Political Cartoon of the Week
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Asshole (s) of the Week
This weeks assholes are - The Media and Late Night Shows
I could careless about some spoiled rich girl going to jail
Don't forget to vote for the asshole of the week
Saturday Cat Blogging
This is what I do all day when Wolfs at workI curl up and make myself comfy on his shirt
Friday, June 8, 2007
A Joint Statement from the DCCC and DSCC
Posted by Rusty on Soapbox4truth.org
Thank you for purchasing our fine product, Harry and Nancy’s 110th Congress. We are very proud of this new and improved version of Congress, which features impressive non-binding resolutions, inspiring no-confidence votes, immunity offers for serial violators of the Constitution, and a wide selection of Iraq war options ranging from no guidelines, no timelines, and no surrender dates, to no withdrawal, no funding cuts, and no consideration whatsoever of anything remotely resembling not supporting the troops.
Disclaimers:
Mind-numbing assembly required.
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Use only in a well-ventilated area.
Discontinue use if you experience nausea, vomiting, fever, convulsions, more than one stroke, or paralyzing fury.
Not responsible for direct, indirect, incidental, or catastrophic damages resulting from every defect, error or failure to perform.
Any resemblance to actual Americans, living or dead, is unintentional and purely coincidental.
Consume alcoholic beverages frequently while using this product.
Some additional charges may apply.
Steny Hoyer action figures sold separately.
Graphic hypocrisy may be too intense for some viewers.
This product not intended for use as a dental drill.
Unplug before servicing.
Any reproduction, retransmission or rebroadcast of our sessions without the express written consent of The Decider is strictly prohibited.
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Please remain seated until Harry and Nancy’s 110th Congress comes to a complete stop.
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Republican punches Dem Colleague
And then he said "This isn't the way grown people solve problems" LMFAO
‘Massive and systemic violations’ of human rights.
Think Progress » ‘Massive and systemic violations’ of human rights.
Europe investigator says that he has “enough evidence to state” that the CIA operated secret prisons in Poland and Romania. Der Spiegel obtained a copy of the report:
UPDATE: Spencer Ackerman has more.The illegal deportation of suspects by CIA kidnapping teams in Europe amounts to a “massive and systematic violation of human rights,” the report says.
[Dick] Marty, who conducted the investigation on behalf of the Council of Europe, accuses the CIA of having committing a number of transgressions: “We believe we have shown that the CIA committed a whole series of illegal acts in Europe by abducting individuals, detaining them in secret locations and subjecting them to interrogation techniques tantamount to torture.”
Mind Freedom Update
World Psychiatric Association Meets with Psychiatric Survivor Movement Groups
Representatives from several psychiatric survivor and mental health consumer/user organizations met with leaders of the World Psychiatric Association here in Dresden, Germany. Here is a news briefing by David Oaks, Director of MindFreedom International
Top Global Psychiatry Leaders Meet with United Psychiatric Survivor/Mental Health Consumer Groups
The topic: Dialogue About Psychiatric Coercion
by David Oaks, Director, MindFreedom InternationalDRESDEN, GERMANY: Representatives of several psychiatric survivor/mental health consumer organizations held meetings with top leaders of the World Psychiatric Association during the past three days here.
The WPA conference is on the topic of coercion in psychiatry. For more than a year, several psychiatric survivor and mental health consumer groups have been aware of this situation.
I am very proud to report that these movement groups worked well together to address this challenge. We appointed author/psychiatric survivor Peter Lehmann as our negotiator/liaison with the WPA, and Peter did an absolutely brilliant job.
The results? A number of psychiatric survivor/mental health consumer issued a combined public statement, which alone is important.
In addition to peaceful protests outside, psychiatric survivors and mental health consumers were also speaking out inside, with exhibit tables, keynoting, presenting symposia, negotiating, protesting and most important UNITING.
The WPA made several pledges, but of course the proof will be in the outcome.
I would like to personally assure all who have concerns about whether WPA is telling the truth -- that we are being "tricked" -- that of course I share and respect your deeply held concerns. I too often I have seen positive words from psychiatric leaders without results, including when I was locked up and abused inside of a psychiatric institution.
But also MindFreedom principles begin with those of Martin Luther King, Jr. Of course we must -- and no doubt will -- use nonviolent direct action and protest, including even civil disobedience. But to do this well we also need to begin by speaking directly, in as civil way as possible, to our opponents, and clearly state our situation and demands.
So many psychiatric survivors and mental health consumers and our allies clearly explained the situation of human rights here at the WPA. Thank you.
A brief review of some of the news during the past three days, please watch this web site for more details.
* DOROTHEA BUCK:
Because of our movement's efforts, Dorothea Buck was one of the keynote speaker. Whatever reservation one may have about our being "inside," this has to be put aside when it comes to Dorothea. Dorothea is not one to be "tricked."
To a packed room that sat in stunned silence, we all heard from this survivor of forced psychiatry. Dorothea experienced 70 years of coercion in the German psychiatric system, including forced sterilization. Yes, we all have concerns and misgivings when talking with opponents, but seeing Dorothea Buck in front of this room of international psychiatric leaders "telling truth to power" was riveting. At 90 years old, Dorothea was present.
At the end, the president of the WPA made a moving thank you to Dorothea and came forward to shake hands. (See photo of Dorothea here.)
From the summary of Dorothea's talk, please watch for the talk in print and video soon, here:
Dorothea Buck
"70 Years of Coercion in German Psychiatric Institutions, Experienced and Witnessed"
Dorothea Buck was born in Germany in 1917 and can therefore be called a contemporary witness. She had five stays in psychiatric hospitals in the period from 1936 to 1959 and was subjected to various forms of coercion, such as forced sterilization, cold wet sheet packs and forced injections and was never granted a single talk about the origin or meaning of her psychotic episodes.
Facing the historical development of psychiatry and its effects on today’s mental health system, she challenges biological psychiatry, which rejects communication with patients, and demands a paradigm shift toward a psychosocial system based on the wealth of patients’ experiences that provides alternatives to psychiatry, such as the therapeutic principles of “Soteria” and Yrjö Alanen’s “Need-Adapted Treatment.”
* Extensive Meeting with President Mezzich
On the first day of the conference, 6 June 2007, MindFreedom initiated a special meeting with the President of the World Psychiatric Association, Prof. Juan E. Mezzich. What began as a brief meeting became a three-and-a-half-hour discussion that covered a range of topics, and specific proposals. All involved decided to initiate a variety of mediated dialogues between psychiatric survivors and key leaders of the World Psychiatric Association, with a goal of educating the public about our human rights.
I would like to add a personal note about the nature of the discussion with Dr. Mezzich. All psychiatric survivor here felt this conversation was different than usual. Yes, once more, the proof will be in results. But all involved felt they were heard, and respected, in this discussion.
* The WPA held a news conference, and invited myself and Peter Lehmann to sit on the podium on either side of the WPA President. We had a candid discussion about how psychiatric survivor/mental health consumer groups have become more united than ever before... but that what is necessary for action and fulfillment of promises by WPA to continue such a dialogue. Incredibly, during this news conference the immediate past president of the American Psychiatric Association pledged to work toward dialogue with the APA.
* In the only negative incident, three psychiatric drug exhibitors threatened to sue the WPA to reclaim money from their exhibits. These drug companies absurdly claimed they would do this was because I did a Patch Adams inspired skit about 'screening for normality' too near their exhibit. Believe it or not, there was a high-level negotiation about when and how to use the squeaky red nose! I ended up doing a brief version of the skit at a castle where the WPA held a dinner. During this I announced the launch of the "International Association for the Advancement of Creative Maladjustment." Watch for news about that during Mad Pride Month in July.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
No New Record for $2,000 No Limit Hold’em at 2007 WSOP
David Williams and Phil Hellmuth are two of the 1,531 players in the $2,000 No Limit Hold’em event at the 2007 World Series of Poker. (Bodog Beat Image)
I've been hooked on Poker for awhile now. Sure those Home games were fun but this type of poker is very different. Been watching Poker After Dark on NBC and playing on line at PokerStars.com and FullTiltPoker.net for awhile now thanks to brother Joe. I don't play for money, could never afford too. This month kicks off the WOSP (World Series of Poker) in Vegas.
Last year Jay Gold took home Twelve Million Dollars in the Texas Holdem No Limit game. As I've said before, I do not have cable (ESPN covers the event) so I have to keep up on the web.
I won't be posting anymore updates untill the main event (No Limit Texas Holdem) is over. My bet is on Phil Ivy (the Tiger Woods of Poker) to win it. BTW, A great poker movie to watch is Rounders, staring Matt Damon and Ed Norton (Norton is one of my favorite actors).
Day Six is well underway at the 2007 World Series of Poker and another popular event has begun. The $2,000 No Limit Hold’em event began at noon today and was expected to be well-attended - far above the 1,919 from last year - based on an overall upward trend in numbers so far this year.
In fact, another reporter in the media room said that if he were to set the line on the number of people in the event he would put it at 2,350. We didn’t take the bet, but hindsight being 20/20 and all we should have taken the under.
The official count for entrants is 1,531 with 153 getting paid out and first-place receiving $566,916. This number of players is down about 400 from last year and the prize-money is about about $240,000 less.
Now, there are more low-limit events this year meaning that players are spoiled for choice if they have a limited poker bankroll. As a result, one or two of these smaller buy-in events are likely to have a dip in attendance. However, apples are apples and that’s what we’re comparing.
How does this bode for the 2007 WSOP Main Event? We have no idea, but that’s the million dollar question that events like this could provide the answer to.
BLOGGING THE G-8 SUMMIT
From McClachy Washington Bureau
'The Angel Girls'
By Matthew Schofield
McClatchy Newspapers
6:42 A.M. EDTAfter scouting out the road situation last weekend, and being advised by local taxi-drivers that the area was almost impassable yesterday, I'd decided to make my way from a the officially-found hotel outside of Rostock to the International Press Center, from where you can get access to what's happening at the Summit (let's be honest, not a lot beyond photo ops) by bike. The roads were being shut down, I was advised. The bike paths (and bike paths in Germany are extensive) were wide open.
The problem with such advice is that it was coming from people frustrated at the fact that the roads were closed, and idealizing the happy cyclists whizzing around them while they sat idling. What they weren't able to see was that the bike paths were also clogged, and eventually closed. So while it seemed like a happy reporter thing to bike out on a 25 miles trek, it wasn't really a very good idea.
Upside, saw a bit more of the protest tactics than I'd expected. Lot's of tired looking folks, who, in my esitmation, had that “I'd kill for a shower” air about them, tromping through forests and fields, pretty much anywhere to keep away from the police, who were camped out waiting for them on the roads.
Downside, four hours to get to the press center, and by the time I arrived, I was just more annoyed than refreshed. And, of course, bike one way, you bike both. There have been, I would guess, better plans in the history of this profession.
While the official look of the G-8 protesters is probably either the black hoodie (pulled up) and black scarf (covering your mouth and nose), to go with black jeans and boots (or tennis shoes), or the clown makeup, clown clothes (normal sized shoes, though), the best look I've come across belongs to what locals call the “Angel girls” Light summer dresses, paper angel wings on their backs, rimmed in golden glitter, little pipe-cleaner haloes, and bare-foot, with the casual walk of one used to being barefoot. And, to top off this look of innonence (at least in the case of the four seen this morning) a beer held down at their side in one hand, a joint in the other.
6:22 A.M EDT
At every large, organized, media gather, the hosts put together welcome gifts for reporters. Sometimes they're just silly -- squeeze balls, or pins (the Olympic-inspired fad) or company pens.
At the G-8, where the press center overlooks the Baltic Sea (or, in Germany, the East Sea), they played to the beach theme (the press center has a beach, by the way). The local state, Mecklenburg Vorpommern, put together a beach bag, complete with Frisbee (with a G-8 logo), beach towel and local cookies.
Of course, it wouldn't be a German event in 2007 if they didn't add in something to do with Knut, the baby polar bear in Berlin's zoo, and by far the most seen face in German television and newspapers this year. So they tossed in a Knut plush toy.
For journalists not interested in freebies, they offer massages, on the beach, of course.
The best video of the day was the great sea chase. A couple of anti-G-8 protesters in a rubber raft, and trailing a banner saying, “G-8, Act Now” sneaked through to just outside the beach at Heiligendamm (site of the Summit, and today, the all important “family photo” where the leaders get together in a group and look happy to rule the world).
In any case, in a little, admittedly motorized, rubber raft, a group of four or five protesters managed to get inside the most intense security zone in post World War II Germany, then looked to stream by the resort where the leaders are staying trailing their banner. They did this while being chased by a series of security boats, twisting back and forth on a very calm sea, on a beautiful sunny day. Police didn't immediately explain the exact nature of the threat posed by the lone boat (it wasn't armed).
But that goes for much of the cat and mouse game being played between protesters and security forces here (at least 16,000 police, about estimated number of protesters). There has been violence surrounding some of the protests in nearby Rostock, Anarchists, who dress like Ninjas would if Ninjas shopped at Foot Locker (and let's be honest, maybe they do, for all I know) have been throwing rocks and bottles at police.
But in the forest and meadow protests, it's been mostly sit-ins and non-violence.
For the most part, the object of the game is 7.5 mile long, about 100 foot high security fence. The fence is actually a fair bit away from the actual meetings, and sleeping quarters of the G-8 participants.
But police decided to made a six mile buffer zone outside the fence, to keep protesters far away from the fence. And the protesters have made elaborate plans on how to get inside the zone, even to the fence.
As one local, Bernd, who lives inside the security zone noted, in the morning, from his balconey (and with binoculars) he watches protesters crawl through the barley fields towards the 7.5 mile long, and 10 foot tall, security fence.
“And then here come the police, all in green, running through the fields looking for them. It looks like a really involved game of hide and seek.”
Some of the tactics seem a bit ironic: The protesters (pro-environmentalists) cut down trees and placed them across roads to slow down police pursuit. And there were reports Thursday that they'd set some on fire (in the middle of the forest that spreads across the rolling hills hear the sea here.
In the end, for those keeping score, the protesters are probably winning. Despite the massive police presence, protesters by the thousands are making it to the fence. Where they're sitting down, and occasionally chanting or shouting anti-G-8 slogans at the wall of German police.
And the protests have managed to shut down a lot of roads around the area. Truth be told, however, this affects journalists more than summit participants, as world leaders tend to travel by helicopter.
Pook says - don't get any Ideas Wolf
Mr Lee Cat CamSo there is this cat in Germany that wears a camera around his neck. Hmm Wolf, that would be very boring for your readers if you made one of those for me. How many pictures of our two room apartment would I have to snap before you lost most of my fans? It's bad enough that you only let me post once a week to your blog. You know that most of them come here to see me.
I got bigger things on my mind to worry about. Like that City Councilman that wants me to wear a collar or get chipped and get a license. What, is he Nutz? Me wear a collar, hahhaha. I never ever get to go outside, where ever that is. Remember the time you tried to put a flea collar around my neck that I manged to get off and hide? I like that liquid flea killer better. OK, You can go back to posting that boring political stuff, but I admit, I do like some of the music videos.
As always
Pook T. Cat
See you all Saturday
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
The Realist
Posted on Boing Boing The Realist was a satirical newsletter founded by Paul Krassner from in 1958. It mixed true stories with parodies, and sometimes it was hard to tell the difference. It was a freak's version of Mad magazine (and I just discovered on Wikipedia that the first issue was produced in Mad's offices).
wolf - I couldn't wait for The Realist to hit the news stands. It was great source of alternative news and fun every month. Now you can read those back issues on line.
The REALIST Archive Project
Only four issues are up now but they hope to post all of them.
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