This is sickening…. America needs to WAKE UP.

Two Senior Democrats sell out the U.S Constitution and the U.S People after agreeing to confirm Mukasey

The man refuses to say that water-boarding is torture when it is clearly labeled as such by our own government and countless other organizations including other governments and international agencies.

Mukasey refuses to say its torture not being he lacks a security clearance but because he doesn’t want to open Mr. Bush and his cronies to the legal battle that would ensue when the extent of Bush’s “interrogation” processes are discovered.

Again, America’s elected officials act in a manner unbecoming to their country by under minding the laws they helped to create.

My only question is… what dirt did the Reps / the White house dig up to “change” these Democrats minds? What special backroom deal totally screwed over the American way of life and high ideals?

I guess its a bit of both….

If an Army General had a meeting about our Soldiers forced deployments to Iraq and asked for open comments he MIGHT get the same type of reaction that Harry Thomas, the Foreign Service Director General received at a meeting held on Wed. The meeting was in regards to the forced Iraq work assignments for 75 US Diplomats.

But the truth of the matter is that, like Soldiers, US Diplomats pledge an oath to do their work and to serve the “needs of the US Government”. Unlike Soldiers however, these people can refuse, leave their jobs, and seek employment elsewhere.

I think they need to stop complaining and either go, or find a new job. I’m sure the soldiers over in Iraq wish they had that option.

It strikes me as funny that we have been at “war” (and I define war as a time in which there are American Soldiers fighting and dieing at the order of the president) for nearly 5 years and when some other American citizens are asked to sacrifice, a big oh ub-bub is thrown…. Heavan forbid other Americans help to improve the situation.

One US Diplomat, Jack Croddy said…

“I’m sorry, but basically that’s a potential death sentence and you know it. Who will raise our children if we are dead or seriously wounded?”

Well…. who takes care of the children of our fallen soldiers? If you feel that strongly about not going over there then maybe you should work harder towards getting us out!

Bush should have had twice the number of diplomats over there from the beginning any how. The real reason we have lost this battle is because it was treated merely like a military conquest and not the humanitarian and diplomatic situation it really was.

Oh, and by the way… not a single US Diplomat has been killed in Iraq… I guess thats because of all those amazing brave Soldiers over there doing their job and doing it well.

Hot & Cold In Singapore

This video is an excellent example of Innovative thinking. A Singapore inventor has created a machine that harnesses the excess heat created from AC systems to help heat water. This type of forward thinking is whats needed on a massive scale if the world and America has any real hope of over coming our massive energy consumption trends.

Some may say… what is this little machine really going to impact. I would respond, by itself? Probably not much, but when you add up a million small numbers you start to form a larger one, one that can make a significant impact. In the beginning there was just one model T… what impact on the enviroment did it have? Alone…. probably not much, but look at the situation now.

Prostitution has been legal in Hungary since 1999. The government has zoned certain areas away from schools and churches as the stomping grounds for the worlds oldest profession however it just recently passed law that allows Prostitutes to apply for an entrepreneurial permit which will allow them to fully participate in the economy and tax system. This new step even allows for customers to receive a receipt after completing their “transaction”.

I’ve always been upfront on my views with this topic. People should live and let live. If someones actions do not hinder your freedoms then we a society have no basis to deny them the freedom to that behavior.

There are many things that I would not choose to participate in personally; however, I am able to separate my personal morals from what I think are fair playing rules for others.

Just because I wouldn’t do it does not mean it should be illegal.
Just because I would do it does not mean it should be legal.

I came up with a new quote yesterday.

Sometimes thinking only a little can be worse than not thinking at all.

P.S, QUESTION: Is that Lady with the receipt a Client or a Provider?

It doesn’t get any more clear than this article. Bush and his war lover Cheney, or should I say Cheney and his following pup Bush are slowly ramping up the “rhetoric” and the atmosphere of tensions with Iran on nothing more than SUSPICION, not factual evidence. They are setting the stage and attempting to slowly raise the idea of another war with the American public. I truly hope that so much of these United States does not fall victim to such manipulation again… Sigh.

Read what Former National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski says about this Admins comments towards Iran. If there are a few people to really listen to on these issues one of them is this man, someone who’s been there done that.

For further evidence and information on how the Bush Admin is already beginning to foul this mess up with their “saber rattling” and on the proper strategy the US should be taking I urge you to read STOPIRANWAR.com co-ounded by Retired 4 Star General Wesley Clark. He’s someone I look up to and someone who is vastly more experienced in these matters than Mr. Pick a fight Bush.

WAKE UP AMERICA!

P.S I wonder how much Cheney will get this go around if hes able to offer Halliburton another no bid contract like he weased out of the Iraq conflict? 36 Million funneled to you already not enough sir?

What a strange and oddly under developed open ended story.

Apparently some people in Peru came down with some form of illness after a metorite crashed in the country side and left a 100 foot crater… locals described a “strange odor”. Hopefully the metor just poped some swamp gas bubble that was under the surface where it hit… or maybe this is the beginning of some strange alien life form… HEY you NEVER KNOW!

I recently reported that CNN had posted a heart wrenching story about a young boy (Youssif) who had been set on fire by masked men. I scolded them for not providing information to their readers on how they could help (the story was all but a direct request for support).

This morning, CNN has made good and posted a follow up story providing information for a fund that has been set up by the Children’s Burn Foundation based in Sherman Oaks California.

You can read the follow up here, and donate here. Make sure you select Youssif’s Fund from the drop down menu under the “Honor/Memorial Gift Information” section.

Good job CNN. Way to follow up and do the right thing.

(FOX NEWS…. are you reading this?)

They (CNN) posted such a heart wrenching story and yet failed to have any information to provide those wishing to reach out…

Boy, 5, doused in gas, set on fire by masked men.

I posted this comment below on CNNs “Sound Off” section, however I doubt it will get past the “moderators” BAH! I repost it here for my own sanity…

CNN please be more responsible about your reporting! Your organization knew a story of this nature would gather much support, you should have had answers and information ready for anyone who wanted to donate, or to help in other ways, immediately available.

We all know that an opportunity like this and the feeling many people will have to reach out is short lived. The window to help this boy is a small one. You need to think ahead when you take such routes with your stories.

Shame on you CNN. Your obvious (main) goal was not to help this child but to further the money making machine hidden in most news outlets. Otherwise you would have made arrangements for the out flow of support that was sure to follow your publication.

The South Korean hostages have been all over the news lately. Many outlets, such as NPR, CNN & Fox have had contributors on their show to speak about Christian / Religious out reach and the Evangelical agenda.

Almost all of these contributors speak to their and their faith’s desire to “spread the gospel”. I respect that if you feel strongly about something (which these people obviously do) you should have the ability to speak on the topic and share your views. I do not however feel that you should enter into a violent war torn country and try to spread your views and beliefs in a territory inherently unstable. Oh and if any one is keeping track a huge part of that instability is religious & cultural based conflict!

A large portion of 9/11, the preceding and following violence directed at western society has been spurred by the involvement of the west in the political, economic and religious dealings of the Middle East. When will people get it through their skulls that trying to force your beliefs on other people is a flawed doctrine?

Religious conflict dates back centuries. Through the crusades, the religious persecution in England that lead to the mass exodus to the States, to the Arab - Israeli conflict, not to mention Kosovo and even part of the problem in Darfur, it makes me sick that people can’t realize that the inability of so many religions and belief systems to be tolerant of one another and to co-exist is the cause of so much of the violence in the world.

Of course one of the core pillars of many religions is the need to spread the word and enlightenment to others. This creates a circular conflict. If you truly believe in your gospel then obviously you must “spread the word”, and if you do spread the word (often with so much zeal and disregard for other beliefs) you often find that conflict arises when others, with conflicting beliefs, become disgruntled . What does this mean? It means in my view that evangelical religions, taken to their outter limits, are inherently flawed. They cause conflict that many of them reportedly want to solve! How do many of the contributors solve this argument? They speak, at least in the Christian doctrine, that its known and spoke to in the Bible that if you truly follow Jesus and his “word” that you will most likely face difficulty, danger, and obstacles. Well, thats all good and plenty if you want to make personal sacrifice for your beliefs. The real problem arises is when there is a spill over effect and the violence starts harming innocent by standers. Your views do not give you the right to spark an environment where others are harmed for your beliefs! If we are ever going to co-exist in this world these groups have GOT to learn the skill of tolerance and peaceful co existence. Its obvious their current method is not working.