How many more families must go through this, before we rise up, and stop this madness.
2006/05/29
Remember those who died for a lie
How many more families must go through this, before we rise up, and stop this madness.
Stripping at the top of the world
The Himalayas are abuzz with word of the first-ever striptease performed atop the highest peak in the world.
Lakpa Tharke, a 24-year-old sherpa employed by Himalayan Guides, reached the summit of Mount Everest Friday. Caught up in the excitement of the moment, Tharke peeled off layer after layer until he stood naked at 29,035 feet for roughly three minutes.
Tharke's boss, Ishwori Poudel, had to laugh.
"He didn't tell me his plan before heading to Everest. This is quite a funny thing, maybe not a good idea, but he's young and strong." said Poudel, managing director of the Himalayan Guides Nepal Trek and Expeditions.
Ang Tshering Sherpa, head of the Nepal Mountaineering Association was decidedly less amused
"It's very shocking news because Mount Everest is sacred to the Nepali people. It's not appropriate. But if he did it, it is very shocking because Sagarmatha is the goddess mother," he said, referring to the mountain by its Nepali name.
In fact Sherpa is demanding that justice be served.
"The government must enforce strict ethics for climbing."
The last time the mountain was desecrated in such carnal fashion was 1996, when a Western woman allegedly had sex at one of the camps on the mountainside. Sherpas blamed her - apparently she acted alone - for one of the worst years ever for casualties on Everest.
As more and more people scale the mountain, all the "firsts" and records are being claimed: two summits in a year; most summits lifetime; first double-amputee. Poudel is proud of his guide's ingenuity. Now he's concerned with Tharke getting the accolades and fame he so richly deserves.
"We will get the photographs after they return to Kathmandu," he said. "It is an extraordinary feat that proves how hardy Sherpas are. After we get the photographs, we will write to the Guinness authorities to claim a record."
Lakpa Tharke, a 24-year-old sherpa employed by Himalayan Guides, reached the summit of Mount Everest Friday. Caught up in the excitement of the moment, Tharke peeled off layer after layer until he stood naked at 29,035 feet for roughly three minutes.
Tharke's boss, Ishwori Poudel, had to laugh.
"He didn't tell me his plan before heading to Everest. This is quite a funny thing, maybe not a good idea, but he's young and strong." said Poudel, managing director of the Himalayan Guides Nepal Trek and Expeditions.
Ang Tshering Sherpa, head of the Nepal Mountaineering Association was decidedly less amused
"It's very shocking news because Mount Everest is sacred to the Nepali people. It's not appropriate. But if he did it, it is very shocking because Sagarmatha is the goddess mother," he said, referring to the mountain by its Nepali name.
In fact Sherpa is demanding that justice be served.
"The government must enforce strict ethics for climbing."
The last time the mountain was desecrated in such carnal fashion was 1996, when a Western woman allegedly had sex at one of the camps on the mountainside. Sherpas blamed her - apparently she acted alone - for one of the worst years ever for casualties on Everest.
As more and more people scale the mountain, all the "firsts" and records are being claimed: two summits in a year; most summits lifetime; first double-amputee. Poudel is proud of his guide's ingenuity. Now he's concerned with Tharke getting the accolades and fame he so richly deserves.
"We will get the photographs after they return to Kathmandu," he said. "It is an extraordinary feat that proves how hardy Sherpas are. After we get the photographs, we will write to the Guinness authorities to claim a record."
Bush honors war dead at Arlington
AP - 28 minutes ago
ARLINGTON, Va. - President Bush, visiting America's most hallowed military burial ground to "honor this place where valor sleeps," said Monday the nation must persevere in the war against terrorists for the sake of those have already given their lives in the cause. Noting that some 270 fighting men and women of the nearly 2,500 who have fallen since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, are buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Bush said, "We have seen the costs in the war on terror that we fight today."
-He then went on to promise a few more years of job security to the workers of Arlington, promising them many more graves to fill before his term is up.
ARLINGTON, Va. - President Bush, visiting America's most hallowed military burial ground to "honor this place where valor sleeps," said Monday the nation must persevere in the war against terrorists for the sake of those have already given their lives in the cause. Noting that some 270 fighting men and women of the nearly 2,500 who have fallen since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, are buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Bush said, "We have seen the costs in the war on terror that we fight today."
-He then went on to promise a few more years of job security to the workers of Arlington, promising them many more graves to fill before his term is up.
2006/05/28
The Hungry Ghost
The Hungry Ghost (writer, musician, and digital artist Blake Chen) conceived his webcomic series, Cass Corridor, as a companion project to his latest album.
Cass Corridor is the Detroit neighborhood where Chen spent five years performing both as a solo act and a member of the band N2 Submission.
Sharing the stage with more experienced musicians in the neighborhood's smoke-filled bars, Chen gradually developed his unique sound, a hybrid of the goth/industrial & trip hop influence prevalent in the scene and his own love of folk/country/blues music that he heard growing up.
-continued-
I just stumbled upon this artist, but he is very cool. Kind of like Bob Dylan meets David Lynch meets Portishead. Kinda dark, but I really like it. And the comic he started to go with his album is very cool, and well done. Check him out!!!!
Scientology: “The Dark Side of Scientology”
Sunday, May 28th, 2006
Scientology crimes: Murder; extortion; blackmail; kidnapping; child abuse; child neglect; slave labor camps; burglary; racketeering. These crimes and more are part of life within the Scientology mob. This video explores these crimes, with interviews from a few of the Scientologists ordered by the Scientology mob to commit them. “To the Scientology organization,” one victim of Scientology said, “human life does not mean a thing.” Garry Scarff explained Scientology’s RPF: the mob’s “Rehabilitation Project Force,” where Scientologists who no longer want to be Scientologists are sent to be “re-educated” via forced-labor reindoctrination camps where prisoners receive very little food and almost no sleep. Some Scientology prisoners have been observed being chained up in cellars to keep them from leaving Scientology. Several mysterious Scientology deaths are also explored. “Tom Cruise profited from the slave labor of Scientology prisoners,” Andre Tabayoyon testified in a sworn declaration http://holysmoke.org/sm/tabayoyon. htm
Human rights abuses within Scientology are systemic and all-pervasive. Suicide and child abuse are also common within Scientology. The victims of Scientology are almost always Scientologists.
-continued-
There is a two part video that is pretty good.
Scientology crimes: Murder; extortion; blackmail; kidnapping; child abuse; child neglect; slave labor camps; burglary; racketeering. These crimes and more are part of life within the Scientology mob. This video explores these crimes, with interviews from a few of the Scientologists ordered by the Scientology mob to commit them. “To the Scientology organization,” one victim of Scientology said, “human life does not mean a thing.” Garry Scarff explained Scientology’s RPF: the mob’s “Rehabilitation Project Force,” where Scientologists who no longer want to be Scientologists are sent to be “re-educated” via forced-labor reindoctrination camps where prisoners receive very little food and almost no sleep. Some Scientology prisoners have been observed being chained up in cellars to keep them from leaving Scientology. Several mysterious Scientology deaths are also explored. “Tom Cruise profited from the slave labor of Scientology prisoners,” Andre Tabayoyon testified in a sworn declaration http://holysmoke.org/sm/tabayoyon. htm
Human rights abuses within Scientology are systemic and all-pervasive. Suicide and child abuse are also common within Scientology. The victims of Scientology are almost always Scientologists.
-continued-
There is a two part video that is pretty good.
At least 1,000 UK soldiers desert
Sunday, May 28th, 2006
More than 1,000 members of the British military have deserted since the start of the Iraq War, the BBC has learned.
Figures for those still missing are 86 from 2001, 118 from 2002, 134 from 2003, 229 from 2004, 377 from 2005, and 189 for this year so far.
The news comes as Parliament debates a law that will forbid military personnel from refusing to participate in the occupation of a foreign country.
The MoD insists “absent without leave” figures have remained constant.
A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said the soldiers currently missing were considered to be “absent without leave” and would have to be court martialled before they could be found guilty of deserting.
She added only one person has been found guilty of deserting the Army since 1989.
According to MoD figures 2,670 soldiers went “absent without leave” in 2001, with the figure rising to 2,970 in 2002 and falling in 2003 to 2,825. In 2004 it rose to 3,050, falling back again in 2005 to 2,725.
She added: “We regard that figure as fairly constant. It often happens for family reasons and there is no evidence to suggest operational commitments contribute significantly to the figures.”
John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington told, Parliament last Monday that the number of absconders had trebled since the invasion with more soldiers “questioning the morality and legality of the occupation”.
On Sunday he insisted the numbers of British troops trying to absent themselves from service in Iraq were rising.
“My understanding is there are a lot more seeking to avoid service, through different mechanisms,” he said.
“I think what the MoD is saying flies in the face of all the other evidence and the experience of soldiers on the ground.”
But former defence minister Don Touhig told BBC Radio Five Live there were no “hard facts” to suggest the Iraq conflict was prompting increased numbers to leave the forces.
‘Illegal acts’
Justin Hugheston-Roberts was the solicitor for Flight Lieutenant Malcolm Kendall-Smith who was sentenced to eight months in prison for refusing to follow orders in connection with a deployment to Iraq.
He said: “I am approached regularly by people who are seeking to absent themselves from service. There has been an increase, a definite upturn.”
Military law expert Gilbert Blades, who represents soldiers at courts martial, said the numbers leaving because of Iraq were often obscured as they were not counted as conscientious objectors.
“One can’t help thinking that what’s behind every absence is the problem in Iraq and I would think that if the real truth was told, then the Iraq problem has contributed to a huge number of people going absent,” he told BBC Radio Five Live.
Former SAS member Ben Griffin was allowed to leave the military after telling his commanding officer he was not prepared to return to Iraq because of what he believed were illegal acts being carried out by US forces.
Mr Griffin would never have considered deserting but says his views are shared by many others in the British military.
He told the BBC: “There’s a lot of dissent in the Army about the legality of War and concerns that they’re spending too much time there.”
-Continued-
More than 1,000 members of the British military have deserted since the start of the Iraq War, the BBC has learned.
Figures for those still missing are 86 from 2001, 118 from 2002, 134 from 2003, 229 from 2004, 377 from 2005, and 189 for this year so far.
The news comes as Parliament debates a law that will forbid military personnel from refusing to participate in the occupation of a foreign country.
The MoD insists “absent without leave” figures have remained constant.
A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said the soldiers currently missing were considered to be “absent without leave” and would have to be court martialled before they could be found guilty of deserting.
She added only one person has been found guilty of deserting the Army since 1989.
According to MoD figures 2,670 soldiers went “absent without leave” in 2001, with the figure rising to 2,970 in 2002 and falling in 2003 to 2,825. In 2004 it rose to 3,050, falling back again in 2005 to 2,725.
She added: “We regard that figure as fairly constant. It often happens for family reasons and there is no evidence to suggest operational commitments contribute significantly to the figures.”
John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington told, Parliament last Monday that the number of absconders had trebled since the invasion with more soldiers “questioning the morality and legality of the occupation”.
On Sunday he insisted the numbers of British troops trying to absent themselves from service in Iraq were rising.
“My understanding is there are a lot more seeking to avoid service, through different mechanisms,” he said.
“I think what the MoD is saying flies in the face of all the other evidence and the experience of soldiers on the ground.”
But former defence minister Don Touhig told BBC Radio Five Live there were no “hard facts” to suggest the Iraq conflict was prompting increased numbers to leave the forces.
‘Illegal acts’
Justin Hugheston-Roberts was the solicitor for Flight Lieutenant Malcolm Kendall-Smith who was sentenced to eight months in prison for refusing to follow orders in connection with a deployment to Iraq.
He said: “I am approached regularly by people who are seeking to absent themselves from service. There has been an increase, a definite upturn.”
Military law expert Gilbert Blades, who represents soldiers at courts martial, said the numbers leaving because of Iraq were often obscured as they were not counted as conscientious objectors.
“One can’t help thinking that what’s behind every absence is the problem in Iraq and I would think that if the real truth was told, then the Iraq problem has contributed to a huge number of people going absent,” he told BBC Radio Five Live.
Former SAS member Ben Griffin was allowed to leave the military after telling his commanding officer he was not prepared to return to Iraq because of what he believed were illegal acts being carried out by US forces.
Mr Griffin would never have considered deserting but says his views are shared by many others in the British military.
He told the BBC: “There’s a lot of dissent in the Army about the legality of War and concerns that they’re spending too much time there.”
-Continued-
'Gross negligence' killed Pat Tillman
American hero Pat Tillman's death has been shrouded in deceit since day. Each time the Army has taken a closer look at the events surrounding the tragedy, the story seems to change. Today the awful truth behind Tillman's death became a little clearer.
Tillman's parents were first told their son died fighting the enemy in the Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border. They knew they were being lied to. Later, his death was termed an "accident." Still, the Tillmans knew better.
Now it turns out that the former NFL star was shot down by men in his own platoon, in what the some are terming "gross negligence," according to a report put together by CNN using documents obtained from the military.
What really happend?
On April 22, 2004, Tillman's platoon was on the hunt for either Taliban or Al Qaeda fighters. As fate would have it, their Humvee broke down. This lead to the platoon being split in two, as one group - Tillman's - forged ahead, the second group - including Tillman's younger brother Kevin - trailed with the crippled Humvee being towed by a local truck.
The order to split up came via radio from a commander far away, over the objections of the platoon leader. The commander wanted no delays.
Tillman's group moved safely through a deep canyon. Unbeknownst to them, the second group was 30 minutes behind. It was there that the second group was ambushed from above. To make matters worse, the two groups had loss radio contact.
Tillman led his group - including an Afghan soldier - back on a rescue machine, seeking cover on an overlooking ridge. From there Tillman could see a second Humvee and four armed soldiers pull out from behind the disabled Humvee. The men below started firing blindly in every direction. They would later say they thought they were surrounded.
A soldier alongside Tillman described the events in a sworn testimony.
"A GMV [vehicle] with a .50-cal rolled into our sight and started to unload on top of us," he said.
"Tillman and I were yelling 'Stop! Stop! Friendlies! Friendlies! Cease fire!' But they couldn't hear us."
The driver became confused when he saw the Afghan next to Tillman. He soon realized they were firing on fellow Rangers.
"I yelled twice 'We have friendlies on top!'" said the driver. "The crew must have not heard me because my vehicle opened fired on them. I screamed, 'No!' and then yelled repeatedly several times to cease fire. No one heard me."
Desperate to stop the onslaught, Tillman uncorked a smoke grenade to signal that he too was a Ranger. It seemed to work, the shooting stopping long enough for Tillman to stand and stretch, according to his fellow soldier.
"We thought the battle was over," said the soldier next to Tillman. "So we were relieved, getting up stretching out and talking with one another when I heard some 5.56 rounds coming from the vehicle. They started firing again. That's when I hit the deck and started praying."
Tillman wasn't so lucky. Three rounds found their way into him.
"I know this because I could hear the pain in his voice as he called out: 'Cease fire! Friendlies! I am Pat (expletive) Tillman damn it!'" the soldier said. "He said this over and over again until he stopped."
That's when the soldier heard a gruesome noise.
"I heard what sounded like water pouring down," he said. "I then looked over at my side to see a river of blood coming down from where he was. I had blood all over my shoulder from him and when I looked at him, I saw his head was gone."
Official report pending
Col. Joseph G. Curtin, a U.S. Army spokesman, swears justrice will be served.
"The bottom line is we will go where the truth leads us," said Curtin. "We will get the answers to the best of our abilities."
Mary Tillman has been haunted by questions about her son's death ever since she read the first "official" report.
"There have been so many discrepancies so far that it's hard to know what to believe," Mary Tillman said back in September, 2005. "There are too many murky details."
In March, after yet the launch of the latest report, her husband, Patrick Tillman Sr., remained skeptical.
"I think it's another step," he said at the time. "But if you send investigators to reinvestigate an investigation that was falsified in the first place, what do you think you're going to get?"
Tillman's parents were first told their son died fighting the enemy in the Afghanistan, near the Pakistan border. They knew they were being lied to. Later, his death was termed an "accident." Still, the Tillmans knew better.
Now it turns out that the former NFL star was shot down by men in his own platoon, in what the some are terming "gross negligence," according to a report put together by CNN using documents obtained from the military.
What really happend?
On April 22, 2004, Tillman's platoon was on the hunt for either Taliban or Al Qaeda fighters. As fate would have it, their Humvee broke down. This lead to the platoon being split in two, as one group - Tillman's - forged ahead, the second group - including Tillman's younger brother Kevin - trailed with the crippled Humvee being towed by a local truck.
The order to split up came via radio from a commander far away, over the objections of the platoon leader. The commander wanted no delays.
Tillman's group moved safely through a deep canyon. Unbeknownst to them, the second group was 30 minutes behind. It was there that the second group was ambushed from above. To make matters worse, the two groups had loss radio contact.
Tillman led his group - including an Afghan soldier - back on a rescue machine, seeking cover on an overlooking ridge. From there Tillman could see a second Humvee and four armed soldiers pull out from behind the disabled Humvee. The men below started firing blindly in every direction. They would later say they thought they were surrounded.
A soldier alongside Tillman described the events in a sworn testimony.
"A GMV [vehicle] with a .50-cal rolled into our sight and started to unload on top of us," he said.
"Tillman and I were yelling 'Stop! Stop! Friendlies! Friendlies! Cease fire!' But they couldn't hear us."
The driver became confused when he saw the Afghan next to Tillman. He soon realized they were firing on fellow Rangers.
"I yelled twice 'We have friendlies on top!'" said the driver. "The crew must have not heard me because my vehicle opened fired on them. I screamed, 'No!' and then yelled repeatedly several times to cease fire. No one heard me."
Desperate to stop the onslaught, Tillman uncorked a smoke grenade to signal that he too was a Ranger. It seemed to work, the shooting stopping long enough for Tillman to stand and stretch, according to his fellow soldier.
"We thought the battle was over," said the soldier next to Tillman. "So we were relieved, getting up stretching out and talking with one another when I heard some 5.56 rounds coming from the vehicle. They started firing again. That's when I hit the deck and started praying."
Tillman wasn't so lucky. Three rounds found their way into him.
"I know this because I could hear the pain in his voice as he called out: 'Cease fire! Friendlies! I am Pat (expletive) Tillman damn it!'" the soldier said. "He said this over and over again until he stopped."
That's when the soldier heard a gruesome noise.
"I heard what sounded like water pouring down," he said. "I then looked over at my side to see a river of blood coming down from where he was. I had blood all over my shoulder from him and when I looked at him, I saw his head was gone."
Official report pending
Col. Joseph G. Curtin, a U.S. Army spokesman, swears justrice will be served.
"The bottom line is we will go where the truth leads us," said Curtin. "We will get the answers to the best of our abilities."
Mary Tillman has been haunted by questions about her son's death ever since she read the first "official" report.
"There have been so many discrepancies so far that it's hard to know what to believe," Mary Tillman said back in September, 2005. "There are too many murky details."
In March, after yet the launch of the latest report, her husband, Patrick Tillman Sr., remained skeptical.
"I think it's another step," he said at the time. "But if you send investigators to reinvestigate an investigation that was falsified in the first place, what do you think you're going to get?"
2006/05/25
McVodka
It's nice to see McDonald's moving out of fat laden fast food, and into something more wholesome.
2006/05/24
2006/05/23
Arctic Monkeys
Had to share my favorite band with, well no one reads this, so I guess I am sharing with my self.
Do you smell brimstone?
Fire and brimstone raining down, cats sleeping with dogs, Al Gore making sweet love to George W. Bush. That's right, the apocalypse - is it only two weeks away?
June 6th this year will translate to 6-6-6, the Number of the Beast, well-known from that crazy Bible chapter known as 'Revelations'. Excitement is mounting amongst Satan's minions, none more so than advertising executives, who are getting ready to jump on the Anti-Christ bandwagon in order to boost corporate profits and stir up some publicity.
Movie execs have already planned to release a remake of the satanic horror film The Omen on the day, a terrifying reminder of why moms-to-be are dreading the day.
And just to show the devil's got a sense of humor, David Lee Roth will also release a new album titled "Strummin' With the Devil," which is a bluegrass tribute to Van Halen. Yes, forget death metal ... Lucifer prefers bluegrass.
The Church of Satan will be holding a major religious event, in which a satanic high Mass will be conducted - but they're just going on the word of the true spawn of Satan, the marketing industry. "We are simply taking advantage of this unique date which the public fears because of Christian mythology as promoted by Hollywood hypesters," says Church of Satan High Priest Peter H. Gilmore.
Colorado authorities are taking things a bit more seriously though. "The bottom line is that our intelligence unit is familiar with 666 and its significance," says Lt. Rafael Cintron of the Colorado Springs Police Department. Some expectant mothers are also wary of giving birth to Damien, while Christian groups are preparing for the Devil himself to walk among us.
And perhaps he will. Or should I say 'she'. Guess when conservative pundit Ann Coulter is scheduled to release her new book Godless? That's right: 6-6-6.
June 6th this year will translate to 6-6-6, the Number of the Beast, well-known from that crazy Bible chapter known as 'Revelations'. Excitement is mounting amongst Satan's minions, none more so than advertising executives, who are getting ready to jump on the Anti-Christ bandwagon in order to boost corporate profits and stir up some publicity.
Movie execs have already planned to release a remake of the satanic horror film The Omen on the day, a terrifying reminder of why moms-to-be are dreading the day.
And just to show the devil's got a sense of humor, David Lee Roth will also release a new album titled "Strummin' With the Devil," which is a bluegrass tribute to Van Halen. Yes, forget death metal ... Lucifer prefers bluegrass.
The Church of Satan will be holding a major religious event, in which a satanic high Mass will be conducted - but they're just going on the word of the true spawn of Satan, the marketing industry. "We are simply taking advantage of this unique date which the public fears because of Christian mythology as promoted by Hollywood hypesters," says Church of Satan High Priest Peter H. Gilmore.
Colorado authorities are taking things a bit more seriously though. "The bottom line is that our intelligence unit is familiar with 666 and its significance," says Lt. Rafael Cintron of the Colorado Springs Police Department. Some expectant mothers are also wary of giving birth to Damien, while Christian groups are preparing for the Devil himself to walk among us.
And perhaps he will. Or should I say 'she'. Guess when conservative pundit Ann Coulter is scheduled to release her new book Godless? That's right: 6-6-6.
'Moussaoui wasn't in on 9/11'
A new audio recording posted on the internet from the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks says a U.S. court has convicted the wrong man.
A statement allegedly from Osama bin Laden claims that Zacarias Moussaoui was in no way involved in the terrorist attacks that killed 3,000 Americans.
"The truth is that he has no connection whatsoever with the events of September 11. I am certain of what I say because I was responsible for entrusting the 19 brothers ... with the raids," said the speaker who sounded like the leader of Al Qaeda.
He went on too dismiss Moussaoui's confession as "void," saying it was a reaction to "pressures exercised against him during four and a half years" in U.S. custody.
On May 4, Moussaoui wasn't convicted of conspiracy in connection to the hijackings. He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole, miraculously avoiding the death penalty.
Two counter-terrorism officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were aware of the message and had no reason to doubt its authenticity.
A statement allegedly from Osama bin Laden claims that Zacarias Moussaoui was in no way involved in the terrorist attacks that killed 3,000 Americans.
"The truth is that he has no connection whatsoever with the events of September 11. I am certain of what I say because I was responsible for entrusting the 19 brothers ... with the raids," said the speaker who sounded like the leader of Al Qaeda.
He went on too dismiss Moussaoui's confession as "void," saying it was a reaction to "pressures exercised against him during four and a half years" in U.S. custody.
On May 4, Moussaoui wasn't convicted of conspiracy in connection to the hijackings. He was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole, miraculously avoiding the death penalty.
Two counter-terrorism officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they were aware of the message and had no reason to doubt its authenticity.
Hayden's confirmation endorsed
The man at the helm of President Bush's illegal wiretapping scheme has been endorsed by the Senate Intelligence Committee to be the next director of the CIA, by a 13 - 2 vote.
Air Force Gen. Michael V. Hayden's nomination will likely go before the Senate for a full vote later this week.
If confirmed, Hayden will be taking over an agency shamed and in tatters. Former Director Porter Goss and #3-man Dusty Foggo were both forced to slink away, their names tainted by the same Hookergate scandal that brought Randy "Duke" Cunningham.
But stories of sad old men paying for sex are nothing compared to the real problems that have plagued the agency over the past five years.
In October of last year, Goss's boss, John Negroponte ordered his lackey to kill any further investigations into what went wrong within the agency that may have led to the events of 9/11.
Just three weeks after Negroponte's dictate, reports indicated that the CIA's former secret defense operation "Able Danger" might have prevented 9/11 from happening.
The Pentagon's long overdue release of video showing American Flight 77 striking the Department of Defense's headquarters has done nothing to bolster America's confidence. A report released today says that 70 million Americans want a new investigation into the attacks of 9/11.
It's doubtful Hayden will be the man to get to the bottom of the horrible day.
-Another dark day for America begins
Air Force Gen. Michael V. Hayden's nomination will likely go before the Senate for a full vote later this week.
If confirmed, Hayden will be taking over an agency shamed and in tatters. Former Director Porter Goss and #3-man Dusty Foggo were both forced to slink away, their names tainted by the same Hookergate scandal that brought Randy "Duke" Cunningham.
But stories of sad old men paying for sex are nothing compared to the real problems that have plagued the agency over the past five years.
In October of last year, Goss's boss, John Negroponte ordered his lackey to kill any further investigations into what went wrong within the agency that may have led to the events of 9/11.
Just three weeks after Negroponte's dictate, reports indicated that the CIA's former secret defense operation "Able Danger" might have prevented 9/11 from happening.
The Pentagon's long overdue release of video showing American Flight 77 striking the Department of Defense's headquarters has done nothing to bolster America's confidence. A report released today says that 70 million Americans want a new investigation into the attacks of 9/11.
It's doubtful Hayden will be the man to get to the bottom of the horrible day.
-Another dark day for America begins
2006/05/22
Films on Guantánamo and Iraq face war of cuts
Suzanne Goldenberg / London Guardian May 18 2006
Two new films which expose unpleasant truths about Guantanamo and the battle for Iraq are coming under pressure from censors in the United States.
The Motion Pictures Association of America has censored a poster advertising a film about the Tipton three, called The Road to Guantanamo, that showed a hooded and blindfolded man hanging by his shackled wrists. Also, the makers of Baghdad ER, a documentary about a US military combat hospital, told the Guardian yesterday that Francis Harvey, the secretary of the army, had demanded last-minute changes to the film.
The Guantanamo film ran into difficulties with the MPAA last month when it submitted its advertising material for customary review. To the surprise of Howard Cohen, president of Roadside Attractions which is distributing the film in the US, the association demanded that the poster for the R-rated film be toned down.
"It was the head in the burlap sack that pushed it over the edge for them," Mr Cohen said. The film will be advertised instead by a poster which shows only a pair of shackled hands and arms. "It's outrageous that they are objecting to this image ... They are saying ... children in the US should not be allowed to see what it is we are doing to people in Guantanamo." The MPAA offered no comment.
The makers of Baghdad ER say the senior leadership of the Pentagon has turned against their film, despite cooperation during its making in Baghdad and a positive reception at screenings at military bases. "Somebody wearing a tie and not a uniform seems to have a political agenda and is trying to influence this film," said the director, Jon Alpert.
The army surgeon general, Lieutenant General Kevin Kiley, issued a health warning against the film, saying it could cause post-traumatic stress disorder. But Major Crystal Oliver, an army spokeswoman, said there was no attempt to censor and that the military was happy with the portrayal. "The leadership are proud of those soldiers in the film." she said.
Two new films which expose unpleasant truths about Guantanamo and the battle for Iraq are coming under pressure from censors in the United States.
The Motion Pictures Association of America has censored a poster advertising a film about the Tipton three, called The Road to Guantanamo, that showed a hooded and blindfolded man hanging by his shackled wrists. Also, the makers of Baghdad ER, a documentary about a US military combat hospital, told the Guardian yesterday that Francis Harvey, the secretary of the army, had demanded last-minute changes to the film.
The Guantanamo film ran into difficulties with the MPAA last month when it submitted its advertising material for customary review. To the surprise of Howard Cohen, president of Roadside Attractions which is distributing the film in the US, the association demanded that the poster for the R-rated film be toned down.
"It was the head in the burlap sack that pushed it over the edge for them," Mr Cohen said. The film will be advertised instead by a poster which shows only a pair of shackled hands and arms. "It's outrageous that they are objecting to this image ... They are saying ... children in the US should not be allowed to see what it is we are doing to people in Guantanamo." The MPAA offered no comment.
The makers of Baghdad ER say the senior leadership of the Pentagon has turned against their film, despite cooperation during its making in Baghdad and a positive reception at screenings at military bases. "Somebody wearing a tie and not a uniform seems to have a political agenda and is trying to influence this film," said the director, Jon Alpert.
The army surgeon general, Lieutenant General Kevin Kiley, issued a health warning against the film, saying it could cause post-traumatic stress disorder. But Major Crystal Oliver, an army spokeswoman, said there was no attempt to censor and that the military was happy with the portrayal. "The leadership are proud of those soldiers in the film." she said.
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