rememberences of how 'things used to be' including fake gallows and public stocks.  We would have these "Torchlight Parades" in every county seat, state capitol, and of course Washington DC.  

The main idea would be to have fun while at the same time, keeping alive this idea that the people ultimately run a society.

Today I woke up to this:

Journalists' Hotel in Baghdad Attacked

And yet again, I feel this is a thinly-veiled attempt to silence journalists.  Perhaps even an attempt to bump Fitzmas off the front page.

A Google News Search about Larry Mattlage's shotgun 'protest' almost all carry one of his more troubling statements:

"I'm getting ready for dove season," he said when reporters pressed him. "I'm practicing."

Getting ready for dove season.

My source tells me we will probably begin bombing Syria within the next two months.

He also said that in Afghanistan, we had operatives and Special Forces in-country prior to 9/11.

He said he is pretty sure the Iran issue is going to be dealt with diplomatically.

Reasons he gave for Syria is they believe some biological WMDs crossed the border into Syria before  the war began. (Which of course doesn't make sense since Syria and Iraq weren't exactly on friendly terms, but he told me that within that part of the world 'people figure it's better to arm you Islamic enemies, than to let the infidel Americans take over another land').

He did admit that when we went to Iraq, we lost our focus on the war on terror.  He also agreed that North Korea was a bigger threat than Syria, but that "Syria would fall in a couple weeks, and perhaps would cause the reform movement in Iran to take hold of power."

This is coming from a well-placed person in the military who has regular contact with CIA operatives.

And yes, I am freaked-out.

Subject says it all, let's use that creep Drudge as our "benchmark" over when the Mainstream Media will pick up PropaGannon-gate.

Also, when do you think others will cover it and why?

Extra points if you not only guess WHEN, but what their slant will probably be (karma points for comedy . . . we all need a good liagh these days).

poll below the fold

I'm sure we all hemmed and hawed when Kiity Kelley released her book "The Family"last Fall.

Specifically, I rolled my eyes when I read one of the bits of dirt she has dug up on the Bushes was that "It reveals the use of the White House by male hookers."

As 'juicy' as this seemed, it sounded just a bit far-fetched.  While it has been proven time and time again that many within the GOP ranks are hypocrites, for instance, attacking the gay community, all the while living a gay lifestyle themselves.

The latest news on the Talon News/"Jeff Gannon" seems to be getting closer to corroborating Ms. Kelly.

continue . . .

 

Just got back from the Federal Building protest.  I shot some photos (and some video, soon to be posted in the Gallery).  There were probably around one hundred people present.  Very good mix of folks.  Excellent speakers, people were connecting, smiling, chanting.  

The main rally will begin at 5pm (start gathering at 4pm) at the corner of Powell and Market. It will then move to the Civic Center.

See you at 5pm!!!

Click on any of the images below to take you to the Gallery:

Hope springs eternal, and perhaps this is just another misplaced hope that someone in the Democrat minority will put together a plan that will begin to dismantle the Emperor's new 'wardrobe.'

Diane Carman writes about how Democrat Ken Salazar is openly backing the confirmation of Alberto Gonzales as the new Attorney General.

One wisp of hope I keep tucked away is that this is all a set-up to bring the truth to the American people about the torture orders reaching all the way to the Oval Office.  Certainly this could be a real chance to open up serious discussion on the treatment of 'enemy combatants,' but is this more?

I remain doubtful that even if they got Gonzales to admit he personally electrocuted detainess, that anyone would rise above our new culture of low expectations to say anything that would prevent his confirmation.  Still, it's a thought.