it occurred to me

that i wasn't around much today. :) steam cleaned my upstairs in preparation for my couch. :) don't know when it will get here- but damn it! the room is ready. wanted to give it a good clean anyway after the tile dust. kitchen is next week. going to gut the cupboards and rearrange them all. i don't like the fact i just unpacked and put stuff wherever- it isn't working very well. oh, and i may persuade hubby to help with the lawn tomorrow- i bought a new weed whacker from mr. fixit for $20. and perhaps get started cleaning the garage :)

can you tell that the weather is getting nicer? today was beautiful- no humidity.

want to buy american?

good luck with that

perhaps one of the saddest parts to this short clip- the fact that america doesn't make quality goods much anymore

take a good hard look

because this is who we are--- who we have become as a nation. the fact that an american could do this to another human being means we aren't deserving of being on the pedestal that we think we are on. there are those of us who have fought against this- but now, the folks we believed were going to deal with these atrocities- have decided once again that 'impeachment is off the table' and 'we aren't going to prosecute war criminals.' in fact, the folks we voted to clean this mess up- well, they are merely sweeping stuff under the rug. it's still there and they think we can't see or smell the steaming lump.

what i find interesting- the folks screaming the loudest in defense of this bullshit- on the right- well, they are the ones who wave the flag and pretend to be for human rights and civil liberties. the ones who put their hand over the place where their heart should be- and sing the national anthem like they mean it. these people disgust me to the very core. these are the same people who sabre rattle and make a profit from war.

and the folks who carried out the torture, abuse, rape, etc.- they don't get a pass for following orders either. it is your duty as a human being- and as an american to stand for the ideals of human rights and democracy. this kind of bullshit is neither. they aren't any more worthy of respect than the talking heads or the suits in dc. it doesn't matter what uniform you wear- it's what's on the inside that counts.

made me think of summertime

bouguereau

feeling the magic of this song today

betmo's corner: musical poetry

it kind of captures where i am- with this country and with the world at large.

only the good friday

van morrison- days like this














mmm.... i cannot believe that another week has flown by. anyone else feel that life speeds by sometimes? my kitchen is done now- just have to clean it. will need to get started on my 'spring cleaning' now that the dust has settled :) just glad i am slow or i would have had to do it twice. i am moving ahead with plans for etsy- but the hardest part is coming up with a good name :) i have been looking at logistics on shipping, prices, etc., but coming up with a good name has eluded me. any suggestions are welcomed. i was thinking 'betmo's blankets' or some such theme :)

another positive note- have had some contributions to the poets4peace site- feel free to email me a poem if you want- or if you'd like to become a regular contributor- let me know and we can set it up. or drop me a link if you want me to cut and paste- i can do that too. anyhoo, a little bird told me that spadoman has his friday post up already- and thornie is regular too- if you want me to link to yours- leave it in the comments or email me :) after all- a smile is contagious and good news is too.

fyi

over at the sirens today.

also, poetryman has graciously let me take the reins ofpoets4 peace- so, please let me know if you are interested in contributing. it has a very small following but i find that sometimes it's nice to have a place to let out the ugly emotions surrounding war and loss in a peaceful setting. if there are any poets out there who are interested- let me know. it doesn't have to be a full time gig.

politics aside....

isn't this nice to look at for a change? sure beats the all white men's club.

update:

rightwing update on the nomination

spot on

Time: "It's a Wonder We Can Even Feed Ourselves..."

brilliant

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." -- Mahatma Gandhi

fyi

Water Wars Strike Ahead of Predictions

going the green mile

from my buddy in gatorland- uf leads the way with platinum LEED ratings

newsy bits quick

despite best efforts by the neocons- colin powell's ratings are still better than cheney's and rove's combined

liz cheney may run for office

our allies make moves towards police states- shades of things to come here

i guess i wonder how you can still call yourself a democracy when you track your citizens, require them to register and take oaths, and take their civil liberties away. it is a pickle.

fyi

over at the peace tree today

researching green building and upgrades

got green?: researching green building and upgrades

yes, i am linking to myself :)

sorry ladies

i do not agree with the women on the view- if you are in public office and making decisions and laws that effect all people- the people have a right to know. when you decide to go into public office- whether by election or by being a staffer, etc, you forfeit your right to be hypocritical. if it so happens that it is mainly right wingers who pretend to be hetero while discriminating against gay folks- well tough shit. you don't get to live your life the way you want while infringing on the rights of others.

so, no ladies, i disagree. ordinarily, i am not for outing folks either but in this case- it's a public service.

this is a joke

this shouldn't even be an issue. jesus never advocated torture- and neither did god. torture is a man- made invention--- although it has been used in god's name for centuries. christians want to be taken seriously- but when all you have is faith in what your preacher tells you to instead of your god- well, you can't be.

quick note

91% of conservatives are 'morans'

no small wonder they listen and believe big dick cheney

obama and cheney square off:

transcript of obama's speech

transcript of cheney's speech

13 bush officials responsible for torture

only the good friday

lovely day here today- i mowed the yard and added to the compost bin. i think i may need to expand soon :) don't have much to say- going to be working outside on the fam's yard a bit today and getting my hands dirty replanting tomatoes and whatnot. got some sweet taters that need to be put in too. furniture shopping for chairs tomorrow- by the end of summer- i'll have a living room suite! :) yeah! working on the bathroom pics. i am slow as you know what- but eventually. kitchen is grouted and awaits sealing- and the end of the dust is near. then, the fun begins.

enjoy the day and the weekend....

please join thornie, spadoman and beth for an optimistic, only the good friday kinda day- and feel free to put your link in the comments or email me and i'll throw it up to spread the joy around :)

ground beef recall fyi

i scrolled down the list to take a peek- and it looks to be mostly beef patties. so, thought you may want to peruse the list yourself.

apparently,

the big dick- cheney has decided he actually does like light- the spotlight- because he can't seem to stay out of it. i have no idea what planet he's on but he had his chance and his side lost last election. he doesn't get another chance- he needs to go away and stfu. yesterday. i have absolutely no respect for a so called human being who calls for the torture of other human beings; a so called human being who goes to war against a country who didn't harm us to profit from war; a so called human being who has absolutely no regrets about any of the above mentioned issues.

dick 'the dick' cheney is not a person in my estimation. you would have to have a conscience for that.

i have a conscience and it allows me to feel nothing but absolute and utter contempt for his kind.

update:

cheney's speech contained omissions and misstatements- huh, imagine that, he lied.

happy day for me

my bathroom is mostly done. i spent my day cleaning and washing walls, etc but it's worth it. looking forward to taking a nice hot shower. today was a good day- in spite of it being my birthday :)

who knew we have had a dearth in leadership?

i mean i never would have guessed that this country has been leaderless and rudderless for decades- you?

yep- a bit heavy handed with the sarcasm today but all of the shit we have complained about for years is coming back to bite us in the ass today.

state of where we are

my personal thought is this- torture, enhance interrogation techniques- whatever you want to call it- should be a non issue. there should be no debate- and i agree with shep smith- 'we are america. we don't do that.' i don't care if it works or doesn't- it shouldn't be done. i find it insulting and hypocritic that pictures won't be released because it may harm our troops in the field. not because i want our troops harmed- but because we obviously don't want it done to us. it is not ok that we inflicted it on other people.

i am outraged and angry- and judging from what i read around the blogosphere- i am not alone. it's unfortunate that our congress critters don't agree. i am hoping to weed some of these warmongers out in 2010 and 2012. you?

these are the same folks who voted with bush every step of the way- from the patriot act fiasco to the military commissions act- to funding everything under the sun. they rubber stamped everything he wanted. and many of us on the left- rah rahed along waving our flags not wanting to look unpatriotic. being cowards. feeling helpless. abdicating our principles and trying ineffectually to elect someone- anyone who wasn't associated with bush. and all the time not really doing anything at all. we share the blame along with pelosi and reid.

we are supposed to be the 'progressive' party but we are looking a whole lot more imperialistic these days. actually, all of those right wingnuts who are looking to call the dems 'socialists' should take a hard look at the right wing 'ideas' that look a whole lot more like communism than anything else to me. but the regressive, status quo party is still rockin' like it's 1994.

see, most folks think it's ok to treat non americans, non whites, non english speakers, non christians- however we want. what they fail to see- these are fellow human beings who share this planet. they fail to see that we are but one small country on a big planet and that billions of people around the world have a different culture than ours-- and do just fine. what they also fail to understand is when you treat 'others' in such an inhumane way, it becomes part of you. even believing that it's ok breeds callousness. and then you start treating your own differently.

i am always perplexed these days it seems

do we have any other presidents besides reagan? just wonderin'- i mean he has an airport named after him- the rethugs tried to get him on money already- we have 42 other presidents- not counting obama as he's current- why is it that one who was categorically disliked within his own term and surely a large part of the current mess we are in today- is honored like he was a great man? at best- mediocre.

just an fyi

the next generation of internets- courtesy of the pentagon

it's a bit of a scary read- just so ya know.

the crazy... it burns!!!

UncommonSense: Cavuto tries to reason with RNC spokeswingnut and fails

barney frank faces off with ..... michelle bachman

a different perspective

but right on the money

i'll let you discover the punch line.

what i miss sometimes

i have been out of college for oh- awhile :) and high school even longer. i think what i miss most about having those experiences is the lack of discussion and sharing of ideas. i thought for sure i would find it online- as the internets are full of tubes and wires that lead to all sorts of folks and places. but i didn't so much. i have met so many great folks and blog buddies from coming online- but the discussions aren't there. the closest i have gotten are trolls and right wing folks only interested in smashing me down. regrettable for sure because there are many folks out there who are interested in hearing and sharing.

it isn't about converting to our 'side' necessarily. there have always been two major parties, for example. it's about talking to each other and compromising. oops- i said the 'c' word. the sort of compromise i am talking about doesn't happen in congress or politics usually. their compromising really does compromise this country. no, the compromise i speak of is realizing that right and left both have many traits in common- we really aren't as different as certain folks are trying to make us believe.

liberals have traditions and celebrations; believe in the military and even serve; believe that all men and women should be treated fairly and equally, etc. it isn't true that liberals believe that government should have its fingers into every aspect of life and it is true that government has grown exponentially under the last 3 republican presidents.

the biggest truth is that both sides of the common people- right and left- are being fucked by the politicians of both parties in government-- for THEIR personal gain not ours. my thought is- most of the crap that they have set up for us to fight about-- abortion, gay marriage, gun rights, etc.- distractions. they want to keep us screaming at each other so we don't notice the fact that these folks are STILL profiting from 2 wars and thousands of military bases around the world. that they are still profiting from the jacked up banking system and insurance system. that they are still sucking up our natural resources while doing pretty much nothing to avert global climate catastrophe.

here's the thing... the republican party moderates- who are fairly sane folks- are being shut out of their party by the batshit crazy folks from the religious right and former neocon movement. the democratic party has been hijacked by greedy, corporate shills like nancy pelosi and harry reid and the 'blue dog' democrats who are in reality- transplants from the repubs. there is a 'silent majority' out here who are by and large under represented in government at all levels. i say that we pull together and realize that there is strength in numbers and take back the country.

any takers?

great links

i took some time to take a peek- and i think you will find these informative:

goodguide- ratings of household products and food- chemicals, enviro impact, healthy or not

skin deep- rates various cosmetics

where does your produce come from?

morning update

ahhhh.... sunday mornings.... having a cuppa and reading my email. doubt like hell i'll go near the google reader today. i have much to do :) i don't know if i have mentioned this in polite company-- but... i crochet :) i simply don't have a place to hawk my wares so, after much thought, i figured i would go online. no overhead, no fussing with booking shows, etc. and lo, i found etsy. i am always the last to know anything.

it sounds pretty good for me because my philosophy is- i like to make stuff and try out new stuff- but i don't want to mass produce. most likely, unless i like a pattern or a stitch- i'll only make one. and i am leaning towards that as a name for my virtual shop- 'only one' or something along those lines. feel free to make suggestions. the easy part is making the stuff- the harder part is the particulars. what to charge, etc. still working that out. oh, yeah, and i have to take pictures. i don't have any of those either :) so, that's what i'll work on.

catch up today and fixing my sister's porch step- weather permitting. tile still isn't 100% finished yet- although i can walk on all of it. i can't wait to have it done and my upstairs bathroom put back together. that's our main bathroom and let's just say- the downstairs bathroom isn't really where it's at for me :) not to mention that my kitchen is still torn up and waiting to be grouted. sigh. i tend towards orderly and anal and this has been a bit of a trial for me. luckily, i did not spring houseclean yet- or i would probably have had a nervous breakdown.

looking forward to non damp, non chilly weather so i can steam clean the dust out of my carpet. and that's where i am at. will more than likely have to replant the tomatoes and peppers as it has not been warm enough for them to really take off. and i wouldn't mind a wee less rain and damp- it makes the grass grow pretty good. sigh. but that's me complaining. at least, it's good exercise :)

this is our ally

israeli foreign minister's party wants ban on arab mourning

ok, so let me see if i can get this straight- it's ok for the jews in israel to celebrate and commemorate their 60ish anniversary of gaining a 'homeland' but it's not ok for the arabs to mourn losing theirs. got it.

a little light musing

here's the thing- all of this media 'coverage' of the torture flap- is bullshit. of course, they aren't asking the correct questions- they are part of the problem. i can't even believe i have to type this-

we are america. there was a time when we believed in the ideals of our country. as americans- we don't torture. there should be no debate about that. we prosecute to the fullest extent crimes against humanity and torture- not just of our own people but the helpless.

except that we don't, apparently. i am simply baffled by the number of people in this country who get up and flag wave and sing lee greenwood tunes and slap that magnet on their suvs and proclaim to be proud to be americans. how can you be when you aren't really an american? when it's obvious you don't have clue one what that means. perhaps if you took the time out from watching fox noise or reading the washington times- you would understand what being an american and living in a free democratic republic means.

nowhere in our constitution does it advocate secret tribunals, torturing people for sport or lies to support pre-emptive, empire building, corporate war profiteering. i have read the document through at least twice and i can't find it anywhere. of course, i haven't found anywhere in the bible where it says it's ok to pose nude and get fake boobs to further a career either- but that's neither here nor there.

since 2000, being a lefty has branded me a 'traitor', 'conspiracy theorist', 'non american'- i have been told to leave if i don't like it in america- you name it- i have been called it. and i used to get mad about it, but i don't anymore. see, i know what it's like to be a real american. and it's obvious that the 'tea bag partiers' don't. they can wrap themselves up in the flag at a hannity concert but they don't think below the surface.

being an american means holding true to the ideals that originally shaped this country for generations- being free. and it's there where things start to break down because for the last 8 years, these flag waving 'freedom fighters' stood by while america slowly turned communist. they can rah rah about obama being socialist all they want- but it was the previous administration who, with a few strokes of a pen and nary a peep from the minions, wiped out right to privacy, protection from unlawful search and seizure, the right of habeus corpus, etc. those are the freedoms that made us american. contrary to popular belief- there are more rights in the bill of rights than one and two. hate to break it to ya'll.

i should say used to be.

so, all of this:

obama military tribunals

pelosi knew or didn't

obama pictures of torture surface

obama civil liberties

congress not looped on torture

is distractionary. why? because the real issue is that there is any debate amongst the people at all about torture. the real issue is that we, the people, well, some of us anyway, condone treating our fellow human beings this way. that we, as americans, feel so callously about other human beings because they are 'foreigners' or 'enemy combatants' that we simply label them as non human as well. because we have decided that it's ok for us to do whatever we want to do with anyone we want to do it to.

and that- is exactly what we, the people, were escaping from in the old country. guess the child has become the parent.

running through my head for some reason

well said cap'n

Human Voices: Bring it on, trolls

strange days are these

patterson may be able to dissolve integrity panel

british parliament in deep doo doo over expenses

brown looking at 'deselecting' members of parliament

'only the good' friday

well, thornie beat me to it this morning :) she must have had an early cuppa. speaking of cuppas- i must have another- but on to this post first...

let's see- not much good going on in the world at large- but what about in my microcosm... the sun is peeking out today. i will have to check on my garden. it has been downright chilly and i am thinking of planting a few extra tomato and pepper plants in case frost nipped my plants. i am optimistic that i am more than half way done with the tile replacement. the cleanup has yet to begin though. i am really looking forward to cleaning up- yes, i know that sounds strange but the dust and the dust and the dust of having tilework done- has made me very sad. i have to work from the top of the ceiling down to the shampooing of the carpet. luckily, i did not spring clean yet ;)

i get to spend the day with my sister and mom- and it's my sister's birthday tomorrow- so i hope to spread a wee bit of joy. it's been a tough year for them so far- but i am hoping that we can take positive where we can find it.

hey, jump right in and join 'only the good fridays'- we would love to have ya :)

spadoman over at round circle has joined in

brother tim over at blog of revelation is with us too

go figure

he's from north carolina

well. when you put it that way...

i can't get the video to come up on msnbc to link directly- so here is keith olbermann's wtf? moment over the gop strategery of calling the democratic party- the 'democrat socialist party'- yep. and for good measure- the leader of the teabag movement is apparently,--- a tax scofflaw. that gives me perspective- you?

fyi

i updated at got green? and betmo's corner- and i am the daily featured at the sirens chronicles.

the good and the bad

new york state assembly passes gay marriage bill

irish student hoaxes world's media

got green?: fair trade

got green?: fair trade

wrote a post about fair trade and the need to see that a label doesn't fix everything.

second cuppa

taking to heart what my faithful readers said in the last post- and having a second cuppa to compose my thoughts- i will launch into my thoughts :) yesterday was a long day- one of those days that just universally go wrong- everybody i talked to said their day wasn't stellar. perhaps it was effecting me- who knows? for all of lindsey's bloviatiings, i see bloggers backing away and leaving. oh, not the big ones like kos and huffpo- but as much as they helped 'the cause' it was the bloggers like me and my blog buddies all over the world- who really carried the weight. we dissminated news and spread the truth so that the propaganda fell flat.

and now, many of us on the left are tired. we are content to take a breather while president obama does the 'heavy lifting' because, hey, we elected him to do that and we trust him, right? we shouldn't. even if he and his admin were the most trustworthy bunch on the planet- that isn't what america stands for. the founding fathers, contrary to popular belief, fought each other over putting so much power in the hands of 'the people.' john adams and his contingent, apparently the forerunners of the cheney contingent, wanted the government to rule- as 'the great unwashed' could not be trusted with that kind of power. so, the fact that we started out with a government modeled on a democratic republic is remarkable.

it isn't enough to vote. polls are done all of the time here in america- and generally what they show- most americans want social programs- basic human needs met. it's only a small few out of the 300 million or so who live here that want white supremacy and war. but those are the ones who are fighting us to get their power back. and we are deciding to put the foxes back in charge of the henhouse so as to get a bit of 'r and r' and that scares me. we are relaxing and letting our guard down and it will be the end of us. sigh. so, the question is- what should we be doing? in the face of the guerilla war ahead- can we ever win it? it's like our own iraq without the bombs.

anyhoo, i imagine that i will decide to stick around- perhaps not as much as lately- but it seems to ebb and flow. i will continue mulling and reading others and hopefully, it will give me the shot i need to jump start.

at the peace tree today.

mulling over the future of this blog

i am currently mulling over how often or even if i write here anymore. the political landscape of the left has changed. many folks believe that obama and the dems are at the helm- hey, let them deal with things- it's their job. many folks just don't care much about what happens these days. they have lost interest or lost stamina- i don't know. looking at the bigger picture isn't 'en vogue' and my thoughts are that the right is even more dangerous than before. they haven't gone away and they haven't gone on vacation. we should be even more vigilant than we have been.

but many want a break- a rest- and hey, the only ones who give a shit are the choir i am preaching to. so, i am thinking that i will use this as a place to link to other blogs i am writing at:

got green

the peace tree

the sirens chronicles

poets 4 peace

and betmo's corner

all are on my sidebar. i don't want to shut this blog down- there is valuable information still here in the archives and links and whatnot- but i simply am not feeling that it is worth my time to write here several times a day- or even daily. we'll see.

sunny monday

turns out we didn't fix my sister's steps yesterday but we did have chinese food- so all was not lost :) good lord, my posts lately resemble a tweet. it's supposed to NOT RAIN today- so i will take the opportunity to wash everything that was in my bathroom closet- as there is about a two inch thick layer of cement dust on everything. but i am optimistic that mr. fixit will affix the tile today- and grout by the end of the week. and perhaps i can have my house back :)

i am thrilled with the tile pick and am making lemonade out of the seller's tile job lemon. the other bright news- we finally bought a sofa for the upstairs living room. yeah!!! won't be here for another 8-12 weeks- but hey, it'll give me plenty of time to steam clean the dust out of the carpet in preparation :)

i love my mom

gonna go fix my sister's steps today and have chinese with mom. right now i am going to have a second cuppa.

but here are a couple of links to think about:

your yard sale may be illegal- pdf of the cpsc leaflet that outlines what you can sell and what you can't. i would be more specific but the vague nature of the law sounds like it may have been drafted by republicans in congress. oh, right...

and, hey, the pope warns of the misuse of religion for political gains. i found it ironic he was speaking in muslim nations. perhaps he was just warning them of what could happen based on the last 8 years in america.

saturday update

good lord! i almost keeled over yesterday- i mowed my backyard all in one fell swoop. after mowing mom's. yep. i was stupid. but i wanted to beat the rain. supposed to rain yesterday- and apparently, it did in the night. going to get t-storms today. having the tile laid today- and then grouted mondayish. thank goodness it's in the home stretch. it does make me sad that i have to clean my entire house top to bottom- because of the inordinate amount of dust. i mean dust like cement dust. sigh. i will enlist my husband's help- it's quite a task. anyhoo, the sun is shining at this time- so i will enjoy it and a second cuppa before jumping into my day. hope the weekend is good for all. namaste.

'only the good' friday

hey- they sun is shining for the first time in a week! i have to 'make hay while the sun shines' and mow the grass this morning. yes, yes, i know i should wait for the grass to dry out but it's supposed to rain this afternoon :) the good news is- we got new tile and it is going to be done within the week for the bathroom. without getting into negative details- suffice to say that the sellers of our home 1) did not know how to install tile or 2) were cheap bastards who wanted to squeeze every last cent of profit out of the sale.

movin' on.... i hope that mother's day weekend is special for everyone. i know some don't have moms with them anymore- but we can hold them in our hearts and celebrate their lives too. life is so very short- each of us needs to cherish and nurture those relationships that mean so much to us. anyhoo, you know the drill- if you'd like me to link you up- leave your post link in the comments or email me. enjoy your good friday and each other. namaste.

mother's day is sunday

i found those words to strike a chord in me

this mother's day- shouldn't we all take that to heart? shouldn't we think about how lucky we are to live in a country in relative peace where we can take mom to lunch? there are many families whose mom is no longer with them- and there are many places in the world where women are severely mistreated. let's keep them in our hearts as well.

there's hope yet.....

The Pagan Sphinx: Maine and D.C. Move Forward & More

crying in the wilderness

i truly hope that i am wrong. i would much rather be wrong than right- literally and figuratively. i really believe that something bad is going to happen soon here in america- and i am really thinking that it's going to be a civil war.

limbaugh denounced moderates, independents and the elderly on his radio show today- you can visit his website if you want- i don't link there. if you are genuinely interested in winning an election- this isn't how you do it. he is also saying that the gop doesn't need to 'rebrand'- and that listening to the will of the people is 'pandering' and not 'leading.' perhaps i am cynical but that doesn't sound like the defacto leader of the republican party is interested in anything other than dividing folks and causing greater hatred of those who don't believe and think the way you do.

the recent tea parties were smallish affairs staged around the country- to gather like minds- and while many of the folks who participated were probably blissfully unaware of the real motives- i am going to guess that these were staged to plan strategy and perfect their communications. michelle malkin- google tea party protests and she'll come up and i won't link to her either- has an entire blog post filled with words that sound for all intents and purposes to be incendiary. couple that with the growing militia movement, secession movement, and state sovereignty movement- what does that say?

it is obvious that the right wing pundits and politicians have upped the fearmongering and the propaganda- even right wing folks are noticing. and the batshit crazies that palin stirred up on the campaign trail are likely the same ones stockpiling guns and ammo like the second amendment was all there is to the bill of rights. why? are they truly afraid that obama is going to take their guns? maybe. or maybe they are stockpiling to create a shortage. only the powers that be know what they are planning. but i am beginning to get a good picture of how they intend to fund their mercenary and militia groups and i find it interesting that the guns being sold in mexico- well, many were traced back to red, southern states. i cannot get a link to the washington times directly- so i put the article here. i did try. also, the washington times has as its partners- fox news and cbn- christian broadcast network- fyi. that's on their site.


Sunday, March 22, 2009

Drug cartels buy guns deep inside U.S.

Torrey Meeks, THE WASHINGTON TIMES


EL PASO, Texas | U.S. authorities say that as attention increases on gun running between Mexico and the United States along the border, the illegal trade is emanating from deeper in the United States.

"We're finding guns aren't just coming from [the] Southwest border," said William McMahon, deputy assistant director for field operations at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

"We're seeing hot spots farther north and east, too."
In 2007, guns recovered in Mexico were traced back to states including Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Washington state, he said. Cartels are using long-established drug-smuggling routes that extend deep into the United States to secure and move weapons south, Mr. McMahon said.

Still, "the majority are from the state of Texas" and other border states, said Tom Crowley, ATF special agent and spokesman at the Dallas field division.

U.S. officials estimate that 90 percent to 95 percent of guns smuggled into Mexico come from the United States, and ATF officials say that more than 7,700 weapons recovered in Mexico last year were traced to U.S. gun sellers.

The Mexican government estimates that 2,000 firearms are smuggled into the country from the United States every day.

Generally, drug traffickers don't move cash and drugs together, Mr. McMahon said. Cash is a bulky commodity that takes greater resources to move, so drugs are frequently traded for caches of weapons, he said.

Sen. Richard J. Durbin, Illinois Democrat, told a Senate hearing on March 18 that the U.S. and Mexico are connected by what he described as an "iron river of guns."

The Washington Times reported last month that senior U.S. defense officials estimate that the Mexican drug cartels together field more than 100,000 foot soldiers. The narco-armies are equipped with light weapons, mostly rifles and pistols obtained through the illegal gun trade.

Firefights between cartel members and Mexican government troops often resemble guerrilla war-style engagements. While heavier armaments such as fragmentation grenades and grenade launchers - shipped primarily by sea or through the porous Mexico-Guatemala border - are becoming increasingly commonplace, the United States is still the prime source for firearms, ATF officials say.

The trade persists despite enforcement efforts.
ATF has tripled its staff along the border under Project Gunrunner, instituted in 2006 to help stem the flow of firearms from the U.S. to Mexico.

Currently, about 200 ATF agents police more than 6,500 licensed firearms dealers in the border states.
"The agents here are working 24/7," Mr. Crowley said.

Firearms make their way into the hands of smugglers from "straw man" purchasers, he said. A straw man is someone with a clean record who buys firearms from gun shops or gun shows with money furnished by criminals. The straw man then hands over the weapons, which are smuggled into Mexico.

Straw-man purchasers have no standard profile, Mr. Crowley said, making it difficult for firearms dealers to identify such individuals.

"They could be anybody. We have men, women, older people. It runs the gamut," he said.
Emerson Gates, gunsmith at Custom Cartridge Co. in Las Cruces, N.M., 30 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, says gun dealers are "the last line of defense" against the illegal firearms trade.

Though a buyer might conform to federal guidelines, the dealer has the final say. If the buyer raises suspicion, for any reason, it's the responsibility of the firearm salesman to reject the sale.

"Sometimes, we do this with what's known as an in-store delay," Mr. Gates said. "Other times, we simply refuse."

A common straw-man purchase scenario might involve a young woman who clearly has no interest in firearms, accompanied by a man of "unsavory" appearance, Mr. Gates said. She's buying the firearm, but the money is coming out of his pocket.

"We inform them at that time that we cannot sell to them under these circumstances, because it would be a felony for them and a felony for us," Mr. Gates said. "And I'm extremely allergic to federal prison."
Firearms dealers are occasionally indicted for working directly with drug cartels. That was the case of a Phoenix-based owner of X-Caliber guns, George Iknadosian, who provided hundreds of AK-47 assault rifles to the Sinaloa cartel, prosecutors say.

However, Mr. Gates said that was the exception rather than the rule.

"Generally speaking, we work in fairly close concert with the ATF," he said. "We don't want to see illegal firearms or ammunition going to Mexico."

certainly does put that nasco corridor in a different light doesn't it?

quick links

gop losing ground

sarah palin gets a gun

fox tries to rebrand too

joe the plumber is still around

christianity today interviews joe the plumber

perry took millions from appointees

murtha spreads the wealth

are republicans deliberately ignoring their party's platform?

fyi

i am at the peace tree today- mother's day is sunday.

update:

please take the time to go over to a poetic justice and read the poem written by my friend the poetryman. he has taken the video of the mathematics of war and set it to words- and the image he created is fantastic.

math and science are cool

the mathematics of war



h/t to dandelion salad

the phrase that jumped out at me

"Antitrust experts say the "interlocking directorates" provision, known as Section 8 of the act, is rarely enforced."

methinks that that is part of what has gotten us into such an economic mess. oh, and repealing and relaxing laws, and corporate corruption, and congressional complicity,.....

i don't really have an answer

not a satisfying one for myself- anyway. i think about the right and the left here in america- not always in terms of the politicians- they have their own special disconnect with reality that apparently, cannot be breached. i am thinking of everyday rank and filers. many of us acknowledged long ago that the fringes of both sides are simply batshit crazy. both shrill and biting and not really interested in any other way but theirs. and recent polls suggest that the majority of americans are leaning towards the democratic party-- most likely out of sheer desperation to avoid another bush/cheney administration with a gingrich/delay congressional twist.

but i cannot wrap my mind around how anyone can look at the last 8 years with any positive feelings or thoughts. we are mired in 2 wars that have since been proven not to have had any other purpose than employing private contractors; we tortured people to no good end and for what amounted to no good reason other than to trump up justification for aforementioned wars; our economy is in tatters thanks to unbridled corporatism under the moniker of 'free trade and pure capitalism' and millions are homeless and jobless as a result; we have one of the worst healthcare systems in the world- and millions simply go without because they cannot afford it.

so, if there are any folks on the right who can explain to me- without using fox news inspired sound bites- such as- we haven't had anymore terrorist attacks or illegal immigrants are the blame for everything-- i am open to listening.

here are some links i found interesting:

tax havens

no trust in congress

obama channeling churchill on torture

joe bageant- an excellent article on victims versus survivers and the great human die off

the obama brand- chris hedges

house of reps. dems refuse to allocate funds to close gitmo

gop stumped on alternative to fixing healthcare system

morning joe- gop drop the hate

christianity in the military- turning troops into missionaries

senate dems don't want credit card rates capped- imagine that

robert reich- why obama is going after tax havens

who ran away with your 401(k)?- motherjones

pelosi tries to shield lawmakers from federal investigators

watchdog groups want ethics probes of 3 top dems

why the faithful approve of torture

gop disconnect over gay folks- one of their big problems

stories i found interesting

the rethugs are supposed to be all about the children- and freedom- and the constitution-- except when they aren't. what message is that sending our kids?

bernie madoff was known for years and wasn't stopped- because other folks were making so much money from his theft. nice.

i am highly critical of the right wing- and i write about it often. i am also highly critical of the left wing- although my ideology usually lines up somewhere closer to the left than right. i have said it before and i'll say it again- there is little difference in the left and right these days precisely because the left has adopted so many rightwing tactics. make no mistake- we have a one party system here in america- and it's the corporate, monied elite.

that doesn't mean that i even remotely understand where the right wing comes from. i can at least guess at the left. they admit that they have no 'strategery'- no vision other than to continue to use and exploit people and resources for their own gain- and they fall back to another bush for answers---- and their minions continue to believe....

economic perspective

fascinating article out of firedoglake- they do good work over there- the myth of banking culture

part one

part two

also, bill moyers and michael winship

mortgaging the white house

paradox or hypocrisy?

my mom is my partner in crime. i wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her curiosity- and her admirable ability to stomach listening to hate media and christian media. i guess that i am perplexed at the christian right's incredulity that more and more americans are turning away from their religion. i mean, despite their best efforts, folks are not sheeple to be fleeced. that's reserved for special morons on the right- those twenty percenters who have difficulty spelling, i imagine.

anyhoo, many right wing christian types have argued that because the founders were largely christian or deist- the intent that america is a christian nation founded on christian principles is there. therefore, we should return to christianity to unite us in the common good through morals and ethics. except that argument falls very, very flat. the constitution may have been created by men who believed that there is a god- but they specifically, and deliberately stated that there will be no state religion. folks can worship as they please- but no one religion will dominate the other at the federal level. period. you can google it- it's there.

and on the hypocritical end- well, let's suffice to say- with all of the 'family values' scandals and the pious christian leaders succumbing to just about every deadly sin there is- and the fact that they assisted the politicians in ruining this once great country for worldly gain- that they are lacking quite a bit in the moral authority realm.

i guess that the biggest puzzle for me to try and piece together- is how they present christianity versus what they really stand for. i am going to guess that's why folks are leaving in droves. the christian right alleges to stand for the right to life of all- because your life belongs to god and your body is his temple- and you need to keep it pure and clean for him. you don't have the right to euthanasia or suicide- because your body isn't yours to begin with. god will decide when you live or die. uh huh. jesus- and god- are love. they love you despite you being a sinner or a heathen- and flowers bloom and birds sing, yah, yah, yah. how then to explain the christian stance on 1) capital punishment and 2) torture.

so, let's see- god is love but he sanctions the torture of other people at the hand of the folks who won. mmmmm.... which chapter and verse in the bible sanctions torture? i've read it through twice but i may have missed something. i do, however, distinctly remember something about 'vengeance is mine, saith the lord.' but it may be different now- i have a king james version bible. and please cue me in as to where god says- or jesus- that it's ok to kill someone based on a crime they committed.

i am an admitted 'heathen'- athiest, i suppose to those who must label. i oppose the death penalty and torture. i also would not personally have an abortion but i am completely in favor of contraception. i also support euthanasia- under restrictions and suicide- because it's a personal choice. now, that's not to say i advocate either- but each human being is autonomous. they have the right to decide their own fate. they do not have the right to torture and kill other human beings- or other beings- wantonly and at their whim.

i also have a real problem with christians blaming victims for man made disasters. for example, the christian right blaming the victims of hurricane katrina for the army corps of engineer's failure to make the levees safe. their 'sins' did not bring the wrath of god down upon them- climate change did. and the levees breaking was most decidedly not the fault of gay folks. get real.

i have a feeling that many run as far away as they can from christianity these days because these folks come off like a band of thugs- forcing their way of life on others and ganging up on minority groups- like gay folks, immigrants, non wasps, etc. they behave like the crazy relative that folks don't invite to family holiday dinners. and it's unfortunate because i really believe in the constitutional right for folks to worship as they please- but these folks are turning the houses of worship into extremist group havens where they are tax exempt- and can plot their course with impunity.

the 'say one thing and do another' philosophy is what is driving thinking folks away from religion- especially christianity. just an fyi. my fervent hope is that religion extincts itself- and i hope i am around to see it happen.

ahhhh the whiff of irony

i find it ironic that the republican party bills itself out as the party of family values, freedom, patriotism, small government and fiscal responsibility. where do i even start? the party who claims to be for freedom and the constitution- has shredded this precious document and left only the second amendment intact (and the whys became obvious to me after the infamous dhs document was 'leaked.') the party of 'family values' isn't interested in keeping families intact. they are anti-choice for women when it comes to abortion but there doesn't seem to be a line of right wingers waiting to adopt. they claim to be patriotic and many have the bumper magnets on their trucks that say 'support our troops'- and then deny our military the proper equipment and medical care-- and withhold pay so that many are losing their homes while on duty.

but hey- they at least got the fiscal responsibility down right? ..........

here's my thought- these folks had a great plan to return the world to feudalism. they get to keep all of the money and power- and the rest of the 5 1/2 billion folks or so on the planet can serve them or die. they don't care which. their idea of utopia is a few white rich folks- republican/rightwing of course- having everything while the masses go without. to that end, they slowly implemented a 'free market capitalist agenda' and globalized it. they bribed and blackmailed their way into the governments of the western world- and in america, they stole and laundered trillions of the taxpayer's monies for their own gain. proof- you say- well, let's put a few of the pieces together in the 'new world order.'

folks who have followed this blog may remember the series i did back in 2006- it had about 5 parts and it followed rummy, cheney, et al from the start of their careers to the time i posted the series. i want to say around may, june of 2006 for those interested in the archives. that series took a look at pnac and some of the other groups that the key players belong to- but the names will be familiar as the same ones keep popping up wherever there is a corrupt stench- kissenger, rumsfeld, cheney, rockefeller, etc. these folks met each other and coalesced into a contingent in the 1970's- most within or around the nixon administration. many were involved in the last bush's administration. like bad pennies- these folks keep returning. and they aren't dead yet.

they latched onto milton friedman's ideology of pure capitalism and they watched as south american dictators (with help from our cia) put his theory into practice- through brutal death squads, torture, imprisonment and fear mongering. and then it spread to asia- and we saw again in china in the late 1980's the rise of the capitalist dictators under the guise of communism- and finally they tried it here in america under cheney and rumsfeld. i believe that they looted our treasury- they morphed everything under the guise of homeland security and gutted departments like the fda, fcc, epa, etc- where did the money go? billions of dollars simply vanished in iraq- where did the money go? billions went into the coffers of private contractors (privatization was key under friedman's theory) like halliburton and blackwater- where is that money?

and the rightwing neocons under the umbrella of the republican party gerrymandered and rigged elections- kept 'winning' seats. and they took over state and local governments until even their constituents noticed their infrastructures crumbling- where did the money go?

more recently, after president obama's election- the whines of discontent from the right became more sinister. the religious right's pulpits started sounding more militant with the neocon sound bites screaming from the tv from the trinity broadcast network. hate media led by limbaugh and hannity and fake news- um fox news- shrilly stirred the racist, fearful ignorant twenty percenters that rove courted so passionately. and the tea parties were 'born.' and news started to ooze out of the bible belt that the crazy whackjob wingnuts were hoarding bullets and ak 47's because they believed that their second amendment rights would be stripped and the evil liberals would usurp their freedoms. and now, they threaten to secede. threaten to secede.

it's unfortunate that most of the whackjobs are on the border with mexico- because i have a feeling that they were using gun running to finance their plans for upcoming civil war. because we can't have a black man in the white house. and we can't have a democrat because that will bring about the end times- although they are anxious for the rapture. but i digress...

no one is asking why president obama is the one who is finally doing something about the illegal gun running TO mexico. no one is talking about how we got so caught up in the media hype about illegal immigrants sneaking into this country that we didn't care about the bushco approved north american corridor going right up the middle of america and into canada. the highway that would allow mexican trucks access all the way up and down- and perfect to smuggle drugs, guns and slaves back and forth. now, we talk about it in terms of kowtowing to labor interests. um hmmm. someone somewhere figured out that it was fairly lucrative to the wrong folks- and shut off the tap to the well.

the rightwing cannot and should not simply be ignored. they cannot be reasoned with as they are not rational. they want what they want- and are getting desperate. and a trap rat bites. they are going to do something big- whether it be a pandemic (the swine flu is a bit of an attempt at fearmongering), or a 'terrorist attack' or an assassination attempt on the president. make no mistake- the batshit crazy fringers in the twenty percenters of the palin party- are alive and well- and live in your town and are our neighbors. that should frighten us all more than a little bit.

neat

thanks to tengrain over at mock, paper, scissors- from whom i shamelessly snagged this :)

'only the good' friday

huh- it's that time of the week again. seemed to sneak right up on me :) i have been a bit busy this week- and i have a feeling my whole summer is looking that way. but for today- i am getting my wash machine unplugged- it has had a clog for a long time and i put a bucket under the drain to catch the overflow- and i am thrilled. what a mess. i like the guy who is coming to unclog it too. :) he's a friend of my husband's and is a very nice person- pleasant- so at least i know who i am paying. and he doesn't have a butt crack :)

raining here today but i hope to get my garden going over the weekend and then finish up the fam's garden next week. then, fingers crossed that it grows :) i have been tending towards control over things i can control- and i have been turning back towards the four noble truths. especially the one about life changing- and i don't feel quite as scared to death as i would have. i am also reading 'the world without us' by alan weisman- and while it makes me sad sometimes- it isn't as grim as i would have imagined. perhaps life can survive when humans extinct ourselves. that's a good thing.

anyhoo, feel free to jump in the meme when and if you want- and feel free to leave your link over here- and i will attempt to link you up in the post. enjoy the weekend- namaste.

update:

spadoman at round circle has joined 'only the good' fridays- come on in, the water is fine :)

thanks to karina at candid karina for dropping by. i wasn't aware that shelley- who started the meme- had a recent loss in her life. if you can, please take a moment and give her some love at this eclectic life. and visit karina's ogf post too.

thornie has hers up too...