PLANET MORONIA, Part II ... Look - It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

 

Cheney: Terrorists May Bomb U.S. Cities

Hypocrisy: Sen. Kennedy says Bush will usher in a “nuclear 9/11”

 

Ah, the latest tactic from the left: attack Republicans for telling the truth: Revision 292, “Terrorists and Nukes”. You know, if this were not an election year, nobody would think of debating seriously against the notion that our enemies would love to lob a few radioactive isotopes in our direction.

 

But now that the darling of the Dems is behind in the polls these pols have decided to pretend we all have the collective memory of a single goldfish (about 15 seconds, if you’re curious) and are now calling Cheney’s statements that terrorists want to nuke U.S. cities a cheap political “fear tactic”, despite defending the threat of Nuclear gloom and doom under Bush by one of their own earlier in the race.

 

Of course you’re right to think that something does smell, uhm, fission here. Irrespective of the fact that unlike others to be mentioned more in a second, Cheney did not accuse the Dems of deliberately making things more dangerous for the U.S. Now, I didn't notice anyone to my knowledge pick up on it tonight (granted, I was out late with a client), and I was really surprised by that. I think it would be worth the Republicans' while to stop and jog the public's memory for a bit so we might recall that not very long ago during this very same political race, Senator Ted Kennedy made essentially a more explicite and offensive claim, blaming Republicans for pending nuke annihilation: “The war in Iraq has made the mushroom cloud more likely, not less likely.” No, not a fear tactic at all when he does it!

 

Read the 28 September headline: Kennedy: Bush Made U.S. Vulnerable to Nuke Attack

 

So, who are they kidding? Moreover, why didn’t anyone nip today’s attacks on Cheney’s comments in the bud? Sure there’s a predominately liberal mainstream media and sure Sean Hannity only had two hours of sleep last night, but we need to be calling the Left out on the carpet for this blatant double standard. If anyone should be held out as being "radio active" for his threatening tone and "scare tactics" during a campaign, it should be the nearly-most-liberal senator from Massachusetts.

 

 

 

 

Related (Fun Department):

Kennedy, it turns out might actually have an alibi for Chappaquiddick. New photos released might prove he was on Mars at the time. Follow this link and scroll down to the bottom of that page to see the possible confuting photo… 

 

____________________________________________________________

PLANET MORONIA, Part II

PLANET MORONIA ... Gather 'Round, Kiddies

 

 

The Life and Times of Yasser and the Screech Owl

How Al Gore and the terrorists always find each other in the same van down by the same river

 

 

Politics is a tough game, Yasser it certainly is. Just ask anybody. Whether you ask a local official, a “world leader” or just a wannabe, they'll tell you that to stay in, you gotta play hard ball. Just ask Chris Matthews.

 

Well, today Kerry gained ground with a significantly large group of people (too bad they can’t vote) with the endorsement of Yasser Arafat. Yasser joins other notable visionaries of freedom (and agoraphobia- not Al...nevermind) such as North Korea's Far Side Kid, Kim Jong Il, China’s Hu “Dat” Jintao and Former Malaysian President Datuk "Dat-OK" Seri Mahathir "Recycle" Bin Mohamad (read strange-bedfellows link). Malaysia's Former prez, who by the way once blamed the troubles of the world on the never-ending encored presentation of the “world-wide Jewish conspiracy” (yes, four out of five anti-Semites choose Kerry - and we suspect the fifth one) is in good company, too. More Kerry-supporters include of course the doubtful Kraut, German Defense Minister Peter Struck(between Iraq and a hard place), Canada’s Prime-Beef Bull Minister Jean Chrétien and without a doubt, France’s Jacques Ch-Iraq.

 

But there is one notable exception- Russia’s President Vladimir Putin today came out and essentially but diplomatically, declared his de facto support for Bush by stating his belief that if Bush loses, it will be a loss in the War on Islamofascism that will have grave consequences for allies facing an enemy greatly spirited by Bush’s defeat. Putin:

 

International terrorism has as its goal to prevent the election of President Bush to a second term. If they achieve that goal, then that will give international terrorism a new impulse and extra power.

 

Now why would they, the terrorists be greatly spirited unless they want Kerry to win?

 

Next question is why anybody would vote for Kerry if it's true.

 

As I mentioned before, Kerry considers himself an “anti-war” candidate. In the context of a question asked by Chris Matthews of Hardball back in January, Senator Kerry meant “anti-war” in the classical sense- the burn-your-draft card, Howard the Dean sense, if you will.

 

And then there is Al Gore, another certified Deaniac (he endorsed the quacking Dean before Dean had a falling out with his pharmacist). In today’s speech at Georgetown University, Gore tells the crowd that the coalition is falling apart because of Bush, making sure the crowd gets the point that without allies, more US soldiers in Iraq would die, and we would face humiliation and loss of respect on the world stage. But then things get sinister: He then tells them with a peculiar peak in his voice that Poland and Italy plan to leave Iraq, and, as if on cue, the crowd erupts in cheers and applause in a seeming act of DNC approbation of the imminent failure of the United States in this war, along with its potential casualties, as well as to cast their lot with those other people who oppose us: the terrorists.

 

 Read the following quote (along with notations from the Al Gore fan site whence this came):

 

 

America's moral authority in the world has been severely damaged, and our ability to persuade others (hard to persuade the Axis of Oil, Al) to follow our lead has virtually disappeared. The latest to announce they are beginning to withdraw from the coalition are Poland and Italy. (Scattered applause.) Our troops, because they are already bearing more than 90 percent of the burden borne by non-Iraqis, are stretched thin, under-supplied, and placed in intolerable situations without adequate equipment or training.

 

 

It might be also noted that in another speech back in August 2003 at the New York University, Al Gore asserted that,

 

 

For eight years, the Clinton-Gore Administration gave this … a strengthening of our military -- as recently proven -- and a foreign policy whose purposes were elevated, candidly presented and courageously pursued, in the face of scorched-earth tactics by the opposition. That is also a form of honor and integrity, and not every administration in recent memory has displayed it.

 

 

Speaking of courage, honor and integrity in the face of the “scorched-earth policies” of the opposition (by opposition, it sounds as if he is speaking of Republicans, not the nice, but misunderstood terrorists whom the Dems only want to arrest and put in jail with prostitutes and drug dealers), maybe we should remember just what the Clinton Administration (and any liberal administration) means for the military and by extension, the survival of our country.

 

Aside from the manifold base-closings, ship decommissioning, intelligence gutting and troop-number vivisecting, what else have the Clinton-era folks done for us in the War on Terrorism “as recently proven” (these, the same Dems now bemoaning troop-shortages)?

 

The answer is (and probably why we are now in this kind of war): The Dems in the 90's (the decade of the ostrich) and today gladly kiss the left hand of Kerry-endorser/mass-murderers like Yasser Arafat and continue to follow the same policies they did back in the Clinton-era when they downplayed the terrorist attack on the USS Cole less than one year before 9/11- an attack that killed 17 sailors. Clinton State Department officials said in a memo the attack was effectively justified and was of less consequence because it "does not compare" with the violence (we evil Americans, along with those evil Israelis) perpetrate against muslim “Palestinians”, according to Drudge at the time. In a speech today, President Bush mentioned those "ostrich" attitudes which lead to the bombing of the Cole:

 

 

The terrorists concluded this was a sign of weakness, and their plans became more (ambitious), and their attacks became more deadly

 

The president later quipped,

 

 

If Zarqawi and his associates were not busy fighting American forces in Iraq, does Senator Kerry think they would be leading productive and peaceful lives?  (Laughter.)  Clearly, these killers would be plotting and acting to murder innocent civilians in free nations, including our own.  By facing these terrorists far away, our military is making the United States of America more secure.

 

But I guess if you're a Liberal it's hard to gain political support from the bad guys unless you coddle them. 

 

 

 

Previous Blogbatations: 

Greasing the Axis of Evil

 

 

 

____________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

PLANET MORONIA

 

WEEKEND FUN:

Homemade Ball Lightening & The Cola Wars

 

 

Three recipes for making ball lightning (ionized plasmoids) using your microwave and some common forms of carbon

 

This is a tasty recipe I found on a message board doing some research several years ago (1997 to be exact) on ball lightning. (You know you’re a nerd when you do things like this in your free time.)

 

Ball lightning basically often loosely describes glowing, floating spheres which may or may not bear a noticeable electrical charge, may or may not radiate elevated temperatures and appear typically around electromagnetic events. Classic naturally-occuring ball lightning has been known to pass through solid objects, explode on contact with others –or with nothing at all. Or just simply disappear. It has been seen in a variety of colors and sizes. Other characteristics include an acrid odor, hovering or darting movements and buzzing sounds. Also, some may literally go away quietly while others prefer to go out with a bang.

 

Ball lightning is still a much-debated phenomenon in scientific circles. While many accounts have it occurring in most cases during or in proximity time- and space-wise to thunderstorms, others have noted apparent occurrence coinciding with earthquakes or other events as well. There are as yet, further unexplained manifestations not seemingly linked to any known weather or seismic electromagnetic activity. One thing over which many scientists are in agreement however is that the most common "fuel" for these is one form or another of combustible particles, held together, ignited and manipulated by various environmental forces. 

 

Ball lightning is said to be the most common cause of UFO sightings; drug-runners in Piper aircraft surely a close second .  

 

 

Microwave ball lightning has been a favorite experiment for a few years now. The below recipe has many variations and iterations, some of which might work better for you. It is recommended that you use at least a 500 Watt Microwave to really get things off on the right foot. Some related links at the bottom of this posting will include further information as well as tell you about some of the urban legends surrounding what I’ve dubbed “Geek-TV”. I also highly recommend you read the warnings and advice at the bottom of this post also, if you are seriously considering this or a similar experiment in your home/lab.

 

 

To explain what would be seen when running these experiments, I borrow an explanation offered by one researcher by the name of Sam Barros:

Flame heats up carbon, carbon vapor is exited by microwaves, ionizes and pulls itself together due to the electricity creating a magnetic field. Heat makes it glow.

 

Simple enough. (Though the heat and light are both naturally the by-products of excited particles)

 

 

     

Photography of "lightning" (or plasma) balls in a microwave courtesy of Hans Hochwald

 

 

 

Recipe One (Medium Plasmoids)

 

Add:

 

1. Wooden Toothpick

1. Makeshift plastic “holder”

 

Heating Instructions:

 

1. Light toothpick

2. Place holder with lit toothpick in Microwave with Rotating Platter

3. Set Microwave on HIGH

 

4. Set Microwave for one minute. In about 10-20 seconds you should start to see some activity, beginning with a few sparks, small flames followed by the appearance of COLORED SHERES, which will move about possibly emitting a “buzzing” sound.

 

NOTE: Be sure to turn off the Microwave before the toothpick burns all the way down.

 

 

Recipe Two (Smaller, Longer-Lasting Plasmoids)

 

Add:

 

1. Wooden Toothpick

1. Small Candle (about an inch)

1. Ceramic Bowl

 

Heating Instructions:

 

1. Remove any metal from candle, such as the wick retainer at the bottom (possibly hidden under a paper sticker)

2. Poke toothpick into the candle wax at the top of the candle. Be sure that the wick and the toothpick are touching one another.

3. Light toothpick

4. Place contraption in Microwave with Rotating Platter

5. Set Microwave on HIGH for a couple of minutes

 

In a few seconds you should see the Plasmoids again, this time a bit smaller moving in wider patterns, buzzing and hovering mysteriously and bobbing for a short while before finally going out one by one. Some may attempt to exit your Microwave’s air vents. While this typically should not be of grave concern, it is best to always keep an eye on them and be prepared with a fire extinguisher, just in case.

 

 

Recipe Three (Smaller, Longer-Lasting Plasmoids)

 

Add:

 

1. Steel Wool

1. Charcoal Powder

 

Heating Instructions:

 

1. Place contraption in Microwave with Rotating Platter

2. Sprinkle the charcoal powder “sparsely” upon the steel wool with a “small pile” in center

3. Set Microwave on HIGH for a couple of minutes and let ‘er rip.

 

You should first see a few sparks with the first few seconds emanating from the wool. Shortly thereafter plasmoids should begin to appear, moving and buzzing freely around inside the oven. These however may become more “vigorous”, lasting longer than their counterparts. The reaction will continue to intensify and you may see an orange-sized plasmoid or two appear. The larger ones may last for several seconds and display a wide variety of colors. Again, use good judgment and turn off the Microwave if you begin to suspect the plasmoid ball might be causing damage- particularly if they remain stationary for a long time.

 

Cool, huh? There are a lot more experiments like these if you follow the links below. Even if you aren't one to try these yourself, it's often just as interesting reading about them and understanding the laws set about which govern them and the universe we live in. We have yet to even scratch the surface in this masterful creation. Oh yeah, after turning off the microwave and allowing everything sitting inside the microwave to cool down, open the door and remove whatever remains (no, you cannot eat it!) and chuck it.

 

 

WARNING: For information use only. Only try this if you’re an adult and are aware of and assume the risks from putting combustible, metallic substances in your microwave. Wear goggles and protective gear at all times. This is a scientific experiment with combustible materials that utilizes sensitive electronic equipment. Improper use can be harmful and further study and understanding of the principles involved should be undertaken prior to engaging in this experiment. The author is in no way responsible for damages of any kind caused by conducting these or any experiments implicitly or explicitly discussed in this post. Any such experiment must be conducted with prudence and due-diligence. No warranty or guarantee as to any outcome of the experiment is granted expressly or implied.   

 

 

WATCH CAREFULLY AND USE GOOD JUDGEMENT

 

Some plasmoids may try to escape your Microwave through its air vents. While this typically should not be of grave concern, it is best to always keep an eye on them and be prepared with a fire extinguisher. Further, it is advised not to conduct these experiments anywhere near fresh paint, grease, petrol or other accelerants.

 

Also, it is good to allow the Microwave to cool down for awhile after running each experiment, since temperatures inside can climb and eventually produce a hazard to you and/or the hardware. Some damaged Microwaves may still seem to function but may nevertheless become a health risk to their owners.

 

 

CREDITS: James P Moore (jmoore@condor.mbcr.bcm.tmc.edu) at the molecular biology department of Baylor College of Medicine is the original author of these “recipes”. (This to me was always particularly ironic since just a year later I ended up dating a girl who was a grad student at BCM and spending a lot of time there myself. It deeply grew my interest in the whole matter of her work as I frequently spent time in the labs with everyone, played (er, “helped”) with biohazards, radiohazards and centrifuges, and even chipped-in a bit to edit a few pages of a collaborative publication being worked on by members of the lab. The part of the work centered around perceiving how differing muscle tissue types are triggered by different means in order to better understand the big picture of excitation-contraction coupling of skeletal muscle and the molecular mechanisms of E-C-related human diseases. Specifically that portion of the paper dealt with “the identification of the determinants for CaM binding and a solution NMR structure for calmodulin bound to the carboxyterminal tail of the L-type Ca²⁺channel," which later was part of a major publication. I also discovered their IT security a bit lacking- hope things have improved since 2000. Intensely fascinating stuff, I recall – I have a link to that department on my side bar because it is really just that cool, folks.)

 

Recommended reading:

 

Anatomy of a Lightning Ball

 

Some more tips for making your plasmoids spin with glee!

 

Ball lightning overview: Nature and un-nature.

 

International Symposium on Ball Lightning

 

Google it! – Look into the matter further yourself

 

 

Books:

 

Mark Stenhoff. Ball Lightning: An Unsolved Problem in Atmospheric Physics. Kluwer Academic Publisher, 1999.

 

James Dale Barry, and Dent Barry. Ball Lightning and Bead Lightning: Extreme Forms of Atmospheric Electricity. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1980.

 

 

____________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

Cola Wars!

 

Baylor Neuroscience Breaks Down Soft Drink ‘Battle’ Inside Brain

Science Finds Cool Insights in Cola Wars (I promised, didn't I?)

 

 

 

 

____________________________________________________________

 

 

 

WAYBACK: Old Headlines Rebut the Critics

Cyber Time-Machine Reveals the Political Truth

 

 

 

 

Bush’s Recession?

 

Read this archived page of the Drudge Report from 17. November 2000:

 

”New Study Counts 130 Dot-Com Shutdowns This Year...” – Yahoo News

”TheStreet.com Slashes Work Force...” – Washington Post

 

 

19. January 2001:

 

“NBC Axes 150 Internet Jobs...” – Washington Post

 

“INTERNAL CNN MEMO WARNS: HARD TIMES AHEAD...” – Drudge Exclusive

 

- Looks to me like the Media couldn’t have missed it!

 

 

 

Bush Weak on "War on Terror" and U.S. Readiness?

 

Drudge Report 19. October 2000:

 

Clinton State Department says American Deaths from the Al Qaeda Attack on the U.S.S. Cole "'DOES NOT COMPARE' TO PALESTINIAN TOLL...” – Drudge Exclusive

 

“STATE DEPT MEMO REVEALED...” – Drudge Exclusive

 

More…

“GERTZ BOMBSHELL: GORE KEPT SECRETS FROM CONGRESS AT URGING OF RUSSIAN OFFICIAL” – Drudge Exclusive

 

“China Spy Probe Shifts to Missiles...” – Washington Post

 

 

The One Hopeful Sign that Did Not Materialize:

 

“(Jesse) Jackson, in a statement, announces he is leaving public life until further notice... 'I love my daughter very much... God, Please forgive me,' Jackson said...” – Yahoo News

 

- Whatever happened to that promise?

 

 

 

____________________________________________________________

 

 

 

PLANET MORONIA

 

 

 

The "Oh, Really" Factor Not to fall into the trap of the same old dull news of the hour here’s something you’ll enjoy. We happen to have a little parody for you that we'll get to in a sec. If you’ve been following the revelation brought out today by Matt Drudge that Bill O’Reilly, a commentator on the American cable Fox News Channel as well as of his own syndicated radio show is being accused of sexual harassment, then you are probably looking forward to a legal case that could quickly become another political battlefield- even though many conservatives would rather not be thought of in the populist host's camp.

 

A lot of people seem to think that in the very least Mr. "O" was having some kind of extra-marital affaire and are also suspicious of the timing of the whole thing going public just three weeks out from the elections. They also point to the fact the woman left Fox News earlier in the year to work for CNN and then returned and accepted what amounted to a pay cut to work with O'Reilly again, even though she claims the harassment was full blown back when she originally worked with Fox. Still, it may be quite unlikely the case comes to any sort of conclusion until long after voters cast their ballots on 02 November, barring any kind of settlement. Obviously the allegations still need to be fleshed out and complete insanity aside, O'Reilly's team does see a strategic benefit in bringing the matter out now (again also with the overall timing in mind both with regard to the case and in a broader scope) - something which could land them in hot water for "abuse of process" unless they provide good reason for doing so. Settlements seem right now at least to be fairly unlikely, since that is exactly one of the things Mr. O'Reilly's attorney preemptively sued to avoid, calling the idea instead "extortion".

 

According to the complaint by the woman who alleges harassment, Andrea Mackris, the talk show host is quoted making several offensive and imposing statements and judging by the detail of the quotes it has led many to speculate if she will produce those statements on tape. On the other hand, the complaint does not have any of her own statements from those alleged conversations, which draws into question the context under which O'Reilly was quoted, assuming there is no valid tape. A context which seems to hint at being somewhat broader than the allegations have revealed. That, along with the patently political anti-Bush, anti-Fox statements in the beginning of the complaint are likely two areas that O'Reilly's team will focus on, along with any connections to relevant political interests or those seeking to dethrone O'Reilly, Fox News et al for whatever reason. But let's move on to the fun...

Somewhat Important Note: Before reading you need to properly set the mood by clicking the fine MIDI file linked here.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Caca Moolah

 

 

( Duet with Bill O’Reilly and Andrea Mackris )

A loofa, Jamaica, ooo I wanna take you
Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go

Far from Fox News
There's a place called Kokomo
That's where you wanna go to get away from it all

Bodies in the sand
Tropical drink melting in your hand
We'll be falling in love
In the shower, won’t it be grand
Down in Kokomo

A loofa, Jamaica, ooo I wanna take you
To Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go

Ooo .... I wanna take you down at Kokomo
We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow
That's where we wanna go
Way down to Kokomo ...

To my attorny, CNN behind the scenes

We'll put out to sea
And we'll perfect our chemistry
By the end you’ll see the gravity

Afternoon delight
Cocktails and moonlit nights
That divergent look in your eye
Give me a topical contract high
Way down in Kokomo ...

 

You say,

A loofa, Jamaica, ooo I wanna take you
To Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go

Ooo ... I wanna take you down to Kokomo
We'll get there fast
And then you’ll know
That where you’re gonna go
Is the poor house with the hobos ...

Port Au Prince you wanna catch a glimpse

Everybody knows
A little place like Kokomo
Now if you wanna go
And get away from it all
Go down to Kokomo ...

A loofa, Jamaica, ooo I wanna take you
To Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go

Ooo ... I wanna take you down to Kokomo
Kerry’s still down
And it’s a winding road
That's where we wanna go
Take down that Fox, you know...

A loofa, Jamaica. ooo I wanna take you
To Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama
Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go

Ooo ... I wanna take you down to Kokomo
We'll get there fast
And then we'll take it slow
That's where we’re gonna go ....

 

 

 

 

____________________________________________________________

 

 

PLANET MORONIA

DIE DEUTSCHEN:

In Kerry Verlieben, das Recht Verwirren, den Mut Verloren - von den Meisten ist Alles Klar...

 

 

 

Germany, a weasel for everybody to love (though some will say not a high-brow weasel with the particular tastes of France) seems to be burning its bridges by Bush with a backdoor endorsement of John Kerry. (Germany is expert, it turns out, in burned-out bridges). In an interview today with the Financial Times of London Germany’s Defense Minister Peter Struck, in a rush to be among Kerry's most devoted of "foreign leaders/poodles" seems to indicate Germany would be willing to lend a hand with a troop presence in Iraq given the right circumstances:

 

1.       The terrorists promise not to shoot at them.

2.       The U.S. chooses the Old World candidate John Kerry in November...or December...or January...

3.       Hollywood promises more oompa music in movie soundtracks

 

In the interview, Herr Struck said that Monsieur Kerry’s promise to convene an international conference on Iraq was a “very sensible proposal”. He then went on to say “Germany has taken on responsibilities in Iraq, including financial ones…”

 

Actually, I do believe we already know about those financial interests.

 

The German defense minister in the interview also sought to validate Germany’s input in the Iraq process by pointing out their help in training Iraqi troops and police while vacationing in the sunny UAE. Training them to do what, lose? It's amazing Berlin can hear itself above the laughter.

 

Struck, between a rock and a hard place, then points to German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer’s “contribution to stability in the (Middle East) region” between Israel and the Palestinians, which has clearly worked so well to bring about a new age of newly forged plowshares and integrated ice skating rinks all across the Bibleland.

 

For all of Germany's criticism of the Afghani opium trade, there are certainly far more than just ein Stuck who seem to have become fully whisked away by the preternatural altered realities of something. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related Stoffe über die Deutschen:

 

  

Aber jeder nicht And lest you cast out the baby with the Baath water, there are still many Germans who haven’t completely lost their marbles. Unfortunately outnumbered by socialists since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990, Die Deutschen ohne Stimme, whose CDU Party Prime Ministers included Founder-Statesman Konrad Adenauer and Reagan-pal and friend to Freedom Helmut Kohl are anything but happy with the direction of their nation’s current foreign policy. In fact in a recent poll, one in five Germans would even go so far as re-erecting the Berlin Wall and sticking all of the suckling former East Germans back on the other side. Nevermind the fact many DDR (German Democratic Republic i.e. East Germany) Communist war criminals' slates in 1990 were wiped clean for expediency – so they could remain politically relevant.

 

 

 

 

 

More:

 

A colorful web-scrapbook belonging to a man by the name of Manfred-Günter Boffo seems to be a bottomless pit of great historic photos, tales and eccentricities from the old DDR:

 

In German

 

In English (very broken English, but still worth your visit)

 

 

Blogbat Presents:

Dirty Secrets of History #589

 

Sozialismus:

The SDP (Gerhard Schröder’s) Party Motto

 

 

 

 

____________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

CAMPAIGN VIOLENCE REFORM PART II

 

 

 

GOP Answers Violent Attacks with Letter to Leftist Ringleaders

Calls for end to violence and “intimidating atmosphere abhorrent to our democratic process”

 

 

 

 

This is an update to what I posted last week:

 

“Brown Shirted Thugs Seem to Support Dictatorship in America

Ransack GOP Headquarters, assault and vandalize across the country”

 

But first let me pass along some useful information for anyone who witnesses or is the victim of political suppression. Bush-Cheney '04 has set up a hotline to report violence, theft or any other tactic intended to prevent Americans from voicing support for a Republican candidate, working for a Republican campaign or voting on Election Day:

 

The hotline is, 1-888-303-7125, and begins operation as of 11:00 a.m. today.

 

In a forceful letter faxed this morning Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Chairman Gov. Marc Racicot told AFL/CIO "head shot" John Sweeney, “We will hold you and your organization accountable for the actions of your members and urge you to immediately discontinue any coordinated protest efforts that result in damage to our facilities, or injury to people who may hold different political views than your members, but who share an equal right to be involved in the political process without suffering violence, intimidation and threats”

 

As you may remember back on 06 October, I posted regarding the rash of recent break-ins, violent takeovers, vandalism and suppression being perpetrated against Bush/Cheney and Republican offices and headquarters by hardline Leftist thugs around the country. One of the chief players it turns out was none other than the AFL/CIO and other Kerry campaign operatives.

 

At the time, I e-mailed Chris Lato, the communications director of the Wisconsin Republican Party about a break-in there. That’s when he let me know there had been further violence in Pennsylvania and even some arrests. When I visited the Pennsylvania GOP website I learned about even more violence: gunshots fired into a Knoxville Tennessee Bush/Cheney office, causing property damage.

 

Later that day I posted the press release of Pennsylvania Republican State Committee Chairman Alan Novak at the Free Republic. It didn’t take long for folks to begin calling and e-mailing their Republican representatives and leadership to get them to recognize this was a serious pattern and to do something about it. Other bloggers too front and center: Blogger Aft_Lizard posted several shocking photos of attacks from around the country. Many also promised to begin volunteering with the Bush/Cheney campaign et al both in an organized way and independently. In short, these attacks by the hardline Left only unified, strengthened and expanded the very cause they tried to silence. Just the same mistake hardline Leftist Erich Honecker made in East Germany during the late 1980’s when he tried to suppress the people bent on personal and political freedom. President Ronald W. Reagan knew what to do with him without firing a shot, we learned.

 

Following is the letter Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Chairman Governor Marc Racicot faxed to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney this morning along with a photo of Swiney, er I mean Sweeney (No, that's not Gorbachev Pictured below)

 

AFL-CIO President

 

 

Monday, October 11, 2004
Letter on Voter Intimidation to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney

 

To:        Interested Parties
From:   Bush-Cheney '04 Communications
Date:    10/11/04
Re:        Violence At Republican And Bush-
              Cheney '04 Campaign Headquarters
              Across The Country

 

Letter To AFL-CIO President John Sweeney

 

Mr. John Sweeney
President
AFL-CIO
815 16th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20006
October 11, 2004

 

Dear Mr. Sweeney:

 

Over the past several weeks, acts of violence and vandalism have occurred at Republican and Bush-Cheney campaign headquarters across the country. In addition to the injuries, property damage and disruption associated with these acts, these events have created a threatening and intimidating atmosphere abhorrent to our democratic process.

 

On October 5th, according to news reports, witnesses, police reports and admissions of your members, the AFL-CIO, as part of a national strategy, protested at more than a dozen of our campaign and party headquarters across the country.  In many locations, the protestors attempted to enter, or entered, campaign or party facilities.  As one protestor said, "Actually, we're storming into an office."  In Orlando, Florida, injuries and damage were sustained. Protestors forced their way into the facility, fracturing the arm of one staffer, and vandalized the office.  In Michigan, protestors entered a headquarters and engaged in activities apparently intended to disrupt volunteers trying to make phone calls.

 

Protests by your organization come on the heels of several other incidents at Bush-Cheney '04 offices around the country, including a break-in at our Seattle office where laptop computers were stolen from the Washington State Bush-Cheney ’04 executive director and the state Republican Party 72-hour director.  Just last night in Canton, Ohio, a Bush-Cheney '04 staffer was forced to lock herself in an office while another break-in was in progress.  The facility was seriously damaged and property was stolen.  Additionally, gun shots have been fired into Bush-Cheney '04 offices in West Virginia, Florida and Tennessee, windows broken in West Virginia and campaign staffers threatened. In Wisconsin, a supporter of the President had a swastika burned into his front yard simply because he had a Bush-Cheney '04 lawn sign.  We urge your support in helping us ensure the safety of all individuals working on our campaign and others as we are making every effort to secure the safety of all participants in the political process.

 

I hope you will put an end to protest activities that have led to injuries, property damage, vandalism and voter intimidation.  We will hold you and your organization accountable for the actions of your members and urge you to immediately discontinue any coordinated protest efforts that result in damage to our facilities, or injury to people who may hold different political views than your members, but who share an equal right to be involved in the political process without suffering violence, intimidation and threats.

 

Respectfully,

 

Gov. Marc Racicot, Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Chairman

 

 

 John Kerry (L-as always) with Union Thugs

 

Related:

 

Kerry was endorsed by the leadership of the AFL/CIO in February of this year.

 

 

 

 

UPDATE:

 

Still today, attacks continue…

Bush's Campaign Office in Spokane Burglarized, Vandalized

 

 

UPDATE II

12. OCTOBER 2004:

Fox News misses the mark: accepts Kerry camp claim of HQ break-ins against them also, but provides no proof. During Studio B a very sloppy report about campaign violence claimed both sides were to blame. Unfortunately, the facts simply don’t support this. The reporter took the Kerry assertions indubitanter. That report also downplayed the frequency and severity of break-ins at GOP offices and missed the point that such violence is interfering with the campaign’s ability to promote their candidate and as such is gravely serious since it ultimately is interfering with the potential outcome of an election.

 

 

 

 

 

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CAMPAIGN VIOLENCE REFORM PART II

EXCLUSIVE

Cyber Terrorists Rock DMAT Servers, Cause “One of the Worst Attacks Ever Seen”

Attack used FEMA site to take offline "over 5 million" other sites in official act of "cyber terrorism" 

 

 

Millions of websites were reportedly brought down over an as-yet unspecified time-frame due to a security breach of FEMA’s DMAT servers, according to a recent and very reliable source where those servers were initially compromised. The site is said to have acted as the hijacked control center for numerous attacks across the web. According to my source, victims included multitudes of e-commerce and government sites. No one knows or is yet saying truly how deep the breach went. 

 

DMAT is the Disaster Medical Assistance Team for the United States Public Health Service and is part of the NDMS (National Disaster Medical System), which serves the Department of Defense, Department of veterans Affairs, the Department of Health and Human Services and FEMA.

 

According to their site, “DMATs were envisioned as being mobile, deployable teams which, under Federal auspices, manage large numbers of disaster casualties. The DMATs would be sponsored locally and become federalized assets during declared disasters (such as hurricanes, the attacks of 9/11 etc.) “ DMAT was on site giving assistance immediately following the attacks in 2001. DMAT's work with the National Guard and are “routinely deployed to support Capitol events such as Inaugurations and State of the Union addresses.”

 

The DMAT site was reportedly targeted because of it’s unusually “high” level of security- a departure from typical cyber attacks. But then, this one appears to be like few, if any, seen before.

 

For a 36-hour period at some unspecified time before about two-weeks ago, more than 14,000 servers and 5 million sites were attacked and brought down by a coordinated attack launched from the compromised DMAT servers; the victims, largely e-commerce. 80% of Silicon Valley’s web presence was at one point off the map, according to that source within the investigation.

 

“Official act of terrorism” “Our site was used as the "gateway" to access many additional sights and servers, including federal ones, with catastrophic results. The source notes that they were “prohibited” from their e-mail accounts “in an effort to help stop the attack by limiting access to other systems” through such accounts. 

 

The source goes on to say that “while I am not yet at liberty to divulge the full details of this attack (or at least as many as are currently known to us), it has been declared by the top cyberspace security technologists in the country to be one of the worst attacks ever seen, and has officially been declared an act of terrorism,” those behind which have yet to be determined, the source said citing internal information.

 

Attacks ongoing “The federal government was/is heavily involved in both the efforts to stop the attack (which has been slowed significantly but not yet completely contained) and in the investigation as to its source.  It is thought that our site was targeted primarily because of it's link to the federal websites and its additional security so they could prove a point.”

 

Since the investigation is on-going, he was not able to divulge any additional information. What will be interesting to know is how long had the DMAT severs been compromised before they were used in what sounds most like widespread DDoS (or distributed denial of service) attacks.

 

The hows and the Whens The fact is that a direct crack of the DMAT’s web server itself may not have been the means of getting into the system, rather a variety of endless other means, less-familiar to most, could have just as easily been the open door. Any of which could effect even what we would consider one of the more secure web servers. A few examples:

 

People sometimes e-mail the strangest things: such as passwords and usernames, dates of birth and other information that could allow an outsider to gain access to a server by spoofing the identity of a trusted person. Typically, e-mails are sent in plain text and visible to anyone on the internet as they make their journey to their final destination.

 

Users are still opening that spam too, which can contain viruses, worms and Trojan horses that allow outsiders to gain access to servers in an organization by opening up virtual back doors. In fact, often times a poorly configured or patched Microsoft Exchange e-mail server itself can be easily compromised and the source of many company headaches.

 

Other methods include using or manipulating someone on the “inside” to actively compromise security without even really knowing it. This is often the best strategy when security standards – and practices – are high at the IT-end, since users usually don’t think about cyber security when they’re not at their computers.

 

Low key up till now Indications are there is much more to come in this saga, which is partly why things were kept “under wraps” until this point, and still are greatly fairly low-key as far as any public statements from DMAT. It is as yet unclear whether any medical, employee or other confidential records could have been compromised. This of particular concern since individuals or specific strategies within the organization could be targeted by terrorists.

 

In every sense this should serve as a wake up call for everybody. We all need to take cyber security seriously both for ourselves and for our companies. When you download that little game at work or click on the link your buddy sent you in an e-mail to watch that funny cartoon, think twice. Chinese, North Korean and Islamofascists groups have promised significant cyber attacks and have been doing so on some level for the past couple of years. These people mean business and will stop at nothing to get past the guard at the gate.

 

The way our current internet is set up allows for a single user’s bad move at one computer to cause disaster for millions more. Until that changes, we’re likely in for a bumpy ride.

 

 

 

UPDATE:

 

Government officials are apparently saying this one is a big deal, based on the quote I received that said “(the attack) has officially been declared an act of terrorism.” But some question I believe rather rightly that one man’s cyber terrorism is another man’s cyber-mischief.

 

What is needed is further information to help us understand that designation, in addition to a few more questions that need answered:

1. As a couple have accurately already pointed out: Why didn't we notice all of the e-commerce sites going down at some point?

2. Specifically, what day and during which hours did this happen- and in what order?

3. What was the exact nature of the attacks on the outside web servers -the details on the type of the attack on the DMAT network would also be nice

4. Why, in specifics, is this that much different from other incidents like it

 

5. How long were the servers in question compromised

 

It is also important that the source of this information says they are “not yet at liberty to divulge the full details of this attack (or at least as many as are currently known to us)” but seems to hint that more information will become available.

 

There is also indication that up till now they have been trying to, as I mentioned, keep it a bit more low-key, “This was not publicized much as they were trying to keep the full extent under wraps (I’m sure there is much more that I do not know).”

 

Indeed, there is much that we all want to know. But it seems self-evident as I stated earlier what we are deeply in need of in this country is a revolution in IT security as a practice and as the basis for communications technology.

 

We still don’t know the specifics of what sort of attack was mounted against the outside web sites. The assumption that it was a DDoS attack was admittedly mine, but also seems the most logical interpretation of “At last count, over 14,000 servers were brought down, impacting and shutting down over 5 million websites, including over 80% of Silicone Valley in Los Angeles. For a 36 hour period, e-commerce was virtually at a standstill.” Now again, who’s been having difficulty accessing e-commerce sites? I haven’t either- and it is strange. Obviously those details need and will be ironed out at some point.

 

I’ve already tried to get back in contact with that source and will update this with whatever I can find out over the coming days.

 

 

 

 

Related cybernews:

 

Recently in the news the FBI raided Indymedia Servers in the US and the Britain earlier this month. In the raid, several hard drives were confiscated and much of the Indymedia web presence was curtailed.

 

Indymedia has been a popular spot for Babar Ahmad, a man recently arrested in London with Terrorist ties and who ran Azzam.com, one of the most popular Islamofascist sites on the web.

 

Azzam.com also reportedly used the services of ev1.net, a Houston Texas-based ISP and web provider, known among many in the tech world as a refuge for spammers and such. (for the purpose of full-discloser, I must mention here that I have worked at ev1, but left on good terms with lifetime perks).

 

Indymedia has been in trouble with Secret Service and other law enforcement in the past for playing for the other side, including divulging the names of two Swiss Intelligence officers.

 

What’s worse is that Teresa Heinz Kerry’s Tides Foundation in part helps support Indymedia, despite its tainted past.

 

 

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EXCLUSIVE

AMAZING LITTLE CREATURES

**DEBATE EDITION** 

 

"I know a Kerry supporter- one of my neighbors is one. To tell you the truth, he's kind of strange..."

 

Sometimes a picture paints a thousand words. At some point I am going to do some research into hardline Leftism and emotional dysfunction. But for now suffice it to compare and enjoy these two: the dynamics of politics on hardline Lefist youth...and everybody else.

 

We'll start with "everybody else".

 

First we have a group of seemingly well-adjusted normal-looking American kids you might see running around in your neighborhood, holding signs in support of the candidate they think will best protect their future. It's difficult to see from here that Halliburton told them they would take away their puppies unless they held up those signs.

 

 

 

Next, in case you were wondering where Lurch left the rest of his family or if we were ever going to get to see all of them (you know they've been rattling around in the cellar since the NYC protests)- is a group of college kids trying to feel disillusionment. They'll be sure to show Halliburton a thing or two. By the way, the fence means "please don't feed". 

 

 

 

 I think that's the Humpback of Notre Dame there...

 

Kerry likes Notre Dame...because it's in France.

 

To be continued...

 

 

AMAZING LITTLE CREATURES

**DEBATE EDITION** 

PLANET REALITY

 

 

 

A Crucial Turnabout in Ideas Needed in Debate Tonight

 

Bush needs to shut down Kerry’s fact-starved mantra about our holding the blame for poor international cooperation in Iraq. He can do it in two sentences:

 

We did not turn our back on the allies you speak of-

 

We were stabbed in the back by those allies. (i.e. France, Russia, Germany, China & Friends)

 

 

How badly were we stabbed in the back?

 

“Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry complains that President Bush pursued a unilateralist foreign policy that gave short shrift to the concerns of the United Nations and our allies when it came to taking military action against Saddam Hussein. But the mounting evidence of scandal that has been uncovered in the U.N. Oil For Food program suggests that there was never a serious possibility of getting Security Council support for military action because influential people in Russia and France were getting paid off by Saddam.” – The Washington Times

 

And that is just, as they say, the very tip of the ice burg.

 

 

The rest?

 

(This list will be updated periodically)

 

Axis of Oil: UN Oil-For-Food Scandal

Germany, Russia, France & China’s quid pro quo with Saddam – Deposing Saddam Was Against Their National Agendas

 

1,300 Oil Vouchers Begin to Tell Story

 

(Excerpt c/o the Free Republic)

“The immense scope of an Iraqi effort in the late 1990s to curry political support for ending an international trade embargo is reflected in a list of more than 1,300 oil "vouchers" that then-President Saddam Hussein gave to more than a hundred corporations, foreign officials and political parties stretching from North America to Asia, according to a report issued on Wednesday by the CIA's Iraq Survey Group.

 

The vouchers, which provided selective rights to buy Iraqi oil at a discount and to resell it for a huge profit, were provided to both mainstream and opposition political parties in countries such as Belarus, Russia, Ukraine and Yugoslavia; to oil companies in Turkey, Japan, Belgium, Italy, Canada and France; to an arms conglomerate in China; and to individuals in Switzerland, Jordan, the Netherlands, Russia, Malaysia and Burma, among others.

 

Each of the oil sales was approved by the United Nations, which was monitoring Iraqi oil transactions in an effort begun in 1996 -- known as the oil-for-food program -- to ensure that the resulting revenue was used for humanitarian projects. But Iraq saw the program differently, as a key part of a scheme to free itself from the impact of sanctions and, ultimately, to gain political support for their termination, according to the report.” – The Washington Post

 

 

New Axis of Evil?

U.S. officials say China, N. Korea behind Iran's missile program

 

More: Blogbat: Ten Days Before It Hit the Headlines

"At present, Russia and China have continued to sell advanced weapons systems to Kim Jong Il's regime, despite U.S. concerns. U.S. Strategy.com reported in July that China was working with North Korea to bolster Iran's nuclear arms program by selling arms and providing advisors to the country. I would imagine it is fairly safe to say the Chinese and North Koreans would not be selling nuclear technology to anyone they thought would use it against them, so that means those weapons are most likely to be pointed in a direction North Korea approves of. Possibly where China has it's missiles aimed too: The U.S. and her interests."

 

France Pushes to Lift Arms-Embargo from China

Embargo put in place after the Tiananmen massacre

 

Russia Caught Sending Arms, Advisors to Saddam’s Iraq

Even after the shooting began

 

France Caught Sending Arms to Saddam’s Iraq

Also after the shooting began

 

Germany Exported Nuclear, Chemical and Other Technology to Iraq

Iraqi report could prove damaging to Germany

 

More: Germany's Arms Exports Under Fire

“Germany is second only to France when it comes to arms exports from the European Union.” And Germany is playing both sides against the middle in what is becoming a global conflagration, beginning in the Middle East

 

German Suspected of Aiding Libya with Nuclear Arms

 

Germany to Trade Nuclear Technology with China

“EU Turns Blind Eye to Berlin-Beijing Nuclear Deal”

 

China and North Korean Relations “Tighter than Teeth & Gums”

Old expression of closeness, revived from Korean War days

 

Chinese Arms Deals Export Nuclear Terror

China's escalating arms sales to Pakistan in the 90’s

"Vice President Al Gore has a lot riding on Secretary of State Madeleine Albright's recent emergency trip to China. The cover story for her flight to Beijing has something vaguely to do with North Korea and South Korea, but her real predicament is the recent publicity surrounding China's escalating arms sales to Pakistan and other dangerous locations. If she can't throw a blanket over Beijing's arms-smuggling between now and the election, Gore is in real trouble."

 

 

Pakistan Supplies North Korea, Egypt, Libya with Nuclear Technology

 

Leftwing Source: Pakistan's Help to Iran, Libya Hikes Nuke Peril

 

Libya – Part of the Nuclear Family, Spreading the Love

Connections with Egypt, Pakistan discovered

 

More: Blogbat: Three Days Before It Hit the Headlines

“So what interests me of late in Libya’s role in a possible future radiological attack somewhere? I have a few things to discuss here, since I still believe they are doing everything but playing straight with us. More insanity from Blogbat, you ask. Have I not read the news the past few months, that Libya gave up their nuclear program and even Blair is chummy with them now? Surely the world watched as they shipped out the last of their dismantled nuclear technology under watch of the IAEA, the UN and other fantastic organizations. Even the US got a look-see in the peephole. This Blogbat, he is crazy, I know, I know. So how about those Libyans? Now they clearly want to play nice, right? I don’t buy it. The truth may be only complicating in its digestion ante bellum. Suppose with me Libya the conduit- not ever the perpetrator- has decided to “came clean” for ignoble purposes. Now looking squeaky-clean before the world prior to some future “event” after covering up those nasty tracks left when said “dirty work” was undergoing. Simply put, let’s hypothesize that technology passed through its borders to be used against Allied targets in what would amount to a “nuke-tech-laundering” scheme.

 

Sometimes when we deal with governments we forget we are dealing with people. And I don’t recall hearing that Muammar al-Qaddafi was “Born Again” in a roadside conversion during any of his trips to Damascus. I’m not wagering any family heirlooms on that one. Conversely, I would probably be more inclined to bet the farm in the other direction. The argument in favor of Libya is that it has succumbed to pressure from the west. Maybe, and I hope so. Hopefully for our sakes however, we and our allies (such that they are) have despite all reports to the contrary, kept a keen intel eye on these particular Lilliputians.”

 

 

Syria, Iran Hatch Deal on Iraqi Nuke Scientists

  

China-al Qaeda Nexus

Arming Jihadists Post 9/11

 

More:

 

From the Left-leaning Christian Science Monitor

 

Air Force Gen. Richard Myers Plays Down CSM Reports

Myers says, “We've gotten pretty good support from China on the war on terrorism, and it would be hard for me to believe that they'd want to help al Qaeda," the chairman said in a Pentagon media briefing.” Good thing China isn’t like Germany, playing both sides against the middle…

 

However CSM Countered the Same Day in a report, “Al Qaeda massing for new fight” that:

“In Kunar Province, Afghan intelligence sources say that their reports were compiled this week, after Afghan spies, pretending to be Islamic radicals, infiltrated the two Al Qaeda camps in Pakistan. The report concludes that China itself may be involved in supporting the camps, either by tacitly allowing Islamic radicals of the ethnic Uighur minority in China's western Xinjiang Province to cross into Pakistan to join Al Qaeda, or overtly offering to provide Al Qaeda with antiaircraft missiles.”

 

ABC Plays Down Official Connection, but Gives Info on Sino-Residence

 

AL QAEDA USING PRC INTELLIGENCE TO RAISE AND LAUNDER MONEY
DRUG PROFITS INVESTED IN STOCK MARKETS WITH COMMUNISTS' HELP 

"Al Qaeda 'is financing its worldwide terror operations by investing in blue-chip Australian stocks with the assistance of Beijing's powerful Secret Intelligence Service' (World Net Daily). The intelligence group from the People's Republic is also involved in drug deals with Osama bin Laden's terrorist group; which is the original source of the money.

Brain McAdam, a Canadian investigator who helped the FBI find thousands of Communist front organizations in North America, (see 8/20/03 Update) said of the money involved, 'We are talking of billions of dollars.' The fronts he found include "major players on Wall Street" (The News, Australia), and some 'are linked to al-Qaeda through its investments.'

Also fingering Communist China is Xu Junping, a former PRC Colonel who 'for five years oversaw all secret CSIS operations against the West,' before defecting to the U.S. in 2000 (see 3/28/01 Update). Xu 'has described Beijing meetings with Osama bin Laden in 2000, during which the investment plan was discussed.'

Communist China's links to al Qaeda, while not very well known, go back to at least the 1990s, when the PRC paid up to $10 million for unexploded American cruise missiles the terrorist group recovered in Afghanistan. Communist China has also allowed a piece of Pakistan it controls to be an al Qaeda haven (see 10/24/01 and 8/14/02 Updates)."

 

 

 

10 OCTOBER UPDATE:

 

Wandering Mind blog has a supurb list of recent events surrounding the blossoming Sino-French connection straight out of the horse’s mouth. Click on the links below to visit his blog, where he has links to the below-headlined articles from hardly right-wing news outlets in China, India, the UK and elsewhere:

 

China, France sign 20 agreements

 

French president leads business push into China

 

Chirac says Iraq war was illegal

 

Chirac accused of 'dishonour' on Tiananmen

 

And he points to the Canadian factor. Could China’s huge trade contracts have influenced the countries policies? Of course to be fair, the US trades significantly with China as well. The political leanings of the rather strident anti-American Liberal Canadian government is of late however another matter. Check it out and decide for yourselves.

 

 

 

 

 

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PLANET REALITY