December, 2007 archive
First Snow of the Year 0
And, given the climate around here, it might be the last. Every few years, we get two feet in a day. Other years, we get hardly any.
Outrageous. And Stupid 1
What happened to Phillybits today.
The cops would not let him take pictures of Philadelphia from the Ben Franklin Bridge.
Like plenty of pictures of the Ben Franklin and Philadelphia aren’t floating around out there already.
This is not increased security.
This is just dumbness.
But, you know, it is where Bushie induced paranoia (as opposed to real actual security) has taken us.
On a personal note, I’ve considered downloading a copy of the Koran, sort of on the theory that knowing something about it might actually help me understand what the hell is going on in our world–and I’ve been deterred because I might be labelled a terrorist or terrorist sympathizer for doing so.
And I would not dare stop to take a picture of the flight line at Dover AFB, because the flight line is just plain impressive (though, frankly, a C-5 is kind of difficult to hide), for fear of being rousted.
Welcome to 1984–twenty years late.
Drumbeats 0
As I pointed out earlier, the recently released National Intelligence Estimate puts the lie to statements of the Current Federal Administration.
(Actually, I reckon putting the lie to a Bushie statement is pretty much–hmmmm–the default selection. Just look at the record.)
Josh Marshall deconstructs the spin on the NIE:
Dan Froomkin deconstructs the spin over the last five months:
Bush yesterday said he was only briefed about the new estimate last week.
But a close examination of his word choice over the past year suggests that he learned something around August that got him to stop making claims that were apparently no longer supported by American intelligence.
Instead of directly condemning Iranian leaders for pursuing nuclear weapons, he started more vaguely accusing them of seeking the knowledge necessary to make such a weapon.
Even as he did that, however, he and the vice president accelerated their rhetorical efforts to persuade the public that the nuclear threat posed by Iran was grave and urgent. Bush went so far in late August and October as to warn of the potential for a nuclear holocaust.
Indeed, a careful parsing of Bush’s words indicates that, while not saying anything that could later prove to be demonstrably false, Bush left his listeners with what he likely knew was a fundamentally false impression. And he did so in the pursuit of a more muscular and possibly even military approach to a Middle Eastern country.
It’s an oddly familiar pattern of deception.
Nagging Question 2
Has anyone out there, when leaving a message on someone’s cell phone, ever “Press(ed) five to page this person”?
Full Disclosure: I Use This Bank 0
And they haven’t made any mistakes with my account:
Martins had apparently closed an account with Wachovia and “made good on an outstanding check”, as Atlanta’s WSBTV explains. However, a swift letter from the bank insisted the closing balance was $211,010,028,257,303 in the red – with “no cents”, as Wachovia kindly pointed out.
Follow the link for the full story.
“Rules of Journalism” 0
A while ago, I mentioned Jon Swift’s “Rules of Journalism,” which he derived from looking at the practices of actual working journalists.
Seems he got quite a reaction, some of it from actual working journalists.
Drumbeats (Updated) (Updated Again) 0
The assessment states “with moderate confidence” that “Tehran had not restarted its nuclear weapons program” as of mid-2007, but suggests that Tehran continues to keep that option open.
This belies the continuing fulminations of the Current Federal Administration about the “danger” posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
And from whom does this come?
The Government of the United States of America.
“Belies” is, of course, the only appropriate word.
For almost everything out of the mouths of the Current Federal Administration be lies.
Addendum, 12/4/2007:
NPR analysizes the timelies timelines.
Once again, facts belie the statements of the Current Federal Administrator.
And Dick Polman considers what obstinant things facts can be (emphasis added):
Five years ago, he railed against the “grave and gathering danger” of Saddam Hussein’s WMDs, only to suffer irreperable domestic political damage when it turned out that he had committed American blood and treasure to the overthrow of a dictator who had no WMDs. And now he has been embarrassed again: Just six weeks after he raised the specter of the Iranians wielding a nuclear weapon, and invoked “World War III,” America’s 16 intelligence agencies have concluded in a new National Intelligence Estimate, with “high confidence,” that the Iranians actually halted their nuclear weapons program…
In 2003.
In the words of the Old Sailor, “Thar be (Bushie–natch) lies!”
Republican Depravity 0
Let us talk about moral bankruptcy.
I cannot put it any more succintly than John Cole:
Drinking Liberally 0
I’m not there.
I have a cold.
But you can still get there before the fun comes to an end.
Tangier Restaurant, 18th and Lombard, Philadelphia.
Lick My Decals Off, Baby 0
With apologies to Captain Beefheart.
So, I’m driving home from the cooling tower place, with high winds trying to blow me off the road, when I passed an exit sign. The US 13 shield 
was Blowin’ in the Wind, halfway off the sign.
They don’t paint the signs any more.
They just stick them up.
Ignoring the Law Is No Excuse 0
King George the Wurst speaks:
By God, it’s his country. He owns it. Why the hell should he obey the law? After all, isn’t his word the law?
Give me a break.
Via Susie.
We’re All Safe Now 0
Just check the numbers:
The Homeland Security Department has given $23 billion to states and local communities to fight terrorism since the Sept. 11 attacks, but one document says the administration is not convinced that the money has been well spent and thinks the nation’s highest-risk cities have largely satisfied their security needs.
The department wanted to provide $3.2 billion to help states and cities protect against terrorist attacks in 2009, but the White House said it would ask Congress for less than half — $1.4 billion, according to a Nov. 26 document. The plan calls outright elimination of programs for port security, transit security, and local emergency management operations in the next budget year. This is President Bush’s last budget, and the new administration would have to live with the funding decisions between Jan. 20 and Sept. 30, 2009.
In other words, Bush isn’t running again, so there’s no reason to play the fear card.
Unless, of course, you are a somewhat questionable I didn’t say that philandering ex-mayor of New York.
Via Le Show.
It’s Not the Prettiest Christmas Tree on the Street . . . 0
. . . but it’s the tallest.
Just in time for the first winter storm of the season, even though it’s not winter yet.
(The silvery lights on the azaleas are those new LED lights.)
