Why I Like Rachel Maddow...

Its all good, but getting to minute 2:08 was a treat.

Ximena Sariñana

This I Want To Go To...

C'MON SPURS!!!!!!

Spurs up 33 to 18


Photo from AP Photo by Eric Gay

...and now... Geraldo Rivera: "Secretary Chertoff, Call Off These Raids"

These completely overdone costume dramas are targeting cowering economic refugees just trying to feed their families. They would be ridiculed as overkill and posturing by any real soldier or cop.

read more | digg story

U.S. Allowed Chinese to Interrogate and Abuse Gitmo Prisoner

What have we allowed these clowns to do in our name. How many steps down have these last 8 years taken us. Torture the lowest of all Family Values.

read more | digg story

Two Commercials... one of them sucks...

First the Republican:


Now the Democrat:

Declaration of Helsinki

"Bush's FDA has just announced that it is going to scrap American participation in the Declaration of Helsinki -- the major international accord on ethical principles guiding physicians and other participants in medical research on human subjects. This isn't a decision involving mere medical bureaucracy -- it in fact clears the way for ethics-free drug testing, especially beyond American borders, and it means people will die, sometimes horribly."

H/T Orcinus... go here.

Back By My Demand... ABBA!

Here is a bit of background to prepare you for the awesomeness, yes awesomeness of this video. From Wikipedia:

The Battle of Waterloo, fought on June 18, was Napoleon Bonaparte's last battle. His defeat put a final end to his rule as Emperor of France.

The Dinosaur gets the Tip Of The Hat.

On Appeasement...

Why Is Gasoline So Expensive?

The rise in the price of oil in recent years involves four components:

— The effects of supply and demand. Exxon Mobil senior vice president Stephen Simon testified the supply-demand equilibrium is at “somewhere around $50-55 a barrel” — about half the current price.

– The weaker dollar. Since 2001, “the dollar has lost 45% of its value” against the euro. In 2003 one gallon of gas in the U.S. cost $1.50 and 1.50 Euro. Today’s $3.60 gallon of gas costs only 2.25 Euro.

– Geopolitical risk. Since 2003, the United States has been committed to a three-trillion-dollar war in Iraq, the heart of the turbulent oil-producing world. Furthermore, the burning of oil is continuing to increase global warming, “one of the greatest national security challenges ever faced.”

– Speculation. “Investors have looked to commodities not only as a hedge against inflation but as a hedge against the tumbling greenback.

H/T Think Progres's Wonk Room.

see also Energy Information Administration

This I Want To Go To...

This Makes Me Bitter... Actually, Its Scary

Photoshop: NOW FOR ALL YOUR WARMAKING NEEDS!!!

Professor William Beeman at the University of Minnesota passed along a note today from "a colleague with a U.S. security clearance" about the mysterious Syrian site targeted in a Sept. 6 Israeli airstrike.

The note raises more questions about the evidence shown last week by U.S. intelligence officials to lawmakers in the House and Senate.

The author of the note pinpoints irregularities about the photographs. Beeman's source alleges that the CIA "enhanced" some of the images. For example he cites this image:

...go here to see the pictures and more commentary.

The Shock Doctrine : The Rise of Disaster Capitalism

Just got the book... here is her column. More soon... Que envidia Osvaldo.

This I Want To Go To... Naomi Klein in Chile

Choosing War: The Decision to Invade Iraq and Its Aftermath

New report from Institute for National Strategic Studies National Defense University. Here is a bit from the author. I guess the War in Iraq is a perfect representation of the abilities of the Worst President Ever.

About the Author Dr. Joseph J. Collins has been Professor of National Security Strategy at the National War College since 2004. Prior to this assignment, he served for 3 years as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Stability Operations. From 1998 to 2001, Dr. Collins was a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, where he researched economic sanctions, national security policy, and homeland security. In 1998, after nearly 28 years of military service, Dr. Collins retired from the U.S. Army as a colonel. His many publications include books and articles on war in Afghanistan, Operation Desert Storm, military culture, defense transformation, homeland defense, and the way ahead in Iraq.
Dr. Collins holds a bachelor’s degree from Fordham University and two master’s degrees and a doctorate in political science from Columbia University. In 2004, he was awarded the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, its highest civilian award.

This Makes Me Bitter... Burger King Penny Pinching Pricks

Telling Burger King to pay an extra penny for tomatoes and provide a decent wage to migrant workers would hardly bankrupt the company. Indeed, it would cost Burger King only $250,000 a year. At Goldman Sachs, that sort of money shouldn’t be too hard to find. In 2006, the bonuses of the top 12 Goldman Sachs executives exceeded $200 million — more than twice as much money as all of the roughly 10,000 tomato pickers in southern Florida earned that year. Now Mr. Blankfein should find a way to share some of his company’s good fortune with the workers at the bottom of the food chain.

H/T Victor M

“Namah Shivayah”

H/T Howie Klein

"A Solitary War: A Diplomat's Chronicle of the Iraq War and Its Lessons"

Fom the Washinton Post...

The rough-and-tumble diplomatic strategy has generated lasting "bitterness" and "deep mistrust" in Washington's relations with allies in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere, wrote Heraldo Muñoz, Chile's ambassador to the United Nations, in his book "A Solitary War: A Diplomat's Chronicle of the Iraq War and Its Lessons," set for publication next month.

Obama's Important Speech

Rumors Of His Tolerance Were Highly Exagerated

Mitt Romney Defends Himself Against Allegations Of Tolerance

Don't Piss Jimmy Off

I Got What America Needs Right Here

Sometimes I'm a little stupid, maybe, a little slow in the head, so I'm wondering if you can help me get something straight....

This I Want To Go To...

SAN ANTONIO, November 15 - Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will join U.S. Reps. Ciro Rodriguez, D-San Antonio, Charles Gonzalez, D-San Antonio, Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, and San Antonio officials Saturday to discuss the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) bill.

The bill aims to cover children who are currently eligible for benefits under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) but do not receive coverage due to insufficient federal funding. It would provide health insurance to 10 million children, including 966,406 in the state of Texas.

The event, scheduled for 12:30 PM on November 17th, will take place at Milam Park in San Antonio.

She's a Lady. Wououououou... she's a Lady.

H/T to San Antonio Young Democrats.

This I Want To Hear... Why Is So Much Money Missing?

It's official: embattled State Department Inspector General Howard "Cookie" Krongard will finally testify before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Wednesday.

Krongard, for the uninitiated, is the IG voted most likely to... not investigate waste, fraud and abuse. In September, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), the oversight committee chairman, accused him of scuttling investigations into corruption in State activities and contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Matters got worse when Krongard's subordinates told Waxman that his aides threatened retaliation against them for going public. Condoleezza Rice promised that Krongard would answer the charges. The FBI got involved. It's a whole to-do.

By Spencer Ackerman - November 12, 2007, 11:56AM

Where is our money! This is the guy who was supposed to look after us. C-SPAN will have it.

H/T to the Muckraker.

Let Me Tell You Something About The Irish... or how to interview Bush

They can interview better than American reporters...

H/T to Agitprop