Fairweather

Kerry Absence Dooms Jobless Benefits Vote Wednesday, May 12, 2004 NYPost.com WASHINGTON — A push by Senate Democrats to extend jobless benefits lost by a single vote yesterday - as their nominee-to-be, John Kerry, missed the vote while campaigning in Kentucky. Kerry, the only senator to miss the vote, said he didn't come back to Washington because "we were told that no matter what would happen, [the Republicans] would change a vote in the Senate and they were not going to let it happen." The bid to extend federal jobless benefits for an extra 13 weeks failed by 59-40, one short of the 60 votes needed because the cost would exceed last year's budget agreement. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., said almost 130,000 New Yorkers exhausted their jobless benefits between December and April. Opponents note the jobless rate dropped to 5.6 percent and say the emergency aid isn't needed. President Bush's campaign spokesman, Steve Schmidt, said, "Last month, John Kerry was pushing for the extension of unemployment benefits. Today, he had the chance to actually vote on that question, but was too busy playing politics when he would have made the difference in the Senate."

Yes, exactly. I'm thinking about Pershing on Sat, weather permitting. I've never been up there; any info Matt?

If this thread drifts into another global warming tryst, I will be forced to reveal my extremist right-wing side once again.

Take a deep breath, j_b. I am not a John Birch Society kook. That post is what is commonly known as a j-o-k-e. A g-o-a-d directed at AlpineK. Obviously concepts foreign to you. Other than their disdain for the UN, I cannot even tell you what they stand for. Get a grip...and a life, tool.

I find it curious that only the extremes... on both the right and the left, hold contempt for Israel in general, and Jews in particular. I could go into a long list of reasons that ALL Americans should support Israel; but maybe another time.

Josh! For once, you have taken a correct stand on an important geo-political issue. Israel has only TWO choices: 1)Preemption, in the form of an Iraq-1980 style strike. 2) Build a credible post-mortem deterrent like WE did during the cold war...in the form of Trident-Class submarines. Some here might remember it as the M.A.D. policy. Iran and its radical chief cleric would not likely consider a first-strike on Israel if they knew half a dozen submarines were patrolling the local seas waiting for the command (or lack thereof) to launch their 24 missiles...each with up to 12 MIRV's. That would be enough to put a serious dent in the Arab/Persian world even after a devestating first strike by Iran. It kept us safe from a Soviet first-strike for 50 years....and keeps us safe still. I don't know if Israel could afford this kind of deterrent. (economically)

Actually Squid, I read about this on (gasp!) FOX News. Have you ever considered that people go to movies to be entertained, and film company execs simply decided that the $$$ loss from a sub-par film that confuses fact with fiction and is nothing more than the mindless rantings of an overwieight, loud-mouthed lunatic and would be unpalateable to the public at large? Remember, it is only a very, very small radical fringe who would put any credence in the idea that Bush allowed the attacks of 9/11/01 to happen. On an even stranger twist regarding this film; I understand it was Mel Gibson's film company that fronted 5 million dollars to get the project started! WTF? It's a strange world, indeed.

Mike, Thursday's Tacoma News Tribune ran a piece in Soundlife stating that the White River access would not open until July 2. Is your info more current?

Actually, CrazyJ, John Kerry has admitted to some "war crimes" too, including over a dozed civilians killed (under his command) and a mother/infant and 12 year old boy. ...But I'm sure you'll be able to overlook this in November, as driven as you are by your hatred of Bush. Bob Kerry has admitted to much brutality as well. I don't condemn either of them for what they did in Vietnam. One, however, is a hypocrite and one is not. It would appear, CrazyJ, it is you who does not have your facts straight.

Michael Moore? Is that you hiding behind that avatar? Now you've crossed that line where I suggest that you are 'against us'. Fuck off, "Rescue Boy".

The best book I've read all year! A very even handed book. I learned about some of the brutality committed by 'our side' during the war in the Pacific too. The book describes in first person detail the horrible events of the night of March 9, 1945-when we firebombed Tokyo, killing more civilians than the two atomic attacks combined. It describes the fate of captured American flyers; a fate so horrible that the war crimes trial transcripts were kept secret until the 1990's so as not to devestate the mothers of the deceased. 62,000 Japanese POW's would die after the war's end....in Soviet prison camps. I would highly recomend this book to anyone, on any side of the political spectrum.

A lone voice of reason during today's feeding frenzy up on Captol Hill. And it came from the mouth of one Democrat who is not trying to undermine our nation's efforts in Iraq.... JOE LIBERMANN: "We're in the middle of a war — you wouldn't want to have the secretary of defense change unless there's really good reason for it and I don't see any good reason at this time." "...I cannot help but say, however, that those who are responsible for killing 3,000 Americans on September 11th, 2001, never apologized. Those who have killed hundreds of Americans in uniform in Iraq, working to liberate Iraq and protect our security have never apologized, and those who murdered and burned and humiliated four Americans in Fallujah a while ago never received [issued] an apology from[to] anybody." There is still a small glimmer of hope for the Democratic Party.

I'm writing this weekend. I'll pass this along to like minded folks too. We need to counter these so-called 'environmental' groups, especially since their members seem to have much more free time on their hands than the average working man.

Reminds me of a song: from Dire Straits; Brothers in Arms I am just an aging drummer boy And in the wars, I used to play And I've called a tune To many a torture session Now they say I am a war criminal And I'm fading away Father please hear my confession: I have legalized robbery And called it belief I have run with the money I have hid like a thief Rewritten history with armies and crooks Invented memories I did burn all the books And I can still hear his laughter And I can still hear his song The man's too big The man's too strong

Well said. My thoughts, exactly. But in the meantime, isn't it fun to fuck with these quasi-religious zealots?

it's historical data which goes back to 1880. there is no evidence to say that the little ice ice was a global phenomenon. the little ice age in europe was over ~1650, it's only in coastal alaska that some glaciers were still in an advanced position in ~1900. it is well established that natural variability cannot explain the warming of the 20th century. the medieval warm period was not global either, and it was not warmer than today. if you have reputable reference to refute the above please oblige me, and we will see who is the idiot. Perhaps you could cite the sources for your claims above that I have made bold. In the meantime, some good reading that refutes some of your statements... http://www.co2science.org/subject/a/summaries/asiamwp.htm Also note: I will continue to finish post replies with names like 'idiot', 'moron', and 'ass-wipe' until you cease your smug, arrogant, condescending replies in kind. I believe you are missing one or two important sequences along the gene that determines social adaptability. Seek help.

Why doesn't your graph go back further...say to the 1500's warm period? All your data shows is the ongoing emergence from The Little Ice Age, not the big picture. Nice try, idiot.

I could probably 80 lbs up....but sure as hell, not back down! Nice TR, BTW. The canal is operated under contract by COSCO now, I believe. (the Chinese govt shipping company) I'm sure they have no idea that it is, in any way, of strategic value.

When you can carry an "80 pound" pack up Constance.

This is not possible! Every good global warming drone knows that record temperatures are only NOW being set... in the period that began January 2001. What is this 1913 nonsense? Please go back and re read your EarthJustice handbook and repeat the litany again, and again, and again. The sky is falling, the Earth is warming. Man is the cause! Man is the cause! (Repeat)

AK, This might be painful at first, but you'll thank me someday... http://www.jbs.org/

AK, I'll bet you'd like to have a homo-erotic experience with Kofi Annan since you grab your ankles at the very mention of his name. No comment regarding your corrupt UN brothers who filled their bank accounts, skimmed and spent oil-for-food money lavishly while Iraqi children starved?? It now seems that only a US invasion was able to pry these little bastards from Saddam's teat.

U.N. Warns Oil-for-Food Companies on Documents Thursday, May 06, 2004 FOX NEWS UNITED NATIONS — The office of the senior U.N. official in charge of the scandal-plagued Iraqi oil-for-food (search) program has sent letters to companies involved in the program telling them they should not hand over any documents or information without first clearing it with the United Nations. Click to Visit According to the letters obtained by Fox News, the companies "should retain and safeguard" any documents related to the program and should provide them to U.N. officials upon request. The letters came from the office of Undersecretary-General Benon V. Sevan (search), though aides signed the letters on his behalf. One of the letters was sent to a company called Cotecna Inspection S.A. (search), which for five years had the job of authenticating all goods being shipped into Iraq under the oil-for-food program. It's also the company that once employed the son of U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (search). Annan has said his son Kojo stopped working for the company before the Cotecna contract was awarded. The second letter, dated April 27, was provided to Fox News with the company name hidden. The source who provided the letter said it was one of the hundreds of companies authorized to do business with the oil-for-food program. Both letters — as well as a third one made public earlier this week to Saybolt Corp. (search), an inspection agency hired by the United Nations to monitor the loading of Iraqi oil — remind the companies of their contractual confidentiality agreements. For example, the April 2 Cotecna letter says all documents and data "shall be the property of the United Nations, shall be treated as confidential and shall be delivered only to United Nations authorized officials." All three of these letters came from Sevan, who ran the oil-for-food program and who is accused of personally profiting $3.5 million through alleged illegal oil transactions. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill expressed concern about the potential conflict of interest, saying that U.N. officials who are themselves being investigated appear to be trying to control the information investigators can access. "We view our role in many cases as a catalyst. Ultimately, the truth has to be known and the U.N. has to disclose it," said Rep. Christopher Shays (search), R.-Conn. "We can't ignore the serious allegations of malfeasance. The U.N. is under an ominous cloud." Sen. John Ensign (search), R-Nev., said the most scandalous actions may still be to come. "We're afraid there could be a major cover-up that could (dwarf) the original scandal," Ensign told Fox News. "We all know in America the cover-up can be worse than the crime and we certainly don't want this covered up ... The United Nations certainly shouldn't be above the law." U.N. officials said the letters are standard procedure to remind companies of their contractual obligations. But a senior congressional aide involved in the investigation said that the longer the United Nations clings to these confidentiality agreements, the more it will suffer potentially irreparable credibility problems. Sevan ran the program for seven years and is retiring on May 31, but U.N. officials said he would remain available for the investigation. "Benon has stated quite clearly that he is innocent," Annan said last month. "He has indicated he will cooperate, as I expect all other staff members to cooperate." The U.N. chief declared that he was "very keen" for the three-member panel led by former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker (search) to report "as soon as possible." And he promised that any U.N. official found guilty of accepting bribes or kickbacks would be dealt with "very severely." Sevan is currently out of the United States and has declined requests to speak to Fox News about his role in the program. He has maintained in the past that he did nothing wrong, and would cooperate fully with the Volcker investigation. The Volcker panel doesn't have subpoena authority and will rely on voluntary cooperation from governments, U.N. staff, members of Saddam's former government and current Iraqi leaders. They claim they have evidence that dozens of people, including top U.N. officials, took kickbacks from the $67 billion oil-for-food program. John Ruggie (search), a former U.N. assistant secretary general, told Fox News on Wednesday that he did not see the letters as a tactic to prevent investigators from getting needed information but rather as a way of conforming to the United Nation's general bureaucracy. "The letter did not state that no documents will be released. The letter stated 'check with us,'" Ruggie said. "They will be turned over to Paul Volker and that's where they belong ... Volker owns every document that's relevant to the oil-for-food program." OK. Before you slam the FOX NEWS source, I checked the "world" and "International" sections of ABC, NBC, CNN, and CBS web sites. No mention of this developing cover-up. (Too busy with their agenda these days.) Looks like the UN isn't going to be as 'cooperative' with the oil-for-food investigation as they professed earlier this week. The UN was against getting rid of Saddam all along...and we'll soon understand why. Fucking UN.

Brian Fellows Animal Planet. That's crazy!

The Tooth. South Face, of course.