Condi Says If The President Authorizes Torture It's Okay

The Young Turks produced this excellent cell phone capture video from a meeting with students at Stanford University where former Secretary of State Condi Rice, in the style of the trailer of the Frost-Nixon movie, states in so many words, "if the President authorizes torture it's okay." Extraordinary!

God I'm sick of the main stream media enabling the authorization of torture, by using the rationalization that if it worked, which is questionable, irrelevant and probably a lie, it is somehow justified. It's a god damn crime people! If you rob a bank, the cops don't let you go if your successful, like the constitutional law professor has pointed out. IT'S A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL LAW GET IT. We are a nation of laws. Justice is blind.

I'm going to vomit on the TV the next time Chris Matthews, or some other supposedly well informed news anchor, claims torture is justified because a polls says 62% of the dumb ass uninformed citizens say it's so. Have we become a nation of retards who can't put 2 and 2 together when it comes to enforcing the law. Ask yourself, are we going to leave it to a Spanish court to enforce the law and prosecute the criminals who authorized torture?

I Not Against Guns I'm Against Paranoid Nuts With Guns And Assault Weapons

I more or less grew up with guns around. I when hunting when I was younger. I use firearms in the army during the Vietnam Era. In fact I now get a disability check each month from the VA because my hearing was permanently damaged from firing a rifle repeatedly without proper ear protection while in the service.

But in those days the people I knew in the army and in civilian life who had an appreciation of guns for hunting, or even self defense weren't ideological nuts or neo-Nazis like "Obama going to take our guns away" crowd of douches bags we see around today. Nearly all of these folks appear to have a screw loose. They come off sounding like a broken record of unfounded right wing cliches and psycho-babble when you try to talk to them about THEIR guns.

No one is going to take their freaking guns away, and you don't need an assault weapon for sport hunting or self defense. Their politics on guns is based mostly on unfounded fear or ideological tea bag extremism.

"Address Gun Violence in Cities: As president, Barack Obama would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment, which restricts the ability of local law enforcement to access important gun trace information, and give police officers across the nation the tools they need to solve gun crimes and fight the illegal arms trade. Obama and Biden also favor commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, while keeping guns away from children and from criminals who shouldn't have them. They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof. They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent, as such weapons belong on foreign battlefields and not on our streets." (from Organizing for America Obama website urban plan)

When I worked for the Obama campaign door to door in Texas and Montana last year the fear of "Obama repealing the 2nd amendment" comprised the main objection of the anti Obama crowd I had interactions with. In many cases these folks barely had a pot to piss in, yet this one issue trumped all others including such things as having a job or universal medical coverage. I was struck with confusing nature of their priorities. It seemed illogical to me that you'd put this blind and unfounded fear of not being able to own a gun, including assault weepons, above all others.

They seemed to have all bought into the narrative of Obama the Muslim Manchirian candidate or Obama the Socialist, fascist or whatever the favor of the day is, being promoted by Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh types or their local racist group or other wing nut of the month club. These clubs and groups of individuals bred in these people irrational justifications for taking armed action, if neccessary to save a supposedly brainwashed nation. It is no wonder that the Department of Homeland Securities recent report named right wing groups as a growing threat to our democracy.

1918 Influenza Pandemic Could It Happen Again?

The answer is yes! The only question is the new outbreak of swine flu currently centered in Mexico the begining of the modern pandemic. Hear a podcast synopsis from the PBS American Experience documentary Influenza 1918.

In 1918 people around the world soon came to the realization that nothing could stop the spread of this common and deadly Spanish flu. Medical science, limited in it's understanding of the virus, was unable to find a cure. Has our complacency, and our modern human egos once again put us at risk of making the same mistake of underestimating the killing power of such a flu pandemic?

Republicans moderates demanded we cut 870 million dollars from the stimulus package aimed directly at research and preparation for such a flu pandemic. Carl Rove howled about wasting taxpayers money on pork. Now they look like the dumb assholes that they actually are.

I wrote about Bush administration pandemic preparation foot dragging nearly 4 years ago. The problem with Republicans is they fail to see that government is the last
defense against a medical crisis of this nature. It's every rich bastard for himself or herself with them. They figure their not going to be the ones that die. As it is in their dirty little wars that's for us unwashed masses out here to do.

Ode To Era Of The Muscle Car Like The Pontiac GTO

My Little Pontiac GTO

Back when Americans made things that had a certain quality their was GM's Pontiac. These were damn good cars. Yes they guzzled gas, but at 32 cents a gallon who cared. The concern for good gas mileage , in due course, came later. The sheet metal was thick and the durability and quality of the cars was considered to be the best in the world of consumer cars. Nowadays you can't even get a stapler made in America that will go through more then two sheets of papers without getting jammed. Then Japanese and other foreign automobiles were considered inferior. Boy have things changed.

General Motors announce today that it was discontinuing the Pontiac Model line as part of bankruptcy reorganization. I have sweet spot in my heart for Pontiac. My mother loved Pontiacs and bought a 1958 Bonneville 2 door hard top. She occasionally let me take the car on a spin. Invariably I’d take it to cruise the Golden Gardens or Alki beach in the summer making sure the kids I hung out with saw me. Pat Sloan, my best buddy in high school, dad had a 1959 Bonneville 2 door hardtop that he spent many a Friday night burning rubber with as we left the local Dag’s or Dick’s drive in.

Pontiacs were later known for power and torque muscle cars like the GTO. I owned a 1964 GTO for about a year that I impulsively sold one day because a GTO nut made a offer that I couldn’t refuse and I needed beer money.

With the announcement today by GM I sure it’s must be a sad day for Pontiac lovers everywhere.

Another Nitwit Republican Gets In Over Her Head With Al Gore

Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee continues the GOP tendency to have their head up their ass while trying to paint Al Gore as motivated by greed when it comes to climate change.

Seattle Moisture Festival Photos

The 2009 Moisture Festival just concluded and it was a roaring success. Many of us who where involved in the festival felt it was the best ever. Here's a link to photos by Michelle Bates. Check it out and mark you calendar for next year's festival.

Tea Bag Your Tea Bag

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

My niece inadvertently posted an announcement in my facebook news feed about how I should consider attending a local tea party to protest high taxes, government bailouts and "the pork".

I fired back that apparently she hadn't gotten the memo that being a nitwit isn't allowed in our family. She responded that her husband had misappropriated the use of her account on facebook and posted the right wing drivel. "Obviously too much something of the AM radio persuasion", she offered. I'm not sure what his source is, but it's apparent he loves Glenn Beck and tends to believe all the bullshit you normally find on FOX News, where Beck has free reign to make up shit as he goes along and put it out there into the national intellect.

Beck's main message lately is that the Obama administration is really just a fascist plot to destroy America. In actuality Beck and some right wing radio personalities represent plain old fashion demagoguery the likes of which we've seen before during the era of Joe McCarthy or Father Coughlin. Unfortunately, it appears most of these folks who buy into this crap don't know the difference. But grassroots movement it's really not. Simply explained, it is corporate America using the marginally informed to centralize it's power so it can fuck them over some more. Wake up and smell the fucking coffee people!

What's worse is I have a growing fear that nuts like Beck maybe inflaming the unstable and unbalanced fringe elements of the right into doing the unthinkable. The question is who gets shot next. I believe that conservatives have the right to speak their mind. They can complain as much as they like. They should organize and protest if motivated to do so. But thinking and fact finding are also important. Most of these people are actually protesting against things the government is doing that are actually in their own interest. They end up protecting the corporate and conservative oligarchy and only prolonging their own exploitation by these powerful elements.

It's not a big surprise that wingnuts are unable to separate fact from fiction. Shrinking numbers of right wing diehards egged on by FOX News and other conservative radio talk nitwits blindly protest tax increases when most of them will get a tax cut in Obama's new budget if they make under $250K. They oppose reforming health care coverage when many of them are uninsured or paying skyrocketing medical costs. They protest bailouts but offer no alternative to stimulate the economy. Protest pork when it is a small portion of the real problem with government spending, if it is in fact a problem at all. My congressional district or State's pork is good and yours is bad I guess. No one has convinced me that pork barrel spending is a bad thing. It's just another easy target for right wing ditto heads.

I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but you'd think that these people would see their being boondoggled again by the same criminals and nitwits who created the real crisis with are living in today.

Chia Obama Makes Me Proud To Be An American

We give you the Chia Obama!

Bush Administration Job Safety Policies Lead Directly To Death Of Workers

The Republican pro business and deregulated Bush administration policy of ignoring OSHA regulations and programs directly lead to the death of workers according to a new study.

Not that it's much of a surprise that profits were more important to these bastards then the lives and safety of their workers. You may want to ask yourself who the fuck should be held accountable for the failure of government to enforce the laws that protect the lives of these workers.These were actual human beings with families, who no doubt must of been devastated by their untimely deaths.

Life And Getty Images Launch LIFE.com

Probably one of the most amazing collection of photography anywhere is now on line with Life and Getty images launch of Life.com. (beta) Enjoy!

Some Bad And Not So Bad Paintings Of Barack Obama

Well it was bound to happen. Lots of marginally artistic painters (I know what's that) out there and the phenomenon of Obama's presidency have generated enough bad and not so bad paintings found here of our fearless leader to have a coffee house opening. But, I must say I actually love several of these works of art and others not so much.
(Note: click on image after jump to move to the next painting)

Blogging Light

Been up to my elbows in Moisture Festival. So I'm blogging light right now.

Drudge Finds Intelligent Explaination Of Economic Crisis And Cure Boring

Funny how wingnuts find an intelligent discussion and explanation of what President Obama has done, or intends to do in the future to turn the economy around to "being boring". Not enough ideological divisive wedge issue creating bullshit for these halfwits I guess. To them a national political discussion of the economy, health care, the educational, and energy crisis is some sort of waste of time not worthy of anyones attention.

They'd rather be hearing about shit like "Armed customer kills robber at BURGER KING, or "Sen. McConnell: Budget makes USA worse than Cuba". These folks are what's been wrong with political discourse in America for at least the last decade. Stupid in is Stupid out.

Will The People Complaining About Snow Removal In Seattle Please Shut The F@#k Up!

The newest rehashing of the controversy about the winter snow storms is the investigative news reporting in a Seattle Times article pointing out that City officials apparently didn’t have a workable snow removal plan in place when Seattle turned into Montana for about a month this last winter. So tell us something we don't know. Hello everyone, Seattle doesn’t really have snow in the winter usually, so why would the city put lots of scares tax dollars or manpower aside for these type of services. Then they'd surely be accused of not having their priorities straight.

Plus who the hell really anticipated the enormous amount of snow that fell and remained during that two to three week period that ended up paralyzing the city for much of the time when it was happening. I say stop your damn bitching you spoil self-centered, and most likely transplanted complainers. “My driveway was block and I can get out, and my street is slippery and it’s so bad I can’t drive my SUV to work”. Well too fucking bad for you buddy! It’s all so typically part of the modern American way of getting hung up on the small shit. Or complaining because your not personally getting your way.

Historically speaking this last winter has got to be one of the worst years for snow accumulation this region has seen here in years. I personally think it was the worst, and I was born and raised here. But instead of being seen as a weather anomaly, like it probably should be, it will for sure be likely fodder for someone who wants to beat up on the Mayor or the city in the upcoming mayoral campaign or city council elections.

I say grow a pair and stop complaining about this shit, and next time be ready with your own personal transportation disaster plan for snow. In that way you'll be demonstrating some self-reliance which is more historically what real Washingtonians do .

Photo Of My Late Brother Hawking The Post Intelligencer Circa 1958

Well there you go. I previously had a post on the demise of the PI. Me and my brothers loved the PI. It was our main source of pocket money when we were growing up. RIP PI. Christopher O'Brien my brother died in a auto crash in 1967. He was in college at the time and was a talented athlete who played basketball on a college scholarship and loved to water ski on Lake Washington in the Summer. The photo was taken at the Canadian Pacific Dock on Seattle's waterfront the old pier 64.

Wingnut Power Grab Alert Election For King County KC Conservation District Board of Supervisors

King County Conservation District Board March 19th election polling locations listed below with endorsement of environmentalist Mark Sollitto.

Here's information from the press release from a 34th LD political activist. Apparently Republicans and rightwing property rights wingnuts have been able to dominate this important county conservation board because no one really pays attention to the fact there's an election.

You can make a difference to protect the environment by taking the time to drop by the Vashon Library this Thursday, March 19th to vote. Because of a technical error the progressive candidate’s name, Mark Sollitto was left off the ballot, and to vote for him you will have to actually write his name on the ballot.

Sierra Club supports Mark Sollitto who is a WRITE-IN Candidate, Mark has a masters in public administration. Here is his community experience: Chair, North Bend Park Board; board of directors, Snoqualmie Valley Rotary; Eastside Fire and Rescue; Snoqualmie Valley Cities Association; Meadowbrook Farm Preservation Association. He is or was a council member from North Bend. Mark filed to be a candidate, but due to a technical error, was not placed on the ballot – hence he is a write-in candidate

Very few people know about this election, so one of the Republicans, like Preston Drew, who opposes King County’s Critical Areas Ordinance which is designed to protect streams, wildlife and wetlands, could easily win this election if progressives don’t turn out in healthy numbers to support Sierra Club’s choice Write-in candidate: Mark Sollitto.

KCD is a natural resources assistance agency authorized by Washington State and guided by the Washington State Conservation Commission. Its mission is to promote the sustainable use of natural resources through responsible stewardship. A five-member Board of Supervisors is responsible for all District programs and activities. Since 1949, the KCD has been helping the people of King County manage their natural resources.
When:

This Thursday, March 19th

Polling Locations

AUBURN
King County Library/Muckleshoot Branch - 39917 Auburn Enumclaw Road S.E. , Auburn WA 98092
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

BELLEVUE
King County Library/Bellevue Regional Branch - 1111 110th Avenue NE , Bellevue WA 98004
Poll hours 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

CARNATION
King County Library/Carnation Branch - 4804 Tolt Avenue , Carnation WA 98014
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

COVINGTON
King County Library/Covington Branch - 27100 164th Ave. S.E. , Covington WA 98042
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

DES MOINES
King County Library/Des Moines Branch - 21620 11th Avenue S. , Des Moines WA 98198
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

ENUMCLAW
Enumclaw Public Library - 1700 First Street , Enumclaw WA 98022
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

ISSAQUAH
King County Library/Issaquah Branch - 10 W. Sunset Way, Issaquah WA 98027
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

NORTH BEND
King County Library/North Bend Branch - 115 E. 4th, North Bend WA 98045
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

REDMOND
King County Library/Redmond Regional Branch - 15990 N.E. 85th, Redmond WA
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

RENTON
Renton Community Center - 1715 Maple valley Hwy., Renton WA 98057
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

SEATTLE
Seattle Public Library (Downtown Main Branch) - 1000 Fourth Ave. Seattle WA 98104
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

SHORELINE
King County Library/Shoreline Branch - 345 NE 175th, Shoreline WA 98155
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

VASHON
King County Library/Vashon Branch - 17210 Vashon Hwy. S.W. , Vashon Island WA
Poll hours 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m

Please take the time to vote on Thursday for Mark Sollitto.

The Boswell Sisters Heebie Jeebies (1932)

Depression era harmonies.



Thanks to Howard Patterson for pointing this out..

60 Trillion Dollar Time Bomb Worth Of Credit Default Swaps Out There

That's more then the annual global GDP.

Here's how the banks and speculators gambled with your and your grandparents savings, 401K and mutual fund investments in what was similar to putting your money on a horse at the rack track or the using it to play at the roulette table in Las Vegas. The only question I have is, when will these bastards be charged, jailed, tried and sentenced? Like Goldy says over at HorsesAss, the only one really reporting this stuff it seems is a freaking comedian named John Stewart.

Earmarks Are A Good Thing

John McCain why don't you shut the F*@k up, or at least tell your fellow Republicans to practice what they freaking preach. McCain has made a career out of complaining about money earmarked for such things as beaver management. But what McCain does not tell you is the $650,000 spend on that project ends up preventing $5 million in potential damage done by beavers in North Carolina. If I hear him use that line about studying bears DNA in Montana again I'll probably puke all over my TV set.

Sure there are bad earmarks but in the big scheme of things the money spent on earmarks is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions wasted in bottomless pits like military spending or money for phony wars in Iraq or elsewhere. Most of the things that gets done because of earmarks are good, not bad. It sound like you give a shit about spending when you bitch about earmarks but it's just phony political theater.

When a Congressman or Senator brought home the bacon in the form of a earmark in the old days it meant jobs and capitol projects getting built, and probably their reelection. Now the phony Republicans with not much else to offer have turned earmarks into a negative. Bring on the damn earmarks as far as I'm concerned and stop this hypocrisy. The real argument should be about transparency when it comes to earmarks, not banning them.