National Newswire

Roland Martin weighs in on the Tracy Morgan controversy

2011-06-22T06:38:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Many of you have probably read about comedian Tracy Morgan and his tasteless rant during a recent appearance in Nashville. Tracy suffered from a lapse in judgment, and has acknowledged as much. Roland Martin, however, is a completely different story.

Martin, a journalist employed by CNN has chosen to defend Morgan, claiming we all find this sort of outrage entertaining. I, for one, do not! Tracy was right to apologize. There was nothing funny about his remarks. Martin, on the other hand, has had plenty of time to think about the consequences of such tragic remarks, but remains supportive, in spite of his obvious hypocrisy!

Case in point, Michael Richards, another comedian guilty of tasteless remarks. Richards cracked under pressure after hecklers repeatedly called him a “cracker”, a derogatory slur, every bit as inappropriate as the ‘N’ word. Let’s be honest with ourselves, shall we. It’s all about intent. Martin, however, views it differently. He apparently sees a chasm in our cultural language. For Martin, threatening to kill gays is fine, as long as no-one mutters the ‘N’ word. How crass! How shallow!

I quizzed Roland Martin about his defense of Tracy’s remarks, and this is what he had to say… verbatim. I asked him: "You have chosen to defend Tracy Morgan for off color remarks he made during a recent appearance in Nashville. I agree with your assessment of the situation in principle. However, and please don't interpret this as a 'gotcha' moment, but I can't help but wonder if you professed the same level of support for Michael Richards after he made similar tasteless remarks?"

Martin: “Actually, you're wrong. I haven't chosen to defend Tracy Morgan. I've chosen to ask some tough questions about all of us when it comes to sexism, racism and homophobia. First, I started following this story when individuals said, 'it's wrong to joke about killing a gay kid. It's wrong to joke about committing violence against kids.' I said to myself, 'Why are folks lying? Every day we laugh at beating kids, someone getting murdered, and things like that.'

So I chose to ask my followers, 'WHY do we laugh at sexism, racism and homophobia, but now get mad at Tracy Morgan.' So I purposely went out and found other comedians who have joked about murdering women, murdering women, beating kids when they are 1-years-old, and asked, 'So are these comedians wrong, or do we give comedians license to say whatever they want on stage?' Now, let me explain to you Michael Richards. I said - on TV - that Michael Richards snapped on a patron. Michael did not have the N-word as part of any routine or comedy bit. I said then, and say now, that had Michael Richards used the N-word on stage, during a bit, it would have been totally different than him snapping on a patron.”

For my money, I am not satisfied with Roland’s response. I shouldn’t need to point out that his own remarks seem hypocritical at best. Martin seems to be saying it’s funny to threaten to kill gays, as long as you claim it’s part of your act, and providing you don’t use the ‘N’ word. I’m at a loss as to why Martin doesn’t simply follow Tracy’s lead and acknowledge the obvious. Marginalizing a portion of the populace is never acceptable, no matter an individuals color or sexual preference.

Shame on you, Roland Martin!

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor
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Alice Cooper Group to perform at Hall of Fame induction Ceremonies

2011-01-22T06:17:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper and his original band-mates have been chosen to perform at this year’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies. The live telecast on March 14th is expected to draw millions of viewers, as fans both young and old gather around the television for what is expected to be an unforgettable rock & roll spectacle, as only the Alice Cooper Group can deliver.

Alice and the boys broke into the music scene in the late sixties, trading in a burned out peace and love movement for violent images of blood and gore. The horror shtick stuck, and the Alice Cooper Group rocketed to super-stardom, scoring a bevy of hits, including the classics, Billion Dollar Babies, School’s Out, I’m Eighteen and No More Mr. Nice Guy. The band released seven studio albums and a multi platinum Greatest Hits collection before going separate ways to pursue solo careers in 1975.

Alice, (born Vincent Furnier) continued to record under the Alice Cooper moniker, releasing eighteen solo albums do date. Alice is currently in the studio with legendary record producer Bob Ezrin recording a follow-up to his classic album ’Welcome to My Nightmare, due later this year.

The original Alice Cooper Group featured Glen Buxton and Michael Bruce on guitars, Dennis Dunaway on bass, Neal Smith, drums and Alice on vocals. Buxton, whom Rolling Stone Magazine ranked among the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time." passed away in 1997.

Michael Bruce speaks fondly of those early days of rock & roll mayhem. “We were in the studio recording tracks for the Billion Dollar Babies album when Shep (band manager Shep Gordon) came in with an elaborate scale model of our new stage layout for the upcoming tour. It was all very Spinal Tap, but after the initial shock wore off, we realized it was a pretty cool stage design. When the actual stage arrived, it was magnificent, with these two reflective, vertical columns that glittered brightly under the lights. What we didn’t know was that the columns were coated with a thick fiberglass-like material which would slice our arms to ribbons by the end of each show. Some of that blood up there was real”

“We were pushing the envelope” states Michael with a broad smile. “That tour (Billion Dollar Babies) took off and just kept growing.” Ultimately, the Billion Dollar Babies tour went on to break attendance records previously held by the Rolling Stones.

Alice Cooper and the boys have announced plans to extend their re-union affair after their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction on March 14th. The band intends to take the show on the road, with performances in Los Angeles, Detroit, Toronto and more.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor
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Reaching over the net - Bands find new ways to record music in digital era

2010-11-18T15:43:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment - National Newswire

Bands like the Gin Blossoms and Skate the Razor are increasingly recording new records over the internet, with musicians sometimes thousands of miles apart.

For many, the iconic black and white image of George Martin and the Beatles huddled together at Abbey Road Studios in London will forever represent the high-water mark in recording history. A group a young men sitting together, making magic.

Much has changed within the recording industry in the decades since the Beatles went their separate ways. Stereophonic hi-fi was a catchy little phrase in the sixties, like an old motel sign, quaintly advertising color television. Blink twice, and the sign now reads “high speed internet“, making it entirely possible for musicians to record new music from their hotel rooms, or perhaps even tour bus. It also enables the musicians to come together creatively, even when the members are on opposite ends of the country.

The Gin Blossoms, known for such hits as “Hey Jealousy“, and “Til I Hear It From You” are prime examples, having recorded their fifth release “No Chocolate Cake”, in such a manner. Gin Blossoms lead vocalist Robin Wilson recently relocated to Manhattan with his wife, while the other members of the band continue to live near Phoenix. The first single from “No Chocolate Cake”, a tune called “Miss Disarray”, has received significant airplay in Adult Contemporary radio, marking a return to the charts for the band.

Skate the Razor, of Western New York, have adopted a similar method for their new CD. Two members of the band, brothers David and Michael Moran reside in the sleepy village of Delevan, New York, an hour south of Buffalo. Vocalist Brad Cooper lives in Phoenix, while guitarist Ryan Hansgen has settled in rural Tennessee.

“The whole process has changed”, states Ryan, a veteran of the recording industry. “The digital age has arrived. We can now record a project in multiple locations. All one has to do is send a digital capture of the work to the next person, open it up on their computer and record their tracks. Most of the out-board goodies such as effects are included with the software, making the whole process cleaner, and more robust.”

Legendary record producer, and designer of the world renown Power Station Studios in Manhattan spoke of having mixed feelings on the subject when interviewed for this article, but fully embraces the new technology, comparing the old system to a buggy whip… a “lost and useless craft“.

Bongiovi recently appeared at CES 2010, the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow, where he spoke about the success of his latest technological innovations, the iHome, the iP1 and the iP2. “Almost all urban music is recorded on computers”, he emphasized. Bongiovi, best known for his work with artists like Areosmith and his second cousin Jon Bon Jovi has watched the industry shift in recent years. Mr. Bongiovi, who has over a hundred gold and platinum albums to his name saw it coming, moving to Fort Lauderdale Florida in the late nineties when the studio industry began to feel the pull of progress.

“It‘s simply more practical“. Hansgen added. “It's actually much quicker than having to hop a plane or drive for hundreds of miles to some studio somewhere to get work accomplished. Just press a button and there it goes, on to the next person.“

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor
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Reaching over the net. Bands find new ways to record music in digital era

2010-11-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Reaching over the net! Bands finding new ways to record music in digital era

Bands like the Gin Blossoms and Skate the Razor are increasingly recording new records over the internet, with musicians sometimes thousands of miles apart.

For many of us, the iconic black and white image of George Martin and the Beatles huddled together at Abbey Road Studios in London will forever represent the high-water mark in recording history. A group a young men sitting together, making magic.

Much has changed within the recording industry in the decades since the Beatles went their separate ways. Stereophonic hi-fi was a catchy little phrase in the sixties, like an old motel sign, quaintly advertising color television. Blink twice, and the sign now reads “high speed internet“, making it entirely possible for musicians to record new music from their hotel rooms, or perhaps even tour bus. It also enables the musicians to come together creatively, even when the members are on opposite ends of the country.

The Gin Blossoms, known for such hits as “Hey Jealousy“, and “Til I Hear It From You” are prime examples, having recorded their fifth release “No Chocolate Cake”, in such a manner. Gin Blossoms lead vocalist Robin Wilson recently relocated to Manhattan with his wife, while the other members of the band continue to live near Phoenix. The first single from “No Chocolate Cake”, a tune called “Miss Disarray”, has received significant airplay in Adult Contemporary radio, marking a return to the charts for the band.

Skate the Razor, of Western New York, have adopted a similar method for their new CD. Two members of the band, brothers David and Michael Moran reside in the sleepy village of Delevan, New York, an hour south of Buffalo. Vocalist Brad Cooper lives in Phoenix, while guitarist Ryan Hansgen has settled in rural Tennessee.

“The whole process has changed”, states Ryan, a veteran of the recording industry. “The digital age has arrived. We can now record a project in multiple locations. All one has to do is send a digital capture of the work to the next person, open it up on their computer and record their tracks. Most of the out-board goodies such as effects are included with the software, making the whole process cleaner, and more robust.”

Legendary record producer, and designer of the world renown Power Station Studios in Manhattan spoke of having mixed feelings on the subject when interviewed for this article, but fully embraces the new technology, comparing the old system to a buggy whip… a “lost and useless craft“.

Bongiovi recently appeared at CES 2010, the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow, where he spoke about the success of his latest technological innovations, the iHome, the iP1 and the iP2. “Almost all urban music is recorded on computers”, he emphasized. Bongiovi, best known for his work with artists like Areosmith and his second cousin Jon Bon Jovi has watched the industry shift in recent years. Mr. Bongiovi, who has over a hundred gold and platinum albums to his name saw it coming, moving to Fort Lauderdale Florida in the late nineties when the studio industry began to feel the pull of progress.

“It‘s simply more practical“. Hansgen added. “It's actually much quicker than having to hop a plane or drive for hundreds of miles to some studio somewhere to get work accomplished. Just press a button and there it goes, on to the next person.“

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor
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Christianity not at war with Islam

2010-09-08T17:53:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -National News wire - The Infinite Echo

As the ninth anniversary of 9/11 approaches, one of the great myths of the World Trade Center attacks is the commonly held belief the attacks were somehow intended as an assault on Christianity.

For reasons seemingly fomented by fear and ignorance, many otherwise sensible Americans persist in pursuing this unfounded rationale. As you may recall, the attacks on 9/11 were aimed at the U.S. White House, The Pentagon, and the World Trade Center in downtown Manhattan, all icons of American power and wealth. It would seem clear, the impetus for the attacks was rooted in politics, not religion.

Disturbing as it may be, far too many Americans accept the perceived religious connection, and thus the growing anti-Islam sentiment among many. This unfortunate intrusion of errata seems not to concern the religious conspiracy theorist as much as it agitates their sensibilities. These practitioners of falsehoods may believe they mean well, and perhaps deep in their hearts, some actually do, but let’s not kid ourselves. Apposing a mosque because of it’s approximate location or burning the Quran does not equate to a search for the truth, but rather, a blind quest, hell-bent on religious cleansing.

May I point out to my readers that no religious centers were targeted by terrorists on that sunny Monday morning on September 11th, 2001. No synagogues or churches were attacked, nor were any low flying, hi-jacked aircraft re-directed toward the Vatican. The motives for the 9/11 attacks were clearly not religious. Why then, are so many otherwise rational Americans willing to buy such a red herring?

It certainly doesn’t bode well for world perception of our good ’ol US of A intellect. We can’t really be tormented by so much self loathing as to allow ourselves to blame an entire religion for the actions of a handful of radicals.

And radical, indeed they were. Twenty grown men were willing to give their lives to thrust this atrocity upon America. As can be expected when traveling by air, one would be terrorist missed his flight. The rest, however, found the glory and infamy they sought in a fiery hot ball of flame and debris.

What didn’t happen on that tragic day, however, has somehow become the story. Fact: on September 11th, 2001, after being slammed by two commercial aircraft, the World Trade Center collapsed, killing nearly three thousand people. Yes, some were indeed, Christians. And many were not. Let’s not allow ourselves to fall victim to that which we fail to understand. The Christian faith is not at war with Islam. This should be self evident.

We are presented an opportunity, America. This should be a time of tolerance, a time when we can reflect on the folly of man, and pray our children learn from our mistakes as well as our triumphs. The tragedy of 9/11 will forever be a dark page in American history, but let's not allow ourselves to forever blemish the very values that made this country great.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Artisan tackles restoration of historic copper school doors

2010-09-07T09:01:00.001-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -National News wire - The Infinite Echo

When renowned copper sculptor George Green caught wind the town of Bisbee Arizona intended to pay an out-of-state company to restore the historic, seventy-five year old copper clad Lowell school doors, Green, a Bisbee resident, contacted the local school board with a better idea. By George, just have Green do it!

Green is one of many talented artisans who call the scenic town of Bisbee home. In recent years, the former turn-of-the-century mining town has become somewhat of an artist’s enclave. Green, who moved to Bisbee from phoenix to be near his family a few years ago, speaks fondly of Bisbee and is eager to contribute to the town he loves.

So when Green learned the Lowell school board was preparing to pay a San Diego firm $26,000 to restore the massive ten-foot by five-foot doors, Green stuck his foot in the door, offering to restore the copper laden doors for about half the price. “It seemed to me a large sum of money for the school board to raise”, Green remarked of the original $26,000 price tag when interviewed for this article. “I just thought I could do the job a lot cheaper, and perhaps better.“ The Lowell school board agreed.

The historic doors were moved to Mr. Green’s basement, where the artist has begun the process of meticulously disassembling the copper plates, careful to document and preserve as much original detail as possible. Green, who has a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts, is being assisted with the restoration by two other prominent local artisans. Chris Flager is handling repairs to the door’s heavy wooden cores, while Steve Wilkes assists with the bending and straightening of the copper.

Green calls the restoration process painstaking, predicting it will take months to complete, but no one seems in a hurry. The School board is actively seeking financial contributions to offset the cost of the process, including hosting a fundraiser billed as ‘Copper Pennies for the Copper Doors’. So far, about two thousand dollars has been raised for the project.

As can be expected, the aging doors have endured seventy-five years of abuse and neglect. Two years ago, the massive doors, weighing nearly five hundred pounds, were removed from their hinges and placed in storage. Long time Bisbee residents are thrilled with the prospect of having the unusual copper-plated doors swinging back into action. Most expect the restoration to be well worth the wait.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Manhunt continues for suspected Utah cop killer

2010-08-28T20:10:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The search for an alleged cop killer continues in the high desert along the border between Arizona and Utah, as the suspect, 23 year old Scott Curley, proves more elusive to authorities than anticipated.

A ten thousand dollar reward has been offered for the capture of Curley, with over three hundred law officers participating in the search. The manhunt began after Curley shot and killed Deputy Brian Harris with a rifle while the officer was pursuing the suspect on a separate charge. Curley is accused of burglarizing a nearby high school in Fredonia the night before.

Curley, a native American, is believed to be on foot, but has been successful in giving authorities the slip, leading searchers through unusually rugged terrain. During the cover of night, the suspect was apparently able to slip away from a police dragnet, covering greater distance than expected. It is believed Curley may have stashed some supplies in anticipation of his escape, suggesting the killing may have been planned well in advance.
Experts also suspect Curley may be getting assistance from friends or family. “We know someone is out there who knows where this individual is and we hope they will step forward,” U.S. Marshal David Gonzales was quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune.

According to individuals familiar with Curley, rumors had been swirling for days that the suspect might be planning an attack. Others suggest the troubled young man may be delusional, and friends feared he could be reaching “the breaking point“.

Searchers, rotating in shifts, are currently focusing their efforts on an area between Fredonia and Kanab, Utah, just north of Arizona. Authorities deny they have given officers orders to shoot Curley on sight, but admit tensions are high. Still, they claim they maintain hope of capturing the troubled killer alive.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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National Guard troops prepare to deploy along Arizona border

2010-08-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -National News wire - The Infinite Echo

On Monday, the initial deployment of National Guard troops will begin arriving along the porous Arizona border separating the United States and northern Mexico. With border violence on the rise, area residents await troop arrival with measured optimism.

National Guard troops will begin arriving along the Arizona side of the border in small groups and without fanfare. It is anticipated that over five hundred troops will be deployed to the region by the end of September. Their effectiveness however, is hard to predict as the troops, although armed, will only operate as observers, lacking authority to make arrests themselves.

Still, the extra boots on the ground are expected to create an additional deterrent for would be smugglers and others who may attempt to cross the border illegally. Some experts however, believe the drug cartels will simply move their operations elsewhere, such as southern Texas, which is already experiencing an increase in drug related violent crimes.

Illegal immigration has become a key hot-button issue in recent months, especially among Republicans and Tea Party supporters. However, even long time Arizona senator and Republican presidential candidate John McCain has acknowledged that the situation is not as simple as erecting a two thousand mile fence through the rocky desert or deploying troops along the border.

Arizona governor Jan Brewer has criticized the Obama administration for not doing enough to stem the flow of illegal activity along the border. Brewer recently enacted new laws designed to mitigate the situation, but several sections of the new bill, SB-1070 were ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. Brewer and her attorneys filed a brief addressing the matter earlier this morning.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Controversial Arizona sheriff facing Justice Department showdown

2010-08-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The US Justice Department has issued an ultimatum to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio; turn over requested documents by Friday, or face the consequences.

In a battle that has been brewing for months, the Justice Department has turned up the heat, threatening to sue the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office if the department refuses to cooperate with a federal investigation into mistreatment of detainees, including charges of racial discrimination and unlawful searches and seizures. Arpaio and his attorneys claim to be cooperating with the investigation, but the feds see it differently.

Originally, the Justice Department had given the Arpaio and the Sheriffs Department until August 17th to turn over the requested documents. Lack of compliance by the department could cost the county millions of dollars in federal funds, a risk that concerns many county officials. Withholding the funds would devastate the budget, gutting countless programs.

Arpaio, for the most part, has remained defiant and undeterred, refusing to alter his tactics, including his now notorious ‘crime sweeps’, which despite the national attention, have produced few meaningful arrests.

The seventy-eight year old sheriff began his career in law enforcement as a beat cop in the Washington DC area before relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1957. He later worked for the DEA for over twenty-five years before eventually moving to Arizona.
Arpaio has held the office of Maricopa County Sheriff since 1992. He often makes headlines for housing inmates in outdoor tents during the excruciating summer heat, and feeding the prisoners green Bologna.

According to the information provided to the media by the Justice department, Arpaio and his office has until ”no later than the close of business on Friday, August 27th, 2010” to turn over the requested documents.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Crews begin repairs to ruptured Tempe Town Lake dam

2010-08-25T17:46:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Crews have begun making repairs to the ruptured dam at Tempe Town lake after runoff from monsoon rains delayed the start of the project for several days.

On July 20th, the day before the crews were to begin maintenance on the dam, one of the four inflatable rubber bladders located on the west end of the dam burst, sending a raging torrent, 15,000 feet cubic feet per second, enough to fill over fifty thousand swimming pools, crashing downstream. Since then, the man made lake has sat empty.

Tempe Town Lake has long been a dream of those living in Tempe and throughout the valley of the sun. In 1987, after years of research and development, the Rio Salado project, which included construction of the lake, was finally put before valley voters.
It was the beginning of what would slowly develop into Tempe Town Lake.

Eight rubber bladder dams, each 16 feet tall and 240 feet in length, were installed along the river, creating a 2-mile long lake with over 220-surface acres of water. Finally, on June 2, 1999, water from the Central Arizona canal began flowing into the Tempe Town Lake. 43 days later, the lake was officially declared full.

Ten years later, Tempe Town Lake has become the top attraction in the valley, with nearly three million people visiting the lake annually. It is the crowning achievement of a project over thirty years in the making. Each year, millions of people enjoy the lake. Some boat, while others choose to walk or jog along the miles of adjoining trails. Valley parents bring their family for an afternoon picnic. Some simply come to the lake to gaze at the beautiful oasis in the middle of the bustling desert city.

Understandably, many valley residents were saddened by the sudden loss of the lake. Thousands of fish left to die on the desert floor were scooped up and fed to alligators at a neighboring zoo. Officials predict it will be November before the lake again reaches capacity.

There is an up-side. Crews working on the first pedestrian footbridge to span the lake say work is progressing much quicker than expected without the water to contend to and predict the bridge will be ready for use by the time the lake is re-filled.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Cuba announces release of six political prisoners

2010-08-25T07:16:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -National News wire - The Infinite Echo

A day after the Obama administration announced it was open to allowing some Cuban dissidents into the US, the Roman Catholic Church of Cuba has released the names of six more political prisoners to be freed into exile by the Cuban government.

On Monday State Department spokesman Philip Crowley confirmed to reporters that some cases were being considered, but also reiterated that so far no requests have been made. Five of the released prisoners will be heading to Spain. The sixth will be exiled in Chile.

The announcement comes on the heels of an article written by Tim Padgett in the August 23rd 2010 edition of Time Magazine questioning US President Barack Obamas commitment to restoring US travel relations with Cuba. On April 13th, 2009, President Obama spoke eloquently about “A new era in relations between the governments of the United States and Cuba.” but, many have doubts. There are a reported 1.2 million Cuban Americans living in southern Miami and the surrounding vicinity. Most are very poor and nearly all have impoverished relatives back in Cuba. Proponents see restoration of travel relations with the country as crucial for the islands gradual march toward democracy. Over 2.1 million residents live in the Cuban capital of Havana.

Following the 1959 revolution which ousted the government of US backed Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista in favor of Fidel Castro, the country went through a period of cautious nationalism. Castro quickly established a reputation for little patience for dissention within the ranks. Nor was the bearded revolutionary known to tolerate what he perceived to be the liberal media. “Nobody should imagine that somebody on his own can write an article judging the state, the party, the laws, but especially the party. We want broad information, but nobody can assume the prerogative of judging the party.” Castro once famously stated.(attribute - ‘The Cuban Revolution - Origins, Course and Legacy - Marifeli Perez-Stable) The US issued a trade embargo against Castro and his government in 1962.

Then in the late eighties came the unexpected collapse of the Soviet Union. Cuba, long reliant on Soviet aid, found it increasingly difficult to mitigate the economic effects of the US embargo, leaving the small island country paralyzed in perpetual poverty.

In 1994 the United States agreed to grant up to 20,000 visas annually to Cubans, after 35,000 Cuban refugees poured into Florida in 1994 alone. US President Barack Obama frequently mentioned Cuba during campaign speeches, and many Cuban Americans have high hope for change.

Over the years, hundreds of Cuban dissidents have been imprisoned by the Castro regime. The six men being released, Victor Arroyo Carmona, Alexis Rodriguez Fernandez, Leonel Grave de Peralta Almenares, Alfredo Dominguez Batista, Prospero Gainza Aguero and Claro Sanchez Altarriba are part of a group of seventy-five political prisoners originally arrested in 2003 on charges ranging from treason to espionage. Only twenty of the seventy-five prisoners still remain behind bars. The others have all been released by current Cuban President Raul Castro, who has served since his brother Fidel stepped down following a near fatal illness in July, 2006.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Candidates feel the heat as crucial primary elections loom

2010-08-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Voters in the states of Florida, Alaska, Arizona, Vermont and Oklahoma will be heading to the polls on Tuesday, and for some candidates, the kitchen is getting hot!

The stakes are high! Contests in the states of Arizona and Florida are being watched unusually close by candidates and pundits alike. In Arizona, controversial Republican governor Jan Brewer is expected to easily secure the GOP nomination for her gubernatorial position, but times have been rough for former GOP presidential candidate John McCain, seeking his fifth term in the U.S. Senate. McCains opponent, former Republican Congressman J.D. Hayworth has taken the seventy-three year old, four term Senator to task on a number of hot button issues, most notably, immigration reform.

According to the Washington Post, John McCain has spent over 21 million dollars on this campaign, a seemingly insurmountable sum for a Senate run. Predictably, the effort appears to be paying off for the former Vietnam POW as recent polls have McCain leading Hayworth going into Tuesdays primary election. Still, John McCains reputation as a maverick within the Republican party has taken some serious blows.

Florida will also be holding senate and gubernatorial primaries on Tuesday, with the results expected to have long term ramifications. The polls have many of these races too close to call. Bill McCollum holds a marginal lead over his opponent Rick Scott, in what has been a battle so ugly, only Mark Twain could describe it accurately without wincing. The pair of pugilists are vying for the position of Florida State Attorney General.

Alaska will be searching for a new governor as well, with primaries being held for both parties on Tuesday, as Alaskans look to move beyond Sarah Palin, as the former Alaska governor pursues her ambitions for the GOP presidential nomination.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Drug violence cutting into Mexican economy

2010-03-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The increase in drug cartel related violence throughout Mexico is having a negative impact on the Mexican economy as thousands of U.S. citizens choose to stay home this Spring rather than risk the dangers associated with traveling south of the border.

The upsurge in violence is proving disastrous for the Mexican economy, much of which is heavily reliant on tourism, down sharply from previous years. Many traditional ‘Spring Break’ hot-spots have experienced dramatic decreases in revenue.

The quiet seaside villages south of Tijuana, many already poverty stricken, have been especially devastated by the lack of seasonal tourists. Local beaches, restaurants and hotels show little signs of activity. Anxious vendors still wait diligently for the occasional tourist, but few arrive, and resources are dwindling.

Mexican auto insurance, long a dependable revenue stream for borders towns, has also experienced a precipitous drop in sales. Mexico law requires that all vehicles visiting Mexico purchase auto insurance before entering the country. Most U.S. insurance companies do not cover accidents that occur while in Mexico.

Mexico's notorious Gulf Cartel is blamed for much of the recent drug violence, including the kidnapping of a Nuevo Leon police chief whose decapitated body was discovered a short distance from his abandoned vehicle over the weekend.

Drug related violence is nothing new along the northern border towns of Mexico, but a growing rivalry between two competing cartels, the much feared Gulf Cartel and 'Los Zetas' has led to unbridled bloodshed throughout the region.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Angry Residents Demand Officers Badge Following Assault of Phoenix City Councilman

2010-03-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Angry residents of a Phoenix inner city neighborhood are urging Phoenix City Mayor Phil Gordon to fire a valley police officer, following a neighborhood fire that resulted in a city councilman being cuffed and assaulted by the officer.

The officer, Brian Authement, who is white, was responding to a house fire in a predominantly black neighborhood when the altercation occurred. Officer Authement, age 27, is accused of using excessive force, throwing Councilman Michael Johnson to the ground, as Johnson, who is black, attempted to check on the safety of his next door neighbor, whose house was ablaze.

Neighbors of the councilman are understandably outraged by the incident, and have demanded the officer be fired. Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris is also being called on to resign.

Councilman Johnson is himself, a former Phoenix police officer who retired in 1995 after twenty-one years on the force. Johnson did not attend a public forum held last night to discuss the incident, but intended to discuss the matter in detail early today at the Sandra Day O'Connor U.S. Courthouse.

Several prominent blacks in the valley have stepped forward to express their discontent with the manner in which the situation was handled and are demanding Authement lose his badge. Many residents of the neighborhood in which the incident occurred have complained about similar run-ins with responding officers. Several have testified under oath that they or their family members have been erroneously pulled over, questioned or arrested by because of the color of their skin.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The Great Arizona Beer Festival comes to Tempe Town Lake

2010-03-04T11:26:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Live in an arid climate long enough, and one soon begins to dream of water. In Tempe, Arizona, that dream has come true, in the form of a 99 million gallon, man made lake.

Tempe Town Lake east of Phoenix

In 1911, workers completed construction of the massive Roosevelt Dam east of the fledgling city of Phoenix, Arizona. Save for the occasional flood, water would soon cease to flow through the Salt River toward the growing community downstream. The river water was redirected through an intricate canal system to accommodate farmland in the valley. What had formerly been a rich riparian habitat along the river, quickly became a barren wasteland.

Faced with starvation, wildlife indigenous to the river basin was forced to abandon the dieing habitat. By the mid fifties, the riverbed had succumbed to neglect. The dry river became home to a bevy of industry, land fills and quarries. The once glorious Salt River had reached rock bottom.

Then in 1966, a wonderful thing happened. Dean Elmore of the College of Architecture at Arizona State University came up with a wonderful, wonderful idea. Elmore and his students envisioned building a series of locks and channels along the dry riverbed. They proposed refilling the channels with water, building sections of park and greenbelt along the rivers neglected banks and rehabilitating the surrounding ecosystem. It was a grand and beautiful plan.

In 1987, after years of research and development, the Rio Salado project was finally put before valley voters. The surrounding valley communities resoundingly defeated the bill, but in Tempe, residents remained supportive. Tempe Mayor Harry Mitchell agreed, announcing the City of Tempe was prepared to go it alone. It was the beginning of what would slowly develop into Tempe Town Lake.

Eight rubber bladder dams, each 16 feet tall and 240 feet in length, were installed along the river, creating a 2-mile long lake with over 220-surface acres of water. Finally, on June 2, 1999, Water from the Central Arizona canal began flowing into the Tempe Town Lake. 43 days later, the lake was officially declared full.

Ten years later, Tempe Town Lake has become the top attraction in the valley, with nearly three million people visiting the lake annually. It is the crowning achievement of a project over thirty years in the making.

Each year, millions of people enjoy the lake. Some boat, while others choose to walk or jog along the miles of adjoining trails. Valley parents bring their family for an afternoon picnic. Some simply come to the lake to gaze at this beautiful oasis in the middle of the bustling city.

After recent heavy rains pounded the valley, it once again became necessary for Salt River Project to release water downstream. Still, events planned along the greenbelt continue forward, undaunted.

This weekend, March 6th, and 7th, Tempe Town Lake plays host to the 22nd annual Great Arizona Beer Festival, which will feature more than 200 varieties of beer. If you decide to attend, however, don’t be expecting a cheap buzz. Tickets range between $40.00 and $90.00. Also be sure to make plans for a designated driver, as each ticket holder can expect to receive twenty-four different samples, each in their very own mug.

The Rio Salado project may never be entirely completed, and perhaps that's a good thing. Valley residents can expect the lake and the surrounding rehabilitated ecosystem to continually grow and improve with age. Downstream, mighty cottonwood trees once again adorn the riverbed and the indigenous wildlife, absent for nearly a hundred years, is slowly returning.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Phoenix announces cutbacks to light rail service

2010-03-01T10:17:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Only fourteen months after Phoenix Metro light-rail began rolling through the valley, City Manager David Cavazos is already taking dramatic steps to cut costs.

The cuts, which the Phoenix City Council will vote on Tuesday, could mean dramatic cutbacks during traditional rush-hour service. Trains currently run every ten minutes during peak rush hour traffic. Cutbacks in service could mean trains would come every twelve minutes, amounting to major inconvenience for some riders.

Valley Metro Light Rail facing cuts to service

The cutbacks would also effect weekend service, especially during the early morning hours and in the evening. City Manager David Cavazos says the cuts are necessary for the city to significantly trim operating costs, and the Phoenix City Council are likely to agree. However, efforts are being made by the council to preserve evening service.

Metro Light Rail operates twenty miles of track connecting the central Phoenix corridor with Cities of Tempe and Mesa. Tempe and Mesa have both experienced positive growth since the launch of the light rail, but many valley residents, and visitors alike, question the veracity of the some of the decision making. The 1.4 billion dollar rail system, which inexplicably by-passes Sky Harbor International Airport, has remained at the center of controversy, while racking up an alarming number of minor collisions with valley vehicles.

Still, supporters of the light rail are optimistic. Overall, service has been excellent and the light rail a success. Many see the cuts simply as a reflection of difficult economic conditions. The City of Phoenix is currently facing a $240 million deficit in its general fund, caused primarily by the downshift in the economy.

Hillary Foose, Public Information Officer for Metro acknowledged some changes would ultimately be necessary, but encouraged valley residents to participate in the process.
“Anytime you reduce service you impact rider-ship” stated Hillary, who was interviewed for this article. “We take this into account whenever making any changes.” Foose spoke at length about the actual process that goes into determining any changes, but reminds residents the process is open to public discussion.

“Metro currently has two meetings planned”, stated Foose when reached Monday morning. “The first meeting will be held Tuesday, March 2nd, and this is when we really need the input from the public. There are seven options posted on the Metro website, each listing the amount the option would save the budget”. Foose encourages anyone with an interest to visit the Phoenix Metro website and voice your opinion. The second meeting will be held some time next week.

Any changes would not take effect until July, 2010.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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New Pueblo Grande Museum exhibit to feature eye popping, large-format, ancient rock art photos

2010-02-26T17:10:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Pueblo Grande Museum east of Phoenix is set to host a new exhibit, Landscape Legacies: The Art and Archaeology of Perry Mesa opening to the public, Friday, March 5th.

Photo Credit: Pat Gorraiz

The exhibit, which features eye popping, large format photos of spectacular ancient rock art also includes new research from renown Arizona State University Doctoral Candidate Hoski Schaafsma, who examines the prehistoric agricultural practices on Perry Mesa, located about an hour north of Phoenix.

Perry Mesa and it’s inhabitants have long been the subject of controversy. Discoveries made at the vast archaeological site have led some experts to conclude the indigenous peoples of Perry Mesa may have been much more sophisticated than originally thought.

Valley Photographer, Pat Gorraiz has visited the mesa on countless occasions, compiling a breathtaking collection of rock art photographs, many which will be featured in the exhibit. Gorraizs’ large-format photos suggest a complex and fascinating culture, surrounded by an intensely beautiful, but equally dangerous environment.

While much of the rock art found at Perry Mesa feature traditional native American images, others found at the vast site lean toward the other-worldly. Strange humanoid figures, sporting inexplicable head-dress and other oddities can be found throughout the collection. Paint was later applied to some of the glyphs, although experts disagree on who may have been responsible for the paint, and what the their intentions might have been.

Schaafsma is excited about the progress and cooperation this new study represents. “Those responsible for managing the landscape have allowed a multi-scientific discipline point of view to be brought to bare on this landscape.” States Schaafsma. “Frequently, one scientific community such as the archaeologists will come to the landscape and we will do our work and we’ll all go home and write our own papers. Later on, the ecological community may do research on the same landscape, and go home with their own conclusions. However, because of the foresight of some individuals, a number of diverse agencies, including Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, the Bureau of Land Management and the National Forest Service have come together to study the Perry Mesa landscape”. Mr. Schaafsma has written extensively about the region.

The exhibit opens Friday, March 5th, at the Pueblo Grande Museum, located at: 4619 East Washington Street, in Phoenix. Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park is a National Historic Landmark and is accredited with the American Association of Museums. Visit www.pueblogrande.com for further information on this exhibit and other upcoming events at the museum.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Kyl betting Hayworth wont challenge McCain for Senate seat

2009-11-24T12:26:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

United States Senator Jon Kyl is placing his bets on John McCain to keep his job another six years, no matter what radio jock J.D. Hayworth may say to the contrary.

Hayworth, a former six-term congressman from Arizona, is raising speculation among fellow Republicans of a possible bid for the U.S Senate seat, long held by John McCain. Hayworth currently hosts a conservative talk radio program broadcasting daily from KFWI radio in Phoenix.

John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential hopeful, was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, before becoming a United States senator in 1986. McCain has held the seat since.

Speculation of a challenge heightened as a result of recent polls suggesting the two republicans are in a dead heat, McCain with 45 percent of respondents, and 43 percent polling for Hayworth.

Jon Kyl, a U.S. Senator from Arizona since 1994, has doubts however, as to whether Hayworth has the ability to mount the kind of challenge necessary to unseat the popular McCain, and predicts the radio host will ultimately choose not to run.

"I guess it's illegal to bet on the outcome of elections,” Kyl was quoted by the Arizona Republic. “but I'll just predict that John McCain will have another six years representing the people of the state of Arizona after the next election."

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Vice President Biden meets with controversial county sheriff, Joe Arpaio

2009-11-16T15:39:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden met privately with controversial Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio while visiting Phoenix on Monday, although details of the unannounced discussion have not been made public.

Biden who was in Phoenix today touting the successes of the Obama administrations economic stimulus plan was quick to point out to the small crowd gathered for a democratic fundraiser, that more than 2 million Arizonans have already received tax cuts as a result of the plan.

Bidens meeting with the controversial County Sheriff, however, caught many by surprise. It is no secret that Arpaio, who refers to himself as the nations “toughest sheriff’ does not see eye to eye with the Obama administration on many issues, most notably, illegal immigration.

Arpaios conduct, and that of his agency, have been repeatedly criticized by human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, and the American Civil Liberties Union. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Department is also under investigation for numerous civil rights violations. The investigation is being led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, headed by former Arizona governor Janet Napolitano.

Arpaio, who has previously made headlines for housing Maricopa County jail inmates in outdoor tents during 110 degree plus temperatures, denies the charges, claiming bias.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Trick or Treat? Off Duty Cop Pulls Gun in Haunted House

2009-10-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

An intoxicated off-duty Baltimore city police officer visiting a haunted house with his family has been charged with assault after pointing a loaded handgun at a costumed employee.

According to authorities, Sgt. Eric Janik, 36, pointed the handgun at Michael Morrison's chest, who was dressed as a character from the horror film ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre.’

The chainsaw Mr. Morrison's was wielding was only a prop, and did not have a working chain. Morrison dropped the chainsaw when he saw Janik was pointing a real gun. It has not been revealed why the apparently intoxicated Janik carried the concealed weapon into the haunted house in the first place.

Numerous witnesses at the ‘House Of Screams’ haunted house attraction reported Janik stinking of alcohol as he entered the attraction with family members. Officers on the scene also noted the off duty police officer seemed to be slurring his speech at the time of his arrest. Janik denies pointing the gun at Morrison, claiming he only pointed the weapon at the ground. Witnesses to the incident disagree.

Sgt. Janik, 36, has worked for the Baltimore city police department since 1995. He is currently suspended without pay, pending the outcome of a hearing set to be held on Thursday, October 29th.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Meet Richard Cheney, All Bull, No Horns

2009-10-22T16:33:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Meet Richard Cheney. When it comes to dishonesty, Mr. Cheney wrote the book. Truth be told, it’s more of an instructional manual really, aptly titled ‘The Art of Untruth, a Practitioners Guide to Deception’.

The former Vice Presidents book contains a plethora of technique and advice, all gleaned from Mr. Cheney’s illustrious experience as the world’s pre-imminent teller of lies.

Chapter headings include ’When Honesty is Not the Best Policy’ ’Fear Mongering for Fast Results’, ‘Inaccuracies and Misdirection’, ‘Lies for Fun and Profit’ and includes a finely researched collection of some of Mr. Cheney’s more sensational quotes. Here’s just a sample of what goes on in the mind of this disingenuous buffoon, a man some refer to as the most powerful war profiteer in modern history.

"In Iraq, a ruthless dictator cultivated weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. He gave support to terrorists, and had an established relationship with al Qaeda" - Nov. 7, 2003

"We know he's been absolutely devoted to trying to acquire nuclear weapons, and we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons." - March 16, 2003

"My belief is we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators." - March 16, 2003

“The plan was criticized by some retired military officers embedded in TV studios. But with every advance by our coalition forces, the wisdom of that plan becomes more apparent.”

"I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency." - on the Iraq insurgency, June 20, 2005

“The Iraqi forces are conducting the Mother of all Retreats“.

"Go f*ck yourself." - to Sen. Patrick Leahy, during an angry exchange on the Senate floor about war profiteering by Halliburton, June 25, 2004

“I’m the Vice President, and they’re not” - January 2007

There are many more disturbing quotes attributed to our heartless former vice president. After all, Dick Cheney has been telling whoppers since long before I was born. Mr. Cheney doesn’t just bend the truth, he revels in his lies. He has in fact, elevated his dishonesty into an art form…The art of untruth.

Now before you go order a copy of the book from Amazon, I should probably come clean, something Mr. Cheney has never done. You see, other than the quotes, I made this whole thing up. There is no book. It was all one big lie.

Mr. Cheney would be proud of me.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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CBS News Raises Doubts Over McNair Murder Investigation

2009-10-21T17:48:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Nashville police have some explaining to do after seriously botching their investigation into the murder of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair.

The sudden death of McNair shocked the nation and saddened football fans around the world. The bullet-riddled body of the former NFL quarterback had been found slumped on a couch, with two bullets in his torso, and one in each side of his head. The body of his girlfriend, 20-year-old waitress Sahel Kazemi, was found face down on the floor nearby with a single bullet wound to her temple and the murder weapon by her side.

At the time, the evidence seemed to suggest a distraught Kazemi killed McNair with a handgun she purchased fully loaded in a mall parking lot shortly before the shooting. Nashville police concluded Kamemi then turned the gun on herself. However, according to an independent investigation conducted by CBS NEWS, the facts simply don’t add up.

New evidence uncovered by CBS investigators says Nashville police made critical errors in their conclusions. According to the police report, Kazemi purchased a "fully loaded 9 mm pistol at 5 p.m. on Thursday," in which she was "absent from work for about two hours, until 7 p.m."

In fact, according to employee attendance records obtained by CBS, the two-hour absence actually occurred the day before, contradicting the accepted timeline and casting doubt upon whether Kazemi could have ever actually purchased the handgun.

Kazemi, who was arrested for DUI shortly before the murders occurred, was reported to be distraught over her relationship with the NFL legend. However, close friends of Kazemi say the relationship was fine and the two were planning to move in together soon. Kazemi is seen in jail surveillance video looking anything but distraught. In one scene, she is even seen doing another inmates hair.

McNair, who quarterbacked in the NFL for 13 seasons, will be remembered as a class act and a true lover of the game of football.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Judge Rules Against Sheriff in Jail Abortion Dispute

2009-10-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the man who bills himself as “America's Toughest Sheriff“, has been dealt a stinging rebuke by a Maricopa County Superior Court judge who has ruled the Sheriff cannot demand inmates prepay the cost of transportation to the abortion clinic.

Sign at the Tent City Jail near Downtown Phoenix

Sheriff Arpaio had maintained the inmates pay up to $600 in transportation and security fees in advance for busing them to and from the abortion clinic. In 2005 an injunction was filed against the Sheriff's Office, prohibiting the practice. The Sheriff appealed the decision all the way to the Supreme Court. He lost his appeals.

The American Civil Liberties Union had successfully argued that prepayment creates obstacles to a woman's constitutional right to obtain an abortion in a timely manner. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Robert Oberbillig agreed. However, neither the American Civil Liberties Union nor the judge disputed the Sheriff Departments right to seek reimbursement of costs. Predictably, Arpaio is expected to appeal the ruling.

Sheriff Arpaio is no stranger to controversy. Over the years, he has received endless media attention for his outdoor jail facilities and for serving his inmates green bologna. Along the way, his public antics have gained him as many supporters as critics.

The outspoken sheriff has made the headlines frequently in recent weeks in a separate dispute with the Obama administration over his aggressive approach to illegal immigration enforcement. Arpaio has been re-elected four times since assuming the office in 1996. A 2007 recall petition failed to collect enough signatures to put the recall to a vote.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Bush Attacker Receives Heroes Welcome In Geneva Switzerland

2009-10-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zeidi, who was recently released from an Iraqi prison after serving nine months for throwing his shoes at former U.S. president George W. Bush, has been greeted with a heroes welcome in Geneva Switzerland.

Muntadhar al-Zeidi gained worldwide notoriety for his December 2008 attack on the former president, earning the journalist a stint behind bars, where he claims he was brutally tortured by his captors. al-Zeidi refers to himself as a “victim of the occupation’ and alleges abuse during his detention. He insists however, he was not abused at the hand of Americans.

The Iraqi journalist is quick however, to condemn the United States for it’s roll in what he claims are the deaths of over a million Iraqis since the U.S. invasion began six and a half years ago. Iraq Body Count estimates approximately 100,00 Iraqis have died violently since the invasion began, but these numbers are considered by most experts to be somewhat lower than the actual count. In addition to the astounding number of deaths, another five million Iraqis have been left without homes. Over two million of these Iraqi refugees are currently living in nearby Syria and Jordan.

Al-Zeidi says he has been offered generous gifts and large sums of money by un-named wealthy Arabs, but has pledged not to accept any such offers until he is able to set up a foundation enabling the funds to be used to assist Iraqis who have suffered as a result of the war.

Muntadhar al-Zeidi will be remembered by most observers for throwing his shoes at then-president George W. Bush during a press conference in Bagdad on December 14, 2008. He was sentenced to a year in jail, but was ultimately released three months early for good behavior.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Zero to Torture in Six Seconds - Mancow Learns the Hard Way

2009-05-23T13:53:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Mancow Muller has a big mouth, and he’s proud of it! After all, talking is what this shock jock from Chicago does for a living. So it was a surprise, when after a mere six seconds, Mancow changed his tune about whether water-boarding is torture.

Mancow now admits he was in serious denial about the effects of water-boarding. Having experienced the banned torture technique first hand, he no longer compares it to swimming… he compares it to drowning. It is truly amazing how much about a man can change in six seconds.

"I thought I could hold out 30 seconds," quipped Mancow after being water-boarded. “ It was instantaneous. I don't want to say this. I do not wish to say this. Absolutely torture. Absolutely. That’s drowning.”

Of course, former ranking members of the Bush administration, including former vice-president Richard Cheney have maintained water-boarding is not torture, in spite of the obvious fact that it is in violation of US and international law.

Let this be a shot across the bow for those still in denial on the issue. Torture is reprehensible, no matter what semantic spin one may wish to adhere. Those who excuse or defend torture are equally reprehensible. The United States of America must rise above the temptation to commit such atrocities. We cannot allow our actions to be motivated by arrogance or cowardice, touchstones for the neo-conservative agenda.

Torture will not make Americans more safe. It will only put more lives at risk, regardless of race or religion. Ignorance begets ignorance. Just ask Mancow, he’ll tell you. One moment he was preparing to take a morning swim. Before he could say “bring it on”, he was drowning. "I wouldn't have done this, if I had known it was going to be this bad”, Mancow later stated.” I would not have done this."

It is neither noble nor patriotic to guard the door whilst the fox raids the henhouse. Water-boarding is torture, and it’s about time America stands up to it’s own crimes.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Woman Claims Deceased Father Was Zodiac Killer

2009-04-30T18:25:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Debra Perez claims she knows the identity of the notorious Zodiac Killer. The southern California woman has come forward claiming her late father, Guy Ward Hendrickson,was the man responsible for the shocking murders forty years ago.

On Wednesday, Perez held a news conference outside the San Francisco Chronicle,where she and her attorney gave details about her father, and how she had arrived at her gruesome conclusion. If she is right, this could bring closure to a mystery that has haunted residents of San Francisco for decades.

Perez claims that as a child, her father took her along for the ride on at least two occasions. She also claims to have heard gunshots while waiting for her father in the car as he went inside a residence. According to Perez, her father told her the noises were “firecrackers”. "He kept telling me he was sick and he killed many, many people. I had no idea." Perez stated.

The Zodiac Killer is blamed for several murders in the San Francisco area during 1968 and 1969. Although no-one has ever been charged, others in the past have been suspected of the crimes, including convicted child molester Arthur Leigh Allen, who died in 1992. Hendrickson died of cancer in 1983.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Is the Party of 'No' Becoming the Party of No-One?

2009-04-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

With the defection of long time GOP stalwart Arlen Specter to the Democrats, could the Republican Party be facing irrelevance?

Tuesday’s announcement that Arlen Specter was bolting from the Republican party caught many by surprise. True, Specter has not been in lock step with the GOP for some time. Still, the senior senator from Pennsylvania had recently reiterated his loyalty to the party. How quickly the realities of politics can change the political landscape.

It’s no secret the GOP is in trouble. The ancient astronauts calling the shots at party HQ just don’t seem to get it. They are determined to play the game their own way, even if it ultimately means playing it alone. And playing it alone is no fun in politics. Just last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to Democrat. Specter understands. He gets the math. If the senior senator from Pennsylvania wants to stay relevant, he needs to represent.

With the Republican party facing a dismal 22 percent approval rating, one would be hard pressed to find good news, or good will, for that matter, within the party. Their highly publicized power struggle has only served to further the ever growing fissure splitting the GOP apart.

Conservative blowhards such as Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh have been no help, continually fanning the flames of discontent. Can you say “scorched Earth”? It's hard to figure what these folks think they stand to gain.

I am not a Republican, and I don‘t mind saying so. I think the party is caught in an untenable time warp, racing toward obscurity. It is a party in disarray, represented by talking heads with no palpable conscience, only acerbic rhetoric. But then, these days, I’m not even certain the GOP has a pulse.

Will the last out the door, please turn off the lights as you leave?

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Specter of Change - GOP Senator Becomes a Democrat

2009-04-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Arlen Specter, long time Republican senator from Pennsylvania, has announced his intent to change party affiliation, bringing the Democrats closer to a much wanted, 60 seat, filibuster-proof Senate majority.

Specter, facing an uncertain future among fellow Republicans in Pennsylvania, has seen his favorability rating drop in recent polls. More than half of those Republicans polled said they preferred a change in leadership. Polls show Specter trailing in hypothetical senate primary match-ups.

Specter has been under the gun from Republicans since supporting President Barack Obama's $787 billion stimulus plan. He was one of only three Republicans who voted in support of the plan. Specter, the fifth oldest senator in Congress was first elected to the Senate in 1980, and is the senior senator from Pennsylvania.

The Democrats having been awaiting the final results of the highly contested Minnesota Senate race between former comedian Al Franken, Democrat, and Republican incumbent Norm Coleman. Franken currently holds a 225 vote lead, and is ultimately expected to win the seat. With Arlen Specter switching to the Democratic party, their long sought after filibuster-proof Senate majority may suddenly be within grasp.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Bad Cop, No Doughnut

2009-04-26T10:57:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The jury is still out, but so far 2009 appears to be shaping up as the year of the bad cop. The year started off with a bang, when an Oakland, California cop shot an un-armed man in the back, and for the boys in blue it’s all been downhill ever since.

It all started January 1st, shortly after revelers rang in the new year, when Johannes Mehserle, an Oakland transit officer shot Oscar Grant, while Grant was lying face down on the pavement. Officers at the scene of the shooting attempted to confiscate all videos of the incident, but ultimately, several damning videos surfaced, showing the officer acted inappropriately. Officer Mehserle has since been charged with homicide and removed from duty.

Then on March 1st came the disturbing story of the King County Sheriff’s deputy who “beat down’ the fifteen year old girl in a cell. Once again, the brutal beating was caught on tape. The Deputy, officer Paul Schene, has been charged with fourth degree assault, including kicking the girl in the stomach, pulling her hair, slamming her head against the wall, and punching her while she was on the ground. This, all because the fifteen year old had referred to the officer as “a pig”.

Are you squirming in your seat yet? This is not the stuff I like to read about, nor is it the kind of story I prefer to write. And it just gets creepier from here. Read on.

There are two disturbing stories about rogue cops in the headlines as I write. First, there’s the story about the Dallas cop who detained NFL running back, Ryan Moats' in a hospital parking lot while his mother-in-law was dying. Yes, the incident was once again caught on tape, and again, it isn’t pretty. In fact, Ryan Moats’ mother-in-law passes away during the exchange, while the officer Robert Powell continues to badger Mr. Moats. The Dallas police department has expressed embarrassment over the matter.

Finally, there’s the story about the federal marshal in El Paso Texas who skips out on bail, having been busted stealing handguns and other items belonging to the feds. Vincent Bustamante, a deputy sheriff didn’t stay on the lamb long, however. His body was found just south of the US border in Juarez Mexico. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the back of his head.

During my research for this column, I found more stories of such behavior than I care to list. It saddens me, and perhaps, it frightens me. I hoping this will all turn out to be an aberration of sorts, a departure from the norm, rather than a sign of things to come. Still, I am reminded of a bumper sticker I used to see often on the bumpers of beaters rolling around New England. ‘Bad Cop, No Doughnut’, it read. No doughnut, indeed!

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Are Catholics Losing the Faith?

2009-04-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Could some Catholics be losing faith in their religion? According to a new report released by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Affairs, Catholicism in America is shedding more members than any other traditional faith.

The numbers are alarming. The Official Catholic Directory of 2008 reports there are over 67.1 million Catholics in the US, a decrease of nearly a half a million in the span of a year. The result has been the shuttering of parishes throughout much of the country.

Parts of Ohio, including Cleveland, have been hit especially hard, but closures have effected perishes throughout the US, including Allentown, Pennsylvania, Camden, New Jersey and New York City. As many as a third of those in the survey raised as Roman Catholics no longer attend the church.

The cause of the migration away from Catholicism is said to be rooted in money. "Too many bishops are treating parishes as if they were Starbucks franchises," Sister Christine Schenk, a Cleveland-area nun opined. "It's about more than money. It's about mission to the people," she said. "This isn't what Jesus would do."

The Catholic church has been faced with a number of image problems in recent years, as a result of internal strife and mounting scandal. The most prominent scandal involved accusation of sexual misconduct between Catholic priests and under-age minors, usually young boys. Some priests were ultimately defrocked, while others served time in jail.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Bush Officials Facing War Crimes Charges

2009-04-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

At least six former members of the Bush administration are facing criminal charges, as a Spanish court proceeds with its investigation into alleged US war crimes.

The same court that successfully brought former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet to justice, has pledged to prosecute six former members of the Bush administration for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Spanish law is not limited by international borders, allowing Spain to prosecute and extradite criminals from other countries, including the US. Some of those abused were Spanish citizens, adding further credibility to the proceedings.

The Bush administration officials facing charges include former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, former Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff David Addington, former undersecretary of defense policy, Douglas Feith, John Yoo from the Justice Department, Jay Bybee, and Pentagon lawyer William Haynes.

Although disgraced president George W. Bush has long maintained that detainees were not tortured or abused, an abundance of evidence has surfaced, including the use of banned interrogation procedures, such as water-boarding, sensory depravation, and electrical shocks to the testicles.

Other ranking members of the Bush administration have recently expressed concerns over how the Bush administration handled matters following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11th, 2001. Bush and others have been described as having “panicked”, detaining scores of individuals they knew were innocent.

"There are still innocent people there," declared a former chief of Staff for Colin Powell, Lawrence B. Wilkerson. "Some have been there six or seven years." In all, over 800 prisoners have been held at the US prison facility in Guantanamo, Cuba, where Bush officials believed they could operate outside of established law. Nearly all of the prisoners have since been released, with only a handful proving to have been involved in any terrorist or anti-American activity.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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UK Admits Rendering Terror Suspects

2009-03-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

After years of public denial, Britain has now acknowledged what many have long suspected. The UK, in clear violation of international law, participated in acts of rendition on at least four separate occasions.

According to the Associated Press, on Thursday, Defense Secretary John Hutton admitted two terror suspects captured by U.K. troops in Iraq were “later transferred by the United States to Afghanistan.” His admission conflicts with previous statements by the government, which insisted there were no other cases of involvement in the banned practice other than two cases disclosed earlier.

"I regret that it is now clear that inaccurate information on this particular issue has been given to the House by my department," stated Hutton . "I must stress that this was based on the information available to ministers and those who were briefing them at the time."

This latest revelation is not apt to bode well with various human right’s groups demanding transparency from the UK government. The incident is certain to cast a negative light on Britain’s contribution to the war on terror.

The Bush administration initially denied committing acts of rendition, but in fact, shortly after 9/11, the US began rendering terror suspects to violent, lawless countries for interrogation, where suspects were routinely tortured in violation of international law.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Charles Barkley to Serve Time in Tent City Jail

2009-02-25T11:59:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Former NBA star Charles Barkley will soon find himself serving ten days at Tent City, a controversial outdoor jail facility located in downtown Phoenix, as a result of a DUI arrest on New Year’s Eve.

Sign at Tent City

Barkley was arrested Dec. 31st, 2008 after Scottsdale Police observed his vehicle failing to stop at a stop sign. Sir Charles, as he is known by throngs of basketball fans, registered a blood-alcohol content of .149, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 in the state of Arizona. Barkley was sentenced to ten days, following a guilty plea by the former basketball star at a hearing on Monday.

Intensity in Tent City

The controversial facility, a makeshift jail in a Phoenix parking lot, has long been the subject of scrutiny, as has the man behind the idea, Maricopa County Sheriff, Joe Arpaio. Arpaio claims he chose to house Barkley at the outdoor facility because he “didn't want to be accused of offering special privileges for celebrities“.

“I'm taking a lot of heat for putting convicted illegal immigrants in the tents. How am I going to discriminate and not put high-profile people in the tents?" quipped Arpaio.

According to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department website, Tent City began in 1993, after Arpaio was able to acquire several surplus army tents. Rather than release inmates due to overcrowded conditions at the Maricopa County jail facility, Arpaio chose to house the inmates in a parking lot adjacent to the existing jail. The tents can often house as many as two thousand inmates.

For his part, Sir Charles has been contrite, apologizing for what he described as “unacceptable” conduct . Barkley, currently an analyst for TNT, is also expected to pay as much as two thousand dollars in fines. He is currently scheduled to begin serving his sentence on March 21st.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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An Era of Steel and Steam

2009-02-08T08:37:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

It was an era of steel and steam. It was a time of great power and wealth. Soon the world would be forever changed by this new mechanical marvel, the steam locomotive, the driving force behind the industrial revolution.

For centuries, man had understood the potential of steam as an energy source, but it took until 1803 before Samuel Homfray was able to successfully harness that energy with his invention of the steam engine. The first successful railway followed soon after, when on March 25th, 1807, England began passenger service between Swansea and Mumbles.

Across the pond, America was developing it’s own railway, and by 1869, eighteen hundred miles of track connected Omaha, Nebraska with Sacramento, California. The resulting improvement of trade routes was felt throughout the world. Within a decade, the industrial revolution was on a roll.

By 1893, the U.S. had completed five transcontinental trunk lines and no less than 260,000 miles of track. Monopolies of all ilk and fancy, now flourished. Vast opportunity awaited the wily entrepreneur. The railroad was no exception.

A brilliant engineer named Theodore Judah successfully persuaded Washington to pony up ten to twenty square miles of land and at least $48,000 for every mile of track completed. The track was laid by armies of imported Chinese ’coolies’, laborers who toiled relentlessly while rail barons were popping champagne corks and charging glasses in celebration.

Enter, Andrew Carnegie, philosopher and opportunist, and in later years, philanthropist. At age 18, Carnegie caught the eye of Pennsylvania rail baron Tom Scott, becoming his personal secretary and telegraph operator. Carnegie however, had great plans for the future. The unbreakable grip of the iron industry was about to give way to steel.

By the turn of the century, William McKinley was president, and in 1903, New York State enacted legislation prohibiting the operation of steam locomotives south of the Harlem river, thus ushering in the era electrified tracks. The first use of internal combustion engines began in 1913, and was quickly superseded by the invention of the diesel locomotive, which proved more effective. The times, they were a changing.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s , the railroad became symbolic of the American struggle. As work became increasing scarce, countless Americans took the rails in search of jobs out west. At one point, railroad hoboes numbered in the millions, with many losing life or limb along their perilous journey. Brutal security, known as ‘railroad bulls’ were hired by railroads in an attempt to dissuade the hoboes, but to little avail. The average railroad tramp had few alternatives. Life was hard, at best.

Novelist Louis L'Amour was among those who rode the rails, as were journalist Eric Sevareid and oil billionaire H. L. Hunt. Even future Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas spent time riding the rails in search of work. Today, perhaps the most famous of those who rode the rails is folk singer, Woody Guthrie, the voice of a generation, and the man who penned some of Americas most beloved folk songs.

Today we look back on these amazing machines as products of a bygone era. The mighty iron horse has been put to pasture. Or has it?

Phoenix Metro Light-Rail Train

The steam engine may be a thing of the past, but light-rail tracks and monorails are springing up in greater and greater numbers. Perhaps these are not the romantic machines made famous by daring engineers like Casey Jones, but they provide safer, if not more efficient service. Meanwhile, thousands of miles of railway still grace the countryside, as modern locomotives pull seemingly endless processions of freight cars, hauling lumber, cattle, and virtually everything in between.

Away in the distance, a lonesome whistle blows. Tonight, perhaps further in the distance than in recent memory. The age of steel and steam has passed, but the dreams of those who dared make it happen, remain. An era, vanishes in a puff of smoke. A new era begins.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Ancient Canals Discovered in Heart of Mesa

2009-01-28T11:19:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Anthropologists, with the assistance of satellite imagery, have discovered the remains of a series of ancient canals, located just south of the Salt River, near the very heart of downtown Mesa, Arizona.

The existence of the canal system, built in the Salt River valley centuries ago by the Hohokam, has long been known, but the extent of this most recent discovery has caught some experts by surprise.

Jerry B. Howard, curator of anthropology at the Arizona Museum of Natural History is one of the experts involved in archaeological studies of the region being conducted before the city of Mesa can permit the area to be redeveloped. Planners had intended to build a massive water park on the property, but all bets are off as to whether that plan can still move forward.

Mesa Grande Pueblo Ruins

"Through satellite imagery, sometimes we can actually see the canals, kind of a signature of them," states Howard. "The soil in them is different than the other soil around them, more porous and moist.”

The area, larger in scope than previously anticipated, is currently home to a golf course and a hospital, the two of which are separated by not surprisingly, the Mesa Grande Pueblo ruins.

These ruins, located near the heart downtown Mesa, were once occupied by the Hohokam Indians, responsible for constructing massive canal systems, still providing water to the Valley of the Sun, hundreds of years after the Hohokam mysteriously vanished.

The Hohokam inhabited the northern Sonora desert region known as the ‘Phoenix Basin’ for centuries before the arrival of the European explorers. They constructed extensive canals and irrigation networks, rivaling those of Ancient Egypt and China. These industrious peoples cultivated a variety of crops, including tobacco, cotton, beans, squash, maize and agave.

Mesa Grande Pueblo Ruins

John Bartlett, Arizona pioneer, was one of the early explorers of the region to document the ruins at Mesa Grande, writing the following about his experience:

"(July 4, 1852) ...A ride of a mile brought us to the table-land, when we made for a large mound or heap which arose from the plain. In crossing the bottom we passed many irrigating canals; and along the base of the plateau was one from twenty to twenty-five feet wide, and from four to five feet deep, formed by cutting down the bank—a very easy mode of construction, and which produced a canal much more substantial than if carried across the bottom".

Mesa Grande Pueblo Ruins

"On reaching the great pile, I found it to be the remains of an adobe edifice from two hundred to two hundred and twenty-five feet in length, by from sixty to eighty feet wide, its sides facing the cardinal points. Portions of the wall were visible in only two places, one near the summit, at the south end, where, from the height of the pile, it must have originally been three or four stories high; and the other at the northern extremity, on the western side...From the summit of the principle heap, which is elevated from twenty to twenty-five feet above the plain, there may be seen in all directions similar heaps; and about a mile to the east, I noticed a long range of them running north and south, which the Indians said were of similar character to that on which we stood."

Today, little of the Mesa Grande Pueblo remains. A fence has been erected around the perimeter of the ruins, and not much can be seen from the roadway. Few residents in the neighborhood are even aware of the ruin’s existence. A sad state of affairs for a culture responsible for so much innovation. Without the canals, the valley would have remained uninhabitable.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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George W. Bush, Piltdown Man of La Mancha

2009-01-20T15:27:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

George W. Bush would like us to believe history will remember him as a hero, a man who stood by his convictions. Much like Don Quixote, however, Bush rose up against perceived evil only to find he was chasing the unobtainable.

In doing so, Bush the younger drew his sword and spilt the blood of thousands. His little game of shoot em up escalated into a full scale mash-up of Hell meets high-water. I don't care for the word "quagmire". The definition falls way short of describing how bad the situation in Iraq became. Of course, there is nothing civil about civil war.

In truth, I doubt George W. Bush has ever ventured near La Mancha. Had he done so, he would have soon learned it was not inhabited by dragons. Still, I digress.

Lets move on to the "Piltdown Man." The reference may seem somewhat left field for those not familiar with the story, so here's the set-up.

Until the Invasion of Iraq, Piltdown Man represented perhaps the most extraordinary hoax in modern history. As the story goes, a pair of archaeologists claimed to find a human skull in a gravel pit near the town of Piltdown, purported to be the five hundred thousand year old missing link between man and monkey. The skull was in fact constructed from parts of several different skulls, including the jaw of an orangutan. Varnish was then applied to give the finished product a look of consistency. Amazingly, it took the scientific establishment forty years to catch on.

Does this scenario sound at all familiar? Indeed it does!

George W. Bush wants us to believe that in forty years or so, history will recall his presidency as strong and steadfast. He sees himself riding off into the sunset mounted upon his trusty steed, the White Knight, the enemy of evil.

I, however don't see it happening that way. I suspect history will be far more accurate, and much less flattering. At best, George W. Bush will be regarded as the Don Quixote of presidents. Mission accomplished, the windmill is dead, Jim.

More likely, George W. Bush will be remembered as the reigning Piltdown Man, an unmitigated fraud that has pushed America back into the stone age.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Fitness Trends Adjust To Economic Woes

2009-01-20T07:47:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Fitness Trends Adjust To Economic Woes

The new year is traditionally a time for resolve. For many of us, it inevitably means a renewed commitment to personal fitness. This year, Americans of all ilk and age will once again tip the scales fantastic, and walk away determined to shed those unwanted pounds predictably packed on during yet another bountiful holiday season.

This years model may look decidedly different, however, as nervous consumers and markets alike, adjust to the flattened economy. Recent trends suggest that in the coming months, many seeking to improve their personal fitness will be looking to more cost efficient methods.

Fear not, however. Options are as varied as they are many. Fitness is a personal matter. When deciding the right program for your fitness goals, there are a numbers of options you may wish to consider.

Gym Membership

In years past, the fitness industry has remained strong even during rough economic times, leading some experts to view the overall fitness industry as recession proof. Still, the number of new gym memberships have notably declined in recent months, a reflection of consumer jitters. With membership rates often costing seventy dollars per month or more, many consumers consider gym membership a luxury. Still memberships are expected to rise again for the month of January. From there, it remains to be seen how gyms, during these lean times, will flex their muscle.

Fitness Coaches & Personal Trainers

Another option you may wish to consider is a personal trainer or fitness coach. Beware! All personal trainers are not alike. Be sure you find a fitness coach who is professional and is as dedicated and enthusiastic as you are. Your training regimen should reflect your personal health and fitness needs, and at rates often beginning at fifty dollars per hour or more, you can nary afford to choose your personal trainer in haste.

Aerobic Workout & Dance Classes

For some folks, aerobic dance classes could prove to be the ultimate fitness solution. I suppose at some point, we've all watched a predictably ridiculous dance flick and wondered if perhaps, we too might someday leave it all on the dance floor. According to some industry observers, however, high-impact aerobic workouts aren't quite the rage they were not long ago. Enrollment is on the decline.

Dance classes contain about thirty students per classroom. Rates generally start around seventy dollars per class and the price only goes up from there. On second thought, the old stair-climber is looking better by the day. For now, I am content to leave the dancing to the experts.

Gym Equipment for the Home

Okay, so I'll admit the old stair-climber isn't going to be the answer to my fitness needs. The cumbersome dinosaur never saw much use when we kept it in the dining room. It has seen even less since being relegated to the back of the garage. For some consumers, home gym equipment offers the convenience of having the equipment on hand. But with consumers nervous about the future, and most home systems priced above a thousand dollars, many consumers are finding home equipment too pricy, turning instead to more traditional (and less costly) methods of exercise.

In fact, don't be surprised to find consumers returning to the basics. During rough economies, fitness regimens are more apt to include the use of free weights, jump ropes, etc. Regimens are also more likely to include jogging, hiking, swimming and other exercises requiring minimal financial investment. And why not? After all, exercising should be fun and of course, beneficial to your health. A good fitness program doesn't need to drain your bank account. And who knows? Perhaps all you really need this year is a comfortable pair of cross trainers and a little new-found willpower.

So what are you waiting for?

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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A Long, Hard Summer

2009-01-10T07:50:00.001-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Somewhere in the halls of Washington, the powers that be are feeling the heat. It’s only the second week of January, and already I sense, it’s going to be a long, hard summer.

Suffice to say we have begun the new year with a bang, and not a whimper. For what it’s worth, however, that bang we just collectively heard was not the sound of the US economy hitting rock bottom. Expect that sound to be deafening. I suspect what we might have just heard was, in fact, the sound of George W. Bush slamming the door on his way out. It would, after all, be the only noise we have heard from him in quite some time.

Perhaps, during these times of great hardship, the forty-third president of the United States finds it increasing difficult to face an ever skeptical public. Perhaps George W. Bush has grown weary of Washington, and the public perception of him as a hapless rodeo clown. After all, isn’t this the part of the story where Bush envisioned himself riding off into the Texas sunset?

But I will not pine for the glory days of George W. Bush and his companions. Certainly not whilst confronting the dog days of summer which surely lie before us. I cannot but fear, and I mean truly fear, for the future welfare of this once great nation of ours. The outlook is grim.

President Elect, Barack Obama, is facing an uphill battle, probably for many years to come. By the time he takes the oath of office in ten days, the nation will be three trillion dollars in debt, in most part, due to the irresponsible actions of his predecessor. He and the Democratic controlled Congress must act quickly to stem this current of financial bloodletting. Even then, we have no guarantees as to how this crisis will play out.

I suppose I risk comparisons to the fool who shouts fire in a crowded theater. Nonetheless, somewhere off in the distance, I smell smoke. Perhaps it remains too early to panic, but rest assured, it’s much too late to do nothing. The heat is on, America. Unfortunately, I’m afraid it is us, the average Joe and Jane, who will ultimately get burned.

Now might be a good time to catch up on some reading. The Grapes of Wrath, perhaps.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Radical Cleric Orders Attacks Against US Troops

2009-01-08T13:41:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The relative calm, pervasive throughout much of Iraq in recent months, may soon come to an abrupt end. Moqtada al-Sadr, the powerful cleric and outspoken opponent of the US occupation of Iraq, has ordered attacks on US troops in reprisal for recent Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Al-Sadr has been vocal in his opposition to any continued presence of US troops in the region, and has launched two previous offensives targeting US soldiers and outposts. The influential cleric also apposed a security deal agreed upon and signed by the two countries last year.

This new edict from al-Sadr does not bode well for peace in Iraq any time in the near future. His followers are loyal and numerous, and have shown themselves to be fierce fighters.

"I ask the Iraqi resistance to engage in revenge operations against the United States, the biggest partner of the Zionist enemy," al-Sadr is quoted as saying, urging the Iraqi resistance to carry out “revenge operations” against US interests.

The cleric also urged the closing of all Israeli embassies in the region as an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people. So far, more than seven hundred Palestinians have died as a result of this most recent Israeli aggression against the people of Gaza.

Earlier Thursday, a chief spokesman for the United Nations announced the organization would suspend further activities in the Palestinian territory. The organization provides food and relief to nearly 80 percent of Gaza's population.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Cuba Allows Digital Access to Hemingway Documents

2009-01-07T14:37:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The Cuban Heritage Council has announced it will allow access to thousands of pages of documents once belonging to American novelist Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway wrote many of his greatest works while living on the island, which he called home for more than twenty years.

Ada Rosa Alfonso Rosales, director of the Museo Ernest Hemingway, located in Havana, answered questions about the documents. "We are talking about 3,194 pages of documents, close to 2,000 plus of documents, some already digitalised," Rosales stated. "For practically the first time, this is being made available to students and researchers," she added.

Hemingway spent much of his adult life in Cuba, where he lived with his wife on a fifteen acre estate called the `Finca Vigia` approximately fifteen miles from downtown Havana. There he wrote some of his most memorable novels, including the literary classic ‘The Old Man and the Sea”

The archive is purported to include coded messages Hemingway is believed to have sent while drunkenly pursuing German submarines operating just off the coast of Cuba. The collection also includes photographs, letters and manuscripts, as well as an unpublished epilogue to Hemingway's novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls.

An additional thousand or so documents have yet to be scanned and added to the archive, but will be made available upon completion. Academics and researchers can request electronic copies of the rare documents from Cuba's Heritage Council.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Goodbye Mr. Bush, and Good Riddance!

2008-12-31T14:44:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The day has finally arrived!

Our last New Years Eve with George W. Bush, warmonger and prince of fools. May he choke on a pretzel on his way out the door.

Bush will be remembered for many things. Nothing good, mind you. This is a president who has driven the country right into the ground. And it won't just be George W. Bush they'll be pointing the finger at. History won’t have anything positive to say about those who defended this intellectual abomination, either. It is neither noble, nor patriotic to guard the door whilst the fox raids the hen-house.

Oh, we will indeed remember George W. Bush. No question about it. How can we ever forget? He was a many of many words, most of which, like everything he touched, he butchered…

"America better beware of a candidate who is willing to stretch reality in order to win points." George W. Bush, aboard his campaign plane, Sept. 18, 2000

"We'll let our friends be the peacekeepers and the great country called America will be the pacemakers." George W. Bush, Houston, Texas, Sept. 6, 2000

"I'm gonna talk about the ideal world, Chris. I've read I understand reality. If you're asking me as the president, would I understand reality, I do." George W. Bush on abortion, MSNBC's "Hardball," May 31, 2000

"Will the highways on the Internet become more few?" George W. Bush, Concord, N.H., Jan. 29, 2000

"I am mindful of the difference between the executive branch and the legislative branch. I assured all four of these leaders that I know the difference, and that difference is they pass the laws and I execute them." George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 20, 2000

"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator." Washington, D.C., Dec. 19, 2000

"If you don't stand for anything, you don't stand for anything! If you don't stand for something, you don't stand for anything!" George W. Bush, Bellevue Community College, Nov. 2, 2000

"I'm not really the type to wander off and sit down and go through deep wrestling with my soul." George W. Bush, as quoted in Vanity Fair, October 2000

Days Remaining in Office: 21

"Never again in the halls of Washington, D.C., do I want to have to make explanations that I can't explain." George W. Bush, Portland, Oregon, Oct. 31, 2000

"They said, 'You know, this issue doesn't seem to resignate with the people.' And I said, you know something? Whether it resignates or not doesn't matter to me, because I stand for doing what's the right thing, and what the right thing is hearing the voices of people who work." George W. Bush, Portland, Ore., Oct. 31, 2000

No doubt. History will not soon forget George W. Bush.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Barack the Magic Negro?

2008-12-29T15:38:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

You must be kidding me? This story is offensive on so many levels. How could a high ranking Republican with aspirations within the party possibly arrive at such an abominable conclusion?

Let me bring you up to speed. Chip Saltsman, candidate for Republican National Committee Chairman, has chosen to distribute a satirical CD containing racist material about Barack Obama as a Christmas gift. Not one copy, mind you, sent to a friend, but a rather substantial number of copies, sent to a number of prominent Republicans.

The offending CD is titled: ‘We Hate America, and is obviously the product of an amateur. His name is Paul Shanklin and he is neither clever nor funny on this collection of politically incorrect ditties. This is the kind of trash one might find offered up at a trailer park yard sale for a nickle.

Here’s a quote from the lyrics of the song in question:

“Yeah, the guy from the L.A. paper said,
He made guilty whites feel good,
They’ll vote for him and not for me,
‘Cause he’s not from the hood”

Watch out, Slim Shady. This guy is after your job.

This sort of thing only qualifies as satire in an academic sense. Satire, Spirit and Art, by George A. Test describes Satire in the following manner:

"The emotions that are thought to give rise to satire are generally acknowledged to be the least admirable human emotions-anger, malice, hatred, indignation. The emotions that satire are said to evoke are likewise emotions that make most people uncomfortable- shame, anger, guilt, anxiety. The view of humanity in satire is a negative one- tumultuous, crowded, aggressive, cynical, pessimistic."

Obviously, Shanklin is within his Constitutional rights on this issue, and if he and Mr. Saltsman want to distribute this vile nonsense, it is certainly their prerogative. Still, I am surprised the Republican hopeful would find this CD a useful tool for rehabilitating the GOPs already heavily damaged image. Who knows? Maybe Mr. Saltsman actually finds this stuff funny. How sad.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Phoenix Launches Light-Rail Service

2008-12-28T05:57:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

After four years of construction, the city of Phoenix has finally begun operation of it’s long anticipated Light Rail service, connecting the central phoenix corridor and the east valley.

Contrary to reports, however, all did not go quite as planned. Although trains were scheduled to arrive at each station every four to six minutes, some folks waited hours in line, as trains already packed with riders arrived every twenty-five minutes or so. Still, the weather was pleasant, and the throngs who came out for the days festivities left satisfied.

Phoenix Metro Light-Rail Train

For residents of the valley, this day has been long in coming. Construction of the project began back in 2004, and as is nearly always the case with projects of this magnitude, an array of problems, most notably with the track, delayed the launch date.

Phoenix mayor Phil Gordon certainly appeared pleased, and with good reason. Gordon, a light-rail advocate, was seeing his vision come to life. The mayor spent his morning riding the new trains and exuberantly shaking hands with riders.

The sleek new trains are quiet and energy efficient, providing a viable alternative for some valley commuters. Not all residents, however, will reap the potential benefits, as service is currently limited to approximately twenty miles of track. The service should have some impact on downtown traffic and airport congestion, but won’t do much to relieve the untenable snarl of vehicles suffocating the surrounding suburbs.

Still, most everyone on hand was optimistic about the new service. Although this high tech new Metro Light-Rail system cannot be the solution to all of the valleys transportation woes, there is little doubt most residents minds. At least the city of Phoenix is finally on the right track.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Iconic Little Red Wagon Going High Tech

2008-12-24T16:41:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

This is not your typical little red wagon. Radio Flyer, maker of the iconic red wagon coveted by boys and girls alike since 1917, has announced it will soon introduce a new, high tech model wagon for the next generation.

This new wagon, called the ‘Cloud Nine’ comes complete with five-point safety harnesses, cup holders, and padded seats. And if that’s not enough, this nifty little wagon even comes with an optional MP3 player.

It doesn’t stop there. The ‘Cloud Nine’ comes with foot breaks, fold out storage containers, and a digital handle that tracks the current temperature, time, distance and traveling speed. No kidding!

Although the Chicago based company is best known for its ever popular red wagon, Radio Flyer manufactures an array of innovative outdoor childrens products, including tricycles and bicycles.

"We approached this product much like an automotive company might with a concept car," states Mark Johnson, product development manager for Radio Flyer. Tom Schlegel, vice president of product development concurs. "We sit down and observe how moms and kids are using our products," adds Schlegel. "That's where our new ideas come from." "This year has been a difficult year for a lot of companies," Schlegel says, "But Radio Flyer is actually growing. We're actually looking for engineers and designers in our product development group to keep up with the growth of the company."

Not to worry however. Radio Flyer has no intention of ending production of it’s model #18 Classic Red Wagon ant time soon. Products this reliable just don’t roll by every day. As for the high tech new ‘Cloud Nine’ wagon, only time will tell if this new model will fly as high as its lofty predecessor, or will ultimately prove to be just flightless, Red Herring.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Franken Confident of Senate Victory as Final Ballots Counted

2008-12-23T18:37:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Things are looking up for former comedian and Saturday Night Live cast member Al Franken. The Senate candidate currently holds a small lead over his rival, incumbent Minnesota Senator, Norm Coleman.

Franken was all smiles Tuesday morning, having claimed the lead over the incumbent by a margin of no greater than fifty votes, out of nearly three million cast during the November election. The counting continues, as both camps haggle over a handful of crucial ballots. Still a confident Franken camp posted the following message on his web site this morning: "We are more confident than ever that Al Franken will be the winner of this election,".

A decision could come at any minute. According to Bloomberg.com, the state canvassing board intends to complete counting votes some time today. The outcome may ultimately come down to a hundred votes the Coleman camp claims may have been double counted. Should the canvassing board decide to throw out those votes, this election could come down to less than a half a dozen votes or so.

Franken has reason to be confident going into the stretch, but a month and a half after voters spoke at the polls, it is still too early for victory celebrations. The Associated Press suggests the race won't likely be decided before the new Congress is sworn in January 6th.

Norm Coleman, Republican, has served in the US Senate since 2003. This is Al Franken's first attempt at national politics. Franken appeared on Saturday Night Live during the eighties, and has written a number of books, including ‘Lies: And the Lying Liars who Tell Them, ‘The Truth (with Jokes) and ‘Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot. Franken is a Democrat.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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New Poll Suggests Cheney Among Worst of the Worst

2008-12-22T18:41:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

A newly released national poll suggests nearly a quarter of all Americans surveyed believe Richard Cheney is among the worst Vice Presidents in US history.

Of those who responded, an additional 41 percent rated the Vice Presidents job performance as ‘poor’. On the flip side, only one percent believe Cheney to be the best veep in US history, and little time remains until Cheney’s term expires on the 20th of next month.

Few were surprised by the polls conclusions. The Vice President has been at the center of numerous scandals, ranging in scope from the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, to shooting a hunting buddy with a shotgun. Questions began as far back as March of 2001, when details about the Cheney Energy Task Force Documents became public. Cheney has faced a steady stream of controversy ever since.

If the Vice President is at all concerned by these new numbers, he certainly doesn’t show it. "I'm very comfortable with where we are and what we achieved substantively. And frankly, I would not want to be one of those guys who spends all his time reading the polls. I think people like that shouldn't serve in these jobs," Cheney stated during an interview on "Fox News Sunday."

Cheney has been making the rounds recently in an attempt to rehabilitate his legacy and that of George W. Bush and other members of the current administration. Cheney joins Dan Quayle and Spiro Agnew among the list of least popular Vice Presidents. The poll was conducted by the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, Friday through Sunday of this past week.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Shoe Sales Skyrocket Following Assault On President

2008-12-22T13:45:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The answer: Model 271 Brogues, shoes for men. The question: What is the hot must-have item throughout Arab countries this holiday season?

According to reports, orders for the shoes have skyrocketed since Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi removed his from his feet during a recent press conference, and proceeded to hurl them at US president George W. Bush, along with a few choice epithets.

Al-Zaidi has paid dearly for his actions, suffering a broken tooth and apparent cigarette burns, caused by Iraqi authorities following his arrest. He has a court hearing scheduled for later this month. In the meantime, al-Zaidi cools his heels in an Iraqi jail.

For the maker of the shoes, however, the incident has led to a windfall in sales. Ramazan Baydan, Istanbul shoemaker has had to hire a hundred additional employees to meet market demand, with over 300,000 pair ordered in just under a week. Over 100,000 pair have been ordered in Iraq alone, and upstart shoe distribution companies have been opening throughout the region to help meet buyer demand.

Hurling shoes has long been considered an insult in Arab culture. President Bush was light on his toes however, and managed to dodge the incoming projectiles. The assailant, al-Zaidi was quickly dragged to the floor by security, but was able to unleash yet another traditional Arab insult before being hustled away. “A farewell kiss to a dog” he was heard to exclaim. Indeed, there are still many in Iraq who perceive George W. Bush, not as a liberator, but as an unwelcome invader. George Bush will end his term as the 43rd president of the United States on January 20th, 2009. He will be replaced by incoming president, Barack Obama, who will be sworn in the same day.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Warner Music Pulls Plug, Drains YouTube Talent Pool

2008-12-21T19:23:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Negotiations between Warner Music Group and YouTube have hit a snag, sinking what once appeared to be a lucrative agreement for both parties.

Warner Music Group has announced it will no longer allow its artists to be featured on the video site, and ordered YouTube to immediately begin pulling videos, a move that will undoubtedly send ripples throughout the industry. Warner (WMG) controls the licensing for many of the music industries most successful acts, including mainstays, Madonna and Metallica, as well as more recent acts like My Chemical Romance. WMG was also the first major label to pursue an agreement with the internet upstart, which in 2006, led to Googles acquisition of YouTube for a staggering $1.65 billion dollars.

Unfortunately, the entire enterprise straddles on the precipice of becoming just another unsuccessful partnership. Although pay per click profits amount to less than a penny per click, it was believed the shear magnitude of hits would generate huge sums of capital for all parties. Apparently, however, such has not been the case, as WMG reports returns have fallen far short of projections.

The failure of this agreement does not bode well for either party. Although both are expected to survive the rough seas ahead, the future remains uncertain. YouTube is the most popular video site on the web, and prospects are good. Warner, however, stands to lose millions in lost revenue and will be facing increasing difficulty as consumer trends change. What seemed like a marriage made in heaven only two years ago, may have been a harbinger of struggles to come, as the entertainment industry adjusts to a rapidly changing market.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Polaroid Files for Chapter 11

2008-12-19T07:41:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Take a picture, it lasts longer!

With the Christmas holidays less than a week away, Minnesota based Polaroid Corp. has announced the iconic brand will soon be filing Chapter 11 under the nations bankruptcy protection laws.

The company also recently announced it intends to stop making film for it’s once popular Instamatic cameras at the end of this year.

Polaroid Land Camera

With the advent of digital technology, Instamatic cameras have become all but obsolete. Over the decades, the sensational little cameras have attracted legions of fans. As word reached consumers, stores who normally stock the film experienced unusually high demand, as anxious consumers anticipated an end to an era, buying up all available product, leaving store shelves empty.

According to officials within the company, the bankruptcy is intended to allow Polaroid to restructure it’s finances. "We expect to continue our operations as normal during the reorganization and are planning for new product launches in 2009," stated Polaroid chief executive officer, Mary L. Jefferies. "Our operations are strong and during this process Polaroid will ship products to our retail partners, work with our suppliers and contract manufacturers to fulfill retailer demand “

According to records, Polaroid’s parent company, Petters Group Worldwide, is currently under investigation for fraud. Although Polaroid is not the subject of the investigation, it is difficult to predict how the outcome of such an investigation might effect future operations at Polaroid.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Another Black Eye For the Bush Administration

2008-12-16T12:40:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

President Bush may have dodged an attack by incoming shoes during last weekend’s now infamous Iraq press conference, but it seems White House Press Secretary Dana Perino was somewhat less fortunate. According to reports (hers included) Perino sustained a black eye when a US Secret Service agent (code name ‘Keystone Cop’) toppled a microphone stand during the subsequent melee.

What, Me Worry?

As is customary with this president, George Bush just shrugged it all off. What’s another pair of shoes for a man who has cost so many innocent people their legs? What’s another black eye to this once great nation? Bush is without conscience. Why should he care if a stranger tosses their shoes in his direction? Bush did, after all, encourage ‘them’ to “bring it on”. I just don’t think he was anticipating a size 10 wingtip. Nonetheless, the old adage stands… if the shoe fits, wear it.

As for Perino, her physical wounds will heal soon enough. It is the black eye to her own legacy with which she should be most concerned. Her days as mouthpiece for the lamest of all ducks are quickly drawing to a close. When George W. Bush limps out of the Oval Office for the last time on January 20th, Dana Perino will find herself left to the wolves. Just ask Scott McClellan. He could write a book on the subject.

Of course, Perino’s own snide demeanor has undoubtedly left many with reason to envision black circles around her beady little eyes. Irony has not been lost on the fact that it came down to the Secret Service to accomplish the dirty deed. What a long, strange trip it has truly been. I suppose the truth does indeed hurt, or at least in this instance, it smarts a little. My advice to Dana? Just do what you always do… ignore it and it will go away.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The Fall of the Aztec Empire

2008-12-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The fall of Aztec civilization has long been a subject of great interest. The Aztec were an extraordinary people, steeped in myth and mayhem, their impact still felt throughout Mexico. The sudden collapse of the Aztec Empire in 1520-1521 has been compared by scholars to that of ancient Rome.

The Aztec Empire collapsed quickly, lasting no more than a century. Some scholars have blamed the collapse on the arrival of Hernando Cortes and the invading Spaniards but in fact, fatal disease and regional discord also played major roles in their demise.

In the year 1427, the Aztecs under the rule of Itzcoatl, and with the assistance of surrounding communities successfully conquered the Tepanecs, thus gaining control of the Valley of Mexico'. However, unlike other warring nations, the Aztec were primarily interested in occupation of new territory, seeking offerings, human and otherwise, for sacrifice to their unusual Gods.

Existing community temples were burned or destroyed, replaced with Aztec alters. Residents were instructed to worship their new God, Huitzilopochtli. Aztec religion was represented through numerous deities, most which appear on the Aztec calendar. These deities were believed responsible for blessing or cursing Aztec life. Such practices were unacceptable to many regional communities, who often found themselves or their neighbors victims of Aztec atrocities.

Around 1521, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan became infected with the small-pox virus. The subsequent epidemic wiped out nearly half the population of the city, leaving it vulnerable to attack from outside forces.

Soon after, Hernando Cortes mobilized nine thousand of his own troops and nearly a hundred-fifty thousand regional troops.

The arrival of Cortes and his army had a profound psychological effect on Montezuma and the Aztec peoples. Many scholars have portrayed Montezuma as weak willed and indecisive, but for years prior to the Spanish conquest, omens had predicted an end to the Aztec empire. Montezuma is said to have played and lost a ritualistic ballgame, another ominous sign.

As Hernando Cortes and his army began approaching from the south, rumors were already reaching Montezuma about the four legged monsters with human bodies traveling northward. Montezuma and his councilors watched the approach strangers with noted apprehension. Feeling his hands were tied by psychological and logistical considerations, Montezuma received Cortes and his troops without resistance.

Bernal Díaz del Castillo, a witness, later wrote of the encounter:

“Montezuma took Cortez by the hand and told him to look at his great city and all the other cities that were standing in the water and the many other towns and the land around the lake… So we stood looking about us, for that huge and cursed temple stood so high that from it one could see over everything very well, and we saw the three causeways which led into Mexico… And we saw the aqueduct of fresh water that comes from Chapultepec, which supplies the city, and we saw the three bridges on the causeways which were built at certain distances apart… And we beheld on the lake a great multitude of canoes, some coming with supplies of food, others returning loaded with cargoes of merchandise, and we saw that from every house of that great city and of all the other cities that were built in the water it was impossible to pass from house to house except by drawbridges, which were made of wood, or in canoes; and we saw in those cities Cues (temples) and oratories like towers and fortresses and all gleaming white, and it was a wonderful thing to behold!”

According to the first hand account of Diaz del Castillo, Montezuma would soon die at the hands of his own people. Diaz and his companions were saddened by the death of the great warrior.

“Cortes and all of us captains and soldiers wept for him”, Diaz wrote. “And there was no one among us that knew him and had dealings with him who did not mourn him as if he were our father, which was not surprising, since he was so good. It was stated that he had reigned for seventeen years, and was the best king they ever had in Mexico, and that he had personally triumphed in three wars against countries he had subjugated. I have spoken of the sorrow we all felt when we saw that Montezuma was dead."

The subsequent collapse of Aztec culture became inevitable. By August of 1521, the Aztec were all but decimated, and in their wake, began the era of Spanish rule throughout Mexico. Stone had given way to steel.

Descendants of the Aztec continue to live throughout Mexico, and much about Aztec culture remains. Previously unknown ruins have recently been documented and excavated, leading to much new information about these amazing people. Still, like their relatives, the Mayan and the Toltec, the Aztec left behind a curious and troubling legacy, some mysteries of which we shall never fully understand.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The War Prayer

2008-11-29T05:26:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

"O Lord our Father,
our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle –
be Thou near them! With them – in spirit – we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with hurricanes of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with their little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it – for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen."

Mark Twain
1905

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T13:32:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

With Thanksgiving upon us, America is facing crisis on a number of fronts. The troubled economy is first and foremost in the minds of most, but our problems go well beyond our current economic woes. Much like the children’s story about a certain Mr. Dumpty, our nation is experiencing fractures from the impact of a great fall, and we’ll need more than a new king and his henchmen to piece this thing back together.

Of course, I mean no slight to the president elect. Obama has assembled an impressive team of respected minds to lead us out of this mire. Still, they will have many obstacles set before them in coming months. The situation is both dire, and ugly.

On a lighter note…
Here along the home front, the turkey is in the oven, and a fresh pot of coffee is on the way. Earlier this morning, the power was off for an hour or so, which wasn’t so bad, really. We all climbed out of bed, placed lit candles in strategic locations, and proceeded to heat water on our gas stove for the purpose of hot coco. As it turns out, hot coco by candlelight at six in the morning is a wonderful way to start thanksgiving day.

It has been raining for hours, but the sun is beginning to poke through the clouds from time to time. At sixty-eight degrees, we are not discussing global warming today. It’s just too nice out… it wouldn’t seem right. It’s for weather like this, after all, that people move to the valley in the first place.

I haven’t been posting as often as I would like, but hopefully I’ll get a few more posts up in the coming days. There has been much to write about, but my attention has been elsewhere. I just wanted to take a few moments of my time, (and perhaps a few minutes of yours) to count my blessing contemplate the future. Hopefully, I’ll see you there.

Until next time, happy Thanksgiving, and may your turkey (and your thoughts) be tasteful and tender.

Brad

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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GOP Convention Analisys: Night of the Living Dead

2008-09-03T09:25:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Is it just me, or has the Republican party gone ‘Full Retard’?

I’m mean, honestly folks, how much seemlier and pathetic can they get? Personally, I wasn’t expecting much from the Republican National Convention to begin with, as obviously, McCain was never their choice. John McCain has railroaded the Republican party, and the neo-cons (ultra-cons) are none too happy about it.

B. Thomas Cooper

And then there’s the issue of Sara Palin, whose choice as running mate was all too clever by half, if I may say so myself. This lady is one scandal after another, just waiting to blow up. October surprise? Just give it time. I know who the editors at National Inquirer will be pulling the lever for.

Oh, and did you catch the remark by Laura Bush suggesting being governor of Alaska qualifies as foreign policy experience, due to it’s proximity with Russia? Is she really that dumb, or is she just desperate and delusional? Either way, it’s one of those crazy remarks that will stand through the ages.

President Bush himself was relegated to an appearance as scorned puppet-master. (Pay no attention to the man behind the mess.) Boy, was his appearance weird, or what? He could have been calling in from the Prague.

Thompson, who should have been a much stronger orator, struggled throughout his speech, choking, and stuttering and stammering his way through his lines. His rhetoric was filled with the kind of make believe scenarios one associates with the movies... like who would win a fight between Batman and Rocky Balboa. Should we feign surprise?

And then there was the jingoistic, nationalism that sounded much more like Hitler than Thomas Jefferson. The Republicans want you to believe it’s patriotic to feed our young men and women to the war machine. They showed no regret for the needless loss of life and limb.

As for that smarmy little traitor, Benedict Lieberman, he came off as only caring about continued war funding, the staple of the economy in Cunnecticut. The Republicans don’t trust him, and his speech changed nothing. They all know damn well he’d turn on the GOP as quickly as he turned on the Democrats. He has no party loyalty, and no, he is not a patriot… he is a bloodthirsty warmonger of the worst kind. He’d stab his own mother in the back if he thought she’d bleed oil.

And this, all before Republican mouth-pieces Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy were caught off camera, but with a live microphone, sounding somewhat less than optimistic about the election. (View clip below).

Peggy Noonan and Mike Murphy caught on open mic

So far, the Republican convention has not been a pretty scene, nor has it been well received. At least from my vantage point, it doesn’t appear the Republican base is at all prepared to move forward. Full retard, indeed! Will the last out the door, please turn off the lights as you leave?

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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If I were President (revisited)

2008-08-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

With the Democratic National Convention now upon us and the presidential election only a few weeks away, it is understandable one might ponder the ramifications. What can we expect from president Obama, of 'Commander in Chief' John McCain? For that matter, what if I were president?

A question pondered by many, but one that can only be answered by a select few. What would I do, you ask? Well for starters…

As president of the United States, I’d probably spend much of my time in the White House rose garden, hanging with the gardener. I would undoubtedly seek his advice on a variety of subjects, starting with perennials. I might even appoint him (or her) to the Supreme Court should the opportunity arise. (After all, it almost worked with Harriet Miers).

If I were president, I would use my executive powers to insist upon the completion of the Mount Rushmore busts, which have been left unfinished for over a half a century. (Let’s see the Taliban try to destroy these busts).

I would hire an architect to install some corners in the Oval Office. I would fire Richard Cheney, and replace him with a lawn sprinkler. Actually, I don’t think it really matters what I replace Cheney with, just as long as I replace him.

I would take cooking lessons from the White House chef, and demonstrate my exquisite taste to foreign dignitaries. I would have a Taco Bell installed next to the Lincoln Bedroom. I would stay up late at night watching Conan, and fall asleep on the couch with a mouthful of pretzels.

Come to think of it, I probably wouldn’t make the best president. Then again, who would? Some of us were simply never cut out for the roll of President of the United States, and frankly, the current administration is going to be a tough act to follow.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The Moon Landing Conspiracy Continues

2008-07-31T18:19:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Could NASA have faked the moon landings?
Might what we have witnessed over a quarter century ago actually been nothing more than an elaborate hoax? Preposterous, you quip. After all, why would the US government propagate such lies? Moreover, what could be the possible motive?

Well comrades, if you're old enough to read this article, you're undoubtedly aware of the boundless conspiracy theories rolling around the ether. Some have merit, others border on the ridiculous. Predictably, for every conspiracy there are countless theorists, each expounding upon a variation of a theme.

The moon landings are a prime example, having become the stuff of modern folklore. As is clearly highlighted by the growing interest in the subject, many are now willing to risk their reputation in pursuit of the truth. At the very least, it makes for an entertaining read.

So then, my friends, what is this elusive truth? We really don't know, do we.

We know for certain however, that the US government is plenty capable of gross acts of deception. Yep folks, round these parts, we propagate lies the way some folks grow corn… by the bushel. And it goes way back. We here in the states are long accustomed to the concept of accepting preposterous lies.

Take Santa, for example. Curse the rotten scoundrel who dares tell my grand-daughter the truth. We happen to be quite comfortable propagating that lie, so if you please, could I bother you for some grape Kool-aid? I hear there's plenty to go around.

Of course, the entire Alamo story was contrived by liars. We just prefer happy endings, which the real story was lacking. And then there's the whopper we tell our children to impress upon them the importance of telling the truth. I'm sure you know the one to which I refer. It involves a young future president owning up to chopping down a Cherry tree, which in fact, is not indigenous to the region, having been brought into the country by the Chinese over a hundred years after George Washington crossed the Potomac. It's a lie, and a rather dumb one at that. Teach your children well.

In retrospect we all know now that George W. Bush and his cronies lied to us about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but over ninety percent of us eagerly bought into those lies. Another Kool-aid, if you please. And then there's the ridiculous single bullet theory' which quite frankly, one would have to be unusually stupid to believe. No chance, no way, do not pass go. Talk about implausible explanations, this has got to be the granddaddy of them all. It relates to the assassination of US president John Kennedy. I'll leave it to you to read the report and do the math. One needn't use a calculator to realize it doesn't add up. Never did, never will.

So could the moon shots have been a lie as well? The accepted legal dictum refers to the establishment of reasonable doubt'. Having personally conducted a dauntingly thorough investigation into the matter, I can honestly say I have reasonable doubt. There are far too many questions and far too few plausible explanations to discount the possibility out of hand. If this were a trial, I could not in good conscience conclude the US had indeed landed on the moon. The evidence supporting such claims are becoming increasingly suspect, and NASA has done little to answer the tough questions.

Of course, the government stands by their story, but is it in fact, nothing more? How could NASA have orchestrated such an outlandish hoax? Perhaps only a handful of people know what actually did or did not happen. Perhaps the rest of us will never know. It has long been standard operational procedure for the US government to ridicule or marginalize dissenting opinion. Challenge the status quo and rest assured, you'll soon find yourself relegated to the ranks of the lunatic fringe.

So then, the answer my comrades, is simple. Just quietly drink your Kool-aid like good little boys and girls. All the world needs now is yet another crazed conspiracy nut. Oh, pardon me. I resemble that fella.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Tim Russert Dies at Age 58

2008-06-17T13:32:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert passed away suddenly, after suffering an apparent heart attack in Washington D.C. Mr. Russert, was indeed quite special. He will be greatly missed by many.

A journalist and a gentleman, the consummate professional, and an inspiration to his peers, Tim will be remembered most of all for being a family man. Tim was a venerable figure in the journalism profession. He loved his country, and he loved his job. His integrity can be matched by few.

Dr. Michael Neumann, an assistant to Mr. Russert reports that Russert collapsed while preparing for ‘Meet the Press’ which he moderated and has hosted since 1991. Resuscitation began immediately, but to no avail. Russert was taken to Sibley hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy later confirmed the cause of death.

Tim Russert had recently returned from vacationing in Italy with his family, following the graduation of his son Luke from Boston College. Russert, born in 1950, was raised in Buffalo, N.Y. where the flags were lowered to half mast in his honor. Russert had a unique gift for gleaning and retaining information, and clearly loved his work. He was driven by a yearning for the truth, a quest that set the tone throughout his life.

“If you could pass the Tim Russert test, you could do something in this field,” opined Howard Fineman, senior Washington correspondent for Newsweek magazine. Brian Williams, managing editor and anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” called Russert’s death a “staggering, overpowering and sudden loss.”

“Tim Russert was a friend to millions, respected, admired and loved” said an obviously shaken Barbara Walters, who stuttered as she struggled to rise above her grief. Russert was a tireless champion of journalism, and indeed, there are those who believe it was his ceaseless work ethic that brought about his early demise. He died in his element.

During ‘Meet the Press’ this last Sunday, an empty chair was placed at the moderators table. It was a sad, defining moment for the program that won’t be soon forgotten.

Tim’s love for politics has been described as infectious. He excelled at life and at his work. My heartfelt sympathy goes to his family and loved one’s. God bless you, Tim Russert, and Godspeed. May you look down upon us and be as pleased with us as we are with all the gifts you have left behind for others to enjoy.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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When Cotton Was King

2008-06-11T17:19:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

White blossomed, white bolled, short staple cotton. It is the stuff of which dreams are made, and wars are fought. If you think the US Civil War was about the abolition of slavery, perhaps you may wish to reconsider.

White Bolled, Short Staple Cotton

During the late 1850’s and right up through the US Civil War, Cotton was indeed an economic powerhouse, not just in the southern United States, but throughout the world. “Dare not make war on cotton,” presaged Senator James Henry Hammond in 1858. “No power on earth dares make war upon it. Cotton is King."

Economists agreed with the Senator from South Carolina. Cotton was the driving force behind a period of great prosperity in the south, creating an elitist upper class dependant on the success of the crop. Slavery in the US was on the wane until Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin in 1779. Unfortunately, the success of his invention brought new demand for slave labor. By 1804, the cotton crop was eight times greater than in the previous decade, and the demand for slaves was rising.

This new Southern aristocracy resulted from the ownership of land and slaves and the surest way to obtain both was to grow cotton. Its impact was long reaching. New roads were constructed and businesses sprang up along endless processions of wagons hauling the crop to various ports. Cotton’s new kingdom extended well into Texas and north another six hundred miles up the Mississippi River valley. Rest assured, where there was cotton, there was money to be made. Even smaller farms, who generally planted only for sustenance, often set aside a few acres of cotton for trading.

Caught in diplomacy.

By 1860, the South was annually exporting two-thirds of the worlds cotton, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. During the Antebellum Period, cotton was indeed king, dominating international relations with the Confederacy, a policy referred to by many as “cotton diplomacy.” This period would see the South in a new light. However, James Henry Hammond was far from accurate in his assessment. Cotton would rule under a pall of darkness, perhaps the darkest period in American history. Still, it was not cotton that was to blame for the folly of man, but man himself, who was to blame for the rise and fall of a mighty king, King Cotton.

References:

King Cotton, the Fiber of Slavery. Author or authors unknown.
Bleeding Kansas and the Enduring Struggle for Freedom, National Heritage Area Feasibility Study. Author or authors unknown.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Condoleezza Rice - A Trail of Failure

2008-06-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

For Condoleezza Rice, her years as Secretary of State have been nothing if not catastrophic. The once rising star of the Bush administration has proven herself inept at a multitude of levels, unable to cope, let alone demonstrate even a modicum of palpable intellect or diplomacy. She has been an embarrassment to herself and the Bush administration.

Since Rice assumed the position January of 2005, the White House agenda to promote freedom and democracy worldwide has resulted in monumental failure. Under her watch the crisis in the Middle East has been severely exacerbated. The US has already suffered the loss of over 4500 lives fighting an un-winnable war against an un-definable enemy.

As for Condoleezza, her demeanor has gone from swagger to stammer. She has lost her confidence. She has lost her nerve. She has lost her credibility.

It must be painful to watch helplessly as one's reputation implodes under scrutiny. Her jingoistic prediction of pending mushroom clouds were accepted as fact by millions of good Americans and right about now many of those same Americans feel deceived. True to form, Condi has never publicly expressed remorse for the lies.

Condoleezza's trail of failure runs long. Victories have been few and insignificant at best.In nearly every notable instance, her style has led to a deterioration in diplomatic relations.

North Korea, Iran, Syria, Lebanon; take your pick. All have seen their relationship with the US languish under the Bush administration. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has taken an ugly turn for the worse, while the ongoing genocide in Darfur has been all but ignored. The situation is grim.

Still, don't expect any real shift in administration policy as long as Bush remains in the White House. George W. Bush chose to be a war president. Indeed, war will be his legacy and failure his longest shadow. As Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice has contributed in no small way to the undoing of this administration. Hers is a trail of failure, a trail that can only lead to a dead end.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Sex and the Sordid Details

2008-05-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

C’mon guys,
Is this really necessary?

Another day, another scandal. Forget the new 'Sex in the City' movie. Leave the yet to be released 'Brittany Sex Tapes’ for another day. This is the week polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs takes center stage. How does this happen in America? Gosh, I hope to hell I’m being rhetorical, cause it’s a question to which I’d rather not learn the answer.

According to CNN, Jeffs, age 52, is in a Utah prison, serving two consecutive terms of five years to life, following conviction on two charges of being an accomplice to rape in connection with a marriage he performed in 2001. He also faces trial in Arizona on eight additional charges, including sexual conduct with a minor, incest and conspiracy.

It’s not the kind of story this grown man even cares to read about, but I must admit, I was caught off guard by the photos of Jeffs making kissy-mouth with little girls. I certainly would not associate with a man who conducted himself in such a manner around children. Shouldn’t there have been flyers up in the post office warning parents Jeffs lived in the neighborhood?

In the real world, Warren Jeffs is considered by most to be a pedophile, not a prophet. He may see it differently, but then, it is the intent of the pathological mind to overlook the obvious. Mission accomplished, I suppose.

So now the media is awash with these outrageous photos, and for once, Brittany will get a few days out of the headlines, whether she likes it or not.

My real concern, of course, is for the children. Most of us more or less start off on the right track, but it’s a difficult road ahead. I can only imagine what these kids are going through. I would like to believe the majority of them will pull through just fine, but this is far from my line of expertise, and thus the source of my anxiety.

Children of the future, unite. In doing so, please rest assured not all adults are bad. Some of us however, may be more than just a tad confused. It is not always easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys, either. You just sort of learn as you go along. Don't worry though, little one's... us adults will be keeping an eye on you, and hopefully, with any luck at all, none of us will be leering.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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An Era of Steel and Steam

2008-05-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

It was an age of steel and steam. It was a time of great power and wealth. Soon the world would be forever changed by this new mechanical marvel, the steam locomotive, the driving force behind the industrial revolution.

For centuries, man had understood the potential of steam as an energy source, but it took until 1803 before Samuel Homfray was able to successfully harness that energy with his invention of the steam engine. The first successful railway followed soon after, when on March 25th, 1807, England began passenger service between Swansea and Mumbles.

Across the pond, America was developing it’s own railway, and by 1869, eighteen hundred miles of track connected Omaha, Nebraska with Sacramento, California. The resulting improvement of trade routes was felt throughout the world. Within a decade, the industrial revolution was on a roll.

By 1893, the U.S. had completed five transcontinental trunk lines and no less than 260,000 miles of track. Monopolies flourished. A brilliant engineer named Theodore Judah successfully persuaded Washington to pony up ten to twenty square miles of land and at least $48,000 for every mile of track completed. The track was laid by armies of imported Chinese ’coolies’, laborers who toiled relentlessly while rail barons were popping champagne corks and charging glasses in celebration.

Enter, Andrew Carnegie, philosopher and opportunist, and in later years, philanthropist. At age 18, Carnegie caught the eye of Pennsylvania rail baron Tom Scott, becoming his personal secretary and telegraph operator. Carnegie however, had great plans for the future. The unbreakable grip of the iron industry was about to give way to steel.

By the turn of the century, William McKinley was president, and in 1903, New York State enacted legislation prohibiting the operation of steam locomotives south of the Harlem river, thus ushering in the era electrified tracks. The first use of internal combustion engines began in 1913, and was quickly superseded by the invention of the diesel locomotive, which proved more effective. The times, they were a changing.

During the great depression, the railroad became symbolic of the American struggle. Today we look back on these amazing machines as products of a bygone era. The mighty iron horse has been put to pasture. Or has it?

The steam engine may be a thing of the past, but today, light rail tracks and monorails are springing up in greater numbers. Perhaps these are not the romantic machines made famous by daring engineers like Casey Jones, but they provide safer, if not more efficient service. Meanwhile, thousands of miles of railway still grace the countryside, as modern locomotives pull seemingly endless processions of freight cars, hauling lumber, cattle, and virtually everything in between.

Away in the distance, a lonesome whistle blows. Tonight, perhaps further in the distance than in recent memory. The age of steel and steam has passed, but the dreams of those who dared make it happen, remain. An era, vanishes in a puff of smoke. A new era begins.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906

2008-03-26T15:40:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

"The further you are from the last big earthquake, the nearer you are to the next". - Perry Byerly, Department of Seismology, University of California.

Everyone knew it was coming. Still, no-one could be certain when the next great earthquake would arrive. It did arrive. At precisely 5:12 a.m. on the morning of April 18th, 1906.

The city of San Francisco was devastated by the massive quake. The Earth ripped and buckled. It bucked and swayed. Throughout the city, church bells clanged with unbridled urgency, as damaged structures collapsed in a tempest. From Russian Hill to the Mission district, destruction reigned, unstoppable, as man and beast alike searched for sanctuary among the ruins.

Then came the fires.

Enrico Caruso was awakened from his sleep by the violence of the quake, which shook his room at the Saint Francis Hotel like a rag-doll in the jaws of a bulldog. The legendary tenor had performed brilliantly only the night before. The Opera House, by morning, now a victim of the destructive forces of nature. In the hours ahead, Caruso's life would change forever, as would the city of San Francisco.

Perhaps the subsequent fires could have been prevented, but such was not the case. What began as the Ham and Eggs Fire' soon spread, touching off other fires, quickly engulfing the city in flames. Backfires were set and entire neighborhoods dynamited in an effort to slow the advancing inferno, resulting in greater and greater devastation.

Looters and law-breakers were often shot on sight. The military, more ruthless than precise, demonstrated little compassion for the citizens they were sworn to protect. With every hour, the city was increasingly becoming bedlam. Streets were strewn with the living and the dead alike. Rats, formerly stealth in nature, now gathered in great numbers, bringing with them fears of plague.

And still, the fires burned.

Earthquakes unleash a certain type of destruction. Fires another. When the two happen together, in succession, the results are nearly indescribable. Photographs from the disaster reveal a beaten but resolute society, scraping the soot from their shoes, as they set about the task of rebuilding their city.
Even the very shape of the San Francisco was different now. The shoreline had changed as well, whipped mercilessly by a sudden shift in a fault-line hundreds of miles in length.

Market Street was reduced to rubble. Kearney Street, also lie in ruin, the Hall of Justice, a monument to the destruction. Within hours, much of what did not fall, would burn. Even the Palace Hotel, in all it's splendor, could not be saved. Total loss of life has been estimated at between seven hundred and two thousand lives.

Today, the city of San Francisco waits, as yet another devastating earthquake approaches. When it arrives is anyone's guess, but it will arrive, and with equally devastating results. Is this great city on the coast ready for such a cataclysmic event? Can San Francisco survive another monumental quake like the one that struck in April of 1906? One can only wait and wonder.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Bush Vetoes Ban On Torture

2008-03-10T14:49:00.000-07:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound and Recording - blogment -
National News wire - The Infinite Echo

"Many years ago, I was so innocent I still considered it possible that we could become the humane and reasonable America so many members of my generation used to dream of. We dreamed of such an America during the Great Depression, when there were no jobs. And then we fought and often died for that dream during the Second World War, when there was no peace.

But I know now that there is not a chance in hell of America's becoming humane and reasonable. Because power corrupts us, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Human beings are chimpanzees who get crazy drunk on power. By saying that our leaders are power-drunk chimpanzees, am I in danger of wrecking the morale of our soldiers fighting and dying in the Middle East? Their morale, like so many bodies, is already shot to pieces. They are being treated, as I never was, like toys a rich kid got for Christmas".

Kurt Vonnegut
1922 - 2007

And so it goes.

George W. Bush has become the first president in the history of the United States to veto a bill banning torture. It’s a dark day for America. A dark day indeed!

George W. Bush

One of my readers recently commented on how thankful he was that George W. Bush had responded responsibly in reaction to 9/11. I guess the reader is comfortable with the war costing Americans three billion dollars a week. I am not.

In fact, I have been asked to reprint my remarks made in reference to this comment, and I do so with conviction.

“Personally, I won't be thanking Bush for breaking US and international law by invading Iraq. I won't be thanking him for urging the insurgency to "bring it on". I won't be thanking him for taking liberties with our young soldiers who owe it to their loved ones to come home in one piece. I won't thank him for burdening our children with horrific national debt. I won't be thanking him for the damage he has done to Americas reputation throughout the world.

I won't thank him for violating our constitution, and I won't thank him for torturing our enemies. I won't thank him for spying on my neighbors, and I won't thank him for stoking the fires of fear.

I'm just not that kind of thankful.”

Obviously, I stand by my word. It is a very sad day for America.

Brad

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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The John and Bill Show, Starring Barack Hussein Obama

2008-02-27T08:59:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

For the second time in less than a month I find myself compelled to defend John McCain against one of his fellow so called 'conservative’ Republicans.

This morning McCain finds himself in a row with conservative talk show host, Bill( something-something ) Cunningham over Cunningham’s repeated use of Barack Obama’s middle name ( Hussein ) while stumping on behalf of McCain during a campaign event. For many, including Mr. McCain, it appeared Cunningham’s remarks were inappropriate at best, leading the Republican presidential hopeful to publicly repudiate Cunningham.

Cunningham, who’s own middle name I don’t know, defended his actions in an interview with CNN’s John Roberts, suggesting he commonly refers to people by their full names, but then only produces two names; William Jefferson Clinton, and that of his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Cunningham goes on to say that the name ‘Hussein’ is a proud Muslim name, and then repeats the remark for added emphasis. CNN correspondent John Roberts, who’s middle name I do not know, wasn’t buying it for a moment. Neither do I.

For beginners, ‘Rodham’ is not Hillary’s middle name. It is her maiden name. As I recall, she dropped the name a few months back. Whatever.

Anyway, Cunningham, who’s middle name I do not know, never mentions John McCain’s middle name. In fact, Cunningham conjures up a host of names during the interview, but never uses anyone else’s middle name. How telling.

Now I suppose it is always possible CNN edited the interview to make Mr. Cunningham look especially bad, but it didn’t seem necessary. Mr. Cunningham came out of that interview smelling like a shit bomb. None of his rhetoric held up under even the most superficial scrutiny. It was all bad science, all smoke and mirrors.

By the way, perhaps you conservative Christians might have missed it, but Bill ( something-something Cunningham also strongly stated, with emphasis, I might add, that he “worships” the name ‘Hussein’. How truly odd. How truly odd indeed. I don’t listen to this guys radio show, so I wouldn’t know, but I’m curious… does Bill Cunningham always say such stupid things?

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Inside the 9/11 Report

2008-02-19T04:51:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

I've been reading through the 9/11 Commission Report, and it really doesn't do much to address some of the hard questions. It seems almost unconscionable to suggest the Bush administration could have been complicit in the events of 9/11, and yet, a great many Americans believe it to be true. Then again, one need not be a physicist to realize the official version of the story simply doesn't stack up.

Much like a house of cards, both towers tumbled to the ground in a matter of minutes, defying the laws of physics. The impact of the aircraft, and the subsequent explosion of jet fuel has been blamed for compromising the integrity of the structures, but leaves us with more questions than answers. If indeed, the towers fell due to structural failure, why then would building seven also fail? It was not struck by aircraft, nor was it built in the same manner as the towers. How does a building three blocks long collapse from a localized debris fire? Obviously, it doesn't.

Perhaps you are not familiar with the World Trade Center complex prior to 9/11. As such, it would be easy to overlook the obvious contradictions concerning the event. Throughout history, no other buildings have failed in a similar manner and yet, we are expected to believe that this fluke of physics occurred not once, but three times, in a single location.

Could the Bush administration have somehow been involved in orchestrating these events? Frankly, the jury is out. We know for a fact, however, that the administration of Dwight Eisenhower drew up plans for similar attacks on US soil to bolster support for invasions of the USSR and Cuba. The covert operation, known as Operation Northwoods' was wholly rejected by subsequent administrations, but a precedent had been set. The US government had proven beyond doubt, a capability to kill innocent Americans.

911 Report

Could 9/11 be another Operation Northwoods'? Unfortunately, it appears entirely possible. Just as the North tower was beginning to list to one side, a series of explosions occurred at street level, causing the building to buckle from beneath, bringing it straight down. These explosions could not have been the result of exploding fuel, as heat rises. Furthermore, we watched in terror as the jet fuel erupted into flames. What then, could have caused the explosions at street level?

We may never know the truth about 9/11, but we certainly know the official explanation is flawed and unacceptable. Could George W. Bush and his administration have knowingly murdered thousands of Americans? One can only wonder.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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John McCain, Ronald Reagan and Other Disturbing Thoughts

2008-02-08T05:28:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

This shouldn’t surprise any of you, but I grew up in Arizona. As such, I know crashing your fighter jet onto the deck of an aircraft carrier does not make you a hero. That’s just what John McCain did. I can still recall the images of the carnage there on the deck of the Intrepid. McCain was unable to match the damage done previously by Japanese Kamikaze pilots, but he certainly gave it the ol’ college try. Just a little straight talk.

If that wasn’t disturbing enough, he then managed to get “shot down”. I wasn’t there when it happened, so I won’t dispute the details, but if I were looking for someone to pilot something as important as our country, I certainly wouldn’t turn to John McCain based on his flight record. The man was an iffy pilot. Oh, and by the way… he hasn’t been much of a senator either.

However, in defense of McCain, I understand why he is on the outs with the neo- conservatives. You see, John McCain sometimes lives in Arizona. Not nearly as much as most residents, but he has spent some time in the valley. In fact, his office is just up the street from mine.

That’s 16th Street, a major artery running through downtown Phoenix. It is one of the oldest roads in the valley. When I was a kid, 16th was lined with large ditches, dug by Mexican laborers over a century ago. The ditches are gone now. The Mexicans are not. Oh, this may be a big deal to some idiot jackass racist Republican, but to me, they are my neighbors.

As you may know, I attended an appearance by Bill Clinton at Grady Gammage Auditorium on the ASU campus in downtown Tempe last week. What you probably don’t know is that the auditorium was built above the ruins of an old Mexican village called San Pablo.

In simple words, this was all part of Mexico not too many years ago. When some fool pops off about “sending them home” I can’t stop laughing. I ‘d be willing to bet any of you idiots my neighbors bloodline goes back further than yours does. This is home for these people, and has been for centuries. Your relatives picked up and left home. They’re relatives did not. Now you want them to leave? Kiss my ass!

And such is the rub for John McCain. He has lived in Arizona long enough, and represented these people long enough to know that every word I’ve written is true.

The problem is further compounded when Ronald Reagan is brought into the picture. You see, the neo- cons love the ‘Gipper, but isn’t he most heralded for urging the so called ‘bad guys to “tear down that wall”? How can a good ‘Reagan republican’ support the building of another Iron Curtain, this one in our own back yard? No really, I kid you not… right through back yards. Right through gardens and neighborhoods. Right through towns. Just like the Iron Curtain in Russia, with one distinct difference. Like the dicks we are, ours will be bigger.

As predicted, the Mexicans are beginning to pack up and "go home". The apartments, once full of Mexicans, lay vacant. No more tenants, no more tamale lady, no more customers buying cerveza and lottery tickets from the bodega on the corner. The local economy has bellied up, thank you very much! And this is just the beginning, mi amigos. If the Republicans have it their way, it won’t be long until Phoenix can’t afford a bano to piss in.

But what does some dork who flunked geography care? He thinks the Mexicans are taking away jobs. He thinks he should have the option to pick onions for a living. Now he does. Flunky has no concept. Flunky has never even been to a border town. He just hates Mexicans. In fact, I’ve met plenty of people like Flunky. Most have little if any understanding. They are ignorant trash.

So what is John McCain to do? Supplicate the neo- cons who already despise him? A real war hero would stick to his guns, and McCain may have the ammo to take on his detractors. Still, it’s apt to get downright nasty, if it hasn’t already. John McCain is in the fight of his life… against his fellow republicans.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

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Is George Bush Losing it?

2008-02-07T15:38:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

There has been much speculation as of late in regards to George W. Bush’s mental health. Questions began arising as far back as 2004, but in light of recent developments, it seems appropriate to address this very serious issue again. Let there be no mistake, George W. Bush has threatened to start World War III if he doesn’t get his way. Of course, he lays the blame at the feet of others, but the facts are clear. George Bush wants war.

Our Commander in Chief?

George W. Bush has, and continues to threaten to bomb Iran for a weapons program it does not have. The bombing of course, would be done with real bombs the US does indeed have, rather than the make believe ones Iran has been accused of seeking.

We’ve been through this before, folks, and it’s nasty business. This is the exact same rhetoric Hitler used to justify the invasion of France. Then again, why should the excuses for World War III be any different than the excuses for World War II?

It is not unusual for world leaders to suffer from grandiose delusions, but this goes deep into the redline. Bush has his finger on the button, and he is just itching to push it before his term expires. If the president has mental health issues, it would be better to consider them now, rather than later. For instance:

“Aides report “In meetings with top aides and administration officials, the President goes from quoting the Bible in one breath to obscene tantrums against the media, Democrats and others that he classifies as "enemies of the state."

White House Aides paint a picture of an administration under siege, led by a man who declares his decisions to be "God's will" and then tells aides to "fuck over" anyone they consider to be an opponent of the administration."

“Senior aides describe Bush as increasingly “edgy” or “nervous” or “unfocused.” They say the President goes from apparent coherent thought one moment to aimless rambles about political enemies and those who are “out to get me.”

“It’s worse than the days when Ronald Reagan’s Alzheimer’s began setting in,” one longtime GOP operative told me privately this week. “You don’t know if he’s going to be coherent from one moment to the next. What scares me is if he lapses into one of those fogs during a public appearance.”

Aides say Bush, who has always had trouble focusing during times of stress, is increasingly distant during meetings, often staring off into space during discussions on the nation’s security and other issues.”

This represents only a fraction of the information I was able to find on the subject. If you are interested in learning more, simply type the criteria into your favorite search engine. I typed in “George W. Bush mental health” In the past, I have been accused of making this stuff up, but rest assured, I am neither that good, nor that vindictive. The president's mental stability is quickly becoming a real issue, one that we would all be best served if it just went away quietly.

…to a padded cell.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Could NASA Have Faked the Moon Landings?

2008-02-03T08:51:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Could NASA have faked the moon landings? Might what we have witnessed over a quarter century ago actually been nothing more than an elaborate hoax? Preposterous, you quip. After all, why would the US government propagate such lies? Moreover, what could be the possible motive?

Well comrades, if you're old enough to read this article, you're undoubtedly aware of the boundless conspiracy theories rolling around the ether. Some have merit, others border on the ridiculous. Predictably, for every conspiracy there are countless theorists, each expounding upon a variation of a theme.

The moon landings are a prime example, having become the stuff of modern folklore. As is clearly highlighted by the growing interest in the subject, many are now willing to risk their reputation in pursuit of the truth. At the very least, it makes for an entertaining read.

So then, my friends, what is this elusive truth? We really don't know, do we.

We know for certain however, that the US government is plenty capable of gross acts of deception. Yep folks, round these parts, we propagate lies the way some folks grow corn… by the bushel. And it goes way back. We here in the states are long accustomed to the concept of accepting preposterous lies.

Take Santa, for example. Curse the rotten scoundrel who dares tell my grand-daughter the truth. We happen to be quite comfortable propagating that lie, so if you please, could I bother you for some grape Kool-aid? I hear there's plenty to go around.

Of course, the entire Alamo story was contrived by liars. We just prefer happy endings, which the real story was lacking. And then there's the whopper we tell our children to impress upon them the importance of telling the truth. I'm sure you know the one to which I refer. It involves a young future president owning up to chopping down a Cherry tree, which in fact, is not indigenous to the region, having been brought into the country by the Chinese over a hundred years after George Washington crossed the Potomac. It's a lie, and a rather dumb one at that. Teach your children well.

In retrospect we all know now that George W. Bush and his cronies lied to us about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but over ninety percent of us eagerly bought into those lies. Another Kool-aid, if you please. And then there's the ridiculous single bullet theory' which quite frankly, one would have to be unusually stupid to believe. No chance, no way, do not pass go. Talk about implausible explanations, this has got to be the granddaddy of them all. It relates to the assassination of US president John Kennedy. I'll leave it to you to read the report and do the math. One needn't use a calculator to realize it doesn't add up. Never did, never will.

So could the moon shots have been a lie as well? The accepted legal dictum refers to the establishment of reasonable doubt'. Having personally conducted a dauntingly thorough investigation into the matter, I can honestly say I have reasonable doubt. There are far too many questions and far too few plausible explanations to discount the possibility out of hand. If this were a trial, I could not in good conscience conclude the US had indeed landed on the moon. The evidence supporting such claims are becoming increasingly suspect, and NASA has done little to answer the tough questions.

Of course, the government stands by their story, but is it in fact, nothing more? How could NASA have orchestrated such an outlandish hoax? Perhaps only a handful of people know what actually did or did not happen. Perhaps the rest of us will never know. It has long been standard operational procedure for the US government to ridicule or marginalize dissenting opinion. Challenge the status quo and rest assured, you'll soon find yourself relegated to the ranks of the lunatic fringe.

So then, the answer my comrades, is simple. Just quietly drink your Kool-aid like good little boys and girls. All the world needs now is yet another crazed conspiracy nut. Oh, pardon me. I resemble that fella.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

The Fall of the Aztec Empire

2008-01-14T13:29:00.001-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

The fall of Aztec civilization has long been the subject of much debate. However, this much is clear, the Aztec were an extraordinary people, steeped in myth and mayhem. Their impact is still felt throughout Mexico.

The Aztec Empire collapsed quickly, lasting no more than a century. Some have blamed the collapse on Cortes, and the invading Spaniards, but in fact, disease and regional discord also played major roles.

In the year 1427, the Aztecs, under the rule of Itzcoatl, and with the assistance of surrounding communities successfully conquered the Tepanecs, thus gaining control of the Valley of Mexico'. However, unlike other warring nations, the Aztec were primarily interested in occupation of new territory, seeking offerings, human and otherwise, for sacrifice to their unusual Gods.

Existing community temples were burned or destroyed, replaced with Aztec alters. Residents were instructed to worship their new God, Huitzilopochtli.
Aztec religion was represented through numerous deities, most which appear on the Aztec calendar. These deities were believed responsible for blessing or cursing Aztec life. Such practices were unacceptable to many regional communities, who often found themselves or their neighbors victims of Aztec atrocities.

Around 1521, the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan became infected with the small-pox virus. The subsequent epidemic wiped out nearly half the population of the city, leaving it vulnerable to attack from outside forces. Soon after, Cortes mobilized nine thousand of his own troops and nearly a hundred-fifty thousand regional troops, bringing down the Aztec Empire forever. By August of 1521, the Aztec were all but decimated, and in their wake, began the era of Spanish rule throughout Mexico.

Descendants of the Aztec continue to live throughout Mexico, and much about Aztec culture remains. Previously unknown ruins have recently been documented and excavated, leading to much new information about these amazing people. Still, like their relatives, the Mayan and the Toltec, the Aztec left behind a curious and troubling legacy, some mysteries of which we shall never fully understand.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

Criminal Probe Announced in CIA Torture Cover-Up

2008-01-02T13:07:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Just over a year remains for the Bush administration, an administration long caught in the grip of pathos. These have been lean years for integrity in the Oval Office. George W. Bush isn’t just dishonest, he is indeed, downright pathological.

We all have our critics. I certainly have mine. Unfortunately, this goes way beyond critical commentary. George W. Bush has violated US and international law, including the Geneva Accord. He is a war criminal. He is a radical, lawless extremist.

George W. Bush stood before the nation and denied the use of ‘water-boarding‘. Of course, few believed him and judging by past performance, with good reason. The doubt was soon justified when of course, the truth again slipped through the cracks. Bush, the pathological liar, had struck again.

With no sign of remorse, Bush lied to the nation, and to the international community as a whole. In doing so, he obstructed justice, and compromised the integrity of the country and his position of authority, an act of treason.

I’ll not mince words. Only an absolute fool would continue to defend or support the transgressions of this administration. It is neither noble nor patriotic to guard the door whilst the fox raids the henhouse. Wake up and smell the coffee, America. We have been taken for the ride of our lives, and the mileage is beginning to wear this country thin.

Today the US Justice Department announced it was opening a criminal probe into the destruction of video recordings destroyed in violation of court order. These videos are purported to have been taken during interrogations of terror suspects being held in secret prisons abroad.

"The Department's National Security Division has recommended, and I have concluded, that there is a basis for initiating a criminal investigation of this matter, and I have taken steps to begin that investigation," Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey said in a statement released January 2nd, 2008.

The investigation is yet another horrible black eye for this formerly great country of ours. A scar perhaps, long to heal, if ever. This has been a sad, sad period for America. Let’s just all hope these next twelve months pass quickly. The best we can ask is that we are able to put this darkest of disasters behind us, and move forward with dignity. It won’t be easy, America. Rest assured, it will not go gently into that good night.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment

Tis the Season

2007-12-31T11:27:00.000-08:00

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National News wire - The Infinite Echo

Happy New Year!

I don’t generally accomplish much writing during the holidays. This year, unfortunately, has been no different. Even now, the interruptions are more than my limited concentration can handle.

This being the final day of 2007, I would like take a moment to thank my loyal readers. My readership has risen sharply during the last year or so, and of course, you are my readers. Thank you! There are millions of unread blogs and news commentaries drifting throughout the sarcophagus that is cyberspace. Thanks to my readers, I stay relevant.

I have many logs in the fire. Some will burn brightly, while others go down in flames. Others still will smolder on the back-burner. Perhaps 2008 will be the year I complete one of the handful of novels I'm currently working on. Several short stories are nearing completion as well.

I am also obligated to do some touring nest year, beginning in early April. I can almost assure it will be a busy year for me. Busy, busy, busy. Most of the touring will be music related, but I will also be expected to appear at a few lectures and what-not.

Go have a good time, and enjoy bringing in the new year, but by all means, please be safe. I’m going to stay home with my wife and her father. Nick, my assistant, will be here too. I doubt I’ll stay up late. I seldom do. In fact, I’ll be surprised if I hold out till midnight. I’ll be up bright and early however, I always am. Ready to greet the rising sun, and a brand new year.

See you on the up-side.
Oh, and again, happy holidays.

Brad
(B. Thomas Cooper)

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

Sound Foundation Entertainment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo - Impeachment Now! - Sound&Recording - Skate the Razor - Skate the Razor Blog - blogment