politics

More Abu Graib Photos

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For quite some time, the Bush Administration has been withholding the worst of the photos of torture and prisoner abuse at Abu Graib prison, citing concerns about sparking more terrorism if they release the photos. The courts have ordered the remaining photos released by the White House keeps stalling.
I think they’re more worried about American public opinion, actually, especially since many of these photos have actually been seen already outside the United States by Arab countries. And of course it all begs the question — why torture people in the first place if you think it will incite them enemy.
Now sixty of the 150 odd photos have been leaked to the public. You can see the story on the photos on this Australian news site, and a slide show of some of them by the same outfit.
A warning before you watch — if you thought the previously release photos were scary and upsetting — these are far worse.

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Political Sites I Like

If you’re looking for intelligent stuff about Indiana politics, these guys are great:
http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/
http://www.masson.us/blog/
http://www.takingdownwords.com/taking_down_words/
And on a national level:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/
http://www.goodasyou.org/
http://americablog.blogspot.com/
http://www.biggaypicture.com/
http://atrios.blogspot.com/

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Johnny Weir

Too funny:

He has the face of Paul Rubens, the hair of Nick Nolte, and the fashion sense of a gay dolphin caught in a fishing net while reenacting a scene from Showgirls. What’s not to love about U.S. Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir?

As Steph mentioned on her blog, Johnny is one of the Boys We Like. Which is quite different than our friend Scott’s version of “Boys I Like.” On Scott’s version, you can sometimes seee boy’s pee-pees. We pretend they don’t have ’em.
Every time Johnny opens his mouth he scares reporters. Just by saying things I hear every day from my gay men:

“I am very princessy as far as travel is concerned and having a nice room and things like that. Sorry to say ‘princessy,'” he added, laughing, “but that’s what we do.”
Known for his outspoken manner, the three-time U.S. men’s champion isn’t afraid to declare that the Olympic Village “is not very comfortable.”
“It’s a little dusty, very underdecorated, the beds aren’t very soft,” Weir said Tuesay, “but I’m enjoying it!”

In sports reporting, “Outspoken” is code for “flaming homo.”

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I heart Fafblog

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Fafblog is smart and cute. I want to be BFF with Fafblog.

Q. Can the president spy on Americans without a warrant?
A. The president has to spy on Americans without a warrant! We’re at war, and the president’s gotta defend America, and he’s not gonna wait for a permission slip from a judge or a senator or America to do it!
Q. That’s just the kinda tough, no-nonsense thinking I like in a de facto dictator! Now some crazy people say the president broke some silly old laws like FISA and the National Security Act and the Fourth Amendment. Are these crazy people crazy?
A. They sure are! Maybe those laws worked back in 1978 back when Leonid Brezhnev was snortin coke with Ayatollah Khomeini and groovin to the hits of the Bee Gees, but in today’s dark and dangerous times they just aren’t enough.
Q. Things sure have changed since the innocent days of mutually assured destruction! But is it legal for the president to ignore the law?
A. Maybe not according to plain ol stupid ol regular law, but we’re at war! You don’t go to war with regular laws, which are made outta red tape and bureaucracy and Neville Chamberlain. You go to war with great big strapping War Laws made outta tanks and cold hard steel and the American Fightin Man and WAR, KABOOOOOOM!
Q. How does a War Bill become a War Law?
A. It all begins with the president, who submits a bill to the president. If a majority of both the president and the president approve the bill, then it passes on to the president, who may veto it or sign it into law. And even then the president can override himself with a two-thirds vote.
Q. See it’s the checks and balances that make all the difference in our democratic system.
A. It’s true.
Q. Can the president spy on me without a warrant?
A. The president would never, ever spy on you, unless you’re talking to a terrorist.
Q. That sounds reasonable!

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When you pay attention to work, you miss all the good stuff

For the past couple days, StAllio! has been covering a fun controversy brewing in Indiana politics concerning the “Bloody 8th” congressional district race between Republican incumbent and right-wing loony John Hostetler, and his hottie Democrat opponent, Sheriff Brad Ellsworth.
Ellsworth’s daughter is an IU student, and happened to have a facebook page where she’s alleged to have had pictures of herself holding what might have been a bottle of beer, or might have been a bottle of root beer. I’ve seen the pictures, and I couldn’t tell. Similarly, Maggie Daniels, the daughter of Mitch Daniels, had pictures that appeared to show her engaging in underage drinking on her facebook page.
Fellow IU student Joshua Claybourn has a blog at In the Agora, where someone provided links to these two facebook pages. Claybourn, being a Republican and an employee supporter of Hostettler, proceeded to send the Ellsworth link to the newspapers, while concealing the Daniels link.
Chaos ensued, Claybourn was attacked, then he tried to cover up his involvement, blah blah blah. Go read the story at StAllio’s page, which has been published on Atrios, BTW. I’m so jealous.

Continue ReadingWhen you pay attention to work, you miss all the good stuff

President Washington Used Electronic Wiretaps

“President Washington, President Lincoln, President Wilson, President Roosevelt have all authorized electronic surveillance on a far broader scale.” — Attorney General Alberto Gonzales while testifying before congress on illegal wiretapping
No, I’m not shitting you, he really said that, and you can see the video yourself.
Can I also point out that aside from the fact that there weren’t electronics in Washington’s time — he was also fighting the Revolutionary War. You know, the one we had before the Constitution that makes this stuff illegal. So, technically, if he had some electronics with medium voltage cable, and, you know, so did the British, he would legally have been allowed to wiretap them, on accounta, we didn’t have a government yet.
But can I just point out that Gonzales is one of the brilliant minds running our country?

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Georgia Vegan Protestors Arrested for writing down License Plate

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In Georgia, the Department of Homeland Security was conducting surveillance of anti-war rallies and vegan protests. At the vegan protest, Caitlin Childs, a vegetarian activist, realized that she was under surveillance and wrote down the license place of the DHS agent who was monitoring her. She was then arrested for doing so.
Note, this is a different story than one I posted earlier about the DHS monitoring a Vegan gathering here in Indiana. That story came to light due to the Freedom of Information Act.
Gee, I feel safer already. Don’t you?

Continue ReadingGeorgia Vegan Protestors Arrested for writing down License Plate