Hit-n-Run Posting

Yeah, yeah, I’m still not online yet. Maybe someday…before I die.

Anyway, this was too good not to share:

Miss M, my lovely 16yo daughter, hasn’t been doing well in school this year. With ADD and the school dragging its feet on implementing an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) plus a distinct lack of caring on Miss M’s part… We’re lucky she’s passing English and Concert Choir.

Anyhoo…. these two things — ADD and school –  combined into a lovely, oughta-be-on-a-bumper sticker moment.

See, Miss M hadn’t been taking her meds. So Mom decided to be the dispensary. I very, very faithfully gave her each dose. Well, it turns out we hadn’t needed to increase her meds last month, we just needed her to TAKE her meds. So, um yeah… she had a bit of a meth rage. On the same day as the parent-teacher conference.

As the bullshit meeting went on (These people do. not. care.  unless you’re a  mindless, college-bound, automaton.  Smallest school population in the county and the highest dropout rate.  ‘Nuff said.) Miss M spoke up and said, “I’m sick of you all telling me what my future’s going to be like!”

At which point, her seriously incompetent guidance counselor asked, in that smarmy, I’m-your-friend voice, “What do you want to do in the future?”

And my daughter answered,

“Uproot the patriarchal bullshit system.”

Oh yeah. That’s my baby!

Eddie

6/11/79 – 10/12/04

It’s been four years since you left us, and despite what they say, the pain is just as fresh.

We miss you.

Let the Countdown Begin

100 days

and the end of the reign of El Pollo Loco, The Prince of Darkness, and the rest of the Merry Band of Minions and Idiots.

The end is in sight.

And I’ll be celebrating this joyous event by going to see Hillary Clinton in Scranton today… and some other people.

Poking the Bear

Oh my freakin’ Jeebus, people! I’m so pissed and annoyed and… plain freaked out, it’s not funny.

You know how we on the left always wonder just how crazy the Republicans and Bush-Cheney Corporate Headquarters are? Well, wonder no more!

The stupid is so awesome, so intense, so effin’ ridiculous, so burningly awful that it is almost beyond my ability to respond with more than “Oh my god… but… oh holy shit… sweet baby jeebus in the cow trough!!”

From the New York Times:

Poland and the United States struck a deal Thursday that will strengthen military ties and put an American missile interceptor base in Poland, a plan that has infuriated Moscow and sparked fears in Europe of a new arms race.

”We have crossed the Rubicon,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, referring to U.S. consent to Poland’s demands after more than 18 months of negotiations.

Washington says the planned system, which is not yet operational, is needed to protect the U.S. and Europe from possible attacks by missile-armed ”rogue states” like Iran. The Kremlin, however, feels it is aimed at Russia’s missile force and warns it will worsen tensions.

Um, except Iran is two-three times as far away from Iran as it is from Russia…

Red - Poland; Blue - Russia; Fuschia - Iran.

but… um… just ignore that.

U.S. officials also said the timing of the deal was not meant to antagonize Russian leaders at a time when relations already are strained over the recent fighting between Russia and Georgia over the South Ossetia region.

“O hai! Sry, dudez. Srsly!

We didn’t mean to piss you off even more, right as you’re cease-firing from a little war spurred on by our idiot government telling the Georgian president we had his back… and then, um, not. But hey! Good news! Condi’s coming to make things all better… um, or maybe to buy shoes.”

[Tusk] said the deal also includes a ”mutual commitment” between the two nations to come to each other’s assistance ”in case of trouble.”

That clause appeared to be a direct reference to Russia, which has threatened to aim its nuclear-armed missiles at Poland — a former Soviet satellite — if it hosts the U.S. site.

Ummm… is anyone else having flashbacks to the 1980s and The Day After ?

Dr. Landowska: There is a rumor that they are evacuating Moscow. There are people even leaving Kansas City because of the missile base. Now I ask you: To where does one go from Kansas City? The Yukon? Tahiti? We are not talking about Hiroshima anymore. Hiroshima was… was peanuts!
Dr. Russell Oakes: What’s going on? Do you have any idea what’s going on in this world?
Dr. Landowska: Yeah. Stupidity… has a habit of getting its way.

Yep, and this misAdministration isn’t going to be happy until the whole freakin’ world is in flames.

“Promise You’ll Protect Me From the Americans”

Omar Khadr.

Fifteen years old when he was captured by US forces in Afghanistan. Six years spent at Guantanamo without trial. Facing five war crimes charges, including the murder of a US soldier during a battle, and life in prison.

“Softened up” by American interrogators prior to a visit by Canadian intelligence personnel.

This happened to Mr. Khadr just ahead of a March 30, 2004, visit by Jim Gould, an intelligence officer with the Canadian Foreign Affairs department.

“In an effort to make him more amenable and willing to talk, [blacked out] has placed Umar in the ‘frequent flyer program,’ ” says an April, 2004, report by R. Scott Heatherington, then-director of the Foreign Intelligence Division of the Canadian department. “For the three weeks before Mr. Gould’s visit, Umar has not been more than three hours in any one location.

“At three-hour intervals, he is moved to another cell block, thus denying him uninterrupted sleep and a continued change of neighbours.”

Mr. Heatherington goes on to say that Mr. Khadr would, following the visit, be “placed in isolation for up to three weeks,” then be subjected to re-interview. [National Post]

He was a child. He begged the Canadian intelligence officers interviewing him. “Promise you’ll protect me from the Americans.”

Instead, they left him for another 5 years in a hellhole being (most likely) abused with torture techniques inspired by SERE training — a program instituted as a result of torture of American prisoners of war. Techniques approved by President Bush and then-Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld.

And he’s facing war crimes charges?

I don’t know whether to cry or vomit.

McCain Says: Family=Male/Female Parents

Via Shakesville, Reason # 3582668 for Why I Won’t Vote For John McCain.

From a man who cheated on and later divorced the wife who waited through the many years he was a prisoner of war. The mother of the two sons he adopted and the daughter they had together:

Mr. McCain, who with his wife, Cindy, has an adopted daughter, said flatly that he opposed allowing gay couples to adopt. “I think that we’ve proven that both parents are important in the success of a family so, no, I don’t believe in gay adoption,” he said. [New York Times]

Proven? Who’s “proven” this? As a single, straight mom, I call bullshit.

Are gay parents somehow less equipped to give a child a loving home? Are straight parents somehow more equipped?

The Longest Walk Ends

They started at Alcatraz on February 11th.

Five months. Two routes. Over 4,000 miles. From sea to shining sea.

On foot.

175 days (4200hrs.) ago walkers from all over Indian country as well as international allies embarked on a journey that carried them through rain, snow, and even a tornado.

Two paths were taken to make the journey, both a Northern and Southern route, in order to bring awareness to and address environmental and sacred sites protection, cultural survival, youth empowerment and Native American rights.

Thousands of walkers, which included new born babies and elders in their 90s, representing more than 100 Nations joined the Walk along the way. The Navajo (Dine’ Nation), Hopi, Apache, Havasupai, Tunica-Biloxi, Anishinaabeg, Wintun, Hualapai, Lakota, Six Nations, Ute, Washo, and many others as well as representatives from New Zealand, Germany, Japan, Italy, Holland, Poland comprised the diverse Walk. As they walked they picked up more than 8,000 bags of trash on the roads they traveled.

Amerika

Article IV, U.S. Constitution, as amended on July 9, 2008:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Hitler didn’t not rise to power by show of force; he was elected. The rights of the German people were not first taken away at the point of a gun, but were eroded by the power of the pen.

With back-room deals and plenty of intimidation, laws contrary to the public good and in violation of the German Constitution were passed by lawmakers whipped to a frenzy by an atmosphere of fear-mongering and hysteria. The Reichstag — the elected representatives of the German people — voted to destroy their Constitution and disband themselves in order that the country be “protected” from “terrorists.”

Fight Tyranny

Those Senators who vote to allow the government to continue spying on the communications of Americans without warrants and to immunize those telecoms which complied with illegal directives by the Executive Branch — to a degree which is still unknown — should be haunted from here on out by the words of some of our Founders and historic figures.

John Adams:

But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever.

Fight the Power!

This is the full-page ad run by Blue America, Firedoglake, and Color of Change in today’s Washington Post. Click the photo to see it full-size. [pdf]

The debate on the FISA bill begins today, with the vote scheduled for tomorrow. Call your Senators today, and tell them to stand up for the Constitution.

Christy says:

We are asking Senators to vote IN FAVOR of the Dodd-Feingold-Leahy Amendment (S.A. 5064 to H.R. 6304). We’re asking for a NO vote on cloture, and a NO vote on the final bill as well. [my emphasis - Jenn]

Why do we need to oppose this deeply-flawed bill?

Because it is a violation of our Fourth Amendment rights, allowing the government to spy on Americans and their phone calls, emails, and text messages.

Because it legalizes government and corporate law-breaking.

Because it says, “If the President does it, it’s not illegal.”

Because it is a violation of all that we celebrated just four days ago.