billcoe

looking for a place for this too....

OMG! Sick. _________________________________________________ I've been looking for a place for this as well. Da Boyz: Geoff and MikeR maybe this is not the best place for it though....

Thanks jb - heres the whole thing for posterity: All that Acorn stuff is nothing in comparison. Nothing. This is staggering..... Listening to Sibel Edmonds by Philip Giraldi, September 24, 2009 Sibel Edmonds, the FBI Turkish translator turned whistleblower, is the most gagged person in the history of the United States. The Justice Department under George W. Bush’s Attorney General John Ashcroft twice silenced her using the rarely employed state secrets privilege. The government and the mainstream media have presented a united front against her, calling her a "kook" and a liar, even though the gag order in itself confirmed that she had a tale to tell about massive government corruption that was all too credible and would embarrass Democrat and Republican alike. Sibel’s day in court came in early August when she was allowed to give a detailed deposition under oath in connection with a lawsuit filed in Ohio. Her deposition, naming names and providing corroborating details was predictably ignored by the mainstream media but was a sensation on the blogosphere. It led to my conducting an interview with Sibel for The American Conservative magazine, which appeared this week. Why is Sibel’s tale important for every American and why is it being ignored by our elected officials and the Fourth Estate? The story is important because it is about massive and systematic corruption of our elected officials and senior bureaucrats with the active connivance of the media. Worse, the corruption was carried out by agents of several foreign governments and involved nuclear secrets stolen from American defense laboratories and military bases that were, in some cases, sold to the highest bidder. Some of the congressmen involved are now retired and working for those very same foreign governments that stole America’s secrets. To those who claim that Sibel Edmonds is a fraud and that she is propagating lies for reasons of her own I would observe the following: Sibel has been interrogated by two US Senators, by the Justice Department’s Inspector General’s Office, and by suspicious fact checkers working for the television news program 60 Minutes, for the Times of London, and for Vanity Fair. She has been found to be a credible witness by everyone who has taken the time to talk to her and no one has ever been able to disprove any aspect of her story. Could it be that Sibel Edmonds is a clever and possibly even diabolical fraud artist who has manipulated me and others? Of course it’s possible, though I would point out that she has convinced a number of skeptics that there is substance to her allegations. I for one spent twenty years in Army intelligence and the CIA listening regularly to scoundrels, liars, and thieves spin their tales. If Sibel Edmonds is a fabricator, she is a damned good one. I would also note that there is a fundamental flaw to the criticism of Sibel, which is that she claims that every single statement made by her is backed up by actual documents in FBI investigative files dealing with the activities of foreign agents who were suborning our elected officials and senior bureaucrats. She has even provided the numbers of the files. At the end of the day, either the files and the evidence they contain are there or they are not. If they are not, then the government should make its case publicly that fraud is being committed by Sibel and her supporters and take whatever legal action they consider to be appropriate. I would suggest that the silence from the government over this matter in itself confirms that the allegations are true in every detail. Why does no one want to look into Sibel’s accusations? I would guess that it is partly because her tale involves Washington’s most powerful foreign policy lobby, that of Israel, and also the less powerful but undeniably important lobby of Turkey. But it is also due to the fact that both Democrats and Republicans are the evildoers in her story as well as senior officials in the Pentagon and State Department who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations. It is a can of worms that no one wants to touch, which is precisely why it should be opened and examined if the public is every to regain faith in government. Some of Sibel’s allegations would be extraordinary at any time and are almost hard to believe. She reports that the CIA was covertly supporting al-Qaeda linked groups in the Balkans and central Asia right up until 9/11. She tells how a reporter at the New York Times was fed material by senior state department official Marc Grossman who was at the time taking bribes from Turkish contacts while alerting Turkish and Pakistani intelligence officers to the fact that Valerie Plame’s company Brewster-Jennings was a CIA cover unit engaged in preventing nuclear proliferation. Sibel names Pentagon insiders who obtained personnel information on government employees and contractors so that they could be targeted by foreign intelligence officers. She reveals that congressman Tom Lantos was openly passing classified information on to the government of Israel and that Israel would take what it wanted and then pass the remainder on to the Turks. Sibel describes how highly sensitive information from US defense labs would be collected by foreign graduate students carefully inserted into the labs then sold to the intelligence services of countries like Pakistan that were developing their own nuclear weapons. She details how one married Democratic congresswoman who was bisexual was targeted by Turkish agents and filmed being seduced by a woman who was provided for her, possibly to enable blackmail to secure the congresswoman’s cooperation. Sibel’s tale includes descriptions of how other congressmen received bribes and illegal political contributions and were rewarded by being given well-paying jobs ever after, with several of them now working for Turkish companies or as lobbyists for Turkey. She confirms that the Bush Administration was seeking to attack Iraq long before the twin towers fell, detailing how before 9/11 several Pentagon officials discussed with the Turkish government the invasion and division of Iraq into "spheres of influence" between Washington and London. The talks broke down when Ankara decided that it wanted its own slice of the pie. And no one seems to care. Congressman Henry Waxman, formerly chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee, seemed interested in Sibel Edmonds’ story and appeared willing to open hearings, but his enthusiasm vanished at some point and he refused to return her calls. Was it because Israel was involved that Waxman developed cold feet? Was it because some of the traitors were Democrats? Quite possibly a combination of the two, though it is only my speculation. The current chairman of the committee Edolphus Towns has displayed no interest in the Edmonds case in spite of the Obama Administration’s pledge to bring change to government. It is clear that if the citizens of the United States are every actually to hear what Sibel Edmonds has to say it will be because the people demand it. It is time to call one’s congressman and ask "What about Sibel Edmonds?" It is time to write letters to the newspapers and television news media demanding that her story be told. If there is ever to be even a minimum of accountability and a restoration of some measure of integrity in government it has to start somewhere. Why not start by listening to Sibel Edmonds?"

The right wing Wackjobs pretty much STFU and duck their heads in the sand when it comes to high treason...interestingly enough, neither the Bush admin (no surprise) NOR the Obama admin seems moved to do shit about this. Maybe a few charges and jail terms for people like Ashcroft will straighten it out....but I don't have high hopes that the Obama folks will do it.

edited my post with link while you were posting.

If I haven't taken the time to thank you for your recent very well researched and thought provoking posts, please accept my apologies for my laziness jb. ....And my thanks as well. Regards Bill

dude, it's thursday - wtf else are you gonna do on your lunch break? It involves a Towel at Beacon. Sorry, no camera.

"A Small Benediction There is no Frank anymore, and hasn’t been for some time, meaning we are here discussing the memory of Frank. Yes, there’s the Frank in a few books and pictures and a grave in Chamonix holding remains which once held Frank. But really, once I realize (again) Sacherer is gone and Kamps and Pratt to name a few who most influenced me, I realize they all are only in my mind now. Then it dawns on me they were just so when they were alive. These climbers, all climbers, are only our view of them, the intake and processing of the talks, the movement on rock, the laughs, the glory, the bickering, the ranking of feats, the unraveling of how they were and why -- all only fleeting sparks between minds working just as now, here, on this thread, back and forth. It takes some time to grasp there really are no climbers or even climbs other than our making, naming and assessing of each, our passing along witnessing all to our joy, wonder and sorrow. All is only low voltage firing of neurons between our ears, tiny electronic summaries of the earthly formations we climb upon, of the people with whom we climb, of even our selves moving along as before a mirror, time all the while clicking. A man named Frank we knew and now remember ended at a little square of ground in Chamonix which, Jan said, she and Frank’s family have not yet been able to visit. And yet here we all are making the only visit we ever can make – in our minds. And so my small benediction: let us be most humbled, thankful and awestruck at the prize of consciousness, the sunny days on what we call rock and mountains with others we call friends, the noble globe itself only a dot in the vast swirl of matter and time, in the great physics of it all Frank pondered, the same which pounds and baffles each of us under a clear night sky. And there, looking up, perhaps I am not alone making a quiet vow to hold more tightly to good friendship and love before sleeping Frank’s sleep. Tom Higgins LongAgo " This thread is what you guys want to accomplish before you sleep Franks sleep?

Sure thing and agreed - have you seen the Sibyl Edwards thing Ivan? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sibel_Edmonds link added

LAWSUIT ON! - Like the vampire that keeps rising form the grave, this story looks to have some spark yet. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27501.html "ACORN filed suit today in Maryland against conservative filmmakers James O’Keefe, Hannah Giles and conservative Web site Breitbart.com for secretly taping the organization’s employees at its Baltimore office. In the complaint, ACORN alleges that the filmmakers entered into the organization’s offices in July with a “hidden camera and microphone” and taped employees Tonja Thompson and Shera Williams. Both employees are listed as plaintiffs on the complaint, filed in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. The crux of the lawsuit centers around a Maryland law which makes it illegal to tape someone without their consent – ACORN is alleging O’Keefe and Giles did so. ACORN is asking for $500,000 in damages to be awarded to each of the employees filmed by O'Keefe and Giles, and ACORN itself wants $1 million in damages. Breitbart.com, one of the suit’s defendants, is run by conservative activist Andrew Breitbart, whose Web site BigGovernment.com first posted most of O’Keefe and Giles’ videos. Breitbart has appeared on television with the filmmaking duo, and has a content-sharing relationship with the Drudge Report."

Nice find Prole....the next page, if Reich had written it, would be worrisome indeed.

That's too much for a 50 meter rope, especially a Petzl rope. Red, 10.3mmx50m Red, 10.3mmx50m (13 of 19 left) Blue, 10.3mmx50m Blue, 10.3mmx50m (13 of 16 left)

.....the more things change the more they stay the same...?

I'll try again. 2 short versions: Same-same, but different. -or- Same as it ever was... ...better?

Here's something we can both agree on. The "we're not filling the bill" part.....maybe not full agreement as we can do better, but everything else, same page. It's one of the reasons I vote no on every measure which will change the state constitution, no matter how good it sounds. So I know that officially makes me a cranky old fuck...so what? "Just say no", it's a screwy slogan that finally works in this application. Bet we agree on this as well: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/910042/Climbing_Benediction#Post910042

At least you post under your real name..... ___________________________________________________________________ I've been around long enough to know that this is the way the "Loyal opposition" works and always has. Republicans (maybe not Eisenhower) have similar critics and criticisms. Ask anyone named George Bush......

At least he has the courage to use his real name. ________________________________________________________________ My thoughts are that anyone who does this kind of thing to a Census worker, obviously is an extreme dumbass and isn't aware that at the root of our political system, we need to determine who lives where for apportionment reasons. This kind of random violent thing is beyond stupidity, and is condemned by all in our society equally except for a few toothless goobers too stupid or mean to be a factor in the discussion.

Me either as I have some rock (in an public area *cough cough*) that I want to jackhammer....and I will, so no reason for me to move right into a glass house and start tossing rocks.

Well, since you keep posting on these Beacon threads Lance, we could have made you an honorary Beacon Wanker: but you still climb too good to get into this crazy Wankfest. Maybe later when you're old and fat as you'd fit in better with the rest of us spray cube keyboard warriors.....jus' sayin' is all...

Hot Lesbian motivational posters. Good stuff. http://www.cityrag.com/main/2009/09/lesbian-motivational-posters.html Some dude is probably makin this stuff up:-) I don't think it has the official Lesbian stamp of approval. ________________________________________________________________ Since this is a climbing site, here's some Cathedral Formation pics from the weekend at Gothic Rocks of me on a solo FA of The Old Witch pinnacle and Ujahn doing the new pitch Adam, Ujahn and I added to Lava Tube (2nd pitch). Since Ujahn and I were both wearing red/blue helmets, to tell us apart, he's the thin one skirting the moss:-) The Old Witch profile.

Ted Kaczynski?

THANK YEW THANK YEW THANK YEW PETER! With this extra info I fully expect to be able to send my sweet sweet solo project this weekend. If I survive: some possible route names are "Bangers Delight", "Around the World to the Top", or "In, Out and Up".

Why do I think this will turn into a stay on trails/environmental destruction discussion ? .......in 3....2....1...

I hope that your aren't yielding just cause folks get old! Look at me, I don't know shit. Gratuitous last week from the boat ramp pic.

Opps, chance for a picture, maybe I should replace my words above? After the FA we went back for a 2nd lap although it's not clear why. Joseph on the first 2nd ascent of the The Third Rail. JH had quite a good lead on it. Very solid in 100 degree heat. I think for the FA, JH had his shirt off, and I could almost see the sweat dripping off as he got to the crux up there. Ujahn Davisson picture. Hey, do we have a grass growing enterprise happening here or what? I had Ujahn take a pic of the 1st piece of pro, like to share that too:-) From the 2nd ascent, I didn't get any pics of the 1st, too busy sweating. _____________________________________________________________ Hey Nate: don't know why, but this is a damn good thread....so far:-) Ha ha ! There is still time I suppose!