George Soros's Message

President Bush has led us in the wrong direction. The invasion of Iraq was a colossal blunder and only by repudiating the President's policies at the polls next Tuesday can we hope to escape from the quagmire in which we find ourselves. John Kerry won all three debates but President Bush invokes his faith and that inspires his followers. In the end, it boils down to a philosophical difference over how to deal with an often confusing and threatening reality.

After the traumatic events of 9/11, President Bush rose to the occasion and he carried the nation behind him. But he has led us in the wrong direction. He used the war on terror as an excuse for invading Iraq. If we re-elect President Bush, we are endorsing his policies and we shall have to live with the consequences. If we reject him at the polls, we shall have a better chance to regain the respect and support of the world and break the vicious circle of escalating violence.

Please be sure to vote next Tuesday, November 2. And please pass along this message to others. Our future may depend on defeating President Bush.

Sincerely,George Soros

Word for the Day

cavitation · kâ`-v&-'tEI-sh&n · noun

: the process of cavitating (verb): as a) : the formation of partial vacuums in a liquid by a swiftly moving solid body (as a propeller) or by high-intensity sound waves (i.e. intense turbulence); also : the pitting and wearing away of solid surfaces (as of metal or concrete) as a result of the collapse of these vacuums in surrounding liquid; b) : the formation of cavities in an organ or tissue especially in disease

Etymology: cavity + -ation

Bush Admin. War Profiteering

For a moderate Republican (yes, there actually is such a thing!)... view of the Administration's war profiteering and why they should be voted out of office for it, follow this link. (Bull Moose).

Another soldier's story: Vote Bush Out

For another soldier's story, please see this link to The Washington Note.

Brooke's Story

This has been around the internet for a few weeks, but I post it (sent to me by a friend) because it's such a good antidote to the nauseatingly manipulative "Ashley's Story" ad put out by the Dark Forces of Evil.

To Whom it May Concern,
I found out that my brother, Sergeant Ryan M. Campbell, was dead during a graduate seminar at Emory University on April 29, 2004. Immediately after a uniformed officer knocked at my mother's door to deliver the message that broke her heart, she called me on my cell phone. She could say nothing but "He's gone." I could say nothing but"No." Over and over again we chanted this refrain to each other over the phone as I made my way across the country to hold her as she wept.
I had made the very same trip in February, cutting classes to spend my brother's two weeks' leave from Baghdad with him. Little did I know then that the next time I saw him would be at Arlington National Cemetery. During those days in February, my brother shared with me his fear, his disillusionment, and his anger. "We had all been led to believe that Iraq posed a serious threat to America as well as its surrounding nations," he said. "We invaded expecting to find weapons of mass destruction and a much more prepared and well-trained Republican Guard waiting for us. It is now a year later, and alas, no weapons of mass destruction or any other real threat, for that matter."

Ryan was scheduled to complete his one-year assignment to Iraq on April 25. But on April 11, he emailed me to let me know not to expect him in Atlanta for a May visit, because his tour of duty had been involuntarily extended. "Just do me one big favor, ok?" he wrote. "Don't vote for Bush. No. Just don't do it. I would not be happy with you."

Last night, I listened to George W. Bush's live, televised speech at the Republican National Convention. He spoke to me and my family when he announced, "I have met with parents and wives and husbands who have received a folded flag, and said a final goodbye to a soldier they loved. I am awed that so many have used those meetings to say that I am in their prayers and to offer encouragement to me. Where does strength like that come from? How can people so burdened with sorrow also feel such pride? It is because they know their loved one was last seen doing good. Because they know that liberty was precious to the one they lost. And in those military families, I have seen the character of a great nation: decent, and idealistic, and strong."

This is my reply: Mr. President, I know that you probably still "don't do body counts," so you may not know that almost one thousand U.S. troops have died doing what you told them they had to do to protect America. Ryan was Number 832. Liberty was, indeed, precious to the one I lost-- so precious that he would rather have gone to prison than back to Iraq in February. Like you, I don't know where the strength for "such pride" on the part of people "so burdened with sorrow" comes from; maybe I spent it all holding my mother as she wept. I last saw my loved one at the Kansas City airport, staring after me as I walked away. I could see April 29 written on his sad, sand-chapped and sunburned face. I could see that he desperately wanted to believe that if he died, it would be while "doing good," as you put it. He wanted us to be able to be proud of him. Mr. President, you gave me and my mother a folded flag instead of the beautiful boy who called us "Moms" and "Brookster." But worse than that, you sold my little brother a bill of goods. Not only did you cheat him of a long meaningful life, but you cheated him of a meaningful death. You are in my prayers, Mr. President, because I think that you need them more than anyone on the face of the planet. But you will never get my vote.

So to whom it may concern: Don't vote for Bush. No. Just don't do it. I would not be happy with you.
Sincerely,
Brooke M. Campbell
Atlanta, GA

Minority Turnout is the key

Josh Marshall posted a link to this press release from:
Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates, Inc. (703) 684-4510 FAX (703) 739-0664
915 King Street y 2 nd floor y Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.fabmac.com

I have omitted the tabular data, which doesn't appear on the post in readable format, but if you're interested, follow the link above. The conclusion is that if the voter suppression efforts of the Republicans are unsuccessful in minimizing the minority turnout, Kerry should win decisively.

Public Release of National Survey Results
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tony Fabrizio
October 27, 2004 Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates
It Can’t Get Any Closer in the Battleground States —
Minority Turnout is Kerry Key

Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates (FMA), a Republican polling and strategic
consulting firm based in Alexandria, VA, has just completed their third likely voter survey with interviews conducted ONLY in the remaining 12 battleground states.*
In the three-way Presidential ballot, the race is dead tied in these crucial battleground states with BOTH President Bush and Sen. Kerry receiving 47% of the vote. Ralph Nader receives 1.6% while just 4% of the battleground state likely voters are undecided.

"110 days after our first battleground survey, during which these voters withstood tens of millions of dollars of attack ads by both sides, two national conventions and three prime-time, televised debates, this race hasn’t changed one iota statistically in these battleground states. This data underscores just how little relevance national polling has in this race, given the consistency of the battleground data versus the weekly swings in the media’s national tracking surveys. However, a minor, but troubling trend nonetheless for the President is the evaporating support for Ralph Nader. Nader’s support has gone from minuscule to microscopic which benefits Sen. Kerry," said Tony Fabrizio, who served as chief pollster for Bob Dole’s ’96 Presidential campaign.

[table omitted]

However, as the data below illustrates, when the data is weighted to reflect turnout based on the 2000 exit polls, Sen. Kerry leads by 3.5% and if minority turnout is weighted to census levels Sen. Kerry’s lead expands to 5.2% "It is clear that minority turnout is a wildcard in this race and represents a huge upside for Sen. Kerry and a considerable challenge for the President’s campaign. If one assumes minority turnout exceeds their 2000 election levels, then it appears a number of these states would tip to Sen. Kerry," Fabrizio concluded.

[table omitted]

longueur - Word for the Day

longueur · lOnh-GûR · noun

: A (subjectively) dull and tedious passage in a book, play, musical composition, or the like.

One of the commentators compared my speech to one of Gladstone’s which had lasted five hours. "It was not so long, but some of the speech’s . . . longueurs made Gladstone seem the soul of brevity," he
wrote.

--Lord Lamont of Lerwick, "Been there, done that," Times (London), March 6, 2001

If this book of 400 pages had been devoted to her alone, it would have been filled with longueurs, but as the biography of a family it has the merit of originality. --Peter Ackroyd, review of Gwen Raverat: Friends, Family and Affections, by Frances Spalding, Times (London), June 27, 2001

This book ... has its defects. Sometimes it loses focus (as in a longueur on Chechens living in Jordan). --Colin Thubron, "Birth of a Hundred Nations," New York Times, November 19, 2000

_________________________________________________________
Longueur is from French (where it means "length"), ultimately deriving from Latin longus, "long," which is also the source of English ‘long.’

excursus - Word for the Day

excursus \ek-SKUR-sus\ noun

1. A dissertation that is appended to a work and that contains a more extended exposition of some important point or topic.
2. A digression.

Bush HS rally in WI stifles free speech

This was reported by Daily KOS, which I highly recommend. My comment is that parents and high schoolers who believe in the First Amendment should have attended the rally with their Kerry banners and buttons hidden, then whipped them out once the cameras were rolling. Then sue the pants off the school and school district if they tried to enforce their fascist threat to stifle First Amendment rights. It's time for some more fight, and civil disobedience, in the face of these naked attempts to rewrite the Bill of Rights by this klan.

Free speech, Bush style
[by kos Tue Oct 26th, 2004 at 17:46:27 GMTAn email from Wisconsin. ]

A friend with a child in the Richland County,WI high school where George Bush appears today reports the following. students were told they could not wear any pro-Kerry clothing or buttons or protest in any manner, at the risk of expulsion. After a parent inquired, an alternative activity will be provided, probably a movie being shown in an auditorium. (The school secretary reportedly said that students had the choice of just staying home if they didn't want to attend the Bush rally, but the principal subsequently offered an alternative.) If Bush comes to a high school, how dare his campaign dictate what students can wear?

This is out of control.

My letter to the Principal of Richland Center High School:

October 26, 2004

John Cler, Principal
Richland Center High School
23200 Hornet High RdRichland Center, WI 53581-8943

Dear Mr. Cler:
It has been reported from student and parent sources associated with your school that students in attendance at your high school, where George W. Bush made a campaign appearance on October 26, were told they could not wear any pro-Kerry clothing or buttons, or protest in any manner, at the risk of expulsion. Reportedly, an alternative activity was to be provided for those who did not wish to go along with a blatantly orchestrated campaign appearance in a public school setting.

As a citizen of the United States, where freedom of expression is so critical and honored as to be made the First Amendment to our Constitution, I am horrified and shocked at such reported conduct.
If these reports are true, I believe your school has violated the constitutional rights of its students in a most shameful way, which teaches them all the wrong lessons. I would hope that the school will recognize the gravity of its error in this regard, and make some effort to redress the situation by acknowledging that it was wrong to stifle the fundamental rights of students to peaceably express their political beliefs, and by presenting some educational activity to emphasize the important civic values of the First Amendment and its meaning for Americans.

Thank you.

Very truly yours,



David Studhalter

polyonymous - Word for the Day

polyonymous · (pahl-i-ah-&-m&s) · adjective

Having or being known by many names.

Etym.: Greek polyonymos, from poly- (many) + -onyma (name).
..........................

"She (Hecate) protects roads and she is polyonymous…"
Michael P. Clark; Revenge of the Aesthetic: The Place of Literature in
Theory Today; University of California Press; 2000.

"The Antonine dynasty polyonymous senator whose names included 'Velleius Blaesus'."
Anthony Birley; Marcus Aurelius; Routledge; 2000.

Karl Rove: America's Mullah

In the L. A. Times: Neal Gabler: "Karl Rove: America's Mullah:"

The idea of the United States as an ironfisted theocracy is terrifying, and it should give everyone pause. This time, it's not about policy. This time, for the first time, it's about the nature of American government.

We all have reason to be very, very afraid.

Wolfpacks for Truth

We in California don't see the campaign ads for either side, but I gather the Bush "wolf pack" ad was a doozy. This site won't be up long, no doubt, so take a look.

The QaQaa Hits the Fan

See the New York Times piece. Read Josh Marshall's web log.

Bush blew chance to strike at Al Zarqawi

Again, from our far-flung correspondent, Jon Malecki, quoting a reliable news source. Why, as he asks, has this not penetrated outside the blogosphere?

AL ZARQAWI AND BUSH. We've been reading and hearing about Abu Musab Zarqawi on a daily basis for a long time now. Since a lot of people missed it at the time, it's useful to look back and ask why did President Bush refuse to attack Zarqawi multiple times because of the political benefit Zarqawi lent to Bush's case for invasion? Isn't that sort of thing betraying your oath to protect America?

By Jim Miklaszewski

CorrespondentNBC NewsUpdated: 7:14 p.m. ET March 2, 2004

With Tuesday’s attacks, Abu Musab Zarqawi, a Jordanian militant with ties to al-Qaida, is now blamed for more than 700 terrorist killings in Iraq.

But NBC News has learned that long before the war the Bush administration had several chances to wipe out his terrorist operation and perhaps kill Zarqawi himself — but never pulled the trigger.

In June 2002, U.S. officials say intelligence had revealed that Zarqawi and members of al-Qaida had set up a weapons lab at Kirma, in northern Iraq, producing deadly ricin and cyanide.

The Pentagon quickly drafted plans to attack the camp with cruise missiles and airstrikes and sent it to the White House, where, according to U.S. government sources, the plan was debated to death in the National Security Council.“Here we had targets, we had opportunities, we had a country willing to support casualties, or risk casualties after 9/11 and we still didn’t do it,” said Michael O’Hanlon, military analyst with the Brookings Institution.

Four months later, intelligence showed Zarqawi was planning to use ricin in terrorist attacks in Europe.

The Pentagon drew up a second strike plan, and the White House again killed it. By then the administration had set its course for war with Iraq.“People were more obsessed with developing the coalition to overthrow Saddam than to execute the president’s policy of preemption against terrorists,” according to terrorism expert and former National Security Council member Roger Cressey.

In January 2003, the threat turned real. Police in London arrested six terror suspects and discovered a ricin lab connected to the camp in Iraq.

The Pentagon drew up still another attack plan, and for the third time, the National Security Council killed it.

Military officials insist their case for attacking Zarqawi’s operation was airtight, but the administration feared destroying the terrorist camp in Iraq could undercut its case for war against Saddam.

The United States did attack the camp at Kirma at the beginning of the war, but it was too late — Zarqawi and many of his followers were gone. “Here’s a case where they waited, they waited too long and now we’re suffering as a result inside Iraq,” Cressey added.

And despite the Bush administration’s tough talk about hitting the terrorists before they strike, Zarqawi’s killing streak continues today.

And, Jon asks, "Tell me again how only Bush can be counted on to protect us from terrorists."

homologous - Word for the Day

homologous · : hO-'mä-l&-g&s, h&- · adjective

1 a) : having the same relative position, value, or structure: as (1) : exhibiting biological homolgoy (2) : having the same or allelic genes with genetic loci usually arranged in the same order
b) : belonging to or consisting of a chemical series whose successive members have a regular difference in composition especially of one methylene group
2 : derived from or developed in response to organisms of the same species

homologue · noun

: something (as a chemical compound or a chromosome) which is homologous

Etymology: Greek homologos agreeing, from hom- + legein to say – see legend

Bush Supporters Out of Touch

This is copped directly from the Daily Mislead, but in case you didn't see it, it's remarkable.

BUSH SUPPORTERS MISLED

A new study by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) shows that supporters of President Bush hold wildly inaccurate views about the world. For example, "a large majority [72 percent] of Bush supporters believe that before the war Iraq had weapons of mass destruction."[1] Most Bush supporters [57 percent] also believe that the recently released report by Charles Duelfer, the administration's hand-picked weapons inspector, concluded Iraq either had WMD or a major program for developing them.[2] In fact, the report concluded "Saddam Hussein did not produce or possess any weapons of mass destruction for more than a decade before the U.S.-led invasion" and the U.N. inspection regime had "curbed his ability to build or develop weapons."[3]

According to the study, 75 percent Bush supporters also believe "Iraq was providing substantial support to al Qaeda."[4] Most Bush supporters [55 percent] believe that was the conclusion of the 9/11 commission.[5] In fact, the 9/11 commission concluded there was no "collaborative relationship" between al-Qaeda and Iraq.[6]

Bush supporters also hold inaccurate views about world public opinion of the war in Iraq and a range of Bush's foreign policy positions.[7]

Sources:

1. "The Separate Realities of Bush and Kerry Supporters," Program on International Policy Attitudes, 10/21/04
2. Ibid.
3. "Iraq's Illicit Weapons Gone Since Early '90s, CIA Says," Los Angeles Times, 10/07/04.
4. "The Separate Realities of Bush and Kerry Supporters," Program on International Policy Attitudes, 10/21/04.
5. Ibid.
6. "Al Qaeda-Hussein Link Is Dismissed," Washington Post, 6/17/04.
7. "The Separate Realities of Bush and Kerry Supporters," Program on International Policy Attitudes, 10/21/04.

roan - Word for the Day

roan · 'rOHn also 'rO-&n · adjective

: of a color, (as red, black, or brown), muted and lightened by admixture of white hairs ; not generally used of human coloration

--noun

1 : an animal (as a horse) with a roan coat -- usually used of a red roan when unqualified

2 : the color of a roan horse -- used especially when the base color is red

3 : sheepskin tanned with sumac and colored and finished to imitate morocco

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Etymology: Middle French, from Old Spanish roano; except noun (3); of unknown origin

Broder on perils of electoral college reform

See David Broder's article in today's Post purporting to explain the supposed perils of electoral college reform. Here's my e-mail to Mr. Broder:

David Broder
The Washginton Post

Mr. Broder:

I read your article about electoral college reform with interest. I do not, however, see the implied downside to the idea that minor candidates would have bargaining power in the event of run-offs. You do not explain how or why this would be bad for the country, and it seems to me the opposite is true.

Also, you do not really explain the reasoning for proposals under which a presidential candidate would be a victor with a smaller-than-majority vote. In countries (and there are many) that have presidential run-off elections, it is typical that in order to win outright a candidate must garner an absolute majority. It seems to me this is the preferred standard; run-off elections would become the rule rather than the exception. Again, if there is a significant downside to this it hasn't been made clear to me either in your article or anywhere else.

Thank you.

David Studhalter

benthic - Word for the Day

benthic · 'ben(t)-thik · adjective

1 : of, relating to, or occurring at the bottom of a body of water
2 : of, relating to, or occurring in the depths of the ocean or the flora and fauna thereof

Etymology: Gr. benthos, 'bottom'

Pat Buchanan's outrage

You may want to hold your nose and read Pat Buchanan's outrageously offensive piece on the trumped up Mary Cheney as lesbian daughter affair. Here's my e-mail to Pat.

To Pat Buchanan:

Your article on Kerry's comment about Mary Cheney in the third debate is one of the most patently offensive pieces of political writing I have seen in many years. You obviously share the Bush agenda to turn back the clock to the McKinley era, even in social matters. I hope you and those who think like you are trounced by the forces of civilization in this election... forces which have left your ideas in the weary past long since.

Reference to homosexuality as "an affliction," and reference to non-homosexuals as "normal men," are, in case you aren't aware, indicative of a mindset that the vast majority of Americans, not to mention mental health professionals, abandoned DECADES ago.