Happy Thanksgiving

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

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

Bush Vetoes Ban On Torture

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

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

Democratic Debate Yields Clear Winner

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

The first democratic presidential debate was like watching a beauty contest, or perhaps choosing a scoop of ice cream. So many choices, all a little different, but all perfectly splendid by any account. I came away from the debate last night feeling refreshed, and even optimistic. I know who the winner was… America.


B. Thomas Cooper

We actually have choices that don’t include excepting the status quo, code words for neo-conservative extremism. We don’t have to keep financing a bad war. You want my opinion? Don’t give George W. Bush another dime for Iraq. If so agreed, I would however be willing to give him enough money to purchase a rope to hang himself with. Maybe justice would indeed prevail when his head pops off and his body slumps to the dirty floor. I don’t believe in capital punishment, but I’d make exceptions for George W. Bush and his cronies. They have caused the deaths of a thousand Columbines.

At any rate, this being the worst administration in US history, it stands to reason that anyone other than the current occupant of the White House can only be a vast improvement. McCain not withstanding, of course. The election is still far too distant to begin with the predictions, but we all have good reason to get a little giddy about the eventual outcome. The heart and soul of America is about to change hands, whether George W. Bush likes it or not.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

Team Bush Falsified Iraq Evidence

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

It is now official, and officially documented.
George W. Bush and his cronies willfully manipulated evidence prior to the invasion of Iraq, with the intent of frightening Americans into supporting the invasion.

On Thursday, a 121 page report by the Pentagon’s acting Inspector General Thomas F. Gimble was released in full by Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, who accompanied the release with a statement of his own, in part, stating: "It is important for the public to see why the Pentagon's Inspector General concluded that Secretary Feith's office 'developed, produced and then disseminated alternative intelligence assessments on the Iraq and al-Qaeda relationship,' which included 'conclusions that were inconsistent with the consensus of the Intelligence Community.' "

So much for plausible denial.

They knew damn well what they were up to. With most Americans still reeling from the September 11th attacks, the administration employed a few terror tactics of their own, frightening the US populace into submission. No
patriotic American would dare question the rhetoric. It just wouldn’t have been prudent.



Anyone who did so was demonized, ridiculed, marginalized, and cast aside.
The mantra was deafening, but dumb. We need to fight them there before they can bring it back here, etc. We can’t wait for the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.

Shoot now, let God sort ‘em out…
And indeed, we did just that.

The invasion went on as planned. No-one gave a damn that it was in clear violation of US and international law. Few acknowledged the glaring discrepancies. Bush wanted war at any cost.

At any cost.

Bush wanted war so bad he could taste it. He wanted war so bad he was willing to lie to about it, over and over again. He would not take no for an answer. Obviously, Mr. Bush got what he wanted.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

America Is Dead!

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo

A Nation Mourns.
Captain America is dead, gunned down by an assassins' bullets, a sad ending for a man who dedicated his life to the pursuit of dangerous criminals. America, aka Steve Rogers was facing life in prison at the time of the shooting, although he will most likely be remembered for his high ethical standards, and blinding dedication to his work.

Rogers had fallen upon difficult times of late, including his well publicized dust-up with the federal government. Still, few had expected such a rapid decent, comparable in scope, only to that of the late Britney Spears. Captain America will be dearly missed. Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.

B. Thomas Cooper - Editor

blogment - National Newswire - The Infinite Echo