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Month: January 2007

Cully Stimson Should be Ashamed

Cully Stimson Should be Ashamed

Underhanded dirty tricks to punish or intimidate one’s political enemies is nothing new in politics. Richard Nixon had his "dirty tricks" squad including people like Charles Colson & Gordon Liddy. Lyndon Johnson had his Bobby Baker and political administrations over time have had their "junk yard dogs’ – aides who leaked damaging information to press about an opponent or who made public attacks on a political opponent, leaving the politician free to disavow any connection. The Bush administration has used…

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Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld & Rice Doublespeak about Iraq

Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld & Rice Doublespeak about Iraq

May 1, 2003: President George W. Bush – USS Abraham Lincoln Mission Accomplished speech: "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the Battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed." July 2, 2003: "My answer is bring ’em on." —President George W. Bush, challenging militants attacking U.S. forces in Iraq, December 20, 2005: "My fellow citizens: Not only can we win the war in Iraq – we are winning the war in Iraq." January 11, 2006:…

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Near Misses & Close Calls with Nuclear Devices

Near Misses & Close Calls with Nuclear Devices

In 2002 we learned for the first time just how close we had been to nuclear war in during the Cuban Missile crisis. A summit meeting was held in 2002 in Havana regarding the anniversary of the Cuban missile crisis with key participants from Russia, the U.S. and Cuba attending. Information was exchanged and newly declassified Russian documents disclosed. Following the meeting, The National Security Archive reported that participants had learned from the newly obtained information, that one man had…

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Study Documents Global Warming Impact on Washington State

Study Documents Global Warming Impact on Washington State

While the Bush administration continues to stick its head in the sand regarding global warming, a new $100,000 report documents the cost to Washington State from global warning. The report, "Impacts of Climate Change on Washington’s Economy" was the result of a study by Washington and Oregon researchers. The report concludes that "It’s safe to say that virtually every aspect of the state’s economy will be effected by climate change." The report found that increased carbon dioxide will mean higher…

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Lawsuit to Stop Overpayment to Robert Nardelli

Lawsuit to Stop Overpayment to Robert Nardelli

I previously reported on the shameful amount of money being paid outgoing Home Depot CEO Robert Nardelli (1/3/07). Now a group of shareholders have sued to stop the company from paying him a $210 Million dollar prize as he exits the company by resigning. Suit was filed in Georgia asking for an injunction to stop payment. The suit alleges "Nardelli’s tenure has been marked by abuse of shareholders and disappointing shareholder returns. There has been widespread criticisms of Nardelli’s lack…

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ExxonMobil & Justice Denied

ExxonMobil & Justice Denied

A 9th Circuit Federal Appeals Court on Friday reduced the verdict against ExxonMobil for its 1989 Prince Williams Sound oil spill which dumped eleven million gallons of crude oil along 1500 miles of shoreline. The original $5 Billion dollar award was reduced by the court to $2.5 Billion dollars in a 2 – 1 opinion. In 1994 an Alaska jury awarded the original verdict on behalf of some 34,000 fisherman who had been damaged by the spill. An appeal to…

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Mr Bush & Alaska Bristol Bay Oil Drilling

Mr Bush & Alaska Bristol Bay Oil Drilling

The Seattle PI today reports that on Tuesday President Bush announced he was lifting a ban on oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s Bristol Bay. His action now allows the Interior Department to allow drilling on some 5.6 million acres as part of a five year leasing plan. Bristol Bay leases would be available in 2010 And 2012. Given Mr. Bush’s appointments to the Interior Department of people who support oil industry interests, the Department is expected to rubber stamp…

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Edith Velman’s Story of Survival as a Jew in Occupied Holland

Edith Velman’s Story of Survival as a Jew in Occupied Holland

I am reading the book Edith’s Story by Edith Velmans about her experiences as Jew in Holland during World War II. During the German occupation, she adopted a new identity with forged papers and lived with a Protestant family in another town. It is a different story then that of Anne Frank and her family. The Frank family had hidden in a house of a Protestant family for two years until they were betrayed and arrested in 1944. Anne, age…

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Tony Romo & Football Blunders

Tony Romo & Football Blunders

Yesterday, the Seattle Seahawks football team defeated the Dallas Cowboys by one point, 21 to 20, in a playoff game for the Super Bowl. The turning point in the game occurred when Dallas had the ball on the 19 yard line with 1:19 left on the game clock. A field goal would have won the game for Dallas. Given the skill and success of the Dallas kicker, this would have been an easy kick and victory was virtually assured. But,…

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Religion in America & Meet the Press

Religion in America & Meet the Press

On December 24, 2006 Tim Russert had Jon Meacham, editor of Newsweek and Pastor Richard Warren, author of  A Purpose Driven Life on Meet the Press. It was an interesting broadcast. Two areas of discussion were significant in my view. During the interview Warren made the point that the problem with China is that they want to have the economic freedom of the West without a moral underpinning. He argued that China could not have the success of the West…

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