onsdag, juli 28, 2004

Saudis Take Lead on Muslim Forces for Iraq

What?!?

Yes, let's allow one of the most restrictive middle eastern countries to take the lead position for Muslim forces. Saudi Arabia is just as horrible if not worse than the Taliban regime. Both of which gained much of their power from the US both militarily and economically. I mean I suppose it makes sense considering the Bush family's lust for Saudi oil. I guess its just that I always hold this kind of naive hope that Baby Bush is a descent enough human being to stop with all his fucking bullshit. I hope I don't get shit for this, but in many ways I respect the so-called "terrorists" more than I do infamous leader. Compare the number of US casualties in this new Iraq War with how many civilians we've murdered. US power in the world relies largely upon one simple fact: we have by far the most powerful and destructive military in the history of the world. And what does this get us? Anything. If you don't cooperate with the US (more specifically US corporations), we will bomb the shit out of you. Even if it means sacrificing thousands of our young adults [which ,(un)coincidently, often ends up being poor or any ethnicity other than white]

Shame on us.

måndag, juli 26, 2004

I'm back

Just got back from an extended weekend in LALA land. Or just outside of LALA land to be more precise. Pomona to be exact. Visiting my sister and her family. All that really happened was me watching a shit load of movies. I Robot, Dodgeball, Last Samurai, Catwoman, and bourne Identity (In the order that I like them). I was surprised that I even liked I Robot, but I did, and it was a pretty good movie to boot. In addition to all the movies that I watched, most with my boy although he opted out of I Robot and Dodgeball, we also went to Venice Beach. It was here that my boy bought the replacement for Swirly, his first pipe. Which he had to replace since I accidentally smashed Swirly against the concrete floor of my sister's garage while we were smoking before Catwoman. The replacement, which I like better than Swirly, we got at a steal, so that was cool. We also got some incense and a new incense burner, which my boy was excited about. We decided to drive back Saturday night after the drive-in, and although my boy said he was cool with driving, I had to take over after almost two hours and drove the rest of the way. We got in a little before 7am, which isn't making bad time, since we left around 1:30am. Anyhow, I needs to look for a job now. Hope everyone else had a great weekend.

torsdag, juli 22, 2004

Now a break from the Iraq war

Oh, how AI has such great things to say about the good ole USA.


In July, Joseph Amrine was released after more than 16 years on Missouri's death row for the murder of a fellow prisoner. He had been convicted on the basis of testimony from other inmates which was later retracted. Joseph Amrine became the 111th person to be released from death row in the USA since 1973 on the grounds of innocence. The 112th such case occurred in December, when a Pennsylvania prosecutor announced that he would not retry Nicholas Yarris who had been on the state's death row for two decades. A federal judge had ordered a new trial after DNA testing supported Nicholas Yarris' claim of innocence.

Here's some from AI's report on Columbia

In Colombia as a whole, grave violations of human rights and breaches of international humanitarian law by all parties to the long-running internal armed conflict – the armed forces, armybacked paramilitaries and armed opposition groups – remained widespread. In 2003, more than 3,000 civilians were killed for political motives and at least 600 "disappeared". Around 2,200 people were kidnapped, more than half by armed opposition groups and army-backed paramilitaries. The civilian population continued to bear the brunt of the armed conflict. The government and security forces stepped up their campaign to undermine the legitimacy of human rights defenders, peace activists and trade unionists.

And who could be funding the government in their campaigns?

International Criminal Court On 6 October, the US government released US$5 million in military aid to Colombia after the Colombian government entered into an impunity agreement not to surrender US nationals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes to the International Criminal Court. Such agreements are in breach of states' obligations under international law. Military aid In the fiscal year 2003 the USA sent an estimated US$605 million in military and police assistance to Colombia. Most of the aid was earmarked for "counter-terrorism" and "international narcotics control" purposes. The requirement that the US State Department certify progress on human rights was retained. However, this applied to only 25 per cent of US assistance, down from 100 per cent in 2002.

Amnesty International's 2004 Report on Iraq : Excerpts

Human rights concerns during the war

Hundreds of civilians were killed during the war by US and UK forces. Some were victims of cluster bombs, others were killed in disputed circumstances. Unexploded bomblets from cluster bombs posed a threat to civilians, particularly children.
  • On 31 March US soldiers opened fire on an unidentified vehicle as it approached a US checkpoint near al-Najaf. Ten of the 15 passengers, including five children, were killed.
  • On 1 April at least 33 civilians, including many children, were reportedly killed and around 300 injured in US attacks allegedly involving cluster bombs on the town of al-Hilla, southeast of Baghdad.
Human Rights Abuse After the War

Excessive use of force
Scores of civilians were killed apparently as a result of excessive use of force by US troops or were shot dead in disputed circumstances.
  • US troops shot dead or injured scores of Iraqi demonstrators in several incidents. For example, seven people were reportedly shot dead and dozens injured in Mosul on 15 April; at least 15 people were shot dead, including children, and more than 70 injured in Fallujah on 29 April; and two demonstrators were shot dead outside the Republican Palace in Baghdad on 18 June.
  • On 14 May, two US armed vehicles broke through the perimeter wall of the home of Sa'adi Suleiman Ibrahim al-'Ubaydi in Ramadi. Soldiers beat him with rifle butts and then shot him dead as he tried to flee.
  • US forces shot 12-year-old Mohammad al-Kubaisi as they carried out search operations around his house in the Hay al-Jihad area in Baghdad on 26 June. He was carrying the family bedding to the roof of his house when he was shot. Neighbours tried to rush him by car to the nearby hospital, but US soldiers stopped them and ordered them to go back. By the time they reached his home, Mohammad al-Kubaisi was dead. CPA officials told AI delegates in July that Mohammad al-Kubaisi was carrying a gun when he was killed.
  • On 17 September a 14-year-old boy was killed and six people were injured when US troops opened fire at a wedding party in Fallujah. The soldiers reportedly believed they were under attack when shots were fired in the air in celebration.
  • On 23 September, three farmers, 'Ali Khalaf, Sa'adi Faqri and Salem Khalil, were killed and three others injured when US troops opened a barrage of gunfire reportedly lasting for at least an hour in the village of al-Jisr near Fallujah. A US military official stated that the troops came under attack but this was vehemently denied by relatives of the dead. Later that day, US military officials reportedly went to the farmhouse, took photographs and apologized to the family.
Incommunicado detention
People held in prisons and detention centres run by Coalition forces – such as Camp Cropper in Baghdad International Airport (which closed in October), Abu Ghraib Prison and the detention centres in Habbaniya Airport and Um Qasr – were invariably denied access to family or lawyers and any form of judicial review of their detention. Some were held for weeks or months; others appeared to be held indefinitely.

Torture or ill-treatment
Torture or other ill-treatment by Coalition forces was frequently reported. Detainees suffered extreme heat while housed in tents and were supplied with insufficient water, inadequate washing facilities, open trenches for toilets, no change of clothes, and no books, newspapers, radios or writing materials. Detainees were routinely subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment during arrest and the first 24 hours of detention. Plastic handcuffs used by US troops caused detainees unnecessary pain. Former detainees stated they were forced to lie face down on the ground, were held handcuffed, hooded or blindfolded, and were not given water or food or allowed to go to the toilet. Allegations of torture and ill-treatment by US and UK troops during interrogation were received. Methods reported included prolonged sleep deprivation; prolonged restraint in painful positions, sometimes combined with exposure to loud music; prolonged hooding; and exposure to bright lights. There were frequent reports of abuses by US forces during house searches, including allegations of looting and wanton destruction of property. Virtually none of the allegations of torture or ill-treatment was adequately investigated.
  • Abdallah Khudhran al-Shamran, a Saudi Arabian national, was arrested in al-Rutba in early April by US and allied Iraqi forces while traveling from Syria to Baghdad. On reaching an unknown site, he said he was beaten, given electric shocks, suspended by his legs, had his penis tied and was subjected to sleep deprivation. He was held there for four days before being transferred to a camp hospital in Um Qasr. He was then interrogated and released without money or passport. He approached a British soldier, whereupon he was taken to another place of detention, then transferred to a military field hospital and again interrogated and tortured. This time torture methods included prolonged exposure in the sun, being locked in a container, and being threatened with execution.
  • Nine Iraqis arrested on 14 September by the British military in Basra were reportedly tortured. The men all worked for a hotel in Basra where weapons were reported to have been found. Baha' al-Maliki, the hotel's receptionist, died in custody three days later; his body was reportedly severely bruised and covered in blood. Kefah Taha was admitted to hospital in critical condition, suffering renal failure and severe bruising.

onsdag, juli 21, 2004

A moment of silence

Its a truly sad day when 900 of our men and women have died in a pointless war. Each one of them deserves a lifetime of silence, but alas, I feel their lives will be forgotten by Bush as soon as the election is over.

What a joke

So, apparently the illegitimate "President", George "Yes, I'm a cokehead" Bush, wants to be a "peace" president. He's been spouting off the words peace and peaceful as if saying them somehow makes it true. It's pathetic. Truly. He's also claiming that the United States is now a safer place then it was before the was with Iraq. That's like saying a drive-by will stop the violence in a gang war. Umm, hello its called retaliation. When most foreign policy makers (whose interests don't lie with Bush & co.) agree that the war with Iraq without a doubt will only lead to the proliferation of WMD and an arms race for all the countries out there who are terrified of this country. Again, I am ashamed to be an American.

tisdag, juli 20, 2004

I wish I wasn't an American

I am pretty ashamed to be an American these days or any day in fact. National pride is a joke. Our policies ,manifest destiny and the Monroe Doctrine to name a few, have led us down a dark and disturbing path. We crush the people's will of foreign countries in the name of money and greed. Panama, Iraq, Columbia, Cuba, Angola, Iran, Lebanon, Brazil, Vietnam, the Philippines, on and on the list goes of countries we have fucked. Royally fucked. None of our Presidents have shown any interest in withdrawing from our quest for world domination. Not Clinton, not JFK. No Republican or Democrat. No one. We are a soul's, evil nation. Overjoyed in our gluttony and greed. What we need is a revolution and a new path.

Operation Oily Residue

All you need is love.    
 
 
 
and food and clean air and clean water and shelter and healthcare and friendship and education and respect and...

måndag, juli 19, 2004

Ok, this weekend...

was pretty damn sweet, I got to hang out with several friends that have been out of reach for the past year.  And, at the same time, we finally found some eateries nearby that I would want to eat at.  And they deliver!  Imagine that.   I kind of like Piedmont, its a very uppitty but quaint area.  Hmmm.. ok, so this is out of nowhere, but I think more and more that I want to move to Boston.   It would be hella tight.  hella

It's Monday

Another work day starts, and yet again I have the compulsion to slap around some of my coworkers.  They don't seem to have the knowledge or ability to work in this position.  I know English isn't our national language, but you should be able to communicate with the people who are calling for information.  They're also computer illiterate, which again, while not everyone needs to know computers, we do. Its vital for our job. VITAL!!!   Grrr.....   Again I just want to slap them around, just a little bit.

söndag, juli 18, 2004

Why?

Ok, so we are currently living in one of the most dangerous periods of times for a homosapien to be alive, and it is pretty unsettling that my biggest worry is finding a new job. Sad really. That our culture is completely ignorant of anything that doesn't directly effects our wallets. Individuals can't override the complete selfishness that our society breeds. Grrr....

söndag, juli 11, 2004

John W. Dean

"George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney have created the most secretive presidency of my lifetime. Their secrecy is far worse than during Watergate, and it bodes even more serious consequences. . . . To say that their secret presidency is undemocratic is an understatement. . . . [T]his administration is truly scary, and, given the times we live in, frighteningly dangerous."

T. D. Allman

"[What] might be called the 'Bush Middle-Finger Foreign Policy' had as its ideological foundation a meld of arrogance and ignorance, but what from the first gave it its uniquely nasty flavor was George W. Bush himself."

Nicholas Von Hoffman

"It is as though America is in a 3000 mile wide terrarium, an immense biosphere which has cut it off from the rest of the world and left it to pick its own way down the path of history. By th time the American army stepped into Iraq, the difference in world views between the United States and everybody else had grown to the size of the hole in the atomosphere over the South pole."

Arianna Huffington

"[W]e are being governed by a gang of out-and-out fanatics. The defining trait of the fanatic — be it a Marxist, a fascist or, gulp, a Wolfowitz — is an utter refusal to allow anything as piddling as evidence to get in the way of an unshakable belief."
(Miramax/Hyperion, p.22)

torsdag, juli 08, 2004

Once again

Once again I was clicking my way through varoius news sites, when i stumbled across an article about Saddam's trial. And it has finally confirmed my suscpicions that the whole thing is a big sham. I've copied the part the kind of upset me the most.




"What the world now expects Saddam to reveal in court ... is hitherto unheard details of how the U.S. perhaps nudged him into invading Iran in 1980 and ... kept his military replenished with weapons and technology that helped him sustain the war for eight years while serving the American goal of destroying Iran's firepower that was deemed a threat to the region and, eventually, [to] Israel." (Jordan Times)

If, though, "every time he's accused of some horrible act," Saddam does "blame the West for being behind most of the dreadful events that took place under his reign," he may well "have a point," wrote noted commentator Neil Mackay in Scotland's Sunday Herald. After all, "Britain and America armed Saddam with weapons of mass destruction during the 1980s, and the U.S. encouraged him to hammer the Iranians. The U.S. hated the revolutionary fundamentalist regime that took control of Tehran in 1979 and [was] determined to do anything to undermine it -- including allowing Saddam ... to unleash chemical weapons against the Iranians."

Indeed, Iran's Mehr News Agency reported, during the 1980-1988 Iraq-Iran war, "the current U.S. defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, [who then served as a special envoy of the Reagan administration,] met with Saddam in Baghdad, assuring him of U.S. backing." A news analyst for Lebanon's Daily Star cited a 2002 Washington Post news story that reported that, at the time, the United States knew Saddam "was using chemical weapons on an 'almost daily' basis in defiance of international conventions." The newspaper also noted that the Reagan administration authorized the sale to Iraq of poisonous chemicals and deadly biological viruses that had military uses. (Washington Post, quoted in the Daily Star)

But why did Washington want to support Saddam in what turned out to be a long, miserable war with little victory to speak of on either side? According to The Daily Star's analysis, "The U.S. [had] removed Iraq from the State Department's terrorism list in 1982, two years after the start of the ... Iran-Iraq war. Washington sought a rapprochement with Saddam after ... Reagan's administration perceived a possible Iranian victory over Iraq as a destabilizing factor in the [Persian] Gulf, which would [have] threaten[ed] U.S. oil supplies."

Now Iran's government is angry that, at his arraignment, Saddam was charged with numerous crimes (BBC), including the gassing of Kurds in northern Iraq in 1988 and invading Kuwait in 1990, but not for starting the war with Iran.

Iran's former president, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, said, "If the Iraqi court refuses to include [Saddam's responsibility for] unleashing ... the war against Iran, it means it is [doing so] on an order from the Americans. Why is the war against Kuwait, which only lasted several months, among the major charges, while the war against Iran, which lasted eight years, is omitted?" (Daily Star)





It is obvious that the Bush administration is just saving its own fucking ass. I mean couldn't they put Rumsfield and Bush Sr. on trial for the whole Iran-Iraq War. Weren't we the ones supplying the weapons and encouraging the whole thing!?!

I am deeply ashamed.

onsdag, juli 07, 2004

What if...?

Kngaroos took over Australia?

Umm.. Is anyone else highly disturbed by this?

Talking Tombstones Bear a Message from the Grave

LONDON (Reuters) - The dead could soon be speaking from the grave if an American inventor's plan becomes reality.
Robert Barrows, of Burlingame, California has filed a patent application for a video-equipped tombstone that will display a video message from grave's occupant.

"If his patent is granted, Barrows hopes that when people make out their will, they also leave a parting video with their lawyer," New Scientist magazine said on Wednesday.

The hollow, talking tombstone will include a flat touch screen and will house a computer with a microchip memory or hard disc. It will be powered by electricity from the cemetery's lighting system.

The plan will not be the first electronically enhanced tombstone. An American company has a patent on a gravestone that will display photographs of the deceased and tributes from friends, according to the magazine.

But the Barrows plan will go one further by including contributions actually from the deceased.

"It's history from the horse's mouth," he said.

Umm... Hello, shouldn't we have been guarding it...

So, I was going through news articles, when one kind of knocked me off my seat. The headline, "U.S. Quietly Sneaks Once-Looted Uranium Out of Iraq," seemed a little shady. I mean come on "quietly sneaks." As I read the article, it became a little more appalling. Apparently, after the first Gulf War, the Iraqis were ordered to dismantle their nuclear program including the Tuwaitha nuclear complex, which had served as the center of their nuclear program. But of nuclear materials remained there, under the seal of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency, until the second Gulf War, when it was left unguarded by the U.S.-led invading forces and looted by Iraqi civilians.

I blinked, that was absurd. Lets leave the material that could be used to make, if not actual nuclear weapons, "dirty" bombs. Ever heard of a clean or tidy bomb?

They left unguarded 1.8 tons of uranium!

Once this startling lapse of anything remotely close to intelligence, our brilliant leaders decide maybe its a good idea to do something about it. And so they removed the uranium to an undisclosed location minus 90 lbs. Hmm... I wonder who has it, so called terrorists or ,more probably, local youngsters.

What's the next step to fucking up an invasion of "freedom"?

AAAAAHHH!!!!

How scary that one of the links on the top of my blog is for the RNC. AND asks to support those bastards!!!

Wait, I thought we observed the 4th of July today

OK, so I didn't, but that didn't prevent me from taking the day off. and boy did I need it. I'm just sick of going to work and being the only there who actually tries to make the department run smoothly and efficiently. Other than work, my life has been grand.

I saw both Fahrenheit 9/11 and Spider-man 2. I was severly affected by Fahrenheit 9/11 that I was actually crying at the end. Sometimes this country of ours really makes me sick. I highly suggest, no demand, that everyone should see this movie. Even if you support Bush (and if you do, you should probably check yourself into a psychiatric ward), the movie is enlightening and might make you question said support.

Spider-man 2 was ok, it was better than the first, but I still did't like it all that much. Lots of bangs and whistles, but not much else. Not much else to say except that Tobey is kinda cute in all that spandex.

Oh yeah, I entirely approve of John Kerry's running mate, and I hope that he helps beat the hell out of Baby Bush.

Man, I knew I had skills

entrancing
You have an entrancing kiss~ the kind that leaves
your partner bedazzled and maybe even feeling
he/she is dreaming. Quite effective; the kiss
that never lessens and always blows your
partner away like the first time.


What kind of kiss are you?
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söndag, juli 04, 2004

I got me a pervert over there

I now have a desire to go to Reno. odd.

Nap - 4pm

wake and bake vol. 2

Mmmm...

wake and bake

lördag, juli 03, 2004

Its a beautiful day

and I'm inside waiting to go out and enjoy this beautiful day we are having. Patrick is in the shower, mmmm yum.

HA

ASHCROFT: TERRORISTS PLANNING ‘SPECTACULAR’ GAY WEDDINGS

Gayer-than-usual Chatter Intercepted

Attorney General John Ashcroft today revealed that the Justice Department has collected “credible evidence” that terrorists may be planning “spectacular” gay weddings to coincide with the 4th of July holiday weekend.

“There is little doubt that these evildoers intend to hit us hard, the best way they know how – with spectacular, flamboyantly gay weddings,” Mr. Ashcroft said.

Mr. Ashcroft hastened to add that the Department of Justice did not know where or when the weddings might take place, adding, “When terrorists are planning gay weddings, they don’t send you an engraved invitation.”

But the Attorney General said that, according to chatter intercepted by Justice Department agents, “There can be no doubt that these gay weddings will be the gayest ever.”

Just minutes after Mr. Ashcroft concluded his remarks, however, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge made a statement that seemed, on the surface at least, to contradict the Attorney General’s: “While there has been some increase in terrorist chatter, the chatter itself has been no gayer than usual.”

Mr. Ridge conceded that the intercepted terrorist chatter contained “some gay content,” such as effusive remarks about the actor Brad Pitt, but that Americans “should go about their 4th of July activities without worrying that a spectacular series of gay weddings is about to occur.”

In other news, Iraqi officials said that former dictator Saddam Hussein made five failed escape attempts since being transferred to Iraqi custody yesterday.

In one of the ill-conceived prison breaks described by the officials, the former Iraqi strongman attempted to distract his jailers’ attention by shouting, “Look, over there – it’s Paris Hilton!”


I don't want to look

but I'm already hooked.

fredag, juli 02, 2004

I actually really liked this movie

But then again i'm a sucker for animated stuff.


You are MARLIN!
What Finding Nemo Character are You?

brought to you by Quizilla

I knew it

Stoner Bear
Stoner Bear


Which Dysfunctional Care Bear Are You?
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Hee hee, butt

you smell like butt
congratulations. you are the "you smell like
butt" bunny. your brutally honest and
always say whats on your mind.


which happy bunny are you?
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Man, i wonder...

Gangsta Bitch!
You're Gangsta Bitch Barbie. You're tough and you
like it rough, and of course you like to pop a
cap in any wiggers ass.


If You Were A Barbie, Which Messed Up Version Would You Be?
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Man, I would sooo get me ass spanked

CWINDOWSDesktopFightclub.jpg
Fight Club!


What movie Do you Belong in?(many different outcomes!)
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I was hoping to be an antheist = (

Democrat
Threat rating: High. The Bush administration is
concerned that it may not get a second term.
Therefore, we are going to change the rules so
that each Democrat vote only counts as 0.2
votes because Democrat is a shorter word than
Republican


What threat to the Bush administration are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Boy finds loaded homosexual in father's closet, brings it to school

Its Friday!! And its movie night at S&J's. Hmm.. I wonder which movies we will watch. Oh, and Sunday we should be hanging out with Busty, which is always a great thing. Maybe barbecue? Sounds like the american thing to do.

I know there was something that I had wanted to blog, but can't for the life of me remember right now.

Hmm... maybe if I get a little more high.

...maybe crack cocaine would help...


...hmmm...

Barrel is not built for hunting beavers

Don Asmussen is pretty darn hilarious.

torsdag, juli 01, 2004

My eyes hurt

I had an eye exam today, and my eyes are now tender and sore. But it did get me out of work two hours early which was worth it. My temp job might be extended again to August 9, which would allow me to procrastinate longer in finding a new job. yuck

Sketch

You know, I really would like to do some cocaine this weekend to celebrate Fourth of July. Somehow, though, I don't think I will be inhaling any. Too bad, so sad.

Regina Stone

LOL. Just another one of the patient's names that have caused me to burst out lauging. Here are some others:

Harmony Holiday
Meredith Runswithhorses
Connie Chung
Tommy Chong

Man am I spacing. There are plenty of other names that also have made me laugh, but I cannot think of them right now.

Hmm...

I'm sitting here at work with nothing much to do, and I can't help but blog some more. Amusingly, it took me a while before I blogged without any encouraging, but currently I have tended to blog whenever its a possibility. It seems to be addictive. Hmmm...