Sunday, April 30, 2006

Did you make the list?


Are you one of the 3,051 Americans the FBI secretly sought info on in 2005? If so, then you were the lucky recipient of a search of your credit card records, perhaps your bank records...maybe your internet searches? How can they do this you may ask?
Through an administrative subpoena known as a 'National Security Letter'. It allows th executive branch to obtain information without court approval...So did you get a letter? Please post it if so...I'd consider it a badge of honor...

Ever feel like 'quietly claiming the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted by Congress'? Maybe even just one (the speed limit). According to a great story HERE in the Boston Globe...our Mr. Bush has done just that.

"Among the laws Bush said he can ignore are military rules and regulations, affirmative-action provisions, requirements that Congress be told about immigration services problems, ''whistle-blower" protections for nuclear regulatory officials, and safeguards against political interference in federally funded research."

Yikes dikes...So perhaps you should run for President. Sounds like a sweet deal. I wonder if he really pays taxes or has decided it encroaches on his authority:)

So Stay Armed...

Stay Awake and as always..

Stay Naked.

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Saturday, April 29, 2006

Hypocrisy, Thy Name is Bush



It's hard to know what to do when you get this mad. Punching the laptop is counterproductive. Sticking my head out the window and yelling "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore !" only annoys my immediate neighbors.

But then you watch and listen to these alleged patriots with their Stars and Stripes backdrops and flag lapel pins and legions of serving military ordered to serve as props in their propaganda productions and peddling "Support Our Troops" stickers. Like V.P. Dick ("I Had Other Priorities") Cheney gassing on about how much they love our troops and their noble sacrifices, to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 2002. Or President George aW.ol Bush, erupting in praise and promises at a Veteran's Medical Center in 2004 Or SecDef Donald "Actually a Vet" Rumsfeld calling for troop support at a Pentagon "town meeting" in 2005.

And then you swing by TomDispatch (because you saw it on TruthOut, thank you very much) and you read what Judith Coburn HERE (and too many other places to count) reveals about what these (and here words fail me . . . insert your favorite expletive) gentlemen actually do for, but mainly to, the actual thousands of veterans who have survived this useless war, with their minds, bodies and lives shattered in the name of arrogance and deceit and you get so angry you can only . . .
forgive them, because we are called to do this in all cases, one of the principal reasons I say that Christianity is not for weaklings,
and
vow to do all we can to prevent our leaders from doing any more damage and

StayNaked
jd

Friday, April 28, 2006

Which One Is Not A Poodle ?





Alright, Zooheads, its time to see if you have been paying attention.

One of the creatures pictured here is a standard poodle and the other is, by his own firm declaration, "not a poodle".
At least not George Bush's poodle. No, no, let's be fair. He said he is "nobody's poodle".

Coupled with his denial of being a poodle, our Mystery Guest also denied being a "military dictator" although he admitted it was "ironic" that he was "sitting here in uniform talking of democracy." Well, that gives it away. If you haven't already guessed, the one on the left is not a standard poodle, but rather General Perez Musharraf, the "democratic" leader of Pakistan and nobody's poodle.

You should read this interview in The Guardian, you really should. Its full of the kind of stuff we would try to make up here at the Zoo, but refrain because we know the reality will outstrip us every time. Try this morsel.

Pakistan, the General assures us, makes every effort to minimize "collateral damage" while fighting al-Quaida in Waziristan, which includes the border area with Afghanistan. Any women and children who are killed are "supporters and abetters of terrorism", so too bad for them. They should know better than to hang around their husbands and fathers.

The good General also reports that the war against al-Quaida in Waziristan is going well and is "almost won". That's the good news. The bad news is that the Taliban is resurgent in the same area and its influence is spreading in to other areas. We guess that's "ironic", too. We wonder if the killing of the female and infant "supporters and abetters" might be having an impact. That would even be more ironic.

We hope you all passed this little quiz and that you all

Stay Naked
jd

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

'Skater Surveillance 101'



I don't know if you read 'Adbusters' but there is a chilly little article this month about 'How Skating Lost It's Soul'. It's essentially about how Nike co-opted the skate culture by making shoes with such fat profit margins that indie skate shops had to carry them. Aside from recommending Adbusters as a good read, I recommend going out and getting this months issue just for this article.

They talk about how Nike hired Ph.D., Anthropology students to write up ethnographies of skaters. Listen to this quote from former pro skater and current SF based writer Ocean Howell,"I really objected to the Orewellian market research. Focus groups are one thing but much more invasive tactics are becoming standard practice. A friend of mine worked at one of the major US clothing companies desperate to target skaters. It's design rooms were filled with long lens 'sniper photos' of skateboarders walking down the street, riding their boards, sitting around drinking soda...Ordinary skaters were subject to menacing levels of surveillance."

Ok. Got the picture? Now re-read that paragraph and substitute 'child' for 'skater'.

"It's design rooms were filled with long lens 'sniper photos' of CHILDREN walking down the street, riding their boards, sitting around drinking soda...Ordinary CHILDREN were subject to menacing levels of surveillance."

Anybody else see a problem here? US corporations hiring firms to surreptitiously photograph children (Don't even try and tell me these kids are over 18 on the aggregate) with telephoto lenses?
If you happen to do this for a living well fuck you...I hope the cops catch up to you soon.

SIDENOTE: I love Adbusters and commend their bravery for doing a cover story on Torture. That said, the cover art was weak as hell. There's literally thousands of real torture pics they could have chosen but they opted for a production assistant strapped down in an aseptically clean 'torture room' This is the same publication that blew my mind by publishing the photo below from the infamous 'Highway of Death' in Iraq. C'mon boys...you can do better than that.



Here's a torture pic!



and trust me. This is nothing. We do abominable things in the name of the 'War on Terror' but this pic you see above comes from an administration that assures us 'We do not torture' The picture you see is from the Abu Gharib archive and shows a pile of zip-tied, hooded men getting beaten by a US soldier...

==========================
By the by...looks like Rovie Poo is about to get Frog-marched out of the White House. Check out this great Jason Leopod update HERE. I'm all tingly...

Stay Free...

Stay Fat...

and please...

Stay Naked.

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The RepubliWho Did What ?


I used to live in a country with two political flavors, Republican and Democrat. The Republicans presented as small government, family value, strong defense champions who spent all their spare time denouncing the Democrats as "tax and spend liberals" who threw public money around like drunken sailors and would bankrupt the country were it not for the "deficit hawks" among the Republicans.

Then came Ronald Reagan, The Greatest Republican President in History, (just ask 'em) who established new records in budget deficits ($4 trillion) by cutting taxes and driving the biggest military buildup in anybody's history as outline HERE. This arguably made Republican sense despite the huge deficits because it was all done in the name of National Security (this was in the days before Homeland Security).

Now, however, we have slipped over into the United States of Wonderland. Not only has President Bush trumped the Reagan deficits (also HERE), now the Republicans in the Senate have voted to cut funding for troops in the field ! ThinkProgress has this story and I can hardly keep my mind between my ears. Its as if the Democrats produced a plan to end welfare. No, that happened.

Its as if the President of the United States sent 2300 kids off to die because he ignored any information that conflicted with his pre-determined plan. No, that happened.

Hilary Clinton, iconic Liberal Death Goddess in the Republican pantheon, is trashing the Republican Senate Majority for failing to support the troops ! We have entered the Hall of Mirrors.

The only possible response is to

Stay Naked
jd

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Who You Callin' a Gallo Capon ?



On the eve of leaving office President William Jefferson Clinton announced "Plan Columbia" and blithely tossed another $1.3 billion into the black hole that represents our pathetic and ludicrous War on Drugs. But, golly, that was a George W. Bush term and a half ago ! How are things going now ?

For this we turn to Watching America and a report from . . . of course, Columbia. From El Tiempo, a leading Columbian newspaper we get the depressing, but not surprising, information that the war is not going so well. Cocaine supplies, after billions of dollars spent to reduce them, are up. 22% up. Street prices are down. Police are corrupted. Anti-U.S. forces in Central and South America strengthened.

Here's a sample:

"The obvious and repeated conclusion is that this crusade is lost. I have a folder full of similar clippings: "U.S. officials maintain that the fight against drugs has failed" (El Tiempo, Feb. 5, 1995); "Losing the war against drugs" (Diario de las Americas, July 21, 1998); "The U.N.'s useless effort to eradicate drugs" (The Economist, April 5, 2003); "Crop reduction has not lowered drug production" (El Tiempo, October 25, 2005); "It is time to ask whether the remedy has been worse than the disease" (El Tiempo, October 29, 2005); "The failure of the war against drugs" (El Espectador, Feb. 12-18, 2006); "The cultivation of coca in Colombia increases" (El Pais, Spain, April 17, 2006)."

There's lot's more, but in order to read it and survive you'll have to

Stay Naked
jd

Oh, yeah. Gallo capon, means "castrated rooster" which is a collquialism for cuckold, which roughly means "somebody's fool" which, in this case, means you and me, babe.

SN
jd

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Bill Moyers Presents: Bill Moyers is Jesus!




Hard to pass up a chance to bring you some wisdom from the inimitable Bill Moyers. This link HERE is to a speech Moyers gave recently at the establishment of a scholarship in the name of Bill & Judith Moyers at the Wake Forest Divinity School.

" It was in the name of Jesus that a Methodist ship caulker named Edward Rogers crusaded across New England for an eight-hour work day. It was in the name of Jesus that Francis William rose up against the sweatshop. It was in the name of Jesus that Dorothy Day marched alongside auto workers in Michigan, brewery workers in New York, and marble cutters in Vermont. It was in the name of Jesus that E.B. McKinney and Owen Whitfield stood against a Mississippi oligarchy that held sharecroppers in servitude. It was in the name of Jesus that the young priest John Ryan - ten years before the New Deal - crusaded for child labor laws, unemployment insurance, a minimum wage, and decent housing for the poor. And it was in the name of Jesus that Martin Luther King Jr. went to Memphis to march with sanitation workers who were asking only for a living wage."

Who is this Jesus guy? He sure is a rabble rouser:)

This is the heresy of our time - to wrestle with the gods who guard the boundaries of this great nation's promise, and to confront the medicine men in the woods, twirling their bullroarers to keep us in fear and trembling. For the greatest heretic of all is Jesus of Nazareth, who drove the money changers from the temple in Jerusalem as we must now drive the money changers from the temples of democracy."



Stay faithful and always...

Stay Naked.

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Saturday, April 22, 2006

All Hail Our Great Friend China


We have softened our view of China since the bad old days of Mao Tse Tung, the Red Guards and the Great Leap Forward. Now we see it as just a kind of gigantic WalMart that produces all the cheap stuff that make our lives terrific.

So what was that woman yelling at China's President Hu on the South Lawn of the White House the other day ? Brace yourself.

She was protesting the alleged practice of the Chinese of harvesting human organs from Falun Gong prisoners and selling them on the international market. That's right. Cutting up live human beings for their valuable parts.

The story has been picked up by others like the Guardian and the Mercury News and many others. Cutting up live human beings for their valuable parts. It's kind of hard to think about.

It also appears that the Chinese are not confining their dubious activities to China. A Chinese techie working on software to breach the Great Firewall was beaten in his home and his two laptops stolen. In Atlanta. Georgia. U.S.A. By two Asian guys. F.B.I. not commenting on involvement of Chinese government.


Maybe that's what we're seeing here.

Hu: "I am a great admirer of your secret CIA torture centers."

Bush:" Thank you, but they are nothing compared to your Falun Gong murder and organ theft operation."

As Orwell observed, it's getting harder to tell the pigs from the humans, so please, stay human and


Stay Naked
jd

Friday, April 21, 2006

Darfur Update: Still Waiting on GW


GlobalSecurity.org, a military-minded site priding itself on knowing what is going on in the security world is reporting that humanitarian relief efforts in Darfur are on the verge of collapse.
Their authority is Jan Egeland, United Nations Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs.

Its all pretty grim. 200,000 in need of food and getting none. 650,000 entirely beyond the reach of aid. Government interference. International indifference. The usual.

Our Own President, of course, reviewed a report on the Rwandan genocide and wrote "Not On My Watch" in the margin. People thought he meant he would not permit another genocide. Maybe he just meant in Rwanda.

So it looks like we have yet another unanswerable question from our grandchildren. What did you do when Bush stole the election, Grandpa ? What did you do when Bush lied us into a war, Grandpa ? What did you do when Bush stole the election, Grandpa ? What did you do when Bush allowed a million to die in Darfur, Grandpa ? Grandpa ?

Stay Naked
jd

Thursday, April 20, 2006

One Brick Out; Falwell Falls and more . . .


Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters had scheduled a stop on his upcoming tour for Tel Aviv, Israel. At the urging of Palestinian musicians and artists he has changed the venue to Neve Shalom - Wahat al-Salam (Oasis of Peace in Hebrew and Arabic), a community jointly founded by Israelis and Palestinians as a step toward reconciliation and peace.
A small step, perhaps, but any step that is not towards confrontation, violence and death is a good one, yes ?


FALWELL vs. THE FIRST AMENDMENT (ROUND 2)

The Rev. Jerry Falwell has for the second time demonstrated his failure to grasp the First Amendment to the Constitution. Odd for one who has lived his adult life under its protections.
This time he tried to silence online critics (Homosexuals !!) who had obtained the website "Fallwell. com" and used it to lampoon the good Reverend. He wanted the courts to shut down Fallwell.com and silence that mocking voice.
Not so fast said the courts, shoving Jerry out the door and leaving Fallwell.com in operation.
Why Jerry didn't learn this lesson when he sued Hustler hustler Larry Flynt for defamation, lo these many years ago, and also got tossed out on his kiester, it is hard to say. You would think he would prefer not to remind people of the Hustler satire featuring him having unnatural relations with his mother in an outhouse, but there is no accounting for taste.

IF WE ALL SAY "I BELIEVE" TOGETHER . . .

. . . then the promise in Jason Leopold's Truthout story today that Prosecuter Patrick Fitzgerald will soon ask his Grand Jury (and isn't it grand ?) for a multiple-count indictment against Karl Rove will come true just in time to disable the Republican Super Strategist for the upcoming congressional elections. Since as far as I can tell the entire Republican machine has been utterly dependent on Rove since at least 2000, just the initial wave of panic at facing elections without him should cost them 7-10 house seats and maybe two in the Senate

Is there any way I can have chocolate with this ?

MEASURING SUCCESS IN KABUL

Yesterday's rocket attack on the American Embassy in Kabul was a bust miltarily. It missed the building and only injured one policeman.
But it shed interesting light on the security situation in Afghanistan's capital when Tom Collins, a U. S. military spokesman sought to downplay the event by describing the overall level of security in the city. "Kabul is generally, relatively speaking, pretty safe," was how Collins summed it up.
Recall that for all the blood and treasure we have spilled in Afghanistan, the "security" of Kabul is about all we have to show for it. The Taliban continue as an active force. Opium has returned to its pre-Taliban levels. So, Kabul is our crown jewel.
Now imagine that your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend is standing in front of you and saying, "Well, generally, relatively speaking, I'm pretty faithful." Do you relax ? O.K., try your doctor telling you that "generally, relatively speaking, your cancer is pretty good." Are you comforted ?
Chalk up another for the "fine, fine job" that Don Rumsfeld has done and
Stay Naked.
jd

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

"Setting the Record Straight"


Just when you thought it was safe to surf on-line, you had all your child-safety software installed, your settings set on 'HIGH', your google settings prevented you from seeing any porn, you weren't getting any pop-ups, malware, viruses anything...well you happen to stumble across the dirtiest infoporn ever. This makes the goats.xe site seem tame by comparison. Warning: the information I am about to present to you is shocking but wihtout furhter ado (and a nod to Truthout;) I give you:

"SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT"

I know, you're hesitant to click, fearful of a screaming face or images of a Santorum:) It's actually a genuine whitehouse.gov link and in it you'll find this Administration's 'counter-attacks' to all of the malicious left-wing, mainstream media, liberal blogger driven attacks...

Be sure to check out:

The August 28th Hurricane Katrina Videoconference
With gems like:

Former FEMA Director Michael Brown Said The President Was "Asking A Lot Of Really Good Questions I Would Expect Him To Ask."

Despite Conflicting Reports, The Administration "Knew Of The Flooding."

Charges of Domestic Spying

The President's Authorization Only Covers International Communications In Which One Party Is Suspected Of Links To Al Qaeda Or Related Terrorist Organizations. (We now know this isn't true:)

So poke around, have some fun...in the Immortal words of HST "When the going gets weird, the weird turn Pro">>>>>>>>>>>

and speaking of a weird pro, the White house announced today that embattled White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has 'announced his resignation'.



The rearranging of the deck chairs continues...

God Bless Barry Bonds...:)

Stay Naked.

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Tuesday, April 18, 2006

We'll Leave Iraq When They Can Afford It

Looking into the future in Iraq is tricky business as the Bush Administration has discovered. Who could foresee that a determined insurgency would arise following our invasion ? O.K., besides the State Department and the Pentagon. And who could know that successful elections would not be immediately followed by a new government ?

But, the Iraqis have our solemn pledge that we will eventually leave and that we seek no permanent bases in their country, although the new embassy in Baghdad and four gigantic airbases under construction don't exactly look like tent cities. Let's assume we're as good as our word (chuckle) and that the day will come when we will pull our troops out. It now looks like we will also had the Iraqis a largish tab for the service.


The Japanese have been waiting more or less patiently for 60 years to have U.S. troops removed from their country and, at last, it looks like it will begin to happen. Things are running a little behind schedule, however, due to disputes over who pays the freight. The U.S. wants Japan to pay 75% of the cost of the relocation according to The Guardian. Considering that the cost of moving the first 8000 Marines to Guam is ten billion dollars and that there are 150,000 troops total to be moved, one can imagine that the negotiations are a bit strained.

Apparently we want the Japanese to pay the cost of building the new facilities the Marines will require on Guam. Like you want your cousin Eddie, who has overstayed his welcome, to move out and he wants you to build him a house. You can see the discussions might slow down.

The good news, of course, is that the Iraqis have sixty years to save up, now that they are on notice that the piper will, one day, have to be paid. Consider it part of the price of freedom and

Stay Naked
jd

"There are a variety of other ways for an individual to arrive in the country."



So what the hell does, "There are a variety of other ways for an individual to arrive in the country." mean and who is that pictured above? Well, the quote is from the State Department talking about the gentleman above...who happens to be an Iranian diplomat named Mohammad Nahavandian. He is, according to the story posted on The Washington Note blog, a top Iranian diplomat and he happens to be in D.C.
This is all good news as it's the humble opionion of the Zoo (and every other conscious , sentient being) that we, the US, need to be talking to and about Iran rather then beating the drums of war.

Still..."There are a variety of other ways for an individual to arrive in the country." WTF?
----------------------------------------------------------
Speaking of Iran, two Democratic congressmen have sent Bush letters requesting information on the reports that we are ALREADY AT WAR with Iran by virtue of having Special Ops guys in Iran. Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)wrote the following:

"We are writing to remind you that you are constitutionally bound to seek congressional authorization before launching any preventive military strikes against Iran," DeFazio writes.

Citing Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution ("The President shall be the Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into actual Service of the United States..."), DeFazio attacks the administration's frequent interpretation of the clause to historically justify unilateral military actions by presidents without authorization of Congress."


I bet the second that hits his desk (if ever) he'll spring from his chair, bound into Roves office and demand an explanation or he'll roll it up and fill it with whatever the hell it is he smokes that makes him appear in a robe with a shiny scepter...I pciture him eating some butter and SHAZAM...he's a KING!...



Stay Royal...and as always...

Stay Naked.

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Monday, April 17, 2006

Bad Adam...Bad Pops...

Hey Zooheads. Sorry for the no posts the last couple days. We suck. No other explanation (And of course by we I mean Pops as I'm without fault:) What's my excuse you say? Listen, I was attacked by a pro-life group of lesbians hell-bent on caramel frappachinos...I took the last parking spot in the Starbucks lot. Before I could even open the door I was overcome by the smell of patchoulli...disoriented I didn't see the Camilla Paglia signature baseball bat come whistling at my head. It's all a blur except for them branding the word,"Shemalehatervaginapowerclub" on my leg...anyway, the point is you're lucky I survived. Pops has no such excuse;)

Onto news...guess what's in the pic?




It's part of the amazing NEW US Embassy in Baghdad! It's not so much an embaassy singular as it's a huge complex sprawled out over 104 acres inside Baghdads 'Green Zone' (no stoners, there's no free pot...it just means security is really really tight there) Full article HERE. So it should really come as no surprise we're building an embassy there but does anyone think this embassy isn't going to become the #1 target for every lunatic islamo-fascist group on earth? Am I alone on this one?
Get this. The company building it? First Kuwaiti Trading & Contracting...must be a subcontractor for an American company:)
Here's my NO Shit Quote of the Day from the International Crisis Group, a research group that generates regular reports on Iraq:

"The presence of a massive U.S. embassy - by far the largest in the world - co-located in the Green Zone with the Iraqi government is seen by Iraqis as an indication of who actually exercises power in their country"

That sound you hear? That's the militias...no wait Insurgents...no, ummm...Terrorists...no...Baathists...no...well that's the sound of someone licking their lips...

[][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]

Great article HERE from the Chicago Tribune on whether or not Iraq is currently experiencing a 'civil war' or just systematic random violence that happens to occur between two distinct populations:) Some highlights...

"We need to divide the country into three," Mohammed al-Jubouri said. "We cannot live with these people."

-Said after his brothers body was discovered with a bullet shot to the head and wounds on his inner thighs that appear to have been caused by a power drill.

"Training and equipping a force, while knowing that at least some element is infiltrated by militias, is a difficult situation," said Capt. Ryan Lawrence, an intelligence officer with the U.S. Army's 2nd Brigade Special Police Transition Team.

Okay, maybe that is my new No Shit Quote of the Day:)

"His assessment was that the militias are everywhere ... and his officers weren't going to do anything about that because their units are infiltrated and they know what the cost would be for working against the militias."

Told to Lt. Col. Chris Pease, deputy commander of the U.S. military's police training programs in eastern Baghdad by one of his trused recruits.

Another gem by Lt. Col Pease, "We're not stupid. We know for a fact that they're killing people. We dig the damn bodies out of the sewer all the time. But there's a difference between knowing something and proving something."

James Fearon, a Stanford University political scientist who specializes in the study of civil conflict. "The rate [of killings] is comparable to Sri Lanka, the Lebanese war and Bosnia

Well there you have it. So now what?

Umm...yeah.

Stay Positive and please...

Stay Naked.

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Friday, April 14, 2006

Think you're a Tough Guy...or Gal?


Do you have what it takes? Some real balls? Adbusters, one of our fave websites, is sponsoring their annual 'Turn Off Your TV' week in about 10 days (April 24-30).
So Zooheads...are you up to it? Makes Lent seem tame by comparison...no ESPN, no CNN, no C-Span, no Sesame Street, No law and order...nothing...

So...think you're up to it?

Stay Naked.

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Interesting quotes:

"They put an off button on the TV for a reason. Turn it off . . . I really don't watch much TV."
-- President George W. Bush, C-SPAN interview, January 2005

"American children and adolescents spend 22 to 28 hours per week viewing television, more than any other activity except sleeping. By the age of 70 they will have spent 7 to 10 years of their lives watching TV."
-- The Kaiser Family Foundation

Thursday, April 13, 2006

"Americans are perfectly fond of war as long as they’re winning."


Can this be true? Are Americans perfectly fond of war as long as we're winning? Pretty sharp insight from the Boys over at Pravda. Check out the full editorial HERE. The article presumes totalitarian ambitions of this administration in a way that is disarming...as if the debate is over on this count?
How about it Zooheads? Are we already a totalitarian state? Funny that it's the Russians calling us totalitarians. That's almost a compliment coming from a country that is practicing genocide on it's own population (See Chechnya)
Let's see what the rest of the world thinks about us. How about our friends the North Koreans?

"North Korea's powerful revolutionary armed forces have the countermeasures to cope with any preemptive attack that the U.S. imperialists may mount. If they dare provoke it, the army and people of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will mercilessly wipe out the American imperialist aggressors."

That sounds bad. We better not mess with them... Can't we all just get along?

So what's a guy to do? Apparently work for himself! According to a report out by the University of Durham, you'll be happier if you work for yourself...so you cubicle jockeys...time to say...UP YOURS! to the man and start your own gig! Any ideas?



Stay Free. Stay Nuclear. Stay American...

and as always...

Stay Naked.

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Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Who is Al Queda?

This map represents countries or provinces that are reported to have an Al Qaeda presence. This is according to Janes International Security News.

So what do you know about Al Qaeda? Bunch of guys running through a jungle gym course in the middle of the desert? A highly motivated global terrorist organization responisble for 9/11, London, Madrid, Katrina etc. etc.

So how did Al Qaeda pull off the London bombings? The British government has concluded that Al Qaeda had exactly...nothing...to do with the bombing. Hm...

Ok, how about Madrid?

A Spanish judge just indicted 29 people in connection with the Madrid train bombings on a variety of charges including murder and terrorism. The Spanish government concluded that there was a 'hornets nest' of radical Islamic activity in their fair country. They also concluded that Al Qaeda played...no role...Double Hm...

We already know that Saddam Hussein had no connection to Al Qaeda...

Soooo...what the fuck? Seriously, what the fuck?

It seems everyday is some new "Hey guys, that warm yellow stuff pouring all over you is fresh clean rain"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
In other happy news, James Tobin, a top Republican operative (He was the Republican parties New England Regional Director) was indicted in a phone-jamming operation that was designed to keep New Hampshire Democrats from voting in 2002. Three people have been convicted so far in the scheme. Interestingly, it turns out Mr. Tobin made two dozen phone calls to the White House in the three days around the 2002 election. None of this is surprising but listen to the 'Republican response'

"If all you're pointing out is calls between Republican National Committee regional political officials and the White House political office on Election Day, you're pointing out nothing that hasn't been true on every Election Day" That's the lawyer...

Umm. No, that's not what we're point out. We're pointing out that a man convicted of a phone-jamming operation called the White House two dozen times during the operation. That's all we're saying...

Stay Naked.

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A Friend in Kneed

President George W. Bush is widely reknowned as a man who values loyalty.

So it was when his long-time friend King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia visited Washington, D.C. (which is in America), Bush loyally observed the Saudi custom of men holding hands in public, even though it led to a lot of good natured ribbing about whether they two leaders had a gay thing going (not that there's anything wrong with that).

And so it was that many members of the Saudi royal family were exempted from the post-9/11 flight ban and allowed to leave the U.S. virtually unimpeded.

Loyalty. Its something real men understand and value.

How heartwarming, then, for the President when, in a moment of crisis in the Persian Gulf, as America confronts Iranian ambitions for nuclear energy and draws a line in the sand with no option "off the table", it's loyal ally in the region, Saudi Arabia, steps up and knees us right where it hurts the most.

In the person of none other than Prince Bandar (aka "Bandar Bush"), former Saudi Ambassador to the United States and confidant of the President, the Saudis have asked the Russians to help block any attempt by us to get the U.N. to sanction Iran for its activities.

Let's see, how does that go ? "The enemy of my friend is my enemy and the friend of my enemy is my . . . friend ?" I can never remember that stuff.

Anyway, the Saudis and Abdullah and Bandar are our friends and we are loyal to them, so

Stay Naked
jd

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Nice Time for a Twofer

We all remember Katherine Harris who, in her dual role as Florida's Secretary of State and George Bush's state campaign chairman, helped engineer George's theft of the 2000 presidential election. We recall her arrogance, her icy demeanor and her ruthless determination to see the outcome she preferred.

She was awarded, for her loyalty, a safe seat in Congress from Florida. But, as ever, she wanted more. She wants a seat in the Senate and is in the race. Sort of.

Katherine has been having some problems. Few people want to give her money. Lots of her campaign staff have found good reasons to "start spending more time with their families". Her poll numbers have tanked.

And now ? The flagship magazine of America's Right, Bill Buckley's National Review, has advised Harris to get out of the race and give someone with a realistic chance to beat the incumbent Democrat the opportunity to do so.

Katherine has responded with her signature arrogance and invited Buckley down to Florida to see how "real voters feel about Katherine Harris". Voters other than those giving her the 60% disapproval ratings, it must be supposed.

The twofer ? The chance to see the Republicans blow an opportunity to gain a Senate seat and the heartwarming humiliation and defeat of someone who has poisoned American politics.
Now, perhaps, you will join me in praying for the ability to forgive her and also

Stay Naked
jd

What is an 'ISOG'?




Remember WHIG (White House Iraq Group) or OSP (The Pentagons Office of Special Plans)? OSP was created in Sep. 2002 by SecDef Rumsfeld to help 'deal with intelligence on Iraq'. We know how that worked out... WHIG was responsible for 'marketing the Iraq war' which they did quite effectively...but we know how that worked out too:)
ISOG is the cool sounding acronym for the Iran-Syria Operations Group. Lawrance Kaplan of the violently left-wing 'New Republic';) reports HERE that Dick Cheneys daughter Liz Cheney (That's her above) is in charge of about $80 million earmarked for 'promoting democracy in Iran'. It all sounds so eerily familiar doesn't it:)
Wait a second. Doesn't the State Department have people assigned to this? Yes they do but apparently the administration likes having it's own little cells of like-minded folks duplicating other government agencies...

So buckle up folks. Here we go again.
---------------------------------------
Great article on Think Progress HERE containing expert quotes of the efficacy of a military strike on Iran.

James Carafano, Heritage Foundation: “‘There are no good military options.

Ret. Air Force Col. Sam Gardener: "You have no military solution for the issues of Iran. And you have to make diplomacy work.

Joseph Cirincione, Carnegie Endowment: “[A] military strike would be disastrous for the United States
---------------------------------------

Pat Robertson Quote of the Day
: "And then I prayed. And I said, "Lord, what's wrong with her?" I just prayed silently. And the Lord said, "Ask about her sex life."


So stay away from the guy pictured above and

Stay Naked.

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Monday, April 10, 2006

The Redcoats are Coming ! Dive ! Dive !


Alright, so its a mixed metaphor. If there was sound on this blog it would have opened with a submarine dive klaxon, the most alarming sound the Navy could produce after years of research. It is a time for alarm, to be startled from our normal state, even if that is one of alert interest in public affairs. Alert interest won't be enough.

What am I talking about ? What everybody is talking about. No claim to exclusivity today. Seymour Martin Hersh, writing in a New Yorker magazine that won't be published until the 17th, describes the state of Bush Administration preparation for a military attack on Iran, The Iran Plans.

Please, please, please read this piece. The highlights ?

  • Bush believes that "saving Iran is going to be his legacy".
  • Israel will attack if we don't, so we have to because the consequences of an Israeli attack on a Muslim country would be too serious.
  • As many a four hundred targets will be bombed in Iran.
  • A former IAEA official thinks American diplomacy no longer allows for a positive outcome.
  • A former senior intelligence official says "We now have the green light for everything we want."
I know that this story is everywhere and that the White House has not denied it and the talking heads are yapping and the spin meisters are stepping up the rpm, but we can't afford to have this disappear into the fog.

There must be a diplomatic solution to this problem of Iranian nukes and we have to insist it be found. We cannot sleepwalk into a second unilateral attack on a Muslim nation and wake up later looking for absolution. Its the old "fool me once" rule. How do we explain to anybody that we allowed the neocons to stampede us into another war ?

So, get busy and

Stay Naked
jd

Sunday, April 09, 2006

Judas Gets a Break


Well, 1700 years is a long time between drinks, but poor old Judas Iscariot, Christian whipping boy for centuries, at last sees a little sunshine.

A manuscript, The Gospel of Judas, dating to about 300 A.D. has surfaced which, if believed, would show that Judas was only following Jesus' directions when he betrayed Him to the Romans. What's more, in this book Judas turns from the goat to the Super Sheep, the only Apostle holding the ultimate secret knowledge given to him by Jesus Himself.
Oops. There's the rub. "Secret knowledge". Sounds like our old friends the Gnostics and, by golly, it is. Unfortunately, the Gnostics, best known through the Nag Hamadi papers discovered in 1948, have long since been discredited as factual competitors to the traditional four Gospels.

Let me try an analogy. Imagine that in 2006 a single, partially illegible document of unknown authorship written in Spanish was found in a library in Mexico. This document is entitled The Testimony of Benedict Arnold and experts say it is probably a copy of an earlier English language document.

The Testimony indicates that Arnold was directed by George Washington to betray American secrets to the British and, further, was Washington's closest friend and the sole holder of Washington's true vision for the future United States.

How much history would you be willing to rewrite on the basis of a single anonymous, questionable document weighed against the rest of the historical record ?

Stay skeptical and

Stay Naked
jd

Saturday, April 08, 2006

Meet John Gunther Dean, Anti-Semite

Once again we are grateful to Sam Bahour and his ePalestine list for a little much-needed sanity regarding Israel and the Palestinians.

John Gunther Dean is eighty years old, our former Ambassador to Lebanon ( and Cambodia, Thailand, Denmark and India) and not, as far as can be told, an Anti-Semite. He might be forgiven being anti-Israeli since he has formed the impression that Mossad tried to assassinate him during his service in Lebanon as reflected in his oral history housed at the Jimmy Carter Library (click on "Lebanon" and see pp. 242 to 246 in the resulting pdf file).

But that is ancient history and his anti-Israeli animus ( if any) is not evident in the following piece. The worst he accuses Israel of is looking after its own interests. He expresses the wish that we would do the same.



A problem in American foreign policy: Palestine

Submitted by John Gunther Dean

In many ways, the Palestine problem is the most pervasive, complex and dangerous problem in American foreign policy. It is also the most difficult to address because it is so deeply embedded in guilt, emotion and fear as to be almost beyond rational thought. Americans, both government officials and private citizens, feel far freer to criticize America, Britain or France without being thought to dislike or oppose the peoples of those countries, but most non-Jews are afraid of being charged with anti-Semitism even if they are only critical of the hard-line policies of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. This American attitude is not only demeaning to us Americans but is not helping Israel or Jews elsewhere. Israel is no longer, if it ever was, an international charity. It is a relatively powerful, rich nation-state. It should be analyzed, as its own citizens analyse its actions, in respectful terms.

Like any other two states, Israel and America have national interests which do not always coincide. Only if the citizens of each rationally define their interests and understand what they are prepared to do to protect them can they correctly order and evaluate their relationship. Certainly that is how the Israelis themselves have always analyzed their relations with America. When Israel saw a conflict between its goals and ours, it naturally chose its own. America has seldom done so. At the governmental level we tip-toe around issues which have severely harmed American interests. Example: the Israeli invasion and occupation of Lebanon was profoundly disturbing to American relations throughout the Middle East; its policy toward the Palestinians has stopped the peace process and certainly promoted terrorism directed at America.

We have closed our eyes to events which elsewhere and by other people we would oppose, in some cases even with military force. Two of the most spectacular instances are when Israeli agents set fire to an American government library in Alexandria in 1954 in an attempt to damage Egyptian-American relations and when the Israeli air force and navy attempted in 1967 to sink a U.S. Naval ship, USS Liberty, during which attack 75 American servicemen were wounded and 34 were killed. They shot up even the life boats and life preservers with torpedo, machinegun, rocket and napalm fire, apparently attempting to ensure that there were no survivors. Such an attack by any other country in the world would almost certainly have provoked an immediate military reaction.

Despite our own fiscal problems, the U.S. has been a cornucopia for Israel. We have given to Israel or provided in loans that were never expected to be repaid about $100 billion, have given Israel special trade relationships that in some cases remove import duties we charge other countries and have subsidized Israel armaments industry even when it has thwarted American policy by selling arms where we are trying to prevent arms sales, as it did recently with China. Mindful of the danger of being thought to be anti-Semitic, American specialists on the Middle East feel inhibited to say in public what their studies lead them to think.

Israelis act in a far more egotistical and security-conscious fashion than Americans. Whereas Americans fear to criticize the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the outstanding Israeli scholar Avi Shlaim [1] was forthright in describing the Israeli occupation of Gaza before their unilateral withdrawal. After pointing out that in Gaza the 8,000 Israeli settlers controlled 40% of the arable land and most of the water while the 1.3 million Palestinians struggle to exist in what little remains to them, he commented that the Israeli occupation “is a hopeless colonial enterprise, accompanied by one of the most prolonged and brutal military occupations of modern times.” A non-Jewish American writing that would have been excoriated as anti-Semitic or even hounded from his academic or government post. This is unworthy of America and is misleading for the Israelis. Knowing that they have virtually a blank check to do as they wish, they pay little attention to American government attempts to bring about conditions conducive to its interests in the Middle East. This is not to say that the Israelis are to blame; Americans are more at fault. The Israelis are merely acting rationally as they see their interests. It is America that is acting irrationally. Many senior and respected Israelis agree. They worry that the main beneficiary of the American weakness is the Israeli extreme Right and that Israeli’s long-term best interests, and even Israeli democracy, will suffer as a consequence.

--

[1] Born in Baghdad in 1945, he grew up in Israel, served in the Israeli army and is now British Academy Research Professor of international relations at St Antony’s College, Oxford. He also commented on what we all know that “American foreign policy has habitually displayed double standards toward the Middle East: one standard towards Israel and one towards the Arabs. To give just one example, the U.S effected regime change in Baghdad in three weeks but has failed to dismantle a single Jewish settlement in the occupied territories in 38 years.”

There you have it. One of our guys with lots of experience in the Middle East suggesting that our policy toward Israel is ever so slightly out of whack. Just a thought.

Keep an open mind and

Stay Naked
jd

Friday, April 07, 2006

"I'd like to know if somebody in my White House did leak sensitive information."


Wow. And I mean...Wow. Sure I believed Bush must have known but did you really think it was going to land on his desk with such a resounding THUD? You can't open a newspaper, blog or turn on the news without seeing a variation on the following..."

"Bush knew leakers name as it ryhmed with 'Tush'"

Just for fun here's a link to the San Jose Mercury News story on the...umm...story:) I think the greatest story here is the nail in the coffin of the great lie of a 'liberal press'. On Wednesday, April 5th Special Prosecutor submitted a court filing that revealed that Scooter Libby asserted that President Bush authorized the leaking of classified information. Yesterday morning our 'liberal press' had a chance to ask Presidential Spokesman Scott McClellan about the leak. How many questions do you think he had to field on the subject? 5? 10? How about zero...none...nada...HERE is the full transcript. So let's let the President speak for himself. Below are Bushes responses so far to the leak questions...apparently he's going to have to fire everyone in the White House including himself...I picture a harried secretary sitting in the oval office fielding calls from world leaders...'Hello this is Pam, Acting President of the United States, how many I direct your call?

Today Scott McClellan had this to say,""There is a difference between providing declassified information to the public when it's in the public interest and leaking classified information that involved sensitive national intelligence regarding our security"

I don't know what he means by that:)

Thanks to Raw Story for the following quotes:


President Bush, 9/30/03:

"I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action."

President Bush, 9/30/03:

"If there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is. And if the person has violated law, the person will be taken care of. . . . I have told our administration, people in my administration to be fully cooperative. I want to know the truth. If anybody has got any information inside our administration or outside our administration, it would be helpful if they came forward with the information so we can find out whether or not these allegations are true and get on about the business."

President Bush, 10/28/03:

"I'd like to know if somebody in my White House did leak sensitive information."

President Bush, 6/10/04:

Reporter: "Do you stand by your pledge to fire anyone found to have done so?"

President Bush: "Yes. And that's up to the U.S. Attorney to find the facts."

President Bush, 10/28/03:

"I want to know the truth. ... I have no idea whether we'll find out who the leaker is, partially because, in all due respect to your profession, you do a very good job of protecting the leakers."

President Bush, 7/18/05 issue of USA Today:

"If someone committed crime, they will no longer work in my administration."

White House Press Secretary, 9/29/03:

"The President has set high standards, the highest of standards for people in his administration. He's made it very clear to people in his administration that he expects them to adhere to the highest standards of conduct. If anyone in this administration was involved in it, they would no longer be in this administration."

White House Press Secretary, 10/7/03:

"Let me answer what the President has said. I speak for the President and I'll talk to you about what he wants . . .If someone leaked classified information, the President wants to know. If someone in this administration leaked classified information, they will no longer be a part of this administration, because that's not the way this White House operates, that's not the way this President expects people in his administration to conduct their business."

Can I get off this planet yet? Wake me when it's over and until then...

Stay Naked.

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Thursday, April 06, 2006

Meet Your Uncle...


His name is 'Tiktaalik roseae' and he's another piece of the evolutionary puzzle. NNNNNNnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooo scream those awaiting the rapture. Rest assured born-agains, I pray ferverntly for the rapture as you do...ahhh yes, the image of 144,000 christians going airborne filled my heart with desire:)
Where was I? Oh yes...Nature Magazine is publishing an article on the discovery of Uncle Tik in this months issue but you can check it out on-line HERE. What does it mean? It means we (humanity) are an amazing part of the miracle of life...descended from the oceans we flock to on weekends like love-lorn children running home:)
Man I'm in a weird mood. The story just means that everything we know about evolution is even more likely to be right as evidence piles up and up...

"Farish Jenkins, an evolutionary biologist at Harvard University said: "This represents a critical early phase in the evolution of all limbed animals, including humans - albeit a very ancient step." Tiktaalik also gives biologists a new understanding of how fins turned into limbs. Its fin contains bones that compare to the upper arm, forearm and primitive parts of the hand of land-living animals.

"Most of the major joints of the fin are functional in this fish," Professor Shubin said.

"The shoulder, elbow and even parts of the wrist are already there and working in ways similar to the earliest land-living animals."

I think I'll have some Salmon for dinner this evening...
======================================
In Republicans eating Republicans news, SecDef Rumsfeld responded to SecState Rices assertion that we've made "thousands of tactical errors" in the war on terror:

"I don't know what she was talking about, to be perfectly honest."

Oh really? Hm...could you elaborate on that please.

"Why? Because the enemy's got a brain; the enemy watches what you do and then adjusts to that, so you have to constantly adjust and change your tactics, your techniques and your procedures," Rumsfeld told interviewer Scott Hennen, according to a Defense Department transcript. "If someone says, well, that's a tactical mistake, then I guess it's a lack of understanding, at least my understanding, of what warfare is about."

So the SecDef doesn't think the SecState understands what warfare is about?

So sad, here's a pic of Rummy and Rice in happier times...


Stay tuned and...

Stay Naked.

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Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Images from the Front

Hey Zooheads. Every war has it's images and the 'war on terror' is no different. We get fed a steady stream of images that the media has deemed okay for us to see. Abu Gharib? We're fed only the images that are not considred too offensive. Well I find this approach offensive. Below you will find some images, some funny, some posed, some cute and some awful. The thing that ties them all together is they were taken by US soldiers as a way of remembering, of coping, of recording their time in uniform. They are uncensored and you can find hundreds more at Barbecuestopper.com (formerly NTFU). I am warning you now that they have a section of photos titled 'gory'. They are horrific and can be deeply disturbing but remember, this is the cost of war. These images are what our troops are experiencing everyday.
I want to make it 100% clear that we here at the Zoo support the troops 100%. They are our brothers and sisters...sons and daughters...fathers and mothers...we honor them and their sacrifices while abhoring the reasons they are there. We pray for their safe return and an end of the bloodshed on all sides.
The titles under the images are the original titles of the site. Any comments are strictly our opinions and are in parentheses...

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chillin_145_Large_

companykuwait
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(Look close and you'll see three soliders in this pic)

Tony Soprano Chilling in Iraq
(There's lots of pics of celebs visiting which I think is pretty cool of the celebs)

Over Afghanistan

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(I love this pic, too funny...boys will be boys:)

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Stay Naked.

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Tuesday, April 04, 2006

"Atrocity-producing Situations"


Wonderful article on Truthout by Dahr Jamail on how Iraq is an 'atrocity-producing situation'. We, the American public, don't often hear about atrocities being commited by American troops on innocent civilians. As the article points out, Americans are likely to respond with disbelief when confronted with accusations...'Not our boys'...'They couldn't do such a thing'...'We're the good guys'

Imagine for a second though. You're in Iraq. The stress is almost incomprehensible. Death is something you face literally every single day. From a sniper, a concerted attack from a well-armed, highly-motivated enemy, an IED, a mortar...you drive around and look into the eyes of the people you're there to help and you see fear, anger, resentment...now your buddy gets killed. What do you do? You go kill some Hajis that's what you do? Oh...you wouldn't? You'd treat everyone with the resepct they're due? Win their 'hearts and minds'? Bullshit.

It's the Zoos humble opinion that people are less their character then they are their circumstance and circumstances in Iraq are 'atrocity-producing situations'. Know anyone who served over there? Go ask them what it's like...more than likely they'll decline to talk about it because it's embarrassing...and painful and they did things that they know are abhorrent...does that make them bad people? No. It makes them human beings being asked to operate in horrible conditions...

These are our brothers and sisters, our fathers and mothers...they are people called to service for a thousand reasons and they are being fed into the meat-grinder for mind-boggling reasons...

Remember the story of the American soldiers trading battlefield pics for access to gay porn? Well that's where I got the pic above. HERE's a good article on Irregular Times about the pics...(CAREFUL: Graphic Images!!)

Whew...it's tough material but it helps fill in the 'real' cost of the war, not just in dollars but in real lives...
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Ok, I know you need to smile now so I found a good story for you. Chevy is launching a new Chevy Tahoe and they set up a website HERE so that you can create your own Chevy commercial...it's corporate America trying to utilize the cool YouTubeization of the web so as to appear cool...well, it's not working out quite as planned as individuals are expressing their political views in their commercials...click HERE for some of the funny ads...

Stay safe and as always...

Stay Naked

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POPS UPDATE: Pops had the surgery today and all is well...keep praying you X-tian nutters:)

Monday, April 03, 2006

Oh oh...


You ever get that sinking feeling? Say you're playing chess and you're crushing your opponent...you're feeling great, imposing your will on your hapless buddy but then something happens...the mood shifts, you suddenly realize your position is in peril. This is exactly how I felt after reading the WAPO article on Patrick Fitzgerald 'narrowing his powers' in an effort to 'counter calls for the dismissal of the criminal case' against Scooter Libby!
According to the article found HERE "The defense attorneys say assignment of unsupervised and undirected power to Fitzgerald requires that he be relieved of his duties in the investigation and that all actions he has taken be voided"

I'm no lawyer and this may be gamesmanship but it makes me uneasy...Jason Leopold just posted an article on Truthout with a decidely different tone. Leopold sounds like multiple indictments are imminent...Rove, Hadley and perhaps John Hannah who, according to Leopold has been singing like a canary about the involvement of Cheney, Libby, Rove et al...

Sitting here nervously and as always, admonishing the crowd to...

Stay Naked.

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Except for poster Mitch Haase
...he's plenty naked:)

Saturday, April 01, 2006

NZNR 4-1-06: "Orwell Rolls in His Grave"



Today on the Zoo we are pleased and honored to welcome Filmmaker Robert Kane Pappas. He is the Writer/Producer & Director of 'Orwell Rolls in His Grave" It's an astonishing documentary about the co-opting of the media by a few powerful corporations with incenstuous ties to the government. The so-called 4th Estate is utterly failing in their task of educating the populace so they can be meaningful participants in our democracy. Instead, they...at best carry the water for the political and financial elites...at worst they subvert democracy for purely financial gain. It's a sobering and horrifying movie but one that we cannot endorse more wholeheartedly...

Listen in at 10:00am PST/ 1:00pm EST on 90.5FM or on-line at KWMR.ORG...

Stay Naked.

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Orwell on tape:)

But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.

Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.

In our age there is no such thing as 'keeping out of politics.' All issues are political issues, and politics itself is a mass of lies, evasions, folly, hatred and schizophrenia.