Dear Mr. President - Jamisun

Dear Mr. President
Jamisun

What a Wonderful World - American Imperialism

"Power tends to confuse itself with virtue and a great nation is particularly susceptible to the idea that its power is a sign of God's favor, conferring upon it a special responsibility for other nations - to make them richer and happier and wiser, to remake them, that is, in its own shining image."
Senator J. William Fulbright (1905-1995)

Mr Smith Goes to Washington - Jimmy Stewart

The movie, Mr. Smith goes to Washington (1939) is about Jefferson Smith (Jimmy Stewart), a noble but naive man who is appointed to finish out the remaining term of a recently vacated U.S. Senate seat. His encounters with all manner of corruption only serves to strengthen his resolve in the face of stagnant, status-quo Washington bureaucrats who serve their personal agendas at the expense of their constituencies who put them into office. Rather than give in, Smith stages a one-man filibuster that lasts, 'twenty-three hours and sixteen minutes.' He finally collapses but not before he confronts Senator Payne, with his challenge to remember The Golden Rule.

In the end, Mr. Smith refuses to lose hope. He refuses to part with his ideals and principles in the face of frustration.

Yes, this movie is sappy and yes, Washington doesn't work that way but there is a certain romance in watching heroic battles as the one put forth by Senator Smith in the defense of social justice and simple Human decency.

Sixty-nine years have passed since Frank Capra directed this movie. It remains poignant because Washington still has its share of corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. Nowadays, it appears that almost daily, the majority party faces yet another sex scandal or charge for peddling influence to the highest bidder as did Congressman Robert Ney of (R) Ohio or California's Congressman (R) Randall 'Duke' Cunningham were.


Something has to change when a respected Senator [Larry Craig (R) Idaho] is caught in a bathroom sex sting or when another [Congressman Mark Foley (R) Florida] is forced to resign after being caught soliciting sex from under-age Congressional Page boys - all this as they fought to implement legislation against sex-offenders and spoke so vehemently about the demise of family values in America as foundations for their platforms to get elected into office. It turns out the Republican Party is rife with perverts, philanderers and people on the take. There are quite a few more, like Tom Delay and Newt Gingrich who go on the attack as if their ability to use the distributed responsibility argument could stand up to the very measure they invoke as God-fearing Christians. The point is, they are corrupt - period.

No-bid contracts are the order of the day for Republican associates and cronies who break the law are ignored by the White House. Worse yet, even when they are caught red-handed breaking the law, they are rewarded for such transgressions by presidential pardon.

Maybe now is the Democratic Party's opportunity to heed the call of the people by submitting to the only special interest that matters in America, the little man, the poor, the weak and the back-bone of this country, the working class.

If we cannot take care of our own family, how can we begin to even consider being a beacon for the rest of the world?

This Land is Your Land

This Land is your Land
Words & music by Woody Guthrie
Performed by Los Lobos, Bob Weir & Jerry Garcia

Chorus:
This land is your land, this land is my land
From California, to the New York Island
From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters
This land was made for you and me

As I was walking a ribbon of highway
I saw above me an endless skyway
I saw below me a golden valley
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

I've roamed and rambled and I've followed my footsteps
To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts
And all around me a voice was sounding
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

The sun comes shining as I was strolling
The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling
The fog was lifting a voice come chanting
This land was made for you and me

Chorus

As I was walkin'  -  I saw a sign there
And that sign said - no tress passin'
But on the other side  .... it didn't say nothin!
Now that side was made for you and me!

Chorus

In the squares of the city - In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office - I see my people
And some are grumblin' and some are wonderin'
If this land's still made for you and me.

Chorus (2x)

¡Si se puede! - Yes We Can - Obama for President

There's something happening in America...

While he lost New Hampshire to Senator Hillary Clinton, I am convinced History will prove Barack Obama's Concession speech to be the pivotal event in his run for the White House.

I must say however, I do admire Senator Clinton and I would not hesitate to give her my vote come November should she come out on top in the Democratic primary. I very much appreciate both what she and President Clinton have contributed to America. This country owes them a great debt of gratitude.

That being said, I believe Obama is that kind of Human Being, who is equally capable and unafraid to face the onslaught presented by fear-baiting, overly-pious hypocrites of the opposing party. He has no historical baggage to contend with. Moreover, his fresh outlook stands in direct contrast to their game plan fraught with paranoia, negativity and control. Their demagoguery ran this country's global standing into the ground. The snake-oil peddling fakes and liars will go down in History as the ones who perpetrated the biggest lie on America ever ; they wrapped themselves in the flag and trampled all over the Constitution. Their deceit of the good people who elected them into office will not soon be forgotten and rightly so because in-violable religious beliefs and family values should never have been co-opted by a few neo-conservative charlatans who - in the past seven years have fattened their wallets at the expense of America's constituency.

The end result has been a dark sense of demoralization in America as the cost of living continues to skyrocket, the American Dream slips further and further out of reach and we witness our Nation's respected reputation in the world called into question. We need a leader who can set the course for reestablishing what has been squandered by the current leadership.

I have played and replayed this video and am touched by its powerfully moving yet simple messages; hope and an abiding faith that change is possible. It serves as a reminder of all that is good in this country. It sparks my memory of Martin Luther King's, "I Have a Dream" address, given at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It echoes the spirit of connection made by President John F. Kennedy in his oratory, "Ich bin ein Berliner." Obama's song-like address reminds me of the folksy tunes of Woody Guthrie. It resurrects idyllic words of a past president who was silenced long ago by the assassin's bullet, Abraham Lincoln.

Obama hearkens a resolve reminiscent of a time in America's past - when idealism and reassurance were dominant themes for confronting the trials and tribulations of the time. In a world where American politics have supplanted social consciousness with fear-mongering, hatred and fanatical fundamentalism, Senator Obama's voice offers us a chance to look to the past and live in present with our eyes squarely fixed on the future. I suppose this is why he reminds me of Bobby Kennedy who spoke words of hope and future focus that fateful night in L.A. during his bid for the Democratic party's nomination in 1968 - the night when he was assassinated.

I trust my fellow Americans are beginning to recognize that a great Human Being is in our midst. Barack Obama stands out among all the others - Democrat, Independent or Republican alike. He is the one to lead America in these troubled times. Obama offers up the same sense of reassurance which President FDR famously delivered at his first inauguration in the "Nothing to Fear" speech.

Indeed, many of our past leaders have failed to 'make it to the mountain top' - but that shouldn't stop others from trying because it is with such resolve that greatness is achieved and changes for the common good are accomplished. We cannot change this beloved country's course in History without being fully cognizant of the deep personal sacrifices we are called upon to make. The tasks ahead are challenging and by no means easy but we owe it to our children to at least try. Yes, we must and yes, we can.

Barack Obama is a winner.

I believe in Obama because he believes in us.

Transcript of Obama's 8 January 2008 New Hampshire Primary victory speech:

.... Awe thank you, New Hampshire.

I love you back!

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, thank you so much.

I am still fired up and ready to go.

Well, first of all, I want to congratulate Senator Clinton on a hard-fought victory here in New Hampshire. She did an outstanding job. Give her a big round of applause.

You know, a few weeks ago, no one imagined that we'd have accomplished what we did here tonight in New Hampshire. No one could have imagined it.

For most of this campaign, we were far behind. We always knew our climb would be steep. But in record numbers, you came out, and you spoke up for change.

And with your voices and your votes, you made it clear that at this moment, in this election, there is something happening in America.

There is something happening when men and women in Des Moines and Davenport, in Lebanon and Concord, come out in the snows of January to wait in lines that stretch block after block because they believe in what this country can be.

There is something happening. There's something happening when Americans who are young in age and in spirit, who've never participated in politics before, turn out in numbers we have never seen because they know in their hearts that this time must be different.

There's something happening when people vote not just for party that they belong to, but the hopes that they hold in common.

And whether we are rich or poor, black or white, Latino or Asian, whether we hail from Iowa or New Hampshire, Nevada or South Carolina, we are ready to take this country in a fundamentally new direction.

That's what's happening in America right now; change is what's happening in America.

You, all of you who are here tonight - all who put so much heart and soul and work into this campaign - you can be the new majority who can lead this nation out of a long political darkness. Democrats, Independents and Republicans who are tired of the division and the distraction that has clouded Washington - who know that we can disagree without being disagreeable, who understand - who understand that if we mobilize our voices, to challenge the money and influences that stood in our way and challenge ourselves to reach for something better. There is no problem we cannot solve. There is no destiny that we cannot fulfill.

Our new American majority can end the outrage of unaffordable, unavailable health care in our time. We can bring doctors and patients, workers and businesses, Democrats and Republicans together, and we can tell the drug and insurance industry that, while they get a seat at the table, they don't get to buy every chair, not this time, not now.

Our new majority can end the tax breaks for corporations that ship our jobs overseas and put a middle-class tax cut in the pockets of working Americans who deserve it.

We can stop sending our children to schools with corridors of shame and start putting them on a pathway to success.

We can stop talking about how great teachers are and start rewarding them for their greatness by giving them more pay and more support. We can do this with our new majority.

We can harness the ingenuity of farmers and scientists, citizens and entrepreneurs to free this nation from the tyranny of oil and save our planet from a point of no return.

And when I am president of the United States, we will end this war in Iraq and bring our troops home.

We will end this war in Iraq. We will bring our troops home. We will finish the job We will finish the job against al-Qaida in Afghanistan. We will care for our veterans. We will restore our moral standing in the world.

And we will never use 9/11 as a way to scare up votes, because it is not a tactic to win an election. It is a challenge that should unite America and the world against the common threats of the 21st century - terrorism and nuclear weapons, climate change and poverty, genocide and disease.

All of the candidates in this race share these goals. All of the candidates in this race have good ideas. And all are patriots who serve this country honorably. But the reason our campaign always has been different - the reason we began this improbable journey almost a year ago, is because it's not just what I will do as president.

It is also about what you - the people who love this country, the citizens of the United States of America can do to change it. That's what this election is all about. That's why tonight belongs to you. It belongs to the organizers, the volunteers and the staff who believed in this journey and rallied so many others to join the cause.

We know the battle ahead will be long. But always remember that, no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.

We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics - they will only grow louder and more dissonant in the weeks and months to come.

...Yes we can...

We've been asked to pause for a reality check. We've been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope. But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.

For when we have faced down impossible odds, when we've been told we're not ready or that we shouldn't try or that we can't, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people; Yes, we can. Yes, we can. Yes, we can.

It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation - Yes, we can.

It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail towards freedom through the darkest of nights - Yes, we can.

It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness - Yes, we can.

It was the call of workers who organized, women who reached for the ballot, a president who chose the moon as our new frontier, and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the promised land - Yes, we can, to justice and equality.

Yes, we can, to opportunity and prosperity. Yes, we can heal this nation. Yes, we can repair this world - Yes, we can.

And so, tomorrow we take the campaign south and west and we learn that the struggle of the textile workers in Spartansberg is not so different from the plight of the dishwasher in Las Vegas, and the hopes of a little girl who goes to public school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of a boy who learns on the streets of L.A.

We will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggest - that we are one people. We are one Nation and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast - from sea to shining sea;

Yes We Can!

Thank you, New Hampshire.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The speech has taken on a life of its own. Check out the following Youtube music video montage recently created by Will.I.Am, lead singer of the Black-Eyed Peas. How fitting it is that his words sound like Abraham, Martin and John.

Change

¡Si Podemos!

Dear Mr. President - Pink

Dear Mr. President
Pink

Dear Mr. President,
Come take a walk with me.
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me.
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.

What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?
What do you feel when you look in the mirror?
Are you proud?

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why?

Dear Mr. President,
Were you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
How can you say
No child is left behind?
We're not dumb and we're not blind.
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell.

What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye?

Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh

How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You'd never take a walk with me.
Would you?

Happy Birthday America - Who'll Stop the Reign?

Who'll Stop the Rain?
Creedence Clearwater Revival

Long as I remember the rain been comin' down.
Clouds of mystry pourin' confusion on the ground.


Good men through the ages, tryin' to find the sun;
And I wonder, still I wonder, who'll stop the rain.


I went down Virginia, seekin' shelter from the storm.
Caught up in the fable, I watched the tower grow.


Five year plans and new deals, wrapped in golden chains.
And I wonder, still I wonder who'll stop the rain.


Heard the singers playin', how we cheered for more.
The crowd had rushed together, tryin to keep warm.


Still the rain kept pourin', fallin' on my ears.
And I wonder, still I wonder who'll stop the rain.

VOTE OR DIE

GonzoGate II

GonzoGate I

Excuse me, I think you dropped this...

HR 1309 - Freedom of Information Act Request Changes; Undoing the Damage Bush has Done

Today, House Bill HR1309 is being debated in the House.

Following the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, then Attorney General John Ashcroft shut down the Freedom of information Act during the Neoconservative fear and smear frenzy that ensued in their unprecedented power-grab.

You remember Ashcroft - the 'singing' Attorney General - the same moron who covered up Lady Justice's tatas.

The same man not only wrote, but sang that corny tune about letting the eagles soar [click here and hang on to your cookies] - it is pretty bad.

He's as shitty a singer as he was Attorney General. His vibrato stinks as bad as his lyrics.

If you change the words soar for sore, I gotta tell ya folks, he, "Left the eagle sore, like she has never been sore before!" Hmm, that sounds like the makings of a good joke;

Q: How does a Neoconservative make an eagle sore?

I'm working on the punch-line...

In the post-9/11 era, Americans are beginning to realize just how controlling the Bush Administration became in refusing to release information citing National Security issues. It turned out to be a great means of protection from public scrutiny and any more potentially embarrassing revelations about their deceit and intrigue. It has become evident all they were doing was directed at cover ing their asses for lying to the America public and the world as well.


You see, it is easier to keep your program of lies if you can keep them hidden from the public. Stomping on the Freedom of Information Act dovetailed with the lies like - Saddam is building Weapons of Mass Destruction...

Today's Bill served a couple of purposes by rolling back the Bush Administration's effort to stymie legal access to documents which they would prefer to keep under wraps. Thanks to HR 1309, there will be a 20 day limit requiring the government to provide a formal response to requests submitted under the Freedom of Information Act.

Section 4 of the Bill calls for reimbursement of Attorney's fees - Rep. Bill Sali (R-Idaho) contended - albeit weakly - that this has potential of driving the costs up. His arguments are specious in that the only way costs are going to shoot up is when the Government decides to stonewall a request.

How I love stupid Conservatives.

On the other hand, Rep. Michael Turner (R-Ohio) complained about how a change was made to the resolution after it had already left committee. Unfortunately, the dope then waxed on and on about how since this was "Sunshine week" that the bill was changed none theless. He failed to research what the change made was - OPEN MOUTH - insert foot.

The changes that Rep. Turner bemoaned had to do with making the Bill compliant with the "Pay-Go" requirement meaning that it could not be adding to the monstrous deficit that already exists. Yes, another stupid complaint.

It just goes to illustrate that these arrogant chumps have to make waves even if they are stupid because, they have nothing to complain about.

It just passed: 308 For, 117 Against

AT&T's Donation History with the Republican Party

This from Open Secrets:

AT&T's political donations;

1. AT&T is considered a "Blue Chip" Investor for the Republican Party [Click here]
2. Top donors for the Republican Party 2002 [Click here]
3. Top donors for the Republican Party 2000 [Click here]

A Bush Bulb

A mosaic of Bush made with a collage of the faces of fallen soldiers under his leadership

How many members of the Bush administration
does it take to change a light bulb?

1. One to deny that a light bulb needs to be changed;

2. One to attack the patriotism of anyone who says the light bulb needs to be changed;


3. One to blame Clinton for burning out the light bulb;

4. One to arrange the invasion of a country rumored to have a Secret stockpile of light bulbs;

5. One to give a billion dollar no-bid contract to Halliburton for the new light bulb;

6. One to arrange a photograph of Bush, dressed as a janitor,Standing on a step ladder under the banner:


7. One administration insider to resign and write a book documenting in detail how Bush was literally in the dark;

8. One to viciously smear #7;

9. One surrogate to campaign on TV and at rallies on how George Bush has had a strong light-bulb-changing policy all along;

10. And finally one to confuse Americans about the difference Between screwing a light bulb and screwing the country.

Anyone know who this Hacker might be?

These people tried hacking into my internet provider's mail site this evening around 6:00 PM

Wow - this is what you get for speaking up about AT&T spying on Americans [click here & pay prticular attention to the comments].

• The hacker[s] most likely associated with Law Enforcement in New Mexico - although I really think this person - whoever s/he may be - is acting alone and without his/her agency's permission.
• Since I am neither a terrorist or an enemy of the United States, I am contacting the NM State Attorney General to find out what my options are.
• - Note who the clients are - apparently I have drawn someone's attention.
• I am convinced it has to be someone who has access - possibly citing CALEA to figure out who my server is because my listed e-mail address is not the same as my internet service provider.
• This means somsone has most likely used my Google account to find out my personal information.
  
• Maybe an overzealous osogrande employee?
  
• They have visited my site twice - I have labelled them as "Spy Site" - denoted in green
• Get a load of who this internet provider's clients are...
• [click on the hi-lighted/boldfaced "Osogrande.com"]
• Here is what my site monitor reveals about the hacker:
  

VISITOR ANALYSIS
Referring Link http://mailcenter3.comcast.net/wmc/v/wm
Host Name 149_36_66_207.osogrande.com
NOTE: the IP address is a unique address for the computer used to get into my site it is as follows:
IP Address 207.66.36.149 Spy Site [Edit Label]
Country United States
Region -
City -
ISP Oso Grande Technologies Inc
Returning Visits 0
Visit Length 3 mins 0 secs
VISITOR SYSTEM SPECS
Browser MSIE 7.0
Operating System Windows XP
Resolution 1024x768
Javascript Enabled
Navigation Path
Date Time WebPage

These are paths to my e-mail page - specifically through the NY Times that the hacker used - I eliminated some of the numbers/ & letters so as not to reveal anymore of my personal information than neccessary;

11th March 2007 18:41:00 mailcenter3.comcast.netXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
tequilaexpress.blogspot.com/
11th March 2007 18:44:00 mailcenter3.comcast.net/wmc/v/wm/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I also want to point out that, this hacker appears to have tried several times to get into my Comcast account [I am not certain if s/he was successful] through my subscription to the NY Times.

This sounds so cloak and dagger that it almost seems impossible but the evidence is here, someone [I suspect it is this anonymous commenter - click here] is trying to get into my account and moreover, to read my e-mail and access all of my passwords.

If anyone here in the blogosphere has any tips on how to deal with these idiots, please let me know - also, I do not mind if anyone copies this post in its entirety just in case these spooks decide to sabatoge my blog.

Boycott AT&T - They are spying on you

Bono Wins NAACP Award - Where is God?

God is in the cardboard boxes...

The last two minutes of his speech are the real keeper - why can't we have a man like this running for president?

Dixie Chicks Win x5!

Winning all five Grammys you were nominated for?

Hmm - I suppose that makes you country stars regardless of the hell some of those hicks gave you.

It looks like America is more country than Bush & Company had anticipated after all. It just goes to show; you don't have to be a fool to be country moreover, those assholes running the country music stations have shown their true neoconservative colors. Regardless of their censorship, you came out on top - despite their concerted efforts to punish you for rightfully speaking out against the attack on Iraq.

Ain't America great?

Congratulations ladies - your victories are well deserved. Dubya along with his fascist, flag-waving retards can now kiss your ass - officially.


Revenge truly is a dish best served cold.