Blogumentary: Camp Casey II, August 27, 2005

My alarm went off at 5am, and I leapt out of bed. After a quick shower I packed a light bag, kissed the wife and kids, and headed out of Austin toward Crawford. It took an hour and forty minutes to get to the Crawford city limit sign. Just a few miles past that on the right is Crawford Peace House...

I arrived at 7:40am, they were getting the house ready to open at 8am with the first shuttle to Camp Casey II leaving at 9am...





I was on the first shuttle out!




If you leave the house, take a right, and walk twenty feet, you see this...




I'm not sure what it is, but it looks "country" so I took a picture of it.





On the other side of the house is a camp site, where I was greeted with complementary coffee and many smiles. The campers there constructed this maze for visitors to walk through...



When I finally got to Camp Casey II the first thing I did was walk through the cross memorial reading the names. Anger swelled up in me fast but I was able to get a hold of myself.



As I was reading names of heroes, there were two women on the side of the road in front of the crosses being barraged by the press. I could hardly see them through the people holding video cameras and boon mics. All but a lone photographer had gone by the time I got to the first row of crosses the women were sitting in front of. I sat down and broke the ice with a joke..."I'm really not a journalist, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night." The photographer and the two women laughed, after which I introduced myself. Then they introduced themselves and I went into total awe!



Amy Branham and Jane Bright, Gold Star Moms. My hand started shaking so much I could barely write. Amy commented "Kyle"...uhh err..."Elmo, are you OK?." "Ya" I replied, "I just had too much coffee this morning." It was a weak excuse, truthfully, I was stuck in some kind of surreal existence with no possibility of understanding their pain. When they told me about their sons Jeremy and Evan, my heart wanted to stop, but their smiles' saved me. So I asked my question..."With all the Bush supporters saying we against the war are also against the troops, I wanted to get some positive comments to send to the troops. Jane jumped in first. "We love 'em." "We want them to come home Safe, whole and healthy." Then Amy added, "You are all heroes to us!" "Come back home to jobs and school, not in caskets and wheelchairs."



From both Amy and Jane, "Everyone of them are our sons."(From left to right, Elmo, Amy and Jane)




After exchanging email addresses and hugs, I left them with their solace. I walked up to the main tent to find a meeting going on preparing volunteers for the days events.




Ann Wright, camp coordinator, led the meeting. She spent 29 years in the Army, and was a former diplomat who quit over the Iraq War. Ann offered me this quote...




"This was a war that should not have happened." "Bring them out of harms way now."







While breakfast was being served there were several interviews going on. I got a couple of questions in...


This is Frank "Chito" Greer. Frank is a 16 year Navy Vet and the camp handyman. He has worked just about every job the camp offers. He says to the Bush Administration, "there can be a dishonorable war and honorable troops." "Maybe they just don't want to flip flop", he added. And for the troops he says "we love you and want you to come home."

This is Sean O'Neill. Sean did two tours of duty in Iraq with the 1st marine division. He received the Purple Heart, Navy Achievement Medal (with Combat "V") and Combat Action Ribbon. Sean is a member of Iraq War Veteran against the War and said of the rally, "this is the single largest gathering of patriots!" His message for the troops..."I love you!"

Next I decided to secure a seat in front of the stage where Cindy and others were to speak. I got a great seat, center stage third row, next to this lovely young lady...



This is Dr. Jane Stallings. In 1990 she became the first female Dean of Education at Texas A&M University. The Jane Stallings Student Service Award is given by the university each year to the student with the most outstanding volunteer efforts. Jane volunteered in the kitchen at Camp Casey II, the food was delicious! She received a congratulation letter from then Governor Ann Richards for her historic achievements that I would love to read one day! Jane's message to the troops was the most beautiful..."The light of life within you is precious! God gave you the gift of life. What you do with it is your gift to God." And she gives a great hug!


Then Cindy came out for some breakfast. The press immediately swarmed around her. She refused to do any interviews but she did take pictures with her supporters. When I was finally able to muster enough intestinal fortitude to engage her I shouted, "Cindy, you mind if I get a picture?" She smiled and waved me over. I put my arm around her, told her I was a Gulf War I Vet and thanked her for what she was doing. She reached behind her back and squeezed my arm and said, "thank you!" Unfortunately, she was in the middle of thanking me when the picture was taken, but at least I got one with her...



Then the population of Camp Casey II started to grow dramatically.

When bus...

After bus...

After bus arrived at the event.

Cindy went out to greet them when she could.




And they all brought signs...

This is little Mia with her "kitties for peace" poster. What a cutie!

When the rally finally started there had to be more than two thousand people there. Despite the unbearable heat, we all crammed under the main tent. We started off in song with "God Bless America." Then Elliot Adams, a Korean and Vietnam War Vet, asked "How many here support the troops?" The place erupted with the loudest applause I heard all day. Joan Baez came out next. That's right, Joan Baez!

She sang "Amazing Grace." And it was amazing! She sang many more songs, here are Joan and Cindy together...



We heard from Charles Richardson and Nancy Lessin From Military Families for Truth, who along with others, sued George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld for starting a war against Iraq, absent a clear declaration of war by the United States Congress. About half a dozen members of Iraq Veterans Against the War gave speeches. Then Russell Means, an indigenous rights/constitutional rights activist, actor, artist and author, spoke. He has been described as "one of the most magnetic speakers of our time." His speech Saturday was testament to that. It was all about motherhood and mothers. He describes mothers as "the only irreplaceable member of a family."



Russell said of the event..."It's filled with love in here!"








And of couse, Cindy spoke.

She really is a remarkable woman. Her courage could be felt by all and her resilience is undeniable. Cindy held back tears at times and clearly inspired all who were there. She said of Camp Casey, "I'm going to miss this place when I have to leave, there is so much love here."

And that's all I found, love. Thousands of people, from all over the country, who came to bring hope and love to our troops. It was very spiritual. As I waited in line for the shuttle, bands played and new friends were met, you could not escape the love that filled this place. I didn't want to leave, but I had to. You see, August 27 is the day Elmo and Mrs. Elmo met, 12 years ago. I had more love waiting for me at home!

Lets hope more people across America can channel Cindy's courageousness so we can get our troops home. There is a lot of love waiting for them here!

Elmo.

Never forget...

This is just a tease...

I'm still in a surreal sort of state, so it will be tomorrow...OK, maybe Monday, before I have my report. You'll see the news, but come back for some grassroots reporting. I have some great new friends! I'll leave you with this.(Elmo and 'little Alison Grace' at the beach)

Band of the Week: The Guest

I'm making the trek from Austin to Crawford tomorrow, so I need a little driving music. When I get off Interstate 35 and hit that first country road, I'm jam'n Calm Before The Storm. And at the start of my return, Leaving It All Behind will be the first song I play. See The Guest live tonight at Room 710 in Austin. I would love to go, The Guest are great live, but I need to get up early! Show the band some love at www.theguestband.com. Happy driving!

What the Army Didn't Teach You

I get an email from military.com when new articles come out, being a recipient of a disability check and all. I've never blogged about anything they've sent me for some reason...but I am now. This was in the text of the email I received on August 16th...

Sure, the Military taught you how to run fast, shoot well, and stomach MREs, but we bet they didn’t teach you how to use your benefits to save money.

No, they didn't, and many veterans who don't research their benefit options miss out on recourses that could make their lives a lot easier. And they do deserve it. I injured my eye. I was better than 20/20 before I got hurt and am just a little less than 20/20 now. I don't even need glasses, but I have a high risk of glaucoma...or so they tell me. I have great insurance from work so I don't need to use most of the benefits I'm offered. I'm lucky, most infantry vets are not.

Wouldn't it be nice if receiving veterans benefits was seamless, you know, offered to vets whether they knew they were eligible or not. Well, the government has to save money somehow.

Out of Gas

With not enough of an approval rating to fill up.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and his constituents

Rick Perry wants to gather support for a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman; it will be on the ballot in November. You see, that plain-Jane state law barring gay marriage the Governor signed in 2003, just wasn't enough. So Perry is meeting with 500 Republicans today at an undisclosed location in Austin, but not just any 'ol Republican can come...only pastors are allowed. State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, Perry's GOP challenger, wants to go but has not been invited. Laurence White, a Houston pastor and the event organizer says...

"If you're having a Republican state convention, you want everybody there," White said. "This isn't that kind of meeting."

No, this is the "We the wingnut intolerant bigots, in order to fuck up a more perfect union" meeting. We cant have free thinking conservatives there can we? It could hamper our plan to brainwash 'em into voting for this amendment. And there are only 10 more Sundays till we vote on it! No, we need to keep this on the down low.

You can read the entire Austin American Statesman article here.

Rumsfeld peddles more lies

Rumsfeld was asked if he was worried about terrorist overflowing out of Iraq and into other countries during his press briefing today. His reply...(paraphrased) "the question is flawed, there were terrorists training and leaving Iraq before we got there." WOW! That wasn't in the 9/11 report. He also said we "liberated" the Iraqi people because Saddam used chemical weapons on his own people and neighbors. We remember Secretary...you were there in support of Saddam.

And meet the new Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff, Admiral Ed Giambastian1, from the NAVY! So, we are stuck in a ground war and the Joint Chief of Staff is from the Air Force and the Vice Chairman is from the Navy! I guess the Army and Marines' Generals are too close to the war and would advise reasonable actions the administration would rather not take into consideration...like adding more troops. No wonder more troops aren't being requested, their asking the wrong Generals!

What do Flyboys and Sailors know about grunt work? I guess Saddam was not only the biggest producer of terrorist in the world, he also had a powerful Air Force and Navy. LOL! Somebody get the clown makeup, Donald is joining the circus!

Ride'n the WingNut Bandwagon

Give me Theocracy, or give me death!

That seems to be the Sunnis' battle cry. Aljazeera reported today that Shia negotiator Jawad al-Maliki said they and the Kurds had an agreement on the constitution but "There is still one point left and the meeting now is about it: It is the Sunni Arab brothers and their stance towards federalism." But we already knew that.

Then Reuters reported that Kurds had complained that U.S. diplomats, who have insisted that women and minorities should enjoy equal rights, had conceded ground to the Islamists in order to meet Monday's deadline for passing a draft constitution in the legislature. We already knew that too.

Now MSNBC is reporting that they are giving themselves 3 more days to hash it out. Al-Mutlaq told The Associated Press "There is still no agreement and if they want to hand the draft today they will be violating the law."

Iraqi law sure is confusing, I think they just make it up as they go along.(snark)

Camp Casey...Korean style?

Bush sent a BIG WINGNUT to counter Cindy Sheehan's Crawford Offensive.

General Richard B. Myers, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Armed Forces, went to Camp Casey...no, not that Camp Casey, the one in South Korea. He wanted to give his 'assessment of troop morale around the world.' And Leeann Tweeden, Gale Sayers, Jeff Ross and Colin Quinn were just the studs to do it.

You see, Soldier myth has it that the area was a "No Smile" zone because the division's mission- to deter North Korean aggression - was such serious business...

Well something has to be done about this! We cant have troop morale in Korea getting down! We need the big kahuna General Richard B. Myers to straiten this out...so in comes Leeann Tweeden, Gale Sayers, Jeff Ross and Colin Quinn.

The article says the "tour" visited Iraq too...although most of the soldiers would have loved to have seen Leeann Tweeden's fine ass, not many soldiers did. They were busy. But many in Korea did. They have that 'no smile zone' and all.

Isn't it funny that of all places in Korea to hold this event they went to Camp Casey? How many jokes were about Cindy? According to the article, after the show...'they were still laughing about some of the lines.' No doubt about Cindy.

Look, this war is a mess and there is no way to put a petty face on it. Bashing Cindy wont do it that's for sure. Maj. Gen. George Higgins says about the tour... "This proves there's no such thing as the No Smile Line, don't you think."

No General...it proves nothing.

Sunday's Reading: EZEKIEL 32.3-8

3 Thus say the lord:
In an assembly of many peoples
I will through my net over you;
And I will haul you up in my
dragnet.

4 I will throw you on the ground,
on the open field I will fling
you,
and will cause all the birds of the
air to settle on you,
and I will let the wild animals
of the whole earth gorge
themselves with you.

5 I will stew your flesh on the
mountains,
and fill the valleys with your
carcass.

6 I will drench the land with your
flowing blood
up to the mountains,
and the watercourses will be
filled with you.

7 When I blot you out, I will cover
the heavens,
and make their stars dark;
I will cover the sun with a cloud,
and the moon shall not give it's
light.

8 All the shinning lights of the
heavens
I will darken above you,
and put darkness on you land,
says the Lord God.

Hail Bush!

Bush caves on Iraq's Constitution

Isn't it funny that the Iraqis have a deadline to complete their constitution? Like it's a mid term paper and it counts for 50% of their grade. Bush wants it on his desk by Monday dammit! Well, it seems, to meet that deadline Bush will let them forgo Federalism and replace it with Theocracy. An unnamed Kurdish politician had this to say...

"We understand the Americans have sided with the Shi'ites," he said. "It's shocking. It doesn't fit American values. They have spent so much blood and money here, only to back the creation of an Islamist state ... I can't believe that's what the Americans really want or what the American people want."

Sunni Arab negotiator Saleh al-Mutlak says "We reject federalism," and Bush says, OK...ahh... a theocracy will be fine. The Sunnis are elated, the Kurds' jaws are dropped, and it's unclear what concessions the Shi'ites have made.

Nevertheless, a deal seems to have been struck which would mean parliament could pass no legislation that "contradicted Islamic principles." Lord have mercy.

Democrats cleaning up after Republicans...

Bush Negotiates with Terrorists in Algeria

President Bush sent Senator Richard Lugar to Algeria with hopes of facilitating the release of 404 Moroccan prisoners being held by the Polisario insurgency/Algerian government. The article does not say what the give and take was but Lugar succeeded, All 404 prisoners are being sent back to Morocco. These are the same insurgents that chased Spain out of the Western Sahara in 1976 and are to this day fighting for sovereignty over the resource rich Western Sahara.

But Bush does not negotiate with terrorist, right? The hell he doesn't, but who cares. Bush brought a flicker of peace to Africa without violence and 404 prisoners are free because of it. Lets hope there is not some devious motive behind all this, like more exploitation of Africa's recourses.

It must be a full moon…I'm giving Bush kudos.

Band of the Week: Captain Bringdown and the BuzzKillers

I just got back from the beach sooooo...I think I'll have a little RASTA with my ROCK this week. These Rastainian jokers are from Elgin TX, and will be bringing their Punkness Jamaican style to The Redrum Club Sept 4th in Austin. Captain Bringdown and the BuzzKillers
have rolled three very kind EP's with audio and info here. Enjoy Ma'an!

U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel Grabs His Balls

Even if you believe this war was necessary, or justified, because "Saddam was a bad man!" You can't deny this turning point...

Republican Senator Chuck Hagel-(Quick Bio) Served in Vietnam with his brother Tom in 1968. They served side by side as infantry squad leaders with the U.S. Army’s 9th Infantry Division.

Senator Hagel knows war, he's been there, and he says...(link)..."We are seen as occupiers, we are targets. We have got to get out. I don't think we can sustain our current policy, nor do I think we should," WOW, You say, Bush will have his ass for that! Not likely, Bush is weak and always has been, Hagel can do more damage to Bush than Bush can ever do to Hagel. Hagel is real, Bush is fake.

Hagel is running for President, trying to fill George Bush's shoes as the big wig of the Republican party. He hasn't declared yet, but he will give a run at the Republican nomination. I dare Karl Rove to try and pull that Swift Boat Vets for Truth shit he pulled on Kerry...But then again, he did it to John McCain...


Anyway, the point is that Chuck Hagel is a real Infantry Vet. He's nothing close to a ChickenHawk. He's a Republican Senator who can no longer tow the party line. He gave Bush a chance and Bush blew it. It is time for the adults to take over.

Obituary: Texas Rangers

Killed by Pitching, or lack there of. With 41 games left the Rangers are 10 games back in the wildcard hunt and 12 games behind the division leading Angels. Unless there is a total meltdown in the rest of the division, the Rangers can chalk up another disappointing season. New chant...Go Red Sox!

A Little Good News from Iraq

The State Department reports on some good news from Iraq here. An obvious counter to the reports of casualties, kidnappings and explosions we hear on a daily basis, but welcomed nonetheless. Here's the gist of the article...

1. Contracts have been awarded for the renovation of Forty-three schools in the northern and southern provinces.

2. 1,000 children have received medical screenings since the middle of July.

3. An International Press Center was turned over to Iraq's Communications Directorate, completely furnished, with office resources such as computers, copiers etc.

4. A Water Distribution project finished in Baghdad that will furnish fresh water for at least 2,000 families.

5. Renovations on the Najaf Maternity Hospital will be finished by December 25.

Unfortunately these good reports are rare. The reconstruction is ongoing but the progress is slow, mostly because of security. At least one third of the money that's delegated for these projects will go towards providing security for the workers. We just don't have enough troops to do it so it's outsourced. It's my dream that soon we will get less and less bad news and more news of the reconstruction in Iraq. This would be a clear sign that security in Iraq is getting better...but I am a dreamer.

Vacation Bliss

Well, my vacation, unfortunately, is over. There is nothing like a few days at the beach to clear your head. No television, no newspapers, no computers, just the sweet ocean breeze and the sound of children laughing with the waves. No Iraq, no Bush...just blissful ignorance! It's good to see Bush's five week vacation is still in turmoil. After shotgun blasts and Iraq war supporters destroying memorials for the Iraq war dead, Camp Casey gets off the side of the road and relocates one mile from Bush's Crawford ranch, you know, to remind him that people are still dieing in Iraq! GET BACK TO WORK! And what's up with gas prices? Sigh...

Band of the Week: OKLAHOMOS

These degenerates are from Austin TX and very PUNK !!! Actually they are more of a punk-metal band with a southern twist, but they most defiantly ROCK. They are rude, very crude, and could give a fuck if you care... ya, you'll love 'em. Featuring Honky Kong Loonzilla on vocals, Jefe Malaka on guitar, Sassy Pantz on drums and Bi-Curious George on bass. Show the band some love at http://www.myspace.com/oklahomos and hear classics like "We're Older and Fatter Than You," "Speed Reverend," "Fear the Mullet," and their hit single "Didn't Really Mean to Hit You." Or even better, see the band live TONIGHT Aug 12th, in Austin TX at HeadHunters( 720 Red River). OY!OY!OY!

C-SPAN...I love you THIS much!

It is early Saturday morning, and there is no need to channel serf. Before the coffee is brewed and before the kiddos commandeer the television into cartoon lunacy, C-SPAN starts off my weekend. Being a political junkie, Washington Journal is an outstanding fix. C-SPAN is just the dose of reality I need.

First, for anyone who loves politics as I do, C-SPAN is a priceless resource. We all can't live in Washington bouncing from debate to debate all day. Without C-SPAN most of us would miss Senator Kennedy's passion and Senators Frisk's and Reid's mental tug-a-wars. Congressional hearings, press conferences, you get to see what will be in the papers. Even during those long recesses we have Washington journal to hold us over.

Washington journal is the best talk show in the business. They have the most diverse guest with a larger variety of topics than the network talk shows. The unscreened comments gives a pure view of public opinion . Nowhere else can you get such raw reality.

Speaking of reality, television claims to have a lot of it, but only C-SPAN truly delivers. Why watch a show where people pretend to be real when you can watch live debates that will determine the law of the land? In a country full of fake TV, C-SPAN "keeps it real."

Non stop politics and Washington Journal…pure reality. I love you C-SPAN, I really, really love you.(and no I'm not just saying that because I entered this essay in C-SPAN's contest)

Clean Your Plate

How many more of you were told as a child..."clean your plate kiddo, there are starving people in Africa so don't waste your food." Well it's more true today than ever. There are somewhere around 202 million malnourished people in Africa. Thirteen counties in Africa have over 35% of their population malnourished. 70% of the populations in Somalia, Eritrea, and the Democratic Republic of Congo go hungry everyday. Natasha Kofoworola Quist, West Africa's regional director for Oxfam(a British aid agency), blames donor bias...

"Sadly, rich countries give aid on the basis of news headlines and
political priorities instead of need. Millions of people across
West Africa are now paying the price of this bias."

Drought, floods and anarchy are the main reasons for the food shortages. A dry spell from February through March could not have come at a worse time, as this is a critical time for crop development in Africa. The crops that did grow were devastated by swarms of desert locusts leaving very little to harvest. Then in April floods put the horn of Africa knee deep in mud.

Now add anarchy brought on by internal conflicts and you've got a real mess in Africa. 13 million people are displaced in Africa due to power struggles, mostly over rich natural resources. Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Somalia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Rwandan, and the Congo all have been embroiled with violence recently. In fact Africa has more displaced citizens than all the other continents combined.

So what's the solution? More aid? The United States will send $1.1 billion in 2005. 1.1 billion divided by 202 million equals five dollars and forty four cents for every malnourished person in Africa. That buys enough food for maybe a week, and that's if all the money gets to where it needs to go. Although other countries do contribute, America by far sends the most money to impoverished nations, but per capita we rank 20th, only $23.33 per person. Luxembourg for instance sends $313.71 per person. France sends $89.02 per person, we can at least beat that. All the money in the world won't help if we don't turn it into food and get it to the people who need it. This won't happen without security. There are not enough UN troops in Africa, and in February we learned some of the troops that are there are despicable deviants. Security has to be a higher priority in Africa.

OK, it is defiantly hard to relate with African turmoil when their is less than 2% of Americans starving. But we can be informed and we can stop throwing food in the trash. Wasting food is wrong. We all know this, but we all do it. There are people starving in Africa...so CLEAN YOUR PLATE!

Stewart kisses the bricks at Indy

I'm not a big Tony Stewart fan as it is, but now, with all his fence climbing and over the top antics, I'm just about ready put him in that "goofy pansy" category I put Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson in. At least he did not tongue the bricks like Jeff Gordon did. Anyway, it looks like Dale Earnhardt Jr's chances are bleak, and Kevin Harvick is falling back...I don't know who the hell I'm going to root for in the final 10 races.

In Crawford, when it rains...it pores!

Don’t you hate bad vacations? No relaxation, no fun, just problem after inescapable problem. President Bush is having one of those bad vacations. Only 8 days into his holiday in Crawford, there have been 34 US deaths in Iraq. Newsweek is reporting that "in a forthcoming book, the CIA field commander for the agency's Jawbreaker team at Tora Bora, Gary Berntsen, says he and other U.S. commanders did know that bin Laden was among the hundreds of fleeing Qaeda and Taliban members." Isn't that what John Kerry said? And now Cindy Sheehan, whose son Casey was killed in Iraq, is camped out near Bush's ranch and plans to stay for his entire vacation. She wants him to answer questions like "Why did you kill my son?" And "What did my son die for?" Funny how hard it is to run away from your problems, especially when your PRESIDENT!

Sunday's Reading

Proverbs 15:22

"Without counsel, plans go wrong, but with many advisers they succeed."

How low can ya go? PART 2: Bush on the videotaped message from Ayman al-Zawahiri

Same 'ol same 'ol

Last we checked BushCo. had an approval rating of 44%. Now add one week and knock of two more percentage points... 42% approval...should wingnuts worry? Not as much as Americans in general should. We are at war. Does anyone disagree? Bush is clearing brush 'n such, but he's also saying stupid shit like this...

"Zawahiri has made it clear that Iraq is part of the war on terror and we're at war."

Zawahiri would be in Afghanistan if we were going after OSAMA BIN LADEN!

"We are defeating the terrorists in a place like Iraq so we don't have to face them here at home..."

An oldie but a not so goody. What was wrong with defeating the terrorists in Afghanistan?

"They're terrorists and they're killers and they will kill innocent people … so they can impose their dark vision on the world."

You can't fight one dark vision with another now can you?

Look, these tapes came out exactly four weeks after the attacks in London; what are they conveying by this? Does the CIA see the relevance? Bush is on vacation...WHAT THE FUCK! Please don't go any lower Bush, for America's sake.

Band of the Week: TOTEM

These ballsy gents reside in the Dallas area, and with all the pussy ass bubble gum rock coming out these days, a needed addition to the Texas music scene! Featuring Darren on vocals, Christian on drums, Dave on guitar and Joey on bass. Trust me, these guys don't drink green tea or eat tofu...they ROCK! See TOTEM live Saturday, August 6th at the Dreamworld Music Complex in Arlington. SLUGGFEST VII baby! $10 Cover, 23 BANDS! No pussies allowed! Have a listen to Hollow and show the band some love at www.totemband.com.

Media Matters we love you! (Audio Clip)

Rush Limbaugh is a ChickenHawk by definition...

Chickenhawk n. A person enthusiastic about war, provided someone else fights it; particularly when that enthusiasm is undimmed by personal experience with war; most emphatically when that lack of experience came in spite of ample opportunity in that person’s youth.

Rush skipped Vietnam, his excuse, a pilonidal cyst...or in lemans terms, an oozing pus-filled hairy sore that grows in the crack of your ass. Some guys lose limbs and still fight. Not Rush, he'll evan criticizes guys who do fight if they're not as greedy as him.

How to Tell If Someone is Lying to You.

#5. Talking fast. A liar wants to get it over with. From Media Matters: "Robert D. Novak stormed off CNN's set after using vulgar language during a live discussion with CNN contributor James Carville" Oh ya...here's the video.

Denny, you've been a bad, bad, boy.

Raw Story has the scoop. Vanity Fair’s September edition will report that Dennis Hastert, Republican congressman from Illinois and Speaker of the House since 1999, seems to be down with the Turks. Sibel Edmonds, an FBI translator, heard some interesting things. Raw Story writes, She reported hearing Turkish wiretap targets boast that they had a covert relationship with a very senior Republican indeed—Dennis Hastert. The one quote from the article that really stands out... "Some of the calls reportedly contained what sounded like references to large scale drug shipments and other crimes."Here is another snippet...

"Edmonds reportedly added that the recordings contained repeated references to Hastert’s flip-flop in the fall of 2000," Rose pens, "over an issue which remains of intense concern to the Turkish government—the continuing campaign to have Congress designate the killings of Armenians between 1915 and 1923 a genocide. For many years, attempts had been made to get the House to pass a genocide resolution, but they never got anywhere until August 2000, when Hastert, as Speaker, announced that he would give it his backing and see that it received a full House vote…Thanks to Hastert, the resolution, vehemently opposed by the Turks, passed… Then on October 19, minutes before the full House vote, Hastert withdrew it. He attributed it to a letter from President Clinton.

...Very tricky Denny boy. Very, very tricky.

Ohio, my strongest condolences.

(D) Paul Hackett Ohio district 2, the first Iraq war veteran to run for office, lost his bid for congress yesterday. In a week where 21 marines from a reserve unit in Brook Park Ohio died, big tough republican district 2 in Ohio elects Jean Schmidt, a ChickenHawk bitch who cares of nothing but money. Granted, Brook park is in district 12, but it is a hop skip and a jump from district 2. In a time of war, Instead of electing someone with actual war experience, Ohio's district 2 elects a female wingnut!

UPDATE: one of those marines who died this week was Lance Cpl. Roger D. Castleberry Jr., 26, of Austin, Texas. I hate it when this war hits too close to home. Condolences to the Castleberry family.

More Vacation for POTUS!

Well it's August, so that "BACK IN 1 MONTH" sign is hanging on the Oval Office door again. I did a quick google search and found that "W" has taken over 300 vacation days since he took office. By the end of this year he will most likely pass the 1 year mark, 1 YEAR! So out of 5 years in office he will get an entire year off! Clinton only took 152 days off his entire 8 years as president. Carter took only 79 days off. Of course we do know that at least one of his vacations was interrupted, as reported in the 9/11 Commission Report, by that CIA briefing warning that Osama bin Laden was determined to attack the United States. We are at WAR dip shit! Get back to work!

Howard Stern buries Rush Limbaugh

The audio is over at Crooks and Liars.

Rafael Palmeiro...can you say...

...gastric, oh shit, I mean, asterisk*?.

You want the good news or the bad?

The good new, the Angels lost. The bad news, so did the Rangers.

P.S. I wish the yankees and the Angels could have both lost.( little "y" on yankee intentional)

JUST RELEASED WINGNUT MEMO

The chant "FOUR MORE YEARS! FOUR MORE YEARS!" has been replaced with "DEFENSE! DEFENSE! DEFENSE!" All I can do is LOL!

Big Bad Bolton Gets Recess Appointment

Bush just doesn't "know when to hold 'em....know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run..." How long before Bolton loses it on some weak kneed ambassador and starts another war? Iran maybe?

Ware and Spears missed the first day of training camp practices...

But they wont miss another! Not only will Ware and Spears be immediate contributors to the disappointing defense the Cowboys trotted out last year, they will get 'em back to the to top of the league's defenses. Mark my words.