Sunday « Marisacat

Sunday 8 November 2009

Posted by marisacat in Divertissements.
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Chishang, Taiwan: Taiwanese pianist Chen Kuan-yu performs a concert in the middle of a rice paddy field
Photograph: Reuters

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1. marisacat - 8 November 2009: They work for each other… Schakowsky has already leapt to her party paid for feet and declared that the HCR bill is wonderful for women. And Pete supplies the rest of the narrative. Republicans are … whatever they are. Democrats are……… whatever they are.

Sorta ”Rape In Concert” (of which we have a small epidemic out here)

November 07, 2009
Categories:

House Democrats

Dems blast Sessions women-to-smokers comparison

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Tex.), the head of the Republicans campaign committee, caused a stir at last night’s Rules Committee meeting when he suggested that treating female-related health conditions was comparable to insurance-company imposed restrictions on smokers.

“Why should a woman pay more than a man?” asked New Jersey Democrat Frank Pallone, according to the Courthouse News Service.

“Well, we’re all different,” Sessions explained. “Why should a smoker pay more?” he said before interrupted.

That prompted major pushback from Democrats, who say that it proves that House Republicans don’t care about working-class women.

“The NRCC and extreme right wing of the Republican Party are totally out of step with women,” said Jennifer Crider, spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

“First, the NRCC says that a man ought to put the first woman Speaker of the House ‘in her place.’ …I don’t know what’s scarier, whether NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions actually believes women are second class citizens or whether he believes it’s political beneficial for the NRCC to say so.”

Posted by Glenn Thrush 03:34 PM

Carry on!

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2. catnip - 8 November 2009: A WaPo table dissecting the so-called health care reform vote.

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marisacat - 8 November 2009: oh thank you for that…………..very interesting.

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3. marisacat - 8 November 2009: well… it’s one version. Tears and a yelling match.

One by one, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had leaned on her rank-and-file Democrats for months to cast off personal prerogatives for the sake of a history-making health care bill.

But for Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, this was too much to ask.

So when Pelosi announced late Friday that she would allow an amendment strictly limiting insurance coverage of abortions, it touched off an angry yelling match between DeLauro and another Pelosi confidant, California Rep. George Miller, and tears from some veteran female lawmakers, according to people in the room.

Some of the lawmakers argued that Pelosi was turning her back on a decades-long campaign by female Democratic members in support of abortion rights. Miller rose to Pelosi’s defense, which resulted in an angry confrontation between him and DeLauro, said the sources.

Miller told DeLauro that there were “more pro-life votes in the House than pro-choice” and that abortion-rights advocates had better acknowledge that reality.

In the end, Pelosi’s strategy paid off in a big win for her and President Barack Obama. After Rep. Bart Stupak’s (D-Mich.) amendment banning abortion funding was approved with 64 Democratic votes, Pelosi was able to push through the health care reform package on a virtually straight-line party vote, 220-215. . . . .

Theocracy? What theocracy?

Pelosi wasn’t the only one getting pressure on the amendment. As rumors spread that Republicans might vote “present” in order to scuttle the entire bill, even Cardinal Francis George, archbishop of Chicago and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called Republican leader John Boehner to make sure the GOP didn’t play any games with the Stupak amendment, sources said.

. . . .

The drama had built for months, pitting a group of Democrats against the Catholic Church. Priests and bishops were calling members to lobby for stricter language to limit abortion coverage, members and aides said last week.

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4. Madman in the Marketplace - 8 November 2009: Money for Something

With that kind of money you could entirely build out a national network of true high-speed rail. One year’s worth of defense spending gets you that. Which makes one wonder: where are all the economists, wringing their hands over cost-benefit analyses of these defense expenditures? Does anyone doubt that the net benefit of $100 billion spent on high-speed rail is easily higher than that for the last $100 billion spent on defense? Have a look at this if you’re unsure.

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5. marisacat - 8 November 2009: Headline in World News at the UK Independent:

The US administration is likely to announce the dispatch of at least 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, amid increasing calls in Britain for a withdrawal from the war in the face of a rising death toll. The announcement that the 200th and 201st members of the British forces have been killed in combat in the conflict – the eighth in five days – came on Remembrance Sunday, with public figures in the UK questioning further involvement and yet another opinion poll showing a majority want our troops pulled out.

But Barack Obama, who tours the region this week, is expected to announce his decision based on three options from his advisers, all of which call for more troops. The President is considering the request by General Stanley McChrystal, the US commander of Nato forces in Afghanistan, for up to 40,000 troops. The US Defence Secretary, Robert Gates, is said to favour the sending of 30,000 and President Obama is “strongly veering towards the same option and certainly not a lower figure”, a senior official said. Britain is to send 500 more troops to Afghanistan. But the deployment is being held up until President Obama makes his decision. . . . .

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6. marisacat - 8 November 2009: ahahahahahah.. some democratic emailing operation sent one iwth the title:

Joe Lieberman must go.

Why? I still say they not only like him, they mostly agree with him. Little disagreements. And Ob was more than happy to toss 5k to Lamont but to go into CT and campaign for Joe …

On a related issue, I have been so entertained by Elie Wiesel entering the tea bag fray, all in a tizzy over the placards and slogans… what a hoot!

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7. marisacat - 8 November 2009: Seymour Hersh surfaces.. in The New Yorker.

[A] senior Pakistani official who has close ties to Zardari exploded with anger during an interview when the subject turned to the American demands for more information about the arsenal. After the September 11th attacks, he said, there had been an understanding between the Bush Administration and then President Pervez Musharraf “over what Pakistan had and did not have.” Today, he said, “you’d like control of our day-to-day deployment. But why should we give it to you? Even if there was a military coup d’état in Pakistan, no one is going to give up total control of our nuclear weapons. Never. Why are you not afraid of India’s nuclear weapons?” the official asked. “Because India is your friend, and the longtime policies of America and India converge. Between you and the Indians, you will fuck us in every way.

The truth is that our weapons are less of a problem for the Obama Administration than finding a respectable way out of Afghanistan.” . . . .

Well… he’s got it right at the end there.. aside from the rest.

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marisacat - 8 November 2009: here is the “single page” version link. So much easier than flipping thru 8 little pages.

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8. ms_xeno - 8 November 2009: Oh, I love it. Some yutz on LJ told me to “stop complaining and do something.” (ie- Healthcare) When I asked what that meant, I was told to “Shut up and take what you can get.”

Ladies and Gentleman, I give you: The Portland Pwogwessive. God love him/her, because nobody else with a lick of sense would. :/

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9. marisacat - 8 November 2009: San Jose Merc News. Who knows… but if true, maybe explains why he got 4 or 5 of his own medical psychiatric unit…

As he methodically moved around the room, he spared some people while firing on others several times. He seemed to discriminate in his targets, though it is unclear why he seemed to choose some and not others. All but one of the dead were soldiers. . . .

And again, who knows.

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10. marisacat - 8 November 2009: Here is a laugh (ms_xeno sent it to me)

Congressmen read the fine print and try to reverse health care vote

Posted on November 8, 2009 by kwilder

Several members of Congress are asking the Speaker of the House to change their vote on the Affordable Health Care for America Act, HR 3962, from a YES to a NO. The reason is that some male members of Congress only now discovered hidden language that will make it more difficult for men to receive vasectomies.

Representative Bill Horn (D-FL) stated, “I feel very oppressed by the fact, that I thought I was passing something to improve health care for myself and my children, but I did not realize that the fine print would take away the rights of myself and my sons to control their family planning decisions.” . . . .

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catnip - 8 November 2009: That is hilarious. Ooops.

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marisacat - 8 November 2009: ugh… it might be satire… moiv cannot find another source for the comment from the House rep.

Neither can I but then I am loousy googler/searcher…

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catnip - 8 November 2009: It must be because I googled his name and didn’t find the congresscritter either. Regardless, I have to say that after listening to whiny Boehner during the debate (or what passes for “debate”) last nite when he detailed some of the many obscure sections of that 2000 page bill, who knows what the hell might be in there? And I highly doubt 10% of congress actually read that ginormous bill before voting on it.

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marisacat - 8 November 2009: oh I agree.. the bill is full of secrets. El Rushbo was reading from it one day last week, giving section, page and, in some cases, subheading. Geesh. Nothing sounded good.

On local TV channel here has the whole 1990 pages up online… I doubt I could get thru more than 20 or 30 pages… but I will take a look at it. I assume sites like HuffPo have it up as well. (NTIM, as the final bill be god knows what)

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ms_xeno - 9 November 2009: D’oh! Sorry about that.

And here I was totally looking forward to the debate over the point at which yeast/bacteria/whatever causes jock itch gets to be classified as a “person.”

Damnit.

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catnip - 9 November 2009: Well, the…umm…related appendage is already classified as a “person”, n’est-ce pas?

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11. catnip - 8 November 2009: Stop Blaming Rahm for Stupak-Pitts Amendment and No Votes on Health Care
by askew

594 comments (594 new)

Leave Rahm Alone!! Waaah!

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12. catnip - 9 November 2009: Some people have way too much time on their hands.

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13. catnip - 9 November 2009: Inflatable weapons. I’ll be thinking about that reality the next time I hear some military honcho crow about what he’s found on a satellite photo in so-called “enemy” hands.

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wu ming - 9 November 2009: speaking of inflatable weapons…

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catnip - 9 November 2009: lol…boobage of mass destruction

From the comments:

What if 1 side fails to deploy?

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wu ming - 9 November 2009: i don’t know if you caught it, but the caption for the inflating part was called “god’s hand” in english.

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catnip - 9 November 2009: See…that’s why I’m an atheist. I don’t need some invisible sky-fairy pumping up my chest.

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14. catnip - 9 November 2009: ZOMG. Now that I have satellite teevee, I have FAUX News. This could be interesting. It comes with a laugh track, right?

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ms_xeno - 9 November 2009: If you still need a laugh track to prompt you at this late date, it might be time to see doctor.*

*Note: Offer does not apply in the United States, where we spend so much money on helping insurance companies buy Congresspeople that there’s none left for the actual doctor visit.

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catnip - 9 November 2009: I need to stock up for armageddon.

And Thank Dog for free medicare. That’ll come in handy when FAUX News begins to bring on (more) brain damage.

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15. catnip - 9 November 2009: The Stupak Amendment: A throwback to Teh Glory Dayz

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16. catnip - 9 November 2009: Google Opt Out Feature Lets Users Protect Privacy By Moving To Remote Village

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17. catnip - 9 November 2009: Shameless shameless shills.

Show Vulnerable Pro-HCR Dems: We’ve Got Your Back!
by Adam B

56 comments (56 new)

Send Money Now!!

“Pro-HCR”. Pro-oligarchy is more like it. Let the insurance companies send them more money. I’m sure they can spare it. Especially now.

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18. catnip - 9 November 2009: Obama’s bio a state secret in Canada

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19. catnip - 9 November 2009: What’s Really Pissing Me Off
by Meteor Blades

Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 06:01:29 PM MST

(Promoted from the diaries – SusanG)

“Irrational.” “Hypersensitive.” “Overreacting.” “Hysterical.”

Women recognize these words all too well. They’re put-downs many of them have had thrown at them all their lives anytime they raise issues about their treatment in relationships, school, the workplace or society at large.

These words and others of similar ilk have found their way into diaries and comments here at Daily Kos yesterday and today around the abomination known as the Stupak-Pitts Amendment. Calm down, little lady, is the tone. Get real. Be adults. Doncha know how politics really works?

Pffffffft.

Many of these sexist critiques are then followed up by a distortion of the Stupak-Pitts Amendment itself, all of which amounts to the view that this is no big deal, that it does nothing more than the Hyde Amendment, the sexist, classist abomination that has been on the books in one form or another since 1976. In fact, as mcjoan pointed out earlier today, the Stupak-Pitts coathanger amendment goes a good deal further than Hyde.

MB’s obviously a member of the sanctimonious womens’ studies set.

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20. catnip - 9 November 2009: Tapper/Obama:

TAPPER: The — under the House bill, those who can afford to buy insurance but don’t — can afford to do it but don’t — pay a fine. And if they refuse to pay a fine, there’s a threat, as there is with lots of tax fines, there’s a threat of jail time. And the Senate removed that provision in the Senate Finance Committee. Do you think it’s appropriate to have a threat of jail time for those who refuse to buy insurance?

OBAMA: You know, what I think is appropriate is that in the same way that everybody has to get auto insurance and if you don’t, you’re subject to some penalty, that in this situation, if you have the ability to buy insurance, it’s affordable and you choose not to do so, forcing you and me and everybody else to subsidize you, you know, there’s a thousand dollar hidden tax that families all across America are — are burdened by because of the fact that people don’t have health insurance, you know, there’s nothing wrong with a penalty.

Now, what those penalties are, I think they have to be high enough that people don’t game the system. On the other hand, I think it’s important for us not to be so punitive that people who are having a hard time suddenly find themselves worse off because of health care reform. And that’s why there have been built in some hardship exemptions. There may be situations, relatively rare, where, even after the subsidies that are provided, it’s still very hard for people to afford to get the health insurance that they need. And we should at this point and build in those — those hardship exemptions.

But I — but I think the general broad principle is simply that people who are paying for their health insurance aren’t subsidizing folks who simply choose not to until they get sick and then suddenly they expect free health insurance. That’s — that’s basic concept of responsibility that I think most Americans abide by.

TAPPER: But as the Senate puts its bill — its final bill together and as a House and Senate prepare to vote on a — on a — after the conference committee, they should know, does the president think jail time is inappropriate…

OBAMA: Well, I’m — I’m not sure that’s the biggest question that they’re asking right now…

TAPPER: No, but the question…

OBAMA: Well, the…

TAPPER: (INAUDIBLE).

OBAMA: I think I put out the principle that penalties are appropriate for people who try to free ride the system and force others to pay for their health insurance.

Is there some reason you won’t say NO to jail time? It’s not that bloody complicated.

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Madman in the Marketplace - 9 November 2009: FUCK

HIM

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marisacat - 5 December 2009: twice over

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Madman in the Marketplace - 9 November 2009: also from the Tapper exchange:

“I laid out a very simple principle, which is this is a health care bill, not an abortion bill,” Obama said. “And we’re not looking to change what is the principle that has been in place for a very long time, which is federal dollars are not used to subsidize abortions.”

Saying the bill cannot change the status quo regarding the ban on federally funded abortions, the president said, “There are strong feelings on both sides” about an amendment passed Saturday and added to the legislation, “and what that tells me is that there needs to be some more work before we get to the point where we’re not changing the status quo.”

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catnip - 9 November 2009: Again, it’s not that bloody complicated. He could veto a bill that changes the status quo. Simple. I don’t know why these Dems seem to think that negotiations with neanderthals are necessary.

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21. Madman in the Marketplace - 9 November 2009: I’m constantly amazed how much time Catholic priests spend worrying about what happens between women’s legs:

A Duke University study on sex toys has raised the ire of the University’s Catholic Center director. But not because he’s worried about the 18-year-old participants who might be breaking vows of celibacy, and doing it with handcuffs and vibrators. Instead, Father Joe Vetter says he’s concerned that the study will encourage young women to “just sit around and masturbate” instead of hitting up singles night to track down their future husband.

The study, being conducted by a behavioral economist and student health workers, was advertised around the Duke campus for much of October. Researchers were interested in female attitudes towards sex and sexually-themed “toys” and paraphernalia. Women filled out a survey and took part in a one-hour meeting, where they were asked to view sex toys and discuss them with other participants. As incentive to donate their time, the women were all offered a gift bag, and discounts on the items – a sex-themed Tupperware party, if you will.

You’d think Father Vetter would be pleased: student health workers say they hope the study will shed light on whether sex toys can be a useful tool in curbing campus promiscuity. But no:

“I’m concerned about promiscuity also,” Vetter said. “And to be honest, I don’t have the solution. … My concern is these students are in this developmental phase, and I don’t think it’s a good developmental practice to just tell somebody to just sit around and masturbate. I don’t think that promotes relationships.”

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22. BooHooHooMan - 9 November 2009: Sorry to regurg the Sunday Show regurgia…
Lieberman.., not only to filibuster “the P.O”…

also , …”as Homeland Security Chair in the Senate”,

promises his committee to thouroughly investigate Hassan and The Ft Hood shootings…
Izzlammo Trrzm possibly, Possibly the cause..

gee, I wonder where this is headed?
Maybe he’ll find the cause of that there Izzlammo thing, too.

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23. BooHooHooMan - 9 November 2009: Watching as it all blurs by…

I see we are STILL providing therapeutic support to the
Bill Clinton ego.

Bill Clinton heads for the Hill
By CAROL E. LEE | 11/9/09 7:38 PM
Former president heads to Capitol Hill to address Dems as health legislation hinges on the Senate.

Somebody get a fuckin hook for that narcissist.
Surely SOME leadership will emerge with marching orders to fill the vacuum …
D’op AND YES~ there he is

44: Happening Now
Netanyahu drops in on POTUS
The meeting was not even scheduled until the prime minister had departed Israel.

…just as Lieberman as HOMELAND SECURITY CHAIR promises full investigation into Izzlammo Trrst ties of Hassan at Ft Hood.

We are in such good hands, no? …

Could it be any more fucked up?
Why yes, yes it CAN.

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24. BooHooHooMan - 9 November 2009: White House: No Decision Yet on Afghanistan
by Meteor Blades
Mon Nov 09, 2009 at 09:23:55 PM PST

Uh huh. Celebrate all! Ob’s doing NOTHING!
What assholes.

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25. BooHoohooman - 10 November 2009: FWIW. Ed Schultz hammered Barney Frank tonight on CEO pay.
Hammered. I went to get a link from MSNBC it was that good ..they had the Dennis segment available but not. the. Barney…LOL.

Hammered from jump, And Barney didn’t like it one bit.. Basically, Ed was all “What did you do? NOTHIN” LOL. . And Shultz slapped down Barney’s ruse of possibly taxing bonuses on the back end. Barney waspissed, – from jump – when Schultz introduced him for the segment , all but saying, “Here’s Barney, not that he’s worth a damn, Congressman- ” LOL That bad.

Ooo Barney was hot, the visuals were terrible, looking like he blew a hemorrhoid right there, the way he was squirming in the chair: “Don’t condescend to me”, he frothed back….later on Barney scolded Schultz “Your hostility” yada yada…Barney was TERRIBLE.

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catnip - 10 November 2009: Here’s the video.

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26. BooHooHooMan - 10 November 2009: Aravosis…

Tuesday, November 10, 2009
I’ll be speaking in NYC on Tuesday during lunch, if anyone’s around and interested

Anyone who’s in NYC, I’m doing a brown bag lunch lecture on Tuesday, November 10 at Columbia about the political blogs in the age of Obama. I’ll be the guest of Anya Schiffrin, Director of the International Media, Advocacy and Communications program at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs (she’s also the wife of economist Joe Stiglitz.) Time: 1230pm – 130pm. Room 1302 on the 13th floor of the International Affairs Building, 420 West 118th St, between Morningside and Amsterdam Avenue. Closest subway is the 1 train to 116th and Broadway. Open to the public. If anyone does make it, come up and say hi afterwards.

[checking schedule}
Nyap. Nope, can’t make it.

Hmm. I must say , the proximity to power is alluring. I mean really…Getting to say “Hi.” to John after shlpping a brown bag up to a Columbia lunch chat in which the featured chatter might be pinching a 3 to 5 hundred dollar honoraria plus train ticket out of the Department Chair who also happens to be Stiglitz wife is like, through Stiglitz damn near like having Obama’s ear all to myself.

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27. BooHooHooMan - 10 November 2009: Hmm.. CT GOP Gov, Jodi Rell won’t seek re-election.
AND, in a sorta dupe-over from that ill fated Senate run…
Ned “Blown Out” Lamont is thinking of answering the call…LOL.
Donate Now!

{reaching for kazoo}

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28. BooHooHooMan - 10 November 2009: Catholic Mike Barnacle this morning on the moron-box slobbering on about Ft. Hood…outraged about how Muslim Spirtual Leaders don’t speak out against these types of atrocities…Boston Diocese Irony much? (and every other one in the world) …Willing to give up that microphone for peceful clerics’ access, Mikey?

The die is clearly cast on where this is headed.

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29. BooHooHooMan - 10 November 2009: I’m out..apologies for typo’s …

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30. catnip - 10 November 2009: Where is mcat?

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31. catnip - 11 November 2009: Ex-Bear Stearns hedge fund managers acquitted

NEW YORK – Two former Bear Stearns hedge fund managers were found not guilty of fraud, a decision that could make government prosecutors less likely to bring criminal charges against Wall Street executives for their role in the financial crisis.

The case — the first major prosecution arising from the meltdown of major U.S. financial institutions — was seen as a litmus test of whether a jury, presented with evidence from emails and other communications, would convict individuals for corporate collapses.

Ralph Cioffi, 53, and Matthew Tannin, 48, were acquitted of all charges on the second day of deliberations by a jury in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, New York.

Cioffi and Tannin managed two funds, crammed with subprime mortgage-backed securities, that lost institutional and individual investors a total of $1.6 billion.

The jury on Tuesday acquitted both men of conspiracy, securities fraud and wire fraud — charges brought in a June 2008 indictment. Cioffi was acquitted of an additional charge of insider trading.

“The government never provided enough evidence to convict them,” the jury forewoman said. “We never found anything beyond a reasonable doubt,” another juror said.

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32. catnip - 11 November 2009: Blackwater Said to Pursue Bribes to Iraq After 17 Died

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33. BooHooHooMan - 11 November 2009: Gad. Evan Kohlman, pech fuzz “Terrism Expert” on MSNBC, Mossadist, holding forth re Hassan.
And NYU’s Irshan Manji holding down the moderate Muslim POV.
What game.

Ft. Hood had 75 suicides this year. God forbid the story actually delves into the efficacy , hierarchy, and the outsourcing hog’s trough of the military’s psychiatric efforts. Let’s get REAL here- this is ALL Post Shock-and- JAW, i.e., following the revelations of Walter Reed Army Medical Center neglect scandal.

Here’s the Real Story…Let’s deal with it shall we?
The Band Played, the Nation Carried, and the Shrinks Billed On.Whether it was towards surreal “performance” bonuses on active duty, as private sector contrctors, or as Newspeek “safety” consultants amidst detentions in violation of the Geneva Convention not to mention TORTURE.

Yes Hassan was active duty, but The ARMY Medical Command, like every other branch of the DOD (and other Federal services the VA, , the NHS, BIA, etc,) these are all at the mercy of “Medical Establishment” DEFENSE CONTRACTORS. One thing I can tell you for sure, anybody who digs into THAT, they ain’t gonna find some sleeper cell of al Qaeda. Not unless a good chunk of AQ is suddenly given to raising their kids in the “nice Jewish Doctor tradition” and tithing to Israel.

BooHoo how it sounds.

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BooHooHooMan - 11 November 2009: So what is the “new” lede in the MSM re Contracting Scandals amidst murder?….Blackwater…

The MSM is NOT going to go NEAR investigating the Medical Pillaging at the DOD.

While the country will be treated to Lieberman’s move to commandeer the investigation as DHS chair in the Senate…by perfectly engineered lightening rod design…Lieberman will take the flak over the Muslim bashing in this deflection game.

If anything, this is an Oversight and Armed Services matter.
Well, let’s “go there”…

On the House side, Waxman’s baton at “Oversight” was handed to their puppet, brotha Ed Jones, whose safe-seat was carved out in Brooklyn… So you say, maybe the Senate Armed Services Committee will step in given their Jurisdiction on the Ft. Hood massacre…. Got that covered too..Chairman Levin and all….The “voice of reason” against the war..Sure. ….GMAFB.

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BooHooHooMan - 11 November 2009: Ed Schultz…tonite…

Has Michael Medved tee’d up on this discussion of Veterans Day, Ft Hood..the scandal of underserved Vets…
Medved promptly pimps a book on the miracle of the Israeli Economy, how they have harnessed the Leadership of their Military, how the U.S. , as POLICY, should push Military Preference hirings into the Private Sector… Ugh. How nked does this relentless Propognda have to get?

Now ‘Ed” is on to the “breaking” Blackwater story…
Hey, sure.. shoot them , too, but sorry, this story isn’t news.
The killing of the Psychiatric commander is…anybody poke into her background? The workings of that command structure? .
The suicides swept under the rug? Especially in light of the money flowing in and out of the Medical Command? Nah.
That’s where the story begins, and where it ends, on a national security level- is that the U.S. military is falling apart as much at the hands of NeoCon ideologues War Profiteers ( and under an Escalate the Course Democratic Administration) as it is from anything else..

::
BTW, after the fine Barney Frank slapdown the other night, Shultz was on Mourning Joe yesterday, falling all over himself in mil-worship….
As Comcast gets ready to buy NBC…

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marisacat - 5 December 2009: geting all trapped in spam or moderation ouut.. so sorry!!!!

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BooHooHooMan - 11 November 2009: Matthews in full facillitation/ “bad guy” mode tonite…
Why oh why do I have this shit on my TV?
Just nose deep in DOD propoganda tonite. Matthews went to the shrill shill move, hand in the air and bringing forth this:

‘ What do you do with all this <blockquote” I kill your Mother”

all this stuff we’re used to hearing from over there?

Oh I dunno “Chris”, how about a big dose of STFU and we get the hell out? How about not booking two 30 something Israeli propagandist on your dog and pony show.

Yeh ~~Irgun~~Irshad Manji, the “progressive Muslim” woman from NYU via Toronto, via via via who is dual everything, including retainership at the
Israeli front group in Brussels, the European Foundation for Democracy.

And Kohlmann… who, while a Penn Law student from Florida was minted a Trrsm expert in 2002 for media appearences, based on his….writings.

..and now at 30, is a Trrrsm expert having “worked for” (internship) and has since “consulted” with the FBI…based on his media appearances. Gotta love it…And around we go.

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BooHooHooMan - 11 November 2009: Correction.Sorry
…my Matthews quote should have run through

…all this stuff we’re used to hearing over there

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catnip - 11 November 2009: I have MSNBC once again after a year without it. Gah. I sure didn’t miss those blowhards.

Matthews – who tries to pretend that he’s playing devil’s advocate when he’s really just expressing “contrary” opinions that he actually holds. And can he shut up? (rhetorical question) He’s MSNBC’s Nancy Grace.

And I think KO’s head has actually grown larger since the last time I saw him – if that’s even possible.

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34. Intermittent Bystander - 11 November 2009: Hope all is well with you, Marisacat, and that you’re just enjoying a well-deserved break from the fray.

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catnip - 12 November 2009: Let’s hope it isn’t the nasty swine flu.

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marisacat - 5 December 2009: thanks for he good wishes… hop[e to be back online dec 9 or soon thereafter.

yikes what a work out.

take care

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35. catnip - 11 November 2009: Freudian slip:

exactly (37+ / 0-)

most of the frustration expressed with Obama on this site has it its core the assumption of facts not in evidence. people simply fill in the blacks for motivation and detail that which that can’t know in real time. these are uncertain times after all, so that’s only natural. and certainly the congress isn’t helping matters.

but no-drama obama plods along. and just like during the campaign when everyone thought he should have been doing this or that, he showed that he knows a thing or two about what’s he’s doing.

by Seeds on Wed Nov 11, 2009 at 07:29:16 PM MST

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BooHooHooMan - 11 November 2009: Talk about typo. Not your regular “hit the key next to the one you were looking for”, or the keyboard omission. Nope, those fingers went looking for that ‘c”… Wait till he completely melts down and types “colored”…

Hearing a whole lotta shit now about how PCness “made us miss the Trrst in Hassan.” ..all long the vein of ‘We’ve been too soft on the Muslim American community” All that shit…GMAFB. He was A-OK when he could be used for our military purposes to patch together rationlizations for the killing of “others”…

Speaking of and to the ever malleable and selective PC front (all it is) …Politico reports:

Obama expected to name envoy to combat global anti-Semitism

President Barack Obama is expected to announce his special envoy to monitor and combat global anti-Semitism shortly, Jewish community activists say.

We’re told that the candidate is female, with Chicago connections and a lawyer or activist background, {Adam B, anyone?}…and that State was ready to announce her this week and is awaiting White House clearance to do so.

Members of the UJC/Jewish Federations of North America who met with Obama on Monday said they anticipated the announcement even Tuesday.

What we need of course,
– is some Good Ole Fashioned Religion:

Priest, ex-stripper battle in court over daughter’s custody
By David Ovalle | Miami Herald

MIAMI — The already sordid tale of the Rev. David Dueppen and his baby’s mother, former stripper Beatrice Hernandez, turned even tawdrier Tuesday as the two traded intimate and bizarre allegations in a Miami-Dade courtroom.

Dueppen said he’d been abused as a child, making him unable to resist Hernandez’s demands for sex.

Hernandez said Dueppen threatened to “disappear her” by sending monks in brown robes to “shoot” her if she revealed the baby’s existence to the church.

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36. catnip - 12 November 2009: POLITICO Breaking News:
—————————————————–

Under pressure from a double-digit unemployment rate, President Barack Obama will hold a “jobs summit” at the White House in December,

And will they release the list of those attendees or will that be secret as well?

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37. catnip - 12 November 2009: Burning Man Obama

That’s racist!…or something…

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38. catnip - 12 November 2009: Lou Dobbs announces he’s leaving CNN

I hear Glenn Beck needs a sidekick.

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39. catnip - 12 November 2009: Wait a minute…

As the scope of Mr. Galbraith’s financial interests in Kurdistan become clear, they have the potential to inflame some of Iraqis’ deepest fears, including conspiracy theories that the true reason for the American invasion of their country was to take its oil. It may not help that outside Kurdistan, Mr. Galbraith’s influential view that Iraq should be broken up along ethnic lines is considered offensive to many Iraqis’ nationalism. Mr. Biden and Mr. Kerry, who have been influenced by Mr. Galbraith’s thinking but do not advocate such a partitioning of the country, were not aware of Mr. Galbraith’s oil dealings in Iraq, aides to both politicians say.

Isn’t that revisionist history? Isn’t that exactly what Biden was pushing for?

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catnip - 12 November 2009: more…from the What the Hell Did You Think Was Going On? department:

Some officials say that his financial ties could raise serious questions about the integrity of the constitutional negotiations themselves. “The idea that an oil company was participating in the drafting of the Iraqi Constitution leaves me speechless,” said Feisal Amin al-Istrabadi, a principal drafter of the law that governed Iraq after the United States ceded control to an Iraqi government on June 28, 2004.

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40. Madman in the Marketplace - 12 November 2009: Holy water dispensers to combat swine flu

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41. BooHooHooMan - 13 November 2009: {Long Post}

So. Amidst the “Fierce Urgency of Now”
They Put Obama on a plane to Asia. Via Alaska. Standard route, I know, but they should just make this lounger a pilot the way they book his schedule. Try and have him manage take -off in a Jet ( runway to the Left, there, Cap’n) , that- omigod- now just happens to have a herd of Elephants, Bloo Dogs, Poodles and other assorted groundmen sucked into its engines. But a certain symettry, No?
Obama outsourced to Asia. via Alaska….. as Sarah Palin kicks off a whirlwind book tour, corporate produced, financed, and media hyped, (going with the Big Intramural, IntraParty Controversy, Perils of Paline, etc….sound familiar?) Some ole same ole: Distraction Diversion ..

What a Production. I saw the HBO (back on the digital heron )..”documentary” last night, about the 2008 Historic Howahaha. Well the only thng “mentary” about the docudrama of last year’s election is the mentary ill status of the lesser field ops that glommed onto that designed as cult-of-personality campaign. Axelrod, Plouffe, Gibbs and a few of the other , older pols hanging on come off as what they are. In it for the ride, as is their say-anything-to-the-point-of-not-being-able-to-keep-it-all-straight. Edward Norton produced the ‘behind the scenes” movie , the now perfunctory Historo-turf 2.0 that is assured access from early on, the edit room results to be used as a sort of last piece of Frozen Wedding Cake served up around the First Anniversary as the Honeymoon fades..The kind of latter-day Rose Kennedy scrapbooking to be re-aaranged later in another run at the altar if initially stood up by the electorate on wedding day…
::
All a Production here, too –> The Pondering, the Dithering, or , ( depending on what Bent-on-Empire But Break it to Me Gently Spin is your flavor) The ‘decisive” “Rejection” of all current plans for AfPak.
The Current Plan, of course being, Fly to Asia.
::

Some context, here. I see Greg Craig, now portrayed as the “embattled” Greg Craig…who TRIIIIIED to have Gitmo Closed, is leaving.If only.
(Craig BTW is in the HBO DoctoredDrama, too)
Like this tool Craig has ” believed” ANY of the cover he has provided for Years in this long runnning SHOW.

He studied law at Yale with Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton and joined the White House in 1998 to fight the impeachment proceedings. But when Mr. Obama jumped into the presidential race, Mr. Craig followed, calling himself one of the “Kool-Aid kids.”

In the office of White House counsel, Mr. Craig was handed one of the most difficult portfolios in the West Wing.

He drafted executive orders banning torture and ordering the Guantanamo prison closed within a year. Over the objections of the Central Intelligence Agency, he recommended the release of Justice Department memorandums describing aggressive interrogations. He also was at the center of the White House decision to reverse itself and withhold photographs of abuse of detainees.

Mr. Craig took considerable criticism for those decisions and for not doing more to build consensus within the administration or prepare the political ground in Congress.

The prospect of closing Guantanamo in the first year of Mr. Obama’s presidency is now almost certain not to happen.

Hmm. So…… while Bill’s Blowjob was worth fighting for…Craig is now packing it in…the dive artist “fighter” who BLOCKED disclosing evidence of Torture, and lawyered Gitmo into a domestic procedural quagmire that it’s ongoing operation is secured . It is so old. These Vichy are all War Criminals in my book.

Onward, to …”the drill”…. after all these Obama Decidering machinations, after spinning the “much thoughtful” ..”passionate disagreement” over Policy, Obama will just decider to give another escalating installment of troops. Prolly less than 40,000 leaving out the mercenaries and supply chain,
the usual Lather, Rinse, Repeat thieving and killing CON.

Craig’s role, frankly, the vetting files cleanup and Obam Attorney Privilige ticket-punch mission accomplished, he now takes the bogus good cop m.o. back to his Go-To private practice, where he will be shepharding a slew of high profile, nominally ” Democratic” GANGSTERS through the inconvenience of DOJ prosecution. These things happen, ya know. Happenings. Makes for great …….television. And Pillaging Status Quo.

::
ALL SHOW. “Thoughtful Deliberations proceed”, we are told…
Welp. There ARE a few other things to mention.
Like Newsweek calling it today:
CIA Wins Epic Turf Battle With Intelligence Czar
Adm. Blair – down- .

Gen Jones at DNI? The Guy who was slapping down reports last weekednd that Ob “had already” decidered on another 40 Thousand in AfPak cannon fodder? Gen Jones the DNI who has a google-slew of media that says he is less than gushing towards Israel?
Jones? DOWN

CIA and Panetta? Up. Biden? That dissembler?
Well Yogi Berra is now UP and evidently is turning his Brain Blowout skull towards AfPak. . Newsweek says Biden was the one who made the call on the CIA supremacy…. Biden- Priceless, no?
Biden- the guy who always has a reservation. For a Club Spot.

Could there be more insane “news”? Why yes, there is.
But all so Mushroom Cloudy Deja Vu as Ob is sent globally while Biden is left to non chalant us through the sitch.

Just Look at the sequential series of ledes on offer at WaPo now…Could it be any more Mushroom Cloudy and Run-Up?

An act of nuclear proliferationScientist’s accounts assert China gave Pakistan enough enriched uranium for 2 atomic bombs.

…

Bomb hits Pakistan’s spy agency

A bomb targets the offices of Pakistan’s main spy agency in Peshawar, killing at least seven people.

Oh yes we have, we’ve SEEN THIS Fierce Urgency of Now Show.
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/13/AR2009111300176.html Bomber strikes convoy near U.S. base in Kabul
AND the inevitable conclusion, whittled down to more of the same.
Weak allies limit Obama’s Afghan options
No need for Alarm.
Our minders have fully implemented a Musical Chairs Duopoly.

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marisacat - 5 December 2009: i got the feeling greg crag was ”pushed’. not a real insider. tho he made a big showy leavtaking of mother hillary for obama. wonder how he feels now [this is not a endrosement of hillary, retractive orotherwise!!]

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42. catnip - 13 November 2009: update on mcat

I’m sure she won’t mind me posting this…

Got an e-mail from her (at a friend’s) saying that her computer has died.

*****

She’s probably too humble to ask for $$$ donations but there’s a link to her Amazon PayPage on the right —->>

Send money now!!

(I just had to add that.)

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aemd - 13 November 2009: Thank you so much for the update. Was gettng a little worried there.

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catnip - 13 November 2009: You’re welcome. I’m relieved to know she’s not sick.

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marisacat - 5 December 2009: SO SORRY for how it all came down.

hamp;ered by how hard neighbor’s laptop is… then had no idea that dell ”builds” cheapo towers.

dell and fed ex confirm it was shipped eta is dec 9. hopefully then or soon after, i am back up.

there is a new thread, link should list on right hand column… cannot cut and paste on this safari mac laptop.

take care… !

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catnip - 13 November 2009: Hmmm…I can’t get that Amazon PayPage to load. Merde.

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43. catnip - 13 November 2009: Oh mon dieu

POLITICO Breaking News:
—————————————————–

TOKYO — Trying to reassure allies and rivals, President Barack Obama billed himself Friday as “America’s first Pacific president,” promising the nations of Asia “a new era of engagement with the world based on mutual interests and mutual respect.”

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44. lucid - 14 November 2009: Somewhat, but not completely settled in new abode… Studio move in 2 weeks. Kitties had a rough week. Lucy is OK – now. Gizmo is having an existential crisis. So glad to be almost gone from the money pit and into a pleasant apartment in a very neighborhoody Polish neighborhood, next to the park.

Hope all’s well with everyone else…

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catnip - 14 November 2009: Gizmo is having an existential crisis.

He could read Sartre… or maybe a book on tape would work…

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lucid - 14 November 2009: Alas, all my books are still in boxes… so he’ll just have to deal. Though I’m obsessively concerned about him.

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Madman in the Marketplace - 14 November 2009: does that mean that hell is other kittens?

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lucid - 14 November 2009: no – just the dog upstairs when he bounds down the stairs for his walk.

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catnip - 15 November 2009: It will take some time, but he’ll get used to it. My cats have lived through several critter situations and they’ve adjusted. ‘You’re fine” is my mantra with them. Well, that, and lots of treats and catnip. (Spoiled rotten cats!)

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Madman in the Marketplace - 15 November 2009: then again, Gizmo can always hang above by his claws, then drop down like a ninja and go for the throat.

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45. BooHooHooMan - 14 November 2009: Drudge has the LAT’s Obama Bows before Japanese Emporer

Oh fuck . No Big Deal Really.
He’ll Be on His Knees in China, is already on all fours for Israel, and hell, back home he’s the freakin carpet when it comes to Wall Street, the Lobbyists, and the Pentagon.

The Limbo President. His political managers, who saw to it that he was opted out for some customary dress pics, more of a funny shirt thing where all the top dogs go casual, yeh they managed this well…
I could give a shit personally, but it’s iconic …pictorially capturing his his bend-over-i-ness…and his handlers won’t confidently dismiss it criticism either ….. they’ll be all sweaty lip trying to explain it…reinforcing the meme, the Reality, that the guy is a pushover.
It comes back to what Ralph Nader said last week, that Ob has an an “excessively concessionary personality”.

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BooHooHooMan - 14 November 2009: Here’s the Link to LAT:

How low will he go? Obama gives Japan’s Emperor Akihito a wow bow (Updated with video)

His winging it political ops , frankly, seem to be careening from one middling set-piece to another. I mean I don’t even get what they think they’re doing politically– hard to believe anybody can be this detached but they are…..Politically speaking – Why – after Ft Hood and the alleged crucial cruice-i-ness of Health Care and the Unemployment sitch would they reschedule the trip to Asia now? —-> Oh yeh, that’s right , we’re broke ,losing a two front war, and are trying to stave off collapse this winter.

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catnip - 15 November 2009: The Limbo President

Nailed it.

It comes back to what Ralph Nader said last week, that Ob has an an “excessively concessionary personality”.

How PC of him. I guess if Ralph had said, ‘He’s a fucking doormat’, that wouldn’t have gone over all that well though.

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46. catnip - 15 November 2009: Surprise!

In House, Many Spoke With One Voice: Lobbyists’

Dems and Repubs parroting talking points on the floor provided to them by Genentech/Roche.

It just doesn’t get any more obvious than that.

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47. catnip - 15 November 2009: Gates blocks detainee abuse photos

Defence Secretary Robert Gates has blocked the public release of any more pictures of foreign detainees abused by their U.S. captors, saying their release would endanger American soldiers.

The Obama administration filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court late Friday saying that Gates has invoked new powers blocking the release of the photos.

The American Civil Liberties Union had sued for the release of 21 colour photographs showing prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq being abused by Americans.

Federal courts had rejected the government’s arguments to block their release, so Congress gave Gates new powers to keep them private under a law signed by President Barack Obama last month.

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48. catnip - 15 November 2009: Call me crazy but…ummm…

FDA finds bits of steel, rubber in Genzyme drugs

WASHINGTON – Federal health regulators have found tiny particles of trash in drugs made by Genzyme, the second time this year the biotechnology company has been cited for contamination issues.

The Food and Drug Administration said Friday that bits of steel, rubber and fiber found in vials of drugs used to treat rare enzyme disorders could cause serious adverse health effects for patients.

Despite those problems, the FDA said the products would remain on the market, because there are few alternative treatments.

FDA regulators say doctors should closely inspect vials for particles before injecting them into patients. Doctors should return the product to Genzyme if they suspect contamination, the agency said.

…

The company sent a letter to physicians saying the particles represent a “theoretical safety risk,” though no medical complications have been reported.

Yeah – I mean what’s the big deal about shooting rubber and steel into someone’s veins?

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