The post which holds that distinction is one wherein your humble author dotes on Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson for staging a concert for dogs, with music written specifically for the dogs, in sounds only they can hear. It may sound kind of anti-climactic, but it's totally me. Even though I knew I wanted to say something for my 40,000 post, and I kept track of my post count for days, when push came to shove, I just couldn't stop talking. I hope you will forgive me. It's taken me almost five yea...

I am one of the angry left. I’m angry at the direction in which this country is going. I’m angry about our status in the world, and I’m angry at the proclamations from our leaders and journalists that mediocrity is good and we should all strive to be Betas, because Alphas just have to work too damn hard. Right now, however, I’m also angry with the media and the Republicans for trying to pass Sarah Palin off as an eminently qualified, viable alternative to politics as usual; someone ready to ...

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We were always suspicious of questionable government searches. We believed in separation of church and state. We fought for the First Amendment rights of Americans -- all Americans. We believed America's foreign policy had something to do with the reasons behind 9/11. We laughed together at Stephanie Miller, and cheered Keith Olbermann on for speaking truth to power -- even, and especially, when it hurt. We believed this is a nation of laws, and breaking the rules has its consequence. Th...

More than seven years after the 2000 nightmare, and nearly four years after the 2004 nightmare, suddenly the idea of a recount doesn't seem like the insane ramblings of a sore loser. It has come out of the dark recesses of the conspiracy theorists' basements into the light. The TFH loonies now have some company on this side of the deep river which divides those who always knew there was a problem from those not willing to believe there was a problem. Finally. It feels like Spring has sprung...

I've heard several talking heads tonight opining that the Democrats are powerless to stop the war because the Republicans are planning on hanging on to it through the primaries, when the "loyal Republican base" turns out to decide if these incumbents will go on to the general election. Common wisdom among the panel I saw on Hardball tonight held that once the primaries were over the hawks would become doves and they would scamper away from George Bush and his terrible, horrible, no good, very b...

Look at the first six posts on the Greatest Page right now, a week and two days after the election: General Discussion CHRIS DODD: INTRODUCES LEGISLATION-TODAY-TO AMEND MILITARY COMMISSIONS ACT! 57 recommendations : By kpete Election Reform Sen. Reid Rolls Out Plans for Clean Elections 51 recommendations : By kpete General Discussion A SOLDIER'S STORY- "IF PEOPLE KNEW THEY'D SAY BRING OUR KIDS HOME NOW!" 43 recommendations : By Jcrowley Video Forum Keith Olbermann - Faux News Revealed (Video...

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Nah, they're not that desperate yet. Are they?? Maybe... 1) It's the Democrats fault for leaking it and politicizing it. Okay, I'll take the blame for outing a felonious predator. And, while we're at it, GOP, why didn't you? 2) It's the gays' fault. Everyone knows that most of the sexual predators in the US are gay. Oh, they're not? What's that you say? They're heterosexual? Well, I'm sure that's just bad statistics. 3) It's alcohol's fault. You know how that Ol' Devil Water can af...

There is no good news here. There is no positive spin. There is no way that anyone can say anything that will quell the disgust in the minds of the parents of America. This has hit home -- their homes. Rich homes, poor homes, soccer mom homes. No Bush supporter who is a parent will find anything they say will make these events "okay". The Republican base is finally awake to the fact that their party, the party of torture and spying, the party of gutting the social programs their parents have...

They are already torturing the innocent. No, this does something much more frightening and insidious than legitimize the torture that the Congress knows about and that which they want to ignore. This legislation puts us, you and me, at risk to be taken from our beds and put in prison; designated as "enemy combatants" for anything the government might not like today. That is the most frightening aspect. From : Here's just one example of what's in the bill that few people are aware of. Yale ...

Meet Stuart Baker. He makes $106,641 a year. As I was listening to "Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me!" this weekend, Mr. Baker appeared as the subject of a question for the panel, based on an article in the National Journal article from July 11, 2006 which lists WH salaries: (Link) Here's the NPR link to the show. This was about an hour in, and pretty funny. (Link)/ I searched, but couldn't find this posted anywhere. My apologies if this is a dupe. I had no idea the administration could even le...

The NYT Op-Ed by Joe Wilson, with annotated talking points by Dick, was part of a discovery request heard by Judge Walton on May 5, 2006. Fitzgerald plans to introduce several articles in the government's case. Fitzgerald wants to introduce the Wilson Op-Ed to show its existence alone was an impetus for action, and "not for truth" as he puts it. What he means is he's not disputing the truth of the assertions in the Op-Ed (was there or wasn't there yellow cake), just saying, "here's an Op-Ed Wi...

Defense chief set to meet with so-called 'TV generals' Tuesday, April 18, 2006; Posted: 11:12 a.m. EDT (15:12 GMT) WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush on Tuesday emphasized once again his support for his defense secretary, saying Donald Rumsfeld "is doing a fine job." At a Rose Garden ceremony announcing his nominees for budget director and trade representative, Bush referred to the controversy in which six retired generals recently have called for Rumsfeld's resignation. "I hear the voices,...

"In addition, the events alleged in the indictment occurred during a period of increasing bureaucratic infighting, when certain officials at the CIA, the White House, and the State Department each sought to avoid or assign blame for intelligence failures relating to Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction ("WMD") capability. The fingerpointing that went on within the Executive Branch about who was to blame will be a key issue in examining many of the government’s witnesses because it goes to the ques...

Why, Katherine? Why are you spending so much money to run? Why, with these , and her recently discovered dealings with Mitchell Wade, does she insist on staying in the race? Egotism. It's not about country, or state, or party. It's not about government or justice. It's about Katherine Harris' massive ego. Her own chief strategist urged her to fer chrissake. In order to prove to herself that she did the right thing in 2000, and to let the Republicans know she wants to pass "Go!" and colle...

You are the future. You are our best hope. The work that takes place here, with 85K people peeling away the layers of this administration to expose its rotten core, is so important to this country. It's easy to give in to outrage fatigue. It's hard work to get up and sleepily comprehend what fresh, new circle of Hell we've been dragged into this morning, before the second cup of coffee. I remember fondly a time not too long ago when I didn't wonder if the rules would change or if the Cons...

Evil architect of deconstructionist Constitutional theory? Bio from AEI: (Link) His book: The Powers of War and Peace: The Constitution and Foreign Affairs after 9/11 (University of Chicago Press, October 2005), reviewed for the American Enterprise Institute, where he is a visiting scholar (I know, I know -- get your barf bags handy). Here's the press release/summary: (Link) According to the brief review ((Link)), "Yoo roots his controversial analysis in a brilliant reconstruction of the o...

I've thought about it, I've suggested it, and I think it's about time we did it. Sometimes, in our busy lives, we can lose track of what to blame on Bill & Hill. Wouldn't it be nice to know for sure what to blame them for each and every day? I'll start: 9/11 -- Bill's fault. Who's next?

<snip> I suggested that in the last three years there had been about 13 similar coincidences - a political downturn for the administration, followed by a “terror event” - a change in alert status, an arrest, a warning. We figured we’d better put that list of coincidences on the public record. We did so this evening on the television program, with ten of these examples. The other three are listed at the end of the main list, out of chronological order. The contraction was made purely for ...

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(Link)/ Speed and tone of comments have called for day-to-day damage control WASHINGTON - The Bush White House is known for its ability to remain in control of its message and image, sliding out of crises with barely a scratch. Not this time. The administration on Tuesday struggled to deflect calls for an accounting of who was responsible for a hurricane response that even Bush acknowledged was inadequate. There were increasing calls for the resignation or firing of Michael Brown, director o...

As you probably know by now, when I have something to say, I say it. Usually it's in fits and starts on all of the threads in this forum. Sometimes it's a theory I need to air, sometimes it's a rant, and sometimes it's long and rambling. This is all of those. And a bit more. We are Conspiracy Theorists, Liberals, Commies, Deaniacs, Drama Queens, Bitchy, Kerrycrats, Vegetarians, Gay, Straight, Bi-sexual, Black, White, Red, Yellow, Pink, Orange, Anarchists, Greens, Independents, Republicans, Mode...

Pleeeze, John, turn the boat around. I'm drowning stuck in BushWorld. So, is it The Perfect Storm yet? Do I sense my prediction of a Grand Plan coming true? Are all the pieces coming together? Not to make it all about me, but I gotta say, if it happens, drinks are on me. Everyone is invited to my house -- the weather's beautiful! Bring your own AeroBeds. How great of a Christmas would I have; and I'm Jewish! No reponses required, I'm just really, really happy right now. And I love each of you...

This is it. I feel it. Just like before the hurricanes that came through here this summer, there is a calm before the storm. I love a good conspiracy theory as much as the next person. I have more than a few that I won't share here. My opinion of conspiracy theories is that if you say you're not a conspiracy theorist, you just don't have enough imagination. That having been said, sometimes theories, crazy as they seem, pan out. I direct you to the one about Relativity as an example. The el...