Owner: The Cyberbeggar Times URL:http://youandicandoit.blogspot.com Join Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:55:01 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: From Riches to Rags in this Globalized Economy. Site statistics:Click here
Constitutional Showdown Looms 2007-07-01 12:30:00 Patrick Leahy, the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman said today that he is ready to go to court if the White House continued to resist subpoenas on documents related to the firing of federal prosecutors.This ratchets up the confrontation looming between the White House and Congress. We will see if the Democrats hold tough (as they should) and force this White House to follow the rule of law. Read more:Showdown
Al Gore Speaks 2007-07-01 11:33:00 Al Gore speaks out on climate change and global warming in today's editorial pages of The New York Times. It is a powerful and stirring call to action on this most urgent problem.Gore writes, "Our children have a right to hold us to a higher standard when their future — indeed, the future of all human civilization — is hanging in the balance. They deserve better than a government that censors the best scientific evidence and harasses honest scientists who try to warn us about looming catastrophe. They deserve better than politicians who sit on their hands and do nothing to confront the greatest challenge that humankind has ever faced — even as the danger bears down on us."I often think how different times would be now if the Supreme Court would not have decided the outcome of the 2000 elections. Al Gore, the people's choice, would have been seated (in the true spirit of democracy!) and perhaps this nation, led by a true leader and statesman, would have started to tackle some of
David Schuster and Fouad Ajami 2007-07-07 09:36:00 As you may recall, Fouad Ajami compared Scooter Libby to 'a fallen soldier'. Watch this exchange on Hardball. Read more:David
, Schuster
Border Towns and NAFTA 2007-07-06 18:38:00 Corp Watch has a great article that looks at the effects of NAFTA in the border towns of Mexico. The results of this agreement have definitely been mixed, at best. “In the town of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, close to the U.S. border, two streets intersect: one is called Progreso (Progress) and the other is Fabrica (Factory). They are aptly named streets because they are thoroughfares that only house manufacturing plants called maquiladoras - giant mall sized buildings ringed with fences and with guardhouses posted out front. There are no houses or shops here – indeed, the sidewalks on Progreso and Fabrica are empty, and the only noise that can be heard during a workday are the trucks that drop off supplies and pick up finished goods.”It goes on...“Some of the factories belong to well-known companies like Caterpillar or Sony, others to less well-known companies like Delphi. Early every morning at the beginning of the workday, special buses arrive from specific neighborhoods carrying Read more:Border
, Towns
Chaos at the National Hurricane Center 2007-07-06 13:35:00 Reading this story about the staff revolt at the National
Hurricane Center
in Miami was not a comforting thought here in the midst of hurricane season. Is there any agency still around that is not polluted by the stench of politics? Read more:Chaos
Fred Thompson and Watergate 2007-07-05 19:33:00 Today we find out that the latest conservative idol, the 'New Reagan' or 'Mr. Law and Order' Fred Thompson
was the White House mole during the infamous Watergate
hearings. According to Scott Armstrong, an investigator for the Democrats on the committee, "Thompson was a mole for the White House. Fred was working hammer and tong to defeat the investigation of finding out what happened to authorize Watergate and find out what the role of the president was."As you may recall the Watergate scandal was a 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. by members of President Richard Nixon's administration and the resulting cover-up which led to the resignation of the President.Over thirty years later we see many of the same cast and crew in Washington that were around in the Watergate years and often found in the highest levels of our government. Fred Thompson is just the latest to come back on the scene. I think we all have had
The Business of Business- Chocolate Slavery 2007-07-04 17:10:00 It is hard to believe that in this day and age, slavery is alive and well all across the globe. This often is practiced with the complicity of government officials and business leaders. Today I am going to look at this horrid practice in relation to just one issue- chocolate.The stage- the Ivory Coast in Western Africa. The scene- thousands of children plowing away as slave labor in large cocoa plantations wielding machetes as they work countless hours. The year- 2007! The result- the chocolate you consume in the forms of candy bars and other delectable pleasures. Yes, that’s right. That glass of chocolate milk at breakfast or those candy bars that your kids sell at school for the latest fundraiser are the products of slave labor. Not a pleasant thought, huh?This sad saga is nothing new. Unfortunately, though, to date nothing substantive has been done about it. Oh there was the ‘outrage’ expressed way back in 2001 by the US Congress. There was the threat to require chocolate ma Read more:Business
, Chocolate
, Slavery
What's Behind the Curtain? 2007-07-04 15:12:00 Recently I had a post which looked at the results of the annual 'Corporate Hall of Shame', a poll taken to expose the world's worst corporate abusers. Afterwards, I did a bit of research on each of these companies to see for myself exactly why they made the final list. This was definitely an eye-opening experience! After looking under the PR curtains these companies put up with their slick press releases and sifting through the corporate media stories, a picture developed that was quite disturbing.This post was originally intended to be a detailed look at just one of the companies on that list but as time passed and I read more and more information, this became impossible. I plan to present this in a series of posts each with its own story. Together, let's study what has gone terribly wrong with business today and the horrific practices employed all in the name of profits and expanded markets. Read more:Curtain
Happy Fourth of July 2007-07-04 10:02:00 "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."No greater words have been written in our nation's history.Today is a day to reflect on the many sacrifices and promises of our country's forefathers. In light of recent history and events, many should take the time to read the Constitution to get a better understanding of just how much we have strayed from this glorious path. Read more:Happy
Bush Interview in Ireland 2007-07-10 21:11:00 Remember this interview way back when from Ireland
? Hint- right after the Abu Ghraid scandal? Well, if you were in the states, you probably don't, because it wasn't shown. This interview is unbelievable and features all the old talking points. The Irish journalist hits hard and asks the tough questions. It is interesting to see Bush's testiness when faced with a real journalist and not some Rush Limbaugh clone. If only we could have someone in our MSM that would do the same...
Michael Moore Takes Down Wolf Blitzer 2007-07-10 19:58:00 As I have mentioned before, I worked in the health care field for many years and can attest to the fact that the health care system is broken. Take a look at this video when CNN attempts the tired 'hit piece' that proceeds the interview with MichaelMoore
. Not taking this lying down, Moore turns the tables and shows the true face of the so-called mainstream media. Read more:Blitzer
, Michael Moore
, Wolf Blitzer
The Cost of War- 12 Biilion Dollars a Month 2007-07-10 18:57:00 I have written several times in this blog about the economy today and how that it has affected me personally, hence the title of it. I have seen the good times and, more recently, the not-so-good times. The people of this country, as a whole, are suffering and being slowly strangled in a web of debt and despair. About the only ones to prosper in this economy are the super rich, the CEO's, the ones who don't worry about how they are going to pay their next light bill or how they can save more on their next grocery store run.In the bigger picture, signs of the country's decay can be seen everywhere. Crumbling roads and bridges, lack of basic public services, small towns decimated by job loss when the only factory in town moves overseas...the list goes on and on.Meanwhile, in the nation's capitol, such petty concerns are not that important. The politicians, when not patting themselves on the back or giving themselves the latest pay raise, continue to spend (borrowed) money like drunke Read more:Month
Bush Invokes Executive Privilege--Again! 2007-07-09 10:38:00 President Bush invoked executive privilege Monday to deny requests by Congress for testimony from two former aides about the firings of federal prosecutors. The White House, however, did offer again to make former counsel Harriet Miers and one-time political director Sara Taylor available for private, off-the-record interviews.In a letter to the heads of the House and Senate Judiciary panels, White House counsel Fred Fielding insisted that Bush was acting in good faith and refused lawmakers' demand that the president explain the basis for invoking the privilege. The latest move in the separation of powers fight between the legislative and executive branches came as members of Congress began returning from their Fourth of July recess. An atmosphere of high tension accompanied the resumption of work as a fight also loomed there between majority Democrats and some key Republicans and Bush over his Iraq war policy.Rep. John Conyers stated that "Contrary what the White House may believe, i Read more:Executive
, Again
Another Republican Jumps Ship 2007-07-07 16:21:00 It is truly phenomenal how many people blindly follow the Republican
Party no matter what the latest act of corruption or scandal happen to be. Question anything and you are immediately banished to 'the other side' without so much as a second glance. I came across this article today written by a gentleman who has been a Republican his entire life. He has decided that he can take no more. It is a great read but the comments that follow are what really make this story so interesting. Check the responses from some of the Republicans. They are full of anger and hate at what they perceive as an act of disloyalty to the party. As is typical, they never question the substance of his arguments but rather turn their anger on the writer.
The Politics of Fear 2007-07-12 12:02:00 Appearing on the Hugh Hewitt radio show, Rick Santorum, the former Republican Senator speaks of "unfortunate events" that will occur in the United States within a year and will alter Americans perception of the current war. In this interview, he stated "Between now and November, a lot of things are going to happen, and I believe that by this time next year, the American public’s going to have a very different view of this war, and it will be because, I think, of some unfortunate events, that like we’re seeing unfold in the UK. But I think the American public’s going to have a very different view".Unfortunately, this tactic has become quite commonplace today. It was just last month that the new head of the Arkansas Republican Party, Dennis Milligan, had this to say:"At the end of the day, I believe fully the president is doing the right thing, and I think all we need is some attacks on American soil like we had on Sept. 11, 2001. And the naysayers will come around very quickly to
Lady Bird Johnson Passes Away 2007-07-11 18:02:00 Lady Bird Johnson
passed away today at the age of 94. She was a truly remarkable and gracious woman. R.I.P. Read more:Passes
Jet Set Lifestyle of Iraq Ambassador to U.N. 2007-07-15 21:53:00 I'm speechless..."IRAQ'S ambassador to the United Nations, Hamid al Bayati, likes the high life. Bayati, who's been on the job for just over a year, is said to be living in a $22,000-a-month apartment at Trump World Tower on First Avenue. He's renting while the Iraq
i U.N. Mission and official ambassador's residence on East 79th Street undergo a $40 million renovation. Where did the Iraqis get the cash? Newsmax.com reports the U.N. Security Council is paying with funds it once used to finance the now-terminated U.N. Iraq arms inspectors. When asked about the lavish use of the cash, Bayati refused comment. U.S. Ambassador
to the U.N. Zalmay Khalilzad shrugged off the Iraqis' lush lifestyle by telling reporters, "$40 million is not a lot of money." According to U.N. documents, the U.S. delegation approved the transfer of the cash from the Security Council to Iraq. All of this comes as the federal Government Accounting Office reported the war in Iraq is costing American taxpayers $12
What's Up With Leash Girl- Lynndie England? 2007-07-15 14:06:00 Remember her? The infamous ex- Abu Ghraib guard known for her love of leashes and asspiles? She's got a new life and a new job! As the Guardian explains:"KEYSER, W.Va. (AP) Lynndie England
, one of the most recognizable figures of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in Iraq, has a new role as a volunteer member of this Eastern Panhandle city's recreation board.England, 24, contributed her knowledge of computers, electronics and graphics for Keyser's Strawberry Festival, which helped her land the unpaid position, said Roy Hardy, the England family's attorney.``When (council members) saw how hard she worked for the festival, they didn't hesitate to put her on the board,'' said Hardy, who is also a board member. ``If it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have been able to pull off (the Strawberry Festival). She was an absolute asset.''England, who now works in Hardy's law firm as a legal assistant, was released in March from a military prison in San Diego after serving half her 36-month sen Read more:Leash
It's August- Time For A Vacation! 2007-07-15 12:26:00 On the heels of the interim report which gave the Iraqi government failing marks in showing progress, the Iraqi Parliament proceeds with plans to take a vacation the whole month of August
. A whole month! Predictably, there is silence from the White House on this issue.Add to this the recent Webb Amendment, shot down by Senate Republicans, which would have given our own soldiers much needed rest in between deployments and you don't have to be a genius to realize that all this talk of 'Support The Troops' is utter garbage (unless there is a nice photo-op, of course!). Our men and women in uniform, sent into the meatgrinder that is Iraq, have been neglected, and deserve this country's support.Bob Schieffer of CBS News wrote a great column entitled "Baghdad Is Too Hot For Its Leaders?' offering a great perspective on this issue. He writes:"I am still not sure that I believe it: The Iraqi parliament is going on vacation during the month of August.The White House offers the lame excus Read more:Vacation
The Dreaded M Word 2007-07-22 20:13:00 Such much news..so little time! There is so much that I would like to be writing about now but unfortunately I am in the process of packing and moving. I must do this as I am basically unemployed where I am now and there is no hope of getting ahead here. Moving is perhaps one of the most unpleasant and frustrating experiences that we all encounter at one time or another. The shit that accumulates is incredible. I just finished one of the 'junk drawers' in the kitchen that had among other things grocery store receipts from ages ago, old bread ties never used, camera film with pictures of who knows what and so much more. Packing, in itself, is stressful but packing and not being sure how you are going to finance the move is, well...almost instant ulcer material! Once I finish organizing, I must find the few nuggets of things with any value to help finance this move. If you would like to contribute to this cause, I would be forever grateful!! My PayPal donation button is in the sidebar
Rudy Giuliani's Latest Fundraiser 2007-09-26 14:14:00 Is this the only card that this man pulls out over and over? 9-11...9-11...9-11 changed everything...9-11...I'm strong on national security...9-11...I really like guns...Give me a break. Well, there's a new twist to his latest fundraiser. It's called "$9.11 for Rudy" and is the theme of the campaign's "National House Party Night".Critics were quick to denounce this latest tactic. Democratic Presidential candidate Chris Dodd, spoke out strongly on this issue. Dodd called the theme "unconscionable, shameless and sickening". New Mexico Governor and Democratic candidate Bill Richardson said of the fundraiser, "You know, we shouldn't use a tragedy for politics".Naturally once criticism of the event begin to surface, the Giuliani
campaign denied any knowledge of the theme. "These are two volunteers who acted independently of and without the knowledge of the campaign," Giuliani spokeswoman Maria Comella said. "Their decision to ask individuals for that amount was an unfortunate choice."I Read more:Fundraiser
, Rudy Giuliani
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