Open Thread
By Nicole Belle Wednesday Jun 25, 2008 11:30pm
Our buddy, John Cusack, on Countdown on June 20th.
If you haven't had a chance to see War, Inc. yet, what are you waiting for? And for those of you not able to get to the theaters, it has a scheduled DVD release date of October 14th.
Forget ‘Willie Horton,’ Dems Plan Their Own ‘Horton Ad’
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=1913
skippy writes nbc's chuck todd, abc's jake tapper and latimes' andrew malcolm, asking why obama's use of the presidential seal as a prototype for his campaign logo is worthy of derision, but mccain and the repubbblicans' use of the same seal for the same purpose is not worthy of even a mention.
email addys included so you can write your own inquiries to the press!
As governor of California, I will do everything in my power to fight the federal government on this issue and prevent any new offshore drilling,” Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a McCain supporter, said Wednesday.
speaking of hollywood.......i would like to see this played
nationwide.........north carolina and my home state of new jersey are also against off shore drilling........
I know he is a Republican, but i like Arnold. I live in Nevada. I don't want off shore drilling either. I want to know the next time i see a large body of water it will not be tarred over.
I could not find this http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2008/06/2008625144048697141.html on CNN...
And you can damn well be sure that you get on some kind of list for clicking on that link... muhahhaahhahaa!
"Don't blame his (O'Reilly's) condition on my bashing his head every night. He came to us that way!" LOL
KO is so quick on his feet. Love it!!
Kroger(aka Ralph's/Food 4 Less recalls meat tainted with E. Coli. A millionaire goes to jail, because he's too cheap to find good help. In case you were wondering why you should vote Obama, check out his response to the Court decision on gun control. Speaking of Obama, I hate pulling out the race card, but I find it odd that people are jumping on him harder for backpedaling on FISA than they ever did on Kerry, Edwards, and Clinton for their wishy-washy attitudes towards the war and the [Anti-]Bankruptcy Bill...But that's just me.
Tequila @ 8:
Since Rush, O'Reilly or Hannity can't find anything on Obama to share with the rest of the MSM, his every move and statement is under scrutiny.
xoites defends Constitution @ 4:
Arnold seems like a reasonable Republican. He doesn't ball tickle the religious right, and I don't think El Druggo likes him which is always a good thing.
The only good thing about Arnie is that his thick head doesn't keep him from acknowledging global warming. Everything else about him is anti-working class, though.
War Inc, I thought, was quite good.
Family in England celebrate a food with an unsavory name .
You can't make stuff like that up, "The Doody family from Wolverhampton has been crowned The F****t Family in a national competition, and to kick off their reign they will launch National F****t Week."
StirFry @ 10:
you know what the difference is.....he is not a NEOCON
i can deal with a grounded republican/libertarian.
NEOCONS(extremist) are into perpetual war/nation building,deception and religous fervor.....there was a recent article in esquire mag..........he doesn't like the secrecy of bush administration....i feel if there was less secrecy the legislative branch may have applied checks and balance
karl @ 14:
You have to wonder about his meeting with Enron execs befor they forced out Grey Davis.
Its only a secret because its wrong or illegal.
I take that back. Its only a secret because its wrong AND illegal.
I too find the Democratic party to be troubling with allowing to let corporation write their own laws. As for Barack Obama to give in to the corporation that spied on American, without dealing with the data bank that needs to be purge. Even more troubling are the 2 senator that knows or see the list of the wiretapping fighting to defeat this bill. Those who didn't see it or have anything to do with the committee have no problem passing the FISA bill. Not much in the news by way of this controversial FISA bill also troubles me, that citizen are hamper of being inform by the media, that get to write an immunity clause for them. Don't forget that Verizon purge the info of the downing street report off the server, and many of us never got that news in our e-mail. They can censor what we say and hear and collect everything into a data bank for later.
bolton says that n.korea out negotiated states...not a good day for bush.......the excuse: bush focused on iraq/iran......if i recall correctly bolton said it wasn't going to happen a while back
No theaters are showing War, Inc where I live. I don't want to wait to see it, so I'm downloading a torrent of it.
BUT, I swear I'll buy the dvd when it comes out.
mrplow @ 21:
There's one theater in a 20 mile radius from where I live that is showing it. The nearest theater in my area, though, is showing "Don't Mess with the Zohan" which of course should be on anyone's list of movies to watch.....
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If you've got an IQ of 60 or less.
Ron @ 16:
Thank you for saying that, Ron. I was wondering when someone would put a stop to the Arnold love around here. In my opinion, Arnold Schwartzenegger is not to be trusted. The recall of Gray Davis was done in nefarious circumstances. And Arnold has done nothing but bring California down with stalled budgets and his aping of strong-armed tactics. I'm not fooled by this man. And there are a number of folks who also see him as he is.
The Very Angry and Bitter Ceci Hussein @ 23:
With our MSM it's so easy for people to forget details.
paranoia @ 19:
I find it fascinating that members of congress can take payments from lobby groups and for that to be legal.
In most democracies that is considered bribery, but in the US it is called lobbying.
It is an interesting Democracy you have there. No?
Hans from Germany @ 25:
No! It's not a democracy. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig. It's an oligarchy.
Ron @ 24:
geeeez.........sorry i brought up the terminator
karl @ 27:
Think baaaccckkkk! Waaayyyy baaaaccckkk!
http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&It...
same topic different approach off shore drilling off cuba what's interesting he gets the info from g.will....cheney says even communist china a little red meat....liar
Before we put away are Terminator action figures, I thought this was interesting . Sonny Landham, who played "Billy" in the movie Predator, is running against chicken-neck Mitch McConnell as a Libertarian.
Any other actor from the Predator thinking about running? Where's Carl Weathers? ;)
karl @ 29:
I watched Linda Graham try to frame that last Sunday on MTP and you, if you listened carefully, could hear how he was making it sound like Cuba was allowing drilling off their coast.
Brilliant!
Ron @ 26:
You mean it's a "representative oligarchy"...in that it's the oligarchy that gets representation. The rest of us get what the oligarchy gives us...I'm waiting for my month's ration of Victory vodka and smokes.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/senate-passes-domestic-spending-gi-b...
it will interesting to see what bush and mcBush does with the new g.i. bill it had big support
Please to understand basic facts. There is oil in Cuba. On shore and off. This has been known for 50 years or more. There is a company in St. Louis that actually has offshore rights pre-Castro. The repugs are using a kernel of truth to create propoganda.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3266509.stm
Yes the Chinese want to drill but it will be years before they do. This is all BS to make it sound like there's an imminent danger. Fuck the repugs but get the facts straight.
At entry #23, Ceci mentions stalled budgets in California as one of the bad things Arnold has done. If I recall correctly, Arnold's only part in the enactment of a budget is to sign off on it once the legislature passes it. If the Dems and GOPers in those bodies would get their heads out of their asses, maybe he'd have something to sign before the deadline, dontcha think?
xoites defends Constitution @ 14:
Uhm, Brits call their cigs f****ts as well. Don't see the need to blank out the word.
[Site Monitor: That word will stick in our filters and is automatically moderated.]
If you're gay, and you don't want the feds to stop you from getting married, vote Obama.
A coal backer tries to challenge global warming.
People actually bought that Nigerian scam.
Ron @ 26:
Perhaps psychopathocracy is a better term.
When you study their lineage, it becomes interesting. They're bread, and inter-bread, in order to keep certain traits within their group. And one of those traits, in my opinion, is diminished empathy. So yea -- a government of psychopaths.
http://www.wickerforsenate.com/marriage-protection-act-introduced-in-senate
Fucking idiots.
Enron loophole, terrorists and Republicans
How do we know that right-wing religious terrorists haven't been taking advantage of the so-called "Enron loophole" overseas through deregulated on-line energy trading, playing the oil futures market, putting any "winnings" into financing their terrorist activities?
How do we know they haven't been doing this, over the eight years since a Republican created this gaping regulatory hole, a hole that a right-wing terrorist could drive a truck through...a suicide truck?
We know that Enron took advantage of this gaping regulatory hole, gaming West Coast on-line energy markets in 2001, caused rolling blackouts and doubled/tripled monthly utility bills in California.
Afterward, Republicans in Congress blocked Democratic Party attempts to close this "Enron loophole," both the domestic and foreign end, re-regulating what Gramm (and Enron) had deregulated.
The recent Farm Bill contained a provision closing the domestic end of the "Enron loophole" (which doesn't take effect until next year) while leaving open the gaping foreign end of the loophole.
This is a national security issue. The "Enron loophole" needs to be completely closed, fast, returning the regulatory process to that which worked so well for 70 years before Sen. Gramm and Enron deregulated things in late 2000. After 9/11, any oil trading loophole that could be taken advantage of by those behind the 9/11 attacks shouldn't be open, but should have been closed a long time ago. National security.
Besides, if economists are correct (especially those that testified before Congress the other day), closing the "Enron loophole" will cause high gasoline prices to drop significantly within thirty days. Thus, making closing of this loophole, once again, a national security issue.
Completely close the "Enron loophole" RIGHT NOW. Republicans continue to endanger all U.S. citizens, including our nation's children.
A judge gets killed in Iraq.
The Oracle @ 42:
To which Cheney the Dick replied, "So what?"
Unfortunately it never opened in the South Jersey/Philly area!
Bush moves quickly to remove "Axis of Evil" moniker from North Korea:
http://www.miamiherald.com/top_stories/story/582556.html
While I'm hopeful that this will help get food into that troubled nation, I'm troubled by the speed with which Chimpy wants to "welcome" N Korea into the mainstream. Since he never does anything for humanitarian reasons, something stinks here.
I wonder about this being one more step to isolate Iran as the sole rogue "nuclear nation" of the "Axis of Evil" (Syria?--pfthh...)?
"How soon can we start bombing begin, Dick?"
McCain Defends 'Enron Loophole'
http://www.baltimorechronicle.com/2008/051908Leopold.shtml
Demand the Steering Committee remove Joe Lieberman's position within the Democratic Caucus. 34,512 signers
We CANNOT tolerate a leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus who supports George Bush and McCain's War in Iraq. We CANNOT tolerate a Democratic chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee who endorses and stumps for McCain. We call on the Senate Democratic Steering Committee to strip Joe Lieberman of his chairmanship and his leadership role.
Federal agents raided a Blackwater armory Tuesday and seized 34 automatic rifles that the company purchased and stored on behalf of a local law enforcement agency, the Associated Press reports. 6/27
Senate Confirms New FEC Commissioners; Now we can finally get a ruling on John McCain's alleged campaign finance violations 6/26
CoIntelPro for Pronktastic Democratic Party Victory Over DIEBOLD! @ 47:
Is there a petition link? I didn't see it.
LA Times Poll: 75% blame Bush's policies for deteriorating economy 6/26
fastfeat @ 49:
scroll down
U.S. wars have helped al-Qa'eda, says report 6/27
44 fastfeat Says: The Oracle @ 42:
How do we know that right-wing religious terrorists haven’t been taking advantage of the so-called “Enron loophole” overseas through deregulated on-line energy trading, playing the oil futures market, putting any “winnings” into financing their terrorist activities?
Completely close the “Enron loophole” RIGHT NOW. Republicans continue to endanger all U.S. citizens, including our nation’s children.
To which Cheney the Dick replied, “So what?”
==========================
Oil is liquid gold. People have always killed for gold. The people making all the money will kill for oil.
"Stop-loss" order leads to yet another soldier suicide 6/26
Rahm Emanual 2006 made sure that any candidate did not support Israel or Pelosie never got funding from the party. C&L was wrong in rooting for Pelosie.Majority of Democrats need a good clean out.Any bets--No changes come 2009 2017?
McCain has missed the most votes of any senator: 'How often has John McCain been away from the Senate? Well, let's put it this way: At this point, he has missed more votes than even South Dakota Democrat Tim Johnson, who couldn't work for almost a year after suffering a brain hemorrhage in late 2006.' 6/27
Appropriate honor, perhaps? 'the Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco is planning to ask voters here to change the name of a prize-winning water treatment plant on the shoreline to the
George W. Bush Sewage Plant.' 6/26
Anyone else notice recently news shows on TV and Radio talking about the increased number of millionaires and super-rich? Must be the new talking point from the right to convince us that the economy is not really bad, 'cause theres more rich people.
Military Deaths By Time Period
Period US UK Other* Total Days Avg
Total 4113 176 137 4426 1925 2.3
6 1027 46 13 1086 512 2.12
5 933 32 20 985 412 2.39
4 715 13 18 746 318 2.35
3 580 25 27 632 216 2.93
2 718 27 59 804 424 1.9
1 140 33 0 173 43 4.02
*Fatalities by Nationality
Coalition Military Fatalities By Year
Afghanistan
Year US Other Total
2008 61 55 116
2007 117 115 232
2006 98 93 191
2005 99 31 130
2004 52 6 58
2003 48 9 57
2002 49 20 69
2001 12 0 12
Total 536 329 865
Edwin Hussein @ 53:
who would not kill for a trillion dollars?
CoIntelPro for Pronktastic Democratic Party Victory Over DIEBOLD! @ 60:
A trillion Euros or gold equivalent--probably. A trillion US dollars--not so sure...
SOLDIER WALL - To say Thank You And Remember
I'm watching the discussion about the Supreme Court gun decision on C-SPAN and I wonder how long will it be before a political assination will occur. There is no doubt in my mind that there are rightwingers who will feel that their world is under attack by (insert latest item to fear as promulgated by administration) and that the impending change in Washington is so dangerous that they must act to save the Party and their perception of the American way of life.
If you know the movie Chocolate, I'm reminded of the scene where the Mayor tells Serge that "something must be done" that led to Serge's act of arson. Everytime some rightwing whacko starts talking about the danger we're in and then tries to blame Democrats I look for some rightwing extremist to act feloniously against the dems.
When it comes to who might do something against society and you see people who eschew guns and those who are against gun control, who do you think would be the most likely to do something illegal?
Globalresearch.ca - The U.S. has learned well from the British
In 2002, the Sunday Herald reported on the allegations made by a former British intelligence agent, Kevin Fulton, who stated that, "he was told by his military handlers that his collusion with paramilitaries was sanctioned by Margaret Thatcher herself." Fulton worked for the Force Research Unit (FRU), and had infiltrated the IRA, always while on the pay roll of the military. Fulton tells of how in 1992, he told his FRU and MI5 intelligence handlers that his IRA superior was planning to launch a mortar attack on the police, yet his handlers did nothing and the attack went forward, killing a policewoman. Fulton stated, "I broke the law seven days a week and my handlers knew that. They knew that I was making bombs and giving them to other members of the IRA and they did nothing about it. If everything I touched turned to shit then I would have been dead. The idea was that the only way to beat the enemy was to penetrate the enemy and be the enemy."[7]
On April 20, 2004, American journalist in Iraq, Dahr Jamail, reported in the New Standard that, "The word on the street in Baghdad is that the cessation of suicide car bombings is proof that the CIA was behind them." Jamail interviewed a doctor who stated that, "The U.S. induces aggression. If you don't attack me, I will never attack you. The U.S. is stimulating the aggression of the Iraqi people!" This description goes very much in line with the aims outlined in the Pentagon’s P2OG document about "inciting terror," or "preempting terror attacks."
Weeks after the initial incident involving the British SAS soldiers in Basra, in October of 2005, it was reported that Americans were "captured in the act of setting off a car bomb in Baghdad," as, "A number of Iraqis apprehended two Americans disguised in Arab dress as they tried to blow up a booby-trapped car in the middle of a residential area in western Baghdad on Tuesday. … Residents of western Baghdad's al-Ghazaliyah district [said] the people had apprehended the Americans as they left their Caprice car near a residential neighborhood in al-Ghazaliyah on Tuesday afternoon. Local people found they looked suspicious so they detained the men before they could get away. That was when they discovered that they were Americans and called the … police." However, "the Iraq police arrived at approximately the same time as allied military forces - and the two men were removed from Iraq custody and whisked away before any questioning could take place."[16]
<blockquote cite=" Before we put away are Terminator action figures, I thought this was interesting . Sonny Landham, who played “Billy” in the movie Predator, is running against chicken-neck Mitch McConnell as a Libertarian.
Any other actor from the Predator thinking about running? Where’s Carl Weathers? ;)"
I'm waiting for the Predator himself to run.
I haven't gone to War Inc. because it looks terrible, has absolutely HORRIFIC reviews (just 32% on Rotten Tomatoes) and when the only reason C&L is recommending it is because the studio has a huge ad buy on the page. Clearly special interests pervade more than just politics.
I hope someone starts a thread of last Friday's NOW at PBS and last night's Ted Koppel with Jon Stewart on where the price of oil is heading and how all the tax cuts and borrowing from countries like Chine is elevating them economically and making them an ever increasing competition for the world's resource of energy.
Hugh Hewittits promotes more bed-wetting .
LC @ 66:
Maybe it's being promoted here for the message it sends...and don't let critics make up your mind about any given movie. 99% of the movie critics are asshole anyway who I wouldn't listen to in real life, let alone regarding something as inconsequential as movie reviews. How about just see the movie, and judge for yourself?
KevinD @ 65:
Yeah! Where's Billy? I wanna see the guy with the glasses that told those lame jokes runnin for mayor of some podunk city, STAT!
Oh...and since it's an open thread...I gotta say, I'm looking forward to 4th o July weekend...me pa's got a 75 pound pig, we got a slow turning spit, and we're gonna marinade that sucker for 24 hrs. in mojo criollo and cheap vodka (the vodka helps break down the fat and speeds the absorption of the marinade to the meat!) It's gonna be AWESOME!
Oh...btw...saw the daily show last night, the repeat, with coldplay...I think they gotta be the most over-rated bands I've seen since Oasis, they totally sucked ass IMHO.
they were like a beatles/floyd rip-off.
Why is it that film makers in the last decade or so who have made excellent movies like Michael Moore's SICKO, or Al Gore's INCONVENIENT TRUTH, now WAR all market them so that there is no time to saturate the public before they go to the polls?
They seem to think people go to the movies or something. Most people do NOT go to the movies anymore. It's a good place to catch a sickness or at least get sticky goo on your jeans. Movie houses are dark and dirty and the schedule is not fitting to human consumption... not to mention the prices! I don't know who can afford to go to them.
Most people know movie houses are where dating people go if they have the money. Most of America is heavily invested in nice video hardware in their home and they wait for the DVD to come out. HENCE the films are not being viewed until AFTER ELECTION SEASON.
This happens time and time again.
Why is nobody doing something about telling these folks that IF their POINT is to bring about a cause and effect on the society they need to check the damn calendar! They need to get a film out ON DVD 6 months before an election so it can travel through the society.
And while I am at it, $20 is too much for a DVD. The price should be $12 to fly. Or don't these moneyed capitalists realize the balance of the society is broke?
chris [not the troll] @ 41:
Goddamn Wicker. Next time I see him at an Ole Miss football game I'm gonna kick him squa in the nutz.
Rusty Martini, Cigarette and a Snide Comment Shackleford @ 74:
Rusty...lovin the new name...
quick comment on the supreme court's ruling on the DC gun ban. It was overturned, but that's not in the least bit surprising given the conservative nature of the court and who appointed them. What is somewhat surprising the the large margin (something like 70 plus to 20-0r-thirty ) of the people of these united states who support the ruling. People, we're dealing with ignorance here, and where ignorance rules, mccain has a shot. that shuld be the motto of his campaign or perhaps obama's.
Happy Birthday, John!
Saint Augustine @ 67:
Assassinations are primarily state run jobs. Professional hits.
If you haven’t had a chance to see War, Inc. yet, what are you waiting for?
I'm waiting for it to come to my friggin' city.
Still waiting...
Would love to see it as well.
It hasnt even been to my area either. Im wondering WTF!?!?!?!?!