The Government Is Really Spying On You

After 2001, at the behest of the President George Bush, Congress passed a bunch of laws that were designed to find terrorists by any means necessary including spying on phone calls, email and internet activity, often with little or no oversight. While vocally Congress talked about how these immense powers would never be abused, it would never be used to spy on Americans and other noises of "trust me!". Of course since them we have learned that Americans have been spied on from the very beginning and that FBI and other agencies would use their powers not so much to stop terrorists but as fishing exhibitions against whoever they were targeting for whatever reason. Long story short, people were given power and they abused it. The old adage about power made real. Yet despite know people will abuse the power they are giving, we still act amazed when we discover it is happening.

10th Anniversary of 9/11

Today is the 10 year anniversary of a terrorist attack that quite literally changed America and the world. Every year the media makes us relive the day and it still hurts. It still makes my cry. But not so much for those that died that day but for what was lost since then. America lost its hope and lost its way.

The attack claimed more than 3000 and more lives and did change a city. A city that is finally working towards reclaiming the site, complete with memorial using the footprints of what fell. America is now much more aggressive, angry and quick to lash out blindly. America is no longer the land of the brave but the land of the scared. The airwaves are now ruled by fear mongering and finger pointing as others desperately blame others for situations while doing little to offer solutions. That day the terrorists did win. When they change the character of a person, or a country for the worse, there is no other term for that but victory.

To find that hope I continue to look back at the days that followed and see the moments of greatness. I remember moments of solidarity such as Great Britain's Changing of the Guard. Or Jon Stewart extraordinary episode of The Daily Show a week after the attack.

The rebuilding continues. There is still hope. There is always hope. That "victory" can be taken away as easily as it was given up. America has the ability to change like no other country on the planet. Once day, the fear mongers will cease to penetrate. One day the cowards will quit being the vocal minority constantly seeking blood. A few days after 9/11 the world was probably the closest to peace it has ever been as everyone gathered around, mourned with us, claimed hardship with us, and offered the hand of help and friendship. If the world can do it once, it can do it again. The leadership to reach that day isn't here today, but one day it will be. Hopefully with the next generation that has seen how easily the older generation has been manipulated by the media and political leaders and chooses not to follow the same path.

9/11 was a day of tragedy and new darker beginnings. Osama bin Laden is finally dead. It’s time we start moving past the specter of 9/11. America changed once, it will change again. We will once again be the beacon of democracy and wiliness to hold our hands out in a gesture of friendship rather than fear. Our future will be bright even if it doesn't seem like it today.

"The reason I don't despair is because. This attack happened. Its not a dream. But the aftermath of it. The recovery is a dream realized. That is Martin Luther King's dream. Whatever barriers we put up are gone. Even if just momentary. We are judging people not by the color of their skin but the content of their character. ...any fool can blow something up, any fool can destroy, but to to see these guys, these firefighters, these policeman, people from all over the country, literally with buckets, rebuilding, that that thats extraordinary. Thats why we already won. Its light, its democracy, we already won, they can't shut that down."
- Jon Stewart 9/20/01

Links of the Week - Politics

GOP Explained by an Ex-GOPer
Hit the link for an effective explanation of just how far gone the Republican Party is now. Despite their frequent claimed love of Ronald Reagan, not even he could get a vote in today's GOP. For example he committed the horror of raising taxes 11 times. This change of party first, business second, America last and what is motivating it was brilliantly broke down by Mike Lofgren, who was a Republican Congressional staffer for 16 years. He pretty much hits the nail on the head on not only how corrupt the GOP has become but why the weak Democrats are ineffective at countering them.

25 CEOs Who Made More Than Companies Paid in Taxes
One of the great cons (of many) that the GOP has pulled over the last year is successfully lying that taxes influence business more than any other factor. That because of taxes, business choose not invest in themselves, to grow, to try to perform better. The logic makes no sense but people follow it anyway. Even though 11 years of tax cuts have proven it doesn't work. It’s not even hypothetical anyone. Eleven years of tax cuts sold to create jobs and all that has occurred is 2 recessions, minimal job growth, smaller middle class, and the rich being richer for doing nothing. Yet the idiots still believe. Between the tax cuts and loops holes it has now reached the point where most CEOs now make more money than their companies pay in taxes (most pay $0). It is now past pathetic. Yet if anyone is experts at being pathetic, it is teabaggers and their ilk. Anyway hit the link for details.

Linkfest - Endings

The last week has been a series of ending it seems both big and small. Libya might just experience democracy for the first in generations as Gaddafi has seemingly been overthrown, Steve Jobs steps down as CEO of Apple, a memorial finishes and a legendary hacker joins the team he often defeated.

The End of the Gaddafi in Libya
Hit the link for an interesting explanation on how Libya uprising succeeding in potentially toppling the current dictatorship. The story is how a determined people, with solid planning, ingenuity and sacrifice can overcome impossible odds. It is also a story of how true democracy must succeed. Not handed to the people as a "gift" like it was done by the United States in Iraq and Afghanistan but an organic hard fought decision by the people themselves, sadly earned with the literal blood of family and friends.

Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO of Apple
One of the most successful CEO's in history has officially resigned his position, many believe due to his continued fight with cancer. It is no small exaggeration to say that Steve Jobs is one of the most important people in the history of computers, an invention that literally changed how society operates in just a few short decades. His achievements in technology development changes how we perceive information, enjoy entertainment, learn and so much more. While I may not like how Apple operates, there is no doubting that the things Jobs spearheads has literally changed the world for the better. Few people can make such a claim.

Links of the Day - Dead Osama Edition

Osama bin Laden Dead
After nearly 10 years, the architect of 9/11 is finally dead. The Al Qaeda leader was killed by US soldiers after his hiding place, a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, was discovered. The body was confirmed to be his via DNA results. The body itself was dumped at sea as no country wanted to "host" the body since it would likely grab unwanted attention. President Obama gave a speech at 11:35PM EST confirming the kill. Approximately 5 seconds later the GOP began work on trying to spin the event as a success for Bush Jr. and how Obama was riding on his coattails. Spontaneous celebrations began in front of White House and ground zero and reportedly elsewhere as people celebrated his death. Europe's leadership was pleased with his death and quick to remind everyone that the terrorist threats will continue. Sadly that is all too true for as many terrorists that might have had their will broken by this death, probably just as many have a new martyr to rally around.

9/11 First Responder Bill Passes

After multiple filibusters and blocks from Republicans, the 9/11 First Responders bill (officially called The James Zadroga 9/11 Health Bill) has passed. The bill was intended to provide around $7 billion in care for responders by closing multiple corporate tax loopholes. This would have actually resulted in a bill that would have been deficit neutral. However, Senate Republicans balked at this because it went against their core belief that everything should be done to make the rich richer. Closing the tax loophole was removed but that wasn't enough. Despite adding nearly a $900 billion to the deficit by extending the bush tax cuts along with some extras for the rich, Republican Sens. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Mike Enzi of Wyoming balked at the $7 billion price tag. The final cost of the bill is $4.2 billion that might be paid for by foreign tourists and business visitors.

Once again, while this was debated for months, the Tea Party remained silent on this issue even though they happily invoke 9/11 frequently, are against anything that adds to the deficit and I would think would support the closing of tax loopholes. Yet again a reminder that the Tea Party is another name for Republican and neither group is nearly as patriotic or fiscally responsible as they claim to be. How people that are not rich (aka make under $250,000) continue to support such hypocrites is something I will never understand. The real shame is this was an easy bill to pass that should have been taken care of this summer without all the nonsense.

Links of the Week

Daily Show Smacks GOP for Blocking 9/11 Bill
When Jon Stewart gets angry, that is usually when the Daily Show is at its finest. Thursday's episode is an example of that as the laid a smack down on the GOP who, in a quest to add $900 billion in debt so the rich can get richer, continues to filibuster the 9/11 First Responders bill. The bill would help provide healthcare coverage to the brave men and woman who searched day and night searching for lost loved ones after that tragic day. As Stewart points out, you would think the party that gets outraged, with a huge assist from Fox News, on any little 9/11 related slight would be all over this bill but nope. This is a no brainer. This bill, more than any other, shows beyond doubt that the GOP has only one priority - get the rich richer. If not rich, then you can frankly just go to hell as far as they care. Not much better is the press which continues to show indifference, I guess because it isn't "sexy" enough but more than likely because they can't handle more than one major story in a 24 hour period. Anything then that and their on air talent gets lost. The entire episode should be watched as it begins with Stewart’s outrage, goes into an interview with a few 1st responders and then has Stewart correct so-called religious Mike Huckabee who manufactured excuses for the GOP's behavior but corrected every step of the way by Stewart. Why anyone supports a party that makes it clear that if you don't belong in the top 2% they could give two craps about you is something I will never understand.

Watching Fox News Makes You Stupid
As the graph shows, the more you watch Fox News, the less you know. Since Fox makes its bread and butter by essentially selling the same lie over and over until people believe it is true, can't really say the results are surprising. Still, having a scientific study back it up does not hurt. The study was based on polling 616 voters, finding how much they watched each network and what they knew about certain facts. Emphasis on facts. Not opinion, not policy but actually proven facts. The result is all there on the graph. You watch Fox News, you risk becoming stupid. Need more proof, go chat up a random Tea Partier.

9/11 8th Anniversary

Another year has passed but my feeling for this day hasn't changed from last year.

There are a lot of memories that go with 9/11/2001. The one that I choose to remember most isn't the horrible images of violence and destruction, but a gesture of support with the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. Based on an article in The Telegraph there was actually much more but sadly I wasn't able to find the full performance from that day so the touching and tragic minute long snippet below will have to suffice.

The End of The Bush Era Is Near

In less then 24 hours, the Bush Administration will cease to exist with large celebrations nationwide. Like many, January 20th at noon can not come soon enough as George W. Bush Jr. failed in every way a President can fail.

His simpleton black and white approach to the world, his infantile view of what a leader is and his constant desire to prove he should be the favorite son of his father nearly destroyed this country.

His decisions seemed to be based on few criteria. Step 1 was to show up his father (Iraq, taxes). If the decision had nothing to do with that then step two was compare it to his simple word view criteria which comes down to rich is good, big business is good, and government is bad. If the decision hit against those criteria he was against it, if it matched them he was all for it. Its why there was NEVER a decision he made that didn't benefit his rich friends or large corporations in some form or fashion. It’s also why Katrina was such a disaster because no decision he could make would match those criteria.

What was worse though was his view of what a leader is. He thinks it’s sticking to your guns and making quick decisive decisions without showing any doubt and taking credit for successes and placing blame elsewhere for the failures. In essence is the middle manager approach to leading of maintaining illusions while depending on others to get the work done. However, most middle managers at least have enough sense to make sure those that get the real work done are competent enough to do it. Bush was so focused on getting yes-men he failed to look deeper, after all doubt isn't a sign of leadership. In the end, his Nixonian belief that anything the President does is right compounded mistake after mistake preventing a reversal of course even after we saw the crash coming.

While Bush's friends try to spin his administration as one history will vindicate, it’s pretty clear that is delusion at best. Economically he was part of two recessions, one that teeters to a depression. Foreign policy he started two wars, on two fronts, without an exit plan or an end. He created the "Axis of Evil" that has lead to North Korea to seek nuclear weapons as a defense when he basically threatened an invasion. In the end he had few friends on the worldwide stage, having made all of them look like fools. Domestically there is 9/11, Katrina, and crumbling infrastructure and a massive debt (despite claim republicans are fiscally responsible). What ever standard you want to use to measure a President, things are worse now then they are when he started.

The man is an epic failure who sadly will walk away with his head held high because he doesn't have the brain power to recognize his own failure and too much pride to admit it even if he did. Introspection just isn't a characteristic of the Bush clan. Here is hoping the Obama years are much better as he tries to repair the damage Bush wrought.

9/11 7th Anniversary

There are a lot of memories that go with 9/11/2001. The one that I choose to remember most isn't the horrible images of violence and destruction, but a gesture of support.


Background - Little background Britain's show of solidarity
Tribute From Germany - A good tribute video of the day.
9/11 Remembrance Presentation - A video that shows the attacks and some of the aftermath such as Jon Stewart's remarkable speech.

Olbermann: Hijacked 9/11

Keith Olbermann did another special comment (transcript here), this time for the Republicans use and abuse of 9/11 as a means to win elections. Rudolph "9/11" Giuliani is the perfect example of this where he can't say a sentence without evoking the day. While McCain avoids direct references, the RNC has a whole has no problem using it whenever the opportunity presents itself. Irony is if Democrats used it the same way Republicans do the crap would hit the fan hard and fast. Instead it’s just allowed without question. But it should be questioned. If someone is going to invoke that day they should have a damn good reason for doing so beyond a simple effort to invoke fear. Sadly though, Republicans have not run a campaign where fear isn't a major component in nearly 70 years, so why would they start now?

Countdown 9/11 To Iraq Summary of Failure

Keith Olbermann on Countdown yesterday put together a solid list of the lies and failures of the bush administration in using 9/11 to bring about the Iraqi War. Its just highlights what a complete and utter failure the Bush administration has been from day 1 where failure gets you promoted and awards.

A video can be found here.

9/11 - Six Years Later

Its now been six years to the day. A lot of things have happened. Some good, but sadly most bad. The years in between have not been good for this country as the leadership has failed in every way possible. As always time moves on. Below is the post 9/11 commentary from Jon Stewart that really summarizes everything. Its continues to be a solid message of hope and one worth repeating.

Keith Olbermann Special Comment on Guiliani

Rudy Giulani, the "hero" of 9/11, has decided to fall back on the tactic of voting for Democrats = helping the terrorists. Actually he took it a step further and basically said people would die if they voted democrat. Something that Keith Olbermann didn't appreciate. Something I don't like and any American shouldn't like. Even if it was coming for a democrat about republicans, it wouldn't be acceptable and it shouldn't be here. So here is the leading republican candidate for President, Rudy Giuliani, Fearmonger. Heck of a title as leader of the free world.

Bush's In-Action Prior To 9/11

Keith Olbermann strikes again, putting together an excellent analysis of in-action from the Bush Administration prior to 9/11 showing just how they had warnings of a possible attack including history showing attempts to use plains as ballistic weapons. It also rebuffs Rice's claims that the admin was left no plans when no less then five days in office, Bush officials where provided just that and was ignored. A rough transcript and video is here.

In addition, Chris Matthews apparently has found his backbone as he is starting to get truly critical with Republicans about the Iraqi War. He recently took House Majority Leader John Boehner to task for asserting that the Iraqi War is the front for the war on terror even though there its never been proven that Iraq had anything to do with recent terrorists activity including 9/11. As it seems people need to be reminded, the person responsible is still at large. Details and video here.

Also on Hardball, Al Franken and Mathews took Tony Blankley to task over attempt to dismiss the recent National Intelligence Estimate leak. Info and video here.

Next, is another video, this time of ultra libertarian and ABC "reporter" John Stossel attacks the website Media Matters for being a smear site, but then as is typical of the average "reporter" in this day and age, failed to provide factual backup for his opinion. Now Media Matters is a misnomer in the sense that it only points out the errors of the media when slanted against liberals (much prefer it did it's work against both groups) but it does support its assertions with facts, transcripts and history. All they do really is highlight statements conservatives make on the airwaves. Usually that stuff slides and they don't let it. I am not sure how that is smearing since its not manufactured data or opinions represented as facts, which Stossel is a fan of doing. Video is here.

(source)

9/11: Five Years Later

Its kind of hard to believe its already been five years. Time seems to both fly by and move very slow. My said that she could tell me exactly what she was doing when she heard that Kennedy had been assassinated, because the event was so remarkable that it just seared it into her brain. I was skeptical of that as even events that I believe where the most important thing to happen to me, I can only remember bits and pieces, not precise details of exactly what and when. Except 9/11. I know exactly what I was doing, when I was doing it, and the people in the room with me when I heard the news. Its strange to cause I wasn't near a TV so honestly did not believe what I was being told at the time. I called it an exaggeration by the press for ratings. Then I got home. Wow that was a long day.

So five years. The events that have followed as a direct consequence of this singular event are still echoing and only history will be able to put it in perspective. As each generation before I think, I hope the next never has to experience anything like this.

CNN.com is re-playing their coverage "live" using their pipeline service. I can't decide if its something I can watch or not. But I guess for those that missed the history, the reaction, and so forth, it might be worth watching.

Another memory I took not from the day but that period was the worldwide reaction. For the briefest of moments, mankind was one. For an instance, mankind where unified as one, even if in tragedy. If for nothing else can be learned, its that peace is possible, even if the struggle will be long and difficult. Its wasn't until recently, but I saw Jon Stewart's Daily Show a week or so after 9/11 and he nearly broke down trying to express himself and unlike most people a week after 9/11, his was a message of hope. That video is here.

A final memory that has stuck with me was when Britain who broke a historic tradition of the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace. My local news only played a snippet, but I remember crying when I saw it. YouTube has a version and I think its worth watching.

7 Days In September

Those are my random thoughts for this day. What are yours?

Bush Admits Iraq and 9/11 Not Related

Bush finally just out right admited that Iraq and 9/11 where not related. This is after years of the administration trying to hit at connections with outright saying it. Glad thats cleared up, but doesn't that beg the question of why Iraq instead of say Iran?

BUSH: I square it because imagine a world in which you had Saddam Hussein, who had the capacity to make a weapon of mass destruction, who was paying suiciders to kill innocent life, who had relations with Zarqawi.

You know, I’ve heard this theory about, you know, everything was just fine until we arrived [in Iraq] and — you know, the stir-up-the-hornet’s- nest theory. It just doesn’t hold water, as far as I’m concerned.

The terrorists attacked us and killed 3,000 of our citizens before we started the freedom agenda in the Middle East. They were …

QUESTION: What did Iraqi have to do with that?
BUSH: What did Iraq have to do with what?

QUESTION: The attacks upon the World Trade Center.

BUSH: Nothing. . . . .Except for it’s part of — and nobody’s ever suggested in this administration that Saddam Hussein ordered the attack. Iraq was a — Iraq — the lesson of September the 11th is: Take threats before they fully materialize,

I seem to remember Dick Cheny, Condi and Bush trying link Iraq to 9/11 way back when:

Russert: Do you still believe there is no evidence that Iraq was involved in September 11?

CHENEY: Well, what we now have that’s developed since you and I last talked, Tim, of course, was that report that’s been pretty well confirmed, that he did go to Prague and he did meet with a senior official of the Iraqi intelligence service in Czechoslovakia last April, several months before the attack

- from CrooksAndLiars.com

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and 9/11

While looking at Kevin Smith hilarity, I found some more serious videos, two involving 9/11 and one with the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

One video that I hadn't seen but is very moving is the return of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart from September 20th 2001. It was the first show since the 9/11. He basically just laid it all out there, coming very close to crying on camera, and really he just tells it how it is. Its a very moving that shows the hope that can be found even during a very dark time.

"The reason I don't despair is because. This attack happened. Its not a dream. But the aftermath of it. The recovery is a dream realized. That is Martin Luther King's dream. Whatever barriers we put up are gone. Even if just momentary. We are judging people not by the color of their skin but the content of their character. ...any fool can blow something up, any fool can destroy, but to to see these guys, these firefighters, these policeman, people from all over the country, literally with buckets, rebuilding, that that thats extraordinary. Thats why we already won. Its light, its democracy, we already won, they can't shut that down."
- Jon Stewart 9/20/01

That video is here.

Another video is something I remember vividly from events around 9/11. This occurred on 9/12 I think, maybe the 13th. Its was really an event of history, a sign of the solidarity, at least briefly, that existed worldwide. For the first time, during the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace, a different anthem was played. With scores of American's watching, stuck in the country due to the no-fly order, on orders of the Queen, the Star Spangled Banner was played.

That video is here.

Finally, a video from 1992. I remember this event when watching it "live" on American television. To me, when asks to describe the Olympic spirit, this is what I think of. Its the moment during the Barcelona 1992 Olympics, the 400M semi finals, Derek Redmond of the UK tore a tendon (I think) and could not complete the race. Instead of just being helped across the field, he was determined to finish the race. With the assistance of a stadium cheering him on, and his father at his side, he crossed the finish line. This version is from Japan, the American recording is much better but not online that I am aware of.

The video is here.

Pentagon 9/11 film

The pentagon released footage of American Airlines Flight 77 hitting the Pentagon on 9/11. The images where recorded by security camera outside the building and released due to a Freedom of Information Act request from Judicial Watch.

Click here for the footage, which shows a shadow and then a fireball. Not sure what Judicial Watch was looking for because I see nothing in the footage that provides new information or insight.

United 93

As the name suggests, this movie is about a telling of events of United Airlines Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania during the horrible events of September 11, 2001. The movie begins with the people boarding the flight and ends...well the only way such a story can end.

This was a hard movie to get through. Its actually painful to watch. You know what going to happen, and so you wait for each hammer to fall with increasing tension and dread. This does not mean the movie is bad. It just means the story is told that well that even though you know whats coming, you watch anyway. You watch this horror unfold almost all over again and it hurts.

The agenda of this movie can be the agenda you choose to see and insert into it. Really though. the only agenda this movie has is to tell a story of events on United 93 with the other events of 9/11 playing into it since they are directily tied together. The director and writer, Paul Greengrass weaves this story together very well with events on the ground with events in the air.

When this movie ended, literally more then half the audience was crying and the other half was on the verge. This movies hurts to watch, but it is worth seeing.