OT: DeLay Indicted + Interesting Fact

Question:

If you haven’t heard, DeLay has been indicted on one count of Conspiracy, in Texas. In reading an article about it, which included some history, I came across the following: "Wednesday’s indictment stems from a plan DeLay helped set in motion in 2001 to help Republicans win control of the Texas House in the 2002 elections for the first time since Reconstruction. A state political action committee he created, Texans for a Republican Majority, was indicted earlier this month on charges of accepting corporate contributions for use in state legislative races. Texas law prohibits corporate money from being used to advocate the election or defeat of candidates; it is allowed only for administrative expenses. With GOP control of the Texas legislature, DeLay then engineered a redistricting plan that enabled the GOP take six Texas seats in the U.S. House away from Democrats

ot: Black water conficates guns and they are on which team?

Question:

 As the threat of forced evictions now looms in New Orleans and the city confiscates even legally registered weapons from civilians, the private mercenaries of Blackwater patrol the streets openly wielding M-16s and other assault weapons. This despite Police Commissioner Eddie Compass’ claim that "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons."     Officially, Blackwater says its forces are in New Orleans to "join the Hurricane Relief Effort." A statement on the company’s website, dated September 1, advertises airlift services, security services and crowd control. The company, according to news reports, has since begun taking private contracts to guard hotels, businesses and other properties. But what has not been publicly acknowledged is the claim, made to us by 2 Blackwater mercenaries, that they are actually engaged in general law enforcement activities including "securing neighborhoods" and "confronting criminals."     That raises a key question: under what authority are Blackwater’s men operating? A spokesperson for the Homeland Security Department, Russ Knocke, told the Washington Post he knows of no federal plans to hire Blackwater or other private security. "We believe we’ve got the right mix of personnel in law enforcement for the federal government to meet the demands of public safety." he said.     But in an hour-long conversation with several Blackwater mercenaries, we heard a different story. The men we spoke with said they are indeed on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and the Louisiana governor’s office and that some of them are sleeping in camps organized by Homeland Security in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. One of them wore a gold Louisiana state law enforcement badge and said he had been "deputized" by the governor. They told us they not only had authority to make arrests but also to use lethal force. We encountered the Blackwater forces as we walked through the streets of the largely deserted French Quarter. We were talking with 2 New York Police officers when an unmarked car without license plates sped up next to us and stopped. Inside were 3 men, dressed in khaki uniforms, flak jackets and wielding automatic weapons. "Y’all know where the Blackwater guys are?" they asked. One of the police officers responded, "There are a bunch of them around here," and pointed down the road.     "Blackwater?" we asked. "The guys who are in Iraq?"     "Yeah," said the officer. "They’re all over the place."     A short while later, as we continued down Bourbon Street, we ran into the men from the car. They wore Blackwater ID badges on their arms.     "When they told me New Orleans, I said, ‘What country is that in?,’" said one of the Blackwater men. He was wearing his company ID around his neck in a carrying case with the phrase "Operation Iraqi Freedom" printed on it. After bragging about how he drives around Iraq in a "State Department issued level 5, explosion proof BMW," he said he was "just trying to get back to Kirkuk (in the north of Iraq) where the real action is." Later we overheard him on his cell phone complaining that Blackwater was only paying $350 a day plus per diem. That is much less than the men make serving in more dangerous conditions in Iraq. Two men we spoke with said they plan on returning to Iraq in October. But, as one mercenary said, they’ve been told they could be in New Orleans for up to 6 months. "This is a trend," he told us. "You’re going to see a lot more guys like us in these situations."     If Blackwater’s reputation and record in Iraq are any indication of the kind of "services" the company offers, the people of New Orleans have much to fear.     —–

Response:

>    That raises a key question: under what authority are Blackwater’s > men operating?

This editted story that you posted without a link is below even you. If you would have run the entire story, everyone would know that Governor Blanco has Deputized these mercenaries. One more bonehead move on the part of the Ms. Blanco. Bye, John

Response:

"and Feds" and you missed two words. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->    That raises a key question: under what authority are Blackwater’s > men operating? > This editted story that you posted without a link is below even you. > If you would have run the entire story, everyone would know that Governor > Blanco has Deputized these mercenaries. One more bonehead move on the part > of the Ms. Blanco. > Bye, > John

Response:

more on missing words Unprofessional – WaPo’s Rathergate by Armando Mon Sep 12th, 2005 at 10:06:04 PDT (Bumped. This is critical stuff, especially with DavidNYC’s own post directly below on our media’s failures the past four years, and I want to make sure Kurtz reads it. I know he checks this site — kos) As most know, the Washington Post, in an act of gross unprofessionalism, relied on a BushCo anonymous source in printing a significant falsehood. Howie Kurtz misses the point: On Sept. 4, the paper cited the "senior Bush official" as saying that as of the day before, Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco "still had not declared a state of emergency." As The Post noted in a correction, Blanco, a Democrat, had declared a state of emergency on Aug. 26. . . . Post National Editor Michael Abramowitz calls the incident "a bad mistake" that happened right on deadline. "We all feel bad about that," he says. "We should not have printed the information as background information, and it should have been checked. We fell down on the desk." Spencer Hsu, the article’s co-author, says he "tried to make clear that the source came from the administration, and that he was blaming the locals, which I believe our story made clear and broke ground in explaining by uncovering the National Guard dispute." Should the paper identify the source who provided bad information? "We don’t blow sources, period, especially if we don’t have reason to believe the source in this case actually lied deliberately," Hsu says. Howie — the story is NOT about whether WaPo should blow its anonymous source — the story is about WaPo’s egregious unprofessionalism. Howie, Spencer, Michael, have you guys heard of Google? How about a telephone? It would have taken you all of 10 seconds to check that fact. Or better yet, did you have any state officials as sources for your story? And if not, why not? Were you just doing stenography for BushCo? Finally, why would you need a source to go anonymous on a fact that was a matter of public record? The point is simple — this was horrendously bad journalism. The fact that Blanco DID declare a state of emergency was central to the story. The fact she DID declare a state of emergency completely undermined the story. The fact is that the Washington Post’s journalism on this story is every bit as bad or worse than the journalism much berated by you Howie in Rathergate. Though the stakes were not as high politically as is in Rathergate — the journalism was worse. At the least, CBS had documents they were looking at, though they were not properly verified, IMO. At the least, CBS gave the White House a chance to respond. Here, the Washington Post had nothing but the word of a BushCo official – the false word. And they ran with the story anyway. And they did not give Blanco a chance to respond. If Dan Rather had to go, who has to go at the Washington Post? One last thing – you want to do a followup story on this WaPo? I got one for you — how is it that a high BushCo official did NOT know that Blanco had declared a state of emergency. Is that not scandalous in and of itself? Do you think THAT merits a story? Or is it too embarrassing for you

Response:

Wrong John boy… these guys have several different employers

Response:

why is it that we have to depend of furin newspapers for this kind of info? Jamie Wilson in New Orleans Monday September 12, 2005 The Guardian Hundreds of mercenaries have descended on New Orleans to guard the property of the city’s millionaires from looters. The heavily armed men, employed by private military companies including Blackwater and ISI, are part of the militarisation of a city which had a reputation for being one of the most relaxed and easy-going in America. After scenes of looting and lawlessness in the days immediately after Hurricane Katrina struck, New Orleans has turned into an armed camp, patrolled by thousands of local, state and federal law enforcement officers, as well as 70,000 national guard troops and active-duty soldiers now based in the region. Mercenaries guard homes of the rich in New Orleans Jamie Wilson in New Orleans Monday September 12, 2005 The Guardian Hundreds of mercenaries have descended on New Orleans to guard the property of the city’s millionaires from looters. The heavily armed men, employed by private military companies including Blackwater and ISI, are part of the militarisation of a city which had a reputation for being one of the most relaxed and easy-going in America. After scenes of looting and lawlessness in the days immediately after Hurricane Katrina struck, New Orleans has turned into an armed camp, patrolled by thousands of local, state and federal law enforcement officers, as well as 70,000 national guard troops and active-duty soldiers now based in the region. Blackwater, one of the fastest-growing private security firms in the world, which achieved global prominence last year when four of its men were killed and their bodies mutilated in the Iraqi city of Falluja, has set up camp in the back garden of a vast mansion in the wealthy Uptown district of the city. David Reagan, 52, a semi-retired US army colonel from Huntsville, Alabama, who fought in the first Gulf war and is commander of Blackwater’s operations in the city, refused to say how many men he had in New Orleans but indicated it was in the hundreds. Asked if they had encountered many looters so far, Mr Reagan said that the sight of his heavily armed men – a pump action shotgun was propped against the wall near to where he was standing – was enough to put most people off. Two Israeli mercenaries from ISI, another private military company, were guarding Audubon Place, a gated community. Wearing bulletproof vests, they were carrying M16 assault rifles. Gill, 40, and Yovi, 42, who refused to give their surnames, said they were army veterans of the Israeli war in Lebanon, but had been living in Houston for 17 years. They had been hired by Jimmy Reiss, a descendant of an old New Orleans family who made his fortune selling electronic systems to shipbuilders. They had been flown by private jet to Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, and then helicoptered to Audubon Place, they said. "I spoke to one of the other owners on the telephone earlier in the week," Yovi said. "I told him how the water had stopped just at the back gate. God watches out for the rich people, I guess."

Response:

 For Immediate Release 202-347-1122 According to an email to staff yesterday, Pentagon Inspector General Joseph Schmitz informed Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld that he will be resigning from his position. His last day will be September 9, 2005. An unconfirmed lead is that Mr. Schmitz will become CEO of a holding company of Blackwater. To receive a copy of the letter and to learn more on this developing story, contact Eric Miller at POGO. Click here to see Mr. Schmitz’ bio. Founded in 1981, the Project On Government Oversight is an independent investigative non-profit whose mission is to expose corruption in order to achieve a more accountable federal government.

Response:

A New Orleans blogger’s point of view: from http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/ Saturday, September 10th, 2005 7:29 pm Interviews "Ok, so Shane and I took to the streets today to see who exactly was out there and why. Obviously, I was most interested in the guys carrying assault rifles and patrolling around all the major buildings. That’s who we started with. We went by Hibernia Bank where water was being pumped out what looked to be a basement into the street — a lot of water – steady pumping. The security guys were armed to the nines (whatever that means ) and while very very friendly and apologetic, insisted they could not be interviewed. Understandable, since it is a major bank. We talked to some guys splicing the submerged fiber cable at the corner of Camp and Poydras on the south side of the intersection. The were trying to get expedia and telcove patched up. The guys said that most of the rest of the city and the surrounding suburbs would have to wait for weeks — wait for the water to drain and then for Entergy to come in and do their thing first. Then we walked down Poydras toward the Dome. When we got near Le Pavillion, we noticed an enormous security presence on both sides of the street. I talked to two guys in US Marshall outfits, and they told us that everyone in the area was private security, themselves included. I asked what possible reason could a hotel have for needing 8 armed guards wielding AR-15s a sniper rifle, shotguns, etc. now that most of the civilians were gone. He said there was a shooting there just 3 days ago, and one man was beaten to death right on the neutral ground (median) of Poydras. He said there are still snipers in the area, and they’ve had unconfirmed reports of them on the roofs of several buildings. Sounded a little far fetched to me (why wouldn’t the 82nd be clearing all suspected buildings…), but he insisted that they were still taking intermittent fire. Some of them (security personnel) actually suspect that there is a terrorist element in the city trying to cause trouble. Anyway, when I tell you that these guys are armed, I mean they’re carrying stuff that I didn’t even know the US had in its arsenal as far as small arms go. And full body armor too. The two Marshalls reported that the high end physical security guys were making $500+ per day while he and his buddies were making about $300 per day. Almost everyone on the street except for us were armed. I asked them about civilians carrying weapons and he said there’s no point in carrying here (which is what we had already decided several days ago), but that if we went to anywhere outside the CBD, we’d be silly not to be packing. Direct opposition to the confiscation of weapons we’ve seen on the news. He also said that we could expect private security to be in place for 4 MONTHS! 4 months they will be rotating guys in. That’s how long they expect it to take before the first businesses are operational at all. Also, we saw a bunch of Georgia State Troopers deployed down here escorting convoys of fuel. Several of the firetruck we’ve been seeing come from as far away as Chicago. Oh, and as always, the fireman have their hands full. Busy busy busy. Those guys deserve more money than they’re gonna earn and a vacation we know they’ll never get."

Response:

Pentagon Investigator Resigning Joseph E. Schmitz, the Defense Department’s inspector general, is suspected of blocking investigations of senior Bush officials. And going to work for Blackwater. By T. Christian Miller, Times Staff Writer WASHINGTON – The Pentagon’s top investigator has resigned amid accusations that he stonewalled inquiries into senior Bush administration officials suspected of wrongdoing. Defense Department Inspector General Joseph E. Schmitz told staffers this week that he intended to resign as of Sept. 9 to take a job with the parent company of Blackwater USA, a defense contractor. ADVERTISEMENT The resignation comes after Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) sent Schmitz several letters this summer informing him that he was the focus of a congressional inquiry into whether he had blocked two criminal investigations last year. FOR THE RECORD: Pentagon investigator -An article in Section A on Sept. 3 about the resignation of Joseph E. Schmitz, the Defense Department’s inspector general, and accusations that he blocked investigations of senior Bush administration officials said the date of a letter from Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) was Aug. 8. The letter, inquiring about a false news release, was dated Aug. 12. The article also said an agreement concerning investigative authority was signed by John A. "Jack" Shaw, a deputy undersecretary of Defense. The agreement was signed by Shaw’s superior, Michael W. Wynne, then acting undersecretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics. Grassley, chairman of the Finance Committee, accused Schmitz of fabricating an official Pentagon news release, planning an expensive junket to Germany and hiding information from Congress. Schmitz is the senior Pentagon official charged with investigating waste, fraud and abuse. "I am writing to inform you that I intend to conduct an oversight investigation into allegations that you either quashed or redirected two ongoing criminal investigations last year," Grassley said in a July 7 letter obtained by The Times. Grassley’s office said Friday that the inquiry was continuing. "Many questions need to be answered," spokeswoman Beth Levine said. Grassley has long acted as a watchdog over the inspector general. The inspector general’s office denied any connection between Schmitz’s resignation and the inquiries, saying Schmitz had previously said he intended to leave after President Bush’s first term. A Schmitz spokesman, Gary Comerford, declined to comment on the allegations in Grassley’s letters, saying: "This is a matter between the senator and the inspector general." The first of the criminal investigations in which Schmitz allegedly intervened involved John A. "Jack" Shaw, the former deputy undersecretary of Defense for international technology security. Shaw, who was the subject of a series of articles in The Times last year, tried to manipulate a lucrative contract in Iraq in 2004 to favor a telecommunications company whose board included a close friend, according to whistle-blowers who worked for the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq. Shaw had signed an unusual agreement with Schmitz that gave him some investigative authority. Shaw told U.S. officials in Iraq that he was conducting investigations under that agreement during a trip to Iraq in December 2003. The results of those investigations were later used in his effort to push for contracts of firms tied to his friends and their clients, according to the whistle-blowers. Shaw, who was forced out of office last year after refusing to resign, has denied any wrongdoing. Schmitz referred the whistle-blowers’ accusations to the FBI, despite the protests of senior criminal investigators in his office who had already found "specific and credible evidence" of wrongdoing by Shaw, according to Grassley’s letter. The FBI has not placed a high priority on the investigation, which has since stalled, according to one person with knowledge of the case. Schmitz then helped craft a news release in which his office denied ever investigating Shaw, according to Grassley’s letter. Grassley has repeatedly asked for an explanation of the news release, most recently in a letter Aug. 8. "A formal investigation was conducted. The investigation was, in fact, completed and closed and referred to the FBI. How do you square that information with the press release?" Grassley wrote to Rumsfeld on July 27. "There is a paper trail that appears to show that Mr. Schmitz was personally and directly involved in crafting the language in this press release. And second, I understand that Mr. Schmitz was repeatedly warned by his own staff ‘to take it down’ because it was ‘patently false.’ " The second investigation in which Schmitz allegedly interfered involves Mary L. Walker, the general counsel for the Air Force.

Response:

> Wrong John boy… these guys have several different employers

Bull Shit. Your ignorance of the law is showing, but what’s new about that? They were Deputized by Governor Blanco, thus they work for Blanco, they answer to Blanco. The Feds are NOT in the chain. Bye, John

Response:

> > Wrong John boy… these guys have several different employers > Bull Shit. Your ignorance of the law is showing, but what’s new about that? > They were Deputized by Governor Blanco, thus they work for Blanco, they > answer to Blanco. The Feds are NOT in the chain. > Bye, > John

wrong John. They work for Homeland Security and also have been hired by private individuals.

Response:

> They work for Homeland Security and also have been hired by > private individuals.

State Homeland Security, the same folks that ordered FEMA workers to send Red Cross Disaster Teams AWAY. Remember, they were Deputized by the Governor, as in the head of the State of Louisiana. Bye, John

Response:

you’re a pain in the ass.. you know that? georgio – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> in?,’" said one of the Blackwater men. He was wearing his company ID > around his neck in a carrying case with the phrase "Operation Iraqi > Freedom" printed on it. After bragging about how he drives around Iraq > in a "State Department issued level 5, explosion proof BMW," he said he > was "just trying to get back to Kirkuk (in the north of Iraq) where the > real action is." Later we overheard him on his cell phone complaining > that Blackwater was only paying $350 a day plus per diem. That is much > less than the men make serving in more dangerous conditions in Iraq. > Two men we spoke with said they plan on returning to Iraq in October. > But, as one mercenary said, they’ve been told they could be in New > Orleans for up to 6 months. "This is a trend," he told us. "You’re > going to see a lot more guys like us in these situations." >     If Blackwater’s reputation and record in Iraq are any indication of > the kind of "services" the company offers, the people of New Orleans > have much to fear. >     —–

– ‘72 traynor point-to-point bassmaster head… yamaha SA 800 with Dimarzio  and gibson pickups

Response:

Wheaten Why did you remove the OT from the subject line ?

Response:

>>   That raises a key question: under what authority are Blackwater’s >men operating? > This editted story that you posted without a link is below even you. > If you would have run the entire story, everyone would know that Governor > Blanco has Deputized these mercenaries. One more bonehead move on the part > of the Ms. Blanco.

Hey John…look, this lonely bitch ain’t worth your time. Your posts are far more valuable keeping other losers spiralling into the barrel. This person is a complete waste of time…she’s even gone to socks to get around filters…nuff said….she’s just another NG polluter.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->>   That raises a key question: under what authority are Blackwater’s >>men operating? > This editted story that you posted without a link is below even you. > If you would have run the entire story, everyone would know that Governor > Blanco has Deputized these mercenaries. One more bonehead move on the part > of the Ms. Blanco. >Hey John…look, this lonely bitch ain’t worth your time. >Your posts are far more valuable keeping other losers spiralling >into the barrel. >This person is a complete waste of time…she’s even gone >to socks to get around filters…nuff said….she’s just >another NG polluter.

Pot, kettle, black Jesus loves you anyway. Ken Wilson Proud Owner of Lord Valve, PMG, John Wheaton, Claude Lucas,  Freep the Xenophobe, Chuck, pseudobacker, and the rest of the  Union of Rightwing Idiots Needing Explanations (URINE)  and, at his own request, Karl Rovershank (aka Lars from Mars) Supporting the Troops at http://www.resisters.ca http://www.criticalhistory.com/

Response:

> Wheaten > Why did you remove the OT from the subject line ?

It has to be some tweak in my OE. I didn’t type anywhere but the message area of the post. It isn’t the first time that it has happened, but it is not intentional, I wouldn’t want to subject those not interested in the OT prattle. See ya, John

Response:

http://www.opuscds.com/track/166098

Response:

ot: Looters

Question:

 Firms with Bush-Cheney Ties Clinching Katrina Deals     Reuters     Saturday 10 September 2005     Washington – Companies with ties to the Bush White House and the former head of FEMA are clinching some of the administration’s first disaster relief and reconstruction contracts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.     At least two major corporate clients of lobbyist Joe Allbaugh, President George W. Bush’s former campaign manager and a former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, have already been tapped to start recovery work along the battered Gulf Coast.     One is Shaw Group Inc. and the other is Halliburton Co. subsidiary Kellogg Brown and Root. Vice President Dick Cheney is a former head of Halliburton.     Bechtel National Inc., a unit of San Francisco-based Bechtel Corp., has also been selected by FEMA to provide short-term housing for people displaced by the hurricane. Bush named Bechtel’s CEO to his Export Council and put the former CEO of Bechtel Energy in charge of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.     Experts say it has been common practice in both Republican and Democratic administrations for policy makers to take lobbying jobs once they leave office, and many of the same companies seeking contracts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina have already received billions of dollars for work in Iraq.     Halliburton alone has earned more than $9 billion. Pentagon audits released by Democrats in June showed $1.03 billion in "questioned" costs and $422 million in "unsupported" costs for Halliburton’s work in Iraq.     But the web of Bush administration connections is attracting renewed attention from watchdog groups in the post-Katrina reconstruction rush. Congress has already appropriated more than $60 billion in emergency funding as a down payment on recovery efforts projected to cost well over $100 billion.     "The government has got to stop stacking senior positions with people who are repeatedly cashing in on the public trust in order to further private commercial interests," said Danielle Brian, executive director of the Project on Government Oversight.     Two Bush Appointees at Halliburton     Allbaugh formally registered as a lobbyist for Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg Brown and Root in February.     In lobbying disclosure forms filed with the Senate, Allbaugh said his goal was to "educate the congressional and executive branch on defense, disaster relief and homeland security issues affecting Kellogg Brown and Root."     Melissa Norcross, a Halliburton spokeswoman, said Allbaugh has not, since he was hired, "consulted on any specific contracts that the company is considering pursuing, nor has he been tasked by the company with any lobbying responsibilities."     Allbaugh is also a friend of Michael Brown, director of FEMA who was removed as head of Katrina disaster relief and sent back to Washington amid allegations he had padded his resume.     A few months after Allbaugh was hired by Halliburton, the company retained another high-level Bush appointee, Kirk Van Tine.     Van Tine registered as a lobbyist for Halliburton six months after resigning as deputy transportation secretary, a position he held from December 2003 to December 2004.     On Friday, Kellogg Brown & Root received $29.8 million in Pentagon contracts to begin rebuilding Navy bases in Louisiana and Mississippi. Norcross said the work was covered under a contract that the company negotiated before Allbaugh was hired.     Halliburton continues to be a source of income for Cheney, who served as its chief executive officer from 1995 until 2000 when he joined the Republican ticket for the White House. According to tax filings released in April, Cheney’s income included $194,852 in deferred pay from the company, which has also won billion-dollar government contracts in Iraq.     Cheney’s office said the amount of deferred compensation is fixed and is not affected by Halliburton’s current economic performance or earnings.     Allbaugh’s other major client, Baton Rouge-based Shaw Group, has updated its Web site to say: "Hurricane Recovery Projects – Apply Here!"      Shaw said on Thursday it has received a $100 million emergency FEMA contract for housing management and construction. Shaw also clinched a $100 million order on Friday from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.     Shaw Group spokesman Chris Sammons said Allbaugh was providing the company with "general consulting on business matters," and would not say whether he played a direct role in any of the Katrina deals. "We don’t comment on specific consulting activities," he said. http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/091105C.shtml

Response:

Thanks for posting this, zoot.  I was going to do so…but I’ve been pretty vocal lately.  I didn’t want to go over the top and post this, too. I’m glad you did, however. It’s another good lesson into what matters most within this administration. Mike

Response:

> Thanks for posting this, zoot.  I was going to do so…but > I’ve been pretty vocal lately.  I didn’t want to go over the > top and post this, too. > I’m glad you did, however. > It’s another good lesson into what matters most within this > administration. > Mike

yeah, it’s a welfare state

Response:

ot: Looters

Question:

 Firms with Bush-Cheney Ties Clinching Katrina Deals     Reuters     Saturday 10 September 2005     Washington – Companies with ties to the Bush White House and the former head of FEMA are clinching some of the administration’s first disaster relief and reconstruction contracts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.     At least two major corporate clients of lobbyist Joe Allbaugh, President George W. Bush’s former campaign manager and a former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, have already been tapped to start recovery work along the battered Gulf Coast.     One is Shaw Group Inc. and the other is Halliburton Co. subsidiary Kellogg Brown and Root. Vice President Dick Cheney is a former head of Halliburton.     Bechtel National Inc., a unit of San Francisco-based Bechtel Corp., has also been selected by FEMA to provide short-term housing for people displaced by the hurricane. Bush named Bechtel’s CEO to his Export Council and put the former CEO of Bechtel Energy in charge of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.     Experts say it has been common practice in both Republican and Democratic administrations for policy makers to take lobbying jobs once they leave office, and many of the same companies seeking contracts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina have already received billions of dollars for work in Iraq.     Halliburton alone has earned more than $9 billion. Pentagon audits released by Democrats in June showed $1.03 billion in "questioned" costs and $422 million in "unsupported" costs for Halliburton’s work in Iraq.     But the web of Bush administration connections is attracting renewed attention from watchdog groups in the post-Katrina reconstruction rush. Congress has already appropriated more than $60 billion in emergency funding as a down payment on recovery efforts projected to cost well over $100 billion.     "The government has got to stop stacking senior positions with people who are repeatedly cashing in on the public trust in order to further private commercial interests," said Danielle Brian, executive director of the Project on Government Oversight.     Two Bush Appointees at Halliburton     Allbaugh formally registered as a lobbyist for Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg Brown and Root in February.     In lobbying disclosure forms filed with the Senate, Allbaugh said his goal was to "educate the congressional and executive branch on defense, disaster relief and homeland security issues affecting Kellogg Brown and Root."     Melissa Norcross, a Halliburton spokeswoman, said Allbaugh has not, since he was hired, "consulted on any specific contracts that the company is considering pursuing, nor has he been tasked by the company with any lobbying responsibilities."     Allbaugh is also a friend of Michael Brown, director of FEMA who was removed as head of Katrina disaster relief and sent back to Washington amid allegations he had padded his resume.     A few months after Allbaugh was hired by Halliburton, the company retained another high-level Bush appointee, Kirk Van Tine.     Van Tine registered as a lobbyist for Halliburton six months after resigning as deputy transportation secretary, a position he held from December 2003 to December 2004.     On Friday, Kellogg Brown & Root received $29.8 million in Pentagon contracts to begin rebuilding Navy bases in Louisiana and Mississippi. Norcross said the work was covered under a contract that the company negotiated before Allbaugh was hired.     Halliburton continues to be a source of income for Cheney, who served as its chief executive officer from 1995 until 2000 when he joined the Republican ticket for the White House. According to tax filings released in April, Cheney’s income included $194,852 in deferred pay from the company, which has also won billion-dollar government contracts in Iraq.     Cheney’s office said the amount of deferred compensation is fixed and is not affected by Halliburton’s current economic performance or earnings.     Allbaugh’s other major client, Baton Rouge-based Shaw Group, has updated its Web site to say: "Hurricane Recovery Projects – Apply Here!"      Shaw said on Thursday it has received a $100 million emergency FEMA contract for housing management and construction. Shaw also clinched a $100 million order on Friday from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.     Shaw Group spokesman Chris Sammons said Allbaugh was providing the company with "general consulting on business matters," and would not say whether he played a direct role in any of the Katrina deals. "We don’t comment on specific consulting activities," he said. http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/091105C.shtml

Response:

Thanks for posting this, zoot.  I was going to do so…but I’ve been pretty vocal lately.  I didn’t want to go over the top and post this, too. I’m glad you did, however. It’s another good lesson into what matters most within this administration. Mike

Response:

> Thanks for posting this, zoot.  I was going to do so…but > I’ve been pretty vocal lately.  I didn’t want to go over the > top and post this, too. > I’m glad you did, however. > It’s another good lesson into what matters most within this > administration. > Mike

yeah, it’s a welfare state

Response:

Echo Boomers

Question:

"Geezers" will have to work longer to support themselves, methinks. Interesting that the US and India are the only countries to have large numbers of young people.  It is certainly going to be different.

Response:

They’re a smaller cohort, and just wait until they face the reality of Baby Boomer aging costs, with all those entitlement programs (which may be expanded hugely if "Medicare for All" happens). Don’t expect "free" home care for the aged.  Expect cost controls like large institutions instead.  The Echo cohort will insist on it once the bills become large enough.

Response:

>  They’re a smaller cohort, and just wait until they face the reality of >  Baby Boomer aging costs, with all those entitlement programs (which may >  be expanded hugely if "Medicare for All" happens).

How does the civilized world do it? Isn’t there a way to cut down on the need for insurance specialists in doctors offices and Blue Cross offices that tell the employees of the town’s largest employer that to replace their card they need to call an eight hundred number and wait two weeks? >  Don’t expect "free" home care for the aged.  Expect cost controls like >  large institutions instead.  The Echo cohort will insist on it once the >  bills become large enough.

Large institutions are cheaper than visiting nurses and senior centers? — Gulf Currents: http://www.esl.lsu.edu/home/ Wetlands: http://marine.usgs.gov/fact-sheets/LAwetlands/lawetlands.html Silver foot: http://tinyurl.com/dqflr http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/09/05/katrina.wetlands.ap/

Response:

I hate to be a "greedy geezer" but I’m glad their is a new horde out there to pay for our old age pensions.   The economic projections in the SS annual trustees report woefully underestimates the size of new generations, particularly from the immigration side, so I guess SS is in decent shape. This group needs to get politcally organized so the the greedy geezers (who do vote) dont walk all over them. Only the US and India are projected to have large numbers of young people to support their economies in the 21st century. Europe, China and Japan are top heavy with geezers and their economies will be strained.

Response:

Poppy – San Francisco Bay Area quoted: > The largest generation of young people since the ’60s is beginning to > come of age. They’re called "echo boomers" because they’re the genetic > offspring and demographic echo of their parents, the baby boomers. > … > They are also the most diverse generation ever: 35 percent are > non-white, …

The genetic offspring of the baby boomers are the most diverse generation ever (35% non-white)? How on earth did they manage that? Indoarsman

Response:

The Echo Boomers Sept. 4, 2005 If you’ve ever wondered why corporate America, Hollywood, Madison Avenue and the media all seem obsessed with the youth culture, the answer is simple. The largest generation of young people since the ’60s is beginning to come of age. They’re called "echo boomers" because they’re the genetic offspring and demographic echo of their parents, the baby boomers. Born between 1982 and 1995, there are nearly 80 million of them, and they’re already having a huge impact on entire segments of the economy. And as the population ages, they will be become the next dominant generation of Americans. Who are they? What do they want? As Correspondent Steve Kroft first reported last October, you’ll be surprised. The oldest are barely out of college, and the youngest are still in grade school. And whether you call them "echo boomers," "Generation Y" or "millennials," they already make up nearly a third of the U.S. population, and already spend $170 billion a year of their own and their parents’ money. Almost none of it is spent on boring things like mortgages and medication, and the world is falling all over itself trying to sell them things. What brands do they love? Sony, Patagonia, Gap, Gillette, Aveda. Only a small percentage are eligible to vote, yet they are already one of the must studied generations in history — by sociologists, demographers and marketing consultants like Jane Buckingham of the Intelligence Group. Buckingham uses focus groups to gather information for clients such as NBC, Chanel, Nike and Levi Strauss. Echo boomers are a reflection of the sweeping changes in American life over the past 20 years. They are the first to grow up with computers at home, in a 500-channel TV universe. They are multi-taskers with cell phones, music downloads, and Instant Messaging on the Internet. They are totally plugged- in citizens of a worldwide community. Nick Summers of Columbia University and Andie Gissing from Middlebury College in Vermont are college seniors and editors of their college newspapers. They are both in touch with the echo boomer ethos. (Note: Since 60 Minutes first broadcast this story, these college editors have become college graduates, and Neil Howe and colleague William Strauss have completed another study of the echo boom generation, "Millennials and the Pop Culture," to be published this fall.) "I would say that my generation tends to be very overachieving, over-managed," says Summers. "Very pressured." "I would agree with that," adds Gissing. "A lot of people work hard or want to do well, I guess." And it’s no wonder they feel that way. From when they were toddlers, they have been belted into car seats, and driven off to some form of organized group activity. After graduating from "Gymboree" and "Mommy and Me," they have been shuttled to play dates and soccer practice, with barely a day off, by parents who’ve felt their kids needed structure, and a sense of mission. Dr. Mel Levine, a professor at the University of North Carolina, is one of the best-known pediatricians in the country. He says it’s had as much to do with shaping this generation as technology. "They have been heavily programmed. The kids who have had soccer Monday, Kung Fu Tuesday, religious classes Wednesday, clarinet lessons Thursday. Whose whole lives have really been based on what some adult tells them to do," says Levine. "This is a generation that has long aimed to please. They’ve wanted to please their parents, their friends, their teachers, their college admissions officers." It’s a generation in which rules seem to have replaced rebellion, convention is winning out over individualism, and values are very traditional. They are also the most diverse generation ever: 35 percent are non-white, and the most tolerant, believing everyone should be part of the community.Historian Neil Howe, along with co-author William Strauss, has made a career studying different generations. Howe says all the research on echo boomers always reflects the same thing: They are much different than their self-absorbed, egocentric baby boomer parents. "Nothing could be more anti-boom than being a good team player, right? Fitting in. Worrying less about leadership than follower-ship," says Howe. "If you go into a public school today, teamwork is stressed everywhere. Team teaching, team grading, collaborative sports, community service, service learning, student juries. I mean, the list goes on and on." Howe thinks they are more like their grandparents, the great World War II generation — more interested in building things up than tearing them down. "When you ask kids, ‘What do you most hope to achieve there?’ Where they used to say, ‘I wanna be No. 1. I wanna be the best,’ increasingly they’re saying, ‘I wanna be an effective member of the team. I wanna do everything that’s required of me,’" says Howe. And you can already see some results. Violent crime among teenagers is down 60 to 70 percent. The use of tobacco and alcohol are at all-time lows. So is teen pregnancy. Five out of 10 echo boomers say they trust the government, and virtually all of them trust mom and dad. Through sheer numbers, they’re beginning to change society. They have affected school construction, college enrollments, product development, and media content. And according to Buckingham, they are changing the way things are sold, from clothing to cars, because mass marketing doesn’t always reach them. "They’re not watching the traditional networks as much because they have so many choices. They’re playing on the Internet. They’re playing videogames," says Buckingham. "They’re out and about, shopping a lot. So, the traditional 30-second commercial isn’t always working the way it was." They are the most sophisticated generation ever when it comes to media. They create their own Web sites, make their own CDs and DVDs, and are cynical of packaged messages. They take their cues from each other. A well-placed product on one of their pop idols, like Paris Hilton or Ashton Kutcher, can launch a brand of $40 T-shirts and trucker hats. But they also shop at vintage clothing shops. Buckingham employs the services of some 1,500 young people scattered around the country, and relies on their regular reports on what’s hot and what’s not to keep her and her clients ahead of the latest trends. "One of the things with this generation is word of mouth. Buzz is more important today than it’s ever been," says Buckingham. "And that can get started on the Internet. That can get started just through friends. And it’s very hard for a marketer to tap into that unless it’s really a product that they like." Toyota is already betting hundreds of millions of dollars to try to create that buzz, in launching a car division aimed exclusively at echo boomers. "They’ve affected clothing. They’ve affected beverage. And now, they’re just about to affect the car business," says Jim Farley, head of Toyota’s Scion division. Toyota is quietly peddling its new $15,000 cars, with air conditioning and power windows, by sponsoring events like street basketball/break dance festivals, where they always have cars on hand for people to look at and sometimes even test drive. "People kind of just stumble on our product, and it’s cool that way," says Farley. That’s what the company wants. "This is like regular car companies are on TV. This is our regular activity. This is how we expose our cars to young people." Seventy percent of Scion’s promotion is being spent on those events. Only 30 percent is spent on traditional advertising, and much of that is on the Internet, where echo boomers can fill out a Scion order form, customize their car with 40 different options, and drop off the form at the dealership without ever hearing a sales pitch. It’s early yet, but Farley says Scion is meeting its sales projections: "I think how we’ve looked at it is that we can’t afford not to do this." Echo boomers have their own television network, the WB, and their own stores, with multimedia presentations and disc jockeys to lure them in the door. It’s a generation used to being catered to. "They are more protected," says Howe. "They regard themselves as collectively special, because of the time in which they were raised." Why do they consider themselves special? "Because they came along at a time when we started re-valuing kids. During the ’60s and ’70s, the frontier of reproductive medicine was contraception," says Howe. "During the ’80s and beyond, it’s been fertility and scouring the world to find orphan kids that we can adopt. …The culture looked down on kids. Now it wants kids; it celebrates them." Echo boomers are the most watched-over generation in history. Most have never ridden a bike without a helmet, ridden in a car without a seat belt, or eaten in a cafeteria that serves peanut butter. "Sometimes, they don’t know what to do if they’re just left outside and you say, ‘Well, just do something by yourself for a while,’" says Howe. "They’ll look around stunned. You know, ‘What are we supposed to do now?’" They’re hovered over by what college administrators call "helicopter parents." Protected and polished, they are trophy children in every sense of the word. "Everyone is above average in our generation," says Summers. "Everybody gets a trophy at the end of the year. It’s something you’re used to," adds Gissing. "And you have the rows of trophies lined up on your windowsill, or whatever." "Parents feel as if they’re holding onto a piece of Baccarat crystal or something that could somehow shatter at any point," says Levine. "And so parents really have a sense their kids are fragile. And parents therefore are protecting them, inflating their egos. Massaging them, fighting their battles for them." Levine, who is considered one of the foremost authorities in the country on how children learn, is … read more »

Response:

OT: 'Katrinagate' fury spreads

Question:

‘Katrinagate’ fury spreads Gabrielle Chwallek Washington – "For God’s sake, are you blind?," a woman shouts at the head of the federal emergency management agency (FEMA), Michael Brown. "You’re patting each other on the back, while people here are dying." The woman is not a victim of Hurricane Katrina. She is a reporter with US television network MSNBC who is so affected by the misery she has witnessed she can hold back no longer. "Katrinagate" is the term being used by the media to describe the biggest challenge facing the political establishment in the US since the Watergate affair in the 1970s toppled Richard Nixon. Not for decades has there been such merciless questioning of the president and his administration by the US media. Even now, as the rescue operation gets underway in earnest and the flood waters in New Orleans are starting to subside, the federal government’s inadequate reaction – in the run-up to the hurricane and directly afterwards – is still being criticized by the media in reports which are anything but detached. Never before, say some observers, have US reporters been so emotionally involved in a story to the point of being enraged. They are not just telling a story, they have become part of it. "Has Katrina saved the US media,?" asked BBC reporter Matt Wells who sees the shift in tone as a potentially historic development. A number of US journalists who cover federal politics, especially television presenters, had become part of the political establishment, says Wells. "They live in the same suburbs, go to the same parties. Their television companies are owned by large conglomerates who contribute to election campaigns." It’s a "perfect recipe" for fearful, self-censoring reportage, he says, but thinks "since last week, that’s all over". The ‘Big One’ But if the Bush administration’s reaction to Hurricane Katrina was slow, so too was the media’s. On Friday, reporters at the scene were still having difficulties establishing the scale of the disaster and the number of dead. Used to reporting on comparatively harmless storms, heroically riding out the storms with windblown hairdos, they were then confronted with the "Big One". The television reporters, particularly, were left scrambling in the first few hours of coverage as they tried to comprehend the scale of the disaster. Then came the emotion. A CNN reporter broke down as she described the cries of help of people stuck on rooftops in Louisiana. Other journalists also related what they saw in broken voices. Then the federal officials rolled into town and the press conferences started, with politicians thanking one another for their tireless efforts. Next came anger. "This isn’t Iraq, this isn’t Somalia, this is our home," one NBC television reporter shouted. The usually stoic ABC television presenter Ted Koeppel lashed out at FEMA head Brown in a interview, when he could not give any details on the number of refugees waiting to be rescued from the Convention Centre. "Don’t you people ever look at television?," the veteran presenter raged. "Don’t you ever hear the radio? We’ve been reporting on the crisis at the Convention Centre for a lot longer than just today." Supplies A CNN journalist also attacked Brown. "How it is possible that we have better information than you? Why aren’t supplies being dropped in (by plane). "In Banda Aceh, in Indonesia, they did it two days after the tsunami." Another CNN reporter interrupted senator Mary Landrieu during an interview in which she was praising congress for passing an emergency aid package. "Excuse me senator, I’m sorry for interrupting. I haven’t heard anything about that, because I was busy these past four days seeing dead people on the street. "And when I hear how one politician congratulating the others…Yesterday there was a corpse on the street which had been eaten by rats because it had been there for 48 hours." If the alarm bells are not already going off in the Oval Office, they should be, because the previously staunchly pro-Bush Fox News is also starting to show signs of disaffection. As one of their reporters was being directed to another area because of the danger caused by looting, he spoke quickly into his microphone, saying: "These people are desperate. "Why shouldn’t they try to steal water and food from us?" – Sapa-dpa _____ <http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Hurricane_Katrina/0,,2-10-1942_176…>        Posted via TITANnews – Uncensored Newsgroups Access              >>>> at http://www.TitanNews.com <<<< -=Every Newsgroup – Anonymous, UNCENSORED, BROADBAND Downloads=-

Response:

> ‘Katrinagate’ fury spreads > Not for decades has there been such merciless questioning of the president > and his administration > by the US media.

Many in the media are turning their eyes toward the federal government, rather than considering the culpability of city and state officials. I am fully aware of the challenges of having a quick and responsive emergency response to a major disaster. And there is definitely a time for accountability; but what isn’t fair is to dump on the federal officials and avoid those most responsible — local and state officials who failed to do their job as the first responders. The plain fact is, lives were needlessly lost in New Orleans due to the failure of Louisiana’s governor, Kathleen Blanco, and the city’s mayor, Ray Nagin. The primary responsibility for dealing with emergencies does not belong to the federal government. It belongs to local and state officials who are charged by law with the management of the crucial first response to disasters. First response should be carried out by local and state emergency personnel under the supervision of the state governor and his/her emergency operations center. The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established evacuation plans of the state and city. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin cannot claim that they were surprised by the extent of the damage and the need to evacuate so many people. Detailed written plans were already in place to evacuate more than a million people. The plans projected that 300,000 people would need transportation in the event of a hurricane like Katrina. If the plans had been implemented, thousands of lives would likely have been saved. In addition to the plans, local, state and federal officials held a simulated hurricane drill 13 months ago, in which widespread flooding supposedly trapped 300,000 people inside New Orleans. The exercise simulated the evacuation of more than a million residents. The problems identified in the simulation apparently were not solved. A year ago, as Hurricane Ivan approached, New Orleans ordered an evacuation but did not use city or school buses to help people evacuate. As a result many of the poorest citizens were unable to evacuate. Fortunately, the hurricane changed course and did not hit New Orleans, but both Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin acknowledged the need for a better evacuation plan. Again, they did not take corrective actions. In 1998, during a threat by Hurricane George, 14,000 people were sent to the Superdome and theft and vandalism were rampant due to inadequate security. Again, these problems were not corrected. The New Orleans contingency plan is still, as of this writing, on the city’s Web site, and states: "The safe evacuation of threatened populations is one of the principle [sic] reasons for developing a Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan." But the plan was apparently ignored. Mayor Nagin was responsible for giving the order for mandatory evacuation and supervising the actual evacuation: His office of Emergency Preparedness (not the federal government) must coordinate with the state on elements of evacuation and assist in directing the transportation of evacuees to staging areas. Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the governor to contact the National Hurricane Center before he finally, belatedly, issued the order for mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it apparently took a personal call from the president to urge the governor to order the mandatory evacuation. The city’s evacuation plan states: "The city of New Orleans will utilize all available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas." But even though the city has enough school and transit buses to evacuate 12,000 citizens per fleet run, the mayor did not use them. To compound the problem, the buses were not moved to high ground and were flooded. The plan also states that "special arrangements will be made to evacuate persons unable to transport themselves or who require specific lifesaving assistance. Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation procedures as needed." This was not done. The evacuation plan warned that "if an evacuation order is issued without the mechanisms needed to disseminate the information to the affected persons, then we face the possibility of having large numbers of people either stranded and left to the mercy of a storm, or left in an area impacted by toxic materials." That is precisely what happened because of the mayor’s failure. Instead of evacuating the people, the mayor ordered the refugees to the Superdome and Convention Center without adequate security and no provisions for food, water and sanitary conditions. As a result people died, and there was even rape committed, in these facilities. Mayor Nagin failed in his responsibility to provide public safety and to manage the orderly evacuation of the citizens of New Orleans. Now he wants to blame Gov. Blanco and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In an emergency the first requirement is for the city’s emergency center to be linked to the state emergency operations center. This was not done. The federal government does not have the authority to intervene in a state emergency without the request of a governor. President Bush declared an emergency prior to Katrina hitting New Orleans, so the only action needed for federal assistance was for Gov. Blanco to request the specific type of assistance she needed. She failed to send a timely request for specific aid. In addition, unlike the governors of New York, Oklahoma and California in past disasters, Gov. Blanco failed to take charge of the situation and ensure that the state emergency operation facility was in constant contact with Mayor Nagin and FEMA. It is likely that thousands of people died because of the failure of Gov. Blanco to implement the state plan, which mentions the possible need to evacuate up to one million people. The plan clearly gives the governor the authority for declaring an emergency, sending in state resources to the disaster area and requesting necessary federal assistance. State legislators and governors nationwide need to update their contingency plans and the operation procedures for state emergency centers. Hurricane Katrina had been forecast for days, but that will not always be the case with a disaster (think of terrorist attacks). It must be made clear that the governor and locally elected officials are in charge of the "first response." I am not attempting to excuse some of the delays in FEMA’s response. Congress and the president need to take corrective action there, also. However, if citizens expect FEMA to be a first responder to terrorist attacks or other local emergencies (earthquakes, forest fires, volcanoes), they will be disappointed. The federal government’s role is to offer aid upon request. The Louisiana Legislature should conduct an immediate investigation into the failures of state and local officials to implement the written emergency plans. The tragedy is not over, and real leadership in the state and local government are essential in the months to come. More importantly, the hurricane season is still upon us, and local and state officials must stay focused on the jobs for which they were elected — and not on the deadly game of passing the emergency buck. Mr. Williams is president of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a free market public policy research organization in Olympia, Wash.      URL for this article:       http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112596602138332256,00.html

Response:

> ‘Katrinagate’ fury spreads > Gabrielle Chwallek > Washington – "For God’s sake, are you blind?," a woman shouts at the head > of the federal emergency > management agency (FEMA), Michael Brown. > "You’re patting each other on the back, while people here are dying." > The woman is not a victim of Hurricane Katrina. She is a reporter with US > television network MSNBC > who is so affected by the misery she has witnessed she can hold back no > longer.

http://media.yourdailymedia.com/files/ybkD3PK0Ri0e.swf

Response:

You and the WSJ editorial page can spin yourself nauseous to yor heart’s content, but the fact is: the third-world governments dealing with the recent tsunami acquitted themselves *nobly* compared to ours.   Take a break from your 10,000 RPM "blame it on the locals" horseshit and allow yourself to be ashamed of the criminally incompetent regime to which you’ve fastened your kisser. No state or local government could have handled this disaster — this is a national crisis and had to be dealt with via federal expertise and resources.  Too bad it’s also a national tragedy and embarrassment — wake up and unbundle the acronym: F(ederal) E(mergency) M(anagement) A(gency) This clearly implies that there are situations that are simply too extensive and/or severe to be dealt with by state and local agencies, and that in such situations the response is to be F(ederally) M(anaged)!   Moreover, any failures on the part of state and local officials are strictly the business of those who vote for those offices — but the federal government’s piss-poor performance is the rightful concern of all Americans.  An incompetent FEMA (and, for that matter, entire DHS!) endangers all of us, regardless of how good or bad our state and local governments may be!  Iow, if you’re not worried, you simply haven’t been paying attention! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> ‘Katrinagate’ fury spreads > Not for decades has there been such merciless questioning of the president > and his administration > by the US media. >Many in the media are turning their eyes toward the federal government, >rather than considering the culpability of city and state officials. I am >fully aware of the challenges of having a quick and responsive emergency >response to a major disaster. And there is definitely a time for >accountability; but what isn’t fair is to dump on the federal officials and >avoid those most responsible — local and state officials who failed to do >their job as the first responders. The plain fact is, lives were needlessly >lost in New Orleans due to the failure of Louisiana’s governor, Kathleen >Blanco, and the city’s mayor, Ray Nagin. >The primary responsibility for dealing with emergencies does not belong to >the federal government. It belongs to local and state officials who are >charged by law with the management of the crucial first response to >disasters. First response should be carried out by local and state emergency >personnel under the supervision of the state governor and his/her emergency >operations center. >The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national >disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established >evacuation plans of the state and city. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin cannot >claim that they were surprised by the extent of the damage and the need to >evacuate so many people. Detailed written plans were already in place to >evacuate more than a million people. The plans projected that 300,000 people >would need transportation in the event of a hurricane like Katrina. If the >plans had been implemented, thousands of lives would likely have been saved. >In addition to the plans, local, state and federal officials held a >simulated hurricane drill 13 months ago, in which widespread flooding >supposedly trapped 300,000 people inside New Orleans. The exercise simulated >the evacuation of more than a million residents. The problems identified in >the simulation apparently were not solved. >A year ago, as Hurricane Ivan approached, New Orleans ordered an evacuation >but did not use city or school buses to help people evacuate. As a result >many of the poorest citizens were unable to evacuate. Fortunately, the >hurricane changed course and did not hit New Orleans, but both Gov. Blanco >and Mayor Nagin acknowledged the need for a better evacuation plan. Again, >they did not take corrective actions. In 1998, during a threat by Hurricane >George, 14,000 people were sent to the Superdome and theft and vandalism >were rampant due to inadequate security. Again, these problems were not >corrected. >The New Orleans contingency plan is still, as of this writing, on the city’s >Web site, and states: "The safe evacuation of threatened populations is one >of the principle [sic] reasons for developing a Comprehensive Emergency >Management Plan." But the plan was apparently ignored. >Mayor Nagin was responsible for giving the order for mandatory evacuation >and supervising the actual evacuation: His office of Emergency Preparedness >(not the federal government) must coordinate with the state on elements of >evacuation and assist in directing the transportation of evacuees to staging >areas. Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the governor to contact the >National Hurricane Center before he finally, belatedly, issued the order for >mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it apparently took a personal call from the >president to urge the governor to order the mandatory evacuation. >The city’s evacuation plan states: "The city of New Orleans will utilize all >available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas." But >even though the city has enough school and transit buses to evacuate 12,000 >citizens per fleet run, the mayor did not use them. To compound the problem, >the buses were not moved to high ground and were flooded. The plan also >states that "special arrangements will be made to evacuate persons unable to >transport themselves or who require specific lifesaving assistance. >Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation procedures as >needed." This was not done. >The evacuation plan warned that "if an evacuation order is issued without >the mechanisms needed to disseminate the information to the affected >persons, then we face the possibility of having large numbers of people >either stranded and left to the mercy of a storm, or left in an area >impacted by toxic materials." That is precisely what happened because of the >mayor’s failure. >Instead of evacuating the people, the mayor ordered the refugees to the >Superdome and Convention Center without adequate security and no provisions >for food, water and sanitary conditions. As a result people died, and there >was even rape committed, in these facilities. Mayor Nagin failed in his >responsibility to provide public safety and to manage the orderly evacuation >of the citizens of New Orleans. Now he wants to blame Gov. Blanco and the >Federal Emergency Management Agency. In an emergency the first requirement >is for the city’s emergency center to be linked to the state emergency >operations center. This was not done. >The federal government does not have the authority to intervene in a state >emergency without the request of a governor. President Bush declared an >emergency prior to Katrina hitting New Orleans, so the only action needed >for federal assistance was for Gov. Blanco to request the specific type of >assistance she needed. She failed to send a timely request for specific aid. >In addition, unlike the governors of New York, Oklahoma and California in >past disasters, Gov. Blanco failed to take charge of the situation and >ensure that the state emergency operation facility was in constant contact >with Mayor Nagin and FEMA. It is likely that thousands of people died >because of the failure of Gov. Blanco to implement the state plan, which >mentions the possible need to evacuate up to one million people. The plan >clearly gives the governor the authority for declaring an emergency, sending >in state resources to the disaster area and requesting necessary federal >assistance. >State legislators and governors nationwide need to update their contingency >plans and the operation procedures for state emergency centers. Hurricane >Katrina had been forecast for days, but that will not always be the case >with a disaster (think of terrorist attacks). It must be made clear that the >governor and locally elected officials are in charge of the "first >response." >I am not attempting to excuse some of the delays in FEMA’s response. >Congress and the president need to take corrective action there, also. >However, if citizens expect FEMA to be a first responder to terrorist >attacks or other local emergencies (earthquakes, forest fires, volcanoes), >they will be disappointed. The federal government’s role is to offer aid >upon request. >The Louisiana Legislature should conduct an immediate investigation into the >failures of state and local officials to implement the written emergency >plans. The tragedy is not over, and real leadership in the state and local >government are essential in the months to come. More importantly, the >hurricane season is still upon us, and local and state officials must stay >focused on the jobs for which they were elected — and not on the deadly >game of passing the emergency buck. >Mr. Williams is president of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a free market >public policy research organization in Olympia, Wash. >     URL for this article: >      http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112596602138332256,00.html

       Posted via TITANnews – Uncensored Newsgroups Access              >>>> at http://www.TitanNews.com <<<< -=Every Newsgroup – Anonymous, UNCENSORED, BROADBAND Downloads=-

Response:

>  allow yourself to be ashamed of  the criminally incompetent > regime to which you’ve fastened your kisser. > No state or local government could have handled this disaster

Complete Bull Shit! It was the Emergency Policy of New Orleans that the city would be evacuated. As they found out in a drill a year ago, they needed to update their plan, and they did NOT. If the city had been evacuated there would have been ZERO deaths. ALL of the deaths are on the Mayor & Governor’s hands.  Mayor Nagin was responsible for giving the order for mandatory evacuation and supervising the actual evacuation: His office of Emergency Preparedness (not the federal government) must coordinate with the state on elements of evacuation and assist in directing the transportation of evacuees to staging areas. Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the governor to contact the National Hurricane Center before he finally, belatedly, issued the order for mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it apparently took a personal call from the president to urge the governor to order the mandatory evacuation. The city’s evacuation plan states: "The city of New Orleans will utilize all available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas." But even though the city has enough school and transit buses to evacuate 12,000 citizens per fleet run, the mayor did not use them. To compound the problem, the buses were not moved to high ground and were flooded. The plan also states that "special arrangements will be made to evacuate persons unable to transport themselves or who require specific lifesaving assistance. Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation procedures as needed." This was not done.

Response:

> >  allow yourself to be ashamed of  the criminally incompetent > regime to which you’ve fastened your kisser. > No state or local government could have handled this disaster > Complete Bull Shit! It was the Emergency Policy of New Orleans that the city > would be evacuated. As they found out in a drill a year ago, they needed to > update their plan, and they did NOT. If the city had been evacuated there > would have been ZERO deaths. ALL of the deaths are on the Mayor & Governor’s > hands.

Maybe nobody would have died (unlikely) and maybe not.  But, the fact remains that our federal govenment sat on their hands for days after a national disaster.  All the focus is on New Orleans, but Katrina wreaked a lot of damage over a heck of a lot more than just one city in one state.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > ‘Katrinagate’ fury spreads > Gabrielle Chwallek > Washington – "For God’s sake, are you blind?," a woman shouts at the head of the federal emergency > management agency (FEMA), Michael Brown. > "You’re patting each other on the back, while people here are dying." > The woman is not a victim of Hurricane Katrina. She is a reporter with US television network MSNBC > who is so affected by the misery she has witnessed she can hold back no longer. > "Katrinagate" is the term being used by the media to describe the biggest challenge facing the > political establishment in the US since the Watergate affair in the 1970s toppled Richard Nixon. > Not for decades has there been such merciless questioning of the president and his administration > by the US media. > Even now, as the rescue operation gets underway in earnest and the flood waters in New Orleans are > starting to subside, the federal government’s inadequate reaction – in the run-up to the hurricane > and directly afterwards – is still being criticized by the media in reports which are anything but > detached. > Never before, say some observers, have US reporters been so emotionally involved in a story to the > point of being enraged. > They are not just telling a story, they have become part of it. > "Has Katrina saved the US media,?" asked BBC reporter Matt Wells who sees the shift in tone as a > potentially historic development. > A number of US journalists who cover federal politics, especially television presenters, had become > part of the political establishment, says Wells. > "They live in the same suburbs, go to the same parties. Their television companies are owned by > large conglomerates who contribute to election campaigns." > It’s a "perfect recipe" for fearful, self-censoring reportage, he says, but thinks "since last > week, that’s all over". > The ‘Big One’ > But if the Bush administration’s reaction to Hurricane Katrina was slow, so too was the media’s. > On Friday, reporters at the scene were still having difficulties establishing the scale of the > disaster and the number of dead. > Used to reporting on comparatively harmless storms, heroically riding out the storms with windblown > hairdos, they were then confronted with the "Big One". > The television reporters, particularly, were left scrambling in the first few hours of coverage as > they tried to comprehend the scale of the disaster. > Then came the emotion. A CNN reporter broke down as she described the cries of help of people stuck > on rooftops in Louisiana. > Other journalists also related what they saw in broken voices. > Then the federal officials rolled into town and the press conferences started, with politicians > thanking one another for their tireless efforts. > Next came anger. "This isn’t Iraq, this isn’t Somalia, this is our home," one NBC television > reporter shouted. > The usually stoic ABC television presenter Ted Koeppel lashed out at FEMA head Brown in a > interview, when he could not give any details on the number of refugees waiting to be rescued from > the Convention Centre. > "Don’t you people ever look at television?," the veteran presenter raged. > "Don’t you ever hear the radio? We’ve been reporting on the crisis at the Convention Centre for a > lot longer than just today." > Supplies > A CNN journalist also attacked Brown. "How it is possible that we have better information than you? > Why aren’t supplies being dropped in (by plane). > "In Banda Aceh, in Indonesia, they did it two days after the tsunami." > Another CNN reporter interrupted senator Mary Landrieu during an interview in which she was > praising congress for passing an emergency aid package. > "Excuse me senator, I’m sorry for interrupting. I haven’t heard anything about that, because I was > busy these past four days seeing dead people on the street. > "And when I hear how one politician congratulating the others…Yesterday there was a corpse on the > street which had been eaten by rats because it had been there for 48 hours." > If the alarm bells are not already going off in the Oval Office, they should be, because the > previously staunchly pro-Bush Fox News is also starting to show signs of disaffection. > As one of their reporters was being directed to another area because of the danger caused by > looting, he spoke quickly into his microphone, saying: "These people are desperate. > "Why shouldn’t they try to steal water and food from us?" – Sapa-dpa > _____ > <http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Hurricane_Katrina/0,,2-10-1942_176…> >        Posted via TITANnews – Uncensored Newsgroups Access >              >>>> at http://www.TitanNews.com <<<< > -=Every Newsgroup – Anonymous, UNCENSORED, BROADBAND Downloads=-

If no other good comes out of this, at least the media is starting to show some balls again.

Response:

> Maybe nobody would have died (unlikely) and maybe not.

How on Earth can you say that? If EVERYONE was evacuated as the President requested on Saturday BEFORE the storm, there would have been NO ONE there to die. > But, the fact remains that our federal govenment sat on their hands for > days after a > national disaster.

As one who has received training by FEMA in emergency management and also training by the Department of Defense in consequence management, I believe that the federal response in New Orleans needs clarification. The key to emergency management starts at the local level and expands to the state level. Emergency planning generally does not include any federal guarantees, as there can only be limited ones from the federal level for any local plan. FEMA provides free training, education, assistance and respond in case of an emergency, but the local and state officials run their own emergency management program. Prior development of an emergency plan, addressing all foreseeable contingencies, is the absolute requirement of the local government –and then they share that plan with the state emergency managers to ensure that the state authorities can provide necessary assets not available at the local level. Additionally, good planning will include applicable elements of the federal government (those located in the local area). These processes are well established, but are contingent upon the personal drive of both hired and elected officials at the local level. I’ve reviewed the New Orleans emergency management plan. Here is an important section in the first paragraph. "We coordinate all city departments and allied state and federal agencies which respond to citywide disasters and emergencies through the development and constant updating of an integrated multi-hazard plan. All requests for federal disaster assistance and federal funding subsequent to disaster declarations are also made through this office. Our authority is defined by the Louisiana Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act of 1993, Chapter 6 Section 709, Paragraph B, ‘Each parish shall maintain a Disaster Agency which, except as otherwise provided under this act, has jurisdiction over and serves the entire parish.’ " Check the plan — the "we" in this case is the office of the mayor, Ray Nagin who was very quick and vocal about blaming everyone but his own office. A telling picture, at left, taken by The Associated Press on Sept. 1 and widely circulated on the Internet shows a school bus park, apparently filled to capacity with buses, under about four feet of water. If a mandatory evacuation was ordered, why weren’t all the taxpayer-purchased buses used in the effort? Who could have predicted the anarchy resulting as a consequence? The individuals who devolved into lawless animals embarrass the entirety of America. (I worked in a U.S. Embassy overseas for a couple years and I can imagine what foreign diplomats are thinking.) What societal factors would ever lead people to believe that this behavior was even remotely acceptable? The folks in New Orleans who are perpetrating the violence and lawlessness are not that way because of low income or of race, but because they personally do not have any honor or commitment to higher ideals. The civil-rights leaders should be ashamed at playing the blame game. The blame is on the individuals. The blame is on the society that allowed these individuals to develop the ideal that the individual is greater than the national pride he is destroying. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was very clear in her comments that she was offended at those who suggested the suffering in New Orleans was prolonged because of race. As a retired Marine, I hang my head in shame to see my fellow Americans degenerate so far. I spent so many years in the Corps helping the citizens of other countries rise to a higher level of personal responsibility to ensure that in case of emergency, anarchy did not necessarily follow. When people are held to a higher standard of personal responsibility and they accept that, then they will do the right thing when the time comes. It seems that the mayor of New Orleans is leading the effort in not taking responsibility for his actions. The emergency managers for the state of Louisiana do not have much to say either. The failure in the first 48 hours to provide direction for survivors is theirs to live with. When FEMA was able to take over, it started out behind and had to develop its plan on the fly. Now the federal government has established priorities — rescue the stranded, evacuate the city, flow in resources and fix the levee. It appears that now there is a plan and it is being systematically executed. Hurricane Katrina was a national tragedy — not just in the number of lives lost or the amount of physical damage, but also in the failure of people to do what is right when no one is looking. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05249/566101.stm

Response:

> If no other good comes out of this, at least the media is starting to > show some balls again.

Some intelligence would be far more welcomed. Check some facts! As one who has received training by FEMA in emergency management and also training by the Department of Defense in consequence management, I believe that the federal response in New Orleans needs clarification. The key to emergency management starts at the local level and expands to the state level. Emergency planning generally does not include any federal guarantees, as there can only be limited ones from the federal level for any local plan. FEMA provides free training, education, assistance and respond in case of an emergency, but the local and state officials run their own emergency management program. Prior development of an emergency plan, addressing all foreseeable contingencies, is the absolute requirement of the local government –and then they share that plan with the state emergency managers to ensure that the state authorities can provide necessary assets not available at the local level. Additionally, good planning will include applicable elements of the federal government (those located in the local area). These processes are well established, but are contingent upon the personal drive of both hired and elected officials at the local level. I’ve reviewed the New Orleans emergency management plan. Here is an important section in the first paragraph. "We coordinate all city departments and allied state and federal agencies which respond to citywide disasters and emergencies through the development and constant updating of an integrated multi-hazard plan. All requests for federal disaster assistance and federal funding subsequent to disaster declarations are also made through this office. Our authority is defined by the Louisiana Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act of 1993, Chapter 6 Section 709, Paragraph B, ‘Each parish shall maintain a Disaster Agency which, except as otherwise provided under this act, has jurisdiction over and serves the entire parish.’ " Check the plan — the "we" in this case is the office of the mayor, Ray Nagin who was very quick and vocal about blaming everyone but his own office. A telling picture, at left, taken by The Associated Press on Sept. 1 and widely circulated on the Internet shows a school bus park, apparently filled to capacity with buses, under about four feet of water. If a mandatory evacuation was ordered, why weren’t all the taxpayer-purchased buses used in the effort? Who could have predicted the anarchy resulting as a consequence? The individuals who devolved into lawless animals embarrass the entirety of America. (I worked in a U.S. Embassy overseas for a couple years and I can imagine what foreign diplomats are thinking.) What societal factors would ever lead people to believe that this behavior was even remotely acceptable? The folks in New Orleans who are perpetrating the violence and lawlessness are not that way because of low income or of race, but because they personally do not have any honor or commitment to higher ideals. The civil-rights leaders should be ashamed at playing the blame game. The blame is on the individuals. The blame is on the society that allowed these individuals to develop the ideal that the individual is greater than the national pride he is destroying. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was very clear in her comments that she was offended at those who suggested the suffering in New Orleans was prolonged because of race. As a retired Marine, I hang my head in shame to see my fellow Americans degenerate so far. I spent so many years in the Corps helping the citizens of other countries rise to a higher level of personal responsibility to ensure that in case of emergency, anarchy did not necessarily follow. When people are held to a higher standard of personal responsibility and they accept that, then they will do the right thing when the time comes. It seems that the mayor of New Orleans is leading the effort in not taking responsibility for his actions. The emergency managers for the state of Louisiana do not have much to say either. The failure in the first 48 hours to provide direction for survivors is theirs to live with. When FEMA was able to take over, it started out behind and had to develop its plan on the fly. Now the federal government has established priorities — rescue the stranded, evacuate the city, flow in resources and fix the levee. It appears that now there is a plan and it is being systematically executed. Hurricane Katrina was a national tragedy — not just in the number of lives lost or the amount of physical damage, but also in the failure of people to do what is right when no one is looking. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05249/566101.stm

Response:

This should start out – Karl Rove is crafting a brilliant blame the victims and local official media blitz. No surprise there but that dog ain’t gonna fly. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> ‘Katrinagate’ fury spreads > Not for decades has there been such merciless questioning of the president > and his administration > by the US media. > Many in the media are turning their eyes toward the federal government, > rather than considering the culpability of city and state officials. I am > fully aware of the challenges of having a quick and responsive emergency > response to a major disaster. And there is definitely a time for > accountability; but what isn’t fair is to dump on the federal officials and > avoid those most responsible — local and state officials who failed to do > their job as the first responders. The plain fact is, lives were needlessly > lost in New Orleans due to the failure of Louisiana’s governor, Kathleen > Blanco, and the city’s mayor, Ray Nagin. > The primary responsibility for dealing with emergencies does not belong to > the federal government. It belongs to local and state officials who are > charged by law with the management of the crucial first response to > disasters. First response should be carried out by local and state emergency > personnel under the supervision of the state governor and his/her emergency > operations center. > The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national > disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established > evacuation plans of the state and city. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin cannot > claim that they were surprised by the extent of the damage and the need to > evacuate so many people. Detailed written plans were already in place to > evacuate more than a million people. The plans projected that 300,000 people > would need transportation in the event of a hurricane like Katrina. If the > plans had been implemented, thousands of lives would likely have been saved. > In addition to the plans, local, state and federal officials held a > simulated hurricane drill 13 months ago, in which widespread flooding > supposedly trapped 300,000 people inside New Orleans. The exercise simulated > the evacuation of more than a million residents. The problems identified in > the simulation apparently were not solved. > A year ago, as Hurricane Ivan approached, New Orleans ordered an evacuation > but did not use city or school buses to help people evacuate. As a result > many of the poorest citizens were unable to evacuate. Fortunately, the > hurricane changed course and did not hit New Orleans, but both Gov. Blanco > and Mayor Nagin acknowledged the need for a better evacuation plan. Again, > they did not take corrective actions. In 1998, during a threat by Hurricane > George, 14,000 people were sent to the Superdome and theft and vandalism > were rampant due to inadequate security. Again, these problems were not > corrected. > The New Orleans contingency plan is still, as of this writing, on the city’s > Web site, and states: "The safe evacuation of threatened populations is one > of the principle [sic] reasons for developing a Comprehensive Emergency > Management Plan." But the plan was apparently ignored. > Mayor Nagin was responsible for giving the order for mandatory evacuation > and supervising the actual evacuation: His office of Emergency Preparedness > (not the federal government) must coordinate with the state on elements of > evacuation and assist in directing the transportation of evacuees to staging > areas. Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the governor to contact the > National Hurricane Center before he finally, belatedly, issued the order for > mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it apparently took a personal call from the > president to urge the governor to order the mandatory evacuation. > The city’s evacuation plan states: "The city of New Orleans will utilize all > available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas." But > even though the city has enough school and transit buses to evacuate 12,000 > citizens per fleet run, the mayor did not use them. To compound the problem, > the buses were not moved to high ground and were flooded. The plan also > states that "special arrangements will be made to evacuate persons unable to > transport themselves or who require specific lifesaving assistance. > Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation procedures as > needed." This was not done. > The evacuation plan warned that "if an evacuation order is issued without > the mechanisms needed to disseminate the information to the affected > persons, then we face the possibility of having large numbers of people > either stranded and left to the mercy of a storm, or left in an area > impacted by toxic materials." That is precisely what happened because of the > mayor’s failure. > Instead of evacuating the people, the mayor ordered the refugees to the > Superdome and Convention Center without adequate security and no provisions > for food, water and sanitary conditions. As a result people died, and there > was even rape committed, in these facilities. Mayor Nagin failed in his > responsibility to provide public safety and to manage the orderly evacuation > of the citizens of New Orleans. Now he wants to blame Gov. Blanco and the > Federal Emergency Management Agency. In an emergency the first requirement > is for the city’s emergency center to be linked to the state emergency > operations center. This was not done. > The federal government does not have the authority to intervene in a state > emergency without the request of a governor. President Bush declared an > emergency prior to Katrina hitting New Orleans, so the only action needed > for federal assistance was for Gov. Blanco to request the specific type of > assistance she needed. She failed to send a timely request for specific aid. > In addition, unlike the governors of New York, Oklahoma and California in > past disasters, Gov. Blanco failed to take charge of the situation and > ensure that the state emergency operation facility was in constant contact > with Mayor Nagin and FEMA. It is likely that thousands of people died > because of the failure of Gov. Blanco to implement the state plan, which > mentions the possible need to evacuate up to one million people. The plan > clearly gives the governor the authority for declaring an emergency, sending > in state resources to the disaster area and requesting necessary federal > assistance. > State legislators and governors nationwide need to update their contingency > plans and the operation procedures for state emergency centers. Hurricane > Katrina had been forecast for days, but that will not always be the case > with a disaster (think of terrorist attacks). It must be made clear that the > governor and locally elected officials are in charge of the "first > response." > I am not attempting to excuse some of the delays in FEMA’s response. > Congress and the president need to take corrective action there, also. > However, if citizens expect FEMA to be a first responder to terrorist > attacks or other local emergencies (earthquakes, forest fires, volcanoes), > they will be disappointed. The federal government’s role is to offer aid > upon request. > The Louisiana Legislature should conduct an immediate investigation into the > failures of state and local officials to implement the written emergency > plans. The tragedy is not over, and real leadership in the state and local > government are essential in the months to come. More importantly, the > hurricane season is still upon us, and local and state officials must stay > focused on the jobs for which they were elected — and not on the deadly > game of passing the emergency buck. > Mr. Williams is president of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, a free market > public policy research organization in Olympia, Wash. >      URL for this article: >       http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB112596602138332256,00.html

Response:

> > Maybe nobody would have died (unlikely) and maybe not. > How on Earth can you say that? If EVERYONE was evacuated as the President > requested on Saturday BEFORE the storm, there would have been NO ONE there > to die.

That’s a nice utopian thought, but it’s not reality.  The chance of every single person in any major city being evacuated – voluntarily or not – is slim to none. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> But, the fact remains that our federal govenment sat on their hands for > days after a > national disaster. > I’ve reviewed the New Orleans emergency management plan. Here is an > important section in the first paragraph. > "We coordinate all city departments and allied state and federal agencies > which respond to citywide disasters and emergencies through the development > and constant updating of an integrated multi-hazard plan. All requests for > federal disaster assistance and federal funding subsequent to disaster > declarations are also made through this office. Our authority is defined by > the Louisiana Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act of 1993, Chapter 6 > Section 709, Paragraph B, ‘Each parish shall maintain a Disaster Agency > which, except as otherwise provided under this act, has jurisdiction over > and serves the entire parish.’ " > Check the plan — the "we" in this case is the office of the mayor, Ray > Nagin who was very quick and vocal about blaming everyone but his own > office. A telling picture, at left, taken by The Associated Press on Sept. 1 > and widely circulated on the Internet shows a school bus park, apparently > filled to capacity with buses, under about four feet of water. If a > mandatory evacuation was ordered, why weren’t all the taxpayer-purchased > buses used in the effort?

According to Nagin, he was calling out to every agency he could yet days after, there was still no action.  Nagin didn’t perform perfectly, but at least he was doing *something* which is more than I can say the federal government did… for *days.* I’m not totally disagreeing with you, John; I think there is fault at all levels.  But when I was watching the news last week and not seeing food dropped in or at least some troops brought in to maintain peace in the city, I just kept wondering why the hell some sort of help wasn’t being brought long after the hurricane hit.

Response:

courageously avow: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->You and the WSJ editorial >page can spin yourself >nauseous to yor heart’s >content, but the fact is: >the third-world governments >dealing with the recent >tsunami acquitted themselves >*nobly* compared to ours.   >Take a break from your >10,000 RPM "blame it on the >locals" horseshit and allow >yourself to be ashamed of >the criminally incompetent >regime to which you’ve >fastened your kisser.

If terrorists had blown the holes in the two levies these fuckwads would still be blaming the mayor, solely because he’s a small d Democrat. Ken Wilson Proud Owner of Lord Valve, PMG, John Wheaton, Claude Lucas,  Freep the Xenophobe, Chuck, the rest of the  Union of Rightwing Idiots Needing Explanations (URINE)  and, at his own request, Karl Rovershank (aka Lars from Mars) Supporting the Troops at http://www.resisters.ca http://www.criticalhistory.com/

Response:

> > But, the fact remains that our federal govenment sat on their hands for > > days after a national disaster.

Days? The Evacuation order only came AFTER the President called and requested it on the Saturday BEFORE the storm. All along the way the Governor PREVENTED the Feds from taking over. " The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. Some officials in the state suspected a political motive behind the request. Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday, three state and federal officials said. As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR200…

Response:

>> Maybe nobody would have died (unlikely) and maybe not. >How on Earth can you say that? If EVERYONE was evacuated as the President >requested on Saturday BEFORE the storm, there would have been NO ONE there >to die.

Then why didn’t the Presentdink lend Airfarce One to assist in the pre-hurricane evacuation. Ken Wilson Proud Owner of Lord Valve, PMG, John Wheaton, Claude Lucas,  Freep the Xenophobe, Chuck, the rest of the  Union of Rightwing Idiots Needing Explanations (URINE)  and, at his own request, Karl Rovershank (aka Lars from Mars) Supporting the Troops at http://www.resisters.ca http://www.criticalhistory.com/

Response:

courageously avow: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> > Maybe nobody would have died (unlikely) and maybe not. > How on Earth can you say that? If EVERYONE was evacuated as the President > requested on Saturday BEFORE the storm, there would have been NO ONE there > to die. >That’s a nice utopian thought, but it’s not reality.  The chance of >every single person in any major city being evacuated – voluntarily or >not – is slim to none. > > But, the fact remains that our federal govenment sat on their hands for > > days after a > > national disaster. > I’ve reviewed the New Orleans emergency management plan. Here is an > important section in the first paragraph. > "We coordinate all city departments and allied state and federal agencies > which respond to citywide disasters and emergencies through the development > and constant updating of an integrated multi-hazard plan. All requests for > federal disaster assistance and federal funding subsequent to disaster > declarations are also made through this office. Our authority is defined by > the Louisiana Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act of 1993, Chapter 6 > Section 709, Paragraph B, ‘Each parish shall maintain a Disaster Agency > which, except as otherwise provided under this act, has jurisdiction over > and serves the entire parish.’ " > Check the plan — the "we" in this case is the office of the mayor, Ray > Nagin who was very quick and vocal about blaming everyone but his own > office. A telling picture, at left, taken by The Associated Press on Sept. 1 > and widely circulated on the Internet shows a school bus park, apparently > filled to capacity with buses, under about four feet of water. If a > mandatory evacuation was ordered, why weren’t all the taxpayer-purchased > buses used in the effort? >According to Nagin, he was calling out to every agency he could yet >days after, there was still no action.  Nagin didn’t perform perfectly, >but at least he was doing *something* which is more than I can say the >federal government did… for *days.* >I’m not totally disagreeing with you, John; I think there is fault at >all levels.  But when I was watching the news last week and not seeing >food dropped in or at least some troops brought in to maintain peace in >the city, I just kept wondering why the hell some sort of help wasn’t >being brought long after the hurricane hit.

It kind of amazes you, the omnipotence of the media.  They were crawling all over New Orleans searching out stories from day one and everybody in charge of actually rescuing anybody is claiming they couldn’t get rescue personnel in. Ken Wilson Proud Owner of Lord Valve, PMG, John Wheaton, Claude Lucas,  Freep the Xenophobe, Chuck, the rest of the  Union of Rightwing Idiots Needing Explanations (URINE)  and, at his own request, Karl Rovershank (aka Lars from Mars) Supporting the Troops at http://www.resisters.ca http://www.criticalhistory.com/

Response:

> This should start out – Karl Rove is crafting a brilliant blame the > victims and local official media blitz.

As one who has received training by FEMA in emergency management and also training by the Department of Defense in consequence management, I believe that the federal response in New Orleans needs clarification. The key to emergency management starts at the local level and expands to the state level. Emergency planning generally does not include any federal guarantees, as there can only be limited ones from the federal level for any local plan. FEMA provides free training, education, assistance and respond in case of an emergency, but the local and state officials run their own emergency management program. Prior development of an emergency plan, addressing all foreseeable contingencies, is the absolute requirement of the local government –and then they share that plan with the state emergency managers to ensure that the state authorities can provide necessary assets not available at the local level. Additionally, good planning will include applicable elements of the federal government (those located in the local area). These processes are well established, but are contingent upon the personal drive of both hired and elected officials at the local level. I’ve reviewed the New Orleans emergency management plan. Here is an important section in the first paragraph. "We coordinate all city departments and allied state and federal agencies which respond to citywide disasters and emergencies through the development and constant updating of an integrated multi-hazard plan. All requests for federal disaster assistance and federal funding subsequent to disaster declarations are also made through this office. Our authority is defined by the Louisiana Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act of 1993, Chapter 6 Section 709, Paragraph B, ‘Each parish shall maintain a Disaster Agency which, except as otherwise provided under this act, has jurisdiction over and serves the entire parish.’ " Check the plan — the "we" in this case is the office of the mayor, Ray Nagin who was very quick and vocal about blaming everyone but his own office. A telling picture, at left, taken by The Associated Press on Sept. 1 and widely circulated on the Internet shows a school bus park, apparently filled to capacity with buses, under about four feet of water. If a mandatory evacuation was ordered, why weren’t all the taxpayer-purchased buses used in the effort? Who could have predicted the anarchy resulting as a consequence? The individuals who devolved into lawless animals embarrass the entirety of America. (I worked in a U.S. Embassy overseas for a couple years and I can imagine what foreign diplomats are thinking.) What societal factors would ever lead people to believe that this behavior was even remotely acceptable? The folks in New Orleans who are perpetrating the violence and lawlessness are not that way because of low income or of race, but because they personally do not have any honor or commitment to higher ideals. The civil-rights leaders should be ashamed at playing the blame game. The blame is on the individuals. The blame is on the society that allowed these individuals to develop the ideal that the individual is greater than the national pride he is destroying. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was very clear in her comments that she was offended at those who suggested the suffering in New Orleans was prolonged because of race. As a retired Marine, I hang my head in shame to see my fellow Americans degenerate so far. I spent so many years in the Corps helping the citizens of other countries rise to a higher level of personal responsibility to ensure that in case of emergency, anarchy did not necessarily follow. When people are held to a higher standard of personal responsibility and they accept that, then they will do the right thing when the time comes. It seems that the mayor of New Orleans is leading the effort in not taking responsibility for his actions. The emergency managers for the state of Louisiana do not have much to say either. The failure in the first 48 hours to provide direction for survivors is theirs to live with. When FEMA was able to take over, it started out behind and had to develop its plan on the fly. Now the federal government has established priorities — rescue the stranded, evacuate the city, flow in resources and fix the levee. It appears that now there is a plan and it is being systematically executed. Hurricane Katrina was a national tragedy — not just in the number of lives lost or the amount of physical damage, but also in the failure of people to do what is right when no one is looking. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05249/566101.stm

Response:

>> If no other good comes out of this, at least the media is starting to > show some balls again. >Some intelligence would be far more welcomed. Check some facts! >As one who has received training by FEMA in emergency management and also >training by the Department of Defense in consequence management, I believe >that the federal response in New Orleans needs clarification.

I’d be surprised if you were even paper trained let alone had training of any substance and use to somebody. Ken Wilson Proud Owner of Lord Valve, PMG, John Wheaton, Claude Lucas,  Freep the Xenophobe, Chuck, the rest of the  Union of Rightwing Idiots Needing Explanations (URINE)  and, at his own request, Karl Rovershank (aka Lars from Mars) Supporting the Troops at http://www.resisters.ca http://www.criticalhistory.com/

Response:

> This should start out – Karl Rove is crafting a brilliant blame the > victims and local official media blitz. > No surprise there but that dog ain’t gonna fly.

A Political Tempest? It was inevitable, we suppose. Less than a week after hurricane Katrina, the first poll came out to measure its political impact. The results, which ABC News released Sunday, will be highly disappointing to the Angry Left: 55% of those polled do not blame President Bush for the storm’s devastation, and although 67% think the federal government wasn’t "adequately prepared," 75% say the same thing about state and local government If Katrina’s aftermath was, or is seen to have been, a government failure, state and local officials in the affected states–especially Louisiana–are likely to pay a price. And Katrina may change Louisiana politics for another reason: demographics. The storm forced a mass exodus from New Orleans and vicinity, and many residents surely will resettle out of state. The political effect will depend on whence the emigrants turn out to have come. New Orleans’s Mayor Ray Nagin is up for re-election in February 2006, Gov. Kathleen Blanco and Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu in November 2007, and Sen. Mary Landrieu in November 2008. All four are Democrats. When they point the finger at the federal government for whatever went wrong in the Katrina response, remember that they are fighting for their political lives. http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110007217

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> If no other good comes out of this, at least the media is starting to > show some balls again. > Some intelligence would be far more welcomed. Check some facts! > As one who has received training by FEMA in emergency management and also > training by the Department of Defense in consequence management, I believe > that the federal response in New Orleans needs clarification. > The key to emergency management starts at the local level and expands to the > state level. Emergency planning generally does not include any federal > guarantees, as there can only be limited ones from the federal level for any > local plan. FEMA provides free training, education, assistance and respond > in case of an emergency, but the local and state officials run their own > emergency management program. > Prior development of an emergency plan, addressing all foreseeable > contingencies, is the absolute requirement of the local government –and > then they share that plan with the state emergency managers to ensure that > the state authorities can provide necessary assets not available at the > local level. Additionally, good planning will include applicable elements of > the federal government (those located in the local area). These processes > are well established, but are contingent upon the personal drive of both > hired and elected officials at the local level. > I’ve reviewed the New Orleans emergency management plan. Here is an > important section in the first paragraph. > "We coordinate all city departments and allied state and federal agencies > which respond to citywide disasters and emergencies through the development > and constant updating of an integrated multi-hazard plan. All requests for > federal disaster assistance and federal funding subsequent to disaster > declarations are also made through this office. Our authority is defined by > the Louisiana Emergency Assistance and Disaster Act of 1993, Chapter 6 > Section 709, Paragraph B, ‘Each parish shall maintain a Disaster Agency > which, except as otherwise provided under this act, has jurisdiction over > and serves the entire parish.’ " > Check the plan — the "we" in this case is the office of the mayor, Ray > Nagin who was very quick and vocal about blaming everyone but his own > office. A telling picture, at left, taken by The Associated Press on Sept. 1 > and widely circulated on the Internet shows a school bus park, apparently > filled to capacity with buses, under about four feet of water. If a > mandatory evacuation was ordered, why weren’t all the taxpayer-purchased > buses used in the effort? > Who could have predicted the anarchy resulting as a consequence? The > individuals who devolved into lawless animals embarrass the entirety of > America. (I worked in a U.S. Embassy overseas for a couple years and I can > imagine what foreign diplomats are thinking.) What societal factors would > ever lead people to believe that this behavior was even remotely acceptable? > The folks in New Orleans who are perpetrating the violence and lawlessness > are not that way because of low income or of race, but because they > personally do not have any honor or commitment to higher ideals. The > civil-rights leaders should be ashamed at playing the blame game. > The blame is on the individuals. The blame is on the society that allowed > these individuals to develop the ideal that the individual is greater than > the national pride he is destroying. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was > very clear in her comments that she was offended at those who suggested the > suffering in New Orleans was prolonged because of race. > As a retired Marine, I hang my head in shame to see my fellow Americans > degenerate so far. I spent so many years in the Corps helping the citizens > of other countries rise to a higher level of personal responsibility to > ensure that in case of emergency, anarchy did not necessarily follow. When > people are held to a higher standard of personal responsibility and they > accept that, then they will do the right thing when the time comes. > It seems that the mayor of New Orleans is leading the effort in not taking > responsibility for his actions. The emergency managers for the state of > Louisiana do not have much to say either. The failure in the first 48 hours > to provide direction for survivors is theirs to live with. When FEMA was > able to take over, it started out behind and had to develop its plan on the > fly. Now the federal government has established priorities — rescue the > stranded, evacuate the city, flow in resources and fix the levee. It appears > that now there is a plan and it is being systematically executed. > Hurricane Katrina was a national tragedy — not just in the number of lives > lost or the amount of physical damage, but also in the failure of people to > do what is right when no one is looking. > http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05249/566101.stm

Yes, some intelligence *would* be welcomed.  What the hell does this same article that you keep posting over and over in reply to everything have to do with my statement about the media finally asking hard questions?

Response:

> Yes, some intelligence *would* be welcomed.  What the hell does this > same article that you keep posting over and over in reply to everything > have to do with my statement about the media finally asking hard > questions?

The problem is that the media is NOT asking the hard questions. 1) "A year ago, as Hurricane Ivan approached, New Orleans ordered an evacuation but did not use city or school buses to help people evacuate. As a result many of the poorest citizens were unable to evacuate. Fortunately, the hurricane changed course and did not hit New Orleans, but both Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin acknowledged the need for a better evacuation plan." Why wasn’t a better plan implemented? Why wasn’t ANY plan implemented? No one would have died if the city had been evacuated. Louisiana disaster plan, pg 13, para 5 , dated 01/00 ‘The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating’… http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050901/480/flpc21109012015 2) Why do the locals blame the Feds, when the Governor wouldn’t give the Feds permission? "The administration sought unified control over all local police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned that such a move would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. Some officials in the state suspected a political motive behind the request. Louisiana did not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until Wednesday, three state and federal officials said. As of Saturday, Blanco still had not declared a state of emergency" http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR200… 3) The 10th Ammendment does NOT allow the Feds to just march in. Why didn’t Blanco declare a state of emergency? 4) There was ZERO communication. Why? "WASHINGTON (CNN) — Nine stockpiles of fire-and-rescue equipment strategically placed around the country to be used in the event of a catastrophe still have not been pressed into service in New Orleans, five days after Hurricane Katrina, CNN has learned. Responding to a CNN inquiry, Department of Homeland Security spokesman Marc Short said Friday the gear has not been moved because none of the governors in the hurricane-ravaged area has requested it. A federal official said the department’s Office for Domestic Preparedness reminded the Louisiana and Mississippi governors’ offices about the stockpiles on Wednesday and Thursday, but neither governor had requested it."

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->  allow yourself to be ashamed of  the criminally incompetent > regime to which you’ve fastened your kisser. > No state or local government could have handled this disaster >Complete Bull Shit! It was the Emergency Policy of New Orleans that the city >would be evacuated. As they found out in a drill a year ago, they needed to >update their plan, and they did NOT. If the city had been evacuated there >would have been ZERO deaths. ALL of the deaths are on the Mayor & Governor’s >hands. > Mayor Nagin was responsible for giving the order for mandatory evacuation >and supervising the actual evacuation: His office of Emergency Preparedness >(not the federal government) must coordinate with the state on elements of >evacuation and assist in directing the transportation of evacuees to staging >areas. Mayor Nagin had to be encouraged by the governor to contact the >National Hurricane Center before he finally, belatedly, issued the order for >mandatory evacuation. And sadly, it apparently took a personal call from the >president to urge the governor to order the mandatory evacuation. >The city’s evacuation plan states: "The city of New Orleans will utilize all >available resources to quickly and safely evacuate threatened areas." But >even though the city has enough school and transit buses to evacuate 12,000 >citizens per fleet run, the mayor did not use them. To compound the problem, >the buses were not moved to high ground and were flooded. The plan also >states that "special arrangements will be made to evacuate persons unable to >transport themselves or who require specific lifesaving assistance. >Additional personnel will be recruited to assist in evacuation procedures as >needed." This was not done.

The mayor didn’t have the "resources" in question, John — that’s why the federal help was crucial.   It was duly requested and was not forthcoming until well after the disaster had become the national disgrace it is today.  No city of comparable size has every become unhabitable so quickly — you have to go back to the Galveston Flood, the Chicago Fire and the Great San Francisco Earthquake to find anything close.  The is no city in the country with the resources to evacuate complete in a 1-2 day timeframe, even with state help. I reiterate, any bitch you have with local and state officials is moot — they will answer to the voters who elected them.  The failure at the federal level is my (and your!) rightful concern, and your inability to face that blatant, egregious failure while looking for scapegoats that are none of your business anyway speaks volumes.        Posted via TITANnews – Uncensored Newsgroups Access              >>>> at http://www.TitanNews.com <<<< -=Every Newsgroup – Anonymous, UNCENSORED, BROADBAND Downloads=-

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Yes, some intelligence *would* be welcomed.  What the hell does this > same article that you keep posting over and over in reply to everything > have to do with my statement about the media finally asking hard > questions? > The problem is that the media is NOT asking the hard questions. > 1) "A year ago, as Hurricane Ivan approached, New Orleans ordered an > evacuation but did not use city or school buses to help people evacuate. As > a result > many of the poorest citizens were unable to evacuate. Fortunately, the > hurricane changed course and did not hit New Orleans, but both Gov. Blanco > and Mayor Nagin acknowledged the need for a better evacuation plan." > Why wasn’t a better plan implemented? Why wasn’t ANY plan implemented? No > one would have died if the city had been evacuated. > Louisiana disaster plan, pg 13, para 5 , dated 01/00 > ‘The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School > and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by > volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who > lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating’… > http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050901/480/flpc21109012015 > 2) Why do the locals blame the Feds, when the Governor wouldn’t give the > Feds permission? "The administration sought unified control over all local > police and state National Guard units reporting to the governor. Louisiana > officials rejected the request after talks throughout the night, concerned > that such a move > would be comparable to a federal declaration of martial law. Some officials > in the state suspected a political motive behind the request. Louisiana did > not reach out to a multi-state mutual aid compact for assistance until > Wednesday, three state and federal officials said. As of Saturday, Blanco > still had not declared a state of emergency" > http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR200… > 3) The 10th Ammendment does NOT allow the Feds to just march in. Why didn’t > Blanco declare a state of emergency? > 4) There was ZERO communication. Why? "WASHINGTON (CNN) — Nine stockpiles > of fire-and-rescue equipment strategically placed around the country to be > used in the event of a catastrophe still have not been pressed into service > in New Orleans, five days after Hurricane Katrina, CNN has learned. > Responding to a CNN inquiry, Department of Homeland Security spokesman Marc > Short said Friday the gear has not been moved because none of the governors > in the hurricane-ravaged area has requested it. > A federal official said the department’s Office for Domestic Preparedness > reminded the Louisiana and Mississippi governors’ offices about the > stockpiles on Wednesday and Thursday, but neither governor had requested > it."

What do you mean they’re not asking hard questions?  Where did you pull your sources from?   Looks like a newspaper and an AP photo to me.

Response:

John is an apoligist for the Bush Administration. He only quotes from "official" newspapers. Never mind that the governor’s leter requiesting help on the 28th has been posted all over the internets. Come on Bush didn’t find it. AND not only that by those FEMA guys don’t read anything but headlines, especially the one that went "New Oleans Missed by Hurricane, Sigh of Relief Heard. Unfortunately it was a a scream for relief and they didn’t hear it for days and days.

Response:

> The mayor didn’t have the "resources" in question,

If he had evactuated everyone on Saturday when the President called there wouldn’t have been anyone there to die. The buses sat, and the poor ended up trapped at the Dome, and the infirmed, trapped at the Hospitals. > John — that’s why the  federal help was crucial.  It was duly requested > and was not forthcoming until well after the disaster  had become the > national > disgrace it is today.

The Governor had control over the National Guard, yet they were not implemented, and as I have posted ad naseum, the Governor didn’t sign the Emergency co-operation pact until Wednesday night, and as of the end of last week, she still had NOT declared a state of emergency. See ya, John

Response:

> What do you mean they’re not asking hard questions?  Where did you pull > your sources from?   Looks like a newspaper and an AP photo to me.

CNN, Wash Post, Yahoo, AP, and Louisianna Emergency Plan. See ya, John

Response:

OT Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh on Katrina

Question:

American Press -(AP)- 09/02/2005 Ann Coulter, Lawyer, writer, and consultant to the 3rd term reelection plans of President George Bush, released a statement from her estate in Southern France declaring that the "Looting situation in New Orleans has been over exaggerated by the liberal press and those involved should not be held accountable for any of the properties borrowed". She continued that "Those liberal TV producers and idiot NBC news "hosts"  immediately assumed the video showing excited,  laughing black youths and elders in wheel chairs carrying merchandise  to high ground were criminal in nature." Coulter later contended that the Walmart family ran businesses has done wonders in the South for "those people" by providing cheap, affordable products from China to a culture that has long been under the control of the White Man liberal pigs. Rush Limbaugh broadcasting from his 42,000 sq foot estate in Florida because of house arrest for another Oxycodone  purchase from a Cuban underground FBI agent,  questioned the likelihood that Katrina was actually that large of a Category 5 storm, citing that when the hurricane passed over Florida "it barely blew leafs on the driveway here" forcing his grounds keeper and staff of 24 working overtime on the recent weekend. Limbaugh further contented that the mass liberal coverage is nothing more than a Hillary Clinton inspired operation to discredit the President "in the face of the American People". Limburg further added that "These (sic) people will go to great extremes to pursue and blame our President for the abusive corrupt power of nature that not even George W. Bush yields power over". This week’s devastating hurricane and flood hit the Gulf Coast of the United States, taking lives, destroying homes and businesses, cutting off water and power supplies, and leaving hundreds of thousands of individuals and families homeless. Most recent reports tell us that it will take weeks, if not months, for the area to begin to recover from this disaster. FOX News Network has decided that the event is not  "news worthy enough to consume twenty four ongoing coverage" and will continue most of it’s regular broadcast schedule this holiday weekend with a prolonged O’Reilly Factor reruns from the week of  September 11 2000 attack on the Twin Towers, and a made for FOX TV movie "The Ted Kennedy Years".

Response:

How ever all that may be (I don’t read those folks), it amazes me how the liberals don’t seem to realize how insane their "It’s all Bush’s fault" line sounds among regular people at the water cooler. This may be their last gasp for 2006, because this is the shit that backlash *nightmares* are made of. Even on 9/11 they waited some days to come out in earnest claiming it was Bush’s fault, and let it seem that we were all in it together for a *little* while. But this is just ghoulish. They aren’t even PRETENDING that what matters to them is helping the people of N.O. They just want political blood, right out in the open, from day One. Nobody tell them, ok? Let them ride it for a while. This could be the straw that finally breaks the donkey’s back. Freep – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> American Press > -(AP)- 09/02/2005 > Ann Coulter, Lawyer, writer, and consultant to the 3rd term reelection > plans of President George Bush, released a statement from her estate in > Southern France declaring > that the "Looting situation in New Orleans has been over exaggerated by > the liberal press and those involved should not be held accountable for > any of the properties borrowed". She continued that "Those liberal > TV producers and idiot NBC news "hosts"  immediately assumed the > video showing excited,  laughing black youths and elders in wheel > chairs carrying merchandise  to high ground were criminal in nature." > Coulter later contended that the Walmart family ran businesses has done > wonders in the South for "those people" by providing cheap, > affordable products from China to a culture that has long been under > the control of the White Man liberal pigs. > Rush Limbaugh broadcasting from his 42,000 sq foot estate in Florida > because of house arrest for another Oxycodone  purchase from a Cuban > underground FBI agent,  questioned the likelihood that Katrina was > actually that large of a Category 5 storm, citing that when the > hurricane passed over Florida "it barely blew leafs on the driveway > here" forcing his grounds keeper and staff of 24 working overtime on > the recent weekend. Limbaugh further contented that the mass liberal > coverage is nothing more than a Hillary Clinton inspired operation to > discredit the President "in the face of the American People". > Limburg further added that "These (sic) people will go to great > extremes to pursue and blame our President for the abusive corrupt > power of nature that not even George W. Bush yields power over". > This week’s devastating hurricane and flood hit the Gulf Coast of the > United States, taking lives, destroying homes and businesses, cutting > off water and power supplies, and leaving hundreds of thousands of > individuals and families homeless. Most recent reports tell us that it > will take weeks, if not months, for the area to begin to recover from > this disaster. > FOX News Network has decided that the event is not  "news worthy > enough to consume twenty four ongoing coverage" and will continue > most of it’s regular broadcast schedule this holiday weekend with a > prolonged O’Reilly Factor reruns from the week of  September 11 2000 > attack on the Twin Towers, and a made for FOX TV movie "The Ted > Kennedy Years".

Response:

How ever all that may be (I don’t read those folks), it amazes me how the conversitives don’t seem to realize how insane their "It’s all Clintons fault" line sounds among regular people at the water cooler. This may be their last gasp for 2006, because this is the shit that backlash *nightmares* are made of. Even on 9/11 they waited some days to come out in earnest claiming it was Clintons’s fault, and let it seem that we were all in it together for a *little* while. But this is just ghoulish. They aren’t even PRETENDING that what matters to them is helping the people of N.O. They just want political blood, right out in the open, from day One. Nobody tell them, ok? Let them ride it for a while. This could be the straw that finally breaks the elpanhant’s back. wb

Response:

Fair enough. We’ll see who’s right, then.  Since the Clinton thing didn’t break us, though (3 elections of gains across the board since Clinton), the best YOU can hope for at this point, is a stalemate. Freep

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> How ever all that may be (I don’t read those folks), it amazes me how > the > conversitives don’t seem to realize how insane their "It’s all Clintons > fault" line > sounds among regular people at the water cooler. This may be their last > gasp > for 2006, because this is the shit that backlash *nightmares* are made > of. > Even on 9/11 they waited some days to come out in earnest claiming it > was > Clintons’s fault, and let it seem that we were all in it together for a > *little* > while. But this is just ghoulish. They aren’t even PRETENDING that what > matters to them is helping the people of N.O. They just want political > blood, right out in the open, from day One. > Nobody tell them, ok? Let them ride it for a while. This could be the > straw > that finally breaks the elpanhant’s back. > wb

Response:

I’ve never seen a more disgusting, horrifying, insulting, offending lying partisan hate mongers than these crop of people we have today, and I’m just talking about AGA  ;-)  !  No really. The claims by either side(s) are just so outrageous that  it getting extremely difficult to even whom to believe and have any interest in the out come  of any topic ! It’s all so divided that living in a 1 room cabin in Montana mountains is really starting to become an interesting proposal to consider.  Pondering the cost of what NO crisis is going to end up is really going to make that section of the South worse than alot 3rd world countries.

Response:

Well, I’ll say this, Clinton was much more articulate about this disaster than Daddy Bush or Shrub. At least Clinton can walk AND talk while getting a blow job.

Response:

courageously avow: >Well, I’ll say this, Clinton was much more articulate about this >disaster than Daddy Bush or Shrub. At least Clinton can walk AND talk >while getting a blow job. >;)

He’s probably a premi but figures while she’s down there don’t let the effort go to waste.  That would explain how the splooge somehow ended up on here dress.  That or he’s got bad aim. Ken Wilson Proud Owner of Lord Valve, PMG, John Wheaton, Claude Lucas,  Freep the Xenophobe, Chuck, the rest of the  Union of Rightwing Idiots Needing Explanations (URINE)  and, at his own request, Karl Rovershank (aka Lars from Mars) Supporting the Troops at http://www.resisters.ca http://www.criticalhistory.com/

Response:

OT Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh on Katrina

Question:

American Press -(AP)- 09/02/2005 Ann Coulter, Lawyer, writer, and consultant to the 3rd term reelection plans of President George Bush, released a statement from her estate in Southern France declaring that the "Looting situation in New Orleans has been over exaggerated by the liberal press and those involved should not be held accountable for any of the properties borrowed". She continued that "Those liberal TV producers and idiot NBC news "hosts"  immediately assumed the video showing excited,  laughing black youths and elders in wheel chairs carrying merchandise  to high ground were criminal in nature." Coulter later contended that the Walmart family ran businesses has done wonders in the South for "those people" by providing cheap, affordable products from China to a culture that has long been under the control of the White Man liberal pigs. Rush Limbaugh broadcasting from his 42,000 sq foot estate in Florida because of house arrest for another Oxycodone  purchase from a Cuban underground FBI agent,  questioned the likelihood that Katrina was actually that large of a Category 5 storm, citing that when the hurricane passed over Florida "it barely blew leafs on the driveway here" forcing his grounds keeper and staff of 24 working overtime on the recent weekend. Limbaugh further contented that the mass liberal coverage is nothing more than a Hillary Clinton inspired operation to discredit the President "in the face of the American People". Limburg further added that "These (sic) people will go to great extremes to pursue and blame our President for the abusive corrupt power of nature that not even George W. Bush yields power over". This week’s devastating hurricane and flood hit the Gulf Coast of the United States, taking lives, destroying homes and businesses, cutting off water and power supplies, and leaving hundreds of thousands of individuals and families homeless. Most recent reports tell us that it will take weeks, if not months, for the area to begin to recover from this disaster. FOX News Network has decided that the event is not  "news worthy enough to consume twenty four ongoing coverage" and will continue most of it’s regular broadcast schedule this holiday weekend with a prolonged O’Reilly Factor reruns from the week of  September 11 2000 attack on the Twin Towers, and a made for FOX TV movie "The Ted Kennedy Years".

Response:

How ever all that may be (I don’t read those folks), it amazes me how the liberals don’t seem to realize how insane their "It’s all Bush’s fault" line sounds among regular people at the water cooler. This may be their last gasp for 2006, because this is the shit that backlash *nightmares* are made of. Even on 9/11 they waited some days to come out in earnest claiming it was Bush’s fault, and let it seem that we were all in it together for a *little* while. But this is just ghoulish. They aren’t even PRETENDING that what matters to them is helping the people of N.O. They just want political blood, right out in the open, from day One. Nobody tell them, ok? Let them ride it for a while. This could be the straw that finally breaks the donkey’s back. Freep – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> American Press > -(AP)- 09/02/2005 > Ann Coulter, Lawyer, writer, and consultant to the 3rd term reelection > plans of President George Bush, released a statement from her estate in > Southern France declaring > that the "Looting situation in New Orleans has been over exaggerated by > the liberal press and those involved should not be held accountable for > any of the properties borrowed". She continued that "Those liberal > TV producers and idiot NBC news "hosts"  immediately assumed the > video showing excited,  laughing black youths and elders in wheel > chairs carrying merchandise  to high ground were criminal in nature." > Coulter later contended that the Walmart family ran businesses has done > wonders in the South for "those people" by providing cheap, > affordable products from China to a culture that has long been under > the control of the White Man liberal pigs. > Rush Limbaugh broadcasting from his 42,000 sq foot estate in Florida > because of house arrest for another Oxycodone  purchase from a Cuban > underground FBI agent,  questioned the likelihood that Katrina was > actually that large of a Category 5 storm, citing that when the > hurricane passed over Florida "it barely blew leafs on the driveway > here" forcing his grounds keeper and staff of 24 working overtime on > the recent weekend. Limbaugh further contented that the mass liberal > coverage is nothing more than a Hillary Clinton inspired operation to > discredit the President "in the face of the American People". > Limburg further added that "These (sic) people will go to great > extremes to pursue and blame our President for the abusive corrupt > power of nature that not even George W. Bush yields power over". > This week’s devastating hurricane and flood hit the Gulf Coast of the > United States, taking lives, destroying homes and businesses, cutting > off water and power supplies, and leaving hundreds of thousands of > individuals and families homeless. Most recent reports tell us that it > will take weeks, if not months, for the area to begin to recover from > this disaster. > FOX News Network has decided that the event is not  "news worthy > enough to consume twenty four ongoing coverage" and will continue > most of it’s regular broadcast schedule this holiday weekend with a > prolonged O’Reilly Factor reruns from the week of  September 11 2000 > attack on the Twin Towers, and a made for FOX TV movie "The Ted > Kennedy Years".

Response:

How ever all that may be (I don’t read those folks), it amazes me how the conversitives don’t seem to realize how insane their "It’s all Clintons fault" line sounds among regular people at the water cooler. This may be their last gasp for 2006, because this is the shit that backlash *nightmares* are made of. Even on 9/11 they waited some days to come out in earnest claiming it was Clintons’s fault, and let it seem that we were all in it together for a *little* while. But this is just ghoulish. They aren’t even PRETENDING that what matters to them is helping the people of N.O. They just want political blood, right out in the open, from day One. Nobody tell them, ok? Let them ride it for a while. This could be the straw that finally breaks the elpanhant’s back. wb

Response:

Fair enough. We’ll see who’s right, then.  Since the Clinton thing didn’t break us, though (3 elections of gains across the board since Clinton), the best YOU can hope for at this point, is a stalemate. Freep

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> How ever all that may be (I don’t read those folks), it amazes me how > the > conversitives don’t seem to realize how insane their "It’s all Clintons > fault" line > sounds among regular people at the water cooler. This may be their last > gasp > for 2006, because this is the shit that backlash *nightmares* are made > of. > Even on 9/11 they waited some days to come out in earnest claiming it > was > Clintons’s fault, and let it seem that we were all in it together for a > *little* > while. But this is just ghoulish. They aren’t even PRETENDING that what > matters to them is helping the people of N.O. They just want political > blood, right out in the open, from day One. > Nobody tell them, ok? Let them ride it for a while. This could be the > straw > that finally breaks the elpanhant’s back. > wb

Response:

I’ve never seen a more disgusting, horrifying, insulting, offending lying partisan hate mongers than these crop of people we have today, and I’m just talking about AGA  ;-)  !  No really. The claims by either side(s) are just so outrageous that  it getting extremely difficult to even whom to believe and have any interest in the out come  of any topic ! It’s all so divided that living in a 1 room cabin in Montana mountains is really starting to become an interesting proposal to consider.  Pondering the cost of what NO crisis is going to end up is really going to make that section of the South worse than alot 3rd world countries.

Response:

Well, I’ll say this, Clinton was much more articulate about this disaster than Daddy Bush or Shrub. At least Clinton can walk AND talk while getting a blow job.

Response:

courageously avow: >Well, I’ll say this, Clinton was much more articulate about this >disaster than Daddy Bush or Shrub. At least Clinton can walk AND talk >while getting a blow job. >;)

He’s probably a premi but figures while she’s down there don’t let the effort go to waste.  That would explain how the splooge somehow ended up on here dress.  That or he’s got bad aim. Ken Wilson Proud Owner of Lord Valve, PMG, John Wheaton, Claude Lucas,  Freep the Xenophobe, Chuck, the rest of the  Union of Rightwing Idiots Needing Explanations (URINE)  and, at his own request, Karl Rovershank (aka Lars from Mars) Supporting the Troops at http://www.resisters.ca http://www.criticalhistory.com/

Response:

Late Breaking News

Question:

Al Queda second in command vows more attacks.  Says it’s not about religion but about oppression of Palestine and the presence of American troops in their holy lands. Is the right scamming us?  Trying to use religious zealotry because doing it for the oil doesn’t sell as well?  You be the judge. Ken Wilson Proud Owner of Lord Valve, PMG, John Wheaton, Claude Lucas,  Freep the Xenophobe, and the rest of the  Union of Rightwing Idiots Needing Explanations (URINE)  And at his own request, Lars GotShanked Supporting the Troops at http://www.resisters.ca

Response:

It’s really a hoot the way we stood in favor of the poor wronged Afghanis when the former Soviet Union was in there. THEN they were freedom fighters, opposing a big, overbearing,  brutal invader in the only way they could, through guerilla tactics. Now that it’s WE who are throwing our weight around, suddenly, they’re terrorists. Holliston Perni http://www.AmericanJunta.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Al Queda second in command vows more attacks.  Says it’s not about > religion but about oppression of Palestine and the presence of > American troops in their holy lands. > Is the right scamming us?  Trying to use religious zealotry because > doing it for the oil doesn’t sell as well?  You be the judge. > Ken Wilson > Proud Owner of Lord Valve, PMG, John Wheaton, Claude Lucas, > Freep the Xenophobe, and the rest of the > Union of Rightwing Idiots Needing Explanations (URINE) > And at his own request, Lars GotShanked > Supporting the Troops at http://www.resisters.ca

Response:

> Al Queda second in command vows more attacks.  Says it’s not about > religion but about oppression of Palestine and the presence of > American troops in their holy lands. > Is the right scamming us?  Trying to use religious zealotry because > doing it for the oil doesn’t sell as well?  You be the judge. > Ken Wilson > Proud Owner of Lord Valve, PMG, John Wheaton, Claude Lucas, >  Freep the Xenophobe, and the rest of the >  Union of Rightwing Idiots Needing Explanations (URINE) >  And at his own request, Lars GotShanked > Supporting the Troops at http://www.resisters.ca

Most people don’t understand (or, even try to understand) *why* the terrorists even exist and are trying to harm us. They are the bad guys, because we said so.  Period.  That’s the general attitude in the USA. A little bit of education would go a looooong way and open a lot of eyes. But….it’s too bad that most can’t be bothered with that. Mike

Response:

Sure, fellas — because Zawihari wouldn’t scam us, would he? It’s absolutely a GIVEN that you believe every word HE says. That’s why we don’t elect your sort. Keep telling us how you believe him, though… people might forget. Freep

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Al Queda second in command vows more attacks.  Says it’s not about > religion but about oppression of Palestine and the presence of > American troops in their holy lands. > Is the right scamming us?  Trying to use religious zealotry because > doing it for the oil doesn’t sell as well?  You be the judge. > Ken Wilson > Proud Owner of Lord Valve, PMG, John Wheaton, Claude Lucas, >  Freep the Xenophobe, and the rest of the >  Union of Rightwing Idiots Needing Explanations (URINE) >  And at his own request, Lars GotShanked > Supporting the Troops at http://www.resisters.ca > Most people don’t understand (or, even try to understand) *why* the > terrorists even exist and are trying to harm us. > They are the bad guys, because we said so.  Period.  That’s the general > attitude in the USA. > A little bit of education would go a looooong way and open a lot of eyes. > But….it’s too bad that most can’t be bothered with that. > Mike

Response:

> Zawihari wouldn’t scam us, would he? It’s absolutely > a GIVEN that you believe every word HE says

It’s amazing that he and Dubya have so much in common.

Response:

So you’re saying you think he WOULD? I think I can safely assume that you’re not saying that GWB *wouldn’t*… Well then you ought to tell Pritch and Kenny. They don’t know. He says it, and they believe. Freep

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Zawihari wouldn’t scam us, would he? It’s absolutely > a GIVEN that you believe every word HE says > It’s amazing that he and Dubya have so much in common.

Response:

http://www.worldpress.org/specials/pp/pipeline_timeline.htm 1996 IS THE BOMB fEBRUARY Agreement between Afghan government and Bridas signed. Suit filed by Bridas in Texas against Unocal/Delta for interference in its business in Turkmenistan. March U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Tom Simmons, urges Bhutto to give exclusive rights to Unocal. Bhutto offended and demands apology. May Turkmenisatn, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan agree that Turkmenistan should name the consortium to build the pipeline. Opening of 100-mile railway route linking Turkmenistan and Iran. August Unocal/Delta and Turkmenistan’s Turkmenrosgaz along with Russia’s Gazprom enter into agreement for pipeline project. Septmeber Unocal says it will give aid to to Afghan warlords once they agree to form a council to supervise the project. Taliban take Kabul. October Unocal expresses suport for Taliban takover, saying it makes pipeline project easier. Unocal later says it was misquoted. November Bridas signs agreement with Taliban and Gen. Dostum to build pipeline. December Turkey to buy Turkmen gas through Iran. NEWS YOU’LL DENY After Bush’s accession to the presidency, various Taliban envoys were received at the State Department, CIA, and National Security Council. The CIA, which appears, more than ever, to be a virtual extended family of the Bush oil interests, facilitated a renewed approach to the Taliban. The CIA agent who helped set up the Afghan mujaheddin, Milt Bearden, continued to defend the interests of the Taliban. He bemoaned the fact that the United States never really bothered to understand the Taliban when he told the Washington Post last October, "We never heard what they were trying to say… We had no common language. Ours was, ‘Give up bin Laden.’ They were saying, ‘Do something to help us give him up.’ " There were even reports that the CIA met with their old mujaheddin operative bin Laden in the months before September 11 attacks. The French newspaper Le Figaro quoted an Arab specialist named Antoine Sfeir who postulated that the CIA met with bin Laden in July in a failed attempt to bring him back under its fold. Sfeir said the CIA maintained links with bin Laden before the U.S. attacked his terrorist training camps in Afghanistan in 1998 and, more astonishingly, kept them going even after the attacks. Sfeir told the paper, "Until the last minute, CIA agents hoped bin Laden would return to U.S. command, as was the case before 1998." Bin Laden actually officially broke with the US in 1991 when US troops began arriving in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm. Bin Laden felt this was a violation of the Saudi regime’s responsibility to protect the Islamic Holy Shrines of Mecca and Medina from the infidels. Bin Laden’s anti-American and anti-House of Saud rhetoric soon reached a fever pitch. The Clinton administration made numerous attempts to kill Bin Laden. In August 1998, Al Qaeda operatives blew up several U.S. embassies in Africa. In response, Bill Clinton ordered cruise missiles to be launched from US ships in the Persian Gulf into Afghanistan, which missed Bin Laden by a few hours. The Clinton administration also devised a plan with Pakistan’s ISI to send a team of assassins into Afghanistan to kill Bin Laden. But Pakistan’s government was overthrown by General Musharraf, who was viewed as particularly close to the Taliban. The CIA cancelled its plans, fearing Musharraf’s ISI would tip off the Taliban and Bin Laden. . The CIA’s connections to the ISI in the months before September 11 and the weeks after are also worthy of a full-blown investigation. The CIA continues to maintain an unhealthy alliance with the ISI, the organization that groomed bin Laden and the Taliban. Last September, the head of the ISI, General Mahmud Ahmed, was fired by Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf for his pro-Taliban leanings and reportedly after the U.S. government presented Musharraf with disturbing intelligence linking the general to the terrorist hijackers. General Ahmed was in Washington, DC on the morning of September 11 meeting with CIA and State Department officials as the hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Later, both the Northern Alliance spokesman in Washington, Haron Amin, and Indian intelligence, in an apparent leak to The Times of India, confirmed that General Ahmed ordered a Pakistani-born British citizen and known terrorist named Ahmed Umar Sheik to wire $100,000 from Pakistan to the U.S. bank account of Mohammed Atta, the lead hijacker. When the FBI traced calls made between General Ahmed and Sheik’s cellular phone – the number having been supplied by Indian intelligence to the FBI – a pattern linking the general with Sheik clearly emerged. According to The Times of India, the revelation that General Ahmed was involved in the Sheik-Atta money transfer was more than enough for a nervous and embarrassed Bush administration. It pressed Musharraf to dump General Ahmed. Musharraf mealy-mouthed the announcement of his general’s dismissal by stating Ahmed "requested" early retirement. Sheik was well known to the Indian police. He was arrested in New Delhi in 1994 for plotting to kidnap four foreigners, including an American citizen. Sheik was released by the Indians in 1999 in a swap for passengers on board New Delhi-bound Indian Airlines flight 814, hijacked by Islamic militants from Kathmandu, Nepal to Kandahar, Afghanistan. India continues to believe the ISI played a part in the hijacking since the hijackers were affiliated with the pro-bin Laden Kashmiri terrorist group, Harkat-ul-Mujaheddin, a group only recently and quite belatedly placed on the State Department’s terrorist list. The ISI and bin Laden’s Al Qaeda reportedly assists the group in its operations against Indian government targets in Kashmir. The FBI, which assisted its Indian counterpart in the investigation of the Indian Airlines hijacking, says it wants information leading to the arrest of those involved in the terrorist attacks. Yet, no move has been made to question General Ahmed or those U.S. government officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, who met with him in September. Clearly, General Ahmed was a major player in terrorist activities across South Asia, yet still had very close ties to the U.S. government. General Ahmed’s terrorist-supporting activities – and the U.S. government officials who tolerated those activities – need to be investigated. The Taliban visits to Washington continued up to a few months prior to the September 11 attacks. The State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research’s South Asian Division maintained constant satellite telephone contact with the Taliban in Kandahar and Kabul. Washington permitted the Taliban to maintain a diplomatic office in Queens, New York headed by Taliban diplomat Abdul Hakim Mojahed. In addition, U.S. officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Christina Rocca, who is also a former CIA officer, visited Taliban diplomatic officials in Islamabad. In the meantime, the Bush administration took a hostile attitude towards the Islamic State of Afghanistan, otherwise known as the Northern Alliance. Even though the United Nations recognized the alliance as the legitimate government of Afghanistan, the Bush administration, with oil at the forefront of its goals, decided to follow the lead of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and curry favor with the Taliban mullahs of Afghanistan. The visits of Islamist radicals did not end with the Taliban. In July 2001, the head of Pakistan’s pro-bin Laden Jamiaat-i-Islami Party, Qazi Hussein Ahmed, also reportedly was received at the George Bush Center for Intelligence (aka, CIA headquarters) in Langley, Virginia. According to the Washington Post, the Special Envoy of Mullah Omar, Rahmatullah Hashami, even came to Washington bearing a gift carpet for President Bush from the one-eyed Taliban leader. The Village Voice reported that Hashami, on behalf of the Taliban, offered the Bush administration to hold on to bin Laden long enough for the United States to capture or kill him but, inexplicably, the administration refused. Meanwhile, Spozhmai Maiwandi, the director of the Voice of America’s Pashtun service, jokingly nicknamed "Kandahar Rose" by her colleagues, aired favorable reports on the Taliban, including a controversial interview with Mullah Omar. The Bush administration’s dalliances with the Taliban may have even continued after the start of the bombing campaign against their country. According to European intelligence sources, a number of European governments were concerned that the CIA and Big Oil were pressuring the Bush administration not to engage in an initial serious ground war on behalf of the Northern Alliance in order to placate Pakistan and its Taliban compatriots. The early-on decision to stick with an incessant air bombardment, they reasoned, was causing too many civilian deaths and increasing the shakiness of the international coalition. The obvious, and woefully underreported, interfaces between the Bush administration, UNOCAL, the CIA, the Taliban, Enron, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, the groundwork for which was laid when the Bush Oil team was on the sidelines during the Clinton administration, is making the Republicans worried. Vanquished vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman is in the ironic position of being the senator who will chair the Senate Government Affairs Committee hearings on the collapse of Enron. The roads from Enron also lead to Afghanistan and murky Bush oil politics. UNOCAL was also clearly concerned about its past ties to the Taliban. On September 14, just three days after terrorists of the Afghan-base al Qaeda movement crashed their planes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, UNOCAL issued the following statement: "The company is not supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan in any way whatsoever. Nor do we have any project … read more »

Response:

Baby, You Can Fly My Plane

Question:

First Saudi woman pilot to fly as driving debate rages on RIYADH – While the debate over whether Saudi women should be allowed to drive rages on, Captain Hanadi Hindi will soon become the first woman to fly a plane with the private fleet of a prince. Hindi, 27, is preparing to take to the skies at a time when supporters and opponents of lifting the ban on women’s driving in the conservative kingdom are still fighting it out in the local press. "I never meant to be a pioneer. When I started learning to become a pilot, I did so for my father, who himself had aspired to be a pilot. I then got attached to flying," Hindi said by telephone from her home in the Muslim holy city of Mecca. Prince Al Walid bin Talal’s decision to make Hindi part of his private crew has drawn criticism from some conservative Muslim scholars, who object to any easing of constraints that bar Saudi women from mixing with men other than relatives or traveling without the authorization of a male guardian. But Hindi said the billionaire entrepreneur’s Kingdom Holding Company had also hired her father, Zakariya Hindi, as a legal consultant. He will accompany her on all her trips "so that no one will say that I am traveling without a male relative." Hindi said she is heading to London in about three weeks for a three-month training course before she takes up her job as a pilot for Prince Al-Walid. Kingdom Holding hired Hindi even before she clinched her Commercial Pilot’s Licence and an Instrument Rating (CPL and IR) from the Mideast Aviation Academy in Jordan last month. The company, which runs a worldwide business empire, had offered Hindi a scholarship to carry her through her last year at the Jordanian academy, and Prince Al Walid took out doublespread advertisements in the press to congratulate her on taking her CPL.  "I thank God that Prince Al-Walid has given me the opportunity to serve my country and serve His Highness, bearing in mind that he is a member of the royal family," Hindi said. Hindi said that before the prince offered her a 10-year contract, she feared she might not find a job in Saudi Arabia. Her apprehensions were well-grounded, given that women in the Muslim country are still excluded from many professions that would appear less controversial than piloting a plane and are the only women in the world banned from driving a car. The appointed Shura (consultative) Council in May shelved the suggestion of Mohammad Al Zalfa, who cited a host of economic reasons to end the ban, such as the fact that the prohibition has led to the presence of around a million foreign drivers who cost the country 12 billion riyals (3.2 billion dollars) a year.

Response:

oh yaaa .. Baby , Let me welcome you to the exclusive Mile High Club.

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