"Gasps broke out in a U.S. federal appeals court Friday as a U.S.government lawyer spoke of Maher Arar's "unequivocal membership of al-Qaida."Right. OK, what do you call a thousand and one lawyers in chains at the bottom of the ocean?
Saturday, November 10, 2007
A good start
Quite awe-inspiring, wasn't it - seeing all those lawyers out on the streets in Pakistan, getting their heads bashed for defending their constitution. Lawyers getting tear-gassed, lawyers throwing rocks, lawyers ... scuffling. Almost made me feel bad about all the lawyer jokes. After all, wasn't Gandhi a lawyer?...Hello, what's this?...
Friday, November 09, 2007
Project Censored - News That Didn't make the News
Top 25 Censored Stories of 2008
#1 No Habeas Corpus for "Any Person"
#2 Bush Moves Towards Martial Law
#3 AFRICOM: US Military Control of Africa’s Resources
#4 Frenzy of Increasingly Destructive Trade Agreements
#5 Human Traffic Builds US Embassy in Iraq
#6 Operation FALCON Raids
#7 Behind Blackwater Inc.
#8 KIA: The US Neoliberal Invasion of India
#9 Privatization of America’s Infrastructure
#10 Vulture Funds Threaten Poor Nations’ Debt Relief
#11 The Scam of “Reconstruction” in Afghanistan
#12 Another Massacre in Haiti by UN Troops
#13 Immigrant Roundups to Gain Cheap Labor for US Corporate Giants
#14 Impunity for US War Criminals
#15 Toxic Exposure Can Be Transmitted to Future Generations on a “Second Genetic Code”
#16 No Hard Evidence Connecting Bin Laden to 9/11
#17 Drinking Water Contaminated by Military and Corporations
#18 Mexico’s Stolen Election
#19 People’s Movement Challenges Neoliberal Agenda
#20 Terror Act Against Animal Activists
#21 US Seeks WTO Immunity for Illegal Farm Payments
#22 North Invades Mexico
#23 Feinstein’s Conflict of Interest in Iraq
#24 Media Misquotes Threat From Iran’s President
#25 Who Will Profit from Native Energy?
That's a whole lot of reading. You'll have read many of these articles or similar ones already of course but perhaps missed the authors' updates to them, which are included here.
Some of it may even be news to you.
This one, on the revolving door between Blackwater and the Bushcorp, was news to me :
"Joseph Schmitz, the former Pentagon Inspector General, whose job was to police the war contractor bonanza, has moved on to become the vice chairman of the Prince Group, Blackwater’s parent company, and the general counsel for Blackwater.
Bush recently hired Fred Fielding, Blackwater’s former lawyer, to replace Harriet Miers as his top lawyer; and Ken Starr, the former Whitewater prosecutor who led the impeachment charge against President Clinton, is now Blackwater’s counsel of record and has filed briefs with Supreme Court to fight wrongful death lawsuits brought against Blackwater.
Cofer Black, thirty-year CIA veteran and former head of CIA’s counterterrorism center, credited with spearheading the extraordinary rendition program after 9/11, is now senior executive at Blackwater."
#1 No Habeas Corpus for "Any Person"
#2 Bush Moves Towards Martial Law
#3 AFRICOM: US Military Control of Africa’s Resources
#4 Frenzy of Increasingly Destructive Trade Agreements
#5 Human Traffic Builds US Embassy in Iraq
#6 Operation FALCON Raids
#7 Behind Blackwater Inc.
#8 KIA: The US Neoliberal Invasion of India
#9 Privatization of America’s Infrastructure
#10 Vulture Funds Threaten Poor Nations’ Debt Relief
#11 The Scam of “Reconstruction” in Afghanistan
#12 Another Massacre in Haiti by UN Troops
#13 Immigrant Roundups to Gain Cheap Labor for US Corporate Giants
#14 Impunity for US War Criminals
#15 Toxic Exposure Can Be Transmitted to Future Generations on a “Second Genetic Code”
#16 No Hard Evidence Connecting Bin Laden to 9/11
#17 Drinking Water Contaminated by Military and Corporations
#18 Mexico’s Stolen Election
#19 People’s Movement Challenges Neoliberal Agenda
#20 Terror Act Against Animal Activists
#21 US Seeks WTO Immunity for Illegal Farm Payments
#22 North Invades Mexico
#23 Feinstein’s Conflict of Interest in Iraq
#24 Media Misquotes Threat From Iran’s President
#25 Who Will Profit from Native Energy?
That's a whole lot of reading. You'll have read many of these articles or similar ones already of course but perhaps missed the authors' updates to them, which are included here.
Some of it may even be news to you.
This one, on the revolving door between Blackwater and the Bushcorp, was news to me :
"Joseph Schmitz, the former Pentagon Inspector General, whose job was to police the war contractor bonanza, has moved on to become the vice chairman of the Prince Group, Blackwater’s parent company, and the general counsel for Blackwater.
Bush recently hired Fred Fielding, Blackwater’s former lawyer, to replace Harriet Miers as his top lawyer; and Ken Starr, the former Whitewater prosecutor who led the impeachment charge against President Clinton, is now Blackwater’s counsel of record and has filed briefs with Supreme Court to fight wrongful death lawsuits brought against Blackwater.
Cofer Black, thirty-year CIA veteran and former head of CIA’s counterterrorism center, credited with spearheading the extraordinary rendition program after 9/11, is now senior executive at Blackwater."
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Ceiling Cat crates teh Univerz an teh Urff
and den rites Teh Buk aboudit :
Leviticats :
Teh Ceiling Cat saiz to Mozes, "O hai! Outta ur tabby-nackels, d00dthx.2
U should go saiz this to Izrulites, for to IM me, Hey Ceiling Cat, I can has stuff :) and liek that, they gotta bring me teh cheezeburgers or other good stuff for impruvin teh conneckshun winkwink."
But if U wana bring teh donutz or teh ExBockzs, thatz kewl too, but don U be bringin me no trash, Ceiling Cat will run out of happy and kiil ur d00dz.
LOLCat Bible Translation Project
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Win the Nobel and lose your funding
And as Scruffy Dan points out, the Canadian IPCC scientists are clearly pissed about it :
"Nobel Prize-winning scientists from Canada say the Harper government is failing to protect the country from the dangers of global warming because it has shut down a federal climate change research network and blocked new studies on the impact of rising greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere."
Andrew Weaver, UVic uses words like "vindictive" and "stupidity"
"Harper stands up and waffles on about trying to call for 50% emissions reductions. Where on earth is he getting those numbers from?" Weaver asked. "They're certainly not coming from Canadian scientists."
The government said that it closed the Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research Network because it had completed its federal mandate. The network and the independent Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Science both sponsored peer-reviewed research that contributed to the award-winning IPCC report that is now being used by governments as a basis for international climate change negotiations.
It was in fact that very IPCC report which apparently caused Harper to adopt, um, a better appreciation of the dangers of AGW and climate change. I guess we know all we need to know about it now.
Environment Minister John Baird said suggestions that his department was cutting research spending were "totally unfounded," since the government was spending a "record amount" on climate research in various departments such as Natural Resources and Industry Canada.
Industry Canada? Please. According to their website, the Industry Canada mandate is : "a fair, efficient and competitive marketplace; an innovative economy; and competitive industry and sustainable communities."
I know - they also have sciencey links. I started to read the "Related links : Science and Technology" and got as far as "The Strategy is focused on creating a more competitive and sustainable Canadian economy with the help of science and technology" when I got distracted by "BizPals" on the sidebar. I get it, John, but I'm not exactly seeing Nobel here.
Back to Baird : "I can appreciate that some people would rather (have) more (spending) on this or on that, but it's a record amount and it's informed by some of the expert officials that we have in science in the public service," he said. "We don't need the politicization of science. That's for sure."
Damn straight, John. Can't have that.
CP : Audit slaps wrist of Natural Resources for lobbyist conflict-of-interest
Apparently Natural Resources Canada spent a cool million bucks last year buying its employees expensive memberships in groups that lobby the government. Conflict of Interest? The list of lobbyists isn't available but the CP story does provide us with this reminder :
"Natural Resources is primarily responsible for the $1.5-billion ecoEnergy program, announced in January by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to promote renewable energy."
"Nobel Prize-winning scientists from Canada say the Harper government is failing to protect the country from the dangers of global warming because it has shut down a federal climate change research network and blocked new studies on the impact of rising greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere."
Andrew Weaver, UVic uses words like "vindictive" and "stupidity"
"Harper stands up and waffles on about trying to call for 50% emissions reductions. Where on earth is he getting those numbers from?" Weaver asked. "They're certainly not coming from Canadian scientists."
The government said that it closed the Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research Network because it had completed its federal mandate. The network and the independent Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Science both sponsored peer-reviewed research that contributed to the award-winning IPCC report that is now being used by governments as a basis for international climate change negotiations.
It was in fact that very IPCC report which apparently caused Harper to adopt, um, a better appreciation of the dangers of AGW and climate change. I guess we know all we need to know about it now.
Environment Minister John Baird said suggestions that his department was cutting research spending were "totally unfounded," since the government was spending a "record amount" on climate research in various departments such as Natural Resources and Industry Canada.
Industry Canada? Please. According to their website, the Industry Canada mandate is : "a fair, efficient and competitive marketplace; an innovative economy; and competitive industry and sustainable communities."
I know - they also have sciencey links. I started to read the "Related links : Science and Technology" and got as far as "The Strategy is focused on creating a more competitive and sustainable Canadian economy with the help of science and technology" when I got distracted by "BizPals" on the sidebar. I get it, John, but I'm not exactly seeing Nobel here.
Back to Baird : "I can appreciate that some people would rather (have) more (spending) on this or on that, but it's a record amount and it's informed by some of the expert officials that we have in science in the public service," he said. "We don't need the politicization of science. That's for sure."
Damn straight, John. Can't have that.
CP : Audit slaps wrist of Natural Resources for lobbyist conflict-of-interest
Apparently Natural Resources Canada spent a cool million bucks last year buying its employees expensive memberships in groups that lobby the government. Conflict of Interest? The list of lobbyists isn't available but the CP story does provide us with this reminder :
"Natural Resources is primarily responsible for the $1.5-billion ecoEnergy program, announced in January by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to promote renewable energy."
As it turns out, promoting renewable energy is the precisely the business of the agri-biz astroturf group Canadian Renewable Fuels Association - you know, the guys who promote ethanol, the practice of feeding corn to cars to produce a 1% reduction in GHG. CRFA was headed by registered federal lobbyist Kory Teneycke up till Nov1 this year when he returned to the Harper fold as Director of the Conservative Resource Group. I say returned because prior to his stint as head of CRFA, Teneycke was a Reform Party activist and campaign strategist for Preston Manning.
Baird is right. We don't need politicization of science because we already have lots of it.
Dr. Gordon McBean, a review editor of the 2007 IPCC report and the volunteer chairperson of the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Science : "Canada likes to think of itself as a G8 country, and we should act like one occasionally."
U.S. General Strike - Nov. 6
No going to work. No shopping. No cell phones. No driving. No TV.
From "Specific Suggestion : General Strike"
by Garret Keizer in October's Harper's :
"Of all the various depredations of the Bush regime, none has been so thorough as its plundering of hope. Iraq will recover sooner.
If someone were to suggest, for example, that we begin a general strike on Election Day, November 6, 2007, for the sole purpose of removing this regime from power, how readily and with what well-practiced assurance would you find yourself producing the words “It won’t do any good”? Plausible and even courageous in the mouth of a patient who knows he’s going to die, the sentiment fits equally well in the heart of a citizen-ry that believes it is already dead.
Any strike, whether it happens in a factory, a nation, or a marriage, amounts to a reaffirmation of consent. The strikers remind their overlords—and, equally important, themselves—that the seemingly perpetual machinery of daily life has an off switch as well as an on."
Some US broadcasters and bloggers, notably Naomi Wolf, have picked this up and are running with it - calling for an inaugural general strike today, even as they know this first one will be small.
Good luck to you today, American cousins.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Steve and Sandra have a cold one
Poilievre provided the "normal....having a cold one" quote.
Dickhead.
As Dave says : "Welcome to the Reform agenda. It hasn't changed save for the political party name under which it exists."
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Supernatural! Downtown Eastside!
United Nations envoy Miloon Kothari, on a tour of Canada to examine homelessness, said he visited Vancouver specifically to assess whether the Olympic bid's pledges "are being kept."
"Vancouver said, 'If we get the Games, we commit to leaving a positive legacy,' and we [at the UN] are taking that at face value," Kothari said. "So far in Vancouver, there aren't many results on the ground, but we still have some time to go."
Kothari said that "the resources generated by [the Olympics] should be used to improve the adverse housing situation in Vancouver."
He specified that excess funds should be spent on "people who need their lives improved" and "not go into the hands of a few individuals."
"But our mandate is to promote the development of sport in Canada, as governed by the Host City Contract and Multiparty Agreements," said Donna Wilson, Senior VP for VANOC *Human Resources* .
"It's already committed that our surplus will go towards amateur sport."
Wilson has previously enthused that "The road to 2010 is both long and wide, and there’s room for everyone."
That's nice, Donna, but what we're actually looking for here is rooms for everyone.
In other Olympics news...
Dan Rather is here filming : "A neighbourhood of abject poverty surrounded by the five-star hotels that will be booked solid during the Olympics"
[Ed.: No way he's gonna miss all those dead First Nations sex-trade workers, Donna]
and the UN Population Fund notes the Downtown Eastside is "a two-kilometre-square stretch of decaying rooming houses, with a hepatitis C rate of just below 70 % and an HIV prevalence rate the same as Botswana's."
Well, Donna, I'm guessing free hockey sticks and being assured of adequate practice time down at the rink is not only not a burning issue with the majority of our local world-class ghetto residents, but it isn't likely to be one with the international journalists filing Olympics human interest stories either.
Light an Olympic torch under someone's Tourism Canada ass, Linda - ya still got two years to turn this thing around.
"Vancouver said, 'If we get the Games, we commit to leaving a positive legacy,' and we [at the UN] are taking that at face value," Kothari said. "So far in Vancouver, there aren't many results on the ground, but we still have some time to go."
Kothari said that "the resources generated by [the Olympics] should be used to improve the adverse housing situation in Vancouver."
He specified that excess funds should be spent on "people who need their lives improved" and "not go into the hands of a few individuals."
"But our mandate is to promote the development of sport in Canada, as governed by the Host City Contract and Multiparty Agreements," said Donna Wilson, Senior VP for VANOC *Human Resources* .
"It's already committed that our surplus will go towards amateur sport."
Wilson has previously enthused that "The road to 2010 is both long and wide, and there’s room for everyone."
That's nice, Donna, but what we're actually looking for here is rooms for everyone.
In other Olympics news...
Dan Rather is here filming : "A neighbourhood of abject poverty surrounded by the five-star hotels that will be booked solid during the Olympics"
[Ed.: No way he's gonna miss all those dead First Nations sex-trade workers, Donna]
and the UN Population Fund notes the Downtown Eastside is "a two-kilometre-square stretch of decaying rooming houses, with a hepatitis C rate of just below 70 % and an HIV prevalence rate the same as Botswana's."
Well, Donna, I'm guessing free hockey sticks and being assured of adequate practice time down at the rink is not only not a burning issue with the majority of our local world-class ghetto residents, but it isn't likely to be one with the international journalists filing Olympics human interest stories either.
Light an Olympic torch under someone's Tourism Canada ass, Linda - ya still got two years to turn this thing around.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Is Canada still "No Nukes"? - Part II
Politics 'n Poetry noticed that Canada abstained on a UN vote on depleted uranium two days ago.
UN : "The Assembly, taking into consideration the potential harmful effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing depleted uranium on human health and the environment, would request the Secretary-General to seek the views of Member States and relevant international organizations on the subject and to submit a report to the Assembly at its next session."
Not a ban on the use of DU, mind you - just a resolution asking for further study.
It passed 122 in favour, with 6 against and 35 abstentions. Canada was one of those abstentions.
WTF? What could we possibly have against studying the 'potential' dangers of DU.......
UN : "The representative of the United States said that she would vote “no” on draft resolution “L.18/Rev.1”. That draft called for action by the Secretary-General, based on the harmful environmental and health effects of depleted uranium. The draft ignored scientific information on that subject. That subject had been investigated by the Defence Department, NATO and UNEP, among others, and none of those studies had documented environmental or health effects of those munitions."
So. The US Defense Dept investigated DU, didn't find any health or environmental problems, and so the rest of us should just shut up about it. DU is apparently the new AGW.
Canada also abstained on a resolution to "recognize that the maintenance of nuclear weapons systems at a high level of readiness increased the risk of the use of such weapons, including the unintentional or accidental use" ~ 124 in favour to 3 against with 34 abstentions; and a "Vote on Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace" ~ 120 in favour to 3 against with 45 abstentions
Is Canada still "No nukes!" Six weeks ago, UBC Prof. Michael Byers noted that the message on Canada's Foreign Affairs and Int Trade website calling for "the complete elimination of nuclear weapons...through steadily advocating national, bilateral and multilateral steps" had been amended to say that Canada's nuclear weapons policy is now "consistent with our membership in NATO and NORAD, and in a manner sensitive to the broader international security context."
Uh - oh.
UN : "The Assembly, taking into consideration the potential harmful effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing depleted uranium on human health and the environment, would request the Secretary-General to seek the views of Member States and relevant international organizations on the subject and to submit a report to the Assembly at its next session."
Not a ban on the use of DU, mind you - just a resolution asking for further study.
It passed 122 in favour, with 6 against and 35 abstentions. Canada was one of those abstentions.
WTF? What could we possibly have against studying the 'potential' dangers of DU.......
UN : "The representative of the United States said that she would vote “no” on draft resolution “L.18/Rev.1”. That draft called for action by the Secretary-General, based on the harmful environmental and health effects of depleted uranium. The draft ignored scientific information on that subject. That subject had been investigated by the Defence Department, NATO and UNEP, among others, and none of those studies had documented environmental or health effects of those munitions."
So. The US Defense Dept investigated DU, didn't find any health or environmental problems, and so the rest of us should just shut up about it. DU is apparently the new AGW.
In all, there were 13 resolutions on nukes and the US voted against all of them.
Canada also abstained on a resolution to "recognize that the maintenance of nuclear weapons systems at a high level of readiness increased the risk of the use of such weapons, including the unintentional or accidental use" ~ 124 in favour to 3 against with 34 abstentions; and a "Vote on Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace" ~ 120 in favour to 3 against with 45 abstentions
Is Canada still "No nukes!" Six weeks ago, UBC Prof. Michael Byers noted that the message on Canada's Foreign Affairs and Int Trade website calling for "the complete elimination of nuclear weapons...through steadily advocating national, bilateral and multilateral steps" had been amended to say that Canada's nuclear weapons policy is now "consistent with our membership in NATO and NORAD, and in a manner sensitive to the broader international security context."
Uh - oh.
Friday, November 02, 2007
We still have a border. Let's use it.
PAN-CANADIAN CALL-IN TO SUPPORT
US WAR RESISTERS IN CANADA
Make the call. Sign the petition.
Send a letter to the editor
Canada did not support the illegal invasion of Iraq. Why would Canada reject war resisters who ask for asylum here because they also share this opinion? Three US war resisters are currently being processed by the Canadian government for return across the border to US authorities. We still have a border. Let's use it.
Canadian Cynic has a piece up on the stall-out at the current Senate confirmation hearings of Michael Mukasey for U.S. Attorney-General. Seems the spineless incompetent Dems are unable to come up with a definition of torture that Mukasey can agree to renounce. It's just all too 'theoretical' for Mike. CC has a suggestion. I would just like to add that there is no such thing as 'simulated drowning' - unless you happen to be using simulated water.
Remind me again why Canada should send war resisters back to this rogue state?
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Vancouver Boondoggle Centre expansion
Initial projected cost of Vancouver Trade and Convention Center expansion - $495 million
Current projected cost - $883.2 million
Is this the last and final increase - No
Reason for over-runs - Project was begun before design or budget was completed.
What's the big rush? - 2010 Olympics
Who was Chair of Convention Center Committee up till April - Ken Dobell
Who is he again? - Gordon Campbell's top advisor and former chief of staff, Mayor Sam Sullivan's contracted advisor on homelessness and cultural projects for the City of Vancouver, and Chair of Vancouver Organizing Committee for 2010 Olympics
What the fuck? - Yeah, he lobbies both governments on the same projects he's drawing a salary from both of them for. Under investigation.
And who has Dobell been replaced with? - David Podmore of Concert Properties who spearheaded the successful Yes campaign for the 2010 Olympics.
Where did the land for the Convention Centre expansion come from? - Marathon Realty, Premier Gordon Campbell's previous employer, sold the land to the province for $27.5 million in 2003.
But like the Sea-to-Sky Highway expansion to Whistler Village and the RAV line, this Convention Center expansion isn't being counted as an Olympic cost, is it? - Nope.
How's the original Convention Center doing? - Between 1997/98 and 2003/04, the convention delegate attendance declined 43%.
So who actually is benefitting from this expansion then?......Hello...... Hello?.....
Current projected cost - $883.2 million
Is this the last and final increase - No
Reason for over-runs - Project was begun before design or budget was completed.
What's the big rush? - 2010 Olympics
Who was Chair of Convention Center Committee up till April - Ken Dobell
Who is he again? - Gordon Campbell's top advisor and former chief of staff, Mayor Sam Sullivan's contracted advisor on homelessness and cultural projects for the City of Vancouver, and Chair of Vancouver Organizing Committee for 2010 Olympics
What the fuck? - Yeah, he lobbies both governments on the same projects he's drawing a salary from both of them for. Under investigation.
And who has Dobell been replaced with? - David Podmore of Concert Properties who spearheaded the successful Yes campaign for the 2010 Olympics.
Where did the land for the Convention Centre expansion come from? - Marathon Realty, Premier Gordon Campbell's previous employer, sold the land to the province for $27.5 million in 2003.
But like the Sea-to-Sky Highway expansion to Whistler Village and the RAV line, this Convention Center expansion isn't being counted as an Olympic cost, is it? - Nope.
How's the original Convention Center doing? - Between 1997/98 and 2003/04, the convention delegate attendance declined 43%.
So who actually is benefitting from this expansion then?......Hello...... Hello?.....
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