Diary: LIKE THE MAFIA , ONLY DUMBER

DIANE'S NEWS CLIPS begins here :)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> IF LINK DOESN'T WORK, THEN PASTE ARTICLE LINK(S) INTO YOUR BROWSER -- OR GO DIRECTLY TO >> http://www.truthout.org William Rivers Pitt | Like the Mafia, Only Dumber http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806J.shtml "The news media is all abuzz about Republican scandals, from Foley to Abramoff, but simply hearing about it from the television does not do the situation justice ..." writes William Rivers Pitt. "The Republican criminal enterprise that is currently unraveling in all directions, on the other hand, operated virtually free from restraint or scrutiny." ----- Report Spells Out Abuses by Former Congressman http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806L.shtml Former congressman Randy Cunningham pressured and intimidated staff members of the House Intelligence Committee to help steer more than $70 million in classified federal business to favored military contractors. ----- Is War With Iran Inevitable? http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806Q.shtml On Wednesday, October 11, Congressman Dennis Kucinich hosted a briefing on the march to war with Iran. Former chief nuclear weapons inspector David Kay testified that Iran currently does not pose an imminent threat to the United States or the region. Retired Air Force Colonel Sam Gardner, who was assigned to the War Planning College, presented his analysis of current preparations for war with Iran. ----- Stan Goff | Reflecting on Rumsfeld http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806B.shtml Stan Goff writes: "... the jig is up. So here is a simple reminder. This war is wanton cruelty in our name; there is no rationalization that can mitigate or excuse it; 'we' will not win it and somehow transmogrify a swine into a swan ... and it is not over." ----- Robert Parry | Shame on Us All http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806K.shtml ----- The New York Times | The Odor From Capital Hill http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806O.shtml ----- FOCUS | Ten Americans Killed in Iraq, Over Sixty This Month Alone http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/101806Z.shtml ----- Baker: Iraq a Helluva Mess http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806M.shtml ----- Troops Will Be in Afghanistan for Next 20 Years, Says Commander http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806N.shtml The commander of the British forces said that his troops were having to make up for the time lost by the decision of the US and UK to invade Iraq instead of concentrating on post-Taliban Afghanistan. ----- Elections May Leave Bush an Early Lame Duck http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806A.shtml ----- Bush Signs Bill on Terror Prosecution http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806C.shtml In response to Bush's signing of the Military Commissions Act on Tuesday, Senator Russ Feingold stated: "We will look back on this day as a stain on our nation's history. It allows the government to seize individuals on American soil and detain them indefinitely with no opportunity to challenge their detention in court, and the new law would permit an individual to be convicted on the basis of coerced testimony and even allow someone convicted under these rules to be put to death." ----- Robert Scheer | The Killing Fields of Iraq http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806D.shtml Robert Scheer begins: "Martin Luther King Jr., shortly before his assassination, grieved that his own nation was 'the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today.' He was referring to the US quagmire in Vietnam, but were he alive today, his prophetic voice would no doubt similarly question the bloodbath in Iraq." ----- Bush Sets Defense as Space Priority http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806E.shtml President Bush has signed a new National Space Policy that rejects future arms-control agreements that might limit US flexibility in space and asserts a right to deny access to space to anyone "hostile to US interests." ----- Bush's Former Elections Chair: E-Voting Ripe for Fraud http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806F.shtml Soaries was appointed by George W. Bush as the first chair of the commission created by the federal Help America Vote Act in the wake of the 2000 presidential election debacle. In the interview, available for the first time, Soaries excoriates both Congress and the White House, referring to their dedication to reforming American election issues as "a charade" and "a travesty," and says the system now in place is "ripe for stealing elections and for fraud." ----- Questions on Rep. Kolbe and Pages Referred to Ethics Panel http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806G.shtml ----- Defenders of Civil Liberties Attack George W. Bush http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/101806H.shtml ----- Ex-Commander Talks at Abu Ghraib Hearing http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806S.shtml ----- Clinton Urges Dems to Question Criticism http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/101806T.shtml Former president Bill Clinton bemoaned ideologues who describe opponents as "running for office on his or her way to hell," and urged Democrats not to shy away from fighting back. [snip] ----- How Close Is Runaway Climate Change? http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/101806EC.shtml The phrase "tipping point" is heard a lot more from scientists these days. This is where a small amount of warming sets off unstoppable changes, for example, the melting of the ice caps. As with a lot of climate science, what used to be theory is now being seen in practice on the ground. New information makes clear that reaching the tipping point is a much more immediate threat than previously thought. ----- Imagine Earth Without People http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/101806EA.shtml Imagine that all the people on Earth - all 6.5 billion of us and counting - could be spirited away tomorrow, transported to a re-education camp in a far-off galaxy. Left once more to its own devices, nature would begin to reclaim the planet, as fields and pastures reverted to prairies and forest, the air and water cleansed themselves of pollutants, and roads and cities crumbled back to dust. _________________________________ NOTE from Diane: Dictatorship? You bet. We're there, in Dick Cheney speak, "big time." Anyway, here's all you need to know about FOX NEWS, thanks to Ron Corvus, a view of America's Orwellian future. (Still waiting for info.on Fox's FCC classification: entertainment organization or news organization? Which is it? Anyone ...?] Speakers up: .ron corvuswire@comcast.net Part One: http://www.corvusworld.com/foxnews1.wmv Part Two: http://www.corvusworld.com/foxnews2.wmv MORE FOXNEWS Whistleblowers : Part One: http://www.corvusworld.com/morefoxnews1.wmv Part Two: http://www.corvusworld.com/morefoxnews2.wmv ----- PROOF U.S. USED ILLEGAL WEAPONS ON IRAQIS (Warning, graphic ) VIDEO: DSL/BROADBAND > http://www.corvusworld.com/phosphorus.wmv VIDEO: DIAL-UP > http://www.corvusworld.com/phosphorusdialup.wmv The US used chemical weapons in Iraq - and then lied about it http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1642831,00.html ----- Surge in Iraqi resistance because of US support for Israel Check out the BBC article by John Simpson. It mentions that the US went into Falluja after the four US contractors were killed outside Falluja and why the contractors were killed outside of Falluja. BECAUSE of US support for Israel. Israel had blasted the spiritual leader of Hamas, (Sheik Yassin,) which was the catalyst for the Iraqis from Falluja to do what they did to the four US contractors outside Falluja. They had a picture of Yassin in the back window of their truck and had mentioned that the killing of the four Americans was a 'gift to their brothers in Palestine' ( Of course they knew that the Israelis had used American provided weaponry to blast Sheik Yassin in his wheelchair). The pro-Israel biased US press/media didn't report this, of course! Here is the mention of such: http://www.itszone.co.uk/zone0/viewtopic.php?t=14282 ----- The Truth - George Carlin Style > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXDAYYrr20I _________________________________ Excerpts from: http://newsdissector@DIAKTOROS.globalvision.org I never know where I am going to end up on any one day. Yesterday, a friend at CBS invited me over to catch up. While I was there I a picked up a copy of CBS UPDATE, the internal weekly newsletter for the CBS Corporation (formerly owned by Viacom, CBS, Westinghouse, Loew's Corp, the Columbia Broadcasting Company,who have I missed?) The headline was about a new strategic deal to "leverage the value (not the values) of CBS Corporation Content" on You Tube. The newsletter reports that the ratings of Katie Couric's Evening News are up. Inside the offices, producers were passing around stats which show that Couric has fallen to #3 in many major markets. Not a good sign or grounds for high morale. I learned that a number of employees have left to join the deposed Dan Rather on the new newscast he is preparing for Mark Cuban's emerging HD NET. Broadcasting & Cable's Max Robins reports that the new CBS news operation has backed away from the hard news approach taken by news veteran Bob Schieffer and is much softer, citing a story on rescuing pets in Baghdad. [snip] ................snip..................... SPACE IS THE "OUR" PLACE-AND BUSH ASSERTS CONTROL http://letters.washingtonpost.com "VICTORY AT HAND?" Yesterday, I reported that Saddam Hussein issued a letter saying that "liberation is at hand." But according to Chris Floyd, President Bush has his own twist on the phrase. To the White House, "victory is at hand." Duh? But Why? "Why Bush Smiles: Victory is at Hand in Iraq "Yes, victory. You wonder why Bush and his minions maintain the seemingly irrational belief that "things are going well" in Iraq, that "we're making progress," etc.? That's because things are going well in the war they are fighting: the war for money and power. http://www.informationclearinghouse.info PBS: SANITIZING WHILE CRITICIZING I watched the FRONTLINE analysis of Iraq last night. Once again, it was virtually all former government officials and mainstream journalists. Where was Juan Cole? Where were any Iraqis? Where was the analysis of who "Jerry" Bremer and his ideological orientation. Where were the revelations made by Greg Palast about Jay Garner's sabotaged economic plans? Where was Cheney? Where was Halliburton? Where was Chelabi and all the profiteering? Where were former Iraqi officials? Where were people from other countries or the UN with an outsider view? Sorry, it was an official counter narrative to the official narrative-but hardly the full story told as a series of screwups in a tone largely supportive of the a screwed-up mission. NY TIMES HEADLINE TODAY (10.18): "Iraq Removes Leaders of Special Police" Translation-the cops we "trained" are committing some of the worst crimes. Media: Their Need NOT To Know PENTAGON "COOPERATION" WITH THE MEDIA http://www.newsdissector.com/blog/2006/10/18/media-the-need-not-to-know/ NEW MEDIA CONCENTRATION STUDY .....................snip....................... For more information about the Federal Communications Commission's consideration of new media ownership rules, please go to: http://www.media-democracy.net http://www.media-democracy.net ON THE POLITICAL IMPACT OF YOUTUBE click here ----- http://www.newsdissector.com/blog/2006/10/18/iraq-goes-from-bad-to-worse/ _________________________________ Submitted by: http://xmjmac@optonline.net THE COURTS ARE STARTING TO ACCEPT THAT THE WAR AGAINST IRAQ IS A CRIME In Britain and Ireland, protesters who have deliberately damaged military equipment are walking from the dock George Monbiot | Tuesday October 17, 2006 | The Guardian >> http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1924178,00.html _________________________________ Submitted by: http://eddiestinson@gmail.com : A 5-minute video ya just gotta see -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqLvBUSJucg _________________________________ NEW IN GRIST | THE SWEET LOWDOWN | Umbra on chocolate It's almost time for trick-or-treating, and do you know what those little goblins will get in their goody bags? Probably a sweet treat made possible by impoverished farmers and forced child labor in Africa. Advice maven Umbra Fisk unwraps the dark truths behind the world's cocoa trade, and offers a semi-sweet solution for the fair-minded. http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2006/10/16/chocolate/index.html?source=weekly _________________________________ Kashi Company launched of Kashi Vive Probiotic Digestive Wellness Cereal, the only shelf-stable probiotic food on the market. The cereal is specially formulated to balance, purify and strengthen the digestive system. Full Story >> http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060801/20060801005305.html?.v=1 _________________________________ http://www.thirdreich.net/ | http://gadflyer.com/flytrap/ | http://rawstory.com/ _________________________________ ~~~~~ PHIGHT PHISHING Phishing is one of the biggest threats facing computer users today. And the threat continues to grow. It used to be easy to spot phishing e-mail. They targeted big institutions. Plus, the messages were notable for their bad grammar and poor spelling. But phishers are getting better. So you may need a little help determining if an e-mail is legitimate. That's where PhishTank comes in. Once you register, you can post suspected phishing messages. Other members vote on them, and you track the results. Or, you can cast your vote on other suspected phishes. You might be wondering what happens with all this data. Well, you can enter a Web address on the site to see how others rate. The data will also be used in other ways to help people avoid phishing attacks. TO VISIT TODAY'S COOL SITE, GO HERE: http://www.phishtank.com Be sure to listen to me Monday through Friday. Use to find me near you http://www.komando.com/listen/index.aspx _________________________________ eHEALTHY NEWS Antiperspirant Use Can Increase Your Breast Cancer Risk - The aluminum salts found in many antiperspirants can mimic estrogen in your body, which has been shown to increase your chances of getting breast cancer. http://www.mercola.com/2006/mar/30/antiperspirant_use_increases_breast_cancer_risks.htm ----- Never Pay a Cell Phone Termination Fee Ever Again - Want to get out of your cell phone contract early? Here's how. http://www.mercola.com/2006/mar/30/never_pay_a_cell_phone_termination_fee_ever_again.htm _________________________________ VIDEO: Stripped | United Kingdom | 2:00 | Mark Jackson [Some nudity] Watch a smokin' hot babe take it all off. And we mean all of it. In fact, she takes off too much of it. http://www.atomfilms.com/af/content/stripped _________________________________ NationalGeographic.com http://lava.nationalgeographic.com/pod/ _________________________________ NASA Astronomy picture of the day http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html _________________________________ There is nothing in the world more peaceful than apple-leaves with an early moon. ~ Alice Meynell