Darfur Rally: Something we could unite on

Darfur: World's worst humanitarian disaster.

Sunday rally on the National Mall

Speakers:

Democratic Sen. Barack Obama, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California, Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel and Olympic speed skating champion Joey Cheek, who donated his bonus money to projects in war-torn Darfur.

About 180,000 people have been killed and 3 million driven from their homes by fighting in the western Sudanese region since February 2003.

And just to show that ocassionally President Bush can say the right thing:
President Bush met with Darfur advocates at the White House on Friday and lent his support to the weekend rallies. "For those of you who are going out to march for justice, you represent the best of our country," Bush said.

Since the Easter Bunny Hates video you was such a hit, here's the OTHER side of the story

(Windows Video Media 31 seconds)

Has Morgan apologized for or issued a correction for her slandering the LA Times?

I was off world for a few days on Academy business, and there were no subspace radio broadcasts. Did Melanie Morgan issue a correction or apologize for saying that the LA Times doctored their news photos of the LA immigration protests?

Note to Melanie Morgan and Sharon Brown, "Your buddy Malkin started the private phone posting!"

So I'm listening to Melanie Morgan waiting for her to apologize for her comments about the LA Times photographs and I hear her whining about students posting the personal information of her good friend Michelle Malkin and how she was threatened with death after it was posted. What did Morgan and Sharon Brown TOTALLY forget to mention? That MALKIN was the first to post the phone numbers of the students who protested the military recruiting at UC Berkeley Santa Cruz. (If you want to read the back story on this check out this post at Daily Kos by georgia10.)

So I suppose I could go into the kid's argument of "She started it!" but I won't. What I will say is that:

1) Morgan and Brown aren't' telling listeners the whole story, no surprise there

2) If Morgan thinks that the students should have "consequences" for what they did, do you think that there should be "consequences" for Malkin for her posting?

3) Death treats are wrong. Period. And if anyone is getting death threats on either side of the aisle we should track them down and charge them according to the various state laws.

Everyone knows that you don't make death treats against the President or you will get a call from the Secret Service. Maybe a few people need to get a visit from their state's equivalent service.

I wonder what the ratio of death threats is from the left vs. the right? Considering that the rabid right loves their machine guns so much, I would be more worried about their following through on their threats. But maybe not. Maybe they are just misunderstood peace-loving people treatening others with death. Of course I haven't seen Malkin's death treats, but here are a few that the students got from Malkin's readers.

[BTW, I don't normally use profanity on this site. Three of my 19 readers are under 18 and I like to keep this clean most of the time. Also, I'm not a commercially supported broadcast radio station with a licence granted to me by the state in exchange for access to the airwares, so I can print obscene language if I so choose. I usually chose not to. But in this case I think it is good to show the foulness of the people that sent death threats to the students. Are these the "consequences" that Morgan wanted them to have? ]

These are from UCSC Student's Against the War's website.
http://saw.revolt.org/node/51


From: Wayne
Subject: shame on you
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 21:30:26 -0400

You will pay for your seditious activities. It is only a matter of
time...We are retired military snipers & we are watching you...

---------------------------------------------------
From: Hermy Flenagin
Subject: Military
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 07:24:54 -0700 (PDT)

Girls (and other assorted shitdicks),

My sincere hope is that a couple hundred of the local patriots take a
day off work for your next anarchist event, and come down to your
little shithole with some axe handles and bust your fucking heads.

Short of that, I certainly hope the Feds stop sending money to your
dicklicking junior college.

Hermy
---------------------------------------------------
From: Peter Peanut
Subject: I hope...
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 09:38:44 -0700 (PDT)

...one a fine young American very, very soon puts his shiny gun barrel
up to your left temple and pulls the trigger. Now THAT will make
America a much, much better place to live for the rest of us, you
utterly disgusting piece of shit...

"Hearing a Western woman talk about how she might want to become a
Muslim is like hearing black Americans talk about how they might want
to become slaves."

From: "Tom Ault"
Subject: outrage!
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 13:19:52 -0400

You intolerant left wing socialist fucking cock-suckers. We're coming
to get you and when we do we'll hurt you..REAL BAD!

---------------------------------------------------------

From: Christopher Boylan
Subject: Go fuck yourself
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 21:50:35 -0400
s
Fucking pansy douchebag, you're lucky one of those recruiters didn't
put his foot up your silly little ass. Get cancer, you traitorous shit
breath cocksucker.

---------------------------------------------------------

From: primus1
Subject: FUCK YOU WANKERS!!! SUPPORT WAR!! FUCK IRAQ
Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 11:20:39 +0200

---------------------------------------------------------

From: "Victor M. Sanchez, Jr."
Subject: Useful Idiots
Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 17:15:04 -0500

You 3 are a bunch of useful idiots. Instead of marching around with
your silly Peacenik slogans you should either pick up a weapon and
defend this country from Islamofascists or just Shut The F*** Up. Or
just get back to class...idealistic, wet-behind the ears ingrates.

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( categories: )

UCSC Students
Submitted by Anticonservafascist on Wed, 04/19/2006 - 10:29am.
Why not you brave folks just press charges against Michelle Malkin and her fascist pals for these death threats? Here's the information:

California Penal Code section 422: THREATS
Any person who willfully threatens to commit a crime which will result in death or great bodily injury to another person, with the specific intent that the statement, made verbally, in writing, or by means of an electronic communication device, is to be taken as a threat, even if there is no intent of actually carrying it out, which, on its face and under the circumstances in which it is made, is so unequivocal, unconditional, immediate, and specific as to convey to the person threatened, a gravity of purpose and an immediate prospect of execution of the threat, and thereby causes that person reasonably to be in sustained fear for his or her own safety . . .

California Penal Code section 182, conspiracy defined:

(a) If two or more persons conspire:

(1) To commit any crime.

Each member of the conspiracy is liable for the acts of any of the others in carrying out the common purpose, i.e., all acts within the reasonable and probable consequences of the common unlawful design. People v. Kauffman 152 C. 331, 335 (1907).

For the sake of America, please press charges against Michelle Malkin and her fascist pals. You have the hard evidences on your hands... go get them.


Now here is the Morgan/Brown Audio link (Windows Audio 46 seconds)

LA Times to KSFO's Morgan: "WE don't mess with OUR photos"

Remember when Howard Kaloogian was busted for putting up photos of Istanbul and claiming that they came from a calm Baghdad? Well on the same week that happened his co-founder of "Move America Forward" Melanie Morgan claimed that the LA-Times was doctoring their photos of the immigration protests in LA. "The LA Times actually doctored photographs to make it look as if they were ALL American flags and there were NO Mexican flags."

So I wrote the LA-Times and asked them to check into this serious accusation. Below is their letter to KSFO's boss at ABC Radio. It will be interesting to see if there is a response and what Morgan's response will be. If Morgan holds true to wingnut form she will attack:

1) Me

2) the LA Times

3) Bloggers in general

Then I'm guessing she will claim the whole thing is:

1) Silly

2) Not worthy of her to respond to

3) NOT what she meant to say.
Even though she was quite serious about her claim and, AS A FORMER, ABC RESEARCHER, REPORTER AND ANCHOR she knows perfectly well what it means to doctor a photo. She probably also knows that doctoring a photo (as my post pointed out) is a firing offense at most newspapers.

If she DOES apologize, it will probably be one of those backhanded apologies, like "I'm sorry the LA Times was offended" or give an apology combined with an attack on bloggers and a cry about how nasty we all are to her (and Howard Kaloogian).

I really doubt anything will happen. It has nothing to do with the fact that Morgan is married to KSFO's station general manager. They court and condone bad behaviour, hate speech, inciting violence on the air and making indecent comments during drive time.

KSFO hasn't reprimanded or fired Brian Sussman for calling for the preemptive killing of 10 million Muslims, demanding that a caller "Say Allah is a Whore" or talking about how he would torture Iraqis by cutting off their fingers and then their penis.

If there is anything it might be a fake sincere "correction" using the politician's favorite way to get out of a lie "I misspoke" (why is that okay, by the way?) No, they will probably do like that guy from KFI who mocked 350 Muslims that died during the hajj. He went on Hannity and attacked CAIR, the group that called him on his offensive speech. In one of the most obnoxious acts of juvenile debate I've ever heard, Hannity attacked the person who came on to say, "Hey KFI DJ, that was in bad taste". That is what I expect from Morgan and KSFO, but maybe I'll be surprised.

Here is the letter from the director of media relations at the LA Times. I'd like to thank him for calling Morgan on her accusation.

Sheri Yee
ABC

Ms Yee:

The blog "Spocko's Brain" brought to our attention an accusation leveled against The Times on March 28 by Melanie Morgan of KSFO-AM's "The Lee Rodgers & Melanie Morgan Program." An audio clip of that broadcast was posted on March 28 at http://www.spockosbrain.com/. We trust that clip is an accurate recording of the relevant segment.

Ms. Morgan's accusation is absolutely false. Additionally, our Ethics Guidelines explicitly prohibit that type of manipulation:

Photographs and graphics must inform, not mislead. Any attempt to confuse readers or misrepresent visual information is prohibited.

In photographing news, we do not stage or reenact events. Photographers may direct subjects of portraits, fashion shoots or studio work. In presenting such images, we must avoid creating the impression that they were captured spontaneously.

We do not add color, create photomontages, remove objects or flop images. We do not digitally alter images beyond making minor adjustments for color correction, exposure correction and removal of dust spots or scratches required to ensure faithful reproduction of the original image. Exaggerated use of burning, dodging or color saturation is not permitted.

We are asking for an on-air correction and would appreciate a response.

Regards,

David

Director, Media Relations
Los Angeles Times
202 W. 1st St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012

www.latimes.com/mediacenter

^Now THIS is a doctored photo. The image was flipped and text boxes added. It is not a news photo, just so you know...

The Easter Bunny Hates you

This is for all 37 of my nephews (especially the one who sends me funny videos),
Now do you understand why I'm never around for Easter? It's not that I don't want to, I'm out in the streets PROTECTING YOU. (That and eating all your dark chocolate eggs. Again, I'm protecting you. This time from being fat.)

Video from College Humor. Video safe, College Humor ads on page might be NSFW or NSFSchool

Sussman's new advertiser? Preparation H!

I kind of feel sorry for the poor guys selling time on Brian Sussman's radio show. No sooner do they land an advertiser than Sussman says something that drives them out the door. I'm trying to imagine what it is like. They are sitting in their cubicle trying to win those steak knives and they get a call from Lumbergh telling them that the Bird's Eye C&W frozen food account just pulled their ads because someone at the client actually listened to the show.

"Damn it! That asshole Sussman is costing me money! Now I'll never get that 64 inch plasma screen. How can I make my quota AND make that asshole pay for losing me another sale. Asshole! That's it! I'm a genius. I'll sell products FOR assholes on that asshole's show!"

Of course these are the same guys that put a Brokeback Mountain ad on Sussman's show, so you know they have a sense of humor. Black humor, but humor none the less.

Ol' Brian was really spoiling for a fight tonight. "Clash of civilizations!" Ohh, how historic! I figured it wouldn't be long until he decided to pick up on Sean Hannity's tactic of attacking the Muslim group CAIR. He thought he was being really clever, "I'm just reading clips from the PAPERS! I'm just telling people what they are associated with!" So if you discredit the group that is calling for an end to hate speech that gives you a pass? How does that work?

So instead of addressing the things he has said about Muslims, he goes after a group. And not just any group. A controversial group. That is so much easier, someone has already done the work for him.

This strategy doesn't negate the things that YOU'VE said Sussman. And we don't have to go back to the last century to find them. We only have to travel all the way back to March 14, 2006 for your famous,

"You got to kill them. That's the only way you can do business. Abu Ghraibs aren't tough enough for people like that. You just have to kill them. "

And frankly it should be Christians and all normal people that are offended by what you say. But of course Sussman isn't willing to actually announce that he is a Christian. I used to think it was so that people wouldn't show up at his church and protest him. Then I figured out his dodge. If he never claims a specific branch, he is free to pick and choose whatever "values" he wants.

Hate from the Old Testament? Check.
Ignore all the love thy neighbor of the New Testament? Check.
Quote zealots like Paul? Check.

It's great! No higher authority to appeal to. Nobody to call and appeal to, "Did you know Sussman is representing your religion wrong?" Heck, he can even advance his own crazy notions that Jesus was in favor of handguns! (I'm not making that up. The logic of his gun lovin' Jesus argument is stunning in its conclusions. But since he is the sole authority on Sussmanism, he's always right!) What a great scam.

Bullies, Threats, Lethal Weapon- -The Movie and Nukes

If you haven't read Sy Hersh's article in the New Yorker about possibly dropping an atomic bomb in Iran, do so now. I'll wait.

Did you notice the part where we already have troops in Iran?

If the order were to be given for an attack, the American combat troops now operating in Iran would be in position to mark the critical targets with laser beams, to insure bombing accuracy and to minimize civilian casualties. As of early winter, I was told by the government consultant with close ties to civilians in the Pentagon, the units were also working with minority groups in Iran, including the Azeris, in the north, the Baluchis, in the southeast, and the Kurds, in the northeast. The troops “are studying the terrain, and giving away walking-around money to ethnic tribes, and recruiting scouts from local tribes and shepherds,” the consultant said. One goal is to get “eyes on the ground”—quoting a line from “Othello,” he said, “Give me the ocular proof.” The broader aim, the consultant said, is to “encourage ethnic tensions” and undermine the regime.

I guess that isn't an act of war or anything. They are just tourists who are actively working to overthrow Iran's government. It's not the CIA doing this, it is "troops." Now what would WE call it if we found a bunch of Iranians in the US working to encourage ethnic tensions, studying the terrain, giving money minority groups who dislike the government and recruiting scouts." Spies, terrorists? Illegal immigrants? If an outside group was doing this in OUR country we consider it an act of war?


Bottom Line: We are already in Iran. The war with them has already started. Now it's just a measure of degree.

BULLIES
I read an interesting article about bullying recently, what were the characteristics of a bully. Bush is a serial bully. And the category of bully he most fits? Sociopath.

Threats
Remember all the men in the White House worrying about looking weak to the world? "We have to strike to show them we are SERIOUS. If we never follow through on our threats, then they know we were just bluffing." So guess what? We DID attack. We weren't bluffing. Hell, we didn't even care that they didn't have the WMDs we said was the reason for the attack. So now the world can know that we don't always bluff. So NOW is the time to work the diplomatic angle hard. We have the street cred now!

Bush is the crazy man in the room with an itchy trigger finger. "Come on! Hey Iran, you want a piece of me? I'll mess you up! I've got a gun and I'm not afraid to use it. Ask Iraq. Do NOT mess with me! I might just REALLY Freak out! I'm SERIOUS! Don't think I'm serious? Ask Saddamn. There are over 100,000 dead Iraqis who know I'm as serious as a GD heart attack! Now stop it with the enriching uranium."

Nukes
I was listening to Ronn Owens (hey radio advertisers, there is a guy who isn't nuts who you can advertise on his show instead of KSFO's Sussman's) and he was saying that of course the White House can't take the military options off the table. And I realized that there is fictional "on the table" and REALLY on the table. The closer the world thinks that a nuke is REALLY on the table the more powerful the diplomatic negotiation position of the Bush White House is.

They can say, "Hey, my boss is NUTS! He thinks GOD talks to him. He has NO problem nuking you Iran. Seriously, he's like Mel Gibson in the first Lethal Weapon film. He might jump off a roof or pre-empetively attack you. He might do it even if he just THINKS you are lying to him. I don't know if I can stop him. For the love of Allah people, PLEASE stop what you MIGHT be doing and open up the books about your current nuke program."

But what is freaking out the pundits is that the "Bush is crazy and might to ANYTHING," meme has worked on them too. This is okay. Kind of like when Veronica Mars didn't tell her dad what was really going on with Duncan and her so that his reaction was real when they kidnapped the baby.

It would be great if all the pundits believing this helps the diplomatic solutions team. We might as well get some good deals with the rest of the world after all the blood and treasure spilt in Iraq. "Dudes, you totally want to cut us some slack and work with us. If you don't, our President might just nuke your ass. Seriously, he's NUTS. He thinks these are "The End Times" nuts. You do NOT want to show up on his radar screen. I don't know WHAT he might do. He attacked a country that wasn't even a THREAT TO US!"

But of course the reason that the pundits are freaked out is they thought that he wasn't REALLY nuts before. They were hoping that Powell would have talked sense into him. Since he didn't, they think he will do it again. And that is their biggest fear, that the Bush admin doesn't get the fact that they now have the negotiating position that can lead to a serious diplomatic solution. That they will just REALLY do something crazy. The pundits have started to worry that Bush REALLY is CRAZY and not just CRAZY as in "Crazy Eddie has low, low prices," crazy. As in "he'll really drop the bomb" crazy, and not just "threaten to drop the bomb" crazy.

Finally, when you read Seymore's article how many of you got this images in your mind from the Dead Zone? I know I did!

CrazyMan #1
Cover: by Neal Adams
Indicia: Crazyman #1

Dead Zone photo of Bush found at www.Darrelplant.com

I'm sending my old Mardi Gras Beads to Bush to rebuild the Levee

Scout Prime did some great work on reporting in New Orleans, but now the President isn't going to fully fund the levees unless we demand it. He's a visual kind of guy so I figure we need to send him something he can see to remind him of the good old days in New Orleans.


Here is what I'm sending. You'll notice a few features.
1) A clear bag. This is to make the people less nervous in the Post Office, remember the other terrorist attack, Anthrax, the other one the President still hasn't caught the guy(s) who did it?

I put the beads on one side and the message on both sides. I wonder how many will make it intact? The additional benefit of a clear bag will be the ability of others to see the message along the way. That is also why we take the photo of the bag (*or Scan of the bag*) and mailing of the bag.

Visuals. Visuals. Visuals.
The press can then pick up what the "wacky liberal bloggers are doing!" with a visual for the story.
See? (Photo from Pubclub.com some ads maybe NSFW, photos were fine.

2) Staple it shut. Of course it is a federal offense for other people to open the mail, so if someone DID steal the beads along the way they would be making a federal case out of it, "You don't have to make a Federal Case out of it, dude." Young man that is EXACTLY what this is, a FEDERAL CASE! That is why the Federal Government needs to send ALL the money to fix this levee!

3) A clear message on this. Scout suggests it here:

Mr. President:
Please fully fund the additional $6 billion the Army Corps of Engineers needs to rebuild the levees for our fellow Americans in New Orleans.

4) If you don't have some old Mardi Gras beads you can of course find photos of beads that you can send with the message. (I'm thinking that Holden, NTodd, and Dr. Attaturk will all be all over this doing research.)

Photo from Hal2000 (some photos NSFW)

5) If you have other visuals with beads and the message, send those to the President too. Scout made a video to explain the campaign. I made a quick video using the Ford Tahoe "Make your own commercial" website. Here's mine. I titled it:

Water Sucks.

BTW, this is a nice way to subvert the SUV commercial as well as give them some backwards PR. A lot of people don't realize it, but these agencies COUNT on backwards PR. They are the ones who secretly slip out the ads with the car sunroof killing the cat or knocking the bird off the hood. They have plausible deniability but they know they are getting name recognition. (at least that is what they tell the nervous execs at the car company that is paying for an evil ad.)

Well that's it for today. Let's get cracking!

LLAP,
Spocko