Gizmo vs. Skype

Well, I'm going to try out Gizmo and see if I like it better than Skype... at first glance, it appears to be a better designed network, but if may have some shortfalls... we shall see. Click on the title to link to Gizmo. BTW, I found the gizmo info in December's Wired Magazine, so there will probably be a large increase in Gizmo users now.

Laughter's Loss

So there's this woman who works for Xtracycle (see xtracycle.com to find out what I'm talking about), and her name is Laughter. She called me yesterday to tell me they were shipping my new xtracycle today and that I should have it soon. We chatted for a while about the xtracycle and also Burning Man (some of their crew goes out there every year). Well it turns out that some asswipe stole her XtraCycle Equipped Black Marin Novato from the top of her car when she was attending the green festival in SF. She's learning to live with it, but misses her bike. I don't blame her... I would be PISSED! I AM pissed! If you happen to see her bike, contact info@xtracycle.com and let them know. Laughter had very unique handlebar grips on the bike, so you may be able to spot it that way: "My grips were sun and moon colored Yellow, Blue, Orange & Red with White stars" Once again, it is a 17" (or 18", she wasn't totally sure) Black (2004) Marin Novato with an XtraCycle on the back.. and the very unique grips described above. May the fleas of thousand horses asses infest the armpits of the thief, with my compliments.

Link of the Day: Biomass to Biodiesel

Wow... this is pretty cool. I found this link at Kurzweilai.net. Too bad the funding for alternative energy from that energy bill that was recently passed here in the U.S was only about 15% of the total (correct me if I'm wrong on the percentage). Not a surprise considering the Bush Admin opted out of the Kyoto protocol. DUH! (Click on the title to read the article)

Oh sh*t redux...

Oy... it never ceases, and it gets worse by the minute. Keep you eyes on this folks.. this COULD get ugly. (Click the title of this post for the link)

Tragedy

This was lifted from http://www.brushtail.com.au/july_05_on/houston_problem.html

President Bush was visiting a primary school and he dropped in on one of the classes. They were in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings.

The teacher asked the President if he would like to lead the discussion of the word "tragedy". So the illustrious leader asked the class for an example of a "tragedy". One little boy stood up and offered: "If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playing in the field and a tractor runs over him and kills him that would be a tragedy".

"No," said Bush, "that would be an accident."

A little girl raised her hand: "If a school bus carrying 50 children drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy."

"I'm afraid not," explained the president. "That's what we would call a great loss."

The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Bush searched the room.

"Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?"

Finally at the back of the room a small boy raised his hand.

In a quiet voice he said: "If Air Force One, carrying you and Mrs Bush, was struck by a 'friendly fire' missile and blown to smithereens that would be a tragedy."

"Fantastic!" exclaimed Bush. "That's right. And can you tell me why that would be a tragedy?"

"Well," says the boy, "It has to be a tragedy, because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be a fucking accident either."

Oh sh*t...

Holy good christ on a shingle... this looks very bad. While the NRDC and other big environmental protection groups were battling for the Arctic National Wilderness to stay protected, this apparently benign little piece of legislation was passed and it looks like yet another give away to corporate special interests. SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT! Keep you eyes on this one folks... it's bound to creep up in nearly every state, and perhaps the only way to battle it is to counteract the legislation. Read this article and tell me what YOU think. (click on the title for a link to the article in the NY Times)

Propaganda Catapult

This one made me laugh so hard I nearly woke up my sleeping son. How on EARTH did this MORON make it through Harvard? (yes folks, that's a rhetorical question)
Presidential Misspeak

Site of the Day

Dear god, this man is a menace to society! He suggested (and later backpeddled and labeled it as satire) that if he were president, and Al Qaeda were to bomb San Francisco, that he would make sure that SF got no federal assistance. Why is this man on TV? He should be on the Al Qaeda payroll... heyyyyyy, wait a minute, you don't suppose...???

Either way, check out this site.
I hate Bill O'Reilly

Gleason's Phun Linkz

This is freakin hilarious. Never scare a brutha...(Click on the title to see the link)

Working Assets: Hypocrites?

Many of you have heard of Working Assets. They are the company that takes a portion of their profits and donates it to worthy causes. Or so I thought. Their latest email denounced Verizon, SBC, BellSouth and Qwest for being supporters of the radical right.

Here's the email:

From: workingassets@values.workingassets.com
Subject: Your phone company's right wing agenda
Date: November 17, 2005 7:37:09 AM PST

Did you know you're supporting the radical right?

You are if you're a customer of Verizon, SBC, BellSouth or Qwest.

That's because those companies raise money for political action
committees pushing the radical-right agenda. PACs they back include
Americans for a Republican Majority, Every Republican Is Crucial, and
Pioneer PAC, "dedicated to strengthening the Republican majority in
Congress."

You may be stuck with these companies for local phone service, but for
your long distance calls, you have a choice.

If you'd rather support organizations you believe in - groups like
the ACLU, Global Fund for Children and the Natural Resources Defense
Council - then now is the time to join Working Assets Long Distance.

Working Assets donates no money to politicians of any party. Instead,
we put a portion of our revenue to work for a cause we can all get
behind: a better world.

In fact, since 1985, Working Assets has generated more than $47
million for worthy nonprofits - at no extra cost to our customers.

SNIP! original clipped for brevity SNIP!



What I wanted to know is: how come the credit cards that they issue are handled by MBNA, one of the largest campaign contributors for the George W. Bush's reelection campaign? I sent them the following letter:


Subject: General comments or questions about the Working Assets Credit Card
Date: June 8, 2005 11:57:00 PM PDT

Comments: I'm writing to you because I read something today that made me
question the motives of working assets. I thought you folks
stood for the people, at least in part. Obviously, you're a
corporation and your job is to make money. You tout ourselves
as a company that contributes money to organizations that
support the people. Yet, the credit card company that you folks
put your name on (MBNA) was one of the largest campaign
contributors to George W. Bush's 2 campaign bids for the White
House. As far as your activist e-mail's to me state, GWB is no
friend of Working Assets. I'm deeply concerned about the
integrity of Working Assets.

According to Bill Maher in his address to the Take Back America
conference on Monday Jun 3, 2005.
(see http://www.truthout.org/issues_05/060605LA.shtml)
"So it is that huge financial institutions like MBNA - the credit
card giant that is the biggest contributor to the President's two
campaigns for the White House - prevail in getting Congress and
George W. Bush to curtail personal bankruptcies, making it
harder for those families in Milwaukee to get a fresh start and a
second chance."

What is your reponse to this? Why are you guys putting your
name on the MBNA funded credit card? I'm ready to pay off my
MBNA credit card and cancel it. Give me a reason not to... and
not to run my mouth off on every blog I can about your apparent
utter hypocrisy.

Yours in fear and loathing,

Ian Hopper


Here is how they replied:

Dear Mr. Hopper:

Thank you for your comments about the Working Assets Credit Card. We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns regarding our new relationship with MBNA America.

Since Working Assets is not a financial institution, we require the assistance of a bank to issue our credit card. Due to the size of our customer base, only large banks are able to handle our credit card program. Thus when our prior issuer, Fleet Bank, put our credit card portfolio up for sale, and MBNA emerged as the only bidder, we accepted an arrangement with MBNA as a way to maintain our ability to offer the credit card product.

All of us at Working Assets are doing our best to make social change happen while remaining a viable business. We believe that the tens of millions of dollars channeled to progressive non-profits through our credit card and long distance programs more than offset the inevitable compromises required to operate our business.

Sincerely,

Debbie
Customer Relations Representative
Working Assets

Now, I can't fault Debbie for the form letter e-mail reply. I'm just not happy about what it says. I'm just not comfortable with this level of hypocrisy. I will not be joining Working Assets until they rid themselves of MBNA. They claim that the "tens of millions of dollars channeled to progressive non-profits through their credit card AND long distance programs (note that they included the long distance, which I don't have an issue with) more than offset the inevitable compromises required to operate our business". They fail to give me hard numbers or concrete evidence. I believe that most of the money channeled to progressive non-profits comes from the credit card program, not the long distance. How much MORE of the profits went to MBNA? How much "offset" was really made here? No, I think they're hypocrites and if they really want to walk the walk, they'll dump MBNA.

Lynn Woolsey leads the charge

Ok ok, I know. California overwhelmingly doesn't support the war in Iraq. What about the rest of the country? Do I care? Not really... if people are happy throwing their money away on keeping soldiers in Iraq, then maybe THEY should go over there. I certainly don't want any more of MY tax money spent on fighting an unwinnable war, and I certainly don't want any more Iraqis or American's killed in my name. Evidently my elected offical (Lynn Woolsey) agrees with me.  

WASHINGTON, D.C.  -- Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) led 61 bipartisan Congressional Colleagues in sending a letter to President Bush today calling for U.S. policy in Iraq to change course by engaging in greater multilateral cooperation with our allies; pursuing diplomatic/non-military initiatives; preparing for a robust post-conflict reconciliation process; and withdrawing the U.S. Armed Forces.

Rep. Lynn Woolsey was the first Member of Congress to call for U.S. troops to return from Iraq and has led a series of important activities aimed at ending the war:

1. On January 12, 2005 she led 15 Members of Congress in writing a letter to President Bush calling for the troops to be brought home.

2. On January 26, 2005 Woolsey introduced H.Con.Res. 35, calling for the President to immediately develop a plan for bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq.

3. On May 28, 2005 Woolsey led the first debate on the U.S. House floor around her amendment calling for the President to develop a plan as soon as is practicable to bring our troops home, and that he submit this plan to the appropriate committees in Congress.  The Woolsey Amendment received 128 votes - including the votes of five Republicans making it the first bipartisan effort to end American military involvement in Iraq.

4. In June 2005, Woolsey was an original co-sponsor of H.J.Res. 55, “Homeward Bound” - the first legislation to set a timeline on troop withdrawal from Iraq.

5. Called an informal bipartisan Congressional hearing on September 15, 2005 on how to bring the troops home from Iraq.  Over 30 bipartisan Members of Congress participated in the event and heard testimony from Senator Max Cleland, General Joseph Hoar (Ret. USMC), Dr. Ken Katzman, Ambassador David Mack, Anas Shallal, and Dr. Antonia Chayes.

6. October 2005, Woolsey traveled to Iraq as part of a Congressional delegation to meet with U.S. Armed Forces.

7. Since April 20, 2004, Woolsey has given more than 120 speeches on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives calling for an end of military engagement in Iraq and discussing her legislation, H.Con.Res. 158, SMART Security, a “Smart Multilateral, American Response to Terrorism” - an alternative to war.

 

 

The following is a copy of the letter sent to President Bush today:

 

 

U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey letter to the President:

November 10, 2005

The Honorable George W. Bush

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President,

Despite two and a half years of warfare, including the deaths of over 2,000 American soldiers and injuries to 15,000 others, Iraq remains as unstable as it was when you declared an end to major combat operations in May 2003.  We need to face the fact that the situation in Iraq is not improving - nor will it improve as long as our troops remain there, because the presence of over 160,000 American soldiers on Iraqi soil is the main catalyst fueling Iraq’s insurgency.

The time is long overdue for the U.S. to change course in Iraq and bring our troops home.  To transition from war to peace, we recommend that your administration immediately make four pivotal policy changes in Iraq: 1) engage in greater multilateral cooperation with our allies; 2) pursue diplomatic/non-military initiatives; 3) prepare for a robust post-conflict reconciliation process; and 4) withdraw the U.S. Armed Forces.

Multilateral Cooperation

The U.S. must engage the international community, including the UN and NATO, to establish a multinational interim security force for Iraq.  The Department of Peacekeeping Operations at the United Nations, for example, is well suited to this task.

Diplomatic/Non-Military Initiatives

The U.S. must pursue a “diplomatic offensive,” shifting its role from that of Iraq’s military occupier to its reconstruction partner.  This means giving Iraq back to the Iraqi people, working with them to rebuild their economic and physical infrastructure, and creating Iraqi jobs.  The U.S. must also engage the United Nations to oversee Iraq’s economic and humanitarian needs, renounce any desire to control Iraqi oil, and ensure that the U.S. does not maintain lasting military bases in Iraq.

Post-Conflict Reconciliation

An international peace commission must be established to oversee Iraq’s post-war reconciliation.  This group would include members of the global community who have experience in international peacebuilding and conflict resolution, and would be tasked with coordinating peace talks between Iraq’s various factions.

Withdrawal of the U.S. Armed Forces

The cost of the war in Iraq - both human and financial - has been staggering.  Tragically, the American and Iraqi lives lost, and the billions of dollars spent, have failed to actually make our country safer from the threat of international terrorism.  To end the war in Iraq, save lives, and prevent the U.S. from spiraling even further into debt, the U.S. must withdraw its Armed Forces from Iraq.

Mr. President, after Iraq holds its December parliamentary elections, the country’s leaders will be responsible for charting Iraq’s course.  The international community, including the U.S., can then provide non-militaristic support to ensure a self-sufficient Iraq.  We look forward to your response to our recommendations and would welcome the opportunity to discuss them with you.

Sincerely,

U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey

The following Members of Congress and Delegates joined Rep. Woolsey in signing her letter: U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie (HI), Joe Baca (CA), Tammy Baldwin (WI), Robert Brady (PA), Sherrod Brown (OH), Lois Capps (CA), Julia Carson (IN), William Lacy Clay (MO), Emanuel Cleaver (MO), James Clyburn (SC), John Conyers (MI), Jerry Costello (IL), Elijah Cummings (MD), Danny Davis (IL), William Delahunt (MA), Mike Doyle (PA), Lane Evans (IL), Sam Farr (CA), Bob Filner (CA), Raúl Grijalva (AZ), Maurice Hinchey (NY), Rush Holt (NJ), Michael Honda (CA), Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX), Marcy Kaptur (OH), Carolyn Kilpatrick (MI), Dennis Kucinich (OH), John Larson (CT), Barbara Lee (CA), John Lewis (GA), Jim McDermott (WA), James McGovern (MA), Cynthia McKinney (GA), Michael McNulty (NY), Carolyn Maloney (NY), Martin Meehan (MA), Gregory Meeks (NY), Gwen Moore (WI), James Moran (VA), Grace Napolitano (CA), James Oberstar (MN), John Olver (MA), Major Owens (NY), Frank Pallone (NJ), Ed Pastor (AZ), Ron Paul (TX), Donald Payne (NJ), Charles Rangel (NY), Bobby Rush (IL), Linda Sánchez (CA), Janice Schakowsky (IL), David Scott (GA), José Serrano (NY), Hilda Solis (CA), Pete Stark (CA), Edolphus Towns (NY), Nydia Velázquez (NY), Maxine Waters (CA), Diane Watson (CA) and Congressional Delegates Donna Christensen (VI), and Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC).

Wolves Are Not Your Enemy

Regardless of what the ranchers may believe, wolves are not the
enemy. Read "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser and see who the real
enemy of the American Rancher really is. ConAgra and other food
giants are destroying the livelihood of hundreds if not thousands of
small ranchers and farmers. They drive the price of meat and
agricultural goods down so far that the small farms and ranches have
no choice but to sell out. Many of these folks feel that wolves are a
serious threat to their livestock. In some ways they are right, but
we can hardly fault the wolf for that. They are doing what they've
been doing for thousands of years. Wolves never kill more than they
can eat, and when we've driven away or killed their natural prey by
fencing off thousands of miles of land that were once shared by
bison, elk and deer, they have to eat what's available. I'm pretty
sure that a cow killed once in a while by wolves is a fair trade for
having taken away their home and territory. Evidently though, the
secretary of the interior Gale Norton doesn't feel that wolves
deserve any protection. The aerial hunting of wolves in alaska is
illegal, yet Norton refuses to enforce the law. I'd like to see
someone hunt her and her family and see how it feels. Here is a good
site for helping to protect the alaskan wolves.
Click on the title of this post to Sponsor a Wolf!

Molly Ivans Comments on Torture

I have a copy of one her books, but I haven't read it yet. Now I think I have to. Click on the title to read her article in the Miami Herald. "Torture? What torture? We don't torture! That's preposterous!" -G.W Bush. Well, the word preposterous is not one I think that GWB could pronounce (even thought he purportedly went to to Harvard), so you can guess who actually wrote the quote... YT of course!

Department of Homeland Security: SNAFU

So my brother sent me this email about his friend Huck. My brother has mentioned him several times, and although I may have met him, I don't remember. All that is irrelevant: this guy's story is another damning statement about the general condition of American Government, but instead of butchering it, I'll just post the link here. Please, if you know of anyone who can help this guy, let me know and I'll contact Huck. Clink on the title of this post to read Huck's Story.

Shortsighted FOOLS!

Ok.. the U.S State Dept. can officially kiss my ass. This is so WRONG!


Newsday.com Article


When you do things like this, karma has a way of exacting retribution by inflicting terrible diseases upon you and/or your loved ones. Wait, didn't our once esteemed Colin Powell (and why does he pronounce it like body part anyway?) work for the state dept? No wait, that's right, he left in shame; things just haven't been the same since old Powell decided that lying for the Bush war machine wasn't so bad. Look where THAT got us... we're well over 2000 soldiers killed, and I think the wounded (most of them permanently) number over 20,000... or maybe that's 40,000... I can't remember. The numbers are staggering enough that they get fuzzy... just the way the state dept. likes it. "A little depleted uranium with your mashed potatoes private?" No? TOO BAD, we're gonna stuff it down your fatigues so you get cancer, or Gulf War Syndrome or if you're lucky, maybe just plain ol' fashioned radiation poisoning.

Did I mention the nearly 100,000 iraqis dead (many of them innocents)???

How DO you put down in words the sound of a cat hissing? Hmmm...

Veterans Day

I was listening to Forum on NPR, and it being Veteran's Day, that was
the subject of the show. I thought about the friends and family that
I have that have served in the military and in one of America's wars.
My step-brother and step-father both served in the Navy, and both
managed to avoid (by narrow margins) being involved in a major
conflict. I am thankful for that. My friend Bill was not so lucky. He
served in Vietnam and lost much of the use of his right knee and leg
due to having a land mine blow up under him. To Bill and all the
other vets who have given so much, a very deeply heartfelt "Thank
You" for your sacrifice. I do NOT agree with the politicians for
sending you there, but that has nothing to do with you. Thank you,
thank you, thank you for your gift. I know that it is a pale and
meager reward for the incredible sacrifices that have been made.
Peace be with you on this and all days.

Erin the Petsaver sez:

Per my friend Erin:

attached is a "How To Find Your Pet" document for animals who have been rescued and dislocated from new orleans owners after the strom [sic]
if you could please save this documant [sic} and give info to those who may benefit from it

TO FIND YOUR PET
Please go to:
Pet Finder Emergency Response: www.disaster.petfinder.org/emergency

Or call:
*Pet Finder.com 1-800-485-5152;
*No Animal Left Behind: 1-877-680-0090;
LA-SPCA: 1-800-745-9151.