Prejudice: Your Associated Press Hard At Work

Really though...

U.S. Poverty Rate Was Up Last Year

An article in the New York Times this morning

[What better way to end a blurb on rich and poor than with the government announcing an unprecidented 5th straight year in failure for household incomes to increase. ]

The census's annual report card on the nation's economic well-being showed that a four-year-old expansion had still not done much to benefit many households. Median pretax income, $44,389, was at its lowest point since 1997, after inflation.

After the report's release, Bush administration officials said that the job market had continued to improve since the end of 2004 and that they hoped incomes were now rising and poverty was falling. [as opposed to those who heard the report and hope incomes will lower and poverty will rise]The poverty rate "is the last, lonely trailing indicator of the business cycle," said Elizabeth Anderson, chief of staff in the economics and statistics administration of the Commerce Department. [It's completely normal for it to drag behind for 5 years?]

The census numbers also do not reflect the tax cuts passed in President Bush's first term, which have lifted the take-home pay of most families.
[An average 2.2% increase that they will eventually have to pay for. Eventually, the government must cover its bills, either by raising taxes or by cutting spending. Financial markets will not tolerate persistent large and unsustainable deficits.]

But the biggest tax cuts went to high-income families already getting raises, Democrats said Tuesday. The report, they added, showed that the cuts had failed to stimulate the economy as the White House had promised.

While the economy is supposedly looking better and unemployed have decreased fewer people are getting health insurance form their employers while medical costs are going up. Raises are trailing behind inflation and the only way for a family to keep from falling behind is to work more hours. Family members who used to work part time are now working full time and still the median pay of a full time male or female worker dropped 2 and 1 percent respectively.

"It looks like the gains from the recovery haven't really filtered down," said Phillip L. Swagel, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative research group in Washington. "The gains have gone to owners of capital and not to workers."

The trend is likely to continue unless the job market becomes as tight as it was in the late 1990's and companies decide they must offer health insurance to retain workers, said Paul Fronstin, director of the health research program at the Employee Benefit Research Group, a nonpartisan organization in Washington.

The numbers released Tuesday showed a slight decline in median income, but the bureau called the drop, $93, statistically insignificant. Incomes were also roughly flat among whites, blacks, Hispanics and Asian-Americans.

The Midwest, which has been hurt by the weak manufacturing sector, was the only region where the median income fell and poverty rose. [Somehow they'll still figure out a way to be a red state] Elsewhere, they were unchanged.

Since 1967, incomes have failed to rise for four straight years on two other occasions: starting in the late 1970's and in the early 1990's [Like father like son]. The Census Bureau does not report household income for years before 1967, but other data show that incomes were generally rising in the 40's, 50's and 60's.

"The growth in the economy is not going to families," said Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island. "It's in stark contrast to what happened during the Clinton administration." ...

Capitol Hill Blue reports (on Bush and the "gdb")
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m15187&l=i&size=1&hd=0
http://www.lonestaricon.com/Columns/Guest/2005/31-40/35guest01.htm
http://www.rightwingnews.com/comments.php?id=4256

nerd life video games, it also has links to search engines
http://www.nerd-life.com/

(I believe this was another thing I created for my own convenience. The links are broken with the exception of Nerd Life. I drafted this in 2005 and am posting it for the sake of posting it on 1/31/08. I seem to have been pretty scatterbrained in 2005)

Nero played the fiddle while Rome burned.

August 30, 2005
(AP Photo/ABC News, Martha Raddatz)

The Rich On The Other Hand...

Apparently, some people don't have the $350 to $600 it costs to evacuate.
But some do have the $3,700 needed to go to Chicago by Limo.

Amazing How Quickly The Apathetic Forget that "Poor people don't even have cars"

Where the media will cover stories about "5th generation so and sos who don't believe they need to evacuate" they apparently weren't thinking about the poor who did not have the means to leave New Orleans

President Bush's Imperial Behavior: How far can he go before we say no?

Chavez faces a real threat in the United States. President Bush has already invaded two countries and removed the leadership afterward.

Is it possible George Bush has not realized that American public opinion of him is beginning to mirror the same purality the world has had for years. Does Bush not realize the United States is starting to take on the face of a country that bullies others, destroys innocents and fights against the very democracy they claim to want for the entire world? Has he been ignoring our attempts to overthrow democractically elected officials in South America

The United States needs to be more aware of the impact of what its people say. Perhaps if the White House would condemn statements such as Bush supporter Pat Robertson's incitement to murder instead of classifying them as "one citizen's statement" Perhaps if the White House would condemn statements like Pat Robertson's and stop attempting to have democratically elected officials overthrown in South America the United States could get as many deals as Cuba or Brazil. Chavez is definitely a

(unfinished draft in 2005, posted on 1/31/2008)

Hugo Chavez Trumps George Bush In United States Welfare

Last week I was speaking to a few co-workers when I mentioned that Hugo Chavez wanted to sell discounted oil to the poor communities in the United States. Upon finishing the statement one of my co-workers said "Poor people don't even have cars" before walking out of the room.

There is no better way to elaborate on narrow minded thinking than with an article created shortly after hearing such a statement. Venezuela's CITGO is going to provide cheap gas for U.S. hospitals, nursing homes and schools. Venezuela's CITGO to Provide Cheap Gas for U.S. Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Schools. In addition, Hugo Chavez announced implementing free eye operations to people in all American continents with 150,000 operations available for United States citizens per year.

I don't know about you but I think President Chavez is a great, humane guy. Despite the fact that the United States has been involved in the overthrowing of many democratically elected officials, has been seen as implicated in the 2002 coup attempt of Chavez himself and has had the United States Secretary of Defense proclaim him a threat to stability in the region Hugo Chavez still extends his hand to all of America. Perhaps other leaders, especially those who claim to be Christian, can follow this type of turn the other cheek behavior.

Perhaps if the United States acts more civil and considerate to it's neighbors we can make deals that will help the entire nation. We should not have to wait on other leaders whose compassion weighs heavier than their relationship with our leader because our leader is making it tough to deal with the world. Resources in Ethiopia were lost to China because of our inability to be civil. We are losing human lives in Afghanistan and Iraq. Unless the money being made from this bloodshed and disorder is so great, maybe we can make America out to be the just place it was meant to be. The alternative is remaining narrow minded and walking away.

U.S. Lowers Sights On What Can Be Achieved in Iraq

Also while at Democrats.org I found this nice article

I don't think it's as much of a "lowering sights" as it is an admittance to what's possible. Like they really had those intentions going in.

He Eventually Added Luisiana Yesterday

Maybe I should have posted this when I saw it said yesterday but I wouldn't have wanted to give him credit anyway.

Kicking Ass has a post with links that can keep you updated on Katrina

Even Amidst A Natural Disaster Bush Finds A Way To Take Advantage Of It

I can't wait for more information on this.

I was watching Fox News (They seem to be covering Katrina more than most right now) when I saw the ticker tape say Bush was giving millions of dollars in federal funds to FL and MS. I would understand completely why Florida is getting money because they had 2 billion in damages but Mississippi hasn't been hit yet. Neither has Louisiana nor Alabama. So I take it Bush just wanted to give money to Jeb and added Mississippi to make it look legit. I mean New Orleans is about to be in the center of Katrina. Why hasn't he opened up emergency funds to Louisiana?

[moment of empathy]I haven't been posting as often as usual with school in all.
Anyway, keep the people in the Gulf in your prayers, hopes and best wishes. I'm sure we all know people down there. [/moment of empathy]

Grieving Parents Polled About Iraq War

Posting's been slow lately. School keeps telling me I need to focus on it.

An article from the New York Times discussing the split in opinion on the Iraq war among parents who have lost their children to Bush's war gives an insight into the mind's of the grieving.

(Another draft that I have decided to release. Though I wrote this quote awhile ago I never posted it. 1/31/08)

Santorum Lies Like Pat Robertson In an Attempt to Distance Himself From the War

"Things have gotten so bad for Bush, that Republicans are now trying to invent disagreements with the president in order to distance themselves from the Bush disaster. "

~Daily Kos

New Ad for Dems

Let's put it this way:

If 9/11 was the NewPearlHarbor®,
We are now approaching Thanksgiving, 1945.

Hitler, Tojo, Hirohito, and Mussolini are done for,
MacArthur has gotten his pants legs wet...

Yet Bush hasn't gotten Osama.

YOO HOO! Democrats! YOO HOO!
Anybody out there running for office?
There's your campaign commercial!
Run it 24-7 from now till 2006.

Human Lives Are Worth Much More Than This "War" In Iraq

After not making a post for awhile I was fervently reading through blogs looking for something I could get a handle on. I had posted Robertson's assassination comment but I pulled it because I did not want to join the hype but after the old man attempted to retract his statements I couldn't resist reposting it.

In searching for people who agreed with the man I stumbled upon an article on RedStates.org that belittles the deaths of thousands and claimed the war in Iraq is as important as WWII. As I felt there should not be a claim like that without there being at least one counter claim I decided to start this response.

To Leon H.

I'd like to join you in your opinion that our generation is not the first to deal with difficult moral issues. I would also like to agree that we have a lack of willingness to defend ourselves and our culture from threats. The very fact that we have allowed almost half our country's voters to vote for a man who threatens the well-being of the United States disturbs me. Equally disturbing is your thinking we should "stay the course".

The life of a human being, not just an American human being, is important enough to mention the thousands upon thousands of innocent civilians that have died in Iraq. I do not think we are obligated to abandon historical perspective in a sea of shrieking hysteria. None-the-less I think you must put this war in its proper perspective. While the American soldiers' deaths number over 1800 it is difficult to find the number of civilians in Iraq who have died because of this war. Estimates have been anywhere from 23,000 to over 100,000. No matter where the number lies, at what point must you as a human being feel obligated to at least acknowledge the people who are losing their lives in this senseless war.

In a historical comparison to wars throughout the history of this nation it is true that we have not sustained as many casualties as in wars past. It is equally true that this war is petty in comparison to many wars in our past. The first thing you must consider is the trivial nature of this war. We entered this war for several reasons according to George Bush and those who surround him. Many of these reasons have been lies. I am still waiting for a "smoking gun" or a "mushroom cloud" made by "Suddam's WMD" to "make it to our borders". President Bush capitalized on both fear and the trust of the people. Using this he lied his way into an illegal war that his friends profit from.

To compare this illegal war against a country whose leader had no ability to even strike us to World War II, a war fought against a man killing millions who had already managed to conquer others on his way toward world domination is ridiculous. There are no people lined up in gas stations. There is no shortage of butter. Ford Motors is not turning out military vehicles instead of the latest Escape. The lack of public attention, loss of men and urgency to take out the insurgency should only be further evidence that this is not a war but an occupation.

The people of this country are far from war weary. This country is tired of the occupation that has occurred based off a lie. Some who you have mistaken for weary are as troubled with losing family to this conflict as much as they may be with the conflict itself.

We do not support this President and we would rather he not attempt to take our hand and force us to stay this course. The President needs to be reminded that he is OUR representative and it is he that must be dragged in the direction that we believe in.

You end with a warning against immediate withdrawal. To make it seem like all liberals are requesting immediate withdrawal is just as underhanded Pat Robertson's lie or Bush's call to invade Iraq. Perhaps you need to preach withdrawal instead of staying the course.

We should have never gone in there in the first place. We should have planned it out since we did go in. We do recognize that since Bush did put us in this mess so we have to piece-meal our way out as best as we can. Sadly we can't withdraw immediately. But we still need to make a plan to get our troops out of this mistake as soon as possible.

Amendment: August 25, 2005, 4:05PM
And all this at a real expense in treasure and blood. As of Aug. 24 at 10 a.m. EDT, 1,867 American military personnel have died in Iraq. Another 14,120 have been wounded -- 6,770 gravely enough to require removal from the field . The war's price tag, by reasonable estimates, is topping $200 billion and counting.

Pat Robertson. The Almost Perfect Bush Supporter.

So I was just roaming around Eschaton when...

Robertson called for the assassination of Venezuela's president


Pat Robertson, host of Christian Broadcasting Network's The 700 Club and founder of the Christian Coalition of America, called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

From the August 22 broadcast of The 700 Club:

ROBERTSON: There was a popular coup that overthrew him [Chavez]. And what did the United States State Department do about it? Virtually nothing. And as a result, within about 48 hours that coup was broken; Chavez was back in power, but we had a chance to move in. He has destroyed the Venezuelan economy, and he's going to make that a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism all over the continent.

You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war. And I don't think any oil shipments will stop. But this man is a terrific danger and the United ... This is in our sphere of influence, so we can't let this happen. We have the Monroe Doctrine, we have other doctrines that we have announced. And without question, this is a dangerous enemy to our south, controlling a huge pool of oil, that could hurt us very badly. We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with.
~Media Matters, Monday August 22, 2005 at 4:40 PM EST

I was originally not going to post this, but when someone makes a blatant lie like this and they are a supporter of the Bush camp you HAVE to post it.

Pat Robertson's evolving excuses on Chavez assassination call

On the morning of August 24, Pat Robertson falsely claimed that he never called for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, saying that his August 22 remarks were "misinterpreted."

On the afternoon of August 24, Robertson issued a press release in which he claimed that his assassination comments were "adlibbed" out of frustration, suggesting they were not representative of his true thinking.

So, which is it? Did Robertson "adlib" the assassination line, or did he never say it? What will his next explanation be? And is Robertson now admitting he lied earlier in the day in his statement on The 700 Club? Will he apologize to the news organizations he falsely accused of misinterpreting his unambiguous call for Chavez's assassination?

— J.F.

Posted to the web on Wednesday August 24, 2005 at 5:03 PM EST

He knows how to lie. He just hasn't figured out the ambiguous statement technique and the cover up. Bush, "Condi" you gotta teach him to lie to the press!!!
(Or Hide from it Like Cheney)

Cindy Sheehan Returns to "Camp Casey" in Crawford, Texas

Super Sheehan is back.

Do Not Take Bush's Statements for Face Value

Hesiod of American Street recently made this
article.

I originally saw this post of his on Eschaton.

Bush is playing the McCarthyism card. Time to fight back. Here's
my suggestion:

"Today, George W. Bush said that leaving Iraq prematurely will "weaken the
United States."

This is obviously a poll-tested and focus-grouped phrase designed to
marginalize Cindy Sheehan and his Iraq war critics.

So, here's a project for the White House press corps. Make Bush explain, in
detail and with evidence, how leaving Iraq will 'weaken the United
States.'

Saturation bomb Scott McLellan with questions demanding that President Bush
provide a detailed explanation for how that will occur because, frankly, we
aren't going to take his declarations of what is and is not in our national
security interests at face value any more.

If he or someone from his administration says that leaving early means the
'terrorists will win,' ask them to explain what that means too. Win how? Which
terrorists? The Jihadists, or the Iraqi Nationalists?

For each poll-tested, focus-grouped, soundbite Bush, or one of his minions
utters on this topic, demand a more detailed and factually supported
explanation. Simply reporting what bush says is no longer good enough. The man
cannot be trusted. He will say or do anything to protect himself and his party
politically.

In other words, do your Goddamn jobs."I haven't been bugging Duncan to link
to any of my posts lately.

I hope he seriously considers this one. The Press corps cannot simply take
Bush's word for anything involving Iraq. And Bush should not be allowed to get
away with demegoguing this and invoking neo-McCarthyism for cheap political
gain.

Please spread this around. I don't care if you attribute it to me or
not. All I care about is that the press do its job for a change.

Hesiod Email 08.23.05 - 12:32 pm #

The Bush camp has no qualms with lying. We have to take every statement they say with analysis. Please think whenever they say ANYTHING that may affect the way you think.

The way he handles Iraq, the way he treats Sheehan and the way the way he deals with any problem tends to be easy to scrutinize. Always be on alert

Problems With Dead Wrong

The following was a comment on Daily Dissent's post "CNN's Dead Wrong":

1. Should have been broadcast two, if not three, f'n years ago. The New Republic(!) ran a more compelling version of the story in June 2003.
2. Aside from the bit about Curveball, overlooks how BS intelligence was being fed into the system by Chalabi & Co.
3. Thank God it's finally getting out there.
GD 08.22.05 - 4:46 pm

This is a good summary of the whole program. The New Republic's article is a must read for anyone who thinks CNN's Dead Wrong has done the story justice. (It should be kept in mind that National Republic's article was presented 2 years prior to CNN's program) I imagine CNN or another station will have another diluted, outdated and misrepresenting special to take our minds off current, real issues

The Case Against Bush

The CNN special, Dead Wrong: Inside an Intelligence Meltdown is a worthless, distracting perpetuation of services for the Bush Administration. It is a repackaging of information we already knew dispensed in a way that makes Tenet look like the star of the show. This documentary further shows the lack of a "liberal media" and how CNN is as deeply implicated in this mess as any other business, politician or propagandist in support of President Bush.

Perhaps it was my fault for expecting something titled "Dead Wrong" to be hard hitting, something that would smash the foundations of the Bush Administration. I wasted 5 pages taking notes and after program finished I realized I'd wasted an hour watching shallow, old news that deflected your attention away from Bush so you could better focus on an inept and irrelevant intelligence community.

Was it not amazing that specific comments made in the story could run against the current of the story. "Doesn't the ultimate responsibility lie with the President of the United States?" was asked by an interviewee at the beginning of the program. Bush wanted intelligence to find anything against Saddam Hussein that would give them a reason to attack Iraq. Cheney asserted Iraq was still building WMDs. Condoleeza Rice was joining in with the statements that we needed to stop the "smoking gun" from becoming a mushroom cloud. The Bush administration was responsible for the environment that did not accept skepticism from its intelligence officers and Bush is the one who wanted Tenet at his side.

A comment was made in the program that the Intelligence community has been used as a scapegoat for the President of the United States from Kennedy and the "missile gap" through Reagan and the Iran-Contra Affair. Attention is always taken away from President [his name here]. Despite all this, the documentary seems to follow George Tenet like a biography. Not only does the program reinforce Tenet as a scapegoat (who is strangely awarded a medal while after he ruins Colin Powell's career and resigns), but it props up a new scapegoat at the end of the program for the public to keep their eyes on. The documentary begins with Tenet and ends with his new replacement saying John Negroponte must avoid faltering when bad news must be delivered.

So once again a blank check is being written for the President of the United States. The payment is "one John Negroponte and zero sense" and it's waiting to be made out to some scandal. We need to remind ourselves this is not about a director of Intelligence. It is not about Tenet or Negroponte. It is only about CNN through extension. Yes, CNN is deeply implicated in this as much as anyone. This program is another piece of evidence to further the case against the real culprit, George W. Bush.

Note: [added August 22, 2005. 5:55 AM] A blogger reminded me I should give not give credit to Colin Powell by saying Tenet ruined Powell's career. Colin Powell had a chance to stand up to the Bush and ask for real evidence. He didn't.

For A Patriotic Mother:

This guy said it pretty darn well.

All Sheehan wanted was a straight answer from the President. She wanted to know why her son died. She wanted to know what this war was about. She didn't do anything wrong. On the side she was commemorating the deaths of other fallen soldiers and somehow there were people who put a spin on that. She peacefully assembled and people found negative in it.

Bless Sheehan, her son and that camp. Maybe that will help defend from those people pulling against her.

Just some catching up

Daily Dish		andrewsullivan.com
Little Green Footballs		http://www.littlegreenfootballs.com/
Power Line		http://www.powerlineblog.com/
Wonkette		wonkette.com
Crook and Liars		crooksandliars.com
Kausfiles		slate.com
Michelle Malkin		http://www.michellemalkin.com/
Redstate.org		redstate.org

http://icasualties.org/oif/
http://blindintexas.blogspot.com/
http://counterpunch.org/chalabi05202004.html
http://bible.gospelcom.net/passage/?search=PR%206%20:%2016%20-%2019;&version=9e/?search=PR%206%20:%2016%20-%2019;&version=9;

I think I just posted this for my own convenience. You can ignore.

New York Times Gives "Bush Lied" A Try

The Bush administration has announced plans for a Freedom Walk on Sept. 11, which will start at the Pentagon and end at the National Mall, and include a country music concert. The event is an ill-considered attempt to link the Iraq war to the terrorist attacks of 2001, and misguided in almost every conceivable way. It also badly misreads the public's mood. The American people are becoming increasingly skeptical about the war. They want answers to hard questions, not pageantry.
~New York Times - August 21, 2005

It's taking time but the media is warming up to saying we went into Iraq under false pretenses

What are they hiding?

Hi,

I just signed up to file a Freedom of Information Act Request to force the adminstration to release the records of Supreme Court nominee John Roberts.

Roberts worked for the Justice Department on 16 key Supreme Court cases -- the records will give the best perspective of his view on crucial issues.

What are they hiding? Let's find out -- join me and file a Freedom of Information Act request:

http://www.democrats.org/page/petition/foia/fqiwhm

Thanks!

Don't exercise your free speech in front of Rush. He might getcha!!

If not for the fact that he is Rush Limbaugh I wouldn't believe he says the things he does. Time restraints prevent me from commenting on everything done by the big red faced man who lies as much as he talks. Fortunately mediamatters.org does have the time to catch his criticism of the 1st Amendment among everything else.
So, I felt like this was one of those 1st Amendment days.

Wouldn't it be great if anybody who speaks out against this country, to kick them out of the country? Anybody that threatens this country, kick 'em out. We'd get rid of Michael Moore, we'd get rid of half the Democratic Party if we would just import that law. That would be fabulous. The Supreme Court ought to look into this. Absolutely brilliant idea out there.

So I decided to support him with a letter. Maybe we should all support him with a letter. Anyway, here's how mine went.

Great Idea Rush!

August 11, 2005 on your show you said we need to kick
out anybody who speaks against this country. That's a
brilliant idea.

I think you'll agree with me when I say you're the
first to go. If you want to get rid of the ability to
petition the Government so we can allow an unyielding,
unchecked government to exist go ahead and be my
guest.

I know for a fact that I am the country. We are the
country. If I want to talk about what I'm doing wrong
I have every right to do it.

Right now I don't feel like I'm not owning up to who I
am right now. I feel like half of me is ripping the
country apart. I feel like half of me is disregarding
the other half and making BOLD statements and behavior
that makes me sick.

So go ahead and leave if you want. You try and make me
leave and I'll make sure you're wading your way across
the Atlantic long before I am.

Article [I.]

Congress shall make no law ...respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech,
or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably
to assemble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.

If you want here's Rush's e-mail
Heck here's his mailing address.
The Rush Limbaugh Show
1270 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020

If any of his personal friends have his home address write him or give him a letter by hand unless maybe you're one of those people who don't like the Constitution. That's just as fine. You have the right to sit down and do nothing also.

The Good, the Bad, The Ugly

I found this nice article talking about the ironic twist Republicans and Democrats have taken. After the article I saw a bunch of ridiculous quotes that I figured must have been from a Late Nite Talk show. Sadly they were real.

Have you ever thought to yourself, "What won't people say?"
Personally, I have yet to figure that out

Response to Ann. That shoot-to-kill policy is very dangerous.

First of all I would like to thank Ann for showing why the Democrats have been having such a hard time lately. The frivolous arguments based on lies and warped morals are what the Republicans live for. I do not understand how anyone with a lick of sense can compete with them. To paraphrase Al Franklin they'll lie, lie, lie to cover up a lie and if you catch them in a lie they'll call you a liar.

Second, I'd like to respond to your post directly Ann. Whoever implied the "good" you speak of countered the bad doesn't speak for me. How dare you imply any good came from this. You cannot in your right mind believe that if everyone walks slowly and wears a denim jacket that the terrorists will be easier to spot. Someone could just as easily accomplish their goals by simply lining plastic explosives along their jeans or shoes (as in one infamous case we all remember that forced me to take my Converse in a meaningless show of security in airports). Apparently if I walk slowly, resemble another man and an officer is taking a leak when he should be doing his job I'll take 7 to the head!

Finally, I'd like to talk about what's really gone on here.
An innocent, unarmed man was shot to death by London Cops after sitting in the train of a London Subway. The officers lied by omisson when they allowed the public to believe the man was acting suspicious. And then the Scotland Yard has the nerve to be angry the report was leaked.
The shoot-to-kill policy and suspicious behavior were cited in justifying the actions of the officers. He was shot to death because he lived on the same block as one of the bombers. The Scotland Yard claims he was shot to death because of miscommunication.
I'll tell you the truth. Menezes was shot to death without proper justification. He was shot to death because of the incompetence of the officers. He was shot to death because of fear based on ineptitude and stereotypes. He was shot to death because he was not white. He was shot to death because they need a scapegoat (had it not been for forensics and the leak he may have been looked at as "suspicious" for all of posterity).
Jean Charles de Menezes was an innocent man. He had a family and a community and was riding the train the same way he had been riding for months. He could not control where he lived. He could not control what he looked like. He could not control officers who would "shoot to kill".
No good can come of this action. We all know how not to act suspicious. Only a fool believes no one knows not to run from a cop. You can look at cartoons and black and whites that show thieves, drug dealers and the stereotypical "bad guy" with large jackets. We are not unfamiliar with what looks suspicious and no one will believe the world is going to consciously change their behavior in a way that suits finding terrorists.
A human being was killed in cold blood. This act is nothing more than an act of murder.

A Civilized Society Cannot Allow Unjustifiable Acts: Especially Murder

We for the most part live in a civilized society. As you well know, such a society is governed by rules, values, morals and laws. Implicit in our laws is the idea that we can not kill one another and certainly not under the color of authority.
The value of a human life or of the lives of humans should never be compromised or marginalized.
There is no enlightenment in the crime of murder, that is the killing of one human being by another. Homicide without a clear justification is homicide.
There is nothing which allows us to flail uncontrollably like a homicidal maniac because a few fools will support our crime against humanity.
If such a notion is to be tolerated only an imbecile would not be able to quickly perceive where this foolishness would lead us.

Schwarzenegger Proposes Sex Offender Tracking

Governor Schwarzenegger wants to put tracking devices on sex offenders for life.

Good Idea. I think the governor should volunteer to wear the first tracking device to garner support. Wasn't he the one groping all those women anyway?

Here's the original L.A. Times article.

Iraq is motivation in July 21 failed bombing attempt

I recently saw this link on Air America Radio.

The July 21 failed bombing attempt was not linked to the July 7 attacks, it was not intended to injure people, but only to scare, and he and his associates were motivated by anger at civilian casualties in Iraq, Hussain Osman told his interrogators in Rome. Osman is believed to be one of the 4 men who perpetrated the failed attack.