FergusBlog

The "T" word

2005-08-03T08:26:00.000-07:00

Rightwing Republican nutcases Impeached Bill Clinton over a blowjob, after they couldn't get him on anything else. Ken Starr spent millions and millions of our taxpayer money trying desperately to nail him on anything... Whitewater? Nothing. Nothing to prosecute him for. "Travelgate"? Another lie. No impeachment there, since there was no crime.

But a mutually concentual BLOWJOB????

Yeah, that's where these lowlife people went when it was clear that there was NOTHING else to get Clinton on.

Uh.

On the other hand, George W. Bush has taken our nation to war on the basis of LIES. And his minions outed a CIA agent because they didn't like what her husband was saying.

That is nothing short of treason.

TREASON.

Think about it, and get back to me. Democratic President impeached over a blowjob. Republican President willfully destroys a network of CIA operatives working on WMDs, all the while lying about the WMD threat from Iraq.

And then he murders hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens.

You tell me. Which is worse? What is wrong with this picture?

And the American "Press" continues to ignore this sickening story.

Who is more culpable? Bush and his cronies or the "Press"?

Rightwing Nuts = Mental Illness

2005-07-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

What would it take for you wingnuts to finally turn on that fool Bush? His Chief of Staff is literally a traitor, having revealed the name of WMD expert Valerie Plame to at least six different reporters.

That is TREASON. And Bush stands by and defends Rove. Treason, btw, is punishable by death. But Bush stands by his "brain" because without Rove he is nothing.

What would it take for you to wake up and see the ugly truth? Really? Not even getting into the lies that got us into an illegal war that has killed thousands of our sons and daughters (not to mention hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis), this administration is the most corrupt and damaging in our nation's history.

They have destroyed the economy, quite literally. It will take decades to recover from their looting, if it is even possible at this point.

They have killed whatever credibility we had in the international community. They've all but destroyed the U.N.

They hire nothing but murderous thugs from Iran-Contra.

And now they are defending the treasonous behavior of Karl Rove. He literally endangered the lives of dozens (if not hundreds) of people simply to get revenge on a political enemy.

And yet, you wingnut-types STILL defend them. I'm truly mind-boggled.

Is that you don't care? Is "The Real World" on MTV more important than real deaths being carried out by YOUR GOVERNMENT???

Frankly, it's sickening.

Karl Rove is a Poison

2005-07-06T07:02:00.000-07:00

This cow-headed human viper is a pox on all of humanity, and Americans should finally wake up from their collective comas and say "ENOUGH!".

This foul little closet-case (and homophobe) has poisoned the well for decades now, working for the criminal Bush family in many different roles. He truly crossed the line once and for all last week when he tried to blame 9/11 on those "evil Liberals".

Let's face it: Karl Rove is insane. And to have an insane partisan hatemonger literally leading the "President" by his harness is not only sickening.... it is dangerous. As if Junior Bush was not dangerous enough already, taking his cues from the equally insane Don Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney.

And don't forget Valerie Plame: A courageous CIA agent who specialized in stopping the proliferation of WMDs. It seems that Mr. Rove "outed" her to Bob Novak (yet another disgusting wingnut whore) who then published her name in a column, thereby endangering not only Ms. Plame's life but everyone in her secret network. And all because her husband, Ambassador Joe Wilson, DARED to tell the truth about their sickening war for oil and empire. Very few people tell the truth about this despicable crime family and live to tell about it.

Someone here committed a felony, and most probably high treason, and the finger is pointing to ClosetCase Rove.

But George W. continues to employ Rove, and Rove continues to make slanderous statements against his political foes.

For the sake of all that is good in this world, can someone please find an orange jumpsuit, a muzzle, and a pair of handcuffs for this revolting political assassin?

Jeremy

2005-06-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

FergusCat says "Meow".

He also asked me to eulogize his old friend JeremyCat. Fergus misses Jeremy, as do I.

Jeremy was truly the Best Cat Ever.

We adopted him and brought him into our family about eight years ago. His previous keeper died unexpectedly and he was taken to a local veterinarian's office along with his five friends. When I first met Jeremy there he was in a cage with a sign announcing "Ear Sucker". I pulled him out of the cage and, yes, he immediately started licking my ears, which was sort of wierd at first. But he also purred up a storm and seemed to love being held and cuddled.

I was smitten.

I brought Jeremy home with me and he was immediately at ease. He became known through the years as "Party Cat" because he ALWAYS wanted attention and affection --- and head butts --- no matter how many people were in the house. Everyone who ever met him loved Jeremy, and with good cause. He was the most sociable and loveable cat I've ever known in my life.

All Jeremy ever wanted was an affectionate touch (and food, of course). He loved to sleep on my pillow, literally on top of my head, often fighting me with his paws for more room. Heh. He liked to cuddle under the covers with my ex-husband too. Every morning when I'd get up to take a shower Jeremy would crawl under the blankets and sleep next to B, purring so loud I could almost hear him in the shower.

--------------------

I lost my Jeremy about a month ago due to renal failure. He left us peacefully but he is still deeply missed. His ashes are sitting on my mantel but they don't really do him justice. My memories of Jeremy, and the love I will ALWAYS have for him, do make the loss slightly more bearable. But just barely.

FergusCat was Jeremy's best friend. They used to compete with each other to see who'd get the best spot on the pillow by my head.

So me and Fergus salute my dear Jeremy, and want to tell you that we'll never ever forget you.

Jeremy, you made my life so much better being a part of my family.

Thank you.

Off the Island!

2005-06-20T05:51:00.000-07:00

The Bush Family are the biggest bunch of crooks in modern history.

I despise "Reality Shows" in general because I believe they contribute to the effort to dumb down Americans even further, but I can't help wishing that the Bush Filth would be subjected to this tv phenomenon... If there has EVER been a more grotesque group of criminals in one family it would be too laughable to believe; you couldn't even make a movie about it because it would be too unreal. For generations this family has survived --- and thrived --- even though they are all beneath contempt. I don't even consider the Bushes to be human beings, they are so devolved and repulsive.

So let's vote them "Off the Island!" Maybe we can find a deserted space for them to exist somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean where they can't cause any further harm to humanity. Surely they don't need to be around real human beings; let them inbreed and fight amongst themselves until they self destruct. The world would surely be a much better place without their poisonous presence.

We'll start with Prescott Bush, George Sr's father: He was a war criminal and was convicted of high crimes: He made tons of money trading with the Nazis during WW2. From there it only goes down hill...

George Herbert Walker Bush sold arms, along with his buddy Don Rumsfeld, to Saddam Hussein. He caused the death of hundreds of thousands of people and then, when it was convenient, blamed those same deaths on his old buddy, Saddam. He encouraged his staff to support the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and then attacked Iraq when they followed his lead. The man is insane. He also gets daily CIA briefings, both as an ex President and as the former head of the CIA. Talk about scary....

Barbara "Babs" Bush is a sickening bitch who is universally hated by all those who have the unfortunate fate of meeting her. Some say that Babs is the true power-monger among the family. Maybe true, I don't know. All I know is that she's a hateful old shrew and I'd like to see this quote of hers follow her to the grave: "Body bags & deaths ... Oh, I mean, it's, not relevant. Why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?" -- Barbara Bush, March 2003.

Neil and Marvin Bush, two of GBHW's demented sons, have cost the taxpayers of this country millions of dollars with their illegal and immoral business dealings. But compared to the other brothers they remain minor characters in this sickening Hillbilly drama. "Doro" Bush, the surviving daughter, has stayed largely out of the limelight, although the bitch did proudly join the "Freepers" (the crazy nutcases who post on the website FreeRepublic.com) in shouting rallies outside Al Gore's house when they were busy stealing the 2000 election.

Jeb Bush, of course, is the Governor of Florida and stole the election of 2000 for his twisted and idiotic brother, George W. He and Katherine Harris, the Florida Secretary of State, proudly prevented tens of thousands of eligible voters from voting in that election. Most of them were African-American and unlikely to vote for Idiot Son, George. Both Jeb and Katherine have both openly bragged about this feat. Ms. Harris currently serves as a Congresswoman and is running for a seat in the Senate. No doubt she'll win since she stole our voting rights, both through the voter purge and by installing "touch screen voting" machines that don't really count our votes and don't provide any paper ballot to use for recount purposes.

Then there's George W.

This man and his handlers are by far the worst and most dispicable war criminals of this Century. Not only did he LIE our country into an illegal war that has cost hundreds of thousands of lives and billions of dollars, but he and his "Administration" have bancrupted our country to the benefit of his family and their friends. Of course, he's never been truly elected as an American President. The first time around he was appointed by the Treasonous Five on the Supreme Court and the second time he blatantly stold the election using fraudulent electronic voting machines.

That is why I'm willing to borrow a page from the craven phenomenon of "Reality TV" and VOTE THEM OFF THE ISLAND!!!! The entire world would benefit greatly by banishing this sick and disgusting crime family to a deserted island where they can do no more harm to the planet and the people living here.

The Jesus Paradox

2005-06-17T05:59:00.000-07:00

I am often perplexed by the people who proclaim to be Christians but support these murderous criminals in the Bush administration. Very often when I'm driving I see "W" bumperstickers right above a "Jesus fish" sticker or some similar declaration of faith in God.

Please correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Jesus teach peace and compassion and truth, not war and carnage and lies? Didn't Jesus say that the meek shall inherit the Earth? What is that quote about "the eye of a camel"? If Jesus ever spoke of killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people in a quest for oil and empire I must have missed it, and I grew up in a church-going family.

When (and how) did so much of Christianity become so misguided? I know that the Republican Party has cynically used the anti-abortion, anti-gay memes to promote it's agenda; of course, they NEVER intend to do anything about these issues except to use them as a vote-getting wedge. Any sane person who looks at recent history can see that.

I also wonder about how "The Rapture" plays into this bizarre scenario. Do these "Christians" actually HOPE that Bush will lead us into the "end times"? Do they HOPE for the end of this planet and life as we know it? Is speeding up "Armageddon" worth the needless deaths of hundreds of thousands of human beings whose only crime is living atop a huge reserve of oil? How do such beliefs possibly square with Jesus' admonition to "love thy neighbor as thyself"? It is a mystery to me.

What I do know for certain is that the Bushies are shamelessly exploiting and pandering to people who believe in such things, and that their handmaidens in the "Press" are aiding and abetting them in this effort... and I don't in any way limit this observation to the Whores at Fox News, although clearly they are the worst and most blatant offenders.

It saddens and perplexes me deeply that people who profess to be followers of Jesus and his teachings would be such active supporters of the divisive and deadly policies of this administration.

It is, frankly, sickening.

American Main Stream Media, Cliff Notes Version

2005-06-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson More Deaths in Iraq Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Massive Job Layoff Trend Continues with GM Set to Drop 25,000 Workers Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba Howard Dean is Crazy; Remember We Showed You "The Dean Scream" Several Hundred Times? Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Michael Jackson "Runaway Bride Update!" Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Nubile Teen Girl Still Missing in Aruba

Now we must pause for this commercial break.

Can Anyone Whistle(blow)?

2005-06-03T06:12:00.000-07:00

With all the talk about Watergate and Deep Throat many people have asked me... "Where are the whistleblowers now?"... Oh, they are out there, my friends. It's just that this bunch of criminals in the Bush administration routinely destroy or intimidate them, or both. Then, of course, there is our Corporate Media, who don't give a good goddam about the truth anymore. To them it's all about ratings and protecting their own interests.

Below is just a partial list of potential "Deep Throats" who have been silenced.

This is a very frightening situation: Not only are whistleblowers silenced, their lives are often destroyed by these global criminals who support the Bush Crime Family.

I believe it is going to take a GROUP of people --- say for example the NORAD pilots who were obviously told to "stand down" on 9/11 --- to come forward en masse to stop these thieves and criminals.

. . . . . . . . .

Greg Palast told the story of the 2000 election theft. He can barely find work in the U.S. Media and had to relocate to London, where his story about the illegal "felon purge" in Florida was front page news. The story of the election theft was NEVER covered in the U.S. Press.

Sibel Edmonds, a translator for the F.B.I. who has direct knowledge of criminal activity by government officials regarding 9/11 has been trying for several years now to get her story told. John Ashcroft put her under a gag order and threatened her with jail time if she spoke to anyone. A Republican controlled court just recently dismissed her case.

Scott Ritter, who was in Iraq for many years working for the safety of our country and the world tried to tell the truth and was destroyed by innuendo over a supposed arrest that, even if true, should have never been made public. And time has proved Ritter's assessments correct: The Bushies were LYING about Saddam and WMDs all along. He's not been seen on American TV again.

Richard Clarke, the head of counterterrorism for the Clinton administration, wrote a book clearly detailing the Bushies plans to invade Iraq. He was ridiculed and attacked endlessly on television and his book dismissed as partisan rantings. Then he was never again booked on any major television news show.

Coleen Rowley, retired agent and former division counsel for the F.B.I. told our goverment in sworn testimony that she attempted repeatedly to warn them about the approaching terrorist threats and was silenced. She is never booked on televison.

Ambassador Joe Wilson, who was sent by our government to Niger to see if Saddam was indeed trying to buy uranium, wrote an Op/Ed piece published by the New York Times essentially calling the Bushies liars in their lead-up to this war. He found no evidence whatsoever to support the ridiculous claims being made at the UN (and on television) by Colin Powell, Dick Cheney, Condoleeza Rice (and others) about Saddam's mythical "weapons programs". As a result, his wife, CIA operative Valerie Plame, was "outed" by the Bushies, thus destroying her career and endangering her life as well as the lives of those who worked with her. Ms. Plame specialized on the issue of finding evidence of weapons programs and stopping them. Instead of thanking her for her brave service to her country the Bushies, as always, retaliated and attacked her to punish her husband's truthfulness. Two true patriots --- not to mention an incredibly useful network of informants --- were lost as a result. So much for the "War on Terror". To date, no charges have been filed.

These are just a FEW of the potential "Deep Throat"s who have been silenced. As good patriotic Americans we need to DEMAND that Congress ask for classified testimony to be released. We need to DEMAND an investigation into these crimes that are being buried by both the Bushies and the cowed Corporate Press.

Pravda Press

2005-05-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

WP ombudsman mum on lack of coverage of U.K.-Iraq memo

In his weekly column, Washington Post ombudsman Michael Getler reported without comment that readers had criticized the newspaper for ignoring a leaked British memo on the Iraq war published in the British Sunday Times.

Getler's failure to offer a judgment about the Post's editorial decision is remarkable, not only because he regularly responds in his column to reader criticisms, but because of the explosive content of the memo. The memo indicates that Britain's intelligence minister reported after a trip to the United States that President Bush had decided to go to war in Iraq in the summer of 2002, and "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around" the decision that had already been made. In contrast to the U.S. media, U.K. news outlets devoted considerable coverage to the memo, and its disclosure reportedly had a significant impact on the Labour Party's loss of seats in the House of Commons.

Yet Getler simply reported that he had received reader complaints and moved on.

The Post referenced the memo only twice prior to Getler's column: in the May 5 edition of Tina Brown's syndicated column -- which appeared in the paper's Style section -- and in a May 6 article recapping Blair's re-election.

By the end of the week, readers had criticized the Post for this glaring lack of coverage. Perhaps Getler decided that because the Post's coverage was in line with much of the U.S. media, which largely ignored the memo, the Post's failure did not merit his comment. Here's Getler's minimalist treatment:

A handful of readers last week also faulted the paper for not following up on a London Sunday Times disclosure of a secret memo by a foreign policy aide to British Prime Minister Tony Blair after a Bush-Blair meeting in July 2002, eight months before the invasion of Iraq. It said, in part: "Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam [Hussein], through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy."

Getler's handling of this issue contrasts with his usual approach. He typically notes readers' objections and then provides his own brief evaluation of the merits of their criticisms.

In the same May 8 column, Getler mentioned three other instances in which readers took issue with the Post's reporting during the previous week. In each case, he commented on the merits.... ..

http://mediamatters.org/items/200505090005

Galloway vs. Coleman

2005-05-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

"Now, Senator, I gave my heart and soul to oppose the policy that you promoted. I gave my political life's blood to try to stop the mass killing of Iraqis by the sanctions on Iraq which killed one million Iraqis, most of them children, most of them died before they even knew that they were Iraqis, but they died for no other reason other than that they were Iraqis with the misfortune to born at that time. I gave my heart and soul to stop you committing the disaster that you did commit in invading Iraq. And I told the world that your case for the war was a pack of lies," Galloway informed the fool on Capitol Hill.

"I told the world that Iraq, contrary to your claims did not have weapons of mass destruction. I told the world, contrary to your claims, that Iraq had no connection to al-Qaeda. I told the world, contrary to your claims, that Iraq had no connection to the atrocity on 9/11 2001. I told the world, contrary to your claims, that the Iraqi people would resist a British and American invasion of their country and that the fall of Baghdad would not be the beginning of the end, but merely the end of the beginning.

"Senator, in everything I said about Iraq, I turned out to be right and you turned out to be wrong and 100,000 people paid with their lives; 1600 of them American soldiers sent to their deaths on a pack of lies; 15,000 of them wounded, many of them disabled forever on a pack of lies.

"If the world had listened to (UN Secretary General) Kofi Annan, whose dismissal you demanded, if the world had listened to (French) President Chirac, who you want to paint as some kind of corrupt traitor, if the world had listened to me and the anti-war movement in Britain, we would not be in the disaster that we are in today. Senator, this is the mother of all smokescreens. You are trying to divert attention from the crimes that you supported, from the theft of billions of dollars of Iraq's wealth," argued Galloway.

Brilliant. I have nothing else to add but a friend across the pond has a wonderful recap and commentary... Please read it and pass it along to everyone you know, since our pathetic "Press" is still busy salivating over the stupid Michael Jackson case.

http://rickwrites.blogspot.com/2005/05/george-galloway.html

Press Corpse

2005-05-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

Just how long is the America Press going to tolerate the screwing they are getting from these Bush thugs? Michael "Spikey" Isikoff just bent over and grabbed his knees when they squawked like the bully children they are about his piece in Newsweek regarding the desecration of the Koran. This story has been around for ages and has been vetted and confirmed numerous times, and yet our "Media" bow and scrape and apologize for telling the ugly truth.

Think about that: The Rightwingnuts that run the government and huge sectors of our media now have reporters so frightenened and intimidated that they not only apologize for telling the truth, they retract the truth. No wonder so many Americans are so vastly misinformed and confused.

How can a Democracy possibly function with no truth tellers?

The supreme irony, of course, is that these same demented liars adored "Spikey" Isikoff when he was helping them in their character assasination of Bill Clinton. Now, since he dared to discuss their own sickening criminality he's fair game, and they shot him down like a rabid dog, just as they've done to anyone who has the audacity to print the truth about them.

I guess Orwell was right and Oceania really has always been at war with Eurasia.

The Big BIG Lie: 9/11/01

2005-05-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

I'm not big on "conspiracy theories" but the damned sad truth is that we've NEVER been told anything even approaching the real truth about what happened on 9/11/01. That much is obvious if you look at the spin and deceptions being spun by our "Main Stream Media".

The "Official Story" has even less basis in reality than that dumb children's book that Bush sat there reading on that horrible morning, and anyone who tells themselves otherwise are not only fooling themselves; they are debasing the memories of those poor innocent people who died that day.

Let's not discuss the fact that The Project for the New American Century put out a document years earlier declaring that what America needed was "a new Pearl Harbor" to get the citizenry to rally around their plans for war in the Middle East, which was in the planning stages even prior to the disgusting "Impeachment" proceedings against President Clinton. Let's not discuss the fact that this same document was written by many of the chief architects of the "War on Iraq", people such as Richard Perle and Dick Cheney.

Let's not discuss the fact that Condi Rice had in her hands a memo entitled "Bin Laden determined to strike within the United States" in August of 2001, nor the fact that her boss (W) then went on a month-long vacation and did nothing whatsoever to stop such an attack.

Let's not discuss the fact that John Ashcroft was forced to stop flying commercial aircraft in August of 2001 by his own advisors.

Let's not discuss the fact that NONE --- and I mean NONE --- of the NORAD precautions that had been put in place to address just such a tragedy were followed on that fateful morning, nor the fact that NO ONE involved has been demoted, let alone fired for incompetance.

Let's not discuss the "Put Options" (advance trading) that were placed on United Airlines stock in the weeks prior to 9/11, wherein someone made a fortune but that "someone" has never been identified or discussed by our "Media".

Let's not discuss the fact that most of the supposed "hijackers" were Saudi Arabian citizens but our Government has never even looked twice at that connection. The Saudis continue to be "our good friends". (Not mentioned is the fact that they sit on a motherlode of oil.)

And we certainly can't acknowledge the fact that Iraq --- an unarmed and toothless country after years and years of inspections and crippling sanctions --- had nothing whatsoever to do with the 9/11 attacks.

Those very legitimate questions, when examined (as they should be) bring charges of "conspiracy theorists" from those wise men and women (***cough***) who comprise our "Media" and our illegitimate "Government". But none of those questions were asked, let alone answered, when our Government appointed a Commission to study the attacks. All that seemed to concern them was an outlandishly feeble effort to not point fingers; to hold no one at all accountable.

__________

Let's look instead to a certain patriot named David Ray Griffin, a widely respected theologian and scholar who dares to ask these apparently verboten questions in his astounding new book, "The New Pearl Harbor". In this book Dr. Griffin argues soberly and effectively that there is no possible way that 9/11 happened the way the Bush Administration --- nor the neutered "9/11 Commission" --- nor our inept Corporate "Media" --- explain that it happened. Someone is lying and those lies represent a terrible injustice to the familes of those who died; not to mention the admittedly astounding and deeply disturbing truth that, for whatever reason, our own Government is dispensing self-serving untruths.

Have we finally found a true American hero to tell the truth about the lies that define 9/11? Only time will tell. But my hat is off to Dr. Griffin. Godspeed, you brave and patriotic man. I have yet to see a "Mainstream" review of his book, at least not in the America "Press", nor am I holding my breath. I've also not seen any fact-based rebuttal of the meticulously researched tome. Again, I won't hold my breath, because such a rebuttal is factually impossible.

The only reason I might hold my breath is in the hope that Mom 'n Pop America might someday be told the truth about that day of infamy, through the efforts of brave individuals like Dr. Griffin, and also the tireless efforts of those increbibly tenacious widows of 9/11, known collectively as "The Jersey Girls". When private citizens know more about the true facts about 9/11 than the "blue ribbon" panel appointed to investigate the tragedy... well, that is simply unacceptable and, frankly, mindboggling.

Buy the book and judge for yourselves...

____________

I have spoken several times, privately, to one of "The Jersey Girls". She lost her husband --- her best friend in the world --- in the South Tower of the World Trade Center. And since that day she has never been the same (how could she be?). Out of respect for her privacy I won't mention her name, but in all of our conversations I was left with one impression only: She just wants answers and accountability.

This woman lost her soul-mate that awful morning. And all she has gotten from her Government has been stonewalling --- and outright lies.

"I miss him more than I can say," she told me. "And all I want are answers about what happened so that it can never, ever happen again."

I don't think she is asking to much.

Do you?

The Cult of W

2005-05-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

I'm truly mindboggled by the support for George W.ar Criminal Bush. I've tried and tried to figure it out but remain totally gobsmacked.

This man (and his minders) have not only ruined the U.S. economy for the foreseeable future, but they've destroyed any and all credibility we had in the world community --- not to mention the fact that they've killed tens of thousands of innocent people with their "War In Iraq". I hate to even think about the global financial turmoil they've created when you consider how many of those among the civilian dead were the "breadwinners" in their extended families.

Yet countless Americans still proudly support him and the neo-con agenda that drives those nutcases who currently run our country. Any criticism of "Dubya" is viewed by these folks as "un-American" and --- in extreme cases --- is viewed as a punishable act. The less extreme members of the cult simply don't want to think about it and just shove their fists in their ears if you dare to bring up the obvious.

I usually see this support when I pass gigantic SUVs on my way to work: More often than not when I see a "GW Bush '04" bumper sticker it is on the back of a ridiculous gas-guzzler, and experience tells me that there will either be a middle-aged (and angry) white man or his trophy wife (always on the cell phone) driving and pushing and tail-gating just to get to their destination five seconds earlier than if they were polite drivers.

I hate to stereotype but I've seen this phenomenon often enough to recognize a clear pattern: Selfish and shallow human beings who don't care one whit about anyone else tend to support this freak show to an almost pathological extent.

Is that what America has become? Is that the price we have paid for the lies being spoon-fed to us by our sold-out "Media"? Do most people not even understand the truth anymore after the years of propaganda? Do they not understand that we all share the same planet and war crimes and wars for oil are not acceptable? Or are they simply so self-involved that they just don't care?

Either way it's a terribly depressing state of affairs.

In times past I prayed that my country would wake up to the attrocities it seemingly supports. Not anymore. Now, and I hate to admit this, I hope that the bible is correct: We reap what we sow. Until these truths are unavoidable the Cult of W. will continue to drive their SUVs, and continue to deride and belittle anyone who doesn't subscribe to their culture of blindness.

Bullies are almost always cowards when push comes to shove. These Bush Cult people are hate-filled selfish bullies.

It's time for the decent people in America (and elsewhere) to say "ENOUGH!" and push back...

and push back HARD.

Outsiders, Part One: Josephine and Louise

2005-05-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

I adore outsiders and rebels. They are always the catalysts for change. Two great examples from the early part of the last century are Josephine Baker and Louise Brooks. Both had no reason to believe that they would instigate change and yet these remarkable women made history whether they wanted to or not.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Josephine Baker was born into a kind of hell-on-earth. Black people --- especially black women --- were nothing but property in 1903 when Josephine entered our world. Her mother scrubbed laundry and toilets to make ends meet and even Josephine was not sure who her father was; at least she would never discuss it, publicly.

But Josphine loved music and dance. When she was a young teen she met one of her heroes, Bessie Smith, and accepted Bessie's offer to travel with her. If nothing else it was a ticket out of St. Louis. Eventually she ended up in New York City, and with her talent and lack of inhibitions she landed a job in an off-Broadway revue. Soon Josephine was on a boat to Paris, set to be featured in the Folies Bergeres.

In Paris Josephine became a sensation, dancing in her now-famous banana skirt and nothing else. She was idolized in Europe, this poor black woman from the American South. Had she stayed in St. Louis her best chances were to find menial work just like her mother. But by taking a gamble and crossing the Atlantic Josephine ensured her lasting stardom. She adopted France as her new home, learned the language, and eventually worked tirelessly with the French Resistance movement during WW2.

After many successful stage and screen appearances Josephine married and began to adopt unwanted children. She called them her "Rainbow Tribe" because none of the kids were of the same race or origin. It was her goal to be an example of racial and familial harmony to the rest of the world.

Eventually her goals proved too lofty even for a woman of her character; she and her rainbow family were evicted from their palatial home in France, and sadly, Josephine died in near-poverty. Her family was cared for by others, but eventually the "Tribe" drifted apart.

But she tried. She tried with all her heart. She broke the rules and she made a difference.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Louise Brooks was born in Cherryville, Kansas in 1906. She was blessed from birth with a certain indescribable photogenic quality, and also a rebellious and innately curious disposition, which was both a blessing a a curse, like any other rebellious girl-child during that era. Louise questioned everything.

As a stunningly beautiful young woman with a head full of ideas and no one to challenge her intellect Louise ended up in Hollywood, and she quickly found work in film. But being a Siren of the Silver Screen was never one of her objectives in life; Louise lived for a challenge, and breaking into film work was just another. She made her mark in several early film classics including "Beggars of Life" and "A Port in Every Storm".

However, when "Talkies" (aka sound films) began to take over Hollywood the moguls in charge of the studios used the transition to threaten their biggest stars, claiming that they had better "toe the line" or get the boot. Louise, who in her own words "was never in love with my moving image" chose not to fight the studio wars. "I was just a young careless girl who photographed well but basically didn't give a flying fuck about my career", she later wrote.

She was ready to give up film stardom completely when a call came in from the respected German director G.W. Pabst. He had seen Louise in several films and wanted her to star as "Lulu" in his adaptation of the famous play by Frank Wedekin, which Pabst entitled "Die Busch de Pandora" (Pandora's Box).

And film history was made.

The film was not a success when it was released but eventually developed a huge cult following, based largely on Louise' portrayal of Lulu as an innocent outsider who inadvertently kills everyone and everything she cares about. The film also contained the first overt Lesbianism filmed for mainstream cinema.

But time had to catch up with Louise and her film, so she returned to Hollywood only to be shunned, yet again. She'd simply made too many enemies in the close-knit and incestuous community and was deemed basically unemployable. After attempting to make a "come back" for several years Louise gave up, and after a brief return to Cherryville, found herself in New York City with no money, no job, and no future. For a brief time it appears that she resorted to prostitution to make ends meet.

Eventually Louise found a legitimate benefactor in William Paley (of CBS fame) who not only offered her a modest stipend but also set her up in an apartment in Rochester, New York, where she began to reinvented herself as a writer. Viewing early film classics (including her own) at a screening room at the Kodak-Eastman House complex Louise turned her still ruthless eye toward the early history of film as an art form and the predjudices and preconceptions that shaped the era. Her essays were published in various venues and eventually wound up as a book, "Lulu in Hollywood".

While never a huge "best-seller" her writing is still widely respected and she is considered a preeminent expert on those formative years for film. And images of Louise, both as Lulu and as one of the ultimate "Outsiders" linger to this day.

Louise died nearly broke, but seemingly happy.

She tried playing by the rules once and nearly lost it all.

Then she came roaring back, late in life. She willfully broke the all the rules, and then she made a difference.

Randi Rhodes: Goddess

2005-05-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, wingnut slimers, time to WAKE UP!

Your attempt to use your sleazeball attack machine against Air America Radio host Randi Rhodes is your final stand.

First of all, your hypocracy is showing, yet again. Can ANY of you EVER tell the truth or is it an oxymoron to believe that any of you can accomplish that simple goal?

Randi Rhodes was broadcasting from Florida and someone in New York put together a very unfunny and stupid comedy "bit" that (maybe???) implied something about shooting Resident Bush. And you all sang in unison, as usual, starting with Matt (the closet-queer "Egg Lady") Drudge, moving on to Faux News for their usual Yellow Journalism embellishment, then finally landing at The Today Show, a supposedly "respectable" media outlet. All of you were just scandalized that such a thing would air on Randi's show. Simply scandalized beyond belief!!

Ahem.

This from the same scum-sucking lowlife types that elevated a blowjob to the height of impeachable perfection. This from the same filthy so-called "journalists" who continue to ignore and excuse REAL HIGH TREASON coming from this Republican administration. (Can anyone say "Valerie Plame"? I know you can.)

Sorry guys (and gals) you fucked with the wrong person this time. Randi Rhodes is smart enough --- and web-savvy enough --- to chew you up and spit you out like the trash you are. And she'll do it too.

I don't blame (Plame?) you for being afraid. It's getting harder and harder for you wingnut whores and your bitches in the "Main Stream Press" to cover up the crimes of this, the worst Presidential Administration in my lifetime. It's almost funny watching you turn twists to excuse the repugnant --- and totally ANTI-AMERICAN --- antics of this crew.

But the game is up, buds, and Randi Rhodes is just the one to call you on your crap. And she'll do it, too. Which is why she scares the pants off of you (that includes you, Mann Coulter). Sadly for you, you've picked a target that is so intellectually superior, so better prepared with facts than you that she'll make mincemeat of you and laugh while doing so.

I am relishing this latest attempt by you morons to stifle dissent from the Left. Because this time, dudes, we are playing for keeps and Randi Rhodes will continue to tell the truth and fight your lies even harder now that you've attacked her.

I'd pity you but you are beneath contempt. And I relish the chance for more and more Americans to FINALLY hear the truth coming out of their radio, as Air America continues to add new stations weekly.

Be careful what you wish for, fellas....

Meet Cathy Diebold

2005-04-30T06:58:00.000-07:00

Georgia's Secretary of State, Cathy Cox, could easily be considered the official Poster Girl for Diebold Election Systems, Inc.

Her photo appears on their website alongside a glowing quotation praising them to the skies. She also loaned them the Georgia State Seal, for that "official" look. And she is defending the implementation of Direct Record Electronic (DRE) voting machines, more commonly known as touch screen voting, in the face of overwhelming evidence of security flaws and unreliable performance.

There have now been at least four major studies regarding problems with DRE devices, all of them are severely critical of Diebold and other manufacturers. Legislation is currently winding its way through Capitol Hill (written by Rep. Rush Holt) that will mandate back-up paper ballots on every DRE machine. And California's Secretary of State recently decertified Diebold's DRE machines in that state, noting that the company was "banned, decertified, fraudulent, despicable, and deceitful" in their dealings with the state.

What has been the response from Cathy Cox and/or her staff? Nothing. She and her office have remained virtually silent on the subject -- except for actively lobbying the State Houses in opposition to a voter-verified paper ballot.

After the 2000 election debacle, Georgia invited vendors to submit proposals to take over the state's voting system -- but those bids, and the deliberations and decisions of the committee in charge of recommendations, were intentianally exempt from Georgia's "Open Records" laws.

So how do we as citizens of Georgia know how Diebold was selected from the eight bidders? We don't. What we do know is that Diebold's chief lobbyist in Georgia just happened to be Lewis Massey, former Secretary of State -- and the former boss of Cathy Cox.

Governor Sonny Purdue was asked about the issue on live television via C-SPAN and said that he was concerned about the reports and would support a review of the Georgia voting machines.

So what were the results of the inquiry? There were no results. Kathy Rogers, Director of the Elections Division, claims that they never received an official demand from Purdue's office, therefore no comprehensive review was required. Instead they promised to hold a series of "Public Forums" on the issue. When concerns were raised about the security of the machines attendees were told that the Secretary of State was "remaining neutral" on the scandal, and would not be addressing any of the concerns. After two such "Forums" the remainder were promptly cancelled.

There are serious reasons to believe that the 2002 election in Georgia was not legal, for several important reasons. First of all, according to SB 213, which was state law prior to November 2002, any election system purchased and used by the state of Georgia "shall be required to have an independent audit trail for each vote cast."

The Diebold machines provide none. Cathy Cox broke the law by implementing these machines.

Secondly, there's the issue of mandatory certification and the mysterious software updates (dubbed "patches") that were installed just prior to the 2002 election.

When I first heard that a folder called "rob-georgia" was found on an unsecure FTP site run by Diebold, I was intrigued. I wrote to Cathy Cox's office and was told by staffer Kara Sinkule that "We were aware of the Diebold FTP site, but Georgia never used it." Later, after Rob Behler (of "rob-georgia" fame) was located and confirmed the fact that he had indeed downloaded and installed software patches from the FTP site, patches which he believed to be uncertified, Ms. Sinkule wrote me that "The patch prior to being installed was examined by the state's certification experts at KSU and discussed with the national testing labs." Later still, when asked, Cathy Cox claimed that the patch was only examined after the election due to time constraints.

Further, I requested copies of any and all certification documents for the soft and firmware on Georgia's voting machines and was told by SoS lawyer Clifford Tatum that "no records exist in the Secretary of State's office regarding a certification letter from the lab certifying the version of software used on Election Day." That certification is required by state and federal law.

Cathy Cox is widely known to be the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for the Gubernatorial race in 2006 and, as such, is being sheltered and protected by state Democrats. Jay Bookman, a progressive Associate Editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, has refused to acknowledge the problem, and goes out of his way to ridicule concerned citizens via email. Martha Ezzard, another longtime AJ-C Op/Ed staple, wrote an opinion piece that could have easily been written by Diebold's PR staff. When confronted with the glaring errors in her article Ezzard said she was "just poking some fun at California" over their chaotic recall election and casually dismissed concerns about spreading misinformation.

_________

According to a statement on the SoS website, "The mission of the Elections Division is to implement and ensure fair and legal voter registration and elections in accordance with state laws." But clearly our recent elections have NOT been conducted according to state law, nor is there any way whatsoever to determine that the elections have been "fair".

Here in Georgia, we will be voting under a cloud of suspicion and unease that grows with each additional study and/or use of the Diebold equipment. Nearly every computer security expert in the country says voting electronically without a voter verified paper trail, and without a meaningful way to recount votes, is a terribly flawed method just begging for trouble.

And Cathy Cox remains silent.

Citizens have fought and died for democracy and the right to vote. Ms. Cox owes the citizens of Georgia a duty. She must immediately stop stonewalling the citizens, and correct the flawed voting mechanism she purchased with our money. A method for obtaining a voter verified paper ballot must be added to the equipment before the next election, so that every vote counts, and every vote is counted.

"You put your head on my shoulder..."

2005-04-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

Ya know, this is going to be largely a blog about politics, since it is a passion and a cause for me. I want to TRY to make a difference about the direction of our planet. But since it's MY blog... my chance to express myself, I have to make a more personal comment.

I'm currently going through a rather devastating divorce from the man I expected to spend my life with. At least that was my hope and my assumption.

Anyway, listening to alternative radio yesterday I heard a song, by Sinead O'Connor called 'Til I whisper you something, and one line kept haunting me:

You put your head on my shoulder...

The song overall has no bearing on my divorce, but hearing those words did something to me. "You put your head on my shoulder."

It dawned on me, much to my dismay and disappointment, that I've been "married" to this man for over seven years and I don't once remember him offering me a shoulder to lean on; to offer support and love and comfort during times of stress and change. And that's all I ever really wanted from him.

I spent seven years of my life hoping for (and dreaming of) something that he has no capacity to give. That's sorta sad, but I think it's also fairly universal.

I hope this post doesn't sound in any way self-pitying. That is not my intent, at all.

On the contrary, I just want to remind readers how easy it can be to get stuck in a loveless marriage and how painful that can ultimately be.

Don't settle for less.

Wait until you find someone with a shoulder to offer, should you need one. It makes all the difference in the world.

Refile The Handmaid's Tale under Nonfiction

2005-04-26T08:18:00.000-07:00

I don't have anything especially profound or original to say on the Theocracies that are brewing in America and elsewhere so I'll just say this: Fundamentalists of any stripe are scary as fuck and, right now, they are running the show...

I recently picked up my old copy of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. After reading a few chapters I had to snap the thing shut and shove it back on the shelf. Too scary. Becoming much too true.

In Europe we have Pope Ratfuck declaring homosexuality to be an "intrinsic moral evil". Here in the States we have the Senate Majority Leader, Bill "Catkiller" Frist sucking up to scary nutcases like James Dobson of "Focus on the Family", an extremist group who'd be thrilled to see me and others gays locked up (if not outright killed) and want total control of uteri everywhere. So much for "Family Values". There's Dubya Bush, who never yet saw a "raghead" he didn't want to slaughter and/or rob of oil (the man seems to literally thrive on death). Then we have the misogynist Mullahs of the Taliban and "our good friends", the murderous Saudi royals.

Of course, Frist and Dubya, like most U.S. politicians must use code words to get their message across, like "activist judges" and "rooting out evil". At least Pope Ratfuck doesn't mince words. I have no idea what the Saudi royals are saying; they hire expensive PR firms to do their talking.

They all feed on (and exploit) ignorance and agitate an irrational fear of "The Other" to impose their twisted brand of "morality" on all of us, regardless of our wishes and in spite of our supposed freedoms. Now contemplate this: these are some of the most powerful men on Earth.

In retrospect it would seem that Ms. Atwood is some sort of visionary, a Cassandra, rather than a mere novelist to be able to foresee the rise of these Theocratic would-be-dictators, like Pope Ratfuck, Dubya the Terrible and the Mullahs. And I wonder how it might feel to watch a work you wrote as nightmarish fiction begin to reflect our collective reality. I imagine it might scare Ms. Atwood, just as it scares the hell out of me.

It should frighten us all.

White Smoke

2005-04-20T07:30:00.000-07:00

I am glad there is a new Pope even though from what I've read he's another homophobic woman-fearing old man who'll keep the Catholic Church irrelevant to modern life. "La-dee-dah" as my friend Annie Hall might say. No surprises there.

What disgusts and infuriates me is the obsession by our "Media" on this story. I listened to the "News" very briefly yesterday and all I heard was about the "plumes of white smoke" coming from the Sistine Chapel. Whoop-de-doo. THAT really affects my life and yours, huh?...

As an afterthought the latest carnage in Iraq was briefly mentioned, right before the commercial for denture cream.

Who gives a good fuck if Benedict 16 (or whatever) and GW Bush are both "good God-fearing men"? The first is a pathetic relic and the latter is a murderous war criminal. THAT should be news. That and the continuing carnage in Iraq that is being carried out in OUR NAMES. But we don't have a Free Press anymore.

And Ann Freaking Coulter is on the cover of TIME magazine??!! On the ten year anniversary of the horrible murders in Oklahoma City???

Oy.

Expect more White Smoke and denture cream.

It's MINE!

2005-04-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

Driving to work this morning I was struck by an overwhelming sense of horror at what our country has become, watching the behavior of my fellow drivers. The sense of entitlement and selfishness in our country has become simply disgusting and, frankly, astonishing.

Whatever became of the concept of looking out for each other; for caring for other people simply because it is the right thing to do? As far as I can tell this most basic human precept largely doesn't exist anymore, at least not in George W. Bush's America. We have become a Nation of selfish pricks and asses, always in a hurry, and always (in our own minds) the most important beings on the planet.

Huge gas-guzzling SUVs, more often than not prominently sporting GW Bush reelection bumperstickers, swerve in and out of traffic and Lord Help You if you get in their way. The cell phone appears to be a permanent attachment to the side of the head. Bubble-headed bleached-blond housewives, always in a hurry to get to their next beautification appointment would just assume you didn't exist, so long as you don't get between them and their next expensive "fix" to make themselves feel better about their superficial and empty lives.

This is not some "leftist" rant, by the way. This is just about basic human decency, which often seems to exist in America nowadays only in novels and in movies about a fantasy "America" that are created only to make us feel better about our selfishness and remind us of a time when this was not the case. By reminding us of what our lives used to exemplify --- namely the joy to be felt from offering simple common courtesy and kindness --- we pretend that these conventions are still the norm. Nothing, of course, could be farther from the truth.

Whatever happened to the idea of treating each other with dignity and compassion? This sense of selfishness and self-importance seems to reach into every aspect of life in Our America. "Gimme my tax breaks!" "Gimme my botox!" "Get outa my way!" "Gimme gimme gimme!!!"

Truly, it is appauling, and it breaks my spirit when I think too much about it: I am a man who wants the best for everyone, and I fear that I am a dying breed; in fact, the very nature of modern culture in America seems to encourage the figurative death of anyone who cares about other human beings, other animals. Gimme gimme gimme, indeed....

Last week my car was in the shop and I was desperate to go to the grocery store for a few basic needs. The nearest store is just a little more than a mile from my home so I decided to walk, being fairly physically fit and the day being sunny and bright. It was fine walking to the store, but coming home I was in misery toting those heavy bags. I figured I'd eventually make it home, but halfway there my shoulders were literally in agony.

As I continued to trudge toward home, the sun slowly setting, an old Oldsmobile stationwagon pulled off the road next to me. At first I was afraid since I was in a rather deserted area. An older black man leaned out the car window and asked me where I was going. I told him and he said to me "That's way too far to walk with all those heavy groceries. Get in, I'll give you a ride."

I was stunned. No one in urban America stops to help complete strangers anymore, I thought. What does he really want? Should I keep walking and ignore him? Should I hide my wallet? Pull out my cell phone?

My aching arms answered for me as I tossed my grocery bags into the back seat and got in the car.

"My name is Charlie," the man told me. "I'm Denis," I responded, and off we went toward my house, still almost a mile away. Charlie was a handyman he told me, and he'd just picked up this new car ---- new to him! --- earlier that day. Charlie was so proud of that car.

All the way home I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that this stranger picked me up off the side of the street and eased my burden. He reached out to me and made my life better. And I was so thankful, but I couldn't explain it to myself: This sort of thing doesn't happen anymore, does it? Not in George W. Bush's America where we all sit in our SUVs and talk on our cell phones and rush from one expensive appointment to another?

As we pulled into my driveway and I thanked Charlie I remembered: It still happens. Even now. People DO look out for each other.

Just far too rarely.

We need more Charlies in America. I want to give something back to Charlie, to say "Thank You" but I don't even know where he lives. He never said. He just waved, and smiled, as he drove off into the beautiful night, in his beloved new Oldsmobile station wagon.

Charlie never asked me for anything in return.

Why am I --- an agnostic urban gay man --- so concerned about this disturbing trend in our world toward selfishness and intolerance when so many of the so-called "moralists" seem to be far more concerned about drilling for more oil in Alaska's pristine wilderness? I can only conclude that we have come to a place as a society where SELF supersedes the collective US.

I pray that I am wrong.

The Coulterization of the Media

2005-04-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

I am trying really hard to think of a public figure more revolting than Ann Coulter but so far am failing miserably.

All you really need to know about "Media" in America can be understood by the simple fact that this shrieking hate-filled harpy is repeatedly given endless air time to spew her venom. She is so over the top that it would be funny if she were not being taken seriously as a "commentator" by our "News Media". I mean, let's face it, she's as demented as they come; a fountain of poison and intolerance so inky black that she makes Black Holes look radiant and bright.

But there she is, over and over, putrifying our public airwaves while repeating her vile lies and spreading her mini-skirted legs for the cameras. Who does that skinny thing with a gigantic adam's apple think she is, Sharon Stone? It's pornography for the blind Dittohead idiots who listen to Rush Limbaugh and think he's actually telling them the truth.

I honestly don't care what those misinformed wingnut robots who take Limbaugh and Coulter seriously think. Because they DON'T think. The trouble is she is polluting the rest of society --- those of us who still think for ourselves and watch in horror as our country heads down this abyss known as The Bush Years Part II. And our irresponsible and sold-out "Media" are to blame for this attrocity, among many others.

What has been foisted upon us by our Corporate-owned, Corporate-controlled "Media" is sickening... When ratings matter more than the truth, we are all in trouble. When lying to the public to protect Corporate profits is more important than informing the citizens of this country we are screwed. When the latest accusation against Michael Jackson is Front Page News and the death and suffering of our courageous young men and women in Iraq and elsewhere are all but ignored, we have a problem.

We MUST find a way to take back the Media so they will report with honesty and integrity again; without a working Media there is no way to stop the Coulterization of this country. And that, should it be allowed to continue, would be an irreversible travesty for our country and for the world.

I urge everyone to support groups like Media Matters for America who are trying to fight the sickening lies that are foisted upon us daily, hourly, every minute of every day. It's a disease that is destroying our once great Nation. And it must be STOPPED.

Oh, and Coulter --- kiss my ass, you lying skank. I'm not particularly religious but I hope there is a special place in *Hell* for you and your ilk. Maybe Rush will share his drugs to ease the pain.

Diebold Nation

2005-04-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

Aren't these fancy new electronic voting machines just dandy? So simple to use. So 21st Century. So shiny and new.

But how do we know that they actually count the votes? We don't. The manufacturers aren't talking and neither are the elected officials, usually Secretaries of State, that purchase the machines. What we do know is that there have now been at least four major studies regarding security flaws and all of them are severely critical of the reliability of the voting machines. Thousands of computer experts have signed a petition, sponsored by Dr. David Dill of Stanford University, demanding a voter verified paper ballot. Maryland even hired an independent group to investigate; they hacked into the machines and were changing votes within ten minutes. Unbelievably, Maryland purchased the machines anyway.

How do we know for certain that the software running the machines works the way it should? We don't. The software is proprietary and is considered a trade secret. Not even the Secretaries of State nor computer experts on their staff are allowed to review the software coding. What we do know is that there are numerous documented cases of electronic voting machines either miscounting or losing votes or otherwise failing.

And how do we know the criteria for deciding which private vendor is chosen to perform the most critical task of "counting" the our votes? We don't. All deliberations and contracts are secret and are exempt from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

And where is the national media on this critical matter? With such an important story one would think we'd be hearing about it alot, right? Wrong. Just about the only major newspaper in the country to cover the issue has been the New York Times, and then only on their editorial page. And only Keith Olbermann on MSNBC has talked about the problems; but even that was after the fact when it was too little, too late. There has been almost no coverage whatsoever on network television. I guess the Michael Jackson trial and Martha Stewart's release from prison were just too damn important to save any time to discuss something as trivial as honest elections. Ahem.

Inexplicably, the use of unreliable, unsecure voting machines is being defended by the very people who should be defending our right to have our votes counted transparently and with confidence. What's that old saying again...? ..."Follow the Money". Diebold, ES&S, and Sequoia (the Big Three) are notorious for hiring former Secretaries of State and others who are either currently or were formerly in positions of power. And they pay the big bucks. For example, in Georgia, Diebold's chief lobbyist was Lewis Massey, former Secretary of State and former boss of the current SoS, Cathy Cox.

It is unsurprising then that Georgia was the first state in the nation to go statewide with electronic voting machines... purchased for over $50 million dollars from -- you guessed it -- Diebold. These machines, like all currently available electronic voting, do not provide a paper ballot for the purpose of hand recounts. The technology already exists to create a voter verified ballot that is viewed by the voter but never touched; after review and confirmation the ballot drops into a locked box which is unsealed only in the case of recount. That sounds pretty simply and, frankly, necessary to me. But the manufacturers so far refuse to provide such a common sense solution.

Oh, and Diebold's other big venture? ATM machines. Diebold is the largest manufacturer of ATMs in the world. Can you imaging not getting a paper copy of your banking records? They can provide a paper record for your banking but not for your voting???

The elections in November 2004 decided our nation's course for years to come, and that fate was largely decided by private corporations like Diebold. Unless we get some answers, some accoutability, all future voting will remain under a cloud of suspicion that makes the 2000 election seem like a model of fairness and openness.

This situation cannot be allowed to stand. We need fair and transparent elections in America. Please contact your Secretary of State and ask that they reject this blatant theft of our voting rights.

History of Fergus

2005-04-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

Fergus is a cat. Fergus is a very special cat. When he was a kitten a rather heartless vet told me to put him down because he had a weak heart and would not live long. I balked, walked out of the clinic with that sweet little guy in my arms and I haven't (figuratively) let go of him since.

Fergus is now fifteen years old and just as sassy as ever. I figure that Fergus, being stubborn and bullheaded like his Old Man, decided to defy fate and use up more than his alotted nine lives. One life for every year of health and happiness. So I dedicate this blog to him, and to the spirit of strength and determination that he exemplifies.